'What if I get sick?' Healthcare (non)decisions of overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan.

The increasing presence of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan, particularly in the electronics and technology (E&T) industry, has raised concerns about their health and health-seeking behaviours. Our study draws on a theoretical framework combining Brandenberger et al.'s 3C model, which considers challenges in communication, continuity of care, and confidence regarding healthcare delivery for migrant workers, with Scott's sociology of nothing.

Effects of salinity on pre- and post-fertilization developmental events in the mangrove oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae (GUILDING, 1828).

The mangrove oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae is identified as a potentially valuable species for tropical aquaculture, however, information on the physiological mechanisms of reproduction under laboratory conditions for this species is limited. This study investigated the effects of salinity at different concentrations (15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 g/L) on the induction of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) of oocytes obtained through stripping, the release of polar bodies (PB1 and PB2), and the larval development of the mangrove oyster. The results revealed a relationship between salinity and the percentage of GVBD, with the most effective range being 30-40 g/L within the hydration time frame between 70 and 120 min.

Pathogens and microorganisms in the mangrove oyster Crassostrea gasar cultivated in an estuarine environment in Northeast Brazil.

Estuaries are important ecosystems due to the ecological services they provide, acting as nurseries for many species of fish and invertebrates, and are also used as environments for the extraction and cultivation of mollusks. Oysters are animals that filter water to obtain oxygen and nutrients. In this process, they can bioaccumulate microorganisms and chemical substances in their tissues.

VNII as the Main Cause of Cryptococcosis in Domestic Cats from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Cryptococcosis is a systemic fungal disease acquired from contaminated environments with propagules of the basidiomycetous yeasts of the and species complexes. The species complex classically comprises four major molecular types (VNI, VNII, VNIII, and VNIV), and the species complex comprises another four (VGI, VGII, VGIII, and VGIV) and the newly identified molecular type VGV. These major molecular types differ in their epidemiological and ecological features, clinical presentations, and therapeutic outcomes.

Biomarkers (glutathione S-transferase and catalase) and microorganisms in soft tissues of Crassostrea rhizophorae to assess contamination of seafood in Brazil.

The goal of this study was to evaluate biomarkers (glutathione S-transferase and catalase) and microorganisms in soft tissues of Crassostrea rhizophorae to assess possible contamination of seafood in Brazil. The oysters were sampled from a reference area (Ports 1 and 2) and an impacted area (Ports 3 and 4) in Brazil (São Luís Island, Maranhão). Six attributes were examined in sampled oysters: glutathione S-transferase activity, catalase activity, concentrations of total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms, and levels of Escherichia coli and Aeromonas hydrophila.

Early mortality after heart transplantation related to IgA anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies.

Background: The presence of pre-formed IgA anti-β-glycoprotein I antibodies (IgA-aB2GP1ab) has been related to early graft loss after kidney transplant. Because β-glycoprotein I is produced in both the kidney and heart, we aimed to assess whether the presence of these antibodies may also be associated with poor outcomes after heart transplantation (HT).

Methods: A 2-year follow-up retrospective analysis of 151 consecutive patients who underwent HT between 2004 and 2012 was performed to assess the role of this pre-formed antibody type in HT.

Age-related reduction of cerebral ischemic preconditioning: myth or reality?

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in industrialized countries for people older than 65 years of age. The reasons are still unclear. A reduction of endogenous mechanisms against ischemic insults has been proposed to explain this phenomenon.

Determinants of quality of life in Spanish transsexuals attending a gender unit before genital sex reassignment surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate the self-reported perceived quality of life (QoL) in transsexuals attending a Spanish gender identity unit before genital sex reassignment surgery, and to identify possible determinants that likely contribute to their QoL.

Methods: A sample of 119 male-to-female (MF) and 74 female-to-male (FM) transsexuals were included in the study. The WHOQOL-BREF scale was used to evaluate self-reported QoL.

Crossing the other side of the algorithm: a challenging case of adrenal Cushing's syndrome.

The diagnosis of endogenous Cushing's syndrome and its aetiology involved documenting the hypercotisolism and then determining whether that hypercortisolism is adrenocorticotropic hormone-dependent (ACTH-dependent) or not. Hence, following the algorithm, an undetected ACTH level points to an adrenal Cushing's while a detectable or elevated ACTH level points to either a pituitary or ectopic Cushing's syndrome. The authors present a case of florid adrenal Cushing's syndrome initially presenting with a normal ACTH level, which led to the investigation for an ACTH-secreting tumour.

Immunohistochemical evidence of lactoferrin in human embryo-fetal bone and cartilage tissues.

Lf (lactoferrin) is an 80-kDa iron-binding protein, which has been suggested to promote bone growth in murine models. In view of this, we aimed to analyse the immunohistochemical distribution of Lf in human embryonal and fetal bone and cartilaginous tissues at different gestational weeks in order to evaluate whether a role for this protein might be proposed also in human osteogenesis. Bone and cartilaginous specimens were taken at autopsy from 25 fetuses (8-34 weeks of gestation).

Thrombolysis during the endovascular treatment of iliac artery occlusions.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the possible therapeutic advantage of thrombolysis prior to recanalization of iliac occlusions with percutaneous treatment angioplasty and stenting.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively studied 28 cases of iliac occlusions in 26 patients, occurring over a six-year period. All patients suffered from claudication.

Exogenous myristoylated-G(i2)alpha subunits of GTP-binding proteins are mitogens following their internalization by astrocytes in culture.

Heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) are involved in the coupling of a variety of cell surface receptors to different intracellular signalling pathways, some of which take part in the regulation of growth by affecting cell proliferation and/or differentiation. In cultured astrocytes, many receptors of neuropeptides and hormones are coupled to the heterotrimeric G(i) proteins which regulate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK/ERK) cascade through both the Galpha and Gbetagamma subunits. We have previously reported that functionally active recombinant myr-G(i2)alpha subunits added to such cultures are internalised and distributed within the plasma membrane and cytosol as well as in the nuclei of dividing astrocytes.

[Treatment of Lesch-Nyhan syndrome].

Aim: We have reviewed the treatments employed to alleviate the different manifestations of the Lesch Nyhan syndrome, the adverse reactions related to these treatments, and the prospectives of future therapeutic approaches now under active research.

Development: Lesch Nyhan syndrome is an X linked inherited disorder of purine metabolism caused by the deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). Clinical features include overproduction of uric acid and a neurologic syndrome related to the severity of the enzyme defect.

[SciELO: method for electronic publishing].

It describes the SciELO Methodology Scientific Electronic Library Online for electronic publishing of scientific periodicals, examining issues such as the transition from traditional printed publication to electronic publishing, the scientific communication process, the principles which founded the methodology development, its application in the building of the SciELO site, its modules and components, the tools use for its construction etc. The article also discusses the potentialities and trends for the area in Brazil and Latin America, pointing out questions and proposals which should be investigated and solved by the methodology. It concludes that the SciELO Methodology is an efficient, flexible and wide solution for the scientific electronic publishing.

In vivo modulation of G proteins and opioid receptor function by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides.

The work in our laboratory has been designed to characterize the transducer mechanisms coupled to neurotransmitter receptors in the plasma membrane. Particular attention has been paid to the physiological/pharmacological effects mediated by the opioid system. Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides have proved useful in correlating opioid receptor clones with those defined pharmacologically.

Child maltreatment: international perspectives.

The purpose of this literature review was to explore definitions, incidence, and management of child maltreatment across cultures. Articles written in the English language published from 1962 to 1991 were reviewed to answer the following questions: (1) What role does cross-cultural variability play in defining child maltreatment? (2) What is the incidence of maltreatment in developed and developing countries across continents? (3) What measures have been instituted by countries to prevent and manage child maltreatment? Cross-cultural information was found to be limited. Child rearing attitudes had an impact on the identification, prevention, and management of maltreatment across nations.