Urban, traffic- related particles and lung tumors in urethane treated mice

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of urban, traffic-related, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on mice lung tumorigenesis under controlled exposure conditions. METHODS: Four groups of female Swiss mice were treated with intraperitonial injections of urethane and saline solution. Urethane was used to start the carcinogenesis process. The animals were housed in two chambers receiving filtered and polluted air. In the polluted air chamber, pollutant levels were low. After two months of exposure, the animals were euthanized and lung tumoral nodules were counted. RESULTS: Saline-treated animals showed no nodules. Urethane-treated animals showed 2.0+2.0 and 4.0+3.0 nodules respectively, in the filtered and non-filtered chambers (p = 0.02), thus showing experimental evidence of increased carcinogenic-induced lung cancer with increasing PM2.5 exposure. CONCLUSION: Our data support the concept that low levels of PM2.5 may increase the risk of developing lung tumors

Effects of Different Peep Levels on Mesenteric Leukocyte-Endothelial Interactions in Rats During Mechanical Ventilation

INTRODUCTION: Mechanical ventilation with positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) improves oxygenation and treats acute pulmonary failure. However, increased intrathoracic pressure may cause regional blood flow alterations that may contribute to mesenteric ischemia and gastrointestinal failure. We investigated the effects of different PEEP levels on mesenteric leukocyte-endothelial interactions. METHODS: Forty-four male Wistar rats were initially anesthetized (Pentobarbital I.P. 50mg/kg) and randomly assigned to one of the following groups: 1) NAIVE (only anesthesia; n=9), 2) PEEP 0 (PEEP of 0 cmH2O, n=13), 3) PEEP 5 (PEEP of 5 cmH2O, n=12), and 4) PEEP 10 (PEEP of 10 cmH2O, n=13). Positive end expiratory pressure groups were tracheostomized and mechanically ventilated with a tidal volume of 10 mL/kg, respiratory rate of 70 rpm, and inspired oxygen fraction of 1. Animals were maintained under isoflurane anesthesia. After two hours, laparotomy was performed, and leukocyte-endothelial interactions were evaluated by intravital microscopy. RESULTS: No significant changes were observed in mean arterial blood pressure among groups during the study. Tracheal peak pressure was smaller in PEEP 5 compared with PEEP 0 and PEEP 10 groups (11, 15, and 16 cmH2O, respectively; p<0.05). After two hours of MV, there were no differences among NAIVE, PEEP 0 and PEEP 5 groups in the number of rollers (118±9,127±14 and 147±26 cells/10minutes, respectively), adherent leukocytes (3±1,3±1 and 4±2 cells/100µm venule length, respectively), and migrated leukocytes (2±1,2±1 and 2±1 cells/5,000µm², respectively) at the mesentery. However, the PEEP 10 group exhibited an increase in the number of rolling, adherent and migrated leukocytes (188±15 cells / 10 min, 8±1 cells / 100 µm and 12±1 cells / 5,000 µm², respectively; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: High intrathoracic pressure was harmful to mesenteric microcirculation in the experimental model of rats with normal lungs and stable systemic blood pressure, a finding that may have relevance for complications related to mechanical ventilation

PLICATURA DIAFRAGMÁTICA APÓS LESÃO DO NERVO FRÊNICO EM OPERAÇÃO DE GLENN: relato de caso

Em casos de cardiopatias congênitas como a estenose valvar pulmonar crítica, são indicadas cirurgias paliativas como Blalock-Taussig e Glenn que podem levar, entretanto, a diversas complicações, dentre elas a lesão do nervo com conseqüente paralisia diafragmática e permanência prolongada do paciente em ventilação mecânica. A plicatura diafragmática é o procedimento cirúrgico indicado, objetivando a redução da permanência em ventilador mecânico com o retorno precoce da expansão pulmonar permitida cirurgicamente. O objetivo do presente estudo foi relatar o caso de paralisia diafragmática pós-operação de Glenn e o tratamento cirúrgico de plicatura diafragmática para redução do tempo de suporte ventilatório. A criança deste estudo apresentou lesão completa do nervo frênico após a operação de Glenn, apresentando respiração paradoxal e permanência por curto intervalo de tempo em extubação, seguido de desmames difíceis. Neste caso, a paralisia diafragmática foi confirmada pelo exame de radioscopia pulmonar com lesão do nervo e radiografia torácica apresentando hemicúpula diafragmática direita elevada. Foi realizado plicatura diafragmática, e após cinco dias a criança foi extubada com sucesso. Concluiu-se que apesar de não realizada precocemente devido ao diagnóstico tardio, a plicatura diafragmática foi realizada eficazmente em tempo hábil para a reversão parcial do quadro de paralisia diafragmática, que foi alcançada com extubação após cinco dias, aumentando a expansibilidade torácica e diminuindo o número de intercorrências pulmonares. A fisioterapia mostrou-se um recurso de valor na manutenção da higiene brônquica e fortalecimento da musculatura de tronco e abdome

Bilateral afrenal nodules due to histoplasmosis in an elderly

We report a case history of an 84-year-old elderly male patient that presented with a clinical picture suggestive of adrenal failure and bilateral adrenal nodules detected by abdominal computed tomography. A fine needle-guided biopsy was inconclusive for achieving a final diagnosis. The patient died due to septic shock and the autopsy disclosed histoplasmosis with extensive bilateral necrosis of the adrenal glands. Although the adrenal involvement in chronic disseminated histoplasmosis has been described, there have been few reports of the infection being associated with adrenal insufficiency

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora