Research Priorities for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response: An Interdisciplinary Delphi Study.

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a multisensory experience most often associated with feelings of relaxation and altered consciousness, elicited by stimuli which include whispering, repetitive movements, and close personal attention. Since 2015, ASMR research has grown rapidly, spanning disciplines from neuroscience to media studies but lacking a collaborative or interdisciplinary approach. To build a cohesive and connected structure for ASMR research moving forwards, a modified Delphi study was conducted with ASMR experts, practitioners, community members, and researchers from various disciplines.

Association of Body Mass Index with Multiple Organ Failure in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

This study examines whether excessive adipose tissue, as measured by the body mass index (BMI), is associated with higher systemic markers of inflammation and higher risk of severe acute organ failure among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of 1370 hospitalized adults (18 years or older) with COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic. Patient-level variables were extracted from the electronic medical record.

Bacterial assemblages structure in intensive cultivations of the microalga Tetradesmus obliquus.

The present study shows the characterization of the bacterial communities associated with different systems during the cultivation of the microalga Tetradesmus obliquus. For that, sequential cultivation was performed in three different systems: (1) Photobioreactor bench-scale; (2) flat-panel photobioreactor; and (3) thin-layer cascade. Cultures were monitored daily for growth parameters and biomass samples were collected for characterization of bacterial communities using metagenomic.

An overview on microalgae as renewable resources for meeting sustainable development goals.

The increased demands and dependence on depleted oil reserves, accompanied by global warming and climate change have driven the world to explore and develop new strategies for global sustainable development. Among sustainable biomass sources, microalgae represent a promising alternative to fossil fuel and can contribute to the achievement of important Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article has reviewed the various applications of microalgal biomass that includes (i) the use in aquaculture and its sustainability; (ii) commercial value and emerging extraction strategies of carotenoids; (iii) biofuels from microalgae and their application in internal combustion engines; (iv) the use and reuse of water in microalgae cultivation; and (v) microalgae biotechnology as a key factor to assist SDGs.

Morphofunctional changes following adenotonsillectomy of obstructive sleep apnea children: a case series analysis.

Objective: To perform a case series analysis of the changes in the pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), nasal inspiratory flow (NIF), upper airway volume, obstructive apnea/hypopnea index (OAHI), and the maxillomandibular three-dimensional (3D) morphology after adenotonsillectomy (T&A) of obstructive sleep apnea children (OSA).

Materials And Methods: Retrospective assessment of files from 1002 children screened between 2012 and 2020 in a hospital-based mouth-breather referral center. From this universe, 15 obstructive sleep apnea children (7 females; 8 males), ages 4.

Chronic Diclofenac Exposure Increases Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress, Inflammatory Mediators, and Cardiac Dysfunction.

Purpose: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among one of the most commonly prescribed medications for pain and inflammation. Diclofenac (DIC) is a commonly prescribed NSAID that is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying its cardiotoxic effects remain largely unknown.

Recent Trends in Infective Endocarditis Among Patients with and Without Injection Drug Use: An Eight-Year Single Center Study.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Given the opioid crisis and emergence of drug-resistant organisms, we sought to examine annual trends in hospitalization rates for IE and potential epidemiologic shift in the causative microorganisms among patients with and without injection drug use (IDU).

Methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of hospitalized adults with IE.

Tropomyosin 2.1 collaborates with fibronectin to promote TGF-β-induced contraction of human lung fibroblasts.

Many lung diseases are characterized by fibrosis, leading to impaired tissue patency and reduced lung function. Development of fibrotic tissue depends on two-way interaction between the cells and the extra-cellular matrix (ECM). Concentration-dependent increased stiffening of the ECM is sensed by the cells, which in turn increases intracellular contraction and pulling on the matrix causing matrix reorganization and further stiffening.

Selectin-targeting glycosaminoglycan-peptide conjugate limits neutrophil-mediated cardiac reperfusion injury.

Aims: One of the hallmarks of myocardial infarction (MI) is excessive inflammation. During an inflammatory insult, damaged endothelial cells shed their glycocalyx, a carbohydrate-rich layer on the cell surface which provides a regulatory interface to immune cell adhesion. Selectin-mediated neutrophilia occurs as a result of endothelial injury and inflammation.

Suppression of inflammation and fibrosis using soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors enhances cardiac stem cell-based therapy.

Stem cell replacement offers a great potential for cardiac regenerative therapy. However, one of the critical barriers to stem cell therapy is a significant loss of transplanted stem cells from ischemia and inflammation in the host environment. Here, we tested the hypothesis that inhibition of the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) enzyme using sEH inhibitors (sEHIs) to decrease inflammation and fibrosis in the host myocardium may increase the survival of the transplanted human induced pluripotent stem cell derived-cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) in a murine postmyocardial infarction model.

A Rare Cause of a Scrotal Abscess due to the Symbiotic Infection of and in an Adult Male.

() is the major bacteria detected in women with bacterial vaginosis (BV). () has been demonstrated to show a symbiotic relationship with . Some men have been shown to be colonized with in their urogenital or anorectal tracts, however genitourinary infections in males, including balanitis and urethritis, due to this organism appear to be much less common.

Design and implementation of an academic enrichment program to improve performance on the internal medicine in-training exam.

The internal medicine In-Training Exam (ITE) is administered at residency training programs to assess medical knowledge. Our internal medicine residency program witnessed a performance decline on the ITE between 2011 and 2014. The goal of this quality improvement project was to improve medical knowledge among residents as measured by an improvement in performance on the ITE, through the design and implementation of an Academic Enrichment Program (AEP).

