Ihwg-μnir: A Miniaturised Near-infrared Gas Sensor Based On Substrate-integrated Hollow Waveguides Coupled To A Micro-nir-spectrophotometer.

A miniaturised gas analyser is described and evaluated based on the use of a substrate-integrated hollow waveguide (iHWG) coupled to a microsized near-infrared spectrophotometer comprising a linear variable filter and an array of InGaAs detectors. This gas sensing system was applied to analyse surrogate samples of natural fuel gas containing methane, ethane, propane and butane, quantified by using multivariate regression models based on partial least square (PLS) algorithms and Savitzky-Golay 1(st) derivative data preprocessing. The external validation of the obtained models reveals root mean square errors of prediction of 0.37, 0.36, 0.67 and 0.37% (v/v), for methane, ethane, propane and butane, respectively. The developed sensing system provides particularly rapid response times upon composition changes of the gaseous sample (approximately 2 s) due the minute volume of the iHWG-based measurement cell. The sensing system developed in this study is fully portable with a hand-held sized analyser footprint, and thus ideally suited for field analysis. Last but not least, the obtained results corroborate the potential of NIR-iHWG analysers for monitoring the quality of natural gas and petrochemical gaseous products.

15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 Reduces Albumin-induced Arthritis In Temporomandibular Joint Of Rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the peripheral effect of 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) in albumin-induced arthritis in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of rats. Antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) was generated in rats with methylated bovine serum albumin (mBSA) diluted in complete Freund׳s adjuvant. Pretreatment with an intra-articular injection of 15d-PGJ2 (100 ng/TMJ) before mBSA intra-articular injection (10 µg/TMJ) (challenge) in immunized rats significantly reduced the albumin-induced arthritis inflammation. The results demonstrated that 15d-PGJ2 was able to inhibit plasma extravasation, leukocyte migration and the release of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-12, IL-18 and the chemokine CINC-1 in the TMJ tissues. In addition, 15d-PGJ2 was able to increase the expression of the anti-adhesive molecule CD55 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Taken together, it is possible to suggest that 15d-PGJ2 inhibit leukocyte infiltration and subsequently inflammatory process, through a shift in the balance of the pro- and anti-adhesive properties. Thus, 15d-PGJ2 might be used as a potential anti-inflammatory drug to treat arthritis-induced inflammation of the temporomandibular joint.

Gonadal Hormones Modulate The Responsiveness To Local β-blocker-induced Antinociception In The Temporomandibular Joint Of Male And Female Rats.

We have previously demonstrated that blockade of β-adrenoreceptors (β-AR) located in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of rats suppresses formalin-induced TMJ nociceptive behaviour in both male and female rats, but female rats are more responsive. In this study, we investigated whether gonadal hormones modulate the responsiveness to local β-blocker-induced antinociception in the TMJ of rats. Co-administration of each of the selective β1 (atenolol), β2 (ICI 118.551) and β3 (SR59230A)-AR antagonists with equi-nociceptive concentrations of formalin in the TMJ of intact, gonadectomized and hormone-treated gonadectomized male and female rats. Atenolol, ICI 118.551 and SR59230A significantly reduced formalin-induced TMJ nociception in a dose response fashion in all groups tested. However, a lower dose of each β-AR antagonist was sufficient to significantly reduce nociceptive responses in gonadectomized but not in intact and testosterone-treated gonadectomized male rats. In the female groups, a lower dose of β1 -AR antagonist was sufficient to significantly reduce nociceptive responses in gonadectomized but not in intact or gonadectomized rats treated with progesterone or a high dose of oestradiol; a lower dose of β2 -AR antagonist was sufficient to significantly reduce nociceptive responses in gonadectomized but not in intact and gonadectomized rats treated with low or high dose of oestradiol. Gonadal hormones may reduce the responsiveness to local β-blocker-induced antinociception in the TMJ of male and female rats. However, their effect depends upon their plasma level, the subtype of β-AR and the dose of β-blockers used.

Association Of Lipophilic Opioids And Hyperbaric Bupivacaine In Spinal Anesthesia For Elective Cesarean Section. Randomized Controlled Study.

To evaluate the efficacy and side-effects of fentanyl and sufentanil combined with hyperbaric spinal bupivacaine in elective cesarean section. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study with 64 term parturients, distributed into 2 groups according to the opioid combined with hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% (10mg): GF - fentanyl (25 µg) and GS - sufentanil (5.0 µg). The latency and maximum sensory block level; degree and duration of motor block; duration and quality of analgesia; maternal-fetal repercussions were evaluated. This was an intention-to-treat analysis with a 5% significance level. The latency period, maximum sensory block level, motor block degree and perioperative analgesia were similar in both groups. Motor block and analgesia had a longer duration in the sufentanil group. Maternal adverse effects and neonatal repercussions were similar. The incidence of hypotension was higher in the fentanyl group. In both groups, there was a predominance of patients who were awake and either calm or sleepy. The addition of fentanyl and sufentanil to hyperbaric subarachnoid bupivacaine was shown to be effective for the performance of cesarean section, and safe for the mother and fetus. Analgesia was more prolonged with sufentanil.

