Monitoring the ecological status of marine coastal lagoons requires the integration of multiple indices. However, the efficacy of monitoring programs is complicated by the diverse array of habitats ...that conform coastal lagoons. In this study, we compared four sampling methods (25-m and 50-m beach seines, beam trawl and Riley push net) in the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (South Portugal) for assessing fish assemblage and diversity. We compared species richness and assemblage structure with species accumulation curves and multivariate analysis, and assessed diversity patterns using taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity indices. Variation in fish assemblage structure was mostly explained by gear type, and almost all diversity metrics varied not only according to sampling method but also depending on habitat characteristics and season. Based on operational costs and diversity patterns captured by each gear, we conclude that the combined use of 25-m beach seine and beam trawl is the preferred approach. The proposed methodology will provide the data necessary for assessment of ecological status of coastal lagoons.
The aim of this work was to study the abrasive and reciprocating sliding wear resistance of four commercial resin composites for dental restorations. Resin composite samples were divided into four ...groups considering the different materials and then separated for compressive, abrasive and sliding tests (n=10). Micro-abrasion tests were performed against a stainless steel rotating ball on 3N normal load for 300 revolutions in the presence of a suspension containing a commercial whitening and abrasive toothpaste. Reciprocating sliding ball-on-plate friction tests were performed against an alumina ball on 20N normal load at 1Hz in the presence of artificial saliva at 37°C for 30min. The wear volume was evaluated for the different groups of resin composites and correlated with their mechanical properties and inorganic composition in terms of size and volume percentage of filler particles. Resin composites with high volume content of inorganic fillers (82wt%) consisting of micro particles (0.1–2.5μm) combined with small nanoparticles (20–60nm) revealed the most proper mechanical and tribological response. The dominant wear mechanisms consisted on fine micro-scale abrasion for abrasion tests and surface fatigue and abrasion for reciprocating sliding tests.
•Micro-abrasion and wear sliding tests were performed on dental resin composites.•A high volume of fillers increased the tribological response of the composites.•Surface fatigue and abrasion was detected after wear sliding tests.
Introduction
Cerebrovascular diseases are the most frequent risk factor for epilepsy in the elderly, and epileptic phenomenon following stroke is known to worsen the prognosis. Although ...electroencephalography is the gold standard epilepsy biomarker, it is rarely used in post-stroke studies, and the frequency of post-stroke epileptiform activity is still uncertain.
Patients and methods
We analysed studies indexed to MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and OpenGrey (up to March 2015), reporting post-stroke electroencephalographic epileptiform activity frequency in adults. Epileptiform activity was classified as ictal (electrographic seizures) and interictal (non-periodic spikes and sharp waves). Data selection, extraction and appraisal were done in duplicate. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool frequencies.
Results
The pooled frequency of post-stroke ictal and interictal epileptiform activity was 7% (95% CI 3%–12%) and 8% (95% CI 4%–13%), respectively. The use of continuous electroencephalogram was not associated with an increased frequency of electrographic seizures (p = 0.05), nor did the management setting (Intensive Care Unit versus non- Intensive Care Unit, p = 0.31). However, studies with continuous electroencephalogram showed a higher frequency of interictal epileptiform activity (p = 0.01).
Discussion
This study provides the best available estimates of the frequency of post-stroke electroencephalographic epileptiform activity. Due to detection bias, it was not possible to correlate clinical and electrographic seizures.
Conclusion
The frequency of ictal and interictal epileptiform activity in the electroencephalogram was comparable with previous frequency analyses of clinical seizures. The frequency of ictal epileptiform activity did not change with continuous record or clinical setting, while the frequency of interictal epileptiform activity increased with continuous record.
We report a 3-year-old child who was hospitalized because of severe manifestations of the central nervous system. The child died after 6 days of hospitalization. Analysis of postmortem cerebrospinal ...fluid showed the presence of yellow fever virus RNA. Nucleotide sequencing confirmed that the virus was wild-type yellow fever virus.
Amyloidosis is a disease characterized by the progressive deposition of abnormal proteins that can occur in any organ. In the oral cavity, the tongue is the most common affected site, usually causing ...macroglossia. Biopsy is essential for the diagnosis and the occurrence of its systemic form is mandatory to be investigated. This systematic review evaluated the existing information in the literature on Amyloidosis in the oral cavity to allow a more comprehensive and updated analysis of its clinicopathological characteristics, as well as to explore the main forms of treatment and prognostic factors.
Electronic searches were undertaken in five databases supplemented by manual scrutiny.
A total of 111 studies were included with 158 individuals.
The disease had a higher prevalence in women, the tongue was the most affected site, as well as the systemic form of the disease. The worst prognosis was for cases of systemic amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma.
Our goal was to assess the interrater agreement (IRA) of photoparoxysmal response (PPR) using the classification proposed by a task force of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), and a ...simplified classification system proposed by our group. In addition, we evaluated IRA of epileptiform discharges (EDs) and the diagnostic significance of the electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities. We used EEG recordings from the European Reference Network (EpiCARE) and Standardized Computer‐based Organized Reporting of EEG (SCORE). Six raters independently scored EEG recordings from 30 patients. We calculated the agreement coefficient (AC) for each feature. IRA of PPR using the classification proposed by the ILAE task force was only fair (AC = 0.38). This improved to a moderate agreement by using the simplified classification (AC = 0.56; P = .004). IRA of EDs was almost perfect (AC = 0.98), and IRA of scoring the diagnostic significance was moderate (AC = 0.51). Our results suggest that the simplified classification of the PPR is suitable for implementation in clinical practice.
Beaches are fundamental habitats that regulate the functioning of several coastal processes and key areas contributing to national and local budgets. In this study we provide the first large-scale ...systematic survey of anthropogenic litter on Brazilian beaches, covering a total of 35 degrees of latitude, recording the litter type, its use and size. Plastic comprised the most abundant litter type, followed by cigarette butts and paper. Small pieces (<5 cm) were dominant among litter size-classes and food-related use was associated to most litter recorded types. Generalized additive models showed that proximity to estuarine run-offs was the main driver to beach litter accumulation, reinforcing river drainages as the primary route of litter coastal pollution. Also, the Clean-Coast Index evidenced there was not a pattern of beach litter pollution among regions, which denotes that actions regarding marine pollution must be taken by all state governances of the country.
•For the first time beach litter surveys were applied in a large-scale covering the entire Brazilian coast with standardized methodology.•Plastic was the most prevalent litter type, followed by cigarette butts and paper.•Proximity to estuarine run-offs was the main driver to litter accumulation on beaches.
There is currently no evidence to support the use of antiseizure medications to prevent unprovoked seizures following stroke. Experimental animal models suggested a potential antiepileptogenic effect ...for eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL), and a Phase II, multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study was designed to test this hypothesis and assess whether ESL treatment for 1 month can prevent unprovoked seizures following stroke. We outline the design and status of this antiepileptogenesis study, and discuss the challenges encountered in its execution to date. Patients at high risk of developing unprovoked seizures after acute intracerebral hemorrhage or acute ischemic stroke were randomized to receive ESL 800 mg/d or placebo, initiated within 120 hours after primary stroke occurrence. Treatment continued until Day 30, then tapered off. Patients could receive all necessary therapies for stroke treatment according to clinical practice guidelines and standard of care, and are being followed up for 18 months. The primary efficacy endpoint is the occurrence of a first unprovoked seizure within 6 months after randomization (“failure rate”). Secondary efficacy assessments include the occurrence of a first unprovoked seizure during 12 months after randomization and during the entire study; functional outcomes (Barthel Index original 10‐item version; National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale); post‐stroke depression (Patient Health Questionnaire‐9; PHQ‐9); and overall survival. Safety assessments include the evaluation of treatment‐emergent adverse events; laboratory parameters; vital signs; electrocardiogram; suicidal ideation and behavior (PHQ‐9 question 9). The protocol aimed to randomize approximately 200 patients (1:1), recruited from 21 sites in seven European countries and Israel. Despite the challenges encountered, particularly during the COVID‐19 pandemic, the study progressed and included a remarkable number of patients, with 129 screened and 125 randomized. Recruitment was stopped after 30 months, the first patient entered in May 2019, and the study is ongoing and following up on patients according to the Clinical Trial Protocol.
The efficacy of deep brain stimulation of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT DBS) in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) was demonstrated in the double-blind Stimulation of the ...Anterior Nucleus of the Thalamus for Epilepsy randomized controlled trial. The Medtronic Registry for Epilepsy (MORE) aims to understand the safety and longer-term effectiveness of ANT DBS therapy in routine clinical practice.
MORE is an observational registry collecting prospective and retrospective clinical data. Participants were at least 18 years old, with focal DRE recruited across 25 centers from 13 countries. They were followed for at least 2 years in terms of seizure frequency (SF), responder rate (RR), health-related quality of life (Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory 31), depression, and safety outcomes.
Of the 191 patients recruited, 170 (mean SD age of 35.6 10.7 years, 43% female) were implanted with DBS therapy and met all eligibility criteria. At baseline, 38% of patients reported cognitive impairment. The median monthly SF decreased by 33.1% from 15.8 at baseline to 8.8 at 2 years (
< 0.0001) with 32.3% RR. In the subgroup of 47 patients who completed 5 years of follow-up, the median monthly SF decreased by 55.1% from 16 at baseline to 7.9 at 5 years (
< 0.0001) with 53.2% RR. High-volume centers (>10 implantations) had 42.8% reduction in median monthly SF by 2 years in comparison with 25.8% in low-volume center. In patients with cognitive impairment, the reduction in median monthly SF was 26.0% by 2 years compared with 36.1% in patients without cognitive impairment. The most frequently reported adverse events were changes (e.g., increased frequency/severity) in seizure (16%), memory impairment (patient-reported complaint, 15%), depressive mood (patient-reported complaint, 13%), and epilepsy (12%). One definite sudden unexpected death in epilepsy case was reported.
The MORE registry supports the effectiveness and safety of ANT DBS therapy in a real-world setting in the 2 years following implantation.
This study provides Class IV evidence that ANT DBS reduces the frequency of seizures in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy.
MORE ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01521754, first posted on January 31, 2012.
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