Pesquisa de fatores de risco para doenças crônicas não transmissíveis da Universidade Nacional de La Matanza, Argentina. Ano 2019

INTRODUCTION: Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for leading causes of death in Argentina and early identification of their risk factors (RF) is key to prevention. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of RF for NCDs among students from Universidad Nacional de la Matanza. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed, using a self-reported survey adapted from the “National survey of risk factors”, to describe risk factors and their association with sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 130 students participated; 6.9% identified their health as "fair” and 48.5% referred some degree of anxiety or depression, 26.2% reported a low level of physical activity and almost all respondents ate less than 5 fruits or vegetables per day, 6.2% were smokers and 38.5% were exposed to tobacco smoke. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 23.2% and 6.4% respectively. Occasional high cholesterol and blood pressure were reported by 20.4% and 16.8% of respondents, respectively. CONCLUSION: The university is an ideal setting for activities aimed at the promotion and prevention of these RF.INTRODUCCIÓN: Las Enfermedades Crónicas No Transmisibles (ECNT) representan las principales causas de muerte en Argentina y la identificación temprana de sus factores de riesgo (FR) es clave para su prevención. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir la frecuencia de FR y ECNT en estudiantes de la Universidad Nacional de La Matanza. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio de corte transversal, utilizando un cuestionario adaptado de la Encuesta Nacional de Factores de Riesgo por autorreporte, para describir los FR y su asociación con características sociodemográficas. RESULTADOS: Se encuestaron 130 estudiantes de ambos sexos. El 6,9% identificó su salud como “regular” y un 48,5% algún grado de ansiedad o depresión. El 26,2% reportó bajo nivel de actividad física y casi todos los encuestados consumieron menos de 5 porciones de frutas y verduras al día. Un 6,2% reportó ser fumador y un 38,5% estar expuesto al humo del tabaco. La prevalencia de sobrepeso fue de 23,2% y de obesidad de 6,4%. El 20,4% y el 16,8% de los estudiantes informaron respectivamente colesterol y presión arterial elevados “alguna vez”. CONCLUSIÓN: El ámbito universitario es un espacio ideal para el abordaje de actividades de promoción y prevención de estos FR.INTRODUÇÃO: As doenças crônicas não transmissíveis (DCNT) representam as principais causas de morte na Argentina e a identificação precoce de seus fatores de risco (FR) é fundamental para sua prevenção. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever a frequência de FR e DCNT em alunos da Universidad Nacional de La Matanza. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo transversal, utilizando um questionário adaptado da Pesquisa Nacional de Fatores de Risco por autorrelato, para descrever os FR e sua associação com características sociodemográficas. RESULTADOS: 130 alunos de ambos os sexos foram entrevistados. 6,9% identificaram sua saúde como "regular" e 48,5% algum grau de ansiedade ou depressão. 26,2% relataram baixo nível de atividade física e quase todos os entrevistados consumiram menos de 5 porções de frutas e vegetais por dia. 6,2% relataram ser tabagistas e 38,5% expostos à fumaça do tabaco. A prevalência de sobrepeso foi de 23,2% e obesidade de 6,4%. 20,4% e 16,8% dos alunos relataram "alguma vez" colesterol e pressão arterial elevados, respectivamente. CONCLUSÃO: O ambiente universitário é um espaço ideal para abordagem de atividades de promoção e prevenção desses F

Development and Validation of a Digital Photographic Atlas of Argentine Foods

Introduction. Before the Second National Health and Nutrition Survey in Argentina, it was necessary to create a digital visual tool to help participants in the quantification of intake. This study describes the development of a Digital Photographic Atlas of Argentinean Foods (AFDAA) and evaluates its accuracy in visually estimating the amounts of foods consumed in Argentina. Methods. A total of 292 photographs of food/dishes were taken in standardized conditions and classified into 103 series according to food group. Thirty series were selected for validation. Adults ≥ 18 years of age were invited to participate in three validation sessions that were conducted at “blinded” between 2016 and 2018. During each session, the participant´s ability to visually relate a real amount of food presented on a plate to an amount depicted in a photograph series was assessed. The difference between the participant’s perception of the weight of foods/dishes in photographs and the real weight was expressed as a percentage. The average percentage difference was estimated, and 95% confidence intervals were used. When ≥ 50% of the differences were outside the ±30% range, the set of pictures was removed from the final version. Results. This free-to-use digital Atlas is a valuable tool that can be employed in future dietary surveys to quantify the consumption of foods similar to those depicted in the images. Conclusion. The degree of BMI tends to increase the level of sleepiness. Funding: This research received financial support from UNICEF and the Universidad Nacional de La Matanza (Grant C2SAL012)

Critical Water Activity for the Preservation of Lactobacillus bulgaricus by Vacuum Drying

Lactobacillus delbrueckkii subsp. bulgaricus was dried under vacuum at different temperatures and its preservation evaluated following three parameters: lag time, percentage of membrane damage and z potential).  Microorganisms were dehydrated at 30, 45 and 70 ºC in a vacuum centrifuge for different times. The water activity (aw) achieved at each time of drying for the temperatures of dehydration were correlated with the cell recovery evaluated by means of: a) kinetics of growth in milk after drying, as measure of the global damage; b) quantification of the membrane damage using the fluorescent dyes SYTO 9 and PI.; c) determination of changes in the superficial charges (z potential) as measured of the increase in the hydrophobic residues exposed in the bacterial surface after dehydration. The dyes are able to penetrate healthy bacterial cells. The difference is that SYTO 9 generally labels all bacteria in a population (those with intact and those with damaged membranes) whereas, PI penetrates only when bacterial membranes are damaged, causing a reduction in the SYTO 9 fluorescence when both dyes are present. These changes correlate well with the bacterial damage occurred during the dehydration process. The standardization of the vacuum drying process was done by applying the Page´s model by the determination of parameters k (drying rate constant) and n (drying time index) for different conditions. The fitting of the plot aw vs time of drying allows the determination of dehydration parameters in appropriate time-temperature ratios in which no cell damage occurs. The evaluation of three parameters of damage (lag time, percentage of membrane damage and z potential) allowed us to conclude that at the lowest temperature of dehydration, cell membrane damage is not crucial for the bacterial recovery after rehydration. The slow leak out of non-bound water occurs and the first target of damage is the as are the increase in the lag time and the changes in the zeta potential, as was observed for microorganisms dehydrated at 45 and 70 ºC for larger times.Fil: Tymczyszyn, Emma Elizabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Química Analítica y Fisicoquímica. Cátedra de Química General e Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Díaz, Rosario. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Química Analítica y Fisicoquímica. Cátedra de Química General e Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Pataro, Andrea. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Química Analítica y Fisicoquímica. Cátedra de Química General e Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Sandonato, Selva Sonia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Química Analítica y Fisicoquímica. Cátedra de Química General e Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Química Analítica y Fisicoquímica. Cátedra de Química General e Inorgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Disalvo, Edgardo Anibal. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Química Analítica y Fisicoquímica. Cátedra de Química General e Inorgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentin