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Biomedical subjects

S M Rocha

Publications and source records attributed to S M Rocha.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Enzymatic isolation and structural characterisation of polymeric suberin of cork from Quercus suber L.

An enzymatic method has been used to isolate, for the first time, polymeric suberin from the bark of Quercus suber L. or cork. This was achieved by solvent extraction (dichloromethane, ethanol and water), followed by a step-by-step enzymatic treatment with cellulase, hemicellulase and pectinase, and a final extraction with dioxane/water. The progress of suberin isolation was monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy using a photoacoustic cell (FTIR-PAS). The material obtained (polymeric suberin (PS)) was characterised by solid-state and liquid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, FTIR-PAS and vapour pressure osmometry, and compared with the suberin fraction obtained by alkaline depolymerisation (depolymerised suberin (DS)). The results showed that PS is an aliphatic polyester of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, with an average molecular weight (M(w)) of 2050 g mol(-1). Although this fraction represents only 10% of the whole suberin of cork, its polymeric nature gives valuable information about the native form of the polymer. DS was found to have an average M(w) of 750 g mol(-1) and to comprise a significant amount of acidic and alcoholic short aliphatic chains.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2000

Detection of rancid defect in virgin olive oil by the electronic nose.

A sensor array of 32 conducting polymer sensors has been used to detect the rancid defect in virgin olive oils. A training set, composed of admixtures of a Portuguese virgin olive oil with different percentages (0-100%) of a rancid standard oil, was used for the selection of the best sensors classifying correctly the samples. Information on volatile compounds responsible for rancidity and the sensory evaluation of samples by assessors were used for explaining the mathematical selection of sensors. A tentative calibration, using unsupervised procedures (PCA and MDS) and a nonlinear regression, was carried out, with the training set, and later confirmed with a test set with which rancid commercial samples of different varieties were used to spike a Greek extra virgin olive oil at low levels of rancidity (0.5-6%).

Dietary Fats, Unsaturated↗
PubMed2000

Demonstration of pectic polysaccharides in cork cell wall from Quercus suber L.

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chemical analysis were used to observe the cell wall changes that occur in cork with "mancha amarela", when compared to a standard cork. To mimic the microbial attack exhibited in cork with mancha amarela, the standard cork was treated enzymatically with commercial pectinase and hemicellulase preparations. The tissues treated with pectinase were comparable with those attacked with mancha amarela. Both were composed by deformed and wrinkly cells and exhibited cell wall separation at the middle lamella level, which suggests solubilization/removal of the pectic polysaccharides. The cork cell wall material, prepared as alcohol-insoluble residue, was fractionated by hot water (Pect(H)()2(O)) and hot dilute acid (Pect(acid)). The relatively large amount of hexuronic acid and the occurrence of Ara in the SPect(H)()2(O) and SPect(acid) allow to confirm, as far as we know, for the first time the presence of pectic polysaccharides in the cell walls of cork from Quercus suber L. They accounted for ca. 1.5% of the cork and may consist of polymers with long side chains of arabinosyl residues. These polymers have to be taken into account in any realistic model of the cork cell wall. Cork with mancha amarela contained a smaller amount of pectic polysaccharides (ca. 0.5%), which confirms that the cellular separation observed by SEM is related to the degradation/removal of the middle lamella pectic polysaccharides.

Cell Wall↗
PubMed2000

[The process of nursing work in collective health and interdisciplinary studies].

This study aims at discussing and stimulating reflections on the need of an interdisciplinary dialogue when the object of work is the health-illness-care process. The authors discuss the definition of Nursing by considering its essence, care, its history and practice. Following, considerations about inter- and trans-disciplinary studies on collective health are presented and the authors conclude with a proposal of basing care on the theory of communicative action developed by Jürgen Habermas.

Interdisciplinary Communication↗
PubMed1999

[Research on child health: the life story method and mothers' oral statement].

Children morbimortality rates in Brazil provide some indications about the life patterns of certain social groups, considered as risk groups, due to their vulnerability to a number of health impairments, but they do no display a clear picture of their quality of life. The present study aims to describe the steps undertaken by the authors to construct a qualitative research study on maternal living conditions and lifestyle, discussing certain aspects related to the study's design, such as, the definition of the research problem, the theoretical framework and data collection, particularly, the use of oral reports by mothers and the advantages and difficulties of this technique. Such narratives make it possible for researchers to come to know the needs, worries and strategies mothers use to care for their children's health, as well as, expose some wider social determinants of their life patterns. The knowledge thus generated is important to orientate the organization of policies and social practices to be developed by the health sector.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[Care of hospitalized children: reflexions about the participation of parents].

The care of a child admitted in the hospital is going through meaningful changes and, in a more actual approach, the main strategy seems to stimulate parents or relatives to stay with their children in the hospital. The purpose of this study is to analyse parents' participation in the process of staying in the hospital with their children. We have chosen the qualitative method and used as a theoretic--methodological reference the Model of Technological Work Organization. Based on the process of work, we have pointed out that bringing mothers to the ward is not so simple as it interferes in the reorganization of the work at the theoretical and practical levels. Concepts such as co-operation and partnership are built, however, sharing knowledge, power and room is not a simple action. It implies in changes of values and postures by parents and professionals.

Child↗
PubMed1998

Leptin levels, beta-cell function, and insulin sensitivity in families with congenital and acquired generalized lipoatropic diabetes.

Lipoatropic diabetes (LD) designates a group of syndromes characterized by diabetes mellitus with marked insulin resistance and either a localized or generalized absence of adipose tissue. In this study, we evaluated plasma leptin levels in subjects with congenital generalized lipoatropic diabetes (CGLD, n = 11) or acquired generalized lipoatropic diabetes (AGLD, n = 11), and assessed correlations between leptin levels and estimations of insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity using homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Leptin levels were 0.86 +/- 0.32, 1.76 +/- 0.78, and 6.9 +/- 4.4 ng/mL in subjects with CGLD, AGLD, and controls (n = 19), respectively (ANOVA P < 0.0001). Specific insulin levels were 154 +/- 172, 177 +/- 137 and 43 +/- 22 pmol/L, respectively (P < 0.0001). Insulin sensitivity was significantly decreased in both groups with LD (P < 0.0001), whereas HOMA beta-cell function was not significantly different when compared with controls. Leptin levels were significantly correlated with body mass index, insulin levels, and HOMA beta-cell function, and inversely correlated with insulin sensitivity in control subjects but not in subjects with generalized LD. In conclusion, decreased leptin levels were observed in subjects with generalized LD, with a trend towards lower levels in the acquired than in the congenital form (P = 0.06). The temporal relationship between the decrease in leptin levels and the development of lipoatrophy should be investigated in at-risk young relatives of subjects with the acquired forms to assess the usefulness of leptin levels as a marker of lipoatrophy.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1998

[Bibliographic study of the mother-child relationship: basis for pediatric and neonatal care].

The study consists of a bibliographical review about the mother and son attachment and its considerations in nursing care intervention, in the child's hospitalization process. In deciding to study this theme we had the purpose to obtain knowledge that would be useful in daily pediatric and neonatal nursing practice. We evidenced the importance of knowledge dissemination about the attachment among the nursing professionals, because their performance can interfere in a significant way in the hospitalized child's social and emotional development. However, in spite of the importance of the theme, few scientific studies in the nursing area were published. For our theoretical knowledge we searched another knowledge areas as psychology, sociology and anthropology.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Qualitative study on integrated care for children and adolescents].

This paper presents the theoretical reference and methodology applied by the Group of Study on Children's and Adolescent's Health of the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, in their qualitative research aiming at the integral assistance to children's and adolescent's health. The authors describe the health sector in current Brazilian society, where the health actions take place, following with the presentation of the Study Group. After that, they develop the theoretical reference and methodology, defining the analytical--politics and social policies, technological organization of work, health services, child and family. To conclude, the authors present an outline of the results of investigations carried out in the last three years (1995 to 1997).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Organization of neonatal nursing in the region of Ribeirão Preto-SP. Brazil-1992].

