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Here, we present the preparation and characterization of two novel picrate salts. Compound 1 (DPK-PA) crystallizes in the triclinic system and centrosymmetric space group P\(\stackrel{-}{1}\), with unit cell parameters a = 9.378(17) Å, b = 9.790(15) Å, c = 10.141(16) Å, α = 99.63(7)°, β = 99.09(8)° and γ = 102.55(8)°, while the compound 2 (BBBPY-PA) crystallizes in the non-centrosymmetric P212121 space group, orthorhombic unit cell parameters a = 6.3902(6) Å, b = 23.416(3) Å and c = 16.7320(18) Å. Both crystal structures present an ion-pair in the asymmetric unit, one picrate anion, and one bipyridine derivative. In the compound 1 structure, the molecule of DPK presents one intramolecular N1-H…N Hbond that contributes to stabilizing the planar conformation of DPK. The absence of intramolecular Hbonding in compound 2 can be explained by the steric hindrance of the tert-butyl group. For 1 and 2, the crystal packing is stabilized N-H…O strong hydrogen bonding interactions, which could be identified by the Hirshfield Surface analysis and fingerprint plots. The compounds were also studied by UV-Vis and infrared analyses, which may support the statement of the formation of new material. Finally, as an attempt to obtain a molecular system to act as a chemical sensor, we studied the fluorescence of both compounds, in solution and in solid state, however, no fluorescence was observed.

The synthesis, infrared, and crystal structure investigations of adamantane-1-ammonium picrate monohydrate, (C10H21N)(C6H2N3O7) ⋅ H2O, were performed. The title compound crystallizes in the space group P21/n with the monoclinic unit cell parameters: a = 12.7211(9) A, b = 6.8233(4) A, c = 21.4130(14) A and β = 105.950(7)°, V = 1787.1(2) A3, Z = 4. The asymmetric unit of the studied compound consists of one Adamantane-1-ammonium cation, one water and one picrate anion with two disordered nitro groups. The molecules are connected by strong H-bonds. As can be seen, the ionic pair is linked through two bifurcate N–H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds, identified as N1–H1A⋅⋅⋅O1 and N1–H1A⋅⋅⋅O2, to form a dimer. Also, water molecule acts bridging two picrate molecules connected by O1w–H1w⋅⋅⋅O1 and O1w–H2w⋅⋅⋅O4. These interactions form an infinite chain extended along the [101] direction. Finally, the main intermolecular contacts were analyzed based on Hirshfeld surfaces and their fingerprint plot.

OBJETIVO: Revisão de literatura sobre força de preensão palmar em crianças e adolescentes saudáveis na faixa etária de quatro a 18 anos de idade. FONTES DE DADOS: Medline, Lilacs e SciELO, no período de 2000 a 2007, utilizando-se as palavras-chave: aperto, mão, força, preensão, criança e adolescente. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: A importância da mensuração da força de preensão é fornecer um índice objetivo da integridade funcional dos membros superiores. Estudos avaliando a força da preensão palmar vêm sendo descritos desde 1956, porém a maioria dos artigos engloba a população adulta (19 a 44 anos) e adulta média (45 a 64 anos). Somente um artigo foi publicado no Brasil a respeito da força de crianças e adolescentes. Os trabalhos relatados correlacionam a força de preensão palmar e variáveis antropométricas. CONCLUSÕES: Estudos com delineamento adequado e amostras representativas são necessários para avaliar a força da preensão em crianças e adolescentes no Brasil. Observou-se que os meninos têm força de preensão palmar maior que as meninas, principalmente após 11 anos de idade. Os fatores antropométricos como peso e altura foram os que mais significantemente se associaram à força de preensão palmar.OBJECTIVE: To review the literature regarding hand grip strength in healthy children and teenagers with four to 18 years old. DATA SOURCES: Databases Medline, Lilacs and SciELO were searched for studies published from 2000 to 2007, using the keywords: grasp, hand, strength, grip, child and adolescent. DATA SYNTHESIS: Measures of hand grip strength are important to provide an objective index of the functional integrity of the upper limbs. Studies evaluating the hand grip strength have been published since 1956, however the majority of them enrolled adults (19 to 44 years-old) and middle-age (45 to 64 years-old) subjects. Only one article was published in Brazil about hand grip strength of children and teenagers. Most studies try to associate hand grip strength and anthropometric variables. CONCLUSIONS: Prospective randomized trials with large number of patients are needed to evaluate the hand grip strength in Brazilian children and teenagers. Boys have hand grip strength greater than girls, especially after 11 years old. The anthropometric factors such as weight and height were significantly associated with hand grip strength.

First noted in the city of Teresina in 1981, the last decades have witnessed a remarkable increase in urban transmission of American visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in many Brazilian cities. Teresina, the site of this study, has faced two large outbreaks of VL. The first occurred from 1981-1985 when almost 1000 new cases were reported. The second started in the 1990s, and between 1993 and 1996 more than 1200 new cases were detected. This report describes the prevalence of infection with Leishmania chagasi in Teresina at the end of the second outbreak and gives estimates of the number of people who became infected during the epidemic. Between June 1995 and May 1996, 200 households were chosen at random from a list of addresses covering about 93% of Teresina's urban households. In each household, one person over the age of 1 year was screened for Leishmania antibodies and skin-tested. Nearly 50% of persons had a positive leishmanin reaction, but only 13.9% had detectable antibodies to L. chagasi. While prevalence estimates based on the leishmanin skin-test increased with age (P

Introduction – We present herein clinical, histological and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in a patient with Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD). He is the first case report in the Japanese population living in Brazil. Case report – The child presented with neonatal hypotonia, delayed motor abilities and speech, seizures, cerebral and cerebellar gyrus abnormalities with signal intensity change in the white matter by MRI, high serum level of creatinephosphokinase (CK), and dystrophic skeletal muscle with normal merosin, α-sarcoglycan and dystrophin expression. The fukutin gene study showed one founder 3-kb retrotransposal insertion in the 3′-non-coding region, and in the other allele no mutation was detected after screening all exons and flanking introns by sequencing. Discussion – This case report emphasizes the importance to consider FCMD in Japanese people living in other countries.

OBJETIVO: Revisão de literatura sobre força de preensão palmar em crianças e adolescentes saudáveis na faixa etária de quatro a 18 anos de idade. FONTES DE DADOS: Medline, Lilacs e SciELO, no período de 2000 a 2007, utilizando-se as palavras-chave: aperto, mão, força, preensão, criança e adolescente. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: A importância da mensuração da força de preensão é fornecer um índice objetivo da integridade funcional dos membros superiores. Estudos avaliando a força da preensão palmar vêm sendo descritos desde 1956, porém a maioria dos artigos engloba a população adulta (19 a 44 anos) e adulta média (45 a 64 anos). Somente um artigo foi publicado no Brasil a respeito da força de crianças e adolescentes. Os trabalhos relatados correlacionam a força de preensão palmar e variáveis antropométricas. CONCLUSÕES: Estudos com delineamento adequado e amostras representativas são necessários para avaliar a força da preensão em crianças e adolescentes no Brasil. Observou-se que os meninos têm força de preensão palmar maior que as meninas, principalmente após 11 anos de idade. Os fatores antropométricos como peso e altura foram os que mais significantemente se associaram à força de preensão palmar. OBJECTIVE: To review the literature regarding hand grip strength in healthy children and teenagers with four to 18 years old. DATA SOURCES: Databases Medline, Lilacs and SciELO were searched for studies published from 2000 to 2007, using the keywords: grasp, hand, strength, grip, child and adolescent. DATA SYNTHESIS: Measures of hand grip strength are important to provide an objective index of the functional integrity of the upper limbs. Studies evaluating the hand grip strength have been published since 1956, however the majority of them enrolled adults (19 to 44 years-old) and middle-age (45 to 64 years-old) subjects. Only one article was published in Brazil about hand grip strength of children and teenagers. Most studies try to associate hand grip strength and anthropometric variables. CONCLUSIONS: Prospective randomized trials with large number of patients are needed to evaluate the hand grip strength in Brazilian children and teenagers. Boys have hand grip strength greater than girls, especially after 11 years old. The anthropometric factors such as weight and height were significantly associated with hand grip strength.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania chagasi is a growing public-health problem in many parts of the New World. Although several studies have focused on the consequences of environmental damage, human migration and land occupation on the incidence of VL, the effects on the disease of the substandard living conditions that often result from the process of urbanization have not been investigated in detail. The present study was based in the Brazilian city of Teresina, where, since 1980, there have been two large outbreaks of VL (one in 1981-1985 and the other in 1993-1996), each involving at least 1000 newly reported cases. The role of household structure and the provision of urban services in the city, as predictors of the occurrence of VL, was studied in a case-control investigation. After controlling for age, crowding, and the background incidence of VL in the area where the subjects lived, the risk of acquiring the disease was found to be significantly higher for those who lived in houses with an inadequate sewage system and those who had no regular rubbish collection. Improving household structure and providing basic urban services might be effective strategies for controlling the spread of VL in urban areas.

We present herein clinical, histological and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in a patient with Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD). He is the first case report in the Japanese population living in Brazil.The child presented with neonatal hypotonia, delayed motor abilities and speech, seizures, cerebral and cerebellar gyrus abnormalities with signal intensity change in the white matter by MRI, high serum level of creatinephosphokinase (CK), and dystrophic skeletal muscle with normal merosin, alpha-sarcoglycan and dystrophin expression. The fukutin gene study showed one founder 3-kb retrotransposal insertion in the 3'-non-coding region, and in the other allele no mutation was detected after screening all exons and flanking introns by sequencing.This case report emphasizes the importance to consider FCMD in Japanese people living in other countries.

Molasses, a sugar cane by-product, has been consumed in Brazil since colonial times. The efficacy of molasses added to the diet of normal and depleted laboratory animals on growth and hemoglobin was tested. Forty weaning males rats, of 21 days of age, were divided into four groups of ten animals: Control (casein diet with 10.14% protein); Molasses (casein diet with 10.14% protein and 12.50% molasses); Depleted Control and Depleted Molasses, the later two submitted to protein depletion for the first 7 days of the trial. Animals were weighed at weaning (initial weight) and at the end of the experiment (final weight) and were fed the experimental rations and water ad libitum for 28 days (normal animals) and 21 days (depleted animals). Consumption was registered in order to calculate the Food Efficiency Ratio. At the end, animals fasted for 10 hours, killed and blood was collected by cardiac puncture to determine hemoglobin levels. Weight gain in all groups did not show statistically significant differences. Molasses fed animals presented a small, but not significant increase in hemoglobin levels, compared to the control groups. Considering the possible deleterious effects of a high sugar diet, that can originate furfural during food processing, it is necessary to conduct more studies to evaluate the utilization of these products for human consumption.