Characterization of Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa) Pulp Oil and the Effect of Its Supplementation in an In Vivo Experimental Model.

Mauritia flexuosa (Buriti) pulp oil contains bioactive substances and lipids that are protective against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. We performed physical and chemical analyses to verify its quality and stability. Buriti oil was stable according to the Rancimat test, presenting an induction period of 6.6 h. We evaluated the effect of supplementation with crude buriti oil and olive oil on metabolic parameters in 108 Swiss mice for 90 days. We investigated six groups: extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) 1 and 2 (1000 and 2000 mg/kg), buriti oil (BO) 1 and 2 (1000 and 2000 mg/kg), synergic (S) (BO1 + EVOO1), and control (water dose 1000 mg/kg). The animals were euthanized to examine their blood, livers, and fats. The supplementation did not interfere with food consumption, weight gain, and histological alterations in the liver. Group S showed the strongest relationship with the fractions HDL-c and non-HDL-c, indicating a possible cardioprotective effect. Moreover, we observed significantly higher IL-6 levels in the control, EVOO2, and BO1 groups than in the EVOO1 group. Resistin was also significantly higher for the synergic treatment than for the control. We conclude that BO combined with EVOO could be an excellent food supplement for human consumption.

Synthesis and characterization of TiO2 and TiO2/Ag for use in photodegradation of methylviologen, with kinetic study by laser flash photolysis.

This paper reports the synthesis, characterization, and application of TiO2 and TiO2/Ag nanoparticles for use in photocatalysis, employing the herbicide methylviologen (MV) as a substrate for photocatalytic activity testing. At suitable metal to oxide ratios, increases in silver surface coating on TiO2 enhanced the efficiency of heterogeneous photocatalysis by increasing the electron transfer constant. The sol-gel method was used for TiO2 synthesis. P25 TiO2 was the control material. Both oxides were subjected to the same silver incorporation process. The materials were characterized by conventional spectroscopy, SEM micrography, X-ray diffraction, calculation of surface area per mass of catalyst, and thermogravimetry. Also, electron transfers between TiO2 or TiO2/Ag and MV in the absence and presence of sodium formate were investigated using laser flash photolysis. Oxides synthesized with 2.0 % silver exhibited superior photocatalytic activity for MV degradation.

Consultoria externa em reforma do Estado tem função técnica ou estratégica?: um estudo de caso / Does external consultancy in State reform have a technical or a strategic role?: a case study

Este artigo analisa o papel da consultoria organizacional externa (GVconsult/FGV) em dois projetos de desestatização previstos no Programa de Reforma do Estado de Pernambuco, no período 1999-2000: o da Centrais de Abastecimento de Pernambuco (Ceasa-PE) e o do Centro de Convenções (Cecon). O caminho metodológico foi a aproximação gradativa ao objeto de estudo, partindo de suposições iniciais e pontos críticos que serviram de orientação para a investigação. O trabalho de campo foi constituído por 31 entrevistas semi-estruturadas, em três rodadas, e os textos submetidos a uma análise semântico-pragmática da conversação (Mattos, 2005). A história do caso mostrou que a consultoria organizacional exerceu função técnica auxiliar ao governo de Pernambuco no Programa de Reforma do Estado, de acordo com diretrizes bem definidas e limitações impostas pela equipe do governo. Constatou-se também que, apesar de os conceitos da Reforma do Estado de Pernambuco terem origem nas concepções de Estado dos mentores acadêmicos da FGV e esposadas pelo governo federal (1995-98), não foram os consultores da GVconsult que as trouxeram, mas, sim, os formuladores das políticas públicas do governo de Pernambuco que as colheram diretamente do governo federal e da FGV.

This article analyzes the role of Getulio Vargas Foundation external organizational consultancy services (GVconsult, São Paulo, Brazil) to two destatization projects in the Pernambuco State Reform Project during 1999-2000: at Pernambuco Produce Whole-sale Market (Ceasa-PE) and at the Convention Center (Cecon). The methodological strategy was to gradually approach the object of study, so that initial assumptions and critical points guided the study. The fieldwork involved 31 semi-structured interviews, in three rounds, and the texts were submitted to a semantic and pragmatic conversation analysis (Mattos, 2005). The case history showed that the organizational consultancy had a subsidiary technical role in the State Reform Program, following clear guidelines and limitations imposed by the government team. Although the Pernambuco State Reform concepts were originated from those developed by FGV academic mentors and adopted by the federal government (1995-1998), FGVconsult consultants did not bring them themselves, but rather Pernambuco public policymakers obtained them directly from the federal government and from FGV.

Influence of agronomic variables on the macronutrient and micronutrient contents and thermal behavior of mate tea leaves (Ilex paraguariensis).

The influence of agronomic variables (light intensity, age of leaves, and fertilization type) on the content of macronutrients and micronutrients (potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, and copper) of tea leaves was assessed by acid digestion, followed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The thermal behavior of mate tea leaves (Ilex paraguariensis) was also studied in this work. Samples of mate (Ilex paraguariensis) were collected in an experiment conducted under agronomic control at Erva-Mate Barão Commerce and Industry LTD (Brazil). The results showed that the mineral content in mate is affected by the agronomic variables investigated. In general, the content of mineral compounds analyzed is higher for younger leaves and for plants cultivated in shadow. Thermal analysis of samples indicated a similar behavior, with three typical steps of decomposition: loss of water, degradation of low-molecular weight compounds, and degradation of residual materials.

A entrevista não-estruturada como forma de conversação: razões e sugestões para sua análise / The non-structured interview as a form of conversation: reasons and suggestions for its analysis

A entrevista não estruturada – aquela em que é deixado ao entrevistado decidir-se pela forma de construir a resposta – tem sido cada vez mais utilizada na pesquisa de administração. Rompendo com a concepção tradicional da linguagem (que encerraria conteúdos), a proposta deste artigo é a de que a análise de entrevistas muito ganharia com uma aproximação à análise pragmática da linguagem, e a razão principal a favor disso é a de que a entrevista não estruturada ou semi estruturada realmente é uma forma especial de conversação. O problema específico em foco é como saltar legitimamente da fala de um entrevistado e, em seguida, de vários deles, para um significado interpretativo. Dialogando com o texto de Bardin, levanta-se, inicialmente, um argumento sobre o que possa estar acontecendo com a análise de conteúdo. Lembra-se, a seguir, onde estaria um divisor de águas a distinguir a análise de conteúdo da análise pragmática da conversação. Passa-se a uma reinterpretação da entrevista e aos conceitos básicos para sua análise, na ótica adotada para chegar-se, finalmente, à sugestão de procedimentos sistemáticos em apoio e facilitação do trabalho de análise. A intenção é oferecer mais uma alternativa à prática de pesquisa acadêmica.

Brain type creatine kinase in relation to oxygen desaturation in the blood of children with congenital heart disease.

The concentration of brain type creatine kinase (CK-BB) was measured in blood from the internal jugular vein in 32 children (less than 1 year old) with congenital heart disease. In transposition of the great arteries the CK-BB levels were significantly higher than in children without cyanosis (10.1 +/- 4.1 vs. 3.0 +/- 0.5 ng/ml). A negative correlation was found for CK-BB concentration and arterial oxygen saturation (r = -0.41, p less than 0.02 for all children and r = -0.62, p less than 0.05 for those with tetralogy of Fallot). It is suggested that the increased CK-BB levels in the blood of cyanotic children reflect chronic cerebral hypoxia, which may explain other reports of reduced psycho-intellectual function in patients with cyanotic heart disease.