Search

Existing literatures have discussed both ethical issues in visual research with young people, and the problems associated with applying 'universal' ethical guidelines across varied cultural contexts. There has been little consideration, however, of specific issues raised in projects where visual research is being conducted with young people simultaneously in multiple national contexts. This paper contributes to knowledge in this area. We reflect on our experiences of planning and conducting the International CYCLES project involving photo elicitation with young people in Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK. While some issues such as varying access to technology for taking and sharing photos and diverse cultural sensitivities around the use of photography were anticipated in advance, others were more unexpected. Balancing the need for methods to be appropriate, ethical and feasible within each setting with the desire for sufficient consistency across the project is challenging. We argue that an 'ethics in context' approach and an attitude of 'methodological immaturity' is critical in international visual research projects with young people.

Copyright of ConScientiae Saúde is the property of Nove de Julho University 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.)

Paper aims: The paper aims to analyze preparedness and response for epidemics and pandemics, taking as reference the COVID-19 pandemic, to provide a foundation for developing a preparedness and response protocol to guide Civil Defenses fighting against health threats. For this purpose, we present the results of interviews carried out with Brazilian Civil Defenses, evaluating the role and the type of responsibility (in charge or supportive) of 12 entities in four key areas: (i) awareness and training; (ii) surveillance; (iii) information and communication; (iv) logistics and supplies. Originality: The role of Civil Defenses in health threats still needs to be explored in academia. We often see Civil Defenses working to reduce risks and damages suffered by the population in case of disasters such as floods, landslides, and fires. In this paper, we go deeper into Civil Defense's role and show that its efforts can be headed to face biological disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In this sense, the paper is original as it brings an innovative outlook on the role of Civil Defense, providing inputs for developing a preparedness and response protocol for epidemics and pandemics. Research method: We analyze 12 Brazilian Civil Defenses from different States in Brazil. The results were gathered through 9 interviews via video call and three responses from a questionnaire that guided the interviews. We evaluated data from Civil Defenses individually, and then using content analysis, we categorized the data to structure the results and raise essential insights. Main findings: Most of the actions taken by the Civil Defenses during the pandemic response included logistics-related activities such as storage, transportation, distribution of required supplies, and mobilization of supply operations. Implications for theory and practice: The findings emphasize the capacity of Civil Defenses to act in a vast scope of disasters, including biological disasters. Also, this study helps practitioners to develop guidelines and protocols to support Civil Defense in preparedness and response activities to epidemics and pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Sports in Nature involve inhospitable places, unpredictability, risks from the natural environment and various emotions. To try to understand the psychological aspects involved in these activities, the research focused on the survey of studies already carried out focusing on these sports. OBJECTIVE: Identify the articles published in Brazil, about Sport Psychology that presented Sports in Nature as a central modality. METHODS: The Integrative review method was applied, with 6 steps: 1. Identification of the theme (relationship between Psychology and Sports in Nature), choice of databases (Scielo, Lilacs), with identified descriptors; 2. Inclusion and exclusion criteria; 3. Identification of the selected studies (640 found, 12 selected); 4. Categorization of studies; 5. Analysis of the results; 6. Presentation of the review. RESULTS: In total, 640 papers were found, from which 12 articles were selected that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. From the full reading, there was a discussion on the topics covered and the identification of gaps, new questions for investigations and the possibilities of professionals in Physical Education and Sport Psychology in the context of Sports in Nature. CONCLUSION: Several psychological aspects are involved in the field of Sports in Nature, such as choosing the sport, safe practice, taking advantage of the benefits of these sports and even training and acting as instructors. From the research included in the present study, it was possible to verify the scientific production in several themes such as mood states; motivation, adherence; flow state; concentration; self-knowledge; behaviors; self-confidence and self-efficacy, as well as it allowed to envision the Physical Education professional as a mediator of these practices in the midst of nature and as a possible promoter of a more positive life, a contrasting factor to the scarcity of scientific production in this area in the Brazilian scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variance components and heritabilities for daily weight gain (DWG) were estimated for Nile tilapia farmed in cages across nine generations (G1–G9) of selection in a breeding program in Brazil. DWG was measured in 16,272 accumulated tagged animals representing 535 full‐ and half‐sib families of Nile tilapia under cage farming. The additive genetic variance showed a slight variation (0.051–0.066), and heritability estimates ranged from 0.20 to 0.33. The common environmental effect accounted for a higher proportion of the total variance in DWG, especially in the last generations (6%–24%). A genetic trend based on all data available showed a substantial increase in the DWG (about 3.3% per generation) of Nile tilapia across nine generations of selection. Furthermore, our results demonstrate ample scope for further genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuaries are important environments for birds as resting and foraging sites. Therefore, information about the abundance, distribution, and biology of bird populations are necessary for preservation of such ecosystems. In this work, we studied the dynamic population of birds at Baixio do Arrozal, Trapandé Bay, Cananéia Estuary on the southern coast of São Paulo state, Brazil. As an original hypothesis, we expected that the species abundances would display differences across months and seasons. Using the point count method, bird data were collected monthly between April and December 2013. For comparing the assemblages, a bar chart of the total abundance as a function of the monthly frequency was used along with boxplot graph of this index as a function of the seasons. We also investigated variations in the abundance of some specific bird populations. The results obtained for the total abundance indicated a seasonal pattern, peaking during the warmer months. The population analyses showed a greater abundance occurring in spring/summer, and a decrease of resident species populations in the winter. Migratory birds were recorded in the autumn and spring, following the migratory movements. This demonstrated that bird assemblages varied according to seasons due to the life cycle and the population sizes. Therefore, Baixio do Arrozal is an important environment for avifauna, which use the area throughout the year and need to be preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Enfermagem Contemporânea is the property of Revista Enfermagem Contemporanea 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 ConScientiae Saúde is the property of Nove de Julho University 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: Sport, specifically swimming, is among the main sports practiced by children and adolescents in Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To describe the conduct of swimming coaches and to verify how these behaviors are perceived by athletes. METHODS: 30 swimmers (15.31±2.47 years) and 5 coaches were interviewed through the Coach Behavior Scale - Athlete Version and the Sports Coach Behavior Scale - Coach Version. RESULTS: We identified a correspondence between opinions, demonstrating that coaches ‘perceptions are similar to swimming athletes’ perceptions. CONCLUSION: The investigated coaches were concerned with the comprehensive training of practitioners, especially regarding the technical, physical and psychological aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is one of the most produced farmed fish in the world and represents an important source of protein for human consumption. Farmed Nile tilapia populations are increasingly based on genetically improved stocks, which have been established from admixed populations. To date, there is scarce information about the population genomics of farmed Nile tilapia, assessed by dense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panels. The patterns of linkage disequilibrium (LD) may affect the success of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and genomic selection (GS), and also provide key information about demographic history of farmed Nile tilapia populations. The objectives of this study were to provide further knowledge about the population structure and LD patterns, as well as, estimate the effective population size (N e) for three farmed Nile tilapia populations, one from Brazil (POP A) and two from Costa Rica (POP B and POP C). A total of 55 individuals from each population, were genotyped using a 50K SNP panel selected from a whole-genome sequencing (WGS) experiment. The first two principal components explained about 20% of the total variation and clearly differentiated between the three populations. Population genetic structure analysis showed evidence of admixture, especially for POP C. The contemporary N e estimated, based on LD values, ranged from 78 to 159. No differences were observed in the LD decay among populations, with a rapid decrease of r 2 with increasing inter-marker distance. Average r 2 between adjacent SNP pairs ranged from 0.19 to 0.03 for both POP A and C, and 0.20 to 0.03 f or POP B. Based on the number of independent chromosome segments in the Nile tilapia genome, at least 9.4, 7.6, and 4.6K SNPs for POP A, POP B, and POP C respectively, are required for the implementation of GS in the present farmed Nile tilapia populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of JBES: Brazilian Journal of Health Economics / Jornal Brasileiro de Economia da Saúde is the property of JBES: Brazilian Journal of Health Economics 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.)

This article examines the monetary returns on incumbency in Brazilian mayoral elections. In other words, we estimate the causal effect of winning a close election on the wealth declared by Brazilian mayoral candidates in the subsequent election. To do so, we employ a regression discontinuity design of close elections focused on pairs of repeated candidates. The results suggest that there are no causal effects of winning a close election on the wealth of the candidates. The results are robust for incumbent partisanship, region, and political experience, and they also hold if the definition of wealth is extended to relatives and long-term wealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rupture of the Fundão mine dam in Mariana municipality, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, spilled the tailings across the Doce River basin. These tailings, composed of residues discarded from the beneficiation of iron ore, are rich in SiO2 and Al2O3, as well as some ether amine compounds and NaOH. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution of these sediments, as well as their effect on the riparian zones reached, as compared with preserved sites. Sediment deposition in the river resulted in a morphological change from a meandering profile to a braided aspect. The nutrient and mineral content (P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, and NO3−) and soil organic matter of the sediments were depleted, whereas NH4+, Na, and pH increased. A random presence of ether amines in the sediments was confirmed by quantitative and chromatographic analyses, with concentrations ranging from 0 to 57.8 mg kg−1; Na reached values as high as 150 mg kg−1. The impact of the dam tailings on biota was assessed by estimating total microbial biomass (phospholipid fatty acids), which were depleted in sediments relative to soils from preserved sites. Overall plant mortality, as well as a low resilience capacity, were also observed. Ether amines and Na present in the sediments had a strong toxic effect in the environment. Identification of these substances as the main impact factors will help guide future remediation efforts. Core Ideas: Dam disruption caused changes in the fluvial profile and nutrient depletion in the sediment.Depletion of microbial biomass in the sediment and plant mortality occurred.Despite the low organic matter and NO3− in the sediment, NH4+, Na, and pH increased.The environmental impact was attributed to the increase in NH4+, pH, and Na.Ether amine and Na from the dam are the main toxic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) ADNEX model in the preoperative discrimination between benign ovarian (including tubal and para-ovarian) tumors, borderline ovarian tumors (BOT), Stage I ovarian cancer (OC), Stage II-IV OC and ovarian metastasis in a gynecological oncology center in Brazil.Methods: This was a diagnostic accuracy study including 131 women with an adnexal mass invited to participate between February 2014 and November 2015. Before surgery, pelvic ultrasound examination was performed and serum levels of tumor marker CA 125 were measured in all women. Adnexal masses were classified according to the IOTA ADNEX model. Histopathological diagnosis was the gold standard. Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the model to classify tumors into different histological types.Results: Of 131 women, 63 (48.1%) had a benign ovarian tumor, 16 (12.2%) had a BOT, 17 (13.0%) had Stage I OC, 24 (18.3%) had Stage II-IV OC and 11 (8.4%) had ovarian metastasis. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.92 (95% CI, 0.88-0.97) for the basic discrimination between benign vs malignant tumors using the IOTA ADNEX model. Performance was high for the discrimination between benign vs Stage II-IV OC, BOT vs Stage II-IV OC and Stage I OC vs Stage II-IV OC, with AUCs of 0.99, 0.97 and 0.94, respectively. Performance was poor for the differentiation between BOT vs Stage I OC and between Stage I OC vs ovarian metastasis with AUCs of 0.64.Conclusion: The majority of adnexal masses in our study were classified correctly using the IOTA ADNEX model. On the basis of our findings, we would expect the model to aid in the management of women with an adnexal mass presenting to a gynecological oncology center. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laparoscopic surgery has been increasingly used as a less invasive surgical option for the treatment of aortoiliac occlusive atherosclerotic disease. The objective of this case report is to describe the results of the first laparoscopic surgery conducted in Brazil for the treatment of the aortoiliac occlusive disease associated with distal hybrid procedures to treat multisegmental atherosclerotic lesions in a patient with critical limb ischemia. The laparoscopic technique is an additional minimally invasive tool, being feasible, safe, and effective for the treatment of extensive aortoiliac occlusive disease. This technique, which is nothing more than a conventional surgery performed under laparoscopic viewing, brings good long-term results associated with technical elegance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strategies used to perform the transportation of agricultural commodities by truck in Brazil are a challenge to decision-making. This article brings together the widely held theories vertical coordination and decision analysis to present a discussion of decision-making in organizations. From a model capable of processing main objectives, multiple criteria, and variables found in transport verticalization problems, the results showed worse performance than hybrid or outsourced alternatives. These results support that in environments with high dependence on low costs and asset specificity, they are no more likely to meet hybrid structures or market coordination. As the price difference between the outsourced and vertical model decreases, there is a preference for hierarchical structure, given its better performance related to the benefits offered. Changes in the institutional environment, such as transport regulations, may modify competitive arrangements. This type of preference by decision-makers for vertical structures could allow larger scale in conjunction with strategies by shippers, as operation costs remain close to those charged by carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between bank capital and lending in the Brazilian market from 2003 to 2012, by adapting the methodology used by Berrospide and Edge (2010). Initially, we estimate a long-term target capital, actively managed by each bank, and then we compute the banks' capital surpluses. In a second step, we investigate whether this capital surplus is related to the change in non-earmarked credit using panel data regressions. The results show a positive relationship between the change in loans and the capital surplus, stronger in the second part of the sample period (after September/2008), but yet economically modest, contradicting the assumption of constant leverage. Similar results are obtained using direct observable accounting indicators of bank capital. There is no significant relationship between capital and credit growth in governmental banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lichens produce a wide range of phenolic substances, mostly depsides and depsidones. As part of our ongoing study of lichens from the Cerrado biome in Mato Grosso do Sul state, the present article reports novel findings on the radical-scavenging activity of two depsides, five depsidones, usnic acid, and lichexanthone that were evaluated against 0.1 and 0.3 mM 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical concentrations. These substances were isolated from the lichens Parmotrema tinctorum (Nyl.) Hale, Parmotrema dilatatum (Vain.) Hale, Pseudoparmelia sphaerospora (Nyl.) Hale, Parmotrema lichexanthonicum Eliasaro & Adler, Ramalina anceps Nyl. Usnea subcomosa Vain. and Usnea jamaicensis Ach. Usnic acid (EC50 = 3.34 ± 1.44 and 5.97 ± 1.91 mM, respectively) and atranorin (2.48 ± 1.18 and 10.10 ± 1.18 mM, respectively) proved the most active unmodified compounds. Lecanoric and protocetraric acids exhibited significant EC50 differences between DPPH concentrations. Besides these, nine 9'-O-alkyl protocetraric acid derivatives were also evaluated. 9'-O-methyl protocetraric and 9'-O-iso-propyl protocetraric acids (with respective EC50 values of 1.74 ± 0.83 and 1.03 ± 1.0 mM, both against 0.1 mM DPPH) were the most active compounds evaluated. Except for 9'-O-methyl protocetraric acid, chain elongation correlated with increased scavenging activity in the linear series from 9'-O-ethyl to 9'-O-n-hexyl protocetraric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the predictors of an increased number of visits from individuals with some of the diagnoses noted in chapter F14 of ICD-10, from calls to the emergency psychiatric unit of a general hospital in São Paulo state, Brazil, in the period 2011-2012. Poisson regression models were carried out for the outcome variable, accounting for number of subsequent visits to the psychiatric emergency unit. For the analysis of this outcome we took into account the exposure time of each individual in the study. Our findings point to a population at risk for frequent psychiatric emergency service visits: individuals over 25 years. This population should be targeted for interventions on entry into public healthcare due to increased psychiatric morbidity and greater clinical morbidity already confirmed by previous studies. We discussed the need of these individuals for special attention during the clinical or psychiatric emergency consultation which, unfortunately, may be the access point for the public health system. None of the other variables were related to the outcome of interest, such as those related to the level of individual entry into the care network before and after treatment, and other variables related to medical acts during the visit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia 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 Acta Paulista de Enfermagem is the property of Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Escola Paulista de Enfermagem 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.)

