Satisfactory Levels of Functionality and Quality of Life in Caregivers of Patients with Bipolar Disorder: Is this Possible?

Objectives: To measure the levels of functionality and QoL of caregivers of patients with BD, investigating the association between them, as well as the relationship with clinical and sociodemographic data of these caregivers.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 2020 and 2022 with caregivers of patients with BD treated in an outpatient clinic of a university hospital. The following instruments were applied: Clinical and sociodemographic questionnaire, WHODAS 2.

Sexual function in patients with bipolar disorder type I evaluated in symptomatic remission: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic pathology that is associated with several impairments throughout a patient's life, including decreased sexual function. Despite the importance in quality of life (QoL), functionality and medication adherence, it is still little investigated in these patients.

Objective: To compare the sexual function of patients with Bipolar Disorder type I (BD-I), in remission, with healthy controls (HC) and to investigate the clinical and socio-demographic characteristics associated with sexual function in these individuals.

Lifetime prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in patients with bipolar disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe psychiatric disease and part of its burden is related to the high rates of lifetime psychiatric comorbidity (PC), with diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic implications.

Methods: Registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021282356). Meta-analyses were performed, searching for relevant papers published from 1993 to 2022 in Medline/PubMed (including E-Pub Ahead of Print), Embase, Cochrane Library (Central), PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science and via hand-searching, without language restrictions.

Modeling Dynamics of Human Gut Microbiota Derived from Gluten Metabolism: Obtention, Maintenance and Characterization of Complex Microbial Communities.

Western diets are rich in gluten-containing products, which are frequently poorly digested. The human large intestine harbors microorganisms able to metabolize undigested gluten fragments that have escaped digestion by human enzymatic activities. The aim of this work was obtaining and culturing complex human gut microbial communities derived from gluten metabolism to model the dynamics of healthy human large intestine microbiota associated with different gluten forms.

Subtotal Petrosectomy (SP) in Cochlear Implantation (CI): A Report of 92 Cases.

In most cases, cochlear implantation is a straightforward procedure. Nevertheless, there are clinical situations in which the presence of the middle ear may compromise access and/or the outcome in terms of complications. This article includes a series of patients for whom we eliminated the middle ear to facilitate placement of the electrode array of the implant and/or reduce potential complications.

The Human Digestive Tract Is Capable of Degrading Gluten from Birth.

The human gastrointestinal system has the capacity to metabolize dietary gluten. The capacity to degrade gliadin-derived peptide is present in humans from birth and increases during the first stages of life (up to 6-12 months of age). Fecal samples from 151 new-born and adult non-celiac disease (NCD) volunteers were collected, and glutenase and glianidase activities were evaluated.

Duodenal bacterial proteolytic activity determines sensitivity to dietary antigen through protease-activated receptor-2.

Microbe-host interactions are generally homeostatic, but when dysfunctional, they can incite food sensitivities and chronic diseases. Celiac disease (CeD) is a food sensitivity characterized by a breakdown of oral tolerance to gluten proteins in genetically predisposed individuals, although the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here we show that duodenal biopsies from patients with active CeD have increased proteolytic activity against gluten substrates that correlates with increased Proteobacteria abundance, including Pseudomonas.

Lactobacilli Degrade Wheat Amylase Trypsin Inhibitors to Reduce Intestinal Dysfunction Induced by Immunogenic Wheat Proteins.

Background & Aims: Wheat-related disorders, a spectrum of conditions induced by the ingestion of gluten-containing cereals, have been increasing in prevalence. Patients with celiac disease have gluten-specific immune responses, but the contribution of non-gluten proteins to symptoms in patients with celiac disease or other wheat-related disorders is controversial.

Methods: C57BL/6 (control), Myd88, Ticam1, and Il15 mice were placed on diets that lacked wheat or gluten, with or without wheat amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATIs), for 1 week.

Low prevalence of contraceptive use among Brazilian women of reproductive age with systemic lupus erythematosus.

This was a cross-sectional study of women of reproductive age with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) being treated at Bahiana School Rheumatology Service in Brazil. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of contraceptive counselling and use. An interview was performed, and the results were analysed before and after the SLE diagnosis.

The human digestive tract has proteases capable of gluten hydrolysis.

Objective: To identify, purify, and characterize the proteins responsible for glutenase activity in the feces of healthy subjects and patients with celiac disease (CD).

Methods: Sixteen subjects were included in this study; 8 were healthy with no known food intolerances, and 8 were treated CD patients on a gluten-free diet. Fecal samples were homogenized, and precipitated proteins were purified by chromatography.

Gluten-degrading bacteria are present in the human small intestine of healthy volunteers and celiac patients.

Gluten is the only known environmental factor that triggers celiac disease. Several studies have described an imbalance between the intestinal microbiota of different individuals based on diagnoses. Moreover, recent studies have suggested that human bacteria may play an important role in gluten hydrolysis.

Duodenal Bacteria From Patients With Celiac Disease and Healthy Subjects Distinctly Affect Gluten Breakdown and Immunogenicity.

Background & Aims: Partially degraded gluten peptides from cereals trigger celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune enteropathy occurring in genetically susceptible persons. Susceptibility genes are necessary but not sufficient to induce CD, and additional environmental factors related to unfavorable alterations in the microbiota have been proposed. We investigated gluten metabolism by opportunistic pathogens and commensal duodenal bacteria and characterized the capacity of the produced peptides to activate gluten-specific T-cells from CD patients.

Study of duodenal bacterial communities by 16S rRNA gene analysis in adults with active celiac disease vs non-celiac disease controls.

Aims: Several studies have suggested that abnormalities in the small-intestinal microbiota might be involved in the development or the pathogenesis of celiac disease (CD). The objective of this study was to characterize and compare the composition of the duodenal microbiota between CD patients and non-CD controls.

Method And Results: Bacterial communities were identified by pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA extracted from duodenal biopsies.

Pulmonary Embolism Mortality in Brazil from 1989 to 2010: Gender and Regional Disparities.

Background: A significant variation in pulmonary embolism (PE) mortality trends have been documented around the world. We investigated the trends in mortality rate from PE in Brazil over a period of 21 years and its regional and gender differences.

Methods: Using a nationwide database of death certificate information we searched for all cases with PE as the underlying cause of death between 1989 and 2010.

Successful therapy of progressive rhino-orbital mucormycosis caused by Rhizopus arrhizus with combined and sequential antifungal therapy, surgery and hyperbaric therapy.

We present a case of rhino-orbitary mucormycosis which progressed despite liposomal amphotericin and early surgical debridement. Combined echinocandin and high dose liposomal amphotericin, repeated debridement, prolonged therapy with hyperbaric oxygen and continued therapy with posaconazole, along with strict diabetic control, allowed cure without disfigurement.

Diversity of the cultivable human gut microbiome involved in gluten metabolism: isolation of microorganisms with potential interest for coeliac disease.

Gluten, a common component in the human diet, is capable of triggering coeliac disease pathogenesis in genetically predisposed individuals. Although the function of human digestive proteases in gluten proteins is quite well known, the role of intestinal microbiota in the metabolism of proteins is frequently underestimated. The aim of this study was the isolation and characterisation of the human gut bacteria involved in the metabolism of gluten proteins.

Coeliac disease screening in first-degree relatives on the basis of biopsy and genetic risk.

Background: Serological markers of coeliac disease (CD) lack diagnostic value to identify mild histopathological lesions mainly in adults at risk of CD.

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQ2/8 genotyping, followed by duodenal biopsy for the detection of CD in adult first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with CD.

Materials And Methods: Ninety-two adult DQ2/8 positive FDRs were consecutively included.

Infections in patients with diabetes mellitus: A review of pathogenesis.

In general, infectious diseases are more frequent and/or serious in patients with diabetes mellitus, which potentially increases their morbimortality. The greater frequency of infections in diabetic patients is caused by the hyperglycemic environment that favors immune dysfunction (e.g.

Differences in faecal bacteria populations and faecal bacteria metabolism in healthy adults and celiac disease patients.

Unlabelled: Differences in the intestinal microbiota between children and adults with celiac disease (CD) have been reported; however, differences between healthy adults and adults with CD have not been clearly demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in the intestinal microbiota between adults with CD and healthy individuals. Microbial communities in faecal samples were evaluated by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and gas-liquid chromatography of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

Monitoring of gluten-free diet compliance in celiac patients by assessment of gliadin 33-mer equivalent epitopes in feces.

Background: Certain immunotoxic peptides from gluten are resistant to gastrointestinal digestion and can interact with celiac-patient factors to trigger an immunologic response. A gluten-free diet (GFD) is the only effective treatment for celiac disease (CD), and its compliance should be monitored to avoid cumulative damage. However, practical methods to monitor diet compliance and to detect the origin of an outbreak of celiac clinical symptoms are not available.

Differences of small intestinal bacteria populations in adults and children with/without celiac disease: effect of age, gluten diet, and disease.

Background: Scientific evidence has revealed microecological changes in the intestinal tract of celiac infants. The objective of this work is the study of bacterial differences in the upper small intestine in both adults (healthy, untreated celiac disease [CD], and CD treated with a gluten-free diet) and children (healthy and untreated CD).

Methods: Intestinal bacterial communities were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted from duodenal biopsies.

A gluten metabolism study in healthy individuals shows the presence of faecal glutenasic activity.

Purpose: To study the gluten metabolism in healthy individuals and its effect over the intestinal microbial activity.

Methods: The faeces of eleven healthy subjects were analysed under 4 diet regimens: their normal gluten diet, a strict gluten-free diet (GFD), a GFD with a supplemental intake of 9 g gluten/day and a GFD with a supplemental intake of 30 g gluten/day. Gluten content, faecal tryptic activity (FTA), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and faecal glutenasic activity (FGA) were analysed in faecal samples.

A preparative method for the purification of isopenicillin N from genetically blocked Acremonium chrysogenum strain TD189: studies on the degradation kinetics and storage conditions.

A protocol for preparative isopenicillin N (IPN) purification, a highly interesting and hitherto unavailable intermediate of the penicillin and cephalosporin biosynthetic pathway due to its high unstability, is described. Culture broths of Acremonium chrysogenum TD189, a strain blocked in cephalosporin biosynthesis that accumulates this metabolite, were treated with acetone and filtered though charcoal and a hydrophobic resin in a single step as tandem columns. The cleared broth was then lyophilized and passed though a Sephadex G-25 column.

Dynamics of non-conventional intraepithelial lymphocytes-NK, NKT, and γδ T-in celiac disease: relationship with age, diet, and histopathology.

Background: Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) are a heterogeneous population of lymphocytes raised in celiac disease (CD), whose role in CD pathogenesis remains to be defined.

Aims: To investigate how the age of diagnosis, diet, and the severity of the histological lesions are related to the changes observed in unconventional IEL populations.

Methods: Prospective analysis of 101 confirmed celiac patients from a single center, including 66 at diagnosis (45 children, 21 adults) and 112 non-celiac controls (12 children, 100 adults).