Aplicações de isótopos estáveis na área da saúde no Brasil

The use of stable isotopes in Brazil is being improved, mainly through research conducted at main universities in the country. Some applications in health allow to studying, for example, processes involving synthesis and protein degradation, energy expenditure, body composition, kinetics of vitamins, mineral absorption and diagnose diseases related to Helicobacter pylori. The big motivation is to encourage the growth of investments in health in the few centers that have mass spectrometers in Brazil, as the technique is harmless to humans, in other words, no has problems to use it like when you use radioactive isotopes

Avaliação do uso de fantomas antropomórficos na análise experimental dos fatores que afetam o contraste de imagens radiográficas

This experimental study aimed the evaluation of the use of anthropomorphic phantoms in the analysis of the influence of the acquisition parameters in the contrast of radiographic images. The analyzed factors were the variation of the peak kilovoltage (kVp) and the product of the filament circuit by the time of exposition (mAs). The influence of these factors was verified for different anthropomorphic phantoms: foot, knee and chest. The image contrast behavior with the simulators was compared to values obtained with the use of an aluminum ladder being the behavior of this reference for analysis and discussion. To assure the reproducibility of images, quality control tests were made and evaluation of procedure conditions before the experiments. The results obtained are shown in a scale of images where it was possible to evaluate the impact in the darkness of images. Regions with different compositions were analyzed which were different in image, this way the values of optical density and contrast are represented as charts and graphics. We conclude that the use of anthropomorphic phantoms in the evaluation of the influence of tension of the tube and time of exposition in the contrast of the radiographic images is not indicated for a quantitative analysis through optical density, once they present incompatible results with the data as reference as the aluminum ladder even so these simulators present a great property in qualitative analysis regarding the differentiation of structures and subjective evaluations

Aplicação de técnicas eletroforéticas em amostras de musculos de aves de interesse comercial e de Tilápias (Oreochromis niloticus)

Junto ao Laboratório de Fracionamento de Proteínas, desenvolveu atividades aplicando técnicas eletroforéticas (gel de agarose, eletroforese nativa em gel de poliacrilamida) em amostras de músculos de aves de interesse comercial (frangos, perus e avestruzes), tendo como co-orientador o Prof. Paulo Tadeu Figueira da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, PUC/PR - Toledo, onde desenvolveu atividades de análise de géis de eletroforese. Aplicou as técnicas de eletroforeses citadas em amostras de músculos e soro sanguíneo (em andamento) de tilápias (Oreochromis niloticus), bem como desenvolveu atividades de análises computacionais (VDS – PHARMACIA) e estatísticas (ASSISTAT) nos dados obtidos, resultando na participação em 7 congressos com apresentação de trabalhos. Cursou a disciplina de Genética, como aluno especial, junto à turma de Licenciatura em Ciências Biológicas, num total de 8 créditos, sendo aprovado com média 7,2

Métodos de estudo da transmissão neuromuscular

Este trabalho tem como objetivo documentar as atividades realizadas no Estágio Curricular Obrigatório do curso de Graduação em Física Médica, realizado no Laboratório de Farmacologia da Junção Neuromuscular do Departamento de Farmacologia do Instituto de Biociências da UNESP de Botucatu. O estágio englobou atividades relacionadas à Instrumentação e à Iniciação Científica, ambas visando ao estudo da Farmacologia da Transmissão Neuromuscular. Desta forma, neste relatório serão apresentados, inicialmente, uma breve revisão dos aspectos fundamentais da morfologia e da fisiologia da junção neuromuscular. Posteriormente, serão descritos os métodos de estudo da transmissão neuromuscular aprendidos no decorrer do estágio, especificamente, as técnicas miográfica, que permite o registro da contração muscular, e eletrofisiológica, que possibilita o registro de atividade elétrica celular, ambas in vitro. Finalizando, serão apresentados os resultados do Projeto de Iniciação Científica desenvolvido, cujo objetivo foi estudar a ação do extrato etanólico da planta Tabernaemontana catharinensis sobre o bloqueio neuromuscular induzido por toxinas ofídicas na preparação do nervo frênico-músculo diafragma isolado de camundongos

Controle de qualidade em equipamentos mamográficos

Nowadays the mammography is the most effective way of revealing early breast cancer. The image in this kind of exam is gotten trough a x-ray sheaf of low energy, however, the suitable visualization of the interesting structures by the radiologist is not always possible due several factors that appears since the mamma composition until the equipments limitation. The regulation 453/98 sets quality control tests and limits of acceptation that guarantee a good development of the mammographys. The purpose of this study is the 3D principle ( Diagnostic, Dose and Dollar), that means, an improved diagnosis, a dose reduction in the patient and a cost decrease for the Institution. In this study was made the quality control tests set by the Regulation in two mammography equipments from Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu (HCFMB - UNESP). The results reached in this research were used in the renovation process of quality stamp in mammography granted by Colégio Brasileiro de Radiologia (CBR) to the diagnosis by image from the HCFMB – UNESP

Ensaios não destrutivos: metrologia e calibração

To perform the quality control of various industries like: petrochemical, nuclear, aerospace, steel, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, and inspection of welded products, castings, forgings, rolled products, among others, used the method of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). The method is based on the physical properties of the material, so selecting a procedure more appropriate. The company Inter-Metro Serviços Especiais Ltda., with its cutting-edge laboratory, dedicated to the implementation of calibration services and measurement equipment for industrial, medical, occupational safety and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). It has a trained team, providing guidance and providing support for improving procedures for testing and measuring

Radioterapia com elétrons

Radiotherapy is a field of medical physics, which has been going through a scientific and technological advancement, it is extreme important the professionals that work in this area continuous their study to improve the quality of service provided. For it, they should know the physical principles related as well their employment in radiotherapy. The electrons have been using in therapy of superficial tumors, because they show rapid decrease of dose in depth, they don’t expose the deeper tissues to radiation. The electron therapy has replaced the surface therapy with x-ray and mold brachytherapy, and nowadays, it represents 10 to 15% of radiotherapy treatments. This study brings the definition of physical parameters used in the dosimetry of electron beam, describes the tests for quality control of linear accelerator with a electrons beam, as well the activities realized in the Radiotherapy Division, of Hospital de Clinicas, in the Universidade Estadual of Campinas, in the Clinac 2100C machine

Análise da viabilidade de simulações com feixes de prótons de 150MeV em alvos heterogêneos

A protonterapia é um tipo de tratamento promissor quanto a diminuição de dose nos tecidos adjacentes ao tumor, devido às suas característica de deposição de energia ao interagir com a matéria. Para aumentar a acurácia do tratamento é necessário que as simulações sejam feitas a partir de um sistema de formação de imagem que utilize também um feixe de prótons, como a tomografia por feixe de prótons (pCT). Essa área atualmente está em desenvolvimento e se defronta com inúmeros problemas na formação de uma imagem precisa. Este trabalho tem o intuito de analisar a viabilidade de simulações computacionais para este tipo de feixe. O código computacional SRIM é um conjunto de programas que calcula o freamento e o alcance de íons ao interagir com a matéria. Esse cálculo baseia-se em ferramentas oriundas da mecânica quântica e também no método de Monte Carlo, para determinar, de modo probabilístico, trajetórias, colisões e ângulos. Foram realizadas simulações no programa SRIM para um alvo heterogêneo envolvendo água e osso cortical. Para analisar o comportamento do feixe transmitido, foram feitas alterações na posição e no tamanho da heterogeneidade. A partir dos dados obtidos pode-se obter valores médios, histogramas e gaussianas dos mesmos para cada simulação e tirar conclusões sobre a viabilidade e as dependências desse tipo de simulação

Análise de atividade epileptiforme com uso simultâneo de eletrencefalografia e ressonância magnética funcional

