Stages of behavioral change and positive perception of the environment towards physical activity among urban park users

The objectives of this study were to identify the stages of behavioral change (SBC) towards physical activity (PA) among users of urban parks, to determine the association between socio-demographic and economic variables of users of urban parks in relation to physical activity (PA), and to analyze environmental indicators of the park perceived positively for PA. A total of 218 users of an urban park, who filled out a questionnaire regarding socio-demographic data, SBC and perception of the existing environment, participated in the study. The most prevalent SBC were maintenance (56.6%) and action (21.1%). Most park users (78.7%) presented an active behavior (maintenance + action) towards PA, with this behavior being prevalent among middle-aged individuals (p<0.05). The beauty and geographic location of the park, technological and architectonic factors, some normative policies (public services to the users’ disposition), and values and attitudes were perceived positively for PA, regardless of whether the users regularly performed PA or not. The study suggests that most public park users present an active behavior towards PA, especially middle-aged individuals. In addition, the perception of environmental indicators is positive among physically inactive and active park users, irrespective of SBC

Breathing disorders in congestive heart failure: gender, etiology and mortality

We investigated the relationship between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) while awake as well as mortality. Eighty-nine consecutive outpatients (29 females) with congestive heart failure (CHF; left ventricular ejection fraction, LVEF <45%) were prospectively evaluated. The presence of SDB and of CSR while awake before sleep onset was investigated by polysomnography. SDB prevalence was 81 and 56%, using apnea-hypopnea index cutoffs >5 and >15, respectively. CHF etiologies were similar according to the prevalence of SDB and sleep pattern. Males and females were similar in age, body mass index, and LVEF. Males presented more SDB (P = 0.01), higher apnea-hypopnea index (P = 0.04), more light sleep (stages 1 and 2; P < 0.05), and less deep sleep (P < 0.001) than females. During follow-up (25 ± 10 months), 27% of the population died. Non-survivors had lower LVEF (P = 0.01), worse New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification (P = 0.03), and higher CSR while awake (P < 0.001) than survivors. As determined by Cox proportional model, NYHA class IV (RR = 3.95, 95%CI = 1.37-11.38, P = 0.011) and CSR while awake with a marginal significance (RR = 2.96, 95%CI = 0.94-9.33, P = 0.064) were associated with mortality. In conclusion, the prevalence of SDB and sleep pattern of patients with Chagas' disease were similar to that of patients with CHF due to other etiologies. Males presented more frequent and more severe SDB and worse sleep quality than females. The presence of CSR while awake, but not during sleep, may be associated with a poor prognosis in patients with CHF

Breathing disorders in congestive heart failure: gender, etiology and mortality

We investigated the relationship between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) while awake as well as mortality. Eighty-nine consecutive outpatients (29 females) with congestive heart failure (CHF; left ventricular ejection fraction, LVEF <45%) were prospectively evaluated. The presence of SDB and of CSR while awake before sleep onset was investigated by polysomnography. SDB prevalence was 81 and 56%, using apnea-hypopnea index cutoffs >5 and >15, respectively. CHF etiologies were similar according to the prevalence of SDB and sleep pattern. Males and females were similar in age, body mass index, and LVEF. Males presented more SDB (P = 0.01), higher apnea-hypopnea index (P = 0.04), more light sleep (stages 1 and 2; P < 0.05), and less deep sleep (P < 0.001) than females. During follow-up (25 ± 10 months), 27% of the population died. Non-survivors had lower LVEF (P = 0.01), worse New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification (P = 0.03), and higher CSR while awake (P < 0.001) than survivors. As determined by Cox proportional model, NYHA class IV (RR = 3.95, 95%CI = 1.37-11.38, P = 0.011) and CSR while awake with a marginal significance (RR = 2.96, 95%CI = 0.94-9.33, P = 0.064) were associated with mortality. In conclusion, the prevalence of SDB and sleep pattern of patients with Chagas' disease were similar to that of patients with CHF due to other etiologies. Males presented more frequent and more severe SDB and worse sleep quality than females. The presence of CSR while awake, but not during sleep, may be associated with a poor prognosis in patients with CHF

Anomalous diffusion and anisotropic nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation

We analyse a bidimensional nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation by considering an anisotropic case, whose diffusion coefficients are $D_x \propto |x|^{-\theta}$ and $D_y \propto |y|^{-\gamma}$ with $\theta, \gamma \in {\cal{R}}$. In this context, we also investigate two situations with the drift force $\vec{F}(\vec{r},t)=(-k_{x}x, -k_y y)$. The first one is characterized by $k_x/k_y=(2+\gamma)/(2+\theta)$ and the second is given by $k_{x}=k$ and $k_{y}=0$. In these cases, we can verify an anomalous behavior induced in different directions by the drift force applied. The found results are exact and exhibit, in terms of the $q$-exponentials, functions which emerge from the Tsallis formalism. The generalization for the $D$-dimensional case is discussed.Comment: 6 pages, tex fil

Avaliação do stress parental em mães de crianças com perturbação de hiperatividade com défice de atenção

Introdução: Pretendeu-se identificar os níveis de stress nas mães de crianças e adolescentes com perturbação de hiperatividadecom défice de atenção e verificar se existe uma associação entre o stress percecionado por estas mães e o funcionamento familiar.Métodos: Foram utilizados o índice de stress parental, versão reduzida, que caracteriza o stress parental total de acordo comtrês dimensões (dificuldade parental, interação pais / criança e criança difícil), e a escala de avaliação da adaptabilidade e coesãofamiliar, que classifica as famílias em equilibradas, meio-termo ou extremas.Resultados: Participaram neste estudo 89 mães. Obtiveram-se valores médios no questionário índice de stress parental acimado percentil 85 (valor de cutoff) nas subescalas interação disfuncional criança-pais, criança difícil e no valor de stress total.Verificou-se ainda que havia uma forte correlação entre stress total e as três subescalas, isto é, mães com níveis mais elevadosde stress tendem a ter uma maior perceção de dificuldade parental, de interação disfuncional com a criança e de criança difícil.Não se verificaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre o tipo de família (equilibrada versus meio-termo ou extrema,ou monoparental versus nuclear) e o stress parental.Discussão: Concluiu-se que as mães das crianças com perturbação de hiperatividade com défice de atenção apresentam elevadosníveis de stress, o qual parece advir fundamentalmente das características da criança, que é percecionada como sendouma criança difícil, e de uma interação disfuncional entre os pais e a criança. Não parece haver relação entre o nível de stressexperienciado por estas mães e a funcionalidade ou organização da famíli

An evaluation of the somatosensory profile of hemiparetic individuals

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the somatosensory profile of 18 hemiparetic spastic victims of stroke with and without blocking vision. Maximal isometric contraction test was used for flexor and extensor muscles of the hip and knee, and flexor plantar muscles. The number of cycles per minute on stationary bike was also measured with eyes opened and closed. Significant differences were found suggesting the existence of miscommunication between sensory-motor neural mechanisms responsible for voluntary motor actions in these individuals

Comparison of recovery methods for the enumeration of injured Listeria innocua cells under isothermal and non-isothermal treatments

This study compares the feature of different media with the combination of selective with non-selective media in a TAL method for recovery of Listeria innocua cells exposed to thermal treatments. Experiments were conducted in broth at constant temperature (52.5 and 65.0 ºC) and pH (4.5 and 7.5) conditions, using NaCl or glycerol to adjust water activity to 0.95. Four different media were used in bacterial cell enumeration: (i) a non-selective medium e TSAYE, (ii) two selective media e TSAYE þ 5%NaCl and Palcam Agar and (iii) TAL medium (consisting of a layer of Palcam Agar overlaid with one of TSAYE). Two food products were used as case studies aiming at comparison of results obtained on selective and TAL media enumeration. Parsley samples were inoculated with L. innocua and subjected to posterior thermal treatments both under isothermal (52.5, 60.0 and 65.0 ºC) and non-isothermal (heating rate of 1.8 ºC/min from 20.0 to 65.0 ºC) conditions. The recovery capability of TAL method was also studied when a pre-cooked frozen food (i.e. meat pockets) was fried (oil temperature of w180 ºC). TAL method proved to be better than Palcam Agar in terms of capability to recover injured cells and was effective in L. innocua enumeration when non-sterile samples were analysed.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio