[Sensory functions and Alzheimer's disease: a multi-disciplinary approach].

Relations between sensory functions and Alzheimer's disease are still under-explored. To understand them better, the Fondation Médéric Alzheimer has brought together a multi-disciplinary expert group. Aristote's five senses must be enhanced by today's knowledge of proprioception, motor cognition and pain perception.

A Quality Improvement Project to Increase Nurse Attendance on Pediatric Family Centered Rounds.

Unlabelled: Family centered rounds (FCR) occur at the bedside and include the patient and their family when creating a daily medical care plan. Despite recommendations that family centered rounds (FCR) with nursing staff be standard practice, nurses were frequently absent from FCR at our institution.

Objective: To increase nurse attendance on hospitalist FCR to 80% in three months.

Hydrocortisone supresses inflammatory activity of metalloproteinase-8 in carotid plaque.

Objective: Matrix metalloproteinases are inflammatory biomarkers involved in carotid plaque instability. Our objective was to analyze the inflammatory activity of plasma and carotid plaque MMP-8 and MMP-9 after intravenous administration of hydrocortisone.

Methods: The study included 22 patients with stenosis ≥ 70% in the carotid artery (11 symptomatic and 11 asymptomatic) who underwent carotid endarterectomy.

Surgical treatment analysis of idiopathic esophageal achalasia.

Background: Idiopathic esophageal achalasia is an inflammatory disease of unknown origin, characterized by aperistalsis of the esophageal body and failure of the lower esophageal sphincter in response to swallowing, with consequent dysphagia.

Aim: To demonstrate the results of surgical therapy in these patients, evaluating the occurred local and systemic complications.

Methods: Were studied retrospectively 32 patients, 22 of whom presented non-advanced stage of the disease (Stage I/II) and 10 with advanced disease (Stage III/IV).

Best practices in school food and nutrition units of public schools of Bayeux, PB, Brazil.

The occurrence of foodborne illness outbreaks is increasing in schools, and due to the number of children who consume school meals as the only daily meal, this factor becomes even more worrisome. In this sense, the aim of this study was to evaluate the hygienic-health aspects of Food and Nutrition Units (SFNU) of public schools of Bayeux / PB in relation to the adoption of best practices in school food and nutrition. Data were collected through SFNU checklist during visits to units in 29 schools.

Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling by 4-Methylumbelliferone Boosts the Antitumor Effect of Combined Immunotherapy in Murine Colorectal Carcinoma.

We have previously demonstrated that a low dose of cyclophosphamide (Cy) combined with gene therapy of interleukin-12 (AdIL-12) has a synergistic, although limited, antitumoral effect in mice with colorectal carcinoma. The main mechanism involved in the efficacy of Cy+AdIL-12 was the induction of a specific immune response mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Our current aims were to evaluate the effects of 4-methylumbelliferone (4Mu), a selective inhibitor of hyaluronan (HA) synthesis, on tumor microenvironment (TME) and to investigate how 4Mu affects the therapeutic efficacy of Cy+AdIL-12.

Buriti oil (Mauritia flexuosa L.) negatively impacts somatic growth and reflex maturation and increases retinol deposition in young rats.

Buriti oil contains nutrients such as essential fatty acids and vitamins, which are directly involved with neonates' development. However, the refining process of this oil can change its nutrient profile. This study investigated the effects of maternal consumption of Buriti oil (crude or refined), on reflex and somatic development and retinol levels in neonatal rats.

Effects of Dietary Brazilian Palm Oil (Mauritia flexuosa L.) on Cholesterol Profile and Vitamin A and E Status of Rats.

In vitro studies have been carried out to establish the nutritional differences between crude and refined vegetable oils; however, the impact of the consumption of these foods on metabolism, in particular the effect of buriti oil, needs to be further evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biochemical and murine parameters and the vitamin A and E status in young rats fed with diets supplemented with crude or refined buriti oil. The animals (n = 30) were randomized into three groups receiving diet added of soybean oil (control), crude buriti oil (CBO) and refined buriti oil (RBO) for 28 days.

Culture Circles in adolescent empowerment for the prevention of violence.

An action research based on Paulo Freire's Culture Circles was developed to implement a health education intervention involving adolescents, in collective knowledge construction about strategies for the prevention of violence. The data collection in the Culture Circles involved 11 adolescents and included observation and field diary, photographic records and recording. The educational action aroused a critical socio-political and cultural position in the adolescents towards the situations of vulnerability to violence, including the guarantee of human rights, justice and the combat of inequities; changes in the social relations, combat against discrimination and intolerance; expansion of access and reorientation of health services through intersectoral public policies.

In-hospital weight loss, prescribed diet and food acceptance.

Background: Weight loss and malnutrition may be caused by many factors, including type of disease and treatment.

Aim: The present study investigated the occurrence of in-hospital weight loss and related factors.

Method: This cross-sectional study investigated the following variables of 456 hospitalized patients: gender, age, disease, weight variation during hospital stay, and type and acceptance of the prescribed diet.

Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Liver Fibrosis: Recent Findings, Old/New Caveats and Future Perspectives.

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are progenitors which share plastic-adherence capacity and cell surface markers but have different properties according to their cell and tissue sources and to culture conditions applied. Many recent publications suggest that MSCs can differentiate into hepatic-like cells, which can be a consequence of either a positive selection of rare in vivo pluripotent cells or of the original plasticity of some cells contributing to MSC cultures. A possible role of MSCs in hereditary transmission of obesity and/or diabetes as well as properties of MSCs regarding immunomodulation, cell fusion and exosome release capacities are discussed according to recent literature.

Admixture and genetic diversity distribution patterns of non-recombining lineages of Native American ancestry in Colombian populations.

Genetic diversity of present American populations results from very complex demographic events involving different types and degrees of admixture. Through the analysis of lineage markers such as mtDNA and Y chromosome it is possible to recover the original Native American haplotypes, which remained identical since the admixture events due to the absence of recombination. However, the decrease in the effective population sizes and the consequent genetic drift effects suffered by these populations during the European colonization resulted in the loss or under-representation of a substantial fraction of the Native American lineages.

Dementia beyond 2025: Knowledge and uncertainties.

Given that there may well be no significant advances in drug development before 2025, prevention of dementia-Alzheimer's disease through the management of vascular and lifestyle-related risk factors may be a more realistic goal than treatment. Level of education and cognitive reserve assessment in neuropsychological testing deserve attention, as well as cultural, social, and economic aspects of caregiving. Assistive technologies for dementia care remain complex.

Evaluation of urgent esophagectomy in esophageal perforation.

Background: Esophageal trauma is considered one of the most severe lesions of the digestive tract. There is still much controversy in choosing the best treatment for cases of esophageal perforation since that decision involves many variables. The readiness of medical care, the patient's clinical status, the local conditions of the perforated segment, and the severity of the associated injuries must be considered for the most adequate therapeutic choice.

Combined therapy for gastrointestinal carcinomas: exploiting synergies between gene therapy and classical chemo-radiotherapy.

Surgical resection is the only curative option for patients with gastrointestinal carcinomas. Unfortunately, the majority of patients are diagnosed in advanced stages when surgery is not possible. Moreover, the incidence and mortality for certain type of tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma or pancreatic cancer are steadily increasing worldwide.

SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine) knockdown protects mice from acute liver injury by reducing vascular endothelial cell damage.

Secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) is involved in many biological process including liver fibrogenesis, but its role in acute liver damage is unknown. To examine the role of SPARC in acute liver injury, we used SPARC knock-out (SPARC(-/-)) mice. Two models of acute liver damage were used: concanavalin A (Con A) and the agonistic anti-CD95 antibody Jo2.

Determinants of malnutrition and post-operative complications in hospitalized surgical patients.

The study aimed to determine the nutritional status (NS) of hospitalized surgical patients and investigate a possible association between NS and type of disease, type of surgery and post-operative complications. The gender, age, disease, surgery, complications, length of hospital stay, number of medications, laboratory test results, and energy intake of 388 hospitalized surgical patients were recorded. NS was determined by classical anthropometry.

Hemichorea-Hemiballismus as the First Sign of Type 1b Diabetes During Adolescence and Its Recurrence in the Setting of Infection.

Chorea may be secondary to hyperosmolar nonketotic hyperglycemia, but such situation has rarely been described in adolescents, particularly as the initial and single manifestation of type 1 diabetes. We describe a case of a previously healthy 14-year-old girl with sudden onset of choreic movements on her left upper and lower limbs. Brain computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an area of hyperdensity/hyperintensity affecting the right striatum.

Mesenchymal stromal cells engineered to produce IGF-I by recombinant adenovirus ameliorate liver fibrosis in mice.

Liver cirrhosis involves chronic wound healing and fibrotic processes. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent adult progenitor cells that are used as vehicles of therapeutic genes. Insulin growth factor like-I (IGF-I) was shown to counteract liver fibrosis.

Low molecular weight hyaluronan-pulsed human dendritic cells showed increased migration capacity and induced resistance to tumor chemoattraction.

We have shown that ex vivo pre-conditioning of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DC) with low molecular weight hyaluronan (LMW HA) induces antitumor immunity against colorectal carcinoma (CRC) in mice. In the present study we investigated the effects of LMW HA priming on human-tumor-pulsed monocytes-derived dendritic cells (DC/TL) obtained from healthy donors and patients with CRC. LMW HA treatment resulted in an improved maturation state of DC/TL and an enhanced mixed leucocyte reaction activity in vivo.

Human umbilical cord perivascular cells exhibited enhanced migration capacity towards hepatocellular carcinoma in comparison with bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells: a role for autocrine motility factor receptor.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Unfortunately, the incidence and mortality associated with HCC are increasing. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed and the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as carrier of therapeutic genes is emerging as a promising option.

Association between Y haplogroups and autosomal AIMs reveals intra-population substructure in Bolivian populations.

For the correct evaluation of the weight of genetic evidence in a forensic context, databases must reflect the structure of the population, with all possible groups being represented. Countries with a recent history of admixture between strongly differentiated populations are usually highly heterogeneous and sub-structured. Bolivia is one of these countries, with a high diversity of ethnic groups and different levels of admixture (among Native Americans, Europeans and Africans) across the territory.