Tropical Paradise: una propuesta exportadora

El proyecto de grado de Administración de Negocios Internacionales expuesto en este trabajo académico, tiene su marco estructural en la empresa Tropical Paradise, comercializadora de cócteles tropicales liofilizados sin alcohol, con el cual se busca demostrar la factibilidad y viabilidad de que Colombia exporte un producto innovador en contrapuesta de los productos que exporta tradicionalmente a nivel mundial. Dentro del plan exportador de la empresa Tropical Paradise, Alemania será el primer país importador de cócteles tropicales liofilizados sin alcohol y se constituirá como distribuidor del producto al interior del país y a otros países de la Unión Europea.

Oportunidades y retos para Diageo con la firma del TLC Colombia- Unión Europea

Diageo es la multinacional líder en producción y comercialización de bebidas espirituosas Premium y cuenta con presencia en más de 80 países incluyendo Colombia, donde la industria de licores presenta una tendencia creciente consecuente con el crecimiento económico del país. Dentro de este contexto, la categoría de bebidas espirituosas juega el papel principal con productos como ron, whisky y aguardiente, con la mayoría de la participación en el mercado nacional. Sin embargo, existe en esta industria un sistema tributario que se presenta como una barrera para la expansión del mercado que tienen los bienes importados. Bajo este marco, se presenta con gran importancia la firma de un Tratado de Libre Comercio con la Unión Europea, el cual a la fecha se encuentra en una etapa avanzada después de haber sido aprobado por el Congreso en Colombia y por la Unión Europea aunque todavía no ha entrado en vigencia. Este tratado podría beneficiar a las compañías productoras y comercializadoras de bebidas europeas, facilitando su ingreso a los mercados departamentales y logrando con esta negociación un mayor control por parte del gobierno nacional a las prácticas anticompetitivas que se llevan a cabo por parte de algunos departamentos. A lo largo de este trabajo se estudia particularmente a la empresa británica Diageo, teniendo en cuenta que su portafolio mayoritariamente proviene de Europa y que existe una tendencia creciente en el consumo de este tipo de bebidas. Asimismo, se estudiará la situación actual del sector de bebidas alcohólicas en Colombia, con lo cual se conocerá más de cerca la posición estratégica de Diageo dentro de la industria y se verá como es el comportamiento de las empresas que participan en esta para las cuales el Tratado traería consigo oportunidades y retos importantes que deben afrontar y aprovechar.

Patrones de consumo de alcohol en la adolescencia

Este estudio analiza los patrones de consumo de alcohol y el papel de la influencia social y la percepción de peligrosidad de esta sustancia en dicho consumo en una muestra de 1.624 estudiantes de Secundaria de Girona con edades comprendidas entre los 12 y los 18 años (49,4% chicos). Los resultados muestran que un 20,9% de los adolescentes se consideran consumidores habituales de alcohol, y que el consumo se incrementa con la edad, independientemente del género. Un porcentaje elevado de consumidores supera el umbral de alto riesgo para la salud, principalmente entre las chicas debido a las diferencias de género en la metabolización alcohólica. Asimismo se confirma la influencia del entorno (amigos y familiares) y de la percepción de peligrosidad del alcohol tanto en el consumo de esta sustancia como en su uso de alto riesgo. Alcohol consumption patterns in adolescence

Auto-relato da frequência de consumo de álcool numa amostra representativa da população adulta portuguesa : associações com a obesidade e o perímetro da cintura

