Association of oral lichen planus and psoriasis: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether psoriasis disease constitutes a risk factor for OLP, by assessing the prevalance of psoriasis in a test group with OLP and the control group without. METHOD AND MATERIALS: A cohort of consecutive patients diagnosed clinically and histologically with OLP between 2014 and 2022 was analyzed. The results were contrasted with those obtained in control series matched for age and sex. The correlations between OLP and sex, age, tobacco, alcohol consumption, and psoriasis were assessed using Pearson chi-square test. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between psoriasis and OLP. For the assessment of the quality of the statistical models, the Akaike information criterion was used. RESULTS: The study involved 1,016 patients; 738 women (72.6%) and 278 men (27.4%). The average age was 59.38 ± 12.55 years. Of 508 patients with OLP, 16 (3.15%) had comorbid psoriasis, and this was 5 (0.98%) in the control group. Age, sex, smoking, and alcohol habits were not predictive variables in the relationship between psoriasis and OLP in these patients. There were statistically significant differences in relation to the number of locations, with greater extension in patients with OLP and psoriasis (P = .002). According to the multivariate analysis, the odds ratio of OLP for psoriasis was 3.13 (95% CI 1.20-9.68). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study showing the potential association between psoriasis and OLP, and the results should be considered to improve knowledge of comorbidity of OLP. Based on the results, it is recommended that clinicians collect data regarding history of psoriasis in patients with OLP, and consider possible multiple intraoral locations.

Bidirectional Association between Lichen Planus and Hepatitis C-An Update Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic, inflammatory mucocutaneous disorder associated with systemic diseases such as hepatitis C (HCV). The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between LP and HCV bidirectionally through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A comprehensive search of studies published was performed in the databases of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Out of 18,491 articles, 192 studies were included. The global prevalence of HCV positive (HCV+) in LP patients registered from 143 studies was 9.42% [95% confidence interval (CI), 7.27-11.58%], and from these, 84 studies showed HCV+ 4-fold more frequent in LP than a control group (OR, 4.48; 95% CI, 3.48-5.77). The global prevalence of LP in patients HCV+ recorded from 49 studies was 7.05% (95% CI, 4.85-9.26%), and from these, 15 registered a 3-fold more LP in HCV (OR, 3.65; 95% CI, 2.14-6.24). HCV+ in LP patients showed great geographic variability (OR, 2.7 to 8.57), and the predominantly cutaneous location was higher (OR, 5.95) than the oral location (OR, 3.49). LP in HCV+ patients was more frequent in the Eastern Mediterranean (OR, 5.51; 95% CI, 1.40-15.57). There is a higher prevalence of HCV+ in LP and vice versa than in the control group, especially in certain geographical areas that should be taken into consideration when doing screening in countries with an upper prevalence of HCV among the general population.

Risk of Prediabetes and Diabetes in Oral Lichen Planus: A Case-Control Study according to Current Diagnostic Criteria.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes in patients with oral lichen planus (OLP). METHODS: Prospective cohort, including consecutive patients diagnosed clinically and histologically with OLP from 2018 to 2022. Patients and controls were matched by age and gender. Fasting plasma glucose value collection from all patients. Multivariate regression analysis evaluated the relationship between prediabetes and diabetes variables according to current diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: The sample comprised 275 patients (207 women; 75.3%), mean age 59.60 ± 12.18 years for both groups. Prediabetes was diagnosed according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA, 100-125 mg/dL), in 21.45% of OLP patients (59/275) and 14.55% (40/275) of control patients (p = 0.035). Patients with the atrophic-erosive form exhibited stronger association with taking oral antidiabetics (p = 0.011). Multivariate analysis showed that being over >60 years and having a cutaneous location was associated with ≥3 sites (OR 1.81 and OR 2.43). ADA prediabetes and oral antidiabetics drugs increased the probability of OLP (OR 1.60 (1.04-2.51), p = 0.03 and OR 2.20 (1.18-4.69), p = 0.017) after adjustment for sex and age. CONCLUSIONS: Because glycemia 100-125 mg/dL was associated with OLP, testing serum fasting plasma glucose seems reasonable in order to prevent development of diabetes and deal with possible complications until new studies are complete.

Processing Time Reduction: an Application in Living Human High-Resolution Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data.

High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging (HARDI) is a type of brain imaging that collects a very large amount of data, and if many subjects are considered then it amounts to a big data framework (e.g., the human connectome project has 20 Terabytes of data). HARDI is also becoming increasingly relevant for clinical settings (e.g., detecting early cerebral ischemic changes in acute stroke, and in pre-clinical assessment of white matter-WM anatomy using tractography). Thus, this method is becoming a routine assessment in clinical settings. In such settings, the computation time is critical, and finding forms of reducing the processing time in high computation processes such as Diffusion Spectrum Imaging (DSI), a form of HARDI data, is very relevant to increase data-processing speed. Here we analyze a method for reducing the computation time of the dMRI-based axonal orientation distribution function h by using Monte Carlo sampling-based methods for voxel selection. Results evidenced a robust reduction in required data sampling of about 50 % without losing signal's quality. Moreover, we show that the convergence to the correct value in this type of Monte Carlo HARDI/DSI data-processing has a linear improvement in data-processing speed of the ODF determination. Although further improvements are needed, our results represent a promissory step for future processing time reduction in big data.

Histological validation of high-resolution DTI in human post mortem tissue.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is amongst the simplest mathematical models available for diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, yet still by far the most used one. Despite the success of DTI as an imaging tool for white matter fibers, its anatomical underpinnings on a microstructural basis remain unclear. In this study, we used 65 myelin-stained sections of human premotor cortex to validate modeled fiber orientations and oft used microstructure-sensitive scalar measures of DTI on the level of individual voxels. We performed this validation on high spatial resolution diffusion MRI acquisitions investigating both white and gray matter. We found a very good agreement between DTI and myelin orientations with the majority of voxels showing angular differences less than 10°. The agreement was strongest in white matter, particularly in unidirectional fiber pathways. In gray matter, the agreement was good in the deeper layers highlighting radial fiber directions even at lower fractional anisotropy (FA) compared to white matter. This result has potentially important implications for tractography algorithms applied to high resolution diffusion MRI data if the aim is to move across the gray/white matter boundary. We found strong relationships between myelin microstructure and DTI-based microstructure-sensitive measures. High FA values were linked to high myelin density and a sharply tuned histological orientation profile. Conversely, high values of mean diffusivity (MD) were linked to bimodal or diffuse orientation distributions and low myelin density. At high spatial resolution, DTI-based measures can be highly sensitive to white and gray matter microstructure despite being relatively unspecific to concrete microarchitectural aspects.

A otimização de uma tecnologia da informação em uma instituição de ensino na área da saúde utilizando o critério de usabilidade

Este trabalho de conclusão de curso tem por objetivo otimizar a utilização de uma tecnologia da informação no setor da Escola GHC, que é um site na internet, através da implantação, em sua página, de conceitos relativos a usabilidade de sites bem como sua qualidade visando à melhoria da comunicação da Escola com o público que procura informações através da internet. O trabalho apresenta, na revisão da literatura, conceitos inerentes ao estudo de usabilidade, de qualidade e da tecnologia da informação. Será desenvolvida uma pesquisa qualitativa e quantitativa e levantamento de dados com base em questionário elaborado pela autora. A finalidade é a de conhecer a percepção dos usuários quanto à facilidade de utilização e sua percepção quanto à qualidade do site da Escola GHC para avaliação de sua usabilidade. A estratégia de pesquisa que será utilizada neste trabalho será um estudo de caso de caráter exploratório e descritivo para a qual serão utilizados dados secundários e dados primários. A partir do estudo será demonstrada a importância da usabilidade do serviço no site. Com o resultado da análise, poderá ser verificada a importância da implantação dos conceitos de usabilidade no site da Escola GHC.

Alterações comportamentais em crianças portadoras de enfermidades crônicas e suas repercussões na família: Hospital da Criança - Obras Sociais de Irmã Dulce, Salvador, BA / Mannering alterations in carrying children of chronic diseases and its repercussions in the family: Hospital of the Child - Social Workmanships of Sister Dulce, Salvador, BA

Trata-se de um estudo piloto que envolve 15 crianças internadas no Hospital da Criança: Obras Sociais de Irmã Dulce, Salvador, Bahia, realizado com o objetivo de investigar a percepção da família perante o paciente pediátrico, portador de enfermidade crônica. Para tanto, o responsável pelo paciente respondeu a um questionário que abordou questões referentes a perfil sociodemográfico, grau de conhecimento da família em relação à doença, percepção quanto a alterações comportamentais ocorridas na criança e na família, além da impressão quanto ao prognóstico e serviços médicos prestados à população pesquisada. Os resultados desta pesquisa evidenciaram que toda a população avaliada apresentou algum tipo de alteração comportamental, sendo mais freqüentes os sintomas: tristeza, ansiedade, isolamento e sonolência. Os pais referiram como manifestações mais comuns, após o surgimento da doença: maior união familiar, sentimento de medo, ansiedade e preocupação com seqüelas físicas. No que diz respeito ao padrão de assistência hospitalar, revelaram-se satisfeitos com a qualidade e eficiência do serviço médico prestado. Entretanto, consideram insuficiente o suporte psicológico à criança e à família no enfrentamento da doença crônica. A próxima fase deste estudo deverá possibilitar uma análise mais consistente e abrangente acerca do tema proposto.

Schistosomiasis mansoni is asssociated with pyogenic liver abscesses in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The association between pyogenic liver abscesses and schistosomiasis has been confirmed by clinical and experimental studies. In this retrospective study of 78 patients with pyogenic liver abscesses the association with schistosomiasis has been investigated. Pyodermitis, a known focus of bacteremia, was observed in 19 patients (24 percent). Blood eosinophilia was observed in 30 patients (39 percent). Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from abscesses in 17 out of 38 patients (45 percent). Forty-one out of 57 patients (53 percent) had stool examination. Schistosoma mansoni was the main parasite identified. Eggs of S. mansoni were also identified in liver biopsies in 7 out of 19 patients who did the exam. The large number of young patients with liver abscesses described here is different from what has been observed in developed countries. This clinical study provide support for the concept that granulomas of S. mansoni in the liver are foci for colonization with S. aureus, which in presence of staphylococcal bacteremia can form liver abscesses

The impact of Brazilian publication in biochemistry and molecular cell biology

Citation data were examined in a sample of 487 Brazilian scientists, object of a previous survey. The pattern of citation in this sample was compared with international data, showing no major difference. The most cited articles and authors are presented. Correlation with peer ranking is shown in endogenous citations and total citations. No correlation was found with exogenous citations. In spite of many critical remarks that may be held against bibliometric indices, the numbers and names shown in this article, as well as positive correlation with peer ranking, are supposed to validate citation data as a rough indicator of quality. Although peer review is still needed in individual cases, publication and citation data may be considered as useful helping tools for evaluation.