Síntese e caracterização de ferritas de manganês e zinco visando aplicação como agente de contraste em diagnóstico médico (biosusceptometria de corrente alternada)

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

Biosusceptometria de corrente alternada: tomografia, validação e avaliação da motilidade fúndica gástrica

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Estudo da motilidade gástrica em ratas prenhes diabéticas e não diabéticas

Several hormonal and physiological changes that occur during pregnancy directly affect gastrointestinal motility (GI), however, very little is known about the relationship between the electrical and mechanical activities of the stomach and its implications. The aim of this study was to compare the female sex hormones, with profiles of gastrointestinal motility using AC biosusceptometry (BAC) in pregnant rats. Seven female Wistar rats (weighing 250-350 g) were used and all procedures were approved by the local Ethics Committee of animal. Laparotomy was performed on anesthetized rats and a magnetic marker (3.5 mm in diameter and 3.0 mm height) was implanted in the distal stomach. After 10 days of recuperation, the mice were put to mate until confirmation of pregnancy. Fed animals were anesthetized (mg pentobarbital 30 / kg) and kept supine for recording the signal with a sensor 30 min BAC placed on the abdominal surface on days 0, 7, 14 and 20 of gestation. Statistical analysis was performed by Student's t test statistical Newman-Keuls and a P value of .05 was considered statistically significant. The frequency of contraction of the stomach was 74 mHz ± 3, 67 ± 7 mHz, 59 mHz ± 6 (p <0.05 vs day -1) and 71 ± 5 mHz on days -0, -7, -14, and -20, respectively. The values of 44 ± 15 pg / mL and 31 ± 9 pg / ml 25 ± 6 pg / ml, 22 ± 9 pg / ml on days -0, -7, -14 and -20, respectively, obtained by 17ß- estradiol were not statistically significant. The values of progesterone were 13 ± 6 pg / ml at 54 ± 15 pg / ml, 127 ± 42 pg / ml (p <0.05 vs day-1), 22 ± 13 pg / mL on day -0, - 7, -14 and -20, respectively. A linear correlation (Pearson's test) between the lower frequency gastric and increased levels of progesterone was 80% (p <0.0000001). Until then, the relationship between changes in motility and hormone were not described in detail, but with the work that we were able to demonstrate the high correlation between progesterone concentration ...

Análise de processos biofarmacêuticos em comprimidos magnéticos empregando a Biosuceptometria AC

Ao administrar um fármaco, devem ser considerados fatores como a forma farmacêutica apropriada, a via de administração com maior eficiência e o que será mais bem aceita pelo paciente. Formas farmacêuticas sólidas (FFS), tais como comprimidos, representam a principal escolha, pois são fáceis de preparar, armazenar, transportar e são bem aceitas pelos pacientes. Porém, a absorção dos fármacos administrados em comprimidos depende do processo de desintegração, ou seja, um processo tempo-dependente que ocorre sob a ação de um desintegrante que promove a fragmentação da forma farmacêutica em partículas passíveis de serem dissolvidas e absorvidas. Para uma liberação efetiva do ativo, uns dos critérios relacionados à formulação como a escolha dos excipientes e o tipo de revestimento devem ser considerados. O revestimento com polímeros é utilizado para melhorar a estabilidade do fármaco, mascarar sabor ou para promover a liberação em locais específicos de acordo com a variação do pH. A técnica considerada como “padrão ouro” para monitorar FFS no trato gastrintestinal do homem é a cintilografia, entretanto, métodos alternativos com base na detecção de campo magnético merecem destaque. A técnica de Biosusceptometria de Corrente Alternada (BAC) tem evoluído, apresentando como vantagem ser um método não-invasivo e livre de radiação ionizante. A BAC utiliza bobinas de indução para registrar a variação temporal do fluxo magnético a partir da resposta de um material magnético ingerido, aplicando-se um campo magnético alternado no meio biológico. O objetivo deste estudo é empregar a BAC para avaliar in vitro a influência de três diferentes polímeros de revestimento em diversos parâmetros farmacotécnicos e no processo de desintegração de comprimidos

Transmissão de potência em corrente contínua e em corrente alternada: estudo comparativo

This paper presents a comparative study based on literature and examples in the literature, the two main technologies for the transmission of electricity at high voltage: alternate current transmission and direct current transmission. Inside the direct current transmission will be shown two technologies currently employed, transmission by current source and transmission by voltage source, contributing to a better understanding of them. The ultimate goal is to provide a text for consultation to identify key characteristics that influence the choice of future transmission lines

Tomografia por biosusceptometria de corrente alternada

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo da motilidade gástrica em ratas prunhes diabéticas

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Influence of post-transplant immunosuppressive therapy on gastrointestinal transit using biomagnetic method: a pilot study

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Aplicação do sistema de biosusceptometria AC para monitoramento de nanopartículas magnéticas na circulação sanguínea

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Avaliação da atividade eletromecânica uterina em ratas por biosusceptometria AC e eletromiografia

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Retificador entrelaçado com elevado fator de potência para operação de um veículo trólebus alimentado por redes em CA Ou CC

This paper presents the development and the main results for an interleaved boost rectifier operating as a special input power stage for a trolleybus type vehicle, allowing its feeding by alternate current (AC) or direct current (DC) distribution power systems. When feeding with two wires (single phase) alternate current distribution system, the converter accomplish active power factor correction, providing a relatively sinusoidal current with low total harmonic distortion (THD) and fully complying with IEC 61000-3-4 standards. In addition, a management control system promotes the required automatic operation changes for the proposed rectifier when the vehicle is changing from the DC distribution power system to the AC distribution power system and vice-versa, keeping its original electrical DC system characteristics for the adjustable speed driver sub-system. The main experimental results for a prototype rated at 150kW are presented, considering its application for a trolleybus with DC adjustable speed driver, demonstrating the proposed converter benefits and the possibility of AC feeding system for trolleybus type vehicle.

Numerical modeling of electromagnetic coupling phenomena in the vicinities of overhead power transmission lines.

Electromagnetic coupling phenomena between overhead power transmission lines and other nearby structures are inevitable, especially in densely populated areas. The undesired effects resulting from this proximity are manifold and range from the establishment of hazardous potentials to the outbreak of alternate current corrosion phenomena. The study of this class of problems is necessary for ensuring security in the vicinities of the interaction zone and also to preserve the integrity of the equipment and of the devices there present. However, the complete modeling of this type of application requires the three- -dimensional representation of the region of interest and needs specific numerical methods for field computation. In this work, the modeling of problems arising from the flow of electrical currents in the ground (the so-called conductive coupling) will be addressed with the finite element method. Those resulting from the time variation of the electromagnetic fields (the so-called inductive coupling) will be considered as well, and they will be treated with the generalized PEEC (Partial Element Equivalent Circuit) method. More specifically, a special boundary condition on the electric potential is proposed for truncating the computational domain in the finite element analysis of conductive coupling problems, and a complete PEEC formulation for modeling inductive coupling problems is presented. Test configurations of increasing complexities are considered for validating the foregoing approaches. These works aim to provide a contribution to the modeling of this class of problems, which tend to become common with the expansion of power grids.

Blade pitch control malfunction simulation in a wind energy conversion system with MPC five-level converter

This paper is on a wind energy conversion system simulation of a transient analysis due to a blade pitch control malfunction. The aim of the transient analysis is the study of the behavior of a back-to-back multiple point clamped five-level full-power converter implemented in a wind energy conversion system equipped with a permanent magnet synchronous generator. An alternate current link connects the system to the grid. The drive train is modeled by a three-mass model in order to simulate the dynamic effect of the wind on the tower. The control strategy is based on fractional-order control. Unbalance voltages in the DC-link capacitors are lessen due to the control strategy, balancing the capacitor banks voltages by a selection of the output voltage vectors. Simulation studies are carried out to evaluate not only the system behavior, but also the quality of the energy injected into the electric grid.

Alternate healing and medicine : the roles of naturopathy, homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic and medical practice in the health system

This thesis is concerned with understanding the roles of four alternate healing systems and medical practice in the community's health behaviour. The four alternate systems are naturopathy, homoeopathy, osteopathy and chiropractic. The research reported developed from work supported by the Committee of Inquiry into Chiropractic, Osteopathy, Homoeopathy and Naturopathy conducted under the chairmanship of Professor E. C. Webb set up by the Australian Government in 1975. The study concentrates on the factors which influence individual clients in their decisions to consult healers for treatment. An underlying assumption is that an analysis of the processes that effect such decisions will lead to further knowledge of the community's attitudes towards the functions of alternate healing and medicine. A review of the historical backgrounds and current status of the four alternate healing systems leads to the conclusion that they differ in a variety of areas. These areas include treatment modalities, historical backgrounds, occupational development and rapprochement with medicine. Homoeopathy, osteopathy and chiropractic emerged as distinct approaches to healing late in the nineteenth century. Naturopathy tends to be a philosophy or style of life as much as a health system in its own right. Their relationships with medicine also vary; osteopathy and naturopathy receive some acceptance, some homoeopaths are tolerated, whilst chiropractic is ostracised and vilified. A common paradigm of treatment underlies all four alternate approaches to healing. They all eschew the use of synthetic pharmaceuticals and invasive treatments and accept an indigenous theory of disease and a belief in the vis medicatrix naturae or the healing power of nature. An inevitable concomitant of this paradigm is that they believe that healing and health must be self-engendered. They rest within the client and his or her actions, not within the hands, skills or power of the healer. It is these characteristics combined with the alternate healers ' claims to espouse a similar scientific rationale for their approaches, and their functioning as parallel healers to medicine, that establishes their special relationship with medicine. This relationship become s more problematic in the face of medicine's hegemony and claim to unique legitimacy as the community's sole healing system. The interaction between these systems and medical practice can be gauged through articles related to the four alternate healing systems that have appeared in the medical literature. Interest has been cyclical but appears to have markedly increased in the past two decades. In this period it has included exploratory and descriptive writing; concern with controlling and/or eradicating the healers; desire to protect an ignorant and vulnerable public and. finally understanding and exploration of what the alternate healers might have to offer. At the same time, the public or institutionalized role has been one of denial and suppression through ostracism and legal constraints. In spite of medicine's position the alternate healing systems have found growing community acceptance so that it is problematical and probably unacceptable now to consider their use as a 'deviant ' health action. Increasing interest in the characteristics of clients has provided a consensus that they are similar to the adult population and are more likely to suffer from musculoskeletal and chronic illnesses. They are no more likely to be neurotic or gullible than the general community, but probably more practical and more oriented towards an active involvement in the healing process. The impact of these issues is explored, through comparing the strategies taken into account when choosing a treatment. These include attending one of the alternate healers exclusively for a condition; attending an alternate healer and a medical practitioner for the same problem; attending a medical practitioner solely or not consulting any healer. Respondents from surveys of alternate healer clients and the general community were classified according to their use of these four strategies, and the influences on their decisions at different stages of the treatment decision making process were compared.

Prospecting for alternate sources of shikimic acid, a precursor of Tamiflu, a bird-flu drug

Shikimic acid, more commonly known by its anionic form, shikimate, is an important intermediate compound of the ‘shikimate pathway’ in plants and microorganisms1. It is the principal precursor for the synthesis of aromatic amino acids, phenylalanine, tryptophan and tyrosine and other compounds such as alkaloids, phenolics and phenyl propanoids2. It is used extensively as a chiral building block for the synthesis of a number of compounds in both pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries3. In the recent past, the focus on shikimic acid has increased since it is the key precursor for the synthesis of Tamiflu, the only drug against avian flu caused by the H5N1 virus4,5. Shikimic acid is converted to a diethyl ketal intermediate, which is then reduced in two steps to an epoxide that is finally transformed to Tamiflu6.