Long-Term Outcomes of Childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Treated with Adapted Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster (BFM) Protocols: A Multicentric Analysis from a Developing Country.

Introduction: The objective of the current study was to determine the survival probabilities of children and adolescents with acute lymphocytic leukemia treated with adapted Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster (BFM) protocols and compare our results with the original BFM reports.

Methods: This retrospective study included 695 patients up to 19 years old treated with adapted BFM protocols between 1997 and 2018 in four hospitals in Rio de Janeiro. The 1997-2007 and 2008-2018 cohorts were analyzed separately.

Ketamine in Chronic Pain: A Review.

Ketamine has been used in the treatment of several pain syndromes, particularly those with a relevant neuropathic component. Sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine produce a potent analgesic effect, due to its inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and enhancement of descending inhibitory pathways. Its short-term analgesic effect is well-documented perioperatively, with an associated reduction in postoperative chronic pain and opioid consumption.

Effect of oral contraceptive use on weight loss and body composition following low-calorie diet intervention.

Background: Energy restriction promoted by hypocaloric diets is one of the most studied interventions to achieve weight loss. However, there are many factors which may influence the weight loss process. Hormonal contraception is an important factor to be investigated.

Incidence and characteristics of transient St-segment elevation during transseptal puncture.

Purpose: Delineate retrospectively and prospectively the incidence and characteristics of transient ST-segment elevation during transseptal puncture.

Methods: The study retrospectively evaluated 307 patients from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2017, and prospectively evaluated 231 patients from January 1, 2018, to July 31, 2019.

Results: The presence of ST-segment elevation was significantly higher in the prospective sample than in the retrospective sample (5.

Neoadjuvant Phase II Trial of Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Resectable and Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a largely incurable cancer. Surgical resection remains the only potential option for cure. Even in surgically resectable patients, only about 10% to 20% are long-term survivors.

Myelodysplastic syndrome without ring sideroblasts and with Janus kinase 2 gene mutation: An unusual case report.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) cases comprise a heterogeneous group of hematological disorders that are characterized by impaired hematopoiesis, with cytopenias of different grades and risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia. MDS may rarely be associated with thrombocytosis. In such cases, myelodysplasia and myeloproliferative disorders may overlap, making correct diagnosis difficult.

Mercury species, selenium, metallothioneins and glutathione in two dolphins from the southeastern Brazilian coast: Mercury detoxification and physiological differences in diving capacity.

In the present study, the concentration of trace elements, total mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) and mercury forms (MeHg, Hginorg and HgSe) in the vulnerable coastal dolphins Pontoporia blainvillei and Sotalia guianensis were appraised and compared, using metallothioneins (MT) and glutathione (GSH) as biomarkers for trace element exposure. The trace element concentrations varied between muscle and liver tissues, with liver of all dolphin specimens showing higher Hg and Se concentrations than those found in muscle. Hg, MeHg and Hginorg molar concentrations showed a clear increase with Se molar concentrations in the liver of both dolphins, and Se concentrations were higher than those of Hg on a molar basis.

Mercury and selenium in seston, marine plankton and fish (Sardinella brasiliensis) as a tool for understanding a tropical food web.

Mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) concentrations were evaluated in a planktivorous fish and four size classes of organisms (FSCO), collected at an oligotrophic bay in the Southeastern Brazilian coast. No significant spatial differences between Hg and Se were found in the FSCO within the five sampling points in the bay. Hg and Se concentrations increased with successive increases in the size class of the analyzed plankton, i.

Trace-elements, methylmercury and metallothionein levels in Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) found stranded on the Southern Brazilian coast.

Magellanic penguins have been reported as good biomonitors for several types of pollutants, including trace-elements. In this context, selenium (Se), total mercury, methylmercury, inorganic mercury (Hg(inorg)), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), as well as metallothionein (MT) levels, were evaluated in the feathers, liver and kidney of juvenile Magellanic penguins found stranded along the coast of Southern Brazil. The highest concentrations of all trace-elements and methylmercury were found in internal organs.

Assessment of trace elements, POPs, (210)Po and stable isotopes ((15)N and (13)C) in a rare filter-feeding shark: The megamouth.

With less than 60 records being reported worldwide, the megamouth (Megachasma pelagios) is today one of the least known shark species inhabiting our oceans. Therefore, information concerning the biology and ecology of this enigmatic organism is very scarce and limited to feeding behaviour and preferred habitat. The present work reports new data on the concentrations of trace elements, organic mercury, POPs and (210)Po in hepatic and muscular tissues of a specimen found stranded in the southeastern coast of Brazil.

The positive is inside the negative: HER2-negative tumors can express the HER2 intracellular domain and present a HER2-positive phenotype.

Overexpression of human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a poor prognostic factor in breast cancer. HER2 is a transmembrane receptor comprising an extracellular domain (ECD), a single transmembrane domain, and an intracellular domain (ICD) with tyrosine-kinase activity. Receptor dimerization triggers pivotal effector pathways in cancer, such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling.

Sex-based effects on immune changes induced by a maximal incremental exercise test in well-trained swimmers.

Studies examining the immune response to acute intensive swimming have shown increased leukocytosis and lymphocyte populations. However, studies concerning mucosal immunity and sex differences remain controversial. The objective of the study was to examine sex differences on the immune response to maximal incremental swimming exercise in well trained swimmers.

Bevacizumab reduces neurocan content and gene expression in newborn rat retina in vitro.

Purpose: Extracellular matrix (ECM) and cellular membrane proteoglycans (PGs) play important roles in neural differentiation and cell adhesion. Vascular endothelial growth factor, an important signal protein in vascular and retinal neural cell development, is retained in the ECM due to its high affinity for PG. Bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF agent, has been extensively used for treating retinal diseases in adult and newborn patients, although its effect on the developing retina remains largely unknown.

Metal, metallothionein and glutathione levels in blue crab (Callinectes sp.) specimens from southeastern Brazil.

Metal concentrations (Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd) were determined in muscle, gills, soft tissues and eggs in male, non-ovigerous and ovigerous female Callinectes sp. specimens from a reference site in Southeastern Brazil. Metallothionein (MT) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were also determined.

Differences in methylmercury and inorganic mercury biomagnification in a tropical marine food web.

Methylmercury (MeHg), inorganic mercury (Hginorg) and their biomagnification factors (BMF) were evaluated along a non-degraded Brazilian bay food web. Highly significant differences (p < 0.0001) were found between MeHg and Hginorg concentrations among all organisms (microplankton, shrimp, fish and dolphin).

Mercury and selenium biomagnification in a Brazilian coastal food web using nitrogen stable isotope analysis: a case study in an area under the influence of the Paraiba do Sul River plume.

Mercury (Hg), selenium (Se) and nitrogen (δ(15)N) stable isotope were assessed in a tropical food web of Rio de Janeiro's north coast. Isotopic data on muscle suggest a difference related to this parameter along the food web; where top-predators (cetacean and voracious fish) displayed heavier δ(15)N over the entire food web. Both top-predators presented similar δ(15)N values.

Selenium and mercury in widely consumed seafood from South Atlantic Ocean.

The growing ingestion of predatory fish by humans has increased their exposure to toxic chemicals. Mercury (Hg) is an exogenous and harmful trace-element that accumulates in all marine organisms. Selenium (Se) is nutritionally important as a micronutrient, but is potentially harmful at intakes above 1mg per day.

Ecological and biological determinants of methylmercury accumulation in tropical coastal fish.

This research investigated whether environmental conditions, biological fish characteristics and anthropogenic impacts influenced mercury (Hg) assimilation into the muscle tissue of two fish species from two Brazilian bays, Ilha Grande Bay and Guanabara Bay. Fish and superficial water were collected in different periods. Hg was determined by CV-AAS.

Comparison of a shortened isosorbide dinitrate-potentiated head-up tilt testing with the conventional protocol: tolerance and diagnostic accuracy.

Background: The head-up tilt test (HUT) is widely used to investigate unexplained syncope; however, in clinical practice, it is long and sometimes not well tolerated.

Objectives: To compare the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and patients' tolerance of a conventional and shortened HUT.

Methods: Patients with a history of vasovagal syndrome (VVS) were randomized to a conventional HUT (group I) consisting of 20-minute passive tilt followed by 25 minutes after administration of sublingual isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), or a shortened HUT (group II) where ISDN was given immediately after tilt and observed for 25 minutes.

Mercury and selenium in a top-predator fish, Trichiurus lepturus (Linnaeus, 1758), from the tropical Brazilian Coast, Rio de Janeiro.

Muscular mercury and selenium were assessed in a voracious fish from three Brazilian coastal areas with different environmental conditions. Mercury was higher in specimens from Ilha Grande Bay (0.35 ± 0.

Specific heat of Gd₄Co₃.

The specific heat (C(T)) of Gd₄Co₃ was measured in the temperature range 2-300 K and its magnetic contribution (C(m)(T)) was determined using a new method that fits the electronic specific heat coefficient (γ) and the Debye temperature (θ(D)) by constraining the resulting magnetic entropy (S(m)(T)) to saturate at temperatures far above the Curie temperature (T(C)). C(m)(T) exhibits a low-temperature bump originating from thermal excitation of gapped spin waves, which is responsible for pronounced peaks, at ≈35 K, in both C(m)/T and the temperature derivative of the magnetic contribution to electrical resistivity (dρ(m)/dT). Apart from in the vicinity of T(C), an excellent global correlation was found between C(m)/T and dρ(m)/dT.

Inorganic and methylmercury: do they transfer along a tropical coastal food web?

Methylmercury (MeHg) and inorganic mercury (Hg(inorg)) were evaluated in the water of a Brazilian estuary, with two size classes of plankton and seven fish species of different feeding habits. Water partition coefficients (PCs) in microplankton were fourfold higher for MeHg than for Hg(inorg); and water PCs in mesoplankton were 26 times higher for MeHg than Hg(inorg). Difference between microplankton and mesoplankton MeHg bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was higher (0.

[Oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation: from guidelines to bedside].

Objective: Although oral anticoagulation has proved beneficial for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and embolic risk factors, it is still underused. The objective of this study was to evaluate the adequacy of anticoagulation therapy in patients with AF followed in a private clinic specialized in cardiology, in accordance with the American and European societies of cardiology guidelines/2006 and with the Brazilian Guidelines/2003.

Methods: Between November 2005 and August 2006, we evaluated 7,486 electrocardiograms and selected 53 patients with AF and complete chart records.

Electronic band effects on the spin disorder resistivity of Gd(4)(Co(1-x)Cu(x))(3) compounds.

We present a study of the spin disorder resistivity ([Formula: see text]) and the electronic specific heat coefficient (γ) in Gd(4)(Co(1-x)Cu(x))(3) compounds, with x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.