The Weight of Genetic Drift: A Pedigree-Based Evaluation of the Breton Horse Population in Brazil.

The genetic diversity of Breton horses in Brazil is a critical concern, mainly due to the small population size and low number of births per year. Given that the inbreeding was overlooked by breeders for multiple generations, we estimated the genetic diversity of this population utilizing pedigree-based measures of population diversity. A total of 1394 six-generation pedigrees representing the full population of registered Breton horses in Brazil defined a total population (TP, N = 2679), with horses born between 2000 and 2022, reproductively active and alive, as reported by the breed association, representing the reference population (RP, N = 731). Using the R package PurgeR, we estimated inbreeding coefficient (F ped ), maternal inbreeding coefficient (F da m ), paternal inbreeding coefficient (F sire ), individual reproductive values, number of equivalents to complete generations (t), and unbiased ancestral inbreeding coefficient (Fa). We established the equivalent complete generations (ECG), effective population size (Ne), total number of founders (Nf), effective number of founders (Nfe), total number of ancestors (Na), effective number of ancestors (Nae), founder genomes (Ng), and the inbreeding coefficient estimated with effective population size (Ne) and generation numbers (t) (F Ne:t ), as well as Nfe/Nae and Nfe/Ng ratios for the RP. The RP inbreeding levels have stabilized, although they are still significantly rising by generation (t), and the Nfe/Ng ratio strongly suggests genetic drift. Pedigree-based analysis demonstrates that only five stallions have sired 52.83% of the RP individuals, which along with the Nae value of 36.73 implies that the observed inbreeding can be arising from patrilines. Our results suggest that observed inbreeding is due to Popular Sire Effect, highlighting the importance of monitoring breeding schemes and genetic diversity to maintain health.

Phenolic compounds profile in extracts of Smilax spp., antioxidant activity, and inhibition of advanced glycation end products.

Smilax genus possesses bioactive properties attributed to phenolic compounds, which may exhibit antioxidant effects and inhibit the advanced glycation end products (AGEs). However, identifying these phenolic compounds and AGEs has become increasingly relevant to understanding such activities. This study aimed to identify phenolic compounds in extracts of Smilax spp. and evaluate their antioxidant and AGEs inhibitory activities. To achieve this, the Smilax genus was identified via PCR, and phenolic compounds including chlorogenic acid, naringenin-6-C-glucoside, quercetin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, and myricetin were identified using HPLC-MS/MS. Antioxidant activity was assessed by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and radicals such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and 2,2'-azino-bis-[3-ethyl-benzothiazoline]-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), while AGEs inhibition was evaluated using a model system formed by bovine serum albumin-glucose. The highest antioxidant activity was 3612.18 mM TE/g, and the inhibition of AGEs was 52.44 %. These results demonstrate that Smilax spp. can inhibit AGEs, neutralize free radicals, and reduce compounds associated with antioxidant capacity.

Identification of Amino Acids and Polyphenolic Metabolites in Human Plasma by UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS, after the Chronic Intake of a Functional Meal in an Elderly Population.

Novel foods especially formulated and targeted for the elderly population should provide sufficient nutrients and bioactive ingredients to counteract the natural age-related deterioration of various organs and tissues. Dietary protein and phenolic compounds achieve this goal; however, older adults have alterations in their gastrointestinal system that may impact their bioavailability and few studies have been aimed at this population. Since phenolic compounds are the subject of multiple biotransformations by host and microbiome enzymes during the digestion process, identification of their bioavailable forms in human plasma or tissues represents a considerable analytical challenge. In this study, UHPLC-ESI-QTOF/MS-MS, chemometrics, and multivariate statistical methods were used to identify the amino acids and phenolic compounds that were increased in the plasma of elderly adults after a 30-day intervention in which they had consumed an especially formulated muffin and beverage containing Brosimum alicastrum Sw. seed flour. A large interindividual variation was observed regarding the amino acids and phenolic metabolites identified in the plasma samples, before and after the intervention. Three phenolic metabolites were significantly increased in the population after the intervention: protocatechuic acid, 5-(methoxy-4'-hydroxyphenyl) valerolactone, and phloretic acid. These metabolites, as well as others that were not significantly increased (although they did increase in several individuals), are probably the product of the microbiota metabolism of the major phenolic compounds present in the B. alicastrum Sw. seed flour and other food ingredients. A significant decrease in 4-ethyl-phenol, a biomarker of stress, was observed in the samples. Results showed that the incorporation of foods rich in phenolic compounds into the regular diet of older adults contributes to the increase in bioactive compounds in plasma, that could substantially benefit their mental, cardiovascular, and digestive health.

The Preharvest Application of Stress Response Elicitors Improves the Content of Bioactive Compounds without Modifying the Sensory Attributes of Butterhead Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata).

Using stress elicitors in fruits and vegetables is considered a good strategy to increase the content of bioactive compounds in plant foods. However, bioactive compounds can affect the sensory characteristics of food products, and little is known about their shelf-life stability in fresh produce treated with elicitors. In the present work, carotenoids and polyphenols were quantified by spectrophotometric methods in red and green butterhead lettuce treated with elicitors that had previously been demonstrated to increase bioactive compounds: arachidonic acid (AA), methyl jasmonate (MJ), and Harpin protein (HP). The bioactive compounds were determined immediately and during three weeks after harvest. A descriptive sensory analysis was carried out, which included odor, taste, tactile, and visual attributes of control and elicitor-treated lettuce. Carotenoids showed greater shelf-life stability than polyphenols, and both were more stable in red than in green lettuce during the first two weeks of storage. The best elicitor was MJ, which increased phenolic compounds (red and green lettuce), anthocyanins, and carotenoids (red lettuce) through the storage period. Color intensity, crispness, wettability, and bitter taste were some of the primary sensory attributes in butterhead lettuce and were not affected by any treatment. Other organoleptic properties were also not affected by the elicitors. These results suggest that elicitation could improve the content of bioactive compounds, which is stable through the shelf-life of butterhead lettuce, without any adverse effect on the sensory properties.

Quantizing reconstruction losses for improving weather data synthesis.

The stochastic synthesis of extreme, rare climate scenarios is vital for risk and resilience models aware of climate change, directly impacting society in different sectors. However, creating high-quality variations of under-represented samples remains a challenge for several generative models. This paper investigates quantizing reconstruction losses for helping variational autoencoders (VAE) better synthesize extreme weather fields from conventional historical training sets. Building on the classical VAE formulation using reconstruction and latent space regularization losses, we propose various histogram-based penalties to the reconstruction loss that explicitly reinforces the model to synthesize under-represented values better. We evaluate our work using precipitation weather fields, where models usually strive to synthesize well extreme precipitation samples. We demonstrate that bringing histogram awareness to the reconstruction loss improves standard VAE performance substantially, especially for extreme weather events.

Modelling the effects of climate and land-cover changes on the potential distribution and landscape connectivity of three earth snakes (Genus Conopsis, Günther 1858) in central Mexico.

Anthropogenic land use and climate change are the greatest threats to biodiversity, especially for many globally endangered reptile species. Earth snakes (Conopsis spp.) are a poorly studied group endemic to Mexico. They have limited dispersal abilities and specialized niches, making them particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. Species distribution models (SDMs) were used to assess how future climate and land-cover change scenarios might influence the distribution and habitat connectivity of three earth snakes: Conopsis biserialis (Taylor and Smith), C. lineata (Kennicott), and C. nasus (Günther). Two climate models, CNRM-CM5 (CN) and MPI-ESM-LR (MP) (Representative Concentration Pathway 85), were explored with ENMeval Maxent modelling. Important SDM environmental variables and environmental niche overlap between species were also examined. We found that C. biserialis and C. lineata were restricted by maximum temperatures whereas C. nasus was restricted by minimum ones and was more tolerant to arid vegetation. C. biserialis and C. lineata were primarily distributed in the valleys and mountains of the highlands of the TMBV, while C. nasus was mainly distributed in the Altiplano Sur (Zacatecano-Potosino). C. lineata had the smallest potential distribution and suffered the greatest contraction in the future whereas C. nasus was the least affected species in future scenarios. The Sierra de las Cruces and the Sierra Chichinautzin were identified as very important areas for connectivity. Our results suggest that C. lineata may be the most vulnerable of the three species to anthropogenic and climate changes whereas C. nasus seems to be less affected by global warming than the other species.

