Insights into estrogenic activity removal using carbon nanotube electrochemical filter.

This study reports the performance of a carbon nanotube (CNT) electrochemical filter applied to 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) degradation and their estrogenic activity removal (calculated in terms of E2 equivalent, EQ-E2). The performance of CNT electrochemical filter was assessed at different applied voltages (0-2.5 V) and aqueous matrices (ultrapure water and urban wastewater), using 37 μM of E2 and EE2, a flow rate of 1.

Early use of alcohol associated with sociodemographic, nutritional and lifestyle factors: survival analysis with Brazilian students.

Background: To evaluate the early age of onset (AOO) of alcohol consumption and its association with sociodemographic, nutritional and lifestyle characteristics.

Methods: A national cross-sectional multi-centered study assessed 12-17-year old adolescents from 1247 public and private schools in 124 Brazilian municipalities with more than 100 000 habitants. Our variable of interest was the AOO of alcohol consumption.

[Not Available].

Introduction: Because the antibody neutralizing respiratory syncytial virus (anti-RSV) has a short period of immunization and high cost, the identification of regions and months of highest occurrence of bronchiolitis is very important.

Methods: An Autoregressive Conditional Poisson model was constructed for count data and compared to the standard time-series Poisson regression model.

Results: The metropolitan area of Paraná presented the highest average occurrence from May to July.

A pivotal role of androgen signaling in Notch-responsive cells in prostate development, maturation, and regeneration.

Androgen signaling is essential for prostate development, morphogenesis, and regeneration. Emerging evidence also indicates a regulatory role of Notch signaling in prostate development, differentiation, and growth. However, the collaborative regulatory mechanisms of androgen and Notch signaling during prostate development, growth, and regeneration are largely unknown.

Emergence of serotype 19A Streptococcus pneumoniae after PCV10 associated with a ST320 in adult population, in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines has caused emergence of non-vaccine serotypes. No Brazilian data specifically about serotype 19A are available. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of occurrence, susceptibility profile and molecular epidemiology of serotype 19A before and after vaccine introduction in Brazil.

Computational prediction of microRNAs in marine bacteria of the genus Thalassospira.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key players in regulation of gene expression at post-transcription level in eukaryotic cells. MiRNAs have been intensively studied in plants, animals and viruses. The investigations of bacterial miRNAs have gained less attention, except for the recent studies on miRNAs derived from Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175 and Escherichia coli DH10B.

Ndel1 oligopeptidase activity as a potential biomarker of early stages of schizophrenia.

Our previous studies showed reduced Ndel1 enzyme activity in patients with chronic schizophrenia (SCZ), and only a subtle NDEL1 mRNA increases in antipsychotic-naïve first-episode psychosis (FEP) individuals compared to matched healthy controls (HC). Aiming to refine the evaluation of Ndel1 enzyme activity in early stages of psychosis, we compared 3 groups composed by (1) subjects at ultra-high-risk (UHR) for psychosis, (2) a cohort comprising antipsychotic-naïve FEP individuals (assessed in three moments, at baseline (FEP-0), and after 2 months (FEP-2 M) and one year (FEP-1Y) of treatment with risperidone), and (3) a HC group. There was no significant difference in Ndel1 enzyme activity between UHR and HC, but this activity was significantly lower in FEP compared to HC.

Automated CT and MRI Liver Segmentation and Biometry Using a Generalized Convolutional Neural Network.

Purpose: To assess feasibility of training a convolutional neural network (CNN) to automate liver segmentation across different imaging modalities and techniques used in clinical practice and apply this to enable automation of liver biometry.

Methods: We trained a 2D U-Net CNN for liver segmentation in two stages using 330 abdominal MRI and CT exams acquired at our institution. First, we trained the neural network with non-contrast multi-echo spoiled-gradient-echo (SGPR)images with 300 MRI exams to provide multiple signal-weightings.

Presence of parasite DNA in clinically unaffected nasal mucosa during cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis.

Objectives: We aimed to detect Leishmania DNA carriage in nasal mucosa of individuals with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in all individuals with CL without nasal lesions (n = 153) attended within 2 years in an endemic area of L. (Viannia) braziliensis in Bahia (Brazil).

Stage IV Gestational Choriocarcinoma Diagnosed in the Third Trimester.

Background: Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia rarely occurs in term pregnancies. Stage IV choriocarcinoma treated with conventional chemotherapy can result in death as a result of hemorrhagic sequelae at tumor sites.

Case: A 30-year-old woman at 34 weeks of gestation presented with a persistent cough, worsening dyspnea, and vaginal bleeding.

Androgen signaling is essential for development of prostate cancer initiated from prostatic basal cells.

Emerging evidence has shown that both prostatic basal and luminal cells are able to initiate oncogenic transformation. However, despite the diversity of tumor-initiating cells, most prostate cancer cells express the androgen receptor (AR) and depend on androgens for their growth and expansion, implicating an essential role of androgen signaling in prostate tumorigenesis. Prostatic basal cells express p63 and are able to differentiate into luminal, neuroendocrine, and basal cells.

Prevalence of arterial hypertension and risk factors among people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Objectives: to verify the prevalence of arterial hypertension and its risk factors among people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome under antiretroviral therapy.

Method: cross-sectional study with 208 patients. Data collection was conducted through interviews using a form containing data on sociodemographic, clinical and epidemiological aspects, hypertension risk factors, blood pressure, weight, height, body mass index and abdominal circumference.

Atrophic Maxilla Reconstruction With Autogenous Iliac Graft and Guided Dental Implants.

Oral rehabilitation with osseointegrated implants is frequently the best alternative for replacement of lost teeth. Several techniques and materials allow achievement of excellent function and esthetics. In the case of maxillary or mandibular atrophy, extensive grafting may be necessary before implants can be properly placed.

Cardiovascular adverse events associated with oral antineoplastic therapy.

Objective: To identify in the literature the cardiovascular adverse events resulting from oral antineoplastic therapy.

Method: Integrative review of the literature through the SCOPUS, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) databases. The antineoplastic, cardiotoxicity, cardiovascular system and adverse reaction descriptors were used in Portuguese, English and Spanish.

[Ultrasound-guided selective nerve blocks for trigger finger surgeries to maintain flexion/extension of fingers - Case series].

Background: A patient's ability to move his/her fingers during hand surgery may be helpful to surgeons because it allows the effectiveness of the intervention evaluation and prediction of hand function in the postoperative period. The purpose of this case series is to demonstrate the efficacy of an ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve block technique to maintain the hand flexor and extensor muscles motor function and discuss the benefits of the technique for trigger finger surgery.

Case Report: Ten patients scheduled to undergo trigger finger surgery were selected.

Immunohistochemical expression analysis of the human fetal lower urogenital tract.

We have studied the ontogeny of the developing human male and female urogenital tracts from 9 weeks (indifferent stage) to 16 weeks (advanced sex differentiation) of gestation by immunohistochemistry on mid-sagittal sections. Sixteen human fetal pelvises were serial sectioned in the sagittal plane and stained with antibodies to epithelial, muscle, nerve, proliferation and hormone receptor markers. Key findings are: (1) The corpus cavernosum in males and females extends into the glans penis and clitoris, respectively, during the ambisexual stage (9 weeks) and thus appears to be an androgen-independent event.

Trends in mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre, Brazil, 1980-2014.

Objective: to analyze age-period-cohort (APC) effects on mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the municipalities of Porto Alegre, RS, and Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, between 1980 and 2014.

Methods: this was a time series study using corrected Mortality Information System (SIM) data; APC effects were estimated by Poisson regression, in relation to the 1935 cohort.

Results: relative risk (RR) of death due to COPD for males decreased in the most recent birth cohort (1970-1974) in Porto Alegre (RR=0.

Three-dimensional imaging of the developing human fetal urogenital-genital tract: Indifferent stage to male and female differentiation.

Recent studies in our lab have utilized three imaging techniques to visualize the developing human fetal urogenital tract in three dimensions: optical projection tomography, scanning electron microscopy and lightsheet fluorescence microscopy. We have applied these technologies to examine changes in morphology and differential gene expression in developing human external genital specimens from the ambisexual stage (<9 weeks fetal age) to well-differentiated male and female organs (>13 weeks fetal age). This work outlines the history and function of each of these three imaging modalities, our methods to prepare specimens for each and the novel findings we have produced thus far.

Development of the human penis and clitoris.

The human penis and clitoris develop from the ambisexual genital tubercle. To compare and contrast the development of human penis and clitoris, we used macroscopic photography, optical projection tomography, light sheet microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, histology and immunohistochemistry. The human genital tubercle differentiates into a penis under the influence of androgens forming a tubular urethra that develops by canalization of the urethral plate to form a wide diamond-shaped urethral groove (opening zipper) whose edges (urethral folds) fuse in the midline (closing zipper).

Human glans and preputial development.

The urethra within the human penile shaft develops via (1) an "Opening Zipper" that facilitates distal canalization of the solid urethral plate to form a wide urethral groove and (2) a "Closing Zipper" that facilitates fusion of the epithelial surfaces of the urethral folds. Herein, we extend our knowledge by describing formation of the human urethra within the glans penis as well as development of the prepuce. Forty-eight normal human fetal penile specimens were examined using scanning electron microscopy and optical projection tomography.

Macroscopic whole-mounts of the developing human fetal urogenital-genital tract: Indifferent stage to male and female differentiation.

We present a detailed review of fetal development of the male and female human urogenital tract from 8 to 22 weeks gestation at the macroscopic and morphometric levels. Human fetal specimens were sexed based on macroscopic identification of fetal testes or ovaries, Wolffian or Müllerian structures and the presence of the SRY gene in the specimens at or near the indifferent stage (8-9 weeks). Specimens were photographed using a dissecting microscope with transmitted and reflected light.