Arterial calcifications and osteoprotegerin in chronic hemodialysis patients: impact on 6-year survival

International Urology and Nephrology - The association between end-stage renal disease and cardiovascular mortality may be influenced through vascular alterations, in particular atherosclerosis and...     

Critical Raw Materials Saving by Protective Coatings under Extreme Conditions: A Review of Last Trends in Alloys and Coatings for Aerospace Engine Applications

Several applications, where extreme conditions occur, require the use of alloys often containing many critical elements. Due to the ever increasing prices of critical raw materials (CRMs) linked to their high supply risk, and because of their fundamental and large utilization in high tech products and applications, it is extremely important to find viable solutions to save CRMs usage. Apart from increasing processes’ efficiency, substitution, and recycling, one of the alternatives to preserve an alloy and increase its operating lifetime, thus saving the CRMs needed for its manufacturing, is to protect it by a suitable coating or a surface treatment. This review presents the most recent trends in coatings for application in high temperature alloys for aerospace engines. CRMs’ current and future saving scenarios in the alloys and coatings for the aerospace engine are also discussed. The overarching aim of this paper is to raise awareness on the CRMs issue related to the alloys and coating for aerospace, suggesting some mitigation measures without having the ambition nor to give a complete overview of the topic nor a turnkey solution.     

MAPLE-based method to obtain biodegradable hybrid polymeric thin films with embedded antitumoral agents

In this work, antitumor compounds, lactoferrin [recombinant iron-free (Apo-rLf)], cisplatin (Cis) or their combination were embedded within a biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer thin film, by a modified approach of a laser-based technique, matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). The structural and morphological properties of the deposited hybrid films were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The in vitro effect on the cells’ morphology and proliferation of murine melanoma B16-F10 cells was investigated and correlated with the films’ surface chemistry and topography. Biological assays revealed decreased viability and proliferation, lower adherence, and morphological modifications in the case of melanoma cells cultured on both Apo-rLf and Cis thin films. The antitumor effect was enhanced by deposition of Apo-rLf with Cis within the same film. The unique capability of the new approach, based on MAPLE, to embed antitumor active factors within a biodegradable matrix for obtaining novel biodegradable hybrid platform with increased antitumor efficiency has been demonstrated.     

Ethnic differences in self-reported functional status in the rural south: The johnston county osteoarthritis project

Objective. We examined ethnic differences in self-reported functional status in a rural, population-based sample in North Carolina. Methods. Data from 1,197 African-American and Caucasian participants, aged 45 and older, in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project were analyzed using multiple logistic regression to examine ethnic differences in difficulty performing tasks of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and in risk factor profiles associated with difficulty. Results. Forty-three percent reported difficulty in one or more HAQ tasks. African-Americans were more likely than Caucasians to report difficulty performing 3 tasks (P < 0.04); these differences were minimal after adjustment for confounders. For some tasks, risk factor profiles included body mass index in African-Americans only, and age and female gender more often in Caucasians. Low educational attainment was part of the risk factor profile for walking in African-Americans. Conclusions. Differences in proportions of African-Americans and Caucasians reporting difficulty in performance of HAQ tasks were minimal, but risk factor profiles for difficulty appeared to vary by ethnicity.     

An EAACI position paper on the investigation of perioperative immediate hypersensitivity reactions

Perioperative immediate hypersensitivity reactions are rare. Subsequent allergy investigation is complicated by multiple simultaneous drug exposures, the use of drugs with potent effects and the many differential diagnoses to hypersensitivity in the perioperative setting. The approach to the investigation of these complex reactions is not standardized, and it is becoming increasingly apparent that collaboration between experts in the field of allergy/immunology/dermatology and anaesthesiology is needed to provide the best possible care for these patients. The EAACI task force behind this position paper has therefore combined the expertise of allergists, immunologists and anaesthesiologists. The aims of this position paper were to provide recommendations for the investigation of immediate‐type perioperative hypersensitivity reactions and to provide practical information that can assist clinicians in planning and carrying out investigations.