Recanalization of a discrete atretic right pulmonary artery segment with a new radiofrequency system.

We describe a case in which a discrete atretic segment of the right pulmonary artery (due to a Blalock-Taussig shunt) was reconstructed using a new radiofrequency system, balloon dilation, and stent implantation in an 18-month-old patient. The shunt was coil-occluded. The technique and applications of this novel approach are discussed.     

Sleep duration in elderly obese patients correlated negatively with intake fatty

ABSTRACT: Study objectives The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between sleep duration and dietary habits in elderly obese patients treated at an institute of cardiology. METHODS: The fifty-eight volunteers were elderly patients with obesity (classified as obese according to BMI) of both genders, between 60 and 80 years of age. All participants were subjected to assessments of food intake, anthropometry, level of physical activity, and duration of sleep. RESULTS: The men had significantly greater weight, height, and waist circumference than women. Sleep durations were correlated with dietary nutrient compositions only in men. We found a negative association between short sleep and protein intake (r = -0.43; p = 0.02), short sleep and monounsaturated fatty acids intake (r = -0.40; p = 0.03), and short sleep and cholesterol dietary intake (r = -0.50; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that mainly in men, volunteers that had short sleep duration showed a preference for high energy-density as fatty food, at least in part, may explain the relationship between short sleep duration and the development of metabolic abnormalities.     

Prevalence and temporal trends in prepregnancy nutritional status and gestational weight gain of adult women followed in the Brazilian Food and Nutrition Surveillance System from 2008 to 2018

Prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) are the most investigated indicators of maternal nutritional status, which is a modifiable factor that plays a vital role in maternal and infant health. This study describes prepregnancy BMI and GWG of 840,243 women with 2,087,765 weight observations in the Brazilian Food and Nutrition Surveillance System from 2008 to 2018. Prepregnancy BMI was classified according to the World Health Organization cut-offs. Total GWG was calculated from weight measurements taken after 36 weeks of pregnancy and classified according to the Institute of Medicine guidelines. Temporal trends in prepregnancy BMI status were examined, and maps were used to evaluate changes in excessive GWG in each Brazilian federation unit. On overall, prepregnancy overweight and obesity increased from 22.6% to 28.8% and from 9.8% to 19.8%, respectively, between 2008 and 2018. The prevalence of excessive GWG rose from 34.2% to 38.7% during the same period and in 11 of the 27 Brazilian federation units between 2008 and 2016. Women with underweight showed the highest values for mean total GWG for all the compared years (overall variation from 12.3 to 13.1 kg), followed by those with normal weight (11.9 to 12.5 kg), overweight (10.1 to 10.9 kg) and obesity (from 8.2 to 8.9 kg). Within each BMI group, values remained fairly stable throughout the studied period for first- and second-trimester GWG and total GWG. These results help to fill a significant gap in understanding the distribution of prepregnancy BMI and GWG in Brazilian women.     

Characterization of Rabies virus isolated from canids and identification of the main wild canid host in Northeastern Brazil

The rabies cases in dogs and wild canids in Northeastern Brazil are a public and animal health problem. This paper describes the identities of the coding region of the N-gene of Rabies virus (RABV) isolated in canids from Northeastern Brazil. The genetic tree generated using the sequence data described here divided the cluster BRAZILAN CANIDS into two subclusters (DOG-RELATED STRAINS and WILD CANID-RELATED STRAINS) with identities greater than those already described. The two subclusters are sub-divided into geographic groups related to the origin of the isolates, suggesting a long-standing ecological coexistence of the sequence types characteristic of the groups. This article also analyzes the 513-nucleotide stretch of the mitochondrial DNA control region of rabies-positive canids from Northeastern Brazil with a view to identifying the main RABV host among them. Among the four species of wild canids found in the region, two (Cerdocyon thous and Pseudalopex vetulus) are frequently associated with rabies. Phylogenetic analysis of sequence data generated from mtDNA suggests that C. thous is the main wild canid host in the region. The results obtained in this study are in concordance with the zoology and ecology of wild canids, and thus, help improve epidemiologic vigilance of rabies and allow a more targeted control of the disease.     

X-ray spectroscopy applied to radiation shielding calculation in mammography

The protective shielding design of a mammography facility requires the knowledge of the scattered radiation by the patient and image receptor components. The shape and intensity of secondary x-ray beams depend on the kVp applied to the x-ray tube, target/filter combination, primary x-ray field size, and scattering angle. Currently, shielding calculations for mammography facilities are performed based on scatter fraction data for Mo/Mo target/filter, even though modern mammography equipment is designed with different anode/filter combinations. In this work we present scatter fraction data evaluated based on the x-ray spectra produced by a Mo/Mo, Mo/Rh and W/Rh target/filter, for 25, 30 and 35 kV tube voltages and scattering angles between 30 and 165 degrees. Three mammography phantoms were irradiated and the scattered radiation was measured with a CdZnTe detector. The primary x-ray spectra were computed with a semiempirical model based on the air kerma and HVL measured with an ionization chamber. The results point out that the scatter fraction values are higher for W/Rh than for Mo/Mo and Mo/Rh, although the primary and scattered air kerma are lower for W/Rh than for Mo/Mo and Mo/Rh target/filter combinations. The scatter fractions computed in this work were applied in a shielding design calculation in order to evaluate shielding requirements for each of these target/filter combinations. Besides, shielding requirements have been evaluated converting the scattered air kerma from mGy/week to mSv/week adopting initially a conversion coefficient from air kerma to effective dose as 1 Sv/Gy and then a mean conversion coefficient specific for the x-ray beam considered. Results show that the thickest barrier should be provided for Mo/Mo target/filter combination. They also point out that the use of the conversion coefficient from air kerma to effective dose as 1 Sv/Gy is conservatively high in the mammography energy range and overestimate the barrier thickness.