Search

Introduction and Objectives: Worsening renal function (WRF) is a frequent complication in acute heart failure (AHF) with a controversial prognostic value. We aimed to study the usefulness of natriuresis to evaluate WRF., Methods: We conducted an observational, prospective, multicenter study of patients with AHF who underwent a furosemide stress test. The patients were classified according to whether WRF was present or absent and according to the median natriuretic response. The main endpoint was the combination of mortality, rehospitalization due to HF, and heart transplant at 6 months of follow-up., Results: One hundred and fifty-six patients were enrolled, and WRF occurred in 60 (38.5%). The patients were divided into 4 groups: a) 47 (30.1%) no WRF/low UNa (UNa ≤ 109 mEq/L); b) 49 (31.4%) no WRF/high UNa (UNa >109 mEq/L); c) 31 (19.9%) WRF/low UNa and d) 29 (18.6%) WRF/high UNa. The parameters of the WRF/low UNa group showed higher clinical severity and worse diuretic and decongestive response. The development of WRF was associated with a higher risk of the combined event (HR, 1.88; 95%CI, 1.01-3.50; P=.046). When stratified by natriuretic response, WRF was associated with an increased risk of adverse events in patients with low natriuresis (HR, 2.28; 95%CI, 1.15-4.53; P=.019), but not in those with high natriuresis (HR, 1.18; 95%CI, 0.26-5.29; P=.826)., Conclusions: Natriuresis could be a useful biomarker for interpreting and prognosticating WRF in AHF. WRF is associated with a higher risk of adverse events only in the context of low natriuresis., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Antecedentes: En Chile, la estadística poblacional reporta 259.069 recién nacidos vivos anualmente, corregidos para el año 2001, de los cuales, 6% son prematuros. Este grupo presenta la más alta morbimortalidad neonatal, requiere prolongadas hospitalizaciones e involucra un fuerte gasto de recursos para la salud pública del país. Objetivos: Esta investigación evaluó los efectos del masaje como terapia complementaria, al tratamiento habitual de los recién nacidos prematuros del Servicio de Neonatología del Hospital San José. Método: Se realizó un ensayo clínico de casos y controles que incluyó al azar 40 niños menores de 37 semanas de edad gestacional e inferior a 1.700 g al nacer que no presentaban condiciones patológicas al momento del estudio y que fueron agrupados por peso y edad gestacional al inicio de la intervención y pareados posteriormente por edad gestacional y categoría de peso de nacimiento (pequeño, normal o grande para la edad gestacional). Los padres de los niños fueron capacitados en masaje shiatsu y lo aplicaron a sus hijos por 15 minutos, tres veces al día, seis días alternos, por dos semanas. Se registró peso de inicio y diario en ambos grupos y días de hospitalización. El análisis estadístico se realizó mediante test t de Student para datos no pareados. Resultados: Los niños masajeados aumentaron en promedio, 14 gramos diarios más que el grupo control (p=0,0001) y permanecieron 15 días menos hospitalizados (p=0,0169). Conclusión: El masaje shiatsu produce una más rápida ganancia de peso en niños prematuros. Aplicando esta técnica a niños de 1000 gal nacer se ahorraría en promedio $1.216.000 por niño, sólo por concepto de días cama de hospitalización y una potencial ganancia en el desarrollo psicomotor.Background: In Chile every year 259.069 childs were borned, 6% of them are prematures. This group has the highest neonatal mortality and morbidity, spending prolonged hospitalizations and monetary resources for the public health of Chile. Objective: This investigation looks for the effects of massage as a complementan/ therapy to the common treatment of our hospitalized prematures babies at the Neonatal Unit of San José Hospital. Method: We performed a clinic assay of cases and controls that included 40 babies under 37 weeks of gestation and less than 1700 g which had no pathologies. They were classified by weight and gestational age at the beginning of the assay and compared by weight and gestational age at the end of the study. Parents were trained in shiatsu massage and they applied it to their babies 15 minutes, 3 times per day, 6 every other days during 2 weeks. We registered the initial weight and then daily and hospitalization days in both groups. Statistical analysis was performed by test t student for data no paired. Results: The group of babies stimulated by massage, increased their weight 14 g per day in average more than the control group (p=0.0001) and spent 15 days less of hospitalization (p=0.0169). Conclusions: The shiatsu massage produces a fast gain of weight in newborns prematures babies. Applying this therapy to babies under 1000 g, we can save $1,216,000 per baby, just only for hospitalization concept and a potential gain in psychomotor development.

Due to global water scarcity and population growth, multiple solutions are needed to conserve and collect water, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of the planet. As the practice of harvesting rainwater grows, it is important to assess the quality of roof-harvested rainwater (RHRW). This study measured twelve organic micropollutants (OMPs) in RHRW samples collected between 2017 and 2020 by community scientists, with approximately two hundred RHRW samples and corresponding field blank analyzed annually. The OMPs analyzed were atrazine, pentachlorophenol (PCP), chlorpyrifos, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), prometon, simazine, carbaryl, nonylphenol (NP), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). OMP concentrations measured in RHRW were below the following existing standards: US EPA Primary Drinking Water Standard, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Partial Body Contact for Surface Waters, and ADEQ Full Body Contact for Surface Waters for analytes in this study. At the time the study was conducted, 28 % of RHRW samples exceeded the non-enforceable US EPA Lifetime Health Advisory (HA) of 70 ng L -1 for the combined sum of PFOS and PFOA with a mean exceedance concentration of 189 ng L -1 . When comparing PFOA and PFOS to the June 15, 2022 interim updated HAs of 0.004 ng L -1 and 0.02 ng L -1 , respectively, all samples exceeded these values. No RHRW samples exceeded the final proposed HA of 2000 ng L -1 for PFBS. The limited number of state and federal standards established for the contaminants highlighted in this study indicate potential regulatory gaps and that users need to be aware that OMPs may be present in RHRW. Based on these concentrations, domestic activities and intended uses should be carefully considered., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Olive oil consumption has increased in the last two decades and consequently, its wastes have increased, which generates a tremendous environmental impact. Among the by-products are the olive mill leaves, which are easier and inexpensive to treat than other olive by-products. However, little research has been done on their chemical composition and potential bioactivity. Hence, in this study, olive mill leaves were used to obtain Oleuropein-Enriched Extracts (OLEU-EE) using Conventional Extraction, Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction, and Homogenization-Assisted Extraction. These three techniques were evaluated using a Factorial Design to determine the parameters to obtain an OLEU-EE with high contents of Total Phenolic Compounds (TPC), Antioxidant Activity (AA), and Oleuropein concentration (OLEU). From the results, the Homogenizer-Assisted Extraction (HAE) technique was selected at 18,000 rpm, solid:liquid ratio 1:10, and 30 s of homogenization with 70% ethanol, due to its high TPC (5,196 mg GA/100 g), AA (57,867 μmol of TE/100 g), and OLEU (4,345 mg of OLEU/100 g). In addition, the antiglycating effect of OLEU-EE on the levels of (1) fluorescent Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) were IC 50 of 0.1899 and 0.1697 mg/mL for 1 λ EXC 325/λ EM 440 and 2 λ EXC 389/λ EM 443, respectively; (2) protein oxidative damage markers such as dityrosine (DiTyr), N-formylkynurenine (N-formyl Kyn), and kynurenine (Kyn) were IC 50 of 0.1852, 0.2044, and 0.1720 mg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, OLEU-EE from olive mill leaves has different capacities to inhibit AGEs evidenced by the IC 50 of fluorescent AGEs and protein oxidation products, together with the scavenging free radical evidenced by the concentration of Trolox Equivalent. Therefore, OLEU-EE could be potential functional ingredients that prevent oxidative damage caused by free radicals and AGEs accumulation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Márquez, Márquez, Ávila, Cruz, Burgos-Edwards, Pardo and Carrasco.)

Introduction: In Spain HIV testing is recommended to people with risk behaviors for HIV and with indicator conditions (IC) related to HIV infection. Missed diagnostic opportunities (MO) are defining as situations where these recommendations are not followed., Objective: To characterize MO due to risk behaviors (directed) and due to IC (indicated) among people diagnosed with HIV in the Region of Madrid., Methods: A total of 109 participants newly diagnosed with HIV were recruited from 7 health centers (April 2018-March 2019) by a telephone survey. Diagnostic opportunities were defined as any contact with the healthcare system in which an HIV test should have been carried out. Frequency of MO was calculated within the previous 2 years from HIV diagnosis., Results: Of the 32 directed and indicated diagnostic opportunities, 96.9% and 57.8% respectively resulted in MO. Overall, 83.8% of diagnostic opportunities resulted in MO., Conclusion: MO, both directed and indicated, are an important area for improvement to reduce late diagnosis., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Introduction: In Spain HIV testing is recommended to people with risk behaviors for HIV and with indicator conditions related to HIV infection. Missed diagnostic opportunities (MO) are defining as situations where these recommendations are not followed., Objective: To characterize MO due to risk behaviors (directed) and due to indicator conditions (indicated) among people diagnosed with HIV in the Region of Madrid., Methods: A total of 109 participants newly diagnosed with HIV were recruited from 7 health centers (April 2018-March 2019) by a telephone survey. Diagnostic opportunities were defined as any contact with the healthcare system in which an HIV test should have been carried out. Frequency of MO was calculated within the previous 2 years from HIV diagnosis., Results: Of the 32 directed and indicated diagnostic opportunities, 96.9 and 57.8% respectively resulted in MO. Overall, 83.8% of diagnostic opportunities resulted in MO., Conclusion: MO, both directed and indicated, are an important area for improvement to reduce late diagnosis., (Copyright © 2021 Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

The parabigeminal nucleus (PBG) is the mammalian homologue to the isthmic complex of other vertebrates. Optogenetic stimulation of the PBG induces freezing and escape in mice, a result thought to be caused by a PBG projection to the central nucleus of the amygdala. However, the isthmic complex, including the PBG, has been classically considered satellite nuclei of the Superior Colliculus (SC), which upon stimulation of its medial part also triggers fear and avoidance reactions. As the PBG-SC connectivity is not well characterized, we investigated whether the topology of the PBG projection to the SC could be related to the behavioral consequences of PBG stimulation. To that end, we performed immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and neural tracer injections in the SC and PBG in a diurnal rodent, the Octodon degus. We found that all PBG neurons expressed both glutamatergic and cholinergic markers and were distributed in clearly defined anterior (aPBG) and posterior (pPBG) subdivisions. The pPBG is connected reciprocally and topographically to the ipsilateral SC, whereas the aPBG receives afferent axons from the ipsilateral SC and projected exclusively to the contralateral SC. This contralateral projection forms a dense field of terminals that is restricted to the medial SC, in correspondence with the SC representation of the aerial binocular field which, we also found, in O. degus prompted escape reactions upon looming stimulation. Therefore, this specialized topography allows binocular interactions in the SC region controlling responses to aerial predators, suggesting a link between the mechanisms by which the SC and PBG produce defensive behaviors.

Evolutionary change is considered a major factor influencing the invasion of new habitats by plants. Yet, evidence on how such modifications promote range expansion remains rather limited. Here we investigated flower color modifications in the red poppy, Papaver rhoeas (Papaveraceae), as a result of its introduction into Central Europe and the impact of those modifications on its interactions with pollinators. We found that while flowers of Eastern Mediterranean poppies reflect exclusively in the red part of the spectrum, those of Central European poppies reflect both red and ultraviolet (UV) light. This change coincides with a shift from pollination by glaphyrid beetles (Glaphyridae) to bees. Glaphyrids have red-sensitive photoreceptors that are absent in bees, which therefore will not be attracted by colors of exclusively red-reflecting flowers. However, UV-reflecting flowers are easily detectable by bees, as revealed by visual modeling. In the North Mediterranean, flowers with low and high UV reflectance occur sympatrically. We hypothesize that Central European populations of P. rhoeas were initially polymorphic with respect to their flower color and that UV reflection drove a shift in the pollination system of P. rhoeas that facilitated its spread across Europe.

Liver is an essential organ that carries out multiple functions such as glycogen storage, the synthesis of plasma proteins, and the detoxification of xenobiotics. Hepatocytes are the parenchyma that sustain almost all the functions supported by this organ. Hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells respond to the mechanical alterations that occur in the extracellular matrix (ECM) caused by organogenesis and regenerating processes. Rearrangements of the ECM modify the composition and mechanical properties that result in specific dedifferentiation programs inside the hepatic cells. Quiescent hepatocytes are embedded in the soft ECM, which contains an important concentration of fibrillar collagens in combination with a basement membrane-associated matrix (BM). This work aims to evaluate the role of fibrillar collagens and BM on actin cytoskeleton organization and the function of rat primary hepatocytes cultured on soft elastic polyacrylamide hydrogels (PAA HGs). We used rat tail collagen type I and Matrigel ® as references of fibrillar collagens and BM respectively and mixed different percentages of collagen type I in combination with BM. We also used peptides obtained from decellularized liver matrices (dECM). Remarkably, hepatocytes showed a poor adhesion in the absence of collagen on soft PAA HGs. We demonstrated that collagen type I inhibited apoptosis and activated extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) in primary hepatocytes cultured on soft hydrogels. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) was not able to rescue cell viability in conjugated BM but affected cell aggregation in soft PAA HGs conjugated with combinations of different proportions of collagen and BM. Interestingly, actin cytoskeleton was localized and preserved close to plasma membrane (cortical actin) and proximal to intercellular ducts (canaliculi-like structures) in soft conditions; however, albumin protein expression was not preserved, even though primary hepatocytes did not remodel their actin cytoskeleton significantly in soft conditions. This investigation highlights the important role of fibrillar collagens on soft hydrogels for the maintenance of survival and aggregation of the hepatocytes. Data suggest evaluating the conditions that allow the establishment of optimal biomimetic environments for physiology and cell biology studies, where the phenotype of primary cells may be preserved for longer periods of time.

Objective: The present study assessed cytotoxicity, cell adhesion, and apoptotic gene expression in periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PLF) treated with 2 endodontic sealers., Methods: PLF cells were obtained from nonerupted third molars and cultured. MTS and LIVE/DEAD assays were performed using different treatments and time periods. Cellular adhesion was evaluated using immunocytochemistry for integrin β1 and vinculin expression, and the gene expressions of nuclear factor kB (NF-кB), P53, and apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) were evaluated using PCR., Results: Cell proliferation at 12, 24, and 48 h was statistically significant in the control and PLF groups receiving different treatments; PLF treated with culture medium containing non-hardened (NH) sealers showed a decrease in the number of cells. PLF treated with culture medium containing hardened (H) sealers also exhibited a decreased cell population. Integrin β1 and vinculin were expressed in both cell cultures treated with Acroseal (NH and H); however, the cell morphology changed and the cell population decreased. The gene expression of NF-kB and that of P53 were significantly different between the control group and the groups treated with the different sealers; mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) (NH and H) inhibited Apaf-1, and PLF treated with Acroseal H exhibited increased Apaf-1 expression., Conclusion: Both sealers showed a certain level of cytotoxicity. The gene expression of NF-κB and P53 in PLF treated with the sealers showed significant changes compared to that of the control group, and MTA inhibited Apaf-1.