The aim of this study is to present APOIA-Aquaculture, an indicator system for assessing Best Management Practices (BMPs) in tilapia cage farming. Two specific objectives were set: (1) to detail the ...construction and operation of APOIA-Aquaculture; and (2) to attest to its analytical feasibility for BMP assessment in six fish farms selected as contrasting ventures at the Furnas and the Ilha Solteira reservoirs, important production sites in Southeastern Brazil. The proposed APOIA-Aquaculture comprises 68 integrated indicators, grouped into a set of four managerial dimensions: Spatial Organization (22 indicators), Management and Nutrition (23), Water Quality (14), and Quality of Sediment (9). The indicators were devised as to express fish farm compliance to predefined environmental standards, selected legislation requirements, and BMP effectiveness. Results of farm assessments indicate common deficiencies in the indicators of the Spatial Organization dimension, such as those related to the lack of equipment for water quality monitoring, fish cage positioning, improper storage of feed and supplements, inadequate control of fish disease symptoms, lack of appropriate records of the use of therapeutic and prophylactic products, and conflicts related to multiple water uses. In the Management and Nutrition dimension, indicators stressed the absence of biometric checks, inadequate procedures for residue disposal, and deficient control and records of fish losses (escapes). Overall, interactions were observed among indicators of the Management and Nutrition dimension and signs of deterioration in Water and Sediment Quality, as a consequence of inadequate feeding practices. Based on our results, we demonstrate the efficacy of APOIA-Aquaculture as an analytical tool for assessment of BMPs in tilapia cage farming. Aggregate information from indicators facilitates the adoption of measures to promote specific local infrastructure and monitoring needs according to proposed BMPs, towards improving the sustainability of the fish farms.
•An assessment system for aquaculture best management practices is presented.•Management performances were assessed in fish cage farms with different typologies, in contrasting contexts of large hydroelectric reservoirs.•Specific deficiencies in performance indices are related to environmental impairment and implied management recommendations.•Improved management practices can be properly reported to farmers based on the integrated assessment of indicators.
To evaluate the tooth enamel surface morphology after the action of 35% hydrogen peroxide with and without LED activation.
70 bovine incisors with an enamel surface of 4x4x3 mm were used, prepared ...for reading superficial microhardness and roughness. Specimens were randomly distributed and divided into 7 experimental groups (n = 10); G1 = artificial saliva; G2 = 35% HP - 2 sessions (3x15´); G3 = Phosphoric Acid + 35% HP - 3 sessions (3x15´); G4 = 35% HP - 2 sessions (3x15´) + blue LED; G5 = 35% HP - 2 sessions (3x15´) + green LED; G6 = 35% HP - 2 sessions (3x20´) + violet LED; G7 = Violet LED - 2 sessions (3x20´). The results were analyzed by the Anova, Wilcoxon, Dunnett and Tukey tests (α = 0.05).
The G4 group showed a greater change in microhardness. Regarding roughness, the biggest mean difference between groups occurred in G2, G5 and G7. Optical microscopy showed a smooth enamel surface in groups G2, G5 and G7.
Changes in the enamel surface were observed in relation to microhardness, but without significant changes in roughness, where the LED (green and violet) resulted in a smooth surface.
Tooth whitening, superficial morphology, light, photoradiatio.
Abstract
Since the beginning of the pandemic of COVID-19, there has been a widespread assumption that most infected persons are asymptomatic. Using data from the recent wave of the EPICOVID19 study, ...a nationwide household-based survey including 133 cities from all states of Brazil, we estimated the proportion of people with and without antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 who were asymptomatic, which symptoms were most frequently reported, number of symptoms and the association with socio-demographic characteristics. We tested 33,205 subjects using a rapid antibody test previously validated. Information was collected before participants received the test result. Out of 849 (2.7%) participants positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, only 12.1% (95% CI 10.1–14.5) reported no symptoms, compared to 42.2% (95% CI 41.7–42.8) among those negative. The largest difference between the two groups was observed for changes in smell/taste (56.5% versus 9.1%, a 6.2-fold difference). Changes in smell/taste, fever and body aches were most likely to predict positive tests as suggested by recursive partitioning tree analysis. Among individuals without any of these three symptoms, only 0.8% tested positive, compared to 18.3% of those with both fever and changes in smell or taste. Most subjects with antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are symptomatic, even though most present only mild symptoms.
Population-based data on COVID-19 are essential for guiding policies. There are few such studies, particularly from low or middle-income countries. Brazil is currently a hotspot for COVID-19 ...globally. We aimed to investigate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody prevalence by city and according to sex, age, ethnicity group, and socioeconomic status, and compare seroprevalence estimates with official statistics on deaths and cases.
In this repeated cross-sectional study, we did two seroprevalence surveys in 133 sentinel cities in all Brazilian states. We randomly selected households and randomly selected one individual from all household members. We excluded children younger than 1 year. Presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was assessed using a lateral flow point-of-care test, the WONDFO SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Test (Wondfo Biotech, Guangzhou, China), using two drops of blood from finger prick samples. This lateral-flow assay detects IgG and IgM isotypes that are specific to the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain of the spike protein. Participants also answered short questionnaires on sociodemographic information (sex, age, education, ethnicity, household size, and household assets) and compliance with physical distancing measures.
We included 25 025 participants in the first survey (May 14–21) and 31 165 in the second (June 4–7). For the 83 (62%) cities with sample sizes of more than 200 participants in both surveys, the pooled seroprevalence increased from 1·9% (95% CI 1·7–2·1) to 3·1% (2·8–3·4). City-level prevalence ranged from 0% to 25·4% in both surveys. 11 (69%) of 16 cities with prevalence above 2·0% in the first survey were located in a stretch along a 2000 km of the Amazon river in the northern region. In the second survey, we found 34 cities with prevalence above 2·0%, which included the same 11 Amazon cities plus 14 from the northeast region, where prevalence was increasing rapidly. Prevalence levels were lower in the south and centre-west, and intermediate in the southeast, where the highest level was found in Rio de Janeiro (7·5% 4·2–12·2). In the second survey, prevalence was similar in men and women, but an increased prevalence was observed in participants aged 20–59 years and those living in crowded conditions (4·4% 3·5–5·6 for those living with households with six or more people). Prevalence among Indigenous people was 6·4% (4·1–9·4) compared with 1·4% (1·2–1·7) among White people. Prevalence in the poorest socioeconomic quintile was 3·7% (3·2–4·3) compared with 1·7% (1·4–2·2) in the wealthiest quintile.
Antibody prevalence was highly heterogeneous by country region, with rapid initial escalation in Brazil's north and northeast. Prevalence is strongly associated with Indigenous ancestry and low socioeconomic status. These population subgroups are unlikely to be protected if the policy response to the pandemic by the national government continues to downplay scientific evidence.
Brazilian Ministry of Health, Instituto Serrapilheira, Brazilian Collective Health Association, and the JBS Fazer o Bem Faz Bem.
Using 100 years of fire perimeter maps, we investigate the existence of geographical patterns in fire orientation across California. We computed fire perimeter orientation, at the watershed level, ...using principal component analysis. Circular statistics were used to test for the existence of preferential fire perimeter orientations. Where perimeters displayed preferential orientation, we searched for evidence of orographic channeling by comparing mean fire orientation with watershed orientation. Results show that in California, 49% of the burnt area is associated with watersheds, where fires displayed preferential orientation. From these, 25% of the burnt area is aligned along the NE/SW orientation and 18% in the E/W orientation. In 27 out of 86 watersheds with preferential fire alignment, there is also correspondence between mean fire orientation and watershed orientation. Topographic influence on fire spread and dominant wind patterns during the fire season can account for the consistency in fire perimeter orientation in these regions. Our findings highlight the historical pattern of fire perimeter orientation and identify watersheds with potential orographic channeling.
Readmissions after an index heart failure (HF) hospitalization are a major contemporary health care problem.
To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of an intensive telemonitoring strategy in the ...vulnerable period after an HF hospitalization.
This randomized clinical trial was conducted in 30 HF clinics in Brazil. Patients with left ventricular ejection fraction less than 40% and access to mobile phones were enrolled up to 30 days after an HF admission. Data were collected from July 2019 to July 2022.
