Search

Purpose: Estimation and comparison of results after incisional hernia repair (IHR) modo onlay or sublay with abdominoplasty in patients who lost the weight following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB). Analysis and comparison of changes in quality of life (QL) of these patients prior to RYGB, before and after simultaneous IHR and abdominoplasty.Methods: Clinical analysis involved 40 patients with abdominal disfigurement (following RYGB and massive weight loss) after one-time IHR sublay method with abdominoplasty-group 1 or IHR onlay method with abdominoplasty-group 2. We evaluated postoperative results and long-term QL changes (DAS24, SF-36 scales).Results: We noted abnormal wound healing (2), pneumonia (3) and dysesthesia (3) in patients from group 1, and abnormal wound healing (2), seroma (2), pneumonia (2), and dysesthesia (4) in group 2. Quality of life was improved in the functional, esthetic and psychological aspects.Conclusions: One stage incisional hernia repair by onlay as well as sublay method with abdominoplasty are safe surgical methods improving the functioning of patients after major weight loss following RYGB. Sublay hernia repair and abdominoplasty was connected with longer time of the: operation, drainage, analgesic agents use, time to mobilization and to full oral diet than the onlay method. Significant improvement of the quality of life was noted after every subsequent step of surgical treatment in both groups. Reduction of the risk of BMI re-growth after bariatric surgery is related to the need for constant, specialized care for these patients at every stage of follow-up after bariatric surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, spectra of aerosol optical thickness from the AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) station at Hornsund in the southern part of Spitsbergen were employed to study the impact of air mass history on aerosol optical thickness for wavelength λ=500 nm - AOT(500) - and the Ångström exponent. Backward trajectories computed, using the NOAA HYSPLIT model, were used to trace air history. It was found that in spring, the changes in AOT values over the Hornsund station were strongly influenced by air mass trajectories 8 days or longer in duration, arriving both in the free troposphere and at an altitude of 1 km above sea level. Nevertheless, free tropospheric advection was dominant. AOT variability in summer was best explained by the local direction and speed of advection (1-day trajectories) and was dominated by the effectiveness of cleansing processes. During the ASTAR 2007 campaign, the aerosols near Hornsund displayed low AOT values ranging from 0.06 to 0.09, which is lower than the mean AOT(500) for spring seasons from 2005 to 2007 (0.110 ±0.007; mean ± standard deviation of mean). 9 April 2007 with AOT(500)=0.147 was exceptional. The back-trajectories belonged to clusters with low and average cluster mean AOT. Apart from the maximum AOT of 9 April 2007, the observed AOT values were close to or lower than the means for the clusters to which they belonged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The long-term survival of 209 consecutive patients (mean age, 46 ± 15 years) from a single center with ≥1 diagnostic myocardial biopsy after heart transplantation was analyzed. Methods Patients were considered as C4d positive if a capillary staining (immunohistochemistry in paraffin samples) was observed in ≥1 myocardial biopsy. Data were analyzed according to pathologic consensus of antibody mediated rejection definition of C4d+ positivity: 2004 definition in group A and the 2013 definition in group B and compared with their respective controls, composed of patients who do not meet those criteria. Age, follow-up time, and number of biopsies were comparable between patients with C4d+ and controls in both groups. Follow-up was 100% complete with mean of observation time 2143 days. Results During the follow-up period, 62 patients died (group A: C4d+ 32% vs controls 29%; group B: C4d+ 36% vs controls 29% [ P = NS]). There were no differences in survival between patients with positive staining and without C4d+ staining when Kaplan-Meier survival curves were compared. Conclusions The presence of C4d positive staining in myocardial capillaries of heart biopsies of patients after heart transplantation, as an isolated finding, was not related to worse long-term survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results presented in this article were obtained from measurements taken using a lidar system FLS-12 and laser particle counters (CSASP-100-HV-SP) at seven stations in the coastal area of the southern Baltic Sea and in Duck, North Carolina on the Atlantic coast of theU.S.; the latter was within the scope of an international experiment EOPACE. The studies indicated that aerosol concentration with offshore winds was approximately three-fold higher in all locations than that with onshore winds. However, it was also determined that the location of the measurement within the coastal area (surf zone versus further offshore location) can have an important impact on the result due to the enhanced production of marine aerosols from the sea surface, even with offshore winds. Aerosol concentrations with onshore winds were comparable at all measurement sites, which leads to the conclusion that the aerosol concentration is only slightly dependent on the salinity of the upper water layers. The results obtained using the lidar under similar meteorological conditions in various regions can be compared and used to determine the impact of regional and meteorological conditions on the concentration and shape of aerosol size distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the CAMS model based aerosol optical properties calculated for two Spitsbergen fjords, Kongsfjorden (Ny-Ålesund) and Hornsund (Polish Polar Station in Hornsund) measured between 2010 and 2015. A small decrease in Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) is shown throughout the study period leading to an alteration of the state of the polar atmosphere. However, the potential differences observed between the stations were not statistically significant. While during the studied period no significant differences in chemical composition between the stations were observed, increasing mean values of Black Carbon (BC) were found to be associated with an increasing number of wild forest fires in remote areas producing smoke plumes, which are further transported over vast distances and reach Spitsbergen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since early July 2017 intense wildfires were recorded over Canada and Greenland, then driven by winds were observed over Svalbard Island. Wildfires are common last years, especially boreal forests fires of Canada during the summertime. This plume of smoke and trace gases could be rank as one of the biggest last years (as big as in 2015). We want present preliminary studies of aerosol properties during long-range transport of biomass burning from Canada and Greenland to Svalbard in July and August 2017. Used of passive and active remote sensing methods, modeling of aerosol optical properties, also simulations of variability of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Single Scattering Albedo (SSA), direct aerosol's forcing (and others) will help to describe this event of Biomass Burning (BB) over Arctic. The wildfire in Greenland was spotted by satellites on 31 July. It was burning about 40 miles from the ice sheet in the western part of Greenland. Higher temperatures combined with summer melting which reveals tundra, facilitate outbreaks of wildfires. At the beginning of July 2017, Canada has experienced a quiet start to the wildfire season with only around 50 % of the 10-year average activity and less than 20 % of average burned area and only three fires had been recorded in British Columbia. The event of the BB aerosols transport was observed between 28 July and 26 August 2017 in Spitsbergen. Using ceilometer we were able to detect multiple layers of aerosols up to 5 km. According to NASA, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite captured particularly heavy smoke obscuring a wide swath of northern Canada as of August 15 and 16, 2017, which were transported to the Arctic Circle over Greenland. Back trajectory analysis confirms Greenland and Canada wildfires as a source of aerosols. Sources of BB aerosol were determined using data from MODVOLC, an algorithm that uses low spatial resolution (1-km pixel-size) infrared satellite data acquired by the satellite instrument MODIS to map the global distribution of thermal anomalies in near-real-time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emission of sea droplets and sea salt to the atmosphere is observed most intensively during storms. It affects many climate factors, like light scattering, cloud albedo, or cleaning processes in the sea-air boundary layer from anthropogenic pollutions. Small particles, solid or liquid, emitted to the atmosphere in stormy circumstances (so called sea spray aerosols - SSA) are significant part of heat, mass and momentum exchange between oceanic and atmospheric environment. They also play an important role in cloud physics, atmospheric chemistry, meteorology and oceanography. Observation and estimation of these processes is possible due to the calculation of sea salt flux (SSF). Although SSF parameterization is a difficult issue, the current emission of sea salt is estimated at 16006800 Tg/y (Boucher et al., 2013). This means significant advantage over aerosols from other sources. Simultaneously, relative uncertainty in emission value reaches 80 % (Tsigaridis et al., 2013), what strongly motivates development of measurement methods to analyse sea-surface phenomena. The