Abbreviated Duke Activity Status Index for Risk Stratification in Heart Failure.

The Duke activity status index (DASI), a self-administered 12-item questionnaire has been used to estimate functional capacity and recently demonstrated prognostic information. We aimed to develop an abbreviated version for clinical applications. Leveraging the Cleveland Clinic GeneBank Study, we developed an abbreviated DASI questionnaire (aDASI) with the machine learning XGBoost algorithm, with the goal of maintaining the accuracy and reliability of the original DASI.

Ceramides as Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Diseases and Heart Failure.

Purpose Of Review:  Ceramides are lipid species that play several physiological roles in the body, including stress response, inflammation, and apoptosis, and their involvement in lipid metabolism and energy production makes them crucial in the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF).

Recent Findings:  Several species of ceramides and ceramide signatures have recently been investigated as possible biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and risk scores have demonstrated prognostic value in stratifying patients by risk and possibly predicting adverse cardiac events. With growing interest in targeting metabolic dysfunction, understanding the role of ceramides in CVD also opens the possibility of novel therapeutics that target ceramide metabolism to improve cardiac function and cardiac outcomes in patients.

Complexity of the Male Perfume of Eulaema nigrita from Forest and Woody Physiognomies of the Brazilian Savanna: Is There a Relationship with Body Size and Wing Wear?

Male orchid bees collect volatile and semi-volatile compounds from the environment for storage and accumulation in specialized hind legs. Later, these compounds form a perfume blend used during courtship to lure conspecific females for mating. Male orchid bees perfume has been suggested to play an important role as a sexual signaling trait involved in pre-mating isolation of species, functioning as an indicator of male genetic quality.

Antioxidant and anti-Alzheimer's potential of Tetragonisca angustula (Jataí) stingless bee pollen.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered the leading cause of dementia in the elderly worldwide. It results in progressive memory loss and impairment of cognitive and motor skills, leading to a high degree of disability and dependence. The development of AD is associated with the accumulation of senile plaques in the brain, caused by the amyloidogenic pathway of the disease.

Meta-Analysis and Metaregression of the Treatment Effect of Intravenous Iron in Iron-Deficient Heart Failure.

Background: Guidelines recommend that intravenous iron should be considered to improve symptoms of heart failure (HF) and reduce the risk for HF admissions in patients after acute HF.

Objectives: This study sought to analyze the effect of intravenous iron on cardiovascular (CV) death and HF admissions in a broad population of HF patients with iron deficiency and the relation with baseline transferrin saturation (TSAT).

Methods: A systematic review of all published randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of intravenous iron in patients with iron deficiency and HF between January 1, 2000, and August 26, 2023, was performed.

Heart Failure-Related Iron Deficiency Anemia Pathophysiology and Laboratory Diagnosis.

Purpose Of Review: The goal of the current review is to give an overview regarding the pathophysiology of iron deficiency in heart failure and how different laboratory tests change in the setting of heart failure.

Recent Findings: Recent studies have questioned the current employed definition of iron deficiency in the field of heart failure, as patients with ferritin < 100ng/ml but TSAT > 20% have a better prognosis, no iron deficiency on bone marrow staining, and altered treatment response to ferric carboxymaltose. This review summarizes changes in iron parameters in the setting of heart failure and underscores the importance of a reduced bioavailability of iron documented by a low serum iron or TSAT, irrespective of the presence of anemia.

Distinct Impact of Noncardiac Comorbidities on Exercise Capacity and Functional Status in Chronic Heart Failure.

Background: Noncardiac comorbidities (NCCs) are common in patients with heart failure (HF), but how they jointly affect exercise capacity and functional status is relatively unexplored.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the cumulative effects of NCC on exercise capacity and functional status in chronic HF.

Methods: Baseline NCC-status was assessed in HF-ACTION (Heart Failure: A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of Exercise Training), IRONOUT-HF (Oral Iron Repletion Effects on Oxygen Uptake in Heart Failure), NEAT-HFpEF (Nitrate's Effect on Activity Tolerance in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction), INDIE-HFpEF (Inorganic Nitrite Delivery to Improve Exercise Capacity in HFpEF), and RELAX-HFpEF (Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibition to Improve Clinical Status and Exercise Capacity in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction) trials, and relations with peak Vo and 6-minute walk test (6MWT), Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ), and all-cause death were determined according to HF type (with reduced vs preserved ejection fraction).

A universal tool for stability predictions of biotherapeutics, vaccines and in vitro diagnostic products.

It is of particular interest for biopharmaceutical companies developing and distributing fragile biomolecules to warrant the stability and activity of their products during long-term storage and shipment. In accordance with quality by design principles, advanced kinetic modeling (AKM) has been successfully used to predict long-term product shelf-life and relies on data from short-term accelerated stability studies that are used to generate Arrhenius-based kinetic models that can, in turn, be exploited for stability forecasts. The AKM methodology was evaluated through a cross-company perspective on stability modeling for key stability indicating attributes of different types of biotherapeutics, vaccines and biomolecules combined in in vitro diagnostic kits.

A comprehensive health effects assessment of the use of sanitizers and disinfectants during COVID-19 pandemic: a global survey.

COVID-19 has affected all aspects of human life so far. From the outset of the pandemic, preventing the spread of COVID-19 through the observance of health protocols, especially the use of sanitizers and disinfectants was given more attention. Despite the effectiveness of disinfection chemicals in controlling and preventing COVID-19, there are critical concerns about their adverse effects on human health.

Effect of pollination on the composition of raw arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.): antioxidant capacity, bioactive compounds, and volatiles precursors.

Background: The importance of pollination is recognized worldwide. This study investigates the influence of biotic pollination on the chemical composition of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) cultivated in the municipalities of Araguari and Monte Carmelo, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil.

Decongestion With Acetazolamide in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Across the Spectrum of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction: A Prespecified Analysis From the ADVOR Trial.

Background: Acetazolamide inhibits proximal tubular sodium reabsorption and improved decongestion in the ADVOR (Acetazolamide in Decompensated Heart Failure with Volume Overload) trial. It remains unclear whether the decongestive effects of acetazolamide differ across the spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods: This is a prespecified analysis of the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled ADVOR trial that enrolled 519 patients with acute heart failure (HF), clinical signs of volume overload (eg, edema, pleural effusion, or ascites), NTproBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) >1000 ng/L, or BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) >250 ng/mL to receive intravenous acetazolamide (500 mg once daily) or placebo in addition to standardized intravenous loop diuretics (twice that of the oral home maintenance dose).

GASTROINTESTINAL COMPLICATIONS OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19).

Background: It is currently understood that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) directly enters target cells by binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Accordingly, tissues with high expression levels of ACE2 are more susceptible to infection, including pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells, small intestine enterocytes, cholangiocytes, and vascular endothelial cells. Considering the atypical manifestations of COVID-19 and the challenges of early diagnosis, this review addresses the possible gastrointestinal complications of the disease.

Effects of pollination on the composition of volatile compounds in Coffea arabica L.

Background: Pollination enhances coffee quality at the material level, improves the symbolic attributes of coffee and promotes sustainability. The objective of this work was to quantify the composition of volatile compounds in roasted coffee produced in the presence and absence of biotic pollination, aiming at investigating the effects of pollination on the composition of volatile compounds in coffee beans. This is the first report of its kind in the literature.

[Tele-nursing: an innovation in geriatrics].

The World Health organization programme Integrated Care for Older People involves the long-term monitoring of the many senior citizens who are registered. It is made possible by tele-nursing, but requires new skills for the nursing who implement it.

THE ROLE OF FISTULOCLYSIS IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH ENTEROATMOSPHERIC FISTULAS.

Background: Enterocutaneous fistulas represent a connection between the gastrointestinal tract and adjacent tissues. Among them, there is a subdivision - the enteroatmospheric fistulas, in which the origin is the gastrointestinal tract in connection with the external environment through an open wound in the abdomen. Due to the high output in enterocutaneous fistulas, the loss of fluids, electrolytes, minerals and proteins leads to complications such as sepsis, malnutrition and electrolyte derangements.

Impact of COVID-19 on the number of transplants performed in Brazil during the pandemic. Current situation.

The intense use of resources to combat COVID-19 causes concern in the entire transplant community because, in addition to physical limitations such as ICU beds, lack of homogeneous treatment protocols and uncertainties about the effects of immunosuppression on viral progression have significant impact on transplant surgeries. The aim of the present study is to comparatively assess the number of solid organ transplants performed in 2019 and 2020, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on organ donation and transplant surgeries in Brazil. The last 10 years have shown increasing trend in the number of solid organ transplants, which have significantly decreased in 2020.

Laparoscopic resection of primary retroperitoneal schwannoma: A case report.

Background: Schwannomas are rare, often benign, tumors deriving from Schwann cells that have low incidence in the retroperitoneal region (0.5% to 5%). Their diagnosis is hardly confirmed at early stage due to lack of specific features in signs, symptoms and imaging tests.

Expanding indications and results for the use of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta - REBOA.

Currently, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is used in trauma surgery for controlling non-compressible torso hemorrhages, as a less invasive option and with fewer physiologic disturbances compared with an invasive emergent thoracotomy for aortic cross-clamping. This can allow improvements in hemodynamic parameters until definitive surgery is performed. REBOA is also used in trauma to prevent hemodynamic collapse in patients who are in severe hemorrhagic shock, as a method to maintain perfusion of the brain and heart while decreasing distal bleeding until hemorrhage control can take place.

Climate drivers of the 2017 devastating fires in Portugal.

A record 500,000 hectares burned in Portugal during the extreme wildfire season of 2017, with more than 120 human lives lost. Here we analyse the climatic factors responsible for the burned area (BA) from June to October series in Portugal for the period 1980-2017. Superposed onto a substantially stationary trend on BA data, strong oscillations on shorter time scales were detected.

Impact of AferBio® on quality of life and chemotherapy toxicity in advanced lung cancer patients (AFERBIO study): protocol study for a phase II randomized controlled trial.

Background: Lung cancer patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy exhibit many symptoms related to the disease, such as adverse events and infectious complications during treatment, which impacts directly their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Nutritional status is a relevant aspect among advanced cancer patients under palliative care and food supplementation has the potential to reduce treatment-related adverse effects and improve the nutritional status. The product named AferBio® is a fermented supplement that has been described as able to provide some benefits, including the capacity to potentiate the effects of anticancer drugs, by promoting the reduction of side effects and ultimately improving HRQOL.