Hansen's Disease in Portugal: Multibacillary Patients Treated Between 1988 and 2003

BACKGROUND: There is an estimate low incidence of patients with Hansen's disease in Portugal. Following the 1982 World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, extended multidrug therapy (MDT) was started for multibacillary (MB) patients. Patients were then treated with rifampicine (RFP), clofazimine (CLF) and dapsone (DDS) for a minimum of 2 years or until smear negativity. The aim of this study was to evaluate MDT efficacy in our patient population. METHODS: Retrospective and descriptive study of 102 MB patients who underwent MDT from 1988 to 2003. RESULTS: The number of new MB patients has gradually increased since 1960, the first year of our consultation, due mostly to a rise in imported cases. Overall, 34% of the subjects were immigrants, mainly from former Portuguese Colonies. Forty-six patients had previously received monotherapy with DDS (mean duration of this treatment, 22 years). Relapse after MDT occurred in 9 cases (8.8%), but importantly, all relapsed cases were smear negative at least on one occasion after the end of treatment, suggesting these were true relapses rather than treatment failures. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the 2-year WHO-MDT regimen, patients with MB disease clearly face the possibility of relapse. We propose that any reduction in the duration of therapy such as the recently proposed 6-month standard MDT is likely to increase the relapse rate even further. Important issues for future consideration are the needs to identify those at risk of relapse and in need of alternative antimicrobial treatment with a prolonged clinical follow-up.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Leigh Syndrome with Atypical Cerebellum Imaging Features

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exploring the physiological role of transthyretin in glucose metabolism in the liver

Transthyretin (TTR), a 55 kDa evolutionarily conserved protein, presents altered levels in several conditions, including malnutrition, inflammation, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Disease. It has been shown that TTR is involved in several functions, such as insulin release from pancreatic ß-cells, recovery of blood glucose and glucagon levels of the islets of Langerhans, food intake, and body weight. Here, the role of TTR in hepatic glucose metabolism was explored by studying the levels of glucose in mice with different TTR genetic backgrounds, namely with two copies of the TTR gene, TTR+/+; with only one copy, TTR+/-; and without TTR, TTR-/-. Results showed that TTR haploinsufficiency (TTR+/-) leads to higher glucose in both plasma and in primary hepatocyte culture media and lower expression of the influx glucose transporters, GLUT1, GLUT3, and GLUT4. Further, we showed that TTR haploinsufficiency decreases pyruvate kinase M type (PKM) levels in mice livers, by qRT-PCR, but it does not affect the hepatic production of the studied metabolites, as determined by 1H NMR. Finally, we demonstrated that TTR increases mitochondrial density in HepG2 cells and that TTR insufficiency triggers a higher degree of oxidative phosphorylation in the liver. Altogether, these results indicate that TTR contributes to the homeostasis of glucose by regulating the levels of glucose transporters and PKM enzyme and by protecting against mitochondrial oxidative stress.This work was supported by Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000008-Porto Neurosciences and Neurologic Disease Research Initiative at I3S, and Pest-OE/SAU/UI0215/2014 at UMIB, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, by COMPETE 2020—Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), by Portuguese funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior in the framework of the project “Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274), and by a grant from Fundação Millennium bcp. Alemi M was a recipient of fellowship by Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000008. Oliveira  was a recipient of fellowship by Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000008. Cardoso I, Oliveira PF, and Alves MG work under the Investigator FCT Program, which is financed by national funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology and co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) through the Human Potential Operational Programme (HPOP), type 4.2—Promotion of Scientific Employment

How to rapidly abolish knee extension deficit after injury or surgery: a practice-changing video pearl from the Scientific Anterior Cruciate Ligament Network International (SANTI) Study Group

Knee extension deficit is frequently observed after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction or rupture and other acute knee injuries. Loss of terminal extension often occurs because of hamstring contracture and quadriceps inactivation rather than mechanical intra-articular pathology. Failure to regain full extension in the first few weeks after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a recognized risk factor for adverse long-term outcomes, and therefore, it is important to try to address it. In this technical note, a simple, rapid, and effective technique to help regain full knee extension and abolish quadriceps activation failure is described

