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The aim of this study was to examine the association of social activities with cognitive performance in older adults in the southern area of Brazil, considering the important moderating role of physical vulnerability. A prospective population-based study was conducted in the rural area of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Self-reported social activities were collected at baseline. Cognitive performance and physical vulnerability were measured in the second wave of data collection. The association of social activities with cognitive performance was determined using robust generalized linear models. In adjusted analysis, the social activities were positively associated with cognitive performance in physically vulnerable older adults. However, this association was not found in those who were nonvulnerable. Our findings may contribute to future investigations of possible explanatory avenues for the association between social activities and cognitive performance as well as the development of interventions aimed at improving cognitive skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rebleeding from a ruptured aneurysm increases the risk of unfavorable outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and is prevented by early aneurysm occlusion. The role of antifibrinolytics before aneurysm obliteration remains controversial. We investigated the effects of tranexamic acid on long-term functional outcomes of patients with aneurysmal SAH (aSAH). Methods: This was a single-center, prospective, observational study conducted in a high-volume tertiary hospital in a middle-income country from December 2016 to February 2020. We included all consecutive patients with aSAH who either received or did not receive tranexamic acid (TXA) treatment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis using propensity score was used to evaluate the association of TXA use with long-term functional outcomes, measured by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 6 months. Results: A total of 230 patients with aSAH were analyzed. The median (interquartile range) age was 55 (46–63) years, 72% were women, 75% presented with good clinical grade (World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade 1–3), and 83% had a Fisher scale of 3 or 4. Around 80% of patients were admitted up to 72 h from ictus. The aneurysm occlusion method was surgical clipping in 80% of the patients. A total of 129 patients (56%) received TXA. In multivariable logistic regression using inverse probability treatment weighting, the long-term rate of unfavorable outcomes (modified Rankin scale 4–6) was the same in the TXA and non-TXA groups (61 [48%] in TXA group vs. 33 [33%] in non-TXA group; odds ratio [OR] 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67–2.92; p = 0.377). The TXA group had higher in-hospital mortality (33 vs. 11% in non-TXA group; OR 4.13, 95% CI 1.55–12.53, p = 0.007). There were no differences between the groups concerning intensive care unit length of stay (16 ± 11.22 days in TXA group vs. 14 ± 9.24 days in non-TXA group; p = 0.2) or hospital (23 ± 13.35 days in TXA group vs. 22 ± 13.36 days in non-TXA group; p = 0.9). There was no difference in the rates of rebleeding (7.8% in TXA group vs. 8.9% in non-TXA group; p = 0.31) or delayed cerebral ischemia (27% in TXA group vs. 19% in non-TXA group; p = 0.14). For the propensity-matched analysis, 128 individuals were selected (64 in TXA group and 64 in non-TXA group), and the rates of unfavorable outcomes at 6 months were also similar between groups (45% in TXA group and 36% in non-TXA group; OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.51–2.89; p = 0.655). Conclusions: Our findings in a cohort with delayed aneurysm treatment reinforce previous data that TXA use before aneurysm occlusion does not improve functional outcomes in aSAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research on the association between high body mass index (BMI) and working memory (WM) has been cross-sectional in design, limiting conclusions about long-term effects of overweight and obesity on WM. The aim of this study was to examine the association of BMI trajectory from 11 to 22 years with WM at 22 years of age. Data from the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study were analyzed (N = 3,010). Information on BMI was collected at ages 11, 15, 18, and 22 years. Group-based trajectory modeling was used separately for each sex to identify BMI trajectories. Working Memory performance (Digit Span backward score) was examined at age 22. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the association between BMI trajectory from 11 to 22 years and WM at age 22. In both sexes, the trajectory groups were: stable normal weight, stable overweight, and stable obesity. In the adjusted analyses, women in the stable-obesity group had lower WM at 22 years (β = −.49; 95% CI: −0.75, −0.23; p <.001) than those in the stable-normal weight group. No associations were found between BMI trajectories and WM in men. This study may contribute to future investigations of possible explanatory avenues for the association between high BMI and WM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the large volume of sewage generated every day, there is a high demand for its treatment. The by-product (called sludge) generated after the treatment process has caused problems in terms of its final disposal. Since the typical end off for this waste is landfills, it is mandatory reducing the landfill amount and the risk of soil contamination. The present work explored an adequate final disposal of the sludge as a sustainable alternative. For this purpose, briquettes were produced using dry sludge from the Sewage Treatment Plant of the Minas Gerais (Brazil) Sanitation Company and vegetable oil used to thicken the briquettes. These briquettes were compared to eucalyptus charcoal in terms of their calorific potential, through immediate analysis, since Brazil has a high demand for primary energy, especially in the industrial sphere. The calorific potential of charcoal reached 16.66 MJ/kg, while that of briquette reached 12.94 MJ/kg. However, briquettes had a density much higher than charcoal, so it takes a smaller volume of briquettes to achieve the same burning capacity as a large volume of charcoal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying nematode damage in large soybean areas is not always achievable in a practical way. Multispectral reflectance sensors have not been thoroughly evaluated to detect nematode damage in soybeans (Glycine max L.). The main research aims of this study were to: (i) determine the bivariate relationship between individual spectral bands and vegetation indices (VIs) relative to soybean conditions (symptomatic versus asymptomatic), and (ii) to select the best model for identifying plant conditions using three algorithms (logistic regression—LR, random forest—RF, conditional inference tree—CIT) and three options for data input using bands, vegetation indices (VIs), and bands plus VIs. The trial was conducted in Brazil on three on-farm soybean fields presenting different species of nematode infestation. Multispectral imagery was obtained using a drone-mounted MicaSense RedEdge® sensor. At each sampling, georeferenced point nematode infestation and spectral measurements of soybean plants were retrieved for the classification of symptomatic and asymptomatic areas, according to the threshold level adopted. Bivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA), LR, RF, and CIT were used to select the multispectral bands/VIs that discriminated among symptomatic and asymptomatic plants, assessing the best model via their respective parameters for accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. The greatest classification accuracy (>0.70) was achieved when using the CIT algorithm with the spectral bands only, with green (560 ± 20 nm) and near-infrared (840 ± 40 nm) included as the main spectral input variables in the model. These results demonstrate the potential of combining remotely sensed data and machine learning to distinguish nematode-symptomatic and asymptomatic soybean plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Effects of Tranexamic Acid in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Brazil: A Prospective Observational Study with Propensity Score Analysis" published in the journal Neurocritical Care. The correction involves updating the name of one of the coauthors from Leticia Peterson to Letícia Petterson. The publisher, Springer Nature, maintains a neutral stance on jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. The article was authored by Carla B. Rynkowski, Vanessa Hegele, Pedro Henrique Rigotti Soares, Monica Lopes Tonello, Letícia Petterson, Frederico Klein Gomes, Alejandro A. Rabinstein, Leonardo S. L. Bastos, Ricardo Turon, Bruno Gonçalves, Cassia Righy, Fernando A. Bozza, and Pedro Kurtz. [Extracted from the article]

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are one of the major pests of agricultural crops worldwide. In Brazil, these nematodes are widely distributed in melon fields, and there are no reports of resistant melon cultivars. This study aimed to estimate genetic variance components for the selection of melon genotypes resistant to Meloidogyne incognita , M. javanica , and M. enterolobii. Two experiments were carried out in a completely randomized design, the first with 14 replications and the second with 10 replications, in a factorial design. Thirteen melon genotypes were tested. In both experiments, the total number of eggs and juveniles (TNEJ) was estimated and used to determine the reproduction factor (RF) and reproduction index (RI) of nematodes. Melon genotypes showed wide genetic variability in resistance to the three nematode species, resulting in high estimates of heritability (92%) and accuracy (96%). Such findings indicate the possibility of genetic gains with selection. Melon AC-09, PI157082, and 'Ouro' were found to be sources of resistance to M. incognita , M. javanica , and M. enterolobii , respectively. [Display omitted] • Thirteen genotypes were tested against M. incognita , M. enterolobii and M. javanica. • Genetic parameters were estimated using the REML/BLUP methodology. • Genotypes AC-09, PI157082, and 'Ouro' are resistant to at least one Meloidogyne sp. • The genotypes can be sources of resistance for plant breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of the study: Mentha piperita is a plant popularly known in Brazil as “hortelã-pimenta” whose essential oil is used in folk medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, expectorant actions and anti-congestive. Here, it was investigated the effect of Mentha piperita essential oil (peppermint oil) in rat tracheal rings along with its mechanism of action. Materials and methods: Tracheal tissue from Male Wistar rats (250–300g) were used. Peppermint oil was added in cumulative concentrations [1–300μg/ml] to the tissue basal tonus or pre-contracted by carbachol [10μM] at 10min intervals, incubated or not with indomethacin [10μM], l-N-metyl-nitro-arginine [100μM], hexamethonium [500μM], or tetraethylammonium [5mM]. Results: Peppermint oil [100 and 300μg/ml] inhibited the contractions induced by carbachol, which was reversed by indomethacin, l-N-metyl-nitro-arginine and hexamethonium, but not by tetraethylammonium. These data suggest the participation of prostaglandin E2, nitric oxide and autonomic ganglions in the peppermint oil relaxant effect and may be correlated with its popular use in respiratory diseases. Conclusions: Peppermint oil exhibited antispasmodic activity on rat trachea involving prostaglandins and nitric oxide synthase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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Maternal mental health during different stages of life can have a significant impact on a child's cognitive development. This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal CMD at two distinct stages of the offspring's life (at 3 months and 11 years) and their IQ scores at 6 and 18 years across two birth cohorts. The study utilized data from two Brazilian birth cohorts: the 1993 cohort (full sample: N = 3719, subsample: N = 436), and the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort (N = 3440). IQ assessments were conducted at ages 18 and 6, employing the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, third version (WAIS-III), and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, third version (WISC-III), respectively. The presence of maternal CMD at 3 months and 11 years of age was evaluated using the Brazilian version of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). After adjustment, participants whose mothers experienced CMD at 3 months had average IQ scores 1.74 (95 % CI: -2.83 to -0.67) and 2.79 (95 % CI: -5.54 to -0.04) points lower at ages 6 (2004 cohort) and 18 (1993 cohort subsample), respectively. Furthermore, in the 1993 cohort (both full and subsample), maternal CMD at 11 years was associated with lower IQ scores at age 18. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this association, emphasized by these findings, is crucial for promoting children's cognitive development, educational achievement, and overall well-being., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors contributed to study design, data analysis, data interpretation, and drafting and revision of the manuscript, and gave final approval of the version to be submitted for publication. The corresponding author had full access to all the data in the study and had final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication. The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study evaluates the association of birth conditions with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) in adults using data from two birth cohorts in the city of Pelotas Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. In 1982 and 1993 all births in the city were identified and have been prospectively monitored. In the follow-ups at 30 and 22 years of the 1982 (n = 3,574) and 1993 (n = 3,780) cohorts, respectively, participants were examined, and trained psychologists applied the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.). Those individuals who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria were defined as positive for ADHD. Poisson regression with robust variance adjustment was used to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) adjusted for sex, maternal skin color, family income, maternal age, maternal schooling during pregnancy, maternal marital status, parity, and maternal smoking during pregnancy. The prevalence of adult ADHD was 4.4% and 4.5% in the 1982 and 1993 cohorts, respectively. The prevalence of ADHD was higher in those born with lower weight, but no linear trend was observed, and those born with weight between 3,000 and 3,499 grams (PR = 1.40; 95%CI: 1.05-1.86) had the highest risk. For gestational age, we observed an inversely proportional relationship for the presence of ADHD: preterm infants had a 33% higher risk (95%CI: 0.90-1.96) of being considered as having ADHD than those born at 39 or more weeks, but as the confidence interval included nullity, this association may have occurred at random. These results indicate that birth weight and gestational age may be associated with adult ADHD.

Introduction: recurrence rates for primary hernia repair range from 0.5 to 15 percent depending upon the hernia site, type of repair, and clinical circumstances. Many risk factors are known and they must be considered before the procedure. In developing countries, follow up and maintenance of databases are critical to understand the real numbers., Methods: a retrospective cohort study analyzed adult patients who have undergone inguinal hernia repair at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, a tertiary care government public hospital, between 2013 and 2015. Medical records, telephone, and letter contact have been reviewed in order to complete the minimum period of 5 years of follow-up. The analyzed data focused on the surgeon's experience and the recurrence rate in 5 years of follow-up., Results: a total of 1094 medical records were selected and a complete five years follow-up were possible in 454 patients - 538 inguinal hernia repairs due to bilateral approach in 84 patients. These 454 patients answered, in a validated questionnaire about symptoms of recurrence. The total recurrence rate was 9.29%. For the patients who had Nyhus IV, recurrence rate was 24.1% against 9.9% after primary hernia repair, with a 2.4 higher risk. There was no difference in recurrence between surgeons and training surgeons., Conclusion: our data reveal an acceptable recurrence rate in a tertiary care hospital with residents, and to our knowledge is the first Brazilian report with long term follow up. An increased re-recurrent hernia was found when compared with primary hernia repair.

Objective: This study investigated the association between screen time in adolescence and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) at 22 years old., Method: A sample of 2333 participants aged 11 years old without ADHD from the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study (Brazil) was followed up until the age of 22. Screen time variables included time spent in television, video game and computer at 11, 15, and 18 years old. ADHD was assessed at 22 years., Results: ADHD symptoms at 22 years was positively associated with television time at 11 years, computer time at 18 years and total screen time at ages 11, 15, and 18 years. Television time at 11 years and total screen time at 18 years were associated with diagnosis of ADHD at 22 years of age., Conclusions: Our findings may contribute to future investigations of possible explanatory avenues for these associations.

Background: The role of transient obstructive cholestasis on liver histology remains undetermined., Objective: To investigate whether transient cholestasis impairs liver histology., Design and Setting: Cross-sectional study at a public university hospital (UNICAMP), Brazil., Methods: 169 individuals undergoing cholecystectomy, with or without cholestasis. were enrolled. Histopathological findings were correlated with clinical and biochemical characteristics., Results: Biliary hepatopathy was more frequent in individuals with resolved cholestasis than in those with active obstruction or no jaundice (P < 0.01), as also were fibrosis and ductular proliferation (P = 0.02). Cholestasis was commoner in individuals with resolved obstruction than in those with no history (P < 0.01) or active cholestasis (P < 0.05). Biliary hepatopathy was associated with longer duration of cholestasis (P < 0.001) and higher bilirubin levels (P = 0.02) in individuals with active obstruction; with lower body mass index (P = 0.02) and longer cholestasis (P < 0.001) in individuals with resolved obstruction; and with longer cholestasis (P < 0.001) and longer interval between endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and surgery (P = 0.03) overall. In individuals with active obstruction, duration of cholestasis (R = 0.7; P < 0.001) and bilirubin levels (R = 0.6; P = 0.004) were independently correlated with cholestasis severity. Duration of cholestasis (R = 0.7; P < 0.001) was independently correlated with ductular proliferation severity., Conclusions: Transient cholestasis was associated with significant histopathological changes, even after its resolution. Longer duration of obstruction correlated with greater severity of histopathological changes, especially cholestasis and ductular proliferation. This emphasizes the need for early treatment of obstructive cholestasis.

Little is known about the effects of excessive screen time on Working Memory (WM) in adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between measures of screen time in adolescence and Working Memory. Data from the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study were analyzed (N = 3625). Self-reported screen time was collected at ages 11, 15 and 18. Working Memory performance (Digit Span backward score) was examined at age 22. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the associations between three screen time measures (television, video game and computer time) for each age and WM at age 22. We also evaluated the direct and indirect effect by mediation analysis, using the intelligence quotient (IQ) at 18 years as mediator. In men, television and video game time at 11 years and computer at ages 11 and 15 years had a positive effect on WM. Also, these effects were mediated through IQ. In women there was no significant association between screen time measures at ages 11, 15, and 18 and WM. This study provides new insights about the relationship between television, videogame, and computer time with WM in adolescents, by exploring the paths of these associations and considering the important mediating role of IQ., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The scope of this study is to describe the prevalence and the factors associated with common mental disorders in women aged 18 to 49, residents in the rural zone of the municipality of Rio Grande-RS. A cross-sectional study was carried out with data collection conducted in 2017. A systematic sampling process of the residences of the rural area of the municipality was utilized. The General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was used to track common mental disorders. Crude and adjusted Poisson regression was used to estimate the prevalence ratios (PR) and respective 95% confidence intervals. The overall prevalence of Common Mental Disorders was 36.4%, being more common among women with lower levels of education, who had had an abortion and were smokers. In quantifying the occurrence and factors associated with common mental disorders in a population of women in a rural area, this study provides an original scientific contribution on the burden of this important outcome in a population that has not been studied in epidemiological surveys. The results can contribute to the health services by identifying the women most susceptible to this outcome, thus, improving the adequacy of the services offered to the health needs of rural residents.

Background: Obstructive jaundice may lead to ominous complications and requires complex diagnostic evaluations and therapies that are not widely available., Objective: To analyze the epidemiological profile, referral routes and diagnostic accuracy at admittance of cases of acute cholangitis among patients with obstructive jaundice treated at a referral unit., Design and Setting: Cross-sectional study at a tertiary-level university hospital., Methods: Patients with obstructive jaundice who were treated by means of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, resection and/or surgical biliary drainage were evaluated. The main variables analyzed were epidemiological data, referral route, bilirubin levels and time elapsed between symptom onset and admittance and diagnosing of acute cholangitis at the referral unit. The accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of acute cholangitis was compared with a retrospective analysis on the medical records in accordance with the Tokyo criteria., Results: Female patients predominated (58%), with an average age of 56 years. Acute cholangitis was detected in 9.9% of the individuals; application of the Tokyo criteria showed that the real prevalence was approximately 43%. The main referral route was direct contact (31.8%) and emergency care (29.7%); routing via official referral through the public healthcare system accounted for 17.6%, and internal referral from other specialties, 20%. The direct route with unofficial referral was the most important route for cases of neoplastic etiology (P < 0.01) and was the fastest route (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: There is a deficiency in the official referral routes for patients with obstructive jaundice. The accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of acute cholangitis was poor. Wider dissemination of the Tokyo criteria is essential.

Background: The presence of anemia and renal dysfunction grants a bad prognosis for patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFREF). The impact on patients with heart failure and normal ejection fraction (HFNEF) is not widely studied., Objectives: To study the prevalence and the prognosis of anemia and renal dysfunction (RD) in patients with heart failure according to the type of ventricular dysfunction., Methods: A total of 209 patients with chronic and stable heart failure were prospectively studied. Individuals with ejection fraction <50% were considered as HFREF patients. Anemia was defined, based on WHO criteria, as hemoglobin <13 g/dl for men and <12 g/dl for women. Renal function was calculated by means of the Simplified Modified Diet Renal Disease (sMDRD) formula. Hospitalizations, emergency admittances and obit by cardiac causes were considered as cardiac events., Results: Ninety patients had HFREF and 119 had HFNEF. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was smaller in HFREF group (57.6 +/- 66.2 versus 94.8 +/- 36.6 ml/min/1.73m(2); p=0.01). There was no difference in the prevalence of anemia between groups (23.3% versus 18.5%; p=0.34). Moderate to severe RD prevalence was higher in HFREF group (32.2% versus 16.8%; p=0.01). RD was the only factor associated with anemia that was independently associated with cardiac events (HR 2.52; 95%CI=1.27-5.2; p=0.01)., Conclusion: RD was less prevalent in HFNEF, while the prevalence of anemia did not differ between groups. RD was predictor of cardiac events independently on ejection fraction.