Elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio is associated with high rates of ICU mortality, length of stay, and invasive mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients with COVID-19 : NRL and severe COVID-19.

Neutrophil and lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has emerged as a complementary marker in intensive care. This study aimed to associate high NLR values with mortality as the primary outcome, and length of stay and need for invasive mechanical ventilation as secondary outcomes, in critically ill patients with COVID-19. A cross-sectional study encompassing 189 critically ill patients with COVID-19 was performed. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to identify the best NLR cutoff value for ICU mortality (≥ 10.6). An NLR ≥ 10.6, compared with an NLR < 10.6, was associated with higher odds of ICU mortality (odds ratio [OR], 2.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-6.18), ICU length of stay ≥ 14 days (OR, 3.56; 95% CI, 1.01-12.5), and need for invasive mechanical ventilation (OR, 5.39; 95% CI, 1.96-14.81) in the fully adjusted model (age, sex, kidney dysfunction, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, deep vein thrombosis, antibiotics, anticoagulants, antivirals, corticoids, neuromuscular blockers, and vasoactive drugs). In conclusion, elevated NLR is associated with high rates of mortality, length of stay, and need for invasive mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Magnitude of risk factors for chronic noncommunicable diseases in adolescents and young adults in Brazil: A population-based study.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Estimate the magnitude and factors associated with risk factors for chronic noncommunicable diseases in adolescents and young adults in Brazil. METHODS: Cross-sectional study that analyzed data from the 2019 National Health Survey. The population of interest was adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24 years. Data were collected through individual interviews during home visits. Dependent variables included major risk factors for chronic noncommunicable diseases. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were used as independent variables. Multiple Poisson regression models were used to assess the relationship between independent variables and risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 10,460 individuals (5,001 men and 5,459 women) were included. Regardless of sex, the most prevalent risk factors were insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption (92.6%) and leisure-time physical inactivity (43.3%). The prevalence rates of tobacco smokers, alcohol consumption once a month or more, and alcohol abuse were 8.9%, 28.7%, and 18.5%, respectively. Regular consumption of soft drinks and/or artificial juices was described by 17.2%. The prevalence of overweight was 32.5%. Young adults, males, and individuals with lower educational levels, of black race/skin color, with lower household income, and residents of urban areas had a higher prevalence for most risk factors. Differences in the determinants were found for some factors. Inequalities between Brazilian regions were recorded for seven of the nine factors analyzed. The most socioeconomically developed regions had the highest prevalence of most risk factors. The high magnitude of risk factors indicates a potential increase in the burden of chronic noncommunicable diseases in a future scenario for Brazil.

Prevalence and factors associated with multimorbidity in adults in Brazil, according to sex: a population-based cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: Multimorbidity, defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic diseases in the same individual, represents a significant health challenge. However, there is limited evidence on its prevalence and associated factors in developing countries, such as Brazil, especially stratified by sex. Thus, this study aims to estimate the prevalence and analyze the factors associated with multimorbidity in Brazilian adults according to sex. Methods: Cross-sectional population-based household survey carried out with Brazilian adults aged 18 years or older. The sampling strategy consisted of a three-stage conglomerate plan. The three stages were performed through simple random sampling. Data were collected through individual interviews. Multimorbidity was classified based on a list of 14 self-reported chronic diseases/conditions. Poisson regression analysis was performed to estimate the magnitude of the association between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors with the prevalence of multimorbidity stratified by sex. Results: A total of 88,531 individuals were included. In absolute terms, the prevalence of multimorbidity was 29.4%. The frequency in men and women was 22.7 and 35.4%, respectively. Overall, multimorbidity was more prevalent among women, the older people, residents of the South and Southeast regions, urban area residents, former smokers, current smokers, physically inactive, overweight, and obese adults. Individuals with complete high school/incomplete higher education had a lower prevalence of multimorbidity than those with higher educational level. The associations between education and multimorbidity differed between sexes. In men, multimorbidity was inversely associated with the strata of complete middle school/incomplete high school and complete high school/incomplete higher education, while in women, the association between these variables was not observed. Physical inactivity was positively associated with a higher prevalence of multimorbidity only in men. An inverse association was verified between the recommended fruit and vegetable consumption and multimorbidity for the total sample and both sexes. Conclusion: One in four adults had multimorbidity. Prevalence increased with increasing age, among women, and was associated with some lifestyles. Multimorbidity was significantly associated with educational level and physical inactivity only in men. The results suggest the need to adopt integrated strategies to reduce the magnitude of multimorbidity, specific by gender, including actions for health promotion, disease prevention, health surveillance and comprehensive health care in Brazil.

Does Abdominal Obesity Increase All-Cause, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer Mortality Risks in Older Adults? A 10-Year Follow-Up Analysis.

There is insufficient evidence on the impact of abdominal obesity (AO) on mortality in older adults. Therefore, the objective to analyze the 10-year impact of AO, assessed using different diagnostic criteria, on all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality in older adults. In this prospective cohort study of older adults (≥60 years), sociodemographic, lifestyle, clinical history, laboratory test, and anthropometric data were analyzed. The considered were used for AO diagnostic: waist circumference (WC) of ≥88 cm for women and ≥102 cm for men; WC of ≥77.8 cm for women and ≥98.8 cm for men; and increased waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), being the highest tertile of distribution by sex. Multivariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed. A total of 418 individuals, with an average age of 70.69 ± 7.13 years, participated in the study. In the analysis adjusted for sex and age, WHR was associated with a high risk of all-cause mortality (p = 0.044). Both cutoff points used for the WC were associated with an increased CVD mortality risk. None of the AO parameters were associated with cancer mortality. An increased WHR was associated to a higher all-cause mortality risk factor, while an increased WC was a risk factor for a higher CVD mortality in older adults.

Sarcopenia and mortality risk in community-dwelling Brazilian older adults.

We estimated the impact of sarcopenia parameters on mortality risk and assessed its prevalence and associated factors in the older adults according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People's 2010 (EWGSOP1) and 2018 (EWGSOP2) criteria. This was a 10-year follow-up cohort study. Low muscle mass (MM) was defined as low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and low calf circumference (CC). Cox regression and the Kaplan-Meier method were performed. The prevalence of sarcopenia and associated factors were influenced by the MM measurement method and diagnostic criteria used [6.8% (SMI and EWGSOP2), 12.8% (CC and EWGSOP2; and SMI and EWGSOP1) and 17.4% (CC and EWGSOP1)]. While a low BMI was associated with sarcopenia regardless of the sarcopenia definitions, diabetes, and high TGs were associated with sarcopenia only when using the EWGSOP1 criteria. Low SMI increased mortality risk (EWGSOP1: HR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.03-3.92; EWGSOP2: HR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.05-4.06). The prevalence of sarcopenia was higher according to EWGSOP1 than EWGSOP2. A low BMI, diabetes, and high TGs were associated with sarcopenia. A low SMI doubled the risk of mortality in community-dwelling older adults.

Low muscle mass and mortality risk later in life: A 10-year follow-up study.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the impact of low muscle mass (MM) assessed by calf circumference (CC), arm circumference (AC), arm muscle circumference (AMC), and corrected arm muscle circumference (CAMC)-on mortality risk later in life. We aimed to investigate the impact of low MM assessed by CC, AC, AMC and, CAMC on all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality risk. METHODS: Data came from 418 older adults who participated in a 10-year follow-up prospective cohort study. Low MM was defined as a CC < 33 cm for women and < 34 cm for men and by the lowest tertile of AC, AMC, and CAMC stratified by sex. The log rank test, Kaplan-Meier curves, and Cox regression were used. RESULTS: There were 147 deaths: 49 related to CVD and 22 to cancer. A small CC (HR = 1.57, 95% CI, 1.12-2.20), AMC (HR = 1.61, 95% CI, 1.13-2.30) and CAMC (HR = 1.45, 95% CI, 1.03-2.04) were associated with all-cause mortality. A small CAMC was a protective factor for CVD mortality (HR = 0.46, 95% CI, 0.22-0.98). In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, older adults with LMM presented low all-cause mortality survival, with AC (p < 0.05), AMC (p < 0.005), CAMC (p < 0.002), and CC (p < 0.001). Cancer mortality was associated with low CAMC (p < 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: Low MM assessed by anthropometric measures (AC, AMC, CAMC and CC) increased the all-cause mortality risk. A small CAMC decreased the CVD mortality.

Impact of Seismic Activity on Access to Health Care in Hispanic/Latino Cancer Patients from Puerto Rico.

On 7 January 2020, the southern region of Puerto Rico was struck by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, followed by continual seismic activity. Our team performed secondary analyses to explore the relationship between exposure to seismic activity, protection (support) received, and barriers to health care access for cancer patients. Methods: The research team collected data from the database of a longitudinal case-control cohort parent study concerning the impact of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rican cancer patients. The participants from the parent study were recruited in community clinics. The extracted data was collected from 51 cancer patients who completed the parent study's interviews from January−July 2020 (seismic activity period). Barriers to health care were assessed using the Barrier to Care Questionaries (BCQ), which is composed of five subscales: skills, marginalization, knowledge and beliefs expectations, and pragmatics. Exposure to seismic activity and protection was assessed using their respective subscales from the Scale of Psychosocial Impact of Disasters. Results: The results showed a significant relationship between exposure to seismic activity and barriers to health care (p < 0.001) and its five subscales (p < 0.01). These results shed light on potential access to care barriers that could hinder cancer patient treatment in the event of a natural disaster.

Screening of Chemical Libraries for New Antifungal Drugs against Aspergillus fumigatus Reveals Sphingolipids Are Involved in the Mechanism of Action of Miltefosine.

Aspergillus fumigatus is an important fungal pathogen and the main etiological agent of aspergillosis, a disease characterized by a noninvasive process that can evolve to a more severe clinical manifestation, called invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), in immunocompromised patients. The antifungal arsenal to threat aspergillosis is very restricted. Azoles are the main therapeutic approach to control IPA, but the emergence of azole-resistant A. fumigatus isolates has significantly increased over recent decades. Therefore, new strategies are necessary to combat aspergillosis, and drug repurposing has emerged as an efficient and alternative approach for identifying new antifungal drugs. Here, we used a screening approach to analyze A. fumigatus in vitro susceptibility to 1,127 compounds. A. fumigatus was susceptible to 10 compounds, including miltefosine, a drug that displayed fungicidal activity against A. fumigatus. By screening an A. fumigatus transcription factor null library, we identified a single mutant, which has the smiA (sensitive to miltefosine) gene deleted, conferring a phenotype of susceptibility to miltefosine. The transcriptional profiling (RNA-seq) of the wild-type and ΔsmiA strains and chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to next-generation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) of an SmiA-tagged strain exposed to miltefosine revealed genes of the sphingolipid pathway that are directly or indirectly regulated by SmiA. Sphingolipid analysis demonstrated that the mutant has overall decreased levels of sphingolipids when growing in the presence of miltefosine. The identification of SmiA represents the first genetic element described and characterized that plays a direct role in miltefosine response in fungi. IMPORTANCE The filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus causes a group of diseases named aspergillosis, and their development occurs after the inhalation of conidia dispersed in the environment. Very few classes of antifungal drugs are available for aspergillosis treatment, e.g., azoles, but the emergence of global resistance to azoles in A. fumigatus clinical isolates has increased over recent decades. Repositioning or repurposing drugs already available on the market is an interesting and faster opportunity for the identification of novel antifungal agents. By using a repurposing strategy, we identified 10 different compounds that impact A. fumigatus survival. One of these compounds, miltefosine, demonstrated fungicidal activity against A. fumigatus. The mechanism of action of miltefosine is unknown, and, aiming to get more insights about it, we identified a transcription factor, SmiA (sensitive to miltefosine), important for miltefosine resistance. Our results suggest that miltefosine displays antifungal activity against A. fumigatus, interfering in sphingolipid biosynthesis.

Low Serum Zinc Levels and Associated Risk Factors in Hospitalized Patients Receiving Oral or Enteral Nutrition: A Case-control Study.

PURPOSE: To assess whether hospitalization and feeding strategy impact the risk of hypozincemia and associated risk factors. METHODS: In this case-control study, serum zinc levels were compared between inpatients fed oral nutrition (ON) (n = 76) or enteral nutrition (EN) (n = 191) with outpatient controls (n = 1095). FINDINGS: Zinc levels were significantly lower in inpatients receiving EN compared with those receiving ON (P = 0.001). Significant (P < 0.001) ß-values of -11.16 and -17.58 for serum zinc concentrations were found for inpatients receiving ON or EN, respectively, compared with the outpatients. Hospitalization and old age were both independent predictors of zinc deficiency. More than 75% of patients >60 years of age fed EN had a zinc concentration <68.75 µg/dL. Low hemoglobin levels increased the risk of low zinc levels for inpatients receiving EN (P = 0.003) and ON (P = 0.026). Age (P < 0.001), noninvasive mechanical ventilatory support (P = 0.016), and critical care (P = 0.018) were risk factors for hypozincemia in patients receiving ON. Low iron levels were associated with hypozincemia (P = 0.001) in patients receiving EN. IMPLICATIONS: Hospitalization and being >60 years of age were risk factors for zinc deficiency. Intensive care and noninvasive mechanical ventilatory support were risk factors for hypozincemia in hospitalized patients who were fed orally. Low hemoglobin levels increased the risk of low zinc concentrations for inpatients receiving EN and ON, and low iron levels were associated with hypozincemia only after EN.

Grafts of human adipose-derived stem cells into a biodegradable poly (acid lactic) conduit enhances sciatic nerve regeneration.

Despite the regenerative potential of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), injuries with loss of a nerve segment make the functional recovery a challenge. This work aimed to investigate the effects of the association of biodegradable conduits of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) with human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) on the regeneration of the sciatic nerve. C57BL / 6 male mice were submitted to sciatic nerve transection followed by tubulization with PLA conduit. Animals were allocated in two groups: the first received an injection of DMEM inside the conduit (DMEM) and the second received hADSCs inside it (hADSC). Sensory and motor functions were assessed by the pinprick test and electroneuromiography, respectively. To assess neuronal survival the retrograde tracer fluorogold was injected into the sciatic nerve distally to the lesion site. One week after that, animals were sacrificed, tissues harvested and processed for morphological evaluation. After eight weeks, all animals showed sensory recovery in the pinprick test and there was no significant difference between the two groups. The amplitude of the compound muscle action potential was higher in the hADSCs group. The number of myelinated nerve fibers, muscle cells and motor plates was higher in the hADSC group. There was also greater survival of sensory and motor neurons in the hADSC animals. These results suggest that the association of PLA conduit and cell therapy with hADSCs leads to a better functional and morphological recovery after sciatic nerve transection.

The first report of deep-sea litter in the South-Western Caribbean Sea.

Marine litter is a world-wide problem, but the knowledge on this topic in remote areas such as the poles and the deep-sea is still limited. This paper seeks to provide the first accounts of deep-sea litter in the South-Western Caribbean Sea. The survey used 5066 still images from ROV video surveys around four hydrocarbon exploratory drilling zones. Forty-eight deep-sea litter items were found at depths between 427 and 2561 m, and analyzed by three different marine litter classifications. Plastic was the most frequent material (65%) and general litter the main category (69%). Almost half of the deep-sea litter items were found close to marine organism. This baseline is a first step to further research of human impact on the marine bottoms of the Caribbean. The paper highlights the importance of deep-sea litter as a descriptor of marine pollution, and the role of scientific cooperation between off-shore industry and the academy.

Regulation of the cutinases expressed by Aspergillus nidulans and evaluation of their role in cutin degradation.

Four cutinase genes are encoded in the genome of the saprophytic fungus Aspergillus nidulans, but only two of them have proven to codify for active cutinases. However, their overall roles in cutin degradation are unknown, and there is scarce information on the regulatory effectors of their expression. In this work, the expression of the cutinase genes was assayed by multiplex qRT-PCR in cultures grown in media containing both inducer and repressor carbon sources. The genes ancut1 and ancut2 were induced by cutin and its monomers, while ancut3 was constitutively expressed. Besides, cutin induced ancut4 only under oxidative stress conditions. An in silico analysis of the upstream regulatory sequences suggested binding regions for the lipid metabolism transcription factors (TF) FarA for ancut1 and ancut2 while FarB for ancut3. For ancut4, the analysis suggested binding to NapA (the stress response TF). These binding possibilities were experimentally tested by transcriptional analysis using the A. nidulans mutants ANΔfarA, ANΔfarB, and ANΔnapA. Regarding cutin degradation, spectroscopic and chromatographic methods showed similar products from ANCUT1 and ANCUT3. In addition, ANCUT1 produced 9,10-dihydroxy hexadecanoic acid, suggesting an endo-cleavage action of this enzyme. Regarding ANCUT2 and ANCUT4, they produced omega fatty acids. Our results confirmed the cutinolytic activity of the four cutinases, allowed identification of their specific roles in the cutinolytic system and highlighted their differences in the regulatory mechanisms and affinity towards natural substrates. This information is expected to impact the cutinase production processes and broaden their current biotechnological applications.

Leigh Syndrome Due to mtDNA Pathogenic Variants

Abstract Leigh syndrome is a devastating neurodegenerative disease, typically manifesting in infancy or early childhood. Hallmarks of the disease are symmetrical lesions in the basal ganglia or brain stem on MRI, and a clinical course with rapid deterioration of cognitive and motor functions. It is genetically heterogeneous, causative mutations have been disclosed in mitochondrial DNA and nuclear genes involved in the process of energy production in the mitochondria .We investigated the whole mitochondrial DNA in three Brazilian patients with LS, based on their clinical and biochemical data, with the aim to identify the disease-causing mutations. In two of the patients, with complex I deficiency, a novel heteroplasmic variant m.4142G>T (p.R279L) in MT-ND1 and a recurrent homoplasmic mutation m.10197G>A (p.A47T) in MT-ND3 were identified. In the remaining patient, with complex IV deficiency, a de novo heteroplasmic variant in MT-CO1 m.6547T>C (p.L215P) was found. The molecular investigation in mitochondrial diseases have shifted their focus from mitochondrial DNA to nuclear DNA, however, mtDNA protein-coding genes are one of the important genetic causes of mitochondrial disorders for Leigh syndrome. This study expands the molecular and clinical spectrum associated with this disease.

Comparison of morphological and functional outcomes of mouse sciatic nerve repair with three biodegradable polymer conduits containing poly(lactic acid).

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-containing nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) are currently being investigated for nerve repair as an alternative to autograft, which leads to permanent functional impairment in the territory innervated by the removed nerve. Combination of polymers modifies the physical properties of the conduits, altering their nerve-guidance properties. Conduits made from PLA-only or combined with other polymers have been used successfully for nerve repair, but their efficiency has not been compared. We compared the morphological and functional outcomes of peripheral nerve repair by using NGCs made of poly(lactic acid) and combined or not with polycaprolactone (PLA/PCL) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PLA/PVP). To assess the functional recovery, we employed a mechanical hyperalgesia analysis, sciatic functional index (SFI), and electroneuromyography. The mechanical hyperalgesia analysis showed that the PLA group improved more rapidly than the PLA/PVP and PLA/PCL groups; similarly, in the electroneuromyography assay, the PLA group exhibited higher amplitude than the PLA/PCL and PLA/PVP groups. However, the SFI improvement rates did not differ among the groups. Morphologically, the PLA group showed more vascularization, while the nerve fiber regeneration did not differ among the groups. In conclusion, the PLA-only conduits were superior to the other NGCs tested for nerve repair.

Evaluation of biodegradable polymer conduits--poly(L-lactic acid)--for guiding sciatic nerve regeneration in mice.

Polymeric biomaterials are often used for stimulating nerve regeneration. Among different conduits, poly(lactide acid) - PLA polymer is considered to be a good substrate due to its biocompatibility and resorbable characteristics. This polymer is an aliphatic polyester which has been mostly used in biomedical application. It is an organic compound with low allergenic potential, low toxicity, high biocompatibility and predictable kinetics of degradation. In this study we fabricated and evaluated a PLA microporous hollow fiber as a conduit for its ability to bridge a nerve gap in a mouse sciatic nerve injury model. The PLA conduit was prepared from a polymer solution, throughout extrusion technique. The left sciatic nerve of C57BL/6 mouse was transected and the nerve stumps were placed into a resorbable PLA (PLA group) or a PCL conduit (PCL group), n=5 each group. We have also used another group in which the nerves were repaired by autograft (autograft group, n=5). Motor function was analyzed according to sciatic functional index (SFI). After 56days, the regenerated nerves were processed for light and electron microscopy and morphometric analyses were performed. A quantitative analysis of regenerated nerves showed significant increase in the number of myelinated fibers and blood vessels in animals that received PLA conduit. The PLA group exhibited better overall tissue organization compared to other groups. Presenting well-organized bundles, many regenerating clusters composed of preserved nerve fibers surrounded by layers of compacted perineurium-like cells. Also the SFI revealed a significant improvement in functional recovery. This work suggests that PLA conduits are suitable substrate for cell survival and it provides an effective strategy to be used to support axonal growth becoming a potential alternative to autograft.

Efeito da concentração e temperatura sobre a condutividade térmica da polpa de acerola congelada / Effect of concentration and temperature on the thermal conductivity of frozen acerola pulp

A finalidade deste trabalho foi a determinação experimental da condutividade térmica da polpa de acerola nas concentrações de 5.5, 7.5, 9.5, 11.5 e 13.5 Brix e nas temperaturas de 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 e 30 C. A metodologia utilizada foi a da sonda linear de aquecimento e os resultados experimentais obtidos foram comparados com valores estimados pelos modelos teóricos em série, paralelo e Maxwell-Eucken, avaliando o erro envolvido. Observou-se uma influência tanto da concentração quanto da temperatura na condutividade térmica da polpa. Houve aumento da condutividade com a redução da temperatura e da concentração de sólidos, observando-se os maiores aumentos na faixa de 0 a 10 C. Equações polinomiais e lineares foram ajustadas para a determinação direta da condutividade térmica da polpa de acerola na faixa de temperatura e concentração estudada.(AU)

The purpose of this work was the experimental determination of the thermal conductivity of acerola pulp at concentrations of 5.5, 7.5, 9.5, 11.5 and 13.5 Brix and temperatures of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 C. The methodology used involved a hot wire probe, and the experimental results were compared with values estimated by several theoretical models (series, parallel and Maxwell-Eucken models) to evaluate the error involved. We observed an influence both of the concentration and the temperature on the thermal conductivity of the pulp. An increase of the conductivity with a decrease in temperature and in the solids concentration was detected. We observed the greatest increases in the range of 0 to 10 C. Linear and polynomial equations were adjusted for the direct determination of the thermal conductivity of the pulp in the range of temperature and concentration studied.(AU)

Efeito da concentração e temperatura sobre a condutividade térmica da polpa de acerola congelada / Effect of concentration and temperature on the thermal conductivity of frozen acerola pulp

A finalidade deste trabalho foi a determinação experimental da condutividade térmica da polpa de acerola nas concentrações de 5.5, 7.5, 9.5, 11.5 e 13.5 Brix e nas temperaturas de 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 e 30 C. A metodologia utilizada foi a da sonda linear de aquecimento e os resultados experimentais obtidos foram comparados com valores estimados pelos modelos teóricos em série, paralelo e Maxwell-Eucken, avaliando o erro envolvido. Observou-se uma influência tanto da concentração quanto da temperatura na condutividade térmica da polpa. Houve aumento da condutividade com a redução da temperatura e da concentração de sólidos, observando-se os maiores aumentos na faixa de 0 a 10 C. Equações polinomiais e lineares foram ajustadas para a determinação direta da condutividade térmica da polpa de acerola na faixa de temperatura e concentração estudada.

The purpose of this work was the experimental determination of the thermal conductivity of acerola pulp at concentrations of 5.5, 7.5, 9.5, 11.5 and 13.5 Brix and temperatures of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 C. The methodology used involved a hot wire probe, and the experimental results were compared with values estimated by several theoretical models (series, parallel and Maxwell-Eucken models) to evaluate the error involved. We observed an influence both of the concentration and the temperature on the thermal conductivity of the pulp. An increase of the conductivity with a decrease in temperature and in the solids concentration was detected. We observed the greatest increases in the range of 0 to 10 C. Linear and polynomial equations were adjusted for the direct determination of the thermal conductivity of the pulp in the range of temperature and concentration studied.

Condutividade térmica de leites com diferentes teores de umidade e gordura: medidas experimentais e modelos de predição / Thermal conductivity of milk with different levels of moisture and fat: experimental measures and prediction models

A condutividade térmica é uma das propriedades mais influentes durante a pasteurização, sendo altamente dependente da composição do leite e da temperatura utilizada no processo. Este trabalho objetivou modelar a condutividade em uma faixa de temperatura de 20 a 80C para leites com teores de umidade de 88,3 a 91,2% e teores de gordura entre 0 e 3,5%. Para o leite com menor porcentagem de umidade, a condutividade variou de 0,560 a 0,637 W m-1 K-1 e para aquele com maior teor de umidade a condutividade esteve entre 0,584 a 0,652 W m-1 K-1. Três modelos teóricos de predição, série, paralelo e de Maxwell-Eucken, os quais utilizam dados da composição do alimento foram testados e funções polinomiais foram ajustadas para modelar o comportamento desta propriedade em função dos teores de umidade e gordura do leite. Os resultados mostraram que os valores da condutividade térmica são linearmente dependentes do teor de umidade e inversamente dependentes dos teores de gordura. Entre os modelos testados, o modelo Paralelo foi o que melhor se ajustou aos dados experimentais com erro máximo de 2,7%.

Thermal conductivity is one of the most influential properties affecting the pasteurization of milk and is highly dependent on the milk composition and the temperature used in the process. The purpose of this work was to model the thermal conductivity of milk with a moisture content from 88.3 to 91.2% and fat content from 0 to 3.5% from 20 to 80C. For milk with a lower moisture percentage, the experimental conductivity ranged from 0.560 to 0.637 W m-1 K-1, and for those samples with a higher moisture percentage, conductivity ranged from 0.584 to 0.652 W m-1 K-1. Three theoretical predictive models, series, parallel and Maxwell-Eucken, which use food composition data, were tested, and polynomial functions were fit to model the behavior of this property as a function of moisture and fat content. The results showed that thermal conductivity values are linearly dependent on the moisture content and inversely dependent on the fat content. Among the models, the parallel model was the best fit to the experimental data with a maximum error of 2.7%.

Condutividade térmica de leites com diferentes teores de umidade e gordura: medidas experimentais e modelos de predição / Thermal conductivity of milk with different levels of moisture and fat: experimental measures and prediction models

A condutividade térmica é uma das propriedades mais influentes durante a pasteurização, sendo altamente dependente da composição do leite e da temperatura utilizada no processo. Este trabalho objetivou modelar a condutividade em uma faixa de temperatura de 20 a 80C para leites com teores de umidade de 88,3 a 91,2% e teores de gordura entre 0 e 3,5%. Para o leite com menor porcentagem de umidade, a condutividade variou de 0,560 a 0,637 W m-1 K-1 e para aquele com maior teor de umidade a condutividade esteve entre 0,584 a 0,652 W m-1 K-1. Três modelos teóricos de predição, série, paralelo e de Maxwell-Eucken, os quais utilizam dados da composição do alimento foram testados e funções polinomiais foram ajustadas para modelar o comportamento desta propriedade em função dos teores de umidade e gordura do leite. Os resultados mostraram que os valores da condutividade térmica são linearmente dependentes do teor de umidade e inversamente dependentes dos teores de gordura. Entre os modelos testados, o modelo Paralelo foi o que melhor se ajustou aos dados experimentais com erro máximo de 2,7%.

Thermal conductivity is one of the most influential properties affecting the pasteurization of milk and is highly dependent on the milk composition and the temperature used in the process. The purpose of this work was to model the thermal conductivity of milk with a moisture content from 88.3 to 91.2% and fat content from 0 to 3.5% from 20 to 80C. For milk with a lower moisture percentage, the experimental conductivity ranged from 0.560 to 0.637 W m-1 K-1, and for those samples with a higher moisture percentage, conductivity ranged from 0.584 to 0.652 W m-1 K-1. Three theoretical predictive models, series, parallel and Maxwell-Eucken, which use food composition data, were tested, and polynomial functions were fit to model the behavior of this property as a function of moisture and fat content. The results showed that thermal conductivity values are linearly dependent on the moisture content and inversely dependent on the fat content. Among the models, the parallel model was the best fit to the experimental data with a maximum error of 2.7%.

Densidade de Enterococcus sp em águas recreacionais e areias de praias do município de São Vicente-SP, Brasil e sua relação com parâmetros abióticos / Density of Enterococcus sp in recreational waters and beach sandin São Vicente-SP, Brazil and its relationship to abiotic parameters

As cidades litorâneas atraem inúmeros turistas pela sua beleza cênica e atrativos recreacionais, incrementando a fonte de renda dos municípios. Dessa forma, é evidente a necessidade de programas de monitoramento da qualidade de suas praias, a fim de assegurara saúde dos banhistas. Apesar de haver um monitoramento eficaz para as águas recreacionais marinhas, ainda não existem, no Brasil, programas que atestem a qualidade das areias das praias. Nesse sentido, o presente estudo objetivou analisar a densidade de bactérias do gênero Enterococcus nas areias e águas de duas praias do município de São Vicente-SP, Brasil correlacionando com parâmetros abióticos (temperatura, salinidade, granulometria, matéria orgânica e variação de maré). Amostras de água e areia foram coletadas durante o mês de fevereiro de 2006 nas praias do Gonzaguinha e da Ilha Porchat, e as densidades das bactérias,determinadas com base na técnica de membrana filtrante. Temperatura e salinidade foram medidas in situ com o auxílio de um termômetro e um refratômetro, enquanto que granulometria e matéria orgânica foram determinadas em laboratório, de acordo com os métodos descritos por Suguio e Dean. Houve diferenças significativas entre as densidades encontradas na água e nas areias(p=0.004), sendo aproximadamente 20 vezes superior na areia das praias do Gonzaguinha. Resultado semelhante foi obtido para as amostras das praias da Ilha Porchat, sendo as densidades encontradas nas areias cerca de três vezes superior às encontradas nas amostras de água. Em ambas as praias, salinidade e temperatura correlacionaram-se de maneira negativa com as densidades obtidas, o que sugere que há um efeito deletério desses parâmetros sobre a população bacteriana. O presente estudo demonstra que há uma grande necessidade de estabelecimento de programas de monitoramento para areias de praias, visto que atualmente a avaliação da qualidade das praias é parte importante de programas de gerenciamento costeiro integrado.

Coastal cities attract a large number of tourists for their beautiful landscape and recreational activities, increasing the municipalities’income source. Thus, a need is clear for the establishment of beach quality monitoring programs to ensure bathers health. Although there is an effective monitoring program for recreational waters in Brazil there are no programs to certify the quality of beach sands. In this sense, the aim of this work was to analyze the density of bacteria from the genus Enterococcus in both sand and water from two beaches from São Vicente, São Paulo (Brazil) and correlate these densities to abiotic parameters such as: temperature, salinity, particle size, organic matter and tides). Water and sand samples were collected during February 2006 on the beaches of Gonzaguinha e Ilha Porchat and bacterial densities were determined by membrane filter technique. Temperature and salinity were measured in situwith a thermometer and a refractometer while particle size and organic matter were determined according to methods described by Suguio and Dean. There were significant differences between densities found in water and sand (p=0.004), being approximately 20times higher in Gonzaguinha’s beach sands. Similar results were found for Ilha Porchat beach samples, being the densities found insand 3 times greater than those found in water. Both beaches showed a negative correlation between bacterial densities and salinity and temperature, suggesting a deleterious effect of these parameters on the bacterial community. On the other hand, no correlation was found between organic matter and particle size and bacterial densities. This work demonstrates that there is a great necessity for monitoring beach sand since the evaluation of beach quality is an important part of integrated coastal management programs.