SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to investigate whether there has been a reduction in patient admission to a high-complexity cancer care center in Brasil during the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to what was reported in Europe. METHODS: We reviewed the cancer tracking database of the largest cancer center in southern Brasil and performed statistical tests to compare first-time appointments from the onset of the outbreak until the end of June to those of the equivalent period in 2019. RESULTS: We observed a dramatic reduction (-42%) in first-time appointments during the pandemic compared to the same period in the previous year (P <0.001). This reduction was observed among all medical specialties (P <0.001). CONCLUSION: The onset of COVID-19 was correlated with a reduction in admission to a high-complexity cancer care center in Brasil. Since a delay in diagnosis and treatment may influence prognosis, it is important that cancer centers and public health strategies reinforce care for non-COVID-19 patients to prevent potentially unnecessary deaths.

Seis ovinos Texel × Corriedale (43,6±4,4kg de peso corporal (PC)), alimentados ad libitum com silagem de bagaço de sorgo sacarino (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ssp. saccharatum), foram usados em um experimento em duplo Quadrado Latino 3×3 para avaliar o efeito nutricional da suplementação com níveis de farelo de girassol (0, 7 ou 14g kg-1 de PC). Uma solução (8%, p/v) de ureia e sulfato de amônio (9:1, respectivamente) foi misturada à silagem no momento do fornecimento aos animais, em todos os tratamentos, numa proporção de 50ml de solução kg-1 de silagem. O consumo total de matéria seca (MS), matéria orgânica (MO), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e de carboidratos não fibrosos (CNF), assim como o consumo de MS da silagem e de MO digestível, foram positivamente afetados (P<0,05) pelo aumento da suplementação com farelo de girassol. A digestibilidade da FDN não foi afetada pelos tratamentos, enquanto que a digestibilidade aparente da MS e da MO foi linearmente (P<0,05) incrementada pela suplementação. A eficiência de síntese proteica microbiana ruminal não foi influenciada pelos tratamentos, enquanto que o consumo, a digestibilidade, a excreção urinária e a retenção de N, assim como a síntese de proteína microbiana ruminal, foram linearmente e positivamente afetados pela suplementação (P<0,05). Em conclusão, a suplementação com farelo de girassol impacta positivamente a utilização da silagem de bagaço de sorgo sacarino e a oferta de nutrientes para ovinos.

Six Texel × Polwarth (43.6±4.4kg of body weight (BW)) wethers fed ad libitum sorghum bagasse silage (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ssp. saccharatum) were used in a replicated 3×3 Latin Square experiment to evaluate the nutritional effect of supplementing levels of sunflower meal (0, 7 or 14g kg-1 de BW). In all treatments the urea plus ammonium sulphate (9:1, respectively) solution (8%, p/v) was mixed to silage at feeding at a rate of 50ml k-1g of silage. Total dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and non-fibre carbohydrates (NFC) intake, as well as DM intake from silage and digestible OM intake were positively affected (P<0.05) by increased levels of sunflower meal supplementation. The NDF digestibility was not affected by treatments whereas the apparent DM and OM digestibility were linearly increased (P<0.05) due supplementation. The efficiency of ruminal microbial protein synthesis was not affected by treatments whereas N intake, digestibility, urinary excretion and retention as well as rumen microbial protein synthesis increased linearly (P<0.05) at increased levels of supplementation. In conclusion, sunflower meal supplementation positively impacts sorghum silage utilization and nutrients supply to wethers.