Primary Intestinal Fibrosarcoma in Cats

Background: Fibrosarcomas are malignant neoplasms of mesenchymal origin and can have different symptoms depending on the species, age, location and etiopathogenesis. Intestinal tumors in domestic cats are common and the small intestine is the most common site; however, fibrosarcomas are rare in the intestine of all animal species. This work reports intestinal fibrosarcoma in 2 domestic cats and aims to clarify and present information concerning this neoplastic type in the gastrointestinal tract of this species.Cases: We report 2 cases of intestinal fibrosarcoma in domestic felines (Felis catus). Cat 1. A 14-year-old female Persian breed, domestic cat, was taken to the Feline Sector of the Veterinary Hospital of Small Animals (HVPA) of the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ). The main complaint was chronic constipation and rectal prolapse. The clinical examination revealed an ulcerated mass, measuring 4.0 cm x 1.7 cm. Cat 2. A 10-year-old female undefined breed, domestic cat, was taken to the private clinic. The main complaint was diarrhea with bloody and rectal prolapse. The clinical examination revealed nodule measuring 2.5 cm in diameter. The surgical option decided upon was to use the rectal pull-through technique in both animals. The patients had no trans-surgical or postoperative complications. The material collected during the surgical interventions was analyzed macroscopically and fixed in 10% buffered formalin for 24 h and then sent to the Histopathology Laboratory of the Pathological Anatomy Sector (SAP) at UFRRJ for the cat 1 and in private laboratoryfor the cat 2. After fixation, it was cleaved for routine microscope exam using Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) stains and for the histochemical method of Masson’s Trichrome staining technique. Complementary immunohistochemistry tests and electron microscopy were also performed. The patients were followed up clinically, showing complete remission of the clinical signs and survival for approximately 1 year after the neoplastic resection. Discussion: There are few reports of intestinal fibrosarcomas in veterinary medicine, therefore, little is known about racial predilection, age, sex or biological behavior. As far as these authors know, this is the 6th and 7th report of this neoplasm with a primary site in the large intestine in this species. The morphological diagnosis of fibrosarcoma is relatively simple, whereas, in some cases the differential diagnosis for tumors of the peripheral nerve sheath, leiomyosarcomas and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) can be extremely difficult. The immunohistochemistry technique in these cases may not be particularly useful. The fibrosarcoma diagnosis was also confirmed by electron microscopy since no evidence was found that could lead to a neuronal origin, thus excluding tumors such as neurofibrosarcoma and schawnoma, corroborating the immunohistochemical examination. The surgical management of tumor resection with wide safety margins (minimum 2 cm) remains the “gold standard” therapy for dealing with fibrosarcomas since they have a low response rate to chemotherapy and radiotherapy and the use of these therapies as an adjuvant is controversial. The advantages of thistechnique are related to the surgical time, simplicity, easy access and reduction in the risk of abdominal contamination. Histopathological, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy evaluations were sufficient to enable the diagnosis of an intestinal fibrosarcoma in both cats. The occurrence of this neoplasm with intestinal involvement in the feline species is rare; therefore, this description is important as it provides information about epidemiology, associated signs, differential diagnoses, biological behavior, treatment and prognosis. Keywords: feline, intestine, mesenchymal, tumors, neoplasm, rectal pull-through

