Zoonotic variants of Bartonella henselae in domesticated cats, including blood donors, in central-western Brazil.

Bartonella henselae is a significant zoonotic agent, with domestic cats serving as primary reservoirs. This study investigated the occurrence and genetic diversity of B. henselae in domestic cats from central-western Brazil, including both animals from veterinary clinics and cat blood donors.

Assembly processes of fish communities on estuarine and oceanic beaches along the Brazilian coast using taxonomic and functional ß-diversity.

Understanding how deterministic niche (traits and environment-driven) and stochastic neutral (randomness and dispersal-driven) processes shape communities is essential for predicting biodiversity. We investigated taxonomic and functional β-diversity in fish assemblages from oceanic and estuarine beaches along the Brazilian coast to test assembly processes. We hypothesized that: (H1) Community assembly varies latitudinally, influenced by temperature, regional factors, and beach type.

Telerehabilitation on the Physical and Functional Capacity of Traumatic Fractures of the Upper Limbs: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Traumatic injuries to the upper limbs, especially to the hands and wrists, have the potential to trigger chronic conditions with pain, loss of productivity and decreased quality of life. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on the effects of telerehabilitation on the physical and functional capacity of individuals with traumatic upper limbs fractures. Searches were conducted in the MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, PEDRO, Cochrane, LILACS, and Science Direct databases.

Molecular landscape of HER2-mutated non-small cell lung cancer in Northeastern Brazil: Clinical, histopathological, and genomic insights.

HER2 genomic alterations characterize a specific subset of NSCLC with potential therapeutic relevance. While most studies focus on populations from high-income countries, data from Latin America remains scarce. We retrospectively analyzed 13 HER2-mutated NSCLC cases from a single institution in Northeastern Brazil, integrating clinical, histopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular findings.

New Evidence on an Old Question: a Meta-Analysis of Wallace versus Bricker Anastomoses.

Purpose: This meta-analysis compares the efficacy and safety of the Bricker and Wallace techniques, focusing on updating previously unassessed clinical outcomes to inform surgical decision-making.

Material And Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines, with the protocol in PROSPERO (CRD42024621076). Searches in MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library included Randomized Clinical Trials and cohort studies comparing both anastomosis techniques.

Trophic dynamics of shallow water consumers in coastal systems with distinct connectivity degrees and anthropogenic pressures.

Coastal systems are dynamic ecosystems with strong environmental and anthropogenic gradients, offering daily challenges to their biological communities. Our goal was to compare the trophic structure of two hydro-morphological distinct coastal systems (bay vs. lagoon) with different connectivity gradients and anthropogenic impacts along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.

Lipid-lowering prescription patterns after a non-fatal acute coronary syndrome: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: After an acute atherosclerotic cardiovascular event, high-intensity lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) is needed to reduce recurrence risk. This study aimed to describe LLT prescription patterns and LDL-C levels change after non-fatal acute coronary syndrome (ACS) events and to determine if the recommended goals for LDL-C levels were achieved.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study using electronic health records (EHR) of Unidade Local de Saúde de Matosinhos between 2015 and 2023.

Cardiovascular risk profile with SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP: comparing Portugal, Spain, Italy, and France using the new European predictive models.

Introduction: This study aims to characterize the cardiovascular risk profile in countries with low-to-moderate cardiovascular mortality risk (Italy, Portugal, France, and Spain) using the SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP models. It also examines regional variations and the involvement of healthcare professionals in performing risk assessments.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted using data from 24,434 cardiovascular risk assessments performed between December 2022 and July 2023 through a digital application used by physicians.

Patients' health care resources utilization and costs estimation across cardiovascular risk categories: insights from the LATINO study.

Background: Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) is a global public health concern. This study aimed to estimate the healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs stratified by cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk categories using real-world evidence, in a regional population in Portugal.

Methods: This is a retrospective observational study, using data from Electronic Health Records between 2017 and 2021.

Entomological indicators and food sources of triatomines in the Brazilian semi-arid region.

Background: Triatomines are biological vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas Disease (CD) and have various mammalian hosts. This study evaluated the entomological indicators and food sources of triatomines in Petrolina in the semi-arid region of Brazil, where CD is endemic.

Methods: Triatomines were captured indoors and outdoors through an active search and entomological indices (household and natural infections) were calculated.

World Heart Federation Cholesterol Roadmap: The Portuguese case.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the major cause of premature death and disability; effective cardiovascular (CV) risk prevention is fundamental. The World Heart Federation (WHF) Cholesterol Roadmap provides a framework for national policy development and aims to achieve ASCVD prevention. At the invitation of the WHF, a group of experts from the Portuguese Society of Cardiology (SPC), addressed the cholesterol burden at nationally and discussed possible strategies to include in a Portuguese cholesterol roadmap.

Long-term cardiovascular outcomes in a population-based multicentric cohort of northern Portugal: Validation of the ESC/EAS prognostic risk classification.

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) risk scores identify individuals at higher long-term risk of CV events that may benefit from more aggressive preventive interventions.

Objective: To assess the association of CV-risk categories and criteria with long-term CV events.

Methods: Observational cohort study between 2000-2019 on patients aged 40-80 years, followed by 14 primary care centers assisted by 1 hospital in Portugal.

Larval fish assemblages in selected Brazilian estuaries: Species-environment relationships under different anthropogenic influences.

We investigate the effects of spatial changes in environmental conditions and anthropogenic influences on larval fish communities in two tropical estuaries with varying levels of human impact. Our findings revealed a distinct structure of larval fish assemblages between the two estuaries located in northeastern Brazil, and we observed that eutrophication, characterized by high concentrations of nutrients, had adverse effects on the abundance and richness of larval fish assemblages. Additionally, we observed that a decrease in rainfall had an impact on larval fish assemblages, particularly during the dry season, when intermittent upstream rivers lead to changes in salinity and species composition within the estuaries.

Interdecadal changes in ichthyofauna in a tropical bay with high anthropogenic influences: functional stability despite turnover predominance.

Functional characteristics of species are of great importance for understanding their roles in ecosystems and can be used to detect long-term chances in the environment. We evaluated temporal changes (1983-1985 and 2017-2019) in taxonomic and functional indices of the fish fauna in shallow areas of a tropical bay heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities in recent decades. The hypothesis that functional indices change over time as a result of environmental degradation was tested.

Sex differences in LDL-C control in a primary care population: The PORTRAIT-DYS study.

Background And Aims: Cardiovascular (CV) diseases show clear differences in clinical manifestation and treatment outcomes between men and women. To reduce sex disparities in achieving lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) goals, a sex-focused assessment is essential and more studies are needed to bring new evidence to clinicians. This study aims to assess the role of sex in attaining low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals, after correction for age, CV risk category, LLT intensity, and presence of mental health disorder and social deprivation.

Neuroprotective Potential of Seed Extracts: Review of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

Introduction: Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by neuronal dysfunction and death. Studies suggest that some seed extracts have a neuroprotective effect. Considering the increased incidence of these diseases and the need for new effective therapies with fewer side effects, this review aimed to assess the evidence of the efficacy and safety of seed extracts in experimental models of neurodegeneration.

Polypill use for the prevention of cardiovascular disease: A position paper.

Cardiovascular (CV) guidelines stress the need for global intervention to manage risk factors and reduce the risk of major vascular events. Growing evidence supports the use of polypill as a strategy to prevent cerebral and cardiovascular disease, however it is still underused in clinical practice. This paper presents an expert consensus aimed to summarize the data regarding polypill use.

Endocarditis: A Rare Cause with Aggressive Systemic Embolisation and Need of Valve Replacement.

Unlabelled: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a well-described infectious disease, one with increased morbidity and mortality being the third or fourth most common life-threatening infection syndrome. is a non-motile, catalase negative, gram-positive coccus in a chain, which can be isolated from the oral cavity, intestinal, and genitourinary tracts. IE due to this agent is rare and associated with heart valve destruction, congestive heart failure, and high embolisation rates, these being the major mortality causes.

Safety and efficacy of a cardiovascular polypill in people at high and very high risk without a previous cardiovascular event: the international VULCANO randomised clinical trial.

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) polypills are a useful baseline treatment to prevent CV diseases by combining different drug classes in a single pill to simultaneously target more than one risk factor. The aim of the present trial was to determine whether the treatment with the CNIC-polypill was at least non-inferior to usual care in terms of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and systolic BP (SBP) values in subjects at high or very high risk without a previous CV event.

Methods: The VULCANO was an international, multicentre open-label trial involving 492 participants recruited from hospital clinics or primary care centres.

Cost-Effectiveness of the CNIC-Polypill Strategy Compared With Separate Monocomponents in Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease in Portugal: The MERCURY Study.

Cardiovascular (CV) diseases remain a leading and costly cause of death globally. Patients with previous CV events are at high risk of recurrence. Secondary prevention therapies improve CV risk factor control and reduce disease costs.

Cardiovascular Risk Profile and Lipid Management in the Population-Based Cohort Study LATINO: 20 Years of Real-World Data.

The rising prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in Portugal has translated into more than 35,000 annual deaths due to CV diseases. We performed a multicenter observational cohort study encompassing clinical activities performed between 2000 and 2019 to characterize the CV risk profile and LDL-C management of patients in every CV risk category using electronic health records of a regional population in Portugal. We analyzed data from 14 health centers and 1 central hospital in the north of Portugal of patients between 40 and 80 years that had at least 1 family medicine appointment at these institutions.

Atherosclerosis in the primary health care setting: A real-word data study.

Introduction And Objectives: To characterize patients with atherosclerosis, a disease with a high socioeconomic impact, in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Health Region.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out through the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Regional Health Administration primary health care database, extracting data on the clinical and demographic characteristics and resource use of adult primary health care users with atherosclerosis during 2016. Different criteria were used to define atherosclerosis (presence of clinical manifestations, atherothrombotic risk factors and/or consumption of drugs related to atherosclerosis).