The growth dynamics in Brachiaria species according to nitrogen dose and shade

It was studied the effects of shading (0, 36 and 54%) and of four nitrogen doses (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg N/dm³ of soil) on the morphogenetic traits and on the tillering of grasses of Brachiaria genus (B. decumbens, B. ruziziensis and B. brizantha cv. Marandu and cv. Xaraes), cultivated in pots with 5 kg substrate. It was used a complete random design, in a 3 × 4 × 4 factorial scheme with three replications. Nitrogen promoted increase in leaf appearance rate and in average leaf blade length, whereas shading increased stem elongation rate. Leaf elongation rate and tillering varied with the interaction among shading percentages and nitrogen doses. Shading increased response efficiency of leaf elongation rate to nitrogen doses, but reduced for tillering, evidencing priority existing tillering growth in detriment to appearance of new tillers when there is light restriction for the plants. Phenotypic adjustments, in response to light reduction, indicate that the studied grasses present tolerance to moderate shading.Estudaram-se os efeitos do sombreamento (0, 36 e 54%) e de doses de nitrogênio (0, 50, 100 e 150 mg/dm³ de solo) nas características morfogênicas e no perfilhamento de gramíneas do gênero Brachiaria (B. decumbens, B. ruziziensis e B. brizantha cvs. Marandu e Xaraes) cultivadas em vasos com capacidade para 5 kg de substrato. Adotou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 3 × 4 × 4 com três repetições. O nitrogênio promoveu aumento na taxa de aparecimento de folhas e no comprimento médio das lâminas foliares, enquanto o sombreamento aumentou a taxa de alongamento do colmo. A taxa de alongamento de folhas e o perfilhamento variaram com a interação entre as percentagens de sombra e as doses de nitrogênio. O sombreamento aumentou a eficiência de resposta da taxa de alongamento de folhas às doses de nitrogênio, mas reduziu para o perfilhamento, evidenciando prioridade no crescimento de perfilhos existentes em detrimento do surgimento de novos perfilhos quando há restrição de luminosidade para as plantas. Os ajustes fenotípicos, em resposta à diminuição de luz, indicam que as forrageiras estudadas apresentam tolerância ao sombreamento moderado

Custo do transplante hepático no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná Cost of liver transplantation at the Clinical Hospital of the Federal University of Parana, Brazil

OBJETIVO. Determinar o custo do transplante hepático no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná. MÉTODO. Os dados do prontuário de 24 pacientes submetidos a 25 transplantes hepáticos foram avaliados do dia da internação para o transplante hepático até a data da alta hospitalar ou óbito para determinar o número de dias de internação, o local de internação, a quantidade de material e medicamentos usados, os exames complementares e procedimentos realizados. Honorários médicos não foram incluídos no estudo. RESULTADOS. A idade dos pacientes variou de 6 a 56 anos, tendo seis deles menos que 14 anos de idade. Cinco pacientes foram a óbito durante a internação hospitalar. Retransplante foi realizado em somente um paciente. O custo médio da retirada do fígado do doador foi de US$2,783.19. O custo total do transplante hepático variou amplamente entre os pacientes, na dependência de ocorrência de complicações pós-operatórias, do número de dias de internação hospitalar e da quantidade de transfusão de hemoderivados. O custo total variou de US$ 6,359.84 a US$75,434.18, com média de US$ 21,505.53. O item mais caro do transplante hepático foi o custo com a hemoterapia, seguido do custo com medicamentos e diária hospitalar. CONCLUSÃO. O custo do transplante hepático varia muito entre os pacientes e pode ser realizado no Brasil a um custo inferior ao relatado nos Estados Unidos e na Europa.<br>PURPOSE - To determine the cost of liver transplantation at the Clinical Hospital of the Federal University of Parana. METHODS - The data of 24 patients subjected to 25 liver transplantations were evaluated from the day of hospital admission until the day of discharge to determine the length of hospitalization, quantity of material and medications used, and exams and procedures performed. Professional fees were not included in the study. RESULTS - The age of the patients varied from 6 to 56 years. Six patients were younger than 14 years of age. Five patients died during hospitalization. Re-transplantation was performed in only one patient. The average cost for liver procurement was US$2,783.19. The total cost of the liver transplantation varied, depending on the occurrence of complications, length of hospitalization and the amount of blood products transfused. The total cost varied from US$ 6,359.84 to US$75,434.18, with an average of US$ 21,505.53. The most expensive item of the liver transplantation was blood products transfused, followed by medications, and intensive care and room charges. CONCLUSION - The cost of liver transplantation varies among the patients and may be performed in Brazil at a cost less than that reported in the United States and Europe

Diagnostic accuracy of thromboelastometry and its correlation with the HPLC-MS/MS quantification test

The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of thromboelastometry for assessing rivaroxaban concentrations. The accuracy of thromboelastometry was compared with the high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method, which is the gold standard for drug plasma monitoring (the reference standard). Forty-six clinically stable patients were treated with 10, 15, or 20 mg of rivaroxaban once daily (OD group) or 15 mg twice a day (BID group) (no particular indication for treatment). Patient samples were collected 2 h after the use of the medication (peak) and 2 h before the next dose (trough). The rivaroxaban plasma concentrations were determined via HPLC-MS/MS, and thromboelastometry was performed using a ROTEM® delta analyzer. There were significant prolongations in clotting time (CT) for the 10, 15, and 20 mg of rivaroxaban treatments in the OD groups. In the 15 mg BID group, the responses at the peak and trough times were similar. At the peak times, there was a positive correlation between the plasma concentration of rivaroxaban and CT (Spearman correlation rho=0.788, P<0.001) and clot formation time (rho=0.784, P<0.001), and a negative correlation for alpha angle (rho=−0.771, P<0.001), amplitude after 5 min (rho=−0.763, P<0.001), and amplitude after 10 min (rho=−0.680, P<0.001). The CT presented higher specificity and sensitivity using the cut-off determined by the receiver characteristics curve. ROTEM has potential as screening tool to measure possible bleeding risk associated with rivaroxaban plasma levels

Recuperação da topografia de ovos por meio da técnica de moiré e calibração independente Eggs' topography recovery by means of the moiré technique and by an independent calibration

A recuperação da topografia de ovos por meio de análise de imagens digitais permite, de forma não destrutiva, a estimativa das massas da gema, da clara, da casca e totais, que são produtos amplamente utilizados na esfera industrial. O presente trabalho buscou desenvolver uma metodologia para a recuperação da forma tridimensional de ovos por meio de análise de imagens, em especial usando a técnica de moiré. Foram utilizados ovos de diferentes tamanhos, classificados em: XL (mais de 73 g), L (63 a 73 g), M (53 a 63 g) e S (até 53 g). Em cada teste realizado em laboratório, um ovo, aleatoriamente selecionado, foi iluminado com a projeção de grades, e as imagens foram capturadas e processadas para a obtenção da forma tridimensional do objeto pela técnica de moiré (TM). As dimensões dos seus eixos principais foram medidas por meio de um paquímetro, sendo usadas como referência para calibração da TM. Equações empíricas foram ajustadas para a correção das dimensões, apresentando coeficiente de determinação de 0,961; 0,955 e 0,988. A TM mostrou-se adequada para a recuperação da topografia de ovos, proporcionando erros menores ou iguais a 5,47%, com a clara necessidade de uma calibração independente, nas três dimensões, e sem a necessidade de usar um objeto calibrador.<br>The recovery of the topography of eggs using digital images analysis allows the prediction with a non-destructive and with a non-contact way of the egg mass, yolk, egg white, and eggshell, which are products widely used in the industrial sphere. The present research seeks to develop a methodology to recovery the tridimensional shape of eggs through image analysis, in particular by the moiré technique with the proposition of an independent calibration. For the accomplishment of this research, eggs of different sizes classified in XL (more than 73g), L (63 to 73g), M (53 to 63 g), and S (until 53 g) were used. In each test realized at the laboratory, one egg, randomly selected was illuminated with the projection of grids and the images were taken and processed to obtain the tridimensional shape of the object by moiré technique (TM). The dimensions of its main axes were measured by means of a caliper rule, being used as a reference for the TM calibration. Empirical equations were adjusted for the correction of the dimensions, presenting coefficient of determination of 0.961, 0.955, and 0.988. TM showed to be adequate for recovering the egg topography providing errors smaller or equal to 5.47%, with a clear demand of an independent calibration in the three dimensions, and without any standard object