Post-COVID-19 tomographic abnormalities.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of persistent respiratory symptoms tends to be low in patients with a longer recovery time after COVID-19. However, some patients may present persistent pulmonary abnormalities.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of tomographic abnormalities 90 days after symptom onset in patients with COVID-19 and compare two chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) analysis techniques.METHODS: A multicentre study of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 having oxygen saturation <93% on room air at hospital admission were evaluated using pulmonary function and HRCT scans 90 days after symptom onset. The images were evaluated by two thoracic radiologists, and were assessed using software that automatically quantified the extent of pulmonary abnormalities.RESULTS: Of the 91 patients included, 81% had at least one pulmonary lobe with abnormalities 90 days after discharge (84% were identified using the automated algorithm). Ground-glass opacities (76%) and parenchymal bands (65%) were the predominant abnormalities. Both chest HRCT technical assessments presented high sensitivity (95.9%) and positive predictive value (92%), with a statistically significant correlation at baseline (R = 0.80) and after 90 days (R = 0.36).CONCLUSION: The prevalence of pulmonary abnormalities on chest HRCT 90 days after symptom onset due to COVID-19 was high; both technical assessments can be used to analyse the images.

In vitro regeneration of Didymopanax morototoni.

The present study aimed at establishing a complete plant regeneration protocol for Didymopanax morototoni (matchwood), a native Brazilian forest species. Four types of explants (root, shoot, node, and cotyledonary leaves) were obtained from in vitro germinated seeds. In the first step, woody plant medium (WPM) with casein hydrolysate (250 mgL-1 ) and 2,4-D (1.0 and 5.0 mgL-1) were used combined with kinetin (0.1 and 1.0 mgL-1). Twenty days after inoculation, the material was evaluated. Embryogenic calli were split, transferred to expression medium with several combinations of NAA and KIN, and moved to fresh medium after 60 days. Light did not interfere in embryo expression. Somatic embryos were formed either from individual cells or cell clusters. Plantlets were obtained in WPM medium and 10 gL-1 of sucrose with no plant regulator, or using 0.1 mgL-1 BAP and 0.5 mgL-1GA. Plantlets from somatic embryos of D. morototoni developed in 33% of the cases.

In vitro regeneration of Didymopanax morototoni

O presente estudo visou o estabelecimento de um completo protocolo de regeneração para Didymopanax morototoni (morototó, caixeta) uma espécie florestal nativa do Brasil. Quatro tipos de explantes (raiz, caule, nódulo foliar e folha cotiledonar) foram obtidos a partir de sementes germinadas. Na primeira etapa, meio WPM com caseína hidrolisada (250 mgL-1) e 2,4D (1,0 e 5,0 mgL-1) foram usados em combinação com cinetina (0,1 ou 1,0 mg L-1). Vinte dias depois de inoculado, o material foi avaliado. Calos embriogênicos foram divididos e transferidos para meio de expressão com várias combinações de ácido naftaleno-acético e cinetina, e repicados a cada 60 dias para meio novo. A luz não interferiu na expressão embriogênica. Embriões somáticos foram formados ou de células individuais ou de agregados de células. As plântulas foram obtidas no meio WPM com 10 g L-1 de sacarose e sem reguladores de crescimento ou com 0,1 mg L-1 de Benzil-adenina e 0,5 mg L-1 de giberelina. O desenvolvimento das plântulas a partir de embriões somáticos de D. morototoni foi alcançada em 33% dos casos.