Buccal micronucleus cytome assay: Inter-laboratory scoring exercise and micronucleus and nuclear abnormalities frequencies in different populations from Brazil.

The Buccal Micronucleus Cytome Assay (BMCyt) has become an important biomonitoring tool for assessing cytogenetic damage in many studied populations. Each laboratory applies protocols that vary according to the method of collecting and preparing samples. Besides, Brazil is a country of great territorial extensions that received immigrants from various parts of the world with different genetic backgrounds. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the inter-laboratory variation in scoring the same set of slides using the more comprehensive scoring criteria, to standardize the BMCyt protocol, to observe the basal alterations in populations of different Brazilian regions and to compare it with other places around the world. Our results showed that a valuable number of laboratories participated, ten laboratories from different regions of the country, for the validation of the BMCyt in human biomonitoring studies, resulting in the 804 healthy individuals. This was possible because we observed: a range of measures needs to be considered, such as the baseline frequency of DNA damage and cell death in non-exposed individuals; age when grouped showed an influence on DNA damage, although when evaluated by group we did not see an influence; association between smoking habit and all endpoints of the BMCyt (except karyolytic cells) was evident; the basal MN frequency, in the majority of groups, follows those around the world; and the BMCyt was confirmed as a good health status biomarker. We emphasize the need for constant discussions on the parameters of cell death due to greater difficulty among the analyzers.

Tratamento para queloides: revisão de literatura / Treatment of keloids: a literature review

Introdução: Queloides surgem de resposta excessiva à lesão da derme, resultando em proliferação de fibroblastos, produção exagerada de colágeno e comprometimento da pele sadia adjacente. O diagnóstico é clínico e muitos métodos conservadores e cirúrgicos já foram utilizados para tratamento. Porém, dados da eficácia desses tratamentos são limitados e não há consenso na literatura quanto a melhor técnica a ser empregada, permanecendo uma lacuna que necessita ser preenchida, a fim de que seus usos sejam indicados com maior confiabilidade, em um modelo de medicina baseada em evidências. Métodos: Revisão não sistemática da literatura sobre "queloides" nas bases de dados PubMed, Scielo, MEDLINE, UptoDate e livros-texto das áreas de Dermatologia e Cirurgia Dermatológica. Revisão de Literatura: Foram enumeradas e abordadas as principais informações sobre técnicas cirúrgicas e adjuvantes empregadas para essas lesões, que são: excisão, injeções intralesionais, crioterapia, laserterapia, revestimento com gel de silicone, radioterapia e pressoterapia. Torna-se relevante o levantamento dessas informações, tendo em vista que, além de poder causar dor, prurido e restrição de movimento, o principal motivo da procura de assistência médica para queloide é devido ao aspecto cosmético/estético, e as taxas de reincidência e falha terapêutica ainda são altas, sendo necessário conscientizar o paciente sobre o procedimento e seus efeitos. Conclusão: São muitos os tratamentos disponíveis para o queloide, sejam cirúrgicos ou não, todavia não há consenso sobre uma abordagem universalmente aceita. São necessários mais estudos, com a finalidade de definir a melhor conduta e atingir melhores resultados, visto a qualidade mediana das evidências apresentadas nos estudos.

Introduction: Keloids are characterized by an abnormal response to dermal trauma, resulting in fibroblast proliferation, excessive collagen production, and impairment of adjacent healthy tissue. The diagnosis is clinical, and many conservative and surgical methods can be used as treatments. However, data on the efficacy of these treatments are limited, and there is no consensus regarding the best treatment option. This gap needs to be filled by developing comprehensive evidence-based therapies. Methods: A non-systematic literature review of keloid scars was carried out using PubMed, Scielo, MEDLINE, UptoDate, and dermatology and dermatological surgery textbooks. Literature review: The search retrieved relevant information on surgical and adjuvant therapies used for keloids, including excision, intralesional injections, cryotherapy, laser therapy, silicone gel sheeting, radiation therapy, and pressure therapy. These data are crucial because, in addition to complaints of pain, itching, and restriction of movement, the main reason for seeking treatment for keloids is for cosmetic and aesthetic improvement, and the rates of recurrence and treatment failure are high, emphasizing the importance of creating awareness regarding the available procedures and their effectiveness. Conclusion: Many surgical and adjuvant therapies for keloids are available. Nonetheless, there is no consensus on a universally accepted treatment. Therefore, additional high-quality studies are needed to identify the most effective therapeutic approaches to achieve better results.

Increase of binucleated cells in the oral mucosa: a study on the use of psychotropics by students of a Brazilian institution.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of medical and nonmedical use of psychiatric medication among undergraduate students of health sciences from a public university in Brasil. Another objective was to determine the frequency of nuclear morphological abnormalities in the buccal mucosa of students using psychiatric drugs. A cross-sectional study based on a Web survey was carried out with 375 health sciences undergraduate students from schools of Pharmacy, Physical Education, Nutrition, and Medicine. Additionally, spontaneous genetic damages in exfoliated cells of the buccal mucosa of 41 individuals by counting micronucleus (MN) and binucleated (BN) cells frequencies were evaluated. The results showed 76 (20.3%) of students reported the use of psychotropic drugs after enrolling in university. The majority of these students were from Pharmacy and Medicine programs, females, aged between 18-25 years old, nonsmokers, alcohol addicts, and with a family history of mental illness. In addition, Medical students, individuals with high-income, who live alone and are in the last period of the program are more likely to use psychotropic drugs. Moreover, exposure to psychiatric medication was able to increase the number of binucleated cells. These results provide evidence that the use of psychoactive drugs is increased in the academic context and may be related to the failure of the cell cycle.

Increase of binucleated cells in the oral mucosa: a study on the use of psychotropics by students of a Brazilian institution

SUMMARY This study aimed to assess the prevalence of medical and nonmedical use of psychiatric medication among undergraduate students of health sciences from a public university in Brasil. Another objective was to determine the frequency of nuclear morphological abnormalities in the buccal mucosa of students using psychiatric drugs. A cross-sectional study based on a Web survey was carried out with 375 health sciences undergraduate students from schools of Pharmacy, Physical Education, Nutrition, and Medicine. Additionally, spontaneous genetic damages in exfoliated cells of the buccal mucosa of 41 individuals by counting micronucleus (MN) and binucleated (BN) cells frequencies were evaluated. The results showed 76 (20.3%) of students reported the use of psychotropic drugs after enrolling in university. The majority of these students were from Pharmacy and Medicine programs, females, aged between 18-25 years old, nonsmokers, alcohol addicts, and with a family history of mental illness. In addition, Medical students, individuals with high-income, who live alone and are in the last period of the program are more likely to use psychotropic drugs. Moreover, exposure to psychiatric medication was able to increase the number of binucleated cells. These results provide evidence that the use of psychoactive drugs is increased in the academic context and may be related to the failure of the cell cycle.

RESUMO O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a prevalência de uso médico e não médico de medicação psiquiátrica entre estudantes de graduação em Ciências da Saúde de uma universidade pública do Brasil. Outro objetivo foi determinar a frequência de anormalidades nucleares morfológicas na mucosa bucal desses estudantes. Realizou-se um estudo transversal baseado na Web com 375 estudantes de graduação em Ciências da Saúde das escolas de Farmácia, Educação Física, Nutrição e Medicina. Adicionalmente, danos genéticos espontâneos em células esfoliadas da mucosa bucal de 41 indivíduos foram analisados para estudo da frequência de micronúcleos e células binucleadas. Os resultados mostraram que 76 (20,8%) dos estudantes relataram que usaram drogas psicotrópicas após se matricularem na universidade. O uso desses medicamentos foi maior entre estudantes de cursos de Farmácia e Medicina, sexo feminino, idade entre 18 e 25 anos, não tabagistas, alcoolistas e histórico familiar de doença mental. Além disso, estudantes de Medicina, indivíduos com alta renda, que moram sozinhos e estão no último período do curso são mais propensos a usar drogas psicotrópicas. Ademais, a exposição à medicação psiquiátrica foi capaz de aumentar o número de células binucleadas. Esses resultados fornecem evidências de que o uso de drogas psicotrópicas aumenta no contexto acadêmico e pode estar relacionado à falha do ciclo celular.

Gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus disease in a patient with pemphigus vulgaris treated with corticosteroid and mycophenolate mofetil.

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune disease characterized by the formation of suprabasal intra-epidermal blisters on the skin and mucosal surfaces. Infectious diseases are the main cause of death in patients with pemphigus due to the disrupture of the physiological skin barrier, immune dysregulation, and the use of immunosuppressive medications leaving the patient prone to acquire opportunistic infections. We report the case of a 67-year-old woman diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris, who was irregularly taking prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil. She was hospitalized because of a 1-month history of watery diarrhea and oral ulcers. Unfortunately, the patient died suddenly on the ward. The autopsy revealed a bilateral saddle pulmonary embolism, Gram-positive cocci bronchopneumonia, and gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus infection, causing extensive gastrointestinal mucosal ulcers.

Gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus disease in a patient with pemphigus vulgaris treated with corticosteroid and mycophenolate mofetil

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune disease characterized by the formation of suprabasal intra-epidermal blisters on the skin and mucosal surfaces. Infectious diseases are the main cause of death in patients with pemphigus due to the disrupture of the physiological skin barrier, immune dysregulation, and the use of immunosuppressive medications leaving the patient prone to acquire opportunistic infections. We report the case of a 67-year-old woman diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris, who was irregularly taking prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil. She was hospitalized because of a 1-month history of watery diarrhea and oral ulcers. Unfortunately, the patient died suddenly on the ward. The autopsy revealed a bilateral saddle pulmonary embolism, Gram-positive cocci bronchopneumonia, and gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus infection, causing extensive gastrointestinal mucosal ulcers.