Assessment of genotoxic effects on elderly populations exposed to high traffic areas: Results for supporting public health surveillance.

In urban areas with intense vehicular traffic, particulate matter in suspension, especially the fraction of particles with ultra-fine diameter, has been regarded as the main problem of chronic diseases in susceptible populations, such as the elderly. This study aimed to determine the genotoxic effects of exposure to air pollution evaluating the association between the frequencies of micronuclei (MN) and binucleated (BN) cells in exfoliated oral mucosa cells of elderly population and exposure conditions, considering the influence of traffic and concentration of PM in different aerodynamic diameters. Traffic of passenger vehicles, heavy duty trucks and environmental concentrations of Particulate Matter were measured twice a day during 28 days before biological sampling of oral mucosa from 154 participants living in areas of distinct levels of urban traffic. Data from this study showed that the group of participants living near road traffic exhibited higher MN cell frequency, when compared to the other groups of subjects. In addition, a canonical correlation analysis between environmental and genotoxicity variables analysis revealed that high concentrations of the particulate matter were correlated with intense traffic and the genotoxicity in exfoliated oral cells.

Genotoxic effects following exposure to air pollution in street vendors from a high-traffic urban area.

Workers in several occupational environments are exposed to pollutants. Street vendors, for example, typically work in a high-traffic urban environment and are exposed to numerous air pollutants, including genotoxic substances emitted by motor vehicles. This study examined the genotoxic effects of exposure to air pollution. We conducted cytological analyses to assess frequencies of micronucleated (MN) and binucleated (BN) cells in a sample of exfoliated oral mucosa cells. We compared street vendors and control subjects in the city of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and also collected quantitative information on exposure conditions of all test subjects, including concentrations of particulate matter. We found street vendors to exhibit higher frequencies of MN cells compared to the control group. We evaluated the effects of possible confounding variables on MN frequencies, namely the body mass index (BMI), age, as well as smoking and alcohol habits. Multiple linear regression analysis found no significant effects of any of those variables. Our results suggest that continued exposure to air pollution from traffic represents a major source of genotoxicity and raises concerns regarding disease prevention not only in street vendors but also other groups of people working in urban environments.

Rumen degradable protein levels on fatty acid profile of rumen bacteria and milk fat of dairy cows supplemented with calcium salts of fatty acids.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of calcium salts of fatty acids (CSFA) from soybean oil in diets with different levels of rumen degradable protein (RDP) on bio-hydrogenation extent, and fatty acid (FA) profile intake, omasal digesta, rumen bacteria, and milk fat. Eight Holstein lactating cows were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design with two CSFA levels (0 or 33.2 g/kg DM of CSFA) and two RDP levels (98.0 or 110 g/kg DM). There was RDP and CSFA interaction effect on the omasal flow of total FA and some specific FA. Only in -CSFA diets, the higher RDP level increased omasal flow of total FA. Dietary RDP levels did not affect the FA profile of bacteria and milk fat. Feeding CSFA reduced or tended to reduce the bacterial proportion of C15:0, C16:0, C16:1, C17:0, and C18:0 FA and decreased the concentrations of short- and medium-chain FA (<18C) and increased the concentrations of unsaturated and long-chain FA (≥18C) in milk fat. Feeding CSFA of soybean oil increases the intake and omasal flow of FA and augments unsaturated FA content in bacteria pellets and milk fat.

Integrated monitoring for environmental health impact assessment related to the genotoxic effects of vehicular pollution in Uberlândia, Brazil.

The development of parameters to explore the link between air-related diseases and their significant driving forces is an important aim in terms of national economics and public health. In this study, we did an integrated analysis involving multiple environmental health indicators from Uberlândia, Brazil, registered before and during a period when the Brazilian government reduced taxes on new cars in a bid to bolster local manufacturing. In addition, the present study utilized Driving Force-Pressure-State-Exposure-Effect-Action (DPSEEA) frameworks to evaluate correlations in environmental health indicators over 10 years (2004-2013), in which the Brazilian government reduced vehicle production taxes beginning in 2008. Significant correlations in all indicators selected were found from 2008 to 2013, corresponding to the tax reduction on new vehicles. The frequency of micronuclei (MN) was significantly higher in the city center compared to the reference site, with the highest MN levels observed during the period of reduced taxes. Results reinforced the need to adopt air quality monitoring programs in major cities.

Aspectos comparativos da localização, distribuição e irrigação do nó atrioventricular em suínos (Sus domesticus) da raça Landrace / Comparatives aspects of localization, distribution and irrigation of the atrioventricular node in pigs (Sus domesticus) of the Landrace race

A análise morfológica buscou verificar a localização do nó e do fascículo atrioventriculares, bem como sua distribuição sob o endocárdio dos ventrículos e descrever as artérias responsáveis pela nutrição do nó, comparando tais aspectos com características já descritas em seres humanos. Foram coletados 30 corações de suínos Landrace, sendo fêmeas com idade entre 2,5 a 3 anos. Inicialmente, 10 corações foram dissecados a fresco, e outros 20 corações foram injetados com solução de neoprene látex, posteriormente fixados em formaldeído a 10% por 72 horas, para então serem dissecados. Foi observado que o nó atrioventricular localiza-se na região caudoventral do septo interatrial, próximo à abertura do seio coronário. Também foram observadas quatro tipos de irrigações, sendo que a principal irrigação encontrada nos suínos trata-se do primeiro ramo septal caudal, proveniente da artéria coronária direita. O fascículo atrioventricular atravessou o esqueleto fibroso em direção ao septo interventricular e se dividiu em dois ramos. O ramo direito desceu em direção ao ápice do coração sob o endocárdio, se distribuindo na parede lateral do ventrículo direito e o ramo esquerdo permaneceu único ou se dividiu em dois e três ramos, que se distribuíram na parede do ventrículo esquerdo. A localização e irrigação do nó atrioventricular, assim como a divisão e a distribuição do fascículo atrioventricular são semelhantes à anatomia humana, podendo ser viável a utilização de suínos como modelo experimental em estudos comparativos que investiguem esse sistema.

Morphological analysis aimed to verify the location of the node and the atrioventricular fasciculus, and its distribution in the endocardium of the ventricles and describe the arteries responsible for nourishing the node, comparing these aspects with features in humans. Were collected 30 Landrace pig hearts, females, 2.5 to 3 years. Initially, 10 hearts were fresh dissected, and in 20 others hearts were injected with neoprene latex solution, later fixed in 10% formaldehyde for 72 hours, then were dissected. It was observed that the atrioventricular node was located in the caudoventral region of the atrial septum, near the opening of the coronary sinus. It was also observed four types of irrigation, and the main irrigation found in pigs was the first septal branch caudal coming from the right coronary artery. The atrioventricular fascicle crossed the fibrous skeleton into the interventricular septum and split into two branches. The right branch came down towards the apex of the heart under the endocardium, up by distributing itself in the lateral wall of the right ventricle, and the left branch remained single or divided in two and three branches, which are distributed in the wall of the left ventricle. Location and irrigation of the atrioventricular node, as well as the division and distribution of fascicle, are similar to Human Anatomy, being viable the use of pigs as an experimental model in comparative studies to investigate this system.

Estudo da potencialidade de reuso da água descartada em sistema de purificação de água usada em tratamentos por hemodiálise / Study of the reuse potentiality of the discarded water in water purification system to hemodialysis treatments

A qualidade da água utilizada em tratamentos por hemodiálise é fundamental para a redução dos riscos à saúde dos pacientes que necessitam deste recurso terapêutico. Uma vez que várias fontes podem contaminar os mananciais de abastecimento, a água usada em aparelhos de hemodiálise deve ser purificada e submetida a um controle da qualidade rigoroso, desde o ponto da sua entrada nas clínicas de hemodiálise até o seu uso. Durante o processo de purificação, cerca de 40% dessa água é descartada. Visando o uso racional dos recursos hídricos, estudou-se a potencialidade do uso das águas descartadas durante a purificação das águas usadas em tratamentos por hemodiálise. Para isso foram determinadas as vazões descartadas e as amostras de água de descarte foram analisadas no Laboratório de Saneamento da Universidade Federal de Itajubá (LabSan/UNIFEI) com relação aos seguintes parâmetros: alcalinidade, condutividade, dureza, pH, sólidos totais, sólidos voláteis totais e turbidez. Com a realização deste estudo, verificou-se que em média 6.250 litros por dia de água são descartados na Clínica de Nefrologia e Hipertensão de Itajubá e que, ao invés de serem descartadas, estas águas podem ser usadas para diversas finalidades como, por exemplo, em lavanderia e limpezas em geral, dentre outros usos.

The quality of the water used in treatments for hemodialysis is crucial for the reduction of risks on patients who need this therapeutic approach. As several sources can contaminate the water supply, the water used in hemodialysis devices must be purified and submitted to a rigorous control of quality, from the point of its entrance at hemodialysis clinics until its use. During the purification process, approximately 40% of this water is discarded. Aiming the rational use of the water resources, the potentiality of the use of discarded waters was studied during the purification process used in hemodialysis facilities. For this, the discarded outflows were measured and the discarded water samples were analyzed in the Sanitation Laboratory of the Federal University of Itajubá (LabSan/UNIFEI) with regard to the following parameters: alkalinity, conductivity, hardness, pH, total solids, total volatile solids and turbidity. In this study, it was verified that 6,250 liters per day on average of water are discarded at the Nephrology and Hypertension Clinical of Itajubá and that, instead of being discarded, these waters could be used for several purposes as, for example, in laundry and general cleaning, among others.