Early morphological and neurochemical changes of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) in gestational protein-restricted male offspring.

BACKGROUND: The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a structure with a peculiar neurochemical composition involved in modulating anxietylike behavior and fear. AIM: The present study investigated the effects on the BNST neurochemical composition and neuronal structure in critical moments of the postnatal period in gestational protein-restricted male rats' offspring. METHODS: Dams were maintained during the pregnancy on isocaloric rodent laboratory chow with standard protein content [NP, 17%] or low protein content [LP, 6%]. BNST from male NP and age-matched LP offspring was studied using the isotropic fractionator method, Neuronal 3D reconstruction, dendritic-tree analysis, blotting analysis, and high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Serum corticosterone levels were higher in male LP offspring than NP rats in 14-day-old offspring, without any difference in 7-day-old progeny. The BNST total cell number and anterodorsal BNST division volume in LP progeny were significantly reduced on the 14th postnatal day compared with NP offspring. The BNST HPLC analysis from 7 days-old LP revealed increased norepinephrine levels compared to NP progeny. The BNST blot analysis from 7-day-old LP revealed reduced levels of GR and BDNF associated with enhanced CRF1 expression compared to NP offspring. 14-day-old LP offspring showed reduced expression of MR and 5HT1A associated with decreased DOPAC and DOPA turnover levels relative to NP rats. In Conclusion, the BNST cellular and neurochemical changes may represent adaptation during development in response to elevated fetal exposure to maternal corticosteroid levels. In this way, gestational malnutrition alters the BNST content and structure and contributes to already-known behavioral changes.

[Antimicrobial stewardship program in an Intensive Care Unit: A retrospective observational analysis of the results 15 months after its implementation]. / Programa de optimización del uso de antimicrobianos en un Servicio de Medicina Intensiva: análisis retrospectivo observacional de los resultados 15 meses después de su implementación.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to evaluate the adherence rate to an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and to assess its effect on the use of antibiotics, quality indicators and clinical outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective description of the interventions proposed by the ASP. We compared antimicrobial use, quality and safety indicators in an ASP versus a non-ASP period. The study was performed in a polyvalent ICU of a medium-size University Hospital (600 beds). We studied patients admitted to the ICU for any cause during the ASP period, provided that a microbiological sample aiming to diagnose a potential infection has been drawn, or antibiotics have been started. We elaborated and registered of non-mandatory recommendations to improve antimicrobial prescription (audit and feedback structure) and its registry during the ASP period (15 months, October 2018-December 2019). We compared indicators in a period with ASP (April-June 2019) and without ASP (April-June 2018). RESULTS: We issued 241 recommendations on 117 patients, 67% of them classified as de-escalation type. The rate of adherence to the recommendations was high (96.3%). In the ASP period, the mean number of antibiotics per patient (3.3±4.1 vs 2.4±1.7, p=0.04) and the days of treatment (155 DOT/100 PD vs 94 DOT/100 PD, p <0.01) were reduced. The implementation of the ASP did not compromise patient safety or produce changes in clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of an ASP is widely accepted in the ICU, reducing the consumption of antimicrobials, without compromising patient safety.

Anisotropic behavior of mechanical properties for thea- andc-domains in a (001) BaTiO3single crystal.

Barium titanate (BaTiO3) single crystal with a tetragonal phase was characterized by nanoindentation. Elastic and elastic-plastic deformation regimes were obtained. The main objective was the evaluation of the anisotropic behavior related to mechanical properties associated with the cross-section of the ferroelectrica- andc-domains (In-plane and out-of-plane) in (001) configuration domains. This behavior was evaluated along a line perpendicular to the between domains, which demonstrated that the mechanical properties of the BaTiO3single crystal depend on the distance from due to the effect of the influence of the neighbor domain. A three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model was developed to simulate mechanical effects revealed by the nanoindentations test. The FE simulation demonstrated that there is no simple isotropic mechanical behavior associated with the domain type. Numerical simulations and experiments performed to study ferroelastic switching domains in BaTiO3crystals revealed the interaction of the 90°-cadomain with the indentation position.

Exploring the root canal microbiome in previously treated teeth: A comparative study of diversity and metabolic pathways across two geographical locations.

AIM: To analyse and compare the root canal microbiome present in root-filled teeth of two different geographical populations, and to study their functional potential using a next-generation sequencing approach. METHODOLOGY: Sequencing data obtained from surgical specimens from previously treated teeth with periapical bone loss from Spain and USA were included in the study. Taxa were classified using SILVA v.138 database. Differences in genera abundances among the 10 most abundant genera were evaluated using a Kruskal-Wallis test. Alpha diversity indices were calculated in mothur. The Shannon and Chao1 indices were used. Analyses of similarity (ANOSIM) to determine differences in community composition were done in mothur, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. p-Values < .05 were considered statistically significant. Identification of enriched bacteria function prediction in the study groups (KEGG pathways) was carried out by linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) via Python 3.7.6. RESULTS: A greater alpha-diversity (Shannon and Chao1 indices) was observed from samples obtained in Spain (p = .002). Geography showed no significant effects on community composition via an ANOSIM using Bray-Curtis dissimilarities (R = 0.03, p = .21). Bacterial functional analysis prediction obtained by PICRUSt showed that 5.7% KEGG pathways differed between the Spain and US samples. CONCLUSIONS: The taxonomic assessment alone does not fully capture the microbiome's differences from two different geographical locations. Carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism were enriched in samples from Spain, while samples from USA had a higher representation of pathways related to nitrogen, propanoate metabolism, and secretion systems.

Unraveling Azospirillum's colonization ability through microbiological and molecular evidence.

It is known that members of the bacterial genus Azospirillum can promote the growth of a great variety of plants, an ability harnessed by the industry to create bioproducts aimed to enhance the yield of economically relevant crops. Its versatile metabolism allows this bacterium to adapt to numerous environments, from optimal to extreme or highly polluted. The fact of having been isolated from soil and rhizosphere samples collected worldwide and many other habitats proves its remarkable ubiquity. Azospirillum rhizospheric and endophytic lifestyles are governed by several mechanisms, leading to efficient niche colonization. These mechanisms include cell aggregation and biofilm formation, motility, chemotaxis, phytohormone and other signaling molecules production, and cell-to-cell communication, in turn, involved in regulating Azospirillum interactions with the surrounding microbial community. Despite being infrequently mentioned in metagenomics studies after its introduction as an inoculant, an increasing number of studies detected Azospirillum through molecular tools (mostly 16S rRNA sequencing) as part of diverse, even unexpected, microbiomes. This review focuses on Azospirillum traceability and the performance of the available methods, both classical and molecular. An overview of Azospirillum occurrence in diverse microbiomes and the less-known features explaining its notorious ability to colonize niches and prevail in multiple environments is provided.

Clinical improvement after intraarticular and intraosseous injections of platelet rich plasma combined with hyaluronic acid for knee osteoarthritis. Case series.

INTRODUCTION: knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is known as the most common form of osteoarthrosis with a 6% prevalence in people over 30 years old, and more than 40% in the population over 70 years old. The use of PRP led to diverse results and this disparity can be attributed to the dissimilar methods of PRP preparation. This study aims to assess the functional effects of intraosseous (IO) and intraarticular (IA) injections of platelet rich plasma (PRP) followed by IA injections of hyaluronic acid (HA). OBJECTIVES: this study aimed to assess the functional effects of intraosseous (IO) and intraarticular (IA) injections of platelet rich plasma (PRP) followed by IA injections of hyaluronic acid (HA), administered 3 and 4 weeks after the initiation of treatment in 33 patients with grade II-III (Ahlback scale) knee osteoarthritis (KOA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: retrospectively, 33 patients were assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index and visual analogue scale (VAS) score. They were followed-up for 12.92 months on average. Patients were divided into three groups based on age and four groups based on the follow-up period. RESULTS: the pre-operative mean of the WOMAC index was 44.35 ± 20.20 and the post-operative mean was 22.81 ± 17.25 (p < 0.001). The pre-operative and post-operative mean of the VAS scores were 5.79 ± 2.01 and 2.41 ± 1.43 (p < 0.001), respectively. The largest improvement in WOMAC (from 42.86 to 13.69) was observed in the youngest patients (44 to 55 years old) and the largest reduction in VAS (from 6.89 to 2.22) was seen in patients aged 56 to 70 years. CONCLUSION: the combination of IO and IA plasma rich in growth factor (PRGF) treatment with the IA-HA treatment yielded excellent results, diminishing pain and improving motor functionality in patients with KOA.

INTRODUCCIÓN: la artrosis de rodilla (OA) es conocida como la forma más común de osteoartrosis con una prevalencia de 6% en personas mayores de 30 años y más de 40% en la población mayor de 70 años. El uso de plasma rico en plaquetas (PRP) condujo a resultados diversos y esta disparidad puede atribuirse a los diferentes métodos de preparación del PRP. Este estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar los efectos funcionales de las inyecciones intraóseas (IO) e intraarticulares (IA) de plasma rico en plaquetas (PRP) seguidas de inyecciones IA de ácido hialurónico (AH). OBJETIVOS: este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar los efectos funcionales de las inyecciones intraóseas (IO) e intraarticulares (IA) de plasma rico en plaquetas (PRP) seguidas de inyecciones IA de ácido hialurónico (AH), administrada 3 y 4 semanas después del inicio del tratamiento en 33 pacientes con osteoartrosis de rodilla (OR) grado II-III (escala de Ahlbäck). MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: retrospectivamente, se evaluó a 33 pacientes utilizando el índice de osteoartritis de las Universidades Western Ontario y McMaster (WOMAC) y la puntuación de la escala visual analógica (EVA). Se les realizó un seguimiento medio de 12.92 meses. Los pacientes se dividieron en tres grupos según la edad y cuatro grupos según el período de seguimiento. RESULTADOS: la media preoperatoria del índice WOMAC fue de 44.35 ± 20.20 y la media postoperatoria fue de 22.81 ± 17.25 (p < 0.001). La media preoperatoria y postoperatoria de las puntuaciones de la EVA fue de 5.79 ± 2.01 y 2.41 ± 1.43 (p < 0.001), respectivamente. La mayor mejoría en WOMAC (de 42.86 a 13.69) se observó en los pacientes más jóvenes (44 a 55 años) y la mayor reducción de la EVA (de 6.89 a 2.22) se observó en pacientes de 56 a 70 años. CONCLUSIÓN: la combinación del tratamiento de plasma rico en factores de crecimiento (PRGF) IO e IA con el tratamiento IA-AH produjo excelentes resultados, disminuyendo el dolor y mejorando la funcionalidad motora de los pacientes con OR.

Variation in blood mercury concentrations in brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) is related to trophic ecology but not breeding success or adult body condition.

Mercury is a pervasive environmental contaminant that can negatively impact seabirds. Here, we measure total mercury (THg) concentrations in red blood cells (RBCs) from breeding brown skuas (Stercorarius antarcticus) (n = 49) at Esperanza/Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. The aims of this study were to: (i) analyse RBCs THg concentrations in relation to sex, year and stable isotope values of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N); and (ii) examine correlations between THg, body condition and breeding success. RBC THg concentrations were positively correlated with δ15N, which is a proxy of trophic position, and hence likely reflects the biomagnification process. Levels of Hg contamination differed between our study years, which is likely related to changes in diet and distribution. RBC THg concentrations were not related to body condition or breeding success, suggesting that Hg contamination is currently not a major conservation concern for this population.

Electrocatalytic activity of calcined manganese ferrite solid nanospheres in the oxygen reduction reaction.

In this study, we synthesized MnFe2O4 solid nanospheres (MSN) calcined at different temperatures (200-500 °C) and MSN-based materials mixed with carbon black, for their use as electrocatalysts in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline medium (0.1 M KOH). It was demonstrated that the calcination temperature of MSN material determined its chemical surface composition and microstructure and it had an important effect on the electrocatalytic properties for ORR, which in turn was reflected in the performance of MSN/CB-based electrocatalysts. The study revealed that the presence of Mn species plays a key role in the ORR activity. Among tested, MSN200/CB and MSN350/CB exhibited the best electrochemical performances together with outstanding stability.

Mimetización de corona cerámica libre de metal de un incisivo central superior. Reporte de caso / Mimicry of metal-free ceramic crown of an upper central incisor. Case report

Actualmente, la estética dental presenta un papel relevante dentro de las relaciones interpersonales y la autoestima de los pacientes, es por eso que la demanda de tratamientos estéticos y conservadores son cada vez más frecuentes en la consulta dental, esta demanda compromete a los profesionales a una mayor preparación para identificar los procedimientos más adecuados a ejecutarse. Para el odontólogo es un reto conseguir una completa armonización e integración de los tratamientos efectuados en el sector anterior y más aún cuando se requiere reemplazar un único elemento dentario. El presente reporte de caso tiene por objetivo describir un caso de rehabilitación de alta complejidad de un incisivo central superior fracturado, cuyas características de color y forma fueron recrea- das a través de un correcto intercambio de información entre el odontólogo y el técnico dental, obteniendo una corona de disilicato de litio con una excelente mimetización.

Nowadays, dental aesthetics has a relevant role within interpersonal relationships and the self-esteem of patients, that is the reason the demand for aesthetic and conservative treatments are more frequent in dental practice, this demand commits professionals to a greater preparation, in order to identify the most appropriate procedures to be executed. For the dentist it is a challenge to achieve a complete harmonization and integration of the treatments carried out in the anterior sector and even more when it is necessary to replace a single dental element. The objective of this case report is to describe a highly complex rehabilitation case of a fractured upper central incisor, whose color and shape characteristics were recreated through a correct exchange of information between the dentist and the dental technician, obtaining a lithium disilicate crown with excellent mimicry.

Pancreatic cancer prognosis is predicted by an ATAC-array technology for assessing chromatin accessibility.

Unlike other malignancies, therapeutic options in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are largely limited to cytotoxic chemotherapy without the benefit of molecular markers predicting response. Here we report tumor-cell-intrinsic chromatin accessibility patterns of treatment-naïve surgically resected PDAC tumors that were subsequently treated with (Gem)/Abraxane adjuvant chemotherapy. By ATAC-seq analyses of EpCAM+ PDAC malignant epithelial cells sorted from 54 freshly resected human tumors, we show here the discovery of a signature of 1092 chromatin loci displaying differential accessibility between patients with disease free survival (DFS) < 1 year and patients with DFS > 1 year. Analyzing transcription factor (TF) binding motifs within these loci, we identify two TFs (ZKSCAN1 and HNF1b) displaying differential nuclear localization between patients with short vs. long DFS. We further develop a chromatin accessibility microarray methodology termed "ATAC-array", an easy-to-use platform obviating the time and cost of next generation sequencing. Applying this methodology to the original ATAC-seq libraries as well as independent libraries generated from patient-derived organoids, we validate ATAC-array technology in both the original ATAC-seq cohort as well as in an independent validation cohort. We conclude that PDAC prognosis can be predicted by ATAC-array, which represents a low-cost, clinically feasible technology for assessing chromatin accessibility profiles.

Impact of the Inclusion of an Aminoglycoside to the Initial Empirical Antibiotic Therapy for Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infections in Hematological Neutropenic Patients: a Propensity-Matched Cohort Study (AMINOLACTAM Study).

To test the hypothesis that the addition of an aminoglycoside to a ß-lactam antibiotic could provide better outcomes than ß-lactam monotherapy for the initial empirical treatment of hematological neutropenic patients with subsequently documented Gram-negative bacillus (GNB) bloodstream infection (BSI), a multinational, retrospective, cohort study of GNB BSI episodes in hematological neutropenic patients in six centers (2010 to 2017) was conducted. Combination therapy (ß-lactam plus aminoglycoside) was compared to ß-lactam monotherapy. The primary endpoint was the case fatality rate, assessed at 7 and 30 days from BSI onset. Secondary endpoints were nephrotoxicity and persistent BSI. Propensity score (PS) matching was performed. Among 542 GNB BSI episodes, 304 (56%) were initially treated with combination therapy, with cefepime plus amikacin being most common (158/304 [52%]). Overall, Escherichia coli (273/304 [50.4%]) was the main etiological agent, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which predominated in the combination group (76/304 [25%] versus 28/238 [11.8%]; P < 0.001). Multidrug resistance rates were similar between groups (83/294 [28.2%] versus 63/233 [27%]; P = 0.95). In the multivariate analysis, combination therapy was associated with a lower 7-day case fatality rate (odds ratio [OR], 0.37; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.91; P = 0.035) with a tendency toward lower mortality at 30 days (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.29 to 1.08; P = 0.084). After PS matching, these differences remained for the 7-day case fatality rate (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.82; P = 0.017). In addition, aminoglycoside use was not significantly associated with renal function impairment (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.26 to 4.87; P = 0.9). The addition of an aminoglycoside to the initial empirical therapy regimen for febrile neutropenic hematological patients should be considered.

Avaliação da viabilidade de microrganismos probióticos incorporados em ração de truta-arco-íris (Oncorhynchus mykiss) / [Evaluation of the viability of probiotic microorganisms impregnated into rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) ration]

A produção aquícola mundial tem demandado estudos que buscam soluções para os problemas produtivos e sanitários apresentados na piscicultura. Nesse contexto, o uso de produtos probióticos demonstra ser uma abordagem promissora. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a viabilidade de um pool de cepas de Lactobacillus incorporados à ração de truta-arco-íris. Para tanto, as respectivas cepas foram previamente cultivadas em caldo MRS e submetidas à criocentrifugação. As células obtidas foram ressuspensas em soro fisiológico acrescentado de 2% de óleo de soja, sendo posteriormente incorporadas à ração por meio de misturador circular. Essa ração foi devidamente armazenada sob refrigeração a 4°C, por 120 dias, sendo retiradas aleatoriamente três amostras, a cada 15 dias, para avaliação da viabilidade das bactérias, por meio da contagem em placas. Os resultados demonstraram que houve uma redução não significativa (P>0,05) na população de células viáveis, correspondente a 2%, após 30 dias de armazenamento. Verificou-se também, após esse período, uma população aproximada equivalente a 3,00 x 108 UFC/g. Dessa forma, demonstrou-se a possibilidade de desenvolvimento de formulações probióticas por meio da incorporação de cepas específicas em rações de trutas, o que poderá contribuir para o desenvolvimento de tecnologias alternativas para produção de peixes.(AU)

Among the exotic species of fish produced in Brazil, the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) has been highlighted during the past few years. The expansion of this sector has been intensifying the need for further studies in order to decrease production and health problems presented in aquaculture, as well as to develop alternative technics to controversial antimicrobial treatments. In this context, the use of probiotics has been shown to be a promising approach to the improvement in trout husbandry. Thus, the present study aimed to contribute to the development of an alternative technology in the rainbow trout husbandry by evaluating the effect of probiotic preparations on the performance of the animals subjected to conventional husbandry conditions or chronic stress. Therefore, in this paper we report the results regarding the evaluation of the viability of a pool of 4 Lactobacillus probiotic strains incorporated into rainbow trout ration using soybean oil as vehicle. The results have demonstrated a high efficacy of cell incorporation into the ration with high viability rate after storage for 120 days at 4°C.(AU)

Neurocognition and the Suicidal Process.

Early thinking about cognitive process and suicidal behaviors tended to focus on the immediate situation surrounding the individual - typically the underlying psychiatric condition that was seen as leading to his or her distress. However, we now know that the cognitive processes involved in a range of suicidal thoughts and behaviors can exert a significant impact on the expression or development of these behaviors, even without an environmental stressor or psychiatric condition. In this chapter, we summarize theoretical perspectives that led to this realization and explore the current understanding of the link between cognition and suicide from recent research and clinical findings. We present these findings first by psychiatric disorder, then by cognitive domains, and finally by specific suicidal construct in order to highlight the importance of these factors in determining the role of cognition in the suicidal process.Within and across psychiatric disorders, certain cognitive processes - negativistic thinking, impulsivity, cognitive rigidity, and altered emotional processing - are frequently found to be linked to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Overall cognitive performance, decreased processing speed, executive dysfunction, and negative biases in memory and attention have also been linked to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, these findings do not hold true for all populations. There seems to be a role both for cognitive distortions (such as hopelessness) and neurocognitive deficits (such as poor overall cognitive performance, slower processing speed, and executive dysfunction) in the suicidal process, which warrant further exploration both separately and together.

Hippocampal electrophysiological changes during the elicited metabolic syndrome in Wistar rats.

The Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is a set of alterations that increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). There is evidence that obesity and the development of metabolic syndrome lead to alterations in cognitive processes. In this work it was proposed to determine if generating the metabolic syndrome produces changes in the electric unitary spontaneous activity in the hippocampus as a possible sustain of the learning alterations. In Wistar rat with a hypercaloric diet, metabolic syndrome was provoked, and this was confirmed with the determination of body and metabolic parameters as a measure of intraperitoneal fat, glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol. Electrophysiological records were made in the hippocampus and it was determined that rats treated with a hypercaloric diet show a significant decrease in such activity. Thus, it is shown that rats that were caused metabolic syndrome, alter their hippocampal electrophysiological activity.

Plastic ingestion risk is related to the anthropogenic activity and breeding stage in an Antarctic top predator seabird species.

During the last decades plastic pollution has become a common issue in marine environments. Studies on seabirds have focused on species that ingest plastics mistaken for prey or indirectly through their preferred prey or, on how foraging strategy influences this behaviour. We evaluated plastic ingestion in relation to the proximity of nests to areas with different anthropogenic pressure, breeding status and breeding stage. We analyzed regurgitated pellets (n = 1001) from a seabird, the Brown Skua (Stercorarius antarcticus lonnbergi) at Esperanza/Hope Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. Plastics were found in 9% of pellets, only in breeders from an area with high antropogenic activity. The prevalence of plastic increased during the brooding of chicks stage, when skuas expand their feeding niche. Our results support previous work which demonstrated that seabirds with wider feeding niche show higher loads of plastics. Altogether, this provides insights into the dynamics of plastic transfer within the environment.

[Ultrasound in the management of the critically ill patient with SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19): narrative review]. / Ecografía en el manejo del paciente crítico con infección por SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19): una revisión narrativa.

The clinical picture of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) is characterized in its more severe form, by an acute respiratory failure which can worsen to pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and get complicated with thrombotic events and heart dysfunction. Therefore, admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is common. Ultrasound, which has become an everyday tool in the ICU, can be very useful during COVID-19 pandemic, since it provides the clinician with information which can be interpreted and integrated within a global assessment during the physical examination. A description of some of the potential applications of ultrasound is depicted in this document, in order to supply the physicians taking care of these patients with an adapted guide to the intensive care setting. Some of its applications since ICU admission include verification of the correct position of the endotracheal tube, contribution to safe cannulation of lines, and identification of complications and thrombotic events. Furthermore, pleural and lung ultrasound can be an alternative diagnostic test to assess the degree of involvement of the lung parenchyma by means of the evaluation of specific ultrasound patterns, identification of pleural effusions and barotrauma. Echocardiography provides information of heart involvement, detects cor pulmonale and shock states.

Burden of disease associated with dietary exposure to carcinogenic aflatoxins in Portugal using human biomonitoring approach.

Human biomonitoring is an important tool to assess human exposure to chemicals, contributing to describe trends of exposure over time and to identify population groups that could be under risk. Aflatoxins are genotoxic and carcinogenic food contaminants causing hepatocellular carcinoma, the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. In Portugal, scarce data are available regarding exposure to aflatoxins and no previous study used human biomonitoring data to comprehensively characterize the associated burden of disease. 24 h urine and first-morning urine paired samples were collected by 94 participants and were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the quantitative determination of aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2 and M1). Deterministic and probabilistic models were developed to assess the Portuguese exposure to aflatoxins and to estimate the health impact of this exposure, estimating the attributed Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Aflatoxins were detected in a maximum of 13% (AFB1), 16% (AFB2), 1% (AFG1), 2% (AFG2) and 19% (AFM1) of the urine samples. Data obtained through the probabilistic approach revealed an estimated mean probable daily intake of 13.43 ng/kg body weight per day resulting in 0.13 extra cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, corresponding to mean annual DALYs of 172.8 for the Portuguese population (10291027 inhabitants). The present study generated for the first time and within a human biomonitoring study, reliable and crucial data to characterize the burden associated to the exposure to aflatoxins of the Portuguese population. The obtained results constitute an imperative support to risk managers in the establishment of preventive policy measures that contribute to ensure public health protection.