Green Sol-Gel Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Magnetic Hyperthermia Applications.

Background/objectives: The unique properties of iron oxide nanoparticles have attracted significant interest within the biomedical community, particularly for magnetic hyperthermia applications. Various synthesis methods have been developed to optimize these nanoparticles.

Methods: In this study, we employed a powdered coconut water (PCW)-assisted sol-gel method to produce magnetite nanoparticles for the first time.

Differences in food consumption of the Brazilian population by race/skin color in 2017-2018.

Objective: To evaluate food consumption in Brazil by race/skin color of the population.

Methods: Food consumption data from the Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares (POF - Household Budget Survey) 2017-2018 were analyzed. Food and culinary preparations were grouped into 31 items, composing three main groups, defined by industrial processing characteristics: 1 - in natura/minimally processed, 2 - processed, and 3 - ultra-processed.

Development and Validation of a Protocol for Pregnant Women Based on the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines.

Objective:  To develop and validate a protocol for the use of the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population (DGBP) in the individual dietary advice for pregnant women assisted in primary healthcare (PHC).

Methods:  Methodological study that involved the elaboration of a protocol in six steps: definition of the format, definition of the instrument to evaluate food consumption, systematization of evidence on food and nutrition needs of pregnant women, extraction of DGBP recommendations, development of messages of dietary guidelines and content, and face validity. The analyses of the validation steps were carried out by calculating the Content Validity Index (CVI) and thematic content analysis.

Developing a protocol based on the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines for individual dietary advice in the primary healthcare: theoretical and methodological bases.

To describe the methodology of development of a protocol for application of the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines by primary healthcare professionals in individual dietary advice. A five-step approach was followed: (1) format definition; (2) definition of the instrument for assessment of individuals' food consumption; (3) Dietary Guidelines' content extraction; (4) protocol content development; (5) content and face validity. An example from Brazil was displayed with the development of a protocol to guide healthcare professional decision-making when providing nutrition advice based on the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines.

The structure of qualitative studies: a bibliometric pattern of biomedical literature.

The lack of knowledge in the biomedical literature regarding the validity of qualitative studies might be related to the lower number of qualitative studies that have been published. The criticisms range from a lack of theoretical depth to the superficial discussions of empirical findings. The aim of this study was to explore the bibliometric entities and the trends in the structure of qualitative research in the biomedical literature.

Is ionizing radiation effective in removing pharmaceuticals from wastewater?

Wastewater and effluent discharges are the main causes of receiving water body pollution and important challenges in water quality management. Among the emerging contaminants, pharmaceuticals have increasingly drawn attention due to their incomplete removal during conventional biological treatment, inducing potential and actual risks to living organisms following residue discharges in river effluent. Electron beam irradiation (EBI) is a clean process technology for organic compound degradation and mineralization, as well as persistent pollutant detoxification.

Rural to urban migration contributes to the high burden of asthma in the urban area.

Introduction: It is unknown whether rural-urban migration contributes to worse the burden of asthma in the cities.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether subjects with asthma that migrated from rural areas to a large urban center in Brazil have more severe disease than asthmatic subjects that was born and always lived in the urban area.

Methods: This is a case-control study.

Eosinophilic asthma, according to a blood eosinophil criterion, is associated with disease severity and lack of control among underprivileged urban Brazilians.

Background: Asthma is a syndrome with multiple phenotypes. Peripheral blood eosinophil counts might be the ideal biomarker to identify subjects with eosinophilic asthma. It is available, inexpensive, and it is associated with eosinophilia in sputum.

Obesity and asthma: clinical and laboratory characterization of a common combination.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between obesity and asthma.

Methods: This was a preliminary cross-sectional analysis involving 925 subjects with mild-to-moderate or severe asthma evaluated between 2013 and 2015. Obesity was defined on the basis of body mass index (BMI) and abdominal circumference.

Age is associated with asthma phenotypes.

Background And Objective: The relationship between age and asthma phenotypes is important as population is ageing, asthma is becoming common in older ages and recently developed treatments for asthma are guided by phenotypes. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether age is associated with specific asthma phenotypes.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study.