Universidade Estadual de Londrina

About: Universidade Estadual de Londrina is a education organization based out in Londrina, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 13052 authors who have published 19291 publications receiving 212123 citations.

Lead levels in human milk and children's health risk: a systematic review.

Abstract: Lead (Pb), a naturally-occurring element and industrially-produced metal, is highly toxic to children, causing intellectual and behavioral deficits, hyperactivity, fine motor function deficits, decreased intelligence quotient, alteration of hand-eye coordination, and problems in reaction time. Children's exposure to Pb occurs mainly through ingestion of contaminated food, water and soil. Few discussions have been held on the magnitude and potential risk associated with exposure from the consumption of breast milk. Hence, this research was designed to systematically review the scientific literature on published epidemiologic studies, with an emphasis on the study designs and analytical procedures used for Pb assessment in breast milk. From a total of 112 selected articles published since the 1980s, 11 met the inclusion criteria. A review of the data indicated that Pb levels varied from 0.15 to 6.1 microg L(-1) in mature milk samples, from 0.48 to 14.6 microg L(-1) in colostrum samples, and were non-detectable in some samples. The milk/blood ratio, which estimates the mean efficiency transfer of lead from blood to milk, varied between 0.01 and 0.48. The heterogeneity of methods revealed by our assessment of published studies underscores the need for harmonization of study designs and sample collection and analysis protocols to reflect specific exposure scenarios. Human milk seems to be one of the relevant biological matrices for use as a biomarker for assessing children's health risk to Pb poisoning.

DNA barcoding of freshwater ichthyoplankton in the Neotropics as a tool for ecological monitoring.

Abstract: Quantifying and classifying ichthyoplankton is one of the most effective ways of monitoring the recruitment process in fishes. However, correctly identifying the fish based on morphological characters is extremely difficult, especially in the early stages of development. We examined ichthyoplankton from tributaries and reservoirs along the middle stretch of the Paranapanema River, one of the areas most impacted by hydroelectric projects in the Neotropics. Matching DNA sequences of the COI gene (628-648 bp) allowed us to identify 99.25% of 536 samples of eggs (293) and larvae (243) subjected to BOLD-IDS similarity analysis with a species-level threshold of 1.3%. The results revealed 37 species in 27 genera, 15 families and four orders, some 23.8% of documented fish species in the Paranapanema River. Molecular identification meant that we could include data from egg samples that accounted for about 30% of the species richness observed. The results in this study confirm the efficacy of DNA barcoding in identifying Neotropical ichthyoplankton and show how the data produced provide valuable information for preparing plans for conserving and managing inland waters.

Update on the brazilian consensus for the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract: Manoel Barros Bértolo(1), Claiton Viegas Brenol(2), Cláudia Goldenstein Schainberg(3), Fernando Neubarth(4), Francisco Aires Correa de Lima(5), Ieda Maria Laurindo(6), Inês Guimarães Silveira(7), Ivanio Alves Pereira(8), Marco Antonio Rocha Loures(9), Mario Newton de Azevedo(10), Max Victor Carioca de Freitas(11), Milton da Silveira Pedreira Neto(12), Ricardo Machado Xavier(13), Rina Dalva N. Giorgi(14), Sergio Candido Kowalski(15), Sonia Maria Alvarenga Anti(16)