Ethnodemographic characterization of stroke incidence and burden of disease in hospital discharge records in Ecuador

Introduction: Stroke is the second most common cause of death and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally. However, the incidence and impact of stroke by ethnicity and gender is frequently distinct. This is particularly the case in Ecuador where geographic and economic marginalization are often correlated with ethnic marginalization and the extent to which females lack the same opportunities as their male counterparts. The aim of this paper is to investigate the differential impacts in terms of stroke diagnosis and burden of disease by ethnicity and gender, using hospital discharge records over the years 2015–2020. Methods: This paper calculates stroke incidence, and fatality rates using hospital discharge and death records over the years 2015–2020. The DALY package in R was employed to calculate the Disability Adjusted Life Years lost due to stroke in Ecuador. Results: The results show that while the incidence rate of stroke in males (64.96 per 100,000 persons-year) is higher than that for females on average (57.84 per 100,000 persons-year), males accounted for 52.41% of all stroke cases and 53% of all surviving cases. Thus, hospital data suggests that females had a higher death rate when compared to males. Case fatality rates also differed significantly by ethnicity. The highest fatality rate corresponded to the Montubio ethnic group (87.65%), followed by Afrodescendants (67.21%). The estimated burden of disease of stroke calculated using Ecuadorian hospital records (2015–2020) varied from 1,468 to 2,991 DALY per 1,000 population on average. Discussion: Differences in the burden of disease by ethnic group are likely to reflect differential access to care by region and socio-economic group, both of which are frequently correlated with ethnic composition in Ecuador. Equitable access to health services remains an important challenge in the country. The gender discrepancy in fatality rates suggests that there is a need for targeted educational campaigns to identify stroke signs early, especially in the female population

Analysis of the physicochemical properties, cytotoxicity and volumetric changes of AH Plus, MTA Fillapex and TotalFill BC Sealer

To evaluate the physicochemical properties and cytotoxicity of AH Plus, MTA Fillapex and TotalFill BC Sealer. Volumetric changes were also evaluating using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Radiopacity and flow were evaluated in accordance with the ISO 6876, while setting time was evaluated in accordance with the ASTM- C266-08 specifications. The release of Ca2+ ions and pH were measured with spectrophotometer and pH meter, respectively, after different time intervals (1h, 3h, 24h, 72h, 168h, and 360h). Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT reduction assay to check 3T3 cells viability at 24, 48 and 72 hours. Volumetric change was evaluated by micro-CT, by using 30 acrylic teeth, filled with gutta-percha cones and the tested root canal sealer. The samples were evaluated after 168h, 360h and 720h of immersion in distilled water. Data were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey test or by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests (P<0.05). MTA Fillapex and TotalFill BC Sealer showed lower radiopacity than AH Plus (P<0.05). The MTA Fillapex showed the highest flow, while AH Plus showed the lowest flow (P<0.05). The initial and final setting time of AH Plus were lower than MTA Fillapex and TotalFill BC Sealer (P<0.05). In general, TotalFill BC Sealer presented higher Ca2+ ion release and pH than the other tested sealers. TotalFill BC Sealer also showed overall lower cytotoxicity when compared to the other sealers. Volumetric change of AH Plus and TotalFill BC Sealer was lower than MTA Fillapex (P<0.05). AH Plus, MTA Fillapex and TotalFill BC Sealer showed slight differences in the physicochemical properties and cytotoxicity, but all suitable for an endodontic sealer. However, AH Plus and TotalFill BC Sealer showed low volumetric changes when compared to MTA Fillapex

Detection of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamases from a Pet Blue-Fronted-Amazon Parrot (Amazona aestiva)

