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ObjectivesTo evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an exergame intervention as a tool to promote physical activity in outpatients with schizophrenia. DesignFeasibility/Acceptability Study and Quasi-Experimental Trial. MethodSixteen outpatients with schizophrenia received treatment as usual and they all completed an 8-week exergame intervention using Microsoft Kinect ® (20 min sessions, biweekly). Participants completed pre and post treatment assessments regarding functional mobility (Timed Up and Go Test), functional fitness performance (Senior Fitness Test), motor neurological soft signs (Brief Motor Scale), hand grip strength (digital dynamometer), static balance (force plate), speed of processing (Trail Making Test), schizophrenia-related symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) and functioning (Personal and Social Performance Scale). The EG group completed an acceptability questionnaire after the intervention. ResultsAttrition rate was 18.75% and 69.23% of the participants completed the intervention within the proposed schedule. Baseline clinical traits were not related to game performance indicators. Over 90% of the participants rated the intervention as satisfactory and interactive. Most participants (76.9%) agreed that this intervention promotes healthier lifestyles and is an acceptable alternative to perform physical activity. Repeated-measures MANOVA analyses found no significant multivariate effects for combined outcomes. ConclusionThis study established the feasibility and acceptability of an exergame intervention for outpatients with schizophrenia. The intervention proved to be an appealing alternative to physical activity. Future trials should include larger sample sizes, explore patients' adherence to home-based exergames and consider greater intervention dosage (length, session duration, and/or frequency) in order to achieve potential effects.

Anthropogenic activities, such as agriculture and industrial activities, are a main source of pollution contributing for the degradation of water quality and thus affecting the living organisms of aquatic systems. Copper is widely used at these practices being often released into the aquatic systems and may cause negative effects in its communities. This study proposes to determine the effects of copper in the antioxidant defence system of two size classes (big and small sizes) of Scrobicularia plana and Cerastoderma edule, two marine bivalve species with commercial interest. It was observed the behaviour activity of the organisms during the exposure to copper sulphate (CS) and was determined the enzymatic activities of glutathione-S-transferases (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (both selenium-dependent (SeGPx) and total (tGPx)) in the muscle tissue (foot). Lipid peroxidation (LPO) was evaluated through thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) measurement in the foot. Changes in the behaviour and enzymatic activity were observed. Lipid peroxidation was observed at C. edule and S. plana big and small size classes, respectively, according to TBARS levels. The foot showed to be a good tissue to be used in biochemical analysis to detect the presence of toxicants.

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The exponential increase of the human population demands the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture practices to suppress food production needs. The excessive use of these chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) can comport deleterious effects to the ecosystems, including aquatic systems and communities. Oxyfluorfen is a fluorine-based herbicide, and its application has increased, since it is seen as an alternative to control glyphosate-resistant weeds. Copper sulfate is an inorganic pesticide based on copper which is being used in several chemical formulations, and it is the second main constituent of fungicides. Besides the known effects of such products in organisms, climatic changes pose an additional issue, being a main concern among scientists and politicians worldwide, since these alterations may worsen ecosystems’ and organisms’ sensitivity to stress conditions, such as the exposure to pollutants. Thalassiosira weissflogii (Grunow) G. A. Fryxell & Hasle, 1977 plays an important role in aquatic food webs as a primary producer and an essential food source to zooplankton. Thus, alterations on the diatom’s abundance and nutritional value may lead to consequences along the trophic chain. However, few studies have evaluated the biochemical impacts of oxyfluorfen and copper sulfate exposure on diatoms. This study intends to (1) evaluate the effects on the growth rate of both contaminants on T. weissfloggi at three temperatures, considering the actual scenario of climatic changes, and (2) assess biochemical changes on the diatom when exposed to the chemicals at different temperatures. To achieve these aims, the marine diatom was exposed to the two chemicals individually at different temperatures. The results showed an increase in the growth rate with increasing temperatures. Oxyfluorfen exhibited higher toxicity than copper sulfate. At the biochemical level, the microalgae were greatly affected when exposed to oxyfluorfen at 20 °C and 25 °C and when exposed to copper sulfate at 15 °C. Moreover, a general increase was observed for the polysaccharide content along the copper sulfate and oxyfluorfen concentrations. Therefore, the contaminants show the ability to interfere with the diatom growth and the nutritive value, with their effects dependent on the temperature.