Water quality monitoring by nanostructured films in a sensing unit system

Presented here is a study about the capability of a sensing unit to detect changes in river water quality. In order to determine its accuracy, water quality was monitored at 11 points along the Veado River in Presidente Prudente, Brazil. To have a basis for comparison, a water quality index (WQI) was developed following methods previously applied in different watersheds. Results showed an accurate relationship between WQI and electric impedance readings detected by the sensing unit. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to derive results in a form that can be correlated with WQI calculated for each sample point, which showed the potential application of this device.

Effects of olive oil and its minor phenolic constituents on obesity-induced cardiac metabolic changes

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

Evaluation of cardiac rhythm in dogs treated with levamisole hydrochloride using 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography

The objective of this study was to evaluate the electrocardiographic alterations in the cardiac rhythm in dogs treated with levamisole hydrochloride over a period of 24 hours. Thirty-six mixed-breed dogs, both male and female, all clinically healthy, were used in the experiment. The dogs were divided into 6 groups with 6 dogs in each group, according to dosage and route of administration. The Holter test was initiated immediately after the treatment, and was maintained for 24 hours. In the group treated with 10 mg/kg by way of subcutaneous injection, one of them showed ventricular premature complexes, sometimes isolated and other times in pairs, and ventricular tachycardia, concentrated mainly in the first hour after administration of the drug. In the group of 6 animals treated subcutaneously with 25mg/kg, four showed isolated ventricular premature complexes, ventricular bigeminy and trigeminy, mainly during the first 2 hours after administration of the drug. All the animals in the other groups showed sinus arrhythmia followed by sinus arrest. The disturbances in the cardiac rhythm observed in clinically healthy animals treated with levamisole hydrochloride, indicate that it is preferable to avoid subcutaneous administration of levamisole hydrochloride and that the oral administration of the drug should be done with caution. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Double optical monitoring of time-dependent film formation

A brief overview of optical monitoring for vacuum and wet bench film deposition processes is presented. Interferometric and polarimetric measurements are combined with regard to simultaneous real-time monitoring of refractive index and physical thickness. Monitor stability and accuracy are verified with transparent oil standards. This double optical technique is applied to dip coating with a multi-component Zirconyl Chloride aqueous solution, whose time varying refractive index and physical thickness curves indicate significant sensitivity to changes of film flow properties during the process.

Temporal evolution of sulfated zirconia sol-gel during dip coating: Analysis of mass drainage with time-varying refractive index

The formation of sulfated zirconia films from a sol-gel derived aqueous suspension is subjected to double-optical monitoring during batch dip coating. Interpretation of interferometric patterns, previously obscured by a variable refractive index, is now made possible by addition of its direct measurement by a polarimetric technique in real time. Significant sensitivity of the resulting physical thickness and refractive index curves (uncertainties of ±7 nm and ±0.005, respectively) to temporal film evolution is shown under different withdrawal speeds. As a first contribution to quantitative understanding of temporal film formation with varying nanostructure during dip coating, detailed analysis is directed to the stage of the process dominated by mass drainage, whose simple modeling with temporal t-1/2 dependence is verified experimentally. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of lisinopril on cardiac remodeling induced by tobacco smoke exposure

Background: To investigate the effect of lisinopril on cardiac remodeling induced by smoking. Material/Methods: Rats were allocated into 3 groups: group CON (n=8): control; group CSE (n=8): cigarette smoke exposure; group CSE-LIS (n=8): exposed to tobacco smoke and treated with lisinopril. Results: After 2 months, the tail systolic pressure was lower in CSE-LIS (CON=116 ±27 mm Hg, CSE=126±16, CSE-LIS=89±12; P<.001). CSE animals showed higher left ventricular systolic diameter (CON=8.25±2.16 mm/kg, CSE=11.5±1.3, CSE-LIS=9.27±2.00; P=.009) and myocyte cross-sectional area (CON=245±8 μm2, CSE=260±17, CSE-LIS=238±12; P=.01) than CON and CSE-LIS. The ejection fraction (CON =0.91±0.02, CSE=0.86±0.02, CSE-LIS=0.92±0.03; P=.002) and fractional shortening (CON=55.7±4.41%, CSE=48.7±3.43, CSE-LI=58.2±7.63; P=.006) were lower in CSE group than CON and CSE-LIS. CSE and CSE-LIS animals showed higher collagen amounts (CON=3.49±0.95%, CSE= 5.01±1.58, CSE-LIS=5.27±0.62; P=.009) than CON. CON group showed a higher connexin 43 amount in the intercalated disc (CON=3.70±0.38, CSE=2.13±0.53; CSE-LIS=2.17±0.73; P=.004) than CSE and CSE-LIS. There were no differences in IFN-g or TNF-a cardiac levels among the groups. Conclusions: Lisinopril attenuated both morphologic and functional abnormalities induced by exposure to tobacco smoke. In addition, this effect was associated with diminished blood pressure, but not alterations in connexin 43 distribution, cytokine production or collagen amount. © Med Sci Monit, 2010.

Hypertrophied myocardium is more dependent on extracellular calcium than the normal cardiac muscle

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze stable hypertrophied myocardial function and its response to inotropic maneuvers in rats submitted to renovascular hypertension for a 10-week period (RHT group, n=10). Material/Methods: Myocardial performance was studied in isolated left ventricle papillary muscles in isometric contraction under the following conditions: at postrest contraction of 30 seconds (PRC), at extracellular calcium (ECa 2+) chloride concentration of 1.25 and 5.20 mM, and after beta-adrenergic stimulation with 10 -6 M isoproterenol (ISOP). Results: The results were compared with normotensive Wistar controls rats (C group, n=10). In basal condition, resting tension, and contraction time (TPT) were greater, while relaxation time (RT 50) tended to be longer in RHT than C group. PRC and ISOP promoted a similar change in muscle function response intensity (Δ) in both groups. ECa 2+ shift did not change TPT in the C group and decreased TPT in the RHT animals; Δ was different between these groups. RT 50 increased in C and decreased in RHT, both without statistical significance; however, Δ was different. Conclusions: These results suggest that hypertrophied myocardial dysfunction may be attibuted to changes in intracellular calcium cycling. © Med Sci Monit, 2010.

Development of a water quality index using a fuzzy logic: A case study for the sorocaba river

Due to growing urbanization and industrialization, the environment is suffering from pollution of rivers, degradation of soils and deteriorated air quality. Quality indices appear to be useful to evaluate the conditions of these media. The aim of this study was the development of a water quality index using a fuzzy inference system, since such an approach has proved advantageous in addressing problems that are subjective by nature or for which the data are uncertain. The methodology employed was based on this inference system, and considered the nine water quality parameters employed by CETESB (Companhia de Tecnologia de Saneamento Ambiental, São Paulo, Brazil) to evaluate water quality. After assessment of the data using the index, a comparison was made with the WQI (Water Quality Index), which is used for the monitoring of various water bodies, including in the study region. The results obtained using the index developed on the basis of fuzzy inference were found to be more useful than those derived from the method currently used by CETESB, since losses and/or omissions concerning individual parameters were minimized. © 2010 IEEE.

Adaptive filter feature identification for structural health monitoring in aeronautical panel

This paper presents an approach for structural health monitoring (SHM) by using adaptive filters. The experimental signals from different structural conditions provided by piezoelectric actuators/sensors bonded in the test structure are modeled by a discrete-time recursive least square (RLS) filter. The biggest advantage to use a RLS filter is the clear possibility to perform an online SHM procedure since that the identification is also valid for non-stationary linear systems. An online damage-sensitive index feature is computed based on autoregressive (AR) portion of coefficients normalized by the square root of the sum of the square of them. The proposed method is then utilized in a laboratory test involving an aeronautical panel coupled with piezoelectric sensors/actuators (PZTs) in different positions. A hypothesis test employing the t-test is used to obtain the damage decision. The proposed algorithm was able to identify and localize the damages simulated in the structure. The results have shown the applicability and drawbacks the method and the paper concludes with suggestions to improve it. ©2010 Society for Experimental Mechanics Inc.

Waist circumference, but not body mass index, is a predictor of ventricular remodeling after anterior myocardial infarction

Objective: The impact of obesity on ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) is still poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the role of waist circumference (WC) and body mass index as predictors of cardiac remodeling in patients after an anterior MI. Methods: Eighty-three consecutive patients with anterior MI were prospectively evaluated. Clinical characteristics and echocardiographic data were analyzed at admission and at a 6-mo follow-up. Ventricular remodeling was defined as a 10% increase in left ventricular end-systolic or end-diastolic diameter at the 6-mo follow-up. Results: In our study, 83 consecutive patients were evaluated (72% men). Ventricular remodeling was present in 31% of the patients (77% men). Patients with remodeling had higher creatine phosphokinase and creatine phosphokinase-MB peak values, a higher resting heart rate, a larger left atrial diameter, and a larger interventricular septum diastolic thickness. In addition, patients with remodeling had lower peak velocity of early ventricular filling deceleration time and ejection fraction. Patients with remodeling presented higher WC values (with remodeling, 99.2 ± 10.4 cm; without remodeling, 93.9 ± 10.8 cm, P = 0.04), but there were no differences in the body mass index values. In the logistic regression analysis, WC, adjusted by age, gender, ejection fraction, and creatine phosphokinase levels, was an independent predictor of left ventricular remodeling (odds ratio 1.067, 95% confidence interval 1.001-1.129, P = 0.02). Conclusion: Waist circumference, but not body mass index, is a predictor of ventricular remodeling after an anterior MI. Therefore, the WC of these patients should be measured in clinical practice. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Combined effects of age and diet-induced obesity on biochemical parameters and cardiac energy metabolism in rats

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

Alterações do ventrículo esquerdo e suas inter-relações com a monitorização ambulatorial de pressão arterial em pacientes tratados por hemodiálise crônica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Assesment of the TEI index of myocardial performance in dogs with doxorubicin-induced cardiomiopathy

The development of a dose-dependent cardiomyopathy is the main limitation for the use of doxorubicin in chemotherapy protocols in both humans and animals. In this setting, the global myocardial function may be compromised resulting in signs of congestive heart failure. In this study, we investigated the ability of the Tei index of myocardial performance to identify myocardial dysfunction in healthy dogs receiving doxorubicin to a cumulative dose of 210 mg/m(2) over 147 days, comparing it with other standard echocardiographic indicators of systolic and diastolic function. Our results indicated that the Tei index, the isovolumic relaxation time, pre-ejection period and the pre-ejection period-to-left ventricular ejection time ratio were able to identify the cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin on cardiac function when only 60 mg/m(2) had been administered, while the standard systolic and diastolic parameters, including left ventricular diameter at systole, ejection fraction, and fractional shortening needed at least 120 mg/mg(2) to deteriorate. We concluded that prolonged anthracycline therapy compromises both systolic and diastolic functions, which may be documented earlier by including the Tel index evaluation to the standard echocardiographic assessment of animals receiving doxorubicin.

Fuzzy Index for Public Supply Water Quality

Human population growth and increased industrial activity in recent decades have contributed to a range of environmental problems, including the contamination of groundwater and surface water. In order to help in the management of these resources, water quality indices are used as tools to summarize multiple parameters and express them in the form of a single number. The ability to provide both an integrated assessment of changes in environmental variables, as well as performance tracking, has resulted in such indices being increasingly employed in surface water monitoring programs. The aim of this study was to develop an Index for Public Supply Water Quality (IPS) using a fuzzy inference methodology. Linguistic systems generally provide satisfactory tools for qualitative purposes, enabling the inclusion of descriptive variables with reduced loss of individual information. Validation of the technique was achieved by analysis of measurement data obtained for the Sorocaba River, provided by CETESB. The new procedure proved more rigorous, compared to classical IPS. It could be readily applied in the evaluation of other water bodies, or be adjusted to incorporate additional parameters also considered important for the assessment of water quality.

Defining a fish bio-assessment tool to monitoring the biological condition of a cascade reservoirs system in tropical area

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