The COVID-19 pandemic has been present for many months, influencing diets such as the gluten-free diet (GFD), which implies daily challenges even in non-pandemic conditions. Persons following the GFD were invited to answer online ad hoc and validated questionnaires characterizing self-perceptions of the pandemic, current clinical condition, dietary characteristics, adherence to GFD, anxiety, and depression. Of 331 participants, 87% experienced shortage and higher cost of food and 14.8% lost their jobs. Symptoms increased in 29% and 36.6% failed to obtain medical help. Although 52.3% increased food preparation at home and purchased alternative foodstuffs, 53.8% had consumed gluten-containing foods. The Health Eating Index was intermediate/“needs improvement” (mean 65.6 ± 13.3 points); in 49.9% (perception) and 44.4% (questionnaire), adherence was “bad”. Anxiety and depression scores were above the cutoff in 28% and 40.4%, respectively. Adherence and mental health were strongly related. The likelihood of poor adherence was 2.3 times higher (p < 0.004) in participants declaring that pandemic altered GFD. Those suffering depressive symptoms were 1.3 times more likely to have poor adherence (p < 0.000). Depression and faulty GFD (mandatory for treatment) appear, affecting a high proportion of participants, suggesting that support measures aimed at these aspects would help improve the health condition of people that maintain GFD. Comparisons of data currently appearing in the literature available should be cautious because not only cultural aspects but conditions and timing of data collection are most variable.

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RESUMO Embora um crescente corpo de literatura corrobore o papel benéfico do exercício sobre a cognição, não há consenso sobre os mecanismos que norteiam as adaptações cerebrais agudas e crônicas ao exercício. A presente revisão narrativa tem como objetivo apresentar e discutir os mecanismos pelos quais o exercício afeta o desempenho cognitivo. Agudamente, especula-se que os efeitos do exercício sobre a resposta cogni-tiva sejam mediados por aumentos no fluxo sanguíneo cerebral e, por conseguinte, no aporte de nutrientes, ou por um aumento na atividade de neurotransmissores. Cronicamente, especula-se que o exercício possa promover adaptações em estruturas cerebrais e plasticidade sináptica que culminariam com melhoras cog-nitivas. Tais hipóteses são discutidas à luz das evidências científicas disponíveis, tanto em modelos animais quanto em humanos. ABSTRACT Although a growing body of literature has supported the beneficial role of exercise on cognition, there is no consensus on the mechanisms underlying acute and chronic cerebral adaptations to exercise. The present review aims to present and discuss the mechanisms by which exercise affects cognitive performance. It has been speculated that the acute effects of exercise on cognitive response may be mediated by increases in cerebral blood flow and, hence, in nutrient availability, or by increases in neurotransmitter activity. It has been also postulated that chronic exercise may induce adaptations in brain structures and the synaptic plasticity, which would result in cognitive improvements. These hypotheses are discussed in light of available scientific evidence in animal models and humans RESUMEN Aunque un creciente cuerpo de literatura corrobore el papel benéfico del ejercicio sobre la cognición, no hay consenso sobre los mecanismos que nortean las adaptaciones cerebrales agudas y crónicas al ejercicio. La presente revisión narrativa tiene como objetivo presentar y discutir los mecanismos por los cuales el ejercicio afecta el desem-peño cognitivo. Agudamente, se especula que los efectos del ejercicio sobre la respuesta cognitiva sean mediados por aumentos en el flujo sanguíneo cerebral y, por consiguiente, en el aporte de nutrientes, o por un aumento en la actividad de neurotransmisores. Crónicamente, se especula que el ejercicio pueda promover adaptaciones en estructuras cerebrales y plasticidad sináptica que culminarían con mejoras cognitivas. Tales hipótesis son discutidas a la luz de las evidencias científicas disponibles, tanto en modelos animales como en humanos. Palabras clave: cerebro, actividad física, cognición. Artigo recebido em 29/11/2013, aprovado em 16/04/2014. INTRODUÇÃO Há décadas, tem sido demonstrada uma relação benéfica entre a prática de exercícios físicos e o metabolismo do sistema nervoso central 1,2. Interessantemente, logo após uma única sessão de exercício físico aeróbio realizado em intensidade moderada (i.e. ~ 50 % do VO 2pico), são observadas melhoras no desempenho de diferentes tarefas cognitivas, tais como velocidade de processame...

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have unique properties, making them attractive for electronic and energy‐conversion devices and as (electro)catalysts for electrochemical sensors. In addition to the size and shape of AuNPs, the electrocatalytic properties of AuNP‐sensors are also determined by the stabilizing agent used in their synthesis. Here, AuNPs were synthesized with citrate, alginate and quercetin, obtaining spherical and negatively charged nanoparticles. The AuNPs were used to modify glassy carbon electrodes (AuNPs/GCE), which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques. The AuNPs/GCE showed aggregates of different sizes and degrees of dispersion on the electrode surface depending on the stabilizing agent. The AuNP's aggregates affect the homogeneity of the film, the reproducibility of the electrodes and their response in buffer solution. Finally, to evaluate the electrocatalytic ability of the AuNPs/GCE, we studied the oxidation of two analytes with opposite charges: (1) sunset yellow (negative) and (2) hydrazine (positive). Compared with GCE, the AuNPs/GCE showed good electrocatalytic properties for hydrazine, increasing the current up to 50 % and shifting the potential by almost 400 mV, depending on the AuNP used. For the negatively charged analyte, the current decreased up to 50 % and no shift in potential was observed. Thus, the electrocatalytic properties of the AuNPs showed to be highly dependent on the nature of the analyte.

