Calculations of backpatch factors and conversion coefficients for the personal dose equivalent for X-ray beams used in radiodiagnostic

The purpose of this study is to use the Monte Carlo N-Particle radiation transport code (MCNP) to calculate the conversion coefficients of air kerma for personal dose equivalent (Hp [Sv]) and Back Scattering Factors (BSF) for X-ray beams used in diagnostic radiography at potentials of 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, and 150 kVp. Additionally, effective dose is determined using male and female anthropomorphic voxel-based simulators (REX and REGINA) as recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 110, along with tissue weight factors from ICRP Publication 103 to simulate whole-body irradiation. The results indicate that the relationship between operational metrics such as Hp and risk limitation metrics like effective dose varies from 0.14 to 0.71 for Radiation Qualities in Radiation (RQR) beams from the X-ray source assembly and up to 0.64 for Radiation Qualities based on a phantom with an added aluminium filter (RQA). When comparing the obtained values for air kerma conversion coefficients for personal dose equivalent with the value adopted by the National Commission for Nuclear Energy (CNEN) of 1.14 Sv/Gy for individual dose determination, it is observed that at low energies, the values are overestimated by up to 44%, while at high energies, the values are underestimated by up to 67%

Diversidade de bactérias de solo sob vegetação natural e cultivo de hortaliças.

Os microrganismos do solo são componentes essenciais na manutenção do equilíbrio físico-químico e biológico do mesmo e exercem importante função que inclui a degradação de resíduos de plantas e animais e a liberação de nutrientes na cadeia alimentar. Este trabalho teve como objetivo comparar a microbiota de um solo com cobertura de mata (SMS) e outro cultivado com hortaliças (SHC), supressivos ou não a Rhizoctonia solani. Foram feitas extrações do DNA total dos solos e a partir dos mesmos, amplificação por PCR dos genes 16S rDNA, clonagem dos fragmentos e seqüenciamento dos genes do RNA ribossomal. A análise dos resultados demonstrou que essa metodologia foi eficiente para avaliação de bactérias. No solo supressivo de mata os filos mais encontrados pertencem aos das Acidobactérias, Verrucomicrobia e Actinobactérias e no solo conducente cultivado com hortaliças a maioria pertence aos filos das Proteobactérias, Firmicutes e Bacteroidetes

The Photopic Negative Response: An Objective Measure of Retinal Ganglion Cell Function in Patients With Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy

Purpose: The photopic negative response (PhNR) is a slow negative component of a flash photopic full-field ERG that has been shown to be specific for retinal ganglion cell (RGC) activity. Direct evaluation of RGC function is desirable in patients with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) in which the loss of central acuity can make it difficult to monitor patients with standard metrics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of PhNR as an objective noninvasive clinical metric in LHON.Methods: Full-field photopic ERG recordings were collected in subjects with the mt.11778G>A/ND4 LHON mutation using a red on blue stimulus. The PhNR was identified using a computer-based automated detection system, and data were manually examined to remove movement artifacts.Results: The PhNR amplitude was compared between controls (n = 13), carriers (n = 17), and affected (n = 6). Mean PhNR amplitude decreased significantly across groups (P < 0.0001). Post hoc Tukey's test revealed a significant decrease in PhNR amplitude between carriers and controls (P < 0.05) and between carriers and affected (P < 0.01).Conclusions: We are able to demonstrate that the PhNR amplitude is significantly decreased in patients affected by LHON compared to carriers in a well-described pedigree. Surprisingly, there was also a decrease in PhNR in carriers, suggesting potential subclinical RGC dysfunction in some carriers. This is important in patients affected with LHON who typically have a dense central scotoma. The PhNR may be a useful objective outcome measure for future clinical trials

CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms are associated with obesity in Turner syndrome

Turner syndrome (TS) is characterized by a set of clinical conditions, including autoimmune/inflammatory diseases and infectious conditions, that can compromise a patient's quality of life. Here we assessed polymorphisms in CTLA-4 +49A/G (rs231775), PTPN22 +1858G/A (rs2476601), and MBL2 -550 (H/L) (rs11003125), -221(X/Y) (rs7096206) and exon 1 (A/O) in women from northeastern Brazil to determine whether polymorphisms within these key immune response genes confer differential susceptibility to clinical conditions in TS. A case-control genetic association study was performed, including 86 female TS patients and 179 healthy women. An association was observed for the A/G genotype of CTLA-4 +49A/G in TS patients (p=0.043, odds ratio [OR]=0.54). In addition, an association between the CTLA-4 G/G genotype and obesity was detected in TS patients (p=0.02, OR=6.04). Regarding, the -550(H/L) polymorphism in the MBL2 promoter, the frequency of the H/L genotype was significantly higher in the TS group than healthy controls (p=0.01, OR=1.96). The H/H genotype indicated a protective effect in TS patients (p=0.01, OR=0.23). No differences were observed in the distribution of -221(X/Y), MBL2 exon 1 variants, and PTPN22 +1858G/A in any assessed groups. CTLA-4 variants are potentially involved in obesity in this cohort of TS patients from northeastern Brazil

Bacterial diversity of soil under eucalyptus assessed by 16S rDNA sequencing analysis

Estudos sobre impacto do Eucalyptus spp. em solos brasileiros têm focalizado propriedades químicas do solo e isolamento de microrganismos de interesse. No Brasil há pouco enfoque em ecologia e diversidade microbiana, devido às limitações dos métodos tradicionais de cultivo e isolamento. A utilização de métodos moleculares no estudo da ecologia microbiana baseados na amplificação por PCR do 16S rDNA têm enriquecido o conhecimento da biodiversidade microbiana dos solos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar e estimar a diversidade bacteriana de comunidades simpátricas em solos de duas áreas: uma floresta nativa (NFA) e outra adjacente com arboreto de eucaliptos (EAA). Oligonucleotídeos iniciadores foram utilizados para amplificar o 16S rDNA metagenômico do solo, o qual foi clonado usando pGEM-T e seqüenciado para determinar a diversidade bacteriana. Foram analisados 134 clones do solo NFA e 116 clones do solo EAA. As seqüências foram comparadas às depositadas no GenBank. Análises filogenéticas revelaram diferenças entre os tipos de solos e alta diversidade em ambas comunidades. No solo de arboreto de Eucalyptus spp. foi encontrada maior diversidade bacteriana em comparação com o solo da área de floresta nativa.Studies on the impact of Eucalyptus spp. on Brazilian soils have focused on soil chemical properties and isolating interesting microbial organisms. Few studies have focused on microbial diversity and ecology in Brazil due to limited coverage of traditional cultivation and isolation methods. Molecular microbial ecology methods based on PCR amplified 16S rDNA have enriched the knowledge of soils microbial biodiversity. The objective of this work was to compare and estimate the bacterial diversity of sympatric communities within soils from two areas, a native forest (NFA) and an eucalyptus arboretum (EAA). PCR primers, whose target soil metagenomic 16S rDNA were used to amplify soil DNA, were cloned using pGEM-T and sequenced to determine bacterial diversity. From the NFA soil 134 clones were analyzed, while 116 clones were analyzed from the EAA soil samples. The sequences were compared with those online at the GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses revealed differences between the soil types and high diversity in both communities. Soil from the Eucalyptus spp. arboretum was found to have a greater bacterial diversity than the soil investigated from the native forest area

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)