City Of Curitiba Research Articles

ASSESSMENT OF ORAL BEHAVIORS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF FEDERAL POLICE OFFICERS

Objective: To evaluate the oral behaviors and psychosocial aspects of adults belonging to the Federal Police class. Methods: An observational longitudinal study was conducted with 30 adult individuals from the special group of Federal Police from the city of Curitiba, Paraná. The median age of participants was 39.70 (± 7.35) years. Quality of life, anxiety and perceived stress were assessed using the SF-36, GAD-7 and PSS-14 questionnaires respectively. Awake bruxism was evaluated using the Ecological Momentary Assessment method with the WhatsApp mobile application. Messages were sent 15 times a day, seven days a week, between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm, at random times, to choose one of five oral behaviors: teeth contact, teeth clenching, teeth grinding, mandibular bracing, and relaxed jaw muscles. Cronbach's alpha test, Shapiro-Wilk’s test, Wilcoxon's non-parametric test for paired samples, Friedman's non-parametric test for paired samples, Spearman's non-parametric correlation test, and Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test, followed by Dunn's 2–2 comparison test were employed. Results: The most frequent oral behaviors during the week were relaxed jaw muscles (49.75 ± 29.28), teeth contact (31.50 ± 24.71), mandibular bracing (10.42± 18.99), teeth clenching (6.82 ± 8.96), and teeth grinding (1.48 ± 3.04). Quality of life was considered excellent, anxiety was low, and there was no stress. There was no correlation between stress, anxiety and quality of life and awake bruxism. Conclusion: The federal police officers evaluated showed a high frequency of awake bruxism, but the psychosocial aspects were considered excellent.

Test-Retest Reproducibility of the WebCas Electronic Questionnaire for Assessing Health-Related Behaviors in Adolescents

Purpose: The goal of the study was to evaluate the reproducibility between the application-replication of the electronic version of the WebCas questionnaire. Methods: The sample consisted of 152 students (10 to 15 years old) of both sexes, enrolled in a public school in the city of Curitiba (PR). Anthropometric data (weight and height) were collected to calculate the body mass index. The reproducibility of the questionnaire was assessed by means of concordance between the repeated measures obtained by applying the WebCas, with a 7-day interval between applications. Results: Most of the variables showed percentages of reproducibility above 50% (7/12 variables). Eight variables presented Kappa values considered “very good”: commuting to school (K=0.95); alcohol intake in the last 30 days (K=0.92); alcohol intake in doses (K=0.92); smoking (K=0.93); intoxication (K=0.92), nap (K=0.83), illness (K=0.94) and medication use (K=0.90). Daytime sleepiness, frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables, sweets, snacks and soft drinks showed “moderate” Kappa values (0.41 to 0.65). Regarding accuracy, the variables hours of sleep, time to wake up on weekdays and bedtime on weekdays showed substantial values (>0.95 to <0.99). For the other variables, the values were almost perfect (≥0.99), with the exception of the variable “bedtime the night before” which showed low accuracy (Cb=0.90). Conclusion: The results showed that the WebCas questionnaire showed satisfactory evidence of reproducibility.

Association between school commuting and adolescent mental health: Insights from a longitudinal study amid the pandemic

This study investigates the relationship between transportation modes and adolescent mental health, employing a natural experiment design to longitudinally track Brazilian high-school students amid the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions. We surveyed 213 students in the city of Curitiba during and after the COVID-19 lockdown period using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) combined with a socioeconomic questionnaire. To analyze changes in DASS between these two times we used the paired-sample T-test, exploring association with school commuting modes through binomial logistic regression models. The use of public transportation emerges as a significant factor associated with a threefold odds of increasing depression levels among students (OR = 3.08). This likelihood nearly quadrupled (OR = 3.81) when considering students living 5 km or more from school. These findings unveil public transportation and home-school distance as critical factors in the development of depression among adolescents. For example, individuals who commute via individual motorized transportation demonstrate a markedly lower likelihood of experiencing depression, pointing to broader societal and environmental factors such as family income and access to opportunities. Despite appearing contradictory to the commonly understood impacts of car use on mental health, this observation may unveil overlapping layers of spatial inequality and underscore the nuanced dynamics between transportation modes and adolescent mental well-being.

Action Plans Study: Principles of Green Chemistry, Sustainable Development, and Smart Cities

The sustainability of cities is a challenge due to the growth, functioning, and needs of the population. In this context, the concept of the smart city has gained prominence worldwide in the last decades. In Brazil, it has also drawn attention driven by technological advances and the search for innovative solutions to urban challenges. Several different reports were created aiming to assess and categorize the advancement of cities in this regard. Some of them established their own indicators for this evaluation, whereas others are based on standards ISO 37120 and ISO 37122. The focus of this study revolves around the examination of indicators presently utilized, which may be influenced by initiatives grounded in the principles of green chemistry (PGCs). Furthermore, it explores how these principles can aid in the realization of the targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations. Two case studies are presented, the first pointing out how PGCs and SDGs can correlate with smart city reporting indicators. The second is a case study centered on the Brazilian city of Curitiba (PR). We aim to exemplify how the city’s action plans underscore the significance of synergy among the principles of green chemistry, the objectives of sustainable development, and indicators for smart cities. Assessing how chemically green a city can be is a relevant argument for future industrial installations and stakeholders and the influence of this index on the quality of life of its population. Such an approach not only fosters innovation and efficiency but also fosters environmental stewardship, thus contributing to overall sustainability.

Profile of adult care classified as non-urgent in emergency care unit

Objective: To identify the profile of care classified as non-urgent in the Emergency Care Unit (ECU). Methods: This is a descriptive, retrospective, documentary study with a quantitative approach, carried out in an ECU located in the city of Curitiba, PR, with users from 18 years of age and blue priority in the risk classification. Data were tabulated in Excel® and analyzed in SPSS® to obtain descriptive statistics, inferences and perform the chi-square test. Results: 213 medical records were analyzed, predominantly looking for young adults, with a mean age of 39 years, female. The main clinical complaints/demands reported (p<0.001) by users were: respiratory and flu problems (36%), followed by medication administration (14%) and unprotected sexual exposure (8%). Morning calls (39%) were more frequent (p<0.001), with Monday and Wednesday being the days with the highest demand (p=0.026). The most common outcome of the consultations was discharge from the unit (61%; p<0.001). Conclusion: The care of adults up to 39 years old predominated, with greater demand during the day. The clinical complaints and demands presented were not compatible with the profile and complexity intended for an urgent and emergency service.

Abstract PO3-15-07: False-negative results of hyperexpression of HER2 receptor in breast cancer at a public tertiary hospital in Brazil

Abstract Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. One of the major advances in BC management was its molecular classification, especially regarding the Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2). HER2 positive tumors are at greater risk of visceral metastasis and are associated with worse survival rates. Thus, the use of specific drugs to target this pathway is essential and false-negative have a high impact on patient care. HER2 status is usually accessed using immunohistochemistry (IHC), but false-negatives results occur. When IHC results are inconclusive, in-situ hybridization (ISH) testing is necessary. Objective: to determine if there is variability between the positivity rates between laboratories that performed the ISH, according to the IHQ, and to evaluate if there are false-negative results and possible prognostic impact. Methods: retrospective, observational study in a public hospital in the city of Curitiba (Brazil), followed by cross-sectional analysis of histological samples. All cases of BC that underwent HER2 assessment by IHC and ISH between January 2008 and December 2018 were included. Participants classified as HER2 negative by IHC and patients whose medical records were not available were excluded. A new analysis of all IHC slides and of cases with negative ISH was performed. Results: We identified 205 people with an average age of 53.52 (± 11.89) years. Most cases were classified as clinical stage I and II (68.3%), and the most prevalent histological features were Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (82.4%) and luminal molecular subtype (49.8%). Initial ISH testing was performed by four laboratories. There was a significant difference in HER2 positivity rates between these laboratories, even after individual reanalysis of all IHC slides. Of the 114 cases with negative ISH, it was possible to obtain histological material in 82 of them to perform a new standardized ISH. The false-negative rate for HER2 in this 82 patients was 41.46%, with 10 cases out of 24 for positive IHC (3+) and 22 out of 58 for inconclusive IHC (2+). In this paper, false-negative results did not impact in survival, most likely to differences between groups. Conclusion: our work showed different rates of positivity for HER2 among laboratories that performed confirmatory test with ISH. The performance of a second standardized ISH proved that the difference between the laboratories was due to false-negative results. There was no difference in recurrence and cancer-specific survival in this false-negative sample. Keywords: breast cancer. Biomarkers. Health technology assessment. HER2 receptor. DIfferences between laboratories reagarding HER2 false negatives –insert figrue image– Citation Format: Bruno Batista, Sergio Ioshii, Sergio Padilha, Jacqueline Nabhen, Tayza Ostroski, Caroline Batista. False-negative results of hyperexpression of HER2 receptor in breast cancer at a public tertiary hospital in Brazil [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-15-07.

Prevalence of enteroparasites in rural and urban children in the municipalities of Bocaiúva do Sul and Colombo, Paraná, Brazil

The aim of this study was to diagnose enteroparasites and to relate them to socioeconomic factors in schoolchildren from the public system in the municipalities of Colombo and Bocaiúva do Sul, located in the Metropolitan Region from the city of Curitiba, Brazil. Fecal samples were processed using the modified Ritchie and Ziehl-Neelsen staining methods. Analysis of the risk factors, using Tukey test and Odds ratio (OR), was obtained by connecting questionnaires with parasitological results. Of the 414 schoolchildren analyzed, 32.4% (134) were positive for at least one enteroparasite species. The most prevalent were Blastocystis spp. (21.7%), Entamoeba coli (5.5%), Endolimax nana (5.5%), Giardia duodenalis (3.9%), Trichuris trichiura (3.7%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (2.9%). Schoolchildren from rural areas had a higher occurrence of enteric parasites (p<0.05), showing that is necessary to continue with health education, being careful with the food, basic sanitation and parasitological examination of feces before treatment. KEY WORDS: Enteroparasites; monoparasitism; multiparasitism; children; socio-echonomic factors.

Fever as a Predictor of COVID-19 Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients.

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous questions have arisen regarding the screening, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of infected patients. Among these, screening infected patients through body temperature measurement has proven ineffective. However, doubts persist regarding the role of fever as a prognostic factor in the disease. To assess the prevalence of fever and its relevance as a marker of mortality in COVID-19. This prospective and longitudinal cohort study was conducted between April 2020 and December 2021 and analyzed 1400 COVID-19 patients systematically admitted to the emergency department of a reference hospital during the period from April 2020 to December 2021, in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. [LG1]The study evaluated [LG2]the presence of fever (body temperature above 37,7ºC) upon admission and/or during hospitalization, patient profiles, and outcomes (in-hospital death, discharge, admission at the intensive care unit, need of mechanical ventilation). Fever was present in 128 participants (9.1%), with a higher prevalence in males (71%) and obese individuals (42.9%). Among the febrile patients, 39 required intubation (30.4%), with two intubated upon admission (1.5%), 104 were discharged (81.2%), and 24 deceased (18.7%). Fever was not associated with a higher mortality rate. Fever showed low prevalence, is more common in males and obese individuals, and is not related to worse clinical outcomes.

Review of tax incentive programs on ISSQN revenue

The Municipal programs of Tax Incentive seek in their implementations to increase the collection of the Tax on Services of Any Nature (ISSQN), promote tax citizenship and reduce tax evasion. The program Nota Londrina was established in 2015 by Municipal Law nº 12.348, in order to encourage the population of Londrina to request the Service's Tax Note (NFS). The program Nota Curitibana was created by Municipal Law nº 102/2017, with the main objective of increasing the collection of ISSQN.Through Law nº 13.953/2021, the ISS Awarded Program was instituted in the city of Ponta Grossa, with the objective of increasing the collection of ISSQN, without increasing rates. The objective of the research is describing how these tax incentive programs were implemented, how their developments were and to verify if there was an increase in the emission os Service's Tax notes was. In this way, we verified the factors that led the other cities not to implement them. The methodology applied characterizes as descriptive, bibliographical and documental research, of qualitative nature. The period analyzed was from 2014 to 2020.For data analysis, two structured interviews were used and data collected from the programs' websites. The analysis indicated that 1% of the state of Parana has active tax incentive programs. In the city of Curitiba, there was an increase in the emission of NFS, as for the program's results, they have been positive so far. About the motivation of the other cities, most showed disinterest in the implementation in their city halls.

Workers’ healthy eating practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and their relationship with physical activity and quality of life

Abstract The lifestyle of the population has undergone significant changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have influenced alterations in dietary habits and overall well-being among workers. This study aimed to evaluate healthy eating practices and their relationship with the workers’ quality of life and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a cross-sectional investigation involving workers in the city of Curitiba, southern Brazil. The study was conducted through the application of an online questionnaire. The data were evaluated using non-parametric tests and fitting a logistic regression model. A total of 123 workers participated in the study, most of them male (53.2%), aged between 31 and 40 years (42.2%), with a predominance of workers with postgraduate degrees (62.6%, n = 77), and the majority of workers (68.2%, n = 84) were performing their professional activities remotely for at least one day during the week, and 73.2% (n = 90). It was observed that 52.8% had excellent healthy eating practices, and the older their age and the greater the practice of physical activity (time and frequency), the better the workers’ healthy eating practices. When assessing quality of life, the lowest average score for healthy eating practices was in the domain of social relationships. A direct relationship of older age, social relationships, and the practice of physical activity with the best individuals’ healthy eating practices was detected. Considering that remote work continues to be adopted post-pandemic, evaluating the dietary practices, physical activity, and quality of life of workers is necessary to understand this new labour phenomenon.

Amniotic membrane transplantation for neurotrophic corneal ulcers.

To evaluate the clinical results of cryopreserved amniotic membrane transplantation as a treatment option for refractory neurotrophic corneal ulcers. This prospective study included 11 eyes of 11 patients who underwent amniotic membrane transplantation for the treatment of refractory neurotrophic corneal ulcers at Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná, in the city of Curitiba, from May 2015 to July 2021. Patients underwent different surgical techniques in which the amniotic membrane was applied with the epithelium facing upward to promote corneal re-epithelialization. The median age of the patients was 60 years (range, 34-82 years), and 64% were men. The predominant etiology of corneal ulcers was herpes zoster (45% of cases). Approximately one-third of the patients (27%) were chronically using hypotensive eye drops, and more than half (54%) had previously undergone penetrating corneal transplantation. At the time of amniotic membrane transplantation, 18% of the eyes had corneal melting, 9% had corneal perforation, and the others had corneal ulceration without other associated complications (73%). The time between clinical diagnosis and surgical treatment ranged from 9 days to 2 years. The corrected visual acuity was worse than 20/400 in 90% of the patients preoperatively, with improvement in 36% after 3 months of the procedure, worsening in 18% and remaining stable in 36%. Of the patients, 81% complained of preoperative pain, and 66% of them reported total symptom relief after the surgical procedure. In one month, 54.6% of the patients presented a closure of epithelial defect, and half of the total group evolved with corneal thinning. The failure rate was 45.5% of the cases. Cryopreserved amniotic membrane transplantation can be considered a good alternative for treating refractory neurotrophic corneal ulcers, as it resulted in significant improvement in pain (66%) and complete epithelial closure (60%) in many patients at 1 month postoperatively. Notably, the high failure rate highlights the need for further studies to identify patientand ulcer-related factors that may influence the outcomes of this procedure.

ATIVIDADE FÍSICA, ALIMENTAÇÃO E SONO EM ATLETAS APÓS UM ANO DA PANDEMIA DE COVID-19

ABSTRACT Introduction: The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has resulted in worrying effects related to the “new” habits adopted by the population. The long period of school closures and social isolation have profoundly impacted the learning, health, and protection of children and adolescents. Objective: To re-evaluate school athletes quarantined by COVID-19, highlighting the main physical activity (PA), eating and sleeping habits, and the implications related to physical and mental health after one year of the pandemic in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. Methods: Two surveys were conducted, 342 attended the first assessment, and 222 attended the second. An online questionnaire (Google docs) was applied to the students, consisting of 18 closed and open questions in the first moment (beginning of the pandemic) and 22 at the second moment (after one year of the pandemic). Results: Half of the students (53.2%; 57%) reported eating up to three meals daily. With regard to sleeping hours, the majority of students (80%; 79.5%) were able to sleep at night between 6:00 and 10:00. There was a significant decrease in the time spent on social networks, migrating to school activities (p <0.005). Approximately a quarter of the student-athletes (27%) practiced PA every day and felt fulfilled in the first assessment, and in the second assessment, this number increased to 43% (p = 0.009). Conclusion: Despite the decrease in screen time and the increase in regular PA, there was an increase in body weight in more than a third of the athletes evaluated. Those who maintained their body weight maintained healthier lifestyles with several meals within the recommended range and slept 6 to 10 hours per night. Level of Evidence III; Retrospective comparative study.

Performance of Opportunistic Data Networks Based on Public Transportation Systems

Smart Cities are those which use technology to promote the well-being of the population, economic growth and, at the same time, improve sustainability. The application of these technologies in road transportation services has been conducted within programs known as Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) are a key part of the intelligent transportation systems framework. The buses belonging to a Public Transportation System (PTS) can be considered as nodes of a kind of opportunistic data network. However, the transportation literature does not provide acceptable models for bus movements in an urban environment since they are affected by vehicular and passenger traffic conditions, lanes organization, traffic signal management, company policies, and others. This article uses the Engine for Map Matching to SUMO (EMMS), a computational tool that automatically imports the public transportation system characteristics into a simulation environment in order to study the system performance. Specifically, geolocation data from public transportation buses, in the city of Curitiba (Brazil), are used. The results obtained show that the formation of small temporary networks is possible, allowing the exchange of data between buses. However, those networks provide low throughput and packet delivery rates, as well as large routing overhead and end-to-end delay.

Preparations offered to workers in different food services: application of the score for qualitative assessment of preparations.

The quality of preparations offered in the workplace can vary according to the different segments of food services and may impact the health of the workers. This study aimed to qualitatively assess the food preparation offered to workers in from different food services. A total of 384 preparations were offered to workers in Curitiba City, Brazil. The preparations from three different segments of food services were evaluated: commercial (pilot study), non-commercial, and outsourced, selected for convenience. To identify the preparations, the nutritionist was interviewed, and the production process was monitored. The Score for Qualitative Assessment of Preparations (EAQP) was applied to evaluate the preparations, and they were classified according to their quality: high, intermediate, low, and very low quality. The chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests with post-hoc Least Significant Difference (LSD) Test were used. Most of the preparations were of high quality (72.9%), using mainly the unprocessed or minimally processed ingredients. The preparations offered by the non-commercial food service provider had a better mean quality score when compared to other food services (p < 0.01). This study outcome is essential to help food service professionals to decide and choose the ingredients used in the preparations.

Impact of heat on mental health emergency visits: a time series study from all public emergency centres, in Curitiba, Brazil

ObjectivesQuantify the risk of mental health (MH)-related emergency department visits (EDVs) due to heat, in the city of Curitiba, Brazil.DesignDaily time series analysis, using quasi-Poisson combined with distributed lag non-linear...

Merging transport network companies and taxis in Curitiba’s BRT system

AbstractThe Brazilian city of Curitiba became known around the world for pioneering bus rapid transit (BRT) in the 1970s. Five decades later, public transport ridership is declining on the city’s bus-based system. One-person car trips and car ownership are soaring, and services provided by transport network companies rapidly proliferate and then disappear as congestion worsens and expands across the road network. This was the macro-scale scenario for mobility and modal trends in Curitiba until COVID-19 brought things to a screeching halt in 2020. The widespread use of information and communication technologies has allowed taxi and car ride-hailing transport network schemes to emerge while blurring the lines between public and private and individual and collective transport, locally as well as globally. In 2016, transport network company systems, apps, private cars, services, drivers and passengers disrupted Curitiba’s longstanding and well-regulated taxi system and market for licenses. In 2023, hailing a cab or a shared ride feels and costs the same for passengers (now customers). This study investigates whether these actors and technologies compete with or complement each other in this city, locating and quantifying the benefits for passengers of merging taxi and car ridesharing with the BRT system as first- and last-mile transport to and from BRT corridors. We developed mobile information and communication technologies and acquired, processed, and analyzed millions of data points for passenger location on BRT, ordinary bus, and taxi trips at the city scale. The shareability index for Curitiba’s taxi or car rides was calculated, demonstrating that 60% of all taxi trips have the potential to serve as first- and last-mile transport solution to and from the BRT terminals, stations, and corridors and that nearly 40% of taxi trips both originate and end near (&lt; 500 m) this BRT system infrastructure. By envisioning how transport network companies could merge into the built environment thanks to urban transport digitization, we have developed a model for integrating public transport with the analytic framework of transport network companies that could be deployed in other cities with similar challenges related to public transport, sociotechnical arrangements, system complexity, policymaking, and planning.

Comparative metatranscriptome analysis of Brazilian milk and water kefir beverages.

The present study compared bacterial and fungal diversity of kefir beverages produced using milk (MK) or sugared water (WK) as propagation matrices and grains from the cities of Curitiba (CU) or Salvador (SA), Brazil, by sequencing the complete set of RNA transcripts produced in four products. In Brazil, milk and sugared water are used as matrices to propagate kefir grains. In all beverages, the bacterial community was composed of Lactobacillaceae and Acetobacteraceae. Saccharomycetaceae was the yeast family more abundant in WK, and Dipodascaceae and Pichiaceae in MK. Regarding KEGG mapping of functional orthologs, the four kefir samples shared 70% of KO entries of yeast genes but only 36% of bacterial genes. Concerning main metabolic processes, the relative abundance of transcripts associated with metabolism (energy metabolism) and environmental information processing (membrane transport) had the highest water/milk kefir ratio observed in Firmicutes. In contrast, transcripts associated with genetic information processing (protein translation, folding, sorting, and degradation) oppositely had the lowest water/milk ratios. Concluding, milk and water kefir have quite different communities of microorganisms. Still, the main mapped functional processes are similar, with only quantitative variation in membrane transport and energy acquisition in the water kefir and protein synthesis and turnover in the milk kefir.

A-051 Reference Intervals for Serum T4 and FT4 among Pregnant Women linked to the Mãe Curitibana Program

Abstract Background Thyroid diseases are frequent in women of childbearing age and can have negative maternal and fetal repercussions when not identified and properly treated. Physiological changes during pregnancy cause changes in thyroid function tests, which is why they must be carefully interpreted and, whenever possible, based on local and specific reference values for pregnant women. Determining the serum level of total (T4T) or free (FT4) T4 is fundamental for defining the diagnosis of thyroid dysfunctions between clinical (TSH and T4 altered) or subclinical (only TSH altered). This definition modifies the treatment recommendations for thyroid disorders in various published guidelines. Objectives To determine the reference intervals for FT4 and T4T of pregnant women, in the first trimester, residing in the city of Curitiba and followed by the municipal public health system. Methods Longitudinal study with a sample of 225 pregnant women aged over 18 years, linked to prenatal care in the public health system (SUS) of Curitiba city, with up to 14 weeks of gestation. Pregnant women were selected proportionally to each health district in the city, to represent the entire population of the city served by the SUS. Pregnant women who had TSH outside the reference range, positive ATPO, family history of thyroid disease, use of antithyroid drugs, use of medications that could interfere with the measurement of the markers under study were excluded. The studied population had a median urinary iodine concentration considered adequate for pregnant women (158 mcg/L). Serum FT4 and T4T were measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay on Atellica IM Analyzer. Continuous variables were expressed as mean and standard deviation and percentiles were determined and variations between 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles were considered as the normal reference interval. The results were analyzed and compared with the reference interval provided by the manufacturer for non-pregnant women. Results Of the 225 pregnant women (with mean ± standard deviation of gestational age 8 weeks ± 2.3; with mean ± standard deviation of age 27 years ± 5.9) the FT4 values of the pregnant women ranged between 0.83 and 1.68 ng/dL, with mean ± standard deviation of 1.23 ± 0.15. The 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles were 0.94 and 1.64 ng/dL. Compared with the kit manufacturer’s reference values for non-pregnant women (0.95–1.47 ng/dl), we would have 08 pregnant women with a high FT4 result. The T4T values of the pregnant women varied between 9.2 and 12.2 ng/dL, with a mean ± standard deviation of 10.9 ± 2.48. The 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles were 9.2 and 12.2 ng/dL. Compared with the kit manufacturer’s reference values for non-pregnant women (4.87 and 11.72 ng/dL), we would have 25 pregnant women with high T4T results. Conclusion The FT4 and T4T reference intervals of first trimester pregnant women are different from the non-pregnant population, however this difference is less relevant in FT4. In T4T, the lower limit of normal in pregnant women is much higher than in the normal population, which makes it less sensitive for the definition of clinical hypothyroidism in first trimester pregnant women.

