Extended-range, low coherence dual wavelength interferometry using a superfluorescent fibre source and chirped fibre Bragg gratings

We describe an all-fibre, passive scheme for making extended range interferometric measurements based on the dual wavelength technique. The coherence tuned interferometer network is illuminated with a single superfluorescent fibre source at 1.55 μm and the two wavelengths are synthesised at the output by means of chirped fibre Bragg gratings. We demonstrate an unambiguous sensing range of 270 μm, with a dynamic range of 2.7 × 105.

Melhoria da Atenção à Saúde de Usuários com Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica e Diabetes Mellitus na UBS José Raimundo de Melo, Xapuri/AC

REINOSO, Orlando Comendador. Melhoria da Atenção à Saúde aos usuários com Hipertensão Sistêmica Arterial e/ou Diabetes Mellitus, na UBS José Raimundo de Melo, Xapuri/AC. 2015. 99f. Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Curso de Especialização em Saúde da Família) - Departamento de Medicina Social, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, 2015. A Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica e o Diabetes Mellitus apresentam alta morbimortalidade, acarretando perda importante da qualidade de vida do usuário, o que reforça a importância do diagnóstico precoce e acompanhamento regular, pelo qual é responsável em grande medida a Atenção Primária de Saúde. O diagnóstico não requer tecnologia sofisticada e a doença pode ser tratada e controlada com mudanças no estilo de vida, com medicamentos de baixo custo e de poucos efeitos colaterais, comprovadamente eficazes e de fácil aplicabilidade. O conhecimento das doenças está relacionado à melhora da qualidade de vida, à redução do número de complicações, ao menor número de internações hospitalares e à maior aceitação da doença. Na Unidade Básica de Saúde José Raimundo de Melo, Xapuri/AC, foi desenvolvido, num período de 12 semanas, um projeto de intervenção com o objetivo de melhorar a atenção à saúde dos usuários com Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica e/ou Diabetes Mellitus. Do total estimado de 423 hipertensos, foram avaliados e participou da intervenção 341, o que confere cobertura de 80,6%. Do total estimado de 104 diabéticos, participaram da intervenção 69 usuários, alcançando ao final da intervenção uma cobertura de 66,3%. Quanto à qualidade, cabe ressaltar os índices alcançados no exame clínico apropriado dos usuários, que chegaram a 99,1% entre os hipertensos e 100% entre os diabéticos. Todos os hipertensos e diabéticos tiveram o registro adequado em ficha espelho e receberam orientação sobre alimentação saudável, riscos do tabagismo e higiene bucal. Todos os faltosos foram buscados. A grande maioria foi estratificada quanto ao risco cardiovascular, receberam a prescrição de medicamentos da Farmácia Popular/Hiperdia, e foram orientados quanto à prática de atividade física regular. Conseguiu-se o presente resultado incrementando o nível de conhecimento da equipe, realizando visitas domiciliares e aproveitando ao máximo as atividades de grupo. A intervenção estimulou e facilitou o acesso dos usuários portadores de hipertensão arterial e diabetes mellitus à Unidade de Saúde, para desfrutarem de um atendimento de qualidade, que já faz parte da rotina de trabalho. A equipe ganhou em nível técnico e capacidade de resolução das problemáticas e o trabalho em equipe constituiu o maior avanço.

Melhoria da Atenção aos Usuários com Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica e/ou Diabetes Mellitus, na UBS Dr. Luiz Fernando Magalhães, Capixaba/AC

