Comparative overview of the effects of aerobic and resistance exercise on anxiety-like behavior, cognitive flexibility, and hippocampal synaptic plasticity parameters in healthy rats

Clinical studies show that physical exercise has anxiolytic and pro-cognitive properties for both healthy individuals and psychiatric patients. Most of these data refer to the effects of aerobic exercise. However, other modalities such as resistance exercise deserve more attention because they may also modulate brain function. This study aimed to compare the effects of an aerobic exercise protocol on a treadmill and a resistance exercise protocol on a ladder apparatus on anxiety-like behavior, cognitive flexibility, and neuroplasticity parameters in healthy animals. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: sedentary control, aerobic training, and resistance training. Subsequently, they were evaluated in the elevated plus-maze (EPM), light-dark box, and modified hole board (mHB) tests. The expressions of synaptophysin and postsynaptic plasticity protein 95 in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus were analyzed by immunofluorescence. The results demonstrated an anxiolytic effect promoted by exercise in the EPM, particularly in the animals submitted to aerobic training, and a mild pro-learning effect of both exercise modalities was observed in the mHB test. All groups showed similar outcomes in the other evaluations. Therefore, the exercise modalities investigated in the present study did not provide considerable modifications to such aspects of the emotional/cognitive functions and neuroplasticity under physiological contexts. Perhaps the two types of exercise acted in neurobiological pathways not analyzed in this study, or the effects may emerge under pathological contexts. These hypotheses should be tested in future studies.

Nurses’ understanding about the pressure injury prevention and care / Conhecimento de enfermeiros sobre prevenção e cuidados de lesão por pressão

Objetivo: Identificar o conhecimento dos enfermeiros assistenciais quanto à prevenção e cuidados com lesões por pressão (LPP) em unidades de clínica médica e cirúrgica de um hospital universitário de Brasília. Métodos: Trata-se de estudo descritivo, transversal com análise quantitativa.  Os dados foram coletados por meio da aplicação de um instrumento com informações acerca da formação e conhecimento do enfermeiro acerca da LPP. Resultados: A amostra foi de 38 enfermeiros, onde 78.9%, acertaram entre 70 a 89% do instrumento, e somente 2 enfermeiros (5,2%) obtiveram nota igual ou maior a 90% de acerto. Os itens de menor acerto estão relacionados ao uso de dispositivos, como luva d’agua (23,6%), almofadas (23,6%), e em relação ao posicionamento e reposicionamento, além da massagem em proeminência ósseas. Conclusão: Conclui-se que há um déficit do conhecimento da equipe de enfermagem deste hospital, o que pode comprometer diretamente na assistência principalmente do paciente em risco para LPP.

KNOWLEDGE AND ADHERENCE OF THE NURSE TO STANDARD PRECAUTIONS IN CRITICAL UNITS

ABSTRACT Objective: to identify the knowledge and adherence of nurses to the standard precautions in critical care units. Method: descriptive and cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach, with the population of nurses from a university hospital in the Distrito Federal, Brazil. For data collection, three instruments were used. A semi-structured questionnaire with identification and occupational data of nurses, the questionnaire to evaluate knowledge to standard precautions and the Questionnaire of adherence to standard precautions. Descriptive analysis was used with absolute and relative frequency values. Results: the population was composed of 40 participating nurses, 75% were female, with an average age of 32.5 years, ranging from 24 to 50 years. Professionals with five or more years of training (67.5%) predominated, 25 (62.5%) had only one job and had experience in the area of critical patient care for more than three years. Although with a high percentage of accuracy, with regard to the moments that required hand hygiene, this frequency was 97.5%. Gloves are always used for intramuscular or subcutaneous injection by 67.5% of professionals, but 17.5% still consider it unnecessary to wear disposable caps and surgical shoe covers. The use of sharps, handling and reporting of occupational accidents were not performed as expected. Conclusion: gaps were identified in relation to the knowledge and adherence of nurses in units that provide care to critical patients of a university hospital with regard to standard precautions.

Vulnerabilities, depression, and religiosity in the elderly hospitalised in an emergency unit

OBJECTIVES

To identify vulnerabilities and the association between religiosity and depressive signs in the elderly hospitalised in an emergency unit.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted with 140 elderly patients admitted to a public hospital in the Federal District, Brazil, between May and October 2016. Data were collected using a semi-structured health questionnaire, the Duke University Religion Scale (DUREL), and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS).

RESULTS

The elderly patients were vulnerable in terms of schooling, place of residence, and life habits, and 37.3% exhibited signs of depression. A weak association was found between religiosity and the development of depressive signs (p ≤ 0, R = 0.12; p = 0.02 and r = 0.06).

CONCLUSION

The results showed isolated religiosity is not an effective protective factor, but it strengthens resilience in the face of disease and serves as a support network for the elderly.

Functional capability and violence situations against the elderly

Objective To verify whether there is a connection between the functional capacity of the elderly and the presence of violent situations in their daily lives. Methods A population-based cross-sectional study developed with 237 elderly individuals. Standard and validated research instruments were used. Results Mean age of 70.25 years (standard deviation of 6.94), 69% were female, 76% were independent in basic activities of daily living and 54% had a partial dependence on at least one instrumental activity. The most prevalent violence was psychological and the relation between being dependent on basic activities of daily living and suffering physical violence was statistically significant. Conclusion When the elderly needs assistance to perform self-care activities, there is a greater chance of exposure to a situation of abuse, such as physical violence.

A salivary malignant myoepithelioma in a dog

Salivary tumours are uncommon in domestic animals and there are no known previous confirmed reports of salivary tumours of myoepithelial origin in dogs. A 12-year-old female mixed breed dog was presented with a lobulated mass, composed of white-yellowish tissues, extending from soft palate to epiglottis. Histological examination revealed a neoplastic lesion consisting of a dense population of cells showing moderate pleomorphism, with pale cytoplasm and large oval nuclei, arranged in solid lobules. Mitotic activity was very high. Tumoral cells were negative for both periodic acid-Schiff reaction and Alcian blue stain and displayed strong immunohistochemical reactivity for pan-cytokeratin, muscle specific actin and myosin and focal positivity for cytokeratin 14. On the basis of the morphological, histochemical and immunohistochemical findings a diagnosis of malignant tumour of myoepithelial origin (malignant myoepithelioma) was made.

A femorotibial joint swelling with popliteal lymph node enlargement in a Rottweiler

A 9-year-old male Rottweiler was presented to the Veterinary Medical Hospital Montenegro, Porto, Portugal with a large mass medial to the left stifle and radiographic signs of bone lysis involving the proximal tibia, fibula, and distal femur. A fine-needle aspiration was obtained from left popliteal lymph node, which was markedly enlarged. Cytologic examination revealed a highly cellular sample consisting of pleomorphic cells with marked anisocytosis and anisokaryosis and other criteria of malignancy. Some cells contained intracytoplasmic, granular, dark brown material, consistent with hemosiderin. Histologic evaluation of the surgically-excised lymph node revealed a neoplastic proliferation of histiocytic cells, with marked pleomorphism; occasional cells were erythrophagocytic. Mitotic figures were frequently observed, and many were atypical. Histologic findings were consistent with malignant histiocytosis. Necropsy examination confirmed the diagnosis of malignant histiocytosis with systemic involvement affecting most organs examined. This case of malignant histiocytosis case had an atypical clinical presentation, mimicking a musculoskeletal disorder. It underlines the importance of cytology as a simple, inexpensive, rapid and noninvasive complementary exam in routine clinical practice that can permit early diagnosis of the disease and timely selection of the most adequate therapy.