Sistema para realização de medidas de luminescência com excitação por Raios X

In this work is presented a versatile system for X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) measurements. The apparatus was assembled from a sample holder connected to an optical fiber responsibly for the acquisition of the scintillation signal. The spectrum is registered with a CCD coupled in a spectrograph provided with diffraction gratings. The system performance was analyzed by exciting GdAlO3:Eu3+ 3.0 at.% with X-rays from a diffractometer and measuring the emission spectra. The system can be used to obtain precise and reliable spectroscopic properties of samples with various conformations without the loss of the required safety when dealing with ionizing radiations.

MATERIAIS VÍTREOS E LUZ: PARTE 1

2015 is the Year of Light, according to UNESCO. Chemistry has a close relationship with light and one of the materials that allows such synergy is glass. Depending on the chemical composition of the glass, it is possible to achieve technological applications for the whole range of wavelengths extending from the region of the microwave to gamma rays. This diversity of applications opens a large range of research where chemistry, as a central science, overlaps the fields of physics, engineering, medicine, etc., generating a huge amount of knowledge and technological products used for humanity. This review article aimed at discussing some families of glasses, illustrating some applications. Due to the extension of the theme, and all points raised, we thought it would be good to divide the article into two parts. In the first part we focus on the properties of heavy metal oxide glasses, fluoride glasses and chalcogenide glasses. In the second part we emphasize the properties of glassy thin films prepared by sol-gel methodology and some applications, of both glasses as the films in photonics, and more attention was given to the nonlinear properties and uses of photonic fibers.

Peritonite por bário

We report a case of a 49 years-old man who underwent a barium meal examination for an epigastric pain. A perforated gastric ulcer with barium extravasation into peritoneal cavity was seen on X-rays. During an emergency laparotomy, a perforated pyloric ulcer was noted, along with barium contamination in the peritoneal cavity. The ulcer was closed with an omental patch and an extensive peritoneal lavage with saline was performed. During the postoperative period, the patient developed signs of peritonitis and underwent a new laparotomy was at the 9th day showing a subfrenic abscess with a large barium contamination. The patient presented septic shock and multiple organ failure. dying on the 21th day.

Osteocondromatose múltipla hereditária com envolvimento costal

This is a case report on Hereditary Multiple Osteochondromatosis (HMO) with rib involvement. The authors present aspects of thoracic surface anatomy, and thoracic images (X-rays, computed tomography, magnetic nuclear resonance), as well as the operating procedure.

Bioactive Glass in Lumbar Spondylodesis. A Pre-Clinical and Clinical Study

Bioactive glasses (BGs) form a group of synthetic, surface-active, composition-dependent, silica-based biomaterials with osteoconductive, osteopromotive, and even angiogenic, as well as antibacterial, properties. A national interdisciplinary research group, within the Combio Technology Program (2003–2007), developed a porous load-bearing composite for surgical applications made of BG 1–98 and polymer fibers. The pre-clinical part of this thesis focused on the in vitro and in vivo testing of the composite materials in a rabbit femur and spinal posterolateral fusion model. The femur model failed to demonstrate the previously seen positive effect of BG 1–98 on osteogenesis, probably due to the changed resorption properties of BG in the form of fibers. The spine study was terminated early due to adverse events. In vitro cultures showed the growth inhibition of human mesenchymal stems next to BG 1–98 fibers and radical pH changes. A prospective, long-term, follow-up study was conducted on BG–S53P4 and autogenous bone used as bone graft substitutes for instrumented posterolateral spondylodesis in the treatment of degenerative spondylolisthesis (n=17) and unstable burst fractures (n=10) during 1996–1998. The operative outcome was evaluated from X-rays and CT scans, and a clinical examination was also performed. On the BG side, a solid fusion was observed in the CT scans of 12 patients, and a partial fusion was found in 5 patients, the result being a total fusion rate in all fusion sites (n=41) 88% for levels L4/5 and L5/S1 in the spondylolisthesis group. In the spine fracture group, solid fusion was observed in five patients, and partial fusion was found in five resulting in a total fusion rate of 71% of all fusion sites (n=21). The pre-clinical results suggest that under certain conditions the physical form of BG can be more critical than its chemical composition when a clinical application is designed. The first long-term clinical results concerning the use of BG S53P4 as bone graft material in instrumented posterolateral spondylodesis seems to be a safe procedure, associated with a very low complication rate. BG S53P4 used as a stand-alone bone substitute cannot be regarded as being as efficient as AB in promoting solid fusion.

Origin of successive cambia on stem in three species of Menispermaceae

The lianas observed in this study, Abuta convexa (Vell.) Diels, Abuta imene (Mart.) Eichler, and Chondrodendron platiphyllum (A. St.-Hil.) Miers, all have successive cambia in their stems. The terminology applied to stem histology in species with successive cambia is as diverse as the interpretations of the origins of this cambial variant. Therefore, this study specifically investigates the origin of successive cambia through a developmental analysis of the above-mentioned species, including an analysis of the terminology used to describe this cambial variation. For the first time, we have identified several developmental stages giving rise to the origins of successive cambia in this family. First, the pericycle originates in 1-3 layers of conjunctive tissue. After the differentiation of the first ring, the conjunctive tissue undergoes new divisions, developing approximately 10 rows of parenchyma cells. In the middle portion, a layer of sclereids is formed, again subdividing the conjunctive tissue into two parts: internal and external. New cambia originate in the internal part, from which new secondary vascular strands will originate, giving rise to the second successive vascular ring of the stem. The external part remains parenchymatous during the installation of the second ring and will undergo new periclinal division, repeating the entire process. New cambia will originate from the neoformed strands, which will form only rays. In the literature, successive cambia are formed by a meristem called "diffuse lateral meristem."However, based on the species of Menispermaceae studied in this report, it is demonstrated that the diffuse lateral meristem is the pericycle itself.

The radioprotective effect of a new aminothiol (20-PRA)

We examined the radioprotective effect of aminothiol 2-N-propylamine-cyclo-hexanethiol (20-PRA) on a human leukemic cell line (K562) following various radiation doses (5, 7.5 and 20 Gy) using a source of 60Co g-rays. At 5 Gy and 1 nM 20-PRA, a substantial protective effect (58%) was seen 24 h after irradiation, followed by a decrease at 48 h (11%). At the high radiation dose (20 Gy) a low protective effect was also seen (35%). In addition, the antitumorigenic potential of 10 nM 20-PRA was shown by the inhibition of crown gall formation induced by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The radioprotective potency of 20-PRA is 105-106 times higher than that of the aminothiol WR-1065 (N-(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,3-diaminopropane) whose protective effect is in the 0.1 to 1.0 mM range.

Structural, functional and immunological studies on a polymeric bacterial protein

The characterization of proteins from Brucella spp, the causative agent of brucellosis, has been the subject of intensive research. We have described an 18-kDa cytoplasmic protein of Brucella abortus and shown the potential usefulness of this protein as an antigen for the serologic diagnosis of brucellosis. The amino acid sequence of the protein showed a low but significant homology with that of lumazine synthases. Lumazine is an intermediate product in bacterial riboflavin biosynthesis. The recombinant form of the 18-kDa protein (expressed in E. coli) folds like the native Brucella protein and has lumazine-synthase enzymatic activity. Three-dimensional analysis by X-ray crystallography of the homolog Bacillus subtilis lumazine synthase has revealed that the enzyme forms an icosahedral capsid. Recombinant lumazine synthase from B. abortus was crystallized, diffracted X rays to 2.7-Å resolution at room temperature, and the structure successfully solved by molecular replacement procedures. The macromolecular assembly of the enzyme differs from that of the enzyme from B. subtilis. The Brucella enzyme remains pentameric (90 kDa) in its crystallographic form. Nonetheless, the active sites of the two enzymes are virtually identical at the structural level, indicating that inhibitors of these enzymes could be viable pharmaceuticals across a broad species range. We describe the structural reasons for the differences in their quaternary arrangement and also discuss the potential use of this protein as a target for the development of acellular vaccines.

Aurapten, a coumarin with growth inhibition against Leishmania major promastigotes

Several natural compounds have been identified for the treatment of leishmaniasis. Among them are some alkaloids, chalcones, lactones, tetralones, and saponins. The new compound reported here, 7-geranyloxycoumarin, called aurapten, belongs to the chemical class of the coumarins and has a molecular weight of 298.37. The compund was extracted from the Rutaceae species Esenbeckia febrifuga and was purified from a hexane extract starting from 407.7 g of dried leaves and followed by four silica gel chromatographic fractionation steps using different solvents as the mobile phase. The resulting compound (47 mg) of shows significant growth inhibition with an LD50 of 30 µM against the tropical parasite Leishmania major, which causes severe clinical manifestations in humans and is endemic in the tropical and subtropical regions. In the present study, we investigated the atomic structure of aurapten in order to determine the existence of common structural motifs that might be related to other coumarins and potentially to other identified inhibitors of Leishmania growth and viability. This compound has a comparable inhibitory activity of other isolated molecules. The aurapten is a planar molecule constituted of an aromatic system with electron delocalization. A hydrophobic side chain consisting of ten carbon atoms with two double bonds and negative density has been identified and may be relevant for further compound synthesis.

Late-life depression, heart failure and frontal white matter hyperintensity: a structural magnetic resonance imaging study

The relevance of the relationship between cardiac disease and depressive symptoms is well established. White matter hyperintensity, a bright signal area in the brain on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans, has been separately associated with cardiovascular risk factors, cardiac disease and late-life depression. However, no study has directly investigated the association between heart failure, major depressive symptoms and the presence of hyperintensities. Using a visual assessment scale, we have investigated the frequency and severity of white matter hyperintensities identified by magnetic resonance imaging in eight patients with late-life depression and heart failure, ten patients with heart failure without depression, and fourteen healthy elderly volunteers. Since the frontal lobe has been the proposed site for the preferential location of white matter hyperintensities in patients with late-life depression, we focused our investigation specifically on this brain region. Although there were no significant group differences in white matter hyperintensities in the frontal region, a significant direct correlation emerged between the severity of frontal periventricular white matter hyperintensity and scores on the Hamilton scale for depression in the group with heart failure and depression (P = 0.016, controlled for the confounding influence of age). There were no significant findings in any other areas of the brain. This pattern of results adds support to a relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and depressive symptoms, and provides preliminary evidence that the presence of white matter hyperintensities specifically in frontal regions may contribute to the severity of depressive symptoms in cardiac disease.

Inverting ionospheric D-region electron density pro-file from riometer measurement

The aim of this work is to invert the ionospheric electron density profile from Riometer (Relative Ionospheric opacity meter) measurement. The newly Riometer instrument KAIRA (Kilpisjärvi Atmospheric Imaging Receiver Array) is used to measure the cosmic HF radio noise absorption that taking place in the D-region ionosphere between 50 to 90 km. In order to invert the electron density profile synthetic data is used to feed the unknown parameter Neq using spline height method, which works by taking electron density profile at different altitude. Moreover, smoothing prior method also used to sample from the posterior distribution by truncating the prior covariance matrix. The smoothing profile approach makes the problem easier to find the posterior using MCMC (Markov Chain Monte Carlo) method.

