INTRODUÇÃO: Dentre as medidas da função coclear, a curva de crescimento das Emissões Otoacústicas por produto de distorção (CCEOA PD) permite o registro da amplitude da emissão em função do crescimento sistemático nos níveis de tons primários. A CCEOA PD fornece parâmetros específicos sobre o limiar e o comportamento não-linear das EOA PD, porém a variabilidade das respostas inter e intrasujeitos reduz a confiabilidade dessa medida na avaliação da robustez das respostas cocleares e a relação dessa robustez com os limiares auditivos. OBJETIVOS: Esta pesquisa estudou as interações entre as medidas timpanométricas da orelha média e as medidas de função coclear em adultos jovens sem queixas auditivas, de acordo com as variáveis: antecedentes de alterações de orelha média, sexo e orelha direita / esquerda. MÉTODOS: Participaram 69 indivíduos com audição normal e idades entre 18 e 34 anos, sendo 21 homens e 48 mulheres. A caracterização das condições de orelha média foi obtida pela anamnese, com a informação dos antecedentes de alterações de orelha média e pela timpanometria com sondas de admitância de 226 e 1000 Hz. A audiometria foi realizada com resolução de 01 dB NA, o que possibilitou comparações mais refinadas entre o limiar psicoacústico da audiometria tonal, a amplitude do DP-Gram e os limiares das CCEOA PD. Além dessas variáveis, a interferência dos fatores sexo e orelha foram testadas em todas as análises. RESULTADOS/DISCUSSÃO: Os resultados apontaram que as curvas de crescimento sofreram influência significativa das variáveis sexo, antecedentes de alterações de orelha média e orelha direita \\ esquerda, porém, apenas a interferência dos antecedentes foi constante e causou um padrão de modificação, ou seja, o grupo com antecedentes apresentou respostas aquém das respostas do grupo sem antecedentes. Os limiares audiométricos também apresentaram alta correlação com as amplitudes das EOA PD e com os limiares das CCEOA PD, quando identificadas as variáveis que interferiram nos resultados. Considerando que o ruído de fundo foi controlado nessa pesquisa, durante a avaliação das EOA PD e CCEOA PD, os resultados confirmaram a importância da consideração dessas variáveis na composição de grupos com audição normal em pesquisas com medidas de emissões otoacústicas. Ainda sobre os resultados, foi possível, por meio da medida da curva de crescimento (slope e limiar), demonstrar que o padrão de crescimento das CCEOA PD é diferente nos casos de modificação nas condições de orelha média e isso foi verificado tanto pelos antecedentes de alterações de orelha média quanto pelas medidas timpanométricas com sonda de admitância de 1000 Hz. CONCLUSÃO: O limiar das CCEOA - PD estudado nessa pesquisa apresentou correlação positiva com valores audiométricos e negativa com o DP-Gram. A inclinação da curva de crescimento (slope) também apresentou alta correlação com os antecedentes de alterações de orelha média, apontando o potencial valor desta medida no estudo da função coclear saudável e alterada e, conseqüentemente, sua possível utilização nas medidas prescritivas de amplificação / INTRODUCTION: The Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions Input/Output function (DPOAE I/O function) is a subdivision of DPOAE, where the response amplitude is recorded such as a systematic growth function in the primary tones. The DPOAE I/O function provides specific parameters about the DPOAEs threshold and non-linearity. However, the response variability reduces the measure reliability to evaluate the cochlear robustness and the relationship between robustness and hearing thresholds. OBJECTIVE: This research studied the interaction between the tympanometric measures and cochlear functions measures in young adults without hearing complaints, considering the variables: middle-ear alteration antecedents, gender and right / left ear. METHODS: 69 normal hearing subjects, aged from 18 to 34 years participated of the study. From the total, 21 were men and 48 women. To reach the proposed objectives, the middle ear conditions were assessed by anamneses and 226 and 1000 Hz admittance probe-tone tympanometry. The audiometric thresholds were searched with 01 dBHL resolution to enable refined comparisons among pure-tone audiometry and DP-Gram amplitude and DPOAE I/O function thresholds. The gender and ear interference were also evaluated in all analyses. RESULTS/DISCUSSION: The results showed that the variables gender, antecedents and ear affected the I/O functions responses, but only the middle-ear alterations antecedents presented a constant modification pattern. In other words, the group with antecedents presented mainly reduced responses in comparison with no antecedents group. The audiometric thresholds also presented high correlation with DPOAE amplitudes and DPOAE I/O functions thresholds, after the detection of the variables affecting the results. As the background noise was controlled during this study, the results confirmed the importance of monitoring these variables in the normal hearing group compositions to perform researches with DPOAE. Regarding the DPOAE I/O functions (slope and threshold), the growth pattern was modified according the middle ear conditions, verified by the antecedents of middle ear alterations and 1000 Hz admittance probe-tone tympanometry. CONCLUSION: The DPOAE I/O function threshold studied presented positive correlation with audiometric thresholds and negative correlation with DP-Gram. The DPOAE I/O functions slope also showed high correlation with antecedents of middle ear alterations, denoting the potential value of this measure in the study of the healthy and damaged cochlear function and, hence, it possible application in amplification prescriptive measures

A fumonisina B1 (FB1) e uma micotoxina produzida pelo metabolismo secundário de espécies de Fusarium, principalmente F. verticillioides e F. proliferatum, os quais contaminam diversos alimentos antes e apos o processamento, sobretudo o milho e derivados, gerando graves problemas para a Saúde Pública e a qualidade dos alimentos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a exposição humana a FB1 presente nos alimentos através da estimativa de ingestão da toxina na dieta e da análise de diferentes biomarcadores presentes em amostras de sangue, urina e cabelo. Além disso, foram investigados os efeitos da toxina através da avaliação de ácido fólico presentes em alimentos e em soro, e os níveis de uréia e creatinina presentes em soro. O estudo foi realizado em dois municípios dos Estados de São Paulo e Santa Catarina, cujos respectivos voluntários foram categorizados como de baixo consumo de derivados de milho (Grupo A, voluntários de Pirassununga/SP) e de alto consumo de derivados de milho (Grupo B, voluntários de Erval Velho/SC). As amostras de alimentos do Grupo A (Pirassununga/SP) foram fornecidas pelos voluntários (n=100) nos meses de Junho/2011, Setembro/2011, Dezembro/2011 e Marco/2012. Os voluntários do Grupo B (Erval Velho/SC) (n=20) forneceram amostras de alimentos no mês de Abril/2012. Em cada grupo, uma lista com 20 alimentos a base de milho foi entregue aos voluntários, para fornecimento de amostras daqueles disponíveis em suas respectivas residências em cada mês de amostragem, totalizando 122 amostras de derivados de milho no Grupo A e 17 amostras no Grupo B coletadas durante o estudo. Adicionalmente, aplicou-se um Questionário de Frequência Alimentar (QFA) e um Inquérito Recordatório de 24 horas (QIR - 24 h) no momento das coletas de amostras. Em cada mês de amostragem de alimentos, foram coletadas amostras de sangue, urina (somente Grupo A) e cabelo dos voluntários, sendo as amostras armazenadas a -20ºC (urina e cabelo) ou -80ºC (sangue) até o momento das análises. As amostras de alimentos foram submetidas a análise de FB1, sendo que as de farinha de milho foram também analisadas quanto ao teor de ácido fólico. Ambas as análises foram feitas através de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE). Em soro, foram avaliadas a relação esfinganina/esfingosina (Sa/So), resíduos de FB1, ácido fólico, uréia e creatinina. Em urina, foram analisados os níveis de FB1, creatinina para correção do volume urinário e a relação Sa/So. Em cabelo, foram analisados os resíduos de FB1 através de CLAE acoplada a espectrometria de massas. Todos os métodos de análise foram submetidos a procedimento de otimização e validação intra--laboratorial. A incidência de FB1 nos alimentos foi, em média, 72% (n=122) nas amostras do Grupo A (Pirassununga/SP) e 35% (n=17) no Grupo B (Erval Velho/SC). Os maiores níveis foram encontrados em amostras de pipoca provenientes do Grupo B, com uma amostra excedendo o limite de tolerância estabelecido no Brasil (2,500 &micro;g kg-1). A ingestão diária provável média (IDPM) de FB1 no Grupo A foi de 63,3 ng kg-1 peso corpóreo (p.c.) dia-1, que corresponde a 3,1% da ingestão provisória máxima tolerável (IPMT) recomendada para fumonisinas (2.000 ng kg-1 p.c. dia-1). A IDPM do Grupo B apresentou uma média de 190,1 ng kg-1 p.c. dia-1 o que corresponde a 9,5% da IDMT. As concentrações de ácido fólico nas amostras de farinha de milho variaram de < 0,3 &micro;g kg-1 (limite de quantificação do método) a 1.705 &micro;g kg-1, com média de 713 &plusmn; 435 &micro;g kg-1. Somente uma amostra apresentou nível de ácido fólico acima do valor mínimo estabelecido pela ANVISA. Em urina, a incidência de FB1 foi de 33,4% (n=251), com níveis médios de 3,19 &plusmn; 3,15 ng mg-1 de creatinina. Não houve correlação (P&gt;0,05) entre as concentrações de FB1 na urina e nos alimentos. Os níveis de esfinganina foram mais elevados em mulheres, com 25,0% (n=116) de amostras positivas, em comparação à urina de homens, 10,4% (n=96). A relação Sa/So apresentou em média 0,91, 0,77 e 0,89 para urina de mulheres, homens e em combinação, respectivamente. Em soro, os níveis de esfingosina foram em média 2,48 ng mL-1 para o Grupo A e 5,01 ng mL-1 para o Grupo B. A relação Sa/So variou de 0,06 a 3,19 com média de 0,79 para o Grupo A e 0,78 para o Grupo B. Embora tenha havido correlação positiva (r=0,574, P&lt;0,05) entre a relação Sa/So no soro e os dados de consumo de milho e derivados obtidos no QIR-24 h, não foram observadas correlações (P&gt;0,05) entre a ingestão de FB1 e a relação Sa/So na urina ou soro. A concentração de ácido fólico no soro variou de 6,7 a 24,0 ng mL-1 (média de 13,4 &plusmn; 5,4 ng mL-1), com ambos os grupos (A e B) apresentando resultados dentro dos valores de referências. Não foram observados níveis detectáveis de FB1 nas amostras de soro. No entanto, FB1 foi detectada em 4 amostras de cabelo humano (7,2%) dos Grupos A e B, cuja concentração média foi de 21,3 &plusmn; 12,1 ng g-1. Em síntese, os resultados obtidos nas análises de biomarcadores de FB1 no presente trabalho estão de acordo com os valores de IDPM encontrados, indicando que a exposição a FB1 nas populações estudadas não representa um risco a saúde. / Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a mycotoxin produced by the secondary metabolism of Fusarium species, mainly F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum, which contaminates foods before and after processing and causes serious problems to public health and food quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the human exposure to FB1 in food by means of estimated intake of toxin in the diet, and analysis of different biomarkers in serum, urine and hair. In addition, folic acid in food and blood as well urea and creatinin in serum were investigated to evaluate the toxin effects. The study was conducted in two cities of Sao Paulo and Santa Catarina States, where the respective volunteers were categorized as low-consumers of corn products (Group A, volunteers from Pirassununga/SP) and high-consumers of corn products (Group B, volunteers from Erval Velho/SC). Food samples from Group A (Pirassununga/SP) were provided by volunteers (n=100) in June/2011, September/2011, December/2011 and March/2012. The volunteers from Group B (Erval Velho/SC) (n=20) provided food samples in April/2012. In each group, a list of 20 corn products was given to volunteers, to allow them to check and collect the food items available in their homes at each sampling time. The total number of samples of corn products provided by the volunteers were 122 and 17 in Group A and Group B, respectively. Addicionally, a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and a 24-Hours Dietary Recall Questionnaire (24h-DRQ) were applied by the time of sample collections. In each month of food samples collection, samples of blood, urine (only Group A) and hair from the volunteers were collected and storage at -20ºC (urine and hair) or -80ºC (blood) until analysis. Food samples were submitted to determination of FB1, and corn meal samples were also evaluated for folic acid levels. Both analysis were performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In serum, analyses included sphinganine/sphingosine ratio (Sa/So), FB1 residue, folic acid, urea and creatinine. In urine, the levels of FB1, creatinine to correct urinary volume and Sa/So ratio were evaluated. In hair, FB1 residues were analysed by HPLC coupled to mass spectrometry. All the analytical methods were submitted to optimization and intra-laboratorial validation procedures. The mean incidences of FB1 in corn products were 72% (n=122) in samples of Group A (Pirassununga/SP), and 35% (n=17) of Group B (Erval Velho/SC). The higher levels were found in popcorn from Group B, with one sample exceeding the tolerance limit established in Brazil (2,500 &micro;g kg-1). The mean probable daily intake (PDIM) of FB1 in Group A was 63.3 ng kg-1 body weigh (b.w.) day-1, which corresponds to 3.1% of provisional maximum tolerable intake (PMTDI) recommended for fumonisins (2,000 ng kg-1 b.w. day-1). PDIM of Group B was 190.1 ng kg-1 b.w. day-1, which represents 9.5% of PMTDI. Folic acid levels in corn meal ranged from &LT; 0,3 &micro;g kg-1 (quantification limit) to 1.705 &micro;g kg-1, with a mean of 713 &plusmn; 435 &micro;g kg-1. Only one sample had levels of folic acid above the minimum established by ANVISA. In urine, the incidence of FB1 was 33,4% (n=251), at mean levels of 3,19 &plusmn; 3,15 ng mg-1 of creatinine. There wasn\'t correlation (P&gt;0.05) between concentrations of FB1 in urine and foods. Sphinganine levels were higher in woman, with 25.0% (n=116) of positive samples in comparison to urine of men, 10.4% (n=96). The mean Sa/So ratios were 0.91, 0.77 and 0.89 for urine of women, men and in combination, respectively. In serum, sphingosine presented a mean of 2.48 ng mL-1 to Group A and 5.01 ng mL-1 to Group B. Sa/So ratio ranged from 0.06 to 3.19 with a mean of 0.79 to Group A and 0.78 to Group B. Although a positive correlation (r=0.574, P&lt;0.05) was found between Sa/So ratio in serum and corn consumption data obtained by 24h-DRQ, no correlation was observed (P&gt;0,05) with FB1 intake and Sa/So ratio in urine or serum. Folic acid concentration in serum ranged from 6.7 to 24.0 ng mL-1 (mean of 13.4 &plusmn; 5.4 ng mL-1), with both groups (A and B) presenting levels within the reference valuies. There were no detectable levels of FB1 in serum samples. However, FB1 was detected in 4 human hair samples (7.2%) of Groups A and B, at a mean concentration was 21.3 &plusmn; 12.1 ng g-1. In summary, the results obtained in the analyses of FB1 biomarkers in the present study are in agreement with the PDIM values found, hence indicating that FB1 exposure in the populations studied do not represent a health concern.

Foram realizados quatro trabalhos visando avaliar a substituição da fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) do feno de &#39:coastcross&#39: (Cynodon sp.) pela FDN da casca de soja (CS) sobre a digestibilidade dos nutrientes em cordeiros e sobre a produção e composição de leite, comportamento ingestivo e atividade ovariana pós-parto de ovelhas Santa Inês. Todas as rações experimentais foram isonitrogenadas, contendo teores semelhantes de FDN e balanceadas de acordo com o NRC (1985). O tratamento controle foi uma ração composta de 70% de feno na matéria seca (MS) da ração (CS0), sendo a FDN proveniente do feno substituída em 33% (CS33), 67% (CS67) e 100% (CS100) pela FDN proveniente da CS. No experimento de digestibilidade, 24 cordeiros Santa Inês (42,5 &#177; 3,6 kg PV e 6 meses de idade) foram arranjados em delineamento blocos completos casualizados definidos pelo peso vivo (PV). No experimento de produção, composição de leite, comportamento ingestivo e retorno da atividade ovariana pós-parto, 56 ovelhas (56 &#177; 0,5 kg PV) foram individualmente alojadas em baias cobertas e distribuídas em delineamento blocos completos casualizados definidos pelo número, tipo e data do parto, além do sexo das crias. As ovelhas foram ordenhadas manualmente, uma vez por semana, da segunda até a oitava semana de lactação (data do desmame). A produção diária foi estimada pelo cálculo do total de gramas obtido durante o intervalo de 3h. As observações de comportamento foram feitas a cada cinco minutos durante 24h. A colheita de sangue foi feita pela veia jugular, duas vezes por semana, da segunda até a décima segunda semana pós-parto. O retorno da atividade ovariana pós-parto foi definido quando a concentração sérica de P4 foi &#8805; 1 ng/mL. As digestibilidades da matéria orgânica (P < 0,05), da FDN (P < 0,05) e da fibra em detergente ácido (P < 0,01) apresentaram efeito quadrático com a inclusão de CS, enquanto a digestibilidade da proteína bruta (PB) apresentou decréscimo linear (P < 0,0001). Efeito quadrático (P < 0,01) foi observado na produção de leite em 3h (142,4; 179,8; 212,6; 202,9 g) e no consumo de MS (2,27; 2,69; 3,25; 3,00 kg/dia). Os teores de gordura (7,59; 7,86; 7,59; 7,74%), de proteína (4,53; 4,43; 4,40; 4,55%) e sólidos totais (18,24; 18,54; 18,39; 18,64%) foram similares (P > 0,10). Houve efeito linear decrescente (P < 0,001) com a inclusão de CS no tempo de ingestão (min/dia, min/g MS e min/g FDN) e no tempo de ruminação e de mastigação (min/g MS e min/g FDN). Não houve diferença (P > 0,10) no número de dias necessários ao retorno da atividade ovariana. Em média, 34,5 dias foram necessários para a primeira ovulação. A CS é um interessante substituto à forragem na ração de ovinos Santa Inês e pode ser usada em altos teores na MS da ração. A utilização de intervalo entre partos menor do que oito meses é viável para ovelhas Santa Inês. / Four trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing coastcross hay neutral detergent fiber (NDF) by soybean hulls (SH) NDF on nutrient digestibility of lambs and milk yield, milk composition, ingestive behavior and postpartum ovarian activity of Santa Inês ewes. Experimental diets were formulated to meet NRC (1985) requirements and to provide a similar amount of NDF and crude protein (CP). Hay NDF from a 70% roughage-based diet (SH0) was replaced with SH NDF by 33% (SH33), 67% (SH67) and 100% (SH100). In the digestibility trial, 24 Santa Inês ram lambs (42.5 &#177; 3.6 kg of BW and 6 months old) assigned in a complete randomized block design defined by body weight (BW) were allotted in suspended metabolism crates. In the milk yield, milk composition, ingestive behavior and postpartum ovarian activity trials, 56 lactating ewes (initial BW 56.0 &#177; 0.5) were penned individually and used in a complete randomized block design according to parity, type of rearing (single or twin), offspring gender and lambing date. Ewes were milked by hand once a week, from second to eighth week of lactation (weaning time). Milk production was recorded in a 3h-interval. Behavior observations were visually recorded in a five-min interval during 24h. Blood samples were collected by venipuncture two times a week, from the first to the twelfth week after lambing. Ovarian activity resumption was defined when P4 concentration was &#8805; 1 ng/mL. Organic matter digestibility showed a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) with SH inclusion while CP digestibility showed a linear decrease (P < 0.0001). Quadratic effect was also observed for NDF digestibility (P < 0.05) and acid detergent fiber digestibility (P < 0.01). A quadratic effect (P < 0.01) for 3-h milk production (142.4, 179.8, 212.6, 202.9 g) and dry matter intake (2.27, 2.69, 3.25, 3.00 kg/day) was observed as SH level increased from 0 to 85%. Milk fat (7.59, 7.86, 7.59 and 7.74%), protein (4.53, 4.43, 4.40 and 4.55%) and total solids (18.24, 18.54, 18.39 and 18.64%) were similar (P > 0.10) for SH0, SH33, SH67 and SH100, respectively. Ingestion time (min/day, min/g DM and min/g NDF) and time expended in rumination and chewing activities (min/g DM and min/g NDF) showed a linear decrease (P < 0.001) with addition of SH in the diets. There was no treatment effect (P > 0.10) on ovarian activity resumption. The mean value for the first ovulation was 34.5 days. SH are an interesting forage replacer for sheep diets and may be used in high levels of inclusion. A lambing interval shorter than eight months is possible for Santa Inês ewes.