"Dying alone and being eaten": dog scavenging on the remains of an elderly animal hoarder-a case report.

Animal hoarding and human consumption by dogs have been important but often understudied aspects of the human-animal bond that can be addressed within a One Health framework. No scientific report has focused on dog scavenging on animal hoarders to date, despite isolated reports of dog scavenging on human remains, mostly due to starvation. The phenomenon has been approached as a confounding factor for human forensics. In 2014, the Animal Protection Department of Curitiba City was called to rescue and handle ten small dogs which had scavenged for a week on the human remains of their elderly owner, a potential animal hoarder. At inspection, three dead dogs in early putrefaction were also found in the household. Human autopsy revealed body putrefaction and lack of soft organs. Along with the dental arch, DNA testing was performed on the remains for official deceased identification. Due to the potential public health risks of aggression toward frail human beings and for the control of zoonotic diseases, all ten dogs were euthanized. Subsequent investigations by the crime scene police, homicide police, and autopsy services were unable to establish or rule out natural death, criminal or suicidal poisoning, zoonotic disease (rabies), fatal dog attack, or fatal accidental trauma. A general protocol has been proposed for future approaches to dog scavenging and suspicious killing of animal hoarders, as well an assessment for the potential adoption or euthanasia of animals owned by hoarders in these circumstances.

A methodological framework to create an urban greenway network promoting avian connectivity: A case study of Curitiba City

Integrating landscape models into urban planning can promote the use of green infrastructure tools in cities, which are essential for meeting future sustainability requirements. The city of Curitiba, the capital of Paraná State, Brazil, provides an opportunity to research methodologies related to habitat connectivity in urban areas. Our study aims to propose a network of greenways that connect the most ecologically relevant green areas. Our methodology integrates avian movement and environmental indicators to enhance urban ecology by leveraging the spatial characteristics of the landscape. In designing the path network, we adapted the parameters to fit the minimum cumulative resistance model, which was based on studies of birds in the urban environment and their dispersion behavior. Our findings indicated that impervious surfaces were the predominant land cover class in the city landscape, while larger forest fragments were primarily situated in the south and northwestern regions. By utilizing least-cost paths, we identified twenty-six priority areas that could be connected to form an ecological network spanning the landscape. Our analysis revealed that the path network was more densely distributed in peripheral areas, where the largest habitats were located, primarily within the city's green belt. Regarding land cover classes along the paths, we found that 39% consisted of forest, 25% of impervious surface, 19% of grass, 16% of bare soil, and 1% of water. Despite being highly urbanized, Curitiba possesses significant potential for restoring avian-related functional connectivity through the urban forest. To aid in the recovery and conservation of ecological corridors along the greenways, we developed a set of guidelines. The information gathered from this study may prove useful for future interventions in the city, and the proposed methodology could serve as a model for greenway planning in other urban areas.