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Metal contamination is a threat to estuarine environments. They can accumulate in the food chain and cause toxic effects on aquatic organisms and human health. This study evaluated the concentrations of metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in aquatic organisms of Antonina Bay (southern Brazil) to analyze whether the metal concentrations were in accordance with Brazilian food legislation and estimate the human risk of local seafood consumption. All analyzed organisms (Centropomus parallelus, Mugil curema, Genidens genidens, Crassostrea brasiliana, and Xiphopenaeus kroyeri) showed traces of metals in their tissues with different metal concentrations among species. Metal concentrations were generally higher in oyster C. brasiliana, and biomagnification was not observed. Cr and Zn concentrations were above the limits established by legislation for all species in at least one sample. The concentrations of the other metals were within permitted levels. However, concentrations of Cd, Cr, Fe, and Zn posed a human consumption risk. In general, the C. brasiliana oyster presented the highest risk for human consumption, probably due to its filtering habit. Thus, the results indicated that metal concentrations in the tissues of the Antonina Bay seafood can pose a risk to human health, and this chronic exposure to metals also can cause toxic effects on local aquatic biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population dynamics provide crucial information for management and conservation. This study analysed the spatial and temporal patterns in reproductive biology, age and growth of Astyanax aff. fasciatus from a Neotropical river. Although located in a priority area for conservation, this river is affected by human activities in the surrounding landscapes. Water and environmental parameters were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) to characterise the different sampling sites. Length–frequency distributions, gonad development and body indices were used to evaluate maturity and spawning, and to calibrate the von Bertalanffy model to determine the age and growth of A. aff. fasciatus. Reproductive behaviour of the species was not homogeneous along the river, due to geomorphology and human activities in the surrounding areas, with some sites becoming unavailable for breeding. The PCA highlighted the geomorphological, human (first axis) and temporal (second axis) trends influencing the environmental features along the river. Females predominated throughout the basin, and spawning took place from September to June in distinct areas of the river. The species matures at an age of 1–1.5 years, and so tends to be a fast-growing species, with a life span close to 3.5 years. Fish population dynamics should be monitored to support conservation and management, both for the fish species and the aquatic environments. Population dynamics provide crucial information for management and conservation. In this study we analysed the spatiotemporal patterns in reproductive biology, age and growth of Astyanax aff. fasciatus from a Neotropical river affected by human activities. The reproductive behaviour of the species was not homogeneous along the river due to geomorphology and human activities in surrounding areas, with some sites becoming unavailable for breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Bioetica is the property of Conselho Federal de Medicina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: To assess the impact of performance status (PS) impairment 1 week before hospital admission on the outcomes in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU).Methods: Retrospective cohort study in 59,693 patients (medical admissions, 67 %) admitted to 78 ICUs during 2013. We classified PS impairment according to the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale in absent/minor (PS = 0-1), moderate (PS = 2) or severe (PS = 3-4). We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to investigate the association between PS impairment and hospital mortality.Results: PS impairment was moderate in 17.3 % and severe in 6.9 % of patients. The hospital mortality was 14.4 %. Overall, the worse the PS, the higher the ICU and hospital mortality and length of stay. In addition, patients with worse PS were less frequently discharged home. PS impairment was associated with worse outcomes in all SAPS 3, Charlson Comorbidity Index and age quartiles as well as according to the admission type. Adjusting for other relevant clinical characteristics, PS impairment was associated with higher hospital mortality (odds-ratio (OR) = 1.96 (95 % CI 1.63-2.35), for moderate and OR = 4.22 (3.32-5.35), for severe impairment). The effects of PS on the outcome were particularly relevant in the medium range of severity-of-illness. These results were consistent in the subgroup analyses. However, adding PS impairment to the SAPS 3 score improved only slightly its discriminative capability.Conclusion: PS impairment was associated with worse outcomes independently of other markers of chronic health status, particularly for patients in the medium range of severity of illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Bioetica is the property of Conselho Federal de Medicina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Ártemis: Estudos de Gênero, Feminismo e Sexualidades is the property of Revista Artemis and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Blood donor screening leads to large numbers of new diagnoses of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, with most donors in the asymptomatic chronic indeterminate form. Information on electrocardiogram (ECG) findings in infected blood donors is lacking and may help in counseling and recognizing those with more severe disease. Objectives: To assess the frequency of ECG abnormalities in T.cruzi seropositive relative to seronegative blood donors, and to recognize ECG abnormalities associated with left ventricular dysfunction. Methods: The study retrospectively enrolled 499 seropositive blood donors in São Paulo and Montes Claros, Brazil, and 483 seronegative control donors matched by site, gender, age, and year of blood donation. All subjects underwent a health clinical evaluation, ECG, and echocardiogram (Echo). ECG and Echo were reviewed blindly by centralized reading centers. Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction was defined as LV ejection fraction (EF)<0.50%. Results: Right bundle branch block and left anterior fascicular block, isolated or in association, were more frequently found in seropositive cases (p<0.0001). Both QRS and QTc duration were associated with LVEF values (correlation coefficients −0.159,p<0.0003, and −0.142,p = 0.002) and showed a moderate accuracy in the detection of reduced LVEF (area under the ROC curve: 0.778 and 0.790, both p<0.0001). Several ECG abnormalities were more commonly found in seropositive donors with depressed LVEF, including rhythm disorders (frequent supraventricular ectopic beats, atrial fibrillation or flutter and pacemaker), intraventricular blocks (right bundle branch block and left anterior fascicular block) and ischemic abnormalities (possible old myocardial infarction and major and minor ST abnormalities). ECG was sensitive (92%) for recognition of seropositive donors with depressed LVEF and had a high negative predictive value (99%) for ruling out LV dysfunction. Conclusions: ECG abnormalities are more frequent in seropositive than in seronegative blood donors. Several ECG abnormalities may help the recognition of seropositive cases with reduced LVEF who warrant careful follow-up and treatment. Author Summary: Chagas disease (ChD), caused by the protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic in most Latin America countries and may be transmitted via blood transfusions. Cardiac disease is a major feature of chronically infected patients and may be lethal. Universal blood bank screening for ChD has been established in most Latin American countries, as well as in non-endemic countries with large immigrant populations, including the United States, Canada, Spain and Portugal. Blood donor screening leads to large numbers of new diagnoses of chronic T. cruzi infection. Counseling these individuals should address the recognition of those with more severe disease that deserve to be rigorously evaluated by experienced cardiologists and treated more promptly. The electrocardiogram is an important exam that can help in the recognition of cardiac disease and the evaluation of prognosis in ChD patients, but its role in blood donors has not been studied. The authors describe some electrocardiographic abnormalities that are typical of the infected blood donors, as well ECG abnormalities that help in the identification of those with severe cardiac involvement. These results may guide the evaluations of patients with incidentally detected T. cruzi infection from blood bank testing or public health screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blood donor screening leads to large numbers of new diagnoses of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, with most donors in the asymptomatic chronic indeterminate form. Information on electrocardiogram (ECG) findings in infected blood donors is lacking and may help in counseling and recognizing those with more severe disease. Objectives: To assess the frequency of ECG abnormalities in T.cruzi seropositive relative to seronegative blood donors, and to recognize ECG abnormalities associated with left ventricular dysfunction. Methods: The study retrospectively enrolled 499 seropositive blood donors in São Paulo and Montes Claros, Brazil, and 483 seronegative control donors matched by site, gender, age, and year of blood donation. All subjects underwent a health clinical evaluation, ECG, and echocardiogram (Echo). ECG and Echo were reviewed blindly by centralized reading centers. Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction was defined as LV ejection fraction (EF),0.50%. Results: Right bundle branch block and left anterior fascicular block, isolated or in association, were more frequently found in seropositive cases (p,0.0001). Both QRS and QTc duration were associated with LVEF values (correlation coefficients 20.159,p,0.0003, and 20.142,p = 0.002) and showed a moderate accuracy in the detection of reduced LVEF (area under the ROC curve: 0.778 and 0.790, both p,0.0001). Several ECG abnormalities were more commonly found in seropositive donors with depressed LVEF, including rhythm disorders (frequent supraventricular ectopic beats, atrial fibrillation or flutter and pacemaker), intraventricular blocks (right bundle branch block and left anterior fascicular block) and ischemic abnormalities (possible old myocardial infarction and major and minor ST abnormalities). ECG was sensitive (92%) for recognition of seropositive donors with depressed LVEF and had a high negative predictive value (99%) for ruling out LV dysfunction. Conclusions: ECG abnormalities are more frequent in seropositive than in seronegative blood donors. Several ECG abnormalities may help the recognition of seropositive cases with reduced LVEF who warrant careful follow-up and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]