Participants were randomly assigned to a telemonitoring strategy or standard care. The telemonitoring group received 4 daily short message service text messages to optimize self-care, active engagement, and early intervention. Red flags based on feedback messages triggered automatic diuretic adjustment and/or a telephone call from the health care team.
The primary end point was change in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) from baseline to 180 days. A hierarchical win-ratio analysis incorporating blindly adjudicated clinical events (cardiovascular deaths and HF hospitalization) and variation in NT-proBNP was also performed.
Of 699 included patients, 460 (65.8%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 61.2 (14.5) years. A total of 352 patients were randomly assigned to the telemonitoring strategy and 347 to standard care. Satisfaction with the telemonitoring strategy was excellent (net promoting score at 180 days, 78.5). HF self-care increased significantly in the telemonitoring group compared with the standard care group (score difference at 30 days, -2.21; 95% CI, -3.67 to -0.74; P = .001; score difference at 180 days, -2.08; 95% CI, -3.59 to -0.57; P = .004). Variation of NT-proBNP was similar in the telemonitoring group compared with the standard care group (telemonitoring: baseline, 2593 pg/mL; 95% CI, 2314-2923; 180 days, 1313 pg/mL; 95% CI, 1117-1543; standard care: baseline, 2396 pg/mL; 95% CI, 2122-2721; 180 days, 1319 pg/mL; 95% CI, 1114-1564; ratio of change, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.77-1.11; P = .39). Hierarchical analysis of the composite outcome demonstrated a similar number of wins in both groups (telemonitoring, 49 883 of 122 144 comparisons 40.8%; standard care, 48 034 of 122 144 comparisons 39.3%; win ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.86-1.26).
An intensive telemonitoring strategy applied in the vulnerable period after an HF admission was feasible, well-accepted, and increased scores of HF self-care but did not translate to reductions in NT-proBNP levels nor improvement in a composite hierarchical clinical outcome.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04062461.
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are of crucial interest for therapeutic purposes, particularly in vaccination and immunization, and in the treatment of life-threatening diseases. However, their ...downstream processing from the complex cell culture media in which they are produced still requires multiple steps, making mAbs extremely high-cost products. Therefore, the development of cost-effective, sustainable and biocompatible purification strategies for mAbs is in high demand to decrease the associated economic, environmental and health burdens. Herein, novel aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) composed of glycine-betaine analogue ionic liquids (AGB-ILs) and K
2
HPO
4
/KH
2
PO
4
at pH 7.0, the respective three-phase partitioning (TPP) systems, and hybrid processes combined with ultrafiltration were investigated and compared in terms of performance as alternative strategies for the purification and recovery of anti-human interleukin-8 (anti-IL-8) mAbs, which are specific therapeutics in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, from Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell culture supernatants. With the studied ABS, mAbs preferentially partition to the IL-rich phase, with recovery yields up to 100% and purification factors up to 1.6. The best systems were optimized in what concerns the IL concentration, allowing to take advantage of IL-based three-phase partitioning approaches where a precipitate enriched in mAbs is obtained at the ABS interface, yielding 41.0% of IgG with a purification factor of 2.7 (purity of 60.9%). Hybrid processes combining the two previous techniques and an ultrafiltration step were finally applied, allowing the recovery of mAbs from the different fractions in an appropriate buffer solution for further biopharmaceutical formulations, while allowing the simultaneous IL removal and reuse. The best results were obtained with the hybrid process combining TPP and ultrafiltration, allowing to obtain mAbs with a purity higher than 60%. The recyclability of the IL was additionally demonstrated, revealing no losses in the purification and recovery performance of these systems for mAbs. The biological activity of anti-IL-8 mAbs is maintained after the several purification and recovery steps, indicating that the novel ABS, three-phase partitioning and hybrid processes comprising AGB-ILs are promising and sustainable strategies in mAbs downstream processing.
Ionic-liquid-based aqueous biphasic systems, three phase partitioning methods and hybrid processes combined with ultrafiltration are sustainable strategies for the downstream processing of monoclonal antibodies.
There is widespread concern that disruption to health services during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to declines in immunization coverage among young children, but there is limited information on the ...magnitude of such impact. High immunization coverage is essential for reducing the risk of vaccine preventable diseases.
We used data from two nationwide sources covering the whole of Brazil. Data from the Information System of the National Immunization Program (SIPNI) on the monthly number of vaccine doses administered to young children were analyzed. The second source was a survey in 133 large cities in the 27 states in the country, carried out from August 24–27. Respondents answered a question on whether children under the age of three years had missed any scheduled vaccinations during the pandemic, and available vaccination cards were photographed for later examination.
SIPNI data showed that, relative to January and February 2020, there was a decline of about 20% in vaccines administered to children aged two months or older during March and April, when social distancing was at the highest level in the country. After May, vaccination levels returned to pre-pandemic values. Survey data, based on the interviews and on examination of the vaccine cards, showed that 19.0% (95% CI 17.0;21.1%) and 20.6% (95% CI 19.0;23.1%) of children, respectively, had missed immunizations. Missed doses were most common in the North (Amazon) region and least common in the South and Southeast, and also more common among children from poor than from wealthy families.
Our results show that the pandemic was associated with a reduction of about 20% in child vaccinations, but this was reverted in recent months. Children from poor families and from the least developed regions of the country were most affected. There is an urgent need to booster immunization activities in the country to compensate for missed doses, and to reduce geographic and socioeconomic inequalities.
► Polysaccharide from marine alga Gracilaria caudata (PGC) was recovery with 32.8% of yield. ► Characterization was performed by microanalysis, FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. ► The structure is ...constituted by β-d-galactopyranose and 6-α-l-anhydrogalactose. ► Methyl and pyruvic acid groups were also detected.
Seaweeds are considered an important source of bioactive molecules. In this work the marine red alga Gracilaria caudata was submitted to aqueous extraction of their polysaccharides for 2h at 100°C. The polysaccharide fraction (PGC) presented a recovery of 32.8%. The sulfate content of PGC, calculated by S%, is 1±0.2% and the degree of sulfation accounts for 0.13±0.2. High-Performance Size-Exclusion Chromatography demonstrated that PGC consists of a high molecular weight polysaccharide (2.5×105gmol−1). Chemical analysis of PGC was performed by microanalysis, infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR, 1 and 2D) spectroscopy. The structure of PGC is mainly constituted by the alternating residues 3-linked-β-d-galactopyranose and 4-linked-3,6-α-l-anhydrogalactose; however some hydroxyl groups were substituted by methyl groups and pyruvic acid acetal. The biological precursor of 3,6-α-l-anhydrogalactose (6-sulfate-α-l-galactose) was also detected.
A comprehensive set of fully integrated anthropometric measures is needed to evaluate human growth from conception to infancy so that consistent judgments can be made about the appropriateness of ...fetal and infant growth. At present, there are 2 barriers to this strategy. First, descriptive reference charts, which are derived from local, unselected samples with inadequate methods and poor characterization of their putatively healthy populations, commonly are used rather than prescriptive standards. The use of prescriptive standards is justified by the extensive biologic, genetic, and epidemiologic evidence that skeletal growth is similar from conception to childhood across geographic populations, when health, nutrition, environmental, and health care needs are met. Second, clinicians currently screen fetuses, newborn infants, and infants at all levels of care with a wide range of charts and cutoff points, often with limited appreciation of the underlying population or quality of the study that generated the charts. Adding to the confusion, infants are evaluated after birth with a single prescriptive tool: the World Health Organization Child Growth Standards, which were derived from healthy, breastfed newborn infants, infants, and young children from populations that have been exposed to few growth-restricting factors. The International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21st Century Project addressed these issues by providing international standards for gestational age estimation, first-trimester fetal size, fetal growth, newborn size for gestational age, and postnatal growth of preterm infants, all of which complement the World Health Organization Child Growth Standards conceptually, methodologically, and analytically. Hence, growth and development can now, for the first time, be monitored globally across the vital first 1000 days and all the way to 5 years of age. It is clear that an integrative approach to monitoring growth and development from pregnancy to school age is desirable, scientifically supported, and likely to improve care, referral patterns, and reporting systems. Such integration can be achieved only through the use of international growth standards, especially in increasingly diverse, mixed ancestry populations. Resistance to new scientific developments has been hugely problematic in medicine; however, we are confident that the obstetric and neonatal communities will join their pediatric colleagues worldwide in the adoption of this integrative strategy.
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