Citizen science in marine litter research: A review.

Citizen science (CS) can help to tackle the emerging and worldwide problem of marine litter (ML), from collecting data to engaging different stakeholders. We reviewed what and how the scientific literature is reporting CS on ML to identify possible gaps to be improved. The 92 search results (separate occasions when 48 different CS initiatives were discussed across 85 publication records) revealed an under-representation of studies in developing regions. Most search results focused on the science of ML, whilst information regarding citizen scientists was commonly vague or missing, preventing critical analysis of good practices on this aspect. The studies concentrated on the shoreline and did not harmonize types and sizes of items collected, thus precluding data meta-analyses. The standardisation of CS methods and approaches and the detailed report of aspects related to citizen scientists are essential to support the science we need for the advances in CS efforts to face ML.

Degeneracao mixoide, rotura espontanea e prolapso da valva aortica, em ausencia de doenca hereditaria do tecido conjuntivo. Uma causa rara de insuficiencia cardiaca rapidamente progressiva. / Myxoid degeneration, spontaneos rupture and aortic valve prolapse in the absence of hereditary disease of conjunctive tissue. A rare case of a rapidly progressive heart insufficiency

Em paciente submetido a cirurgia cardiaca devido a insuficiencia aortica rapidamente progressiva, verificaram-se rotura e prolapso das valvulas nao coronariana e coronariana direita por esgarcamento ao nivel da comissura entre ambas, situacao em parte sugerida pelo ecocardiograma. O exame anatomopatologico caracterizou a degeneracao mixoide, como entidade basica da lesao valvular e nao havia sinais clinicos de doenca do tecido conjuntivo. Revisao atualizada da literatura estima em quatro o numero de pacientes descritos com esta tetrade: degeneracao mixoide, rotura expontanea, prolapso de valva aortica e ausencia de doenca hereditaria do tecido conjuntivo. Em casos sugestivos de rotura valvular aortica, mesmo em ausencia de evidencias clinicas da doenca hereditaria do tecido conjuntivo, a degeneracao mixoide deve ser considerada como entidade fundamental possivel

Four years experience with dura mater cardiac valves.

The clinical use of homologous dura mater cardiac valves was begun in January 1971. Between January 1971 and May 1975, 751 patients received 849 dura mater valves: 428 mitral, 365 aortic, 52 tricuspid and 4 pulmonary. The hospital mortality observed in this series was 13.6% and late mortality was 2.5%. The main causes of death were low-output syndrome in the immediate post-operative period or cardiac failure in the late post-operative period, due to myocardial impairment. Paravalvular leaks and errors in the manufacture of the valve were the main causes of regurgitation both in the immediate and late post-operative period. The incidence of thromboembolism, bacterial and fungal endocarditis was: 0.79%, 0.39%, 0.53% respectively. The results obtained with dura mater valve in a period of four years are satisfactory from the clinical and hemodynamic points of view.

Homologous dura mater cardiac valves. Study of 533 surgical cases.

A group of 533 patients had cardiac valves replaced with homologous dura mater valves. The dura mater was preserved in a solution of 98 per cent glycerol and antibiotics for a period of 12 days before used. The leaflets were mounted in a stainless steel ring covered by Dacron velour. Two hundred forty-five patients had mitral valve replacement; 205 patients, aortic valve replacement; 17 patients, tricuspid valve replacement; and 2 patients, pulmonary valve replacement. Sixty-four patients were subjected to multivalvular replacements. The patients were followed for a period of 1 to 40 months after surgery with satisfactory clinical and hemodynamic results. Because 2 patients developed endocarditis produced by fungii, fungicidal drugs were added to the preservative solution. No bacterial endocarditis has been observed. No pressure gradient through the valve has been noted at rest. Anticoagulant drugs have not been used in the postoperative period.

The supracloacal chromolipoid body of the black vulture (Coragyps atratus): anatomical, histological and histochemical considerations.

During histological and physiological investigations of black vultures (Coragyps atratus) dissection revealed the presence of an "organ", the supracloacal chromolipoid body, which has no counterpart among other warm blooded animals. The organ occurs in both sexes and in birds of different ages. It is located in the median sagittal plane dorsal to the cloaca. It is enveloped by a smooth muscle-connective tissue capsule and has a rich blood supply. The supracloacal body is yellow-brown in color being composed chiefly of islands of pigment cells.Histochemically, the pigment is a chromolipoid as defined by Ciaccio.