HPLC-MS/MS and ICP-MS for Evaluation of Mycotoxins and Heavy Metals in Edible Insects and Their Defatted Cakes Resulting from Supercritical Fluid Extraction.

Edible Insects (EIs) are an alternative source of bioactive compounds such as proteins or fatty acids and micronutrients as vitamins or minerals, thus showing potential to replace traditional foodstuffs in an economical and environmentally friendly way. Nonetheless, EIs can accumulate hazardous chemicals such as mycotoxins and heavy metals. The aim of the present study is to determine mycotoxins and heavy metal content in raw insect samples and those resulting products obtained after supercritical fluid extraction (SFE).

Computer-assisted evaluation of retinal vessel tortuosity in children with sickle cell disease without retinopathy.

Objective: We assessed the predictive efficacy of automatically quantified retinal vascular tortuosity from the fundus pictures of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) without evident retinopathy.

Methods: Retinal images were obtained from 31 healthy and 31 SCD participants using fundus imaging and analyzed using a novel computational automated metric assessment. The local and global vessel tortuosity and their relationship with systemic disease parameters were analyzed based on the images.

Explainable artificial intelligence for the automated assessment of the retinal vascular tortuosity.

Retinal vascular tortuosity is an excessive bending and twisting of the blood vessels in the retina that is associated with numerous health conditions. We propose a novel methodology for the automated assessment of the retinal vascular tortuosity from color fundus images. Our methodology takes into consideration several anatomical factors to weigh the importance of each individual blood vessel.

Computer-assisted evaluation of retinal vessel tortuosity in moderate-to-late preterm children.

Purpose: Since very preterm children often have increased retinal tortuosity that may indicate decisive architectural changes in the systemic microvascular network, we used a new semi-automatic software to measure retinal vessel tortuosity on fundus digital images of moderate-to-late preterm (MLP) children.

Methods: In this observational case-control study, the global and local tortuosity parameters of retinal vessels were evaluated on fundus photographs of 36 MLP children and 36 age- and sex-matched controls. The associations between birth parameters and parameters reflecting retinal vessel tortuosity were evaluated using correlation analysis.

UHPLC-MS Phenolic Fingerprinting, Aorta Endothelium Relaxation Effect, Antioxidant, and Enzyme Inhibition Activities of Berries.

is a small Chilean native plant from Patagonia, a producer of small white reddish berries. For the first time, the proximal analysis of the fruits, phenolic fingerprinting, the antioxidant activity, and the enzymatic inhibition and relaxation effects in rat aorta induced by the ethanolic extract of these fruits were investigated. The proximal composition and the mineral (Ca: 2434 ± 40 mg/kg; Mg: 702 ± 13 mg/kg; Fe: 117.

Green gentrification in European and North American cities.

Although urban greening is universally recognized as an essential part of sustainable and climate-responsive cities, a growing literature on green gentrification argues that new green infrastructure, and greenspace in particular, can contribute to gentrification, thus creating social and racial inequalities in access to the benefits of greenspace and further environmental and climate injustice. In response to limited quantitative evidence documenting the temporal relationship between new greenspaces and gentrification across entire cities, let alone across various international contexts, we employ a spatially weighted Bayesian model to test the green gentrification hypothesis across 28 cities in 9 countries in North America and Europe. Here we show a strong positive and relevant relationship for at least one decade between greening in the 1990s-2000s and gentrification that occurred between 2000-2016 in 17 of the 28 cities.

Validation of a New Software Application for Tear Breakup Measurement.

Significance: Tear film instability has been recognized as one key mechanism on dry eye disease. There is a need for new instruments, methods, or protocols to improve the repeatability and reproducibility of the tear film stability to facilitate its clinical evaluation use as a rapid and reliable primary diagnostic test.

Purpose: The present pilot study aimed to validate a method to automatically measure the tear film breakup time (BUT).

Impact of De-escalation on Prognosis of Patients With Bacteremia due to Enterobacteriaceae: A Post Hoc Analysis From a Multicenter Prospective Cohort.

Background: More data are needed about the safety of antibiotic de-escalation in specific clinical situations as a strategy to reduce exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics. The aims of this study were to investigate predictors of de-escalation and its impact on the outcome of patients with bloodstream infection due to Enterobacteriaceae (BSI-E).

Methods: A post hoc analysis was performed on a prospective, multicenter cohort of patients with BSI-E initially treated with ertapenem or antipseudomonal β-lactams.

Hydra, a Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Cardiovascular Analysis and Diagnosis.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death throughout the world. The total risk of developing CVD is determined by the combined effect of different cardiovascular risk factors (e.g.

Diurnal variations in tear film break-up time determined in healthy subjects by software-assisted interpretation of tear film video recordings.

Background: This study was designed to examine diurnal variations in tear film break-up time (BUT) and maximum blink interval (MBI) and to assess two different ways of calculating these variables on video recordings of the BUT test interpreted with the help of especially designed software. The repeatability of interpreting BUT video recordings was also addressed.

Methods: Twenty-six healthy young adults were enrolled after ruling out dry eye according to a battery of tests (ocular surface disease index, McMonnies questionnaire, Schirmer test, phenol red test and corneal staining).

Functional profile of patients with tuberculosis sequelae in a university hospital.

Objective: To describe data related to the pulmonary function of patients with sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis, pleural tuberculosis or both.

Methods: In the outpatient clinic of a university hospital, 218 patients were evaluated. Of those 218, 56 had sequelae of tuberculosis (pulmonary, pleural or both), and 162 had other types of tuberculosis.