Identification of obesity in children and teenagers.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a condition that increases the risk of developing several health problems, resulting in high health care costs worldwide. Therefore, it is important to investigate several avenues for the control of this condition. This study aimed to identify a dermatoglyphical condition that distinguishes obesity individuals from those of appropriate weight. METHODS: The sample comprised 2172 children and teenagers between the ages of 10 and 19 years, female and male, from public and private schools of the municipality of Joaçaba, Santa Catarina, Brazil. RESULTS: In a comparison of qualitative variables, i.e., patterns, significant differences were observed between groups, including a higher frequency of ulnar loops (LU) on the index and middle fingers (MET2 and MET3) in the appropriate weight group. In the obesity group, a greater frequency of whorls (W) on fingers MET2 and MET3 was observed in males. In females, there were statistically significant correlations between the presence of radial loops (LR) on MET3 in the appropriate weight group and arches (A) in the obesity group. CONCLUSIONS: The study uncovered dermatoglyphical marks characteristic of obesity individuals.

Effects of low-intensity training on the brain and muscle in the congenital muscular dystrophy 1D model.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital Muscular Dystrophy type 1D (MDC1D) is characterized by a hypoglycosylation of α-dystroglycan protein (α-DG), and this may be strongly implicated in increased skeletal muscle tissue degeneration and abnormal brain development, leading to cognitive impairment. However, the pathophysiology of brain involvement is still unclear. Low-intensity exercise training (LIET) is known to contribute to decreased muscle degeneration in animal models of other forms of progressive muscular dystrophies. AIM: The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of LIET on cognitive involvement and oxidative stress in brain tissue and gastrocnemius muscle. METHODS: Male homozygous (Largemyd-/-), heterozygous (Largemyd+/-), and wild-type mice were used. To complete 28 days of life, they were subjected to a low-intensity exercise training (LIET) for 8 weeks. After the last day of training, 24 h were expected when the animals were submitted to inhibitory avoidance and open-field test. The striatum, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, cortex, and gastrocnemius were collected for evaluation of protein carbonylation, lipid peroxidation, and catalase and superoxide dismutase activity. RESULTS: LIET was observed to reverse the alteration in aversive and habituation memory. Increased protein carbonylation in the striatum, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus and lipid peroxidation in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were also reversed by LIET. In the evaluation of the antioxidant activity, LIET increased catalase activity in the hippocampus and cortex. In the gastrocnemius, LIET decreased the protein carbonylation and lipid peroxidation and increased catalase and superoxide dismutase activity. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, it can be inferred that LIET for 8 weeks was able to reverse the cognitive damage and oxidative stress in brain tissue and gastrocnemius muscle in MDC1D animals.

Association between gestational period and obesity in children with the use of dermatoglyphic traits: A preliminary study.

Events occurring during the gestational period can influence the development of diseases and conditions such as obesity. This study aimed to analyze the association between events occurring in the gestational period and the occurrence of obesity in children based on dermatoglyphic traits. The sample comprised 73 children born in 2009, living in Palhoça, Santa Catarina (SC), Brazil, regularly enrolled in public and private schools in that municipality and who are participants of an ongoing major cohort study project called Coorte Brasil Sul. The results show predictive traits of obesity when comparing BMI and fingerprint groups. Obese male group, presented the figure Ulnar Loop (UL) in the right hand (MDT1) thumb and greater number of ridges in the (MDSQL1) right thumb the greater the BMI; likewise, the older the woman getting pregnant the greater the number of ridges that the child presented in the (MESQL2) left index finger and (MESQL1) right thumb. The results obtained infer the presence of predictive traits of BMI ranges and a possible association between the dermatoglyphic traits of children with obesity and late pregnancy women.

Swimming Improves Memory and Antioxidant Defense in an Animal Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disease associated with progressive skeletal muscle degeneration. In humans, DMD has an early onset, causes developmental delays, and is a devastating disease that drastically diminishes the quality of life of young individuals affected. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a swimming protocol on memory and oxidative stress in an animal model of DMD. Male mdx and wild-type mice aged ≥ 28 days were used in this study. The animals were trained for a stepped swimming protocol for four consecutive weeks. The swimming protocol significantly reduced the levels of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation in the gastrocnemius, hippocampus, and striatum in the exercised animals. It also prevented lipid peroxidation in the diaphragm. Moreover, it increased the free thiol levels in the gastrocnemius, the diaphragm, and all central nervous system structures. The results showed that the protocol that applied swimming as a low-intensity aerobic exercise for 4 weeks prevented aversive memory and habituation in mdx mice.

Obesity in people with diabetes in COVID-19 times: Important considerations and precautions to be taken.

At the end of 2019, a new disease with pandemic potential appeared in China. It was a novel coronavirus called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Later, in the first quarter of 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of this disease a pandemic. Elderly people, people with comorbidities, and health care professionals are more vulnerable to COVID-19. Obesity has been growing exponentially worldwide, affecting several age groups. It is a morbidity that is associated with genetic, epigenetic, environment factors and/or interaction between them. Obesity is associated with the development of several diseases including diabetes mellitus, mainly type 2. Diabetes affects a significant portion of the global population. Obesity and diabetes are among the main risk factors for the development of severe symptoms of COVID-19, and individuals with these conditions constitute a risk group. Based on a literature review on obesity in people with diabetes in the framework of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study presents updated important considerations and care to be taken with this population.

Effect of Aerobic Physical Exercise in an Animal Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a condition caused by an amendment to the X chromosome, inherited as a recessive trait, and affects 1:3500 live births, especially males. Low-intensity exercise is known to decrease certain parameters associated with muscular degeneration in animal models of progressive muscular dystrophies. In the present study, 28-day-old male mdx and wild-type (wild) mice were used. The animals were subjected to a low-intensity physical exercise protocol for 8 weeks. It was found that this protocol was able to reduce oxidative stress in muscle tissue and in most of the CNS structures analyzed, with a significant increase in antioxidant activity in all analyzed structures. It is thus possible to infer that this exercise protocol was able to reduce oxidative stress and improve the energy metabolism in brain tissue and in the gastrocnemius muscle of animals with DMD.

Dermatoglyphic traits of brazilian golfers / Traços dermatoglíficos dos golfistas brasileiros

ABSTRACT Played all over the world, golf has gained popularity, for it is a sport that depends on individual abilities. For this reason the search for tools that aim to seek and guide its respective talented players has become very important. Therefore, this study had the objective of comparing the distribution of the dermatoglyphic indicators of high performance golfers and of a group control of non-athletes. The sample was composed of 46 individuals with paired age and gender, divided into two groups: the Group Golf (GG), composed of 23 golfers, and the Group Control (GC), composed of 23 individuals control randomly selected. The golfers, part of the Project Golf Brazil of the Brazilian Golf Confederation, were between 11 and 21 years old. The results demonstrated that the number of lines in the pattern was of six possible variables of fingerprint (MESQL1, MESQL2, MESQL4, MESQL5, SQTLE, SQTL) is significantly higher in the golfers (GG) when compared to the group control (GC). When observed the qualitative variables, i. e., the pattern type, significant diferences where observed between the groups, since the golfers (GG) presented more Radial Loops (RL) in MDT5 when compared to the group control (GC). The results found in this study demonstrated that the dermatoglyphic profile of high performance golfers differ from the non-athlete population.

RESUMO Jogado em todo o mundo, o golfe está ganhando popularidade, sendo um esporte que depende das habilidades individuais, tornando-se importante a busca por ferramentas que visem buscar e orientar seus respectivos talentos. O presente estudo teve por objetivo comparar a distribuição dos indicadores dermatoglíficos de golfistas de alto rendimento e de um grupo controle de não atletas. A amostra foi composta por 46 indivíduos com idade e sexo pareados, divididos em dois grupos: o Grupo Golf (GG), composto por 23 golfistas e o Grupo Controle (GC), composto por 23 indivíduos controle aleatoriamente selecionados. Os golfistas, parte do Projeto Golf Brasil da Confederação Brasileira de Golfe, tinham idade entre 11 e 21 anos. Os resultados demonstram que o número de linhas no padrão de seis possíveis variáveis de impressão digital (MESQL1, MESQL2, MESQL4, MESQL5, SQTLE, SQTL) é maior nos golfistas (GG) quando comparado ao grupo controle (GC). Quando observadas as variáveis qualitativas, ou seja, o tipo de figura, observaram-se diferenças significativas entre os grupos, visto que os Golfistas (GG) apresentaram maior quantidade de Presilha Radial (LR) no MDT5 quando comparados ao grupo controle (GC). Os resultados encontrados neste estudo demonstraram que o perfil dermatoglífico de golfistas de alto rendimento difere da população não atleta.

Dermatoglyphical impressions are different between children and adolescents with normal weight, overweight and obesity: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Obesity is a health condition that causes a great impact on public health. The aim of this study was to determine the association between dermatoglyphic characteristics and excessive weight in children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in the center-west region of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Methods: The sample comprised of 2,172 children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 years old of both sexes and from public and private teaching networks. Results: The results suggested a predictive marker of obesity, with a greater number of lines in left hand finger two (Mesql2) and a higher frequency of the whorl pattern in participants of a healthy weight, while the overweight group had a higher frequency of the radial loop pattern and the obese group had a higher frequency of the ulnar loop pattern. Conclusion: It was concluded that there may be different dermatoglyphic characteristics depending on the nutritional status of children and adolescents.