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Se restablecieron los parámetros de diseño de una rueda dentada cilíndrica de dientes rectos del torno 16K20. Esta pieza hecha de acero 40XH, juega un papel fundamental en el funcionamiento del torno pero debido a los años de explotación ha sufrido desgaste en sus dientes, como resultado de la fricción que ocurre en la transmisión influenciado por el exceso de trabajo e inadecuada lubricación que han provocado la variación de los parámetros del diseño de los dientes de la rueda. Se caracterizó de forma geométrica y constructiva la pieza determinando los requisitos dimensionales como sus tolerancias, rugosidad superficial, determinando su calidad, errores de forma y posición, grado de posición y de tolerancia, así como las pulsaciones que están presentes en la misma. Se muestran los cálculos de resistencia a los esfuerzos a los que está sometida la pieza de flexión y contacto. Como resultado de estos cálculos se determinan las causas del fallo de la rueda dentada cilíndrica de dientes rectos del torno 16K20 de la Empresa Mecánica del Níquel (EMNI) del municipio Moa.

Se estableció el comportamiento microestructural y la dureza, en una unión disímil entre la aleación de cobre Cu-DHP y el acero AISI 316L mediante soldadura por fricción rotativa. La junta se realizó con número de revoluciones de 1 200 r/min en barras de 12 mm de diámetro y 100 mm de longitud, se aplicó presión de soldadura de 30 MPa. Las variables del proceso fueron el tiempo de soldadura, la presión y el tiempo de forja. En la zona termomecánicamente afectada y la térmica afectada, se pudo determinar que, existe la presencia de fase α y β y óxido cuproso (Cu2O) en el lado del Cu-DHP y en el acero AISI 316L, la presencia de la fase austenítica equiaxial, con ferrita en la matriz. La dureza se incrementó desde 89,7 HV en el cobre y 217 HV en el AISI 316L hasta 250 HV en la ZTMA.

Se elaboró un programa de mantenimiento para al dimensionamiento correcto de las tuberías del Hospital Pediátrico Pedro Agustín Pérez de Guantánamo para asegurar el rendimiento de la bomba y la selección del motor adecuado que permita cumplir con los requerimientos del sistema. El proceso de evaluación permitió identificar deficiencias en el sistema de bombeo relacionadas con el dimensionamiento de las tuberías, lo que afecta significativamente el rendimiento de la bomba y la potencia del motor es insuficiente para el sistema de bombeo. Se propone realizar un programa de mantenimiento que incluye acciones para: un dimensionamiento correcto de las tuberías para asegurar el rendimiento de la bomba y para la selección del motor adecuado que permita cumplir con los requerimientos del sistema. Se aportan además sugerencias prácticas, en términos de mantenimiento, que incluyen pautas para la limpieza y mantenimiento adecuado de la bomba, así como el monitoreo regular de las válvulas.

La presente investigación surge por las insuficiencias en la superación profesional de los profesores, como vía de solución a esta problemática se propuso la elaboración de una metodología de superación profesional dirigida al desarrollo del plan tutelar de los residentes en medicina general integral. Para el desarrollo del estudio se utilizaron diversos métodos y técnicas como el histórico lógico, análisis-síntesis, inductivo-deductivo, el sistémico-estructural-funcional, las entrevistas, encuestas. La metodología que se presenta constituye un aporte práctico obteniéndose juicios favorables que connotan la viabilidad de la propuesta; los resultados alcanzados se consideran efectivos al aportar elementos positivos de su concreción práctica en la formación de los residentes en medicina general integral.

Se estableció el comportamiento microestructural en barra de acero estructural del tipo ASTM A615 grado 60 G. La unión de las barras se realizó a tope con bisel a 60o con electrodos E 6010 y E 7018, se determinó el comportamiento microestructural, el por ciento de fases y la dureza en las zonas de la unión soldada. Con el E 6010 se obtiene estructuras del tipo ferrita acicular y de perlita, con un 38,3 % y 21,3 % respectivamente, con el E 7018 la ferrita acicular es de 31,5 % y de 10,33 % de martensita, con ninguno de los aportes se determinó la presencia de grietas. En el barrido de dureza realizado en las diferentes zonas, para el primero desde 230 HV incrementa hasta 383 HV en la ZAC, con un descenso de 285 HV en la ZF, para el segundo en la ZAC es de 224 HV y de 190 HV en la ZF.

Se determinó el comportamiento a la fatiga en un tornillo de acero micro aleado AISI 4140 empleado en la culata del motor de combustión interna MAN B&W a través del Método de los Elementos Finitos. A partir de tamaño crítico de grietas de 4,2; 6,2; 8,1 y 21,6 se estableció la metodología de cálculo donde se consideró la carga distribuida de contacto y de rozamiento, las solicitaciones, el esfuerzo normal y el de corte, para determinar el fenómeno de la fractura en el tornillo. Se comprobó que la falla por fatiga del tornillo inicia con tensiones de Von Misses mínimas de 401,8 MPa; las cuales se incrementan hasta un valor máximo de 1 796 MPa; provocando la falla por fractura en los primeros filetes de rosca. La carga aplicada de 2 369 149,4 N; genera un esfuerzo cortante máximo de 104,55 Nm2, siendo este el pico máximo de resistencia antes que se produzca el fallo por fractura y que al ejercer una fuerza de 297 918,52 N; inicia un cambio en el límite elástico de este acero con la propagación de grietas, siendo el valor de 6,2 mm, la zona de transición entre las deformaciones elásticas y plásticas con incremento de la deformación.

Background: Alterations in respiratory system kinematics in stroke lead to restrictive pattern associated with decreased lung volumes. Chest physical therapy, such as positive expiratory pressure, may be useful in the treatment of these patients; however, the optimum intensity to promote volume and motion changes of the chest wall remains unclear. Objective: To assess the effect of different intensities of positive expiratory pressure on chest wall kinematics in subjects with stroke compared to healthy controls. Methods: 16 subjects with chronic stroke and 16 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and body mass index were recruited. Chest wall volumes were assessed using optoelectronic plethysmography during quiet breathing, 5 minutes, and recovery. Three different intensities of positive expiratory pressure (10, 15, and 20cmH2O) were administered in a random order with a 30 minutes rest interval between intensities. Results: During positive expiratory pressure, tidal chest wall expansion increased in both groups compared to quiet breathing; however, this increase was not significant in the subjects with stroke (0.41 vs. 1.32 L, 0.56 vs. 1.54 L, 0.52 vs. 1.8 L, at 10, 15, 20cmH2O positive expiratory pressure, for stroke and control groups; p <0.001). End-expiratory chest wall volume decreased in controls, mainly due to the abdomen, and increased in the stroke group, mainly due the pulmonary rib cage. Conclusion: Positive expiratory pressure administration facilitates acute lung expansion of the chest wall and its compartments in restricted subjects with stroke. Positive expiratory pressure intensities above 10cmH2O should be used with caution as the increase in end-expiratory volume led to hyperinflation in subjects with stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health threats such as the current COVID-19 pandemics have required prompt action by the local, national, and international authorities. Rapid and noninvasive diagnostic methods may provide on-site detection and immediate social isolation, used as tools to rapidly control virus spreading. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to evaluate a commercial breath analysis test (TERA.Bio®) and deterministic algorithm for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 spectral signature of Volatile Organic Compounds present in exhaled air samples of suspicious persons from southern Brazil. A casuistic total of 70 infected and 500 non-infected patients were sampled, tested, and results later compared to RT-qPCR as gold standard. Overall, the test showed 92.6% sensitivity and 96.0% specificity. No statistical correlation was observed between SARS-CoV-2 positivity and infection by other respiratory diseases. Further studies should focus on infection monitoring among asymptomatic persons. In conclusion, the breath analysis test herein may be used as a fast, on-site, and easy-to-apply screening method for diagnosing COVID-19.

Abstract Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy is an emerging technology that is that is bringing a number of technical breakthroughs in several scientific applications. This review aimed to describe potential applications of THz spectroscopy at the biochemistry and molecules detection for food industry, environment monitoring and diagnostics, and present the importance of such technological platform in disease control and Public Health.

This paper studies the influence of a magnetic-abrasive treatment, as well as the treatment in a magnetic field on the change of materials structure, applying Fourier-spectroscopy. Experimental results show that after the treatment the structure of investigated materials became more fine-dispersed with a well-defined orientation of tension on a boundary of the structured components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this investigation is to determine the relation between the transformations of phases occurring during the rotational friction welding of AA 5754 12-mm-diameter aluminum alloys. The process was carried out using a 16 K 20 lathe based on joint parameters ranging between 1 200 and 1 400 rev/min with a pressure of 0,9 and 1,9 MPa, respectively. It was determined that the friction temperature decreases as the number of revolutions increases as well as the metallurgical variation both in the thermo-mechanically affected area and in the thermally affected area. The hardness profiles show the increase by the plastic flow effect, metallurgical variations and the existence of precipitates.

BackgroundThe expansion of the rib cage and abdomen occurs in a synchronic way during a coordinated contraction of the diaphragm and the abdominal and intercostal muscles under normal conditions and healthy. The presence of restrictive respiratory disease may lead to uncoordinated action of the respiratory muscles which affects breathing pattern and chest wall volumes. The aim of this study was to evaluate chest wall volumes, chest wall asynchrony and inspiratory paradoxical movement of breathing, as well as the influence of the time of disease diagnosis in subjects with Parkinson's disease and post-Stroke in comparison to healthy individuals.MethodsTotal and compartmental chest wall volumes, chest wall asynchrony and paradoxical movement were measured at rest in a seated position by Optoelectronic Plethysmography in 76 individuals (29 healthy individuals, 20 post-Stroke and 27 Parkinson's disease subjects). Post-stroke and Parkinson's disease subjects were also grouped according to the length of diagnosis.ResultsIn both groups with restrictive respiratory disease we observed that pulmonary rib cage compartment (VRCp) volume is reduced when compared to healthy subjects (p ConclusionOur study presents new findings for better understanding of chest wall volumes and chest wall asynchrony in post-stroke and Parkinson's disease individuals. Half of the subjects with post-Stroke and Parkinson's disease presented inspiratory paradox movement, but changes in breathing pattern was especially observed in post-stroke subjects with more than three years of diagnosis.

La malnutrici¢n infantil es provocada por una inadecuada ingesta alimenticia durante el destete y/o los primeros años de vida de los niños y puede darse por déficit (desnutrición) o exceso (sonbrepeso u obesidad). La desnutrición se clasifica en tres tipos básicos: Marasmo, Kwashiorkor y Mixta. Los niños que padecen de este mal se encuentran en un alto riesgo de que la desnutrición pase de leve a moderada o servera y a la muerte si no es tratada como es debida. La desnutrición se caracteriza principalmente por la escasez del peso. El objetivo principal de esta investigación fue determinar la incidencia de la desnutrición de los niños menores de 5 años residentes en el barrio El Manguito en el periodo agosto/octubre-. En esta investigación de tipo prospectivo se tomó como muestra a 40 niños que cumplieron con el criterio de inclusión en que se basó la investigación, estos niños fueron sometidos a un estudio para la determinación de su perfil biofísico. Se determinó que la mayor¡a de los niños estaban en un estado nutricio normal con un (42 por ciento), siendo el sexo femenino de mejor estado nutricio con un (47 por ciento) a diferencia de los varones con un (32 por ciento), lo que indica que, la mayoría de la población infantil del barrio El Manguito se encuentra en estado nutricio normal. Aun así es recomendable que : que la alimentaci¢n diaria sea variada, equilibrada, suficiente e higiénica, charlas educativas para las madres, adecuadas para su nivel de educación, promover la lactancia materna, vigilar de cerca la aparición de carencias de micronutrientes y en el caso de ser necesario dar al niño(a) el suplemento indicado, etc.

En las empresas cubanas del níquel con tecnología carbonato amoniacal (CAROM), el proceso de secado no logra los valores óptimos de humedad que garantizan la molienda. En este trabajo se determina la influencia de la humedad de equilibrio, la constante de secado y el coeficiente de transferencia de masa, durante el secado del mineral laterítico a escala de laboratorio. Se obtiene la correlación y regresión de las variables antes mencionadas en función de la temperatura y el contenido de humedad del mineral. Se confirmó experimentalmente que para un rango de temperatura entre 80 y 120 ºC, la de humedad de equilibrio del mineral laterítico se encuentra entre 0,0217 y 0,039 g /g, la constante de secado entre 0,0198 y 0,0077 1/min., y el coeficiente de transferencia de masa entre 0,0044 y 0,0116 g / m2 .min. Se concluye que el exceso de humedad en el mineral que sale de los secadores no está relacionado con el régimen de temperatura usado en el proceso

INTRODUÇÃO: O lupus eritematoso sistêmico (LES) é uma doença inflamatória crônica que acomete múltiplos órgãos ou sistemas, não apresenta manifestação clínica patognomônica ou teste laboratorial sensível e específico o suficiente para um diagnóstico específico. Para o diagnóstico, são utilizados os critérios propostos pelo Colégio Americano de Reumatologia (ACR), modificados em 1997. A presença de quatro ou mais critérios tem sensibilidade e especificidade de 96%. Porém, esses critérios para o LES podem ter especificidade mais baixa em regiões endêmicas para doenças infecciosas crônicas, como o Brasil, endêmico para hanseníase, que pode apresentar manifestações clínico-laboratoriais semelhantes. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo de prevalência, onde foram aplicados os critérios de LES, nos pacientes com diagnóstico recente de hanseníase multibacilar, que deram entrada no ambulatório de hanseníase da Clínica Dermatológica da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE) durante o período da coleta de dados, além de calculada a especificidade e o número de falso-positivos nesse grupo. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 100 pacientes. As prevalências de alguns dos critérios de LES foram elevadas. Os critérios com maior prevalência foram o eritema malar (44%), a artrite (23%), a fotossensibilidade (29%), a linfopenia (19%) e a presença dos anticorpos antifosfolípides, incluídos no critério imunológico (20%). A especificidade encontrada (84%) foi menor do que a atribuída aos critérios em 1997 pelo ACR. CONCLUSÕES: Doenças presentes em nosso meio, como a hanseníase nas formas multibacilares, mimetizam o quadro clínico-laboratorial do LES, o que deve deixar o médico atento à realidade das doenças infecciosas locais antes de afirmar um diagnóstico definitivo de LES.