The article provides information on the epidemiology, risk factors, and ulcer healing methods of the pernicious cycle of venous leg ulcers (VLUs). Use of the Clinical Aetiological Anatomy Pathophysiology (CEAP) classification system is favored for an accurate clinical estimation of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). It discusses compression therapy, wound bed preparation, and systemic pharmacotherapy. It was concluded that patients with CVI should be handled by a multidisciplinary team.

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Forest Research is the property of Canadian Science Publishing 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.)

Stromanthe bahiensis Yoshida-Arns, Mayo & J. M. A. Braga sp. nov. (Marantaceae) is described as an endemic to the Atlantic Forest coast of southern Bahia State in Brazil. It is similar to S. hjalmarssonii (Körn.) Petersen, which is restricted to Central America, but differs from it by the following characteristics: petiole 14-70 cm long, leaf blade oblong-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, fertile bracts 18-30×2-4 mm, narrowly lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, sepals 4-6 mm long, corolla lobes 3.0-3.5 mm long, outer staminodes 2.0-3.5×1-2 mm, pale bluish or purplish, callose staminode 2-3×1-2 mm, cucullate staminode 2-3 mm long and ovary hirsute. The new species is described and illustrated with diagnostic characters, taxonomic comments and remarks on its conservation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The natural outcome of infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) varies substantially among individuals. However, little is known about host and viral factors associated with a self-limiting or chronic evolution of HCV infection. Methods. From 1 January 2001 through 31 December 2008, a consecutive series of 65 patients from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a well-documented diagnosis of acute HCV infection, acquired via various routes, were enrolled in this study. Patients were prospectively followed up for a median of 40 months after the estimated date of HCV infection with serial measurements of serum alanine aminotransferase, HCV RNA, and anti-HCV antibodies. Spontaneous viral clearance (SVC) was defined as undetectable levels of HCV RNA in serum, in the absence of treatment, for 3 consecutive HCV polymerase chain reaction tests within the first 6 months of follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify host and viral predictors of SVC. Results. The cumulative rate of SVC was 44.6% (95% confidence interval, 32.3%-57.5%). Compared with chronic HCV evolution, patients with self-limiting disease had significantly lower peak levels of anti-HCV antibodies (median, 109.0 vs 86.7 optical density-to-cutoff ratio [od/co]; P < .02), experienced disease symptoms more frequently (69.4% vs 100%; P < .001), and had lower viral load at first clinical presentation (median, 4.3 vs 0.0 log copies; P=.01). In multivariate analyses, low peak anti-HCV level (!93.5 od/co) was the only independent predictor for SVC; the hazard ratio compared with high anti-HCV levels (⩾93.5 od/co) was 2.62 (95% confidence interval, 1.11-6.19; P=.03). Conclusion. Our data suggest that low levels of anti-HCV antibodies during the acute phase of HCV infection are independently related to spontaneous viral clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral infection by Trypanosoma cruzi has been the primary cause of recent outbreaks of acute Chagas' diseases. This route of infection may involve selective binding of the metacyclic trypomastigote surface molecule gp82 to gastric mucin as a first step towards invasion of the gastric mucosal epithelium and subsequent systemic infection. Here we addressed that question by performing in vitro and in vivo experiments. A recombinant protein containing the complete gp82 sequence (J18), a construct lacking the gp82 central domain (J18*), and 20-mer synthetic peptides based on the gp82 central domain, were used for gastric mucin binding and HeLa cell invasion assays, or for in vivo experiments. Metacyclic trypomastigotes and J18 bound to gastric mucin whereas J18* failed to bind. Parasite or J18 binding to submaxillary mucin was negligible. HeLa cell invasion by metacyclic forms was not affected by gastric mucin but was inhibited in the presence of submaxillary mucin. Of peptides tested for inhibition of J18 binding to gastric mucin, the inhibitory peptide p7 markedly reduced parasite invasion of HeLa cells in the presence of gastric mucin. Peptide p7*, with the same composition as p7 but with a scrambled sequence, had no effect. Mice fed with peptide p7 before oral infection with metacyclic forms developed lower parasitemias than mice fed with peptide p7*. Our results indicate that selective binding of gp82 to gastric mucin may direct T. cruzi metacyclic trypomastigotes to stomach mucosal epithelium in oral infection. Author Summary: Frequent outbreaks of acute Chagas' disease by food contamination with T. cruzi, characterized by high mortality, have been reported in recent years. In Brazil, oral infection is currently the most important mechanism of T. cruzi transmission. Studies on oral T. cruzi infection in mice have shown that insect-stage metacyclic trypomastigotes invade only the gastric mucosal epithelium and not other areas of mucosal epithelia prior to establishing systemic infection. Here we have shown that metacyclic trypomastigotes bind selectively to gastric mucin, a property also displayed by gp82, a metacyclic stage-specific surface protein implicated in cell adhesion/invasion process. It is also shown that the gastric mucin-binding property of gp82 resides in the central domain of the molecule and that the synthetic peptide p7, based on a gastric mucin-binding sequence of gp82, markedly reduces parasite invasion of cultured human epithelial cells in the presence of gastric mucin. These results, plus the finding that mice that received peptide p7 before oral infection with metacyclic trypomastigotes had fewer parasites replicating in the gastric mucosa and developed lower parasitemias than control mice, lead us to suggest that gp82-mediated interaction with gastric mucin may direct T. cruzi to stomach mucosal epithelium in oral infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Climate change resulting from increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and shortages of fossil fuels such as petroleum are major problems worldwide. Under these conditions, demand for woody biomass resources is increasing. We investigated the feasibility of using fast-growing Eucalyptus grandis for material production. Samples of E. grandis were collected from four plantations in different latitude divisions, including tropical and subtropical Brazil and subtropical Argentina. Various xylem qualities were measured and related to the lateral growth rate. Lateral growth rate did not significantly affect the longitudinal released strain of the surface growth stresses or the xylem density at any of the sampling sites. Higher lateral growth rate, higher values of xylem density, and lower absolute values of the released strain were observed in plantations closer to the equator. Higher growth rates in tropical climate promote longer fiber length. In subtropical plantations, smaller diameter trees will produce tension wood with smaller microfibril angles. Planting E. grandis closer to the equator thus produces higher quality wood than in plantations at lower latitudes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Despite international efforts to prevent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection through global vaccination programs, new cases are still being reported throughout the world. Methods: To supply data that might assist in improving preventive measures and national surveillance for HBV infection, a cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals referred to the Brazilian National Reference Center for Viral Hepatitis (Rio de Janeiro) during a two-year period. Reported risk factors among infected subjects ("HBV-positive") were compared to those of subjects never exposed ("HBV-negative") to HBV. Two subgroups were further identified within the HBV-positive group, "acute" infection and "non-acute" infection. Results: A total of 1,539 subjects were tested for HBV, of which 616 were HBV-positive (79 acute infection and 537 non-acute infection). HBV-positive subjects were more likely to be of male gender (63% versus 47%); and to report multiple sexual partners (12% versus 6%) and illicit drug use (IDU and/or intranasal cocaine use) (6% versus 3%). Among the HBV-positive subgroups, age differed significantly, with 48% being under 30 years of age in subjects acutely infected compared to 17% in those with non-acute infection. Conclusions: The association of multiple sexual partners with past HBV infection and the age distribution of currently infected subjects suggest that sexual transmission played a major role in the transmission of HBV in this study population. Thus, vaccination during adolescence should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of antibodies directed against the enterically transmitted hepatitis A virus (HAV) was measured in 2 groups of people living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Of 1,056 health care workers (HCWs), 778 (73.7%) were anti-HAV positive. A high prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies (85.7%) was also found among 274 voluntary blood donors (BDs). TT virus (TTV) is a DNA virus that has been found in the sera of patients with post-transfusion hepatitis of unknown etiology. Occurrence of virus shedding suggests that the fecal-oral route may be an important mode of TTV transmission, particularly in the developing world. The presence of TTV DNA was analyzed by PCR in the sera of 191 HCWs and 151 BDs. TTV was detected in 65.4% of HCWs and 79.5% of BDs. In both groups, a family income of B US$400 per month and a level of education of B 11 y of schooling were found to be risk factors for HAV infection. Furthermore, a low family income was associated with TTV viremia in the HCW group. However, the presence of TTV DNA was associated with neither low level of education nor anti-HAV positivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the preliminary results of tests carried out to calculate the emissions in the sector of railway freight transport in Brazil. The analysis is based on a proposition derived from a European model to determine the factors relevant to designing a model suitable for the characteristics of Brazilian cities. In this simulation the Artemis model is used with positive results for determination of the greenhouse gases in the route between the states of Mato Grosso and São Paulo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There are no data concerning the genotypic analysis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Brazilian dialysis centers. Serum samples from all hemodialysis patients (n = 282) in Goiânia City, Central Brazil, were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). An overall prevalence of 12.0% was found, ranging from 0 to 33.3% depending on dialysis centers. Positive samples (n = 34) were submitted to serological subtyping by monoclonal ELISA and HBV DNA detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among 30 PCR-positive samples, 26 were genotyped by use of the line probe assay technology (INNO-LiPA HBV, Innogenetics, Gent, Belgium). HBV genotypes A (50.0%) and D (46.2%) were the most frequently found whereas genotype F (3.8%) was rare in this population. Serological subtypes adw2 (44.1%) and ayw3 (41.2%) were dominant. By contrast, adw4 and ayw2 were found at a low frequency (2.9%). A correlation was observed in the distribution of genotypes and subtypes by dialysis center. Genotype D and subtype ayw3 were predominant in 2 hemodialysis centers whereas genotype A and subtype adw2 were predominant in the others. The findings of high HBsAg prevalence rates restricted to certain dialysis centers and the data obtained through genotyping and serological subtyping suggest HBV nosocomial transmission in these hemodialysis centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foodborne pathogens are a real public health concern in an escalating antimicrobial resistance scenario. Natural products represent a promising source of bioactive molecules, and essential oils have attracted much attention due to their myriad of biological properties, including antibacterial activities. In this context, essential oils obtained from the leaves of Chromolaena squalida, Campomanesia sessiliflora, Myrsine guianensis, Matayba guianensis, Siparuna guianensis, Ocotea minarum and Endlicheria paniculata—species from the Cerrado biome of Midwest Brazil—were extracted and evaluated for their antibacterial activity against a panel of four standard and three clinical multidrug−resistant bacterial strains. All tested oils showed moderate to good activity against at least four bacterial strains, including Salmonella Typhi and oxacillin−resistant Staphylococcus. The essential oils from C. squalida, C. sessiliflora, My. guianensis and Ma. guianensis showed strong inhibition of clinical Staphylococcus strains, which cause bovine mastitis and are related to milk−borne diseases. Their chemical profiles were investigated by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS), which revealed a predominance of mono− and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, some of which with well−known antimicrobial properties. The essential oil from Cerrado plants proved active against resistant Gram−positive and Gram−negative bacteria, revealing their potentialities for the development of new alternative agents to prevent the spreading of resistant bacterial contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the publication of vascular scientific production in Brazil. He mentions the success of the country's academic production of setting a new record when it was able to published the 1.92% of all articles in Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) database. He explores the issues involving the country's publication which resulted to the failure of the abstracts to be published in indexed journals. He also discusses the efforts of the journal editors to solve the problem.

The Brazilian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery, through the Guidelines Project, presents new Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Guidelines, on the subject of care for abdominal aortic aneurysm patients. Its development prioritized descriptive guidelines, using the EMBASE, LILACS, and PubMed databases. References include randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and cohort studies. Quality of evidence was evaluated by a pair of coordinators, aided by the RoB 2 Cochrane tool and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale forms. The subjects include juxtarenal aneurysms, infected aneurysms, and new therapeutic techniques, especially endovascular procedures. The current version of the guidelines include important recommendations for the primary topics involving diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for abdominal aortic aneurysm patients, providing an objective guide for medical practice, based on scientific evidence and widely available throughout Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have suggested that high level of homocysteine is an important and prevalent risk factor for coronary, cerebral and peripheral arterial disease. Objective: In light of the lack of information on hyperhomocysteinemia in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in Brazil and the peculiarities of its population, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia in a sample of the Brazilian population by means of a clinical trial involving individuals with and without PAD being treated at a public health care facility. Methods: A case-controlled clinical trial was conducted with 40 individuals with a PAD diagnosis confirmed by Doppler ultrasound (PAD group) compared with 20 volunteer individuals without PAD (control group). Results: The predominant PAD was chronic limb ischemia (75%). Median fasting plasma levels of homocysteine were significantly higher in the PAD group than in the control group (16.7 vs. 12.9 ⩽mol/L, p = 0.001), both in men (18.9 vs. 14.0 ⩽mol/L, p = 0.005) and women (13.9 vs. 11.2 ⩽mol/L, p = 0.025). As to the proportion of individuals with hyperhomocysteinemia, a tendency toward a higher frequency was observed in the PAD group (60%) in relation to the control group (30%) (p = 0.054). Individuals aged less than 60 years had significantly high median values of homocysteine in the PAD group (p = 0.041). Conclusions: Hyperhomocysteinemia was a prevalent and important risk factor in individuals with PAD treated at a public health care facility in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Selection based on phenotype to HD in German Shepherd dogs is not effective. • Genetic trends have been not changed over the years due the phenotype selection. • The EBV is strongly recommend to reduce the prevalence of HD. The heritability of canine hip dysplasia in German Shepherd dogs was estimated using Bayesian methods. Data on hip score and status of 1632 dogs born from 1990 to 2013 were provided by the Brazilian Society of German Shepherd Breeders. Heritability estimates (mean ± standard deviation) were 0.1979 ± 0.058 for hip scores and 0.187 ± 0.055 for hip status. We observed no phenotypic trends and a small rate of genetic trend (0.52%) according to the year of birth, probably because of ineffective phenotypic selection and absence of genetic selection. The heritability estimates in this study can be used to achieve effective selective breeding and genetic gains, which in turn can result in improvements in dog health and welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The question of what is the best loading dosage of warfarin when starting anticoagulant treatment has been under discussion for ten years. We were unable to find any comparative studies of these characteristics conducted here in Brazil. Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of two initial warfarin dosage regimens for anticoagulant treatment. Methods: One-hundred and ten consecutive patients of both sexes, with indications for anticoagulation because of venous or arterial thromboembolism, were analyzed prospectively. During the first 3 days of treatment, these patients were given adequate heparin to keep aPTT (activated partial thromboplastin time) between 1.5 and 2.5, plus 5 mg of warfarin. From the fourth day onwards, their warfarin doses were adjusted using International Normalized Ratios (INR; target range: 2 to 3). This prospective cohort was compared with a historical series of 110 patients had been given 10 mg of warfarin on the first 2 days and 5 mg on the third day with adjustments based on INR thereafter. Outcomes analyzed were as follows: recurrence of thromboembolism, bleeding events and time taken to enter the therapeutic range. Results: Efficacy, safety and length of hospital stay were similar in both samples. The sample that were given 10 mg entered the therapeutic range earlier (means: 4.5 days vs. 5.8 days), were on lower doses at discharge and had better therapeutic indicators at the first return appointment. Conclusions: The 10 mg dosage regimen took less time to attain the therapeutic range and was associated with lower warfarin doses at discharge and better INR at first out-patients follow-up visit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Injecting drug users (IDU) have a key role in Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) epidemiology. Young/short-term IDUs constitute a target group for preventive/harm reduction interventions. Objectives: To investigate HCV transmission among young/short-term (ST) and long-term (LT) IDUs, from the perspective of epidemiology and molecular biology. Study design: Cross-sectional study assessing the prevalence of HCV infection/genotypes, as well as risk behaviours/practices among IDUs from Rio de Janeiro. Phylogenetic analyses were performed and the extent of segregation between sequences was quantified by the Association Index. Results: ST were more likely to engage into needle-sharing (p =.021) and LT to attend Needle Exchange Programs (p =.006). HCV prevalence was 10.1% vs. 23.4% among initiates and LT, respectively (p <.001). Older age vs. imprisonment and longer duration of IDU career were independent predictors for HCV infection among ST and LT, respectively. Among the latter, NEP attendance was inversely associated with viral infection. HCV3a infections were the most prevalent. A moderate extent of phylogenetic segregation between sequences was found, suggestive of transmission between IDU subgroups. Conclusions: The lower HCV prevalence among young/short-term IDUs cannot be viewed with complacency, due to their frequent engagement into direct/indirect sharing practices and the ongoing transmission between IDU subsets. To avert new infections, preventive/harm reduction policies must be tailored to empirical findings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Flock-level and animal-level prevalences of Caseous lymphadenitis in five Northeastern Brazil states were 93.88% (95% CI = 89.60–96.46%) and 37.46% (95% CI = 35.51–39.45%), respectively. • Purebred sheep, ram acquisition from animal expositions, offspring is separated from ewes, water supplied to sheep from ponds, and disposal of infected animals were associated with seroprevalence. • Information and improvement policies for producers regarding disease control and monitoring should be encouraged. Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) is one of the main infectious diseases in sheep, responsible for great economic losses, mainly in Northeast region of Brazil, which has the largest sheep flock in the country. Thus, the aim of this survey was to determine the factors associated with the seroprevalence of this disease in sheep from Northeastern Brazil using a planned sample of flocks and animals. Samples were collected from 2312 adult and young sheep of both sex from 196 farms, located in 51 municipalities in five Northeastern Brazilian states (Ceará, Paraíba, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe). Serological diagnosis was performed using the indirect ELISA technique. Factors associated with seropositivity were identified by variables extracted from epidemiological questionnaires administered to breeders, using univariable and multivariable analyses. Factors associated with prevalence were purebred sheep (Prevalence ratio - PR = 1.189; P = 0.017), ram acquisition from animal expositions (PR = 1.192; P = 0.020), offspring is separated from ewes (PR = 1.132; P = 0.048), water supplied to sheep from ponds (PR = 1.365; P = 0.002), and delayed disposal of infected animals (PR = 1.263; P = 0.027). Flock-level and animal-level prevalences were 93.88 % (95 % CI = 89.60–96.46%) and 37.46 % (95 % CI = 35.51–39.45%), respectively. In view of the high prevalence found here and based on the associated factors, the implementation of an efficient CL control programme in Northeastern Brazil is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Assess the correlation between the sales of two drugs with no proven efficacy against covid-19, ivermectin and chloroquine, and other relevant variables, such as Google® searches, number of tweets related to these drugs, number of cases and deaths resulting from covid-19., Methods: The methodology adopted in this study has four stages: data collection, data processing, exploratory data analysis, and correlation analysis. Spearman's method was used to obtain cross-correlations between each pair of variables., Results: The results show similar behaviors between variables. Peaks occurred in the same or near periods. The exploratory data analysis showed shortage of chloroquine in the period corresponding to the beginning of advertising for the application of these drugs against covid-19. Both drugs showed a high and statistically significant correlation with the other variables. Also, some of them showed a higher correlation with drug sales when we employed a one-month lag. In the case of chloroquine, this was observed for the number of deaths. In the case of ivermectin, this was observed for the number of tweets, cases, and deaths., Conclusions: The results contribute to decision making in crisis management by governments, industries, and stores. In times of crisis, as observed during the covid-19 pandemic, some variables can help sales forecasting, especially Google® and tweets, which provide a real-time analysis of the situation. Monitoring social media platforms and search engines would allow the determination of drug use by the population and better prediction of potential peaks in the demand for these drugs.

