Mortality of septic shock patients is associated with impaired mitochondrial oxidative coupling efficiency in lymphocytes : a prospective cohort study

Background: Septic shock is a life-threatening condition that challenges immune cells to reprogram their mitochondrial metabolism towards to increase ATP synthesis for building an appropriate immunity. This could print metabolic signatures in mitochondria whose association with disease progression and clinical outcomes remain elusive. Method: This is a single-center prospective cohort study performed in the ICU of one tertiary referral hospital in Brazil. Between November 2017 and July 2018, 90 consecutive patients, aged 18 years or older, admitted to the ICU with septic shock were enrolled. Seventy-five patients had Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS 3) assessed at admission, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) assessed on the first (D1) and third (D3) days after admission. Mitochondrial respiration linked to complexes I, II, V, and biochemical coupling efficiency (BCE) were assessed at D1 and D3 and Δ (D3–D1) in isolated lymphocytes. Clinical and mitochondrial endpoints were used to dichotomize the survival and death outcomes. Our primary outcome was 6-month mortality, and secondary outcomes were ICU and hospital ward mortality. Results: The mean SAPS 3 and SOFA scores at septic shock diagnosis were 75.8 (± 12.9) and 8 (± 3) points, respectively. The cumulative ICU, hospital ward, and 6-month mortality were 32 (45%), 43 (57%), and 50 (66%), respectively. At the ICU, non-surviving patients presented elevated arterial lactate (2.8 mmol/L, IQR, 2–4), C-reactive protein (220 mg/L, IQR, 119–284), and capillary refill time (5.5 s, IQR, 3–8). Respiratory rates linked to CII at D1 and D3, and ΔCII were decreased in non-surviving patients. Also, the BCE at D1 and D3 and the ΔBCE discriminated patients who would evolve to death in the ICU, hospital ward, and 6 months after admission. After adjusting for possible confounders, the ΔBCE value but not SOFA scores was independently associated with 6-month mortality (RR 0.38, CI 95% 0.18–0.78; P = 0.009). At a cut-off of − 0.002, ΔBCE displayed 100% sensitivity and 73% specificity for predicting 6-month mortality. Conclusions: The ΔBCE signature in lymphocytes provided an earlier recognition of septic shock patients in the ICU at risk of long-term deterioration of health status

ESTUDO COMPARATIVO DO DESEMPENHO DE DIFERENTES OPERADORES GENÉTICOS NA RESOLUÇÃO DO PROBLEMA DO CAIXEIRO VIAJANTE

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo comparativo do desempenho de diferentes combinações de operadores genéticos comumente utilizados na resolução do Problema do Caixeiro Viajante. A avaliação considerou somente os custos obtidos pelas combinações e foi realizada com seis instâncias da versão simétrica do problema. Os testes foram feitos com o uso do elitismo para todas as possíveis combinações. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que, individualmente, os operadores Torneio (seleção), CX (Cruzamento) e Inversão (Mutação) foram os mais eficientes

Computed tomography assessment of Apert syndrome

Apert syndrome, or acrocephalosyndactyly type I, is a craniofacial dysostosis, an autosomal dominant condition characterized by severe developmental disturbances of the craniofacial region including bilateral coronal synostosis associated with midface hypoplasia, exophthalmia, hypertelorism, and symmetric syndactyly of the hands and feet. The aim of this study is to assess the clinical and computed tomography imaging patterns of non-operated patients with Apert syndrome, correlating the bone abnormalities of the cranium, face and the skull base. The study population consisted of 5 patients with Apert syndrome. As part of the craniofacial assessment of the imaging center's routine, all patients underwent clinical evaluation and CT (computed tomograph) exam. Three-dimensional images were generated from helical CT scans, using an independent workstation, to evaluate the craniofacial abnormalities of the syndrome. Clinical exam determined that syndactyly of the hands and feet, pseudocleft in the midline palate and midface hypoplasia were features observed in all of the Apert patients. 3D-CT showed that some abnormalities such as bilateral coronal synostosis, calvarial midline defect and reduction in the antero-posterior dimension of the anterior, medial and posterior cranial fossae were present in all cases. In conclusion, the correlation of clinical and CT imaging findings can be useful to assess the main features observed in Apert patients, improving the criteria for examining the patient and diagnosing this condition, and contributing to the therapeutic planning and surgical follow-up

Avaliação biomecânica da fixação da fratura supracondiliana do fêmur comparando placa-lâmina 95º com DCS Fixation of supracondylar femoral fractures: a biomechanical analysis comparingthe 95º blade plate and the dynamic condylar screw (DCS)

OBJETIVO: Demonstrar por meio de ensaios biomecânicos comparativos entre a placa-lâmina de 95º e o parafuso condilar dinâmico (Dynamic Condylar Screw - DCS), qual apresenta maior resistência às cargas compressivas e de flexão, bem como tentar correlacionar o tipo de falha apresentada durante os testes com cada um dos tipos de placa. MÉTODOS: Sessenta e cinco fêmures suínos foram submetidos a osteotomia em cunha de subtração medial de um centímetro (cm), na região metafisária distal do fêmur, com o objetivo de simular fratura supracondiliana instável. Foi realizada osteossíntese dessas peças, sendo 35 fixadas com placa-lâmina 95º e 30 com placas com DCS, submetendo-as a cargas em compressão axial e flexão. Outra variável estudada foi o tipo de falha apresentada em cada grupo com a tentativa de correlacioná-la com o tipo de placa. RESULTADOS: Os resultados não mostraram diferença estatisticamente significante na resistência biomecânica entre os dois tipos de placas ou entre o tipo de falha e a placa utilizada na osteossíntese. CONCLUSÃO: Os dois tipos de placas se comportam de maneira semelhante, embora haja um indicativo de que a placa-lâmina seja, no ensaio de flexão, superior à placa DCS. Não foi observada diferença entre o tipo de falha e o tipo de placa utilizada.<br>OBJECTIVE: to determine, by means of comparative biomechanical tests between the 95o angled blade plate and the dynamic condylar screw (DCS), the one that presents greater compressive load resistance and flexion, and to correlate the failure type presented during the tests with each type of plate. METHODS: Sixty-five porcine femurs were submitted to a 1 cm medial wedge osteotomy, in the metaphysic, to simulate an unstable supracondylar femoral fracture. Osteosynthesis of these pieces was performed: 35 were fixated with a 90o lateral blade plate, and 30 with DCS plates. Another variable studied was the failure type presented in each group, attempting to correlate this with the type of plate. RESULTS: The results showed no statistically significant differences in biomechanical resistance between the two types of plates, or between the failure type and the plate type used in the osteosynthesis. CONCLUSION: THE TWO TYpes of plate behaved in a similar fashion. However, the angled blade plate proved to be superior to the DCS in the flexion test. No statistical difference was observed in failure type or type of plate used

Zoonotic Vaccinia Virus Infection in Brazil: Clinical Description and Implications for Health Professionals

Bovine vaccinia virus outbreaks have been occurring in different regions of Brazil. We report here the time course of natural human infection by vaccinia virus and describe important clinical and epidemiological aspects of this zoonotic infection. The diagnosis of vaccinia virus infection was based on clinical, serological, and molecular procedures