Successful Surgical Treatment of Idiopathic Chylothorax in a Cat

Background: Chylothorax in cats represents a challenge due to the possibility of involvement of multiple etiologies and the harmful consequences resulting of the presence of the chylous effusion in the thorax. The causes include neoplasms in the thoracic cavity, heart disease and thoracic injuries. It is imperative that clinical nutritional and therapeutic and / or surgical management be immediate and directed to the treatment of the cause. The objective of this work was to report a case of idiopathic chylothorax in a domestic cat solved through surgical intervention and dietary maintenance applied.Case: A 4-year-old male cat, fed with diet for the age range of adult cats, was attended at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (HV - UFRRJ), with clinical complaint of difficulty breathing, inappetence, prostration and weight loss. In the clinical examination was verified intense tachypnea, presence of heart murmur, normocoratedmucosae, dehydration 7%. The animal was sedated to be submitted to radiographic examination of the thorax with pethidine and midazolam. Thoracic radiographs on the lateral, ventral-dorsal and orthostatic positions were realized and severe pleural effusion was observed in both hemitorax with drainage of 180 mL of lactescent fluid from the right hemithorax and 120 mL of left hemithorax liquid. Through analysis of cavity liquids the effusion was classified as chylous effusion. The hemogram showed a neutrophilic leukocytosis. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations (28 mg/dL and 43 mg/dL, respectively) were lower than the concentrations of the cavity liquid (67 mg/dL and 722 mg/dL, respectively).Ultrasound examination revealed no mass in the thoracic cavity and no changes in the pulmonary parenchyma. The echocardiographic examination was also performed and did not reveal any cardiac alterations. The initial treatment consisted of the clinical approach, through the exclusive alimentary management with low fat diet, in order to reduce toreduce the amount of chylous in the thorax. The rutine was administered at a dose of 250 mg/cat every 8 h orally. After 15 days, due to an unsatisfactory response to conservative treatment, surgical intervention was indicated. The technique used was pleural omentalization with block ligation of the thoracic duct without mesenteric lymphangiography together with pericardectomy and placement of the thoracic drain. During the postoperative period the animal remained under intensive care, with nasal oxygen therapy and intense analgesia during the first 72 h. After 20 days, the production of the chylous liquid was 2 mL/kg/ day, which made it possible to remove the drain. The cat received continuously with the exclusive diet of low fat to reduce the production of the chylous, without recurrence of chylous up to the present moment.Discussion: It is important to establish in a first approach of animals with chylous exudation the management of low-fat foods, along with appropriate pharmacological therapy, monitoring the patient in a constant and cautious way. If conservative clinical intervention is not satisfactory within 5 to 10 days, rapid surgical treatment is essential, due to the risk offibrosing pleuritis with consequent involvement of the pulmonary parenchyma, as occurred in this report. Duct ligation surgery and the pericardectomy was satisfactory for the resolution of the constant chylous production in the thorax of the animal, as well as the use of the low fat diet was essential to reduce the chylous effusion and fibrosing pleurisy, both the interventions made possible the maintenance of the patient’s health and well-being.Keywords: feline, cavitary fluid, quilting effusion, thoracic duct

Histoplasmose pulmonar grave em um gato doméstico: tratamento com Anfotericina B e Itraconazol

Background: Histoplasmosis is a systemic mycosis whose etiologic agent is the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. This fungal infection, which is the second most frequent systemic mycotic fungal disease in felines in the United States, has rarely been found in cats in Brazil. This paper reports on a case of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis in a domestic cat treated with oral itraconazole associated with amphotericin B administered subcutaneously. This treatment resulted in clinical remission of the patient’s symptoms, as evidenced by radiographic follow-ups.Case: A domestic cat suffering from acute dyspnea was taken to a veterinary clinic. The animal was subjected to emergency oxygen therapy, and kept at rest through sedation with midazolam. A physical examination revealed normally colored mucosa, 8% dehydration, bristly fur, body condition score 2/9, tachypnea with respiratory rate of 100 breaths per minute and expiratory dyspnea. The radiographic examination showed marked opacification of all the pulmonary fields, with a mixed pattern (interstitial and alveolar) of heterogeneous appearance and diffuse distribution, which are changes consistent with an inflammatory infectious process (pneumonia). A cytological analysis of the pleural fluid revealed round to oval-shaped intracytoplasmic structures, varying in size from 2 to 4 μm, inside foamy macrophages, consistent with Histoplasma capsulatum. Based on the diagnosis of pulmonary histoplasmosis, and in view of the patient’s acute respiratory distress, it was decided to treat the cat using itraconazole associated with amphotericin B. Itraconazole was administered orally at a dose of 100 mg/cat every 24 h, while amphotericin B was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg, combined with 100 mL of sodium chloride 0.9% and 100 mL of 5% glycated serum, with monitoring of serum concentrations of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA). Amphotericin B was administered every 48 h up to the 7th dose, followed by three times a week up to the 11th dose, and then twice a week up to the 16th dose. The animal was released from the veterinary hospital 10 days after its admission, showing a considerably improved respiratory condition and a respiratory rate of 40 breaths per minute. Continuation of the antifungal treatment with itraconazole was prescribed, maintaining the same dose and frequency of administration until a new recommendation would be made, as well as frequent return visits for the administration of amphotericin B and reassessment of the animal. The administration of amphotericin B was discontinued when the animal’s respiratory condition stabilized; hence, the feline received a total of 16 doses of the drug. The animal showed remission of clinical respiratory symptoms, confirmed by follow-up chest X-rays, which revealed significantly less radiodense pulmonary parenchyma in response to treatment with itraconazole and amphotericin B. Five months after beginning its treatment, the cat is being treated orally with itraconazole (100 mg/cat, every 24 h), without recrudescence of the clinical symptoms.Discussion: To date, six cases of feline histoplasmosis have been reported in Brazil, only one of which had pulmonary involvement and was treated successfully. The use of oral itraconazole associated with subcutaneous amphotericin B has proved to be effective for the treatment of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis in domestic cats. Note that a rapid diagnosis of pulmonary disease is essential in order to immediately implement a combined drug therapy linked with monitoring to ensure the protocol is safe for the patien

Práticas artísticas no ensino básico e secundário

As técnicas de expressão são processos de expansão. A humanidade alargou o seu perímetro de retenção de ideias, de impressão ritual, de invocação memorial, através dos primeiros materiais plásticos, incisões, manchas, escarificações, desenhos. Assim o homem cresceu, dentro da sua mente, e a sua mente cresceu fora do homem: a linguagem sobrevive-nos, permite a transmissão de aquisições, veicula a cultura de geração em geração, está na base da civilização. A expansão humana consolida-se pelas técnicas de reprodução, mas com um preço: o da emancipação das coisas em relação aos homens. A linguagem pensa-nos. Os artefactos que produzimos exercem sobre nós estranhos poderes, as mercadorias são valorizadas tanto ou mais que as pessoas, o humano é desvalorizado na razão inversa. As pessoas querem parecer-se com imagens, mapas de bits que encantam. As tecnologias, essas expansões, sabem para onde se dirigem, sem olhar aos humanos: o vivo é dispensado, em benefício de um algoritmo de computação, de um bot, de um ser sem corpo e por isso sem necessidades. Um ser que ganha sempre. A interrogação sobre os conteúdos é hoje a interrogação sobre um real digitalizado, transformado em código. Este é um dos espaços que merece uma atenção particular na Educação Artística: pode-se pensar do outro lado do código?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

SARS-CoV-2 introductions and early dynamics of the epidemic in Portugal

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal was rapidly implemented by the National Institute of Health in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic, in collaboration with more than 50 laboratories distributed nationwide. Methods By applying recent phylodynamic models that allow integration of individual-based travel history, we reconstructed and characterized the spatio-temporal dynamics of SARSCoV-2 introductions and early dissemination in Portugal. Results We detected at least 277 independent SARS-CoV-2 introductions, mostly from European countries (namely the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, and Switzerland), which were consistent with the countries with the highest connectivity with Portugal. Although most introductions were estimated to have occurred during early March 2020, it is likely that SARS-CoV-2 was silently circulating in Portugal throughout February, before the first cases were confirmed. Conclusions Here we conclude that the earlier implementation of measures could have minimized the number of introductions and subsequent virus expansion in Portugal. This study lays the foundation for genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal, and highlights the need for systematic and geographically-representative genomic surveillance.We gratefully acknowledge to Sara Hill and Nuno Faria (University of Oxford) and Joshua Quick and Nick Loman (University of Birmingham) for kindly providing us with the initial sets of Artic Network primers for NGS; Rafael Mamede (MRamirez team, IMM, Lisbon) for developing and sharing a bioinformatics script for sequence curation (https://github.com/rfm-targa/BioinfUtils); Philippe Lemey (KU Leuven) for providing guidance on the implementation of the phylodynamic models; Joshua L. Cherry (National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health) for providing guidance with the subsampling strategies; and all authors, originating and submitting laboratories who have contributed genome data on GISAID (https://www.gisaid.org/) on which part of this research is based. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the view of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government. This study is co-funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Agência de Investigação Clínica e Inovação Biomédica (234_596874175) on behalf of the Research 4 COVID-19 call. Some infrastructural resources used in this study come from the GenomePT project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022184), supported by COMPETE 2020 - Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa2020), Algarve Portugal Regional Operational Programme (CRESC Algarve2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Diretriz Brasileira sobre a Saúde Cardiovascular no Climatério e na Menopausa – 2024

Women, who represent approximately half of the global population according to estimates as of January 2024, may experience signs and symptoms of menopause for at least one-third of their lives, during which they have a higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The effects of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) on the progression of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events vary depending on the age at which MHT is initiated and the time since menopause until its initiation. Beneficial effects on CVD outcomes and all-cause mortality have been observed when MHT was initiated before the age of 60 or within 10 years after menopause. The decision regarding the initiation, dose, regimen, and duration of MHT should be made individually after discussing the benefits and risks with each patient. For primary prevention of postmenopausal chronic conditions, the combined use of estrogen and progestogen is not recommended in asymptomatic women, nor is the use of estrogen alone in hysterectomized women. Hormone-dependent neoplasms contraindicate MHT. For the treatment of genitourinary syndrome of menopause, vaginal estrogen therapy may be used in patients with known cardiovascular risk factors or established CVD. For women with contraindications to MHT or who refuse it, non-hormonal therapies with proven efficacy (antidepressants, gabapentin, and fezolinetant) may improve vasomotor symptoms. Compounded hormonal implants, or "bioidentical" and "compounded" hormones, and "hormone modulation" are not recommended due to lack of scientific evidence of their effectiveness and safety.Mujeres, que representan aproximadamente la mitad de la población mundial según estimaciones de enero de 2024, pueden experimentar signos y síntomas de la menopausia durante al menos un tercio de sus vidas, durante los cuales tienen un mayor riesgo de morbilidad y mortalidad cardiovascular. Los efectos de la terapia hormonal de la menopausia (THM) en la progresión de la aterosclerosis y los eventos de enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV) varían según la edad en que se inicia la THM y el tiempo transcurrido desde la menopausia hasta su inicio. Se han observado efectos beneficiosos en los resultados de ECV y la mortalidad por todas las causas cuando la THM se inició antes de los 60 años o dentro de los 10 años posteriores a la menopausia. La decisión sobre la iniciación, dosis, régimen y duración de la THM debe tomarse individualmente después de discutir los beneficios y riesgos con cada paciente. Para la prevención primaria de condiciones crónicas en la posmenopausia, no se recomienda el uso combinado de estrógeno y progestágeno en mujeres asintomáticas, ni el uso de estrógeno solo en mujeres histerectomizadas. Las neoplasias dependientes de hormonas contraindican la THM. Para el tratamiento del síndrome genitourinario de la menopausia, se puede usar terapia estrogénica vaginal en pacientes con factores de riesgo cardiovascular conocidos o ECV establecida. Para mujeres con contraindicaciones a la THM o que la rechazan, las terapias no hormonales con eficacia demostrada (antidepresivos, gabapentina y fezolinetant) pueden mejorar los síntomas vasomotores. Los implantes hormonales compuestos, o hormonas "bioidénticas" y "compuestas", y la "modulación hormonal" no se recomiendan debido a la falta de evidencia científica sobre su efectividad y seguridad.As mulheres, que representam cerca de metade da população mundial segundo estimativas de janeiro de 2024, podem sofrer com sinais e sintomas da menopausa durante pelo menos um terço de suas vidas, quando apresentam maiores risco e morbimortalidade cardiovasculares. Os efeitos da terapia hormonal da menopausa (THM) na progressão de eventos de aterosclerose e doença cardiovascular (DCV) variam de acordo com a idade em que a THM é iniciada e o tempo desde a menopausa até esse início. Efeitos benéficos nos resultados de DCV e na mortalidade por todas as causas ocorreram quando a THM foi iniciada antes dos 60 anos de idade ou nos 10 anos que se seguiram à menopausa. A decisão sobre o início, a dose, o regime e a duração da THM deve ser tomada individualmente após discussão sobre benefícios e riscos com cada paciente. Para a prevenção primária de condições crônicas na pós-menopausa, não se recomendam o uso combinado de estrogênio e progestagênio em mulheres assintomáticas nem o uso de estrogênio sozinho em mulheres histerectomizadas. Neoplasias hormônio-dependentes contraindicam a THM. Para tratamento da síndrome geniturinária da menopausa, pode-se utilizar terapia estrogênica por via vaginal em pacientes com fatores de risco cardiovascular conhecidos ou DCV estabelecida. Para mulheres com contraindicação à THM ou que a recusam, terapias não hormonais com eficácia comprovada (antidepressivos, gabapentina e fezolinetante) podem melhorar os sintomas vasomotores. Os implantes hormonais manipulados, ou hormônios “bioidênticos” “manipulados”, e a ‘modulação hormonal’ não são recomendados pela falta de evidência científica de sua eficácia e segurança

Educomunicação e suas áreas de intervenção: Novos paradigmas para o diálogo intercultural

oai:omp.abpeducom.org.br:publicationFormat/1O material aqui divulgado representa, em essência, a contribuição do VII Encontro Brasileiro de Educomunicação ao V Global MIL Week, da UNESCO, ocorrido na ECA/USP, entre 3 e 5 de novembro de 2016. Estamos diante de um conjunto de 104 papers executivos, com uma média de entre 7 e 10 páginas, cada um. Com este rico e abundante material, chegamos ao sétimo e-book publicado pela ABPEducom, em seus seis primeiros anos de existência. A especificidade desta obra é a de trazer as “Áreas de Intervenção” do campo da Educomunicação, colocando-as a serviço de uma meta essencial ao agir educomunicativo: o diálogo intercultural, trabalhado na linha do tema geral do evento internacional: Media and Information Literacy: New Paradigms for Intercultural Dialogue

A social and ecological assessment of tropical land uses at multiple scales: the Sustainable Amazon Network

Science has a critical role to play in guiding more sustainable development trajectories. Here, we present the Sustainable Amazon Network (Rede Amazonia Sustentavel, RAS): a multidisciplinary research initiative involving more than 30 partner organizations working to assess both social and ecological dimensions of land-use sustainability in eastern Brazilian Amazonia. The research approach adopted by RAS offers three advantages for addressing land-use sustainability problems: (i) the collection of synchronized and co-located ecological and socioeconomic data across broad gradients of past and present human use; (ii) a nested sampling design to aid comparison of ecological and socioeconomic conditions associated with different land uses across local, landscape and regional scales; and (iii) a strong engagement with a wide variety of actors and non-research institutions. Here, we elaborate on these key features, and identify the ways in which RAS can help in highlighting those problems in most urgent need of attention, and in guiding improvements in land-use sustainability in Amazonia and elsewhere in the tropics. We also discuss some of the practical lessons, limitations and realities faced during the development of the RAS initiative so far.Keywords: Social–ecological systems, Tropical forests, Land use, Interdisciplinary research, Sustainability, Trade-off