A hipertensão arterial sistêmica é uma doença crônica não-transmissível, de natureza multifatorial, assintomática (na maioria dos casos) que compromete fundamentalmente o equilíbrio dos mecanismos vasodilatadores e vasoconstritores, provocando o aumento da tensão sanguínea nos vasos que pode comprometer a irrigação tecidual e provocar danos aos órgãos por eles irrigados. Por outro lado a Diabetes Mellitus faz parte de um grupo de doenças metabólicas caracterizada por hiperglicemia e associada a complicações, disfunções e insuficiência de vários órgãos, especialmente olhos, rins, nervos, cérebro, coração e vasos sanguíneos. Pode resultar de defeitos de secreção e/ou ação de insulina, envolvendo processos patogênicos específicos, por exemplo, destruição das células beta do pâncreas (produtoras de insulina), resistência à ação da insulina, distúrbios da secreção da insulina. Este projeto de intervenção teve como objetivo ampliar a cobertura de usuários hipertensos e/ou diabéticos, pertencentes à área de abrangência da UBS Dr. Luiz Fernando Magalhães do município de Capixaba – AC. Este grupo de usuários foram escolhidos para nossa intervenção por serem grupos de alta importância e prioridade. Esta intervenção foi desenvolvida no período de 3 meses, onde se propôs um conjunto de objetivos específicos que abarcam a cobertura do programa, qualidade de atendimento, adesão e promoção e prevenção de saúde dos hipertensos e diabéticos, para os quais foram elaboradas metas com as suas respectivas ações implementadas, desenvolvidas, e executadas em todos os 4 eixos pedagógicos, como organização e gestão do serviço, monitoramento e avaliação, engajamento público e qualificação da prática clínica, com seus indicadores que permitiram o monitoramento das metas. Os dados mais relevantes foram relacionados à ampliação da cobertura da atenção à saúde dos usuários hipertensos e diabéticos da nossa área de abrangência, alcançando cadastro de 341 usuários de 552 da estimativa nacional o que representa 61,8% dos hipertensos e 60 usuários de 136 da estimativa nacional o que representa 44,1% dos diabéticos. Esta intervenção trouxe benefícios para nossa comunidade não somente para os usuários hipertensos e diabéticos vinculadas ao projeto, mas também para a população em geral uma vez que ganharam em conhecimento e a partir disso adquiriram consciência sobre a importância do acompanhamento dos hipertensos e diabéticos. Por último e mais importante, foi de grande benefício para nossa equipe de saúde melhorando nossa organização do processo de trabalho o que se refletiu como uma melhoria na qualidade da atenção de saúde destes usuários incentivando cada vez mais uma melhor aderência da comunidade.

Educação fisica na educação infantil : a realidade nas secretarias municipais de educação de Belem-PA, Macapa-AP, Palmas-TO e Rio Branco-AC

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

An AC-5 cathepsin B-like protease purified from Haemonchus contortus excretory secretory products shows protective antigen potential for lambs

The immunogenic properties of cysteine proteases obtained from excretory/secretory products (ES) of Haemonchus contortus were investigated with a fraction purified with a recombinant H. contortus cystatin affinity column. The enrichment of H. contortus ES for cysteine protease was confirmed with substrate SDS-PAGE gels since the cystatin-binding fraction activity was three times higher than total ES, despite representing only 3% of total ES. This activity was inhibited by a specific cysteine protease inhibitor (E64) and by recombinant cystatin. The one-dimensional profile of the cystatin-binding fraction displayed a single band with a molecular mass of 43 kDa. Mass spectrometry showed this to be AC-5, a cathepsin B-like cysteine protease which had not been identified in ES products of H. contortus before. The cystatin binding fraction was tested as an immunogen in lambs which were vaccinated three times (week 0, 2.5 and 5), challenged with 10 000 L3 H. contortus (week 6) before necropsy and compared to unvaccinated challenge controls and another group given total ES (n = 10 per group). The group vaccinated with cystatin-binding proteins showed 36% and 32% mean worm burden and eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) reductions, respectively, compared to the controls but total ES was almost without effect. After challenge the cystatin-binding proteins induced significantly higher local and systemic ES specific IgA and IgG responses.

Theory of small-signal ac response of a dielectric liquid containing two groups of ions

The analysis of Macdonald for electrolytes is generalized to the case in which two groups of ions are present. We assume that the electrolyte can be considered as a dispersion of ions in a dielectric liquid, and that the ionic recombination can be neglected. We present the differential equations governing the ionic redistribution when the liquid is subjected to an external electric field, describing the simultaneous diffusion of the two groups of ions in the presence of their own space charge fields. We investigate the influence of the ions on the impedance spectroscopy of an electrolytic cell. In the analysis, we assume that each group of ions have equal mobility, the electrodes perfectly block and that the adsorption phenomena can be neglected. In this framework, it is shown that the real part of the electrical impedance of the cell has a frequency dependence presenting two plateaux, related to a type of ambipolar and free diffusion coefficients. The importance of the considered problem on the ionic characterization performed by means of the impedance spectroscopy technique was discussed. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Analysis of the E-J Curve of HTS Tapes Under DC and AC Magnetic Fields at 77 K

The evaluation of the electrical characteristics of technical HTS tapes are of the key importance in determining the design and operational features of superconducting power apparatuses as well as to understand the external factors which affect the superconducting performance. In this work we report the systematic measurements of the electric field versus current density, E-J relation of short samples for three commercial HTS tapes (BSCCO-2223 tapes, with and without steel reinforcement, and YBCO-coated conductor) at 77 K. In order to get sensitive and noiseless voltage signals the measurements were carried out with DC transport current and subjecting the broad surface tape to DC (0-300 mT) and AC (0-62 mT, 60 Hz) magnetic fields. The voltage is measured by a sensitive nanovoltmeter and the applied magnetic field is monitored by a Hall sensor placed on the tape broad surface. The comparison between the results obtained from the three tapes was done by fitting a power-law equation for currents in the vicinity of the critical current. For the current regime below the critical one a linear correlation of the electric field against the current density is observed. The BSCCO samples presented the same behavior, i.e., a decreasing of n-index with the increasing DC and AC magnetic field strength. Under AC field the decreasing slope of n-index is steeper as compared to DC field. The n-index curve for the YBCO tape showed similar behavior for AC field, however under DC field in the 0-390 mT range exhibited a slight decreasing of the n-index.

Comparison between DC(+) and Square Wave AC SAW Current Outputs to Weld AISI 304 for Low-Temperature Applications

Welded equipment for cryogenic applications is utilized in chemical, petrochemical, and metallurgical industries. One material suitable for cryogenic application is austenitic stainless steel, which usually doesn`t present ductile/brittle transition temperature, except in the weld metal, where the presence of ferrite and micro inclusions can promote a brittle failure, either by ferrite cleavage or dimple nucleation and growth, respectively. A 25-mm- (1-in.-) thick AISI 304 stainless steel base metal was welded with the SAW process using a 308L solid wire and two kinds of fluxes and constant voltage power sources with two types of electrical outputs: direct current electrode positive and balanced square wave alternating current. The welded joints were analyzed by chemical composition, microstructure characterization, room temperature mechanical properties, and CVN impact test at -100 degrees C (-73 degrees F). Results showed that an increase of chromium and nickel content was observed in all weld beads compared to base metal. The chromium and nickel equivalents ratio for the weld beads were always higher for welding with square wave AC for the two types of fluxes than for direct current. The modification in the Cr(eq)/Ni(eq) ratio changes the delta ferrite morphology and, consequently, modifies the weld bead toughness at lower temperatures. The oxygen content can also affect the toughness in the weld bead. The highest absorbed energy in a CVN impact test was obtained for the welding condition with square wave AC electrical output and neutral flux, followed by DC(+) electrical output and neutral flux, and square wave AC electrical output and alloyed flux.

The multiphoton AC Stark effect

We study the interaction of a two-level atom with two intense lasers: a strong laser of Rabi frequency 2 Ohm on resonance with the atomic transition, and a weaker laser detuned by 7 Ohm/n. i.e. by a subharmonic of the Rabi frequency of the first. The second laser dresses the dressed states created by the first in an n-photon process. We calculate the energy levels and eigenstates of this doubly-dressed atom, and find a new phenomenon: the splitting of the energy levels due to an n-photon coupling between them, resulting in a multiphoton AC Stark effect. We illustrate this effect in the fluorescence spectrum, and show that the spectrum contains triplets at the subharmonic as well as harmonic resonance frequencies with a clear dependence on the order n of the resonance and the ratio a of the Rabi frequencies of the lasers. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.

Shift of the subharmonic resonances and suppression of fluorescence in a two-level atom driven by a bichromatic field

We study the behavior of a two-level atom that is driven by a bichromatic field consisting of a strong resonant component and a weaker tunable component. In addition to the splitting of the energy levels (the multiphoton AC Stark effect), we find that the weaker component also shifts the subharmonic resonances, an effect we attribute to a dynamic Stark shift. When the weaker component is tuned to a shifted resonance, no fluorescence occurs at either the frequency of the strong component or the three-photon mixing frequency. Results are obtained with numerical techniques and explained in terms of the dressed-atom model of the system. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America [S0740-3224(98)01508-2] OCIS codes: 270.4180, 270.6620, 270.0270.

Multiphoton ac Stark effect in a bichromatically driven two-level atom

We study the interaction of a two-level atom with two lasers of different frequencies and amplitudes: a strong laser of Rabi frequency 2 Ohm(1) on resonance with the atomic transition, and a weaker laser detuned by subharmonics (2 Ohm(1)/n) of the Rabi frequency of the first. We find that under these conditions the second laser couples the dressed states created by the first in an n-photon process, resulting in doubly dressed states and in a ''multiphoton ac Stark'' effect. We calculate the eigenstates of the doubly dressed atom and their energies, and illustrate the role of this multiphoton ac Stark effect in its fluorescence, absorption, and Autler-Townes spectra. [S1050-2947(98)07607-0].

