The Role of Microbiome in Cardiovascular Health: Insights for Primary Care Interventions.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for effective prevention strategies. Emerging research suggests that the gut microbiome is critical in cardiovascular health, influencing pathophysiological processes associated with CVDs. This narrative review explores the intricate relationship between the gut microbiome and cardiovascular health, mainly focusing on how microbial composition affects inflammation, lipid metabolism, and endothelial function.

Formation of Nanodiamonds during Pyrolysis of Butanosolv Lignin.

The preparation of artificial diamonds has a long history driven by decreased costs compared to naturally occurring diamonds and ethical issues. However, fabrication of diamonds in the laboratory from readily available biomass has not been extensively investigated. This work demonstrates a convenient method for producing nanodiamonds from biopolymer lignin at ambient pressure.

Open-bore MRI Scanner Assessment of Epicardial Adipose Tissue after Bariatric Surgery: A Pilot Study.

Background: The recognition of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) as a cardiac risk factor has increased the interest in strategies that target cardiac adipose tissue.

Aim: The effect of bariatric and metabolic surgery (BMS)-induced weight loss on EAT volume was evaluated in this study.

Methods: Fifteen bariatric patients, with (MS) or without (wMS) Metabolic Syndrome, underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using an open-bore scanner to assess EAT volume, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) thickness, and other cardiac morpho-functional parameters at baseline and 12 months after BMS.

"Interstitial fibrosis is associated with left atrial remodeling and adverse clinical outcomes in selected low-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy".

Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) extracellular volume (ECV) allows non-invasive detection of myocardial interstitial fibrosis, which may be related to diastolic dysfunction and left atrial (LA) remodeling in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). While the prognostic role of LGE is well-established, interstitial fibrosis and LA dysfunction are emerging novel markers in HCM. This study aimed to explore the interaction between interstitial fibrosis by ECV, LA morpho-functional parameters and adverse clinical outcomes in selected low-risk patients with HCM.

HCG18, LEF1AS1 and lncCEACAM21 as biomarkers of disease severity in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of COVID-19 patients.

Background: Even after 3 years from SARS-CoV-2 identification, COVID-19 is still a persistent and dangerous global infectious disease. Significant improvements in our understanding of the disease pathophysiology have now been achieved. Nonetheless, reliable and accurate biomarkers for the early stratification of COVID-19 severity are still lacking.

Phenotyping congestion in acute heart failure by renal flow and right heart to pulmonary circulation coupling.

Aims: In acute heart failure (AHF), kidney congestion is basic to treatment and prognosis. Its aetiology is manifold and quite unexplored in details mainly regarding the right heart to pulmonary circulation (Pc) coupling. We investigated the right heart to kidney interrelationship by Doppler renal flow pattern, right atrial dynamics, and right ventricular (RV) function to Pc coupling in AHF.

Left atrial remodeling in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Fabry disease: A CMR-based head-to-head comparison and outcome analysis.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and Fabry disease cardiomyopathy (FD) are phenocopies, as they show left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The left atrium (LA) is emerging as a potential marker of disease severity in both cardiomyopathies. The present study compares HCM and FD cardiomyopathy with similar degree of LVH, exploring LA morpho-functional parameters and the correlates of clinical outcome.

Impact of BNT162b2 Booster Dose on SARS-CoV-2 Anti-Trimeric Spike Antibody Dynamics in a Large Cohort of Italian Health Care Workers.

Accurate studies on the dynamics of Pfizer-Biontech BNT162b2-induced antibodies are crucial to better tailor booster dose administration depending on age, comorbidities, and previous natural infection with SARS-CoV-2. To date, little is known about the durability and kinetics of antibody titers months after receiving a booster dose. In this work, we studied the dynamic of anti-Trimeric Spike (anti-TrimericS) IgG titer in the healthcare worker population of a large academic hospital in Northern Italy, in those who had received two vaccine doses plus a booster dose.

Factors associated with perioperative mortality after late open conversion for failed endovascular aortic repair.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review about the clinical and technical aspects of late open conversion for failed endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), and to investigate if the need for suprarenal aortic cross clamping, graft infection, urgent procedures, endoleaks and aortic rupture were associated with an increase of 30-days (perioperative) mortality.