Background To validate the traditional talk test (TTT) and an alternative talk test (ATT; using a visual analog scale) in overweight/obese (OW-OB) patients and to establish its accuracy in determining the aerobic training zones. Methods We recruited 19 subjects aged 34.9 ± 6.7 years, diagnosed with overweight/obesity (BMI 31.8 ± 5.7). Every subject underwent incremental cycloergometric tests for maximal oxygen consumption, and TTT in a randomized order. At the end of each stage during the TTT, each subject read out loud a 40 words text and then had to identify the comfort to talk in two modalities: TTT which consisted in answering “Yes,” “I don’t know,” or “No” to the question Was talking comfortable?, or ATT through a 1 to 10 numeric perception scale (visual analog scale (VAS)). The magnitude of differences was interpreted in comparison to the smallest worthwhile change and was used to determine agreement. Results There was an agreement between the power output at the VAS 2–3 of ATT and the power output at the ventilatory threshold 1 (VT1) (very likely equivalent; mean difference − 1.3 W, 90% confidence limit (CL) (− 8.2; 5.6), percent chances for higher/similar/lower values of 0.7/99.1/0.2%). Also, there was an agreement between the power output at the VAS 6–7 of ATT and the power output at the ventilatory threshold 2 (VT2) (very likely equivalent; mean difference 11.1 W, 90% CL (2.8; 19.2), percent chances for higher/similar/lower values of 0.0/97.6/2.4%). Conclusions ATT is a tool to determine exercise intensity and to establish aerobic training zones for exercise prescription in OW-OB patients.

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Background: to validate the traditional talk test (TTT) and an alternative talk test (ATT; using a visual analog scale) in overweight/obese (OW-OB) patients and to establish its accuracy in determining the aerobic training zones.Methods: We recruited 19 subjects aged 34.9 ± 6.7 years, diagnosed with overweight/obesity (BMI 31.8 ± 5.7). Every subject underwent incremental cycloergometric tests for maximal oxygen consumption, and TT in a randomized order. At the end of each stage during the TT each subject read out loud a 40 words text and then had to identify the comfort to talk in two modalities: TTT which consisted in answering “Yes”, “I don’t know” or “No” to the question Was talking comfortable?, or ATT through a 1 to 10 numeric perception scale (visual scale analog: VAS). The magnitude of differences was interpreted in comparison to the smallest worthwhile change (SWC) and was used to determine agreement.Results: Agreement between the power output at the VAS 2-3 of ATT and the power output at the ventilatory threshold 1 (very likely equivalent; mean difference -1.3 W, 90 % CL (-8.2; 5.6), % chances for higher/similar/lower values of 0.7/99.1/0.2 %). Also, there was an agreement between the power output at the VAS 6-7 of ATT and the power output at the ventilatory threshold 2 (very likely equivalent; mean difference 11.1 W, 90 % CL (2.8; 19.2), % chances for higher/similar/lower values of 0.0/97.6/2.4 %). Conclusions: ATT is a tool to determine exercise intensity and to establish aerobic training zones for exercise prescription in OW-OB patients.

Background: to validate the traditional talk test (TTT) and an alternative talk test (ATT; using a visual analog scale) in overweight/obese (OW-OB) patients and to establish its accuracy in determining the aerobic training zones.Methods: We recruited 19 subjects aged 34.9 ± 6.7 years, diagnosed with overweight/obesity (BMI 31.8 ± 5.7). Every subject underwent incremental cycloergometric tests for maximal oxygen consumption, and TTT in a randomized order. At the end of each stage during the TTT each subject read out loud a 40 words text and then had to identify the comfort to talk in two modalities: TTT which consisted in answering “Yes”, “I don’t know” or “No” to the question Was talking comfortable?, or ATT through a 1 to 10 numeric perception scale (visual scale analog: VAS). The magnitude of differences was interpreted in comparison to the smallest worthwhile change and was used to determine agreement.Results: Agreement between the power output at the VAS 2-3 of ATT and the power output at the ventilatory threshold 1 (VT1) (very likely equivalent; mean difference -1.3 Watts (W), 90 % confidence limit (CL) (-8.2; 5.6), % chances for higher/similar/lower values of 0.7/99.1/0.2 %). Also, there was an agreement between the power output at the VAS 6-7 of ATT and the power output at the ventilatory threshold 2 (VT2) (very likely equivalent; mean difference 11.1 W, 90 % CL (2.8; 19.2), % chances for higher/similar/lower values of 0.0/97.6/2.4 %). Conclusions: ATT is a tool to determine exercise intensity and to establish aerobic training zones for exercise prescription in OW-OB patients.