Desenvolvimento de sistema magnético polimérico contendo antimicrobianos para tratamento de infecções por Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcer disease and gastric cancer. The most recommended treatment for eradication of this bacteria often leads to side effects and patient poor compliance, which induce treatment failure. Magnetic drug targeting is a very efficient method that overcomes these drawbacks through association of the drug with a magnetic compound. Such approach may allow such systems to be placed slowed down to a specific target area by an external magnetic field. This work reports a study of the synthesis and characterization of polymeric magnetic particles loaded with the currently used antimicrobial agents for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections, aiming the production of magnetic drug delivery system by oral route. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray powder diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms and vibrating sample magnetometry revealed that the magnetite particles, produced by the co-precipitation method, consisted of a large number of aggregated nanometer-size crystallites (about 6 nm), creating superparamagnetic micrometer with high magnetic susceptibility particles with an average diameter of 6.8 ± 0.2 μm. Also, the polymeric magnetic particles produced by spray drying had a core-shell structure based on magnetite microparticles, amoxicillin and clarithromycin and coated with Eudragit® S100. The system presented an average diameter of 14.2 ± 0.2 μm. The amount of magnetite present in the system may be tailored by suitably controlling the suspension used to feed the spray dryer. In the present work it was 2.9% (w/w). The magnetic system produced may prove to be very promising for eradication of Helicobacter pylori infections

Caracterização geológico-geofísica do meio aqüífero fissural : uma contribuição aos modelos de fluxo e armazenamento de água subterrânea

Northeastern Brazil is mainly formed by crystalline terrains (around 60% in area). Moreover, this region presents a semi-arid climate so that it is periodically subject to drought seasons. Furthermore, ground water quality extracted fromwells usually presents poor quality because of their high salinity contents. Nevertheless, ground water is still a very important source of water for human and animal consumption in this region. Well sitting in hard rocks terrains in Northeastern Brazil offers a mean success index of aboul 60%, given that a successful siting is defined by a well producing at least 0.5 m³/h. This low index reveals lack of knowledga about the true conditions of storage and percolation of ground water in crystalline rocks. Two models for structures storing and producing ground water in crystalline rocks in Northeastem Brazil have been proposed in the literature. The first model,tradnionally used for well sitting since the sixties are controlled by faults or fractures zones. This model is commonly referred, in Brazilian hydrogeological literature, as the "creek-crack" model (riacho-fenda in Portuguese). Sites appearing to present dense drainage network are preferred for water well siting - particularly at points where the drainages cross-cul each other. Field follow up work is usually based only on geological criteria. The second model is the "eluvio-alluvial through" (calha eluvio-aluvionar in Portuguese); it is also described in the literature but it is not yet incorporated in well sitting practice. This model is based on the hypothesis that reclilinear drainages can also be controlled by the folietion of the rock. Eventually, depending upon the degree of weathering, a through-shaped structure filled with sediments (alluvium and regolith) can be developed which can store and water can be produced from. Using severalfield case studies, this Thesis presents a thorough analysis ofthe two above cited models and proposes a new model. The analysis is based on an integrated methodological approach using geophysics and structural geology. Both land (Resitiviy and Ground Penetrating Radar- GPR) and aerogeophysical (magnetics and frequency domain eletromagnetics) surveys were used. Slructural analysis emphasized neolectonic aspects; in general, itwas found that fractures in the E-W direction are relatively open, as compared to fracturas inthe N-S direction, probably because E-W fractures were opened by the neotectonic stress regime in Northeastern Brazil, which is controlled by E-W compression and N-S extension. The riacho-fenda model is valid where drainages are controlled by fractures. The degree of fracturing and associated weathering dictale the hydrogeological potential of the structure. Field work in structural analogues reveals that subvertical fractures show consistent directions both in outcrop and aerophotograph scales. Geophysical surveys reveal subvertical conductive anomalies associated to the fracture network controlling the drainage; one of the borders of the conductive anomaly usually coincide wih the drainage. An aspect of particular importance to the validation of fracture control are the possible presence of relalively deep conductive anomalies wihoul continuation or propagalion to the surface. The conductive nature of lhe anomaly is due to the presence of wealhered rock and sedirnenls (alluvium and/or regolilh) storing ground waler which occur associated to the fracture network. Magnetic surveys are not very sensisnive to these structures.lf soil or covering sedirnents are resislive (> 100 Ohm.m), GPR can ba used to image precisely lhe fracture network. A major limialion of riacho-fenda model, revealed by GPR images, is associated to the fact thal subhorizontal fractures do play a very important role in connecting the fracture network, besides connect shallow recharge zones to relalively deep subvertical frecture zones. Iffractures play just a secondary control on the drainage, however, r/acho-fenda model may have a very limiled validny; in these cases, large portions oflhe drainage do nol coincide wilh frectures and mosl oflhewells localed in lhe drainage surrounding would resull dry. Usually, a secondary conlrol on lhe drainage by Ihefraclure networkcan be revealed only wilh detailed geophysical survey. The calha elClv1o-aluvlonarmodel is valid where drainages are conlrolled by folialion. The degree 01 wealhering 01 lhe lolialion planes dictales lhe hydrogeological polenlial 01 lhe slruclure. Outcrop analysis reveals Ihal lolialion and drainage direclions are parallel and Ihal no Iraclures, orfraclures wilh diflerent directions 01 lhe drainage direclion occur. Geophysical surveys reveal conduclive anomalies in a slab lorm associaled 10 lhe Ihrough 01 lhe wealhered rock and sedimenls (alluvium and/or regolith). Magnelic surveys can ofler a very good conlrol on lolialion direclion. An importanl aspect 10 validale lolialion conlrol are lhe presence 01 conductive anomalies showing shallow and deep portions area which are linked. Illhere is an exlensive soil cover, r/acho-fenda and calha eIClv1o-aluv/onar conlrols can be easily misinlerpreled in lhe absence 01 geophysical conlrol. Certainly, Ihis lacl could explain at leasl a part of lhe failure index in well sitting. The model wealhering sack (bolsllo de Intempertsmo in Portuguese) is proposed to explain cases where a very inlensive wealhering occur over lhe crystalline rock so Ihal a secondary inlerslilial porosity is crealed. The waler is Ihen stored in lhe porous of lhe regolilh in a similar mannerlo sedimentary rocks. A possible example ofthis model was delecled by using land geophysical survey where a relalivelyvery deep isolaled conduclive anomaly, in a slab form, was delected. Iflhis structure does store ground waler, certainly Ihere must be a link 01 lhe deep slructure wilh lhe surface in orderlo provide walerfeeding. This model mighl explain anomalous waler yields as greal as 50 m³/h Ihalsomelimescan occur in crystalline rocks in Northeaslern Brazil

Simulações de Monte Carlo para os modelos Ising e Blume-Capel em redes complexa

We studied the Ising model ferromagnetic as spin-1/2 and the Blume-Capel model as spin-1, > 0 on small world network, using computer simulation through the Metropolis algorithm. We calculated macroscopic quantities of the system, such as internal energy, magnetization, specific heat, magnetic susceptibility and Binder cumulant. We found for the Ising model the same result obtained by Koreans H. Hong, Beom Jun Kim and M. Y. Choi [6] and critical behavior similar Blume-Capel model

Espectros fractais em sistemas nanoestruturados e cristais fotônicos

The study of the elementary excitations such as photons, phonons, plasmons, polaritons, polarons, excitons and magnons, in crystalline solids and nanostructures systems are nowdays important active field for research works in solid state physics as well as in statistical physics. With this aim in mind, this work has two distinct parts. In the first one, we investigate the propagation of excitons polaritons in nanostructured periodic and quasiperiodic multilayers, from the description of the behavior for bulk and surface modes in their individual constituents. Through analytical, as well as computational numerical calculation, we obtain the spectra for both surface and bulk exciton-polaritons modes in the superstructures. Besides, we investigate also how the quasiperiodicity modifies the band structure related to the periodic case, stressing their amazing self-similar behavior leaving to their fractal/multifractal aspects. Afterwards, we present our results related to the so-called photonic crystals, the eletromagnetic analogue of the electronic crystalline structure. We consider periodic and quasiperiodic structures, in which one of their component presents a negative refractive index. This unusual optic characteristic is obtained when the electric permissivity and the magnetic permeability µ are both negatives for the same range of angular frequency ω of the incident wave. The given curves show how the transmission of the photon waves is modified, with a striking self-similar profile. Moreover, we analyze the modification of the usual Planck´s thermal spectrum when we use a quasiperiodic fotonic superlattice as a filter.

Nucleação de vortices e paredes de domínio em nanoestruturas magnéticas

We report a theoretical investigation of the magnetic phases and hysteresis of exchange biased ferromagnetic (F) nanoelements for three di erent systems: exchange biased nanoparticles, exchange biased narrow ferromagnetic stripes and exchange biased thin ferromagnetic lms. In all cases the focus is on the new e ects produced by suitable patterns of the exchange energy coupling the ferromagnetic nanoelement with a large anisotropy antiferromagnetic (AF) substrate. We investigate the hysteresis of iron and permalloy nanoparticles with a square basis, with lateral dimensions between 45 nm and 120 nm and thickness between 12 nm and 21 nm. Interface bias is aimed at producing large domains in thin lms. Our results show that, contrary to intuition, the interface exchange coupling may generate vortex states along the hysteresis loop. Also, the threshold value of the interface eld strength for vortex nucleation is smaller for iron nanoelements. We investigate the nucleation and depinning of an array of domain walls pinned at interface defects of a vicinal stripe/AF bilayer. The interface exchange eld displays a periodic pattern corresponding to the topology of the AF vicinal substrate. The vicinal AF substrate consists of a sequence of terraces, each with spins from one AF subalattice, alternating one another. As a result the interface eld of neighboring terraces point in opposite direction, leading to the nucleation of a sequence of domain walls in the ferromagnetic stripe. We investigated iron an permalloy micrometric stripes, with width ranging from 100 nm and 300 nm and thickness of 5 nm. We focused in domain wall sequences with same chirality and alternate chirality. We have found that for 100nm terraces the same chiraility sequence is more stable, requiring a larger value of the external eld for depinning. The third system consists of an iron lm with a thickness of 5 nm, exchange coupled to an AF substrate with a periodic distribution of islands where the AF spins have the opposite direction of the spins in the background. This corresponds to a two-sublattice noncompensated AF plane (such as the surface of a (100) FeF2 lm), with monolayer-height islands containing spins of one sublattice on a surface containing spins of the opposite sublattice. The interface eld acting in the ferromagnetic spins over the islands points in the opposite direction of that in the spins over the background. This a model system for the investigation of interface roughness e ects. We have studied the coercicivity an exchange bias hysteresis shift as a function of the distance between the islands and the degree of interface roughness. We have found a relevant reduction of coercivity for nearly compensated interfaces. Also the e ective hysteresis shift is not proportional to the liquid moment of the AF plane. We also developed an analytical model which reproduces qualitatively the results of numerical simulations

Propriedades fisicas do monocristal fe/mgo(100) e estudo da expansao termica da superficie da ag(100)

In this work we have developed a way to grow Fe/MgO(100) monocrystals by magnetron sputtering DC. We investigated the growing in a temperature range among 100 oC and 300 oC. Structural and magneto-crystalline properties were studied by different experimental techniques. Thickness and surface roughness of the films were investigated by atomic force microscopy, while magneto-crystalline properties were investigated by magneto-optical Kerr effect and ferromagnetic resonance. Our results show that as we increase the deposition temperature, the magneto-crystalline anisotropy of the films also increases, following the equation of Avrami. The best temperature value to make a film is 300 oC. As the main result, we built a base of magnetoresistence devices and as an aplication, we present measurements of Fe/Cr/Fe trilayer coupling. In a second work we investigated the temperature dependence of the first three interlayer spacings of Ag(100) surface using low energy electron diffraction. A linear expansion model of crystal surface was used and the values of Debye temperatures of the first two layers and thermal expansion coefficient were determinated. A relaxation of 1% was found for Ag(100) surface and these results are matched with faces (110) and (111) of the silver. iv

Evidências da herança geotectônica pré-cambriana na geração da barcia potiguar: um estudo geofísico multdisciplinar

The 3D gravity modeling of the Potiguar rift basin consisted of a digital processing of gravity and aeromagnetic data, subsidized by the results of Euler deconvolution of gravity and magnetic data and the interpretation of seismic lines and wells descriptions. The gravity database is a compilation of independent geophysical surveys conducted by several universities, research institutions and governmental agencies. The aeromagnetic data are from the Bacia Potiguar and Plataforma Continental do Nordeste projects, obtained from the Brazilian Petroleum Agency (ANP). The solutions of the Euler Deconvolution allowed the analysis of the behavior of the rift main limits. While the integrated interpretation of seismic lines provided the delimitating horizons of the sedimentary formations and the basement top. The integration of these data allowed a 3D gravity modeling of basement topography, allowing the identification of a series of internal structures of the Potiguar rift, as well intra-basement structures without the gravity effect of the rift. The proposed inversion procedure of the gravity data allowed to identify the main structural features of the Potiguar rift, elongated in the NE-SW direction, and its southern and eastern faulted edges, where the sedimentary infill reachs thicknesses up to 5500 m. The southern boundary is marked by the Apodi and Baixa Grande faults. These faults seem to be a single NW-SE oriented fault with a strong bend to NE-SW direction. In addition, the eastern boundary of the rift is conditioned by the NE-SW trending Carnaubais fault system. It was also observed NW-SE oriented faults, which acted as transfer faults to the extensional efforts during the basin formation. In the central part of the residual anomaly map without the gravity effect of the rift stands out a NW-SE trending gravity high, corresponding to the Orós-Jaguaribe belt lithotypes. We also observe a gravity maximum parallel to the Carnaubais fault system. This anomaly is aligned to the eastern limit of the rift and reflects the contact of different crustal blocks, limited by the eastern ward counterpart of the Portalegre Shear Zone

analise da dispersao de ondas de superficie na provincia borborema, Nordeste do Brasil

The Borborema Province, Northeastern Brazil, had its internal structure investigated by different geophysical methods like gravity, magnetics and seismics. Additionally, many geological studies were also carried out to define the structural domains of this province. Despite the plethora of studies, there are still many important open aspects about its evolution. Here, we study the velocity structure of S-wave in the crust using dispersion of surface waves. The dispersion of surface waves allows an estimate of the average thickness of the crust across the region between the stations. The inversion of the velocity structure was carried out using the inter-station dispersion of surface waves of Rayleigh and Love types. The teleseismic events are mainly from the edges of the South and North American plates. The period of data collection occurred between 2007 and 2010 and we selected 7 events with magnitude above 5.0 MW and up to 40 km depth. The difference between the events back-azimuths and the interstation path was not greater than 10. We also know the depth of the Moho, results from Receiver Functions (Novo Barbosa, 2008), and use those as constrains in inversion. Even using different parameterizations of models for the inversion, our results were very similar the mean profiles velocity structure of S-wave. In pairs of stations located in the Cear´a Central Domain Borborema the province, there are ranges of depths for which the velocities of S are very close. Most of the results in the profile near the Moho complicate their interpretation at that depth, coinciding with the geology of the region, where there are many shear zones. In particular, the profile that have the route Potiguar Bacia in inter-station, had low velocities in the crust. We combine these results to the results of gravimetry and magnetometry (Oliveira, 2008) and receptor function (Novo Barbosa, 2008). We finally, the first results on the behavior of the velocity structure of S-wave with depth in the Province Borborema

Determination and padronization of normal values of bone mineral density (BMD) of the acessory carpus bone in young Thoroughbred horse using optical densitometry in radiographic image

Em 12 fêmeas e 12 machos da raça Puro Sangue Inglês com idade média de 12 meses, avaliou-se os valores normais da densidade mineral óssea do carpo acessório em milímetros de alumínio (mmAl) até o momento do fechamento completo da epífise distal do rádio, por meio do método de densitometria óptica em imagens radiográficas. A avaliação foi realizada por meio de um programa computacional (software) especialmente desenvolvido para medida de densidade óptica em filmes de raios-X, o qual contém a imagem radiográfica do osso carpo acessório, região de partes moles adjacente ao carpo acessório e os degraus de uma escala de alumínio (phatom), que permitiu a medida de densidade mineral óssea, sendo esta a média aritmética da região de interesse determinada no osso carpo acessório correspondente ao valor em milímetros da escala. Os valores da densidade mineral óssea em mmAl do acessório do carpo em função da idade não apresentaram diferenças entre os sexos (p=0,86) permitindo que uma equação de reta fosse ajustada para ambos os sexos (densidade mineral óssea (DMO) mmAl = 3.109 + 0,056 x idade em meses), na faixa etária estudada.

Estudo espectro eletroquímico de sistemas estruturados argila-corante

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

A aproximação de campo médio de Bethe-Peierls

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Resistência à corrosão das fases presentes em amálgamas dentários

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

Eletrodo modificado com filme de poli aminoácido para determinação de hidrazina em água de caldeira

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

Nanopartículas magnéticas: o cobalto

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

Biotreatment effects in films and blends of PVC/PCL previously treated with heat

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