Using genomic epidemiology and geographic activity spaces to investigate tuberculosis outbreaks in Botswana.

Background: The integration of genomic and geospatial data into infectious disease transmission analyses typically includes residential locations and excludes other activity spaces where transmission may occur ( work, school, or social venues). The objective of this analysis was to explore residential as well as other activity spaces of tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks to identify potential geospatial 'hotspots' of transmission.

Methods: We analyzed data that included geospatial coordinates for residence and other activity spaces collected during 2012-2016 for the Kopanyo Study, a population-based study of TB transmission in Botswana.

Analysis of Mechanical Properties and Printing Orientation Influence of Composite Resin for 3D Printing Compared to Conventional Resin.

This study aimed to compare the flexural strength, surface roughness, and microhardness of a resin for three-dimensional (3D) printing and a conventional composite resin and to evaluate whether the printing orientation influences these properties. To evaluate the flexural resistance, test specimens were produced and divided into four groups: three groups of resins for 3D printing with inclinations of 0°, 45°, and 90° and one group of conventional composite resin. Forty discs were produced and subjected to a sandpaper-polishing sequence, and the surface roughness was measured using a roughness meter.

Earth observation data uncover green spaces' role in mental health.

The prevalence of mental health disorders, a key disability cause, is linked to demographic and socioeconomic factors. However, limited data exists on mental health and the urban environment. Urbanization exposes populations to environmental stressors, particularly affecting low-middle-income countries with complex urban arrangements.

Disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis in a captive western black-handed tamarin (Saguinus niger).

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is an endemic fungal disease that occurs in Latin America and primarily affects humans. The disease has been rarely documented in non-human primates. This report details a disseminated and fatal case of PCM caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in a western black-handed tamarin (Saguinus niger) under human care.

The reality of epilepsy in primary care in Rio de Janeiro: the importance of educational projects for better patient care.

Background:  The Basic Health Unit (Unidade Básica de Saúde - UBS, in Portuguese) is the first point of contact in the public healthcare system for people with epilepsy. Primary care professionals need to appropriately diagnose, treat, and refer, if necessary, to tertiary services.

Objective:  To evaluate the knowledge of UBS professionals on the management of patients with epilepsy in Rio de Janeiro.

Investigating the correlation between genotype and phenotype in Prader-Willi syndrome: a study of 45 cases from Brazil.

Background: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder characterized by abnormalities in the 15q11-q13 region. Understanding the correlation between genotype and phenotype in PWS is crucial for improved genetic counseling and prognosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between genotype and phenotype in 45 PWS patients who previously underwent methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) for diagnosis.

FSSH-2: Fewest Switches Surface Hopping with Robust Switching Probability.

This study introduces the FSSH-2 scheme, a redefined and numerically stable adiabatic Fewest Switches Surface Hopping (FSSH) method for mixed quantum-classical dynamics. It reformulates the standard FSSH hopping probability without using nonadiabatic coupling vectors and allows for numerical time integration with larger step sizes. The advantages of FSSH-2 are demonstrated by numerical experiments for five different model systems in one and two spatial dimensions with up to three electronic states.

Neuroradiological features of patients with bilateral macronodular adrenocortical disease and meningiomas associated or not with genetic variants of ARMC5- a case series.

Introduction: Meningiomas are the most common primary brain and central nervous system tumors, accounting for approximately 40% of these tumors. The most important exams for the radiological study of meningiomas are computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We aimed to analyze the radiological features of patients with meningioma related to the simultaneous presence of bilateral macronodular adrenocortical disease (BMAD), with or without pathogenic variants of ARMC5.

Atypical Tibial Fracture Treated with Osteosynthesis Associated with Total Knee Arthroplasty: Case Report.

Bisphosphonates are widely used in the treatment of osteoporosis but predispose the patient to the appearance of atypical fractures. The femoral subtrochanteric region is usually affected, but other bones can be as well. Atypical tibia fractures in patients with severe gonarthrosis is a therapeutic challenge.

Emergence of bedaquiline-resistant tuberculosis and of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains with rpoB Ile491Phe mutation not detected by Xpert MTB/RIF in Mozambique: a retrospective observational study.

Background: In 2021, an estimated 4800 people developed rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis in Mozambique, 75% of which went undiagnosed. Detailed molecular data on rifampicin-resistant and multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis are not available. Here, we aimed at gaining precise data on the determinants of rifampicin-resistant and MDR tuberculosis in Mozambique.

Immunoinformatic Approach for Rational Identification of Immunogenic Peptides Against Host Entry and/or Exit Mpox Proteins and Potential Multiepitope Vaccine Construction.

COVID-19 has intensified humanity's concern about the emergence of new pandemics. Since 2018, epidemic outbreaks of the mpox virus have become worrisome. In June 2022, the World Health Organization declared the disease a global health emergency, with 14 500 cases reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 60 countries.

Rapid response of a public health reference laboratory to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brazil was one of the most affected countries by the COVID-19 pandemic. Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL) is the reference laboratory for COVID-19 in São Paulo, the most populous state in Brazil. In April 2020, a secondary diagnostic pole named IAL-2 was created to enhance IAL's capacity for COVID-19 diagnosis.

Implementation of targeted next-generation sequencing for the diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis in low-resource settings: a programmatic model, challenges, and initial outcomes.

Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) from clinical specimens has the potential to become a comprehensive tool for routine drug-resistance (DR) prediction of complex strains (MTBC), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB). However, TB mainly affects low- and middle-income countries, in which the implementation of new technologies have specific needs and challenges. We propose a model for programmatic implementation of tNGS in settings with no or low previous sequencing capacity/experience.

Technical comparison of MinIon and Illumina technologies for genotyping Chikungunya virus in clinical samples.

New-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques have brought the opportunity for genomic monitoring of several microorganisms potentially relevant to public health. The establishment of different methods with different mechanisms provides a wide choice, taking into account several aspects. With that in mind, the present aim of the study was to compare basic genomic sequencing metrics that could potentially impact genotyping by nanopores from Oxford Nanopore Technologies and by synthesis from Illumina in clinical samples positive for Chikungunya (CHIKV).

Applying the bioisosterism strategy to obtain lead compounds against SARS-CoV-2 cysteine proteases: An in-silico approach.

SARS-CoV-2 cysteine proteases are essential nonstructural proteins due to their role in the formation of the virus multiple enzyme replication-transcription complex. As a result, those functional proteins are extremely relevant targets in the development of a new drug candidate to fight COVID-19. Based on this fact and guided by the bioisosterism strategy, the present work has selected 126 out of 1050 ligands from DrugBank website.

A comparative analysis of clinical, functional and radiographic outcomes of patients with and without fusion between the first and second metatarsals after the lapidus procedure.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical, functional and radiographic outcomes in patients who underwent the original Lapidus procedure (OLP) with fusion and undesired non-fusion between the first (M1) and second (M2) metatarsals.

Methods: A retrospective and comparative analysis of 29 patients (38 feet) who underwent the OLP was performed. They were divided in two groups: (1) 23 feet in which fusion occurred and (2) 15 with undesired non-fusion.

Progress and promise of alternative animal and non-animal methods in biomedical research.

Cell culture and invertebrate animal models reflect a significant evolution in scientific research by providing reliable evidence on the physiopathology of diseases, screening for new drugs, and toxicological tests while reducing the need for mammals. In this review, we discuss the progress and promise of alternative animal and non-animal methods in biomedical research, with a special focus on drug toxicity.

The gold rush in para swimming: changes in the speed curve of a visually impaired world and paralympic champion - a case study.

This case study examined the association between 50 m freestyle and speed curve parameters of a world-class Paralympic swimmer and analysed the changes in speed curves and their frequency components across her performance levels. From 2018 to 2021, a visually impaired female swimmer (26.59 s in 50 m freestyle, S12 class) underwent 22 tests to obtain instantaneous speed synchronised with video recording.

Use of High-Resolution Geospatial and Genomic Data to Characterize Recent Tuberculosis Transmission, Botswana.

Combining genomic and geospatial data can be useful for understanding Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission in high-burden tuberculosis (TB) settings. We performed whole-genome sequencing on M. tuberculosis DNA extracted from sputum cultures from a population-based TB study conducted in Gaborone, Botswana, during 2012-2016.

Histopathologic and Immunohistochemical Assessment of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS): Challenges and Complexities of Postmortem Diagnosis.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening condition due to acute lung injury (ALI), characterized by rapid-onset respiratory failure, leading to the clinical manifestations of poor lung compliance, severe hypoxemia, and dyspnea. ARDS/ALI has many causes, most commonly related to infections (sepsis, pneumonia), traumas, and multiple transfusions. The objective of this study is to assess the performance of postmortem anatomopathological examination in identifying etiological agents associated with ARDS or ALI in deceased patients from the State of São Paulo from 2017 to 2018.