Symptomatic polyautoimmunity at diagnosis of 1463 childhood-onset lupus: A Brazilian multicenter study.

Objective: To evaluate symptomatic polyautoimmunity (PA) at childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus(cSLE) diagnosis, and its association with demographic data, disease activity, clinical manifestations and laboratorial abnormalities in a large Brazilian cSLE population.

Methods: A multicenter retrospective study was performed in 1463 cSLE(ACR criteria) patients from 27 Pediatric Rheumatology services. Symptomatic PA was defined according to the presence of more than one concomitant autoimmune disease(AD) and symptomatic multiple autoimmune syndrome(MAS) was defined as three or more AD.

Effects of the incorporation of cantaloupe pulp in yogurt: Physicochemical, phytochemical and rheological properties.

The therapeutic effects of cantaloupe are of great interest for the development of functional foods such as yogurt. In this study a new dairy product has been formulated by enriching natural yogurt with fruit cantaloupe (yogurt with cantaloupe puree, yogurt with dry cantaloupe and yogurt with dry cantaloupe and cantaloupe puree). Thus, composition (moisture, ash, lipids, proteins), including amino acid contents, lactic flora as well as rheological (viscoelasticity, viscosity) property of cantaloupe yogurt and natural yogurt is assessed.

Influence of pH value on microstructure of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by chickpea protein flour.

Food industry is highly interested in the development of healthier formulations of oil-in-water emulsions, stabilized by plant proteins instead of egg or milk proteins. These emulsions would avoid allergic issues or animal fat. Among other plant proteins, legumes are a cost-competitive product.

Tomographic and anatomical study of the orbit and nasolacrimal duct in capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris-Linnaeus, 1766).

The objective of this study was to describe the reference values of cranial measurements of capybaras, correlating the ocular orbit with the nasolacrimal duct. The documentation of its results can contribute to standardizing characteristics of anatomical normality and favouring the correct diagnosis and treatment of changes. The capybara carcasses, maintained by freezing, were distributed in two groups (G) designated GA (n = 12) adult animals (A) and GY (n = 13) for young animals (Y).

Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography of the Triatominae, Vectors of Chagas Disease.

In this chapter, we review and update current knowledge about the evolution, systematics, and biogeography of the Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)-true bugs that feed primarily on vertebrate blood. In the Americas, triatomines are the vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Despite declining incidence and prevalence, Chagas disease is still a major public health concern in Latin America.

An autochthonous confirmed case of Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis in Uruguay.

Rickettsia parkeri, a member of the spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae, was first confirmed as an etiological agent of human rickettsiosis in 2004. Nearly all cases are characterized by an inoculation eschar, and no fatalities have been reported. In Uruguay, probable human cases of R.

Ecuadorian Cancer Patients' Preference for Information and Communication Technologies: Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: The instantaneous spread of information, low costs, and broad availability of information and communication technologies (ICTs) make them an attractive platform for managing care, patient communication, and medical interventions in cancer treatment. There is little information available in Latin America about the level of usage of ICTs for and by cancer patients. Our study attempts to fill this gap.

New thiophene-acridine compounds: Synthesis, antileishmanial activity, DNA binding, chemometric, and molecular docking studies.

In this study, we synthesized eight new compounds containing the 2-amino-cycloalkyl[b]thiophene and acridine moieties (ACT and ACS -ACS ). None tested compounds presented human erythrocyte cytotoxicity. The new compounds presented antipromastigote activity, where ACS and ACS derivatives presented significant antileishmanial activity, with better performance than the reference drugs (tri and pentavalent antimonials), with respective IC values of 9.

Natural Infection of C. elegans by an Oomycete Reveals a New Pathogen-Specific Immune Response.

In its natural habitat, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans encounters a plethora of other organisms, including many that are pathogenic [1, 2]. The study of interactions between C. elegans and various pathogens has contributed to characterizing key mechanisms of innate immunity [2-4].

Etiology of chronic urticaria: the Ecuadorian experience.

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify chronic urticaria (CU) etiologies and treatment modalities in Ecuador. We propose that the sample distribution fits the expected one, and that there is an association between the etiology and its treatment.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study involving 112 patients diagnosed with CU using a Checklist for a complete chronic urticaria medical history.

The sharpshooter genus Evans (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini): description of females and key to species.

The Cicadellinae genus Apogonalia Evans, 1947 currently has 22 species and occurs from Arizona (USA) to Panama and the Antilles. Color pattern and female genital structures of 21 species of Apogonalia are here described and illustrated (the female of A. nielsoni Felix & Mejdalani, 2006 is unknown).

