Relationship between functional fitness, medication costs and mood in elderly people

Objective: to verify if functional fitness (FF) is associated with the annual cost of medication consumption and mood states (MSt) in elderly people. Methods: a cross-sectional study with 229 elderly people aged 65 years or more at Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Coimbra, Portugal. Seniors with physical and psychological limitations were excluded, as well as those using medication that limits performance on the tests. The Senior Fitness Test was used to evaluate FF, and the Profile of Mood States - Short Form to evaluate the MSt. The statistical analysis was based on Mancova, with adjustment for age, for comparison between men and women, and adjustment for sex, for comparison between cardiorespiratory fitness quintiles. The association between the variables under study was made with partial correlation, controlling for the effects of age, sex and body mass index. Results: an inverse correlation between cardiorespiratory fitness and the annual cost of medication consumption was found (p < 0.01). FF is also inversely associated with MSt (p < 0.05). Comparisons between cardiorespiratory fitness quintiles showed higher medication consumption costs in seniors with lower aerobic endurance, as well as higher deterioration in MSt (p < 0.01). Conclusion: elderly people with better FF and, specifically, better cardiorespiratory fitness present lower medication consumption costs and a more positive MSt

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure &lt;= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

Unsaturated shear strength parameters for a compacted iron ore tailings

The use of iron mining tailings in compacted landfills is expected to expand more and more to replace the placement of tailings in dams. With this, the unsaturated condition of these materials becomes of great importance for the safety of the structures executed with them. In addition to tests in the saturated condition, and with the objective of simplifying the determination of strength parameters in the unsaturated condition, direct shear tests with constant water content were performed. Data of physical and chemical characterization of the tailings, and the water retention curve at the compacted state and continuously disturbed condition are also presented. The latter aims to evaluate the effect of the shear process on the final suction of the material. The results suggest that there are no significant variations in suctions during the failure process and that, in this case, the initial suction can be assumed to be the same as the one at failure. The shear strength parameters indicate a high friction angle, which does not vary with suction. With the data obtained, it was possible to apply the model of Vilar (2006) to obtain the shear envelope with suction. The results presented aim not only to expand the database of iron ore tailings parameters, but also to present a procedure for the application of tests with constant water content

Malformation of the tail in Labrador Retriever dogs caused by mutation C189G in the T gene

ABSTRACT: The present study reported the mutation C189G in the T gene (Brachyury gene) as the cause of malformation in the tail of the Labrador dog. One litter of Labradors, from a mating between a female with short tail and a male with normal tail admitted at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil, was evaluated in this study. Blood samples were collected from the female and her puppies. After DNA extraction, sequencing and PCR-RFLP were carried out. The C189G mutation was identified through both techniques only in dogs with short tail

Dereplication of Bromotyrosine-derived Metabolites by LC-PDA-MS and Analysis of the Chemical Profile of 14 Aplysina Sponge Specimens from the Brazilian Coastline

In order to investigate the chemical profile of 14 specimens of Aplysina spp. marine sponges, we have developed a method based on LC-PDA-MS for the detection of bromotyrosine-derived metabolites. The method enabled the dereplication of three distinct chemotypes of bromotyrosine-derived compounds based on UV absorptions, which were further refined by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry analysis of the brominated quasi-molecular ion clusters. This procedure led to either a single compound assignment, or a maximum of two possible isobaric compounds. The dereplication study indicated that the chemical profile of the 14 specimens of Aplysina spp. analyzed presented practically the same dibromotyrosine-derived compounds. The results obtained suggested a possible biogenetic pathway for the formation of dibromotyrosine-derived compounds of wide occurrence in Verongida sponges.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)[BIOTA/BIOprospecTA 05/60175-2]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CNPqConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)R.G.S.BR.G.S.BFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo - FAPESP[06/60510-9

Indícios de desenvolvimento em crianças com deficiência visual e problemas neurológicos Indications of development in children with visual impairment and neurological problems

A literatura aponta que crianças com diagnóstico de deficiência visual e outras deficiências associadas estão em risco de desenvolvimento. No presente estudo, foram observadas três crianças com esse perfil (quatro a 10 anos), no contexto de grupos de convivência, com o intuito de identificar indícios de desenvolvimento e exemplos de apropriação de práticas sociais. Deu-se destaque aos diferentes usos de objetos, à participação em atividades e à linguagem como lugares para se observar esses processos. Foi realizado estudo de caso e análise microgenética. As sessões semanais foram filmadas e transcritas. Recortou-se o material documentado em episódios que fossem significativos para o propósito do estudo. A análise evidenciou a importância dos processos de significação na constituição dos sujeitos. Os resultados foram discutidos em termos de suas implicações para programas de intervenção.<br>Studies on the development of children with visual impairment associated with other disabilities indicate risks for development. In the present study, three children with this profile (aged four to 10 years) were observed in social group contexts. The aim was to identify indications of development and examples of appropriation of social practices. In order to visualize those processes, the study focused on different uses of objects, participation in activities and language. A case study and microgenetic analysis were carried out. Weekly sessions were filmed and transcribed; episodes were selected from the material that had been registered according to relevance related to the purpose of the study. The analysis showed the importance of signification processes for the constitution of subjects. The results were discussed in terms of implications for intervention programs