Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ

Treinamento resistido de oito semanas melhora a aptidão física mas não altera o perfil lipídico de indivíduos hipercolesterolêmicos.

Diversos estudos têm demonstrado que exercícios aeróbios são eficazes na redução da colesterolemia. Contudo, poucos estudos tem investigado os efeitos de exercícios com características anaeróbias, como os exercícios resistidos, sobre o perfil lipídico de indivíduos hipercolesterolêmicos. Os objetivos do presente estudo foram investigar os efeitos de oito semanas de treinamento resistido sobre o perfil lipídico, composição corporal e força máxima de indivíduos hipercolesterolêmicos. Indivíduos sedentários e hipercolesterolêmicos (n=12; 54,8 + 10,9 anos; 65,1 + 12,4 kg; 24,6 + 5,6 kg/m²; 163 + 8 cm e colesterol total (CT) de 233,9 + 31,9 mg.dl-1) foram divididos em 2 grupos. O Grupo 1 (G1, n=7) realizou, durante oito semanas, 3 sessões semanais de exercícios resistidos, sendo 3 séries de 20 repetições com 40% de uma repetição máxima, utilizando-se de 12 exercícios diferentes, com pausa de 45 segundos entre as séries de exercícios. O Grupo 2 (G2, n=5) não realizou treinamento e serviu como controle durante o período estudado. Os níveis plasmáticos de CT, HDL, LDL, VLDL e triglicérides (TG), além da composição corporal e nível de força (kg) foram mensurados antes e após o período estudado. Os dados referentes à ingestão calórica total diária (kcal/dia) e a distribuição nutricional (% de carboidratos, lipídios e proteínas na dieta) foram mensurados em todos participantes a partir de inquérito alimentar. Teste t-student foi utilizado para comparar os resultados obtidos antes e após tratamento. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas pré/pós treinamento resistido para as concentrações plasmáticas (mg.dl-1) de CT (230,43+25,57 / 230,29+47,02), HDL (64,0+21,34 / 57,29+16,08), LDL (139,0+18,72 / 145,86+51,07), VLDL (27,43+23,83 / 27,14+13,56) e TG (128,71+121,47 / 127,14+69,06) para G1. Similarmente, para G2 também não foram verificadas diferenças pré/pós período estudado para os valores de CT (238,8+42,2 / 240,8+53,1), HDL (38,6+6,3 / 42,4+6,3), LDL (168,8+46,1 / 161,6+54,5), VLDL (31,4+11,4 / 33,8+ 8,8) e TG (156,6+56,0 / 170,8+42,1). Foi observado um aumento significativo (p<0,05) da massa magra para G1 e um ganho médio de 16,3% na força máxima (p<0,01), sendo que o mesmo não ocorreu para G2. Não foram verificadas diferenças significantes entre G1 e G2 na quantidade de Kcal/dia ingeridas (1915,2+795,3 vs 1742,6+454,6 Kcal/dia), bem como na porcentagem de Kcal provenientes de carboidratos (58,6+8,2 vs 59,8+9,8 %), lipídios (27,6+8,0 vs 26,0+9,1 %) e proteínas (13,8+1,2 vs 13,6+2,0 %). Concluímos que apesar do aumento da massa magra e força observados no G1, o programa de exercício resistido utilizado no presente estudo não resultou em alteração no perfil lipídico dos participantes. Estudos adicionais devem ser realizados investigando-se os efeitos de diferentes intensidades, volumes e duração dos programas de treinamento resistido, bem como os possíveis efeitos da associação destes com exercícios aeróbios sobre o perfil lipídico de indivíduos hipercolesterolêmicos

Inclusão de diferentes níveis do resíduo de feijão nas rações de ovinos sobre o consumo e digestibilidade dos nutrientes

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of including common-bean residue in diets for feedlot sheep on the intake and digestibility of nutrients by these animals. Sixteen intact male sheep were allotted in a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replicates. Treatments consisted of the inclusion of 0, 11, 22, and 33% of the common-bean residue (dry matter basis) in the experimental diets, which corresponded to the substitution levels of 0.0, 33.3, 66.7, and 100.0% of cottonseed cake for the bean residue. Data of the studied variables were subjected to analyses of variance and regression, adopting a significance level of 5%. The model was chosen based on the significance of the regression parameters, evaluated by the t test (P0.05) the intakes of neutral detergent fiber, non-fiber carbohydrates, or total digestible nutrients by the feedlot sheep. Every 1.0% of inclusion of the common-bean residue in the sheep diet led to a reduction of 4.93, 0.01, and 0.20 in DM intake when expressed in g animal-1 day-1, %BW, and BW0.75, respectively. Every 1.0% of inclusion of the bean residue resulted in the reduction of 2.73% in the intake of indigestible neutral detergent fiber by the feedlot sheep. Sheep displayed a linear increase (P0,05) o consumo de fibra em detergente neutro, carboidratos não fibrosos e nutrientes digestíveis totais dos ovinos confinados. Observou-se que para cada 1,0% da inclusão do resíduo de feijão na dieta de ovinos ocorreu uma redução no consumo de MS de 4,93; 0,01 e 0,20 expressos em g animal-1 dia-1, % PC e PC0,75, respectivamente. A cada 1,0% de inclusão do resíduo de feijão foi observado a redução de 2,73% no consumo de fibra em detergente neutro indigestível dos ovinos confinados. Os ovinos apresentaram um aumentou linear (P<0,05) no consumo de água com a inclusão dos diferentes níveis do resíduo de feijão nas dietas experimentais. A inclusão de 0; 11; 22 e 33% do resíduo de feijão na dieta de ovinos influenciou de forma linear crescente (P<0,05) a digestibilidade da matéria seca, proteína bruta, matéria orgânica e fibra em detergente neutro. Assim, conclui-se que a inclusão até 22% do resíduo de feijão na dieta de ovinos em confinamento, promove valores equilibrados e adequados entre o consumo e a digestibilidade dos nutrientes

Resumos concluídos - Ciências Ambientais

Resumos concluídos - Ciências Ambientai