Diagnosis of atrial cardiomyopathy: from the electrocardiogram to the new opportunities with multimodality imaging.

Atrial cardiomyopathy (AC) has been defined by the European Heart Rhythm Association as "Any complex of structural, architectural, contractile, or electrophysiologic changes in the atria with the potential to produce clinically relevant manifestations".1 The left atrium (LA) plays a key role in maintaining normal cardiac function; in fact atrial dysfunction has emerged as an essential determinant of outcomes in different clinical scenarios, such as valvular diseases, heart failure (HF), coronary artery disease (CAD) and atrial fibrillation (AF). A comprehensive evaluation, both anatomical and functional, is routinely performed in cardiac imaging laboratories.

Dorsal raphe nucleus receives retinal projections of morphologically distinct fibers in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus): A subunit B cholera labeling.

Non-image forming (NIF) pathways, a specialized branch of retinal circuitry, play a crucial role supporting physiological and behavioral processes, including circadian rhythmicity. Among the NIF regions, the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), a midbrain serotonergic cluster of neurons, is also devoted to circadian functions. Despite indirectly send photic inputs to circadian centers and modulating their activities, little is known about the organization of retina-DRN circuits in primate species.

Brazil's response to public health emergencies in 2023: lessons for the international community.

Objective: To describe the Brazilian experience of responding to public health emergencies in 2023, the organizational structure, and epidemiological characteristics.

Methods: Three emergencies (case studies) that occurred during the study year were analyzed according to the actions implemented during the response and the impacts on the population. The public health emergencies were summarized and analyzed through research on official documents and websites of the Ministry of Health and local health authorities.

Prevalence and quality of life associated with erectile dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Genitourinary health significantly affects the quality of life of men, particularly those in middle age. Recent studies have shown that more than half of the men aged over 40 years experience some degree of low urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) or erectile dysfunction (ED).

Objective: To assess the prevalence of ED and LUTS in middle-aged men and correlate this with quality of life data.

Unlocking the transcriptional profiles of an oily waste-degrading bacterial consortium.

This study investigates the transcriptional profile of a novel oil-degrading microbial consortium (MC1) composed of four bacterial isolates from Brazilian oil reservoirs: Acinetobacter baumannii subsp. oleum ficedula, Bacillus velezensis, Enterobacter asburiae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Genomic analysis revealed an enrichment of genes associated with xenobiotic degradation, particularly for aminobenzoate, atrazine, and aromatic compounds, compared to reference genomes.

Tricuspid Valve S-Curves and Chamber Views: Implications for Transcatheter Tricuspid and Pulmonary Valve Interventions, Part 2 of the S-Curves and Chamber Views Series.

Despite the challenges associated with periprocedural imaging, transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions have shown important impact on outcomes. A comprehensive understanding of the anatomy of the right heart and surrounding structures is crucial. One way to optimize these interventions is by identifying the optimal fluoroscopic viewing angles along the S-curve of the tricuspid valve.

Evaluation and mathematical modeling of foam-mat drying of Momordica charantia L. leaves.

This study aimed to analyze the influence of operational parameters (foaming agent concentration, agitation time, and drying temperature) on the characteristics of the final product and the foam drying process of Momordica charantia L. leaves, in addition to performing mathematical modeling of the experimental data. The foam characteristic was most influenced by the foaming agent concentration, where the increase in this variable increased its stability, reaching the highest index of 0.

Feasibility of redo-TAVI in the self-expanding ACURATE neo2 valve: a computed tomography study.

Background: Redo-transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) may be unfeasible because of the risk of compromising coronary flow or coronary access by the pinned back leaflets of the index transcatheter aortic valve.

Aims: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of redo-TAVI using the balloon-expandable SAPIEN 3 (S3) implanted within the self-expanding ACURATE neo2 (ACn2) valve and to identify predictors associated with a high risk of compromising coronary flow.

Methods: A total of 153 post-ACn2 TAVI cardiac computed tomography scans were analysed.

Diagnosis of human envenoming by terrestrial venomous animals: Routine, advances, and perspectives.

Despite the development of new and advanced diagnostic approaches, monitoring the clinical evolution of accidents caused by venomous animals is still a challenge for science. In this review, we present the state of the art of laboratory tests that are routinely used for the diagnosis and monitoring of envenomings by venomous animals, as well as the use of new tools for more accurate and specific diagnoses. While a comprehensive range of tools is outlined, comprising hematological, biochemical, immunoassays, and diagnostic imaging tools, it is important to acknowledge their limitations in predicting the onset of clinical complications, since they provide an overview of organic damage after its development.

Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes of Unplanned Coronary Angiography After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD) is critical in managing severe aortic stenosis. Unplanned coronary angiography after TAVR, with or without percutaneous coronary intervention, may present significant challenges.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of unplanned coronary angiography after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Brazilian nursing specific situation, middle and micro-range theories: a bibliometric study.

Objectives: to map the nursing theories developed in stricto sensu graduate programs in nursing in Brazil.

Methods: a bibliometric study, carried out on the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel Theses and Dissertations Portal in October 2023. The controlled descriptors "Nursing Theory" and "Nursing Models" and the uncontrolled descriptors "Theories" and "Middle-Range Theory" were used.

A Novel Echocardiographic Parameter to Confirm Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis Severity.

Background: In patients with low-gradient (LG) aortic stenosis (AS), confirming disease severity and indication of intervention often requires dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) or aortic valve calcium scoring by computed tomography. We hypothesized that the mean transvalvular pressure gradient to effective orifice area ratio (MG/EOA, in mm Hg/cm) measured during rest echocardiography identifies true-severe AS (TSAS) and is associated with clinical outcomes in patients with low-flow, LG-AS.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of MG/EOA ratio.

Changes in donor vessel physiology following coronary computed tomography angiography guided chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from computed tomography fractional flow reserve and artificial intelligence-guided ischemia model.

Donor vessel fractional flow reserve (FFR) usually increases following successful chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention, as documented by pressure wires. In this case, donor vessel physiology changes were assessed using FFR derived from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and an artificial Intelligence-guided quantitative CCTA ischemia model in combination with pressure wire-based FFR.

Potential of metal recovery from printed circuit boards in Brazil.

In this study, the generation of domestic waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and waste printed circuit board (WPCB) were estimated, from 2015 to 2030. Based on the number of EEE put on the Brazilian market, the possession rate in the Brazilian households and obsolescence amounts of five EEE types were estimated using time series. The results show that, between 2015 and 2030, the quantity of WEEE generated per year will increase from 131.

Remote myocardial fibrosis predicts adverse outcome in patients with myocardial infarction on clinical cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Heart failure (HF) most commonly occurs in patients who have had a myocardial infarction (MI), but factors other than MI size may be deterministic. Fibrosis of myocardium remote from the MI is associated with adverse remodeling. We aimed to 1) investigate the association between remote myocardial fibrosis, measured using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) extracellular volume fraction (ECV), and HF and death following MI, 2) identify predictors of remote myocardial fibrosis in patients with evidence of MI and determine the relationship with infarct size.