The Local Coexistence Pattern of Selfing Genotypes in Natural Metapopulations.

To study the interplay of rare outcrossing and metapopulation structure, we focus on the nematode Its remarkably low outcrossing rate is at the extreme end of the spectrum for facultative selfing organisms. At the demographic level, natural populations undergo boom and bust dynamics on ephemeral resources, with the dauer diapause larva acting as the dispersal form. Here we investigate the small-scale genetic structure of populations in two localities over several years, using 2b restriction-associated DNA sequencing of nearly 1000 individuals.

Toxicological evaluation in silico and in vivo of secondary metabolites of Cissampelos sympodialis in Mus musculus mice following inhalation.

The ethanolic extract of the leaves of Cissampelos sympodialis showed great pharmacological potential, with inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities, however, it showed some toxicological effects. Therefore, this study aims to verify the toxicological potential of alkaloids of the genus Cissampelos through in silico methodologies, to develop a method in LC-MS/MS verifying the presence of alkaloids in the infusion and to evaluate the toxicity of the infusion of the leaves of C. sympodialis when inhaled by Swiss mice.

Histological characteristics of the gonads of pig fetuses and their relationship with fetal anatomical measurements.

The objective was to evaluate the histomorphometric characteristics of the testis and ovaries of pig fetuses at different gestational ages, as well as their correlation with some fetus measurements. Forty-four fetuses were separated for gender (male and female) and gestational age (50, 80 and 106days of gestation). After slaughter, fetuses had their body length, head and thoracic perimeters measured and their gonads submitted to histomorphometric analyses.

What kind of information and communication technologies do patients with COPD prefer to use? A cross-sectional study in Latin America.

The aim of the present study was to assess the frequency of uses and preferences of information and communication technologies (ICTs) among Latin American chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. We conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey study on Latin American COPD patients. The adapted version of the Michigan questionnaire was employed in eligible outpatients in different cities of Latin America.

Osteology and radiology of the Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) pelvic limb.

This study describes the osteology and radiology of the pelvic limb in maned wolves. Ten (five live and five dead) maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus), five males and five females, aged from 2 to 7 years old were used. Digital radiographs were taken and recorded for both pelvic limbs in all animals.

Elaboration and Validation of the Medication Prescription Safety Checklist.

Objective: to elaborate and validate a checklist to identify compliance with the recommendations for the structure of medication prescriptions, based on the Protocol of the Ministry of Health and the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency.

Method: methodological research, conducted through the validation and reliability analysis process, using a sample of 27 electronic prescriptions.

Results: the analyses confirmed the content validity and reliability of the tool.

Biocompatibility of Four Common Orthopedic Biomaterials Following a High-Salt Diet: An In Vivo Study.

Nowadays, salt consumption appears to be drastically above the recommended level in industrialized countries. The health consequences of this overconsumption are heavy since high-salt intake induces cardiovascular disease, kidney dysfunction, and stroke. Moreover, harmful interaction may also occur with orthopaedic devices because overconsumption of salt reinforces the corrosive aspect of biological tissues and favors bone resorption process.

Toward Universal Forward Genetics: Using a Draft Genome Sequence of the Nematode To Identify Mutations Affecting Vulva Development.

Mapping-by-sequencing has become a standard method to map and identify phenotype-causing mutations in model species. Here, we show that a fragmented draft assembly is sufficient to perform mapping-by-sequencing in nonmodel species. We generated a draft assembly and annotation of the genome of the free-living nematode , a distant relative of the model We used this draft to identify the likely causative mutations at the -3 locus, which affect vulval development.

Biocompatibility of four common orthopedic biomaterials following neuroelectromyostimulation: An in-vivo study.

Despite the worldwide high prevalence of total joint arthroplasty (TJA), life expectancy of prosthesis remains limited by mechanical and chemical constraint which promote wear debris production, surrounding tissues damage and finally prosthesis loosening. Such results could be amplified by neuro-myoelectrostimulation (NMES; widely used to reduce neuromuscular deficits observed following TJA surgery). It was previously described in an in vivo experiment that interactions between NMES and Ti6Al4V implant are deleterious for both implant and surrounding muscles.

Vaccines for the common cold.

Background: The common cold is a spontaneously remitting infection of the upper respiratory tract, characterised by a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, cough, malaise, sore throat, and fever (usually < 37.8º C). The widespread morbidity caused by the common cold worldwide is related to its ubiquitousness rather than its severity.