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Intracranial pressure (ICP) measurements are essential in evaluation and treatment of neurological disorders such as subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, hydrocephalus, meningitis/encephalitis, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The techniques of ICP monitoring have evolved from invasive to non-invasive-with both limitations and advantages. Some limitations of the invasive methods include short-term monitoring, risk of infection, restricted mobility of the subject, etc. The invasiveness of a method limits the frequency of ICP evaluation in neurological conditions like hydrocephalus, thus hampering the long-term care of patients with compromised ICP. Thus, there has been substantial interest in developing noninvasive techniques for assessment of ICP. Several approaches were reported, although none seem to provide a complete solution due to inaccuracy. ICP measurements are fundamental for immediate care of TBI patients in the acute stages of severe TBI injury. In severe TBI, elevated ICP is associated with mortality or poor clinical outcome. ICP monitoring in conjunction with other neurological monitoring can aid in understanding the pathophysiology of brain damage. This review article presents: (a) the significance of ICP monitoring; (b) ICP monitoring methods (invasive and non-invasive); and (c) the role of ICP monitoring in the management of brain damage, especially TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parasites of the genus Spirometra belong to one of the twelve genera of the family Diphyllobothriidae, with several species of zoonotic importance whose definitive hosts are carnivorous mammals. In Argentina, few reports have described these parasites in wild carnivores. Morphological studies of the adult stage obtained from necropsy allow the distinction between Diphyllobothrium and Spirometra. A less invasive method of identification is the analysis of the parasite eggs; however, the morphometric similarities between close genera and species and alterations in egg preservation affect the identification. In Argentina, molecular tools have been used as a non-invasive and accurate method to increase the information about Spirometra and to improve its identification. In the present study, DNA was extracted from Spirometra eggs from Pampas foxes and a 450-bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene was sequenced. The sequence obtained, which is the first Spirometra DNA sequence from Argentina, was deposited at GenBank. Comparison by BLASTN analysis between the sequence obtained and the sequences from GenBank showed 93 % identity with S. proliferum and 89% with S. erinaceieuropaei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently the exhaled breath temperature (EBT) was seen to increase in non-small cell lung cancer and was subsequently proposed as a possible non-invasive tool for its diagnosis. The need for further studies that confirm the previous findings and support the potential scope of this method underlies the main aim of this study that seeks to explore the pathogenic mechanisms determining the EBT in lung cancer. We enrolled 44 consecutive patients with a radiological suspicion of lung cancer and ten healthy non-smoker volunteers, after which their EBT was measured. On the same day, the subjects underwent breath condensate collection for the measurement of leukotriene (LTB)-4 and of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the former being a marker of airways inflammation and the latter of neoangiogenesis. We confirmed the presence of a higher EBT in lung cancer patients compared to the controls. The multiple linear regression model showed that the exhaled VEGF was the only predictor of elevations of EBT. In conclusion, it can be stated that for the first time in this study, we have shown that EBT is higher in subjects with lung cancer and that the airways angiogenesis drives the increase in EBT in lung cancer. Moreover, the study suggests the potential for the use of EBT in monitoring the lung cancer progression, although the implementation of more in-depth studies to verify this result is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) is considered a global public issue with more than 78.000 people per year dying of its evolution. With liver transplantation as the only viable therapeutic option but only in end-stage disease, hepatitis B progression may generally be influenced by various factors. Assessing fibrosis stage plays an important part in future decisions on the patients' wealth with available antiviral agents capable of preventing fibrosis passing to an end-stage liver disease. Several methods have been taken into consideration as an alternative for HBV quantification status, such as imaging techniques and serum based biomarkers. Magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and elastography are considered non-invasive imaging techniques frequently used to quantify disease progression as well as patients future prognostic. Consequently, both direct and indirect biomarkers have been studied for differentiating between fibrosis stages. This paper reviews the current standings in HBV non-invasive liver fibrosis quantification, presenting the prognostic factors and available assessment procedures that might eventually replace liver biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioporosity in subsoils is strongly influenced by either deep rooting taproots or earthworms, which can affect important properties for plant growth provided by soils. The open question of this study was, in how far the combination of X-ray computed tomography (XRCT) and endoscopy may support the analysis of soil bioporosity and the effects induced by earthworm activity. The hypothesis were that earthworms can re-open, close and re-connect pores as well as change the biopore wall properties (by leaving coatings at the wall) and that with a combination of XRCT and endoscopy much more detailed information about those changes can be observed. Soil monoliths were collected from a Haplic Luvisol (developed from loess) at the experimental station Klein Altendorf (University of Bonn, Germany). The microcosms were then prepared under laboratory conditions in terms of temperature, soil temperature gradient, relative humidity, illumination, watering and fertilizer. The microcosms were examined before cultivation and incubation, and re-examined after one-month earthworm incubation ( Lumbricus terrestris L.), three months wheat growth period and shoot harvesting. XRCT and endoscopy were used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the soil microcosms. After the incubation with earthworms, physical properties like porosity and accessible surface area of biopores have changed with respect to the original state. Coatings at the biopore walls resulted in smaller pore diameters of large biopores with a diameter >0.5 cm, while some of them have previously been pores with diameters <0.5 cm. Contrary to this, biopores with a diameter <0.5 cm were increased after earthworms, i.e. widened due earthworm passage. It was found that earthworms may have disconnected lateral pores that reach into the bulk soil from the vertical biopores by pore wall coatings. After incubation, biopores lined with fresh earthworm coatings in the monolith increased from 30% to 80%, which may indicate that earthworms potentially have a considerable influence on biopore properties and therefore the physical, chemical and microbiological environment which roots are exposed to in biopores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to World Health Organization reports, large numbers of people around the globe have been infected or died for Covid-19 due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Researchers are still trying to find a rapid and accurate diagnostic method for revealing infected people by low viral load with the overriding goal of effective diagnostic management. Monitoring the body metabolic changes is known as an effective and inexpensive approach for the evaluation of the infected people. Here, an optical sniffer is introduced to detect exhaled breath metabolites of patients with Covid-19 (60 samples), healthy humans (55 samples), and cured people (15 samples), providing a unique color pattern for differentiation between the studied samples. The sniffer device is installed on a thin face mask, and directly exposed to the exhaled breath stream. The interactions occurring between the volatile compounds and sensing components such as porphyrazines, modified organic dyes, porphyrins, inorganic complexes, and gold nanoparticles allowing for the change of the color, thus being tracked as the sensor responses. The assay accuracy for the differentiation between patient, healthy and cured samples is calculated to be in the range of 80% 84%. The changes in the color of the sensor have a linear correlation with the disease severity and viral load evaluated by rRT-PCR method. Interestingly, comorbidities such as kidney, lung, and diabetes diseases as well as being a smoker may be diagnosed by the proposed method. As a powerful detection device, the breath sniffer can replace the conventional rapid test kits for medical applications. [Display omitted] • A colorimetric breath sensor was developed for detection of COVID-19. • The sensor was directly exposed to exhaled breath metabolites using cost-effective face mask. • A patients, healthy and cured participants were considerably discriminated. • The diseases severity was estimated by this method. • The smokers and the people with kidney disease, lung disorders and diabetes were diagnosed in addition to COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim: To determine the diagnostic value of non-invasive methods of GERD diagnosis based on questionnaire data and a diagnostic test with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) with Rabeprazole in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD)., Patients and Methods: Materials and methods: 90 patients were under observation, namely, 68 patients with coronary heart disease with concomitant essential arterial hyperten¬sion (EAH), 6 patients with coronary artery disease + arrhythmias, and 18 - others diseases. All patients were surveyed according to the GerdQ questionnaire, followed by PPI testing with Rabeprazole, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated for all the patients. A BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 was considered as normal body weight, and a BMI > 24.9 kg/m2 was considered overweight., Results: Results: Based on the results of the questionnaire, it was established that the most common complaints typical for GERD were noted by patients with CHD in combination with EAH. There were 48 of such patients and, depending on BMI, they were divided into 2 groups: 1st group (n=14) - patients with CHD+EAH+GERD with normal body weight and 2nd group (n=34) - overweight patients with CHD+EAH+GERD. In patients of group 1, typical symptoms of GERD prevailed (in 71.4% of patients), and in patients group 2, the distribution of typical and extra-esophageal symptoms did not differ significantly (52.9% vs. 47.1%). Among the extraesophageal manifestations, pain behind the sternum (in the projection of the esophagus) was significantly more often recorded in patients of group 1, and rhythm disturbances in patients of group 2 (43.8% and 75.0% of patients, respectively, p<0.05). The results of the GerdQ questionnaire showed a direct relationship between GERD, body weight and symptom score. Patients with GERD+normal body weight had a mean score of 6 for classic gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, while patients with GERD+increased body weight had a mean score of 7. The sensitivity of the questionnaire was 78.7%, and the specificity - 92.9%. According to the PPI test, in the 1st and 2nd groups, already in the first three days, 28.5% and 23.5% of patients noted the disappearance of heartburn and after 10 days - 85.7% and 64.7%, respectively. Over the entire period, that is, after 14 days of observation, 85.7% of patients in the 1st group and 73.5% in the 2nd group noted improvement., Conclusion: Conclusions: It has been established that questionnaires based on the GerdQ questionnaire followed by a PPI test with Rabeprazole in patients with coronary heart disease combined with essential arterial hypertension have a high diagnostic value and can be used for early diagnosis and effective treatment of GERD.

This study aimed to produce and characterize an oil in water (O/W) nanoemulsion containing Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill hydroglycolic extract, as well as evaluate its preliminary and accelerated thermal stability and moisturizing efficacy. The formulations containing 0.5% of xanthan gum (FX) and 0.5% of xanthan gum and 1% of Opuntia ficus-indica Mill extract (FXE) were white, homogeneous and fluid in aspect. Both formulations were stable during preliminary and accelerated stability tests. FX and FXE presented a pH compatible to skin pH (4.5–6.0); droplet size varying from 92.2 to 233.6 nm; a polydispersion index (PDI) around 0.200 and a zeta potential from –26.71 to –47.01 mV. FXE was able to increase the water content of the stratum corneum for 5 h after application on the forearm. The O/W nanoemulsions containing 1% of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill extract presented suitable stability for at least for 60 days. Besides, this formulation was able to increase the water content of stratum corneum, showing its moisturizing efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( MRS) can give information about cellular metabolism in vivo which is difficult to obtain in other ways. In skeletal muscle, non-invasive 31 P MRS measurements of the post-exercise recovery kinetics of p H, [ PCr], [ Pi] and [ ADP] contain valuable information about muscle mitochondrial function and cellular p H homeostasis in vivo, but quantitative interpretation depends on understanding the underlying physiology. Here, by giving examples of the analysis of 31 P MRS recovery data, by some simple computational simulation, and by extensively comparing data from published studies using both 31 P MRS and invasive direct measurements of muscle O2 consumption in a common analytical framework, we consider what can be learnt quantitatively about mitochondrial metabolism in skeletal muscle using MRS-based methodology. We explore some technical and conceptual limitations of current methods, and point out some aspects of the physiology which are still incompletely understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen deficiency strongly influences crop photosynthetic performance and biomass production. In this study, we applied rapid, non-invasive records of chlorophyll a fluorescence kinetics for evaluation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) leaf photosynthetic performance. Plants were grown during the whole season in big pots filled with the soil substrate and they were supplied by different doses of nitrogen nutrition. The plant nitrogen and leaf chlorophyll content as well as the plant aboveground biomass were analyzed after chlorophyll fluorescence records in three growth stages. Our results confirmed that the maximum quantum yield of photochemistry frequently used in previous studies was almost insensitive to nitrogen treatment, if measured in young, non-senescent leaves. On the contrary, the performance index was much more responsive. The performance index values derived from parallel measurements in the youngest and third leaf from the top were used to calculate performance index leaf ratio, which correlated well with the plant nitrogen content. Moreover, this parameter was not sensitive to midday depression, which significantly affected the values of other chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. Although the optimum performance index leaf ratio values decreased continuously in the second part of the growing season, the optimum and critical values for each growth stage can be easily identified. Thus, we suggest performance index leaf ratio as the simple parameter for the rapid evaluation of the wheat photosynthetic performance and an early indicator of insufficient nutrition level. Unlike some other approaches, suggested method seems to be useful also in conditions of a moderate nutrient deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the worldwide increase in obesity and diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease. NAFLD is associated with increased hepatic and extrahepatic morbidity and mortality, mainly related to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis with fibrosis. An early diagnosis in the high-risk population with features of insulin resistance and a proper identification of those patients with progressive liver disease are needed. Practicing physicians dealing with NAFLD should be aware of and should carefully evaluate the extended spectrum of NAFLD-related extrahepatic diseases, which significantly affects liver- and non-liver-related prognosis. This clinical practice-oriented article reviews the diagnostic methods and staging strategies for NAFLD and proposes an investigational algorithm for a global evaluation of NAFLD patients. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exhaled breath temperature (EBT) has been proven to be the expression of airways inflammation as well as of the increased vascularity. Although both these conditions characterize lung cancer pathogenesis, this is the first study where the EBT has been analysed in patients affected by non-small-cell lung cancer. The aim of this study was to verify whether and how the lung cancer being examined influences the EBT for possible future clinical implications. Eighty-two consecutive subjects with a radiological suspicion of lung cancer were enrolled and underwent standard diagnostic and staging procedures for cancer. EBT was measured in all the subjects at the enrolment with the X-Halo device. Forty patients resulted as affected by lung cancer while 42 as false-positive (controls). We found a higher EBT in NSCLC patients compared to healthy subjects. The EBT was correlated with number of packs/year and associated with the stage of lung cancer. We identified a cut-off value for the EBT that is able to screen patients with lung cancer with a high sensitivity and specificity. Our results suggest that lung cancer causes an increase in the EBT, which, whether confirmed and validated, could become a new non-invasive clinical tool in the screening and monitoring of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The performance of a multispectral imaging system has been evaluated in monitoring aerobically packaged beef filet spoilage at different storage temperatures (0, 4, 8, 12, and 16°C). Spectral data in the visible and short wave near infrared area (405–970nm) were collected from the surface of meat samples and correlated with microbiological data (log counts), for total viable counts (TVCs), Pseudomonas spp., and Brochothrix thermosphacta. Qualitative analysis (PLS-DA) was employed for the discrimination of meat samples in three microbiological quality classes based on the values of total viable counts, namely Class 1 (TVC<5.5log10 CFU/g), Class 2 (5.5log10 CFU/g7.0log10 CFU/g). Furthermore, PLS regression models were developed to provide quantitative estimations of microbial counts during meat storage. In both cases model validation was implemented with independent experiments at intermediate storage temperatures (2 and 10°C) using different batches of meat. Results demonstrated good performance in classifying meat samples with overall correct classification rate for the three quality classes ranging from 91.8% to 80.0% for model calibration and validation, respectively. For quantitative estimation, the calculated regression coefficients between observed and estimated counts ranged within 0.90–0.93 and 0.78–0.86 for model development and validation, respectively, depending on the microorganism. Moreover, the calculated average deviation between observations and estimations was 11.6%, 13.6%, and 16.7% for Pseudomonas spp., B. thermosphacta, and TVC, respectively. The results indicated that multispectral vision technology has significant potential as a rapid and non-destructive technique in assessing the microbiological quality of beef fillets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background/objectives: Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has been suggested as a traditional chemical probe for assessing skin susceptibility and barrier function. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of DMSO test for the evaluation of unusual skin angioneurotic reaction and epidermal permeability. Methods: Thirty healthy volunteers were exposed to 98% DMSO on the flexor forearm skin for three exposure durations (5 min, 10 min and 15 min). Clinical visual score and biological physical parameters were obtained. The volunteers were divided into two groups according to the clinical visual scoring. The skin parameters were subsequently analyzed. Results: There was a significant correlation between clinical visual score and biological physical parameters. The skin color parameters ( a*, oxyhemoglobin, erythema and melanin index) and blood flow values were significant between two groups regardless of duration of DMSO exposure, and a significant difference between density values could also be detected if we regrouped the volunteers according to the sting-producing score. Our results also suggested there was no correlation between questionnaire score and clinical visual score or other parameters. Conclusions: Application of 98% DMSO for 10 min combined with a* (at 30 min) and blood flow (at 10 min) values could help us to identify persons with a hyper-angionerotic reaction to chemical stimulus. The penetrative activity of DMSO correlated with the thickness of the individual's skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

several fecal steroid extraction techniques have been developed to measure the ovary function in different species of mammals. However, regardless of the method of extraction and the sample type chosen, is has been observed that they can yield results with different percentages of recuperation. The objective of this study was to determine whether the type of substratum, solvent and extraction method used have any influence on the extraction efficiency in the feces of Alouatta pigra (black howler monkey). For this purpose we used two methods: agitation and ebullition. With each method, we utilized moist and lyophilized feces. The validation of radioimmunoassay method was accurate and precise for quantify estradiol and progesterone in lyophilized feces of Alouatta pigra. To both of which ethanol and methanol, absolute and at 80%, were added, besides the hormones 125I-Estradiol and 125I-Progesterone. The extraction efficiency for 125I-Estradiol was from 87.72 ± 3.97% to 41.24 ± 2.67%, and for 125I-Progesterone from 71.15 ± 4.24% to 42.30 ± 1.19% when we used the agitation method. Whereas with the ebullition method, the extraction efficiency for 125I-Estradiol ranged from 86.89 ± 2.66% to 71.68 ± 3.02% and for 125I-Progesterone from 98.31 ± 1.26% to 85.40 ± 1.98%. Due to the differences found in these assays, which depend on the method used, the type of feces employed and the type of solvent added to them, we recommend the ebullition method and the lyophilized feces of Alouatta pigra for extracting the hormones, since in moist feces there may exist variables which might interfere in the quantification of 125I-Estradiol and 125I-Progesterone.

Highlights: [•] BAs are signaling molecules in important paracrine and endocrine networks. [•] The CMC value is implicated in cytotoxicity issues. [•] Invasive and non-invasive approaches for the CMC determination have been developed. [•] Few indirect chromatographic-based CMC estimation strategies have been proposed. [•] CMC depends on the selected determination method and applied experimental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background and objectives: Airway remodeling is a main feature of asthma. Different biological phenotypes of severe asthma have been recently recognized by the ENFUMOSA study group and among these one is characterized by neutrophilic airway inflammation. Concentrations of MMP-9 in airways have been suggested as a marker to monitor airway remodeling in asthma. Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore airway remodeling in different biological phenotypes of asthma by measuring MMP-9 in EBC and correlating these with other variables. Methods: Sixty consecutive subjects with asthma and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Exhaled MMP-9, pH and NO levels and inflammatory cells in sputum were measured in all subjects enrolled. Results: We observed an increase of exhaled MMP-9 in asthmatic subjects compared to controls. Higher exhaled MMP-9 concentrations were described in severe asthmatics compared to mild to moderate especially in those with neutrophilic airway inflammation. We further found a correlation between exhaled MMP-9 and percentage of neutrophils in sputum, FEV1, exhaled NO and pH. Conclusion: Our results seem to substantiate the feasibility of measuring exhaled MMP-9 in the breath of asthmatic patients. MMP-9 may be considered a proxy of the amount of the ongoing airway remodeling in asthma. MMP-9 has been shown to be differentially released in different phenotypes of asthma. The measure of exhaled MMP-9 could help to monitor the ongoing airway remodeling, recognize severe stages of asthma, and possibly help determine the appropriate choice of therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pet cats and dogs have been successfully used as indicators of environmental pollution by a great variety of chemicals, including metals. However, information on mercury (a well know priority environmental pollutant) concentrations in household pets tissues and/or organs is scarce. Thus, in the present work we quantified total mercury (Hg) in blood and hair samples from twenty-six household dogs. The obtained results disclose relatively low levels of total mercury in the surveyed dogs, with values ranging from 0.16 to 12.38 ng g in blood; and from 24.16 to 826.30 ng g in hair. Mercury concentrations were independent of gender, age and diet type. A highly significant positive correlation was established between total mercury in blood and hair, validating the latter as a surrogate, non-invasive matrix for mercury exposure evaluation. Additionally, the obtained blood to hair ratio (200) is similar to the one described for humans reinforcing the suitability of dogs as sentinels. Overall, the determination of total mercury levels in dogs' hair samples proved to be a good screening method for the estimation of mercury burden in this species. We propose the quantification of Hg in hair as a screening method for sentinels like household pets to be performed in routine veterinary visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Hepatic blood flow (HBF) is best estimated by the Fick’s method during indocyanine green constant infusion (ICG-HBF) on hepatic vein catheterization. We investigated the consistency and agreement of HBF measured by Doppler ultrasound (US-HBF) as compared with ICG-HBF in portal hypertensive patients with cirrhosis. Methods: In 50 patients observed for HVPG measurement (56% compensated; Child score 7±2; HVPG 16.6±6.0mmHg; varices in 75%) US-HBF (Sequoia-512-Acuson; 4.5–7MHz convex probe; US-HBF=hepatic artery blood flow+portal vein blood flow) and ICG-HBF (Fick’s method after an equilibration period of at least 45min of ICG bolus of 5mg+constant rate infusion of 0.2mg/min). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for consistency and absolute agreement between US-HBF and ICG-HBF were calculated. Results: Mean ICG-HBF and US-HBF were similar, being respectively 1004±543ml/min and 994±494ml/min (p= 0.661 vs. ICG-HBF). However, results in individual patients disclosed marked differences between the two methods (386±415ml/min) and showed only moderate consistency (ICC 0.456; p<0.0001), absolute agreement (ICC 0.461; p<0.0001) and linear correlation (R=0.464; p<0.0001). The discrepancy between the two methods was maximal in patients with poor liver function, high HBF by any technique and more arterialized liver circulation. Hepatic artery blood flow ⩾40% of US-HBF indicated, with 90% specificity, a discrepancy ⩾20% between US-HBF and ICG-HBF. Conclusions: HBF estimations by Doppler-ultrasound and ICG are significantly correlated, but their discrepancy in individual cases is high. Estimation of HBF by Doppler-US should be considered unreliable in patients with poor hepatic function and large liver arterialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Liver stiffness measured by transient elastgraphy correlates with Hepatic vein pressure gradient, liver Stiffness value of 21 kpa predicts significant portal hypertension. Aim is to predict esophageal varices presence by fibroscan and possible grading by degree of liver stiffness in HCV related cirrhotic patients. Material and Methods: Thirty two HCV related cirrhotic patients were recruited, age > 18 years, BMI< 35, no history of: upper GI bleeding, hepatocellular carcinoma, abdominal collaterals, ascites. Patients underwent clinical examination, laboratory investigations, abdominal ultrasonography, upper endoscopy and fibroscan. They divided into (Group I= no varices, Group II =small varices (Grade 1 & 2), Group III = large varices (Grade 3 & 4). Results: Age is higher in Group III than I & II (55+6.6 vs 49.5+4.7 & 48.9+4.7, p-value 0.04) respectively, Groups were gender & BMI matched, fibroscan values in Group I vs II & III were 27 Vs 49.4, p value 0.01, cutoff 29.7 Kpa (sensitivity 95% & specificity 67%) while its value in Group II vs III were 38.4 vs 60.4, p value 0.002, cutoff 38.2 Kpa (sensitivity 100% & specificity77.3%). Platelet count, splenic size, platelet count/splenic size in Group I vs II & III were 107.166 vs 72.900, 13.8 vs 15.4, 803.6 vs 478, p value 0.01, 0.008, 0.005, cutoff 80.000, 14.5, 545, sensitivity & specificity (85%&75%, 75%&75%, 85%&84%) respectively. On multivariate analysis fibroscan (OR 1.113; p=0.005) & platelet count/splenic size (OR 0.995; p=0.012) were positive predictors of esophageal varices presence. Conclusion: Fibroscan is a good non-invasive method to predict esophageal varices presence & possible grading with high sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of stored minced pork meat was monitored using a rapid multispectral imaging device to quantify the degree of spoilage. Bacterial counts of a total of 155 meat samples stored for up to 580 h have been measured using conventional laboratory methods. Meat samples were maintained under two different storage conditions: aerobic and modified atmosphere packages as well as under different temperatures. Besides bacterial counts, a sensory panel has judged the spoilage degree of all meat samples into one of three classes. Results showed that the multispectral imaging device was able to classify 76.13 % of the meat samples correctly according to the defined sensory scale. Furthermore, the multispectral camera device was able to predict total viable counts with a standard error of prediction of 7.47 %. It is concluded that there is a good possibility that a setup like the one investigated will be successful for the detection of spoilage degree in minced pork meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) is a new two-dimensional transient elastography which had no assessment of factors associated with reliability, and had limited comparisons with other validated fibrosis biomarkers. The aim was to assess the applicability and performances of SWE for the diagnosis of fibrosis as compared with FibroTest (FT) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography using two probes (TE-M and TE-XL). Methods: Without a gold standard, the strength of concordance, discordance analysis and latent class analysis (LCM) were applied. Results: 422 patients were included. The applicability of SWE (90.0%) was significantly lower than that of FT (97.9%; p <0.0001) and did not differ from those of TE-M (90.5%) and TE-XL (90.3%); it was higher though for SWE (86%) in 22 patients with ascites vs. 55% using TE-M (p =0.04). For the diagnosis of all fibrosis stages as presumed by FT, the performance of SWE was highly significant (Obuchowski measure 0.807±0.013 [m±se]), but lower than those of TE-M (0.852; p =0.0007) and TE-XL (0.834; p =0.046). SWE had a low performance for discrimination between F0 and F1. For the diagnosis of cirrhosis using LCM, SWE specificities were all equal to 99%, and SWE sensitivities ranged from 0.47 to 0.64. For the diagnosis of non-cirrhotic stages, the results were heterogeneous. Conclusions: The performance of SWE for the diagnosis of cirrhosis was similar to those of FT and TE. SWE applicability was lower than that of FT, but greater than that of TE in patients with ascites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Breast cancer represents the most frequent form of neoplasia in women worldwide, being responsible of 1.6% of annual deaths. Therefore, it is a major public health issue and research in this field should be a priority. Chemoterapics drugs are extremly potent tools, which alone or in association to radiotherapy, increase survival and lower the reccurrence rate of cancer, but their use can be limited by cardiotoxicity. Cardiotoxicity can appear early or late after therapy, and may vary from subclinical myocardial dysfunction to irreversible heart failure. Currently, cardiac dysfunction induced by chemotherapy is diagnosed through classical echocardiographic parameters. However, these cannot detect subtle, early changes of cardiac structure and function. Consequently, description of new methods, which could detect cardiac dysfunction in an early stage, becomes essential for detecting the group of patients at risk for irreversible heart failure and for monitoring the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portal hypertension is a major consequence of any chronic liver disease and it represents the main mechanism of complication occurrence. Therefore, the assessment of portal hypertension presence is one of the most important steps in the management of any chronic liver diseases. The most accurate tool for portal pressure assessment is hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement, which has diagnostic and prognostic relevance. In this paper we review the methodology of HVPG measuring, together with the clinical relevance of this technique. Portal hypertension is defined as a HVPG higher than 5 mmHg, but clinically significant portal hypertension that predisposes to clinical decompensation is defined as HVPG higher than 10 mmHg. HVPG is useful for portal hypertension treatment monitoring. A decrease in HVPG greater than 20% or under the threshold of 12 mmHg is considered to be protective against portal hypertension-related events. Even if HVPG measurement is a safe procedure, it is still considered an invasive technique and not widely available. Therefore, non-invasive markers of portal hypertension were searched for. Until now only liver stiffness measurement by transient elastography has proved to be sufficiently accurate but there is still heterogeneity among the cut-off values for portal hypertension diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We conducted the first meta-analysis to determine the diagnostic value of non-invasive methods for diagnosing bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)., Methods: We searched a range of databases for relevant publications up to June 2022, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Retrieved studies were then reviewed for eligibility and data were extracted. The risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool. We then performed a formal meta-analysis to evaluate the accuracy of various non-invasive methods for diagnosing BOO in men., Results: We identified 51 eligible studies including 7,897 patients for meta-analysis. The majority of the studies had a low overall RoB. Detrusor wall thickness (DWT) (pooled sensitivity (SSY): 71%; specificity (SPY): 88%; diagnostic odds ratio (DOR): 17.15; area under curve (AUC) 0.87) and the penile cuff test (PCT) (pooled SSY: 87%; SPY: 78%; DOR: 23.54; AUC: 0.88) showed high accuracy for diagnosing BOO. Furthermore, data suggested that DWT had the highest pooled SPY (0.89), DOR (32.58), and AUC (0.90), when using 2 mm as the cut-off., Conclusion: Of the non-invasive tests tested, DWT and PCT had the highest levels of diagnostic accuracy for diagnosing BOO in men with LUTS. DWT, with a 2 mm cut-off, had the highest level of accuracy. These two methods represent good options as non-invasive tools for evaluating BOO in males., 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. The reviewer MX declared a shared affiliation, with no collaboration, with the authors at the time of review., (© 2022 Cheng, Li, Wu, Ling, Rao, Yuan, Chen, Du and Xu.)

This report describe the first application of environmental DNA-metabarcoding approach for the assessment of fish species diversity in two marine protected areas of the North Sea: the Doggerbank and the Sylt Outer Reef. We collected 64 water samples and detected 24 fish species. We discuss qualitative differences between MPAs and compare the results with those obtained from bottom-trawl surveys in the same areas. We found three additional species to those documented in the same year with trawls, including the critically endangered European eel., (© 2022 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Background: Data concerning hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment using direct-acting agents (DAAs) post liver transplantation (LT) remains scarce in low- and average-income countries., Aim of the Study: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of post-LT HCV treatment using DAAs in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and to assess the course of hepatic biomarkers after sustained virological response (SVR)., Methods: Data from LT recipients with recurrent HCV treated using DAAs was retrospectively analyzed. HCV was defined by detectable HCV-RNA with elevated aminotransferases and/or histological signs of infection on liver biopsy post LT. SVR was defined as undetectable HCV-RNA 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Aspartate-to-Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) and Fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4) were calculated before treatment and after SVR., Results: 116 patients (63% male, median age 62 years, 75% genotype 1 and 62% with hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] prior to LT) were included. Cirrhosis was identified in the allograft of 21 subjects (18%). The overall SVR was 96.6% without differences in SVR proportion according to clinical/demographic characteristics, genotype or presence of cirrhosis. SVR rates were similar in individuals with and without HCC pre-LT (95.8% [95% CI: 87.6-98.7] vs. 97.7% [95% CI: 85.0-99.7%], p = 0.588). No serious adverse events were observed and the use of ribavirin was associated with at least one adverse event (OR = 8.71 [95% CI: 3.17-23.99]). SVR was associated with regression of APRI (OR = 26.00 [95% CI 4.27-1065.94]) and FIB-4 (OR = 15.00 [95% CI: 2.30-631.47])., Conclusion: Post-LT HCV treatment with DAAs was safe and effective and associated with a significant decrease in hepatic biomarker levels after SVR., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose related to this topic., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Non-invasive methods for the assessment of liver fibrosis are accurate in staging chronic liver diseases before treatment. Aim: To prospectively assess liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in patients treated vs untreated, using non-invasive methods. Method: 224 patients with CHC were included in the study: 179 received antiviral treatment for 48 weeks, and 45 patients received no antiviral therapy. All patients underwent liver biopsy at baseline and were also evaluated by simple biological scores (APRI, HAPRI, Forns, Bonacini, Lok) and transient elastography (TE). The progression of fibrosis was non-invasively assessed over a period of 72 weeks. Results: Fibrosis decreased significantly in patients who gained sustained virological response (SVR). A significant decrease of fibrosis was also observed in all treated patients, irrespective of SVR when using APRI, HAPRI and Bonacini scores (p=0.001, 0.009 and 0.02). Untreated patients yielded constant values of fibrosis or a slight increase in follow-up. Patients with Lok score and stiffness predictive for cirrhosis had a decreasing trend of fibrosis (p=0.03 for Lok and 0.05 for TE), but persisting in the cirrhosis domain. Of the non responders, those who gained biological response demonstrated improvement of fibrosis assessed by APRI and TE. Conclusion: The prospective follow-up of liver fibrosis assessed by simple biological scores and TE in patients with CHC revealed a downstaging of fibrosis in treated patients and especially in those who gained SVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors developed a novel treatment using thioglycolic acid ( TGA) to chemically soften pincer nails. The objective was to describe a new treatment method for pincer nails by applying TGA to soften the nail and then fix it in the correct position. A total of 104 patients (nine men and 95 women; mean age, 56 years) with 106 pincer nails underwent our treatment. A small hole was made on the markedly incurvated side of the pincer nail, and a super-elastic wire was inserted into the hole and bent backwards; 5% TGA was then applied for 6-7 h prior to reduction. Favorable reduction was achieved in 66% of patients within 1 day of the procedure, in 30% within 2-4 days and in 4% 5 days or more later. No patient required surgery. No post-procedure infection, rash, continuous pain or nail cut out was evident. In eight cases, recurrences of nail deformity were observed within the 1-year follow-up period. Our novel method, which consists of administrating TGA via a hole in the nail plate, is a useful treatment for pincer nails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese Quail ( Coturnix japonica) are a common avian laboratory model, and measuring corticosterone metabolites (CM) non-invasively from Quail droppings would be of broad interest. Using the enzyme immunoassay suitable for measuring CM in droppings of Chicken ( Gallus domesticus) and other galliform species, we tested the CM measured in Quail droppings after stimulation with adrenocorticotropic hormone. An ACTH challenge indicated that the assay did not detect major amounts of CM in Japanese Quail excreta. Therefore, we aimed at testing whether steroid metabolism and clearance differed between closely related species. We compared the CM excretion patterns in male and female Japanese Quail and Chicken. After intravenous injection with [H]-labelled corticosterone, we collected all droppings for 24 h, including caecum excreta. Males and females of both species excreted radioactive CM with two peaks. The first radioactivity-peak presumably was from uric acid (Quail 45/55 min; Chicken 120/75 min post-injection, males/females respectively), whereas the second peak probably represented faecal excretion (180/210 min; 240/140 min, respectively). Several highly polar radioactive CM, but no corticosterone, was separated by chromatography in droppings of both species. Number and identity of CM considerably differed between males and females, as well as between urine and faecal excretion. The nature of excreted CM in Quail droppings remains unresolved. However, we show that knowing the effective time for dropping collection is essential for interpreting stimulus-specific CM responses, and mixing samples from rapid urine and slower faecal excretion should be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) is a difficult species to detect because of its remote breeding locations and secretive nature. We used autonomous recording units (ARUs) to monitor nest activity at 6 Great Gray Owl territories from June-July 2006 in the Sierra Nevada, California. We also used ARUs to survey for Great Gray Owl presence-absence status at 15 potential territories from March-April 2007. Each unit recorded 12 h/night (18:00-06:00). In 2006, we recorded juvenile begging calls at 3 sites. In 2007, we recorded adult Great Gray Owl vocalizations at 10 sites. We recorded audible calls during approximately 40% of the nights sampled at locations with owl detections. We concluded that a combination of ARUs and acoustic analysis provides an effective non-invasive method to detect and monitor Great Gray Owls as well as other secretive and nocturnal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-invasive methods are essential in the study of cryptic species. For estimations on abundances and distributions of arboreal folivores, such as Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtz) in Far North Queensland, Australia, scat counts seem to be the most promising ecological technique. However, the occurrence of Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroos in seasonal rainforests with dense understory, a high diversity of coprophagous invertebrates and with sympatric folivores increases the probability of invalidating results based on scat surveys. This study investigates scat production and scat decomposition patterns to select diagnostic traits of Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo scats that can, under varying environmental conditions, assist in distinguishing between fresh and old scats to reduce false positive and false negative errors in species presence due to non- or/and misidentification of scats. Scat production rates of six captive Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroos were highly variable resulting in different scat numbers and masses. Changes in scat size (mass and circumference), pH and the appearance of mould were monitored under different laboratory conditions and in forest trials. Under wet conditions scats gained mass until they reached an apparent plateau of 130% of their original mass. Scats under dry conditions lost up to 90% of their original mass. Changes in mass were accompanied by changes in circumference of scats. By Day 3 scats had developed signs of mould under laboratory conditions and showed an acidic pH. Field trials revealed a high loss of scats due primarily to their consumption by dung beetles (Scarabaeoidea). For studying Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroos in their rainforest environment, scat surveys should be confined to dry periods to reduce the probability of false negative errors due to activity of coprophagous invertebrates. Additionally, only fresh scats of average size and with an acidic pH should be used to minimize the risk of misidentifying small sized scats from Red-legged Pademelons (Thylogale stigmatica) as tree-kangaroo scats. More studies on species-specific diagnostic traits of Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo scats are necessary to validate false negative and false positive errors in scat counts for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We optimize several aspects involved in the method for a reliable, more simple, and easy obtaining of bile acids (AB) and cholesterol (Co) from the feces of wild carnivores, including: selection of the optimal developer; adaptation of the mobile phase in a first chromatographic evaluation; optimization of separation through a second chromatographic evaluation with another mobile phase; the use of minimal amounts of both fecal sample (mg) or the ethanolic solution (µL) in which the former were preserved. The new procedure is simpler and easily reproducible, and thus it turns out to be an analytic, non-invasive, and feasible tool for the identification of wild carnivores by means of the AB within their feces. In order to probe the method, we analyzed feces from Puma concolor, Panthera onca, Canis lupus baileyi, and Canis latrans maintained in captivity, which are also described and, therefore, we also present for the first time, the profile of AB for the Mexican wolf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Sichuan takin (takin; Budorcas taxicolor tibetana) is distributed in the Gansu and Sichuan providences of southern China and along eastern Tibet. Because of their ecology, few data on takin reproductive biology exist, with the exception of its mating season in the Sichuan province, which occurs from July through August. Therefore, the objectives were to: 1) characterize reproductive hormones in zoo-housed male and female takin, including pregnancy in the female, using non-invasive fecal steroid hormonal monitoring; 2) characterize behaviors of zoo-housed takin, emphasizing reproductive behaviors and activity budget; and 3) assess the influence of season on births in North America and reproductive hormonal and behavioral activity. Fecal samples were collected 3 to 5 times per week from two adult males and three adult females. Extracted hormones were analyzed using an enzyme immunoassay for progestagen and androgen concentrations. Behavioral observations were collected for 2 yrs using an ethogram. In this study, season affected reproduction, specifically birth occurrences, reproductive cyclicity in females and androgen production in males. The duration of the estrous cycle was approximately 35 d and cycles occurred June through December. Androgen concentrations peaked in May through August. Season did not influence behavior; however, age and sex may affect some behaviors, including activity level, foraging and drinking, social affiliative behavior, and visibility from the visitor''s viewpoint. In conclusion, fecal hormonal and behavioral analyses can provide information for management and conservation of this herd species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]