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Background and objectiveA high frequency of infections complicating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been reported due to the immunomodulatory effect of RA or to agents with immunosuppressive effects used in its treatment. We aimed to assess clinical and radiological characteristics of pulmonary cryptococcosis in patients with and without RA.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 52 patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis and divided them into two groups, those with RA and without RA, and compared clinical characteristics and radiological findings between them.ResultsEleven (21.2%) of the 52 patients had RA. Median follow-up periods were 51.2 (range: 1.1–258.7) months for patients with RA and 19.1 (range: 0.63–246.9) months for patients without RA. Among the patients with RA, 81.8% were women, with a mean age of 68.1 years. Female sex and respiratory comorbidities were significantly more frequent in patients with RA than in patients without RA. Frequencies of concomitant cryptococcal meningitis and respiratory failure were not different between the groups. There were no significant differences in frequency of any radiological findings, locations and number between the two groups. Among patients with RA, all but one responded well to antifungal treatment. During the antifungal treatment course, one (9.1%) patient with RA died of cryptococcosis. Despite continuing antirheumatic drugs, no patients had recurrence of pulmonary cryptococcosis during follow-up.ConclusionOther than some differences in background, there were no clinical, radiological or prognostic differences between the patients with and without RA with pulmonary cryptococcosis. The administration of antirheumatic therapy had no negative effect on the clinical course of antifungal treatment.

Objective The clinical characteristics and chest imaging findings of viral pneumonia and several interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) overlap, and viral pneumonia may be underrecognized and misdiagnosed as certain ILDs. To clarify the frequency of viral pneumonia among patients with acute progressive clinical courses that required a differential diagnosis between ILDs and pneumonia, and to determine the most frequent ILDs misdiagnosed in cases of viral pneumonia. Patients and Methods We retrospectively analyzed patients hospitalized from 2010 to 2017 with an acute clinical course (≤30 days) who underwent bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for the differential diagnosis of infection and ILDs. We performed a multiplex PCR for respiratory viruses using the patients' preserved BAL fluid. The final diagnosis was made by a multidisciplinary approach and after considering the PCR results. The diagnosis at discharge was compared to the final diagnosis. Results Among the 109 patients, 53 were diagnosed with viral pneumonia. Viral pneumonia and other diseases showed some differences in symptoms and laboratory data; however, the differences were small or overlapped. Viral pneumonia was misdiagnosed on discharge as acute fibrinous organizing pneumonia, cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, or chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (AFOP/COP/CEP) (n=22), acute interstitial pneumonia (n=5), connective tissue disease-related ILDs (n=3), unclassifiable interstitial pneumonia (n=2), drug-induced ILD (n=1), and pneumonia (n=20). Conclusion Approximately half of the patients who underwent BAL had viral pneumonia. The most common ILD-related misdiagnoses were AFOP/COP/CEP. Differences in symptoms and laboratory findings between viral pneumonia and other diseases were small, and viral pneumonia should be included in the differential diagnosis when physicians encounter cases in which the abovementioned ILDs are suspected.

Objective To clarify what future problems must be resolved and how clinical findings of SARS-CoV-2 infection differ from those of cHCoV infection. Methods Patients and Methods Clinical characteristics of 14 patients with laboratory-confirmed Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 5 patients with cHCoV pneumonia admitted to our institution and treated up to March 8, 2020, were retrospectively analyzed. Results On admission, 10 patients had pneumonia, 5 of whom had pulmonary shadows detectable only via computed tomography (CT). During hospitalization, another patient with no pulmonary shadows on admission developed pneumonia. In total, 11 (78.6%) of the 14 patients developed pneumonia, indicating its high prevalence in COVID-19. During hospitalization, the patients' symptoms spontaneously relapsed and resolved, and gastrointestinal symptoms were frequently found. C-reactive protein values showed correlation with the patients’ clinical courses. Ritonavir/lopinavir were administered to 5 patients whose respiratory conditions worsened during admission, all of whom improved. However, the pneumonia in the 6 other patients improved without antivirals. None of the 14 patients died, whereas 5 other patients with cHCoV pneumonia were in respiratory failure on admission, and one patient (20%) died. Conclusion Both SARS-CoV-2 and cHCoV can cause severe pneumonia. Problems for future resolution include whether antiviral agents administered in cases of mild or moderate severity can reduce the number of severe cases, and whether antivirals administered in severe cases can reduce mortality.

Esta pesquisa foi realizada para avaliar os efeitos do uso de pigmentantes naturais e extratos de marigold e páprica em rações à base de sorgo para codornas japonesas. Foram utilizadas 180 codornas japonesas (Coturnix japonica), com 98 dias de idade, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, composto por cinco tratamentos e seis repetições com seis aves cada. O experimento foi dividido em seis períodos de quatro dias, totalizando 24 dias. Foram analisados o desempenho produtivo e a qualidade dos ovos das codornas. A cor da gema foi avaliada a cada quatro dias durante 24 dias pelo método do escore colorimétrico DSM. Não houve efeito dos tratamentos sobre o desempenho e a qualidade dos ovos das codornas, à exceção da cor da gema. O extrato de marigold proporcionou escore colorimétrico da gema equivalente ao das aves alimentadas com milho. A suplementação associada dos extratos de marigold e páprica proporcionou maior escore colorimétrico e em menor tempo. A utilização de pigmentantes naturais deve ser analisada considerando o escore colorimétrico que se deseja obter e o custo da suplementação de cada fonte comercial.The objective was to evaluate the effects of natural pigments from marigold extract and paprika to Japanese quails fed sorghum-based diets. One hundred and eight Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica), with 98 days of age were distributed in a complete randomized design in a split plot arrangement, with five treatments and six replicates of six birds each. The experiment was divided into six periods of four days each, totaling 24 days. Parameters productive performance and quail egg quality were evaluated. Yolk color was evaluated every 4 days for 24 days by the DSM colorimetric score method. There was no effect of experimental diets on performance or quality of quail egg, except for egg yolk color. The extract of marigold promoted yolk color scores equivalent to those obtained with corn. Supplementation of marigold extract with paprika provided higher color scores in less time. The use of natural pigments should be analyzed as for the color scores one wishes to obtain and cost of each commercial source supplementation.

Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar o desempenho e a qualidade dos ovos de codornas japonesas (Coturnix japonica) alimentadas com rações cotendo sorgo de baixo tanino em substituição ao milho. Foram utilizadas 210 codornas japonesas fêmeas com 65 dias de idade, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com cinco rações experimentais (0; 25; 50; 75 e 100% de sorgo em substituição ao milho) e seis repetições de sete aves. No experimento, cuja duração foi de 112 dias, não houve efeito significativo dos níveis de sorgo nas rações sobre nenhuma das características de produção. Com aumento dos níveis de sorgo na ração, houve redução linear da cor da gema e do custo da ração. O sorgo de baixo tanino pode substituir totalmente o milho em rações para codornas japonesas em postura.

Esta pesquisa foi realizada para avaliar os efeitos do uso de pigmentantes naturais e extratos de marigold e páprica em rações à base de sorgo para codornas japonesas. Foram utilizadas 180 codornas japonesas (Coturnix japonica), com 98 dias de idade, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, composto por cinco tratamentos e seis repetições com seis aves cada. O experimento foi dividido em seis períodos de quatro dias, totalizando 24 dias. Foram analisados o desempenho produtivo e a qualidade dos ovos das codornas. A cor da gema foi avaliada a cada quatro dias durante 24 dias pelo método do escore colorimétrico DSM. Não houve efeito dos tratamentos sobre o desempenho e a qualidade dos ovos das codornas, à exceção da cor da gema. O extrato de marigold proporcionou escore colorimétrico da gema equivalente ao das aves alimentadas com milho. A suplementação associada dos extratos de marigold e páprica proporcionou maior escore colorimétrico e em menor tempo. A utilização de pigmentantes naturais deve ser analisada considerando o escore colorimétrico que se deseja obter e o custo da suplementação de cada fonte comercial. The objective was to evaluate the effects of natural pigments from marigold extract and paprika to Japanese quails fed sorghum-based diets. One hundred and eight Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica), with 98 days of age were distributed in a complete randomized design in a split plot arrangement, with five treatments and six replicates of six birds each. The experiment was divided into six periods of four days each, totaling 24 days. Parameters productive performance and quail egg quality were evaluated. Yolk color was evaluated every 4 days for 24 days by the DSM colorimetric score method. There was no effect of experimental diets on performance or quality of quail egg, except for egg yolk color. The extract of marigold promoted yolk color scores equivalent to those obtained with corn. Supplementation of marigold extract with paprika provided higher color scores in less time. The use of natural pigments should be analyzed as for the color scores one wishes to obtain and cost of each commercial source supplementation.