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Zika virus (ZIKV) is mainly transmitted through Aedes mosquito bites, but sexual and post-transfusion transmissions have been reported. During acute infection, ZIKV is detectable in most organs and body fluids including human semen. Although it is not currently epidemic, there is a concern that the virus can still reemerge since the male genital tract might harbor persistent reservoirs that could facilitate viral transmission over extended periods, raising concerns among public health and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) experts and professionals. So far, the consensus is that ZIKV infection in the testes or epididymis might affect sperm development and, consequently, male fertility. Still, diagnostic tests have not yet been adapted to resource-restricted countries. This manuscript provides an updated overview of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of ZIKV infection and reviews data on ZIKV persistence in semen and associated risks to the male reproductive system described in human and animal models studies. We provide an updated summary of the impact of the recent ZIKV outbreak on human-ART, weighing on current recommendations and diagnostic approaches, both available and prospective, with special emphasis on mass spectrometry-based biomarker discovery. In the light of the identified gaps in our accumulated knowledge on the subject, we highlight the importance for couples seeking ART to follow the constantly revised guidelines and the need of specific ZIKV diagnosis tools for semen screening to contain ZIKV virus spread and make ART safer.

The introduction and widespread application of vitrification are one of the most important achievements in human assisted reproduction techniques (ART) of the past decade despite controversy and unclarified issues, mostly related to concerns about disease transmission. Guidance documents published by US Food and Drug Administration, which focused on the safety of tissue/organ donations during Zika virus spread in 2016, as well as some reports of virus, bacteria, and fungi survival to cryogenic temperatures, highlighted the need for a review of the way how potentially infectious material is handled and stored in ART-related procedures. It was experimentally demonstrated that cross-contamination between liquid nitrogen (LN2) and embryos may occur when infectious agents are present in LN2 and oocytes/embryos are not protected by a hermetically sealed device. Thus, this review summarizes pertinent data and opinions regarding the potential hazard of infectious transmission through cryopreserved and banked reproductive cells and tissues in LN2. Special attention is given to the survival of pathogens in LN2, the risk of cross-contamination, vitrification methods, sterility of LN2, and the risks associated with the use of straws, cryovials, and storage dewars.

As vasculites pulmonares primárias são caracterizadas por processo inflamatório na parede dos vasos pulmonares que leva a isquemia e hemorragia pulmonar com as conseqüentes expressões clínicas e radiológicas. As vasculites pulmonares primárias são acompanhadas de expressão sistêmicas cutâneas, em nervos periféricos, rins, seios da face, olhos e ouvidos, além do trato gastrintestinal, e sistemas cardíaco e nervoso central. O diagnóstico é feito através da associação das informações clínicas, radiológicas e anatomopatológicas. O tratamento com corticosteróides e imunossupressores deve ser instituído precocemente e apresenta altas taxas de remissão. The primary forms of pulmonary vasculitis are characterized by an inflammatory process in the pulmonary vessel walls, leading to pulmonary ischemia and hemorrhage and the consequent clinical and radiological manifestations. These forms of vasculitis are accompanied by symptoms involving the skin, peripheral nerves, kidneys, sinuses, eyes, ears and gastrointestinal tract, as well as the cardiac and central nervous systems. The diagnosis is made through analysis of the clinical, radiological and pathological data. When treatment with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive therapy is initiated early, remission rates are high.

As síndromes hemorrágicas pulmonares caracterizam-se por infiltrado pulmonar bilateral, queda dos níveis de hemoglobina e hipoxemia. Dentre as causas de sangramento estão as infecções, vasculites, coagulopatias e doenças do colágeno. A terapêutica consiste do tratamento da doença causal e suporte ventilatório, podendo ser associada a plasmaferese. Pulmonary hemorrhage syndromes are characterized by bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, decreased serum levels of hemoglobin, and hypoxemia. The causes of pulmonary hemorrhage include: infections, vasculitis, coagulopathies and collagen diseases. The therapy consists of treating the underlying disease and providing ventilatory support. In some cases, performing plasmapheresis can be beneficial.

Purpose of review To review as best the critical care clinicians can recruit the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) lungs and keep the lungs opened, assuring homogeneous ventilation, and to present the experimental and clinical results of these mechanical ventilation strategies, along with possible improvements in patient outcome based on selected published medical literature from 1972 to 2004 (highlighting the period from June 2003 to June 2004 and recent results of the authors' group research). Recent findings In the experimental setting, repeated derecruitments accentuate lung injury during mechanical ventilation, whereas open lung concept strategies can attenuate lung injury. In the clinical setting, recruitment maneuvers improve short-term oxygenation in ARDS patients. A recent prospective clinical trial showed that low versus intermediate positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) levels (8 vs 13 cm H2O) associated with low tidal ventilation had the same effect on ARDS patient survival. Nevertheless, both conventional and electrical impedance thoracic tomography studies indicate that stepwise PEEP recruitment maneuvers increase lung volume and the recruitment percentage of lung tissue, and higher levels of PEEP (18-26 cm H2O) are necessary to keep the ARDS lungs opened and assure a more homogeneous low tidal ventilation. Summary Stepwise PEEP recruitment maneuvers can open collapsed ARDS lungs. Higher levels of PEEP are necessary to maintain the lungs open and assure homogenous ventilation in ARDS. In the near future, thoracic CT associated with high-performance monitoring of regional ventilation (electrical impedance tomography) may be used at the bedside to determine the optimal mechanical ventilation of ARDS patients.

A hemorragia alveolar é uma síndrome que pode ocorrer como manifestação de uma série de doenças, cada uma com eventos fisiopatológicos diferentes resultando em sangramento pulmonar. A análise histológica detalhada destes pacientes pode auxiliar no entendimento desta síndrome. Neste estudo nós fizemos a revisão e descrição dos achados das lâminas de tecido pulmonar e do prontuário médico de 48 pacientes falecidos por hemorragia alveolar nos anos de 1999 a 2004. A maioria apresentou hemorragia de característica difusa (87,5%), predominantemente alveolar (79,2%), sem sinais de recorrência (79,2%) e com presença de fibrina (81,3%). As outras características avaliadas foram: vasculite (8,3%), trombose intravascular (27,1%),esclerose arterial (31,3%), capilarite (41,7%), acometimento intersticial (35,4%), acometimento venoso (41,7%), presença de sinais de infecção (50%), membrana hialina (25%). Com os registros médicos, classificamos os pacientes nas seguintes síndromes clínicas: congestão pulmonar (29,17%), coagulopatia (25%), sepse (27,08%) e inflamação (18,75%). Após as análises clínica e histológica, fizemos a correlação entre estes dados e encontramos que os pacientes com diagnóstico de congestão apresentaram menor presença de fibrina e de acometimento intersticial e maior presença de sangramento focal. O sangramento por coagulopatia se caracterizou por menor presença de fibrina e ausência de sinais de sangramento recorrente. Os pacientes com infecção clínica, histologicamente apresentaram fibrina e sinais de infecção no tecido pulmonar, já os pacientes com diagnóstico de inflamação se caracterizaram pela presença de fibrina, esclerose arterial e sangramento focal. Concluindo, nosso estudo sugere que alguns padrões histológicos são mais comuns em determinadas síndromes clínicas, e podem ser úteis no diagnóstico causal da hemorragia alveolar Alveolar haemorrhage is a syndrome presented by many diseases each one with its particular physiopathologic mechanism resulting in pulmonary bleeding. The detailed histological analysis of these patients can help understanding this syndrome. In this study we reviewed and described histological findings of lung slides and medical records from patients whose cause of death was alveolar haemorrhage between 1999 and 2004. Most patients presented diffuse (87,5%), mainly alveolar (79,2%) rather than interstitial and recent bleeding with no signs of recurrence (79,2%). We also observed the presence of: fibrin (81,3%), vasculitis (8,3%), intravascular thrombosis (27,1%), arterial sclerosis (31,3%), capillarity (41,7%), interstitial involvement (35,4%), venous involvement (41,7%), signs of infection on lung tissue (50%) and hyaline membrane (25%). Clinically we classified the patients as having one of the following syndromes: pulmonary oedema due to congestive heart failure (CHF- 29,17%), coagulation disorders (25%), sepsis (27,08%) and systemic inflammation (18,75%). After correlating clinical and histological data we found CHF to have lower presence of fibrin and interstitial involvement and a greater presence of focal bleeding. Coagulation disorders were characterized by no signs of recurrent bleeding and a lower presence of fibrin than infection and inflammation. Patients with clinical diagnosis of systemic inflammation had a greater presence of fibrin and arterial sclerosis than other clinical syndrome and patients with clinical diagnosis of sepsis showed presence of signs of infection in lung tissue no matter the clinical site of infection. In conclusion, our study suggests that some histological patterns happens more commonly in determined clinical syndromes and can help diagnosing the cause of bleeding .

Recruitment maneuvers and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)/tidal ventilation titration in acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) are the cornerstone of mechanical ventilatory support. The net result of these possible adjustments in ventilatory parameters is the interaction of the pressure applied in the respiratory system (airway pressure/end expiratory pressure) counterbalanced by chest wall configuration/abdominal pressure along the mechanical ventilatory support duration. Refinements in the ventilatory adjustments in ALI/ARDS are necessary for minimizing the biotrauma in this still life-threatening clinical problem.

INTRODUÇÃO: Ventilação assistida proporcional plus é um novo conceito de suporte ventilatório assistido que visa atuar de acordo com os níveis de esforço inspiratório, mecânica respiratória e níveis de porcentagem de apoio. A complexa interação entre esses fatores que comandam a sua função é de difícil interpretação na prática clínica. O objetivo deste estudo é provocar alterações na complacência, resistência e esforços inspiratórios, em um sistema pulmonar mecânico, para entender o funcionamento e as respostas desse modo nas suas diferentes porcentagens de apoio. MÉTODOS: No Laboratório de Ventilação Mecânica da Disciplina de Pneumologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, um ventilador Interplus da marca Intermed foi conectado em um pulmão mecânico da marca Michigan Instruments Inc, com a finalidade de gerar diferentes níveis de esforços inspiratórios e para disparar o ventilador Puritan-Bennett 840 da marca Covidien. Os volumes correntes expirados foram medidos e posteriormente comparados através do método estatístico ANOVA two-way, para 10 níveis de porcentagem de apoio (de 5% a 95%), 3 níveis de complacência (50, 100 e 150 mL/cmH2O), 3 níveis de resistência (5, 20 e 50 cmH2O/L/s) e 4 níveis de esforço inspiratório (-2, -5, -8 e -15 cmH2O). RESULTADOS: Trezentas e sessenta medidas de volume corrente expirado foram obtidas. Os volumes correntes expirados aumentaram significativamente com o incremento dos esforços inspiratórios, durante altos esforços inspiratórios e altas complacências. Diminuíram significativamente durante o incremento das resistências, especialmente quando combinado com baixos esforços inspiratórios e baixas complacências. O fenômeno de sobreassistência (runaway) ocorreu com porcentagem de apoio de 95% combinada com alta resistência e alta complacência. CONCLUSÃO: O modo ventilação assistida proporcional plus respondeu adequadamente às alterações provocadas nas complacências e nos esforços inspiratórios testados. Respondeu à situações de resistência extremamente alta somente quando associado com altos esforços inspiratórios. Não houve fenômeno de sobreassistência em porcentagens de apoio menores que 95%. BACKGROUND: Proportional assist ventilation plus (PAV+) is a new concept of assist ventilatory support conceived to act according to the levels of inspiratory efforts, respiratory mechanics and percentages levels of assistance. This complex interaction among the factors commanding its function is difficult to detect in clinical setting. This study aimed to provoke changes in compliance, resistance and inspiratory efforts in a lung simulator to understand the responses of PAV+ support. METHODS: In the Mechanical Ventilation Laboratory at University of São Paulo, an Inter Plus ventilator (Intermed ®) connected to lung simulator (Michigan Instruments Inc) acted triggering Puritan-Bennett 840 ventilator (Covidien ®) at different levels of inspiratory efforts. Expiratory tidal volumes were measured and compared (ANOVA-2-way) at 10 levels of PAV+ support (from 5% to 95%), 3 levels of lung simulator compliance (50, 100, 150 mL/cmH20), 3 levels of airway resistance (5, 20, 50 cmH20/L/s) and 4 levels of inspiratory effort ( -2, -5, -8, -15 cmH20). RESULTS: A total of 360 tidal volumes were measured. They increased significantly during increment of inspiratory efforts and during higher inspiratory efforts with higher compliances. They decreased significantly during respiratory resistance increments, especially when combined with low inspiratory efforts and compliances. Runaway occurred during PAV+ support of 95% combined with high respiratory resistance and compliance. CONCLUSIONS: PAV+ responded adequately to provoked changes in the tested respiratory compliances and inspiratory efforts. It responded to very high resistance only when associated with high inspiratory efforts. There was no runaway phenomenon during PAV+ assistance below 95%.

A lesão pulmonar é a principal causa de morte da Esclerose Sistêmica (ES), e as alterações principais são: o acometimento intersticial e o vascular. No presente estudo analisamos através do microscópio confocal a laser 40 artérias pulmonares de pequeno e médio calibre de pacientes com ES e 16 controles. Medimos a área do lúmen, a área total do vaso e fizemos a subtração da área total do vaso menos a do lúmen, e a porcentagem da área do lúmen em relação à área total do vaso. Observou-se que a área do lúmen e a porcentagem da área do lúmen em relação a área total do vaso são significativamente menores na ES em relação ao controle, e que a diferença entre a área total do vaso e a área do lúmen foi maior no grupo ES. Os achados confirmaram a hipótese inicial de acometimento das artérias pulmonares na ES, que se encontram espessadas devido à inflamação, infiltração celular em suas camadas e ativação endotelial Lung injury is the leading cause of death in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), and the main changes are: the vascular and interstitial involvement. In this study we analyzed through the confocal laser microscope 40 lung arteries of small and medium-sized of patients with SSc and 16 arteries of control group. We measured the lumen area, the total vessel area, made the subtracting the total vessel area minus the lumen area and the percentage between the lumen area and total vessel area. It was observed that the lumen area and the percentage between the lumen area and total vessel area were significantly lower in SSc group compared to control group, and the difference between the total vessel and the lumen area was higher in SSc. The findings confirmed the initial hypothesis of pulmonary arterial injury in SSc, wich are thickened due to inflammation, cellular infiltration into its layers and endothelial activation