Evaluation of a psychological intervention for patients with chronic pain in primary care

According to evidence from recent decades, multicomponent programs of psychological intervention in people with chronic pain have reached the highest levels of efficacy. However, there are still many questions left to answer since efficacy has mainly been shown among upper-middle class patients in English-speaking countries and in controlled studies, with expert professionals guiding the intervention and with a limited number of domains of painful experience evaluated. For this study, a program of multicomponent psychological intervention was implemented: (a) based on techniques with empirical evidence, but developed in Spain; (b) at a public primary care center; (c) among patients with limited financial resources and lower education; (d) by a novice psychologist; and (e) evaluating all domains of painful experience using the instruments recommended by the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT). The aim of this study was to evaluate this program. We selected a consecutive sample of 40 patients treated for chronic non-cancer pain at a primary care center in Utrera (Seville, Spain), adults who were not in any employment dispute, not suffering from psychopathology, and not receiving psychological treatment. The patients participated in 10 psychological intervention sessions, one per week, in groups of 13–14 people, which addressed psychoeducation for pain; breathing and relaxation; attention management; cognitive restructuring; problem-solving; emotional management; social skills; life values and goal setting; time organization and behavioral activation; physical exercise promotion; postural and sleep hygiene; and relapse prevention. In addition to the initial assessment, measures were taken after the intervention and at a 6-month follow-up. We assessed the program throughout the process: before, during and after the implementation. Results were analyzed statistically (significance and effect size) and from a clinical perspective (clinical significance according to IMMPACT standards). According to this analysis, the intervention was successful, although improvement tended to decline at follow-up, and the detailed design gave the program assessment a high degree of standardization and specification. Finally, suggestions for improvement are presented for upcoming applications of the program

Mechanisms of brain aging regulation by insulin : implications for neurodegeneration in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease

Insulin and IGF seem to be important players in modulating brain aging. Neurons share more similarities with islet cells than any other human cell type. Insulin and insulin receptors are diffusely found in the brain, especially so in the hippocampus. Caloric restriction decreases insulin resistance, and it is the only proven mechanism to expand lifespan. Conversely, insulin resistance increases with age, obesity, and sedentarism, all of which have been shown to be risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Hyperphagia and obesity potentiate the production of oxidative reactive species (ROS), and chronic hyperglycemia accelerates the formation of advanced glucose end products (AGEs) in (pre)diabetes—both mechanisms favoring a neurodegenerative milieu. Prolonged high cerebral insulin concentrations cause microvascular endothelium proliferation, chronic hypoperfusion, and energy deficit, triggering β-amyloid oligomerization and tau hyperphosphorylation. Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) seems to be the main mechanism in clearing β-amyloid from the brain. Hyperinsulinemic states may deviate IDE utilization towards insulin processing, decreasing β-amyloid degradation

Influence of foliar application of fungicides to control Phaeosphaeria leaf spot in maize

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of foliar application of fungicides to control Phaeosphaeria leaf spot and consequently on the features of the maize crop productivity in the crop year 2014/15. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in a 2x4 factorial scheme, with two hybrids, three treatments + a control in four replications. The treatments were based on the following fungicides (g i.a L-1): epoxiconazole + pyraclostrobin (333 + 167); cyproconazole + picoxystrobin (80 + 200); azoxystrobin + benzovinliflupyr (300 + 150), which were applied in BG7051H and BG7060HR hybrids with knapsack/ manual sprayer, pressurized with CO2 in the phenological stage of culture V8, 70 days after seeding (70 DAS). The experimental plot had four rows spaced at 0.50 m and length of 10.0 m, resulting in a total area of 20 m2 and useful area of 8 m2, which held the white spot severity assessments, grain yield (kg ha-1) and thousand grain weight (g). Significant differences were observed for all fungicides compared to the control. The control alone had the highest severity index compared to the other treatments. Regarding the thousand grain weight and productivity (kg ha-1), the azoxystrobin + solatenol treatment was superior to the control and other treatments with fungicides, with a higher production of grain compared to the control

Making the ecological brick using powder residues of Ceramic Tiles

The residues generated by the ceramic factories, among the most varied types, represent a large part of the waste produced and the one that comes from the production of red ceramics such as tiles and bricks, reflects in great part of all the constituents of these residues. The use of tailings is becoming an increasingly common practice, often because it does not have a correct final destination and in some places, there is a shortage of natural materials. The present work aims to study the addition of residues of ceramic tiles dust in the characteristics and properties of ecological brick. A literature review on the topic was carried out, in addition to granulometric characterizations, absorption tests, thermal comfort and simple compression. After carrying out the tests, the possibility of using it as a component of the ecological brick and using it in the region of Teresina-PI was studied. The samples produced with tile powder residue showed excellent results, therefore, through this study it was possible to prove that the reuse of these residues is valid for use in civil construction

Qualidade sanitária de lotes de grãos de milho submetidos a irrigação e dois sistemas de semeadura

Os fungos Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp. e Stenocarpella macrospora são patógenos frequentemente associados ao complexo de doenças responsáveis por ocasionar podridões de espiga e incidência de grãos ardidos, em híbridos susceptíveis. Diante do exposto, objetivou-se com o presente trabalho avaliar a influência da porcentagem de grãos ardidos na qualidade sanitária de lotes de grãos de milho (Zea mays L.), provenientes de campo de produção e submetidos a irrigação e dois sistemas de semeadura. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi inteiramente casualizado, contendo quatro tratamentos (lote I = com irrigação e sistema de semeadura convencional, lote II = com irrigação e sistema de semeadura direta, lote III = sem irrigação e sistema de semeadura convencional, lote IV = sem irrigação e sistema de semeadura direta), em quatro repetições. Os lotes de grãos de milho foram avaliados quanto a porcentagem de grãos ardidos e a incidência de fungos (Blotter test). Houve diferença significativa entre os diferentes lotes de grãos de milho para todas as variáveis analisadas. A maior porcentagem de grãos ardidos e a incidência dos fungos Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp. e Aspergillus sp. foram observados nos lotes provenientes dos campos de produção conduzidos com uso da irrigação. Quanto maior a porcentagem de grãos ardidos maior a incidência dos fungos Penicillium sp. e Fusarium sp., nos lotes de grãos de milho, tais variáveis apresentaram elevada correlação positiva entre a percentagem de grãos ardidos e incidência de fungos. Palavras-chave: Zea mays L., patologia de sementes, sistema de cultivo, sistema de irrigação, podridão fúngica

Influência do sistema de semeadura e da aplicação de fungicidas sobre a produtividade e qualidade sanitária de milho

As podridões de grãos e espigas vem gerando um aumento na perda de produtividade a cada safra na cultura do milho. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência do sistema de semeadura e da aplicação foliar de fungicida sobre a produtividade e qualidade sanitária de grãos de milho. O experimento foi conduzido a campo em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 2x2x4, correspondente a dois sistemas de semeadura (direta e convencional), dois híbridos e quatro tratamentos, sendo três com aplicação foliar de fungicidas e uma testemunha sem aplicação, em 4 repetições. Os grãos foram avaliados, quanto a produtividade, porcentagem de grãos ardidos e a sanidade de grãos pelo método de “Blotter test”. De modo geral, observou-se que a porcentagem de grãos ardidos foi maior no sistema de semeadura direta, menor no híbrido BG7060HR e quando utilizado os fungicidas Elatus® e Abacus HC®. Entre os sistemas de semeaduras, a semeadura direta favorece a incidência de Aspergillus sp. ao passo de que a semeadura convencional não interfere na incidência de Penicillium sp. O híbrido BG7060HR apresentou menor incidência dos fungos Penicillium sp. e Aspergillus sp. O uso do fungicida Elatus®, quando aplicado via foliar, resultou em uma menor incidência do fungo Penicillium sp. e em um incremento na produtividade de grãos. O uso dos fungicidas Abacus HC®, Aproach Prima® e Elatus® reduziram a incidência do fungo Aspergillus sp. A produtividade de grãos foi influenciada apenas pelo fator tratamento, sendo mais pronunciada quando utilizado o fungicida Elatus®

MORPHOMETRY AND PRODUCTION OF MAIZE INOCULATED WITH Azospirillum brasilense

This study aimed to analyze the influence of inoculation methods with Azospirillum brasilense in morphometric parameters of the maize crop. Maize plants, hybrid Formula VT®, were cultivated under different inoculation ways: absence of inoculation; seed inoculation; foliar inoculation; seed inoculation associated to foliar inoculation. In the phenological stages V8 and VT were measured the number of leaves, aerial height, root volume, stem diameter, dry mass of leaves, stem and sheath, root and total, besides the foliar content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In the R6 stage, together with the previous evaluations it was made the ear diameter and length, number of kernel rows, number of kernels per row, dry mass of the reproductive structure and of thousand grains, and total number of grains, besides the grains content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Fortnightly was measured the SPAD index from the leave’s apex third, medial third and basal third. The inoculation methods with A. brasilense had little influence in morphometric and nutritional parameters of the maize development, not influencing in production. Maize plants inoculated with A. brasilense, via seed and via seed associated to foliar spraying, positively stood out for the stem diameter, leaves dry mas, root volume, and for the foliar content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.O objetivo do estudo foi analisar a influência de métodos de inoculação com Azospirillum brasilense em parâmetros morfometricos da cultura do milho. Foram cultivadas plantas de milho híbrido Formula VT® sob diferentes formas de inoculação: ausência de inoculação; inoculação via semente; inoculação via foliar; inoculação via semente associada a foliar. Nos estádios fenológicos V8 e VT foram mensurados número de folhas, altura de parte aérea, volume de raiz, diâmetro de colmo, massa seca de folha, colmo e bainha, raiz e total, além dos teores de nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio foliar. No estádio R6, junto as análises anteriores, analisou-se diâmetro e comprimento de espiga, número de fileiras, número de grãos por fileira, massa de estrutura reprodutiva e de mil grãos e número total de grãos, e os teores de nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio dos grãos. Quinzenalmente, foi mensurado o índice SPAD dos terços apical, mediano e basal foliar. Os métodos de inoculação pouco influenciaram em parâmetros morfométricos e nutricionais do desenvolvimento do milho, não influenciando na produção. A inoculação via semente e via foliar associado a semente influenciou positivamente nas plantas quanto ao diâmetro de colmo, massa seca foliar, volume de raiz, e aos teores de nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio

Analysis of the resistance of the interlocked floor (paver) of concrete with the addition of the mass.

New elements are needed to contribute to the idea of not reusing the materials, but rather improving their use, the massará for example is known in the region of Teresina-PI is a connecting material, of little consistency, easily disaggregatable (friable), containing white silica pebbles and of little utilização in the region. The interlocked concrete floor presents peculiar characteristics among which are those that configure it as a floor. The work analyzes through a mechanical strength and water absorption test the capacity that the interlocked concrete floor with the addition of massará in its composition offers in relation to bear load. Two traces with massará will be tried and then specimens will be molded to obtain the results of mechanical tests and characterization of the material in the laboratory. After the tests, it was observed the possibility of using it as components in the production of interlocked laying blocks used in construction companies of Teresina - PI

RESPOSTA DA IRRIGAÇÃO E DA APLICAÇÃO DE FUNGICIDAS SOBRE A QUALIDADE SANITÁRIA E PRODUTIVIDADE DE GRÃOS DE MILHO

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a resposta da irrigação e da aplicação foliar de fungicida sobre o complexo grãos ardidos, a incidência de fungos (teste de sanidade - Blotter test) e produtividade de grãos de dois híbridos de milho. Os experimentos foram conduzidos na safra agrícola 2014/15, em Cruz Alta, RS. Para ambos os experimentos o delineamento utilizado foi em blocos casualizados e os tratamentos arranjados em esquema fatorial 2 (híbridos comerciais) x 4 (3 fungicidas e 1 testemunha), com 4 repetições. Em laboratório, os grãos foram avaliados, quanto à porcentagem de grãos ardidos, sanidade de grãos pelo método de “Blotter test”, peso de mil grãos e produtividade de grãos. Houve influência do uso da irrigação, do híbrido, e da aplicação de fungicidas sobre a produtividade de grãos e a incidência de grãos ardidos e fungos fitopatogênicos. A irrigação favoreceu uma maior incidência de grãos ardidos e dos fungos Fusarium sp. e Aspergillus sp. O híbrido BG7060HR proporcionou uma menor incidência de fungos e de grãos ardidos, paralelamente a uma maior massa de mil grãos e produtividade quando aplicou-se o fungicida Azoxistrobina + Benzovindiflupir. A aplicação de fungicidas no estádio V8 da cultura reduziu a incidência dos fungos Fusarium sp e Aspergillus sp., destacando-se o fungicida Azoxistrobina + Benzovindiflupir