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An abstract of the article "Effects of first trimester anomaly scan on maternal anxiety levels at the second trimester scan," by S. Tudorache and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Transperineal evaluation of fetal head engagement in primiparous at term," by D. G. Iliescu and colleagues is presented.

Copii cu astm difi cil de controlat constituie un grup heterogen care necesită o reevaluare atentă in vederea identifi cării factorilor de risc care au condus la pierderea controlului. Sinuzitele reprezintă o categorie importantă în cadrul acestor factorilor. În populaţia pediatrică prevalenţa rinosinuzitelor cronice (RSC) este invers proporţională cu vârsta pacienţilor şi diagnosticul este difi cil mai ales că multe din trăsăturile lor sunt asemănătoare infecţiilor de tract respirator sau rinitei alergice. RSC alterează calitatea vieţii bolnavului cu astm. Autorii abordează problematica asocieri RS – astm bronsic privind difi cultăţile de diagnostic şi cele terapeutice ca şi repercursiunile asupra cotrolului astmului bronşic şi asupra calităţii vieţii bolnavului. Metodă: au fost luaţi în studiu 31 de copii (8 – 18 ani) cu astm bronşic necontrolat şi RSC. Protocolul de studiu a cuprins reevaluarea diagnosticului de astm bronşic cu stabilirea scorului de gravitate, examen ORL, radiografi e de sinusuri, examinare citologică şi microbiologică din spută şi secreţiile nazale, spirometrie (Pony FX) şi au fost testaţi folosind testele standardizate de calitate a vieţii (PAQLQ – Juniper 2001), la început şi după 3 luni de terapie antiastmatică combinată anti-infl amatorie şi bronhodilatatoare (conform GINA 2006) asociată cu antibioterapie cu spectru larg, corticoid nazal, antihistaminic oral, educaţie individualizata. Rezultate: reevaluarea după 3 luni a evidenţiat: îmbunătăţirea semnifi cativă a testelor de calitate a vieţii, din punct de vedere simptomatic (p=0,024), al activităţii (p=0,003) şi emoţional (p0,05). Evoluţie favorabilă au avut 28/31 de cazuri. Pattern-ul infl amator al căilor respiratorii superioare a fost eozinofi lic în 3/21 cazuri, neutrofi lic în 13/21 de cazuri, mixt în 3/21 de cazuri şi non-infl amator în 2/21 de cazuri. Examenul microbiologic (aplicat la 22 de cazuri) a izolat în ordinea frecvenţei Branhamella catharalis, Haemophylus infl uentzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae. Concluzii: identifi carea RSC la copilul cu astm bronşic necontrolat este o măsura obligatorie. Tratamentul rinosinuzitei cronice asociat tratamentului agresiv al infl amaţiei alergice (corticoterapie nazală şi inhalată) ameliorează net calitatea vieţii şi funcţia pulmonară.

An abstract of the article "Two planes for the first trimester major congenital heart diseases screening," by S. Tudorache and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Three-dimensional sonography for the diagnosis of Müllerian duct anomaly cases: interobserver agreement," by S. Tudorache and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Accuracy of 3D sonography in the diagnosis of Müllerian duct anomalies," by S. Tudorache and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "First trimester abnormally invasive placenta in the absence of previous uterine opened surgery," by R. Dragusin and colleagues is presented.

