Efeitos da estimulação ambiental sobre os aspectos motores, cognitivos e neuronais em um modelo farmacológico progressivo da doença de Parkinson

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

A assistência técnica nos habitats do MST e o papel do arquiteto e urbanista

This dissertation is about Architect and town planner inserts in the technical support of the Rural establishment and of the possibilities of changes in their habitat. It also looks for its participation through the production of those spaces with or without its performance through two references cases, in Rio Grande do Norte , one called settlement Eldorado de Carajás and another one called Maria da Paz. At first the process represents the model that was adopted systematically by Incra until the middle of the year 2000 with the sub-contracting of their construction work through small companies. These standardized projects which are executed without registration in the system CONFEA/CREA without demand of professional authorship and of technical responsibility of the work. But the process taken place at Maria da Paz s area was configured as one of the first initiatives that stopped with those practices. Consolidated through a partnership among UFRN MST and INCRA/RN, the Architect s technical support and town planner brought new technician-scientific organization and execution of the soil parcels and its habitat. The participation of UFRN was done through a group of studies in land reform and Habitat (GERAH) being this author and coordinator of the methodological proposal, based on the regressive-progressive method and in the inclusion of the conflict as responsible of the ruptures and transductions both done by Henry Léfèbvre and in the research action approached by Carlos Brandão. Therefore it included the process of social learning and collective production of new knowledge and attitudes in relation to the environment in the process called as attended self management in spite of the transformations happened with this new agent s participation. The people re-located to the new areas that got involved in the process and finished their constructions reelaborating the daily practice of the collective effort passed to the self management without technical support. Years later the implantation of those two experiences our research verified that there is a positive image concerning the Architect and town planner, related, most of all to the conception of the activities, orientation and execution of constructions projects and of acceptance of those professionals to the processes of implementation of the Habitats of the Rural establishments. This dissertation analyses this form of performance, from and beyond these images trying to find the professional, specificities or methodological in such a way to demonstrate the importance of its insertion in the formulation and attendance of the more of 100.000 habitats of Rural establishments of the land reform of the country that correspond to most of the housing social interest in the country side

O papel do turismo nos conflitos urbanos da cidade do Natal/RN: a história que ninguém quer contar

La présente étude a comme objectif comprendre la relation entre l implantation et le développement du Tourisme à Natal et les conflits urbains établits entre 2006 et 2010 et publiés par les médias imprimés, élaborant ses impacts dans le quotidien des résidents. Tandis qu une relecture partielle de la méthode régressive-progressive développée par le philosophe français Henri Lefebvre, cherche à recouper du présent, des contradictions qui promeuvent des réactions dans le quotidien de la ville; ainsi qu identifier des moments du passé qui puissent contribuer à sa compréhension. Aujourd hui, nous avons les médias, comme principale source pour observer la perception locale des problèmes causés par l espace conçu, à partir des actions de l État référentes à l activité. Par rapport au passé, ces situations sont recherchées dans des sources secondaires, mettant en évidence le dialogue avec le Relatório Conflitos Urbanos (Rapport Conflits Urbains) à Natal-1976-1986 (ANDRADE et al.,1986), qui présente les conflits existants à des moments qui ont précédé ou ont acompagné le début du développement de l activité au RN, spécialement à Natal. Alors que dans la contribution à la compréhension du rôle du Tourisme dans l apparition de conflits urbains de la ville sont aussi inclues nos coupures vécues, des actions de l État par rapport à la consolidation, ainsi comme pour les conflits qui se sont plus demarqués ou qui ont conduit à la réaction de la population de la ville pendant les périodes analysées. Au final, on cherche à démontrer les limites de la responsabilité de l activité touristique dans l urgence des principaux conflits urbains dans la ville. L analyse des données de la recherche, avec l identification des conflits urbains de Natal et sa relation avec le Tourisme; la présentation des conflits par rapport à la localisation, fréquence et son encadrement dans les catégories de l analyse adoptée; l identification des agents intéressés et la relation entre eux; ont amené à la confirmation de l hypothèse proposée. De cette façon, en prenant en compte les coupures temporelles et spatiales, la source de recherche et la méthodologie adoptées, nous arrivons à la conclusion que l activité touristique à Natal n est pas directement responsable de l apparition des conflits urbains de la ville

Efeito da suplementação com retinol palmitato em codornas (Coturnix coturnx japonica) nos níveis de retinol na gema dos ovos

Vitamin A deficiency is a serious public health problem in developing countries, and it causes death and blindness among children in the developing countries. The fortification of food could be an important source of vitamins to control deficiency. 60 Coturnix coturnix japonica quails were used in a randomized design with duration of seven weeks. The birds were assigned into five treatments with four repetitions. The objective was to evaluate the influence of the supplementation with different levels of retinyl palmitate (2,000 IU, 4,000 IU, 8,000IU and 16,000 IU) in quails under the levels of retinyl in egg yolks. The method used to dose retinyl in yolks of quail eggs was High Performance Liquid Chromatography and the enzymatic method to quantify the cholesterol concentration. The weight and production of eggs was significantly modified by the supplementation with retinyl in the birds. The results showed a gradual increase in the incorporation of retinyl in the egg yolk as a response to the supplementation, reaching values 384% higher than the control values. By the end of the supplementations a significant reduction in the concentrations of retinyl in the eggs yolk was observed. The most lasting supplementations were with 8,000 IU and 16,000 IU which lasted for three weeks. The cholesterol content in eggs was not significantly modified. The consumption of one egg enriched with 16000UI of retinol palmitate in the present study, by day, would probably reach 10 and 7,3% of the daily recommendations of this micronutrient for children of 1 to 3 years of age, and for 4 to 8 years, respectively. The nutritional value of eggs, related to the vitamin A, can be improved by supplementation of quails

Avaliação da efetividade de estratégias não farmacológicas para o alívio da dor de parturientes na fase ativa do período de dilatação no trabalho de parto

This study was aim to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies non pharmacological for the relief of the intensity of the parturient pain in the phase activates of the dilation period in the labor. Is a clinic rehearse of the type therapeutic intervention before and after" with a quantitative approach, accomplished in the Humanized Unit of Childbirth of the Maternity Januário Cicco School of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, in Natal/RN, whit 130 parturient, being 30 in the pre-test of the strategies and 100 in the application of the strategies non pharmacological combined (breathing exercises, muscular relaxation and lombossacral massage) and isolated (shower bath in a normal temperature). We used the visual analogical scale to evaluate the intensity of the pain of the study parturient before and after" to the application of the strategies in the phases of acceleration, maximum inclination and desaceleration in the phase activates of dilation period in the labor. The principal results showed that the majority of the study parturient was between 20 to 30 years old (60%); with incomplete fundamental teaching (85%); family income until 2 minimum wages (74%); 78% had a companion and these, 44% were the own husband. The oxytocin was administered in the parturient during the phase activates of the labor in 81% of the cases and only 15% these women didn´t reciev anything medication. We verified significant relief (ρ=0.000) of intensity of the pain of the study parturient after application of the strategies non pharmacological combined and isolated. We concluded that the strategies non pharmacological combined and isolated were effective in the relief of the pain of the study parturient in the phase activates de labor

Excesso de peso em região do nordeste brasileiro: contraste entre escolares de rede pública e privada de ensino

The prevalence of obesity has been increased in the last three decades. It is already considered as epidemic by the World Health Organization and reaches around 300 million people worldwide. The weight gain in all ages is related to a sedentary way of life and hyper caloric food ingestion at the modern society. Obesity is a chronic disease and leads to high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of weight excess among student in Natal schools and to analyze its association with age, gender, school category and geographic localization in city zones. This was a transversal study which enrolled 1927 children. 1084 of these were between 6 and 8 years-old (group 1) and 843 were 9 to 10 years-old (group 2). 895 of the total children studied in private schools and 1032 studied in public schools. 33,6% of the students had body mass index equal or above the 85th percentile and were considered as having weight excess. There was no statistical difference in this prevalence considering neither gender nor age. The weight excess prevalence in private schools was 54,5% and in public ones was 15,6% (p<0,01; OR=6,49). Weight excess was also more prevalent in the south and east city zones (41,3%) which have better quality of life index than in the north and west zones (28,4%) (p<0,01). In conclusion, the weight excess prevalence among students is found to be high in Natal and programs of intervention and prevention of obesity are necessary. The higher prevalence in private schools as in the wealthier city zones reflects the link between obesity and high socioeconomic level found in countries in developing. This was an interdisciplinary work with participation of epidemiology, child nutrition and pediatric endocrinology following the recommendations and principles of the Post graduation Program in Health Sciences of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte

Conhecimentos sobre o corpo: uma possibilidade de intervenção pedagógica nas aulas de educação física no ensino médio

The following study aims at the main conceptions around the body and the learning through physical education classes at school. Therefore, this research mainly presents a proposal of pedagogical intervention on physical education for Ensino Médio, centered on the knowledge about the body as well as how to evaluate the impacts of such interventions on the students‟ learning process. In order to surround our field of investigation, this work elaborates the following study questions: a) What have students learned about the body in physical education classes in Ensino Médio at IFRN? b) What methodological possibilities can contribute on the experience of meaningful learning processes in physical education in Ensino Médio related to the knowledge of body aspects? Regarding to the methodology used, this ethnographic research used several instruments for data collecting like dairies, diagnostic activities, self-assessment evaluations, portfolio, filming, photographs and posts on the social network facebook. The materialization of the pedagogical intervention and all of its implications allow us to consider that the physical education classes in Ensino Médio at IFRN, campus Parnamirim have supported meaningful experiences of learning. Also they motivate relevant discussions applicable to the students‟ everyday lives once they are supported by discussions related to the influence of media about the body of teenagers, the irregular use of steroids, massaging as a possibility of body relaxation. Also, we point out that the students had the chance to experience body activities which crossed the limits of physical education classes‟ hegemony at school, such as indoor soccer, dodgeball, volleyball, basketball and handball. Thus, the students could experience body activities beyond the limits of most common sports, which started several discussions about the juvenile universe and culture. Beside the professional and personal importance of this work, we list the scientific relevance for the production of knowledge on the educational field once the number of Works about the knowledge of the body are still only a few. This study is mainly about alternative body practices. Therefore, we consider that the knowledge about the body can and must be studied not only through alternative practices, but also in different approaches which can be attributed to body running phenomenon. Finally, we believe that the discussions hereby motivated about the matter are far from being enough, so we deliver our intention in deepening this study on forthcoming researches about the knowledge of the body in the field of physical education in Ensino Médio

Analise SWOT do gerenciamento de resíduos do coco verde em duas agroindústrias do estado do Rio Grande do Norte

In the current conjuncture, the environmental factor has been changing the position of companies that are practicing or minimally adopting environmental management. Such tool has been used by companies to face the problems caused by solid waste, in particular green coconut waste, which is constantly among the material discarded by society (companies/ consumer). It is a typical tropical fruit whose fresh water is very benefic for human health, and its popularization has caused a progressive increase of its consumption. Following this stream of thought, this present work came up with an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities SWOT analysis on green coconut solid waste management at two agribusiness companies in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil, aiming to know the challenges and the potentials of this kind of waste. According to the approach of the problem, this work fits a descriptive, exploratory, and qualitative research. The data collection was obtained by a questionnaire and a structured interview, in order to evaluate the strategic posture of agribusiness companies through SWOT analysis, which is an English acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. The SWOT analysis is an effective tool to analyze the internal and external environment of an organization. This tool contributes to locate the company at the environment in question and when well applied it enables the detection of mistakes, the strengthening of correct procedures, the avoidance of threats, and the bet on opportunities. The studied agribusiness industries have very similar profiles, such as a long business life span, and a strategy that extends the useful life of the fruit, by using its waste for the manufacturing of new subproducts. In both, the daily quantity of waste resulted of this process reaches approximately 20 thousand units of the fruit in high season, being necessary a focus directed at use and/or treatment of these waste. Further to SWOT analysis, it was ascertained that the agribusiness company A works through a defensive marketing strategy and acts vulnerably, in other words, unable of acting before this market segment, for it has decided to stop using the waste due to a lack of equipment and technology. On the other hand, the agribusiness company B has incorporated an offensive marketing strategy because even not possessing equipments, technology, and appropriated internal installations, it still insists on use and benefits of green coconut waste in its agribusiness. Thus, it is considered that the potential of green coconut waste management for the production of several subproducts reduces the impacts produced by inappropriate placement and generates profits in a short, medium and long term. Such profits being tangible and intangible, as the interest for sustainability actions is not only a matter of obtaining return on capital, but it is an important question in order to move on into business, since it is not enough to have quality on products and process nowadays. It is necessary to establish socio-environmental practices aiming the image of the company as the prevailing role on consumers buying decision

Classificação de imagens de ambientes coralinos: uma abordagem empregando uma combinação de classificadores e máquina de vetor de suporte

The use of the maps obtained from remote sensing orbital images submitted to digital processing became fundamental to optimize conservation and monitoring actions of the coral reefs. However, the accuracy reached in the mapping of submerged areas is limited by variation of the water column that degrades the signal received by the orbital sensor and introduces errors in the final result of the classification. The limited capacity of the traditional methods based on conventional statistical techniques to solve the problems related to the inter-classes took the search of alternative strategies in the area of the Computational Intelligence. In this work an ensemble classifiers was built based on the combination of Support Vector Machines and Minimum Distance Classifier with the objective of classifying remotely sensed images of coral reefs ecosystem. The system is composed by three stages, through which the progressive refinement of the classification process happens. The patterns that received an ambiguous classification in a certain stage of the process were revalued in the subsequent stage. The prediction non ambiguous for all the data happened through the reduction or elimination of the false positive. The images were classified into five bottom-types: deep water; under-water corals; inter-tidal corals; algal and sandy bottom. The highest overall accuracy (89%) was obtained from SVM with polynomial kernel. The accuracy of the classified image was compared through the use of error matrix to the results obtained by the application of other classification methods based on a single classifier (neural network and the k-means algorithm). In the final, the comparison of results achieved demonstrated the potential of the ensemble classifiers as a tool of classification of images from submerged areas subject to the noise caused by atmospheric effects and the water column

Análise das emissões atmosféricas por veículos automotores em Natal-RN

The fast urban occupation of Brazil, mainly from the last decade of 50, a sensible degradation of the quality of the air generated mainly for the activities was verified human beings associates to industrialization. From the past years, the situation has gotten worst in function of the increment of the fleet of vehicles in circulation in the great cities. Being these, in the city of Natal-RN, the ones that offer the biggest contributions to the atmospheric pollution. For atmospheric air to be a finite natural resources, indispensable and essential to the maintenance of the life in the land, is necessary to the implementation of action to improve its quality and to protect the health of the population. With the objective to study relative aspects to the characteristics of vehicles in use, the present study it searchs to analyze the levels of emissions of gases generated for vehicles converted bi-fuels into the modalities: natural gas (GNV), gasoline and alcohol, inspected for ends of register and together licensing to the State Department of Transit. One used the data gotten from inspections carried through for the company System Specialized in Inspection To propagate, in the city of the Natal-RN, capital of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, between 14 of November of 2003 and 30 of December of 2004. The analyzed parameters are established in the resolution nº 07/93 CONAMA. Of a total of 1.517 inspected vehicles, a average of 15,2% of failed was gotten, or either, that they emit levels of pollution above of the limits established for the legislation, below of the national average that is of 20,0%. The analysis of the data discloses that 7.3% of the fleet are converted the GNV; the growth of vehicles converted the GNV into the city is gradual, with a average of increment in last the 4 years of 23,3%; it has a vehicle predominance that has as combustible original to the gasoline (88,2%); the inspected fleet has average age of 8 years of use, considered young for the Brazilian standards, except for the moved one to the alcohol (average of use of 15 years). Moreover, the type of fuel is not the main parameter to define the indices of emissions; the age of the fleet is the parameter most important when emission is analyzed to propagate; the gas that more generates failed in the inspections is the corrected carbon monoxide; the vehicles generate higher indices of emissions in idling for all the fuels; the presence of the catalyser was not reflected, as it expected, in the reduction of emissions of gases toxic, however when analyzed according to year of manufacture, it was observed that for the vehicles manufactured between 1997 and 2004, reduction of 46,0% in the failed of the vehicles equipped with catalyser was gotten. In conclusion, the fleet of the studied sample, in average terms, takes care of to the requirements of Resolution CONAMA nº 07/93. The results gotten for the present study can subsidize action of public administrations that aim at to the improvement and the maintenance of the quality of air in the city of Natal-RN, as, for example, to implant a net of monitoramento of the quality of air

Ánálise da capacidade funcional e da distribuição regional da ventilação pulmonar em pacientes com doença de chagas

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac and pulmonary manifestations of the Chagas disease (CD) affect between 20-30% of the infected subjects. The chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC) has some peculiarities such as arrhythmias and, especially heart failure (HF) and is potentially lethal due to left ventricular dysfunction. How respiratory disorders, patients get progressive loss of functional capacity, which contributes to a poor quality of life related to disease. Measurements of lung volume by the movement of the chest wall surface are an alternative evaluation of lung function and kinematics of complex thoracoabdominal for these patients. OBJECTIVE: evaluate the kinematics of the thoracoabdominal complex through the regional pulmonary volumes and to correlate with functional evaluation of the cardiorrespiratory system in patients with Chagas disease at rest. MATERIALS AND METHODS: a cross-section study with 42 subjects had been divided in 3 groups, 15 composed for patients with CCC, 12 patients with HF of different etiologies and 15 healthful presented control group. An optoelectronic plethysmography (POE), Minnesota questionnaire, six minute walk test, spirometer and manovacuometer was used. RESULTS: It was observed in the 6MWT where group CRL presented greater distance 464,93±44,63m versus Group HF with 399,58± 32,1m (p=0,005) and group CCC 404±68,24m (p=0,015), both the groups presented difference statistics with regard to Group CRL. In the manovacuometer 54,59±19,98; of the group CCC and 42,11±13,52 of group IC found group CRL presented 81,31±15,25 of the predicted versus, presenting in relation to group CRL. In the POE it observed a major contribution in abdominal compartment in patients with IC if compared like CCC and control groups. On the basis of the questionnaire of quality of life of Minessota, verified a low one groups CCC and IC 43,2±15,2 and 44,4±13,1, respectively (p<0,05) when compared with the control group (19,6±17,31). CONCLUSION: it seems that the patients with CCC possess same functional and respiratory characteristics, observed for the POE, 6MWT, manovacuometer and spirometer to the patients of group HF, being able to consider similar interventions for this complementary group as therapeutical of this neglected disease

Estudo comportamental, hormonal e histopatológico de animais com perda de peso progressina (SEP) e da variável peso associada a uma nova classificação ontogenética em Callithrix jacchus

The use of non-human primates in scientific research has contributed significantly to the biomedical area and, in the case of Callithrix jacchus, has provided important evidence on physiological mechanisms that help explain its biology, making the species a valuable experimental model in different pathologies. However, raising non-human primates in captivity for long periods of time is accompanied by behavioral disorders and chronic diseases, as well as progressive weight loss in most of the animals. The Primatology Center of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) has housed a colony of C. jacchus for nearly 30 years and during this period these animals have been weighed systematically to detect possible alterations in their clinical conditions. This procedure has generated a volume of data on the weight of animals at different age ranges. These data are of great importance in the study of this variable from different perspectives. Accordingly, this paper presents three studies using weight data collected over 15 years (1985-2000) as a way of verifying the health status and development of the animals. The first study produced the first article, which describes the histopathological findings of animals with probable diagnosis of permanent wasting marmoset syndrome (WMS). All the animals were carriers of trematode parasites (Platynosomum spp) and had obstruction in the hepatobiliary system; it is suggested that this agent is one of the etiological factors of the syndrome. In the second article, the analysis focused on comparing environmental profile and cortisol levels between the animals with normal weight curve evolution and those with WMS. We observed a marked decrease in locomotion, increased use of lower cage extracts and hypocortisolemia. The latter is likely associated to an adaptation of the mechanisms that make up the hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal axis, as observed in other mammals under conditions of chronic malnutrition. Finally, in the third study, the animals with weight alterations were excluded from the sample and, using computational tools (K-means and SOM) in a non-supervised way, we suggest found new ontogenetic development classes for C. jacchus. These were redimensioned from five to eight classes: infant I, infant II, infant III, juvenile I, juvenile II, sub-adult, young adult and elderly adult, in order to provide a more suitable classification for more detailed studies that require better control over the animal development

Administração repetida de baixas doses de reserpina: um possível modelo para o estudo de déficits cognitivos e motores associados à Doença de Parkinson

