Insights into Antarctic microbiomes: diversity patterns for terrestrial and marine habitats.

Microorganisms in Antarctica are recognized for having crucial roles in ecosystems functioning and biogeochemical cycles. To explore the diversity and composition of microbial communities through different terrestrial and marine Antarctic habitats, we analyze 16S rRNA sequence datasets from fumarole and marine sediments, soil, snow and seawater environments. We obtained measures of alpha- and beta-diversities, as well as we have identified the core microbiome and the indicator microbial taxa of a particular habitat. Our results showed a unique microbial community structure according to each habitat, including specific taxa composing each microbiome. Marine sediments harbored the highest microbial diversity among the analyzed habitats. In the fumarole sediments, the core microbiome was composed mainly of thermophiles and hyperthermophilic Archaea, while in the majority of soil samples Archaea was absent. In the seawater samples, the core microbiome was mainly composed by cultured and uncultured orders usually identified on Antarctic pelagic ecosystems. Snow samples exhibited common taxa previously described for habitats of the Antarctic Peninsula, which suggests long-distance dispersal processes occurring from the Peninsula to the Continent. This study contributes as a baseline for further efforts on evaluating the microbial responses to environmental conditions and future changes.

Ticagrelor versus clopidogrel dual antiplatelet therapy for unruptured intracranial aneurysms treated with flowdiverter.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Antiplatelet therapy (APT) is a key element limiting the risk of thromboembolic events (TEE) in neuroendovascular procedures, including aneurysm treatment with flowdiverter. Clopidogrel combined with aspirin is the mostly reported dual APT (DAPT). However, resistance phenomenon and intraindividual efficacy fluctuation are identified limitations. In recent years, ticagrelor has been increasingly used in this indication. We compared these two DAPT regimens for intracranial aneurysm treated with flowdiverter. METHODS: We conducted a multicentric retrospective study from prospectively maintained databases in two high volume centers extracting consecutive patients presenting unruptured intracranial aneurysm treated with flowdiverter and receiving DAPT (May 2015 to December 2019).  Two groups were compared according to their DAPT regimen: "ticagrelor+aspirin" and "clopidogrel+aspirin". Clopidogrel group was systematically checked with platelet test inhibition before endovascular procedure. The primary endpoint was composite, defined as any thrombo-embolic event (TEE) or major hemorrhagic event occurring the first 6 months during and after embolization RESULTS: 260 patients met our inclusion criteria. Baseline patients and aneurysms characteristics were comparable between groups, except for aneurysm location, median size and pre-treatment modified Rankin scale. No significant difference was observed regarding the primary composite outcome: 11.5% (12/104) in the ticagrelor group versus 10.9% (17/156) in the clopidogrel group (p = 1.000). There was also no significant difference in secondary outcomes including TEE (10.5 vs 9.0%; p = 0.673), major hemorrhage (0.9 vs 1.2%; p = 0.651) and clinical outcome (at least 1-point mRS worsening during follow up: 6.7% vs 8.3%; p = 0.813). CONCLUSION: First-line DAPT with ticagrelor+aspirin seems as safe and effective as clopidogrel+aspirin regimen.

Multi-layered transcriptional control of cranial neural crest development.

The neural crest (NC) is an emblematic population of embryonic stem-like cells with remarkable migratory ability. These distinctive attributes have inspired the curiosity of developmental biologists for over 150 years, however only recently the regulatory mechanisms controlling the complex features of the NC have started to become elucidated at genomic scales. Regulatory control of NC development is achieved through combinatorial transcription factor binding and recruitment of associated transcriptional complexes to distal cis-regulatory elements. Together, they regulate when, where and to what extent transcriptional programmes are actively deployed, ultimately shaping ontogenetic processes. Here, we discuss how transcriptional networks control NC ontogeny, with a special emphasis on the molecular mechanisms underlying specification of the cephalic NC. We also cover emerging properties of transcriptional regulation revealed in diverse developmental systems, such as the role of three-dimensional conformation of chromatin, and how they are involved in the regulation of NC ontogeny. Finally, we highlight how advances in deciphering the NC transcriptional network have afforded new insights into the molecular basis of human diseases.

On the generation of realistic synthetic petrographic datasets using a style-based GAN.

Deep learning architectures have transformed data analytics in geosciences, complementing traditional approaches to geological problems. Although deep learning applications in geosciences show encouraging signs, their potential remains untapped due to limited data availability and the required in-depth knowledge to provide a high-quality labeled dataset. We approached these issues by developing a novel style-based deep generative adversarial network (GAN) model, PetroGAN, to create the first realistic synthetic petrographic datasets across different rock types. PetroGAN adopts the architecture of StyleGAN2 with adaptive discriminator augmentation (ADA) to allow robust replication of statistical and esthetical characteristics and improve the internal variance of petrographic data. In this study, the training dataset consists of > 10,000 thin section images both under plane- and cross-polarized lights. Here, using our proposed novel approach, the model reached a state-of-the-art Fréchet Inception Distance (FID) score of 12.49 for petrographic images. We further observed that the FID values vary with lithology type and image resolution. The generated images were validated through a survey where the participants have various backgrounds and level of expertise in geosciences. The survey established that even a subject matter expert observed the generated images were indistinguishable from real images. This study highlights that GANs are a powerful method for generating realistic synthetic data in geosciences. Moreover, they are a future tool for image self-labeling, reducing the effort in producing big, high-quality labeled geoscience datasets. Furthermore, our study shows that PetroGAN can be applied to other geoscience datasets, opening new research horizons in the application of deep learning to various fields in geosciences, particularly with the presence of limited datasets.

Comparison of Woven EndoBridge device sizing with conventional measurements and virtual simulation using the Sim&Size software: a multicenter experience.

BACKGROUND: Selection of the appropriate device size mandatory during aneurysm treatment with a Woven EndoBridge (WEB). We aimed to investigate if virtual simulation with Sim&Size software may have an impact on technical, angiographic, and clinical outcomes after WEB treatment. METHODS: Data from two large-volume centers were collected and compared (January 2017-January 2020). Virtual simulation was systematically adopted in one center, while conventional sizing was used in the other one. Outcomes were the duration of intervention, the radiation dose (in milligrays, the number of corrective interventions for inappropriate WEB size, the number of WEBs not deployed, angiographic occlusion, and complications. Univariate and multivariate linear models were adopted. RESULTS: A total of 186 aneurysms were treated with WEB (109 with and 77 without virtual simulation). Patient characteristics and aneurysm features were comparable among virtual and conventional sizing, except for mean age (62.2±11.8 years and 56.2±10.1 years, P=0.0004) and median aspect ratio (1.6, IQR=1.2-2 and 1.2, IQR=1-1.6, P=0.0001). Years of operator experience were comparable. Virtual simulation was independently associated with shorter intervention time (45 min, IQR=33-63.5 min vs 63.5 min, IQR=41-84.7 min, P=0.0001), lower radiation dose (1051 mGy, IQR=815-1399 mGy vs 1207 mGy, IQR=898-2084 mGy, P=0.0001), and lower number of WEBs not deployed (26/77=33.7% vs 8/109=7.3%, P=0.0001). The need for additional maneuvers was significantly lower in the virtual simulation group (5/109=4.6% vs 12/77=15.6%, P=0.021). Angiographic outcomes and complications were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: In this multicenter experience, virtual simulation with Sim&Size software seems to facilitate the selection of the appropriate WEB device for aneurysm treatment, reducing the time of intervention, the radiation dose, the number of devices not deployed, and the need for corrective interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT04621552.

Tissue-Specific In Vivo Biotin Chromatin Immunoprecipitation with Sequencing in Zebrafish and Chicken.

Chromatin immunoprecipitation with sequencing (ChIP-seq) has been instrumental in understanding transcription factor (TF) binding during gene regulation. ChIP-seq requires specific antibodies against desired TFs, which are not available for numerous species. Here, we describe a tissue-specific biotin ChIP-seq protocol for zebrafish and chicken embryos which utilizes AVI tagging of TFs, permitting their biotinylation by a co-expressed nuclear biotin ligase. Subsequently, biotinylated factors can be precipitated with streptavidin beads, enabling the user to construct TF genome-wide binding landscapes like conventional ChIP-seq methods. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please see Lukoseviciute et al. (2018) and Ling and Sauka-Spengler (2019).

A genome-wide assessment of the ancestral neural crest gene regulatory network.

The neural crest (NC) is an embryonic cell population that contributes to key vertebrate-specific features including the craniofacial skeleton and peripheral nervous system. Here we examine the transcriptional and epigenomic profiles of NC cells in the sea lamprey, in order to gain insight into the ancestral state of the NC gene regulatory network (GRN). Transcriptome analyses identify clusters of co-regulated genes during NC specification and migration that show high conservation across vertebrates but also identify transcription factors (TFs) and cell-adhesion molecules not previously implicated in NC migration. ATAC-seq analysis uncovers an ensemble of cis-regulatory elements, including enhancers of Tfap2B, SoxE1 and Hox-α2 validated in the embryo. Cross-species deployment of lamprey elements identifies the deep conservation of lamprey SoxE1 enhancer activity, mediating homologous expression in jawed vertebrates. Our data provide insight into the core GRN elements conserved to the base of the vertebrates and expose others that are unique to lampreys.

Reconstruction of the Global Neural Crest Gene Regulatory Network In Vivo.

Precise control of developmental processes is encoded in the genome in the form of gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Such multi-factorial systems are difficult to decode in vertebrates owing to their complex gene hierarchies and dynamic molecular interactions. Here we present a genome-wide in vivo reconstruction of the GRN underlying development of the multipotent neural crest (NC) embryonic cell population. By coupling NC-specific epigenomic and transcriptional profiling at population and single-cell levels with genome/epigenome engineering in vivo, we identify multiple regulatory layers governing NC ontogeny, including NC-specific enhancers and super-enhancers, novel trans-factors, and cis-signatures allowing reverse engineering of the NC-GRN at unprecedented resolution. Furthermore, identification and dissection of divergent upstream combinatorial regulatory codes has afforded new insights into opposing gene circuits that define canonical and neural NC fates early during NC ontogeny. Our integrated approach, allowing dissection of cell-type-specific regulatory circuits in vivo, has broad implications for GRN discovery and investigation.

Corpos interditados e aulas de educação física: uma revisão de literatura / Interdicted bodies and physical education lessons: a literature review / Cuerpos interdictados y clases de educación física: una revisión de literatura

O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar por meio de uma revisão de literatura sistemática a produção científica da educação física acerca das interdições das práticas corporais dos es-tudantes. Entre periódicos nacionais e internacionais, selecionamos oito artigos, representando 0,22% da produção total entre o período 2010 e 2015. Os estudos apontam que algumas esco-las aplicam a suspensão das aulas de educação física como punição aos discentes indiscipli-nados, configurando assim a interdição das práticas corporais, pois, majoritariamente, nestas aulas os estudantes possuem mais liberdade para praticá-las. Outro fator mencionado na lite-ratura é a influência do currículo escolar nas aulas de educação física.

The study aimed to investigate through a systematic literature review, the scientific produc-tion of physical education on the interdiction of students'corporal practices. It was selected both national and international journals. The published papers from 2010 to 2015 were select-ed. The production on students' corporal practices represents 0,22% of the total of articles published. These studies indicate that some schools apply the suspension of physical educa-tion classes for students with bad behavior. Thereby, this punishment may generate the inter-diction of students' corporal practices. Another factor mentioned in the literature is the influ-ence of the school curriculum in physical education classes.

El objetivo del presente estudio fue investigar, por medio de una revisión de literatura sis-temática, la producción científica de la educación física acerca de las interdicciones de las prácticas corporales de los estudiantes. Seleccionamos los siguientes periódicos nacionales e internacionales. Delimimosel período entre 2010 y 2015. Seleccionamos ocho artículos, re-presentando el 0,22% de la producción total. Los estudios apuntan que algunas escuelas aplican la suspensión de las clases de educación física como castigo a los discursos indisciplina-dos, configurando así la interdicción de las prácticas corporales, pues, mayoritariamente, en estas clases los estudiantes poseen más libertad para practicarlas. Otro factor mencionado en la literatura es la influencia del currículo escolar en las clases de educación física.

Active Reperfusion Hemorrhage during Thrombectomy: Angiographic Findings and Real-Time Correlation with the CT "Spot Sign".

INTRODUCTION: Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage represents one of the most feared complications of endovascular reperfusion. We aim to describe a series of patients that experienced immediate reperfusion injury with active intraprocedural extravasation within the territory of the deep penetrating arteries and provide real-time correlation with CT "spot sign." METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of patients that suffered reperfusion injury with active arterial extravasation during endovascular stroke treatment in two tertiary care centers. RESULTS: Five patients were identified. Median age was 63 (58-71) years, 66% were male. Median NIHSS was 13.5 (9.5-23.0), platelet level 212,000 (142,000-235,000), baseline systolic blood pressure 152 (133-201) mm Hg, and non-contrast CT ASPECTS 7.0 (6.5-9.0). Two patients were taking aspirin and one had received intravenous thrombolysis. There were three middle cerebral artery M1, one internal carotid artery terminus, and one vertebrobasilar junction occlusion. Three patients had anterior circulation tandem occlusions. Stroke etiology was extracranial atherosclerosis (n = 2), intracranial atherosclerosis (n = 2), and cervical dissection (n = 1). The median time from onset to puncture was 5.5 (3.9-8.6) h. Intravenous heparin was administered in all patients (median dose of 4,750 [3,250-6,000] units) and intravenous abciximab in four. All tandem cases had the cervical lesion addressed first. Four lenticulostriates and one paramedian pontine artery were involved. Intraprocedural flat-panel CT was performed in four (80%) cases and provided real-time correlation between the active contrast extravasation and the "spot sign." The bailout included use of protamine, blood pressure control, and balloon guide catheter or intracranial compliant balloon inflation plus coiling of targeted vessel. All patients had angiographic cessation of bleeding at the end of the procedure with parenchymal hemorrhage type 1 in one case and type 2 in four. Three patients had modified Rankin score of 4 and two were dead at 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: Active reperfusion hemorrhage involving perforator arteries was observed to correlate with the CT "spot sign" and to be associated with poor outcomes.

Evidence of an antimicrobial peptide signature encrypted in HECT E3 ubiquitin ligases

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) is a hallmark of the eukaryotic cell. In jawed vertebrates, it has been co-opted by the adaptive immune system, where proteasomal degradation produces endogenous peptides for major histocompatibility complex class I antigen presentation. However, proteolytic products are also necessary for the phylogenetically widespread innate immune system, as they often play a role as host defense peptides (HDPs), pivotal effectors against pathogens. Here, we report the identification of the arachnid HDP oligoventin, which shares homology to a core member of the UPP, E3 ubiquitin ligases. Oligoventin has broad antimicrobial activity and shows strong synergy with lysozymes. Using computational and phylogenetic approaches, we show high conservation of the oligoventin signature in HECT E3s. In silico simulation of HECT E3s self-proteolysis provides evidence that HDPs can be generated by fine-tuned 26S proteasomal degradation, and therefore are consistent with the hypothesis that oligoventin is a cryptic peptide released by the proteolytic processing of an Nedd4 E3 precursor protein. Finally, we compare the production of HDPs and endogenous antigens from orthologous HECT E3s by proteasomal degradation as a means of analyzing the UPP coupling to metazoan immunity. Our results highlight the functional plasticity of the UPP in innate and adaptive immune systems as a possibly recurrent mechanism to generate functionally diverse peptides.

A C-band broadband ortho-mode transducer for radioastronomy polarimetry.

