Prevalence of constipation in Down syndrome and association with behavioral problems

Objetivo: Investigar hábitos intestinais de crianças, jovens e adultos com Síndrome de Down (SD) para identificação da prevalência de constipação intestinal e analisar possíveis relações entre constipação e problemas de comportamento. Métodos: Estudo descritivo, exploratório e comparativo. Participaram 130 pessoas com diagnóstico médico de SD, idades entre sete meses e 50 anos, sem cardiopatias não corrigidas ou doenças intestinais. A avaliação foi realizada com um questionário sobre hábitos intestinais, criado a partir dos Critérios de Roma IV e das recomendações fornecidas pela Organização Mundial de Gastroenterologia e outras Associações Médicas Norte-americanas e Europeias, Escala de Bristol e Questionário de Capacidades e Dificuldades (SDQ). Resultados: Verificou-se 43 participantes constipados (33,1%). A prevalência por faixa etária foi 47% (0-35 meses), 40% (3-5 anos), 22% (6-11 anos), 28% (12-19 anos) e 17% (> 20 anos), sem diferenças em função do sexo. Os participantes constipados obtiveram escores mais elevados para Hiperatividade, bem como maior frequência de escores desviantes para Problemas de Conduta e Problemas Totais. Conclusões: A constipação intestinal dentre as pessoas com SD apresentou maior prevalência nos participantes mais novos. A maior presença de problemas de comportamento dentre os constipados sugere que o funcionamento intestinal está relacionado com as dificuldades comportamentais.Objective: To investigate intestinal habits of children, adolescents and adults with Down Syndrome (DS) in order to identify the prevalence of intestinal constipation and to analyze possible relationships between constipation and behavior problems. Methods: Descriptive, exploratory and comparative study. Participated 130 people with medical diagnosis of DS, aged between seven months to fifty years old, without uncorrected heart diseases or diagnosed intestinal diseases. The assessment was conducted using a questionnaire on intestinal habits, based on the Rome IV criteria and on the recommendations provided by the World Gastroenterology Organization, and other North American and European Associations; Bristol Scale and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: 43 constipated participants (33.1%). The prevalence rate by age group was 47% (0-35 months), 40% (3-5 years), 22% (6-11 years), 28% (12-19 years) e 17% (> 20 years), without any sex difference. Constipated participants obtained significantly higher scores on the SDQ Hyperactivity scale, as well as more deviant scores on the Conduct Problems and Total Problems scales. Conclusions: Constipation among people with DS was more prevalent in younger participants. The greater presence of behavior problems among constipated individuals suggests that intestinal functioning is related to behavioral difficulties

Comportamento Per Se De Híbridos De Capim-elefante Para Fins Energéticos

The aim of this study was to evaluate the Per se performance of elephant grass hybrids obtained by partial diallel crossing and also their parents for energy purposes through agronomic traits during rainy and dry seasons. The experiment was conducted at Pesagro experimental station, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil, in randomized blocks, with three repetitions. The crosses were made between contrasting parents in a partial diallel scheme with 5 female parents × 5 male parents. The treatments consisted of ten parents, twenty-five hybrid combinations and the control. Three cuts were realized for evaluations (April and October 2013 and April 2014). The characteristics evaluated were: plant height (ALT), in m; stem diameter (SD), in cm; leaf blade width (LB), in cm; number of tillers per linear meter (NP); dry matter percentage (%DM) and dry matter production (DMP), in t.ha-1. Variance analysis were performed and the means were grouped according to Scott-Knott test (P>0.05). It was oberved that the hybrid H4 (Cuban Pinda x Taiwan A-144), H7 (Cameroon - Piracicaba × Três Rios), H8 (Cameroon - Piracicaba × Mercker 86-Mexico), H10 (Cameroon - Piracicaba × Roxo), H13 (P241-86-Piracicaba × Mercker 86-Mexico), H17 (IAC Campinas × Três Rios) and H18 (IAC-86-Campinas × Mercker 86-Mexico) presented high biomass production.71738

Aerobic exercise prevents cardiomyocyte damage caused by oxidative stress in early cardiovascular disease by increasing vascularity while L-arginine supplementation prevents it by increasing activation of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase

L-Arginine and chronic exercise reduce oxidative stress. However, it is unclear how they affect cardiomyocytes during cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. The aim of this research was to investigate the possible effects of L-arginine supplementation and aerobic training on systemic oxidative stress and their consequences on cardiomyocytes during cardiometabolic disease onset caused by excess fructose. Wistar rats were allocated into four groups: control (C), fructose (F, 10% fructose in water), fructose training (FT; moderate running, 50-70% of the maximal velocity), and fructose arginine (FA; 880 mg/kg/day). Fructose was given for two weeks and fructose plus treatments for the subsequent eight weeks. Body composition, blood glucose, insulin, lipid profile, lipid peroxidation, nitrite, metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity, left ventricle histological changes, microRNA-126, -195, and -146, eNOS, p-eNOS, and TNF-α expressions were analyzed. Higher abdominal fat mass, triacylglycerol level, and insulin level were observed in the F group, and both treatments reversed these alterations. Myocardial vascularization was impaired in fructose-fed groups, except in FT. Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was observed in all fructose-fed groups. TNF-α levels were higher in fructose-fed groups than in the C group, and p-eNOS levels were higher in the FA than in the C and F groups. Lipid peroxidation was higher in the F group than in the FT and C groups. During CVD onset, moderate aerobic exercise reduced lipid peroxidation, and both training and L-arginine prevented metabolic changes caused by excessive fructose. Myocardial vascularization was impaired by fructose, and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy appeared to be influenced by pro-inflammatory and oxidative environments