Resistência da artéria carótida e autônima funcional em mulheres idosas

High carotid artery resistance indices in the elderly arise mainly as a result of harmful daily lifestyle behavior and poor eating habits. The aim of this multidisciplinary study was to assess and correlate carotid artery resistance and functional autonomy in elderly women. A descriptive, exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample comprising 27 women, enrolled in pastoral programs in the city of Teresina, Brazil. Carotid artery resistance was assessed by a high-resolution Doppler ultrasound device and functional autonomy was evaluated through five protocol tests of the Latin American Development Group for the Elderly (GDLAM), simulating activities of daily life. The data were analyzed by the Shapiro-Wilk test and the correlation by Spearman s test, considering a p-value of <0.05. The sample consisted of women with mean age and standard deviation of (68.67 ± 4.52) years, respectively and carotid resistance index of (0.71 ± 0.07). The general index value of functional autonomy classified the elderly of the study group as weak in the performance of activities of daily living (30.46 ± 6.31). The general index of functional autonomy showed a high level of sedentary behavior in the group studied (p < 0.01). The sample was classified as weak in the performance of activities of daily life. The correlation coefficient between the carotid resistance index and the general GDLAM index was r = 0.998 and p = 0.000, showing a significant correlation. The elderly women assessed had a high carotid artery resistance index and low functional autonomy; a positive correlation was found between the dependent variables studied. To perform this study we formed a team composed of a nurse, who helped in organizing the sample and performing the examinations; a radiologist, who conducted the Doppler examinations; an angiologist, who collaborated in interpreting examination data; in addition to two physical education professors and two physical therapists, who applied the functional autonomy tests and conducted the 34 research along elderly health lines, contributing thus to the multidisciplinary character, fundamental for carrying out the study

Otimização dos parâmetros de monopolos planares de microfita para aplicações em sistemas de banda ultra larga

This work presents a theoretical and experimental investigation about the properties of microstrip antennas for ultra-wideband systems. Configurations of elliptic monopoles with different eccentricities and circular monopoles are considered. Two prototypes for each antenna configuration were built, one with the typical microstrip configuration and the other is similar to the first, except for a small aperture in the ground plane. Therefore, this work proposes to modify the configuration of the ground plane of the monopoles designed adding a rectangular stub, in order to optimize and improve the performance of such structures. The obtained results show that the introduction of that rectangular aperture in the ground plane allows an improvement of the frequency response for the considered antenna propotypes. It is observed a good agreement between the measured and simulated results. Finally, some proposals for future works are presented

Avaliação dos níveis de proteína C-reativa ultra-sensível em pacientes com periodontite crônica severa generalizada e sem periodontite

INTRODUCTION: The high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) constitutes an inflammatory mediator used as predictor of cardiovascular risk that comes being researched as indicative relation factor between cardiovascular and periodontal diseases. PROPOSITION: To compare serumals levels of C-reactive protein between patients with and without generalized severe chronic periodontitis. METHODOLOGY: A seccional study was realized using a sample with 62 patients, being 31 participants carriers of periodontal diseases (Group I) and 31 without periodontal diseases (Group II), grouped to the pairs by age and sex. As inclusion criterio were selected patients with diagnosis of generalized severe chronic periodontitis, being preculeds, individuals which presented systemic disease, recent infection history, historical of CVA or stroke, smokers, pregnants and lactants. The research consisted of two stages, a clinc and other biochemist. The clinical stage is constituted of periodontal examination and the biochemist stage, of the peripheral blood collection for determination hsCRP levels and a hemogram to inquire any panel which could suggest infectious and/or inflammatory process. RESULTS: Periodontal disease group presented a average of 0,36mg/dL, while the group without disease presented 0,17 mg/dL, do not existing significant difference statistically between the averages (p = 0,061). The cardiovascular risk for the group I was classified high for 27,6% of participants and low for 72,4% of them. In the group II, 6,45% presented high risk e 93,5% low risk, being this significant relation statistically gotten for Fisher s Test (p = 0,042) presenting OR = 5,33; IC = 95% (1,02 27,4). The independets variables reseacred do not presented significant association statistically with the levels of hsCRP. CONCLUSION: The study indicated that despite of carriers patients of periodontal diseases do not present differents serumals levels of hsCRP from the other group, the periodontal disease was considered as risk factor for hsCRP plasmatic levels elevation