Controle de qualidade físico-químico e biodisponibilidade relativa em ratos de suspensões orais de naproxeno sódico obtidas de farmácias de manipulação na cidade do Natal RN

Compounded medicines have been reported by the ANVISA due to decreased of the therapeutic response or toxicity of these formulations. The aim of this work was to investigate the physicochemical quality control among naproxen sodium oral suspensions 25 mg/mL obtained from six compounding pharmacies (A, B, C, D, E and F) and the manufactured suspension (R). In the quality control test, the tests of pH, content, homogeneity, volume and physical and organoleptic characteristics were performed according to the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia. The analytical method for determination of naproxen in suspensions was validate. This method showed excellent precision, accuracy, linearity and specificity. In the content test the suspensions B, C and E showed lower value and the F suspension showed a high value of the content. The products C and E were disapproved in the description of the physical and organoleptic characteristics test. In the pH test, three suspensions were outside specifications (C, E and F). Only the products R, A and D showed satisfactory results in these tests and therefore they were approved for relative bioavailability test. The R, A and D suspensions were orally administered to Wistar rats and the blood samples were taken at time intervals of 10, 20, 40, 60 min, 3, 4, 6, 24 and 48 h. The plasma samples were immediately stored at 80 ºC until analysis of HPLC. The bioanalytical method validation showed specificity, linearity (R2 0.9987), precision, accuracy, good recovery and stability. The chromatographic conditions were: flow rate of 1.2 mL.min-1 with a mobile phase of acetonitrile : sodium phosphate buffer pH 4.0 (50:50, v/v) at 280 nm, using a C18 column. The confidence interval of 90% for the Cmax and AUCt ratio was within the range of 80 - 125% proposed by the FDA. Only one suspension, obtained from the compounding pharmacy D, was considered bioequivalent to the rate of absorption under the conditions proposed by this study. Thus, the results indicate the need for strict supervision from the relevant authorities to ensure the patient safety and the quality of compounded drugs by pharmacies

A influência da cultura organizacional na adoção de práticas de qualidade Seis Sigma: um estudo exploratório no segmento de farmácia de manipulação do Estado do Rio Grand do Norte

In recent debates about the issues of quality, the theme organizational culture and Six Sigma has appeared ever more frequently. In this context several authors suggest that the adoption of Six Sigma practices is influenced by culture. This work focuses on the relationship of organizational culture and quality to the practices of Six Sigma quality. Thus a descriptive-exploratory and correlational study of forty pharmacies of manipulation from Rio Grande do Norte was undertaken. Data collection identified features of companies and the level of use of the practices of Six Sigma quality that have been identified in the literature. For the Organizational Culture evaluation was used the Competitive Value Model (Cameron & Quinn, 1996), tested on north-American organizations and considered a high value academic and professional instrument. This model has been involved with the taximetrics created by Cameron who classifies quality culture in four levels. The results suggest that the Group and Developmental cultures are associated with higher levels of use of the practices of Six Sigma quality than the Rational and Hierarchical Cultures. Regarding the levels of the culture s quality, the highest levels were most frequently cited in Errors Prevention and Perpetual Improvement and Creativity, being the last one more positively related to the Six Sigma indicators

Cultura organizacional e desempenho dos colaboradores :um estudo exploratório no setor hoteleiro

This work focuses on the relationship between organizational culture and quality culture in the hotel sector of NATAL/RN with respect to employee performance. The themes organizational culture and quality have been the research focus of administration theorists and a constant concern of professional managers, since the Japanese demonstrated effective forms or western management. In this study, the Competing Values Model (C.V.M.) (Quinn e Cameron, 1996; Quinn, 1998; Santos, 1998, 2000; Teixeira, 2001), which was tested on north-American organizations and considered a high value academic and professional instrument, was applied. The model maps the organizational culture on a profile with four elements: clan, adhocracy, market and hierarchy. The C.V.M., associated with the taximetrics created by Cameron (which classifies quality culture in for levels: status quo, error detection, error prevention and perpetual creative quality) has been related with organizational performance. In this study, these two models are used jointly and tested in the hotel sector. The results indicate that the strongest element of the profile is clan, which is characterized by internal focus, participation and people involvement, followed by the adhocracy element, which has an external focus, emphasizes flexibility and is characterized by dynamic enterprising and creativity. Regarding the level of the culture s quality in the hotel, the highest level, that of perpetual improvement and creativity, which attempts to enchant and to surprise the clients, was most frequently cited, followed by the error detection level, which has as its goal to discover and correct mistakes, trying, consequently, to reduce waste. The results suggest that employee performance as measured on some indicators is related to elements of the organizational culture profile and quality level

Effects of dry sugar cane yeast on the diet intake, digestibility and bovine rumen microbial populations

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

Valor nutritivo do resíduo do processamento do caroço de algodão suplementado com levedura e avaliado em bovinos

O objetivo neste trabalho foi avaliar o consumo, a digestibilidade total e parcial da matéria seca (MS) e dos nutrientes e os parâmetros ruminais de novilhos alimentados com rações à base de resíduo do processamento do caroço de algodão (RPCA) suplementado com levedura seca de cana-de-açúcar. Foram utilizados seis novilhos Nelore canulados no rúmen e duodeno, alimentados com rações compostas de 80% RPCA e 20% concentrado, composto de milho, ureia e levedura nos níveis de 0, 20 ou 40%. O delineamento experimental adotado para análise do consumo e da digestibilidade foi em blocos casualisados e a análise dos parâmetros ruminais foi em parcela subdividida. Os consumos e a digestibilidade de nutrientes não foram influenciados pela suplementação com levedura, fato que pode estar relacionado ao alto valor da fração C do resíduo do processamento do RPCA (44,51% MS) e à baixa fração proteica de lenta degradação da levedura, que impediu a sincronização energia/nitrogênio para maior degradação do resíduo. O pH do líquido ruminal decresceu linearmente nos animais mantidos com as dietas suplementadas com levedura. em todas as dietas, o pH e a concentração de N-NH3 foram adequados para o crescimento microbiano. As concentrações ruminais de acetato, propionato, butirato e ácidos graxos voláteis totais e a relação acetato:propionato não foram influenciadas pela suplementação com levedura. O resíduo do processamento do caroço de algodão é uma opção a ser utilizada no arraçoamento de bovinos.

Desenvolvimento de perfis aerodinâmicos a partir de suas características utilizando redes neurais artificiais

One of the current major concerns in engineering is the development of aircrafts that have low power consumption and high performance. So, airfoils that have a high value of Lift Coefficient and a low value for the Drag Coefficient, generating a High-Efficiency airfoil are studied and designed. When the value of the Efficiency increases, the aircraft s fuel consumption decreases, thus improving its performance. Therefore, this work aims to develop a tool for designing of airfoils from desired characteristics, as Lift and Drag coefficients and the maximum Efficiency, using an algorithm based on an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). For this, it was initially collected an aerodynamic characteristics database, with a total of 300 airfoils, from the software XFoil. Then, through the software MATLAB, several network architectures were trained, between modular and hierarchical, using the Back-propagation algorithm and the Momentum rule. For data analysis, was used the technique of cross- validation, evaluating the network that has the lowest value of Root Mean Square (RMS). In this case, the best result was obtained for a hierarchical architecture with two modules and one layer of hidden neurons. The airfoils developed for that network, in the regions of lower RMS, were compared with the same airfoils imported into the software XFoil

Secagem do resíduo de acerola (Malphigia emarginata D.C.): estudo do processo e avaliação do impacto sobre o produto final

Brazil, one of the largest agricultural producers in the world, has managed in recent years to significantly improve its production. However, in response to this advance in the agro-industrial sector, the generation of agro-industrial residues has also increased. New technological alternatives have to be implemented in order to bring economic and rational use of this material and drying is one of the possible choices. Considering the great importance that bioactive compounds present for food science and technology, this research aims to evaluate the air-drying process of acerola residue in a tray convective drier under controlled temperature (60, 70 e 80ºC), air velocity (4.0, 5.0 e 6.0 m/s) and material width (0.5, 0.62 e 0.75 cm) by applying an experimental planning 23 + 3. Based on that, the impact on physical-chemical characteristics, color, bioactive compounds concentration and antioxidant activity of dried acerola waste was evaluated, having the in natura and freeze dried waste as control groups. Dried acerola residue presented natural pigments, mainly carotenoids (143.68 - 68.29 mg/g) and anthocyanins (290.92 - 90.11 mg/100 g), which explain the red and yellow instrumental color parameters observed. The acerola residue powder is also rich in phenolic compounds (3261.11 -2692.60 mgGAEeq/100g), proanthocyanidins (61.33-58.46 eq/100g), ascorbic acid (389.44 739.29 mg/100 g) and DPPH antioxidant activity (20.91 24.72 μg Trolox eq/g). Results show decreased concentration of phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, carotenoids, proanthocyanidins and ascorbic acid caused by the air-drying process. However, even after the observed drying losses, the acerola residue powder can be considered a high value food ingredient, considering the high bioactive compounds concentration found in the final product, as well as the colorimetric characterization and microbiological stability of the dried powder

Dificuldades na construção de gráficos de funções

This study describes about graduation s students difficulties of to draw functions graph. Specifically, we intend to observe their abilities evolution, as well as their difficulties during Calculus I subject in engineering course. For that, we show them publications about the elaboration of graphs and its difficulties in obstacle terms and some researches witch contain this subject and that it was done during postgraduate studies in mathematical education. It shows by research methodology aspects related to French didatic s mathematic and some theories of cognitive psychology considering the high value between theoretical-methodological relation that was evidenced in both theoretical conceptions about ways to understand and teach mathematic. This methodology is based on didactic engineering purpose, that consist in preliminaries analysis, conception and didactic sequence analysis prior, trials by application followed analysis up and conclusion. We had also used pedagogicals actions and analysis of results achieved, to classify types of errors made by the 2005 s students during second semester, from conceptions related to the episthemologic and didactics obstacles

Um ensaio sobre as concepções de professores de Matemática: possibilidades metodológicas e um exercício de pesquisa

Este artigo tem como tema principal as concepções dos professores de Matemática. Considerando o termo concepção a partir do pragmatismo de Peirce, elabora-se um conjunto de parâmetros metodológicos - chamado de método indireto - a ser aplicado no estudo das concepções de professores de Matemática. Trata-se, em síntese, de investigar as concepções dos professores interpelando-os não sobre suas crenças, mas sobre suas práticas. Fundamentando essa abordagem indireta e explicitando-a em sua natureza qualitativa, o artigo segue apresentando, como exemplo, um exercício desse método indireto: um estudo sobre os critérios que os professores utilizam quando escolhem livros-texto para sua sala de aula, abordando, conseqüentemente, quais concepções de Matemática e de seu ensino e aprendizagem tais critérios desvendam. Partindo de depoimentos de professores de Matemática, o estudo indica que os professores agem com certa independência quando escolhem os materiais utilizados em suas atividades docentes. Buscam, ao mesmo tempo, apoio em uma vasta gama de livros didáticos, desconsiderando as particularidades de cada obra e as abordagens e perspectivas defendidas por seus autores. Embora submetam-se ao livro didático - considerado uma referência legítima e segura -, os professores o subvertem, buscando adequá-lo ao que consideram correto. Dessa constatação, algumas das concepções dos professores podem ser realçadas: o aluno, via de regra, é avaliado e classificado pelas lacunas que apresenta em relação aos conteúdos. Dessa postura, segue a valorização da precedência lógica dos conteúdos, de sua apresentação linear, e a defesa de pré-requisitos que viabilizariam o ensino e, conseqüentemente, implicam a legitimidade de aulas predominantemente expositivas.

Escolha de parceiros na adolescência

Mate choice is a component of sexual selection. Trying to understand the patterns of this process, several studies have emphasized the adaptive value of sexual differences and their influence on the assessment of the market value. The pattern for adults presented on the scientific literature, which is based on the preference for certain characteristics, shows that men search a partner who shows high value of fecundity and fertility, thus looking for partners with the ability of being pregnant and nursing their offspring. On the other hand, women look for partners with high socioeconomic status, which is strongly associated with the ability to protect and provide resources for them and their offspring. Surprisingly, there is few works that investigated the mate choice patterns during the beginning of the period of sexual differentiation on the morphological, physiological and behavioral traits. The aim of this study was to investigate mate choice patterns in adolescence in order to describe their preferences and contribute to the understanding of human reproductive behavior. Took part of this research 1,232 students from educational institutions of Natal, Brazil, and visitors to the Scientific, Technological and Cultural Fair UFRN. In the Experimental Study 1, we applied a questionnaire to evaluate the importance of certain characteristics, assessed the degree of romantic involvement and real and ideal partners age preference. In the Experimental Study 2, we did a survey of characteristics considered relevant and evaluate the importance of these characteristics in mate choice. The Experimental Study 3 brought an investigation of mate choice patterns based on self-assessment of adolescents, evaluating ideal partner for a short-term and long-term relationships and actual partner. We found that adolescents are motivated to live romantic experiences. We also observed a preference for partners of similar age to that described for adults. Finally, we found similarities and differences in the preferences for characteristics in real and ideal partners in relation to the adult pattern. In addition, we observed high similarity on the self-assessment and assessment of real and ideal partners. We suggest that in the mate choice, adolescents are similar to young adults in some aspects but not all. Our results show the relevance of the reproductive behavior investigation in this human developmental period and reinforce that further studies should contribute to the understanding of human behavior in terms of ontogenetic development and their evolutionary history.

Síntese e caracterização de zeólita beta hierarquizada e materiais híbridos micro-mesoporosos aplicados no craqueamento de PEAD

A catalyst of great interest to the scientific community tries to unite the structure of ordered pore diameter from mesoporous materials with the properties of stability and acid activity to microporous zeolites. Thus a large number of materials was developed in the past decades, which although being reported as zeolites intrinsically they fail to comply with some relevant characteristics to zeolites, and recently were named zeolitic materials of high accessibility. Among the various synthesis strategies employed, the present research approaches the synthesis methods of crystallization of silanized protozeolitic units and the method of protozeolitic units molded around surfactant micelles, in order for get materials defined as hierarchical zeolites and micro-mesoporous hybrid materials, respectively. As goal BEA/MCM-41 hybrid catalysts with bimodal pore structure formed by nuclei of zeolite Beta and cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium were developed. As also was successfully synthesized the hierarchical Beta zeolite having a secondary porosity, in addition to the typical and uniform zeolite micropores. Both catalysts were applied in reactions of catalytic cracking of high density polyethylene (HDPE), to evaluate its properties in catalytic activity, aiming at the recycling of waste plastics to obtain high value-added raw materials and fuels. The BEA/MCM-41 hybrid materials with 0 days of pre-crystallization did not show enough properties for use in catalytic cracking reactions, but they showed superior catalytic properties compared to those ordered mesoporous materials of Al-MCM-41 type. The structure of Beta zeolite with hierarchical porosity leads the accessibility of HDPE bulky molecules to active centers, due to high external area. And provides higher conversion to hydrocarbons in the gasoline range, especially olefins which have great interest in the petrochemical industry

Efeito de valores discrepantes em grupos de contemporâneos na predição dos valores genéticos

Foram simuladas nove populações, cada uma com cinco replicações da variável ganho médio diário (GMD1) com distribuição normal e média 100, variando o tamanho dos grupos e os desvios-padrão. Cada replicação foi dividida de modo a formar grupos que representariam grupos de contemporâneos (GC) e de progênie dentro de GC. Cada GC tinha dez pais. Obtiveram-se três conjuntos: o conjunto 1 com 1.000 grupos de contemporâneos (GC), cada um com 100 observações e dez observações por pai; o conjunto 2, com 2.500 GC, 40 observações e quatro observações por pai; e o conjunto 3, com 5.000 GC, 20 observações e dois filhos por pai. em cada população, gerou-se GMD1, a qual foi transformada em outra variável, da seguinte forma: DIAS1 = 100/GMD1. Calcularam-se para cada pai, dentro de cada GC, as contribuições de cada GC ao valor de cada pai, para GMD1 (Cx) e DIAS1 (Cy). Os efeitos do máximo e da média de DIAS1 no grupo sobre o valor absoluto de Cy foram significativos, mas o R² foi baixo (máximo de 16%). O mínimo de DIAS1 não influenciou o valor de Cy. O máximo e o mínimo de GMD1 sobre Cx foram significativos, mas os R² foram muito baixos (máximo de 2%). A média não influenciou Cx. em grupos de contemporâneos com um animal com valor de GMD muito baixo, o valor de DIAS desse animal será relativamente muito mais alto, o que afetará a média do grupo e os valores de todos os animais do grupo. Esse efeito se refletirá na avaliação de seus pais e será mais uma importante fonte de erros na avaliação genética do rebanho. Assim, a utilização de DIAS em substituição ao GMD como critério de seleção para o melhoramento de bovinos é contra-indicada, pois deverá reduzir a possibilidade de ganho genético para crescimento.

