Association of Fontan Pathophysiology With Plasma Bile Acids.

Background: Patients with Fontan circulation are frail and experience multisystem dysfunction including impaired exercise capacity, low resting and exercise-augmented cardiac output, and progressive liver fibrosis. However, common underlying biochemical abnormalities or disease-specific biomarkers have not been well-described.

Objectives: We wish to investigate Fontan and their matched healthy subjects using a nontargeted, followed by targeted metabolomic analysis.

A flavoromics approach to investigate the effect of Saskatoon berry powder on the sensory attributes, acceptability, volatile components, and electronic nose responses of a low-fat frozen yogurt.

Introduction: Saskatoon berries are grown in Canada and some northwestern states in the United States, and are notable for containing abundant antioxidant polyphenols, vitamins, metal elements, and fiber. To increase consumer interest in and accessibility to Saskatoon berries, some producers have begun to develop processes for refining Saskatoon berries into a powder with an extended shelf life that can be incorporated into a variety of value-added food products. To assess the desirability of this approach, this study sought to determine how the sensory attributes, consumer acceptability, and volatile and non-volatile composition of a plain, Greek-style frozen yogurt (PY) changed when fortified with 16% Saskatoon berry powder (SBP).

Muscarinic acetylcholine type 1 receptor antagonism activates TRPM3 to augment mitochondrial function and drive axonal repair in adult sensory neurons.

Objective: Antagonism of the muscarinic acetylcholine type 1 receptor (MR) promotes sensory axon repair and is protective in peripheral neuropathy, however, the mechanism remains elusive. We investigated the role of the heat-sensing transient receptor potential melastatin-3 (TRPM3) cation channel in MR antagonism-mediated nerve regeneration and explored the potential of TRPM3 activation to facilitate axonal plasticity.

Methods: Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from adult control or diabetic rats were cultured and treated with TRPM3 agonists (CIM0216, pregnenolone sulfate) and MR antagonists pirenzepine (PZ) or muscarinic toxin 7 (MT7).

Potential urinary volatile organic compounds as screening markers in cancer - a review.

Early detection of cancer typically facilitates improved patient outcomes; however, many cancers are not easily diagnosed at an early stage. One potential route for developing new, non-invasive methods of cancer detection is by testing for cancer-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) biomarkers in patients' urine. In this review, 44 studies covering the use and/or identification of cancer-related VOCs were examined, including studies which examined multiple types of cancer simultaneously, as well as diverse study designs.

A Comparison of Dry Bean and Pea Consumption on Serum Cholesterol: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Adults with Mild Hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Diets including pulses are associated with better cardiovascular profiles, including lipid, glycemia, and hemodynamics; however, evidence is lacking regarding the contributions of individual pulse varieties.

Objectives: This randomized, controlled trial examined the effects of beans or peas individually, relative to rice, on LDL-cholesterol levels (primary outcome) and other indices of cardiovascular disease risk (secondary outcomes) at 6 wk in adults with mild hypercholesterolemia.

Methods: This randomized, controlled, single-blind, 3-arm parallel-group study was conducted in 2 Canadian cities (Edmonton, Alberta; Winnipeg, Manitoba).

Long-term inhaled corticosteroid treatment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, and a recent hospitalised exacerbation: The ICSLIFE pragmatic, randomised controlled study.

Introduction: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently have cardiovascular comorbidities, increasing the risk of hospitalised COPD exacerbations (H-ECOPDs) or death. This pragmatic study examined the effects of adding an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) to long-acting bronchodilator(s) (LABDs) in patients with COPD and cardiac comorbidities who had a recent H-ECOPD.

Methods: Patients >60 years of age with COPD and ≥1 cardiac comorbidity, within 6 months after discharge following an H-ECOPD, were randomised to receive LABD(s) with or without ICS, and were followed for 1 year.

Mind reading dysfunctions in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea: A neuropsychological approach.

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is a prevalent sleep-related breathing disorder that has been extensively studied for its effects on cognitive functions. However, little attention has been given to investigating Mind Reading (MR) skills in patients with OSAS. In this study, we employed a neuropsychological approach to thoroughly assess various facets of MR skills in patients with OSAS.

Sustained Effectiveness of Benralizumab in Naïve and Biologics-Experienced Severe Eosinophilic Asthma Patients: Results from the ANANKE Study.

Purpose: Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) patients often present overlapping inflammatory features rendering them eligible for multiple biologic therapies; switching biologic treatment is a strategy adopted to optimize asthma control when patients show partial or no response to previous biologics.

Patients And Methods: ANANKE is a retrospective, multicenter Italian study (NCT04272463). Here, we outline the characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes in naïve-to-biologics and biologics-experienced patients treated with benralizumab for up to 96 weeks.

Biomolecular Actions by Intestinal Endotoxemia in Metabolic Syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of metabolic disorders that concurrently act as factors promoting systemic pathologies such as atherosclerosis or diabetes mellitus. It is now believed to encompass six main interacting conditions: visceral fat, imbalance of lipids (dyslipidemia), hypertension, insulin resistance (with or without impairing both glucose tolerance and fasting blood sugar), and inflammation. In the last 10 years, there has been a progressive interest through scientific research investigations conducted in the field of metabolomics, confirming a trend to evaluate the role of the metabolome, particularly the intestinal one.

Severe asthma: follow-up after one year from the Italian Registry on Severe Asthma (IRSA).

Asthma affects millions of people worldwide, with a subgroup suffering from severe asthma (SA). Biologics have revolutionized SA treatment, but challenges remain in managing different patient traits. This study analyzed data from the Italian Registry on Severe Asthma (IRSA) to investigate changes in SA characteristics and effectiveness of treatments after one year of follow-up, and to identify factors associated with response to treatments in a real-world setting.

Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on COPD Assessment Test Items in Individuals Classified as GOLD Group E.

Background: A new Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) classification has been proposed, based also on COPD Assessment Test (CAT).

Objectives: The aim of this large, multicenter, retrospective study was to determine the impact of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on CAT items in individuals with COPD, GOLD group E, recovering from an exacerbation (ECOPD). As secondary aims, we evaluated whether gender, associated chronic respiratory failure (CRF), and age might influence results.

Long-term effectiveness of benralizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma patients treated for 96-weeks: data from the ANANKE study.

Background: The efficacy of benralizumab has been broadly demonstrated in severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA), but only few real-life studies evaluated its long-term effects. Here we present novel data from the ANANKE study in which a large cohort of SEA patients was treated for up to 96 weeks.

Methods: ANANKE (NCT04272463) is an observational retrospective Italian study investigating the key characteristics of SEA patients (collected during the 12 months prior to benralizumab initiation) and the clinical outcomes during benralizumab treatment (annual exacerbation rate [AER], lung function, asthma control, OCS use, healthcare resource utilization).

Lipidomic Predictors of Coronary No-Reflow.

The ‘no-reflow’ phenomenon (NRP) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a serious complication among acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Herein, a comprehensive lipidomics approach was used to quantify over 300 distinct molecular species in circulating plasma from 126 patients with STEMI before and after primary PCI. Our analysis showed that three lipid classes: phosphatidylcholine (PC), alkylphosphatidylcholine (PC(O)), and sphingomyelin (SM), were significantly elevated (p < 0.

Cognitive Deficits among Individuals Admitted to a Post-Acute Pneumological Rehabilitation Unit in Southern Italy after COVID-19 Infection.

(1) Background: We investigated the differences in the neuropsychological profile as well as the pneumological and motor functions in two groups of patients admitted to rehabilitation who received different respiratory support during their COVID-19 infection. (2) Methods: Group-1 ( = 18; 15 male, median age 67.5) consisted of patients who received non-invasive mechanical ventilation; Group-2 ( = 19; 16 male, median age 63) consisted of patients who received invasive mechanical ventilation.

Airflow grades, outcome measures and response to pulmonary rehabilitation in individuals after an exacerbation of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Individuals with COPD may be staged according to symptoms and exacerbation history (GOLD groups: A-D) and on airflow obstruction (GOLD grades: 1-4). Guidelines recommend pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) for these individuals, including those recovering from an exacerbation (ECOPD) OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether in individuals with clinically severe COPD, recovering from an ECOPD, the effect size of an in-hospital PR program would be affected by airflow severity grades and assessed outcome measures.

Methods: Retrospective, multicentre study.

Clinical Features and Efficacy of Benralizumab in Patients with Blood Eosinophil Count Between 300 and 450 Cells/mm: A Post Hoc Analysis from the ANANKE Study.

Purpose: Benralizumab effectively reduces severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) exacerbations in patients with a wide range of baseline blood eosinophil count (BEC). Patients included in real-world studies are often characterized by high mean/median BEC, while patients with BEC close to 300 cells/mm are poorly represented. This post hoc analysis from the Italian study ANANKE aims to define the clinical features and corroborate the efficacy of benralizumab in real world in the BEC 300-450 cells/mm subset of patients.

Data-driven identification of plasma metabolite clusters and metabolites of interest for potential detection of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer cases versus cancer-free controls.

Background: Metabolomics is a potential means for biofluid-based lung cancer detection. We conducted a non-targeted, data-driven assessment of plasma from early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (ES-NSCLC) cases versus cancer-free controls (CFC) to explore and identify the classes of metabolites for further targeted metabolomics biomarker development.

Methods: Plasma from 250 ES-NSCLC cases and 250 CFCs underwent ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) in positive and negative electrospray ionization (ESI) modes.

Switching from one biologic to benralizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma: An ANANKE study analysis.

Background: Severe asthma is a heterogeneous inflammatory disease driven by eosinophilic inflammation in the majority of cases. Despite biologic therapy patients may still be sub-optimally controlled, and the choice of the best biologic is a matter of debate. Indeed, switching between biologics is common, but no official guidelines are available and real-world data are limited.

Benralizumab in Patients With Severe Eosinophilic Asthma With and Without Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps: An ANANKE Study Analysis.

Background: Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) in the presence of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) indicates the presence of a more extensive eosinophilic inflammation. analyses from a pivotal clinical trial have demonstrated the enhanced efficacy of benralizumab on asthma outcomes in patients with CRSwNP as a comorbidity.

Methods: This is a analysis from the Italian multi-center observational retrospective ANANKE study.

Metabolic Alterations in Sputum and Exhaled Breath Condensate of Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients After Surgical Resection: A Pilot Study.

Every year, close to two million people world-wide are diagnosed with and die of lung cancer. Most patients present with advanced-stage cancer with limited curative options and poor prognosis. Diagnosis of lung cancer at an early stage provides the best chance for a cure.

Patterns of alpha-linolenic acid incorporation into phospholipids in H4IIE cells.

Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is an 18-carbon essential fatty acid found in plant-based foods and oils. While much attention has been placed on conversion of ALA to long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, alternative routes of ALA metabolism exist and may lead to formation of other bioactive metabolites of ALA. The current study employed a non-targeted metabolomics approach to profile ALA metabolites that are significantly upregulated by ALA treatment.

Acute Effects of Split Pea-Enriched White Pan Bread on Postprandial Glycemic and Satiety Responses in Healthy Volunteers-A Randomized Crossover Trial.

Pulse consumption has been associated with reduced postprandial glucose response (PPGR) and improved satiety. The objective of this study was (i) to investigate the effects of fortifying white pan bread with split yellow pea ( L.) flour on PPGR and appetite-related sensations, and (ii) to determine whether Revtech heat processing of pea flour alters the postprandial effects.