Inglês para fins acadêmicos e o ensino a distância: pontos de contato e problemáticas

This article aims to consider and reflect upon the teacher’s sense of plausibility, specifically for Academic Purposes, within the context of online classes. For this, we will examine some aspects of the concept of the teacher´s sense of plausibility. as well as the concept of distance learning (DL) and, likewise, the definition of EAP’s (English for Academic Purposes). Secondly, we will concentrate, specifically, on questions involving experience reports on Distance EAP courses. Finally, we will make considerations as to point out problems and possible outcomes to EAP approaches in Distance learning contexts.El propósito de este artículo es hacer algunas consideraciones y reflexiones sobre el sentido de plausibilidad del profesor especificamente para fínes académicos en el contexto de la educación a distancia sincrona. Para esto, primeiro discutiremos el concepto del sentido de plausibilidad. En segundo momento, tendremos el foco en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de idiomas utilizando herramientas y plataformas de educación a distancia, así como definiendo el concepto de aprendizaje a distancia (ODL), así como discutiendo la definición de la noción de IFA (inglés para fines academicos). Tercero, nos enfocaremos más especificamente em temas que involucran informes de experiencia de cursos de IFA en el entorno de ODL. Finalmente, haremos consideraciones con el fin de señalar posibles problemas y referencias sobre el enfoque de la enseñanza del inglés con fines académicos en contextos ODL.O objetivo deste artigo é tecer algumas considerações e reflexões a respeito do senso de plausibilidade do professor, especificamente para fins acadêmicos, num contexto de aulas em ambiente online síncrono. Para tanto, primeiramente discorreremos acerca do conceito do senso de plausibilidade. Em segundo lugar, abordaremos a temática do ensino e aprendizagem de línguas que utilizam ferramentas e/ou plataformas online, bem como a definição do conceito de EAD (ensino a distância), além de discutir a respeito da definição da noção de IFA (Inglês para Fins Acadêmicos). Posteriormente, focalizaremos questões envolvendo relatos de experiências de cursos de IFA em ambiente EAD. E por fim, faremos considerações com vistas a apontar possíveis problemáticas e encaminhamentos no que diz respeito à abordagem do ensino de inglês para fins acadêmicos em contextos EA

Detection of cytotoxic necrotizing factor types 1 and 2 among fecal Escherichia coli isolates from brazilian children with and without diarrhea

The enteropathogenic role of cytotoxic necrotizing factor (CNF)-producing Escherichia coli was investigated by searching cnf genes among 2074 isolates from 200 children with and 200 without acute diarrhea in Brazil. Fourteen (7%) cases versus 10 (5%) control children carried at least one cnf positive isolate (P = 0.50) and most isolates expressed CNF type 1. DNA sequences of virulence factors of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) were detected in 78.6% of CNF1-producing isolates. Besides not being associated with human acute diarrhea, the CNF1-producing isolates here identified may represent potential ExPEC transitorily composing the normal intestinal flora.Instituto Adolfo Lutz Seção de BacteriologiaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM) Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e ParasitologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de Microbiologia, Imunologia e ParasitologiaSciEL

Effect of Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Therapy on Osteoclasts Precursors in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) increases circulating osteoclast (OC) precursors numbers by promoting their proliferation and differentiation. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of TNF inhibitors (TNFi) on the differentiation and activity of OC in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Methods. Seventeen RA patients treated with TNFi were analyzed at baseline and after a minimum follow-up period of 6 months. Blood samples were collected to assess receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) surface expression on circulating leukocytes and frequency and phenotype of monocyte subpopulations. Quantification of serum levels of bone turnover markers, in vitro OC differentiation assays, and qRT-PCR for OC specific genes was performed. Results. After TNFi therapy, patients had reduced RANKL surface expression in B-lymphocytes and the frequency of circulating classical CD14(bright) CD16-monocytes was decreased. Serum levels of sRANKL, sRANKL/OPG ratio, and CTX-I were reduced in RA patients after TNFi treatment. Moreover, after exposure to TNFi, osteoclast differentiation and activity were decreased, as well as the expression of TRAF6 and cathepsin K. Conclusion. We propose that TNFi arrests bone loss and erosion, through two pathways: direct reduction of osteoclast precursor numbers and inhibition of intracellular signaling pathways acting through TRAF6.Peer reviewe

