Association of LDL-cholesterol with prognosis in patients admitted for acutely decompensated heart failure.

Introduction And Objectives: The association of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF) remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of LDL-C in patients admitted for acutely decompensated HF and establish a safety cut-off value in this population.

Methods: This retrospective, observational study included 167 consecutive patients admitted for acute HF.

Multidisciplinary cardiorenal program for heart failure patients: Improving outcomes through comprehensive care.

The Cardiorenal Program (CRP), implemented within a specialized heart failure and kidney disease clinic, encompasses a multidisciplinary approach to the management of patients with heart failure and kidney disease. It focuses on optimizing therapy and improving patient outcomes. The CRP includes a range of services, including clinical evaluation, diagnostic testing, medical treatment, and patient education.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of leaded glasses for ensuring safety among healthcare professionals in fluoroscopy.

Background: Currently, there is an increase in procedures across various clinical specialties involving the use of ionising radiation.

Objective: The primary objective of this systematic review is to analyse and compare the existing literature regarding the effectiveness of leaded glasses for healthcare professionals.

Methods: Comprehensive literature searches were conducted for relevant studies published between 2018 and 2023 using the Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) methodology.

Relations between microplastic contamination and stress biomarkers under two seasonal conditions in wild carps, mullets and flounders.

Potential effects of microplastics (MP, plastic particles <5 mm) on the levels of multiple stress biomarkers were investigated in wild fish populations of Cyprinus carpio, Mugil cephalus, Platichthys flesus captured in the Minho River estuary located in the Iberian Peninsula. Specimens were collected in March and September 2018, corresponding to the end of winter and summer, respectively. Based on the concentration of MP determined by FT-IR analysis and morphological inspection, fishes from each species were divided into two groups: ≤0.

Enhancing prediction of major depressive disorder onset in adolescents: A machine learning approach.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental health condition that often begins in adolescence, with significant long-term implications. Indicated prevention programs targeting adolescents with mild symptoms have shown efficacy, yet the methods for identifying at-risk individuals need improvement. This study aims to evaluate the utility of Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) in predicting the onset of MDD among non-depressed adolescents, compared to traditional screening methods.

Occurrence and molecular identification of haemotropic Mycoplasma species in grey wolves (Canis lupus) from southern Europe.

Although wild and domestic carnivores share some haemotropic Mycoplasma species, information about the circulation of this pathogen in grey wolves (Canis lupus) populations is still very limited. Thus, a geographically broad-based investigation was performed for determining the occurrence and diversity of Mycoplasma spp. in three different wolf populations from southern Europe.

Artificial intelligence applied in identifying left ventricular walls in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy images: Pilot study.

This paper proposes the use of artificial intelligence techniques, specifically the nnU-Net convolutional neural network, to improve the identification of left ventricular walls in images of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, with the objective of improving the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. The methodology included data collection in a clinical environment, followed by data preparation and analysis using the 3D Slicer Platform for manual segmentation, and subsequently, the application of artificial intelligence models for automated segmentation, focusing on the efficiency of identifying the walls of the left ventricular. A total of 83 clinical routine exams were collected, each exam containing 50 slices, which is 4,150 images.

Walking or hanging: the role of habitat use for body shape evolution in lacertid lizards.

Differences in habitat use impose ecological constraints which in turn lead to functional and morphological differences through adaptation. In fact, a convergent evolutionary pattern is evident when species exhibit similar responses to similar environments. In this study we examine how habitat use influences the evolution of body shape in lizards from the family Lacertidae.

Low-Impedance Hybrid Carbon Structures on SiO: A Sequential Gas-Phase Coating Approach.

Carbon coating on SiO surface is crucial for enhancing initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and cycling performance in batteries, while also buffering volume expansion. Despite its market prevalence, the effects of the carbon layer's quality and structure on the electrochemical properties of SiO remain underexplored. This study compares carbon layers produced via gas-phase and solid-phase coating methods, introducing an innovative technique that sequentially uses two gases to develop a low-impedance hybrid carbon structure.

Exploring freshwater soundscapes of tropical marshland habitats in Southeast Asia: insights into auditory sensory adaptation of wild Siamese fighting fish .

While soundscapes shape the structure and function of auditory systems over evolutionary timescales, there is limited information regarding the adaptation of wild fish populations to their natural acoustic environments. This is particularly relevant for freshwater ecosystems, which are extremely diverse and face escalating pressures from human activities and associated noise pollution. The Siamese fighting fish is one of the most important cultured species in the global ornamental fish market and is increasingly recognized as a model organism for genetics and behavioural studies.

Digital business, work and consumption in a service relation: a case study of a delivery platform company.

The platform economy has contributed to new ways of organising business, work, and consumption. To understand the shape and scope of these changes, it is crucial to pay simultaneous attention to these three domains. The new ways of organising, dividing and coordinating work are interlinked with specific ways of consuming services made available by digital platforms.

A never-ending story: updated 3D cyber-taxonomic revision of the ant genus Wheeler (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Dorylinae) for the Afrotropical region.

The ant genus are fascinating ants due to their distinctive morphology, ecology, and rarity. In this study, a comprehensive revision of in the Afrotropical region is presented, through a combination of morphological examination under the light microscope and three-dimensional (3D) cyber-taxonomy based on microtomography (micro-CT). Micro-CT based 3D surface models of all species were used for virtual morphological visualisation and examination.

