Cartilage thickness can be accurately measured intraoperatively in total knee arthroplasty: A step further in calipered kinematic alignment.

Introduction: Kinematic alignment (KA) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is by definition a pure femoral resurfacing procedure aiming to restore the individual prearthritic anatomy. However, when a 2 mm compensation is systematically used on the worn side, the variability in cartilage thickness in the unworn compartment might alter the accuracy of the technique. This study aimed to validate two intraoperative femoral cartilage thickness measurement techniques by comparing them to the photographic method, which measures cartilage thickness through pixel analysis of bone-cut images.

Primordial black holes and their gravitational-wave signatures.

In the recent years, primordial black holes (PBHs) have emerged as one of the most interesting and hotly debated topics in cosmology. Among other possibilities, PBHs could explain both some of the signals from binary black hole mergers observed in gravitational-wave detectors and an important component of the dark matter in the Universe. Significant progress has been achieved both on the theory side and from the point of view of observations, including new models and more accurate calculations of PBH formation, evolution, clustering, merger rates, as well as new astrophysical and cosmological probes.

Healthcare provision for displaced people in transit: Analyses of routinely collected data from INTERSOS clinics at the Ukrainian border with Moldova and Poland.

Background: The Russian military invasion of Ukraine has sparked Europe's largest forced displacement since World War II, bringing about significant health vulnerabilities for migrants and refugees. European health information systems lack comprehensive data coverage, especially in underrepresented migration stages like transit. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing data from INTERSOS clinics at the Moldovan and Polish borders with Ukraine to identify the common health conditions prompting people to seek healthcare services during transit.

The Influence of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders and Mandibular Position on Visual Capacities: A Case-Control Study.

Aims: To verify the possible association between the stomatognathic and the visual system by analyzing the effects that different mandibular postures may have on the accommodative capacity and ocular convergence and by assessing whether temporomandibular disorders (TMD) can influence visual abilities.

Materials And Methods: A case-control study was performed during a 1-year period on a sample of 100 subjects (50 cases and 50 controls). The subjects underwent a gnathological examination, and two visual tests were performed in three different jaw positions: maximum intercuspation, resting position, and open mouth.

Management of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a review for clinicians.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is an aggressive liver malignancy that arises from second-order biliary epithelial cells. Its incidence is gradually increasing worldwide. Well-known risk factors have been described, although in many cases, they are not identifiable.

Exploring Inhibitory Control Processes in Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM): A Single Case Study.

Individuals who possess a Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) can remember their own lives in exceptional detail, retrieving specific autobiographical events in response to dates (e.g., 15 April 1995).

Massive subcutaneous filariosis by in beech marten () in Italy.

The beech marten () is a small-size mustelid endangered according to the IUCN Red List. Despite the plethora of parasites potentially affecting its population decline, subcutaneous filarioids are occasionally reported in martens and their competent arthropod vectors are to date unknown. Therefore, from January 2023 to August 2024, this study investigated the presence of subcutaneous filarioids and ectoparasites of road-killed beech martens ( = 7) from southwestern Italy.

Missing value replacement in strings and applications.

Missing values arise routinely in real-world sequential (string) datasets due to: (1) imprecise data measurements; (2) flexible sequence modeling, such as binding profiles of molecular sequences; or (3) the existence of confidential information in a dataset which has been deleted deliberately for privacy protection. In order to analyze such datasets, it is often important to replace each missing value, with one or more letters, in an efficient and effective way. Here we formalize this task as a combinatorial optimization problem: the set of constraints includes the of the missing value (i.

Nanosized MCM-41 silica from rice husk and its application for the removal of organic dyes from water.

A novel synthesis of a nanometric MCM-41 from biogenic silica obtained from rice husk is here presented. CTABr and Pluronic F127 surfactants were employed as templating agents to promote the formation of a long-range ordered 2D-hexagonal structure with cylindrical pores and to limit the particle growth at the nanoscale level thus resulting in a material with uniform particle size of 20-30 nm. The physico-chemical properties of this sample (RH-nanoMCM) were investigated through a multi-technique approach, including PXRD, Si MAS NMR, TEM, -potential and N physisorption analysis at 77 K.

Chondroitin Sulphate-Chitosan Based Nanogels Loaded with Naringenin-β-Cyclodextrin Complex as Potential Tool for the Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy: A Formulation Study.

Purpose: The main purpose of the study was the formulation development of nanogels (NHs) composed of chondroitin sulfate (CS) and low molecular weight chitosan (lCH), loaded with a naringenin-β-cyclodextrin complex (NAR/β-CD), as a potential treatment for early-stage diabetic retinopathy.