Os desafios urbano e ambientais da Microbacia do Lageado no Itaim Paulista

This article presents the urban environmental challenges of the Lageado stream Microbasin in Itaim Paulista, east of São Paulo. It is a highly urbanized area with medium and low standard buildings and precarious settlements in risky areas. Many flooding points are concentrated in the Microbasin's outflow. Based on the climate action policy of the city of São Paulo, we discuss the potential of hydrological modeling for a local action within the Lab Itaim Paulista Laboratory of Urban Policy and Local Planning at Universidade São Judas Tadeu.Este artículo presenta los desafíos ambientales urbanos de la microcuenca del arroyo Lageado en Itaim Paulista, al este de São Paulo. Es una zona muy urbanizada con edificaciones de nivel medio y bajo y asentamientos precarios en zonas de riesgo. Muchos puntos de inundación se concentran en el desagüe de la microcuenca. A partir de la política de acción climática de la ciudad de São Paulo, discutimos el potencial de la modelización hidrológica para una acción local dentro del Laboratorio Itaim Paulista de Política Urbana y Planificación Local de la Universidade São Judas Tadeu.Este artigo apresenta os desafios urbano ambientais da Microbacia do ribeirão do Lageado no Itaim Paulista zona leste de São Paulo. Trata-se de uma área altamente urbanizada com edificações de padrão médio e baixo e assentamentos precários em áreas de risco. No exutório da Microbacia concentra-se muitos pontos de alagamento. Com base na política de ação climática da cidade de São Paulo discutimos as potencialidades da modelagem hidrológica para uma ação local no âmbito das atividades do Lab Itaim Paulista Laboratório de Política Urbana e Planejamento Local da Universidade São Judas Tadeu

Contributions of mean and shape of blood pressure distribution to worldwide trends and variations in raised blood pressure: A pooled analysis of 1018 population-based measurement studies with 88.6 million participants

© The Author(s) 2018. Background: Change in the prevalence of raised blood pressure could be due to both shifts in the entire distribution of blood pressure (representing the combined effects of public health interventions and secular trends) and changes in its high-blood-pressure tail (representing successful clinical interventions to control blood pressure in the hypertensive population). Our aim was to quantify the contributions of these two phenomena to the worldwide trends in the prevalence of raised blood pressure. Methods: We pooled 1018 population-based studies with blood pressure measurements on 88.6 million participants from 1985 to 2016. We first calculated mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and prevalence of raised blood pressure by sex and 10-year age group from 20-29 years to 70-79 years in each study, taking into account complex survey design and survey sample weights, where relevant. We used a linear mixed effect model to quantify the association between (probittransformed) prevalence of raised blood pressure and age-group- and sex-specific mean blood pressure. We calculated the contributions of change in mean SBP and DBP, and of change in the prevalence-mean association, to the change in prevalence of raised blood pressure. Results: In 2005-16, at the same level of population mean SBP and DBP, men and women in South Asia and in Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa would have the highest prevalence of raised blood pressure, and men and women in the highincome Asia Pacific and high-income Western regions would have the lowest. In most region-sex-age groups where the prevalence of raised blood pressure declined, one half or more of the decline was due to the decline in mean blood pressure. Where prevalence of raised blood pressure has increased, the change was entirely driven by increasing mean blood pressure, offset partly by the change in the prevalence-mean association. Conclusions: Change in mean blood pressure is the main driver of the worldwide change in the prevalence of raised blood pressure, but change in the high-blood-pressure tail of the distribution has also contributed to the change in prevalence, especially in older age groups

Height and body-mass index trajectories of school-aged children and adolescents from 1985 to 2019 in 200 countries and territories: a pooled analysis of 2181 population-based studies with 65 million participants

Summary Background Comparable global data on health and nutrition of school-aged children and adolescents are scarce. We aimed to estimate age trajectories and time trends in mean height and mean body-mass index (BMI), which measures weight gain beyond what is expected from height gain, for school-aged children and adolescents. Methods For this pooled analysis, we used a database of cardiometabolic risk factors collated by the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1985 to 2019 in mean height and mean BMI in 1-year age groups for ages 5–19 years. The model allowed for non-linear changes over time in mean height and mean BMI and for non-linear changes with age of children and adolescents, including periods of rapid growth during adolescence. Findings We pooled data from 2181 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in 65 million participants in 200 countries and territories. In 2019, we estimated a difference of 20 cm or higher in mean height of 19-year-old adolescents between countries with the tallest populations (the Netherlands, Montenegro, Estonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina for boys; and the Netherlands, Montenegro, Denmark, and Iceland for girls) and those with the shortest populations (Timor-Leste, Laos, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea for boys; and Guatemala, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Timor-Leste for girls). In the same year, the difference between the highest mean BMI (in Pacific island countries, Kuwait, Bahrain, The Bahamas, Chile, the USA, and New Zealand for both boys and girls and in South Africa for girls) and lowest mean BMI (in India, Bangladesh, Timor-Leste, Ethiopia, and Chad for boys and girls; and in Japan and Romania for girls) was approximately 9–10 kg/m2. In some countries, children aged 5 years started with healthier height or BMI than the global median and, in some cases, as healthy as the best performing countries, but they became progressively less healthy compared with their comparators as they grew older by not growing as tall (eg, boys in Austria and Barbados, and girls in Belgium and Puerto Rico) or gaining too much weight for their height (eg, girls and boys in Kuwait, Bahrain, Fiji, Jamaica, and Mexico; and girls in South Africa and New Zealand). In other countries, growing children overtook the height of their comparators (eg, Latvia, Czech Republic, Morocco, and Iran) or curbed their weight gain (eg, Italy, France, and Croatia) in late childhood and adolescence. When changes in both height and BMI were considered, girls in South Korea, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and some central Asian countries (eg, Armenia and Azerbaijan), and boys in central and western Europe (eg, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, and Montenegro) had the healthiest changes in anthropometric status over the past 3·5 decades because, compared with children and adolescents in other countries, they had a much larger gain in height than they did in BMI. The unhealthiest changes—gaining too little height, too much weight for their height compared with children in other countries, or both—occurred in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, New Zealand, and the USA for boys and girls; in Malaysia and some Pacific island nations for boys; and in Mexico for girls. Interpretation The height and BMI trajectories over age and time of school-aged children and adolescents are highly variable across countries, which indicates heterogeneous nutritional quality and lifelong health advantages and risks

Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

Background Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI <18·5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). For schoolaged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI <2 SD below the median of the WHO growth reference) and obesity (BMI >2 SD above the median). Findings From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesit

Genetic mechanisms of critical illness in COVID-19.

Host-mediated lung inflammation is present1, and drives mortality2, in the critical illness caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Host genetic variants associated with critical illness may identify mechanistic targets for therapeutic development3. Here we report the results of the GenOMICC (Genetics Of Mortality In Critical Care) genome-wide association study in 2,244 critically ill patients with COVID-19 from 208 UK intensive care units. We have identified and replicated the following new genome-wide significant associations: on chromosome 12q24.13 (rs10735079, P = 1.65 × 10-8) in a gene cluster that encodes antiviral restriction enzyme activators (OAS1, OAS2 and OAS3); on chromosome 19p13.2 (rs74956615, P = 2.3 × 10-8) near the gene that encodes tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2); on chromosome 19p13.3 (rs2109069, P = 3.98 ×  10-12) within the gene that encodes dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9); and on chromosome 21q22.1 (rs2236757, P = 4.99 × 10-8) in the interferon receptor gene IFNAR2. We identified potential targets for repurposing of licensed medications: using Mendelian randomization, we found evidence that low expression of IFNAR2, or high expression of TYK2, are associated with life-threatening disease; and transcriptome-wide association in lung tissue revealed that high expression of the monocyte-macrophage chemotactic receptor CCR2 is associated with severe COVID-19. Our results identify robust genetic signals relating to key host antiviral defence mechanisms and mediators of inflammatory organ damage in COVID-19. Both mechanisms may be amenable to targeted treatment with existing drugs. However, large-scale randomized clinical trials will be essential before any change to clinical practice

The impact of surgical delay on resectability of colorectal cancer: An international prospective cohort study

AIM: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to explore the impact of surgical delays on cancer resectability. This study aimed to compare resectability for colorectal cancer patients undergoing delayed versus non-delayed surgery. METHODS: This was an international prospective cohort study of consecutive colorectal cancer patients with a decision for curative surgery (January-April 2020). Surgical delay was defined as an operation taking place more than 4 weeks after treatment decision, in a patient who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. A subgroup analysis explored the effects of delay in elective patients only. The impact of longer delays was explored in a sensitivity analysis. The primary outcome was complete resection, defined as curative resection with an R0 margin. RESULTS: Overall, 5453 patients from 304 hospitals in 47 countries were included, of whom 6.6% (358/5453) did not receive their planned operation. Of the 4304 operated patients without neoadjuvant therapy, 40.5% (1744/4304) were delayed beyond 4 weeks. Delayed patients were more likely to be older, men, more comorbid, have higher body mass index and have rectal cancer and early stage disease. Delayed patients had higher unadjusted rates of complete resection (93.7% vs. 91.9%, P = 0.032) and lower rates of emergency surgery (4.5% vs. 22.5%, P < 0.001). After adjustment, delay was not associated with a lower rate of complete resection (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.90-1.55, P = 0.224), which was consistent in elective patients only (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69-1.27, P = 0.672). Longer delays were not associated with poorer outcomes. CONCLUSION: One in 15 colorectal cancer patients did not receive their planned operation during the first wave of COVID-19. Surgical delay did not appear to compromise resectability, raising the hypothesis that any reduction in long-term survival attributable to delays is likely to be due to micro-metastatic disease

Repercussão da terapia de suplementação de proteína em detrimento das alterações na composição muscular de idosos: uma revisão: Repercussion of protein supplementation therapy to the detriment of changes in muscle composition in the elderly: a review

INTRODUÇÃO: O ato de envelhecer traz consigo inúmeras mudanças fisiológicas, dentre elas, destaca-se a sarcopenia, que por vezes pode levar a perda da capacidade funcional, podendo prejudicar a mobilidade e por fim acarretar em acidentes graves ou mortes. A atual concentração diária recomendada de proteína por quilograma não foi projetada para uma população em fase de envelhecimento, o que pode levar a uma concentração de proteína insuficiente. A suplementação proteica surgiu como forma alternativa de preservar a manutenção muscular. OBJETIVO: Analisar os efeitos da suplementação proteica na manutenção da capacidade funcional muscular na população idosa. METODOLOGIA: Para tanto, foi realizada uma revisão integrativa da literatura de aspecto qualitativo, no qual, a partir de uma pesquisa em bases de dados selecionadas, baseou-se em estudos que apresentaram efeitos da suplementação proteica na manutenção da capacidade funcional muscular de idosos. Ao final foram selecionados seis estudos que contemplavam o tema em questão. RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: A melhora do estado nutricional está relacionada ao desempenho muscular, com base nisso, foram analisados nos estudos os seguintes aspectos: ganho de massa muscular, exercício físico em jejum, membros inferiores, velocidade da marcha e outros parâmetros funcionais e 25-hidroxivitamina D, todos colocando-se em comparação com a suplementação proteica como forma intervencionista e de manutenção da capacidade funcional muscular. Ainda, foi realizada uma análise da suplementação dietética com aminoácidos de cadeia ramificada (BCAAs) em relação a desnutrição. CONCLUSÃO: A análise dos dados supracitados revelou a relevância da busca pela melhoria na qualidade de vida e bem-estar da população senil, de maneira que o consumo diário recomendado de proteína seja preconizado como principal medida para manutenção da massa muscular nesta parcela populacional. Deve-se estimular o consumo diário de alimentos ricos em proteínas, tais como carnes, ovos, leite e derivados e suplementos alimentares, quando sua prescrição se faz necessária. Diante da corroboração da sarcopenia no aumento da incidência de quedas em idosos, se faz necessário orientar e estimular a população senil para a prática regular de exercício físico resistido, além do acompanhamento de equipe multidisciplinar