Metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease and biliary lithiasis in children with Down Syndrome: a retrospective study.

Objective: To investigate the presence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and gallbladder abnormalities in a sample of people with Down syndrome in Brazil.

Methods: This is a retrospective study using medical charts involving Down syndrome patients, diagnosed by karyotype, aged over 5 years, who underwent abdominal ultrasound and were monitored by the same professional in a clinic in Curitiba, Brazil. Data spanned January 1995 to September 2023; all cases with no use of alcohol or hepatotoxic medications.

Congenital toxoplasmosis in infants from chronically infected mothers: report of two cases.

Objective: To describe two severe cases of congenital toxoplasmosis in infants born to chronically infected mothers who did not receive education or information on the prevention of gestational toxoplasmosis during prenatal care.

Case Description: The mothers had a previous serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis conducted during prenatal care, with non-reactive (<10 IU/mL) IgM and reactive IgG (>10 IU/mL), and were considered "immune" to the infection. Both infants were born with sequelae of the congenital infection, including neurological and ocular alterations.

Association of the combination of corporal adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness with cardiometabolic risk factors in children - PREVOI Study.

Objective: To assess the association between the combination of corporal adiposity (CA) and cardiorespiratory physical fitness (CRF) with cardiometabolic risk factors in children aged 7-10 years.

Methods: Cross-sectional observational study with a sample of 251 children registered in Family Health Units. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, anthropometric, biochemical, blood pressure, and CRF data were collected.

Quality of life in patients with spinal muscular atrophy in Brazil: patient self-assessment and carer perception.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the perception of quality of life of patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and investigate whether there is a correlation between patients' perception and that of their carers.

Methods: Cross-sectional analytical observational study. In the first part, socioeconomic, demographic, clinical, and treatment information were collected from patients diagnosed with SMA, regardless of type, sex, or age.

AI enabled, mobile soil pH classification with colorimetric paper sensors for sustainable agriculture.

For optimizing production yield while limiting negative environmental impact, sustainable agriculture benefits from real-time, on-the-spot chemical analysis of soil at low cost. Colorimetric paper sensors are ideal candidates, however, their automated readout and analysis in the field is needed. Using mobile technology for paper sensor readout could, in principle, enable the application of machine-learning models for transforming colorimetric data into threshold-based classes that represent chemical concentration.

Life satisfaction around the world: Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups.

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used self-report measure of subjective well-being, but studies of its measurement invariance across a large number of nations remain limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset-with data collected between 2020 and 2022 -to assess measurement invariance of the SWLS across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). All participants completed the SWLS under largely uniform conditions.

An update on nanocarriers for follicular-targeted drug delivery for androgenetic alopecia topical treatment.

Introduction: Androgenic alopecia is a multifactorial disease with a high incidence and a great psychological burden on patients. The current FDA-approved treatment is topical minoxidil or oral finasteride. However, both present significant limitations.

External Validation of the Walter Index for Posthospitalization Mortality Prediction in Older Adults.

Importance: The Walter Index is a widely used prognostic tool for assessing 12-month mortality risk among hospitalized older adults. Developed in the US in 2001, its accuracy in contemporary non-US contexts is unclear.

Objective: To evaluate the external validity of the Walter Index in predicting posthospitalization mortality risk in Brazilian older adult inpatients.

Basal implants as a treatment alternative for severely resorbed ridges.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term treatment outcomes of basal implants in patients with severely resorbed ridges, including the survival and success rates, patient complaints, satisfaction, and Quality of Life.

Evidence Acquisition: An extensive electronic search was conducted on the search engines: PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using Boolean Operators (AND, OR, NOT) and the key words (basal implants, Corticobasal implants, Strategic Implants, severely resorbed ridge, severely atrophic ridge, treatment outcome, patient satisfaction) within the last 10 years.

Evidence Synthesis: A total of 21 articles were found, encompassing 9732 basal implants placed in 1219 patients.

[Prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of cytomegalovirus (Orthoherpesviridae: ) genetic variants from children and immunocompromised patients in central Russia].

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a DNA-containing virus that is widespread worldwide and is of great importance in infectious pathology of children and adults. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of CMV among children and immunocompromised patients in the Nizhny Novgorod region (central Russia) and to perform a phylogenetic analysis of the identified strains.

Materials And Methods: DNA samples of CMV detected in frequently ill children and adult recipients of solid organs were studied.

Curcumin-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the deadliest cancer among women and its treatment using traditional methods leads the patient to experience adverse effects. However, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive therapy modality that works through a photosensitizing agent, which treating activated by a suitable light source, releases reactive oxygen species capable of treating cancer. Furthermore, recent research indicates that combining PDT and nanoparticles can enhance therapeutic effects.

Perception of Quality of Life by Primary Caregivers of Children with Congenital Zika Syndrome: a Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of caregivers of children diagnosed with CZS and to assess the association of findings with socioeconomic and CZS-associated variables.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional, quantitative study, carried out over three days of multidisciplinary care for patients with CZS. Sixty-four participants underwent a quality of life assessment using the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) in Portuguese.

Advances in fungal sugar transporters: unlocking the potential of second-generation bioethanol production.

