Classifying Functioning of Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disability: The Utility of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth

Observational cross-sectional study carried out in a pediatric neurodevelopment unit of a tertiary-care hospital. A sample of 355 children with median ((min.–max.) 1.0–17.3) years with intellectual disability (30.4% borderline, 43.1% mild, 19.7% moderate, 5.1% severe, and 1.7% profound disability) was seen over a period of 3 years. Based on clinical observation and psychological evaluation, a neurodevelopmental pediatrician selected ICF-CY body functions codes, and respective qualifiers, to effectively describe functioning of children. Based on evaluation reports, a psychologist and a special educator assigned the previously chosen ICF-CY body functions codes to 139 and 67 children, respectively. Inter-rater agreement was estimated using simple and weighted Cohen’s kappa coefficients and Gwet’s AC1 statistic and Gwet’s weighted kappa coefficient statistic. A set of eight ICF-CY codes was identified as efficiently describing impairments of body functions of children with intellectual disability: global mental functions b117 and b122; specific mental functions b147, b163, b164, and b167; and voice and speech functions b320 and b330. Results indicate a correspondence between the level of severity of qualifiers assigned to ICF-CY codes and the level of intellectual disability. Inter-rater agreement was variable among raters, with the best agreements found for qualifying intellectual functions (b117) and psychomotor functions (b122). A profile of eight ICF-CY codes effectively describes functioning of children with intellectual disability, providing an alternative to medically based classification, based on diagnoses with functionally based classification of children’s characteristics. The findings contribute to define a comprehensive set of codes to reliably record individual differences of functioning in this populationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Profile and motivation for smoking cessation in surgical inpatients

Estudo transversal que objetivou identifi car o perfi l e a motivação para a cessação do tabagismo em pacientes cirúrgicos hospitalizados. A amostra foi aleatória, com 100 pacientes de um hospital universitário do Sul do Brasil. Os dados foram coletados entre fevereiro e maio de 2013 e analisados pela estatística descritiva. Os resultados evidenciaram que 58 (58%) eram homens, com idade de 54,5±13,8 anos, 79(79%) brancos, 38(38%) casados e 67 (67%) com ensino fundamental. O início do fumo ocorreu aos 17±6,6 anos, com consumo de 20(10-28,7) cigarros/dia e com 37,4±14,4 anos de fumo. Noventa e um (91%) pacientes desejavam parar de fumar, 57(57%) estavam na fase de preparação, 36(36%) apresentavam baixa dependência de nicotina e 35(35%) receberam incentivos para cessar o tabagismo. Conclui-se que a internação é um momento propício para abordagem do tabagismo, no entanto, a equipe de saúde ainda não intervém de maneira efi caz e sistematizada.Estudio transversal a identifi car el perfi l y la motivación para dejar de fumar en pacientes quirúrgicos. La muestra fue aleatoria con 100 pacientes de un hospital universitario en el sur de Brasil. Los datos fueron recolectados entre febrero y mayo de 2013 y analizados mediante estadística descriptiva. Los resultados mostraron que el 58(58%) eran hombres, con edades de 54,5±13,8 años, 79(79 %) blancos, 38(38%) casados y 67(67%) con educación primaria. El inicio del consumo de tabaco fue a los 17±6,6 años, 20(10 a 28,7) cigarrillos/día y 37,4±14,4 años fumadores. Noventa y un (91%) pacientes querían dejar de fumar, 57(57%) se encontraban en la fase de preparación, 36(36%) tenían baja dependencia de la nicotina y 35(35%) recibieron incentivos para dejar de fumar. Llegamos a la conclusión de que la hospitalización es un buen momento para la aproximación, sin embargo, el equipo de salud todavía no interviene con efi cacia y de manera sistemática.The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe the profi le of smokers hospitalized for surgery, and investigate their motivation to quit. The sample consisted of 100 patients recruited from a university hospital in southern Brazil. Data were collected between February and May 2013, and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The sample was predominantly male (n=58; 58%) and had a mean age of 54.5±13.8 years. Seventy-nine (79%) of the participants were white, 38(38%) were married and 67(67%) had primary education only. Patients started smoking at a mean age of 17±6.6 years, smoked approximately 20(10 to 28.7) cigarettes/day and had been smoking for a mean of 37.4±14.4 years. Ninety-one (91%) patients wanted to stop smoking, 57(57%) were in the preparation phase, 36(36%) had low nicotine dependence and 35(35%) had been encouraged to quit. We concluded that, although hospitalization is a good moment to address smoking cessation, health care professionals do not enact eff ective and systematic interventions in this regard

Habitat specificity of a threatened and endemic cliff-dwelling halophyte

Research ArticleCoastal areas and other saline environments are major contributors to regional and global biodiversity patterns. In these environments, rapidly changing gradients require highly specialized plants like halophytes. In European coastal cliff-tops, rocky and sandy seashores, and saltmarshes, typical halophytes from the genus Limonium are commonly found. Among them, the aneuploid tetraploid (2n ¼ 4x ¼ 35, 36, 37) Limonium multiflorum, endemic to the west coast of Portugal, is an interesting case study for investigating the ecology and conservation of a halophyte agamospermic species. Although it is listed in the IUCN red list of threatened species, information on its population size or rarity, as well as its ecology, in some respects is still unknown. Field surveys in the largest known population were performed (Raso cape, Portugal) in order to determine habitat requirements and conservation status. A total of 88 quadrats were monitored, 43 of which contained at least one L. multiflorum individual. For each sampled quadrat, four abiotic and four biotic variables as well as two spatially derived variables were recorded. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis showed narrow habitat specificity for this species which appeared to be intolerant to competition with invasive alien plants. We conclude that in situ conservation in a local ‘hotspot’ of this rare and vulnerable species emerges as a priority in order to ensure that biodiversity is not los

Bromine soil/sediment enrichment in tidal salt marshes as a potential indicator of climate changes driven by solar activity: New insights from W coast Portuguese estuaries

This paper aims at providing insight about bromine (Br) cycle in four Portuguese estuaries: Minho, Lima (in the NW coast) and Sado, Mira (in the SW coast). The focus is on their tidal marsh environments, quite distinct with regard to key biophysicochemical attributes. Regardless of the primary bromide (Br-) common natural source, i.e., seawater, the NW marshes present relatively higher surface soil/sediment Br concentrations than the ones from SW coast. This happens in close connection with organic matter (OM) content, and is controlled by their main climatic contexts. Yet, the anthropogenic impact on Br concentrations cannot be discarded. Regarding [Br] spatial patterns across the marshes, the results show a general increase from tidal flat toward high marsh. Maxima [Br] occur in the upper driftline zone, at transition from highest low marsh to high marsh, recognized as a privileged setting for OM accumulation. Based on the discovery of OM ubiquitous bromination in marine and transitional environments, it is assumed that this Br occurs mainly as organobromine. Analysis of two dated sediment cores indicates that, despite having the same age (AD ~1300), the Caminha salt marsh (Minho estuary) evidences higher Br enrichment than the Casa Branca salt marsh (Mira estuary). This is related to a greater Br storage ability, which is linked to OM build-up and rate dynamics under different climate scenarios. Both cores evidence a fairly similar temporal Br enrichment pattern, and may be interpreted in light of the sun-climate coupling. Thereby, most of the well-known Grand Solar Minima during the Little Ice Age appear to have left an imprint on these marshes, supported by higher [Br] in soils/sediments. Besides climate changes driven by solar activity and impacting marsh Br biogeodynamics, those Br enrichment peaks might also reflect inputs of enhanced volcanic activity covarying with Grand Solar Minima.This work was partly supported by IDL through the UID/GEO/50019/2013 program, by C2 TN through the UID/Multi/04349/2013 program, and is a contribution of the project WestLog (PTDC/CTE/105370/2008), funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT). João Moreno benefits from a FCT PhD grant (SFRH/BD/87995/2012). J.J. Gómez-Navarro acknowledges the funding provided through the contract for the return of experienced researches, resolution R-735/2015 of the University of Murcia.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Additive effect of linseed oil supplementation on the lipid profiles of older adults

Ana Paula A Avelino,1 Gláucia MM Oliveira,1 Célia CD Ferreira,2 Ronir R Luiz,3 Glorimar Rosa1,4 1Post-Graduate Program of Medicine-Cardiology, 2Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, 3Institute of Public Health Studies, 4Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Background: Linseed oil has been investigated as a rich source of n-3 series polyunsaturated fatty acids, which mainly produce a non-atherogenic lipid profile. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of linseed oil supplementation associated with nutritional guidelines on the lipid profiles of older adults, according to the intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA).Methods: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 110 older adults randomized in two groups: placebo and linseed oil. The linseed oil group received supplementation with 3 g of linseed oil. Both groups received nutritional guidance and were supplemented for 90 days with monthly blood collection for biochemical analysis. The dietary intake of saturated fat was subdivided into low (<7% SFA/day of the total energy value) and high consumption groups (>7% SFA/day of the total energy value).Results: Low SFA (<7% SFA/day of total energy value) consumption was associated with lower total cholesterol concentrations. However, we observed that the linseed oil group, including older adults who consumed >7% SFA/day, had a greater reduction in total cholesterol than the placebo group (P=0.020). The same was observed for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (P<0.050), suggesting an additive effect of linseed oil and diet. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations were increased significantly in only the linseed group, suggesting that the nutritional intervention alone did not improve HDL cholesterol.Conclusion: The results suggest that the nutritional intervention was effective, but linseed oil showed notable effects by increasing the HDL cholesterol concentration. In addition, consumption of <7% SFA/day of the total energy value increased the effect of linseed oil, demonstrating the importance of reducing the consumption of saturated fat. Keywords: linseed oil, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, older adults, atherosclerosis, saturated fatty acids, elderly&nbsp