Mathematical model of brain tumour with glia-neuron interactions and chemotherapy treatment

Acknowledgements This study was possible by partial financial support from the following Brazilian government agencies: Fundação Araucária, EPSRC-EP/I032606/1 and CNPq, CAPES and Science Without Borders Program Process nos. 17656125, 99999.010583/2013-00 and 245377/2012-3.Peer reviewedPreprin

Encapsulation of natural compounds in the prevention and treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy

Introduction Diabetic retinopathy is a disease resulting from diabetic chronic hyperglycemia characterized by microvascular complications in the retina, where neuronal elements responsible for vision are located. Oxidative stress has been widely regarded as the main etiological factor for the emergence of ocular disease. Antioxidant therapy has been related with inhibition of diabetes-induced abnormalities of retinal metabolism. However ocular treatment effectiveness is purely low, considering the several routes of administration. The improvement of ocular bioavailability is the ultimate era of Science. This review data encompasses new nanosystems with therapeutic potential improvements and involving routes of administration local and with a better performance facing biological barriers. Nanoparticles are described to offer real benefits to the stability, drug delivery and therapy of the patient and the most advanced treatment modalities for ocular conditions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Multiple Polyposis of the Gallbladder. Diagnostic Difficulties About One Case

Descreve-se um caso de uma doente de 52 anos de idade, submetida a colecistectomia com o diagnóstico de litiase biliar, baseado na colecistografia oral. No decurso do acto cirúrgico, em que não se palparam cálculos, o diagnóstico inicial foi posto em dúvida. A identificação da polipose múltipla só foi possível após colecistectomia. Com base na experiência colhida neste caso, faz-se uma revisão dos critérios diagnósticos e fundamenta-se a orientação terapêutica, dado o potencial de malignidade destas lesões

Development and characterization of natural antioxidant-containing chitosan nanoparticles

The use of nanotechnology in medical sciences is an innovation that promises a new age of health. Among the different approaches explored so far, chitosan exhibits favourable and unique biological properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, nonantigenic, non-toxicity and mucoadhesiveness. Natural extracts rich in antioxidant molecules have been incorporated in chitosan films, or macro/microparticles, becoming more effective as improving the antioxidant protection [da Silva 2010]. In the present study, chitosan nanoparticles with extracts of sage and savoury and rosmarinic acid were prepared and characterized in order to ensure their best size, efficient encapsulation and to test the retention of the active compounds and evaluate their controlled release performance. This work proposes for the first time in literature, a simultaneous HPLC method for the determination and quantification of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, namely quercetin and rosmarinic acid encapsulated into chitosan nanoparticles. The method can be used to determine the loading capacity and association efficiency as well as its in vitro release.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wood-Logging Process Management in Eastern Amazonia (Brazil)

In this work, the wood-logging process of four federal conservation units (FCUs) in the Eastern Amazonia forest are described and compared. The approach focused on on-site observation of activities and tasks performed during the process. As an outcome, it was observed that companies implement activities similarly, regardless of their specific know-how. The most significant difference was identified in the cross-cutting operation, which is carried out in several steps and which interferes with the efficiency of the activity and the exposure of workers to occupational risks. The use of geographic information systems (GIS) during planning and management activities, and the use of modern machinery equipped with safety devices, in combination with workers’ theoretic and practical continuous training, were identified as crucial measures that assure operational efficiency in the four companies assessed. Seeking to contribute to the sustainable development of the Amazon forest, a generic model for wood logging is proposed, which brings together best practices identified in the companies studied and makes it possible to obtain the best benefit at the lowest workers’ exposure to the risk of occupational accidentThis research was funded by CERENA’s strategic project FCT-UIDB/04028/2020, by the Biomechanics and Health Unit of the Associated Laboratory for Energy, Transports and Aeronautics (LAETA/INEGI), and by the Doctoral Program in Occupational Safety and Health of the University of Porto.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Left Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm with a Double Oriffice after Myocardial Infarction

Doente do sexo feminino, 78 anos de idade, internada previamente por EAM combinado. A evolução clínica subsequente decorreu sem complicações, tendo alta ao 10.º dia. Cerca de 12 horas depois foi readmitida no Serviço de Urgência, por dor retrosternal prolongada, hipotensa e prostrada. O ECG (Fig. 1) mostrou re-elevação do segmento ST nas derivações anteriores e inferiores, sendo admitida na Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos com o diagnóstico de provável re-enfarte. O Ecocardiograma realizado na admissão revelou função sistólica global comprometida, sendo possível definir um volumoso espaço anecogénico no ápex do ventrículo esquerdo (VE), com solução de continuidade na transição do terço médio/apical da parede inferior (Fig. 2) e uma segunda solução de continuidade na transição do terço médio/apical da parede lateral do VE (Fig. 3). Em ambos os orifícios foi confirmada a presença de fluxo bidireccional por Doppler Pulsado e Cor (Fig. 2), sugerindo a presença de um pseudoaneurisma do VE com duplo orifício de entrada. A doente foi transferida para um centro cirúrgico, onde, após confirmação intra-operatória do pseudoaneurisma com duplo orifício, foi submetida a encerramento do colo com patch de teflon. Teve alta estável, sendo seguida em consulta de Cardiologia desde há cerca de 16 meses, sem eventos

Early family adversity, stability and consistency of institutional care and infant cognitive, language and motor development across the first six months of institutionalization

This study extends research on the effects of institutionalization—by examining the trajectories of cognitive, language and motor development of 64 Portuguese infants and toddlers across the first six months of institutionalization, while determining whether pre-institutional adversities and the stability and consistency of institutional care predict children’s development. At time of enrollment, 23.4%, 32.8% and 31.3% of the children were moderately to severely delayed, respectively, in their cognitive, linguistic and motor functioning. Developmental problems persisted after six months of institutionalization. The accumulation of early pre-institutional adversities predicted cognitive and motor limitations at admission to the institutions, but not variation in subsequent development. The stability and consistency of institutional care also failed to predict developmental growth and change. Children who had never lived with their families of origin showed a better language development at enrollment than their counterparts who had lived with their families of origin before institutionalization. Such advantage was followed by a deceleration in language growth after six months of institutional placement. Results are discussed in terms of short- vs. longer-term effects of institutionalization.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The di-iron RIC protein (YtfE) of Escherichia coli interacts with the DNA-binding protein from starved cells (Dps) to diminish RIC-protein-mediated redox stress

The RIC (Repair of Iron Clusters) protein of Escherichia coli is a di-iron hemerythrin-like protein that has a proposed function in repairing stress-damaged iron-sulphur clusters. In this work, we performed a Bacterial Two Hybrid screening to search for RIC-protein interaction partners in E. coli. As a result, the DNA-binding protein from starved cells (Dps) was identified and its potential interaction with RIC was tested by BACTH, Bimolecular-Fluorescence-Complementation and pull-down assays. Using the activity of two Fe-S-containing enzyme as indicators of cellular Fe-S cluster damage, we observed that strains with single deletions of ric or dps have significantly lower aconitase and fumarase activities. In contrast, the double ric dps mutant strain displayed no loss of aconitase and fumarase activity with respect to the wild type. Additionally, while complementation of the ric dps double mutant with ric led to a severe loss of aconitase activity, this effect was no longer observed when a gene encoding a di-iron site variant of the RIC protein was employed. The dps mutant exhibited a large increase in ROS levels, but this increase was eliminated when ric was also inactivated. Absence of other iron storage proteins, or of peroxidase and catalases, had no impact on RIC-mediated redox stress induction. Hence, we show that RIC interacts with Dps in a manner that serves to protect E. coli from RIC-protein-induced ROS

In situ crosslinked electrospun gelatin nanofibers for skin regeneration

Due to its intrinsic similarity to the extracellular matrix, gelatin electrospun nanofibrous meshes are promising scaffold structures for wound dressings and tissue engineering applications. However, gelatin is water soluble and presents poor mechanical properties, which generally constitute relevant limitations to its applicability. In this work, gelatin was in situ crosslinked with 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE) at different concentrations (2, 4 and 6 wt%) and incubation time-points (24, 48 and 72 h) at 37 °C. The physico-chemical and biological properties of BDDGE-crosslinked electrospun gelatin meshes were investigated. Results show that by changing the BDDGE concentration it is possible to produce nanofibers crosslinked in situ with well-defined morphology and modulate fiber size and mechanical properties. Crosslinked gelatin meshes show no toxicity towards fibroblasts, stimulating their adhesion, proliferation and synthesis of new extracellular matrix, thereby indicating the potential of this strategy for skin tissue engineering.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Late onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency: revision of literature and preconception genetic study of five couples

The deficiency of the enzyme 21-hydroxylase (21-HO) is responsible for about 90% to 95% of all cases of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (HCSR). This disorder is one of the most frequent hereditary illnesses of autosomal recessive trait. The illness can be presented in two clinical forms: 1 - classic, subdivided in saltwasting form and simple virilizing form; 2 - nonclassic or late-onset. The severity of the illness is correlated with the degree of enzymatic activity of 21-HO, which depends on the type of mutation that occurs in gene CYP21A2. The late onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia is that one where the enzymatic blockade is less intense. The clinical is variable: precocious pubarche, polycystic ovaries, hirsutism, oligoamenorrhea, acne and infertility. Gold standard for the diagnosis of late onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia consists on the test of the tetracosactide, considering itself diagnostic positive when 17-hidroxiprogesterona (17-OHP) is higher of 10-15 ng per mL. Many patients don't need treatment; however, if necessary, such a treatment essentially consists on the Administration of glucocorticoids and antiandrogens. Considering that affected individuals and the carriers may have a severe mutation in CYP21A2, they can have descendents with the classic form (if their partner is also a carrier of a severe mutation), it is mandatory the genetic study of the couple. The authors illustrate the importance of this genetic study through five clinical cases, whose common link is the desire to have children, as well as the presence on the feminine element of late onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia. The genetic study of the couple allows adequate pre-conception counseling and also prevents the use of corticoids throughout the pregnancy (if there's no risk of descendents being affected with the classic form). This aspect must be had in account in programming the pregnancy, in order to prevent therapeutics and unnecessary distrusts