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Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: We evaluated the extent to which frailty mediated the association between age, poor functional outcomes, and mortality after acute ischemic stroke when patients were treated with brain reperfusion (thrombolytic therapy and/or thrombectomy). Materials and methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke who had undergone intravenous cerebral reperfusion therapy and/or mechanical thrombectomy. We created a mediation model by analyzing the direct natural effect of an mRS score > 2 and death on age-mediated frailty according to the Frailty Index. Results: We enrolled 292 patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent brain reperfusion. Their mean age was 67.7 ± 13.1 years. Ninety days after the stroke ictus, 54 (18.5%) participants died, and 83 (28.4%) lived with moderate to severe disability (2 < mRS < 6). In the mediation analysis of the composite outcome of disability (mRS score > 2) or death, frailty accounted for 28% of the total effect of age. The models used to test for the interaction between age and frailty did not show statistically significant interactions for either outcome, and the addition of the interaction did not significantly change the direct or indirect effects, nor did it improve model fit. Conclusion: Frailty mediated almost one-third of the effect of age on the composite outcome of disability or death after acute ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the current practices in stroke evaluation, the main clinical decision support system and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies need to be understood to assist the therapist in obtaining better insights about impairments and level of activity and participation in persons with stroke during rehabilitation. This scoping review maps the use of AI for the functional evaluation of persons with stroke; the context involves any setting of rehabilitation. Data were extracted from CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, CINAHL, PEDRO Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, AAAI Publications, ACM Digital Library, MathSciNet, and arXiv up to January 2021. The data obtained from the literature review were summarized in a single dataset in which each reference paper was considered as an instance, and the study characteristics were considered as attributes. The attributes used for the multiple correspondence analysis were publication year, study type, sample size, age, stroke phase, stroke type, functional status, AI type, and AI function. Forty-four studies were included. The analysis showed that spasticity analysis based on ML techniques was used for the cases of stroke with moderate functional status. The techniques of deep learning and pressure sensors were used for gait analysis. Machine learning techniques and algorithms were used for upper limb and reaching analyses. The inertial measurement unit technique was applied in studies where the functional status was between mild and severe. The fuzzy logic technique was used for activity classifiers. The prevailing research themes demonstrated the growing utility of AI algorithms for stroke evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The main driver for increased stroke prevalence is the aging of the population; however, the best evidenced-based strategies for stroke treatment and prevention are not always followed for older patients. Therefore, the aim was studying the association of age with clinical outcomes (mortality and functional disability) in stroke patients who underwent cerebral reperfusion therapy at hospital discharge and 90 days after ictus. Methods: This was a retrospective (stroke databank analysis) cohort study of participants who had been diagnosed with ischemic stroke and undergone intravenous cerebral reperfusion therapy or mechanical thrombectomy. The variable of interest was patient age, which was categorized into four groups: (1) up to 59 years; (2) 60 to 69 years; (3) 70 to 79 years old; and (4) above 79 years. The primary outcome was mortality at hospital discharge and 90 days after stroke, and the secondary outcome was functional capacity at hospital discharge and 90 days after stroke. Results: A total of 281 patients was included in the study (235 treated by thrombolysis alone, and 46 treated with mechanical thrombectomy). The mean age of the total sample was 67 ± 13.1 years. The oldest patients had the most unfavorable outcomes, except for mortality rate, at hospital discharge (mRS > 2; OR: 1.028; 95% CI 1.005 to 1.051; p = 0.017; mRS > 3; OR: 1.043, 95% CI 1.018 to 1.069; p = 0.001) and 90 days after stroke (mRS > 2; OR: 1.028; 95% CI 1.005 to 1.051; p = 0.017; mRS > 3; OR: 1.043, 95% CI 1.018 to 1.069; p = 0.001). Conclusion: Cerebral reperfusion was a viable treatment for ischemic stroke in both elderly and very elderly patients, as it did not increase mortality. However, it was observed that older individuals had worse functional outcomes at hospital discharge and 90 days after stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Surgery & Clinical Research is the property of Master Editora and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A novel brick manufacturing technique is described, whereby natural mineral soil and added thermoplastic polymer particles are mixed, heated, and allowed to cool, to enable polymeric bonding of the soil grains. Experimental results indicate that the gradation of the soil plays a significant role on the compression strength of the manufactured bricks. This is because gradation controls fabric in highly compacted granular soils. A fabric that features pore filling by progressively smaller grains results in an increased likelihood of added polymer localization at intergranular contacts and therefore high strength. A conventional convection oven and a solar oven were used independently to implement the heat treatment; the comparison reveals the potential use of the latter for low energy cost brick construction in remote locations and nontraditional environments such as the Moon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista da Associação Brasileira de Nutrição is the property of Associacao Brasileira de Nutricao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: We compared fixed and articulated ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) in home-based mobility tasks to assess short-term mobility, dynamic balance, quality of life, anxiety/depression, disability level, stroke severity, autonomy, human functioning, and patient satisfaction., Methods: This was a two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding, and a complete case analysis involving patients with chronic stroke. The participants were randomized into two groups: fixed ( n  = 24) and articulated ( n  = 23) AFOs. The AFOs were custom-fabricated, and both groups performed four-week home-based mobility tasks five days weekly. Primary outcome measures included changes in balance and mobility assessed using the Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and Functional Ambulation Category (FAC). Secondary outcomes included quality of life, anxiety/depression, disability, stroke severity, autonomy, human functioning, and patient satisfaction., Results: In a between-group comparison, after adjusting for age, sex, stroke severity, and thrombolysis, the articulated AFO group showed better performance in the TUG test ( p  = 0.020; d = 0.93), POMA-Gait ( p  = 0.001; d = 0.53), POMA-Total ( p  = 0.048; d = 0.98), and FAC ( p  = 0.003; d = 1.03) than the fixed AFO group. Moreover, significant difference was noted in human functioning (moving around using equipment)between the groups ( p  = 0.047; d = 92)., Conclusion: A program involving home-based mobility tasks and articulated AFOs improved functional mobility after stroke.

Objective: We evaluated the extent to which frailty mediated the association between age, poor functional outcomes, and mortality after acute ischemic stroke when patients were treated with brain reperfusion (thrombolytic therapy and/or thrombectomy)., Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke who had undergone intravenous cerebral reperfusion therapy and/or mechanical thrombectomy. We created a mediation model by analyzing the direct natural effect of an mRS score > 2 and death on age-mediated frailty according to the Frailty Index., Results: We enrolled 292 patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent brain reperfusion. Their mean age was 67.7 ± 13.1 years. Ninety days after the stroke ictus, 54 (18.5%) participants died, and 83 (28.4%) lived with moderate to severe disability (2 < mRS < 6). In the mediation analysis of the composite outcome of disability (mRS score > 2) or death, frailty accounted for 28% of the total effect of age. The models used to test for the interaction between age and frailty did not show statistically significant interactions for either outcome, and the addition of the interaction did not significantly change the direct or indirect effects, nor did it improve model fit., Conclusion: Frailty mediated almost one-third of the effect of age on the composite outcome of disability or death after acute ischemic stroke., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Miranda, Luvizutto, Bessornia, Furlan, Winckler, Ferreira, Hamamoto Filho, de Souza, Martin, Zanati Bazan, Pinheiro Modolo, de Freitas, Vidal and Bazan.)

The COVID-19 pandemic impacts on eating habits among adolescents may be more relevant in pediatric patients with immunocompromised chronic diseases. This case-control study conducted between June and October 2020 aimed to: (i) describe dietary patterns of adolescents with chronic conditions compared to healthy controls and (ii) determine associations between food consumption, health-related quality of life (HRQL) and sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (184 immunocompromised and 58 healthy adolescents, aged 14.3 [SD 2.5]) responded to HRQL and sleep validated instruments (PedsQL and PSQI) and three 24 h food recalls via online software. Adjusted linear and logistic regressions were used to assess differences in dietary patterns and associations between food consumption (according to Nova classification) and HRQL and sleep quality. Adolescents with gastrohepatic, rheumatic, and kidney diseases had an improved dietary pattern vs. their healthy peers, showing greater consumption of unprocessed and minimally processed foods (unstandardized coefficient ( b ) = 7.35%[95%CI 1.59; 13.1]; b  = 15.10%[95%CI 7.00; 23.1]; and b  = 11.2%[95%CI 5.68; 16.8]), and lower consumption of ultraprocessed foods ( b  = -7.53%[95%CI-12.90; -2.18]; b  = -11.4%[95%CI-18.90; -3.94]; b  = -10.8%[95%CI-16.00; -5.68]). Consumption of culinary ingredients was associated with reduced psychological HRQL in controls (standardized coefficient ( β ) = -0.26[95%CI-0.52; -0.004]), and processed food consumption was associated with improved sleep latency in immunocompromised participants ( β  = 0.16[95%CI 0.01; 0.31]). These findings suggest diet quality may play a role in HRQL and sleep quality in this population, and may be relevant for clinical practitioners and policy makers when considering the importance of dietary quality in immunocompromised youths., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Esteves, Mazzolani, Smaira, Santo André, Iraha, Astley, Marques, Amarante, Rezende, Sieczkowska, Franco, do Amaral Miranda, Lindoso, Helito, Oba, Queiroz, Pereira, Campos, Aikawa, Roschel, Silva and Gualano.)

Objectives: Cerebral reperfusion therapy is recommended for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. However, the outcomes of patients receiving this therapy in middle- and low-income countries should be better defined. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and functional outcomes of cerebral reperfusion therapy in patients with ischemic stroke., Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients with ischemic stroke treated with cerebral reperfusion therapy, including intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), mechanical thrombectomy (MT), and IVT with MT. The primary outcomes were death and disability, assessed using the modified Rankin scale (mRS), and stroke severity, assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), after intervention and 90 days after ictus. The association between the type of treatment and the primary outcome was assessed using binary logistic regression after adjusting for confounding variables. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to identify the cutoff point of the NIHSS score that could best discriminate the mRS score in all types of treatments., Results: Patients ( n = 291) underwent IVT only ( n = 241), MT ( n = 21), or IVT with MT ( n = 29). In the IVT with MT group, the incidence of death within 90 days increased by five times (OR, 5.192; 95% CI, 2.069-13.027; p = 0.000), prevalence of disability increased by three times (OR, 3.530; 95% CI, 1.376-9.055; p = 0.009) and NIHSS score increased after IVT (from 14.4 ± 6.85 to 17.8 ± 6.36; p = 0.045). There was no significant difference between the initial NIHSS score and that after MT ( p = 0.989). Patients' NIHSS score that increased or decreased by 2.5 points had a sensitivity of 0.74 and specificity of 0.65, indicating severe disability or death in these patients., Conclusion: Altogether, a 2.5-point variation in NIHSS score after reperfusion is an indicator of worse outcomes. In our particular context, patients receiving the combination of IVT and MT had inferior results, which probably reflects challenges to optimize MT in LMIC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Furlan, Luvizutto, Hamamoto Filho, Zanati Bazan, Modolo, Ferreira, Miranda, de Souza, Winckler, Vidal, de Freitas, Martin and Bazan.)

Introduction: Among healthy adolescents, school closures and home confinement were shown to increase unhealthier eating habits and sedentary behavior. It remains unknown to which extent the pandemic has impacted the lifestyle of adolescents with chronic conditions. Thus, the aim of this study is to report on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on eating habits and sedentary behavior among adolescents with multiple chronic conditions ( n = 347) from a tertiary, referral hospital vs. healthy peers. Methods: This observational study was conducted in São Paulo (Brazil) between July and October 2020, period in which a set of social distancing measures to contain the pandemic. Results: The main findings of this study were that adolescents with chronic conditions and health peers showed important changes in eating habits (e.g., more often cooking and eating in front of television than before quarantine). Also, 86.8% of adolescents with chronic conditions and 91.6% of healthy adolescents reported increasing screen time during pandemic. No major differences were observed between patients and controls. Conclusions: Adolescents with chronic conditions and healthy peers exposed to pandemic showed substantial changes in lifestyle, stressing the need for specific care to mitigate poor eating habits and excessive sedentary behavior for patients and healthy adolescents., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Mazzolani, Smaira, Astley, Iraha, Pinto, Marques, Cordeiro Amarante, Rezende, Sieczkowska, Franco, Miranda, Lindoso, Helito, Oba, Queiroz, Pereira, Roschel, Silva and Gualano.)

Objective: To assess the possible factors that influence sleep quality in adolescents with and without chronic immunosuppressive conditions quarantined during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 305 adolescents with chronic immunocompromised conditions and 82 healthy adolescents. Online surveys were completed, which included questions on socio-demographic data and self-rated healthcare routine during COVID-19 quarantine and the following validated questionnaires: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL4.0), and Pediatric Outcome Data Collection Instrument (PODCI)., Results: The median current age [14 (10-18) vs. 15 (10-18) years, p=0.847] and frequency of female sex (62% vs. 58%, p=0.571) were similar in adolescents with chronic conditions compared with healthy adolescents. The frequency of poor sleep quality was similar in both groups (38% vs. 48%, p=0.118). Logistic regression analysis, including both healthy adolescents and adolescents with chronic conditions (n=387), demonstrated that self-reported increase in screen time (odds ratio [OR] 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-6.8; p=0.008) and intrafamilial violence report (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.2-3.5; p=0.008) were independently associated with poor sleep quality in these adolescents. However, the PODCI global function score was associated with a lower OR for poor sleep quality (OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94-0.99; p=0.001). Further logistic regression, including only adolescents with chronic conditions (n=305), demonstrated that self-reported increase in screen time (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.4-6.8; p=0.006) and intrafamilial violence report (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2-3.4; p=0.011) remained independently associated with poor quality of sleep, whereas a lower PODCI global function score was associated with a lower OR for sleep quality (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.94-0.98; p<0.001)., Conclusion: Self-reported increases in screen time and intrafamilial violence report impacted sleep quality in both healthy adolescents and those with chronic conditions. Decreased health-related quality of life was observed in adolescents with poor sleep quality.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B infection among women deprived of liberty in the state of Roraima, Brazil, and its correlation with perceptions, knowledge and behavioral factors., Method: This is a cross-sectional study, with simple systematic sampling, conducted at the Public Female Prison in Boa Vista, State of Roraima, in 2017. A total of 168 inmates (93.8% of the population) were evaluated by in-person interviews and rapid tests., Results: The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) was 20.2%, being 4.7% HIV, 15.5% syphilis, and 0.0% hepatitis B. Multivariate analysis confirmed as risk factors for acquiring an STI: being over 30 years of age [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 2.57; 95%CI 1.03-6.40); low schooling (adjusted OR: 2.77; 95%CI 1.08-5.05); little knowledge about condom use (adjusted OR: 2.37; 95%CI 1.01-7.31); and believing that there is no risk of contracting syphilis (adjusted OR: 2.36; 95%CI 1.08-6.50)., Conclusion: The population deprived of liberty is a group of highly vulnerable to STI. The high prevalence of these infections can be explained by knowledge deficits on the subject, distorted perceptions and conditions peculiar to imprisonment, which result in risky behavior. We emphasize the need to implement educational programs for preventing, diagnosing and treating STI for this population.