Purpose: to investigate the neuropsychomotor development, as well as nutritional and cognitive/emotional aspects of children aged 0 to 5, attending early childhood education centers, aiming at early identification and prevention of risks and delays in children’s development. Methods: the population studied was composed of 85 children attending two early childhood education centers. The children’s development approach was contextual, by means of ludic physical therapy assessment, by using the DENVER II scale; complementary assessments of their nutritional status were also performed, based on anthropometric measurements of weight and height, as well as evaluations of the cognitive/emotional development aspects through the Free Hand Drawing and Human Figure Drawing Tests. Results: neuropsychomotor development was found to be within normal range in 69.41% of the children and questionable in 30.58% of them. The significant variable affecting the result was found to be the class in which some children were inserted. In the scale utilized, the best performance was considered to be the gross motor skills (7.69%) and the most questionable performance occurred in the language skills (58.85%). As for nutritional data, it was discovered that 27.06% of the children had some nutritional risk, 22.35% had obesity risk and 4.71%, malnutrition risk. In the cognitive/emotional analysis, the result was that 34.37% of the children presented signs of difficulties related to adaptation and socialization or self-esteem. Conclusion: in the present study, about one-third of the children participating presented questionable neuropsychomotor development, especially in the field of language; in this regard, the class to which the children belong may constitute a barrier to their development. These children presented nutritional risks, with a tendency towards obesity, as well as the possible difficulties regarding adaptation and socialization or self-esteem.

No abstract

Brazil is one of the countries that consumes the most pesticides, and as a consequence, both rural workers and society in general are exposed to the risks that this use poses to physical and mental health. In this sense, Parkinson's disease exemplifies such risks, as it is a neuronal disorder that presents motor and non-motor symptoms that affect quality of life. The main objective of the research was to observe the relationship between the development of Parkinson's disease and the use of pesticides, considering that it is a neurodegenerative disease that affects rural workers who handle products with such active ingredients, as well as the general population that consumes crops treated with them. Therefore, the characteristics that permeate the disease were described, and data from Brazilian regions and states were collected, with a focus on Paraná regarding the use of associated active ingredients (Paraquat, Mancozeb, and Glyphosate), the crops that use them, and also Parkinson's mortality rates by region and states from 2013 to 2020, in order to establish a parallel between use and mortality. It was observed that both mortality and pesticide use increased during the associated period. The Central-West, South, and Southeast regions were the ones that used the three analyzed active ingredients the most, while the Northeast, Southeast, and South had the highest mortality rates. Additionally, parallels between use and mortality were observed in certain states, such as Rio Grande do Sul, for example. In conclusion, Parkinson's disease is multifactorial and may be associated with pesticides containing the active ingredients Glyphosate, Mancozeb, and Paraquat. In Brazil, Parkinson's mortality is increasing, as well as the use of these products, which, with the exception of Paraquat, which has been legally banned, rank among the top 10 most widely used pesticides. This calls for continuous studies that analyze the propensity for disease development and the use of these active ingredients.

The article in question addresses the economic and commercial impacts suffered by family farmers during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a field study, exploratory and descriptive in nature and quantitative and qualitative in approach. The research includes individuals over 18 years old who self-declare as family farmers and reside in any area of the Brazilian territory. Data collection addressed issues related to the production and marketing of products, the economic situation of individuals, difficulties, limitations, changes, and adaptations covering the period of the pandemic. During this research period, the three main activities performed by family farmers were: vegetable production (72.3%), grain production (36.9%), and fruit growing (30.8%). The family farmers interviewed used more than one way to market their products, the two main ones being: selling in open fairs (performed by 55.4%) and selling directly to consumers or establishments (32.3%), besides using public policies such as PNAE (29.2%) and PAA (26.2). However, during the pandemic, many faced difficulties, such as reduced demand due to the closure of consumer establishments and lack of access to emergency aid. In addition, 76.9% of the farmers admitted to having their marketing affected and 60% had a reduction in their income. Despite this, new alternatives were developed to face these challenges, among them the extensionist actions that were fundamental in the creation of a new form of commercialization (virtual fair). These results highlight the need for specific policies and support measures for family farmers during crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic.