Long-Term Impact of Left Bundle Branch Block on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test Variables and Left Ventricular Systolic Function: A Two-Stage Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) disrupts the electrical activation of the left ventricle, potentially impairing its systolic function, leading to LBBB-induced cardiomyopathy. This study examined cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) variables in patients with and without LBBB and assessed the longitudinal development of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). METHOD: An observational, comparative clinical study was executed in two stages at a private hospital in Brazil. The sample consisted of 27 individuals: 11 with LBBB and 16 without LBBB, all with preserved LVEF (>50%) and without confirmed ischemia. CPET variables were assessed, and after 4 years, participants had a transthoracic echocardiogram for LVEF re-evaluation. Groups were compared using the t test or the χ2 test. Multivariate analysis of covariance determined effect magnitude. RESULTS: Patients with LBBB demonstrated significant differences in CPET variables, particularly in predicted peak V˙O2, predicted peak PO2, V˙E/V˙CO2 slope, and T ½ V˙O2. They also exhibited a more significant decline in LVEF over a 4-year span compared to the patients without LBBB. Although initial preservation of LVEF, changes in contractile patterns due to LBBB interfered with its systolic function, suggesting early ventricular dysfunction indicated by a reduction in LVEF and an increase in the V˙E/V˙CO2 slope. Despite differences in cardiopulmonary function and changes in LVEF over time between patients with and without LBBB, the effect size was considered mild to moderate. CONCLUSIONS: LBBB patients with initially preserved LVEF displayed reduced exercise tolerance and a decrease in LVEF over time, emphasizing the need for vigilant monitoring and early intervention in these patients.

Therapeutic resources used by traditional communities of the Brazilian Amazon: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: The traditional communities of the Brazilian Amazon possess significant knowledge regarding the huge therapeutic arsenal available from natural sources that can be used to care for their health problems. This study aimed to identify, map and synthesize the scientific evidence on the use of traditional medicine as a therapeutic resource when used by traditional communities of the Brazilian Amazon. METHODS: This is a scoping review, which is a method used to map the main concepts of a research area, the available evidence and its sources. It is developed in five steps: (1) identification of the research question; (2) identification of relevant studies; (3) selection of studies; (4) data analysis; and (5) grouping, synthesis and presentation of data. RESULTS: Medicinal plants, vertebrates and invertebrates, among other medicinal products, are elements that are widely used by traditional populations. Plant stems, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, roots, tubers and even the whole plant are prepared in various forms, such as teas, infusions, smoke for rituals, baths, macerations, oils, ointments, concoctions, dressings, incenses and exfoliants, among others. The main structures and forms used from animals are lards, fats, viscera, horns, cocoons, nests, feathers and beaks of birds, eggs and roes. These therapeutic practices are often carried out using endogenous, wild and domesticated natural resources present in the biodiverse environments of traditional populations. They involve magical-religious beliefs to treat all types of illnesses, including cultural syndromes that affect children, young people, adults and the elderly. CONCLUSION: This scoping review has an important role to disseminate and expand the discussion of traditional medicine practices, inviting readers - whether they are health professionals, community members, managers or decision-makers - to a continuing debate using an intercultural dialogue necessary to improve approaches. From this perspective, it is essential to consider the comprehensive legal and legal framework that guides the public policies of national health systems.

The effect of mindfulness therapy in acromegaly, a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with acromegaly have often several comorbidities, including decreased quality of life, mood alterations and chronic pain. Mindfulness is effective at improving mood, quality of life and pain management; however, there is no data available on its effect in patients with acromegaly. OBJECTIVE: We aimed at evaluating changes in quality of life, mood, pain, sleep, self-compassion, life satisfaction, blood pressure and heart rate after a mindfulness program. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: This was a randomized, multicentre, international clinical trial (Barcelona-BCN and Bergamo-BG) of 60 patients, 30 per centre. MEASUREMENTS: The intervention group participated in an 8-week face-to-face group program; the control group followed normal clinical routine. In BG, patients performed a classic Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program; in BCN they performed an adapted program including elements of mindfulness and compassion with a greater focus on daily life. RESULTS: In the BCN intervention group there was an increase in night-time hours in bed (p = 0.05) after the program. In both centres there was a trend to a reduction of the time to start sleeping (p = 0.06 BCN, p = 0.07 BG). In BCN, the intervention group reduced the pain score compared to the control group (p = .02), and an improvement in self-compassion was found (p = .04). In both centres, heart rate decreased significantly in the intervention group during a single 2-hour session. This was evidenced at the first and the last program session (BCN p = .013 and p = .009; BG < 0.001 and p = .04). A training effect was found in BG, where heart rate fell more in the last session than in the first (p = 002). CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated for the first time the value of a mindfulness program in patients with acromegaly, analysing possible effects and advantages, and clarifying the usefulness of a specific protocol for the disease.

Suppression of age-related salivary gland autoimmunity by glycosylation-dependent galectin-1-driven immune inhibitory circuits.

Aging elicits quantitative and qualitative changes in different immune components, leading to disruption of tolerogenic circuits and development of autoimmune disorders. Galectin-1 (Gal1), an endogenous glycan-binding protein, has emerged as a regulator of immune cell homeostasis by shaping the fate of myeloid and lymphoid cells. Here, we demonstrate that aged Gal1-null mutant (Lgals1-/- ) mice develop a spontaneous inflammatory process in salivary glands that resembles Sjögren's syndrome. This spontaneous autoimmune phenotype was recapitulated in mice lacking ß1,6N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (Mgat5), an enzyme responsible for generating ß1,6-branched complex N-glycans, which serve as a major ligand for this lectin. Lack of Gal1 resulted in CD11c+ dendritic cells (DCs) with higher immunogenic potential, lower frequency of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), and increased number of CD8+ T cells with greater effector capacity. Supporting its tolerogenic activity, Gal1 expression decreased with age in autoimmunity-prone nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. Treatment with recombinant Gal1 restored tolerogenic mechanisms and reduced salivary gland inflammation. Accordingly, labial biopsies from primary Sjögren's syndrome patients showed reduced Gal1 expression concomitant with higher number of infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Thus, endogenous Gal1 serves as a homeostatic rheostat that safeguards immune tolerance and prevents age-dependent development of spontaneous autoimmunity.

Under-5-Minute Immunoblot Assays by Vortex Fluidic Device Acceleration.

Unlocking the potential of personalized medicine in point-of-care settings requires a new generation of biomarker and proteomic assays. Ideally, assays could inexpensively perform hundreds of quantitative protein measurements in parallel at the bedsides of patients. This goal greatly exceeds current capabilities. Furthermore, biomarker assays are often challenging to translate from benchtop to clinic due to difficulties achieving and assessing the necessary selectivity, sensitivity, and reproducibility. To address these challenges, we developed an efficient (<5 min), robust (comparatively lower CVs), and inexpensive (decreasing reagent use and cost by >70 %) immunoassay method. Specifically, the immunoblot membrane is dotted with the sample and then developed in a vortex fluidic device (VFD) reactor. All assay steps-blocking, binding, and washing-leverage the unique thin-film microfluidics of the VFD. The approach can accelerate direct, indirect, and sandwich immunoblot assays. The applications demonstrated include assays relevant to both the laboratory and the clinic.

Perceptions about malaria among Brazilian gold miners in an Amazonian border area: perspectives for malaria elimination strategies.

