Effects of Elastic Resistance Exercise on Muscle Strength and Functional Performance in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Elastic Resistance Exercise (ERE) has already demonstrated its effectiveness in older adults and, when combined with the resistance generated by fixed loads, in adults. This review summarizes the effectiveness of ERE performed as isolated method on muscle strength and functional performance in healthy adults. METHODS: A database search was performed (MEDLine, Cochrane Library, PEDro and Web of Knowledge) to identify controlled clinical trials in English language. The mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and overall effect size were calculated for all comparisons. The PEDro scale was used assess the methodological quality. RESULTS: From the 93 articles identified by the search strategy, 5 met the inclusion criteria, in which 3 presented high quality (PEDro > 6). Meta-analyses demonstrated that the effects of ERE were superior when compared with passive control on functional performance and muscle strength. When compared with active controls, the effect of ERE was inferior on function performance and with similar effect on muscle strength. CONCLUSIONS: ERE are effective to improve functional performance and muscle strength when compared with no intervention, in healthy adults. ERE are not superior to other methods of resistance training to improve functional performance and muscle strength in health adults.

O apoio da rede social a transexuais femininas / The social networks support to the feminine transsexuals / El apoyo de la rede social a transexuales femeninas

O presente estudo teve como objetivo compreender a relação atual de transexuais femininas com suas redes sociais. Participaram cinco pacientes submetidas à cirurgia de transgenitalização em um hospital público do interior do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Elas responderam à entrevista semi-estruturada e a perguntas para a construção de Genogramas e Mapas de Rede. Os dados foram compreendidos de forma qualitativa a partir da teoria sistêmico-cibernética novo paradigmática. As entrevistadas relataram situações em que sentiram apoio, inclusive diante da decisão de operar, mas também descreveram situações nas quais sentiram humilhação e exclusão pelo fato de expressarem e viverem sua sexualidade de forma diferente da maioria das pessoas. O estudo mostrou que ainda prevalece a posição heteronormativa, sustentando preconceitos e atos de discriminação direcionados às mulheres transexuais.

This study aimed at understanding the current ratio of feminines transsexuals with their social networks. The participants were five patients undergoing reassignment surgery in a public hospital in the state of Sao Paulo, B razil. They responded to the semi-structured interview questions for the construction of Genograms and Network Maps. The data were understood in a qualitative way from the new paradigm systemic-cybernetic theory. Interviewees reported situations where they felt supported, even before the decision to operate, but also described situations in which they felt humiliation and exclusion by the fact express and live their sexuality differently from most people. The study showed that still prevails heteronormative position, supporting acts of prejudice and discrimination directed at women transsexuals.

Este artículo tuvo como objetivo principal comprender la relación actual de las transexuales femeninas con la sociedad en la que están inseridas. Participaron cinco pacientes sometidas a la cirugía de transgenitalización en un hospital público en el interior del Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Respondieron a una entrevista semi-estructurada y a preguntas para la construcción de Genogramas y Mapas de Red. Los datos fueron basados en un modelo teórico sistémico. Las entrevistadas relataron situaciones en las que recibieron apoyo, incluso en el momento de la decisión de hacer la cirugía, pero también describieron situaciones en las cuales fueron humilladas y sufrieron prejuicio, ya que su sexualidad se difiere de la mayoría de las personas. El estudio comprobó que todavía existe mucho prejuicio en relación a las mujeres transexuales.

Potencial anti-Leishmania e imunomodulador dos extratos de Campsiandra laurifolia Benth. (Fabaceae) / Anti-Leishmania and immunomodulatory potential of extracts of Campsiandra laurifolia Benth. (Fabaceae)

Infusões das folhas, cascas e sementes de Campsiandra laurifolia Benth. (Fabaceae) são utilizadas por comunidade de negros descendentes de escravos (quilombolas) para o tratamento, principalmente, de leishmaniose cutânea (LC), feridas, úlceras e impigens. Extratos hidroalcóolicos e aquosos de C. laurifolia foram investigados para a atividade anti-Leishmania sobre promastigotas e amastigota de Leishmania (L.) amazonensis e resposta imunomoduladora: proliferação celular de esplenócitos e produção ON por macrófagos peritoniais de camundongos BALB/c. Os extratos hidroalcóolicos da casca e aquosos da folha e semente apresentaram reduzida atividade contra as formas amastigotas e promastigotas (<20 por cento) e o mesmo foi observado para a inibição da produção de ON por macrófagos ativados (<23 por cento). A maioria dos extratos revelou moderado potencial imunossupressor (32,6 por cento a 38,5 por cento), mas os extratos aquosos da semente (AS) inibiram em até 87 por cento o crescimento de esplenócitos de BALB/c estimulados com mitógenos. Tal atividade talvez explique a indicação quilombola de C. laurifolia para o tratamento de LC, pois o seu uso pode não estar associado majoritariamente com uma ação direta sobre o parasito, mas sim com uma atividade anti-inflamatória, de vez que, tal atividade diminui os danos teciduais causados pelo sistema imune em resposta à infecção e, consequentemente, ajuda na cicatrização das lesões leishmanióticas.

Infusions of leaves, bark and seeds of Campsiandra laurifolia Benth. (Fabaceae) are used by communities of African-American descendants of slaves (quilombolas) mainly for treatment of cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL), wounds, ulcers and tinea. Hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts of C. laurifolia were investigated for anti-Leishmania activity on promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania (L.) amazonensis and immunomodulatory responses, including cell proliferation of splenocytes and NO production by peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice. The hydroalcoholic extracts of the bark and the aqueous extracts of the leaves and seeds presented a reduced activity against amastigotes and promastigotes (<20 percent), and the same result was observed for the inhibition of NO production by activated macrophages (<23 percent). Most of the extracts displayed a moderate immunosuppressive potential (32.6 to 38.5 percent); on the other hand, the aqueous extracts of seeds inhibited up to 87 percent of the growth of splenocytes of BALB/c mice stimulated with mitogens. Such activity may explain the use of C. laurifolia for the treatment of CL by quilombolas. Its use may not be mainly associated with a direct action on the parasite but with an anti-inflammatory activity because such activity decreases the tissue damage caused by the immune system in response to the infection and, consequently, aids the healing process of Leishmanial lesions.