Showing papers by "Universidade Federal de Pelotas published in 1991"

Tabela de potencial osmótico em função da concentração de polietileno glicol 6.000 e da temperatura

Abstract: Um expressivo numero de pesquisas vem sendo desenvolvido na area de pre-condicionamento em sementes. Na busca de contribuir com os tecnicos envolvidos em pes­quisas nesta area, procurou-se atraves da inter-relacao entre a Termodinâmica e a Tecnologia de Sementes caracterizar potenciais hidrico, osmotico, matrico e de pressao e, a partir do tra­balho de Michel & Kaufmann (1973), construir uma tabela associando potencial osmotico, concentracao de polietileno glicol 6000 e temperatura.

The timing of nutritional status determination: implications for interventions and growth monitoring.

Abstract: A population-based birth cohort of 1226 urban Brazilian children underwent anthropometric examinations at, on average, ages 11, 23 and 47 months. Multiple regression analyses showed that while birth weight was the single most important factor in predicting nutritional status at age 11 months, a wide range of other social, biological and morbidity factors also appeared to play a significant role. Environmental and dietary factors, however, showed no significant association. Nutritional status at age 11 months was a very strong predictor of nutritional status at ages 23 and 47 months and the other explanatory factors made a minimal additional contribution to the regression models. These results suggest that, in this population, childhood nutritional status is primarily determined before the end of the first year of life. These findings have implications for the timing and nature of nutritional interventions and for mechanisms for identifying those children who will suffer from poor nutritional status later in childhood.

Management of childhood diarrhoea at the household level : a population-based survey in north-east Brazil

Abstract: The management of childhood diarrhoea at the household level was studied in a population-based survey in four states in north-east Brazil. Of a representative sample of 6524 children under 5 years of age, 982 (15.1%) had diarrhoea on the day of the interview or had had diarrhoea at some time during the previous 15 days. A total of 66% of the children were not taken for treatment, while government health services were used by 14%, private doctors by 1%, and traditional healers (rezadeiras) by 24%. Oral rehydration therapy was given to 24.3% of the children as follows: solutions of oral rehydration salts (ORS) were received by 6.8%, salt-and-sugar solutions by 14.7%, and solutions of commercial ORS brands by 4.3%. Although 95% of the caretakers knew about rehydration solutions, only 18% prepared them correctly, the most common error being the use of insufficient water. Of the rehydration solutions used, 39% had a sodium concentration that was potentially dangerous (greater than 120 mmol/l), and 8% had a sodium concentration that was very low. Of those solutions prepared using ORS, 38% had too high a sodium concentration, while 14% of the salt-and-sugar solutions prepared using either the "scoop-and-pinch" approach or a plastic spoon were too concentrated. However, potentially the most dangerous were the salt-and-sugar solutions prepared using nonstandard recipes. More than half of these had an unacceptably high sodium concentration or osmolarity.

A saúde das crianças dos Estados do Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte e Sergipe, Brasil: descrição de uma metodologia para diagnósticos comunitários

Abstract: Para a maior parte dos estados brasileiros, inexistem indicadores confiaveis sobre a saude das criancas - tais como estado nutricional, aleitamento, cobertura vacinal, frequencia e manejo de doencas infecciosas e cobertura de servico de atencao pre e perinatal. Para obter tais informacoes, desenvolveu-se uma metodologia para diagnosticos a nivel estadual, aplicada recentemente em amostras representativas nos Estados do Ceara, Sergipe e Rio Grande do Norte. O presente artigo descreve os principais aspectos desta metodologia e alguns de seus achados mais relevantes. Os resultados obtidos apontam para a necessidade de incentivar o aleitamento materno, aumentar a cobertura vacinal, incrementar o uso da terapia de reidratacao oral durante a diarreia, melhorar a atencao pre e perinatal e a monitorizacao do crescimento. Mostra-se ainda que, paradoxalmente, as acoes de sobrevivencia infantil concentram-se primariamente em criancas de alta renda e portanto de baixo risco. Alem de propiciar o planejamento e avaliacao das acoes de saude, os diagnosticos fornecem dados basais com os quais os resultados de futuros inqueritos poderao ser comparados.

Modelo operário e percepção de riscos ocupacionais e ambientais: o uso exemplar de estudo descritivo

Abstract: An attempt was made to identify the risks resulting from exposure to the chemicals to which workers are exposed as well as from the poor working conditions to which they are subject in a chemical and pharmaceutical factory. A descriptive study based on the "workers model" - a methodological approach developed in Italy in the 60's, was carried out. Such a study requires direct contact with the workers and has the advantage of overcoming the difficulty of gaining access to their work-place. The activities of the different departments of the plant were reconstructed and the main chemicals used, the main physical complaints, the potencial harms and the main environmental risks identified. The repon on the harmful working conditions produced was used by the workers as a means of pressing the authorities into carrying out an inspection of the plant concerned to verify its accuracy. The report's findings have been confirmed and demonstrate the usefulness of the methocological approach adopted. The workers' publicizing of the study's findings through the means of mass communication have helped to build up greater public awareness of the occupational and environmental risks of that particular industrial activity.

Efeitos da secagem intermitente sobre a qualidade de sementes de milho

Abstract: The objective of this work was the evaluation of different air temperatures in intermittent drying on the quality of corn seeds, double hybrid AG-162, during the drying process. The study was carried out in three parts named 1, 2 and 3. Each part was made up of three drying methods: natural drying, artificial-natural drying and artificial drying. In the artificial-natural drying and in the artificial drying, air temperatures of 70, 80 and 90°C were used, respectively, during the process named artificial (intermittent drying) . After the drying process, the seeds were stored during six months and evaluation was carried out four times every two months, by determination of moisture content, germination, accelerated aging and cold without soil. In the first and fourth periods, seed infestation, seed health and field emergence tests were put into effect. The analysis and the interpretation of the results, considering the drying process at temperature 70, 8 0 and 90°C and moisture content reducing from 16,5% to 13,0%, permited the following conclusions: a) the intermittent drying did not cause prejudicial effects on the physiological quality of corn seeds; b) the Penicillium spp. incidence on corn seeds may be reduced by means of intermittent drying.

Regeneração de plantas no cultivo de calos de genótipos brasileiros de trigo

Abstract: Dezesseis genotipos de trigo ( Triticum aestivum L.) foram avaliados quanto a re­generacao de plantas in vitro. Embrioes imaturos de trigo foram colocados em meio MS com 5 mg e 2 mg de 2,4D/l para iniciar o cultivo in vitro. Nas etapas posteriores de cultivo a con­centracao de 2,4D foi reduzida para 0,5 mg/l, 0,1 mg/l e depois o 2,4D foi retirado do meio de cultura. A metodologia utilizada foi satisfatoria para a regeneracao de plantas de diferen­tes genotipos brasileiros de trigo. Variabilidade entre genotipos foi observada para regene­racao de plantas in vitro , contudo, a capacidade regenerativa dos genotipos foi modificada em presenca de diferentes niveis de 2,4D. As progenies de plantas regeneradas dos genotipos Nobre e Maringa foram avaliadas no campo para as caracteristicas estatura de planta, numero de dias ate o florescimento e numero de espiguetas e graos por espiga. Variacao somaclonal foi obtida nos dois genotipos para todos os caracteres estudados.

Child health in the States of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte and Sergipe, Brazil: description of a methodology for the diagnosis of communities

Abstract: No reliable data are available from most Brazilian states for a number of child health indicators, such as nutritional status, breast feeding, vaccine coverage, incidence and management of infectious diseases, and coverage of antenatal and perinatal services. How ever a methodology has been developed for state-wide, community-based health surveys for the obtaining of such information, which was recently applied in studies of representative samples of children from the states of Ceara, Sergipe and Rio Grande do Norte in Northeastern Brazil. The present report describes the key aspects of this methodology and some of the main findings. These results point out to the need for promoting breast feeding, increasing vaccine coverage, improving diarrhoea management with oral rehydration therapy and investing in antenatal and perinatal care, as well as in growth monitoring. They also show that child survival activities are paradoxically concentrated on higher-income, lower risk children. Besides contributing to the planning and evaluation of health programs, community-based child health surveys provide baseline data against which future progress may be ascertained.

[Child health in the states of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte and Sergipe, Brazil: description of a methodology for community diagnosis].

Abstract: From 1987 to 1989 UNICEF collaborated with state and municipal health organs of the Brazilian states of Ceara (C) Rio Grande do Norte (R) and Sergipe (S) in order to realize a community diagnosis of maternal-child health care. The estimation of mortality required investigating women aged 15-49 visiting 8000 households examining 4513 children <3 years old. In R and S a sample of 1000 children <5 was used to estimate most common health problems. In these states 1920 households were visited and a questionnaire served for collection of demographic and socioeconomic data. Children were weighed and a modified AHRTAG anthropometer served for measuring body length. About 1/4 to 1/3 of children were first-born. In C 19.3% of children were seventh-born or higher almost double the rate of the other 2 states. Income literacy rate of parents living conditions and availability of running water indicators were much worse in C. 34.8% of the women in C had not received prenatal care; this figure was 15.7% in S an R respectively. In C only 24.3% of the mothers had received 6 or more prenatal care checkups vs. about 1/2 in the other states. Hospital deliveries reached 64.8% in C vs. almost 90% in the other states. In C breast feeding was more prevalent: 83% were breast feeding for 1 month and 27.1% for 12 months. Malnutrition indicated by height and age was 27.6% in C vs. 16.1% in S and 14/2% in R. There was a clear association between family income and nutritional deficits of height/age and weight/age indicators. In C malnutrition was higher in all income groups. Diarrhea incidence was 12% in C vs. 7.3% in S and 6/4% in R. A lower percentage used rehydration in C. 9.9% of children in C had been hospitalized in the previous 12 months vs. 6.2% in S and 6.9% in R. Coughing fever and respiratory difficulties ran to 8.6% in C. Only 42.4% had full vaccination in C vs. 61.7% in S and 71.3% in R. 30/5% had been weighed in C in the previous 3 months vs. 45.1% in S and 44.2% in R.

Crescimento, morfologia, partição de assimilados e produção de matéria seca em Phaseolus vulgaris L. submetido a três níveis de nitrogênio e dois regimes hídricos

Abstract: Crescimento, morfologia, particao de assimilados e producao de materia seca foram estudados em Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Negrito-897, em casa de vegetacao, submetido a tres niveis de nitrogenio (50, 125 e 200 ppm de N) e dois regimes hidricos (capacidade de campo ≈ -0,03 MPa e estresse hidrico ciclico de -0,03 a -1,0 MPa). O deficit hidrico reduziu a altura das plantas, o numero de foliolos, a area foliar e os componentes da producao, mas este efeito foi minimizado por altas doses de nitrogenio. O deficit reduziu as taxas de producao de materia seca de todos os orgaos. Em plantas turgidas, o nitrogenio teve um grande efeito na taxa de crescimento de orgaos, principalmente nos legumes. Por outro lado, em plantas com deficit hidrico o N afetou o acumulo de assimilados somente na fase reprodutiva. A materia seca das sementes aumentou ate a colheita final em todos os tratamentos, provavelmente porque as sementes receberam assimilados de outros orgaos ate este tempo. A materia seca dos pericarpos diminuiu na colheita final, independentemente do regime hidrico e do nivel de N, o que mostra que os assimilados foram translocados do pericarpo para as se­mentes. O regime hidrico mostrou maior efeito sobre a particao de assimilados do que o nivel de N. Entretanto, altos niveis de N apresentaram tendencia de minimizar o efeito do estresse hidrico.

