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Seed treatment is important for protecting seed and seedling from pests and/ or pathogens. Seed treatment can be performed generally in two ways: industrial seed treatment (IST), performed by seed companies, or on-farm treatment (OFT). These treatment technologies will affect the final quality of the process. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize the seed quality profile of ISTs and OFTs in Brazilian agribusiness in terms of functional quality and dose application effectiveness (DAE). Seed samples treated by both processes were collected in 6 producing states of Brazil, Mato Grosso, Goias, Parana, Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, and Santa Catarina. To evaluate the functional quality of the treatments, the coating percentage was determined by high-resolution image analysis with GroundEye (R) equipment, and the insecticide active ingredient DAE amount was determined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Image analysis proved to be a promising technique to evaluate seed coating, in addition, samples treated with "on farm" technology had greater variation and heterogeneity in coating and active ingredient dose, while samples treated industrially showed greater homogeneity, uniformity, effectiveness of applied products. There was a strong positive correlation between coating with phytosanitary products and DAE in treated corn seeds, important parameters in the evaluation of the quality of the treatment.
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During the pandemic of the COVID-19 several factors provided higher risks for pregnant women, which could negatively interfere in the ongoing pregnancies. This study aims to reflect on the impacts of the pandemic of COVID-19 caused in the health of pregnant women, related to the physical and psychological impacts and changes in prenatal care, as well as the changes made in maternity hospitals due to social distance. This is a methodology with a literature review based on scientific articles published during the pandemic period. In view of the records analyzed it was observed that the pandemic of COVID-19 brought difficulties in the scope of health services, directed to pregnant women.
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Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection may lead to the development of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Scarce data is available regarding safety and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in IBD patients, which may present differences between subgroups. Lower immunological response could require an additional booster injection. Aims & Methods: Prospective study including adult patients with IBD after complete vaccination against SARS-COV-2 infection with BioNTech vaccine. Patients with previous SARS-COV-2 infection were excluded. A control group with healthy individuals matched for age and sex was also analyzed. Blood samples were collected 30 days after complete vaccination to quantify IgG antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2 in both groups. Result(s): Final sample included 81 IBD and 32 non-IBD patients, 55(48.7%) of them females, with a mean age of 40.2+/-13.0 years. From IBD patients, 58(71.6%) had CD and 23(28.4%) UC. IBD patients had significantly lower median anti-SARS-COV-2 IgG levels when compared to the control group (6479, IQR-10053 vs 13061, IQR-15539 AU/mL;p=0.003). Regarding IBD medication, significant lower levels of SARS-COV-2 IgG antibodies when compared to controls where observed in patients under thiopurines (5423, IQR-10260 AU/mL;p=0.011);methotrexate (834, IQR-4155 AU/mL;p=0.002);infliximab (5294, IQR-10392 AU/mL;p=0.001);and corticosteroids (548, IQR-n/a AU/mL;p=0.001). The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection after vaccination was also significantly higher in each of these treatments - healthy controls 25% vs thiopurines 50% (p=0.025), infliximab 43.8% (p=0.048), methotrexate 75% (p=0.041) and corticosteroids 100% (p=0.027). Conclusion(s): IBD patients under Immunomodulators, infliximab and corticosteroid treatment presented significantly lower anti-SARS-COV-2 IgG levels 30 days following complete vaccination when compared to healthy controls. These findings could support the benefit of an additional booster injection in this population.
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Background: COVID-19 pandemic motivated a reorganization of healthcare institutions, which may have led to a negative impact on cancer patients' treatment. This study compared the pathological response (PR) rate to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in breast cancer (BC) patients who underwent treatment before (BCv) and during (DCv) the COVID-19 pandemic at our institution.
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This chapter examines the historical connections between the foundations of natural sciences and technology during the 20st century. It reaffirms the need to establish new languages and operational mechanisms focused on the planet's sustainability. Finally, it analyzes the global importance of Amazonia in a scenario permeated by covid-19. © Nova Science Publishers, Inc. 2021. All rights reserved.
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This study analyzes the diffusion of covid-19 in Amazonia. It shows the lack of a health policy in the region and the pain and suffering of its people contaminated by this virus. © Nova Science Publishers, Inc. 2021. All rights reserved.
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The authors warn governments, societies and humanity about the future of Amazonia. It is dying. Who will save Amazonia? The world is at war with COVID-19, climate change and social inequality. This book shows that Amazonia is a key entity in the victory of humanity against these three 'plagues' of modernity. A worldwide mobilization is needed to stop its cultural and ecological destruction. Its full submission to the market and to predatory privatization contribute to this process that has had a global impact. It is an open question as many diseases and pandemics could spread throughout the world as a result of continued destruction of this incredibly biodiverse region. It has about 163 indigenous peoples, over 2000 rivers and 400 billion trees. It is important for world food security, climate change mitigation and bioindustries. Its importance for humanity is analyzed from a sustainable perspective. This tragedy has been aggravated by the dispersion of COVID-19 in the region. This book shows that Brazilian Amazonia's future is a world tragedy. Who will save Amazonia? According to Marcílio and Marilene, the responsibility of its sustainable protection comes from us all. © Nova Science Publishers, Inc. 2021. All rights reserved.
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Objetivos: Revisão sistemática da literatura sobre os possíveis eventos tromboembólicos após a administração da vacina ChAdOx1 nCov-19/AZD1222 (Astrazeneca®). Materiais e métodos: A questão foi estruturada pelo sistema PICO, acrômio de Paciente/Problema (P), Intervenção (I), Comparação (C) e Resultado/Outcome (O). Estabelecemos que o P seria população vacinada, I seria vacina Astrazeneca, C seria nenhuma intervenção e O como efeitos tromboembólicos. Dessa forma, evidências foram pesquisadas nas principais bases científicas (MEDLINE/PubMed), utilizando os seguintes termos: ChAdOx1 nCov-19 AND thromboembolism. Foram incluídos estudos na língua inglesa sem limite no período consultado. Inicialmente, os estudos foram selecionados pelo título, sequencialmente pelo resumo, e por fim, pelo texto completo, o qual foi submetido a avaliação crítica. Recuperou-se 19 trabalhos, sendo acessados 4 textos completos que se relacionaram aos componentes PICO. Os principais motivos de exclusão foram os não relacionados aos componentes PICO. Resultados: Dados pela European Medical Association identificaram em 5,5 milhões de vacinados a ocorrência de 202 casos graves de eventos tromboembólicos. Destes, 122 em mulheres, observando os primeiros episódios alguns dias após a vacinação, que duraram de 2 a 3 dias, com agravamento do 6°ao 12°dia. Em outro estudo no Reino Unido, 3 pacientes (2 mulheres e 1 homem) após o 10°e 16°dia da 1°dose da vacina ChAdOx1 nCov-19 apresentaram reações tromboembólicas graves, como trombose extensa, aumento de dímero D e fibrinogênio limítrofe baixo. Dois desses pacientes foram diagnosticados com trombose do seio venoso cerebral (CVST), fatal em ambos os casos, enquanto o 3°paciente apresentou embolia pulmonar. GREINACH, A. et al avaliando 11 pacientes, sendo 9 do sexo feminino, descreveram presença de trombocitopenias e trombose venosa cerebral e esplênica após a vacinação com ChAdOx1 nCov-19. Ademais, pesquisas na Alemanha notaram o desenvolvimento de CVST em 3 mulheres vacinadas com a Astrazeneca®, em média de 15 dias entre a vacinação e os eventos. Discussão: As vacinas contra a COVID-19 tornaram-se ferramentas fundamentais para o controle da pandemia, todavia eventos trombolíticos foram identificados após a vacinação com a vacina Astrazeneca®, levantando preocupações. A Trombocitopenia trombótica induzida por vacina (VITT) é uma síndrome relatada entre 5 e 28 dias após a vacinação. Seus eventos tromboembólicos ocorrem devido às interações eletrostáticas entre o PF4 e a superfície do adenovírus, que, consequentemente, quando polarizados, ligam-se por meio do receptor FC às plaquetas, ativando os trombócitos e levando à VITT. O SARS-CoV-2 é um vírus de RNA de fita simples que apresenta proteínas spike (S) na superfície viral. A sua ligação com a enzima conversora de angiotensina 2 configura a entrada viral. A vacina ChAdOx1 é do tipo vetor viral não replicante, adenovírus, que codifica a proteína S com um peptídeo sinal do ativador do plasminogênio tecidual, podendo desencadear VITT. Todavia, embora seja raro ocorrer eventos trombolíticos na população vacinada, foram analisados casos de VITT após a 1°dose da vacina Astrazeneca®. Conclusão: Diante do exposto, conclui-se que os eventos tromboembólicos são raros, porém quando encontrados, foi observado que são mais frequentes na população vacinada com a Astrazeneca®, sendo a sua maioria mulheres. Contudo, constatou-se que os benefícios da vacina superam seus riscos.
