Efeito da salinidade da água do mar no rendimento, composição e atividades biológicas de frações polissacarídicas da Chlorophyta Caulerpa cupressoides var. flabellata

Seaweeds sulfated polysaccharides have been described as having various pharmacological activities. However, nothing is known about the influence of salinity on the structure of sulfated polysaccharides from green seaweed and pharmacological activities they perform. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of salinity of seawater on yield and composition of polysaccharides-rich fractions from green seaweed Caulerpa cupressoides var. flabellata, collected in two different salinities beaches of the coast of Rio Grande do Norte, and to verify the influence of salinity on their biological activities. We extracted four sulfated polysaccharides-rich fractions from C. cupressoides collected in Camapum beach (denominated CCM F0.3; F0.5; F1.0; F2.0), which the seawater has higher salinity, and Buzios beach (denominated CCB F0.3; F0.5; F1.0; F2.0). Different from that observed for other seaweeds, the proximate composition of C. cupressoides did not change with increased salinity. Moreover, interestingly, the C. cupresoides have high amounts of protein, greater even than other edible seaweeds. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the yield of polysaccharide fractions of CCM and its CCB counterparts, which indicates that salinity does not interfere with the yield of polysaccharide fractions. However, there was a significant difference in the sulfate/sugar ratio of F0.3 (p<0.05) and F0.5 (p<0.01) (CCM F0.3 and CCB F0.5 was higher than those determined for their counterparts), while the sulfate/sugar ratio the F1.0 and F2.0 did not change significantly (p>0.05) with salinity. This result suggested that the observed difference in the sulfate/sugar ratio between the fractions from CCM and CCB, is not merely a function of salinity, but probably also is related to the biological function of these biopolymers in seaweed. In addition, the salinity variation between collection sites did not influence algal monosaccharide composition, eletrophoretic mobility or the infrared spectrum of polysaccharides, demonstrating that the salinity does not change the composition of sulfated polysaccharides of C. cupressoides. There were differences in antioxidant and anticoagulant fractions between CCM and CCB. CCB F0.3 (more sulfated) had higher total antioxidant capacity that CCM F0.3, since the chelating ability the CCM F0.5 was more potent than CCB F0.5 (more sulfated). These data indicate that the activities of sulfated polysaccharides from CCM and CCB depend on the spatial patterns of sulfate groups and that it is unlikely to be merely a charge density effect. C. cupressoides polysaccharides also exhibited anticoagulant activity in the intrinsic (aPTT test) and extrinsic pathway (PT test). CCB F1.0 and CCM F1.0 showed different (p<0,001) aPTT activity, although F0.3 and F0.5 showed no difference (p>0,05) between CCM and CCB, corroborating the fact that the sulfate/sugar ratio is not a determining factor for biological activity, but rather for sulfate distribution along the sugar chain. Moreover, F0.3 and F0.5 activity in aPTT test was similar to that of clexane®, anticoagulant drug. In addition, F0.5 showed PT activity. These results suggest that salinity may have created subtle differences in the structure of sulfated polysaccharides, such as the distribution of sulfate groups, which would cause differences in biological activities between the fractions of the CCM and the CCB

Estudo de compatibilidade e estabilidade térmica do ácido retinóico e hidroquinona por termogravimetria

Retinoic acid (RA) and hydroquinone (HQ) assets are widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations, for having depigmenting properties and are largely produced in drugstores. To assist in the development of formulations containing the active RA and HQ National Forms of Brazilian Pharmacopoeia (2005 and 2012 ) proposes formulations with different excipients such as cetyl alcohol (AC), cetostearyl alcohol (ACT), methylparaben (MTP), propyl paraben ( PPB), glycerin (GLY), dipropylene glycol (DPG), imidazolidinil urea ( IMD ), cyclomethicone (CCM ), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), octyl stearate (ETO), EDTA, decil oleate (ODC) and hydroxipropymethyl celullose (HPMC). One of the difficulties found in most cosmetic formulations is the large number of incompatibilities between the components of the formulations, so the aim this study was to evaluate thermal stability and interactions between these active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients. The depigmenting agents were analyzed by DSC and TG and excipients were analyzed by TG. The dynamic thermogravimetric curves were obtained on a SHIMADZU thermobalance, model DTG-60, using an alumina crucible, at the heating rate of 10ºC min-1, in the temperature range of 25-900 ºC, under an atmosphere of nitrogen at 50 mL min-1. The DSC curves were obtained using Shimadzu calorimeter, model DSC-60, using aluminum crucible, at the heating rate of 10ºC min-1, in the temperature range of 25-400ºC. The thermogravimetric and calorimetric curves were analyzed using TASYS software SHIMADZU. In this study no were found interactions between AR and the following excipients: MTP, PPB, IMD, ODC, EDTA, CCM, ETO, HPMC. However, were found interactions with the following excipients: AC, ACT, BHT, GLI and DPG. For HQ were found interactions with IMD and DPG. Interactions remained even changing proportions of the mixtures and the ternary. Thus, the studies conducted with excipients of National Formulary from 2005 and 2012 showed that these new excipients do not interact by thermogravimetry with the active pharmaceutical ingredients of this study

Efeito de herbicidas residuais, aplicados por vários anos consecutivos, na distribuição do sistema radicular da laranjeira Natal (Citrus sinensis.(L.) osbeck)

O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de verificar a influência do uso contínuo de vários herbicidas residuais, sobre a distribuição das radicelas de laranjeiras Natal (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) enxertadas sobre limão Cravo (Cithus limonia Osbeck) e plantadas em janeiro de 1970. O experimento foi instalado no pomar de produção da Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias do Campus de Jaboticabal (UNESP), em Latossol Roxo distrófico, com 1,6% de matéria orgânica e 51% de argila. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso, dentro de um esquema fatorial 11x 3x2x2, com três repetições. Os tratamentos utilizados, com as respectivas doses em kg do i.a/ha foram: fluometuron a 4,2; simazíne a 4,8; atrazine a 4,8; bromacil a 3,2;bromacil (40%) + diuron (40%) a 4,8; bromacil (53,3%) + diuron (27,6%) a 4,8; terbacil a 3,2; oxadiazon a 1,5; dichlobenil a 3,0 e 6,0; além de uma testemunha capinada. O estudo das radicel as foi feito pelo método do trado, tendo sido tomadas amostras de solo contendo radicelas, nas distâncias de 80, 160 e 240 cm do tronco, nas camadas de 0 a 15 cm e 15 a 30 cm de profundidade e em duas direções distintas (entrelinhas e entreplantas). Os resultados mostraram que as radicelas localizam-se superficialmente, com 70% delas nos primeiros 15 cm, do total encontrado na camada superficial de 0 a 30 cm de profundidade do solo. Cerca de 75% das radicelas situam-se até a distância de 160 cm do tronco. Na camada mais superficial do solo (0 a 15 cm), a quantidade de radicelas diminuiu de maneira acentuada, à medida que se afastou do tronco. Na camada de 15 a 30 cm de profundidade, ocorreu uma distribuição horizontal mais uniforme, comparada com a da camada de 0 a 15 cm. As radicelas das plantas do cultivar Natal distribuiram-se uniformemente, tanto na direção das plantas da linha vizinha, quanto nas das plantas de uma mesma linha, para o espaçamento de 7,0 m x 7,2 m. Não se detectaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas nas quantidades de radicelas entre as parcelas dos vários tratamentos com herbicidas, excluindo-se desta forma, qualquer efeito negativo de tais produtos químicos sobre o sistema radicular das laranjeiras.

Retention characteristics of lanthanum-doped bismuth titanate films annealed at different furnaces

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

A comparison of performance indexes in DC-DC converters under different stabilizing state-dependent switching laws

This paper deals with the problem of establishing stabilizing state-dependent switching laws in DC-DC converters operating at continuous conduction mode (CCM) and comparing their performance indexes. Firstly, the nature of the problem is defined, that is, the study of switched affine systems, which may not share a common equilibrium point. The concept of stability is, therefore, broadened. Then, the central theorem is proposed, from which a family of switching laws can be derived, namely the minimum law and the hold state law. Some of these are proved to stabilize the basic DC-DC converters and then, their performances are compared to another law, from a previous work, by simulation, where a great reduction in overshoot is obtained. © 2011 IEEE.

Uma nova metodologia de projeto e controle para o inversor Boost (CSI) monofásico, para o aproveitamento de fontes alternativas e renováveis de energia elétrica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito de tratamento de superfície na resistência de união de uma liga de Cobalto - Cromo e uma resina acrílica termicamente ativada

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Complexo Convectivo de Mesoescala observado em 27/11/2002 no nordeste da Argentina

Neste trabalho foram analisadas as condições sinóticas associadas à atuação de um Complexo Convectivo de Mesoescala (CCM), ocorrido no dia 27/11/02, no nordeste da Argentina. Para tal foram utilizadas imagens no canal infravermelho do satélite meteorológico GOES-8 e campos simulados pelo modelo regional BRAMS. A simulação feita com o modelo, com saídas de três em três horas, permitiu detalhar o comportamento das variáveis meteorológicas em grande escala que afetam o ciclo de vida do CCM, reproduzindo as condições favoráveis para sua iniciação, manutenção e dissipação. Os resultados mostraram que o CCM estudado apresentou características similares às observadas por diversos autores.

Elevated Plasma Hemoglobin Levels Increase Nitric Oxide Consumption in Experimental and Clinical Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism

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

Carcinoma de células de Merckel humano e sua potencial associação com o recémdescrito poliomavírus MCPyV: avaliação preliminar de biopsias e análise de casualidade

Neoplasias malignas da pele são os cênceres mais comuns da espécie humana. No entanto há tipos raros como o Carcinoma de células de Merkel (CCM), cuja incidência tem aumentado em todo mundo. O CCM possui curso agressivo, com freqüente envolvimento de nódulos linfáticos regionais e metástases à distância. Adicionalmente, afeta predominantemente idosos e imunocomprometidos, fato que levou-se a suspeita de uma possível etiologia infecciosa para essa neoplasia. Nesse foi-se isolado e descrito o MCPyV, um novo poliomavirus humano, diretamente de células tumorais do CCM. O objetivo do presente trabalho é dar continuidade à pesquisa desse novo vírus apresentando dados iniciais da pesquisa do MCPyV em número significativo de casos de CCM de pacientes brasileiros. Para tanto, foram analisadas 24 biópsias de CCM fixadas e incluídas em parafina, das quais foram extraído o material genômico e o produto submetido à PCR convencional com três pares de iniciadores descritos pela literatura (LT1, LT3 e VP1), com a finalidade de se detectar segmentos do vírus. No presente estudo o genoma viral foi detectado em 11/24 (45,8%) das amostras avaliadas, sendo que a positividade para cada par de iniciadores foi de 4/24 (16,7%) para LT1, 11/24 (45,8%) para LT3 e 4/24 (16.7%) para VP1. Essas freqüências são menores do que a relatada pela literatura e essa diferença pode ser devida a diferença nas amostras analisadas e nas técnicas empregadas. Outros estudos são necessários para comprovar a relação de causalidade, assim como desvendar o ciclo do MCPyV

Effect of treatment delay on disease severity and need for resuscitation in porcine fecal peritonitis

Objective: Early treatment in sepsis may improve outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the delay in starting resuscitation influences the severity of sepsis and the treatment needed to achieve hemodynamic stability. Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled experimental study. Setting: Experimental laboratory in a university hospital. Subjects: Thirty-two anesthetized and mechanically ventilated pigs. Interventions: Pigs were randomly assigned (n = 8 per group) to a nonseptic control group or one of three groups in which fecal peritonitis (peritoneal instillation of 2 g/kg autologous feces) was induced, and a 48-hr period of protocolized resuscitation started 6 (Delta T-6 hrs), 12 (Delta T-12 hrs), or 24 (Delta T-24 hrs) hrs later. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of delays in resuscitation on disease severity, need for resuscitation, and the development of sepsis-associated organ and mitochondrial dysfunction. Measurements and Main Results: Any delay in starting resuscitation was associated with progressive signs of hypovolemia and increased plasma levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha prior to resuscitation. Delaying resuscitation increased cumulative net fluid balances (2.1 +/- 0.5 mL/kg/hr, 2.8 +/- 0.7 mL/kg/hr, and 3.2 +/- 1.5 mL/kg/hr, respectively, for groups.T-6 hrs, Delta T-12 hrs, and.T-24 hrs; p < .01) and norepinephrine requirements during the 48-hr resuscitation protocol (0.02 +/- 0.04 mu g/kg/min, 0.06 +/- 0.09 mu g/kg/min, and 0.13 +/- 0.15 mu g/kg/min; p = .059), decreased maximal brain mitochondrial complex II respiration (p = .048), and tended to increase mortality (p = .08). Muscle tissue adenosine triphosphate decreased in all groups (p < .01), with lowest values at the end in groups Delta T-12 hrs and.T-24 hrs. Conclusions: Increasing the delay between sepsis initiation and resuscitation increases disease severity, need for resuscitation, and sepsis-associated brain mitochondrial dysfunction. Our results support the concept of a critical window of opportunity in sepsis resuscitation. (Crit Care Med 2012; 40:2841-2849)

Association between systemic corticosteroids and outcomes of intensive care unit-acquired pneumonia

Objective: The use of corticosteroids is frequent in critically-ill patients. However, little information is available on their effects in patients with intensive care unit acquired pneumonia. We assessed patients' characteristics, microbial etiology, inflammatory response, and outcomes of previous corticosteroid use in patients with intensive care unit acquired pneumonia. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Intensive care units of a university teaching hospital. Patients: Three hundred sixteen patients with intensive care unit acquired pneumonia. Patients were divided according to previous systemic steroid use at onset of pneumonia. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Survival at 28 days was analyzed using Cox regression, with adjustment for the propensity for receiving steroid therapy. One hundred twenty-five (40%) patients were receiving steroids at onset of pneumonia. Despite similar baseline clinical severity, steroid treatment was associated with decreased 28-day survival (adjusted hazard ratio for propensity score and mortality predictors 2.503; 95% confidence interval 1.176-5.330; p = .017) and decreased systemic inflammatory response. In post hoc analyses, steroid treatment had an impact on survival in patients with nonventilator intensive care unit acquired pneumonia, those with lower baseline severity and organ dysfunction, and those without etiologic diagnosis or bacteremia. The cumulative dosage of corticosteroids had no significant effect on the risk of death, but bacterial burden upon diagnosis was higher in patients receiving steroid therapy. Conclusions: In critically-ill patients, systemic corticosteroids should be used very cautiously because this treatment is strongly associated with increased risk of death in patients with intensive care unit acquired pneumonia, particularly in the absence of established indications and in patients with lower baseline severity. Decreased inflammatory response may result in delayed clinical suspicion of intensive care unit acquired pneumonia and higher bacterial count. (Crit Care Med 2012; 40:2552-2561)

Toll-like receptor 9 activation in neutrophils impairs chemotaxis and reduces sepsis outcome

Objectives: To investigate the role of toll-like receptor 9 on sepsis-induced failure of neutrophil recruitment to the site of infection. Design: Prospective experimental study. Setting: University research laboratory. Interventions: Model of polymicrobial sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture in wild-type and toll-like receptor 9-deficient mice. Measurements and Main Results: Toll-like receptor 9-deficient mice with cecal ligation and puncture-induced severe sepsis did not demonstrate failure of neutrophil migration and consequently had a low systemic inflammatory response and a high survival rate. Upon investigating the mechanism by which toll-like receptor 9-deficiency prevents the failure of neutrophil migration, it was found that neutrophils derived from toll-like receptor 9-deficient mice with cecal ligation and puncture induced severe sepsis expressed high levels of chemokine C-X-C motif receptor 2 (CXCR2) and had reduced induction of G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 2. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the poor outcome of severe sepsis is associated with toll-like receptor 9 activation in neutrophils, which triggers G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 expression and CXCR2 downregulation. These events account for the reduction of neutrophil migration to the site of infection, with consequent spreading of the infection, onset of the systemic inflammatory response, and a decrease in survival. (Crit Care Med 2012; 40:2631-2637)

Ottimizzazione di un sistema di tracciabilità a supporto della reliability system engineering per un produttore di beni strumentali: il caso Sacmi

Questa tesi di laurea è stata redatta presso l’azienda Sacmi Imola S.C. ed in particolare all’interno della divisione Closures, che si occupa della progettazione e della realizzazione di linee per la produzione di varie tipologie di capsule. Lo scopo dell’elaborato è descrivere lo sviluppo di un sistema di tracciabilità di prodotto; sistemi di questo tipo, adottati inizialmente nel settore alimentare, stanno acquisendo sempre maggiore importanza anche in altri campi produttivi, poiché rivestono un ruolo strategico al fine della realizzazione di prodotti caratterizzati da livelli elevati di performance e di qualità, capaci di emergere nel mercato moderno caratterizzato da una concorrenza estesa a livello mondiale e molto attento alle esigenze dei clienti. Nel caso specifico di Sacmi il sistema di tracciabilità si rivolge ad una pressa, la CCM (Continuous Compression Moulder), realizzata dall’azienda per la produzione di capsule in materiale termoplastico tramite la tecnologia dello stampaggio a compressione. In particolare il sistema si concentra sugli stampi della macchina CCM, i quali ne rappresentano gli elementi critici dal punto di vista sia tecnico che economico. A livello generale, un sistema di tracciabilità è costituito da due componenti fondamentali: il primo è un sistema di identificazione che permetta di rendere distinguibili ed individuabili le unità da tracciare, mentre il secondo è un sistema di raccolta dati in grado di raccogliere le informazioni desiderate. Queste sono poi archiviate in un apposito database ed attribuite alle entità corrispondenti sfruttando le proprietà del sistema di identificazione. Il primo passo da compiere quando si intende sviluppare un sistema di tracciabilità all’interno di un contesto produttivo già consolidato è la ricostruzione del processo produttivo presente in azienda: si tratta di individuare tutti gli enti aziendali che concorrono al processo e che saranno interessati dall’introduzione del nuovo sistema. Una volta definiti gli attori, è necessario anche capire come questi siano collegati dai flussi di materiale e di informazioni. Il processo produttivo di Sacmi era caratterizzato dalla quasi totale assenza di un flusso strutturato di informazioni a supporto di quello di materiale, ed il sistema di tracciabilità ha provveduto a colmare proprio questa mancanza. Il sistema deve essere in grado di integrarsi perfettamente nel contesto produttivo aziendale: è necessario trovare il giusto compromesso per quanto riguarda la quantità di informazioni da raccogliere, che devono garantire una corretta copertura di tutto il processo senza però appesantirlo eccessivamente. E’ bene che la raccolta dati sia basata su procedure standard che assicurino la ripetibilità delle operazioni di prelievo delle informazioni. Come è logico immaginarsi, l’introduzione di numerose novità nell’ambito di un contesto già strutturato ha fatto emergere un certo numero di problematiche, come ad esempio difficoltà nello stoccaggio e ritardi di produzione; queste devono essere risolte chiedendo uno sforzo aggiuntivo agli enti interessati o, nel medio/lungo periodo, evolvendo ed affinando il sistema con soluzioni più snelle.