Television Time among Brazilian Adolescents: Correlated Factors are Different between Boys and Girls

Objective. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of excess television time and verify correlated factors in adolescent males and females. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 2,105 adolescents aged from 13 to 18 years from the city of Aracaju, Northeastern Brazil. Television time was self-reported, corresponding to the time spent watching television in a typical week. Several correlates were examined including age, skin color, socioeconomic status, parent education, physical activity level, consumption of fruits and vegetables, smoking status, alcohol use, and sports team participation. Results. The prevalence excess television time (≥2 hours/day) in girls and boys was 70.9% and 66.2%, respectively. Girls with low socioeconomic status or inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables were more likely to have excess television time. Among boys, those >16 years of age or with black skin color were more likely to have excess television time. Conclusions. Excess television time was observed in more than two-thirds of adolescents, being more evident in girls. Correlated factors differed according to sex. Efforts to reduce television time among Brazilian adolescents, and replace with more active pursuits, may yield desirable public health benefits

Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains

Ruiz JC, D'Afonseca V, Silva A, et al. Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains. PLoS ONE. 2011;6(4): e18551.Background: Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, a Gram-positive, facultative intracellular pathogen, is the etiologic agent of the disease known as caseous lymphadenitis (CL). CL mainly affects small ruminants, such as goats and sheep; it also causes infections in humans, though rarely. This species is distributed worldwide, but it has the most serious economic impact in Oceania, Africa and South America. Although C. pseudotuberculosis causes major health and productivity problems for livestock, little is known about the molecular basis of its pathogenicity. Methodology and Findings: We characterized two C. pseudotuberculosis genomes (Cp1002, isolated from goats; and CpC231, isolated from sheep). Analysis of the predicted genomes showed high similarity in genomic architecture, gene content and genetic order. When C. pseudotuberculosis was compared with other Corynebacterium species, it became evident that this pathogenic species has lost numerous genes, resulting in one of the smallest genomes in the genus. Other differences that could be part of the adaptation to pathogenicity include a lower GC content, of about 52%, and a reduced gene repertoire. The C. pseudotuberculosis genome also includes seven putative pathogenicity islands, which contain several classical virulence factors, including genes for fimbrial subunits, adhesion factors, iron uptake and secreted toxins. Additionally, all of the virulence factors in the islands have characteristics that indicate horizontal transfer. Conclusions: These particular genome characteristics of C. pseudotuberculosis, as well as its acquired virulence factors in pathogenicity islands, provide evidence of its lifestyle and of the pathogenicity pathways used by this pathogen in the infection process. All genomes cited in this study are available in the NCBI Genbank database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/) under accession numbers CP001809 and CP001829

Effects of two years of physically active lessons on cognitive indicators in children

Abstract Our purpose was to evaluate the effect of physically active lessons (PAL) on the cognitive performance of children during two years of follow-up. Four classes (second grade of elementary school) were divided into two intervention classes (n = 34) and two control classes (n = 27). Evaluations were performed before the intervention (M1), after 3 (M2) and 9 (M3) months in the 1st year, and 14 (M4) and 18 (M5) months in the 2nd year. The intervention was based on PAL integrated with the curricular components, which stimulated the children to stand or move in the classroom. Cognitive performance was evaluated using three computerized tests for response inhibition, selective attention, and cognitive flexibility. The children in the intervention classes presented improved cognitive performance in the execution of all tasks along the two years follow-up, in both correct answers and time reactions, with exception of correct answers of visual search. For the intervention classes, in most of the tasks, the mean differences confidence interval of 95% did not include the 0 on the two last moments of evaluation, and in all cases, the mean differences of them between M1 versus M5 were significantly different with high values of effect size (cohen -d > 1). PAL promotes modest improvements in diverse cognitive functions in children

Effects of two years of physically active lessons on cognitive indicators in children

Our purpose was to evaluate the efect of physically active lessons (PAL) on the cognitive performance of children during two years of follow-up. Four classes (second grade of elementary school) were divided into two intervention classes (n= 34) and two control classes (n= 27). Evaluations were performed before the intervention (M1), after 3 (M2) and 9 (M3) months in the 1st year, and 14 (M4) and 18 (M5) months in the 2nd year. The intervention was based on PAL integrated with the curricular components, which stimulated the children to stand or move in the classroom. Cognitive performance was evaluated using three computerized tests for response inhibition, selective attention, and cognitive fexibility. The children in the intervention classes presented improved cognitive performance in the execution of all tasks along the two years follow-up, in both correct answers and time reactions, with exception of correct answers of visual search. For the intervention classes, in most of the tasks, the mean diferences confdence interval of 95% did not include the 0 on the two last moments of evaluation, and in all cases, the mean diferences of them between M1 versus M5 were signifcantly diferent with high values of efect size (cohen -d> 1). PAL promotes modest improvements in diverse cognitive functions in children.</p