Non-contact test set-up for aeroelasticity in a rotating turbomachine combining a novel acoustic excitation system with tip-timing

Due to trends in aero-design, aeroelasticity becomes increasingly important in modern turbomachines. Design requirements of turbomachines lead to the development of high aspect ratio blades and blade integral disc designs (blisks), which are especially prone to complex modes of vibration. Therefore, experimental investigations yielding high quality data are required for improving the understanding of aeroelastic effects in turbomachines. One possibility to achieve high quality data is to excite and measure blade vibrations in turbomachines. The major requirement for blade excitation and blade vibration measurements is to minimize interference with the aeroelastic effects to be investigated. Thus in this paper, a non-contact-and thus low interference-experimental set-up for exciting and measuring blade vibrations is proposed and shown to work. A novel acoustic system excites rotor blade vibrations, which are measured with an optical tip-timing system. By performing measurements in an axial compressor, the potential of the acoustic excitation method for investigating aeroelastic effects is explored. The basic principle of this method is described and proven through the analysis of blade responses at different acoustic excitation frequencies and at different rotational speeds. To verify the accuracy of the tip-timing system, amplitudes measured by tip-timing are compared with strain gage measurements. They are found to agree well. Two approaches to vary the nodal diameter (ND) of the excited vibration mode by controlling the acoustic excitation are presented. By combining the different excitable acoustic modes with a phase-lag control, each ND of the investigated 30 blade rotor can be excited individually. This feature of the present acoustic excitation system is of great benefit to aeroelastic investigations and represents one of the main advantages over other excitation methods proposed in the past. In future studies, the acoustic excitation method will be used to investigate aeroelastic effects in high-speed turbomachines in detail. The results of these investigations are to be used to improve the aeroelastic design of modern turbomachines.

Extraction of betacyanins from Gomphrena globosa L. flowers: choosing na acid as adjuvant

Betalains are plant derived natural pigments that are presently gaining popularity for use as natural colorants in food industry. Although being betalains from red beetroot already used as food colorant (E- 162), these compounds are not as well studied as compared to other natural pigments such as anthocyanins, carotenoids or chlorophylls (I]. Since food additives are on the focus of public interest, it is becoming increasingly important to meet consumers' expectations for natural and healthy products. Hence, the search for new plant-derived colorants for the food industry is still necessary [2]. Betalains were originally called 'nitrogenous anthocyanins', which incorrectly implied structural similarities between the two pigment classes. There are two structurally different types of betalains: the yellow/orange betaxanthins which are the condensation products of betalamic acid and assorted amino compounds, and the red betacyanins which are formed by glycosylation and acylation of cyclo-DOPA [3]. Looking at the chemical structure of the pigment, the addition of an acid to the extraction solvent will increase the affinity of the pigment with the solvent. The aim of this study was to use Gomphrena globosa L. flowers, as an alternative plant source to obtain these pigments and to evaluate the best acid to be used within the extraction procedure. For that purpose three different acids (acetic, hydrochloric and phosphoric acids, all ofthem allowed by the food industry), adjusted at the same pH, were tested during a maceration extraction procedure. After the extraction a purification through C18 column was performed in order to obtain a more concentrate extract in betacyanins. The results were analysed by HPLC-PDA-MSIESI. The betacyanin profile allowed the identification of gomphrenin IIJIII and isogomphrenin IIIIII and the best results were achieved by performing the extraction procedure using hydrochloric acid (6.6 mg/g extract), while phosphoric acid only presented trace amounts of these compounds. When acetic acid was used, the pigment extracted was 6.8 times less (0.97 mg/g extract) when compared to HCI. In conclusion hydrochloric acid can be considered the most suitable acid to be applied in the extraction procedure of these pigments.

Estudo do papel da proteína multifuncional APE1/Ref-1 sobre a resposta inflamatória na meningite bacteriana

Despite advances in antibiotic therapy, bacterial meningitis (BM) remains with high mortality and morbidity rates in worldwide. One important mechanism associated to sequels during disease is the intense inflammatory response which promotes an oxidative burst and release of reactive oxygen species, consequently leading to cell death. Activation of DNA repair enzymes during oxidative stress has been demonstrated in several neurological disorders. APE1/Ref-1 is a multifunctional protein involved in DNA repair and plays a redox function on transcription factors such as NFkB and AP-1.The aim of this study was assess the role of APE1/Ref-1 on inflammatory response and the possibility of its modulation to reduce the sequels of the disease. Firstly it was performed an assay to measure cytokine in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with BM due to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseriae meningitides. Further, a cellular model of inflammation was used to observe the effect of the inhibition of the endonuclease and redox activity of APE1/Ref-1 on cytokine levels. Additionally, APE1/Ref-1 expression in cortex and hippocampus of rat with MB after vitamin B6 treatment was evaluated. Altogether, results showed a similar profile of cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients from both pathogens, although IFNy showed higher expression in patients with BM caused by S. pneumoniae. On the other hand, inhibitors of APE1/Ref-1 reduced cytokine levels, mainly TNF-α. Reduction of oxidative stress markers was also observed after introduction of inhibitors in the LPS-stimulated cell. In the animal model, BM increased the expression of the protein APE1/Ref-1, while vitamin B6 promoted reduction. Thereby, this data rise important factors to be considered in pathogenesis of BM, e.g., IFNy can be used as prognostic factor during corticosteroid therapy, APE1/Ref-1 can be an important target to modulate the level of inflammation and VIII oxidative stress, and vitamin B6 seems modulates several proteins related to cell death. So, this study highlights a new understanding on the role of APE1/Ref-1 on the inflammation and the oxidative stress during inflammation condition

Sina-Mareen Köhler: Freunde, Feinde oder Klassenteam? Empirische Rekonstruktionen von Peerbeziehungen an globalen Schulen. Wiesbaden: Springer VS 2012 (330 S.) [Rezension]

Rezension von: Sina-Mareen Köhler: Freunde, Feinde oder Klassenteam? Empirische Rekonstruktionen von Peerbeziehungen an globalen Schulen. Wiesbaden: Springer VS 2012 (330 S.; ISBN 978-3-531-19718-0)

Sintomas de fitotoxicidade em soja transgênica induzidos por diferentes formulações de glifosate.

Apesar de não haver relatos de quebra na produtividade, a soja geneticamente modificada (RR) pode apresentar sintomas de injúrias ao glifosate dependendo, dentre outros, de fatores ambientais, formulação e doses. Ensaios preliminares indicaram a possibilidade da ocorrência de injúrias na soja RR devido à presença do adjuvante aminado presente nas formulações comerciais. Neste trabalho verificou-se a ocorrência de injúrias em plântulas de soja RR frente a diferentes formulações de glifosate, variando quanto ao seu sal e à presença do adjuvante aminado na formulação comercial. Os resultados confirmaram ser esse composto o responsável pelas injúrias observadas nas plântulas de soja RR tratadas com as diferentes formulações.

Chronic inflammation inhibits GH secretion and alters the serum insulin-like growth factor system in rats

Adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats is associated with growth failure, hypermetabolism and accelerated protein breakdown. The aim of this work was to study the effects of adjuvant-induced arthritis on GH and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Arthritis was induced by an intradermal injection of complete Freund's adjuvant and rats were killed 18 and 22 days later. IGF-I and GH levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Pituitary GH mRNA was analyzed by northern blot and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) by western blot. Arthritic rats showed a decrease in both serum and hepatic concentrations of IGF-I. On the contrary, arthritis increased the circulating IGFBPs. The serum concentration of IGF-I in the arthritic rats was negatively correlated with the body weight loss observed in these animals. Arthritis decreased the serum concentration of GH and this decrease seems to be due to an inhibition of GH synthesis, since pituitary GH mRNA content was decreased in arthritic rats (p<0.01). These data suggest that the decrease in body weight gain in arthritic rats may be, at least in part, secondary to the decrease in GH and IGF-I secretion. Furthermore, the increased serum IGFBPs may also be involved in the disease process.

Hallazgos tomográficos como predictores del resultado funcional en edema macular secundario a oclusiones venosas retinianas

INTRODUCCIÓN: El Edema Macular (EM) es la principal causa de perdida de agudeza visual en pacientes con Oclusión Venosa Retiniana (OVR); luego del tratamiento, algunos pacientes persisten con mala agudeza visual. OBJETIVO: Realizar una Revisión Sistemática de la Literatura (RSL), para identificar la evidencia existente sobre factores tomográficos que predicen el resultado visual en pacientes con EM secundario a OVR. FUENTE DE LA INFORMACIÓN: PUBMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, COCHRANE, literatura gris. SELECCIÓN DE LOS ESTUDIOS: Ensayos Clínicos Controlados (ECC) y estudios observacionales analíticos. EXTRACCIÓN Y SÍNTESIS DE LOS DATOS: Dos investigadores seleccionaron los artículos de forma independiente. Se realizó una síntesis cualitativa de la información siguiendo las recomendaciones de la declaración PRISMA 2009. MEDIDAS Y DESENLACE PRINCIPAL: Grosor Retiniano Central (GRC), integridad de Banda Elipsoide e Integridad de Membrana Limitante Externa (MLE), determinados por SD OCT. El desenlace principal es la Agudeza Visual Mejor Corregida (AVMC) a los 6, 12,18 y/o 24 meses. RESULTADOS: Se identificaron 872 abstract y se incluyeron 8 artículos en el análisis cualitativo. Seis estudios evaluaron el GRC sin encontrar asociación con resultado visual final. Solo 2 estudios evaluaron y encontraron asociación estadísticamente significativa de la integridad de la MLE con el desenlace visual, Kang, H 2012 (r2 0,51 p 0,000), Rodriguez, F 2014 (p< 0,001). La integridad de la BE fue asociada a pronostico visual en 4 de 5 estudios que evaluaron esta variable, con resultados estadísticamente significativos. La AVMC de base también se asocio con desenlace visual en 4 de 5 estudios que la evaluaron. El mejor modelo que predice el resultado funcional según el estudio de Kang, H 2012 fue: Integridad de MLE, integridad de BE y AVMC de base (R2 0,671 p 0,000), a los 12 meses de seguimiento. CONCLUSION: La evidencia actual sugiere que la integridad de la BE y la MLE son predictores del resultados funcional en pacientes con EM secundario a OVR después de 6 o mas meses de seguimiento. Es necesario la realización de estudios controlados para llegar a resultados mas concluyentes.

Diálogos de La Habana (2012-2016) : ¿Ahora sí la paz?

Tras conocer cuatro años de debate (dentro y fuera de La Habana), los borradores de dos puntos de la agenda y presenciar el crecimiento de bandas criminales y/u organizaciones sucesoras del paramilitarismo, de la mano de la expansión de economías ilegales y una polarización creciente (y preocupante por sus características) en torno a la paz y el conflicto social/armado en el país, el presente trabajo pretende analizar a profundidad el carácter y alcance de los discursos emitidos por los negociadores en La Habana.

Atenção domiciliar a paciente com câncer de cólon: caso clínico

Paciente idoso com câncer de colón, recebe atenção domiciliar, está submetido à ressecção cirúrgica e sem condições clínicas de quimioterapia e há 7 meses diagnosticado com adenocarcinoma de cólon e realizada ressecção cirúrgica com anastomose termino-terminal (primária), sem condições clínicas de terapia adjuvante (quimioterapia), apresentando metástases hepáticas.

O uso de própolis nas doenças respiratórias e otorrinolaringológicas em crianças

Após extensa pesquisa bibliográfica, verificada através de trabalhos in vitro e in vivo, comprova-se a popularidade da própolis através dos tempos. Depois de análise minuciosa de seus componentes, cerca de 300 substâncias, os mais importantes são os flavonóides, ácidos fenólicos e seus ésteres, possuindo propriedades antivirais, antibacterianas, antifúngicas, antiinflamatórias, imunomoduladoras, entre outras. Sem reações adversas de relevância. Atua sinergicamente com as drogas antimicrobianas e pode ser utilizada como adjuvante em vacinas. Mesmo com os poucos relatos da utilização de extratos alcoólicos de própolis nas doenças respiratórias e otorrinolaringológicas em crianças, nota-se a sua grande utilidade como tratamento complementar e preventivo, carecendo de melhores ensaios clínicos terapêuticos.

A banalização do uso de Benzodiazepínicos e o perfil dos usuários no município de Pompéu/MG

Os benzodiazepínicos possuem indicações para tratamento da ansiedade e como adjuvante de outros transtornos psiquiátricos. Contudo, verificam-se prescrições indiscriminadas que favorecem situações de dependência e abuso. Este trabalho se justifica pela importância de intervenção no modelo biomédico, focado na doença. Nesse sentido, é importante investigar e compreender a gênese do estresse e criar estratégias de intervenções. Assim, objetivou construir um plano de ação visando à redução do uso e/ou abuso do uso de benzodiazepínicos pela população assistida por um Programa de Saúde da Família. Fez-se pesquisa na modalidade de revisão narrativa da literatura especializada, Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde (BVS), na Scientific Eletronic Library Online (SciELO), Biblioteca Virtual NESCON, dentre outros. Visando fundamentar a construção e implementação do plano de ação, utilizaram-se os bancos de dados da própria unidade de saúde, sistema de informação do município e dados secundários do programa Sistema de Informação da Atenção Básica (SIAB). Definiu-se como descritores da pesquisa: abuso, benzodiazepínicos, ansiolíticos. Verificou-se a maior prevalência do uso de benzodiazepínicos entre mulheres, idosos, população de baixa renda e escolaridade. Ressalta-se a cautela do uso em idosos devido a maior sensibilidade tanto aos efeitos terapêuticos quanto aos adversos das drogas. O uso indiscriminado de benzodiazepínicos é um problema de saúde pública e, portanto, a caracterização do perfil dos usuários e a criação de estratégias de promoção e prevenção da saúde através de um plano de ação / intervenção são fundamentais.