Horner's Syndrome as a Complication of Ultrasound-Guided Central Cannulation: A Case Report

Cannulation of the internal jugular vein is often necessary for the management of critically ill patients. Despite being a very common procedure and performed more and more safely, several complications still occur. Horner's Syndrome (HS) is one of those complications described before the use of ultrasound as a method of guidance. HS is caused by functional interruption of sympathetic nerve supply to the eye, leading to a classic triad of ipsilateral ptosis, miosis, and anhidrosis. We present the case of a patient, in need of emergent surgery to control the hemorrhagic focus after delivery, with a transient HS secondary to internal jugular vein cannulation under real-time ultrasound guidance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Avalia??o de RNAs n?o codificadores longos espec?ficos de Schistosoma mansoni, como candidatos a biomarcadores da esquistossomose murina.

Programa de P?s-Gradua??o em Biotecnologia. N?cleo de Pesquisas em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas, Pr?-Reitoria de Pesquisa de P?s Gradua??o, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto.RNAs n?o codificantes longos (lncRNAs) possuem um importante papel na regula??o transcricional e p?s-transcricional. S?o classificados como transcritos maiores que 200 nucleot?deos, que n?o apresentam potencial de codificar prote?nas, sendo observados tanto no n?cleo como no citoplasma. Estudos recentes v?m demonstrado que, dependendo de sua localiza??o e de suas intera??es espec?ficas com DNA, RNA e prote?nas, os lncRNAs podem modular a fun??o da cromatina, alterar a estabilidade e a tradu??o de mRNAs citoplasm?ticos e interferir nas vias de sinaliza??o. Muitas dessas fun??es, em ?ltima an?lise, afetam a express?o g?nica em diversos contextos biol?gicos e muito provavelmente est?o relacionados aos mecanismos referentes ? intera??o parasito-hospedeiro. Por outro lado, os padr?es de express?o est?gio-espec?fico sugerem que os lncRNAs s?o biomarcadores em potencial para a detec??o da esquistosomose, uma parasitose debilitante e de grande impacto socioecon?mico no mundo, causada por platelmintos do g?nero Schistosoma. Acredita-se que a complexidade dos programas de diferencia??o e desenvolvimento observado entre os diferentes est?gios evolutivos e ambientes onde o parasita vive seja dependente da regula??o da express?o g?nica, e neste cen?rio os lncRNAs seriam mol?culas chave. As hip?teses desse trabalho s?o que o S. mansoni expressa um conjunto de lncRNAs de forma diferencial atrav?s da reprograma??o de sua express?o g?nica em determinados est?gios evolutivos, e que esses lncRNAs s?o importantes na intera??o parasito-hospedeiro. Recentemente, nosso grupo de pesquisa identificou um conjunto de 170 novos lncRNAs em S. mansoni e deste conjunto, quinze mostraram express?o diferencial quando comparado os est?gios larvais e adultos do verme, bem como entre machos e f?meas. Continuando essa linha de investiga??o, o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a express?o de 47 lncRNAs nos est?gios de cerc?rias, esquistoss?mulos com 3,5h de cultivo in vitro, vermes adultos e ovos, bem como em amostras de f?gado e sangue de camundongos BALB/c infectados e n?o infectados com S. mansoni. Do conjunto de 47 lncRNAs avaliados, 29 foram considerados como expressos em vermes adultos, utilizando a t?cnica de qRT-PCR. A seguir, este conjunto se mostrou diferencialmente expresso entre os est?gios evolutivos avaliados. Posteriormente foram realizados testes qualitativos e quantitivos utilizando f?gado e sangue de camundongos infectados e n?o infectados, apresentando detec??o de lncRNAs espec?ficos de S. mansoni no hospedeiro mam?fero. Em conjunto, podemos concluir que os lncRNAs s?o diferencialmente express?es em S. mansoni e com potencial de biomarcador.Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation. They are classified as transcripts larger than 200 nucleotides, which have no potential to encode proteins, being observed both in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm of cells. Recent studies have shown that depending on their location and their specific interactions with DNA, RNA and proteins, lncRNAs can modulate chromatin function, alter the stability and translation of cytoplasmic mRNAs and interfere in the signaling pathways. Many of these functions, ultimately, affect gene expression in various biological contexts and are most likely related to mechanisms related to host-parasite interaction. On the other hand, stage-specific expression patterns suggest that lncRNAs are potential biomarkers for the detection of schistosomiasis, a debilitating parasitosis, of great socioeconomic impact in the world, caused by Schistosoma genus. It is believed that the complexity of the differentiation and development programs observed between the different evolutionary stages and environments where the parasite lives is dependent on the regulation of gene expression, and in this scenario the lncRNAs would be key molecules. The hypotheses of this work are that S. mansoni expresses a set of lncRNAs in a differential way through the reprogramming of its gene expression in certain evolutionary stages, and that these lncRNAs are important in the parasite-host interaction. Recently, our research group identified a set of 170 new lncRNAs in S. mansoni and of this set, fifteen showed differential expression when comparing the larval and adult stages of the worm, as well as between males and females. Continuing this line of investigation, the hypothesis of this work was to evaluate the expression of 47 lncRNAs in the stages of cercariae, schistosomules with 3.5 h of in vitro culture, adult worms and eggs, as well as in liver and blood samples from BALB / c mice, infected and not infected with S. mansoni. Of the set of 47 lncRNAs evaluated, 29 were considered to be expressed in adult worms, using the qRT-PCR technique. Next, this set was shown to be differentially expressed between the evolutionary stages evaluated. Subsequently, qualitative and quantitative tests were performed using liver and blood of infected and uninfected mice, showing detection of specific S. mansoni lncRNAs in the mammalian host. Together, we can conclude that lncRNAs are differentially expressed in S. mansoni stages and have a potential for being biomarkers

