Level of physical activity of carriers of diabetes mellitus tipo 2(DM2) in a poor community in Brazil

Modelo do estudo: Estudo transversal observacional. Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar onível de atividade física de indivíduos portadores de diabetes mellitus, pertencentes às comunidadescarentes. Métodos: Foram entrevistados 101 indivíduos portadores de diabetes tipo 2, de ambos ossexos com média de idade de 63,6 anos (± 11,4), participantes de uma associação municipal dediabéticos, no período de maio a junho de 2009. As variáveis coletas foram nível de atividade física, coma aplicação do Questionário Internacional de Atividade Física forma curta (IPAQ), variáveis demográficas, socioeconômicas e de saúde com aplicação de questionário estruturado. Resultados: Observouse que a maioria era do sexo feminino, casada, aposentada, baixo nível socioeconômico e poucaescolaridade. 87,3% referiram pelo menos uma comorbidade, prevalecendo hipertensão arterial (64%),problemas na coluna (38%) e artrose (31%). Quanto à prática de atividade física, o grupo estudadoapresentou elevados níveis (21,8% Muito Ativos e 65,3% Ativos). Conclusão: Os sujeitos do estudoapresentaram elevados níveis de atividade física onde os homens relataram participação significativamente maior na prática da caminhada do que as mulheres, relação que se inverte nas atividadesmoderadas e vigorosas onde as mulheres se destacaram. Porém o bom escore detectado pelo instrumento não minimiza a importância de se desenvolver programas com atividades físicas orientadas eespecíficas a esta população.Study Model: It was done an observational and analytical study with a cross-sectional design. Objective:This study focuses on assessing the level of physical activity and verifying if it is related to socioeconomicaspects and health conditions of Diabetes Mellitus type 2 sufferers in a poor community. Methods: Aconsecutive sampling was carried out with 101 individuals, both male and female, average age being63.6 (±11.4 years), and the majority of whom were female, married, retired, lowly educated, and belonging to a low socioeconomic level. The following variables were collected: level of physical activity, with theapplication of the International Questionnaire of Physical Activity (IPAQ), demographic variables, socioeconomic aspects and health conditions with application of a structured questionnaire. Results: Addingthe practice of physical activity, the studied group presented high levels (21,8% Very Active and 65,3%Active).Statistical analyses of independent variables suggest an important correlation between age,habit of verifying glycemia, and education level, being level of physical activity the dependent variable.Conclusion: In a view of the correlations observed, in additional of the limitations imposed by the disease, it is highly important that actions on health education be taken amidst professionally operatedsupport groups to help DM sufferers. These actions should include orientations for self care and frequentphysical activities, respecting each community's social and cultural contexts, and local living conditionsas well

The structure of the mouse ADAT2/ADAT3 complex reveals the molecular basis for mammalian tRNA wobble adenosine-to-inosine deamination

Post-transcriptional modification of tRNA wobble adenosine into inosine is crucial for decoding multiple mRNA codons by a single tRNA. The eukaryotic wobble adenosine-to-inosine modification is catalysed by the ADAT (ADAT2/ADAT3) complex that modifies up to eight tRNAs, requiring a full tRNA for activity. Yet, ADAT catalytic mechanism and its implication in neurodevelopmental disorders remain poorly understood. Here, we have characterized mouse ADAT and provide the molecular basis for tRNAs deamination by ADAT2 as well as ADAT3 inactivation by loss of catalytic and tRNA-binding determinants. We show that tRNA binding and deamination can vary depending on the cognate tRNA but absolutely rely on the eukaryote-specific ADAT3 N-terminal domain. This domain can rotate with respect to the ADAT catalytic domain to present and position the tRNA anticodon-stem-loop correctly in ADAT2 active site. A founder mutation in the ADAT3 N-terminal domain, which causes intellectual disability, does not affect tRNA binding despite the structural changes it induces but most likely hinders optimal presentation of the tRNA anticodon-stem-loop to ADAT2

RNAcentral : a hub of information for non-coding RNA sequences

RNAcentral is a comprehensive database of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) sequences, collating information on ncRNA sequences of all types from a broad range of organisms. We have recently added a new genome mapping pipeline that identifies genomic locations for ncRNA sequences in 296 species. We have also added several new types of functional annotations, such as tRNA secondary structures, Gene Ontology annotations, and miRNA-target interactions. A new quality control mechanism based on Rfam family assignments identifies potential contamination, incomplete sequences, and more. The RNAcentral database has become a vital component of many workflows in the RNA community, serving as both the primary source of sequence data for academic and commercial groups, as well as a source of stable accessions for the annotation of genomic and functional features. These examples are facilitated by an improved RNAcentral web interface, which features an updated genome browser, a new sequence feature viewer, and improved text search functionality. RNAcentral is freely available at https://rnacentral.org

Prevalence of interstitial pneumonia suggestive of COVID-19 at 18F-FDG PET/CT in oncological asymptomatic patients in a high prevalence country during pandemic period: a national multi-centric retrospective study

Purpose: To assess the presence and pattern of incidental interstitial lung alterations suspicious of COVID-19 on fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) ([18F]FDG PET/CT) in asymptomatic oncological patients during the period of active COVID-19 in a country with high prevalence of the virus. Methods: This is a multi-center retrospective observational study involving 59 Italian centers. We retrospectively reviewed the prevalence of interstitial pneumonia detected during the COVID period (between March 16 and 27, 2020) and compared to a pre-COVID period (January\u2013February 2020) and a control time (in 2019). The diagnosis of interstitial pneumonia was done considering lung alterations of CT of PET. Results: Overall, [18F]FDG PET/CT was performed on 4008 patients in the COVID period, 19,267 in the pre-COVID period, and 5513 in the control period. The rate of interstitial pneumonia suspicious for COVID-19 was significantly higher during the COVID period (7.1%) compared with that found in the pre-COVID (5.35%) and control periods (5.15%) (p < 0.001). Instead, no significant difference among pre-COVID and control periods was present. The prevalence of interstitial pneumonia detected at PET/CT was directly associated with geographic virus diffusion, with the higher rate in Northern Italy. Among 284 interstitial pneumonia detected during COVID period, 169 (59%) were FDG-avid (average SUVmax of 4.1). Conclusions: A significant increase of interstitial pneumonia incidentally detected with [18F]FDG PET/CT has been demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. A majority of interstitial pneumonia were FDG-avid. Our results underlined the importance of paying attention to incidental CT findings of pneumonia detected at PET/CT, and these reports might help to recognize early COVID-19 cases guiding the subsequent management

Maîtrise du décollement de tuyère. Analyse du comportement d'une tuyère de type TOC et définition d'un nouveau concept : le BOCCAJET

Cette recherche s’articule en deux parties. L’objectif de la première partie est d’analyser par voie expérimentale et numérique la phénoménologie du décollement interne, dit décollement de jet (en regimes transitoire et établi) dans les tuyères supersoniques refroidies par film fluide. La deuxième partie porte sur la réinterprétation des concepts de tuyère existants pour aboutir à la proposition d’un nouveau dispositif de détente supersonique, qui offre une résistance accrue au décollement de jet. La première partie de cette thèse est basée sur l’analyse des résultats expérimentaux obtenus lors de la campagne d’essais réalisée à l’ONERA. Ces essais, ont mis en évidence des spécificités de comportement de la tuyère, inhérentes à la manière d’amorcer le jet supersonique principal par rapport à l’établissement du film pariétal. Ces mêmes expériences ont permis d’étudier le comportement instationnaire du décollement de jet lorsque les conditions d’alimentation sont maintenues en régime établi. L’apparition de fréquences caractéristiques a été mise en évidence et leur origine a été étudiée à l’aide de simulations numériques. En nous appuyant sur les considérations issues de la première partie de l’étude, une revue critique des concepts de tuyère existants a été menée. Ce travail a permis d’identifier une lacune majeure dans la définition des tuyères à écoulement interne, à savoir l’absence d’une « barrière » qui puisse prévenir l’occurrence du décollement de jet. Ainsi, nous avons proposé la conjonction d’un dispositif à écoulement externe (aerospike) et d’une tuyère classique afin de résoudre cette problématique in nuce, en créant une barrière fluidique continue tout autour du plan de sortie de la tuyère principale. L’efficacité de ce concept a donc été prouvée par calcul, puis une campagne expérimentale a été organisée afin de valider les résultats obtenus.This research is in two parts. The objective of the first part is to analyse by experimental and numerical means the phenomenology of nozzle flow separation in transient and steady state conditions. The second part of this research work focuses on the reinterpretation of existing concepts of converging-diverging nozzles, leading to the proposal of a new supersonic expansion device, with improved flow separation characteristics.Experimental data, collected during the test campaign conducted at ONERA, have been analysed and are presented in the first part of this thesis. Obtained results highlight some peculiarities of the transient behavior of the nozzle, mostly dependent on the synchronisation between the start-up phase of the main jet and the grow-up of the wall film. These same experiments have been also used to investigate the unsteadiness of the flow separation, when nozzle feeding conditions are maintained constant. Appearance of characteristic frequencies has been highlighted and their origin has been investigated by CFD simulations.In the second part, a critical review of existing nozzle concepts was conducted. This allowed identifying a major gap in the definition of traditional supersonic nozzles, namely the absence of a "barrier" that can prevent the occurrence of the flow separation. Thus, in the second part of this thesis we propose a new nozzle concept. It is based on the combination of a small aerospike and a conventional nozzle (main flow). Such an arrangement allows solving the flow separation problem in nuce. The effectiveness of this concept has been proved by calculation and by an experimental test campaign

The marine flatworm M.lignano as model for nervous system regeneration: role of pro neural genes in the CNS.

Research using marine organisms has brought to light universal biological concepts, ever since the beginning of experimental biology. Especially marine invertebrates have always been attractive to cell and developmental biologists due to their inherent practical advantages, which include abundant gametes, external fertilization, large and transparent cells, rapid and synchronous early development, diversity of forms and life cycles, and high regenerative potentials. In particular, Plathelminthes (flatworms) is one of the most exploited taxa for study on regenerative biology. Macrostomum lignano, the most basal taxon of rhabditophoran flatworms, if amputated transversally, can regenerate with different efficacy, according to the level of the amputation. This extraordinary regenerative capacity of M.lignano is brought by a population of pluripotent stem cells, called neoblasts. In this study I took advantage of the regenerative power of M.lignano and try to understand if and how neoblasts can lead to the reconstruction of the anterior central nervous system (aCNS). By immunohistochemistry (IHC) I first described the aCNS, providing a simple mapping of the FRMFergic, Cholinergic and Serotonergic neurons. This allowed to develop a microdisection technique aimed to remove only the aCNS without this killing the worm. Confuting what was previously described in literature a complete regeneration of the aCNS was observed within a week. In order to follow the dynamic of the neoblasts during the regenerative process, Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) pulse-chase experiments and cell proliferation assay have been performed at different time points after the aCNS ablation. These experiments showed that during the regeneration the neoblasts migrates from the posterior part of the body to the wound point and proliferate in situ. I then screened the genome and transcriptome for candidate genes, known to play an early role in neurogenesis in other organisms. Six genes encoding helix-loop-helix (HlH) transcription factors were investigated: homology of NeuroD, Atonal, Acheate scute, NSCL, Olig and Neurogenin has been found; Analyses of spatio and temporal expression via in situ hybridization quantitative PCR showed that those genes have a low expression during adul homeostasis but gets activated during the regeneration between 18 and 30 hours post injury. Taken together these preliminary showed that: 1) the regeneration of the aCNS in M.lignano is possible, this opens new possibilities of using this versatile model for study of neurogenesis; 2) the possible co-option of developmental genes during regeneration of a nervous system

Le difficoltà di adattamento alle lenti oftalmiche progressive. The difficulties of adaptation to progressive ophtalmic lenses

Tutte le persone, superati i 40/45 anni, devono far fronte a un cambiamento fisiologico a livello oculare che comporta una piccola, ma progressiva riduzione della capacità di leggere a distanze ridotte e le porta inevitabilmente a dover utilizzare soluzioni correttive per risolvere tale condizione, nota come presbiopia. I presbiti di oggi sono persone dinamiche che praticano sport, lavorano e si relazionano e con l’allungarsi delle aspettative di vita le loro necessità sono aumentate. La soluzione dal punto di vista ottico è la compensazione con lenti progressive. Le difficoltà principali che possono essere riscontrate, durante il primo utilizzo, sono, ad esempio, il fare le scale, guidare e spostare lo sguardo dall’alto al basso in quanto molti movimenti meccanici come abbassare la testa per cercare il gradino della scala dovrà essere sostituito con un abbassamento principale dello sguardo per trovare il corretto fuoco. Lo sviluppo che è stato fatto dalla prima realizzazione di lenti oftalmiche progressive ad oggi è stato rilevante; negli ultimi 20 anni, infatti, sono stati fatti passi da gigante a livello tecnologico e se anche le lenti oftalmiche progressive implicano, all’inizio, un periodo di adattamento, in cui il soggetto deve prende confidenza con il nuovo ausilio, imparando a trovare le varie zone di visone, in realtà questa fase richiede sempre meno tempo, da una a due settimane, rendendo poi questo tipo di correzione indispensabile ed estremamente pratica. Il compito dell’ottico e dell’optometrista è svolgere con accuratezza l’esame refrattivo, valutare la stabilità binocularità, effettuare le varie misurazioni, necessarie alla centratura dell’occhiale, e capire lo stile di vita del soggetto in modo da consigliare il tipo di lente più adatto alle sue esigenze e facilitare l’adattamento, riducendo i disagi iniziali e in particolare la sensazione di “ondeggiamento” che il soggetto può provare quando utilizza le zone laterali della lente. All people, after 40/45 years, have to face a physiological change at an ocular level that involves a small, but progressive reduction of the ability to read at reduced distances and inevitably leads them to have to use corrective solutions to solve this condition, known as presbyopia. Today's presbyts are dynamic people who practice sports, work and relate, and as their life expectancy grows, their needs have increased. The solution from the optical point of view is the compensation with progressive lenses. The main difficulties that can be encountered, during the first use, are, for example, making the stairs, driving and moving the gaze from top to bottom as many mechanical movements such as lowering the head to look for the step of the ladder will have to be replaced with a main lowering of the gaze to find the correct focus. The development that has been done since the first realization of progressive ophthalmic lenses to date has been relevant; in the last 20 years, in fact, giant steps have been taken at the technological level and even if progressive ophthalmic lenses imply, at the beginning, a period of adaptation, in which the subject must become familiar with the new aid, learning to find the various areas of mink, in reality this phase requires less and less time, from one to two weeks, then making this type of correction indispensable and extremely practical. The task of the optician and the optometrist is to accurately perform the refractive examination, to evaluate the stability of the binocularity, to make the various measurements necessary for the centering of the glasses, and to understand the lifestyle of the subject in such a way as to advise the type of lens more suited to its needs and facilitate adaptation, reducing initial discomfort and in particular the feeling of "sway" that the subject can try when using the side areas of the lens