Efficacy of an Oral Appliance for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Purpose: The aim of this study was to validate the use of a mandibular repositioner appliance (MRA) to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and primary snoring, comparing polysomnographic and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) data obtained prior to and during MRA treatment. Materials and Methods: Sixty-three patients who presented with different degrees of OSA severity or primary snoring were fitted to a PM positioner between 2009 and 2011. The diagnosis was established by a polysomnogram (PSG) prior to treatment and after 6 months to verify the efficacy of MRA therapy. Subjective daytime sleepiness was evaluated by ESS questionnaire prior to treatment and at the follow-up. Results: Patients were divided into primary snoring and OSA groups. For the primary snoring group, PSG variables did not show significant results, except for a decrease in snoring. For the OSA group, the mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was reduced from 23.0 +/- 11 to 5.3 +/- 4.0 and median ESS reduced significantly from 13.0 to 8.5. Complete response (AHI < 5) was found in 25 (40%) patients and partial response (AHI <= 10) in 27 (43%) patients. Conclusion: The findings validate the efficacy of the adjustable PM positioner for the safe treatment of OSA.

Avaliação da estabilidade da capacidade de produção de cefamicina C por Streptomyces clavuligerus

Streptomyces clavuligerus é uma importante espécie industrial que produz múltiplos compostos de interesse clínico, destacando-se o antibiótico cefamicina C (CefC) e o ácido clavulânico (AC), um potente inibidor de b-lactamases produzidas por bactérias resistentes a penicilinas e cefalosporinas. Sabe-se que situações limite como subculturas sucessivas, forma inadequada de armazenamento das células, variações bruscas de condições de cultura, podem causar deleções de mais de 25% dos genes de Streptomyces sp que, embora muitas vezes não comprometam a sobrevivência do micro-organismo, acarretam perdas na capacidade produtiva. Neste trabalho, investigou-se a estabilidade da linhagem selvagem S. clavuligerus ATCC 27064 quanto à produção de CefC variando-se condições do inóculo utilizado nos cultivos submersos de obtenção do antibiótico. As fermentações foram realizadas em frascos agitados (28ºC, 260 rpm) e as amostras coletadas em 48 e 72 horas do caldo fermentativo foram analisadas quanto ao pH, biomassa (massa seca a 105ºC por 24 h) e CefC foi determinada por bioensaio de difusão em ágar (bactéria-teste Escherichia coli ESS 2235). Foi selecionado o micro-organismo melhor produtor por meio de screening, e o que apresentou a melhor produção de CefC e os menores desvios com relação à média foi utilizado para preparar novos lotes de células: ampolas de micélios liofilizados e criotubos contendo 108 esporos.mL-1 . Observou-se que a capacidade produtiva foi afetada quando foram utilizadas subculturas do micro-organismo original. A realização do screening mostrou-se eficiente na seleção de colônias superiores em termos de produção volumétrica, sendo recomendada a realização de tal procedimento periodicamente para manutenção de uma linhagem com maior potencial produtivo... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)

Sistema de Acelerador Linear Comercial para Radioterapia

This paper presents a study about the operation of the major system’s components of a linear particle acclerator (Linac). It addresses the components mainly responsible for the formation of the beam, through the inclusion of several block diagrams showing the details of the structure. Among the systems discussed may be mentioned the system modulator, automatic frequency control, dosimetry and auxiliary systems. The main objective is the dissemination of basic technology applied in linear accelerators and create literature about this subject in national language. Despite the high complexity and large number of devices that comprise a linear accelerator, it has been developed an easy to understand text that adresses the most relevant issues to the operation of the linear accelerator from the point of view of electrical engineering

O trabalho dos catadores de materiais recicláveis de Presidente Prudente, São Paulo: um estudo aplicado na COOPERLIX e na coleta seletiva municipal

This work focuses on analyzing the organization of the Workers Cooperative Recyclable Products of Presidente Prudente (COOPERLIX) and selective collection of municipal service. Aiming to analyze the issue of solid waste and the work of collectors of recyclable materials in an organized Economic Development Outreach (ESS). Throughout the work was carried out theoretical approaches on the issue of solid waste, the precarious work of scavengers, some laws, among others, were conducted several field studies over the years 2011 and 2012 in COOPERLIX, with the realization meetings and debates on various subjects; tools were also used Geographic Information Systems mainly in the production of selective collection of municipal map, now at 100% of the urban area of Presidente Prudente. Finally, we carried out a comprehensive analysis of the situation of the productive and financial COOPERLIX during those two years, checking their capability and weaknesses

Aplicação do ciclo rankine orgânico alimentado termicamente pela queima da casca do arroz e resíduos de madeira

With the growing world energy demand mainly from developing countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China, the search for efficient sources of energy becomes a challenge for the coming years. Among the most widely used alternative sources, biomass is the one that grows in a more pronounced way. This study will assess the real possibility of having it as a heat source in an Organic Rankine Cycle, which employ heat transfer fluids as working fluids instead of water. From a regional data collection in agricultural production and their potential rice production and the resulting husk was defined as more appropriate. The availability of husks together with an amount of eucalyptus wood, provided by a company in the region on a monthly basis, were analyzed, and the low participation of the wood was discarded by the thermal contribution of little significance. Based on this, it was established the calorific value of fuel for thermodynamic calculations and the cycle to be used. It was then carried out the choice of working fluid from the literature and their availability in the library of software used for the simulations, the Engineering Equation Solver - ESS. The fluid most appropriate for the burning of biomass, Octamethyltrisiloxane (OMTS), was not included in the software and so the R227ea and R134a were selected. After the initial parameters modeling definition, as condensing temperature, efficiency and live steam conditions, the simulations were performed, and only the R227ea remained within the feasible thermodynamic and technological ranges. With this fluid the turbine power output was 265.7 [kW] for a scenario of 24 hours/day burning, 800.3 [kW] to biomass burning for 8 hours/day and 2134 [kW] for burning only 3 hours/day. The thermal efficiency of the cycle remained in the range of 6%, and for plants operating with the most... (Complete Abstract click eletronic access below)

Autoerotismo em sala de aula: o que pensam, como reagem e dizem fazer os professores?

Realizing the need for a discussion on the topic of sexuality in schools, and especially teachers training, this qualitativ e study investigated the teachers' reports about autoeroticism of their students in the cl assroom: what they thin k, how they react, say and do in their teaching prac tice. Nine teachers participated of bot h sex, who were interviewed for further projective content ana lysis. The results show that teachers, although they consider this an important work with their stud ents they expr ess difficulty talking about it, even de parting from indicating his own views and not based on theories, thus evidencing the deficiency in thei r training to deal with sexual education in school. We conclude that teachers still perceive sexuality from myths and taboos, especially on autoeroticism, and in that sens e, it is important to invest in academic training teachers to develop in a pedagogical way, continuous and systematic sexual education projects in school.

A new aspect of sign and its implications for the Theory of Communication

Este artigo propõe que a semiótica peirceana pode oferecer bases tanto lógicas quanto epistemológicas para a busca de uma teoria geral da comunicação. No entanto, o desenvolvimento de uma teoria semiótica da comunicação depende, em primeiro lugar, de uma melhor compreensão dos aspectos formais do signo, tarefa atribuída por Peirce à gramática, o primeiro ramo de sua semiótica. Nós apresentamos uma análise das relações do signo, revelando um aspecto não trabalhado por Peirce, ampliando seu número para onze. Este novo aspecto é a relação triádica entre signo, objeto dinâmico e interpretante dinâmico (S-OD-ID). Nós defendemos que esta relação é essencial para a compreensão da comunicação como semiose, por dar conta da repetição ou redundância do signo comunicativo, quando se cria ou transmite informação. O artigo pretende dar um passo a mais na direção de uma teoria da comunicação verdadeiramente universal, através do vínculo entre a semiótica peirceana e a moderna filosofia da linguagem.

Scaling of Spontaneous Rotation with Temperature and Plasma Current in Tokamaks

Using theoretical arguments, a simple scaling law for the size of the intrinsic rotation observed in tokamaks in the absence of a momentum injection is found: The velocity generated in the core of a tokamak must be proportional to the ion temperature difference in the core divided by the plasma current, independent of the size of the device. The constant of proportionality is of the order of 10 km . s(-1) . MA . keV(-1). When the intrinsic rotation profile is hollow, i.e., it is countercurrent in the core of the tokamak and cocurrent in the edge, the scaling law presented in this Letter fits the data remarkably well for several tokamaks of vastly different size and heated by different mechanisms.

Shearless transport barriers in magnetically confined plasmas

Shearless transport barriers appear in confined plasmas due to non-monotonic radial profiles and cause localized reduction of transport even after they have been broken. In this paper we summarize our recent theoretical and experimental research on shearless transport barriers in plasmas confined in toroidal devices. In particular, we discuss shearless barriers in Lagrangian magnetic field line transport caused by non-monotonic safety factor profiles. We also discuss evidence of particle transport barriers found in the TCABR Tokamak (University of Sao Paulo) and the Texas Helimak (University of Texas at Austin) in biased discharges with non-monotonic plasma flows.

Divertor map with freedom of geometry and safety factor profile

An explicit, area-preserving and integrable magnetic field line map for a single-null divertor tokamak is obtained using a trajectory integration method to represent equilibrium magnetic surfaces. The magnetic surfaces obtained from the map are capable of fitting different geometries with freely specified position of the X-point, by varying free model parameters. The safety factor profile of the map is independent of the geometric parameters and can also be chosen arbitrarily. The divertor integrable map is composed of a nonintegrable map that simulates the effect of external symmetry-breaking resonances, so as to generate a chaotic region near the separatrix passing through the X-point. The composed field line map is used to analyze escape patterns (the connection length distribution and magnetic footprints on the divertor plate) for two equilibrium configurations with different magnetic shear profiles at the plasma edge.

Non-linear magnetohydrodynamic simulations of density evolution in Tore Supra sawtoothing plasmas

The plasma density evolution in sawtooth regime on the Tore Supra tokamak is analyzed. The density is measured using fast-sweeping X-mode reflectometry which allows tomographic reconstructions. There is evidence that density is governed by the perpendicular electric flows, while temperature evolution is dominated by parallel diffusion. Postcursor oscillations sometimes lead to the formation of a density plateau, which is explained in terms of convection cells associated with the kink mode. A crescent-shaped density structure located inside q = 1 is often visible just after the crash and indicates that some part of the density withstands the crash. 3D full MHD nonlinear simulations with the code XTOR-2F recover this structure and show that it arises from the perpendicular flows emerging from the reconnection layer. The proportion of density reinjected inside the q = 1 surface is determined, and the implications in terms of helium ash transport are discussed. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4766893]

Optical transition radiation used in the diagnostic of low energy and low current electron beams in particle accelerators

Optical transition radiation (OTR) plays an important role in beam diagnostics for high energy particle accelerators. Its linear intensity with beam current is a great advantage as compared to fluorescent screens, which are subject to saturation. Moreover, the measurement of the angular distribution of the emitted radiation enables the determination of many beam parameters in a single observation point. However, few works deals with the application of OTR to monitor low energy beams. In this work we describe the design of an OTR based beam monitor used to measure the transverse beam charge distribution of the 1.9-MeV electron beam of the linac injector of the IFUSP microtron using a standard vision machine camera. The average beam current in pulsed operation mode is of the order of tens of nano-Amps. Low energy and low beam current make OTR observation difficult. To improve sensitivity, the beam incidence angle on the target was chosen to maximize the photon flux in the camera field-of-view. Measurements that assess OTR observation (linearity with beam current, polarization, and spectrum shape) are presented, as well as a typical 1.9-MeV electron beam charge distribution obtained from OTR. Some aspects of emittance measurement using this device are also discussed. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4748519]

Improved low-voltage-ride-through capability of fixed-speed wind turbines using decentralised control of STATCOM with energy storage system

The design and implementation of a new control scheme for reactive power compensation, voltage regulation and transient stability enhancement for wind turbines equipped with fixed-speed induction generators (IGs) in large interconnected power systems is presented in this study. The low-voltage-ride-through (LVRT) capability is provided by extending the range of the operation of the controlled system to include typical post-fault conditions. A systematic procedure is proposed to design decentralised multi-variable controllers for large interconnected power systems using the linear quadratic (LQ) output-feedback control design method and the controller design procedure is formulated as an optimisation problem involving rank-constrained linear matrix inequality (LMI). In this study, it is shown that a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) with energy storage system (ESS), controlled via robust control technique, is an effective device for improving the LVRT capability of fixed-speed wind turbines.

Dynamical analysis of turbulence in fusion plasmas and nonlinear waves

Turbulence is one of the key problems of classical physics, and it has been the object of intense research in the last decades in a large spectrum of problems involving fluids, plasmas, and waves. In order to review some advances in theoretical and experimental investigations on turbulence a mini-symposium on this subject was organized in the Dynamics Days South America 2010 Conference. The main goal of this mini-symposium was to present recent developments in both fundamental aspects and dynamical analysis of turbulence in nonlinear waves and fusion plasmas. In this paper we present a summary of the works presented at this mini-symposium. Among the questions to be addressed were the onset and control of turbulence and spatio-temporal chaos. (C) 2011 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.