Social buffering of fear in zebrafish

Tese de Doutoramento em Biologia Comportamental apresentada ao ISPA - Instituto Universit��rio

Pharmacokinetic Profile of Liposome-Encapsulated Ropivacaine after Maxillary Infiltration Anaesthesia

The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of liposomal ropivacaine after dental anesthesia in 14 healthy volunteers. In this randomized, double-blind and crossover study, the volunteers received maxillary infiltration of liposome-encapsulated 0.5% ropivacaine and, 0.5% ropivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine in two different sessions. Blood samples were collected before and after (from 15 to 1440 min) the administration of either ropivacaine formulation. HPLC with UV detection was used to quantify plasma ropivacaine concentrations. The pharmacokinetic parameters AUC(0-24) (area under the plasma concentration x time curve from baseline to 24 h), AUC(0-infinity) (area under the plasma concentration-time curve from baseline to infinity), C-max (maximum drug concentration), CL (renal clearance), T-max (maximum drug concentration time), t(1/2) (elimination half-life) and Vd (volume of distribution) were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. No differences (p > 0.05) were observed between both formulations for any of the pharmacokinetic parameters evaluated and plasma ropivacaine concentrations, considering each period of time. Both formulations showed similar pharmacokinetic profiles, indicating that the liposomal formulation could be a safer option for use of this local anesthetic, due to the absence of a vasoconstrictor.

Evidence that risk adjustment is unnecessary in estimates of the User cost of money

Investors value the special attributes of monetary assets (e.g., exchangeability, liquidity, and safety) and pay a premium for holding them in the form of a lower return rate -- The user cost of holding monetary assets can be measured approximately by the difference between the returns on illiquid risky assets and those of safer liquid assets -- A more appropriate measure should adjust this difference by the differential risk of the assets in question -- We investigate the impact that time non-separable preferences has on the estimation of the risk-adjusted user cost of money -- Using U.K. data from 1965Q1 to 2011Q1, we estimate a habit-based asset pricing model with money in the utility function and find that the risk adjustment for risky monetary assets is negligible -- Thus, researchers can dispense with risk adjusting the user cost of money in constructing monetary aggregate indexes

Viol��ncia contra as mulheres trabalhadoras do sexo e vulnerabilidade ao HIV/AIDS em 10 cidades brasileiras

Tese (doutorado)���Universidade de Bras��lia, Faculdade de Ci��ncias da Sa��de, Programa de P��s-Gradua����o em Ci��ncias da Sa��de, 2016.

Desenvolvimento de sistema de an��lise e descri����o de fun����es para uma PME

Mestrado em Gest��o de Recursos Humanos

Efficient P(3HB) extraction from Burkholderia sacchari cells using non-chlorinated solvents

�� 2015. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

A short review of the chemical immobilization principles in some common African wildlife species

Disserta����o de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterin��ria

Indicadores agrometeorol��gicos obtidos com imagens MODIS na bacia hidrogr��fica do rio Paracatu.

Para an��lises dos par��metros h��dricos e de vegeta����o com ��nfases em piv��s de irriga����o, usou-se o produto MODIS MOD13Q1, em conjunto com dados agrometeorol��gicos nas ��reas envolvidas pelos munic��pios do Noroeste de Minas Gerais, dentro da bacia hidrogr��fica do Rio Paracatu. A Evapotranspira����o atual (ET) e a produ����o de biomassa (BIO) foram obtidas em toda a regi��o de estudo sob diferentes condi����es termo h��dricas, com aplica����es do algoritmo SAFER e de Monteith. A produtividade da ��gua (PA) nas ��reas com piv��s, na maioria com a cultura do milho, foi estimada como a raz��o da BIO pela ET e e o resultado multiplicado pelo ��ndice de colheita (IH) para dar a produtividade da ��gua da cultura (PAC). A raz��o da ET para a evapotranspira����o de refer��ncia (ET0) foi utilizada na elabora����o de um modelo relacionando o coeficiente de cultura (Kc) e os graus-dias acumulados (GDac). Os resultados indicaram que a din��mica dos par��metros biof��sicos em diferentes agros-ecossistemas pode ser monitorada nas resolu����es espacial de 250 m e temporal de 16 dias e que o Kc determinado com imagens MODIS usados operacionalmente no manejo de irriga����o.

Aplica����o de modelo agrometeorol��gico espectral no per��metro irrigado da bacia do S��o Francisco, utilizando imagens RAPIDEYE.

O objetivo do trabalho foi aplicar o modelo SAFER (Simple Algorithm For Evapotranspiration Retrieving) com a finalidade de analisar os par��metros biof��sicos na ��rea do Per��metro Irrigado de Ja��ba, na Bacia do S��o Francisco. Foram obtidos dados meteorol��gicos e imagens do sat��lite RapidEye (resolu����o de 5m), referente aos dias 26 de junho de 2013 e 29 de abril de 2014. Os valores m��dios di��rios do ��ndice de Vegeta����o por Diferen��a Normalizada (NDVI) foram 0,29��0,16 e 0,43��0,18, para 2013 e 2014, respectivamente. Na imagem de 2013 foram observados valores superiores de temperatura da superf��cie (Ts) (303,08��2,26 K) aos observados em 2014 (296,14��2,32 K). A evapotranspira����o (ET) m��dia di��ria de toda a cena de 2013 foi 0,43��0,96 mm e valor m��ximo de 6,11. Em 2014, os valores de ET m��dios di��rios foram de 2,19��2,01mm. Conforme estudos anteriores, a caatinga converte a maior parte da energia dispon��vel em calor sens��vel (H), enquanto as culturas irrigadas apresentam altos valores de ET. Com imagens de alta resolu����o espacial, sem a banda termal, foi poss��vel obter os par��metros biof��sicos da superf��cie possibilitando o monitoramento em n��vel de piv�� central e talh��es de culturas irrigadas, auxiliando o uso racional da ��gua em tempos de defici��ncia h��drica.

Balan��o h��drico em larga escala com imagens landsat 8 em agros-ecossistemas do subm��dio S��o Francisco.

Doze imagens Landsat 8 foram usadas em conjunto com uma rede de onze de esta����es agrometeorol��gicas para a modelagem em larga escala de indicadores do balan��o h��drico nos agrosecossistemas da bacia hidrogr��fica do Subm��dio S��o Francisco, compostos por vegeta����o natural e culturas irrigadas. O algoritmo SAFER foi usado para a obten����o da evapotranspira����o (ET), a qual foi usada em conjunto com dados de precipita����o (P) interpolados. Para a classifica����o da vegeta����o e caracteriza����o dos indicadores, o algoritmo SUREAL foi aplicado na determina����o da resist��ncia da superf��cie (rs) sendo valores limites de rs usados na separa����o em culturas agr��colas e esp��cies da Caatinga. Nas condi����es naturais mais ��midas do in��cio do ano, as taxas de evapotranspira����o na vegeta����o natural foram em torno de 30% daquelas para culturas irrigadas, enquanto que nas mais secas estas ficaram em torno de 6%. Considerando-se todo o ano, as culturas irrigadas consumiram cinco vezes mais ��gua que as esp��cies da Caatinga, uma quantidade extra de 870 mm ano-1. Maiores cautelas com rela����o ao manejo de irriga����o devem ser tomadas no per��odo climaticamente mais seco do ano, devido ao aumento da retirada da ��gua do Rio S��o Francisco, criando maiores possibilidades de conflitos entre os setores agr��colas e outros usu��rios da ��gua.

Natural antioxidant vitamins: A review of their beneficial roles in management of diabetes mellitus and its complications

Diabetes mellitus is a complex and progressive metabolic disease which is associated with multiple complications. Chronic hyperglycaemia is the defining characteristic of diabetes mellitus. Hyperglycaemia leads to generation of free radicals and induces oxidative stress, which has become the chief factor that leads to diabetic complications. This review supports the use of antioxidant vitamins as therapeutic agents in the management of diabetes mellitus and its complications, and also provides an insight into the potential pharmacological effects of natural antioxidant vitamins in diabetic conditions. These antioxidant vitamins can be used as safe supplements to manage the occurrence and complications of the disease. Selected studies have reported on the beneficial effects of antioxidant vitamins in experimental models. The involvement of oxidative stress in diabetes and its complications has made the use of natural antioxidant vitamins (free radical scavengers) from plants inevitable as they may be very effective and safer in the management of diabetes.

In situ epicatechin-loaded hydrogel implants for local drug delivery to spinal column for effective management of post-traumatic spinal injuries

Purpose: To prepare hydrogels loaded with epicatechin, a strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective tea flavonoid, and characterise them in situ as a vehicle for prolonged and safer drug delivery in patients with post-traumatic spinal cord injury. Methods: Five in situ gel formulations were prepared using chitosan and evaluated in terms of their visual appearance, clarity, pH, viscosity, and in vitro drug release. In vivo anti-inflammatory activity was determined and compared with 2 % piroxicam gel as standard. Motor function activity in a rat model of spinal injury was examined comparatively with i.v. methylprednisolone as standard. Results: The N-methyl pyrrolidone solution (containing 1 % w/w epicatechin with 2 to 10 % w/w chitosan) of the in situ gel formulation had a uniform pH in the range of 4.01 �� 0.12 to 4.27 �� 0.02. High and uniform drug loading, ranging from 94.48 �� 1.28 to 98.08 �� 1.24 %, and good in vitro drug release (79.48 �� 2.84 to 96.48 �� 1.02 % after 7 days) were achieved. The in situ gel prepared from 1 % epicatechin and 2 % chitosan (E5) showed the greatest in vivo anti-inflammatory activity (60.58 % inhibition of paw oedema in standard carrageenan-induced hind rat paw oedema model, compared with 48.08 % for the standard). The gels showed significant therapeutic effectiveness against post-traumainduced spinal injury in rats. E5 elicited maximum motor activity (horizontal bar test) in the spinal injury rat model; the rats that received E5 treatment produced an activity score of 3.62 �� 0.02 at the end of 7 days, compared with 5.0 �� 0.20 following treatment with the standard. Conclusion: In situ epicatechin-loaded gel exhibits significant neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects, and therefore can potentially be used for prolonged and safe drug delivery in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury.

Metodologia para avalia����o de cinem��tica de part��culas gasosas em fluidos de viscosidade vari��vel com o tempo e sua aplica����o na constru����o de po��os de petr��leo

Many challenges have been presented in petroleum industry. One of them is the preventing of fluids influx during drilling and cementing. Gas migration can occur as result of pressure imbalance inside the well when well pressure becomes lower than gas zone pressure and in cementing operation this occurs during cement slurry transition period (solid to fluid). In this work it was developed a methodology to evaluate gas migration during drilling and cementing operations. It was considered gel strength concept and through experimental tests determined gas migration initial time. A mechanistic model was developed to obtain equation that evaluates bubble displacement through the fluid while it gels. Being a time-dependant behavior, dynamic rheological measurements were made to evaluate viscosity along the time. For drilling fluids analyzed it was verified that it is desirable fast and non-progressive gelation in order to reduce gas migration without affect operational window (difference between pore and fracture pressure). For cement slurries analyzed, the most appropriate is that remains fluid for more time below critical gel strength, maintaining hydrostatic pressure above gas zone pressure, and after that gels quickly, reducing gas migration. The model developed simulates previously operational conditions and allow changes in operational and fluids design to obtain a safer condition for well construction

A Multi-Criteria GIS-Based Route Selection Tool for Hazardous Material Transport: Consideration of Environmental Consequence, Traffic Congestions and Costs

Hazardous materials are substances that, if not regulated, can pose a threat to human populations and their environmental health, safety or property when transported in commerce. About 1.5 million tons of hazardous material shipments are transported by truck in the US annually, with a steady increase of approximately 5% per year. The objective of this study was to develop a routing tool for hazardous material transport in order to facilitate reduced environmental impacts and less transportation difficulties, yet would also find paths that were still compelling for the shipping carriers as a matter of trucking cost. The study started with identification of inhalation hazard impact zones and explosion protective areas around the location of hypothetical hazardous material releases, considering different parameters (i.e., chemicals characteristics, release quantities, atmospheric condition, etc.). Results showed that depending on the quantity of release, chemical, and atmospheric stability (a function of wind speed, meteorology, sky cover, time and location of accidents, etc.) the consequence of these incidents can differ. The study was extended by selection of other evaluation criteria for further investigation because health risk as an evaluation criterion would not be the only concern in selection of routes. Transportation difficulties (i.e., road blockage and congestion) were incorporated as important factor due to their indirect impact/cost on the users of transportation networks. Trucking costs were also considered as one of the primary criteria in selection of hazardous material paths; otherwise the suggested routes would have not been convincing for the shipping companies. The last but not least criterion was proximity of public places to the routes. The approach evolved from a simple framework to a complicated and efficient GIS-based tool able to investigate transportation networks of any given study area, and capable of generating best routing options for cargos. The suggested tool uses a multi-criteria-decision-making method, which considers the priorities of the decision makers in choosing the cargo routes. Comparison of the routing options based on each criterion and also the overall suitableness of the path in regards to all the criteria (using a multi-criteria-decision-making method) showed that using similar tools as the one proposed by this study can provide decision makers insights in the area of hazardous material transport. This tool shows the probable consequences of considering each path in a very easily understandable way; in the formats of maps and tables, which makes the tradeoffs of costs and risks considerably simpler, as in some cases slightly compromising on trucking cost may drastically decrease the probable health risk and/or traffic difficulties. This will not only be rewarding to the community by making cities safer places to live, but also can be beneficial to shipping companies by allowing them to advertise as environmental friendly conveyors.

Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals

BACKGROUND Monitoring body temperature is essential in veterinary care as minor variations may indicate dysfunction. Rectal temperature is widely used as a proxy for body temperature, but measuring it requires special equipment, training or restraining, and it potentially stresses animals. Infrared thermography is an alternative that reduces handling stress, is safer for technicians and works well for untrained animals. This study analysed thermal reference points in five marine mammal species: bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus); beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas); Patagonian sea lion (Otaria flavescens); harbour seal (Phoca vitulina); and Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). RESULTS The thermogram analysis revealed that the internal blowhole mucosa temperature is the most reliable indicator of body temperature in cetaceans. The temperatures taken during voluntary breathing with a camera held perpendicularly were practically identical to the rectal temperature in bottlenose dolphins and were only 1 ��C lower than the rectal temperature in beluga whales. In pinnipeds, eye temperature appears the best parameter for temperature control. In these animals, the average times required for temperatures to stabilise after hauling out, and the average steady-state temperature values, differed according to species: Patagonian sea lions, 10 min, 31.13 ��C; harbour seals, 10 min, 32.27 ��C; Pacific walruses, 5 min, 29.93 ��C. CONCLUSIONS The best thermographic and most stable reference points for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals are open blowhole in cetaceans and eyes in pinnipeds.