Somatostatin Reduces Bile Secretion and Loss of Bile Constituents in Patients with External Biliary Drainage

The effect of 24-hours continuous somatostatin 14 infusion on the volume of the bile secretion and on the bile composition were studied in seven patients with malignant biliary obstruction who had transhepatic external biliary drainage

HBV and HCV Therapy

One year of interferon therapy inhibits HBV replication in one third of the patients whereas long-term administration of oral nucleos(t)ide analogues is efficient in most of them, as long as early treatment adaptation in patients with partial virological response and resistance is provided. Following the demonstration of a more potent antiviral effect in terms of sustained virological response (SVR) rates, Pegylated-IFN coupled with Ribavirin has become the standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C, with nearly 65% of all treated patients achieving a SVR. Long-term suppression of HBV and eradication of HCV would halt the progression of chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver decompensation

Cholesterol Microlithiasis: Bacteriology, Gallbladder Bile and Stone Composition

It is not known whether microcalculi possess structural differences compared with larger stones or whether they represent simply an earlier stage in stone disease

Hepatitis C Virus Blocks Interferon Effector Function by Inducing Protein Kinase R Phosphorylation

SummaryHepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded RNA virus encoding a single polyprotein whose translation is driven by an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). HCV infection strongly induces antiviral interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression in the liver, yet it persists, suggesting that HCV can block ISG effector function. We now show that HCV infection triggers phosphorylation and activation of the RNA-dependent protein kinase PKR, which inhibits eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF2α and attenuates ISG protein expression despite normal ISG mRNA induction. ISG protein induction is restored and the antiviral effects of interferon are enhanced when PKR expression is suppressed in interferon-treated infected cells. Whereas host protein translation, including antiviral ISGs, is suppressed by activated PKR, HCV IRES-dependent translation is not. These results suggest that the ability of HCV to activate PKR may, paradoxically, be advantageous for the virus during an IFN response by preferentially suppressing the translation of ISGs

Evidence evaluation in craniofacial superimposition using likelihood ratios

Craniofacial Superimposition is a forensic identification technique that supports decision-making when skeletal remains are involved. It is based on the analysis of the overlapping of a post-mortem skull with antemortem facial photographs. Despite its importance and wide applicability, the process remains complex and challenging. To address this, computerized methods have been proposed, but subjectivity and qualitative reporting persist in decision-making. This study introduces an evidence evaluation system proposal based on Likelihood Ratios, previously used in other forensic fields, such as DNA, voice, fingerprint, and facial comparison. We present a novel application of this framework to Craniofacial Superimposition. Our work comprises three experiments in which our LR system is trained and tested under distinct conditions concerning facial images: the first utilizes frontal facial photographs; the second employs lateral facial photographs; and the last one integrates both frontal and lateral facial photographs. In the three experiments, the proposed LR system stands out in terms of calibration and discriminating power, providing practitioners with a quantitative tool for evidence evaluation and integration. However, the lack of massive actual data obliged us to focus our study on synthetic data only. Therefore, it should be considered a proof of concept. Nevertheless, the resulting likelihood-ratio system offers objective decision support in Craniofacial Superimposition. Further studies are required to validate in a real scenario the conclusions achieved.R&D project CONFIA (grant PID2021-122916NB-I00), funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/ 501100011033 and by ERDF/EU - ‘‘ERDF A way of making Europe’’Grant FORAGE (B-TIC-456-UGR20) funded by Consejería de Universidad, Investigación e Innovación and by ‘‘ERDF A way of making Europe’’Miss Martínez-Moreno is supported by grant PRE2022-102029 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the FSE+Dr. Valsecchi’s work is supported by Red.es under grant Skeleton-ID2.0 (2021/C005/00141299)Dr. Ibáñez’s work is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities under grant RYC2020-029454-I and by Xunta de Galicia, Spain by grant ED431F 2022/21Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada / CBU

Normalization of elevated liver enzymes due to V-1 Immunitor therapy

V-1 Immunitor (V1) is an oral AIDS vaccine currently being used as a therapeutic modality by HIV-positive patients. Upon interim analysis of phase I safety trial it has been discovered that patients who had elevated liver enzymes aspartate (AST/SGOT) and alanine (ALT/SGPT) aminotransferases have experienced the reduction of enzyme levels back to normal. Two other hepatitis markers alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin have also decreased. V1's effect may be hepatitis-specific since liver enzymes in normal patients treated with V1 have not changed and three patients who were Hepatitis B antigen positive at baseline became negative after therapy. The results suggest that V1 supplementation reduces hepatic damage caused by hepatitis viral infection

Sindrome de Gilbert - um estudo diagnóstico

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Curso de Medicina, Florianópolis, 198

DESENVOLVIMENTO DE UMA FORMULAÇÃO COSMECÊUTICA PARA REGIÃO DOS OLHOS COM EXTRATO PADRONIZADO DE CAFÉ VERDE

O extrato de café verde da espécie Coffea canephora apresenta significante potencial antioxidante por possuir alto teor de bioativos, como cafeína e ácidos clorogênicos. Radicais livres, associados ao início do processo oxidativo, são um dos principais responsáveis pelo envelhecimento cutâneo. Assim, considerando a importância econômica do café no Brasil e a atual preocupação dos consumidores com a estética, o objetivo do trabalho foi desenvolver e caracterizar uma formulação cosmecêutica, de uso tópico, acrescida de extrato seco liofilizado de café verde para ser utilizada na região dos olhos. Para caracterizar o extrato, foram avaliados o teor de ácidos clorogênicos totais, cafeína e a atividade antioxidante por ABTS. Foram desenvolvidas formulações do tipo emulsão simples (FES) e múltipla (FEM) contendo 0,5% (p/p) e 1,0% (p/p) de extrato e avaliadas as características organolépticas, físico-químicas e atividade antioxidante em todas as formulações. Os parâmetros organolépticos e físico-químicos mantiveram-se com valores compatíveis e conforme esperado. As FES apresentaram maior densidade e menor atividade antioxidante que as FEM correspondentes. A FEM0.5 destacou-se pela alta atividade antioxidante (3,89 g Trolox/100g), sugerindo-se o uso na região dos olhos como potencial preventivo do envelhecimento cutâneo, entretanto, mais estudos são necessários para verificar a sua eficácia e segurança.

Utilização de indicadores de desempenho financeiros em hotéis no sul do Brasil

A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo identificar e analisar as medidas ou os indicadores financeiros utilizados por hotéis do Sul do Brasil. Para atingir este objetivo, uma pesquisa empírica foi realizada por meio de questionário aplicado a 23 hotéis na Região Sul. O estudo revela que o principal indicador financeiro utilizado é o RevPAR, com 52%, Margem de lucro operacional, com 17% e GOP, com 13%, além de Diária média, Grau de Insolvência, Capital próprio e liquidez e PAX - Receita total por PAX, com 4,5%, respectivamente. O estudo revela oportunidades para os hotéis utilizarem indicadores como o EBITDA, ROI e EVA. Como pesquisas futuras, sugerem-se: (i) identificar o perfil dos indicadores não financeiros, (ii) ampliar a amostra para outros hotéis da região sul e de outras regiões do Brasil, e (iii) desenvolver estudos de casos sobre avaliação de desempenho para hotéis

Introduzione all'arte di Anne e Patrick Poirier. Idee e opere da Villa Medici a Villa Adriana

Anne and Patrick Poirier’s artistic research, particularly on the theme of memory, has been nourished by the ancient ruins that they had the occasion to study during several trips. A major influence came to them from Villa Medici and from Hadrian’s Villa, which they repeatedly visited in 1977.La ricerca di Anne e Patrick Poirier, e in particolare il loro lavoro sulla memoria, ha ricevuto sostanziali stimoli dal diretto contatto con le rovine antiche, studiate nel corso di numerosi viaggi. Di particolare rilievo appare il soggiorno a Villa Medici e soprattutto le ripetute visite a Villa Adriana nel 1977