Variabilidade genética para a regeneração de plantas no cultivo de calos de trigo

Abstract: Tres genotipos de trigo ( Triticum aestivum L.) e as respectivas progenies F1 e/ou F2 dos cruzamentos Maringa x Nobre, Maringa x Palmeira, Nobre x Palmeira e cruzamentos reciprocos foram avaliados quanto a regeneracao de plantas no cultivo de calos. Variabilidade entre genotipos foi observada para essa caracteristica. Evidencias de acao genica aditiva e de dominância no controle do carater foram encontradas. Os efeitos reciprocos parecem ser de pouca importância para a regeneracao de plantas in vitro.

The "worker model" and perception of environmental and occupational risks: the optimal use of a descriptive study

Abstract: An attempt was made to identify the risks resulting from exposure to the chemicals to which workers are exposed as well as from the poor working conditions to which they are subject in a chemical and pharmaceutical factory. A descriptive study based on the "workers model" - a methodological approach developed in Italy in the 60's, was carried out. Such a study requires direct contact with the workers and has the advantage of overcoming the difficulty of gaining access to their work-place. The activities of the different departments of the plant were reconstructed and the main chemicals used, the main physical complaints, the potencial harms and the main environmental risks identified. The repon on the harmful working conditions produced was used by the workers as a means of pressing the authorities into carrying out an inspection of the plant concerned to verify its accuracy. The report's findings have been confirmed and demonstrate the usefulness of the methocological approach adopted. The workers' publicizing of the study's findings through the means of mass communication have helped to build up greater public awareness of the occupational and environmental risks of that particular industrial activity.

Quantification of Moraxella bovis haemagglutinating adhesins with monoclonal antibodies.

Abstract: Six monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Moraxella bovis GF 9 were used to quantify haemagglutinating adhesins of 16 strains of this organism. The amount of each MAb necessary to inhibit one haemagglutinating unit of each strain varied between 4 and 0.007 times that required by strain GF 9. Five strains reacted with six MAbs, one with five, two with four, one with three, two with two and three with none. The procedures used enabled to detect dominant strains candidates for vaccines.

Oxygen transport in newborns at different gestational ages.

Abstract: Oxygen (O2) transport was assessed through the affinity between O2 and hemoglobin (Hb) in 123 newborns of 28 to 40 week gestational ge, with a minimum of 9 newborns for each gestational age group (see table). In order to assess the O2-Hb affinity, we studied the correlation between the pO2 and the Hb saturation for each gestational age, obtaining estimates of the oxy-hemoglobin dissociation curves corresponding to each gestational age (see fig. 3). The pO2 levels corresponding to the 50% saturation (P50) for each gestational age were estimated from there. All newborns were from single vaginal deliveries with no fetal distress before birth and with an adequate weight for gestational age. The latter was calculated according to the date of the last menstrual period (78% of the cases), echography (10.6% of the cases) or neonatal physical exam (11.4% of the cases). A P50 vs. gestational age linear regression showed a high determination rate (r2 = 0.957, p less than 0.00001) (see fig. 2) which supports the hypothesis of the P50 linear growth; decrease in the Hb-O2 affinity with increasive gestational age (Hb-O2 affinity is different in newborns of different gestational ages). With these results one may conclude that the Hb-O2 uptake varies according to gestational age (P50 changes linearly as gestational age increases) and that a single measurement of pO2 in a newborns, blood does not accurately evaluate the amount of O2 that is transported to the tissues, because the transport capacity depends, among other factors, upon gestational age. The Hb saturation better represents the amount of O2 that can get to the cell level.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Generation of Monoclonal Antibodies Against Surface Antigens of Moraxella bovis

Abstract: Six hybridoma lines producing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Moraxella bovis were established from fusions between the SP2/0 myeloma cells and BALB/c mice splenocytes. Three antibodies were of the IgG1 isotype, two were IgG2a, and one was IgG2b. The specificity of the antibodies was determined by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using whole cells of M. bovis and of other Gram-negative bacteria, and lipopolysacharide (LPS) from M. bovis JUR2 and E. coli as antigens. Ascitic fluid produced by the six hybridoma lines inhibited hemagglutination by M. bovis GF9. One MAb (35F) reacted specifically with purified M. bovis LPS in the ELISA test. The MAb panel detected heterogeneity among the isolates recovered from different geographical regions.