São vários, e ainda mal compreendidos, os factores que contribuem para a obesidade. Em Portugal, há simultaneamente uma elevada prevalência de obesidade e um elevado consumo de bebidas alcoólicas. A associação entre consumo de álcool e obesidade não é clara. Este artigo analisa a associação entre a frequência auto-relatada de consumo de bebidas alcoólicas (vinho, cerveja e bebidas brancas/espirituosas) e a prevalência de pré-obesidade e/ou obesidade na população adulta (entre os 18 e os 64 anos) em Portugal. Trata-se de um estudo observacional e transversal, representativo a nível de Portugal continental. No total, recolheram-se dados relativamente a 8116 portugueses. As frequências de consumo das várias bebidas estão fortemente correlacionadas entre si. Foi encontrada uma associação significativa entre as frequências auto-relatadas de consumo de álcool e o excesso de peso, a obesidade e as medidas do perímetro da cintura. A frequência auto-relatada de consumo para todas as bebidas aumenta com as categorias de índice de massa corporal. As categorias de perímetro da cintura associadas a risco cardiovascular estão associadas a maior frequência auto-relatada de consumo de todas as bebidas alcoólicas em estudo, à excepção das bebidas brancas/espirituosas. Embora a associação entre álcool e obesidade ainda esteja por clarificar, vários estudos revelaram associações positivas entre o consumo de álcool e a obesidade. Esta descoberta é apoiada pelos dados aqui descritos, recolhidos em Portugal continental, que sugerem um efeito sinergético do consumo (auto-relatado) do vinho e da cerveja tanto no IMC como no perímetro da cintura. Os resultados sugerem uma ligação importante entre a frequência autorelatada de consumo de álcool e o peso excessivo e a obesidade abdominal na população adulta portuguesa.

Aplicação de sub-produtos da “ginginha” de Óbidos em formulações tópicas: um estudo preliminar

Nos últimos anos estudos efectuados com frutos vermelhos têm revelado a sua riqueza em compostos bioactivos,sobretudo devido a presença de compostos polifenólicos. Neste trabalho foram avaliados os sub-produtos da ginja (Prunus cerasus L.) resultantes da indústria do licor de Óbidos, através da determinação do seu conteúdo em compostos fenólicos totais e, em particular, em antocianinas. As amostras de folhagens (pedúnculos e folhas) e de bagaço (película e película+caroço) foram extraídas por maceração através de 2 métodos de extracção diferentes, utilizando o etanol e o metanol como solventes. Na generalidade observaram-se diferenças significativas entre os teores em fenóis totais e antocianinas, quer dos extractos obtidos a partir de diferentes fracções (folhagem ou bagaço), quer dos extractos obtidos a partir da mesma fracção mas utilizando diferentes solventes. Os extractos das folhagens apresentaram valores de fenóis totais mais elevados que os extractos de bagaço. O metanol foi o solvente mais eficaz na extracção dos fenóis totais e das antocianinas para todas as amostras em estudo. Para as amostras de bagaço as amostras sem caroço (amostras de película) foram as que apresentaram valores mais elevados de fenóis totais e de antocianinas. Os resultados obtidos apontam no sentido dos sub-produtos agro-industriais analisados poderem constituir uma promissora fonte de compostos polifenólicos de custo reduzido, com potencial para aplicação em formulações dermocosméticas. Estudos futuros serão efectuados para avaliar o potencial destes resíduos como ingrediente antioxidante.

Dietary intakes and food sources of phytoestrogens in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) 24-hour dietary recall cohort

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Phytoestrogens are estradiol-like natural compounds found in plants that have been associated with protective effects against chronic diseases, including some cancers, cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to estimate the dietary intake of phytoestrogens, identify their food sources and their association with lifestyle factors in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Single 24-hour dietary recalls were collected from 36 037 individuals from 10 European countries, aged 35–74 years using a standardized computerized interview programe (EPIC-Soft). An ad hoc food composition database on phytoestrogens (isoflavones, lignans, coumestans, enterolignans and equol) was compiled using data from available databases, in order to obtain and describe phytoestrogen intakes and their food sources across 27 redefined EPIC centres. RESULTS: Mean total phytoestrogen intake was the highest in the UK health-conscious group (24.9 mg/day in men and 21.1 mg/day in women) whereas lowest in Greece (1.3 mg/day) in men and Spain-Granada (1.0 mg/day) in women. Northern European countries had higher intakes than southern countries. The main phytoestrogen contributors were isoflavones in both UK centres and lignans in the other EPIC cohorts. Age, body mass index, educational level, smoking status and physical activity were related to increased intakes of lignans, enterolignans and equol, but not to total phytoestrogen, isoflavone or coumestan intakes. In the UK cohorts, the major food sources of phytoestrogens were soy products. In the other EPIC cohorts the dietary sources were more distributed, among fruits, vegetables, soy products, cereal products, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high variability in the dietary intake of total and phytoestrogen subclasses and their food sources across European regions.

Ethanol elicits and potentiates nociceptor responses via the vanilloid receptor-1

The vanilloid receptor-1 (VR1) is a heat-gated ion channel that is responsible for the burning sensation elicited by capsaicin. A similar sensation is reported by patients with esophagitis when they consume alcoholic beverages or are administered alcohol by injection as a medical treatment. We report here that ethanol activates primary sensory neurons, resulting in neuropeptide release or plasma extravasation in the esophagus, spinal cord or skin. Sensory neurons from trigeminal or dorsal root ganglia as well as VR1-expressing HEK293 cells responded to ethanol in a concentration-dependent and capsazepine-sensitive fashion. Ethanol potentiated the response of VR1 to capsaicin, protons and heat and lowered the threshold for heat activation of VR1 from approximately 42 degrees C to approximately 34 degrees C. This provides a likely mechanistic explanation for the ethanol-induced sensory responses that occur at body temperature and for the sensitivity of inflamed tissues to ethanol, such as might be found in esophagitis, neuralgia or wounds.

Taste components of Sherry wines

Sherry wine has characteristic taste and aroma, different from other wine-based alcoholic beverages. This paper reports a study of the non-volatile, low-molecular weight compounds found in sherry and related alcoholic beverages that may contribute to taste. Compounds analysed included free amino acids, organic acids, sugars and small peptides (linear and cyclic). A series of seven diketopiperazines (cyclic dipeptides) namely, cyclo(Leu-Leu), cyclo(Pro-Leu), cyclo(Pro-Ile), cyclo(Pro-Met), cyclo( Pro-Val), cyclo(Pro-Pro) and cyclo(Val-Ala) were identified for the first time in sherry. Although traces were found in some other alcoholic beverages, levels were low compared with sherry. The base wine used in the sherry production had only traces of diketopiperazines, indicating that the casking stage of sherry production might be responsible for their formation.

Evaluation of monolithic columns for determination of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in sugar cane spirits by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) conditions are described for separation of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone (2,4-DNPH) derivatives of carbonyl compounds in a 10 cm long C-18 reversed phase monolithic column. Using a linear gradient from 40 to 77% acetonitrile (acetonitrile-water system), the separation was achieved in about 10 min-a time significantly shorter than that obtained with a packed particles column. The method was applied for determination of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in Brazilian sugar cane spirits. The linear dynamic range was between 30 and 600 mu g L-1, and the detection limits were 8 and 4 mu g L-1 for formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, respectively.

Efeito agudo da ingestão de álcool sobre a função endotelial em homens jovens

A disfunção endotelial, avaliada através da vasodilatação mediada pelo fluxo (FMD) e não mediada pelo fluxo (NFMD), está associada à ocorrência de eventos cardiovasculares. Enquanto o consumo moderado de bebidas alcoólicas está associado com baixo risco para doenças cardiovasculares, a ingestão de doses mais altas predispõe a arritmias cardíacas, acidente vascular encefálico e outros eventos, que têm maior incidência no período da manhã. A investigação dos efeitos do álcool sobre a função endotelial pode trazer um melhor entendimento para esta associação. O presente estudo tem por objetivo avaliar, em uma amostra homogênea, o efeito de uma dose relativamente elevada de álcool sobre parâmetros vasculares e de função endotelial. O diâmetro da artéria braquial (DAB), a FMD e a NFMD foram mensurados em três horários (17h, 22h e 7h), em 100 indivíduos do sexo masculino, hígidos, com idades entre 18 e 25 anos (média de 20,74 anos), por ecodoppler da artéria braquial (segundo o protocolo da International Brachial Artery Reactivity Task Force). Os indivíduos foram randomizados para ingerir uma bebida contendo álcool ou uma bebida similar não alcoólica, às 18h. O grupo que consumiu álcool apresentou um aumento no DAB entre as 17h (4,03 mm) e 22h (4,41 mm). Ocorreu uma redução da FMD para 2,43% e da NFMD para 6,30% às 22h, quando comparados com os valores anteriores à ingestão (FMD = 4,22% e NFMD = 13,7%). Foi constatado um efeito bifásico para a pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) e diastólica (PAD), com redução às 22h (PAS = 105,18 mmHg; PAD = 60,14 mmHg), seguida de elevação às 7h (PAS = 117,50 mmHg; PAD = 70,98 mmHg). Conclui-se que, após um período inicial de vasodilatação, a ingestão aguda de álcool não afeta a função endotelial, comparado ao placebo.

O impacto de normas sociais no mercado acionário brasileiro

Este estudo busca verificar se normas sociais impactam o mercado de ações brasileiro analisando o retorno de ações dos setores que mais estão susceptíveis a serem vistos como nocivos para a sociedade: os produtores de bebidas alcoólicas, cigarros e armamentos. Buscando responder a nossa pergunta, o retorno das ações da Ambev, Souza Cruz e Forjas Taurus foram analisados.

Evolution of ethyl carbamate during Madeira wine ageing by GC-MS: a new methodology

Recently, ethyl carbamate (EC) was reclassified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as "probably carcinogenic to humans" and occurs mainly in fermented beverages. Nowadays many countries have set limit values for EC in alcoholic beverages. In this sense and taking into account the low concentrations found in alcoholic beverages, the scientific community has shown interest for the development of new analytical methods, whereby its simplification plays an important role in the EC control and prevention. Firstly, a simple, rapid and sensitive methodology was developed for the EC quantification in fortified wines by microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) with gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer detector (GC-MS). This method showed good linearity (R2 = 0.999) and sensitivity (LOD = 1.5 μg/L). The accuracy of the method was assessed by means of repeatability and reproducibility (RSD < 7%). Moreover, a good recovery has been demonstrated (97 – 106%) as well as its applicability (16 fortified wines). Thus, the developed methodology has proven to be an excellent approach for routine quantification of EC in fortified wines. The EC evolution was also evaluated during a year and half of Madeira wine ageing submitted to two traditional ageing methods, estufagem and canteiro, in order to evaluate the formation kinetic. The results revealed that estufagem process increased the formation kinetic and promoted a linear increase of the EC concentration (R2 ≥ 0.977), proportionally to the ageing time (4 months). However, when the wines are firstly submitted to estufagem and then undergo canteiro ageing, the EC values remain almost constant during the following 14 months. The results suggest that estufagem does not seem to be the critical factor in the EC formation, but instead the amount of precursors in the medium.

Edentulismo funcional e seus fatores de risco em adultos

The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors to the functional edentulism in adults aged 35 a 44 years old of Natal-RN, 278 adults took part in the study. They were all selected from a previous dental loss prevalence study thus being complemented by an active research. The study was a case-control based and data collection was made though a survey as well as with a clinical examination. The cases were identified through individuals with 20 or more teeth. Age and gender were used as variables of pairing off. The data was analyzed through chi-square, significant level of 95% to the checking of its force associations. The independent variables were grouped in three levels. The first one, more macro, is related to the region where the individual lives, which was also related to the second level, the family-based one, linked with a third level, at this low socio-economical level, where the domiciliary density was favorable, living in capital cities, regions with prime sanitary condicitions, with predominant possibility of accessing the public dental service, but in despite of this, only looking for this service when tooth ache is felt, where preferentially an aid dressing treatment is executed in detriment of preventive procedures. From all the samples, less than 25% of the individuals make use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages for quite a number of years. There was an association of functional edentulism with all the studied variables in a regional method. In the family-based with Critério Brasil (OR=4,45) and monthly wages (OR=9,62) and to an to an individual level, the associations took place with the current use of kind of attendance (OR=1,78), looks for dressing treatment (OR=2,51), does not look for preventive treatment (OR=3,31), pain as the main cause of demand (OR=1,92), previous treatment as the demanding reason for dental service (OR+0,28), interval of the last visit to the dental service (OR=1,35) and when advise was received (OR=1,66). It was noticed from the results that the functional edentulism is much more expressive in those families which live in environments with precarious social economical sanitary conditions. Such conditions seem to have a direct influence upon the family social economical conditions which are also shown in detriment to functional edentulism. In the same way, the collection of variants influence the social economical conditions of the individual, as well as the kind of dental service searched by them, the reason of the search and the interval of the last visit to the dental service were strong determiners to the functional edentulism. Beyond that, individual habits like the use of tobacco and its frequency on its previous use influenced in a significant way the existence of functional edentulism in the studied population

Estudo clínico e níveis de ansiedade em uma série de casos de líquen plano oral

Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) is a relatively common, cronic inflammatory disease. Its etiopathogenesis is no completely understood and several factors have proposed in attempt to explain the appearance, variety of clinical manifestations and periods of exacerbation and remission of the symptons of the lesions. The objective of the present study was to assess the presence of local factors, systemic diseases and levels of anxiety in patients with OLP, investigating their association with the clinical characteristics of the lesions. The sample consisted of 37 patients with histopathologically confirmed OLP that were submitted to a clinical exam to evaluate the presence of smoking habits, consumption of alcoholic beverages, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The existence of skin lesions, as well as the time course, clinical form, symptomatology, number and location of the oral lesions were also registered. The trait anxiety was measured by Spielberger s Stai-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and to associate the variables we used the chi-square or Fisher s exact test. It was observed that females were the most affected (75%) and the mean age of the patients was 53,3 years. Most cases were non-smoker (97,3%) and none was drinker. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension were present in 10,8% e 16,2% of the sample, respectively and only one patient was HCV-seropositive (2,7%). Moderate levels of anxiety were seen in most cases (78,4%) and 21,6% had elevated levels. The oral lesions persisted in 95% of the cases for a period of 6 months to 13 years. The erosive form was the most prevalent (57,1%) and symptons were reported by 45,7% of the patients. Multiple lesions were frequent (60%), affecting mainly the buccal mucosa, followed by gums e tongue. There was no significant association of the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and levels of anxiety with the clinical form or symptomatology of the oral lesions (p>0,005), despite a trend in patients with hypertension to have erosive lesions. It was concluded that, in the sample studied, moderate levels of anxiety were commonly observed, and the HCV infection apparently is not related to the onset of the OLP. In this study, the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and levels of anxiety seem not to be associated with the clinical characteristics of the lesions of OLP

Caracterização do ciclo sono/vigília de professores do ensino médio em natal/rn

In the school environment is fundamental the knowledge about the sleep-wake cycle (SWC), because we find children and adolescents with excessive sleepiness and learning difficulties. Furthermore, teachers with high demand and with different work schedule, which may contribute to changes in SWC. The aim of this study was to describe the SWC of high school teachers in Natal/RN. Habits and knowledge about sleep, chronotype, SWC, daytime sleepiness, sleep quality and job satisfaction were described in 98 high school teachers from public and private school. These parameters were compared according to the characteristics of work, family structure and gender. Data collection was performed with the use of questionnaires in two stages: 1) "health and sleep" (general characterization of sleep habits), Horne & Ostberg questionnaire (characterization of chronotype), Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Index of Pittsburg Sleep Quality, 2) The sleep diary for 14 days. From the results, we observe that the teachers woke up and went to bed earlier in the week and showed a reduction of time in bed around 42min comparing to weekend. This reduction in time in bed during the week was accompanied by an increase in nap duration on weekend. In addition the teachers woke up earlier on Saturdays than on Sundays, probably due to housework and leisure. The teachers' knowledge about sleep was low in relation to individual differences and effect of alcoholic beverages on sleep, and high in the consequences of sleep deprivation. The differences found in comparisons on the characteristics of work, family structure and gender were punctual, except concerning the work schedule. The teacher who started work in the morning and finished in the night, woke up earlier, went to bed later and had less time in bed, when compared to teachers who work only in two shifts. In addition, teachers with late chronotypes who begin the work in the morning had a greater irregularity in the wake up time compared to teachers with earlier and intermediate chronotypes. Half of teachers have excessive sleepiness, which was positive correlated with work dissatisfaction. In general, teachers showed IPSQ averages equivalent to poor sleep quality and the women showed worst averages. From the results, it is suggested that the SWC of teachers varies according to work schedule, leading to irregularity and partial sleep deprivation in the week, although these responses vary according to chronotype. These changes are accompanied by excessive daytime sleepiness and poor sleep quality. However, it is necessary to expand the sample to clarify the influence of variables related to work, family structure and gender together