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Objective: This integrative review aimed to identify the phenolic compounds present in pitayas (dragon fruit). Methods: We employed a comprehensive search strategy, encompassing full-text articles published between 2013 and 2023 in Portuguese, English, and Spanish from databases indexed in ScienceDirect, Capes Periodics, Scielo, and PubMed. The study’s selection was guided by the question, “What are the main phenolic compounds found in pitaya fruits?”. Results: After screening 601 papers, 57 met the inclusion criteria. The identified phytochemicals have been associated with a range of health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anxiolytic properties. Additionally, they exhibit promising applications in the management of cancer, diabetes, and obesity. These 57 studies encompassed various genera, including Hylocereus, Selenicereus, and Stenocereus. Notably, Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus polyrhizus emerged as the most extensively characterized species regarding polyphenol content. Analysis revealed that flavonoids, particularly kaempferol and rutin, were the predominant phenolic class within the pulp and peel of these fruits. Additionally, hydroxycinnamic and benzoic acid derivatives, especially chlorogenic acid, caffeic, protocatechuic, synaptic, and ellagic acid, were frequently reported. Furthermore, betalains, specifically betacyanins, were identified, contributing to the characteristic purplish-red color of the pitaya peel and pulp. These betalains hold significant potential as natural colorants in the food industry. Conclusion: Therefore, the different pitayas have promising sources for the extraction of pigments for incorporation in the food industry. We recommend further studies investigate their potential as nutraceuticals.

The study of brain connectivity has been a cornerstone in understanding the complexities of neurological and psychiatric disorders. It has provided invaluable insights into the functional architecture of the brain and how it is perturbed in disorders. However, a persistent challenge has been achieving the proper spatial resolution, and developing computational algorithms to address biological questions at the multi-cellular level, a scale often referred to as the mesoscale. Historically, neuroimaging studies of brain connectivity have predominantly focused on the macroscale, providing insights into inter-regional brain connections but often falling short of resolving the intricacies of neural circuitry at the cellular or mesoscale level. This limitation has hindered our ability to fully comprehend the underlying mechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders and to develop targeted interventions. In light of this issue, our review manuscript seeks to bridge this critical gap by delving into the domain of mesoscale neuroimaging. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of conditions affected by aberrant neural connections, image acquisition techniques, feature extraction, and data analysis methods that are specifically tailored to the mesoscale. We further delineate the potential of brain connectivity research to elucidate complex biological questions, with a particular focus on schizophrenia and epilepsy. This review encompasses topics such as dendritic spine quantification, single neuron morphology, and brain region connectivity. We aim to showcase the applicability and significance of mesoscale neuroimaging techniques in the field of neuroscience, highlighting their potential for gaining insights into the complexities of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

A pesquisa buscou compreender como a pandemia da Covid-19 modificou as relações de consumo de itens considerados de sobrevivência em famílias residentes do município de Nova Andradina (MS). A crise econômica é compreendida como uma situação em que a economia de um país experimenta uma queda repentina em sua produção agregada ou Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) real. O resultado da crise econômica é um declínio na renda real per capita das pessoas e o aumento no desemprego e na pobreza. A pesquisa utilizou como método a pesquisa qualitativa, por meio de questionário semiestruturado, aplicado em famílias do município de Nova Andradina (MS) com renda de até dois salários mínimos. A pandemia da Covid-19 e as restrições relacionadas à atividade econômica resultaram em um declínio acentuado da demanda externa e interna de mercadorias. A pesquisa apontou que as famílias pesquisadas foram e/ou estão sendo afetadas quanto ao consumo de bens essenciais para sobrevivência. Mesmo com o avanço da vacinação e a significativa queda nas mortes, novas práticas de consumo foram adotadas pelas famílias para superar a queda dos rendimentos.

To systematically review articles that reported the impacts of social isolation on the physical and mental health of healthy older adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) quarantine. Electronic search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and BIREME databases. It included cohort and cross-sectional studies published between January 2020 and January 2022 which evaluated the impacts of social isolation on the physical and mental health of older adults during quarantine. The study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021269720). Out of 8,505 studies identified, 17 met the inclusion criteria, with moderate to excellent quality. The majority of the older population perceived changes in their physical and mental health. Impacts differed in cohorts according to sex, age group, income, social participation, exercising before and during confinement, and living alone or with other people. The long period of social isolation dictated by the COVID-19 pandemic caused changes in most older adults', reducing levels of physical activity and/or generating depression, anxiety, fear, and mood problems. Follow-up studies are necessary to observe the evolution of these impacts. Public policies must be developed to promote the emotional and physical health of the older adult population in the post-pandemic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals diagnosed with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) are considered risk groups for COVID-19 severity. This study assessed differences in cardiac autonomic function (CAF) and functional capacity (FC) in SAH individuals without COVID-19 infection compared to SAH individuals post-COVID-19. Participants comprised 40 SAH individuals aged 31 to 80 years old, grouped as SAH with COVID-19 (G1; n = 21) and SAH without COVID-19 (G2; n = 19). CAF was assessed via heart rate variability (HRV), measuring R–R intervals during a 10-min supine period. Four HRV indices were analyzed through symbolic analysis: 0V%, 1V%, 2LV%, and 2UV%. FC assessment was performed by a 6-min walk test (6MWT). G1 and G2 showed no significant differences in terms of age, anthropometric parameters, clinical presentation, and medication use. G2 exhibited superior 6MWT performance, covering more distance (522 ± 78 vs. 465 ± 59 m, p < 0.05). Specifically, G2 demonstrated a moderate positive correlation between 6MWT and the 2LV% index (r = 0.58; p < 0.05). Shorter walking distances were observed during 6MWT in SAH individuals post-COVID-19. However, the study did not find impaired cardiac autonomic function in SAH individuals post-COVID-19 compared to those without. This suggests that while COVID-19 impacted FC, CAF remained relatively stable in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a complex and multifactorial disease that remains one of the greatest challenges for modern medicine. High mortality rates and increasing global incidence drive the search for new therapeutic strategies. Medicinal plants are essential in this context, as they are rich sources of bioactive compounds with relevant pharmacological properties, including anticancer effects. Among these compounds, phyllacanthone (PHY) stands out, a terpene isolated from the species Cnidoscolus quercifolius , widely distributed in several regions of Brazil. PHY demonstrated significant antitumor activity, especially against human melanoma and lung cancer, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent in oncological treatment. However, limitations such as low aqueous solubility and volatility compromise the efficacy of PHY, requiring the development of drug delivery systems. The encapsulation of bioactive molecules in nanocarriers emerges as a promising approach to overcome these barriers, improve therapeutic efficacy, and minimize possible adverse effects. Given this scenario, the present study aimed to develop magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONPs) coated with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) to load PHY efficiently. The resulting system (Fe 3 O 4 @βCD-PHY) was designed for combined therapeutic applications involving thermal and chemical therapy and for diagnostic imaging, exploring its potential as a contrast agent in modalities such as photoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The nanocarrier was prepared using the coprecipitation method and characterized by several techniques. TEM, DLS, and zeta potential analyses revealed the presence of spherical nanoparticles, with an average size of 15 nm in diameter and a potential of −20.7 mV at pH 5. The PHY loading efficiency study showed a rate higher than 60 %, with more than 70 % of release capacity at acidic pH. Regarding the application in imaging diagnosis, the nanocomposite showed potential as T2 contrast agents in MRI, registering a value of r2 = 127,034 mM⁻¹s⁻¹ under a magnetic field of 1.4 T. Photoacoustic imaging tests showed robust signals in the second biological window (1064 nm) and, in biological tissues, it was possible to obtain images with good resolution up to a depth of 5 mm. Additionally, magnetic hyperthermia studies have indicated significant heating efficiency, reaching therapeutic temperatures at conditions well below the permitted limit of field strength and frequency reported for safe application. Finally, Fe 3 O 4 @βCD loaded with PHY exhibited enhanced cytotoxic effects on cancer cells compared to the free phytochemical while maintaining very low toxicity in healthy cells. The results suggest a biocompatible and safe nanosystem and a promising anticancer candidate for theranostic applications. [Display omitted] • Magnetic nanocarrier based on β-cyclodextrin for loading the anticancer phytochemical phyllacanthone. • Nanocarrier showed potential application as a contrast agent in MRI and photoacoustic imaging. • Multifunctional Fe 3 O 4 @βCD-PHY showed effective heating performance under AC magnetic field. • Fe 3 O 4 @βCD-PHY were selective cytotoxic against H292 cancer cells. • Fe 3 O 4 @βCD-PHY showed good biocompatibility, only slightly affecting healthy cells at high concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND New therapies have revolutionized the treatment of Crohn’s disease (CD), but in some countries, the surgery rate has not changed, the frequency of emergency surgery is underestimated, and surgical risk is poorly studied. AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify risk factors and clinical indications for primary surgery in CD patients at the tertiary hospital. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort of a prospectively collected database of 107 patients with CD from 2015 to 2021. The main outcomes were the incidence of surgery treatment, types of procedures performed, surgical recurrence, surgery free time, and risk factors for surgery. RESULTS: Surgical intervention was performed in 54.2% of the patients, and most of the procedures were emergency surgeries (68.9%). The elective procedures (31.1%) were performed over 11 years after diagnosis. The main indications for surgery were ileal stricture (34.5%) and anorectal fistulas (20.7%). The most frequent procedure was enterectomy (24.1%). Recurrence surgery was most common in emergency procedures (OR 2.1; 95%CI 1.6–6.6). Montreal phenotype L1 stricture behavior (RR 1.3; 95%CI 1.0–1.8, p=0.04) and perianal disease (RR 1.43; 95%CI 1.2–1.7) increased the risk of emergency surgeries. The multiple linear regression showed age at diagnosis as a risk factor for surgery (p=0.004). The study of surgery free time showed no difference in the Kaplan-Meier curve for Montreal classification (p=0.73). CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors for operative intervention were strictures in ileal and jejunal diseases, age at diagnosis, perianal disease, and emergency indications.

Resumo Fundamento: A síndrome cardiorrenal tipo 1 associa-se a maior mortalidade em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca (IC). No entanto, há escassez de publicações comparando critérios diagnósticos de lesão renal aguda (LRA). Objetivos: Analisar o perfil clinicofuncional de pacientes com IC e fatores associados a ocorrência de lesão renal aguda (LRA). Métodos: Estudo de coorte retrospectivo, em hospital terciário de região com baixo desenvolvimento econômico que incluiu pacientes com IC descompensada ou infarto agudo do miocárdio (IAM) recente, sendo avaliadas características clínicas, laboratoriais e ecocardiográficas comparativamente em pacientes com e sem LRA classificada pelos critérios Acute Kidney Network (AKIN) e Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). Nível de significância estatística com valor de p < 0,05. Resultados: Entre 81 pacientes, 61,73% evoluíram com LRA. A média de creatinina foi 1,79±1,0 mg/dL e de ureia 81,5±46,0 mg/dL, sendo maior no grupo com LRA (p < 0,05). Não foi evidenciada relação entre alterações cardíacas e redução da função renal. A doença renal crônica se associou a maior ocorrência de LRA (38% x 3,23% sem LRA, p = 0,001). Não houve diferença do KDIGO com relação ao critério AKIN. Os pacientes que desenvolveram LRA apresentaram maior mortalidade (32% x 9,8% no grupo sem LRA, p = 0,04, com odds ratio (OR) de 8,187 e intervalo de confiança 1,402-17,190, p = 0,020). Conclusão: Nessa casuística de pacientes com IC, a ocorrência de LRA foi elevada e foi fator de risco independente de mortalidade. As alterações cardíacas não se associaram à ocorrência de LRA, e os critérios diagnósticos KDIGO e AKIN apresentaram performance similar.

This paper demonstrates that the Repetitive Claims Resolution Proceeding (IRDR) has provided a procedurally more auspicious technique for the resolution of mass claims regarding homogeneous individual rights than the article 81, item III of the Consumer Protection Code class actions were able to, for it affords economy of scale without violating litigants autonomy in mass adjudication. At the end, it argues that there is a mixed relationship between class actions and IRDR: a complementary one between both techniques for the protection of negative value claims, and a superiority one, favoring the latter, for the protection of positive value claims.

Abstract Background In low-middle-income countries (LMICs), data regarding acute kidney injury (AKI) are scarce. AKI patients experience delayed diagnosis. This study aimed to evaluate whether delayed nephrologist consultation (NC) affected outcomes of AKI patients and compare Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). Methods An observational, retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary public hospital in an LMIC. Results Overall, 103 AKI patients were analysed. In-hospital mortality was 61.16%, and dialysis was required in 38.83%. NC took place after 48 h in 68.93% of the patients. Mean time for NC was 5.22 ± 4.30 days. At NC, serum creatinine was 4.48 (±3.40) mg/dL and blood urea nitrogen was 68.21 (± 35.02) mg/dL. The AKIN and KDIGO stage stratifications were identical; KDIGO stage 3 was seen in 58.25% of the patients. The group with NC > 4 days had a mortality rate of 74.46% and the group with NC ≤ 4 days had a mortality rate of 50% (p = 0.011). Multivariate analysis showed that haemodialysis was independently associated with mortality. NC > 4 days was associated with death [odds ratio 2.66 (95% confidence interval, 1.36–4.35), p = 0.001]. Logistic regression showed an OR of 1.20 (95% CI, 1.05–1.37) (p = 0.008) for each day of delayed NC. Conclusion Delayed NC was associated with mortality even after adjustments, as was haemodialysis, though marginally. In AKI patients with NC > 4 days, there was a high prevalence of KDIGO stage 3, and AKIN and KDIGO criteria were identical.

El artículo analiza la impresión de anuncios referidos con la esclavitud en Río de Janeiro durante el período de exilio de la Corte en la ciudad, entre 1808 y 1821. Las principales fuentes fueron los anuncios publicados en la Gaceta de Río de Janeiro. Con un análisis estadístico de los lanzamientos publicitarios de prensa, los precios cobrados en negociaciones de gente esclavizada y las primas anunciadas por los forajidos, el estudio muestra cómo las personas esclavizadas representaban un negocio difundido en las páginas de la Gaceta, la única publicación periódica autorizada a circular en ese momento. [pt] O presente artigo analisa a impressão de anúncios referentes à escravidão no Rio de Janeiro no período em que a Corte portuguesa esteve exilada na cidade, entre 1808 e 1821. As principais fontes foram os anúncios publicados na Gazeta do Rio de Janeiro. Com uma análise estatística dos anúncios, dos preços praticados nas negociações de cativos e dos prêmios anunciados pelos fugitivos, o estudo exibe como os cativos representaram um negócio disseminado nas páginas da Gazeta, único periódico autorizado a circular na época.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of surface topography of gutta-percha (GP) cones and plasticized disks of GP on the initial adhesion of Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis). The GP cones (Tanari and Dentsply brands) were cut 3 mm from the apical portion and fixed on a glass slide. To make the disks, the cones were thermoplasticized in standardized molds. The specimens were divided into groups according to the shape of the GP and the presence or absence of the bacteria. For contamination, the strain of E. faecalis (ATCC 29212) was used. The surface topography was analyzed using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The surface, roughness, and waviness parameters were evaluated by the Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn test. The comparison between disks and cones showed significant differences, where the cones were rougher, with a higher value attributed to the Dentsply cone (DC group). The same was observed for the waviness. After contamination, there was greater bacterial accumulation in cones, especially in their valleys, but both the surface and the topography became more homogeneous and smoother, with no differences between disks and cones of both brands. The topographic surface of the GP, at the micro and nanoscale, influences the initial adhesion of E. faecalis, with a greater tendency for contamination in regions associated with the presence of roughness and waviness. In this context, plasticization of GP is indicated, as it reduces surface irregularities compared to cones, contributing to less retention of bacteria.

This integrative review aims to identify the main flavonoids present in some species of the Myrtaceae family. Studies published between 2016 and 2022 were selected, specifically those which were fully available and written in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, and which were related to the fruits araçá (Psidium cattleianum), cambuí (Myrciaria floribunda), gabiroba (Campomanesia xanthocarpa), jabuticaba (Plinia cauliflora), and jambolan (Syzygium cumini). Scientific studies were gathered and selected in Google Scholar, Scielo, and Science Direct indexed databases, out of which 14 were about araçá, 7 concerned cambuí, 4 were about gabiroba, 29 were related to jabuticaba, and 33 concerned jambolan, when we observed the pre-established inclusion criteria. Results showed that the anthocyanins, such as cyanidin, petunidin, malvidin, and delphinidin, were the mostly identified class of flavonoids in plants of the Myrtaceae family, mainly relating to the purple/reddish color of the evaluated fruits. Other compounds, such as catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, and rutin were also identified in different constituent fractions, such as leaves, peel, pulp, seeds, and in developed products, such as jams, desserts, wines, teas, and other beverages. It is also worth noting the positive health effects verified in these studies, such as anti-inflammatory qualities for jambolan, antidiabetic qualities for gabiroba, antioxidant qualities for araçá, and cardioprotective actions for jabuticaba, which are related to the presence of these phytochemicals. Therefore, it is possible to point out that flavonoids are important compounds in the chemical constitution of the studied plants of the Myrtaceae family, with promising potential in the development of new products by the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries due to their bioactive properties.

The Annonaceae family is widely distributed in subtropical and tropical regions. Several species of this family are known for their pharmacological and beneficial properties to human health, mainly attributed to flavonoids. The objective of this work was to carry out an integrative review in order to identify the main flavonoids found in some plant parts belonging to the Annona genus: araticum tree (Annona crassiflora Mart.), graviola tree (Annona muricata), atemoya tree (Annona cherimolia Mill × Annona squamosa L.), pinha tree (Annona squamosa), bananinha tree (Annona leptopetala), and marolinho tree (Annona coriacea). Only articles published between the years 2016 to 2021 that answered the guiding question were considered, in order to obtain recent data. Then, search strategies were designated for each database used: Science Direct, CAPES Periodicals, and Scielo. Most of the studies retrieved from the databases are related to fruits. The results showed that the number of flavonoids identified varies according to the analytical methodology used to identify and quantify the compounds. Quercetin was the most commonly found compound in all fruits of the Annona genus studied, and epicatechin, rutin, and kaempferol were also found to a lesser extent. The presence of these compounds in Annona makes the fruit promising, with potential applicability in the pharmaceutical and food industry.

It is shown that the standard sp n hybrid orbitals are orthogonal orbitals that minimize the total quadratic spread. This is done in a concise way that may improve the understanding of hybrid orbitals. The fact that maximally localized Wannier functions of crystalline materials may resemble hybrid orbitals is discussed.

Introduction: the aquatic bicycle can be used as an alternative to traditional programs of cardiovascular fitness and aquatic rehabilitation. Therefore, it becomes important to investigate the physiological responses during physical exercise in this mode. Objective: to evaluate the acute hemodynamic and glycemic responses in aquatic physical exercise bike for healthy young adults. Methodology: the study included 30 patients (age 21.7 ± 1.2 years) of Physiotherapy at USC - Bauru/SP. A session of aerobic aquatic exercise lasted 40 minutes. The data were statistically evaluated by analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA), with application of the "post-hoc"Bonferroni multiple comparisons and Student t test for paired samples (p<0.05). Results: Systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and double product (DP) increased during pre immersion (115.6 ± 13 mmHg, 92.2 ± 14.9 bpm; 10675 ± 2228.8 mmHg.bpm) compared with exercise during immersion in the moment 2 (128.6 ± 13.5 mmHg, 125.4 ± 10.4 bpm; 16125.8 ± 2038.3 mmHg.bpm) and point 3 (129 ± 11.7 mmHg, 127.3 ± 11.1 bpm; 16434.6 ± 2075.1 mmHg.bpm), returning to baseline at post immersion. Capillary glycemic decreased from 98.9 ± 13.7 mg / dl in pre immersion to 87.2 ± 11.9 mg / dl in the post immersion. Conclusion: it was found that the behavior of hemodynamic variables and glycaemia in healthy young subjects were physiologically compatible during practice the exercise with 70% of HRmax the water held in aquatic bicycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most used pesticides have neurotoxic action on the neurotransmitter system of target and non-targeted insects, such as honeybees. However, honeybees have foremost importance worldwide, which has encouraged the development of tools to evaluate the action of specific pesticide molecules on their nervous system, providing accurate data on damage to their brain. In this sense, our study aimed to optimize in vitro honeybee nervous tissue culture to assess pesticide risks. To this end, six forager honeybee brains were dissected and transferred to different combinations of Leibovitz-15 (L-15) culture medium supplemented with Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS), Hank's Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS), and Insect Medium Supplement (IMS). Nervous tissues were collected after different incubation times (1, 6, 12, and 24 h) for morphology and Kenyon cell analyses. Our results showed that L-15 medium supplemented with HBSS and with HBSS plus FBS were the best media for culturing honey nervous tissue for 24 h, as they resulted in less tissue spacing and cell disarrangement. Therefore, they may be assessed in future ecotoxicological tests. [Display omitted] • Leibovitz medium supplemented with HBSSank's Balance Salt Solution and with Hank's Balance Salt Solution plus FBSetal Bovine Serum are promising media for culturing A. mellifera nervous tissue; • Insect Medium Supplement used alone or in combination with HBSSank's Balance Salt Sollution and FBSetal Bovine Serum does not improve honeybee nervous tissue culture; • Pyruvic acid can be tested as a novel supplement in honeybee cell or tissue culture.; • Hank's Balance Salt Solution and Fetal Bovine Serum have proven to be promising supplements for in vitro culture of honeybee cells or nervous tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sistemas de bombeamento capilar são utilizados e testados com sucesso nas operações de controle térmico em situações de microgravidade há mais de duas décadas. Este trabalho é uma continuação dos estudos em andamento no Laboratório de Combustão e Engenharia Térmica da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, visa dar continuidade aos últimos experimentos realizados durante a Missão Centenário, com o envio de um protótipo do sistema para teste na Estação Espacial Internacional, pelo astronauta Marcos Pontes. Neste artigo, é descrito o desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta computacional capaz de auxiliar no dimensionamento da bomba capilar utilizada nesses sistemas. Essa ferramenta foi desenvolvida em linguagem C++ , sendo capaz de determinar a capacidade limite de transferência de calor da bomba capilar. O programa permite que diferentes fluidos de trabalho possam ser escolhidos, como água, amônia, acetona e freon 11. Pode-se optar também pelo tipo de bomba capilar, pelo ângulo de posicionamento da régua no seu interior, pelas dimensões das ranhuras circunferenciais, pela geometria do circuito, pela pressão real de bombeamento capilar, dentre outros instrumentos. Para comparar os resultados obtidos pela ferramenta desenvolvida, foi construída uma bancada no Laboratório de Ensaios Mecânicos do Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará, composta por uma bomba capilar de ranhuras circunferenciais, operando com água como fluido de trabalho. Os resultados da simulação foram confirmados através de vários testes experimentais, comprovando a sua eficiência.

Aims: Tailored education is recommended for cardiac patients, yet little is known about information needs in areas of the world where it is most needed. This study aims to assess (i) the measurement properties of the Information Needs in Cardiac Rehabilitation short version (INCR-S) scale and (ii) patient's information needs globally., Methods and Results: In this cross-sectional study, English, simplified Chinese, Portuguese, or Korean versions of the INCR-S were administered to in- or out-patients via Qualtrics (January 2022-November 2023). Members of the International Council of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation community facilitated recruitment. Importance and knowledge sufficiency of 36 items were rated. Links to evidence-based lay education were provided where warranted. A total of 1601 patients from 19 middle- and high-income countries across the world participated. Structural validity was supported upon factor analysis, with five subscales extracted: symptom response/medication, heart diseases/diagnostic tests/treatments, exercise and return-to-life roles/programmes to support, risk factors, and healthy eating/psychosocial management. Cronbach's alpha was 0.97. Construct validity was supported through significantly higher knowledge sufficiency ratings for all items and information importance ratings for all subscales in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) enrolees vs. non-enrolees (all P < 0.001). All items were rated as very important-particularly regarding cardiac events, nutrition, exercise benefits, medications, symptom response, risk factor control, and CR-but more so in high-income countries in the Americas and Western Pacific. Knowledge sufficiency ranged from 30.0 to 67.4%, varying by region and income class. Ratings were highest for medications and lowest for support groups, resistance training, and alternative medicine., Conclusion: Identification of information needs using the valid and reliable INCR-S can inform educational approaches to optimize patients' health outcomes across the globe., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: none declared., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)

Relative survival represents the preferred framework for the analysis of population cancer survival data. The aim is to model the survival probability associated with cancer in the absence of information about the cause of death. Recent data linkage developments have allowed for incorporating the place of residence into the population cancer databases; however, modeling this spatial information has received little attention in the relative survival setting. We propose a flexible parametric class of spatial excess hazard models (along with inference tools), named "Relative Survival Spatial General Hazard," that allows for the inclusion of fixed and spatial effects in both time-level and hazard-level components. We illustrate the performance of the proposed model using an extensive simulation study, and provide guidelines about the interplay of sample size, censoring, and model misspecification. We present a case study using real data from colon cancer patients in England. This case study illustrates how a spatial model can be used to identify geographical areas with low cancer survival, as well as how to summarize such a model through marginal survival quantities and spatial effects., Competing Interests: Data AvailabilityData may be obtained from a third party and are not publicly available. This study uses English cancer registration data managed by the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS). The authors do not own these data and hence are not permitted to share them in the original form. The data are available from the Data Access Request Service (DARS) at NHS Digital (merged with NHS England from February 2023). Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose: To carry out a systematic review to determine the main methods used to study the heart rate variability (HRV) in individuals after the acute phase of COVID-19., Methods: The study followed the Preferred Items for Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and CINAHAL electronic databases were searched from the inception to November 2022. The studies were included if they used HRV assessment based on linear and non-linear methods in long-term COVID-19 patients. Review studies, theses and dissertations, conference abstracts, longitudinal studies, studies conducted on animals and studies that included individuals in the acute phase of the COVID-19 were excluded. The methodological quality of the studies was analyzed using the Joanna Briggs Institute's critical evaluation checklist for cross-sectional analytical studies., Results: HRV was mainly assessed using 24-h Holter monitoring in 41.6% (5/12) of the studies, and 12‑lead ECG was used in 33.3% (4/12). Regarding the type of assessment, 66.6% (8/12) of the studies only used linear analysis, where 25% (3/12) used analysis in the time domain, and 41.6% (5/12) used both types. Non-linear methods were combined with the previously cited linear method in 25% (3/12) of the studies. Moreover, 50% (6/12) of the studies demonstrated post-COVID-19 autonomic dysfunction, with an increase in the predominance of cardiac sympathetic modulation. The average score of the evaluation checklist was 6.6, characterized as having reasonable methodological quality., Conclusion: 24-h Holter and 12‑lead ECG are considered effective tools to assess HRV in post-COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, the findings reveal diverse effects of COVID-19 on the autonomic nervous system's sympathovagal balance, which might be influenced by secondary factors such as disease severity, patients' overall health, evaluation timing, post-infection complications, ventilatory functions, and age., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None declared., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Context: Despite the well-known positive effects of exercise in hypertensive patients, the best mode of exercise is still under discussion., Objective: A systematic review of the literature, synthesizing data on the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on peak oxygen consumption (VO 2 peak), blood pressure (BP), cardiac autonomic modulation, and resting heart rate (HR) in patients with hypertension., Data Sources: MEDLINE (via PubMed), CENTRAL, PEDro database, and SciELO (from the earliest date available to December 31, 2020)., Study Selection: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of HIIT in hypertensive patients., Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis., Level of Evidence: Level 2., Data Extraction: Mean differences (MDs) with a 95% CI were calculated, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 test., Results: Nine RCTs encompassing 569 patients met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review. Five trials compared supervised HIIT with moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) and a control; 1 trial compared HIIT with MICT, and 3 compared HIIT with a control. In comparison with MICT, HIIT improved VO 2 peak MD (3.3 mL.kg -1 .min -1 ; 95% CI, 1.4-5.3; N = 130). In comparison with controls, HIIT improved VO 2 peak MD (4.4 mL.kg -1 .min -1 ; 95% CI, 2.5-6.2; N = 162)., Conclusion: Despite the low quality of the evidence, HIIT is superior to MICT in improving VO 2 peak in patients with hypertension. HIIT effectively improved VO 2 peak, BP, and resting HR when compared with controls. HIIT appears to be safe only when performed in a supervised manner for stage 1 hypertension patients without associated risk factors.

Background: Delays in the mechanical ventilation (MV) weaning process increase mortality. The spontaneous breathing test is the gold standard to assess weaning and extubation success, although it has approximately 85% accuracy. Studies have demonstrated a correlation between decreased heart rate variability (HRV) and weaning failure., Objectives: To assess the usefulness of HRV as a predictor of MV weaning outcomes., Methods: Cross-sectional analytical study in adults of both sexes on MV in intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Patients were divided into weaning success and failure groups. Clinical data were collected, and HRV records were obtained with a heart rate monitor., Results: The study included 68 individuals - 91.1% in the weaning success group and 8.9% in the failure group. All HRV indices analyzed in both groups were lower than the reference values. No statistical difference was found in the mean RR interval (RRi), the standard deviation of the NN interval (SDNN), and the square root of the mean squared differences of successive NN intervals (RMSSD) between the groups. The weaning failure group had a significant increase in LF (41 vs. 69.4) and LF/HF ratio (0.685 vs. 2.6) and a significant decrease in HF (58.85 vs. 30.2)., Conclusions: HRV measure with spectral analysis can be a good predictor of MV weaning failure. Integrating this assessment tool in ICU to predict weaning outcomes could provide more precise prognoses and more adequate assistance quality., Competing Interests: Declarations of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can damage cardiac tissue by increasing troponin levels and inducing arrhythmias, myocarditis, and acute coronary syndrome., Objectives: To analyze the impact of COVID-19 on cardiac autonomic control in mechanically ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients., Design and Setting: This cross-sectional analytical study of ICU patients of both sexes receiving mechanical ventilation was conducted in a tertiary hospital., Methods: Patients were divided into COVID-19-positive (COVID(+)) and COVID-19-negative (COVID(-)) groups. Clinical data were collected and heart rate variability (HRV) records obtained using a heart rate monitor., Results: The study sample comprised 82 subjects: 36 (44%) in the COVID(-) group (58.3% female; median age, 64.5 years) and 46 (56%) in the COVID(+) group (39.1% females; median age, 57.5 years). The HRV indices were lower than the reference values. An intergroup comparison identified no statistically significant differences in the mean normal-to-normal (NN) interval, standard deviation of the NN interval, or root mean square of successive differences in NN intervals. The COVID(+) group had an increased low frequency (P = 0.05), reduced high frequency (P = 0.045), and increased low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio (P = 0.048). There was a weak positive correlation between LF/HF and length of stay in the COVID(+) group., Conclusion: Patients who received mechanical ventilation had lower overall HRV indices. COVID(+) patients who received mechanical ventilation had lower vagal HRV components. These findings likely indicate clinical applicability, as autonomic control impairments are associated with a greater risk of cardiac death.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) affects the cardiorespiratory system, causing an increase in the left ventricular mass in the heart and respiratory muscle weakness in relation to healthy individuals. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of progressive resistive physical exercise on the vertical ladder on the histomorphometry of cardiac tissue and respiratory muscles in rats with PD. Seventy male Wistar rats, aged 40 days old, were divided into Parkinson's (PD) and Sham (SH) groups; they were also subdivided into groups that performed progressive resistive physical exercise on the vertical ladder Before Surgery (ExBS), After Surgery (ExAS), and Before and After Surgery (ExBAS). The physical training was carried out before and/or after PD induction. Exercise was performed five times a week for 25 min/day for four or eight weeks. PD induction was conducted via electrolytic stimulation of the Substantia nigra of the animals' brains, adopting the following stereotaxic table coordinates: -4.9; lateral medium equal to 1.7, and dorsoventral equal to 8.1. For the morphometric analysis of the heart, the following variables were calculated: relative weight and diameter and thickness of the left ventricle. The diaphragm and the myocardial, intercostal, and abdominal muscles were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE). The histomorphometric analysis was performed using the ImageJ software to assess the cross-sectional area of muscles and the number of muscle fibers. Progressive resistance exercise promoted the hypertrophy of respiratory muscles and the left ventricle in animals with PD.

Infectious disease modeling plays an important role in understanding disease spreading dynamics and can be used for prevention and control. The well-known SIR (Susceptible, Infected, and Recovered) compartment model and spatial and spatio-temporal statistical models are common choices for studying problems of this kind. This paper proposes a spatio-temporal modeling framework to characterize infectious disease dynamics by integrating the SIR compartment and log-Gaussian Cox process (LGCP) models. The method's performance is assessed via simulation using a combination of real and synthetic data for a region in São Paulo, Brazil. We also apply our modeling approach to analyze COVID-19 dynamics in Cali, Colombia. The results show that our modified LGCP model, which takes advantage of information obtained from the previous SIR modeling step, leads to a better forecasting performance than equivalent models that do not do that. Finally, the proposed method also allows the incorporation of age-stratified contact information, which provides valuable decision-making insights., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00477-022-02354-4., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2022, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

To analyze the perceptual responses and future intentions (FI) to engage in continuous moderate aerobic exercise (CE) and high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) of individuals with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), we had 25 participants with SAH ( M age = 48.0, SD = 8.0 years) perform, on different days and in randomized order, 33 minute sessions of CE and 30 minutes of HIIE. Twenty seconds after each 3-minutes of these sessions, we obtained participant responses to Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE), the Feeling Scale (FS), the Felt Arousal Scale (FAS), and attentional focus (AF). We assessed their FI to engage in CE and HIIE at the end of each session. We analyzed results using two-way ANOVAs with repeated measures, Spearman correlation coefficients, a simple linear regression, and Wilcoxon test. We found a significant time by session type (CE and HIIE) interaction effect for RPE ( p < .001), FAS ( p = .002), and AF ( p = .004). Participants' FI to engage in HIIE were only significantly correlated with FAS ( r = -.424; p = .035) and AF ( r = .431 ; p = .032) responses. FAS responses (βz = -.455; R 2 = .207 ; p = .022) and AF responses (βz = .467; R 2 = .218; p = .019) predicted FI for engaging in HIIE. There were no significant differences in participants' FI to engage in CE sessions ( M = 76.4, SD =22.5%) versus HIIE sessions ( M = 71.8, SD = 22.9%; p = .177). Individuals with SAH had more positive perceptions of CE than HIIE, as seen by their greater dissociative AF in the CE sessions. Furthermore, these results supported the application of strategies aimed at manipulating AF in this population, possibly as a tool to increase participants' FI to engage in subsequent physical exercise.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic information is critical to study it further, but the virus has still not been confined. In addition, even if there is no longer any threat, more knowledge may be gathered from these resources., Methods: The data used in this study was gathered from several scientific areas and the links between them. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has not been fully contained, and additional information can be gleaned from these references, bibliometric analysis of it is important Results: A total of 155 publications on the topic of "COVID-19" and the keyword "nanotechnology" was identified in the Scopus database between 2020 and 2021 in a network visualization map., Conclusion: As a result, our analysis was conducted appropriately to provide a comprehensive understanding of COVID-19 and nanotechnology and prospective research directions for medicinal chemistry., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Assessment of heart rate variability (HRV) is an effective non-invasive tool to obtain data on cardiac autonomic modulation and may be assessed by a range of devices, including mobile applications. Objective: This study aimed to validate a smartphone application by comparing the R-R intervals (RRi) obtained by the app with a classic electrocardiogram (ECG)-derived reference condition Methods: Fifteen asymptomatic adults (24.9±3.4 years) underwent an orthostatic challenge during which RRi were simultaneously recorded by a freeware smartphone application and by an ECG recorder. Pearson correlation coefficients ( r ) and coefficients of determination ( r 2 ) were calculated to determine the degree of association between the two electronic devices. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance and Bland-Altman analysis were used to calculate the measurement consistency and agreement, respectively, between the two methods. Effect size was also used to estimate the magnitude of the differences., Results: The number of RRi from asymptomatic adults recorded by the ECG and by the free smartphone application was similar at rest in supine position (13,149 vs. 13,157; P = 0.432) and during orthostatic challenge (10,666 vs. 10,664 P = 0.532 ). RRi in milliseconds from both devices presented a near perfect correlation in the supine position ( r = 0.999; Confidence Interval [CI] at 95%: 0.999-0.999; P < 0.0001) and during orthostatic challenge (r = 0.988; 95% CI: 0.988-0.989; P < 0.0001). A negative bias of -0.526 milliseconds (95% limits of agreement [LoA] from -4.319 to 3.266 milliseconds) was observed in supine position between ECG and the smartphone application. On the other hand, a positive bias of 0.077 milliseconds (95% LoA from -10.090 to 10.240 milliseconds) during the orthostatic challenge was observed., Conclusions: Our results cross-validated a freeware smartphone application with the ECG-derived reference condition for asymptomatic adults at rest in the supine position and during orthostatic challenge., Competing Interests: None., (AJCD Copyright © 2020.)

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is still widely used for acute renal failure (ARF) in developing countries despite concerns about its inadequacy. Continuous PD has been evaluated in ARF by analyzing the resolution of metabolic abnormality and normalization of plasma pH, bicarbonate, and potassium., Methodology: A prospective study was performed on 30 ARF patients who were assigned to high-dose continuous PD (Kt/V = 0.65 per session) via a flexible catheter (Tenckhoff) and automated PD with a cycler. Fluid removal, pH and metabolic control, protein loss, and patient outcome were evaluated., Results: Patients received 236 continuous PD sessions; 76% were admitted to ICUs. APACHE II score was 32.2+/-8.65. BUN concentrations stabilized after 3 sessions, creatinine after 4, and bicarbonate and pH after 2. Fluid removal was 2.1+/-0.62 L/day. Creatinine and urea clearances were 15.8+/-4.16 and 17.3+/-5.01 mL/minute respectively. Normalized creatinine clearance and urea Kt/V values were 110.6+/-22.5 L/week/1.73 m(2) body surface area and 3.8+/-0.6 respectively. Solute reduction index was 41%+/-6.5% per session. Serum albumin values remained stable in spite of considerable protein losses (median 21.7 g/day, interquartile range 9.1-29.8 g/day). Regarding ARF outcome, 23% of patients presented renal function recovery, 13% remained on dialysis after 30 days of follow-up, and 57% died., Conclusion: High-dose continuous PD by flexible catheter and cycler was an effective treatment for ARF. It provided high solute removal, allowing appropriate metabolic and pH control, and adequate dialysis dose and fluid removal. Continuous PD can therefore be considered an alternative to other forms of renal replacement therapy in ARF.