Automated Discovery of Relationships, Models, and Principles in Ecology

Ecological systems are the quintessential complex systems, involving numerous high-order interactions and non-linear relationships. The most used statistical modeling techniques can hardly accommodate the complexity of ecological patterns and processes. Finding hidden relationships in complex data is now possible using massive computational power, particularly by means of artificial intelligence and machine learning methods. Here we explored the potential of symbolic regression (SR), commonly used in other areas, in the field of ecology. Symbolic regression searches for both the formal structure of equations and the fitting parameters simultaneously, hence providing the required flexibility to characterize complex ecological systems. Although the method here presented is automated, it is part of a collaborative human-machine effort and we demonstrate ways to do it. First, we test the robustness of SR to extreme levels of noise when searching for the species-area relationship. Second, we demonstrate how SR can model species richness and spatial distributions. Third, we illustrate how SR can be used to find general models in ecology, namely new formulas for species richness estimators and the general dynamic model of oceanic island biogeography. We propose that evolving free-form equations purely from data, often without prior human inference or hypotheses, may represent a very powerful tool for ecologists and biogeographers to become aware of hidden relationships and suggest general theoretical models and principles.Peer reviewe

Perioperative gabapentin and post cesarean pain control: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Cesarean delivery occurs in roughly one third of pregnancies. Effective postoperative pain control is a goal for patients and physicians. Limiting opioid use in this period is important as some percentage of opioid naïve individuals will develop persistent use. Gabapentin is a non-opioid medication that has been used perioperatively to improve postoperative pain and limit opioid requirements. The goal of this study is to determine the efficacy of perioperative gabapentin in improving post cesarean delivery pain control. The following data sources were searched from their inception through October 2018: MEDLINE, Ovid, ClinicalTrials.gov, Sciencedirect, and the Cochrane Library at the CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials. A systematic review of the literature was performed to include all randomized trials examining the effect of perioperative gabapentin on post cesarean delivery pain control and other postoperative outcomes. The primary outcome was the analgesic effect of gabapentin on post cesarean delivery pain, measured by visual analog scale (VAS; 0-100) or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) on movement 24 hours (h) postoperative. These scores were directly compared by multiplying all NRS scores by a factor of 10. Meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model of DerSimonian and Laird, to produce summary treatment effects in terms of mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Six placebo controlled trials (n = 645) were identified as relevant and included in the meta-analysis. All studies included only healthy pregnant women (American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status I or II) undergoing spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery at term. Participants were randomized to either 600 mg oral gabapentin or placebo preoperatively and in one study the medications were also continued postoperatively. Pooled data showed that women who received gabapentin prior to cesarean delivery had significantly lower VAS pain scores at 24 h on movement (MD -11.58, 95% CI -23.04 to -0.12). VAS pain scores at other time points at rest or on movement were not significantly different for those who received gabapentin and placebo although there was a general trend toward lower pain scores for women receiving gabapentin. There was no significant between-group difference in use of additional pain medications, supplemental opioids, and maternal or neonatal side effects. There was higher pain control satisfaction at 12 and 24 h in the gabapentin versus placebo groups

Statin short-term inhibition of insulin sensitivity and secretion during acute phase of ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Hyperglycemia during myocardial infarction (MI) has a strong and direct association with mortality. In stable patients and experimental models, statins favor the elevation of glycaemia. The present study investigated whether short-course treatment with statins during MI can influence glucose homeostasis and thus the clinical outcome. In this prospective study, euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp (EHC) was performed at second (D2) and sixth (D6) day after MI in patients randomized to simvastatin (S)10 or 80 mg/day during hospitalization (n = 27). In addition, patients (n = 550) were treated without (WS) or with simvastatin (S) at 20, 40 or 80 mg/day had HOMA2S on admission (D1) and fifth (D5) day after MI. According to EHC, insulin sensitivity increased by 20 +/- 60% in S10 and decreased by -6 +/- 28% in S80 (p = 0.025). Consistently, the changes in HOMA2S between D1 and D5 were 40 +/- 145% (WS), 22 +/- 117% (S20), 16 +/- 61% (S40) and -2% +/- 88% (S80) (p = 0.001). In conclusion, statin during the acute phase of MI reduces insulin sensitivity in a dose-dependent manner.9CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQ301465/2017-

Anesthetic management of patients with class 3 obesity undergoing elective Cesarean delivery: a single-centre historical cohort study

PURPOSE: The preferred neuraxial anesthetic technique for patients with class 3 obesity undergoing elective Cesarean delivery is still under debate. We aimed to describe the anesthetic technique used in our tertiary institution across body mass index (BMI) groups and different surgical incisions. METHOD: In this historical cohort study, we reviewed medical records of patients with a BMI ≥ 40 kg·m-2 undergoing elective Cesarean delivery between July 2014 and December 2020. We collected data on patient characteristics, anesthetic and surgical technique, and procedural times. For data analysis, we stratified patients by BMI into three different groups: 40.0-49.9 kg·m-2, 50.0-59.9 kg·m-2, and ≥ 60.0 kg·m-2. RESULTS: We included 396 deliveries, distributed as follows: 258 with a BMI 40.0-49.9 kg·m-2, 112 with a BMI 50.0-59.9 kg·m-2, and 26 with a BMI ≥ 60.0 kg·m-2. For patients with a BMI 40.0-49.9 kg·m-2, the anesthetic technique of first choice was predominantly spinal anesthesia (71%), whereas for those with a BMI ≥ 60.0 kg·m-2, spinal anesthesia was never used as the anesthetic of first choice. With regard to the surgical incision, spinal anesthesia was almost exclusively used for patients undergoing Pfannenstiel incision and was rarely used for a higher supra- or infraumbilical transverse or midline incision. The overall incidence of general anesthesia was low (7/396, 1.8%). Anesthetic time, surgical time, and operating room time increased almost twofold in patients with a BMI ≥ 60.0 kg·m-2 compared with those with a BMI of 40.0-49.9 kg·m-2. CONCLUSION: Neuraxial anesthesia was successfully used in approximately 98% of patients with class 3 obesity undergoing elective Cesarean delivery. The choice of regional anesthesia technique varied with increasing BMI and with the planned surgical incision. Procedural times increased with increasing BMI. This information should prove useful for comparing anesthetic choices and outcomes in this challenging population

Germinação e vigor de sementes de Passiflora setacea D.C. armazenadas em duas condições ambientais.

Estudos relacionados às melhores condições de armazenamento devem ser realizados para garantir a comercialização de sementes de qualidade. Os objetivos desta pesquisa foram avaliar a qualidade fisiológica das sementes de P. setacea cultivar ?BRS Pérola do Cerrado?, armazenadas com diferentes umidades e condições ambientais, assim como verificar o efeito do armazenamento sobre a dormência das mesmas. As sementes foram submetidas à secagem em sílica gel até conteúdos de água de 7%, 4,1%, 3,6% e 3,0%, além do controle, sementes sem secagem, com 11,5% de conteúdo de água. As sementes foram acondicionadas em embalagem impermeável e armazenadas em câmara climatizada (-20ºC) e em ambiente de laboratório. Após 14 meses de armazenamento foram realizados testes de germinação e vigor. O vigor das sementes foi avaliado pelo índice de velocidade de germinação. A germinação foi conduzida à 20-30ºC em câmara de germinação, na presença ou não do regulador de crescimento Promalin® (associação de giberelinas e citocinina; 300mg.L-1). A utilização do regulador de crescimento proporcionou aumento da germinação e do vigor das sementes nos diferentes ambientes de armazenamento, apresentando interação significativa com o conteúdo de água. Na temperatura subzero (-20°C), melhor qualidade fisiológica foi observada nas sementes armazenadas com conteúdo de água de 7,0%, 4,1% e 3,6%. Em condições laboratoriais, sementes armazenadas com umidade de 11,5% e 7,0% apresentaram baixa germinação e vigor. Tanto o período de armazenamento quanto as condições ambientais estudadas não são suficientes para a superação da dormência das sementes, e o regulador de crescimento deve ser utilizado por ocasião da semeadura.bitstream/item/212551/1/Boletim-Passiflora-358final7.pd

Omega-3 intake is associated with attenuated inflammatory response and cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction (MI) elicits an intense acute inflammatory response that is essential for cardiac repair. However, an excessive inflammatory response also favors myocardial apoptosis, cardiac remodeling, and cardiovascular mortality. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (-3) bear anti-inflammatory effects, which may mitigate the inflammatory response during MI. This study investigated whether -3 intake is associated with attenuation of the MI-related inflammatory response and cardiac remodeling. ST-elevation MI (STEMI) patients (n=421) underwent clinical, biochemical, nutritional, 3D echocardiogram, Cardiac Magnetic Resonance imaging (CMRi) at 30 days and 3D echocardiogram imaging at six months after the MI. Blood tests were performed at day one (D1) and day five (D5) of hospitalization. Changes in inflammatory markers (D5-D1) were calculated. A validated food frequency questionnaire estimated the nutritional consumption and -3 intake in the last 3months before admission. The intake of -3 below the median (<1.7g/day) was associated with a short-term increase in hs-C-reactive protein [OR:1.96(1.24-3.10); p=0.004], Interleukin-2 [OR:2.46(1.20-5.04); p=0.014], brain-type natriuretic peptide [OR:2.66(1.30-5.44); p=0.007], left-ventricle end-diastolic volume [OR:5.12(1.11-23.52)]; p=0.036] and decreases in left-ventricle ejection fraction [OR:2.86(1.47-6.88); p=0.017] after adjustment for covariates. No differences were observed in the extension of infarcted mass obtained by CMRi. These findings suggest that a reduced daily intake of -3 may intensify outcome-determining mechanisms after STEMI, such as acute inflammatory response and late left ventricular remodeling.18CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQ308550/2010-