Different Gut Microbiome Profiles in Patients with Transthyretin Amyloidosis with and Without Cardiac Involvement.

Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR amyloidosis) is characterized by the buildup of amyloid protein in organs like the gut and the heart. As a result, hypoperfusion, edema, and dysautonomia cause an imbalance in the gut microbiome. We aimed to identify the gut microbiome composition in ATTR amyloidosis patients with and without heart involvement, as well in controls.

[Themed story drawings, mediating first contact with a migrant child].

Thinking about how to welcome migrant children is crucial. Tools such as the story-drawing process can be used in this context. Drawing is a mediator in the bond with the child, as shown by the case of a boy recently arrived in Brazil, whose productions underline the importance of home and the desire to unite the family.

Bioactive Peptides from Milk Proteins with Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antihypertensive Activities.

Background/objectives: Peptides from protein ingredients exhibit key biological activities, including antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and immunomodulatory effects. Aligning with the One Health approach, there is growing investment in promoting pet health and well-being. As a result, sustainable functional ingredients are increasingly essential for pet food development.

Xenotransplantation of a Porcine Kidney for End-Stage Kidney Disease.

Xenotransplantation offers a potential solution to the organ shortage crisis. A 62-year-old hemodialysis-dependent man with long-standing diabetes, advanced vasculopathy, and marked dialysis-access challenges received a gene-edited porcine kidney with 69 genomic edits, including deletion of three glycan antigens, inactivation of porcine endogenous retroviruses, and insertion of seven human transgenes. The xenograft functioned immediately.

Emerging Trend of Central Precocious Puberty: A Retrospective Study of Cases Diagnosed Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Portuguese Tertiary-Level Hospital.

Introduction: In light of the recent evidence suggesting an increase in idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study aimed to assess the incidence of newly diagnosed ICPP cases and compare differences in demographic, anthropometric, and clinical characteristics pre-pandemic and during the pandemic.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study at a national reference pediatric endocrinology unit in Portugal to evaluate the proportion of referrals for precocious puberty (PP) and, within this group, the number of ICPP cases diagnosed before (group 1: January 2018 to March 2020) and during the pandemic (group 2: April 2020 to June 2022). Additionally, we compared the demographic, anthropometric, and clinical characteristics of ICPP patients between the two groups.