Post-Embryonic Development of <em>Aedes</em> (<em>Stegomyia</em>) <em>aegypti</em> Linnaeus, 1762 at Different Temperatures and CO₂ Concentrations, and Their Influences on Hatching and Development of Stabilized Population

This research aimed to verify biological parameters of Aedes aegypti Linnaeus, from Londrina, Paraná, in an incubator chamber (BOD) with different temperatures, and to analyze biological aspects of this mosquito from Manaus, Amazonas, in environments simulating the climatic conditions provided by the IPCC. In Londrina, the eggs were incubated for 10 days in BOD at different temperatures. The viability of eggs, number of adults, and mortality rate were analyzed later. In Manaus, the biological cycle time, number of adults, and mortality rate were analyzed in environmental rooms with different temperatures and CO2 concentrations. The viability of eggs and the number of adults from Londrina was greater at 5 and 25°C, while the mortality rate of immatures was greater at 0°C; eggs incubated at 45°C did not hatch. Mosquitoes from Manaus completed the fastest biological cycle in room 4. The mortality percentage in the different instars for rooms 1, 2 and 4 was: 14.4; 28 and 53.6%, respectively. Thus, temperatures from 5 to 29.74°C were more appropriate since values outside these limits can cause deleterious effects on the species during its development, but the A. aegypti mosquitoes from Londrina and Manaus can benefit from the increase in temperature stipulated by the IPCC

Health-related quality of life outcomes in head and neck cancer : results from a prospective, real-world data study with Brazilian patients treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy, conformal and conventional radiation techniques

Purpose: To compare global health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and overall survival (OS) in patients with head and neck cancer treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) or conventional ra- diation therapy (2DRT). Methods and Materials: In this real-world, multi-institutional and prospective study, HRQoL outcomes were assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-life Questionnaire Head and Neck 43 (H&N43) questionnaires. Item response theory was used to generate a global HRQoL score, based on the 71 questions from both forms. The effect of treatment modality on HRQoL was studied using multivariate regression analyses. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meyer method, and groups were compared by the log-rank test. Results: Five hundred and seventy patients from 13 institutions were included. Median follow-up was 12.2 months. Concern- ing the radiation technique, 29.5% of the patients were treated with 2DRT, 43.7% received 3DCRT, and 26.8% were treated with IMRT. A higher proportion of patients receiving 2DRT had a treatment interruption of more than 5 days (69% vs 50.2% for 3DCRT and 42.5% for IMRT). IMRT had a statistically significant positive effect on HRQoL compared with 3DCRT (bZ 2.627, standard error Z 0.804, P Z .001) and 2DRT had a statistically significant negative effect compared with 3DCRT (bZ 5.075, standard error Z 0.926, P < .001). Patients receiving 2DRT presented a worse OS (P Z .01). There were no differences in OS when IMRT was compared with 3DCRT. Conclusions: IMRT provided better HRQoL than 3DCRT, which provided better HRQoL than 2DRT. Patients receiving 2DRT presented a worse OS, which might be related to more frequent treatment interruptions. Ó 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved