Clinics
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A significant benefit from physical activity has recently been described in some patients who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases. ⋯ The regular practice of physical activity seems to contribute to a reduction in neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia patients and to attenuate the burden of the caregivers of those patients.
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Sepsis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in intensive care units. Organ dysfunction is triggered by inflammatory insults and tissue hypoperfusion. The brain plays a pivotal role in sepsis, acting as both a mediator of the immune response and a target for the pathologic process. ⋯ Although sepsis-associated encephalopathy was described decades ago, it has only recently been subjected to scientific scrutiny and is not yet completely understood. The pathophysiology of sepsis-associated encephalopathy involves direct cellular damage to the brain, mitochondrial and endothelial dysfunction and disturbances in neurotransmission. This review describes the most recent findings in the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of sepsis-associated encephalopathy and focuses on its many presentations.
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Assisted reproductive technology is an evolving area, and several adjuvant procedures have been created to increase a couple's chance of conceiving. For male infertility, the current challenges are to properly accommodate old and new techniques that are both cost-effective and evidence-based. In this context, urologists are expected to diagnose, counsel, provide medical or surgical treatment whenever possible and/or correctly refer male patients for assisted conception. ⋯ We present a comprehensive review of the surgical treatment options for infertile males, including the perioperative planning and prognostic aspects, with an emphasis on the role of microsurgery in the optimization of treatment results. This review also discusses current techniques for sperm retrieval that are used in association with assisted reproductive technology and includes sperm retrieval success rates according to the technique and the type of azoospermia. New insights are provided with regard to each surgical treatment option in view of the availability of assisted conception to overcome male infertility.
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Population aging raises concerns regarding the increases in the rates of morbidity and mortality that result from influenza and its complications. Although vaccination is the most important tool for preventing influenza, vaccination program among high-risk groups has not reached its predetermined aims in several settings. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of clinical and demographic factors on vaccine compliance among the elderly in a setting that includes a well-established annual national influenza vaccination campaign. ⋯ The education of patients and health care professionals along with the implementation of immunization campaigns should be evaluated and considered by health authorities as essential for increasing the success rate of influenza vaccination compliance among the elderly.
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Comparative Study
Comparison between the effects of platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow concentrate on defect consolidation in the rabbit tibia.
To perform a comparative analysis of the effects of platelet-rich plasma and centrifuged bone marrow aspirate on the induction of bone healing in rabbits. ⋯ After four weeks, the platelet-rich plasma promoted a greater amount of bone consolidation than the bone marrow aspirate concentrate.