Glove perforation during oral surgical procedures

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of glove perforation among undergraduates and residents performing maxillofacial surgery and identify procedures associated with the perforations. Study Design: For this purpose, 200 pairs of surgical gloves were used. For inspecting the perforations, the gloves were filled with water, at least 500 ml. Results: Sixteen gloves (8%) were perforated, 8 (4%) by residents and 8 (4%) by undergraduate students. Only the residents noticed that 2 gloves (1%) were perforated and identified the object causing the perforation. The left hand was the more affected with 9 perforations (4.5%). The finger pulp was the region most affected with 12 perforations (6%). The perforated forefinger appeared in 8 gloves (4%), representing the highest incidence of perforations. Conclusion: We concluded there was no difference in surgical glove perforation between undergraduate students and residents, the incidence of perforations was greater in the left hand (nondominant hand) and the fingers in which most perforations occurred were the forefinger and the thumb

Prostate Cancer Detection at Rebiopsy After an Initial Benign Diagnosis: Results Using Sextant Extended Prostate Biopsy

INTRODUCTION: Sextant prostate biopsy remains the standard technique for the detection of prostate cancer. It is well known that after a diagnosis of small acinar proliferation (ASAP) or high grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN), the possibility of finding cancer is approximately 40% and 30%, respectively. OBJECTIVE: We aim to analyze follow-up biopsies on patients who initially received a benign diagnosis after exclusion of HGPIN and ASAP. METHODS: From July 2000 to December 2003, 1177 patients were submitted to sextant extended prostate biopsy in our hospital. The mean patient age was 65.5 years old, and the median number of fragments collected at biopsy was 13. HGPIN and ASAP were excluded from our study. We only considered patients who had a diagnosis of benign at the first biopsy and were subjected to rebiopsies up until May 2005 because of a maintained suspicion of cancer. RESULTS: Cancer was initially detected in 524 patients (44.5%), and the diagnosis was benign in 415 (35.3%). Rebiopsy was indicated for 76 of the latter patients (18.3%) because of a persistent suspicion of cancer. Eight cases of adenocarcinoma (10.5%) were detected, six (75%) at the first rebiopsy. Six patients were submitted to radical prostatectomy, and all tumors were considered clinically significant. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that in extended prostate biopsy, the first biopsy detects more cancer, and the first, second, and third rebiopsies after an initial benign diagnosis succeed in finding cancer in 7.9% (6/55), 5.9% (1/15) and 20% (1/4) of patients, respectively

Seven new microendemic species of Brachycephalus (Anura:Brachycephalidae) from southern Brazil

Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) is a remarkable genus of miniaturized frogs of the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. Many of its species are highly endemic to cloud forests, being found only on one or a few mountaintops. Such level of microendemism might be caused by their climatic tolerance to a narrow set of environmental conditions found only in montane regions. This restriction severely limits the chance of discovery of new species, given the difficulty of exploring these inaccessible habitats. Following extensive fieldwork in montane areas of the southern portion of the Atlantic Rainforest, in this study we describe seven new species of Brachycephalus from the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. These species can be distinguished from one another based on coloration and the level of rugosity of the skin in different parts of their body. These discoveries increase considerably the number of described species of Brachycephalus in southern Brazil

The impact of metabolic syndrome on metabolic, pro-inflammatory and prothrombotic markers according to the presence of high blood pressure criterion

OBJECTIVES: We explored whether high blood pressure is associated with metabolic, inflammatory and prothrombotic dysregulation in patients with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: We evaluated 135 consecutive overweight/obese patients. From this group, we selected 75 patients who were not under the regular use of medications for metabolic syndrome as defined by the current Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults criteria. The patients were divided into metabolic syndrome with and without high blood pressure criteria (≥130/≥85 mmHg). RESULTS: Compared to the 45 metabolic syndrome patients without high blood pressure, the 30 patients with metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure had significantly higher glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid and creatinine values; in contrast, these patients had significantly lower high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol values. Metabolic syndrome patients with high blood pressure also had significantly higher levels of retinol-binding protein 4, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, interleukin 6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and lower levels of adiponectin. Moreover, patients with metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure had increased surrogate markers of sympathetic activity and decreased baroreflex sensitivity. Logistic regression analysis showed that high-density lipoprotein, retinol-binding protein 4 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels were independently associated with metabolic syndrome patients with high blood pressure. There is a strong trend for an independent association between metabolic syndrome patients with high blood pressure and glucose levels. CONCLUSIONS: High blood pressure, which may be related to the autonomic dysfunction, is associated with metabolic, inflammatory and prothrombotic dysregulation in patients with metabolic syndrome

examples of high-impact discoveries from an international chemistry network

CNPq 303355/2018-2 CAPES-Cofecub (88887.130198/2017-01) EP/F034210/1 EP/P030572/1 UIDB/50006/2020 CNPq (308383/2018-4 Universal 403866/2016-2 PDE 204177/2018-9 I 421703/2017-2 .During the last 150 years or more, society has witnessed many key scientific discoveries and inventions, which have dramatically improved not only our quality of life, but our lifespan. However, the motivation of scientists to provide scientific advances has generally not been the achievement of these goals, but mainly driven by research curiosity. Fundamental scientific studies, also known as basic science, have paved the way to a society of knowledge by means of continuously evolving education systems, and have led to applied science and technological breakthroughs changing the World. However, without basic science such life-changing advances would not happen, which is poorly understood by the society. Having this in mind, chemists and biochemists working in a chemistry network highlight here examples of how basic science has played a crucial role and led to major breakthroughs. In seven short stories, the authors describe cases and historical events where basic research discoveries have advanced science, and opened avenues for future achievements. Investment in basic science is crucial for a nation’s health and wealth. The support of scientists driven by curiosity ultimately can benefit the whole of society, not only in innovative products, but also in the improvement of the understanding of our own lives.publishersversionpublishe

The heme-based oxygen sensor Rhizobium etli FixL: influence of auxiliary ligands on heme redox potential and implications on the enzyme activity

Conformational changes associated to sensing mechanisms of heme-based protein sensors are a key molecular event that seems to modulate not only the protein activity but also the potential of the Fe redox couple of the heme domain. In this work, midpoint potentials (E) assigned to the Fe redox couple of the heme domain of FixL from Rhizobium etli (ReFixL) in the unliganded and liganded states were determined by spectroelectrochemistry in the presence of inorganic mediators. In comparison to the unliganded ReFixL protein (+ 19 mV), the binding to ligands that switch off the kinase activity induces a negative shift, i. e. E = − 51, − 57 and − 156 mV for O, imidazole and CN, respectively. Upon binding to CO, which does not affect the kinase active, E was observed at + 21 mV. The potential values observed for Fe of the heme domain of ReFixL upon binding to CO and O do not follow the expected trend based on thermodynamics, assuming that positive potential shift would be expected for ligands that bind to and therefore stabilize the Fe state. Our results suggest that the conformational changes that switch off kinase activity upon O binding have knock-on effects to the local environment of the heme, such as solvent rearrangement, destabilize the Fe state and counterbalances the Fe-stabilizing influence of the O ligand