Pure cut vs. Endocut in endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Biliary sphincterotomy is a crucial step in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a procedure known to carry a 5% to 10% risk of complications. The relationship between Pure cut, Endocut, post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) and bleeding is unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis compared these two current types and their relationships with adverse events.

Morphology of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms and Correlation with Biomechanical Tests of Aneurysmal Wall Fragments.

Background: Evaluate how specific morphologic aspects of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), including asymmetries, curvatures, tortuosities, and angulations, among others can influence the intrinsic biomechanical properties of the AAA's wall. This study analyzed the correlation of geometric measurements (1-dimensional, 2-dimensional, and 3-dimensional) of preoperative tomographic images of AAA with uniaxial biomechanical tests of the arterial wall fragments of these AAA obtained in open surgical repair of aneurysms.

Methods: It was a multicenter, experimental, and observational study, and initially 54 individuals were selected who underwent open surgical of AAA, with valid biomechanical tests of the anterior wall of the AAA.

Comparison of visual outcomes of bilateral dual-technology diffractive intraocular lens vs blended enhanced monofocal with dual-technology intraocular lens.

Purpose: To compare clinical outcomes after implantation of TECNIS Synergy (ZFR00V) intraocular lenses (IOLs) in both eyes and implantation of the TECNIS Synergy and TECNIS Eyhance (ICB00) combination in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Setting: Department of Cataract, Hospital Oftalmológico de Brasilia (HOB), Brasília, Brazil.

Design: Prospective, interventional, randomized, parallel-group study.

Characterization of consumption and costs of antimicrobials in intensive care units in a Brazilian tertiary hospital.

Background: The consumption of antimicrobials and the growing resistance of infectious agents to these drugs are not related only to health issues, but also to economic parameters.

Objectives: The study objective was to evaluate the consumption of antimicrobials in General and Covid-19 Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and the impact on institutional costs in the largest institute of a tertiary public hospital.

Methods: This is a quantitative and retrospective study, which analyzed consumption, through the Defined Daily Dose (DDD), and the annual direct cost of antimicrobials in Reais (R$) and Dollars (US$), from January to December 2021.

Aplastic Anemia and Chagas Disease: Parasitemia Monitoring by Quantitative PCR and Preemptive Antiparasitic Therapy.

Background: Aplastic anemia is a rare and life-threatening condition, seldomly witnessed concomitantly with Chagas disease. We aim to discuss the management of these patients under risk of chronic Chagas disease reactivation (CDR), a severe condition with a high morbimortality that occurs in chronic Chagas disease patients under immunosuppression. Case reports: Trypanosoma cruzi (T.

Good clinical practice recommendations in allergen immunotherapy: Position paper of the Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology - ASBAI.

Background: Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) represents one of the pillars in the treatment of allergic diseases. AIT is the only therapeutic strategy with curative potential, promoting the reduction of drug use and long-term symptom control even after the end of the treatment. The European Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (EAACI) guidelines, position papers of World Allergy Organization (WAO), and the US Practice Parameters are the leading official documents that set scientific standard for the use of AIT in the world.

Interpersonal psychotherapy for treatment of obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Social and interpersonal context are associated with the onset and persistence of psychiatric disorders. We compared the effects of short-term interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) on weight loss, binge eating behaviors, and depressive symptoms against cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), health education (HE), and behavioral weight loss (BWL).

Methods: We searched until May 28th, 2022 following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Science Direct, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Scopus.

Oral and Laryngeal Articulation Control of Voicing in Children with and without Speech Sound Disorders.

Voicing contrast is hard to master during speech motor development, and the phonological process of consonant devoicing is very frequent in children with Speech Sound Disorders (SSD). Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterise the oral and laryngeal articulation control strategies used by children with and without SSD as a function of place of articulation. The articulation rate and relative oral airflow amplitude () were used to analyse how children controlled oral articulation; fundamental frequency (), open quotient (OQ), and a classification of voicing were used to explore laryngeal behaviour.

Endurance Exercise Mitigates Immunometabolic Adipose Tissue Disturbances in Cancer and Obesity.

Adipose tissue is considered an endocrine organ whose complex biology can be explained by the diversity of cell types that compose this tissue. The immune cells found in the stromal portion of adipose tissue play an important role on the modulation of inflammation by adipocytokines secretion. The interactions between metabolic active tissues and immune cells, called immunometabolism, is an important field for discovering new pathways and approaches to treat immunometabolic diseases, such as obesity and cancer.

MOG-IgG-Associated Optic Neuritis, Encephalitis, and Myelitis: Lessons Learned From Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

Antibodies against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG-IgG) have been found in some cases diagnosed as seronegative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). MOG-IgG allowed the identification of a subgroup with a clinical course distinct from that of NMOSD patients who are seropositive for aquaporin-4-IgG antibodies. MOG-IgG is associated with a wider clinical phenotype, not limited to NMOSD, with the majority of cases presenting with optic neuritis (ON), encephalitis with brain demyelinating lesions, and/or myelitis.

Lithium efficacy in bipolar depression with flexible dosing: A six-week, open-label, proof-of-concept study.

Lithium has a narrow therapeutic index with a subtle balance between effectiveness and adverse effects. Current guidelines recommend the use of lithium as a treatment for acute bipolar depression; however, the therapeutic range for the treatment has not been fully defined. Recently, the adjunctive lower lithium dose in bipolar depression has revealed potential efficacy; however, no study has investigated it predominantly in monotherapy.

Gender effects of the COMT Val 158 Met genotype on verbal fluency in healthy adults.

Cognitive performance in healthy individuals is associated with gender differences in specific tests; a female advantage has been demonstrated in language tests, whereas a male advantage has been demonstrated in spatial relation examinations. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) mediates important cognitive domains and is influenced by dopamine (DA) activity. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4680 in the catechol‑O‑methyltransferase (COMT) gene results in an amino acid substitution from valine (Val) to methionine (Met).

Association of the COMT Met¹⁵⁸ allele with trait impulsivity in healthy young adults.

Dopamine (DA) is considered to be an important neurotransmitter in the control of impulsive behavior, however, its underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is a key enzyme in the catabolism of DA within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and has been suggested to play a role in the mediation of impulsive behavior. The COMT single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4680 (Val158Met) Met allele has been shown to decrease COMT enzyme activity and is associated with improved PFC cognitive function (intelligence and executive functions).

Occurrence of bipolar spectrum disorder and comorbidities in women with eating disorders.

Background: Eating disorder (ED) patients often have comorbidities with other psychiatric disorders, especially with mood disorders. Although recent studies suggest an intimate relationship between ED and bipolar disorder (BD), the study on a broader bipolar spectrum definition has not been done in this population. We aimed to study the occurrence of bipolar spectrum (BS) and comorbidities in eating disorder patients of a tertiary service provider.

Adult-onset adrenoleukodystrophy presenting as a psychiatric disorder: MRI findings.

A 35-year-old, previously healthy man presented psychiatric symptoms lasting four years, receiving treatment with neuroleptics. One year later he evolved with gait disequilibrium. After a further six months, cognitive symptoms were characterized with rapid evolution to a profound demented state.

Early improvement of psychotic symptoms with lithium monotherapy as a predictor of later response in mania.

Although lithium has been the first line agent in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD), few studies have evaluated lithium's efficacy in mania with psychosis and its association with later response. Furthermore, given the widespread concern about antipsychotic side effects, answering a question about whether lithium alone can manage to treat both psychotic and non-psychotic mania seems a very relevant one. The present study addresses the antipsychotic efficacy of lithium monotherapy in acute mania and early improvement of psychotic symptoms as a predictor of later response of manic symptoms.

Translating neurotrophic and cellular plasticity: from pathophysiology to improved therapeutics for bipolar disorder.

Objective: Bipolar disorder (BD) likely involves, at a molecular and cellular level, dysfunctions of critical neurotrophic, cellular plasticity and resilience pathways and neuroprotective processes. Therapeutic properties of mood stabilizers are presumed to result from a restoration of the function of these altered pathways and processes through a wide range of biochemical and molecular effects. We aimed to review the altered pathways and processes implicated in BD, such as neurotrophic factors, mitogen-activated protein kinases, Bcl-2, phosphoinositol signaling, intracellular calcium and glycogen synthase kinase-3.

Result on speech perception after conversion from Spectra® to Freedom®.

Unlabelled: New technology in the Freedom® speech processor for cochlear implants was developed to improve how incoming acoustic sound is processed; this applies not only for new users, but also for previous generations of cochlear implants.

Aim: To identify the contribution of this technology-- the Nucleus 22®--on speech perception tests in silence and in noise, and on audiometric thresholds.

Methods: A cross-sectional cohort study was undertaken.