Correlation between acidic ninhydrin and HPLC methods to evaluate fraudulent addition of whey in milk

The acidic ninhydrin spectrophotometric method (ANSM) for quantitative determination of free and bound sialic acid of milk glycoprotein has been proved to be fast and efficient for routine detection of fraudulent addition of rennet whey to fluid milk. In this research the ANSM was compared with the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, internationally recommended for caseinomacropeptide (CMP) determination, which besides its high accuracy is more sophisticated and requires trained personnel. For several sample conditions (raw milk and milk with variable added amounts of rennet cheese whey), the methods showed an excellent linear correlation, with r = 0.981 when milk was deproteinized with a 120 g.L-1 final concentration of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) concentration. The best correlations could be seen with final concentrations of 100 g.L-1 and 80 g.L-1 TCA; respectively, r = 0.992 and 0.993.84550151

Emmanuel Dias: o principal artífice do combate à doença de Chagas nas Américas Emmanuel Dias: the principal architect of the fight against Chagas disease in the Americas

Comemora-se em 2008 o centenário de nascimento do Dr. Emmanuel Dias, cuja vida foi intensamente dedicada ao estudo, reconhecimento e controle da doença de Chagas. Esta súmula se incorpora às diversas homenagens feitas no Brasil e no Exterior, resgatando alguns elementos históricos na trajetória do cientista e o enorme impacto social resultante direta e indiretamente de seu trabalho. Afilhado e assistente de Carlos Chagas, Emmanuel foi considerado por Chagas Filho como o mais profícuo dos seguidores de seu pai. Em trinta anos de atividades, Dias iniciou-se como brilhante protozoologista depois passando ao enfrentamento da doença humana. Trabalhou intensivamente em diagnóstico, epidemiologia, clinica e controle. Idealizou estratégias de prospecção, mapeou a doença nas Américas, participou diretamente da sistematização da cardiopatia crônica e descreveu o primeiro inseticida eficaz contra os triatomíneos, também formatando a estratégia de seu controle. Mais ainda, estendeu suas atividades para toda a área endêmica, divulgando a doença e seu controle, de um lado, e impulsionando autoridades sanitárias e centros de decisão com vistas a implantação de ações, de outro. De seu trabalho resultaram programas nacionais e regionais que reduziram significativamente a transmissão da doença humana em todo o Continente. Foi recentemente considerado como o cientista que teve o maior impacto no enfrentamento desta tripanossomíase, em todos os tempos.<br>In 2008, the centenary of the birth of Emmanuel Dias, whose life was intensely dedicated to the study, recognition and control of Chagas disease, is being celebrated. This summary of his life joins with the various homages paid in Brazil and abroad, to recall some of the key historical points in this scientist's career and the enormous social impact that resulted directly and indirectly from his work. Dias, who was Carlos Chagas' protégée and assistant, was considered by Chagas Filho to be the most proficient of his father's followers. Over the course of thirty years of activities, Dias began as a brilliant protozoologist and later on turned his attention towards facing the human disease. He worked intensively on diagnostics, epidemiology, clinical studies and control. He devised prospection strategies, mapped out the disease in the Americas, participated directly in systematizing chronic cardiopathy and described the first effective insecticide against triatomines, along with laying out the strategy for their control. Furthermore, he extended his activities throughout the field of this endemic disease: on the one hand, raising awareness about the disease and its control and, on the other hand, propelling health authorities and decision-making centers into action, to implement control measures. His work resulted in national and regional programs that have significantly reduced the transmission of the human disease throughout the continent. Dias was recently said to be the scientist who had had the all-time greatest impact on this trypanosomiasis

Electrocardiographic Abnormalities in Elderly Chagas Disease Patients: 10‐Year Follow‐Up of the Bambuí Cohort Study of Aging

BACKGROUND: Electrocardiography has been considered an important tool in the management of Chagas disease (ChD) patients, although its value in elderly infected patients is unknown. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence and prognostic value of electrocardiographic abnormalities in Trypanosoma cruzi infected and noninfected older adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 1462 participants in Bambuí City, Brazil, with electrocardiogram (ECG) records classified by the Minnesota Code. Follow‐up time was 10 years; the endpoint was mortality. Adjustment for potential confounding variables included age, gender, conventional risk factors, and B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP). The mean age was 69 years (60.9% women). The prevalence of ChD was 38.1% (n=557). ECG abnormalities were more frequent in ChD patients (87.6% versus 77.7%, P<0.001). Right bundle branch block (RBBB) with left anterior hemiblock (LAH) was strongly related to ChD (OR: 11.99 [5.60 to 25.69]). During the mean follow‐up time of 8.7 years, 556 participants died (253 with ChD), and only 89 were lost to follow‐up. ECG variables of independent prognostic value for death in ChD included absence of sinus rhythm, frequent ventricular and supraventricular premature beats, atrial fibrillation, RBBB, old and possible old myocardial infarction, and left ventricular hypertrophy. The presence of any major ECG abnormalities doubled the risk of death in ChD patients (HR: 2.18 [1.35 to 3.53]), but it also increased the risk in non‐ChD subjects (HR: 1.50 [1.07 to 2.10]); the risk of death increased with the number of major abnormalities in the same patient. CONCLUSION: ECG abnormalities are more common among elderly Chagas disease patients and strongly predict adverse outcomes