Respiratory profile in patients after liver transplantation

Patients in the immediate post-operative liver transplantation (LxT) period can develop respiratory and functional complications. In the postoperative months, these functions tend to improve. Nevertheless, there are few studies that evaluate precisely and specifically respiratory function in post-LxT long-term after surgery. The objective of the study was to describe the respiratory profile of patients 1 to 6 months after LxT, accompanied by LxT outpatients. Methods. We included patients between 25 and 60 years old. We excluded patients with chronic renal or cerebrovascular impairment, severe heart disease, and history of lung surgery or liver re-transplantation. Evaluations were carried out on 3 occasions: 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after LxT. The following evaluations were submitted: respiratory muscle strength (manuvacuometer), value flows and lung volumes (spirometer), and surface electromyography analyzing root mean square in the right (RMS-R) and left (RMS-L) diaphragm. We analyzed MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease). After normality tests, we used the Friedman test (non-parametric values) and ANOVA (parametric values), P >= .5 with the use of SPSS 21.0. Results. Patients (n = 15) had a mean age of 53.0 +/- 7.5 years and 25.9 +/- 4.6 MELD score. The statistically significant value obtained at the 3 occasions of evaluation was RMS-R, with a decline during periods of evaluation. This can be caused by removal of the liver, resulting in a denervation and reduction in compliance of this portion of the muscle. Conclusions. Patients between 1 and 6 months after transplantation have a specific respiratory profile, close to normal values. However, there are few studies on this subject, and we suggest that more research be done.Patients in the immediate post-operative liver transplantation (LxT) period can develop respiratory and functional complications. In the postoperative months, these functions tend to improve. Nevertheless, there are few studies that evaluate precisely and4872352235514th Brazilian Transplantation Association (ABTO) and 14th Luso-Brazilian Transplantation Congress together with the 13th Transplantation Nursing Meeting and Histocompatibility Forumde 24 a 27 de outubroGramado, Brasi

Contaminação de águas associadas a mineralizações de W de Fonte Santa, NE Portugal

Na região da mina de Fonte Santa ocorrem filões de quartzo mineralizados em W, com scheelite, que cortam os quartzitos do Ordovícico Inferior e estão relacionados com a zona de cisalhamento de Moncorvo-Bemposta. Alguns filões com scheelite têm quartzo recristalizado e brechificado e sulfuretos, tendo sido explorados para W entre 1942 e 1982. As águas relacionadas com a mina da Fonte Santa são pouco mineralizadas, com condutividade eléctrica < 965 μ S/cm, e classificadas como de tipo misto. A maioria dos valores de pH (pH = 5.0 - 8.5) indicam que não há drenagem ácida significativa associada às actividades mineiras e os valores mais ácidos (pH = 3.4) foram obtidos numa lagoa da mina. Nas águas associadas com os filões mineralizados e antigas explorações foram encontradas concentrações elevadas de Fe e Mn que proíbem o seu consumo humano e utilização na agricultura

VINHOS QUE PENSAM - parte I/III GESTÃO DO VIGOR VEGETATIVO DA VINHA A PARTIR DE SENSORES ATIVOS MUTIESPECTRAIS PRÓXIMOS

Costumo dizer que o projeto “Vinhos que pensam” nasceu de um aperto de mão entre a equipa de Agricultura de Precisão da Universidade de Évora e a Fundação Eugénio de Almeida, nasceu sem financiamento próprio mas com uma visão muito clara de criar valor social na área da vitivinicultura Alentejana. Passados 6 anos, julgamos que o conhecimento produzido é relevante para a atividade e gestão vitivinícola Alentejana, no entanto, novas perguntas surgem todos os anos e dessa forma somos alimentados na motivação de prosseguir com este projeto, ao qual, outras entidades e vontades se vão agora também associando. A Agrobótica, muito recentemente, desafiou-nos a apresentar os resultados mais relevantes do projeto “Vinhos que pensam” e com o maior prazer lhe dissemos que sim, no entanto, colocou-se-nos um problema, os resultados mais relevantes, muito dificilmente caberiam num único artigo, como tal, decidimos dividir tais resultados em três artigos, este primeiro mais virado para os aspetos da gestão do vigor da vegetação da vinha; o segundo mais virado para os sensores geoelétricos do solo e sua aplicação na gestão e estudo do solo; e por fim, um terceiro mais virado para aspetos da nutrição das plantas considerando a interação solo/planta e a utilização dos sensores multiespectrais

Prediction of lamb body composition using in vivo bioimpedance analysis

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of in vivo bioimpedance analysis (BIA) as a method to estimate body composition in lambs. Thirty-one Texel x Ile de France crossbreed ram lambs were slaughtered at pre-determined intervals of average weights of 20, 26, 32, and 38 kg. Before the slaughter of the animals, their body weight (BW) and body length (BL) were measured. The values for resistance (Rs) and reactance (Xc) were collected using a single-frequency BIA equipment (Model RJL Quantum II Bioelectrical Body Composition Analyzer). The BIA main variables such as body bioelectrical volume (V), phase angle (PA), resistive density (RsD), and reactive density (XcD) were then calculated. The soft tissue mass of the right-half cold carcass was analyzed in order to determine its chemical composition. Multiple regression analyses were performed using the lamb body composition as dependent variables and the measurements related to bioimpedance as independent variables. The best regression models were evaluated by cross-validation. The predictive model of moisture mass, which was developed by using XcD and V, accounted for 84% of its variation. Resulting models of percentage moisture (R2 = 0.79), percentage lean mass (R2 = 0.79), percentage fat (R2 = 0.79), and fat mass (R2 = 0.87) were obtained using RsD and V. Furthermore, the values of RsD regarding V, and PA in the prediction models accounted for 91% and 89% of variation in protein mass and lean mass, respectively. Bioimpedance analysis proved to be an efficient method to estimate the body composition of lambs slaughtered at different body mass stages

The wool proteome and fibre characteristics of three distinct genetic ovine breeds from Portugal

Wool properties and commodity value vary considerably between breeds. In Portugal, three major ovine groups exist: Churros, Bordaleiros and Merinos. This work studies the effect of the ovine genotype on the wool proteome of such groups. Wool was collected from 15 ewes/breed and genetic groups: Churra da Terra Quente (CTQ) or Churro, Serra da Estrela (SE) or Bordaleiro and Merino Branco (MB) or Merino. Proteins were extracted and subjected to label-free proteomics analysis. A total of 50 keratinous protein groups were identified in all the samples, divided into type I and II keratins and the keratin associated proteins: high-glycine-tyrosine proteins, ultra-high sulphur proteins and high-sulphur proteins. Major differences were found between MB and CTQ with respect to K75 and K38, both medullar proteins and to a lesser extent between SE and CTQ suggesting that these might be good markers for this trait in wool. Partial least squares discriminatory analysis proved MB to be readily distinguishable from the other two breeds. Further differences were noted in keratin associated protein levels between the three breeds, normally an indicator of higher levels of orthocortex and also their relationship to high curvature, high crimp fibres like Merinoinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

A randomized double-blind clinical trial of the effect of non-absorbable oral polymyxin on infants with severe infectious diarrhea

The present study evaluated the effect of non-absorbable oral polymyxin on the duodenal microflora and clinical outcome of infants with severe infectious diarrhea. Polymyxin was chosen because classic enteropathogenic Escherichia coli was more sensitive to this antibiotic. Twenty-five infants were randomly assigned to a 7-day treatment with oral polymyxin (2.5 mg/kg in 4 daily doses) or placebo. Duodenal and stool cultures were performed before and after the treatment. Five patients were excluded during the study because of introduction of parental antibiotic therapy due to clinical sepsis (N = 3) or rapid clinical improvement (N = 2). In the polymyxin group, small bowel bacterial overgrowth occurred in 61.5% of the cases (8/13) before treatment and in 76.9% (10/13) after treatment. In the placebo group these values were 71.4% (5/7) and 57.1% (4/7), respectively. By the 7th day, clinical cure was observed in 84.6% of the cases (11/13) in the polymyxin group and in 71.4% (5/7) in the placebo group (P = 0.587). Considering all 25 patients included in the study, clinical cure occurred on the 7th day in 12/14 cases (85.7%) in the polymyxin group and 6/11 cases (54.5%) in the placebo group (P = 0.102). Clinical sepsis occurred in 3/11 (27.3%) of the patients in the placebo group and in none (0/14) in the polymyxin group (P = 0.071). Oral polymyxin was not effective in reducing bacterial overgrowth or in improving the clinical outcome of infants hospitalized with severe infectious diarrhea. Taking into account the small sample size, the rate of cure on the 7th day and the rate of clinical sepsis, further studies with greater number of patients are necessary to evaluate these questions

Diet of two syntopic species of Crenuchidae (Ostariophysi: Characiformes) in an Amazonian rocky stream

Abstract This study assessed the diet of two poorly known syntopic fish species of the family Crenuchidae, Characidium aff. declivirostre and Leptocharacidium omospilus, in a Presidente Figueiredo´ rocky stream, Amazonas, Brazil. The stomach contents were analyzed and their Frequency of Occurrence (FO %) and Relative Volume (Vol %) were combined in a Feeding Index (IAi). We examined 20 individuals of C. aff. declivirostre and 23 of L. omospilus. The Morisita-Horn Index was used to estimate the overlap between the diets of these species. Immature insects were the most valuable items consumed by both fish species. The diet of C. aff. declivirostre was mainly composed of larvae and pupae of Chironomidae, while L. omospilus predominantly consumed larvae of Hydroptilidae, Hydropyschidae and Pyralidae. Thus, both species were classified as autochthonous insectivorous. Characidium aff. declivirostre was considered a more specialized species, probably reflecting lower feeding plasticity or the use of more restricted microhabitats compared to L. omospilus. When the food items were analyzed at the family taxonomic level, the diet overlap between these species was considered moderate (Morisita-Horn Index = 0.4). However, a more thorough analysis, at the genus level, indicates a very low diet overlap. Therefore, we conclude that the feeding segregation between C. aff. declivirostre and L. omospilus may favor their co-existence, despite their high phylogenetic closeness