Aumento do índice de massa corporal em relação a variáveis clínicas e laboratoriais quanto ao sexo em indivíduos sem evidências de cardiopatia

FUNDAMENTO: Na prática clínica, atendemos pacientes com diversos índices de massa corporal (IMC), desde pacientes com sobrepeso até pacientes obesos. Esse achado pode ser a única anormalidade clínica aparente. OBJETIVO: Avaliar as variáveis clínicas e laboratoriais associadas com aumento do IMC em mulheres e homens assintomáticos, sem qualquer indício de cardiopatia, a fim de obter dados para substanciar recomendações médicas, em uma amostra de estudo da nossa prática diária. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados indivíduos entre 14 e 74 anos de idade (média de 40,5 anos); 295 eram homens (43,1%) e 389 eram mulheres (56,9%). As relações entre IMC estratificado por sexo e as variáveis clínicas e laboratoriais foram analisadas por meio do coeficiente de correlação de Spearman e regressão linear múltipla. RESULTADOS: A média do IMC das mulheres (26,15 kg/m²) e dos homens (26,33 kg/m²) não apresentou diferença estatisticamente significante. No modelo de regressão linear múltipla, a relação colesterol total/fração HDL-colesterol (CT/HDL-C) (beta= 1,1320; p < 0,001) e a glicose sérica (beta= 0,0233; p = 0,023) foram independentemente correlacionadas com o IMC em mulheres. Nos homens, as variáveis que apresentaram correlação independente com o IMC foram a relação CT/HDL-C (beta= 0,793; p < 0,001) e a idade (beta = 0,0464; p = 0,030). CONCLUSÃO: Em mulheres e homens sem nenhum indício de cardiopatia, a relação CT/HDL-C aumentou com o IMC em ambos os sexos. Outros índices associados ao IMC foram glicose sérica nas mulheres e idade nos homens. As variáveis clínicas e laboratoriais associadas ao índice de massa corporal podem diferir quanto ao sexo.

Influence of Smoking Consumption and Nicotine Dependence Degree in Cardiac Autonomic Modulation

Abstract Background: Smoking consumption alters cardiac autonomic function. Objective: Assess the influence of the intensity of smoking and the nicotine dependence degree in cardiac autonomic modulation evaluated through index of heart rate variability (HRV). Methods: 83 smokers, of both genders, between 50 and 70 years of age and with normal lung function were divided according to the intensity of smoking consumption (moderate and severe) and the nicotine dependency degree (mild, moderate and severe). The indexes of HRV were analyzed in rest condition, in linear methods in the time domain (TD), the frequency domain (FD) and through the Poincaré plot. For the comparison of smoking consumption, unpaired t test or Mann-Whitney was employed. For the analysis between the nicotine dependency degrees, we used the One-way ANOVA test, followed by Tukey's post test or Kruskal-Wallis followed by Dunn's test. The significance level was p < 0,05. Results: Differences were only found when compared to the different intensities of smoking consumption in the indexes in the FD. LFun (62.89 ± 15.24 vs 75.45 ± 10.28), which corresponds to low frequency spectrum component in normalized units; HFun (37.11 ± 15.24 vs 24.55 ± 10.28), which corresponds to high frequency spectrum component in normalized units and in the LF/HF ratio (2.21 ± 1.47 vs 4.07 ± 2.94). However, in the evaluation of nicotine dependency, significant differences were not observed (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Only the intensity of smoking consumption had an influence over the cardiac autonomic modulation of the assessed tobacco smokers. Tobacco smokers with severe intensity of smoking consumption presented a lower autonomic modulation than those with moderate intensity.

Association between Spirituality and Adherence to Management in Outpatients with Heart Failure

Abstract Background: Spirituality may influence how patients cope with their illness. Objectives: We assessed whether spirituality may influence adherence to management of outpatients with heart failure. Methods: Cross sectional study enrolling consecutive ambulatory heart failure patients in whom adherence to multidisciplinary treatment was evaluated. Patients were assessed for quality of life, depression, religiosity and spirituality utilizing validated questionnaires. Correlations between adherence and psychosocial variables of interest were obtained. Logistic regression models explored independent predictors of adherence. Results: One hundred and thirty patients (age 60 ± 13 years; 67% male) were interviewed. Adequate adherence score was observed in 38.5% of the patients. Neither depression nor religiosity was correlated to adherence, when assessed separately. Interestingly, spirituality, when assessed by both total score sum (r = 0.26; p = 0.003) and by all specific domains, was positively correlated to adherence. Finally, the combination of spirituality, religiosity and personal beliefs was an independent predictor of adherence when adjusted for demographics, clinical characteristics and psychosocial instruments. Conclusion: Spirituality, religiosity and personal beliefs were the only variables consistently associated with compliance to medication in a cohort of outpatients with heart failure. Our data suggest that adequately addressing these aspects on patient’s care may lead to an improvement in adherence patterns in the complex heart failure management.

Effects of planting density on flower production in carnation crop

The influence of density of planting on flower production of carnation plants grown in vinil houses, was studied. Planting densities of 233,333; 175,000 and 116,667 plants per hectare were obtained by using planting spacings of 0.20 m between rows and 0.15 m, 0,20 m and 0.30 m between plants. Data were taken on total number of flowers per plant and per hectare. As far as planting densities are concerned, there was an increase of total flower production per hectare and a decrease of slower production per plant.

Efeitos da densidade de plantio sobre a qualidade de cravos, Dianthus caryophyllus L.

O trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a influência de diferentes densidades populacionais de craveiros, cultivados em casa de vegetação sobre a qualidade das flores. As densidades de plantio estudadas foram de 233.333, 175.000 e 116.667 plantas por hectare, obtidas da utilização dos seguintes espaçamentos: 0,15 m x 0,20 m; 0,20 mx 0,20m e 0,30 m x 0,30 m. Scania Red foi o cultivar utilizado. Os parâmetros analisados foram o número de cravos com cálice inteiro e rachado por planta e por hectare, bem como comprimento da haste com flor, peso da haste com flor e diâmetro da corola. Concluiu-se que o aumento da densidade de plantio ocasionou um acréscimo na produção de cravos com cálice inteiro por hectare, uma diminuição da produção de cravos com cálice rachado por planta, uma diminuição do peso da haste com flor e uma diminuição do diâmetro da corola. Não houve influência da densidade de plantio sobre a produção de cravos com cálice inteiro por planta, sobre a produção de cravos com cálice rachado por hectare e sobre o comprimento da haste com flor.

Aplicação de reguladores de crescimento em figos produzidos fora da época normal

Fez-se a aplicação de giberelinas (50 e 100 ppm) e de clorofenoxipropionamida (250, 500 e 1000 ppm) sobre figos em vários estádios de desenvolvimento, de plantas podadas em dezembro, visando-se à produção de figos fora da época normal. Os resultados demostraram que as giberelinas a 50 ppm provocaram alongamento no comprimento dos figos. O tratamento com clorofenoxipropionamida (Fruitone CPA) a 1000 ppm resultou em frutos mais pesados, porém, estes valores não diferiram estatisticamente daqueles do tratamento controle. O peso médio dos figos foi de 50,0 gramas, para as primeiras oito semanas de colheita, período considerado no experimento.

Water depth selection during foraging and efficiency in prey capture by the egrets Casmerodius albus and Egretta thula (Aves, Ardeidae) in an urban lagoon in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

This study aimed to evaluate the water depth selection during foraging, the efficiency in prey capture, and the food items captured by Casmerodius albus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Egretta thula (Molina, 1782). The work was conducted at an urban lagoon, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Rio de Janeiro. Four transects were made each month (two in the morning and two in the afternoon) for six months. When the birds were detected foraging, the water depth and the types of prey captured were recorded. There was no significant relationship between the foraging efficiencies of the two species. However, they differed in relation to the water depth when foraging, and also in the food items captured. Casmerodius albus captured mainly fishes while Egretta thula captured mainly invertebrates. The results suggest that the differences in water depth when foraging and the food items captured allow a differential use of the food resources available by C. albus and E. thula at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas.