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Objective: To determine the association of a metabolomic profile with the diagnosis of localized prostate cancer., Methods: We conducted a search strategy in MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE, LILACS, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from 2008 to the present. We included Clinical trials and analytical and descriptive observational studies that reported metabolite results and metabolite profiles in serum, tissue, urine, and seminal fluid. All studies used metabolomic techniques such as MS and MRI to identify patients with localized prostate cancer compared with patients without cancer. We used QUADAS 2 to assess the risk of bias., Results: We found 1248 studies with the search strategy. Finally, 14 case-control studies were included. Serum was the primary sample to identify the metabolites. Low concern was found regarding applying the index test and the reference standard in assessing the risk of bias. The metabolites of interest associated with establishing a metabolomic profile in the diagnosis of localized prostate cancer were amino acids, lipids, androgens, estrogens, nucleotides, and histidine metabolism., Conclusion: Disturbances in the metabolism of fatty acids, amino acids, nucleotides, and steroid hormones were identified, suggesting the presence of localized prostate cancer. Importantly, serum samples showed an increase in amino acid levels. Glutamate and aspartic acid stand out among the amino acids that register high levels. In addition, glycine and serine were consistently decreased metabolites in the three kinds of biological samples analyzed., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical statement: Not applicable., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The heavy metal mercury (Hg) is one of the most complex and toxic pollutants. When present in soils, it may impair plant growth, but the intensity of damage depends on the physical-chemical properties of the soil such as pH, clay, and organic matter content, which in turn affects Hg sorption and bioavailability. Understanding Hg potential damage to staple food crops is of paramount relevance. Here, we evaluated the physiological effects of Hg in Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean) and Avena sativa (oat) cultivated in two Oxisols with contrasting properties: Rhodic Acrudox (RA) and Typic Hapludox (TH). We performed four independent experiments (one per species/soil combination) that lasted 30 days each. Treatments were composed by HgCl 2 concentrations in soils (0 to 80 mg kg -1 Hg). At the end of the experiment, we determined the impact of Hg on photosynthesis, nutritional status, and oxidative stress. Cultivation in TH contaminated with Hg resulted in oxidative stress in common bean and decreased photosynthesis/P accumulation in oat. No deleterious effects on physiological variables were detected in both species when cultivated in the RA soil. In general, we conclude that the lower Hg sorption in the TH soil resulted in toxicity-like responses, while acclimation-like responses were observed in plants cultivated in RA, reinforcing soil physical-chemical properties as key features driving Hg toxicity in Oxisols. Graphical abstract.

Objectives: To analyze the report of the experience of the person with high blood pressure, in light of the theory proposed by Kristen Swanson., Methods: This was a qualitative research with autobiographical-type narrative design. To collect and analyze the information, the work used open in-depth interview with 12 individuals, participant observation, and field notes., Results: The study recognized the beliefs, customs, and cultural practices of the person living with high blood pressure and identified the care needs. The participants shared their feelings, finding that each confronts this disease differently and learns to care for themselves in particular manner., Conclusions: In the analysis of the narratives of the experience of people with high blood pressure, five care processes by Swanson were recognized: maintaining the beliefs, knowing, being with, doing for, and permitting., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright by the Universidad de Antioquia.)

Background: Vascular calcifications are highly prevalent in dialysis patients and are associated with arterial stiffness and mortality. The use of simple and inexpensive methods to evaluate arterial stiffness and vascular calcifications is desired. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship of a simple vascular calcification score (SVCS) with pulse wave velocity (PWV) and pulse pressure (PP) and to evaluate their association with all-cause mortality., Methods: 101 haemodialysis patients (71 men; 19% diabetic) were evaluated. At baseline, arterial stiffness was measured by PP and by PWV with Complior. SVCS was evaluated in plain X-ray of pelvis and hands., Results: During a 43-month observational period, 31 patients died. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, SVCS >3 (P = 0.001), PP > 70 mmHg (P = 0.001) and PWV > 10.5 m/s (P < 0.001) were found to be associated with lower cumulative survival. Adjusting for multiple variables, association with mortality was maintained for SVCS >3 (HR = 3.308, P = 0.032) and PP > 70 mmHg (HR = 3.227, P = 0.031) in all patients and for PWV > 10.5 m/s (HR = 2.981, P = 0.047) in non-diabetic patients. Age (P < 0.001), systolic pressure (P = 0.004) and SVCS > 3 (P = 0.032) were associated with PWV. Diabetes (P = 0.031), calcium carbonate dose (P = 0.009) and SVCS > 3 (P = 0.012) were associated with PP., Conclusion: Higher SVCS, PWV and PP were associated with higher mortality in this population. SVCS was associated with arterial stiffness. Simple and inexpensive methods such as PP or SVCS may be used to detect mortality risk and to provide important information that may be relevant for guiding therapeutic intervention in dialysis patients.

The authors report the case of a 44-year-old man, with a history of hypertension, smoking, peripheral artery disease and chronic renal failure. After renal transplantation, the patient developed persistent high blood pressure, despite optimal medical therapy. When angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy was begun, he developed acute anuric renal failure, which was reversed after interruption of the ACE inhibitor. After the initial clinical evaluation, the patient was referred for renal angiography, which revealed critical stenosis of the proximal left common iliac artery, just above the renal graft artery anastomosis. The patient underwent successful angioplasty and stenting of the lesion, with complete normalization of blood pressure.

Electromyography is frequently used to measure the activity of masticatory muscles. It requires the precise setting of the electrodes, which demands the accurate location of the muscle to be evaluated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of an external method to locate the buccinator muscle. Fifteen human cadavers were evaluated and planes were determined on the face using anatomic landmarks. An angle (alpha) was obtained at the intersection of these planes on the central point of buccinator muscle and measured with a protractor. The value of the angle allows locating the central point of buccinator muscle based on anatomic landmarks on the face. Statistical analysis of the collected data indicated an angle of 90 masculine with 95% reliability, thus proving the efficacy of the proposed method.

Background: Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are highly prevalent in haemodialysis (HD) patients and have been recently associated with vascular calcifications. The objective of our study was to assess the value of a simple vascular calcification score for the prediction of cardiovascular death, cardiovascular hospitalizations and fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events in HD patients, and to correlate this score with cardiovascular disease and with other known predictors of vascular disease., Methods: In this observational, prospective study 123 chronic HD patients (75 males and 48 females; 20% diabetic) were included, who were on low-flux HD treatment for 46.6+/-52 months (mean+/-SD). We set up a simple vascular calcification score based on plain radiographic films of pelvis and hands. Brachial pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured and cardiovascular events and hospitalization episodes were assessed., Results: During an observational period of 37 months there were 17 cardiovascular deaths; 28 patients needed cardiovascular hospitalizations and 32 patients suffered fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events. Coronary artery disease was diagnosed in 43 patients (35%), peripheral arterial disease in 33 patients (26.8%), cerebrovascular disease in 16 patients (13%) and vascular disease (coronary artery disease or peripheral arterial disease or cerebral vascular disease) in 61 patients (49.6%). By binary logistic regression, diabetes (P = 0.01), male sex (P<0.001), age (P = 0.02), HD duration (P = 0.02) and MAP (P = 0.03) were independently associated with a vascular score > or =3. This score > or =3 was independently associated with coronary artery disease (P = 0.008), peripheral arterial disease (P<0.001) and vascular disease (P = 0.001). Patients with a vascular calcification score > or =3 had a 3.9-fold higher risk of cardiovascular mortality (P = 0.03), a 2.8-fold higher risk of cardiovascular hospitalizations (P = 0.02) and a 2.3-fold higher risk of fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular events (P = 0.04)., Conclusions: The present vascular calcification scoring represents a simple tool for the assessment of cardiovascular risk related with vascular calcifications in chronic HD patients.