Evidence-based radiography : a new methodology or the systematisation of an old practice?

Introduction: Evidence based radiography (EBR) is the logical development of evidence based practice applied to radiography. The aim of this study was to investigate the opinion of a cohort of Portuguese radiographers in Southern Portugal working in public hospitals regarding evidence based practice (EBP), namely about the levels of knowledge about EBR, how they access information and how they use it within daily practice. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was applied to a sample of 40 radiographers in the Portuguese region of Algarve. This questionnaire was validated for Portuguese speakers using the translation-retranslation method. Results: The final response rate was 69% (40/58). Results suggest that most radiographers trained EBR during their undergraduate training. Although, no statistically significant correlations were found in the practice of EBR against participant gender, age, training, career level, reading papers and workplace. The most frequent reason to read papers is the “interest” to do so, and national professional journals are read more often. It was found that radiographers that read scientific papers more frequently know more about research (p=0.005), understand the importance of research for the professional activity (p=0.023), and know more on how to conduct research papers (p=0.034). Conclusion: EBR within radiography is not yet well established, and radiographers’ have varying viewpoints. Radiographers that read scientific papers more frequently understand better the philosophy behind this concept but it is very important to deepen the knowledge on this area. Implications for Practice: When practicing radiography based on the best available scientific knowledge, professionals are ensuring the best for patients and for profession. To achieve this, and before taking any action, it is important to evaluate the current situation, and this research presents a way to do so

Protein Hydrolysates Are Avoided by Herbivores but Not by Omnivores in Two-Choice Preference Tests

Background: The negative sensory properties of casein hydrolysates (HC) often limit their usage in products intended for human consumption, despite HC being nutritious and having many functional benefits. Recent, but taxonomically limited, evidence suggests that other animals also avoid consuming HC when alternatives exist. Methodology/Principal Findings: We evaluated ingestive responses of five herbivorous species (guinea pig, mountain beaver, gopher, vole, and rabbit) and five omnivorous species (rat, coyote, house mouse, white-footed mouse, and deer mouse; N = 16–18/species) using solid foods containing 20% HC in a series of two-choice preference tests that used a nonprotein, cellulose-based alternative. Individuals were also tested with collagen hydrolysate (gelatin; GE) to determine whether it would induce similar ingestive responses to those induced by HC. Despite HC and GE having very different nutritional and sensory qualities, both hydrolysates produced similar preference score patterns. We found that the herbivores generally avoided the hydrolysates while the omnivores consumed them at similar levels to the cellulose diet or, more rarely, preferred them (HC by the white-footed mouse; GE by the rat). Follow-up preference tests pairing HC and the nutritionally equivalent intact casein (C) were performed on the three mouse species and the guinea pigs. For the mice, mean HC preference scores were lower in the HC v C compared to the HC v Cel tests, indicating that HC’s sensory qualities negatively affected its consumption. However, responses were species-specific. For the guinea pigs, repeated exposure to HC or C (4.7-h sessions; N = 10) were found to increase subsequent HC preference scores in an HC v C preference test, which was interpreted in the light of conservative foraging strategies thought to typify herbivores. Conclusions/Significance: This is the first empirical study of dietary niche-related taxonomic differences in ingestive responses to protein hydrolysates using multiple species under comparable conditions. Our results provide a basis for future work in sensory, physiological, and behavioral mechanisms of hydrolysate avoidance and on the potential use of hydrolysates for pest management

Tradução, adaptação e avaliação da consistência interna do Eating Behaviours and Body Image Test para uso com crianças do sexo feminino Translation, adaptation and internal consistency evaluation of the Eating Behaviours and Body Image Test for female children

Este trabalho tem por objetivo traduzir, adaptar e validar o Eating Behaviours and Body Image Test, para uso com crianças de uma cidade do interior do estado de São Paulo. Foram sujeitos do estudo 261 escolares do sexo feminino, na faixa etária de 9 a 12 anos. Por meio da análise fatorial, com rotação varimax avaliou-se a consistência interna do instrumento. Esta análise, realizada com o auxílio do programa Statistical Package for Social Sciences, versão 10.0, revelou dois fatores. Para o instrumento total a consistência interna foi adequada (coeficiente a de Cronbach: 0,89) e para os dois fatores (1 e 2) os valores de a também foram considerados satisfatórios (alfa=0,90 e alfa=0,80, respectivamente), mostrando, assim, que o Eating Behaviours and Body Image Test é útil para uma avaliação precoce, rastreando atitudes indicadoras de possíveis distúrbios no comportamento alimentar. Foram mantidas as características psicométricas do instrumento original.<br>This study aimed to translate, adapt and validate the Eating Bahaviours and Body Image Test, to be used with children in a city in upstate São Paulo. Study subjects were 261 female students aging from 9 to 12 years. The internal consistency of the instrument was evaluated by means of factorial analysis with varimax rotation. This analysis was accomplished through Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 10.0, revealing two factors. The internal consistency was adequate for the total instrument (Cronbach's alpha=0.89) and a values were also considered satisfactory for the two factors (1 and 2) (alpha=0.90 and alpha=0.80, respectively), which demonstrated that the Eating Bahaviours and Body Image Test is useful for an initial evaluation, tracing symptoms that indicate possible eating behavior disorders. The psychometric characteristics of the original instrument were maintained

Úlcera de pressão e estado nutricional: revisão da literatura Ulcera de presión y estado nutricional: revisión de la literatura Decubitus ulcer and nutritional status: literature review

Para melhor compreender os aspectos envolvidos na avaliação nutricional de pacientes em risco para úlcera de pressão, desenvolvemos uma revisão bibliográfica da literatura nacional e internacional indexada nas bases de dados bibliográficos LILACS e MEDLINE, no período de 1987 a 2001. O objetivo foi investigar a produção do conhecimento sobre úlcera de pressão e estado nutricional, assim como a autoria principal e o enfoque das publicações. Concluiu-se que os pacientes que apresentam risco para o desenvolvimento de úlcera de pressão podem ser identificados precocemente através da avaliação nutricional, incluindo os dados bioquímicos, mensurações antropométricas, sinais clínicos, história dietética e gasto energético. As alterações são mais freqüentes em pacientes idosos, hospitalizados, portadores de doenças crônicas como acidente vascular cerebral, câncer e lesão de medula espinhal.<br>Para una mejor compresión de los aspectos envueltos en la evaluación nutricional de enfermos en peligro de úlcera por decúbito, los autores desarrollaron una revisión bibliográfica de la literatura nacional e internacional indexada en las basis de datos LILACS y MEDLINE durante el período de 1987 a 2001. El objetivo fue investigar la producción del conocimiento sobre úlcera de presión y estado de nutrición, así como la autoría principal y el enfoque de las publicaciones. Los autores concluyeron que los enfermos presentando peligro para el desarrollo de úlcera de presión pueden ser identificados de modo prematuro vía la evaluación nutricional, incluyendo los datos bioquímicos, mensuraciones antropométricas, indicios clínicos, historia dietética y expensas energéticas. Las alteraciones son más frecuentes en enfermos ancianos, hospitalizados, portadores de enfermedad crónica como accidente vascular cerebral, cáncer y lesión de la medula espinal.<br>In order to better understand aspects related to the nutritional assessment of patients in risk for pressure ulcers, we reviewed the national and international literature indexed on Medline and LILACS bibliographic dadtabases, from 1987 to 2001. The aim of this research was to investigate the knowledge production on pressure ulcers and nutritional status, as well as to learn about the authors and the publication focus. We concluded that patients in risk for pressure ulcers can be early identified based on nutritional assessment, including biochemical data, anthropometric evaluation, clinical data, diet history and energetic consumption. The alterations are frequent in elderly patients, hospitalized patients, patients with a chronic disease such as a vascular cerebral accident, cancer and spinal cord injury

As principais alterações dermatológicas em pacientes obesos Major dermatological changes in obese patients

INTRODUÇÃO: A obesidade é considerada grave doença crônica que vem atingindo proporções mundiais gerando transtornos sérios para a saúde pública. No Brasil, a prevalência desta doença denota aumento progressivo em relação ao número de pessoas com sobrepeso e/ou obesidade. Apesar disso, as manifestações dermatológicas da obesidade têm sido pouco estudadas. OBJETIVO: Abordar as dermatoses que mais acometem pacientes obesos e seu tratamento, principalmente na aplicação adequada da fisioterapia dermatofuncional. MÉTODO: Revisão da literatura, entre 2000 e 2010, de artigos indexados nas bases Medline/Pubmed, Scielo e Lilacs, livros e monografias das bibliotecas da Universidade de Fortaleza e Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil, cruzando os descritores obesidade, dermatose e fisioterapia. Foram reconhecidas como mais importantes as seguintes situações patológicas: estrias, celulite, acanthosis nigricans, acrocórdons, flacidez, úlcera e impetigo. Entre as formas de tratamento deuse destaque à atuação da fisioterapia dermatofuncional. CONCLUSÃO: O tratamento das dermatoses por meio da fisioterapia dermatofuncional é possível podendo trazer consigo resultados que satisfaçam a expectativa dos pacientes e proporcionando-lhes melhor qualidade de vida.<br>INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a serious chronic disease that has reached global proportions causing problems to public health. In Brazil, the prevalence of this disease shows a progressive increase in the number of people with overweight or obesity. Nevertheless, the skin manifestations have not been well studied. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the dermatosis most affecting obese patients and its treatment, particularly in proper application of dermatological therapy. METHOD: Was made a literature review between 2000 and 2010 of articles published in Medline/ PubMed, SciELO and Lilacs, books and monographs of the libraries of the University of Fortaleza and the Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil, crossing the headings obesity, dermatosis, therapy and physiotherapy. Were recognized as most important the following pathological conditions: stretch marks, cellulitis, acanthosis nigricans, acrochodons, tenderness, ulcers and impetigo. Among the forms of treatment was highlighted the role of dermatological physiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Dermatosis treatment by dermatological therapy and physiotherapy is possible and can bring result that satisfy the expectations of patients and providing them better quality of life