Terapia fotodinâmica: aspectos farmacológicos, aplicações e avanços recentes no desenvolvimento de medicamentos

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a clinical procedure, which utilize a photosensitive compound and light. This is a new modality of treatment for cancer, aged related macular degenerescence (AMD), psoriasis, arthritis, arterial restenosis, etc which exhibits efficiency, less traumatic effects, low recovery time and few co-lateral effects. The first officially approved drug for PDT by the Food and Drug Administration (EUA) is Photofrinâ, which is applied for cancer. A new generation drug for PDT, Visudyneâ was recently approved to treat AMD; its photoactive compound is BPDMA, a benzoporphyrin mono-acid derivative (chlorin-type molecule). A concise history, technical information and some drugs for PDT are reported.

Inativação fotodinâmica de microrganismos

Photodynamic Therapy uses photosensitive dyes and visible light that, combined in the presence of oxygen, produce cytotoxic species that cause tumor death. Microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, yeasts and viruses (including HIV) can also be inactivated by visible light after treatment with an appropriate photosensitizer as an alternative low cost treatment for localized infections, viral lesions such as acnes, and fungical skin lesions for example. Besides, Photodynamic Inactivation can be used for sterilization of blood and its subproducts for clinical use, in the treatment of drinking water as well as in antimicrobial detoxification of foods.

Estudo da decomposição fotoquímica por exposição à luz UV de fotorresinas positivas

Positive photoresists are widely used in lithographic process in microelectronics and in optics for the fabrication of relief components. With the aim of identifying molecular modifications among positive photoresists unexposed and previously exposed to ultraviolet light the electron stimulated ion desorption technique coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry was employed in the study of the AZ-1518 photoresist. Mass spectra were obtained as a function of the electron beam energy, showing specific changes related to the photochemical decomposition of the photoresist. This reinforces the applicability of the technique to investigate and characterize structural changes in photosensitive materials.

Construction of 2D transparent micromodels in polyester resin with porosity similar to carrots

Microscopic visualization, especially in transparent micromodels, can provide valuable information to understand the transport phenomena at pore scale in different process occurring in porous materials (food, timber, soils, etc.). Micromodels studies focus mainly on the observation of multi-phase flow, which presents a greater proximity to reality. The aim of this study was to study the process of flexography and its application in the manufacture of polyester resin transparent micromodels and its application to carrots. Materials used to implement a flexo station for micromodels construction were thermoregulated water bath, exposure chamber to UV light, photosensitive substance (photopolymer), RTV silicone polyester resin, and glass plates. In this paper, data on size distribution of a particular kind of carrot we used, and a transparent micromodel with square cross-section as well as a Log-normal pore size distribution with pore radii ranging from 10 to 110 µm (average of 22 µm and micromodel size of 10 × 10 cm) were built. Finally, it stresses that it has successfully implemented the protocol processing 2D polyester resin transparent micromodels.