Effects of a physical fitness program on memory and blood viscosity in sedentary elderly men

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 6-month exercise program on cognitive function and blood viscosity in sedentary elderly men. Forty-six healthy inactive men, aged 60–75 years were randomly distributed into a control group (n=23) and an experimental group (n=23). Participants underwent blood analysis and physical and memory evaluation, before and after the 6-month program of physical exercise. The control group was instructed not to alter its everyday activities; the experimental group took part in the fitness program. The program was conducted using a cycle ergometer, 3 times per week on alternate days, with intensity and volume individualized at ventilatory threshold 1. Sessions were continuous and maximum duration was 60 min each. There was significant improvement in memory (21%; P<0.05), decreased blood viscosity (−19%; P<0.05), and higher aerobic capacity (48%; P<0.05) among participants in the experimental group compared with the control group. These data suggest that taking part in an aerobic physical fitness program at an intensity corresponding to ventilatory threshold-1 may be considered a nonmedication alternative to improve physical and cognitive function.

Health knowledge of prostitutes in Saigon, Vietnam: a study of health attitudes and habits relating to venereal diseases taken from a group of prostitutes

A study of health knowledge and practices of prostitutes is presented here. The study took place at the V. D. Center in Saigon, Vietnam. It was designed with the objective of obtaining information to be used in preparing an educational program to be offered to the prostitutes at the Center, and for using, in preparing educational materials with focus on V. D. prevention. The outline of a course is also presented.

Evaluation of a program to reduce back pain in nursing personnel

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a program designed to reduce back pain in nursing aides. METHODS: Female nursing aides from a university hospital who had suffered episodes of back pain for at least six months were included in the study. Participants were randomly divided into a control group and an intervention group. The intervention program involved a set of exercises and an educational component stressing the ergonomic aspect, administered twice a week during working hours for four months. All subjects answered a structured questionnaire and the intensity of pain was assessed before and after the program using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Student's t-test or the Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test for independent samples, and Chi-square test or the Exact Fisher test for categorical analysis, were used. The McNemar test and the Wilcoxon matched pairs test were used to compare the periods before and after the program. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant decrease in the frequency of cervical pain in the last two months and in the last seven days in the intervention group. There was also a reduction in cervical pain intensity in the two periods (2 months, 7 days) and lumbar pain intensity in the last 7 days. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that a program of regular exercise with an emphasis on ergonomics can reduce musculoskeletal symptoms in nursing personnel.

Incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis in the city of Belém, state of Pará, northern Brazil, determined by a neonatal screening program: preliminary results

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determinate the incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis among a group of newborns (NBs) from Belém using neonatal screening. METHODS: Among the 6,000 newborns referred for investigation of genetic and metabolic diseases, 1,000 were selected for screening for congenital toxoplasmosis by determining the amount of IgM in the eluates of blood collected on filter paper. Positive tests were confirmed using paired serology of the NB and his mother. RESULTS: Out of the 1,000 NBs assessed, one had a positive screening result that was confirmed by paired serology. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis in Belém was 10/10,000 live NBs.

Evaluation of parasitological examination, kDNA polymerase chain reaction and rK39-based immunochromatography for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in seropositive dogs from the screening-culling program in Brazil

Introduction Dogs play a primary role in the zoonotic cycle of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Therefore, the accurate diagnosis of infected dogs, primarily asymptomatic dogs, is crucial to the efficiency of VL control programs. Methods We investigated the agreement of four diagnostic tests for canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL): parasite detection, either after myeloculture or by direct microscopic examination of tissue imprints; kinetoplast-deoxyribonucleic acid-polymerase chain reaction (kDNA-PCR); and an immunochromatographic test (ICT). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an indirect immunofluorescence test (IFAT), both of which were adopted as part of the screening-culling program in Brazil, were used as reference tests. Our sample set consisted of 44 seropositive dogs, 25 of which were clinically asymptomatic and 19 were symptomatic for CVL according to ELISA-IFAT. Results The highest and lowest test co-positivities were observed for ICT (77.3%) and myeloculture (58.1%), respectively. When analyzed together, the overall percentage of co-positive tests was significantly higher for the symptomatic group compared to the asymptomatic group. However, only ICT was significantly different based on the results of a separate analysis per test for each group of dogs. The majority (93.8%) of animals exhibited at least one positive test result, with an average of 2.66 positive tests per dog. Half of the symptomatic dogs tested positive for all four tests administered. Conclusions The variability between test results reinforces the need for more efficient and reliable methods to accurately diagnose canine VL, particularly in asymptomatic animals.

Oropharyngeal colonization by Haemophilus influenzae in healthy children from Taubaté (São Paulo), prior to the Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination program in Brazil

Haemophilus influenzae is one of the most important bacterial agents of otitis and sinusitis. H. influenzae type b (Hib) is one of the main causes of meningitis, pneumonia, and septicemia in nonvaccinated children under 6 years of age. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of H. influenzae and Hib oropharyngeal colonization prior to the onset of the Hib vaccination program in Brazil in previously healthy children and to assess the susceptibility profile of this microorganism to a selected group of antimicrobials that are used to treat acute respiratory infections. METHOD: Cultures of Haemophilus influenzae were made from oropharynx swabs from 987 children under 6 years of age who were enrolled in 29 day-care centers in Taubaté (a city of São Paulo state, Brazil) between July and December 1998. RESULTS: The prevalence of H. influenzae carriers was 17.4%, and only 5.5% of the strains were beta-lactamase producers. The prevalence of Hib carriers was high, 7.3% on average (range, 0.0 - 33.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The low prevalence of colonization by penicillin-resistant strains indicates that it is not necessary to substitute ampicilin or amoxicilin to effectively treat otitis and sinusitis caused by H. influenzae in Taubaté.

Benefits of exercise training in the treatment of heart failure: study with a control group

OBJECTIVE: Exercise training programs have been proposed as adjuncts to treatment of heart failure. The effects of a 3-month-exercise-training-program with 3 exercise sessions per week were assessed in patients with stable systolic chronic heart failure. METHODS: We studied 24 patients with final left ventricle diastolic diameter of 70±10mm and left ventricular ejection fraction of 37±4%. Mean age was 52±16 years. Twelve patients were assigned to an exercise training group (G1), and 12 patients were assigned to a control group (G2). Patients underwent treadmill testing, before and after exercise training, to assess distance walked, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and double product. RESULTS: In G2 group, before and after 3 months, we observed, respectively distance walked, 623±553 and 561± 460m (ns); peak heart rate, 142±23 and 146± 33b/min (ns); systolic blood pressure, 154±36 and 164±26 mmHg (ns); and double product, 22211± 6454 and 24293±7373 (ns). In G1 group, before and after exercise, we observed: distance walked, 615±394 and 970± 537m (p<0.003) peak heart rate, 143±24 and 143±29b/min (ns); systolic blood pressure, 136±33 and 133±24 mmHg (ns); and double product, 19907± 7323 and 19115±5776, respectively. Comparing the groups, a significant difference existed regarding the variation in the double product, and in distance walked. CONCLUSION: Exercise training programs in patients with heart failure can bring about an improvement in physical capacity.

Effect of mouse antisera targeting the Phlebotomus papatasi midgut chitinase PpChit1 on sandfly physiology and fitness

In sandflies, the absence of the peritrophic matrix (PM) affects the rate of blood digestion. Also, the kinetics of PM secretion varies according to species. We previously characterised PpChit1, a midgut-specific chitinase secreted in Phlebotomus papatasi (PPIS) that is involved in the maturation of the PM and showed that antibodies against PpChit1 reduce the chitinolytic activity in the midgut of several sandfly species. Here, sandflies were fed on red blood cells reconstituted with naïve or anti-PpChit1 sera and assessed for fitness parameters that included blood digestion, oviposition onset, number of eggs laid, egg bouts, average number of eggs per bout and survival. In PPIS, anti-PpChit1 led to a one-day delay in the onset of egg laying, with flies surviving three days longer compared to the control group. Anti-PpChit1 also had a negative effect on overall ability of flies to lay eggs, as several gravid females from all three species were unable to lay any eggs despite having lived longer than control flies. Whereas the longer survival might be associated with improved haeme scavenging ability by the PM, the inability of females to lay eggs is possibly linked to changes in PM permeability affecting nutrient absorption.

Designs and model effects definitions in the initial stage of a plant breeding program

The objective of this work was to compare the relative efficiency of initial selection and genetic parameter estimation, using augmented blocks design (ABD), augmented blocks twice replicated design (DABD) and group of randomised block design experiments with common treatments (ERBCT), by simulations, considering fixed effect model and mixed model with regular treatment effects as random. For the simulations, eight different conditions (scenarios) were considered. From the 600 simulations in each scenario, the mean percentage selection coincidence, the Pearsons´s correlation estimates between adjusted means for the fixed effects model, and the heritability estimates for the mixed model were evaluated. DABD and ERBCT were very similar in their comparisons and slightly superior to ABD. Considering the initial stages of selection in a plant breeding program, ABD is a good alternative for selecting superior genotypes, although none of the designs had been effective to estimate heritability in all the different scenarios evaluated.

Group mentoring for junior medical students: perceptions of mentees and mentors

Entering medical school can be associated with a number of difficulties that can hinder students' performance. Mentoring programs are designed to help students circumvent difficulties and improve their learning and personal development. The current study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of both students and mentors regarding a recently introduced, group-based mentoring program designed to support first-year students. After one year of regular meetings, students and mentors' perceptions of the program were assessed by means of structured questionnaires. Response content categories were identified through multiple readings. Both regular attendees and non-participating students had positive opinions about the program. Mentors were highly satisfied at having participated and acknowledged that the program has been useful not only for assisting students, but also for fostering their own personal and professional development. In conclusion, the group-based mentoring program is feasible and can elicit positive views from both mentors and students. In addition, faculty members' participation as mentors can also be beneficial, since the program appears to contribute to their own personal and professional development

Reproductive efficiency of asymptomatic Theileria equi carriers mares submitted to an embryo transfer program

This study aimed to assess and evaluate the effects of Theileria equi infection on embryonic recovery, gestation and early embryonic loss. Thirteen Mangalarga Marchador Theileria equi positive donors (diagnosed through nested-PCR) and 40 embryos receptors were used. Donors were submitted to two embryo collections in two consecutive estrous cycles (GId); after, the same mares were treated with imidocarb dipropionate (1.2mg/kg IM.) in order to collect more embryos in two more estrous cycles (GIId). Receptors were divided into two groups (control and with treated) with 20 animals each, where one group was the control (GIr) and the other one (GIIr) treated with 1.2mg/kg IM of imidocarb dipropionate assessing the gestation rate at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days. After 52 embryo collections, the embryonic recovery rates were 53.84% (14/26) and 65.38% (17/26) (p> 0.05) for GId and GIId, respectively. The gestation rate was 70% (14/20) (p>0.05) at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days in group GIr and for GIIr was 85% (17/20) (p>0.05) at 15 days, 80% (16/20) (p>0.05) at 30, 45 and 60 days. The treatment with imidocarb dipropionate did not cause significant improvement in the reproductive efficiency at an ET program.

Comparison of morning and afternoon exercise training for asthmatic children

Fitness improvement was used to compare morning with afternoon exercise periods for asthmatic children. Children with persistent moderate asthma (according to GINA criteria), 8 to 11 years old, were divided into 3 groups: morning training group (N = 23), afternoon training group (N = 23), and non-training group (N = 23). The program was based on twice a week 90-min sessions for 4 months. We measured the 9-min running distance, resting heart rate and abdominal muscle strength (sit-up number) before and after the training. All children took budesonide, 400 µg/day, and an on demand inhaled ß-agonist. The distance covered in 9 min increased (mean ± SEM) from 1344 ± 30 m by 248 ± 30 m for the morning group, from 1327 ± 30 m by 162 ± 20 m for the afternoon group, and from 1310 ± 20 m by 2 ± 20 m for the control group (P < 0.05 for the comparison of morning and afternoon groups with the control group by ANOVA and P > 0.05 for morning with afternoon comparison). The reduction of resting heart rate from 83 ± 1, 85 ± 2 and 86 ± 1 bpm was 5.1 ± 0.8 bpm in the morning group, 4.4 ± 0.8 bpm in the afternoon group, and -0.2 ± 0.7 bpm in the control group (P > 0.05 for morning with afternoon comparison and P < 0.05 versus control). The number of sit-ups in the morning, afternoon and control groups increased from 22.0 ± 1.7, 24.3 ± 1.4 and 23 ± 1.1 sit-ups by 9.8 ± 0.9, 7.7 ± 1.4, and 1.9 ± 0.7 sit-ups, respectively (P > 0.05 for morning with afternoon comparison and P < 0.05 versus control). No statistically significant differences were detected between the morning and afternoon groups in terms of physical training of asthmatic children.

The effect of an aerobic training program on the electrical remodeling of the heart: high-frequency components of the signal-averaged electrocardiogram are predictors of the maximal aerobic power

Increased heart rate variability (HRV) and high-frequency content of the terminal region of the ventricular activation of signal-averaged ECG (SAECG) have been reported in athletes. The present study investigates HRV and SAECG parameters as predictors of maximal aerobic power (VO2max) in athletes. HRV, SAECG and VO2max were determined in 18 high-performance long-distance (25 ± 6 years; 17 males) runners 24 h after a training session. Clinical visits, ECG and VO2max determination were scheduled for all athletes during thew training period. A group of 18 untrained healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and body surface area was included as controls. SAECG was acquired in the resting supine position for 15 min and processed to extract average RR interval (Mean-RR) and root mean squared standard deviation (RMSSD) of the difference of two consecutive normal RR intervals. SAECG variables analyzed in the vector magnitude with 40-250 Hz band-pass bi-directional filtering were: total and 40-µV terminal (LAS40) duration of ventricular activation, RMS voltage of total (RMST) and of the 40-ms terminal region of ventricular activation. Linear and multivariate stepwise logistic regressions oriented by inter-group comparisons were adjusted in significant variables in order to predict VO2max, with a P < 0.05 considered to be significant. VO2max correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with RMST (r = 0.77), Mean-RR (r = 0.62), RMSSD (r = 0.47), and LAS40 (r = -0.39). RMST was the independent predictor of VO2max. In athletes, HRV and high-frequency components of the SAECG correlate with VO2max and the high-frequency content of SAECG is an independent predictor of VO2max.

Short-term follow-up of exercise training program and beta-blocker treatment on quality of life in dogs with naturally acquired chronic mitral valve disease

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of carvedilol treatment and a regimen of supervised aerobic exercise training on quality of life and other clinical, echocardiographic, and biochemical variables in a group of client-owned dogs with chronic mitral valve disease (CMVD). Ten healthy dogs (control) and 36 CMVD dogs were studied, with the latter group divided into 3 subgroups. In addition to conventional treatment (benazepril, 0.3-0.5 mg/kg once a day, and digoxin, 0.0055 mg/kg twice daily), 13 dogs received exercise training (subgroup I; 10.3±2.1 years), 10 dogs received carvedilol (0.3 mg/kg twice daily) and exercise training (subgroup II; 10.8±1.7 years), and 13 dogs received only carvedilol (subgroup III; 10.9±2.1 years). All drugs were administered orally. Clinical, laboratory, and Doppler echocardiographic variables were evaluated at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. Exercise training was conducted from months 3-6. The mean speed rate during training increased for both subgroups I and II (ANOVA, P>0.001), indicating improvement in physical conditioning at the end of the exercise period. Quality of life and functional class was improved for all subgroups at the end of the study. The N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level increased in subgroup I from baseline to 3 months, but remained stable after training introduction (from 3 to 6 months). For subgroups II and III, NT-proBNP levels remained stable during the entire study. No difference was observed for the other variables between the three evaluation periods. The combination of carvedilol or exercise training with conventional treatment in CMVD dogs led to improvements in quality of life and functional class. Therefore, light walking in CMVD dogs must be encouraged.