Utilizing nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and chlorine co-doped carbon dots as a fluorescent probe for determination of vancomycin in exhaled breath condensate.

Vancomycin is employed to treat infections caused by gram-positive bacteria. Ensuring precise vancomycin dosages is essential to avoid the emergence of bacterial resistance. In the current study, a fluorescent nanoprobe was designed for vancomycin determination in exhaled breath condensate samples. The nanoprobe was based on carbon dots (CDs) doped with nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and chlorine (NSPCl-doped CDs). Vancomycin significantly reduced the fluorescence of NSPCl-doped CDs and presented a quenching process in the analytical response of the probe within a concentration range of 0.01-2.0 µg mL-1 due to forming a non-fluorescent complex. The nanoprobe's intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations were 1.4 % and 3.2 %, respectively. This nanoprobe was successfully used to determine vancomycin in the patients receiving this drug collected from the expiratory circuit of the mechanical ventilator.

A systematic review of clinical efficacy and safety of cell-based therapies in Alzheimer's disease.

There is presently no disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer's Disease (AD), which is the most prevalent cause of dementia. Objective: This study aspires to estimate the efficacy and safety of cell-based treatments in AD. Methods: Observing the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methods and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, a systematic search was accomplished in PubMed, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline, via Ovid), Embase; Cochrane, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature - CINAHL (via EBSCO) databases up to June 2023. The relevant clinical studies in which cell-based therapies were utilized to manage AD were included. The risk of bias was evaluated using the JBI checklists, based on the study designs. Results: Out of 1,014 screened records, a total of five studies with 70 individuals (including 59 patients receiving stem cells and 11 placebo controls) were included. In all these studies, despite the discrepancy in the origin of stem cells, cell density, and transplant site, safety goals were obtained. The intracerebroventricular injection of adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (ADSVF) and umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs), the intravenous injection of Lomecel-B, and the bilateral hippocampi and right precuneus injection of UC-MSCs are not linked to any significant safety concerns, according to the five included studies. Studies also revealed improvements in biomarkers and clinical outcomes as a secondary outcome. Three studies had no control groups and there are concerns regarding the similarity of the groups in others. Also, there is considerable risk of bias regarding the outcome assessment scales. Conclusion: Cell-based therapies are well tolerated by AD patients, which emphasizes the need for further, carefully planned randomized studies to reach evidence-based clinical recommendations in this respect.

Atualmente, não há terapia modificadora da doença para a doença de Alzheimer (DA), que é a causa mais prevalente de demência. Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo estimar a eficácia e segurança dos tratamentos baseados em células na DA. Métodos: Observando os métodos do JBI e a declaração PRISMA, uma busca sistemática foi realizada nas bases de dados PubMed, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online ­ Medline (via Ovid), Embase, Cochrane e CINAHL (via EBSCO) até junho de 2023. Foram incluídos os estudos clínicos relevantes nos quais terapias baseadas em células foram utilizadas para gerenciar a DA. O risco de viés foi avaliado utilizando os checklists do JBI, com base nos desenhos dos estudos. Resultados: Dos 1.014 registros examinados, foi incluído um total de cinco estudos com 70 indivíduos (incluindo 59 pacientes que receberam células-tronco e 11 controles de placebo). Em todos esses estudos, apesar da discrepância na origem das células-tronco, densidade celular e local de transplante, os objetivos de segurança foram alcançados. A injeção intracerebroventricular de ADSVF e UC-MSCs, a injeção intravenosa de Lomecel-B e a injeção bilateral dos hipocampos e precuneus direito de UC-MSCs não estão relacionadas a quaisquer preocupações significativas de segurança, de acordo com os cinco estudos incluídos. Os estudos também revelaram melhorias nos biomarcadores e resultados clínicos como um desfecho secundário. Três estudos não tinham grupos de controle e há preocupações quanto à semelhança dos grupos em outros. Além disso, há um risco considerável de viés em relação às escalas de avaliação de desfechos. Conclusão: As terapias baseadas em células são bem toleradas por pacientes com DA, o que enfatiza a necessidade de mais estudos randomizados cuidadosamente planejados para alcançar recomendações clínicas baseadas em evidências.

Numerical simulation of cavitating flow in liquid Nitrogen through a convergent nozzle.

