Federal University of São Paulo

About: Federal University of São Paulo is a education organization based out in São Paulo, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 27971 authors who have published 49365 publications receiving 935536 citations. The organization is also known as: Universidade Federal de São Paulo & Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo.

Comparison between spectral-domain and swept-source optical coherence tomography angiographic imaging of choroidal neovascularization

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare imaging of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) using swept-source (SS) and spectral-domain (SD) optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods Optical coherence tomography angiography was performed using a 100-kHz SS-OCT instrument and a 68-kHz SD-OCTA instrument (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc.). Both 3 × 3- and 6 × 6-mm2 scans were obtained on both instruments. The 3 × 3-mm2 SS-OCTA scans consisted of 300 A-scans per B-scan at 300 B-scan positions, and the SD-OCTA scans consisted of 245 A-scans at 245 B-scan positions. The 6 × 6-mm2 SS-OCTA scans consisted of 420 A-scans per B-scan at 420 B-scan positions, and the SD-OCTA scans consisted of 350 A-scans and 350 B-scan positions. B-scans were repeated four times at each position in the 3 × 3-mm2 scans and twice in the 6 × 6-mm2 scans. Choroidal neovascularization was excluded if not fully contained within the 3 × 3-mm2 scans. The same algorithm was used to detect CNV on both instruments. Two graders outlined the CNV, and the lesion areas were compared between instruments. Results Twenty-seven consecutive eyes from 23 patients were analyzed. For the 3 × 3-mm2 scans, the mean lesion areas for the SS-OCTA and SD-OCTA instruments were 1.17 and 1.01 mm2, respectively (P = 0.047). For the 6 × 6-mm2 scans, the mean lesion areas for the SS-OCTA and SD-OCTA instruments were 1.24 and 0.74 mm2 (P = 0.003). Conclusions The areas of CNV tended to be larger when imaged with SS-OCTA than with SD-OCTA, and this difference was greater for the 6 × 6-mm2 scans.

Risk factors for severe hemorrhagic cystitis following BMT.

Abstract: Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a common toxicity of preparative regimens for bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Severe HC often requires prolonged and expensive hospitalization, and occasionally can result in death. To investigate the risk factors for severe HC, we conducted a retrospective study among 1908 patients who received BMTs at the University of Minnesota during 1974 to 1993. A previous report from our institution reported on 977 of these patients. We identified all patients with genitourinary complication within 100 days post-BMT from the BMT database. Medical charts for these patients were reviewed to determine whether the patient had HC and also the grade of HC. A total of 208 HC cases were identified during the study period. Of them, 92 patients had severe HC, an incidence of 5% (95% CI = 4-6%). We found that grade II-IV graft-versus-host disease (RR = 2.56; 95% CI = 1.43-4.56), use of busulfan (RR = 2.69; 95% CI = 1.35-5.35), and age at transplant (RR = 2.20; 95% CI = 1.27-3.81, for age of 10-30 compared to age of 0-9) were related to an increased risk of HC. In contrast, transplant year was inversely associated with the risk of HC (trend test, P < 0.01). We did not find any significant difference in HC with the use of prophylactic Mesna.

Subjective memory complaints in an elderly sample: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract: Background Community based studies show that neurological or psychiatric symptoms are very frequent among the elderly population, with poor memory complaints being the most common. However, the relationship between poor memory complaints and objective memory performance is unclear. We designed this study to evaluate whether subjective memory complaints (SMC) are associated with objective cognitive performance or depression amongst the elderly Brazilian generation. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in 114 patients who were 50+, with or without SMC having no obvious cognitive impairment at its baseline (this was screened by the Mini-Mental State Examination with cut-off values adapted according to the subjects' educational background). Subjects were assessed regarding memory difficulty complaints, demographic data and underwent a neuropsychological assessment made up of nine cognitive tests (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Visual Reproduction Test, Logic Memory—History A, Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test, Stroop Test, Digit Span, Digit Symbol, Trail Making Test, fluency tests: naming animals and fruits) and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results Twenty-one percent of the subjects had subjective memory complaints. The scores in the cognitive assessment of subjects with SMC did not differ from the scores of subjects without SMC. However, patients with subjective memory complaints had lower scores in the fluency test—category animals and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Conclusions These results support the finding from other cross-sectional studies showing that subjective memory complaints are associated with depressive symptoms rather than objective cognitive performance. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An overview of the Amazonian Aerosol Characterization Experiment 2008 (AMAZE-08)

Abstract: . The Amazon Basin provides an excellent environment for studying the sources, transformations, and properties of natural aerosol particles and the resulting links between biological processes and climate. With this framework in mind, the Amazonian Aerosol Characterization Experiment (AMAZE-08), carried out from 7 February to 14 March 2008 during the wet season in the central Amazon Basin, sought to understand the formation, transformations, and cloud-forming properties of fine- and coarse-mode biogenic aerosol particles, especially as related to their effects on cloud activation and regional climate. Special foci included (1) the production mechanisms of secondary organic components at a pristine continental site, including the factors regulating their temporal variability, and (2) predicting and understanding the cloud-forming properties of biogenic particles at such a site. In this overview paper, the field site and the instrumentation employed during the campaign are introduced. Observations and findings are reported, including the large-scale context for the campaign, especially as provided by satellite observations. New findings presented include: (i) a particle number-diameter distribution from 10 nm to 10 μm that is representative of the pristine tropical rain forest and recommended for model use; (ii) the absence of substantial quantities of primary biological particles in the submicron mode as evidenced by mass spectral characterization; (iii) the large-scale production of secondary organic material; (iv) insights into the chemical and physical properties of the particles as revealed by thermodenuder-induced changes in the particle number-diameter distributions and mass spectra; and (v) comparisons of ground-based predictions and satellite-based observations of hydrometeor phase in clouds. A main finding of AMAZE-08 is the dominance of secondary organic material as particle components. The results presented here provide mechanistic insight and quantitative parameters that can serve to increase the accuracy of models of the formation, transformations, and cloud-forming properties of biogenic natural aerosol particles, especially as related to their effects on cloud activation and regional climate.