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed greater financial pressure on health systems and institutions that had to respond to the specific needs of COVID-19 patients while ensuring the safety of the diagnosis and treatment of all patients and healthcare professionals. To assess the financial impact of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals, we have characterized the cost of COVID-19 admissions, using inpatient data from a Portuguese Tertiary Care University Centre. Methods: We analysed inpatient data from adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who were admitted between March 1, 2020 and May 31, 2020. Admissions were eligible if the ICD-10-CM principal diagnosis was coded U07.1. We excluded admissions from patients under 18 years old, admissions with incomplete records, admissions from patients who had been transferred to or from other hospitals or those whose inpatient stay was under 24 h. Pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium admissions were also excluded, as well as admissions from patients who had undergone surgery. Results: We identified 223 admissions of patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Most were men (64.1%) and aged 45-64 years (30.5%). Around 13.0% of patients were admitted to intensive care units and 9.9% died in hospital. The average length of hospital stay was 12.7 days (SD = 10.2) and the average estimated cost per admission was EUR 8,177 (SD = 11,534), which represents more than triple the inpatient base price (EUR 2,386). Human resources accounted for the highest proportion of the total costs per admission (50.8%). About 92.4% of the admissions were assigned to Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) 723, whose inpatient price is lower than COVID-19 inpatient costs for all degrees of severity. Conclusion: COVID-19 admissions represent a substantial financial burden for the Portuguese NHS. For each COVID-19 hospitalized patient it would have been possible to treat three other hospitalized patients. Also, the price set for DRG 723 is not adjusted to the cost of COVID-19 patients. These findings highlight the need for additional financial resources for the health system and, in particular, for hospitals that have treated high volumes of hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel on behalf of NOVA National School of Public Health.
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Digital transformation is a term used to indicate a set of changes caused by the massive use of digital technologies, implemented in a "disruptive" way in social environments. This literature review study analyses some of these transformations, particularly in the field of digital communications and interactions, against the backdrop of Information Management in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, divising current and future opportunities and challenges. The results are presented in two analytical blocks. In the first, the disruptive scenarios, the changes in styles and in the ways of organizing and performing work, the rapid dissemination of the technologic-based services, the opportunities and challenges are assessed. The second block discusses some of the informational behaviours that, in the pandemic context, have marked the character of digital communications and interactions, focusing on aspects such as use and privacy of data, digital tracking strategies, and the exponential increase in the dissemination of false and outdated and fake news, in a context as pandemic as it is infodemic. In the concluding remarks, some of the critical issues and priority lines of enquiry to figure in current and future research agendas are summarised. © 2022 Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra. All rights reserved.
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Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection may lead to the development of the novel coronavirus disease, 2019 (COVID-19). Currently, little to no data is available regarding safety and efficacy of SARS-COV-2 vaccination in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients, which may present differences between subgroups, as these patients may exhibit impaired innate and adaptive immune system responses. Lower immunological response could, in this specific population, require an additional booster injection. Methods: We conducted a prospective study including adult patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) who have undergone complete vaccination against SARS-COV-2 infection with BioNTech® vaccine. Patients with previous SARS-COV-2 infection were excluded. Medical data regarding age, sex, IBD classification and current medication for IBD were collected. A control group with healthy individuals matched for age and sex was also analyzed. Blood samples were collected, 30 days after complete vaccination to quantify IgG antibody titers for SARS-COV-2 in both groups (IBD and non-IBD). Results: Our final sample included, 81 IBD and, 32 non-IBD patients, 55 (48.7%) of them females, with a mean age of, 40.2±13.0 years. From the IBD patients, 58(71.6%) had CD and, 23(28.4%) had UC. IBD patients had significantly lower anti-SARS-COV-2 IgG levels when compared to the control group (8950±9366 vs, 14834±11679 AU/mL;p=0.003). Regarding IBD medication, significant lower levels of SARS-COV-2 IgG antibodies when compared to control patients were found in patients under thiopurines (9074±9779 AU/mL;p=0.011);methotrexate (1987±2568 AU/mL;p=0.002);infliximab (7208±7276 AU/ mL;p=0.001);and corticosteroids (1065±933 AU/mL;p=0.001). Additionally, patients under combined therapy (infliximab plus thiopurines) presented with significantly lower antibodies titers when compared to patients treated with thiopurines in monotherapy (8130±11048 vs, 10563±5680 AU/mL;p=0.039). No significant differences were found in IBD patients under salicylates (10195±7371 AU/mL;p=0.226);adalimumab (15644±21467 AU/mL;p=0.336);vedolizumab (10464±9087 AU/mL;p=0.286) and ustekinumab (11366±10016 AU/mL;p=0.390). Conclusion: IBD patients presented with significantly lower anti- SARS-COV-2 IgG levels, 1 month after complete vaccination against SARS-COV-2 infection compared to healthy controls. Thiopurines, methotrexate, infliximab and corticosteroid treatment were associated with significantly lower antibodies levels. These findings may express the benefit of an additional booster injection in this population.