Apocynin Dietary Supplementation Delays Mouse Ovarian Ageing

Advanced maternal age is associated with higher infertility rates, pregnancy-associated complications, and progeny health issues. The ovary is considered the main responsible for these consequences due to a continuous decay in follicle number and oocyte quality. Intracellular imbalance between oxidant molecules and antioxidant mechanisms, in favour of the former, results in oxidative stress (OS) that is believed to contribute to ovarian ageing. This work is aimed at evaluating whether an age-related increase in ovarian OS, inflammation, and fibrosis may contribute to tissue dysfunction and whether specific antioxidant supplementation with a NADPH oxidase inhibitor (apocynin) could ameliorate them. Mice aged 8-12 weeks (reproductively young) or 38-42 weeks (reproductively aged) were employed. Aged mice were divided into two groups, with one receiving apocynin (5 mM) in the drinking water, for 7 weeks, upon which animals were sacrificed and their ovaries collected. Ovarian structure was similar at both ages, but the ovaries from reproductively aged mice exhibited lipofuscin deposition, enhanced fibrosis, and a significant age-related reduction in primordial and primary follicle number when compared to younger animals. Protein carbonylation and nitration, and markers of OS were significantly increased with age. Moreover, mRNA levels of inflammation markers, collagens, metalloproteinases (MMPs), and tissue inhibitor MMPs (TIMPs) were upregulated. Expression of the antifibrotic miRNA29c-3p was significantly reduced. Apocynin supplementation ameliorated most of the age-related observed changes, sometimes to values similar to those observed in young females. These findings indicate that there is an age-related increase in OS that plays an important role in enhancing inflammation and collagen deposition, contributing to a decline in female fertility. Apocynin supplementation suggests that the imbalance can be ameliorated and thus delay ovarian ageing harmful effects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Major Pulmonary Surgery in Patients with Compromised Lung Function

Introduction: The risk stratification of lung resection is fundamentally based on the results of pulmonary function tests. In patients considered to be at risk, major surgery is generally denied, opting for potentially less curative therapies. Objective: To evaluate the postoperative outcomes of major lung surgery in a group of patients deemed high risk. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of clinical records of all patients submitted to lobectomy, bilobectomy or pneumonectomy in a 3-year period in a reference Thoracic Surgery Unit. The patients were then divided in two groups: group A composed of patients with normal preoperative pulmonary function and group B which included patients with impaired lung function, defined as FEV1 and/or DLCO ≤60%. Results: A total of 234 patients were included, 181 (77.4%) in group A and 53 (22.6%) in group B. In group B, patients had more smoking habits, were more often associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and were also more frequently submitted to thoracotomy. When surgery was motivated by primary lung cancer this group had a more advanced clinical stage of the disease. In the postoperative period, these patients had longer hospital stay, longer chest drainage time and greater need for oxygen therapy at home, however, no statistically significant difference was noted in morbidity or mortality. Conclusions: Major thoracic surgery can be safely performed in selected patients considered to be high risk for resection by pulmonary function tests. A potentially curative surgery should not be denied based on respiratory function tests alone.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Age differences in the use of implicit visual cues in a response time task

