Neck position therapy efficiency in positional obstructive sleep apnea treatment and sleep quality

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Serotonin Syndrome: A Case Report

O Síndrome Serotoninérgico (SS) é uma condição clínica iatrogénica, potencialmente fatal, que ocorre em consequência de uma sobrestimulação dos recetores serotoninérgicos. A sua apresentação típica consiste na tríade alterações do estado mental, hiperatividade autonómica e alterações neuromusculares, embora o quadro clínico seja altamente variável. Apesar de potencialmente tratável, muitos casos são subdiagnosticados, atribuindo-se como principal causa o desconhecimento desta patologia por parte dos clínicos. O tratamento do SS assenta em quatro pilares: remoção do agente precipitante e terapêutica de suporte, antagonismo dos recetores 5-HT2A, e controlo da agitação, da instabilidade autonómica e da hipertermia. Prevê-se que a sua incidência acompanhe o crescimento da prescrição de antidepressivos, sendo que o aumento do nível de alerta por parte dos médicos acerca da sua ocorrência, poderá contribuir para um diagnóstico atempado e para o sucesso do tratamento. Apresentamos um caso clínico de uma doente com diagnóstico de Perturbação Afetiva Bipolar, internada por episódio depressivo com componente psicótico que desenvolve quadro compatível com SS. Partindo do quadro descrito é feita uma breve revisão teórica desta patologia.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Snoring in Portuguese primary school children

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of snoring and its potential associations with sleep problems, such as daytime symptoms, medical conditions, school performance, and behavioral disturbances in Portuguese children attending primary school. METHODS: A previously validated questionnaire was sent to the parents of 1381 children attending primary schools in a parish of Coimbra, Portugal. To assess behavioral disturbances, the Portuguese version of Rutter's Children's Behavior Questionnaire for completion by teachers was used. RESULTS: Of the 988 questionnaires returned (71.5%), complete information concerning snoring was obtained for 976 children (496 girls and 480 boys; mean age: 8.1 +/- 1.5 years). Loud snoring during sleep was reported as frequent or constantly present (LSn) in 84 children (8.6%), as occasionally present in 299 children (30.6%), and as never present (NSn) by 593 children (60.8%). The LSn and NSn groups did not differ with respect to age, gender, sleep duration, time to fall asleep, frequency of night wakings, bedwetting, daytime tiredness, and school achievement. However, LSn was significantly associated with increased bedtime problems (fears and struggles), increased need for comforting activities to fall asleep, behaviors suggestive of parasomnias (sleep talking, teeth grinding, and night terrors), increased daytime sleepiness and irritability, and behavioral disturbances. Children in the LSn group were also more likely to report recurrent medical problems particularly those involving infections of the respiratory tract. CONCLUSIONS: Snoring is a common symptom in Portuguese children that is associated with behavioral daytime and sleep time disturbances. Children with loud snoring may benefit from early evaluation and intervention

EDDS and EDTA-enhanced zinc accumulation by solanum nigrum inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi grown in contaminated soil

The effect of two different chelating agents [EDTA and EDDS S,S-ethylenediaminedissucinic acid)] on Zn tissue accumulation in Solanum nigrum L. grown in a naturally contaminated soil was assessed. Under those conditions, the response of the plant to the inoculation with two different isolates of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) – Glomus claroideum and Glomus intraradices – was also studied. Plants grown in the local contaminated soil (Zn levels of 433 mg Kgˉ¹1) accumulated up to 1191 mg Kgˉ¹ of Zn in the roots, 3747 mg Kgˉ¹ in the stems and 3409 mg Kgˉ¹ in the leaves. S. nigrum plants grown in the same soil spiked with extra Zn (Zn levels of 964 mg Kgˉ¹) accumulated up to 4735, 8267 and 7948 mg Zn Kgˉ¹ in the leaves, stems and roots, respectively. The addition of EDTA promoted an increase in the concentration of Zn accumulated by S. nigrum of up to 231% in the leaves, 93% in the stems and 81% in the roots, while EDDS application enhanced the accumulation in leaves, stems and roots up to 140, 124 and 104%, respectively. In the stems, the presence of Zn was predominantly detected in the cortex collenchyma cells, the starch sheath and the internal phloem and xylem parenchyma, and the addition of chelating agents did not seem to have an effect on the localisation of accumulation sites. The devise of a chelate-enhanced phytoextraction strategy, using chelating agents and AMF, is discussed

Solanum nigrum grown in contaminated soil: effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on zinc accumulation and histolocalisation

Zn tissue accumulation in Solanum nigrum grown in a non-contaminated and a naturally contaminated Zn matrix and the effect of inoculation with different arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on metal uptake were assessed. S. nigrum grown in the contaminated soil always presented higher Zn accumulation in the tissues, accumulating up to 1622 mg Zn kg 1. The presence of both Glomus claroideum and Glomus intraradices enhanced the uptake and accumulation of Zn by S. nigrum (up to 83 and 49% higher Zn accumulation, respectively). The main deposits of the metal were found in the intercellular spaces and in the cell walls of the root tissues, as revealed by autometallography, with the inoculation with different AMF species causing no differences in the location of Zn accumulation. These findings indicate that S. nigrum inoculated with selected heavy metal tolerant AMF presents extracting and accumulating capacities, constituting a potentially suitable remediation method for Zn polluted soils.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Compilação e organização de parâmetros físicos de solos da Bacia do Pito Aceso para aplicação no sistema de modelagem hidrológica JAMS.

A escolha de um modelo hidrológico apropriado para uso em dada bacia deve considerar o acesso e custo do software, a viabilidade de aplicação, a disponibilidade e compatibilidade dos dados de entrada, bem como a familiaridade do usuário com os métodos de resolução. Devido às dificuldades e restrições de uso de alguns modelos de precipitação-vazão, a Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA), no Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Solos (CNPS), iniciou pesquisa visando à avaliação do uso do Sistema de Modelagem Adaptável de Jena (JAMS). Este estudo, fruto da parceria da Embrapa com a Universidade de Jena, busca a construção de um modelo precipitação-vazão que simule o escoamento superficial da microbacia do Córrego do Pito Aceso, inserida na Bacia do Rio Paraíba do Sul e localizada no município de Bom Jardim, região serrana do Rio de Janeiro - RJ. O objetivo deste trabalho foi compilar e organizar informações sobre modelagem hidrológica, trabalhos e teses publicadas sobre o local de estudo, bem como os dados disponíveis da microbacia, e artigos e teses sobre o sistema JAMS e suas aplicações. Foi possível identificar também as necessidades de novos dados e parâmetros a serem coletados

Successful treatment of feline leishmaniosis using an association of allopurinol and N-methyl-glucamine antimoniate

This work describes the diagnosis and successful treatment of a 2-year-old domestic cat infected with Leishmania species and presenting fever, and ulcerative and nodular skin lesions after being treated for pyodermatitis for 1 year without clinical improvement. After anamnesis the cat was submitted to a complete clinical examination. Blood was collected for determination of haematological and biochemical parameters, detection of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline coronavirus (FCoV) and Leishmania amastigotes. Fine-needle aspiration puncture from the skin nodules was also performed. After definitive diagnosis the animal was treated and followed up over a 2 year period. The animal tested negative for FIV-specific antibodies, FeLV antigen and feline coronavirus RNA. Leishmania amastigotes in the skin nodules were confirmed by cytology and molecular diagnosis. Treatment was initiated with allopurinol, resulting in a slight clinical improvement. Thus, N-methyl-glucamine antimoniate was added and administered for 30 days, with complete closure of the ulcerative lesions in the hindlimbs requiring a surgical approach. Close monitoring of the patient in the following 24 months indicated that combined therapy was safe and clinical cure was achieved without further relapses or side effects.publishersversionpublishe

Bioluminescence in cephalopods: biodiversity, biogeography and research trends

Numerous terrestrial and marine organisms, including cephalopods, are capable of light emission. In addition to communication, bioluminescence is used for attraction and defense mechanisms. The present review aims to: (i) present updated information on the taxonomic diversity of luminous cephalopods and morphological features, (ii) describe large-scale biogeographic patterns, and (iii) show the research trends over the last 50 years on cephalopod bioluminescence. According to our database (834 species), 32% of all known cephalopod species can emit light, including oegopsid and myopsid squids, sepiolids, octopuses, and representatives of several other smaller orders (bathyteuthids, and the monotypic vampire “squid”, Vampyroteuthis infernalis and ram’s horn “squid”, Spirula spirula). Most species have a combination of photophores present in different locations, of which light organs on the head region are dominant, followed by photophores associated with the arms and tentacles and internal photophores. Regarding the biogeographic patterns of cephalopod species with light organs, the most diverse ocean is the Pacific Ocean, followed by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The least diverse are the Southern and the Arctic Oceans. Regarding publication trends, our systematic review revealed that, between 1971 and 2020, 277 peer-reviewed studies were published on bioluminescent cephalopods. Most research has been done on a single species, the Hawaiian bobtail squid Euprymna scolopes. The interest in this species is mostly due to its species-specific symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Vibrio fischeri, which is used as a model for the study of Eukaryote–Prokaryote symbiosis. Because there are many knowledge gaps about the biology and biogeography of light-producing cephalopods, new state-of-the-art techniques (e.g., eDNA for diversity research and monitoring) can help achieve a finer resolution on species’ distributions. Moreover, knowledge on the effects of climate change stressors on the bioluminescent processes is nonexistent. Future studies are needed to assess such impacts at different levels of biological organization, to describe the potential broad-scale biogeographic changes, and understand the implications for food web dynamics

Coping with antidepressants in a changing ocean: behavioural implications in juvenile meagre (Argyrosomus regius) exposed to venlafaxine.

Na publicação: FABIOLA FOGAÇA