Estudo das respostas neurofisiológicas cerebrais em sujeitos saudáveis associadas à aplicação de estimulação magnética transcraniana repetitiva no córtex direito

A estimulação magnética transcraniana (EMT) é uma técnica de estimulação do córtex cerebral que permite modular a excitabilidade cortical, subsistindo controvérsia sobre o seu efeito na oximetria cerebral. Neste estudo quisemos avaliar a variação dos valores de oximetria (de forma direta) e do fluxo cerebral regional (de forma indireta), após uma única sessão de estimulação magnética de tipo excitatório, inibitório ou placebo sobre o hemisfério direito, em indivíduos jovens e saudáveis. Os testes realizaram-se em 31 voluntários, que foram aleatoriamente divididos em 3 grupos sendo cada um dos grupos submetidos a um tipo de estimulação. Foi realizada a medição da oximetria cerebral regional (OCR) antes e após a estimulação. Um grupo de controlo foi criado com 49 voluntários que não foram sujeitos ao protocolo, servindo apenas para registar os valores de OCR antes e após um intervalo de 30min. Os resultados revelaram uma diminuição significativa nos valores da oximetria do hemisfério direito no grupo que sofreu uma estimulação excitatória, situação que se verificou também no grupo placebo. No grupo que sofreu estimulação inibitória não se verificaram alterações estatisticamente significativas. Foram encontrados achados adicionais: os valores médios de oximetria mostram-se superiores, com significância estatística, no sexo masculino em comparação com o feminino, tanto nos valores antes como nos depois da estimulação e verificou-se também que o hemisfério direito apresenta valores de oximetria superiores aos do hemisferio esquerdo no grupo de controlo masculino.In this study we aimed to evaluate the variation of the regional cerebral oximetry (RCO), on the prefrontal cortex, after one session of Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – excitatory Theta Burst (TBS), inhibitory TBS and sham stimulation in healthy young individuals. The tests were realized in 32 volunteers, randomly distributed by three groups, being each group submitted to one of the previously described TBS (two way blinded). The RCO was obtained before and after the TMS. A fourth group was created in order to study the normal variation of RCO, in a 30 min interval, without passing through the TBS protocol. In this study we found a significant decrease, in males, on the right prefrontal OCR of the excitatory TBS group which also was noticed on the sham group. On the inhibitory TBS group no significant changes in OCR were obtained for either males or females. Parallel findings were noticed on the fourth group: prefrontal OCR mean values were significantly superior on males than females. Also right prefrontal OCR values were superior than left ones on males, but no significant change was observed between both hemispheres in females

Resumos de Teses e Dissertações

>> A crítica à “Assistencialização da Seguridade Social”, segundo Mota: uma contribuição pela via da singularidade do Distrito Federal no contexto da aplicação da Política de Assistência Social; >> Avanços e retrocessos do direito à saúde no Brasil: uma esperança equilibrista; >> Transferências de renda e políticas ativas para o mercado de trabalho: do merecimento por destituição a destituição de direitos; >> Orçamento público e redistribuição com enfoque de gênero: uma análise da experiência do Equador; >> O Ornitorrinco de Chuteiras: determinantes econômicos da política de esporte do governo Lula e suas implicações sociais; >> Orientação genética e anemia falciforme: o papel do profissional de saúde na educação em saúde e preservação de direitos; >> Conquistas e limites no acesso das mulheres à previdência social após a Constituição Federal de 1988: análise da proteção social para donas de casa de baixa renda

Correlations between Risk Factors for Breast Cancer and Genetic Instability in Cancer Patients- A Clinical Perspective Study

