State ofMinas Gerais Research Articles

COVID-Inconfidentes: how did COVID-19 and work from home influence the prevalence of leisure-time physical inactivity? An analysis of before and during the pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has brought drastic changes to the lives of the global population. The restrictions imposed by government agencies impacted the daily lives of citizens, influencing several health behaviors, such as physical activity (PA). Thus, the present study aimed to assess the prevalence of physical inactivity (PI) and its associated factors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA population-based household seroepidemiological survey was conducted in two Brazilian municipalities located in the state of Minas Gerais, in which 1750 volunteers were interviewed between October and December 2020. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire in an electronic format. The moments considered for the PI analysis were M0 (before the pandemic), M1 (from March to July 2020), and M2 (from October to December 2020). Descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine the factors associated with PI before (M0) and during the pandemic (M1 and M2).ResultsThe prevalence of PI was higher in the first months of the pandemic (M1) (67.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 62.4–71.9) than in the months from October to December 2020 (M2) (58.7%; 95% CI: 52.8–64.3); however, at both times (M1 and M2), PI was more prevalent than in the period before the pandemic started (M0) (39.7%; 95% CI: 35.6–43.8). Individuals who were overweight, obese, and had low educational levels were more likely to be physically inactive. At both M1 and M2, individuals who worked at a work from home were less likely to have PI.ConclusionsThe results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively influenced PA, substantially increasing the prevalence of PI. The determinants associated with PI were education, body mass index, and work from home.

From theatre to streets: the dynamics of shows in Ouro Preto, Brazil (1870-1900)

ABSTRACT Ouro Preto, a city known worldwide for its baroque architecture, had its status as the capital of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, threatened by republican ideals that aimed at progress and modernization, fighting colonial characteristics and values. Aiming to adjust and try to sustain its position, it implemented improvements with interventions from urban perimeter to habits. This paper examines how entertainments gained attention from local governments in the midst of modernization attempts, between 1870 and 1900. Documentary research was carried out at the Arquivo Público Municipal de Ouro Preto (Ouro Preto Municipal Public Archive), prioritizing municipal sources. Shows of varied natures, as dramatic, equestrian and bullfights, were held in different spaces, with those happening in closed places, especially in the theatre, being privileged regarding open shows, considered barbaric and uncivilized. Among the actions, there were even projects to build new theatres in the city. The shows were income providers for the Câmara Municipal (City Council), behaviour influencers, and thermometers of civility and local progress.

Occurrence of yellow fever outbreaks in a partially vaccinated population: An analysis of the effective reproduction number.

BackgroundYellow fever is endemic in Africa and the Americas, occurring in urban or sylvatic environments. The infection presents varying symptoms, with high case-fatality among severe cases. In 2016, Brazil had sylvatic yellow fever outbreaks with more than 11 thousand cases, predominantly affecting the country’s Southeast region. The state of Minas Gerais accounted for 30% of cases, even after the vaccine had been included in the immunization calendar for at least 30 years.Methodology and principal findingsWe applied parameters described in the literature from yellow fever disease into a compartmental model of vector-borne diseases, using namely generation time intervals, vital host and vector parameters, and force of infection, using macroregions as the spatial unit and epidemiological weeks as the time interval. The model permits obtaining the reproduction number, which we analyzed from reported cases of yellow fever from 2016 to 2018 in residents of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Minas Gerais recorded two outbreak periods, starting in EW 51/2016 and EW 51/2017. Of all the reported cases (3,304), 57% were men 30 to 59 years of age. Approximately 27% of cases (905) were confirmed, and 22% (202) of these individuals died. The estimated effective reproduction number varied from 2.7 (95% CI: 2.0–3.6) to 7.2 (95% CI: 4.4–10.9], found in the Oeste and Nordeste regions, respectively. Vaccination coverage in children under one year of age showed heterogeneity among the municipalities comprising the macroregions.ConclusionThe outbreaks in multiple parts of the state and the estimated Re values raise concern since the state population was partially vaccinated. Heterogeneity in vaccination coverage may have been associated with the occurrence of outbreaks in the first period, while the subsequent intense vaccination campaign may have determined lower Re values in the second period.

Evaluation of an automated temperature control equipment for lactating sows

The present study aimed to develop and evaluate an automated cooling control system (ATCE) for sows in the farrowing phase. The experiment was conducted at the Swine Production Unit, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology, Campus Machado, Machado, state of Minas Gerais. Sixteen sows and their offspring were evaluated, eight treated and eight controls, in a randomized block design, with eight replications. Surface temperature, body temperature and respiratory rate of the animals were evaluated, in addition to floor temperature and performance parameters. The use of ATCE decreased the floor temperature (12h) and neck temperature (12 and 16h) (p < 0.10). In addition, there was a reduction in rectal temperature (12h) and respiratory rate (12 and 16h) in ATCE animals (p < 0.10). No significant differences were detected in the coefficient of variation (CV) of birth weight, but at weaning the CV of piglet weight was 26.3% lower in animals subjected to the ATCE (p = 0.079). Furthermore, the difference in CV between birth and weaning was also lower with the use of ATCE (p = 0.015). It can be concluded that the use of ATCE has a positive influence on the thermal comfort of females, in addition to improving litter uniformity.

Mapping the mountainous climate in the Matas de Minas region, Brazil which influences the top-quality coffee beverages

All the characteristics of the mountainous environment directly influence the coffee crops, and subsequently, on the final coffee note, that reflects the quality of the beverage produced in a region. Despite increasing coffee research, little is known about the influence of the water indices, factors, and the elements of climate on top-quality coffee production potential. Thus, the present study was carried out aiming to analyze the water indices, causes, and aspects of clime, to identify those that most contribute to the potential production of high-quality Arabica coffee beverages in a mountain environment. We considered harvesting the coffee fruits at the cherry stage in 26 municipalities in the Matas de Minas region in the Atlantic Forest Biome in the eastern state of Minas Gerais, and the International Cup of Excellence method was adopted for the sensory evaluation. The principal components analysis and the multiple linear regression (MLR) were used to relate the local environmental variables with the final grade of the coffee beverage. As a result, the Multiple Linear Regression model showed the value of 0.63 for R2. This result means that the joint variability of all the variables considered explained 63% of the changes in coffee beverage quality. And the altitude impact on the grade achieved for the coffee beverage produced in the Matas de Minas region, represented by β, was 0.008068, meaning that for every 100 meters of increase in the altitude, there is an approximate increment of 0.8 points in the final note achieved for the coffee beverage. Among all the environmental characteristics studied, the climatic factor altitude was the main contributor to the coffee top-quality production potential in the Matas de Minas region.

Prevalence of people with sickle cell disease and leg ulcers in Brazil: Socioeconomic and clinical overview.

ObjectiveTo identify the prevalence of people with leg ulcers resulting from sickle cell disease, as well as to describe the clinical, social, economic, and demographic conditions of these people.MethodDescriptive study, carried out at the Minas Gerais Hematology and Hemotherapy Center Foundation. The study population consisted of individuals over the age of 18 with a diagnosis of sickle cell disease in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data collection was performed from August 2019 to April 2020 through interviews. For the prevalence calculation, a census was taken of 5,379 people over the age of 18 with sickle cell disease, 77 of whom had active leg ulcers. Descriptive data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 20.0, Chicago, IL, USA).ResultsThe prevalence of people with leg ulcers in Minas Gerais, Brazil was 1.4%. Of the 72 respondents, the average age was 39 years (range 18–64 years), 41.7% were single, 48.6% said they were black, 84.7% lived in their own house, 38.9% were retired, 61.1% had an income of one minimum wage. The median years of education was 10.5, 50% cited the church as a place for leisure activities, 79.2% denied smoking. Regarding pain, the median score was 3, the median baseline hemoglobin was 7.7 g/dL, and 91.7% had the HbSS genotype. The median age of the first ulcer was 18 years, 77.8% of active ulcers were recurrent, and 59.7% had only one active ulcer. The median time of existence of the ulcer was 3 years. The ulcer prevented 80.6% of people from doing some activity. Prejudice was experienced by 48.6% of the participants.ConclusionThe estimated prevalence of leg ulcers was lower than what it reported in the literature, however, the recurrence and the duration of ulcers were high. These findings bring reflection about the assistance to people with leg ulcer.

Final instar larva of Neocordulia volxemi (Selys, 1874) (Odonata, Libelluloidea) from southeastern Brazil

Neocordulia is a Neotropical genus with 16 species distributed in the South and Central Americas. To date, only seven larvae of this genus have been described. Here we describe the final instar larva of Neocordulia volxemi (Selys, 1874), collected in the Environmental Protection Area of the Uberaba River Basin in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The metallic–green adults were found flying in a forested area in a Conservation Unit, while the larvae were found in a waterfall and surrounding rocky walls. The Cerrado remnant area is currently threatened by degraded pastures and increasing areas of monoculture agriculture.

Social wasps (Vespidae, Polistinae) in a Cerrado agrosystem in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil

The survey and identification of social wasps, mainly in predominantly agricultural environments, is the first step to identify the ideal species to be used in biological pest control programs. The present work aims to inventory the social wasp fauna in an agrosystem in the Cerrado, Minas Gerais and identify species with potential to be used in biological control. Through active search, 478 wasps of 8 genera and 17 species were collected. The dominance of some species such as Protopolybia sedula, Polybia ignobilis, Polybia paulista, Polybia fastidiosuscula and Polybia occidentalis reinforces the importance of these species in agricultural environments and their potential use in biological pest control. In addition, this work confirms that some species of social wasps benefit from the anthropized environment, such as Polistes versicolor, which uses human constructions for nesting.

Performance of a pharmaceutical services regionalization strategy policy in Minas Gerais, Brazil: Pre-post analysis from ERAF project

Background: In 2016, the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais (∼20 million people), implemented the ERAF policy (“Regionalization Strategy of Pharmaceutical Services”) in an effort to improve medicine procurement and distribution within primary care. We evaluated the impact of the policy on three main goals: price reductions, volume increases, and expansion of therapeutic options. Methods: We analyzed the procurement data from the Integrated System of Management of Pharmaceutical Services database in 2012 and 2018. We estimated the volume, drug mix, and expenditure indicators for all major therapeutic classes, and, in detail, for cardiovascular and nervous system drugs. We evaluated the expenditure drivers using decomposition analyses. Results: Overall, the expenditure increased by 14.5%, drug mix almost doubled, while the volume decreased by a third. Cardiovascular and neurological system drugs followed similar patterns. Decomposition analyses showed that prices and drug mix had positive effects while the volume had negative effects, resulting in an overall increase in expenditure. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the ERAF policy cannot be considered effective as it has not fulfilled its intended purposes so far. Strategies to address the identified problems and to build a platform for a more sustainable long-lasting policy should be put in place by the government.

Associação entre segregação residencial racial e mortalidade por homicídio nos municípios de Minas Gerais, Brasil

Abstract This article aims to evaluate the association between racial residential segregation and homicide mortality in the state of Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. We conducted an ecological study in which the units of analysis were municipalities in MG. The outcome was homicide deaths between 2008 and 2012 and the exposure variable was residential segregation measured using the racial interaction index, calculated using data from the 2010 Demographic Census. The covariables were per capita family income and the Gini index. The variables were presented in tables and thematic maps and associations were measured using Bayesian hierarchical models. The results of the model adjusted for per capita family income showed a negative association between the racial interaction index and homicide mortality (coefficient=-1.787; 95%CI=-2.459; -1.119). Homicide mortality was lower in municipalities with higher levels of racial interaction.

