Seroepidemiology and occupational and environmental variables for leptospirosis, brucellosis and toxoplasmosis in slaughterhouse workers in the Paraná State, Brazil

Leptospirosis, brucellosis and toxoplasmosis are widely-distributed zoonosis, being the man an accidental participant of their epidemiological chains. The aim of this paper was to make a seroepidemiological report and identify occupational and environmental variables related to these illnesses in 150 workers in a slaughterhouse in the Northern region of Paraná. For the diagnosis of leptospirosis a microscopical seroagglutination test was applied; for brucellosis, the tamponated acidified antigen test and the 2-mercaptoetanol tests were used, and for toxoplasmosis the indirect immunofluorescence reaction test. For each employee an epidemiological survey was filled, which investigated occupational and environmental variables which could be associated with these infections. Positive results for leptospirosis were found in 4.00% of the samples, for brucellosis in 0.66% of samples and toxoplasmosis in 70.00%. From the three diseases researched, only the results for leptospirosis suggest occupational infection.

Relation between oral health and socioeconomic variables among schoolchildren aged 12 in the City of Manaus - AM

Studies have shown that the age of 12 was determined as the age of global monitoring of caries for international comparisons and monitoring of disease trends. The aimed was to evaluate the prevalence of dental caries, fluorosis and periodontal condition and their relation with socioeconomic factors among schoolchildren aged twelve in the city of Manaus, AM. This study with a probabilistic sample of 661 children was conducted, 609 from public and 52 from private schools, in 2008. Dental caries, periodontal condition and dental fluorosis were evaluated. In order to obtain the socioeconomic classification of each child (high, upper middle, middle, lower middle, low and lower low socioeconomic classes), the guardians were given a questionnaire. The mean decayed teeth, missing teeth, and filled teeth (DMFT) found at age twelve was 1.89. It was observed that the presence of dental calculus was the most severe periodontal condition detected in 39.48%. In relation to dental fluorosis, there was a low prevalence in the children examined, i.e., the more pronounced lines of opacity only occasionally merge, forming small white areas. The study showed a significant association of 5% among social class with dental caries and periodontal condition. In schoolchildren of Manaus there are low mean of DMFT and fluorosis, but a high occurrence of gingival bleeding.

Predictive value of clinical and electrophysiological variables in patients with chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia

OBJECTIVE: Risk stratification of patients with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) and chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC). METHODS: Seventy eight patients with CCC and NSVT were consecutively and prospectively studied. All patients underwent to 24-hour Holter monitoring, radioisotopic ventriculography, left ventricular angiography, and electrophysiologic study. With programmed ventricular stimulation. RESULTS: Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (SMVT) was induced in 25 patients (32%), NSVT in 20 (25.6%) and ventricular fibrillation in 4 (5.1%). In 29 patients (37.2%) no arrhythmia was inducible. During a 55.7-month-follow-up, 22 (28.2%) patients died, 16 due to sudden death, 2 due to nonsudden cardiac death and 4 due to noncardiac death. Logistic regression analysis showed that induction was the independent and main variable that predicted the occurrence of subsequent events and cardiac death (probability of 2.56 and 2.17, respectively). The Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test showed that survival probability was significantly lower in the inducible group than in the noninductible group. The percentage of patients free of events was significantly higher in the noninducible group. CONCLUSION: Induction of SMVT during programmed ventricular stimulation was a predictor of arrhythmia occurrence cardiac death and general mortality in patients with CCC and NSVT.

Influence of skeletal muscle mass on ventilatory and hemodynamic variables during exercise in patients with chronic heart failure

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of skeletal muscle mass on ventilatory and hemodynamic variables during exercise in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). METHODS: Twenty-five male patients underwent maximum cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a treadmill with a ramp protocol and measurement of the skeletal muscle mass of their thighs by using magnetic resonance imaging. The clinically stable, noncachectic patients were assessed and compared with 14 healthy individuals (S) paired by age and body mass index, who underwent the same examinations. RESULTS: Similar values of skeletal muscle mass were found in both groups (CHF group: 3863 ± 874 g; S group: 3743 ± 540 g; p = 0.32). Significant correlations of oxygen consumption in the anaerobic threshold (CHF: r = 0.39; P= 0.02 and S: r = 0.14; P = 0.31) and of oxygen pulse also in the anaerobic threshold (CHF: r = 0.49; P = 0.01 and S: r =0.12; P = 0.36) were found only in the group of patients with chronic heart failure. CONCLUSION: The results obtained indicate that skeletal muscle mass may influence the capacity of patients with CHF to withstand submaximal effort, due to limitations in their physical condition, even maintaining a value similar to that of healthy individuals. This suggests qualitative changes in the musculature.

Hypotensive Response Magnitude and Duration in Hypertensives: Continuous and Interval Exercise

Background: Although exercise training is known to promote post-exercise hypotension, there is currently no consistent argument about the effects of manipulating its various components (intensity, duration, rest periods, types of exercise, training methods) on the magnitude and duration of hypotensive response. Objective: To compare the effect of continuous and interval exercises on hypotensive response magnitude and duration in hypertensive patients by using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Methods: The sample consisted of 20 elderly hypertensives. Each participant underwent three ABPM sessions: one control ABPM, without exercise; one ABPM after continuous exercise; and one ABPM after interval exercise. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and double product (DP) were monitored to check post-exercise hypotension and for comparison between each ABPM. Results: ABPM after continuous exercise and after interval exercise showed post-exercise hypotension and a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in SBP, DBP, MAP and DP for 20 hours as compared with control ABPM. Comparing ABPM after continuous and ABPM after interval exercise, a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in SBP, DBP, MAP and DP was observed in the latter. Conclusion: Continuous and interval exercise trainings promote post-exercise hypotension with reduction in SBP, DBP, MAP and DP in the 20 hours following exercise. Interval exercise training causes greater post-exercise hypotension and lower cardiovascular overload as compared with continuous exercise.

Spatial and temporal distribution of Pseudis minuta (Anura, Hylidae, Hylinae) and environmental variables related to its reproductive activity in Reserva Biológica do Lami, southern Brazil

We studied the reproductive biology of a population of Pseudis minuta Günther, 1858 from Reserva Biológica do Lami (30º 15' S; 51º 05' W), Porto Alegre, southern Brazil. We assessed the spatial and temporal distribution of individuals (males, females, juveniles) and explored potential relationships with environmental variables. Field activities encompassed bimonthly surveys in three semi-permanent ponds, each one during approximately two days and two nights, from August 2004 to July 2005. We recorded differences in the sites used by males, females and juveniles, with males occupying deeper and more distant places from the border. The temporal distributions of individuals, calling sites and amplectant pairs indicated that the reproductive activity of P. minuta is related to some of the studied abiotic factors. Calling males presented statistical differences in relation to non-calling males for all daily abiotic variables analyzed (air temperature, water temperature, relative humidity and rainfall), as well as to monthly temperature and rainfall. The number of active males, females and juveniles was influenced by at least one of the daily or monthly environmental variables analyzed. We conclude that the reproduction in this species is seasonal and may be partially determined by abiotic factors.

Health risk behavior pattern among students from Cartagena, Colombia: prevalence and associated variables

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and variables associated with the pattern of risky health behavior (PRHB) among adolescent students in Cartagena, Colombia. A cross-sectional study was designed to investigate PRHB in a random cluster sample of students from middle and high schools. The associations were adjusted by logistic regression. A total of 2,625 students participated in this research, with ages from 10 to 20 years, mean=13.8 years (SD=2.0), and 54.3% were women. A total of 332 students reported PRHB (12.7%, 95%CI 11.4–14.0). Age over 15 years (OR=2.19, 95%CI 1.72–2.79), not being heterosexual (OR=1.98, 95%CI 1.36-2.87), poor/mediocre academic performance (OR=1.87, 95%CI 1.47–2.38), family dysfunction (OR=1.78, 95%CI 1.40–2.28) and male gender (OR=1.58, 95%CI 1.24–2.01) were associated with PRHB. One in every eight students presented a PRHB. It is important to pay greater attention to students who are over 15 years of age, male, not heterosexual, with a poor/mediocre academic performance and a dysfunctional family.

Adherence to nutritional recommendations and sociodemographic variables in patients with diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVETo determine if there is a relationship between adherence to nutritional recommendations and sociodemographic variables in Brazilian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.METHODSCross-sectional observational study using a stratified random sample of 423 individuals. The Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used, and the Fisher's exact test was applied with 95% confidence interval (p<0.05).RESULTSOf the 423 subjects, 66.7% were women, mean age of 62.4 years (SD = 11.8), 4.3 years of schooling on average (SD = 3.6) and family income of less than two minimum wages. There was association between the female gender and adherence to diet with adequate cholesterol content (OR: 2.03; CI: 1.23; 3.34), between four and more years of education and adherence to fractionation of meals (OR: 1 92 CI: 1.19; 3.10), and income of less than two minimum wages and adherence to diet with adequate cholesterol content (OR: 1.74; CI: 1.03, 2.95).CONCLUSIONAdherence to nutritional recommendations was associated with the female gender, more than four years of education and family income of less than two minimum wages.

Genetic diversity of a brazilian wine grape germplasm collection based on morphoagronomic traits

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of cultivars, to quantify the variability and to estimate the genetic distances of 66 wine grape accessions in the Grape Germplasm Bank of the EMBRAPA Semi-Arid, in Juazeiro, BA, Brazil, through the characterization of discrete and continuous phenotypic variables. Multivariate statistics, such as, principal components, Tocher's optimization procedure, and the graphic of the distance, were efficient in grouping more similar genotypes, according to their phenotypic characteristics. There was no agreement in the formation of groups between continuous and discrete morpho-agronomic traits, when Tocher's optimization procedure was used. Discrete variables allowed the separation of Vitis vinifera and hybrids in different groups. Significant positive correlations were observed between weight, length and width of bunches, and a negative correlation between titratable acidity and TSS/TTA. The major part (84.12%) of the total variation present in the original data was explained by the four principal components. The results revealed little variability between wine grape accessions in the Grape Germplasm Bank of Embrapa Semi-Arid.

Logistic regression to estimate the welfare of broiler breeders in relation to environmental and behavioral variables

The increasing demand of consumer markets for the welfare of birds in poultry house has motivated many scientific researches to monitor and classify the welfare according to the production environment. Given the complexity between the birds and the environment of the aviary, the correct interpretation of the conduct becomes an important way to estimate the welfare of these birds. This study obtained multiple logistic regression models with capacity of estimating the welfare of broiler breeders in relation to the environment of the aviaries and behaviors expressed by the birds. In the experiment, were observed several behaviors expressed by breeders housed in a climatic chamber under controlled temperatures and three different ammonia concentrations from the air monitored daily. From the analysis of the data it was obtained two logistic regression models, of which the first model uses a value of ammonia concentration measured by unit and the second model uses a binary value to classify the ammonia concentration that is assigned by a person through his olfactory perception. The analysis showed that both models classified the broiler breeder's welfare successfully.

Management zones in agriculture acording to the soil and landscape variables

The study of spatial variability of soil and plants attributes, or precision agriculture, a technique that aims the rational use of natural resources, is expanding commercially in Brazil. Nevertheless, there is a lack of mathematical analysis that supports the correlation of these independent variables and their interactions with the productivity, identifying scientific standards technologically applicable. The aim of this study was to identify patterns of soil variability according to the eleven physical and seven chemical indicators in an agricultural area. It was used two multivariate techniques: the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and the principal component analysis (PCA). According to the HCA, the area was divided into five management zones: zone 1 with 2.87ha, zone 2 with 0.8ha, zone 3 with 1.84ha, zone 4 with 1.33ha and zone 5 with 2.76ha. By the PCA, it was identified the most important variables within each zone: V% for the zone 1, CTC in the zone 2, levels of H+Al in the zone 4 and sand content and altitude in the zone 5. The zone 3 was classified as an intermediate zone with characteristics of all others. According to the results it is concluded that it is possible to separate into groups (management zones) samples with the same patterns of variability by the multivariate statistical techniques.

Comparison of baseline data between chronic kidney disease patients starting hemodialysis who live near and far from the dialysis center

Introduction: The treatment offered to chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients before starting hemodialysis (HD) impacts prognosis. Objective: We seek differences among incident HD patients according to the distance between home and the dialysis center. Methods: We included 179 CKD patients undergoing HD. Patients were stratified in two groups: "living near the dialysis center" (patients whose hometown was in cities up to 100 km from the dialysis center) or as "living far from the dialysis center" (patients whose hometown was more than 100 km from the dialysis center). Socioeconomic status, laboratory results, awareness of CKD before starting HD, consultation with nephrologist before the first HD session, and type of vascular access when starting HD were compared between the two groups. Comparisons of continuous and categorical variables were performed using Student's t-test and the Chi-square test, respectively. Results: Ninety (50.3%) patients were classified as "living near the dialysis center" and 89 (49.7%) as "living far from the dialysis center". Patients living near the dialysis center were more likely to know about their condition of CKD than those living far from the dialysis center, respectively 46.6% versus 28.0% (p = 0.015). Although without statistical significance, patients living near the dialysis center had more frequent previous consultation with nephrologists (55.5% versus 42.6%; p = 0.116) and first HD by fistula (30.0% versus 19.1%; p = 0.128) than those living far from the dialysis center. Conclusion: There are potential advantages of CKD awareness, referral to nephrologists and starting HD through fistula among patients living near the dialysis center.

Construção de um espectrógrafo de projeção e sua utilização em demonstrações de espectroscopia óptica

This article describes a projection spectrograph for use in optical spectroscopy classrooms demonstrations. The apparatus is based on an overhead projector and permits the visualization of several phenomena such as, light dispersion by diffraction gratings, diffraction order, optical fluorescence, continuous and discrete optical emission spectra, and light absorption by liquids and solids. A historical survey about the optical spectroscopy development is also presented.

Association between sleep quality and quality of life in nursing professionals working rotating shifts

OBJECTIVE To analyze the association between sleep quality and quality of life of nursing professionals according to their work schedules.METHODS A prospective, cross-sectional, observational study was conducted between January and December 2010, with 264 nursing professionals, drawn from 989 subjects at Botucatu General Hospital and stratified by professional category. The Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index and the WHOQOL-bref were administered to evaluate sleep quality and quality of life, respectively. Self-reported demographic data were collected with a standard form. Continuous variables were reported as means and standard deviations, and categorical variables were expressed as proportions. Associations were evaluated using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The association of night-shift work and gender with sleep disturbance was evaluated by logistic regression analysis using a model adjusted for age and considering sleep disturbance the dependent variable. The level of significance was p < 0.05.RESULTS Night-shift work was associated with severe worsening of at least one component of sleep quality in the model adjusted for age (OR = 1.91; 95%CI 1.04;3.50; p = 0.036). Female gender was associated with sleep disturbance (OR = 3.40; 95%CI 1.37;8.40; p = 0.008). Quality of life and quality of sleep were closely correlated (R = -0.56; p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS Characteristics of the nursing profession affect sleep quality and quality of life, and these two variables are associated.

Daily variation of zooplankton abundance and evenness in the Rosana reservoir, Brazil: biotic and abiotic inferences

The zooplankton community presents stochastic temporal fluctuation and heterogeneous spatial variation determined by the relationships among the organisms and environmental conditions. We predicted that the temporal and spatial zooplankton distribution is heterogeneous and discrete, respectively, and that the daily variation of most abundant species is related to environmental conditions, specifically the availability of resources. Zooplankton samples were collected daily at three sampling stations in a lateral arm of the Rosana Reservoir (SP/PR). The zooplankton did not present significant differences in abundance and evenness among sampling stations, but the temporal variation of these attributes was significant. Abiotic variables and algal resource availability have significantly explained the daily variation of the most abundant species (p<0.001), however, the species distribution makes inferences on biotic relationships between them. Thus, not only the food resource availability is influential on the abundance of principal zooplankton species, but rather a set of factors (abiotic variables and biotic relationships).