Body fat assessment by bioelectrical impedance and its correlation with different anatomical sites used in the measurement of waist circumference in children

OBJECTIVE: To compare the different anatomical sites used in the measurement of waist circumference, as well as the effectiveness of these landmarks to predict the percentage of body fat by tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance analysis. METHODS: We evaluated 205 children from 6 to 9 years of age of both sexes. Data on weight, height and waist circumference were collected at three different sites: at the lower abdominal curvature, above the navel and at the midpoint between the last rib and the iliac crest. Nutritional status was assessed through the body mass index (BMI)/age as recommended by the World Health Organization. RESULTS: The sample was considered homogeneous in terms of sex, and the mean age was 7.2±1.2 years. Regarding nutritional status, 6.3% of the children had low weight, 75.1% were eutrophic, 7.3% were overweight, and 11.2% were obese. Among males, there was no statistical difference between the different sites of measurement; in females, the measurement above the navel was statistically higher. In the correlation analysis, the midpoint measurement showed the best correlation with percentage of body fat, with values of 0.50 in boys and 0.62 in girls. CONCLUSION: Waist circumference measured at the midpoint between the last rib and the iliac crest presented the best correlation with percentage of body fat.OBJETIVO: Comparar os diferentes pontos anatômicos de medida da circunferência da cintura, bem como a eficácia desses locais em predizer o percentual de gordura corporal mensurado pela bioimpedância elétrica tetrapolar. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliadas 205 crianças de 6 a 9 anos de idade de ambos os sexos. Foram coletados dados de peso, estatura e circunferência da cintura em três locais diferentes: na menor curvatura abdominal, sobre a cicatriz umbilical e no ponto médio entre a última costela e crista ilíaca. A avaliação do estado nutricional foi realizada a partir do índice de massa corporal/idade recomendado pela Organização Mundial de Saúde. RESULTADOS: No presente estudo houve homogeneidade entre os sexos, e a idade média foi de 7,2±1,2 anos. Em relação ao estado nutricional, 6,3% das crianças apresentaram baixo peso, 75,1% eram eutróficas, 7,3% apresentaram sobrepeso e 11,2% obesidade. No sexo masculino não houve diferença estatística entre os diferentes locais de medida. No feminino, a medida sobre a cicatriz umbilical foi estatisticamente maior. Na análise de correlação, a circunferência medida no ponto médio foi a que obteve melhor correlação com o percentual de gordura corporal, com valores de 0,50 nos meninos e 0,62 nas meninas. CONCLUSÃO: A circunferência da cintura medida no ponto médio entre a crista ilíaca e ultima costela foi a que apresentou melhor correlação com o percentual de gordura corporal.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade Federal de ViçosaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UFVUNIFESPUNIFESPSciEL

Lipid nanocarriers for hyperproliferative skin diseases

Hyperproliferative skin diseases (HSD) are a group of diseases that include cancers, pre-cancerous lesions and diseases of unknown etiology that present different skin manifestations in terms of the degree and distribution of the injuries. Anti-proliferative agents used to treat these diseases are so diverse, including 5-aminolevulinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, imiquimod, methotrexate, paclitaxel, podophyllotoxin, realgar, and corticosteroids in general. These drugs usually have low aqueous solubility, which consequently decreases skin permeation. Thus, their incorporation in lipid nanocarriers has been proposed with the main objective to increase the effectiveness of topical treatment and reduce side effects. This manuscript aims to describe the advantages of using lipid nanoparticles and liposomes that can be used to load diversity of chemically different drugs for the treatment of HSD.This research was funded by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT/MCT), European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE)—project UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund), co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020. The work is also supported by the National Science Centre within the MINIATURA 4 for a single research activity (grant no: 2020/04/X/ST5/00789) and by the START 2021 Program of the Foundation for Polish Science (FNP) granted to Aleksandra Zielínskainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Inoculation with the endophytic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae promotes growth, nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency in rice

Main conclusion: Higher vacuolar proton pump activity may increase plant energy and nutrient use efficiency and provide the nexus between plant inoculation with Herbaspirillum seropedicae and growth promotion. Abstract: Global change and growing human population are exhausting arable land and resources, including water and fertilizers. We present inoculation with the endophytic plant-growth promoting bacterium (PGPB) Herbaspirillum seropedicae as a strategy for promoting growth, nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Because plant nutrient acquisition is coordinated with photosynthesis and the plant carbon status, we hypothesize that inoculation with H. seropedicae will stimulate proton (H+) pumps, increasing plant growth nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency at low nutrient levels. Plants were inoculated and grown in pots with sterile soil for 90 days. Herbaspirillum seropedicae endophytic colonization was successful and, as hypothesized, inoculation (1) stimulated root vacuolar H+ pumps (vacuolar H+-ATPase and vacuolar H+-PPase), and (2) increased plant growth, nutrient contents and photosynthetic efficiency. The results showed that inoculation with the endophytic bacterium H. seropedicae can promote plant growth, nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency, which will likely result in a more efficient use of resources (nutrients and water) and higher production of nutrient-rich food at reduced economic and environmental costs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Role of Sink Strength and Nitrogen Availability in the Down-Regulation of Photosynthetic Capacity in Field-Grown Nicotiana tabacum L. at Elevated CO2 Concentration

Down-regulation of photosynthesis is among the most common responses observed in C3 plants grown under elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]). Down-regulation is often attributed to an insufficient capacity of sink organs to use or store the increased carbohydrate production that results from the stimulation of photosynthesis by elevated [CO2]. Down-regulation can be accentuated by inadequate nitrogen (N) supply, which may limit sink development. While there is strong evidence for down-regulation of photosynthesis at elevated [CO2] in enclosure studies most often involving potted plants, there is little evidence for this when [CO2] is elevated fully under open-air field treatment conditions. To assess the importance of sink strength on the down-regulation of photosynthesis and on the potential of N to mitigate this down-regulation under agriculturally relevant field conditions, two tobacco cultivars (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Petit Havana; cv. Mammoth) of strongly contrasting ability to produce the major sink of this crop, leaves, were grown under ambient and elevated [CO2] and with two different N additions in a free air [CO2] (FACE) facility. Photosynthetic down-regulation at elevated [CO2] reached only 9% in cv. Mammoth late in the season likely reflecting sustained sink strength of the rapidly growing plant whereas down-regulation in cv. Petit Havana reached 25%. Increased N supply partially mitigated down-regulation of photosynthesis in cv. Petit Havana and this mitigation was dependent on plant developmental stage. Overall, these field results were consistent with the hypothesis that sustained sink strength, that is the ability to utilize photosynthate, and adequate N supply will allow C3 crops in the field to maintain enhanced photosynthesis and therefore productivity as [CO2] continues to rise

Teatro na educação de crianças e adolescentes participantes de ensaio clínico

OBJETIVO: Analisar os efeitos de uma intervenção pedagógica na aprendizagem de crianças e adolescentes participantes de pesquisa clínica. MÉTODOS: Estudo quantitativo, quasi-experimental e longitudinal, parte de um conjunto de estudos envolvidos no teste de uma vacina contra ancilostomíase. Amostra por conveniência com 133 estudantes de dez a 17 anos, de ambos os sexos, da Escola Municipal de Maranhão, MG, Brasil, 2009. Utilizou-se um questionário estruturado aplicado pré e pós-intervenção. O dispositivo pedagógico foi o Teatro do Oprimido. As variáveis dependentes foram o conhecimento específico e global sobre pesquisa clínica e sobre verminoses; a variável independente foi a participação na intervenção educativa. RESULTADOS: Houve aumento do conhecimento sobre sinais e sintomas, susceptibilidade à reinfecção e modo de contágio da verminose após a intervenção educativa. Aumentaram acertos relativos à duração da pesquisa clínica, aos procedimentos previstos, à possibilidade de desistência da participação e de ocorrência de eventos adversos. Permaneceu a noção de que o propósito primário da pesquisa é terapêutico, embora tenha reduzido o percentual de participantes que associaram a pesquisa ao tratamento médico. O Teatro do Oprimido possibilitou que as discussões acerca da helmintose e da pesquisa clínica fossem contextualizadas e materializadas. Os sujeitos puderam se despojar ou reduzir suas representações prévias. CONCLUSÕES: A participação de crianças e adolescentes em ensaios clínicos deve ser precedida de intervenção educativa, já que indivíduos dessa faixa etária nem sequer reconhecem que têm direito a decidir por si próprios