Reversal of diabetic-induced myopathy by swimming exercise in pregnant rats:a translational intervention study

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) plus rectus abdominis muscle (RAM) myopathy predicts long-term urinary incontinence (UI). Atrophic and stiff RAM are characteristics of diabetes-induced myopathy (DiM) in pregnant rats. This study aimed to determine whether swimming exercise (SE) has a therapeutic effect in mild hyperglycemic pregnant rats model. We hypothesized that SE training might help to reverse RAM DiM. Mild hyperglycemic pregnant rats model was obtained by a unique subcutaneous injection of 100 mg/kg streptozotocin (diabetic group) or citrate buffer (non-diabetic group) on the first day of life in Wistar female newborns. At 90 days of life, the rats are mated and randomly allocated to remain sedentary or subjected to a SE protocol. The SE protocol started at gestational day 0 and consisted of 60 min/day for 6 days/week in a period of 20 days in a swim tunnel. On day 21, rats were sacrificed, and RAM was collected and studied by picrosirius red, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy. The SE protocol increased the fiber area and diameter, and the slow-twitch and fast-twitch fiber area and diameter in the diabetic exercised group, a finding was also seen in control sedentary animals. There was a decreased type I collagen but not type III collagen area and showed a similar type I/type III ratio compared with the control sedentary group. In conclusion, SE during pregnancy reversed the RAM DiM in pregnant rats. These findings may be a potential protocol to consider in patients with RAM damage caused by GDM

Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK.

BACKGROUND: A safe and efficacious vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), if deployed with high coverage, could contribute to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in a pooled interim analysis of four trials. METHODS: This analysis includes data from four ongoing blinded, randomised, controlled trials done across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Participants aged 18 years and older were randomly assigned (1:1) to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or control (meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline). Participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group received two doses containing 5 × 1010 viral particles (standard dose; SD/SD cohort); a subset in the UK trial received a half dose as their first dose (low dose) and a standard dose as their second dose (LD/SD cohort). The primary efficacy analysis included symptomatic COVID-19 in seronegative participants with a nucleic acid amplification test-positive swab more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Participants were analysed according to treatment received, with data cutoff on Nov 4, 2020. Vaccine efficacy was calculated as 1 - relative risk derived from a robust Poisson regression model adjusted for age. Studies are registered at ISRCTN89951424 and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606, NCT04400838, and NCT04444674. FINDINGS: Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0-75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4-97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8-80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3-4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation. INTERPRETATION: ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials. FUNDING: UK Research and Innovation, National Institutes for Health Research (NIHR), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lemann Foundation, Rede D'Or, Brava and Telles Foundation, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Thames Valley and South Midland's NIHR Clinical Research Network, and AstraZeneca

Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK

Background A safe and efficacious vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), if deployed with high coverage, could contribute to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in a pooled interim analysis of four trials. Methods This analysis includes data from four ongoing blinded, randomised, controlled trials done across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Participants aged 18 years and older were randomly assigned (1:1) to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or control (meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline). Participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group received two doses containing 5 × 1010 viral particles (standard dose; SD/SD cohort); a subset in the UK trial received a half dose as their first dose (low dose) and a standard dose as their second dose (LD/SD cohort). The primary efficacy analysis included symptomatic COVID-19 in seronegative participants with a nucleic acid amplification test-positive swab more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Participants were analysed according to treatment received, with data cutoff on Nov 4, 2020. Vaccine efficacy was calculated as 1 - relative risk derived from a robust Poisson regression model adjusted for age. Studies are registered at ISRCTN89951424 and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606, NCT04400838, and NCT04444674. Findings Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0–75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4–97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8–80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3–4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation. Interpretation ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials

Psicologia e inclusão escolar: novas possibilidades de intervir preventivamente sobre problemas comportamentais Psychology and school inclusion: new ways of intervening to prevent behavioral problems

No contexto da inclusão educacional, um papel que parece promissor para o psicólogo escolar é o de prestar Consultoria Colaborativa Escolar, atuando em parceria com professores e familiares. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar os efeitos de um programa de intervenção preventiva, baseado nos modelo de Consultoria Colaborativa Escolar e Suporte Comportamental Positivo, voltado para prevenir e minimizar problemas comportamentais. O estudo foi realizado em três salas de aula do primeiro ano de uma escola municipal de ensino fundamental, localizada no interior do estado de São Paulo, e contou com a participação das três professoras das salas e seus 55 alunos. O estudo foi conduzido em quatro etapas. Na Etapa 1, foram realizados os procedimentos éticos. Na Etapa 2, foi aplicado o Inventário dos Comportamentos de Crianças e Adolescentes 6-18 anos/Relatório para Professores (TRF), junto às professoras. Na Etapa 3, o programa de intervenção preventiva foi implementado e teve como alvo as professoras e os alunos. Por fim, na Etapa 4, o TRF foi reaplicado. Para avaliar o impacto da intervenção, foi aplicado o teste MANOVA nos resultados obtidos. Em relação ao comportamento dos alunos, houve diminuição estatisticamente significativa nos comportamentos do tipo internalizante, externalizante e nos problemas totais. Esse resultado, além de indicar que a aplicação dos modelos de Consultoria Colaborativa Escolar e de Suporte Comportamental Positivo pode ser efetiva, aponta para o fato de que tais modelos podem ser utilizados por psicólogos escolares em intervenções preventivas voltadas para prevenir e minimizar problemas de comportamento na escola.<br>In an inclusive school environment, an important aspect of the role of educational psychologists that seems promising for educational psychologists is that of rendering Collaborative Consultation in Schools, in partnerships with teachers and families. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a preventive intervention program, based on the principles of the Collaborative Consultation in Schools and the Positive Behavior Support models, designed to prevent and minimize behavior problems. The study was conducted in three 1st grade classrooms in a public elementary school located in the state of São Paulo, involving participation of three teachers of these classrooms and their fifty-five pupils. The study was carried out in four phases. In Phase 1, the ethical procedures were carried out. In Phase 2, teachers were requested to complete the Child and Youth Behavior Inventory (6-18 years)/Teacher Report Form (TRF). In Phase 3, the preventive intervention program was implemented, targeting and focusing on teachers and pupils. Finally, in Phase 4, the TRF instrument was repeated. In order to assess the impact of the intervention, the MANOVA test was applied to the results. Regarding student behavior, there was a statistically significant decrease in internalizing, externalizing problems, and in total problems. Besides indicating that the implementation of the Collaborative Consultation in Schools and the Positive Behavior Support models can be effective, this result points to the fact that these models can be used by educational psychologists in preventive interventions that target preventing and minimizing behavior problems in school

Hydrophilic polymer changes the water demand in the implementation of a dwarf cashew orchard.

Abstract: Important losses of dwarf cashew seedlings during the establishment of orchards in the Brazilian semiarid are related to the relatively short rainy season. This study aimed to evaluate biochar and hydrophilic polymer as soil amendments to increase water retention and reduce plant death in the first year. An experiment was conducted at the Curu Station, Paraipaba, CE, Brazil, using the clone BRS 226. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, with amounts of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 kg of cashew wood biochar and 20, 40, 60, 80 g of hydrophilic polymer applied per pit, as well as a control treatment (no soil amendment). Seedlings were submitted to an irrigation regime to avoid water stress (5 L water seedling-1 when the tensiometer installed at a depth of 0.15 m reached 60 kPa). The variables of plant development number of leaves, plant height, stem diameter, and canopy diameter were evaluated up to 374 days after transplanting to the field. The analysis of variance showed no treatment effect on plant development. However, minimum water consumption was observed when 29.56 g of hydrophilic polymer was applied per pit, providing 100.0% seedling survival