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Individuals with malignancies and COVID-19 have a lower survival compared with the general population. However, the information about the impact of COVID-19 on the whole hematological population is scarce. We aimed to describe the 30th day overall survival (OS) after COVID-19 infection in patients with a hematological disease in Argentina. A completely anonymous survey from the Argentine Society of Hematology was delivered to all the hematologists in Argentina;it started in April 2020. A cut-off to analyze the data was performed in December 2020 and, finally, 419 patients were reported and suitable for the analysis (average age: 58 years, 90% with malignant diseases). After the COVID-19 diagnosis, the 30-day OS for the whole population was 80.2%. From the entire group (419), 101 (24.1%) individuals required intensive care unit admission, where the 30-day OS was 46.6%. Among allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients, the 30-day OS was 70.3%. Factors associated with a low OS were two or more comorbidities, an active hematological disease and history of chemotherapy. In individuals with the three factors, the 30-day OS was 49.6% while the 30-day OS in those without those factors was 100%. Patients with hematological diseases have a higher mortality than the general population. This group represents a challenge and requires careful decision-making of the treatment in order not to compromise the chances of cure.
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Risk factors that determine the severity of Covid-19 have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of coronary artery calcification (CAC) as a risk factor for death or mechanical ventilation (MV) of patients without known heart disease infected with Covid-19. We analyzed 283 consecutive in-patients with acute respiratory symptoms with chest computed tomography (chest-CT), without previous heart disease, and criteria for Covid-19 (RT-PCR positive and/or typical clinical and chest-CT findings). CAC was classified by the number of coronary segments affected as absent (0), mild (1-3), and severe calcification (more than 3). The association between CAC, CAC severity, and death or MV due to severe respiratory failure was assessed by logistic regression. The mean age was 58.7±15.7 years and 54.1% were men. Patients with CAC were older, more likely to have hypertension, and less likely to be obese. CAC was present in 75 patients (26.5%), of which 42 had a mild calcification and 33 had severe calcification, and was associated with death (OR=2.35, 95%CI: 1.01-5.48) or MV (OR=2.72, 95%CI: 1.20-6.20) adjusted for multiple confounders, with significant and increased odds ratio for the severe form of CAC (death: OR=3.70, 95%CI: 1.20-11.42; MV: OR=3.30, 95%CI: 1.09-9.95). We concluded that CAC was an independent risk factor for death or MV in Covid-19 patients without previous heart disease, particularly for those with severe calcification. CAC can be easily visualized on common chest-CT, widely used in evaluation of moderate to severe Covid-19.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Coronary Artery Disease , Vascular Calcification , Adult , Aged , Coronary Angiography , Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Odds Ratio , Risk Factors , SARS-CoV-2 , Vascular Calcification/complications , Vascular Calcification/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
Research Objective: This research explores the role that socioeconomic factors play on the pandemic development and it provides government with public control implications. Theoretical background: Government of different regions responds to the pandemic with various government policies and interventions. Meanwhile, socioeconomic factors that are long-term results of government policies also impact the development of the pandemic in different regions. We study how these socioeconomic factors are related with the COVID-19 pandemic development. Research Design: Using data from IBGE - Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, Ministry of Health, and Santa Catarina State Department of Health, we conduct a set of regression analyses at the municipality-level using socioeconomic factors as independent variables, and log-transformed confirmed COVID-19 cases and confirmed COVID-19 deaths as dependent variables. Results: We identify several significant indicators of pandemic outcomes and we find that municipalities in the Brazilian state with more basic health units, higher bedroom density, higher autonomy level of municipal revenue tend to have more confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19. We also find other socioeconomic factors including sanitation condition and age group diversity as important indicators of COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths. Originality: This research is one of the first to understand the impact of socioeconomic factors on the development of the COVID-19 pandemic and it utilizes unique datasets that have not been used by other studies to our best knowledge. Practical and theorical contributions: The deliverables of this research will improve the understanding of the ongoing pandemic, predict the pandemic development trend, and prepare the policymakers with improved information provisioning by pointing out the significant impacts of socioeconomic factors.