The present study analyses the organization of newborn care in different nurseries in the region of Ribeirão Preto as well as how nursing participates in this work. Through observation and interviews in 4 nurseries, we found that the work organization varies according to the hospital size and complexity. Action is centred on the child and in more complex cases, priority is given to the pathology and clinical care. We also observe enlarged actions, involving the binomial mother-child and the family. The quality of care is a result of a complex combination of human resources, material and installation. Bigger and more complex institutions present a diversity of personnel, more bureaucracy and hierarchy, information and technology system, routine procedures by written norms and more sophisticated equipment. The object of action is centred on the child, but there are practices in which the object is enlarged to the binomial mother-child and the family.

Brazil↗
PubMed1997

[Nursing care in neonatal units: measures for the prevention of cross infections].

The prevention of infection in nurseries requires measures related to nursing care in terms of the environment, equipment, personnel and the newborn. In view of the problems related to hospital infection, the objective of the present investigation was to determine the relationship between prescriptive measures for the Prevention of Infection and activities effectively carried out In a Neonatal Admission Unit. Participant observation and semistructured interviews were the strategies used for the investigation which allowed data collection. With this research we could see that prophylactic measures need to be taken together in a collection of activities based on adequate structure and facilities, performed by a cohesive professional team where everybody work towards the same goal. Measures taken isolated do not contribute to the effective accomplishment of prescriptions.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1994

[Agents of nursing in São Paulo health practices: from the bacteriological model to the health program (1889-1983)].

The historical roots of the nursing profession in public health in the state of São Paulo from 1900-1980 have been identified. Nurses have effectively participated to implement a new public health program--"Programação em Saúde", having the assignment to train, coordinate, supervise/manage other nurses who lacked specialized training. The nurse's understanding of her role in the health process was limited to individual performance with emphasis on technical ability, without understanding the purpose of her actions in the overall model.

Brazil↗
PubMed1993

[The origin of modern pediatric nursing].

The object of study of this investigations in the knowledge in pediatrics nursing from the institutionalization of the modern nursing beginning from the XIX Century. The knowledge in this study is considered as an instrument from which man apprehends his working object. From an historical perspective nursing is seen as a social articulated practice, as part of a collective process of works, whose purposes are: the control of the disease in the society, based on collective level and the recuperation of the individual working strength. Through the bibliography, we try to identify the characteristics of children's nursing assistance in England, during the XIX Century and the simultaneous movements of the medicinal practice: the social medicine, the clinic medical practice and puericulture. Followed the characteristics of the children's assistance in the United States in the beginning of the century and the theoretical reference in which it is located.

History, 19th Century↗
PubMed1993

[Pediatric nursing knowledge: books edited in Brazil from 1916 to 1988].

From the apprehension of the knowledge in pediatrics nursing in Brazil, a research was done in a Brazilian historical bibliographic work of references. From an historical perspective nursing it is seen as a social articulate practice, as part of a collective process of work. The knowledge in this study is considered as an instrument from which man apprehends his working object. Forty titles were found about how to take care of children, from eight per cent of the a group of five hundred and four. The proportion was considered very small. The production which was found was classified under two aspects: the prescriptive and the analytical. The prescriptive texts are those related to normalize the work in view of the rationality and to the productivity. The analytical opens the possibility and give the means to diversify the nursing assistance particularizing the care and with another aim related to the nursing work.

Books↗
PubMed1989

[Nutritional hygiene in the neonatal period: a review of the literature].

The present study makes a bibliographic review about the alimentary hygiene of children in the neonatal period. It describes the advantages of maternal milk by attending the basic principles that should govern the children's feeding, the importance of free scheme breast-feeding to emotional development, as well as ventral and right side-lying position and belching to the prevention of accidents.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed1989

[Health reform: the consequences for the teaching of the administration of community nursing services].

This study is aimed at characterizing the administrative activities performed by nurses at health institutions engaged in a process of restructuring the sanitary system. The instrument consisted of a questionnaire and concentrated on the formulation of a theoretical frame for the administrative practice of a nurse. The collected data showed that nurses are performing the administrative activity following random and non-scientific patterns. There are differences concerning the management carried out by nurses according to the nature of the institution, public or private, and the level of health assistance. As far as the steps in an administrative process go, most nurses don't plan or evaluate carefully the type of health care to be taken. They supervise the application of a plan conceived by other departments in which they may or may not have participated.

Brazil↗