main goal of this presentation is to show the results of SSF field measurements, taken from the deck of a Polish Academy of Sciences vessel, R/V Oceania, in July 2017. Research was conducted as part of annual polar cruises AREX in the area of the Greenland Sea and the Spitsbergen Shelf. Five optical particles counters OPC-N2 were used. SSF was estimated by using gradient method (Petelski 2003, Petelski and Piskozub 2006) and taking into account the meteorological conditions observed during measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wstęp Istnieje wiele metod analizy wyglądu piersi, większość jednak oparta jest na subiektywnej ocenie pacjenta. Obiektywną metodę oceny piersi stanowią pomiary antropometryczne. Cel pracy Celem pracy było porównanie obiektywnej i subiektywnej oceny estetycznych wyników symetryzacji piersi u pacjentek z zespołem Polanda. Materiał i metody Analizy wyników leczenia dokonano u 7 kobiet leczonych operacyjnie z powodu asymetrii piersi w przebiegu zespołu Polanda. W ocenie pooperacyjnej uwzględniono objętość piersi i symetrię: kompleksu brodawka-otoczka (KBO), rowków podpiersiowych (IMF) oraz górnych biegunów piersi (UP). Następnie dokonano obiektywnej, metrycznej oceny asymetrii piersi. Wyniki Ogólna ocena pooperacyjnej symetrii piersi wskazywała na wysoki poziom zadowolenia pacjentek z zabiegu symetryzacji. Obiektywna analiza dowiodła, że średnia różnica objętości piersi wynosi około 36 cc, a różnica położenia KBO - około 1,2 cm. Pacjentki, u których powiększona pierś była większa o 30-35 cc, nie obserwowały subiektywnie asymetrii piersi i oceniały, że piersi są tej samej wielkości. Kobiety, u których różnica wynosiła 40-50 cc, obserwowały niewielką asymetrię. Wnioski Obrazowanie trójwymiarowe może być pomocne w planowaniu zabiegów symetryzacyjnych piersi, szczególnie w doborze objętości protezy piersi. Połączenie tej metody z doświadczeniem klinicznym skutkuje uzyskaniem dobrych wyników pooperacyjnych. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cel Celem pracy było przedstawienie własnych doświadczeń z zastosowania wyspowego płata zamałżowinowego (PIF) do rekonstrukcji muszli małżowiny usznej po wycięciu raka skóry przewodu słuchowego i/lub muszli małżowiny usznej oraz kliniczna analiza wyników operacji z zastosowaniem tej metody. Materiał i metody Analizą objęto 19 chorych, leczonych z powodu guzów obejmujących przewód słuchowy zewnętrzny i/lub muszlę małżowiny usznej, u których wykonano rekonstrukcję muszli ucha z zastosowaniem PIF w latach 2000-2015. Oceniono wczesne i odległe wyniki leczenia. W ocenie wyników rekonstrukcji uwzględniono opinie chirurga plastycznego i pacjentów. Wyniki Zmiany wycięto w całości u wszystkich badanych, nie stwierdzając wznowy w ciągu 2 lat. Przekrwienie bierne wystąpiło u 5 (26,3%) osób, nadmierne przyleganie małżowiny usznej u 4 (21%) chorych, a zwężenie przewodu słuchowego zewnętrznego stwierdzono w 3 (15,8%) przypadkach. U jednej chorej konieczne było poszerzenie przewodu słuchowego zewnętrznego. Wyniki rekonstrukcji były dobre u wszystkich pacjentów - zarówno w ocenie chirurga, jak i chorych, z wyjątkiem tych przypadków, w których stwierdzono nadmierne przyleganie małżowiny usznej. Wnioski 1. Operacje wycięcia guza przewodu słuchowego i/lub muszli małżowiny usznej połączone z rekonstrukcją wyspowym płatem zza małżowiny usznej pozwoliły na doszczętne wycięcie zmian, a jednocześnie zachowanie właściwego konturu muszli operowanej małżowiny usznej. 2. Zamałżowinowy dostęp w przypadkach leczenia guzów naciekających przewód słuchowy zewnętrzny pozwolił na dobre uwidocznienie zakresu nacieku nowotworowego i ułatwiał radykalne wycięcia zmiany. 3. Użycie zamałżowinowych płatów wyspowych umożliwiło uzyskanie dobrych wyników rekonstrukcji zarówno w ocenie pacjentów, jak i chirurgów. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wstęp Zespół Turnera występuje z częstością 1 na około 2000-2500 żywo urodzonych dziewczynek. Ta genetycznie uwarunkowana patologia cechuje się licznymi wadami wrodzonymi. Typowa postać tego zespołu związana jest z brakiem jednego z chromosomów płciowych (kariotyp 45,X). Szerokie spektrum problemów zdrowotnych nakłada obowiązek zapewnienia pacjentce wielospecjalistycznej opieki medycznej. Z punktu widzenia chirurgii plastycznej, do najbardziej istotnych elementów terapii należy korekcja wad aparatu ochronnego oka, małżowin usznych, płetwiastej szyi, niedorozwiniętych piersi oraz leczenie zmian skórnych. Cel pracy Celem pracy jest przedstawienie możliwości chirurgicznego leczenia wybranych problemów u pacjentek z zespołem Turnera oraz ocena wyników leczenia. Materiał i metody W latach 2000-2014 w Klinice leczono 11 pacjentek z zespołem Turnera. Przedział wieku pacjentek wynosił 5-23 lata. W zakresie aparatu ochronnego oka u 4 pacjentek wykonano plastykę fałdów nakątnych, a w jednym przypadku korekcję opadnięcia powieki. Plastykę małżowin usznych przeprowadzono u 2 chorych, natomiast rozprowadzenie fałdów płetwiastej szyi - u 6 operowanych. Dwie pacjentki poddały się zabiegowi powiększenia piersi. Wycięcie zmian skórnych wykonano u 4 pacjentek. Wyniki U większości operowanych, z wyjątkiem dwóch przypadków leczonych z powodu płetwiastej szyi, uzyskano dobre wyniki przeprowadzonego leczenia. U jednej pacjentki stwierdzono jednostronny umiarkowany nawrót płetwistości szyi po około 2 latach od zabiegu. W jednym przypadku korekcja była niewystarczająca. Wnioski Kobiety z zespołem Turnera wymagają wielospecjalistycznej opieki. W skład zespołu powinni wchodzić: endokrynolog, kardiolog, otolaryngolog, ginekolog. Przedstawione doświadczenia własne wskazują, że w zespole tym powinien znaleźć się również chirurg plastyk. Korekcja zewnętrznych zniekształceń wpływa na lepszą akceptację dziecka przez rówieśników, na dorastanie z mniejszą obawą o odrzucenie oraz poprawia jakość życia dorosłych kobiet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Angiologica is the property of VM Medica-VM Group (Via Medica) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to compare health behaviors among patients after heart transplantation, depending on the mode of qualification for the surgery. Patients and Methods: A questionnaire was completed by 115 patients who underwent heart transplantation surgery. The first part covered sociodemographic data before and after transplantation; the second part the medical data, and the last part behaviors before and after transplantation, such as smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol, and systematic compliance to medications. Behaviors associated with health were evaluated with the of a health behavior inventory including 24 statements referring to behaviors associated with health. Results: Fifty-two patients (45.21%) including 13 women and 39 men underwent a heart transplantation performed in the “urgent” mode. They were significantly younger than those with a “planned” transplantation: 50.65 ± 16.19 vs 57.22 ± 10.26 (P < .05). No significant differences were observed in smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol after the transplantation. However, patients transplanted in the “urgent” mode more frequently were compliant to the medication regimen than those in the “planned” mode. These results showed a significant influence of the transplantation mode both on the eating habits and every day health practices after transplantation (P < .05). People awaiting transplantation at home showed a stronger conviction about the influence of coincidental (chance) factors on their health, in opposition to their own behavior or the actions of the medical staff (P < .05). Conclusions: Patients transplanted in the urgent mode showed a higher level of health practices after transplantation, more frequent attention to their health condition as dependent on their own behavior or the medical crew''s actions, and a higher level of health practices compared with other cardiac patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background/objectives: The pathophysiological background of the processes activated by physical activity in patients with heart failure (HF) is not fully understood. Proteomic studies can help to preliminarily identify new protein markers for unknown or poorly defined physiological processes. We aimed to analyse the changes in the plasma proteomic profile of HF patients after a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) to define pathways involved in the response to exercise., Methods: The study prospectively enrolled 20 male patients with advanced HF (aged 53.3 ± 8.3 years). Blood samples were taken from the patients before and immediately after the CPET to obtain plasma proteomic profiles. Two-sample t -tests (paired or non-paired) were performed with and without false discovery rate (FDR) correction for multiple testing. Enrichment analysis was performed to associate biological processes and pathways with the study results., Results: A total of 968 plasma proteins were identified, of which 722 underwent further statistical analysis. Of these, 236 proteins showed differential expression when comparing all plasma samples collected before and after CPT ( p < 0.05), and for 86 of these the difference remained statistically significant after FDR correction. Proteins whose expression changed after exercise are mostly involved in immune response and inflammatory processes, coagulation, cell adhesion, regulation of cellular response to stimulus and regulation of programmed cell death. There were no differences in resting proteomics according to HF etiology (ischemic vs. non-ischemic)., Conclusions: Changes in the proteomic profile revealed a complexity of exercise-induced processes in patients with HF, suggesting that few major physiological pathways are involved. Further studies focusing on specific pathways are needed.

