Reliability of a Low-Cost Assessment of Tibial Torsion and Transverse-Plane Posture of the Lower Limb and Pelvis Using a Smartphone Compass.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate intra- and interrater reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of clinical measures proposed to assess tibial torsion and the posture of the lower limbs and pelvis in the transverse plane. METHODS: Twenty-five able-bodied and asymptomatic participants (mean age 27 ± 4.03, 12 women) were assessed during relaxed standing with a compass application on a smartphone coupled to a caliper. Two trained examiners measured tibial torsion and angular postures of the pelvis, hip, femur, and tibia. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to investigate reliabilities, and MDCs were calculated. RESULTS: The results showed predominantly good-to-excellent reliability for the measures of the femur, hip, and tibia postures and tibial torsion (0.77 < ICC < 0.94), including some moderate-to-good reliability (0.65 < ICC < 0.75). The pelvic posture measure was predominantly moderate to good (0.55 < ICC < 0.86). MDCs have been reported (2.14°-7.86°) to assist clinicians in identifying postural changes that are within or outside the random measure variation. CONCLUSION: The use of a smartphone digital compass coupled to a caliper showed to be a reliable method to assess tibial torsion and transverse-plane postures of the lower limb and pelvis.

Modified atmosphere packaging for lamb meat: evaluation of gas composition in the extension of shelf life and consumer acceptance.

Convenience foods like chilled meat usually have a short shelf life. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) can be used together with refrigeration to retard meat degradation. This work evaluated the effect of MAP on the preservation and consumers acceptance of lamb meat. Lamb loins Longissimus lumborum were packed in five conditions: 15% O2 + 85% CO2 (O15), 30% O2 + 70% CO2 (O30), 45% O2 + 55% CO2 (O45), 60% O2 + 40% CO2 (O60), and Vacuum (control). Physicochemical, sensory, and microbiological analyses were carried out along 21 days of refrigerated (1 ± 1 °C) storage. Treatments O30, O45 and vacuum presented the lowest oxidation values: 0.60, 0.61 and 0.30 Malonaldehyde Kg-1 respectively. Treatment O45 showed the highest a* until the seventh day of storage (16.64). In the sensory preference ranking test, O30 and O45 received best scores in the first and second weeks of storage, respectively. Treatments O30 and O45 delivered products with lower microbial counts than the other ones. Considering a balance between consumer preference and microbiological results, we propose the use of 45% O2 + 55% CO2 gas composition to extend the shelf life of lamb loin.

Natural or Artificial? Multi-Analytical Study of a Scagliola from Estoi Palace Simulating Imperial Red Porphyry.

In this paper the characterization of a gypsum plaster sample from the end of the 19th century simulating imperial red porphyry using a multi-analytical approach is presented and discussed. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), physical and mechanical properties are summarized. In order to have further insight into the microstructure, polarized light microscopy (PLM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDS), and micro Raman spectroscopy analyzes were also made. They helped to clarify the main issues raised by the other complementary analytical techniques and allowed the establishment of interrelations between the different properties, providing important information about the materials, the skills, and the technological development involved in the art of imitating noble stones with gypsum pastes. This study also contributes to our knowledge concerning the preservation of these types of elements that are important in the context of European decorative arts and rarely reported in the literature.

Stability of lamb loin stored under refrigeration and packed in different modified atmosphere packaging systems.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) systems (vacuum, 75% O2+25% CO2 and 100% CO2) on the stability of lamb loins stored at 1±1°C for 28 days. Microbiological (counts of aerobic and anaerobic psychrotrophic microorganisms, coliform at 45°C, coagulase-positive staphylococci and lactic acid bacteria and presence of Salmonella), physical and chemical (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS], objective color, pH, water loss from cooking [WLC] and shear force), sensory (acceptance testing using a 9-point hedonic scale) and gas composition analyses were performed. Lamb meat remained stable with respect to the majority of the evaluated physical and chemical indexes and within the standards established by Brazilian legislation for pathogenic microorganisms throughout the storage period in all three packaging systems. However, with respect to psychrotrophic microorganisms, 100% CO2 packaging system provided increased stability despite presenting lower appearance preference.

[Violence and the media: the case of Brazil]. / Mídia e violência: um olhar sobre o Brasil.

The present paper discusses the sensationalization of violence by the media as a means to increase audience ratings, citing Brazilian cases, as well as the possible roles of the media in promoting or curtailing violence. The theme of violence permeates the patterning of and the various dimensions of society, with emphasis on the media. The debate surrounding this issue assumes that the means of communication, as producers of meaning, can contribute to transform behaviors and social habits based on an approach that values equality, citizenship, freedom, and the safety of individuals. By restricting the importance and emphasis on violence as a topic, the discourse of the media may contribute towards making cultures more egalitarian in their efforts to reduce violence rates.

Mídia e violência: um olhar sobre o Brasil / Violence and the media: the case of Brazil

O presente artigo discute a espetacularização e a utilizaçãoda violência pela mídia para captar audiência, citando casosbrasileiros, assim como os possíveis papéis da mídia no incentivoou redução da violência. O tema violência perpassaa configuração das sociedades e seus diversos elementos,dentre os quais a mídia se destaca. O debate considera que osmeios de comunicação, como produtores de sentido, podemcontribuir para a transformação de comportamentos e hábitossociais a partir de uma abordagem que valorize a igualdade,a cidadania, a liberdade e a segurança dos sujeitos. Aorestringir a importância e a ênfase ao assunto violência, odiscurso midiático pode contribuir para uma cultura maisequânime no sentido de promover a redução dos índices deviolência.

Estabilidade físico-química, microbiológica e sensorial de carne ovina embalada a vácuo estocada sob refrigeração / Physical and chemical stability microbiological and sensory analysis of vacuum packed sheep meat stored under refrigeration

A carne ovina é comercializada atualmente em sua quase totalidade na forma congelada, porém com a tendência atual de maior procura por produtos de conveniência, vislumbra-se a necessidade de o mercado começar a ofertar esta carne na forma de cortes refrigerados. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a estabilidade e segurança de lombo de cordeiro embalado a vácuo quando estocado sob refrigeração. A estabilidade foi avaliada por meio de análises físicas e químicas (oxidação lipídica, cor objetiva, valor de pH, composição centesimal, perda de água por cocção e textura instrumental), microbiológicas (contagem total de psicrotróficos anaeróbios, coliformes termotolerantes a 45°C, estafilococos coagulase positiva e presença de Salmonella) e sensorial (cor, aparência geral e aroma). A carne ovina apresentou-se estável durante o período de 28 dias com relação à maioria dos índices físicos e químicos avaliados e dentro dos padrões estabelecidos pela legislação brasileira para micro-organismos patogênicos. Durante o armazenamento, detectou-se um aumento elevado das contagens de micro-organismos psicrotróficos anaeróbios, atingindo valores da ordem de 10(7)UFC g-1 amostra já aos 14 dias, porém os consumidores não detectaram alterações sensoriais significativas durante todo o período. Conclui-se que a vida útil de lombo ovino armazenado a 4°C é de no mínimo 28 dias.

Lamb is commercialized today almost entirely in frozen form, but, considering the current trend to greater demand for convenience products, it becomes more evident the need of availability of chilled cuts of meat in the market. The objective of this study was to evaluate the stability and safety of lamb meat packed under vacuum when stored under refrigeration. The lamb meat samples were packed in high barrier multilayer plastic films and stored under refrigeration (4±1°C). The stability was evaluated by means of physical and chemical analysis (lipid oxidation, objective color, pH value, chemical composition, cooking losses and instrumental texture), microbiological analysis (total count of psychrotrophic anaerobic, coliform count at 45°C, coagulase-positive staphylococci and the presence of Salmonella) and sensory analysis (color, flavor and overall appearance). The vacuum packed lamb meat remained stable as to most physical and chemical indexes and microbiological indexes showed good stability throughout the 28 days of storage according to Brazilian legislation standards to pathogenic microorganisms. In relation to the stability evaluation of chilled sheep loin, it was detected a high increase of counts for psychrotrophic anaerobic microorganisms, reaching around 10(7)CFU g-1 sample at 14 days storage, but the pannelists did not detect significant sensory changes during all the period. It is concluded that the shelf life of sheep loin stored at 4°C, is at least, 28 days.

Determination of volatile organic compounds in recycled polyethylene terephthalate and high-density polyethylene by headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry to evaluate the efficiency of recycling processes.

A method for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in recycled polyethylene terephthalate and high-density polyethylene using headspace sampling by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry detection is presented. This method was used to evaluate the efficiency of cleaning processes for VOC removal from recycled PET. In addition, the method was also employed to evaluate the level of VOC contamination in multilayer packaging material containing recycled HDPE material. The optimisation of the extraction procedure for volatile compounds was performed and the best extraction conditions were found using a 75 µm carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane (CAR-PDMS) fibre for 20 min at 60 °C. The validation parameters for the established method were linear range, linearity, sensitivity, precision (repeatability), accuracy (recovery) and detection and quantification limits. The results indicated that the method could easily be used in quality control for the production of recycled PET and HDPE.

Testes para avaliação dos movimentos do ombro: confiabilidade e influência do número de repetições / Tests for assessing shoulder movements reliability and influence of the number of repetitions

O estudo visou investigar a confiabilidade intra e interexaminadores de quatro testes que avaliam os movimentos do complexo articular do ombro e a influência do número de repetições na confiabilidade dos testes...

This study aimed at investigating intrarater and interrater reliability of four clinical assessment test of movements of the shoulder articular complex, also investigating the influence of the number of repetitions on tests reliability...

Polymorphisms in the DBH and DRD2 gene regions and smoking behavior.

The DRD2 TaqI A and DBH-1021 C/T polymorphisms were genotyped in smoking alcoholics (N = 100), non-alcoholic smokers (N = 120) and nonsmoking controls (N = 112). Alcoholic and non-alcoholic smokers presented a higher frequency of the DRD2 TaqI A1 allele (P = 0.04) than non-smoking controls. Individuals who had at least one DBH-1021 T allele smoked fewer cigarettes per day than CC homozygotes (P = 0.03). These results are coherent with the expected effects of these polymorphisms on dopaminergic function.