Biologia alimentar e morfohistologia do tubo digestório do mussum, synbranchus marmoratus, bloch (osteichthyes: synbranchidae) no açude Marechal Dutra Gargalheiras , localizado no semi-árido brasileiro

Food habits and morpho-histology of the digestive tract of marbled swamp eel, Synbranchus marmoratus (Block, 1917) were investigated. The fish samples were captured during August, 2007 to July, 2008 in the Marechal Dutra reservoir, Acari, Rio Grande do Norte. The rain fall data was obtained from EMPARN. The fish captured, were measured, weighed, dissected, eviscerated and individual stomach weights were registered. The stomach contents analyses were carried out based on volumetric method, points, frequency of occurrence and applying the Index of Relative Importance. The degrees of repletion of the stomachs were determined besides the Index of Repletion relating to feeding activity variations and frequency of ingestion during the rainy and dry seasons. The rainfall varied from 0 mm a 335 mm with a mean value of 71.62 mm. Highest rainfall of 335.5 mm was registered in March, 2008 and August to December was the dry period. During the dry period the study species presented high degrees of repletion of the stomachs, with a peak value in the month of September (mean = 4.54; ± SD = 0.56). The minimum mean value of = 3.99 ± SD = 0.25 was registered in the month of May during the rainy period. The stomach contents of S. marmoratus registered show that this fish prefers animals, 78.22% of crustaceans 2.85% of mollusks, 3.25% of fish, 1.4% of insects and 13.5% of semi-digested organic matter, thus characterizing the study species as a carnivore with a preference for crustaceans. The morpho-histological aspects of the digestive tract of S. marmoratus indicate that the mouth is terminal adapted to open widely, thin lips with taste buds, small villiform teeth forming a single series on maxillas, four pairs of branchial arches with short and widely spaced branchial rays. The oesophagus is short and cylindrical with a small diameter. The oesophagus wall is thick with mucas surface and internal parallel folds. The stomach is retilinical in form, presenting cardiac, caecal and pyloric portions. The caecal portion is long and is intermediary in position between the cardiac and pyloric portions. The cardiac portion of the stomach is short and cylindrical formed of simple epithelial cylindrical mucus cells. The caecal portion is long with narrow walls, a big cavity and smaller folds which give rise to gastric glands. The phyloric portion has no glands and primary or secondary mucas folds. The morphohistological aspects of the digestive tract of S. marmoratus indicate its adaptation to a carnivorous feeding habit

FERRITINA: intervalos de referência para adultos no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

Ferritin is a protein composed of heavy and light chains, non-covalently linked and which accommodates, in its core, thousands of atoms of iron. Furthermore, this protein represents the stock of iron in the body and it is characterized as an acute marker and predictor of diseases, such as iron deficiency anemia, hereditary hemochromatosis and others. Considering the variability of reference values and the analytical methods currently available, the aim of this work was to propose 95% confidence intervals for adults in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, after determining the average concentration of serum ferritin for both sexes, beyond its correlation with the age. We analyzed 385 blood samples, collected by venipuncture from individuals residing in the State, after 12-14 hours of fast. The populational sample had 169 men and 216 women between 18-59 years old, which filled a questionnaire on socioeconomic, food habits and accounts about previous and current diseases. The sample collections were itinerant and the results of erythrogram, fasting glucose, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transferase, urea, creatinine, leukocyte count and platelets, beyond C-reactive protein, were issued to each participant, so that, after selection of the apparently healthy individuals, the dosage of serum ferritin was carried out. Statistical analysis was performed using the softwares SPSS 11.0 Windows version, Epi Info 3.3.2 and Graf instant pad (version 3.02), and the random population sample was single (finite population), for which the test of linear correlation and diagram of dispersion were also made. After selection of individuals and determination of serum ferritin, the most discrepant outliers were disregarded (N = 358, Men = 154/Women = 207) and the average value determined for the masculine sex individuals was 167,18 ng / dL; for the feminine sex individuals, the average value obtained was 81,55 ng / dL. Moreover, we found that 25% of men had values < 90,30 ng / dL; 50% ≤ 156,25 ng / dL and 75% ≤ 229,00 ng / dL. In the group of women, 25% had values < 38,80 ng / dL; 50% ≤ 65,00 ng / dL and 75% ≤ 119,00 ng / dL. Through the correlation coefficient (r = 0,23 with p = 0,003), it is possible to suggest the existence of positive linear correlation between age and serum ferritin for men. The correlation coefficient for women (r = 0,16 with p = 0,025) also confirms the existence of positive linear correlation between serum ferritin and age. Considering the analysis carried out and specific methods corroborating with the proposed benchmarks, we concluded that the average value found for men is higher than that found for women. Furthermore, this scenario rises with age for both sexes, and the 95% confidence intervals obtained were 74 ng/dL ≤ μ ≤ 89 ng/dL and 152ng/dL ≤ μ ≤183ng/dL for the feminine and masculine sex individuals respectively

