Central retinal vein occlusion after infliximab therapy in a young patient with ulcerative colitis.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition, characterized by recurrent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. While the primary focus of IBD management consists in controlling gastrointestinal symptoms, IBD also presents an increased risk of thromboembolic complications. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors, namely infliximab, have become increasingly common in the management of multiple chronic inflammatory diseases such as IBD.

Amylase activity across black soldier fly larvae development and feeding substrates: insights on starch digestibility and external digestion.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL; Hermetia illucens) hold promise for converting biowaste into proteins and lipids for feed. Dietary starch is efficiently digested by the larvae and influences larval performance, but the mechanisms of starch digestion remain poorly understood. This study investigated changes in individual weight and amylase activity in BSFL after 4, 7 and 11 days of feeding for five substrates varying in starch content and type: chicken feed (CF), corn gluten feed (CGF), wheat bran (WB), wheat distillers grain (WDG) and discarded potatoes (DP).

Association between Arterial Stiffness and Higher Burden of Atrial Arrhythmia in Elderly Hypertensive Patients without Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Arterial stiffness is associated with higher burden of atrial arrhythmias and worsening left atrial function (conduit and reservoir), even before dilation of this cavity. PACs: premature atrial contractions; cfPWV: carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity.

Background: Increased arterial stiffness is currently an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation, but the pathophysiological mechanisms of this arrhythmia remain an area of knowledge gap to be explored.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto - an enigmatic and rare disease: a report of 3 cases and brief review of the literature.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a rare and benign condition mainly characterized by fever and lymphadenopathies. Although many studies have been carried out over time, its aetiology remains unclear, with infectious and autoimmune processes being hypothesized as the main causes. We report three cases of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease.

Identifying the seeds of heterotic pools for Southern and Eastern Africa from global elite spring wheat germplasm.

Hybrid breeding can increase the competitiveness of wheat ( L.) in Sub-Saharan Africa by fostering more public-private partnerships and promoting investment by the private sector. The benefit of hybrid wheat cultivars in South Africa has previously been demonstrated but due to the high cost of hybrid seed production, hybrid breeding has not received significant attention in the past decade.

Harnessing landrace diversity empowers wheat breeding.

Harnessing genetic diversity in major staple crops through the development of new breeding capabilities is essential to ensure food security. Here we examined the genetic and phenotypic diversity of the A. E.

Evidence that hematophagous triatomine bugs may eat plants in the wild.

Blood feeding is a secondary adaptation in hematophagous bugs. Many proteins are secreted in the saliva that are devoted to coping with the host's defense and to process the blood meal. Digestive enzymes that are no longer required for a blood meal would be expected to be eventually lost.

Analysis of strength and electromyographic activity of lower limbs of individuals with down syndrome assisted in physiotherapy and hippotherapy.

Introduction: one of the characteristics of Down Syndrome (DS) is muscle hypotonia. Different therapeutic approaches have a positive influence, between them Physiotherapy applications with different therapeutic approaches such as Hippotherapy have a positive effect on the physical health and quality of live of individuals with DS.

Objective: to evaluate the effects of both treatments on the strength and electromyographic activity of the lower limbs of children and adolescents with DS.

Structural and Functional Characterization of α-Amylase.

Insects rely on carbohydrates such as starch and glycogen as an energy supply for growth of larvae and for longevity. In this sense α-amylases have essential roles under extreme conditions, e.g.

Phenomic and genomic prediction of yield on multiple locations in winter wheat.

Genomic selection has recently become an established part of breeding strategies in cereals. However, a limitation of linear genomic prediction models for complex traits such as yield is that these are unable to accommodate Genotype by Environment effects, which are commonly observed over trials on multiple locations. In this study, we investigated how this environmental variation can be captured by the collection of a large number of phenomic markers using high-throughput field phenotyping and whether it can increase GS prediction accuracy.

Ultrasound and Microbubbles Increase the Uptake of Platinum in Murine Orthotopic Pancreatic Tumors.

Objective: Currently available cytotoxic treatments have limited effect on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) because desmoplastic stroma limits drug delivery. Efforts have been made to overcome these barriers by drug targeting the tumor microenvironment. Results so far are promising, but without clinical impact.

Intact Chorionic Vesicle in Very Early Products of Conception Specimens: Clinicopathologic Features of 26 Cases That May Mimic Complete Hydatidiform Mole.

Among the morphologic mimics of hydatidiform moles, the chorionic vesicle of early first-trimester pregnancy has received scant attention. The chorionic vesicle is the stage of the implanted blastocyst in which the cytotrophoblastic shell is circumferentially lined by primary and secondary villi and envelops the notochord stage embryo, yolk sac, and amniotic sac, ∼5 to 6 weeks since the last menstrual period. Miscarriage specimens at this early gestational age that contain an intact chorionic vesicle may be misinterpreted as a complete hydatidiform mole because of its large size, cistern-like cavity, and circumferentially radiating villi and trophoblast, particularly so when embryonic tissue is absent.

Acute Complications of Sickle Cell Disease in Children Under 5 Years at a Level II Hospital.

The aim of this study was to characterize the acute complications that required hospitalization in children under 5 years with Sickle Cell Disease. The population included 70 patients, 64% of African ascendency and 95.7% homozygotic for the HbS.

Response of Pasture Nitrogen Fertilization on Greenhouse Gas Emission and Net Protein Contribution of Nellore Young Bulls.

