Infertility diagnosis in jaguar (Panthera onca): case report

O presente trabalho relata um caso de infertilidade em uma onça-pintada (Panthera onca), macho, de 21 anos e 125 kg. São ressaltadas as alterações ocorridas nos espermatozoides, devido a estresse crônico, manejo alimentar inadequado e senescência reprodutiva.This work reports one case of infertility in a male jaguar (Panthera onca) aged 21 years and weighing 125 kg. Changes in sperm due to chronic stress, inadequate food handling and reproductive senescence are emphasized.

Evaluation of movements of lower limbs in non-professional ballet dancers: hip abduction and flexion

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The literature indicated that the majority of professional ballet dancers present static and active dynamic range of motion difference between left and right lower limbs, however, no previous study focused this difference in non-professional ballet dancers. In this study we aimed to evaluate active movements of the hip in non-professional classical dancers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We evaluated 10 non professional ballet dancers (16-23 years old). We measured the active range of motion and flexibility through Well Banks. We compared active range of motion between left and right sides (hip flexion and abduction) and performed correlation between active movements and flexibility.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was a small difference between the right and left sides of the hip in relation to the movements of flexion and abduction, which suggest the dominant side of the subjects, however, there was no statistical significance. Bank of Wells test revealed statistical difference only between the 1^stand the 3^rdmeasurement. There was no correlation between the movements of the hip (abduction and flexion, right and left sides) with the three test measurements of the bank of Wells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is no imbalance between the sides of the hip with respect to active abduction and flexion movements in non-professional ballet dancers.</p

The European Reference Genome Atlas: piloting a decentralised approach to equitable biodiversity genomics.

ABSTRACT: A global genome database of all of Earth’s species diversity could be a treasure trove of scientific discoveries. However, regardless of the major advances in genome sequencing technologies, only a tiny fraction of species have genomic information available. To contribute to a more complete planetary genomic database, scientists and institutions across the world have united under the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), which plans to sequence and assemble high-quality reference genomes for all ∼1.5 million recognized eukaryotic species through a stepwise phased approach. As the initiative transitions into Phase II, where 150,000 species are to be sequenced in just four years, worldwide participation in the project will be fundamental to success. As the European node of the EBP, the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) seeks to implement a new decentralised, accessible, equitable and inclusive model for producing high-quality reference genomes, which will inform EBP as it scales. To embark on this mission, ERGA launched a Pilot Project to establish a network across Europe to develop and test the first infrastructure of its kind for the coordinated and distributed reference genome production on 98 European eukaryotic species from sample providers across 33 European countries. Here we outline the process and challenges faced during the development of a pilot infrastructure for the production of reference genome resources, and explore the effectiveness of this approach in terms of high-quality reference genome production, considering also equity and inclusion. The outcomes and lessons learned during this pilot provide a solid foundation for ERGA while offering key learnings to other transnational and national genomic resource projects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure &lt;= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Soluciones HPAM de baja concentración como método de reducción de la retención de polímeros en CEOR

Polymer Flooding has become one of the most implemented EOR techniques, due to three factors: First, Polymer flooding has expanded the range of the screening criteria parameters. Second, this EOR method is more effective than water injection, while handling water management issues in high water-cut reservoirs. Nevertheless, polymer retention can turn a viable technical project into an uneconomical one. Polymer loss due to retention is an inevitable phenomenon, which happens during injection processes. The development of experimental analysis aiming to minimize or reduce polymer loss from the displacing fluid bank is beneficial to broaden the application of this CEOR method. This experimental work evaluated the injection schemes aiming to reduce polymer retention in porous media. The approach consisted of injecting less-concentrated polymer banks followed for the main polymer bank designed for mobility control. An experimental methodology to quantify polymer retention due to each injected polymer bank, cumulative polymer retention, resistance factor, residual resistance factor and inaccessible pore volume (IPV) was developed. The measurement process was based on the injection of 20 PV polymer banks at a constant flow rate of 1ml/min at 25°C, separated by 30 PV brine banks. Two HPAM with molecular weights of 6-8 million and 20 million Daltons using 350mD and 5000 mD sandstone cores were tested, respectively. The HPAM solutions considering a Colombian field (0.7% NaCl) and seawater (3.5% TDS) salinities were prepared. All rock samples were previously submitted to the injection of 50 PV for preventing fines migration. Two injection schemes with variable polymer concentrations were performed: The first one in which the polymer concentration increased in each successive bank, and the second one in which the concentration decreased. HPAM concentration solutions from 50 ppm to 2000 ppm were sequentially used in both injection schemes. By comparing the results of these two schemes, the effect of the injection of the less-concentrated polymer solutions was evaluated. For the increasing concentration experiments, cumulative retention values of 175.7 μg/g and 58.9 μg/g were calculated for the low-molecular weight polymer and the high-molecular weight polymer, respectively. While comparing with decreasing concentration experiments, for the high-molecular weight HPAM a 19% of retention reduction was evidenced, but no retention reduction was observed for the low-molecular weight one. The results indicate that different retention mechanisms are strongly dependents on the absolute permeability of the samples. Additionally, IPV values of 0.5 PV and 0.25 PV were calculated using low and high permeability samples, respectively. There was no linear relation between the absolute permeability reduction and the polymer concentration of the first bank injected into the sample. The novelty of this work is to use sacrificial banks of less-concentrated HPAM solutions as a reducing retention agent for the polymer bank designed for mobility control7114COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESNão temLa maduración de la tecnología de inyección de polímeros ha brindado en las últimas décadas rangos de aplicación mayores que otros métodos EOR, principalmente debido al mejoramiento del factor de recobro de petróleo y el gerenciamiento del agua en yacimientos off-shore o en yacimientos heterogéneos. No obstante, la retención de polímeros puede convertir un proyecto viable tecnicamente, en uno no económico. La pérdida de polímero debido a la retención es un fenómeno inevitable, que ocurre en todo proceso EOR con polímeros. El desarrollo de métodos para reducir la pérdida de polímero debido a este fenómeno es benéfico para ampliar la aplicación de este método CEOR. Este trabajo experimental evaluó esquemas de inyección para reducir la retención de polímeros en medios porosos en dos diferentes escenarios de ambiente petrofísico. El enfoque consistió en inyectarbaches de polímeros menos concentrados seguidos del banco de polímero principal diseñado para el control de la movilidad. Se desarrolló una metodología experimental para cuantificar la retención de polímero debido a cada banco de polímero inyectado, la retención acumulada de polímeros, el factor de resistencia, el factor de resistencia residual y el volumen de poroso inaccesible (IPV). El proceso de medición se basó en la inyección de 20 bancos de polímeros de PV a un caudal constante de 1 ml / min a 25 ° C, separados por 30 bancos de salmuera de PV. Se probaron dos HPAM con pesos moleculares de 6-8 millones y 20 millones de Daltons, y como medio poroso núcleos de arenisca de 350 mD y 5000 mD, respectivamente. Se prepararon las soluciones HPAM considerando una salinidad de campo colombiano (0.7% de NaCl) y agua de mar (3.5% TDS). Todas las muestras de roca fueron previamente sometidas bajo la inyección de 50 PV para evitar la migración de finos. Se realizaron dos esquemas de inyección con concentraciones variables de polímero: uno en el que la concentración del polímero aumentó en cada banco sucesivo, y otro en el que la concentración disminuyó. Las soluciones de concentración de HPAM de 50 ppm a 2000 ppm se utilizaron secuencialmente en ambos esquemas de inyección. Al comparar los resultados de estos dos esquemas, se evaluó el efecto de la inyección de las soluciones de polímeros menos concentradas. Para los experimentos de concentración creciente, se calcularon valores de retención acumulados de 175.7 μg/g usando polímero de bajo peso molecular y 58.9 μg/g con el polímero de alto peso molecular. Al comparar con experimentos de concentración decreciente, para el HPAM de alto peso molecular se evidenció un 19% de reducción de la retención, debido a que unicamente se evidenció el mecanismo de adsorción quimica de polimero en el medio poroso, sin embargo no se identificó una reducción de la retención para el de bajo peso molecular. Los resultados indican que los diferentes mecanismos de retención dependen en gran medida de la permeabilidad absoluta de las muestras. Además, los valores de IPV de 0.5 PV y 0.25 PV se calcularon utilizando muestras de permeabilidad alta y baja, respectivamente. No hubo una relación lineal entre la reducción de la permeabilidad absoluta y la concentración de polímero del primer banco inyectado en la muestra. La novedad de este trabajo es utilizar bancos de sacrificios de soluciones HPAM menos concentradas como agente de retención reductor para el banco de polímeros diseñado para el control de la movilida