Post pandemic research priorities: A consensus statement from the HL-PIVOT.

We have been amid unhealthy living and related chronic disease pandemics for several decades. These longstanding crises have troublingly synergized with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The need to establish research priorities in response to COVID-19 can be used to address broad health and wellbeing, social and economic impacts for the future is emerging.

Outcomes of infection in adult cancer and non-cancer patients hospitalised in a tertiary hospital: a prospective cohort study.

Background: infection (CDI) is one of the most common healthcare-associated (HA) infections. Cancer patients, particularly haemato-oncological patients, have an increased risk for CDI due to more risk factors compared with non-cancer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in outcomes associated with HA CDI in patients with solid and haematological malignancies compared with patients with no underlying malignant disease in a tertiary healthcare centre in Serbia.

Noninvasive Assessment of Cardiac Output in Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Candidates Using the Bioreactance Method.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess the validity and trending ability of the bioreactance method in estimating cardiac output at rest and in response to stress in advanced heart failure patients and heart transplant candidates.

Design: This was a prospective single-center study.

Setting: This study was conducted at the heart transplant center at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Indicators of Absolute and Relative Changes in Skeletal Muscle Mass during Adulthood and Ageing.

This study aimed to explore the set of variables related to skeletal muscle mass (SMM) in both sexes, and to create age- and sex-related models of changes in SMM, using the most representative indicator of muscular status. Body composition was assessed in 8733 subjects (♀ = 3370 and ♂ = 5363), allocated into subsamples according to age: 18-29.9, 30-39.

Impact of gastrointestinal physiology on drug absorption in special populations--An UNGAP review.

The release and absorption profile of an oral medication is influenced by the physicochemical properties of the drug and its formulation, as well as by the anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. During drug development the bioavailability of a new drug is typically assessed in early clinical studies in a healthy adult population. However, many disease conditions are associated with an alteration of the anatomy and/or physiology of the GI tract.

Increased plasma phosphatidylcholine/lysophosphatidylcholine ratios in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Rationale: Changes in lipid composition might be associated with the onset and progression of various neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we investigated the changes in the plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC)/lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) ratios in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in comparison with healthy subjects and their correlation with clinico-pathological features.

Methods: The study included 10 controls and 25 patients with PD.

Soluble sPD-L1 and Serum Amyloid A1 as Potential Biomarkers for Lung Cancer.

Background: The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate whether soluble programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) and serum amyloid A1 (SAA1) are potential diagnostic, predictive or prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer.

Methods: Lung cancer patients (n=115) with advanced metastatic disease, 101 with non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC (77 EGFR wild-type NSCLC patients on chemotherapy, 15 EGFR mutation positive adenocarcinoma patients, 9 patients with mPD-L1 Expression ≥50% NSCLC - responders to immunotherapy), and 14 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were examined. ELISA method was used to determine sPD-L1 and SAA1 concentrations in patients' plasma.

Quantification of coronary artery disease using different modalities of cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Background: This study examined the accuracy of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) on a treadmill (TM) and recumbent ergometry (RE) in the predicting coronary artery disease (CAD) severity and prognosis.

Methods: Forty Caucasian subjects, mean age 63.5 ± 7.

The Clinical Importance of Cystatin C and Hepatic Artery Resistive Index in Liver Cirrhosis.

Background: Data suggest cystatin C (CysC) levels and hepatic artery resistive index (HARI) correspond to the progression of chronic liver disease. We aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of these parameters in assessment of fibrosis in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods: The cross-sectional study included 63 patients with liver cirrhosis.

Alkyl polyglucoside vs. ethoxylated surfactant-based microemulsions as vehicles for two poorly water-soluble drugs: physicochemical characterization and in vivo skin performance.

Two types of biocompatible surfactants were evaluated for their capability to formulate skin-friendly/non-irritant microemulsions as vehicles for two poorly water-soluble model drugs differing in properties and concentrations: alkyl polyglucosides (decyl glucoside and caprylyl/capryl glucoside) and ethoxylated surfactants (glycereth-7-caprylate/ caprate and polysorbate 80). Phase behavior, structural inversion and microemulsion solubilization potential for sertaconazole nitrate and adapalene were found to be highly dependent on the surfactants structure and HLB value. Performed characterization (polarized light microscopy, pH, electrical conductivity, rheological, FTIR and DSC measurements) indicated a formulation containing glycereth- 7-caprylate/caprate as suitable for incorporation of both drugs, whereas alkyl polyglucoside-based systems did not exhibit satisfying solubilization capacity for sertaconazole nitrate.

Prooxidant-antioxidant balance, advanced oxidation protein products and lipid peroxidation in Serbian patients with Parkinson's disease.

Background: Biomarkers of oxidative stress are relevant in the evaluation of the disease status and prooxidant-antioxidant balance, advanced oxidation protein products and lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal) are being extensively evaluated regarding their relationship with clinical presentation and disease severity.

Aim Of The Study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of the above-mentioned parameters in plasma of 39 men and 17 women with Parkinson's disease, originated from the Republic of Serbia and their relation to clinicopathological characteristics (gender, age at examination, duration of the disease, and Hoehn and Yahr score) and oxidative status.

Results: The incidence of disease was 2:1 towards males.

Obesity, body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Obesity is defined as an excess body fat that impairs health and is associated with increased risk of heart failure (HF), particularly HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), evolving into a 'HFpEF obesity phenotype'. The interplay between obesity and cardiorespiratory fitness, primary clinical parameters in HF, requires further exploration. The contribution of body composition compartments in the development and progress of HF has been the object of numerous studies.

CaV3.2 T-type calcium channels in peripheral sensory neurons are important for mibefradil-induced reversal of hyperalgesia and allodynia in rats with painful diabetic neuropathy.

We recently showed that streptozotocin (STZ) injections in rats lead to the development of painful peripheral diabetic neuropathy (PDN) accompanied by enhancement of CaV3.2 T-type calcium currents (T-currents) and hyperexcitability in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Here we used the classical peripherally acting T-channel blocker mibefradil to examine the role of CaV3.