Copy Number Variation in Asthma: An Integrative Review.

Asthma is a complex disease with varied clinical manifestations resulting from the interaction between environmental and genetic factors. While chronic airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness are central features, the etiology of asthma is multifaceted, leading to a diversity of phenotypes and endotypes. Although most research into the genetics of asthma focused on the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), studies highlight the importance of structural variations, such as copy number variations (CNVs), in the inheritance of complex characteristics, but their role has not yet been fully elucidated in asthma.

Acute effects of systemic acupuncture treatment on strength and power performance of male handball players - A double blinded randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the acute effects of a systemic acupuncture protocol on strength and power performance of male handball players.

Introduction: Regarding sports performance, different strategies have been used displaying different outcomes. In a more holistic approach, the use of manual therapies such as acupuncture has gained increased attention.

Exploring the reality of exosomes in dermatology.

Exosomes are extracellular nanovesicles secreted by several cells in the human and animal body. Consisting of a lipid membrane and encapsulated proteins, they contain biologically active substances such as proteins, DNA, RNA, transcription factors, and metabolites. Discovered in the 1980s, exosomes play an important role in cell-to-cell communication and immune function.

Relationship between blood pressure variability and blood pressure phenotypes: a home blood pressure monitoring study.

Objective: Home blood pressure (BP) variability (BPV) and BP phenotypes such as white-coat hypertension (WCH), white-coat uncontrolled hypertension (WUCH), masked hypertension (MH) and masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH) are predictors of adverse cardiovascular events. This study compared home BPV across BP phenotypes built from abnormal office BP (OBP) and home BP monitoring (HBPM) thresholds defined by three distinct societies [European Society of Hypertension (ESH): OBP ≥ 140/90 mmHg and HBPM ≥ 135/85 mmHg; American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA): OBP and HBPM ≥ 130/80 mmHg and Brazilian Society of Cardiology (BSC): OBP ≥ 140/90 mmHg and HBPM ≥ 130/80 mmHg].

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated 51 194 treated (37% men, age = 61 ± 15 years) and 56 100 untreated (41% men, age = 54 ± 16 years) individuals from 1045 Brazilian centers who underwent OBP and HBPM measurements.

Analysis of the efficacy of endovascular treatment with foam sclerotherapy for pelvic congestion syndrome with ultrasound assessment.

Background: Pelvic Congestion Syndrome is an important cause of pelvic pain in adult women, leading to reduced quality of life, absenteeism from work, anxiety, depression, and sexual disorders.

Objectives: To evaluate the response to endovascular treatment for pelvic varicose veins using foam sclerotherapy and outline the profile of patients with this diagnosis followed up at the Hospital das Clínicas Cassiano Antônio Moraes, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Brazil.

Methods: Based on review of medical records, this retrospective descriptive study analyzes the profile and response of patients undergoing endovascular treatment for pelvic varicose veins by foam sclerotherapy.

Impact of renal allograft histopathological findings on transplant patient outcomes and graft survival: A retrospective single-center study.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the reasons for kidney transplant dysfunction by analyzing allograft biopsy findings. We also compared clinical outcomes and graft survival rates in patients with and without de novo donor-specific antibodies (DSA).

Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included 79 patients who underwent kidney allograft biopsy.

Eight Year Follow-Up After Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy in a Brazilian Cohort: Weight Trajectory and Health Outcomes.

Introduction: Despite Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG) being the most commonly performed bariatric surgery today, studies with over 5 years of follow-up show that patients undergoing SG have inferior weight loss compared to those undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). The aim of this study was to examine differences in weight loss and the prevalence of weight regain between SG and RYGB up to 8 years after surgery.

Methods: Retrospective study including adult patients undergoing SG or RYGB between 2015 and 2018 at a tertiary center in Brazil.

Validation of the Portuguese MDS-UPDRS: Challenges to Obtain a Scale Applicable to Different Linguistic Cultures.

Background: The MDS-UPDRS has been available in English since 2008, showing satisfactory clinimetric results and being proposed as the new official benchmark scale for Parkinson's disease (PD), being cited as a core instrument for PD in the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Common Data Elements program. For this reason, the MDS created guidelines for development of MDS-UPDRS official, clinimetrically validated translations.

Objective: This study presents the formal process used to obtain the officially approved Portuguese version of the MDS-UPDRS.

The impact of age on outcomes after breast reduction surgery - A multi-institutional data analysis of 40,958 cases.

Background: Reduction mammoplasty is popular among people of various age groups, yet the impact of age on postoperative outcomes remains debated.

Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2008-2021) was queried to identify adult female patients who underwent reduction mammoplasty. Patients were categorized into 10-year age brackets (i.

Fetal cervical sarcoma: Comparison between virtual and real fetal bronchoscopy.

Fetal cervical tumors are a life-threatening condition if proper diagnosis and perinatal care are inadequate. The most common causes of fetal cervical masses are teratomas and lymphangiomas. Less common tumors may obstruct the fetal airway due to cervical compression.

Differential diagnosis of pigmented nail lesions.

The diagnosis of pigmented nail lesions is a concern for both general practitioners and dermatologists, due to the possibility of indicating nail melanoma. The origin of the dark pigmentation can be either melanocytic or non-melanocytic (fungi, bacteria, or blood), and clinical evaluation alone may not be sufficient for differentiation, requiring additional exams. Onychoscopy provides valuable information prior to biopsy.

Characteristics and outcome of synchronous bilateral Wilms tumour in the SIOP WT 2001 Study: Report from the SIOP Renal Tumour Study Group (SIOP-RTSG).

Background: Among patients with nephroblastoma, those with bilateral disease are a unique population where maximising tumour control must be balanced with preserving renal parenchyma.

Methods: The SIOP 2001 protocol recommended surgery after neoadjuvant cycle(s) of Dactinomycin and Vincristine (AV) with response-adapted intensification, if needed. Adjuvant treatment was given based on the lesion with the worst histology.

Cutoffs for white-coat and masked blood pressure effects: an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring study.

The values used to define white-coat and masked blood pressure (BP) effects are usually arbitrary. This study aimed at investigating the accuracy of various cutoffs based on the differences (ΔBP) between office BP (OBP) and 24h-ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) to identify white-coat (WCH) and masked (MH) hypertension, which are phenotypes coupled with adverse prognosis. This cross-sectional study included 11,350 [Derivation cohort; 45% men, mean age = 55.

Surgical Management of Breast Capsular Contracture-A Multi-institutional Data Analysis of Risk Factors for Early Complications.

Background: Capsular contracture (CC) is a common complication following implant-based breast surgery, often requiring surgical intervention. Yet, little is known about risk factors and outcomes following CC surgery.

Methods: We reviewed the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2008-2021) to identify female patients diagnosed with CC and treated surgically.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESIDUAL DIURESIS AND SARCOPENIA IN PATIENTS ON HEMODIALYSIS.

Objective: To assess the association of residual diuresis with sarcopenia in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) on hemodialysis.

Methods: Through a cross-sectional study, patients on hemodialysis were subjected to a Dual Energy Radiologic Absorption (DEXA) exam to record muscle mass. Based on the volume of urine collected in 24 hours, patients were classified as anuric (diuresis ≤ 100 mL/day) or non-anuric (diuresis > 100 mL/day).

Dapagliflozin for Critically Ill Patients With Acute Organ Dysfunction: The DEFENDER Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors improve outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, but their effect on outcomes of critically ill patients with organ failure is unknown.

Objective: To determine whether the addition of dapagliflozin, an SGLT-2 inhibitor, to standard intensive care unit (ICU) care improves outcomes in a critically ill population with acute organ dysfunction.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Multicenter, randomized, open-label, clinical trial conducted at 22 ICUs in Brazil.

In-depth analysis of ChatGPT's performance based on specific signaling words and phrases in the question stem of 2377 USMLE step 1 style questions.

ChatGPT has garnered attention as a multifaceted AI chatbot with potential applications in medicine. Despite intriguing preliminary findings in areas such as clinical management and patient education, there remains a substantial knowledge gap in comprehensively understanding the chances and limitations of ChatGPT's capabilities, especially in medical test-taking and education. A total of n = 2,729 USMLE Step 1 practice questions were extracted from the Amboss question bank.

Predicting kidney allograft survival with explainable machine learning.

Introduction: Despite significant progress over the last decades in the survival of kidney allografts, several risk factors remain contributing to worsening kidney function or even loss of transplants. We aimed to evaluate a new machine learning method to identify these variables which may predict the early graft loss in kidney transplant patients and to assess their usefulness for improving clinical decisions.

Material And Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out with 627 kidney transplant patients followed at least three months.