Vascular injury is the main change the pathogenesis of SSc and occurs earlier, before the appearance of fibrosis. The new scleroderma 2013 criteria increased diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, by including capillaroscopic changes, besides the clinical picture and serological disease. Peripheral microvascular changes in capillaroscopy correlate with the severity of the skin damage but also with systemic involvement. The objective of this paper is to review and describe the current knowledge on nailfold capillaroscopy, as an easy, non-invasive and low cost technique for evaluating the vascular microangiopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerium oxide powder catalyst was prepared by microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis, characterized by physicochemical techniques and tested in catalytic dry reforming of methane in view of a potential use as anode material of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells operated on biogas. The conventional hydrothermal method was also used for comparison to evaluate the benefits of the non conventional preparation route. Microstructure and reduction–reoxidation properties of samples prepared by both routes were studied by XRD, adsorption–desorption isotherms of N 2 at −196 °C, Raman spectroscopy and temperature programmed reduction in H 2 . Repeated cycles consisting of temperature programmed reduction in CH 4 (TPR-CH 4 ) followed by temperature programmed oxidation in O 2 (TPO) were also performed. The catalytic properties of CeO 2 samples were investigated in dry reforming of methane between 750 and 900 °C under stoichiometric (0.5% CH 4 and 0.5% CO 2 in He carrier) and oxidizing (0.25% CH 4 –0.75% CO 2 in He) conditions. The preparation under microwave irradiation allows: i) obtaining crystallites with smaller size, ii) enhancing the stability towards redox treatments, iii) improving the surface and bulk reducibility by H 2 and CH 4 , iv) favoring the creation of defects. These improved properties correlate well with better catalytic performances in dry reforming of methane with respect to the conventionally prepared ceria sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a conceptual definition of an information fusion (IF) processing framework. Several concepts borrowed from complex systems theory, informational philosophy and computer sciences have been integrated to conceptualize that framework. The concepts of holon and informon developed by Koestler, Sulis, Alonso, Paggi et al. are exploited here to develop an information fusion processing framework. The proposed functional holonic structure is suitable for processing any level of information abstraction of the Joint Directors of Laboratory (JDL) data fusion model. The framework comprises the characterization of a basic element of information and the definition of an IF cell as a basic IF system unit to achieve fusion of information. The framework advocates a goal-driven approach with notions coming from business sciences to take into account quality of information for managing the fusion process. The framework is illustrated through several examples namely with an elaborated case in remote sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. ROHHADNET syndrome is a pleiotropic disorder defined by rapid onset of obesity, hypothalamic-pituitary endocrine dysfunctions, alveolar hypoventilation and hypothalamic autonomic dysregulation and neural tumors. Case presentation. We report the case of a 5.8-year-old female patient with rapid onset of obesity and growth arrest, hypercortisolism, hyperprolactinemia, low IGF1, severe hypernatremia (with no signs of diabetes insipidus) and chronic hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. Additional symptoms included sleep apnea and two episodes of cardiopulmonary arrest after mild sedation. Brain MRI, chest and abdominal enhanced CT scans were all negative. As no tumors were revealed at the time of diagnosis, ROHHAD syndrome was suspected. Treatment with potassium bicarbonate was initiated in an attempt to control both the severe hypernatremia and chronic hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. Patient developed dilated cardiomyopathy and kaliopenic nephropathy. Conclusion. The presence of dilated cardiomyopathy is in keeping with only one other reported case, while the severe hypernatremia joined by hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis seen in our patient has not been presented previously. Although it is a very rare medical condition, ROHHAD syndrome has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of any case with rapid onset obesity associated with hypothalamic-pituitary endocrine dysfunctions, and alveolar hypoventilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Thyroid nodules stiffness may predict thyroid malignancy. Objectives. The purpose of the study was to investigate the diagnostic value, interobserver agreement and reliability of real time ultrasound elastography (USE) when assessing solid thyroid nodules. Design. A prospective, observational study in a tertiary center. Subjects and Methods. In 49 patients scheduled for thyroidectomy, a senior radiologist and two radiologists in training independently assessed 81 solid thyroid nodules with USE using a 6600 Hitachi machine. Pathology results were used as a reference standard. Nodule stiffness was evaluated using the Asteria scoring system. The diagnostic ability of the elastography scores for the assessment of the thyroid solid nodules was evaluated using AUROC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) analysis. The Cohen's kappa (k) values were used for interobserver agreement evaluation and interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used as a measure of reliability. Results. Pathology results revealed 20 papillary carcinomas and 61 benign nodules. The elastography identification of malignant nodules by the senior radiologist was performed with an AUROC of 0.84 [95% Confidence interval (CI) 0.74-0.91], with Sensitivity= 100%, and Specificity= 68.85%. When performed by ultrasound operators in training, the diagnostic performance slightly decreased. With no statistically significant difference between the diagnostic performance of the three readers, USE demonstrated good inter-observer agreement and good reliability (ICC= 0.81). Conclusion. USE may be an accurate tool of assessment for solid thyroid nodules, identifying with