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative brain disorders and is characterized primarily by a progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons nigroestriatais. The main symptoms of this disease are motor alterations (bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor at rest), which can be highly disabling in advanced stages of the condition. However, there are symptomatic manifestations other than motor impairment, such as changes in cognition, mood and sensory systems. Animal models that attempt to mimic clinical features of PD have been used to understand the behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying neurophysiological disturbance of this disease. However, most models promote an intense and immediate motor impairment, consistent with advanced stages of the disease, invalidating these studies for the evaluation of its progressive nature. The administration of reserpine (a monoamine depletor) in rodents has been considered an animal model for studying PD. Recently we found that reserpine (in doses lower than those usually employed to produce the motor symptoms) promotes a memory deficit in an aversive discrimination task, without changing the motor activity. It was suggested that the administration of this drug in low doses can be useful for the study of memory deficits found in PD. Corroborating this data, in another study, acute subcutaneous administration of reserpine, while preserving motor function, led to changes in emotional context-related (but not neutral) memory tasks. The goal of this research was to study the cognitive and motor deficits in rats repeatedly treated with low doses of reserpine, as a possible model that simulates the progressive nature of the PD. For this purpose, 5-month-old male Wistar rats were submitted to a repeated treatment with vehicle or different doses of reserpine on alternate days. Cognitive and motor parameters and possible changes in neuronal function were evaluated during treatment. The main findings were: repeated administration of 0.1 mg / kg of reserpine in rats is able to induce the gradual appearance of motor signs compatible with progressive features found in patients with PD; an increase in striatal levels of oxidative stress and changes in the concentrations of glutamate in the striatum were observed five days after the end of treatment; in animals repeatedly-treated with 0. 1 mg/kg, cognitive deficits were observed only after the onset of motor symptoms, but not prior to the onset of these symptoms; 0.2 mg / kg reserpine repeated treatment has jeopardized the cognitive assessment due to the presence of severe motor deficits. Thus, we suggest that the protocol of treatment with reserpine used in this work is a viable alternative for studies of the progressive appearance of parkinsonian signs in rats, especially concerning motor symptoms. As for the cognitive symptoms, we suggest that more studies are needed, possibly using other behavioral models, and / or changing the treatment regimen

Comportamento de parâmetros fisiológicos de homens e mulheres em condições de estresse laboral submetidos à técnica Watsu

The physiological variations of parameters in situations of laboral stress can function like indicator in the sprouting of disorder. Those conditions have led researchers to investigate alternatives that can favor the quality of life in persons under stress laboral. The present research had as objectives investigate the physiological behavior of parameters (blood pressure, heart hat and respiratory hat) of men and women in condition of stress laboral submitted to the technique Watsu. It was used a experimental methodology with a group formed by men and women in reproductive age, that work as salesclerk in a supermarket net in Natal/RN. The seven individuals selected were submitted to the three phases of the study (dependent groups), that consisted of the phase 1 of obtaining from the measure basal (control 1), in the phase 2 of immersion in the water (control 2), and phase 3 from the application the technique Watsu (experimental phase). It was verified that during the phase basal (condition 1) the physiological parameters (BPS, BPD, HH and RH) of both sexes evaluated showed the medium values of the women (average±detour-standard: BSP = 104.1±7.92; BPD = 70.83 ±7.92; HH = 77.58 ±3.87; RH = 19.83 ±2.58) similar those presented by the men (BPS = 118.75 ±7.55; BPD = 75.00 ±9.91; HH = 71.75 ±14.95; RH = 16.62 ±3.99). The evaluation of those parameters before and after immersion of the volunteers in the water (condition 2) showed a significant reduction (W = 3.0: p≤0.05) barely for the values of BPS presented by the sex females after immersion. In the men group, all of the physiological parameters analyzed did not vary significantly. Regarding the profile of those variables before and after application of the watsu (condition 3), was verified a significant increase (W= 0,0: p≤0.05) for the BPS one and SABP in the women. The Men did not show significant variation for all of the physiological parameters. Faced with the results presented, we are able to conclude that the systolic and diastolic blood pressures were the physiological parameters that are on influence from the Technique Watsu, only for the kind females

Correlato eletroencefalográfico do estado vibracional

O estado vibracional (EV) é descrito como uma sensação de vibração intensa por todo o corpo, em que o sujeito se mantém num estado de relaxamento psicofisiológico que pode ser gerado de forma espontânea ou autoinduzida. Pessoas que aplicam esta técnica relatam alterações do estado mental e emocional, tais como: relaxamento, disposição, limpidez de pensamento, equilíbrio emocional, melhoria do raciocínio, bemestar, entre outros. Estas são, entretanto observações subjetivas, sendo a mensuração deste fenômeno uma lacuna e um desafio para a ciência. O objetivo desta pesquisa é explorar sistematicamente o estado vibracional no âmbito da neurociência. Desta forma, medidas eletroencefalográficas (EEG) foram utilizadas para observar se a sensação subjetiva de EV é acompanhada por mudanças na atividade elétrica cerebral. Além disso, para avaliar se o EV provoca algum efeito positivo em funções cognitivas como atenção e memória, foi utilizado um teste de reconhecimento de palavras antes e depois da aplicação da técnica de EV. Foram também aplicados questionários de dados gerais socioeconômicos e de saúde, do perfil de estados de humor, de qualidade do sono, além de inventários psicológicos. O foco inicial do trabalho foi a análise estatística dos dados de EEG, ficando as outras análises para uma etapa posterior. Dois grupos de voluntários foram analisados, o primeiro formado por 14 sujeitos que praticam a técnica de EV há pelo menos 10 anos (Grupo Experiente - GEXP), e o segundo formado por 11 sujeitos que nunca haviam realizado a técnica (Grupo Controle - GCONT). O GCONT obteve instruções sobre a técnica de EV antes dos experimentos. Foram realizadas análises estatísticas dos registros eletroencefalográficos, para comparar os grupos, em quatro condições: Basal, Relaxamento, Não-EV (período em que o sujeito está engajado na tarefa, mas ainda não percebe o EV) e EV (período em que o sujeito percebe o EV). Uma vez que os sujeitos do GCONT relataram não ter conseguido atingir a condição de EV propriamente, a comparação entre grupos foi feita apenas nas três condições, Basal, Relaxamento e Não-EV. Para isso, foi usado o teste de Mann-Whitney U com um limiar estatístico de p<0,05. De forma geral, o GEXP apresentou maior potência na banda de frequência alfa 2 (9,5-11,0 Hz) em todas as condições. Durante o período Não-EV, o GEXP também apresentou uma maior potência na banda de frequência alfa 3 (11,5-13,0 Hz) na região temporal esquerda, e gama 1 (30,5-55,0 Hz) e gama 2 (65,0-80,0 Hz) em regiões central, parietal e temporal esquerda, mas menor potência na banda de frequência teta 1 (3,5 - 5,0 Hz), em regiões centro-parietais. Para a análise estatística intragrupo, entre as condições, utilizou-se o teste estatístico Wilcoxon pareado. Observaram-se diferenças significativas (p<0,005), principalmente em regiões centrais, em teta 1 (3,5-5,0 Hz), sendo maior no Relaxamento, quando comparado com as condições Basal e Não-EV, no GCONT, e com o Não-EV e EV, no GEXP. No GEXP, a potência de gama 1 (30,5-55,0 Hz) e gama 2 (65,0-80,0 Hz) foi difusamente maior durante o EV, se comparado às outras três condições. Para o GCONT, apenas a condição Basal apresentou maior potência de gama 1 (30,5-55,0 Hz) e gama 2 (65,0- 80,0 Hz), se comparado com o Relaxamento. O aumento de teta 1 no Relaxamento, principalmente no GCONT, pode estar associado a uma maior sonolência deste grupo durante esta condição. Já o aumento de alfa 2 durante o Não-EV e o EV, pode estar associado com processos de atenção e cognição (DOLPPERMAYR et al., 2002; FELL et al., 2010; KLIMESCH et al., 1999; RAY E COLE, 1985). Por outro lado, o aumento da potência de gama em sujeitos experientes na técnica de EV encontrado aqui e em trabalhos anteriores, em meditadores experientes (FELL et al., 2010; LEHMANN et al., 2001; LUTZ et al., 2004), poderia estar associado a alterações nos processos mentais e cognitivos destes praticantes, tais como atenção, memória operacional, aprendizagem e percepção consciente embora, análises adicionais devam ser realizadas para excluir a possibilidade de interferência de artefatos musculares nos dados de EEG. Estes resultados suscitam a hipótese de que no engajamento da tarefa do EV e durante o EV, os sujeitos do GEXP conseguem manter-se em um estado de alerta, porém com maior nível de relaxamento e concentração. Uma inspeção mais detalhada dos dados, além de outros experimentos com diferentes protocolos, um maior número de sujeitos e pesquisas longitudinais são necessários para que testar esta hipótese