The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701).

Portal hypertension is characterised by the development of a collateral portocaval circulation. Among these venous reroutings, some are situated posteriorly in the left subphrenic compartment. These are the spontaneous splenorenal and gastrorenal anastomoses. Their incidence is estimated at around 16%. On the one hand, there are the direct shunts, which anastomose the spelling v. to the left renal v., of an anecdotal nature, and on the other the spontaneous indirect splenorenal shunts, characterised by the presence of a complete neurovascular pedicle traversing the gastrophrenic ligament. This relates to the gastric collateral v., which is connected to the left renal v. via the inferior v. of the left crus of the diaphragm and the middle capsular v., hence the name "gastro-phreno-capsulo-renal shunt". At an advanced stage of portal hypertension these splenorenal shunts may acquire a major caliber and behave like actual surgical shunts.

The morphological characterisation and data analysis of germplasm accessions of wild Portuguese Lavandula luisieri (Rozeira) Rivas-Martínez from the southern Beira Interior region of central eastern Portugal are described. The study, based on seeds and cultivated plants, was conducted in 2005, 2006 and 2008 among populations selected from four sites (I, II, III and IV). Quantitative and qualitative phenotypic data relating to a set of 35 morphological traits were analysed using canonical discriminant analysis. Genetic similarity among accessions was assessed using amplified fragment length polymorphism molecular markers. The traits contributing most to the variability among studied populations were related to plant density, leaf colour, seed weight and various spike and flower characteristics. Plant populations from each of the four test sites were statistically distinct, exhibiting unique characteristics when compared with one another; however, populations from Sites II, III and IV showed greater genetic similarity and differed substantially from the population of Site I. Altitude and temperature were found to be the most significant environmental variables influencing plant traits, yet the morphological variability of L. luisieri was also influenced by soil pH levels, suggesting that the expressed variability is not only a result of genetic characteristics but also of existing ecological conditions.

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ABSTRACT: The induction of labor aims to concentrate births to follow up better the parturient and the first care to the neonates. However, even if the labor induction technique with dexamethasone administration has been successfully described since the late 1970s, few studies report the technique of birth development and neonatal vitality in Santa Inês sheep. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of dexamethasone use in two doses (8 and 16mg) in labor induction of Santa Inês ewes at 145 days of gestation and to evaluate its effects on the birth characteristics. In this study, 58 ewes were used, raised in an extensive system in the experimental farms of UFBA, with confirmation pregnancy after fixed-time artificial insemination or controlled breeding. These female ewes were separated into three groups according to the dose of dexamethasone administered (G1 = 0mg, G2 = 8mg, and G3 = 16mg). From these births, 79 lambs were born. This study analyzed the period from induction of labor to birth, fetal presentation at birth, the weight of the placenta, and the period for placenta expulsion. The data were analyzed by the Statistical Analysis System (SAS v.9.1.3®, 2002), and the significance level considered for all analyzes was 5%. Births of induced groups occurred on average at 48.4±22.17 hours after induction, while the females with non-induced labor gave birth 131.96±41.9 hours on average after the placebo application (P<0.05), confirming the efficiency of both doses for induction of labor. The period from induction to birth did not differ (P>0.05) between the doses used. There were no differences in delivery about the fetal static relation, time to placental attachment, and weight. With this study, it can be concluded that the induction at 145 days of gestation with eight or 16mg of dexamethasone is a useful technique and does not alter the labor in Santa Inês sheep.