Studies point to the persistence of symptoms in patients with non-critical COVID-19 after hospitalization, pointing to impairments in functionality, exercise capacity and effort desaturation, which ...characterize the need for continuity of management and treatment after acute illness.
To evaluate functional independence, exercise capacity, and effort desaturation after non-critical COVID-19 after hospital discharge.
A cross-sectional study included adult individuals with a noncritical COVID-19 diagnosis who were hospitalized for at least 24 hours between 30 and 180 days after hospital discharge. Participants were classified into 3 groups: G1M - one month after hospital discharge, G3M - three months after hospital discharge, and G6M - six months after charge. A digital form with clinical and sociodemographic questionnaire, modified MRC scale, Barthel Index, and London Chest Activity of Daily Living Scale was applied, in addition to the 6-minute Walk Test in G3M and G6M. The significance value was p<0.05.
We included 64 individuals (G1M=18, G3M=25, G6M=21). There was a significant difference in Barthel Index between G1M and G6M (p=0.007). G3M walked 420m vs 442m of G6M (p=0.25). 48% of participants in G3M and 52% in G6M walked a distance less than 80% of predicted; 28% of G3M participants had >=4% drop in SpO2, vs 19.05% in G6M (p=0.478). There was a high prevalence of persistent symptoms, with a significant association between dyspnea (p=0.001), cough (p=0.038) and angina (p=0.001) and decreased functional independence.
After non-critical COVID-19, decreased functional independence was observed, with significant improvement 6 months after hospital discharge, in addition to decreased exercise capacity, the occurrence of desaturation on exertion, and high prevalence of persistent symptoms with no improvement 6 months after hospitalization.
Patients with persistent symptoms after COVID-19 should be evaluated and treated in pulmonary rehabilitation clinics. The changes caused by non-critical COVID-19 remain in the short and medium term, as in critical COVID-19.
Cassava root-rot incited by soil-borne pathogens is one of the major diseases that reduces root yield. Although the use of resistant cultivars is the most effective method of management, the genetic ...basis for root-rot resistance remains poorly understood. Therefore, our work analyzed the transcriptome of two contrasting genotypes (BRS Kiriris/resistant and BGM-1345/susceptible) using RNA-Seq to understand the molecular response and identify candidate genes for resistance. Cassava seedlings (resistant and susceptible to root-rot) were both planted in infested and sterilized soil and samples from Initial-time and Final-time periods, pooled. Two controls were used: (i) seedlings collected before planting in infested soil (absolute control) and, (ii) plants grown in sterilized soil (mock treatments). For the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis 23.912 were expressed in the resistant genotype, where 10.307 were differentially expressed in the control treatment, 15 DEGs in the Initial Time-period and 366 DEGs in the Final Time-period. Eighteen candidate genes from the resistant genotype were related to plant defense, such as the MLP-like protein 31 and the peroxidase A2-like gene. This is the first model of resistance at the transcriptional level proposed for the cassava × root-rot pathosystem. Gene validation will contribute to screening for resistance of germplasm, segregating populations and/or use in gene editing in the pursuit to develop most promising cassava clones with resistance to root-rot.
Cassava, an important subsistence crop in tropical countries, represents the third most important source of starch worldwide. Espírito Santo (Brazil) presents predominance of family farming, where ...table cassava is cultivated as a food crop. The objective of the study was to evaluate the genetic diversity, estimate the genetic parameters and quantify gains with the selection of traditional cassava genotypes collected in different regions of the state of Espírito Santo, using the methodology of the mixed models (REML/BLUP). A total of 106 genotypes were evaluated in three locations. Each planting date was considered an environment, totaling six environments. The evaluated traits were: shoot height (APH), total number of tuberous roots (NR); weight of commercial roots (WCR); total root weight (TWR), marketable root weight/total root ratio (MRTR); root cortex color (RCC), root pulp color (PC) and cooking time (CT). The studied cassava genotypes presented genetic diversity and selection potential. The highest heritabilities (
h
2
= 0.90; 0.75 and 0.75) were recorded for the traits NRT, WCR and TWR, respectively. Gains from selection were positive for all of the traits evaluated. Higher selection gains (
GS
= 21.77% and 20.15%) were observed for the WCR and TWR traits, considering animal and human consumption and (
GS
= 10.89% and 17.45%) for NRT and WCR, when intended for human consumption only. Genotypes 82, 76, 46, T3 and 2 stood out for selection purposes for animal and human consumption. Genotypes 2, 81, 69, 12 and 49 stood out for selection purposes for human food. The assessment of the diverse genotypes has uncovered a selection of superior candidates with tremendous potential for commercial crops, catering to both human and animal consumption markets.
•ZnONP exposure causes an initial accumulation of zinc in gills and later in digestive gland.•Zinc burden occurs by ZnONP endocytosis or uptake of ionic zinc after dissociation.•ZnONP exposure ...disrupts mitochondrial ultrastructure in both tissues.•Mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress are major features of ZnONP acute toxicity.
The increasing industrial use of nanomaterials during the last decades poses a potential threat to the environment and in particular to organisms living in the aquatic environment. In the present study, the toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP) was investigated in Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas. The nanoscale of ZnONP, in vehicle or ultrapure water, was confirmed, presenting an average size ranging from 28 to 88nm. In seawater, aggregation was detected by TEM and DLS analysis, with an increased average size ranging from 1 to 2μm. Soluble or nanoparticulated zinc presented similar toxicity, displaying a LC50 (96h) around 30mg/L. High zinc dissociation from ZnONP, releasing ionic zinc in seawater, is a potential route for zinc assimilation and ZnONP toxicity. To investigate mechanisms of toxicity, oysters were treated with 4mg/L ZnONP for 6, 24 or 48h. ZnONP accumulated in gills (24 and 48h) and digestive glands (48h). Ultrastructural analysis of gills revealed electron-dense vesicles near the cell membrane and loss of mitochondrial cristae (6h). Swollen mitochondria and a more conspicuous loss of mitochondrial cristae were observed after 24h. Mitochondria with disrupted membranes and an increased number of cytosolic vesicles displaying electron-dense material were observed 48h post exposure. Digestive gland showed similar changes, but these were delayed relative to gills. ZnONP exposure did not greatly affect thiol homeostasis (reduced and oxidized glutathione) or immunological parameters (phagocytosis, hemocyte viability and activation and total hemocyte count). At 24h post exposure, decreased (−29%) glutathione reductase (GR) activity was observed in gills, but other biochemical responses were observed only after 48h of exposure: lower GR activity (−28%) and levels of protein thiols (−21%), increased index of lipid peroxidation (+49%) and GPx activity (+26%). In accordance with ultrastructural changes and zinc load, digestive gland showed delayed biochemical responses. Except for a decreased GR activity (−47%) at 48h post exposure, the biochemical alterations seen in gills were not present in digestive gland. The results indicate that gills are able to incorporate zinc prior (24h) to digestive gland (48h), leading to earlier mitochondrial disruption and oxidative stress. Our data suggest that gills are the initial target of ZnONP and that mitochondria are organelles particularly susceptible to ZnONP in C. gigas.
This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in the elderly population living in Belém-Pará and to assess the spectrum of problems related to these diseases ...including the demographic, socioeconomic, occupational characteristics and disability in this population.
Three structured questionnaires were applied in a randomly selected representative sample of 512 elderly people aged ≥60 years.
LBP prevalence in the elderly population was 55.7%. Among then, 56.1% had pain at the time of the interview (punctual prevalence), 91.7% had LBP in the last 365 days (prevalence in the last year), and 85.3% at some point in life (prevalence at some point in life). Overall, most studies are above average. LBP was positively associated with hypertension and the influence of the physical and mental health on their social activities ranged from slightly to extreme. LBP was negatively associated with characteristics, such as education (over 11 years), class A or B income, physical activity, high satisfaction with previous work, and excellent self-perceived health, corroborating to the literature.
Greater intensity of pain and functional disability were associated with the presence of comorbidities, smoking habits, and low physical activity. LBP prevalence was high, above the national average, mainly affecting the underprivileged classes related to several modifiable factors, highlighting the importance of preventive and interventionist actions for healthy aging.
Protecting riparian vegetation around streams is vital in reducing the detrimental effects of environmental change on freshwater ecosystems and in maintaining aquatic biodiversity. Thus, identifying ...ecological thresholds is useful for defining regulatory limits and for guiding the management of riparian zones towards the conservation of freshwater biota.
Using nationwide data on fish and invertebrates occurring in small Brazilian streams, we estimated thresholds of native vegetation loss in which there are abrupt changes in the occurrence and abundance of freshwater bioindicators and tested whether there are congruent responses among different biomes, biological groups and riparian buffer sizes.