Leptin levels in different forms of Chagas' disease

Leptin is produced primarily by adipocytes. Although originally associated with the central regulation of satiety and energy metabolism, increasing evidence indicates that leptin may be an important mediator in cardiovascular pathophysiology. The aim of the present study was to investigate plasma leptin levels in patient with Chagas' heart disease and their relation to different forms of the disease. We studied 52 chagasic patients and 30 controls matched for age and body mass index. All subjects underwent anthropometric, leptin and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) measurements and were evaluated by echocardiography, 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), and chest X-ray. All patients had fasting blood samples taken between 8:00 and 9:00 am. Chagasic patients were divided into 3 groups: group I (indeterminate form, IF group) consisted of 24 subjects with 2 positive serologic reactions for Chagas' disease and no cardiac involvement as evaluated by chest X-rays, ECG and two-dimensional echocardiography; group II (showing ECG abnormalities and normal left ventricular systolic function, ECG group) consisted of 14 patients; group III consisted of 14 patients with congestive heart failure (CHF group) and left ventricular dysfunction. Serum leptin levels were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the CHF group (1.4 ± 0.8 ng/mL) when compared to the IF group (5.3 ± 5.3 ng/mL), ECG group (9.7 ± 10.7 ng/mL), and control group (8.1 ± 7.8 ng/mL). NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the CHF group (831.8 ± 800.1 pg/mL) when compared to the IF group (53.2 ± 33.3 pg/mL), ECG group (83.3 ± 57.4 pg/mL), and control group (32 ± 22.7 pg/mL). Patients with Chagas' disease and an advanced stage of CHF have high levels of NT-ProBNP andlow plasma levels of leptin. One or more leptin-suppressing mechanisms may operate in chagasic patients.

High expression of the circadian gene mPer2 diminishes the radiosensitivity of NIH 3T3 cells

Period2 is a core circadian gene, which not only maintains the circadian rhythm of cells but also regulates some organic functions. We investigated the effects of mPeriod2 (mPer2) expression on radiosensitivity in normal mouse cells exposed to 60Co-γ-rays. NIH 3T3 cells were treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) to induce endogenous mPer2 expression or transfected with pcDNA3.1(+)-mPer2 and irradiated with 60Co-γ-rays, and then analyzed by several methods such as flow cytometry, colony formation assay, RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry. Flow cytometry and colony formation assay revealed that irradiated NIH 3T3 cells expressing high levels of mPer2 showed a lower death rate (TPA: 24 h 4.3% vs 12 h 6.8% and control 9.4%; transfection: pcDNA3.1-mPer2 3.7% vs pcDNA3.1 11.3% and control 8.2%), more proliferation and clonogenic survival (TPA: 121.7 ± 6.51 vs 66.0 ± 3.51 and 67.7 ± 7.37; transfection: 121.7 ± 6.50 vs 65.3 ± 3.51 and 69.0 ± 4.58) both when treated with TPA and transfected with mPer2. RT-PCR analysis showed an increased expression of bax, bcl-2, p53, c-myc, mre11, and nbs1, and an increased proportionality of bcl-2/bax in the irradiated cells at peak mPer2 expression compared with cells at trough mPer2 expression and control cells. However, no significant difference in rad50 expression was observed among the three groups of cells. Immunohistochemistry also showed increased protein levels of P53, BAX and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in irradiated cells with peak mPer2 levels. Thus, high expression of the circadian gene mPer2 may reduce the radiosensitivity of NIH 3T3 cells. For this effect, mPer2 may directly or indirectly regulate the expressions of cell proliferation- and apoptosis-related genes and DNA repair-related genes.

Transduction motif analysis of gastric cancer based on a human signaling network

To investigate signal regulation models of gastric cancer, databases and literature were used to construct the signaling network in humans. Topological characteristics of the network were analyzed by CytoScape. After marking gastric cancer-related genes extracted from the CancerResource, GeneRIF, and COSMIC databases, the FANMOD software was used for the mining of gastric cancer-related motifs in a network with three vertices. The significant motif difference method was adopted to identify significantly different motifs in the normal and cancer states. Finally, we conducted a series of analyses of the significantly different motifs, including gene ontology, function annotation of genes, and model classification. A human signaling network was constructed, with 1643 nodes and 5089 regulating interactions. The network was configured to have the characteristics of other biological networks. There were 57,942 motifs marked with gastric cancer-related genes out of a total of 69,492 motifs, and 264 motifs were selected as significantly different motifs by calculating the significant motif difference (SMD) scores. Genes in significantly different motifs were mainly enriched in functions associated with cancer genesis, such as regulation of cell death, amino acid phosphorylation of proteins, and intracellular signaling cascades. The top five significantly different motifs were mainly cascade and positive feedback types. Almost all genes in the five motifs were cancer related, including EPOR,MAPK14, BCL2L1, KRT18,PTPN6, CASP3, TGFBR2,AR, and CASP7. The development of cancer might be curbed by inhibiting signal transductions upstream and downstream of the selected motifs.

« Recueil de plusieurs procez criminels qui ne sont point imprimez ».

Contient : 1 « Procès criminel fait à messire Gilles de Rays, marechal de France, condamné et executé à mort en l'année 1440, au mois de septembre » ; 2 ; « Arrest prononcé contre sire Jacques Coeur à Lezignan, le 29e jour de may 1453 » ; « Revision du procès demandé par Jean Coeur, archevêque de Bourges, pretendant son père estre clerc, qui contient les appellations du patriarche et evêque de Poitiers et ses vicaires, et aussy dudit archevêque de Bourges contre les griefs faits à l'Eglise en la personne dudit Jacques Coeur ». 1453 ; 3 « Arrest du parlement contre le duc de Lorraine » Charles Ier « et ses complices, pour plusieurs pilleries, meurtres et autres crimes et delits ». 1412 ; 4 « Question si le roy peut estre interrogé et examiné en fait de crimes » ; 5 « Plaintes et poursuites faites en la cour de parlement contre le chancelier Du Prat, et les lettres escrittes par laditte cour à madame la regente » Louise de Savoie « et aux pairs de France, pour se trouver en laditte cour. En 1525 ». Juillet-septembre ; 6 « Arrêt rendu contre messire Guillaume Poyet, chancelier de France, Mre Jean de Royer, conseiller en châtelet, et Louis Martine, substitut du procureur du roy aud. châtelet, du 24 avril 1545, en la salle de Saint Louis » ; 7 « Arrest d'innocence de monsieur l'amiral de Châtillon » Gaspard de Coligny, « de la mort de monsieur de Guise », François de Lorraine. 1567 ; 8 « Histoire memorable de la très damnable conjuration faite par Charles Ridicauve d'attenter à la personne du... roy [Henri IV], fidellement extraite des actes du procès ». 1599 ; 9 Récit du procès, condamnation et exécution du duc de Biron. 1602 ; 10 « Discours sur la conspiration » contre le roi Henri IV de Henriette de Balsac, marquise de Verneuil, et du comte d'Auvergne (Charles de Valois, fils naturel de Charles IX et de Marie Touchet), frère utérin de ladite marquise. 1604-1605 ; 11 Interrogatoires faits à François Ravaillac, assassin de Henri IV, et relation de ce qui se passa lors de l'exécution à mort dudit Ravaillac. 1610 ; 12 « Arrest de la cour contre Jean Particelly, banqueroutier et faussaire, et autres complices ». 1620 ; 13 « Relation des particularités plus remarquables arrivées, tant à l'instruction du procès de messieurs de Sainct Mars et de Thou, qu'à leur mort ». 1642 ; 14 « Documents concernant l'affaire du cardinal de Bouillon et l'histoire généalogique de la maison d'Auvergne ; a Lettre dudit cardinal EMMANUEL THEODOSE DE LA TOUR D'AUVERGNE au roi Louis XIV. Arras, 22 mai 1710 ; b Lettre du même à M. le président de Maisons, Claude de Longueil. 25 juin 1710 ; c Lettre de LOUIS XIV au cardinal de La Trémoille. 26 mai 1710 ; d Réponse d'un anonyme à la lettre anonyme du cardinal de Bouillon au président de Maisons ; e Arrêt du conseil d'État du roi contrel' « Histoire genealogique de la maison d'Auvergne » par Etienne Baluze. Versailles, 1er juillet 1710 ; f « Declaration du roi concernant la disposition des bénéfices qui sont à la nomination du cardinal de Bouillon ». Versailles, 7 juillet 1710. Pièce imprimée ; g « Arrest du conseil et lettres patentes sur icelluy, portant qu'il sera pourvu par le parlement de Paris à la régie et administration de tous les biens, fruits et revenus du cardinal de Bouillon. Des 7 et 15 juillet 1710. Registrez en parlement le 30 juillet 1710 ». Pièce imprimée ; h Arrêt de la cour pour la destruction du mausolée que le cardinal de Bouillon avait fait faire dans l'église de Cluny. 2 janvier 1711 ; i « Memoire en faveur de monsieur le cardinal de Bouillon ». Ce mémoire, copie d'un imprimé annoncé comme se vendant à Tournay et daté de 1710, se compose : 1° d'un avis au lecteur ; 2° du texte (commenté dans le sens de la défense dudit cardinal) de la requête du procureur général au parlement de Paris H. F. d'Aguesseau, en date du 28 mai 1710, contre le cardinal ; 3° du commentaire de l'arrêt du même parlement, rendu le 20 juin 1710, portant prise de corps contre le cardinal et contre le père de Monthiers et le chevalier de Serte ; j « Memoire sur l'« Histoire genealogique de la maison d'Auvergne ». Dans une note qui précède ce titre, on lit que « ce memoire a esté copié sur l'original de Mr SORIN, qui a examiné par ordre de M. le chancelier la nouvelle edition de l'« Histoire genealogique de La Tour d'Auvergne », composée par monseigneur Baluze, laquelle edition a esté suprimée et mise au pilon par arrest du conseil » ; k « Copie d'un Receuil imprimé de quelques lettres escrites » depuis « le 14 de juin 1709 jusqu'au 24 de may 1710, concernant Son Altesse Eminentissime le cardinal de Bouillon, doyen du sacré collège, etc. 1710 ». Ce recueil contient : (pages 891-895) un « Avis au lecteur », daté du 1er juillet 1710 ; (pages 895-896) « lettre du marquis DE TORCY, ministre et secretaire d'Estat de France, au cardinal de Bouillon, doyen du sacré collège », datée de « Marly, ce 14 juin 1709 » ; (pages 896-900) « lettre du cardinal DE BOUILLON au marquis de Torcy », datée d'« Orléans, le 8 mars 1710 » ; (pages 900-903) lettre faisant suite à la précédente du même au même, datée d'« Orléans, le 9 mars 1719 » ; (pages 903-904) « route que le cardinal de Bouillon tiendra d'Orleans pour aller habiter les environs de Rouen, dans le present mois de mars 1710 » ; (pages 904-906), lettre du même cardinal au marquis de Torcy, datée d'« Orléans, le 8 mars 1710 » ; (pages 906) « lettre du marquis DE TORCY au cardinal de Bouillon, à Versailles, le 11 mars 1710 » ; (pages 907-908) « lettre du cardinal DE BOUILLON au marquis de Torcy », datée d' « Ormesson, ce jeudy 3 avril 1710 » ; (pages 908-909) lettre dudit cardinal au marquis de Torcy, datée d' « Arras, le 22 de may 1710 » ; (pages 909-912) « lettre escrite de Tournay, le 24 may 1710 », relative aux honneurs rendus par le prince Eugène et le duc de Marlborough au cardinal de Bouillon, à son passage au milieu des troupes de l'armée des alliés, le dit cardinal se rendant de l'abbaye de Saint Riquier près d'Abbeville, à l'abbaye de Vicoigne près Valenciennes, mais pour le moment arrêté à Tournay