Impacts of Anabolic-androgenic steroid supplementation on female health and offspring: Mechanisms, side effects, and medical perspectives.

The increasing prevalence of Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) among women, driven by the pursuit of improved body aesthetics, characterized by higher lean mass and reduced adipose tissue, raises significant health concerns, particularly due to the limited knowledge regarding their effects on the female organism. Prolonged use and/or high doses of AAS are linked to various harmful side effects, including mood changes, psychiatric disorders, voice deepening, clitoromegaly, menstrual irregularities, and cardiovascular complications, prompting medical societies to discourage their widespread use due to insufficient evidence supporting their safety and efficacy. Studies in female rodents have shown that AAS can lead to increased aggression, inflammation, reduced neuronal density, and negative impacts on the myocardium and blood vessels.

Primaquine Analysis in Pharmaceutical Formulation Using Multiple and Short-End Injections by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis-Ultraviolet Detection.

Novel methods were proposed for determining primaquine (PQN) in tablets by multiple-injection capillary zone electrophoresis (MI-CZE) and by short-end injection CZE (SEI-CZE), both with ultraviolet detection. The background electrolyte (BGE), consisting of 20 mmol/L of tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane and 30 mmol/L of hydrochloric acid at pH 2.0, was selected considering a comprehensive study involving the effective mobility versus pH curves of the analytes and BGE components.

Nanoformulated fenbendazole as an attractive approach for treating neurocysticercosis: and studies.

Purpose: This work aimed to develop fenbendazole nanocrystals to evaluate their effects on the energetic metabolism of cysticerci, following an intracranial inoculation in mice.

Methods: Fenbendazole was nanoformulated by the antisolvent method using poloxamers 188 and 407 as stabilizers. The nanosuspensions were lyophilized without cryoprotectants and the nanocrystals were characterized in terms of particle size, zeta potential, and dissolution performance.

A new standardization for the use of chicken embryo: selection of target from the phage display library and infection.

The filamentous bacteriophage M13KO7 (M13) is the most used in phage display (PD) technology and, like other phages, has been applied in several areas of medicine, agriculture, and in the food industry. One of the advantages is that they can modulate the immune response in the presence of pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. This study evaluated the use of phage M13 in the chicken embryos model.

Augmenting Telepostpartum Care With Vision-Based Detection of Breastfeeding-Related Conditions: Algorithm Development and Validation.

Background: Breastfeeding benefits both the mother and infant and is a topic of attention in public health. After childbirth, untreated medical conditions or lack of support lead many mothers to discontinue breastfeeding. For instance, nipple damage and mastitis affect 80% and 20% of US mothers, respectively.

Analysing chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of geopropolis from : HPLC-DAD and investigations.

This study evaluated the chemical profile, antimicrobial activity, and the presence of potentially toxic elements in geopropolis extracts produced by in the Recôncavo region of Bahia, Brazil. It was found that the major chemical compounds belong to the class of phenolic compounds, with emphasis on the presence of gallic acid. In this study, no potentially toxic elements were found in the analysed geopropolis.

A combined experimental-molecular modeling study of crown ether europium complexes: Effects of the coordinated anion on structural and luminescence properties.

It is reported the synthesis, characterization by elemental analysis, thermogravimetry; electronic absorption, infrared, excitation, and emission spectroscopies of the [Eu(12C4)(phen)(X)]X complexes, where 12C4 = 12-crown-4, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, and X  = F, Cl, Br, SCN, ClO, and NO. It is verified that the polarizability of the anion X exerts remarkable effects on the emission process. As a general trend, lower wavenumbers for the F→L, F→D and F→D transitions are associated with the anions with higher volumes and, consequently, higher polarizability.

Modifying effects of 2,4-D and Glyphosate exposures on gut-liver-adipose tissue axis of diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is linked to western diet (WD) intake, affects 30% of the world's population and involves the crosstalk of liver steatosis, hypertrophy/inflammation of adipose tissue and deregulation of gut microbiome. Glyphosate and 2,4-D are some of the most applied herbicides worldwide, and their roles in NAFLD have not been investigated. Thus, the present study evaluated whether glyphosate and 2,4-D, in single or mixed exposure, alter WD-induced NAFLD in a mouse model.

Long-term effects of embryonic exposure to benzophenone-3 on neurotoxicity and behavior of adult zebrafish.

Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) is the most widely used ultraviolet filter (UV filter) in industries to avoid UV radiation damage. BP-3 is added to most sunscreens to protect the skin, hair, and lips from sun rays. It results in continuous discharge into aquatic environments, leading to aquatic biota and human's continuous exposure.

Long-term mortality of critically ill patients with cancer and delirium who survived to discharge: a retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: Delirium is common in critically ill patients and has been associated with lower short-term survival; however, its association with long-term survival has been scarcely evaluated and few studies have shown divergent results.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with cancer admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and discharged from hospital from January 2015 to December 2018. We considered delirium present if the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) result was positive.

Assessment of the impact of glyphosate and 2,4-D herbicides on the kidney injury and transcriptome changes in obese mice fed a Western diet.

The development of chronic kidney disease has been associated with comorbidities resulting from the consumption of Westernized dietary (WD) patterns, including obesity and other metabolic dysfunctions. Kidneys also have a crucial role in the metabolism and excretion of xenobiotics, including herbicides. There is limited knowledge regarding the simultaneous exposure to WD and glyphosate (glypho) and 2,4-D, the most used herbicides globally.

Ultra-low-cost mechanical smartphone attachment for no-calibration blood pressure measurement.