Hepatitis B virus vaccine immune response and mortality in dialysis patients: a meta-analysis.

Background: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine factors associated with HBV immune response in dialysis patients, and the association between the immune response to the HBV vaccine and mortality.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched for studies of dialysis patients that compared the characteristics of HBV vaccine responders and non-responders. Mortality was also analyzed according to the vaccine immune response (defined by hepatitis B surface antibody titer > 10 mIU/mL).

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A): a key phosphatase in the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to lung cancer.

Lung cancer (LC) has the highest relative risk of development as a comorbidity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The molecular mechanisms that mediate chronic inflammation and lung function impairment in COPD have been identified in LC. This suggests the two diseases are more linked than once thought.

Impact of adenotonsilectomy on nasal airflow and pulmonary blood pressure in mouth breathing children.

Introduction: Adenotonsillar hyperplasia (ATH) causing upper airway obstruction (UAO) may increase pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP). Early diagnosis and mouth breathing (MB) management may help in cases of high PASP. Total inspiratory nasal airflow (TINAF) obtained by active anterior rhinomanometry (AARM) is a means to quantify nasal patency.

A quality improvement project to reduce overutilization of blood tests in a teaching hospital.

: In hospitals, physicians-in-training are major contributors to the burden of tests ordered, increasing cost and resource utilization. We implemented an intervention to discourage overutilization of the complete blood count (CBC) and the basic metabolic panel (BMP). : An intervention was designed, comprising education on high-value care and burden of over-testing, encouragement of competition, and use of positive reinforcement.

Prostaglandin E, but not cAMP nor β-agonists, induce tristetraprolin (TTP) in human airway smooth muscle cells.

Tristetraprolin (TTP) is an anti-inflammatory molecule known to post-transcriptionally regulate cytokine production and is, therefore, an attractive drug target for chronic respiratory diseases driven by inflammation, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Our recent in vitro studies in primary human airway smooth (ASM) cells have confirmed the essential anti-inflammatory role played by TTP as a critical partner in a cytokine regulatory network. However, several unanswered questions remain.

A New Insight into Biospeckle Activity in Apple Tissues.

The monitoring and characterization of agricultural products before harvest or during ripening, storage, and shelf life has recently been increasingly explored in the literature. The analysis of biospeckle activity has potential for the determination of the optimal harvest window, the monitoring of the fruit ripening process, and the detection of diseases and bruising. In this technique, the specimen is illuminated with coherent light and speckle intensity fluctuations are analyzed using diverse methodologies.

Pharmacokinetics and drug interactions of medications used to treat hepatitis C virus infection in the setting of chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation.

Hepatitis C infection in patients with chronic kidney disease or kidney transplant carries higher morbidity and mortality compared to noninfected patients. Historically, patients with advanced kidney disease and kidney transplant recipients were undertreated given the multiple adverse effects and limited efficacy of interferon-based therapies for chronic hepatitis C. The development of direct-acting antivirals in the past few years has opened an unprecedented opportunity for treating these populations.

Assessing White Wine Viscosity Variation Using Polarized Laser Speckle: A Promising Alternative to Wine Sensory Analysis.

In this paper, we report measurements of wine viscosity, correlated to polarized laser speckle results. Experiments were performed on white wine samples produced with a single grape variety. Effects of the wine making cellar, the grape variety, and the vintage on wine Brix degree, alcohol content, viscosity, and speckle parameters are considered.

Short-Term Effect of Autogenic Drainage on Ventilation Inhomogeneity in Adult Subjects With Stable Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis.

Background: Lung clearance index (LCI), a measure of ventilation inhomogeneity derived from a multiple-breath washout test, is a promising tool for assessing airway function in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. However, it is unknown whether ventilation inhomogeneity could improve after successful elimination of excessive secretions within bronchiectasis. The objective of this work was to assess the short-term effects of lung secretion clearance using the autogenic drainage technique on standard lung function tests and LCI in subjects with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Evolving therapies for hepatitis C virus in chronic kidney disease: the beginning of a new era.

Purpose Of Review: The current review highlights recent advances in treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection using new classes of agents, direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), with a focus on the evidence for their use in the setting of chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 4-5, hemodialysis, and kidney transplantation.

Recent Findings: DAA agents target-specific proteins involved in the hepatitis C virus life cycle and interrupt viral replication. Sustained virologic response, a marker of viral eradication, occurs in more than 90% of patients treated with DAA agents in the general population.

Pulmonary hypertension evaluation by Doppler echocardiogram in children and adolescents with mouth breathing syndrome.

Introduction: Adenotonsillar hyperplasia (ATH) and allergic rhinitis (AR) are the most common causes of upper airway obstruction in children. Such diseases, by affecting the upper airways, can cause chronic alveolar hypoventilation, pulmonary vasoconstriction and pulmonary hypertension, which in some cases, are irreversible.

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in two groups of mouth-breathing (MB) 2-12 years old children with ATH and isolated allergic rhinitis, through Doppler echocardiography.

Evaluation of low viscosity variations in fluids using temporal and spatial analysis of the speckle pattern.

The noninvasive detection of a material's viscoelasticity is of great importance in the medical field. In fact, certain diseases cause changes in tissue structure and biological fluid viscosity; tracking those changes allows for detection of these diseases. Rheological measurements are also imperative in the industrial field, where it is necessary to characterize a material's viscoelasticity for manufacturing purposes.