Constipation in infants: influence of type of feeding and dietary fiber intake

Objective: To study the relationship between breast-feeding, dietary fiber intake and constipation in infants. Methods: The study population consisted of 275 infants consecutively enrolled in two Primary Care Clinic in the city of Embu, in the Great São Paulo. The feeding pattern were classified in predominantly breast-feeding, partially breast and cow s milk feeding and artificial feeding. Constipation was defined by the elimination of hard stool associated with one of the following: painful or difficult defecation, hard or round cracked stools and less than three defecations a week. False constipation was defined by the elimination of soft stools without pain or difficulty but with less than three defecations a week. Results: Constipation was found in 25.1% (69/275). False constipation was found only in the first semester of life in 5.1% of 159 infants. The prevalence of constipation was higher between 6 and 24 months (38.8%, 45/116) than in the first semester of life (15.1%, p=0.000). A model of logistic regression demonstrated that infants under artificial feeding were 4.53 times more liable to develop constipation than infants who were predominantly breastfed. The daily dietary fiber intake (g/day) was similar (p=0.57) among the constipated (median=9.0 g; 25th and 75th percentiles: 6.9-13.1g) and non-constipated (median = 8.8 g; 25th and 75th percentiles: 6.1-12.9 g). Conclusions: Dietary fiber intake was similar in constipated and non-constipated infants. Breast-feeding serves as a protection factor against the development of constipation in the first semester of life.Objetivo: estudar a associação entre tipo de aleitamento, consumo de fibra alimentar e ocorrência de constipação em lactentes. Métodos: foram estudados 275 lactentes atendidos consecutivamente em unidade básica de saúde. O tipo de aleitamento foi classificado como predominante, misto e artificial. Constipação foi caracterizada pela eliminação de fezes duras, associada a uma das seguintes características: dor ou dificuldade ao evacuar, fezes em cíbalos ou cilíndrica, com rachaduras, e intervalo entre as evacuações maior ou igual a 3 dias. Pseudoconstipação foi caracterizada quando ocorria a eliminação de fezes amolecidas, sem dor ou dificuldade, em intervalo maior ou igual a 3 dias. Resultados: constipação foi observada em 25,1% dos lactentes. Pseudoconstipação ocorreu exclusivamente nos primeiros 6 meses de vida, em 5,1% dos 159 lactentes desta faixa etária. Constipação entre os 6 e 24 meses (38,8%; 45/116) foi mais freqüente do que no primeiro semestre de vida (15,1%, p=0,0000). A análise de regressão logística evidenciou que, no primeiro semestre, os lactentes em aleitamento artificial demonstram chance 4,5 vezes maior de apresentar constipação do que os em aleitamento predominante. Entre os de 6 a 24 meses, a estimativa de consumo de fibra alimentar (gramas/dia) foi semelhante (p=0,57) nos lactentes com constipação (mediana=9,0g; percentis 25 e 75: 6,9-13,1g) e naqueles com hábito intestinal normal (mediana=8,8; percentis 25 e 75: 6,1-12,9g). Conclusões: o consumo de fibra alimentar por crianças menores de dois anos foi semelhante entre os grupos com e sem constipação intestinal. O aleitamento natural predominante é fator de proteção contra constipação no primeiro semestre de vida.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de PediatriaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de PediatriaSciEL

R&D experiences on FPGAs and astronomical applications at IASF Milano

The paper describes R&D activities that were or are currently developed at the INAF - IASF Milano and that involve the usage of FPGAs for astrophysical applications. They span from the emulation of radiation induced faults in SRAM-based FPGAs to the development of a backend unit for the SKA low frequency antennas and astronomical detectors

Grupo de pais: aprendizagens de participantes do Programa ACT

The aim of this study was to identify the new learning of participants of an ACT Program parent group. This psychoeducational intervention aims to assist in the development of positive parenting practices, providing children safer, healthier, more stable environments, without violence or abuse. Data were organized according to thematic categorical analysis. The results indicated that participation in the ACT Program enabled learning about parenting practices, the recognition of emotions of the adults and children, understanding about parenting styles, the importance of parental involvement for child development, and learning about child development and aspects related to exposure to electronic media in early childhood. As a contribution to the ACT Program research, this study presented a qualitative analysis of specific aspects concerning the content learned in the sessions and results of groups that included the participation of fathers in the Brazilian context, differing from previous studies with only mothers.  El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar los aprendizajes de los participantes de los grupos de padres del Programa ACT, intervención psicoeducativa que tiene como objetivo ayudar en el desarrollo de prácticas parentales positivas, proporcionando a los niños entornos más seguros, saludables y estables, sin violencia y abuso. Los datos se organizaron según el análisis categórico temático. Los resultados indicaron que la participación en el Programa ACT permitió aprender sobre prácticas educativas, el reconocimiento de las emociones de adultos y niños, la comprensión de estilos parentales, la importancia de la participación de los padres para el desarrollo infantil, así como el aprendizaje sobre el desarrollo infantil y los aspectos relacionados a la exposición a los medios electrónicos em la primera infancia. Este estudio presentó como contribución a la investigación del Programa ACT un análisis cualitativo de aspectos específicos del aprendizaje realizado en las sesiones y resultados de grupos que incluyeron la participación de padres (hombres) en el contexto brasileño, diferenciándose de estudios previos solo con madres.O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar as aprendizagens de participantes de grupos de pais do Programa ACT, intervenção psicoeducativa que visa auxiliar no desenvolvimento de práticas educativas parentais positivas, propiciando às crianças ambientes mais seguros, saudáveis, estáveis, sem violência e maus-tratos. Os dados foram organizados de acordo com a análise categorial temática. Os resultados indicaram que a participação no ACT possibilitou aprendizagens sobre práticas educativas parentais, o reconhecimento de emoções dos adultos e das crianças, a compreensão acerca dos estilos parentais, a importância do envolvimento dos pais para o desenvolvimento da criança, além de aprendizagens sobre desenvolvimento infantil e aspectos relacionados a exposição às mídias eletrônicas na primeira infância. Este estudo apresentou como contribuição às pesquisas do Programa ACT uma análise qualitativa de aspectos específicos concernentes às aprendizagens realizadas nas sessões e resultados de grupos que incluíram a participação de pais (homens) no contexto brasileiro, diferenciando-se de estudos anteriores apenas com mães

A Gentle Introduction to Machine Learning for Chemists: An Undergraduate Workshop Using Python Notebooks for Visualization, Data Processing, Analysis, and Modeling

Machine learning, a subdomain of artificial intelligence, is a widespread technology that is molding how chemists interact with data. Therefore, it is a relevant skill to incorporate into the toolbox of any chemistry student. This work presents a workshop that introduces machine learning for chemistry students based on a set of Python notebooks and assignments. Python, one of the most popular programming languages, is open source, free to use, and has plenty of learning resources. The workshop is designed for students without previous experience in programming, and it aims for a deeper understanding of the complexity of concepts in programming and machine learning. The examples used correspond to real data from physicochemical characterizations of wine, a content that is of interest for students. The contents of the workshop are introduction to Python, basic statistics, data visualization, and dimension reduction, classification, and regression.Fil: Lafuente, Deborah. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Cohen, Brenda. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Fiorini, Guillermo. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Garcia, Agustin Alejo. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Bringas, Mauro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: Morzan, Ezequiel Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: Onna, Diego Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentin

A new monoclonal antibody detects downregulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type γ in chronic myeloid leukemia patients

Background: Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor gamma (PTPRG) is a ubiquitously expressed member of the protein tyrosine phosphatase family known to act as a tumor suppressor gene in many different neoplasms with mechanisms of inactivation including mutations and methylation of CpG islands in the promoter region. Although a critical role in human hematopoiesis and an oncosuppressor role in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) have been reported, only one polyclonal antibody (named chPTPRG) has been described as capable of recognizing the native antigen of this phosphatase by flow cytometry. Protein biomarkers of CML have not yet found applications in the clinic, and in this study, we have analyzed a group of newly diagnosed CML patients before and after treatment. The aim of this work was to characterize and exploit a newly developed murine monoclonal antibody specific for the PTPRG extracellular domain (named TPγ B9-2) to better define PTPRG protein downregulation in CML patients. Methods: TPγ B9-2 specifically recognizes PTPRG (both human and murine) by flow cytometry, western blotting, immunoprecipitation, and immunohistochemistry. Results: Co-localization experiments performed with both anti-PTPRG antibodies identified the presence of isoforms and confirmed protein downregulation at diagnosis in the Philadelphia-positive myeloid lineage (including CD34+/CD38bright/dim cells). After effective tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment, its expression recovered in tandem with the return of Philadelphia-negative hematopoiesis. Of note, PTPRG mRNA levels remain unchanged in tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) non-responder patients, confirming that downregulation selectively occurs in primary CML cells. Conclusions: The availability of this unique antibody permits its evaluation for clinical application including the support for diagnosis and follow-up of these disorders. Evaluation of PTPRG as a potential therapeutic target is also facilitated by the availability of a specific reagent capable to specifically detect its target in various experimental conditions

INTEGRAL @ INAF-IASF Milano: from Archives to Science

In this work, we give an overview of the INTEGRAL archival activities performed at INAF-IASF Milano, along with highlights of the scientific results obtained on High Mass X-ray Binaries. A few years after the launch of INTEGRAL, in order to increment and ease the exploitation of the data at INAF-IASF Milano, we prepared and maintained an INTEGRAL archive named ’GOLIA’. This gave us full control over what was being done and how, and enabled unexpected discoveries and systematic studies, stimulating new investigations and collaborations. Indeed, GOLIA allowed us to discover the (currently only) outburst periodicity from a Supergiant Fast X-ray Transient: IGRJ11215-5952. Starting from this discovery, and thanks to the population study approach offered by such an archive, we undertook a journey to understand Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients within the wider scenario of High Mass X-ray Binaries, tackling several long-term aspects: cumulative luminosity distributions, energy and temporal properties of bright flares, large-scale wind structures. Given the very productive outcome of such an approach, we decided to build a second generation archive in IASF Milano, named ANITA (A New InTegral Archive), with improved hardware and software performances