Converging evidence for domain-general developmental trends of mental attentional capacity: Validity and reliability of full and abbreviated measures.

Our ability to understand the world around us hinges on our cognition. Theoretically, children's abilities improve with age; however, a lively discussion exists on how factors such as task domain, task interference, and task difficulty, as indexed mainly by relevant cues, affect cognitive performance. Practically, cognitive measures take a substantial amount of time to administer, which poses limitations for researchers in the field of psychology. The current study addressed theoretical and practical questions regarding the nature of child cognition using full and abbreviated versions of classic, recent, and new tasks of mental attentional capacity. We employed a cross-sectional design testing 483 participants in six groups (7-30 years of age) on the new Number Matching Task (NMT), the established Color Matching Task (CMT), and the classic Figural Intersection Task (FIT). Results confirm theoretical predictions of the developmental increase in mental attentional capacity and the adjunct hypothesis that tasks with high interference are better to assess the developmental trajectory of mental attentional capacity quantitatively. NMT scores are significantly equivalent to CMT scores and the theoretically predicted mental attentional capacity, and the abbreviated CMT and NMT produce comparable scores to those of the full tests. We determined that the NMT can be administered developmentally and is appropriate for use in assessing mental attentional capacity in studies with both children and adults.

Differential expression of miRNAs related to angiogenesis and adipogenesis in subcutaneous fat of obese and nonobese women.

To disclose the mechanisms surrounding obesity, we selected microRNAs (miRNAs) that target genes involved in adipogenesis, angiogenesis, and inflammation and compared their expression levels in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of 40 obese and nonobese women. Mature miRNAs were extracted from subcutaneous adipose tissue samples that were collected during surgery and quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. miR-16 was overexpressed in the nonobese group (n-expression ratio = - 151.1; P < 0.001). Furthermore, the expression levels of two other miRNAs were significantly correlated with waist circumference in nonobese women (miR-27b, r = 0.453; P = 0.027 and miR-424-5p, r = 0.502, P = 0.014). Central and total subcutaneous adipose tissue thicknesses were correlated with miR-424-5p levels (r = 0.506, P = 0.034 and r = 0.475, P = 0.046, respectively) in the nonobese group. In the obese group, miR-424-5p expression was correlated with body mass index (r = 0.582, P = 0.018). miR-16 and miR-424 have shown correlations with body-fat-mass-related parameters. Because these miRNAs have vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors as target genes, they may be involved in the alterations of angiogenesis observed in obesity. In addition, higher levels of miR-27 and miR-424 were correlated with higher fat depot measurements in nonobese women. These results highlight the importance of miRNA expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue and encourage further investigation of miRNAs as prognostic markers.

Isolation of adipose-derived stem cells: a comparison among different methods.

Adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) are usually isolated by digestion with collagenase. We have compared alternative methods to isolate ASCs in a more economically viable protocol. Nine protocols using red blood cells lysis buffer solution, trypsin, collagenase and centrifugation were compared; the isolation rate, cell viability, expansion rate, immunophenotype and differentiation in adipogenic and osteogenic lineages were analyzed. ASCs were isolated and successfully maintained by digestion with trypsin. Cells presented similar immunophenotypes, adipogenic differentiation and in vitro proliferation but an osteogenic differentiation capacity up to seven times higher than ASCs isolated by collagenase. This alternative protocol is thus efficient and more cost-effective than the commonly-used methods and may represent a promising protocol for obtaining ASCs for bone tissue engineering.

Aperfeiçoando a mensuração do volume mamário na reconstrução imediata com expansores permanentes / Improving breast volume assessment in immediate reconstruction using permanent expanders

INTRODUÇÃO: A determinação precisa do volume mamário pode melhorar o resultado dos procedimentos de reconstrução. O objetivo deste estudo é correlacionar a mensuração pré-operatória do volume mamário utilizando o método de conchas plásticas e a aplicação intraoperatória do princípio de Arquimedes para a avaliação volumétrica das mamas, em pacientes submetidas a reconstrução mamária imediata utilizando expansores permanentes, portadoras de mamas de pequeno volume e grau ptótico leve. MÉTODO: Dez pacientes foram incluídas em um estudo retrospectivo não-randomizado. O volume da mama foi mensurado, no pré-operatório, com conchas plásticas com volumes predeterminados e, no período intraoperatório, com o método de Arquimedes. Expansor apropriado permanente foi selecionado e inserido de maneira retromuscular. A equipe classificou a simetria da mama como pobre, boa ou muito boa. RESULTADOS: As diferenças entre as medidas pré e intraoperatórias foram estatisticamente significantes (P < 0,01, teste t de Student). Os valores pré-operatórios foram subestimados em 70% dos casos e foram 15% menores que os valores intraoperatórios. CONCLUSÕES: A avaliação do volume da mama em procedimentos de reconstrução imediata utilizando expansores permanentes pode ser aperfeiçoada pela combinação de diferentes técnicas de mensuração pré e intraoperatórias, levando a resultados mais previsíveis. O método de conchas plásticas de volume preestabelecido tende a subestimar o volume ressecado da mama quando comparado aos valores obtidos com método de mensuração intraoperatória utilizando o princípio de Arquimedes.

BACKGROUND: The accurate determination of breast volume improves the outcome of reconstructive procedures. The aim of the present study is to correlate the preoperative measurement of breast volume using the plastic shells method with the intraoperative application of the Archimedes principle to assess breast volume in immediate breast reconstruction using permanent expanders in patients having breasts with a small volume and mild ptosis grade. METHODS: Ten patients were enrolled in this retrospective nonrandomized study. Breast volume was measured preoperatively using fixed-volume plastic shells and intraoperatively using the Archimedes method. An appropriate permanent expander was selected and inserted in a retromuscular position. The team classified breast symmetry as poor, good, or very good. RESULTS: Differences between pre- and intraoperative measurements were statistically significant (P < 0.01, Student's t-test). Preoperative values were lower than intraoperative values by 15% in 70% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Breast volume assessment in immediate reconstruction procedures with permanent expanders can be improved and yield more predictable results by the combined use of different pre- and intraoperative measuring techniques. The method that uses fixed-volume plastic shells tends to underestimate the resected breast volume compared to the intraoperative method that uses the Archimedes principle.

[Bed-sharing in the first semester of life: prevalence and associated factors]. / Coleito no primeiro semestre de vida: prevalência e fatores associados.

The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of bed-sharing and factors associated with this sleeping environment in an urban population in Southern Brazil. This was a cross-sectional nested cohort study with 233 mother-infant pairs selected at the maternity ward of the University Hospital in Porto Alegre. When the infant was 3 and 6 months old, home visits were performed to collect data on bed-sharing and associated variables. The main outcome was the place shared by the mother and infant for sleeping. Variables with p < 0.2 were included in a Poisson regression model. At 3 and 6 months, 31.2% and 28.5% of infants slept with their mothers at night. At 3 months, prevalence was higher for single mothers (PR: 1.56; CI: 1.01-2.39) and mothers sharing the home with the infant's maternal grandmother (PR: 1.70; CI: 1.09-2.65). Prevalence of bed-sharing at 3 months was high and associated with single mothers and sharing the home with the infant's maternal grandmother.

Coleito no primeiro semestre de vida: prevalência e fatores associados / Bed-sharing in the first semester of life: prevalence and associated factors

Esse estudo tem o objetivo de verificar a prevalência de coleito de mães e lactentes e fatores associados em população urbana no Sul do Brasil. Trata-se de estudo transversal aninhado em uma coorte de 233 duplas de mãe-filho selecionadas na maternidade do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. Quando a criança completava 3 e 6 meses de vida, coletavam-se, em visitas domiciliares, dados sobre prática do coleito e variáveis associadas. O desfecho principal foi o compartilhamento do espaço de dormir entre a criança e sua mãe. Variáveis com p < 0,2 na análise bivariada entraram em modelo de regressão de Poisson. Aos 3 e 6 meses, 31,2 por cento e 28,5 por cento das crianças dormiam junto com suas mães à noite. Aos 3 meses, a prevalência foi maior entre mães sem companheiro (RP: 1,56; IC95 por cento: 1,01-2,39) e em coabitação quando com a avó materna da criança (RP: 1,70; IC95 por cento: 1,09-2,65). A prevalência de coleito aos três meses na população estudada é alta, associando-se à mãe sem companheiro e coabitação com a avó materna.

The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of bed-sharing and factors associated with this sleeping environment in an urban population in Southern Brazil. This was a cross-sectional nested cohort study with 233 mother-infant pairs selected at the maternity ward of the University Hospital in Porto Alegre. When the infant was 3 and 6 months old, home visits were performed to collect data on bed-sharing and associated variables. The main outcome was the place shared by the mother and infant for sleeping. Variables with p < 0.2 were included in a Poisson regression model. At 3 and 6 months, 31.2 percent and 28.5 percent of infants slept with their mothers at night. At 3 months, prevalence was higher for single mothers (PR: 1.56; CI: 1.01-2.39) and mothers sharing the home with the infant's maternal grandmother (PR: 1.70; CI: 1.09-2.65). Prevalence of bed-sharing at 3 months was high and associated with single mothers and sharing the home with the infant's maternal grandmother.

Neutrophil apoptosis: a marker of disease severity in sepsis and sepsis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Apoptosis of neutrophils (polymorphonuclear neutrophils [PMNs]) may limit inflammatory injury in sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but the relationship between the severity of sepsis and extent of PMN apoptosis and the effect of superimposed ARDS is unknown. The objective of this study was to correlate neutrophil apoptosis with the severity of sepsis and sepsis-induced ARDS. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in intensive care units of three tertiary hospitals in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil. Fifty-seven patients with sepsis (uncomplicated sepsis, septic shock, and sepsis-induced ARDS) and 64 controls were enrolled. Venous peripheral blood was collected from patients with sepsis within 24 hours of diagnosis. All surgical groups, including controls, had their blood drawn 24 hours after surgery. Control patients on mechanical ventilation had blood collected within 24 hours of initiation of mechanical ventilation. Healthy controls were blood donors. Neutrophils were isolated, and incubated ex vivo, and apoptosis was determined by light microscopy on cytospun preparations. The differences among groups were assessed by analysis of variance with Tukeys. RESULTS: In medical patients, the mean percentage of neutrophil apoptosis (+/- standard error of the mean [SEM]) was lower in sepsis-induced ARDS (28% +/- 3.3%; n = 9) when compared with uncomplicated sepsis (57% +/- 3.2%; n = 8; p < 0.001), mechanical ventilation without infection, sepsis, or ARDS (53% +/- 3.0%; n = 11; p < 0.001) and healthy controls (69% +/- 1.1%; n = 33; p < 0.001) but did not differ from septic shock (38% +/- 3.7%; n = 12; p = 0.13). In surgical patients with sepsis, the percentage of neutrophil apoptosis was lower for all groups when compared with surgical controls (52% +/- 3.6%; n = 11; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In medical patients with sepsis, neutrophil apoptosis is inversely proportional to the severity of sepsis and thus may be a marker of the severity of sepsis in this population.