Gastric partitioning versus gastrojejunostomy for gastric outlet obstruction due to unresectable gastric cancer: randomized clinical trial.

Background: Gastric outlet obstruction due to unresectable tumours is usually managed with a gastrojejunostomy. Unfortunately, the unsatisfactory outcomes of this procedure have led to the search for alternatives, including gastric partitioning.

Methods: Monocentric, randomized, parallel, open-label trial that included patients with obstructive, unresectable distal gastric tumours.

Pharmacokinetic characterization and exposure-response relationship of crovalimab in the COMMODORE 1, 2 and 3 and COMPOSER trials of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria.

Aims: Crovalimab is a novel C5 inhibitor administered first intravenously and then subcutaneously in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) naive to complement inhibition or switching from eculizumab or ravulizumab. Crovalimab showed efficacy and safety comparable to eculizumab in the pivotal COMMODORE 2 and supporting studies.

Methods: We characterized crovalimab pharmacokinetics and the relationship between exposure pharmacokinetic parameters and pharmacodynamic biomarkers, efficacy and safety endpoints using pooled data (healthy volunteers [n = 9], naive [n = 210] and switched [n = 211] patients).

Effects of Cholesterol on the Breast Cancer Resistance Protein: Studies through the Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Chemical Tools.

The breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) plays a major role in the multidrug resistance of cancers toward chemotherapeutic treatments. It was demonstrated that cholesterol regulates the ABCG2 activity, suggesting that lower levels of membrane cholesterol decrease the ABCG2 activity in mammalian cells. However, the precise mechanism remains unclear.

Phylogenetic and structural characterization of Kentomonas inusitatus n. sp.: Unique insect trypanosomatid of the Strigomonadinae subfamily naturally lacking bacterial endosymbiont.

All insect trypanosomatids of the subfamily Strigomonadinae harbor a proteobacterial symbiont in their cytoplasm and unique ultrastructural cell organization. Here, we report an unexpected finding within the Strigomonadinae subfamily: the identification of a new species lacking bacterial symbiont, represented by two isolates obtained from Calliphoridae flies in Brazil and Uganda. This species is hereby designated as Kentomonas inusitatus n.

Nerve repair with polylactic acid and inosine treatment enhance regeneration and improve functional recovery after sciatic nerve transection.

Background: Following transection, nerve repair using the polylactic acid (PLA) conduit is an effective option. In addition, inosine treatment has shown potential to promote nerve regeneration. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the regenerative potential of inosine after nerve transection and polylactic acid conduit repair.

Geographic accessibility to hospital childbirths in Brazil (2010-2011 and 2018-2019): a cross-sectional study.

Background: Delays in obstetric care are associated with adverse maternal outcomes, while long-distance travel for delivery is associated with high neonatal mortality and increased maternal morbidity. Distance and travel time are key components of geographic accessibility to health services and important risk indicators for maternal and neonatal care. This study evaluated whether the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) has been geographically accessible in providing hospital childbirth services, over time.

Dapagliflozin for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in Brazil: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Background: Heart failure, a complex clinical syndrome with high morbidity and mortality, has become a significant burden on public health. Recently, a new class of antidiabetic agents-the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors-was associated with a significant reduction on mortality and hospitalization in HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) when added to standard pharmacological treatment. Considering the lack of data on its cost-effectiveness, the present study aims to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of add-on dapagliflozin treatment for HFrEF from the Brazilian public healthcare system perspective.

The impact of different exercise modalities on chronic kidney disease: an umbrella review of meta-analyses.

Introduction: Exercise is widely recognized for its benefits to chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. However, the specific impact of different exercise modalities on CKD-related outcomes remains unclear. This study sought to summarize the effects of different exercise modalities on the main outcomes impacted by CKD.

Applicability of a serodiagnostic line blot for idiopathic inflammatory myopathy: the muscle biopsy is not all.

Introduction: Differential diagnosis of rare idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) is mainly based on clinical aspects, muscle biopsy analysis, and auxiliary assays that determine myositis-specific and associated autoantibodies (MSA and MAA). While MSAs are considered specific for their respective IIM subclass, MAAs can be present in more than one subclass and in other conditions. This study compares results of a multispecific line blot assay with the final diagnosis of IIM patients based on clinical features and muscle biopsy to draw conclusions for the test's applicability in the diagnostic workflow.

Perceptions of swine euthanasia among Brazilian caretakers from non-integrated swine farms.

Timely and humane euthanasia is crucial for animal welfare on swine farms, yet challenges persist in its implementation, particularly in Brazil, where the responsibility often falls to caretakers lacking training. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of swine caretakers regarding euthanasia across non-integrated farms (ranging from 1,000 to 3,500 housed sows) and different experience levels (from less than a month to 40 years working with pigs). A total of 117 people directly working with pigs participated in a survey designed to evaluate their decision-making skills, euthanasia competencies, and understanding of Brazilian guidelines for euthanasia methods.

Physical fitness assessment tools for children with developmental coordination disorder and their feasibility for low-income settings: A systematic review.

Background: This study systematically reviewed the literature on physical fitness assessment tools for children with developmental coordination disorder compared with typically developing children aged 7 to 10 and analyzed the feasibility of these tools for use in low-income settings.

Methods: Searches were conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCO/RIC databases. The Newcastle - Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale assessed the methodological quality of the studies, and a checklist adapted from COSMIN assessed the feasibility of the instruments.

