Preterm birth remains an important global problem, and an important contributor to under-5 mortality. Reducing spontaneous preterm birth rates at the global level will require the early identification of patients at risk of preterm delivery in order to allow the initiation of appropriate prophylactic management strategies. Ideally these strategies target the underlying pathophysiologic causes of preterm labor. Prevention, however, becomes problematic as the causes of preterm birth are multifactorial and vary by gestational age, ethnicity, and social context. Unfortunately, current screening and diagnostic tests are non-specific, with only moderate clinical risk prediction, relying on the detection of downstream markers of the common end-stage pathway rather than identifying upstream pathway-specific pathophysiology that would help the provider initiate targeted interventions. As a result, the available management options (including cervical cerclage and vaginal progesterone) are used empirically with, at best, ambiguous results in clinical trials. Furthermore, the available screening tests have only modest clinical risk prediction, and fail to identify most patients who will have a preterm birth. Clearly defining preterm birth phenotypes and the biologic pathways leading to preterm birth is key to providing targeted, biomolecular pathway-specific interventions, ideally initiated in early pregnancy Pathway specific biomarker discovery, together with management strategies based on early, mid-, and-late trimester specific markers is integral to this process, which must be addressed in a systematic way through rigorously planned biomarker trials.

This study aims were (i) to describe Italian celiac patients who agreed to participate in the latest web survey and their attitudes toward the GF diet (compliance, perceived limitations, and worries) and (ii) to compare the answers given by the 2011 and 2022 responders. The self-administered questionnaire was distributed through the Italian Coeliac Association channels (link on social media, websites, and newsletters) to all of the celiac patients willing to participate in 2011 and 2022 (2427 and 3529 responders who answered the same questions, respectively). Descriptive analyses and the Pearson\'s chi-squared test were performed. The responders were 1 to 84 years old and mainly female. The prevalence of adherent patients in 2022 was 91%, with the highest value (94%) in children (≤10 years old) and adolescents (15-17 years old). Overall, young adults were the most worried group. About a decade after the first survey, we observed a decreasing prevalence of transgression events (-5%) and (at least) occasional temptation (-17%), a decreasing prevalence of health-related and general worries, but an increasing prevalence of social life withdrawal. In conclusion, it is important to periodically monitor celiac patients\' compliance and attitudes towards the gluten-free diet. As also highlighted in international guidelines, a reorganization of the diagnosis/follow-up visits, including an expert dietary consultation, is needed.

UNASSIGNED: Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) is a cutting-edge test used to detect genetic abnormalities in embryos fertilized through Medically Assisted Reproduction (MAR). PGT aims to ensure that embryos selected for transfer are free of specific genetic conditions or chromosome abnormalities, thereby reducing chances for unsuccessful MAR cycles, complicated pregnancies, and genetic diseases in future children.
UNASSIGNED: In PGT, genetics, embryology, and technology progress and evolve together. Biological and technological limitations are described and addressed to highlight complexity and knowledge constraints and draw attention to concerns regarding safety of procedures, clinical validity, and utility, extent of applications and overall ethical implications for future families and society.
UNASSIGNED: Understanding the genetic basis of diseases along with advanced technologies applied in embryology and genetics contribute to faster, cost-effective, and more efficient PGT. Next Generation Sequencing-based techniques, enhanced by improved bioinformatics, are expected to upgrade diagnostic accuracy. Complicating findings such as mosaicism, mt-DNA variants, variants of unknown significance, or variants related to late-onset or polygenic diseases will however need further appraisal. Emphasis on monitoring such emerging data is crucial for evidence-based counseling while standardized protocols and guidelines are essential to ensure clinical value and respect of Ethical, Legal and Societal Issues.

Homologous recombination (HR) is a highly conserved DNA repair system, in which aberrations can lead to the accumulation of DNA damage and genomic scars known as homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). The identification of mutations in key genes (i.e., BRCA1, and BRCA2 (BRCA)) and the quantification of large-scale structural variants (e.g., loss of heterozygosity) are indicators of the HRD phenotype. HRD is a stable biomarker and remains unchanged during recurrence, but fails to reveal the molecular profile of tumor progression. Moreover, interpretation of the current HRD score lacks comprehensiveness, especially for the HR-proficient group. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzymes play an important role in the repair of DNA single-strand breaks, the blockage of which using PARP inhibitors (PARPi) can generate synthetic lethality in cancer cells with HRD. Although numerous studies have demonstrated that the benefit of PARPi is substantial in ovarian cancer (OC) patients, the efficacy is limited by the development of resistance, and seems to be irrespective of HR and/or BRCA mutation status. Moreover, in addition to improving progression-free survival, long-term benefit as overall survival brought by PARPi for advanced, recurrent and refractory OC patients remains unclear. Therefore, further investigations are needed to uncover the role of HR genes beyond BRCA and their interactions with other oncogenic pathways, to determine the value of HRD in the recurrent setting, and to identify alternative strategies for the precise management of advanced, refractory OC patients.

The increasing incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant global health concern, affecting millions of individuals each year. Accurate diagnosis of acute CVD poses a formidable challenge, as misdiagnosis can significantly decrease patient survival rates. Traditional biomarkers have played a vital role in the diagnosis and prognosis of CVDs, but they can be influenced by various factors, such as age, sex, and renal function. Soluble ST2 (sST2) is a novel biomarker that is closely associated with different CVDs. Its low reference change value makes it suitable for continuous measurement, unaffected by age, kidney function, and other confounding factors, facilitating risk stratification of CVDs. Furthermore, the combination of sST2 with other biomarkers can enhance diagnostic accuracy and prognostic value. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of sST2, focusing on its diagnostic and prognostic value as a myocardial marker for different types of CVDs and discussing the current limitations of sST2.

New technologies for detecting pregnancy shortly after mating/insemination and identifying gestational age are essential for speeding up the reproductive cycle and ensuring high reproductive efficiency in livestock farming. Ultrasonography can successfully identify pregnancy and determine gestational age in many domestic animals. On the other hand, many herds of camel and buffalo and flocks of sheep are aware of the day of service, making it difficult to appropriately manage pregnant animals. This study provides a review of the literature on various techniques for ultrasonographically diagnosing pregnancy in camels, buffaloes, and sheep, focusing on the most appropriate times to use each technique, the earliest opportunity to diagnose pregnancy, and the possibility of using various parts of the fetus to create mathematical equations to determine gestational age. Some limitations of ultrasonography in pregnancy diagnosis were identified and significant pregnancy events in dromedaries were discussed, including left-horn and twin pregnancies. The data presented here will prove essential for researchers, farmers, and countries that rely heavily on these animals for providing meat, milk, cosmetics, and other animal products to enhance reproduction and production efficiency.

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment for trigeminal neuralgia includes percutaneous techniques, including balloon compression, first described in 1983 by Mullan and Lichtor (J Neurosurg 59(6):1007-1012, 6).
METHODS: Here we present a safe and simple navigation-assisted percutaneous technique for balloon compression, which can also be used for glycerol injection.
CONCLUSIONS: The navigation-assisted percutaneous technique for balloon compression for trigeminal neuralgia is a quick and safe treatment for patients not candidates for microvascular decompression.

Natural hydrogels based on renewable and inexpensive sources, such as starch, represent an interesting group of biopolymeric materials with a growing range of applications in the biomedical, cosmeceutical, and food sectors. Starch-based hydrogels have traditionally been produced using different processes based on chemical or physical methods. However, the long processing times, high energy consumption, and safety issues related to the synthesis of these materials, mostly causing severe environmental damage, have been identified as the main limitations for their further exploitation. Therefore, the main scientific challenge for research groups is the development of reliable and sustainable processing methods to reduce the environmental footprint, as well as investigating new low-cost sources of starches and individuating appropriate formulations to produce stable hydrogel-based products. In the last decade, the possibility of physically modifying natural polysaccharides, such as starches, using green or sustainable processing methods has mostly been based on nonthermal technologies including high-pressure processing (HPP). It has been demonstrated that the latter exerts an important role in improving the physicochemical and techno-functional properties of starches. However, as for surveys in the literature, research activities have been devoted to understanding the effects of physical pre-treatments via high-pressure processing (HPP) on starch structural modifications, more so than elucidating its role and capacity for the rapid formation of stable and highly structured starch-based hydrogels with promising functionality and stability, utilizing more sustainable and eco-friendly processing conditions. Therefore, the present review addresses the recent advancements in knowledge on the production of sustainable starch-based hydrogels utilizing HPP as an innovative and clean-label preparation method. Additionally, this manuscript has the ambition to give an updated overview of starch-based hydrogels considering the different types of structures available, and the recent applications are proposed as well to critically analyze the main perspectives and technological challenges for the future exploitation of these novel structures.

Biodegradable plastics are being the substitute for synthetic plastics and widely been used in order to combat plastic pollution. Yet not all biodegradable plastics are degradable especially when it does not meet its favourable conditions, and also when it comes to aquatic environments. Therefore, this review is intended to highlight the types of various biodegradable plastic synthesized and commercialised and identify the limitations and advantages of these micro-bioplastics or residual bioplastic upon degradation in various aquatic environments. This review paper highlights on biodegradable plastic, degradation of biodegradable plastic in aquatic environments, application of biodegradable plastic, polylactic acid (PLA), Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), Polysaccharide derivatives, Poly (amino acid), polycaprolactone (PCL), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBA/T), limitations and advantages of biodegradable plastic degradation in aquatic environment. There is no limit on the period for literature search as this field is continuously being studied and there is no wide range of studies. Biodegradable plastic that is commercially available has its own advantages and limitations respectively upon degradation in both freshwater and marine environments. There is a growing demand for bioplastic as an alternative to synthetic plastic which causes plastic waste pollution. Thus, it is crucial to understand the biodegradation of biodegradable plastic in depth especially in aquatic environments. Moreover, there are also very few studies investigating the degradation and migration of micro-bioplastics in aquatic environments.

Immunoassays are important tools in diagnosing giardiasis, though there are several controversies inherent in the existing methods. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the pooled diagnostic accuracy of immunoassays in detecting the gastrointestinal disease-causing parasite Giardia lamblia. Our comprehensive search, which included PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect from 2000 up until 2023, resulted in 34 studies reporting the performance of 24 different immunoassays. The overall pooled sensitivity and specificity of immunoassays and subgroup analyses were determined. Notably, ImmunoCardSTAT® and RIDASCREEN® Giardia were the most used assays (n = 6 studies each). They exhibited sensitivity and specificity of 84 % and 99 % and 93 % and 99 %, respectively. Sub-group analysis on the type of immunoassays (without the case-control studies) showed that commercial ELISA had higher sensitivity (96 %) compared to a commercial immunochromatographic (88 %), which justifies the difference of sensitivity between ImmunoCardSTAT® and RIDASCREEN® Giardia. However, the applicability between these two in clinical settings, replacing the gold standard, should be considered including the time, equipment requirement, and budget. Samples from symptomatic patients showed higher sensitivity (92 %) compared to asymptomatic patients (79 %). Overall, immunoassays can be a practical replacement for the current gold standard, but more information should be gathered regarding the cost of providing more conclusive suggestions on these findings.