Enhancing Thromboembolic Risk Prediction in Non-valvular Atrial Fibrillation: The Critical Role of Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE).

Introduction Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, poses challenges in predicting thromboembolic risk. While the CHADS-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years (doubled), type 2 diabetes mellitus, previous stroke, transient ischemic attack, or thromboembolism (doubled), vascular disease, age 65-74 years, and sex category) score remains essential, its limitations include failure to identify left atrial (LA) thrombus in some patients. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) provides superior detection of LA thrombi and thrombogenic factors compared to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), improving risk stratification, especially in intermediate-risk groups.

Barriers and Facilitators to Adherence to a Healthy Diet Across the Spectrum of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Purpose: A healthy diet plays an important role for chronic kidney disease (CKD) treatment, but adherence to nutritional recommendations is frequently low. The aim of the present study was to describe barriers and facilitators to adherence to a healthy diet in people with CKD.

Patients And Methods: Cross-sectional study; 80 predialysis (n=20), hemodialysis (n=20), peritoneal dialysis (n=20) and transplant (n=20) patients matched by age and sex, were included.

Dengue virus and Zika virus alter endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact sites to regulate respiration and apoptosis.

During infection, dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV), two (ortho)flaviviruses of public health concern worldwide, induce alterations of mitochondria morphology to favor viral replication, suggesting a viral co-opting of mitochondria functions. Here, we performed an extensive transmission electron microscopy-based quantitative analysis to demonstrate that both DENV and ZIKV alter endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact sites (ERMC). This correlated at the molecular level with an impairment of ERMC tethering protein complexes located at the surface of both organelles.

Communicating the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health on X (formerly Twitter): Insights from the one health approach.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored societies' need for education and preparedness in addressing global environmental and health crises. Raising public awareness of the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health is essential to engaging the public in environmental conservation and disease prevention. The One Health approach offers a holistic and multidisciplinary view for tackling challenges related to environmental and health issues by emphasizing the interplay of these three interconnected health dimensions.

Phytochemical investigation and assessment of the anti-inflammatory activity of four taxa growing in Turkey.

Introduction: L. has been known as "hogweed" and used for inflammatory diseases, including fever, enteritis, and bronchitis, for many years worldwide. The genus is also prominently recognized for its high content of coumarins, which are considered a significant group of natural compounds known for their noteworthy anti-inflammatory properties.

Biological activities of lichen extracts and UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis of their secondary metabolites.

This research was designed to investigate the metabolite profiling, phenolics content, and the trypanocidal, nematicidal, antibacterial, antifungal, and free radical scavenging properties of Motyka. The air-dried material was extracted successively with dichloromethane and methanol (UlMeOH). Two phases were obtained from the extract with dichloromethane, one soluble in methanol (UlDCM-s) and the other insoluble (UlDCM-i).

What 'unexplored' means: mapping regions with digitized natural history records to look for 'biodiversity blindspots'.

We examined global records of accessible natural history voucher collections (with publicly available data and reliable locality data) for terrestrial and freshwater vascular plants, fungi, freshwater fishes, birds, mammals, and herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) and highlight areas of the world that would be considered undersampled and sometimes called 'unexplored' (., have relatively low, or no evidence of, past sampling efforts) under typical Western-scientific descriptions. We also question what 'unexplored' may mean in these contexts and explain how replacing the term in favor of more nuanced phrasing (.

Viral niche-partitioning: comparative genomics of giant viruses across environmental gradients in a high Arctic freshwater-saltwater lake.

Giant viruses (GVs; ) impact the biology and ecology of a wide range of eukaryotic hosts, with implications for global biogeochemical cycles. Here, we investigated GV niche separation in highly stratified Lake A at the northern coast of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. This lake is composed of a layer of ice-covered freshwater that overlies saltwater derived from the ancient Arctic Ocean, and it therefore provides a broad gradient of environmental conditions and ecological habitats, each with a distinct protist community and rich assemblages of associated GVs.

Increasing stress resilience in older adults through a 6-week prevention program: effects on coping strategies, anxiety symptoms, and cortisol levels.

Introduction: As people age, chronic stress, resulting in prolonged or repeated activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, has been associated with long-term adverse health outcomes. Coping strategies and social support have been recognized as contributing to resilience to stress in older adults. Few studies have evaluated stress management training (SMT) interventions based on psychoneuroendocrinology that were designed to be delivered to healthy older adults in community settings.

Theoretical study of the electronic and optical properties of a composite formed by the zeolite NaA and a magnetite cluster.

The electronic and optical properties of a composite created by introducing a magnetite cluster into NaA zeolite have been investigated in this work using DFT calculations. The results obtained indicate that the electronic and optical properties of the composite are enhanced because of the cluster. However, the properties exhibited by the cluster outside the zeolite differ from those it presents when it is part of the composite.

Efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin in patients with CKD: real-world experience in 93 Italian renal clinics.

Background: Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are recommended for reducing the renal and cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) based on the positive results reported by clinical trials. However, real-world data on the efficacy and the safety of these drugs in CKD population followed in nephrology setting are lacking.

Methods: We report the effects of dapagliflozin in CKD patients by using data collected during a learning program in which 105 nephrologists added dapagliflozin (10 mg/day) to consecutive patients referred to their renal clinics.

Pain as a Symptom of Mental Health Conditions Among Undocumented Migrants in France: Results From a Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the associations between mental health status and experienced pain among undocumented migrants (UMs) in France.

Methods: We used data from the multicentric cross-sectional "Premier Pas" study conducted in the Parisian and Bordeaux regions from February to April 2019. Participants over 18 years of age were recruited from sixty-three sites.

Exploring Spatial Inequalities in COVID-19 Mortality and Their Association With Multidimensional Poverty in Colombia: A Spatial Analysis Study.

Objectives: The objective is to examine spatial inequalities in COVID-19 mortality rates in Colombia in relation to the spatial distribution of multidimensional poverty.

Methods: A retrospective spatial epidemiological study was conducted in Colombia from 2020 to 2022. Spatial statistics such as Moran's I index, LISA analysis, and simultaneous autoregressive conditional (SAC) regression models were used.

Receiver design for the REACH global 21-cm signal experiment.

We detail the REACH radiometric system designed to enable measurements of the 21-cm neutral hydrogen line. Included is the radiometer architecture and end-to-end system simulations as well as a discussion of the challenges intrinsic to highly-calibratable system development. Following this, we share laboratory results based on the calculation of noise wave parameters utilising an over-constrained least squares approach.

Multidrug-resistant ST11-KL64 hypervirulent with multiple genes isolated from children's blood.

Introduction: Hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (hv-CRKP) poses an increasing public health risk due to its high treatment difficulty and associated mortality, especially in bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients. The emergence of strains with multiple resistance mechanisms further complicates the management of these infections.

Methods: We isolated and characterized a novel ST11-KL64 hv-CRKP strain from a pediatric bone marrow transplantation patient.

First full intracorporeal robotic cystectomy and neobladder in a renal transplant recipient.

The literature regarding robotic-assisted radical cystectomy in kidney transplant recipients is limited. We present the first reported case of robotic-assisted radical cystectomy with a full intracorporeal orthotopic neobladder in a kidney transplant recipient. A 36-year-old man was diagnosed with muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma 12 years after kidney transplantation.

Pb-free metal oxide-based epoxy resin nanocomposites for radiation protection: Physical evaluation analysis approach.

Exposure to mid-energy radiation poses significant health risks, necessitating the development of effective shielding materials. Traditional lead-based shields, while effective, have significant drawbacks including toxicity and environmental concerns. This study investigates the potential of lead-free epoxy resin nanocomposites, incorporating bismuth oxide, nickel oxide, and cerium oxide, for mid-energy radiation protection.

How many do we need? Meeting the challenges of studying the microbiome of a cryptic insect in an orchard.