Nanoparticle-Mediated Delivery of Flavonoids: Impact on Proinflammatory Cytokine Production: A Systematic Review.

Flavonoids are a diverse group of plant-derived compounds that have been shown to have various health benefits, including anti-inflammatory effects. However, their use in the treatment of inflammatory diseases has been limited due to their low bioavailability. The nanoparticle-mediated delivery of flavonoids has been proposed as a potential solution to this issue, as it allows the sustained release of the flavonoids over time. There are several different nanoparticle systems that have been developed for flavonoid delivery, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, and inorganic nanoparticles. This systematic review aims to evaluate the impact of nanoparticle-mediated delivery of flavonoids on pro-inflammatory cytokine production in various diseases. We analyzed the performance of flavonoid-encapsulated nanoparticles in regulating cytokine production in different in vitro and in vivo studies. To this end, we followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) to conduct a comprehensive search of the literature and to assess the quality of the included studies. The results showed that flavonoid-encapsulated nanoparticles significantly downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-18. In some cases, this effect was significantly greater than that observed with non-encapsulated flavonoids These findings suggest that nanoparticle-mediated delivery of flavonoids may have potential as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Enriched Red Wine: Phenolic Profile, Sensory Evaluation and In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Phenolic Compounds.

The beneficial health effect of red wine depends on its phenolic content and the phenolic content in red wines is affected by ecological, agricultural, and enological practices. Enriched wines have been proposed as an alternative to increase the phenolic content in wines. Nevertheless, phenolic compounds are related to the sensory characteristics of red wines, so enrichment of red wines requires a balance between phenolic content and sensory characteristics. In the present study, a Merlot red wine was enriched with a phenolic extract obtained from Cabernet Sauvignon grape pomace. Two levels of enrichment were evaluated: 4 and 8 g/L of total phenolic content (gallic acid equivalents, GAE). Wines were evaluated by a trained panel to determine their sensory profile (olfactive, visual, taste, and mouthfeel phases). The bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds from enriched red wines was evaluated using an in vitro digestive model and phenolic compounds were quantified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Enrichment increased mainly flavonols and procyanidins. Such an increase impacted astringency and sweetness perceived by judges. This study proposes an alternative to increase the phenolic content in wines without modifying other main sensory characteristics and offers a potential beneficial effect on the health of consumers.

Intervenção educativa sobre uso de mídias digitais na primeira infância / Educational intervention on the use of digital media in early childhood / Intervención educativa sobre el uso de medios digitales en la primera infancia

RESUMO O uso das mídias digitais por bebês é um fenômeno recente. Algumas evidências apontam para associações do uso de telas na primeira infância e desfechos adversos no desenvolvimento. O objetivo deste estudo é apresentar o processo de construção, implementação e avaliação do estudo-piloto de uma intervenção educativa para pais, profissionais da saúde e educadores sobre uso de mídias digitais na primeira infância. A intervenção segue o modelo de educação continuada, consistiu em quatro encontros presenciais no formato expositivo seguido de discussão em grupo e foi avaliada em termos da aprendizagem dos participantes e satisfação com o curso. Participaram 16 pessoas, majoritariamente profissionais de saúde e educação. Os resultados indicaram melhora significativa nos conhecimentos do tema e satisfação com a intervenção, sendo discutidos de forma a subsidiar o desenvolvimento de novas intervenções sobre a temática.

