Estimulação elétrica nervosa transcutânea interativa e convencional em mulheres com dismenorreia primária / Interactive and conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in women with primary dysmenorrhoea

A dismenorreia primária é uma dor na região inferior do abdômen, antes ou durante a menstruação e independente de patologias pélvicas. Tratamentos fisioterapêuticos são alternativas para a melhora dos sintomas, dentre esses recursos, a estimulação elétrica nervosa transcutânea (TENS). O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar o efeito terapêutico e analgésico da TENS interativa e convencional na dor secundária à dismenorreia primária. A aplicação da TENS, em ambos os grupos, foi realizada no primeiro dia do período menstrual por 35 minutos. Na TENS interativa todas as voluntárias optaram pelos seguintes parâmetros: frequência de 250 Hz, duração de pulso de 25 µs e intensidade conforme nível sensorial, sendo essa ou a duração do pulso reajustado, a cada 5 minutos, conforme houvesse necessidade. Na TENS convencional foi utilizado os seguintes parâmetros: frequência de 100 Hz, duração de pulso de 50 µs e com a intensidade conforme grupo anterior. A análise estatística foi realizada por meio do software GraphPadPrism®, versão 5.0, sendo empregado o teste t de Student e com nível de significância de p < 0,05. Obteve-se como resultado uma redução da dor entre as participantes de ambos os grupos logo após o tratamento. Porém não houve diferença na analgesia promovida pelos dois métodos de tratamento. (AU)

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a lower region of the abdomen pain, before or during menstruation and independent of pathologies. Physical therapy treatments are alternatives to improve symptoms, among these resources, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic and analytical effect of interactive and conventional TENS in high school in PD. The application of TENS, in both groups, was performed on the first day of the menstrual period for 35 minutes. In the interactive TENS all the volunteers chose the following parameters: frequency of 250 Hz, pulse duration of 25 µs and intensity according to sensory level, whether this or the duration of the readjustment of the pulse, every 5 minutes, according to the need for use. In conventional TENS, the following parameters were used: frequency of 100 Hz, pulse duration of 50 µs and intensity according to the previous group. A statistical analysis was performed using the GraphPadPrism® software, version 5.0, being employed Student's test with a significance level of p < 0.05. The result is a reduction in pain among participants in both groups right after treatment. However, there was no difference in the analgesia promoted by the two treatment methods. (AU)

Experiências sobre a aprendizagem por meio do uso de nuvens eletrônicas e WhatsApp entre graduandos em fisioterapia / Perceptions about the use of computing clouds and WhatsApp among academic students of physical therapy

Introdução: As Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TIC) incluem dispositivos auxiliares ao processo pedagógico como a nuvem eletrônica e o WhatsApp. Objetivo: Avaliar e comparar as experiências sobre a aprendizagem por meio do uso de nuvens eletrônicas e WhatsApp entre graduandos de fisioterapia. Material e métodos: A amostra foi composta por 41 alunos que utilizaram nuvens eletrônicas ou o aplicativo WhatsApp como suporte do processo de aprendizagem em um curso de graduação em fisioterapia. Os dados foram coletados através do questionário de autoavaliação Constructivist On-Line Learning Environment Survey (COLLES), aplicado no final de um semestre letivo. Resultados: As TIC estudadas, frequentemente, estimulavam a reflexão crítica, tinham o apoio dos professores durante o seu uso e favoreciam a compreensão das mensagens, enquanto que, algumas vezes, havia o apoio dos colegas e interatividade durante o uso desses dispositivos. Entretanto, o WhatsApp foi mais importante que a nuvem eletrônica nas categorias de relevância, estímulo à reflexão crítica, interatividade, apoio dos colegas e compreensão das mensagens. Conclusão: Observa-se a necessidade de estimular o apoio entre os alunos e a interação entre as suas ideias para que essas ferramentas possam ter maior êxito no processo de aprendizagem do curso de fisioterapia.

Introduction: Information and communication technologies (ICT) include various devices that help the pedagogical process in the actual context of education, such as cloud computing and WhatsApp. Objective: To evaluate and compare learning experiences through the use of electronic clouds and WhatsApp among physiotherapy undergraduates. Methods: The sample consisted of 41 students who used cloud computing or the WhatsApp application to support the learning process in a physiotherapy undergraduate course. The data were collected through the Constructivist On-Line Learning Environment Survey (COLLES) self-assessment questionnaire, applied at the end of a semester. Results: The ICT studied, frequently, stimulated critical reflection, had the support of teachers during their use and favored the understanding of the messages; sometimes there was peer support and interactivity during the use of these devices. However, WhatsApp was more important than the cloud computing in the categories of relevance, stimulus to critical reflection, interactivity, support of colleagues and understanding of the messages. Conclusion: There is a need to stimulate support among students and the interaction between their ideas so that these tools can be more successful in the learning process of the physical therapy course.

Natriuretic peptide system: a link between fat mass and cardiac hypertrophy and hypertension in fat-fed female rats.

The present study was designed to develop an animal model of hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy associated with obesity in female rats. Furthermore, we studied the involvement of the natriuretic peptide system in the mechanisms of these conditions. Obesity was induced in Wistar rats by a high fat diet and ovariectomy. The rats were divided into four groups: ovariectomized or sham-operated with high-fat diet and ovariectomized or sham-operated with control diet. After 24 weeks of diet, rats were killed, and their tissues were removed. Cardiac atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), clearance receptor (NPr-C) gene expression was determined by PCR. ANP concentrations were measured in plasma. Ovariectomized fat-fed rats (OF) showed increased body weight, visceral fat depot and blood pressure and decreased sodium excretion compared to other groups. Also, these rats showed higher heart-to-body weight and cell diameters of ventricular cardiomyocytes and lower cardiac ANP mRNA and plasma ANP than the control group. The adipocyte and renal NPr-C mRNA of OF rats were higher than the control group. These data showed that combined ovariectomy and high fat diet elicited obesity, hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. These results suggest that the impairment of the natriuretic peptide system may be one of the mechanisms involved not only in development of hypertension but also in cardiac hypertrophy associated with obesity in ovariectomized rats.