Healthcare Application of Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA): Is There Room in the Infectious Disease Setting? A Scoping Review.

: Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is a valuable risk analysis tool aimed at predicting the potential failures of a system and preventing them from occurring. Since its initial use, it has also recently been applied to the healthcare setting, which has been made progressively more complex by technological developments and new challenges. Infection prevention and control (IPC) is an area that requires effective strategies.

Job Demands and Resources Shape the Risk of Burnout in Italian Child Neuropsychiatrists.

To evaluate the influence of job demands and resources on burnout risk among Italian pediatric neuropsychiatrists. This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2023 and February 2024 and involved Italian pediatric neuropsychiatrists. The study applied the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model to assess the impact of job demands (such as work-family conflict, time pressure, and job uncertainty) and job resources (like organizational support and perceived job meaning) on burnout.

A prospective study to evaluate high dose daptomycin pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in spp. infective endocarditis.

Background: Daptomycin pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics data relative to higher doses in patients are necessary for clinical practice.

Objectives: A monocentric, prospective study that enrolled patients with a diagnosis of spp. infective endocarditis treated with daptomycin according to clinical practice, to evaluate the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of different daptomycin daily doses (group A: 8-10 and group B: 11-12 mg/kg).

The Treatment and Monitoring of Osteoporosis using Bone Turnover Markers.

Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone disease that causes the weakening of bone structure. Since bone structure is dynamic throughout a person's lifespan, bones are under constant growth and destruction in a process known as bone turnover or bone remodeling. Osteoporosis involves the disruption of this growth/destruction equilibrium towards the destructive side.

Faricimab efficacy in type 1 macular neovascularization: AI-assisted quantification of pigment epithelium detachment (PED) volume reduction over 12 months in Naïve and switch eyes.

Background: This study evaluates the efficacy of intravitreal Faricimab in reducing pigment epithelium detachment (PED) and fluid volumes in both treatment-naïve eyes and eyes unresponsive to anti-VEGF mono-therapies, all diagnosed with type 1 macular neovascularization (T1 MNV) over a period of 12-month.

Methods: A retrospective, single-center cohort study was conducted at the Jules Gonin Eye Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. Clinical records of treatment-naïve and non-responder switch patients presenting T1 MNV secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) from September 2022 to March 2023 were reviewed.

How I Manage Patients with Unexplained Cytopenia.

The term "unexplained cytopenia" is used to describe a condition characterized by peripheral blood (PB) cytopenia that cannot be attributed to identifiable causes using conventional tests or to any concomitant diseases. Unexplained cytopenia requires clinical attention and further investigation to identify individuals at risk of developing a hematologic neoplasm. The available evidence suggests that somatic mutation analysis may effectively complement the diagnostic work-up and clinical management of unexplained cytopenia.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Oldest-Old Social Capital and Health and the Role of Digital Inequalities: Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, information and communication technology (ICT) became crucial for staying connected with loved ones and accessing health services. In this scenario, disparities in ICT use may have exacerbated other forms of inequality, especially among older adults who were less familiar with technology and more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 health consequences.

Objective: This study investigated changes in ICT use, psychological and physical health, and social capital before and after the pandemic among the oldest old population (aged 80 years or older after the pandemic) and explored how internet use influenced these changes.

Pre-biologic FeNO might predict anti-IL-5/IL-5Rα response to treatment in severe asthmatics.

Objective: It remains unclear whether baseline FeNO levels can predict response to anti-IL5/5R biologic treatment in patients with severe asthma.

Methods: We recruited 104 patients with severe eosinophilic asthma treated with anti-IL5/anti-IL5R for at least one year who had measured FeNO values before the beginning of anti-eosinophilic treatment. Population was divided into subjects with FeNO < 25 and ≥25 ppb.

Dehydrogenase oxidase function: the interplay between substrate binding and flavin microenvironment.

Redox enzymes, mostly equipped with metal or organic cofactors, can vary their reactivity with oxygen by orders of magnitudes. Understanding how oxygen reactivity is controlled by the protein milieu remains an open issue with broad implications for mechanistic enzymology and enzyme design. Here, we address this problem by focusing on a widespread group of flavoenzymes that oxidize phenolic compounds derived from microbial lignin degradation, using either oxygen or a cytochrome c as electron acceptors.

Artificial intelligence empowered voice generation for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that can result in a progressive loss of speech due to bulbar dysfunction, which can have significant negative impact on the patient's mental well-being. Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) strategies based on synthetic voices have been shown to assist patients in maintaining communication and improving their Quality of Life (QoL). However, such synthetic voices are often perceived as impersonal and fail to capture the unique voice and identity of the patient.

Outcomes and prognostic indicators in daratumumab-refractory multiple myeloma: a multicenter real-world study of elotuzumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone in 247 patients.

Background: Daratumumab-refractory multiple myeloma (Dara-R MM) presents a significant treatment challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and survival outcomes of elotuzumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (EloPd) in a large, real-world cohort of patients with Dara-R MM, with particular focus on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective analysis included 247 Dara-R MM patients treated with EloPd.

SEMdag: Fast learning of Directed Acyclic Graphs via node or layer ordering.

A Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) offers an easy approach to define causal structures among gathered nodes: causal linkages are represented by arrows between the variables, leading from cause to effect. Recently, industry and academics have paid close attention to DAG structure learning from observable data, and many techniques have been put out to address the problem. We provide a two-step approach, named SEMdag(), that can be used to quickly learn high-dimensional linear SEMs.

Implementing proximity care for people with multiple sclerosis in Italy: the bottom-up approach of the StayHome project.

Objective: In Italy, around 137,000 people live with multiple sclerosis, facing organizational complexities due to the current model's limited focus on proximity care. This project aims to define a proximity model, in accordance with recent developments in the Italian healthcare landscape, engaging over 150 healthcare stakeholders and potentially impacting approximately 14,000 patients.

Methods: An analysis was pursued to map the multiple sclerosis pathway, followed by interviews to capture the actual implementation in Italian Multiple Sclerosis Centers.

Double trouble: a comprehensive study into unrelated genetic comorbidities in adult patients with Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Type I.

Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy type 1 (FSHD1) displays prominent intra- and interfamilial variability, which complicates the phenotype-genotype correlation. In this retrospective study, we investigated FSHD1 patients classified as category D according to the Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Form (CCEF), a category defined by FSHD patients showing uncommon clinical features, to identify genetic causes explaining these uncommon phenotypes. Demographics, clinical data and clinical scales of FSHD1 patients were retrospectively evaluated.

High-resolution whole-genome DNA methylation revealed unique signatures of painful diabetic neuropathy.

The aim of this work was to describe the DNA methylation signature and to identify genes associated with neuropathic pain in type 2 diabetes mellitus. We analyzed two independent diabetic neuropathy cohorts: PROPGER consisting of 72 painful and 67 painless patients recruited at the German Diabetes Center in Düsseldorf (DE), and PROPENG comprising 27 painful and 65 painless diabetic neuropathy patients recruited at the University of Manchester (UK). Genome-wide methylation data was generated using Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC v1.

External Auditory Canal Transillumination-Guided Middle Fossa Approaches: An Anatomical Feasibility Study.

Background And Objectives: The middle fossa approaches are tremendously versatile for treating small vestibular schwannomas, selected petroclival meningiomas, midbasilar trunk aneurysms, and lesions of the petrous bone. Our aim was to localize the internal acoustic canal and safely drill the petrous apex with these approaches. This study demonstrates a new method to locate the internal acoustic canal during surgery in the middle fossa.

A review of optical and thermal eye tissue parameters for improved computational models in retinal laser therapy.

Laser surgery is recognized as a highly effective method for managing retinal diseases. However, the thermal effects of the laser on different eye tissues are not entirely understood yet. In this context, computational modeling can be a useful tool to predict therapy outcomes.

Polymer-free versus biodegradable-polymer drug-eluting stent in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: an assessor-blind, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Few data are available on polymer-free drug-eluting stents in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Aims: We aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of a polymer-free amphilimus-eluting stent (AES), using a reservoir-based technology for drug delivery, compared with a biodegradable-polymer everolimus-eluting stent (EES).

Methods: This was a randomised, investigator-initiated, assessor-blind, non-inferiority trial conducted at 14 hospitals in Italy (ClinicalTrials.

Observer-rated environmental sensitivity and its characterization at behavioral, genetic, and physiological levels.

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Highly Sensitive Child-Rating System (HSC-RS), the existence of sensitivity groups, and the characterization of sensitivity at behavioral, genetic, and physiological levels in 541 preschoolers (() = 3.56(0.27); 45%male; 87%Caucasian).

Harnessing the power of exosomes for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of hematological malignancies.

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles of endocytic origin released by various cell types. They consist of lipid bilayers containing macromolecules such as lipids, proteins, microRNAs, growth factors, cytokines, and carbohydrates. Exosomes play a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.

Parental burnout, personality, and parenting alliance in first-time mothers and fathers during the perinatal period.

Background: Parental burnout - a condition characterised by intense exhaustion related to parenting, emotional distancing from one's children, a loss of parental fulfilment, and a lack of recognition of oneself as the parent used and wanted to be - is particularly critical during the perinatal period. While previous research has focused mainly on mothers, suggesting that dispositional and couple factors influence parental burnout more than sociodemographic factors, little is known about fathers' experiences and the influence of personality and couple functioning on parental burnout.

Method: This cross-sectional study examined the impact of personality functioning (Level of Personality Functioning Scale - Brief Form 2.

The TL1A inhibitors in IBD: what's in the pot?

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), present ongoing challenges despite advances in pathophysiological understanding and therapeutic options. Current therapies often fail to achieve sustained remission, necessitating exploration of novel treatment targets.

Areas Covered: This review explores the role of Tumor Necrosis Factor-like cytokine 1A (TL1A) and its receptor DR3 in IBD pathogenesis, detailing their involvement in mucosal homeostasis and immune modulation.

Functionalization of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) Membranes for the Enhancement of Cellular Adhesion in Organ-on-a-Chip Devices.

Experimental reproducibility in organ-on-chip (OOC) devices is a challenging issue, mainly caused by cell adhesion problems, as OOC devices are made of bioinert materials not suitable for natural cellularization of their surfaces. To improve cell adhesion, several surface functionalization techniques have been proposed, among which the simple use of an intermediate layer of adsorbed proteins has become the preferred one by OOC users. This way, the cells use surface receptors to adhere to the adsorbed proteins, which are in turn attached to the surface.