Differentiation of face and auricular shape resulting from diabetes and hypertension in the elderly

The prevalence global of noncommunicable chronic diseases as diabetes and hypertension worldwide has been disregarded until recently by policy makers. In addition, these diseases have growing with the aging of the population. This study sought to identify changes in face shape from the frontal and side views in elderly people diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension. 205 individuals were studied, with 60 years or more, from both sexes, with different ethnicities, and cognition intact. With a digital camera, photos were taken of the front and side and based on these images landmarks for measurement were determined. For statistical analysis, ANOVA, Canonical Variates Analysis, Mahalanobis distance and Thin-Plate Spline were realized. Given sexual dimorphism, the sexes were analyzed separately. From the ANOVA, significant differences (p<0.01) for individuals with diabetes, hypertension, and patients with both or neither of the diseases were observed. The groups were separated by the Canonical Variates and Mahalanobis distance and independent of edentulism, sex or ethnicity. A morphofacial characteristics for the front and side views (especially in the ear region) that identified individuals with these chronic diseases was observed. This methodology can contribute in a specific manner to the identification of at risk populations and help to promote preventative measures for these conditions.

Geometric morphometrics and face shape characteristics associated with chronic disease in the elderly / Morfometria geométrica e características da forma da face associados à doença crônica em idosos

The aging process is something that occurs naturally during the lifetime of the human being. It causes biological, psychological and social changes in the body. Anthropometry, which until the late nineteenth century was a common tool in clinical and taxonomic practices, has gained great importance as a public health measure. This methodology is also important in the evaluation of morbidities in individuals and their social practices. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate facial shape characteristics in the elderly, associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, based on two-dimensional images of the lateral and frontal views of the face. Analysis of discriminant function and cross validation presented significant differences (p<0.01), for sexual dimorphism in both views and the presence and/or absence of diabetes and hypertension (p<0.01). For the male sex, the highest classifications were related to the complete lateral and frontal views, in 75.2% and 81.2% of cases, respectively. In terms of the female sex, they referred to the frontal view without the orolabial region or jaw (71.4%). There was variation in the facial bilateral symmetry in the elderly, with the presence of fluctuating and directional asymmetry (p<0.01). Despite morphological variations associated with aging, it is possible to use geometric morphometrics techniques to observe characteristics in facial shape related to the presence of diabetes, hypertension, and the presence or absence of both diseases.

O processo de envelhecimento é algo que ocorre naturalmente durante a vida do ser humano. Isso causa mudanças biológicas, psicológicas e sociais no corpo. A antropometria, que até o final do século XIX foi uma ferramenta comum em práticas clínicas e taxonômicas, e ganhou uma grande importância como medidas de saúde pública. Esta metodologia também é importante na avaliação de morbidades nos indivíduos e suas práticas sociais. Assim, o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar características da forma facial em idosos, associados a doenças crônicas como diabetes e hipertensão, com base em imagens bidimensionais das vistas lateral e frontal do rosto. A análise da função discriminante e da validação cruzada apresentou diferenças significativas (p <0,01), para o dimorfismo sexual em ambos os pontos de vista e a presença e/ou ausência de diabetes e hipertensão (p <0,01). Para o sexo masculino, as classificações mais elevadas foram relacionadas às vistas laterais e frontais completas, em 75,2% e 81,2% dos casos, respectivamente. Para o sexo feminino, os resultados para a vista visão frontal sem a região orelabial ou maxilar foi de 71,4%. Houve variação na simetria facial bilateral dos idosos, com presença de assimetria flutuante e direcional (p <0,01). Apesar das variações morfológicas associadas ao envelhecimento, através de técnicas de morfometria geométrica é possível observar uma característica na forma facial em relação à diabetes, hipertensão e presença ou ausência de ambas as doenças.

Screening for quality indicators and phenolic compounds of biotechnological interest in honey samples from six species of stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Abstract Honey from stingless bees of the genus Melipona is a well sought product. Nevertheless lack of legal frameworks for quality assessment complicates the evaluation of food safety and marketing of these products. Seeking to assess the quality of honey from the bees of this genus, physical and chemical analyses, identification of phenolic compounds, and microbiological evaluation from six species of stingless bees was performed. The honey samples showed high reducing sugars, low protein levels and a balanced microbiota. High total phenols and flavonoids and higher antioxidant activity were also recorded. Different phenolic compounds of great biotechnological potential were identified and of these apigenin, kaempferol and luteolin were identified for the first time in honey. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the few works describing a detail characterization of melipona honey together with identification of the phenolic compounds of significant therapeutic value.

