North American pitseed goosefoot (Chenopodium berlandieri) is a genetic resource to improve Andean quinoa (C. quinoa).

Pitseed goosefoot (Chenopodium berlandieri) is a free-living North American member of an allotetraploid complex that includes the Andean pseudocereal quinoa (C. quinoa). Like quinoa, pitseed goosefoot was domesticated, possibly independently, in eastern North America (subsp.

Characteristics of Coronary Atherosclerosis Related to Plaque Burden Regression During Treatment With Alirocumab: The ARCHITECT Study.

Background: Intensive lipid-lowering therapy may induce coronary atherosclerosis regression. Nevertheless, the factors underlying the effect of lipid-lowering therapy on disease regression remain poorly characterized. Our aim was to determine which characteristics of atherosclerotic plaque are associated with a greater reduction in coronary plaque burden (PB) after treatment with alirocumab in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Alirocumab and Coronary Atherosclerosis in Asymptomatic Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia: The ARCHITECT Study.

Background: The effect of alirocumab, a PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) inhibitor, on coronary plaque burden in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia has not been addressed. Our aim was to assess changes in coronary plaque burden and its characteristics after treatment with alirocumab by quantification and characterization of atherosclerotic plaque throughout the coronary tree on the basis of a noninvasive analysis of coronary computed tomographic angiography in asymptomatic subjects with familial hypercholesterolemia receiving optimized and stable treatment with maximum tolerated statin dose with or without ezetimibe.

Methods: This study is a phase IV, open-label, multicenter, single-arm clinical trial to assess changes in coronary plaque burden and its characteristics after 78 weeks of treatment with alirocumab in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia without clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

A microRNA Signature for the Diagnosis of Statins Intolerance.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Western societies. Statins are the first-choice therapy for dislipidemias and are considered the cornerstone of ASCVD. Statin-associated muscle symptoms are the main reason for dropout of this treatment.

Enterovirus D68 in Hospitalized Children, Barcelona, Spain, 2014-2021.

To determine molecular epidemiology and clinical features of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infections, we reviewed EV-D68-associated respiratory cases at a hospital in Barcelona, Spain, during 2014-2021. Respiratory samples were collected from hospitalized patients or outpatients with symptoms of acute respiratory tract infection or suggestive of enterovirus infection. Enterovirus detection was performed by real-time multiplex reverse transcription PCR and characterization by phylogenetic analysis of the partial viral protein 1 coding region sequences.

Long-term secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet and a low-fat diet (CORDIOPREV): a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Mediterranean and low-fat diets are effective in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. We did a long-term randomised trial to compare the effects of these two diets in secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Methods: The CORDIOPREV study was a single-centre, randomised clinical trial done at the Reina Sofia University Hospital in Córdoba, Spain.

Lipoprotein(a), LDL-cholesterol, and hypertension: predictors of the need for aortic valve replacement in familial hypercholesterolaemia.

Aims: Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) and elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] are inherited disorders associated with premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Aortic valve stenosis (AVS) is the most prevalent valvular heart disease and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and Lp(a) may be involved in its pathobiology. We investigated the frequency and predictors of severe AVS requiring aortic valve replacement (AVR) in molecularly defined patients with FH.

Coronary plaque burden, plaque characterization and their prognostic implications in familial hypercholesterolemia: A computed tomographic angiography study.

Background And Aims: Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is associated with premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Semi-automated plaque characterization (SAPC) by coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) provides information regarding coronary plaque burden and plaque characterization. Our aim was to quantify and characterize the coronary plaque burden of patients with FH using SAPC analysis and to identify which factors are related to plaque burden and plaque characteristics.

Mitoquinone (MitoQ) Inhibits Platelet Activation Steps by Reducing ROS Levels.

Platelet activation plays a key role in cardiovascular diseases. The generation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been described as a critical step required for platelet activation. For this reason, it is necessary to find new molecules with antiplatelet activity and identify their mechanisms of action.

Prevention of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF): reexamining microRNA-21 inhibition in the era of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) accounts for 50% of cases of heart failure, which is the most common cause of hospitalization in US patients over the age of 65. HFpEF pathogenesis is increasingly believed to be due to pathological hypertrophy and fibrosis of the myocardium that may be a result of systemic inflammation from comorbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, anemia, chronic kidney disease and others. It is believed that oxidative stress triggers a process of pathological hypertrophy and fibrosis in cardiac endothelial cells, which leads to increased left ventricle filling pressures and, eventually, symptoms of heart failure.

Brain metabolic changes in patients with treatment resistant schizophrenia treated with deep brain stimulation: A series of cases.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been found to be effective in treatment resistant neurological and psychiatric disorders. So far there has been only one completed trial in schizophrenia, in which seven treatment resistant patients received DBS in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC, N = 4) or the nucleus accumbens (NAc, N = 3); four met symptomatic response criteria over the trial period. Six patients underwent 18 F-FDG PET at baseline and after at least 6 months of stimulation.

Incidence of cardiovascular events and changes in the estimated risk and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia: the SAFEHEART registry.

Introduction And Objectives: The SAFEHEART study was designed to analyze the situation of familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia (FHH) and improve knowledge of this disease in Spain. Our objective was to determine the incidence rate of cardiovascular events, the estimated risk of developing an event and its modification, the use of lipid-lowering treatment, and the achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets in patients with FHH.

Methods: SAFEHEART is a prospective, open, multicenter, nationwide cohort study, with long-term protocol-based follow-up in a population of individuals with molecularly-characterized FHH.

Comparative efficacy between atorvastatin and rosuvastatin in the prevention of cardiovascular disease recurrence.

Background: There is no randomized clinical trials with recurrence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) as a major outcome with rosuvastatin. In order to analyze potential differences in the clinical response to atorvastatin and rosuvastatin in secondary ASCVD prevention, we have analyzed the clinical evolution of those subjects of the Dyslipemia Registry of the Spanish Society of Arteriosclerosis (SEA) who at the time of inclusion in the Registry had already suffered an ASCVD.

Methods: This observational, retrospective, multicenter, national study was designed to determine potential differences between the use of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin in the ASCVD recurrence.

Long-term effect of 2 intensive statin regimens on treatment and incidence of cardiovascular events in familial hypercholesterolemia: The SAFEHEART study.

Background: Maximal doses of potent statins are the basement of treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Little is known about the use of different statin regimens in FH.

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to describe the treatment changes and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal achievement with atorvastatin (ATV) and rosuvastatin (RV) in the SAFEHEART cohort, as well as to analyze the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular events (ACVEs) and changes in the cardiovascular risk.

The high genetic similarity between rhinoviruses and enteroviruses remains as a pitfall for molecular diagnostic tools: A three-year overview.

Background: Enteroviruses (EVs) and rhinoviruses (RVs) belong to the Enterovirus genus within the Picornaviridae family, and show genetic similarities. These viruses are related to mild diseases, but EVs infections can sometimes lead to more severe complications. Current diagnostic molecular techniques should discriminate between the four EV and the three RV species that infect humans.

Recombinant CV-A6 strains related to hand-foot-mouth disease and herpangina at primary care centers (Barcelona, Spain).

To describe the genetic diversity of enteroviruses (EV) causing hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and herpangina, especially of coxsackievirus (CV)-A6, from patients attended at pediatric primary care centers during the 2017-2018 season. Phylogenetic analysis of partial VP1 region was performed for genetic characterization. The complete VP1 and 3Dpol proteins were sequenced for lineage determination and detection of recombination events.

Molecular influenza surveillance at a tertiary university hospital during four consecutive seasons (2012-2016) in Catalonia, Spain.

Background: Influenza viruses (FLUV) are continuously evolving, which explain the occurrence of seasonal influenza epidemics and the need to review the vaccine strain composition annually. The aim is to describe the genetic diversity and clinical outcomes of FLUV detected at a tertiary university hospital in Barcelona (Spain) during the 2012-2016 seasons.

Methods: The detection of FLUV from patients attended at the Emergency Department or admitted to the hospital was performed by either immunofluorescence or PCR-based assays.

Virological surveillance of human respiratory syncytial virus A and B at a tertiary hospital in Catalonia (Spain) during five consecutive seasons (2013-2018).

Aim: Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the main cause of respiratory tract infections among infants.

Materials & Methods: In the present study, the molecular epidemiology of HRSV detected from 2013 to 2017 has been described.

Results: A 10% of collected samples were laboratory confirmed for HRSV.

Value of Measuring Lipoprotein(a) During Cascade Testing for Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] are inherited disorders associated with premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Cascade testing is recommended for FH, but there are no similar recommendations for elevated Lp(a).

Objectives: This study investigated whether testing for Lp(a) was effective in detecting and risk stratifying individuals participating in an FH cascade screening program.

Effect of lipid-lowering treatment in cardiovascular disease prevalence in familial hypercholesterolemia.

Background And Aims: The impact on heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) health led by high-intensity lipid-lowering therapy (HILLT) is unknown, and the question remains if there is still an unacceptably high residual risk to justify treatment with new lipid-lowering drugs.

Methods: This observational, retrospective, multicenter, national study in Spain, whose information was obtained from a national dyslipemia registry, was designed to establish the current prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in HeFH and to define the impact of HILLT on CVD in this population. Odds were estimated using several logistic regression models with progressive adjustment.

Surveillance of enteroviruses from paediatric patients attended at a tertiary hospital in Catalonia from 2014 to 2017.

Background: Enterovirus (EV) infections are usually asymptomatic or mild, but symptomatic infections can evolve to severe complications. Outbreaks of EV-A71 and EV-D68 have been recently reported worldwide, sometimes related to severe clinical outcomes.

Objective: To describe EV genetic diversity and the clinical outcomes from paediatric patients attended at a tertiary university hospital in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) from 2014 to 2017.