Can ChatGPT Be Used as a Research Assistant and a Patient Consultant in Plastic Surgery? A Review of 3 Key Information Domains.

Background: Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT), a newly developed pretrained artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, is able to interpret and respond to user-generated questions. As such, many questions have been raised about its potential uses and limitations. While preliminary literature suggests that ChatGPT can be used in medicine as a research assistant and patient consultant, its reliability in providing original and accurate information is still unknown.

The burden of radiation exposure in congenital heart disease: the Italian cohort profile and bioresource collection in HARMONIC project.

Background: The European-funded Health Effects of Cardiac Fluoroscopy and Modern Radiotherapy in Pediatrics (HARMONIC) project aims to improve knowledge on the effects of medical exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) received during childhood. One of its objectives is to build a consolidated European cohort of pediatric patients who have undergone cardiac catheterization (Cath) procedures, with the goal of enhancing the assessment of long-term radiation-associated cancer risk. The purpose of our study is to provide a detailed description of the Italian cohort contributing to the HARMONIC project, including an analysis of cumulative IR exposure, reduction trend over the years and an overview of the prospective collection of biological samples for research in this vulnerable population.

Telomere Length, Mitochondrial DNA, and Micronucleus Yield in Response to Oxidative Stress in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

Telomere shortening, chromosomal damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction are major initiators of cell aging and biomarkers of many diseases. However, the underlying correlations between nuclear and mitochondrial DNA alterations remain unclear. We investigated the relationship between telomere length (TL) and micronucleus (MN) and their association with mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in response to 100 μM and 200 μM of hydrogen peroxide (HO) at 44, 72, and 96 h.

A synthetic agent ameliorates polycystic kidney disease by promoting apoptosis of cystic cells through increased oxidative stress.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common monogenic cause of chronic kidney disease and the fourth leading cause of end-stage kidney disease, accounting for over 50% of prevalent cases requiring renal replacement therapy. There is a pressing need for improved therapy for ADPKD. Recent insights into the pathophysiology of ADPKD revealed that cyst cells undergo metabolic changes that up-regulate aerobic glycolysis in lieu of mitochondrial respiration for energy production, a process that ostensibly fuels their increased proliferation.

Cardiogenic Shock Integrated PHenotyping for Event Reduction: A Pilot Metabolomics Analysis.

Cardiogenic shock (CS) portends a dismal prognosis if hypoperfusion triggers uncontrolled inflammatory and metabolic derangements. We sought to investigate metabolomic profiles and temporal changes in IL6, Ang-2, and markers of glycocalyx perturbation from admission to discharge in eighteen patients with heart failure complicated by CS (HF-CS). Biological samples were collected from 18 consecutive HF-CS patients at admission (T0), 48 h after admission (T1), and at discharge (T2).

Long Telomeric Repeat-Containing RNA (TERRA): Biological Functions and Challenges in Vascular Aging and Disease.

Telomere dysfunction is implicated in vascular aging and shorter leucocyte telomeres are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Another pathophysiological mechanism that explains the causal relationship between telomere shortening and atherosclerosis development focuses on the clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP), which represents a new and independent risk factor in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Since telomere attrition has a central role in driving vascular senescence, understanding telomere biology is essential to modulate the deleterious consequences of vascular aging and its cardiovascular disease-related manifestations.

Influence of Chromosome 9p21.3 rs1333049 Variant on Telomere Length and Their Interactive Impact on the Prognosis of Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Both telomere shortening and the chromosome 9p21.3 (Chr9p21) rs1333049 (G/C) variant are involved in coronary artery disease (CAD) risk, likely affecting mechanisms related to cell cycle arrest and vascular senescence. The aim of the study was to examine the link between Chr9p21 rs1333049 variant and leucocyte telomere length (LTL), as well as their interactive effect on the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs).

Plasma Amino Acids in NAFLD Patients with Obesity Are Associated with Steatosis and Fibrosis: Results from the MAST4HEALTH Study.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have been linked to changes in amino acid (AA) levels. The objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between MRI parameters that reflect inflammation and fibrosis and plasma AA concentrations in NAFLD patients. Plasma AA levels of 97 NAFLD patients from the MAST4HEALTH study were quantified with liquid chromatography.

Clinical and Biological Predictors of Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

Clinical and epidemiological evidence has recently revealed a link between coronary artery disease (CAD) and cancer. Shared risk factors and common biological pathways are probably involved in both pathological conditions. The aim of this paper was to evaluate whether and which conventional risk factors and novel circulating biomarkers could predict cancer incidence and death in patients with CAD.

A Longitudinal Study of Individual Radiation Responses in Pediatric Patients Treated with Proton and Photon Radiotherapy, and Interventional Cardiology: Rationale and Research Protocol of the HARMONIC Project.

The Health Effects of Cardiac Fluoroscopy and Modern Radiotherapy (photon and proton) in Pediatrics (HARMONIC) is a five-year project funded by the European Commission that aimed to improve the understanding of the long-term ionizing radiation (IR) risks for pediatric patients. In this paper, we provide a detailed overview of the rationale, design, and methods for the biological aspect of the project with objectives to provide a mechanistic understanding of the molecular pathways involved in the IR response and to identify potential predictive biomarkers of individual response involved in long-term health risks. Biological samples will be collected at three time points: before the first exposure, at the end of the exposure, and one year after the exposure.

Effects of High Temperature and Heavy Precipitation on Drinking Water Quality and Child Hand Contamination Levels in Rural Kenya.

Climate change may impact human health through the influence of weather on environmental transmission of diarrhea. Previous studies have found that high temperatures and heavy precipitation are associated with increased diarrhea prevalence, but the underlying causal mechanisms have not been tested and validated. We linked measurements of in source water ( = 1673), stored drinking water ( = 9692), and hand rinses from children <2 years old ( = 2634) with publicly available gridded temperature and precipitation data (at ≤0.

Congenital Heart Disease and the Risk of Cancer: An Update on the Genetic Etiology, Radiation Exposure Damage, and Future Research Strategies.

Epidemiological studies have shown an increased prevalence of cancer in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) as compared with the general population. The underlying risk factors for the acquired cancer risk remain poorly understood, and shared genetic anomalies and cumulative radiation exposure from repeated imaging and catheterization procedures may be contributing factors. In the present review, we provide an update on the most recent literature regarding the associations between CHD and cancer, with a particular focus on genetic etiology and radiation exposure from medical procedures.

Biochemical but not imaging parameters are predictive of outcome in septic shock: a pilot study.

Background: Septic shock is a severe form of sepsis marked by hypotension with an ominous outcome despite the introduction of modern intensive care. The aim of the present study is to obtain a panel with biomarkers, echocardiographic and vascular parameters to better risk stratify patients and identify those at higher risk of ominous outcome.

Methods: Between May 2013 and April 2016, 35 consecutive patients admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of ASST Great Metropolitan Hospital Niguarda with the diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock were enrolled.

Gender-Specific Behaviour in Obesity Stages I-II: Imbalance of Aminothiol Status and Adipomyokine Profile in Subjects with Different Insulin Resistance Severity.

The hyperproduction of oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers, which is paralleled by decreased levels of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mediators, is part of cellular mechanisms that contribute to the disruption of metabolic homeostasis in obesity. Whether gender-specific alterations and gender-restricted associations in these biomarkers underlie the increased cardiometabolic risk in men compared to women is unclear. We enrolled 31 women and 29 men, aged ≥50 and ≤70 years and with body mass index ≥ 30 and <40 kg/m.

Triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol predict coronary heart disease risk in patients with stable angina.

We assessed whether high triglycerides (TG) and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, expressed by an increased TG/HDL-C ratio, predict coronary atherosclerotic disease (CAD) outcomes in patients with stable angina. We studied 355 patients (60 ± 9 years, 211 males) with stable angina who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), were managed clinically and followed for 4.5 ± 0.

A MODIS-based scalable remote sensing method to estimate sowing and harvest dates of soybean crops in Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Large-scale agriculture in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil is a major contributor to global food supplies, but its continued productivity is vulnerable to contracting wet seasons and increased exposure to extreme temperatures. Sowing dates serve as an effective adaptation strategy to these climate perturbations. By controlling the weather experienced by crops and influencing the number of successive crops that can be grown in a year, sowing dates can impact both individual crop yields and cropping intensities.

Effect of Mastiha supplementation on NAFLD: The MAST4HEALTH Randomised, Controlled Trial.

Scope: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease with poor therapeutic strategies. Mastiha possesses antioxidant/anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering properties. The authors investigate the effectiveness of Mastiha as a nonpharmacological intervention in NAFLD.

Early intra-aortic balloon pump in acute decompensated heart failure complicated by cardiogenic shock: Rationale and design of the randomized Altshock-2 trial.

Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a systemic disorder associated with dismal short-term prognosis. Given its time-dependent nature, mechanical circulatory support may improve survival. Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) had gained widespread use because of the easiness to implant and the low rate of complications; however, a randomized trial failed to demonstrate benefit on mortality in the setting of acute myocardial infarction.

Correlates of olfactory impairment in middle-aged non-diabetic Caucasian subjects with stage I-II obesity.

Purpose: This study evaluates among middle-aged subjects with obesity the prevalence of olfactory impairment (OI) with respect to normative values and its correlation with body composition, cognition, sleep quality, and inflammation.

Methods: In 60 (31 women, 29 men) volunteers with a body mass index ≥ 30 to ≤ 40 kg/m, aged ≥ 50 to ≤ 70 years, we assessed olfaction by the Sniffin' Stick test. We measured anthropometrics, body composition and metabolic profiles and evaluated cognition by the MiniMental State Examination (MMSE) and sleep disturbances by the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI).

Urinary neopterin, a new marker of the neuroinflammatory status in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: To comprehensively assess whether neopterin in urine could be a candidate biomarker for determining the neuroinflammatory status in ALS.

Methods: We performed an observational, cross-sectional study in 81 pALS, 68 age- and sex-comparable healthy controls (HC), 14 patients affected by MS and 24 OND patients. ALS patients underwent a neurological evaluation to assess the global functional status evaluated by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) and the disease progression rate.

Irisin and markers of metabolic derangement in non-diabetic Caucasian subjects with stage I-II obesity during early aging.

Irisin concentrations are decreased in subjects with overt diabetes and upregulated in those with obesity or impaired fasting glucose. However, gender-balanced data in older populations, in whom risk factors commonly culminate in overt cardiovascular disease, are scarce. We assessed in non-diabetic Caucasian subjects with stage I-II obesity in the early aging range (50 to 70 years), the relationship between irisin, body composition and markers of metabolic derangement by gender.