State and progress of Andean lupin cultivation in Europe: a review

ReviewLupinus mutabilis is an important source of protein in different Andean countries, and its use in diets, particularly those of less wealthy individuals, has been observed for thousands of years. There is an increasing demand for protein crops suitable for Europe and this species is a potential candidate. Assessment of Lupinus mutabilis genetic material in European conditions started more than 40 years ago, with the characterization of a vast number of accessions from the Andean region. In this review, abiotic and biotic constraints to L. mutabilis cultivation in European soil and climatic conditions are discussed, and cultivation management practices are suggested. The beneficial interaction of L. mutabilis with Bradyrhizobium strains in the soil and various pollinator species is also discussed, and the effect of abiotic stresses on these interactions is highlighted. Prospects of alternative uses of L. mutabilis biomass in Northern Europe and opportunities for breeding strategies are discussed. In conclusion, the different approach to crop modeling for Southern and Northern European climatic conditions is highlightedinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Gli score clinici nell’insufficienza cardiaca cronica: esiste uno score ideale

Numerous prognostic markers have shown to be predictive of patient outcome in heart failure (HF). The recent guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic HF have identified as many as 57 individual markers in patients with HF, including demographic data, etiology, comorbidities, clinical, radiological, hemodynamic, echocardiographic and biochemical parameters. If more accurate risk stratification is required, several scoring systems have been proposed. This article reviews scoring systems for HF prognostication. Although most of the models include readily available clinical information, usually NYHA functional class, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and comorbidities, quite a few of them comprise Doppler echocardiographic variables, other than LVEF, and circulating levels of natriuretic peptides. In order to achieve a better prediction of the outcome, an ideal score should be based on a comprehensive Doppler echocardiographic examination, the assessment of circulating biomarkers, and a more objective evaluation of exercise tolerance

Prognostic Value of Pulsed Tissue Doppler Imaging for the Assessment of Left Ventricular Systolic Function in Patients with Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Abstract There is still some debate regarding the prognostic significance of left ventricular longitudinal systolic dysfunction as assessed by tissue Doppler (TD) imaging in patients with chronic heart failure (HF), since previous studies have included patients with postischemic wall motion abnormalities. Thus, this study was designed to ascertain whether TD-derived longitudinal systolic dysfunction may influence the outcome of patients with nonischemic chronic HF. In 200 consecutive patients with chronic HF secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy and no history of ischemic heart disease, peak systolic mitral annular velocity (S(m) ) was measured by pulsed TD at the septal and lateral annular sites. The end points were cardiac death or hospitalization for worsening HF. Mean follow-up duration was 30 months. In a time independent analysis, averaged S(m) calculated as the average of septal and lateral S(m) , resulted to be a significant predictor of outcome in the study population (area under receiver-operator characteristic curve: cardiovascular death, 0.69, P < 0.0001; cardiovascular events, 0.64, P = 0.0005). In a time-dependent analysis, average S(m) was associated with both cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 0.832, P = 0.0019) and cardiovascular events (hazard ratio 0.904, P = 0.039), independently of other clinical risk factors and echocardiographic parameters of systolic function. Septal S(m) but not lateral S(m) was independently associated with the outcome measures. In conclusion, the assessment of systolic mitral annular velocity by pulsed TD is a useful indicator for prognostic stratification of patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and chronic HF. (Echocardiography ****;**:1-7)