A comparative study of N2O conversion to N-2 over Co/AC and Cu/AC catalysts

Catalytic conversion of N2O to N-2 over Cu- and Co-impregnated activated carbon catalysts (Cu/AC and Co/AC) was investigated. Catalytic activity measurements were carried out in a fixed-bed flow reactor at atmospheric pressure. The catalysts were characterized by N-2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). This study aimed to provide insights into the following aspects: the metal dispersion, changes in pore structure, influence of catalyst loading on reaction, and reaction mechanism. Increasing loading of Co or Cu led to decreasing dispersion, but 20 wt % loading was an upper limit for optimal activities in both cases, with too high loading causing sintering of metal. Co exhibited a relatively better dispersion than Cu. Impregnation of metal led to a large decrease in surface area and pore volume, especially for 30 wt % of loading. 20 wt % of loading has proved to be the optimum for both Cu and Co, which shows the highest activity. Both N2O-Co/AC and -Cu/AC reactions are based upon a redox mechanism, but the former is limited by the oxygen transfer from catalysts to carbon, while N2O chemisorption on the surface of Cu catalyst controls the latter. The removal of oxygen from cobalt promotes the activity of Co/AC, but it is beneficial for Cu/AC to keep plenty of oxygen to maintain the intermediate oxidation of copper-Cu1+. The different nature of the two catalysts and their catalytic reaction mechanisms are closely related to their different electronegativities.

Catalytic conversion to N2O to N2 over potassium catalyst supported on activated carbon

Catalytic conversion of N2O to N-2 With potassium catalysts supported on activated carbon (K/AC) was investigated. Potassium proves to be much more active and stable than either copper or cobalt because potassium possesses strong abilities both for N2O chemisorption and oxygen transfer. Potassium redispersion is found to play a critical role in influencing the catalyst stability. A detailed study of the reaction mechanism was conducted based upon three different catalyst loadings. It was found that during temperature-programmed reaction (TPR), the negative oxygen balance at low temperatures (< 50 degrees C) is due to the oxidation of the external surface of potassium oxide particles, while the bulk oxidation accounts for the oxygen accumulation at higher temperatures (below ca. 270 degrees C). N2O is beneficial for the removal of carbon-oxygen complexes because of the formation of CO2 instead of CO and because of its role in making the chemisorption of produced CO2 on potassium oxide particles less stable. A conceptual three-zone model was proposed to clarify the reaction mechanism over K/AC catalysts. CO2 chemisorption at 250 degrees C proves to be an effective measurement of potassium dispersion. (C) 1999 Academic Press.

Triphora uniflora AC Ferreira, Baptista & Pansarin (Orchidaceae: Triphorcae): a new species and the first record of the genus Triphora Nutt. for Sao Paulo state, Brazil

(Triphora uniflora A.C. Ferreira, Baptista & Pansarin (Orchidaccae: Triphorcae): a new species and the first record of the genus Triphora Nutt. for Sao Paulo state, Brazil). Triphora uniflora A. C. Ferreira, Baptista & Pansarin, a new species of Orchidaceae, is described and illustrated. Furthermore, this is the first report of the genus Triphora for Sao Paulo state, Brazil. The relationship of this new species to other taxa of the genus and the need to preserve the natural habitat of this Triphora species are discussed.

Effect of Diode-Laser and AC Magnetic Field of Bovine Serum Albumin Nanospheres Loaded with Phthalocyanine and Magnetic Particles

This study reports on the development and characterization of bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanospheres containing Silicon(IV) phthalocyanine (NzPc) and/or maghemite nanoparticles (MNP), the latter introduced via ionic magnetic fluid (MF). The nanosized BSA-loaded samples were designed for synergic application while combining Photodynamic Therapy and Hyperthermia. Incorporation of MNP in the albumin-based template, allowing full control of the magnetic content, was accomplished by adding a highly-stable ionic magnetic fluid sample to the albumin suspension, following heat denaturing. The material`s evaluation was performed using Zeta potential measurements and scanning electron microscopy. The samples were characterized by steady-state techniques and time-resolved fluorescence. The in vitro assay, using human fibroblasts, revealed no cytotoxic effect in all samples investigated, demonstrating the potential of the tested system as a synergistic drug delivery system.