Clinics
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The aim of the present study was to evaluate if neutralizing antibody responses induced by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 strain that was dominant at the beginning of the pandemic or by the Gamma variant was effective against the Omicron variant. ⋯ Neutralizing antibodies generated following mild or moderate infection with the SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain or the Gamma variant are not protective against the Omicron variant.
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The use of Indwelling Pleural Catheter (IPC) in the care of patients with Malignant Pleural Effusion (MPE) is well established, however studies involving public health systems of low and middle-income countries are still lacking. This study aimed to determine the effect of IPC on the respiratory symptoms and Quality of Life (QoL) of patients with MPE in the setting of a Brazilian public health system. ⋯ IPC relieves respiratory symptoms without compromising the QoL, with a low complication rate. It represents a suitable option for patients with MPE and short LE in an emerging country.
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Limited data are available on pregnant women with COVID-19 and their neonates. ⋯ Maternal COVID-19 diagnosticated close to delivery has an impact on the first days of neonatal life.
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Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) are products of intestinal microbial metabolism that can reach the brain and alter microglia in health and disease contexts. However, data are conflicting on the effect of acetate, the most abundant SCFA in the blood, in these cells. ⋯ Treatment with acetate was able to promote the production of TNF-α in a concomitant LPS stimulus of microglia. However, the immune modulation of microglia by acetate pretreatment may be a component in the generation of future therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.
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The negative effects of visceral adiposity accumulation on cardiovascular health have drawn much attention. However, the association between the Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) and Abdominal Aortic Calcification (AAC) has never been reported before. The authors aimed to investigate the association between the VAI and AAC in US adults. ⋯ Visceral adiposity accumulation evaluated by the VAI was associated with a higher AAC score and an increased likelihood of severe AAC.