Evaluation of QuantiFERON-TB Gold for the Diagnosis of Infection in HTLV-1-Infected Patients.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis (TB). This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) test for the diagnosis of (MTB) infection in HTLV-1-infected individuals. HTLV-1-infected participants were divided into four groups: HTLV-1-infected individuals with a history of tuberculosis (HTLV/TB), individuals with positive HTLV and tuberculin skin tests (HTLV/TST+) or negative TST (HTLV/TST-), and HTLV-1-negative individuals with positive TST results (HN/TST+).

Optical, Mechanical, and Chemical Impact of Brushing with Activated Charcoal Toothpowder and Toothpaste on Dental Enamel: An In Vitro Evaluation.

This in vitro study evaluated the effects of brushing with activated charcoal powder or toothpaste on enamel surface properties, including color change (ΔE), Knoop microhardness (HK), roughness (Ra), and the characteristics of the resulting brushing slurry [pH, fluoride (F), and calcium (Ca) concentration]. A total of 48 enamel samples were stained and divided into 4 groups ( = 12): activated charcoal toothpaste (AC-T), activated charcoal powder (AC-P), hydrogen peroxide-based whitening toothpaste (HP-T), and conventional toothpaste (C-T, positive control). The samples were subjected to a brushing cycling model, and ΔE, HK, Ra and enamel morphology were analyzed at baseline (T0) and after brushing cycle (T1).

The impact of mechanical insufflation-exsufflation on the weaning success rate of tracheostomized patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation: a pilot and feasibility study of a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of adding mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) to a weaning protocol for tracheostomized patients undergoing prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV).

Design: Single-center, open-label, randomized, controlled pilot and feasibility study.

Setting: Intensive care unit in Brazil.

High percentage of immune Th1 and Tc1 cells infiltrating visceral adipose tissue in people with obesity.

Subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral (VAT) adipose tissue dysfunction during the obesity onset can lead to increased expression of inflammatory molecules, and consequently to immune cell infiltration. The aim was to deeply characterize the T cells, those infiltrating SAT and VAT, compared to peripheral blood (PB), in individuals undergoing bariatric surgery. Forty-two adult individuals were recruited, SAT and VAT samples were collected.

Recommendations of the Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology for the Treatment of Neoplastic Pericardial Effusion.

This document presents guidelines to assist surgeons in the diagnosis and management of this condition, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach. Recommendations described by a group of physicians members of the Brazilian Society of Oncological Surgery regarding the treatment of neoplastic pericardial effusion, developed to guide oncological surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons and general surgeons in their clinical practice. Members of the Thoracic Neoplasms Committee carried out a literature review and discussion among expert peers to create a guideline that would help in managing this very serious clinical condition in our oncology practice: Neoplastic pericardial effusion.

Sporotrichosis during pregnancy: A retrospective study of 58 cases in a reference center from 1998 to 2023.

Background: Pregnant women constitute a vulnerable population occasionally affected by zoonotic sporotrichosis. Treatment is challenging due to potentially teratogenic oral medications (itraconazole and saturated potassium iodide solution) or lack of clinical experience during pregnancy (terbinafine). Literature is scarce on sporotrichosis and pregnancy, mainly consisting of case reports.

Respectful care for postpartum women with sickle cell disease: a netnographic study.

Objectives: to analyze principles of respectful maternity care in narratives of postpartum women with sickle cell disease, relating them to Sustainable Development Goals.

Methods: netnographic study, with two videos published in 2020. Deductive iconographic and thematic analysis by Respectful Maternity Care Charter, organized in MAXQDA.

Evaluating the Antimalarial Potential of d-α-Tocopherol Polyethylene Glycol 1000 Succinate and α-Tocopherol, In Vivo Studies in Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice and Molecular Docking Insights.

Oxidative stress is a pivotal factor in the pathogenesis of malaria, contributing to the development of conditions such as anemia, respiratory complications, and cerebral malaria. To counteract oxidative damage, we evaluated the effects of vitamin E (α-TOH) and d-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) supplementation on parasitemia progression, mortality rate, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability in Plasmodium berghei ANKA-infected mice. The mice were divided into four groups: a control group (untreated and uninfected), an infected group (Pb), a TPGS + Pb group, and an α-TOH + Pb group.

Towards a More Reliable Identification of Non-Conformities in Railway Cars: Experiments with Mask R-CNN, U-NET, and Ensembles on Unbalanced and Balanced Datasets.

In every business, equipment requires repair services. Over time, equipment wears out; however, with well-conducted and guided maintenance, this degradation can be controlled, and failed equipment can be restored to operational status. Preventive maintenance allows this concept to be applied, given the great advantages for large companies in reusing equipment and machinery, always putting the worker's health and safety first.

Inverted ductal papilloma: report of a rare case and review of the literature.

Inverted ductal papilloma is an uncommon benign papillary endophytic tumor. This report aimed to present a case of inverted ductal papilloma of the oral cavity. A 54-year-old female patient presented with an asymptomatic nodular lesion on the lower lip.

Hydrogen Atom Abstraction Reaction from Silane with Hydrogen and Methyl Radicals: Rate Constants and Kinetic Isotopic Effects.

The thermal rate constants and H/D kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) of the reactions SiH + H SiH + H and SiH + CH SiH + CH were calculated with the variational transition state theory including multidimensional tunneling corrections (VTST-MT). The ωB97X-D and CCSD(T) methods were employed to compute the barrier height and reaction energy. The ωB97X-D/aug-cc-pVTZ methodology was used to build reaction paths, and the CCSD(T)/CBS approach was used to improve the energetics of the stationary points in the calculations of CVT/μOMT thermal rate constants.

Chromosomal Type II Toxin-Antitoxin Systems May Enhance Bacterial Fitness of a Hybrid Pathogenic Strain Under Stress Conditions.

The functions of bacterial plasmid-encoded toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are unambiguous in the sense of controlling cells that fail to inherit a plasmid copy. However, its role in chromosomal copies is contradictory, including stress-response-promoting fitness and antibiotic treatment survival. A hybrid pathogenic strain may have the ability to colonize distinct host niches, facing contrasting stress environments.

Forensic use of human mitochondrial DNA: A review.

In forensics, genetic human identification is generally achieved by nuclear STR DNA typing. However, forensic samples often yield DNA in exiguous quantity and low quality, impairing the generation of conclusive DNA profiles by STR typing. In such cases, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can be used as an alternative solution in forensic human identification.

Antitumor effect of bromo-naphthoquinone associated with tannic acid in triple negative breast cancer cells.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of tumor that tends to recur in women. It is characterized by the absence of hormonal receptors, making it challenging to diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor effects of a pro-oxidant naphthoquinone derivative called bromo-naphthoquinone (BrNQ) isolated and combined with the antioxidant tannic acid (TA) in order to improve treatment.

Viscoelastic High-Molecular-Weight Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels Support Rapid Glioblastoma Cell Invasion with Leader-Follower Dynamics.

Hyaluronic acid (HA), the primary component of brain extracellular matrix, is increasingly used to model neuropathological processes, including glioblastoma (GBM) tumor invasion. While elastic hydrogels based on crosslinked low-molecular-weight (LMW) HA are widely exploited for this purpose and have proven valuable for discovery and screening, brain tissue is both viscoelastic and rich in high-MW (HMW) HA, and it remains unclear how these differences influence invasion. To address this question, hydrogels comprised of either HMW (1.

Lesional senescent CD4 T cells mediate bystander cytolysis and contribute to the skin pathology of human cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Cytotoxic activity is a hallmark of the immunopathogenesis in human cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). In this study, we identified accumulation of CD4 granzyme B producing T cells with increased cytotoxic capacity in CL lesions. These cells showed enhanced expression of activating NK receptors (NKG2D and NKG2C), diminished expression of inhibitory NKG2A, along with the upregulation of the senescence marker CD57.

Correction: Varela et al. Potential Benefits of Lycopene Consumption: Rationale for Using It as an Adjuvant Treatment for Malaria Patients and in Several Diseases. 2022, 5303.

The journal's Editorial Office and Editorial Board are jointly issuing a resolution and removal of the linked to this article [...

Effect of Pressure Loading on Heel Skin Temperature and Moisture in Healthy Volunteers: Preliminary Results.

Recent studies emphasize the significance of skin microclimate in the prevention of pressure injuries (PI). The objective was to evaluate the effect of pressure loading on skin temperature and moisture in the heels of healthy adults. This is a before-and-after study performed at Brazil, in October 2022.

Intermolecular Hydrogen-Bonded Interactions of Oxalic Acid Conformers with Sulfuric Acid and Ammonia.

Oxalic acid is one of the simplest naturally occurring dicarboxylic acids that is abundantly found in the atmosphere, and it has several stable structural conformers. Hydrogen-bonded interactions of oxalic acid with other atmospheric molecules are important, as they might influence the chemical composition of the atmosphere, thereby impacting atmospheric chemistry and environmental processes. In this work, we used density functional calculations with the M06-2/6-311++G(3df,3pd) model to examine the interaction of five oxalic acid conformers with sulfuric acid and ammonia-two widely recognized atmospheric nucleation precursor molecules-with the aim of observing the hydrogen-bonding characteristics of the conformers individually.

Senescence-related genes are associated with the immunopathology signature of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis lesions and may predict progression to mucosal leishmaniasis.

The American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) is caused by protozoans of the genus Leishmania and varies from mild localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) form to more severe manifestations such as the diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) form and the mucosal leishmaniasis (ML) form. Previously, we demonstrated the accumulation of senescent cells in skin lesions of patients with LCL. Moreover, lesional transcriptomic analyses revealed a robust co-induction of senescence and pro-inflammatory gene signatures, highlighting the critical role of senescent T cells in orchestrating pathology.

Usefulness of prolactin levels in predicting the etiology of hyperprolactinemia in a cohort of 770 patients.

Objective: Determining the etiology of hyperprolactinemia is fundamental for selecting the most appropriate treatment strategy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and accuracy of prolactin levels in predicting the etiology of nonphysiological hyperprolactinemia.

Subjects And Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed medical records of patients with nonphysiological hyperprolactinemia seen at two neuroendocrine reference centers located in Recife, Brazil, from January 2000 to December 2019.