AVALIAÇÃO DA PRESCRIÇÃO DIETÉTICA DE CRIANÇAS HOSPITALIZADAS

Background: Malnutrition is frequently found in hospitalized children and is associated with poor outcome. The adequate nutritional approach improves clinical evaluation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adequacy of dietetic enteral order in hospitalized children. Methods: Twenty one children were followed from july to september 2004. The dietetic enteral orders were registered during three periods of hospitalization. Results: The children body weight was inadequate and didn´t changed during the hospitalization (day 1 = 76.4 ± 18.2%; day 2 = 76.1 ± 18.6%; day 3 = 76.7 ± 19.6%). Energy dietetic order was inadequate but protein and micronutrients were according to the recommendation. Conclusion: Clinical condition may negativelly affect the nutritional order. The multidisciplinary team should give all the efforts to meet the appropriate dietetic energy order of hospitalized children.Modelo do estudo: Estudo de prevalência. Objetivo: A subnutrição é freqüentemente observada em crianças hospitalizadas e está associada a um pior prognóstico. A correta abordagem nutricional, incluindo a prescrição dietética, melhora a evolução clínica. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a adequação da prescrição dietética em crianças hospitalizadas. Métodos : Vinte e uma crianças foram acompanhadas de Julho a Setembro de 2004. Foi realizado a avaliação das prescrições dietéticas de crianças recebendo nutrição enteral durante três períodos da internação. Houve inadequação do peso durante a hospitalização (dia 1 =76.4 ± 18.2%; dia 2 = 76.1 ± 18.6%; dia 3 = 76.7 ± 19.6%), sem alteração durante o período do estudo. A prescrição energética foi inadequada, porém as de proteínas e micronutrientes apresentaram-se dentro da recomendação. Conclusão: A condição clínica pode afetar de maneira negativa a prescrição nutricional. A equipe multidisciplinar deve se empenhar ao máximo para atingir as necessidades energéticas das crianças hospitalizadas

Experimental Tests and Preliminary Life Cycle Assessment

Funding Information: Thanks are also due to FCT for the project PTDC/BII-BIO/30884/2017. A.F.P. and M.M.M. thank FCT for funding through the Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus (ref. 2020.01614.CEECIND/CP1596/CT0007 and CEEC-IND/02702/2017, respectively). O.D. is thankful for the Ph.D. grant supported by FCT (2021.05322.BD). Funding Information: This work was funded by Portuguese funds through Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT/MCTES) in the framework of the projects UIDB/50006/2020, UIDP/50006/2020, and EXPL/BII-BIO/0436/2021 and also by BIP Proof 2022/2023 through UI-Transfer, a cofunding project by European Union through COMPETE 2020-Portugal 2020, CIQUP, Centro de Investigação em Química da Universidade do Porto (UIDB/00081/2020), and IMS, Institute of Molecular Sciences (LA/P/0056/2020). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.The control of the oxidative stability of biodiesel and blends of biodiesel with diesel is one of the major concerns of the biofuel industry. The oxidative degradation of biodiesel can be accelerated by several factors, and this is most critical in the so-called second generation biodiesel, which is produced from low-cost raw materials with lower environmental impacts. The addition of antioxidants is imperative to ensure the oxidative stability of biodiesel, and these are considered products of high commercial value. The antioxidants currently available on the market are from synthetic origin, so the existence/availability of alternative antioxidants of natural origin (less dependent on fossil sources) at a competitive price presents itself as a strong business opportunity. This work describes and characterizes a sustainable alternative to synthetic antioxidants used in the biodiesel market developed from extracts of vineyard pruning waste (VPW), which are naturally rich in phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties. A hydrothermal extraction process was applied as a more efficient and sustainable technology than the conventional one with the potential of the extracts as antioxidant additives in biodiesel evaluated in Rancitech equipment. The VPW extract showed comparable antioxidant activity as the commercial antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) typically used in biodiesel. The stability of the biodiesel is dependent from the amount of the extract added. Further, for the first time, the assessment of the environmental impacts of using natural extracts to control the oxidative stability of biodiesel in the production process is also discussed as a key factor of the process environmental sustainability.publishersversionpublishe

Specific Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis Identifies Body Fat Reduction after a Lifestyle Intervention in Former Elite Athletes

Background: specific bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) has been proposed as an alternative bioimpedance method for evaluating body composition. This investigation aimed to verify the ability of specific BIVA in identifying changes in fat mass after a 16-week lifestyle program in former athletes. Methods: The 94 participants included in the Champ4life project (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03031951) were randomized into intervention (n = 49) and control (n = 45) groups, from which 82 athletes completed the intervention (age 43.9 ± 9.2 y; body mass index 31.1 ± 4.6 kg/m2). Fat mass was estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bioelectric resistance, reactance, phase angle, and vector length were assessed by bioelectric impedance spectroscopy, and the BIVA procedure was applied. Results: A significant (p < 0.05) group x time interaction for fat mass, specific resistance, reactance, and vector length was found. Fat mass and vector length significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the intervention group, while no change was measured in the control group. Considering the participants as a whole group, changes in vector length were associated with changes in fat mass percentage (r2 = 0.246; β = 0.33; p < 0.001) even after adjusting for age, sex, and group (R2 = 0.373; β = 0.23; p = 0.002). Conclusions: The specific BIVA approach is suitable to track fat mass changes during an intervention program aimed to reduce body fat in former athletes

Improved X-ray detection and particle identification with avalanche photodiodes

Avalanche photodiodes are commonly used as detectors for low energy x-rays. In this work we report on a fitting technique used to account for different detector responses resulting from photo absorption in the various APD layers. The use of this technique results in an improvement of the energy resolution at 8.2 keV by up to a factor of 2, and corrects the timing information by up to 25 ns to account for space dependent electron drift time. In addition, this waveform analysis is used for particle identification, e.g. to distinguish between x-rays and MeV electrons in our experiment.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Candida Infections and Therapeutic Strategies: Mechanisms of Action for Traditional and Alternative Agents

The Candida genus comprises opportunistic fungi that can become pathogenic when the immune system of the host fails. Candida albicans is the most important and prevalent species. Polyenes, fluoropyrimidines, echinocandins, and azoles are used as commercial antifungal agents to treat candidiasis. However, the presence of intrinsic and developed resistance against azole antifungals has been extensively documented among several Candida species. The advent of original and re-emergence of classical fungal diseases have occurred as a consequence of the development of the antifungal resistance phenomenon. In this way, the development of new satisfactory therapy for fungal diseases persists as a major challenge of present-day medicine. The design of original drugs from traditional medicines provides new promises in the modern clinic. The urgent need includes the development of alternative drugs that are more efficient and tolerant than those traditional already in use. The identification of new substances with potential antifungal effect at low concentrations or in combination is also a possibility. The present review briefly examines the infections caused by Candida species and focuses on the mechanisms of action associated with the traditional agents used to treat those infections, as well as the current understanding of the molecular basis of resistance development in these fungal species. In addition, this review describes some of the promising alternative molecules and/or substances that could be used as anticandidal agents, their mechanisms of action, and their use in combination with traditional drugs

Optimizing C-RAN Backhaul Topologies: A Resilience-Oriented Approach Using Graph Invariants

ABSTRACT: At the verge of the launch of the first commercial fifth generation (5G) system, trends in wireless and optical networks are proceeding toward increasingly dense deployments, supporting resilient interconnection for applications that carry higher and higher capacity and tighter latency requirements. These developments put increasing pressure on network backhaul and drive the need for a re-examination of traditional backhaul topologies. Challenges of impending networks cannot be tackled by star and ring approaches due to their lack of intrinsic survivability and resilience properties, respectively. In support of this re-examination, we propose a backhaul topology design method that formulates the topology optimization as a graph optimization problem by capturing both the objective and constraints of optimization in graph invariants. Our graph theoretic approach leverages well studied mathematical techniques to provide a more systematic alternative to traditional approaches to backhaul design. Specifically, herein, we optimize over some known graph invariants, such as maximum node degree, topology diameter, average distance, and edge betweenness, as well as over a new invariant called node Wiener impact, to achieve baseline backhaul topologies that match the needs for resilient future wireless and optical networks

The size of the proton and the deuteron

We have recently measured the 2S1/2⁼¹ − 2P3/2 ⁼ ² energy splitting in the muonic hydrogen atom μp to be 49881.88 (76) GHz. Using recent QED calculations of the fine-, hyperfine, QED and finite size contributions we obtain a root-mean-square proton charge radius of rp = 0.84184 (67) fm. This value is ten times more precise, but 5 standard deviations smaller, than the 2006 CODATA value of rp = 0.8768 (69) fm. The source of this discrepancy is unknown. Using the precise measurements of the 1S-2S transition in regular hydrogen and deuterium and our value of rp we obtain improved values of the Rydberg constant, R∞ = 10973731.568160 (16) m⁻¹and the rms charge radius of the deuteron rd = 2.12809 (31) fm

BRCA2 polymorphic stop codon K3326X and the risk of breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers

Background: The K3326X variant in BRCA2 (BRCA2*c.9976A>T; p.Lys3326*; rs11571833) has been found to be associated with small increased risks of breast cancer. However, it is not clear to what extent linkage disequilibrium with fully pathogenic mutations might account for this association. There is scant information about the effect of K3326X in other hormone-related cancers. Methods: Using weighted logistic regression, we analyzed data from the large iCOGS study including 76 637 cancer case patients and 83 796 control patients to estimate odds ratios (ORw) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for K3326X variant carriers in relation to breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer risks, with weights defined as probability of not having a pathogenic BRCA2 variant. Using Cox proportional hazards modeling, we also examined the associations of K3326X with breast and ovarian cancer risks among 7183 BRCA1 variant carriers. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: The K3326X variant was associated with breast (ORw = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.17 to 1.40, P = 5.9x10- 6) and invasive ovarian cancer (ORw = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.10 to 1.43, P = 3.8x10-3). These associations were stronger for serous ovarian cancer and for estrogen receptor–negative breast cancer (ORw = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.2 to 1.70, P = 3.4x10-5 and ORw = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.28 to 1.76, P = 4.1x10-5, respectively). For BRCA1 mutation carriers, there was a statistically significant inverse association of the K3326X variant with risk of ovarian cancer (HR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.22 to 0.84, P = .013) but no association with breast cancer. No association with prostate cancer was observed. Conclusions: Our study provides evidence that the K3326X variant is associated with risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers independent of other pathogenic variants in BRCA2. Further studies are needed to determine the biological mechanism of action responsible for these associations