Anemia and associated factors among school-age children in Cape Verde, West Africa

Anemia is a problem affecting a large group of school children in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to morbidity in this region. In Cape Verde the magnitude of anemia in school-age children is unknown. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among children in Cape Verde. The data are from a probabilistic sample of 1106 children between five and nine years of age included in the National Survey on the Prevalence of Anemia and Associated Factors among Children aged less than ten years which was organized by the Government of Cape Verde in 2009. Anemia was assessed by measuring blood hemoglobin (Hb) concentration using a portable hemoglobinometer. Children with Hb lower than 11.5 g/dL were considered anemic. Information on the families’ socioeconomic conditions and the children’s health variables were obtained through interviews with parents or guardians. Weight status and height deficits were defined by sex and age specific body mass index (BMI = weight/height2) and height for age cutoffs, respectively. Associations between anemia and socio-environmental, anthropometric and children´s health variables were investigated by means of logistic regression, using hierarchical multivariate analysis. Odds ratios (OR) and the respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. The prevalence of anemia was 23.8% (95% CI: 20.2% - 27.8%); 8.8% of children presented height-for-age deficit, 9.8% had thinness and 5.3% were obese. The factors associated with anemia were unfavorable socio-environmental conditions (OR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.10-3.36) and age five to six, compared with seven to nine years (OR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.13-2.13). Anemia among school-age children is a moderate public health problem in Cape Verde that mainly affects those between five and six years of age, belonging to families with low socio-environmental condition. Prevention and control programs for this disease should be implemented in conjunction with actions to improve the conditions of Cape Verdean families.Key words: Anemia, socio-environmental conditions, school children

Child's oxytocin response to mother-child interaction: the contribution of child genetics and maternal behavior

The oxytocinergic system is a primary biological system involved in regulating a child’s needs for bonding and for protection from threats. It is responsive to social experiences in close relationships, though evidence across studies is not entirely consistent. Guided by previous literature, we investigated individual and environmental factors predicting and presumably affecting children’s oxytocin (OT) response during mother-child interaction. by focusing on children’s OXTR genotype, and maternal behavior, respectively. This was achieved by assessing salivary OT levels of 88 Portuguese preschoolers prior to and following a mother-child interaction task, and by genotyping children’s OXTR SNP rs53576. Maternal interactive behavior was assessed using Ainsworth scales. Results indicated that child genotype and mother’s sensitive responsiveness interacted in predicting change in child OT concentrations from before to after the interaction. Specifically, Genotypic differences emerged under conditions of low maternal sensitive responsiveness: OT levels increased over time for children with the GG genotype when maternal sensitive responsiveness was low, but no such genotypic differences were evident when mothers were highly sensitive responsive. Findings provide preliminary support for the notion that increased understanding of children’s OT and close relationships requires consideration of both individual and environmental factors.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Electrodeposition of WO3 Nanoparticles for Sensing Applications

The motivation of using metal oxides is mainly due to its charge storage capabilities, and electrocatalytic, electrochromic and photoelectrochemical properties. But comparing with bulk, nanostructured materials present several advantages related with the spatial confinement, large fraction of surface atoms, high surface energy, strong surface adsorption and increased surface to volume ratio, which greatly improves the performances of these materials. The deposition of this materials can be accomplished by a variety of physical and chemical techniques but nowadays, electrodeposited metal oxides are generally used in both laboratories and industries due to the flexibility to control structure and morphology of the oxide electrodes combined with a reduced cost. Tungsten oxide (WO3) is a well-studied semiconductor and is used for several applications as chromogenic material, sensor and catalyst. The major important features is its low cost and availability, improved stability, easy morphologic and structural control of the nanostructures, reversible change of conductivity, high sensitivity, selectivity and biocompatibility. For the electrodeposition of WO3, more than one method can be adopted: electrodeposition from a precursor solution, anodic oxidation, and electrodeposition of already produced nanoparticles; however, in this case the mechanism of the electrodeposition is not fully understood. In this chapter, a review of the latest published work of electrodeposited nanostructured metal oxides is provided to the reader, with a more detailed explanation of WO3 material applied in sensing devices

Valor nutritivo de grãos de sorgo com diferentes textura do endosperma para frangos de corte.