Lactate signalling regulates fungal β-glucan masking and immune evasion

AJPB: This work was supported by the European Research Council (STRIFE, ERC- 2009-AdG-249793), The UK Medical Research Council (MR/M026663/1), the UK Biotechnology and Biological Research Council (BB/K017365/1), the Wellcome Trust (080088; 097377). ERB: This work was supported by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Research Council (BB/M014525/1). GMA: Supported by the CNPq-Brazil (Science without Borders fellowship 202976/2014-9). GDB: Wellcome Trust (102705). CAM: This work was supported by the UK Medical Research Council (G0400284). DMM: This work was supported by UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC/K000306/1). NARG/JW: Wellcome Trust (086827, 075470,101873) and Wellcome Trust Strategic Award in Medical Mycology and Fungal Immunology (097377). ALL: This work was supported by the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology and the University of Aberdeen (MR/N006364/1).Peer reviewedPostprin

In Vitro Antiophidian Properties of Dipteryx alata Vogel Bark Extracts

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Extracts from Dipteryx alata bark obtained with different solvents (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol) were mixed in vitro with Bothrops jararacussu (Bjssu, 40 mu g/mL) and Crotalus durissus terrificus (Cdt, 15 mu g/mL) snake venoms, and applied to a mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation to evaluate the possible neutralization of venom effects. Cdt venom neurotoxic effect was not inhibited by any of the extracts, while the neurotoxic and myotoxic actions of Bjssu venom were decreased by the methanolic extract. This inhibition appears to be augmented by tannins. Dichloromethane bark extract inhibited similar to 40% of Bjssu venom effects and delayed blockade induced by Cdt. The methodology used to determine which extract was active allows inferring that: (i) phenolic acids and flavonoids contained in the methanolic extract plus tannins were responsible mostly for neutralization of Bjssu effects; (ii) terpenoids from the dichloromethane extract may participate in the anti-Cdt and anti-Bjssu venom effects; (iii) a given extract could not inhibit venoms from different species even if those belong to the same family, so it is improper to generalize a certain plant as antiophidian; (iv) different polarity extracts do not present the same inhibitory capability, thus demonstrating the need for characterizing both venom pharmacology and the phytochemistry of medicinal plant compounds.15959565970Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)PROBIC/UNISOConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPESP [Proc. FAPESP 04/09705-8, 07/53883-6]FAPESP [07/51414-9, 08/05459-3]CNPq [Proc. 302206/2008-6

Direito Comercial ou Direito Empresarial?: uma análise da adequabilidade dos designativos à luz da evolução histórica do "Ius Mercatorum"

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo refletir sobre qual o designativo mais apropriado para o ramo do direito privado que não o direito comum (civil), isto é, se Direito Comercial ou se Direito Empresarial. Para tanto, lançou-se mão do método histórico, onde se buscou passear pela História do Comércio e do Direito Comercial (e Empresarial), de modo a justificar o melhor e mais apropriado uso. Ademais, a pesquisa bibliográfica foi importante recurso metodológico, como modo de verificar a visão dos jus-empresarialistas (doutrina) a respeito do tema em comento; como também o foi a pesquisa pautada na análise das grades curriculares dos cursos jurídicos, sob o recorte daqueles detentores do “Selo da OAB Recomenda” (análise objetiva). A conclusão, assim, buscou se respaldar tanto em aspecto quantitativo, da tabulação auferida na pesquisa objetiva; quanto em aspecto qualitativo, oriundo de posição doutrinária mais consistente. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Direito Comercial e Empresarial. Designativos. Adequabilidade. Grades Curriculares. Jus-Empresarialistas. COMMERCIAL LAW OR BUSINESS LAW?: AN ANALYSIS OF THE SUITABILITY OF DESIGNATORS THE LIGHT OF HISTORICAL EVOLUTION IUS MERCATORUM ABSTRACT This paper aims to reflect on the most appropriate designation for the branch of private law other than the common law (civil), that is, if Commercial Law or Business Law. Therefore, it employed the historical method, which sought touring the History of Trade and Commercial Law (and Company), in order to justify the best and most appropriate use. Furthermore, the literature was important methodological resource, as a way to verify the vision of justice-empresarialistas (doctrine) on the subject under discussion; as well as the research was guided by the analysis of the curricula of legal courses, under the focus of those holders of "Seal of OAB recommended" (objective analysis). The conclusion, therefore, sought to back up both quantitative aspect, the earned tab on objective research; as in qualitative aspect, come from more consistent doctrinal position. KEYWORDS: Commercial and Corporate Law. Designators. Suitability. Curriculum grids. Jus-Empresarialistas. Data da submissão: 07/07/2015 Data da aceitação: 05/08/201