Second-generation (2G) bioethanol production, derived from lignocellulosic biomass, has emerged as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels by addressing growing energy demands and environmental concerns. Fungal sugar transporters (STs) play a critical role in this process, enabling the uptake of monosaccharides such as glucose and xylose, which are released during the enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass. This mini-review explores recent advances in the structural and functional characterization of STs in filamentous fungi and yeasts, highlighting their roles in processes such as cellulase induction, carbon catabolite repression, and sugar signaling pathways.

Ravulizumab demonstrates long-term efficacy, safety and favorable patient survival in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Ravulizumab is a second-generation complement component 5 (C5) inhibitor (C5i) approved for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) following positive results from two pivotal trials in patients with PNH originally naive to C5i treatment and eculizumab-experienced patients with PNH. In both trials, after the 26week primary evaluation period, all patients received ravulizumab for up to 6 years. To report ravulizumab treatment outcomes in patients with PNH originally naive to C5i treatment and eculizumab-experienced patients with PNH treated for up to 6 years.

Evaluation of the effect of 2-borneol on the model through oxidative stress and acute toxicity tests.

Borneol, a compound found in resin-rich plants, is known for its aromatic and therapeutic properties. Widely used in countries, such as China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, borneol has also demonstrated efficacy in nanodrug administration. The primary objective of this study is to understand how borneol induces oxidative stress, its impact on the attraction and repulsion of , and its acute toxicity.

Incidence of chronic pelvic pain after childbirth and its causal association with C-section.

This study aimed to report the incidence of chronic pelvic pain in women 12 to 24 months postpartum, to identify the independently associated factors, and to conduct a causal inference with C-section as the exposure. This was a cross-sectional study nested within 2 distinct prospective cohorts from 2 Brazilian cities. Chronic pelvic pain was the dependent variable.

Hospitalization and mortality in children due to COVID-19. A retrospective study from Brazil.

Background: Background: COVID-19 is currently one of the most important medical challenges as it affects the entire population, with children being infected as easily as adults.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of mortality in under 19-year-old individuals compared to that of adults.

Methods: This retrospective, observational study analyzed the medical records of all patients diagnosed with COVID-19 by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) who were hospitalized at Hospital de Base and the Infant and Maternal Hospital of São Jose do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil.

Distribution and role of peripheral arterial chemoreceptors in cardio-respiratory control of the south american rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus).

Peripheral arterial chemoreceptors monitor the levels of arterial blood gases and adjust ventilation and perfusion to meet metabolic demands. These chemoreceptors are present in all vertebrates studied to date but have not been described fully in reptiles other than turtles. The goals of this study were to 1) identify functional chemosensory areas in the South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus) 2) determine the neurochemical content of putative chemosensory cells in these areas and 3) determine the role each area plays in ventilatory and cardiovascular control.

Microgap Formation in Conical Implant-Abutment Connections Under Oblique Loading: Influence of Cone Angle Mismatch Through Finite Element Analysis.

Objectives: This study evaluated different designs of the conical implant-abutment connection (IAC) and their resistance to microgap formation under oblique loads as specified by the ISO standard for testing dental implants. Also evaluated was the effect of deviations from the ISO specifications on the outcomes.

Methods: Finite element analysis was conducted to compare the microgap formation and stress distribution among three conical IAC designs (A, B, and C) in two loading configurations: one compliant with ISO 14801 and one with a modified load adaptor (non-ISO).

The multifaceted role of XCL1 in health and disease.

The chemokine XC motif chemokine ligand 1 (XCL1) is an unusually specialized member of a conserved family of around 50 small, secreted proteins that are best known for their ability to stimulate the directional migration of cells. All chemokines adopt a very similar folded structure that binds a specific G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), and most chemokines bind extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycans, often in a dimeric or oligomeric form. Owing in part to the lack of a disulfide bond that is conserved in all other chemokines, XCL1 interconverts between two distinct structures with distinct functions.

Impacts of hnRNP A1 Splicing Inhibition on the Brain Remyelination Proteome.

Oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells in the central nervous system, are implicated in several neurological disorders marked by dysfunctional RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). The present study aimed at investigating the role of hnRNP A1 in the proteome of the corpus callosum, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus of a murine cuprizone-induced demyelination model. Right after the cuprizone insult, we administered an hnRNP A1 splicing activity inhibitor and analyzed its impact on brain remyelination by nanoESI-LC-MS/MS label-free proteomic analysis to assess the biological processes affected in these brain regions.

Intimate Partner Violence Among LGBTQ+ Adults in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

We present the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature on intimate partner violence (IPV) among LGBTQ+ adults in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Of 1,234 articles, 22 met inclusion criteria, and data were extracted for 4 key research areas: prevalence, measurement, risk and protective factors, and interventions. LGBTQ+ adults in LAC experience IPV at similar or higher rates than those documented among cisgender heterosexuals, with estimates ranging from 0.

Optimizing oil-water separation using fractal surfaces.

Oil has become a prevalent global pollutant, stimulating the research to improve the techniques to separate oil from water. Materials with special wetting properties-primarily those that repel water while attracting oil-have been proposed as suitable candidates for this task. However, one limitation in developing efficient substrates is the limited available volume for oil absorption.