The impact of exposure to phthalates in thyroid function of children and adolescents: a systematic review.

Phthalic acid esters, or phthalates, are plasticizers commonly used in the plastics industry and they are known for their endocrine-disrupting effects. Numerous epidemiological studies have been conducted to evaluate the effects of phthalate exposure on thyroid function, both in adults and children. However, there is still considerable debate surrounding this issue.

Efficiency and safety of single anastomosis sleeve ileal (SASI) bypass in the treatment of obesity and associated comorbidities: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The Single Anastomosis Sleeve Ileal (SASI) bypass is a new bariatric surgery corresponding to an adaptation of the Santoro approach, consisting of a sleeve gastrectomy (SG) followed by loop gastroileostomy. Therefore, we aimed to systematically assess all the current literature on SASI bypass in terms of safety, weight loss, improvement in associated comorbidities, and complications.

Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science).

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy as revisional bariatric procedures after adjustable gastric banding: a retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: The frequency of revisional bariatric surgery is increasing, but its effectiveness and safety are not yet fully established. The aim of our study was to compare short-term outcomes of primary (pRYGB and pSG) and revisional bariatric surgeries (rRYGB and rSG).

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study assessing all patients submitted to primary and revisional (after a failed AGB) RYGB and SG in 2019.

Female couples undergoing assisted reproduction - choices and the importance of pregnancy and genetics.

Objective: To evaluate female couples' reproductive choices, the importance given to genetics and pregnancy and their expectations regarding mother-child relationship.

Methods: Observational study based on an anonymous survey applied to 217 patients during 2021. The survey was given to female couples under reproductive treatment in a private fertility clinic.

Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls in chronic joint inflammatory Pain: Study of the descending serotonergic modulation mediated through 5HT3 receptors.

The loss of diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC) is recognized as a predictor of chronic pain. Mechanistically, DNIC produces analgesia by a heterotopically applied conditioning-noxious stimulus (CS) and yet underexplored descending modulatory inputs. Here, we aimed at studying DNIC in monoarthritis (MA) by exploring the spinal component of the descending serotonergic system, specifically 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptors (5-HT3R).

Unexpected short- and long-term effects of chronic adolescent HU-210 exposure on emotional behavior.

Chronic adolescent cannabinoid receptor agonist exposure has been shown to lead to persistent increases in depressive-like behaviors. This has been a key obstacle to the development of cannabinoid-based therapeutics. However, most of the published work has been performed with only three compounds, namely Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, CP55,940 and WIN55,212-2.

Comparative Effectiveness of Bariatric Surgeries in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m: a Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), bariatric surgery appears to be more effective than medical treatment (MT) at improving glycaemic control and decreasing cardiovascular risk. However, long-term effectiveness has not been systematically assessed using randomised controlled trials. In this study, we aimed to systematically assess randomised controlled trials, with at least 5 years of follow-up, on bariatric surgery in patients with T2DM and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m, as well as to compare different bariatric procedures.

A Fast Alternative to Soft Lithography for the Fabrication of Organ-on-a-Chip Elastomeric-Based Devices and Microactuators.

Organ-on-a-chip technology promises to revolutionize how pre-clinical human trials are conducted. Engineering an in vitro environment that mimics the functionality and architecture of human physiology is essential toward building better platforms for drug development and personalized medicine. However, the complex nature of these devices requires specialized, time consuming, and expensive fabrication methodologies.

Adipocytes and macrophages secretomes coregulate catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes.

Obesity associates with macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue where these infiltrating cells interact with adipocytes and contribute to the systemic chronic metabolic inflammation present in immunometabolic diseases. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) are two of the main enzymes of catecholamines (CA) synthesis. Adipocytes and macrophages produce, secrete and respond to CA, but the regulation of their synthesis in the interplay between immune and metabolic systems remains unknown.

Antibacterial and antifungal activity of excretions and secretions of Calliphora vicina.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose a major threat to global health in the 21st century, requiring a quick, cheap and effective response from public health officials. This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of native excretions/secretions (NES) produced by third instar (3 days old) larvae of Calliphora vicina using a protocol adapted from the Institute of Clinical and Laboratory Standards (CLSI). The microorganisms tested were: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and the fungus Candida albicans.

Preoperative localisation techniques in breast conservative surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The preoperative localisation of non-palpable lesions guided by breast imaging is an important and required procedure for breast-conserving surgery. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature on the comparative impact of different techniques for guided surgical excision of non-palpable breast lesions from reports of clinical or patient-reported outcomes and costs. A literature search of PubMed, ISI, SCOPUS and Cochrane databases was conducted for relevant publications and their references, along with public documents, national and international guidelines, conference proceedings and presentations.

Attenuation of the Diffuse Noxious Inhibitory Controls in Chronic Joint Inflammatory Pain Is Accompanied by Anxiodepressive-Like Behaviors and Impairment of the Descending Noradrenergic Modulation.

The noradrenergic system is paramount for controlling pain and emotions. We aimed at understanding the descending noradrenergic modulatory mechanisms in joint inflammatory pain and its correlation with the diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNICs) and with the onset of anxiodepressive behaviours. In the complete Freund's adjuvant rat model of Monoarthritis, nociceptive behaviors, DNICs, and anxiodepressive-like behaviors were evaluated.

3D Cellular Architecture Affects MicroRNA and Protein Cargo of Extracellular Vesicles.

The success of malignant tumors is conditioned by the intercellular communication between tumor cells and their microenvironment, with extracellular vesicles (EVs) acting as main mediators. While the value of 3D conditions to study tumor cells is well established, the impact of cellular architecture on EV content and function is not investigated yet. Here, a recently developed 3D cell culture microwell array is adapted for EV production and a comprehensive comparative analysis of biochemical features, RNA and proteomic profiles of EVs secreted by 2D vs 3D cultures of gastric cancer cells, is performed.

Evaluation of the relationships among happiness, stress, anxiety, and depression in pharmacy students.

Introduction: To present the results of a survey on stress, anxiety, depression, subjective happiness, and academic satisfaction among pharmacy students.

Methods: A total of 410 pharmacy students, were included. Sociodemographic characteristics, stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and happiness were evaluated using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), in May 2015.

Visceral adipose tissue and carotid intima-media thickness in HIV-infected patients undergoing cART: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV-infected patients has been associated with lipodystrophy, metabolic abnormalities, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Ultrasound measures of carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) have been used as a valid measure of subclinical atherosclerosis and as a tool to predict the risk of cardiovascular events. Our aim was to evaluate the progression of cIMT in HIV-infected patients subjected to cART, with and without lipodystrophy, over a one-year period.

Pregnancy and Tumor Outcomes in Women with Prolactinoma.

Management of prolactinomas during pregnancy has always been a challenge. There is a concern about the risk of tumor growth, as well as the effects of the treatment on the developing fetus. Another issue that has been less studied is the outcome of women with prolactinoma after pregnancy and lactation.

First transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue in Portugal, stored for 10 years: an unexpected indication.

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation represents a valid strategy to preserve ovarian function in patients with a high risk of premature ovarian failure. We present a case of ovarian tissue cryopreservation carried out in an 18-year-old woman after a laparotomy for left adnexal mass with left adnexectomy. Congenital absence of the right ovary was observed during surgery.

Major regulatory mechanisms involved in sperm motility.

The genetic bases and molecular mechanisms involved in the assembly and function of the flagellum components as well as in the regulation of the flagellar movement are not fully understood, especially in humans. There are several causes for sperm immotility, of which some can be avoided and corrected, whereas other are related to genetic defects and deserve full investigation to give a diagnosis to patients. This review was performed after an extensive literature search on the online databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science.

Effects of sex steroids and estrogen receptor agonists on the expression of estrogen receptor alpha in the principal division of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of female rats.

Estrogen actions on neurons of the principal division of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTpr) are essential for the regulation of female sexual behavior. However, little is known about the effects of estradiol and progesterone (P) on estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) expression in this nucleus. To study this subject, we used stereological methods to estimate the total number of ERα-immunoreactive (ERα-ir) neurons in the BNSTpr of female rats at each stage of the estrous cycle and of ovariectomized rats after administration of estradiol benzoate (EB) and/or P.