Síndrome metabólica em adolescentes obesos: comparação entre três diferentes critérios diagnósticos

Objective: To investigate the difference in the proportion of adolescents with metabolic syndrome diagnosed based on three different criteria, as well as the use of insulin resistance instead of fasting glucose.Methods: Cross-sectional study with 121 obese adolescents, between 10 and 14 years old, from public schools of the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, in 2011. Anthropometric, blood pressure, and biochemical variables were assessed. Metabolic syndrome was defined using three different diagnostic criteria: the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Cook and de Ferranti. All of them include five components: waist circumference, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting glucose, and there should be at least three abnormal results for the diagnosis of the syndrome. the Homeostasis Model Assessment - Insuline Resistance (HOMA-IR) was used for the characterization of insulin resistance. the analysis of agreement among the criteria was performed using Kappa statistics.Results: Metabolic syndrome Was diagnosed in 39.7, 51.2, and 74.4% of adolescents, according to the IDF, Cook and de Ferranti criteria, respectively. There was agreement for the three diagnostic criteria in 60.3% of the sample. Waist circumference was the most prevalent component (81.0, 81.0, and 96.7%), whereas high fasting glucose was the least prevalent (7.4, 1.7, and 1.7%). the use of HOMA-IR significantly increased the proportion of positive diagnoses for the syndrome.Conclusion: the results showed significant differences between the three diagnostic criteria. While there is no consensus on the diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome, differences in the prevalence of the disease in pediatric population will be frequent.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundo de Incentivo a Pesquisa e Eventos (FIPE), Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA)Research and Events Incentive Fund - FIPE of Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre - HCPAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Escola Educ Fis ESEF, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniv Fed Rio Grande do Sul, ESEF, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniv London, Inst Child Hlth, London WC1N 1EH, EnglandUniv Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Fac Med, Dept Pediat, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilHCPA, Serv Pediat, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniv Fed Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, São Paulo, BrazilCNPq: 159754/2010-0Web of Scienc

What are the Best Hierarchical Descriptors for Complex Networks?

This work reviews several hierarchical measurements of the topology of complex networks and then applies feature selection concepts and methods in order to quantify the relative importance of each measurement with respect to the discrimination between four representative theoretical network models, namely Erd\"{o}s-R\'enyi, Barab\'asi-Albert, Watts-Strogatz as well as a geographical type of network. The obtained results confirmed that the four models can be well-separated by using a combination of measurements. In addition, the relative contribution of each considered feature for the overall discrimination of the models was quantified in terms of the respective weights in the canonical projection into two dimensions, with the traditional clustering coefficient, hierarchical clustering coefficient and neighborhood clustering coefficient resulting particularly effective. Interestingly, the average shortest path length and hierarchical node degrees contributed little for the separation of the four network models.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Time required to stabilize thermographic images at rest

Thermography for scientific research and practical purposes requires a series of procedures to obtain images that should be standardized; one of the most important is the time required for acclimatization in the controlled environment. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify the appropriate acclimatization time in rest to reach a thermal balance on young people skin. Forty-four subjects participated in the study, 18 men (22.3 ± 3.1 years) and 26 women (21.7 ± 2.5 years). Thermographic images were collected using a thermal imager (Fluke ®), totaling 44 images over a period of 20 minutes. The skin temperature (TSK) was measured at the point of examination which included the 0 minute, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. The body regions of interest (ROI) analyzed included the hands, forearms, arms, thighs, legs, chest and abdomen. We used the Friedman test with post hoc Dunn?s in order to establish the time at rest required to obtain a TSK balance and the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare age, BMI, body fat percentage and temperature variations between men and women, considering always a significance level of pmenor que0.05. Results showed that women had significantly higher temperature variations than men (pmenor que0.01) along the time. In men, only the body region of the abdomen obtained a significant variance (pmenor que0.05) on the analyzed period, both in the anterior and posterior part. In women, the anterior abdomen and thighs, and the posterior part of the hands, forearms and abdomen showed significant differences (pmenor que0.05). Based on our results, it can be concluded that the time in rest condition required reaching a TSK balance in young men and women is variable, but for whole body analysis it is recommended at least 10 minutes for both sexes

