ABSTRACT Objective: Test if the MRI FAST1.2 protocol can detect extra-pituitary midline structural brain abnormalities in patients with ectopic posterior pituitary (EPP), and highlighting their radiological-laboratory correlations. Subjects and methods: Cross-sectional study of patients with EPP and control group. All individuals were submitted to FAST1.2, which combines the FAST1 protocol developed by our group with 3D T2DRIVE imaging. Results: We evaluated 36 individuals with EPP and 78 as control group. Pituitary stalk (PS) was identified in 7/36 patients in EPP group by FAST1, and in 24/36 patients in FAST1.2 (p < 0.001). FAST1 failed to detect PS in one individual in the control group, while the FAST1.2 defined the PS in all individuals. In EPP group, eleven had interhypothalamic adhesion (IHA), three septo-optic dysplasia, and one cerebellar malformation. We didn’t observe higher frequency of panhypopituitarism or developmental delay in patients with IHA. In control group, three had pars intermedia cysts, one hydrocephalus, and one hypothalamic hamartoma. Conclusions: FAST1.2 allows confident recognition of midline structural abnormalities, including the pituitary stalk and IHA, thereby making MRI acquisition faster and with no need for contrast administration. IHA could be associated with defects in neuronal migration, as occur in patients with EPP, with no clinical significance.

RESUMO Introdução: Diversas manifestações neurológicas têm sido atribuídas à COVID-19. Objetivo: Investigar a ocorrência de sintomas neurológicos e achados de neuroimagem em pacientes internados em dois centros de referência brasileiros. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo que avaliou pacientes internados em dois hospitais no Brasil entre 4 de março e 7 de julho de 2020, com confirmação laboratorial de infecção pelo COVID-19 e que foram submetidos a tomografia computadorizada ou ressonância magnética do crânio em razão de sintomas neurológicos. Resultados: Obtivemos 1.359 pacientes com confirmação laboratorial de infecção pelo COVID-19. Deles, 250 (18,4%) apresentaram sintomas neurológicos e foram submetidos a exames de imagem do crânio e nove (3,6%) demonstraram achados de neuroimagem compatíveis com acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) isquêmico agudo ou subagudo. Em seis dos nove pacientes, observaram-se inicialmente tosse e dispneia graves, enquanto outros três chegaram ao pronto-socorro com sinais de AVC agudo. Conclusões: Foram descritos os achados de neuroimagem em pacientes infectados com COVID-19 em dois grandes centros de referência brasileiros. Reforçamos a importância de estar atento aos quadros neurológicos, especialmente de AVC, tanto em pacientes graves hospitalizados quanto em pacientes que chegam ao pronto-socorro com sintomas neurológicos agudos, mesmo em idosos.

ABSTRACT Background: A variety of neurological manifestations have been attributed to COVID-19. Objective: To investigate the occurrence of neurological symptoms and neuroimaging findings in patients hospitalized in two Brazilian reference centers. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients who had laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 presenting in two hospitals in Brazil between March 4 and July 7, 2020, who underwent brain imaging. Results: We recorded 1,359 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Brain imaging was performed in 250 (18.4%) patients with neurological symptoms, and nine of them (3.6%) had acute or subacute ischemic stroke neuroimaging findings. Six of the nine patients initially presented with respiratory symptoms while the other three patients presented to the emergency room with acute stroke signs. Conclusions: We described the neuroimaging findings of patients infected with COVID-19 who presented with neurological symptoms in two major hospitals in Brazil. We reinforce the importance of being aware of cerebrovascular complications, both in severe hospitalized patients and in patients who present to the emergency room with acute neurological symptoms, even in the elderly.

RESUMO O estudo angiográfico intracraniano não invasivo está sendo amplamente utilizado no diagnóstico de doenças vasculares intracranianas. Com a crescente demanda e o aumento subsequente do uso dessa técnica na prática clínica, radiologistas e neurologistas devem estar cientes das opções nos parâmetros de imagem e como estes afetam a qualidade da imagem, as indicações clínicas, os métodos de avaliação e as limitações na interpretação dessas imagens. Devido ao aprimoramento das técnicas de imagem por RM, a possibilidade de avaliação precisa e direta das anormalidades na parede vascular arterial (vessel wall imaging) evoluiu, agregando dados substanciais ao diagnóstico quando comparados à avaliação indireta baseada em análises de fluxo convencionais. Neste artigo, os autores discorrem sobre a avaliação e interpretação dos achados de imagem desta nova técnica e suas aplicações clínicas.

ABSTRACT Intracranial vessel wall imaging plays an increasing role in diagnosing intracranial vascular diseases. With the growing demand and subsequent increased use of this technique in clinical practice, radiologists and neurologists should be aware of the choices in imaging parameters and how they affect image quality, clinical indications, methods of assessment, and limitations in the interpretation of these images. Due to the improvement of the MRI techniques, the possibility of accurate and direct evaluation of the abnormalities in the arterial vascular wall (vessel wall imaging) has evolved, adding substantial data to diagnosis when compared to the indirect evaluation based on conventional flow analyses. Herein, the authors proposed a comprehensive approach of this technique reinforcing appropriated clinical settings to better use intracranial vessel wall imaging.

Abstract In this review, we explore some aspects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence factors that are related to disease development in healthy organisms and resistance to antibiotics. This pathogen is one of the most clinically and epidemiologically important bacteria in Brazil, being the major cause of opportunistic infections. Among the virulence factors, biofilm formation acting of manner different in the organism. Furthermore, we review several P. aeruginosa genes that act in antimicrobial resistance, such as β-lactamases against β-lactamers. The resistance to pied-lactamases in P. aeruginosa is associated to resistance to the broad-spectrum cephalosporin. On the other hand, there is a group of synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotics acting on DNA synthesis is the quinolones that destroy the microorganism. We also explore the occurence of super bacterium: P. aerufinosa carrying genes blaKPC and blaNDM, which are associated with patient death above the average of other bacterial infections in hospitals. Those genes encode carbapenemases that can potentially hydrolyse all β-lactam antibiotics

Métodos e técnicas empregadas na terapia gênica são revisados em paralelo a conflitos éticos pertinentes. Intervenções clínicas com base em técnicas de terapia gênica são usadas preferencialmente em vetores para o transporte de genes terapêuticos; porém, pouco se sabe sobre os possíveis riscos e danos para o paciente, sendo necessário atender cuidadosamente às complicações clínicas resultantes, bem como à segurança. Apesar dos avanços científicos e tecnológicos relacionados à terapia gênica, ainda há muitas incertezas sobre os efeitos colaterais do uso dessa terapia. Além disso, é necessário, acima de tudo, compreender os princípios da bioética como uma ética da ciência para com a responsabilidade socioecológica, a fim de priorizar a saúde e o bem-estar do homem e da natureza, utilizando adequadamente recursos naturais e tecnologia. Portanto, é difícil afirmar qual é o rendimento real, bem como os resultados do aumento da genética inserida no organismo e as implicações éticas.

Methods and techniques employed in gene therapy are reviewed in parallel with pertinent ethical conflicts. Clinical interventions based on gene therapy techniques preferentially use vectors for the transportation of therapeutic genes, however little is known about the potential risks and damages to the patient. Thus, attending carefully to the clinical complications arising as well as to security is essential. Despite the scientific and technological advances, there are still many uncertainties about the side effects of gene therapy. Moreover, there is a need, above all, to understand the principles of bioethics as both science and ethics, in accordance with its socioecological responsibility, in order to prioritize the health and welfare of man and nature, using properly natural resources and technology. Therefore, it is hard to determine objective results and to which extent the insertion of genes can affect the organism, as well as the ethical implication