Results of Surgical Treatment Compared with Ultrasound-Guided Foam Sclerotherapy in Patients with Varicose Veins: A Prospective Randomised Study

Objective: This study aims to compare venous clinical severity scores in patients with heated venous ulcers due to varicose veins of the tower limbs (the clinical, etiologic, anatomic, and pathophysiologic data (CEAP) classification: C(5) EpAsPr) treated by saphenous stripping and phlebectomy or by ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy.Method: Sixty patients were included: 29 underwent saphenous stripping and phlebectomy for varices in saphenous tributaries and 27 were treated by ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy; four cases were lost to follow-up. the main outcome measure was venous clinical severity scores (pain, oedema, inflammation, hyperpigmentation and lipodermatosclerosis). An ultrasound examination was carried out prior to treatment and 30, 60 and 180 days after the procedure to assess the relative efficacy of the methods in obliterating the saphenous trunk.Results: the mean venous clinical severity scores measured before and after 180 days were as follows: Surgery group - pain: before 1.97 standard deviation (SD) 0.19, 180 days 0.72 SD 0,53; oedema: before 1.66 SD 0.48, 180 days 0.55 SD 0.63; inflammation: before 1.55 SD 0.63, 180 days 0.72 SD 0.45. Foam sclerotherapy group - pain: before 1.81 SD 0.40, 180 days 0.56 SD 0.51; oedema: before 1.70 SD 0.47, 180 days 0.48 SD 0.64; inflammation: before 1.67 SD 0.68, after 0.89 SD 0.32. All scores showed statistically significant reductions in both patient groups. the saphenous vein had been obliterated, 180 days after treatment, in 78% of the surgery group, compared with 90% in the foam sclerotherapy group.Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is a safe and effective option for patients with chronic venous disorders. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of European Society for Vascular Surgery. All rights reserved.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Surg, Vasc Sect, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Surg, Vasc Sect, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Emissão de CO2 do solo sob cultivo de cana-de-açúcar em função da topografia

A variação temporal e espacial da emissão de CO2 solo-atmosfera é influenciada por inúmeros atributos do solo relacionados à produção de CO2 e à difusão do gás no solo. Ainda são escassos, entretanto, estudos visando compreender o efeito da topografia na variação da emissão deste gás, especialmente em áreas agrícolas da região tropical. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a variação temporal e espacial da emissão de CO2 solo-atmosfera e sua relação com atributos do solo em área de cultivo de cana-de-açúcar sob diferentes formas de relevo e posições na encosta. A média da emissão de CO2 no período de sete meses de estudo variou entre 0,23 e 0,71; 0,27 e 0,90 e 0,31 e 0.80 g CO2 m-2 h- 1, nas posições côncava (Conc), encosta superior (BackS) e encosta inferior (FootS), respectivamente. A variação temporal da emissão em cada uma das áreas foi explicada por uma relação exponencial entre emissão de CO2 e temperatura do solo, e uma relação linear da emissão deste gás com a umidade do solo. O valor de Q10 foi 1,98 (± 0,34); 1,81 (± 0,49) e 1,71 (± 0,31) para Conc, BackS e FootS, respectivamente. Densidade do solo, macroporosidade, resistência do solo à penetração, agregação e conteúdo de carbono orgânico oxidável explicaram as variações observadas na emissão de CO2, especialmente quando se compara a posição côncava com a encosta superior. O efeito do relevo e da posição topográfica sobre a variação da emissão de CO2 do solo foi dependente da época de amostragem.The spatial and temporal variation of soil CO2 emission is influenced by several soil attributes related to CO2 production and its diffusion in the soil. However, few studies aiming to understand the effect of topography on the variability of CO2 emissions exist, especially for cropping areas of tropical regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial and temporal changes of soil CO2 emission and its relation to soil attributes in an area currently cropped with sugarcane under different relief forms and slope positions. Mean CO2 emissions in the studied period (seven months) varied between 0.23 and 0.71, 0.27 and 0.90, and 0.31 and 0.80 g m-2 h-1 of CO2 for concave (Conc), backslope (BackS) and footslope (FootS) positions, respectively. The temporal variability of CO2 emissions in each area was explained by an exponential relation between the CO2 emission and soil temperature and a linear relation between CO2 emission and soil water content. The Q10 values were 1.98 (± 0.34), 1.81 (± 0.49) and 1.71 (± 0.31) for Conc, BackS and FootS, respectively. Bulk density, macroporosity, penetration resistance, aggregation and oxidizable organic carbon content explain the changes in soil CO2 emission observed, especially when the Conc position was compared to BackS. The effect of relief form and topographic position on soil CO2 emission variation was dependent on the time of measurement

Temporal Variability of Soil CO2 Emission Contrasting Degraded and Managed Pasture in Brazil

AbstractGrazing areas represent the largest agricultural areas in Brazil, occupying more than 172 million hectares, about 20% of the agricultural land (IBGE, 2007). Despite the large areas of degraded pasture, little information exists about the temporal variation of soil properties including nutrients and soil carbon dynamic (Cerri et al., 2004). This study aimed to measure soil FCO2 from degraded and managed pasture areas, describing their temporal variability correlated to the environmental variables. Our study was carried out at two pasture areas located in Mococa city, São Paulo State Brazil. On March 04, 2013, 2 grids of 100 × 100 m with 102 samples points were installed in DP (Degraded pasture) and managed pasture (MP). Measurements of soil CO2 emissions (FCO2), soil temperature (Tsoil) and water content of soil (WCsoil) were initiated onMarch 12th, resulting 8 measuring days. Higher difference of emission between both areasoccurred during the first days, probably due to a huge precipitation influence (accumulated 80mm). In the first study day (12th), emission values were 8.73 ± 0.38 versus 4.47 ± 0.21μmol m-2 s-1, in DP and MP, respectively. In the last study day, March 19th, emissions in both areas were closer without remarkable rain influence (7.43 ± 0.54 and 5.98 ± 0.17μmol m-2 s-1). Total emission calculated by the area bellow the emission curves resulted 640.7 versus 440.0kg CO2-C ha-1 in DP and MP, respectively, corresponding to an additional emission of 200.6kg CO2-C ha-1 from DP or, 735.5kg CO2 released to the atmosphere, contributing to the Climate Change. The potential for soil C sequestration in pasture soils is strictly related to their management, and the rate and mechanism of soil C losses in pasture soils can affect this potential, with soils functioning as an atmospheric CO2 sinking or emitter

Mother-to-infant and father-to-infant initial emotional involvement

While infant attachment has been largely studied, parental attachment is still relatively unknown, especially when referred to fathers. However, it is mainly recognised that parents’ emotional involvement with the newborn contributes to the quality of the interaction and the care they provide. The aim of this study was to study mother-to-infant and father-to-infant initial emotional involvement; namely, differences between mothers and fathers and changes in mother’s emotions toward the neonate within the first days after delivery. The Bonding Scale, an extended Portuguese version of the ‘New Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale’, was administered during the first two days after childbirth to a sample of 315 mothers and 141 fathers (n = 456), at the Júlio Dinis Maternity Hospital (Portugal). Most mothers and fathers show positive emotions and only a few of them showed negative emotions toward the infant. Maternal and paternal emotional involvement toward the newborn tend to be similar; nevertheless, fathers show less fear and better emotional involvement with the neonate, while mothers are sadder and show more emotions not related to bonding. During the first days following delivery, emotions not related to bonding, such as fear, seem to decrease in mothers.Bial Foundation - Grant 58/02.Human Development and Health Service of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation - Grant 48914

Bacterioplankton Community Shifts during a Spring Bloom of Aphanizomenon gracile and Sphaerospermopsis aphanizomenoides at a Temperate Shallow Lake

Climate change is enhancing the frequency of cyanobacterial blooms not only during summer but also in spring and autumn, leading to increased ecological impacts. The bacterioplankton community composition (BCC), in particular, is deeply affected by these blooms, although at the same time BCC can also play important roles in blooms’ dynamics. However, more information is still needed regarding BCC during species-specific cyanobacterial blooms. The goal of this study was to assess BCC succession in a hypereutrophic shallow lake (Vela Lake, Portugal) during a warm spring using a metagenomic approach to provide a glimpse of the changes these communities experience during the dominance of Aphanizomenon-like bloom-forming species. BCC shifts were studied using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding and multivariate analyses. A total of 875 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were retrieved from samples. In early spring, the dominant taxa belonged to Proteobacteria (mainly Alphaproteobacteria—Rickettsiales) and Bacteroidetes (Saprospirales, Flavobacteriales and Sphingobacteriales). However, at the end of May, a bloom co-dominated by cyanobacterial populations of Aphanizomenon gracile, Sphaerospermopsis aphanizomenoides and Synechococcus sp. developed and persisted until the end of spring. This led to a major BCC shift favouring the prevalence of Alphaproteobacteria (Rickettsiales and also Rhizobiales, Caulobacteriales and Rhodospirillales) and Bacteroidetes (Saprospirales, followed by Flavobacteriales and Sphingobacteriales). These results contribute to the knowledge of BCC dynamics during species-specific cyanobacterial blooms, showing that BCC is strongly affected (directly or indirectly) by Aphanizomenon-Sphaerospermopsis blooms.publishe