Effects of Propolis Supplementation on Gut Microbiota and Uremic Toxin Profiles of Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis.

Propolis possesses many bioactive compounds that could modulate the gut microbiota and reduce the production of uremic toxins in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis (HD). This clinical trial aimed to evaluate the effects of propolis on the gut microbiota profile and uremic toxin plasma levels in HD patients. These are secondary analyses from a previous double-blind, randomized clinical study, with 42 patients divided into two groups: the placebo and propolis group received 400 mg of green propolis extract/day for eight weeks.

Questionnaire and polysomnographic evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea in a cohort of post-COVID-19 patients.

To evaluate the efficiency of 5 screening questionnaires for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), OSA frequency, and the association between OSA and COVID-19 severity in recent COVID-19 cases, and to compare the use of the oxygen desaturation index (ODI) as an alternative measure for the respiratory disturbance index (RDI). This open cohort study recruited patients with recent COVID-19 (within 30-180 days) diagnosed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Participants were screened for OSA using the following 5 sleep disorder questionnaires prior to undergoing type I polysomnography: the Sleep Apnea Clinical Score (SACS), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), STOP-Bang score, No-Apnea score, and Berlin questionnaire.

HIV-1 controllers exhibit an enhanced antiretroviral innate state characterised by overexpression of p21 and MCPIP1 and silencing of ERVK-6 RNA expression.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection can activate the expression of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), particularly HERV-K (HML-2). HIV controllers (HICs) are rare people living with HIV (PLWHs) who naturally control HIV-1 replication and overexpress some cellular restriction factors that negatively regulate the LTR-driven transcription of HIV-1 proviruses.

Objectives: To understand the ability of HICs to control the expression of endogenous retroviruses.

Potential Trimethylamine (TMA)-Producing Bacteria in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis.

Introduction: Trimethylamine (TMA), produced by gut microbiota, is the precursor of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a uremic toxin that accumulates in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Elevated TMAO plasma levels are associated with cardiovascular complications and CKD progression.

Objective: To evaluate the association between gut microbiota composition and TMAO plasma levels in CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD).

Association between swallowing dynamics, tongue pressure and pulmonary function in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Swallowing is a complex process that requires the coordination of muscles in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus. Dysphagia occurs when a person has difficulty swallowing. In the case of subjects with respiratory diseases, the presence of oropharyngeal dysphagia potentially increases lung disease exacerbations, which can lead to a rapid decline in lung function.

Systematic review of literature to evaluate global distribution of species of the genus stored in culture collections.

Introduction: Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by fungi of the genus sp. Phenotypic and genotypic differences have been associated with their geographic distribution, virulence, or clinical manifestation of sporotrichosis. In the past decade, the interest in identifying species of the sp.

Effects of Cranberry Extract () Supplementation on Lipid Peroxidation and Inflammation in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (Stages 3-4): A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Growing evidence suggests that bioactive compounds in berry fruits may mitigate inflammation in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Objectives: To evaluate cranberry () supplementation effects on modulation of transcription factors involved in inflammation and oxidative stress in nondialysis (stages 3 and 4) patients with CKD. .

Decidual production of interferon lambda in response to ZIKV persistence: Clinical evidence and modelling.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infections during pregnancy can result in Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS), a range of severe neurological outcomes in fetuses that primarily occur during early gestational stages possibly due to placental damage. Although some placentas can maintain ZIKV persistence for weeks or months after the initial infection and diagnosis, the impact of this viral persistence is still unknown. Here, we aimed to investigate the immunological repercussion of ZIKV persistence in term placentas.

HIHISIV: a database of gene expression in HIV and SIV host immune response.

In the battle of the host against lentiviral pathogenesis, the immune response is crucial. However, several questions remain unanswered about the interaction with different viruses and their influence on disease progression. The simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infecting nonhuman primates (NHP) is widely used as a model for the study of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) both because they are evolutionarily linked and because they share physiological and anatomical similarities that are largely explored to understand the disease progression.

Transcriptional profile of ribosome-associated quality control components and their associated phenotypes in mammalian cells.

During protein synthesis, organisms detect translation defects that induce ribosome stalling and result in protein aggregation. The Ribosome-associated Quality Control (RQC) complex, comprising TCF25, LTN1, and NEMF, is responsible for identifying incomplete protein products from unproductive translation events, targeting them for degradation. Although RQC disruption causes adverse effects on vertebrate neurons, data regarding mRNA/protein expression and regulation across tissues are lacking.

Can curcumin supplementation break the vicious cycle of inflammation, oxidative stress, and uremia in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis?

Background & Aims: Turmeric (a source of curcumin) is an excellent food to modulate oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut dysbiosis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, no studies report the benefits of curcumin in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). This study aims to evaluate the effects of curcuminoid supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, and uremic toxins originating from gut microbiota in patients with CKD undergoing PD.

Changes on risky drinking after the COVID-19 outbreak in Brazil: results from three consecutive web surveys.

Introduction: Risky drinking (RD) is associated with an increased risk of chronic and infectious diseases, injuries, and violence. This study aimed to assess changes in risky drinking (RD) in Brazil after COVID-19 outbreak, both overall and among individuals with self-reported chronic diseases and mental health disorders.

Methods: We conducted three independent, anonymous web surveys in Brazil including adult participants: S1 (April/2020, n=19,257), S2 (August/2020, n=1,590), and S3 (January/2021, n=859).

Racial Inequalities in the Health Establishment Access to the Treatment of COVID-19 in Brazil in 2020.

The Brazilian health system simultaneously allows for the existence of the public and private sectors, which often imposes financial barriers to access to services and affects the health of exposed groups. Studies have shown evidence of higher lethality risks among Black/Biracial and Indigenous People admitted to hospitals due to COVID-19 during the pandemic when compared to White People. This paper evaluated the association between access to treatment for COVID-19, race, and COVID-19-related deaths among the five macro-regions of Brazil in 2020.

Were public interventions relevant for containing the covid-19 pandemic in Brazil in 2020?

Objective: Flattening the curve was the most promoted public health strategy worldwide, during the pandemic, to slow down the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and, consequently, to avoid overloading the healthcare systems. In Brazil, a relative success of public policies was evidenced. However, the association between public policies and the "flatten the curve" objectives remain unclear, as well as the association of different policies to reach this aim.

The impact of early anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody production on the length of hospitalization stay among COVID-19 patients.

The study provides valuable insights into the sociodemographic characteristics, clinical outcomes, and humoral immune response of those affected by the virus that has devastated every field of human life since 2019; the COVID-19 patients. Firstly, the association among clinical manifestations, comorbidities, and the production of neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) against SARS-CoV-2 is explored. Secondly, varying levels of Nabs among patients are revealed, and a significant correlation between the presence of Nabs and a shorter duration of hospitalization is identified, which highlights the potential role of Nabs in predicting clinical outcomes.

Serum Magnesium Levels in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: Is There a Relationship with Inflammation Status?

Background: Magnesium (Mg) is a fundamental mineral that maintains cellular function, and low levels may be linked to inflammation in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This cross-sectional study evaluated the correlation between serum Mg levels and the inflammatory status in patients undergoing dialysis.

Methods: Two hundred patients with CKD [150 undergoing hemodialysis (HD), 50 (18) years; BMI 24 (4.

Sulforaphane Supplementation Did Not Modulate NRF2 and NF-kB mRNA Expressions in Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have reduced expression of erythroid nuclear factor-related factor 2 (NRF2) and increased nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). "Food as medicine" has been proposed as an adjuvant therapeutic alternative in modulating these factors. No studies have investigated the effects of sulforaphane (SFN) in cruciferous vegetables on the expression of these genes in patients with CKD.

Use of fractional exhaled nitric oxide as a potential predictor of bronchodilator response.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important product of eosinophilic metabolism, and its increase is associated with bronchial remodeling and airway hyperresponsiveness. Fractional exhaled NO (FENO) in the expired air of patients with suspected or diagnosed asthma has been used as a marker for eosinophilic inflammation. This cohort study included asthmatic patients classified under steps 3, 4, or 5 of the global strategy for asthma management and prevention.

Lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: results from three consecutive cross-sectional web surveys.

Objective: The importance of a healthy lifestyle in preventing morbidity and mortality is well-established. The COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant lifestyle changes globally, but the extent of these changes in the Brazilian population remains unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in lifestyle among the Brazilian general population during the first year of the pandemic.

Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in People Living with HIV: A Retrospective Case-Control Study in Brazil.

Unlabelled: HIV-infected patients are at particular risk for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). We describe cases of IPD in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and find associated risk factors for infection and death.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study, nested in a cohort, including PLWHA with and without IPD, conducted in Brazil, 2005-2020.

Effects of Polydextrose Supplementation on Intestinal Function in Hemodialysis Patients: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objectives: Intestinal constipation is a frequent complication in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Polydextrose (PDX), a nondigestible oligosaccharide, has been reported as a fermentable fiber with potential benefits. This study aimed to investigate the possible influence of PDX supplementation on intestinal function in HD patients.

A Pilot Study of Dietetic, Phenotypic, and Genotypic Features Influencing Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy in Women with Pregestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbimortality. Dietetic, phenotypic, and genotypic factors influencing HDP were analyzed during a nutrigenetic trial in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2016-2020). Pregnant women with pregestational diabetes mellitus (n = 70) were randomly assigned to a traditional or DASH diet group.

Influence of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors genes on the recurrence rate of ocular toxoplasmosis in Brazil.

Background: Recurrence is a hallmark of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT), and conditions that influence its occurrence remain a challenge. Natural killer cells (NK) are effectors cells whose primary is cytotoxic function against many parasites, including Toxoplasma gondii. Among the NK cell receptors, immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) deserve attention due to their high polymorphism.