Methods: Different formulations of NHs were prepared by varying polymer concentration, lCH ratio, and pH and, then, characterized for particle size, zeta potential, particle concentration (particles/mL) and morphology. Cytotoxicity and internalization were assessed in vitro using Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC).

Use of Indocyanine Green (ICG) to Assess Myocardial Perfusion and Territorial Distribution of Vein Grafts Implanted on Coronary Arteries in an Porcine Model. A Potential Adjunct to Assist Revascularization Strategies and Training in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background: The fluorescent dye indocyanine green (ICG) has been used to identify anatomical structures intraoperatively in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using ICG to assess graft patency and territorial distribution of myocardial reperfusion during CABG.

Methods: Porcine arrested hearts (n = 18) were used to evaluate territorial distribution of native coronary arteries and of a coronary bypass constructed with porcine saphenous vein graft (SVG) using ICG.

Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction: Insights on Prognosis and Future Perspectives.

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) comprises a wide spectrum of structural and/or functional abnormalities of coronary microcirculation that can lead to myocardial ischemia. Emerging evidence has indicated that CMD is a relevant cause of morbidity and mortality and is associated with a high risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction as well as poor quality of life. This review aims to elucidate briefly the pathogenesis and diagnostic modalities of CMD and to shed light on contemporary evidence on the prognostic impact of CMD.

Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement: Current Options and Future Perspectives.

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a potentially lethal condition and represents a significant clinical challenge both for clinical and interventional cardiologists. Traditionally managed medically and surgically, transcatheter therapies are now an emerging option, especially in patients with prohibitive surgical risk due to age or comorbidities. Transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) is emerging as a potential solution for patients suffering from TR with positive clinical data supporting its use in a wide range of anatomies and clinical settings.

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing: Deciphering Cardiovascular Complications in Systemic Sclerosis.

Cardiac manifestations in systemic sclerosis (SSc) are variable and are associated with a poor prognosis, frequently resulting in impaired right ventricular function and heart failure. A high proportion of patients with SSc experience pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), interstitial lung disease, or myocardial involvement, all of which can lead to exercise intolerance. In this context, cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a useful tool for diagnosing exercise intolerance, elucidating its pathophysiology, and assessing its prognosis.

Melatonin regulation and the function of the periodontal ligament: Future perspective and challenges.

The present article reviews the emerging role of melatonin (MT) and the Hippo-Yes-associated protein signaling pathway in periodontal regeneration, highlighting their potential to delay the aging process of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). Oxidative stress and cellular senescence are major obstacles in regenerative therapies, especially in an aging population. MT, a potent antioxidant, restores the morphology, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation potential of PDLSCs under oxidative stress conditions.

Ongoing post-pandemic peak of cases in July 2024: A single-center experience in north-west Italy.

We report an increase of () respiratory infections during 2023-2024. The positive rate in 2024 is higher at 68 per 1668 (5%) compared with 2023 at nine per 1264 (0.7%), highlighting the increased circulation in north-west Italy.

At the nucleus of cancer: how the nuclear envelope controls tumor progression.

Historically considered downstream effects of tumorigenesis-arising from changes in DNA content or chromatin organization-nuclear alterations have long been seen as mere prognostic markers within a genome-centric model of cancer. However, recent findings have placed the nuclear envelope (NE) at the forefront of tumor progression, highlighting its active role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical forces. Despite significant progress, the precise interplay between NE components and cancer progression remains under debate.

Randomized clinical trial (RCT): An overview.

•Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for human experimental studies.•RCTs demand equipoise and freedom from treatment preference among investigators.•Neurologic RCTs are costly, time-intensive, and have high participant exclusion rates.

Left Ventricular Non-Compaction, Atrial Fibrillation and Mutation in a Young Athlete.

Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a rare primary cardiomyopathy with genetic etiology, resulting from an abnormality of myocardial development during embryogenesis. It carries an elevated risk of left ventricular dysfunction, thromboembolic events and malignant arrhythmias. We report the case of LVNC associated with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and ankyrin 2 () mutation at the genetic test.

Musicians and researchers: two creative professions striving to improve heart health through music.

Musicians and researchers are creative professions that share many similarities. They both aim to bring joy and progress to humanity. In recent decades, it has been shown that music has the ability to alleviate pain, improve heart function, reduce anxiety, and stimulate the release of endogenous opioids in the brain.