Evidence Acquisition: A literature search was conducted on PubMed using the words "open conversion endovascular" on December 29, 2021. Studies included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case series of patients submitted to open conversion that were performed at least 1 month after the initial EVAR for AAA, reporting about 30-days mortality after surgery.

Risk factors for inadequate bowel preparation in patients using high- and low-volume cleansing products.

Introduction: Bowel preparation is crucial for colonoscopy completeness and lesions detection. Today, several cleansing products are equally recommended by guidelines, irrespective of patients' characteristics. Identification of preparation-specific risk factors for inadequate bowel preparation may lead to a personalized prescription of cleansing products to refine patients' tolerance and improve endoscopic outcomes.

Comparative outcomes of Toupet fundoplication and magnetic sphincter augmentation.

Laparoscopic fundoplication is the current surgical gold standard for the treatment of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) is a less invasive, standardized, and reversible option to restore competency of the lower esophageal sphincter. A comparative cohort study was conducted at a tertiary-care referral center on patients with typical GERD symptoms treated with systematic crural repair combined with Toupet fundoplication or MSA.

Clopidogrel Resistance and Ticagrelor Replacement in Dual Antiplatelet Therapy for Carotid Artery Stenting.

Backgrounds: Resistance to the pharmacological effect of clopidogrel in patients undergoing dual antiplatelet therapy for carotid stenting may increase the risk of periprocedural neurological events. The purpose of the study was to describe the phenomenon of clopidogrel resistance in a series of patients undergoing carotid stenting.

Methods: Data of patients who consecutively underwent carotid stenting from November 2016 to December 2020 for a significant stenosis and who underwent a dual antiplatelet therapy using acetyl-salicylic acid and clopidogrel were prospectively collected.

Prognostic value of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in a European cohort with cardiovascular risk factors absent of a cardiovascular disease diagnosis.

Introduction: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is now considered a vital sign. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is the gold-standard assessment of CRF; peak oxygen consumption (VO) and the minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO) slope are considered primary CPET measures of CRF. More work is needed to determine the role of this exercise assessment in the primary care setting.

Prognostic value of left atrial strain quantification from 2D ultrasound imaging in post-ischemic heart failure patients: evidence from the REMODEL-HF study.

Background: Left atrial (LA) function can be effectively assessed by measuring longitudinal LA strain (LAS) via two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE). Here, we test 2DSTE-based LAS as marker of different left ventricle (LV) remodeling patterns and as prognostic index in ischemic heart failure (HF) candidates to surgical ventricular reconstruction.

Methods: We retrospectively considered ischemic HF patients with anterior (group A, n=130) or posterior (group P, n=48) LV remodeling.

Surgical Ventricular Restoration for Ischemic Heart Failure: A Glance at a Real-World Population.

Surgical ventricular restoration (SVR) has repeatedly been suggested as a viable therapeutic strategy for ischemic heart failure (HF) patients, although the survival benefit is still debated. We investigated a real-world population treated with SVR in a single center with high case volumes. From July 2001 to June 2017, 648 patients (111 females) underwent SVR; coronary surgery was performed in 582 patients.

Efficacy and tolerability of high and low-volume bowel preparation compared: A real-life single-blinded large-population study.

Background: Low-volume preparations for colonoscopy have shown similar efficacy compared to high-volume ones in randomized controlled trials (RCT). However, most RCTs do not provide data about clinical outcomes including lesions detection rate. Moreover, real-life comparisons are lacking.

Antibody responses to BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine: Infection-naïve individuals with abdominal obesity warrant attention.

Objective: The excess of visceral adipose tissue might hinder and delay immune response. How people with abdominal obesity (AO) will respond to mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 is yet to be established. SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responses were evaluated after the first and second dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, comparing the response of individuals with AO with the response of those without, and discerning between individuals with or without prior infection.

One-week longitudinal daily description of moral distress, coping, and general health in healthcare workers during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy: A quantitative diary study.

Unlabelled: Background and aim of the work .The fluctuation from day to day within a working week of moral distress, coping, and general health of frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) in facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic has been poorly studied. This study described the weekly fluctuation from day to day of moral distress, coping, and general health in frontline HCWs who worked during the first epidemic wave (May-June 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.