Because of its infrequent and protean presentation and the lack of clinical data, the management of acute infections with the foodborne trematode Fasciola hepatica is challenging. We report four serologically confirmed cases that illustrate our experience with this parasitic infection in Chile. All patients were adults presenting with upper abdominal pain. Other symptoms included fever, nausea/vomiting, and cutaneous manifestations. In all cases, marked eosinophilia was present. All patients lived in an urban environment, and three reported the consumption of raw watercress. Computed tomography (CT) scans showed hypodense hepatic lesions, whereas ultrasonography findings were unremarkable. One patient suffered portal vein thrombosis, which might be a rare complication of acute fascioliasis. All patients were successfully treated with triclabendazole. Our case series demonstrates that patients with acute fascioliasis typically present with a combination of upper abdominal pain, marked eosinophilia, and hypodense hepatic lesions on CT imaging. Diagnosis should be confirmed by serological investigation. A history of recent consumption of raw watercress is an important finding, but in some patients the source of infection remains obscure.

We examined the abundances of two species of benthic foraminifera that host algal endosymbionts (SBF) in two sedimentary reefal areas (Pirangi and Maracajaú) of Rio Grande do Norte (RN, Brazil). The original dataset is based on 95 samples collected in winter in 2013 and 2014 by divers or grab samplers, and is compared to other known Brazilian reefs. The tests of Amphistegina gibbosa were conspicuous in sediments associated with coral and coral-rubble substrata, whereas tests of Amphisorus hemprichii were best represented in sediments associated with seagrass. Our studies also have revealed that populations of these species are depauperate near tourism sites in Pirangi, as the area is affected by trampling from tourist activities. In the Maracajaú area, these populations are healthier, except at sites severely affected by tourism. Differences in microhabitats of the two taxa are likely to be associated with the degree of anthropogenic influence on the inner shelf at Pirangi compared to the offshore Maracajaú area.

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Purpose: To evaluate the concordance between the value of the actual maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) and the estimated value by multiplying the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV 1 ) and a different value established in the literature.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted with healthy subjects and patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Five prediction formulas MVV were used for the comparison with the MVV values. Agreement between MVV measured and MVV obtained from five prediction equations were studied. FEV 1 values were used to estimate MVV. Correlation and agreement analysis of the values was performed in two groups using the Pearson test and the Bland-Altman method; these groups were one group with 207 healthy subjects and the second group with 83 patients diagnosed with COPD, respectively.Results: We recruited 207 healthy subjects (105 women, age 47 ± 17 years) and 83 COPD patients (age 66 ± 6 years; 29 GOLD II, 30 GOLD III, and 24 GOLD IV) for the study. All prediction equations presented a significant correlation with the MVV value (from 0.38 to 0.86, p < 0.05) except for the GOLD II subgroup, which had a poor agreement with measured MVV. In healthy subjects, the mean difference of the value of bias (and limits of agreement) varied between -3.9% (-32.8 to 24.9%), and 27% (-1.4 to 55.3%). In COPD patients, the mean difference of value of bias (and limits of agreement) varied between -4.4% (-49.4 to 40.6%), and 26.3% (-18.3 to 70.9%). The results were similar in the subgroup analysis.