This study aimed to evaluate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and net protein contribution (NPC) of Nellore young bulls grazing marandu palisade grass (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu) under three levels of pasture nitrogen (N) fertilization during backgrounding and finished on pasture or feedlot, based on concepts of sustainable intensification. The treatments were: System 1: pastures without N fertilizer during backgrounding, and animals finished on pasture supplemented with high concentrate at a rate of (20 g of concentrate per kg of body weight; P0N + PS); System 2: pastures fertilized with 75 kg N ha−1 year−1 during backgrounding and animals finished on feedlot fed a total mixed ration (TMR; P75N + F); and System 3: pastures fertilized with 150 kg N ha−1 year−1 during backgrounding, and animals finished on feedlot fed a TMR (P150N + F).

Left Atrial Thrombus and Dense Spontaneous Contrast in Direct Oral Anticoagulant Therapy of Atrial Fibrillation: Insights from a Reference Center.

Background: In the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most frequently sustained arrhythmia, with catheter ablation (CA) or electrical cardioversion (ECV), the periprocedural period is one of the most critical phases. Currently, the use of new direct action oral anticoagulants (DOAC) is increasingly frequent; however, in the real world, there are still few data on studies on the thrombus incidence in the left atrium (TrLA) or dense spontaneous contrast (DSC) on transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE).

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of events and association with risk factors in patients using DOACs.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection: a country dissemination experience and outcomes.

Objective: An increasing use of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been reported in Western countries, although some differences in training schemes and outcomes have been described. We aimed to report the training model, implementation, and outcomes of ESD in Portugal.

Methods: All endoscopists trained at our center from our country (n = 9) were invited to a survey regarding: (a) training period; (b) ESD outcomes and (c) implementation of ESD in each respective center.

Fecal calprotectin as a biomarker of microscopic bowel inflammation in patients with spondyloarthritis.

Aim: Microscopic bowel inflammation is present in up to 60% of all patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) and appears to be associated with more severe joint disease and a higher risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aimed to determine the utility of fecal calprotectin (fCAL) in evaluating endoscopic and histological bowel inflammation in SpA patients.

Methods: Ileocolonoscopies with biopsies and fCAL measurements were performed in 65 patients with SpA.

Analysis of Trunk Neuromuscular Activation During Equine-Assisted Therapy in Older Adults.

The three-dimensional movement of the horse in physical therapy is a valuable kinesio-therapeutic phenomenon that simultaneously affects several body systems, including particularly the neuromuscular system. However, the effects of equine-assisted services (EAS) on neuromuscular activation patterns in older adults have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we evaluated the impact of a 10-weeks EAS program on trunk muscles in older adults who used a saddle and placed their feet in stirrups for the first 15 minutes and out of stirrups for the remaining 15 minutes of 30-minute EAS sessions.

Citrus Pulp Replacing Corn in the Supplement Decreased Fibre Digestibility with No Impacts on Performance of Cattle Grazing Marandu Palisade Grass in the Wet-Dry Transition Period.

The wet-dry transition period brings unique challenges to cattle producers in the tropics as the forage quality starts to decrease and animal performance is negatively affected unless supplementation strategies are applied. Two experiments were conducted concomitantly to evaluate the performance and metabolic parameters of cattle supplemented with two different energy sources under a C4 tropical grass continuous grazing system in the wet-dry transition period. In experiment (exp) 1, the liveweight (LW) gain of 42 growing Nellore bulls allocated to 12 paddocks of cv.

Arterial stiffness and atrial fibrillation: A review.

Arterial stiffness has been investigated as part of the physiopathology of arterial hypertension since the 1970s. Its role in increasing the "pulsatile load" imposed over the Left Ventricle (LV) has been intensely studied recently and has helped in understanding the mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) in hypertensive patients. This paper aims to review the main evidence on this issue and establish possible mechanisms involved in the development of AF in patients with arterial stiffness.

Effect of vitamin A injection at birth on intramuscular fat development and meat quality in beef cattle.

This study aimed to evaluate intramuscular fat and expression of genes in the muscle of Montana × Nellore treated with vitamin A at birth. We hypothesized that an injection of vitamin A after birth would increase marbling by increasing the expression of angiogenic, adipogenic, and lipogenic genes. Animals treated with vitamin A had greater marbling in the longissimus muscle (P = 0.

Delaying or delivering: identification of novel NAM-1 alleles that delay senescence to extend wheat grain fill duration.

Senescence is a complex trait under genetic and environmental control, in which resources are remobilized from vegetative tissue into grain. Delayed senescence, or 'staygreen' traits, can confer stress tolerance, with extended photosynthetic activity hypothetically sustaining grain filling. The genetics of senescence regulation are largely unknown, with senescence variation often correlated with phenological traits.

Electromyographic analysis of muscle activation of the trunk and lower limbs during human gait and hippotherapy using different ride mount materials.

Objective: Activation of the trunk and lower limb muscles, namely the multifidus, rectus abdominis, rectus femoris, and tibialis anterior, was analyzed using surface electromyographyin 40 young, healthy, and sedentary individuals.

Methods: Data were collected from sneaker-clad subjects with independent gait and during hippotherapy using saddles and blankets, with the feet in and out of the stirrups.

Results: Surface electromyography results demonstrated a statistically significantly greater activation of the rectus femoris comparison to tibialis anterior muscle during hippotherapy.