high sensitivity the malignant ones, particularly micronodules. USE is reproducible and reliable when used both by experienced operators and medical professionals in training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper presents a comparison between the catalytic performances of cobalt modified hydrotalcites obtained from different cobalt precursors in the epoxidation of cyclohexene using molecular oxygen, isobutyraldehyde as reductant, at 25°C and 1 atmosphere pressure of oxygen in acetonitrile as solvent. Two different types of cobalt containing catalysts were prepared: (i) a hydrotalcite-like compound containing cobalt in the brucite type layer, CoMg/Al, and (ii) three catalysts obtained by impregnation of the as-synthesized hydrotalcite support (HT) with CoCl2, bis-triphenylphosphine-dichlorocobalt (II) Co[P(C6H5)3]2Cl2, (A), and an admixture of complexes (AB) containing bis-triphenylphosphine-dichlorocobalt (II) Co[P(C6H5)3]2Cl2 (A) and benzyltriphenyl phosphonium-tetrachlorocobaltate [C6H5CH2P(C6H5)3]2 +[CoCl4]2− (B). The names of these catalysts have been abbreviated as CoCl2/HT, A/HT and AB/HT. The catalysts were characterized by chemical analyses, DR-UV–vis, DRIFTS, XRD, EDX and texture measurements. The most active and selective catalyst was AB/HT. A linear correlation between the ratio Cl/Co in the resulting solids and the yield to epoxide has been established. For AB precursor the effect of the support has been also investigated using as carriers the mixed oxide CHT derived from the calcination of the parent hydrotalcite, and the reconstructed hydrotalcite RHT obtained by rehydration of CHT. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The epoxidation of cyclohexene by hydrogene peroxide and benzonitrile, in methanol as solvent on solid base catalysts, hydrotalcites (HT) and corresponding mixed oxides (C-HT) was investigated. The employed catalysts were as-synthesized Mg/Al; Mg,Zn/Al; Mg/Ga,Al hydrotalcites, their derived mixed oxides and the corresponding reconstructed hydrotalcite forms (R-HT) obtained via the “memory effect” upon a rehydration treatment of C-HT. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, CO2-TPD and N2 adsorption–desorption measurements. The reconstructed HT samples exhibit higher activity in comparison to the as-synthesized carbonated HT samples. A tentative correlation of the catalytic properties with the base strength of the active sites, the structural and textural characteristics of the catalysts, has been explored. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: VAlO(N) oxynitrides are promising novel catalysts for the ammoxidation of propane to acrylonitrile. These catalysts are obtained after nitridation of a VAlO oxide precursor in NH3 or during the reaction in a NH3/C3H8/O2 mixture. The local structure around the vanadium atoms in the oxide precursor and in several catalysts that have been used in catalytic tests is studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The nitridation in NH3 was followed with in situ XAS. The oxide precursors have tetrahedral co-ordinated vanadium, while after full nitridation octahedrons are found and a small decrease in vanadium oxidation state occurs. The catalysts used in the ammoxidation reaction consist of a mixture of these tetrahedrons and octahedrons. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this work, the structural, thermal, vibrational, morphological, magnetic and optical properties of LaPO 4 :Ce/RE/Me (RE=Nd3+, Tb3+; Me=Cr3+, Mn2+) and LaPO 4 :Yb3+/Er3+ phosphors prepared by the co-precipitation method are presented. The obtained materials crystallized in monoclinic structure with the P2 1 /n space group and the particles were of nanorod shape with about 200 ​nm in length and the diameter approximately 19 ​nm. The presence of dopant ions was confirmed by both electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and UV–visible spectroscopies. In addition, the down-conversion (DC) and up-conversion (UC) of the LaPO 4 nanophosphors via the 275 and 980 ​nm excitations, respectively, were considered, and a wide range of electronic transitions was observed. Based on the photoluminescence (PL) spectra, there is an efficient energy transfer (ET) process from Ce3+ donors to Nd3+ and Tb3+ acceptors, and the computed ET efficiency was 70% and 88%, respectively. The Ce3+/Cr3+ and Ce3+/Mn2+ doped LaPO 4 showed weak far-red and green luminescence with much smaller ET efficiency of about 3.7 and 0.4%, respectively. LaPO 4 :Yb3+/Er3+ showed UC luminescence under the 980 ​nm laser radiation, and the resulted red and green light was attributed to the Er3+ transitions. LaPO 4 :Ce3+/RE3+/Men+ and LaPO 4 :Yb3+/Er3+ phosphors with monoclinic structure have shown a large range of transitions through down-conversion (DC), up-conversion (UC) and energy transfer (ET) process. Under the UV-light excitation, Ce3+/Nd3+ and Ce3+/Tb3+ co-doped LaPO 4 exhibit efficient ET, i.e. Ce3+ → Nd3+ (η ETE =70%) and Ce3+ → Tb3+ (η ETE ​= ​88%), with the characteristic far-red (Nd3+: 4F 3/2 ​→ ​4I 9/2, 11/2, 13/2 , Nd3+: 4F 5/2 ​→ ​4I 9/2) and visible (Tb3+: 5D 4 → 7F 3-6 , Tb3+: 5D 3 → 7F 4-6) emissions, respectively. However, the near-infrared (4T 2 → 4A 2) and green (4T 1 (4G) → 6A 1 (S)) luminescence was observed for Ce3+/Cr3+ and Ce3+/Mn2+, respectively, through a less ET (i.e. Ce3+ → Cr3+/Mn2+) compared to rare-earth co-doped samples. Furthermore, the typical red (4F 9/2 ​→ ​4I 15/2) and green (2H 11/2 , 4S 3/2 ​→ ​4I 15/2) UC luminescence has been shown in LaPO 4 : Yb3+/Er3+ under the 980 ​nm laser light pumping. [Display omitted] • RE3+/Men+ doped LPO have been synthesized by the co-precipitation method. • Wide range of visible and NIR luminescence was reached via energy transfer (ET). • The DC in Ce3+/Nd3+ and Ce3+/Tb3+ doped LPO was enhanced due to an efficient ET up to 70% and 88%, respectively. • The DC in Ce3+/Cr3+ and Ce3+/Mn2+ doped LPO was observed due to a low ET up to 3.7% and 0.4%, respectively. • The UC in Yb3+/Er3+ doped LPO was developed with the typical green and red light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prospectively evaluate the diagnostic performance of transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) in patients with endometriosis, after implementation of a feedback protocol. The implementation of a feedback protocolimproved the accuracy of TVUS in patients with clinical suspicion of endometriosis. [Extracted from the article]

Synthesis of crown-ether functionalized graphene oxide. • Crown-ether functionalized graphene oxide synthesized. • New material characterized by IR, Raman, SEM, XPS, thermal analysis. • Can be used in cooper and iron metal ions removal. Graphene oxide has been synthesized, additionally derivatized with chloroacetic acid for increase the number of available carboxylic groups and further functionalized with crown-ether moieties. The thus obtained material was characterized by IR, thermal analysis, SEM, Raman, and XPS. Tests on adsorption of several metal cations showed that cooper and iron are more retained than potassium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OP22.03: First trimester diagnostic accuracy of two-dimensional ultrasound technique in congenital heart diseases and great arteries anomalies To assess the accuracy of a standard first-trimester (FT) conventional two-dimensional ultrasound (2DUS) examination protocol in detecting congenital heart diseases (CHDs) and great arteries anomalies, in an unselected population. In late FT the 2D ultrasound is an accurate tool in screening for some of the major CHDs. [Extracted from the article]

To assess the prevalence of congenital uterine corporeal anomalies (CUCA), the associations, and their effect on the quality of life and reproductive outcome in an unselected population addressing the gynecology consultation. The rates of infertility and irregular, painful or heavy menstrual bleeding were similar between women with CUCA and those with a normal uterus. Among the 68 patients with CUCA desiring a baby, 32 (47%) had a favourable perinatal outcome. [Extracted from the article]

An abstract of the article "Transvaginal examination in non-informative transabdominal first trimester extended cardiac scan: efficiency and acceptability of the method," by M. Florea and colleagues is presented.

This is the first report on an efficient, "environmentally friendly" chemical reduction method for the synthesis of aminated hyaluronic acid-based silver nanoparticles on the modified surface of titanium dioxide nanoparticles aimed for biological applications. Silver nanoparticles exhibit well-known physical-chemical and optical properties appropriate for different biological applications. Modifying the nanoparticles leads to a change in their expected bioactivity. This represents an important topic for the current research. We have developed a novel aminated hyaluronic acid (HA-EDA)-based protocol to obtain silver nanoparticles, in which HA-EDA was used for the first time as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The effect of the size of silver nanoparticles on the titanium dioxide surface and the chemical composition of the obtained materials were investigated by TEM, XRD, XPS, ATR-FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, NMR and H 2 -TPR analyses. The antioxidant, in vitro biocompatibility, and antimicrobial activity of the fabricated composites have been evaluated. The results prove that the prepared materials exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity, thus providing protection against infection and supporting tissue regeneration, these two key effects being of paramount importance for promoting wound healing., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

(1) Background: During IVF (in vitro fertilization) procedures, endometrial thickness has a significant role in the success of pregnancy outcomes for embryo transfers. Endometrial thickness, a crucial component of endometrial receptivity, is a contentious issue. The regenerative properties of PRP have been shown in recent research to have positive effects on the endometrium. PRP increases the pregnancy rate in IVF patients with thin endometrium and recurrent implantation failure. In order to demonstrate the efficacy of PRP therapies, this work compares the administration of injectable and infusible PRP during endometrial preparation. (2) Methods: This prospective single-arm control study was conducted at an IVF center in Oradea, Romania. This study included 50 patients; 27 were included in the group with Injectable PRP and 23 in the group with Infusible PRP. The outcome was compared between the two groups, with the primary outcome being the endometrial thickness after the PRP infusion or injection and the secondary outcome being the pregnancy rate in both groups. (3) Results: Patients who were treated with Injectable PRP had a higher pregnancy rate. An improvement in the quality of the endometrium, in terms of thickness, was also observed in the patients who were injected with PRP. (4) Conclusions: Compared to PRP infusions inside the uterus, sub-endometrial PRP injections in frozen embryo transfer methods have a greater pregnancy rate.

Hydrothermally formed mesoporous SnO 2 was used as a support for nickel chemical deposition and, after subsequent thermal treatment, a high specific surface area (36 m 2 g -1 ) Ni/SnO 2 material was obtained. XPS analysis has shown that in the Sn 3d region the spectrum is similar to that of pristine SnO 2 , whereas Ni species are present on the surface as NiO, Ni 2 O 3 and Ni(OH) 2 . Mixing Ni/SnO 2 with a small amount of Black Pearls (BP) leads to a significant enhancement of the resulting Ni/SnO 2 -BP composite activity for nitrite anodic oxidation, presumably due to the higher surface area (115 m 2 g -1 ), to better electrical conductivity and to a certain contribution of the BP to an increase in surface density of the active sites. Ni/SnO 2 -BP also outperforms pristine BP (in terms of Tafel slopes and electron-transfer rates), most likely due to the fact that the Ni(II)/Ni(III) couple can act as an electrocatalyst for nitrite oxidation. A voltammetric method is proposed for the determination of nitrite, over a concentration range of three orders of magnitude (0.05 to 20 mM), with good reproducibility, high stability and excellent sensitivity. The high upper limit of the dynamic range of the analytically useful response might provide a basis for the reliable quantification of nitrite in wastewater.

Background and Objectives: We aimed to prospectively obtain data on pregnancies complicated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in the Prenatal Diagnosis Unit of the Emergency County Hospital of Craiova. We collected the demographic data of mothers, the prenatal ultrasound (US) features, the intrapartum data, and the immediate postnatal data of newborns. We aimed to assess the detection rates of IUGR fetuses (the performance of the US in estimating the actual neonatal birth weight), to describe the prenatal care pattern in our unit, and to establish predictors for the number of total hospitalization days needed postnatally. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from cases diagnosed with IUGR undergoing prenatal care in our hospital. We compared the percentile of estimated fetal weight (EFW) using the Hadlock 4 technique with the percentile of weight at birth. We retrospectively performed a regression analysis to correlate the variables predicting the number of hospitalization days. Results: Data on 111 women were processed during the period of 1 September 2019-1 September 2022. We confirmed the significant differences in US features between early- (Eo) and late-onset (Lo) IUGR cases. The detection rates were higher if the EFW was lower, and Eo-IUGR was associated with a higher number of US scans. We obtained a mathematical formula for estimating the total number of hospitalization days needed postnatally. Conclusion: Early- and late-onset IUGR have different US features prenatally and different postnatal outcomes. If the US EFW percentile is lower, a prenatal diagnosis is more likely to be made, and a closer follow-up is offered in our hospital. The total number of hospitalization days may be predicted using intrapartum and immediate postnatal data in both groups, having the potential to optimize the final financial costs and to organize the neonatal department efficiently.

The paper presents a study concerning the role of ferroelectric filler size and clustering in the dielectric properties of 20%BaTiO 3 -80%PVDF and of 20% (2%Ag-98%BaTiO 3 )-PVDF hybrid nanocomposites. By finite element calculations, it was shown that using fillers with ε > 10 3 does not provide a permittivity rise in the composites and the effective dielectric constant tends to saturate to specific values determined by the filler size and agglomeration degree. Irrespective of the ferroelectric filler sizes, the addition of metallic ultrafine nanoparticles (Ag) results in permittivity intensification and the effect is even stronger if the metallic nanoparticles are connected to a higher degree with the ferroelectric particles' surfaces. When using coarse ferroelectric fillers, the probability of clustering is higher, thus favoring the permittivity increase by field concentration in small regions close to the interfaces separating dissimilar materials. The modeling results were validated by an experimental dielectric analysis performed in a series of PVDF-based thick films with the same amount of BaTiO 3 fillers or with Ag-BaTiO 3 hybrid fillers. Similar trends as predicted by simulations were found experimentally but with slightly higher permittivity values which were assigned to the modifications of the polymer phase composition due to the presence of nanofillers and the local sample inhomogeneity (the presence of clustering, in particular for coarse BaTiO 3 grains), which create regions with enhanced local fields.

Electronic and stability properties of quasi-2D alkylammonium perovskites are investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and validated experimentally on selected classes of compounds. Our analysis is focused on perovskite structures of formula (A) 2 (A') n -1 Pb n X 3 n +1 , with large cations A = butyl-, pentyl-, hexylammonium (BA, PA, HXA), small cations A' = methylammonium, formamidinium, ethylammonium, guanidinium (MA, FA, EA, GA) and halogens X = I, Br, Cl. The role of the halogen ions is outlined for the band structure, stability and defect formation energies. Two opposing trends are found for the absorption efficiency versus stability, the latter being assessed with respect to possible degradation mechanisms. Experimental validation is performed on quasi-2D perovskites based on pentylammonium cations, namely: (PA) 2 PbX 4 and (PA) 2 (MA)Pb 2 X 7 , synthesized by antisolvent-assisted vapor crystallization. Structural and optical analysis are inline with the DFT based calculations. In addition, the thermogravimetric analysis shows an enhanced stability of bromide and chloride based compounds, in agreement with the theoretical predictions.

The adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) provides a safe and efficient gene therapy platform with several approved products that have marked therapeutic impact for patients. However, a major bottleneck in the development and commercialization of AAV remains the efficiency, cost, and scalability of AAV production. Chromatographic methods have the potential to allow purification at increased scales and lower cost but often require optimization specific to each serotype. Here, we demonstrate that the POROS CaptureSelect AAVX affinity resin efficiently captures a panel of 15 divergent AAV serotypes, including the commonly used AAV2, AAV8, AAV9, PHP.B, and Anc80. We also find that AAVX resin can be regenerated repeatedly without loss of efficiency or carry-over contamination. While AAV preps purified with AAVX showed a higher fraction of empty capsids than preps purified using iodixanol ultracentrifugation, the potency of the AAVX purified vectors was comparable with that of iodixanol purified vectors both in vitro and in vivo . Finally, optimization of the purification protocol resulted in a process with an overall efficiency of 65%-80% across all scales and AAV serotypes tested. These data establish AAVX affinity chromatography as a versatile and efficient method for purification of a broad range of AAV serotypes., Competing Interests: L.H.V. is an employee of ciendias bio and is a paid advisor to Novartis, Akouos, and Affinia Therapeutics, and serves on the Board of Directors of ciendias bio, Affinia, Addgene, and Odylia Therapeutics. L.H.V. holds equity in ciendias bio, Akouos, and Affinia and receives sponsored research funding from Albamunity Inc., to which he was an unpaid consultant. L.H.V. is an inventor on various patents licensed to multiple biopharmaceutical companies that are relevant to gene therapy including AAV manufacturing. M.F., A.J.W., and L.H.V. are named inventors on a patent covering some methods described in this work. E.A.-M. is an employee and holds equity in Akouos Inc. A.J.W. is a scientific advisor for Kate Therapeutics and Frequency Therapeutics and a co-founder, advisor, and holder of private equity in Elevian, Inc., which also provides sponsored research to the Wagers lab. A.J.W. and M.F. are inventors on various patents that include the use of AAVs for research and therapeutic applications. F.N. is an employee at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Wireless powered optogenetic cell-based implant provides a strategy to deliver subcutaneously therapeutic proteins. Immortalize Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSC-TERT) expressing the bacteriophytochrome diguanylate cyclase (DGCL) were validated for optogenetic controlled interferon-β delivery (Optoferon cells) in a bioelectronic cell-based implant. Optoferon cells transcriptomic profiling was used to elaborate an in-silico model of the recombinant interferon-β production. Wireless optoelectronic device integration was developed using additive manufacturing and injection molding. Implant cell-based optoelectronic interface manufacturing was established to integrate industrial flexible compact low-resistance screen-printed Near Field Communication (NFC) coil antenna. Optogenetic cell-based implant biocompatibility, and device performances were evaluated in the Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of multiple sclerosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: This study focuses on the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical students in their last year of study at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It analyzes the impact of social distance limits on the conduct of research activities required for the development of the graduation thesis, as well as assesses sixth-year students' attitudes and behaviors toward volunteer activities during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in June-July 2021 among sixth-year students. It used an anonymous online questionnaire and was sent to all students from the Faculty of Medicine studying in the Romanian, English, or French sections ( n = 606). The response rate was 38.28%, resulting in a final sample of 232 students from both Romanian and international sections., Results: The findings demonstrate that two-thirds of the students in the survey agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on their research. Some of the students had to choose another subject for their graduation thesis, while about a quarter of the students gave up collecting personal data, 25% of respondents stated that it was difficult to contact research participants, one-third of them linked the difficulty of doing activities at the hospital to the present outbreak, and almost 30% of the students had difficulty communicating with the coordinator. The disturbance of the research activity seems to be higher among international students in comparison with the Romanian students, while there are limited gender differences. One out of five medical students has been involved in volunteer activities during the pandemic. Most have opted to volunteer at hospitals (especially international students) and contribute to health education activities (especially women)., Conclusions: This is the first study from Romania and one of the few from Europe that presents data regarding the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on research and volunteering activities among medical students.

