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Biomedical subjects

H Fonseca

Publications and source records attributed to H Fonseca.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Health risk behaviors and associated risk and protective factors among Brazilian adolescents in Santos, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of health risk behaviors and identify risk and protective factors that are associated with several health risk behaviors (cigarette smoking, drug use, onset of sexual intercourse before age 15, pregnancy, gun-carrying, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts) among adolescents in Brazil, as well as to explore gender differences. METHODS: We estimated prevalence rates, evaluated bivariate associations, and explored multivariate analyses using logistic regression on data from a 1997 survey of adolescent health among 2059 eighth- and 10(th)-grade students in Santos, Brazil. RESULTS: Youth in Santos, Brazil report high rates of gun-carrying, suicidal thoughts and attempts, sexual intercourse, and pregnancy. Factors associated with diminished involvement for nearly all health risk behaviors, for both boys and girls, included having good family relationships, and feeling liked by friends and teachers. Factors associated with increases in nearly all health risk behaviors were: gun-carrying and gun availability in the home, drug use, and sexual abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Factors that are associated with a wide range of health risk behaviors among adolescents in Brazil appear to parallel those found in industrialized countries: access to guns, substance use, and sexual abuse. Likewise, connectedness to family, school, and peers is consistently the protective factor associated with diminished risky behaviors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Defining and assessing risky behaviours.

This paper presents the deliberations and conclusions of an international group of health practitioners, researchers and planners who met in 1991 to explore risky behaviours and risk assessment in the context of the World Health Organization's strategy Health for All By 2000. A definition of risky behaviours is discussed and a method of exploring risk contexts, 'a risk equation', is presented. Lay risk assessment is explored and contrasted with professional perceptions of risk as evidenced in health education campaigns. It is concluded that the application of epidemiological techniques--the study of the incidence and prevalence of risk-related and health-related behaviours--employing qualitative methods provides a useful means of exploring the social and cultural context of risk behaviour.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1978

[Effect of storage on the levels of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene in freeze dried red guava (Psidium guayava L.)].

The retention of ascorbic acid, beta-carotene and sensory properties of freeze-dried red guava pulp stored during 18 months in hermetically sealed brown glass flasks, at room temperature (ca. 25 degrees C) was studied. The results showed that the losses during freeze-drying were of 8.13% for ascorbic acid and 0.63% for beta-carotene. During storage more pronounced losses of these elements occurred during the first six months, becoming progressively smaller and almost irrelevant at the end of the period. The sensory evaluation of the reconstituted pulp showed that the retention of flavor was good. A Gompertz curve was fitted to observe data and showed to be efficient in explaining the trend of reduction for both elements under study. The excellent retention of ascorbic acid, the relatively fair retention of beta-carotene during processing and storage of freeze-dried red guava pulp, and the good conservation of flavor of the reconstituted pulp are evidences of the importance of this process for preserving and storing fruit pulps.

Ascorbic Acid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of bag materials on the moisture loss and final aflatoxin content of in-shell peanuts stored moist. First studies.

In the present work the influence of bag materials on the moisture loss and final aflatoxin content of stored moist in-shell peanuts (MIP) was studied in the rainy season of 1990, in Marília, São Paulo, and in the rainy season of 1991, in Jaboticabal, São Paulo. In each season, MIP were ventilated, as they arrived from the field, to get rid of extraneous materials and then put into 120 bags of jute and into 120 bags of polypropylene, and stored in stacks (12 bags base x 10 bags high). In the rainy season of 1990 (February-April) moisture and aflatoxin were determined at the beginning (average moisture = 14.31%; aflatoxin not detected). Subsequently, moisture was determined twice a week in samples taken from the external part of the stacks for 80 days, when the stacks were dismantled and moisture and aflatoxin were determined in six samples of each stack. In the rainy season of 1991 (February-March), because of operational difficulties, closed mesh jute bags were used (green coffee type) and the experiment lasted only 30 days. Moisture and aflatoxin were determined only at the beginning (average moisture = 15%; aflatoxin not detected). At the end of the storage period three samples were taken from each lot, for moisture and aflatoxin analyses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aflatoxins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mycological evaluation of chemically-treated unshelled peanuts.

In the present work, the effect of propionic acid (ammonium salt) at 3000 mg/kg of unshelled peanuts (PA1) and at 5000 mg/kg (PA2), grapefruit seed extract at 5000 mg/kg (GF1) and 10,000 mg/kg (GF2), sodium orthophenylphenate at 2500 mg/kg (SOP1) and at 5000 mg/kg (SOP2) and thiabendazole at 1000 mg/kg (TBZ1) and at 5000 mg/kg (TBZ2) was studied for controlling total and potentially aflatoxigenic fungi in unshelled peanuts (UP). Samples of sound mature UP were moistened by adding water and kept refrigerated till they reached ca 16% moisture. The samples were then sprayed with the chemical solutions and incubated at 30 +/- 2 degrees C for 28 days. Control samples were sprayed with water. An evaluation of total and aflatoxigenic fungi was made, in pods of UP and in kernels obtained aseptically, before and at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of incubation, by serial dilution in culture media Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol (total fungi count) and in Aspergillus flavus parasiticus Agar (potentially aflatoxigenic count). In relation to the period and conditions of this experiment the overall best treatment was PA2, when the lowest average value of total and aflatoxigenic fungi were obtained in UP and were maintained in its kernels. Although SOP2 treatment could control fungal contamination in pods, it was not effective in controlling contamination through the kernels. The other treatments were ineffective.

Arachis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Laboratory evaluation of chemical control of aflatoxin production in unshelled peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.).

Propionic acid (ammonium salt) at 3000 mg/kg (PA1) and 5000 mg/kg (PA2) of unshelled peanuts (UP); grapefruit seed extract at 5000 mg/kg (GF1) and 10,000 mg/kg (GF2); sodium orthophenylphenate at 2500 mg/kg (SOP1) and 5000 mg/kg (SOP2); thiabendazole 1000 mg/kg (TBZ1) and 5000 mg/kg (TBZ2) were studied in the laboratory, to verify their efficiency in controlling fungal growth and aflatoxin (AF) production on moist UP (16-18% moisture content). Moist UP were put into polyethylene bags with cotton plugs and incubated at 30 +/- 2 degrees C for 28 days. Treatments were considered efficient when the AF content (B1 + G1) remained under 30 micrograms/kg. PA1 treatment was efficient till 14 days of incubation and PA2 during the whole incubation period (28 days). All other treatments were not efficient, showing AF contents from 150 to 108,333 micrograms/kg during the incubation periods. Propionic acid, used as ammonium propionate, at 5000 mg/kg shows promise in controlling aflatoxin production when applied to moist unshelled peanuts.

Aflatoxins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of the black light test for screening aflatoxin-contaminated maize in the Brazilian food industry.

The results of the black light test for aflatoxin-contaminated maize carried out in a large food factory in the State of São Paulo was evaluated against bi-directional thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis for 286 samples of maize. All 286 samples were accepted by the black light test (< 7 fluorescent points), however, the results from TLC analysis showed that 96 samples were contaminated and 14 showed aflatoxin B1 contamination levels higher than 20 micrograms/kg. There were 14 false negative results and no false positives and out of the 14 samples, six did not show visible fluorescent points. If the rejection criterion of one or more fluorescent points were applied, the six samples would be accepted by the black light test. But, in this case, 95 samples would be rejected and 87 results would be false positives because they did not have contamination levels over 20 micrograms/kg which is the acceptance limit of the black light test. The results indicate that the black light test, as utilized by this factory, was not able to indicate lots with possible contamination and the black light test, as recommended in the literature, would produce a high number of false positives. It is necessary to make more studies on the use of black light as a screening test for possible aflatoxin B1-contaminated maize.

Aflatoxins↗