Impact of a dietary supplement on the nutritional status of preschool children enrolled in day care centers

Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto da suplementação da dieta com multimistura sobre o estado nutricional de crianças em fase pré-escolar em risco nutricional. Métodos: Trata-se de estudo tipo duplo cego com duração de dois meses e acompanhamento longitudinal de 135 crianças na faixa etária de um a seis anos. As crianças foram divididas em três grupos: intervenção 1 (GI1 n=48), intervenção 2 (GI2 n=45) e controle (GC n=42), recebendo 5g e 10g de multimistura e placebo, respectivamente. O estado nutricional das crianças em estudo foi avaliado antes e após a suplementação. Resultados: Não houve diferença significativa nos indicadores peso/idade, altura/idade e peso/altura entre os grupos estudados na linha base (p=0,251 p=0,248 e p=0,399, respectivamente). Após a intervenção a diferença na prevalência de déficit antropométrico entre os grupos também não foi significante (p=0,100 p=0,435 ep=0,210, respectivamente). A comparação das médias antes e depois da intervenção, igualmente, não demonstrou diferenças (p>0,05 utilizando os métodos estatísticos de Kruskall - Wallis e Análise de Variância). Conclusão: Frente ao impacto das pequenas quantidades consumidas de suplemento, no caso a mistura de farelo de cereais, não se justifica esperar alterações significativas sobre a recuperação de crianças em risco nutricional, já que esses suplementos contêm somente pequenas quantidades de calorias e de macromicronutrientes.Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a diet supplemented with a bran-based cereal mixture on the nutritional status of preschool children presenting nutritional risk. Methods: This was a two-month double-blinded study with a longitudinal follow up using 135 children with ages ranging from one to six years old and divided into three groups: intervention 1 (GI1=48), intervention 2 (GI2 n=45) and control (CG n=42), receiving 5g and 10g of the multi-mixture and placebo, respectively. The nutritional situation of the children in the study was evaluated before and after supplementation. Results: No significant differences were observed in the weight/age, height/age and weight/height indicators at the base line (p=0.251 p=0.248 and p=0.399 respectively) between the groups studied. After intervention, the difference between the groups in the prevalence of anthropometrical deficit was also not significant (p=0.100 p=0.435 and p=0.210 respectively) and a comparison of the averages before and after intervention revealed no differences (p>0.05 using the Kruskall - Wallis and Analysis of Variance statistical methods). Conclusion: In the specific case of the bran-based mixture, the impact of the small amounts of supplement ingested did not warrant expecting alterations in the recovery of children presenting nutritional risk, since these supplements contain only small amounts of calories and macro and micronutrients

A Dança do Dabke da literatura ao cinema: considerações do/em movimento do livro Lavoura arcaica de Raduan Nassar e do filme LavourArcaica de Luiz Fernando Carvalho

This study presents some reflections and analysis concerning the dances described in Lavoura arcaica, a novel by Raduan Nassar, and LavourArcaica, a movie by Luiz Fernando Carvalho, presenting Rudolf Laban as one of the theoretical references. By establishing a dialog with Nassar, Carvalho does, in his filmic hypertext, a re(reading) of the dances presented in Lavoura arcaica, although we have in both the representation of Dabke, a typical folk dance from Lebanon.Este estudio presenta algunas reflexiones y análisis sobre las danzas que se describen en el libro Lavoura arcaica, de Raduan Nassar, y em la película LavourArcaica, de Luiz Fernando Carvalho, teniendo Rudolf Laban como uno de los referentes teóricos. Mediante el establecimiento de un diálogo com Nassar, Carvalho hace en su hipertexto una re(lectura) de las danzas presentadas en Lavoura arcaica, aunque en ambos tenemos la representación del Dabke, una danza típica del folclore libanés.Este ensaio apresenta algumas reflexões e análises acerca das danças descritas no livro Lavoura arcaica, de Raduan Nassar e no filme LavourArcaica, de Luiz Fernando Carvalho, tendo Rudolf Laban como um dos referenciais teóricos. Percebe-se que ao estabelecer um diálogo com Nassar, Carvalho faz em seu hipertexto fílmico uma (re)leitura das danças apresentadas em Lavoura arcaica, porém, em ambos os textos, temos a representação do Dabke, uma dança típica do folclore libanês.

Effect of cellulose microcrystals in starch and chitosan-based films properties

Cellulose microcrystals (CMC) can be used as reinforcing material in the preparation of composite films. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of CMC in starch and chitosan-based films properties. Starch/CMC and Chitosan/CMC composite films were formulated with 1% (w/v) of biopolymer, 0.25% (w/wbiopolymer) glycerol and 0.1% or 0.2% of CMC. The solutions were prepared at 70◦C during 30 min under stirring and submitted to 45 min of ultrasonication. Afterwards were dried in an air-circulating oven at 30◦C for 24 h. The effect of CMC incorporation was evaluated in respect to the surface morphology on a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Solubility was expressed as percentage of the film dry matter solubilized after 24 h immersion in distilled water, and mechanical properties were measured using a texture analyzer following the guidelines of ASTM D 882-10. X-ray diffraction analyses (XRD) were used to evaluate the crystallinity of the samples. SEM micrographs of films with the incorporation of CMC revealed an irregular structure with high heterogeneity and that the roughness of the surface of the films increased for higher concentrations of CMC. Nevertheless, the surface of starch and chitosan films in the absence of CMC are smooth. Regarding to XRD patterns, it was observed that the addition of CMC leads to the presence of reflection peaks at 2θ=22.5° which are related to the cellulose crystalline structure. The values of solubility in water for films with 0.1% and 0.2% of MCM are statistically lower (p<0.05) than for chitosan and starch control films, thus indicating that the presence of CMC reduces the solubility of the film in water. The incorporation of CMC in films decreased the tensile strength values of starch-based films and the elongation at break (p<0.05). Regarding chitosan-based films the incorporation of CMC showed to be effective in increasing the tensile strength values, however leads to a decrease of elongation at break values. Overall, results showed that the incorporation of CMC in chitosan and starch-based films can be used to change the properties of the films and that according to the biopolymer used distinct behaviors can be obtained

Reduction of metastasis using a non-volatile buffer

The tumor microenvironment is acidic as a consequence of upregulated glycolysis and poor perfusion and this acidity, in turn, promotes invasion and metastasis. We have recently demonstrated that chronic consumption of sodium bicarbonate increased tumor pH and reduced spontaneous and experimental metastases. This occurred without affecting systemic pH, which was compensated. Additionally, these prior data did not rule out the possibility that bicarbonate was working though effects on carbonic anhydrase, and not as a buffer per se. Here, we present evidence that chronic ingestion of a non-volatile buffer, 2-imidazole-1-yl-3-ethoxycarbonylpropionic acid (IEPA) with a pKa of 6.9 also reduced metastasis in an experimental PC3M prostate cancer mouse model. Animals (n = 30) were injected with luciferase expressing PC3M prostate cancer cells either subcutaneously (s.c., n = 10) or intravenously (i.v., n = 20). Four days prior to inoculations, half of the animals for each experiment were provided drinking water containing 200 mM IEPA buffer. Animals were imaged weekly to follow metastasis, and these data showed that animals treated with IEPA had significantly fewer experimental lung metastasis compared to control groups (P < 0.04). Consistent with prior work, the pH of treated tumors was elevated compared to controls. IEPA is observable by in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy and this was used to measure the presence of IEPA in the bladder, confirming that it was orally available. The results of this study indicate that metastasis can be reduced by non-volatile buffers as well as bicarbonate and thus the effect appears to be due to pH buffering per se

Medical residency in gynecology and obstetrics in times of COVID-19 : recommendations of the National Specialized Commission on Medical Residency of FEBRASGO

* Text prepared by the members of the National Specialized Commission on Medical Residency and endorsed by the Scientific Board and Presidency of the Brazilian Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Associations (FEBRASGO)

Estimulação cerebral profunda na Doença de Parkinson: evidências de estudos de longa duração

A Doença de Parkinson (DP) é uma condição neurodegenerativa crônica que afeta principalmente idosos, mas pode ocorrer em adultos jovens. É a segunda doença neurodegenerativa mais comum, após o Alzheimer. A DP afeta 1% dos indivíduos acima de 60 anos em países industrializados. Sua causa envolve fatores genéticos e ambientais, como exposição a pesticidas e envelhecimento. A Estimulação Cerebral Profunda (DBS) é um tratamento que simula lesões cerebrais, melhorando sintomas motores e não motores. O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar evidências de estudos sobre a eficácia da DBS no tratamento da DP. Trata-se de uma revisão sistemática de estudos quantitativos que utiliza as bases de dados PubMed (Medline), Cochrane Library e Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) para selecionar artigos científicos. Os estudos incluídos abrangem o período de 2013 a 2023 e estão em inglês, abordando a DBS no tratamento da DP. A DBS melhora diversos sintomas motores e não motores, resultando em uma melhor qualidade de vida para os pacientes. Tais benefícios são sustentados mesmo em estágios avançados da Doença de Parkinson, a qual consiste em fornecer pulsos de corrente elétrica a áreas cerebrais profundas através de eletrodos implantados cirurgicamente, geralmente quando a terapia medicamentosa já não é eficaz. Em um estudo com 82 pacientes, a terapia com DBS resultou em uma redução de ± 52% nos sintomas motores do UPDRS sob medicação antes da cirurgia. A melhora nos sintomas motores com a estimulação, em comparação com a ausência de estimulação e medicação, foi de ± 61% no primeiro ano e ± 39% de 8 a 15 anos após a cirurgia (antes da reprogramação). A medicação foi reduzida em ± 55% após 1 ano e ± 44% após 8 a 15 anos, com a maioria dos pacientes mostrando melhorias após a reprogramação. De acordo com as literaturas analisadas, a DBS é uma terapia eficaz para a DP. Enfatiza-se a importância da inovação contínua e dos novos estudos para explorar as facetas não investigadas desse campo. Com a abordagem dos aspectos clínicos, cirúrgicos, tecnológicos e científicos, destacam-se os benefícios, limitações e desafios a serem superados. Ademais, inovações tecnológicas na DBS, como a estimulação direcional, adaptativa e a telemedicina estão sendo exploradas. Em suma, este artigo fornece evidências sobre os benefícios da DBS na DP, ressaltando a necessidade de pesquisas adicionais para otimizar tal intervenção terapêutica e melhorar a qualidade de vida dos pacientes

Floristic composition and community structure of epiphytic angiosperms in a terra firme forest in central Amazonia

This survey aimed to describe the floristic composition and structure of the epiphytic community occurring in a terra firme forest in the city of Coari, Brazil, in the Amazon region. Data collection was performed with a 1.5 ha plot method, with which upland, slope and lowland habitats were sampled. All angiosperm epiphytes and their host plants (diameter at breast height > 10 cm) were sampled. We recorded 3.528 individuals in 13 families, 48 genera and 164 species. Araceae was the most prevalent family with regard to the importance value and stood out in all related parameters, followed by Bromeliaceae, Cyclanthaceae and Orchidaceae. The species with the highest epiphytic importance values were Guzmania lingulata (L.) Mez. and Philodendron linnaei Kunth. The predominant life form was hemiepiphytic. Estimated floristic diversity was 3.2 (H'). The studied epiphytic community was distributed among 727 host plants belonging to 40 families, 123 genera and 324 species. One individual of Guarea convergens T.D. Penn. was the host with the highest richness and abundance of epiphytes. Stems/trunks of host plants were the most colonized segments, and the most favorable habitat for epiphytism was the lowlands, where 84.1% of species and 48.2% of epiphytic specimens were observed