Effect of low-glucosinolate crambe meal in diet on lactational performance, efficiency of nutrient utilization, and hepatic function of crossbred Holstein × Zebu and Jersey cows.

Crambe meal (CM) is a potential dietary protein source for ruminant, but its effects in diets for lactating dairy cows remains unknown. We evaluated the effects of inclusion of the low-glucosinolates (GIs) CM (450 mg GIs/kg DM) in partial total mixed ration (pTMR) on performance, efficiency of nutrient utilization, and hepatic function of crossbred Holstein × Zebu and Jersey cows. Eight crossbred Holstein × Zebu cows and four Jersey cows were blocked by breed and days in milk, and randomly assigned in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design, and distributed in one of four isonitrogenous TMRs (130 g CP/kg DM): 0, 45, 90, and 135 g CM/kg DM pTMR. Crambe meal was included in pTMR replacing soybean meal (SBM) and ground corn grain (GCG). The pTMRs were offered ad libitum between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Cows were kept on pasture of Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça (90.4 g CP/kg DM) between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. Pasture intake was measured from external and internal fecal excretion marker. Inclusion of CM did not affect (P ≤ 0.05) the DM intakes of pTMR and pasture, apparent total-tract digestibilities of organic matter, CP and NDF, ruminal outflow microbial protein, milk yield, milk composition, urinary N excretion, milk N efficiency, and level of plasm hepatic enzymes. The effects of CM inclusion in pTMR were independent of breed. Low-glucosinolates CM can be incorporated up to 135 g/kg DM in pTMR in replacement of SBM and GCG without affecting performance, efficiency of nutrient utilization, and hepatic function of crossbred Holstein × Zebu and Jersey cows.

The Relationship of Oral Reading Fluency Endurance to Comprehension in an Intermediate Depth Orthography / [La relación entre la resistencia en la fluidez lectora y la comprensión en una ortografía de profundidad intermedia]

One-minute oral reading fluency (ORF) tests are widely used, but concerns have been raised regarding whether readers are able to maintain their performance if asked to read for a larger period. The main goals of this study were to investigate whether students are able to maintain their ORF performance in a three-minute task and whether scores measured at one and at three minutes are equally good predictors of the performance in a standardized reading comprehension measure. The sample was composed of 159 Portuguese primary school students (grades 2-4). The results suggested that the number of words read correctly (WRC) declined across reading time and that three-minute mean score underestimated fluency in all grade levels compared to a one-minute reading score. The WRC measured either at one minute or using a three-minute average score was an equal predictor of reading comprehension in all grades. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.(AU)

Las pruebas de fluidez lectora de un minuto son muy utilizadas, pero se ha planteado la preocupación de si los lectores son capaces de mantener su rendimiento si se les pide que lean durante un período más largo. Los objetivos principales de este estudio han sido investigar si los estudiantes son capaces de mantener su rendimiento de fluidez lectora en una tarea de tres minutos y si las puntuaciones medidas a uno y a tres minutos son igualmente predictoras del rendimiento en una medida estandarizada de comprensión lectora. La muestra estaba compuesta por 159 alumnos portugueses de primaria (2º a 4º curso). Los resultados sugieren que el número de palabras leídas correctamente (PLC) disminuyó a lo largo del tiempo de lectura y que la puntuación media a los tres minutos subestimó la fluidez en todos los cursos en comparación con la puntuación de un minuto de lectura. El PLC medido ya sea en un minuto o utilizando una puntuación media de tres minutos fue un predictor igual de la comprensión lectora en todos los cursos. Se discuten las implicaciones para la teoría y la práctica.(AU)

Phonological Awareness Assessment Test (PACOF) for Pre-school Children: Evidence of Validity and Reliability / El test de evaluación de la conciencia fonológica (PACOF) para niños de preescolar: pruebas de validez y fiabilidad

Phonological awareness problems have been identified as predictors of learning difficulties with reading and writing in alphabetic languages. The objective of this study is to present an analysis of the psychometric properties of the Phonological Awareness Assessment Test (PACOF), a computer-based test for assessing syllable, phoneme, and intra-syllable awareness in pre-schoolers. Two studies were conducted to collect: (1) evidence of concurrent validity and reliability (N = 30) and (2) evidence of predictive validity (N = 52). Significant correlations between the scores in PACOF and a different test of phonological awareness were found. Regarding reliability, test-retest results indicated a high stability in the scores over time. Concerning predictive validity, the results revealed that scores on the PACOF and on each of its three sub-scales obtained at the end of preschool predict future reading and writing performance. These findings suggest that the test is a reliable and valid measure to assess phonological awareness in pre-schoolers.(AU)

Se ha comprobado que los problemas de conciencia fonológica predicen las dificultades de aprendizaje de la lectura y la escritura en lenguas alfabéticas. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar las propiedades psicométricas del Test de Evaluación de la Conciencia Fonológica (PACOF), una prueba informatizada para evaluar la conciencia silábica, fonética e intrasilábica en niños de preescolar. Se realizaron dos estudios para recoger: (1) pruebas de fiabilidad y validez concurrente (N = 30) y (2) de validez predictiva (N = 52). Se encontró correlación significativa entre las puntuaciones en el PACOF y otra prueba estandarizada de conciencia fonológica. En cuanto a la fiabilidad, los resultados del test-retest destacan una gran estabilidad en las puntuaciones a lo largo del tiempo. Por lo que respecta a la validez predictiva, los resultados revelaron que las puntuaciones en el PACOF y en cada una de sus tres subescalas obtenidas al final de preescolar predicen el futuro rendimiento en lectura y escritura. Estos resultados sugieren que la prueba es una medida fiable y válida para evaluar la conciencia fonológica en niños de preescolar.(AU)

Prophylactic cholecystectomy in individuals with spinal cord injury: A systematic review.

CONTEXT: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with several gastrointestinal disorders, and the prevalence of cholelithiasis is high in this population. Because individuals with SCI may have atypical symptoms and more advanced disease, some treatment centers advocate prophylactic cholecystectomy for patients with SCI and gallstone disease. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the existence and quality of studies on prophylactic cholecystectomy in individuals with SCI and cholelithiasis. METHODS: A systematic search of literature up to July 10, 2022 was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines using the Medline, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases. Keywords used were "cholecystectomy," "gallbladder," "cholelithiasis," "gallstone," and "spinal cord injury." RESULTS: The search identified 118 articles, of which 4 met the inclusion criteria. All these were retrospective observational studies. Prophylactic cholecystectomy was performed in 4-16.5% of the participants. The causes of cholecystectomy were chronic cholecystitis with biliary colic (44.5-63.5%), acute cholecystitis (4-26%), choledocholithiasis (6-11%) and pancreatitis (2-6%). Operative times, conversion rates, estimated blood loss, severity of complications, morbidity and mortality did not differ significantly between individuals with SCI and neurologically able individuals. CONCLUSION: No prospective cohort studies comparing prophylactic cholecystectomy with conservative management in individuals with SCI and gallstone disease have been conducted. Therefore, there is no robust evidence to support prophylactic cholecystectomy and further studies are required.

Multivariate Nature of Fish Freshness Evaluation by Consumers.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the sensory acceptability limit of refrigerated fish through a multivariate approach, involving classic physicochemical and bacteriological indicators and considering different consumer profiles. The results of the survival analysis demonstrated that, in general, consumers still considered the fish to be suitable for purchase (4.128 days of storage), despite being microbiologically unsuitable for consumption. However, the subsequent division of consumers into clusters indicated that women and individuals with high income and education levels tend to reject fish with few days of storage (3.650 days), mainly due to discoloration, despite still being microbiologically suitable for consumption. Thus, these segments present a safer behavior regarding the purchase of fresh fish. The influence of different frequencies of fish consumption and age of consumers on the assessment of fish freshness was not clarified. The responsibility for ensuring safe and healthy products at the point of sale must lie with the producers and distributors. However, improving consumers' ability to make good choices when buying fresh fish would bring social and economic benefits related to public health and to the seafood industry, because it would enable them to make relevant claims and demand their rights.

COVID-19 contamination through food: A study with Brazilian consumers of different socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.

This study aimed to investigate through free word association the perception of Brazilian consumers regarding the possibility of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus through food. One thousand individuals answered the questionnaire via an online platform. Most cited terms (hygiene-8%, fear-8%, caution-5%) and categories (negative attitudes and feeling-72% and sanitization-60%) were related to overall COVID-19 infection rather than their specific infection through the food. The perception of the possibility of risk of this type of cross-contamination was greater for male participants, within the food field, with high income (>10 minimum wages), and from the midwest region. Nonetheless, there are still doubts regarding this possibility, especially for participants with low income (≤10 minimum wages), females, higher education (≥secondary school), who exercise professional activity outside the food sector and from most regions of Brazil. Practical applications: Although the SARS-CoV-2 virus was discovered 2 years ago, the emergence of new variants such as Omicron has increased infection and mortality rates worldwide. A possible way of COVID-19 infection is cross-contamination through food handling and contact surfaces if preventive measures are not applied. In this context, understanding the consumer perception from a continental-size country such as Brazil, with a wide variety of socioeconomic profiles, is crucial to minimize the severe impacts of the pandemic. Our study demonstrates the need to disseminate scientific information in different media to reduce misinformation, especially social media because most Brazilian consumers had doubts and uncertainties about the possibility of COVID-19 infection from cross-contamination through food.

An Intervention in Reading Disabilities Using a Digital Tool During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the last decade, ICT-based interventions for developing reading skills in children with reading disabilities have become increasingly popular. This study had three goals: (a) to assess the existence of gains in word reading, oral reading fluency and listening comprehension after a Tier 2 intervention using the digital tool "I'm still learning," which was delivered partially in a remote modality during the COVID-19 pandemic; (b) to investigate whether the gains depended on the students' gender, the number of sessions attended and the interventionist; and (c) to investigate parents' perceptions about the suitability and perceived effects of the intervention. A single group design with pre-test and post-test was used. The intervention was delivered to second graders (N = 81) flagged as being at-risk for reading disabilities in a universal screening. The analyses showed significant gains in all three outcome variables after the intervention. The gains did not depend on students' gender, number of intervention sessions attended or interventionist. Parents' perceptions of the remote intervention were positive. The study findings highlight the potentialities of using technology-based interventions to foster reading skills and suggest that these may be especially useful during lockdowns.

Assessing oral reading fluency within and across grade levels: Development of equated test forms.

Deficits in oral reading fluency (ORF) impair reading comprehension and tend to persevere throughout schooling. Therefore, the assessment and monitoring of the students' performance in ORF across time should be routinely performed to guide the instruction and intervention. The goal of this work was to develop and validate a test of ORF for Portuguese students from grades 1 to 6 (TAF - Teste de Avaliação da Fluência) that includes specific test forms for each grade level with equated scores that allow comparison across multiple assessment points. In study 1 (N = 1166), the chained equipercentile equating method was performed to equate the test forms' scores horizontally and vertically. The tests of differences performed using the equated scores indicated that they were similar within the same grade level but increased significantly across grade levels. In study 2 (N = 549), reliability and validity evidence for the test forms was collected. Test-retest correlations were higher than .90, suggesting a high stability of the scores. Significant correlations between the TAF scores and the ones obtained in other reading tests, teachers' judgments, and school outcomes, were obtained, thus providing evidence of validity for the developed test forms. This instrument allows not only interindividual comparisons but also the assessment of intra-individual changes in ORF across time or as a result of intervention programs, while avoiding learning effects that arise when the same measure is administered multiple times.

Avaliação da resistência à deformação plástica dos fios redondos de níquel-titânio / Evaluation of plastic deformation resistance of nickeltitanium round wires

Resumo As ligas de níquel-titânio (NiTi) possuem elasticidade elevada sem sofrer deformações plásticas permanentes, sendo amplamente indicadas nas primeiras fases do tratamento ortodôntico. O Objetivo deste estudo é avaliar a resistência de fios ortodônticos de NiTi termoativados em relação à deformação plástica. Foram avaliados fios de 6 marcas comerciais (GAC®, Morelli®, American Orthodontics®, Infinity®e 3M®). Primeiramente a partir de modelos prototipados foi simulada a relação entre deformação plástica e deflexão pela distância interbráquetes em 4 níveis de força a 37°C por 30 dias. Um segundo experimento foi realizado através da análise de fotografias padronizadas com diagramas observando o antes e depois de aplicada uma deformação ao fio a diferentes temperaturas. Os resultados do primeiro teste mostraram que todas as marcas comerciais testadas retornaram a sua forma original após sofrer deflexão por 30 dias. O segundo experimento mostrou que os fios da marca GAC® e American Orthodontics® não apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas comparando as medidas do fio antes da deformação, deformado e após aquecimento (fio aquecido). Já os fios das marcas 3M®, Orthometric® e Infinity®, Morelli apresentaram diferenças significantes entre os fios novos e os fios deformados, e entre os fios deformados e os fios aquecidos, porém, não houve diferenças significantes entre os fios novos e aquecidos. Concluiu-se que nenhum fio, em nenhuma magnitude de deflexão aplicada, sofreu deformação plástica (permanente). Assim, todos os fios das marcas comerciais testadas foram considerados satisfatórios para a prática clínica da Ortodontia no que diz respeito à resistência a deformação plástica. (AU)

Abstract Nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloys have high elasticity without suffering permanent plastic deformations, widely indicated in the early stages of orthodontic treatment. This study aims to evaluate the heat-activated NiTi orthodontic wires' resistance to plastic deformation. The wire from 6 commercial brands (GAC®, Morelli®, American Orthodontics®, Infinity®, and 3M®) was evaluated first from prototype models, simulating the relationship between plastic deformation and deflection by the inter bracket distance at four levels of force at 37° C for 30 days. A second experiment was carried out by analyzing standardized photographs with diagrams observing the before and after deformation was applied to the wire at different temperatures. The first test showed that all tested trademarks returned to their original shape after deflecting for 30 days. The second experiment showed that GAC® and American Orthodontics® wires did not present statistically significant differences comparing the wire measurements before deformed deformation and after heating (heated wire). On the other hand, 3M®, Orthometric® and Infinity®, Morelli wires showed significant differences between new and deformed wires and between twisted and heated wires; however, there were no significant differences between new and heated wires. It was concluded that no wire, at any magnitude of applied deflection, suffered plastic (permanent) deformation. Thus, all wires of the commercial brands tested were considered satisfactory for the clinical practice of Orthodontics in terms of resistance to plastic deformation.(AU)

Parental Reports of Preschoolers' Lexical and Syntactic Development: Validation of the CDI-III for European Portuguese.

This study presents the validation analysis of the European Portuguese version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory III (CDI-III-PT). The CDI-III-PT is a parental report measure allowing researchers to assess expressive vocabulary and the syntactic abilities of children aged 2;6-4;0. In this study, we present a version comprising a lexical subscale which follows the Swedish adaptation and an original syntactic subscale allowing us to include language-specific structures. The reports of 739 children were collected; in addition, a standardized measure of language was also administered to a sub-sample of these children and the reports of preschool teachers were collected for another sub-sample. The results indicate a high internal consistency of the lexical and syntactic subscales. As for sociodemographic variables often found to be predictors of language development, as measured by this type of instrument, the results indicate that age and maternal education are significant predictors of the scores, and that first-born children attain higher scores in vocabulary than later born children, but no significant gender differences were found. The scores of the CDI-III-PT are positively correlated with the ones obtained in the standardized language measure, thus supporting their validity. A high agreement between the reports of parents and teachers was also found. These findings indicate that the CDI-III-PT has adequate psychometric properties and that it can be a useful tool for research and clinical practice. The age-based norms that are now provided can be used to evaluate whether a child is performing poorly compared to their peers.

Developing and Validating Tests of Reading and Listening Comprehension for Fifth and Sixth Grade Students in Portugal.

An efficient assessment of reading and linguistic abilities in school children requires reliable and valid measures. Moreover, measures which include specific test forms for different academic grade levels, that are vertically equated, allow the direct comparison of results across multiple time points and avoid floor and ceiling effects. Two studies were conducted to achieve these goals. The purpose of the first study was to develop tests of reading and listening comprehension in European Portuguese, with vertically scaled test forms for students in the fifth and sixth grades, using Rasch model analyses. The purpose of the second study was to collect evidence for the validity of these tests based on the relationships of test scores with other variables. The samples included 454 and 179 students for the first and second study, respectively. The data from both studies provided evidence for good psychometric characteristics for the test forms: unidimensionality and local independence, as well as adequate reliability and evidence of validity. The developed test forms are an important contribution in the Portuguese educational context as they allow for the assessment of students' performance in these skills across multiple time points and can be used both in research and practice.

Mudanças na produção de histórias escritas de escolares em fase de alfabetização a partir de apoio metatextual / Changes in the written stories production of students on the basic literacy by means of a metatextual support / Cambios en la producción de historias escritas de estudiantes en fase de alfabetización a partir del apoyo metatextual

Objetivo: verificar a evolução da produção de histórias escritas de escolares ao longo de um programa metatextual. Método: o programa foi aplicado nas escolas dos participantes, utilizando-se um delineamento quase-experimental com duas condições de intervenção: na primeira eram utilizadas instruções explícitas, tendo o professor como mediador e, na segunda, o sujeito se apoiava em uma estratégia de autorregulação. A base para a intervenção consistiu no uso da leitura de imagens em sequência para formar uma história, inicialmente oral e, em seguida, escrita. A análise de dados foi baseada na classificação das histórias escritas e foram aplicados os testes de ANOVA e Pairwise Comparisons de Bonferroni. Resultados: indicaram diferenças significativas nas produções com e sem apoio tutorial. Conclusão: o programa utilizado tratou de uma tecnologia educacional eficaz para melhorar e/ou aperfeiçoar a produção de textos narrativos em sala de aula.

Objective: to assess the evolution of the written production of students, over the application of a metatextual program. Method: the program was implemented in the participants' schools, using a quasi-experimental design, with two intervention conditions: in the first condition, we used explicit instructions and the teacher was the mediator. And in the second one, the student used a self-regulatory strategy, without the mediator. The basis for the intervention was reading the pictures in sequence to form a story, which was told orally at first, and then in written way. Data analysis was based on the classification of written stories and statistical tests: ANOVA and Bonferroni's Pairwise Comparisons. Results: the results indicated significant differences in productions with and without tutorial support. Conclusion: the program is an effective teaching tool to improve and/or enhance the production of narrative texts in the classroom.

Objetivo: verificar la evolución de la producción escrita de estudiantes durante un programa metatextual. Metodología: el programa fue aplicado en las escuelas de los participantes, utilizando un diseño observacional con dos condiciones de intervención: en la primera, fueron utilizados instrucciones explícitas con el profesor como mediador, y en la segunda, el tema se basó en una estrategia de autorregulación sin la mediación del profesor. La base de la intervención fue el uso de lectura secuencial de imágenes para formar una historia, inicialmente oral y luego, escrita. El análisis de los datos se basó en la clasificación de las historias escritas y en los testes ANOVA e Pairwise Comparisons de Bonferroni. Resultados: indicaron diferencias significativas en producciones con y sin apoyo del tutor. Conclusión: El programa utilizado es un recurso didáctico eficaz para mejorar y/o perfeccionar la producción de textos narrativos en la clase.

Instrumental color and oxidative stability of light and dark muscles of Nile tilapia / Cor instrumental e estabilidade oxidativa de músculos claros e escuros de tilápia do Nilo

ABSTRACT: The aim of the present study was to compare the color and oxidative stability of light (LM) and dark (DM) muscles of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) stored at 4 °C for eight days. Five different trials of LM and DM samples were analyzed for instrumental color attributes (lightness, redness and yellowness), including the surface color stability through ratio of reflectance at 630/580 nm (R630/580), myoglobin concentration, total lipid content, fatty acid profile, metmyoglobin reducing activity (MRA), pH, lipid oxidation and protein oxidation. Results of the present study indicated that DM of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) present lower oxidative and color stability during refrigerated storage than LM.

RESUMO: O objetivo do presente estudo foi comparar a estabilidade de cor e oxidativa de músculos claros (LM) e escuros (DM) de tilápia do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) armazenados a 4° C por oito dias. Cinco repetições diferentes de amostras de LM e DM foram analisadas quanto aos atributos instrumentais de cor (luminosidade, teor de vermelho e teor de amarelo), incluindo a estabilidade de cor na superfície através da razão de refletâncias nos comprimentos de onda 630 e 580 nm (R630/580), concentração de mioglobina, lipídios totais, perfil de ácidos graxos, atividade de redução da metamioglobina (MRA), pH, oxidação lipídica e oxidação proteica. Os resultados do presente estudo indicam que músculos escuros (DM) de tilápia do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) apresentam menor estabilidade oxidativa e de cor durante o armazenamento refrigerado, quando comparados aos músculos claros (LM).

Climate Scale for Creativity in the Classroom: Evidence of Factorial Validity in the Portuguese Context / Escala Clima para Criatividade em Sala de Aula: Evidência de Validade Fatorial no Contexto Português / Escala Clima para la Creatividad en la Classe: Evidencia de Validez Factorial en el Contexto Português

Abstract Creative abilities are a requirement for the present and can be intentionally promoted from the beginning of the life course. The school environment appears as privileged in this promotion, being the facilitation of a creative climate in the classroom one of the ways to operationalize it. This climate can be investigated from the perspective of the students. The purpose of this study was to adapt, for the Portuguese context, the Classroom Climate for Creativity Scale, designed in Brazil. Four hundred and thirty-six students from 3rd and 4th grade participated in the study (Mean age=9 years old). The results indicate an instrument with 22 items, to be answered on a 5-point Likert scale, which evaluates four factors (Teacher Support for Expression of Student Ideas, Student Self-perception of Creativity, Student Interest in Learning, Student Autonomy). The alpha reliability coefficients varied from .52 to .80. It may be useful in investigations on the perception of Portuguese students about creative teaching practices and on the self-evaluation of creativity, as well as for diagnosing the climate for creativity in the classroom.

Resumo Habilidades criativas são um requisito para a atualidade e podem ser intencionalmente promovidas desde o início do percurso de vida. O ambiente escolar surge como privilegiado nessa promoção, sendo a facilitação de um clima criativo em sala de aula uma das formas de operacionalizá-la. Esse clima pode ser investigado sob a ótica dos alunos. O objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar, para o contexto português, a Escala sobre o Clima para a Criatividade em Sala de Aula, desenvolvida no Brasil. Participaram da pesquisa 436 alunos dos 3º e 4º anos de escolaridade (idade média=9 anos). Os resultados mostram um instrumento com 22 itens, a serem respondidos em uma escala Likert de 5 pontos, a qual avalia quatro fatores (Suporte do Professor à Expressão de Ideias do Aluno, Autopercepção do Aluno com Relação à Criatividade, Interesse do Aluno pela Aprendizagem, Autonomia do Aluno). Os coeficientes alfa de fidedignidade variaram de 0,52 a 0,80. Ela pode ser útil em pesquisas sobre a percepção de alunos portugueses sobre práticas incentivadoras à criatividade por parte dos docentes e sobre a autoavaliação de criatividade, bem como para fins de diagnóstico do clima para criatividade em sala de aula.

Resumen Las habilidades creativas son un requisito para la actualidad y pueden promoverse intencionalmente desde el inicio del recorrido de la vida. El ambiente escolar surge como privilegiado en esta promoción, siendo la facilitación de un clima creativo en el aula una de las formas de operacionalizarla. Este clima puede ser investigado bajo la óptica de los alumnos. El objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar al contexto portugués, el clima escala para la creatividad en el aula, desarrollado en Brasil. Participaron de la encuesta 436 alumnos de los 3º y 4º años de escolaridade (edade media=9 años). Los resultados muestran un instrumento con 22 ítems, a ser respondidos en una escala likert de 5 puntos, que evalúa cuatro factores (Apoyo a la Expresión de Ideas del Alumno, Autopercepción de creatividad, Interés del Alumno por el Aprendizaje, Autonomía del Alumno). Los coeficientes alfa de fidedignidade variaram de 0.52 a 0.80. Puede ser útil en la investigación sobre la percepción de los estudiantes portugueses sobre las prácticas de enseñanza que fomentan la creatividad y la autoevaluación de la creatividad, así como para fines de diagnóstico del clima para la creatividad en el aula.

Differences in quality of life and cognition between the elderly and the very elderly hemodialysis patients / Diferenças na cognição e na qualidade de vida entre os pacientes idosos e os muito idosos em hemodiálise

Abstract Introduction: In the last decades, there was an expressive increase in the number of elderly patients with chronic kidney disease starting hemodialysis. Thus, our goal was to evaluate the profile of the elderly in chronic hemodialysis and to compare the cognition and quality of life of the younger elderly with those of the very elderly. Methods: Patients on hemodialysis for at least 3 months, who were 65 years of age or older when they started dialysis were invited to participate, and stratified according to age (under or over 80 years). The participants answered a clinical-epidemiological questionnaire and underwent cognitive tests (Mini Mental State Exam [MMSE], clock drawing test [CDT] and verbal fluency test [VFT]) and a quality of life assessment 36- Item Short Form Health Survey). Results: Of the 125 eligible patients, 124 agreed to participate. The mean age was 76 ± 6 years (28% ≥ 80 years), 56% were men and 55% had ≥ 8 years of schooling. Depression was suggested in 38%. The prevalence of cognitive deficit was 38%, 70% and 30%, by MEEM, CDT and VFT, respectively. The prevalence of any deficit was higher among the very elderly (94% vs. 72%, p = 0.007). Quality of life scores were similar between the two age groups, except for the functional capacity domain, worse in the group with ≥ 80 years (p = 0.033). Conclusion: Elderly patients on chronic hemodialysis have a high prevalence of cognitive deficits, especially the very elderly, but this group does not have a worse quality of life, except for functional capacity.

Resumo Introdução: Nas últimas décadas, houve um aumento expressivo no número de pacientes idosos com doença renal crônica iniciando hemodiálise. Assim, nosso objetivo foi avaliar o perfil de idosos em hemodiálise crônica e comparar a cognição e a qualidade de vida dos idosos com as de muito idosos. Métodos: Pacientes em hemodiálise havia pelo menos 3 meses, que tinham 65 anos ou mais quando começaram o tratamento dialítico foram convidados a participar, e estratificados de acordo com a idade (menores ou maiores de 80 anos). Os participantes responderam a um questionário clinico-epidemiológico e foram submetidos a testes cognitivos (miniexame do estado mental [MEEM], teste do relógio [TDR] e teste de fluência verbal [TFV]) e a uma avaliação de qualidade de vida 36-Item Short Form Health Survey). Resultados: Dos 125 pacientes elegíveis, 124 concordaram em participar. A idade média foi de 76 ± 6 anos (28% ≥ 80 anos), 56% eram homens e 55% tinham ≥ 8 anos de escolaridade. Depressão foi sugerida em 38%. A prevalência de déficit cognitivo foi 38%, 70% e 30%, pelo MEEM, TDR e TFV, respectivamente. A prevalência de qualquer déficit foi maior entre os muito idosos (94% vs. 72%, p = 0,007). Os escores de qualidade de vida foram semelhantes entre os dois grupos etários, exceto pelo domínio da capacidade funcional, pior no grupo com ≥ 80 anos (p = 0.033). Conclusão: Os pacientes idosos em hemodiálise crônica apresentam elevada prevalência de déficit cognitivo, especialmente os muito idosos, mas esse grupo não possui pior qualidade de vida, exceto pelo aspecto da capacidade funcional.

The development of vocabulary and grammar: a longitudinal study of European Portuguese-speaking toddlers.

The goals of this study were to analyze the growth and stability of vocabulary, mean length of the three longest utterances (MLLUw), and sentence complexity in European Portuguese-speaking children aged 1;4-2;6, to explore differences in growth as a function of personal and family-related variables, and to investigate the inter-relationships among the three language dimensions. Fifty-one European Portuguese-speaking toddlers were longitudinally assessed at 1;4, 1;9, 2;1, and 2;6, through parent reports. Exponential growth models best described acquisition patterns during this period, but the vocabulary growth accelerated across the full age-range, whereas the growth of grammar dimensions accelerated mainly after 1;9. High variability was observed in the scores, but the toddlers' relative positions were mostly stable over time. Gender approached significance as a predictor of vocabulary growth. Maternal educational level did not predict the growth of any of the three language dimensions. Both vocabulary and MLLUw predicted sentence complexity.

Differences in quality of life and cognition between the elderly and the very elderly hemodialysis patients.

INTRODUCTION: In the last decades, there was an expressive increase in the number of elderly patients with chronic kidney disease starting hemodialysis. Thus, our goal was to evaluate the profile of the elderly in chronic hemodialysis and to compare the cognition and quality of life of the younger elderly with those of the very elderly. METHODS: Patients on hemodialysis for at least 3 months, who were 65 years of age or older when they started dialysis were invited to participate, and stratified according to age (under or over 80 years). The participants answered a clinical-epidemiological questionnaire and underwent cognitive tests (Mini Mental State Exam [MMSE], clock drawing test [CDT] and verbal fluency test [VFT]) and a quality of life assessment 36- Item Short Form Health Survey). RESULTS: Of the 125 eligible patients, 124 agreed to participate. The mean age was 76 ± 6 years (28% ≥ 80 years), 56% were men and 55% had ≥ 8 years of schooling. Depression was suggested in 38%. The prevalence of cognitive deficit was 38%, 70% and 30%, by MEEM, CDT and VFT, respectively. The prevalence of any deficit was higher among the very elderly (94% vs. 72%, p = 0.007). Quality of life scores were similar between the two age groups, except for the functional capacity domain, worse in the group with ≥ 80 years (p = 0.033). CONCLUSION: Elderly patients on chronic hemodialysis have a high prevalence of cognitive deficits, especially the very elderly, but this group does not have a worse quality of life, except for functional capacity.

Muscle-specific color stability in fresh beef from grain-finished Bos indicus cattle.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the color and oxidative stabilities of longissimus lumborum (LL) and psoas major (PM) muscles from grain-finished Bos indicus cattle in Brazil. METHODS: The LL and PM muscles were obtained 24 h post-mortem from eight (n = 8) Nellore bull carcasses, fabricated into 1.5-cm steaks, aerobically packaged, and stored at 4°C for nine days. Steaks were analyzed for myoglobin concentration, pH, instrumental color, metmyoglobin reducing activity (MRA) and lipid oxidation. RESULTS: The LL steaks exhibited greater (p<0.05) redness, color stability, and MRA than their PM counterparts on days 5 and 9. The LL and PM steaks demonstrated similar (p>0.05) lightness and yellowness on days 0, 5, and 9. On the other hand, PM steaks exhibited greater (p<0.05) myoglobin concentration, pH, and lipid oxidation than their LL counterparts. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that muscle source influenced the color and oxidative stabilities of beef from grain-finished Bos indicus animals. These results highlighted the necessity of muscle-specific strategies to improve the color stability of beef from grain-fed Bos indicus cattle.

Gender differences in sleep patterns and sleep complaints of elite athletes.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the gender differences for sleep complaints, patterns and disorders of elite athletes during preparation for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. METHODS: The study included 146 athletes from the Brazilian Olympic Team (male: n=86; 59%; female: n=60; 41%). The assessment of the Olympic athletes' sleep took place in 2015, during the preparation period for the Rio Olympic Games. The athletes underwent a single polysomnography (PSG) evaluation. Sleep specialists evaluated the athletes and asked about their sleep complaints during a clinical consultation. In this evaluation week, the athletes did not take part in any training or competitions. RESULTS: The prevalence of sleep complaints was 53% of the athletes during the medical consultation, the most prevalent being insufficient sleep/waking up tired (32%), followed by snoring (21%) and insomnia (19.2%). In relation to the sleep pattern findings, the men had significantly higher sleep latency and wake after sleep onset than the women (p=0.004 and p=0.002, respectively). The sleep efficiency and sleep stages revealed that men had a lower percentage of sleep efficiency and slow wave sleep than the women (p=0.001 and p=0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Most athletes reported some sleep complaints, with men reporting more sleep complaints than women in the clinical evaluation. The PSG showed that 36% of all athletes had a sleep disorder with a greater reduction in sleep quality in men than in women.

Efeitos de Intervenções em Letramento Emergente: Uma Revisão Bibliográfica na Base ScIELO / Effects of Emergent Literacy Interventions: A Literature Review in the SciELO Database

Resumo Na perspectiva do letramento emergente, a alfabetização é influenciada pelas seguintes competências: processamento fonológico, conhecimentos sobre a escrita e linguagem oral. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo realizar um levantamento sistemático, na base de dados SciELO, de estudos que analisaram o efeito de programas visando ao desenvolvimento de habilidades de letramento emergente em pré-escolares nos últimos dez anos. Dos 15 estudos identificados, oito foram intervenções focadas no desenvolvimento da consciência fonológica, quatro tiveram foco na linguagem oral, baseando-se na leitura compartilhada e três abordaram ambos os tipos de habilidades. Apesar da diversidade, apenas um estudo não obteve efeitos positivos significativos. Os resultados sugerem maior eficácia de programas abordando tanto habilidades linguísticas, quanto metalinguísticas. Questões metodológicas e implicações educacionais são discutidas.

Abstract In the early literacy approach, learning to read is affected by phonological processing, print awareness and oral language skills. This study aimed to conduct a search in the SciELO database for research that analyzed the effect of programs seeking to develop early literacy skills in kindergartners in the past ten years. Fifteen studies were identified: eight were interventions focused on phonological awareness development, four were focused on oral language based on shared reading and three were focused on both sets of skills. Despite the diversity, only one study did not show significant effects. The results suggest that programs that integrate both linguistic and metalinguistic skills are more effective. Methodological questions and educational implications of the studies are also discussed.