Variabilidade climática, modos de vida agrícola e segurança alimentar no Semiárido brasileiro

Climate change and variability are among the main threats to socio-ecological sustainability in many semi-arid regions of the world and are of special concern to resource-poor family farmers. In the Brazilian semi-arid region, high levels of social vulnerability in addition to predicted climate events can adversely affect subsistence crops and other cultivated areas with serious consequences for rural food security. An extreme drought that started in 2010 left 174 (of 184) municipalities in the northeastern state of Ceará, Brazil, in a situation of emergency in 2012. During the period of drought, we studied household production characteristics, sources of water for domestic consumption, perception of temperature change and the relationship of those variables with perceived food security. Food security was associated to the presence of piped water and to the diversity of livestock owned by the household. In addition to the importance of observing the role of those variables in public policies related to food security and regional development in the semi-arid region of Brazil, we also highlight the need of understanding the local context where those policies are implemented and the types of local adaptations being performed during periods of shock, which will be recurrent in a scenario of climate change.La variabilidad y el cambio climático son algunas de las principales amenazas a la sostenibilidad delmedio ambiente en muchas áreas semiáridas del mundo, y son de particular interés para los pequeñosagricultores con recursos limitados. En la región semiárida de Brasil, los altos niveles de vulnerabilidadsocial, junto con los eventos climáticos previstos, pueden afectar negativamente a los cultivos desubsistencia y a zonas de cultivo con graves consecuencias para la seguridad alimentaria rural. Unasequía extrema, que comenzó en 2010, dejó 174 (184) municipios en el estado de Ceará, Brasil, enestado de emergencia en 2012. Durante la sequía, se estudiaron las características productivas de loshogares, fuentes de agua para el consumo doméstico, percepción de los cambios de temperatura y larelación de estas variables con la percepción de seguridad alimentaria y la nutricional. La seguridadalimentaria se asoció con la presencia de agua corriente y la variedad de animales existentes porhogar. Además de la importancia de observar el papel de estas variables en las políticas públicasrelacionadas con la seguridad alimentaria y el desarrollo regional en zonas semiáridas de Brasil, seplantea la importancia de comprender el contexto local donde se implementan estas políticas y lostipos de medidas de adaptación utilizadas durante los períodos eventos extremos, ya que serán máscomunes en un escenario de cambio climático.A variabilidade e as mudanças no clima estão entre as principais ameaças para a sustentabilidadesocioambiental em muitas áreas semiáridas do mundo, e são de especial preocupação para agricultoresfamiliares com limitação de recursos. Na região semiárida do Brasil, os altos níveis de vulnerabilidadesocial, em conjunto com os previstos eventos climáticos, podem afetar adversamente culturas desubsistência e áreas de cultivo com consequências sérias sobre a segurança alimentar rural. Uma secaextrema, que iniciou em 2010, deixou 174 (de 184) municípios no estado do Ceará, Brasil, em estadode emergência em 2012. Durante o período de seca, foram estudadas características produtivas dodomicílio, fontes de água para consumo doméstico, percepção de mudanças de temperatura e a relaçãode tais variáveis com a percepção de segurança alimentar e nutricional. A segurança alimentar foiassociada com a presença de água encanada e a variedade de animais existentes por domicílio. Alémda importância em observar o papel dessas variáveis em políticas públicas relacionadas com segurançaalimentar e desenvolvimento regional em locais semiáridos do Brasil, é levantada a importância de seentender o contexto local onde tais políticas são implementadas e os tipos de medidas de adaptaçãoutilizadas durante períodos de eventos extremos, uma vez que serão mais recorrentes em um cenáriode mudanças climáticas

Prematurity, executive functions and quality of parental care: a systematic review

Este artigo de revisão visa contextualizar o desenvolvimento das funções executivas (FE) em crianças prematuras, com especial atenção para o efeito dos cuidados parentais. As principais bases eletrônicas foram utilizadas para essa revisão: 31 estudos originais, duas meta-análises, uma meta-síntese e dois artigos de revisão foram identificados. Concluiu-se que as crianças prematuras têm maior risco de disfunção executiva global, sendo a qualidade dos cuidados parentais fundamentais para a modulação das FE, nomeadamente no que concerne às variáveis socioemocionais da interação, como a sensibilidadematerna. Salientam-se ainda as principais limitações dos estudos analisados e apontam-se recomendações para futura investigação sobre os efeitos dos cuidados parentais no desenvolvimento de FE em crianças prematuras.This review article aims to contextualize the development of executive functions (EF) in preterm children with special attention to the effects of parental care. The main electronic databases were used for this review: 31 original studies, two meta-analyses, one meta-synthesis and two systematic reviews were identified. The results showed that preterm infants are at risk for global executive dysfunction,and that the quality of parenting impacts the development of EF, mainly in terms of interactive socio-emotional variables, like maternal sensitivity.Finally, the main limitations of the analyzed studies are pointed out, and recommendations of future research about the effects of parental care in the development of EF in preterm children are offered.(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Significance of glycolytic metabolism-related protein expression in colorectal cancer, lymph node and hepatic metastasis

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies and a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Most cancer cells display high rates of glycolysis with production of lactic acid, which is then exported to the microenvironment by monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). The main aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of MCT expression in a comprehensive series of primary CRC cases, lymph node and hepatic metastasis. Methods: Expressions of MCT1, MCT4, CD147 and GLUT1 were studied in human samples of CRC, lymph node and hepatic metastasis, by immunohistochemistry. Results: All proteins were overexpressed in primary CRC, lymph node and hepatic metastasis, when compared with non-neoplastic tissue, with exception of MCT1 in lymph node and hepatic metastasis. MCT1 and MCT4 expressions were associated with CD147 and GLUT1 in primary CRC. These markers were associated with clinical pathological features, reflecting the putative role of these metabolism-related proteins in the CRC setting. Conclusion: These findings provide additional evidence for the pivotal role of MCTs in CRC maintenance and progression, and support the use of MCTs as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in primary and metastatic CRC.This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) grant ref. PTDC/SAU-FCF/104347/2008, under the scope of ‘Programa Operacional Temático Factores de Competitividade’ (COMPETE) of ‘Quadro Comunitário de Apoio III’ and co-financed by the Fundo Europeu De Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER). Ricardo Amorim was recipient of the fellowship SFRH/BD/98002/2013, from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT Portugal).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Antioxidant intake among Brazilian adults - The Brazilian Osteoporosis Study (BRAZOS): a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Antioxidant nutrient intake and the lesser formation of free radicals seem to contribute to chronic diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the intake profile of the main dietary antioxidants in a representative sample of the adult Brazilian population and discuss the main consequences of a low intake of these micronutrients on overall health.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The sample comprised 2344 individuals aged 40 years or older from 150 cities and was based on a probabilistic sample from official data. The research was conducted through in-home interviews administered by a team trained for this purpose. Dietary intake information was obtained through 24-h recall. The Nutrition Data System for Research software program was used to analyze data on the intake of vitamins A, C and E, selenium and zinc, which was compared to Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). Differences in intake according to sex, anthropometrics, socioeconomic status and region were also evaluated. The SPSS statistical package (version 13) was used for the statistical analysis. P-values < 0.05 were considered significant.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Higher proportions of low intake in relation to recommended values were found for vitamin E (99.7%), vitamin A (92.4%) and vitamin C (85.1%) in both genders. Intake variations were found between different regions, which may reflect cultural habits.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results should lead to the development of public health policies that encourage educational strategies for improving the intake of micronutrients, which are essential to overall health and prevention of non-communicable diseases.</p