Ocular Biometry OCR: a machine learning algorithm leveraging optical character recognition to extract intra ocular lens biometry measurements.

Given close relationships between ocular structure and ophthalmic disease, ocular biometry measurements (including axial length, lens thickness, anterior chamber depth, and keratometry values) may be leveraged as features in the prediction of eye diseases. However, ocular biometry measurements are often stored as PDFs rather than as structured data in electronic health records. Thus, time-consuming and laborious manual data entry is required for using biometry data as a disease predictor.

Relationship between fundus of the eye examination and arterial stiffness.

This review addresses the correlation between arterial stiffness, measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV), and retinal microvascular changes, highlighting the retina as an important accessible window for inferences about cardiovascular health. Arterial stiffness, intrinsically linked to vascular aging and several comorbidities, results in damage to the microcirculation, including ocular vasculature, which can act as a predictor of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes. The review highlights the relationship between PWV assessment and funduscopic examination, with the aim of improving diagnostic accuracy and optimizing the clinical application of these tools in the management of cardiovascular and ophthalmological diseases, thus promoting more effective and early intervention.

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of a New (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) Species From a Singing Honeyeater ( Vieillot, 1817) (Passeriformes: Meliphagidae) in Western Australia.

We describe and characterize a new species from the Singing honeyeater () in Western Australia, both morphologically and molecularly. Microscopic analysis of a fecal sample identified 25 ellipsoidal oocysts, measuring 21-25 × 18-20 μm (mean 23.4 × 18.

Bayesian spatio-temporal modeling of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Brazil: A comparative analysis across pre-, during, and post-COVID-19 eras.

This paper presents an investigation into the spatio-temporal dynamics of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) across the diverse health regions of Brazil from 2016 to 2024. Leveraging extensive datasets that include SARS cases, climate data, hospitalization records, and COVID-19 vaccination information, our study employs a Bayesian spatio-temporal generalized linear model to capture the intricate dependencies inherent in the dataset. The analysis reveals significant variations in the incidence of SARS cases over time, particularly during and between the distinct eras of pre-COVID-19, during, and post-COVID-19.

Beyond sleep: Rest and activity rhythm as a marker of preclinical and mild dementia in older adults with less education.

Background: Although sleep duration and sleep-related breathing disorders were associated with dementia previously, few studies examined the association between circadian rhythm association and cognitive status.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the association of rest and activity rhythm with cognitive performance in older people with cognitive complaints and less education.

Methods: Activity rhythm was evaluated with wrist actigraphy in 109 community-dwelling older people with cognitive complaints without diagnosed dementia.

Insights into host-pathogen interaction based on the comparison of genomes of isolated from dogs, humans, and a rodent in the same epidemiological context: A one health approach.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic infectious disease that significantly impacts animal and public health. Comparative genomics can aid in understanding poorly understood aspects of leptospirosis pathogenesis, including infection mechanisms, antimicrobial resistance, and host interactions across different epidemiological scenarios. This study aimed to compare the genomes of serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae strains isolated from three host species in a single epidemiological scenario.

Governance of responsible research and innovation: A social welfare, psychologically grounded multicriteria decision analysis approach.

Our article deals with the governance of responsible research and innovation (RRI) and aims to set out a first psychologically grounded decision-theoretic method for the governance of RRI. We approach the governance of RRI as a multicriteria group decision analysis problem of delivering social welfare in an innovation ecosystem. Following such a methodological approach, we develop a psychologically grounded multicriteria group decision analysis method that integrates in its value function the main psychological effects captured in the value function of prospect theory as the main theory of individual decision-making under risk.

Preoperative management in octogenarian patients with rectal cancer.

Background: In recent years, the rise in average lifespan has been linked to an increase in the occurrence of diseases associated with aging worldwide. Rectal tumors often occur in elderly patients.

Methods: Between January and August 2024, 6 experts in colorectal cancer met to develop an algorithm to organize the interdisciplinary and multimodal preoperative approaches in the octogenarian population with rectal cancer.

Dysplasia and Colorectal Cancer Surveillance in Ulcerative Colitis Patients in Latin America: Real-World Data.

Background: The prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is higher than in the general population, in Latin America there is a progressive increase of UC, and information about CRC screening in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is scarce. The aim of this study was to analyze the findings of endoscopic surveillance of CRC in patients with IBD according to available technology.

Methods: Multicenter, cross-sectional, analytical study conducted in Latin American countries, in patients with UC, predominantly with more than 8 years of diagnosis and different degrees of disease activity.

3D printing pen for patterning electrochemical sensors on a paper platform for capsaicin detection.

The development of a print-at-home, low-cost, and miniaturized paper-based cell with 3D-printed electrodes using a 3D-printing pen and a bespoke conductive filament for detecting capsaicin in hot sauce is reported herein. The material cost of producing each electrode was less than £0.01.

The effects of warming on loggerhead turtle nesting counts.

Global trends in marine turtle nesting numbers vary by region, influenced by environmental or anthropogenic factors. Our study investigates the potential role of past temperature fluctuations on these trends, particularly whether warmer beaches are linked to increased nesting due to higher female production (since sea turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination). We selected the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) due to its wide distribution, strong philopatry and vulnerability to environmental changes.

Comparison of Sphenoid Sinus Morphology in Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate and Control Groups: A CBCT Study.

Objective: To investigate and compare the morphology of the sphenoid sinus (SS) in patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) and the control group.

Design: A retrospective comparative study.

Setting: Craniofacial rehabilitation institution.