Different substances and dry-needling injections in patients with myofascial pain and headaches

Trigger point injections with different solutions have been studied mainly with regard to the management of myofascial pain (MFP) patient management. However, few studies have analyzed their effect in a chronic headache population with associated MFP. The purpose of this study was to assess if trigger point injections using lidocaine associated with corticoid would be better than lidocaine alone, as in comparison with dry-needling in for the management of local pain and associated headache management. Forty-five (45) myofascial pain patients with headaches that could be reproduced by activating at least one trigger point, were randomly assigned into one of the three groups: G1, dry-needling, G2, 0.25% lidocaine, at 0.25% and G3, 0.25% lidocaine at 0.25% associated with corticoid, and were assessed during a 12 week period. Levels of pain intensity, frequency and duration, local post-injection sensitivity, obtainment time and duration of relief, and the use of rescue medication were evaluated. Statistically, all three groups showed favorable results for the evaluated requisites (p <= 0.05), but only for post-injection sensitivity did the association of lidocaine with corticoid present the best results and ingestion of rescue medication.

Photoluminescence in quasi-amorphous Pb0.8X0.2Zr0.53Ti0.47O3 (X = Ca, Sr and Ba) powders: An optical and structural study

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

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon as protective coating for a forming tool

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

Diverse Amorphous Carbonaceous Thin Films Obtained by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition and Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition

Diverse amorphous hydrogenated carbon and similar films containing additional elements were produced by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) and by Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition (PIIID). Thus a-C:H, a-C:H:F, a-C:H:N, a-C:H:Cl and a-C:H:O:Si were obtained, starting from the same feed gases, using both techniques. The same deposition system supplied with radiofrequency (RF) power was used to produce all the films. A cylindrical stainless steel chamber equipped with circular electrodes mounted horizontally was employed. RF power was fed to the upper electrode; substrates were placed on the lower electrode. For PIIID negative high tension pulses were also applied to the lower electrode. Raman spectroscopy confirmed that all the films are amorphous. Chemical characterization of each pair of films was undertaken using Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The former revealed the presence of specific structures, such as C-H, C-O, O-H. The latter allowed calculation of the ratio of hetero-atoms to carbon atoms in the films, e. g. F:C, N:C, and Si:C. Only relatively small differences in elemental composition were detected between films produced by the two methods. The deposition rate in PIIID is generally reduced in relation to that of PECVD; for a-C:H:Cl films the reduction factor is almost four.

Hydrodynamic aspects of the amorphous alloy ribbon fabrication

Conditions for as-quenched amorphous ribbon fabrication by a single roll-casting method are analyzed from a hydrodynamic standpoint. The analysis is based on the investigation of the processing conditions for Fe 4 0Ni 40P 14B 6 amorphous ribbons. It is shown that the dependence of ribbon thickness on the ejection pressure for different roll angular velocities and different dimensions of crucible and orifice can be obtained from general considerations on the melt flow regime.

A generalized theory of electrical characteristics of schottky barriers for amorphous materials

In the present paper, we discuss a generalized theory of electrical characteristics for amorphous semiconductor (or insulator) Schottky barriers, considering: (i) surface states, (ii) doping impurity states at a single energy level and (iii) energetically distributed bulk impurity states. We also consider a thin oxide layer (≈10 Å) between metal and semiconductor. We develop current versus applied potential characteristics considering the variation of the Fermi level very close to contact inside the semiconductor and decrease in barrier height due to the image force effect as well as potential fall on the oxide layer. Finally, we discuss the importance of each parameter, i.e. surface states, distributed impurity states, doping impurity states, thickness of oxide layer etc. on the log I versus applied potential characteristics. The present theory is also applicable for intimate contact, i.e. metal-semiconductor contact, crystalline material structures or for Schottky barriers in insulators or polymers.

Relative lability of trace metals complexed in aquatic humic substances using ion-exchanger cellulose-hyphan

The purpose of this paper is to characterize the lability/inertness metal fractions complexed by aquatic humic substances (HS) in relation to pH, complexation time, and HS concentration. HS were preconcentrated by ultrafiltration and complexed with bivalent metal ions. These fractions were characterized by ion exchange with the chelating collector cellulose Hyphan by applying batch procedure. The metals were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results show that the distribution coefficients, Kd, decreased with HS presence, and that the relative lability of metal fractions complexed by HS is dependent on variables such as pH, complexation time, and HS concentration. Until c.a. 15 min, the metal change between aquatic HS and ion exchanger occurs following a 2 order reaction. Afterwards, the remaining metal fraction in the HS reacts following a 1st order reaction. For traces of metal ions bound to dissolved HS, the lability orderPb > Mn > Cd, Ni > Cu is revealed. ©1997 Soc. Bras. Química.

An alternative methodology for the extraction of humic substances from organic soils

The present study reports on an alternative methodology for the extraction of Humic Substances (HS) from the soil. The extractions were carried out with 0.5 M KOH for 3 h, at a ratio of 1:20 (m/v) under a nitrogen atmosphere. The HS were separated by centrifugation based on their solubility in alcaline solution. This methodology was compared with the usual procedure in three different soil samples and in one sample from vermicompost. The yield, E4/E6 ratio, ash content, and the elemental composition (C, H, O, N) of the extracted HS have been determined. The functional groups were identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. This novel procedure adds a new perspective to the extraction of humic substances due to the short time and high performance of the extraction in relation to the usual procedure.

