Climate change in layer poultry farming: impact of heat waves in region of Bastos, Brazil

The region around the municipality of Bastos, state of São Paulo, accounted for about 7% of Brazilian egg production in 2015. In 2012, it experienced a heat wave that resulted in the death of approximately 500,000 hens, according to information released at the time. Considering the impact of heat waves on layer mortality, the objective of this study was to analyze how heat waves impact the layer farming in the region of Bastos, considering the climate change scenarios forecasted by the IPCC for the next years. This study was conducted in three stages: i) analysis of the IPCC reports to understand climate change scenarios; ii) analysis of historical temperature data in the region of Bastos; iii) analysis of how climate change, through heat waves, may impact layer mortality in this region. All the IPCC scenarios indicate that both average temperature and the number of extreme events, such as heat waves, are expected to increase. Historical data showed that since the mid-1980s, maximum temperature has increased, as well as the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves. The association of layer mortality due to heat waves with the IPCC climate change forecasts for that region indicates a trend of increasing layer mortality in egg production operations which sheds are not equipped with air conditioning.(AU)

Climate change in layer poultry farming: impact of heat waves in region of Bastos, Brazil

The region around the municipality of Bastos, state of São Paulo, accounted for about 7% of Brazilian egg production in 2015. In 2012, it experienced a heat wave that resulted in the death of approximately 500,000 hens, according to information released at the time. Considering the impact of heat waves on layer mortality, the objective of this study was to analyze how heat waves impact the layer farming in the region of Bastos, considering the climate change scenarios forecasted by the IPCC for the next years. This study was conducted in three stages: i) analysis of the IPCC reports to understand climate change scenarios; ii) analysis of historical temperature data in the region of Bastos; iii) analysis of how climate change, through heat waves, may impact layer mortality in this region. All the IPCC scenarios indicate that both average temperature and the number of extreme events, such as heat waves, are expected to increase. Historical data showed that since the mid-1980s, maximum temperature has increased, as well as the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves. The association of layer mortality due to heat waves with the IPCC climate change forecasts for that region indicates a trend of increasing layer mortality in egg production operations which sheds are not equipped with air conditioning.

Kinetics of neovascularisation of splenic autotransplants in mice.

The aim of this study was to examine the kinetics of neovascularisation of splenic autoimplants into the abdominal cavity after splenectomy in mice. Sixty-eight female Swiss mice were submitted to splenectomy. The spleen from each animal was sliced and the slices were implanted into the abdominal cavity. Groups of animals were killed after 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 15, 21, 28, 42, 56, 70 and 84 d. Fluorescent polystyrene microspheres were injected via the orbital venous plexus before killing and the splenules were removed 5 min later for light and electron microscopy. Mesenteric blood vessels were injected with coloured latex to study the origin of the nutrient vessels. Three days after the implant the microspheres were observed at the periphery and then migrating to the internal parts of the implant in the subsequent days. The blood supply to the implants originated from branches of the splenic, short gastric, mesenteric and gastroepiploic arteries. It is concluded that revascularisation of splenic autografts proceeds centripetally, starting as early as 3 d after implantation.

Serum leptin and body composition in children with familial GH deficiency (GHD) due to a mutation in the growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) receptor.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between GH, body composition and leptin in children remains ill-defined. We have therefore examined the impact of severe GH deficiency (GHD) due to a mutation in the GHRH receptor on serum leptin concentrations and body composition in childhood. PATIENTS: 12 affected children and young people (GHD) (4 M:8F, age 5.4-20.1 years, 8 Tanner stage (TS) 1-2, 4 TS 3-5) and 40 healthy controls (C) from the same region (13 M:27F, age 5.3-18.4 years, 20 TS 1-2, 20 TS 3-5). METHODS: Percent body fat was determined by infra-red interactance, from which the amounts of fat mass (FM, kg) and fat free mass (FFM, kg) were derived. Serum leptin concentrations were measured in a single fasted, morning serum sample and results expressed as a concentration and as leptin per unit fat mass (L/FM, ng/ml/kg). To control for differences in sex and pubertal maturation, leptin standard deviation scores (leptin SDS) were calculated using normative data from UK children. RESULTS: FFM was significantly lower in GHD children than in controls (TS 1-2 P < 0.05, TS 3-5 P < 0.001). FM did not differ significantly between the two groups. Serum leptin concentrations, leptin per unit fat mass and leptin SDS were significantly elevated in GHD children both peripubertal and pubertal compared with controls. Using all subjects, stepwise multiple linear regression with FM, FFM, age, puberty and sex as explanatory variables and leptin concentration as the dependent variable indicated that 59% of the variability in leptin could be accounted for by FM (+, 45%), FFM (-, 9%) and sex (+, 5%) (P < 0.001). However on inclusion of GH deficiency (coded GHD = 1, control = 2) as an explanatory variable 73% of the variability in leptin was explained by FM (+, 45%), GHD (-, 22%) and sex (+, 6%) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that severe GH deficiency in children is associated with elevated leptin concentrations, irrespective of sex or pubertal stage. This increase is not associated with differences in fat mass but is related to reduced fat free mass in GH deficiency. Furthermore in this population there may be an additional effect of GH deficiency on leptin, independent of the influences of sex and body composition.

Serum levels of cytokines in patients envenomed by Tityus serrulatus scorpion sting.

Seventeen patients stung by Tityus serrulatus scorpion were classified as mild (pain at the site of the sting, n = 6), moderate (local pain and one of the following manifestations: vomiting, psychomotor agitation, prostration, sweating, tachypnea, tachycardia and mild arterial hypertension, n = 10) and severe cases (equal moderate cases plus cardiac failure, pulmonary edema and shock, n = 1). Venous blood was sampled for biochemical and hematological analysis and for IL-1alpha, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and GM-CSF ELISAs at the time of hospital admission, 6 h (moderate and severe cases), and 12, 18, 36 and 72 h (severe case) later. Ten age-matched healthy volunteers were used as control. Increased serum levels of IL-1alpha was noticed in all patients, high levels of IL-6, IFN-gamma and GM-CSF were observed only in a patient with severe envenomation. Our data suggest that a systemic inflammatory response-like syndrome is triggered during severe envenomation caused by T. serrulatus sting and that release of cytokines may be involved in this response.

[Linkage of environmental and health data: health risk analysis of the Rio de Janeiro water supply by using geographical information systems]. / Inter-relacionamento de dados ambientais e de saúde: análise de risco á saúde aplicada ao abastecimento de água no Rio de Janeiro utilizando Sistemas de Informações Geográficas.

Exposure assessment of population groups is based on linkage of environmental and health data. This relationship can be hard to establish due to spatial and temporal lags in data sets. Environmental data generally refer to scattered sampling points, while epidemiological data integrate periods of time within administrative territories. GIS can be used as a basis for organizing health-related and environmental data sets. We examined potential health risk in the Rio de Janeiro city water supply based on the overlay of information layers containing data on the presence and quality of water supply services. We used census tracts as the primary georeferenced data, since they contain information on how households are supplied, water supply pipes, sources, and reservoirs, and water quality according to the monitoring program. Population groups exposed to risks were located and quantified using spatial operations among these layers and adopting different risk criteria. The main problems related to water supply are located on the northern slope of the Tijuca Mountain Range (involving the absence or poor quality of water) and in the western area of the city of Rio, where the population relies on alternative water supply sources. The different origins, objectives, and structures of data have to be analyzed critically, and GIS can be used as a data validation tool as well as an instrument for detailed identification of inconsistencies.

Reconstrucao do canto medial e lateral. / Reconstruction of the medial and lateral canthus

Os autores analisaram 29 casos de reconstrucao de canto medial e lateral em pacientes portadores de lesoes tumorais, sendo 22 casos de canto medial e sete (7) de canto lateral.O tratamento cirurgico mostrou-se satisfatorio, pois as recidivas e complicacoes foram bastante reduzidas

Tumores palpebrais e das estruturas adjacentes (Estudos de 103 casos). / Eyelid and adjacent structure tumors (Study of 103 cases)

Os autores analizaram sob os aspectos clinico e cirurgico, 103 casos de tumores palpebrais e das estruturas adjacentes. Os carcinomas basocelulares palpebrais correspondem a 38.8% dos casos. Foram encontrados 52.46% de tumores malignos e 47.54% de tumores benignos considerando-se todos os tumores oculares externos. Chamam atencao para o grave problema do TUMOR VACINADO, oriundo e tratamento mal adequado. Foram relatados 3 casos de recidiva um paciente dos quais faleceu por metastases em caso de adenocarcinoma de glandula de Meibomius