Serum levels of S100B and NSE proteins in Alzheimer's disease patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alzheimer's disease is the most common dementia in the elderly, and the potential of peripheral biochemical markers as complementary tools in the neuropsychiatric evaluation of these patients has claimed further attention.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We evaluated serum levels of S100B and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in 54 mild, moderate and severe Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and in 66 community-dwelling elderly. AD patients met the probable NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. Severity of dementia was ascertained by the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale, cognitive function by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and neuroimage findings with magnetic resonance imaging. Serum was obtained from all individuals and frozen at -70°C until analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>By comparing both groups, serum S100B levels were lower in AD group, while serum NSE levels were the same both groups. In AD patients, S100B levels were positively correlated with CDR scores (rho = 0.269; p = 0.049) and negatively correlated with MMSE scores (rho = -0.33; <it>P </it>= 0.048). NSE levels decreased in AD patients with higher levels of brain atrophy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The findings suggest that serum levels of S100B may be a marker for brain functional condition and serum NSE levels may be a marker for morphological status in AD.</p

Multidimensional chromatin profiling of zebrafish pancreas to uncover and investigate disease-relevant enhancers

The pancreas is a central organ for human diseases. Most alleles uncovered by genome-wide association studies of pancreatic dysfunction traits overlap with non-coding sequences of DNA. Many contain epigenetic marks of cis-regulatory elements active in pancreatic cells, suggesting that alterations in these sequences contribute to pancreatic diseases. Animal models greatly help to understand the role of non-coding alterations in disease. However, interspecies identification of equivalent cis-regulatory elements faces fundamental challenges, including lack of sequence conservation. Here we combine epigenetic assays with reporter assays in zebrafish and human pancreatic cells to identify interspecies functionally equivalent cis-regulatory elements, regardless of sequence conservation. Among other potential disease-relevant enhancers, we identify a zebrafish ptf1a distal-enhancer whose deletion causes pancreatic agenesis, a phenotype previously found to be induced by mutations in a distal-enhancer of PTF1A in humans, further supporting the causality of this condition in vivo. This approach helps to uncover interspecies functionally equivalent cis-regulatory elements and their potential role in human disease.This study was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (ERC-2015-StG-680156-ZPR and ERC-2016-AdG-740041-EvoLand to J.L.G.-S.). J.B. is supported by an FCT CEEC grant (CEECIND/03482/2018). J.L.G.-S. is supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (BFU2016-74961-P), the Marató TV3 Fundacion (Grant 201611) and the institutional grant Unidad de Excelencia María de Maeztu (MDM-2016-0687). R.B.C. was funded by FCT (ON2201403-CTO-BPD), IBMC (BIM/04293-UID991520-BPD) and EMBO (Short-Term Fellowship). J.Tx. (SFRH/BD/126467/2016), M.D. (SFRH/BD/135957/2018), A.E. (SFRH/BD/147762/2019), and F.J.F. (PD/BD/105745/2014) are PhD fellows from FCT. M.G. was supported by the EnvMetaGen project via the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant 668981). This work was funded by National Funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the project UIDB/04293/2020”

Rational Use of Medication in Pregnant Women

Introduction: the use of medication in pregnancy is a worldwide health challenge, since it can cause complications for both the pregnant woman and the fetus, and this risk is potentially increased in the first gestational trimester. Objectives: The objective of this article is to conduct a literature review on the rational use of medication in pregnant women. Materials and methods: The articles published from 2013 to 2019 in Portuguese - Brazil were used for the development of this literature review through an electronic search in the platforms: SCIELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online and Google Academic. Results and Discussion: 14 articles were analyzed, which showed a reflection on the effects of the use of drugs during pregnancy, where the perceptions of the authors were divergent, between the certainty that everything is harmful or everything is beneficial. Conclusion: Great variations were observed regarding the use of medication, in the same way, that the need for intervention promoting an increase in the rational use of medication is evident

Connecting media and scientists - Euroscitizen WG4

EuroScitizen COST Action is a research network which aims to identify targeted strategies that will raise levels of scientific literacy in Europe using evolution as a model. Euroscitizen Media Working Group (WG4) aims to describe good practices to better link scientific communities with journalists and the media, and consequently present powerful, stimulating and effective messages that can help strengthen the public understanding of scientific literacy and evolution in particular. In this poster, we present the aims and activities developed by WG4 as well as a description of its Action deliverables. Poster presented at EuroScitizen Sustainability meeting, 20-22 June 2022, Aveiro, Portuga

Intervenção fisioterapêutica nos comprometimentos da hanseníase/Physiotherapeutic intervention in leprosy commitments

Introdução: A hanseníase é uma doença infectocontagiosa crônica, causada pelo Mycobacterium leprae, que é altamente infeccioso e pouco patogênico. Tais particularidades não acontecem apenas em função de suas características intrínsecas, mas, também dependem da relação do agente com o hospedeiro e do grau de endemicidade do meio. Segundo a classificação de Madri esta patologia pode se manifestar de quatro formas: indeterminada, tuberculóide, virchowiana e dimorfa. Se as alterações nervosas não forem identificadas, monitoradas e controladas precoce e apropriadamente, poderá existir deformidades e incapacidade funcional. Assim, há necessidade de maior atenção sobre a doença. Objetivo: Identificar os benefícios do tratamento fisioterapêutico na recuperação do comprometimento motor e sensitivo de um paciente portador de Hanseníase do tipo virchowiana residente em Campina Grande-PB. Metodologia: O estudo desenvolveu-se através de um relato de caso, realizado entre setembro e novembro de 2017 uma vez a cada semana, totalizando oito atendimentos, visando melhoria nos comprometimentos causados pela doença e o tratamento realizado foi através de alongamento e fortalecimento muscular, mobilização articular, treino de equilíbrio e força e trabalho de motricidade fina. Resultados: Desde a juventude o paciente começou a perceber manchas no corpo, bolhas e nódulos nas orelhas, nariz, além de perda de cílios e sobrancelhas, relatando também ter começado a sentir câimbras no 5º quirodáctilo da mão esquerda. Atualmente, não apresenta sinais de infecção, mas possui úlceras abertas nos pés. Após os atendimentos percebeu-se uma melhora no quadro clínico, resultando na recuperação da sensibilidade tátil, térmica e dolorosa, como também aumento da flexibilidade, através dos estímulos do tratamento fisioterapêutico. Conclusão: Por meio do tratamento utilizado percebeu-se recuperação da sensibilidade, restauração de funções e capacidades motoras, de fato a fisioterapia contribuiu para ma  qualidade de vida e competência nas atividades diárias

The Indiscriminate use of Ritalin by Universities in the Health Area at the University of Gurupi – UNIRG

MPH methylphenidate, popularly known as Ritalin, was synthesized in 1954 in Switzerland and marketed in Brazil in 1998, belonging to the class of amphetamines. It acts in the CNS crossing the blood-brain barrier very easily. Used for cognitive improvement by college students. Its excessive consumption leads to dependence and possible side effects. The objective of this study was to analyze 91 university students who answered questionnaires on the theme. The collected data analyzed the incidence of Ritalin use among health academics at the University of Gurupi-UNIRG. After conducting the surveys, it was intended to understand the real reason that leads the student to the indiscriminate use of the drug and its possible consequences, to subsequently conduct guidance regarding the use without a prescription for academic purposes

Principais causas e diagnósticos de epistaxes na pediatria

A epistaxe é definida como qualquer hemorragia originada nas narinas, e toda a área nasal, como fossas, seios ou nasofaringe, na pediatria em geral, é visto em caráter benigno, sendo idiopática, auto-limitada e raramente severa. Por vezes, pode ser um sinal de condições que não estão apresentadas de forma clara, como por exemplo, tumores, agressões ou até mesmo discrasias hemorrágicas. As epistaxes são um problema comum, considerados pela otorrinolaringologia como a segunda urgência mais frequente, tendo como um número estimado de 10% da população que sofre esse tipo de ocorrência. A classificação da epistaxe é anterior ou posterior, baseada na localização primária da hemorragia, no plexo de Kiesselbach, localizado&nbsp; na porção ântero-inferior do septo nasal, contendo vários vasos que se anastomosam entre si, ou plexo de Woodruff que se localiza na região póster-inferior, que é formado pelas anastomoses das artérias esfenopalatinas e faríngea.&nbsp; Em geral, os casos de epistaxes na pediatria, se devem à traumas digitais ou alta fragilidade vascular, podendo ser induzido por uma inflamação ou infecção nasal. Quanto aos exames em paciente acometidos epistaxe, incialmente cabe avaliar o estado geral das vias aéreas e sinais vitais, seguido de uma observação de cabeça e pescoço, focando nas fossas nasais. Quando se tratar de um epistaxe de associação traumática, é necessário excluir fraturas dos ossos nasais e hematomas, já que estes podem levar a uma destruição cartilagínea gerando uma deformidade a longe prazo. Agregado ao exame nasal, a avaliação de cabeça e pescoço podem apresentar pistas diagnósticas importantes. O tratamento a partir das diversas abordagens terapêuticas podem ser feitas por médicos generalistas em casos mais comuns, pois a grande maioria dos casos é tratado de forma fácil com medidas conservadoras ou por cauterização, em geral os casos tem origem idiopática

Vascular flora of the Legado das Águas, Reserva Votorantim, municipalities of Tapiraí, Miracatú and Juquiá, São Paulo, Brazil

We present  a list of vascular plants found in Legado das Águas, Reserva Votorantim, a private reserve having an area of approximately 35,000 ha that spans the municipalities of Tapiraí, Miracatú, and Juquiá, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The reserve is part of a complex of state-protected areas including Alto Ribeira Touristic State Park, Intervales State Park , Carlos Botelho State Park, Jurupará State Park, and Serra do Mar State Park. Together, these form an important and large area of continuous and well-preserved forest. Our study, which involved two main floristic surveys in March/April 2013 and April 2014, recorded 768 species, representing 131 families and 432 genera. The majority of species were angiosperms (619) representing 106 families and 370 genera. There were also two species of gymnosperms belonging to two genera in separate families; 147 species of ferns and lycophytes belonging to 23 families and 60 genera. In demonstrating the presence of almost 800 species of plants, of which 16 are threatened, our study highlights the importance of floristic surveys and the critical role of private protected areas in managing and preserving native flora

ATLANTIC-PRIMATES: a dataset of communities and occurrences of primates in the Atlantic Forests of South America

Primates play an important role in ecosystem functioning and offer critical insights into human evolution, biology, behavior, and emerging infectious diseases. There are 26 primate species in the Atlantic Forests of South America, 19 of them endemic. We compiled a dataset of 5,472 georeferenced locations of 26 native and 1 introduced primate species, as hybrids in the genera Callithrix and Alouatta. The dataset includes 700 primate communities, 8,121 single species occurrences and 714 estimates of primate population sizes, covering most natural forest types of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina and some other biomes. On average, primate communities of the Atlantic Forest harbor 2 ± 1 species (range = 1–6). However, about 40% of primate communities contain only one species. Alouatta guariba (N = 2,188 records) and Sapajus nigritus (N = 1,127) were the species with the most records. Callicebus barbarabrownae (N = 35), Leontopithecus caissara (N = 38), and Sapajus libidinosus (N = 41) were the species with the least records. Recorded primate densities varied from 0.004 individuals/km 2 (Alouatta guariba at Fragmento do Bugre, Paraná, Brazil) to 400 individuals/km 2 (Alouatta caraya in Santiago, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). Our dataset reflects disparity between the numerous primate census conducted in the Atlantic Forest, in contrast to the scarcity of estimates of population sizes and densities. With these data, researchers can develop different macroecological and regional level studies, focusing on communities, populations, species co-occurrence and distribution patterns. Moreover, the data can also be used to assess the consequences of fragmentation, defaunation, and disease outbreaks on different ecological processes, such as trophic cascades, species invasion or extinction, and community dynamics. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this Data Paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data. © 2018 by the The Authors. Ecology © 2018 The Ecological Society of Americ

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure &lt;= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt