Dual-task effects in children with neuromotor dysfunction: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Based on the assumption that motor actions result from the interaction between cognitive, perceptual, mechanical and neurological mechanisms, neuromotor dysfunctions are expected to impair central coordination processes required to perform dual-tasks. The aim of the present work was to systematically review the literature concerning the effects of dual-task in the activities performed by children with neuromotor dysfunctions. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A tailored search strategy in relevant databases was conducted by two independent reviewers in August 2018 seeking for online articles published in English evaluating dual-task (motor-motor, cognitive-cognitive or cognitive-motor) effects on activities in subjects with neuromotor dysfunctions younger than 18 years. The following data were extracted: category of dual-task paradigm (motor-motor; cognitive-cognitive; cognitive-motor), primary and secondary tasks, study methods, methodological quality of the studies, and research gaps in the literature. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: We identified 13 full-text reports that fulfilled the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS: There are a few high-quality studies addressing dual-task effects on activities performed by children with neuromotor dysfunctions. These children show greater susceptibility to dual-task costs than typical ones. There is a lack of studies addressing children with CP and Down Syndrome, which are highly prevalent and commonly seen in clinical settings. Thus, dual-task effects in children with neuromotor dysfunctions remain a wide research field, with need for further studies to fill in the existing gaps.

Structural parameters, molecular properties, and biological evaluation of some terpenes targeting Schistosoma mansoni parasite.

The use of natural products has a long tradition in medicine, and they have proven to be an important source of lead compounds in the development of new drugs. Among the natural compounds, terpenoids present broad-spectrum activity against infective agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoan and helminth parasites. In this study, we report a biological screening of 38 chemically characterized terpenes from different classes, which have a hydroxyl group connected by hydrophobic chain or an acceptor site, against the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni, the parasite responsible for schistosomiasis mansoni. In vitro bioassays revealed that 3,7-dimethyl-1-octanol (dihydrocitronellol) (10) was the most active terpene (IC50 values of 13-52 µM) and, thus, we investigated its antischistosomal activity in greater detail. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that compound 10 induced severe tegumental damage in adult schistosomes and a correlation between viability and tegumental changes was observed. Furthermore, we compared all the inactive compounds with dihydrocitronellol structurally by using shape and charge modeling. Lipophilicity (miLogP) and other molecular properties (e.g. molecular polar surface area, molecular electrostatic potential) were also calculated. From the 38 terpenes studied, compound 10 is the one with the greatest flexibility, with a sufficient apolar region by which it may interact in a hydrophobic active site. In conclusion, the integration of biological and chemical analysis indicates the potential of the terpene dihydrocitronellol as an antiparasitic agent.

Antibacterial and antiparasitic effects of Bothropoides lutzi venom.

The therapeutic potential of toxins has aroused great interest in the scientific community. Microbial resistance is a serious current public health problem, in part because of the wide use of antimicrobial drugs. Furthermore, there are several problems in the treatment of parasitic diseases such as leishmaniosis and Chagas' disease, including the low efficacy in some clinical phases of the diseases and the loss of effectiveness of benzonidazole in the chronic phase of Chagas' disease. In this context, the aim of this work was to study the antimicrobial and antiparasitic effects of Bothropoides lutzi total venom (BltTV). The venom exerted an antibacterial effect on S. aureus, with MIC=MLC=200 microg/mL. The inhibitory effects of BltTV on promastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis and L. chagasi were assessed by counting of viable cells after incubation with BltTV. IC50 values of 234.6 microg/mL and 61.2 microg/mL, were obtained, respectively. Furthermore, the venom repressed epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi growth. Finally, BltTV was verified to affect murine peritoneal macrophages, causing a cytotoxic effect at the highest concentrations (100 and 50 microg/mL). In conclusion, Bothropoides lutzi venom demonstrated antibacterial and antiparasite effects, suggesting that the venom contains some substance(s) of therapeutic value.

Síndrome de Down e câncer infantil / Down syndrome and childhood cancer

A Síndrome de Down (SD) é uma anomalia genética caracterizada pela trissomia do cromossomo 21 (47XX, +21 ou 47XY, +21). É descrita como presente em um indivíduo para cada 700 nascidos vivos e apresenta umfenótipo muito característico.A SD está associada a um risco elevado de desenvolvimento de malignidades hematológicas. Em contrapartida, o risco de desenvolvimento de tumores sólidos é menor em crianças com SD quando comparadas a crianças não SD. Para a elucidação de tais particularidades relacionadas à SD, estudos têm sido realizados na tentativa de esclarecer os mecanismos de predisposição às leucemias e resistência a certos tipos de câncer.