Search

Resumo Fundamento A doença de Chagas (DC) constitui uma causa potencial negligenciada de doença microvascular coronariana (DMC). Objetivos Comparar pacientes com DMC relacionada à DC (DMC-DC) com pacientes com DMC ligada a outras etiologias (DMC-OE). Métodos De 1292 pacientes estáveis, encaminhados para angiografia coronária invasiva para elucidar o padrão hemodinâmico e a causa de angina, 247 apresentaram coronárias subepicárdicas normais, e 101 foram incluídos após aplicação dos critérios de exclusão. Desses, 15 compuseram o grupo de DMC-DC e suas características clínicas, hemodinâmicas, angiográficas, e cintilográficas foram comparadas às do grupo de 86 pacientes com DMC-OE. O nível de significância estatística para todas as comparações adotado foi de 0,05. Resultados Pacientes com suspeita de DMC-DC apresentaram características antropométricas, clínicas e angiográficas, além de alterações hemodinâmicas e de perfusão miocárdica estatisticamente comparáveis às detectadas nos 86 pacientes com DMC-OE. Disfunção ventricular diastólica, expressa por elevada pressão telediastólica do ventrículo esquerdo, foi igualmente encontrada nos dois grupos. Entretanto, em comparação a esse grupo com DMC-OE, o grupo com DMC-DC exibiu fração de ejeção ventricular esquerda mais baixa (61,1 ± 11,9 vs 54,8 ± 15,9; p= 0,049) e mais elevado escore de mobilidade da parede ventricular (1,77 ± 0,35 vs 1,18 ± 0,26; p= 0,02). Conclusão A cardiomiopatia crônica da doença de Chagas esteve associada à etiologia de possível doença microvascular coronariana em 15% de amostra de 101 pacientes estáveis, cujo sintoma principal era angina requerendo elucidação por angiografia invasiva. Embora os grupos DMC-DC e DMC-OE apresentassem características clínicas, hemodinâmicas, e de perfusão miocárdica em comum, a disfunção global e segmentar do ventrículo esquerdo foi mais grave nos pacientes com DMC associada à DC em comparação à DMC por outras etiologias. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; 115(6):1094-1101)

Organophosphorus poisoning caused by some pesticides and nerve agents is a life-threating condition that must be swiftly addressed to avoid casualties. Despite the availability of medical countermeasures, the clinically available compounds lack a broad spectrum, are not effective towards all organophosphorus toxins, and have poor pharmacokinetics properties to allow them crossing the blood-brain barrier, hampering cholinesterase reactivation at the central nervous system. In this work, we designed and synthesised novel isatin derivatives, linked to a pyridinium 4-oxime moiety by an alkyl chain with improved calculated properties, and tested their reactivation potency against paraoxon- and NEMP-inhibited acetylcholinesterase in comparison to the standard antidote pralidoxime. Our results showed that these compounds displayed comparable in vitro reactivation also pointed by the in silico studies, suggesting that they are promising compounds to tackle organophosphorus poisoning.

Achieving ambitious global restoration commitments is a huge challenge. The Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact, created in 2009 as a movement to restore 15 Mha of degraded/deforested lands by 2050, pledged 1 Mha towards the 2020 Bonn Challenge. We documented the restoration of an estimated 673,510–740,555 ha of native forests from 2011 to 2015 in the Atlantic Forest, and expect that a total of 1.35–1.48 Mha will be under recovery by 2020. The Pact is one of the first Brazilian restoration initiatives to monitor an international restoration commitment and to demonstrate that ambitious targets can be reached. Part of this success in large-scale restoration is related to three main Pact activities: (i) development of restoration governance, communication and articulation; (ii) promotion of strategies to influence public policies; and (iii) establishment of restoration monitoring systems. The experience and lessons learned by the Pact could inspire and inform other restoration initiatives worldwide.

Abstract In this work, we present an ensemble for automated audio classification that fuses different types of features extracted from audio files. These features are evaluated, compared, and fused with the goal of producing better classification accuracy than other state-of-the-art approaches without ad hoc parameter optimization. We present an ensemble of classifiers that performs competitively on different types of animal audio datasets using the same set of classifiers and parameter settings. To produce this general-purpose ensemble, we ran a large number of experiments that fine-tuned pretrained convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for different audio classification tasks (bird, bat, and whale audio datasets). Six different CNNs were tested, compared, and combined. Moreover, a further CNN, trained from scratch, was tested and combined with the fine-tuned CNNs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest study on CNNs in animal audio classification. Our results show that several CNNs can be fine-tuned and fused for robust and generalizable audio classification. Finally, the ensemble of CNNs is combined with handcrafted texture descriptors obtained from spectrograms for further improvement of performance. The MATLAB code used in our experiments will be provided to other researchers for future comparisons at https://github.com/LorisNanni .

