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The occurrence, diversity and similarity of marine fungi detected by the sum of direct and indirect observations in Fagus sylvatica and Pinus pinaster baits submerged at two Portuguese marinas are analyzed and discussed. In comparison with the data already published in 2010, the higher number of specimens considered in this study led to the higher number of very frequent taxa for these environments and substrata; the significant difference in substrata and also in fungal diversity detected at the two environments is also highlighted, in addition to the decrease in fungal similarity. Because the identification of Lulworthia spp., Fusarium sp., Graphium sp., Phoma sp. and Stachybotrys sp. down to species level was not possible, based only on the morphological characterization, a molecular approach based on the amplification of the LSU rDNA region was performed with isolates of these fungi. This was achieved for three isolates, identified as Fusarium solani, Graphium eumorphum and Stachybotrys chartarum. To achieve this with the other isolates which are more complex taxa, the sequencing of more regions will be considered.

Background: Socioeconomic conditions are strongly associated with breast and cervical cancer incidence and mortality patterns; therefore, social protection programmes (SPPs) might impact these cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SPPs on breast and cervical cancer outcomes and their risk/protective factors. Methods: Five databases were searched for articles that assessed participation in PPS and the incidence, survival, mortality (primary outcomes), screening, staging at diagnosis and risk/protective factors (secondary outcomes) for these cancers. Only peer-reviewed quantitative studies of women receiving SPPs compared to eligible women not receiving benefits were included. Independent reviewers selected articles, assessed eligibility, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. A harvest plot represents the included studies and shows the direction of effect, sample size and risk of bias. Findings: Of 17,080 documents retrieved, 43 studies were included in the review. No studies evaluated the primary outcomes. They all examined the relationship between SPPs and screening, as well as risk and protective factors. The harvest plot showed that in lower risk of bias studies, participants of SPPs had lower weight and fertility, were older at sexual debut, and breastfed their infants for longer. Interpretation: No studies have yet assessed the effect of SPPs on breast and cervical cancer incidence, survival, or mortality; nevertheless, the existing evidence suggests positive impacts on risk and protective factors.

Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi desenvolver metodologia para estimar a incidência de câncer no Brasil e regiões. A partir de dados dos registros de câncer de base populacional (RCBP) e do Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade (SIM) foram calculadas razões de incidência e mortalidade (I/M) anuais, tipo de câncer, faixa etária e sexo em cada RCBP. Para estimar as razões I/M por região em 2018, foram aplicados modelos multiníveis longitudinais de Poisson. A estimativa de casos novos de câncer, em 2018, foi calculada aplicando-se as razões I/M estimadas ao número de óbitos corrigidos do SIM ocorridos naquele ano. Norte e Nordeste concentraram as menores razões I/M. Os cânceres de pâncreas, pulmão, fígado e esôfago tiveram as menores razões I/M, enquanto as maiores razões I/M foram estimadas para câncer de tireoide, testículo, próstata e mama feminina. Para 2018, foram estimados 506.462 casos novos de câncer no Brasil. Mama feminina e próstata foram os dois principais tipos de câncer em todas as regiões. No Norte e no Nordeste, destacaram-se os cânceres do colo do útero e de estômago. Diferenças nas razões I/M entre as regiões foram observadas e podem estar relacionadas ao desenvolvimento socioeconômico e ao acesso a serviços de saúde.

Abstract Background The estimated prevalence of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is 10–12% and in this study 12.4%. Different knee and hip injuries have been identified as risk factors for PTOA, but there is no consensus regarding the most painful and disabling injuries. Identifying these injuries might help in the prevention of PTOA. Additionally, patients with PTOA have a higher risk for complications after arthroplasty than patients with primary OA, perhaps due to differences in the profile and comorbidity that might help to explain the difference. This work aims 1) to identify the most common past injuries associated with the most painful and disabling PTOA cases in non-athlete patients and 2) to compare the comorbidities and characteristics between PTOA and primary OA. Methods Retrospective hospital-based cohort study with 1290 participants with joint complaints or who received arthroplasty. Medical records included demographic information, diagnosis, medication, smoking, alcohol history and comorbidities. Data from January 2012 orthopaedic consults till December 2019 was reviewed and had the type and date of injury, pain score by the numerical rating scale and walking disability. Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals are presented. Results There were 641 cases with primary OA (65% females) and 104 with PTOA (61% males). Patients with PTOA were 7.5 years younger (P

Sea cucumbers, integral components of benthic ecosystems, have become subjects of scientific scrutiny owing to their intricate morphology and ecological importance. Due to increasing demand, several species of these echinoderms have become overexploited. As a consequence, NE-Atlantic species became new targets for the international markets. There is a vital need for comprehensive biological data to establish and enhance holothurian fisheries management. In the absence of such data, there is a risk of ineffective fisheries regulations, particularly for susceptible commercial species in the NE-Atlantic, which could lead to overexploitation. Establishing effective fisheries regulations requires a foundation of fundamental biological information, such as growth rates from target populations. This work aims to determine the growth parameters for three commercial sea cucumber species from the NE-Atlantic, in a marine protected area, Holothuria mammata, H. forskali and H. arguinensis. This presents a challenge, as sea cucumbers lack significant calcified structures for age determination, and assessing size is complicated because of their body size plasticity. Thus, a von Bertalanffy model was fitted to length-frequency data using the ELEFAN method with the simulated annealing procedure. Underwater length measurements of the three sea cucumber species, in a relaxed state, were systematically recorded over a span of 18 months, with measurements taken every 1.5 months. The results provide the growth parameters of each species. Models considering seasonal growth were better fits to the data. The three species had different growth rates and periods of no growth coincided with the reproductive season. Mortality was lower for the species growing slower. This is crucial information to support decision-making processes regarding stock management, such as setting limits to fisheries considering stock condition associated with environmental variability.

Since human papillomavirus (HPV) is recognized as the causative agent of cervical cancer and associated with anogenital non-cervical and oropharyngeal cancers, the characterization of the HPV types circulating in different geographic regions is an important tool in screening and prevention. In this context, this study compared four methodologies for HPV detection and genotyping: real-time PCR (Cobas® HPV test), nested PCR followed by conventional Sanger sequencing, reverse hybridization (High + Low PapillomaStrip® kit) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) at an Illumina HiSeq2500 platform. Cervical samples from patients followed at the Family Health Strategy from Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were collected and subjected to the real-time PCR. Of those, 114 were included in this study according to the results obtained with the real-time PCR, considered herein as the gold standard method. For the 110 samples tested by at least one methodology in addition to real-time PCR, NGS showed the lowest concordance rates of HPV and high-risk HPV identification compared to the other three methods (67–75 %). Real-time PCR and Sanger sequencing showed the highest rates of concordance (97–100 %). All methods differed in their sensitivity and specificity. HPV genotyping contributes to individual risk stratification, therapeutic decisions, epidemiological studies and vaccine development, supporting approaches in prevention, healthcare and management of HPV infection.

Editorial v. 15

Resumo Introdução O câncer de mama é a primeira causa de óbito por câncer entre as mulheres no mundo. O rastreamento com mamografia pode detectar lesões iniciais, que se tratadas a evolução será favorável para a maioria dos casos. Objetivo Analisar o seguimento de dois anos das mulheres rastreadas para câncer de mama no estado do Rio de Janeiro, que apresentavam lesões provavelmente benignas (BI-RADS® 3) em 2011. Método Estudo de coorte retrospectiva com dados dos Sistemas de Informação (SIS) do Câncer de Mama (SISMAMA) e de Mortalidade (SIM), utilizando relacionamento probabilístico entre as bases de dados para recuperação do seguimento. A investigação dos fatores associados à repetição do exame de controle baseou-se no modelo de riscos proporcionais de Cox. Resultados Foram identificadas 1.261 mulheres com resultado BI-RADS® 3, dentre as quais foram encontrados o seguimento de 498 mulheres nos SIS. A maioria apresentou resultado normal ou benigno no controle (51,1%). O tempo mediano da repetição do exame foi de 12 meses; com menor tempo para mulheres ≤ 70 anos, residiam fora da capital e apresentavam risco para câncer de mama. Conclusão O tempo de repetição da mamografia encontrado foi superior ao recomendado, indicando necessidade de aprimoramento do rastreamento do câncer de mama.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES To compare the coverage of cervical cancer screening in Brazil in 2013 and 2019, investigating the factors associated with having the test performed and the reasons given for not doing it. Additionally, a comparison is made concerning the time taken to receive the test result in SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde) and in the private health services. METHODS Using data from the National Health Survey (Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde - PNS), prevalence rates and corresponding confidence intervals were calculated to determine the frequency of recent cervical cancer screenings among women aged between 25 and 64 years old in Brazil, for both 2013 and 2019. Poisson regression models were employed to compare the prevalence of the outcome according to sociodemographic characteristics. The reasons for not having the test and the time between performing and receiving the result were also analyzed. RESULTS The findings revealed an increase in the coverage of preventive cervical cancer exams in Brazil from 78.7% in 2013 to 81.3% in 2019. Additionally, there was a decline in the proportion of women who had never undergone the exam, from 9.7% to 6.1%. Prevalence of test uptake was higher among white women, those with higher levels of education and income, and those residing in the South and Southeast regions of the country. The most commonly cited reasons for not taking the test were the impression it was unnecessary (45% in both 2013 and 2019) and never having been asked to undergo the test (20.6% in 2013 and 14.8% in 2019). CONCLUSIONS Despite the high coverage of screening achieved in the country, there is great inequality in access to the test, and a non-negligible number of women are at greater risk of dying from a preventable disease. Efforts must be made to structure an organized screening program that identifies and captures the most vulnerable women.

