Artificial intelligence in chronic kidney diseases: methodology and potential applications.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a significant global health challenge, characterized by kidney damage and decreased function. Its prevalence has steadily increased, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its epidemiology, risk factors, and management strategies. While traditional prognostic markers such as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria provide valuable insights, they may not fully capture the complexity of CKD progression and associated cardiovascular (CV) risks.This paper reviews the current state of renal and CV risk prediction in CKD, highlighting the limitations of traditional models and the potential for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. AI, particularly machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), offers a promising avenue for enhancing risk prediction by analyzing vast and diverse patient data, including genetic markers, biomarkers, and imaging. By identifying intricate patterns and relationships within datasets, AI algorithms can generate more comprehensive risk profiles, enabling personalized and nuanced risk assessments.Despite its potential, the integration of AI into clinical practice faces challenges such as the opacity of some algorithms and concerns regarding data quality, privacy, and bias. Efforts towards explainable AI (XAI) and rigorous data governance are essential to ensure transparency, interpretability, and trustworthiness in AI-driven predictions.

3D-Printed Alginate/Pectin-Based Patches Loaded with Olive Leaf Extracts for Wound Healing Applications: Development, Characterization and In Vitro Evaluation of Biological Properties.

Traditional wound dressings may lack suitability for diverse wound types and individual patient requirements. In this context, this study aimed to innovate wound care by developing a 3D-printed patch using alginate and pectin and incorporating Olive Leaf Extract (OLE) as an active ingredient. Different polymer-to-plasticizer ratios were systematically examined to formulate a printable ink with optimal viscosity. The resultant film, enriched with OLE, exhibited a substantial polyphenolic content of 13.15 ± 0.41 mg CAE/g, showcasing significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Notably, the film demonstrated potent scavenging abilities against DPPH, ABTS, and NO radicals, with IC50 values of 0.66 ± 0.07, 0.47 ± 0.04, and 2.02 ± 0.14 mg/mL, respectively. In vitro release and diffusion studies were carried out and the release profiles revealed an almost complete release of polyphenols from the patch within 48 h. Additionally, the fabricated film exhibited the capacity to enhance cell motility and accelerate wound healing, evidenced by increased collagen I expression in BJ fibroblast cells. Structural assessments affirmed the ability of the patch to absorb exudates and maintain the optimal moisture balance, while biocompatibility studies underscored its suitability for biomedical applications. These compelling findings endorse the potential application of the developed film in advanced wound care, with the prospect of tailoring patches to individual patient needs.

Natural and Synthetic Polymeric Biomaterials for Application in Wound Management.

Biomaterials are at the forefront of the future, finding a variety of applications in the biomedical field, especially in wound healing, thanks to their biocompatible and biodegradable properties. Wounds spontaneously try to heal through a series of interconnected processes involving several initiators and mediators such as cytokines, macrophages, and fibroblasts. The combination of biopolymers with wound healing properties may provide opportunities to synthesize matrices that stimulate and trigger target cell responses crucial to the healing process. This review outlines the optimal management and care required for wound treatment with a special focus on biopolymers, drug-delivery systems, and nanotechnologies used for enhanced wound healing applications. Researchers have utilized a range of techniques to produce wound dressings, leading to products with different characteristics. Each method comes with its unique strengths and limitations, which are important to consider. The future trajectory in wound dressing advancement should prioritize economical and eco-friendly methodologies, along with improving the efficacy of constituent materials. The aim of this work is to give researchers the possibility to evaluate the proper materials for wound dressing preparation and to better understand the optimal synthesis conditions as well as the most effective bioactive molecules to load.

Hypoventilation improvement in an adult non-invasively ventilated patient with Rapid-onset Obesity with Hypothalamic Dysfunction Hypoventilation and Autonomic Dysregulation (ROHHAD).

Rapid-onset Obesity with Hypothalamic Dysfunction, Hypoventilation, and Autonomic Dysregulation (ROHHAD) is a rare disease of unknown etiology, characterized by rapid-onset obesity in young children, hypoventilation, hypothalamic and autonomic dysfunction. Patients between the ages of 2 and 4 present with hyperphagia and weight gain, followed by neuro-hormonal dysfunction and central hypoventilation months or years later. Cardiac arrest may represent the fatal complication of alveolar hypoventilation and early mechanical ventilation is essential for the patient's life. In this paper, we describe a 22-year-old patient with ROHHAD syndrome who had an acute respiratory failure during nocturnal non-invasive ventilation (NIV).

Pulmonary scintigraphy as a method to investigate gastrobronchial communication in tracheostomized patients.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a degeneration of somatic motor neurons extending from upper motor cortical pyramidal neurons to lower motor neurons of the brainstem and cord. During the course of the disease patients require invasive procedures for nutrition and ventilation. Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG), performed in patients with impaired swallowing, is a safe procedure for the administration of Enteral Nutrition (EN). In the advanced stages of the disease patients develop a ventilatory failure due to muscolar weakness in these case they need a permanent tracheal tube with mechanical ventilation. Here we reported a case of a patient with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ASL) who developed an increased gastric endocavitary pressure after a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG).