Identifying adulteration in coffee powders by spectral signatures and digital analyses

Para eliminar divergências na interpretação dos resultados e agilizar os atuais métodos de detecção de fraudes em café torrado e moído, foi estabelecido um método baseado na análise por imagem e fundamentado no princípio de que diferentes materiais de origem orgânica, como o pó de café, podem apresentar reflectâncias distintas em diferentes comprimentos de onda do espectro eletromagnético. Partiu-se da hipótese de que o pó de café adulterado, quando submetido a uma fonte artificial de iluminação, apresenta uma reflectância, nos canais vermelho (R), verde (G) e azul (B), diferente em relação à do pó de café não-adulterado. Após as etapas de limpeza, secagem e homogeneização, foram geradas imagens multiespectrais das amostras de café, por meio de uma lupa acoplada a uma câmara CCD (Charge Coupled Device). A quantificação das impurezas na amostra foi obtida utilizando-se curvas de calibração entre a área relativa obtida pela classificação supervisionada de imagens e a porcentagem de impurezas presentes nas amostras. Esse novo método permite agilidade da resposta, ausência de subjetividade nos resultados e não-destruição das amostras analisadas, e assegura um patamar mínimo de detecção de 95% das impurezas do produto.In order to reduce divergences in the interpretation of the results obtained by current methods of fraud detection in powdered coffees, a new method to quantify coffee adulterants is presented in this study. This method is based on image analyses and on the principle that different organic materials found in ground coffees present distinct spectral signatures. The hypothesis is that the adultered coffees, when submitted to an artificial source of illumination, present different reflectance values in RGB (Red/Green/Blue) channels in comparison to those from pure coffees. After the cleaning, drying, and homogenization steps, multispectral images of coffee samples were generated by using a glass magnifier connected to a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera. The images were stored and classified by means of a digital image software. The spectral signatures of each component in the coffee sample were identified from their histograms in percentage, and the amounts (by weight) of adulterants in the coffee sample were obtained by calibration curves. The advantages of this method are the capability to analyse a great number of samples in a relatively short time period, the lack of subjectivity in the results, and the non destruction of the coffee samples. This method reaches a minimum accuracy of 95% in the quantification of adulteration in the powdered coffee

Profile and analysis of scientific production of Brazilian researchers in Clinical Neurosciences

BACKGROUND: Several studies have examined the scientific production of National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq) researchers in various areas of knowledge. However, specific data about the main Brazilian researchers in Neurosciences are scarce. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the scientific production of researchers in the field of Neurosciences who receives productivity grant from the CNPq. METHODS: The Lattes Curriculum of 58 researchers with active grants in the years from 2006 to 2008 were included in the analysis. The variables of interest were: gender, affiliation, human resources training, and scientific production. Grants categories/levels were classified according to CNPq database. RESULTS: There was predominance of grants level 1 (55.2%). Researchers published 6,526 articles (median of 90). Of these, 61% were indexed in the ISI database. There was no significant difference between the categories regarding the number of articles (P = 0.12). The median h-index was 10.5 and the median m-index was 0.77. There was no significant difference in m-index between the categories (P = 0.28). DISCUSSION: Strategies to qualitatively improve the scientific output possibly can be enhanced by the knowledge of the profile of researchers in the field of Neurosciences.CONTEXTO: Diversos estudos analisaram a produção científica de pesquisadores do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) em diversas áreas do conhecimento. No entanto, dados específicos sobre os principais pesquisadores brasileiros em Neurociências são escassos. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a produção científica de pesquisadores no campo das Neurociências que recebem bolsa de produtividade do CNPq. MÉTODOS: Os currículos lattes dos 58 investigadores com bolsa de produtividade nos anos de 2006 a 2008 foram incluídos na análise. As variáveis de interesse foram: gênero, afiliação, formação de recursos humanos e produção científica. As categorias e os níveis das bolsas de produtividade foram classificados de acordo com o banco de dados do CNPq. RESULTADOS: Houve predominância de bolsas do nível 1 (55,2%). Os investigadores publicaram 6.526 artigos (mediana de 90). Destes, 61 foram cadastrados no banco de dados do ISI. Não houve diferença significativa entre as categorias quanto ao número de artigos (P = 0,12). A mediana do índice-h foi de 10,5 e a mediana do índice-m foi 0,77. Não houve diferença significativa do índice-m entre as categorias (P = 0,28). CONCLUSÃO: Estratégias para melhorar qualitativamente a produção científica possivelmente podem ser reforçadas com o conhecimento do perfil dos pesquisadores no campo da Neurociência Clínica

Medical residency in gynecology and obstetrics in times of COVID-19 : recommendations of the National Specialized Commission on Medical Residency of FEBRASGO

* Text prepared by the members of the National Specialized Commission on Medical Residency and endorsed by the Scientific Board and Presidency of the Brazilian Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Associations (FEBRASGO)

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries