Forensic use of human mitochondrial DNA: A review.

In forensics, genetic human identification is generally achieved by nuclear STR DNA typing. However, forensic samples often yield DNA in exiguous quantity and low quality, impairing the generation of conclusive DNA profiles by STR typing. In such cases, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can be used as an alternative solution in forensic human identification.

assessment of the antioxidant potential in UVA-induced phototoxicity.

Photoaging induced by ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation is mainly caused by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase, which trigger undesirable changes in the skin, such as inflammatory reactions, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and loss of elasticity. In this context, plant ingredients have been highlighted in recent decades due to their antioxidant mechanisms. This study investigated the potential of ethanolic extract against UVA-induced damage in 3T3 fibroblasts.

Difficult decisions and possible choices: Rare diseases, genetic inheritance and reproduction of the family.

This article sets out to explore the dilemmas present in the reproductive practices of people affected by rare hereditary diseases, focusing on the use of diagnostic tests and the practice of genetic counselling in Brazil. The development of technologies capable of mapping 'genetic flaws' prior to conception or in prenatal consultations has led researchers to consider how these technologies may be shaping contemporary subjectivities related to kinship and guiding reproductive decisions based on knowledge of our 'genetic heritage.' Genetic counselling has emerged in this setting as a modality of health knowledge and information capable of assisting people, especially women, in their reproductive choices.

Hypothyroidism modulates mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy in the heart of rats under fed and fasting conditions.

Aims: Investigate the impact of hypothyroidism on mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy in the heart under fed and fasting conditions.

Methods: Hypothyroidism was induced in male Wistar rats with methimazole (0.03 %) for 21 days.

Skinny fat model of metabolic syndrome induced by a high-salt/sucrose diet in young male rats.

Childhood and puberty can affect metabolism, leading to tissue injury and malfunction later in life. The consumption of high-processed foods rich in salt and sugar is increasing in middle- and high-income countries, especially among young people. It is necessary to evaluate the effects of high salt and sugar levels in the youth on most injured organs during metabolic challenges.

Transmission chain in sexually transmitted infections: perceptions of self and partner's intentions to adhere to treatment.

The spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a significant public health problem. Screening and treating STIs in partners is crucial for interrupting the transmission chain, and it is essential to identify factors that contribute to maintaining it. The objective of this study was to compare the intentions of men and women to adhere to the treatment for STIs diagnosed in their partner as well as the perception of partner adherence.

Petrographic and Petrophysical Characterization of Sandstones from Rio Bonito Formation, Paraná Basin (Southern Brazil).

This study focuses on the laboratory-scale petrophysical characterization of sandstones from the Rio Bonito Formation (Lower Permian), Paraná Basin, carried out from drill core samples from well PN-14-SC.02 obtained by CPRM-Brazilian Geological Service in the 1980s on the eastern edge of the Basin. This study includes integrating experimental data from routine petrophysics, sedimentary petrography, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) obtained from 6 samples arranged in the normal direction of the stratification, present between 40 and 200 m deep.

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.

Joint Toxicity and Interaction of Carbon-Based Nanomaterials with Co-Existing Pollutants in Aquatic Environments: A Review.

This review paper focuses on the joint toxicity and interaction of carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) with co-existing pollutants in aquatic environments. It explores the potential harmful effects of chemical mixtures with CNMs on aquatic organisms, emphasizing the importance of scientific modeling to predict mixed toxic effects. The study involved a systematic literature review to gather information on the joint toxicity and interaction between CNMs and various co-contaminants in aquatic settings.

Maternal Early Overfeeding Negatively Impacts Cardiac Progenitor Cell Differentiation and Cardiomyocyte Maturation in the Neonatal Offspring.

Introduction: Maternal obesity has been positively correlated with an increased cardiometabolic risk in the offspring throughout life, implying intergenerational transmission. However, little is known about the early-life cardiac cell modifications that imply the onset of heart diseases later in life. This study analyzed cardiac progenitor cells and cardiomyocyte differentiation on day of birth in the offspring born to obese dams.

Use of Antibacterial Envelopes in Neuromodulation Surgeries With Implantable Device Insertion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Objectives: Neuromodulation is an advanced therapeutic intervention for managing various neurological, psychiatric, and functional disorders. However, a significant challenge is the risk of infections at the device implantation site. Previous studies have shown that antibacterial envelopes used in cardiovascular surgeries significantly reduce infection risk.

Exposure to particulate matter and ozone, locations of regulatory monitors, and sociodemographic disparities in the city of Rio de Janeiro: Based on local air pollution estimates generated from machine learning models.

South America is underrepresented in research on air pollution exposure disparities by sociodemographic factors, although such disparities have been observed in other parts of the world. We investigated whether exposure to and information about air pollution differs by sociodemographic factors in the city of Rio de Janeiro, the second most populous city in Brazil with dense urban areas, for 2012-2017. We developed machine learning-based models to estimate daily levels of O, PM, and PM using high-dimensional datasets from satellite remote sensing, atmospheric and land variables, and land use information.

[Not Available].

This in vitro study aimed to investigate the effect of plasma ion implantation nitriding on titanium's surface properties and initial cell response. Grade 4 titanium discs (12.7 × 2 mm) were blasted with aluminum oxide particles to create moderately rough surfaces.

Seaweed functional strategies, functional groups, and taxon dynamics through a 213-year historical series of Rio De Janeiro Bay.

From Darwin's visit to nowadays, we analyzed the changes in species- and genus-level richness and turnover, equity, diversity, composition, as well as functional group and functional strategy dynamics over a 213-year historical series of the seaweed assemblage from Rio de Janeiro Bay. We developed new analysis methods to serve as a protocol for worldwide functional and bioindicator assessment of seaweed assemblages. Over the two centuries of changes tracked, the integration of taxonomic, functional group, and functional strategy analyses unraveled a trajectory of seaweed assemblage restructuring under human disturbance.

Relationship between white-coat hypertension and office isolated systolic or diastolic hypertension: an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring study.

This study investigated the prevalence of white-coat hypertension (WCH) among individuals with office isolated systolic hypertension (ISH), isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH), and systolic-diastolic hypertension (SDH). We evaluated 9122 individuals [57.0 ± 14.

2024 Latin American Society of Hypertension guidelines on the management of arterial hypertension and related comorbidities in Latin America.

Hypertension is responsible for more than two million deaths due to cardiovascular disease annually in Latin America (LATAM), of which one million occurs before 70 years of age. Hypertension is the main risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, affecting between 20 and 40% of LATAM adults. Since the publication of the 2017 LASH hypertension guidelines, reports from different LATAM countries have confirmed the burden of hypertension on cardiovascular disease events and mortality in the region.

Massive Education in Prison Health in Brazil: A Look Beyond the Walls.

Equal access to health initiatives and services under the principles of universal and comprehensive care remains a challenge in Brazil. The realization of public health policies is further intricate when one examines the health situation of people deprived of liberty. This study showcases the "Prison System: Beyond the Walls" educational pathway, available on the Virtual Learning Environment of the Brazilian National Health System (AVASUS).

The role of host autophagy in intracellular protozoan parasites diseases.

Intracellular protozoan parasites are the etiologic agents of important human diseases, like malaria, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis, and leishmaniasis. Inside host cells, these parasites manipulate the host metabolism and intracellular trafficking for their own benefits and, inevitably, induce several stress response mechanisms. In this review, we discuss autophagy as a stress response mechanism that can be both (i) explored by these intracellular parasites to acquire nutrients and (ii) to restrict parasite proliferation and survival within host cells.

Positive Nursing Practice Environment: A Concept Analysis.

In recent years, research has increasingly highlighted the significance of nursing practice environments, linking positive settings with enhanced job satisfaction, professional autonomy, and care quality. Such environments can decrease turnover, stress, and costs while improving patient safety. Despite this extensive literature, there is limited consensus on defining a 'positive nursing practice environment', highlighting the need for a systematic analysis to advance understanding and application.

Impact of early postnatal overnutrition on cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction in adult mice with ischemia/reperfusion.

Background And Aims: Nutritional imbalance at the beginning of life, a critical window period, leads to the development of obesity, overweight, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in adulthood. In this study, the effects and associations of overnutrition during lactation on energy metabolism and oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes of adult male Swiss mice were examined.

Methods And Results: Animals were divided into two groups (control and overfed) subjected to baseline and ischemia/reperfusion conditions, forming four groups: control baseline (CBL), control ischemia/reperfusion (CIR), overfed baseline (OBL), and overfed ischemia/reperfusion (OIR).