Fluctuating asymmetry in Apis mellifera(Hymenoptera: Apidae) as bioindicator of anthropogenic environments / Asimetría fluctuante en Apis mellifera (Hymenop-tera: Apidae) como bioindicador de ambientes antropo-génicos

The successful distribution of A. melliferais due to their ability to adjust to seasonal variations, considerable control over their internal physical environment and exploration of different resources. However, their populations have experienced different forms and levels of environmental pressure. This research aimed to verify the phenotypic plasticity in both size and shape of wings in A. melliferausing fluctuating asymmetry, based on geometric morphometrics from apiaries located in sites with high and low levels of anthropization. We sampled 16 locations throughout all five geographic regions of Brazil. At each site, samples were collected from 20 beehives installed in apiaries: 10 installed near high anthropogenic environments (Cassilàndia - MS, Fortaleza - CE, Maringá - PR, Aquidauana - MS, Rolim de Moura - RO, Riachuelo - SE, Ubirata - PR and Piracicaba - SP), and 10 in sites with low levels of human disturbance (Cassilàndia - MS, Itapiúna CE, Uniao da Vitoria - PR, Aquidauana - MS, Rolim de Moura - RO, Pacatuba - SE, Erval Seco - RS, Rio Claro - SP). A sample of 10 individuals was taken in each hive, totaling 200 per location, for a total of 1 600 individuals. We used fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in size and shape of the forewing through geometric morphometrics. The FA analysis was conducted in order to check bilateral differences. The indexes of size and shape were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA), where the characters evaluated were used as factors to verify the size and shape differences. The results indicated an asymmetry on the shape of the wing (P < 0.001) but no asymmetry was observed on wing size. Considering FA as an environmental response and high and low impacted areas as a fixed factor, we observed significant differences (P < 0.05). The results for the wing shape in A. melliferademonstrated that this feature undergoes more variation during ontogeny compared to the variation in size. We concluded that bee samples collected from colonies with higher levels of human disturbance had higher wing-shape asymmetry; the variation of fluctuating asymmetry in the wing shape of honeybees can be used as an indicator of the degree of environmental anthropization.

La distribución exitosa de A. melliferase debe a su capacidad para adaptarse a las variaciones estacionales, controlar considerablemente su ambiente físico interno y por la exploración de recursos. Sin embargo, sus poblaciones experimentan diferentes formas y niveles de presión ambiental. Esta investigación evaluó colmenares, ubicadas en entornos con distintos niveles de antropización. Ambientes considerados altamente antropogénicos fueron escogidos: áreas urbanas, agrícolas con aplicaciones de insecticidas, y las industrias con grandes áreas (regiones con altos índices de contaminación). Por otra parte, los entornos considerados con bajos niveles de perturbación humana fueron elegidos: áreas de preservación permanente de los bosques restantes (Mata Atlántica, Planalto, Cerrado), áreas ribereñas o reservas ecológicas. Se muestrearon 16 localidades que abarcan las cinco regiones del Brasil. Estamos utilizando la asimetría fluctuante desde el tamaño y la forma del ala anterior por técnicas de morfometría geométrica. En cada sitio, las muestras se obtuvieron de las 20 colmenas instaladas en los colmenares: 10 instalados cerca de entornos altamente antropogénicos (Cassilándia - MS, Fortaleza - CE, Maringá - PR, Aquidauana - MS, Rolim de Moura - RO, Riachuelo - SE, Ubirata - PR y Piracicaba - SP) y 10 en sitios de bajo nivel de perturbación humana (Cassilándia - MS, ItapiúnaCE, Uniao da Vitória - PR, Aquidauana - MS, Rolim de Moura - RO, Pacatuba- SE, Erval Seco - RS, Rio Claro - SP). Los índices de tamaño y forma fueron sometidos a análisis de varianza (ANOVA), donde se utilizaron los caracteres evaluados como factores, para verificar las diferencias de tamaño y forma. La asimetría de análisis fluctuante (AF) se llevó a cabo con el fin de comprobar las diferencias bilaterales. Los resultados indican la existencia de la asimetría de la forma del ala (P < 0.001), pero no se observó asimetría del tamaño del ala. Considerando AF como respuesta ambiental y áreas de alto y bajo grado de alteración humana como factor fijo, observamos diferencias significativas (P < 0.05). Los resultados, para la forma de ala de la A. mellifera,muestran que esta característica se somete a más variación durante la ontogenia en comparación con la variación en el tamaño. Llegamos a la conclusión de que las colonias de abejas recogidas en ambientes con niveles más altos de la perturbación humana tienen una mayor asimetría en forma de ala, por lo que la asimetría fluctuante en forma de alas de las abejas puede ser utilizada como un indicador del grado de antropización del medio ambiente.

Sandfly fauna in an area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis in Aracaju, State of Sergipe, Northeast Brazil / Fauna flebotomínica em área endêmica de leishmaniose visceral em Aracaju, Estado de Sergipe, Nordeste do Bras

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, visceral leishmaniasis, a major public health problem, has been spreading from the rural to urban areas in many areas of Brazil, including Aracaju, the capital of the State of Sergipe. However, there are no studies of the sandfly fauna in this municipality or its variation over the year. METHODS: Phlebotomine sandflies were collected from a rural area of Aracaju from September 2007 to July 2009. Modified CDC ultra-violet (UV) light traps were used to evaluate sandfly monthly distribution and their presence in the domestic and peridomestic environments. RESULTS: The most abundant species was Lutzomyia longipalpis (90.4%) followed by Evandromyia lenti (9.6%). A chicken shed trap site had the highest proportion of L. longipalpis (51.1%) and large numbers of L. longipalpis were also collected in the houses closest to the chicken shed. There was a positive correlation between monthly rainfall and L. longipalpis abundance. CONCLUSIONS: Lutzomyia longipalpis is the most abundant species and is probably the main vector of the visceral leishmaniasis agent in the rural area of Aracaju. An increase in L. longipalpis frequency was observed during the rainy season. The peridomicile-intradomicile observations corroborate the importance of chicken sheds for the presence of L. longipalpis in the peridomestic environment. The great numbers of L. longipalpis inside the houses confirm the endophilic behaviour of this species and the possibility of visceral transmission in the intradomicile.

INTRODUÇÃO: Nos últimos anos, a leishmaniose visceral, um importante problema de saúde pública, vem apresentando expansão das áreas rurais para as urbanas de muitas regiões do Brasil, incluindo-se Aracaju, capital do Estado de Sergipe. No entanto, não existem estudos sobre a fauna de flebotomíneos presente nesse município ou de sua distribuição ao longo do ano. MÉTODOS: As coletas de flebotomíneos foram realizadas em uma área rural de Aracaju, capital do Estado de Sergipe no periodo de setembro de 2007 a julho de 2009. Armadilhas CDC modificadas acopladas com luz ultravioleta (UV) foram utilizadas para avaliar a distribuição mensal e a presença de flebotomíneos nos ambientes doméstico e peridoméstico. RESULTADOS: Lutzomyia longipalpis foi a espécie mais abundante (90,4%), seguida por Evandromyia lenti (9,6%). Os locais com as maiores quantidades de L. longipalpis (51,1%) foram um galinheiro e as casas mais próximas a ele. Houve uma correlação positiva entre a precipitação mensal e a abundância de L. longipalpis. CONCLUSÕES: Lutzomyia longipalpis é a espécie mais abundante e, provavelmente, o principal vetor do agente da leishmaniose visceral na área rural de Aracaju. Foi observado um aumento na frequência de L. longipalpis nos meses chuvosos. As coletas realizadas no ambiente externo e interno dos domicílios reforçam a relevância dos galinheiros para a presença de L. longipalpis no ambiente peridoméstico. O grande número de L. longipalpis dentro das casas confirma o comportamento endofílico dessa espécie e a possibilidade de transmissão intradomiciliar da leishmaniose visceral.