Raising awareness of chronic kidney disease in a Brazilian urban population

The incidence and prevalence of chronic kidney disease have been increasing in recent years in developing countries. The aim of this study was to report the results of a general chronic kidney disease awareness program applied to an urban population in a large Brazilian city. From January 2002 to January 2005 a total of 8883 individuals in the city of Curitiba (PR, Brazil) were screened for hypertension, body mass index, hematuria, and proteinuria. A family history and previous medical diagnosis of hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM) were also recorded. Of the 8883 individuals assessed, 56% were women, subject median age was 47 years (range: 17-93 years) and more than 90% were Caucasian. Thirty percent had signs of hematuria, 6% had proteinuria, and 3% had hematuria and proteinuria. The median of mean arterial pressure values was 93 mmHg (range: 71-135 mmHg) and 16% of the population screened had a history of hypertension. A significant positive family history of both hypertension or DM was present in 42% (P < 0.0001; chi-square = 83.18) and 7% (P < 0.0001; chi-square = 161.31) of the hypertensive group, respectively. Finally, the prevalence of hypertension and DM was significantly higher in older individuals with proteinuria. In the present study, a higher prevalence of hematuria and proteinuria was found in older individuals with hypertension and diabetes compared to the general population. These data confirm the need for public awareness of renal disease in high-risk individuals.

ATIVIDADE ENZIMÁTICA DE MICRORGANISMOS ISOLADOS DO JACATUPÉ (Pachyrhizus erosus L. Urban)

O isolamento e a identificação de microrganismos produtores de enzimas de interesse comercial, utilizando tubérculos de jacatupé (Pachyrhizus erosus L. Urban), foi o objetivo principal deste trabalho. Isolaram-se microrganismos endofíticos e epifíticos identificados por observação micromorfológica. A avaliação da atividade enzimática das linhagens foi determinada pelo método de difusão em ágar. As sessenta e oito linhagens isoladas dos tubérculos de jacatupé foram cultivadas em meio sólido específico para amilase, lipase, protease e celulase por 96h a 280 C. Os microrganismos epifíticos encontrados foram Pithomyces (7,3%), Aspergillus (19,2%), Fusarium (5,9%) e Trichoderma (5,8%), e os endofíticos foram Mucor (7,3%), Rhizopus (10,3%), Bacillus (19,0%), Staphylococcus (10,3%) e Nocardiopsis (15%). As linhagens de Nocardiopsis sp. apresentaram atividade lipolítica superior à do padrão, porém a atividade amilolítica não apresentou diferença significativa comparada com o padrão. As linhagens de Mucor sp., Pithomyces sp. e Staphylococcus sp. produziram atividade proteolítica abaixo do padrão. Nenhum isolado apresentou atividade celulolítica.

Evaluation of the influence of seasonality and landscape on the physicochemical characteristics of propolis

This study aimed at verifying the influence of the seasonality and landscape of the place of apiaries in the production and physicochemical quality of propolis produced in Cáceres-MT. Within August/2006 and July/2007 twenty-three propolis samples were collected monthly. The physicochemical quality of propolis was determined by the characteristic: loss by drying, wax, mechanical mass, oxidation activity, dry extract, flavonoids and total phenolics. The production of propolis was analyzed through correlation with seasonality (dry and wet). The same statistic model was used to correlate the production with the landscape (highland and flood plain). For each physicochemical characteristic were used statistic model of correlation described for the production of propolis. The seasonality did not influence on propolis production and on physicochemical quality. The landscape did not influence on propolis production and physicochemical quality loss by drying and mechanical mass, however, it determined the physicochemical quality for wax (x=22.44%), oxidation activity (x=9.73''), dry extract (x=22.31%), flavonoids (x=1.94%) and total phenolics (x=0.02%) in the highland of the Pantanal of Cáceres. This way it concludes that the production and physicochemical quality of propolis were not influenced by seasonality. The landscape influenced positively on physicochemical quality of propolis in the highland of the Pantanal of Cáceres.

Germinação de sementes de Operculina macrocarpa (L.) Farwel e Operculina alata (Ham.) Urban

Várias espécies vegetais nativas produzem sementes que, mesmo vivas, apresentam dificuldades para germinar. Assim, foram conduzidos dois experimentos com o objetivo de identificar métodos para a superação da dormência de sementes de Operculina macrocarpa e para a germinação de sementes de O. macrocarpa e Operculina alata. No primeiro, sementes de O. macrocarpa foram submetidas a oito tratamentos visando a superação de dormência: frio seco, calor úmido, imersão em água oxigenada, água quente e em ácido sulfúrico, frio úmido, escarificação mecânica, embebição em nitrato de potássio, além da testemunha, determinando-se os percentuais de germinação, de sementes duras e de mortas. No segundo ensaio, sementes de O. macrocarpa e O. alata, após escarificadas, foram semeadas em substratos de areia e de papel e colocadas para germinar sob cinco combinações de luz e temperatura: luz contínua a 25ºC constante; luz contínua com temperaturas alternadas (20ºC/16h-35ºC/8h); escuro contínuo a 25ºC constante; escuro contínuo com temperaturas alternadas (20ºC/16h-35ºC/8h) e alternância de luz e temperaturas (luz/35ºC/8h-escuro/20ºC/16h). Determinaram-se o percentual e o índice de velocidade de germinação. Concluiu-se que Operculina macrocarpa apresenta sementes dormentes, destacando-se a escarificação mecânica como o método mais eficiente para a sua superação; o substrato papel, associado à temperatura de 20-35ºC e em ausência de luz, é o mais indicado para a germinação de sementes de Operculina macrocarpa e Operculina alata.