The masks of Lorenzo Tenchini : their anatomy and surgical/bioengineering clues

An academic, anatomist, and Lombrosian psychiatrist active at the University of Parma in Italy at the end of the 19th century, Lorenzo Tenchini produced ceroplastic-like masks that are unique in the anatomical Western context. These were prepared from 1885 to 1893 with the aim of 'cataloguing' the behaviour of prison inmates and psychiatric patients based on their facial surface anatomy. Due to the lack of any reference to the procedure used to prepare the masks, studies were undertaken by our group using X-ray scans, infrared spectroscopy, bioptic sampling, and microscopy analysis of the mask constituents. Results showed that the masks were stratified structures including plaster, cotton gauze/human epidermis, and wax, leading to a fabrication procedure reminiscent of 'additive layer manufacturing'. Differences in the depths of these layers were observed in relation to the facial contours, suggesting an attempt to reproduce, at least partially, the three-dimensional features of the facial soft tissues. We conclude the Tenchini masks are the first historical antecedent of the experimental method for face reconstruction used in the early 2000s to test the feasibility of transferring a complete strip of face and scalp from a deceased donor to a living recipient, in preparation for a complete face transplant. In addition, the layering procedure adopted conceptually mimics that developed only in the late 20th century for computer-aided rapid prototyping, and recently applied to bioengineering with biomaterials for a number of human structures including parts of the skull and face. Finally, the masks are a relevant example of mixed ceroplastic-cutaneous preparations in the history of anatomical research for clinical purposes

Violence and post-traumatic stress disorder in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: the protocol for an epidemiological and genetic survey

Background: violence is a public health major concern, and it is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychiatric outcomes. Brazil is one of the most violent countries in the world, and has an extreme social inequality. Research on the association between violence and mental health may support public health policy and thus reduce the burden of disease attributable to violence. the main objectives of this project were: to study the association between violence and mental disorders in the Brazilian population; to estimate the prevalence rates of exposure to violence, post-traumatic stress disorder, common metal disorder, and alcohol hazardous use and dependence: and to identify contextual and individual factors, including genetic factors, associated with the outcomes.Methods/design: one phase cross-sectional survey carried out in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A multistage probability to size sampling scheme was performed in order to select the participants (3000 and 1500 respectively). the cities were stratified according to homicide rates, and in São Paulo the three most violent strata were oversampled. the measurements included exposure to traumatic events, psychiatric diagnoses (CIDI 2.1), contextual (homicide rates and social indicators), and individual factors, such as demographics, social capital, resilience, help seeking behaviours. the interviews were carried between June/2007 February/2008, by a team of lay interviewers. the statistical analyses will be weight-adjusted in order to take account of the design effects. Standardization will be used in order to compare the results between the two centres. Whole genome association analysis will be performed on the 1 million SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) arrays, and additional association analysis will be performed on additional phenotypes. the Ethical Committee of the Federal University of São Paulo approved the study, and participants who matched diagnostic criteria have been offered a referral to outpatient clinics at the Federal University of São Paulo and Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Comparative study of esketamine and racemic ketamine in treatment-resistant depression: Protocol for a non-inferiority clinical trial

Carvalho, Lucas Pedreira de. Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica. Salvador, BA, Brasil. a Postgraduate Program in Medicine and Health, b Psychiatry Service, University Hospital, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, c LiNC—Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas, d Depatment of Anesthesiology, e PRODAF—Programa de Transtornos Afetivos, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, f Postgraduate Program in Psychology, Institute of Psychology, g Immunology Service, Universidade Federal da Bahial, h Clinical Research Laboratory (LAPEC), Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Fiocruz-Bahia, Salvador, Brazil, i McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute & Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, j Center for Research and Clinical Trials Sinapse-Bairral, Instituto Bairral de Psiquiatria, Itapira, Brazil.Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2018-12-21T16:28:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Melo FSC Comparative_study_of_esketamine_and_racemic.64.pdf: 212500 bytes, checksum: 350198044d38100f8cc9dd703451de7c (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2018-12-21T16:45:26Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Melo FSC Comparative_study_of_esketamine_and_racemic.64.pdf: 212500 bytes, checksum: 350198044d38100f8cc9dd703451de7c (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-21T16:45:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Melo FSC Comparative_study_of_esketamine_and_racemic.64.pdf: 212500 bytes, checksum: 350198044d38100f8cc9dd703451de7c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018Allergan and Lundbeck and research fees from Janssen Pharmaceutical during the last 12 months. ALTL has received consulting fees from Janssen Pharmaceutical, Daiichi Sankyo Brasil, Cristalia Produtos Químicos e Farmacêuticos, Libbs Farmacêutica and SanofiAventis and has received research fees from Eli Lilly, H. Lundbeck A/S, Servier Laboratories, Hoffman-La Roche and Forum Pharmaceuticals during the last 12 months.Múltipla - ver em NotasThe use of ketamine as an option in the treatment of depressive disorder is growing rapidly, supported by numerous clinical trials attesting its efficacy and safety. Esketamine, the S (+) enantiomer of ketamine, is the most widely used form in the anesthetic environment in some countries, and new studies have shown that it may also be effective in depression and with better tolerability. However, no study so far has directly compared esketamine with racemic ketamine. Here we propose a protocol of a clinical trial to evaluate esketamine as a noninferior medicationMethods/design: This study protocol is for a randomized, controlled, double-blind noninferiority clinical trial. Subjects will be 18 years or older, with major depression characterized as treatment-resistant. Participants will receive a single infusion of either esketamine (0.25mg/kg) or ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) over 40 minutes. The primary outcome will be the difference in remission rates between the 2 treatment arms at 24 and 72hours after drug infusion. Secondary outcomes will include other timepoints, measurements of cognition, dissociation, and blood biomarkers. Discussion: A head-to-head study is the best way to evaluate whether the esketamine is in fact comparable to the racemic ketamine in terms of both efficacy and safety, and, if positive, it would be an initial step to increase the access to that type of treatment worldwide. Ethics and dissemination: The study was approved by the local Institutional Review Board (University Hospital Professor Edgard Santos—Federal University of Bahia—Number: 46657415.0.0000.0049). Subjects will only participate after voluntarily agreeing and signing the Informed Consent Form. The study findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Trial registration: This trial has been registered in the Japan Primary Registries Network (JPRN): UMIN000032355, which is affiliated with the World Health Organization. when compared to ketamine in the treatment of patients with treatment-resistant depression