Background: The twigs and roots of Erythrina subumbrans (Hassk). Merr. Was reported to possess antidiabetic activity by reducing the activity of α-glucosidase and α-amylase. TNF-α is a pro-inflammatory cytokine in obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM). It inhibits the action of insulin, causing insulin resistance. Adiponectin is an anti-inflammatory peptide synthesized in white adipose tissue (WAT) and its high levels are linked with a decreased risk of DM. However, information about the effect of Erythrina subumbrans (Hassk). Merr. on insulin resistance are still lacking., Purpose: To obtain the effects of the ethanol extract of E. subumbrans (Hassk) Merr. leaves (EES) in improving insulin resistance conditions., Methods: The leaves were collected at Ciamis, West Java, Indonesia, and were extracted using ethanol 96%. The effects of EES were studied in fructose-induced adult male Wistar rats by performing the insulin tolerance test (ITT) and assessing blood glucose, TNF-α, adiponectin, and FFA levels. The number of WAT and BAT of the adipose tissues was also studied. The total phenols and flavonoids in EES were determined by the spectrophotometric method and the presence of quercetin in EES was analyzed using the LC-MS method., Results: EES significantly reduced % weight gain, TNF-α levels, and increased adiponectin levels in fructose-induced Wistar rats. EES significantly reduced the FFA levels of fructose-induced Wistar rats and significantly affected the formation of BAT similar to that of metformin. All rats in EES and metformin groups improved insulin resistance as proven by higher ITT values (3.01 ± 0.91 for EES 100 mg/kg BW; 3.01 ± 1.22 for EES 200 mg/kg BW; 5.86 ± 3.13 for EES 400 mg/kg BW; and 6.44 ± 2.58 for metformin) compared with the fructose-induced group without treatment (ITT = 2.62 ± 1.38). EES contains polyphenol compounds (2.7638 ± 0.0430 mg GAE/g extract), flavonoids (1.9626 ± 0.0152 mg QE/g extract), and quercetin 0.246 µg/mL at m/z 301.4744., Conclusion: Erythrina subumbrans (Hassk). Merr. extract may have the potential to be further explored for its activity in improving insulin resistance conditions. However, further studies are needed to confirm its role in alleviating metabolic disorders., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Susilawati et al.)

This research aims to understand the extent of microplastic contamination in Pekalongan waters, Central Java, and its potential impact on fishing grounds, aligning with Indonesia's National Action Plan for Handling Marine Debris 2018-2025. The study employs a 2D hydrodynamics modelling approach with Mike 21 Software to map the spatial distribution of microplastic movement concerning fishing areas during the west and east monsoon seasons. The results showed that microplastic particles follow tidal currents in Pekalongan waters, with their movement influenced by factors such as current, wind, and tidal conditions. The trajectory of microplastics entering fishing ground areas poses potential contamination risk for fish caught by fishermen, threatening the health of marine ecosystems and the stability of their structure and function., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

We use synchrotron x-ray tomography of annual growth increments in the dental cementum of mammaliaforms (stem and crown fossil mammals) from three faunas across the Jurassic to map the origin of patterns of mammalian growth patterns, which are intrinsically related to mammalian endothermy. Although all fossils studied exhibited slower growth rates, longer life spans, and delayed sexual maturity relative to comparably sized extant mammals, the earliest crown mammals developed significantly faster growth rates in early life that reduced at sexual maturity, compared to stem mammaliaforms. Estimation of basal metabolic rates (BMRs) suggests that some fossil crown mammals had BMRs approaching the lowest rates of extant mammals. We suggest that mammalian growth patterns first evolved during their mid-Jurassic adaptive radiation, although growth remained slower than in extant mammals.

Introduction: This scoping review aims to comprehensively explore the existing research on the changes in pelvic floor function that occur throughout the childbirth pathway (antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal period). Furthermore, it seeks to identify new opportunities and directions for future research in this field. In particular, this review focuses on investigating pelvic floor muscle strength and tone in women during the childbirth pathway., Methods: The following databases were investigated from their inception: PubMed, OVID, Medline, ScienceDirect, The Cochrane Central Library, Scopus, Web of Science, PEDro, Scholar Google, Embase, and CINHAIL. Literature research was carried out from March to October 2022. Records identified through database searching were imported to Covidence. According to Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage scoping review framework, researchers screen titles and abstracts for eligibility and exclude records that do not meet the inclusion criteria., Results: A total of 40 studies were included in the data extraction phase. These articles underwent a review, with a specific emphasis on examining the tone, strength, and distensibility of the pelvic floor throughout the childbirth pathway. Among the selected studies, 22 investigated pelvic floor strength, 7 the distensibility, and 3 articles the tone., Conclusions: This review identified both areas of agreement and disagreement across all three themes examined, with a particular emphasis on labor and the postpartum period. Notably, the review unveiled a significant scarcity of data concerning the tone of pelvic floor muscles throughout the childbirth pathway. Further studies to investigate the relationship between midwifery care and pelvic floor outcomes are required to improve clinical practice., Competing Interests: The authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and none was reported., (© 2024 Manzotti A. et al.)

Living mammal groups exhibit rapid juvenile growth with a cessation of growth in adulthood 1 . Understanding the emergence of this pattern in the earliest mammaliaforms (mammals and their closest extinct relatives) is hindered by a paucity of fossils representing juvenile individuals. We report exceptionally complete juvenile and adult specimens of the Middle Jurassic docodontan Krusatodon, providing anatomical data and insights into the life history of early diverging mammaliaforms. We used synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging of cementum growth increments in the teeth 2-4 to provide evidence of pace of life in a Mesozoic mammaliaform. The adult was about 7 years and the juvenile 7 to 24 months of age at death and in the process of replacing its deciduous dentition with its final, adult generation. When analysed against a dataset of life history parameters for extant mammals 5 , the relative sequence of adult tooth eruption was already established in Krusatodon and in the range observed in extant mammals but this development was prolonged, taking place during a longer period as part of a significantly longer maximum lifespan than extant mammals of comparable adult body mass (156 g or less). Our findings suggest that early diverging mammaliaforms did not experience the same life histories as extant small-bodied mammals and the fundamental shift to faster growth over a shorter lifespan may not have taken place in mammaliaforms until during or after the Middle Jurassic., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Background: Little is known how individual time-in-therapeutic-range (TTR) impacts the effectiveness and safety of warfarin therapy compared to direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)., Objective: To compare the effectiveness and safety of standard dose DOACs to warfarin in patients with AF, while categorizing warfarin treated patients into quartiles based on their individual TTR., Materials and Methods: We conducted a nationwide study including all patients with new-onset AF between 2011 and 2018 in Finland. Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated using Cox regression analysis with the inverse probability of treatment weighted method to assess the risks of ischaemic stroke (IS), intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) and mortality for users of apixaban ( n  = 12,426), dabigatran ( n  = 4545), rivaroxaban ( n  = 12,950) and warfarin ( n  = 43,548)., Results: The median TTR for warfarin users was 72%. Compared to the second best TTR quartile (reference), the risk of IS was higher in the two poorest TTR quartiles, and lower in the best TTR quartile and on rivaroxaban [2.35 (95% confidence interval, 1.85-2.85), 1.44 (1.18-1.75), 0.60 (0.47-0.77) and 0.72 (0.56-0.92)]. These differences were non-significant for apixaban and dabigatran. HR of ICH was 6.38 (4.88-8.35) and 1.87 (1.41-2.49) in the two poorest TTR groups, 1.44 (1.02-1.93) on rivaroxaban, and 0.58 (0.40-0.85) in the best TTR group compared to the reference group. Mortality was higher in the two poorest TTR groups and lowest in the best TTR group., Conclusions: The outcome was unsatisfactory in the two lowest TTR quartiles - in half of the patients treated with warfarin. The differences between the high TTR groups and standard dose DOACs were absent or modest.

Background: Elevated serum levels of soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1) have been reported in many cancers; however, there is limited data of sPD-L1 in breast cancer, especially those representing Asian (Malay) women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sPD-L1 serum levels and analyze its correlation with clinical characteristics in breast cancer patients at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM)., Methods: Blood specimens were obtained from 92 malignant, 16 benign breast cancer patients and 23 healthy controls. The serum concentrations of sPD-L1 were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)., Results: The median serum sPD-L1 concentration of malignant and benign breast cancer patients was significantly elevated compared to the healthy cohorts (12.50 ng/mL vs 13.97 ng/mL vs 8.75 ng/mL, p < 0.05). Optimal cut-off value of serum sPD-L1 for predicting disease progression was 8.84  ng/mL. Elevated serum sPD-L1 levels were significantly associated with menarche age, ethnicity, birth control usage, comorbidity and HER2 status (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed the menarche age and birth control were the independent factors affecting sPD-L1 expression., Conclusion: Elevated serum levels of sPD-L1 were significantly associated with several clinical characteristics and warrant further investigation in evaluating patients pre-diagnosed with breast cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Competing Interests: None.

The present study focuses on the chemical characterization of a dry extract obtained from the species Ajuga chamaepitys (L.) Schreb, evaluating its antioxidant properties, toxicity, and in silico profile. Quantitative analysis of the dry extract revealed a notable amount of phytochemical compounds: 59.932 ± 21.167 mg rutin equivalents (mg REs)/g dry weight, 45.864 ± 4.434 mg chlorogenic acid equivalents (mg ChAEs)/g dry weight and, respectively, 83.307 ± 3.989 mg tannic acid equivalents (TAEs)/g dry weight. By UHPLC-HRMS/MS, the following were quantified as major compounds: caffeic acid (3253.8 μg/g extract) and kaempherol (3041.5 μg/g extract); more than 11 types of polyphenolic compounds were quantified (genistin 730.2 μg/g extract, naringenin 395 μg/g extract, apigenin 325.7 μg/g extract, galangin 283.3 μg/g extract, ferulic acid 254.3 μg/g extract, p-coumaric acid 198.2 μg/g extract, rutin 110.6 μg/g extract, chrysin 90.22 μg/g extract, syringic acid 84.2 μg/g extract, pinocembrin 32.7 μg/g extract, ellagic acid 18.2 μg/g extract). The antioxidant activity was in accordance with the amount of phytochemical compounds: IC 50 DPPH = 483.6 ± 41.4 µg/mL, IC 50 ABTS •+ = 127.4 ± 20.2 µg/mL, and EC 50 FRAP = 491.6 ± 2 µg/mL. On the larvae of Artemia sp., it was found that the extract has a low cytotoxic action. In silico studies have highlighted the possibility of inhibiting the activity of protein kinases CDK5 and GSK-3b for apigenin, galangin, and kaempferol, with possible utility for treating neurodegenerative pathologies and neuropathic pain. Further studies are warranted to confirm the predicted molecular mechanisms of action and to further investigate the therapeutic potential in animal models of neurological disorders.

Background: Health-focused research funders increasingly support multi-country research partnerships that study health, urban development and equity in global settings. To develop new knowledge that benefits society, these grants require researchers to integrate diverse knowledges and data, and to manage research-related aspects of coloniality, such as power imbalances and epistemic injustices. We conducted research to develop a transdisciplinary study proposal with partners in multiple middle and high income countries, aiming to embed equity into the methodology and funding model., Methods: Parallel to literature review, we used participatory and social research methods to identify case study cities for our primary study and to inform our study design. We conducted semi-structured interviews with informed and consented sustainable urban development experts in the USA (n=23). We co-developed our research approach with our global advisory group (n=14) and conducted a participatory workshop (n=30) to identify case study sites, also informed by conversations with international academic experts in sustainable development (n=27)., Results: Through literature review we found that there is a need to study the contextual pre-conditions of urban transformation, the influence of coloniality on understandings of how cities can change and the failure of standard development practices to meet the needs of all residents and the planet. Through expert input and literature we found that decolonial and storytelling methods may help us show the complexities behind stories of urban transformation, particularly the role of marginalized populations in creating long-term change., Conclusions: There are multiple benefits of conducting research to develop an equitably designed multi-country research collaboration. We built new partnerships and co-developed our research approach, creating new understanding of diverse collaborators' disciplinary perspectives and institutional requirements. By investigating the informational needs of U.S. sustainable development actors and designing our study to meet these needs, we have increased the likelihood that our research will create impact., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2024 Pineo H et al.)

This study aims to determine the serological profile of high-yielding dairy cows for four main viruses (bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoAHV1), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV3), and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV)) related to bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in cattle herds worldwide. In this survey, 497 blood serum samples were collected from non-vaccinated dairy cows without clinical respiratory signs in 39 herds in the central-eastern mesoregion of Paraná State, South Brazil. The presence of neutralizing antibodies was determined by virus neutralization (VN) tests. VN antibodies against BoAHV1, BVDV, BPIV3, and BRSV were detected in 355 (71.4%), 280 (56.3%), 481 (96.8%), and 315 (63.4%) serum samples, respectively. The frequencies of seropositive herds for BoAHV1, BVDV, BPIV3, and BRSV were 79.5 ( n = 31), 82.0 ( n = 32), 100 ( n = 39), and 84.6% ( n = 33), respectively. The frequencies of seropositive cows varied according to the type of herd management and the number of cows in the herd. The detection of VN antibodies in unvaccinated dairy cattle herds demonstrated the endemic circulation of the four viruses in the herds evaluated. For BRD prevention, it is recommended to implement a vaccination program for cows that provides passive immunity in calves and active immunity in cows.

Kidney dysfunction is increasing worldwide and is exacerbated by exposure to toxic metals. Also, pregnancy poses an overload on kidney function. We investigated how blood lead (PbB) and cadmium (CdB) levels were associated with kidney function in pregnant women from Recôncavo Baiano, Brazil, during their second trimester. In this cross-sectional study, the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated from serum creatinine and whole blood metal levels were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 136 volunteers. Sociodemographic data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The medians (IQR) of PbB, CdB, and eGFR were 0.85 µg/dL (0.45-1.75), 0.55 µg/L (0.08-0.91), and 121.8 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (106.0-127.9), respectively. PbB medians were significantly higher in the eGFR < 90 group at 2.00 µg/dL (0.83, 3.10). After age-adjusted logistic regression, pregnant women with elevated PbB levels had decreased eGFR (OR = 1.82; 95%-CI, 1.14-3.14). However, the participants with elevated PbB levels who reported consuming alcohol during pregnancy or had CdB in the highest tertile had higher odds of reduced eGFR (OR = 2.44; 95%-CI, 1.30-5.47) and (OR = 11.22; 95% CI, 2.53-103.51), respectively. These results suggest that low Pb exposure may affect kidney function in pregnant women and calls for further investigation into toxic metal co-exposures on kidney function during pregnancy in at-risk communities.

Background: The citrus vein phloem degeneration (CVPD) disease is one of important diseases that infects citrus plants and threatens global citrus production and quality due to its severe symptoms and rapid spread. In the 2000s, South Sulawesi Province as one of the citrus producers in Indonesia reported CVPD infection. To date, it is still uncertain as to whether the citrus production center has already been rid of the CVPD infection, keeping in mind the low prevalence of certified citrus saplings use and sub-optimal management of plantations by farmers., Results: Field observation results revealed varied chlorosis symptoms from young to productive cultivation, which certainly makes it appealing to find out the presence of the causative bacterium, as it has yet to be known whether all the leaves with positive chlorosis symptoms carry the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. Citrus saplings that appear healthy may carry CVPD pathogens as the incubation period of CVPD pathogens in the host plant spans three to five months. Thus, it is necessary to find the right, rapid way to detect the presence of CVPD pathogens in the citrus plant. The most effective method to use is PCR as the bacterium Candidatus L. asiaticus is non-culturable in vitro, but it is detectable using 16S rDNA. Sampling of leaves with CVPD symptoms was conducted purposively from eight varieties in five citrus cultivation locations, i.e., Pangkep, Sidrap, Bantaeng, Luwu Utara, and Kepulauan Selayar Regencies. DNA isolation was carried out following the Genomic DNA Kit (Geneaid) procedure, followed by detection using the specific pathogenic primer pair OI1 (5' GCG CGT ATG CAA TAC GAG CGG C 3') and OI2c (5' GCC TCG CGA CTT CGC AAC CCA T 3')., Conclusion: The PCR visualization result shows seven positive samples with DNA fragments measuring 1160 bp. The seven samples were samples of the Key lime, tangerine, Mandarin (cv. batu 55), and Mandarin (cv. selayar), each being derived from Sidrap, Luwu Utara, and Bantaeng. The average disease incidence rate was 66.56 %. Based on the field observation results, the insect vector Diaphorina citri was nowhere to be found in the five citrus cultivation locations in South Sulawesi., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Poverty is a problem that occurs in many countries, notably in Indonesia. The common methods used to obtain poverty information are surveys and censuses. However, this process takes a long time and uses a lot of human resources. On the other hand, governments and policymakers need a faster approach to know social-economic conditions for area development plans. Hence, in this paper, we develop e-commerce data and machine learning algorithms as a proxy for poverty levels that can provide faster information than surveys or censuses. The e-commerce dataset is used and this high-dimensional data becomes a challenge. Hence, feature selection algorithms are employed to determine the best features before building a machine learning model. Furthermore, three machine learning algorithms such as support vector regression, linear regression, and k-nearest neighbor are compared to predict the poverty rate. Hence, the contribution of this paper is to propose the combination of statistical-based feature selection and machine learning algorithms to predict the poverty rate based on e-commerce data. According to the experimental results, the combination of f-score feature selection and support vector regression surpasses other methods. It shows that e-commerce data and machine learning algorithms can be potentially used as a proxy for predicting poverty., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We evaluated the presence of antibodies against CaHV-1, CDV, and CPV-2 in serum samples from Brazilian wild carnivore species. Nine maned wolves and six crab-eating foxes were tested for CaHV-1 and CDV by virus neutralization test and CPV-2 by hemagglutination inhibition assay. Antibodies to CaHV-1, CDV, and CPV-2 were detected in serum samples of 1 (6.7%), 5 (33.3%), and 10 (66.7%) wild carnivores, respectively. Two maned wolves and one crab-eating fox were seropositive simultaneously for CDV and CPV-2. Antibodies against all viruses were detected in one crab-eating fox. This is the first report of CaHV-1 antibody detection in crab-eating foxes., (© 2023. EcoHealth Alliance.)

The concept of using plants to alleviate diseases is always challenging. In West Java, Indonesia, a local plant, named dadap serep has been traditionally used to reduce blood glucose, fever, and edema, by pounding the leaves and applying them on the inflamed skin, or boiled and consumed as herbal tea. This plant belongs to the Erythrina genus, which covers approximately 120 species. The scope of this review (1943-2023) is related to the Global Development Goals, in particular Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, by focusing on the pharmacology activity, toxicity, and clinical trials of Erythrina genus plants and their metabolites, e.g., pterocarpans, alkaloids, and flavonoids. Articles were searched on PubMed and ScienceDirect databases, using "Erythrina" AND "pharmacology activity" keywords, and only original articles written in English and open access were included. In vitro and in vivo studies reveal promising results, particularly for antibacterial and anticancer activities. The toxicity and clinical studies of Erythrina genus plants are limitedly reported. Considering that extensive caution should be taken when prescribing botanical drugs for patients parallelly taking a narrow therapeutic window drug, it is confirmed that no interactions of the Erythrina genus were recorded, indicating the safety of the studied plants. We, therefore, concluded that Erythrina genus plants are promising to be further explored for their effects in various signaling pathways as future plant-based drug candidates., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Susilawati, Levita, Susilawati and Sumiwi.)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the world's most common metabolic disease. The development of T2DM is mainly caused by a combination of two factors: the failure of insulin secretion by the pancreatic β-cells and the inability of insulin-sensitive tissues to respond to insulin (insulin resistance); therefore, the disease is indicated by a chronic increase in blood glucose. T2DM patients can be treated with mono- or combined therapy using oral antidiabetic drugs and insulin-replaced agents; however, the medication often leads to various discomforts, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, nausea and vomiting, and hypersensitivity reactions. A biguanide drug, metformin, has been used as a first-line drug to reduce blood sugar levels. Sulfonylureas work by blocking the ATP-sensitive potassium channel, directly inducing the release of insulin from pancreatic β-cells and thus decreasing blood glucose concentrations. However, the risk of the failure of sulfonylurea as a monotherapy agent is greater than that of metformin or rosiglitazone (a thiazolidinedione drug). Sulfonylureas are used as the first-line drug of choice for DM patients who cannot tolerate metformin therapy. Other antidiabetic drugs, thiazolidinediones, work by activating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), decreasing the IR level, and increasing the response of β-cells towards the glucose level. However, thiazolidines may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, weight gain, water retention, and edema. This review article aims to discuss case reports on the use of metformin, sulfonylureas, and thiazolidinediones in DM patients. The literature search was conducted on the PubMed database using the keywords 'metformin OR sulfonylureas OR thiazolidinediones AND case reports', filtered to 'free full text', 'case reports', and '10 years publication date'. In some patients, metformin may affect sleep quality and, in rare cases, leads to the occurrence of lactate acidosis; thus, patients taking this drug should be monitored for their kidney status, plasma pH, and plasma metformin level. Sulfonylureas and TZDs may cause a higher risk of hypoglycemia and weight gain or edema due to fluid retention. TZDs may be associated with risks of cardiovascular events in patients with concomitant T2DM and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Therefore, patients taking these drugs should be closely monitored for adverse effects.

Exposure of human sperm to progesterone (P4) activates cation channel of sperm (CatSper) channels, inducing an intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) transient followed by repetitive [Ca2+]i activity (oscillations), which are believed to be functionally important. We investigated the potential significance of store-operated Ca2+-entry in these oscillations using the inhibitor SKF96365 (30 µM; SKF). Following pre-treatment of human sperm with 3 µM P4, exposure to SKF doubled the proportion of oscillating cells (P = 0.00004). In non-pre-treated cells, SKF had an effect similar to P4, inducing a [Ca2+]i transient in >80% of cells which was followed by oscillations in ≈50% of cells. The CatSper blocker RU1968 (11 µM) inhibited the SKF-induced [Ca2+]i increase and reversibly arrested [Ca2+]i oscillations. Using whole-cell patch clamp, we observed that SKF enhanced CatSper currents by 100% within 30 s, but amplitude then decayed to levels below control over the next minute. When cells were stimulated with P4, CatSper currents were stably increased (by 200%). Application of SKF then returned current amplitude to control level or less. When sperm were prepared in medium lacking bovine serum albumin (BSA), both P4 and SKF induced a [Ca2+]i transient in >95% of cells but the ability of SKF to induce oscillations was greatly reduced (P = 0.0009). We conclude that SKF, similar to a range of small organic molecules, activates CatSper channels, but that a secondary blocking action also occurs, which was detected only during patch-clamp recording. The failure of SKF to induce oscillations when cells were prepared without BSA emphasizes that the drug does not fully mimic the actions of P4., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.)

Background: Women with epilepsy (WWE) are vulnerable in pregnancy, with increased risks to mother and baby including teratogenic risks, especially from valproate. The free EpSMon mobile-phone app allows self-monitoring to afford patient-centred feedback on seizure related risks, such as sudden death in epilepsy (SUDEP) to its users. We sought to generate insights into various seizure related risks and its treatments in WWE of childbearing age (16 to 60 years ) using EpSMon., Methods: The study utilizes a prospective real-world cohort of 5.5 years. Patient reported data on demographics, medication taken, diagnoses, seizure types and recognised biological, psychological, and social factors of seizure related harm were extracted. Data was stratified according to frequent and infrequent users and those scoring lower and higher risk scores. Multivariate logistic regression and different statistical tests were conducted., Findings: Data from 2158 WWE of childbearing age encompassing 4016 self-assessments were analysed. Overall risk awareness was 25.3% for pregnancy and 54.1% for SUDEP. Frequent users were more aware of pregnancy risks but not of SUDEP. Repeated EpSMon use increased SUDEP awareness but not pregnancy risks. Valproate was used by 11% of WWE, ranging from 6.5% of younger to 31.5% of older women., Conclusions: The awareness to risks to pregnancy, SUDEP and valproate is low. Valproate is being used by a significant minority. It is imperative risk communication continues for WWE based on their individual situation and need. This is unlikely to be delivered by current clinical models. Digital solutions hold promise but require work done to raise implementation and acceptability., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by hyperglycemia. Diabetes mellitus is a silent killer because sufferers are often not aware of it when it is realized, complications have occurred. Treatment for this disease must be done for life to control blood sugar in the body; however, oral antidiabetic drugs often produce unwanted side effects such as bloating, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. One of the treatments for diabetes is to find sources of treatment using natural ingredients that are relatively safe, including using plants as medicines. Based on several studies, Binahong leaves ( Anredera cordifolia Ten. Steenis), brotowali ( Tinospora crispa L.), and cherry ( Muntingia calabura L .) are medicinal plants that can be used to reduce blood sugar levels. This study aims to test the antidiabetic activity using in vivo and in vitro testing methods of extracts of binahong leaves, cherry leaves, brotowali stems and their combinations., Methods: In vivo method uses animal modeling of insulin deficiency, whereas in vitro method with alpha glycosidase inhibition activity assay. The administration of extracts was repeated every day for 14 days and blood glucose levels were measured on the 0, 7 th , and 14 th days. Then surgery was performed on the pancreas and calculated the area of the islets of Langerhans, and the number of alpha and beta cells in the pancreas. The inhibitory activity of the alpha-glucosidase enzyme with the IC 50 value of each extract and its combination was determined, with acarbose used as a standard., Result: The combination of binahong leaves ( Anredera cordifolia Ten.Steenis) and cherry leaves ( Muntingia calabura L.) and the combination of brotowali stems ( Tinospora crispa (L.) and binahong leaves showed in vivo antidiabetic activity with insulin deficiency method. The combination of these extracts was able to reduce blood sugar levels until the observation on day 14. In in vitro testing by inhibiting alpha-glucosidase enzymes, binahong leaves extract, brotowali stems, and cherry leaves were able to inhibit alpha-glucosidase enzymes at IC 50 of 35.07 ± 2.35; 29.42 ± 1.40; and 26.63 ± 1.15, respectively., Conclusion: The best combination of extracts by in vitro and in vivo methods was shown in the combination of binahong leaf and brotowal stem extract binahong leaves, brotowali stems (2:1)., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences.)

Bioinformatics education can be defined as the teaching and learning of how to use software tools, along with mathematical and statistical analysis, to solve biological problems. Although many resources are available, most students still struggle to understand even the simplest sequence alignment algorithms. Applying visualizations to these topics benefits both lecturers and students. Unfortunately, educational software for visualizing step-bystep processes in the user experience of sequence alignment algorithms is rare. In this article, an educational visualization tool for biological sequence alignment is presented, and the source code is released in order to encourage the collaborative power of open-source software, with the expectation of further contributions from the community in the future. Two different modules are integrated to enable a student to investigate the characteristics of alignment algorithms.

Background: Ileostomy closure is associated with a high rate of postoperative morbidity, and adynamic ileus is the most common complication, with an incidence of up to 32%. This complication is associated with delayed initiation of oral diet intake, abdominal distention, prolonged hospital stay, and more significant patient discomfort. The present study aims to evaluate the rectal stimulus with prebiotics and probiotics before ileostomy reversal., Methods: This is a protocol study for an open-label randomized controlled clinical trial. Ethical approval was received (CAAE: 56551722.6.0000.0071). The following criteria will be used for inclusion: adult patients with rectal cancer stages cT3/4Nx or cTxN+ that underwent loop protection ileostomy, patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, and patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic total mesorectal excision. Patients will be randomized to one of two groups. The intervention group (with rectal stimulus): the patients will apply 500 ml of saline solution with 6 g of Simbioflora® rectally, once a day, for 15 days before ileostomy closure. The control group (without rectal stimulation): the patients will close the ileostomy with no previous rectal stimulus. The primary outcomes will be the adynamic ileus (need for postoperative nasogastric tube insertion; nausea/vomiting; or intolerance to oral feedings within the first 72 h) and intestinal transit (time to first evacuation/flatus)., Results: The patient's enrollment starts in January 2023. We expect to finish in July 2025., Discussion: The findings of this randomized clinical study may have important implications for managing patients undergoing ileostomy reversal., Trial Registration: This study is registered in the Brazilian Trial Registry (ReBEC) under RBR-366n64w. Registration date: 19/07/2022., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Precision oncology is gradually advancing into mainstream clinical practice, demonstrating significant survival benefits. However, eligibility and response rates remain limited in many cases, calling for better predictive biomarkers., Methods: We present ENLIGHT, a transcriptomics-based computational approach that identifies clinically relevant genetic interactions and uses them to predict a patient's response to a variety of therapies in multiple cancer types without training on previous treatment response data. We study ENLIGHT in two translationally oriented scenarios: personalized oncology (PO), aimed at prioritizing treatments for a single patient, and clinical trial design (CTD), selecting the most likely responders in a patient cohort., Findings: Evaluating ENLIGHT's performance on 21 blinded clinical trial datasets in the PO setting, we show that it can effectively predict a patient's treatment response across multiple therapies and cancer types. Its prediction accuracy is better than previously published transcriptomics-based signatures and is comparable with that of supervised predictors developed for specific indications and drugs. In combination with the interferon-γ signature, ENLIGHT achieves an odds ratio larger than 4 in predicting response to immune checkpoint therapy. In the CTD scenario, ENLIGHT can potentially enhance clinical trial success for immunotherapies and other monoclonal antibodies by excluding non-responders while overall achieving more than 90% of the response rate attainable under an optimal exclusion strategy., Conclusions: ENLIGHT demonstrably enhances the ability to predict therapeutic response across multiple cancer types from the bulk tumor transcriptome., Funding: This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program, NIH and by the Israeli Innovation Authority., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests G.D., E.D.S., E. Elis, D.S.B.-Z., O.T., E.M., E. Elalouf, B.T., P.V., T.B., and R.A. are employees of Pangea Biomed. I.M. is a paid consultant of Pangea Biomed. E.S. is the Chairman of the Board of Pangea Biomed. E.R. is a co-founder of MedAware, Metabomed, and Pangea Biomed (divested) and an unpaid member of Pangea Biomed’s scientific advisory board. Z.R. is a co-founder of Pangea Biomed and an unpaid member of its scientific advisory board. R.B. is a member of Pangea Biomed’s scientific advisory board., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To investigate the safety and applicability of two main methods for treating mirror intracranial aneurysms, based on correlations in their geometric characteristics., Material and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis on 125 patients who underwent 138 surgical interventions for MCA aneurysms and were treated with microsurgical clipping and endovascular embolization at the Department of Neurosurgery in the University Hospital "St. Iv. Rilski", Sofia, in 2013-2019. In six of these cases, we observed mirror MCA aneurysms., Results: All six patients with "mirror" aneurysms were female. In one case, a third aneurysm was observed on the anterior communicating artery; hence, a total of 13 aneurysms were treated. The average age of the group was 48.16 years. All patients had known risk factors, such as high blood pressure and tobacco smoking. Four patients presented with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). All patients underwent surgical treatment in two stages-with obliteration of the intracranial aneurysm leading to subarachnoid bleeding in the first stage and planned surgical intervention within a month in the second stage to exclude unruptured aneurysms. During the one-month interval, there were no SAH incidents. However, we observed one patient with a postoperative neurological deficit and one with recanalization of the aneurysm on follow-up at 3 months, requiring re-embolization. In both cases, endovascular treatment was performed despite the unfavorable anatomical features (aspect ratio ≤1.5 and neck size ≥4 mm). The clinical outcome, in all operated patients, for "mirror" aneurysms of the MCA was reasonable (mRS: 0-2)., Conclusion: The choice of treatment for "mirror" aneurysms should be determined on an individual basis by the clinical manifestations and morphological characteristics of intracranial aneurysms. In cases of aSAH, where "mirror" aneurysms are present, both can be treated safely via microsurgical clipping or endovascular embolization after thorough investigation and ensuring prioritization of the offending lesion.

Objective: To evaluate the need for cardiac monitoring in unselected patients recovered from COVID-19 and to estimate the risk of heart complications after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)., Materials and Methods: During March 2020 and January 2021, 106 patients who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 (alpha and beta variants) were enrolled in prospective observational cohort study CoSuBr (Covid Survivals in Brno). The diagnosis was based on a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction swab test of the upper respiratory tract. Demographic parameters, patient history, clinical evaluation, cardiac biomarkers, ECG and echocardiography were recorded during three visits (Visit 1 at least 6 weeks after infection, Visit 2 three months later, and Visit 3 one year after Visit 1)., Results: 58.5% of the study group ( n = 106) were female, while the mean age was 46 years (range 18-77 years). The mean time interval between the onset of infection and the follow-up visit was 107 days. One quarter (24.5%) of the patients required hospitalization during the acute phase of the disease; the rest recovered at home. 74% suffered a mild form of the disease, with 4.8, 18.1, and 2.9% suffering moderate, severe, and critical forms, respectively. At the time of enrolment, 64.2% of the patients reported persistent symptoms, while more than half of the whole group (50.9%) mentioned at least one symptom of possible cardiac origin (breathing problems, palpitations, exercise intolerance, fatigue). In the 1-year follow-up after COVID-19 infection, left ventricle ejection fraction showed no significant decrease [median (IQR) change was -1.0 (-6.0; 4.0)%, p = 0.150], and there were no changes of troponin (mean change -0.1 ± 1.72 ng/L; p = 0.380) or NT-proBNP [median (IQR) change 2.0 (-20.0; 29.0) pg/mL; p = 0.315]. There was a mild decrease in right ventricle end diastolic diameter (-mean change 2.3 ± 5.61 mm, p < 0.001), while no right ventricle dysfunction was detected. There was very mild progress in left ventricle diastolic diameter [median (IQR) change 1.0 (-1.0; 4.0) mm; p = 0.001] between V1 and V3, mild enlargement of the left atrium (mean change 1.2 ± 4.17 mm; p = 0.021) and a non-significant trend to impairment of left ventricle diastolic dysfunction. There was a mild change in pulmonary artery systolic pressure [median (IQR) change 3.0 (-2.0; 8.0) mmHg; p = 0.038]., Conclusion: Despite a lot of information regarding cardiac impairment due to SARS-CoV2, our study does not suggest an increased risk for developing clinically significant heart changes during the 1-year follow-up. Based on our results, routine echocardiography and biomarkers collection is currently not recommended after COVID-19 recovery., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Matejova, Radvan, Bartecku, Kamenik, Koc, Horinkova, Sykorova, Stepanova and Kala.)

Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a worldwide healthcare challenge owing to population ageing. In this study, we assessed the current trends in the incidence and prevalence of AF for the first time in an unselected, nationwide population., Methods: In the Finnish Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation study, we gathered comprehensive data including all primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare visits and drug reimbursement from national healthcare registers to identify all patients with incident AF between 2004 and 2018 in Finland. Incident AF was defined as new-onset AF occurring after 2007. Time trends for the incidence and prevalence of AF were calculated and stratified by sex and age., Results: A total of 411 387 patients with AF diagnosis were documented in Finland during 2004-2018. In 2018, the incidence and prevalence of AF in the total Finnish population were 469/100 000 and 4.1%, respectively. The incidence of new-onset AF in the adult population (≥20 years) increased from 471/100 000 in 2007 to 604/100 000 in 2018, but the age-adjusted incidence remained stable. The prevalence of AF increased in the adult population from 2.5% to 5.2%, and was higher in men than in women (5.9% vs 4.6%, p<0.001). The incidence and prevalence of AF increased with age and were 3194/100 000 and 23.4% in patients older than 75 years., Conclusions: Based on comprehensive nationwide data including primary care, we observed an increasing incidence and prevalence of AF over time. This increase was strongly age-dependent with the age-standardised incidence remaining stable during 2007-2018., Trial Registration Number: NCT04645537., Competing Interests: Competing interests: MLe: Consultant: BMS-Pfizer-alliance, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim and MSD; Speaker: BMS-Pfizer-alliance, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, MSD, Terve Media and Orion Pharma. Research grants: Aarne Koskelo Foundation, The Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, and Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District research fund, Boehringer-Ingelheim. JHau: Consultant: Research Janssen R&D; Speaker: Bayer Finland. AA: Research grants: Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research; Speaker: Abbott, Johnson&Johnson, Sanofi, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim. JP: Consultant: Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bayer, BMS-Pfizer, Abbott/St. Jude Medical, Vital Signum, Nokia Technologies, Bittium, BcB Medical, Herantis Pharma, Medixine, and Portola. Speaker: Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bayer, BMS-Pfizer, and Terve Media; Research grants: BMS-Pfizer, Abbott/St. Jude Medical, Business Finland, and Amgen. MLi: Speaker: BMS-Pfizer-alliance, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim. PM: Consultant: Roche, BMS-Pfizer-alliance, Novartis Finland, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD Finland. JHar: Research grants: The Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, Advisory Board Member: BMS-Pfizer-alliance, Novo Nordisk, Amgen. Speaker: Cardiome, Bayer. JKEA: Research grants: The Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research; Speaker: Bayer, Pfizer and Boehringer-Ingelheim. Member in the advisory boards:Bayer, Pfizer and AstraZeneca., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Public health threats such as the current COVID-19 pandemics have required prompt action by the local, national, and international authorities. Rapid and noninvasive diagnostic methods may provide on-site detection and immediate social isolation, used as tools to rapidly control virus spreading. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to evaluate a commercial breath analysis test (TERA.Bio®) and deterministic algorithm for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 spectral signature of Volatile Organic Compounds present in exhaled air samples of suspicious persons from southern Brazil. A casuistic total of 70 infected and 500 non-infected patients were sampled, tested, and results later compared to RT-qPCR as gold standard. Overall, the test showed 92.6% sensitivity and 96.0% specificity. No statistical correlation was observed between SARS-CoV-2 positivity and infection by other respiratory diseases. Further studies should focus on infection monitoring among asymptomatic persons. In conclusion, the breath analysis test herein may be used as a fast, on-site, and easy-to-apply screening method for diagnosing COVID-19., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The bone-cartilage unit (BCU) is a universal feature in diarthrodial joints, which is mechanically-graded and subjected to shear and compressive strains. Changes in the BCU have been linked to osteoarthritis (OA) progression. Here we report existence of a physiological internal strain gradient (pre-strain) across the BCU at the ultrastructural scale of the extracellular matrix (ECM) constituents, specifically the collagen fibril. We use X-ray scattering that probes changes in the axial periodicity of fibril-level D-stagger of tropocollagen molecules in the matrix fibrils, as a measure of microscopic pre-strain. We find that mineralized collagen nanofibrils in the calcified plate are in tensile pre-strain relative to the underlying trabecular bone. This behaviour contrasts with the previously accepted notion that fibrillar pre-strain (or D-stagger) in collagenous tissues always reduces with mineralization, via reduced hydration and associated swelling pressure. Within the calcified part of the BCU, a finer-scale gradient in pre-strain (0.6% increase over ~50μm) is observed. The increased fibrillar pre-strain is linked to prior research reporting large tissue-level residual strains under compression. The findings may have biomechanical adaptative significance: higher in-built molecular level resilience/damage resistance to physiological compression, and disruption of the molecular-level pre-strains during remodelling of the bone-cartilage interface may be potential factors in osteoarthritis-based degeneration., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.