The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of a multicomponent exercise program on the physical and hemodynamic functions of community-dwelling older adults with low schooling levels in relation to simple multicomponent group exercises. Twenty-one older people were randomly assigned to two groups: G1 (n = 11) and G2 (n = 10); sixteen of whom completed the sixteen sessions over a six-week period, three times a week. During eight sessions, G1 performed adapted dual-task multicomponent exercises (strengthening, balance, and cognition) and G2 simple multicomponent exercises (strengthening and balance), and both groups engaged in eight additional sessions of simple multicomponent exercises. The dual-task multicomponent exercises exhibited similar effects to those of their simple multicomponent counterparts. The older adults from both groups improved mobility, frailty, static postural control, balance, and hemodynamic stability. The adapted program was beneficial to the community-dwelling older people with low schooling in the group intervention.

Ploidy manipulation has been rarely used in the genetic improvement of cultured marine shrimps. Although polyploid induction has been proven to be successful in Penaeids, including the species Litopenaeus vannamei, the methodology still requires some improvements. In the present work, different thermal shock treatments on ploidy manipulation were tested and a protocol for detecting polyploid individuals was also established. Fertilized eggs were treated by cold (10°C) and heat (38°C) thermal shocks for 8, 12, 15, 18, 20, and 22 min to induce polyploidy. Nuclear measurements within distinct treatments revealed a significant deviation in relation to the mean diameter of nuclei in the control individuals. Triploid and tetraploid metaphases were observed within treated individuals, confirming the increase of interphasic nuclear diameter. The cold thermal shock was more efficient than the hot ones, besides leading to a higher and more homogeneous hatchery rate. A mean number of three nucleoli per nucleus were observed in diploid individuals, while treated samples usually presented up to five nucleoli per nucleus. The standardization of protocols to obtain and detect polyploid products allows further utilization of such methods on a commercial scale in order to evaluate the performance of polyploid individuals in the genetic improvement of L. vannamei.

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most prevalent parasitic infections in humans, causing severe clinical complications in immunocompromised patients or in foetuses. Estimates on the toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in human populations vary widely, even within the same region. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the municipality of Santa Cruz, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, and identify the risk factors for toxoplasmosis. T. gondii IgG antibodies were measured in 66.2% of the studied population. The factors associated with infection were as follows: age above 45 years (OR = 7.4; 95% CI = 3.7-14.8); illiteracy (OR = 2.8; 95% CI = 1.6-5.0); the presence of more than three cats in the home (OR 2.0; 95% CI = 1.2-3.5); no water tank (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.4-3.1); and consumption of raw or unpasteurized milk (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.3-3.0). The risk factors identified were predominantly related to the ingestion of oocysts. This study may contribute to public health knowledge of toxoplasmosis and the definition of control programs, particularly for pregnant women from regions similar to the area studied.

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