ABSTRACT The use of digital media by babies is a recent phenomenon. Some evidence highlights associations between the use of screens in early childhood and adverse developmental outcomes. This study aims to report the development, implementation, and evaluation processes of an educational intervention for parents, health professionals, and educators on the use of digital media in early childhood. The intervention follows the model of continuing education, with four face-to-face meetings and presentations followed by group discussions. It was evaluated by participants' learning and satisfaction with the course. Sixteen people participated, mostly health and education professionals. The results indicate a significant improvement in participants’ knowledge and high satisfaction rates. Findings are discussed to support the development of new interventions on the subject.

RESUMEN El uso de medios digitales por parte de los bebés es un fenómeno reciente. Algunas evidencias apuntan asociaciones entre el uso de pantallas en la primera infancia y los resultados adversos del desarrollo. El objetivo del presente estudio es presentar el proceso de construcción, implementación y evaluación del estudio piloto de una intervención educativa para padres, profesionales de la salud y educadores sobre el uso de medios digitales en la primera infancia. La intervención sigue el modelo de educación continua y consistió en cuatro reuniones presenciales en formato expositivo, seguidas de discusión grupal y aún fue evaluada en términos del aprendizaje y satisfacción de los participantes con el curso. Participaron 16 personas, en su mayoría identificadas como profesionales de la salud y de la educación. Los resultados indicaron una mejora significativa en el conocimiento del tema y satisfacción con la intervención, siendo discutida con el fin de apoyar el desarrollo de nuevas intervenciones sobre el tema.

Synergistic Interactions between Tocol and Phenolic Extracts from Different Tree Nut Species against Human Cancer Cell Lines.

Tree nuts are rich in polar (phenolic compounds) and non-polar (tocols) antioxidants, with recognized effects in the prevention of diseases such as cancer. These biomolecules possess antiproliferative activity on cancer cells; however, the combined effect of both types of compounds has been scarcely studied, and this approach could give valuable information on the real anticancer potential of tree nuts. In the present study, the antiproliferative activity of pure tocols and phenolic compounds, tocol- and phenolic-rich extracts (TRE and PRE, respectively) from tree nuts and the extracts combinations, was evaluated in four cancer (HeLa, MCF7, PC3, A549) and one control (ARPE) cell lines. The most sensible cell lines were HeLa and MCF7. TRE and PRE from nuts were chemically characterized; γ and δ tocopherols, total tocols, total tocopherols and total phenolic compounds were negatively correlated with cell viability in MCF7 cells. In HeLa cells, only δ and total tocopherols were negatively correlated with cell viability. TRE and PRE had a low effect in reducing cell viability of the cancer cell lines, the most effective extracts were those of emory oak acorn (EOA), pecan nut (PEC) and walnut (WAL), and these were further studied for their pharmacological interactions, using the combination index and the isobologram methods. Combinations of both extracts showed a synergistic and strongly synergistic behavior in the three nuts (EOA, PEC and WAL), with combination indexes between 0.12 and 0.55. These results highlight the need to understand the interactions among components found in complex natural extracts or food products in order to fully understand their bioactivities.

Functionality of Bread and Beverage Added with Brosimum alicastrum Sw. Seed Flour on the Nutritional and Health Status of the Elderly.

Physiological changes in elderly individuals (EI) can contribute to nutritional deterioration and comorbidities that reduce their quality of life. Factors such as diet can modulate some of these effects. The aim was to evaluate the functionality of foods added with Brosimum alicastrum Sw. seed flour in EI. EI (n = 23) living in nursing home conditions agreed to participate. A control stage was carried out (30 days) and subsequently, an intervention stage (30 days) was realized in which a muffin and a beverage, designed for EI, were added to the participants' their usual diet. In both stages, anthropometric parameters, body composition, nutritional status, dietary intake, sarcopenic status, cognitive and affective states, biometric parameters, and total phenolic compounds (TPC), and antioxidant capacity in foods and plasma of EI were determined. The results showed that the consumption of the foods improved the energy intake and preserved the muscle reserves of the EI. The EI gained body weight (+1.1 kg), increased their protein (+18.6 g/day; 1.5 g/kg BW/day), dietary fiber (+13.4 g/day), iron (+4.4 mg/day), zinc (+1.8 mg/day), folic acid (+83.4 µg/day) consumption while reducing their cholesterol (-66 mg/day) and sodium (-319.5 mg/day) consumption. LDL-C lipoproteins reduced (14.8%) and urea (33.1%) and BUN (33.3%) increased. The TPC increased (7.8%) in the plasma, particularly in women (10.7%). The foods improve the EI nutritional status, and this has a cardiovascular protective effect that can benefit the health of the EI.

La competencia emocional como predictora de la felicidad en trabajadores sociales / Emotional competence as a predictor of happiness in social workers

Resumen Los trabajadores sociales tienen unas elevadas exigencias laborales como consecuencia, entre otros factores, de la excesiva burocratización de las organizaciones de servicios sociales. Ante esta realidad, durante su proceso formativo, los estudiantes de trabajo social deben desarrollar competencias emocionales para hacer frente a estas demandas profesionales que pueden afectar a su bienestar y rendimiento laboral. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y correlacional de corte transversal del que participaron 187 estudiantes del primer y segundo curso (n = 105 y n = 82, respectivamente) de Trabajo Social de la Universidad de Málaga (España). El 89.30 % eran mujeres y la edad promedio fue de 20.38 años (DT = 3.35). Se desarrolló un modelo de regresión lineal múltiple para evaluar el papel predictor de la inteligencia emocional (atención emocional, claridad emocional y reparación de las emociones) sobre la felicidad subjetiva percibida en estudiantes de trabajo social. La claridad emocional y la reparación de las emociones fueron predictores significativos positivos de la felicidad subjetiva, mientras que la atención emocional fue un predictor significativo negativo. Los estudiantes y futuros trabajadores sociales tienen que entender y manejar sus estados emocionales, de tal manera que les permita tanto afrontar sus propias frustraciones como constituirse en referentes de los usuarios para imponerse a sus dificultades. Se corrobora la necesidad de fomentar la inteligencia emocional entre los estudiantes y futuros trabajadores sociales, ya que esto constituye un factor de protección que puede aumentar su bienestar y concretamente, su felicidad subjetiva. Las experiencias de afecto negativas que sufren los trabajadores sociales demandan planes de estudio en los que se fomente la inteligencia emocional.

Abstract As a result of the excessive bureaucratization of social service organizations, among other factors, social workers have many job responsibilities (López & Chaparro, 2006; Montagud, 2016). Social workers suffer negative experiences and a high psychosocial risk which affect their well-being and work performance (i. e., emotional fatigue, job dissatisfaction, mental overload, burnout, decrease in happiness, ethical conflicts) (Bunce, Lonsdale, King, Childs, & Bennie, 2019; Caravaca, Carrión, & Pastor, 2018; Grootegoed & Smith, 2018; Prada-Ospina, 2019; Sabater, De Armas, & Cabezas, 2019; Urien, Díez, & Osca, 2019; Vallellano & Rubio-Valdehita, 2018). Given this reality, it is very important that Social Work students develop, during their training process, emotional competencies to cope with such professional demands (Bedoya-Gallego, Buitrago-Duque, & Vanegas-Arbeláez, 2019; Stanley & Bhuvaneswari, 2016). The characteristics of the job require knowledge of the mechanisms that influence the welfare of Social Work students in order to incorporate specific training strategies into teaching plans that prepare them to face the high work demands that can affect their welfare and performance (Blakemore & Agllias, 2019; Borrego-Alés, Vázquez-Aguado, & Orgambídez-Ramos, 2020; Fernández-Berrocal & Extremera, 2009). Despite the considerable shortage of research about the implications of emotional intelligence in the field of Social Work, emotional competence has proven to be essential to explain the personal well-being of students and social intervention professionals, characterized by a high burden of work and high rates of psychological distress and burnout (Bae et al., 2020; Esteban, 2014; Mikulic, Crespi, & Radusky, 2015). A descriptive and correlational cross-sectional study was carried out. 187 students of first (n = 105) and second year (n = 82) of the University of Malaga´s Social Work Degree (Spain) participated. 89.30 % of them was women and the average age was 20.38 years (SD = 3.35). A multiple linear regression model evaluated the predictive role of emotional intelligence (attention, clarity and emotional repair) on the subjective happiness perceived in Social Work students. Emotional clarity and emotional repair were significant positive predictors of subjective happiness, while emotional attention was a significant negative predictor. Of the three independent variables, emotional repair was positioned as the strongest predictor of the perception of subjective happiness. This fact corroborates that emotional repair is especially important to predict the levels of subjective happiness and life satisfaction of university students (Cejudo, López-Delgado, & Rubio, 2016; Extremera, Salguero, & Fernández-Berrocal, 2011). High levels of emotional repair are essential for proper psychological functioning and mental health. In this sense, people tend to develop pleasant activities that distract them and therefore contribute to their happiness (Guerra-Bustamante, León-del-Barco, Yuste-Tosina, López-Ramos, & Mendo-Lázaro, 2019). Individuals who can clearly identify their emotions and believe that they can repair their negative moods minimize the impact of stressful events and generate more positive emotions (Extremera et al., 2011). In social workers, emotions can be understood both as a dynamic resource, whose research can protect professionals and users, and as patterns of organizational and professional relationships, in which emotional states are constituted as phenomena that can be managed and controlled during professional practice (O'Connor, 2020). The need to foster emotional intelligence among students and future social workers is confirmed. It constitutes a protective factor that can increase their well-being and, specifically, their subjective happiness. The negative experiences of affection that social workers suffer demand curricula that promote emotional intelligence. The students and future social workers have to understand and manage their emotional states. It allows them both to face their own frustrations and to become referents for the users when they overcome their difficulties.

Dehiscence and prolonged storage of 'Kerman' Pistachios: Effects on morphometry and nutraceutical value.

'Kerman' pistachios (KP; Pistacia vera L.) are an important crop for several countries but their commercial value is diminished by their shell dehiscence status and prolonged storage in popular marketplaces. The aim was to evaluate the independent/synergistic effect of prolonged storage (1-4 year) and dehiscence status (split/unsplit) on KP's morphometry and chemical composition. Whole nut's and kernel's length, width, thickness, surface area, and volume were more affected by dehiscence (split > unsplit; p ≤ 0.01) than storage time; Kernel's mass, macronutrient composition and tocopherols (T)/tocotrienols (T3) were not much affected by dehiscence but time-trend correlations were observed with macronutrient composition (split/unsplit; ρ = - 0.57-0.42) and T + T3 (unsplit; ρ = 0.81). Specific/total fatty acids were affected by a complex dehiscence × storage time interaction, and they linearly correlated with certain morphometric characteristics (r ≥ 0.6). Shell dehiscence status more than prolonged storage substantially modifies KP's quality.

Cardioprotective effect of red wine and grape pomace.

Several studies have related moderate consumption of red wine with prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). According to epidemiological studies, those regions with high consumption of red wine and a Mediterranean diet show a low prevalence of CVD. Such an effect has been attributed to phenolic compounds present in red wines. On the other hand, by-products obtained during winemaking are also a significant source of phenolic compounds but have been otherwise overlooked. The cardioprotective effect of red wine and its byproducts is related to their ability to prevent platelet aggregation, modify the lipid profile, and promote vasorelaxation. Phenolic content and profile seem to play an important role in these beneficial effects. Inhibition of platelet aggregation is dose-dependent and more efficient against ADP. The antioxidant capacity of phenolic compounds from red wine and its by-products, is involved in preventing the generation of ROS and the modification of the lipid profile, to prevent LDL oxidation. Phenolic compounds can also, modulate the activity of specific enzymes to promote NO production and vasorelaxation. Specific phenolic compounds like resveratrol are related to promote NO, and quercetin to inhibit platelet aggregation. Nevertheless, concentration that causes those effects is far from that in red wines. Synergic and additive effects of a mix of phenolic compounds could explain the cardioprotective effects of red wine and its byproducts.

