Influence of sanitation on the physico-chemical and microbiological quality of organic and conventional broccoli

The present study was carried out in order to evaluate the effect of chlorinated and ozonized water on the physico-chemical characteristics of broccoli, produced under organic and conventional cultivation procedures. Organic and conventional broccolis were subjected to two sanitation treatments, using chlorine and ozone, and were kept under cold storage for seven days. Analyses of pH, titrable acidity, soluble solids and weight loss were performed and the content of Cu, Mn and Zn was determined. In addition, the presence of pesticides was verified. The results show no influence of the cultivation method or the sanitation treatment on sample weight loss. Cultivation methods and sanitizing treatments affected broccoli pH, titratable acidity, and soluble solids during the evaluation period. No differences regarding the metal content on organic and conventional broccoli were observed. Furthermore, the presence of organochlorine compounds, nor other pesticides, was not detected both in organic and conventional vegetables.Keywords: Brassica oleracea var. Italica, pesticide residues, titrable acidity, soluble solids, pH, metals, ozone, sanitation treatment African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(18), pp. 2456-246

Barriers to cardiac rehabilitation delivery in a low-resource setting from the perspective of healthcare administrators, rehabilitation providers, and cardiac patients

Background: Despite clinical practice guideline recommendations that cardiovascular disease patients participate, cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs are highly unavailable and underutilized. This is particularly true in low-resource settings, where the epidemic is at its’ worst. The reasons are complex, and include health system, program and patient-level barriers. This is the first study to assess barriers at all these levels concurrently, and to do so in a lowresource setting. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data from three cohorts (healthcare administrators, CR coordinators and patients) were triangulated. Healthcare administrators from all institutions offering cardiac services, and providers from all CR programs in public and private institutions of Minas Gerais state, Brazil were invited to complete a questionnaire. Patients from a random subsample of 12 outpatient cardiac clinics and 11 CR programs in these institutions completed the CR Barriers Scale. Results: Thirty-two (35.2%) healthcare administrators, 16 (28.6%) CR providers and 805 cardiac patients (305 [37.9%] attending CR) consented to participate. Administrators recognized the importance of CR, but also the lack of resources to deliver it; CR providers noted referral is lacking. Patients who were not enrolled in CR reported significantly greater barriers related to comorbidities/functional status, perceived need, personal/family issues and access than enrollees, and enrollees reported travel/work conflicts as greater barriers than non-enrollees (all p < 0.01). Conclusions: The inter-relationship among barriers at each level is evident; without resources to offer more programs, there are no programs to which physicians can refer (and hence inform and encourage patients to attend), and patients will continue to have barriers related to distance, cost and transport. Advocacy for services is needed. Keywords: Health care services, Cardiac rehabilitation, Cardiac care facilities, Attitude of health personnelYork University Librarie

Evaluation of conjunctival bacterial flora in patients with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To determine the conjunctival bacterial flora present in patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. METHODS: A prospective study of the conjunctival bacterial flora was performed in 41 eyes of 22 patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The information gathered included the patient's sex and age, the duration of disease, the cause of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and treatments. Scrapings of the inferior conjunctival fornix were performed in both eyes. Fourteen days before scraping, the patients were asked to interrupt all topical medication and start using 0.5% nonpreserved methylcellulose. The microbiological evaluation included microorganism identification and determination of antibiotic sensitivity. RESULTS: Of 22 patients (41 eyes), 14 (64%) were females, and eight (36%) were males. The mean age was 33.2 years, and the mean duration of disease was 15.6 years. Visual acuity ranged from light perception to 20/25 (1.57 logMar). The treatment received by most patients consisted of tear substitutes, topical antibiotics, and contact lenses. Bacterial identification was positive in 39 eyes (95%) and negative in two eyes (5%). Gram-positive cocci accounted for 55.5% of the microorganisms, whereas gram-positive bacilli and gram-negative bacilli accounted for 19% and 25.5%, respectively. Half of the patients (54%) had multiple bacterial species in their flora, and only one bacterial species was identified in the other half. Resistant bacteria were isolated from four eyes. The antibiotic sensitivity results for the Streptococcus group showed the lowest sensitivity and the highest microbial resistance identified. CONCLUSION: Patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome have a diverse conjunctival flora that includes many pathogenic species.Federal University of São Paulo Vision Institute Ophthalmology DepartmentUNIFESP, Vision Institute Ophthalmology DepartmentSciEL