Ciências Policiais: Conceito, Objeto e Método de Investigação Científica

Quando, como é o caso, estamos diante de um trabalho inédito, escrito por colegas tão prestigiados como são, nas suas distintas situações profissionais, Azor Lopes da Silva Júnior, Paulo Valente Gomes, João Batista da Silva, Wilquerson Sandes e Edson Benedito Rondon Filho, e tendo esse trabalho um propósito tão abrangente e estruturante, a resistência do prefaciador baixa, mas a dificuldade aumenta consideravelmente porque arrasta grande responsabilidade. Refiro-me à responsabilidade de comunicar para os dois lados do Atlântico, e para uma comunidade crescente de cidadãos, nas suas diversas qualidades e condições, partilhando um interesse comum em torno do domínio (em construção) das Ciências Policiais.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Critérios de elegibilidade e efeitos da rizotomia dorsal seletiva sobre a função motora e marcha de crianças e adolescentes com paralisia cerebral: revisão sistemática

Introdução: A espasticidade pode ser considerada como uma das mais impactantes alterações secundárias à paralisia cerebral. Nosúltimos anos, a Rizotomia Dorsal Seletiva (RDS) tem sido destacada como um procedimento cirúrgico eficaz para o tratamento da espasticidade dos membros inferiores de crianças com paralisia cerebral. Objetivos: Verificar por meio de uma revisão sistemática da literatura os efeitos em médio e longo prazo, da RDS sobre a função motora grossa e a marcha em crianças e adolescentes com paralisia cerebral. Além de averiguar se existe um consenso na literatura sobre oscritérios de indicação da RDS. Métodos: Uma pesquisa foi realizada na rede internacional nos bancos de dados de acordo com os seguintes critérios de inclusão: (1) desenho: estudos envolvendo o acompanhamento pós-operatório longitudinal; (2) população: crianças e adolescentes com paralisia cerebral espástica; (3) intervenção: RDS; (4) grupo controle com intervenção diferente ou sem intervenção; (5) desfecho: melhora da função motora, melhora da espasticidade e desempenho da marcha. Resultados: Foi encontrado um total de seis artigos que preencheram os critérios de inclusão e foram utilizadosnesta revisão. Nos estudos analisados, foram observadas melhoras significativas na variável cinemática da marcha com diminuição da espasticidade no grupo RDS. Conclusão: A RDS diminui a espasticidade com efeitos positivos sobre a função motora grossa e a marcha de crianças e adolescentes com paralisia cerebral, porém estudos adicionais são necessários para esclarecer a eficácia da RDS aplicada em grupos musculares de membros inferiores.

FATORES PSICOLÓGICOS E COGNITIVOS PREDITORES DA PERCEPÇÃO DE SUPORTE SOCIAL EM IDOSOS

Este estudo transversal investigou os fatores psicológicos preditores da percepção de suporte social que auxiliam o idoso na fuga da solidão e do declínio funcional e cognitivo. Participaram 186 idosos (≥ 60 anos), residentes do município de Rio Paranaíba, Minas Gerais. Como instrumentos foram utilizados o Mini Exame do Estado Mental, a Escala de Depressão Geriátrica, o Questionário de Propósito de Vida, a Escala para Medida de Satisfação com a Vida e a Escala de Suporte Social Percebido. A análise dos dados foi conduzida por meio da Correlação de Pearson e da Análise de Regressão Múltipla (p < 0,05). Os resultados evidenciaram que as cinco variáveis independentes (cognição global, sintomas depressivos, sintomas de ansiedade, propósito de vida e satisfação com a vida), explicaram 20% da variância da percepção de suporte social dos idosos. No entanto, somente a satisfação com a vida (β = 0,25, p < 0,05) e a cognição global (β = 0,21, p < 0,05) apresentaram predição positiva sobre a percepção de suporte social. Concluiu-se que a cognição e a satisfação global são fatores protetores da percepção de suporte social que auxiliam o idoso na fuga da solidão e do declínio funcional e cognitivo

Sterilization Procedure for Temperature-Sensitive Hydrogels Loaded with Silver Nanoparticles for Clinical Applications

Anti-bacterial agents; Post-operative infections; Silver nanoparticlesAgents antibacterians; Infeccions postoperatòries; Nanopartícules de plataAgentes antibacterianos; Infecciones postoperatorias; Nanopartículas de plataHydrogels (HG) have recognized benefits as drug delivery platforms for biomedical applications. Their high sensitivity to sterilization processes is however one of the greatest challenges regarding their clinical translation. Concerning infection diseases, prevention of post-operatory related infections is crucial to ensure appropriate patient recovery and good clinical outcomes. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have shown good antimicrobial properties but sustained release at the right place is required. Thus, we produced and characterized thermo-sensitive HG based on Pluronic® F127 loaded with AgNPs (HG-AgNPs) and their integrity and functionality after sterilization by dry-heat and autoclave methods were carefully assessed. The quality attributes of HG-AgNPs were seriously affected by dry-heat methods but not by autoclaving methods, which allowed to ensure the required sterility. Also, direct sterilization of the final HG-AgNPs product proved more effective than of the raw material, allowing simpler production procedures in non-sterile conditions. The mechanical properties were assessed in post mortem rat models and the HG-AgNPs were tested for its antimicrobial properties in vitro using extremely drug-resistant (XDR) clinical strains. The produced HG-AgNPs prove to be versatile, easy produced and cost-effective products, with activity against XDR strains and an adequate gelation time and spreadability features and optimal for in situ biomedical applications

The repositioned drugs disulfiram/diethyldithiocarbamate combined to benznidazole: Searching for Chagas disease selective therapy, preventing toxicity and drug resistance

Chagas disease (CD) affects at least 6 million people in 21 South American countries besides several thousand in other nations all over the world. It is estimated that at least 14,000 people die every year of CD. Since vaccines are not available, chemotherapy remains of pivotal relevance. About 30% of the treated patients cannot complete the therapy because of severe adverse reactions. Thus, the search for novel drugs is required. Here we tested the benznidazole (BZ) combination with the repositioned drug disulfiram (DSF) and its derivative diethyldithiocarbamate (DETC) upon Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro and in vivo. DETC-BZ combination was synergistic diminishing epimastigote proliferation and enhancing selective indexes up to over 10-fold. DETC was effective upon amastigotes of the BZ- partially resistant Y and the BZ-resistant Colombiana strains. The combination reduced proliferation even using low concentrations (e.g., 2.5 µM). Scanning electron microscopy revealed membrane discontinuities and cell body volume reduction. Transmission electron microscopy revealed remarkable enlargement of endoplasmic reticulum cisternae besides, dilated mitochondria with decreased electron density and disorganized kinetoplast DNA. At advanced stages, the cytoplasm vacuolation apparently impaired compartmentation. The fluorescent probe H2-DCFDA indicates the increased production of reactive oxygen species associated with enhanced lipid peroxidation in parasites incubated with DETC. The biochemical measurement indicates the downmodulation of thiol expression. DETC inhibited superoxide dismutase activity on parasites was more pronounced than in infected mice. In order to approach the DETC effects on intracellular infection, peritoneal macrophages were infected with Colombiana trypomastigotes. DETC addition diminished parasite numbers and the DETC-BZ combination was effective, despite the low concentrations used. In the murine infection, the combination significantly enhanced animal survival, decreasing parasitemia over BZ. Histopathology revealed that low doses of BZ-treated animals presented myocardial amastigote, not observed in combination-treated animals. The picrosirius collagen staining showed reduced myocardial fibrosis. Aminotransferase de aspartate, Aminotransferase de alanine, Creatine kinase, and urea plasma levels demonstrated that the combination was non-toxic. As DSF and DETC can reduce the toxicity of other drugs and resistance phenotypes, such a combination may be safe and effective

Síndrome do QT Longo Adquirida em Paciente com Feocromocitoma

A associaçao entre feocromocitoma e síndrome do QT longo adquirida é fenômeno raro na literatura. Foram encontrados somente quatro relatos de caso, sendo este o primeiro na literatura brasileira. Este trabalho descreve o caso de um paciente com história de síncopes convulsivas, hipertensao arterial e diabetes, com diagnóstico de feocromocitoma e síndrome do QT longo, com crises documentadas de taquicardia ventricular nos episódios convulsivos. A elevada incidência de morte súbita nesses pacientes pode sugerir episódios de taquicardia ventricular polimórfica do tipo Torsades de Pointes como etiologia, tendo o QT longo como substrato. Essa associaçao rara e subdiagnosticada deve ser lembrada nos diagnósticos diferenciais