Medico-legal death investigation systems – Brazil

Investigation of death differs between countries and whether deaths are natural or unnatural. This article aims to describe the investigation of both natural and unnatural deaths in Brazil, a federation formed by 26 States plus the Federal District. Although the Brazilian States are self-governing, death investigation follows some standardised processes throughout the country. Some deaths require little to no investigation, such as natural deaths that occur under the supervision of a medical doctor; in these cases, the body can be released directly to the funeral services. Other deaths are investigated more thoroughly, such as suspicious deaths with non-identified body. Such cases usually involve more parties, such as the Military Police, the Judicial Police, Forensic Experts, Prosecutors, and a Judge. Reports from Forensic Experts, such as Forensic Pathologists, Forensic Toxicologists, and Crime Scene Investigators, are compiled together with other documents within the inquiry process and are critical to the success of the investigation. The Forensic Experts normally work in the Medico-Legal Institutes or in the Criminalistics Institutes and they may or may not be part of the Judicial Police force, depending on the State; in some States, they are part of another institution called Scientific Police. A crucial step in the process of death investigation is the chain of custody, which has evolved greatly in Brazil in the past few years. However, the investigation process may still take years to be completed due to the lack of resources and investment in the involved parties, especially the Polices forces

Study for pediatric protocol optimization in chest CT scan

Radiological exams are increasingly used in clinic for diagnostic analysis of different types of pathologies. These exams are associated with a dose that is received by the patient. In addition, the risks in exposure to ionizing radiation are different according to the group which the individual belongs. According to age, the group of children is more radiosensitive than adults. In this work we have obtained values of the air-weighted kerma index for chest scans studies in a General Electric Computed Tomography (CT) scanner model Discovery with 64-channels. Using an adult protocol, two scans have been performed, one using a cylinder standard PMMA phantom while the second one has used an oblong chest phantom designed for a two year old pediatric patient. Furthermore, other protocols have been selected with a constant voltage but changing the X-ray tube current and maintaining the image quality in order to obtain a reduction in the received dose by the pediatric patient. The use of the adult protocol in the child phantom has an air-weighted kerma index of 89.5% greater than the kerma index using the adult phantom. Due small patients receive higher doses; the use of specific protocols for children is important for the dose reduction in CT tests. An optimized pediatric chest protocol is presented, obtaining as a result dose reduction compared with the adult protocol of 62.2%. Because of different CT scanners characteristics and in order to optimize protocols regard to dose and diagnostic image quality, it is necessary to use pediatric phantoms in health centers

Digestible lysine effects on gene expression by Japanese quails in the pre-laying phase

This study aimed to determine the effects of digestible lysine levels in the diets of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) on performance, blood parameters and the expression of insulin-like growth factor I, and growth hormone receptor (GHR), apolipoprotein A-I (APOA-I), acetyl-CoA-carboxylase (ACC), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) genes. A total of 288 seven-day-old female Japanese quails were randomly assigned to one of three diets that contained 0.8%, 1.10%, or 1.40% digestible lysine. The birds were slaughtered at 42 days old, and relative gene expression was evaluated in the liver by qRT-PCR using the 2-ΔCT method. Lysine supplementation had no effect on weight gain and feed conversion. Abdominal fat was lower in birds supplemented with 0.8% digestible lysine than those supplemented with 1.10% and 1.40%. Increased total cholesterol and triglycerides were elevated in quails that received supplementation of 1.10% digestible lysine compared with the other diets. High density lipoproteins were decreased in birds that received 0.8% digestible lysine. Quails fed with 1.40% digestible lysine had greater expression of GHR and APOA-I than quails fed diets with 0.8 and 1.10% (P <0.05). The greatest expressions of ACC and FAS were observed in the liver of quails fed with 0.8% digestible lysine. The current results suggest that lysine supplementation in the pre-laying phase allows birds to deposit muscle mass to reach the optimal conformation and body fatness that provides an energetic reserve for the productive phase by modulating the expression of genes related to growth and lipid metabolism. Keywords: Coturnix coturnix japonica, growth, growth hormone, lipid synthesis, lipid metabolis

Anti-inflammatory properties of the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris might be related to its linear (1¿3)-ß-D-glucan.

The Ascomycete Cordyceps militaris, an entomopathogenic fungus, is one of the most important traditional Chinese medicines. Studies related to its pharmacological properties suggest that this mushroom can exert interesting biological activities. Aqueous (CW and HW) and alkaline (K5) extracts containing polysaccharides were prepared from this mushroom, and a ß-D-glucan was purified. This polymer was analysed by GC-MS and NMR spectrometry, showing a linear chain composed of ß-D-Glcp (1¿3)-linked. The six main signals in the 13C-NMR spectrum were assigned by comparison to reported data. The aqueous (CW, HW) extracts stimulated the expression of IL-1ß, TNF-a, and COX-2 by THP-1 macrophages, while the alkaline (K5) extract did not show any effect. However, when the extracts were added to the cells in the presence of LPS, K5 showed the highest inhibition of the pro-inflammatory genes expression. This inhibitory effect was also observed for the purified ß-(1¿3)-D-glucan, that seems to be the most potent anti-inflammatory compound present in the polysaccharide extracts of C. militaris. In vivo, ß-(1¿3)-D-glucan also inhibited significantly the inflammatory phase of formalin-induced nociceptive response, and, in addition, it reduced the migration of total leukocytes but not the neutrophils induced by LPS. In conclusion, this study clearly demonstrates the anti-inflammatory effect of ß-(1¿3)-D-glucan

Exopolysaccharides, proteins and lipids in Pleurotus pulmonarius submerged culture using different carbon sources

AbstractFor many years mushrooms have been consumed and appreciated by their nutritional value, and medicinal properties. The traditional mushroom cultivation takes too long and the macrofungi biotechnology has not been explored in its full potential yet. The goal of this work was to observe if different carbon sources could improve the yield and diversify fungi nutrient composition in submerged culture.Pleurotus pulmonarius mycelia and exopolysacharide productions were evaluated using glucose, galactose, xylose and arabinose. The mycelia yield varied depending on the culture medium, and galactose showed to be the best carbon source to produce EPS. Samples that showed the highest protein contents were grown with xylose (19.44%) and arabinose (26.05%). Furthermore, the biomass cultivated with these carbohydrates and with galactose showed five essential amino acids. All cultured biomass showed low lipid contents (∼1%), being composed mainly of unsaturated fatty acids. All EPS fractions showed as main structures glucans and mannogalactans

The Advertisement Calls and Distribution of Two Sympatric Species of \u3cem\u3eChiasmocleis\u3c/em\u3e (Méhely 1904) (Anura, Microhylidae, Gastrophryninae) from the Atlantic Forest

The advertisement calls of Chiasmocleis cordeiroi and C. crucis are described for populations from the municipalities of Igrapiúna and Camacan, respectively, state of Bahia, Brazil. Both calls consist of multipulsed notes produced in series. Differences between the two calls are: dominant frequency, higher in C. cordeiroi (range 4500-4898 Hz; C. crucis range 4069-4435 Hz); note rate, higher in C. cordeiroi (range 6.20--7.46 s/note; C. crucis range 5.17-5.59 s/note); pulse rate, higher in C. cordeiroi (151.82-194.83 s/note; C. crucis range 125.30- 142.12 s/note); and the structure of the modulation patterns of the notes. Moreover, the advertisement calls of C. crucis and C. cordeiroi are more similar than the calls of all syntopic congeners. Furthermore, the current distribution of both species was extended

A review on probabilistic graphical models in evolutionary computation

Thanks to their inherent properties, probabilistic graphical models are one of the prime candidates for machine learning and decision making tasks especially in uncertain domains. Their capabilities, like representation, inference and learning, if used effectively, can greatly help to build intelligent systems that are able to act accordingly in different problem domains. Evolutionary algorithms is one such discipline that has employed probabilistic graphical models to improve the search for optimal solutions in complex problems. This paper shows how probabilistic graphical models have been used in evolutionary algorithms to improve their performance in solving complex problems. Specifically, we give a survey of probabilistic model building-based evolutionary algorithms, called estimation of distribution algorithms, and compare different methods for probabilistic modeling in these algorithms

Comparison Between Conventional Intervention and Non-immersive Virtual Reality in the Rehabilitation of Individuals in an Inpatient Unit for the Treatment of COVID-19: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial.

Background: The new human coronavirus that leads to COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) has spread rapidly around the world and has a high degree of lethality. In more severe cases, patients remain hospitalized for several days under treatment of the health team. Thus, it is important to develop and use technologies with the aim to strengthen conventional therapy by encouraging movement, physical activity, and improving cardiorespiratory fitness for patients. In this sense, therapies for exposure to virtual reality (VR) are promising and have been shown to be an adequate and equivalent alternative to conventional exercise programs. Aim: This is a study protocol with the aim of comparing the conventional physical therapy intervention with the use of a non-immersive VR software during COVID-19 hospitalization. Methods: Fifty patients hospitalized with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 will be divided in two groups under physiotherapy treatment using conventional or VR intervention: Group A: participants with COVID-19 will start the first day of the protocol with VR tasks in the morning and then in the second period, in the afternoon, will perform the conventional exercises (n = 25) and Group B: participants with COVID-19 will start the first day with conventional exercises in the morning and in the second period, in the afternoon, will perform activity with VR (n = 25). All participants will be evaluated with different motor and physiologic scales before and after the treatment to measure improvements. Conclusion: Considering the importance of benefits from physical activity during hospitalization, VR software shows promise as a potential mechanism for improving physical activity. The results of this study may provide new insights into hospital rehabilitation. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04537858. Registered on 01 September 2020