The impact of abdominal adiposity measured by sonography on the pulmonary function of pre-menopausal females.

Background: The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used parameter to study obesity; however it does not assess the distribution of body adiposity. Ultrasonography is a reliable method of measuring subcutaneous (SAT), visceral (VAT) and Total adipose tissue of the abdomen (TAT) to determine the influence of abdominal fat on pulmonary function by directly measuring abdominal adipose tissue.

Methods: Eighty pre-menopausal, non-smoker, sedentary females with no history of pulmonary disease were subdivided into three groups: 25 normal-weight, 28 overweight, 27 obese.

Cocaine counteracts LPS-induced hypolocomotion and triggers locomotor sensitization expression.

Neuroimmune signalling underlies addiction and comorbid depression. Clinical observations indicate that infections and chronic lesions are more frequent in drug users and elevated inflammatory states are evident in cocaine dependents. Therefore, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and inflammatory cytokines represent an important tool for the investigation of sickness, depressive illness and addiction behaviour.

Association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and liver cancer.

Aim: To investigate the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and liver cancer, and NAFLD prevalence in different liver tumors.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of the clinical, laboratory and histological data of 120 patients diagnosed with primary or secondary hepatic neoplasms and treated at a tertiary center where they underwent hepatic resection and/or liver transplantation, with subsequent evaluation of the explant or liver biopsy. The following criteria were used to exclude patients from the study: a history of alcohol abuse, hepatitis B or C infection, no tumor detected in the liver tissue examined by histological analysis, and the presence of chronic autoimmune hepatitis, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, or hepatoblastoma.

Early age at menarche: a risk factor for overweight or obesity in patients with type 1 diabetes living in urban areas?

Aims: Determine the relationship between age at menarche, glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 1 diabetes living in urban areas.

Methods: This was a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted in 20 cities in four Brazilian geographic regions. Data were obtained from 1527 female patients, 59.

Lodenafil treatment in the monocrotaline model of pulmonary hypertension in rats.

We assessed the effects of lodenafil on hemodynamics and inflammation in the rat model of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH). Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control; monocrotaline (experimental model); and lodenafil (experimental model followed by lodenafil treatment, p.o.

Empyema and bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia in children under five years of age.

We compared bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia (BPP) and pneumococcal empyema (PE), in terms of clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings, in under-fives. A cross-sectional nested cohort study, involving under-fives (102 with PE and 128 with BPP), was conducted at 12 centers in Argentina, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic. Among those with PE, mean age was higher; disease duration was longer; and tachypnea, dyspnea, and high leukocyte counts were more common.

Laryngeal support device enhances the learning of laryngeal anatomy and voice physiology.

Multidisciplinary cooperation in health care requires a solid knowledge in the basic sciences for a common ground of communication. In speech pathology, these fundamentals improve the accuracy of descriptive diagnoses and support the development of new therapeutic techniques and strategies. The aim of this study is to briefly discuss the benefits of hands-on education on laryngeal anatomy and voice physiology in Brazilian graduate programs in speech pathology, as well as to describe a simple prototype that can be used as a useful educational tool for this purpose.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy: impact on otoacoustic emissions in neonates.

Objectives: To determine the effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on transient evoked otoacoustic emissions levels in neonates.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study investigating neonates in the maternity ward of a university hospital in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 418 term neonates without prenatal or perinatal complications were evaluated.

Resection of a rapid-growing 40-cm giant liver hemangioma.

Hemangiomas are the most frequent benign tumors of the liver. Most hemangiomas are asymptomatic and therefore largely diagnosed only in routine screening tests. Usually they are small and require no specific treatment.

RESULTS OF ADDUCTORS MUSCLE TENOTOMY IN SPASTIC CEREBRAL PALSY.

Objective: Radiographic evaluation of the evolution of hips that underwent soft-tissue release.

Methods: This was a retrospective evaluation on 101 spastic cerebral palsy patients who underwent soft-tissue release between 1991 and 2006. Forty-four patients met the inclusion criteria: 23 boys and 21 girls; 34 diparetic and 10 quadriparetic.

Hospital-based surveillance to evaluate the impact of rotavirus vaccination in São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Brazil implemented routine immunization with the human rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix, in 2006 and vaccination coverage reached 81% in 2008 in São Paulo. Our aim was to assess the impact of immunization on the incidence of severe rotavirus acute gastroenteritis (AGE).

Methods: We performed a 5-year (2004-2008) prospective surveillance at a sentinel hospital in São Paulo, with routine testing for rotavirus in all children less than 5 years of age hospitalized with AGE.

Is the wearing of elastic stockings for half a day as effective as wearing them for the entire day?

Background There is good evidence for the use of compression for some clinical indications but little is known about dosimetry in compression. Objective The aim of this work was to evaluate whether or not the use of compression stockings during part of the day would help in the reduction of evening oedema in patients with clinical, epidemiological, anatomical and physiopathological (CEAP) classifications C0 and C1. Methods The effects of elastic compression stockings on volumetric variations during the working day were evaluated for the legs of two men and 18 women (40 legs).

Doppler ultrasound could predict varices progression and rebleeding after portal hypertension surgery: lessons from 146 EGDS and 10 years of follow-up.

Background: Surgical treatment of variceal hemorrhagic complications for patients with schistosomal portal hypertension in our group comprised an esophagogastric devascularization procedure with splenectomy (EGDS). There are two different kinds of postoperative follow-up: prophylactic or on-demand endoscopic program of varices eradication. This program implies risks and costs and only proves necessary in 6-29% of cases.

Intrahospital transport of patients on invasive ventilation: cardiorespiratory repercussions and adverse events.

Objective: To determine the occurrence of cardiorespiratory alterations and to identify adverse events during the intrahospital transport of patients on invasive ventilation.

Methods: A prospective observational non-randomized study was conducted at two tertiary hospitals between April of 2005 and December of 2006. We included patients on invasive ventilation who required intrahospital transport during the study period.

Detection of beta-catenin mutations in paraffin-embedded sporadic desmoid-type fibromatosis by mutation-specific restriction enzyme digestion (MSRED): an ancillary diagnostic tool.

Desmoid-type fibromatosis is a locally aggressive deep soft tissue tumor. Some cases are associated with adenosis polyposis coli germline mutations whereas others harbor somatic beta-catenin point mutations mainly in exon 3, codons 41 and 45. These mutations result in stabilization of beta-catenin, and activation of the Wnt signaling pathway.

Attention impairment associated with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients with mild incapacity.

Neuropsychological studies have consistently reported cognitive dysfunctions associated with multiple sclerosis. One-hundred fifteen subjects with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) were compared with forty health controls according to a neuropsychological test battery, which included digit span, trail making, cancellation and stroop test. Both groups were matched for age, sex and educational level.

Detection of SS18-SSX fusion transcripts in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded neoplasms: analysis of conventional RT-PCR, qRT-PCR and dual color FISH as diagnostic tools for synovial sarcoma.

Synovial Sarcoma consistently harbors t(X;18) resulting in SS18-SSX1, SS18-SSX2 and rarely SS18-SSX4 fusion transcripts. Of 328 cases included in our study, synovial sarcoma was either the primary diagnosis or was very high in the differential diagnosis in 134 cases: of these, amplifiable cDNA was obtained from 131. SS18-SSX fusion products were found in 126 (96%) cases (74 SS18-SSX1, 52 SS18-SSX2), using quantitative and 120 by conventional reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Questions about the use of antibiotics in acute pancreatitis.

Background And Objective: The use of antibiotics in acute pancreatitis despite recent clinical trials remains controversial. The aim of this study is to review the latest clinical trials and guidelines about antibiotics in acute pancreatitis and determine its proper use.

Methods: Through a Medline search, we selected and analyzed pertinent randomized clinical trials and guidelines that evaluated the use of antibiotics in acute pancreatitis.

Treatment of anorectal anomalies by anterior perineal anorectoplasty.

Purpose: The aim of this study was as an introduction of a technical modification to the anterior perineal approach for the treatment of anorectal anomalies (AA) and analysis of its long-term results.

Methods: Forty-three children with AA underwent a modified anterior perineal anorectoplasty (APA), which involved the following technical guidelines: construction of a rectoanal muscular conduit through the levator ani muscle and the external anal sphincter, which were sutured to each other; preservation of the rectal end of the fistula; and invagination of the perineal skin through the neoanus. Fecal continence was assessed on average 7 years postreconstruction by Kelly's score.