Energy transfer and frequency upconversion involving triads of Pr3+ ions in (Pr3+, Gd3+) doped fluoroindate glass

Blue and ultraviolet luminescence in (Pr3+, Gd3+) doped fluoroindate glass is studied for excitation in the red region (≈590 nm). Frequency upconversion (UC) is observed due to energy transfer (ET) among three Pr3+ ions initially excited to the D21 state corresponding to the ET process D21 + D21 + D21 → S01 + H53 + H53. Additionally, UC luminescence from states P 72 6 and I 72 6 of Gd3+ is observed for an excitation wavelength resonant with transitions of the Pr3+ ions. The characterization of the luminescence signals allowed to determine ET rate among the Pr3+ ions and provides evidence of interconfigurational ET between Gd3+ and Pr3+ ions. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Frequency upconversion involving triads and quartets of ions in a Pr3+/Nd3+ codoped fluoroindate glass

Frequency upconversion (UC) processes involving energy transfer (ET) among Nd 3+ and Pr 3+ ions in a fluoroindate glass are reported. In a first experiment, the excitation of Pr 3+ [transition 3H 4→ 1D 2] and of Nd 3+ [transition 4I 9/2→( 2G 7/2+ 4G 5/2)] was achieved with a dye laser operating in the 575-590 nm range. In a second experiment, the Nd 3+ ions were excited with the second harmonic of a Nd: YAG laser at 532 nm. The ET processes leading to UC in both experiments were studied by monitoring the blue fluorescence decay at 480 nm due to the transition 3P 0→ 3H 4 in Pr 3+. In the more relevant UC process, quartets of ions (Nd-Nd-Pr-Pr) are excited due to absorption of three laser photons by two Nd 3+ ions which transfer their energy to two Pr 3+ ions. Each Pr 3+ ion promoted to the 3P 0 level decays to the ground state emitting one photon in the blue region. This conclusion was achieved investigating the dependence of the UC fluorescence intensity as a function of laser intensity, samples concentrations, and temporal behavior of the UC signal. Other UC processes involving nonisoionic groups of three ions are also reported. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.

Avaliação do modelo de predição clínica de Wells et al. no diagnóstico da trombose venosa profunda dos membros inferiores

CONTEXTO: A aplicação de uma estratégia baseada em um modelo clínico associado ao mapeamento dúplex (MD) pode permitir um diagnóstico da trombose venosa profunda (TVP) mais seguro, eficaz e custo-efetivo. OBJETIVO: Testar o modelo clínico de Wells et al. associado ao MD e verificar a ocorrência de TVP nos pacientes categorizados quanto à probabilidade de apresentar a doença, e determinar se, a partir dos resultados obtidos, seria possível reduzir o número de exames seriados com o MD. MÉTODOS: Os pacientes com suspeita clínica de TVP foram categorizados quanto à apresentação de TVP em baixa, moderada e alta probabilidade (BP, MP, AP) e, em seguida, submetidos ao MD. Pacientes com MD negativo repetiram o exame em 24-48 horas e em 7 dias. Pacientes com exame positivo para TVP foram tratados. Todos os pacientes sem TVP foram convocados para reavaliação clínica em 3 meses. RESULTADOS: A ocorrência de TVP entre os 489 pacientes avaliados foi de 39,1% (191), sendo 35,6% identificados no exame inicial e 3,5% no exame seriado. Os índices de pacientes que apresentaram TVP foram de 6,1% no grupo de BP, 26,9% no grupo de MP e 79,5% no grupo de AP. No exame seriado, o percentual de TVP foi de 2,4, 7,8 e 15,1% nos grupos BP, MP e AP, respectivamente. Dos pacientes com MD negativo, 62,4% compareceram após 3 meses, e piora dos sintomas foi apresentada por apenas um paciente. Neste, o MD mostrou TVP de veia poplítea. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados obtidos sugerem que, para os pacientes com BP para TVP e MD negativo, seria possível prescindir do exame seriado, devido à baixa ocorrência de TVP neste grupo, tornando, assim, a abordagem diagnóstica mais simples.

An ab initio study of oxygen vacancies and doping process of Nb and Cr atoms on TiO2 (110) surface models

We theoretically investigated how the formation of oxygen vacancies and the addition of niobium and chromium atoms as dopants modify the varistor properties of TiO2. The calculations were carried out at the HF level using a contracted basis set, developed by Huzinaga et al.. to represent the atomic centers on the (110) surface for the large (TiO2)(15) cluster model. The change of the values for the net atomic charges and band gap after oxygen vacancy formation and the presence of dopants in the lattice are analyzed and discussed. It is shown that the formation of oxygen vacancies decreases the band gap while an opposite effect is found when dopants are located in the reduced surface. The theoretical results are compared with available experimental data. A plausible explanation of the varistor behavior of this system is proposed. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Et veritas liberabit vos: o catolicismo entre o modernismo e a tradição (1960-2013)

Pós-graduação em História - FCHS

Cytogenetic and morphologic approaches of hybrids from experimental crosses between Triatoma lenti Sherlock & Serafim, 1967 and T. sherlocki Papa et al., 2002 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Increased cyclooxygenase-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor protein expression is associated with canine prostatic carcionogenesis process

Background: COX-2 is one of the most important prostaglandin involved in urologic cancer and seems to be associated with tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis. In addition, several effects have been reported for VEGF, including inducing angiogenesis, promoting cell migration, and inhibiting apoptosis. COX2 and VEGF up-regulation have been reported in human prostate cancer. Due to the importance of canine natural model for prostate cancer, the aim of this study was to evaluate COX-2 and VEGF protein expression in canine carcinogenic process. Material and Methods: Seventy-four prostatic tissues from dogs were selected to be evaluated for protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC), including: 10 normal prostatic tissues, 20 benign prostatic hyperplasias (BPH), 25 proliferative inflammatory atrophies (PIA) and 20 prostatic carcinomas (PCa). COX-2 and VEGF were detected using the monoclonal antibody CX-294 (1:50 dilution, Dako Cytomation and sc-53463 (1:100 dilution, Santa Cruz), respectively. The immunolabelling was performed by a polymer method (Histofine, Nichirei Biosciences). All reaction included negative controls by omitting the primary antibody. The percentage of C-MYC, E-cadherin, and p63- positive cells per lesion was evaluated according to Prowatke et al. (2007). The samples were scored separately according to staining intensity and graded semi-quantitatively as negative, weakly positive (1), moderately positive, and strongly positive. The score was done in one 400 magnification field, considering only the lesion, since this was done in a TMA core of 1 mm. For statistical analyses, the immunostaining classifications were reduced to two categories: negative and positive. The negative category included negative and weakly positive staining. Chi-square or Fisher exact test was used to determine the association between the categorical variables. Results: The COX-2 protein expression was elevated in the cytoplasm of the canine PCa and PIA compared to normal prostate (p=0.002). VEGF protein expression was increased in 94.75% of the PCa and 100% of the PIA compared with to normal prostate (p = 0.001). No difference was found when compared normal prostate with BPH. Conclusions: This study has demonstrated that the carcinogenesis of canine prostatic tissue may be related to gain of COX-2 and VEGF protein expression.

Paricipation in Bauru marter plans, Brazil: analysis of the historical evolution of the consultation process

In Brazil, a policy on citizen participation and consultation in urban intervention programs, in particular in the development of master plans, was first introduced into the Federal Constitution in 1988. This article presents an historical reconstitution of Master Plans in Bauru – State of São Paulo – Brazil. The 1968, 1988 and 2005/2006 consultation methods are analyzed using established criteria. The degree of community participation in the processes is estimated by drawing on a typology based on the level of involvement by residents. The effects of participation caused by changes in political regime, technical planning vision, legal support to consultation, recognition of community importance and knowledge acquired during the process are highlighted and discussed.