Dental caries and food practices among children attending daycare centers in the city of São Paulo, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated associations between the prevalence of dental caries and introduction of complementary foods in children aged 11 to 34 months attending daycare centers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 288 children from eight daycare centers in São Paulo, 2007. The modified decay-missing-filled index, used for diagnosis, was investigated by a team of three trained dentists aiming at precision and accuracy. Food introduction was assessed using a pre-codified and pre-tested questionnaire. The Chisquare test was used to quantify associations and logistic regression models (p<0.05) were adjusted for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 228 children aged 11 to 34 months (M=24 months, SD=6.02). Of these, 53.9% were male and 57.45% attended philanthropic daycare centers. Seventy-seven percent of the sample had modified decay-missing-filled index ≥1 and the average modified decay-missing-filled index of the population is 3.8. Significant risk factors according to modified decay-missing-filled index were being male (OR=1.815, p=0.03) and paternal formal education of less than eight years (OR=1.94, p=0.02). The logistic regression model identified the exposure to simple carbohydrates as an independent risk factor, after controlling for the effects of sex and parental educational. Such exposure increased the chances of having modified decay-missing-filled index ≥1 by 2.5 times. CONCLUSION: Special attention should be given to this group of individuals, implementing preventive policies in oral health and building healthy food habits in daycare centers.OBJETIVO: Este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar associações entre a cárie dentária e a introdução de alimentos complementares em crianças de 11 a 34 meses matriculadas em creches. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de estudo transversal com 288 crianças de oito creches do município de São Paulo, realizado em 2007. Para o diagnóstico da cárie dentária foi utilizado o Índice de Cárie Modificado, que foi investigado por uma equipe de três cirurgiãs-dentistas treinadas quanto à precisão e acurácia. A introdução de alimentos foi avaliada por meio de questionário pré-codificado e pré-testado. Para quantificar as associações foi utilizado o teste Quiquadrado. Para análise multivariada foram ajustados modelos de regressão logística (p<0,05). RESULTADOS: Foram examinadas 228 crianças com idade entre 11 e 34 meses (M=24 meses; Dp=6,02), das quais 53,9% eram do sexo masculino e 57,45% frequentavam creches filantrópicas. A maioria da amostra (77,0%) apresentou Índice de Cárie Modificado igual ou superior a 1, enquanto o índice médio encontrado foi de 3,8 cáries por criança. Como fatores de risco significantes, foram identificados o sexo masculino (OR=1,815; p=0,03) e a escolaridade paterna inferior a oito anos (OR=1,94; p=0,02). O modelo de regressão logística identificou a exposição a carboidratos simples como fator de risco independente após o controle dos efeitos de sexo e escolaridade paterna, responsável por aumento de 2,5 vezes nas chances de apresentar o Índice de Cárie Modificado igual ou superior a 1. CONCLUSÃO: Atenção especial deve ser dada a esse grupo de indivíduos, adotando-se políticas preventivas em saúde bucal e formação de hábitos alimentares saudáveis nas creches.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de PediatriaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de PediatriaSciEL

Navigation filters for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles during geotechnical surveying experiments

This paper describes two navigation filters designed for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) for geotechnical surveying. Both a Luenberger observer for a kinematic model of the vehicle as well as an extended Kalman filter for its dynamic model are addressed. The filters allow to fuse information coming from a Global Positioning System (GPS), a compass, a gyro, a depth meter, and acoustic based range measurements. A thruster model mapping low level actuator commands to vehicle surge velocity is also exploited in the design. The performances of both filters have been compared using the experimental data collected during the H2020 WiMUST (Widely scalable Mobile Underwater Sonar Technology) project experiments

Mission-Compliant Optimal Sensor Formation Positioning for Range-Based Underwater Localization

This paper proposes an optimal sensor formation strategy for range-based underwater localization of a team of vehicles. The problem is addressed by considering sensor deployment area constraints typical of realistic and complex scenarios so that a mission-compliant optimal sensor formation is derived. Communication constraints, safety requirements, maximal platform speed limitations, and physical constraints imposed by the mission are explicitly incorporated into the estimation framework. The resulting problem is formulated as an unconstrained optimization problem that allows the use of global optimization tools that can numerically construct optimal placements. The approach is also extended to a more realistic scenario, in which the positions of the targets are known with some degree of uncertainty. Extensive simulations corroborate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy for different configurations involving an arbitrary number of sensors and targets. This confirmed its potential use as a pre-planning tool for realistic and practical mission scenarios

The Widely scalable Mobile Underwater Sonar Technology (WiMUST) H2020 project: first year status

The Widely scalable Mobile Underwater Sonar Technology (WiMUST) project aims at developing a system of cooperative Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) for geotechnical surveying and geophysical exploration. The paper reports about the first year activities and it gives an overview of the main objectives and methods. Results relative to distributed sensor array, cooperative control, mission planning, communications and preliminary experiments are summarized

Italian translation and cultural adaptation of the communication assessment tool in an outpatient surgical clinic

The aim of the study is to translate and cross-culturally adapt, for use in the Italian context, the Communication Assessment Tool (CAT) developed by Makoul and colleagues

Factors associated with fruit and vegetable intake in Japanese-Brazilians

The determination of factors associated with fruit and vegetable intake is an important tool for the development of effective intervention programs aimed at increasing the consumption of these foods. The objective of the present cross-sectional study was to identify the factors associated with the adequate consumption of fruit and vegetables (> 400g/day) among 581 adult Japanese-Brazilians, 1st and 2nd generations of immigrants, living in Bauru, SP, Brazil. Food consumption was estimated using three 24-hour recalls. On adjusted logistic regression models, higher meal frequencies were associated with a better chance of adequate daily intake of fruit and vegetables [OR (95% CI)]: [1.31 (1.05, 1.63)]. Nevertheless, individuals at the highest tertile of saturated fat intake were less likely to have adequate daily intake of these foods [0.35 (0.21, 0.60)]. A trend toward adequate intake of fruit and vegetables was found among older participants. These results suggest that more intensive intervention programs are needed among young individuals with higher saturated fat intake. Moreover, higher meal frequency might promote better adherence to the goals of daily fruit and vegetable intake.A identificação de fatores associados ao consumo de frutas, verduras e legumes constitui-se em ferramenta chave na elaboração de programas de intervenção mais eficazes, visando o aumento no consumo desses alimentos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi identificar, em análise transversal, fatores associados ao consumo adequado de frutas, verduras e legumes (> 400g/dia) em 581 nipo-brasileiros adultos, de 1ª e 2ª gerações, residentes em Bauru, SP, Brasil. O consumo alimentar foi avaliado por meio de três inquéritos recordatórios de 24 horas. Em modelos de regressão logística ajustados, verificou-se que o relato de um maior número de refeições diárias estava associado à maior chance [OR (IC 95%)]: [1,31 (1,05; 1,63)] de consumo adequado de frutas, verduras e legumes. Por outro lado, indivíduos no terceiro tercil de consumo de ácidos graxos saturados apresentaram menor chance de consumo adequado destes alimentos [0,35 (0,21; 0,60)]. Verificou-se maior tendência de consumo adequado de frutas, verduras e legumes entre indivíduos de maior idade. Os resultados sugerem que programas de intervenção mais intensivos são necessários entre indivíduos jovens e com consumo elevados de ácidos graxos saturados. Além disso, o estímulo ao maior fracionamento da dieta poderá favorecer a adesão às metas de consumo de frutas, verduras e legumes.USP Faculdade de MedicinaUSP Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto Departamento de Medicina SocialUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de Medicina PreventivaUniversidade Sagrado CoraçãoFaculdade de Saúde Pública Departamento de NutriçãoUNIFESP, Depto. de Medicina PreventivaSciEL

Spinnability and characteristics of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based bicomponent fibers with a carbon nanotube (CNT) modified polypropylene core for piezoelectric applications

Biodiesel production has received considerable attention in the recent past as a nonpolluting fuel. However, this assertion has been based on its biodegradability and reduction in exhaust emissions. Assessments of water and soil biodiesel pollution are still limited. Spill simulation with biodiesel and their diesel blends in soils were carried out, aiming at analyzing their cytotoxic and genotoxic potentials. While the cytotoxicity observed may be related to diesel contaminants, the genotoxic and mutagenic effects can be ascribed to biodiesel pollutants. Thus, taking into account that our data stressed harmful effects on organisms exposed to biodiesel-polluted soils, the designation of this biofuel as an environmental-friendly fuel should be carefully reviewed to assure environmental quality. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Widely scalable mobile underwater sonar technology: an overview of the H2020 WiMUST project

The Widely scalable Mobile Underwater Sonar Technology (WIMUST) project is an H2020 Research and Innovation Action funded by European Commission. The project aims at developing a system of cooperative autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for geotechnical surveying and geophysical exploration. The paper describes the main objectives of the project, given an overview of the methodologies adopted to achieve them, and summarizes the work done in the first year of R&D work