Societal costs and burden of hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis polyneuropathy.

Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis polyneuropathy (ATTRv-PN) is a rare life-threatening disease that imposes considerable mortality and morbidity associated with increased costs, high social support and productivity losses. This study aims to estimate the societal costs and burden of ATTRv-PN. A cost-of-illness (COI) and burden of disease model were specified from a societal perspective, using a prevalence-based approach.

Technical note: Estimating body weight of dairy calves with a partial-weight scale attached to an automated milk feeder.

Monitoring early growth in neonatal dairy calves provides insight into the effectiveness of a producer's nutrition program and helps monitor for sickness. The objective of this study was to validate whether a partial-weight scale attached to an automated milk feeder (Combi; DeLaval, Tumba, Sweden) could precisely and accurately estimate calf weights compared with twice-weekly weights of a calibrated electronic scale (gold standard; Brecknell PS1000; Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Fairmont, MN). Holstein heifers (n = 20) were enrolled in this study from birth until 84 d of age.

Aspirin in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease on diabetic patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: The publication of new trials brought additional data to the controversial topic of aspirin use in diabetic patients for primary prevention. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review all randomized controlled trials evaluating the clinical impact of aspirin in this setting.

Methods: We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the impact of aspirin in patients with diabetes in primary prevention, in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL (November/2018).

Impact on mortality of direct admission versus interhospital transfer in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Introduction: In a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) program, interhospital transfer of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) can increase ischemic time, compared to patients who are admitted directly to a catheterization laboratory.

Objectives: To assess the impact of interhospital transfer in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI, in terms of time to reperfusion and one-year mortality.

Methods: This was an observational, retrospective, longitudinal study of patients with STEMI admitted to Hospital de Braga between June 2011 and May 2016, who were treated successfully within 12 hours of symptom onset.

Prognostic value of phrenic nerve conduction study in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To assess the prognostic value of phrenic nerve conduction (PNC) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Methods: We conducted a systematic review to identify studies reporting on PNC, and mortality and/or forced vital capacity (FVC) in patients with ALS. We searched Medline, EMBASE, and Web of Science.

The Role of the LY294002 - A Non-Selective Inhibitor of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase (PI3K) Pathway- in Cell Survival and Proliferation in Cell Line SCC-25.

The activation of PI3K further activates subsequent regulatory pathways, which are activated via AKT phosphorylation. AKT is closely related to the Bcl-2 family, a protein known to be involved in cell survival. AKT also has a relationship with inflammatory and glycolytic mediators.

Tensor-Based Subspace Tracking for Time-Delay Estimation in GNSS Multi-Antenna Receivers.

Although Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receivers currently achieve high accuracy when processing their geographic location under line of sight (LOS), multipath interference and noise degrades the accuracy considerably. In order to mitigate multipath interference, receivers based on multiple antennas became the focus of research and technological development. In this context, tensor-based approaches based on Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC) models have been proposed in the literature, providing optimum performance.

Environmental exposure to microplastics: An overview on possible human health effects.

Microplastics are ubiquitous environmental contaminants leading to inevitable human exposure. Even so, little is known about the effects of microplastics in human health. Thus, in this work we review the evidence for potential negative effects of microplastics in the human body, focusing on pathways of exposure and toxicity.

Taxonomic revision of the Erythrolamprus reginae species group, with description of a new species from Guiana Shield (Serpentes: Xenodontinae).

We perform a review of the Erythrolamprus reginae species group and putative related taxa (E. dorsocorallinus, E. zweifeli, and E.

The association of influenza infection and vaccine with myocardial infarction: systematic review and meta-analysis of self-controlled case series.

: Influenza vaccination may be beneficial in coronary disease patients; however the infection and vaccination are associated with acute inflammation, a trigger of cardiovascular events. We aimed to review the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) associated with Influenza infection and the safety of vaccination in self-controlled case series (SCCS).: We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis of SCCS studies to evaluate the risk of MI associated with Influenza infection/vaccination.

Efficacy and safety of sirolimus in the treatment of vascular anomalies: A systematic review.

Objective: The management of vascular anomalies is complex and requires a multidisciplinary team with a combination of medical, surgical, and intervention treatments. Medical treatment is limited and has conflicting results. Off-label use of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors shows promising results.

Enhanced performance of chitosan/keratin membranes with potential application in peripheral nerve repair.

Although surgical management of peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) has improved over time, autografts are still the current "gold standard" treatment for PNIs, which presents numerous limitations. In an attempt to improve natural biomaterial-based nerve guidance conduits (NGCs), chitosan (CHT), a derivative of the naturally occurring biopolymer chitin, has been explored for peripheral nerve regeneration (PNR). In addition to CHT, keratin has gained enormous attention as a biomaterial and tissue engineering scaffolding.

The SOD Mimic MnTnHex-2-PyP Reduces the Viability and Migration of 786-O Human Renal Cancer Cells.

Clear-cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common type of renal cancer. The importance of oxidative stress in the context of this disease has been described, although there is only little information concerning the role of superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes. The importance of SOD in different pathological conditions promoted the development of SOD mimics (SODm).

Comparing dairy farm milk yield and components, somatic cell score, and reproductive performance among United States regions using summer to winter ratios.

Heat stress abatement is a challenge for dairy producers in the United States, especially in the southern states. Thus, managing heat stress is critical to maintain dairy cow performance in the summer. The ability to employ a metric to measure heat stress and evaluate abatement strategies may benefit dairy producers by providing meaningful feedback on the effectiveness of current and future management strategies with the goal of improving heat stress management.

Factors associated with lameness prevalence in lactating cows housed in freestall and compost-bedded pack dairy farms in southern Brazil.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate factors associated with lameness in dairy cows on intensive farms in southern Brazil. Farms (freestall: n = 38; compost-bedded pack: n = 12) having on average 274 (range: 41-901) lactating cows were visited once in 2016 (March to October). Potential risk factors for lameness at the cow, pen and herd levels were investigated through inspection of facilities, examination of cows and the use of data collected on routine management practices.

Contaminants: a dark side of food supplements?

Food supplements (FS) are often consumed as one of the strategies to fight ageing-associated pathologies, especially in the case of oxidative stress-related diseases. Despite the popularity of FS, some concerns about their quality and safety have been raised, especially regarding the presence of contaminants. This paper reviews and discusses the occurrence of contaminants in marketed samples of FS in the last two decades, considering both scientific literature and notifications registered on RASFF portal.

[Perception and Attitudes About Rational Prescription During Medical Training: Results of Focus Groups Including Medical Students and Residents].

Introduction: Clinical pharmacology educational strategies for medicine students seek to foster skills that range from technical knowledge to the development of behaviors that ensure rational prescribing decisions. The authors present the results of a study to evaluate the perceptions, attitudes and behaviors linked with rational prescribing throughout training.

Material And Methods: Four focus groups were held with first, third and fifth year medical students and residents from the first years of various specialties, with a total of 29 participants.

Individual characteristics in early life relate to variability in weaning age, feeding behavior, and weight gain of dairy calves automatically weaned based on solid feed intake.

Little is known about factors affecting individual variability in weaning age, feeding behavior, and growth of dairy calves. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe early-life individual characteristics of dairy calves and how these relate to weaning age, feeding behavior, and performance during the first 15 wk of age, and (2) to identify which of these individual characteristics predict weaning age of calves automatically weaned based on solid feed intake. Early-life characteristics of calves (n = 43) included scores for vitality at birth, drinking ability, learning ability to use the automated milk feeder in a group pen from d 1 of age, and personality traits assessed using exposure to a novel environment, a human, and an object at d 21 of age.

A new approach for routine quantification of microplastics using Nile Red and automated software (MP-VAT).

Microplastics are widespread contaminants in the environment. However, most identification protocols rely on long and subjective visual counting, which could be improved using staining dyes. Thus, the objective of this work is to identify the best staining dye protocol and create an objective and quick automated counting software for microplastics.

Influenza vaccination in patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Objective: Despite the progression of treatments over decades, heart failure (HF) is a disease with high morbidity, mortality and economic burden. Influenza infection is an important trigger for cardiovascular (CV) events, including HF. Influenza vaccination has been seen to reduce the risk of CV mortality in patients with coronary disease, but the effect in patients with HF is still unclear.