Utilizaram-se 250 frangos machos, com 22 dias de idade, em ensaio biológico baseado em coleta total de excretas para a determinação da matéria seca metabolizável aparente (MSMA) e dos valores de energia metabolizável (EM) aparente e corrigida de grãos de sorgo com diferentes texturas do endosperma. Os genótipos avaliados foram o BR 007B (textura macia), BR 304 (textura intermediária) e se 283 (textura dura). As dietas-teste foram compostas por 60% de dieta-referência (composta a base de milho e fareIo de soja) e por 40% de grãos de sorgo. O experimento foi montado em esquema inteiramente ao acaso, com quatro tratamentos e cinco repetições. Os valores de MSMA foram semelhantes entre os grãos de sorgo (P>O,05), sendo 77,09%, 81,73% e 79,69% para os grãos de textura dura. intermediária e macia, respectivamente. Os valores de energia metabolizável aparente e verdadeira (EMA, EMV) e EMA e EMV corrigidas para a retenção do nitrogênio (EMAn e EMV J dos grãos de sorgo de textura dura. intermediária e macia foram, respectivamente, 3.022, 3.127, 2.947 e 2.934; 3.335,3.442,3.369 e 3.419; 3.339,3.450,3.303 e 3.355 kcal/kg. Os grãos de textura dura (Se 283) apresentaram menores valores de EM (P<0,05) que os de textura intermediária (BR 304) e macia (BR 007B). As correções dos valores de EM para o balanço de nitrogênio resultou apenas em discretas reduções da EM

Child’s oxytocin response to mother-child interaction: the contribution of child genetics and maternal behavior

The oxytocinergic system is a primary biological system involved in regulating a child’s needs for bonding and for protection from threats. It is responsive to social experiences in close relationships, though evidence across studies is not entirely consistent. Guided by previous literature, we investigated individual and environmental factors predicting and presumably affecting children’s oxytocin (OT) response during mother-child interaction. by focusing on children’s OXTR genotype, and maternal behavior, respectively. This was achieved by assessing salivary OT levels of 88 Portuguese preschoolers prior to and following a mother-child interaction task, and by genotyping children’s OXTR SNP rs53576. Maternal interactive behavior was assessed using Ainsworth scales. Results indicated that child genotype and mother’s sensitive responsiveness interacted in predicting change in child OT concentrations from before to after the interaction. Specifically, Genotypic differences emerged under conditions of low maternal sensitive responsiveness: OT levels increased over time for children with the GG genotype when maternal sensitive responsiveness was low, but no such genotypic differences were evident when mothers were highly sensitive responsive. Findings provide preliminary support for the notion that increased understanding of children’s OT and close relationships requires consideration of both individual and environmental factors.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The factor structure of the Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale in thirteen distinct populations

There is considerable evidence that self-criticism plays a major role in the vulnerability to and recovery from psychopathology. Methods to measure this process, and its change over time, are therefore important for research in psychopathology and well-being. This study examined the factor structure of a widely used measure, the Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale in thirteen nonclinical samples (N = 7510) from twelve different countries: Australia (N = 319), Canada (N = 383), Switzerland (N = 230), Israel (N = 476), Italy (N = 389), Japan (N = 264), the Netherlands (N = 360), Portugal (N = 764), Slovakia (N = 1326), Taiwan (N = 417), the United Kingdom 1 (N = 1570), the United Kingdom 2 (N = 883), and USA (N = 331). This study used more advanced analyses than prior reports: a bifactor item-response theory model, a two-tier item-response theory model, and a non-parametric item-response theory (Mokken) scale analysis. Although the original three-factor solution for the FSCRS (distinguishing between Inadequate-Self, Hated-Self, and Reassured-Self) had an acceptable fit, two-tier models, with two general factors (Self-criticism and Self-reassurance) demonstrated the best fit across all samples. This study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that this two-factor structure can be used in a range of nonclinical contexts across countries and cultures. Inadequate-Self and Hated-Self might not by distinct factors in nonclinical samples. Future work may benefit from distinguishing between self-correction versus shame-based self-criticism.Peer reviewe

Perfil do sono de pacientes em hemodiálise: um estudo transversal no Distrito Federal

Objetivo: Avaliar o perfil do sono de pacientes em hemodiálise (HD). Métodos: Estudo transversal com pacientes em hemodiálise de duas clínicas no Distrito Federal, Brasil. Durante a sessão de HD houve a aplicações dos questionários de Índice de Qualidade de Sono de Pittsburgh e Escala de Sonolência de Epworth. Resultados: Foram incluídos 65 pacientes (56,9% homens e 61,4 ± 16,4 anos). Os resultados demonstraram qualidade do sono irregular em 57,6% da amostra. A presença de sonolência diurna excessiva compreendeu 34,6% dos pacientes. Conclusão: Nossos achados mostram um perfil do sono prejudicado em pacientes em HD, evidenciando um preocupante cenário, que pode ser avaliado e identificado com facilidade por meio de instrumentos de rastreio