Effects of dual-task interventions on gait performance of patients with parkinson’s disease: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE: Parkinson’s disease is characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms that impair patients’ gait performance, especially while performing dual/concurrent tasks. These deficits impair patients’ daily function, because dual-tasking is a crucial ability in terms of everyday living. The aim of this study was to systematically review the effects of dual task interventions on gait performance of patients with Parkinson’s disease. METHOD: Studies were retrieved from MEDLINE/PubMed, LILACS and SciELO. We used the PICOS strategy to determine eligibility criteria. The search strategy included an advanced search on the included databases, using the following search query: “Parkinson’s Disease” AND “Double Task” OR “Concurrent Tasks” OR “Gait” AND “Walk”. Study selection was carried out by two independent researchers and a third one was called when consensus was needed. RESULTS: A total of 188 articles were identified: 169 articles from Medline/PubMed, 10 articles in SciELO, 8 articles in LILACS and 1 item from manual searches. A total of 56 articles were analyzed regarding the eligibility and exclusion criteria based on full text. A final total of 7 studies were included in the systematic review. CONCLUSION: The different types of dual-task interventions reported (dance, sound stimuli, visual and somatosensory) were associated to improvements in several gait performance indicators of Parkinson’s disease patients, including gait speed, stride time and length, cadence and step length. External stimuli seem to play a critical role on specific training effects on dual-task gait performance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Use of Virtual Reality for the development of a Nuclear Waste Repository for Training

In Brazil the highest amount of waste generated is low and medium level of radiation. Its management and final destination is important for society and the solution, proposed by the government, involves the construction of a National Repository for Radioactive Waste. Using Virtual Reality (VR), this article aims to develop an interactive virtual model of the repository to assist in the study, evaluation, training of personnel and planning of the installation to be implemented. The method was divided into four steps. The first, called "Requirements Specification and Survey", aimed at acquiring information about the terrain and future buildings of the installation in the real world. The next step, known as "Modeling the Environment" is the construction of the virtual environment itself according to the specifications of the previous method. The third, called "Functionality Implementation" consists of inserting functionalities into the system, such as performing some tasks present in the repository. Finally, the last step is the interactive virtual model of the national repository for radioactive waste, with this tool users can study, evaluate and train conditions/situations of the installation. In conclusion, the results have shown that the tool presented in this work is a possible application of the VR for dissemination and training in nuclear installations. Using this tool, users can visualize and plan strategies to be carried out in a repository, without interrupting the operation of the installation. It can be used for training and operations simulations, aiming to improve the processes without exposing the operators to the radiation

Subglottic stenosis as a clinical manifestation of Wegener's granulomatosis in adolescents: report of a case and review of literature

Wegener's Granulomatosis is a well-characterized systemic vasculitis and necrotising granulomatous inflammation of the upper, lower respiratory tracts and the kidneys. The initial manifestations of the disease usually occur in patients over than twenty years old. The otolaryngologic symptoms like rhinorrhea, recurrent sinusitis and epistaxis are commonly present in early course of the disease. It seems that subglottic stenosis is correlated to Wegener's granumatosis in adolescents. We describe a case of a patient that developed subglottic stenosis associated with Wegener's granulomatosis in childhood during the course of the disease.A Granulomatose de Wegener é uma patologia caracterizada por vasculite sistêmica e inflamação granulomatosa necrotizante que compromete o trato respiratório alto, pulmões e rins, cujas manifestações iniciais, na maioria das vezes, ocorre em maiores de 20 anos de idade. As queixas clínicas otorrinolaringológicas estão, com freqüência, presentes nas fases iniciais da doença, sendo rinite, sinusopatia de repetição e epistaxe as mais comuns. A estenose subglógica parece estar correlacionada com a Granulomatose de Wegener em adolescentes. Relatamos o caso de uma paciente portadora de Granulomatose de Wegener cujo início dos sintomas foi na infância, tendo evoluído com estenose laríngea durante o curso da doença.Hospital do Servidor Público do Estado de São Paulo Serviço de Otorrinolaringologia/Cabeça e PescoçoFaculdade de Medicina de São Paulo Divisão de Clínica OtorrinolaringológicaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

ESTUDOS FÍSICO-QUÍMICOS DO ÓLEO DE BABAÇU BRUTO (Orbignya phalerata Mart.) E DE UM SUBPRODUTO DA ETAPA DE DEGOMAGEM DO PROCESSO DE REFINO

Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar físico-quimicamente tanto o óleo bruto de babaçu (Orbignya phalerata Mart.), quanto ao subproduto (borra) gerado pela primeira etapa do refino - Degomagem. Os resultados encontrados nas análises físico-químicas para o óleo bruto de babaçu e para a borra resultante do processo de degomagem foram satisfatórios, podendo-se garantir que este resíduo está apto para a extração de lecitinas, atribuindo desta maneira valor econômico ao mesmo.Palavras-chave: Óleo bruto de babaçu. Caracterização físico-química. Degomagem.STUDIES OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CRUDE BABASSU OIL (Orbignya phalerata Mart.) AND A BYPRODUCT OF THE DEGUMMING STEP OF THE REFINING PROCESSAbstract: This study aimed to characterize both the physical and chemical raw babassu oil (Orbignya phalerata Mart.), and the byproduct (sludge) generated by the first stage of refining - Degumming. The results of the physical-chemical analysis for crude oil and babassu oil sludge resulting from the degumming process were satisfactory and it can be assured that this residue is able to extract lecithin, thus assigning economic value to it. Keywords: Crude babassu oil. Physicochemical characterization. Degumming.ESTUDIO DE LAS PROPRIEDADES FISICO-QUIMICAS DEL ACEITE CRUDO DE BABASU (Orbignya phalerata Mart.) Y DE UN SUBPRODUCTO DE LA ETAPA DE DESGOMADO EN EL PROCESO DE REFINACIÓNResumen: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar las características físico-químicas tanto del aceite crudo de babasú (Orbignya phalerata Mart.) como también del subproducto (lodos) generados durante la primera etapa de refinación - Desgomado. Los resultados de los análisis físico-químicos del aceite crudo y de los lodos de babasú, resultantes del proceso de desgomado fueron satisfactorios, lo que puede dar garantias de que este residuo es capaz de extraer la lecitinas, lo que les otorga un valor económico a esos productos.Palabras clave: Babasú aceite crudo. Caracterización físico-químico. Desgomado

Magneto-structural versatility of copper(ii)-3-phenylpropionate coordination polymers with N-donor coligands

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)A novel series of copper(II) coordination polymers [Cu-2(O2CC8H9)(4)(pyz)](n) (1), [Cu-2(O2CC8H9)(4)(dps)](n) (2), {[Cu(O2CC8H9)(2)(dps)(H2O)]center dot H2O}(n) (3), {[NaCu(O2CC8H9)(2)(bpm)(NO3)]center dot H2O}(n) (4), and [Cu-4(O2CC8H9)(6)-(OH)(2)(bpp)(2)](n) (5) [O2CC8H9- = 3-phenylpropionate anion, pyz = pyrazine, dps = di(4-pyridyl)sulfide, bpm = 2,2'-bipyrimidine, and bpp = 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane] have been synthesized and magneto-structurally investigated. Compounds 1 and 2 belong to a large group of copper(II) carboxylates where bis-monodentate pyz (1) and dps (2) ligands connect the paddle-wheel [Cu-2(II)(mu-O2CC8H9)(4)] units leading to alternating copper(II) chains. The structure of 3 consists of uniform chains of trans-[Cu-II(O2CC8H9)(2)] units linked by the bis-monodentate dps ligand. Compound 4 consists of heterobimetallic chains where [(Na2Cu2II)-Cu-I(mu-O2CC8H9)(4)(NO3)(2)] units are doubly bridged by bis-bidentate bpm ligands. Compound 5 is also a chain compound whose structure is made up by tetranuclear [Cu-4(II)(mu(3)-OH)(2)(mu-O2CC8H9)(4)(O2CC8H9)(2)] units which are doubly bridged by bis-monodentate bpp ligands. The magnetic properties were investigated in the temperature range 1.8-300 K. Strong antiferromagnetic interactions across the quadruple syn-syn carboxylate are observed in 1 and 2 [J = -378 (1) and -348 cm(-1) (2)] whereas a weak ferromagnetic coupling through the double out-of-plane oxo(carboxylate) bridge occurs in 4 [J = +2.66 cm(-1)], the spin Hamiltonian being defined as H = -JS(1).S-2 with S-1 = S-2 = S-Cu = 1/2. A quasi Curie law is observed for 3 (theta = -0.36 cm(-1)), the bis-monodentate dps ligand being a very poor mediator of magnetic interactions. The analysis of the magnetic properties of 5 is quite complex because of the presence of two crystallographically independent tetracopper(II) units with single-mu-hydroxo, di-mu-hydroxo, mu(3)-hydroxo and single-mu-hydroxo plus double syn, syn carboxylate bridges in each one. The nature and values of the magnetic couplings for 5 obtained by fitting (intermediate, strong and weak antiferromagnetic interactions for the three former exchange pathways respectively, and intermediate ferromagnetic interactions for the latter one) were substantiated by DFT type calculations.A novel series of copper(II) coordination polymers [Cu2(O2CC8H9)4(pyz)]n (1), [Cu2(O2CC8H9)4(dps)]n (2), {[Cu(O2CC8H9)2(dps)(H2O)]·H2O}n (3), {[NaCu(O2CC8H9)2(bpm)(NO3)]·H2O}n (4), and [Cu4(O2CC8H9)6(OH)2(bpp)2]n (5) [O2CC8H9− = 3-phenylpropionate anion,451172189CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAIS - FAPEMIGCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)sem informaçãosem informaçãosem informaçãoThe authors thank the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnológico (CNPq), the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG), the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), FINEP (ref. 134/08

Caracterização da produção agroecológica do sul do Rio Grande do Sul e sua relação com a mecanização agrícola.

A agricultura agroecológica tem-se destacado como uma das alternativas de renda para os pequenos agricultores devido à crescente busca por parte da população por alimentação mais saudável. No Rio Grande do Sul, a Associação Regional de Produtores Agroecológicos da Região Sul (Arpasul), constituída por 48 famílias, é representativa do processo de produção e de comercialização de produtos agroecológicos, servindo como referencial para o presente estudo. O objetivo principal deste trabalho foi o levantamento das necessidades dos produtores agroecológicos em relação à mecanização agrícola. As informações obtidas foram baseadas no sistema de produção utilizado, sendo caracterizados aspectos referentes à propriedade, às operações agrícolas e às necessidades específicas de máquinas e implementos. Por meio deste estudo, foi evidenciada a carência no atendimento das demandas específicas, na área de máquinas agrícolas para esse segmento, podendo servir como referencial para o desenvolvimento de novas máquinas e/ou aperfeiçoamento das existentes. A semeadora de milho e feijão foi a máquina que a maioria dos agricultores pesquisados indicou como sua maior necessidade

Metallochlorophylls of magnesium, copper and zinc: evaluation of the influence of the first coordination sphere on their solvatochromism and aggregation properties

In this study the role of different metal centers (magnesium, zinc and copper) on the enhancement of the hydrophilic character of metallochlorophylls, was evaluated. The solvatochromism as well as the aggregation process for these compounds in water/ethanol mixtures at different volume ratios were evaluated using Fluorescence, and Resonant Light Scattering (RLS) measurements, aiming to characterize the behavior of these compounds. Independently on the studied metallochlorophyll, the presence of at least 60% of water results in a considerable increase in the fluorescence emission, probably a direct consequence of a lower aggregation of these compounds, which is confirmed by the results from RLS measurements. Additionally, the results suggest that magnesium and zinc chlorophyll should be promising phototherapeutic agents for Photodynamic Therapy.No presente estudo, o papel de diferentes centros metálicos (magnésio, zinco e cobre) sobre o caráter hidrofílico de metaloclorofilas foi avaliado. O solvatocromismo, assim como o processo de agregação para esses compostos, em misturas água/etanol foram avaliados usando medidas de fluorescência e de espalhamento de luz ressonante (ELR), visando caracterizar o comportamento desses compostos. Independente da metaloclorofila estudada, a presença de ao menos 60% de água resulta em incremento considerável na emissão de fluorescência apresentada por esses compostos. Isso, provavelmente, é uma conseqüência direta de uma menor agregação, o que é confirmado pelos resultados de ELR. Adicionalmente, os resultados sugerem que as clorofilas de magnésio e de zinco devem ser promissores agentes fototerapêuticos para emprego em Terapia Fotodinâmica.FAPESPFundação AraucáriaFAPEMIGCNPqNanobra