Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus: A multi-modality imaging perspective.

Mitral annulus calcification is a common echocardiographic finding, particularly in the elderly and in end-stage renal disease patients under chronic dialysis. Caseous calcification or liquefaction necrosis of mitral annulus calcification is a rare evolution of mitral annular calcification. Early recognition of this entity avoids an invasive diagnostic approach, since it is benign and, unlike intracardiac tumors and abscesses, has a favorable prognosis. The authors present the case of an 84-year-old woman with a suspicious large, echodense mass at the level of the posterior mitral leaflet with associated severe mitral regurgitation. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a hypoperfused mass with strong peripheral enhancement 10 minutes after gadolinium administration. Multislice computed tomography showed the calcified nature of the mass. A multi-modality imaging approach confirmed the diagnosis of caseous calcification of the posterior mitral annulus. The patient refused surgical treatment

Caracterização experimental do comportamento de elementos estruturais parede-arco do Museu de Santa Joana em Aveiro

Com o objectivo de caracterizar o comportamento de elementos estruturais parede-arco do Museu de Aveiro, foram realizados ensaios laboratoriais e in situ, com vista ao desenvolvimento e calibração de um modelo numérico. A partir desse modelo foi possível estudar o comportamento deste tipo de elementos quando solicitado por cargas cíclicas. Foi assim possível aprofundar o conhecimento sobre os materiais usados na construção do Museu. Este artigo documenta os procedimentos adoptados e os resultados obtidos, quer dos ensaios, quer do modelo numérico

Iodine Availability through Iodized Salt in Portugal: 2010-2021 Sales Evolution and Distribution

Salt iodization programs are considered the most cost-effective measures to ensure adequate iodine intake in iodine-deficient populations. Portuguese women of childbearing age and pregnant women were reported to be iodine-deficient, which led the health authorities, in 2013, to issue a recommendation for iodine supplementation during preconception, pregnancy and lactation. In the same year, iodized salt became mandatory in school canteens. Of note, no regulation or specific programs targeting the general population, or the impact of iodized salt availability in retailers, are known. The present study analyzed iodized salt supermarket sales from 2010 to 2021 from a major retailer, identifying the proportion of iodized salt in total salt sales and its distribution in mainland Portugal. Data on iodine content were collected through the nutritional label information. Of a total of 33 salt products identified, 3 were iodized (9%). From 2010 to 2021, the weighted sales of iodized salt presented a growing tendency, reaching the maximum of 10.9% of total sales (coarse plus fine salt) in 2021. Iodized salt reached a maximum of 11.6% of total coarse salt in 2021, a maximum of 2.4% of the total fine salt in 2018. The overall sales of iodized salt and their contribution to iodine intake are extremely low, prompting additional studies to understand the consumer's choice and awareness of the benefits of iodized salt

Thrombosed aneurysm of the left sinus of Valsalva

The authors present the case of a 57-year-old asymptomatic woman, in whom a large left coronary sinus of Valsalva aneurysm was incidentally diagnosed on a routine echocardiogram in 1998. The case was initially presented to cardiac surgery consultants, and since there were no signs of rupture and the patient was asymptomatic, it was decided to keep her in close clinical and echocardiographic follow-up. Eight years later, and with no clinical manifestation in the meantime, a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed that the aneurysm was filled with swirling spontaneous echo contrast ("smoke") overlying a thrombus, which was not detected by transthoracic echocardiography. The patient then underwent surgical treatment with aortic root and aortic valve replacement and coronary reimplantation, with an excellent result. Although the need for early surgical intervention in patients with ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysms is well established, the optimal management of an asymptomatic, unruptured aneurysm is less clear, due to the absence of a precise natural history. The follow-up of our patient clearly demonstrated that it is mandatory to assess unruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysms by TEE, particularly to exclude thrombotic complications. Such complications are one of the possible paths of the natural history of unruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysms, and support the indication for early surgical treatment to avoid future complications

Iodine availability through iodized salt in Portugal: 2010-2021 sales evolution and distribution

Salt iodization programs are considered the most cost-effective measures to ensure adequate iodine intake in iodine-deficient populations. Portuguese women of childbearing age and pregnant women were reported to be iodine-deficient, which led the health authorities, in 2013, to issue a recommendation for iodine supplementation during preconception, pregnancy and lactation. In the same year, iodized salt became mandatory in school canteens. Of note, no regulation or specific programs targeting the general population, or the impact of iodized salt availability in retailers, are known. The present study analyzed iodized salt supermarket sales from 2010 to 2021 from a major retailer, identifying the proportion of iodized salt in total salt sales and its distribution in mainland Portugal. Data on iodine content were collected through the nutritional label information. Of a total of 33 salt products identified, 3 were iodized (9%). From 2010 to 2021, the weighted sales of iodized salt presented a growing tendency, reaching the maximum of 10.9% of total sales (coarse plus fine salt) in 2021. Iodized salt reached a maximum of 11.6% of total coarse salt in 2021, a maximum of 2.4% of the total fine salt in 2018. The overall sales of iodized salt and their contribution to iodine intake are extremely low, prompting additional studies to understand the consumer’s choice and awareness of the benefits of iodized salt.This work has been funded by national funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)—projects UIDB/50026/2020 and UIDP/50026/2020. The work of Sarai Isabel Machado was supported by FCT—doctoral fellowship 2022.12249.BD

Author Correction: Bayesian reassessment of the epigenetic architecture of complex traits

The original version of this Article contains an error in Fig. 3 in which panel B was inadvertently duplicated from panel A. This has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article