Microencapsulation of ellagic acid from pomegranate husk and karaya gum by spray drying

Objective: The aim of this study was to obtain and characterize microcapsules with Ellagic Acid (EA) from pomegranate as core material and Karaya Gum (KG) as wall material. Methods: EA was obtained from dry pomegranate peel powder via methanolysis and quantified by HPLC. Microcapsules were obtained preparing a dispersion containing KG and EA in phosphate buffer pH 8. The dispersion was processed in a spray dryer under specific conditions (inlet temperature at 150 °C, feed flow at 30% and aspirator at 100 %) for obtaining of microcapsules. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for characterization. Results: Obtained material contains 98.03±2.82 mg EA/g of pomegranate peel. FTIR showed that there were changes in the molecular structure of microcapsules referred to raw materials. SEM confirmed that particles obtained had micron-size (1-5 µm). DSC analysis showed that raw materials had glass transition temperatures of 79.58 and 83.41 °C and for microcapsules the value was67.25 °C. Conclusion: Methanolysis is a viable technique for the obtaining of EA from the peel of pomegranate. KG shows good potential for be used as wall material for EA microencapsulation.

Corrigendum to “Short-term changes in light distortion in orthokeratology subjects"

Artigo completo publicado na revista "BioMed Research International, (2015), 1-7" e disponível no RepositóriUM em: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/33375

Which soft lens power is better for piggyback in keratoconus? Part II

Purpose: To evaluate how soft lens power affects rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lens power and visual acuity (VA) in piggyback fittings for keratoconus. Methods: Sixteen keratoconus subjects (30 eyes) were included in the study. Piggyback contact lens fittings combining Senofilcon-A soft lenses of −6.00, −3.00, +3.00 and +6.00 D with Rose K2 RGP contact lenses were performed. Corneal topography was taken on the naked eye and over each soft contact lens before fitting RGP lenses. Mean central keratometry, over-refraction, RGP back optic zone radius (BOZR) and estimated final power as well as VA were recorded and analyzed. Results: In comparison to the naked eye, the mean central keratometry flattened with both negative lens powers (p < 0.05 in all cases), did not change with the +3.00 soft lens power (p = 1.0); and steepened with the +6.00 soft lens power (p = 0.02). Rigid gas-permeable over-refraction did not change significantly between different soft lens powers (all p > 0.05). RGP’s BOZR decreased significantly with both positive in comparison with both negative soft lens powers (all p < 0.001), but no significant differences were found among negative- or positive-powers separately (both p > 0.05). Estimated RGP’s final power increased significantly with positive in comparison with negative lens powers (all p < 0.001), but no significant differences were found among negative or positive lens powers separately (both p > 0.05). Visual acuity did not change significantly between the different soft lens powers assessed (all p > 0.05). Conclusion: The use of negative-powered soft lenses in piggyback fitting reduces RGP lens power without impacting VA in keratoconus subjects.

Critical analyses of the introduction of liquid-based cytology in a public health service of the state of São Paulo, Brazil

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the current conventional Pap smear with liquid-based cytology (LBC) preparations. STUDY DESIGN Women routinely undergoing their cytopathological and histopathological examinations at Fundação Oncocentro de São Paulo (FOSP) were recruited for LBC. Conventional smears were analyzed from women from other areas of the State of São Paulo with similar sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS A total of 218,594 cases were analyzed, consisting of 206,999 conventional smears and 11,595 LBC. Among the conventional smears, 3.0% were of unsatisfactory preparation; conversely, unsatisfactory LBC preparations accounted for 0.3%. The ASC-H (atypical squamous cells - cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion) frequency did not demonstrate any differences between the two methods. In contrast, the incidence of ASC-US (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance) was almost twice as frequent between LBC and conventional smears, at 2.9 versus 1.6%, respectively. An equal percentage of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions were observed for the two methods, but not for low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, which were more significantly observed in LBC preparations than in conventional smears (2.2 vs. 0.7%). The index of positivity was importantly enhanced from 3.0% (conventional smears) to 5.7% (LBC). CONCLUSIONS LBC performed better than conventional smears, and we are truly confident that LBC can improve public health strategies aimed at reducing cervical lesions through prevention programs.

Arquitetura e paisagem monásticas no território bracarense: o caso de Dume (S. Martinho)

Dissertação de mestrado em Arqueologia

Infección por Toxocara Canis: detección en suelo y en niños y adolescentes de comunidades de la provincia de Córdoba

Toxocara canis es un parásito cosmopolita frecuentemente hallado en el intestino delgado de los caninos. El hombre adquiere la infección con Toxocara por la ingestión de huevos embrionados que se encuentran en el suelo contaminado. En Argentina, las cifras reales de prevalencia de esta infección no se conocen por tratarse de una patología que no es de notificación obligatoria y por la existencia de casos asintomáticos. Los objetivos de este proyecto de investigación son: a) determinar el grado de contaminación con huevos de Toxocara canis de suelos en áreas de uso público y privado de las comunas de Villa El Prado y Los Cedros de la Provincia de Córdoba, b) detectar la presencia de anticuerpos anti-Toxocara canis en niños y adolescentes de estas Comunas, c) relacionar la presencia de anticuerpos con factores de riesgo y d) obtener antígenos excresión/secreción de larvas L2 de Toxocara canis. La presencia de huevos de Toxocara se evaluará en suelo (tierra, arena, mixta) del área de recreo de las escuelas y de áreas externas de cada vivienda (patio, jardín). La presencia de anticuerpos específicos será detectada en niños y adolescente entre 1 a 15 años de edad de ambos sexos que asistan a los dispensarios de las comunas. Para elaborar un sistema de detección de anticuerpos específicos se obtendrán antígenos excresión/secreción de larvas L2 de Toxocara canis. Este proyecto permitirá comparar la seroprevalencia de infección por Toxocara en niños y adolescentes, con otras regiones del país y el extranjero y analizar la relación entre títulos y manifestaciones clínicas. Además, posibilitará caracterizar asociaciones entre infección y factores de riesgo. Debido a la carencia de información sobre esta infección parasitaria en nuestro medio, esta investigación aportará datos útiles para las campañas de desparasitación de mascotas, saneamiento ambiental, tratamiento antiparasitario en personas afectadas y caracterización de manifestaciones clínicas asociadas a esta parasitosis.

Desarrollo de alternativas de mejoramiento del acondicionamiento térmico invernal y estival en los asentamientos informales de viviendas existentes en la ciudad de Córdoba por medio del aprovechamiento de las energías naturales

Como consecuencia de la estructura socio-económica de la población de escasos recursos que habitan los barrios informales más pobres de la ciudad de Córdoba (General Savio, Villa Bajo Pueyrredón y Barranco Yaco) se evidencia un uso ilegal de la energía eléctrica a los efectos de iluminar, calefaccionar y refrescar los ambientes de dichos asentamientos. El presente proyecto cuyo objetivo es mejorar la calidad de vida de los ocupantes, está orientado a optimizar con poca inversión las condiciones ambientales de las viviendas y fundamentalmente a crear el diseño de dispositivos de bajo costo que permitan el acondicionamiento térmico invernal y el refrescamiento estival. A tal fin se considerará el aporte de energías naturales: radiación solar, vientos predominantes, energía subterránea (tierra), entre otros. Los resultados obtenidos permitirán en el futuro la transferencia de las tecnologías arribadas a nuevos proyectos de interés social, aspectos que también podrían hacerse aplicables a otras tipologías (edificios para escuelas urbanas y rurales por ejemplo)