Evaluation of conjunctival bacterial flora in patients with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To determine the conjunctival bacterial flora present in patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. METHODS: A prospective study of the conjunctival bacterial flora was performed in 41 eyes of 22 patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The information gathered included the patient's sex and age, the duration of disease, the cause of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and treatments. Scrapings of the inferior conjunctival fornix were performed in both eyes. Fourteen days before scraping, the patients were asked to interrupt all topical medication and start using 0.5% nonpreserved methylcellulose. The microbiological evaluation included microorganism identification and determination of antibiotic sensitivity. RESULTS: Of 22 patients (41 eyes), 14 (64%) were females, and eight (36%) were males. The mean age was 33.2 years, and the mean duration of disease was 15.6 years. Visual acuity ranged from light perception to 20/25 (1.57 logMar). The treatment received by most patients consisted of tear substitutes, topical antibiotics, and contact lenses. Bacterial identification was positive in 39 eyes (95%) and negative in two eyes (5%). Gram-positive cocci accounted for 55.5% of the microorganisms, whereas gram-positive bacilli and gram-negative bacilli accounted for 19% and 25.5%, respectively. Half of the patients (54%) had multiple bacterial species in their flora, and only one bacterial species was identified in the other half. Resistant bacteria were isolated from four eyes. The antibiotic sensitivity results for the Streptococcus group showed the lowest sensitivity and the highest microbial resistance identified. CONCLUSION: Patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome have a diverse conjunctival flora that includes many pathogenic species

VALORAÇÃO MONETÁRIA: PESQUISAS EM FLORESTA URBANA

O uso de diferentes métodos para valoração monetária de bens e serviços ambientais é uma abordagem que pode trazer relevantes contribuições para planejamento de uso e a priorização de preservação das paisagens naturais. No caso das florestas urbanas, este tipo de pesquisa possuem potencial para sensibilização dos diversos setores da sociedade sobre os inúmeros serviços ambientais prestados por estas e seu papel essencial na qualidade ambiental urbana. Para avaliar como os diferentes métodos de valoração vêm sendo pesquisados no mundo, foram selecionados artigos publicados de 2001 a 2010, em 11 periódicos nacionais e internacionais para a confecção de um painel sobre as pesquisas nesta área. A maioria dos artigos publicados teve origem em estudos realizados na Europa e América do Norte, com predominância do uso da valoração hedônica, porém com tendência ao aumento de estudos sobre valoração contingente e dos métodos de fórmula. Concluiu-se que a diversidade de estudos sobre valoração deve ser estimulada, especialmente no contexto nacional, uma vez que não existe um método perfeito para valoração das florestas urbanas, em razão das múltiplas características e serviços prestados por estas. O entendimento do contexto, dos objetivos e limitações de cada método é fundamental para sua aplicação

VIOLÊNCIA CONTRA MULHERES NO CEARÁ EM TEMPOS DE PANDEMIA DE COVID-1

Este ensaio tem como objetivo, a partir de materialidades jornalísticas, problematizar o fenômeno da violência doméstica e do feminicídio durante o período de “quarentena” no Ceará por conta da pandemia de COVID-19. Tomamos, então, a pandemia de COVID-19 como acontecimento-analisador, a qual intensifica processos de vulnerabilização em que mulheres brasileiras estão expostas, para discutir os efeitos psicossociais da violência de gênero a partir de leituras feministas. Metodologicamente, utilizamos como materialidades o tratamento de matérias jornalísticas de sítios virtuais com foco na territorialidade do Estado do Ceará. Os dados mostram o recrudescimento de violência contra mulheres durante o isolamento social com o aumento de feminicídio, sobretudo em corpos racializados e localizados em territórios periféricos. Por fim, fomentamos a necessidade de estratégias de enfrentamento à necropolítica de gênero

Inflammation and circulating endothelial progenitor cells in patients with coronary artery disease and residual platelet reactivity

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Albert Einstein HospitalUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Medicina Hospital das ClínicasDuke University Medical Center Duke Clinical Research InstituteUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM)UNIFESP, EPMFAPESP: 05/57710-3SciEL

Aceitação sensorial de chips de batata-doce elaborados com diferentes óleos e quantidades decrescentes de cloreto de sódio/ Sensory acceptance of sweet potato chips developed with different oils and increasing sodium chloride quantities

A batata-doce é rica em sacarose e carboidratos, tendo pequena quantidade de glicose e frutose.  Os chips e salgadinhos industrializados apresentam uma quantidade elevada de cloreto de sódio, e se ingerido em excesso, pode acarretar vários problemas a saúde, como por exemplo, a hipertensão. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar através de análise sensorial á aceitação de chips de batata-doce fritos com óleo de soja e óleo de palma, com redução da quantidade de cloreto de sódio. Na avaliação sensorial, a frequência de aceitação em relação ao atributo impressão global foi de 87% para T4 no teste cego e 83% para T1 e T2 no teste com informação. Constatou-se que a informação fornecida aos avaliadores influenciou positivamente na aceitação desses tratamentos. Os avaliadores supostamente associaram o óleo de palma como sendo um óleo mais saudável em relação ao óleo de soja, fazendo com que os chips fritos com esse óleo fossem os mais aceitos

Fórum de Escolas do Grande Bom Jardim: práticas de enfrentamento à violência armada em territorialidades escolares de periferias de Fortaleza

A violência armada nos últimos anos tem intensificado o assassinato de jovens nas malhas necropolíticas das periferias de Fortaleza. O presente artigo objetivou cartografar as práticas de enfrentamento à violência armada desenvolvidas pelo Fórum de Escolas pela Paz do Grande Bom Jardim (FEPGBJ). As experiências narradas são oriundas da criação e composição de um movimento social de escolas públicas e parceiros em umas das periferias de Fortaleza-CE que, há cinco anos,desenvolve intervenções e pactos de ações na garantia de valorização da vida e da cultura de paz entre espaços de guerra às drogas, como o direito de ir e vir nos territórios periféricos e a permanência da vida escolar nos cotidianos desses estudantes. Através do Fórum de Escolas, são resgatadas estratégias de enfrentamento às violências por meio da cultura e arte na promoção de espaços de resistência onde as juventudes vivenciam suas polifonias culturais

Nitrate reductase activity in the different phenophases of ‘palmer’ mango cultivated in the semiarid

Nitrate reductase is the enzyme that catalyzes the first reduction reaction in the nitrate assimilation process, an important nitrogen (N) source. This element is one of the macronutrients required in greater amounts by mango (Mangifera indica L.), exerting a great influence on the growth and development of the plants. In this context, this work aimed to evaluate nitrate reductase activity (NRa) throughout the day and characterize it in leaves of 1st and 2nd vegetative flushes and young roots of ‘Palmer’ mango cultivated in the Brazilian semiarid. For each phenophase, leaves and roots were randomly collected from six plants in the orchard. A completely randomized design was employed, with four replications, and the NRa quantification was based on the in vivo evaluation method. The enzyme activity was maximum in the period of greatest solar radiation or from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The 2nd flush leaves and young the roots constitute the main nitrate assimilation sites in the mango crop in comparation with 1st flush leaves. Fertilization with nitrate or potassium sources in the different phenological phases benefit the NRa, which remains maximum during reproductive phase than vegetative phase