Diffusing Capacity of the Lungs for Carbon Monoxide and Echocardiographic Parameters in Identifying Mild Pulmonary Hypertension in the EUSTAR Cohort of Patients With Systemic Sclerosis.

Background: The 2022 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society guidelines define pulmonary hypertension (PH) as a resting mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) > 20 mm Hg at right heart catheterization (RHC). Previously, patients with an mPAP between 21 and 24 mm Hg were classified in a "gray zone" of unclear clinical significance.

Research Question: What is the diagnostic performance of the main parameters used for PH screening in detecting patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with an mPAP of 21 to 24 mm Hg at RHC?

Study Design And Methods: Patients with SSc from the European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) database with available tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), systolic PAP (sPAP), and mPAP data were included.

Optimizing the management of thyroid specimens to efficiently generate whole slide images for diagnosis.

Transition from optical to digital observation requires an additional procedure in the pathology laboratory, the scanning of glass slides, leading to increased time and digital archive consumption. Thyroid surgical samples often carry the need to collect several tissue fragments that generate many slides to be scanned. This study evaluated the impact of using different inking colours for the surgical margin, section thickness, and glass slide type, in the consumption of time and archive.

Improved quality of life (EHP-30) in patients with endometriosis after surgical treatment.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life of patients with endometriosis before and after surgical treatment.

Methods: An observational, longitudinal, and prospective study was conducted with 102 women with pelvic pain and endometriosis that was unimproved by clinical treatment and indicated for surgical treatment. The patients' quality of life was assessed using the 30-item Endometriosis Health Profile (EHP-30) questionnaire before and 3 and 6 months after surgery.

Screening of and Genes for Sitosterolemia in a Familial Hypercholesterolemia Cascade Screening Program.

Background: Sitosterolemia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous variants in . The disease is characterized by increased plasma plant sterols. Small case series suggest that patients with sitosterolemia have wide phenotypic heterogeneity with great variability on either plasma cholesterol levels or development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Where do Brazilian cancer patients prefer to die? Agreement between patients and caregivers.

Preferred place-of-death (PPoD) is considered an important outcome for the development of appropriate models of care and for improving health policies in countries with underdeveloped palliative care (PC) OBJECTIVES: To determine the concordance between the PPoD of a sample of Brazilian seriously-ill cancer patients and their caregivers, and its associated factors under four different end-of-life (EOL) scenarios: 1) health deterioration in the overall context; 2) health deterioration with severe and uncomfortable symptoms; 3) health deterioration receiving home-based visits as needed; 4) health deterioration receiving home-based visits as needed, when suffering severe and uncomfortable symptoms METHODS: Cross-sectional study at a large Brazilian cancer center, between February 2019 and July 2021. 190 adult cancer patients and their caregivers (n = 190) were analyzed RESULTS: Patient and/or caregiver PPoD concordance for EOL scenario one: 64% vs. 43% for death at home, 22% vs.

Continuous renal replacement therapy in COVID-19-associated AKI: adding heparin to citrate to extend filter life-a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may predispose patients to thrombotic events. The best anticoagulation strategy for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in such patients is still under debate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact that different anticoagulation protocols have on filter clotting risk.

Formation of Lipofuscin-Like Autofluorescent Granules in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium Requires Lysosome Dysfunction.

Purpose: We aim to characterize the pathways required for autofluorescent granule (AFG) formation by RPE cells using cultured monolayers.

Methods: We fed RPE monolayers in culture with a single pulse of photoreceptor outer segments (POS). After 24 hours the cells started accumulating AFGs that were comparable to lipofuscin in vivo.

Parasite species variation and impact of spatial displacement of the population on cutaneous leishmaniasis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis results from complex interactions between human beings, vectors and the environment. Parasitic species differ in epidemiological and geographical contexts.

Methods: We studied a retrospective cohort of 696 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis treated at a reference centre in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 2000 and 2015.

A global metagenomic map of urban microbiomes and antimicrobial resistance.

We present a global atlas of 4,728 metagenomic samples from mass-transit systems in 60 cities over 3 years, representing the first systematic, worldwide catalog of the urban microbial ecosystem. This atlas provides an annotated, geospatial profile of microbial strains, functional characteristics, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) markers, and genetic elements, including 10,928 viruses, 1,302 bacteria, 2 archaea, and 838,532 CRISPR arrays not found in reference databases. We identified 4,246 known species of urban microorganisms and a consistent set of 31 species found in 97% of samples that were distinct from human commensal organisms.

Subtyping bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV): Which viral gene to choose?

Bovine viral diarrhea virus-1 (BVDV-1, Pestivirus A) and BVDV-2 (Pestivirus B) have been clustered into 21 and 4 subtypes, respectively. This genetic diversity, in addition to the lack of consensus on which genomic region to use for BVDV subtyping, has resulted in conflicting classifications depending on the target analyzed. Here, we investigated which genes or UTRs would reproduce the phylogeny obtained by complete genome (CG) analyses.

Variant genotypes associated with reduced expression of RhCE antigens among Brazilian blood donors.

Background: The genetic diversity of the RHCE gene locus has been explored in diverse populations of different racial backgrounds. Data referring to the diversity of RHCE encoding weakened expression of C, c, E, and e in multiethnic populations is still incomplete.

Methods: Samples from Brazilian blood donors presenting reduced expression of C, c, E, or e on gel method were selected for the study.

Independent predictors of insulin resistance in Brazilian adolescents: Results of the study of cardiovascular risk in adolescents-Brazil.

Considering the current changes in dietary patterns and the increasing prevalence of excess weight throughout the world, several studies have reported insulin resistance, which is a key driver of many chronic diseases, to be an important public health problem in all age groups. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to identify the prevalence and independent predictors of insulin resistance in Brazilian adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a probabilistic, representative sample of Brazilian adolescents (n = 37,023) who participated in the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents.

Immunotherapy improves efficacy and safety of patients with HPV positive and negative head and neck cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Despite multiple modalities used to management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), disease control remains unsatisfactory. Immunotherapy is emerging as a novel therapeutic approach. This systematic review assesses clinical data regarding immunotherapy efficacy and safety.

Sonothrombolysis Improves Myocardial Dynamics and Microvascular Obstruction Preventing Left Ventricular Remodeling in Patients With ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: It has recently been demonstrated that high-energy diagnostic transthoracic ultrasound and intravenous microbubbles dissolve thrombi (sonothrombolysis) and increase angiographic recanalization rates in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. We aimed to study the effect of sonothrombolysis on the myocardial dynamics and infarct size obtained by real-time myocardial perfusion echocardiography and their value in preventing left ventricular remodeling.

Methods: One hundred patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction were randomized to therapy (50 patients treated with sonothrombolysis and percutaneous coronary intervention) or control (50 patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention only).

Prevalence and factors associated with chronic back problem in women of childbearing age.

Chronic Back Problem (CBP) is a public health concern. In Brazil, data from the National Health Survey (PNS) estimated 27.0 million people (18.

Medieval Climate Variability in the eastern Amazon-Cerrado regions and its archeological implications.

The South American Monsoon System is responsible for the majority of precipitation in the continent, especially over the Amazon and the tropical savannah, known as 'Cerrado'. Compared to the extensively studied subtropical and temperate regions the effect of the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) on the precipitation over the tropics is still poorly understood. Here, we present a multiproxy paleoprecipitation reconstruction showing a consistent change in the hydrologic regime during the MCA in the eastern Amazon and 'Cerrado', characterized by a substantial transition from humid to drier conditions during the Early (925-1150 C.

Factors associated with non-use of condoms and prevalence of HIV, viral hepatitis B and C and syphilis: a cross-sectional study in rural communities in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2014-2016.

Objective: to investigate socio-demographic factors associated with non-use of condoms, and to describe the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in rural communities of Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2014 to 2016.

Methods: data were gathered from individual interviews and rapid tests were performed; associations were tested using Poisson regression, with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI).

Results: we detected 3.

Error cascade in taxonomy: The case of (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Cuspidariidae) in Brazilian waters.

Successions of erroneous taxonomic identifications in biodiversity studies are an undesirable but not rare phenomenon. Such cascades of errors frequently involve taxa with few, polymorphic diagnostic characters, such as representatives of the cuspidariid genus Cardiomya. Four species of the genus are believed to live in Brazilian waters: C.

Evaluation of the Mediastinum: Differentiating Between Stations 4L, 5, and 6 Using EBUS and EUS.

Correct identification of mediastinal lymph node stations with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) requires knowledge of their ultrasonic anatomical positions and relations. The ultrasonic positions of the lymph node stations located in and around the aortopulmonary window (stations 4L, 5, and 6) can be more challenging to understand. The aim of this report is to describe the endosonographic anatomic positions of stations 4L, 5, and 6 and to demonstrate their locations using EUS and EBUS.