Beyond cancer treatment: dermo-aesthetic and other wellness recommendations for breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer, a prevalent malignancy among women, has various physical and psychological impacts. This comprehensive review offers an in-depth look at multidisciplinary dermo-aesthetic intervention approaches, emphasizing the balance between oncological therapies and the management of these effects. The information presented spans specialties such as aesthetic medicine, plastic surgery, dermatology, physiotherapy, nutrition, odontology, and gynecology. This review, which serves as a clinical guide, aims to establish a safe protocol for non-medical interventions involving oncologists, physicians, and specialists from various areas in patients with breast cancer focused on improving their quality of life. This work offers personalized and integrative care strategies for the eradication of cancer. However, it is still necessary for patients to consult with their oncologist before undergoing any dermo aesthetic treatment. However, it is still necessary for patients to consult with their oncologist before undergoing any dermo aesthetic treatment.

Role of the α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor in the Pathophysiology of Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis constitutes a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This slowly progressing, chronic inflammatory disorder of large- and medium-sized arteries involves complex recruitment of immune cells, lipid accumulation, and vascular structural remodeling. The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) is expressed in several cell types involved in the genesis and progression of atherosclerosis, including macrophages, dendritic cells, T and B cells, vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Recently, the α7nAChR has been described as an essential regulator of inflammation as this receptor mediates the inhibition of cytokine synthesis through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, a mechanism involved in the attenuation of atherosclerotic disease. Aside from the neuronal cholinergic control of inflammation, the non-neuronal cholinergic system similarly regulates the immune function. Acetylcholine released from T cells acts in an autocrine/paracrine fashion at the α7nAChR of various immune cells to modulate immune function. This mechanism additionally has potential implications in reducing atherosclerotic plaque formation. In contrast, the activation of α7nAChR is linked to the induction of angiogenesis and VSMC proliferation, which may contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis. Therefore, both atheroprotective and pro-atherogenic roles are attributed to the stimulation of α7nAChRs, and their role in the genesis and progression of atheromatous plaque is still under debate. This minireview highlights the current knowledge on the involvement of the α7nAChR in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis.

Falha de revascularização de um dente imaturo com cisto inflamatório / Revascularization failure of an immature tooth with inflammatory cyst

Objetivo: analisar as possíveis causas do insucesso de um tratamento de revascularização, incluindo as complicações derivadas da técnica e a adequada seleção do caso. Métodos: o seguinte relato de caso descreve o insucesso da revascularização de um segundo pré-molar inferior com ápice imaturo apresentando fístula e lesão periapical. A irrigação foi realizada com NaOCl, solução salina estéril e clorexidina, e uma pasta antibiótica composta por ciprofloxacina, metronidazol e cefaclor foi utilizada como medicamento intracanal. Uma vez que a fístula desapareceu, a hemorragia foi induzida pelo periápice. Como havia um sangramento residual, uma esponja de colágeno banhada de sangue foi colocada no canal e o acesso à cavidade foi selado com MTA. Resultados: após uma semana, a fístula reapareceu e uma cirurgia periapical foi realizada, com excisão da lesão. O diagnóstico final foi de uma lesão cística inflamatória. Após 12 meses, a regeneração óssea estava completa. Conclusões: o insucesso desse tratamento de revascularização pode ter sido devido à presença de uma lesão cística inflamatória. Ao se propor esse tipo de tratamento, o tamanho e o tempo de duração da lesão devem ser levados em consideração, informando ao paciente que a cirurgia periapical pode ser necessária.

Morphometry and subpopulation structure of Holstein bull spermatozoa: variations in ejaculates and cryopreservation straws.

Sperm quality is evaluated for the calculation of sperm dosage in artificial reproductive programs. The most common parameter used is motility, but morphology has a higher potential as a predictor of genetic quality. Morphometry calculations from CASA-Morph technology improve morphological evaluation and allow mathematical approaches to the problem. Semen from 28 Holstein bulls was collected by artificial vagina, and several ejaculates were studied. After general evaluation, samples were diluted, packaged in 0.25 ml straws, and stored in liquid nitrogen. Two straws per sample were thawed, and slides were processed and stained with Diff-Quik. Samples were analyzed by a CASA-Morph system for eight morphometric parameters. In addition to the "classical" statistical approach, based on variance analysis (revealing differences between animals, ejaculates, and straws), principal component (PC) analysis showed that the variables were grouped into PC1, related to size, and PC2 to shape. Subpopulation structure analysis showed four groups, namely, big, small, short, and narrow from their dominant characteristics, representing 31.0%, 27.3%, 24.1%, and 17.7% of the total population, respectively. The distributions varied between animals and ejaculates, but between straws, there were no differences in only four animals. This modern approach of considering an ejaculate sperm population as divided into subpopulations reflecting quantifiable parameters generated by CASA-Morph systems technology opens a new view on sperm function. This is the first study applying this approach to evaluate different ejaculates and straws from the same individual. More work must be done to improve seminal dose calculations in assisted reproductive programs.

El deporte como mecanismo propagandístico de identidad nacional en España / O esporte como mecanismo propagandístico de identidade nacional na Espanha / Sport as a national identity propaganda mechanism in Spain

El objetivo de este trabajo fue identificar el uso del deporte como mecanismo propagandístico de identidad nacional en los programas de los partidos políticos que presentaron candidatura a las elecciones generales de 2011 en España. Para ello, se analizó el contenido de estos textos. Los resultados del análisis constataron que ocho programas electorales utilizan el deporte en su discurso programático como estrategia para reforzar la identidad cultural de un territorio y patrocinar la nación. Sobre todo, son los partidos nacionalistas los que más uso hacen de este discurso, circunscribiéndolo al independentismo.

This work looks into the use of sport as a mechanism of national identity propaganda in political parties’ programs in Spain’s 2011 general elections. The study is based on content analysis of those programs. Results indicate that the election programs used sport to reinforce territorial cultural identity and strengthen the idea of nation. Nationalist parties were the ones to use that discourse most often, placing it under within Independentism.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de identificar o uso do esporte como mecanismo propagandístico de identidade nacional nos programas dos partidos políticos que apresentaram candidaturas nas eleições gerais de 2011 na Espanha. Para isso, foram analisados os conteúdos desses programas. Os resultados da análise constataram que oito programas eleitorais utilizam o esporte em seu discurso programático como estratégia para reforçar a identidade cultural de um território e patrocinar a nação. Sobretudo, são os partidos nacionalistas os que mais fazem uso desse discurso, circunscrevendo-o ao independentismo.

Male facial anthropometry and attractiveness.

The symmetry and masculinity of the face are often considered important elements of male facial attractiveness. However, facial preferences are rarely studied on natural faces. We studied the effect of these traits and facial metric parameters on facial attractiveness in Spanish and Colombian raters. In total, 13 metric and 11 asymmetry parameters from natural, unmanipulated frontal face photographs of 50 Spanish men were measured with the USIA semiautomatic anthropometric software. All raters (women and men) were asked to rank these images as potential long-term partners for females. In both sexes, facial attractiveness was negatively associated with facial masculinity, and preference was not associated with facial symmetry. In Spanish raters, both sexes preferred male traits that were larger in the right side of the face, which may reflect a human tendency to prefer a certain degree of facial asymmetry. We did not find such preference in Colombian raters, but they did show stronger preference for facial femininity than Spanish raters. Present results suggest that facial relative femininity, which is expected to signal, eg good parenting and cooperation skills, may be an important signal of mate quality when females seek long-term partners. Facial symmetry appears unimportant in such long-term mating preferences.

Presencia de ácido láctico y otros compuestos semivolátiles en mieles de meliponini / Presence of lactic acid and other semivolatil compound in meliponini honeys

Durante el estudio de compuestos semivolátiles, se encontró ácido láctico en mieles producidas por cuatro especies de abejas sin aguijón. Además, se identificaron otros compuestos: ácido 2-etil-2-hidroxi-propanoico en mieles de Melipona favosa, 5-(hidroximetil)-2-furancarboxaldehído y a-(fenilmetil)-benceno etanol, en mieles de Scaptotrigona mexicana, 2-butanol, eneicosano y heptacosano en mieles deTrigona carbonaria.

During the study of semivolatile compounds, lactic acid was found in the honey produced by four species of stingless bees. Moreover, other compounds were identified: 2-ethylhydroxy- propanoic acid in Melipona favosa honeys, 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furancarboxaldehyde and a-phenylmethyl benzene ethanol in Scaptotrigona mexicana honey, 2-butanol, heneicosane and heptacosane in Trigona carbonaria honey.

Choroid plexus carcinoma: a rare condition and its therapeutic management.

Choroid plexus carcinomas are rare tumours, found chiefly during childhood. The commonest pattern of progression is via the neural axis. We present the case of a patient with unusual metastatic dissemination, affecting lungs and bones two years after diagnosis, and the approach adopted towards him.

Non-seminomatous germ-cell tumour associated with acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia.

The association of mediastinal germ-cell tumours (MGCTs) with haematologic neoplasms is a rare though well known circumstance, and few cases are found in the literature. Most of these refer to non-seminomatous tumours in young males. The diagnosis of the haematological condition is usually either synchronic or metachronic with that of the germ-cell tumour. From those cases that have been published, we know that the prognosis is poor and basically determined by the haematologic neoplasia. The case report we present is that of a young male with an initial diagnosis of both conditions. It was possible to apply specific treatment, initially in the case of the leukaemia, and later in the case of the germ-cell tumour. The approach adopted is a multidisciplinary one.

[Contributions of pharmacogenomics to enhance the efficiency of randomized clinical trials]. / Aspectos metodológicos y éticos de la farmacogenómica en los ensayos clínicos aleatorizados.

One of the greatest advances of the modern medicine has been the report of the complete sequence of the human genome. This has brought as a consequence an evolution in the design of the clinical research, in special of the randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The pharmacogenomics, a powerful tool for the prediction of pharmacological effects based on the genotype of the studied subjects, promises to be very useful next years for the development of the pharmaceutical industry. With the present integration of the pharmacogenomical methods to the investigation and development of new medicines it may start a new era in the medical prescription producing more individualized therapies, reduction of adverse events in the patients and in addition a faster development of new medicines in a more cost-effective way. Nevertheless new methodological, ethical and social challenges appear that will have to be solved simultaneously, to allow a legal use of the vast information generated by the genetic information.

Differences in nocturnal basal and rhythmic prolactin secretion in untreated compared to treated HIV-infected men are associated with CD4+ T-lymphocytes.

The existence of decreased hypothalamic dopaminergic tone in HIV-infected men has been suggested. In a cross-sectional study, we determined 12 h nocturnal basal and pulsatile prolactin (PRL) release levels (by blood sampling every 10 min) and their correlation with CD4+ T cells in seven volunteer HIV-negative, healthy men (group 1), and 21 normoprolactinemic, euthyroid, HIV-infected men divided into 3 groups (each group = 7): (i) group 2, asymptomatic HIV-infected stage A1 men, untreated; (ii) group 3, AIDS stage C3 without active opportunistic infections, untreated; and (iii) group 4, previously stage C3 after at least 6 months of successful highly active antiretroviral therapy. Serum PRL was measured by radioimmunoanalysis and the results were analysed by waveform-independent deconvolution analysis. CD4+ T lymphocytes were measured by flow cytometry and viral load by a nucleic acid sequence-based amplification assay. No differences were detected in the first two groups. In the third group, however, 100% of prolactin secretion was found to be pulsatile with a shorter secretory burst duration (P = 0.04), and a greater circulating half-life and pulse amplitude (P < or = 0.04). Group 4 had the greatest basal prolactin secretion (P < or = 0.04), and a shorter secretory burst duration (P = 0.04 vs group 2), circulating half-life (P = 0.01 vs group 3) and intersecretory burst interval (P = 0.06 vs group 1). PRL approximate entropy was similar among all groups. Linear correlations existed between CD4+ T cell counts and PRL secretory burst half duration (r = 0.62, P = 0.002) and amplitude (r = -0.63, P = 0.001), and in circulating serum half-life (r = - 0.61, P = 0.002) in HIV-infected groups. Viral load showed no correlations. It is suggested that differential changes in nocturnal prolactin secretion among HIV-infected men occurred while maintaining the normal coordinate feedback and/or feedforward control within the lactotropic axis. These changes may represent an adaptative mechanism to sustain, by different means, the maximal physiologic PRL production to stimulate the highest cellular immune response and/or reconstitution in attempting to survive.

Tuberculosis-related deaths within a well-functioning DOTS control program.

To describe the molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB)-related deaths in a well-managed program in a low-HIV area, we analyzed data from a cohort of 454 pulmonary TB patients recruited between March 1995 and October 2000 in southern Mexico. Patients who were sputum acid-fast bacillus smear positive underwent clinical and mycobacteriologic evaluation (isolation, identification, drug-susceptibility testing, and IS6110-based genotyping and spoligotyping) and received treatment from the local directly observed treatment strategy (DOTS) program. After an average of 2.3 years of follow-up, death was higher for clustered cases (28.6 vs. 7%, p=0.01). Cox analysis revealed that TB-related mortality hazard ratios included treatment default (8.9), multidrug resistance (5.7), recently transmitted TB (4.1), weight loss (3.9), and having less than 6 years of formal education (2). In this community, TB is associated with high mortality rates.

Epidemiology of AIDS and tuberculosis

This article reviews literature on the epidemiology, pathogenicity, and control of HIV and Micobacterium tuberculosis coinfection. Regarding pathogenicity, immune system deterioration makes HIV-infected people more likely to develop active tuberculosis on primary or secondary exposure to the bacillus or to suffer reactivation of latent infections, and to experience considerably higher rates of extrapulmonary manifestations, relapses, and death. Regarding epidemiology, as of 1990 there were an estimated 3 million people coinfected with HIV and M. tuberculosis, with some 300 000 active tuberculosis cases and 120 000-150 000 tuberculosis deaths occurring annually among those coinfected. Over 500 000 coinfected people are thought to reside in the Americas, over 400 000 of them in Latin America. In general, the impact of coinfection is evident. Relatively high and increasing prevalences of HIV infection have been detected among tuberculosis patients around the world, and tuberculosis has become a frequent complication of AIDS cases. Moreover, there is no longer any doubt that coinfection obstructs tuberculosis prevention and control. Among other things, it effects BCG vaccination policies, suggests the need to administer preventive chemoprophylaxis to HIV-infected individuals at high risk of harboring or contracting tuberculosis infections, and complicates both detection and treatment of active tuberculosis cases. The recent proliferation of M. tuberculosis strains resistant to multiple drugs, most notably in the United States, compounds the problem... (AU)

Revised translation of an article entitled "Epidemiología del SIDA y la tuberculosis" that was published in Spanish in the BOSP. Vol. 116(6):546-65, 1994

Epidemiología del SIDA y la tuberculosis / Epidemiology of AIDS and tuberculosis

En este artículo, se revisan la patogenia de la coinfección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) y mycobacterium tuberculosis, sus características epidemiológicas en el mundo y especialmente en las Américas, así como las herramientas disponibles para su control. La relación entre la infección por VIH y por M. tuberculosis se hace evidente en dos situaciones: la frecuencia más alta de desarrollo de tuberculosis activa después de la primoinfección o reinfección exógena, y la reactivación del bacilo latente en el sujeto infectado por VIH al presentarse el deterioro de su sistema inmunitario. Se ha observado que las reacciones adversas a medicamentos, las recaídas y la mortalidad son más frecuentes en pacientes tuberculosos infectados por VIH que en los no infectados. El panorama en el mundo y el las Américas indica un aumento de los casos nuevos de tuberculosis y del síndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida (SIDA). La frecuencia de coinfectados es más alta en países y grupos humanos con alta prevalencia de infección por tuberculosis. El estudio de la coinfección puede realizarse desde tres enfoques. Primero, la estimación de la frecuencia de infección por VIH en pacientes tuberculosos. En las Américas, la prevalencia de infección por VIH en estos pacientes han sido más alta en las zonas metropolitanas del Brasil, Haití, los Estados Unidos de América y México. Segundo, la estimación de la frecuencia de tuberculosis en los casos de SIDA. En los casos de SIDA notificados anualmente en el Brasil y México se ha observado un aumento de la frecuencia de tuberculosis. La frecuencia más alta de tuberculosis en autopsias indica que la enfermedad no se diagnostica en el paciente vivo. Tercero, el estudio de la reactividad al PPD en poblaciones infectadas por VIH, cuya frecuencia varía entre 16 y 25 por ciento según el país. Por último se abordan los problemas de control de la tuberculosis en pacientes infectados por VIH o con SIDA: vacunación, quimioprofilaxis, búsqueda de casos y tratamiento