Equivocal evidence for a link between megalencephaly-related genes and primate brain size evolution.

A large brain is a defining feature of modern humans, and much work has been dedicated to exploring the molecular underpinnings of this trait. Although numerous studies have focused on genes associated with human microcephaly, no studies have explicitly focused on genes associated with megalencephaly. Here, we investigate 16 candidate genes that have been linked to megalencephaly to determine if: (1) megalencephaly-associated genes evolved under positive selection across primates; and (2) selection pressure on megalencephaly-associated genes is linked to primate brain size. We found evidence for positive selection for only one gene, OFD1, with 1.8% of the sites estimated to have dN/dS values greater than 1; however, we did not detect a relationship between selection pressure on this gene and brain size across species, suggesting that selection for changes to non-brain size traits drove evolutionary changes to this gene. In fact, our primary analyses did not identify significant associations between selection pressure and brain size for any candidate genes. While we did detect positive associations for two genes (GPC3 and TBC1D7) when two phyletic dwarfs (i.e., species that underwent recent evolutionary decreases in brain size) were excluded, these associations did not withstand FDR correction. Overall, these results suggest that sequence alterations to megalencephaly-associated genes may have played little to no role in primate brain size evolution, possibly due to the highly pleiotropic effects of these genes. Future comparative studies of gene expression levels may provide further insights. This study enhances our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of brain size evolution in primates and identifies candidate genes that merit further exploration.

DomArchive: a century of published dominance data.

Dominance behaviours have been collected for many groups of animals since 1922 and serve as a foundation for research on social behaviour and social structure. Despite a wealth of data from the last century of research on dominance hierarchies, these data are only rarely used for comparative insight. Here, we aim to facilitate comparative studies of the structure and function of dominance hierarchies by compiling published dominance interaction datasets from the last 100 years of work. This compiled archive includes 436 datasets from 190 studies of 367 unique groups (mean group size 13.8, s.d. = 13.4) of 135 different species, totalling over 243 000 interactions. These data are presented in an R package alongside relevant metadata and a tool for subsetting the archive based on biological or methodological criteria. In this paper, we explain how to use the archive, discuss potential limitations of the data, and reflect on best practices in publishing dominance data based on our experience in assembling this dataset. This archive will serve as an important resource for future comparative studies and will promote the development of general unifying theories of dominance in behavioural ecology that can be grounded in testing with empirical data. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.

Use of pulmonary ultrasound to predict in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19 infection.

INTRODUCTION: Lung ultrasound (LUS) implementation in patients with COVID-19 can help to establish the degree of pulmonary involvement, evaluate treatment response and estimate in-hospital outcome. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the application of a LUS protocol in patients with COVID-19 infection to predict in-hospital mortality. METHODS: The study was carried out from April 1 to August 1, 2020 in patients with COVID-19 infection admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Lung evaluation was carried out by physicians trained in critical care ultrasonography. RESULTS: Most patients were males, median age was 56 years, and 59 % required mechanical ventilation. In-hospital mortality was 39.4 %, and in those with a LUS score ≥ 19, mortality was higher (50 %). The multiple logistic regression model showed that a LUS score ≥ 19 was significantly associated with mortality (hazard ratio = 2.55, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: LUS is a safe and fast clinical tool that can be applied at bedside in patients with COVID-19 infection to establish the degree of parenchymal involvement and predict mortality.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La implementación del ultrasonido pulmonar (LUS) en los pacientes con COVID-19 puede ayudar a establecer el grado de afectación pulmonar, evaluar la respuesta al tratamiento y estimar el desenlace intrahospitalario. OBJETIVO: Evaluar la aplicación de un protocolo LUS en pacientes con infección por COVID-19 para predecir mortalidad intrahospitalaria. MÉTODOS: El estudio se realizó del 1 de abril al 1 de agosto de 2020 en pacientes con infección por COVID-19, ingresados en la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva. Se realizó evaluación pulmonar por médicos entrenados en ultrasonografía crítica. RESULTADOS: La mayoría de los pacientes fue del sexo masculino, la edad mediana fue de 56 años y 59 % requirió ventilación mecánica. La mortalidad intrahospitalaria fue de 39.4 % y en aquellos con puntuación de LUS ≥ 19, de 50 %. El modelo de regresión logística múltiple mostró que la puntuación de LUS ≥ 19 se asoció significativamente a mortalidad (cociente de riesgo = 2.55, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONES: El LUS es una herramienta clínica segura y rápida que puede realizarse al lado de la cama de los pacientes con infección por COVID-19, para establecer el grado de afectación parenquimatosa y predecir la mortalidad.

Uso de ultrasonido pulmonar para predecir mortalidad intrahospitalaria en pacientes con infección por COVID-19 / Use of pulmonary ultrasound to predict in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19 infection

Resumen Introducción: La implementación del ultrasonido pulmonar (LUS) en los pacientes con COVID-19 puede ayudar a establecer el grado de afectación pulmonar, evaluar la respuesta al tratamiento y estimar el desenlace intrahospitalario. Objetivo: Evaluar la aplicación de un protocolo LUS en pacientes con infección por COVID-19 para predecir mortalidad intrahospitalaria. Métodos: El estudio se realizó del 1 de abril al 1 de agosto de 2020 en pacientes con infección por COVID-19, ingresados en la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva. Se realizó evaluación pulmonar por médicos entrenados en ultrasonografía crítica. Resultados: La mayoría de los pacientes fue del sexo masculino, la edad mediana fue de 56 años y 59 % requirió ventilación mecánica. La mortalidad intrahospitalaria fue de 39.4 % y en aquellos con puntuación de LUS ≥ 19, de 50 %. El modelo de regresión logística múltiple mostró que la puntuación de LUS ≥ 19 se asoció significativamente a mortalidad (cociente de riesgo = 2.55, p = 0.01). Conclusiones: El LUS es una herramienta clínica segura y rápida que puede realizarse al lado de la cama de los pacientes con infección por COVID-19, para establecer el grado de afectación parenquimatosa y predecir la mortalidad.

Abstract Introduction: Lung ultrasound (LUS) implementation in patients with COVID-19 can help to establish the degree of pulmonary involvement, evaluate treatment response and estimate in-hospital outcome. Objective: To evaluate the application of LUS in patients with COVID-19 infection to predict in-hospital mortality. Methods: The study was carried out from April 1 to August 1, 2020 in patients with COVID-19 infection admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Lung evaluation was carried out by physicians trained in critical care ultrasonography. Results: Most patients were males, median age was 56 years, and 59 % required mechanical ventilation. In-hospital mortality was 39.4 %, and in those with a LUS score ≥ 19, mortality was higher (50 %). The multiple logistic regression model showed that a LUS score ≥ 19 was significantly associated with mortality (hazard ratio = 2.55, p = 0.01). Conclusions: LUS is a safe and fast clinical tool that can be applied at bedside in patients with COVID-19 infection to establish the degree of parenchymal involvement and predict mortality.

Conflito conjugal e sistema parental: uma revisão integrativa da literatura nacional / Marital conflict and parental system: an integrative review of nacional literature

Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da produção científica nacional acerca das relações entre conflito conjugal e parentalidade. Realizou-se buscas de artigos publicados em periódicos indexados entre os anos de 2008 e 2020, nas bases de dados Scielo, Index Psicologia e PePSIC. De um montante de 164 documentos, foram analisados 15 artigos científicos. Embora a continuidade do interesse pela temática ao longo dos últimos anos, constatou-se a escassez de pesquisas no contexto nacional. Os estudos evidenciaram a permeabilidade entre os sistemas conjugal e parental e, mesmo que tenham apontado a bidirecionalidade das relações entre eles, focaram nos impactos dos conflitos conjugais sobre a parentalidade e enfatizaram os conflitos conjugais negativos em detrimento dos positivos. Os achados podem contribuir para a construção e incremento de políticas públicas direcionadas à promoção do desenvolvimento familiar, e para o aperfeiçoamento de intervenções junto às famílias, focadas na identificação e incremento de estratégias positivas de resolução de conflitos.

