Nanostructured Formulations for a Local Treatment of Cancer: A Mini Review About Challenges and Possibilities.

Cancer represents a significant societal, public health, and economic challenge. Conventional chemotherapy is based on systemic administration; however, it has current limitations, including poor bioavailability, high-dose requirements, adverse side effects, low therapeutic indices, and the development of multiple drug resistance. These factors underscore the need for innovative strategies to enhance drug delivery directly to tumours.

Chordoma Spontaneous Regression After COVID-19.

Chordomas are a low-to-intermediate-grade slow-growing subtype of sarcoma, but show propensity to grow and invade locally with recurrence and metastasis in 10-40% of cases. We describe the first case of spontaneous regression of a solid tumor (histologically and immunohistochemically proven chordoma) after COVID-19. A female patient with clival chordoma underwent occipitocervical fixation prior to tumor resection.

Microsurgical Techniques for Paraclinoid Aneurysms: A Single-Center Series.

Background: Microsurgery for paraclinoid aneurysms remains the first line of treatment in resource-constrained settings. The authors describe their institutional experience and evaluate functional outcomes after microsurgical treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms.

Methods: A retrospective review of clinical records was conducted.

Perceptions of science, science communication, and climate change attitudes in 68 countries - the TISP dataset.

Science is integral to society because it can inform individual, government, corporate, and civil society decision-making on issues such as public health, new technologies or climate change. Yet, public distrust and populist sentiment challenge the relationship between science and society. To help researchers analyse the science-society nexus across different geographical and cultural contexts, we undertook a cross-sectional population survey resulting in a dataset of 71,922 participants in 68 countries.

Self-harm in the two years of greatest restrictions during the covid-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: to analyze occurrence of self-harm, sociodemographic profile of victims and referrals in the first 24 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in São Paulo.

Method: cross-sectional study carried out by the Notifiable Diseases Information System with data on self-harm in São Paulo. The period outlined was March 2020 to February 2022.

Large-scale prediction of biological activities with Active-IT system.

Traditional testing methods in pharmaceutical development can be time-consuming and costly, but in silico evaluation tools can offer a solution. Our in-house Active-IT system, a Ligand-Based Virtual Screening (LBVS) tool, was developed to predict the biological and pharmacological activities of small organic molecules. It includes four independent modules for generating molecular descriptors (3D-Pharma), machine learning modeling (ExCVBA), a database of bioactivity models, and a prediction module.

Hydromethanolic fraction from (Salicaceae) inhibits T24 bladder cancer cell line and the bacterium with high selectivity.

is a Brazilian species that has yet to be the subject of scientific investigation. However, it represents a potential source of new antibacterial and anticancer drugs, given it belongs to the Salicaceae family. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential biological activities and chemical composition of this species.

Microsurgery for basilar apex aneurysms: a case series.

Although endovascular management has been increasingly adopted for basilar apex aneurysms (BAAs), microsurgery still represents an amenable treatment option. In this case series, six female patients (median age: 46 years) with six saccular high-riding BAAs (50% ruptured) were included. The median neck size was 5.

Prospecting Pharmacologically Active Biocompounds from the Amazon Rainforest: In Vitro Approaches, Mechanisms of Action Based on Chemical Structure, and Perspectives on Human Therapeutic Use.

The Amazon rainforest is an important reservoir of biodiversity, offering vast potential for the discovery of new bioactive compounds from plants. In vitro studies allow for the investigation of biological processes and interventions in a controlled manner, making them fundamental for pharmacological and biotechnological research. These approaches are faster and less costly than in vivo studies, providing standardized conditions that enhance the reproducibility and precision of data.

Patients' Nonattendance in Outpatient Specialist Consultations: A National Cohort Analysis of a Health System.

Background: Analyzing patients' nonattendance at medical appointments helps address an issue impacting the management and sustainability of health systems globally, providing valuable insights for healthcare managers. This study aims to identify factors at both patient and health system levels that contribute to understanding missed appointments.

Methods: The analysis was conducted using data from secondary care consultations within the Brazilian Unified Health System between April 2018 and March 2020.

Impact of Etonogestrel-releasing contraceptive implant use in cisgender women with Sickle cell disease.

Background: Sickle cell disease is a hereditary hemolytic anemia that exposes women to increased health risks especially in pregnancy, with serious implications for the woman and fetus. Acute pain episodes can occur multiple times per month and result in reduction of quality of life and disruption of her life.

Objective: To assess the clinical, including pain and metabolic parameters of women with sickle cell disease using etonogestrel-releasing contraceptive implants.

Socio-emotional competencies mobilized by nurse-leaders in coping with the covid-19 pandemic in a university hospital.

Objective: To understand the socio-emotional competencies mobilized by nurse leaders during and after facing the Covid-19 pandemic in a university hospital.

Method: Case study, conducted with sixteen nurses working in the leadership of units and services at a university hospital in northeastern Brazil. Data collected in two moments through semi-structured interviews.

Psychometric properties of the Functional Literacy Questionnaire among Portuguese adolescents.

Background: Robust tools to assess self-reported adolescent functional health literacy are lacking. In Portugal, the only available tool is the Newest Vital Sign for Portuguese adolescents (NVS-PTeen), though presenting modest validity and reliability properties. A new instrument-the Functional Literacy Questionnaire (FLiQ)-was developed, inspired by the NVS-PTeen, but following the European Regulation for food labeling and targeting a balanced assessment of numeracy and verbal comprehension skills.

Antihypertensive effect of a nanoemulsion of leaves extract in sodium-dependent hypertensive rats.

(DC) is an important botanical source of Brazilian green propolis and have many compounds with potential antihypertensive activity. However, little is known about the specific antihypertensive properties of DC, or the mechanisms involved. Here we aimed to chemically characterise an ethanolic DC extract (eDC), test its antihypertensive properties and the involvement of neurogenic mechanisms using an animal model of salt-dependent hypertension.

Red propolis extract associated to platelet-rich plasma and stromal cells with focus in cell therapy and functional tissue regeneration.

The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSC) have been investigated as a form of wound healing enhancement. The objective of this work was to evaluate the association of red propolis (RP) and PRP as inducers of ADSC for application in tissue regeneration. Adipose tissue post-collection and post-cryopreservation was isolated with type II collagenase, characterized by flow cytometry, and differentiated into osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipose cell.

Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from the Fruits of Jambolan ( (L.)) Using Alternative Solvents.

This work demonstrates the effectiveness of using alternative solvents to obtain jambolan extracts with a high content of bioactive compounds compared to conventional organic solvents, being the first study to evaluate the best ecological solvent alternative for (L.) Skeels. Five alternative solvents were used for extraction: water at 25 °C (W25), water at 50 °C (W50), water at 75 °C (W75), water with citric acid at 2.

Valorization of Taioba Products and By-Products: Focusing on Starch.

Unconventional food plants, popularized in Brazil as PANC, remain underutilized globally. In that sense, this study aims to explore the nutritional and functional properties of taioba (), a plant with edible leaves and tubers, and to investigate its potential for industrial-scale application as a source of starch. A systematic review was carried out and meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines was conducted based on a random effects synthesis of multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RRs).

Lipids from the purple and white açaí ( Mart) varieties: nutritional, functional, and physicochemical properties.

The Brazilian superfruit called Açaí or Assaí has gained interested from researcher and consumers worldwide, due to its health-related properties. In this context, this pioneering study aimed to compare the physicochemical, nutritional, and thermal properties of vegetable oils obtained from two varieties of açaí (), purple and white. Both açaí oils from white (WAO) and purple (PAO) varieties were obtained by using the conventional solid-liquid extraction, which resulted in oil yields ranging from 52 to 61%.

Insights from the EQUALS4COVID19 study on migrant mental health in Portugal: a cross-sectional mixed-methods approach.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and related disruptive consequences in the economic, health, and educational sectors have impacted people's lives, contributing to a context of increased economic and social vulnerability. The pandemic has revealed and accentuated social inequalities and discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin. This study aimed to contribute to the promotion of the mental health and well-being of migrant populations living in Portugal via the definition of an analytical framework and recommendations emerging from the EQUALS4COVID19 project.

Association of CD133, ALDH1, CD117 and OCT4 expression with prognosis of patients with cervical cancer.

Cancer stem cells (CSC), a small population of neoplastic cells, are associated with worse prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of ALDH1, CD117, CD133 and OCT4; potential markers of CSC; and their associations with the prognosis of women diagnosed with cervical cancer. This retrospective cohort study included 126 women diagnosed with cervical cancer whose biopsies were analyzed by immunohistochemistry.

Targeting Promastigotes and Amastigotes Forms through Amino Acids and Peptides: A Promising Therapeutic Strategy.

Millions of people worldwide are affected by leishmaniasis, caused by the parasite. Effective treatment is challenging due to the biological complexity of the parasite, drug toxicity, and increasing resistance to conventional drugs. To combat this disease, the development of specific strategies to target and selectively eliminate the parasite is crucial.