The aim of the study was to determine the prognostic value of hemodynamic parameters measured during initial diagnostic right heart catheterization (RHC) in standard conditions and using a nitric oxide reversibility test. A retrospective observational study of 62 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was performed. Clinical, biochemical, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic data obtained at the time of the PAH diagnosis were precisely analyzed. Patients were followed for five years. Death or lung transplantation was considered as a primary endpoint. The mean follow-up period was 1090 ± 703 days and the median age was 46.84 years. In the studied group, 25 patients survived, 36 patients died, and one underwent a lung transplantation. From all the examined parameters, only stroke volume index during reversibility test with iNO (SVI(NO test)) (HR = 0.910; 95% confidence interval 0.878-0.944; p less then 0.001) and initial arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) (HR = 0.910; 95% confidence interval 0.843-0.982; p = 0.015) have been established as independent predictors of death or lung transplantation in the five-year follow-up. An SVI(NO test) value above 39.86 mL/m2 was associated with 100% five-year survival rate (AUC = 0.956; 95% confidence interval 0.899-1.000; p less then 0.001; specificity/sensitivity 100/84%). The results of the analysis suggest that the SVI(NO test) measured during the initial diagnostic RHC could be a very valuable prognostic factor in the PAH patients.This study examines the IGF serum profile (IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and the IGF Ratio) from 1633 women who undertook an Assessment Cycle prior to any treatment by assisted reproduction. The idea is to progressively study the IGF profile with a view to identify those women who may be classified as having adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) and who may benefit from specific dynamic endocrinological testing to identify a potential benefit from growth hormone adjuvant treatment. This first study evaluates the IGF profile on clinical parameters, namely age, body mass index (BMI) and stature. The study shows a significant linear reduction in IGF-1 levels across the four age groups ( less then 35 years, 35-39 years, 40-44 years and ≥45 years; p less then 0.001). However, there was no variation in IGFBP-3 levels but the IGF Ratio showed a progressive linear elevation with advancing age (p less then 0.001). With respect to both BMI and stature, none of the IGF profile parameters showed any variation. We conclude that further studies are warranted to examine the notion of underlying AGHD in the causation of the well-known feature of age-related poor prognosis in assisted reproduction.
  In COVID-19 patients, aldosterone via angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 deregulation may be responsible for systemic and pulmonary vasoconstriction, inflammation, and oxidative organ damage.
 
  To verify retrospectively the impact of the mineralcorticoid receptor antagonist canrenone i.v. on the need of invasive ventilatory support and/or all-cause in-hospital mortality.
 
  Sixty-nine consecutive COVID-19 patients, hospitalized for moderate to severe respiratory failure at Fondazione Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan, received two different therapeutic approaches in usual care according to the personal skills and pharmacological management experience of the referral medical team. Group A (
  = 39) were given vasodilator agents or renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors and group B (
  = 30) were given canrenone i.v.
 
  Among the 69 consecutive COVID-19 patients, those not receiving canrenone i.v. (group A) had an event-free rate of 51% and a survival rate of 64%. Group B (given a mean dose of 200 mg/q.d. of canrenone for at least two days of continuous administration) showed an event-free rate of 80% with a survival rate of 87%.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/tenapanor.html  Kaplan-Meier analysis for composite outcomes and mortality showed log rank statistics of 0.0004 and 0.0052, respectively.
 
  The novelty of our observation relies on the independent positive impact of canrenone on the all-cause mortality and clinical improvement of COVID-19 patients ranging from moderate to severe diseases.
 The novelty of our observation relies on the independent positive impact of canrenone on the all-cause mortality and clinical improvement of COVID-19 patients ranging from moderate to severe diseases.Edible insects are an important protein rich natural resource that can contribute to resilient food security. Edible insects not only play an important role in traditional diets, but are also an excellent source of protein in traditional dishes in Africa. We systematically searched Web-of-Science and Google Scholar from year 2000-2019 for studies on the consumption of insects and their nutritional composition in Africa, resulting in 98 eligible papers, listing 212 edible insect species from eight orders. These insects were rich in protein, fats, and fibre. The highest protein content was reported for Lepidoptera (range 20-80%). Coleoptera had the highest carbohydrate content (7-54%), while Lepidoptera had the highest fat content (10-50%). Considering the excellent source of nutrition, and potential socio-economic benefits, from edible insects, they can contribute strongly to improved food security, and rural development in developing countries. In addition, edible insects can be used as a sustainable food source to combat food shortages in the future, for example, providing resilience during times of drought or other climate stressors.Flunitrazepam is an extremely potent benzodiazepine sedative which is associated with "drug-facilitated sexual assault" when administered within an alcoholic drink. This work describes a simple electrochemical method for on-site rapid detection of flunitrazepam in untreated spirits (whiskey, vodka and gin) using a single-use screen-printed sensor (featuring graphite working and auxiliary electrodes and an Ag/AgCl reference electrode) in a dry reagent format. Analysis was performed by placing a drop of sample on the sensor, which was previously coated with dry KCl, and recording selected reduction/oxidation peaks of the target compound in a cyclic voltammetry scan. The limit of quantification of flunitrazepam was at the sub-mg L-1 range. The between-sensor % relative standard deviation of the analytically useful reduction peak in a solution containing 11.4 mg L-1 flunitrazepam was 9.8% (n = 5). Quantification was performed using calibration curves constructed from pooled samples spiked with flunitrazepam with relative errors less then 15%.