The use of multimodal neuroimaging techniques has been helpful in the investigation of epileptogenic zone in patients with refractory epilepsies. This work aims to describe an ictal event during EEG-fMRI performed simultaneously in a 39-year-old man with refractory epilepsy. The EEG data were recorded at a sampling rate of 5 kHz, using a BrainAmp (BrainProducts, München, Germany) amplifier, with 64 MR (magnetic resonance) compatible Ag/AgCl electrodes. MR images were acquired using a 3T scanner in 3 sequences of 6 minutes of echo-planar images (EPIs), with TR = 2s, being the last sequence stopped after the ictal event. The EEG was corrected for gradient and pulse artifacts using the Brain Vision Analyzer2 software (BrainProducts), and the functional images were realigned, slice-timing corrected, normalized and smoothed. The start of the ictal changes was used for the evaluation of the BOLD response in MR images, using a t-test with a minimum cluster of 5 voxels, p <0.005 (T>2.5). The patient had a partial complex seizure, as noted by neurologist. The fMRI data showed positive BOLD responses (activation) in dysplastic areas, but showed the most significant activation outside the lesion, in areas compatible with secondary spread of the epileptic focus, probably caused by motor reaction also observed during the seizure. As a conclusion, we note that the technique of EEG-fMRI can detect the epileptogenic zone in patients with refractory epilepsy, but areas of dissemination of primary epileptogenic focus may show significant activation, introducing additional difficulties to the interpretation of the results

Estudo da dose efetiva, razão sinal-ruído e razão contraste-ruído em tomografia computadorizada de múltiplos detetores

Since discovery, computed tomography is a widely used diagnostic modality. However, this modality imparts relatively high doses to the patients and with fast technological advancement, it is necessary optimize the doses used and ensure the quality of the images through a quality assurance program. This work intended to compare Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDIW) and effective dose with components of image quality: the Contrast-to-Noise Ratio (CNR) and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), and a quality factor (Q) deduced by the Rose model for two groups of computed tomography units. The first group was composed by equipments with 10 up to 16 slices and the second one presented 40 up to 320 slices detectors, for the protocols of head and abdomen. It was realized a comparison between different selectable parameters in the protocol of a Philips Brilliance 16, too. The results of the first group to CTDIW, effective dose, SNR and CNR showed variations of 28%, 33%, 37% and 32% respectively for head protocol, and 21%, 27%, 43% and 37% respectively for abdomen protocol. The results of the group 2 to CTDIW, effective dose, SNR and CNR showed variations of 15%, 26%, 36% and 34% respectively for the head protocol, and 8%, 13%, 50% and 60% respectively for abdomen protocol. The comparison between both groups demonstrated similar levels of doses impartation to patients though having so many different configurations, if the uncertainties associated with this measurement were considered. The results of the comparison between different parameters in the Philips Brilliance 16 scanner were in agreement with expected

Mecânica quântica e sua relação com terapias alternativas

Este trabalho propôs uma discussão crítica sobre os conceitos e fenômenos da Mecânica Quântica (MQ) empregados na explicação cientifíca que dá suporte quanto ao princípio de funcionamento de algumas terapias alternativas ou sobre a elaboração de seus respectivos medicamentos, em especial, Homeopatia e Cura Quântica. Essa discussão se faz importante para munir o leitor com argumentos sólidos calcados na teoria quântica e confrontá-los coma as ideias de simpatizantes leigos dessas terapias. Portanto, o trabalho visou descrever fatos históricos que tornaram possível a construção teórica da Mecânica Quântica, elaborou um resumo da loso a dominante que norteava o pensamento imediatamente anterior a MQ e o conflito que se seguiu em decorrência das implicações deste novo ramo da Física. Explorou o paradoxo EPR e o consequente teorema de John Bell sobre as desigualdades até chegar no experimento de Alain Aspect envolvendo laser para responder de forma prática e definitiva o paradoxo EPR. Finalmente, o trabalho apresentou um resumo das abordagens e argumentações defendidas pelos proponentes das terapias alternativas e confrontou com os conceitos da Mecânica Quântica, para enfim apresentar ao público um estudo científico sobre Homeopatia e Cura Quântica, e compreender os limites e equívocos empregados a essas terapias

Cálculo das funções de anisotropia e radial de dose para braquiterapia com semente de 192Ir em diferentes materiais de interesse em radiologia com o auxílio do programa baseado no método de Monte Carlo MCNPX

The brachytherapy braquiterapia is an x-ray modality radiotherapy in which stamped or halfstamped radioactive sources in format of seeds are used, wires or to one short distance, in contact or implanted to the fabric to be treated. All the treatment modalities require a previous planning. The formalism recommended for calculation of dose was considered by the AAPM for the first TG-43 Report. In it distributions of dose of isolated seeds measured and calculated by Monte Carlo method in water instead of with models half-empiricists. In this work we in accordance with present some preliminary results of the calculation of functions of radial anisotropy and of dose in the distance for seed of 192Ir, wide used in brachytherapy treatments of high tax of dose (HDR), with the aid of the program based on the Monte Carlo method MCNPX v2.50 (Mount Carlo N ParticleeXtended). The materials chosen in the simulation beyond water, had been MS20 and estriado muscle

Estudo teórico das funções de anisotropia e radial de dose para braquiterapia com semente de Ir192 em diferentes materiais de interesse em radiologia

The brachytherapy braquiterapia is an x-ray modality radiotherapy in which stamped or halfstamped radioactive sources in format of seeds are used, wires or to one short distance, in contact or implanted to the fabric to be treated. All the treatment modalities require a previous planning.The formalism recommended for calculation of dose was considered by the AAPM for the first TG-43 Report. In it distributions of dose of isolated seeds measured and calculated by Monte Carlo method in water instead of with models half-empiricists.In this work we in accordance with present some preliminary results of the calculation of functions of radial anisotropy and of dose in the distance for seed of 192Ir, wide used in brachytherapy treatments of high tax of dose (HDR), with the aid of the program based on the Monte Carlo method MCNPX v2.50 (Mount Carlo N ParticleeXtended).The materials chosen in the simulation beyond water, had been MS20 and estriado muscle

Comparação da razão sinal-ruído e da uniformidade da imagem entre aquisições com bobina de quadratura e com bobina de corpo

The signal-to-noise ratio and image uniformity analysis parameters are very important in quality control of an MRI scanner. They are measured in regular tests with phantoms. In these tests, however, used to quadrature coil, which has been most widely used clinically, and, therefore, was replaced in the procedures for body coil. In order to understand the difference between these two parameters in these coils, the study aimed to analyze the images acquired from four different phantoms in the same equipment under the same conditions for comparison purposes. With these results, it can be concluded that the body coil signal-to-noise ratio has always smaller than the quadrature in any projection, whereas the image uniformity is larger

Indução de morte celular por apoptose decorrente da irradiação com Raios-X: um ensaio com células mamárias humanas tumorais

Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death selectively removes abnormal cells, and thus contributes to maintaining the balance of the dynamics of cell reproduction. Therefore the verification of the occurrence of apoptotic cell death after a pathological stimulus is crucial for the analysis of the maintenance of normal cell cycle of a given tissue or organ. In this experiment were used cells lines human mammary tumor MDAMB231, T47, MCF7, which were irradiated with X-rays at a dose of 5 Gy in a time interval of 15 seconds, and filtration of 1mm aluminum. Samples containing the cells were grown in a specific culture medium, containing fetal bovine serum and growth factor, and two samples were prepared with each of the cell lines, one to be irradiated, and another that has not been irradiated, which denoted by negative control of the irradiation. The primary goal of the experiment was to verify and compare the rates of apoptosis in each cell lines, in which were irradiated and that were not irradiated, using flow cytometry as a method for detecting apoptotic cell death in together with specific markers annexin V and propidium iodide. Data from the readings made by flow cytometry were analyzed and interpreted using the software WinMDI statistical graph. By comparing the indices relating to the readings of positive and negative for specific markers of apoptosis, based on differences in the statistical data presented lectures regarding the cellular irradiated and not irradiated, collude cells in question once... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)