Interaction of mercury(II) with humic substances from the Rio Negro (Amazonas State, Brazil) by means of an ion exchange procedure

The aquatic humic substances (HS) investigated in this study with respect to their binding capability towards mercury(II) were isolated from the river Rio Negro, Amazonas State - Brazil, by means of the adsorbent XAD 8. Labile/inert fractions of inorganic Hg(II) complexes formed with these HS were characterized using an ion-exchange batch and column technique, respectively, based on Chelite S. This collector exhibits high Hg(II) distribution coefficients, Kd, up to the order of 104 decreasing, however, in the case of small Hg(II)/HS ratios (< 0.1 μg Hg(II) / mg HS). The influence of different complexation parameters (ratio of Hg(II)/HS, pH, contact time, complexing time) relevant for Hg(II) binding in aquatic environments was assessed. The Hg(II) lability in dissolved HS is mainly influenced by the mass ratio of Hg(II)/HS and the ageing of Hg(II)-HS species formed. This is particularly obvious in the case of low Hg(II) loading of HS where slow transformation processes of freshly formed Hg(II)-HS species significantly decrease their lability, leading to incomplete recoveries (< 20%) of the total Hg(II) bound to HS.

Direct amorphous-to-cubic perovskite phase transformation for lead titanate

The phase evolution of lead titanate processed by the polymeric precursor method was investigated by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the cubic perovskite PbTiO3 (PT) phase is formed from an inorganic amorphous precursor at a temperature of 444 °C. A gradual transition from cubic to tetragonal perovskite PT was observed with the increase of calcination time at this temperature. HRTEM results showed that the cubic PT particles have a size of around 5 nm. The identification of cubic PT as an intermediate phase supports the hypothesis that the chemical homogeneity was kept at the molecular level during the synthesis process, with no cation segregation.

Influence of antimicrobial subinhibitory concentrations on hemolytic activity and bacteriocin-like substances in oral: Fusobacterium nucleatum

Fusobacterium nucleatum is considered for its role in colonization of initial and late microorganisms in dental plaque and for its coaggregation with other bacterial species. It is known that action of different antimicrobial substances may interfere with either virulence factors or with host-bacteria interaction. The goal of this study was to examine the influence of subinhibitory concentrations of chlorhexidine, triclosan , penicillin G and metronidazole on hemolytic activity and bacteriocin-like substance production of oral F. nucleatum. A high resistance to penicillin G was observed and 63% of the isolates were β-lactamase positive. All the tested isolates were susceptible to metronidazole. F. nucleatum isolates grown with or without antimicrobials were alpha-hemolytics. Bacteriocin-like substance production was increased in isolates grown with penicillin G. Impaired production of hemolytic or antagonic substances can suggest a role in the regulation of oral microbiota.

A new application of humic substances: Activation of supports for invertase immobilization

Invertase was immobilized on aminopropyl silica (APTS-SiO2) activated with humic substances (APTS-SiO2-HS) and on aminopropyl silica activated with glutaraldehyde (APTS-SiO2-GA). The resulting activity of both systems was compared. Humic substances (HS) used for the activation of the silica were extracted from soil of Cananéia, São Paulo State, Brazil, according to the procedure recommended by the International Humic Substances Society. Activity was determined by measuring the rate of formation of reduced sugars using the reaction with dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS). The amount of HS bound on the APTS-SiO2 was equal to 50 mg. The maximum amount of invertase immobilized on APTS-SiO2-HS was 15200 U/g while in the system APTS-SiO2-GA it was 13400 U/g. The experimental enzymatic activity was 3700 and 3300 U/g, for the systems APTS-SiO2-HS and APTS-SiO2-GA, respectively. Considering the increased amount and activity of immobilized enzyme compared with the glutaraldehyde method, it was concluded that this technique opens a new perspective in the preparation of supports for enzyme immobilization employing humic substances. © Springer-Verlag 2000.

Crystallization of amorphous GaAs films prepared onto different substrates

This work reports changes in structural properties produced by thermal annealing of flash evaporated amorphous GaAs films using the micro-Raman scattering and the X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Films of about 1 μm were grown on c-Si and glass substrates. The crystallization process is less effective for samples deposited on c-Si. This could be due to the ordering in the first layers of the film imposed by the oriented Si substrates. We propose that this ordering makes the growth of crystallites in these films more restrained than the growth occurring in the completely amorphous films on glass substrates. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Urbach energy parameter of flash evaporated amorphous gallium arsenide films

The dependence of the optical absorption edge on the deposition crucible temperature is used to investigate the electronic states in As-rich a-GaAs flash evaporated films. The Urbach energy parameter, determined from photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS), presents large correlated variations with crucible temperature. The optical and electrical results are consistent with the As under coordinated sites being the more important defect in the material. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.