Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2013-03-20"
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- Fungal Contamination in Swine: A Potential Occupational Health ThreatPublication . Viegas, C.; Carolino, E.; Sabino, R.; Viegas, S.; Veríssimo, C.Poor air quality in a pig-confinement building may potentially place farmers at higher health risk than other workers for exposure to airborne pollutants that may reach infectious levels. The aim of this study was to assess worker exposure to fungi in indoor environments in Portuguese swine buildings. Air samples from 7 swine farms were collected at a flow rate of 140 L/min, at 1 m height, onto malt extract agar supplemented with chloramphenicol (MEA). Surfaces samples of the same indoor sites were obtained by swabbing the surfaces. Samples from the floor covering were also collected from four of seven swine farms. All collected samples were incubated at 27◦C for 5–7 days. After lab processing and incubation of obtained samples, quantitative colony-forming units (CFU)/m3, CFU/cm2, and CFU/g and qualitative results were determined with identification of isolated fungal species. Aspergillus versicolor was the most frequent species found in air (21%), followed by Scopulariopsis brevicaulis (17%) and Penicillium sp. (14%). Aspergillus versicolor was also the most frequent species noted on surfaces (26.6%), followed by Cladosporium sp. (22.4%) and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis (17.5%). Chrysosporium was the most frequently found genera in the new floor covering (38.5%), while Mucor was the most prevalent genera (25.1%) in used floor covering. Our findings corroborate a potential occupational health threat due to fungi exposure and suggest the need for a preventive strategy.
- Cytogenetic and immunological effects of formaldehyde in a group of exposed workersPublication . Costa, S.; García-Lestón, J.; Coelho, M.; Coelho, P.; Costa, C.; Silva, S.; Porto, B.; Laffon, B.; Teixeira, João PauloFormaldehyde (FA) is a widely used industrial chemical for which exposure is associated with nasopharyngeal and sinonasal cancer. Based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from human investigations, supporting studies on mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis, and experimental evidence in animals, FA status was recently revised and reclassified as a human carcinogen. The highest level of exposure to FA occurs in occupational settings. Although several studies reported FA ability to induce genotoxic responses in exposed workers, not all findings were conclusive. In addition, published studies on the immunological effects of FA indicate that this compound may be able to modulate immune responses, although data in exposed subjects are still preliminary. In this study a group of pathology anatomy workers exposed to FA was evaluated for cytogenetic and immunological parameters. A control group with similar sociodemographic characteristics and without known occupational exposure to FA was also included. Genotoxicity was evaluated by means of micronucleus (MN) test, sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), and T-cell receptor (TCR) mutation assay. Percentages of different lymphocyte subpopulations were selected as immunotoxic biomarkers. The mean level of FA environmental exposure was 0.36 ± 0.03 ppm. MN and SCE frequencies were significantly increased in the exposed group. A significant decrease of the percentage of B cells in the exposed group was also found. Data obtained in this study indicate that genotoxic and immunotoxic increased risk due to FA occupational exposure cannot be excluded. Implementation of effective control measures along with hazard prevention campaigns may be crucial to decrease the risk.
- Indoor air quality and thermal comfort-results of a pilot study in elderly care centers in PortugalPublication . Mendes, A.; Pereira, C.; Mendes, D.; Aguiar, L.; Neves, P.; Silva, S.; Batterman, S.; Teixeira, João PauloThe age of the European population is rising and percentage of adults aged 65 years and older is projected to increase from 16% in 2000 to 20% in 2020. It has been estimated that older subjects spend approximately 19 to 20 h/d indoors. Older individuals may be particularly at risk for detrimental effects from pollutants, even at low concentrations, due to reduced immunological defenses and multiple underlying chronic diseases. Six Porto, Portugal, urban area elderly care centers (ECC), housing a total of 425 older persons, were studied to assess indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort (TC) in two seasons. This study presents the IAQ and TC results in 36 rooms and constitutes part of a wider and ongoing study. The study areas were all naturally ventilated, and indoor concentrations in winter were within Portuguese reference values. However, 42% of the participants were dissatisfied with indoor thermal conditions, rating it "slightly cool." In summer, the index rate of dissatisfied individuals was lower (8%). Significant differences were found between seasons in predicted percent of dissatisfied people (PPD) and predicted mean vote (PMV) indices. Fungal concentrations frequently exceeded reference levels (>500 colony-forming units [CFU]/m(3)). In addition, other pollutants occasionally exceeded reference levels. To our knowledge, this is the first study in Portugal to assess effects of indoor air contaminants on the health status and quality of life in older subjects living in ECC. Although IAQ and TC parameters were mostly within reference values, the results suggest a need to improve the balance between IAQ and TC in ECC, a critical environment housing a susceptible population.
- Nutritional Status and Metabolic Syndrome in patients with PhenylketonuriaPublication . Rocha, Júlio César; Borges, Nuno; Guimarães, João Tiago; van Spronsen, Francjan[PT] A Fenilcetonúria (PKU; MIM 261600) é a doença hereditária do metabolismo dos aminoácidos mais frequente. Após o diagnóstico, atualmente realizado através do rastreio neonatal, é implementada uma dieta restrita em proteína natural e em fenilalanina (fen), simultaneamente suplementada com uma mistura de aminoácidos isenta de fen e com alimentos especiais hipoproteicos. Este tratamento nutricional tem mostrado um tremendo sucesso na prevenção do atraso mental. Contudo, a nutrição na PKU é desafiante na medida em que podem surgir desequilíbrios importantes. Enquanto não há consenso relativo à ingestão ideal de proteína, o balanço em termos do status em micronutrientes revela frequentemente resultados extremos, sublinhando a necessidade de cuidadosamente monitorizar o estado nutricional nestes doentes. A definição precisa do estado nutricional proteico na PKU constitui um desejo antigo de todos os clínicos. Enquanto o melhor marcador bioquímico ainda não está definido, a prealbumina plasmática parece ser um parâmetro útil para decidir a ingestão proteica adequada nos doentes com PKU. Uma ingestão proteica de acordo com as recomendações para os doentes com PKU parece resultar no atingimento de patamares de crescimento e de composição corporal comparável a indivíduos controlo. A dieta tipicamente usada no tratamento dos doentes com PKU é restrita em proteína natural mas é normalmente rica em glícidos. Não obstante as características obesogénicas desta dieta, o tratamento dietético na PKU não aumenta o risco de excesso de peso, de obesidade central ou de incremento na massa gorda. Cumulativamente, os doentes com PKU revelam tendência para uma menor prevalência de síndrome metabólica, embora tenha sido constatada a presença de dislipidemia aterogénica. Embora estes doentes com obesidade central não manifestem um estado próinflamatório aumentado comparativamente aos controlos, são necessários mais estudos que ajudem a clarificar o seu risco cardiovascular a longo prazo, considerando a presença de dislipidemia aterogénica, mesmo apresentando concentrações plasmáticas reduzidas de colesterol total e de glicose.
- D5.2 Guidance document on implementation of a TQM system to TDS (month 30)Publication . Castanheira, Isabel; Rocha Pité, Marina; Oliveira, Luisa