BACKGROUND: Mining in the Amazon exposes gold miners to various diseases, including malaria, whose control is still a major challenge. The environment of the mines contributes to the proliferation of vector mosquitoes and the precarious housing conditions facilitate transmission of the disease. Understanding gold miners' perceptions is essential for the formulation of strategies to fight malaria. A qualitative study was carried out in the municipality of Calçoene, state of Amapá, Brazilian Amazon adjointining the municipality of Oiapoque, that is in the border area with French Guiana and Suriname. METHODS: A semi-structured interview was applied to an intentional sample of 29 miners, a number determined by the theoretical saturation criterion. Thematic analysis was adopted to obtain the results and the Cohen's Kappa index was calculated to verify the agreement between observers during coding. RESULTS: The agreement between observers was verified by a Cohen's Kappa index of 0.82. Analysis of the interviews showed that gold miners were subjected to prejudice from the community due to forest diseases that they can transmit, and their activities are often associated with crime. When the miners return to their hometown after a period of mining, the urban population blames them for the onset of diseases such as malaria. Most participants in the survey did not know how malaria transmission occurs, and associated its occurrence with contaminated water and food. Participants reported not being afraid of the disease, trusting the diagnosis and available treatment, though this depends on where they are treated. The use of therapeutic resources, such as medicinal plants and medicines acquired in the illegal market, is very common in this population. Despite the challenges identified by the research subjects, they believe that the disease can be controlled, or the cases reduced, but there was low acceptability for a possible mass drug administration (MDA) intervention. CONCLUSION: Despite a recent reduction in malaria prevalence in Brazil, there are still vulnerable populations, such as gold miners, who help to perpetuate the existence of the disease in the Amazon. The lack of knowledge regarding how the transmission of malaria occurs, associated with myths regarding this and the use of traditional health practices and illegal drugs for the treatment of the disease without a specific diagnosis, jeopardizes the country's efforts to eliminate malaria. It is necessary to implement control programmes in these populations, especially those who frequently travel around the border region and to remote locations, which are difficult regions for health teams to access, thus hindering diagnostic and treatment actions. For this reason, understanding the perceptions of these individuals as well as their customs, beliefs and lifestyle, can assist in the production of targeted educational material and adoption of strategies in the elimination of malaria in the country.

Microbial exposures in moisture-damaged schools and associations with respiratory symptoms in students: A multi-country environmental exposure study.

Moisture-damaged buildings are associated with respiratory symptoms and underlying diseases among building occupants, but the causative agent(s) remain a mystery. We first identified specific fungal and bacterial taxa in classrooms with moisture damage in Finnish and Dutch primary schools. We then investigated associations of the identified moisture damage indicators with respiratory symptoms in more than 2700 students. Finally, we explored whether exposure to specific taxa within the indoor microbiota may explain the association between moisture damage and respiratory health. Schools were assessed for moisture damage through detailed inspections, and the microbial composition of settled dust in electrostatic dustfall collectors was determined using marker-gene analysis. In Finland, there were several positive associations between particular microbial indicators (diversity, richness, individual taxa) and a respiratory symptom score, while in the Netherlands, the associations tended to be mostly inverse and statistically non-significant. In Finland, abundance of the Sphingomonas bacterial genus and endotoxin levels partially explained the associations between moisture damage and symptom score. A few microbial taxa explained part of the associations with health, but overall, the observed associations between damage-associated individual taxa and respiratory health were limited.

Virus Bioresistor (VBR) for Detection of Bladder Cancer Marker DJ-1 in Urine at 10 pM in One Minute.

DJ-1, a 20.7 kDa protein, is overexpressed in people who have bladder cancer (BC). Its elevated concentration in urine allows it to serve as a marker for BC. However, no biosensor for the detection of DJ-1 has been demonstrated. Here, we describe a virus bioresistor (VBR) capable of detecting DJ-1 in urine at a concentration of 10 pM in 1 min. The VBR consists of a pair of millimeter-scale gold electrodes that measure the electrical impedance of an ultrathin (≈ 150-200 nm), two-layer polymeric channel. The top layer of this channel (90-105 nm in thickness) consists of an electrodeposited virus-PEDOT (PEDOT is poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)) composite containing embedded M13 virus particles that are engineered to recognize and bind to the target protein of interest, DJ-1. The bottom layer consists of spin-coated PEDOT-PSS (poly(styrenesulfonate)). Together, these two layers constitute a current divider. We demonstrate here that reducing the thickness of the bottom PEDOT-PSS layer increases its resistance and concentrates the resistance drop of the channel in the top virus-PEDOT layer, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the VBR and enabling the detection of DJ-1. Large signal amplitudes coupled with the inherent simplicity of the VBR sensor design result in high signal-to-noise (S/N > 100) and excellent sensor-to-sensor reproducibility characterized by coefficients of variation in the range of 3-7% across the DJ-1 binding curve down to a concentration of 30 pM, near the 10 pM limit of detection (LOD), encompassing four orders of magnitude in concentration.

Patient-Centered Outcomes with Pituitary and Parasellar Disease.

Over the last 2 decades, advances in the diagnosis and management of pituitary diseases have made it possible to attain an endocrine "cure" in a large proportion of patients. In other words, tumors can be excised or controlled with drugs, mass effects of the lesion on surrounding structures can be solved, and pituitary deficiencies can be substituted with all relevant hormones. While this is considered a satisfactory outcome for health care providers, patients often suffer from an aftermath of prior endocrine dysfunction exposure, with irreversible effects, both physically and psychologically, which have a great impact on their everyday life. Diagnostic delay, often of several years, adds a negative impact on health perception. This affects their social, professional, and family domains and determines their future life. Understanding that this may occur is important, and health care providers should offer information to prepare the patient for this difficult journey, especially in the case of acromegaly, Cushing disease, or hypopituitarism. In order to maintain a good quality of life (QoL) in the long-term, patients need to adapt to this new situation, something that may be difficult, since they often cannot continue with all the activities and rhythm they used to do. Depression is often the consequence of maladaptation to the new situation, leading to impaired QoL.

Worse Health-Related Quality of Life at long-term follow-up in patients with Cushing's disease than patients with cortisol producing adenoma. Data from the ERCUSYN.

OBJECTIVE: Hypercortisolism in Cushing's syndrome (CS) is associated with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which may persist despite remission. We used the data entered into the European Registry on Cushing's syndrome (ERCUSYN) to evaluate if patients with CS of pituitary origin (PIT-CS) have worse HRQoL, both before and after treatment than patients with adrenal causes (ADR-CS). METHODS: Data from 595 patients (492 women; 83%) who completed the CushingQoL and/or EQ-5D questionnaires at baseline and/or following treatment were analysed. RESULTS: At baseline, HRQoL did not differ between PIT-CS (n = 293) and ADR-CS (n = 120) on both EuroQoL and CushingQoL. Total CushingQoL score in PIT-CS and ADR-CS was 41 ± 18 and 44 ± 20, respectively (P = .7). At long-time follow-up (>1 year after treatment) total CushingQoL score was however lower in PIT-CS than ADR-CS (56 ± 20 vs 62 ± 23; P = .045). In a regression analysis, after adjustment for baseline age, gender, remission status, duration of active CS, glucocorticoid dependency and follow-up time, no association was observed between aetiology and HRQoL. Remission was associated with better total CushingQoL score (P < .001), and older age at diagnosis with worse total score (P = .01). Depression at diagnosis was associated with worse total CushingQoL score at the last follow-up (P < .001). CONCLUSION: PIT-CS patients had poorer HRQoL than ADR-CS at long-term follow-up, despite similar baseline scoring. After adjusting for remission status, no interaetiology differences in HRQoL scoring were found. Age and presence of depression at diagnosis of CS may be potential predictors of worse HRQoL regardless of CS aetiology.

White matter involvement on DTI-MRI in Cushing's syndrome relates to mood disturbances and processing speed: a case-control study.

PURPOSE: Cushing's syndrome (CS) is an endocrine disorder due to prolonged exposure to cortisol. Recently, microstructural white matter (WM) alterations detected by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have been reported in CS patients, and related to depression, but other functional significances. remain otherwise unclear. We aimed at investigating in more depth mood symptoms in CS patients, and how these relate to cognition (information processing speed), and to WM alterations on DTI. METHODS: The sample comprised 35 CS patients and 35 healthy controls. Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was used to measure depressive symptoms, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to assess anxiety, and processing speed was measured by the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). DTI studies were acquired using a 3-Tesla Philips-Achieva MR-facility. Voxelwise statistical analysis of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean, axial and radial diffusivities (MD, AD, RD) data were performed using FMRIB Software Library. Correlation analysis were obtained between mood and processing speed variables, and FA, MD, AD and RD values, taking both CS patients and healthy controls. RESULTS: Active, controlled and cured CS patients showed greater depression (F = 12.4, p < 0.001), anxious state (F = 4.8, p = 0.005) and anxious trait (F = 9.6, p < 0.001) scores, than controls. Using the entire sample, depression scores correlated negatively to FA and positively to RD values. Although there were no differences in processing speed between groups, SDMT scores correlated positively to both FA and AD values. CONCLUSIONS: There were greater depressive and anxious symptoms in CS patients than in healthy controls, but no difference in processing speed. However, DTI is related to depression and information processing speed in CS.

[Health literacy in patients with heart failure treated in primary care]. / Alfabetización en salud en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca atendidos en atención primaria.

OBJECTIVES: The level of health literacy is examined, as well as its conditioning factors in patients with heart failure who are seen routinely in a Primary Health Care Area. DESIGN: A multicentre cross-sectional study. SETTING: 10 Primary care centres from the metropolitan area of Barcelona. PARTICIPANTS: Patients diagnosed with heart failure. INCLUSION CRITERIA: to have visited the Primary Health Care centre in the last year, being able to arrive at the primary care setting independently, and voluntarily participation. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Health Literacy Survey-European Union - Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q) and Spanish version of the European Heart Failure Self-care Behaviour Scale. An analysis was made of the relationships between health literacy, self-care practices, sociodemographic, and clinical variables using ANOVA test and a multiple linear regression model. RESULTS: The study included 318 patients (51.2% women) with a mean age of 77.9±8.7 years. The index of health literacy of 79.6% (n=253) of the participants indicated problems in understanding healthcare information. Health literacy level was explained by academic level (P<.001), the extent of heart failure (P=.032), self-care, and age (P<.04).The academic level explained 61.6% of the health of literacy (95% bootstrap: 44.58%; 46.75%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with stable heart failure, it is important to consider all factors that help patients to understand the healthcare information. Health literacy explains patient self-care attitude in heart failure.

Domestic use of bleach and infections in children: a multicentre cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To report the effects of bleach use at home on the frequency of infections in 9102 school-age children participating in the HITEA project. METHODS: Parents of pupils aged 6-12 years from schools in Barcelona province (Spain), Utrecht province (the Netherlands) and Eastern and Central Finland were administered a questionnaire including questions on the frequency of infections (influenza, tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis, bronchitis and pneumonia) in the past 12 months and bleach use at home. We developed multivariable mixed-effects multilogistic regression models to obtain relative risk ratios (RRR) and their 95% CI per country, and combined the RRR using random-effects meta-analyses. RESULTS: Bleach use was common in Spain (72%, n=1945) and uncommon in Finland (7%, n=279). Overall, the prevalence of infections (recurrent or once) was higher among children of bleach users. Significant combined associations were shown for influenza only once (RRR=1.20, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.38), recurrent tonsillitis (RRR=1.35, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.71) and any infection (RRR=1.18, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.38). CONCLUSIONS: Passive exposure to cleaning bleach in the home may have adverse effects on school-age children's health by increasing the risk of respiratory and other infections. The high frequency of use of disinfecting irritant cleaning products may be of public health concern, also when exposure occurs during childhood.

Quality of life in Cushing's syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Cushing syndrome (CS) of any etiology (adrenal, pituitary or ectopic) impacts negatively on health-related quality of life (QoL), especially in active hypercortisolism but also after endocrine cure. Both generic questionnaires like the short-form 36 health survey -SF-36- and the derived SF-12, or the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and disease-specific measures like the CushingQoL and the Tuebingen CD-25 questionnaires have provided information on the impact of CS on patients perceived health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies published since January 2013 until November 2014 on QoL in patients with CS were identified, reviewed and summarized. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of CS improves patients perceived QoL, but it often takes many months and often never normalizes. In parallel to persistent QoL impairment in cured CS, brain and cerebellar volume are reduced. Depression, anxiety and cognitive dysfunction are common. Pediatric patients with CS also present worse QoL than normal children, as well as additional issues like delayed growth and pubertal development, next to abnormal body composition, psychological and cognitive maturation. Fluoxetine has been suggested as a neuroprotectant and antidepressant for patients with CS, although no prospective studies are yet available. The CushingQoL questionnaire has been mapped to well-validated instruments like SF-36 or EQ-5D, and therefore may be used in cost-utility and other health economy studies.

Impaired decision-making and selective cortical frontal thinning in Cushing's syndrome.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Cushing's syndrome (CS) is caused by a glucocorticoid excess. This hypercortisolism can damage the prefrontal cortex, known to be important in decision-making. Our aim was to evaluate decision-making in CS and to explore cortical thickness. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients with CS (27 cured, eight medically treated) and thirty-five matched controls were evaluated using Iowa gambling task (IGT) and 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess cortical thickness. The IGT evaluates decision-making, including strategy and learning during the test. Cortical thickness was determined on MRI using freesurfer software tools, including a whole-brain analysis. RESULTS: There were no differences between medically treated and cured CS patients. They presented an altered decision-making strategy compared to controls, choosing a lower number of the safer cards (P < 0·05). They showed more difficulties than controls to learn the correct profiles of wins and losses for each card group (P < 0·05). In whole-brain analysis, patients with CS showed decreased cortical thickness in the left superior frontal cortex, left precentral cortex, left insular cortex, left and right rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and right caudal middle frontal cortex compared to controls (P < 0·001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CS failed to learn advantageous strategies and their behaviour was driven by short-term reward and long-term punishment, indicating learning problems because they did not use previous experience as a feedback factor to regulate their choices. These alterations in decision-making and the decreased cortical thickness in frontal areas suggest that chronic hypercortisolism promotes brain changes which are not completely reversible after endocrine remission.

Dampness, bacterial and fungal components in dust in primary schools and respiratory health in schoolchildren across Europe.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory health effects of damp housing are well recognised, but less is known about the effect of dampness and water damage in schools. The HITEA study previously reported a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms in pupils from moisture damaged schools, but the role of specific microbial exposures remained unclear. OBJECTIVES: To study associations between school dampness, levels of fungal and bacterial markers, respiratory symptoms and lung function in children. METHODS: Primary schools in Spain, the Netherlands and Finland were selected on the basis of the observed presence (n=15) or absence (n=10) of moisture, dampness and/or mould. Settled dust was repeatedly sampled in 232 classrooms and levels of 14 different microbial markers and groups of microbes were determined. Parental reports of respiratory symptoms were available from 3843 children aged 6-12 years, of whom 2736 provided acceptable forced spirometry testing. Country-specific associations between exposure and respiratory health were evaluated by multilevel mixed-effects logistic and linear regression models and combined using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of respiratory symptoms was higher in moisture damaged schools, being more pronounced in Finnish pupils. Effects on lung function were not apparent. Levels of microbial markers were generally higher in moisture damaged schools, varied by season and were lower in Finnish schools. Wheeze tended to be inversely associated with microbial levels. All other respiratory symptoms were not consistently associated with microbial marker levels. CONCLUSIONS: Health effects of moisture and microbial exposures may vary between countries, but this requires further study.

Asthma, respiratory symptoms and lung function in children living near a petrochemical site.

Residential proximity to environmental hazards has been related to adverse health outcomes. Respiratory health and allergies in children living near petrochemical sites have not been extensively studied. We evaluated the association between residential proximity to the petrochemical site of Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain) and the prevalence of asthma, respiratory symptoms and lung function in children. Children aged 6-7 (n=2672) and adolescents aged 13-14 (n=2524) residing near two large petrochemical sites and those living in a city with medium vehicular traffic were cross-sectionally compared with children from an area with low vehicular traffic and without industry. The prevalence of symptoms was measured using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood written and video questionnaires. Lung function measurements were done in a subsample of 959 adolescents in the four areas. Multivariable analyses were done to estimate the effects of the residential area on symptoms and lung function adjusted for potential confounders. Crude prevalence of symptoms was similar across the studied areas. After adjustment, children and adolescents living near a petrochemical site had a statistically significant higher prevalence of respiratory hospitalizations in the previous year (Prevalence Ratio (PR)=1.49; 95%CI, 1.06-2.09) and of nocturnal cough (PR=1.29; 95%CI 1.05-1.57), respectively. Reduced lung function values among adolescents residing near the petrochemical areas were not observed. Although a higher prevalence of asthma in children and adolescents living near the petrochemical sites could not be demonstrated, as described in other studies, respiratory hospitalizations and nocturnal cough could be related to short-term exposures to pollutants. Other clinical and sub-clinical respiratory health effects in the petrochemical industry areas should be investigated.

Assessment of acute toxicity, genotoxicity, and anti-inflammatory activity of SteLL, a lectin from Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi. Leaves, in mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE: Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Anacardiaceae), known as Brazilian pepper tree, stands out as a medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine. The leaves are popularly used as anti-inflammatory agent and to relieve inflammatory conditions such as bronchitis, ulcers, and wounds, for example. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study evaluated the acute toxicity, genotoxicity, and anti-inflammatory activity of S. terebinthifolia leaf lectin (SteLL) in mice (Mus musculus). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the acute toxicity assay, the animals were treated intraperitoneally (i.p.) or orally (per os) with a single dose of 100 mg/kg. Genotoxicity was assessed by the comet and micronucleus assays. Carrageenan-induced peritonitis and paw edema models were used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of SteLL (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg, i.p.). RESULTS: No animal died and no signs of intoxication or histopathological damage were observed in the acute toxicity assay. Genotoxic effect was not detected. In peritonitis assay, SteLL reduced in 56-69% leukocyte migration to the peritoneal cavity; neutrophil count decreased by 25-32%, while mononuclear cell count increased by 67-74%. SteLL promoted a notable reduction of paw edema after 4 h (61.1-63.4%). Morphometric analysis showed that SteLL also decreased the thickness of epidermal edema (30.2-40.7%). Furthermore, SteLL decreased MPO activity, plasma leakage, NO release, and modulated cytokines in both peritoneal fluid and paw homogenate. CONCLUSION: SteLL did not induce acute toxicity or genotoxicity in mice and stands out as a promising candidate in the development of new phytopharmaceuticals with anti-inflammatory action.

High prevalence of venous thrombotic events in Cushing's syndrome: data from ERCUSYN and details in relation to surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients included in the European Registry on Cushing's syndrome (ERCUSYN), compare their clinical characteristics with those who did not develop VTE and identify risk factors for VTE. DESIGN: A retrospective observational cohort study. METHODS: Data extraction from the registry was taken on February, 7, 2022. At the time there were 2174 patients diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome (CS) and 95 VTEs were reported in the database. RESULTS: Of 95 VTE events 70 (74%) were in pituitary-dependent CS patients, 12 (12.5%) in adrenal-dependant CS, 10 (10.5%) in ectopic CS, and 3 (3%) in CS due to other causes. Sex, 24-hour urinary free cortisol (UFC) value at diagnosis, as well as the number of operations remained statistically significant predictors of VTE. Of patients who were treated with at least one surgery, 12 (13%) VTE occurred before and 80 (87%) after the surgery. Nearly half of these VTEs occurred within six months since the operation (36; 45%). Over half of the centers that reported VTE did not routinely anticoagulate CS patients. Anticoagulation schemes varied widely. CONCLUSION: Patients with CS have an elevated risk of developing VTE for an extended period of time. From ERCUSYN cohort patients have higher risk for VTE if they need multiple surgeries to treat CS, are males and have high UFC values at the diagnosis of CS. Since there is no agreement on thromboprohpylaxis, a protocol for VTE prevention that is widely adopted appears to be necessary for patients with CS.