Abstract
The Southern Ocean (SO) is the least understood environment on earth, but anthropogenic impacts related to climate change, fishing activities and tourism are already well-established in the ...region. Herein, we investigate biodiversity patterns in the Atlantic Sector of the SO by investigating a considerable number of samples collected from a wide depth range (89–6224 m). Three topics are addressed: (1) which taxa occur in the SO; (2) if there are distinct shelf, slope and abyssal faunas; and (3) which abiotic parameters explain the ostracod assemblages. We also tested putative ecological preferences of ostracod genera, widely used in palaeoceanographical reconstruction. For this, almost 5000 living ostracods from 51 epibenthic sledge samples were identified to 140 species. Statistically significant differences were observed among the faunas from the shelf, slope and abyssal faunas, indicating that the shelf fauna survived in refugia during the glacial periods of the Quaternary. Our analyses showed that the main variables influencing ostracod distribution is depth, followed by nitrate and phosphate. Temperature, salinity and oxygen content do not seem to be as important as previously proposed. Putative ecological preferences of ostracod genera, for example, low oxygen for Cytherella, could not be confirmed, suggesting that this topic requires further investigation.
Covid-19 in Brazil: A sad scenario Marinho, Pedro Rafael D.; Cordeiro, Gauss M.; Coelho, Hemílio F.C. ...
Cytokine & growth factor reviews,
04/2021, Letnik:
58
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
•The COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil has grown rapidly since February, 25.•The lethality rate for COVID-19 in Brazil is greater than those in other countries of Latin America.•An updated web application ...has been used by some health managers to guide COVID-19 public policies.
The main contribution of this article is to report general statistics about COVID-19 in Brazil, based on analysis of accumulated series of confirmed cases, deaths and lethality rates, in addition to presenting graphs of moving averages for states and municipalities. The data show that the pandemic in Brazil has grown rapidly since February 25th (date of the first reported case). Furthermore, the lethality rate of COVID-19 in Brazil is greater than in many other Latin American countries (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay). However, the number of new confirmed cases in Brazil has little statistical relevance because only a small part of the population has been tested. In relation to Brazilian municipalities, we highlight the 10 states with the highest lethality rates, ranked from highest to lowest. Also, predictions about the increaseor decrease innew cases and deaths for states and capital cities are presented. These results can help managers and researchers to better guide their decisions regarding COVID-19.
Trans-nasal pulmonary aerosol delivery using high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) devices is described with the administration of high gas flows exceeding patient inspiratory flow (HF) and with lower flows ...(LF). The aim of this pilot clinical trial was to compare deposition and distribution of radiolabeled aerosol via nasal cannula in healthy adults across three rates of gas flow delivered with active heated humidification, and to further identify the impact of aerosol administration without heated humidity.
Twenty-three (23) healthy adults (16F) were randomized to receive aerosol with active heated humidification or unheated oxygen at gas flows of 10 L/min (
= 8), 30 L/min (
= 7), or 50 L/min (
= 8). Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid labeled with 1 millicurie (37 MBq) of Technetium-99m (DTPA-Tc99m) was mixed with NaCl to a fill volume of 1 mL, and administered via mesh nebulizer placed at the inlet of the humidifier. Radioactivity counts were performed using a gamma camera and the regions of interest (ROIs) were delimited with counts from the lungs, upper airways, stomach, nebulizer, circuit, and expiratory filter. A mass balance was calculated and each compartment was expressed as a percentage of the total.
Lung deposition (mean ± SD) with heated humidified gas was greater at 10 L/min than 30 L/min or 50 L/min (17.2 ± 6.8%, 5.71 ± 2.04%, and 3.46 ± 1.24%, respectively;
= 0.0001). Using unheated carrier gas, a lung dose of aerosol was similar to the active heated humidification condition at 10 L/min, but greater at 30 and 50 L/min (
= 0.011). Administered gas flow and lung deposition were negatively correlated (
= -0.880,
< 0.001).
Both flow and active heated humidity inversely impact aerosol delivery through HFNC. Nevertheless, aerosol administration across the range of commonly used flows can provide measurable levels of lung deposition in healthy adult subjects (NCT02519465).
Beneficial effects from non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in acute COPD are well-established, but the impact of nebulization during NIV has not been well described.
To compare pulmonary deposition and ...distribution across regions of interest with administration of radiolabeled aerosols generated by vibrating mesh nebulizers (VMN) and jet nebulizer (JN) during NIV.
A crossover single dose study involving 9 stable subjects with moderate to severe COPD randomly allocated to receive aerosol administration by the VMN Aerogen and the MistyNeb jet nebulizer operating with oxygen at 8 lpm during NIV. Radiolabeled bronchodilators (fill volume of 3 mL: 0.5 mL salbutamol 2.5 mg + 0.125 mL ipratropium 0.25 mg and physiologic saline up to 3 mL) were delivered until sputtering during NIV (pressures of 12 cmH2O and 5 cmH2O - inspiratory and expiratory, respectively) using an oro-nasal facemask. Radioactivity counts were performed using a gamma camera and regions of interest (ROIs) were delimited. Aerosol mass balance based on counts from the lungs, upper airways, stomach, nebulizer, circuit, inspiratory and expiratory filters, and mask were determined and expressed as a percentage of the total.
Both inhaled and lung doses were greater with VMN (22.78 ± 3.38% and 12.05 ± 2.96%, respectively) than JN (12.51 ± 6.31% and 3.14 ± 1.71%; p = 0.008). Residual drug volume was lower in VMN than in JN (3.08 ± 1.3% versus 46.44 ± 5.83%, p = 0.001). Peripheral deposition of radioaerosol was significantly lower with JN than VMN.
VMN deposited > 3 fold more radioaerosol into the lungs of moderate to severe COPD patients than JN during NIV.
•The mesh nebulizer (VMN) provides similar or greater lung deposition than standard jet nebulizers (JN).•JN delivers < 25% of lung deposition than VMN during NIV.•In spontaneously breathing patients, suggesting that standard label doses could be applied with Mesh during NIV.
•Some inflammatory diseases are related to severe forms of COVID-19, characterized by an immune system overactivation.•SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein binds with human innate immune receptors, mainly TLR4, ...increasing secretion of IL‐ 6 and TNF‐ α.•The main inflammatory diseases seen as risk factors for COVID-19 are hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and atherosclerosis.•The TLR4 signaling pathway is connected to inflammatory diseases seen as risk factors for COVID-19.
The severe form of COVID-19 is marked by an abnormal and exacerbated immunological host response favoring to a poor outcome in a significant number of patients, especially those with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. The chronic inflammatory process found in these cardiometabolic comorbidities is marked by the overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumoral necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), which are products of the Toll-Like receptors 4 (TLR4) pathway. The SARS-CoV-2 initially infects cells in the upper respiratory tract and, in some patients, spread very quickly, needing respiratory support and systemically, causing collateral damage in tissues. We hypothesize that this happens because the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interacts strongly with TLR4, causing an intensely exacerbated immune response in the host's lungs, culminating with the cytokine storm, accumulating secretions and hindering blood oxygenation, along with the immune system attacks the body, leading to multiple organ failure.
Objective
To determine which Thyroglobulin (Tg) level after levothyroxine (LT
4
) withdrawal (stimulated thyroglobulin - sTg) measured before radioiodine therapy (RAIT) is able to predict incomplete ...response to treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) with greater sensitivity and specificity one year after initial treatment with I
131
.
Methods
A chart review was performed in which 375 patients with DTC treated with RAIT were included. The sTg was measured in all patients prior to treatment with I
131
. Follow up were then performed one year later. Initial sTg levels were associated to DTC outcomes. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to achieve a sTg level able to predict which patients would have a greater chance of having an incomplete response to RAIT.
Results
Incomplete response to treatment was found in 122 patients (32.5%), this group had a mean sTg of 23.2 ng/mL. ROC curve showed that the optimal cut-off sTg level was 4.4 ng/mL. (sensitivity: 72.1%; specificity: 72.3%; accuracy: 72.2%; positive predictive value of 55.7%; and negative predictive value: 84.3%).
Conclusion
sTg pre-ablation is a valuable predictor of DTC incomplete response to treatment one year after RAIT. Levels of 4.4 ng/ml or more showed higher accuracy to predict this outcome.
In vivo deposition studies of aerosol administration during noninvasive ventilation (NIV) are scarce in the literature. The aim of this study was to compare radioaerosol pulmonary index and ...radioaerosol mass balance in the different compartments (pulmonary and extrapulmonary) of radio-tagged aerosol administered using vibrating mesh nebulizers and conventional jet nebulizers during NIV.
This was a crossover clinical trial involving 10 healthy subjects (mean age of 33.7 ± 10.0 y) randomly assigned to both treatment arms of this study: group 1 (NIV + vibrating mesh nebulizer, n = 10) and group 2 (NIV + jet nebulizer, n = 10). All subjects inhaled 3 mL of technetium-99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (25 mCi) and 0.9% saline solution via vibrating mesh and jet nebulizers during NIV through a face mask secured with straps while receiving positive inspiratory and expiratory pressures of 12 and 5 cm H2O, respectively. Scintigraphy was performed to count radioaerosol particles deposited in the regions of interest to determine radioaerosol mass balance from the lungs, upper airways, stomach, nebulizer, ventilator circuit, inspiratory and expiratory filters, and mask as a percentage.
Vibrating mesh nebulizers deposited 972,013 ± 214,459 counts versus jet nebulizer with 386,025 ± 130,363 counts (P = .005). In a determination of mass balance, vibrating mesh nebulizers showed a higher deposition of inhaled radioaerosol compared with jet nebulizers (23.1 ± 5.8% vs 6.1 ± 2.5%, P = .005) and a higher proportion of radioaerosol deposited into the lungs (5.5 ± 0.9% versus 1.5 ± 0.6%, respectively, P = .005). The residual drug volume was lower with vibrating mesh nebulizers (5.1 ± 1.5%) compared with jet nebulizers (41.3 ± 4.2%, P = .005).
During NIV in healthy subjects, vibrating mesh nebulizers delivered > 2-fold more radiolabeled drug into the respiratory tract compared with conventional jet nebulizers. Additional studies are recommended in subjects with asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis, and cystic fibrosis to better understand differences in both aerosol delivery and response. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT01889524.).
Abstract
Despite advances in chemotherapy, the drugs used in cancer treatment remain rather harmful to the cardiovascular system, causing structural and functional cardiotoxic changes. ...Positron-emission tomography associated with computed tomography (PET/CT) has emerged like a promising technique in the early diagnosis of these adverse drug effects as the myocardial tissue uptake of fluorodeoxyglucose labeled with fluorine-18 (
18
F-FDG), a glucose analog, is increased after their use. Among these drugs, anthracyclines are the most frequently associated with cardiotoxicity because they promote heart damage through DNA breaks, and induction of an oxidative, proinflammatory, and toxic environment. This review aimed to present the scientific evidence available so far regarding the use of
18
F-FDG PET/CT as an early biomarker of anthracycline-related cardiotoxicity. Thus, it discusses the physiological basis for its uptake, hypotheses to justify its increase in the myocardium affected by anthracyclines, importance of
18
F-FDG PET/CT findings for cardio-oncology, and primary challenges of incorporating this technique in standard clinical oncology practice.
The World Register of Marine species (WoRMS) has been established for a decade. The early history of the database involved compilation of existing global and regional species registers. This ...aggregation, combined with changes to data types and the changing needs of WoRMS users, has resulted in an evolution of data-entry consistency over time. With the task of aggregating the accepted species names for all marine species approaching completion, our focus has shifted to improving the consistency and quality of data held while keeping pace with the addition of > 2000 new marine species described annually. This paper defines priorities and longer-term aims that promote standardisation within and interoperability among biodiversity databases, provides editors with further information on how to input nomenclatural data in a standardised way and clarifies for users of WoRMS how and why names are represented as they are. We 1) explain the categories of names included; 2) list standard reasons used to explain why a name is considered ‘unaccepted’ or ‘uncertain’; 3) present and explain the more difficult situations encountered; 4) describe categories of sources and notes linked to a taxon; and 5) recommend how type material, type locality and environmental information should be entered.
We combine geometric morphometric and molecular data to study shell shape changes in eurybathic ostracod Polycope pseudoinornata Chavtur, 1983 and discuss its occurrence in relation to environmental ...variables (of the sediment and deep water masses). Pairwise distances between 50 mitochondrial COI sequences indicate that populations from five sampled depths and nine localities in the Nordic Seas belong to one species, and haplotype network shows that populations are strongly interconnected. Datasets for geometric morphometrics consist of 209 valves with landmarks distributed on the outer surface and margins. Results support morphological homogeneity of shell throughout the study area. There are important differences between datasets in their dimensionality and directional asymmetry. Pores/ridges dataset is highly unstructured with 50 + eigenvectors describing 90% of variation in PCA and with no directional asymmetry. Outline dataset is highly structured with 5 eigenvectors describing 90% of variation with strong directional asymmetry, with the right valve showing more variation in shape than the left valve. Although pore homologization could be difficult, these landmarks might be more powerful in multispecies geometric morphometric analyses, or multivariate analysis of environmental influences on the ostracod shell. Also different valves can easily be matched, which is very important for fossil species where often one valve is missing. Permutation tests show a statistically significant negative correlation between size and depth, but predicted values are small. Partial least square analyses of covariation between the outline and landmarks on the surface reveal integration of the two compartments but the covariation is not sufficient to account for all the variation throughout the valves.
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