Blood Pressure Responses in Isokinetic Dynamometry Test in Elderly Community Women: An Exploratory Study

The aim of the study was to verify the systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure response in elderly women during isokinetic test. The study included 54 females (68.8 ± 5.9 years) divided into two age groups (Group 1: 60 to 70 and group 2: above 71 years). BP was measured before and immediately after the isokinetic knee extension / flexion test in the concentric-concentric mode. After the test, significant elevations were observed in relation to the pre-test in SBP (G1: Δ% = 29.7%, G2: Δ% = 20.6%, p <.01, respectively) and in MAP (G1: Δ% = 7.6 %, G2: Δ% = 8.4%, p <.01, respectively). The use of isokinetic tests produces elevations in systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure in elderly women. Increases occur independently of the age group studied. However, the increases detected do not appear to be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a health hazard whereby isokinetic tests can be safely applied in this population

1st Symposium in immunology of sport and physical activity: proceedings book

FCT e Salimetric

Analysis of physical activity in physical education students with overweight and obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic

La pandemia por COVID-19, ha limitado de manera súbita la práctica de actividad física, dentro de los entornos escolares el profesorado de educación física puede medir conductas sedentarias con la intención de minimizarlas en los grupos más vulnerables. El objetivo del estudio fue analizar la actividad física en estudiantes de educación física comparando dos grupos en función de su índice de masa corporal durante 6 meses del distanciamiento social derivado de la pandemia por COVID-19. Los participantes fueron 167 estudiantes de educación primaria de quinto y sexto grado con una edad media de 10.8±1.6 años (83 hombres y 84 mujeres), quienes fueron evaluados mediante el cuestionario de comportamiento de movimiento (MBQ) en niños en el distanciamiento social durante el primer y sexto mes de la pandemia por COVID-19, los sujetos participantes divididos en dos grupos de acuerdo a su estado nutricio. Los resultados, al ser analizados con el test t-Student para muestras relacionadas no reportaron diferencias significativas en los valores promedio de actividad física moderada vigorosa, ligera y sedentaria dl estudiantado con peso bajo y normal, comparado como el estudiantado con sobrepeso y obesidad. Como conclusión, previo a la pandemia por COVID-19, el estado de la cuestión reporta mayores conductas sedentarias en el estudiantado con sobrepeso y obesidad, aun sin embargo en los sujetos evaluados muy probable mente las condiciones de confinamiento afecto la práctica regular de actividad físicaThe COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly limited the practice of physical activity, within school settings, physical education teachers can measure sedentary behaviors with the intention of minimizing them in the most vulnerable groups. The aim of the study was to analyze physical activity in physical education students by comparing two groups based on their body mass index during 6 months of social distancing derived from the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were 167 fifth and sixth grade primary school students with a mean age of 10.8 ± 1.6 years (83 men and 84 women), who were evaluated through the movement behavior questionnaire (MBQ) in children in social distancing during the first and sixth month of the COVID-19 pandemic, the participating subjects divided into two groups according to their nutritional status. The statistical results with Student's t-test for related samples did not report significant differences in the average values of moderate physical activity vigorous, light and sedentary of students with low and normal weight, compared to students with overweight and obesity. A Conclusions: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of the question reports greater sedentary behaviors in overweight and obese students, even though in the subjects evaluated, the confinement conditions very likely affected the regular practice of physical activit

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P &lt; 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Structural analysis of the biliary glycoprotein (BGP) binding site

The Biliary Glycoprotein (BGP) gene is a member of the Carcino-embryonic Antigen (CEA) Gene Family. It codes for at least 10 isoforms obtained by differential splicing of the BGP gene. Structurally they are members of the Immunoglobulin super family (IgSF) and function as homotypic adhesion molecules. It is clustered as CD66a and is mainly present in leukocytes and in theepitheliumof bile caniculi and colon. CHO transfectants expressing the BGPc isoform and soluble fusion protein chimeras (N-Fc, NA1B1-Fc and NA1B1A2-Fc) were used in binding assays where binding of these transfectants to the soluble domain proteins was tested. They were shown to bind in a homophilic manner suggesting that the N-terminal domain was involved in the adhesion process. BGP isoforms with an extracellular N-terminal domain only, followed by a transmembrane domain and a 72 or 9 amino acid cytoplasmic tail (BGPx, BGPx') have also been described. In order to ascertain the N-N domain nature of this adhesion a chimeric construct equivalent to the BGPx' isoform was constructed by a two step PCR method using primers containing the sequences of the end of the N-terminal domain followed by the beginning of the transmembrane domain, together with primers for either the beginning of the BGPc sequence or the end of the cytoplasmic tail. Sequencing of this construct matched the predicted sequence and a stable CHO-BGPx' cell line was established. Expression of this isoform at the cells surface was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining and western blot. Adhesion assays showed that this cell line was able to adhere to the N-Fc construct confirming the N-N terminal nature of this adhesion. To further localise the binding site a set of peptides spaning the C, C' and FG [beta] strands of the N-terminal domain were tested for their ability to inhibit adhesion. Both the C, CC' and FG peptides were able to partialy inhibit adhesion with the FG peptide being the most effective. This peptide was also able, at a higher concentration, to promote high levels of adhesion, using either transfected CHO-BGPc or untransfected CHO cells. These results indicate that this peptide was able to activate adhesion molecules present in the CHO cells probably integrins. To establish which amino acids might be involved in the BGP homophilic adhesion process, site directed mutagenesis on selected amino acids was performed using a PCR based method. Amino acids were selected based on a three dimensional model for the CEA molecule and the crystallographic data available for the rat CD2 molecule. After cloning, sequencing and transfection into Cos7 cells, the different mutant soluble protein constructs were purified and used in a binding assay to determine their effect on the BGP homophilic adhesion. Mutant proteins had either a single, double or triple amino acids substituted for alanine residues. Decreased adhesion was shown for single mutants V39 and V96, and for triple mutants S32Y34V39 and T87Q89I91. V39 and V96 are located in the CC and FG loops that connect the C to C and F to G [beta] strands respectively. Triple mutants S32Y34V39 and T87Q89I91 belong to the C and F [beta] strands respectively. Futher evidence for the importance of the F [beta] strand and FG loop came from the fact that one of the antibodies shown to block BGP homophilic adhesion was also shown to map to this region

1st Symposium in immunology of sport and physical activity: proceedings book

FCT e Salimetric