Vitamin D deficiency in a pediatric population with sickle cell disease.

Pediatric patients with sickle cell disease and vitamin D deficiency have worse clinical and laboratory outcomes. This study aims to quantify the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in this population and identify possible risk factors for hypovitaminosis D by performing a cross-sectional study with children aged 3-18 years old with sickle cell disease. Sixty patients were evaluated, with a mean age of 10.

Proposals for the Implementation of a Multidimensional Platform That Allows the Advancement of Oncology Nursing in the Latin American Environment (The INCREASE Proposal).

Purpose: Cancer constitutes a significant global health challenge, with projections indicating a continued increase in its prevalence in the foreseeable future. This trend is particularly pronounced in Latin America (LATAM), where the cancer burden has increased substantially over the coming decades. Concurrently, nursing, which represents the largest segment of the health care workforce globally, is important for addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by cancer care, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Assessment of Rare Cancers and Sarcoma Policy and Sarcoma Drug Approvals in Latin America: A Report From the LACOG Sarcoma Group.

Purpose: The availability of drugs and national public policies for patients with rare cancers, including sarcomas, varies in different parts of the world.

Methods: In this manuscript, we have conducted a comprehensive analysis to evaluate rare cancer policies in Latin American countries' national policy documents. Additionally, we have reviewed the approvals for sarcoma drugs in selected Latin American countries and compared them with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) approvals.

Familial Oculoauriculovertebral Spectrum: A Genomic Investigation of Autosomal Dominant Inheritance.

Objective: Oculoauriculovertebral spectrum (OAVS) encompasses abnormalities on derivatives from the first and second pharyngeal arches including macrostomia, hemifacial microsomia, micrognathia, preauricular tags, ocular, and vertebral anomalies. We present genetic findings on a 3-generation family affected with macrostomia, preauricular tags and ptosis following an autosomal dominant pattern.

Design: We generated whole-genome sequencing data for the proband, affected father, and unaffected paternal grandmother followed by Sanger sequencing on 23 family members for the top candidate gene mutations.

KRT20-/SATB2+/MCPyV+ Sinonasal Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A Detailed Immunohistochemical and In Situ Hybridization Study.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon aggressive neoplasm, usually arising in sun-exposed skin of the head and neck. By immunohistochemistry, KRT20 and MCPyV positivity are found in about 90% and 80% of MCCs, respectively. Noteworthy, viral status in lip/oral cavity MCCs is poorly known.

Rhamnogalacturonan promotes intestinal mucosal repair through increased cell migration.

Mucosal healing is the primary goal for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) treatment. We previously showed the direct beneficial effects of rhamnogalacturonan (RGal) on intestinal epithelial barrier function. Here, we aimed to evaluate the effect of RGal in intestinal epithelial wound healing.

Advancements and Prospects in Nanorobotic Applications for Ophthalmic Therapy.

This study provides a bibliometric and bibliographic review of emerging applications of micro- and nanotechnology in treating ocular diseases, with a primary focus on glaucoma. We aim to identify key research trends and analyze advancements in devices and drug delivery systems for ocular treatments. The methodology involved analyzing 385 documents indexed on the Web of Science using tools such as VOSviewer and Bibliometrix.

Whole-Cell Thermal Sensor for the Detection of -Infected Erythrocytes: Imprinted Polymers as Synthetic Receptors for the Detection of Malaria.

Malaria is a major public healthcare concern worldwide, representing a leading cause of death in specific regions. The gold standard for diagnosis is microscopic analysis, but this requires a laboratory setting, trained staff, and infrastructure and is therefore typically slow and dependent on the experience of the technician. This study introduces, for the first time, a biomimetic sensing platform for the direct detection of the disease.

Middle ear ventilation tubes and water precautions: A survey of otolaryngologists and pediatricians on their recommendations.

Introduction. Middle-ear ventilation tubes are commonly placed in pediatric patients because of the high frequency of otitis media. Although avoidance of water activity has been recommended to prevent otorrhea, studies indicate that exposure to water does not increase these episodes.

Failure to thrive: A proposed diagnostic approach.

Failure to thrive is a general term describing infants who do not reach weight, length, or body mass index expected for their age. It can be related often to malnutrition due to inadequate caloric and protein intake, but also to excessive loss of nutrients, inadequate metabolism, inadequate absorption, or excessive caloric and energy expenditure. It may be either organic or inorganic in origin, and in most cases, does not require investigation through complementary examinations.

ESMO Global Consortium Study on the availability, out-of-pocket costs, and accessibility of cancer medicines: 2023 update.

Background: The availability and affordability of safe, effective cancer therapies are core requirements for effective cancer control. Global disparities exist in access, however, yielding unequal cancer outcomes. The goal of this study was to provide updated data regarding the formulary availability, out-of-pocket costs, and accessibility of cancer medicines in countries across the full spectrum of economic development areas.

Impact of orthognathic surgery on the cheek area using the Barcelona line.

A facial appearance of premature aging due to poor bone support of the soft tissues is frequently found in patients with midface hypoplasia. This study was performed to evaluate the changes in the soft tissues of the cheek area in patients subjected to bimaxillary orthognathic surgery. The cheek line angle and length of 27 consecutive patients who underwent bimaxillary surgery, were measured on cone beam computed tomography scans obtained before surgery and at 1 and 12 months after surgery using 3D software.

Urinary biomarkers of preeclampsia: An update.

Preeclampsia (PE), a pregnancy-related syndrome, has motivated extensive research to understand its pathophysiology and develop early diagnostic methods. 'Omic' technologies, focusing on genes, mRNA, proteins, and metabolites, have revolutionized biological system studies. Urine emerges as an ideal non-invasive specimen for omics analysis, offering accessibility, easy collection, and stability, making it valuable for identifying biomarkers.

Development of chitosan-based films with invertase enzyme for active packaging: Physicochemical parameters, structure, application, and storage.

The use of active packaging made from biodegradable polymers can contribute to the environment and to the food industry by increasing the shelf life of their products. This study aimed to produce chitosan-based films incorporated with the invertase enzyme (1, 2, 5, 9, and 10 %) as an alternative to avoid sucrose crystallization in the confectionery industry. The optimum activity of the invertase enzyme was observed at 55 °C and pH 5, thus, the films made with the film-forming solution adjusted to pH 5 and dried at 55 °C were compared with those without pH adjustment and dried at room temperature.

Surface coating nanoarchitectonics for optimizing cytocompatibility and antimicrobial activity: The impact of hyaluronic acid positioning as the outermost layer.

Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) based on hyaluronic acid (HA) and poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) were deposited on oxidized polystyrene (PS) via the layer-by-layer (LbL) method. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the PEM deposition on PS, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated that the surface roughness of PS also increased after PEM deposition. The PEMs significantly enhanced PS wettability, reducing the contact angle from 73° on PS to 24° on PDDA-terminated (PDDA/HA) PEM (2.

Cell wall polysaccharides from macauba pulp (Acrocomia aculeata L.): Fractionation and characterization of their chemical and rheological properties.

Macauba fruit pulp (Acrocomia aculeata) is an emerging oil source. After de-oiling, the macauba pulp meal (MPM) offers a dietary fiber content of 40-50 %, which mainly comprises cell wall polysaccharides (CWP). The present work aimed to assess the potential of MPM as an innovative source of sustainable food polysaccharides.

Biochemical study and digestion profile of olive oil by LipBK: Revealing the potential applications of a new acid/broad thermal range true lipase.

This study characterized a novel bacterial lipase with high biotechnological potential, focusing on industrial and environmental applications. Bacterial isolates were screened using olive oil as a substrate, and the strain with the highest hydrolytic halo was identified as Burkholderia sp. via 16S rRNA analysis.