Trends from the last decade

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Sociedade Portuguesa de PneumologiaIntroduction and objectives: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are opportunistic human pathogens found in the environment. The transmission seems to be associated with inhalation of aerosol droplets, ingestion or trauma events. Recent studies indicate that NTM disease is increasing worldwide, however, the true clinical impact of NTM infections is difficult to determine due to challenges in discriminating between disease and colonization as they are ubiquitous in the environment. In addition, understanding the epidemiology of NTM is difficult and has not yet been established. In this work, we used a country NTM representative collection from the National Reference Laboratory for Tuberculosis (NRL-TB) of the National Institute of Health (INSA), to characterize the circulation trends of NTM species in Portugal and the most affected regions, contributing to a better understanding of the NTM epidemiology. Material and methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective study where all individuals with positive NTM cultures at the NRL-TB of the INSA from 2014 to December 2020 were included. Positive cultures were identified using GenoType Mycobacterium CM/AS® (Hain Lifescience) according to manufacturer's instructions, or hsp65 DNA sequencing as previously described. Social-demographic data from patients were also analyzed and patients classified into 3 groups according only to microbiological data, “definite NTM disease”, “NTM colonization” and, “possible NTM disease”. Results: In the period 2014-2020, the NRL-TB performed 50397 cultures. Among these, 1118 cultures were NTM positive retrieved from 944. Most of our cases were in patients whose mean age was 64±15.9 years, and no significant differences between gender was observed, although more frequent in male patients. Overall, from the 944 cases, we were able to identified 93 “definite NTM disease” cases and 79 “possible NTM disease”. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) (40,8%), Mycobacterium abscessus-chelonae complex (MABC) (9,6%) and Mycobacterium fortuitum (6,3%) were responsible for most of the infections. The geographical distribution of NTM cases varied significantly and was possible to observe that was independent of population density. The region were most cases occurred was Lisbon Metropolitan Area (31,9%), followed by North (25,3%) and Centre (24,4%), however North region has the highest number of “definite NTM disease” cases (n=33). Conclusions: This is the first national wide epidemiological study on this subject, contributing to a better understanding of NTM dynamics in Portugal. MAC was the NTM species responsible for the majority of infections and, LMA the region with the highest number of cases. It was also possible to conclude that the number of NTM isolates is independent of the demography of the region.publishersversionpublishe

Bioecologia e controle da broca pequena do tomateiro Neoleucinodes elegantalis.

A cultura do tomate na Serra da Ibiapaba, no Estado do Ceará, é considerada uma das atividades agrícolas mais importantes e geradora de divisas para esta região. Entretanto, apresenta como uma das pragas chave a broca pequena, Neoleucinodes elegantalis (Guen.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Essa praga ocorre geralmente em elevadas infestações, ocasionando danos à produção em até 90%, pela destruição e apodrecimento dos frutos, levando os produtores a realizarem até duas pulverizações por semana. Sua ocorrência foi constatada no Brasil, em 1922, no Ceará, e em 1939, em São Paulo, encontrando-se atualmente disseminada em quase todas as regiões produtoras de tomate do Brasil. Na região Nordeste, a sua ocorrência é generalizada, exceto no Submédio do Vale do São Francisco, onde não há registro de sua incidência. Mundialmente, N. elegantalis está amplamente distribuída no México, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Cuba, Porto Rico, Panamá, Colômbia, Venemela, Trinidad, Guianas Francesa e Inglesa, Peru, Equador e Argentina. São também hospedeiros de N. elegantalis frutos de berinjela (Solanum melongena), pimentão (Capsicum annuum), jiló (Solanum ovigerum) e frutos das plantas daninhas: Juá grande (Solanum palinacathum), Juá pequeno (S. reflexus), Juá vermelho (S. ciliatum), Juá doce (S. sisymbrifolim) e Jurubeba (S. robustum).bitstream/item/35661/1/CIT26.pd

In a community-based setting spondyloarthritis patients report higher levels of physical disability than chronic low back pain patients-results from EpiReuma.pt

Publisher Copyright: © 2023, Sociedade Portuguesa de Reumatologia. All rights reserved.Objectives: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a common health problem and in most patients it is not possible to identify a specific cause (non-specific CLBP). Spondyloarthritis is a musculoskeletal disorder characterized by (often inflammatory) back pain and spinal stiffness. The impact of CLBP and spondyloarthritis on patients’ physical function may be different. This study aims to compare physical disability in patients with spondyloarthritis and CLBP, in a population-based setting. Furthermore, we aim to identify modifiable risk factors for physical disability among these two populations. Methods: Data from EpiReumaPt, a national health cohort with 10 661 individuals, conducted from September 2011 to December 2013, was used. Physical function was accessed by the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and by the physical function dimension of the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were used to assess the differences between groups. Factors associated with physical disability were explored for both diseases. Results: We evaluated 92 patients with spondyloarthritis, 1376 patients with CLBP and 679 subjects without rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). Spondyloarthritis and CLBP patients reported significantly higher levels of disability in HAQ-DI (b=0.33; p<0.001 and b=0.20; p<0.001, respectively) than subjects without RMDs. In comparison to CLBP patients, spondyloarthritis patients reported higher disability (b=0.14; p=0.03). The physical domains of SF-36, bodily pain and general health, where more affected in spondyloarthritis patients than in CLBP patients (b=-6.61; p=0.02 and b=-5.94; p=0.001, respectively). Spondyloarthritis and CLBP patients had a worse physical summary score (PCS) than mental summary score (MCS), and only PCS was significantly worse in comparison to subjects without RMDs. Factors associated with physical disability in CLBP were low back pain intensity, older age, obesity, multimorbidity, and retirement. Similarly, in spondyloarthritis physical disability was associated with retirement and multimorbidity. Factors associated with lower disability were alcohol consumption and male gender in CLBP, and regular physical exercise was associated with lower disability in both disorders. Conclusions: In this nationwide cohort, spondyloarthritis and CLBP patients reported significant physical disability. Regular physical exercise was associated with lower disability in both diseases.publishersversionpublishe

Intramural Vesical Leiomyoma in a Patient with a Pelvic Fibrous Tumour - Case Report

Introdução: O leiomioma vesical é um tumor benigno raro que representa,aproximadamente, 0,5% do total de neoplasias da bexiga. É frequentemente um achado imagiológico, sendo a sua localização e dimensões determinantes no desenvolvimento de sintomatologia e no tipo de procedimento a efectuar. Caso Clínico: Reporta-se o caso de um doente com queixas urinárias de disúria, polaquiúria e esforço miccional, inicialmente interpretadas como HBP. A investigação diagnóstica culminou com a enucleação de uma volumosa massa intramural da bexiga, com diagnóstico histológico de leiomioma, num doente com antecedentes de doença de Madelung e excisão prévia de um tumor fibroso paravesical. Discussão: O leiomioma vesical, embora apresentando características imagiológicas típicas, deve ser sempre biopsado para confirmação histológica da sua etiologia. O tumor fibroso pélvico apresenta sempre indicação cirúrgica pois, numa minoria de casos, pode apresentar comportamento agressivo com infiltração dos órgãos adjacentes

Identification of naturalized goat breeds under conservation from northeastern Brazil using chromosomal markers.

Abstract: In order to provide the first cytogenetic data of naturalized and threatened goat breeds from northeastern Brazil, cytogenetic analyses were carried out in individuals of Repartida and Moxotó breeds raised in Bahia and Ceará States. Males and females of both breeds had 2n = 60, with 29 autosomal acrocentric pairs plus the sex chromosome pair. The number of nucleolar organizer region (NOR)-bearing chromosomes ranged from 6 to 8 per metaphase in Moxotó and Repartida goats, respectively. The active NORs in Repartida individuals were located exclusively at the terminal regions of the long arms, as usually detected in Bovidae. Otherwise, Moxotó specimens presented a large autosomal pair with NORs on short arms. GC-rich heterochromatin was detected at the centromeres in both breeds, although polymorphic terminal C-bands were visualized on pair 25 in Moxotó. In addition, GC-rich regions were detected at the terminal regions of the long arms of a single pair in Repartida and of 20 chromosomes in Moxotó goats. The differences in both the number and/or position of Ag-NORs and GC-rich sites between Repartida and Moxotó breeds represent efficient cytogenetic markers that can be used in the identification and conservation of the genetic integrity of each lineage. In spite of the small effective population size of these breeds, chromosomal abnormalities related to drift or inbreeding effects were absent in the samples analyzed

Tooth Extraction in Patients on Oral Anticoagulants: Prospective Study Conducted in 108 Brazilian Patients

Introduction. Dental treatment performed in patients receiving continuous oral anticoagulant drug therapy is becoming increasingly common in dental offices. For these patients it is imperative to carry out careful anamnesis, as well as a multiprofessional clinical evaluation with regard to the risk and control of hemorrhagic or thromboembolic episodes. Objectives and Material and Methods. The aim is to evaluate postextraction hemorrhagic or thromboembolic episodes in patients who have been on anticoagulant medications for an uninterrupted period of 48 months. Results. Among the 108 patients evaluated, 215 extractions were performed in which there was only one case of postoperative bleeding. Warfarin was used by 98 patients; Warfarin associated with salicylic acetic acid by 9 patients and salicylic acetic acid in only 1 patient. As regards the serologic tests performed, International Normalized Ratio (INR) ranged from 0.8 to 4.9, with a mean of 3.15. Conclusion. Extractions in patients on oral anticoagulants must be performed in the least traumatic manner possible. It is not necessary to stop anticoagulant therapy to perform extractions. Local hemostasis techniques, such as obliterative sutures alone are sufficient to prevent hemorrhagic complications

Foreword

[Excerpt] This book is the forth book of the series of publications entitled “Occupational Safety and Hygiene”. The main contributions for this book were once more from the works that were previously submitted and approved to be presented at the annual symposium of the Portuguese Society of Occupational Safety and Hygiene (SPOSHO), which is celebrating its 12th edition in 2016. The SHO2016—International Symposium on Occupational Safety and Hygiene, similarly to the past eight years, was held in the School of Engineering at University of Minho in Guimarães, Portugal. [...](undefined

Consequences of early selection for grain type in common bean breeding.

The common bean grain color is controlled by a large number of genes, probably distributed in all the chromosomes. Therefore, early selection for this trait is likely to cause an expressive reduction in the variability of other traits such as grain yield, which is the main objective of most breeding programs. This study was carried out to verify the effect of early (F2 generation) selection for grain type on grain yield in more advanced generations. The F2 population from the cross between the Ouro Negro (black grains) and Pérola (?carioca? - cream with brown stripes) type grains was used. The harvest seeds were divided into two groups, one with ?carioca? grains and another of mixed type, where no selection was applied. The F3 plants of both sub-populations were individually harvested resulting in 199 families per sub-populations. These 398 F3:4 families and the parent cultivars were assessed during the year 2000 dry season in Lavras and the F3:5 families in the winter of 2000 in Lavras and in Patos de Minas. On average, no yield differences among the non-selected and selected for grain type family means were detected. It was also observed that the heritability estimates were high and similar. It is, therefore, inferred that early (F2 generation) selection for grain type did not reduce the potential of the population for selection of superior inbred lines. Consequently, strong selection for grain color in the F2 generation, to screen out undesirable types will enable breeders to concentrate their efforts on the selection of other traits in the advanced generations. Only families with commercially acceptable grain type will be submitted to selection, increasing the chances of success