Background: Data reusability is the driving force of the research data life cycle. However, implementing strategies to generate reusable data from the data creation to the sharing stages is still a significant challenge. Even when datasets supporting a study are publicly shared, the outputs are often incomplete and/or not reusable. The FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles were published as a general guidance to promote data reusability in research, but the practical implementation of FAIR principles in research groups is still falling behind. In biology, the lack of standard practices for a large diversity of data types, data storage and preservation issues, and the lack of familiarity among researchers are some of the main impeding factors to achieve FAIR data. Past literature describes biological curation from the perspective of data resources that aggregate data, often from publications., Methods: Our team works alongside data-generating, experimental researchers so our perspective aligns with publication authors rather than aggregators. We detail the processes for organizing datasets for publication, showcasing practical examples from data curation to data sharing. We also recommend strategies, tools and web resources to maximize data reusability, while maintaining research productivity., Conclusion: We propose a simple approach to address research data management challenges for experimentalists, designed to promote FAIR data sharing. This strategy not only simplifies data management, but also enhances data visibility, recognition and impact, ultimately benefiting the entire scientific community., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2024 Scorza LCT et al.)

Obesity is a complex disease with numerous health complications, influenced by factors such as genetics, lifestyle, mental health, societal impact, economic status, comorbidities, and treatments. This multicenter study included adults aged ≥35 years referred to a CVD prevention program, where sociodemographic data, anthropometric examinations, laboratory tests, and HLPCQ responses were collected. The study analyzed 1044 patients with a mean age of 47.9 years. Among them, 22.2% (232 patients) were diagnosed with obesity. These patients exhibited higher blood pressure, non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose levels (all p < 0.001). A comparative analysis showed that obese patients had significantly lower scores in healthy dietary choices, dietary harm avoidance, daily routine, organized physical exercise, and overall HLPCQ scores. These results indicate that individuals considered healthy were actually living with obesity and its associated complications. Consequently, family physicians should proactively identify patients at risk of obesity using existing programs. The Polish healthcare system urgently needs systemic solutions, including effective health promotion and the creation of obesity prevention programs at an early stage of adult life. These measures are essential to address the growing obesity epidemic and improve public health outcomes.

Background: LMNA -related dilated cardiomyopathy ( LMNA -DCM) caused by mutations in the lamin A/C gene ( LMNA ) is one of the most common forms of hereditary DCM. Due to the high risk of mutation transmission to offspring and the high incidence of ventricular arrhythmia and sudden death even before the onset of heart failure symptoms, it is very important to identify LMNA -mutation carriers. However, many relatives of LMNA -DCM patients do not report to specialized centers for clinical or genetic screening. Therefore, an easily available tool to identify at-risk subjects is needed. Methods: We compared two cohorts of young, asymptomatic relatives of DCM patients who reported for screening: 29 LMNA PR interval, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hscTnT) serum levels were higher in the Results: PR interval, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hscTnT) serum levels were higher in the LMNA mutation carrier cohort. Neither group differed significantly with regard to creatinine concentration or left ventricular ejection fraction. The best mutation carriership discriminator was hscTnT level with an optimal cut-off value at 5.5 ng/L, for which sensitivity and specificity were 86% and 93%, respectively. The median hscTnT level was 11.0 ng/L in LMNA mutation carriers vs. <3.0 ng/L in the control group, p < 0.001. Conclusions: Wherever access to genetic testing is limited, LMNA mutation carriership status can be assessed reliably using the hscTnT assay. Among young symptomless relatives of LMNA -DCM patients, a hscTnT level >5.5 ng/L strongly suggests mutation carriers.

&lt;b&gt;Introduction:&lt;/b&gt; Obesity, as one of the main health problems worldwide, is associated with an increased risk of developing mental and eating disorders and negative eating habits. Bariatric surgery allows for rapid weight loss and alleviates the symptoms of concomitant diseases in obese patients.&lt;b&gt;Aim:&lt;/b&gt; Pre- and postoperative estimation of mental disorders and eating behaviors in patients after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB).&lt;b&gt;Material and methods:&lt;/b&gt; Analysis of data from up to 5 years of follow-up including clinical examination and questionnaires.&lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Following parameters decreased after RYGB: anxiety and hyperactivity from 32.81% to 21.88%, mood disorders - 31.25% to 20.31%, substance abuse - 40.63% to 28.13%, emotional eating - 76.56% to 29.69%, binge eating - 50% to 6.25%, night eating - 87.5% to 20.31%. Postoperative rates of: negative eating habits, daily intake of calories and sweetened beverages, flatulence, constipation, and abdominal pain decreased, while the rate of food intolerance and emesis increased.&lt;b&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/b&gt; In our patients, the occurrence of: mental and eating disorders, negative eating habits, daily calories, sweetened beverages, coffee intake decreased after weight loss (as a result of RYGB), but water, vegetables and fruit consumption increased. Lower rate of flatulence, constipation, and abdominal pain, but higher of food intolerance and emesis were also confirmed after RYGB.

