Assessing sediment quality at tropical mangrove areas for using as reference sites in ecotoxicological bioassays.

The sediment of five mangrove in Pernambuco/Brazil was investigated to find a reference site for toxicity bioassays. Sediment characteristics, metal levels, and toxic effects on the nauplius of the copepod Tisbe biminiensis were studied. The sediment was composed by terrigenous muds and siliciclastic sands with medium to high organic matter contents. The FeAs association show most of the high concentrations and positive correlation among its constituents in the south. In the north, the Ca-Sr-La association is higher and exhibits positive correlation among its components that usually found in carbonate rocks. Very intense toxic effects were observed, mainly in the south, with >70 % reductions in development. As and Hg were positively correlated with mortality and decrease in development. The sediment quality at studied mangroves prevent their use as a reference site in bioassays. These could be linked to the direct/perennial contribution of geogenic sources associated with anthropogenic environmental impacts.

Human health risk assessment associated with the consumption of mussels (Perna perna) and oysters (Crassostrea rhizophorae) contaminated with metals and arsenic in the estuarine channel of Vitória Bay (ES), Southeast Brazil.

The estuarine channel of Vitória Bay was evaluated regarding bioaccumulation of metals (Al, Ba, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni, Cd, Hg) and As in mollusks. Mussels from an aquaculture farm and transplanted into the estuary, whereas oysters were collected in situ in the same area. Concentrations of Al, Mn, Fe, Cr and As were higher in P. perna, whereas C. rhizophorae bioaccumulated more Ba, Zn and Cu. Arsenic concentrations in P. perna exceeded the limit of the Brazilian legislation in the outer estuary. Salinity seemed to influence metal uptake differently for each bivalve, with P. perna absorbing more metal at higher salinities and C. rhizophorae in areas of lower salinity. Hazard index (HI) >1 revealed risk for both bivalves for high level consumers. Target Cancer Risk (TCR) for As revealed threat for human health associated with the consumption of mussels and oysters from the study area.

Evaluation of bioavailability of trace metals through bioindicators in a urbanized estuarine system in southeast Brazil.

The mussel Perna perna is one of the most used bioindicators of coastal areas and the most economically exploited species in Brazil through mariculture. In the present study, P. perna was used to investigate metal pollution in the estuarine area of Vitória Bay. Four sampling sites were located along an estuarine branch of Vitória Bay and stations were sampled during three campaigns. Trace metals in the tissues of P. perna were evaluated as well as dissolved trace metals and other ancillary variables in the water column. Dissolved Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Fe concentrations surpassed the tolerance limits stablished by legislation in all the sampling campaigns. P. perna exhibited concentrations in disagreement with the Brazilian legislation for Cr and As. A general trend of higher concentrations in outer stations was observed for most metals, what suggested the occurrence of flocculation process in the lower estuary, reducing the concentrations of dissolved elements and increasing their bioavailability for the biota through the particulate form. Cd was highlighted with elevated concentrations in dissolved fraction but not detected in P. perna, probably due to chlor-complex formation under influence of more saline waters. Al, Ba, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Pb, and As were considered bioavailable, once they were accumulated in the mussels' tissues. Hazard index (HI) and target cancer risk (TCR) showed that the consumption of mussels from the study area offers health risk issues, being iron and arsenic the main contributors for the high indexes.

Association between Bone Mineral Density and Nutritional Status, Body Composition and Bone Metabolism in Older Adults.

PURPOSE: To identify an association between bone mineral density (BMD) and nutritional status, body composition and bone metabolism in older patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, involving older adults, with osteopenia/osteoporosis and with normal BMD. The mineral density of the lumbar spine from L1 to L4 and the proximal region of the femur was assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Biochemical analyzes were performed of 25(OH)-D, calcium and parathormone. Weight, knee height, and abdominal (AC), mid-upper arm (MUAC) and calf (CC) circumferences were measured. The percentage of body fat (%BF) and Fat-Free Mass (FFM) were quantified by electrical bioimpedance analysis. The Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. The statistical analysis used bivariate and multivariate, parametric and/or non-parametric tests, and was considered significant when p <0.05. RESULTS: Of the total 51 older adults assessed, 30 of them (58.8%) were diagnosed with osteopenia/osteoporosis. Body weight (p = 0.001), BMI (p = 0.001), % BF (p = 0.030) and serum concentrations of 25(OH)-D (p = 0.003) were higher in the group without changes in BMD. BMI and serum levels of 25(OH)-D demonstrated a positive correlation with the BMD of all bone compartments and the AC displayed a positive correlation with the lumbar vertebrae. In the logistic regression models, adjusted for sex and age, the BMI and the serum concentration of 25(OH)-D were presented as a protective factor against osteopenia/osteoporosis. CONCLUSIONS: Higher body weight, BMI, AC and %BF, and sufficient serum levels of vitamin D, were shown to be promoters of BMD.

Implementation of a Brazilian Cardioprotective Nutritional (BALANCE) Program for improvement on quality of diet and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events: A randomized, multicenter trial

Background Complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with higher ischemic risk, which can be mitigated by long-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). However, concomitant high bleeding risk (HBR) may be present, making it unclear whether short- or long-term DAPT should be prioritized. Objectives This study investigated the effects of ischemic (by PCI complexity) and bleeding (by PRECISE-DAPT [PRE dicting bleeding Complications in patients undergoing stent Implantation and Sub sequent Dual Anti Platelet Therapy] score) risks on clinical outcomes and on the impact of DAPT duration after coronary stenting. Methods Complex PCI was defined as ≥3 stents implanted and/or ≥3 lesions treated, bifurcation stenting and/or stent length >60 mm, and/or chronic total occlusion revascularization. Ischemic and bleeding outcomes in high (≥25) or non-high (<25) PRECISE-DAPT strata were evaluated based on randomly allocated duration of DAPT. Results Among 14,963 patients from 8 randomized trials, 3,118 underwent complex PCI and experienced a higher rate of ischemic, but not bleeding, events. Long-term DAPT in non-HBR patients reduced ischemic events in both complex (absolute risk difference: −3.86%; 95% confidence interval: −7.71 to +0.06) and noncomplex PCI strata (absolute risk difference: −1.14%; 95% confidence interval: −2.26 to −0.02), but not among HBR patients, regardless of complex PCI features. The bleeding risk according to the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction scale was increased by long-term DAPT only in HBR patients, regardless of PCI complexity. Conclusions Patients who underwent complex PCI had a higher risk of ischemic events, but benefitted from long-term DAPT only if HBR features were not present. These data suggested that when concordant, bleeding, more than ischemic risk, should inform decision-making on the duration of DAPT. (AU)

Decreased platelet responsiveness to clopidogrel correlates with CYP2C19 and PON1 polymorphisms in atherosclerotic patients.

Clopidogrel and aspirin are the most commonly used medications worldwide for dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention. However, clopidogrel hyporesponsiveness related to gene polymorphisms is a concern. Populations with higher degrees of genetic admixture may have increased prevalence of clopidogrel hyporesponsiveness. To assess this, we genotyped CYP2C19, ABCB1, and PON1 in 187 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. Race was self-defined by patients. We also performed light transmission aggregometry with adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and arachidonic acid during dual antiplatelet therapy. We found a significant difference for presence of the CYP2C19*2 polymorphism between white and non-white patients. Although 7% of patients had platelet resistance to clopidogrel, this did not correlate with any of the tested genetic polymorphisms. We did not find platelet resistance to aspirin in this cohort. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with PON1 and CYP2C19 polymorphisms had higher light transmission after ADP aggregometry than patients with native alleles. There was no preponderance of any race in patients with higher light transmission aggregometry. In brief, PON1 and CYP2C19 polymorphisms were associated with lower clopidogrel responsiveness in this sample. Despite differences in CYP2C19 polymorphisms across white and non-white patients, genetic admixture by itself was not able to identify clopidogrel hyporesponsiveness.

An enhanced calibration of a recently released megatree for the analysis of phylogenetic diversity / Calibração aperfeiçoada de uma megatree lançada recentemente para a análise da diversidade filogenética

Abstract Dated or calibrated phylogenetic trees, in which branch lengths correspond to evolutionary divergence times between nodes, are important requirements for computing measures of phylogenetic diversity or phylogenetic community structure. The increasing knowledge about the diversification and evolutionary divergence times of vascular plants requires a revision of the age estimates used for the calibration of phylogenetic trees by the bladj algorithm of the Phylocom 4.2 package. Comparing the recently released megatree R20120829.new with two calibrated vascular plant phylogenies provided in the literature, we found 242 corresponding nodes. We modified the megatree (R20120829mod.new), inserting names for all corresponding nodes. Furthermore, we provide files containing age estimates from both sources for the updated calibration of R20120829mod.new. Applying these files consistently in analyses of phylogenetic community structure or diversity serves to avoid erroneous measures and ecological misinterpretation.

Resumo Árvores filogenéticas datadas, ou calibradas, em que os comprimentos dos ramos correspondem ao tempo evolutivo de divergência entre os nós, são importantes requisitos para calcular medidas de diversidade filogenética ou de estrutura filogenética de comunidades. O conhecimento crescente sobre a diversificação e sobre o tempo de divergência evolutiva das plantas vasculares fez necessária uma revisão das estimativas de idades dos nós que são utilizadas para a calibração de árvores filogenéticas por meio do algoritmo bladj do pacote Phylocom 4.2. Comparando a mega-árvore R20120829.new, recentemente publicada, e outras duas filogenias calibradas de plantas vasculares, encontramos 242 nós correspondentes. Modificamos esta mega-árvore (R20120829mod.new), inserindo todos os nomes dos nós correspondentes. Além disso, providenciamos dois arquivos com todas as estimativas das idades para uma calibração mais atualizada. Utilizando esses arquivos de maneira consistente nas análises de diversidade ou de estrutura filogenética de comunidades, evita-se incorreções nas datações e imprecisões na interpretação de informações ecológicas.

An enhanced calibration of a recently released megatree for the analysis of phylogenetic diversity.

Dated or calibrated phylogenetic trees, in which branch lengths correspond to evolutionary divergence times between nodes, are important requirements for computing measures of phylogenetic diversity or phylogenetic community structure. The increasing knowledge about the diversification and evolutionary divergence times of vascular plants requires a revision of the age estimates used for the calibration of phylogenetic trees by the bladj algorithm of the Phylocom 4.2 package. Comparing the recently released megatree R20120829.new with two calibrated vascular plant phylogenies provided in the literature, we found 242 corresponding nodes. We modified the megatree (R20120829mod.new), inserting names for all corresponding nodes. Furthermore, we provide files containing age estimates from both sources for the updated calibration of R20120829mod.new. Applying these files consistently in analyses of phylogenetic community structure or diversity serves to avoid erroneous measures and ecological misinterpretation.

Assessment of bioavailability and potential toxicity of Cu, Zn and Pb, a case study in Jurujuba Sound, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Potential toxicity of sedimentary Cu, Zn and Pb were evaluated based on their fractionation at the inner part of Jurujuba, a small sound at the eastern margin of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. Biogeochemical composition revealed an environment extremely enriched with anthropic organic matter and characterized as a detrital heterotrophic system. The fractionation analysis showed that Pb exhibited more affinity with the residual fraction followed by the amorphous Fe/Mn fraction. Cu and Zn were more expressive in the amorphous Fe/Mn fraction followed by the organic one and crystalline Fe/Mn fraction, respectively. According to Igeo index, sediments proved to be highly polluted by Zn and Cu and moderated polluted by Pb. Despite the actual contamination of Jurujuba sediments, the mobility of these elements seems to be limited since the most excessive concentrations were found in the less available fractions, depending on extreme physico-chemical variations to be released.

Bioavailability of pollutants in bacterial communities of Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Processes involving heavy metals and other contaminants continue to present unsolved environmental questions. To advance the understanding of geochemical processes that involve the bioavailability of contaminants, cores where collected in the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, and analyzed for bacterial activity and metal concentrations. Results would suggest an extremely reducing environment where organic substances seem to be the predominant agents responsible for this geochemical process. Analytical data showed sulphate reduction to be the main agent driving this process, since this kind of bacteria was found to be active in all of the samples analyzed. Esterase enzyme production did not signal the influence of heavy metals and hydrocarbon concentrations and heavy metals were found to be unavailable for biota. However, correlation between results for bacterial biomass and the potentially mobile percentage of the total Ni concentrations would suggest a negative impact.

Bioavailability of pollutants in bacterial communities of Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Processes involving heavy metals and other contaminants continue to present unsolved environmental questions. To advance the understanding of geochemical processes that involve the bioavailability of contaminants, cores where collected in the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, and analyzed for bacterial activity and metal concentrations. Results would suggest an extremely reducing environment where organic substances seem to be the predominant agents responsible for this geochemical process. Analytical data showed sulphate reduction to be the main agent driving this process, since this kind of bacteria was found to be active in all of the samples analyzed. Esterase enzyme production did not signal the influence of heavy metals and hydrocarbon concentrations and heavy metals were found to be unavailable for biota. However, correlation between results for bacterial biomass and the potentially mobile percentage of the total Ni concentrations would suggest a negative impact.

Study of pollutant distribution in the Guaxindiba Estuarine System--SE Brazil.

The Guaxindiba Estuarine System is located in the northeast portion of Guanabara Bay. Despite the location inside an environmental protection zone, the main affluent of the river runs through the extremely urbanized area of the cities of Niterói and São Gonçalo. In order to understand the contamination levels of the estuary, 35 surface sediment samples were collected along the river and estuarine area and analyzed for the presence of heavy metals, PAHs, organochlorated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl and other contaminants. The analyzed data revealed a greatly affected environment with respect to most of these substances. The results suggested propitious deposits of contaminants, with high concentrations of organic matter and fine sediment. The levels of heavy metal in the entire estuarine system were high compared with the local background. The total mean concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Hg, Cr and Ni in the surface sediments were: 3.74; 0.03; 19.3; 15.0; 99.0; n.d.; 29.0; and 22.0mg/kg, respectively, confirming, in certain cases, the high capacity of the environment to concentrate pollution.

Laparoscopic treatment of acquired megacolon / Tratamento laparoscópico do megacolo adquirido

In spite of the large experience acquired in the last 50 years with the surgical treatment of the Chagasic megacolon, the use of colorectal video laparoscopic surgery brought some controversy in several aspects of the treatment that already had been considered as resolved. One of the basic aspects to the establishment of the colorectal video laparoscopic surgery is to maintain the same procedure of the conventional surgery, since the results obtained in this operation were considered as curative. Constipation is only a symptom of a multisymptomatic disease, and the surgical treatment of acquired megacolon must be considered as definitive in the cure of this symptom; recurrence of the constipation or dilatation after a short period of time must be considered deleterious to the patient. Based in 41 years of experience with the Duhamel procedure in the treatment of 912 patients with acquired megacolon, the authors propose to apply the same technique in the surgical laparoscopic approach of acquired megacolon, including the same colon-recto-anal anastomosis. The results obtained in 56 patients operated on by laparoscopic approach showed the same curative results, but with lower morbidity. (AU)

Apesar da vasta experiência adquirida nos últimos 50 anos com o tratamento cirúrgico do megacolo adquirido, a introdução da cirurgia laparoscópica voltou a trazer controvérsia para alguns pontos anteriormente considerados como esclarecidos. Uma das regras básicas para a introdução da videolaparoscopia no tratamento das enfermidades colorretais tem sido a de se manter a técnica original utilizada em cirurgias pela via convencional, desde que os resultados observados na mesma conduzam à cura dos sintomas ou da enfermidade causal. Em especial, no referente ao tratamento cirúrgico do megacolo adquirido a proposta de um tratamento cirúrgico deve ter em mente que diferentemente do que ocorre com a cirurgia para tratamento de outras enfermidades, benignas ou malignas, neste caso não se almeja o tratamento causal da enfermidade, mas essencialmente a cura da manifestação de um de seus sintomas. É, pois, realmente importante que se considere um tratamento que não venha a resultar em bons resultados por apenas um curto espaço de tempo, mas que possibilite ao paciente livrar-se definitivamente de um sintoma, visto que é possível que em curto espaço de tempo ele venha a necessitar tratar outra manifestação sintomatológica (cardíaca ou esofágica) da enfermidade causal. Baseados na experiência adquirida nos últimos 50 anos (912 pacientes) com a técnica de Duhamel, em que o ponto importante é a realização de uma ampla anastomose da parede anterior do cólon abaixado à parede posterior (mucosa) do reto, ao mesmo tempo em que se anastomosa a parede posterior do cólon abaixado ao canal anal, são analisados os resultados obtidos com esta mesma técnica realizada por laparoscopia. Esta mesma incisão no canal anal serve para a retirada do segmento cólico ressecado, sem necessidade de laparotomia auxiliar. Os resultados observados em 56 pacientes quanto à cura da obstipação são similares aos registrados na cirurgia convencional, porém com um menor índice de morbidade, seja intra ou pós-operatória. (AU)

Field sources in a Lorentz-symmetry breaking scenario with a single background vector.

This paper is devoted to an investigation of the interactions between stationary sources of the electromagnetic field, in a model which exhibits explicit Lorentz-symmetry breaking due to the presence of a single background vector. We focus on physical phenomena that emerge from this kind of breaking and which have no counterpart in Maxwell electrodynamics.

Interleukin-6 -174 G/C promoter gene polymorphism in nasal polyposis and asthma.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an inflammatory mediator linked to nasal polyposis and asthma, with a single nucleotide poly- morphism -174 G/C that seems to promote an inflammatory status. We aimed to analyze the relationship between this poly-morhism and asthmatic nasal polyposis patients. METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study to investigate IL-6 - 174 G/C genotypes of 45 nasal polyposis with asthma patients, 63 nasal polyposis-only patients, 45 asthma-only patients and 81 subjects without both diseases. Aspirin intolerance and atopy were main exclusion criteria. IL-6 genotyping was performed using the PCR method with specific primers followed by restriction enzyme analysis, classifying patients in GG, GC or CC genotype. RESULTS: The GG genotype was the most frequent in all inflammatory groups. Less than 40% of controls presented with the GG ge- notype. There were significant differences between inflammatory groups and control group. No significant differences were seen when comparing inflammatory groups to each other, other than between nasal polyposis-only group and asthma-only group. CONCLUSION: The IL-6 74 GG genotype was found more frequently in all inflammatory groups than in controls. This genotype could influence nasal polyposis and asthma, and seems to be more important in the latter.

Lack of association between MDM2 SNP309 and TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphisms with clinical outcomes in myelodysplastic syndrome.

MDM2/p53 pathway plays an important role in the control of apoptotic and proliferation mechanisms, and alterations in this pathway have been described in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We investigated the frequency of MDM2 SNP309, TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphisms in de novo MDS and the association of these polymorphisms with clinical characteristics. Our results showed that the frequencies of genotypes for MDM2 SNP309 and TP53 Arg72Pro did not differ between MDS and healthy controls and that these polymorphisms were not associated with clinical and laboratory parameters, disease progression and overall survival, suggesting that MDM2 and TP53 polymorphisms are not involved in risk for MDS, or in the clinical and laboratory characteristics of the disease.