Vários estudos mostram que algumas regiões da Amazônia sofrem impacto por mercúrio (Hg), decorrente de processos naturais e antrópicos. O Parque Nacional do Jaú - PNJ, é o único Parque do Brasil que protege toda a bacia de um rio de água escura (Rio Jaú), terras inundáveis e reservas tropicais, condições que favorecem a metilação do Hg na biota aquática, portanto, expondo a população ribeirinha à contaminação e tornando a região passível de impactação natural por Hg. Estudos preliminares de dietas de préescolares de comunidades do PNJ, têm demonstrado concentrações preocupantes de Hg. O presente estudo avaliou as concentrações de Hg total, de micronutrientes (Ca, Fe, K, Na, Se e Zn) e de macronutrientes (proteínas, lipídeos, cinzas, energia e carbohidratos) em dietas de pré-escolares da região do PNJ e outras comunidades próximas. Avaliou-se também os níveis de Hg total e MeHg em amostras de cabelos dessas crianças e também, cabelos de crianças residentes em vários bairros da cidade de Manaus e pescados mais consumidos por essa população. A partir desses resultados, foi possível fazer uma avaliação nutricional das dietas e à exposição ao Hg e MeHg de crianças do PNJ e comunidades próximas, e da cidade de Manaus, AM. A quantificação de Hg total e MeHg foi feita por espectrometria de absorção atômica com geração de vapor frio (CV AAS). A determinação dos micronutrientes foi feita pela técnica de ativação neutrônica (AAN) e os macronutrientes, de acordo com as metodologias preconizadas pela AOAC (USA). Todos os métodos foram desenvolvidos e validados, quanto à precisão e exatidão, por meio da análise de materiais de referência com valores certificados para os elementos determinados. Além disso, foi realizada a avaliação das fontes de incerteza para a determinação de Hg e MeHg sendo calculada a incerteza padrão expandida. Os teores obtidos para Hg total nas amostras de dietas e Hg total e MeHg em cabelos do PNJ, estiveram bem acima dos valores encontrados em diferentes localidades da região Amazônica, bem como de localidades próximas ao PNJ. Para muitas crianças os valores de ingestão para Hg, ultrapassou-se o valor de 5 &#956;g de Hg/kg de peso corpóreo/semana (PTWI). As crianças da cidade de Manaus apresentaram teores muito menores de Hg nas amostras de cabelo, ao contrário do PNJ, mesmo sendo ecossistemas interligados. Concluise, portanto, que para a população que possui maior capacidade de escolha de produtos alimentícios fornecedores de proteínas, a ingestão de peixe é menor e conseqüentemente a ingestão de Hg também. Os resultados obtidos pela técnica de AAN forneceram valores de concentração confiáveis para elementos nutricionalmente importantes como Ca, Fe, K, Na, Se e Zn, os quais foram comparados aos valores de DRIs (Dietary Reference Intakes). De uma maneira geral, verificou-se prevalência de inadequação com relação aos micronutrientes e déficit protéico-calórico, para as dietas analisadas no presente estudo. Isso vem confirmar o alto nível de risco e a vulnerabilidade dessa população às deficiências nutricionais e à contaminação por Hg. Vários fatores externos podem influenciar a vulnerabilidade da população aos efeitos tóxicos do MeHg, tais como: idade, sexo, estado nutricional e de saúde, ingestão e interação dietética. Objetivando avaliar também a influência do processo de cocção na perda de nutrientes e de Hg total, em uma tentativa de contribuir para futuros estudos nutricionais, avaliou-se o teor de Hg e dos micronutrientes Ca, Fe, K, Na, Se e Zn em espécies de pescados mais consumidos pela população da cidade de Manaus e comunidades próximas, preparadas sob diferentes formas de cocção (in natura, cozido, frito e assado). Verificou-se que a variabilidade na perda dos elementos minerais e do Hg, para cada processo de cocção, parece estar mais em função da espécie do que a forma de preparo. Verificou-se também, que as espécies predadoras apresentaram os maiores teores de Hg e Se, conforme era esperado. Discute-se a correlação entre Hg e Se em peixes. Conclui-se que, embora as pesquisas atuais concordem que possa existir um BG (nível básico) de Hg na Amazônia, a exposição contínua ao Hg pela via alimentar, mesmo considerando os baixos teores do metal encontrados em algumas espécies de peixes, permitem supor que no decorrer do tempo esta situação possa se agravar, principalmente em comunidades cuja dieta não é diversificada apresenta deficiências nutricionais sérias e se constitua principalmente de pescado. O presente estudo pretendeu também, além da avaliação do estado nutricional e da exposição ao Hg de crianças do Parque Nacional do Jaú e da cidade de Manaus, AM, contribuir de forma a subsidiar futuras ações de políticas públicas. / Studies show that some regions of the Amazon region suffer mercury (Hg) impacts as a direct result of both natural and anthropogenic processes. Jaú National Park (PNJ) is the only National Park in Brazil that protects an entire black water basin (Jaú River), flood land and tropical reserve. These conditions favor Hg methylation in the aquatic biota. This in turn, exposes riverine populations to Hg contamination as well as the adjacent regions. Preliminary studies of pre-school diets from PNJ communities have shown that these diets have a worrisomely high Hg content. The present study assessed total Hg content, micronutrients (Ca, Fe, K, Na, Se and Zn) and macronutrients (proteins, lipids, ash, energy, carbohydrate) in pre-school diets in the PNJ and surrounding communities. Furthermore, total and MeHg levels were also determined in hair samples of these children as well as those living in several neighborhoods of the city of Manaus. Included in this determination were the fish most consumed by these populations. From these results it was possible to evaluate the nutritional content of the diets and the exposure of the children to Hg and MeHg. Cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry was used to quantify total and MeHg. Micronutrient determination was performed using neutron activation analysis technique (NAA) and Macronutrient through AOAC methodologies (USA). All analytical methods were developed and validated for precision and accuracy by means of reference materials analyses with certified values for the elements determined. Furthermore, the uncertainty sources for Hg and MeHg determination were assessed and the expanded uncertainties were calculated. Total Hg levels in diets and total and MeHg levels for hair samples, were well above those values found in different localities of the Amazon region. This also holds true for those surrounding areas of the JNP. For many children Hg intake values passed the 5 &#956;g Hg/body weigh/week (PTWI). Children of the city of Manaus presented much lower Hg levels in hair samples in contrast to those of the PNJ even though both groups shared the same ecosystem. It can thus be concluded that populations that have a wider choice of food products for protein, have a lesser intake of fish and as a consequence less Hg intake. Obtained NAA results furnished reliable concentration values for important nutritional elements, mainly Ca, Fe, K, Na, Se and Zn. From these values the daily intake was calculated and compared to the DRIs (Dietary reference intakes). In general, the diets analysed in this study presented inadequate and deficient protein-caloric levels, confirming these populations´ high risk and vulnerability to nutritional deficiencies and to Hg exposure. Several external factors can obviously influence the vulnerability of these populations to the toxic effects to MeHg such as: age, sex, health and nutritional status, intake and dietary interaction. In order to evaluate the influence of the cooking processes (in natura, cooked, fried, baked) regarding micronutrient and total Hg losses, in order to contribute to future nutritional studies, Hg levels and micronutrients in fish species most consumed by Manaus residents and surrounding communities were assessed. Micronutrients and Hg loss variability through the different cooking processes seem to be more related to fish species rather than cooking process. Furthermore, predatory species presented higher Hg and Se levels as was expected. The Hg and Se correlation in fish is also discussed. Although research shows a high Hg background in the Amazon the continuous exposure through food can in time worsen especially in communities that do not have diet diversification, have serious nutritional deficiencies and whose diets are mainly fish. It is hoped that this study can also contribute to future public political actions and policies in terms of reducing dietary hazards due to Hg and MeHg exposure.

The thesis writing here is an effort by the artist to identify his motives in creating, and his aims for the audience, and to communicate this to the reader in a clear and truthful manner. Section 1 focuses on introducing the ground of the artists’ thinking, discussing his ideas of the body and culture identity, and how they motivate his work. Section 2 goes into greater detail about the manner his thought process evolved through the course of a number of works. In Section 3, there is an ever sharper focus in the works towards the isolated and inscrutable individual. The theme that runs throughout is that, although it’s difficult if not impossible to fully communicate with another, the effort is worthwhile.

