The aim of this study was to analyze the evidence available in the literature about the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in adolescents. The literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, SportDiscus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and CINAHL. Randomized controlled trials and non-randomized controlled trials performed with adolescents (10–19 years) who underwent different exercise programs and who evaluated BDNF levels before and after the intervention were included. We included six studies, four RCTs and two non-RCTs in the systematic review with a total of 407 adolescents. In two randomized trials and one non-RCT, the intervention groups showed significant improvements in BDNF levels compared with the control group. The results presented in the meta-analysis indicate that despite the positive effect in favor of the intervention, there were no significant differences (standardized mean difference 0.28 ng/mL, 95% confidence interval −0.28 to 0.85; p = 0.32, I² = 0%). The results presented in our review indicate that aerobic exercise programs practiced in moderate- or high-intensity are promising strategies to increase BDNF levels in adolescents. However, further studies are required to support this finding.

The aim of this descriptive study was to correlate the level of pain with the quality of life in 261 people living with HIV/AIDS. Mild pain/no pain was reported by 47.5% of subjects, 24.1% reported moderate pain, and 28.4% reported severe pain; pain levels were correlated with gender (p = 0.02), health status (p < 0.001), perception (p < 0.001), and stage of infection (p = 0.005). Being female represented a risk factor for moderate (p < 0.001) and intense pain (p = 0.004). Poor health represented a risk for moderate (p < 0.038) and intense pain (p = 0.005). Being young was a factor of protection for moderate pain (21–30 years, p = 0.046; 41–50 years, p = 0.023; and 51–60 years, p < 0.030). The low quality of life averages was identified and correlated with pain in all evaluated domains (p < 0.001). The risk factors for moderate and severe pain were a low level of independence (p = 0.004) and compromised social relations (p = 0.029), respectively. Psychological control behaved as a protection factor for moderate pain (p = 0.011), and bad physical domain proved to be a protection factor for severe pain (p = 0.007). The level of pain is a negative impact on the quality of life of people with HIV/AIDS.

Context: Physical training improves the strength of upper limbs, contributing directly to the performance of activities of daily life, confirming one more time that the strengthened muscle is imperative for a rapid rehabilitation. Objective: To investigate the scientific implications of the impact of physical training on the strength of the upper limbs of people with paraplegias. Evidence Acquisition: The search strategy with truncations and Boolean operator was defined as: (spinal cord inju* OR traumatic myelopat* OR paraplegi*) AND (physical exercise OR strength training OR resisted training) AND (upper limb* OR arm OR armrest), for all of the databases. There were included experimental and quasi-experimental studies, published in the English language and with the complete text available, with at least 1 physical exercise that worked with the strength of the upper limbs. Two independent evaluators extracted from each article data on study characteristics (publishing year, country of origin, and study design), of the subjects (gender and age), and of the disability (level of lesion and cause). Evidence Synthesis: Seven articles were included in the systematic revision. The procedure used the most for measuring the maximum strength was the 1-repetition maximum test, followed by the isokinetic dynamometer and Quantitative Muscle Testing System. Furthermore, the most commonly associated variables in the included studies were pain in the shoulder, cardiorespiratory capacity, and functionality, respectively. The results showed that all of the variables improved because of the training. Conclusions: The training improved the strength, the functionality, and reduced the pain in the shoulder of the people with paraplegia.

Keywords: Physical activity; Lifestyle; Sleep; HIV

This study was aimed at describing the nutritional status of 10 to 17 year old children enrolled in public and private schools from different regions having specific Brazilian semi-arid area characteristics. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and comparative study using a stratified probability sample (n=1 701). 900 children were male and 801 female selected from three cities, randomly chosen from 3 cities which were representative of the regions: Leste Potiguar-RLP (n=1,158), Oeste Potiguar-ROP (n=312) and Central Potiguar-RCP (n=231). They were divided into three age groups: 10 to 12 years, 13 and 14 years and e(3)15 years. Conde and Monteiro cutoff points were used for body mass index (BMI) classification. Regarding the regions, there was a significant difference (p<0001) in BMI distribution. RLP presented excess weight and obesity (6.8 %, 15.2 %), ROP (16.3 %, 9.6 %) and RCP (10.4 %, 3.9 %), respectively. Adolescents in the most favored regions (especially students in private schools in the region) had a prevalence of being overweight and suffering from obesity.