Positive effects of auditory cue in locomotor pattern of people with Parkinson's disease (off and on medication)

Gait disorders are identified in people with Parkinson’s disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of auditory cues and medication on kinematic, kinetic and EMG parameters, during different gait phases of people with PD and healthy elderly. Thirty subjects distributed in two groups (Group 1, PD patients off and on medication; Group 2, healthy elderly) participated in this study and were instructed to walk in two experimental conditions: non-cued and cued. Therefore, kinematic, kinetic and electromyography analyses were utilized to investigate the locomotor pattern. Changes in locomotor pattern (greater muscular activity) with auditory cue were observed for PD patients. Regarding the medication, locomotor parameter improvement was observed after levodopa intake in association with the auditory cue. These results confirm the hypothesis about the external cues therapy that could be used as a complement to drug therapy to achieve improvement in the locomotor pattern of PD patients.

Análise da queda de granizo em Guarulhos-SP e seus impactos socioeconômicos

The climate and weather have direct implications on society, are factors that can to regulate or restrict human occupation in a determined space. In this way, studies of climate and weather are justified to be extremely necessary for urban planning and economic activities, especially agriculture. The precipitation of hail, which enters in the classification of severe storm, causes large, direct and indirect impacts on society, mainly when it occurs in urban areas. This work aims to study the precipitation of hail, explain what is a severe storms and how hail is formed in clouds, making use of a literature review in geography and also in weather sciences. It is also an aim of this work analyze the genesis, evolution and dissipation of a specific case of precipitation of hail occurred in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, especially in Guarulhos, on 21st of September 21 of 2010, through the use of GOES-12’ satellite’s images and the use of São Roque’s weather radar. And in this way, show the potential impact of hail storms in society and contribute to a greater preparedness of the population, urban planners associations and emergency management, such as municipalities, the civil defense and fireman

Aplicações de isótopos estáveis na área da saúde no Brasil

The use of stable isotopes in Brazil is being improved, mainly through research conducted at main universities in the country. Some applications in health allow to studying, for example, processes involving synthesis and protein degradation, energy expenditure, body composition, kinetics of vitamins, mineral absorption and diagnose diseases related to Helicobacter pylori. The big motivation is to encourage the growth of investments in health in the few centers that have mass spectrometers in Brazil, as the technique is harmless to humans, in other words, no has problems to use it like when you use radioactive isotopes

Análise de uma câmara de combustão em escala piloto através de fluidodinâmica computacional

This work aims to examine, the behavior of a combustion chamber in pilot scale, coupled to a regenerative burner. The objective is to obtain a computational domain capable of supporting a simulation of conventional combustion and flameless combustion regimes. The objective is to obtain independence of mesh, analysis of the velocity fields of the fluid within the chamber, temperature and concentration profiles of the species emitted during the combustion process

Efeitos de campos elétrico e magnético em um sistema dissipativo pulsante

The main idea of this work is to understand and analyze the dynamical aspects of the motion of a particle moving in the annular billiard, which corresponds to two circles of radius R and r (rdescribe the system by introducing breathing boundaries that transfer momentum to the particle. Likewise, the collisions with the circles are studied in the conservative (elastic) and dissipative (non-elastic) cases. When we introduce magnetic and electric fields, the particle is submitted to the Lorentz force. It also can suffer successive collisions with the breathing circles, winning or losing energy. For the elastic time-dependent case, we have already observed that a particle can gain unlimited energy. The purpose of this work is to study the effects of both external fields in the mean energy of the system, for the time-dependent case with and without dissipation. Our initial results conduct us to believe that electrical field can contribute to the increasing of mean energy, and a magnetic field applied to the vertical axis of coordinate (what guarantees the particle do not travel away the billiard’s plane) uses to arrest the particle to the whispering gallery orbits and do not contribute to the Fermi acceleration indeed. However, in presence of the electric field, to same values, the magnetic one together can improve this referred process, obtaining greater energy values to the same number of iterations. These results are applied to the concentric case, that was reported did not haven any significant energy gain on the free particle motion

Dinâmica da troca de calor através do bico do tucano-toco, Ramphastos toco (Piciformes, Ramphastidae)

A regulação da temperatura corpórea, diante de variações da temperatura ambiente e/ou da taxa de produção de calor metabólico, envolve mecanismos reguladores da taxa de troca de calor entre o animal e o ambiente. Um destes mecanismos consiste na modulação da temperatura superficial de áreas especificas do corpo do animal, via ajustes vasomotores, que podem atuar tanto no sentido de promover a dissipação de calor (em uma situação de aumento da temperatura) quanto na retenção deste (em uma situação de queda de temperatura). Neste contexto, alguns animais exibem partes do corpo, como orelhas, membros, cauda, etc. que funcionam de maneira otimizada para realizar esta troca de calor. Nestes casos, estas partes são referidas como “janelas térmicas” e possuem em comum três características básicas: 1 - alta área superficial; 2 - baixo isolamento térmico; 3 – boa vascularização e controle do fluxo sanguineo na dependência da temperatura. Recentemente, o uso do bico como uma janela térmica foi descrito para o tucano-toco, Ramphastos toco (Aves, Ramphastidae), revelando ser esta uma estrutura com a maior capacidade de troca térmica já identificada. Naquele estudo, porém, a temperatura superficial das aves (bico) foi monitorada enquanto elas eram submetidas a mudanças bastante lentas (ao longo de várias horas) da temperatura ambiente, de forma que a dinâmica temporal da resposta exibida pelas aves permanecia ainda bastante desconhecida. Além disso, sabe-se que os membros das aves também atuam como importantes vias para troca de calor com o ambiente, e no caso do tucano toco, a regulação da temperatura superficial desses apêndices frente a variações da temperatura não tinha sido estudada. Portanto, o objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a velocidade com que os ajustes vasomotores subjacentes à modulação... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)

Quantificação da desintegração de comprimidos por fluxo ótico em seqüências de imagens de biosusceptometria AC

AC Biosusceptometry (ACB) is a low-cost biomagnetic tool that has been successfully applied on pharmaceutical research to evaluate performance of solid dosage forms. The aim of this work was to evaluate the Horn & Shunck method to access tablet disintegration. To evaluate the HS results was record on video a test with a objet moving in a rail with a constant velocity. The desintegration was recorded on video and ACB, which used have seven pairs of detection coils and a pair of excitation coils to mensure the magnetic ux variation. The signals were ampli ed and digitalized to create images, which were restored by Wiener lter, while the video images are converted to gray scale, both are normalized and binarized and had the optical ow estimation calculated by Horn & Schunck (HS) algorithm. All signals and images are processed and developed algorithm on Matlab. During the tests the ve tablets (500mg ferrite, 375mg excipients, compression 10 to 50 kN) were on a becker between of the ACB system and of the video system, and only touching the surface of the water. With all OF maps calculated was realized the sum of the resultants of each, to get a disintegration process resultant for each compression. Whit that was possible observed the disintegration behaves. For the compression force study the HS components of each sequence was sum, take mean and normalized for sequence's max modulo, therefore can be observed a high growing on less compression tablets. We can conclude the HS algorithm is viable to tablets disintegration data collection and whit that was possible to create a tablets disintegration analyzes protocol, which would be useful on desintegration kinetics study

Crises de fronteira e estruturas complexas no espaço de parâmetros em um mapeamento dissipativo bidimensional

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação da liberação, permeação e retenção na mucosa vaginal in vitro de formulação proposta para o tratamento da candidíase vaginal

A pesquisa de novas substâncias com atividade anti-Candida é importante devido à ocorrência de resistência por parte de algumas destas espécies aos antifúngicos usuais. Araújo e colaboradores (2009) comprovaram a atividade antifúngica do extrato de Syngonanthus nitens e torna-se relevante a proposta de formulações e o estudo destas. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi a avaliação da liberação, permeação e retenção na mucosa vaginal in vitro de formulação (creme) contendo o extrato de Syngonanthus nitens, em comparação com outra formulação proposta (gel), para averiguar qual das formulações apresenta mais vantagens para o tratamento da candidíase. Foi validado um método analítico para quantificação do extrato de S. nitens por espectrofotômetro UV-VIS utilizando o padrão luteolina. Os parâmetros analíticos utilizados para avaliar a credibilidade do método analítico foram: seletividade e especificidade, linearidade, limite de quantificação, precisão, exatidão e robustez. O método analítico proposto mostrou-se satisfatório: apresentou seletividade e especificidade; linearidade (os pontos obtidos nas concentrações de 5 a 30 µg/mL apresentaram-se lineares e com um ótimo coeficiente de correlação linear: 0,99996); precisão e exatidão; robustez; e o limite de quantificação foi de 0,5 µg/mL, com coeficiente de variação menor que 5%. Além disso, foram realizados testes de estabilidade preliminar e estudos reológicos, e a formulação creme apresentou resultados adequados para o uso proposto e também apresentou estabilidade. Os ensaios de liberação demonstraram que ambas as formulações apresentam cinética de liberação conforme o modelo de Higuchi, ou seja, a velocidade de liberação do fármaco da matriz do sistema se dá por difusão controlada. Os resultados mostram que as duas formulações apresentam perfil de liberação muito... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)

Vitrocerâmicas para blindagens balísticas

The use of ceramic materials in ballistic armor is considerable. Such materials can be very harder and lighter than metallic materials commonly used and it presents advantages to replace metallic materials when necessary toughness can be achieved. However, as SiC and Al2O3 ceramic, traditionally used for shielding, still have high manufacturing cost or low density do not have enough to shield applications such as aircraft. An alternative is the glass-ceramics, ceramics obtained by controlled crystallization of glasses, whose properties can be adjusted by choosing the chemical composition of glass, heat treatment of crystallization and special treatments such as ion exchange on the surface, resulting in increased mechanical strength . The objective of this project is to study the kinetics of crystallization of a glass composition based on cordierite (2MgO.2Al2O3.5SiO2), low density and high hardness, for the manufacture of glass-ceramics for ballistic tests. Shown in this report are results of heat treatment of crystallization and characterization by thermal analysis (DSC) glass obtained previously, indicating uneven distribution of crystals, and drying, weighing, mixing of raw materials and a new fusion of glass, the same composition

WiMAX interoperabilidade mundial para acesso de microondas

This paper presents a technique dubbed WiMAX radio link, the IEEE 802.16 was completed in October 2001 and published on April 8, 2002 and is constantly updated, this technology specifies an interface for wireless metropolitan networks (WMAN) and is under control of the WiMAX Forum, which is a group of companies responsible for the dissipation of this technology in the world, the great benefit of this standard is to offer broadband Internet connection in areas where there is no infrastructure such as fiber optics that has a cost higher. The main purpose of this paper is to present the theoretical and technical characteristics of this technology for both the standard for fixed and mobile standard, regulation of frequency bands by the FCC and description of the physical layer, through to basic concepts are used in many other types of radio link and technologies have been adapted and updated for this little-known standard, allowing a greater range and speed, which are specified and differentiate these advancements is one of the contributions of the work done here. After the theoretical conceptualization stage, a real case study has been inserted in this work to demonstrate the effectiveness of this technology deployed. The idea of presenting this case study is linked to a better view of the use of standard in the market, nationwide

Reprodutibilidade das respostas metabólicas e cardiorrespiratórias fisiológicas em um protocolo de exercício intermitente realizado com recuperação passiva e ativa

The main objective of this study was to analyze the reliability of blood lactate concentration ([La]), oxygen uptake (VO2) and heart rate (FC) in an intermittent protoco, performed at 95%VO2max with passive or active recovery in untrained subjects. Participated of this study, active healthy males with 20 to 25 years, which were doing aerobic exercises witha weekly frequency of 3 sessions at least. The individulas performed, in different days, the following protocols in a cyclergometer: 1) An incremental test until exhaustion to determine maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and the intensity at VO2max; b) Two transitions at 95%VO2max for the determination of the VO2 kinetics parameters and; c) Two intermittent tests until exhaustion, with repetitions at 95% IVO2max and with durantion defined as being half of the duration of the slow component. The duration of the recovery was half of the duration of the effort (effort:pause of 2:1). This test was performed with passive (GP) and active recovery (GA). The VO2 and FC were measured continulously in both tests. Blood collections were performed for the determination of the [La]. There was significant correlação in both groups for VO2 (ATIVA - 0.94, PASSIVA - 0.75), [La] (ATIVA - 0.83, PASSIVA - 0.90) and FC (0.93) only for the passive group. Thus, it can be concluded that the cardiorrespiratory and metabolic responses present good realiability in an intermittent exercise with active or passive recovery

Caracterização de plasmas através da espectrometria de massa

Mass spectrometry is a diagnosis that can aid in the understanding of the kinetics of chemical plasma environment. Through this you can get information about some species present in the environment and make inferences about the behavior of the plasma when parameters such as pressure and applied power changes. When analyzed plasmas generated by the discharge of argon and diglyme (both individually and mixtures of them in various proportions) could be found conditions in which the plasma behavior was different from what is often found in the literature. By the end some peculiar characteristics of plasmas generated by mixing argon / diglyme were raised and it was found that the noble gas is a good mediator of physical and chemical reactions that occur in the environment, and help in the understanding of chemical kinetics. Therefore mass spectrometry was shown highly important tool for the study of plasma environment

Avaliação de parâmetros farmacêuticos em comprimidos matriciais empregando a técnica de Biosusceptometria AC

Oral administration is widely accepted route for drug delivery and solid dosage forms are commonly employed. The variation of absorption profiles along the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the ability to target drugs by adequate dosage forms to distinct sites is the challenge in the pharmaceutical development of solid dosage forms. AC Biosusceptometry (ACB) is a technique that deserves consideration due to its features, accuracy of results and versatility. The purpose of this work was to evaluate, by employing the AC Biosusceptometer, the rate of swelling of systems matrices consisting of hydrophilic polymer (hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose) and magnetic material. Matrices tablets were evaluated in vitro to a more detailed analysis of kinetics of swelling, in addition to the study and application of mathematical models to correlate the magnetic area variation and the water uptake. All the procedures for qualitative and quantitative analysis of digital signals as well as the magnetic images processing were performed in MatLab® (Mathworks Inc.). ACB technique proved to be useful towards estimating the swelling properties of hydrophilic matrices in vitro, showing a promising capacity for further analyses involving dissolution test and in vivo studies, supporting their innovative potential pharmaceutical applications

Produção de PGE2 por células dendríticas mediante fagocitose de células apoptóticas infectadas

A fagocitose de células apoptóticas é um processo dinâmico e de fundamental importância para homeostase dos tecidos após uma injúria. A fagocitose de células apoptóticas promove a síntese de mediadores anti-inflamatórios como PGE2, TGF-β e IL-10, podendo resultar na supressão da resposta imune do hospedeiro contra agentes infecciosos. Entretanto, um elegante estudo utilizando células apoptóticas infectadas demonstrou que a fagocitose destas células promove a geração não apenas de citocinas anti-inflamatórias como TGF-β mas também de IL-6 e IL-23, promovendo um efeito imunoestimulador, a diferenciação de células Th17. A atuação da PGE2 na imunidade adaptativa vem sendo investigada quanto à diferenciação e ativação de linfócitos Th1, Treg e Th17. Os resultados aqui apresentados demonstram que o protocolo de diferenciação de células dendríticas utilizado foi capaz de gerar em torno de 85% de CD imaturas evidenciado pela expressão de um perfil fenotípico CD11c+CD11b+MHCIIlowCD80lowCD86low. Quanto à produção de PGE2, a fagocitose de AC+PAMP por células dendríticas foi capaz de induzir níveis elevados deste mediador lipídico nas diferentes proporções de células apoptóticas utilizadas. Os níveis de PGE2 encontrados no sobrenadante de cultura foi proporção dependente evidenciando uma relação direta entre fagocitose de AC+PAMP e a produção de PGE2. A fim de mimetizar a cinética da carga bacteriana durante uma infecção, ou seja, inicialmente uma menor carga bacteriana que tende a aumentar conforme ocorre a colonização, os animais foram inoculados com alta (high - 106 UFC de E. coli) e baixa (low - 105 UFC de E. coli) cargas bacterianas, gerando desta forma o que chamamos de AC+PAMPhigh e AC+PAMPlow, respectivamente. Os resultados aqui apresentados demonstram que diante de uma alta carga bacteriana há uma maior produção dos mediadores