TiO 2 -based mixed oxide-carbon composite supports have been suggested to provide enhanced stability for platinum (Pt) electrocatalysts in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The addition of molybdenum (Mo) to the mixed oxide is known to increase the CO tolerance of the electrocatalyst. In this work Pt catalysts, supported on Ti 1-x Mo x O 2 -C composites with a 25/75 oxide/carbon mass ratio and prepared from different carbon materials (C: Vulcan XC-72, unmodified and functionalized Black Pearls 2000), were compared in the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with a commercial Pt/C reference catalyst in order to assess the influence of the support on the electrocatalytic behavior. Our aim was to perform electrochemical studies in preparation for fuel cell tests. The ORR kinetic parameters from the Koutecky-Levich plot suggested a four-electron transfer per oxygen molecule, resulting in H 2 O. The similarity between the Tafel slopes suggested the same reaction mechanism for electrocatalysts supported by these composites. The HOR activity of the composite-supported electrocatalysts was independent of the type of carbonaceous material. A noticeable difference in the stability of the catalysts appeared only after 5000 polarization cycles; the Black Pearl-containing sample showed the highest stability.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a new challenge in modern medicine, due to its high prevalence in the world. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is a complex dysmetabolic process, following the "multiple-hit" hypothesis that involves hepatocytes excessive accumulation of triglycerides, insulin resistance (IR), increased oxidative stress, chronic low-grade inflammatory response and lipotoxicity. In this review, we provide an overview of the interrelation of these processes, the link between systemic and local inflammation and the role of dysfunctional adipose tissue (AT) in the NAFLD development. Multiple extrahepatic triggers of the pathophysiological mechanisms of NAFLD are described: nutritional deficiency or malnutrition, unhealthy food intake, the dysfunction of the liver-gut axis, the involvement of the mesenteric adipose tissue, the role of adipokines such as adiponectin, of food intake hormone, the leptin and leptin resistance (LR) and adipose tissue's hormone, the resistin. In addition, a wide range of intrahepatic players are involved: oxidative stress, fatty acid oxidation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, resident macrophages (Kupffer cells), neutrophils, dendritic cells (DCs), B and T lymphocytes contributing to the potential evolution of NAFLD to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This interdependent approach to complex dysmetabolic imbalance in NAFLD, integrating relevant studies, could contribute to a better clarification of pathogenesis and consequently the development of new personalized treatments, targeting de novo lipogenesis, chronic inflammation and fibrosis. Further studies are needed to focus not only on treatment, but also on prevention strategy in NAFLD.

The role of Ag addition on the structural, dielectric, and mechanical harvesting response of 20%( x Ag - (1 - x )BaTiO 3 ) - 80%PVDF ( x = 0, 2, 5, 7 and 27 vol.%) flexible composites is investigated. The inorganic fillers were realized by precipitating fine (~3 nm) silver nanoparticles onto BaTiO 3 nanoparticles (~60 nm average size). The hybrid admixtures with a total filling factor of 20 vol.% were embedded into the PVDF matrix. The presence of filler enhances the amount of β-PVDF polar phase and the BaTiO 3 filler induces an increase of the permittivity from 11 to 18 (1 kHz) in the flexible composites. The addition of increasing amounts of Ag is further beneficial for permittivity increase; with the maximum amount ( x = 27 vol.%), permittivity is three times larger than in pure PVDF (εr ~ 33 at 1 kHz) with a similar level of tangent losses. This result is due to the local field enhancement in the regions close to the filler-PVDF interfaces which are additionally intensified by the presence of silver nanoparticles. The metallic addition is also beneficial for the mechanical harvesting ability of such composites: the amplitude of the maximum piezoelectric-triboelectric combined output collected in open circuit conditions increases from 0.2 V/cm 2 (PVDF) to 30 V/cm 2 for x = 27 vol.% Ag in a capacitive configuration. The role of ferroelectric and metallic nanoparticles on the increasing mechanical-electric conversion response is also been explained.

Objectives: This study focuses on the assessment of attitudes and practices regarding research among undergraduate medical students from Cluj-Napoca, Romania., Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed thorough anonymous questionnaires (May-June 2018) among 510 third- and fifth-year students of Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Cluj-Napoca, Romania., Results: More than 60% of the third- and fifth-year students declared that they were interested and willing to perform research during medical studies, while more than two-thirds were interested in doing so after graduation. In total, 6% of third-year students and 31% of fifth-year students declared that they had prepared a scientific presentation for a medical congress at least once. Around 9% of the third-year students contributed to the writing of a scientific article and participated in research projects. Among fifth-year students, one-quarter were involved in writing scientific papers, and 21% participated in research projects., Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this study assesses, for the first time in Romania, the perspectives and behaviors of medical undergraduate students with regard to involvement in research activities. The results show that Romanian medical students value opportunities for conducting research, which encourages institutional initiatives that support their involvement in curricular and extracurricular research activities.

