Search results for " Non-invasive"
showing 10 items of 21 documents
Usefulness of multislice computed tomography to assess patency of coronary artery stents versus conventional coronary angiography
2008
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to assess the in-stent restenosis and occlusion of coronary artery stents by multislice computed tomography (MSCT) compared with conventional coronary angiography in patients with atypical chest pain and not practicable/non-conclusive stress test. METHODS: Between December 2004 and March 2006, 81 patients were scheduled and of these 72 (65 men, mean age 61 years) with 90 stents underwent MSCT angiography using a 16-slice scanner, Toshiba Aquilion 16, 8-12 months after stent placement. RESULTS: Of the 90 stents, 71 (79%) could be assessed and 19 (21%) were excluded because the image quality at the stent level was incompatible with diagnostic asses…
Determining a healthy reference range and factors potentially influencing PRO-C3 – A biomarker of liver fibrosis
2021
Background & Aims Progressive fibrosis has been identified as the major predictor of mortality in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Several biomarkers are currently being evaluated for their ability to substitute the liver biopsy as the reference standard. Recent clinical studies in NAFLD/NASH patients support the utility of PRO-C3, a marker of type III collagen formation, as a marker for the degree of fibrosis, disease activity, and effect of treatment. Here we establish the healthy reference range, optimal sample handling conditions for both short- and long-term serum storage, and robustness for the PRO-C3 assay. Methods PRO-C3 was measured in 269 healthy volunteers…
Novelties in COPD prognosis: Evolution of survival indexes
2015
Despite several techniques, such as non-invasive ventilation (NIV), have improved the outcome of the acute exacerbation, COPD remains affected by poor prognosis in the medium and long term. Moreover, the task of predicting prognosis remains a major challenge for respiratory physicians. In order to overcome this limitation, several indexes have been proposed to assess the COPD patient in his/her complexity. The rationale is that, by using numerical indexes physicians may improve their clinical judgment to tailor and share therapeutical choices, i.e. referring the patient for surgery or lung transplantation. On this ground, Almagro et al. recently proposed the CODEX index, as the latest evolu…
Differentiating Malignant from Benign Pigmented or Non-Pigmented Skin Tumours—A Pilot Study on 3D Hyperspectral Imaging of Complex Skin Surfaces and …
2022
Several optical imaging techniques have been developed to ease the burden of skin cancer disease on our health care system. Hyperspectral images can be used to identify biological tissues by their diffuse reflected spectra. In this second part of a three-phase pilot study, we used a novel hand-held SICSURFIS Spectral Imager with an adaptable field of view and target-wise selectable wavelength channels to provide detailed spectral and spatial data for lesions on complex surfaces. The hyperspectral images (33 wavelengths, 477–891 nm) provided photometric data through individually controlled illumination modules, enabling convolutional networks to utilise spectral, spatial, and skin-surface mo…
Accuracy of Nasal Pressure Swing to Predict Failure of High-Flow Nasal Oxygen in Patients with Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure
2023
In a real-life cohort of patients with AHRF undergoing HFNO, ΔPnose showed excellent accuracy in predicting early failure, similar of that displayed by ROX. Giving that the decision to upgrade to NIV or MV was based on clinical variables, the high accuracy of ROX in predicting failure of HFNO is not surprising. The similar accuracy of ΔPnose (the only measurement that remained blinded to our clinical decision), strengthened the association with outcome, avoiding incorporation bias.
Nasal pressure swings as the measure of inspiratory effort in spontaneously breathing patients with de novo acute respiratory failure.
2022
Abstract Background Excessive inspiratory effort could translate into self-inflicted lung injury, thus worsening clinical outcomes of spontaneously breathing patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF). Although esophageal manometry is a reliable method to estimate the magnitude of inspiratory effort, procedural issues significantly limit its use in daily clinical practice. The aim of this study is to describe the correlation between esophageal pressure swings (ΔPes) and nasal (ΔPnos) as a potential measure of inspiratory effort in spontaneously breathing patients with de novo ARF. Methods From January 1, 2021, to September 1, 2021, 61 consecutive patients with ARF (83.6% related to COVID…
Protein materials as sustainable non- and minimally invasive strategies for biomedical applications
2022
Protein-based materials have found applications in a wide range of biomedical fields because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability and great versatility. Materials of different physical forms including particles, hydrogels, films, fibers and microneedles have been fabricated e.g. as carriers for drug delivery, factors to promote wound healing and as structural support for the generation of new tissue. This review aims at providing an overview of the current scientific knowledge on protein-based materials, and selected preclinical and clinical studies will be reviewed in depth as examples of the latest progress within the field of protein-based materials, specifically focusing on non- …
Monitoring Biological Damage on Paper-based Documents in the Historical Archive of the Palermo Astronomical Observatory
2017
Libraries and archives house a wide variety of documents made of materials of vegetal and animal origin: unbound papers and books, manuscripts and printed books, photographs (negative and positive), prints, maps, available to the public for reading needs, study and information. These materials are often subject to fluctuations in environmental and micro-environmental parameters. For this reason, it is essential to implement constant monitoring and control of environmental conditions and potential deteriogens in order to slow down deterioration processes. The monitoring of the microbial degradation of paper documents in the Historical Archives of Palermo Astronomical Observatory has revealed…
Archaeometric characterization and 3D survey: new perspectives for monitoring and valorization of Morgantina silver Treasure (Sicily)
2015
The Morgantina silver Treasure belonging to the collections of the Archaeological Museum of Aidone (Sicily) were involved in a 3D survey and diagnostics campaign for monitoring over time of the finds, in anticipation of their temporary transfer to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, for a period of four years. According to a multidisciplinary approach, it has been developed a scientific and methodological protocol based on non-invasive techniques to achieve a complete and integrated knowledge of the precious items, of their conservation state and increasing their valorisation. All acquired data, i.e. 3D models, UV fluorescence and X-Ray images and chemical information, will be made …
The Effects of Transcutaneous Spinal Direct Current Stimulation on Neuropathic Pain in Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical and Neurophysiological Assessment
2019
Background: Central neuropathic pain represents one of the most common symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS) and it seriously affects quality of life. Spinal mechanisms may contribute to the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain in MS. Converging evidence from animal models and neurophysiological and clinical studies in humans suggests a potential effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tc-DCS) on neuropathic pain. Spinal application of DCS, i.e., transcutaneous spinal DCS (ts-DCS), may modulate nociception through inhibition of spinal reflexes. Therefore, ts-DCS could represents an effective, safe and well-tolerated treatment for neuropathic pain in MS, a largely unexplored topic. This…