RELAÇÃO DOS ÍNDICES ANTROPOMÉTRICOS E VITAMINA D COM O DESEMPENHO FUNCIONAL DE IDOSOS

A complexidade que abrange o processo do envelhecimento e a saúde do idoso envolve mudanças no estado nutricional, como alterações dos índices antropométricos e das concentrações de vitamina D. Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar o desempenho funcional dos idosos e sua relação com parâmetros antropométricos e níveis de vitamina D. Trata-se de um estudo transversal e descritivo, realizado com 359 idosos assistidos por equipes da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) do município de Teresina-PI, no período entre fevereiro a junho de 2011. Os idosos foram entrevistados individualmente em visitas domiciliares, utilizando-se um questionário estruturado com questões abertas e fechadas referentes aos dados sociodemográficos. Em seguida, foram submetidos ao exame bioquímico onde se realizou uma venopunção, com uma coleta de 5ml de sangue para posterior dosagens séricas de 25OHD. Logo após, foi realizada a avaliação dos índices antropométricos, por meio de medidas de massa corporal (MC), estimativa da estatura (E), índice de massa corporal (IMC), circunferência do braço e dobra cutânea tricipital. E posteriormente, para a avaliação do desempenho funcional dos idosos foi utilizado o teste Timed Up and Go (TUG). Os resultados demonstraram que o tempo médio de realização do TUG foi 13,8s. Observou-se que massa corporal (12%), altura (6%), área muscular do braço (5%) e vitamina D (29%) foram estatisticamente significativas (p < 0,05) quando comparados entre os sexos. A correlação foi significativa entre associações TUG, idade (p = 0,407, p < 0,001) e altura (p = -0,201, p < 0,001). Foram encontradas correlações significativas entre o TUG, idade (p = 0,413, p < 0,001) e altura (p = -0,259, p < 0,001) para o grupo feminino (n = 220) e correlações significativas entre o TUG, idade (p = 0,507, p < 0,001) para o grupo masculino (n = 139). Conclui-se que dentre os parâmetros antropométricos o IMC e a circunferência abdominal foram associados com o desempenho no teste mostrando que quanto maior o IMC e CA maior o tempo de realização do teste. Os níveis séricos de Vitamina D não foram associados ao desempenho no teste.

Mirror and Vibration Therapies Effects on the Upper Limbs of Hemiparetic Patients after Stroke: A Pilot Study

Background/Aim. To evaluate, in this pilot study, the effects of the mirror (MT) and vibration therapies (VT) on the functionality of hemiparesis patients after stroke. Materials and Methods. Twenty-one individuals after stroke with upper limb hemiparesis were randomized into control group (CG), Mirror Therapy Group (MTG), and Vibration Therapy Group (VTG). The functionality was evaluated before and after 12 sessions with three tests (i) Mobility Index Rivermead, (ii) Motor Function Wolf Test (time, functional ability), and (iii) Jebsen Taylor Test. Results. Significant findings were observed for MTG or VTG when compared to the CG, obtaining improvements in the three functional tests: Mobility Index Rivermead, Motor Function Test Wolf (time) and Motor Function Test Wolf (functional ability), and Jebsen Test Taylor. Conclusions. MT or VT showed enhancements on the functionality of subjects with poststroke hemiparesis. In consequence, these interventions may be used in the rehabilitation of these individuals in order to promote improvements of the affected upper limb functionality. Probably, neuromuscular responses of the used therapies would be related to these desirable effects. However, it is necessary conducting further controlled studies with more subjects

Effects of Mirror Therapy on the Lower Limb Functionality Hemiparesis after Stroke

Abstract Introduction: Mental exercise using the mirror therapy (MT) improves the retention of newly acquired skills and the performance of sequential motor skills in subjects with post-stroke hemiparesis. Objectives: The study aimed to analyze the mirror therapy effect on the range of motion and the lower limb functionality in poststroke hemiparesis subjects. Materials and Methods: Eleven participants with hemiparesis in the lower limb were subjected to the 10 sessions of a MT protocol. The interventions were three times per week per 30 minutes each day. Evaluation of active and passive ankle goniometry (dorsiflexion and eversion movements); Ascent and Descent Ladder Rate (ADLR); Time Up and Go test (TUG test); EFEI scale; and FAAM scale were performed. The data were collected before and after the intervention using MT, and then statistically compared. Results: The MT improved significantly (p &lt; 0.01) the range of motion of the paretic lower limb both evaluated by active and passive ankle goniometry. An increase in the speed of gait and other functional tasks related to the paretic lower limbs were found through the TUG and ADLR tests. It also demonstrated a positive influence on the functionality of the paretic lower limb motor control through the analysis of the scores in the FAAM and EFEI scales. Conclusion: It is concluded that the MT therapy can help the patients with post-stroke hemiparesis in the improvement of several functions. Probably, the mirror therapy would aid in the repair of the injuries in the cortical areas

AMAZONIA CAMTRAP: A data set of mammal, bird, and reptile species recorded with camera traps in the Amazon forest

The Amazon forest has the highest biodiversity on Earth. However, information on Amazonian vertebrate diversity is still deficient and scattered across the published, peer-reviewed, and gray literature and in unpublished raw data. Camera traps are an effective non-invasive method of surveying vertebrates, applicable to different scales of time and space. In this study, we organized and standardized camera trap records from different Amazon regions to compile the most extensive data set of inventories of mammal, bird, and reptile species ever assembled for the area. The complete data set comprises 154,123 records of 317 species (185 birds, 119 mammals, and 13 reptiles) gathered from surveys from the Amazonian portion of eight countries (Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela). The most frequently recorded species per taxa were: mammals: Cuniculus paca (11,907 records); birds: Pauxi tuberosa (3713 records); and reptiles: Tupinambis teguixin (716 records). The information detailed in this data paper opens up opportunities for new ecological studies at different spatial and temporal scales, allowing for a more accurate evaluation of the effects of habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change, and other human-mediated defaunation processes in one of the most important and threatened tropical environments in the world. The data set is not copyright restricted; please cite this data paper when using its data in publications and we also request that researchers and educators inform us of how they are using these data

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora