Circuit of Computer Science Unplugged activities based on the life of Ada Lovelace

Ada Lovelace’s life is a source of inspiration for women and men of all ages, for being a bright-minded and visionary person. His greatest achievement was to have written the first computer program in history. This article presents a methodological proposal for didactic use of a children’s book about Ada Lovelace by proposing a circuit of unplugged activities in order to refine the computational thinking (CT) in children and adolescents. This methodology was applied in a workshop during the BLIND in the BLIND Conference. A quali-quantitative analysis performed with participants indicates the suitability of the proposed methodology

Implante vestibular : ele realmente funciona? : uma revisão sistemática

Introdução: Pessoas com perda vestibular apresentam um déficit no sistema vestibular, o qual é o principal responsável pelo controle postural, pela estabilização do olhar e orientação espacial enquanto a cabeça se movimenta. Não há tratamento efetivo para uma perda vestibular bilateral. Recentemente, foi desenvolvido um implante vestibular para pessoas com perda vestibular bilateral para melhorar essa função e, consequentemente, a qualidade de vida desses pacientes. Objetivo: Identificar na literatura científica evidências de que o implante vestibular melhora a função vestibular de pessoas com déficit vestibular. Método: Cento e quarenta e seis artigos foram encontrados em cinco bases de dados e 323 artigos da literatura cinzenta, mencionando a relação entre implante vestibular e função vestibular em humanos. A estratégia PICOS (População, Intervenção, Comparação e Desfechos) foi utilizada para definir os critérios de elegibilidade. Os estudos que preencheram os critérios de inclusão para esta segunda etapa foram incluídos em uma síntese qualitativa, e cada tipo de estudo foi analisado de acordo com a avaliação de risco de viés do Joanna Briggs Institute através da critical appraisal checklist for quasi-experimental studies e da critical appraisa lchecklist for case reports. Resultados: Dos 21 artigos incluídos cujos textos completos foram lidos, 10 foram selecionados para a análise qualitativa na presente revisão sistemática. Todos os dez artigos analisados através da critical appraisal checklist mostraram um baixo risco de viés. O número total de amostras nos artigos avaliados foi de 18 pacientes com implantes vestibulares. Conclusões: Em conjunto, esses achados apoiam a viabilidade do implante vestibular para a restauração do reflexo vestíbulo-ocular em uma ampla faixa de frequências e ilustram novos desafios para o desenvolvimento desta tecnologia.Introduction: People with vestibular loss present a deficit in the vestibular system, which is primarily responsible for promoting postural control, gaze stabilization, and spatial orientation while the head moves. There is no effective treatment for a bilateral loss of vestibular function. Recently, a vestibular implant was developed for people with bilateral loss of vestibular function to improve this function and, consequently, the quality of life of these patients. Objective: To identify in the scientific literature evidence that vestibular implants in people with vestibular deficit improves vestibular function. Methods: One hundred and forty six articles were found from five databases and 323 articles from the gray literature mentioning the relationship between vestibular implant and vestibular function in humans. The PICOS strategy (Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome) was used to define the eligibility criteria. The studies that met the inclusion criteria for this second step were included in a qualitative synthesis, and each type of study was analyzed according to the bias risk assessment of the Joanna Briggs Institute through the critical assessment checklist Joanna Briggs institute for quasi-experimental studies and the Joanna Briggs institute critical assessment checklist for case reports. Results: Of the 21 articles included in reading the full text, 10 studies were selected for the qualitative analysis in the present systematic review. All ten articles analyzed through the critical assessment checklist Joanna Briggs institute showed a low risk of bias. The total number of samples in the evaluated articles was 18 patients with vestibular implants. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings support the feasibility of vestibular implant for restoration of the vestibulo-ocular reflex in a broad frequency range and illustrate new challenges for the development of this technology

Optimization of xanthan gum production by demerara sugar using response surface methodology

Xanthan gum (XG) production using three Xanthomonas sp. strains (290, 472, and S6) was evaluated by applying a 23 full factorial central composite design response to study the interactive effects of the fermentation medium component concentrations as parameters to determine the efficiency of the gum production in batch experiments. The experimental variables were the carbon source (demerara sugar or sucrose), potassium phosphate dibasic, and magnesium sulfate. Experimental results showed the K2HPO4 concentration as the important parameter for XG production by using Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis IBSBF 290 and X. campestris pv. campestris IBSBF 472, while for the Xanthomonas sp. S6 strain, the MgSO4∙7H2O concentration was the determining factor in XG production using demerara sugar or sucrose as a carbon source. The strains of Xanthomonas 472 and S6, using demerara sugar and higher concentrations of salts, exhibited a higher yield of XG (36 and 32%) than when using sucrose and the same concentration of salts. The experimental outcomes highlighted demerara sugar as a suitable and efficient alternative carbon and micronutrient source for XG production. Despite the bacterial strain influence, the medium composition is crucial for this fermentation process. Therefore, the evaluated salts are important factors for XG production, and the demerara sugar can partially replace this mineral salt requirement as indicated by the face-centered composite experimental design due to its chemical composition. Overall, demerara sugar provides promising properties for XG production.The authors acknowledge the financial assistance from the Brazilian research funding agencies including the Co-ordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) under Finance Code 001, a Brazilian foundation within the Ministry of Education (MEC); the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), a Brazilian foundation associated to the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovations (MCTI); the Foundation of Support to Research and Technological Innovation of the State of Sergipe (FAPITEC/SE); and the Regional Co-operative of Agrarian Reform Settlers of Sergipe’s Semi-Arid. The authors acknowledge the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for the financial support to the CISAS UIDB/05937/2020 and UIDP/05937/2020, including the postdoc grant and the contract of the two authors.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Feasibility of reducing frailty components in older adults with Alzheimer's dementia:a randomized controlled home-based exercise trial (AD-HOMEX)

Objectives: There is a need for interventions to reduce frailty in older people with Alzheimer's dementia (AD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a home-based multimodal exercise program for older adults with AD (AD-HOMEX) on frailty. Design: A parallel single-blind randomized controlled trial comparing a home-based exercise program and usual care. Setting and participants: A home-based program in Brazil. Forty individuals aged 65 years or older with mild to moderate AD. Methods: The intervention group (IG) participated in a 16-week protocol involving three 60-minute sessions per week of progressive individualized physical exercises supervised by a physical therapist. The participants in the control group (CG) maintained their usual care. Frailty was assessed using the FRAIL questionnaire, the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS) and a subjective assessment by the evaluator (SAE) at baseline and follow-up. Per-protocol analysis was performed. Results: Thirty-five participants completed the program (IG = 16; CG = 19). Frailty improved in the IG based on the EFS (P = .004) and FRAIL (P Conclusions and implications: AD-HOMEX seems to reduce frailty and improve frailty transition patterns. Our findings provide a further theoretical basis for designing home-based physical interventions as routine practice for older frail adults with AD

Residual frying oil in the diets of sheep: intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance and ruminal parameters

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the intake and nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance and ruminal ammonia nitrogen in lambs of diets containing different levels of residual frying oil. Methods Levels of 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 g/kg dry matter (DM) base of residual frying oil in the diets of lambs were evaluated. Five castrated lambs with initial body weights of 36.8±3.3 kg, distributed in a Latin square (5×5) design, were used. Results There was a decreasing linear effect on the intake of DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total carbohydrates (TCH), and nonfibrous carbohydrates (NFC). There was an increased linear intake of ether extract (EE). The apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, TCH, and NFC, as well as urine nitrogen excretion, nitrogen balance and ruminal parameters, were not influenced by different levels of residual frying oil in the diet. EE digestibility presented a crescent linear effect. Conclusion It can be concluded that the addition of residual frying oil to the diets of sheep can affect nutrient intake without affecting the digestibility of most nutrients (with the exception of EE), nitrogen balance and ruminal ammonia nitrogen concentration

Exercício físico aeróbio para promoção da saúde de pacientes com doença de Alzheimer

Introdução: Sabe-se que a prática regular e sistematizada de atividade física é uma eficiente estratégia para evitar a deterioração cognitiva e funcional associada à Doença de Alzheimer (DA), uma doença progressiva, degenerativa e irreversível. Na população idosa os benefícios observados com a prática de exercícios físicos aeróbios já se encontram bem estabelecidos, contudo pouco ainda se sabe quanto à prática deste tipo de atividade em pacientes com DA. Em estudos realizados com modelo animal pode-se observar que o exercício físico aeróbio foi capaz de reduzir os níveis da proteína beta-amilóide, sendo esta uma proteína característica da DA, que provoca degeneração no cérebro dos pacientes. A redução dos marcadores característicos da doença pode promover benefícios para os pacientes. Objetivos: Promover a prática de exercícios físicos para promoção/manutenção da saúde de pacientes com DA. Métodos: O estudo está sendo desenvolvido no PRO-CDA (Programa de Cinesioterapia Funcional e Cognitiva em Idosos com Doença de Alzheimer), projeto de Extensão do Departamento de Educação Física da UNESP - Campus Rio Claro, vinculado ao Núcleo Local UNESP-UNATI. O projeto atende atualmente 34 pacientes, divididos em dois grupos: Grupo Convívio Social e Grupo Exercício. O primeiro tem por objetivo desenvolver a adaptação do paciente à rotina do projeto. Já o segundo grupo busca promover os benefícios observados com a prática de atividade física nos pacientes participantes. Ambos os grupos realizam atividades três vezes na semana, com 60 minutos de duração cada sessão. O projeto conta com a participação de alunos de graduação, dos cursos de educação física, pedagogia e biologia, bem como discentes de pós-graduação da UNESP, além de aprimorandos graduandos e graduados dos cursos de educação física, fisioterapia, gerontologia e psicologia de outras universidades, que atuam sob a coordenação de docentes vinculados ao Departamento de Educação Física e de Educação. Resultados: Por se tratar de um protocolo de intervenção motora iniciado recentemente, o presente estudo ainda não apresenta resultados. Contudo protocolos de atividade física desenvolvidos anteriormente no PRO-CDA evidenciam melhora na realização de atividades de vida diária, manutenção das funções cognitivas, qualidade de vida e redução dos distúrbios de comportamento nos pacientes participantes. Espera-se que o protocolo de exercício físico aeróbio possa influenciar positivamente os participantes do projeto, com melhora na qualidade de vida, tanto de pacientes como de cuidadores, redução de sintomas depressivos, melhora dos distúrbios do sono e da condição motora. Agradecimentos: PROEX-UNESP, FUNDUNESP, UNESP-UNATI