Hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HILIC-LC-HRMS): An approach to study natural peptides in Viperidae snake venom.

Although proteins in snake venoms have been extensively studied and characterized, low-mass molecules remain relatively unexplored, mainly due to their low abundance, secondary role in envenomation, and some analytical technique limitations. However, these small molecules can provide new important data related to venom toxins' molecular structure, functions, and evolutionary relationships. This research aimed to characterize molecules below 10 kDa in the venoms of snakes from the Viperidae families (Bothrops, Agkistrodon, and Bitis) and compare two chromatographic approaches: reverse-phase chromatography (RP), a classic technique, and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), an alternative technique, both coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS).

Biological Properties of Bioceramic Sealers on Osteoblastic Cells: A Comparative Study.

This study aimed to assess the biological properties of two ready-to-use bioceramic sealers (EndoSequence BC Sealer - EBCS; Bio-C Sealer - BCS) on osteoblastic lineage cells. MC3T3 osteoblast-like cells were exposed to extracts of bioceramic materials. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT method, genotoxicity was assessed by the micronucleus test and the expression of BMP1, BMP2 and ALP was measured by RT-qPCR, after 1, 3 and 7 days.

Performance of urine Xpert MTB/RIF ultra in a tuberculosis screening strategy in hospitalized patients with advanced HIV disease: Results from an implementation initiative in Brazil.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra testing in urine samples as part of a TB screening strategy in patients with advanced HIV disease (AHD).

Methods: We conducted a multicentre prospective cohort study across three HIV reference hospitals in Brazil, between January and December 2023. The study included adult hospitalized patients with AHD, defined by a CD4 count of <200 cells/μL in the last 3 months or clinical presentation suggestive of opportunistic infection, without effective antiretroviral treatment.

Impact of chronic toxoplasmosis in pregnancy: Association between maternal IgG antibodies against T. gondii and neurocognitive development effects.

Toxoplasmosis presents notable hazards in the context of pregnancy, impacting the health of the mother and the neurodevelopment of the fetus via immune reactions and possible vertical transmission. The maternal immune response from chronic Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection may negatively influence fetal neurodevelopment.

The therapeutic potential of reduced graphene oxide in attenuating cuprizone-induced demyelination in mice.

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has unique physicochemical properties that make it suitable for therapeutic applications in neurodegenerative scenarios. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of rGO in a cuprizone-induced demyelination model in mice through histomorphological techniques and analysis of biochemical parameters. We demonstrate that daily intraperitoneal administration of rGO (1 mg ml) for 21 days tends to reduce demyelination in theby decreasing glial cell recruitment during the repair mechanism.

Cell Cycle Kinetics and Sister Chromatid Exchange in Mosaic Turner Syndrome.

Turner syndrome (TS) is caused by a complete or partial absence of an X or Y chromosome, including chromosomal mosaicism, affecting 1 in 2500 female live births. Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) is used as a sensitive indicator of spontaneous chromosome instability. Cells from mosaic patients constitute useful material for SCE evaluations as they grow under the influence of the same genetic background and endogenous and exogenous factors.

Assessment of health-related quality of life after mild COVID-19 infection.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) affected the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and its impact on well-being is not sufficiently understood yet. The worsening of HRQoL and symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, depression, chronic Headache, Myalgia, ageusia, olfactory disorders, and cognitive impairment can be seen in people of different ages and genders after COVID-19 infection, even mild infections without hospitalization. These issues generate a disease burden that can reduce work skills and cause social, psychological, and neuropsychiatric challenges.

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing in patients with fever of unknown origin: A comprehensive systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS) holds promise in diagnosing fever of unknown origin (FUO) by detecting diverse pathogens. We systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate mNGS's accuracy, clinical efficacy, and limitations in FUO diagnosis. Nine studies revealed mNGS's positivity rate ranging from 66.

Hop ( L.) extract reverts glycaemic imbalance and cognitive impairment in an animal model of obesity.

The rates of overweight and obesity around the world have increased in past years. The body's adipose tissue stimulates the antioxidant and oxidation imbalance capacity at the cellular level. This scenario favors an inflammatory low-grade systemic condition starting with insulin resistance, which in turn may involve diabetes mellitus type 2 and cognitive decline afterward.

Emerging Challenges of Mpox Transmission: An In-depth Scoping Review and Evidence Mapping on Breastfeeding Practices in South America.

Background: In 2022, a marked escalation in Monkeypox (Mpox) cases was observed in nonendemic regions, notably South America, despite the virus being traditionally endemic to Central and West Africa. This unexpected shift necessitated a deeper exploration of the novel transmission dynamics, including breastfeeding, given the emerging evidence of potential horizontal and vertical Mpox transmission during mother-infant interactions.

Research Aim: The study aimed to critically evaluate existing evidence on potential horizontal and vertical Mpox transmission related to breastfeeding and to assess guidelines in South American countries regarding Mpox prevention during breastfeeding.

ADHERENCE AND PERSISTENCE TO TREATMENT WITH INFLIXIMAB: ANALYSIS OF A PATIENT SUPPORT PROGRAM COHORT IN BRAZIL.

Background: Monoclonal antibodies have proven efficacy in the management of several conditions and infliximab (IFX) is one of the most important drugs of the class. Some recent data have shown low rates of both persistence and adherence to several available biologics.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe adherence and persistence rate to IFX treatment and also persistence in the patient support program (PSP), among patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) or rheumatic diseases (RD) enrolled in the program of a large pharmaceutical company in Brazil.

A Cross-Sectional Analysis Investigating Pregnant Women's Renal Function and Its Association with Lead and Cadmium Exposures-The DSAN Birth Cohort Study in Recôncavo Baiano, Brazil.

Kidney dysfunction is increasing worldwide and is exacerbated by exposure to toxic metals. Also, pregnancy poses an overload on kidney function. We investigated how blood lead (PbB) and cadmium (CdB) levels were associated with kidney function in pregnant women from Recôncavo Baiano, Brazil, during their second trimester.

Aflatoxins in maize flour produced in Mozambique and its risk assessment.

This study investigated the occurrence of aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2) in maize flour produced in Mozambique and to assess the associated carcinogenic risk. At different opportunities, 30 samples of maize flour were collected in five flour processing factories. These were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection.

Impact of chronic toxoplasmosis in pregnancy: association between maternal seropositivity for Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies and fetal growth restriction.

Insults caused by acute infections during the gestational period on fetal development are known; however, new evidence suggests that chronic infectious diseases can also impact the maternal immune status and lead to negative consequences for the neonate. This study investigated the association between the prevalence of specific antibodies in pregnant women and alterations in fetal development at birth. A follow-up study evaluated women during the gestational period and their respective newborns at delivery time.

Macro and trace element compositions and physicochemical parameters of guajiru fruits ( l.) from two Brazilian states.

L. is a tree found in America and Africa. In Brazil it can be found in the biome along the coast.

Environmental neurodevelopment toxicity from the perspective of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model: a case study of toxic metals.

A growing body of literature reports the need for an integrated approach to study the effects of the physical environment on the neurodevelopment of children. Assessment of the true neurotoxicity of pollutants cannot be performed separately from the ecological and multidimensional contexts in which they act. In this study, from the perspective of the Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, a conceptual model was developed that encompasses the social and biological characteristics of children from the gestational period to childhood, considering exposure to toxic metals.

Curcumin and melphalan cotreatment induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death in women. Dietary bioactive compounds may act at different stages of carcinogenesis, including tumor initiation, promotion, and progression. Spices have been used for thousands of years and have many bioactive compounds with chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties.

Maternal Exposure to Potentially Toxic Metals and Birth Weight: Preliminary Results from the DSAN-12M Birth Cohort in the Recôncavo Baiano, Brazil.

Prenatal exposure to potentially toxic metals (PTM) may impair fetal growth (FG). We investigated the relationship between maternal exposure to lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and manganese (Mn) and birth weight (BW) of 74 newborns. Blood was collected during the second trimester of pregnancy to determine Pb (PbB) and Cd (CdB), while hair (MnH) and toenails (MnTn) were used for Mn.

Altered Cerebral Vasoreactivity on Transcranial Color-Coded Sonography Related to Akinetic-Rigid Phenotype of Parkinson's Disease: Interim Analysis of a Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: A correlation between worse functional outcomes in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) or the Akinetic-rigid phenotype has been argued in recent studies. We aimed to evaluate the association of cerebral hemodynamics impairments, assessed by Transcranial Color-coded Doppler sonography (TCCS), on PD patients with different phenotypes of the disease and with risk factors for CVD.

Methodology: Idiopathic PD patients (n = 51) were divided into motor subtypes: Akinetic-rigid (AR) (n = 27) and Tremor-dominant (TD) (n = 24) and into two groups regarding vascular risk factors: when ≥2 were present (PDvasc) (n = 18) and <2 (PDnvasc) (n = 33).

Extracellular Vesicle-Packaged miR-195-5p Sensitizes Melanoma to Targeted Therapy with Kinase Inhibitors.

Management of advanced melanoma remains challenging, with most BRAF (B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase)-mutated metastatic patients relapsing within a few months upon MAPK inhibitors treatment. Modulation of tumor-derived extracellular vesicle (EVs) cargo with enrichment of antitumoral molecules is a promising strategy to impair tumor progression and increase treatment response. Herein, we report that restored expression of miR-195-5p, down-regulated in melanoma favoring drug resistance, increases the release of EVs enriched in the tumor suppressor miRNAs, miR-195-5p, miR-152-3p, and miR-202-3p.

Optical coherence tomography findings in fungal uveitis.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the vitreal, retinal, and choroidal features of eyes affected by endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) and evaluate the effects of systemic antifungal drug treatment and pars plana vitrectomy by using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Methods: Medical records and SD-OCT images of eyes diagnosed with EE at a single uveitis tertiary referral center in Brazil were acquired at the time of diagnosis, after 7 days of high-dose antifungal drug treatment, and at follow-up assessments performed 30 days after resolution.

Results: Thirteen eyes were enrolled in the study.

Determinants of Exposure to Potentially Toxic Metals in Pregnant Women of the DSAN-12M Cohort in the Recôncavo Baiano, Brazil.

Exposure to potentially toxic metals (PTM) threatens maternal and child health. We investigated the determinants of exposure to lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and manganese (Mn) in 163 pregnant women from the Recôncavo Baiano, Brazil, enrolled in the DSAN-12M cohort. We measured these metals in biological samples (blood, toenails, and hair) and the Pb dust loading rates (RtPb) at their homes by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry (GFAAS).