A palaeoecological perspective on the transformation of the tropical Andes by early human activity.

Palaeoecological records suggest that humans have been in the Andes since at least 14 000 years ago. Early human impacts on Andean ecosystems included an increase in fire activity and the extinction of the Pleistocene megafauna. These changes in Andean ecosystems coincided with rapid climate change as species were migrating upslope in response to deglacial warming. Microrefugia probably played a vital role in the speed and genetic composition of that migration. The period from ca 14 500 to 12 500 years ago was when novel combinations of plant species appeared to form no-analogue assemblages in the Andes. By 12 000 years ago most areas in what are today the Andean grasslands were being burned and modified by human activity. As the vegetation of these highland settings has been modified by human activity for the entirety of the Holocene, they should be regarded as long-term manufactutred landscapes. The sharp tree lines separating Andean forests from grasslands that we see today were probably also created by repeated burning and owe their position more to human-induced fire than climatic constraints. In areas that were readly penetrated by humans on the forested slopes of the Andes, substantial modification and settlement had occurred by the mid-Holocene. In hard-to-reach areas, however, the amount of human modification may always have been minimal, and these slopes can be considered as being close to natural in their vegetation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Tropical forests in the deep human past'.

Productive characteristics in dairy buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in the Eastern Amazon / Características produtivas em búfalos leiteiros (Bubalus bubalis) na Amazônia

The objective of this study was to determine factors affecting phenotypic characteristics related to milk production and reproductive efficiency of dairy buffalo. Phenotypic records of 2,459 Murrah, Mediterranean and crossbred buffaloes from the Embrapa Eastern Amazônia herd, from 1969 to 2013 were used. Traits included: total milk production during lactation (TMP), milk production corrected for 305 days (P305); cow weight at calving (CW), fat milk percentage (F), age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI), calf birth weight (BW), as well as lactation (LP) and service periods (SP). Most traits were affected by genetic group as well as year and season or interaction between them. Genetic group affected F, CI, SP and CW. Very young and older cows showed poorer production traits. There was interaction between season and year for F, CI and CW. Correlations traits were generally medium to low. The principal component analysis showed that higher fat milk percentage was associated with higher percentage of Murrah breed, longer lactation period and older cows. Phenotypic characteristics in buffaloes reared in the Brazilian Amazon were significantly affected by genetic and management factors. This information can be used to help build sustainable production systems for the region and guide farmer decisions.(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar os fatores que afetam as características fenotípicas relacionadas à produção de leite e a eficiência reprodutiva de búfalas leiteiras. Foram utilizados os registros fenotípicos de 2.459 búfalas das raças Murrah, Mediterrâneo e seus cruzamentos do rebanho da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, de 1969 a 2013. As características incluídas foram: produção total de leite durante a lactação (PTL), produção de leite corrigida para 305 dias (P305), peso da búfala ao parto (PV), percentual de gordura do leite (G), idade ao primeiro parto (IPP), intervalo entre partos (IP), peso do bezerro ao nascimento (PN), assim como os períodos de lactação (PL) e de serviço (PS). A maioria das características foi afetada pelo grupo genético, bem como pelo ano e pela estação ou pela interação entre eles. O grupo genético afetou o G, IP, PS e PV. Búfalas muito jovens e mais velhas mostraram características de produção mais baixas. Houve interação entre estação e o ano para G, IP e PV. As correlações entre as características foram geralmente de médias a baixas. A análise de componentes principais mostrou que a maior porcentagem de gordura no leite foi associada com a maior porcentagem de sangue Murrah, com o maior período de lactação e com búfalas mais velhas. As características fenotípicas das búfalas criadas na Amazônia brasileira foram significativamente afetadas por fatores genéticos e de manejo. Essas informações podem ser usadas para ajudar a construir sistemas de produção sustentáveis para a região e orientar as decisões dos produtores.(AU)

Genetic evaluation of milking buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis): bull ranking / Avaliação genética de búfalas leiteiras (Bubalus bubalis): classificação de touros

The objective of this study was to evaluate genetic aspects related to production and reproductive efficiency of Murrah and Mediterranean buffaloes and their crosses. A ranking of bulls from Embrapa Eastern Amazonia was also composed to guide assisted mating. Birth records of 2,322 Murrah, Mediterranean, and crossbred buffaloes from the Embrapa Eastern Amazon herd, from 1953 to 2013, as well as information on production and reproductive traits were used. Genetic analyzes were performed in the WOMBAT software using the animal model with two-trait analysis. While heritability (h2) for total milk production (TMP) and fat milk percentage (F) were generally high, for reproductive traits h2 tended to be low. Genetic correlations for TMP with the other traits were low and negative, except for TMP with calving interval (CI) and service period (SP) in the Mediterranean breed and with age at first calving (AFC) and SP in crossbred, which were positive and high. Bull 1001 had high predicted transmitting ability (PTA) for TMP, so it should transmit a greater volume of milk to his offspring, although it had a lower PTA for F. There was sufficient variability within the herd to work with genetic management for both production and reproductive efficiency.(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os aspectos genéticos relacionados à produção e à eficiência reprodutiva de búfalas das raças Murrah, Mediterrâneo e suas cruzas. Uma classificação de touros da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental também foi composta para orientar os cruzamentos assistidos. Foram utilizados 2.322 registros de nascimento de búfalas das raças Murrah, Mediterrâneo e cruzadas do rebanho da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, de 1953 a 2013, bem como características produtivas e reprodutivas. As análises genéticas foram realizadas pelo software Wombat, utilizando-se o modelo animal com análise de duas características. Enquanto a herdabilidade (h 2 ) para a produção total de leite (PTL) e para a porcentagem de gordura (G) foi alta, para as características reprodutivas a h 2 tendeu a ser baixa. As correlações genéticas da PTL com as demais características foram baixas e negativas, exceto para a PTL com intervalo entre partos (IP) e período de serviço (PS) na raça Mediterrâneo e com idade ao primeiro parto (IPP) e PS nas cruzadas, que foram positivas e altas. O touro 1001 apresentou alta capacidade de transmissão predita (CTP) para a PTL, então deve transmitir um maior volume de leite para seus descendentes, embora com um menor conteúdo transmissível de CTP para G. Portanto, existe variabilidade suficiente dentro do rebanho para trabalhar com o manejo genético para a produção e a eficiência reprodutiva.(AU)

Clonal spread of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Acinetobacter baumannii has often been associated with colonization and/or infection in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). This study describes a clonal spread of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) isolates in an NICU. In total, 21 CRAB isolates were collected from premature newborns. Only polymyxin B was active against such isolates. Nineteen CRAB isolates were clonally related (Cluster C, which belonged to worldwide-disseminated ST1). All newborns had peripheral access and had received ß-lactam therapy previously. The implementation of strict infection control measures was of fundamental importance to eradicate the clonal type in the study hospital.

Polymorphisms in the DGAT1 gene in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in the Amazon.

Water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are quite well adapted to climatic conditions in the Amazon, and in this biome, they are noted for the considerable amount of meat and milk they produce and how hard they are able to work. Because of a lack of research dedicated to improving the rearing of buffaloes in the Amazon, the objective of this study was to genetically characterize the Murrah and Mediterranean breeds, as well as a mixed-breed population, based on polymorphisms in the diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 gene (DGAT1), and associate the genotypes with milk production. By using the polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism technique, the alleles A (0.79), B (0.20), and D (0.01) were found in the Murrah breed. In the Mediterranean and mixed-breed buffaloes, we found alleles A (0.69) and (0.77) and B (0.31) and (0.23), respectively. The Murrah breed had the genotypes AA (0.63), AB (0.29), BB (0.05), and AD (0.03), and the Mediterranean and mixed-breed buffaloes had the genotypes AA (0.44) and (0.61), AB (0.50) and (0.31), and BB (0.06) and (0.08), respectively. For the Murrah, Mediterranean, and mixed-breed buffaloes, respectively, the expected heterozygosity values were 0.34, 0.43, and 0.35, the inbreeding coefficients were 0.78, -0.15, and 0.17, and the Hardy-Weinberg probabilities were 0.70, 0.67, and 0.52. The genotypes evaluated did not have an effect on milk production; however, the single nucleotide polymorphisms can be used in studies on genetic variability.

Pleural fluid tumour markers in malignant pleural effusion with inconclusive cytologic results.

BACKGROUND: The presence of tumour cells in pleural fluid or tissue defines an effusion as malignant. Cytology analysis of the pleural fluid has about 60% diagnostic sensitivity. Several tests have been proposed to improve diagnosis-among them, the concentrations of tumour markers in pleural fluid. We evaluated whether the concentrations of tumour markers in pleural fluid could improve the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion (mpe) when cytology is doubtful. METHODS: Lymphocytic pleural fluids secondary to tuberculosis or malignancy from 156 outpatients were submitted for cytology and tumour marker quantification [carcinoembryonic antigen (cea), cancer antigen 15-3 (ca15-3), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (ca19-9), cancer antigen 72-4 (ca72-4), cancer antigen 125 (ca125), and cyfra 21-1). Oneway analysis of variance, the Student t-test or Mann-Whitney test, and receiver operating characteristic curves were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Concentrations of the tumour markers cea, ca15-3, ca125, and cyfra 21-1 were higher in mpes than they were in the benign effusions (p < 0.001), regardless of cytology results. The markers ca19-9 and ca72-4 did not discriminate malignant from benign effusions. When comparing the concentrations of tumour markers in mpes having positive, suspicious, or negative cytology with concentrations in benign effusions, we observed higher levels of cea, ca15-3, cyfra 21-1, and ca125 in malignant effusions with positive cytology (p = 0.003, p = 0.001, p = 0.002, and p = 0.001 respectively). In pleural fluid, only ca125 was higher in mpes with suspicious or negative cytology (p = 0.001) than in benign effusions. CONCLUSIONS: Given high specificity and a sensitivity of about 60%, the concentrations of tumour markers in pleural effusions could be evaluated in cases of inconclusive cytology in patients with a high pre-test chance of malignancy or a history of cancer.

THE INTAKE OF FIBER MESOCARP PASSIONFRUIT (PASSIFLORA EDULIS) LOWERS LEVELS OF TRIGLYCERIDE AND CHOLESTEROL DECREASING PRINCIPALLY INSULIN AND LEPTIN.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease, renal failure, retinopathy, and neuropathy. Over the last years, there has been an increasing demand in folk medicine for natural sources that could help in the treatment of chronic diseases, including diabetes. The rind of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. Flavicarpa) is traditionally used as a functional food due to its high concentration of soluble and insoluble fiber. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of high-fiber diet albedo of passion fruit on the metabolic and biochemical profile in diabetic rats induced by alloxan (2%). DESIGN: The passion fruit mesocarp fiber was dried in an oven with circulating air at 60°C and pulverized. We used 32 adult male rats, divided into 4 groups: Wistar group 1 control (GC), Wistar group 2, 15% fiber (GF15), Wistar group 3, 30% fiber (GF30), Wistar group 4, fiber disolved in water (GFH2O). The ratio of passion fruit was prepared according to the AIN 93M guidelines, varying only the source of dietary fiber. The corresponding diet for each group was offered to the animals for 60 days. RESULTS: There was a statically significant decrease in plasma glucose for GFH2O, GF15%, and GF30% groups with 27.0%, 37.4%, and 40.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The use of mesocarp fiber of passion fruit at concentrations of 15% and 30% are an important dietary supplement for the treatment of DM due to its potential hypoglycemic effect, and its ability to reduce triglycerides and VLDL-cholesterol levels with a principal reduction of insulin and leptin.

Isolation of Salmonella spp. in captive Psittaciformes from zoos and a commercial establishment of Fortaleza, Brazil / Isolamento de Salmonella spp. em Psittaciformes de zoológicos e estabelecimento comercial de Fortaleza, Brasil

This study showed a low prevalence of Salmonella spp. in captive psittacines from zoos and a commercial establishment of Fortaleza. None of the isolated serotypes (S. Lexington, S. Saintpaul and S. Newport) have yet been reported in Amazona aestiva, Ara chloroptera or Melopsittacus undulatus. However, the fact that most birds presented negative for Salmonella spp. may not imply the absence of this pathogen in these birds, since the intermittent excretion is a well-known characteristic of this microorganism...

A manutenção de aves em cativeiro reúne condições que favorecem a disseminação de doenças infecciosas, sendo a Salmonella uma dessas doenças infecciosas que acomete os psitacídeos. Portanto o objetivo do presente estudo foi isolar e identificar Salmonella spp. em Psittaciformes mantidos em criatórios comerciais e conservacionistas da Região Metropolitana de Fortaleza. Para o estudo, foram coletados swabs cloacais de 182 psitacídeos clinicamente sadios. Os resultados mostraram que três psitacídeos avaliados (1,65%) foram positivos: Amazona aestiva (Salmonella Lexington), Ara chloroptera (Salmonella Saintpaul) e Melopsittacus undulatus (Salmonella Newport). De acordo com a literatura científica, não há registro desses sorotipos em psitacídeos. Esta pesquisa evidenciou uma baixa prevalência de Salmonella spp. em Psittaciformes mantidos em criatórios comerciais e conservacionistas da Região Metropolitana de Fortaleza...

THE CONSUMPTION OF RED PUPUNHA (BACTRIS GASIPAES KUNTH) INCREASES HDL CHOLESTEROL AND REDUCES WEIGHT GAIN OF LACTATING AND POST-LACTATING WISTAR RATS.

INTRODUCTION: The lactating and post-lactating periods are marked by large metabolic change. Production of milk is 60% lipid dependent. We reported in a recent scientific meeting that Red pupunha palm tree fruit increases HDL cholesterol in lactating rats. This study evaluated if consumption of Red Pupunha by adult female rats has a beneficial impact on the lipid metabolism of lacting and post-lacting adult rats. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate if consumption of red pupunha has a beneficial effect in the lipid metabolism of lacting and post-lacting adult Wistar rats. RESEARCH METHODS: Four groups including two for control; (1) control adult lactating rats, (2) control adults post-lactating rats; and two experimental groups; (3) pupunha adults lactating rats and (4) pupunha adult post-lactating rats were evaluated and compared regarding: weight gain, food consumption, plasma total protein, glucose, total lipid, triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol levels. The mean difference and its 95% confidence intervals were used for group comparisons. Group comparisons were evaluated by using analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA). The statistical significance of the pairwise differences among groups was assessed by using the two-sided Tukey test. RESULTS: There were no important differences in food consumption, plasma glucose, total lipids and triglycerides among groups. The red pupunha lactating group gain less weight showing lower body mass index (BMI) than controls (p < 0.05). Total cholesterol was lower in red pupunha lactating than in controls but not in the red pupunha post-lactating group as compared to controls. Triglycerides were lower in the post-lactating red pupunha group as compared to the control group (p = 0.039) but not for the lactating groups. Red pupunha lactating and post-lactating groups had higher HDL-cholesterol than their corresponding control groups (p ≤ 0.01). CONCLUSION: Original findings include the beneficial effect of red pupunha in post-lactating rats increasing the HDL-cholesterol and lowering the BMI. Red pupunha was confirmed to increase HDL-cholesterol in lactating rats. These results suggest that red pupunha is a healthy fruit to be consumed during lactating and post-lactating periods as it is related to better lipid profile and less body weight gain.

Effect of temperature and storage time on cellular analysis of fresh pleural fluid samples.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the methodological variability in preparation techniques for pleural fluid cytology, it is fundamental that the cells should be preserved, permitting adequate morphological classification. We evaluated numerical and morphological changes in pleural fluid specimens processed after storage at room temperature or under refrigeration. METHODS: Aliquots of pleural fluid from 30 patients, collected in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-coated tubes and maintained at room temperature (21 °C) or refrigeration (4 °C) were evaluated after 2 and 6 hours and 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 14 days. Evaluation of cytomorphology and global and percentage counts of leucocytes, macrophages and mesothelial cells were included. RESULTS: The samples had quantitative cellular variations from day 3 or 4 onwards, depending on the storage conditions. Morphological alterations occurred earlier in samples maintained at room temperature (day 2) than in those under refrigeration (day 4). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that storage time and temperature are potential pre-analytical causes of error in pleural fluid cytology.

Pleural fluid cytokines correlate with tissue inflammatory expression in tuberculosis.

SETTING: A tertiary care research centre in São Paolo, Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To quantify interleukin (IL) 8, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) in pleural fluid from tuberculous patients, correlating its values with the histopathological patterns in pleural biopsies. DESIGN: Cytokines were quantified in patients with transudates secondary to congestive heart failure (n = 8) and exudates secondary to tuberculosis (TB; n = 39). In parietal pleural biopsies from TB patients, the histological patterns of the inflammatory response were quantified by morphometric analysis (stereological point-counting method). RESULTS: IL-8, TNF-alpha, VEGF and TGF-beta(1) levels were higher in TB than in transudates. A positive correlation existed between components of the fibrinoid exudative phase with pleural fluid IL-8 (R = 0.52, P = 0.004) and VEGF (R = 0.42, P = 0.0021) levels. A negative correlation existed between pleural fluid IL-8 (R = -0.37, P = 0.048) and VEGF (R = -0.44, P = 0.0015) levels with tissue components of fibroproliferation. CONCLUSION: The high pleural levels of TNF-alpha, IL-8, VEGF and TGF-beta(1) suggest the involvement of these cytokines in the TB immunological response. The positive correlation between pleural fluid IL-8 and VEGF with the components of the acute exudative phase and the negative correlation between these cytokines with the fibroproliferative components suggest a temporary inflammatory response in the pleural space.

Adherencia al tratamiento en la esquizofrenia: Consenso de enfermería en salud mental / Treatment adherence in Schizophrenia: Nurse practitioners consensus in mental health

Objetivo. Establecer un consenso español sobre cuidados de enfermería para mejorar la adherencia terapéutica en la esquizofrenia. Material y métodos. Un comité de expertos diseñó un cuestionario específico de 43 preguntas con 409 opciones. Las preguntas se referían a: definición y valoración general de la adherencia en la esquizofrenia; factores implicados; estrategias de intervención en pacientes ambulatorios y en unidades de agudos y el manejo de fármacos antipsicóticos inyectables de larga duración. Se asignaron valores de estrategia de elección, primera, segunda o tercera línea, según las respuestas obtenidas para cada ítem. Se envió el cuestionario a 215 enfermeros/as y se recibieron 160 respuestas a través de un sistema electrónico online que garantizaba su confidencialidad. Resultados y conclusiones. Existe el máximo acuerdo en considerar la gravedad del problema de la adherencia, su repercusión en las recaídas y en la evolución del paciente. Las estrategias preferidas para evaluar la adherencia son: el registro de la administración de inyectables y la impresión clínica del paciente. El grupo de trabajo considera que es preciso intervenir de manera específica cuando el paciente ha sufrido ya varias recaídas a causa del bajo cumplimiento terapéutico o se detecta una nula conciencia de enfermedad. La potenciación de las actitudes positivas hacia el tratamiento y el establecimiento de acuerdos con el paciente acerca de la importancia de tomar los fármacos son las estrategias preferidas por el personal de enfermería para reducir las recaídas por falta de adherencia (AU)

Objective. Establish a Spanish Consensus on nurse care to increase therapeutic compliance in schizophrenia. Material and methods. An experts committee designed a specific questionnaire having 43 questions. The questions referred to the definition and general assessment of compliance in schizophrenia, factors involved, intervention strategies in outpatients/inpatients and management of long duration injectable antipsychotic drugs a. First, second or third line strategy values of choice were assigned according to the answers obtained for each item. The questionnaire was sent to 160 nurse practitioners. The answers were received with an online electronic system that guaranteed their confidentiality. Results and conclusions. There is maximum agreement on considering the seriousness of the compliance problem, its repercussion in relapses, the patient’s course and increase in health care costs. The strategies preferred to evaluate compliance are: counting of the injectable drug administration and clinical assessment. The workgroup considers that specific intervention is necessary when the patient has already suffered several relapses due to low therapeutic compliance or when null awareness of disease is detected. The promotion of positive patient behaviours on treatment and the patient awareness development about treatment compliance importance are the nurse practitioners favourite strategies to reduce the relapses caused by poor adherence (AU)

First Report of Monosporascus cannonballus on Watermelon in Brazil.

In 2008 and 2009, vine decline symptoms were observed in three watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai) fields located in the municipalities of Mossoró (Rio Grande do Norte State) and Quixeré (Ceará State) in northeastern Brazil. Symptoms included yellowing of crown leaves just prior to harvest and collapse of many of the vines. Mean maximum daily temperatures for the first and second half of the season were 28.6 and 25.1°C, respectively. Affected plants exhibited necrotic root systems and lacked most of the secondary and tertiary feeder roots. Numerous perithecia on the roots contained asci and ascospores characteristics of Monosporascus cannonballus Pollack & Uecker (1,2). Small pieces of primary and secondary roots were surface disinfected and plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium with 0.5 g liter-1 of streptomycin sulfate and incubated for 7 days at 25°C in the dark. Hyphal tips from all colonies were transferred to PDA and further incubated for 30 to 40 days at 25°C in the dark for subsequent growth and sporulation. Isolations consistently yielded colonies of white mycelium, which became dark grayish after 10 to 15 days, and perithecia with one-spored asci. The internal transcribed spacer regions of ribosomal DNA of isolates 18-5 and 19-1 were sequenced (GenBank Accession Nos. GQ891544 and GQ891545). These sequences were identical to sequences of M. cannonballus (GenBank Accession Nos. AM167936 and AM167937). Pathogenicity of these two isolates was confirmed on watermelon cv. Crimson Sweet in a greenhouse maintained at 25 to 30°C. Inoculum was produced in a sand-oat hulls (Avena sativa) medium (0.5 liter of sand, 46 g of ground oat hulls, and 37.5 ml of distilled water) and incubated at 25°C for 1 month. CFU were quantified by serial dilution using 1% hydroxyethyl cellulose. A sterilized mixture of equal portions (vol/vol) of sand and peat moss was used to fill 17-cm-diameter plastic pots and inoculum was added to produce an inoculum concentration of 20 CFU g-1. Five watermelon seeds planted in each pot were later thinned to one seedling per pot. There were five replicated pots for each treatment with an equal number of noninfested pots. Plants were evaluated for disease 45 days after sowing. All isolates of M. cannonballus were highly aggressive and caused severe root necrosis compared with the noninoculated controls. M. cannonballus was reisolated from symptomatic plants, confirming Koch's postulates. In 2004, M. cannonballus was reported in the same Brazilian cucurbit-growing areas causing root rot and vine decline of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) (3), but to our knowledge, this is the first report of M. cannonballus on watermelon in Brazil. References: (1) R. D. Martyn and M. E. Miller. Plant Dis. 80:716, 1996. (2) F. G. Pollack and F. A. Uecker. Mycologia 66:346, 1974. (3) R. Sales Jr. et al. Plant Dis. 88:84, 2004.

[Evaluation of the effect of a psychoeducational program on the burden in informal caregivers of patients with schizophrenia]. / Valoración de la sobrecarga en cuidadores informales de pacientes con esquizofrenia antes y después de un programa psicoeducativo.

INTRODUCTION: Due to the change in the health care model for mental patients focused on the hospital to community care in recent decades, schizophrenic patients live with their families. This study aims to study the burden of family members or caregivers of schizophrenic patients before and after the application of a specific psychoeducational program for caregivers. METHODS: A psychoeducational program aimed at three groups was conducted: a) relatives of patients with schizophrenia who received educational program; b) parents or relatives on a previous educational program themselves, and c) control group (not including either parents or patients who received educational programs). The Zarit scale was used to rate burden in the three groups before and after completing the educational program. RESULTS: Application of the program was associated to a significant reduction of burden in the groups where it was provided compared with the control group that did not receive the program, independently of the treatment received for the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggests that these programs should be included in the therapeutical strategies for patients with schizophrenia.

Valoración de la sobrecarga en cuidadores informales de pacientes con esquizofrenia antes y después de un programa psicoeducativo / Evaluation of the effect of a psychoeducational program on the burdenin informal caregivers of patients with schizophrenia

Introducción. El cambio de modelo asistencial de los enfermos mentales centrado en el hospital a la atención comunitaria ha ayudado en las últimas décadas a los pacientes esquizofrénicos a convivir con sus familias. Los objetivos de este trabajo son estudiar el nivel de sobrecarga de los familiares o cuidadores de pacientes con esquizofrenia y evaluarla eficacia del programa educativo. Métodos. Se lleva a cabo un programa educativo dirigido a tres grupos: a) familiares de pacientes esquizofrénicos que recibían un programa educativo previo; b) padres o familiares de pacientes esquizofrénicos que estaban en programas educativos, y c) grupo control (ni los padres ni los hijos estaban adscritos a programas educativos). Se evaluó la sobrecarga de los familiares de los tres grupos utilizando la escala de Zarit antes y después de cumplimentar con el programa educativo. Resultados. Los resultados muestran que la aplicación del programa educativo se asoció a una disminución significativa de la sobrecarga en los grupos que lo recibieron en comparación con aquellos que no lo recibieron, independientemente de los programas educativos recibidos por los pacientes.C onclusiones. Las evidencias sugieren que los programas psicoeducativos de familiares deberían formar parte de los planteamientos terapéuticos para la esquizofrenia (AU)

Introduction. Due to the change in the health care model for mental patients focused on the hospital to community care in recent decades, schizophrenic patients live with their families. This study aims to study the burden of family members or caregivers of schizophrenic patients before and after the application of a specific psychoeducational program for caregivers. Methods. A psychoeducational program aimed at three groups was conducted: a) relatives of patients with schizophrenia who received educational program; b) parents or relatives on a previous educational program themselves, and c) control group (not including either parents or patients who received educational programs). The Zarit scale was used to rate burden in the three groups before and after completing the educational program. Results. Application of the program was associated to a significant reduction of burden in the groups where it was provided compared with the control group that did not receive the program, independently of the treatment received for the patients. Conclusions. Evidence suggests that these programs should be included in the therapeutical strategies for patients with schizophrenia (AU)

Degradabilidade ruminal in situ de vagens de faveira (Parkia platycephala Benth.) em diferentes tamanhos de partículas / In situ ruminal degradability of faveira (Parkia platycephala Benth.) pods in different particle sizes

Estimaram-se os parâmetros de degradação ruminal da matéria seca (MS) e da proteína bruta (PB) de vagens de faveira, trituradas em partículas de 2 e 5mm, pelo método do saco de náilon in situ em ovinos, nos tempos de incubação 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 e 96 horas, e determinou-se a degradabilidade efetiva, considerando-se taxas de passagem 2, 5 e 8 por cento/h. A fração a da MS e da PB foram 69,6 e 49,9 por cento, respectivamente, revelando elevada solubilidade da MS; a fração b para MS e PB foi 24,7 e 43,9 por cento, indicando baixa degradação da MS in situ, com estabilização da degradação da MS às 72h e da PB às 48h de incubação. O tanino de vagens de faveira não se mostrou depressor da degradabilidade in situ da PB

Soluble (a) and potentially degradable (b) fractions and degradation rate of b fraction (c) of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) of Parkia platycephala pods in particle sizes 2 and 5mm were estimated by in situ nylon bag method in sheep. The times of incubation were 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours, and the effective degradability (ED) was determined considering passage rates of 2, 5 and 8 percent/h. The a fractions for DM and CP was 69.6 and 49.9 percent, respectively, revealing elevated DM solubility: The b fractions for DM and CP was 24.7 and 43.9 percent, denoting reduced DM in situ degradation. The stabilization of the DM and CP degradation occurred at 72h and 48h after incubation, respectively. In situ degradability of constituents of P. platycephala pods, in special CP, were not depressed for their tannin contents

Effects of peanut oil consumption on appetite and food choice.

OBJECTIVE: Peanut consumption may improve lipid profiles without promoting weight gain. Both properties have been attributed to their high-unsaturated fat content. Mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids reportedly hold stronger satiety value than saturated fats and may help appetite control. This study investigated the effects of chronic peanut oil consumption on appetite and food choice. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A total of 129 healthy adults from three countries (Brazil, Ghana and US) were randomly assigned to one of four treatment arms: consumption of peanut oil, olive oil or safflower oil as 30% of individual resting energy expenditure (REE) for 8 weeks or no dietary intervention. Participants received no other dietary guidance. They completed appetite questionnaires eliciting information about hunger, fullness, desire to eat, and prospective consumption during all waking hours for 1 day at weeks 2 and 6 and for 1 or 3 days at weeks 0, 4 and 8. Diet records were completed at weeks 0, 4 and 8. RESULTS: No differences in appetitive ratings were observed over the 8-week trial. There were no significant treatment by time interactions. Total caloric intake was significantly higher at week 8 relative to baseline (F=10.08, P<0.05). The increases for each treatment were: peanut oil=197+/-114; olive oil=237+/-121; safflower oil=274+/-90; control=75+/-71. Free-feeding intake, an index of dietary compensation, was reduced significantly at weeks 4 and 8 compared to baseline (F=9.08, P<0.00). The declines (compensation scores) were (kcals): peanut oil=-208+/-105 (46%); olive oil=-235+/-105 (50%); safflower oil=-186+/-102 (44%). There were no significant differences across countries in appetite ratings. DISCUSSION: A prior intervention with whole peanuts reported a dietary compensation score of 66% over 8 weeks, this compares to a 46% compensation score observed with peanut oil. Our data suggests that the lipid fraction in peanuts elicits a weak effect on satiety.