Right Ventricular Systolic Function After the Cone Procedure for Ebstein's Anomaly: Comparison Between Echocardiography and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance.

Although the Cone procedure has improved outcomes for patients with Ebstein´s anomaly (EA), neither RV systolic function recovery in long-term follow-up nor the best echocardiographic parameters to assess RV function are well established. Thus, we evaluated RV performance after the Cone procedure comparing two-dimensional (2DEcho) and three-dimensional (3DEcho) echocardiography to cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). We assessed 27 EA patients after the Cone procedure (53% female, median age of 20 years at the procedure, median post-operative follow-up duration of 8 years). Echocardiography was performed 4 h apart from the CMR. RV global longitudinal strain (GLS), fractional area change (FAC), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), myocardial performance index and tissue Doppler S' velocity were assessed using 2DEcho, whereas 3DEcho was used to evaluate RV volumes and ejection fraction (RVEF). Echocardiographic variables were compared to CMR-RVEF. All patients were in the NYHA functional class I. Median TAPSE was 15.9 mm, FAC 30.2%, and RV-GLS -15%; median RVEF by 3DEcho was 31.9% and 43% by CMR. Among 2DEcho parameters, RV-GLS and FAC had a substantial correlation with CMR-RVEF (r = - 0.63 and r = 0.55, respectively); from 3DEcho, the indexed RV volumes and RVEF were closely correlated with CMR (RV-EDVi, r = 0.60, RV-ESVi, r = 0.72; and RVEF r = 0.60). RV systolic function is impaired years after the Cone procedure, despite a good clinical status. FAC and RV-GLS are useful 2DEcho tools to assess RV function in these patients; however, 3DEcho measurements appear to provide a better RV assessment.

Valores de referencia de analitos en orina en la edad pediatrica / Reference values of analytes in urine in the pediatric age / Valores de referência de analitos na urina na idade pediátrica

La deteccion de trastornos metabolicos minerales puede explicar diversas anomalias fisiologicas que exigen para su interpretacion la comparacion con valores de referencia validados. El objetivo de este trabajo fue la determinacion de valores de referencia en la poblacion infantil uruguaya, de los analitos sodio, potasio, calcio, magnesio, fosforo y urato relacionados con la creatinina en muestras de la segunda miccion de la manana en 470 escolares (240 ninas y 230 ninos) con edades comprendidas entre 7 y 12 anos. Las medianas obtenidas fueron: Na/Crea: 139 mmol/g, K/Crea: 78 mmol/g, Ca/Crea: 77 mg/g, Mg/Crea: 71 mg/g, P/Crea: 500 mg/g, Ur/Crea: 554 mg/g, Crea: 117 mg/dL. A excepcion de los cocientes Na/Crea y K/Crea se encontro una disminucion de la excrecion de estos analitos con la edad, independientemente del sexo. Los valores obtenidos resultaron ser analogos a los de otras poblaciones con tipo de alimentacion similar.

The detection of mineral metabolic disorders can explain several pathologies which require the comparison with reference values for their interpretation. The aim of this study was to determine the reference values of 470 Uruguayan school children with ages between 7 and 12 for sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosporous and urate and their relationship with creatinine in urine samples of the second urination of the morning. The median obtained were: Na/Crea: 139 mmol/g, K/Crea: 78 mmol/g, Ca/Crea: 77 mg/g, Mg/Crea: 71 mg/g, P/Crea: 500 mg/g, Ur/Crea: 554 mg/g, Crea: 117 mg/dL. A diminishment of excretion with the age was found, regardless the sex, except for Na/Crea and K/Crea. The values obtained were similar to those of others populations with a similar diet.

A detecção de distúrbios metabólicos minerais pode explicar várias anomalias fisiológicas, que exigem a comparação com valores de referência validados para serem interpretados. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar valores de referência na população infantil uruguaia, dos analitos sódio, potássio, cálcio, magnésio, fósforo e urato relacionados com a creatinina em amostras da segunda micção da manhã em 470 alunos (240 meninas e 230 meninos) com idades entre 7 e 12 anos. As medianas obtidas foram: Na/Crea: 139 mmol/g, K/Crea: 78 mmol/g, Ca/Crea: 77 mg/g, Mg/Crea: 71 mg/g, P/Crea: 500 mg/g, Ur/Crea: 554 mg/g, Crea: 117 mg/dL. Com exceção dos quocientes Na/Crea e K/Crea, foi encontrada uma diminuição na excreção destes analitos com a idade independentemente do sexo. Os valores obtidos foram análogos aos de outras populações com um tipo similar de dieta.

Applying Fully Convolutional Architectures for Semantic Segmentation of a Single Tree Species in Urban Environment on High Resolution UAV Optical Imagery.

This study proposes and evaluates five deep fully convolutional networks (FCNs) for the semantic segmentation of a single tree species: SegNet, U-Net, FC-DenseNet, and two DeepLabv3+ variants. The performance of the FCN designs is evaluated experimentally in terms of classification accuracy and computational load. We also verify the benefits of fully connected conditional random fields (CRFs) as a post-processing step to improve the segmentation maps. The analysis is conducted on a set of images captured by an RGB camera aboard a UAV flying over an urban area. The dataset also contains a mask that indicates the occurrence of an endangered species called Dipteryx alata Vogel, also known as cumbaru, taken as the species to be identified. The experimental analysis shows the effectiveness of each design and reports average overall accuracy ranging from 88.9% to 96.7%, an F1-score between 87.0% and 96.1%, and IoU from 77.1% to 92.5%. We also realize that CRF consistently improves the performance, but at a high computational cost.

New or Persistent Right Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction Is Associated With Worse Outcomes in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The trajectory and importance of right ventricular systolic function and pulmonary hypertension during the course of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome are unknown. We hypothesized that new or persistent right ventricular systolic dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension would be associated with worse patient outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective, single-center cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care, university-affiliated PICU. PATIENTS: Children who had at least two echocardiograms less than 8 days following pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Between July 1, 2012, and April 30, 2018, 74 children met inclusion criteria. The first echocardiogram was performed a median of 0.61 days (interquartile range, 0.36-0.94 d) and the second echocardiogram was performed a median of 2.57 days (interquartile range, 1.67-3.63 d) after pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis. Univariate analyses showed that new or persistent right ventricular systolic dysfunction as defined by global longitudinal strain or free wall strain was associated with a greater number of ICU days in survivors (global longitudinal strain p = 0.04, free wall strain p = 0.04), lower ventilator-free days at 28 days (global longitudinal strain p = 0.03, free wall strain p = 0.01), and higher rate of PICU death (global longitudinal strain p = 0.046, free wall strain p = 0.01). Mixed-effects multivariate modeling showed that right ventricular global longitudinal strain and right ventricular fractional area change stayed relatively constant over the course of the first 8 days in nonsurvivors and that there was a linear improvement in global longitudinal strain (p = 0.037) and fractional area change (p = 0.05) in survivors. Worsening right ventricular dysfunction at the time of repeat echocardiogram as defined by global longitudinal strain and free wall strain were independently associated with decreased probability of extubation (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.30 [0.14-0.67]; p = 0.003 and subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.47 [0.23-0.98]; p = 0.043, respectively). In univariate and multivariate analyses, pulmonary hypertension had no significant associations with outcomes in his cohort. CONCLUSIONS: New or persistent right ventricular systolic dysfunction over the first week following pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome onset is associated with worse patient outcomes, including decreased probability of extubation and higher PICU mortality.