Reproductive technology in domestic carnivorous

Background: The delay in development of artificial reproduction techniques on carnivorous could be due to countless reasons, but the lack of commercial interest is probably the most important one. The majority of canines are small structures, canidae are extremely fertile and a great number of species are adapted to domestication or captivity. Finally, the canine gamete physiology presents a difficult adaptation of technology knowledge obtained from other species. Furthermore, domestic felines are animals of company and there is no interest in reproducing them in a large scale, as it has been observed in other domestic animals, however, besides of being a valuable model for the development of in vitro techniques, the domestic cat is also used as an embryo receptor for different species of small wild felines due to physiological similarities among them, in vitro embrionary development, Review: It was reviewed the main insights about the reproductive physiology in female dogs, in vitro oocytary maturation (IVM), pregnancy and conception rate with dogs' frozen/unfrozen semen and PIV in domestic cats. The majority of mammal oocytes restart meiosis spontaneously after ovulation and reaches MII in artificial environment; in an in vitro maturation system in bovines, around 90% of oocytes complete their maturation, although its development capacity can be reduced subsequently. The success of IVM in canidae have been limited, with maturation rate varying from 0 to 58%, usually around 20%. The greatest difficulties include oocyte quality, hormonal environment, protein supplementation, cumulus / oocyte cell interaction, donor breed and age, culture systems, oxygen tension, amino acids, growth factor and sequential means. The freezing process reduces the quality of the semen, firstly because it reduces the number of living sperms and secondly because freezing produces cell modifications that could alter the sperm motility, longevity, integrity of membranes and its fertilizing capacity. Conclusion: Nowadays, several researches are being performed with the aim of increasing viability after dogs' and cats' semen is unfrozen, using extenders, cryoprotectors, freezing and unfreezing curves, addition of antioxidant substances. The aim of this text is to inform about the improvements obtained on the artificial reproduction techniques, emphasizing the oocytary maturation in female dogs, semen cryopreservation and artificial insemination in domestic dogs and cats.

Brazilian solar water heating systems evaluation

The Brazilian National Electricity Conservation Program - PROCEL - runs regular surveys in the electric-energy-consumption market. These studies are used as valuable data to better plan the actions of this program. These data also evaluate the program's performance by identifying the level of penetration of the most efficient electric equipment within the residential sector. PROCEL's main lines of action is to promote and make available the most efficient technologies. Based on the results from the latest survey, it is estimated that 24% of the electric-energy consumption of the residential sector is used by electric shower devices, which instantaneously heat the water that flows through them, normally using an electric resistance of 5 kW. These are an important factor in a country where electric-heating devices are present in about 73% of Brazilian households. Keeping that in mind, the purpose of this work is to present the main results of the Brazilian Solar-Water-Heating-Systems Evaluation, finished in 2010, where 535 installations were visited and more than 50 researchers from different universities participated in the project. Moreover, seven Brazilian cities were selected to be studied. The information was collected from field research and statistically treated. The collected information focused on the adequacy of the project to the household, installation, operation and life cycle of the systems, as well as the users' satisfaction level. Technical questionnaires were developed to summarize all the required information, such as a Web site designed to organize and manage the data collected and a Matlab application that performed the dimensioning and F-chart systems evaluation. Quality indicators were created through a full system monitoring, with thermographic analysis and evaluation of shading influence at the system's efficiency, using the Ecotect software.

Desenvolvimento de sistemas líquido-cristalinos multifuncionais contendo nanopartículas de TiO2 para proteção solar e liberação controlada de terpinem-4-ol

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

Remoção de micropoluentes na filtração lenta com pré-oxidação com radiação solar

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Drifter technique: a new method to obtain metaphases in Hep-2 cell line cultures

A linhagem celular Hep-2 é formada por células de carcinoma da laringe e é muito utilizada em modelos de carcinogênese e mutagenêse. Para avaliar o potencial proliferativo desta linhagem, desenvolvemos uma metodologia citogenética (técnica do sobrenadante) para obtenção de metáfases a partir de células que, ao entrarem em mitose, perdem adesão celular, ficando em suspensão no meio de cultura. Através deste procedimento, foram contadas 2000 células, correspondendo a um índice mitótico (IM) de 22.2% . Apesar de o IM obtido por esta técnica não ter sido estatisticamente diferente do IM obtido por outras metodologias citogenéticas clássicas, a técnica do sobrenadante é vantajosa porque elimina o uso de alguns reagentes utilizados na obtenção de metáfases e também diminui o consumo de reagentes de manutenção desta linhagem.

Adoção da energia solar fotovoltaica em hospitais: revisando a literatura e algumas experiências internacionais

The sun has an extremely important role in the existence of human beings, and Brazil has a privileged geographical position to explore sunlight. The union of these two factors favors the use of solar cells for converting solar energy into electricity by photovoltaic technology: it is a great alternative energy source, especially for being a clean one, causing less damage to the environment. This paper addresses the photovoltaic technology with a focus on hospitals, through case studies found in international literature, because hospitals, even running all important services to society, have a potential for pollution capable of causing damage to human health and the environment that is around them. It is estimated that the Brazilian oil reserves are sufficient for twenty-two years. This makes the search for alternative sources for power generation a necessity.

Comparative analysis between a PEM fuel cell and an internal combustion engine driving an electricity generator: Technical, economical and ecological aspects

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

Concepção e simulação de uma chaminé solar

The present work intends to study some fluid dynamic and heat transfer aspects of a solar chimney, aiming at a preliminary design of a facility. Some definitions and concepts of this system are presented. The simulation was performed based on a theoretical model validated with measurements of a prototype in Manzanares, Spain. Using the same theoretical model and some considerations, dimensions on a small scale are applied, making the model more interesting from its constructive aspect. The results show the behavior of the air velocity inside the chimney and illustrate some values of two preselected turbines. This technology looks promising in Brazilian territory due to high levels of solar radiation

Estimativa da Radiação Solar em Presidente Prudente – SP nos anos de 1999-2007

The wide territorial extension of Brazil derails the installation and maintenance of instruments for measuring solar radiation, which makes necessary the development and application of models that are able to estimate reliable and sufficient data for many different activities that use such data. And these, in most cases, are estimated from the Ångström equation. Based on this model, this project aimed to estimate the global solar radiation at Presidente Prudente-SP, Brazil, using daily data from 1999 to 2007. The solar radiation data have been extracted from the paper tapes of actinograph bi-metallic (Robitsch) daily records at the meteorological station in the Faculty of Science and Technology, UNESP. These tapes were scanned, resulting in digital images with x and y coordinates pairs (x = time; y = solar radiation, cal/min.cm²). The daily global solar radiation is the area under the curve of the image. This value has been calculated by computer algorithms. After the acquisition and calculation of the values needed to develop the Ångström equation have been determined the constants a and b, using linear regression between the values of Rg/R0 (solar radiation/solar radiation on a horizontal surface at the top of atmosphere), as ordered, and n/N (number of hours of sunshine/day length in hours) as abscissa. The slope of the line will be the constant b and the linear coefficient, the constant a. The estimated results were compared to the observed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, realizing that the models can be accepted. So, the equation to aim the solar global radiation is: Rg = R0 (0,2662+0,3592 n/N)

Análise dos parâmetros técnicos e econômicos do aquecedor solar a vácuo, visando economia de energia

This work is about a development of a vacuum solar water heater. To accomplish this, some measurements were made, such as flow, water temperature and room temperature, relative humidity, solar power density and wind speed. It first presents a brief explanation about the global situation in relation to the accelerated use of exhaustible energy sources which can result in a breakdown of these for future generations. From this, is proposed to analyze this solar water heater with vacuum tubes during the winter season in Brazil southeastern region, under different environmental conditions. From such ideas became possible to prove through the experimental part, calculations and graphical results that technology and the performance of this device are technical and economically viable, according to the life cycle of this. It was also found that the average monthly production in a maximum heat stroke situation was 193,33kWh and minimum isolation was 57,76kWh. This reveals that this instrument should start to be examined more closely by all, as a way to reduce the use of electricity, which will protect the environment without reducing the comfort of people

Luminescent solar concentrators: challenges for lanthanide-based organic-inorganic hybrid materials

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Feasibility of solar heating systems composed of recyclable packaging for low-income rural communities

Solar heaters are an appropriate technology in tropical and sub-tropical climates to heat bath water by solar energy. Low-cost solar heaters meet the demand of low-income rural communities which currently do not have access to this technology. Current research analyzes the economic viability of solar heaters, built with recyclable materials, to reduce electric energy bill. A solar heating system was built consisting of recyclable materials in accordance with the manuals provided by the Secretariat of Environment of the state of Paraná (SEMA). Duration of use of electric showers by families of rural properties was determined to calculate expenses and billing of electricity. Simulation and material costs showed that the system was feasible. Commercial solar heaters could be replaced at a cost of R$ 22.61 per month during 13 months.

