Preconception carrier screening and preimplantation genetic testing in the infertility management.

Background: Genetic testing serves as a valuable element of reproductive care, applicable at various stages of the reproductive journey: (i) before pregnancy, when a couple's genetic reproductive risk can be evaluated; (ii) before embryo implantation, as part of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, to ascertain several inherited or de novo genetic/chromosomal diseases of the embryo before transfer; (iii) during the prenatal period, to assess the genetic costitution of the fetus. Preconception carrier screening (CS) is a genetic test typically performed on couples planning a pregnancy. The primary purpose of CS is to identify couples at-risk of conceiving a child affected by a severe genetic disorder with autosomal recessive or X-linked inheritance.

Rational construction of CQDs-based targeted multifunctional nanoplatform for synergistic chemo-photothermal tumor therapy.

Photothermal therapy combined with chemotherapy has shown great promise in the treatment of cancer. In this synergistic system, a safe, stable, and efficient photothermal agent is desired. Herein, an effective photothermal agent, carbon quantum dots (CQDs), was initially synthesized and then rationally constructed a folic acid (FA)-targeted photothermal multifunctional nanoplatform by encapsulating CQDs and the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) in the liposomes.

Portable Voltammetry: A Rapid and Efficient Technique for Determining UV Filters in Cosmetics: A Comparative Study with HPLC-PDA and HPLC-MS/MS.

This study addresses the widespread use of UV filters (UVFs) in cosmetic and solar products due to the negative effects of UV radiation, particularly in relation to melanoma risk. While these filters offer protection, their extensive application raises concerns about their environmental and health impacts. Organic UVFs, in particular, have been associated with endocrine disruption in aquatic species and coral reef damage.

Good Initial Visual Acuity in Patients with Macular Edema due to Retinal Vein Occlusion - Management and Outcomes.

Purpose: The approach to managing patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and cystoid macular edema (CME) with good initial visual acuity (VA) better than 6/12 has not been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate functional and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal treatment and observation in patients with CME due to RVO, who presented with good initial VA. Methods: Multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Biomechanical factors and atherosclerosis localization: insights and clinical applications.

Although the entire vascular bed is constantly exposed to the same risk factors, atherosclerosis manifests a distinct intra-individual pattern in localization and progression within the arterial vascular bed. Despite shared risk factors, the development of atherosclerotic plaques is influenced by physical principles, anatomic variations, metabolic functions, and genetic pathways. Biomechanical factors, particularly wall shear stress (WSS), play a crucial role in atherosclerosis and both low and high WSS are associated with plaque progression and heightened vulnerability.

Clinical characteristics and treatment approach of established New-Onset status epilepticus (eNOSE): A Real-World multicenter experience.

Introduction: Status Epilepticus (SE) can occur in patients without a previous epilepsy diagnosis, a condition identified as "new-onset status epilepticus" (NOSE). Treatment with benzodiazepine may fail in NOSE termination, requiring anti-seizure medication (ASM) employment. The term "established NOSE" (eNOSE) is generally employed in this context.

Acinetobacter baumannii OmpA-like porins: functional characterization of bacterial physiology, antibiotic-resistance, and virulence.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a critical opportunistic pathogen associated with nosocomial infections. The high rates of antibiotic-resistance acquisition make most antibiotics ineffective. Thus, new medical countermeasures are urgently needed.

Design, Synthesis, and Anti-Prostate Cancer Potential of 2-(4-Nitrobenzyl) Malonates In Vitro and DAL Acute Oral Toxicity Assessment In Vivo.

New 4-nitrobenzyl derivatives were designed and synthesised by nucleophilic substitution reactions of 4-nitrobenzyl bromide with malonic acid and its derivatives. The synthesised molecules were characterised using mass analysis and spectroscopic techniques and tested for their antioxidant properties using various methods, such as nitric oxide, DPPH, and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging methods. The anti-inflammatory activities of the molecules were assessed using RBC membrane stabilisation and albumin denaturation methods.

Workload of home care nurses: Italian adaptation, validity, and reliability of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index questionnaire.

The aim of this study was to adapt the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) to the home care setting and translate and validate it in Italian. An online questionnaire containing the Italian version of the NASA-TLX adapted to the home care setting was administered to home care nurses to measure workload. Content Validity Index, Exploratory, and Confirmatory Factor Analyses were used to measure the psychometric characteristics of the modified NASA-TLX.

Context matters: task relevance shapes neural responses to emotional facial expressions.

Recent research shows that emotional facial expressions impact behavioral responses only when their valence is relevant to the task. Under such conditions, threatening faces delay attentional disengagement, resulting in slower reaction times and increased omission errors compared to happy faces. To investigate the neural underpinnings of this phenomenon, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to record the brain activity of 23 healthy participants while they completed two versions of the go/no-go task.

Treatment response assessment of acute pyelonephritis: A multi-reader DWI-based MRI approach.

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a structured reporting score (SRS) in treatment response assessment for acute pyelonephritis (APN) using a diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) -based MRI approach. Additionally, we explored the influence of reader experience on the interpretation of SRS and DWI, including lesion conspicuity and measurements of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) maps.

Methods: Follow-up DWI-based MRIs of 36 patients treated for APN between September 2021 and June 2023 were retrospectively reviewed by three readers.

The role of sexual communication in the relationship between emotion regulation and sexual functioning in women: The impact of age and relationship status.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate sexual communication as a mechanism involved in the link between emotion regulation and sexual functioning in a sample of adult women, also testing the moderating role of relationship status and age in this association.

Method: 1344 sexually active cisgender women (aged 18-57, = 27.34; SD= 6.

Features related to temporary tracheotomy in patients undergoing Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) for supraglottic squamous cell cancer of the larynx: A systematic review.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to assess a relation between demographical, clinical and tumoral features and the need for a prophylactic tracheotomy during TORS procedure in patients affected by supraglottic laryngeal cancer.

Methods: PRISMA 2020 guidelines were applied in this systematic literature review. A computerized search was performed using the Embase/Pubmed, Scopus and Cochrane database, for articles published from 2007 to December 2023.

Quantum Medicine and Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Associated Chronic Low-Back Pain: A Pilot Observational Study on the Clinical and Bio-Psycho-Social Effects of Bioresonance Therapy.

: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an invasive and potentially disabling syndrome characterized by a multitude of symptoms capable of reducing the quality of life of patients. Among the most disabling symptoms of IBS is certainly physical pain, which manifests itself mainly at the abdominal level but can also appear in other areas of the body, particularly in the form of chronic low-back pain (CLBP). Among the non-invasive methods of treating organ-specific pathologies and organ-related musculoskeletal problems, the use of Bioresonance Therapy (BT)-based on the administration of self-modulating Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields, capable of determining a rebalance of bio-electrical and metabolic activity in the presence of various functional alterations-is currently gaining acceptance.

Weathering Tests on Raw and Consolidated Vicenza Stone.

The preservation of cultural heritage, particularly historical stone structures, represents a very challenging matter due to several environmental and anthropogenic factors. Vicenza stone, a calcareous rock known for its historical significance and widespread use in architectural masterpieces, requires significant attention for conservation. In fact, as the demand for sustainable and effective preservation methods intensifies, the exploration of innovative consolidation strategies becomes essential.