Analysis of atmospheric aerosol (PM2.5) in Recife city, Brazil

Several studies indicate that mortality and morbidity can be well correlated to atmospheric aerosol concentrations with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5). In this work the PM2.5 at Recife city was analyzed as part of a main research project (INAIRA) to evaluate the air pollution impact on human health in six Brazilian metropolitan areas. The average concentration, for 309 samples (24-hr), from June 2007 to July 2008, was 7.3 µg/m³, with an average of 1.1 µg/m³ of black carbon. The elemental concentrations of samples were obtained by x-ray fluorescence. The concentrations were then used for characterizing the aerosol, and also were employed for receptor modelling to identify the major local sources of PM2.5. Positive matrix factorization analysis indicated six main factors, with four being associated to soil dust, vehicles and sea spray, metallurgical activities, and biomass burning, while for a chlorine factor, and others related to S, Ca, Br, and Na, we could make no specific source association. Principal component analysis also indicated six dominant factors, with some specific characteristics. Four factors were associated to soil dust, vehicles, biomass burning, and sea spray, while for the two others, a chlorine- and copper-related factor and a nickel-related factor, it was not possible to do a specific source association. The association of the factors to the likely sources was possible thanks to meteorological analysis and sources information. Each model, although giving similar results, showed factors’ peculiarities, especially for source apportionment. The observed PM2.5 concentration levels were acceptable, notwithstanding the high urbanization of the metropolitan area, probably due to favorable conditions for air pollution dispersion. More than a valuable historical register, these results should be very important for the next analysis, which will correlate health data, PM2.5 levels, and sources contributions in the context of the six studied Brazilian metropolisesHewlett FoundationCNPqFAPES

Overview of University Actions Aimed at The Nutrition of Two Indigenous Communities In The Interior of The State of Mato Grosso Do Sul – Brazil: Report of Experience In Public Policies

The diet composed of adequate food is reported in the literature as one of the aspects of health promotion and maintenance, and it is the duty and obligation of the State to promote public policies that seek to meet these needs of the population. However, due to a number of factors, the minority or vulnerable populations end up not benefiting from a good part of the projects in force in Brazil. Thus, this work aimed to conduct a case study with two indigenous communities living in the interior of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, listing the main points related to food practices, evaluation of the state of health in force and measures that help adherence to good food practices. The largest target audience was children from 0 (zero) to 12 (twelve) years, totaling 190 (one hundred and ninety), followed by newborns and puerperals who totaled 14 (fourteen) family nuclei and the elderly population of the community, which totaled 15 (fifteen). The service team was composed of Nutritionist, Health Agent, Social Worker and Nutrition Intern professionals. Several activities were developed, occurring according to the public attended during the different days of visit in the villages, mainly home visits, community actions such as vaccination campaigns, lectures and collective guidance. It is concluded that the measures adopted in public policies related to feeding the indigenous community is a powerful tool to provide the benefits for a better quality of life, well-being and maintenance of the health of indigenous peoples

Food Science from the Perspective of the Nutrition Professional

This work had as thematic the study in analysis of foods from the perspective of the nutrition professional. The objective of the research was to seek the training of this professional for the then analysis of the performance in quality control and formulation of products, with the perspective of assistance to projects carried out on site. This research was conducted in a community cafeteria located in a university in the interior of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul - Brazil. As a data collection tool, preparation technical sheets were used in which costs were collected, the preparation order, and the nutritional value provided. Sensory observation was used as an analysis of the data in order to measure and analyze and interpret the reactions of food and material characteristics. It appears that with the identification, attributions and activities developed by a nutritionist in the area, it became possible to analyze the processing of raw material and industrialized food products, according to the needs presented by the site. As for the points not reached were not due to any other factors than those related to the specificities of the research site, which did not prevent the acquisition of theoretical, practical, scientific, social and environmental knowledge of the points concerning the area of action of the nutritionist professional within the field of food science

Nutritional Intervention in the Area of Clinical Nutrition in a Hospital Environment: A Report of Field Experience

The present experience report narrates a nutritional intervention in the area of individual and collective clinical nutrition that took place in a University Hospital (HU) in the interior of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul - Brazil. The main objective of this field work was the professional training for hospital and outpatient nutritional care through general and specific activities performed on site. The specific activities consisted in writing care protocols and standardization of hospital diets while the general activities consisted in the analysis of medical records, survey of clinical diagnoses, proposal of dietotherapic conduct, monitoring of nutritional status, prescription and dietary adequacy, preparation of nutritional guidelines and development, presentation and discussion of clinical cases. This work also reports on the difficulties in implementing and carrying out this intervention agenda and, given the results obtained, it was concluded that the field experience in the hospital area was a valid and beneficial opportunity in which it was possible to harmonize theory with practice

Low molecular weight heparins: Structural differentiation by spectroscopic and multivariate approaches

Various branded low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) have been used for the treatment and prevention of thrombotic for over 20 years. With the introduction of generic LMWHs and the recent events involving heparin contamination, a great deal of effort is being expended in investigating ways of monitoring and regulating this class of complex drugs. in this paper, we present the characterization of different forms of LMWHs, as well as the comparison of 5 enoxaparin copies from different manufactures. the data suggests that, while some of these drugs are structurally comparable, specific analytical methods as well as biological and pharmacological tests may be used to address their similarity, quality and potential interchangeability. the proposed approach may also be useful in comparing biosimilar and branded LMWHs. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Bioquim, BR-04044020 São Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Liverpool, Sch Biol Sci, Liverpool L69 7ZB, Merseyside, EnglandLoyola Univ, Med Ctr, Dept Pathol, Maywood, IL 60153 USAUniv Fed Parana, Lab Quim Carboidratos, Dept Bioquim & Biol Mol, BR-81531980 Curitiba, Parana, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Bioquim, BR-04044020 São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Energy metabolism: gluconeogenesis and oxidative phosphorylation

Most animal cells are able to meet their energy needs from the oxidation of various types of compounds: sugars, fatty acids, amino acids, but some tissues and cells of our body depend exclusively on glucose and the brain is the largest consumer of all. That is why the body has mechanisms in order to keep glucose levels stable. As it decreases, the degradation of hepatic glycogen occurs, which maintains the appropriate levels of blood glucose allowing its capture continues by those tissues, even in times of absence of food intake. But this reserve is limited, so another metabolic pathway is triggered for glucose production, which occurs in the kidneys and liver and is called gluconeogenesis, which means the synthesis of glucose from non-glucose compounds such as amino acids, lactate, and glycerol. Most stages of glycolysis use the same enzymes as glycolysis, but it makes the opposite sense and differs in three stages or also called deviations: the first is the conversion of pyruvate to oxaloacetate and oxaloacetate to phosphoenolpyruvate. The second deviation is the conversion of fructose 1,6 biphosphate to fructose 6 phosphate and the third and last deviation is the conversion of glucose 6 phosphate to glucose

Nutritional physical examination: historical, methodological and applied approach

The historical interest in the use of physical evaluation skills in clinical settings gained new notoriety at the end of the 20th century with evidence that patients in intensive care units experienced increased morbidity and mortality related to poor nutritional status before and/or during their admission. This awareness of the adverse effects of malnutrition led to the need for screening and evaluation tools to identify nutritional risk. no clinical finding of EFN should be considered a diagnosis per se. It is academic, scientific and clinical consensus that its results should be interpreted as suggestive, being crucial to consider the other methods of clinical evaluation of the patient\u27s nutritional status for the correct global nutritional diagnosis. However, the systematic and periodic repetition of the test may help to follow the evolution of the individual\u27s nutritional status, especially in the long term. In summary, although it requires specialized training and continuous practice of the evaluator and/or the team – in addition to requiring complementary nutritional information – the physical nutritional examination can still be considered an effective adjuvant method in the clinical evaluation of the patient’s nutritional status