Cardiac autonomic modulation in subjects with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) during an upper limb virtual reality task: A prospective control trial

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease. As a result of the rapid progression and severity of the disease, people with ALS experience loss of functionality and independence. Furthermore, it has already been described presence of autonomic dysfunction. Despite the increasing use of virtual reality (VR) in the treatment of different diseases, the use of virtual reality environment as an intervention program for ALS patients is innovative. The benefits and limitations have not yet been proven. Our objective was to evaluate the autonomic function of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis throughout the virtual reality task. The analysis of autonomic function was completed before, during, and after the virtual reality task using the upper limbs; also, all steps lasted ten minutes in a sitting position. Heart rate variability (HRV) was taken via the Polar® RS800CX cardiofrequencymeter. The following questionnaire was enforced: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Different types of HRV were revealed for the groups, indicating that the ALS group has reduced HRV, with most of the representative indices of the sympathetic nervous system. Besides, the physiological process of reducing parasympathetic activity from rest to VR activity (vagal withdrawal), with reduction in HF (ms2) and an increase in HR from rest to activity, and a further increase throughout recovery, with withdrawal of sympathetic nervous system, occurs just for the control group (CG), with no alterations between rest, activity, and recovery in individuals with ALS. We could conclude that patients with ALS have the reduction of HRV with the sympathetic predominance when equated to the healthy CG. Besides that, the ALS individuals have no capability to adapt the autonomic nervous system when likened to the CG during therapy based on VR and their recovery

Impact of functional determinants on 5.5-year mortality in Amazon riparian elderly

ABSTRACT Objective To ascertain whether modifiable physical performance–based measurements predicted 5.5-year mortality in a riparian elderly cohort in the Amazon rainforest region. Methods A longitudinal study evaluating the impact of functional determinants on 5.5-year mortality in a riparian elderly cohort from Maués City in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, was performed. The study was a follow-up of a previous observational investigation that evaluated various fitness tests in 630 Amazonian riparian elderly (291 males and 339 females) aged 72.3 ± 8.0 (60–99) years old. The cohort was selected for its adverse environmental conditions, which increased the risk of falls yet required maintenance of good physical condition for carrying out relatively rigorous daily activities, and restricted access to specialized health services. Official death records were obtained from the Maués Municipal Health Department. Results A total of 80 study participants (12.7%) died over the 5.5-year study period. Kaplan-Meier regression analysis showed significant association between Timed Up and Go (TUG) test scores ≥ 14 seconds and mortality risk, independent of sex, age, and other health variables. Conclusions The study results suggest that the TUG test can be used as an indicator for initiating therapeutic and preventive actions, including conducting exercises or physical activities adapted to the health and functional conditions of the elderly, by identifying elderly people with a higher relative risk of mortality

Influence of chronic exposure to exercise on heart rate variability in children and adolescents affected by obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Sedentary lifestyles are increasingly common amongst children, and insufficient physical activity is a global epidemic estimated to contribute to future incapacities and potential deaths. Objective: We aimed to increase the amount of evidence concerning the effect of chronic exposure to exercise on heart rate variability in children and adolescents affected by obesity. Methods: A systematic review commenced following the PRISMA guidelines developed by Web of Science, Virtual Health Library, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Ovid, Medline Complete, and Scopus using keywords obtained from the Descriptors in Health Sciences and Medical Subject Headlines (MeSH) terms. We considered (1) Population: Pediatric individuals affected by obesity; (2) Intervention: Exercise; (3) Control: Pre-intervention and sedentary; (4) Outcomes: Clearly presented primary parameters; and (5) Studies: Clinical trials, case controls, case reports, and case series. Results: 11 articles were involved and predominantly included procedures observed during approximately 12 weeks with a distribution of three sessions per week, each session being 30–60 min of aerobic exercise; additionally, the exercise grades were typically completed at a percentage of subjects’ maximum heart rates. The meta-analyses displayed a significant effect on the domains of time (R-R interval, SDNN, rMSSD), frequency (HF ms2, HF (n.u.), LF/HF), and the non-linear index (SD1). Conclusions: Chronic exposure to exercise influences heart rate variability in children and adolescents affected by obesity by elevating the variability and parasympathetic activity and improving the sympathetic-vagal balance. Exercises should be recommended for the improvement of cardiac autonomic modulation to prevent the likelihood of further chronic diseases

Incidência e severidade do "furo de bala" em folhas da ameixeira sob doses de nitrogênio e potássio Incidence and severity of 'shot hole' in plum´s leaves related into nitrogen and potassium doses

A produção integrada (PI) vem suprir uma demanda crescente de frutos de qualidade, garantir segurança alimentar, produção com qualidade ambiental e rastreabilidade. Na visão da PI, as práticas da adubação e do controle de doenças estão intimamente relacionadas; no entanto, tem sido negligenciadas e pouco estudadas, principalmente para a doença "furo de bala" (Wilsonomyces carpophilus) em folhas de ameixeira (Prunus salicina). O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a incidência e severidade dessa doença em doses combinadas de adubação com N e K em dois ciclos de cultivo comercial de ameixeira cv "Reubennel", no município de Araucária (PR). Foram utilizadas cinco doses de N (40, 80, 120, 160 e 200kg ha-1ano-1) e duas de K (55 e 110kg ha-1ano-1). Realizaram-se sete avaliações para incidência e severidade a cada 20 dias, no período de novembro/2004 a março/2005 e em data única em outubro/2005. Os dados da primeira safra foram integralizados no tempo, constituindo a área abaixo da curva de progresso da doença (AACPD) da incidência e severidade, e os dados foram analisados estatisticamente pela teoria dos modelos lineares generalizados para dados longitudinais. A doença foi mais severa no segundo ano de avaliação, sendo observado o máximo de 0,70 e 2,25 para o primeiro e o segundo ano, respectivamente. A incidência e a severidade de "furo de bala" em folhas de ameixeira são superiores nas doses de 160 e 200kg ha-1ano-1 de nitrogênio. O potássio não interfere na incidência e severidade da doença devido ao seu elevado teor encontrado no solo e na planta.<br>Integrated Production (IP) can provide the growing demand for quality fruit, food safety, environmental protection, and product traceability. In IP, fertilization practices and disease control are viewed as being closely related. However, this linkage has been mostly ignored and few studies are available concerning the 'shot hole' phytopathogen (Wilsonomyces carpophilus) in plum (Prunus salicina). In this paper, the incidence and severity of this disease were investigated by using combined doses of nitrogen and potassium fertilizer in a commercial plum orchard, cv Reubennel in Araucária (PR). The treatments consisted of combinations of five doses of nitrogen (40, 80, 120, 160 and 200kg ha-1year-1) and two doses of potassium rates (55 and 110kg ha-1year-1). The incidence and severity of "shot hole" disease were evaluated at 20 days intervals during the period of November/2004 to March/2005, and once during October/2006. The first harvest&acute;s data were integrated in time to produce the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) of the incidence and severity and all data were analyzed statistically using generalized linear models in longitudinal data theory. The disease severity was higher in the second year of the study with the maxima being 0.70 and 2.25 in the first and second year, respectively. The incidence and severity was highest in 160 and 200kg nitrogen ha-1year-1 treatments. Potassium does not interfere in the incidence and severity of the disease due to the high content found in the soil and plant

Produção, teor foliar e qualidade de frutos do pessegueiro 'Chimarrita' em função da adubação nitrogenada, na região da Lapa-PR Production, leaves concentracion and fruit quality of the peach orchard 'Chimarrita' as function of N fertilization, at Lapa region, Parana state - Brazil

A produção integrada de pêssego (Prunus persica L. Batsch) regulamenta a dose de N a ser aplicada, a_fim de manter a produtividade, sem afetar a sanidade da planta e a qualidade ambiental. Contudo, existe uma grande carência de informação sobre a dose de N necessária na manutenção da produtividade de pomares na região da Lapa. Assim, avaliaram-se doses de N na produção, no teor foliar e na qualidade de frutos da cultivar 'Chimarrita', por três anos, em um pomar comercial com 5 anos de idade, localizado no município da Lapa-PR. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com três tratamentos e três repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de doses de N (40; 80 e 160 kg de N ha-1 ano-1), na forma de uréia. A redução na adubação nitrogenada em pomar estabelecido afetou negativamente a produtividade para o segundo ano. Com um decréscimo acumulado de 8,4 t ha-1 em três anos, para a menor dose quando comparada com a maior dose. A produtividade variou com o número de frutos, visto que a massa média dos frutos e o calibre não foram suficientes para afetar a produção. A adubação de N não afetou os aspectos qualitativos dos frutos avaliados (sólidos solúveis totais, acidez total titulável e firmeza da polpa), que ficaram em geral dentro dos padrões normais da cultivar. Para os teores foliares, somente o N foi afetado pela adubação nitrogenada para os três anos avaliados, mas ficando para todos os tratamentos em níveis considerados normais. Os teores foliares de Ca, Mg, Fe e Zn ficaram abaixo do preconizado para o pêssego.<br>The peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) integrated production regulates the N rates to be applied in order to obtain high yield and fruit quality without affecting plant sanity and environmental quality. However, there is a great lack of local information about N rate that it is necessary to achieve high yield for orchard at Lapa origin. So, an experiment was implanted in 5-year old commercial orchard, in the Lapa County, Paraná State, Brazil where it was evaluated N rates effect over the fruit yield, leaves concentration and quality, during three years. The experimental design was a randomized block with three treatments and three replications. The treatments were three N rates (40, 80 and 160 kg of N ha-1 ano-1), using urea as N source. The reduction in nitrogen fertilization, in established orchard, diminished the yield only for the second year. There was an accumulated yield decrease of 8,4 t ha-1 during three years, comparing the smallest to largest rate. The yield was straight associated with fruit number since the fruit mass and caliber were not affected by N application. The N fertilization did not effect fruit qualitative proprieties evaluated (total soluble solids, acidity total titratable and firmness of the pulp) and them values stayed within range concentration considered normal for cultivar. Leave tissue analysis showed that only N concentration was affected by the N fertilization for the three evaluated years, but being in normal levels for all treatments. The Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn leaves concentration was below normal level established for peach.