Predictive factors for arteriovenous fistula maturation: A prospective study.

Introduction: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation failure remains common despite preoperative ultrasound mapping. Identifying predictive biomarkers can help anticipate primary failure and reducing invasive procedures. Our study aimed to identify clinical and analytical risk factors for primary AVF failure or delay.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis Effusion Index: A Novel Diagnostic Method and Validation of Flow Cytometry-Based Delta Total Nucleated Cells Analysis on the Sysmex XN-1000V.

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led the medical and scientific community to explore the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of coronaviruses. In felines, a widespread coronavirus known as feline coronavirus (FCoV) can lead to feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a highly fatal disease characterised by severe systemic inflammation. Diagnosing FCoV remains challenging due to the limited accuracy of the available methods.

Addressing Challenges in Detection: A Comparative Review of Diagnostic Methods.

Chlamydial infections are one of the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infections worldwide, which is related to serious consequences for the mental, sexual, and reproductive health of women and men. The infection is commonly asymptomatic; consequently, screening programs for infection control have been introduced in some countries. The detection methods of infections have evolved since the establishment of the first gold-standard detection method in the 1970s, the culture assay.

Evaluation of Host Gene Methylation as a Triage Test for HPV-Positive Women-A Cohort Study.

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the performance of a host gene methylation marker panel (ASTN1, DLX1, ITGA4, RXFP3, SOX17, and ZNF671) in the triage of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive women, its possible impact in a cervical cancer screening program, and the possible influence of the variation of the rate of HPV16/18 in its performance.

Materials And Methods: Cohort study in which consecutive women referred for colposcopy in an organized cervical cancer screening program had repeated HPV testing, colposcopy, and biopsies. The women that remained HPV positive at the time of colposcopy were tested with the panel of DNA methylation markers.

Advancing arteriovenous fistula needling: The role of physical exam and doppler ultrasound.

Background: The success of haemodialysis (HD) critically depends on the effective use of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs). The precise needling technique is vital to minimise complications and ensure functional vascular access.

Objective: This study assesses the effectiveness of a nursing consultation protocol, which integrates physical examination (PE) with Doppler Ultrasound (DUS), in preparing patients for the first AVF needling.

Bee Venom-Loaded Niosomes as Innovative Platforms for Cancer Treatment: Development and Therapeutical Efficacy and Safety Evaluation.

Despite past efforts towards therapeutical innovation, cancer remains a highly incident and lethal disease, with current treatments lacking efficiency and leading to severe side effects. Hence, it is imperative to develop new, more efficient, and safer therapies. Bee venom has proven to have multiple and synergistic bioactivities, including antitumor effects.

Stroke and Multiorgan Failure as the Initial Manifestations of Lupus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a persistent autoimmune disorder that manifests across a spectrum ranging from mild to severe disease, often requiring hospitalization and critical care management. We present a severe case of systemic involvement at its onset. A young woman, with a background of arterial hypertension, presented to the emergency department exhibiting a total anterior circulation stroke and exuberant symmetric lower limb edema.

Unveiling the metabolites underlying the skin anti-ageing properties of Cytinus hypocistis (L.) L. through a biochemometric approach.

Background: The genus Cytinus, recognised as one of the most enigmatic in the plant kingdom, has garnered attention for its bioactive potential, particularly its skin anti-ageing properties. Despite this recognition, much remains to be accomplished regarding deciphering and isolating its most active compounds.

Hypothesis: This study aimed to identify the compounds responsible for C.

Emerging Approaches for Mitigating Biofilm-Formation-Associated Infections in Farm, Wild, and Companion Animals.

The importance of addressing the problem of biofilms in farm, wild, and companion animals lies in their pervasive impact on animal health and welfare. Biofilms, as resilient communities of microorganisms, pose a persistent challenge in causing infections and complicating treatment strategies. Recognizing and understanding the importance of mitigating biofilm formation is critical to ensuring the welfare of animals in a variety of settings, from farms to the wild and companion animals.

Determinants of HIV late presentation among men who have sex with men in Portugal (2014-2019): who's being left behind?

Introduction: HIV late presentation (LP) remains excessive in Europe. We aimed to analyze the factors associated with late presentation in the MSM population newly diagnosed with HIV in Portugal between 2014 and 2019.

Methods: We included 391 newly HIV-1 diagnosed Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), from the BESTHOPE project, in 17 countrywide Portuguese hospitals.

The relevance of the socio-emotional deficits in cerebral small vessels disease (CSVD): An exploratory study with sporadic CSVD and CADASIL patients.

Background: Cerebral Small Vessels Disease (CSVD) is categorized in different forms, the most common being the sporadic form and a genetic variant - Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). Amongst the most frequent clinical manifestations are the neuropsychological changes of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional nature, whose features are still under debate.

Objective: This exploratory study aimed to compare the neuropsychological profile of a sporadic CSVD sample and a CADASIL sample with an age, education, and gender matched control group, between the ages of 30-65 YO (total sample mean age=51.

Exploring the α-amylase-inhibitory properties of tannin-rich extracts of Cytinus hypocistis on starch digestion.

Cytinus hypocistis(L.) L. is an edible parasitic plant that grows within the roots of its host.

Skin pigmentation as landmark for arteriovenous fistula cannulation in hemodialysis.

Background: The cannulation of the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for hemodialysis (HD) has traditionally depended on the nurse's tactile sensation, which has been associated with suboptimal needle placement and detrimental effects on vascular access (VA) longevity. While the introduction of ultrasound (US) has proven beneficial in mapping the AVF outflow vein and assisting in cannulation planning, aneurysmal deformations remain a common occurrence resulting from various factors, including inadequate cannulation techniques. Within this context, the utilization of skin pigmentation as a clinical landmark has emerged as a potential approach to enhance cannulation planning in HD.

Safety and Efficacy of Triple Therapy With Dolutegravir Plus 2 Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors in Treatment-Naive Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 Patients: Results From a 48-Week Phase 2 Study.

Background: Integrase strand transfer inhibitor-based regimens are recommended for first-line therapy in human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2). Nonetheless, dolutegravir (DTG) clinical trial data are lacking.

Methods: We conducted a phase 2, single-arm, open-label trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a triple therapy regimen that included DTG in persons with HIV-2 (PWHIV-2) in Portugal.

Shewanella algae, an Emerging Human Pathogen: A Series of Four Cases From a Portuguese Hospital.

is a rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacterium that is considered an emerging human pathogen. Traditionally associated with warmer climates, has now been isolated from patients worldwide, and reports of infection are increasing. In a regional hospital on the outskirts of Lisbon, Portugal, four cases have been detected in the past 10 years.

Cerebral Venous Thrombosis Due to Overdrainage in a Patient With Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: A Case Report.

Mechanical shunting of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is an effective treatment for hydrocephalus but is not exempt from complications. A 67-year-old male with a history of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and ventriculoperitoneal shunting (VPS) one year ago presented with gait disturbance and memory impairment. His head computed tomography (CT) was normal, and the shunting pressure was reduced from 110 to 70 mmH0 with gait and memory improvement.

molecular imaging of the neuroinflammatory response to peripheral acute bacterial infection in older patients with cognitive dysfunction: A cross-sectional controlled study.

Introduction: Chronic neuroinflammatory events have been implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative conditions but no studies have directly examined the neuroinflammatory response to acute systemic infection in older people with dementia. The objective of this study was to determine the magnitude of the neuroinflammatory response triggered by acute systemic infection in older subjects with dementia and/or delirium compared to cognitively healthy controls.

Methods: We recruited 19 participants (4 with delirium, 4 with dementia, 4 with delirium superimposed on dementia, 7 cognitively healthy) hospitalized with acute systemic bacterial infection not involving the Central Nervous System.

Peripheral inflammatory markers during an acute bacterial infection in older patients with and without cognitive dysfunction: A case control study.

Dementia is a known risk factor for acute bacterial infections which may also play a significant role in promoting or accelerating cognitive impairment. Pneumonia and urinary tract infections are the main cause of hospitalisation of dementia patients and infections are a major precipitant of delirium. It is well established that peripheral immune signals induce a neuroinflammatory response largely mediated by microglial cells which is amplified with advanced age, neurodegenerative disorders and genetic characteristics.

An anti-inflammatory and low fermentable oligo, di, and monosaccharides and polyols diet improved patient reported outcomes in fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Fibromyalgia (FM) has been associated with dysbiosis and low-grade inflammation. Studies have reported that diet influences clinical features in FM.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of an anti-inflammatory and low fermentable oligo, di, and monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet on clinical outcomes of patients with FM.

HIV-1-Transmitted Drug Resistance and Transmission Clusters in Newly Diagnosed Patients in Portugal Between 2014 and 2019.

Objective: To describe and analyze transmitted drug resistance (TDR) between 2014 and 2019 in newly infected patients with HIV-1 in Portugal and to characterize its transmission networks.

Methods: Clinical, socioepidemiological, and risk behavior data were collected from 820 newly diagnosed patients in Portugal between September 2014 and December 2019. The sequences obtained from drug resistance testing were used for subtyping, TDR determination, and transmission cluster (TC) analyses.

Bioremediation of Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) by Anaerobic Digestion: Effect of PFAS on Different Trophic Groups and Methane Production Accelerated by Carbon Materials.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are recalcitrant pollutants which tend to persist in soils and aquatic environments and their remediation is among the most challenging with respect to organic pollutants. Anaerobic digestion (AD) supplemented with low amounts of carbon materials (CM), acting as electron drivers, has proved to be an efficient process for the removal of organic compounds from wastewater. This work explores the impact of PFAS on different trophic groups in anaerobic communities, and the effect of carbon nanotubes (CNT), activated carbon (AC), and oxidized AC (AC-HNO), as electron shuttles on the anaerobic bioremoval of these compounds, based on CH production.