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To investigate the effectiveness of paced breathing guided by biofeedback on clinical and functional outcomes of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). An uncontrolled pilot study comprising a training with paced breathing guided by biofeedback (three sessions of 35 min per week) was conducted over four weeks (12 sessions). Assessments included respiratory muscle strength (using a manovacuometer), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), dyspnea (Baseline Dyspnea Index), functionality (Timed Up and Go Test), health status (COPD Assessment Test) and health-related quality of life (Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire). The sample consisted of nine patients with a mean age of 68.2 ± 7.8 years. After intervention, patients significantly improved in health status and health-related quality of life, assessed using the COPD Assessment Test (p < 0.001) and Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (p < 0.001); anxiety (p < 0.001); and depression (p = 0.001). Patients also significantly improved in dyspnea (p = 0.008), TUG (p = 0.015), CC Score (p = 0.031), and maximum inspiratory (p = 0.004) and expiratory pressures (p < 0.001). An intervention with paced breathing guided by biofeedback promoted positive results on dyspnea, anxiety, depression, health status and perceived health-related quality of life in patients with COPD. Moreover, gains in respiratory muscle strength and functional performance were observed, affecting the performance of daily activities., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The simultaneous analysis of the maximum number of chemical elements present in plant tissues provides more comprehensive information about their chemical constitution and increases the number of characteristics for the selection process in various plant breeding programs. The objective of this study was to analyze productivity, grain yield, and concentration of chemical elements in tissues of Coffea canephora clones to study phenotypic diversity and estimate genetic parameters for use in breeding. This experiment was carried out in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, in randomized blocks with four replications. The concentrations of elements in various organs were quantified using total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF). Genetic parameters and genetic divergence were estimated, and genotypes were clustered using the UPGMA hierarchical method and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis. The study allowed us to differentiate the performance of the clones in terms of the absorption of essential and non-essential chemical elements for plant development and to analyze the correlation of the characteristics in the selection process. TXRF efficiently characterizes the presence and concentration of multiple elements, aiding genotype discrimination for C. canephora improvement.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of genetic variants in glutamate ionotropic receptor N-methyl- d -aspartate type subunit 2B ( GRIN2B ), glutamate ionotropic receptor α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid type subunit 1 ( GRIA1 ), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor ( BDNF ) genes on therapeutic response, remission, and total Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores after treatment with ketamine or esketamine in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) patients., Methods: Participants (N = 60) are from a double-blind, randomized, noninferiority clinical trial comparing single-dose intravenous ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) to esketamine (0.25 mg/kg) for TRD. Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale was applied at baseline, 24 hours, 72 hours, and 7 days postinfusion to assess depressive symptoms. Blood samples were collected to evaluate single nucleotide polymorphisms rs1805502 ( GRIN2B ), rs1994862 ( GRIA1 ), and rs6265 ( BDNF )., Results: There was no association between rs1805502, rs1994862, or rs6265 polymorphisms and antidepressant response ( P = 0.909, P = 0.776, and P = 0.482, respectively), remission P = 0.790, P = 0.086, and P = 0.669), or Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores at each time point ( P = 0.907, P = 0.552, and P = 0.778)., Conclusions: We found no association between the studied single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs6265, rs1805502, and rs1994862) and ketamine's therapeutic action in TRD patients. Further studies with larger samples are needed to clarify the utility of these genes of interest as predictors for antidepressant treatment., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest and Source of Funding: The research leading to these results was supported by the Programa de Pesquisa para o SUS (PPSUS/BA) (grant number 003/2017), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia (FAPESB). Sponsors did not have any role in study design, writing of the manuscript, or the decision to submit it for publication., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to determine the dietary lysine requirements of juvenile Colossoma macropomum tambaqui based growth performance, hepatic and intestinal morphohistology and hematology. Tambaqui were fed with levels of 6.60, 9.72, 12.84, 15.96, 19.08, and 22.20 g/kg of total lysine and those who received 15.96 g/kg dietary lysine showed higher final weight (p= 0.001) and optimized feed conversion ratio (p= 0.001). Morphohistological modifications (presence of fat droplets) were present in livers of fish fed with low levels of lysine. In the morphohistology of the intestine, the diets influenced the density of the intestinal, cell layers, height and perimeters of the villi and acid mucin secretion by the goblet cells. In the proximal intestine, mucosa layer density was greater at the level of 15.96 g/kg (p= 0.001). In the middle intestine, height (p= 0.001) and perimeter (p= 0.001) of the villi were greater at low levels of lysine (respectively, 9.72 and 12.84 g/kg dietary lysine). No differences were found for the hemoglobin, hematocrit, erythrocytes, MCV, MCH, MCHC, thrombocytes and leukocytes differentiated of fish fed with experimental diets (p>0.05). The biochemical responses were affected by the diet, both in plasma concentration (protein and cholesterol; p<0.05), and in muscle (ash and moisture; p<0.05). In conclusion, the dietary requirement for lysine for tambaqui juveniles was estimated to be 15.4 - 15.6 g/kg of diet (5.7% -5.8% dietary protein)., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance, hematological responses and economic indicators of juvenile tambaqui Colossoma macropomum fed different levels of partial replacement of corn by glycerol (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). The experiment was conducted for 90 days in the production of aquatic organisms lab at the Nilton Lins University, Manaus, Brazil, in a completely randomized design, and consisted of four treatments, four repetitions and two sampling times. In total, 240 juveniles were used with initial average weight and standard length of 15.32 ± 1,61 g and 8.03 ± 0.22 cm, respectively. The fish were maintained in twenty 310 L water tanks that had a closed system with no reuse, continuous aeration, siphoning and replacement of water every 48 h. Feeding was twice a day with the experimental diets, which contained 28% crude protein. The following parameters were considered: zootechnical checks (weight gain + survival %), welfare (health) (hepatosomatic index + condition factor + viscerosomatic index), economic (Economic efficiency rate + economic profitability index) and hematology (hematology + metabolites + ions). The results of the study show that diets for juvenile tambaqui can contain up to 50% replacement of corn by glycerol without compromising the fishes' development under the conditions studied., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Program for Biodiversity Research (PPBio) is an innovative program designed to integrate all biodiversity research stakeholders. Operating since 2004, it has installed long-term ecological research sites throughout Brazil and its logic has been applied in some other southern-hemisphere countries. The program supports all aspects of research necessary to understand biodiversity and the processes that affect it. There are presently 161 sampling sites (see some of them at Supplementary Appendix), most of which use a standardized methodology that allows comparisons across biomes and through time. To date, there are about 1200 publications associated with PPBio that cover topics ranging from natural history to genetics and species distributions. Most of the field data and metadata are available through PPBio web sites or DataONE. Metadata is available for researchers that intend to explore the different faces of Brazilian biodiversity spatio-temporal variation, as well as for managers intending to improve conservation strategies. The Program also fostered, directly and indirectly, local technical capacity building, and supported the training of hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students. The main challenge is maintaining the long-term funding necessary to understand biodiversity patterns and processes under pressure from global environmental changes.

The objective of this study was to compare and correlate the ecology of neonates and young individuals of Potamotrygon wallacei, Potamotrygon motoro and Paratrygon aiereba with regard to their hematological profile and the physicochemical parameters of the water that they inhabit. Principal component analysis (PCA) on the complete blood count revealed total variation of 72.92%, thus demonstrating a differentiation system for oxygen demand. On the other hand, P. motoro was considered to be an intermediate species, given that its complete blood count characteristics interacted with both P. wallacei and with P. aiereba. The interaction among the biochemical variables was shown to total 64.67% of the factors. This allowed differentiation of P. wallacei from P. aiereba, while P. motoro maintained an intermediate position. These characteristics of differentiation within the preferred environment corroborate the PCA of the present study and confirm that these species can be differentiated through considering the complete blood count and biochemical parameters. The PCA on water properties showed 68.57% differentiation, mainly comprising the x axis (49.44%). It can be affirmed that P. motoro has the capacity to inhabit the preferential areas of P. wallacei and P. aiereba, as well as occupying localities in which other stingrays are not found. In conclusion, P. wallacei presents patterns differentiating it from P. aiereba, while P. motoro is a species that presents intermediate characteristics. The latter can be considered to be a more broadly distributed species regarding its ecophysiological characteristics.

Recent studies from temperate lakes indicate that eutrophic systems tend to emit less carbon dioxide (CO2) and bury more organic carbon (OC) than oligotrophic ones, rendering them CO2 sinks in some cases. However, the scarcity of data from tropical systems is critical for a complete understanding of the interplay between eutrophication and aquatic carbon (C) fluxes in warm waters. We test the hypothesis that a warm eutrophic system is a source of both CO2 and CH4 to the atmosphere, and that atmospheric emissions are larger than the burial of OC in sediments. This hypothesis was based on the following assumptions: (i) OC mineralization rates are high in warm water systems, so that water column CO2 production overrides the high C uptake by primary producers, and (ii) increasing trophic status creates favorable conditions for CH4 production. We measured water-air and sediment-water CO2 fluxes, CH4 diffusion, ebullition and oxidation, net ecosystem production (NEP) and sediment OC burial during the dry season in a eutrophic reservoir in the semiarid northeastern Brazil. The reservoir was stratified during daytime and mixed during nighttime. In spite of the high rates of primary production (4858 ± 934 mg C m(-2) d(-1)), net heterotrophy was prevalent due to high ecosystem respiration (5209 ± 992 mg C m(-2) d(-1)). Consequently, the reservoir was a source of atmospheric CO2 (518 ± 182 mg C m(-2) d(-1)). In addition, the reservoir was a source of ebullitive (17 ± 10 mg C m(-2) d(-1)) and diffusive CH4 (11 ± 6 mg C m(-2) d(-1)). OC sedimentation was high (1162 mg C m(-2) d(-1)), but our results suggest that the majority of it is mineralized to CO2 (722 ± 182 mg C m(-2) d(-1)) rather than buried as OC (440 mg C m(-2) d(-1)). Although temporally resolved data would render our findings more conclusive, our results suggest that despite being a primary production and OC burial hotspot, the tropical eutrophic system studied here was a stronger CO2 and CH4 source than a C sink, mainly because of high rates of OC mineralization in the water column and sediments.

Objectives: This study set out to compare the outcomes of tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) and tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) procedures in the treatment of dogs affected with unilateral cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD) based on subjective parameters and objective pressure platform analysis (baropodometry)., Methods: Twenty-seven adult dogs weighing over 20 kg that were presented with unilateral CCLD and were treated by the TTA (12 dogs) or TPLO (15 dogs) surgical procedure. Patient allocation to either group was based on tibial plateau angle (TPA), according to clinical guidelines (indication for TTA for dogs was a TPA up to 25°, and indication for TPLO was any TPA). Pressure platform analysis was performed prior to surgery and at four different postoperative time points (14, 30, 60 and 90 days)., Results: Limb function significantly improved following TTA and TPLO, with no significant differences between groups., Conclusion: The TTA and TPLO surgical procedures were considered to be equally effective in promoting weight bearing capacity recovery in dogs affected with unilateral CCLD under the conditions of this trial.

Background: Consumption of turtles by natives and settlers in the Amazon and Orinoco has been widely studied in scientific communities. Accepted cultural customs and the local dietary and monetary needs need to be taken into account in conservation programs, and when implementing federal laws related to consumption and fishing methods. This study was conducted around the Purus River, a region known for the consumption and illegal trade of turtles. The objective of this study was to quantify the illegal turtle trade in Tapauá and to understand its effect on the local economy., Methods: This study was conducted in the municipality of Tapauá in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. To estimate turtle consumption, interviews were conducted over 2 consecutive years (2006 and 2007) in urban areas and isolated communities. The experimental design was randomized with respect to type of household. To study the turtle fishery and trade chain, we used snowball sampling methodology., Results: During our study period, 100% of respondents reported consuming at least three species of turtles (Podocnemis spp.). Our estimates indicate that about 34 tons of animals are consumed annually in Tapauá along the margins of a major fishing river in the Amazon. At least five components related to the chain of commercialization of turtles on the Purus River are identified: Indigenous Apurinã and (2) residents of bordering villages (communities); (3) of local smugglers buy and sell turtles to the community in exchange for manufactured goods, and (4) regional smugglers buy in Tapauá, Lábrea, and Beruri to sell in Manaus and Manacapuru; Finally, (5) there are professional fishermen., Conclusions: We quantify the full impact of turtle consumption and advocate the conservation of the region's turtle populations. The Brazilian government should initiate a new turtle consumption management program which involves the opinions of consumers. With these measures the conservation of freshwater turtles in the Brazilian Amazon, is possible.

Background and Objectives: Preoperative tests aim to reduce morbidity and mortality of surgical patients, cost of perioperative care, and preoperative anxiety. Clinical evaluation allows defining the need for additional tests and strategies to reduce the surgical-anesthetic risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of routine preoperative testing of low-risk patients undergoing minor and medium surgical procedures., Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 800 patients seen at the preanesthetic assessment department of Hospital Santo Antonio, Salvador, BA. Patients with physical status ASA I, aged 1-45 years and scheduled to undergo elective minor and medium surgeries were include in the study. We evaluated changes in blood count, coagulation profile, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, blood sugar, kidney function, sodium and potassium levels, and eventual change in clinical approach occurring due to these changes., Results: Of 800 patients evaluated, a blood count was performed in 97.5%, coagulation in 89%t, electrocardiogram in 74.1%, chest X-ray in 62%, fasting glucose in 68%, serum urea and creatinine in 55.7%, and plasma levels of sodium and potassium in 10.1%. Of these 700 patients, 68 (9.71%) showed changes in preoperative routine tests and only 10 (14.7%) of the patients with abnormal tests had a preoperative modified approach (i.e., new tests ordered, referral to a specialist or surgery postponement). No surgery was suspended., Conclusion: We found that preoperative additional tests are excessively ordered, even for young patients with low surgical risk, with little or no interference in perioperative management. Laboratory tests, besides generating high and unnecessary costs, are not good standardized screening instruments for diseases., (Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: Preoperative tests aim to reduce morbidity and mortality of surgical patients, cost of perioperative care, and preoperative anxiety. Clinical evaluation allows defining the need for additional tests and strategies to reduce the surgical-anesthetic risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of routine preoperative testing of low-risk patients undergoing minor and medium surgical procedures., Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 800 patients seen at the preanesthetic assessment department of Hospital Santo Antonio, Salvador, BA. Patients with physical status ASA I, aged 1-45 years and scheduled to undergo elective minor and medium surgeries were include in the study. We evaluated changes in blood count, coagulation profile, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, blood sugar, kidney function, sodium and potassium levels, and eventual change in clinical approach occurring due to these changes., Results: Of 800 patients evaluated, a blood count was performed in 97.5%, coagulation in 89%t, electrocardiogram in 74.1%, chest X-ray in 62%, fasting glucose in 68%, serum urea and creatinine in 55.7%, and plasma levels of sodium and potassium in 10.1%. Of these 700 patients, 68 (9.71%) showed changes in preoperative routine tests and only 10 (14.7%) of the patients with abnormal tests had a preoperative modified approach (i.e., new tests ordered, referral to a specialist or surgery postponement). No surgery was suspended., Conclusion: We found that preoperative additional tests are excessively ordered, even for young patients with low surgical risk, with little or no interference in perioperative management. Laboratory tests, besides generating high and unnecessary costs, are not good standardized screening instruments for diseases., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

The scope of this case study is to discuss the ideas of the Brazilian Codex Alimentarius Committee (CCAB) coordinated by National Institute of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (Inmetro), with respect to the Codex Alimentarius norm on Risk Analysis (RA) applied to Food Safety. The objectives of this investigation were to identify and analyze the opinion of CCAB members on RA and to register their proposals for the application of this norm in Brazil, highlighting the local limitations and potential detected. CCAB members were found to be in favor of the Codex Alimentarius initiative of instituting an RA norm to promote the health safety of foods that circulate on the international market. There was a consensus that the Brazilian government should incorporate RA as official policy to improve the country's system of food control and leverage Brazilian food exports. They acknowledge that Brazil has the technical-scientific capacity to apply this norm, though they stressed several political and institutional limitations. The members consider RA to be a valid initiative for tackling risks in food, due to its ability to improve food safety control measures adopted by the government.

Background and Objectives: Von Recklinghausen's disease is a neurogenetic disease due to chromosome 17 abnormality. This report aimed at describing the anesthetic approach for Von Recklinghausen's disease patient submitted to urgency orthopedic surgery., Case Report: Female patient, 28 years old, with Von Recklinghausen's disease, submitted to emergency orthopedic surgery under spinal block. There have been no complications both in the intraoperative period and in the post-anesthetic care unit. Patient was discharged 4 days later., Conclusions: Spinal block was possible in this case with no need for airway handling.