638 research outputs found
Global mapping of river sediment bars
Recently, deep learning has been increasingly applied to global mapping of land‐use and land‐cover classes. However, very few studies have addressed the problem of separating lakes from rivers, and to our knowledge, none have addressed the issue of mapping fluvial sediment bars. We present the first global scale inventory of fluvial gravel bars. Our workflow is based on a state‐of‐the‐art fully convolutional neural network which is applied to Sentinel‐2 imagery at a resolution of 10 m. We use Google Earth Engine to access these data for a study site that covers 89% of the Earth's surface. We count 8.9 million gravel bars with an estimated area of 41 000 km2. Crucially, the workflow we present can be executed within a month of highly automated processing and thus allows for global scale, monthly, monitoring of gravel bars and associated rivers
Interstitial Lung Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Era of Biologics
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) represents a severe manifestation in connective tissue diseases (CTD), with an overall incidence of 15%, and it is still a challenge for clinicians evaluation and management. ILD is the most common manifestation of lung involvement in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), observed in up to 80% of biopsies, 50% of chest Computed Tomography (CT) and only 5% of chest radiographs. Histopatological patterns of ILD in RA may present with different patterns, such as: usual interstitial pneumonia, non specific interstitial pneumonia, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, organizing pneumonia, and eosinophilic infiltration. The incidence of ILD in RA patients is not only related to the disease itself, many drugs may be in fact associated with the development of pulmonary damage. Some reports suggest a causative role for TNFα inhibitors in RA-ILD development/worsening, anyway, no definitive statement can be drawn thus data are incomplete and affected by several variables. A tight control (pulmonary function tests and/or HRCT) is mandatory in patients with preexisting ILD, but it should be also performed in those presenting risk factors for ILD and mild respiratory symptoms. Biologic therapy should be interrupted, and, after excluding triggering infections, corticosteroids should be administered
The COVID-19 Wellbeing Study: Examining perceived coercion and psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic by means of an online survey, asynchronous virtual focus groups and individual interviews – a protocol
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in
many countries applying restrictive measures, such as
lockdown, to contain and prevent further spread. The
psychological impact of lockdown and working as a
healthcare worker on the frontline has been chronicled
in studies pertaining to previous infectious disease
pandemics that have reported the presence of depressive
symptoms, anxiety, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress
symptoms. Potentially linked to psychological well-being
and not yet studied is the possibility that lockdown and
working on the frontline of the pandemic are associated
with perceptions of coercion.
Methods and analysis: The present study aimed
to examine perceived coercion in those who have
experienced COVID-19-related lockdown and/or worked
as a frontline healthcare worker across three European
countries. It aimed to describe how such perceptions may
impact on psychological well-being, coping and posttraumatic growth. It will employ an explanatory mixedmethods research methodology consisting of an online
survey and online asynchronous virtual focus groups
(AVFGs) and individual interviews. χ2
tests and analyses
of variance will be used to examine whether participants
from different countries differ according to demographic
factors, whether there are differences between cohorts on
perceived coercion, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic
growth scores. The relationship between coercion and
symptoms of distress will be assessed using multiple
regression. Both the AVFGs and the narrative interviews
will be analysed using thematic narrative analysis.
Ethics and dissemination: The study has been approved
by University College London’s Research Ethics Committee
under Project ID Number 7335/004. Results will be
disseminated by means of peer-reviewed publications and
at national and/or international conferences
Espécies de patógenos invasores potenciais para plantios de pínus e eucalipto no Brasil
Sessão de Painéis
Effects of zinc against mercury toxicity in female rats 12 and 48 hours after HgCl2 exposure
This work investigated the toxicity of inorganic mercury and zinc preventive effects in female rats sacrificed 12 or 48 h after HgCl2 exposure. Female Wistar rats were subcutaneously injected with ZnCl2 (27 mg/kg) or saline (0.9 %), and 24 h later they were exposed to HgCl2 (5 mg/kg) or saline (0.9 %). Rats sacrificed 12 hours after Hg administration presented an increase in kidney weight and a decrease in renal ascorbic acid levels. Zinc pretreatment prevented the renal weight increase. Rats sacrificed 48 h after Hg exposure presented a decrease in body weight gain, an increase in renal weight, a decrease in renal δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity, an increase in serum creatinine and urea levels, and a decrease in kidney total thiol levels. Zinc pretreatment partly prevented the decrease in body weight gain and increase in creatinine levels, in addition to totally preventing renal δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase inhibition. Mercury accumulation in the kidney and liver in both periods was observed after Hg administration. These results show the different Hg effects along the time of intoxication, and a considerably preventive effect of zinc against Hg toxicity
Review Article Interstitial Lung Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Era of Biologics
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) represents a severe manifestation in connective tissue diseases (CTD), with an overall incidence of 15%, and it is still a challenge for clinicians evaluation and management. ILD is the most common manifestation of lung involvement in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), observed in up to 80% of biopsies, 50% of chest Computed Tomography (CT) and only 5% of chest radiographs. Histopatological patterns of ILD in RA may present with different patterns, such as: usual interstitial pneumonia, non specific interstitial pneumonia, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, organizing pneumonia, and eosinophilic infiltration. The incidence of ILD in RA patients is not only related to the disease itself, many drugs may be in fact associated with the development of pulmonary damage. Some reports suggest a causative role for TNFα inhibitors in RA-ILD development/worsening, anyway, no definitive statement can be drawn thus data are incomplete and affected by several variables. A tight control (pulmonary function tests and/or HRCT) is mandatory in patients with preexisting ILD, but it should be also performed in those presenting risk factors for ILD and mild respiratory symptoms. Biologic therapy should be interrupted, and, after excluding triggering infections, corticosteroids should be administered
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