Distinct transcriptional and prognostic impacts of TERT promoter mutations C228T and C250T in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

TERT promoter mutations C228T and C250T are associated with disease aggressiveness and poor clinical outcomes in patients with papillary thyroid carcinomas. However, very little is known about the transcriptional consequences of these mutations and whether they both carry similar oncogenic potential. Here we characterized the transcriptional disturbances and clinical outcomes associated with the presence of each of these two mutations using data derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We observed that tumors harboring the C228T mutation (n=27) exhibited a 16-fold increase in TERT mRNA levels (P=5.3x10-42), whereas C250T tumors (n=8) showed only a 2-fold increase in expression (P=0.034). The C228T mutation was associated with the activation of signaling pathways controlling the cell cycle, cellular division, and extracellular matrix degradation. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the C228T mutation was associated with older age at diagnosis, large tumor size, lymph node invasion, and distant metastases at diagnosis. The C228T mutation was also associated with worse progression-free interval (PFI) in comparison to WT tumors (HR=5,04; P<0.001). This association remained significant in a multivariate analyses (HR=3.74, P=0.003) adjusting for BRAF-V600E status and ATA risk group. Our data indicate that TERT promoter mutations C228T and C250T have distinct transcriptional consequences in PTC, suggesting a greater oncogenic potential for the C228T mutation. TERT promoter mutation C228T may be a useful prognostic marker to identify patients at high risk of distant recurrence. Clinical data for the C250T mutation is still limited, with no evidence up to date to confirm its prognostic significance.

Health literacy strengths and needs among migrant communities from Portuguese-speaking African countries in Portugal: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Health literacy among migrants is a matter of public health and social justice. Migrants from diverse backgrounds encounter challenges such as linguistic barriers, cultural disparities, restricted access to health services, and heterogeneous migration statuses. Addressing these challenges requires careful consideration of their unique experiences and needs to promote equitable health outcomes. This can hinder their ability to navigate the healthcare system, understand health information, and engage in health-promoting behaviours. However, there is still a significant gap in our understanding of health literacy within migrant communities. This study has a dual aim: to identify health literacy strengths and needs among migrants from Portuguese-speaking African Countries (PALOP) countries in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and to examine associations between demographic, socioeconomic, migration and health condition characteristics and the health literacy domains. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Data were collected from 506 PALOP migrants using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). We also collected demographic, socioeconomic, migration, and health condition data. We employed multiple linear regression to understand the relationship between the HLQ nine domains and these characteristics. Results: The HLQ scores revealed distinct patterns of health literacy between the groups. Health literacy needs were particularly evident in the domains related to feeling understood and supported by healthcare providers and navigating the healthcare system. Conversely, higher scores and potential strengths were observed in actively managing one's health and understanding enough health information to make informed decisions. However, in these, the average scores suggest that a high proportion of people recognised difficulties. 'The results also indicated that a higher educational level was associated with increased health literacy. In contrast, low self-perceived health status, living alone, shorter duration of residence in Portugal, and being either undocumented or in the process of obtaining legal status were associated with lower health literacy. Conclusion: Our study highlights the importance of migration-related variables and self-reported health status in understanding health literacy among migrant communities. Factors such as length of stay and low self-perceived health status are associated with potentially disadvantageous levels of health literacy, which could exacerbate health inequalities. Assessing these variables is critical to identify gaps in health literacy and develop tailored interventions to reduce health inequalities.

Association between sex of the individual with untreated cleft lip and social judgement made by lay persons: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether there is an association between an individual's sex and social judgements made by lay persons regarding untreated cleft lip. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lay individuals over 18 years old were recruited through an application to respond online to two questionnaires: a sociodemographic survey and the Brazilian Version of Lay Persons' Social Judgements about Cleft-lip Scale (B-LSojCleft-S). B-LSojCleft-S comprises 14 items evaluating social judgements made by laypersons concerning different types of untreated cleft lips in teenagers. The 14 items are linked to 8 images featuring untreated cleft lips and 1 image without a cleft (control). Higher scores represented more favourable social judgements. Independent samples t-test, paired, and multiple linear regression were conducted (P < 0.05). The study assessed judgements of untreated cleft lips in male and female adolescents using the B-LSojCleft-S. RESULTS: The mean age of the 217 participants was 37.78 ± 12.39 years, predominantly women (72.7%), married (47.7%), with a monthly income below three minimum wages (35.6%) in the majority of cases. Significantly higher social judgement scores were observed in the control group (no cleft) compared to any type of cleft (P < 0.001), with similar scores obtained for the same types of clefts with female or male images (P > 0.05). The participant's sex is associated with social judgement scores (F [1, 214] = 6.318, P = 0.013; adjusted R2 = 0.024), with females making more favourable judgements than males (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with cleft lips receive more negative social judgement scores, regardless of their own sex. Women make better social judgements than men.

Comprehensive investigation of factor structure and gender equivalence of the Beck Depression Inventory-II among nonclinical adolescents.

The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) is a widely used tool for rating the severity of depressive symptoms. Studies on the factor structure of the BDI-II in adolescents have yielded controversial findings. Most studies have reported an oblique two-factor model that describes the 'cognitive' and 'somatic-affective' dimensions. However, there is variation in the item composition of each factor across studies. Alternative factor structures have been proposed, including one-factor, three-factor, hierarchical, and bifactor models. Additionally, there is limited data on measurement invariance across genders. This study aimed to examine hypothetical factor structures and gender equivalence of the BDI-II in a sample of Brazilian nonclinical adolescents (N = 1,184, aged 13-18 years, 59.1% females). Cross-validation of the BDI-II was performed through exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Measurement invariance was evaluated using multigroup-CFA (MG-CFA). EFA suggested an oblique two-factor model depicting "affective-cognitive" and "somatic" dimensions. CFA tested competing models for the structure of BDI-II, including the simple one- and two-factor models, a bifactor model, and the EFA model along with its corresponding bifactor model. All models demonstrated adequate and similar fitness, well-defined factors, and good reliability. Bifactor analyses indicated a robust general factor with low reliable variance in total scores attributed to multidimensionality caused by the group factors in bifactor models. MG-CFA supported invariance across gender, suggesting that the same BDI-II construct could be applied to both female and male adolescents. This study provides evidence that the BDI-II could be used as a unidimensional measure of depressive symptoms in adolescents by researchers and clinicians.

Ultraviolet spectrophotometry as method to determine the concentration of ß-myrcene released from chitosan in aqueous medium.

Myrcene (ß-myrcene), found in essential oils from plant species such as hops and cannabis, has many advantageous properties, but its use is limited due to volatility and low solubility in water. One way to circumvent these limitations is to encapsulate the essential oils in a polymer matrix. However, these hydrophobic molecules are difficult to quantify when dispersed in water. Seeking to study the release of this terpene in drug release tests from polymeric matrices, this work aimed to develop an easy and cheap UV spectrophotometric method for the quantification of ß-myrcene in aqueous medium. To achieves this goal, samples were prepared in 0.05% (w/v) polysorbate 80 solution, with concentrations of ß-myrcene ranging from 0.01% to 0.1% (v/v), and were analyzed at 226 nm. Each sample was analyzed in triplicate and repeated on three different days, to evaluate the repeatability of the results. The results were subjected to Q, F and Student's t-tests. The regression parameters obtained for ß-myrcene were above 0.99 and through statistical analysis, it was possible to confirm the repeatability for the results. The values of the limits of detection and quantification indicated that the method is not affected by intrinsic factors of the equipment. The results of accuracy, robustness and selectivity showed recovery rates within acceptable limits. This demonstrates that the quantification of ß-myrcene in aqueous medium by UV spectrophotometry is feasible.

Neoadjuvant Treatment of Locally Advanced Thyroid Cancer: A Preliminary Latin American Experience.

Background: Surgical resection is not always achievable in thyroid cancer patients. Neoadjuvant therapy is rarely used, but recent trends favor multikinase inhibitors or selective tyrosine kinase inhibitors. These aim to reduce tumor volume, enabling previously unfeasible surgeries. Patients and Methods: Consecutive patients with locally advanced malignant thyroid tumors who received systemic therapies with a neoadjuvant intention were included in this retrospective multicenter case series conducted in five Latin American referral centers. Primary outcomes were pre- versus postneoadjuvant response evaluations using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, feasibility of surgery, and completeness of resection. Secondary outcomes were mortality and status at the last visit. Results: Twenty-seven patients were included in this analysis. Patients with unresectable differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) or poorly differentiated thyroid cancer (PDTC) received sorafenib (n = 6) or lenvatinib (n = 12), those with medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) were treated with vandetanib (n = 5) or selpercatinib (n = 1), and those with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) harboring a BRAFV600E mutation (n = 3) received dabrafenib and trametinib. The median patient age was 66 years (range 12-82), and 52% of the patients were female. In patients with PTC and PDTC, the median reduction in the diameter of the primary tumor was 25% (range 0-100%) after a median of 6 months of treatment. Surgical intervention was performed in 10 (55%) of the patients. Among these, six patients (60%) achieved R0/R1 resection status. Six patients with MTC had a median reduction in tumor diameter of 24.5% (range 1-49) after a median treatment time of 9.5 months. Only one patient receiving selpercatinib, with a tumoral reduction of 25% could undergo surgery, resulting in an R2 resection due to extensive mediastinal extension. Three patients with ATC showed a median tumor diameter reduction of 42% (range 6.7-50) after a median treatment time of 2 months. Two patients underwent surgical intervention and achieved R1 and R2 resection, respectively. Conclusions: While neoadjuvant therapy achieved tumoral responses, surgical resection was feasible in 55% of DTC, 33% of ATC, and 16% of MTC patients, with R0/R1 resection in 26% of the cohort, underscoring the need for patient selection and further research in this area.

Active surveillance of nodal metastasis in differentiated thyroid carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Cervical lymph nodes (LN) represent the most common site of recurrence in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), frequently requiring repeated interventions that contribute to increase morbidity to a usually indolent disease. Data on active surveillance (AS) of nodal metastasis are limited. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate AS in nodal metastasis of DTC patients. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched up to July 2023 for studies including DTC patients with metastatic LN who were followed up with AS. The primary outcome was disease progression, according to the study's definition. Additional outcomes were LN enlargement ≥3 mm, occurrence of new cervical metastasis, and conversion from AS to surgical treatment. RESULTS: The search identified 375 studies and seven were included, comprising 486 patients with metastatic nodal DTC. Most were female (69.5%) and had papillary thyroid cancer (99.8%). The mean AS follow-up ranged from 28-86 months. Following each study's definition of progression, the pooled incidence was 28% [95% confidence interval (CI), 20-37%]. The pooled incidence of LN growth ≥ 3 mm was 21% [95% CI, 17-25%] and the emergence of new LN sites was 19% [95% CI, 14-25%]. Combining growth of 3 mm and the emergence of new LN criteria, we found an incidence of 26% [95% CI, 20-33%]. The incidence of neck dissection during AS was 18% [95% CI, 12-26%]. CONCLUSIONS: AS seems to be a suitable strategy for selected DTC patients with small nodal disease, avoiding or postponing surgical reintervention. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42023438293.

Survival Outcomes in Thyroid Cancer Patients with Co-Occurring Breast Cancer: Evidence of Mortality Risk Attenuation.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported a strong correlation between breast cancer (BC) and thyroid cancer (TC) incidence. However, the clinical and oncological impact of these associations are not yet fully understood. Here, we aimed to explore the differences in clinicopathological characteristics between TC patients with and without BC, and the effect of a history of positive BC on TC survival. METHODS: We retrospectively compared the clinical characteristics and survival rates of patients with TC alone and those with TC and BC in a primary cohort at our institution and in a second cohort using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. RESULTS: In our institutional cohort, survival rates were similar between patients with TC alone and those with TC-associated BC. However, using SEER data, we found that BC had a protective effect on TC patients and was associated with reduced TC mortality rates (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57 to 0.92; P = .026). After stratifying the TC patients according to co-occurring BC subtypes, we observed that higher survival rates were restricted to patients with coexisting luminal A BC (P = .015), which exhibit positive hormone receptors and do not express HER-2. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that hormone pathways may play a role in the co-occurrence of thyroid and breast cancers. Patients with TC coexisting with luminal A BC have higher survival rates. However, further studies on the mechanisms underlying the association between BC and TC are warranted.

Not Only RET but NF1 and Chromosomal Instability Are Seen in Young Patients with Sporadic Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Context: Genetic analysis of sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) has revealed somatic variants in RET, RAS, and occasionally other genes. However, around 20% of patients with sporadic MTC lack a known genetic driver. Objective: To uncover potential new somatic or germline drivers, we analyze a distinct cohort of patients with sporadic, very early-onset, and aggressive MTC. Methods: Germline and somatic DNA exome sequencing was performed in 19 patients, previously tested negative for germline RET variants. Results: Exome sequencing of 19 germline samples confirmed the absence of RET and identified an NF1 pathogenic variant in 1 patient. Somatic sequencing was successful in 15 tumors revealing RET variants in 80%, predominantly p.Met918Thr, which was associated with disease aggressiveness. In RET-negative tumors, pathogenic variants were found in HRAS and NF1. The NF1 germline and somatic variants were observed in a patient without a prior clinical diagnosis of neurofibromatosis type 1, demonstrating that the loss of heterozygosity of NF1 functions as a potential MTC driver. Somatic copy number alterations analysis revealed chromosomal alterations in 53.3% of tumors, predominantly in RET-positive cases, with losses in chromosomes 9 and 22 being the most prevalent. Conclusion: This study reveals that within a cohort of early-onset nonhereditary MTC, RET remains the major driver gene. In RET-negative tumors, NF1 and RAS are drivers of sporadic MTC. In addition, in young patients without a RET germline mutation, a careful clinical evaluation with a consideration of germline NF1 gene analysis is ideal to exclude Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).

Preventive nasal administration of flagellin restores antimicrobial effect of gentamicin and protects against a multidrug-resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a significant concern for chronic respiratory disease exacerbations. Host-directed drugs, such as flagellin, an agonist of toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5), have emerged as a promising solution. In this study, we evaluated the prophylactic intranasal administration of flagellin against a multidrug-resistant strain of PA (PAMDR) in mice and assessed the possible synergy with the antibiotic gentamicin (GNT). The results indicated that flagellin treatment before infection decreased bacterial load in the lungs, likely due to an increase in neutrophil recruitment, and reduced signs of inflammation, including proinflammatory cytokines. The combination of flagellin and GNT showed a synergistic effect, decreasing even more the bacterial load and increasing mice survival rates, in comparison to mice pre-treated only with flagellin. These findings suggest that preventive nasal administration of flagellin could restore the effect of GNT against MDR strains of PA, paving the way for the use of flagellin in vulnerable patients with chronic respiratory diseases.

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma: what the nonspecialists needs to know.

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) accounts for most cases of thyroid cancer, and the heterogeneity of DTC requires that management decisions be taken by a multidisciplinary team involving endocrinologists, head and neck surgeons, nuclear medicine physicians, pathologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists. It is important for nonspecialists to recognize and refer patients with DTC who will benefit from a specialized approach. Recent advances in knowledge and changes in management of DTC call for the need to raise awareness on the part of these nonspecialist physicians, including general endocrinologists and medical oncologists at large. We provide an overview of diagnostic and therapeutic principles in DTC, especially those that bear direct implication on day-to-day management of these patients by generalists. Patients with DTC may be broadly categorized as having localized, locally persistent/recurrent, or metastatic disease. Current recommendations for DTC include a three-tiered system that classifies patients with localized disease into low, intermediate, or high risk of persistent or recurrent disease. Risk stratification should be performed at baseline and repeated on an ongoing basis, depending on clinical evolution. One of the overarching goals in the management of DTC is the need to personalize treatment by tailoring its modality and intensity according to ongoing prognostic stratification, evolving knowledge about the disease, and patient characteristics and preference. In metastatic disease that is refractory to radioactive iodine, thyroid tumors are being reclassified into molecular subtypes that better reflect their biological properties and for which molecular alterations can be targeted with specific agents.

Sex Dependent Occlusive Cardiovascular Disease Effects of Short-Term Thirdhand Smoke Exposure.

INTRODUCTION: Thirdhand smoke (THS) is associated with many public health and disease concerns, such as respiratory illness, cancer, lipidemia, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We have previously shown a moderate to long-term exposure to THS increased risk of thrombosis. However, whether short-term exposure to THS would produce any effects in causing disease remains to be discovered. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of one-month THS exposure on platelet function and cytokine response in sex-dependent. METHODS: Secondhand smoke or clean air (CA) exposed upholstery materials for 1 week were kept in cages housed with 5-6 mice, and the procedure was repeated for 4 weeks. These THS-exposed mice were evaluated for thrombogenesis and platelet function assays. In addition, the cytokines expressions were evaluated from pooled serum (n=5). RESULTS: Compared to the CA group, the THS exposure significantly shortened tail bleeding time and carotid artery thrombus formation. Moreover, the female mice appeared more sensitive to THS exposure than males. Furthermore, platelet aggregation, dense granule secretion, and P-selectin activation markers were significantly elevated due to THS exposure. In addition, the high throughput screening showed at least 30 cytokines differentially modulated by THS in females relative to 26 in male mice. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these results demonstrate that one month of THS exposure represents a high health risk, in part, by triggering a prothrombotic phenotype that appears to be more significant in females, who are at a much higher risk for occlusive CVD. Additionally, changes in cytokine levels mediate some of the THS-induced occlusive effects. IMPLICATIONS: This study revealed that THS exposure in one month is detrimental to the cardiovascular health of both sexes; however, females could be more aggressively affected than males. In addition, interleukins and chemokines could be critical factors for initiating prothrombotic activity due to THS exposure.

Management of radioiodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer: the Latin American perspective.

Radioiodine (RAI) refractory differentiated thyroid cancer is an uncommon and challenging situation that requires a multidisciplinary approach to therapeutic strategies. The definition of RAI-refractoriness is usually a clear situation in specialized centers. However, the right moment for initiation of multikinase inhibitors (MKI), the time and availability for genomic testing, and the possibility of prescribing MKI and selective kinase inhibitors differ worldwide.Latin America (LA) refers to the territories of the world that stretch across two regions: North America (including Central America and the Caribbean) and South America, containing 8.5% of the world's population. In this manuscript, we critically review the current standard approach recommended for patients with RAI refractory differentiated thyroid cancer, emphasizing the challenges faced in LA. To achieve this objective, the Latin American Thyroid Society (LATS) convened a panel of experts from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. Access to MKI compounds continues to be a challenge in all LA countries. This is true not only for MKI but also for the new selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which will also require genomic testing, that is not widely available. Thus, as precision medicine advances, significant disparities will be made more evident, and despite efforts to improve coverage and reimbursement, molecular-based precision medicine remains inaccessible to most of the LA population. Efforts should be undertaken to alleviate the discrepancies between the current state-of-the-art care for RAI-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer and the present situation in Latin America.