This research has dealt with the simulation of liquid nitrogen cavitation inside a convergent nozzle. This is important in cryogenic industrial applications. So in this study, computational fluid dynamics methods have been used for simulating the cavitation phenomenon. The Two-phase model in this research has been a hybrid/mixed model. Also, k- ε turbulence model has been employed in realizable state. For meshing the nozzle geometry, Gambit software has been used, while for numerical simulation, Ansys Fluent software has been employed. For simulation of cavitation, Schnerr and Sauer cavitation model has been utilized. This research has also examined the effect of changing the nozzle outlet diameter and the impact of changing the pressure difference in the inlet and outlet of the nozzle on the cavitation. As a novelty and unlike what would have been expected based on the Bernoulli effect, the results obtained from the simulation showed that the increase/decrease in the nozzle's outlet diameter resulted in an enhanced/diminished extent of cavitation in the nozzle's outlet region. Also, the increase/decrease of the pressure difference in the input and output of the nozzle would lead to a higher/lower extent of cavitation. This research also found that the effect of altering the nozzle's outlet diameter on the extent of cavitation has been far higher than the effect of changing pressure difference in its inlet and outlet. The results also indicated that upon reduction of the nozzle's outlet diameter from the base state (1.02 mm) by 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 %, the volume fraction of the vapor diminished by 22.23, 43.029, 60.66, 74.73, and 87.16 % respectively. Finally, with the increase in the nozzle's outlet diameter from the base state (1.02 mm) by 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 %, the volume fraction of the vapor increased by 26.83, 55.27, 84.47, 117.12, and 149.31 % respectively.

Myeloperoxidase Deficiency: A Rare Case.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is found in the lysosomes of monocytes and neutrophils, serving as a crucial component in the elimination of infections through the process of phagocytosis via neutrophils. Consequently, individuals with MPO deficiency exhibit a significantly heightened susceptibility to serious infections and chronic inflammatory diseases. In a clinical case, a 37-year-old Iranian woman presented with a chronic history of bacterial and fungal infections dating back to her childhood. She has no family history of similar diseases and has used antibiotics and antifungal medications. A comprehensive clinical assessment revealed that she is well-nourished and without acute distress, neurological symptoms, or cutaneous manifestations. A complete blood count (CBC) with differential white blood cell (WBC) count showed a decreased number of neutrophils despite normal WBC counts, and peripheral blood smear (PBS) revealed reduced neutrophil granulation, abnormal neutrophil morphology, decreased chromatin condensation, and cytoplasmic hypogranulation. So, the patient was diagnosed with MPO deficiency, a rare condition requiring early diagnosis and management.

Exploring the power of data mining for uncovering traditional medicinal plant knowledge: A case study in Shahrbabak, Iran.

The present study recorded indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants in Shahrbabak, Iran. We described a method using data mining algorithms to predict medicinal plants' mode of application. Twenty-oneindividuals aged 28 to 81 were interviewed. Firstly, data were collected and analyzed based on quantitative indices such as the informant consensus factor (ICF), the cultural importance index (CI), and the relative frequency of citation (RFC). Secondly, the data was classified by support vector machines, J48 decision trees, neural networks, and logistic regression. So, 141 medicinal plants from 43 botanical families were documented. Lamiaceae, with 18 species, was the dominant family among plants, and plant leaves were most frequently used for medicinal purposes. The decoction was the most commonly used preparation method (56%), and therophytes were the most dominant (48.93%) among plants. Regarding the RFC index, the most important species are Adiantum capillus-veneris L. and Plantago ovata Forssk., while Artemisia auseri Boiss. ranked first based on the CI index. The ICF index demonstrated that metabolic disorders are the most common problems among plants in the Shahrbabak region. Finally, the J48 decision tree algorithm consistently outperforms other methods, achieving 95% accuracy in 10-fold cross-validation and 70-30 data split scenarios. The developed model detects with maximum accuracy how to consume medicinal plants.

Ultra-mini Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (UM-PCNL) with a Semi-rigid Ureteroscope in Preschool Children: An Innovative Experience in Southern Iran.

PURPOSE: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has undergone extensive modification to reduce complications. One of the recent advances in minimally invasive procedures is the advent of ultra-mini PCNL (UM-PCNL), which provides miniaturized access to the kidney. However, the specific instruments applied in UM-PCNL may not be found in centers with limited resources. This study evaluated the safety, feasibility, results, and short-term complication rates of performing UM-PCNL using a semi-rigid ureteroscope in preschool children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September 2013 and September 2021, a total of 68 patients, including 42 boys and 26 girls with a mean age of 3.2 ± 2.4 years, underwent UM-PCNL with a 4.5French tip ureteroscope instead of an ultra-mini nephroscope in children aged less than 7 years old. The procedure was done under general anesthesia in the prone position. The nephrostomy tract was dilated to 12F. Stones were fragmented using a pneumatic lithotripter. Irrigation was done with normal saline. RESULTS: The early stone-free rate (SFR) was 91%, and the short-term total SFR was 97%. No statistically significant difference was found in pre-operative and post-operative Hb, BUN, Cr, Na+, and K+. Fever (11 patients) and ileus (5 patients) constituted the majority of complications, and only one patient required a blood transfusion. None of the cases undergoing UM-PCNL with this method required a re-do PCNL. CONCLUSION: Our experience shows that with sufficient experience in handling semi-rigid ureteroscopes, urologists practicing in centers with limited resources could perform UM-PCNL with relatively favorable outcomes.

Multivariate analysis of the phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties in twenty-five accessions across three Achillea species.

This study explored the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and total phenol content of aerial parts from 25 accessions of three Achillea species (Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch, Achillea vermicularis Trin., and Achillea tenuifolia Lam.). The plants were collected from various natural habitats across Iran, encompassing regions such as Central, Western, Southern, Northern, Western, and Northwestern parts of the country. Subsequently, they were grown together under field conditions. The study revealed significant variation in essential oil yields among accessions of A. wilhelmsii, ranging from 0.01 to 0.107%, A. vermicularis with a range of 0.075 to 1.5%, and A. tenuifolia showing a variation of 0.1 to 2%. The study utilized Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, revealing 75, 49, and 75 compounds in the essential oils of A. wilhelmsii, A. tenuifolia, and A. vermicularis, respectively. Major components included camphor, 1,8-cineole, anethole, α-pinene, and phytol in A. wilhelmsii, 1,8-cineole, camphor, levo-carvone, and δ-terpinene in A. vermicularis, and ß-cubebene, elixene, ß-sesquiphellandrene, 1,8-cineole, camphor, and δ-terpinene in A. tenuifolia. The essential oil compositions of A. wilhelmsii and A. vermicularis were predominantly characterized by oxygenated monoterpenes, whereas that of A. tenuifolia was characterized by sesquiterpenes. Cluster analysis grouped accessions into three clusters, with A. tenuifolia forming a distinct group. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) triplot (62.21% of total variance) confirmed these results and provided insights into compound contributions. Furthermore, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the accessions of three species were assessed over 2 years. A. tenuifolia exhibited the highest levels in both categories, with statistically significant linear regression between antioxidant activity and total phenol content for A. tenuifolia and A. wilhelmsii. These findings emphasize significant phytochemical diversity within Achillea species, positioning them as promising natural sources of antioxidants. Further exploration and selection of specific accessions within each species are crucial for unlocking their medicinal potential and supporting cultivation and conservation efforts.

Intra-Examiner Reliability and Validity of Sagittal Cervical Spine Mensuration Methods Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks.

Background: The biomechanical analysis of spine and postural misalignments is important for surgical and non-surgical treatment of spinal pain. We investigated the examiner reliability of sagittal cervical alignment variables compared to the reliability and concurrent validity of computer vision algorithms used in the PostureRay® software 2024. Methods: A retrospective database of 254 lateral cervical radiographs of patients between the ages of 11 and 86 is studied. The radiographs include clearly visualized C1-C7 vertebrae that were evaluated by a human using the software. To evaluate examiner reliability and the concurrent validity of the trained CNN performance, two blinded trials of radiographic digitization were performed by an extensively trained expert user (US) clinician with a two-week interval between trials. Then, the same clinician used the trained CNN twice to reproduce the same measures within a 2-week interval on the same 254 radiographs. Measured variables included segmental angles as relative rotation angles (RRA) C1-C7, Cobb angles C2-C7, relative segmental translations (RT) C1-C7, anterior translation C2-C7, and absolute rotation angle (ARA) C2-C7. Data were remotely extracted from the examiner's PostureRay® system for data collection and sorted based on gender and stratification of degenerative changes. Reliability was assessed via intra-class correlations (ICC), root mean squared error (RMSE), and R2 values. Results: In comparing repeated measures of the CNN network to itself, perfect reliability was found for the ICC (1.0), RMSE (0), and R2 (1). The reliability of the trained expert US was in the excellent range for all variables, where 12/18 variables had ICCs ≥ 0.9 and 6/18 variables were 0.84 ≤ ICCs ≤ 0.89. Similarly, for the expert US, all R2 values were in the excellent range (R2 ≥ 0.7), and all RMSEs were small, being 0.42 ≤ RMSEs ≤ 3.27. Construct validity between the expert US and the CNN network was found to be in the excellent range with 18/18 ICCs in the excellent range (ICCs ≥ 0.8), 16/18 R2 values in the strong to excellent range (R2 ≥ 0.7), and 2/18 in the good to moderate range (R2 RT C6/C7 = 0.57 and R2 Cobb C6/C7 = 0.64. The RMSEs for expert US vs. the CNN network were small, being 0.37 ≤ RMSEs ≤ 2.89. Conclusions: A comparison of repeated measures within the computer vision CNN network and expert human found exceptional reliability and excellent construct validity when comparing the computer vision to the human observer.

Safety and efficacy of a polyherbal formulation from traditional Persian medicine in patients with calcium kidney stones: A randomized, double-blinded clinical trial.

Background: 10%-15% of the world's population suffers from kidney stones. Nearly 50% increase was observed in diagnosing and treating nephrolithiasis in the last decades. Effective medical treatment for the disease is not yet well established. Moreover, there is an increasing global demand to manage diseases using complementary and alternative medicine. This study aimed to formulate and assess the safety and efficacy of a multi-ingredient formulation from traditional Persian medicine (TPM) known as Mofatet powder in patients suffering from calcium kidney stones. Materials and Methods: The aqueous extract of Mofatet powder was prepared, freeze-dried, and formulated as capsules. 26 patients in the drug group and 25 patients in the placebo group used 500 mg capsules of the drug/placebo twice daily for 5 weeks. Ultrasonography/kidney, ureter and bladder imaging, urine analysis, and biochemical parameters were evaluated before and after the intervention. Results: The imaging results showed a 60.73% decrease (P < 0.001) in stone size in the drug group. Moreover, the urinary calcium decreased (P = 0.02) and the urinary magnesium increased (P < 0.001) in the drug group. No remarkable changes were observed in the placebo group in these parameters. No significant effect was observed in aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen levels in none of the groups. Conclusion: This study suggests that Mofatet powder was effective in reducing calcium kidney stones size with no potential nephro/hepatotoxicity. After confirming these results in larger clinical trials with longer duration, this formulation can be considered a treatment for nephrolithiasis.

Group authorship, an excellent opportunity laced with ethical, legal and technical challenges.

Group authorship (also known as corporate authorship, team authorship, consortium authorship) refers to attribution practices that use the name of a collective (be it team, group, project, corporation, or consortium) in the authorship byline. Data shows that group authorships are on the rise but thus far, in scholarly discussions about authorship, they have not gained much specific attention. Group authorship can minimize tensions within the group about authorship order and the criteria used for inclusion/exclusion of individual authors. However, current use of group authorships has drawbacks, such as ethical challenges associated with the attribution of credit and responsibilities, legal challenges regarding how copyrights are handled, and technical challenges related to the lack of persistent identifiers (PIDs), such as ORCID, for groups. We offer two recommendations: 1) Journals should develop and share context-specific and unambiguous guidelines for group authorship, for which they can use the four baseline requirements offered in this paper; 2) Using persistent identifiers for groups and consistent reporting of members' contributions should be facilitated through devising PIDs for groups and linking these to the ORCIDs of their individual contributors and the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) of the published item.

Modeling heart rate of individual and team manual handling with one hand using generalized additive mixed models.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the fact that team manual handling is common in different working environments, the previous studies in this regard, particularly those with a physiological approach are quite limited. The present study is an attempt to model the heart rate (HR) of individual and team manual handling with one hand. METHODS: Twenty-five young men (aged 21.24±1.42 year) volunteered for this study. The experiments included individual and two-person handling of the load with three different weights with and without height difference. The participants' HR was registered at the end of the route by a chest-strap pulse monitor and a polar watch according to the manufacturer's recommendation. A multivariate Generalized Additive Mixed Model (MGAMM) was used for modeling heart rate based on explanatory variables of workload, carry method, HRrest, body weight, height, knee height, shoulder height, elbow height, and hand height. The significance level of the tests was considered as <0.05. RESULTS: Based on the MGAMM, the average HR (bpm) of participants increased as the workload increased (P<0.001). Handling the load with a taller person increased the HR compared to shorter partner (P<0.001). Moreover, the nonlinear associations of the resting HR (P<0.001), body weight (P<0.001), height (P<0.001), and the height of elbow, hand and knee (P<0.001) were statistically significant. The adjusted R2 of the model was 0.89 indicating that about 90 percent of the variations observed in HR could be explained by the variables in the model. This was greater than the model considering only linear effects (R2 =0.60). CONCLUSION: The model obtained in this study can predict the heart rate of individual and team one-handed handling with high validity. The MGAMM can be used in modeling heart rate in manual handling.

Responding to research misconduct allegations brought against top university officials.

Investigating research misconduct allegations against top officials can create significant conflicts of interest (COIs) for universities that may require changes to existing oversight frameworks. One way of addressing some of these challenges is to develop policies and procedures that specifically address investigation of allegations of misconduct involving top university officials. Steps can also be taken now regardless of whether such a body is created. Federal and university research misconduct regulations and policies may need to be revised to provide institutions with clearer guidance on how to deal with misconduct allegations against top officials. For their part, institutions may benefit from proactively creating and transparently disclosing their own processes for independent investigation of research misconduct allegations against senior officials.

A randomized open-label clinical trial on the effect of Amantadine on post Covid 19 fatigue.

Many COVID-19 survivors experience lingering post-COVID-19 symptoms, notably chronic fatigue persisting for months after the acute phase. Despite its prevalence, limited research has explored effective treatments for post-COVID-19 fatigue. This randomized controlled clinical trial assessed the impact of Amantadine on patients with post-COVID-19 fatigue. The intervention group received Amantadine for two weeks, while the control group received no treatment. Fatigue levels were assessed using the Visual Analog Fatigue Scale (VAFS) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) questionnaires before and after the trial. At the study's onset, VAFS mean scores were 7.90 ± 0.60 in the intervention group and 7.34 ± 0.58 in the control group (P-value = 0.087). After two weeks, intervention group scores dropped to 3.37 ± 0.44, significantly lower than the control group's 5.97 ± 0.29 (P-value < 0.001). Similarly, FSS mean scores at the trial's commencement were 53.10 ± 5.96 in the intervention group and 50.38 ± 4.88 in the control group (P-value = 0.053). At the trial's end, intervention group scores decreased to 28.40 ± 2.42, markedly lower than the control group's 42.59 ± 1.50 (P-value < 0.001). In this study, we report the safety, tolerability, and substantial fatigue-relieving effects of Amantadine in post-COVID-19 fatigue. The intervention demonstrates a statistically significant reduction in fatigue levels, suggesting Amantadine's potential as an effective treatment for this persistent condition.

Durable Pulse-Electrodeposited Ni-Fe-S Nanosheets Supported on a Ni-S Three Dimensional Pattern as Robust Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution and Urea Oxidation Reactions.

This study aims to establish easy-to-fabricate and novel structures for the synthesis of highly active and enduring electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and urea oxidation reaction (UOR). Gradient electrodeposition and four different time regimes were utilized to synthesize Ni-S 3D patterns with the optimization of electrodeposition time. Pulse electrodeposition was employed for the synthesis of Ni-Fe-S nanosheets at three different frequencies and duty cycles to optimize the pulse electrodeposition parameters. The sample synthesized at 13 min of gradient electrodeposition with a 1 Hz frequency and 0.7 duty cycle for pulse electrodeposition demonstrated the best electrocatalytic performance. The optimized electrode further showed remarkable performance for HER and UOR reactions, requiring only 54 mV and 1.25 V to deliver 10 mA cm-2 for HER and UOR, respectively. Moreover, the overall cell voltage of the two-electrode system in 1 M KOH and 0.5 M urea was measured at 1.313 V, delivering 10 mA cm-2. Constructing Ni-Fe-S nanosheets on 3D Ni-S significantly increased the electrochemical surface area from 51 to 278 for the Ni-S and Ni-Fe-S layers. Tafel slopes were measured as 138 and 182 mV dec-1 for the HER and UOR for the Ni-S coating layer and 97 mV dec-1 for the HER and 131 mV dec-1 for the UOR for the optimal Ni-Fe-S nanosheets on Ni-S. Minimal changes in the potential were observed at 100 mA cm-2 in 50 h regarding the HER and UOR, signifying exceptional electrocatalytic stability. This study provides economically viable, highly active, and long-lasting electrocatalysts suitable for HER and UOR applications.

Genetic variations in IKZF3, LET7-a2, and CDKN2B-AS1: Exploring associations with metabolic syndrome susceptibility and clinical manifestations.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases the risk of atherosclerosis and diabetes, but there are no approved predictive markers. This study assessed the role of specific genetic variations in MetS susceptibility and their impact on clinical manifestations. METHOD: In this study, a genotype-phenotype assessment was performed for IKZF3 (rs907091), microRNA-let-7a-2 (rs1143770), and lncRNA-CDKN2B-AS1 (rs1333045). RESULTS: Analyses indicate that while rs907091 and rs1143770 may have potential associations with MetS susceptibility and an increased risk of atherosclerosis and diabetes, there is an observed trend suggesting that the rs1333045 CC genotype may be associated with a decreased risk of MetS. The genotypes and allele frequencies of rs1333045 were significantly different between studied groups (OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.38-0.81, p = 0.002, and OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.55-0.92, p = 0.008), with the CC genotype displaying increased levels of HDL. Furthermore, the rs907091 TT genotype was associated with increased triglyceride, cholesterol, and HOMA index in MetS patients. Subjects with the CC genotype for rs1143770 had higher HbA1c and BMI. In silico analyses illustrated that rs907091 C remarkably influences the secondary structure and the target site of a broad spectrum of microRNAs, especially hsa-miR-4497. Moreover, rs1333045 creates a binding site for seven different microRNAs. CONCLUSION: Further studies on other populations may help confirm these SNPs as useful predictive markers in assessing the MetS risk.

Predictive factors of delayed bleeding after percutaneous nephrolithotomy requiring angioembolization.

Objectives: To investigate the predictive factors of delayed post-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) haemorrhage because of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or pseudoaneurysm (PA) and compare the factors between AVF and PA. Patients and methods: This is a case-control study with a case-to-control ratio of 1:3. Out of 5077 patients who underwent PCNL from April 2015 to April 2018 in three different teaching hospitals, 113 had post-PCNL haemorrhages because of AVF and/or PA. Seventy-two patients met the inclusion criteria and entered the study as cases, while 216 patients without any postoperative complications were selected as controls. Results: Of all 72 studied patients with complications after PCNL, 35 (48.6%) had AVF, and the rest had PA. The regression model revealed that a history of diabetes (odds ratio [OR]: 2.799, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.392-5.630, p-value = 0.004) and renal anomalies (OR: 2.929, 95% CI: 1.108-7.744, p-value = 0.03) were associated with developing delayed post-PCNL haemorrhage. However, no differences were seen between AVF and PA regarding selected variables (p-value > 0.05). Conclusion: History of diabetes and renal anomalies were predictive factors for delayed post-PCNL haemorrhage, but no predictive factors were found to differentiate PA and AVF from one another.

Alzheimer's Disease-Related Epigenetic Changes: Novel Therapeutic Targets.

Aging is a significant risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), although the precise mechanism and molecular basis of AD are not yet fully understood. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation, mitochondrial DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), play a role in regulating gene expression related to neuron plasticity and integrity, which are closely associated with learning and memory development. This review describes the impact of dynamic and reversible epigenetic modifications and factors on memory and plasticity throughout life, emphasizing their potential as target for therapeutic intervention in AD. Additionally, we present insight from postmortem and animal studies on abnormal epigenetics regulation in AD, as well as current strategies aiming at targeting these factors in the context of AD therapy.