A Three-Gene Assay for Monitoring Immune Quiescence in Kidney Transplantation.

Organ transplant recipients face life-long immunosuppression and consequently are at high risk of comorbidities. Occasionally, kidney transplant recipients develop a state of targeted immune quiescence (operational tolerance) against an HLA-mismatched graft, allowing them to withdraw all immunosuppression and retain stable graft function while resuming immune responses to third-party antigens. Methods to better understand and monitor this state of alloimmune quiescence by transcriptional profiling may reveal a gene signature that identifies patients for whom immunosuppression could be titrated to reduce patient and graft morbidities.

Metformin treatment before and during IVF or ICSI in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background: The use of insulin-sensitising agents, such as metformin, in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who are undergoing ovulation induction or in vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycles has been widely studied. Metformin reduces hyperinsulinaemia and suppresses the excessive ovarian production of androgens. As a consequence, it is suggested that metformin could improve assisted reproductive techniques (ART) outcomes, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), pregnancy and live birth rates.

The kSORT assay to detect renal transplant patients at high risk for acute rejection: results of the multicenter AART study.

Background: Development of noninvasive molecular assays to improve disease diagnosis and patient monitoring is a critical need. In renal transplantation, acute rejection (AR) increases the risk for chronic graft injury and failure. Noninvasive diagnostic assays to improve current late and nonspecific diagnosis of rejection are needed.

Pharmacotherapy for sleep bruxism.

Background: Sleep bruxism is an oral activity characterized by involuntary teeth grinding or clenching during sleep. Several forms of treatment have been proposed for this disorder, including behavioural, dental and pharmacological strategies.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of pharmacological therapy for the treatment of sleep bruxism compared with other drugs, no treatment or placebo.

Role of adenosine in the antiepileptic effects of deep brain stimulation.

Despite the effectiveness of anterior thalamic nucleus (AN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of epilepsy, mechanisms responsible for the antiepileptic effects of this therapy remain elusive. As adenosine modulates neuronal excitability and seizure activity in animal models, we hypothesized that this nucleoside could be one of the substrates involved in the effects of AN DBS. We applied 5 days of stimulation to rats rendered chronically epileptic by pilocarpine injections and recorded epileptiform activity in hippocampal slices.

Essential oil from the leaves of Xylopia langsdorfiana (Annonaceae) as a possible spasmolytic agent.

Xylopia langsdorfiana A. St.-Hil.

Aire-dependent peripheral tissue antigen mRNAs in mTEC cells feature networking refractoriness to microRNA interaction.

The downregulation of PTA genes in mTECs is associated with the loss of self-tolerance, and the role of miRNAs in this process is not fully understood. Therefore, we studied the expression of mRNAs and miRNAs in mTECs from autoimmune NOD mice during the period when loss of self-tolerance occurs in parallel with non-autoimmune BALB/c mice. Although the expression of the transcriptional regulator Aire was unchanged, we observed downregulation of a set of PTA mRNAs.

Low water quality in tropical fishponds in southeastern Brazil.

Expansion of aquaculture around the world has heavily impacted the environment. Because fertilizers are needed to raise fish, one of the main impacts is eutrophication, which lowers water quality and increases the frequency of algal blooms, mostly cyanobacteria. To evaluate whether the water quality in 30 fishponds in southeastern Brazilian met the requirements of Brazilian legislation, we analyzed biotic and abiotic water conditions.

Lyophilized xenograft: a case series of histological analysis of biopsies.

The reconstruction of an acetabular bone defect is one of the most important aspects of revision total hip arthroplasty surgery. It can be done by the use of grafts. Therefore, many kinds of grafts may be used and lyophilized xenograft is an alternative example.

Renal changes in the early stages of diet-induced obesity in ovariectomized rats.

The relationship between obesity and renal lesions, especially in low estrogen levels, has been less documented. The aim of this study was to assess the renal changes in diet-induced obesity in ovariectomized rats. Wistar rats were ovariectomized or sham-operated and divided into four groups: sham-operated rats fed a standard diet (SSD); ovariectomized rats fed a standard diet (OSD); sham-operated rats fed a high-fat diet (SHFD); ovariectomized rats fed a high-fat diet (OHFD).

Low dose propranolol decreases orthodontic movement.

Objective: Low dose propranolol has previously been demonstrated to suppress bone remodelling. Therefore, its effect on orthodontic movement was tested.

Design: Rats were assigned as follows (n=5): animals with no orthodontic appliance (G1); the remaining groups were fitted with a Ni-Ti closed-coil spring ligated to the upper left first molar and connected to the incisors using metal and resin and received vehicle only (G2), 0.

Sedation and memories of patients subjected to mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between sedation and the memories reported by patients subjected to mechanical ventilation following discharge from the intensive care unit.

Methods: This prospective, observational, cohort study was conducted with individuals subjected to mechanical ventilation who remained in the intensive care unit for more than 24 hours. Clinical statistics and sedation records were extracted from the participants' clinical records; the data relative to the participants' memories were collected using a specific validated instrument.

Eastern equine encephalitis cases among horses in Brazil between 2005 and 2009.

Eastern equine encephalitis is a viral zoonosis that exhibits complex distribution and epidemiology, and greater importance should be given to this disease by the public-health authorities. In Brazil, although eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) has been identified in vectors and antibodies are sometimes detected in horses and humans, there have been no records of equine encephalitis in horses caused by this virus during the last 24 years. This study describes eighteen cases of eastern equine encephalomyelitis that occurred in six Brazilian states between 2005 and 2009.

Investigation of IGF2, Hedgehog and fusion gene expression profiles in pediatric sarcomas.

Unlabelled: The childhood sarcomas are malignant tumors with high mortality rates. They are divided into two genetic categories: a category without distinct pattern karyotypic changes and the other category showing unique translocations that originate gene rearrangements. This category includes rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), Ewing's sarcoma (ES) and synovial sarcoma (SS).

Prevalence of radiographic markers of femoroacetabular impingement in asymptomatic adults.

Objective: to determine the prevalence of radiographic signs of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) in asymptomatic adults and correlate them with data from physical examinations.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 82 asymptomatic volunteers, 164 hips, between 40 and 60 years of age, selected by convenience. They were submitted to anamnesis and clinical examination of the hip, anteroposterior (AP) pelvis radiographs with three incidences, Dunn 45° and Lequesne false profile of each hip, to measure the variables.

Acquired epidermodysplasia verruciformis in a renal transplant recipient--case report.

A 24-year-old male patient, who underwent kidney transplant six years ago due to Lupus nephritis, for the last two years presented asymptomatic erythematous scaly plaques on the abdomen and areas exposed to light. Post-transplantation immunosuppressive medications included prednisone, mycophenolate sodium and sirolimus. The histopathologic features were typical for epidermodysplasia verruciformis.

MicroRNA expression profiling and functional annotation analysis of their targets in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) results from an autoimmune attack against the insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells, leading to elimination of insulin production. The exact cause of this disorder is still unclear. Although the differential expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs that control gene expression in a post-transcriptional manner, has been identified in many diseases, including T1DM, only scarce information exists concerning miRNA expression profile in T1DM.

Diacerein for osteoarthritis.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal diseases. There is currently no consensus on what is the best treatment to improve OA symptoms and slow disease progression. Diacerein is an anthraquinone synthesised in 1980 that interferes with interleukin-1, an inflammatory mediator.

ADAM17 mediates OSCC development in an orthotopic murine model.

Background: ADAM17 is one of the main sheddases of the cells and it is responsible for the cleavage and the release of ectodomains of important signaling molecules, such as EGFR ligands. Despite the known crosstalk between ADAM17 and EGFR, which has been considered a promising targeted therapy in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the role of ADAM17 in OSCC development is not clear.

Method: In this study the effect of overexpressing ADAM17 in cell migration, viability, adhesion and proliferation was comprehensively appraised in vitro.

[Post Traumatic Pseudoaneurysm of the Axillary Artery with Late Clinical Presentation].

Traumatic lesions of the axillary artery are rare in fractures of the proximal humerus. Clinical manifestations are sparse, generally presenting in the acute form, although in some cases the clinical signs only emerge later after the traumatic event. The early diagnosis might prevent serious complications.

[Occlusion of Peripheral Bypass - Changing of an Institutional Paradigm].

The vast majority of renovascular hypertension is treated nowadays resorting to endovascular procedures (angioplasty/stenting). We report a case of malignant hypertension derived from bilateral ostial renal artery occlusion with unfit anatomy for endovascular correction. The patient maintained assymptomatic with controlled arterial tension at the thirteenth yeah of follow-up, due to a splenorenal bypass.

Can peripheral hearing justify the speech disorders in children with operated cleft palate?

Introduction Any impairment in the hearing ability of a child with cleft lip and palate may cause difficulties in receptive and expressive language. Purpose Check the association between velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD), compensatory articulation (CA), and peripheral hearing loss in children with cleft palate surgery. Methods Retrospective study with 60 children (group 1: presence of VPD and CA; group 2: absence of VPD, presence of CA; group 3: presence of VDP, absence of CA; group 4: absence of VPD and CA), age 4 to 5 years old, with cleft palate surgery, through the analysis of the hearing, VP, and speech evaluations.

Rehabilitation following total hip arthroplasty evaluation over short follow-up time: randomized clinical trial.

Unlabelled: Hip osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease, and total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the surgical procedures of choice to improve the OA patient's quality of life. Without a rehabilitation program, THA patients will develop functional limitations. A randomized double-blind trial was performed between July 2009 and October 2011 to compare in a short follow-up time two groups of patients who underwent THA for OA.