Impact of baseline and interim quantitative PET parameters on outcomes of classical Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Currently, analysis of interim PET (iPET) according to the Deauville score (DS) is the most important predictive factor in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL); however, there is room for improvement in its prognostic power. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of quantitative PET analysis (maximum standard uptake value [SUVmax], total metabolic tumor volume [TMTV] and total lesion glicolysis [TLG]) at baseline (PET0) and iPET in a retrospective cohort of newly diagnosed classical HL. For positive iPET (+ iPET), the reduction of quantitative parameters in relation to PET0 (ΔSUVmax, ΔTMTV and ΔTLG) was calculated. Between 2011 and 2017, 234 patients treated with ABVD were analyzed. Median age was 30 years-old, 59% had advanced stage disease, 57% a bulky mass and 25% a + iPET (DS 4-5). At baseline, high TLG was associated with an increased cumulative incidence of failure (CIF) (p = 0.032) while neither SUVmax, TMTV or TLG were associated with overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS). In multivariate analysis, only iPET was associated with CIF (p < 0.001). Among ΔSUVmax, ΔTMTV and ΔTLG, only a ΔSUVmax ≥ 68.8 was significant for PFS (HR: 0.31, CI95%: 0.11-0.86, p = 0.024). A subset of patients with improved PFS amongst + iPET was identified by the quantitative (ΔSUVmax ≥ 68.8%) analysis. In this real-world Brazilian cohort, with prevalent high-risk patients, quantitative analysis of PET0 did not demonstrate to be prognostic, while a dynamic approach incorporating the ΔSUVmax to + iPET succeeded in refining a subset with better prognosis. These findings warrant validation in larger series and indicate that not all patients with + iPET might need treatment intensification.

Dual targeting of MAPK and PI3K pathways unlocks redifferentiation of Braf-mutated thyroid cancer organoids.

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy and several genetic events have been described to promote the development of thyroid carcinogenesis. Besides the effects of specific mutations on thyroid cancer development, the molecular mechanisms controlling tumorigenesis, tumor behavior, and drug resistance are still largely unknown. Cancer organoids have been proposed as a powerful tool to study aspects related to tumor development and progression and appear promising to test individual responses to therapies. Here, using mESC-derived thyroid organoids, we developed a BrafV637E-inducible model able to recapitulate the features of papillary thyroid cancer in vitro. Overexpression of the murine BrafV637E mutation, equivalent to BrafV600E in humans, rapidly triggers to MAPK activation, cell dedifferentiation, and disruption of follicular organization. BrafV637E-expressing organoids show a transcriptomic signature for p53, focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interactions, EMT, and inflammatory signaling pathways. Finally, PTC-like thyroid organoids were used for drug screening assays. The combination of MAPK and PI3K inhibitors reversed BrafV637E oncogene-promoted cell dedifferentiation while restoring thyroid follicle organization and function in vitro. Our results demonstrate that pluripotent stem cells-derived thyroid cancer organoids can mimic tumor development and features while providing an efficient tool for testing novel targeted therapies.

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma: what the nonspecialists needs to know

ABSTRACT Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) accounts for most cases of thyroid cancer, and the heterogeneity of DTC requires that management decisions be taken by a multidisciplinary team involving endocrinologists, head and neck surgeons, nuclear medicine physicians, pathologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists. It is important for nonspecialists to recognize and refer patients with DTC who will benefit from a specialized approach. Recent advances in knowledge and changes in management of DTC call for the need to raise awareness on the part of these nonspecialist physicians, including general endocrinologists and medical oncologists at large. We provide an overview of diagnostic and therapeutic principles in DTC, especially those that bear direct implication on day-to-day management of these patients by generalists. Patients with DTC may be broadly categorized as having localized, locally persistent/recurrent, or metastatic disease. Current recommendations for DTC include a three-tiered system that classifies patients with localized disease into low, intermediate, or high risk of persistent or recurrent disease. Risk stratification should be performed at baseline and repeated on an ongoing basis, depending on clinical evolution. One of the overarching goals in the management of DTC is the need to personalize treatment by tailoring its modality and intensity according to ongoing prognostic stratification, evolving knowledge about the disease, and patient characteristics and preference. In metastatic disease that is refractory to radioactive iodine, thyroid tumors are being reclassified into molecular subtypes that better reflect their biological properties and for which molecular alterations can be targeted with specific agents.

Clinical and Acoustic Alterations of Swallowing in Children Exposed to Zika Virus during Pregnancy in a Cohort in Amazonas, Brazil: A Case Series Study.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) is a swallowing disorder that involves difficulty in safely passing the food bolus from the oral cavity to the stomach. OD is a common problem in children with congenital Zika virus syndrome (CZS). In this case series, we describe the clinical and acoustic alterations of swallowing in children exposed to the Zika virus during pregnancy in a cohort from Amazonas, Brazil. From July 2019 to January 2020, 22 children were evaluated, 6 with microcephaly and 16 without microcephaly. The mean age among the participants was 35 months (±4.6 months). All children with microcephaly had alterations in oral motricity, mainly in the lips and cheeks. Other alterations were in vocal quality, hard palate, and soft palate. Half of the children with microcephaly showed changes in cervical auscultation during breast milk swallowing. In children without microcephaly, the most frequently observed alteration was in lip motricity, but alterations in auscultation during the swallowing of breast milk were not observed. Regarding swallowing food of a liquid and pasty consistency, the most frequent alterations were incomplete verbal closure, increased oral transit time, inadequacy in capturing the spoon, anterior labial leakage, and increased oral transit time. Although these events are more frequent in microcephalic children, they can also be seen in non-microcephalic children, which points to the need for an indistinct evaluation of children exposed in utero to ZIKV.

In Vitro and Preclinical Antitumor Evaluation of Doxorubicin Liposomes Coated with a Cholesterol-Based Trimeric ß-D-Glucopyranosyltriazole.

The coating of liposomes with polyethyleneglycol (PEG) has been extensively discussed over the years as a strategy for enhancing the in vivo and in vitro stability of nanostructures, including doxorubicin-loaded liposomes. However, studies have shown some important disadvantages of the PEG molecule as a long-circulation agent, including the immunogenic role of PEG, which limits its clinical use in repeated doses. In this context, hydrophilic molecules as carbohydrates have been proposed as an alternative to coating liposomes. Thus, this work studied the cytotoxicity and preclinical antitumor activity of liposomes coated with a glycosyl triazole glucose (GlcL-DOX) derivative as a potential strategy against breast cancer. The glucose-coating of liposomes enhanced the storage stability compared to PEG-coated liposomes, with the suitable retention of DOX encapsulation. The antitumor activity, using a 4T1 breast cancer mouse model, shows that GlcL-DOX controlled the tumor growth in 58.5% versus 35.3% for PEG-coated liposomes (PegL-DOX). Additionally, in the preliminary analysis of the GlcL-DOX systemic toxicity, the glucose-coating liposomes reduced the body weight loss and hepatotoxicity compared to other DOX-treated groups. Therefore, GlcL-DOX could be a promising alternative for treating breast tumors. Further studies are required to elucidate the complete GlcL-DOX safety profile.

Higher Prevalence of Nonsense Pathogenic DMD Variants in a Single-Center Cohort from Brazil: A Genetic Profile Study That May Guide the Choice of Disease-Modifying Treatments.

Dystrophinopathies are muscle diseases caused by pathogenic variants in DMD, the largest gene described in humans, representing a spectrum of diseases ranging from asymptomatic creatine phosphokinase elevation to severe Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Several therapeutic strategies are currently in use or under development, each targeting different pathogenic variants. However, little is known about the genetic profiles of northeast Brazilian patients with dystrophinopathies. We describe the spectrum of pathogenic DMD variants in a single center in northeast Brazil. This is an observational, cross-sectional study carried out through molecular-genetic analysis of male patients diagnosed with dystrophinopathies using Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) followed by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)-based strategies. A total of 94 male patients were evaluated. Deletions (43.6%) and duplications (10.6%) were the most recurring patterns of pathogenic variants. However, small variants were present in 47.1% of patients, most of them nonsense variants (27.6%). This is the largest South American single-center case series of dystrophinopathies to date. We found a higher frequency of treatment-amenable nonsense single-nucleotide variants than most previous studies. These findings may have implications for diagnostic strategies in less-known populations, as a higher frequency of nonsense variants may mean a higher possibility of treating patients with disease-modifying drugs.