ABSTRACT Fire-related cues may enhance seed recruitment in flammable ecosystems and differences in fire-germination responses of invasive vs. native species can drive the invasion process. We evaluated the effects of heat shock and smoke water solution treatment on seed germination of invasive (Melinis minutiflora, Urochloa decumbens, U. brizantha) and native grasses (Axonopus pressus, Aristida setifolia, Gymnopogon foliosus) of the Cerrado. The effect of fire temperature was tested by exposing seeds to heat shock treatments of 60, 100, and 200 °C for one minute, comparing them to untreated seeds. The effect of smoke was tested by soaking seeds for 24-h in an aqueous smoke comparing them to seeds soaked in distilled water. Differences among treatments were evaluated by ANOVA and randomization tests. None of the tested species had germination stimulated by the temperature or smoke. Both species of Urochloa experienced decreased viability with increasing temperature, while seeds of native species and M. minutiflora tolerated heat shock up to 200 °C. The invasive grasses usually germinated faster than the native grasses. Germination time is therefore a crucial trait driving the invasion process, irrespective of fire-related cues. Other seed traits (e.g. dormancy) and higher resprouting capacity may help invasive species to persist in frequently burned savannas.

Abstract Background Sex bias in immune function has been contributed in part to a preponderance of immune system-related genes (ISRG) on the X-chromosome. We verified whether ISRG are more abundant on the X chromosome as compared to autosomal chromosomes and reflected on the impact of our findings. Methods Consulting freely accessible databases, we performed a comparative study consisting of three complementary strategies. First, among coding X/Y-linked genes, the abundance of ISRG was compared to the abundance of genes dedicated to other systems. Genes were assigned considering three criteria: disease, tissue expression, and function (DEF approach). In addition, we carried out two genome-wide approaches to compare the contribution of sex and autosomal chromosomes to immune genes defined by an elevated expression in lymphatic tissues (LTEEG approach) or annotation to an immune system process, GO:0002376 (GO approach). Results The X chromosome had less immune genes than the median of the autosomal chromosomes. Among X-linked genes, ISRG ranked fourth after the reproductive and nervous systems and genes dedicated to development, proliferation and apoptosis. On the Y chromosome, ISRG ranked second, and at the pseudoautosomal region (PAR) first. According to studies on the expression of X-linked genes in a variety of (mostly non-lymphatic) tissues, almost two-thirds of ISRG are expressed without sex bias, and the remaining ISRG presented female and male bias with similar frequency. Various epigenetic controllers, X-linked MSL3 and Y-linked KDM5D and UTY, were preferentially expressed in leukocytes and deserve further attention for a possible role in sex biased expression or its neutralisation. Conclusions The X chromosome is not enriched for ISRG, though particular X-linked genes may be responsible for sex differences in certain immune responses. So far, there is insufficient information on sex-biased expression of X/Y-linked ISRG in leukocytes to draw general conclusions on the impact of X/Y-linked ISRG in immune function. More research on the regulation of the expression X-linked genes is required with attention to 1) female and male mechanisms that may either augment or diminish sex biased expression and 2) tissue-specific expression studies.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the prognostic impact of the parameters of myocardial deformation using three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) in patients with breast cancer who underwent chemotherapy with low doses of anthracyclines.BackgroundChemotherapy-related cardiotoxicity has an important prognostic impact on cancer survivors. Three-dimensional STE has revealed more consistent data than two-dimensional techniques and may represent a more accurate tool in the evaluation of myocardial function in patients who underwent chemotherapy.MethodsWe evaluated patients with breast cancer who were treated with anthracyclines (associated or not with trastuzumab) in five stages: baseline, after cumulative doses of 120 and 240 mg/m2 of doxorubicin, and then, after 6 months and at least 1 year after anthracyclines. Ultrasensitive troponin I (US-TnI) and a standard echocardiography study were performed at each stage. We analyzed left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by Simpson's method, two-dimensional speckle tracking (2DSTE) with longitudinal and radial strain values, and 3DSTE with longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain as well as twist, torsion, rotation, and three-dimensional global area strain (3DGAS). Cardiotoxicity was defined as a decrease in LVEF by more than 10 percentage points to a value lower than 53%.ResultsWe evaluated 51 female patients who were aged 50.6 ± 11 years. After the cumulative dose of 240 mg/m2 of doxorubicin, US-TnI was increased (>34 pg/ml) in 21 patients (45%, p > 0.001), LVEF remained unchanged (p = 0.178), while 2DSTE longitudinal strain was decreased (from −17.8% to −17.1%, p < 0.001) and 3DSTE detected changes in longitudinal, radial, circumferential, and area strain. After a lower cumulative dose of doxorubicin (120 mg/m2), 3DGAS (p < 0.001) was the only parameter that was changed. In the follow-up, 7 (13%) patients presented a decrease in LVEF. Three-dimensional GAS early changed to abnormal values was the only variable associated with a subsequent decrease in LVEF (definitive cardiotoxicity).ConclusionIn patients with breast cancer, 3DSTE detected early changes in area strain after very low doses of doxorubicin. The 3DGAS early changed to abnormal values was associated with a subsequent decrease in LVEF, representing a promising technique to predict chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy.

Abstract Diatoms are successful in occupying a wide range of ecological niches and biomes along the global ocean. Although there is a recognized importance of diatoms for the Southern Ocean ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles, the current knowledge on their ecology and distribution along the impacted Antarctic coastal regions remains generalized at best. HPLC–CHEMTAX approaches have been extensively used to this purpose, providing valuable information about the whole phytoplankton community, even for those small-size species which are normally difficult to identify by light microscopy. Despite that, the chemotaxonomic method has reserved minimal focus on great diversity of types associated with diatom genera or species. Here, we show a coupling between the key genera and the corresponding chemotaxonomic subgroup type-A or type-B of diatoms via HPLC–CHEMTAX and microscopic analysis, using chlorophyll–c 1 and chlorophyll–c 3 as biomarker pigments, respectively. The results demonstrated strong correlations for nine of the fifteen most abundant diatom genera observed along the Northern Antarctic Peninsula, from which five (four) were statistically associated with chlorophyll–c 1 (chlorophyll–c 3). Our study highlights the importance to observe diatoms in greater detail, beyond being only one functional group, for a better understanding on their responses under a climate change scenario.

Category: Hindfoot; Other Introduction/Purpose: The radiographic measurement of hindfoot alignment (HA) suggested by Saltzman, worldwide accepted, uses the medial aspect of the foot as the sagittal axis. When defining the medial face of the foot as its axis, the adduction and abduction deformities of the forefoot are disregarded, making it necessary to rotate the ankle internally or externally to acquire the radiographic image according to Saltzman protocol. The emergence of weight-bearing computed tomography (WBCT) allowed immeasurable advancements for a better understanding of the joints relations of the foot and ankle under stress. Previous studies using this technology adopted several sagittal axes to measure HA. Our hypothesis is that the adduction observed in the forefoot of the cavovarus feet illusively accentuates the real deformity of the hindfoot. Methods: Two evaluators calculated the HA of twenty-eight feet - 14 cavovarus and 14 neutral or slightly valgus (control group) - in three different sagittal axes (second metatarsal axis, calcaneus - second metatarsal axis and talar dome axis). Measurements were compared by Student's t-test after normality test by Shapiro-Wilk method. Observers' agreement was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). P-values

Cyanobacteria are oxygenic phototrophic prokaryotes that have evolved to produce ultraviolet-screening mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) to lessen harmful effects from obligatory exposure to solar UV radiation. The cyanobacterial MAA biosynthetic cluster is formed by a gene encoding 2-epi-5-epi-valiolone synthase (EVS) located immediately upstream from an O-methyltransferase (OMT) encoding gene, which together biosynthesize the expected MAA precursor 4-deoxygadusol. Accordingly, these genes are typically absent in non-producers. In this study, the relationship between gene cluster architecture and constitutive production of MAAs was evaluated in cyanobacteria isolated from various Brazilian biomes. Constitutive production of MAAs was only detected in strains where genes formed a co-linear cluster. Expectedly, this production was enhanced upon exposure of the strains to UV irradiance and by using distinct culture media. Constitutive production of MAAs was not detected in all other strains and, unexpectedly, production could not be induced by exposure to UV irradiation or changing growth media. Other photoprotection strategies which might be employed by these MAA non-producing strains are discussed. The evolutionary and ecological significance of gene order conservation warrants closer experimentation, which may provide a first insight into regulatory interactions of genes encoding enzymes for MAA biosynthesis.

One of the difficulties of artificial intelligence is to ensure that model decisions are fair and free of bias. In research, datasets, metrics, techniques, and tools are applied to detect and mitigate algorithmic unfairness and bias. This study examines the current knowledge on bias and unfairness in machine learning models. The systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines and is registered on OSF plataform. The search was carried out between 2021 and early 2022 in the Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, and Google Scholar knowledge bases and found 128 articles published between 2017 and 2022, of which 45 were chosen based on search string optimization and inclusion and exclusion criteria. We discovered that the majority of retrieved works focus on bias and unfairness identification and mitigation techniques, offering tools, statistical approaches, important metrics, and datasets typically used for bias experiments. In terms of the primary forms of bias, data, algorithm, and user interaction were addressed in connection to the preprocessing, in-processing, and postprocessing mitigation methods. The use of Equalized Odds, Opportunity Equality, and Demographic Parity as primary fairness metrics emphasizes the crucial role of sensitive attributes in mitigating bias. The 25 datasets chosen span a wide range of areas, including criminal justice image enhancement, finance, education, product pricing, and health, with the majority including sensitive attributes. In terms of tools, Aequitas is the most often referenced, yet many of the tools were not employed in empirical experiments. A limitation of current research is the lack of multiclass and multimetric studies, which are found in just a few works and constrain the investigation to binary-focused method. Furthermore, the results indicate that different fairness metrics do not present uniform results for a given use case, and that more research with varied model architectures is necessary to standardize which ones are more appropriate for a given context. We also observed that all research addressed the transparency of the algorithm, or its capacity to explain how decisions are taken.

The majority of current approaches for bias and fairness identification or mitigation in machine learning models are applications for a particular issue that fails to account for the connection between the application context and its associated sensitive attributes, which contributes to the recognition of consistent patterns in the application of bias and fairness metrics. This can be used to drive the development of future models, with the sensitive attribute acting as a connecting element to these metrics. Hence, this study aims to analyze patterns in several metrics for identifying bias and fairness, applying the gender-sensitive attribute as a case study, for three different areas of applications in machine learning models: computer vision, natural language processing, and recommendation systems. The gender attribute case study has been used in computer vision, natural language processing, and recommendation systems. The method entailed creating use cases for facial recognition in the FairFace dataset, message toxicity in the Jigsaw dataset, and movie recommendations in the MovieLens100K dataset, then developing models based on the VGG19, BERT, and Wide Deep architectures and evaluating them using the accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score classification metrics, as well as assessing their outcomes using fourteen fairness metrics. Certain metrics disclosed bias and fairness, while others did not, revealing a consistent pattern for the same sensitive attribute across different application domains, and similarities for the statistical parity, PPR disparity, and error disparity metrics across domains, indicating fairness related to the studied sensitive attribute. Some attributes, on the other hand, did not follow this pattern. As a result, we conclude that the sensitive attribute may play a crucial role in defining the fairness metrics for a specific context.

Поскольку достижение поставленных национальных целей развития Российской Федерации требует осознания гражданами их значимости и сознательного участия в их реализации, существует потребность в социологическом анализе представлений молодежи о возможности и ключевых субъектах реализации национальных целей, поскольку социальная активность молодежи – движущая сила социально-экономических и социально-политических процессов в обществе. В 2020 году в Алтайском крае было проведено эмпирическое исследование молодого населения региона (n=1597), в котором принимали участие респонденты в возрасте от 16 до 30 лет, в форме стандартизованного интервью с применением дистанционных технологий сбора данных. В статье приведены результаты анализа мнений молодежи Алтайского края о субъектах реализации национальных целей развития Российской Федерации и возможности их реализации. Выявлено, что все пять национальных целей, по мнению респондентов, должны реализовываться при участии как государства, так и общества, однако роль государства более важна при реализации целей «Комфортная и безопасная среда для жизни», «Достойный, эффективный труд и успешное предпринимательство» и «Цифровая трансформация». Также выявлено, что чем старше молодой человек, тем чаще он в качестве ключевого субъекта реализации национальных целей Российской Федерации называет государство. Полученные результаты могут стать основой для разработки мер молодежной политики Российской Федерации, а также просветительских программ, направленных на информирование молодежи о национальных целях и формирование в сознании молодежи установки на необходимость их достижения.