Type 2 inflammation: a Portuguese consensus using Web-Delphi and decision conferencing (INFLAT2-PT).

Objectives: Atopic/allergic diseases impose a growing burden on public health, affecting millions of patients worldwide. The main objective of this study was to develop a national expert consensus on relevant clinical questions related to type 2 inflammation.

Methods: We conducted: a comprehensive literature review with a qualitative analysis to identify the most repeated themes on the overlap of conditions; a modified 3-round Web-Delphi (or e-Delphi); and a final online decision conference.

Impact of dementia and mild cognitive impairment on bone health in older people.

Mild cognitive impairment, dementia and osteoporosis are common diseases of ageing and, with the increasingly ageing global population, are increasing in prevalence. These conditions are closely associated, with shared risk factors, common underlying biological mechanisms and potential direct causal pathways. In this review, the epidemiological and mechanistic links between mild cognitive impairment, dementia and skeletal health are explored.

Adaptation and Validation of Version B of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen for the Portuguese Population.

Objective: This study aims to adapt and provide psychometric support for the validation of version B of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) for the Portuguese population, addressing the need for consistent cognitive evaluations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A second culturally adapted ECAS screen facilitates the accurate characterization of ALS progression, mitigates learning effects, and supports tailored care management.

Methods: The adaptation process included forward-backward translation, cultural adaptation, and cognitive debriefing on a prospective sample of 193 ALS patients and 106 controls.

Ptosis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients under long-term antiretroviral treatment.

Objective: To present cases of ptosis in HIV-1 patients on long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) and review the existing literature.

Methods: Five HIV-1-positive patients with slowly progressive bilateral ptosis underwent a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, including imaging studies, neurophysiological testing, muscle biopsy, and genetic analysis. A literature review was conducted.

Knowledge maps as a complementary tool to learn and teach surgical anatomy in virtual reality: A case study in dental implantology.

A thorough understanding of surgical anatomy is essential for preparing and training medical students to become competent and skilled surgeons. While Virtual Reality (VR) has shown to be a suitable interaction paradigm for surgical training, traditional anatomical VR models often rely on simple labels and arrows pointing to relevant landmarks. Yet, studies have indicated that such visual settings could benefit from knowledge maps as such representations explicitly illustrate the conceptual connections between anatomical landmarks.

vCPP2319 interacts with metastatic breast cancer extracellular vesicles (EVs) and transposes a human blood-brain barrier model.

Brain metastases (BM) are frequently found in cancer patients and, though their precise incidence is difficult to estimate, there is evidence for a correlation between BM and specific primary cancers, such as lung, breast, and skin (melanoma). Among all these, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed among women and, in this case, BM cause a critical reduction of the overall survival (OS), especially in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. The main challenge of BM treatment is the impermeable nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which shields the central nervous systems (CNS) from chemotherapeutic drugs.

Evaluating carbon removal: Integrating technical potential with environmental, social, governance criteria, and sequestration permanence.

Climate modeling suggests that achieving international climate goals requires a reduction in current CO emissions by over 90%, with any remaining emissions to be addressed through carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions. Sixteen CDR strategies are evaluated by integrating technical potential, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, along with sequestration permanence. This evaluation, conducted by ENGIE's scientific council using an interdisciplinary Delphi panel methodology, proposes a "quality" measure for each technology.

Metabolic Stress expands Polyfunctional, Proinflammatory Th cells in Psoriatic Arthritis, where there is IL-23-independent IL-17 production.

Objective: Genetic associations and blockade of the interleukin-23/IL-17 axis with monoclonal antibodies support a role for this pathway in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). This study examines the requirement of IL-23 for IL-17 production, and the role of the metabolic microenvironment in the expansion of Th-derived cells in PsA.

Methods: PsA patient synovial fluid or peripheral blood Th cell frequencies were evaluated by flow cytometry using CCR6, CD161 and T-bet as phenotypic markers, and the cytokines IFN-γ, GM-CSF and IL-17 assessed by flow cytometry and ELISA.

Evaluating efflux pump inhibition in Staphylococcus aureus 1199B strain using thiadiazine-derived compounds: In vitro and in silico approaches.

Thiadiazines are heterocyclic compounds known for some pharmacological activities. However, the ability of these compounds and their derivatives to act as antibacterial agents and inhibitors of the efflux system in resistant bacteria remains unknown. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial and NorA efflux pump inhibitory activities of thiadiazine-derived compounds (IJ14, IJ15, IJ16, IJ17, IJ18, IJ19, and IJ20) against the Staphylococcus aureus 1199B strain.

Postingestive reward acts through behavioral reinforcement and is conserved in obesity and after bariatric surgery.

Postingestive nutrient stimulation conditions food preferences through striatal dopamine and may be associated with blunted brain responses in obesity. In a cross-sectional study, we tested flavor-nutrient conditioning (FNC) with maltodextrin-enriched yogurt, with maltodextrin previously optimized for concentration and dextrose equivalents (n = 57), and to mask texture cues (n = 102). After conditioning, healthy volunteers (n = 52) increased preference for maltodextrin-paired (+102 kcal, CS+), relative to control (+1.

Analysis of the Sensitivity and Specificity of Histopathological Findings for Diagnosing Lupus Nephritis.

Background: Since the introduction of the SLICC criteria in 2012, biopsy-proven lupus nephritis (LN) has been the only independent diagnostic criterion for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This was reaffirmed by the EULAR/ACR in 2019, emphasizing the importance of renal biopsy in LN. However, the current classification lacks specific histopathological criteria for defining LN.

Versican Proteolysis by ADAMTS: Understanding Versikine Expression in Canine Spontaneous Mammary Carcinomas.

The present study investigates VKINE, a bioactive proteolytic fragment of the proteoglycan VCAN, as a novel and significant element in the tumor extracellular matrix (ECM). Although VKINE has been recognized for its immunomodulatory potential in certain tumor types, its impact on ECM degradation and prognostic implications remains poorly understood. : This study aimed to evaluate VCAN proteolysis and its association with ADAMTS enzymes involved in extracellular matrix remodeling in spontaneous canine mammary gland cancer.

Computational Study on the Proton Reduction Potential of Co, Rh, and Ir Molecular Electrocatalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

In this study, comprehensive density functional theory calculations were conducted to investigate the molecular mechanism of electrocatalytic proton reduction using group 9 transition metal bpaqH (2-(bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)--(quinolin-8-yl)acetamide) complexes. The goal was to explore how variations in the structural and electronic properties among the three metal centers might impact the catalytic activity. All three metal complexes were observed to share a similar mechanism, primarily characterized by three key steps: heterolytic cleavage of H (HEP), reduction protonation (RPP), and ligand-centered protonation (LCP).

Protocol for whole-mount preparation, clearing, and visualization of the adult zebrafish spinal cord structures.

The vascular repair, a pivotal element of the spinal cord (SC) injury response, has been notably neglected in zebrafish research. Here, we detail the extraction and dissection of whole-mount zebrafish SCs and the optimized whole-mount immunofluorescence staining and clearing protocols for the visualization of SC structures, such as the vascular network. Additional downstream applications of these samples, from gelatin embedding to cryosectioning and tissue staining, can be done after clearing reversion and are also described in this work.

Metal (Au, Pt, Pd, Ni) Bis(dithiolene) complexes as dual-action agents combating cancer and trypanosomatid infections.

Cancer and infection diseases pose severe threats to public health worldwide stressing the need for more effective and efficient treatments. Thus, the search for broad-spectrum activity drugs seems justifiable and urgent. Herein, we investigate the anticancer and antitrypanosomatid (anti-Trypanosoma cruzi) activities of eight monoanionic metal bis(dithiolene) complexes, [PhP][M(R-thiazdt)] with M = Au, Pt, Pd, Ni, containing N-alkyl-1,3-thiazoline-2-thione dithiolene ligands (R-thiazdt) with different alkyl groups (R = Et, tBu).

The inflammatory microenvironment of the lung at the time of infection governs innate control of SARS-CoV-2 replication.

Severity of COVID-19 is affected by multiple factors; however, it is not understood how the inflammatory milieu of the lung at the time of SARS-CoV-2 exposure affects the control of viral replication. Here, we demonstrate that immune events in the mouse lung closely preceding SARS-CoV-2 infection affect viral control and identify innate immune pathways that limit viral replication. Pulmonary inflammatory stimuli including resolved, antecedent respiratory infections with or influenza, ongoing pulmonary infection, ovalbumin/alum-induced asthma, or airway administration of TLR ligands and recombinant cytokines all establish an antiviral state in the lung that restricts SARS-CoV-2 replication.

Frequency, sociodemographic, and neuropsychological features of patients with subjective cognitive decline diagnosed using different neuropsychological criteria.

Background: Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) is recognized as a risk stage for future cognitive impairment and dementia. The criteria for SCD include normal performance on neuropsychological testing; however, there is a lack of consensus regarding standard score cut-offs for neuropsychological tests to define cognitive impairment and to differentiate between SCD and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). This study aimed to assess the frequency of SCD diagnosis using various neuropsychological definitions of cognitive normality and to characterize the sociodemographic and neuropsychological features of SCD patients diagnosed under these criteria.

CIDACS' efforts towards an inclusive and dialogic data governance in Brazil: a focused literature review.

The Centre for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health's (CIDACS) data governance efforts have primarily focused on legal, technical and operational procedures to provide high-quality linked administrative data for investigations on social determinants of health and the impact of social protection policies in low-income and vulnerable populations throughout Brazil. The Centre is moving towards an updated data governance model that incorporates the participation of, and consultation and dialogue with, data stakeholders, including groups covered by our linked data. To this end, this paper presents our procedures and challenges, outlining relevant considerations based on a focused literature review that aims to support the inclusion of societal participation in our revised data governance approach, which should be considered an ongoing process.

Low friction hydrogel with diclofenac eluting ability for dry eye therapeutic contact lenses.

When placed in the eye, contact lenses (CLs) disturb the tear fluid and affect the natural tribological behaviour of the eye. The disruption in the contact mechanics between the ocular tissues can increase frictional shear stress and ocular dryness, causing discomfort. Ultimately, continuous CLs wear can trigger inflammation which is particularly critical for people suffering from dry eye.