Giant Cardiac Myxoma as a Cause of Stroke.

Cardiac myxomas are the most common primary intracardiac tumors and are histologically benign. However, they are potentially dangerous because of the risk of systemic embolism. Echocardiography is the key diagnostic tool for atrial myxomas, allowing for the identification of the tumor, as well as determining its location, shape, size, and connections with adjacent cardiac structures.

Enhancing Diagnostic Precision: Intracardiac Echocardiography-Guided Endomyocardial Biopsy for Complex Right Atrial Mass.

An 80-year-old woman with a history of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma presented to the emergency department with exertional dyspnea and lower limb edema. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a large extracardiac mass invading the right atrium. A diagnostic transcatheter endomyocardial biopsy guided by intracardiac echocardiography was performed.

Intestinal Parasitic Infections in Children: A 10-Year Retrospective Study.

Background and objective Intestinal parasitic infections are a major public health concern, especially in low-income regions with poor sanitation. Our hospital caters to a large migrant population, but data on these infections in Portugal is limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and characteristics of intestinal parasitic infections in pediatric patients from epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological perspectives.

Large-scale and long-term wildlife research and monitoring using camera traps: a continental synthesis.

Camera traps are widely used in wildlife research and monitoring, so it is imperative to understand their strengths, limitations, and potential for increasing impact. We investigated a decade of use of wildlife cameras (2012-2022) with a case study on Australian terrestrial vertebrates using a multifaceted approach. We (i) synthesised information from a literature review; (ii) conducted an online questionnaire of 132 professionals; (iii) hosted an in-person workshop of 28 leading experts representing academia, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and government; and (iv) mapped camera trap usage based on all sources.

The Unusual Mesophases and Properties Exhibited by a Family of Glycosteroids.

In this article we describe research on the synthesis and characterization of a family of "Janus" amphiphiles composed of disaccharide head groups and alkaloid units joined together via a methylene linker, and bearing a lateral aliphatic chain of varying length. The condensed phases formed by self-organization of the products as a function of temperature were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, thermal polarized light microscopy, and small angle X-ray scattering, allied with computational modelling and simulations. Structural studies on heating specimens from the solid showed that some homologues exhibited lamellar, columnar and bicontinuous mesophases, whereas the same homologues revealed different phase sequences on cooling from the amorphous liquid.

GLAC-Unet: Global-Local Active Contour Loss with an Efficient U-Shaped Architecture for Multiclass Medical Image Segmentation.

The field of medical image segmentation powered by deep learning has recently received substantial attention, with a significant focus on developing novel architectures and designing effective loss functions. Traditional loss functions, such as Dice loss and Cross-Entropy loss, predominantly rely on global metrics to compare predictions with labels. However, these global measures often struggle to address challenges such as occlusion and nonuni-form intensity.

The impact of demographics and positioning on the imaging features of the optic nerve sheath and ophthalmic vessels.

Background: There are significant discrepancies in the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) reported in the literature. We aimed to determine the ultrasonographic imaging features of ONSD and ophthalmic vessels in a healthy population, using a standardized protocol, and to estimate the effect of demographics and positioning changes on imaging measurements.

Methods: We measured the mean values of the ONSD in supine and sitting position and the Doppler imaging parameters of the ophthalmic, central retinal and short posterior ciliary arteries.

The Mental Health Literacy and Stigma Scale-Bilingual Cultural Adaptation: Validity and Reliability Pilot Study in Nursing Students.

Aim: To describe and evaluate the psychometric properties (reliability and construct validity) of the Mental Health Literacy and Stigma Scale-Bilingual (MHLaSS-B).

Design: This is a methodological study designed in a convenience sample of 271 Portuguese and Spanish nursing students who volunteered to participate in the research.

Methods: The Mental Health Literacy and Stigma Scale-Bilingual version (Spanish and Portuguese) was used for data collection.

Can the Urban Lifestyle Impact on Children BMI and Healthy Sleep?

Objectives: This study aimed to (i) compare children's lifestyle by urbanization level and (ii) examine the association between children's body mass index (BMI) and the risk of having unhealthy sleep (American Academy of Pediatrics).

Methods: Eight thousand one hundred fifty-nine children (4124 females) aged 6-9 years were observed and classified as urban or nonurban. Height and weight were measured, and the BMI was calculated.

Untreated women with first trimester fasting glycaemia 92-125 mg/dL and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in the 24-28th week OGTT: prevalence and predictors.

Introduction: Women with first trimester fasting glycaemia (FTFG) 92-125 mg/dL may present with normal 24-28th week OGTT (2T-OGTT). Predictors of persistent hyperglycaemia were scarcely investigated. We studied the prevalence and predictors of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the 2T-OGTT in women with untreated elevated FTFG.

Adolescents and parents experiencing parental cancer: construction of a nursing intervention model.

Objective: To develop a nursing intervention model for adolescents and parents experiencing parental cancer.

Method: Multimethod research, which integrated five studies: a scoping review and four qualitative studies. Considering the results of these studies, a nursing intervention model was constructed based on two theoretical frameworks, such as the A Model of Children's Adjustment to Parental Cancer, for adolescents, and Neuman Systems Model, for parents, and on a semantic framework, such as Nursing Ontology.