Comprehensive analysis of PFAS presence from environment to plate.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose an emerging environmental risk impacting food products and ecosystems. This study analyzes over 150,000 entries from food safety authorities and scientific publications from 2017 onwards. Our findings show that fish & seafood, and biota have the highest PFAS concentrations due to environmental contamination and bioaccumulation.

Novel Biomarkers and Their Role in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Acute Coronary Syndrome.

The burden of cardiovascular diseases and the critical role of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in their progression underscore the need for effective diagnostic and prognostic tools. Biomarkers have emerged as crucial instruments for ACS diagnosis, risk stratification, and prognosis assessment. Among these, high-sensitivity troponin (hs-cTn) has revolutionized ACS diagnosis due to its superior sensitivity and negative predictive value.

Endoscopic bariatric therapies for obesity: a review.

▪ Obesity is reaching pandemic proportions globally, with overweight or obesity affecting at least two-thirds of Australian adults. ▪ Bariatric surgery is an effective weight loss strategy but is constrained by high resource requirements and low patient acceptance. ▪ Multiple endoscopic bariatric therapies have matured, with well established and favourable safety and efficacy profiles in multiple randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and are best used within a multidisciplinary setting as an adjuvant to lifestyle intervention.

Concurrent Placements of a Duodenal-Jejunal Bypass Liner and an Intragastric Balloon Among Severely Obese Patients: A Case Series.

The duodenal-jejunal bypass liner and the intragastric balloon are endoscopically deployed devices used in the treatment of obesity and diabetes. These devices use differing mechanisms of action, and concurrent use may lead to improved efficacy. Three obese patients who suffered from weight loss plateau with the liner had the intragastric balloon inserted concurrently.

Non-natriuretic peptide biomarkers in heart failure with preserved and reduced ejection fraction.

Heart failure (HF) with reduced and preserved ejection fraction constitutes two entities with distinct pathogenetic backgrounds sharing common features. Beyond natriuretic peptides, several novel biomarkers have been proven useful in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of HF. Biomarkers of myocardial fibrosis have a low diagnostic yield in subjects with acute HF but may add prognostic information, especially in patients with HF and preserved ejection fraction.

Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) Is a Reproducible and Effective Endoscopic Bariatric Therapy Suitable for Widespread Clinical Adoption: a Large, International Multicenter Study.

Objective: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), an incisionless endoscopic bariatric procedure, has shown impressive results in case series. This study examines the reproducibility, efficacy, and safety in three centers across two countries, and identifies key determinants for procedural success.

Design: Patients who underwent ESG between February 2016 and May 2017 at one of three centers (Australia and USA) were retrospectively analyzed.

Weight loss and improved quality of life with a nonsurgical endoscopic treatment for obesity: clinical results from a 3- and 6-month study.

Background: The TransPyloric Shuttle™ (TPS) is a nonsurgical device that is endoscopically delivered to and removed from the stomach to treat obesity. The device consists of a large spherical bulb connected to a smaller cylindrical bulb by a flexible tether. The larger bulb prevents migration from the stomach, while the smaller bulb passes freely into the duodenum to position the TPS across the pylorus.

Management of minor medical problems and trauma: the role of general practice.

Introduction: It has been established that patients prefer receiving health information from primary care physicians. In Greece, recent reforms supporting urban primary healthcare have not been enacted, and long waiting times in Athens' emergency departments are common.

Aim: To evaluate cases treated in the emergency department of a Greek general hospital and explore the potential role of primary care in managing these cases.

The potential role of primary care in the management of common ear, nose or throat disorders presenting to the emergency department in Greece.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of common ear, nose or throat (ENT) conditions presenting to emergency departments that could be managed by a primary healthcare system Method: Between January 2001 and January 2006 a total of 33 792 patients attended the ENT emergency department of one hospital. All cases were included in this retrospective study. The registry of ENT emergency department was analysed; age, sex and clinical diagnosis were tabulated.

Avian flu: how informed are children in Greece?

Objectives: The current cluster of avian influenza outbreaks in birds has occurred in areas where humans live in proximity to poultry. Dissemination of accurate information may be the cornerstone for proper community preparation. In the herein presented study, we attempted to asses the information level among Greek children regarding avian flu.

Primary care in the management of common orthopaedic problems.

Background: Improving national healthcare services through the enhancement of primary care, is a major challenge in many countries.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of those orthopaedic cases that could be managed by a primary healthcare system.

Method: Between January 2001 and January 2006 a total of 39 172 patients attended the orthopaedic emergency department (ED) of Laikon University Hospital.

Assessing the level of awareness of avian influenza among Greek students.

Introduction: Current concern regarding avian influenza, the so-called 'bird flu', concerns H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza form that has spread across Asia, into Western Europe and Africa. The wide spread of bird flu makes it a serious threat to humans. A key factor in reducing the risk of an influenza pandemic is adequate preparedness, including providing prospective, accurate information to the public.

Endovascular repair of a type III thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm in a patient with occlusion of visceral arteries.

The successful endovascular repair of a type III thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) with the use of a tube endograft is reported. A 56-year-old male with a 6.4-cm type III TAAA, a 4.

Pre-ejection tissue-Doppler velocity changes during low dose dobutamine stress predict segmental myocardial viability.

Introduction: We tested the hypothesis that low dose dobutamine stress echocardiography (LDDSE) combined with tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) can be used for the quantitative assessment of the content of viable myocardium.

Methods: Forty-one patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction < or =40%), already scheduled for revascularisation, underwent echocardiographic assessment of viability at rest and during low-dose dobutamine infusion (2.5 microg/kg/min up to 10 micro/kg/min) at two time points, 2 days before and 3 months after revascularisation.

Circadian variation in expression of G1 phase cyclins D1 and E and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p16 and p21 in human bowel mucosa.

Aim: To evaluate whether the cellular proliferation rate in the large bowel epithelial cells is characterized by circadian rhythm.

Methods: Between January 2003 and December 2004, twenty patients who were diagnosed as suffering from primary, resectable, non-metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lower rectum, infiltrating the sphincter mechanism, underwent abdominoperineal resection, total mesorectal excision and permanent left iliac colostomy. In formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens obtained from the colostomy mucosa every six hours (00:00, 06:00, 12:00, 18:00 and 24:00), we studied the expression of G(1) phase cyclins (D(1) and E) as well as the expression of the G(1) phase cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors p16 and p21 as indicators of cell cycle progression in colonic epithelial cells using immunohistochemical methods.

Predicting sustained virological responses in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with peginterferon alfa-2a (40 KD)/ribavirin.

Background/aims: Prediction of sustained virological response (SVR) during treatment would allow clinicians to identify patients most likely to benefit from therapy.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of data from 1121 adults with chronic hepatitis C treated for 48 weeks with peginterferon alfa-2a (40 KD) 180 microg/week plus placebo or ribavirin (1000/1200 mg/day), or interferon alfa-2b 3 MIU three times/week plus ribavirin in a randomized, multinational, study.

Results: 67% of patients treated with peginterferon alfa-2a (40 KD)/ribavirin with early virological responses (HCV RNA negative or > or = 2 log10 decrease) at week 12 had SVRs at week 72 (HCV RNA < 50 IU/mL).

Prevalence of production of virus-specific interferon-gamma among seronegative hepatitis C-resistant subjects reporting injection drug use.

This report describes subjects who were highly likely to have been repeatedly exposed to hepatitis C virus (HCV) through injection drug use and who remained negative for anti-HCV antibody. Production of virus-specific interferon- gamma by peripheral blood mononuclear cells was seen in the majority of subjects (72%) and was associated with higher-risk behavior. For 92% of the subjects, results of recombinant immunoblot assays demonstrated faint bands against nonstructural proteins.

Clearance of hepatitis C viremia associated with cellular immunity in the absence of seroconversion in the hepatitis C incidence and transmission in prisons study cohort.

Understanding the earliest virological and immunological events in acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may provide insight into the determinants of protective immunity. Four cases of HCV viremia with subsequent viral clearance, but without biochemical hepatitis or anti-HCV seroconversion, are reported from a prospective cohort study of prison inmates. Two of the subjects who developed sustained viremia were assessed for production of interferon (IFN)- gamma, by use of the enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) method and by assessment of HCV cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity, CD4 lymphocyte proliferative responses, HCV load, and genotype.

The impact of peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin combination therapy on health-related quality of life in chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: Peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin improves sustained virological responses compared with interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin, or peginterferon alfa-2a alone in chronic hepatitis C. We examined the impact of these treatments on health related quality of life (HRQOL).

Methods: Patients (n=1121) were randomized to peginterferon alfa-2a weekly plus ribavirin or placebo, or interferon alfa-2b thrice weekly plus ribavirin.

Expression of the chemokine IP-10 (CXCL10) by hepatocytes in chronic hepatitis C virus infection correlates with histological severity and lobular inflammation.

The factors influencing lymphocyte trafficking to the liver lobule during chronic hepaititis C virus (HCV) infection are currently not well defined. Interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), a chemokine that recruits activated T lymphocytes, has recently been shown by in situ hybridization to be expressed in the liver during chronic HCV infection. This study sought to define the cellular source of IP-10 in the liver by immunohistochemistry, to examine the expression of its receptor, CXCR3, on T lymphocytes isolated from blood and liver tissue, and to correlate IP-10 expression with the histological markers of inflammation and fibrosis.

Effect of ribavirin on hepatitis C viral kinetics in patients treated with pegylated interferon.

A dynamic equilibrium between viral production and clearance characterizes untreated chronic hepatitis C viral infection. After initiating antiviral treatment, a typical multiphasic decay of viremia can be observed and analyzed using mathematical models. To elucidate the antiviral mechanism of ribavirin when used in combination with (pegylated) interferon alfa, we investigated kinetic parameters in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with either peginterferon alpha-2a with or without ribavirin and standard interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin for 48 weeks.

The presence of an intrahepatic cytotoxic T lymphocyte response is associated with low viral load in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Background/aims: The role of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in limiting viral replication and producing hepatocellular injury in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is controversial.

Methods: Intrahepatic and peripheral blood HCV-specific CTL activity against the entire HCV polyprotein was assessed in 26 patients. CTL responses were assessed after effector lymphocytes were re-stimulated for 6 days in vitro using HCV-vaccinia virus-infected autologous cells expressing HCV antigens.

Quantification of hepatitis C virus in human liver and serum samples by using LightCycler reverse transcriptase PCR.

A highly sensitive, non-probe-based, real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR was developed for viral load measurements in both serum and liver samples from patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. With synthetic RNA, the linearity of the approach was conserved over a wide range of HCV copy numbers. There was a strong correlation between hepatic and serum viral load measurements (r = 0.