Detraining and Retraining Effects from a Multicomponent Training Program on the Functional Capacity and Health Profile of Physically Active Prehypertensive Older Women.

BACKGROUND: Resuming a physical exercise program after a period of cessation is common in older women. Monitoring the responses during this detraining (DT) and retraining (RT) may allow us to analyze how the body reacts to an increase and a reduction in physical inactivity. Therefore, we conducted a follow-up training, DT, and RT in prehypertensive older women to analyze the response to these periods. METHODS: Twenty-three prehypertensive older women (EG; 68.3 ± 2.8 years; 1.61 ± 0.44 m) performed 36 weeks of the multicomponent training program (MTP) followed by twelve weeks of DT plus eight weeks of RT. Fifteen prehypertensive older women (CG; 66.3 ± 3.2 years; 1.59 ± 0.37 m) maintained their normal routine. Functional capacity (FC), lipid, and hemodynamic profile were assessed before, during 24 and 36 weeks of the MTP, after 4 and 12 weeks of DT, and after 8 weeks of RT. RESULTS: After 24 weeks of the MTP, only SBP did not improve. Four weeks of DT did not affect lower body strength (30-CS), TC, or GL. Eight weeks of RT improved BP (SBP: -2.52%; ES: 0.36; p < 0.00; DBP: -1.45%; ES: 0.44; p < 0.02), handgrip strength (3.77%; ES: 0.51; p < 0.00), and 30-CS (3.17%; ES: 0.38; p < 0.04) compared with 36 weeks of the MTP. CONCLUSIONS: Eight weeks of RT allowed patients to recover the benefits lost with detraining, which after only four weeks affected them negatively, and the systematic practice of exercise contributed to greater regulation of BP since 24 weeks of the MTP proved not to be enough to promote positive effects of SBP.

Follow-Up of Eight-Weeks Detraining Period after Exercise Program on Health Profiles of Older Women.

BACKGROUND: The multicomponent training program (MTP) is a physical exercise strategy used to combat the sedentary lifestyle in older women (OW). However, periods of interruption in training are common in this population. The aim of our study was to analyze the 8-week MTP effects followed by two, four, and eight weeks of interruption on the lipid profile (LP) and functional capacity (FC) of OW. METHODS: Twenty-one OW (experimental group [EG], 67.6 ± 3.1 years; 1.55 ± 0.35 m) were subjected to an 8-week MTP followed by a detraining period, and 14 OW (control group [CG], 69.4 ± 4.7 years; 1.61 ± 0.26 m) maintained their daily routine. FC (i.e., 30-s chair stand [30-CS], 8-foot up and go [8-FUG], 6-min walk [6-MWT], handgrip strength [HGS], and heart-rate peak during 6-WMT [HRPeak]), total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were assessed before and after MTP and two, four, and eight weeks after MTP. RESULTS: 8-week MTP resulted in higher FC and decreased LP values in EG (p < 0.05); two and four weeks of detraining did not promote changes. After eight weeks of detraining TC (ES: 2.74; p = 0.00), TG (ES: 1.93; p = 0.00), HGS (ES: 0.49, p = 0.00), HRPeak (ES: 1.01, p = 0.00), 6-MWT (ES: 0.54, p = 0.04), and 8-FUG (ES: 1.20, p = 0.01) declined significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Periods of more than four weeks of detraining should be avoided to promote a good quality of life and health in OW. If older people interrupt training for a period longer than four weeks, physical-education professionals must outline specific training strategies to maintain the adaptations acquired with MTP. Future studies should establish these criteria based on ideal training volume, intensity, and frequency.

Effects of Moderate Exercise Training on Cancer-Induced Muscle Wasting.

BACKGROUND: Muscle wasting is a common phenomenon in oncology and seems to be attenuated by exercise training. The aim of this study is to determine the degree of aggressiveness of cancer-induced muscle wasting in two different phenotypic muscles. It will also determine whether exercise training can attenuate this muscle dysfunction. METHODS: Fifty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four experimental groups: two breast cancer model groups (sedentary and exercise) and two control groups (sedentary and exercise). Breast cancer was induced by 1-methyl-1-nitrosoureia (MNU). After 35 weeks of endurance training, animals were sacrificed, and gastrocnemius and soleus muscles harvested for morphometric analysis. RESULTS: In sedentary tumor-bearing animals, a significant reduction in cross-sectional area was found in both muscles (p < 0.05). Interstitial fibrosis was significantly higher in the gastrocnemius muscle of the sedentary tumor-bearing animals (p < 0.05), but not in the soleus muscle. In the gastrocnemius of sedentary tumor-bearing animals, a shift from large to small fibers was observed. This cancer-related muscle dysfunction was prevented by long-term exercise training. CONCLUSIONS: In sedentary animals with tumors, the gastrocnemius muscle showed a very pronounced reduction in cross-sectional area and a marked degree of interstitial fibrosis. There was no difference in collagen deposition between tumor groups, and the soleus muscle showed a less pronounced but significant reduction in cross-sectional area. These contrasting results confirm that cancer-induced muscle wasting can affect specific types of fibers and specific muscles, namely fast glycolytic muscles, and that exercise training can be used to improve it.

Podcasts de divulgação científica: levantamento exploratório dos formatos de programas brasileiros / Science communication podcasts: exploratory research of Brazilian program formats / Podcasts de divulgación científica: investigación exploratoria de formatos de programas brasileños

A pesquisa apresentada neste artigo foi realizada com o objetivo de estudar os formatos de podcasts brasileiros de divulgação científica e identificar quais estilos são predominantes nessa produção de conteúdo. O estudo se caracteriza como um levantamento exploratório, que procurou sistematizar o objeto estudado usando uma abordagem qualiquantitativa. No levantamento da pesquisa foram identificados 69 podcasts, dos quais 37 foram selecionados para análise. Os critérios para a seleção foram popularidade, regularidade na publicação e longevidade. Ao todo, foram ouvidos 109 episódios. O resultado da pesquisa apontou que, dos formatos de podcast encontrados, o bate-papo ou mesacast é o principal modelo adotado seguido da entrevista e a maior parte das produções tem sido realizada por universidades ou cientistas independentes.

The research presented in this article aimed to study the formats of Brazilian podcasts for science communication and to identify which styles are most prevalent in this content production. The study is based on an exploratory research, which sought to systematize the studied object, by means of a qualitative and quantitative approach. It was identified in the research a total of 69 podcasts, 37 of which were selected for analysis. The selection criteria were popularity, regularity of publication and longevity. A total of 109 episodes were heard. The research showed that chat (also known as mesacast) stands out from all the other formats, followed by the interview, and that the most of the productions have been carrying out by universities or independent scientists.

La investigación presentada en este artículo ha sido realizada con el objetivo de estudiar los formatos de los podcasts brasileños para la divulgación científica e de identificar cuáles estilos que más prevalecen en esta producción de contenidos. La investigación se caracteriza por ser una búsqueda exploratoria, que ha procurado sistematizar el objeto estudiado, valiéndose de un enfoque cualitativo y cuantitativo. En la investigación, se identificaron 69 podcasts, 37 de los cuales fueron seleccionados para análisis. Los criterios de selección fueron popularidad, regularidad de publicación y longevidad. Un total de 109 episodios fueron escuchados. El resultado de la investigación mostró que, de los formatos de podcast encontrados, se destaca el chat o mesacast, seguido de la entrevista. La mayoría de las producciones actualmente es realizada por universidades o científicos independientes.

Evolution of Physicochemical Parameters during the Thermal-Based Production of Água-mel, a Traditional Portuguese Honey-Related Food Product.

The purpose of this work was to investigate the physicochemical changes occurring during the thermal-based production of água-mel, a traditional Portuguese honey-related food product. The refractive index, color parameters (hue angle, H°; chroma, C*), and the content of total reducing sugars, glucose, fructose, total brown pigments, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural were monitored along the entire production process, and their evolution was kinetically modelled. Thermal processing caused a gradual decrease in sugars, which was accompanied by the formation of brown pigments and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, increased concentration of soluble solids as evaluated through refractive index measurements, as well as the appearance of darker colors. In particular, a zero-order kinetic model could explain the changes in H° and reducing sugars, while the evolution of refractive index, brown pigments, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, C*, fructose, and glucose were best fitted using a first-order kinetics model.

Exercise Training-induced Modulation in Microenvironment of Rat Mammary Neoplasms.

Despite the importance attributed to exercise training in the breast cancer (BC) continuum, the underlying mechanisms modulating tumor behavior are unknown. We evaluated the effects of long-term moderate-exercise in the development of mammary tumors, and studied the microenvironment of infiltrative lesions, the amount of connective tissue, and balance between cellular proliferation/death.Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats, randomly assigned into four groups: two control groups (sedentary and exercised) and two models of BC groups (sedentary and exercised) induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosoureia (MNU), were sacrificed after 35 weeks of moderate-exercise, and all perceptible tumors were removed for histological and immunohistochemistry analysis.The median number of infiltrative-lesions per animal was lower in the MNU exercised animals (p=0.02). More than one histological pattern was identified, and papillary carcinoma was the most frequent in both groups. Within infiltrative-lesions, the number of immunopositive cells per µm2 of Ki67 was lower in exercised animals (p=0.002). This presents increased cell death per µm2 (p=0.019). Tumors from sedentary animals had a higher expression of collagen deposition (p=0.027).Long-term moderate-exercise has beneficial effects in tumor development with a diminished prevalence of malignancy. Within infiltrative-lesions, moderate-exercise improves the balance between cell-proliferation and cell-death with decreased connective tissue that suggests lower tumor aggressiveness.

Efficacy of Exercise on Breast Cancer Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Preclinical Data.

The use of preclinical models to investigate antitumor effects of exercise on breast tumor (BT) development and progression are critical. However, published results have not been quantitatively summarized or examined for potential exercise-moderating variables. We conducted this review to summarize and quantify the effect-size of exercise on BT outcomes in preclinical studies. A literature search was performed in MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science and System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe (SIGLE) databases. Risk of bias was assessed using SYRCLE's RoB tool. A total of 116 correlations were performed to analyze 28 preclinical studies published through December 2016, which included 2,085 animals and 51 exercise programs. Positive effects of small, medium and large magnitude were observed in tumor incidence, growth and multiplicity, respectively. In the tumor microenvironment, positive effects of large magnitude were also observed in proliferation and apoptosis but not in angiogenesis. Moderator variables correlated with higher intervention effects were identified along with a considerable heterogeneity in exercise protocols that precluded us from clearly perceiving the benefits of exercise exposure. In conclusion, exercise performed under specific conditions benefits BT outcomes. Preclinical studies with exercise designs mimicking exercise exposure that can be used in clinical contexts are needed.

Nursing tutors’ perception of clinical supervision Skills

INTRODUCTION: The evolution of science and technology, changes within the healthcare organizations and new healthcare emerging philosophies require an active participation from healthcare professionals in helping in their peers' training. The supervision process is therefore more and more important. OBJECTIVES: To identify specialist nursing instructors' perception of the clinical supervisor skills in child-health area and paediatrics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Qualitative-descriptive and phenomenological study composed by a sample of ten nursing tutors in the Dr. Nélio Mendonça Hospital's Paediatrics Department. We used a semi-structured interview and recordings of the conversations. We performed a content analysis on the corpus of all the interviews, once we had defined subcategories and indicators. RESULTS: The category "clinical supervisor skills" emerged from our study and the subcategories which were the most commonly referred were "personal characteristics with a 38% record unit" and "professional skills" (25.7%). As far as the relevant aspects in the child-health area and paediatrics are concerned, personal and professional skills stood out once again, with a 40.4% rate each. The main facilitating factor in the supervision process was the fact that it is a structured process (21.6%), and the inhibition factor was the deficit that exists in interpersonal relationships (21.7%). Globally, there were more record units associated with inhibition factors. CONCLUSION: Knowing what supervisors' insights in such a specific area as child-healthcare and paediatrics are, we think that this study can be a contribution to improve the quality of the supervision process in nursing. A joint effort between supervisor and supervised nurse will be needed to improve the processes that link institutions and their actors, processes where knowledge, experiences and professional objectives are commonly shared

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Perceção dos enfermeiros sobre as competências de supervisão clínica / Nurses' perceptions of clinical supervision skills

Introdução: A evolução da ciência e tecnologia, as mudanças no seio das organizações de saúde, as novas e emergentes filosofias de cuidados, exigem dos profissionais de saúde uma participação ativa na formação dos seus pares, tendo o processo de supervisão clínica uma importância relevante. Objetivos: Identificar a perceção dos enfermeiros tutores especialistas sobre as competências do supervisor clínico na área de saúde infantil e pediatria. Métodos: Estudo qualitativo exploratório descritivo, fenomenológico, numa amostra de dez enfermeiros tutores dos serviços da área de pediatria do Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça, SESARAM. Recorremos à entrevista semiestruturada e áudio gravada. Efetuámos análise de conteúdo ao "corpus" de todas as entrevistas, com definição de subcategorias e indicadores. Resultados:. Emergiu a categoria competências do supervisor clínico e as subcategorias mais referenciadas foram as caraterísticas pessoais com 38% de unidade de registo e as competências profissionais (25,7%). Nos aspetos relevantes em saúde infantil e pediatria destacaram-se também as competências pessoais e profissionais com 40,4% cada. O principal fator facilitador da supervisão foi o ser um processo estruturado (21,6%), e o dificultador foi o deficit no relacionamento interpessoal (21,7%). No global houve mais unidades de registo relacionadas com os aspetos dificultadores. Conclusão: Conscientes das perceções dos supervisores numa área tão específica como é a área de saúde infantil e pediatria, pensamos que este estudo poderá contribuir para melhorar a qualidade do processo supervisivo na enfermagem. É necessário o esforço conjunto entre o supervisor e supervisionado, melhorando os processos mediados entre as instituições e os atores, onde proliferam a partilha de saberes, experiências e objetivos profissionais.

Introduction: The evolution of science and technology, changes within the health organizations, new and emerging philosophies of care require health professionals actively involved in the formation of their pairs, giving a great importance to clinical supervision process. Objective main goal: Identify the perception of expert tutor's nurses about the clinical supervisor in child health and pediatrics skills. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory and phenomenological study, and a sample with ten mentor nurses, from pediatric services at Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça SESARAM. We used the semi-structured interview and recorded audio. We made content analysis to " corpus " of all interviews, defining sub-categories and indicators. Results: Emerged the category skills of the clinical supervisor and it most referenced subcategories were the personal characteristics with 38% references unit and professional skills (25.7%). In child health and pediatrics relevant aspects stood out like the personal and professional skills with 40.4 % each. The main facilitator factor of supervision was the structured process (21.6%), and difficult factor of supervision was the deficit of interpersonal relationships (21.7%). In overall there were more registration units related to the hindering aspects Conclusion: Aware of the perceptions of supervisors in such a specific area as the area of child health and pediatrics, we believe that this study may contribute to improve the quality of the supervision process in nursing. The joint effort is required between the supervisor and supervised by improving processes mediated between institutions and actors, where proliferate the sharing of knowledge, experience and professional goals.

Predicting pork quality using Vis/NIR spectroscopy.

Visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (Vis/NIRS) was used to predict the ultimate pH (pHu), color, intramuscular fat (IMF) and shear force (WBSF) of pork samples and to build classifiers capable of categorizing the samples by tenderness (tender or tough) and juiciness (juicy and dry). Spectra were collected from 400 to 1495nm, and 200 data points were generated for every sample (n=134). Sixty-seven percent of the sample set was used for calibration, and 33% was used for validation. Partial least squares (PLS) calibration models were developed for each characteristic measured. A coefficient of determination (R(2)) and residual prediction deviation (RPD) were used to evaluate the accuracy of the calibration models. The pHu and color prediction models developed in this study fit this classification, indicating that these predictive models can be used to predict quality traits of intact pork samples. The Vis/NIRS offered great potential for correctly classifying pork Longissimus into two tenderness and two juiciness classes.

Sorption isotherms, thermodynamic properties and glass transition temperature of mucilage extracted from chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.).

Freeze-dried chia mucilage adsorption isotherms were determined at 25, 35 and 40°C and fitted with the Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer model. The integral thermodynamic properties (enthalpy and entropy) were estimated with the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Pore radius of the mucilage, calculated with the Kelvin equation, varied from 0.87 to 6.44 nm in the temperature range studied. The point of maximum stability (minimum integral entropy) ranged between 7.56 and 7.63kg H2O per 100 kg of dry solids (d.s.) (water activity of 0.34-0.53). Enthalpy-entropy compensation for the mucilage showed two isokinetic temperatures: (i) one occurring at low moisture contents (0-7.56 kg H2O per 100 kg d.s.), controlled by changes in water entropy; and (ii) another happening in the moisture interval of 7.56-24 kg H2O per 100 kg d.s. and was enthalpy driven. The glass transition temperature Tg of the mucilage fluctuated between 42.93 and 57.93°C.