Highlights ■ The use of a pedicled palatal flap via the soft palate offers the advantage of low harvesting complexity. ■ The flap demonstrates highly positive metric data supporting its technical feasibility for reconstructing the skull base and adjacent regions. ■ Drilling is not necessary to enlarge the greater palatine foramen in this technique, which reduces the chances of injury to the vascular pedicle and surgical time. ABSTRACT Objective: Given the importance of vascularized flaps, this study presents a new […]

Highlights ■ Higher absorbed doses are associated with positive tumor responses in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with Y-90 radioembolization. ■ Personalized dosimetry may improve treatment outcomes in selected patients. ■ Dosimetric parameters such as D30, D50, and D70 also correlate positively with objective responses, emphasizing the importance of precise dose calculation in treatment planning. ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the relationship between the absorbed dose and radiological response in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing resin microsphere radioembolization to enhance treatment […]

Highlights ■ No clinically significant differences were observed in platelet counts or global coagulation test results. ■ t-PA values decreased in patients with metastases. ■ PAI-1, DD, and MMP-9 levels increased in patients with metastases. ■ High levels of PAI-1 and MMP-9 in the early stages could indicate an aggressive course in patients. ABSTRACT Objective: The hemostatic and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) systems are known to be altered in patients with breast cancer. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the fibrinolysis […]

Highlights ■ miRWalk had the highest predicted interactions and validated miRNA networks in HNSCC. ■ Around 3.3% of interactions overlapped across tools, emphasizing the need for multitool approaches. ■ Dysregulated genes and miRNAs were tied to cancerdriving PI3K-Akt and Wnt pathways. ■ The validated approach highlights the importance of integrating computational and molecular data. ABSTRACT Objective: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has a poor prognosis largely due to late diagnosis and a lack of reliable biomarkers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), […]

Highlights ■ Liver transplantation improves health-related quality of life in patients with cirrhosis and high MELD scores. ■ Significant health-related quality of life improvements occur within three months of transplantation. ■ Multidisciplinary care programs enhance post-iver transplantation physical and mental recovery. ■ Sustained health-related quality of life gains highlight the long-term benefits of liver transplantation. ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the effects of liver transplantation on the health-related quality of life of patients with cirrhosis on the waiting list for transplantation. […]

Highlights ■ Webcam-based eye tracking demonstrated feasibility for monitoring reading behavior in classrooms. ■ Webcam-based eye tracking captured fixation times, showing differing reading speeds across comic sections. ■ Webcam-based eye tracking showed accuracy comparable to infrared-based systems, despite lower precision. ■ Limitations resulting in data loss underscore the need for methodological improvements. ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of webcam-based eye tracking for monitoring comic books reading behavior in a real-world classroom setting. Methods: We tested the feasibility […]

Highlights ■ Most outpatient consultations comprised diagnostic procedures. ■ In the past 12 years, medical care for benign breast diseases has cost >USD 65 million. ■ Women from North and Midwest Brazil had higher diagnosis and treatment displacement rates. ABSTRACT Objective: To quantitatively and geospatially analyze coverage and displacement for the diagnosis and treatment of benign breast diseases in the Brazilian Unified Health System between 2008 and 2019. Methods: Datasets from the Brazilian Ministry of Health were used to survey […]

Highlights ■ Biomarkers of brain injury, such as neuron-specific enolase and Tau proteins, are higher in older patients with sepsis and delirium. ■ Diagnosing sepsis in patients with delirium can be challenging. ■ Early identification of sepsis is key to managing sepsisassociated delirium. ABSTRACT Objective: Sepsis-associated delirium is a common cerebral manifestation in patients with sepsis, potentially caused by a combination of neuroinflammation and other neurophysiological disorders. This study investigated the expression of neuron-specific enolase and Tau protein as biomarkers […]

Highlights ■ Candidiasis can present as localized or systemic infections. Disseminated infections in newborns and adults can be life-threatening, with high mortality and morbidity rates (40–60%), and rank as the fourth most common type of nosocomial infection. ■ Oral candidiasis is a local condition affecting 10-15% of children in their first months of life. ■ Saliva and 3’-sialyllactose can disrupt the initial development of Candida albicans biofilm. ■ The effect of colostrum needs to be elucidated because it may hinder […]

Highlights ■ A 13-week Tai Chi/Qigong program significantly reducedanxiety and stress in Brazilian patients with diabetes and hypertension. ■ Tai Chi/Qigong offers an effective complementary therapy to improve health outcomes in primary care settings. ■ This study highlights the potential of Tai Chi/Qigong for enhancing mental and physical well-being in chronic disease management. ABSTRACT Objective: This study investigated the effects of Tai Chi/Qigong practice over 13 weeks on anxiety and perceived stress levels in middle-aged or older Brazilian hypertensive and […]