Moisture sorption isotherms and isosteric heat determination in Chilean papaya (Vasconcellea pubescens)

The moisture sorption isotherms of Chilean papaya were determined at 5, 20, and 45 ºC, over a relative humidity range of 10-95%. The GAB, BET, Oswin, Halsey, Henderson, Smith, Caurie and Iglesias-Chirife models were applied to the sorption experimental data. The goodness of fit of the mathematical models was statistically evaluated by means of the determination coefficient, mean relative percentage deviation, sum square error, root-mean-square error, and chi-square values. The GAB, Oswin and Halsey models were found to be the most suitable for the description of the sorption data. The sorption heats calculated using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation were 57.35 and 59.98 kJ·mol-1, for adsorption and desorption isotherms, respectively.

Heat shock and salicylic acid on postharvest preservation of organic strawberries

Heat shock and salicylic acid have been studied on shelf-life extension of fruits. The benefits of these techniques have been related to their effect on inducing physiological defense responses against the oxidative stress and pathogen development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of heat shock and salicylic acid on the postharvest preservation and contents of total phenolics, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, fresh weight loss and microbiological quality of organic strawberries cv. Dover. Strawberries produced organically and stored at 5 ºC were subjected to heat shock (45 ºC ± 3 ºC for 3 h), application of salicylic acid (soaking in 2.0 mmol L-1 solution), heat shock in combination with salicylic acid and control. After treatment, the fruits were packed and stored in a climatic chamber at 5 ºC ± 2 ºC. At 1, 7 and 14 days, the experimental units were removed from refrigeration and kept at room temperature of approximately 20 ºC for two days. There was no effect of treatments on fresh weight loss, incidence of pathogens or chemical variations in strawberry fruits during the storage period. In natural conditions, organically grown strawberries remained in good condition for sale up to seven days of storage in all treatments.

Characterization of heat tolerance in wheat cultivars and effects on production components

Abstract: There is a need for heat tolerant wheat cultivars adapted to the expansion of cultivation areas in warmer regions due to the high demand of this cereal for human consumption. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of high temperatures on grain yield and yield components of wheat and characterize heat tolerant wheat genotypes at different development stages. The genotypes were evaluated in the field with and without heat stress. High temperatures reduced the number of spikelets per spike (21%), number of grains per spike (39%), number of grains per spikelet (23%), 1000-grain weight (27%) and grain yield (79%). Cultivars MGS 1 Aliança, Embrapa 42, IAC 24-Tucuruí and IAC 364-Tucuruí III are the most tolerant to heat stress between the stages double ridge and terminal spikelet; MGS 1 Aliança, BRS 264, IAC 24-Tucuruí, IAC 364-Tucuruí III and VI 98053, between meiosis and anthesis; and BRS 254, IAC-24-Tucuruí, IAC-364-Tucuruí III and VI 98053, between anthesis and physiological maturity. High temperatures reduce grain yield and yield components. The number of grains per spike is the most reduced component under heat stress. The genotypes differed in tolerance to heat stress in different developmental stages.

Antibody response to heat-inactivated hepatitis B vaccine (CLB-3mg) in hemodialysis patients and occupational risk personnel: a one year follow-up

Immune response against hepatitis B vaccine (CLB 3mg) was evaluated in 59 hemodialysis patients and 20 occupational risk personnel. Seroconversion was induced in 52.5% and 70.0% respectively. Twelve months after the first dose, 37.5% of patients and 60.0% of occupational risk personnel had detectable anti-HBs level. Antibody level was expressed in sample ratio units (SRU). Considering only the responders, in the patients group 38.7% had a low anti-HBs response (2.1-9.9 SRU) 32.3% a medium response (10-99.9 SRU) and 29.0% a high response (>100 SRU) while in occupational risk personnel these values were 14.3%, 64.3% and 21.4% respectively. The authors suggest the use of HBV vaccines with more elevated HBsAg concentration or a reinforced immunization schedule to improve the anti-HBs response not only for patients but also for healthy persons.

DIARRHEA OUTBREAK IN PERNAMBUCO, BRAZIL, ASSOCIATED WITH A HEAT-STABLE CYTOTOXIC ENTEROTOXIN PRODUCED BY Aeromonas caviae

SUMMARY In the present study enterotoxic and cytotoxic activities of twenty Aeromonas caviaestrains were examined. They originated from fecal specimens of patients with acute diarrhea during an outbreak in Brazil in 2004. Culture supernatants of fourteen strains (70%) caused fluid accumulation in rabbit ileal intestinal loops and in suckling mice assays, and also showed a cytotoxic activity in Vero and Caco-2 cells. The enterotoxic and cytotoxic factors were heat-stable after culture supernatants treatment at 100 ºC. The results revealed that A. caviaestrains produce a putative diarrheagenic virulence factor, a heat-stable cytotoxic enterotoxin that could be linked to the diarrhea outbreak that took place in Brazil.

Nota sobre o uso de bio-sensores "Maria" nas ações de vigilância entomológica contra a doença de Chagas ao norte de Minas Gerais

Oitocentos e sessenta e seis bio-sensores para a detecção passiva de triatomíneos foram ensaiados em intradomicílios de treze municípios de área endêmica de Triatoma sordida (Norte de Minas Gerais, Brasil), espécie que é hoje a mais freqüentemente detectável no Brasil, especialmente naquela Região. Examinados os sensores a cada três meses, por quatro vezes em uma subárea de sete municípios (seiscentos e quarenta e dois sensores, com positividade máxima de 0,5%) e por duas nos outros seis municípios (duzentos e vinte e quatro sensores, com positividade máxima de 2,7%), os resultados foram, significativamente inferiores à rotina de busca direta hora-homem feita nos mesmos municípios, inclusive para as taxas de infestação intradomiciliar. Em que pese a simplicidade e boa aceitação dos sensores pela população, os mesmos não se mostraram adequados à pesquisa triatomínica na região em apreço, tanto em termos de efetividade quanto de custo-benefício.

Notas sobre o Trypanosoma cruzi e suas características bio-ecológicas, como agente de enfermidades transmitidas por alimentos

São revistas evidências experimentais e observações de terreno que demonstram a transmissão do Trypanosoma cruzi ao homem e vários mamíferos pela via oral, que ocorre especialmente no ciclo enzoótico do parasita. Vários tipos de alimentos e veículos de carreamento do flagelado têm sido implicados nesta modalidade de transmissão, geralmente sendo os casos humanos relacionados com triatomíneos infectados nas imediações do evento. Sumariam-se as vias de penetração (mucosas da boca, esôfago, estômago e intestino) e se descrevem os principais eventos anatomopatológicos, tais como fenômenos hemorrágicos, mesenterite e hepatite intersticial. Em particular são analisados aspectos da biologia e da bioquímica do parasita, com vistas à epidemiologia da transmissão oral e às possibilidades de sua prevenção na doença de Chagas.

Biologia e controle microbiano de Urbanus acawoios (Williams, 1926) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae): I. descrição morfológica e aspectos Bio-ecológicos

Devido aos danos dos ataques de Urbanus acawoios (Williams, 1926) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) em palheteiras (Clitoria racemosa) (Leguminosae) em Manaus, AM e a total ausência de qualquer informação a respeito desta espécie, o presente trabalho foi desenvolvido visando a obtenção de conhecimentos que facilitem a identificação de métodos seguros e eficientes para o seu controle. Os estudos biológicos revelaram que este inseto é multivoltino, tendo duração média de 41,89 ± 0,98 dias por geração. As condições climáticas na cidade de Manaus, a disponibilidade de alimentos, e possivelmente a ausência de inimigos naturais eficientes, parecem ser os fatores principais responsáveis pela ocorrência de erupções populacionais desta espécie. Enquanto o estágio larval consiste de 5 fases (ínstares) e dura em média 18,46 ± 1,28 dias, o da pupa necessita 9,96 ± 1,05, e o adulto 13,47 ± 0,27 dias, sob condições de 30°C e 85% UR. Estudos morfológicos foram incluídos.

Postpartum depression in Recife - Brazil: prevalence and association with bio-socio-demographic factors

OBJECTIVE:To use a semi-structured interview to detect depression in postpartum women according to the criteria proposed by the DSM in child health care clinics in the city of Recife, together with the proper association of this disorder to bio-socio-demographic data. METHODS: The study used a cross-section method and contained a convenience sample of 400 women that were between 2 and 26 weeks of postpartum in child health care clinics. A bio-socio-demographic questionnaire and the Portuguese version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders were used. RESULTS: Twenty nine of the mothers (7.2%) were diagnosed as suffering from postpartum depression. Women with a past history of psychiatric disorders, a family history of psychiatric disorder and some sort of clinical complication presented a higher prevalence of depression. The same happened to those with a past history of spontaneous abortion, those who had a transpelvic birth and those over 8 weeks of puerperium. CONCLUSION: The rate of postpartum depression in this sample, 7.2%, was lower than that reported by other Brazilian studies. It probably occurred because the other researchers used screening scales to assess this estimate instead of a clinical interview.

An Equation for the Prediction of Oxygen Consumption in a Brazilian Population

Background: The equations predicting maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max or peak) presently in use in cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) softwares in Brazil have not been adequately validated. These equations are very important for the diagnostic capacity of this method. Objective: Build and validate a Brazilian Equation (BE) for prediction of VO2peak in comparison to the equation cited by Jones (JE) and the Wasserman algorithm (WA). Methods: Treadmill evaluation was performed on 3119 individuals with CPET (breath by breath). The construction group (CG) of the equation consisted of 2495 healthy participants. The other 624 individuals were allocated to the external validation group (EVG). At the BE (derived from a multivariate regression model), age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and physical activity level were considered. The same equation was also tested in the EVG. Dispersion graphs and Bland-Altman analyses were built. Results: In the CG, the mean age was 42.6 years, 51.5% were male, the average BMI was 27.2, and the physical activity distribution level was: 51.3% sedentary, 44.4% active and 4.3% athletes. An optimal correlation between the BE and the CPET measured VO2peak was observed (0.807). On the other hand, difference came up between the average VO2peak expected by the JE and WA and the CPET measured VO2peak, as well as the one gotten from the BE (p = 0.001). Conclusion: BE presents VO2peak values close to those directly measured by CPET, while Jones and Wasserman differ significantly from the real VO2peak.

Epidemiology and Anthropology: an integrated approach dealing with bio-socio-cultural aspects as strategy for the control of endemic diseases

The control of endemic diseases has not attained the desired level of effectiveness in spite of the use of modern efficient thecnologies. The classic interventionist approach for the control of schistosomiasis is centered on systemic control of the snail hosts combined to large scale medical treatment and is usually carried out without social preocupation due to the assisted communities. It is easy to understand the interest and the ethical compromise of public health research while producing studies in which the biological and social determinants as well as the cultural components should be considered and also encompass the historical dimensions and symbolic representations. In face of the recent political decision in favor of decentralizations of health administration to municipal level, we suggest, in the present paper, an integrated approach for the epidemiological diagnosis of an endemic situation at local level. Theoretical and methodological aspects from both, epidemiology and anthropology are discussed. Epidemiological methods can be used to detect the dependent variables (those related to the human infection) and the independent variables (demographic, economic, sanitary and social). Another methodological approach of anthropological /etnographic nature can be conducted in order to make an articulation of the knowledge on the various dimensions or determinant levels of the disease. Mutual comprehension, between researchers and the people under investigation, on the dynamic transmission process would be relevant for a joint construction, at local level, of programmed actions for the control of endemic diseases. This would extend reflections on the health/disease process as a whole.