Taís Rizzo Moreira

Hidden prevalence of chronic kidney disease in hypertensive patients: the strategic role of primary health care

OBJECTIVE To identify the hidden prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in hypertensive patients. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional study of individuals with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) who were registered for primary health care (PHC). METHODS In total, 293 individuals participated. Data were collected through interviews, as well as biochemical and anthropometric assessments. The CKD-EPI formula was used to identify the occurrence of CKD. Pearsons chi-squared test or Fishers exact test were used to compare proportions. Prevalence ratios were estimated with a confidence interval of 95% for associations between the explanatory variables and CKD. RESULTS Most of the individuals assessed were female (74%), elderly (69%), with a low income (90%), low education levels (84%) and overweight (66.9%). A CKD prevalence of 38.6% (95% CI: 33.0-44.2) was found and approximately 14% were at an advanced stage of the disease. Upon comparison of the variables in the different stages of CKD, statistically significant association could be suggested between CKD and age, education, alcohol intake, overweight individuals, cardiovascular risk, abnormal creatinine and abnormal microalbuminuria. When the prevalence ratio was assessed, association could be suggested between CKD and age, and CKD and creatinine. CONCLUSION The high hidden prevalence of CKD confirms the need to train health professionals involved in the treatment of SAH through PHC, enabling the prevention and diagnosis of CKD in its early stages.

The consistency in the sensory analysis of coffees using Q-graders

The process of sensory evaluation is widely used in the coffee classification worldwide. This evaluation is popularly known as “Cupping Test” and constitutes the principal methodology to assess the final quality of the coffee drink. This study observed the effect of the interaction among Q-graders, as well as the coffee tasting process in the morning and in the afternoon. The study was conducted with trained tasters with Q-Grader certificates. The methodology followed the analysis protocol guidelines of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, SCAA, with the participation of two testing groups, each one with two Q-graders for the analysis. T Tests, followed by the Pearson’s correlation and the analysis of hierarchical grouping were used for the data analysis. The results indicate that the tasters have full capacity of evaluation, although there are variances in relation to the perceptions of the attributes that define the best coffees. The results also indicate that the effect of the shift, when isolated from interaction, interfere neither in the evaluation of the batches, nor the performance of the tasters; however, when associated with interaction (chatting), the analysis indicate distortions, highlighting the need of improving the techniques of sensory evaluation.

Relation of El Niño and La Niña phenomena to precipitation, evapotranspiration and temperature in the Amazon basin

Weather phenomena El Niño and La Niña are observed by meteorological variables, which allows you to track climate change and its possible effects in certain regions. The objective of this study was to analyze the behavior of rainfall, temperature and evapotranspiration in the Amazon river basin (Latitudes 5° N to 20° S and Longitudes 50° W to 80° W), comparing them with the occurrence of El Niño and La Niña phenomena, from January 2000 to December 2016. The values referring to the meteorological variables were obtained from the TRMM and MODIS orbital sensors. After data pre-processing, the data were separated into monthly and annual scales and per period according to the presence or absence of El Niño and La Niña phenomena. Based on the results obtained, it was observed that the studied variables were affected by modification of both phenomena. The modifications are more noticeable in the distinction between the more and less rainy periods. Among the variables studied, the evapotranspiration was severely affected in the rainiest months, the La Niña phenomenon, and the least rainy months, El Niño. Thus, it was possible to conclude that, in general, the presence of La Niña increased precipitation values in comparison to the Neutral period, but the inverse occurs in the presence of El Niño. The methodology applied in the present study was adequate for the analysis of the modifications of the meteorological variables coming from the El Niño and La Niña phenomena, being able to be adapted to other variables and regions.

Influence of Solar Radiation and Wet Processing on the Final Quality of Arabica Coffee

The coffee growing in the state of Espirito Santo has some peculiarities that differ from the other regions producing Arabica coffee in Brazil because it has a diversity of edaphoclimatic conditions that influence the final quality of the bean. This study aimed to demonstrate and quantify the effect of solar radiation and of different forms of wet process on the final quality of Arabica coffee in crops located in the altitude range of 950 meters, in order to understand what would be the best wet processing methods for the coffee cultivated to the East (sun-grown) and coffee cultivated to the South-Southeast (shade-grown). The results indicate that shading has a significant effect on the final quality of the Arabica coffee, as well as the type of wet process used to process the beans after harvest. Therefore, there is a need to study in depth the factors related to the processing, edaphoclimatic, and relief conditions inherent to mountain coffee cultivation.

Propositions on the Optimal Number of Q-Graders and R-Graders

Sensory analysis or cup testing has been widely used in the coffee production chain for the validation of final quality. The tasters are responsible for defining the patterns and qualitative profiles of the drink based on the sensorial analysis and according to their gustatory sensibilities, which are often acquired by professional experience. However, the literature has not discussed in detail the relationship between the number of tasters and the consistency of sensorial analysis. Thus, using the bootstrap simulation methodology to estimate the optimum plot size, this study quantifies and proposes a specific number of tasters for the process of sensorial analysis of specialty coffees. The results indicate that the use of 6 tasters is sufficient to conduct sensorial analysis following SCA and BSCA protocol for coffees in the Arabica group, as well as 6 tasters for coil and Conilon coffees. From this number, no gains in precision are observed in the process of sensorial analysis of coffee with addition tasters.