Cross-cultural adaptation and reliability analysis of the Brazilian version of Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS)

BACKGROUND: The Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) was developed from a modified version of the Berg Balance Scale aiming to obtain a balance scale more appropriate for the child population. OBJECTIVES: To adapt the PBS into Brazilian-Portuguese and to evaluate the intra and inter-rater reliability of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of PBS. METHODS: To perform the cross-cultural adaptation of the American version of PBS four translators were involved, who have performed two translations and their respective back-translations. Then, a review by a multidisciplinary committee and a subsequent an assessment of the equivalence of meaning between the back-translations and the original English scale were performed by 3 and 30 healthcare professionals respectively. The intra-rater reliability of the final version of the Brazilian-Portuguese PBS was evaluated using a test-retest design with one-week interval. The Brazilian-Portuguese version of the PBS was tested twice on the same day by two different raters to test the inter-rater reliability. The inter-rater reliability, which was measured from a video of the volunteers performance, was evaluated by comparing the score given by five raters independently. Reliability was evaluated by Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). Fifteen volunteers (11±2.7 years) diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP) classified at level I and II on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) were assessed. RESULTS: The reliability of the PBS total score for both intra-rater (ICC=0.85) and inter-rater (ICC=0.91) was excellent. The inter-rater reliability (measured from the video) for the total score was also classified as excellent (ICC=0.98). CONCLUSION: The results showed adequate reliability for the PBS for pediatric population with CP diagnostic classified at level I and II on the GMFCS.CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) foi desenvolvida a partir de uma modificação da Escala de Equilíbrio de Berg (EEB), visando obter uma escala de equilíbrio mais apropriada para a população infantil. OBJETIVOS: Adaptar para o português-Brasil e avaliar a confiabilidade intra-avaliador e interavaliadores/observadores da versão brasileira da PBS. MÉTODOS: Para a adaptação cultural da versão americana da PBS, foram envolvidos quatro tradutores que realizaram duas traduções e respectivas retrotraduções, uma revisão por um comitê multidisciplinar e uma avaliação subsequente da equivalência de significado entre as retrotraduções e o original (respectivamente três e 30 profissionais da área de saúde). A confiabilidade intra-avaliador da escala final em Português - Escala de Equilíbrio Pediátrica (EEP) - foi avaliada comparando-se duas avaliações repetidas pelo mesmo avaliador com o intervalo de uma semana. A confiabilidade interavaliadores foi testada comparando-se as avaliações de dois avaliadores diferentes que realizaram o teste no mesmo dia. A confiabilidade interobservadores, a partir do vídeo do desempenho dos voluntários, foi avaliada por meio da comparação da pontuação dada independentemente por cinco observadores. A confiabilidade foi avaliada por meio do Coeficiente de Correlação Intraclasse (CCI). Foram avaliados 15 voluntários (11±2,7 anos) com diagnóstico de Paralisia Cerebral (PC), classificados nos níveis I e II do Sistema de Classificação da Função Motora Grossa (GMFCS). RESULTADOS: A confiabilidade para o escore total da EEP foi excelente tanto para o teste intra-avaliador (CCI=0,85) como para o interavaliadores (CCI=0.91). A confiabilidade interobservadores (a partir do vídeo) para o escore total foi excelente (CCI=0,98). CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados mostraram confiabilidade adequada para a EEP para a população pediátrica com diagnóstico de PC classificada nos níveis I e II do GMFCS.Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina Postgraduate Program in Physical TherapyUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL

Genetic characterization of some neoponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) populations within the foetida species complex

The foetida species complex comprises 13 Neotropical species in the ant genus Neoponera Emery (1901). Neoponera villosa Fabricius (1804) , Neoponera inversa Smith (1858), Neoponera bactronica Fernandes, Oliveira & Delabie (2013), and Neoponera curvinodis (Forel, 1899) have had an ambiguous taxonomic status for more than two decades. In southern Bahia, Brazil, these four species are frequently found in sympatry. Here we used Bayesian Inference and maximum likelihood analyses of COI and 16S mtDNA sequence data and conventional cytogenetic data together with observations on morphology to characterize sympatric populations of N. villosa, N. inversa, N. bactronica, and N. curvinodis. Our results showed marked differences in the karyotype of these ants. Both N. curvinodis and N. inversa have chromosome number of 2n = 30. Their chromosome composition, however, is distinct, which indicates that N. curvinodis is more closely related to N. bactronica. These four species clustered into three distinct groups. The close relationship between N. bactronica and N. curvinodis deserves further investigation since it has not been fully resolved here. Our results confirm that N. inversa, N. villosa, N. bactronica + N. curvinodis indeed represent four distinct taxa within the foetida species complex

Abstracts

Tradução, para a língua Inglesa, dos resumos dos artigos publicados nesta edição

Avaliação citopatológica de tumores mamários em cães submetidos à terapia por corrente elétrica contínua

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The potential therapeutic use of cord blood in autologous transplants or in special patients: a review and update

Umbilical Cord Blood is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells widely used as a substitute of bone marrow (BM) in transplants. Cells from umbilical cord blood present advantages over BM cells, mainly as they are younger and a have higher proliferative rate. Besides hematopoietic stem cells, umbilical cord blood contains endothelial and mesenchymal progenitor cells, suggesting their possible application in cell therapy protocols for different tissues. In this paper, we discuss the importance of autologous umbilical cord blood storage and the research on stem cell transplantation for degenerative diseases.O sangue de cordão umbilical e placentário (SCUP) é uma rica fonte de células-tronco (CT) hematopoéticas e é amplamente utilizado como substituto da medula óssea em casos de transplante. As células do SCUP possuem vantagens sobre as células da medula óssea (MO), principalmente por serem mais jovens e apresentarem maior taxa proliferativa. Além dos progenitores hematopoéticos, o sangue de cordão umbilical contém progenitores endoteliais e mesenquimais, sugerindo sua possível aplicação nos novos protocolos de terapia celular para diferentes tecidos. Na presente revisão, discutimos a importância do armazenamento do sangue de cordão umbilical autólogo e as pesquisas desenvolvidas para a sua aplicação em doenças degenerativas.Cryopraxis Criobiologia LtdaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM)Instituto de Traumato-ortopediaSanta Casa de São PauloHospital Samaritano de São PauloUFRJ HUCFFHospital Central do ExércitoUFRJ IPPMGUFRJCollege of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery Center of Excellence for Aging & Brain RepairUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

A Model of DENV-3 Infection That Recapitulates Severe Disease and Highlights the Importance of IFN-γ in Host Resistance to Infection

There are few animal models of dengue infection, especially in immunocompetent mice. Here, we describe alterations found in adult immunocompetent mice inoculated with an adapted Dengue virus (DENV-3) strain. Infection of mice with the adapted DENV-3 caused inoculum-dependent lethality that was preceded by several hematological and biochemical changes and increased virus dissemination, features consistent with severe disease manifestation in humans. IFN-γ expression increased after DENV-3 infection of WT mice and this was preceded by increase in expression of IL-12 and IL-18. In DENV-3-inoculated IFN-γ−/− mice, there was enhanced lethality, which was preceded by severe disease manifestation and virus replication. Lack of IFN-γ production was associated with diminished NO-synthase 2 (NOS2) expression and higher susceptibility of NOS2−/− mice to DENV-3 infection. Therefore, mechanisms of protection to DENV-3 infection rely on IFN-γ-NOS2-NO-dependent control of viral replication and of disease severity, a pathway showed to be relevant for resistance to DENV infection in other experimental and clinical settings. Thus, the model of DENV-3 infection in immunocompetent mice described here represents a significant advance in animal models of severe dengue disease and may provide an important tool to the elucidation of immunopathogenesis of disease and of protective mechanisms associated with infection

First report of the blaOXA-58 gene in a clinical isolate of Acinetobacter baumannii in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Carbapenemase production is an important mechanism of carbapenem resistance among nonfermentative Gram-negative isolates. This study aimed to report the detection of blaOXA-58 gene in multiresistant clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii recovered from inpatients in a public hospital. Polymerase chain reaction tests were performed to detect the blaOXA-23-like, blaOXA-24-like, blaOXA-58-like and blaOXA-51-like genes. The blaOXA-58 and blaOXA-23 genes were detected in one and three isolates, respectively. Sequencing of the blaOXA-58-like amplicon revealed 100% identity with the A. baumannii blaOXA-58 gene listed in the GenBank database. This is the first report of an OXA-58-producing A. baumannii isolate in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Occupational exposure of workers to pesticides: Toxicogenetics and susceptibility gene polymorphisms

Farm workers are often exposed to pesticides, which are products belonging to a specific chemical group that affects the health of agricultural workers and is mostly recognized as genotoxic and carcinogenic. The exposure of workers from Piauí, Brazil, to these hazardous chemicals was assessed and cytogenetic alterations were evaluated using the buccal micronucleus assay, hematological and lipid parameters, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity and genetic polymorphisms of enzymes involved in the metabolism of pesticides, such as PON1, as well as of the DNA repair system (OGG1, XRCC1 and XRCC4). Two groups of farm workers exposed to different types of pesticides were evaluated and compared to matched non-exposed control groups. A significant increase was observed in the frequencies of micronuclei, kariorrhexis, karyolysis and binucleated cells in the exposed groups (n = 100) compared to controls (n = 100). No differences were detected regarding the hematological parameters, lipid profile and BChE activity. No significant difference was observed either regarding DNA damage or nuclear fragmentation when specific metabolizing and DNA repair genotypes were investigated in the exposed groups