BACKGROUND: We describe the design, the construction and performance of a narrow band ortho-mode transducer, currently used in the 5 GHz polarimetric receiver of the Galactic Emission Mapping project. RESULTS: The ortho-mode transducer was designed to achieve a high degree of transmission within the 400 MHz of the GEM band around the 5 GHz (4.8-5.2 GHz). It is composed of a circular-to-square waveguide transition, a septum polarizer, a thin waveguide coupler and a smooth square-to-rectangular waveguide transition with custom waveguide bends to the output ports. CONCLUSION: Our simulations and measurements show a very low level of cross-polarization of about -60 dB and a good impedance match for all three ports (S11; S22; S33 < -30 dB) with only 0:25 dB of insertion loss offset across the 400 MHz (4.8-5.2 GHz) of the reception bandwidth.

Role and regulation of ferritin-like proteins in iron homeostasis and oxidative stress survival of Caulobacter crescentus.

Iron is an essential nutrient that is poorly available to living organisms but can be harmful when in excess due to the production of reactive oxygen species. Bacteria and other organisms use iron storage proteins called ferritins to avoid iron toxicity and as a safe iron source in the cytosol. The alpha-proteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus has two putative ferritins, Bfr and Dps, and some other proteins belonging to the ferritin-like superfamily, among them the one encoded by CC_0557. In this work, we have analyzed the role and regulation of these three putative ferritin-like proteins. Using lacZ-transcriptional fusions, we found that bfr expression is positively regulated (2.5-fold induction) by the Fe-responsive regulator Fur in iron sufficiency, as expected for an iron storage protein. Expression of dps was induced 1.5-fold in iron limitation in a Fur-independent manner, while the expression of the product of CC_0557 was unaffected by either iron supply or Fur. With respect to growth phase, while bfr expression was constant during growth, expression of dps (1.4-fold) and CC_0557 (around seven times) increased in the transition from exponential to stationary phase. Deletion mutant strains for each gene and a double dps/bfr mutant were obtained and tested for oxidative stress resistance. The dps mutant was very sensitive to H2O2, and this phenotype was not relieved by the addition of the iron chelator 2',2-dipyridyl in the conditions tested. While bfr and CC_0557 showed no phenotype as to H2O2 resistance, the double dps/bfr mutant had a similar phenotype to the dps mutation alone. These findings indicate that in C. crescentus Bfr contributes to iron homeostasis and Dps has a role in protection against oxidative stress. The role of the protein CC_0557 containing a ferritin-like fold remains unclear.

Evidence of an Antimicrobial Peptide Signature Encrypted in HECT E3 Ubiquitin Ligases.

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) is a hallmark of the eukaryotic cell. In jawed vertebrates, it has been co-opted by the adaptive immune system, where proteasomal degradation produces endogenous peptides for major histocompatibility complex class I antigen presentation. However, proteolytic products are also necessary for the phylogenetically widespread innate immune system, as they often play a role as host defense peptides (HDPs), pivotal effectors against pathogens. Here, we report the identification of the arachnid HDP oligoventin, which shares homology to a core member of the UPP, E3 ubiquitin ligases. Oligoventin has broad antimicrobial activity and shows strong synergy with lysozymes. Using computational and phylogenetic approaches, we show high conservation of the oligoventin signature in HECT E3s. In silico simulation of HECT E3s self-proteolysis provides evidence that HDPs can be generated by fine-tuned 26S proteasomal degradation, and therefore are consistent with the hypothesis that oligoventin is a cryptic peptide released by the proteolytic processing of an Nedd4 E3 precursor protein. Finally, we compare the production of HDPs and endogenous antigens from orthologous HECT E3s by proteasomal degradation as a means of analyzing the UPP coupling to metazoan immunity. Our results highlight the functional plasticity of the UPP in innate and adaptive immune systems as a possibly recurrent mechanism to generate functionally diverse peptides.

Clinical and laboratorial characterization and post-surgical follow-up of 87 patients with non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas.

OBJECTIVE: It was to assess the main characteristics of patients undergoing pituitary tumor surgery. METHOD: Eighty-seven patients (44 men; 44.8±13 years old) were included. RESULTS: The main symptoms were visual alterations (87.3%), headache (70.1%), diminished libido (34.4%), galactorrhea (22.9%) and hair loss (19.5%). The axes affected were gonadotropic (72.6%), thyrotropic (48.4%) and corticotropic (38.7%), without significant changes after surgery. The average largest tumor diameter was 3.1 cm before surgery and 1.56 cm after surgery. The most frequent postoperative complications were hydro-electrolyte and acid-base disorders (12%), diabetes insipidus (9%), visual field alterations (9%), liquoric fistula (8%) and nasal obstruction (7%). The patients were affected by more than one complication. CONCLUSION: Although a decrease in tumor volume was achieved through surgery, hormonal deficiencies persisted in most of the patients and new surgical approaches were necessary for dealing with tumor recurrence or persistence.

Clinical and laboratorial characterization and post-surgical follow-up of 87 patients with non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas / Caracterização clínica e laboratorial e seguimento pós-cirúrgico de 87 portadores de macroadenomas hipofisários não funcionantes

Objective: It was to assess the main characteristics of patients undergoing pituitary tumor surgery. Method: Eighty-seven patients (44 men; 44.8±13 years old) were included. Results: The main symptoms were visual alterations (87.3%), headache (70.1%), diminished libido (34.4%), galactorrhea (22.9%) and hair loss (19.5%). The axes affected were gonadotropic (72.6%), thyrotropic (48.4%) and corticotropic (38.7%), without significant changes after surgery. The average largest tumor diameter was 3.1 cm before surgery and 1.56 cm after surgery. The most frequent postoperative complications were hydro-electrolyte and acid-base disorders (12%), diabetes insipidus (9%), visual field alterations (9%), liquoric fistula (8%) and nasal obstruction (7%). The patients were affected by more than one complication. Conclusion: Although a decrease in tumor volume was achieved through surgery, hormonal deficiencies persisted in most of the patients and new surgical approaches were necessary for dealing with tumor recurrence or persistence. .

Objetivo: Avaliar as principais características de pacientes operados de tumor de hipófise. Método: Foram incluídos 87 pacientes (44 homens; 44,8±13 anos). Resultados: Os principais sintomas foram alterações visuais (87,3%), cefaleia (70,1%), diminuição da libido (34,4%), galactorreia (22,9%) e queda de pelos (19,5%). Os eixos afetados foram gonadotrófico (72,6%), tireotrófico (48,4%) e corticotrófico (38,7%). Não houve mudanças significativas após a cirurgia. A média do maior diâmetro do tumor foi 3,1 cm antes da cirurgia e 1,56 cm após a cirurgia. As complicações pós-cirúrgicas mais frequentes foram distúrbios hidroeletrolíticos e ácido-básicos (12%), diabetes insipidus (9%), alterações do campo visual (9%), fístula liquórica (8%) e obstrução nasal (7%). Ocorreu mais de uma complicação no mesmo paciente. Conclusão: Embora tenha obtido diminuição da massa tumoral com a cirurgia, as deficiências hormonais persistiram na maioria dos pacientes e ocorreu necessidade de novas abordagens por recidiva ou persistência do tumor. .

Juruin: an antifungal peptide from the venom of the Amazonian Pink Toe spider, Avicularia juruensis, which contains the inhibitory cystine knot motif.

The aim of this study was to screen the venom of the theraposid spider Avicularia juruensis for the identification of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) which could be further used as prototypes for drug development. Eleven AMPs, named juruentoxins, with molecular weight ranging from 3.5 to 4.5 kDa, were identified by mass spectrometry after the soluble venom was separated by high performance liquid chromatography. Juruentoxins have a putative inhibitory cystine knot (ICK) motif, generally found in neurotoxins, which are also resistant to proteolysis. One juruentoxin that has 38 amino acid residues and three disulfide bonds were characterized, to which we proposed the name Juruin. Based on liquid growth inhibition assays, it has potent antifungal activity in the micromolar range. Importantly, Juruin lacks haemolytic activity on human erythrocytes at the antimicrobial concentrations. Based on the amino acid sequence, it is highly identical to the insecticidal peptides from the theraposid spiders Selenocosmia huwena, Chilobrachys jingzhao, and Haplopelma schmidti from China, indicating they belong to a group of conserved toxins which are likely to inhibit voltage-gated ion channels. Juruin is a cationic AMP, and Lys22 and Lys23 show maximum positive charge localization that might be important for receptor recognition. Although it shows marked sequence similarity to neurotoxic peptides, Juruin is a novel exciting molecule with potent antifungal activity, which could be used as a novel template for development of drugs against clinical resistant fungi strains.

Treatment of severe trigeminal headache in patients with pituitary adenomas.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of headache in patients with pituitary adenomas is high, and the underlying pathological mechanisms are not completely understood. OBJECTIVE: We tested the efficacy of percutaneous ganglion block and trigeminal rhizotomy in the treatment of severe trigeminal/autonomic headache associated with pituitary tumors. METHODS: Eleven patients treated surgically for pituitary adenomas in whom intractable trigeminal headaches developed were enrolled in the study and underwent ictal cerebral single-photon emission computed tomography before starting treatment. Initially, all patients underwent a 6-month medical treatment trial. Patients who did not experience improvement in headache severity, addressed by the Headache Impact Test-6 scale, underwent trigeminal percutaneous ganglion blockade. Two patients subsequently underwent trigeminal balloon rhizotomy. RESULTS: Among the 11 patients, 6 did not have improved Headache Impact Test-6 scale scores after 6 months of treatment with medications and underwent trigeminal ganglion blockade. Significant improvement in headache severity was noted in 3 of them. Long-term response was obtained in 1 patient, and the other 2, in whom the response was transient, were then successfully treated with trigeminal rhizotomy. Cerebral single-photon emission computed tomography showed increased uptake in the thalamus/hypothalamus region in patients who responded well to manipulation of the trigeminal-hypothalamic system. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous ganglion blockade and trigeminal rhizotomy may be promising alternative options for the treatment of severe headache in selected patients with pituitary adenomas.

Pseudo-aneurisma traumático gigante da artéria temporal superficial: relato de caso com 11 anos de evolução / Giant traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery: report of a case of eleven years evolution

Os autores apresentam caso de paciente do sexo masculino, adulto, com pseudo-aneurisma traumático gigante da artéria temporal superficial, com história de 11 anos de evolução. O diagnóstico definitivo somente ocorreu durante investigação de hemorragia subaracnóidea espontânea, após passar por inúmeros especialistas investigando a tumoração pré-auricular. O tratamento, com ligadura proximal e distal e excisão completa da lesão, foi pela mesma via de abordagem pterional para clipagem de aneurisma intracraniano. Os autores fazem breve revisão da literatura, salientando os aspectos de fisiopatologia, diagnóstico e tratamento.

The authors report a case of an adult male patient with giant traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery with eleven years of evolution. The final diagnosis has been defined when the patient presented a subarachnoid hemorrhage. The treatment consisted of excision after trapping in the same pterional approach used for intracranial aneurysm treatment. A brief literature review highlighting the aspects of physiopatholology, diagnosis and treatment is presented.

Acompanhamento de 75 recém-nascidos durante o 1 ano de vida e sua relaçäo com tipo de parto e aleitamento materno; resumo

O acompanhamento de 75 recém-nascidos no período de janeiro/1980 a Dezembro/1981 em clínica privada no Município de Säo Paulo, desde o seu nascimento até o 1o. ano de vida, mostrou que ao considerarmos 3 grupos de crianças com peso menor que 3000g, entre 300l e 3500 e 3501 e +, estas apresentaram durante o seu crescimento um ponto em comum ao redor do 8o. mês de vida, independendo do tipo de parto. A distribuiçäo dos 75 recém-nascidos em relaçäo ao tipo de parto mostrou que 48, ou seja, 64% nasceram de parto cesárea e 27, ou seja, 36% nasceram de parto normal, e o predomínio do parto tipo cesárea deveu-se provavelmente a indicaçäo obstétrica. O aleitamento materno, outra característica estudada, foi interrompido ao redor de 3 mêses e meio, parecendo näo haver relaçäo direta com o desenvolvimento pôndero-estatural dos 3 grupos considerados