Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) attenuates muscle and body weight loss in experimental cancer cachexia

β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB), a leucine metabolite, improves muscle mass and function. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of HMB administration in an experimental in vivo model of cancer cachexia (CC). Wistar rats were randomized to receive standard or 4% HMB-enriched chow. Rats from both groups were randomized to receive an i.p. inoculum of AH-130 cells (TB). All rats were weighed and sacrificed at day 24. Liver, heart and muscles were dissected and weighed. The protein levels of p-p70S6k, p-eIf2α, p-mTOR and p-4-EB-P1 were evaluated by Western blotting on gastrocnemius muscle (GSN). As expected, the growth of the AH-130 ascites hepatoma induced significant carcass weight and GSN muscle loss. HMB treatment significantly increased GSN and heart weight in controls (p=0.002 and p<0.001, respectively). In HMB-treated TB, body weight was not lost but significantly (p=0.003) increased, and GSN loss was significantly (p=0.04) attenuated with respect to TB. Phosphorylated eIF2α markedly decreased in TB-rats vs. C. Feeding the HMB-enriched diet resulted in decreased p-eIF2α levels in control animals, while no changes could be observed in the TB group. Phosphorylated p70S6K and phosphorylated mTOR were markedly increased by HMB treatment in controls and further increased in TB. Phosphorylated 4-EB-P1 was markedly increased in TB but substantially unaffected by HMB treatment. Administration of HMB attenuates body weight and muscle loss in experimental CC. Increased phosphorylation of key anabolic molecules suggests that these actions are mediated by improved protein anabolism in muscle

Nestmate recognition in Parischnogaster striatula (Hymenoptera Stenogastrinae), visual and olfactory recognition cues

The recognition of nestmates from alien individuals is a well known phenomenon in social insects. In the stenogastrine wasp Parischnogaster striatula, we investigated the ability of females to recognize nestmates and the cues on which such recognition is based. Recognition of nestmates was observed in naturally occurring interactions between wasps approaching a nest and the resident females on that nest. This recognition was confirmed in experiments in which nestmates or alien conspecifics were presented to resident females. In naturally occurring interactions, nestmates generally approach their nest with a direct flight, while aliens usually hover in front of the nest before landing. In experiments in which the presented wasps were placed close to the nest in a direct manner, antennation of the presented wasp generally occurred, indicating that chemical cues are involved. Experiments in which dead alien individuals, previously washed in hexane, and then reapplied with extracts were recognized by colonies giving further evidence that chemical cues mediate nestmate recognition. Epicuticular lipids, known to be nestmate recognition cues in social insects, were chemically analysed by GC-MS for 44 P. striatula females from two different populations (13 different colonies). Discriminant analysis was performed on the data for the lipid mixture composition. The discriminant model showed that, in the samples from these two populations, 68.2% and 81.9% of the specimens could be correctly assigned to their colony.  2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

The bulge globular cluster Terzan 6 as seen from multi-conjugate adaptive optics and HST

Indexación: Scopus.This work consists of the first detailed photometric study of Terzan 6, one of the least known globular clusters in the Galactic bulge. Through the analysis of high angular resolution and multiwavelength data obtained from adaptive optics corrected and space observations, we built deep, optical and near-infrared color-magnitude diagrams reaching ≈4 magnitudes below the main-sequence turnoff. Taking advantage of four different epochs of observations, we measured precise relative proper motions for a large sample of stars, from which cluster members have been solidly distinguished from Galactic field interlopers. A noncanonical reddening law (with RV = 2.85) and high-resolution differential reddening map, with color excess variations up to δE(B-V) ≈0.8 mag, have been derived in the direction of the system. According to these findings, new values for the extinction and distance modulus have been obtained: E(B-V) = 2.36 ± 0.05 and (m-M)0 = 14.46 ± 0.10 (corresponding to d = 7.8 ± 0.3 kpc), respectively. We also provide the first determinations of the cluster center and projected density profile from resolved star counts. The center is offset by more than 7″ to the east from the literature value, and the structural parameters obtained from the King model fitting to the density profile indicate that Terzan 6 is in an advanced stage of its dynamical evolution, with a large value for the concentration parameter (c = 1.94-0.26+0.24) and a small core radius (rc = 2.6-0.7+0.09 arcsec). We also determined the absolute age of the system, finding t = 13 ± 1 Gyr, in agreement with the old ages found for the globular clusters in the Galactic bulge. From the redetermination of the absolute magnitude of the red giant branch bump and the recent estimate of the cluster global metallicity, we find that Terzan 6 nicely matches the tight relation between these two parameters drawn by the Galactic globular cluster population. © 2025 The Authors.https://www-scopus-com.recursosbiblioteca.unab.cl/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105000343605&origin=resultslist&sort=plf-f&src=s&sid=691c2513cbcf61fdeabc81c08fb85e0f&sot=aff&sdt=cl&cluster=scofreetoread%2C%22all%22%2Ct%2Bscosubtype%2C%22ar%22%2Ct&s=AF-ID%2860002636%29+AND+SUBJAREA%28PHYS%29&sl=34&sessionSearchId=691c2513cbcf61fdeabc81c08fb85e0f&relpos=1

Consensus definition of sarcopenia, cachexia and pre-cachexia: Joint document elaborated by Special Interest Groups (SIG) "cachexia-anorexia in chronic wasting diseases" and "nutrition in geriatrics"

Chronic diseases as well as aging are frequently associated with deterioration of nutritional status, loss muscle mass and function (i.e. sarcopenia), impaired quality of life and increased risk for morbidity and mortality. Although simple and effective tools for the accurate screening, diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition have been developed during the recent years, its prevalence still remains disappointingly high and its impact on morbidity, mortality and quality of life clinically significant. Based on these premises, the Special Interest Group (SIG) on cachexia-anorexia in chronic wasting diseases was created within ESPEN with the aim of developing and spreading the knowledge on the basic and clinical aspects of cachexia and anorexia as well as of increasing the awareness of cachexia among health professionals and care givers. The definition, the assessment and the staging of cachexia, were identified as a priority by the SIG. This consensus paper reports the definition of cachexia, pre-cachexia and sarcopenia as well as the criteria for the differentiation between cachexia and other conditions associated with sarcopenia, which have been developed in cooperation with the ESPEN SIG on nutrition in geriatrics

Influence of chlorine added to drinking water during the preslaughter feed withdrawal on microbiology and morphology of the broiler gastrointestinal tract

The objective of this experiment was to test the effects of the addition of chlorine to broiler drinking water during a 12-h preslaughter feed withdrawal period on reduction of the quantities of microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli and enterococci, in broiler crops and ceca. Reduction of these microorganisms would likely also reduce contamination of broiler meat by pathogenic bacteria during processing. It was also investigated if the chlorine caused some intestinal damage that could disseminate the microorganisms to the carcass. A total of 40 Cobb male broilers were used. Samples of crop and cecal content were collected for microbiological analysis, and duodenum and jejunum were used for morphological analysis from 10 birds in each treatment. The most probable number (MPN) of E. coli and enterococci in the collected samples of crop and ceca and the measure of the free residual chlorine in water were determined. The scanning electron microscopy from duodenum and jejunum was used to illustrate the mucosa integrity. The chlorine added to water was efficient in reducing the quantities of microorganisms in broiler crops and improved the integrity of the mucosa. Therefore, preslaughter feed withdrawal should be coupled with crop disinfection, because preslaughter feed withdrawal increases the MPN of enterococci and E. coli in broiler crops. So, it presents a higher risk for carcass contamination during slaughterhouse processing and, consequently, a higher risk for public health.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Vet Prevent Med, BR-14870000 Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, Dept Anim Morphol & Physiol, BR-14870000 Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, Dept Stat Anal, BR-14870000 Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, Dept Vet Prevent Med, BR-14870000 Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, Dept Anim Morphol & Physiol, BR-14870000 Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, Dept Stat Anal, BR-14870000 Jaboticabal, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 09/13622-