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.Molecular epidemiological studies have identified several risk factors linking to the genes and external factors in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. In this sense, genetic instability caused by DNA damage and DNA repair inefficiencies are important molecular events for the diagnosis and prognosis of therapies. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze correlation between sociocultural, occupational, and lifestyle risk factors with levels of genetic instability in non-neoplastic cells of breast cancer patients. Total 150 individuals were included in the study that included 50 breast cancer patients submitted to chemotherapy (QT), 50 breast cancer patients submitted to radiotherapy (RT), and 50 healthy women without any cancer. Cytogenetic biomarkers for apoptosis and DNA damage were evaluated in samples of buccal epithelial and peripheral blood cells through micronuclei and comet assay tests. Elder age patients (61–80 years) had higher levels of apoptosis (catriolysis by karyolysis) and DNA damage at the diagnosis (baseline damage) with increased cell damage during QT and especially during RT. We also reported the increased frequencies of cytogenetic biomarkers in patients who were exposed to ionizing radiation as well as for alcoholism and smoking. QT and RT induced high levels of fragmentation (karyorrhexis) and nuclear dissolution (karyolysis) and DNA damage. Correlations were observed between age and karyorrhexis at diagnosis; smoking and karyolysis during RT; and radiation and karyolysis during QT. These correlations indicate that risk factors may also influence the genetic instability in non-neoplastic cells caused to the patients during cancer therapies

Determinants of HIV late presentation among men who have sex with men in Portugal (2014–2019): who’s being left behind?

Introduction: HIV late presentation (LP) remains excessive in Europe. We aimed to analyze the factors associated with late presentation in the MSM population newly diagnosed with HIV in Portugal between 2014 and 2019. Methods: We included 391 newly HIV-1 diagnosed Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), from the BESTHOPE project, in 17 countrywide Portuguese hospitals. The data included clinical and socio-behavioral questionnaires and the viral genomic sequence obtained in the drug resistance test before starting antiretrovirals (ARVs). HIV-1 subtypes and epidemiological surveillance mutations were determined using different bioinformatics tools. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between predictor variables and late presentation (LP). Results: The median age was 31 years, 51% had a current income between 501-1,000 euros, 28% were migrants. 21% had never been tested for HIV before diagnosis, with 42.3% of MSM presenting LP. 60% were infected with subtype B strains. In the multivariate regression, increased age at diagnosis, higher income, lower frequency of screening, STI ever diagnosed and higher viral load were associated with LP. Conclusion: Our study suggests that specific subgroups of the MSM population, such older MSM, with higher income and lower HIV testing frequency, are not being targeted by community and clinical screening services. Overall, targeted public health measures should be strengthened toward these subgroups, through strengthened primary care testing, expanded access to PrEP, information and promotion of HIV self-testing and more inclusive and accessible health services.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

HIV-1-Transmitted Drug Resistance and Transmission Clusters in Newly Diagnosed Patients in Portugal Between 2014 and 2019

Objective: To describe and analyze transmitted drug resistance (TDR) between 2014 and 2019 in newly infected patients with HIV-1 in Portugal and to characterize its transmission networks. Methods: Clinical, socioepidemiological, and risk behavior data were collected from 820 newly diagnosed patients in Portugal between September 2014 and December 2019. The sequences obtained from drug resistance testing were used for subtyping, TDR determination, and transmission cluster (TC) analyses. Results: In Portugal, the overall prevalence of TDR between 2014 and 2019 was 11.0%. TDR presented a decreasing trend from 16.7% in 2014 to 9.2% in 2016 (p for-trend = 0.114). Multivariate analysis indicated that TDR was significantly associated with transmission route (MSM presented a lower probability of presenting TDR when compared to heterosexual contact) and with subtype (subtype C presented significantly more TDR when compared to subtype B). TC analysis corroborated that the heterosexual risk group presented a higher proportion of TDR in TCs when compared to MSMs. Among subtype A1, TDR reached 16.6% in heterosexuals, followed by 14.2% in patients infected with subtype B and 9.4% in patients infected with subtype G. Conclusion: Our molecular epidemiology approach indicates that the HIV-1 epidemic in Portugal is changing among risk group populations, with heterosexuals showing increasing levels of HIV-1 transmission and TDR. Prevention measures for this subpopulation should be reinforced.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cardiovascular Statistics - Brazil 2021.

This is the 2021 edition of the Cardiovascular Statistics – Brazil , a multi-institutional effort to periodically provide updated information on the epidemiology of heart diseases and stroke in Brazil. The report incorporates official statistics provided by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and other government agencies, by the GBD project led by the IHME of the University of Washington, as well as data generated by other sources and scientific studies, such as cohorts and registries, on CVDs and their risk factors. The document is directed to researchers, clinicians, patients, healthcare policy makers, media professionals, the public, and others who seek comprehensive national data available on heart disease and stroke

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery