Variations in the metabolite compositions can be explained by genetic or environmental factors. However, natural processes such as growth, dispersion, reproduction, evolution, predator- prey relationship, herbivory among others, can influence the spatial distribution of metabolites (geographic coordinates). These spatial characteristics are generally neglected, despite the importance of space in chemical-ecological processes. These factors affecting the plants derived products which may have potential chemical characteristics. Previous studies indicated a strong environmental influence on phenolic contents, while essential oils mainly reflected a genetic influence on jabuticaba. This work investigated the influence of mineral nutrients from soils, seeds and fruit peels of jabuticaba, important for the sensorial properties of wine and other products of the jabuticaba productive chain. The fruits were collected in five soil types of Jaboticabal Farm, in Nova Fatima/GO. Seeds and fruit peels were analyzed for primary metabolites, phenolic contents, and mineral nutrients, in addition to soil texture and nutrients. The results indicated that metabolites are more adequately explained when analyzed separately for seeds and peels, which reflects marked differences in the quality and metabolites contents in the fruit parts. Among the mineral nutrients the Mn 2+ was important for both soil and fruit parts, while Cu 2+ and phosphorus had different influences in the seeds and fruit peels metabolites, respectively. The nutritional parameters were the most important in explaining the metabolite variability in the seeds, while for the peels, the minerals related to the cultivated soils presented greater influence. In both cases, each type of sample led to the formation of three clusters, but with differences according to the soil origin of the fruits. A higher variation in metabolite content was observed in fruit peels (77%) when compared to seed samples (47%). Tannins (0.69 g/100 g dry fruit), anthocyanins (0.54) and total phenols (2.91), as well as pedunculagin (0.04) were the most metabolites in sandy soils (average value of sand, 490 g/kg) with low levels of nutrients, while seeds from soils with higher pH and higher levels of de P (4,6 mg/dm 3 ), Ca 2+ (1,7 cmol c /dm 3 ), Mg 2+ (0,4 cmol c /dm 3 ), Fe 3+ (215,4 mg/dm 3 ), Mn 2+ (37,0 mg/dm 3 ) and Zn 2+ (1,4 mg/dm 3 ) showed high contents (g/100 g dry fruit) of ellagic acid (0.09), vescalagin (2.9), and castalagin (2.4). Thus, fruits produced in the poorer sandy soils proved to be suitable for the wines and juices production because they contain valued sensorial properties as high pigment (anthocyanins), total phenols and tannins in the peels, while the fruit seeds cultivated in sandy-loamy soils rich in nutrients are indicated as raw material for the pharmaceutical or food industry as a source of functional ingredients according to highest levels of vescalagin and castalagin. These results show that the distribution pattern of the fruit metabolites can change drastically according to the organ or tissue involved (seeds and peels), as well as the soil cultivation type. Spatial influence was also important in predicting the content and metabolite variability, explaining approximately 16% of pure influence and 45% when superimposed on other explaining effects of the chemical variability. This chemical divergence between the sampling sites is correlated with the geographical distance for the fruit’s seeds, suggesting different ecotypes. Thus, the rural agroindustries should concentrate efforts on the local cultivation conditions and nutritional characteristics of the jabuticabeiras for a better chemical quality of products derived from jabuticaba.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive and irreversible disease that affects a large number of dogs. Considering the importance of this disease, it was aimed to perform a multivariate statistical analysis of the results of clinical evaluations and laboratory tests of 142 dogs at different stages of the disease to establish a new way to evaluate these data. The results showed a high relation between the ocurrance of diseases within the last two years and the onset of CKD. The disease’s main clinical signs were polyuria, polydipsia, vomiting and diarrhea. Phosphorus, urea and creatinine showed a high positive correlation and they showed a high negative correlation with calcium. Albumin and globulins showed a strong negative correlation. There was a strong negative correlation between proteinuria and urinary density. Metabolic acidosis was an important abnormality present on IRIS 3 stage onwards. Serum proteinograms with polyacrylamide gel containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS-PAGE) were used to evaluate the acute phase proteins (APPs) of 63 dogs with CKD at different stages and at different times. With the results it was concluded that haptoglobin and the APP with molecular weight of 23kDa are positive APPs in CKD, not differentiating between the different stages of the disease. α-1 antitripsin behaves as a negative APP and differentiates the most severe stage, IRIS 4, and can be used as an indicator of prognosis in CKD in dogs. The heavy chain IgG is a positive APP, presenting gradual elevation and higher values in IRIS 3.

Two experiments were conducted in the experimental area of the Universidade Federal de Goiás for assessing the genetic divergence among 21 genotypes of turmeric cultivation in two years (EI) and 33 genotypes in cultivation of one year (EII) based on multivariate analyses, order to select divergent genotypes and find out the Mara Rosa producers use the same genotype. The accessions came from Goiás, Minas Gerais and São Paulo. The experiments were conducted in the 2001/2003 period (EI) and 2003/2004 (EII) using a randomized block design with four replications. The assessment of EI was based on production descriptors as total wet weight of rhizomes, dry weight and content of curcumin. The assessment of EII was based on shoot descriptors as tiller number, leaf number, leaf area, height and also production descriptors. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared by the Scott-Knott test at 1% and 5% probability. We used the Mahalanobis distance as the dissimilarity measure, and for groups delineation the method of Tocher. All analyzes were performed using the program GENES. In the analyzes it can be concluded that Mara Rosa farmers did not use the same genotype and there is variability in the selection of genotypes. The evaluated characteristics are strongly correlated, which justifies the use of measures of dissimilarities using the Mahalanobis distance. Multivariate techniques were effective for the study of genetic diversity and separated the accessions into groups. Methods of estimation of genetic diversity in turmeric accessions were equivalent. Curcumin content and dry weight were descriptors that contributed to divergence in EI. In EII were plants number and tillers number. It was found the increase in curcumin levels of after two years of cultivation. By Mahalanobis distances could be indicated the five most productive genotypes for breeding program and divergence genetic analysis showed the genotypes more indicated for hybridizations.

Medicina veterinária é uma das atividades mais antigas da história humana. O desenvolvimento de novos métodos em ciência veterinária é de grande urgência devido a sua importância em garantir o bem-estar animal, o qual é determinante para a economia global, principalmente em relação aos animais de pecuária. Sendo assim, o desenvolvimento de métodos que permitam uma análise de uma maneira rápida, efetiva, de grande acurácia, indolor e não-invasiva é extremamente importante. Nesta dissertação, um método é apresentado – aqui chamado por cerumenolômica- empregando os metabólitos orgânicos voláteis (MOVs) exalados pelo cerúmen (cera de ouvido) como um potencial biofluido que pode ser útil em ciência veterinária para aplicação em pesquisa em animais de pecuária. Amostras de cerúmen de raças brasileiras de bovinos e ovelhas foram coletadas na Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade Federal de Goiás (EVZ-UFG) e foram analisadas em um Cromatógrafo a Gás acoplado a um Espectrômetro de Massas por injeção de amostra via Headspace (CG-EM/HS) e, por fim, os dados dos cromatogramas foram submetidos à ferramentas de estatística multivariada. A cerumenolômica permitiu a identificação de 133 MOVs das classes orgânicas polares e apolares como os compostos emitidos por esses animais quando eles se encontram saudáveis. Além disso, com o objetivo de demostrar e testar a eficiência da análise, a cerumenolômica foi aplicada para o diagnóstico de intoxicação bovina por Stryphnodendron spp., uma árvore comum no Pantanal e no Cerrado brasileiro. A cerumenolômica demostrou alta eficiência na descriminação das amostras intoxicadas e não intoxicadas usando dois biomarcadores: 9-Tetradecen-1-ol e 2-Octildecanol. Em resumo, o método cerumenolômico descrito aqui surge como uma ferramenta em potencial para ser aplicado em medicina veterinária.

O propósito desta Tese foi detectar e caracterizar áreas sob alto risco para leishmaniose visceral (LV) e descrever os padrões de ocorrência e difusão da doença, entre os anos de 1993 a 1996 e 2001 a 2006, em Teresina, Piauí, por meio de métodos estatísticos para análise de dados espaciais, sistemas de informações geográficas e imagens de sensoriamento remoto. Os resultados deste estudo são apresentados na forma de três manuscritos. O primeiro usou análise de dados espaciais para identificar as áreas com maior risco de LV na área urbana de Teresina entre 2001 e 2006. Os resultados utilizando razão de kernels demonstraram que as regiões periféricas da cidade foram mais fortemente afetadas ao longo do período analisado. A análise com indicadores locais de autocorrelação espacial mostrou que, no início do período de estudo, os agregados de alta incidência de LV localizavam-se principalmente na região sul e nordeste da cidade, mas nos anos seguintes os eles apareceram também na região norte da cidade, sugerindo que o padrão de ocorrência de LV não é estático e a doença pode se espalhar ocasionalmente para outras áreas do município. O segundo estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar e predizer territórios de alto risco para ocorrência da LV em Teresina, com base em indicadores socioeconômicos e dados ambientais, obtidos por sensoriamento remoto. Os resultados da classificação orientada a objeto apontam a expansão da área urbana para a periferia da cidade, onde antes havia maior cobertura de vegetação. O modelo desenvolvido foi capaz de discriminar 15 conjuntos de setores censitário (SC) com diferentes probabilidades de conterem SC com alto risco de ocorrência de LV. O subconjunto com maior probabilidade de conter SC com alto risco de LV (92%) englobou SC com percentual de chefes de família alfabetizados menor que a mediana (≤64,2%), com maior área coberta por vegetação densa, com percentual de até 3 moradores por domicílio acima do terceiro quartil (>31,6%). O modelo apresentou, respectivamente, na amostra de treinamento e validação, sensibilidade de 79% e 54%, especificidade de 74% e 71%, acurácia global de 75% e 67% e área sob a curva ROC de 83% e 66%. O terceiro manuscrito teve como objetivo avaliar a aplicabilidade da estratégia de classificação orientada a objeto na busca de possíveis indicadores de cobertura do solo relacionados com a ocorrência da LV em meio urbano. Os índices de acurácia foram altos em ambas as imagens (>90%). Na correlação da incidência da LV com os indicadores ambientais verificou-se correlações positivas com os indicadores Vegetação densa, Vegetação rasteira e Solo exposto e negativa com os indicadores Água, Urbana densa e Urbana verde, todos estatisticamente significantes. Os resultados desta tese revelam que a ocorrência da LV na periferia de Teresina está intensamente relacionada às condições socioeconômicas inadequadas e transformações ambientais decorrentes do processo de expansão urbana, favorecendo a ocorrência do vetor (Lutzomyia longipalpis) nestas regiões.

Neste trabalho, é proposta uma nova família de métodos a ser aplicada à otimização de problemas multimodais. Nestas técnicas, primeiramente são geradas soluções iniciais com o intuito de explorar o espaço de busca. Em seguida, com a finalidade de encontrar mais de um ótimo, estas soluções são agrupadas em subespaços utilizando um algoritmo de clusterização nebulosa. Finalmente, são feitas buscas locais através de métodos determinísticos de otimização dentro de cada subespaço gerado na fase anterior com a finalidade de encontrar-se o ótimo local. A família de métodos é formada por seis variantes, combinando três esquemas de inicialização das soluções na primeira fase e dois algoritmos de busca local na terceira. A fim de que esta nova família de métodos possa ser avaliada, seus constituintes são comparados com outras metodologias utilizando problemas da literatura e os resultados alcançados são promissores.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the type of newborn feeding in public and private institutions and to investigate its relationship with health practices during delivery and in the puerperium and sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: Three hundred and forty-seven representative binomials mother - child of births that occurred in public and private maternity wards in the city of Cordoba, Argentina, were studied. Mothers were interviewed between 24 to 48 hours after delivery. By means of logistic regression analysis the association between health care practices and the type of newborn feeding in public and private institutions was studied, controlling for the effect of sociodemographic and perinatal factors. Statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression, odds ratio, and 95%CI. RESULTS: Of the total, 60.4% newborns in public institutions and 2.9% in private institutions were exclusively breastfed. In the public institutions, the risk of partial breastfeeding in the immediate postpartum was significantly higher in children who were not initially fed with mother's milk [odds ratio (OR)=149; confidence interval (CI): 95%: 16.7-1332], the first mother-child contact was delayed for more than 45 minutes (OR:4.43; IC 95%: 1.02-19.20) and mother's intention was to breastfeed her child for less than 6 months (OR: 5.80; IC: 95% 1.32-25.52); and in private institutions when children were not initially fed with mother's milk (OR: 9.88; IC 95%: 1.07-91.15). CONCLUSIONS: Labor and postpartum care does not comply with the current recommendations and it affects the type of feeding regardless of other factors studied.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the scenarios of typical occupational injuries in lumber industry. METHODS: All occupational injuries reported to a INSS (National Institute of Social Security) center in Lages, SC, Brazil from January 1997 to January 1999 were identified. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out and 254 injury report forms were analyzed. Multivariate analysis was conducted using Factorial Analysis of Correspondence (FAC), Hierarchical Ascendant Classification (HAC) and Partition to identify the scenarios of typical occupational injuries. RESULTS: There were identified five scenarios of occupational injuries: 1) workers' falls (40 reports); 2) overexertion in lifting or pushing objects (5 reports); 3) objects or machine parts falling or being ejected from running machines (76 reports); 4) crushing of soft tissue body parts (56 reports); and 5) body contact with running saw machines (77 reports). CONCLUSIONS: Multivariate analysis allowed describing the most typical injuries related to specific types of accidents, and provided a better understanding of the circumstances for their occurrence.

With the purpose of enabling the analysis by digital methods of particles of multisource pharmaceutical raw materials, this study analyzed different crystal habits of ampicillin particles, by grouping the external shapes obtained from 3 different solvents (acetonitrile, ethanol, and methanol), thereby reducing the number of descriptors necessary to adequately represent each shape. For this purpose, a selection of morphological descriptors was used including: circularity, roughness, roundness, compactness, aspect ratio, effective diameter, solidity, convexity, fractal dimension, and 10 Complex Fourier descriptors. These measures cover highly diverse morphological properties and define the crystal habit of a particle. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the Cluster Analysis (CA) were the grouping techniques used, which demonstrated the possibility of using between 2 and 4 descriptors instead of the 18 proposed initially.