Left ventricular elastance with resting volumetric transthoracic echocardiography identifies different phenotypes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: A retrospective analysis of a multicenter prospective observational study.

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous entity including patients with different phenotypes of near normal, normal, and supernormal left ventricular (LV) function.

Objectives: To assess the value of resting LV elastance (also known as force) with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to identify HFpEF phenotypes.

Methods: In a prospective, observational, multicenter study, 2380 HFpEF patients were recruited from July 2016 to May 2024.

The Crosstalk between Gut Microbiota and Nervous System: A Bidirectional Interaction between Microorganisms and Metabolome.

Several studies have shown that the gut microbiota influences behavior and, in turn, changes in the immune system associated with symptoms of depression or anxiety disorder may be mirrored by corresponding changes in the gut microbiota. Although the composition/function of the intestinal microbiota appears to affect the central nervous system (CNS) activities through multiple mechanisms, accurate epidemiological evidence that clearly explains the connection between the CNS pathology and the intestinal dysbiosis is not yet available. The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a separate branch of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the largest part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

Short-duration head-up tilt test potentiated with sublingual nitroglycerin in suspected vasovagal syncope: the fast Italian protocol.

Background: The traditional nitroglycerin (NTG) head-up tilt test (HUTT) is time-consuming and the test duration is a barrier to widespread utilization in clinical practice. It was hypothesized that a short-duration protocol is not inferior to the traditional protocol regarding the positivity rate and has a similar distribution of hemodynamic response.

Methods And Results: Patients undergoing HUTT were randomized 1:1 to a 10 min passive phase plus a 10 min 0.

Ancient herbal therapy: A brief history of .

Ginseng was the most revered of the herbs in ancient times in China, Korea, Japan, America. Ginseng was discovered over 5000 years ago in the mountains of Manchuria, China. References to ginseng are found in books dating back more than two millennia.

Non-Surgical Therapy and Oral Microbiota Features in Peri-Implant Complications: A Brief Narrative Review.

The therapeutic discretion in cases of peri-implantitis should take into account the limits and advantages of specific therapeutic itineraries tailored according to each clinical case and each individual patient. This type of oral pathology emphasizes the complex classification and diagnostic issues coupled with the need for targeted treatments, in light of the oral peri-implant microbiota changes. This review highlights the current indications for the non-surgical treatment of peri-implantitis, describing the specific therapeutic efficacy of different approaches and discussing the more appropriate application of single non-invasive therapies The non-surgical treatment choice with antiseptics or antibiotics (single or combined, local, or systemic) for short courses should be considered on a case-by-case basis to minimize the incidence of side effects and concomitantly avoid disease progression.

Update on COVID-19 and Effectiveness of a Vaccination Campaign in a Global Context.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 remains a significant issue for global health, the economy, and society. When SARS-CoV-2 began to spread, the most recent serious infectious disease of this century around the world, with its high morbidity and mortality rates, it is understandable why such infections have generally been spread in the past, mainly from international travel movements. This perspective review aimed to provide an update for clinicians on the recent developments related to the microbiological perspectives in pandemics, diagnostics, prevention (such as the spread of a virus), vaccination campaigns, treatment options, and health consequences for COVID-19 based on the current literature.

The Connection Between Physical Exercise and Gut Microbiota: Implications for Competitive Sports Athletes.

Gut microbiota refers to those microorganisms in the human digestive tract that display activities fundamental in human life. With at least 4 million different bacterial types, the gut microbiota is composed of bacteria that are present at levels sixfold greater than the total number of cells in the entire human body. Among its multiple functions, the microbiota helps promote the bioavailability of some nutrients and the metabolization of food, and protects the intestinal mucosa from the aggression of pathogenic microorganisms.

The Intestinal Microbiota May Be a Potential Theranostic Tool for Personalized Medicine.

The human intestine is colonized by a huge number of microorganisms from the moment of birth. This set of microorganisms found throughout the human body, is called the microbiota; the microbiome indicates the totality of genes that the microbiota can express, i.e.

Peripheral Purinergic Modulation in Pediatric Orofacial Inflammatory Pain Affects Brainstem Nitroxidergic System: A Translational Research.

Physiology of orofacial pain pathways embraces primary afferent neurons, pathologic changes in the trigeminal ganglion, brainstem nociceptive neurons, and higher brain function regulating orofacial nociception. The goal of this study was to investigate the nitroxidergic system alteration at brainstem level (spinal trigeminal nucleus), and the role of peripheral P2 purinergic receptors in an experimental mouse model of pediatric inflammatory orofacial pain, to increase knowledge and supply information concerning orofacial pain in children and adolescents, like pediatric dentists and pathologists, as well as oro-maxillo-facial surgeons, may be asked to participate in the treatment of these patients. The experimental animals were treated subcutaneously in the perioral region with pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulphonic acid (PPADS), a P2 receptor antagonist, 30 minutes before formalin injection.

Improving Healthcare Workers' Adherence to Surgical Safety Checklist: The Impact of a Short Training.

Background: Although surgery is essential in healthcare, a significant number of patients suffer unfair harm while undergoing surgery. Many of these originate from failures in non-technical aspects, especially communication among operators. A surgical safety checklist is a simple tool that helps to reduce surgical adverse events, but even if it is fast to fill out, its compilation is often neglected by the healthcare workers because of unprepared cultural background.

Possible role of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 in the progression of human colon precancerous lesions.

Background: Increased levels of oxidative stress/cell inflammation contribute to colorectal cancer (CRC) onset. Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its controlled growth factor erv1-like (Gfer) gene regulate redox-sensitive and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, respectively, which can contribute to promoting cancer development.

