Chirality and Rigidity in Triazole-Modified Peptidomimetics Interacting with Neuropilin-1.

The interaction of Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been shown to promote angiogenesis under physiological and pathological conditions. Angiogenesis around tumors is a major factor allowing for their growth and spread. Disrupting NRP-1/VEGF complex formation is thus a promising pathway for the development of new anticancer pharmaceuticals.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on acute heart failure admissions and mortality: a multicentre study (COV-HF-SIRIO 6 study).

Aims: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the landscape of medical care delivery worldwide. We aimed to assess the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on hospital admissions and in-hospital mortality rate in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) in a retrospective, multicentre study.

Methods And Results: From 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020, a total of 101 433 patients were hospitalized in 24 Cardiology Departments in Poland.

Molecular imaging of myogenic stem/progenitor cells with [F]-FHBG PET/CT system in SCID mice model of post-infarction heart.

Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that stem cells can promote the regeneration of damaged tissues, but therapeutic protocols need better quality control to confirm the location and number of transplanted cells. This study describes in vivo imaging while assessing reporter gene expression by its binding to a radiolabelled molecule to the respective receptor expressed in target cells. Five mice underwent human skeletal muscle-derived stem/progenitor cell (huSkMDS/PC EF1-HSV-TK) intracardial transplantation after induction of myocardial infarction (MI).

Guidance for anticoagulation management in venous thromboembolism during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Poland: an expert opinion of the Section on Pulmonary Circulation of the Polish Cardiac Society.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affects anticoagulation not only in those infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) but also in most patients who require daily anticoagulant therapy and are facing substantial limitations in medical care these days. Concomitant venous thromboembolism (VTE), a potential cause of unexplained deaths, has frequently been reported in patients with COVID-19, but its management is still challenging due to the complexity between antithrombotic therapy and hematological alterations. In the era of COVID-19 pandemic, it is highly recommended for patients who require chronic anticoagulation to continue therapy to prevent thromboembolic events.

Can Keratin Scaffolds be used for Creating Three-dimensional Cell Cultures?

Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures were created with the use of fur keratin associated proteins (F-KAPs) as scaffolds. The procedure of preparation F-KAP involves combinations of chemical activation and enzymatic digestion. The best result in porosity and heterogeneity of F-KAP surface was received during pepsin digestion.

Management of dyslipidaemia in patients with coronary heart disease: Results from the ESC-EORP EUROASPIRE V survey in 27 countries.

Background And Aims: One of the objectives of the ESC-EORP EUROASPIRE V survey is to determine how well European guidelines on the management of dyslipidaemias are implemented in coronary patients.

Methods: Standardized methods were used by trained technicians to collect information on 7824 patients from 130 centers in 27 countries, from the medical records and at a visit at least 6 months after hospitalization for a coronary event. All lipid measurements were performed in one central laboratory.

JAK-inhibitors in dermatology: current evidence and future applications.

The Janus kinase (JAK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway is a ubiquitous intracellular signaling network. Selective JAK-inhibitors have anti-inflammatory properties and have been approved in many countries for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (tofacitinib, baricitinib) and myelofibrosis or polycythemia vera (ruxolitinib). The aim of the publication was to summarize and critically analyze the efficacy and safety of JAK-inhibitors in skin diseases, such as psoriasis, alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis and vitiligo.

Enkephalin degradation in serum of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a group of chronic and recurrent gastrointestinal disorders that are difficult to control. Recently, a new IBD therapy based on the targeting of the endogenous opioid system has been proposed. Consequently, due to the fact that endogenous enkephalins have an anti-inflammatory effect, we aimed at investigating the degradation of serum enkephalin (Met- and Leu-enkephalin) in patients with IBD.

Education, cardiovascular risk factors and blood pressure control in hypertensive outpatients.

Background: The lack of knowledge of hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors continues to be a major challenge for blood pressure (BP) control and effective prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Aim: This prospective, single-centre, open-label, randomised study was designed to evaluate the impact of education on cardiovascular risk control and target BP values in hypertensive outpatients.

Methods: We studied 201 consecutive hypertensive outpatients during the first outpatient visit.

The effect of chronic administration of corticosterone on anxiety- and depression-like behavior and the expression of GABA-A receptor alpha-2 subunits in brain structures of low- and high-anxiety rats.

The aim of this study was to examine changes in rat emotional behavior and determine differences in the expression of GABA-A receptor alpha-2 subunits in brain structures of low- (LR) and high-anxiety (HR) rats after the repeated corticosterone administration. The animals were divided into LR and HR groups based on the duration of their conditioned freezing in a contextual fear test. Repeated daily administration of corticosterone (20 mg/kg) for 21 days decreased activity in a forced swim test, reduced body weight and decreased prefrontal cortex corticosterone concentration in both the LR and HR groups.