Catarina Pedro Pássaro Carvalho

Citrus juice extraction systems: effect on chemical composition and antioxidant activity of clementine juice.

Clementines are especially appreciated for their delicious flavor, and recent years have seen a great increase in the consumption of clementine juice. In previous decades, antioxidant compounds have received particular attention because of widely demonstrated beneficial health effects. In this work, the organoleptic, volatile flavor, and antioxidant quality of clementine juice were studied with regard to the influence on them by different juice extraction systems: plug inside fruit and rotating cylinders. The results showed that juice extracted by the former method presented higher yields and hesperidin content, which was related to higher antioxidant activity, demonstrated by ORAC and LDL assays. The organoleptic quality was not affected by the processing technique, whereas there were significant differences in the chemical flavor profile. There are important differences in chemical and functional quality between juice extraction techniques, which must be taken into account when employing processing systems to produce high-quality products.

Evaluation of elderly persons' functionality and care needs

OBJETIVO: avaliar a funcionalidade dos idosos com base na Classificacao Internacional da Funcionalidade. METODOS: estudo transversal, descritivo; amostra aleatoria, estratificada, com 903 idosos; nivel de confianca 95%; margem de erro 2,5%. Questionario desenvolvido com base na Classificacao Internacional da Funcionalidade; dados coletados a partir de entrevista estruturada por profissionais de saude nos centros de saude do Alentejo. RESULTADOS: 30,7% dos idosos declaram-se analfabetos, 22,9% vivem sozinhos. As necessidades de alimentacao (18,7%), habitacao (19,2%) e saude (26,0%) nao estao satisfeitas. Funcoes de orientacao preservadas em 83,4%; 58% dos idosos referem uma intensidade de dor que requer cuidados; 73,3% dos idosos nao apresentam denticao funcional. Niveis de desempenho superior a 80% nas atividades de participacao: lavar-se (82,6%), atividades relacionadas ao processo de excrecao (92,2%), vestir, comer, beber (89%). CONCLUSAO: decrescimo progressivo da funcionalidade a medida que a idade avanca; todavia, esta preservada em grande parte as dimensoes ate cerca dos 75 anos.

Self-perception of oral health in older adults from an urban population in Lisbon, Portugal

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze if the self-perception of oral health in the urban context is associated with sociodemographic factors that interfere in the life quality of oral health. METHODS Cross-sectional study with convenience sample of older individuals (65 years old or more) enrolled in the Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde de Lisboa Norte (ACES Lisboa Norte – Health Centers Groupings North Lisbon). The self-perception of oral health and associated life quality was evaluated by the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index and the individuals were classified according to sociodemographic characteristics. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was evaluated by Cronbach’s alpha (α). Later, we used binary logistic regression models to characterize the factors associated with the self-perception of oral health, considering the sociodemographic variables and the older adults’ clinical conditions of oral health and establishing the crude and adjusted (to age) odds ratios and their 90% confidence intervals. RESULTS A total of 369 older adults participated in this study, with an average age of 74.2 years (SD = 6.75); 62.9% were female. On average, the index was moderated, with tendency to be high: 32.9 (SD = 3.6; 12-36 interval). The Cronbach’s alpha was high: 0.805. Age, marital status, and the last dental appointment were the factors significantly associated with self-perception of oral health. CONCLUSIONS The study shows that these individuals have a moderate, with tendency to high, self-perception of oral health. The self-perception of oral health assessment allowed us to identify the main associated sociodemographic factors. This instrument can help guiding planning strategies and oral health promotion directed toward a better life quality for this population group.

Evaluación del funcionamiento y necesidades de cuidados de los ancianos

OBJETIVO: avaliar a funcionalidade dos idosos com base na Classificacao Internacional da Funcionalidade. METODOS: estudo transversal, descritivo; amostra aleatoria, estratificada, com 903 idosos; nivel de confianca 95%; margem de erro 2,5%. Questionario desenvolvido com base na Classificacao Internacional da Funcionalidade; dados coletados a partir de entrevista estruturada por profissionais de saude nos centros de saude do Alentejo. RESULTADOS: 30,7% dos idosos declaram-se analfabetos, 22,9% vivem sozinhos. As necessidades de alimentacao (18,7%), habitacao (19,2%) e saude (26,0%) nao estao satisfeitas. Funcoes de orientacao preservadas em 83,4%; 58% dos idosos referem uma intensidade de dor que requer cuidados; 73,3% dos idosos nao apresentam denticao funcional. Niveis de desempenho superior a 80% nas atividades de participacao: lavar-se (82,6%), atividades relacionadas ao processo de excrecao (92,2%), vestir, comer, beber (89%). CONCLUSAO: decrescimo progressivo da funcionalidade a medida que a idade avanca; todavia, esta preservada em grande parte as dimensoes ate cerca dos 75 anos.