Patrocinio de programas de actividad física por parte de la industria de bebidas azucaradas: ¿salud pública o relaciones públicas?

La creciente evidencia acerca de los vínculos entre consumo de bebidas azucaradas, obesidad y otras enfermedades crónicas plantea la necesidad de implementar acciones políticas que transciendan las intervenciones centradas exclusivamente en la responsabilidad individual. Temiendo que ello afecte sus objetivos comerciales en América Latina, la industria de bebidas azucaradas lleva a cabo un intenso cabildeo político en altas esferas gubernamentales de la región. Esta estrategia esta acompañada de los llamados programas de responsabilidad social empresarial dirigidos a financiar iniciativas que promocionan la actividad física. Estos esfuerzos, aparentemente altruistas, están dirigidos a mejorar la imagen pública de esta industria y a lograr mayor influencia política ante regulaciones contrarias a sus intereses. Si este sector de la industria desea contribuir con el bienestar humano, como públicamente lo expresa, debería evitar obstruir iniciativas legislativas dirigidas a regular la comercialización, mercadeo y oferta de sus productos.

Frequency of specific anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgM, IgA and IgE in Colombian patients with acute and chronic ocular toxoplasmosis

We studied the frequency of specific anti-Toxoplasma IgM, IgA and IgE antibodies in serum of 28 immunocompetent Colombian patients, selected by ophthalmologists and with lesions that were compatible with ocular toxoplasmosis. Patients were classified in three groups: (i) group 1 consisted of ten patients with a first episode; (ii) group 2, with seven patients with a recurrence and (iii) group 3, consisted of eleven patients with chronic chorioretinal lesion without uveitis. We found that 10/28 (35%) of Colombian patients with ocular toxoplasmosis possessed at least one serological marker for Toxoplasma infection different from IgG. In group 1 (first episode), we found simultaneous presence of specific IgM plus IgA plus IgE in 1/10 (10%). In group 2 (recurrences) in 1/7 (14%) we found IgM and IgA test positives and in 1/7 (14%) we found IgM and IgE tests positives. In group 3 (toxoplasmic chorioretinal scar) the IgA serological test was positive in 2/11 (18%). These results show that serum IgM or IgA or IgE can be present during recurrences.

IS6110 fingerprinting of sensitive and resistant strains (1991-1992) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Colombia

The standardized method to study the polymorphism of IS 6110 was used to characterize 53 isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis obtained during 1991-1992 from 14 regions in Colombia. In Valle region cluster rate was 25% (4/16). The mean number of IS6110 band was 10 ± 3. Similarity between strains was of 60% in 81% of strains and this tended to be correlated with geographic origin. For the first time M. tuberculosis without IS6110 bands in restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was found in Colombia. Additional studies are necessaries in order to best characterize the situation in relation to human immunodeficiency virus epidemic and recent changes in tuberculosis control program.

Efeito da irrigação e da ontogenia sobre a estimativa da área foliar de Hancornia speciosa Gómez (mangabeira)

A estimativa da área foliar por meio de curvas de regressão que empregam o produto do comprimento pela largura do limbo como variável independente, é uma prática comumente empregada na análise de crescimento vegetal. Entretanto, dependendo da natureza do material vegetal e das condições de cultivo, é possível a ocorrência de variações que afetam essa relação alométrica, o que implica a não universalidade de uma única curva de regressão. Devido a esse problema, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar uma avaliação do efeito da irrigação e da ontogenia sobre a estimativa da área foliar da Hancornia speciosa, para testar a hipótese de que a irrigação afetaria tal relação alométrica. Verificou-se que os modelos de regressão obtidos para as plantas irrigadas e para as não irrigadas diferiram entre si, sendo que houve a necessidade da inclusão da área foliar específica no modelo de estimativa da área foliar das plantas não irrigadas. A não inclusão dessa variável no modelo de regressão acarretou uma diferença de estimativa que se incrementou com a redução da área foliar específica. Em folhas recém-expandidas de plantas irrigadas e não irrigadas, verificou-se diferença na área foliar específica devida à alteração na massa seca e não associada à largura dos tecidos foliares.

Estudio comparativo de la ozonización de aceites de girasol modificados genéticamente y sin modificar

Ozonation of sunflower oils with genetic modification High Oleic and High Oleic-Palmitic (AO and PO respectively) and without modification, High Linoleic (AL) at different applied ozone dosages was carried out with measurement of peroxide and acidity indexes values, fatty acids composition, oxygen percentage content and antimicrobial activity. The comparison of peroxides indexes and oxygen content at different applied ozone dosages in each oil showed good correlation (r = 0,99). Higher amount of oleic acid was consumed at higher applied ozone dosage in PO oil than AO oil, which can be related to the increase of acidity index. The antimicrobial activity was better for AL and PO ozonized oils.

Locally produced mucosal IgG in chickens immunized with conventional vaccines for Newcastle disease virus

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is the causative agent of an economically important disease, which affects all species of birds worldwide. Current vaccination programs for NDV include the use of either low-virulent live-virus vaccines or inactivated vaccines to induce protective immunity while producing minimal adverse effects in birds. In order to further characterize the immune response elicited by live virus and inactivated NDV conventional vaccines in chickens, we evaluated the presence of specific antibodies in different secretions and in tissue culture supernatants of immunized birds. To this end, we analyzed all the samples by ELISA, using an indirect assay set up in the laboratory. Specific anti-NDV IgG antibodies were detected in tracheal and cloacal swabs and tracheal and intestinal washes of immunized animals. We also found specific anti-NDV IgG antibodies in tracheal and intestinal tissue culture supernatants, indicating that the IgG found in swabs and washes was not transudated from serum or, at least, was not all transudated from serum. Knowledge about the mechanisms involved in the immune response of chickens to different NDV vaccines should increase our understanding of the mucosal response against the virus and, eventually, provide new useful information for the development and evaluation of synthetic vaccines.