How frequently should a patient taking amiodarone be screened for thyroid dysfunction?

Amiodarone-induced thyroid dysfunction (AITD) is a common complication of amiodarone therapy and its prevalence varies according to iodine intake, subclinical thyroid disorders and the definition of AITD. There is no consensus about the frequency of screening for this condition. We evaluated 121 patients on chronic regular intake of amiodarone (mean intake = 248.5 ± 89 mg; duration of treatment = 5.3 ± 3.9 years, range = 0.57-17 years) and with stable baseline cardiac condition. Those with no AITD were followed up for a median period of 3.2 years (range: 0.6-6.7) and the incidence rate of AITD, defined by clinical and laboratorial findings as proposed by international guidelines, was obtained (62.8 per 1000 patients/year). We applied the Cox proportional hazard model to adjust for potential confounding factors and used sensitivity analysis to identify the best screening time for follow-up. We detected thyroid dysfunction in 59 (48.7%) of the 121 patients, amiodarone-induced hypothyroidism in 50 (41.3%) and hyperthyroidism in 9 (7.5%). Compared with patients without AITD, there was no difference regarding dosage or duration of therapy, heart rhythm disorder or baseline cardiac condition. During the follow-up of the 62 patients without AITD at baseline evaluation, 11 developed AITD (interquartile range, IR: 62.8 (95%CI: 31.3-112.3) cases per 1000 patients/year), 9 of them with hypothyroidism - IR: 11.4 (95%CI: 1.38-41.2), and 2 hyperthyroidism - IR: 51.3 (95%CI: 23.4-97.5). Age, gender, dose, and duration of treatment were not significant after adjustment. During the first 6 months of follow-up the incidence rate for AITD was 39.3 (9.2-61.9) cases per 1000 patients/year. These data show that AITD is quite common, and support the need for screening at 6-month intervals, unless clinical follow-up dictates otherwise or further information regarding the prognosis of untreated subclinical AITD is available.CNP

Caracterização do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de mandioca do semi-árido nordestino.

Atualmente, tem sido dada prioridade para a caracterização agronômica das plantas, visando a seleção dos acessos promissores para o uso como forragem para caprinos e ovinos

Determinantes sociais e padrões de consumo de álcool na Bahia, Brasil

OBJECTIVE: To study patterns of alcohol consumption and prevalence of high-risk drinking. METHODS: A household survey was carried out in a sample of 2,302 adults in Salvador, Brazil. Cases of High-Risk Drinking (HRD) were defined as those subjects who referred daily or weekly binge drinking plus episodes of drunkenness and those who reported any use of alcoholic beverages but with frequent drunkenness (at least once a week). RESULTS: Fifty-six per cent of the sample acknowledged drinking alcoholic beverages. Overall consumption was significantly related with gender (male), marital status (single), migration (non-migrant), better educated (college level), and social class (upper). No significant differences were found regarding ethnicity, except for cachaça (Brazilian sugarcane liquor) and other distilled beverages. Overall 12-month prevalence of high-risk drinking was 7%, six times more prevalent among males than females (almost 13% compared to 2.4%). A positive association of HRD prevalence with education and social class was found. No overall relationship was found between ethnicity and HRD. Male gender and higher socioeconomic status were associated with increased odds of HRD. Two-way stratified analyses yielded consistent gender effects throughout all strata of independent variables. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that social and cultural elements determine local patterns of alcohol-drinking behavior. Additional research on long-term and differential effects of gender, ethnicity, and social class on alcohol use and misuse is needed in order to explain their role as sources of social health inequities.OBJETIVOS: Investigar padrões de consumo de álcool e prevalência de consumo de alto risco. MÉTODOS: Inquérito domiciliar realizado no município de Salvador, Bahia, com amostra de 2.302 adultos. Casos de consumo de alto risco foram definidos como sujeitos que referiram uso diário ou semanal mais episódios de embriaguez, além daqueles que informaram qualquer uso de bebidas alcoólicas com embriaguez freqüente (pelo menos uma vez por semana). RESULTADOS: Cinqüenta e seis por cento da amostra referiram consumo atual de bebidas alcoólicas. Consumo global estava significantemente associado a gênero (homens), estado civil (solteiros), migração (não-migrantes), educação (nível superior) e classe social (alta). Nenhuma diferença significante foi encontrada com relação a etnicidade, com exceção de cachaça e outras bebidas destiladas. A prevalência anual de consumo de alto risco foi 7%, seis vezes mais prevalente entre homens que entre mulheres (quase 13% comparado a 2,4%). Foi encontrada uma associação positiva de prevalência de consumo de alto risco com educação e classe social. Nenhuma relação global foi encontrada entre etnicidade e consumo de alto risco. Gênero masculino e níveis socioeconômicos mais altos foram associados ao aumento de consumo de alto risco. Análises estratificadas revelaram um efeito consistente de gênero, através de todos os estratos de variáveis independentes. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados sugerem que elementos sociais e culturais determinam padrões locais de consumo de bebidas alcoólicas. Pesquisas adicionais sobre efeitos de longo prazo de etnicidade, classe social e gênero sobre consumo de álcool são necessárias, visando a explicar o seu papel como fontes de desigualdades sociais em saúde

Performance of Embrapa's elite populations of subtropical lowland rice in the 2013/14 crop year.

This study aimed to estimate GY genetic progress expected in the FY from the 2013/14 crop year. The trials were carried out in Goianira and Alegrete, respectively in the Center and Southwest of Brazil

Rainfall Erosivity: Gap-Filling Method Differences in the Brazilian Pantanal and Cerrado Biomes

To improve the use of soil and its conservation, precipitation data are necessary. With the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), the study of historical precipitation series is a main factor, but in these series, there are gaps that need to be filled. This study had, as a basis, the methods of weighted likelihood, multiple regression, and weighted likelihood based on multiple regression to fill the gaps of the rainfall data for the rainfall gauges in the Brazilian biomes (Cerrado and Pantanal, municipalities of Campo Grande, Bandeirantes, Sidrolândia, Miranda, Fazenda Ponte, and Ribas do Rio Pardo). With this, it became possible to calculate the rainfall erosivity (R factor in the USLE). Therefore, the consistency of the filled rainfall data was analyzed by the double mass method. The value of the rainfall erosivity calculated varies from 2304.80 to 13562.10 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 year. With this data, it was possible to identify particular results that differed from the rainfall erosivity. Comparing all the gap-filling methods, numbers varying from 0–12% at the same rainfall gauge were obtained

Geoenvironmental characterization of gold mine tailings from Minas Gerais and Goiás, Brazil

For more than two centuries, sulfide gold ores have been treated at metallurgical plants located in Nova Lima, Santa Barbara and Crixás. Brazil. In this study, geochemical, mineralogical, and textural properties of tailings from eight tailings deposits were analysed. The samples show high concentration of Au, hosted in different minerals. In addition, samples contain S, Fe, and As. Sulfides, oxides, and sulfates are present, some as preserved relics. This work highlights different geochemistry and mineralogy, dependent on the nature of the tailings. Such information is critical to support long-term decisions about tailings management and circular economy.This work was supported by FCT through projects UIDB/04683/2020 and UIDP/04683/2020, and the Nano-MINENV project 029259 (PTDC/CTA-AMB/29259/2017), and by AngloGold Ashanti Brasil. Our colleagues at ICT, Centro de Microscopy at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (CM-UFMG) and AngloGold Ashanti provide insights and knowledge that greatly aid the research

Produtividade do capim Andropogon gayanus sob efeito de irrigação e adubação nitrogenada.

Avaliou-se o efeito de diferentes lâminas de irrigação e doses de nitrogênio (N) sobre a produtividade de forragem do capim-andropogon (Andropogon gayanus cv. Planaltina). O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 2 x 4, com três repetições; sendo dois níveis de irrigação (50% e 80% da evaporação do Tanque Classe A) e quatro níveis de N, o equivalente a 200; 400; 600 e 800 kg/ha/ano. Os níveis de N foram aplicados na forma de uréia e em cobertura, fracionados em função do número de cortes (16,7; 33,3; 50,0 e 66,6 kg/mês). Não foram observados efeitos significativos das diferentes lâminas de irrigação sobre a produção de matéria seca (MS). As produtividades de MS responderam positiva e linearmente apenas ao efeito isolado da adubação nitrogenada. A aplicação de 600 kg/ha/ano de N implicou em maior rendimento de forragem. Dentro de cada lâmina aplicada foi observado efeito linear positivo da adubação nitrogenada sobre a produção de MS