Predictive Value of Coronary Artery Calcium in Patients Receiving Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography for Suspected Pulmonary Embolism in the Emergency Department.

Purpose: Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a frequent incidental finding on computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) in the evaluation of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the emergency department (ED); however, its prognostic value is unclear. In this study, we interrogate the prognostic value of CAC identified on CTPA in predicting adverse outcomes in the evaluation of PE in the ED.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we identified 610 patients presenting to the ED in 2013 and evaluated with CTPA for suspected PE.

Endemic Thoracic Infections in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Although many of the thoracic infections endemic to Africa are also present around the world, this article focuses on entities that are emerging or disproportionately affect populations living in sub-Saharan Africa. Important emerging or reemerging viral and bacterial diseases that commonly affect the lung include dengue fever, plague, leptospirosis, and rickettsioses. Most parasitic infections endemic to Africa can also manifest within the thorax, including malaria, amebiasis, hydatid disease, schistosomiasis, paragonimiasis, ascariasis, strongyloidiasis and cysticercosis.

Assessment of avidity related to IgG subclasses in SARS-CoV-2 Brazilian infected patients.

SARS-CoV-2 is considered a global emergency, resulting in an exacerbated crisis in the health public in the world. Although there are advances in vaccine development, it is still limited for many countries. On the other hand, an immunological response that mediates protective immunity or indicates that predict disease outcome in SARS-CoV-2 infection remains undefined.

Tibial tubercle avulsion fractures in adolescents: impact on function and quality of life.

The objective of the study was to assess functional outcomes and quality of life of patients treated for tibial tubercle avulsion fractures (TTAFs). Retrospective study of patients under 18 years of age treated from June 2011 to May 2018. Demographic data included age, gender, mechanism of injury, side, fracture classification, associated injuries, predisposing factors, and type of treatment.

Evaluation of Suppressed Mite Reproduction (SMR) Reveals Potential for Varroa Resistance in European Honey Bees ( L.).

In the fight against the mite, selective breeding of honey bee ( L.) populations that are resistant to the parasitic mite stands as a sustainable solution. Selection initiatives indicate that using the suppressed mite reproduction (SMR) trait as a selection criterion is a suitable tool to breed such resistant bee populations.

Pinus halepensis, Pinus pinaster, Pinus pinea and Pinus sylvestris Essential Oils Chemotypes and Monoterpene Hydrocarbon Enantiomers, before and after Inoculation with the Pinewood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.

Pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is the causal agent of pine wilt disease, a serious threat to global forest populations of conifers, especially Pinus spp. A time-course study of the essential oils (EOs) of 2-year-old Pinus halepensis, Pinus pinaster, Pinus pinea and Pinus sylvestris following inoculation with the PWN was performed. The constitutive and nematode inoculation induced EOs components were analyzed at both the wounding or inoculation areas and at the whole plant level.

Halofuginone inhibits phosphorylation of SMAD-2 reducing angiogenesis and leukemia burden in an acute promyelocytic leukemia mouse model.

Background: Halofuginone (HF) is a low-molecular-weight alkaloid that has been demonstrated to interfere with Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and Tumor Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) function and, to present antiangiogenic, antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties in several solid tumor models. Based on the fact that high levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and increased angiogenesis have been described in acute myeloid leukemia and associated with disease progression, we studied the in vivo effects of HF using an Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) mouse model.

Methods: NOD/SCID mice were transplanted with leukemic cells from hCG-PML/RARA transgenic mice (TM) and treated with HF 150 μg/kg/day for 21 days.

Internal tandem duplication of the FLT3 gene confers poor overall survival in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia treated with all-trans retinoic acid and anthracycline-based chemotherapy: an International Consortium on Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia study.

Activating internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutations in the fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) gene (FLT3-ITD) are associated with poor outcome in acute myeloid leukemia, but their prognostic impact in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) remains controversial. Here, we screened for FLT3-ITD mutations in 171 APL patients, treated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and anthracycline-based chemotherapy. We identified FLT3-ITD mutations in 35 patients (20 %).

Prognostic impact of KMT2E transcript levels on outcome of patients with acute promyelocytic leukaemia treated with all-trans retinoic acid and anthracycline-based chemotherapy: an International Consortium on Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia study.

The KMT2E (MLL5) gene encodes a histone methyltransferase implicated in the positive control of genes related to haematopoiesis. Its close relationship with retinoic acid-induced granulopoiesis suggests that the deregulated expression of KMT2E might lead acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) blasts to become less susceptible to the conventional treatment protocols. Here, we assessed the impact of KMT2E expression on the prognosis of 121 APL patients treated with ATRA and anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

FISH analysis for TET2 deletion in a cohort of 362 Brazilian myeloid malignancies: correlation with karyotype abnormalities.

We investigated the prevalence of TET2 deletion by using a new FISH probe in a cohort of 362 Brazilian patients with myeloid neoplasms and their association with cytogenetic information (G-banding analysis). Normal karyotype was observed in 45.8 % of MDS (n = 44), 43.

Methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia reverts fibrinolytic pathway activation in a murine model of acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Increased fibrinolysis is an important component of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) bleeding diathesis. APL blasts overexpress annexin II (ANXII), a receptor for tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and plasminogen, thereby increasing plasmin generation. Previous studies suggested that ANXII plays a pivotal role in APL coagulopathy.

Halofuginone has anti-proliferative effects in acute promyelocytic leukemia by modulating the transforming growth factor beta signaling pathway.

Promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor alpha (PML-RARα) expression in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) impairs transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling, leading to cell growth advantage. Halofuginone (HF), a low-molecular-weight alkaloid that modulates TGFβ signaling, was used to treat APL cell lines and non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice subjected to transplantation with leukemic cells from human chorionic gonadotrophin-PML-RARα transgenic mice (TG). Cell cycle analysis using incorporated bromodeoxyuridine and 7-amino-actinomycin D showed that, in NB4 and NB4-R2 APL cell lines, HF inhibited cellular proliferation (P<0.

Apoptosis induction by (+)alpha-tocopheryl succinate in the absence or presence of all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide in NB4, NB4-R2 and primary APL cells.

We analyzed the effect of (+)alpha-tocopheryl succinate (alpha-TOS) alone or associated with arsenic trioxide (ATO) or all-trans retinoid acid (ATRA) in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). alpha-TOS-induced apoptosis in APL clinical samples and in ATRA-sensitive (NB4) and ATRA-resistant (NB4-R2) APL cell lines. The effective dose 50% (ED-50) was calculated to be 71 and 58muM, for NB4 and NB4-R2, respectively.

The expression of DeltaNTP73, TATP73 and TP53 genes in acute myeloid leukaemia is associated with recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities and in vitro susceptibility to cytarabine cytotoxicity.

TP73 encodes for two proteins: full-length TAp73 and DeltaNp73, which have little transcriptional activity and exert dominant-negative function towards TP53 and TAp73. We compared TATP73 and DeltaNTP73 expression in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) samples and normal CD34(+) progenitors. Both forms were more highly expressed in leukaemic cells.

Adhesion molecules and Differentiation Syndrome: phenotypic and functional analysis of the effect of ATRA, As2O3, phenylbutyrate, and G-CSF in acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Background And Objectives: Differentiation Syndrome (DS) is a treatment complication which can occur in patients treated with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with all transretinoic acid (ATRA) or As(2)O(3), and is characterized by enhanced leukocyte transmigration. As(2)O(3), Phenylbutyrate (PB) and G-CSF are known to potentiate ATRA effects. Our aim was to analyze the changes in expression and function of adhesion molecules induced by ATRA, As(2)O(3), G-CSF and PB, and their association.

The association of ICAM-1 Exon 6 (E469K) but not of ICAM-1 Exon 4 (G241R) and PECAM-1 Exon 3 (L125V) polymorphisms with the development of differentiation syndrome in acute promyelocytic leukemia.

The use of all trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) is the basis of treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and represents the paradigm of differentiation therapy. In general, ATRA is well-tolerated but may be associated with a potentially lethal side-effect, referred to as retinoic acid or differentiation syndrome (DS). The cellular and molecular mechanisms of DS are poorly understood and involve changes in the adhesive qualities and cytokine secretion of leukemic cells during ATRA-induced differentiation.

[Hematological features and expression profile of myeloid antigens of acute promyelocytic leukemia patients: analysis of prognostic factors for development of the retinoic acid syndrome].

Background: Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) is characterized by its good response to treatment with all trans retinoic acid (ATRA). However, some patients receiving ATRA develop a serious complication called retinoid syndrome (RS). The objective of this study was to compare the hematological and immunophenotypic features of APL patients who developed RS with those who did not.