Aim: We evaluated Nrf2 and Gfer RNA expression and Nrf2 protein expression in colon mucosa in order to establish their possible involvement in the early stage of CRC.

: A historical study on the origins of leprosy and its social stigma.

This article aims to investigate about the social stigma and the prejudice of society towards the patients with leprosy, but also to understand how this infectious disease has largely influenced human lifestyle and evolution analyzing the evolution of its treatments from past empirical treatments to actual multidrug therapy (MDT). References on leprosy were extensively searched in literature using PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Springer link and Elsevier's (EMBASE.com) databases, but also in medical, religious and archaeological books.

The war against bacteria, from the past to present and beyond.

Introduction: The human defense against microorganisms dates back to the ancient civilizations, with attempts to use substances from vegetal, animal, or inorganic origin to fight infections. Today, the emerging threat of multidrug-resistant bacteria highlights the consequences of antibiotics inappropriate use, and the urgent need for novel effective molecules.

Methods And Materials: We extensively researched on more recent data within PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, Elsevier's EMBASE, Cochrane Review for the modern pharmacology in between 1987 - 2021.

The Association between Nutritional Alterations and Oral Lesions in a Pediatric Population: An Epidemiological Study.

The oral conditions of an individual are the result of different factors, including the subject's genotype, oral hygiene habits, the type of diet, and lifestyle, such as smoking. Nutrition in the first years of life can affect dental health for a long time. To prevent mouth diseases, it is also important to eliminate unfavorable eating behaviour and to amplify protective ones.

Stress Echo 2030: The Novel ABCDE-(FGLPR) Protocol to Define the Future of Imaging.

With stress echo (SE) 2020 study, a new standard of practice in stress imaging was developed and disseminated: the ABCDE protocol for functional testing within and beyond CAD. ABCDE protocol was the fruit of SE 2020, and is the seed of SE 2030, which is articulated in 12 projects: 1-SE in coronary artery disease (SECAD); 2-SE in diastolic heart failure (SEDIA); 3-SE in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (SEHCA); 4-SE post-chest radiotherapy and chemotherapy (SERA); 5-Artificial intelligence SE evaluation (AI-SEE); 6-Environmental stress echocardiography and air pollution (ESTER); 7-SE in repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (SETOF); 8-SE in post-COVID-19 (SECOV); 9: Recovery by stress echo of conventionally unfit donor good hearts (RESURGE); 10-SE for mitral ischemic regurgitation (SEMIR); 11-SE in valvular heart disease (SEVA); 12-SE for coronary vasospasm (SESPASM). The study aims to recruit in the next 5 years (2021-2025) ≥10,000 patients followed for ≥5 years (up to 2030) from ≥20 quality-controlled laboratories from ≥10 countries.

Cardiac Involvement in COVID-19 Patients: A Contemporary Review.

: The widely variable clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV2 disease (COVID-19) range from asymptomatic infections to multiple organ failure and death. Among the organs affected is the heart. This does not only affect people who already have previous cardiovascular problems, but also healthy people.

Allergy: Is Aquacultured Fish a Safe and Alternative Food to Wild-Capture Fisheries for -Sensitized Patients?

Background: ( infection, in humans, causes a series of clinical manifestations affecting the gastro-intestinal tract known as Anisakiasis/Anisakidosis. Patients may also present allergic manifestations such as hives and/or angioedema and even anaphylactic shock. The aim of this study was to investigate whether aquacultured fish could be considered -free food and constitute a safe, alternative, wild-capture fish food for Gastro-Allergic Anisakiasis (GAA)-sensitized subjects.

Potential beneficial role of probiotics on the outcome of COVID-19 patients: An evolving perspective.

Background And Aims: Probiotics can support the body's systems in fighting viral infections. This review is aimed to focus current knowledge about the use of probiotics as adjuvant therapy for COVID-19 patients.

Methods: We performed an extensive research using the PubMed-LitCovid, Cochrane Library, Embase databases, and conducting manual searches on Google Scholar, Elsevier Connect, Web of Science about this issue.

Feasibility and functional correlates of left atrial volume changes during stress echocardiography in chronic coronary syndromes.

An enlarged left atrial volume index (LAVI) at rest mirrors increased LA pressure and/or impairment of LA function. A cardiovascular stress may acutely modify left atrial volume (LAV) within minutes. Aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and functional correlates of LAV-stress echocardiography (SE) Out of 514 subjects referred to 10 quality-controlled labs, LAV-SE was completed in 490 (359 male, age 67 ± 12 years) with suspected or known chronic coronary syndromes (n = 462) or asymptomatic controls (n = 28).

Soy Metabolism by Gut Microbiota from Patients with Precancerous Intestinal Lesions.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) requires the presence of a variety of factors predisposing a tumorigenic milieu. Excluding familial clustering and hereditary CRC syndromes, the development of sporadic CRC from precancerous lesions is influenced by tissue inflammation, modulation of intestinal immunity, hormones, dietary habits and gut microbiota composition. As concerning the last two aspects, the intestinal presence of equol, the most biologically active metabolite of the soy isoflavone daidzein and the presence of a genetic determinant of gut microbiota able to metabolize daidzein, seem to lower the CRC risk.

Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis Associated with HHV6-A/ciHHV6-A and HHV6-B Coinfection in an Immunocompetent Woman.

Background And Objective: Leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) is a small vessel vasculitis that can be limited to the skin but may also affect other organs. Often, its cause is unknown. LCV has previously been reported to occur with the reactivation of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6).