This study is an integrative review of national scientific production about the relations between marital conflict and parenting. Searches of articles published in indexed journals between 2008 and 2020 were carried out in the Scielo, Index Psicologia and PePSIC databases. From 164 documents, 15 scientific articles were analyzed. Despite the continued interest in the theme over the past few years, there was a lack of research in the national context. The studies showed the permeability between the marital and parental systems and, although they pointed to the two-way relationship between them, they focused on the impacts of marital conflicts on parenting and emphasize negative marital conflicts. The results can contribute to the construction and increase of public policies aimed at promoting family development, and for the improvement of interventions with families, focused on the identification and adoption of positive conflict resolution strategies.

Bench surgical training with lyophilized esophageal segments

PURPOSE: To present lyophilized esophageal segments that can be used to learn surgical skills. METHODS: Four esophagus were harvested from four non-esophagus related research dogs at the moment of euthanasia. Each esophagus was trimmed in 3 cm long segments. They were lyophilized and stored during 30 days. The day programmed for surgical skills practice, they were rehydrated. RESULTS: Sixteen segments have been used. After rehydrating, all the segments kept their normal anatomic shape and structural integrity. One incision was made on every esophageal segment and sutured with running stitches of 3-0 polyglactin 910. There were no complications, such as tissue tears, nor esophageal hardening. CONCLUSIONS: The lyophilized esophagus is a high fidelity, practical, reproducible, portable, low-cost bench model. It allows general surgery apprentices to learn how to handle an esophagus, as well as to perfect their surgical and suture abilities before applying them on real patient's esophagus.

Bench surgical training with lyophilized esophageal segments.

PURPOSE: To present lyophilized esophageal segments that can be used to learn surgical skills. METHODS: Four esophagus were harvested from four non-esophagus related research dogs at the moment of euthanasia. Each esophagus was trimmed in 3 cm long segments. They were lyophilized and stored during 30 days. The day programmed for surgical skills practice, they were rehydrated. RESULTS: Sixteen segments have been used. After rehydrating, all the segments kept their normal anatomic shape and structural integrity. One incision was made on every esophageal segment and sutured with running stitches of 3-0 polyglactin 910. There were no complications, such as tissue tears, nor esophageal hardening. CONCLUSIONS: The lyophilized esophagus is a high fidelity, practical, reproducible, portable, low-cost bench model. It allows general surgery apprentices to learn how to handle an esophagus, as well as to perfect their surgical and suture abilities before applying them on real patient's esophagus.

[Limitation of the development of physical activity in asthmatic children and adolescents]. / Limitación del desarrollo de actividades físicas en niños y adolescentes asmáticos.

BACKGROUND: Asthma can, direct or indirect cause physical limitations in asthmatic patients affecting their quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors that influence and limit the physical activities in asthmatic children and teenagers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a descriptive and observational study in 83 asthmatic children and teenagers, between 6 to 18 years old, who attended a summer camp for asthmatic patients. They answered a questionnaire about the kind of physical activities that they regularly, in order to identify factors that limit their physical activities. In the camp, some of them had to stop exercising because of an asthma crisis. For the statistical analysis, we used central and percentage tendency. RESULTS: Sixty patients (72.3%) regularly practiced some kind of sport being the most frequent soccer (36.7%), swimming (20.1%), athletics (8.4%) and basketball (8.4%). Of the 23 children and teenagers that did not regularly practice any sport, 19 of them were between 5 to 10 years old. In the first group, 28 (46.7%) said that they had to stop exercising when suffered an asthma crisis. In the camp, eight children (9.7%) had to stop their physical activities because an asthma crisis. Only 47 children (56.6%) knew the kind of physical activity in which they could participate and the correct way to perform it; as a result of an educational process. CONCLUSION: In our community, the development of asthma crisis and the lack of adequate physical education are facts that limit exercise practicing in asthmatic children and teenagers.

[Knowledge of flowmetry among asthmatic children and adolescents]. / Conocimiento de la flujometría en niños y adolescentes asmáticos.

BACKGROUND: The correct control of asthmatic children and teenagers substantially improves their quality of life. The use of the peak flowmeter permits to monitor the pulmonary function and to control this disease. OBJECTIVE: To gather information about the use of the peak flowmeter in asthmatic children and teenagers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: It was a descriptive and observational study done in 81 asthmatic children and teenagers who attended a summer camp. They answered a questionnaire in order to know their knowledge about the peak flowmeter's use. RESULTS: The age of the studied group ranked from five to 18 years (54.3% between five to 10 years). Out of the 81 children and teenagers, 64 knew about the peak flow. In spite of the knowledge, only 38 (46.9%) had used it in at least one occasion and 20 (24.7%) in an ambulatory manner (16 used it when they feel bad, and four, every day). Only nine of these 20 children knew the correct way to use it, to interpret the results and what the normal peak flow was. All of these children and teenagers were under medical control. Allergists were attending 66.7%. Independently of the specialty of their doctors, the average of the children that didn't use the peak flowmeter in their control of asthma was always over than 50%. CONCLUSIONS: In spite that all these children and teenagers were on medical care, the knowledge of the peak flowmeter usage was not enough to take advantage.

Eficacia de un analizador de bilirrubina no invasivo en neonatos / Utility of a non-invasive bilirubin transcutaneous analyzer in neonates

Introducción. La ictericia es una causa frecuente de consulta en el recién nacido. Se han intentado métodos para determinar su intensidad en forma no invasiva. Se realizó el presente estudio para evaluar la utilidad de un analizador no invasivo de bilirrubina. Material y métodos. Se estudiaron 22 neonatos con ictericia, a quienes se les determinó bilirrubina sérica total y bilirrubina transcutánea en la piel de la frente, tórax y abdomen con el método de espectrofotometría de reflectancia (Bilichek de Spectrx). Se realizó comparación de resultados en los diferentes sitios contra la bilirrubina sérica total. Para el análisis estadístico se realizó prueba de correlación de Pearson. Resultados. La mejor correlación fue en la piel de la frente con un coeficiente de pearson de 0.958 (P<0.001) con error estándar estimando de 1.87 mg/dL. Conclusión. La determinación predictiva transcutánea es eficaz cuando se usa dentro de los límites de funcionamiento del analizador no invasivo de bilirrubina

Actualización por temas: la neuropsicología y el procesamiento de la información emocional por medio de la expresión facial / Topics of interest: Neuropsychology and the processing of emotional information by means of facial expression

Al estudiar los procesos de comunicación humana, se considera que el intercambio se establece por medio de la información verbal y no verbal. El mensaje verbal siempre está matizado por componentes no verbales, que llegan incluso a modificar el contenido semántico de los enunciados. La entonación con la que se emite el discurso y la actividad gestual del emisor, son elementos fundamentales de la comunicación no verbal, especificamente en torno a la actividad gestual, la expresión facial y su percepción, constituyen una de las fuentes más importantes de comunicación, en tanto son la vía de manifestación emocional. La neuropsicología se ha ocupado del estudio de las bases neurofisiológicas del procesamiento de la información emocional, por medio de la expresión facial. Los resultados de la investigación clínica y experimental, sugieren que la capacidad para el reconocimiento y la expresión de las emociones, es el resultado de una actividad muy compleja, a la que subyacen diferentes procesos, que son producto de mecanismos neurofisiológicos distintos, que hasta el momento no han sido identificados por completo