Metabolic syndrome is one of the most common health problems for people around the world. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adults without prior diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. We also plan to assess the influence of certain lifestyle components on prevalence of metabolic syndrome. The study involved cardiovascularly healthy patients undergoing lab tests, measurements, and the HLPCQ questionnaire (The Healthy Lifestyle and Personal Control Questionnaire). The data were used to diagnose metabolic syndrome. Out of 1044 patients from 10 primary care facilities, 23.3% met the metabolic syndrome criteria, showing a strong link with increased blood pressure, cholesterol, and fasting glucose. Lower scores in the Organized physical exercise subscale of the HLPCQ questionnaire were noted in those with metabolic syndrome. Comparing the subscale of HLPCQ questionnaire, the lower results in Organized physical exercise subscale were found among the participants with metabolic syndrome, both male and females. Metabolic syndrome, a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, should be screened for actively, even in apparently healthy populations. Results obtained in our study from analysis of HLPCQ show that screening for metabolic syndrome should be preceded by prevention based on regular physical activity and proper eating habits., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Not required for Clinical Vignette.

Introduction: Recently, a stratification of the heart failure (HF) phenotypes, which classifies HF into 3 subtypes based on ejection fraction, has been introduced. Before that, clinical trials and registries have been mainly devoted to HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). As a result, data on long‑term survival trends for individual HF phenotypes are scarce., Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate survival according to the HF phenotype and to identify predictors of mortality., Patients and Methods: Patients hospitalized for HF in our referral center between January 2014 and May 2019 were included in the analysis. HF phenotyping was based on EF: reduced (HFrEF with EF <40%), mildly reduced (HFmrEF with EF = 40%-49%), and preserved (HFpEF with EF ≥50%)., Results: Of 2601 patients included in the study, 1608 individuals (62%) presented with HFrEF, 331 patients with HFmrEF (13%), and 662 patients with HFpEF (25%). The median follow‑up was 2.43 years (interquartile range, 1.56-3.49). The risk of death was 61% higher in HFrEF than in HFpEF (P <0.001), while in HFmrEF and HFpEF it was similar. Survival rates at 1 and 5 years in HFrEF, HFmrEF, and HFpEF were 81%, 84%, 84%, and 47%, 61%, and 59%, respectively. The HF phenotypes differed in most of the parameters that affect prognosis. Only the use of inotropes, which was linked to an increased risk of death, and the use of angiotensin‑converting enzyme inhibitors, which reduced this risk, were independent of the HF phenotype., Conclusions: Survival in HFrEF is worse as compared with HFmrEF and HFpEF, where it is similar. The HF phenotypes differ in most of the parameters that affect survival.

The present study investigates silicone transfer occurring during microcontact printing (μCP) of lectins with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamps and its impact on the adhesion of cells. Static adhesion assays and single-cell force spectroscopy (SCFS) are used to compare adhesion of nonmalignant (HCV29) and cancer (HT1376) bladder cells, respectively, to high-affinity lectin layers (PHA-L and WGA, respectively) prepared by physical adsorption and μCP. The chemical composition of the μCP lectin patterns was monitored by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). We show that the amount of transferred silicone in the μCP process depends on the preprocessing of the PDMS stamps. It is revealed that silicone contamination within the patterned lectin layers inhibits the adhesion of bladder cells, and the work of adhesion is lower for μCP lectins than for drop-cast lectins. The binding capacity of microcontact printed lectins was larger when the PDMS stamps were treated with UV ozone plasma as compared to sonication in ethanol and deionized water. ToF-SIMS data show that ozone-based treatment of PDMS stamps used for μCP of lectin reduces the silicone contamination in the imprinting protocol regardless of stamp geometry (flat vs microstructured). The role of other possible contributors, such as the lectin conformation and organization of lectin layers, is also discussed.