Background: Many activities require a complex interrelationship between a performer and stimuli available in the environment without explicit perception, but many aspects regarding developmental changes in the use of implicit cues remain unknown. Aim: To investigate the use of implicit visual precueing presented at different time intervals in children, adolescents, and adults. Method: Seventy-two people, male and female, constituted four age groups: 8-, 10- and 12-year-olds and adults. Participants performed 32 trials, four-choice-time task across four conditions: no precue and a 43 ms centralized dot appearing in the stimulus circle at 43, 86 or 129 ms prior the stimulus. Response times were obtained for each trial and pooled into each condition. Results: Response times for 8-year-olds were longer than for 12-year-olds and adults and for 10-year-olds were longer than for adults. Response times were longer in the no precue condition compared to when precues were presented at 86 and 129 ms before the stimulus. Response times were longer when precue was presented at 43 ms compared presented at 129 ms before the stimulus. Interpretation: Implicit precues reduce response time in children, adolescents and adults, but young children benefit less from implicit precues than adolescents and adults.</jats:p

Atypical Phenotype in Two Patients with LAMA2 Mutations

Congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A is caused by mutations in the LAMA2 gene, which encodes the a2-chain of laminin. We report two patients with partial laminin-a2 deficiency and atypical phenotypes, one with almost exclusive central nervous system involvement (cognitive impairment and refractory epilepsy) and the second with marked cardiac dysfunction, rigid spine syndrome and limb-girdle weakness. Patients underwent clinical, histopathological, imaging and genetic studies. Both cases have two heterozygous LAMA2 variants sharing a potentially pathogenic missense mutation c.2461A>C (p.Thr821Pro) located in exon 18. Brain MRI was instrumental for the diagnosis, since muscular examination and motor achievements were normal in the first patient and there was a severe cardiac involvement in the second. The clinical phenotype of the patients is markedly different which could in part be explained by the different combination of mutations types (two missense versus a missense and a truncating mutation)

Alopecia areata: a retrospective study of the paediatric dermatology department (2000-2008)

INTRODUCTION: Alopecia areata usually presents as patchy, nonscarring hair loss. It seems to be an immune mediated disease, whereas genetic predisposition, environmental and psychological triggers may be involved in its aetiology. OBJECTIVES: To study the epidemiology, clinical aspects, associations, and treatment of alopecia areata in the paediatric population of Peadiatric Dermatology outpatients over a 9-year period. Some psychologic characteristics were also assessed. METHODS: Descriptive and retrospective study of all newly diagnosed AA cases seen from January 2000 to December 2008 at the Hospital de São Marcos' Paediatric Dermatology Department. Fifteen patients with AA were interviewed for psycologic evaluation. RESULTS: Forty-eight cases (54% male/46% female) were identified. Mean age at presentation was 7.8 years. Family history of AA was reported in 10% of the cases, and in 25% there was a personal and/or family history of atopy. The majority of patients (82%) had mild disease and topical corticotherapy was the first-line treatment for limited AA. Fifty-four percent of these patients had a complete resolution of the lesions with treatment. Systemic treatment (corticosteroids and/or ciclosporin) was used in 71% of patients with extensive disease (more than 50% hair loss). Only one of these patients had a sustained clinical improvement after treatment. Twelve out of 15 respondents (80%) recalled stressful events preceding hair loss. DISCUSSION: Our findings are similar to those reported in other studies. Epidemiologic studies of AA are available in adulthood but there is a paucity of literature on children with AA. A holistic approach is important in the management of childhood AA as the disease can have a severe psychologic impact on an individual's well-being

Prevalence of antibodies to a new histo-blood system: the FORS system

In 1987, three unrelated English families were reported with a putative blood subgroup called Apae. Swedish researchers later found evidence leading to abolishment of the Apae subgroup and establishment instead of the FORS blood group system (System 31 - ISBT, 2012). It is important to know the prevalence of antibodies in order to make the best decisions in transfusion medicine. Cells expressing the Forssman saccharide, such as sheep erythrocytes, are needed to detect the anti-Forssman antibody. The aim of this study was to define the prevalence of human anti-Forssman antibody.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio