Avaliação do desempenho funcional de crianças com paralisia cerebral de acordo com níveis de comprometimento motor

Contextualization: Several studies have examined the mobility of this group of children, however little is known about the impact of motor function in activities of daily living, considering the seriousness of their neuromotor damage. Objective: Identify the functional differences of children with Cerebral Palsy with different levels of motor dysfunction and correlate these differences with the areas of mobility, self-care and social function in functional ability and caregiver´s assistance of these children. Methods: An l analytical cross-section search was developed, which were part 70 children / families aged from 4 to 7.5 years, in the Rehabilitation Center for Children. As tools were used the Pediatric Evaluation Disability Inventory (PEDI) and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Data analysis was performed by ANOVA and Pearson's correlation tests. Results: The results show the functional variability of children CP in different severity levels of motor disfunction This variation was observed in the areas of mobility, self-care and social function. The results also showed a strong correlation between the domains mobility and self-care, mobility and social function. Conclusions: The variability shown by the children with CP, suggests the use of PEDI and GMFCS as this association appears to increase the understanding of how the gross motor functions are related to activities of daily living, describing the best commitments and their degree of impact on functional activities. This correlation demonstrates how mobility is crucial to evaluate the performance and guide the therapeutic practice, to develop the children´s potencial, and guide the caregiver in stimulation

Um estudante cego no curso de licenciatura em musica da ufrn: questões de acessibilidade curricular e física

This work aims to discuss and analyze the process of school inclusion of a blind person in the Bachelor's Degree in Music, at the School of Music at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, as well as reflect on the importance of establishing systems of support and to ensure university inclusive process of people with visual impairments. In pursuit to achieve these objectives, this research chose a qualitative methodological approach, the case study, using as procedures for data construction an interview, observation, analysis of documents and photographs. Joined the group of participants in this study, a blind student in the class of 2009.1of the EMUFRN Bachelor's Degree in Music, teachers from two disciplines complied by the student, two classmates, a monitor support in music theory, the course coordinator and school principal, and two other individuals who contributed to the inclusion process in actions not formalized institutionally. The results indicate UFRN proposed initiatives that contribute to inclusion of students with disabilities in this institution, the main one is the creation of the Standing Committee of Support for Students with Special Educational Needs (CAENE), a group that guides administrative sectors, teachers, principals, coordinators and students on the measures needed to enter and remain in quality education for all. Physical accessibility is still under construction at UFRN, and many access and sectors see it being adapted for students with physical or visual disabilities, and those with mobility impairments, have access to various parts of the university, however, as shown in this study, some points need to be reconsidered, as there are several places where the installation of tactile floor does not fully follow the guidelines proposed in the legislation. The proposals for access to the curriculum, mediated by EMUFRN, are actions that propose the inclusion of the blind student, as the existence of an educational monitor to help in the study of music theory, however, we need to rethink these proposals to not became actions of reactive intervention. Assuming a more proactive posture, the EMUFRN will be prepared to receive the diversity of students that expects. The study also points out that the blind student is part of a group of students that are practical musicians, who must work in events and evening shows, and who have little knowledge in music theory, leading, respectively, in low frequency classes and learning difficulties in certain curricular components, which may cause the closing of such components. In this case, the challenge of EMUFRN, considering the inclusive perspective, it is not specifically fit for the academic host a blind student, but to develop an accessibility project curriculum to consider effectively the diversity of all its students, taking into account mainly the economic and cultural conditions. This implies a process of resizing academic practices that be guided for collaborative and coordinated actions involving the various educational actors at EMUFRN and UFRN

Tradução, adaptação cultural e propriedades psicométricas da versão brasileira do Short-Form of the Mobility Assessment Tool (MAT-sf)

Objectives: to translate and assess the psychometric properties of the Brazilian short-form of the Mobility Assessment Tool (MAT-sf) in Brazilians community elderly. Methds: the 12 items MAT-sf went through the process of translation and back translation into Portuguese of the Brazil, considering the semantic and cultural adaptation. In a sample of 150 aged 65-74 years living in the community, the instrument's psychometric properties were evaluated by analysis of convergent and construct validity and test-retest reliability. The main outcomes measures used for validation included in the battery of tests of physical ability, self-repor measures of functional limitations, health, depression, cognitive and sex. The test-retest reliability of the instrument was assessed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), 40 subjects were reassessed after an interval of 14 days of assessment. Results: the concurrent validity for the MAT-sf was evidenced by significant correlations with SPPB (r = 0,53), number of functional limitations (r = -0,62) and depressive symptoms (r = -0,45). The construct validity of the instrument was measured by gradual and significant increase of the MAT-sf scores with high levels of physical performance and with positive self-reported health, also found that MAT-sf scores were statistically differents according to sex. The variation in MAT-sf scores (R2 = 0,41) was explained by SPPB, number of limitations for activities of daily life and depressive symptoms. High values for test-retest reliability was evidencend by ICC = 0,94, 95% CI = 0,90 0,97. Conclusions: the Brazilian version of the short-form of the Mobility Assessment Tool has values of validity and reliability to ensure its use in elderly populations living in communities

Ecologia alimentar e comportamento de forrageamento de Ameivula aff. ocellifera (Squamata: Teiidae) em área de caatinga do nordeste do Brasil

This study investigated the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the feeding ecology and foraging behavior of the whiptail lizard Ameivula aff. ocellifera, a new species widely distributed in the Brazilian Caatinga, and that is in process of description. In attendance to the objectives, the Dissertation was structured in two chapters, which correspond to scientific articles, one already published and the other to be submitted for publication. In Chapter 1 were analyzed the general diet composition, the relationship between lizard size and prey size, and the occurrence of sexual and ontogenetic differences in the diet. Chapter 2 contemplates a seasonal analysis of diet composition during two rainy seasons interspersed with a dry season, and the quantitative analysis of foraging behavior during two distinct periods. The diet composition was determined through stomach analysis of lizards (N = 111) collected monthly by active search, between September 2008 and August 2010, in the Estação Ecológica do Seridó (ESEC Seridó), state of Rio Grande do Norte. Foraging behavior was investigated during a rainy and a dry month of 2012 also in ESEC Seridó, by determining percent of time moving (PTM), number of movements per minute (MPM) and prey capture rate by the lizards (N = 28) during foraging. The main prey category in the diet of Ameivula aff. ocellifera was Insect larvae, followed by Orthoptera, Coleoptera and Araneae. Termites (Isoptera) were important only in numeric terms, having negligible volumetric contribution (<2%) and low frequency of occurrence, an uncommon feature among whiptail lizards. Males and females did not differ neither in diet composition nor in foraging behavior. Adults and juveniles ingested similar prey types, but differed in prey size. Maximum and minimum prey sizes were positively correlated with lizard body size, suggesting that in this population individuals experience an ontogenetic change in diet, eating larger prey items while growing, and at the same time excluding smaller ones. The diet showed significant seasonal differences; during the two rainy seasons (2009 and 2010), the predominant prey in diet were Insect larvae, Coleoptera and Orthoptera, while in the dry season the predominant prey were Insect larvae, Hemiptera, Araneae and Orthoptera. The degree of mobility of consumed prey during the rainy seasons was lower, mainly due to a greater consumption of larvae (highly sedentary prey) during these periods. Population niche breadth was higher in the dry season, confirming the theoretical prediction that when food is scarce, the diets tend to be more generalized. Considering the entire sample, Ameivula aff. ocellifera showed 61,0 ± 15,0% PTM, 2,03 ± 0,30 MPM, and captured 0,13 ± 0,14 per minute. Foraging mode was similar to that found for other whiptail lizards regarding PTM, but MPM was relatively superior. Seasonal differences were verified for PTM, which was significantly higher in the rainy season (66,4 ± 12,1) than in the dry season (51,5 ± 15,6). It is possible that this difference represents a behavioral adjustment in response to seasonal variation in the abundance and types of prey available in the environment in each season