Evaluation of quality of life of gymnastics practitioners

Introdução: A qualidade de vida (QV) de trabalhadores vem sendo alvo de pesquisas há algum tempo no Brasil. Sendo assim verifica-se a necessidade de avaliar QV e parâmetros antropométricos de participantes, funcionários e estagiários, de instituição de ensino que realizaram a prática da ginástica laboral com o objetivo de melhorar sua rotina diária de trabalho. Material e Métodos: Foi realizada ginástica laboral para os participantes e a versão brasileira do questionário SF-36 foi aplicada, além disto, foram avaliados peso e altura e calculado o índice de massa corporal (IMC). Resultados: Foram avaliados 21 indivíduos, sendo 19% masculinos e 81% femininos, com idade média de 35,47±12,90 anos. A amostra tinha média de peso de 63,26±5,80 gramas e média de 1,64±3,90 centímetros de altura e foi calculado o IMC, e obteve-se média de 23,25±2,90. Os aspectos motores, emocionais, além dos sociais e mentais têm determinantes no aspecto que influenciam a QV dos praticantes demonstrando que a realização de tal atividade, mesmo que em um período curto (três meses) parece trazer influências benéficas no cotidiano do praticante de tal atividade, pois a maioria dos entrevistados relatam boa saúde física e emocional, e sem prejuízos de suas atividades laborais. Conclusões: Os participantes estão satisfeitos e motivados com a liberdade de expressão, participações em decisões e satisfação com a QV no trabalho, sendo assim com o conhecimento do grau de satisfação dos trabalhadores, instituições podem ajuda a direcionar estratégias de prevenção, orientação e suporte dos seus trabalhadores, afim de proporcionar um ambiente saudável de trabalho. Observou-se que a prática de ginástica laboral contribui para estes resultadosIntroduction: Quality of life (QOL) of workers has been the subject of research for some time in Brazil. Therefore, there is the need to assess QOL and anthropometric parameters of participants, employees and trainees, teaching institution that carried out the practice of gymnastics in order to improve their daily work routine. Methods: gymnastics was held for the participants and the Brazilian version of the SF-36 questionnaire was applied were assessed height and weight and calculated body mass index (BMI). Results: A total of 21 subjects, 19% male and 81% female, mean age 35.47 ± 12.90 years. The sample had an average weight of 63.26 ± 5.80 grams and average of 1.64 ± 3.90 cm in height and calculated BMI, and obtained an average of 23.25 ± 2.90. The engines, emotional aspects, as well as social and mental are determinants in the aspect that influence QOL of practitioners demonstrating that the performance of such activity, even in a short period (three months) seems to bring beneficial influences on practicing everyday in such activity because the majority of respondents reported good physical and emotional health, and without prejudice to their work activities. Conclusions: Participants are satisfied and motivated with freedom of expression, participation in decisions and satisfaction with QOL at work, so with knowledge of the degree of employee satisfaction, institutions can help to direct prevention strategies, guidance and support of its employees in order to provide a healthy working environment. It was found that practicing gymnastics contributes to these result

Who is Who in Knowledge Economy in Africa?

This study assesses the knowledge economy (KE) performance of lagging African countries vis-à-vis their frontier counterparts with regard to the four dimensions of the World Bank’s knowledge economy index (KEI). The empirical exercise is for the period 1996-2010. It consists of first establishing leading nations before suggesting policy initiatives that can be implemented by sampled countries depending on identified gaps that are provided with the sigma convergence estimation approach. The following are established frontier knowledge economy countries. (i) For the most part, North African countries are dominant in education. Tunisia is overwhelmingly dominant in 11 of the 15 years, followed by Libya which is a frontier country in two years while Cape Verde and Egypt lead in a single year each. (ii) With the exception of Morocco that is leading in the year 2009, Seychelles is overwhelmingly dominant in ICT. (iii) South Africa also indomitably leads in terms of innovation. (iv) While Botswana and Mauritius share dominance in institutional regime, economic incentives in terms of private domestic credit are most apparent in Angola (8 years), the Democratic Republic of Congo (3 years) and Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Malawi (each leading in one year)

Local delivery of EGF-liposome mediated bone modeling in orthodontic tooth movement by increasing RANKL expression

Aims: It has long been demonstrated that epidermal growth factor (EGF) has catabolic effects oil bone. Thus. we examined the role of EGF in regulating mechanically induced bone modeling in a rat model of orthodontic tooth movement. Main methods: The maxillary first molars of rats were moved mesially using an orthodontic appliance attached to the maxillary incisor teeth. Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: (G1) administration of PBS (Phosphate buffer saline Solution (n = 24); (G2) administration of empty liposomes (it = 24): (Q) administration 20 rig of EGF Solution (n = 24): and (G4) 20 ng of EGF-liposomes Solution (it = 24). Each Solution was injected in the mucosa of the left first molar adjacent to the appliance. At days 5, 10, 14 and 2 1 after drug administration. 6 animals of each group were sacrificed. Histomorphometric analysis was used to quantify osteoclasts (Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) + cells) and tooth movement. Using immunohistochemistry assay we evaluated the RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression. Key findings: The EGF-liposome administration showed an increased tooth movement and osteoclast numbers compared to controls (p<0.05). This was correlated with intense RANKL expression. Both osteoblasts and osteoclasts expressed EGFR. Significance: Local delivery of EGF-liposome stimulates, osteoclastogenesis and tooth movement. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Functional impairment of systemic scleroderma patients with digital ulcerations: results from the DUO Registry

Objective. Digital ulcers (DUs) are frequent manifestations of systemic scleroderma (SSc). This study assessed functional limitations due to DUs among patients enrolled in the Digital Ulcer Outcome (DUO) Registry, an international, multicentre, observational registry of SSc patients with DU disease. Methods. Patients completed at enrolment a DU-specific functional assessment questionnaire with a 1-month recall period, measuring impairment in work and daily activities, and hours of help needed from others. Physician-reported clinical parameters were used to describe the population. For patients who completed at least part of the questionnaire, descriptive analyses were performed for overall results, and stratified by number of DUs at enrolment. Results. This study included 2327 patients who completed at least part of the questionnaire. For patients with 0, 1-2, and DUs at enrolment, mean overall work impairment during the prior month among employed/self-employed patients was 28\%, 42\%, and 48\%, respectively. Across all included patients, ability to perform daily activities was impaired on average by 35\%, 54\%, and 63\%, respectively. Patients required a mean of 2.0, 8.7, and 8.8 hours of paid help and 17.0, 35.9, and 63.7 hours of unpaid help, respectively, due to DUs in the prior month. Patients with DUs had more complications and medication use than patients with no DUs. Conclusion. With increasing number of DUs, SSc patients reported more impairment in work and daily activities and required more support from others

The conservation status of the world’s reptiles

Effective and targeted conservation action requires detailed information about species, their distribution, systematics and ecology as well as the distribution of threat processes which affect them. Knowledge of reptilian diversity remains surprisingly disparate, and innovative means of gaining rapid insight into the status of reptiles are needed in order to highlight urgent conservation cases and inform environmental policy with appropriate biodiversity information in a timely manner. We present the first ever global analysis of extinction risk in reptiles, based on a random representative sample of 1500 species (16% of all currently known species). To our knowledge, our results provide the first analysis of the global conservation status and distribution patterns of reptiles and the threats affecting them, highlighting conservation priorities and knowledge gaps which need to be addressed urgently to ensure the continued survival of the world’s reptiles. Nearly one in five reptilian species are threatened with extinction, with another one in five species classed as Data Deficient. The proportion of threatened reptile species is highest in freshwater environments, tropical regions and on oceanic islands, while data deficiency was highest in tropical areas, such as Central Africa and Southeast Asia, and among fossorial reptiles. Our results emphasise the need for research attention to be focussed on tropical areas which are experiencing the most dramatic rates of habitat loss, on fossorial reptiles for which there is a chronic lack of data, and on certain taxa such as snakes for which extinction risk may currently be underestimated due to lack of population information. Conservation actions specifically need to mitigate the effects of human-induced habitat loss and harvesting, which are the predominant threats to reptiles

Adherence to treatment in allergic rhinitis using mobile technology. The MASK Study

Background: Mobile technology may help to better understand the adherence to treatment. MASK-rhinitis (Mobile Airways Sentinel NetworK for allergic rhinitis) is a patient-centred ICT system. A mobile phone app (the Allergy Diary) central to MASK is available in 22 countries. Objectives: To assess the adherence to treatment in allergic rhinitis patients using the Allergy Diary App. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was carried out on all users who filled in the Allergy Diary from 1 January 2016 to 1 August 2017. Secondary adherence was assessed by using the modified Medication Possession Ratio (MPR) and the Proportion of days covered (PDC) approach. Results: A total of 12 143 users were registered. A total of 6 949 users reported at least one VAS data recording. Among them, 1 887 users reported ≥7 VAS data. About 1 195 subjects were included in the analysis of adherence. One hundred and thirty-six (11.28%) users were adherent (MPR ≥70% and PDC ≤1.25), 51 (4.23%) were partly adherent (MPR ≥70% and PDC = 1.50) and 176 (14.60%) were switchers. On the other hand, 832 (69.05%) users were non-adherent to medications (MPR <70%). Of those, the largest group was non-adherent to medications and the time interval was increased in 442 (36.68%) users. Conclusion and clinical relevance: Adherence to treatment is low. The relative efficacy of continuous vs on-demand treatment for allergic rhinitis symptoms is still a matter of debate. This study shows an approach for measuring retrospective adherence based on a mobile app. This also represents a novel approach for analysing medication-taking behaviour in a real-world setting