Do routine antibiotics change the myelomeningocele infection rate? A case series.

Background: Myelomeningocele (MMC) is the most common type of congenital spinal malformation, typically requiring surgical intervention. While prenatal repair is increasingly favored, postnatal repair remains the standard in many settings. This study aims to evaluate the antibiotics prescribed to neonates with MMC and their correlation with central nervous system (CNS) infection rates following postnatal surgical repair.

In vitro evaluation of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy with photosensitizers and calcium hydroxide on bond strength, chemical composition, and sealing of glass-fiber posts to root dentin.

Investigate the impact of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) using different photosensitizers (PSs) such as indocyanine green (IG), curcumin (CC), and methylene blue (MB), with or without intracanal application of calcium hydroxide (CH), on the push-out bond strength of glass-fiber posts (GFPs) to intraradicular dentin, the chemical composition of the root substrate, and the sealing of the adhesive interface across different thirds of intraradicular dentin. A total of 112 bovine teeth underwent biomechanical preparation and were divided into eight experimental groups (n = 14 each): Negative control with deionized water; positive control with deionized water + CH; IG group with indocyanine green and infrared laser; IG + CH group; CC group with curcumin and blue LED; CC + CH group; MB group with methylene blue and red laser; and MB + CH group. The push-out bond strength was measured using a universal testing machine (n = 8), and scanning electron microscopy characterized the fracture patterns.

Electrochemical capacitance-based aptasensor for HER2 detection.

The overexpression of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) protein is specifically related to tumor cell proliferation in breast cancers. Its presence in biological serum samples indicates presence or progression of cancer, becoming a promise biomarker. However, their detection needs a simple and high accuracy platform.

Oxytetracycline and Florfenicol Association Affects Zebrafish Larvae Behavioral Repertoire.

Oxytetracycline (OTC) and Florfenicol (FF) are prevalent antibiotics choices in both fish production and livestock farming. A comprehensive understanding of their effects is paramount for effective control of their use and for elucidating their physiological and pharmacological implications. In our investigation, zebrafish larvae were subjected to varying concentrations of OTC, FF or a combination of OTC + FF during 96 h.

Applicability of tooth cementum thickness as an age marker: systematic review and meta-analysis.

The age estimation by tooth cementum thickness is a method that has been discussed regarding its applicability. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review on the use of tooth cementum thickness as a biomarker for age estimation in adults, as well as a meta-analysis to assess the method's reliability. The search was conducted on Embase, LILACS, PubMed/MEDLINE, SciELO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases.

Effectiveness and safety of the use of sodium nitrite in patients with hypertension and pulmonary hypertension: a scoping review.

Evidence suggests that sodium nitrite may be effective in the treatment of hypertension and pulmonary hypertension. However, its use remains debated due to safety concerns. In response, a scoping review was conducted to map current knowledge on the efficacy and safety of sodium nitrite in patients with hypertension or pulmonary hypertension, addressing the question: What evidence supports the effectiveness and safety of using sodium nitrite in these patients? The databases MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS were searched for clinical studies on hypertensive patients at any disease stage without restrictions on age, sex, ethnicity, publication date, or status.

LAPS SA: Measuring Attachment to Dogs and Cats Among South American Countries.

Human biological and cultural evolution is tied to the relationships established with other animals. Attachment is one of the mechanisms established between dogs/cats and humans and allows the generation of affective bonds and close proximity. Many instruments have been used to study attachment of people to their dogs/cats, such as the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS).

Machine Learning Interatomic Potential for Modeling the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Naphthyl-Based Nanotubes.

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials are at the forefront of potential technological advancements. Carbon-based materials have been extensively studied since synthesizing graphene, which revealed properties of great interest for novel applications across diverse scientific and technological domains. New carbon allotropes continue to be explored theoretically, with several successful synthesis processes for carbon-based materials recently achieved.

Deep Learning Superresolution for Simultaneous Multislice Parallel Imaging-Accelerated Knee MRI Using Arthroscopy Validation.

Background Deep learning (DL) methods can improve accelerated MRI but require validation against an independent reference standard to ensure robustness and accuracy. Purpose To validate the diagnostic performance of twofold-simultaneous-multislice (SMSx2) twofold-parallel-imaging (PIx2)-accelerated DL superresolution MRI in the knee against conventional SMSx2-PIx2-accelerated MRI using arthroscopy as the reference standard. Materials and Methods Adults with painful knee conditions were prospectively enrolled from December 2021 to October 2022.

A variant W chromosome in Centromochlus heckelii (Siluriformes, Auchenipteridae) and the role of repeated DNA in its heteromorphism.

Centromochlus heckelii has the lowest diploid chromosome number (2n = 46) and the only described heteromorphic sex chromosome system in Auchenipteridae. This study presents a population of C. heckelii from the Central Amazon basin with subtle variations in the karyotype composition and a variant W chromosome with distinct morphology and increased C-positive heterochromatin content.

The endometrioma paradox.

Endometriosis is a chronic disease that affects around 10% of reproductive age women worldwide and a common cause of infertility. One of its manifestations is ovarian endometriomas, which are present in 17-44% of endometriosis patients. Endometriomas can impair fertility by mechanical stretching and local inflammation, promoting oxidative stress in the surrounding ovarian cortex that could lead to apoptosis and necrosis of early follicles.

A Probabilistic View of Forbidden Links: Their Prevalence and Their Consequences for the Robustness of Plant-Hummingbird Communities.

The presence in ecological communities of unfeasible species interactions, termed forbidden links, due to physiological or morphological exploitation barriers has been long debated, but little direct evidence has been found. Forbidden links are likely to make ecological communities less robust to species extinctions, stressing the need to assess their prevalence. Here, we used a dataset of plant-hummingbird interactions, coupled with a Bayesian hierarchical model, to assess the importance of exploitation barriers in determining species interactions.

Resonances in Low-Energy Electron Collisions with Salicylic Acid.

In this work, we report elastic integral, differential, and momentum-transfer cross sections for the scattering of low-energy electrons by salicylic acid. The cross sections were calculated with the Schwinger multichannel method implemented with norm-conserving pseudopotential within the static-exchange and static-exchange plus polarization (SEP) approximations for energies up to 15 eV. In the SEP approximation, four π* resonances were found at around 0.

Risk Factors for Viral Coinfections in Blood Donors in Bahia, Brazil.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Human T Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) coinfection may lead to disease progression or worsen its clinical presentation. Viral coinfections screening during blood donation is critical. To identify risk factors for coinfection among blood donors, we assessed the blood donations at the Fundação de Hematologia e Hemoterapia da Bahia, from 2008 to 2017.

Measurement of multidifferential cross sections for dijet production in proton-proton collisions at .

A measurement of the dijet production cross section is reported based on proton-proton collision data collected in 2016 at by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of up to 36.3 . Jets are reconstructed with the anti- algorithm for distance parameters of and 0.

Hydrocortisone Attenuates the Development of Malformations of the Polymicrogyria Spectrum.

Most of the malformations of the polymicrogyria spectrum are caused by destructive lesions of the neocortex during the third trimester of pregnancy, triggered by hypoxic-ischemic, hemorrhagic or infectious events, with neuroinflammation as a common pathophysiological mechanism. Our study investigated hydrocortisone treatment in attenuating inflammation, malformations development and seizures predisposition in mice subjected to neonatal transcranial freeze lesion. Our results show attenuation of malformation and predisposition to febrile seizures, with concomitant reduction of macrophages/microglia after neonatal freeze lesion, polarizing them towards an anti-inflammatory profile.

A novel artificial intelligence-powered tool for automated root canal segmentation in single-rooted teeth on cone-beam computed tomography.

Aim: To develop and validate an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool based on convolutional neural network (CNN) for automatic segmentation of root canals in single-rooted teeth using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methodology: A total of 69 CBCT scans were retrospectively recruited from a hospital database and acquired from two devices with varying protocols. These scans were randomly assigned to the training (n = 31, 88 teeth), validation (n = 8, 15 teeth) and testing (n = 30, 120 teeth) sets.

Solid-State Precipitation of Silver Nanoparticles Nucleated during Al Anodizing: Mechanism and Antibacterial Properties.

This study presents an innovative approach to creating antibacterial aluminum surfaces by combining the antibacterial properties of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with the nanoarchitecture of anodized aluminum oxide in one step. An Al-Ag alloy containing 10 wt % Ag was synthesized and anodized in 0.3 M oxalic acid.

Mammary Gland Reactive Stroma Characterization at Aging After Bisphenol A Exposure During Hormonal Susceptibility Windows.

Mammary glands development is influenced by endocrine signaling, which remodels epithelial and stromal compartments. Reactive stroma phenotype is observed when stromal disturbances occur, leading to changes in extracellular matrix composition and occurrence of reactive cell types. One of the triggers of these alterations is endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure, such as bisphenol A (BPA).

Evaluating the accuracy of impaired skin integrity in critically ill patients: Key characteristics and clinical implications.

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of the defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis Impaired skin integrity (00046) in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs).

Methods: A cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study was conducted with 105 adult patients admitted to an ICU. A latent class model with random effects was used to test the sensitivity and specificity of the defining characteristics investigated.

Trends and Factors Associated With Central Obesity in Schoolchildren in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil: Cross Sectional Panel Study From 2002 to 2019.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the trend and factors associated with central obesity in four cross-sectional panels in schoolchildren aged 7-14 years between 2002 and 2019.

Methods: Waist circumference data were used to assess central obesity, and independent variables were gender, age, school shift (morning and afternoon), commuting to school method, mother's schooling, and family income. The chi-square test was used to assess the association between outcome and independent variables, and binary logistic regression was used to assess the predictors of central obesity and the effect size by odds ratio.

Re-evaluating evidence for giant genomes in amoebae.

Here we reassess available evidence for the long-held misconception of amoebae possessing exceptionally large genomes. Traditionally, estimates relied on inaccurate methods like DNA weight measurements, leading to inflated sizes. These methods failed to account for contaminating DNA from prey, endosymbionts, and intrinsic genomic features like ribosomal operon amplification.

Effectiveness of intra-articular vancomycin in preventing prosthetic joint infections in hip and knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCT's.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of intra-articular vancomycin powder in reducing prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) in primary hip and knee arthroplasty through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods: A research in Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane databases was performed to identify randomized clinical trials comparing intra-articular vancomycin use to conventional antibiotic prophylaxis in total hip or knee arthroplasty patients, assessing postoperative infection rates, adverse drug reactions, and venous thrombotic events. Statistical analysis was performed using R (RStudio 2024.