Global opioid consumption increased multifold post-2000, disproportionately in high-income countries, with severe mortality/morbidity consequences. Latin America features comparatively low opioid availability; Brazil, the region’s most populous country, makes an interesting case study concerning opioid use/harms. In this comprehensive overview, we aimed to identify and summarize medical and non-medical data and indicators of opioid availability and use, regulation/control, and harm outcomes in Brazil since 2000.

We searched multiple scientific databases to identify relevant publications and conducted additional ‘grey’ literature searches to identify other pertinent information.

Despite some essential indicators, opioid-related data are limited for Brazil. Data indicate that population-level availability of prescription opioids represents only a small fraction of use in comparison to high-income countries. However, within Latin America, Brazil ranks mid-level for opioid consumption, indicating relativelyfor and understanding of opioid use, practice, and harms in Brazil are required.

Overall population-level opioid availability and corresponding levels of opioid-related harms in Brazil remain substantially lower than rates reported for North America. However, the available surveillance and analytical data on opioid use, policy/practice, and harms in Brazil are limited and insufficient. Since existing and acute (e.g., pain-related) needs for improved opioid utilization and practice appear to be substantiated, improved indicators for and understanding of opioid use, practice, and harms in Brazil are required.

Invasive species bring a serious effect on local biodiversity, ecosystems, and even human health and safety. Although the genetic signatures of historical range expansions have been explored in an array of species, the genetic consequences of contemporary range expansions have received little attention, especially in mammal species. In this study, we used whole-genome sequencing to explore the rapid genetic change and introduction history of a newly invasive brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) population which invaded Xinjiang Province, China in the late 1970s.

Bayesian clustering analysis, principal components analysis, and phylogenetic analysis all showed clear genetic differentiation between newly introduced and native rat populations. Reduced genetic diversity and high linkage disequilibrium suggested a severe population bottleneck in this colonization event. Results of TreeMix analyses revealed that the introduced rats were derived from an adjacent population in geographic region (Northwest China). Demograion history and evolutionary processes of this newly introduced rat population. This would add to our understanding of how invasive species become established and aid strategies aimed at the management of this notorious pest that have spread around the world with humans.

Despite close link exists between cough severity and quality of life (QoL), whether gender difference is implied in the effect of cough on QoL has not been studied yet. This study primarily aims to investigate whether the association between cough severity and QoL is modified by gender in patients with postinfectious cough.

Secondary analyses were performed in 180 participants with postinfectious cough in a multisite randomized controlled trial. Baseline demographics, clinical characteristics and score of cough specific quality of life questionnaire (CQLQ) were collected. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine gender difference in CQLQ score and the association between cough severity and CQLQ score.

Difference between women and men was not significant in CQLQ total score in the unadjusted analysis (P = 0.077). Women had a2.20-point higher CQLQ total score than men (95% confidence interval(CI)0.11-4.30; P = 0.039), after adjusting for age, cough duration, cough severity, and clinical center. Gender significantly modified the association between cough severity and CQLQ total score (coefficient 1.80, 95% CI 0.29-3.30; P = 0.020), after adjusting for age, cough duration, and study center. An increase of 1-point in cough severity was associated with a 2.55-point (95% CI1.16-3.95) increase in CQLQ total score in women versus a 1.26-point (95% CI0.20-2.31) increase in men (P = 0.020).

Female sex may be associated with worse QoL than men, and women’s QoL may be more significantly impaired as cough symptom deteriorates. Gender difference should be taken into account in the clinical settings and research of cough and cough related QoL.

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTRTRC12002297. Registered 19 June 2012, http//www.chictr.org.cn/abouten.aspx .

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTRTRC12002297. find more Registered 19 June 2012, http//www.chictr.org.cn/abouten.aspx .

To evaluate the efficacy of early treatment with prednisone to decrease the progression of COVID-19 pneumonia.

This is a pragmatic, non-blinded, randomized, two arms, parallel trial.

Patients between 18 and 90 years, with COVID-19 pneumonia, confirmed by RT PCR. The setting for the trial is the Hospital Santiago Oriente which is a secondary level hospital with an emergency room, intensive care, and all basic specialties of medicine.

18 years or more COVID-19 confirmed by RT-PCR Oxygen requirements up to 35% by venturi mask or 5 liters per minute by nasal cannula (approximately FiO2 40%) Consent form signed Exclusion Criteria Previous steroid use for more than 48 hours. Pregnancy Chronic respiratory failure Requirements of mechanical ventilation (invasive or no invasive) Chronic liver damage Child Pugh B or C Chronic kidney disease stage IV or V. Immunosuppressed Participation in another trial.

Experimental arm Prednisone 40 mg days 1 to 4. Then Prednisone 20 mg days 5 to 8. Usual care defined by theg dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol.Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant Grade IV primary craniocerebral tumor caused by glial cell carcinogenesis with an extremely poor median survival of 12-18 months. The current standard treatments for GBM, including surgical resection followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, fail to substantially prolong survival outcomes. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapy has recently attracted considerable interest because of its relatively low cytotoxicity, poor immunogenicity, broad tissue tropism, and long-term stable transgene expression. Furthermore, a range of gene therapy trials using AAV as vehicles are being investigated to thwart deadly GBM in mice models. At present, AAV is delivered to the brain by local injection, intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection, or systematic injection to treat experimental GBM mice model. In this review, we summarized the experimental trials of AAV-based gene therapy as GBM treatment and compared the advantages and disadvantages of different AAV injection approaches.