The Use of Bioinformatics for Studying HIV Evolutionary and Epidemiological History in South America

The South American human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) epidemic is driven by several subtypes (B, C, and F1) and circulating and unique recombinant forms derived from those subtypes. Those variants are heterogeneously distributed around the continent in a country-specific manner. Despite some inconsistencies mainly derived from sampling biases and analytical constrains, most of studies carried out in the area agreed in pointing out specificities in the evolutionary dynamics of the circulating HIV-1 lineages. In this paper, we covered the theoretical basis, and the application of bioinformatics methods to reconstruct the HIV spatial-temporal dynamics, unveiling relevant information to understand the origin, geographical dissemination and the current molecular scenario of the HIV epidemic in the continent, particularly in the countries of Southern Cone

HEMATURIA POR ROTURA DE ANEURISMA ILÍACO-URETERAL.

Arch Esp Urol. 2006 Apr;59(3):287-9. [Hematuria after ureteral-iliac aneurysm rupture] [Article in Spanish] Palacios A, Massó P, Osorio L, Oliveira A, Soares J, Marcelo F. Servicio de Urología, Hospital General de Santo Antonio, Porto, Portugal. [email protected] Abstract OBJECTIVE: Ureteral-iliac artery fistula is a rare condition. We perform a bibliographic review and report a case of ureter-iliac artery fistula reviewing its major differential diagnosis. METHODS: This case-study describes a patient with massive hematuria that presented a ureter-iliac artery fistula secondary to spontaneous rupture of an internal iliac artery aneurysm. RESULTS: 86 -year-old male patient with history of previous surgery for aneurysm and ureteral catheterization. CONCLUSIONS: This difficult diagnosis should be thought of in a patient with massive macroscopic hematuria and previous vascular surgery. The treatment is always surgery. PMID: 16724715 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLIN

ADENOCARCINOMA TÚBULOVELLOSO DE LA PELVIS RENAL. A PROPÓSITO DE UN CASO.

Arch Esp Urol. 2006 Nov;59(9):916-9. [Tubulovillous adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis. Case report] [Article in Spanish] Palacios A, Lima O, Massó P, Osório L, Versos R, Soares J, Marcelo F. Servicio de Urología, Hospital Geral de Santo Antonio, Porto, Portugal. [email protected] Abstract OBJECTIVE: To present a case of tubulovillous renal pelvis adenocarcinoma. METHODS/RESULTS: An 81 year-old patient presented at Emergency Department with sepsis. CT scan showed a staghorn calculus with signs suggestive of pyonefrosis. A nephrectomy was performed and pathological exam revealed tubulovillous renal pelvis adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Renal pelvis adenocarcinoma is a rare disease. It is usually accompanied by chronic urinary infections, on inflammatory state and staghorn calculi. The best therapeutic option is nephrectomy and the prognosis is poor. PMID: 17190219 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLIN

ABSCESO DEL PENE. A PROPÓSITO DE UN CASO.

Arch Esp Urol. 2006 Oct;59(8):809-11. [Penile abscess. Case report] [Article in Spanish] Palacios A, Massó P, Versos R, Osorio L, Carvalho LF, Soares J, Marcelo F. Servicio de Urología, Hospital Geral de Santo Antonio, Porto, Portugal. [email protected] Abstract OBJECTIVE: To report one case of penile abscess, with special reference to diagnostic and therapeutic aspects. METHODS: One case of penile abscess is presented in a patient referred for penile swelling. RESULTS: During surgical exploration it showed to be a corpora cavernosum rupture with drainage of a small volume of purulent fluid. CONCLUSIONS: Penile abscess is uncommon. High frequency ultrasonography is a reliable diagnostic imaging method. We were able to incise the affected area of the corpus cavernosum and glans safely, and with appropriate antibiotics this patient was treated successfully. PMID: 17153501 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLIN

Cardiovascular assessment of diabetic patients

INTRODUCTION: Type 2 diabetes is a cardiovascular disease. The morbidity and mortality among these patients are primarily due to cardiovascular diseases. There are many guidelines regarding clinical evaluation of cardiovascular disease in those patients. Implementation of these guidelines has been an argued subject. Our objective in this paper is to describe what basal cardiovascular evaluation has been carried out at a specialized university Diabetes Center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data were collected from February to October 2006 of 121 type 2 diabetes individuals who were enrolled at the Diabetes Center of Federal University of São Paulo. We analyzed the type of cardiovascular disease evaluation that they had been submitted in the year that preceded the consultation. RESULTS: We have observed a high prevalence of several other cardiovascular risk factors in this population. The cardiovascular evaluations during this period has shown 36% of the patients had not been submitted to any cardiovascular test, 17% had been submitted to resting electrocardiogram and 27% of the patients had been submitted to exercise test. Rest echocardiogram, pharmacologic stress echocardiogram, myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, and coronary angiography have been carried out in a much lesser ratio. CONCLUSION: Our data has shown the variability and limitations on boarding diagnosing of DAC in university environment patients and point us the necessity of constructing defined and directed directives for the peculiarities of the Brazilian population and health system.INTRODUÇÃO: Baseado no conhecimento atual sobre o diabetes tipo 2 (DM), considerado como um estado de doença cardiovascular, várias diretrizes surgem no intuito de sugerir uma avaliação cardiovascular rotineira nesses indivíduos, na tentativa de se detectar precocemente a doença arterial coronariana (DAC). Neste trabalho, objetivamos descrever qual avaliação cardiovascular basal fora realizada em um período de seguimento dos mesmos, dentro de um centro universitário especializado no tratamento de diabetes, adequado para a realidade brasileira. SUJEITOS E MÉTODOS: Anotamos dados clínicos do prontuário de 121 pacientes portadores de DM tipo 2 atendidos no Centro de Diabetes da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) e confrontamos com o tipo de avaliação cardiovascular a que os mesmos haviam sido submetidos no ano que precedia a consulta. RESULTADOS: Observamos que na população estudada havia uma alta prevalência de outros fatores de risco cardiovasculares associados. Quanto às avaliações cardiovasculares realizadas no período, cerca de 36% dos pacientes não realizaram nenhum teste cardiológico, 17% foram submetidos ao eletrocardiograma de repouso e 27% dos pacientes foram submetidos ao teste ergométrico. Exames como ecocardiograma em repouso ou sob stress farmacológico, cintilografia de perfusão do miocárdio e cinecoronariografia foram realizados em menor proporção. CONCLUSÃO: Nossos dados mostraram a variabilidade e limitações na forma de abordagem diagnóstica de DAC de pacientes acompanhados em ambiente universitário e nos apontam para a necessidade de construir diretrizes mais bem definidas e dirigidas para as peculiaridades da população e sistema de saúde brasileiros.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Centro de DiabetesUNIFESP, EPM, Centro de DiabetesSciEL

Quantum walks with spatiotemporal fractal disorder

We investigate the transport and entanglement properties exhibited by quantum walks with coin operators concatenated in a space-time fractal structure. Inspired by recent developments in photonics, we choose the paradigmatic Sierpinski gasket. The 0-1 pattern of the fractal is mapped into an alternation of the generalized Hadamard-Fourier operators. In fulfilling the blank space on the analysis of the impact of disorder in quantum walk properties -- specifically, fractal deterministic disorder --, our results show a robust effect of entanglement enhancement as well as an interesting novel road to superdiffusive spreading with a tunable scaling exponent attaining effective ballistic diffusion. Namely, with this fractal approach it is possible to obtain an increase in quantum entanglement without jeopardizing spreading. Alongside those features, we analyze further properties such as the degree of interference and visibility. The present model corresponds to a new application of fractals in an experimentally feasible setting, namely the building block for the construction of photonic patterned structures.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figure

Quantum walks in two dimensions: controlling directional spreading with entangling coins and tunable disordered step operator

We study a 2-D disordered time-discrete quantum walk based on 1-D `generalized elephant quantum walk' where an entangling coin operator is assumed and which paves the way to a new set of properties. We show that considering a given disorder in one direction, it is possible to control the degree of spreading and entanglement in the other direction. This observation helps assert that the random quantum walks of this ilk serve as a controllable decoherence channel with the degree of randomness being the tunable parameter and highlight the role of dimensionality in quantum systems regarding information and transport.Comment: 16 pages, 19 figure

Lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of Bipolar I parents

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated high rates of psychopathology in the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to identify psychiatric diagnoses in a sample of children of bipolar parents. METHOD: This case series comprised 35 children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years, with a mean age of 12.5 + 2.9 years (20 males and 15 females), who had at least one parent with bipolar disorder type I. The subjects were assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children - Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). Family psychiatric history and demographics were also evaluated. RESULTS: Of the offspring studied, 71.4% had a lifetime diagnosis of at least one psychiatric disorder (28.6% with a mood disorder, 40% with a disruptive behavior disorder and 20% with an anxiety disorder). Pure mood disorders (11.4%) occurred less frequently than mood disorders comorbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (17.1%). Psychopathology was commonly reported in second-degree relatives of the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (71.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support previous findings of an increased risk for developing psychopathology, predominantly mood and disruptive disorders, in the offspring of bipolar individuals. Prospective studies with larger samples are needed to confirm and expand these results.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)NARSADKrus Endowed Chair in Psychiatry UTHSCSAFederal University of São Paulo Department of PsychiatryThe University of Texas Health Science Center Departments of Psychiatry and OrthodonticsUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Medicina Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Texas Health Science CenterThe University of Texas Health Science Center Department of PsychiatryUNIFESP, Department of PsychiatryNARSAD: MH 69774NARSAD: RR 20571NARSAD: MH068280SciEL

Lifetime psychopathology among the offspring of Bipolar I parents

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated high rates of psychopathology in the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to identify psychiatric diagnoses in a sample of children of bipolar parents. METHOD: This case series comprised 35 children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years, with a mean age of 12.5 + 2.9 years (20 males and 15 females), who had at least one parent with bipolar disorder type I. The subjects were assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children - Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). Family psychiatric history and demographics were also evaluated. RESULTS: Of the offspring studied, 71.4% had a lifetime diagnosis of at least one psychiatric disorder (28.6% with a mood disorder, 40% with a disruptive behavior disorder and 20% with an anxiety disorder). Pure mood disorders (11.4%) occurred less frequently than mood disorders comorbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (17.1%). Psychopathology was commonly reported in second-degree relatives of the offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (71.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support previous findings of an increased risk for developing psychopathology, predominantly mood and disruptive disorders, in the offspring of bipolar individuals. Prospective studies with larger samples are needed to confirm and expand these results

ADRENALECTOMÍA TRANSPERITONEAL LAPAROSCÓPICA: EXPERIENCIA

Arch Esp Urol. 2006 Nov;59(9):893-7. [Transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy: initial experience] [Article in Spanish] Palacios A, Lima E, Massó P, Versos R, Autorino R, Ramos M, Soares J, Marcelo F. Servicio de Urología, Hospital Geral de Santo António, Porto, Portugal. [email protected] Abstract OBJECTIVES: Since the first published report in 1992, laparoscopic adrenalectomy has been widespread and it is now accepted as the standard treatment option in most of benign diseases of the adrenal gland. Aim of the present study is to describe our initial experience with laparoscopic adrenalectomy. METHODS: Between May 2001 and December 2005, 15 patients were submitted to laparoscopic adrenalectomy for benign diseases of the adrenal gland. We analyzed patients characteristics (sex, age, initial diagnosis), operative and perioperative results (operative time, blood loss, time to first oral intake) and complications. RESULTS: Mean operative time was 143 minutes. Blood loss was minimal. Mean hospital stay was 90 hours. There was no need for open conversion and complication rate was low. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic surgery of the adrenal gland is a safe and effective option which offers quality of life benefits to the patients. PMID: 17190212 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLIN