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Nanoparticle (NP)-based contrast agents enabling different imaging modalities are sought for non-invasive bio-diagnostics. A hybrid material, combining optical and X-ray fluorescence is presented as a bioimaging contrast agent. Core NPs based on metallic rhodium (Rh) have been demonstrated to be potential X-ray Fluorescence Computed Tomography (XFCT) contrast agents. Microwave-assisted hydrothermal method is used for NP synthesis, yielding large-scale NPs within a significantly short reaction time. Rh NP synthesis is performed by using a custom designed sugar ligand (LODAN), constituting a strong reducing agent in aqueous solution, which yields NPs with primary amines as surface functional groups. The amino groups on Rh NPs are used to directly conjugate excitation-independent nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (CQDs), which are synthesized through citrate pyrolysis in ammonia solution. CQDs provided the Rh NPs with optical fluorescence properties and improved their biocompatibility, as demonstrated in vitro by Real-Time Cell Analysis (RTCA) on a macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7). The multimodal characteristics of the hybrid NPs are confirmed with confocal microscopy, and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) phantom experiments.

In this paper, we aimed to highlight functional and safety outcomes of highly-comorbid patients undergoing transperineal laser ablation (TPLA) of prostate at a referral academic center. Patients undergoing TPLA from April 2021 and February 2023 with moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), prostate volume ranging from 30 to 100 mL, and an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Score ≥3 were included. All patients were evaluated as unfit for standard surgery. Procedures were performed in an outpatient setting using local anesthesia. Failure after the procedure was defined as the shift to other ultra-minimally invasive surgical treatment or the need for long-term indwelling catheter replacement. Overall, 23 patients were enrolled with a median age of 76 years. Median ASA Score and Charlson Comorbidity Index were 3 and 5, respectively. Of these, 11 (48%) were under antiplatelets, 4 (17%) under new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and 3 (13%) under warfarin. Six (26%) patients had an indwelling catheter preoperatively. Median prostate volume was 42 mL. Median follow-up was 12 months. No Clavien-Dindo Grade ≥2 complications were recorded. Four/six (66%) patients with an indwelling catheter before TPLA achieved spontaneous micturition. Treatment failure occurred in 2 (8.5%) patients. Of the remaining 21 patients, 12/21 (57%) patients reported an improvement in International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) symptoms class (i.e., severe to moderate, moderate to mild, etc.); all patients whose IPSS symptoms class remained stable (N.=8 [38%]) had a significant improvement of the IPSS score as compared to the preoperative period, while 1 (4.5%) patient reported worsening of LUTS. In conclusion, TPLA appears to be a safe and feasible ultra-minimally-invasive option for LUTS due to benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) in patients with significant comorbidities at high-risk for standard surgical options.

Purpose: Transperineal laser ablation (TPLA) is a new minimally-invasive surgical treatment for patients with benign prostatic obstruction (BPO). We report the perioperative and mid-term functional results of the first 100 consecutively patients undergoing TPLA at our institution., Methods: Clinical data from consecutive patients undergoing TPLA at our institution from April 2021 to July 2023 were prospectively collected. Primary endpoints were the postoperative changes in IPSS, QoL and MSHQ 3-item questionnaires and in Qmax and post-void residual volume (PVR)., Results: Overall, 100 consecutive patients underwent the procedure. Median age and prostate volume were 66 (IQR 60-75) years and 50 (IQR 40-70) ml, respectively. In the cohort, 14 (14%) patients had an indwelling catheter and 81 (81%) were under oral BPO therapy at the time of TPLA. Baseline median Qmax (ml/s) and PVR (ml) were 9.1 (IQR 6.9-12) and 90 (IQR 50-150), respectively, while median IPSS and QoL were 18 (IQR 15-23) and 4 (IQR 3-4). At all the follow-up timepoints, the evaluated outcomes on both symptoms and functional parameters showed a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001). Antegrade ejaculation was preserved in all sexually active patients. No postoperative Clavien-Dindo > 2 complications were recorded., Conclusions: TPLA represents a safe option for selected well-informed patients swith LUTS due to BPO. Our prospective study confirms the feasibility and favorable perioperative and functional outcomes in a real-world cohort with heterogenous prostate volumes and patient characteristics., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) believe that diet plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of their disease and the exacerbation of their symptoms. They often adopt restrictive diets that can lead to malnutrition, anxiety, and stress. Recent studies have found a correlation between IBD and eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). None of these studies report an association with orthorexia nervosa, which is an obsession with healthy and natural foods. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of orthorexia nervosa in patients with IBD. A total of 158 consecutive subjects were recruited, including 113 patients with IBD and 45 controls. The standardized Donini questionnaire ORTO-15 was administered to assess the risk of orthorexia, and clinical and demographic data were collected. The results showed that patients with IBD had a risk of developing orthorexia nervosa of 77%. This was significantly higher than the 47% observed in the control group. In the patients with IBD, the risk of orthorexia was associated with a lower BMI, at least in patients older than 30 years, and it was also associated with marital status in patients younger than 30. In conclusion, many patients with IBD are at increased risk of developing orthorexia nervosa, which may have a negative impact on their psychological wellbeing and social sphere, expose them to a high risk of nutritional deficiencies, and affect their overall quality of life. Further high-quality studies are needed to assess the clinical impact of orthorexia and its correlation with clinical features and classified eating disorders.

Background: The effectiveness of Ustekinumab (UST) and Vedolizumab (VDZ) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) as third-line biologic therapies is unclear., Aims: We performed a multicentre, real-world assessment of the effectiveness of UST and VDZ among highly-refractory patients with CD., Methods: Data of consecutive patients with CD treated with UST and VDZ as third-line biologic therapy until December 2021 were extracted from the cohort of the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (SN-IBD)., Results: 143 patients (UST: n = 113; VDZ: n = 30) were included. At the end of induction, the rates of clinical response (CR) were 61.9% for UST and 60.0% for VDZ (p = 1.00), with steroid-free clinical remission (SFCR) achieved in 38.1% of patients in the UST group and 43.3% of patients in the VDZ group (p = 0.75). After 52 weeks of observation, the rates of CR were 65.9% for UST and 71.4% for VDZ (p = 0.77), while the rates of SFCR were 51.8% for UST and 57.1% for VDZ (p = 0.78). At multiple Cox proportional hazard regression model, age (HR 0.98; p = 0.04) and need for systemic steroids at baseline (HR 3.29; p = 0.003) were found to be independent predictors of treatment discontinuation., Conclusions: Both VDZ and UST showed high effectiveness as third-line biologic therapy in CD, without significant differences between them., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

We aimed to review the current evidence on surgical and functional outcomes of Transperineal Laser Ablation for LUTS due to BPH. A comprehensive review of the English-language literature was performed using the MEDLINE and Web of Science databases until 1 August 2022, aiming to select studies evaluating TPLA for the treatment of LUTS due to BPH. Additional records were found from Google Scholar. Data were extracted and summarized in Tables. An appropriate form was used for qualitative data synthesis. Seven studies were included in the review, with all being single arm, non-comparative studies. In all studies, functional outcomes were evaluated with uroflowmetry parameters and validated questionnaires, showing a promising effectiveness at short- and mid-term follow-up. There is a lack of standardized pathways for preoperative assessment of patients suitable for TPLA, and even the technique itself has been reported with a few nuances. A good safety profile has been reported by all the authors. Although promising results have been reported by different groups, selection criteria for TPLA and few technical nuances regarding the procedure were found to be heterogeneous across the published series that should be standardized in the future. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Purpose: There is a considerable literature supporting the role of lipids in fertility. However, little is known about their impact on male and female gametes. Our study aimed to investigate the relationships between lipids levels in serum, follicular fluid and seminal plasma with ovarian response and sperm concentration regardless of age and body mass index (BMI)., Methods: 51 follicular fluid and serum samples of IVF-ICSI cycles and 52 seminal plasma and serum samples of males in the infertility study were analyzed for cholesterol, triglycerides, and non-esterified fatty acids. The parameters used to assess gonadal response were number of mature oocytes in metaphase II and total motile sperm. Differences between groups were studied by means Principal Component Analysis, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Pearson correlation, Student's T, and multivariate linear regression., Results: Using a multivariate linear regression model to exclude the effect of the age and BMI, we found that the lipid profile in follicular fluid and plasma influence inversely and significantly on ovarian response and the number of matured oocytes recovered. Moreover, we found that seminal lipid levels are predictors of seminal quality independent of plasma lipid values., Conclusion: Our current analysis demonstrates the association of low ovarian response and low number of motile sperms with abnormal lipids levels., (Copyright © 2022 Asociación Española de Andrología, Medicina Sexual y Reproductiva. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Yariv reagents are glycosylated triphenylazo dyes that bind to arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), proteoglycans found in plant cell walls that are integral for plant growth and development. Yariv reagents are widely utilized as imaging, purification, and quantification tools for AGPs and represent the only small molecule probe for interrogating AGP function. The ability of Yariv reagents to bind to AGPs is dependent on the structure of the terminal glycoside on the dye. The reason for this selectivity has not been understood until the present work. Using circular dichroism spectroscopy, we show that the Yariv reagents form supramolecular aggregates with helical chirality. More significantly, the ability of the Yariv reagent to bind AGPs is correlated with this helical chirality. This finding paves the way towards developing a more detailed understanding of the nature of the Yariv-AGP complex, and the design of AGP-binding reagents with higher affinities and selectivities., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Yariv reagents are glycoconjugate tris-azo dyes widely used in plant biology. These reagents are synthesized by diazo coupling between phloroglucinol and a para -diazophenyl glycoside. Despite their synthetic accessibility, well-defined protocols for obtaining pure Yariv reagents, and their complete compound characterization data, have not been reported. We report here optimized protocols used to synthesize, purify, and characterize a panel of six Yariv reagents and suggest approaches that could be valuable for the purification and characterization of other glycoconjugates as well.