Diurnal evolution of the hourly diffuse solar radiation incident on tilted surfaces in Southeast of Brazil

Evaluation has been made on the monthly and annual average diurnal evolution of the hourly diffuse radiation as well as its radiometric fractions on surfaces inclined at 12.85, 22.85 and 32.85° to face North, in climate conditions of Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil (22.85° S and 48.43° W). Measurements were made between 04/1998 to 08/2001 for 22.85°; 09/2001 to 02/2003 for 12.85° and 01/2004 to 12/2007 for 32.85°, with concomitant measures in the horizontal. For all surfaces the diffuse radiation was obtained from different method. Assessment has been performed as well on the radiometric fractions obtained from the ratio of diffuse radiation and global radiation (KDH and KDβ) and between radiation and diffuse radiation at the top of the atmosphere (KʹDH and KʹDβ) for the horizontal and tilted surfaces in hourly partition. The diffuse radiation levels were dependent on variations in precipitation and cloudiness. There was an increase in the differences between the diffuse radiation and the radiometric fractions with the increment of the angle, and in horizontally, which affected higher levels of diffuse radiation in spring and summer. The values of KDH and KDβ present in an inverse behavior were compared to diffuse radiation and theydecreased in the southern passage due to the increase of the direct component in the total of incident radiation.

Differential expression of CD90 and CD14 stem cell markers in malignant breast cancer cell lines

The recently emerged concept of cancer stem cell (CSC) has led to a new hypothesis on the basis for tumor progression. Basically, the CSC theory hypothesizes the presence of a hierarchically organized and relatively rare cell population, which is responsible for tumor initiation, self-renewal, and maintenance, in addition to accumulation of mutation and resistance to chemotherapy. CSCs have recently been described in breast cancer. Different genetic markers have been used to isolate breast CSCs, none of which have been correlated with the tumorigenicity or metastatic potential of the cells, limiting their precise characterization and clinical application in the development of therapeutic protocols. Here, we sought for subpopulations of CSCs by analyzing 10 judiciously chosen stem cell markers in a normal breast cell line (MCF10-A) and in four human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-435, and Hs578-T) displaying different degrees of metastatic and invasiveness potential. We were able to identify two markers, which are differentially expressed in nontumorigenic versus tumor cells. The CD90 marker was highly expressed in the malignant cell lines. Interestingly, the CD14 molecule displayed higher expression levels in the nontumorigenic cell line. Therefore, we demonstrated that these two markers, which are more commonly used to isolate and characterize stem cells, are differentially expressed in breast tumor cells, when compared with nontumorigenic breast cells. (C) 2012 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry

Protective effects of bone marrow mononuclear cell therapy on lung and heart in an elastase-induced emphysema model

We hypothesized that bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BMDMC) therapy protects the lung and consequently the heart in experimental elastase-induced emphysema. Twenty-four female C57BL/6 mice were intratracheally instilled with saline (C group) or porcine pancreatic elastase (E group) once a week during 4 weeks. C and E groups were randomized into subgroups receiving saline (SAL) or male BMDMCs (2 x 10(6), CELL) intravenously 3 h after the first saline or elastase instillation. Compared to E-SAL group, E-CELL mice showed, at 5 weeks: lower mean linear intercept, neutrophil infiltration, elastolysis, collagen fiber deposition in alveolar septa and pulmonary vessel wall, lung cell apoptosis, right ventricle wall thickness and area, higher endothelial growth factor and insulin-like growth factor mRNA expressions in lung tissue, and reduced platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor-beta, and caspase-3 expressions. In conclusion, BMDMC therapy was effective at modulating the inflammatory and remodeling processes in the present model of elastase-induced emphysema. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.