Effect of Motor Competence and Health-Related Fitness in the Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors.

Purpose: In the last decades we have seen an increase in sedentary behaviors and a decrease in physical activity in children when compared to past generations. This lifestyle is commonly associated with the development of clustering risk factors that define metabolic syndrome (MetS). Knowing that motor competence (MC) development can influence lifelong physical activity habits, it is reasonable to assume that children's MC will directly link to clustered cardiometabolic health outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of MC in MetS risk factors. Methods: Seventy children with a mean age of 7.49 (SD = 1.28) years were evaluated on motor competence (MCA-Motor Competence Assessment instrument), cardiovascular fitness (PACER test), upper body strength (UBS; handgrip), and the components of MetS, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, abdominal obesity, low concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high fasting blood glucose. The composite value of MetS was calculated according to Burns et al. (2017). Multiple standard regressions were performed to explore the effect of different variables on MetS. Motor competence and health-related fitness (cardiovascular fitness and relative upper body strength) were used as independent variables (predictors) and MetS as dependent variable. Results: Overall, the results showed that motor competence (ß = -.072; p < .05) is a significant predictor and this model explained 7,1% of the variance in MetS. Conclusion: Although more studies are needed, our results indicate that MC seems to have a positive role in children's health markers.

This study aimed to analyze the role of MC, cardiorespiratory fitness, and upper body strength in MetS risk factors.The results suggest that upper body strength is the strongest predictor for MetS (negative association), followed by MC (positive association).When the different MC components were entered independently instead of total MC, the upper body strength and locomotor MC were found to be significant predictors of the MetS behavior.Considering our results and the fact that MC levels during childhood positively influence PA levels along lifespan, this study suggests a pathway to follow in future research.

Drivers of variation in seagrass-associated amphipods across biogeographical areas.

Amphipods are one of the dominant epifaunal groups in seagrass meadows. However, our understanding of the biogeographical patterns in the distribution of these small crustaceans is limited. In this study, we investigated such patterns and the potential drivers in twelve Cymodocea nodosa meadows within four distinctive biogeographical areas across 2000 Km and 13° of latitude in two ocean basins (Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean). We found that species abundances in the assemblage of seagrass-associated amphipods differed among areas following a pattern largely explained by seagrass leaf area and epiphyte biomass, while the variation pattern in species presence/absence was determined by seagrass density and epiphyte biomass. Seagrass leaf area was also the most important determinant of greater amphipod total density and species richness, while amphipod density also increased with algal cover. Overall, our results evidenced that biogeographical patterns of variation in amphipod assemblages are mainly influenced by components of the habitat structure, which covary with environmental conditions, finding that structurally more complex meadows harboring higher abundance and richness of amphipods associated.

Driving factors of biogeographical variation in seagrass herbivory.

Despite the crucial role of herbivory in shaping community assembly, our understanding on biogeographical patterns of herbivory on seagrasses is limited compared to that on terrestrial plants. In particular, the drivers of such patterns remain largely unexplored. Here, we used a comparative-experimental approach in Cymodocea nodosa meadows, across all possible climate types within the seagrass distribution, 2000 km and 13° of latitude in two ocean basins, to investigate biogeographical variation in seagrass herbivory intensity and their drivers during July 2014. Particularly, the density and richness of herbivores and their food resources, seagrass size, carbon and nitrogen content, as well as latitude, sea surface temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, and sediment grain size, were tested as potential drivers. We found that shallow meadows can be subjected to intense herbivory, with variation in herbivory largely explained by fish density, seagrass size, and annual sea temperature range. The herbivorous fish density was the most important determinant of such variation, with the dominant seagrass consumer, the fish Sarpa salpa, absent at meadows from regions with low herbivory. In temperate regions where herbivorous fish are present, annual temperature ranges drive an intense summer herbivory, which is likely mediated not only by increased herbivore metabolic demands at higher temperatures, but also by higher fish densities. Invertebrate grazing (mainly by sea urchins, isopods, amphipods, and/or gastropods) was the dominant leaf herbivory in some temperate meadows, with grazing variation mainly influenced by seagrass shoot size. At the subtropical region (under reduced annual temperature range), lower shoot densities and seagrass nitrogen contents contributed to explain the almost null herbivory. We evidenced the combined influence of drivers acting at geographic (region) and local (meadow) scales, the understanding of which is critical for a clear prediction of variation in seagrass herbivory intensity across biogeographical regions.

Spatiotemporal variation of the epifaunal assemblages associated to Sargassum muticum on the NW Atlantic coast of Morocco.

Epifaunal assemblages inhabiting the non-indigenous macroalga Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt were investigated on two physically distinct intertidal rocky (S1) and sandy (S2) sites along the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The objective of this study was to test whether the habitat-forming marine alga S. muticum invasive in these sites supported different epifaunal assemblages under different environmental conditions and through time. The gastropods Steromphala umbilicalis, S. pennanti, and Rissoa parva and the isopod Dynamene bidentata were the most contributive species to the dissimilarity of epifaunal assemblage structure between both sites throughout seasons. SIMPER analysis showed a dissimilarity of 58.3-78.5% in the associated species composition of S. muticum between study sites with respect to sampling season. Species diversity and total abundance were significantly higher at the rocky site compared to the sandy site. PERMANOVA analyses showed significant differences of associated epifaunal assemblage structure for the season and site interaction. Accordingly, site and season were determinant factors conditioning the role of habitat in structuring epifaunal assemblages.

Fatigue and microgap behaviour of a three-unit implant-fixed dental prosthesis combining conventional and dynamic abutments.

This is an in vitro study composed by a fatigue test followed by an optical microscopy analysis. Dynamic abutments concept, recently introduced on screw-retained implant dental prosthesis, consists on the screw channel customisation according to the individual needs of each rehabilitation. Geometry and tightening torque differences advise the assessment of their mechanical performance. Clarify whether the combination of dynamic and conventional abutments in a three-unit implant-fixed prosthesis has detrimental effects either on the mechanical performance under cyclic loading or on the implant-abutment microgap dimensions. The fatigue test was performed in agreement with the ISO standard 14801. Then on the samples that resisted 5 million cycles, the implant-abutment microgap was measured on dynamic and conventional abutments using optical microscopy. Two unloaded samples were used as control group. The samples supported a load of 1050 N. The implant-abutment microgap measurement did not show statistically significant differences (p = .086) between loaded and unloaded groups, but the loaded conventional abutments showed a significant lower implant-abutment microgap (p = .05) than the loaded dynamic abutments. The combination of conventional and dynamic abutments do not seem to produce a decrease in fatigue resistance to a level below the mastication forces or an increase in the joint dimensions.

An engineering-based approach for design and fabrication of a customized nasal prosthesis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Facial defects (from neoplasms, trauma, etc.) can be functionally and emotionally devastating. A non-invasive treatment for these defects is the application of external prostheses. Conventionally, these prostheses are fabricated by an anaplastologist through a manual procedure, which is an expensive and time-consuming approach. Current advances in computational and engineering tools report an improvement in design and manufacturing of silicone prostheses. This demand motivated this study that aims to develop a methodology for fabricating customized nasal prostheses. TECHNIQUE: In this study, an 80-year-old woman with a total defect of the nose is considered as case-study. The proposed methodology entails six tasks: (a) data acquisition, (b) three-dimensional reconstruction, (c) prosthesis design, (d) moulds fabrication, (e) prosthesis manufacturing and (f) final fittings. DISCUSSION: The presented approach showed encouraging outcomes since it saves time, reduces costs and allows the achievement of prosthesis with the minimum contact and discomfort to the patient, disclosing excellent aesthetic and functional results. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Custom-made nasal prostheses with minimum contact and discomfort for the patient can be achieved using an engineering approach based on digital technologies and additive manufacturing that is cost-effective and less time-consuming than the manual procedure.

A new species of Onuphis (Polychaeta: Onuphidae) from Southern Portugal, with comments on the validity of O. pancerii Claparède, 1868.

Onuphis farensis sp. nov. (Annelida, Polychaeta) is described, based on a population inhabiting intertidal sandbanks in the mesotidal coastal lagoon of Ria Formosa (Southern Portugal). It can be distinguished from all other known species within the genus by having bi- and tridentate pseudocompound hooks on the first 4 chaetigers, single filament branchiae from chaetiger 5, and subacicular hooks from chaetiger 9. The species was previously collected in the Bay of Cádiz and Isla Cristina (SW Spain), in a similar habitat to Ria Formosa, but referred to O. geophiliformis Moore, 1903. The taxonomic status of other Onuphis species recorded in the European waters is also discussed. On the whole, O. pancerii Claparède, 1868, described from the Gulf of Naples, has been treated as a junior synonym of O. eremita Audouin & Milne-Edwards, 1833, but taking the more restrictive definition of this species accepted today, should be considered as a valid Mediterranean species. Finally, O. opalina (Verrill, 1873) and O. rullieriana (Amoureux, 1977) may be synonymous, as both species are similar morphologically, occur at similar depths, and have partially overlapping geographical distributions. The different diagnostic characters utilised for the new species are analysed, with the number of chaetigers with postchaetal lobes determined to be a poor taxonomic character for the genus Onuphis, proving to be size-related. A synoptic table with all worldwide species of the genus Onuphis is provided, together with a dichotomic key for the species hitherto recorded in the European and nearby waters.

Tanymastigites lusitanica sp. nov. (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Anostraca) from Portugal, first representative of the genus in Europe.

Tanymastigites lusitanica sp. nov., a new species of fairy shrimp, is described from puddles in unpaved roads in the Alentejo region, Portugal. The males of Tanymastigites lusitanica sp. nov. are readily separated from the rest of the species of the genus by the morphology of antennae, antennal appendages and penes. T. lusitanica sp. nov. is closely related to T. perrieri but differs from it by the presence of a proximal ventrolateral short ridge in the distal segment of the antenna, and by the absence of a big thorn-like outgrowth in the distal lateral "lip" of the basal part of the penis. T. lusitanica sp. nov. presents a simple lateral branch in the antennal appendage of males, instead of the bifurcated lateral branch present in T. brteki, T. cyrenaica and T. mzabica. The finding of this new species represents the first citation of this genus in Europe. An identification key is provided to separate the males of the different species of the genus.

Human chondrocyte morphology, its dedifferentiation, and fibronectin conformation on different PLLA microtopographies.

Surfaces of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) of well-defined microtopography were prepared by making use of the semicrystalline character of PLLA. Different thermal treatments before isothermal crystallization (which include nucleation steps) permit to obtain a controlled number of simultaneously growing spherulites, which, in the end, modulate the topography at the microscale. Four qualitatively different surfaces were prepared. The dynamics of primary human chondrocyte adhesion and cytoskeleton organization was investigated on the different surfaces. Chondrocyte morphology is shown to be influenced by the microtopography of the system as obtained by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The cytoplasmatic distribution of a focal adhesion protein, tensin, is followed as a function of time. Since the effect of surface topography on cell morphology is a consequence of the process of interaction between the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, adsorbed on the surface of the material, and related cell adhesion molecules, the conformation of one ECM protein, fibronectin, adsorbed on the different substrates was investigated by means of AFM.

Neoplasia intra-epitelial grau III da vulva e da regiäo perianal tratada com vulvectomia superficial: relato de caso / High-grade vulvar and perianal intraepithelial neoplasia treated with skinning vulvectomy: a case report

A neoplasia intra-epitelial vulvar grau III (NIV III) se manifesta de modo visível, portanto, acessível à biópsia e, por conseguinte, ao diagnóstico histológico. Há duas formas precursoras do câncer vulvar: a NIV associada ao papiloma vírus humano (HPV) e a NIV associada ao líquen simples crônico, hiperplasia de células escamosas e líquen escleroso, näo tratados. Porém, pode existir sobreposiçäo das duas formas. O termo papulose bowenóide, apesar de ser desencorajado, define uma das formas clínicas da NIV, que se apresenta como lesöes pigmentadas, verruciformes, papulares e múltiplas. A NIV III está associada com HPV em mais de 80 por cento dos casos e em 40 por cento das vezes, nota-se envolvimento perianal. O seu tratamento é muito difícil e pode ocorrer recorrência em qualquer tempo e por muitos anos. Embora näo exista tratamento padräo definido, os trabalhos apontam para a cirurgia, respeitando margem de segurança, como o mais adequado