Paulista registry of glomerulonephritis: 5-year data report

Background. The Paulista Registry of Glomerulopathies was created in May 1999 and comprises several centres of São Paulo, the most populous Brazilian State, that concentrates people from all regions of the country who look for health care.Methods. This report includes data from 2086 patients from Brazil submitted to renal biopsy due to the presumed diagnosis of glomerular diseases, registered prospectively since May 1999 until January 2005. Data were collected by the integrants of the 11 centres involved, utilizing a standardized questionnaire.Results. The mean age of the patients was 34.5 +/- 14.6 years. Primary glomerular diseases were more frequent in males (55.1%) than in females; on the other hand, secondary glomerular diseases were more frequent in females (71.8%). The most common clinical presentation was nephrotic syndrome and the frequency of hypertension, at this time, was 55.5%. There was a predominance of indication of biopsies in the third, fourth and fifth decades of life. The most common primary glomerular diseases were focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (29.7%), followed by membranous nephropathy (20.7%), IgA nephropathy (17.8%), minimal change disease (9.1%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (7%), crescentic glomerulonephritis (4.1%), advanced chronic glomerulopathy (4%), non-IgA mesangial glomerulonephritis (3.8%), diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (2.5%), focal segmental proliferative glomerulonephritis (1%) and others (0.3%). The most frequent secondary glomerular disease was lupus nephritis, corresponding to 66.2% of the cases, followed by post-infectious glomerulonephritis (12.5%), diabetic nephropathy (6.2%), diseases associated to paraproteinaemia (4.9%), hereditary diseases (4.6%), vasculitis (3.2%), malignancies (0.9.%), secondary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (0.6%) and others (0.9%).Conclusion. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis was the most frequent primary glomerular disease, followed by membranous nephropathy and IgA nephropathy. Lupus nephritis predominated over all the other secondary glomerular diseases.

Effect of commercial mouthwashes on the corrosion resistance of Ti-10Mo experimental alloy

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of three commercial mouthwashes on the corrosion resistance of Ti-10Mo experimental alloy. Experiments were made at 37.0 +/- 0.5 degrees C in a conventional three-compartment double wall glass cell containing commercial mouthwashes. Three mouthwashes with different active ingredients were tested: ( I) 0.05% sodium fluoride + 0.03% triclosan; (II) 0.5 g/l cetylpyridinium chloride + 0.05% sodium fluoride; (III) 0.12% chlorohexidine digluconate. The assessment of the individual effect of active ingredients was studied by using 0.05% sodium fluoride. Commercially pure titanium (CP Ti) was used as control. Microstructures from Ti-10Mo experimental alloy and CP Ti were also evaluated using optical microscopy. Ti-10Mo as-cast alloy shows the typical rapidly cooled dendrites microstructure (beta phase) while CP Ti has exhibited a metastable martensitic microstructure. Electrochemical behavior of dental materials here studied was more affected by mouthwash type than by Ti alloy composition or microstructure. In both alloys passivation phenomenon was observed. This process may be mainly related to Ti oxides or other Ti species present in spontaneously formed film. Small differences in passive current densities values may be connected with changes in film porosity and thickness. Protective characteristics of this passive film are lower in 0.05% sodium fluoride + 0.03% triclosan mouthwash than in the other two mouthwashes tested.

Influence of ionic interactions on the photoinduced Birefringence of poly[1-[4-(3-carboxy-4 hydroxyphenylazo) benzene sulfonamido]-1 2-ethanediyl, sodium salt] films

Electrostatic interactions govern most properties of polyelectrolyte films, as in the photoinduced bire-fringence of azo-containing polymers. In this paper we report a systematic investigation of optical storage characteristics of cast and layer-by-layer (LbL) films of poly[1 -[4-(3-carboxy-4 hydroxypheny-lazo) benzene sulfonamido]-1,2-ethanediyl, sodium salt] (PAZO). Birefringence was photoinduced faster in PAZO cast films prepared at high pHs, with the characteristic writing times decreasing almost linearly with the pH in the range between 4 and 9. This was attributed to an increased free volume for the azochromophores with the enhanced electrostatic repulsion in PAZO charged to a greater extent. In contrast, in LbL films of PAZO alternated with poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), the electrostatic interactions between the oppositely charged polymers hampered photoisomerization and molecular rearrangement, thus leading to a slower writing kinetics for highly charged PAH or PAZO.

Measurements of gunshot residues by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry - Further studies with pistols

The most popular handgun in Brazil is the single round-barrel caliber 0.38 revolver. In recent years, however, owing to the modernization of police arms and their availability on the legal and illicit markets, pistols have become increasingly popular and currently represent about 20% of police seizures. In a previous paper we presented a novel collection method for gunshot residues (GSR) using a sampling procedure based on ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution as a complexing agent on moistened swabs with subsequent detection using sector field-high resolution-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (SF-HR-ICP-MS). In the present paper, we discuss the capability of this methodology to identify antimony (Sb), barium (Ba) and lead (Pb) on the hands of volunteers after shot tests with 9 mm and 0.40 in. caliber pistols. Two types of munitions were tested: 9 mm Taurus and clean range. The use of a technique with high sensitivity, such as SF-HR-ICP-MS, permits the identification of low concentrations (less than 1 mu g/L) of metals in firearm residue and constitutes a powerful tool in forensic science. We also discuss the importance of the sampling procedure, including collection from a different body part than the gun hand of the suspect. Comparison of the analytical data obtained allows clear discrimination between samples from the hands of shooters and non-shooters. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and some properties of hybrid gels of titanium oxide containing europium (III)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Well productivity controlling factors in crystalline terrains of southeastern Brazil

Over the last decades, increasing water demands have fostered research to obtain high well yields in crystalline terrains where, besides the intrinsic properties of rocks, the groundwater flow depends on several factors. The depth of the wells, the lithotypes, the presence and thickness of sedimentary coverings and weathered layers, the landforms, the geological structures, and the effects of tectonic stresses are among the most investigated factors considered as determinant of well productivity. The influence of these factors on productivity of wells that exploit the Crystalline Aquifer System in the Jundiai-River Catchment, southeastern Brazil, is investigated in this work. The largest region of the studied area is located on the Precambrian Basement, partially covered by sedimentary deposits. The results show that the sedimentary deposits and the weathered layer are important for high well yield, but it also depends on the existence of a net of open fractures, in order to maintain high productivity. The sites that have more possibility of occurrence of such structures are the regional shear and fault zones and other minor structures with NW-SE and E-W directions, which characterize areas subjected to transtensional stress related to the neotectonics.

Natural gum-assisted phthalocyanine immobilization in electroactive nanocomposites: Physicochemical characterization and sensing applications

Natural gums have been traditionally applied in cosmetics and the food industry, mainly as emulsification agents. Due to their biodegradability and excellent mechanical properties, new technological applications have been proposed involving their use with conventional polymers forming blends and composites. In this study, we take advantage of the polyelectrolyte character exhibited by the natural gum Chicha (Sterculia striata), extracted in the Northeastern region of Brazil, to produce electroactive nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were fabricated in the form of ultrathin films by combining a metallic phthalocyanine (nickel tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine, NiTsPc) and the Chicha gum in a tetralayer architecture, in conjunction with conventional polyelectrolytes. The presence of the gum led to an efficient adsorption of the phthalocyanine and enhanced the electrochemical response of the films. Upon combining the electrochemical and UV-vis absorption data, energy diagrams of the Chicha/NiTsPc-based system were obtained. Furthermore, modified electrodes based on gum/phthalocyanine films were able to detect dopamine at concentrations as low as 10(-5) M.

Fabrication of phytic acid sensor based on mixed phytase-lipid Langmuir-Blodgett films

This paper reports the surface activity of phytase at the air-water interface, its interaction with lipid monolayers, and the construction of a new phytic acid biosensor on the basis of the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. Phytase was inserted in the subphase solution of dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) Langmuir monolayers, and its incorporation to the air-water interface was monitored with surface pressure measurements. Phytase was able to incorporate into DPPG monolayers even at high surface pressures, ca. 30 mN/m, under controlled ionic strength, pH, and temperature. Mixed Langmuir monolayers of phytase and DPPG were characterized by surface pressure-area and surface potential-area isotherms, and the presence of the enzyme provided an expansion in the monolayers ( when compared to the pure lipid at the interface). The enzyme incorporation also led to significant changes in the equilibrium surface compressibility (in-plane elasticity), especially in liquid-expanded and liquid-condensed regions. The dynamic surface elasticity for phytase-containing interfaces was investigated using harmonic oscillation and axisymmetric drop shape analysis. The insertion of the enzyme at DPPG monolayers caused an increase in the dynamic surface elasticity at 30 mN m(-1), indicating a strong interaction between the enzyme and lipid molecules at a high-surface packing. Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films containing 35 layers of mixed phytase-DPPG were characterized by ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy and crystal quartz microbalance nanogravimetry. The ability in detecting phytic acid was studied with voltammetric measurements.

Exploiting Cascade Reactions in Bienzyme Layer-by-Layer Films

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Simulação do comportamento não linear de materiais quase-frágeis via elementos finitos com fissura embebida

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Biossorção de cobre, manganês e cádmio por biomassas de Saprolegnia subterranea(Dissmann) R.L. Seym. e Pythium torulosumCoker & P. Patt. (Oomycetes)

Dried biomass of the zoosporic fungi Saprolegnia subterranea and Pythium torulosum was evaluated for copper, manganese and cadmium biosorption from aqueous solutions using the "q" (mg of adsorbed metal per g of biomass) and the "R%" (percent removal) indices. The highest q values were observed when the biomass was placed in contact with high metal concentrations, whereas the highest R% values were observed at low concentrations (p< 0.05). S. subterranea SPC 1244 biomass surpassed the others for copper biosorption (q = 7.48 mg/ g; R% = 49.03), P. torulosum SPC 1425 biomass was the best for manganese biosorption (q = 4.13 mg/g; R% = 26.71), and S. subterranea SPC 1431 biomass was the best for cadmium biosorption (q = 6.75 mg/g; R% = 42.26). This is the first report on copper, manganese and cadmium biosorption by the biomass of these zoosporic fungi, indicating the potential to remove ions from diluted solutions.

Porosity measurement of solid pharmaceutical dosage forms by gamma-ray transmission

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Detection of catechol using mixed Langmuir-Blodgett films of a phospholipid and phthalocyanines as voltammetric sensors

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)