Background: The indiscriminate use of antibiotics both in humans and in animals, has contributed to the development of bacterial resistance. One of the key mechanisms in the resistance of enterobacteria to antibiotics is the production of extendedspectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), which reduce the therapeutic options available. Several studies have been performed in different animal species in order to isolate and identify multidrug-resistant strains and determine their antibiotic sensitivity profile. The purpose of this study was to detect ESBL-producing enterobacteria in isolates from a pet blue-fronted amazon parrot.Case: A 16-year-old pet blue-fronted-amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva) weighing 0.445 kg, from the city of Presidente Castelo Branco, Paraná, Brazil, was admitted into a specialized veterinary clinic in the city of Maringá. This parrot was presented with agitation and aggressive behavior. It was fed with sunflower seeds, and its cage was small and unsanitary especially in the feeding and drinking areas, which were heavily contaminated with feces. The parrot had been diagnosed with acute sinusitis approximately one year prior, with a history of treatment with tylosin, thuya (a herbal remedy popularly used for fowl pox), and a mineral-vitamin complex. The clinical symptoms included dyspnea and bilateral increase of facial swelling, with a mass in the peri-nasal region. A membranous red tissue not related to the nictitating membrane was observed in the lower left eyelid. To obtain a better clinical evaluation, the bird was anesthetized with an intramuscular injection of dextroketamine 50 mg/kg (KetaminS+™). Subsequently, physical examination, head radiographic examinations, and an attempt at sinus draining were performed. The radiographic examinations showed a decreased amount of air in the nasal sinuses. For treatment, oral itraconazole and vitamin A were prescribed, and a dietary improvement, prioritizing the offering of fruits and industrialized food for parrots was proposed. Samples were collected from the cloaca and choanae by making rotating movements with compressed sterile swabs in the corresponding locations. All samples were kept in Amies transport media with activated coal and forwarded under refrigeration to the Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Public Health in the Post-Graduation Program in Animal Sciences with Emphasis in Bioactive Products at Universidade Paranaense (UNIPAR).Discussion: The samples were subjected to phenotypic antimicrobial sensitivity tests and phenotypic testing for detecting ESBL-producing strains. Escherichia coli was identified and isolated from the cloacal sample. Phenotypic tests for antimicrobial sensitivity, detected resistance to the following antimicrobials: ceftriaxone, ceftiofur, cefotaxime, cefepime, ampicillin, amoxicillin, amoxicillin + clavulanate, and tetracycline. The phenotypic test for detecting ESBL-producing strains was positive. The findings in this study had no relation with the clinical symptoms presented by the parrot. However, in the samples collected, it was possible to detect the presence of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli, indicating that this parrot had strains in its cloacal microbiota that were either multidrug-resistant or at a subclinical stage of an infection. This knowledge is important, since the presence of this bacteria in a pet represents an important factor in the dissemination of multidrug-resistant strains into the environment, as well as being a source of contamination for both humans and other animals

Gestão de Recursos Naturais: Sustentabilidade em Propriedade Produtora de Suínos

onde o excesso de dejetos produzidos é um desafio para a sustentabilidade. O presente trabalho apresenta as ações realizadas pelo projeto Tecnologias Sociais para a Gestão da Água (TSGA) para o aumento do índice de sustentabilidade de uma propriedade suinícola localizada no município de Braço do Norte, no sul do estado. Os trabalhos referem-se ao tratamento dos dejetos com a valorização dos efluentes tratados em biofertilizante para a produção agrícola, lemnas (do processo de polimento do efluente) para alimentação de peixes e biogás na geração de energia. Também foram recuperadas áreas degradadas de faixas de preservação permanente. Como resultado, obteve- se redução no consumo de fertilizantes químicos, geração e economia de energia, redução no desperdício de água e melhoria da qualidade ambiental da propriedad

Cholinergic Signaling Exerts Protective Effects in Models of Sympathetic Hyperactivity-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction

Cholinergic control of the heart is exerted by two distinct branches; the autonomic component represented by the parasympathetic nervous system, and the recently described non-neuronal cardiomyocyte cholinergic machinery. Previous evidence has shown that reduced cholinergic function leads to deleterious effects on the myocardium. Yet, whether conditions of increased cholinergic signaling can offset the pathological remodeling induced by sympathetic hyperactivity, and its consequences for these two cholinergic axes are unknown. Here, we investigated two models of sympathetic hyperactivity: i) the chronic beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation evoked by isoproterenol (ISO), and ii) the alpha(2A)/alpha(2C)-drenergic receptor knockout (KO) mice that lack pre-synaptic adrenergic receptors. In both models, cholinergic signaling was increased by administration of the cholinesterase inhibitor, pyridostigmine. First, we observed that isoproterenol produces an autonomic imbalance characterized by increased sympathetic and reduced parasympathetic tone. Under this condition transcripts for cholinergic proteins were upregulated in ventricular myocytes, indicating that non-neuronal cholinergic machinery is activated during adrenergic overdrive. Pyridostigmine treatment prevented the effects of ISO on autonomic function and on the ventricular cholinergic machinery, and inhibited cardiac remodeling. alpha(2A)/alpha(2C)-KO mice presented reduced ventricular contraction when compared to wild-type mice, and this dysfunction was also reversed by cholinesterase inhibition. Thus, the cardiac parasympathetic system and non-neuronal cardiomyocyte cholinergic machinery are modulated in opposite directions under conditions of increased sympathetic drive or ACh availability. Moreover, our data support the idea that pyridostigmine by restoring ACh availability is beneficial in heart disease

A comparison of two distinct murine macrophage gene expression profiles in response to Leishmania amazonensis infection

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The experimental murine model of leishmaniasis has been widely used to characterize the immune response against <it>Leishmania</it>. CBA mice develop severe lesions, while C57BL/6 present small chronic lesions under <it>L. amazonensis </it>infection. Employing a transcriptomic approach combined with biological network analysis, the gene expression profiles of C57BL/6 and CBA macrophages, before and after <it>L. amazonensis </it>infection in vitro, were compared. These strains were selected due to their different degrees of susceptibility to this parasite.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The genes expressed by C57BL/6 and CBA macrophages, before and after infection, differ greatly, both with respect to absolute number as well as cell function. Uninfected C57BL/6 macrophages express genes involved in the deactivation pathway of macrophages at lower levels, while genes related to the activation of the host immune inflammatory response, including apoptosis and phagocytosis, have elevated expression levels. Several genes that participate in the apoptosis process were also observed to be up-regulated in C57BL/6 macrophages infected with <it>L. amazonensis</it>, which is very likely related to the capacity of these cells to control parasite infection. By contrast, genes involved in lipid metabolism were found to be up-regulated in CBA macrophages in response to infection, which supports the notion that <it>L. amazonensis </it>probably modulates parasitophorous vacuoles in order to survive and multiply in host cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The transcriptomic profiles of C57BL/6 macrophages, before and after infection, were shown to be involved in the macrophage pathway of activation, which may aid in the control of <it>L. amazonensis </it>infection, in contrast to the profiles of CBA cells.</p

Laboratory study of tissue repair of resin-based endodontic sealers in critical surgical defects

Filling materials should be restricted to the root canal space. However, sometimes it is impossible to control the apical extrusion, in this case, the fate of the filling material and the result of the treatment will depend on its physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. Objective: To evaluate the tissue response and bone repair capacity of endodontic sealers that were implanted in the calvaria of Wistar rats, forming the groups (n=16): AH Plus and Sealer Plus, compared to the clot group. Methodology: On days 30 and 60, the animals were euthanized, the calvaria was removed and processed for hematoxylin-eosin, immunohistochemistry for collagen type I, Picrosirus red and microtomographic analysis. Data were subjected to ANOVA and Tuckey tests (p&lt;0.05). Results:At 30 days, all groups showed an intense inflammatory reaction (p&gt;0.05). At 60 days, the AH Plus and Sealer Plus maintained an intense inflammatory infiltrate compared to the clot group (p&lt;0.05). We observed immunopositive areas for type I collagen in all groups at 30 days and 60 days (p&gt;0.05). We observed more red collagen fibers for the Sealer Plus compared to the clot group at 30 days (p&lt;0.05). Considering the total fibers, the clot group at 30 days compared to 60 days after surgery showed an increase in the amount of matrix (p&lt;0.05). There were no statistical differences between groups for green and yellow fibers (p&gt;0.05). Regarding morphometric parameters, at 30 days, the newly formed bone volume and number of bone trabeculae were higher in the groups with sealers compared to the clot group (p&lt;0.05). At 60 days, AH Plus and Sealer Plus showed greater bone neoformation compared to the clot group (p&lt;0.05). Conclusions: Despite AH Plus and Sealer Plus induced an intense inflammatory reaction, they can be considered biocompatible materials, since they allowed bone repair

The Effect of Periodic Maintenance on Pervious Concrete Pavements

Pervious concrete pavements are interesting from an environmental and social viewpoint. However, this type of pavement has as the main disadvantage of losing permeability over time by the clogging process. The aim of this work is to evaluate the periodic cleaning efficiency of using a blower, mainly during the first four months after paving. A pervious concrete sidewalk was constructed and cleaning was carried out, monthly in one half and weekly in the other half. Infiltration rate tests, following ASTM C1701, were performed weekly at eight spots arranged symmetrically on each half of the pavement. The results showed that using a blower for periodic cleaning was efficient. Both halves, with monthly and weekly cleaning, did not present significant statistical difference in their infiltration rates. In this sense, monthly maintenance is the most suitable due to less time and fuel are spent for cleaning, collaborating as an environmental-friendly alternative. This work showed that the performance of periodic maintenance can be useful, in order to maintain the efficiency of the pervious pavement over time.Keywords: Pervious Concrete; Pavement; Infiltration Rate; Periodic Maintenance; Clogging.

Age-effects in white matter using associated diffusion tensor imaging and magnetization transfer ratio during late childhood and early adolescence

In the last decade, several studies have described the typical brain white matter maturation in children and adolescents. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is the most frequent MRI technique used to investigate the structural changes across development. However, few previous studies have used the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), which gives a closer measure of myelin content. Here, we employed both techniques for the same sample of 176 typically developing children from 7 to 14 years of age. We investigated the associations between DTI parameters and MTR measure, to assess the myelination in the brain in development. Secondly, we investigated age-effects on DTI parameters (fractional anisotropy, axial, radial and mean diffusivities) and MTR. No significant correlations between MTR and DTI parameters were observed. In addition, a significant age-effect was detected for DTI data but was not visible for MTR data. Thereby, changes in white matter at this age might be primarily correlated with microstructural changes. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.CAPES FoundationSao Paulo Research Foundation-FAPESPCNPq, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Psychiat, Rua Borges Lagoa 570,1 Andar, BR-04039032 Sao Paulo, BrazilFed Univ Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Interdisciplinary Lab Clin Neurosci LiNC, Sao Paulo, BrazilCNPq, Natl Inst Dev Psychiat Children & Adolescents, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed ABC, Ctr Math Computat & Cognit, Santo Andre, BrazilKings Coll London, Inst Psychiat Psychol & Neurosci, London WC2R 2LS, EnglandUniv Sao Paulo, Lab Magnet Resonance Neuroradiol, LIM 44, Inst & Dept Radiol, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Hosp Clin Porto Alegre, Dept Psychiat, BR-90046900 Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Psychiat, Rua Borges Lagoa 570,1 Andar, BR-04039032 Sao Paulo, BrazilFed Univ Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Interdisciplinary Lab Clin Neurosci LiNC, Sao Paulo, BrazilCAPES: 17930/12-0FAPESP: 2013/10498-6FAPESP: 2013/00506-1FAPESP: 2013/08531-5FAPESP: 2008/ 57896-8CNPq: 573974/2008-0CNPq: 442026/2014-5Web of Scienc

Connectome hubs at resting state in children and adolescents:reproducibility and psychopathological correlation

AbstractFunctional brain hubs are key integrative regions in brain networks. Recently, brain hubs identified through resting-state fMRI have emerged as interesting targets to increase understanding of the relationships between large-scale functional networks and psychopathology. However, few studies have directly addressed the replicability and consistency of the hub regions identified and their association with symptoms. Here, we used the eigenvector centrality (EVC) measure obtained from graph analysis of two large, independent population-based samples of children and adolescents (7–15 years old; total N=652; 341 subjects for site 1 and 311 for site 2) to evaluate the replicability of hub identification. Subsequently, we tested the association between replicable hub regions and psychiatric symptoms. We identified a set of hubs consisting of the anterior medial prefrontal cortex and inferior parietal lobule/intraparietal sulcus (IPL/IPS). Moreover, lower EVC values in the right IPS were associated with psychiatric symptoms in both samples. Thus, low centrality of the IPS was a replicable sign of potential vulnerability to mental disorders in children. The identification of critical and replicable hubs in functional cortical networks in children and adolescents can foster understanding of the mechanisms underlying mental disorders