In this dissertation, we introduce a framework for simulating the dynamics between liquid and thin structures, including the effects of buoyancy, drag, capillary cohesion, dripping, and diffusion. After introducing related works, Part I begins with a discussion on the interactions between Newtonian fluid and fabrics. In this discussion, we treat both the fluid and the fabrics as continuum media; thus, the physical model is built from mixture theory. In Part II, we discuss the interactions between Newtonian fluid and hairs. To have more detailed dynamics, we no longer treat the hairs as continuum media. Instead, we treat them as discrete Kirchhoff rods. To deal with the thin layer of liquid that clings to the hairs, we augment each hair strand with a height field representation, through which we introduce a new reduced-dimensional flow model to solve the motion of liquid along the longitudinal direction of each hair. In addition, we develop a faithful model for the hairs' cohesion induced by surface tension, where a penalty force is applied to simulate the collision and cohesion between hairs. To enable the discrete strands interact with continuum-based, shear-dependent liquid, in Part III, we develop models that account for the volume change of the liquid as it passes through strands and the momentum exchange between the strands and the liquid. Accordingly, we extend the reduced-dimensional flow model to simulate liquid with elastoviscoplastic behavior. Furthermore, we use a constraint-based model to replace the penalty-force model to handle contact, which enables an accurate simulation of the frictional and adhesive effects between wet strands. We also present a principled method to preserve the total momentum of a strand and its surface flow, as well as an analytic plastic flow approach for Herschel-Bulkley fluid that enables stable semi-implicit integration at larger time steps. We demonstrate a wide range of effects, including the challenging animation scenarios involving splashing, wringing, and colliding of wet clothes, as well as flipping of hair, animals shaking, spinning roller brushes from car washes being dunked in water, and intricate hair coalescence effects. For complex liquids, we explore a series of challenging scenarios, including strands interacting with oil paint, mud, cream, melted chocolate, and pasta sauce.

L’analyse des cheveux est à présent reconnue comme un outil pertinent dans le domaine de la toxicologie car elle permet de fournir un historique des habitudes de consommation d’un individu, qu’il s’agisse d’une consommation ponctuelle ou répétée.L’analyse d’un seul cheveu par désorption/ionisation laser assistée par matrice (MALDI) offre de nombreux avantages par rapport aux techniques conventionnelles : la quantité de cheveux est réduite, la préparation des échantillons est simplifiée et les images sont acquises avec une résolution spatiale très élevée (~100 µm). L’imagerie MALDI (MALDI-MSn) nous a permis de caractériser et de cartographier l’évolution des quantités de xénobiotiques le long du cheveu avec une très haute résolution spatiale sans une préparation trop longue ou trop complexe des échantillons au préalable.La spectrométrie de masse MALDI couplée à des plaques micro-réseaux (Microarrays for Mass Spetrometry, MAMS) nous a permis de développer une méthode pour effectuer une semi-quantification de la cocaïne, de la benzoylecgonine, de l’ecgonine méthyl ester et du cocaéthylène à partir d’une quantité de 1 mg de cheveux et 2 heures d’extraction ; les résultats sont bien corrélés avec une méthode de quantification validée. Cette méthode est pertinente lorsque des résultats urgents sont requis. Au total, le développement de ces deux applications nous a permis de démontrer la pertinence de la spectrométrie de masse MALDI dans l’analyse toxicologique du cheveu. Les perspectives consistent à améliorer ces protocoles afin de les transposer en routine et de développer des méthodes de screening large par spectrométrie de masse MALDI. / Hair analysis is now recognized as a relevant tool in the field of toxicology. It provides a precise history of an individual’s exposure to drugs, whether it is a punctual or repeated consumption.Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) has many advantages over conventional techniques: the amount of hair needed is reduced, the sample preparation is simplified and the images are acquired with high spatial resolution (~ 100 μm).MALDI (MALDI-MSn) imaging allowed us to characterize and map the evolution of drugs amounts along the hair with very spatial resolution avoiding long and complex pre-sample preparation.MALDI coupled to Microaarays for Mass Spectrometry (MAMS) allowed us to develop a method for semi-quantitation of cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester and cocaethylene using 1 mg of hair and 2 hours of extraction; the results are well correlated with a validated quantification method. This method is relevant when urgent results are required.In total, the development of these two applications demonstrates the relevance of MALDI mass spectrometry in the toxicological analysis of hair. The prospects are to improve these protocols in order to transpose them routinely and to develop large screening methods by MALDI mass spectrometry.

Many historians agree that categories of human division underwent a drastic change due to European New World encounters. The shift from religious divisions to ones based on ethnicity and skin color gradually developed in early modern Europe. Hence, before natives became "red," and Europeans "white" a period existed where the differences between these cultures were utilized in a variety of means to prove similarity and difference. One element signifying difference during the early contact period was that of the beard. Hair as an identifier has a long history: through the middle ages, wildness was conveyed by hair and at times non-Christians were legally required to grow beards. Early in the sixteenth century the beard became a popular fad for white, Christian-European men, a change which some scholars have traced to European contact with beardless Amerindians. Within Europe, the beard came to represent more than otherness. A thick beard conveyed images of health, particularly sexual health; the beard came to represent virility and the beard helped to separate men from women and boys. In this paper I argue that the beard assumed a special significance within early English contacts in the Carolinas and Virginia. I examine the changing meanings of the beard and the English adoption of these meanings. I first examine the European background which helped provide the context for their first permanent colonial settlements in the New World. I next delve into travel accounts, ethnographies and artistic portrayals of the Natives in these colonies to examine how and when both sides evoked facial hair as a signifier of difference. This examination will help reveal English views of Natives during a time when their views regarding the Natives' character could affect the success of English colonial ventures. Finally, I examine why the beard failed as a sign of difference between the region's Amerindians and the English. This failure led to the adoption of other means of distinction specifically that of skin color. Hence the beard served as a first stepping stone towards what would become a fully conceptualized racial theory.

In the last few years, the prevalence of legal party pills in New Zealand has risen dramatically. These pills contain new piperazine designer drugs, two of the more common being 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) and m-trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP). This thesis describes an optimised LC-MS/MS method for the detection of BZP and TFMPP in whole blood, using an automated solid phase extraction (SPE) for sample clean-up. The method was validated on three different days using five replicate samples each day. The standard curve was linear from 7 - 7000 ng/mL for BZP and 10 - 10,000 ng/mL for TFMPP, with coefficients of variation (CV) below 10%, and accuracy greater than 90% for both drugs. The method was used to quantitate samples provided by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand. Blood levels were used to show concentrations in the blood over time, and relate these to performance of subjects on a driving simulator. The study was stopped after 41% of the participants who received BZP and TFMPP had adverse reactions to the pills, including vomiting and migraines. The LC-MS/MS method was also used to detect and quantitate methamphetamine, amphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine, methylenedioxyamphetamine, morphine, codeine and 6-monoacetylmorphine in hair. The drugs were extracted from 20 mg of hair using hydrochloric acid in a water bath overnight, then purified using SPE. Validation on three days with five replicate samples gave coefficients of variation (CV) below 12% and acceptable accuracy for all drugs. The method was tested on three samples, previously reported by Environmental Science and Research (ESR) using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) giving results in good agreement. This thesis describes a sensitive, accurate, reproducible LC-MS/MS method easily adapted to analyse drugs of abuse in different biological matrices. It demonstrates the versatility of LC-MS/MS and its applications in forensic work.

This thesis takes a fresh approach to cochlear mechanics. Over the last quarter of a century, we have learnt that the cochlea is active and highly tuned, observations suggesting that something may be resonating. Rather than accepting the standard traveling wave interpretation, here I investigate whether a resonance theory of some kind can be applied to this remarkable behaviour.¶ A historical survey of resonance theories is first conducted, and advantages and drawbacks examined. A corresponding look at the traveling wave theory includes a listing of its short-comings.¶ A new model of the cochlea is put forward that exhibits inherently high tuning. The surface acoustic wave (SAW) model suggests that the three rows of outer hair cells (OHCs) interact in a similar way to the interdigital transducers of an electronic SAW device. Analytic equations are developed to describe the conjectured interactions between rows of active OHCs in which each cell is treated as a point source of expanding wavefronts. Motion of a cell launches a wave that is sensed by the stereocilia of neighbouring cells, producing positive feedback. Numerical calculations confirm that this arrangement provides sharp tuning when the feedback gain is set just below oscillation threshold.¶ A major requirement of the SAW model is that the waves carrying the feedback have slow speed (5-200 mm/s) and high dispersion. A wave type with the required properties is identified - a symmetric Lloyd-Redwood wave (or squirting wave) - and the physical properties of the organ of Corti are shown to well match those required by theory.¶ The squirting wave mechanism may provide a second filter for a primary traveling wave stimulus, or stand-alone tuning in a pure resonance model. In both, cyclic activity of squirting waves leads to standing waves, and this provides a physical rendering of the cochlear amplifier. In keeping with pure resonance, this thesis proposes that OHCs react to the fast pressure wave rather than to bending of stereocilia induced by a traveling wave. Investigation of literature on OHC ultrastructure reveals anatomical features consistent with them being pressure detectors: they possess a cuticular pore (a small compliant spot in an otherwise rigid cell body) and a spherical body within (Hensens body) that could be compressible. I conclude that OHCs are dual detectors, sensing displacement at high intensities and pressure at low. Thus, the conventional traveling wave could operate at high levels and resonance at levels dominated by the cochlear amplifier. ¶ The latter picture accords with the description due to Gold (1987) that the cochlea is an ‘underwater piano’ - a bank of strings that are highly tuned despite immersion in liquid.¶ An autocorrelation analysis of the distinctive outer hair cell geometry shows trends that support the SAW model. In particular, it explains why maximum distortion occurs at a ratio of the two primaries of about 1.2. This ratio also produces near-integer ratios in certain hair-cell alignments, suggesting that music may have a cochlear basis.¶ The thesis concludes with an evaluation and proposals to experimentally test its validity.