Aceitabilidade da carne caprina no hábito alimentar e percepção sobre o impacto ambiental na produção de caprinos no nordeste entre estudantes universitários

The present work has an objective of investigate the acceptability of consumption of the goat meat and studies the perception of university students on the productive sector of goats in the Northeast. The habit to eat goat meat has strong regional traditions and has been suffering the demographic, cultural, economic and personal influences. Currently, a new habit in the food consumers is observed and has been configuring itself a trend that concern with the health and welfare in general, in countries mainly developed. This fact comes directly contributing for the modernization of the production models, including the ambient conscience. The methodology applied includes bibliographical research, data-collecting through questionnaires applied in the UFRN (Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte ) and analysis of the data using statistic techniques assisted for software Statistica V6. It is concluded that the rate of consumption of goat meat is low in the population studied. The frequency of consumption is higher in times of leisure or to visit relatives. The descriptive analysis of the responses of interviewees shows ignorance of the production of goat meat and its importance to the state of Rio Grande do Norte.

Produção pesqueira artesanal: diagnóstico ergonômico e bases para um planejamento nutricional situado e a promoção da saúde dos jangadeiros

The traditional fishing with rafts is characterized by unpredictability, high stakes and inadequate work conditions. The extensive working hours, physical wear, inadequate nutrition, unsanitary conditions, lack of salvage equipment and instruments suitable working, added by the presence of changes in the nutritional status of fisherman, that contribute to the picture of insecurity in high seas, injuries and health. This study aimed to analyze the activity of the fisherman s from Ponta Negra, Natal / RN, and check the conditions of supply of these fishermen and their implications on health and development of their work. To this finality, was used a methodology based on the ergonomic work analysis employing techniques such as observational and interactional conversational action, listening to the answers, observation protocols, photographic and video records. The script conversational dynamic action was developed from literature searches about the artisanal fisheries, culture and food habits of this population, and analyzes the overall situation of focus and two reference situations. To collect data on the usual diet of fisherman as well as quantitative and qualitative analysis that was used for data analysis and 24h recall the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The impact of this power to the health of fisherman was evaluated performing a nutritional assessment. The results revealed that the fishermen carry out their activities with poor working conditions, health and nutrition. Feeding practices of these fishermen undertake development work, making it even more stressful, as well contributing to the emergence of Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases. The management of the activity, as well as the current structure of the vessel, also contributes to the adoption of inappropriate feeding practices during the shipment of catch. The results of this indicate the need for adequate interventions in order to assist in recovery and / or maintenance of health of fisherman minimizing reflections of nutritional disorders for the development activity by improving the quality of life in this population

Fatores associados à condição de saúde bucal de pacientes internados em hospitais públicos do município de Natal-RN

The hospitalization is an event that can attack any person, independent of gender, race, social and economical condition. Last year, the prevalence of hospitalization was 8.1 for 100 inhabitants and the average time of hospitalization was 8.5 days for each patient one in Natal city. Therefore, an important point is whether the attention to the patients during the permanence in these health establishments incorporates the health integral model suggested by the principles proposed by the National Health System in Brazil (SUS), with actions of promotion and protection by different kinds of professionals, beside those called convalescence. Then, the aim of this study was to evaluate the patient s oral health conditions hosted in public hospitals of the Natal city, looking for to establish its relationship with several risk factors by two dimensions: the characteristics of the hospitalization and the patient s general and economical conditions. We accomplished a cross-sectional study with 205 patients distributed among the hospitals Onofre Lopes, Giselda Trigueiro and Monsenhor Walfredo Gurgel, looking for to know the socio-demographic characteristics, the food habits and of oral hygiene and the conditions of oral health, through the Visible Plaque Index and Gingival Bleeding Index. We observed that the conditions of the patient s oral health interned at public hospitals of reference of the municipal district of Natal is bad, existing accumulation of dental plaque and, consequently, a great number of patients with gingival bleeding. However, the time of hospitalization and its reason, the type of medicine used in this time and the toothbrush frequency were not configured as risk factors for this oral health condition

Dinâmica populacional e alimentar de Stegastes fuscus, (Osteichthyes:pomacentridae) em arrecifes da praia de Búzius, no Rio Grande do Norte

The damselfish, Stegastes fuscus Cuvier, 1830 (Osteichthyes: Perciformes: Pomacentridae), is abundant in the coastal reefs of Búzios Beach, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil and they play an important role in the reef community ecology. The present study investigated the feeding strategy of this species considering the food habits and morfo-histology of the digestive tract. Influence of the environmental correlates such as temperature, rainfall and luminosity in the tidal rock pools were studied. The fish were captured on a monthly basis from September 2004 to August 2005, during which period 842 individuals of S. fuscus were captured, 125 males, 437 females and 280 individuals without sex identification. The sex ratio observed was 1 M : 3,5 F. The total body length of males varied from 3.6 to 11.3 cm, with a mean of 7.77 cm; that of females varied from 2.9 to 11.4 cm, with a mean of 7.85 cm, and that of sex grouped individuals varied from 2.9 to 11.4 cm, with a mean of 7.83. However, there was no difference between males and females in total body length. This species presented a positive alometric growth and the equations obtained for the relation between body mass and total body length were: Wt =0,0174Lt 3,1123 for males; Wt =0,0137Lt 3,2294 for females and Wt = 0,0148Lt 3.1928 for sex grouped individuals. The relation between total body length and standard length was L t = 1 ,3223Ls + 0,1527 for sex grouped individual s. February to August was associated to a long period of gonadal resting. The fish spawned during January and in September -October. The frequency of fish with empty stomachs occurred during August to December, whereas frequency of fish with food contents i n stomachs occurred during January to July. This species is considered as a preferential herbivore based on the volume of macroalgae in its diet composition. The morfo -histological aspects of S. fuscus confirm herbivory. Among the environmental factors con sidered only rainfall showed a correlation with the feeding habits of this species

Estratégias tróficas do peixe traíra, Hoplias malabaricus e do peixe cascudo, Hypostomus pusarum do açude Marechal Dutra, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

The fish, Hoplias malabaricus (Osteichthyes: Erythrinidae) and armored catfish, Hypostomus pusarum (Loricariidae) are of freshwater origin from the neotropical region, and are considered ecologically and economically of important. This work investigated the trophic strategies, the morphology and histology of the digestive tract of these fish captured from the Marechal Dutra reservoir, Acari, the semiarid region of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. A total of 133 individuals of H. malabaricus and 118 specimens of H. pusarum were analyzed. The two study species occupy different levels in the food chain and spatial distribution in the water column of the reservoir. The results of this study are presented in the form of four scientific papers. The first article describes the morphology and histology of the digestive tract and the feeding habits of H. malabaricus (Bloch, 1794). This fish has a short intestine, with an intestinal coefficient of 0.72 ± 0.09. The dietary importance index indicates that H. malabaricus feeds preferentially on animal matter, especially on fish (72.8%) and prawns (27.2%). The histology of its digestive tract confirms the carnivorous feeding habit. The second article discusses about the pioneering work on the feeding strategy and the characterization of anatomy and histology of the digestive tract of H. pusarum. The intestine of this fish is long, with an intestinal coefficient of 10.8±0.7. The dietary importance index indicates that H. pusarum feeds preferentially on organic matter in decomposition (88.7%) and on filamentous microalgae and diatoms (11.3%). The third article compares the morphological aspects of the digestive tract of H. malabaricus and H. pusarum, in relation to their food habits. The arrangement of the digestive organs in both species is directly related to the shape of the peritoneal cavity and the form of the body. The short intestine of H. malabaricus and the long intestine of H. pusarum are associated with their feeding habits. The morphology of the digestive tracts of H. malabaricus and H. pusarum confirm their food habits, carnivorous and detritivorous / herbivorous, respectively. The fourth article discusses the food and reproductive aspects (length and weight, length-weight relationship, type of growth and sex ratio) of H. pusarum. This species has a negatively allometric growth, with the predominance of females in the sampled population. H. malabaricus inhabits the pelagic environment and is a carnivore, while H. pusarum, lives in the benthic environment and is characterized as a detritivore/herbivore. Each species studied shows a very different diet, without trophic competition between them. The morphological and anatomical structures of the digestive tract reflect their feeding strategy.

Biologia alimentar e morfohistologia do tubo digestório do mussum, synbranchus marmoratus, bloch (osteichthyes: synbranchidae) no açude Marechal Dutra Gargalheiras , localizado no semi-árido brasileiro

Food habits and morpho-histology of the digestive tract of marbled swamp eel, Synbranchus marmoratus (Block, 1917) were investigated. The fish samples were captured during August, 2007 to July, 2008 in the Marechal Dutra reservoir, Acari, Rio Grande do Norte. The rain fall data was obtained from EMPARN. The fish captured, were measured, weighed, dissected, eviscerated and individual stomach weights were registered. The stomach contents analyses were carried out based on volumetric method, points, frequency of occurrence and applying the Index of Relative Importance. The degrees of repletion of the stomachs were determined besides the Index of Repletion relating to feeding activity variations and frequency of ingestion during the rainy and dry seasons. The rainfall varied from 0 mm a 335 mm with a mean value of 71.62 mm. Highest rainfall of 335.5 mm was registered in March, 2008 and August to December was the dry period. During the dry period the study species presented high degrees of repletion of the stomachs, with a peak value in the month of September (mean = 4.54; ± SD = 0.56). The minimum mean value of = 3.99 ± SD = 0.25 was registered in the month of May during the rainy period. The stomach contents of S. marmoratus registered show that this fish prefers animals, 78.22% of crustaceans 2.85% of mollusks, 3.25% of fish, 1.4% of insects and 13.5% of semi-digested organic matter, thus characterizing the study species as a carnivore with a preference for crustaceans. The morpho-histological aspects of the digestive tract of S. marmoratus indicate that the mouth is terminal adapted to open widely, thin lips with taste buds, small villiform teeth forming a single series on maxillas, four pairs of branchial arches with short and widely spaced branchial rays. The oesophagus is short and cylindrical with a small diameter. The oesophagus wall is thick with mucas surface and internal parallel folds. The stomach is retilinical in form, presenting cardiac, caecal and pyloric portions. The caecal portion is long and is intermediary in position between the cardiac and pyloric portions. The cardiac portion of the stomach is short and cylindrical formed of simple epithelial cylindrical mucus cells. The caecal portion is long with narrow walls, a big cavity and smaller folds which give rise to gastric glands. The phyloric portion has no glands and primary or secondary mucas folds. The morphohistological aspects of the digestive tract of S. marmoratus indicate its adaptation to a carnivorous feeding habit