Use of 3D Anorectal Ultrasonography in the Preoperative Assessment of Complex Anal Fistulas and Patterns of Healing, Failure, and Recurrence After Ligation of the Intersphincteric Fistula Tract (LIFT).

Objectives: To use three-dimensional anorectal ultrasonography (3D-US) to evaluate the outcome of ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) in patients with crypto-glandular transsphincteric fistula and describing the patterns of healing, failure, and recurrence rate.

Methods: After classifying the fistula and determining the length of the sphincter muscle to be transected, the patients were submitted to LIFT. The accuracy of pre- and postoperative 3D-US with 360° endoprobe (16 MHz) with automatic scanning and clinical findings was evaluated against surgical findings.

Spatial and Temporal analysis (2008-2017) of droughts and their effects on livestock in the Brazilian semi-arid region.

In this study a temporal analysis (2008-2017) was conducted to examine the occurrence of droughts and the spatial distribution of livestock herds in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Maps of vegetation cover, classes of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized difference drought index (NDDI) were used. Image processing took place on the Google Earth Engine platform along with QGIS Software (2.

Myelopathy in sickle cell disease: a case-oriented review.

Introduction: Although neurological complications are well recognized in patients with sickle cell disease, myelopathy has been rarely described, with few reported cases of compressive and ischemic myelopathy. We present the first case report of longitudinally extensive myelitis (LETM) in SCD and review the differential diagnosis of myelopathy in these patients.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 29-year-old African-Brazilian man with SCD, who experienced a subacute flaccid paraparesis, with T2 sensory level and urinary retention.

Spectral responses in rangelands and land cover change by livestock in regions of the Caatinga biome, Brazil.

This study aimed to analyze fragments of rangelands through spectral responses and land cover change by livestock in regions of the Caatinga biome through remote sensing. For spectral behavior, the surface reflectance bidirectional (SRB) and spectral indexes of vegetation were used to verify the ragelands seasonality. Land cover change detection of Ouricuri and Tauá through Landsat-8 images with a 16-day revisit interval, were processed in the Google Earth Engine platform (GEE) and software Quantum GIS version 2.

Percutaneous solutions for biliary stent dysfunction: pictorial essay.

Plastic and metal biliary stents can fail to function properly, such failure being due to a positioning error or to the migration, occlusion, or fracture of the stent. An obstructed biliary stent can act as a nidus, causing complications such as recurrent persistent cholangitis. It can also cause vascular complications (such as bleeding and the formation of pseudoaneurysms), perforate the liver capsule (causing biloma or abscess), or, in rare cases, cause intestinal obstruction or perforation.

Polymorphisms in Inflammatory Genes Modulate Clinical Complications in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD), the most common monogenic disease worldwide, is marked by a phenotypic variability that is, to date, only partially understood. Because inflammation plays a major role in SCD pathophysiology, we hypothesized that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in genes encoding functionally important inflammatory proteins might modulate the occurrence of SCD complications. We assessed the association between 20 SNPs in genes encoding Toll-like receptors (TLR), NK cell receptors (NKG), histocompatibility leukocyte antigens (HLA), major histocompatibility complex class I polypeptide-related sequence A (MICA) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), and the occurrence of six SCD clinical complications (stroke, acute chest syndrome (ACS), leg ulcers, cholelithiasis, osteonecrosis, or retinopathy).

DEB TACE for Intermediate and advanced HCC - Initial Experience in a Brazilian Cancer Center.

Background: According to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer classification transarterial chemoembolization is indicated in patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the intermediate stage. Drug-eluting microspheres can absorb and release the chemotherapeutic agent slowly for 14 days after its intra-arterial administration. This type of transarterial chemoembolization approach appears to provide at least equivalent effectiveness with less toxicity.

Infliximab-induced autoantibodies: a multicenter study.

The purpose of this study was to assess autoantibody incidence in patients treated with infliximab for various diseases, and the development of autoimmune diseases using a multicenter, longitudinal, open-label, phase IV observational study. All patients received anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) according to local treatment guidelines. The autoantibodies assessed before and after infliximab treatment were ANA, anti-Sm, anti-dsDNA, anticardiolipin IgM/IgG, anti-Scl70, anti-centromere B, anti-chromatin, anti-ribosomal P, anti-Sm-RNP, anti-RNP A, anti-RNP 68 kD, anti-La/SSB, anti-Ro/SSA 52 kD and 60 kD, and anti-Jo1.

Thrombotic events in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome treated with rivaroxaban: a series of eight cases.

The current treatment for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) with thrombotic manifestation is long-term anticoagulation. Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) are usually the agents of choice. However, VKA limitations, such as unpredictable anticoagulation effects due to interaction with diet and other drugs, require regular monitoring.

Sixteen weeks of resistance training can decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome in healthy postmenopausal women.

Background: The postmenopausal phase has been considered an aggravating factor for developing metabolic syndrome. Notwithstanding, no studies have as yet investigated the effects of resistance training on metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women. Thus, the purpose of this study was to verify whether resistance training could reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.

Immune responses to an upper body tri-set resistance training session.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acute immune responses to an upper body tri-set resistance training (RT) session in RT trained individuals. Eighteen young trained men (22·0 ± 1·8 years) were randomly assigned to an exercise group (EG; n = 9) or control group (CG; n = 9). The EG completed an acute tri-set RT protocol using two combinations of three exercises for the same muscle group with six to eight repetitions at 75% of one repetition maximum (1RM) for each exercise.

Acute hormonal responses following different velocities of eccentric exercise.

The aim of this study was to compare the acute hormonal responses following two different eccentric exercise velocities. Seventeen healthy, untrained, young women were randomly placed into two groups to perform five sets of six maximal isokinetic eccentric actions at slow (30° s(-1) ) and fast (210° s(-1) ) velocities with 60-s rest between sets. Growth hormone, cortisol, free and total testosterone were assessed by blood samples collected at baseline, immediately postexercise, 5, 15 and 30 min following eccentric exercise.

Comparison of maximal muscle strength of elbow flexors and knee extensors between younger and older men with the same level of daily activity.

Background: Aging promotes neuromuscular loss, significantly reducing muscle strength. The magnitude of loss of strength seems to be different between the limbs, probably because of differences in activities of daily living (ADL). Therefore, the present study compared the muscle strength of the elbow flexors and knee extensors in younger (n = 7, mean age 23.

Inequalities associated with lack of mammography in Teresina-Piauí-Brazil, 2010-2011.

Introduction: Randomized studies have shown that screening for breast cancer with mammography reduces the breast cancer mortality. However there are signs of a great inequality in access to mammography in Brazil.

Objectives: To analyze the percentage of women who did not undergo mammography according to socioeconomic and demographic variables in women aged from 40 to 69 years in Teresina, Piauí State, Brazil.

Comparison in responses to maximal eccentric exercise between elbow flexors and knee extensors of older adults.

Objectives: To compare the susceptibility of elbow flexors (EF) and knee extensors (KE) to eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage in older individuals, since ageing could modulate the difference in the susceptibility to muscle damage between muscles.

Design: Cross-sectional and cross-over study design.

Methods: Eight older (61.

Diversity and adaptation of human respiratory syncytial virus genotypes circulating in two distinct communities: public hospital and day care center.

HRSV is one of the most important pathogens causing acute respiratory tract diseases as bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants. HRSV was isolated from two distinct communities, a public day care center and a public hospital in São José do Rio Preto - SP, Brazil. We obtained partial sequences from G gene that were used on phylogenetic and selection pressure analysis.

Effects of eccentric exercise on systemic concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandin (E2): comparison between young and postmenopausal women.

The present study aimed to analyze the magnitude of muscle damage and inflammatory responses induced by eccentric exercise in young (YW) and postmenopausal women (PMW). Seventeen healthy women (nine YW, 23.89 ± 2.