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Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) in pulmonary nodules ≤ 10 mm during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic., Materials and Methods: Between January 1, 2020 and April 30, 2022, a total of 359 CT fluoroscopy-guided PTNBs were performed at an interventional radiology center. Lung lesions measured between 2 mm and 108 mm. Of the 359 PTNBs, 27 (7.5%) were performed with an 18G core needle on nodules ≤ 10 mm in diameter., Results: Among the 27 biopsies performed on nodules ≤ 10 mm, the lesions measured < 5 mm in four and 5-10 mm in 23. The sensitivity and overall diagnostic accuracy of PTNB were 100% and 92.3%, respectively. The mean dose of ionizing radiation during PTNB was 581.33 mGy*cm (range, 303-1,129 mGy*cm), and the mean biopsy procedure time was 6.6 min (range, 2-12 min). There were no major postprocedural complications., Conclusion: CT fluoroscopy-guided PTNB appears to provide a high diagnostic yield with low complication rates.

Background: Studies indicate that different parts of Carica papaya Linn have nutritional properties that mean it can be used as an adjuvant for the treatment of various pathologies., Methods: The fatty acid composition of the oil extracted from the seeds of Carica papaya Linn was evaluated by gas chromatography, and an acute toxicity test was performed. For the experiment, Swiss mice were fed a balanced or high-fat diet and supplemented with saline, soybean oil, olive oil, or papaya seed oil. Oral glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity tests were performed. After euthanasia, adiposity, glycemia, total cholesterol and fractions, insulin, resistin, leptin, MCP-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 and the histology of the liver, pancreas, and adipose tissue were evaluated., Results: Papaya seed oil showed predominance of monounsaturated fatty acids in its composition. No changes were observed in the acute toxicity test. Had lower food intake in grams, and caloric intake and in the area of adipocytes without minimizing weight gain or adiposity and impacting the liver or pancreas. Reductions in total and non-HDL-c, LDL-c, and VLDL-c were also observed. The treatment had a hypoglycemic and protective effect on insulin resistance. Supplementation also resulted in higher leptin and lower insulin and cytokine resistance., Conclusions: Under these experimental conditions, papaya seed oil led to higher amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids and had hypocholesterolemic, hypotriglyceridemic, and hypoglycemic effects.

Mauritia flexuosa (Buriti) pulp oil contains bioactive substances and lipids that are protective against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. We performed physical and chemical analyses to verify its quality and stability. Buriti oil was stable according to the Rancimat test, presenting an induction period of 6.6 h. We evaluated the effect of supplementation with crude buriti oil and olive oil on metabolic parameters in 108 Swiss mice for 90 days. We investigated six groups: extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) 1 and 2 (1000 and 2000 mg/kg), buriti oil (BO) 1 and 2 (1000 and 2000 mg/kg), synergic (S) (BO1 + EVOO1), and control (water dose 1000 mg/kg). The animals were euthanized to examine their blood, livers, and fats. The supplementation did not interfere with food consumption, weight gain, and histological alterations in the liver. Group S showed the strongest relationship with the fractions HDL-c and non-HDL-c, indicating a possible cardioprotective effect. Moreover, we observed significantly higher IL-6 levels in the control, EVOO2, and BO1 groups than in the EVOO1 group. Resistin was also significantly higher for the synergic treatment than for the control. We conclude that BO combined with EVOO could be an excellent food supplement for human consumption.

Different fatty acid proportions produce potential inflammatory and metabolic changes in organisms. However, the evidence for how each fatty acid mediates the metabolic pathway, and its lipid stability remains controversial. To resolve this controversy, the present study investigated the metabolic effects of cold-pressed linseed (LG), coconut (CG), and baru (BG) oils in comparison to those of soybean oil (SG) in mice, in terms of their oil characterization and stability. The quality analysis showed less oxidative behavior among PUFA-rich oils (SO, BO, and LO, with induction periods lower than 2 h compared to 39.8 h for CG), besides the high contents of tocopherols and carotenoids in SG and LG. In the experimental study, CG presented higher triglyceride (257.93 ± 72.30) and VLDL-cholesterol levels (51.59 ± 14.46, p < 0.05), while LG reduced LDL levels (59.29 ± 7.56, p < 0.05) when compared to SG (183.14 ± 22.06, 36.63 ± 4.41 and 131.63 ± 29.0, respectively). For visceral fats, the adiposity index was lower for BG (7.32 ± 3.13) and CG (9.58 ± 1.02, p < 0.05) in relation to SG (12.53 ± 2.80), and for leukocyte recruitment, CG presented lower polymorphonuclear (PMN) (p < 0.0001) and mononuclear (MN) (p < 0.05) cell infiltration, demonstrating anti-inflammatory potential. In NMR-based metabolomics, although CG presented higher values for the glucose, lactate, and LDL/VLDL ratio, this group also evidenced high levels of choline, a lipotropic metabolite. Our study emphasized the controversies of saturated fatty acids, which impair serum lipids, while alfa-linolenic acid presented cardioprotective effects. However, coconut oil also has a positive immunomodulatory pathway and was found to reduce visceral bodyfat in mice. Therefore, for future applications, we suggest a combination of lauric and al-fa-linolenic acid sources, which are present in coconut and linseed oil, respectively. This combination could be less obesogenic and inflammatory and exert cardioprotective action.

Urothelial carcinoma is a rare malignant neoplasm, accounting for only 5% to 7% of kidney tumors and 5% of urothelial tumors. During the management of urothelial carcinoma, anatomopathological evaluation is used for stratifying the tumors into different prognostic groups to aid in the evaluation of treatment results and to optimize the management of patients. Percutaneous image-guided biopsy is a safe and feasible procedure, with high sensitivity and accuracy rates. Although image-guided percutaneous biopsy of the urinary tract is a relatively uncommon procedure, it can be considered an option in selected cases or when traditional methods, such as the ureteroscopic technique, are not possible.

Annona muricata Linn, commonly known as graviola, is one of the most popular plants used in Brazil for weight loss. The aim of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic effects of three different doses (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 150 mg/kg) of aqueous graviola leaf extract (AGE) supplemented by oral gavage, on obese C57BL/6 mice. Food intake, body weight, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), an insulin sensitivity test, quantification of adipose tissue cytokines, weight of fat pads, and serum biochemical and histological analyses of the liver, pancreas, and epididymal adipose tissue were measured. AGE had an anti-inflammatory effect by increasing IL-10 at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg. Regarding the cholesterol profile, there was a significant decrease in LDL-cholesterol levels in the AGE 150 group, and VLDL-cholesterol and triglycerides in the AGE 100 and 150 groups. There was an increase in HDL cholesterol in the AGE 150 group. The extract was able to reduce the adipocyte area of the epididymal adipose tissue in the AGE 100 and 150 groups. According to the histological analysis of the liver and pancreas, no significant difference was found among the groups. There were no significant effects of AGE on OGTT and serum fasting glucose concentration. However, the extract was effective in improving glucose tolerance in the AGE 150 group.

Most tumors of the biliary tract are too small to have specific imaging characteristics or for percutaneous puncture to provide sufficient material for diagnosis. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, in addition to being a well-established technique in the treatment of obstructive jaundice, provides adequate access for sampling obstructive lesions. In cases of biliary lesions, percutaneous transhepatic biopsy of the biliary tract has proven to be a useful diagnostic technique, with a reported accuracy of over 90% at some referral centers.