Mean thresholds of native vegetation cover loss varied widely among biomes, buffer sizes and biological groups: ranging from 0.5% to 77.4% for fish, from 2.9% to 37.0% for aquatic invertebrates and from 3.8% to 43.2% for a subset of aquatic invertebrates. Confidence intervals for thresholds were wide, but the minimum values of these intervals were lower for the smaller riparian buffers (50 and 100 m) than larger ones (200 and 500 m), indicating that land use should be kept away from the streams. Also, thresholds occurred at a lower percentage of riparian vegetation loss in the smaller buffers, and were critically lower for invertebrates: reducing only 6.5% of native vegetation cover within a 50‐m riparian buffer is enough to cross thresholds for invertebrates.
Synthesis and applications. The high variability in biodiversity responses to loss of native riparian vegetation suggests caution in the use of a single riparian width for conservation actions or policy definitions nationwide. The most sensitive bioindicators can be used as early warning signals of abrupt changes in freshwater biodiversity. In practice, maintaining at least 50‐m wide riparian reserves on each side of streams would be more effective to protect freshwater biodiversity in Brazil. However, incentives and conservation strategies to protect even wider riparian reserves (~100 m) and also taking into consideration the regional context will promote a greater benefit. This information should be used to set conservation goals and to create complementary mechanisms and policies to protect wider riparian reserves than those currently required by the federal law.
Resumo
Proteger a vegetação no entorno de riachos é vital para reduzir os efeitos das mudanças ambientais sobre os ecossistemas aquáticos e para a manutenção de sua biodiversidade. Assim, a identificação de limiares ecológicos é útil para regular os limites de uso e para orientar o manejo de zonas ripárias, visando a conservação da biota aquática.
Usando dados de peixes e invertebrados aquáticos de pequenos riachos do Brasil, nós estimamos os limiares de perda de vegetação nativa nos quais ocorrem mudanças abruptas na ocorrência e abundância de bioindicadores aquáticos. Também testamos se existem respostas congruentes entre os diferentes biomas, grupos biológicos e áreas de vegetação ripária (buffers).
Os valores médios dos limiares de perda de vegetação nativa variaram marcadamente entre biomas, tamanhos de buffer e grupos biológicos: entre 0,5% e 77,4% para peixes, entre 2,9% e 37,0% para invertebrados aquáticos e entre 3,8% e 43,2% para um subconjunto de invertebrados aquáticos. Os intervalos de confiança dos limiares foram amplos, mas os valores mínimos dos intervalos foram reduzidos para os menores buffers ripários (50 e 100 m) em comparação com os maiores (200 e 500 m), indicando que o uso do solo deve ser mantido longe dos riachos. Além disso, os limiares ocorreram em menores porcentagens de perda de vegetação ripária nos buffers menores, e foram criticamente baixos para invertebrados aquáticos: uma redução de apenas 6,5% da cobertura de vegetação nativa no buffer ripário de 50 m é suficiente para ultrapassar os limiares de perda de invertebrados.
Síntese e aplicações. A elevada variabilidade dos limiares de declínio abrupto da biodiversidade aquática em resposta a perda de vegetação ripária nativa sugere cautela no uso de uma largura única de proteção ripária para ações de conservação e definição de políticas nacionais. Os bioindicadores mais sensíveis podem ser usados como sinais precoces que alertam a aproximação de mudanças abruptas na biodiversidade aquática. Na prática, manter reservas ripárias (áreas de preservação permanente—APP) de pelo menos 50 m de largura, em ambos os lados dos riachos, parece ser mais efetivo em proteger a biodiversidade de água doce do Brasil. Contudo, incentivos e estratégias de conservação que protejam reservas ripárias ainda maiores (~100 m de largura) e que levem em consideração o contexto regional podem promover um maior benefício. Essas informações podem ser usadas para definir metas de conservação e para criar mecanismos e políticas complementares para proteger reservas ripárias (APP) ainda maiores do que aquelas atualmente requeridas pela lei federal.
The high variability in biodiversity responses to loss of native riparian vegetation suggests caution in the use of a single riparian width for conservation actions or policy definitions nationwide. The most sensitive bioindicators can be used as early warning signals of abrupt changes in freshwater biodiversity. In practice, maintaining at least 50‐m wide riparian reserves on each side of streams would be more effective to protect freshwater biodiversity in Brazil. However, incentives and conservation strategies to protect even wider riparian reserves (~100 m) and also taking into consideration the regional context will promote a greater benefit. This information should be used to set conservation goals and to create complementary mechanisms and policies to protect wider riparian reserves than those currently required by the federal law.
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