Hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy and chronic kidney disease.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a cardiovascular complication highly prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease. LVH in CKD patients has generally a negative prognostic value, because it represents an independent risk factor for the development of arrhythmias, sudden death, heart failure and ischemic heart disease. LVH in CKD patients is secondary to both pressure and volume overload. Pressure overload is secondary to preexisting hypertension, but also to a loss of elasticity of the vessels and to vascular calcifications, leading to augmented pulse pressure. Anemia and the retention of sodium and water secondary to decreased renal function are responsible for volume overload, determining a hyperdynamic state. In particular, the correction of anemia with erythropoietin in CKD patients is advantageous, since it determines LVH reduction. Other risk factors for LVH in CKD patients are documented: some are specific to CKD, as mineral metabolism disorders (hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, low serum vitamin D levels and secondary hyperparathyroidism), others are non-traditional, such as increased asymmetric dimethylarginine, oxidative stress, hyperhomocysteinemia and endothelial dysfunction that, in turn, accelerates the process of atherogenesis, triggers the inflammation and pro-thrombotic state of the glomerular and the vascular endothelium and aggravates the process of both CKD and LVH

1º Encontro de Física Aplicada na Tríplice Fronteira

O Programa de Pós-graduação em Física Aplicada da Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (PPGFISA/UNILA) começou suas atividades em 2016 e vem formando recursos humanos em diversas subáreas da Física (modelagem matemática, física e engenharia, astrofísica, mecânica quântica e ciência dos materiais). Agora em 2023, realizou o "1° Encontro de Física Aplicada na Tríplice Fronteira" que objetivou estreitar e consolidar laços com pesquisadoras/es da região da tríplice fronteira (Argentina-BrasilParaguai). Em três dias de evento conseguimos reunir, na UNILA, unidade PTI (Parque Tecnológico de Itaipu), em Foz do Iguaçu - Brasil, mais de 130 pessoas (estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação, técnicos, pesquisadores/as e professores/as), dos três países da região da tríplice fronteira (Argentina, Brasil e Paraguai). O evento foi organizado pelo PPGFISA/UNILA com colaboração dos técnicos da Secretaria de Apoio Científico e Tecnológico (SACT/UNILA) e dos discentes do curso de Engenharia Física da UNILA e também contou com o apoio dos docentes e discentes da Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (UNIOESTE). O alto nível do evento, demonstrado por meio de 8 palestras convidadas, 18 trabalhos de apresentação oral e 15 trabalhos em forma pôster, demonstra a demanda da nossa região da tríplice fronteira na consolidação da pesquisa científica e tecnológica e por mais eventos na área de Física Aplicada. Que venham os próximos!! Agradecemos o apoio financeiro dado pelo Instituto Latino-Americano de Ciências da Vida e da Natureza (ILACVN) da UNILA, por meio dos editais internos, à Pró-reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação (PRPPG/UNILA), a Fundação Parque Tecnológico de Itaipu (FPTI), a Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Ensino Superior (Capes), através do Programa de Auxílio a Pós-Graduação (PROAP/2023) e também pela parceria com o Programa de Pós-Graduação Interdisciplinar em Energia e Sustentabilidade (PPGIES/UNILA). Por último, queremos agradecer especialmente aos participantes do evento por ter contribuído com discussões frutíferas e instigantes. Esperamos que conjuntamente possamos avançar e contribuir cada vez mais na busca de soluções para sociedade com o uso da Física Aplicada.Fundação Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES Instituto Latino-americano de Ciências da Vida e da Natureza - ILACVN Parque Tecnológico Itaipu - PTI Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana - UNIL

Evaluation of plasma levels of renin-aldosterone and blood pressure in women over 35 years treated with new oral contraceptives

Increases in blood pressure and weight are consequences of increased fluid retention following oral contraceptives administration. Hypertension and weight increase are particularly frequent in women over 35 years of age. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical and hormonal effects of a new extra-low dose oral contraceptive [15 microg ethinyl estradiol (EE) and 60 microg gestodene (GSD)] on the renin-aldosterone system in a group of women aged 35-39 years treated for 3 months compared with a formulation containing the same hormones at a higher dose. Eighteen healthy women, age 35-39 years, were divided into two groups. The first group (10 women) used Arianna, Schering, 15 microg EE/60 microg GSD (EE15/GSD60); the second group (8 women) used Fedra, Schering, 20 microg EE/75 microg GSD (EE20/GSD75). Blood samples were obtained before the study and after 3 months of contraceptive use for assay of renin and aldosterone. Blood pressure was also measured on both occasions. No significant changes in plasma renin activity (PRA) or plasma concentrations of aldosterone were observed between the two groups after 3 months of contraceptive use. The mean increase in body weight after 3 months of contraceptive use was 350 +/- 100 g for EE20/GSD75 and 300 +/- 50 g for EE15/GSD60. There was a mean increase of 4 mm Hg for systolic pressure and 2 mm Hg for diastolic pressure in women on EE20/GSD75 and corresponding increases of 3 and 2 mm Hg in women on EE15/GSD60. The changes were not significant in any case. The results of the present study show that the formulations were well tolerated and provided good control of the menstrual cycle in all 18 women. The contraceptive formulations EE20/GSD75 and EE15/GSD60 have no clinical impact on blood pressure, PRA, or aldosterone in this age group

Negative pigment network: an additional dermoscopic feature for the diagnosis of melanoma

Background: The negative pigment network (NPN) is seen as a negative of the pigmented network and it is purported to be a melanoma-specific structure

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study

Background: Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods: The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18-49, 50-69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results: NNVs were more favourable in surgical patients than the general population. The most favourable NNVs were in patients aged 70 years or more needing cancer surgery (351; best case 196, worst case 816) or non-cancer surgery (733; best case 407, worst case 1664). Both exceeded the NNV in the general population (1840; best case 1196, worst case 3066). NNVs for surgical patients remained favourable at a range of SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates in sensitivity analysis modelling. Globally, prioritizing preoperative vaccination of patients needing elective surgery ahead of the general population could prevent an additional 58 687 (best case 115 007, worst case 20 177) COVID-19-related deaths in 1 year. Conclusion: As global roll out of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination proceeds, patients needing elective surgery should be prioritized ahead of the general population

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field