Phenolic Composition of the Edible Parts (Flesh and Skin) of Bordo Grape (Vitis labrusca) Using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS

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

Interaction of sodium cholate with dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride vesicles in aqueous dispersion

Mixtures of dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride (DODAC) cationic vesicle dispersions with aqueous micelle solutions of the anionic sodium cholate (NaC) were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, DSC, turbidity and light scattering. Within the concentration range investigated (constant 1.0 mM DODAC and varying NaC concentration up to 4 mM), vesicle -> micelle -> aggregate transitions were observed. The turbidity of DODAC/NaC/water depends on time and NaC/DODAB molar concentration ratio R. At equilibrium, turbidity initially decreases smoothly with R to a low value (owing to the vesicle-micelle transition) when R = 0.5-0.8 and then increases steeply to a high value (owing to the micelle-aggregate transition) when R = 0.9-1.0. DSC thermograms exhibit a single and sharp endothermic peak at T-m approximate to 49 degrees C, characteristic of the melting temperature of neat DODAC vesicles in water. Upon addition of NaC, T-m initially decreases to vanish around R = 0.5, and the main transition peak broadens as R increases. For R > 1.0 two new (endo- and exothermic) peaks appear at lower temperatures indicating the formation of large aggregates since the dispersion is turbid. All samples are non-birefringent. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) data indicate that both DODAC and DODAC/NaC dispersions are highly polydisperse, and that the mean size of the aggregates tends to decrease as R increases. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Variabilidade genética e endogamia em duas populações de milho (zea mays) contrastantes para o teor de óleo

Com o objetivo de se avaliar os efeitos da seleção para maior tamanho do embrião, visando o aumento da porcentagem de óleo e suas interrelações com a produtividade de grãos, estimaram-se os parâmetros genéticos e os efeitos de uma geração de autofecundação, em progênies de meios irmãos e S1 de uma mesma planta S0, de duas populações de milho derivadas do Composto Flint. As progênies foram avaliadas separadamente para cada população, através do delineamento experimental em látices planta do em faixas. As médias das progênies de meios irmãos e S1 para porcentagem de óleo, foram respectivamente 5,31% e 5,19% para a população 01, e 6,21% e 5,63% para a população 02. Para peso de espigas na população 01, as médias foram 4,68 e 2,91, e para a população 02 foram iguais a 4,05 e 2,77 kg/m². Embora as médias das progênies S1 fossem sempre inferiores às médias das progênies de meios irmãos, a análise através do teste F não permitiu, ao nível de 5% de probabilidade, se destectar os efeitos da depressão por endogamia na média das características avaliadas, exceto para porcentagem de óleo na população 02. As estimativas das variâncias genéticas entre progênies S1 foram superiores as estimativas das variâncias entre progênies de meios irmãos com exceção da característica peso de espigas despalhadas na população 01 e da característica altura da espiga na população 02. As estimativas da herdabilidade e dos coeficientes de variação genética foram inferiores aos resultados descritos na literatura para a característica porcentagem de óleo nos grãos para as duas populações utilizadas. A população 01 apresentou estimativa da herdabilidade para peso de espigas despalhadas considerada alta 76,76%, enquanto que esta estimativa na população 02, foi considerada baixa 15,76%. Os coeficientes de correlação genética aditiva entre as características peso de espigas e porcentagem de óleo foram de -0,37 e 0,12 para as populações 01 e 02, respectivamente. Concluiu-se que a seleção efetuada na população 02, para aumento do tamanho do embrião, foi efetiva para elevar a porcentagem média de óleo e também para quebrar a correlação genética negativa entre as características de peso de espiga e teor de óleo, porém restringiu drasticamente a variavilidade para essa característica.