The minimal sampling effort required to report the microbiome composition of insect surveyed in natural environment is often based on empirical or logistical constraints. This question was addressed with the white pine cone beetle, (Schwarz), a devastating insect pest of seed orchards. It attacks and stop the growth of the cones within which it will spend its life, on the ground.

Marine actinobacteria metabolites: unlocking new treatments for acne vulgaris.

Marine-derived actinobacteria isolated from sponge and soft coral were screened for antibacterial activity against acne-related bacteria, specifically ATCC 14990, methicillin-resistant ATCC BAA44, and ATCC 6919. Cytotoxicity assays were performed on human dermal fibroblast (HDFa) and keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell lines to assess the safety profile of the extracts. Chemical characterization was conducted using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).

Exit Interviews Exploring Patients' Experience of Change in Crohn's Disease Symptoms During the Mirikizumab Phase 3 Clinical Trial In Adult Patients With Moderately-to-Severely Crohn's Disease.

Background: Exit interviews with patients who completed the Phase 3 VIVID-1 mirikizumab clinical trial for moderately-to-severely active Crohn's disease explored the content validity of bowel urgency, stool frequency, and abdominal pain patient-reported outcome measures and perceptions of meaningful within-patient change and remission in these key Crohn's disease symptoms.

Methodology: Cognitive debriefing explored patient understanding of the bowel urgency numeric rating scale (Urgency NRS), Crohn's Disease Activity Index: Stool Frequency (CDAI-SF) and Abdominal Pain (CDAI-AP), and patient global rating/impression of severity/change (PGRS/PGIC). Perceptions of meaningful change and remission were explored qualitatively.

Dysplasia and Colorectal Cancer Surveillance in Ulcerative Colitis Patients in Latin America: Real-World Data.

Background: The prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is higher than in the general population, in Latin America there is a progressive increase of UC, and information about CRC screening in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is scarce. The aim of this study was to analyze the findings of endoscopic surveillance of CRC in patients with IBD according to available technology.

Methods: Multicenter, cross-sectional, analytical study conducted in Latin American countries, in patients with UC, predominantly with more than 8 years of diagnosis and different degrees of disease activity.

Dataset of aerial photographs acquired with UAV using a multispectral (green, red and near-infrared) camera for cherry tomato ( var. ) monitoring.

A dataset of aerial photographs acquired with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) DJI Phantom 4 Pro is presented for monitoring a cherry tomato ( var. ) crop in Navolato, Mexico. Seven photogrammetric flights were carried out to assess the plant growth using a Mapir Survey 3W multispectral camera.

Land use influences the faecal glucocorticoid metabolites of multiple species across trophic levels.

Human landscape modification is amongst the greatest drivers of biodiversity loss. Measuring faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) in wildlife is of great value to measure the impact of human activities on local biodiversity because FGM offer a non-invasive way of measuring an animal's response to changes in its environment in the form of adrenocortical activity. Here, we measure the concentration of FGM in three native Australian mammal species belonging to different trophic levels: the Tasmanian devil () and the spotted-tailed quoll (), both carnivores, and an omnivore that is primarily an arboreal folivore, the brushtail possum (), and compare the FGM concentrations across three major land uses: agricultural, plantation and National Parks.

Learning Curve in the Extraction of Impacted Lower Third Molars: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: Third molar removal is one of the most common surgical procedures in dentistry. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the learning curve of dentists undergoing surgical training. Thus, the aims of this study were to assess the performance of oral surgery residents in third molar extractions based on operative time and the occurrence of incidents/complications, and to determine which variables are associated with surgical difficulty.

Non-linear interactions of lower limb clinical measures associated with asymptomatic Achilles tendon pathology in ballet dancers.

Context: Tendon abnormalities on imaging are commonly observed in individuals with Achilles tendinopathy. Those abnormalities can also be present in asymptomatic individuals, which is an important risk factor for developing tendon symptoms. Ballet dancers are particularly vulnerable due to the high loads placed on their Achilles tendons.