Characterization Of Cumulative Joint Damage Patterns In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Clinical, Serological, And Gene Polymorphism Perspective.

To characterize cumulative joint damage (CJD) patterns in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and determine their associations with demographic/clinical features and HLA-DRB1 gene polymorphism. Hand and foot radiographs were obtained from 404 patients with RA. CJD patterns were determined by 3 derivations from Sharp/van der Heijde scores, obtained by the mathematical division of scores for hands/feet (Sharp-h/f score), fingers/wrists (Sharp-f/w score), and erosion/space narrowing (Sharp-e/sn score), respectively. DNA and serum were obtained for determination of HLA-DRB1 polymorphism, rheumatoid factor (RF), and anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA). Patients with wrist-dominant CJD pattern were more likely to have severe RA than those with finger-dominant pattern (68.4% vs 46.0%; p = 0.036) as were those with foot-dominant vs hand-dominant CJD pattern (76.5% vs 56.4%; p = 0.044). HLA-DRB1 shared epitope (SE) alleles were associated with erosion-dominant CJD pattern (p = 0.021). Patients with erosion-dominant CJD pattern had higher levels of RF and ACPA than those with space-narrowing-dominant CJD pattern (median RF 71.35 U/ml vs 22.05 U/ml, respectively; p = 0.003; median ACPA 187.9 U/ml vs 143.2 U/ml, respectively; p < 0.001). The majority of triple-positive patients (SE+, RF+, ACPA+) had erosion-dominant CJD pattern (62.3%) while the majority of triple-negative patients (SE-, FR-, ACPA-) had space narrowing-dominant CJD pattern (75%; p = 0.017). ACPA was associated with HLA-DRB1 SE alleles (p < 0.05). Patients with foot-dominant CJD pattern were taller than those with hand-dominant CJD pattern (p = 0.002); those with erosion-dominant CJD pattern had higher weight and body mass index than those with space narrowing-dominant CJD pattern (p = 0.014, p = 0.001). CJD patterns were associated with disease severity, HLA-DRB1 SE status, presence and titer of ACPA and RF, and morphometric features.

Screening Of Miners And Millers At Decreasing Levels Of Asbestos Exposure: Comparison Of Chest Radiography And Thin-section Computed Tomography.

Chest radiography (CXR) is inferior to Thin-section computed tomography in the detection of asbestos related interstitial and pleural abnormalities. It remains unclear, however, whether these limitations are large enough to impair CXR´s ability in detecting the expected reduction in the frequency of these asbestos-related abnormalities (ARA) as exposure decreases. Clinical evaluation, CXR, Thin-section CT and spirometry were obtained in 1418 miners and millers who were exposed to progressively lower airborne concentrations of asbestos. They were separated into four groups according to the type, period and measurements of exposure and/or procedures for controlling exposure: Group I (1940-1966/tremolite and chrysotile, without measurements of exposure and procedures for controlling exposure); Group II (1967-1976/chrysotile only, without measurements of exposure and procedures for controlling exposure); Group III (1977-1980/chrysotile only, initiated measurements of exposure and procedures for controlling exposure) and Group IV (after 1981/chrysotile only, implemented measurements of exposure and a comprehensive procedures for controlling exposure). In all groups, CXR suggested more frequently interstitial abnormalities and less frequently pleural plaques than observed on Thin-section CT (p<0.050). The odds for asbestosis in groups of decreasing exposure diminished to greater extent at Thin-section CT than on CXR. Lung function was reduced in subjects who had pleural plaques evident only on Thin-section CT (p<0.050). In a longitudinal evaluation of 301 subjects without interstitial and pleural abnormalities on CXR and Thin-section CT in a previous evaluation, only Thin-section CT indicated that these ARA reduced as exposure decreased. CXR compared to Thin-section CT was associated with false-positives for interstitial abnormalities and false-negatives for pleural plaques, regardless of the intensity of asbestos exposure. Also, CXR led to a substantial misinformation of the effects of the progressively lower asbestos concentrations in the occurrence of asbestos-related diseases in miners and millers.

Efeitos de diferentes frequencias semanais de treinamento com pesos sobre a composição corporal e capacidades motoras em homens idosos

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física