Left atrial (LA) geometry and phasic functions are frequently impaired in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM). Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) can accurately measure LA function and geometry parameters. We sought to investigate their prognostic role in patients with NIDCM. We prospectively examined 212 patients with NIDCM (49 ± 14.2-year-old; 73.5% males) and 106 healthy controls. LA volumes, phasic functions, geometry, and fibrosis were determined using CMR. A composite outcome (cardiac death, ventricular tachyarrhythmias, heart failure hospitalization) was ascertained over a median of 26 months. LA phasic functions, sphericity index (LASI) and late gadolinium enhancement (LA-LGE) were considerably impaired in the diseased group ( p < 0.001) and significantly correlated with impaired LV function parameters ( p < 0.0001). After multivariate analysis, LA volumes, LASI, LA total strain (LA-ε t ) and LA-LGE were associated with increased risk of composite outcome ( p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly higher risk of composite endpoint for LA volumes (all p < 0.01), LASI > 0.725 ( p < 0.003), and LA-ε t < 30% ( p < 0.0001). Stepwise Cox proportional-hazards models demonstrated a considerable incremental predictive value which resulted by adding LASI to LA-ε t (Chi-square = 10.2, p < 0.001), and afterwards LA-LGE (Chi-Square = 15.8; p < 0.0001). NIDCM patients with defective LA volumes, LASI, LA-LGE and LA-ε t had a higher risk for an outcome. LA-ε t , LASI and LA-LGE provided independent incremental predictive value for outcome.

Introduction: Over the last decades, a large body of literature has shown that intrapartum clinical digital pelvic estimations of fetal head position, station and progression in the pelvic canal are less accurate, compared with ultrasound (US) scan. Given the increasing evidence regarding the advantages of using US to evaluate the mechanism of labour, our study protocol aims to develop sonopartograms for fetal cephalic presentations. They will allow for a more objective evaluation of labour progression than the traditional labour monitoring, which could enable more rapid decisions regarding the mode of delivery., Methods/analysis: This is a prospective observational study performed in three university hospitals, with an unselected population of women admitted in labour at term. Both clinical and US evaluations will be performed assessing fetal head position, descent and rotation. Specific US parameters regarding fetal head position, progression and rotation will be recorded to develop nomograms in a similar way that partograms were developed. The primary outcome is to develop nomograms for the longitudinal US assessment of labour in unselected nulliparous and multiparous women with fetal cephalic presentation. The secondary aims are to assess the sonopartogram differences in occiput anterior and posterior deliveries, to compare the labour trend from our research with the classic and other recent partogram models and to investigate the capability of the US labour monitoring to predict the outcome of spontaneous vaginal delivery., Ethics and Dissemination: All protocols and the informed consent form comply with the Ministry of Health and the professional society ethics guidelines. University ethics committees approved the study protocol. The trial results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and at the conference presentations. The study will be implemented and reported in line with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement., Trial Registration Number: ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT02326077)., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Porous silica-based materials are a promising alternative to graphite anodes for Li-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacity, low discharge potential similar to pure silicon, superior cycling stability compared to silicon, abundance, and environmental friendliness. However, several challenges prevent the practical application of silica anodes, such as low coulombic efficiency and irreversible capacity losses during cycling. The main strategy to tackle the challenges of silica as an anode material has been developed to prepare carbon-coated SiO 2 composites by carbonization in argon atmosphere. A facile and eco-friendly method of preparing carbon-coated SiO 2 composites using sucrose is reported herein. The carbon-coated SiO 2 composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, transmission and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and charge-discharge cycling. A C/SiO 2 -0.085 M calendered electrode displays the best cycling stability, capacity of 714.3 mAh·g -1 , and coulombic efficiency as well as the lowest charge transfer resistance over 200 cycles without electrode degradation. The electrochemical performance improvement could be attributed to the positive effect of the carbon thin layer that can effectively diminish interfacial impedance.

Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Surveillance of these patients is an essential strategy in the prevention chain, including in the pre/post-antiviral treatment states. Ultrasound elastography techniques are emerging as key methods in the assessment of liver diseases, with a number of advantages such as their rapid, noninvasive, and cost-effective characters. The present paper critically reviews the performance of vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) in the assessment of HCV patients. VCTE measures liver stiffness (LS) and the ultrasonic attenuation through the embedded controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), providing the clinician with a tool for assessing fibrosis, cirrhosis, and steatosis in a noninvasive manner. Moreover, standardized LS values enable proper staging of the underlying fibrosis, leading to an accurate identification of a subset of HCV patients that present a high risk for complications. In addition, VCTE is a valuable technique in evaluating liver fibrosis prior to HCV therapy. However, its applicability in monitoring fibrosis regression after HCV eradication is currently limited and further studies should focus on extending the boundaries of VCTE in this context. From a different perspective, VCTE may be effective in identifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). An emerging prospect of clinical significance that warrants further study is the identification of esophageal varices. Our opinion is that the advantages of VCTE currently outweigh those of other surveillance methods.