We propose an ultra-low-cost at-home blood pressure monitor that leverages a plastic clip with a spring-loaded mechanism to enable a smartphone with a flash LED and camera to measure blood pressure. Our system, called BPClip, is based on the scientific premise of measuring oscillometry at the fingertip to measure blood pressure. To enable a smartphone to measure the pressure applied to the digital artery, a moveable pinhole projection moves closer to the camera as the user presses down on the clip with increased force.

Investigating interactive methods in remote chestfeeding support for lactation consulting professionals in Brazil.

Objective: Lactation consultants (LCs) positively impact chestfeeding rates by providing in-person support to struggling parents. In Brazil, LCs are a scarce resource and in high demand, risking chestfeeding rates across many communities nationwide. The transition to remote consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic made LCs face several challenges to solve chestfeeding problems due to limited technical resources for management, communication, and diagnosis.

Synthesis, solid state characterization, theoretical and experimental spectroscopic studies of the new lanthanide complexes.

Three new complexes Na[Ln(pic)]ּ⋅2.5HO (Ln = Tb, Eu or Gd; pic = picolinate) were synthesized and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analyses. The molecular structures of the complexes have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Ultra-low-cost Mechanical Smartphone Attachment for No-Calibration Blood Pressure Measurement.

We propose BPClip, a less than $ 1 USD blood pressure monitor that leverages a plastic clip with a spring-loaded mechanism to enable any smartphone with a flash LED and a camera to measure blood pressure. Unlike prior approaches, our system measured systolic, mean, and diastolic blood pressure using oscillometric measurements that avoid cumbersome per-user calibrations and does not require specialized smartphone models with custom sensors.

Temperature Dependence of Hydrogen Bond Networks of Liquid Water: Thermodynamic Properties and Structural Heterogeneity from Topological Descriptors.

Topological analyses of hydrogen bond networks were performed based on the complex network and island statistics of liquid water at different temperatures. The influence of temperature on the liquid water structures and the topological properties of the hydrogen bond networks was investigated by Metropolis Monte Carlo simulations with the TIP4P/2005 potential model. The bilinear behavior of the second peak in the radial distribution function with the temperature was properly reproduced by these simulations.

Antiplasmodial activity of coumarins isolated from : and studies.

is found in the Brazilian semiarid region. This specie is little chemically and biologically studied. spp.

Sound stimulus effects on dusky damselfish behavior and cognition.

Anthropogenic noises are widespread and affect marine wildlife. Despite the growing knowledge on noise pollution in the marine environment, its effects on fish cognition are scarce. Here, we investigated the effects of sound exposure on anxiety-like behavior and memory retention on dusky damselfish Stegastes fuscus.

Exposure to Zika Virus Results in sex-Specific Memory Deficits and Neurological Alterations in Adult Mice.

exposure to ZIKV leads to decreased number of neurons in adult mice. Female mice exposed to ZIKV exhibit lower levels of BDNF, a decrease in synaptic markers, memory deficits, and risk-taking behavior during adulthood.

mGluR5 ablation leads to age-related synaptic plasticity impairments and does not improve Huntington's disease phenotype.

Glutamate receptors, including mGluR5, are involved in learning and memory impairments triggered by aging and neurological diseases. However, each condition involves distinct molecular mechanisms. It is still unclear whether the mGluR5 cell signaling pathways involved in normal brain aging differ from those altered due to neurodegenerative disorders.

Interleukin-6 Signaling in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells Elicits the Annexin A1/Formyl Peptide Receptor 1 Axis and Affects the Tumor Microenvironment.

Annexin A1 (AnxA1) is a pleiotropic protein that exerts essential roles in breast cancer (BC) growth and aggressiveness. In our previous work, we described the autocrine signaling of AnxA1 through formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) in the triple-negative (TN) BC cell line, MDA-MB-231. Here, we aimed to describe the interaction between the AnxA1/FPR1 and the Interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling pathways and their role in the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 knockout rescues obesity phenotype in a mouse model of Huntington's disease.

Obesity represents a global health problem and is characterized by metabolic dysfunctions and a low-grade chronic inflammatory state, which can increase the risk of comorbidities, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes and insulin resistance. Here we tested the hypothesis that the genetic deletion of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) may rescue metabolic and inflammatory features present in BACHD mice, a mouse model of Huntington's disease (HD) with an obese phenotype. For that, we crossed BACHD and mGluR5 knockout mice (mGluR5) in order to obtain the following groups: Wild type (WT), mGluR5, BACHD and BACHD/mGluR5 (double mutant mice).

At-Home Pupillometry using Smartphone Facial Identification Cameras.

With recent developments in medical and psychiatric research surrounding pupillary response, cheap and accessible pupillometers could enable medical benefits from early neurological disease detection to measurements of cognitive load. In this paper, we introduce a novel smartphone-based pupillometer to allow for future development in clinical research surrounding at-home pupil measurements. Our solution utilizes a NIR front-facing camera for facial recognition paired with the RGB selfie camera to perform tracking of absolute pupil dilation with sub-millimeter accuracy.

Mass spectrometry applied to diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic targets identification for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2: A review.

Mass spectrometry (MS) has found numerous applications in medicine and has been widely used in the detection and characterization of biomolecules associated with viral infections such as COVID-19. COVID-19 is a multisystem disease and, therefore, the need arises to carry out a careful and conclusive assessment of the pathophysiological parameters involved in the infection, to develop an effective therapeutic approach, assess the prognosis of the disease, and especially the early diagnosis of the infected population. Thus, the urgent need for highly accurate methods of diagnosis and prognosis of this infection presents new challenges for the development of laboratory medicine, whose methods require sensitivity, speed, and accuracy of the techniques for analyzing the biological markers involved in the infection.