Hidden costs of beauty: An in vitro study on the ecotoxicological impacts of ultraviolet filters and parabens on the bioindicator species Mytilus galloprovincialis.

Skincare is an increasing concern, as ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes skin diseases and photoaging, increasing demand for photoprotective personal care products (PCPs). PCPs contain UV filters, namely ecamsule (ECA), 2-ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) and octocrylene (OC), and parabens, such as propylparaben (PPb) and methylparaben (MPb). These enter the environment, posing toxicity risks to marine species.

Salt pan brine water sulphated polysaccharides retrieved at pilot scale: ability to stimulate in vitro human macrophages and salmon head kidney cells.

Marine environments are the warehouse of a variety of novel bioactive compounds prone to be explored by food and feed industry. The growing interest in sulphated polysaccharides has led to the search for new sustainable sources, such as seawater. These compounds are naturally concentrated in salt pan brine water due to their evaporation by wind and sunlight.

2-Ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate on marine and coastal environments: A comprehensive review of its environmental significance and biological impact.

Marine and coastal environments are constantly subjected to increasing pressures associated with population growth, industrialization development, pollution and higher demand feeding society's consumerism. Among these pressures, there has been an increasing concern towards UV filters occurrence in aquatic ecosystems due to a greater use of personal care products (PCPs). 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) is one of the most used UV filters in sunscreen formulations, yet few reports address its effects in biota.

Cold-Induced Urticaria in a Paediatric Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Acquired cold-induced urticaria is a rare form of physical urticaria, especially in children. The variety of clinical presentations and the low estimated prevalence contribute to its underdiagnosis. Given the associated risk of anaphylaxis, it is crucial to alert clinicians to the different forms of presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.

Symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with persistent asthma: a cross-sectional analysis of the INSPIRERS studies.

Objectives: Anxiety and depression are relevant comorbidities in asthma, but, in Portugal and Spain, data on this topic are scarce. We assessed, in patients with asthma, the frequency of anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the European Quality of Life Five Dimension Questionnaire (EQ-5D); the level of agreement between these questionnaires, and the factors associated with these symptoms.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the INSPIRERS studies.

Will warmer summers increase the impact of UV filters on marine bivalves?

Marine organisms are constantly exposed to multiple stressors including pollutants released into the environment, such as personal care products (PCPs), and climate change-derived factors, namely warming, which are aggravated by anthropogenic drivers and pose increasing pressure on coastal ecosystems. Avobenzone (AVO) is one of the most used ultraviolet (UV) filters in PCPs which have been increasingly used and, thereby, identified in aquatic environments. However, data regarding the influence of warming on the impacts caused by AVO in bivalves is lacking.

In vitro spermiotoxicity and in vivo adults' biochemical pattern after exposure of the Mediterranean mussel to the sunscreen avobenzone.

Avobenzone (AVO) is one of the most frequent ultraviolet (UV) filters in personal care products (PCPs). The Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is a bioindicator often used for ecotoxicological research. Since UV filters reach higher peaks during summer in aquatic bodies, coincident with mussels' spawning period, and bivalves are sessile, both male gametes and adults of this species were used in this experiment.

Urticaria in a Pediatric Population: A Portuguese Single-Center Cohort Report.

Background Urticaria typically involves the skin and mucosa and is characterized by the development of wheals, angioedema, or both. According to the temporal evolution of the lesions, urticaria is classified as acute (AU) or chronic (CU), depending on whether the episodes last for fewer or more than six weeks, respectively. This study aimed to characterize a group of children and adolescents with urticaria and describe its subtypes, associated comorbidities, treatment, and evolution.

Monitoring Adherence to Asthma Inhalers Using the InspirerMundi App: Analysis of Real-World, Medium-Term Feasibility Studies.

Poor medication adherence is a major challenge in asthma and objective assessment of inhaler adherence is needed. InspirerMundi app aims to monitor inhaler adherence while turning it into a positive experience through gamification and social support. We assessed the medium-term feasibility of the InspirerMundi app to monitor inhaler adherence in real-world patients with persistent asthma (treated with daily inhaled medication).

Determinants of the Use of Health and Fitness Mobile Apps by Patients With Asthma: Secondary Analysis of Observational Studies.

Background: Health and fitness apps have potential benefits to improve self-management and disease control among patients with asthma. However, inconsistent use rates have been reported across studies, regions, and health systems. A better understanding of the characteristics of users and nonusers is critical to design solutions that are effectively integrated in patients' daily lives, and to ensure that these equitably reach out to different groups of patients, thus improving rather than entrenching health inequities.

SLM2 Is A Novel Cardiac Splicing Factor Involved in Heart Failure due to Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Alternative mRNA splicing is a fundamental process to increase the versatility of the genome. In humans, cardiac mRNA splicing is involved in the pathophysiology of heart failure. Mutations in the splicing factor RNA binding motif protein 20 (RBM20) cause severe forms of cardiomyopathy.

Feasibility and Acceptability of an Asthma App to Monitor Medication Adherence: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Poor medication adherence is a major challenge in asthma, and objective assessment of inhaler adherence is needed. The InspirerMundi app aims to monitor adherence while providing a positive experience through gamification and social support.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the InspirerMundi app to monitor medication adherence in adolescents and adults with persistent asthma (treated with daily inhaled medication).

Profiling Persistent Asthma Phenotypes in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Diagnostic Evaluation from the INSPIRERS Studies.

We aimed to identify persistent asthma phenotypes among adolescents and to evaluate longitudinally asthma-related outcomes across phenotypes. Adolescents (13-17 years) from the prospective, observational, and multicenter INSPIRERS studies, conducted in Portugal and Spain, were included ( = 162). Latent class analysis was applied to demographic, environmental, and clinical variables, collected at a baseline medical visit.

LEIGH SYNDROME: A CASE REPORT WITH A MITOCHONDRIAL DNA MUTATION.

Objective: Leigh syndrome is a neurodegenerative disorder with an incidence of 1:40,000 live births. It presents wide clinical, biochemical, and genetic heterogeneity, but with homogenous neuropatoradiological alterations. There is no specific treatment, and the prognosis is reserved.

Clinical genetics and outcome of left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy.

Aims: In this study, we aimed to clinically and genetically characterize LVNC patients and investigate the prevalence of variants in known and novel LVNC disease genes.

Introduction: Left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC) is an increasingly recognized cause of heart failure, arrhythmia, thromboembolism, and sudden cardiac death. We sought here to dissect its genetic causes, phenotypic presentation and outcome.

Epigenome-Wide Association Study Identifies Cardiac Gene Patterning and a Novel Class of Biomarkers for Heart Failure.

Background: Biochemical DNA modification resembles a crucial regulatory layer among genetic information, environmental factors, and the transcriptome. To identify epigenetic susceptibility regions and novel biomarkers linked to myocardial dysfunction and heart failure, we performed the first multi-omics study in myocardial tissue and blood of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and controls.

Methods: Infinium human methylation 450 was used for high-density epigenome-wide mapping of DNA methylation in left-ventricular biopsies and whole peripheral blood of living probands.