RESUMO Objetivo Medir a prevalência de sintomatologia ansiosa entre estudantes de graduação de uma universidade pública no Sul do Brasil, seus fatores associados e possíveis consequências. Métodos Trata-se de um estudo transversal com uma amostra aleatória de graduandos, realizado em 2019. Foi utilizado um questionário com questões sociodemográficas, acadêmicas e de saúde mental e física. Sintomas de ansiedade generalizada foram avaliados por meio do Generalized Anxiety Disorder – 7 (GAD-7). Fatores associados e possíveis consequências foram analisados por meio da regressão de Poisson com ajuste robusto da variância. Resultados Entre os 994 participantes, a prevalência de sintomas de ansiedade generalizada severa foi de 30,9% (IC 95%: 27,9%-33,9%). As variáveis independentemente associadas a sintomas de ansiedade generalizada foram: sexo feminino, orientação não heterossexual, sentir muito/muitíssimo medo de violência no bairro e perceber como difícil o acesso a serviço psicológico. Possuir alto nível de suporte social e apresentar algum nível de atividade física foi considerado fator de proteção para o desfecho. Possíveis consequências dos sintomas de ansiedade generalizada foram: pior qualidade de sono, utilizar algum medicamento sem prescrição nos últimos 30 dias e ser classificado como risco de suicídio moderado/severo. Conclusões Esses resultados demonstram a necessidade de um olhar mais atento para alguns subgrupos populacionais. Recomenda-se a implementação de intervenções psicológicas que incluam um número maior de indivíduos simultaneamente (como a criação de grupos terapêuticos), com o intuito de reduzir a carga de ansiedade no contexto universitário. O fortalecimento do setor de assistência estudantil da universidade também se torna uma importante possibilidade de melhora para esse cenário.

Carta de Gulnar Azevedo e Silva Mendonça do Serviço de Epidemiologia/Pró-Onco, do Instituto Nacional de Câncer sobre o aumento do número de casos de melanoma e a preocupação crescente dos Dermatologistas e Oncologistas brasileiros sobre o fato.

Trabalho elaborado como parte de um documento global sobre Saúde e Meio Ambiente da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz.

Trabalho realizado no Serviço de Epidemiologia da Coordenadoria de Programas de Controle de Câncer do Instituto Nacional de Câncer - Ministério da Saúde. Apresenta um panorama do quadro epidemiológico do câncer no Brasil e os riscos em torno do aumento crescente de casos e óbitos.

Dossier presentation "The worlds of labour on maritime routes of freedom".

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the trends of cervical cancer mortality in Brazilian Southeastern states, and to compare them to Brazil and other regions between 1980 and 2020. METHODS Time series study based on data from the Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade (Brazilian Mortality Information System). Death data were corrected by proportional redistribution of deaths from ill-defined causes and cervical cancer of unspecified portion. Age-standardized and age-specific rates were calculated by screening target (25–39 years; 40–64 years) and non-target (65 years or older) age groups. Annual percentage changes (APC) were estimated by linear regression model with breakpoints. The coverage of Pap Smear exam in the Unified Health System (SUS) was evaluated between 2009 and 2020 according to age group and locality. RESULTS There were increases in corrected mortality rates both in 1980 and in 2020 in all regions, with most evident increments at the beginning of the series. There was a decrease in mortality nationwide between 1980–2020; however, the state of São Paulo showed a discrete upward trend in 2014–2020 (APC=1.237; 95%CI 0.046–2.443). Noteworthy is the trend increment in the 25–39 year-old group in all study localities, being sharper in the Southeast region in 2013–2020 (APC=5.072; 95%CI 3.971–6.185). Screening coverage rates were highest in São Paulo and lowest in Rio de Janeiro, with a consistent decline from 2012 onwards at all ages. CONCLUSIONS São Paulo is the first Brazilian state to show a reversal trend in mortality from cervical cancer. The changes in mortality patterns identified in this study point to the need for reorganization of the current screening program, which should be improved to ensure high coverage, quality, and adequate follow-up of all women with altered test results.

Abstract Objective: to analyze treatment delay and the flow of care for women with breast cancer in Brazil in 2019 and 2020. Method: this was a follow-up study of breast cancer cases available from the Oncology Panel; a chi-square test and multilevel logistic regression were performed in order to analyze the explanatory variables associated with delay (greater than 60 days) in starting treatment. Results: 22,956 cases (54.5%) with delay in treatment were identified in 2019 and 17,722 (48.7%) in 2020; the Southeast region (54.6%) had the greatest proportion of delay; delay was greater when treatment was provided outside the municipality of residence and lower in 2020 compared to 2019; most outward flows were to the capital cities in the same Federative Units of residence. Conclusion: strategies to reduce cancer treatment delay and optimize health care networks in the Federative Units should be prioritized.

Bone lesions have the capacity for regeneration under normal conditions of the bone metabolism process. However, due to the increasing incidence of major traumas and diseases that cause bone-mineral deficiency, such as osteoporosis, scaffolds are needed that can assist in the bone regeneration process. Currently, natural polymeric scaffolds and bioactive nanoparticles stand out. Therefore, the objective of the study was to evaluate the osteoregenerative potential in tibiae of healthy and ovariectomized rats using mineralized collagen and nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) scaffolds associated with elastin. The in-vivo experimental study was performed with 60 20-week-old Wistar rats, distributed into non-ovariectomized (NO) and ovariectomized (O) groups, as follows: Controls (G1-NO-C and G4-O-C); Collagen with nHA scaffold (G2-NO-MSH and G5-O-MSH); and Collagen with nHA and elastin scaffold (G3-NO-MSHC and G6-O-MSHC). The animals were euthanized 6 weeks after surgery and the samples were analyzed by macroscopy, radiology, and histomorphometry. ANOVA and Tukey tests were performed with a 95% CI and a significance index of p < 0.05. In the histological analyses, it was possible to observe new bone formed with an organized and compact morphology that was rich in osteocytes and with maturity characteristics. This is compatible with osteoconductivity in both matrices (MSH and MSHC) in rats with normal conditions of bone metabolism and with gonadal deficiency. Furthermore, they demonstrated superior osteogenic potential when compared to control groups. There was no significant difference in the rate of new bone formation between the scaffolds. Ovariectomy did not exacerbate the immune response but negatively influenced the bone-defect repair process.

Objectives To determine the role of central obesity (CO) in the onset and severity of joint pain and in predicting cardiovascular disease (CVD) in subjects affected with osteoarthritis (OA).Design Retrospective analysis on the onset of OA joint pain and CO. Waist circumference (WC), Waist-to-height ratio andwaist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were measured at the interview and defined according to the WHO criteria. Cross-sectional analyses on the association of comorbidities, including CVD, pain severity (number of joints and pain score) and CO.Settings and participants Medical records and interviews of a hospital cohort study of 609 patients with OA. Analyses included analysis of variance, mean differences (MDs), SE and logistic regression. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) compared the predictive value of the sex-specific CVD models.Outcome measures Onset of OA joint pain (years) and severity according to body mass index (BMI) and WC categories. Predictive value of WC for CVD by sex. Education level, disability, smoking and alcohol use were used to adjust the analysis.Results Subjects with OA and CO by WHR started 2 years earlier with pain symptoms and had more joints affected than those without CO (MD=1.96 years, SE=0.95, p=0.04 and MD=0.32, SE=0.15 and p=0.04, respectively). Age and hypertension were associated with CVD in both genders, and NSAIDs use only in males. In addition, respiratory disease, hypercholesterolaemia, stairs difficulty, a wider WC and obesity were significant risk factors in females, improving 12.7% in the prediction of CVD cases, compared with only age and BMI (AUROCC=0.793 and 0.666, respectively, p=0.03 for the difference between AUROCs).Conclusion CO is associated with the onset of joint pain, and all pain analysed variables. CO has a role in CVD in women affected with OA and might help predict CVD cases.

Introdução: O câncer de mama no Brasil apresenta elevadas taxas de incidência e mortalidade apesar da tendência de redução da mortalidade em algumas Regiões. Objetivo: Descrever a tendência da cobertura de mamografias de rastreamento nas Macrorregiões e Estados brasileiros e identificar a influência de Políticas Nacionais voltadas ao controle do câncer de mama entre 2010-2019. Método: Foi calculada a razão entre mamografias de rastreamento na faixa etária de 50-69 anos por local de residência e subtraída a população das residentes com plano de saúde na faixa etária e no período referidos. A tendência foi avaliada pelo modelo de regressão Joinpoint. Resultados: A cobertura aumentou no Brasil de 2010-2014 e apresentou queda de 2014-2019, com aumento na proporção de exames realizados na população-alvo. Esse padrão foi observado nas demais Regiões, exceto na Centro-Oeste, porém com ano de mudança da tendência diferente. Foram identificados dois pontos de mudança no país: de 2010-2014, com tendência crescente (APC 8,7, IC 95% 6,2; 11,3), e de 2014-2019, com tendência decrescente (APC -4,2, IC 95% -5,7; -2,7), ambos significantes. A Região Nordeste foi a única com três pontos de mudança de tendência: 2010-2012 (APC 30,3, IC 95% 22,9; 38,2), 2012-2017 (APC 4,7, IC 95% 3,0; 6,4) e 2017-2019 (APC -14,9, IC 95% -19,7; - 9,8). Não foi identificada tendência para a Região Centro-Oeste. Conclusão: Houve crescimento na proporção de mamografias de rastreamento realizadas na população-alvo no período, para Brasil e Regiões, e tendência de redução na cobertura da mamografia a partir de 2014. Esses resultados indicam priorização da população-alvo do programa nas ações de rastreamento.

The ever-growing demand for sea cucumbers is a threat to these echinoderms and their habitats; however, a way to relieve stock pressure lies in meeting demand through aquaculture. As such, this study aimed to improve the growth and survival percentage of Holothuria arguinensis during larval development, settlement and juvenile growth. Three diets of microalgae (Diet RbPt = Rhodomonas baltica + Phaeodactylum tricornutum; Diet RbSm = Rhodomonas baltica + Skeletonema marinoi; Diet RbCc = Rhodomonas baltica + Chaetoceros calcitrans) were administered daily to the larval phase. Additionally, three substrates were supplied (pvc rolls, wavy pvc plaques and tile) at three different depths in order to determine the most favourable for settlement. Lastly, the potential benefits on growth and survival from introducing macroalgae (Sacchoriza polyschides) in the juvenile diet were assessed over a period of 6 months. Despite larvae under diet RbPt having presented a larger mean width, H. arguinensis fed with Diet RbCc presented a higher settlement survival at the end of the trial. No preferences were noted among the tested substrates, regardless of diet. Lastly, juveniles with added S. polyschides in their diet showed increased growth in mean weight and length when compared to individuals that were not fed with this seaweed.

The sea cucumber Holothuria arguinensis (Koehler and Vaney, 1906) presents an increasing commercial value in Asian markets and its exportation depends exclusively on wild stock harvesting. Production through aquaculture has been acknowledged as an alternative to supply demand and reduce pressure on natural stocks, but there are still bottlenecks to overcome, such as low growth rate and survival. This study focuses on the evaluation of the growth of juveniles of H. arguinensis through substrate enrichment—direct mixing of Sargassum vulgare with sediment—in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), for 4 months, with a baseline diet of Saccorhiza polyschides. Compared to the control (no enrichment), sea cucumbers fed with enriched sediment showed the highest specific growth rate (SGR), the highest growth rate (GR) and the lowest size heterogeneity. The results obtained in this study showed a favorable growth of sea cucumbers when in the presence of a substrate enriched with Sargassum vulgare, representing an important step towards the viability of large-scale sea cucumber rearing in Europe.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on mortality from cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) as underlying cause and comorbidity in Brazil and Brazilian regions in 2020. METHODS We used the 2019 and 2020 databases of the Mortality Information System (SIM) to analyze deaths occurring between March and December of each year that had cancer or CVD as the underlying cause or comorbidity. Deaths from covid-19 in 2020 were also analyzed. To estimate the Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) and the excess of deaths, 2019 data were considered as standard. RESULTS Between March and December 2020, there were 181,377 deaths from cancer and 291,375 deaths from cardiovascular diseases in Brazil, indicating reduction rates of 9.7% and 8.8%, respectively, compared to the same period of the previous year. The pattern was maintained in the five Brazilian regions, with lower variation for cancer (-8.4% in the South to -10.9% in the Midwest). For CVD, the variation was greater, from -2.2% in the North to -10.5 in the Southeast and South. In the same period of 2020, these diseases were classified as comorbidities in 18,133 deaths from cancer and 188,204 deaths from cardiovascular diseases, indicating a proportional excess compared to data from 2019, of 82.1% and 77.9%, respectively. This excess was most significant in the Northern Region, with a ratio of 2.5 between observed and expected deaths for the two conditions studied. CONCLUSIONS Excess deaths from cancer and CVD as comorbidities in 2020 may indicate that covid-19 had an important impact among patients with these conditions.

Abstract Background Brazil is a populous high/middle-income country, characterized by deep economic and social inequalities. Like most other Latin American nations, Brazil constructed a health system that included, on the one hand, public health programs and, on the other, social insurance healthcare for those working in the formal sector. This study analyzes the political struggles surrounding the implementation of a universal health system from the mid-1980s to the present, and their effects on selected health indicators, focusing on the relevant international and national contexts, political agendas, government orientations and actors. Main text In the 1980s, against the backdrop of economic crisis and democratization, Brazil’s health reform movement proposed a Unified Health System (SUS), which was incorporated into the 1988 Constitution. The combination of a democratic system with opportunities for interaction between various developmental and social agendas and actors has played a key role in shaping health policy since then. However, the expansion of public services has been hampered by insufficient public funding and by the strengthening of the private sector, subsidized by the state. Private enterprises have expanded their markets and political influence, in a process that has accelerated in recent years. Despite these obstacles, SUS has produced significant health-status improvements and some (although incomplete) reductions in Brazil’s vast health inequalities. Conclusions We find that a combination of long-term structural and contingent factors, international agendas and interests, as well as domestic political struggles, explains the advances and obstacles to building a universal system in an economically important yet unequal peripheral country. Further consolidation of SUS and reduction of health inequalities hinge on the uncertain prospects for democracy and national development, on enlarging the political coalition to support a public and universal health system, and on strengthening the state’s ability to regulate the private sector.

BackgroundTo investigate the excess of deaths by specific causes, in the first half of 2020 in the city of São Paulo-Brazil, during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsEcological study conducted from 01/01 to 06/30 of 2019 and 2020. Population and mortality data were obtained from DATASUS. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) by age was calculated by comparing the standardized mortality rate in 2020 to that of 2019, for overall and specific mortality. The ratio between the standardized mortality rate due to COVID-19 in men as compared to women was calculated for 2020. Crude mortality rates were standardized using the direct method.ResultsCOVID-19 was responsible for 94.4% of the excess deaths in São Paulo. In 2020 there was an increase in overall mortality observed among both men (SMR 1.3, 95% CI 1.17-1.42) and women (SMR 1.2, 95% CI 1.06-1.36) as well as a towards reduced mortality for all cancers. Mortality due to COVID-19 was twice as high for men as for women (SMR 2.1, 95% CI 1.67-2.59). There was an excess of deaths observed in men above 45 years of age, and in women from the age group of 60 to 79 years.ConclusionThere was an increase in overall mortality during the first six months of 2020 in São Paulo, which seems to be related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chronic health conditions, such as cancer and other non-communicable diseases, should not be disregarded.

Holothuria mammata is one of the most valuable species of sea cucumber, as well as one of the main target species harvested in the Mediterranean and NE-Atlantic regions. This study aims to describe the reproductive cycle of H. mammata in a coastal area of southwest Portugal. Monthly samplings were carried out for 19 months, with the concomitant collection of environmental data and biometric data. H. mammata had a sex ratio of 1:1.2 (male:female) and a size at first maturity of 142 mm for males and 167 mm for females. The gonadosomatic index (GI) peaked between April and May for both sexes. Gonad development started when days had a shorter photoperiod (9 to 13 h of sunlight) and lower seawater temperature (15 °C) and chlorophyll-a concentrations. The development of new studies to increase the biological and ecological knowledge of the populations of H. mammata is essential to create conditions for the domestication of broodstock in captivity, to allow the development of fishing regulations based on informed decisions and to create precise measures for the conservation of ecosystems.