Sixteen triterpenoids with various skeletal types, five phenylpropanoid derivatives, and two flavonoids were isolated from a propolis sample produced by Apis mellifera collected in the Atlantic Forest of Midwest Brazil. Among these compounds, six triterpenes, namely 3β,20R-dihydroxylanost-24-en-3-yl-palmitate, (23E)-25-methoxycycloartan-23-en-3-one, 24-methylenecycloartenone, epi-lupeol, epi-α-amyrin, and epi-β-amyrin are being reported for the first time in propolis, while cycloartenone, (E)-cinnamyl benzoate, and (E)-cinnamyl cinnamate are new findings in Brazilian propolis. The presence of cycloartane- and lanostane-type triterpenoids, the latter being a class of compounds of restricted distribution in propolis worldwide, has not been reported in propolis from Midwest Brazil until now. The ethyl acetate phase obtained from the ethanol extract was effective in preventing biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus, with an inhibition rate of about 96 % at 0.5 mg.mL -1 , and with quercetin isolated as one of its active constituents. In contrast, the hexane phase exhibited notable antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, inhibiting bacterial growth by 92 % at 0.5 mg.mL -1 ; however, none of the triterpenoids isolated from this phase proved active against this pathogen. The ethanol extract was neither toxic nor mutagenic at the concentrations tested, as determined by the in vivo SMART assay on Drosophila melanogaster, even under conditions of high metabolic activation., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Background: Transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TF-CAS) and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) are alternative strategies for stroke prevention in patients with atherosclerotic carotid disease. Because their main objective is to prevent future ischemic events, regular reassessment of the outcomes is mandatory for providing the best therapy. The purpose of this study was to describe the practice and the outcomes of TF-CAS and CEA in symptomatic patients in public university hospitals in Brazil, using data from a prospective multicentric registry., Methods: A prospective 8-year observational study of patients with symptomatic carotid artery atherosclerotic disease that underwent TF-CAS and CEA in 5 public university hospitals affiliated with the RHEUNI (Registry Project of Vascular Disease in the Public University Hospitals of São Paulo). All consecutive procedures were included. The indications for the procedures were determined by each surgeon's individual discretion, in accordance with a preoperative risk evaluation. The outcome measures were any 30-day follow-up death, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and their combined outcome (major adverse cardiovascular events [MACE]). The registration of the study was made at clinicaltrials.gov NCT02538276., Results: From January 2012 through December 2019, 376 consecutive and symptomatic patients were included in the study records. There were 152 TF-CAS procedures (40.4%) and 224 CEA procedures (59.5%). All completed the 30-day follow-up period. Occurrence of death (TF-CAS: 0.66% × CEA: 0.66%, P = 0.99), stroke (TF-CAS: 4.61% × CEA: 4.46%, P = 0.99), and MI (TF-CAS: 0.66% × CEA: 0%, P = 0.403) were similar in both groups, without statistically significant differences. MACE rate did not differ in both groups (TF-CAS: 5.92% × CEA: 4.46%, P = 0.633)., Conclusions: Data from a prospective registry of 5 Brazilian university hospitals showed that TF-CAS and CEA in symptomatic patients had similar 30-day perioperative rates of death, stroke, and MI and their combination., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A new species of Synoemis Pascoe, 1863 (Silvaninae) is described and illustrated based on one female specimen from Boa Vista, Roraima state, Brazil. Synoemis jandersoni sp. nov. is quite distinctive and can be distinguished from the other species by the lateral margins of the pronotum bearing a deep, V-shaped emargination near each anterior angle, pygidium completely hidden in dorsal view, tibiae short, and postcoxal lines of ventrite 1 broadly rounded. The genus is recorded from the New World for the first time. Comparisons and a key to species of Synoemis are also provided., (© 2022. Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil.)

In Brazil, there is a large diversity of species of small edible fruits that are considered sources of nutrients and functional properties. They present a high innovation domain for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries due to their health-promoting properties. Edible fruits from Brosimum gaudichaudii (Moraceae) are widely consumed and used in folk medicine and in feed by the population of the Brazilian Cerrado. Nevertheless, detailed information on the chemical fingerprint, antiradical activity and safety aspects of these fruits is still unknown. Thus, the aim of this work was to investigate the bioactive compounds of hydroethanolic extracts of fruits from Brosimum gaudichaudii using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry using electrospray ionization (HPLC ESI-MS). Eighteen different compounds, including flavonoids, coumarins, arylbenzofurans, terpenoids, stilbenes, xanthones and esters, were detected. Moreover, the study indicated that the hydroethanolic extract of fruits from B. gaudichaudii presented low scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals (IC 50 >800 μg mL -1 ) and was cytotoxic (IC 50 <30 μg mL -1 ) in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) by an in vitro assay. This is the first report of the chemical profile, antioxidant activity and cytotoxic properties of the hydroethanolic extract of fruits from B. gaudichaudii., (© 2021 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is the major fish species produced in Brazil, a country with a vast territory and great climate diversity. This study assessed the effects of the genotype × environment interaction on heritability estimates and selection responses in Nile tilapia (Tilamax strain) cultivated in earthen ponds and net cages. The weight at harvest, trunk length, and head percentage of 4400 individuals were determined. Trait heritabilities were higher in pond fish (0.27-0.52) than in caged fish (0.09-0.33). Genetic correlations between farming systems were lower than 0.5 for the three traits. The rank position of the top 10 families differed according to the environment, as did the response to direct and indirect selection. The results revealed significant genotype × environment effects on the heritability of Nile tilapia farmed under different systems.