Upscaling a regional telecardiology service to a nationwide coverage and beyond: the experience of the Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally and in Brazil. The provision of quality healthcare faces challenges due to resource scarcity and unequal distribution, particularly affecting rural areas. Telehealth strategies have shown potential to address these challenges by improving access to specialised care.

Understanding the determinants and outcomes of education in pulmonary rehabilitation: moving towards person-centered care.

Topic Importance: Education and psychosocial support are essential components of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). However, the delivery of education often follows a one-size-fits-all approach, with individual factors that influence learning rarely considered. Moreover, education-related outcomes are frequently overlooked in PR assessments, and inconsistent use of these outcomes has limited our understanding of the impact of education on people with chronic respiratory diseases.

Organ-on-a-chip: Quo vademus? Applications and regulatory status.

Organ-on-a-chip systems, also referred to as microphysiological systems (MPS), represent an advance in bioengineering microsystems designed to mimic key aspects of human organ physiology and function. Drawing inspiration from the intricate and hierarchical architecture of the human body, these innovative platforms have emerged as invaluable in vitro tools with wide-ranging applications in drug discovery and development, as well as in enhancing our understanding of disease physiology. The facility to replicate human tissues within physiologically relevant three-dimensional multicellular environments empowers organ-on-a-chip systems with versatility throughout different stages of the drug development process.

Validation of an Aerobic Fitness Questionnaire to estimate VO peak in a cohort of adult cardiac patients - Is it enough?

Introduction And Objectives: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is the gold standard for quantifying aerobic functional capacity, yet it is costly and not widely available. The CLINIMEX Aerobic Fitness Questionnaire (C-AFQ) may be a practical alternative as it estimates oxygen consumption at peak exercise (VO peak) based on patients' responses to a list of activities with known energy requirements. However, its applicability in cardiac patients is unclear and has not yet been studied.

Environmental impact of disposable face masks: degradation, wear, and cement mortar incorporation.

Polypropylene (PP) disposable face masks (DFMs) are essential for limiting airborne infectious diseases. This study examines the behavior of DFMs under three scenarios: (i) exposure to the natural environment, (ii) simulated high-energy aquatic environments through an abrasion test, and (iii) incorporation into cement-based mortars. In the natural weathering experiment, after 117 days, the DFMs exhibited photodegradation, resulting in chemical alterations in carbonyl and hydroxyl groups.