Association between racial residential segregation and homicide mortality in municipalities in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

This article aims to evaluate the association between racial residential segregation and homicide mortality in the state of Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. We conducted an ecological study in which the units of analysis were municipalities in MG. The outcome was homicide deaths between 2008 and 2012 and the exposure variable was residential segregation measured using the racial interaction index, calculated using data from the 2010 Demographic Census. The covariables were per capita family income and the Gini index. The variables were presented in tables and thematic maps and associations were measured using Bayesian hierarchical models. The results of the model adjusted for per capita family income showed a negative association between the racial interaction index and homicide mortality (coefficient=-1.787; 95%CI=-2.459; -1.119). Homicide mortality was lower in municipalities with higher levels of racial interaction.

Vaccination coverage in children under one year of age in Minas Gerais state, Brazil

The scope of this article is to analyze vaccination coverage rates in children under one year of age during the period from 2015 to 2020 in the state of Minas Gerais (MG). It involved an ecological, time-series study on vaccination coverage in children under 1 year of age, considering the 28 Regional Health Management/Superintendencies (GRS/SRS) of MG as the unit of analysis. The following immunobiological vaccine coverage was analyzed: Bacillus Calmette and Guérin, human rotavirus, pneumococcal 10, pentavalent, meningococcus C, yellow fever, and polio vaccines. The Prais-Winsten autoregressive model was employed for trend analysis. The year 2020 stands out, as it presented the lowest proportion of GRS and SRS that reached the recommended vaccine coverage goals for the immunobiologicals analyzed. Regarding the analysis of the coverage trend, 8 of the 28 GRS/SRS showed a decreasing trend for at least 5 of the 7 immunobiologicals evaluated. We observed a downward trend in the vaccination coverage of at least five immunobiologicals in eight of the GRS/SRS, with emphasis on the Pentavalent vaccine, which showed a downward trend in vaccination coverage in 60.71% of the GRS and SRS.

Deep Tillage Strategies in Perennial Crop Installation: Structural Changes in Contrasting Soil Classes.

Tillage modifies soil structure, which can be demonstrated by changes in the soil’s physical properties, such as penetration resistance (PR) and soil electrical resistivity (ρ). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of deep tillage strategies on three morphogenetically contrasting soil classes in the establishment of perennial crops regarding geophysical and physical-hydric properties. The experiment was conducted in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. The tillage practices were evaluated in Typic Dystrustept, Rhodic Hapludult, and Rhodic Hapludox soil classes, and are described as follows: MT—plant hole; CT—furrow; SB—subsoiler; DT—rotary hoe tiller; and DT + calcium (Ca) (additional liming). Analyses of PR and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) were performed during the growing season and measurements were measured in plant rows of each experimental plot. Undisturbed soil samples were collected for analysis of soil bulk density (Bd) at three soil depths (0–0.20, 0.20–0.40, and 0.40–0.60 m) with morphological evaluation of soil structure (VESS). Tukey’s test (p < 0.05) for Bd and VESS and Pearson linear correlation analysis between Bd, ρ, and PR were performed. Soil class and its intrinsic attributes have an influence on the effect of tillage. The greatest effect on soil structure occurred in the treatments DT and DT + Ca that mixed the soil to a depth of 0.60 m. The ρ showed a positive correlation with Bd and with PR, highlighting that ERT may detect changes caused by cultivation practices, although ERT lacks the accuracy of PR. The soil response to different tillage systems and their effects on soil structure were found to be dependent on the soil class.

Loss of UHT milk quality: changes in compositional and physicochemical parameters triggered by different storage conditions

The objective of this study was to evaluate some compositional and physicochemical changes that occur during UHT (Ultra-high temperature) milk storage for up to four months. A total of 120 samples of UHT milk were collected from two dairy plants in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and stored under two temperatures (20°C and 30°C) during five periods (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days). The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 2x2x5 factorial arrangement, with six replicates per treatment (six batches). Evaluated parameters included fat, total protein, casein, lactose, total solids, solids nonfat (SNF) and milk urea nitrogen (MUN) contents, as well as acidity, density, freezing point and indexes of lipolysis and caseinomacropeptide (CMP). When compared to the Brazilian requirements for UHT milk, the mean values ​​for acidity, fat and SNF contents were in accordance with the standards ​​until the last day of storage. The other parameters are still not covered by the specific UHT milk legislation in Brazil. There was no change of relative density and lactose content also remained constant, except for a decrease at the fourth month. A significant increase, over storage time, in acidity, MUN, lipolysis and CMP indexes occurred. On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in SNF and protein contents. The results showed that there was a gradual loss of quality during UHT milk storage, aggravated by the rise in temperature. These findings demonstrate that UHT milk legislation could be improved by adding parameters such as lipolysis and CMP indexes.

Neurostigma Enderlein, 1900 (Psocodea, ‘Psocoptera’, Epipsocidae): a new species of Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, and new records for Brazil

A new species of Neurostigma, collected in an area of Atlantic Rainforest, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, is described and illustrated, namely: Neurostigma atlanticum sp. nov. The first record of Neurostigma garcialdretei Mendivil-Nieto, Gonzalez-Obando &amp; Carrejo-Gironza, 2020, from Brazil was made.

Retrospective Genomic Surveillance of Chikungunya Transmission in Minas Gerais State, Southeast Brazil.

ABSTRACTBrazil accounted for a total number of 1,276,194 reported cases of chikungunya fever between 2014 and 2022. Additionally, since 2015, the country has experienced an increasing death toll, in which the Northeast and Southeast regions appear to report the worst scenarios. Although the CHIKV transmission dynamics have been studied in many parts of the country since its introduction in 2014, little is still known about chikungunya virus (CHIKV) transmission and genetic diversity in the state of Minas Gerais, located in southeast Brazil. Moreover, no studies have been published characterizing CHIKV genomic surveillance in this state. Thus, to retrospectively explore the CHIKV epidemic in Minas Gerais, we generated 40 genomes from clinical samples using Nanopore sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that multiple introductions of CHIKV occurred, likely from the northeastern Brazilian states, with the most recent common ancestral strain dating to early March 2016, which is in agreement with local epidemiological reports. Additionally, epidemiological data reveals a decline in the number of reported cases from 2017 to 2021, indicating that population immunity or changes in vector activity may have contributed to the decreasing waves of CHIKV infection. Together, our results shed light on the dispersion dynamics of CHIKV and show that infections decreased from March 2017 to January 2021 despite multiple introductions into Minas Gerais State. In conclusion, our study highlights the importance of combining genomic and epidemiological data in order to assist public health laboratories in monitoring and understanding the patterns and diversity of mosquito-borne viral epidemics.IMPORTANCE Arbovirus infections in Brazil, including chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, and Zika, result in considerable morbidity and mortality and are pressing public health concerns. However, our understanding of these outbreaks is hampered by the limited availability of genomic data. In this study, we combine epidemiological analysis and portable genome sequencing to retrospectively describe the CHIKV epidemic in Minas Gerais between 2017 and 2021. Our results indicate that the East/Central/South African (ECSA) CHIKV lineage was introduced into Minas Gerais by three distinct events, likely from the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. Our study provides an understanding of how CHIKV initiates transmission in the region and illustrates that genomics in the field can augment traditional approaches to infectious disease surveillance and control.

Distinguishing the milk microbiota of healthy goats and goats diagnosed with subclinical mastitis, clinical mastitis, and gangrenous mastitis.

Mastitis, mainly caused by bacterial intramammary infections, is the main problem in the breeding of dairy animals. The inflammations of the mammary gland is separated by types of mastitis, being subclinical, clinical, and the most severe, gangrenous mastitis. Here, we used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to characterize the bacterial microbiota of goat milk in the different types of goat mastitis caused by bacteria. We used 72 goat milk samples from a region of the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, of which 12 were from clinically healthy animals, 42 from animals diagnosed with subclinical mastitis, 16 from animals with clinical mastitis, and 2 from animals with gangrenous mastitis. The group related to gangrenous mastitis was the most divergent in terms of alpha and beta diversity. The most abundant genus among samples of the groups was Staphylococcus spp., and we found a high abundance of Mycoplasma sp. in the milk of animals diagnosed with clinical mastitis. The most statistically relevant microorganisms among the groups were Prevotella sp., Ruminococcaceae, Prevotella ruminicola sp., and Providencia sp. We highlight a new association of bacterial agents in gangrenous mastitis among Escherichia sp./Shigella sp. and Enterococcus sp. and provide the second report of the genus Alkalibacterium sp., in milk samples. Only the taxa Staphylococcus sp., Bacteroides sp., Enterococcus, and Brevidabacterium sp., were present in all groups. The superpathway of L-tryptophan biosynthesis metabolites and the sucrose degradation III (sucrose invertase) pathway were the most prominent ones among the groups. In this study, we demonstrate how a rich microbiota of goat milk from healthy animals can be altered during the aggravation of different types of mastitis, in addition to demonstrating new bacterial genera in milk not previously detected in other studies as well as new associations between agents.

Karstic Limestone Outcrops Harbor High Bat Diversity in a Deeply Anthropized Landscape in Southeastern Brazil

The availability of shelter in karst areas affects the richness, abundance, and assemblage composition of bat species and may play an important role in movement dynamics, activity patterns, and foraging behavior. Our work in the midwestern region in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil, showed a high richness of the bat fauna, given the anthropic impact caused by mineral exploration and agricultural activities, thus leaving vegetation islands over karst areas in a vast anthropized matrix. Sampling at 12 sites resulted in 1,444 captures of bats, representing 30 species. Our beta diversity partitioning analyses indicated a pattern of turnover, i.e. species replacement, suggesting that these vegetation fragments may function as ecological springboards or stopping points.

Determination of In-door Air Quality by Estimating Microbiological Load from the Ambient Air among Basic Health Units in the City of Januaria, Brazil - A Cross Sectional Study

Aims: Poor air quality can compromise the health and recovery of patients and even compromise the quality of life and productivity of health professionals, affecting the speed of recovery of patients and allowing the occurrence of nosocomial infections. The present work evaluated the microbiological quality of ambient air in Basic Health Units (BHU), determining the degree of microbiological safety for the population served.&#x0D; Study Design: This study was conducted with triplicate evaluation of samples of ambient air.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in the city of Januária, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, between March 2016 and July 2016.&#x0D; Methodology: Environmental air samples were collected in five BHU in the urban area of the city, evaluating the contamination by aerophilic mesophilic microorganisms, enterobacteria, molds and yeasts, using the simple sedimentation technique in a Petri dish.&#x0D; Results: It was verified the presence of mesophilic aerobic bacteria and molds and yeasts in amounts higher than the recommendation used as a parameter for this study, indicating that the hygienic-sanitary conditions in the evaluated BHU are not adequate.&#x0D; Conclusion: The presence of Enterobacteriaceae in some evaluated sites suggests the possibility of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms, which may pose risks to the health of the population.

Avaliação da eficiência de reatores anaeróbios na remoção de poluentes em efluentes do processamento de pescado

ABSTRACT The objective of the present work was to evaluate the performance of a compartmentalized anaerobic reactor (CAR) followed by anaerobic filter in real scale, effluent treatment from fish fridge processing. The work was developed in a fish fridge located in the south of the state of Minas Gerais, which has an effluent treatment plant composed of static screen, grease removal device, CAR reactor and anaerobic filter. The monitoring happened trough physical-chemical parameters of fluids and effluents from all sampling points of the plant biweekly. The parameters evaluated were temperature, pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), volatile suspended solids (VSS), volatile fatty acids (VFA) and alkalinity. Operational problems found in the primary treatment were not limiting for the system performance, which managed to meet the parameters of environmental legislation in Minas Gerais according to the efficiency of removal of COD, BOD and VSS from wastewater from fish processing.