Encapsulation of Local Anesthetic Bupivacaine in Biodegradable Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) Nanospheres: Factorial Design, Characterization and Cytotoxicity Studies

Local anesthetic agents cause temporary blockade of nerve impulses productiong insensitivity to painful stimuli in the area supplied by that nerve. Bupivacaine (BVC) is an amide-type local anesthetic widely used in surgery and obstetrics for sustained peripheral and central nerve blockade. in this study, we prepared and characterized nanosphere formulations containing BVC. To achieve these goals, BVC loaded poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanospheres (NS) were prepared by nanopreciptation and characterized with regard to size distribution, drug loading and cytotoxicity assays. The 2(3-1) factorial experimental design was used to study the influence of three different independent variables on nanoparticle drug loading. BVC was assayed by HPLC, the particle size and zeta potential were determined by dynamic light scattering. BVC was determined using a combined ultrafiltration-centrifugation technique. The results of optimized formulations showed a narrow size distribution with a polydispersivity of 0.05%, an average diameter of 236.7 +/- 2.6 nm and the zeta potential -2.93 +/- 1,10 mV. In toxicity studies with fibroblast 3T3 cells, BVC loaded-PLGA-NS increased cell viability, in comparison with the effect produced by free BVC. In this way, BVC-loaded PLGA-NS decreased BVC toxicity. The development of BVC formulations in carriers such as nanospheres could offer the possibility of controlling drug delivery in biological systems, prolonging the anesthetic effect and reducing toxicity.

Distribution of stream macroalgal communities from the mid-western region of Paraná state, southern Brazil: importance of local scale variation

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Local and regional ecological drivers of fish assemblages in Brazilian estuaries

Spatial patterns in assemblage structures are generated by ecological processes that occur on multiple scales. Identifying these processes is important for the prediction of impact, for restoration and for conservation of biodiversity. This study used a hierarchical sampling design to quantify variations in assemblage structures of Brazilian estuarine fish across 2 spatial scales and to reveal the ecological processes underlying the patterns observed. Eight areas separated by 0.7 to 25 km (local scale) were sampled in 5 estuaries separated by 970 to 6000 km (regional scale) along the coast, encompassing both tropical and subtropical regions. The assemblage structure varied significantly in terms of relative biomass and presence/absence of species on both scales, but the regional variation was greater than the local variation for either dataset. However, the 5 estuaries sampled segregated into 2 major groups largely congruent with the Brazilian and Argentinian biogeographic provinces. Three environmental variables (mean temperature of the coldest month, mangrove area and mean annual precipitation) and distance between estuaries explained 44.8 and 16.3%, respectively, of the regional-scale variability in the species relative biomass. At the local scale, the importance of environmental predictors for the spatial structure of the assemblages differed between estuarine systems. Overall, these results support the idea that on a regional scale, the composition of fish assemblages is simultaneously determined by environmental filters and species dispersal capacity, while on a local scale, the effect of environmental factors should vary depending on estuary-specific physical and hydrological characteristics © 2013 Inter-Research.

Influência do local de seguimento da mola hidatiforme no prognóstico e tratamento da neoplasia trofoblástica gestacional pós-molar

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Produção e composição do leite de cabras alpinas submetidas ao transporte, à mudança de local de ordenha e à administração de ACTH

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Subsídios à elaboração de políticas públicas de turismo sustentável com base local: diretrizes, programas, ações e indicadores de avaliação

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Desenvolvimento local e capital social: uma análise interdisciplinar do processo de indução do DLIS no Estado de Roraima

Uma nova tendência em termos de ações para o desenvolvimento vem se configurando. Trata-se de ações que levam em conta o território e seus atores. Nesse âmbito, insere-se a metodologia de indução do Desenvolvimento Local Integrado e Sustentável (DLIS). Esse Programa de política pública se constitui uma estratégia participativa de indução do desenvolvimento, pela qual se mobilizam recursos das comunidades, que em parceria com o Estado (em seus três níveis) e o mercado, realizam diagnósticos, identificam potencialidades e vocações, elaboram planos integrados de desenvolvimento, na perspectiva de envolvimento dos sujeitos como proponentes e protagonistas da ação social em seus territórios. Com este trabalho, buscou-se compreender a multidimensionalidade do processo de DLIS, no estado de Roraima, procurando, ao mesmo tempo, o estabelecimento de um nexo causal entre as trajetórias sócio-econômicas (resultados) do DLIS e o capital social. A pesquisa se enquadrou na modalidade qualitativa. Adotou-se como estratégia metodológica o estudo de caso, envolvendo os municípios de Rorainópolis, Uiramutã, Baliza e Pacaraima. Três dimensões analítico-contextuais foram adotadas, quais sejam: conceitual, de implementação e de impacto. Na avaliação do capital social, as variáveis participação, confiança, cooperação e redes foram consideradas. Na interpretação dos dados, as seguintes abordagens foram utilizadas: análise contextual, análise descritiva, análise das diferenças de proporções e análise de correspondência. Os resultados da pesquisa revelaram que alguns conceitos e categorias adotados pelo Programa, embora relevantes, apresentam alguma ordem de problema. Dois municípios, Rorainópolis e Uiramutã, foram considerados municípios de bons resultados. Isso porque atenderam a um conjunto de questões que expressavam condições desejáveis para que o desenvolvimento local integrado e sustentável, em suas múltiplas dimensões, se efetivasse. Por seu turno, os municípios de Baliza e Pacaraima foram classificados como municípios de maus resultados. Os resultados do DLIS em Rorainópolis e Uiramutã estão associados ao capital social (relação positiva). A despeito da extensa literatura que trata da relevância desse tema, não se têm, ainda, instrumentos satisfatórios para medir capital social. Nesse contexto, entendese que estes resultados representam, de fato, uma aproximação.

Políticas de contenção de desmatamento, produção e mercado de terras na Amazônia: um ensaio sobre a economia local do sudeste paraense usando contas sociais alfa (CSα)

A discussão atual sobre a emissão de carbono associada ao uso agropecuário da terra em prejuízo de florestas se ressente de uma visão sistêmica, no que se refere aos fluxos econômicos propriamente, e suas interações, no que tange ao ambiente institucional que os garante. Dado que os esquemas de compensação implicam a entrada e saída de recursos em contextos econômicos amplos e sistêmicos, fundamental é discutir qual o resultado final desses fluxos sobre as condições gerais de reprodução das economias locais. As questões básicas são: a) como tais políticas poderão, a partir dos setores rurais, afetar a demanda final efetiva e, por essa via, o valor da produção e as variáveis de valor adicionado de toda a economia e b) como as variações na economia afetam as formas de uso da base natural e, portanto, o desmatamento. No que se refere às instituições, o artigo dá especial ênfase às que definem o mercado de terras, porque nele encontra o cerne de questões vitais para o que se discute. O artigo utiliza um modelo ascendente de geração de matrizes de insumo-produto para a economia local do Sudeste Paraense, incorpora nela um balanço de carbono dos setores da produção rural, encontra os multiplicadores e simula quatro situações de politica de contenção de desmatamento e redução das emissões de gases poluentes. A conclusão principal do artigo é que se faz necessário pensar políticas de contenção de desmatamento ligadas indissociavelmente a políticas de produção – a serem operadas por mecanismos que façam convergir as decisões dos agentes com perspectivas macro de desenvolvimento: local, endógeno e sustentável.

Trabalhadoras e economia solidária na associação de mulheres do município de Igarapé-Miri/Asmim-Pará: da resistência à estratégia de desenvolvimento local

O presente estudo retrata a constituição da Associação de Mulheres do Município de Igarapé-Miri –ASMIM/Pará, como um espaço de lutas, resistências e associativismo de mulheres trabalhadoras. Visa contribuir com o debate acerca das conquistas de uma experiência prática coletiva, na construção do desenvolvimento local, em Igarapé-Miri. Para isso, procurou-se nesta pesquisa entender o cenário da economia solidária, bem como, as diferentes concepções que giram em torno dessa temática em interface com o desenvolvimento local, à medida que, se entende ambas, como estratégias importantes para a constituição da mulher enquanto um sujeito coletivo capaz de romper com a invisibilidade e empoderar-se, no sentido de se tornar protagonista de sua própria história. Ressaltou-se importantes momentos de lutas e resistências femininas em torno de igualdade de direitos, geração de renda e participação na vida pública. Nesse sentido, a ênfase das organizações e movimentos sociais aos quais essas mulheres estiveram/estão articuladas foi importante para compreender de que forma elas foram galgando seu espaço de representação política em nível local, regional e nacional, ou seja, demonstrando novas práticas sócio-econômicas e político-culturais em que se tornaram referências e alteram a realidade do seu papel na sociedade contemporânea. Por fim, realçou-se que essa construção em Igarapé-Miri foi/é de muitas lutas, e, por conseguinte, conflitos que se expressam em âmbito familiar e de trabalho evidenciando desigualdades existentes e, muitas vezes, escamoteadas. Esta pesquisa traz para o debate os princípios de economia solidária, enquanto ambiente propício ao empoderamento das mulheres, de estratégia para um desenvolvimento local e de visibilidade pública para essas mulheres.

Screening of Conditions for the Preparation of Poly( -Caprolactone) Nanocapsules Containing the Local Anesthetic Articaine

The local anesthetic articaine (ATC) is widely used in dentistry; however, its side effects can include paresthesia and nerve injury. Polymeric nanocapsules (PN) can be used as carriers for drugs, and help to reduce undesirable symptoms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different factors on the average size, polydispersion, and encapsulation efficiency of PN containing ATC. Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanocapsules containing ATC were prepared by the oil-in-water emulsion/solvent evaporation method. The final ATC concentration was 2%. The preparation conditions were optimized using a central composite blocked cube-star design to investigate the influence of two variables at five levels, with 22 factorial points (–1 and +1), two replicates of the central point, 2×2 axial points (–1.414 and +1.414), and an orthogonal distribution, resulting in 10 experiments. The factors varied were the PVA concentration and the sonication time. The nanocapsules showed a satisfactory size range, a polydispersivity index less than 0.2, and high encapsulation efficiency. The values of the factors had no significant influence on either average size or polydispersion, although the encapsulation efficiency was significantly influenced by the sonication time. Improved formulations were identified using the central composite design, which revealed that the main consideration in selecting a suitable formulation was the encapsulation efficiency. Two of the formulations showed both high encapsulation efficiency and colloidal characteristics appropriate for the route of administration.

Hidden Effects of Chronic Tuberculosis in African Buffalo

Infectious diseases can bring about population declines and local host extinctions, contributing significantly to the global biodiversity crisis. Nonetheless, studies measuring population-level effects of pathogens in wild host populations are rare, and taxonomically biased toward avian hosts and macroparasitic infections. We investigated the effects of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by the bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium bovis, on African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa. We tested 1180 buffalo for bTB infection between May 2000 and November 2001. Most infections were mild, confirming the chronic nature of the disease in buffalo. However, our data indicate that bTB affects both adult survival and fecundity. Using an age-structured population model, we demonstrate that the pathogen can reduce population growth rate drastically; yet its effects appear difficult to detect at the population level: bTB causes no conspicuous mass mortalities or fast population declines, nor does it alter host-population age structure significantly. Our models suggest that this syndrome—low detectability coupled with severe impacts on population growth rate and, therefore, resilience—may be characteristic of chronic diseases in large mammals.

Influence Assessment in an Heteroscedastic Errors-in-Variables Model

The main goal of this article is to consider influence assessment in models with error-prone observations and variances of the measurement errors changing across observations. The techniques enable to identify potential influential elements and also to quantify the effects of perturbations in these elements on some results of interest. The approach is illustrated with data from the WHO MONICA Project on cardiovascular disease.

Análise de desconforto térmico local em ambientes cirúrgicos com o uso de manequim, medição de variáveis ambientais e avaliação subjetiva

Na avaliação de conforto térmico em ambientes interiores não basta analisar as condições de conforto para o corpo como um todo, pois há a necessidade de se analisar também as condições de desconforto térmico local. Em ambientes complexos, tais como os ambientes cirúrgicos, onde os membros da equipe cirúrgica ocupam diferentes posições no ambiente e desempenham atividades distintas, a análise de condições de desconforto térmico local torna-se ainda mais premente. No presente trabalho foram analisadas condições de desconforto térmico local devido a assimetrias da temperatura radiante, diferença vertical de temperatura do ar e risco de correntes de ar utilizando manequim, medição de variáveis ambientais e avaliação subjetiva. Resultados da avaliação subjetiva mostraram níveis de insatisfação de até 35 % dos anestesistas e enfermeiros com correntes de ar e de até 85% dos cirurgiões com o calor do foco cirúrgico. Resultados similares foram obtidos a partir da medição de variáveis ambientais e com o uso de manequim. Estes resultados ressaltam ainda mais a grande dificuldade de se prover condições de conforto térmico neste tipo de ambiente. Entretanto, a utilização de diferentes ferramentas de análise pode auxiliar na busca de se prover condições de conforto térmico as melhores possíveis para todos os membros da equipe cirúrgica.

The firm. Techno-organizational changes, industrial relations and performances. An enquiry on Reggio Emilia local industrial system

It is not unknown that the evolution of firm theories has been developed along a path paved by an increasing awareness of the organizational structure importance. From the early “neoclassical” conceptualizations that intended the firm as a rational actor whose aim is to produce that amount of output, given the inputs at its disposal and in accordance to technological or environmental constraints, which maximizes the revenue (see Boulding, 1942 for a past mid century state of the art discussion) to the knowledge based theory of the firm (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995; Nonaka & Toyama, 2005), which recognizes in the firm a knnowledge creating entity, with specific organizational capabilities (Teece, 1996; Teece & Pisano, 1998) that allow to sustaine competitive advantages. Tracing back a map of the theory of the firm evolution, taking into account the several perspectives adopted in the history of thought, would take the length of many books. Because of that a more fruitful strategy is circumscribing the focus of the description of the literature evolution to one flow connected to a crucial question about the nature of firm’s behaviour and about the determinants of competitive advantages. In so doing I adopt a perspective that allows me to consider the organizational structure of the firm as an element according to which the different theories can be discriminated. The approach adopted starts by considering the drawbacks of the standard neoclassical theory of the firm. Discussing the most influential theoretical approaches I end up with a close examination of the knowledge based perspective of the firm. Within this perspective the firm is considered as a knowledge creating entity that produce and mange knowledge (Nonaka, Toyama, & Nagata, 2000; Nonaka & Toyama, 2005). In a knowledge intensive organization, knowledge is clearly embedded for the most part in the human capital of the individuals that compose such an organization. In a knowledge based organization, the management, in order to cope with knowledge intensive productions, ought to develop and accumulate capabilities that shape the organizational forms in a way that relies on “cross-functional processes, extensive delayering and empowerment” (Foss 2005, p.12). This mechanism contributes to determine the absorptive capacity of the firm towards specific technologies and, in so doing, it also shape the technological trajectories along which the firm moves. After having recognized the growing importance of the firm’s organizational structure in the theoretical literature concerning the firm theory, the subsequent point of the analysis is that of providing an overview of the changes that have been occurred at micro level to the firm’s organization of production. The economic actors have to deal with challenges posed by processes of internationalisation and globalization, increased and increasing competitive pressure of less developed countries on low value added production activities, changes in technologies and increased environmental turbulence and volatility. As a consequence, it has been widely recognized that the main organizational models of production that fitted well in the 20th century are now partially inadequate and processes aiming to reorganize production activities have been widespread across several economies in recent years. Recently, the emergence of a “new” form of production organization has been proposed both by scholars, practitioners and institutions: the most prominent characteristic of such a model is its recognition of the importance of employees commitment and involvement. As a consequence it is characterized by a strong accent on the human resource management and on those practices that aim to widen the autonomy and responsibility of the workers as well as increasing their commitment to the organization (Osterman, 1994; 2000; Lynch, 2007). This “model” of production organization is by many defined as High Performance Work System (HPWS). Despite the increasing diffusion of workplace practices that may be inscribed within the concept of HPWS in western countries’ companies, it is an hazard, to some extent, to speak about the emergence of a “new organizational paradigm”. The discussion about organizational changes and the diffusion of HPWP the focus cannot abstract from a discussion about the industrial relations systems, with a particular accent on the employment relationships, because of their relevance, in the same way as production organization, in determining two major outcomes of the firm: innovation and economic performances. The argument is treated starting from the issue of the Social Dialogue at macro level, both in an European perspective and Italian perspective. The model of interaction between the social parties has repercussions, at micro level, on the employment relationships, that is to say on the relations between union delegates and management or workers and management. Finding economic and social policies capable of sustaining growth and employment within a knowledge based scenario is likely to constitute the major challenge for the next generation of social pacts, which are the main social dialogue outcomes. As Acocella and Leoni (2007) put forward the social pacts may constitute an instrument to trade wage moderation for high intensity in ICT, organizational and human capital investments. Empirical evidence, especially focused on the micro level, about the positive relation between economic growth and new organizational designs coupled with ICT adoption and non adversarial industrial relations is growing. Partnership among social parties may become an instrument to enhance firm competitiveness. The outcome of the discussion is the integration of organizational changes and industrial relations elements within a unified framework: the HPWS. Such a choice may help in disentangling the potential existence of complementarities between these two aspects of the firm internal structure on economic and innovative performance. With the third chapter starts the more original part of the thesis. The data utilized in order to disentangle the relations between HPWS practices, innovation and economic performance refer to the manufacturing firms of the Reggio Emilia province with more than 50 employees. The data have been collected through face to face interviews both to management (199 respondents) and to union representatives (181 respondents). Coupled with the cross section datasets a further data source is constituted by longitudinal balance sheets (1994-2004). Collecting reliable data that in turn provide reliable results needs always a great effort to which are connected uncertain results. Data at micro level are often subjected to a trade off: the wider is the geographical context to which the population surveyed belong the lesser is the amount of information usually collected (low level of resolution); the narrower is the focus on specific geographical context, the higher is the amount of information usually collected (high level of resolution). For the Italian case the evidence about the diffusion of HPWP and their effects on firm performances is still scanty and usually limited to local level studies (Cristini, et al., 2003). The thesis is also devoted to the deepening of an argument of particular interest: the existence of complementarities between the HPWS practices. It has been widely shown by empirical evidence that when HPWP are adopted in bundles they are more likely to impact on firm’s performances than when adopted in isolation (Ichniowski, Prennushi, Shaw, 1997). Is it true also for the local production system of Reggio Emilia? The empirical analysis has the precise aim of providing evidence on the relations between the HPWS dimensions and the innovative and economic performances of the firm. As far as the first line of analysis is concerned it must to be stressed the fundamental role that innovation plays in the economy (Geroski & Machin, 1993; Stoneman & Kwoon 1994, 1996; OECD, 2005; EC, 2002). On this point the evidence goes from the traditional innovations, usually approximated by R&D investment expenditure or number of patents, to the introduction and adoption of ICT, in the recent years (Brynjolfsson & Hitt, 2000). If innovation is important then it is critical to analyse its determinants. In this work it is hypothesised that organizational changes and firm level industrial relations/employment relations aspects that can be put under the heading of HPWS, influence the propensity to innovate in product, process and quality of the firm. The general argument may goes as follow: changes in production management and work organization reconfigure the absorptive capacity of the firm towards specific technologies and, in so doing, they shape the technological trajectories along which the firm moves; cooperative industrial relations may lead to smother adoption of innovations, because not contrasted by unions. From the first empirical chapter emerges that the different types of innovations seem to respond in different ways to the HPWS variables. The underlying processes of product, process and quality innovations are likely to answer to different firm’s strategies and needs. Nevertheless, it is possible to extract some general results in terms of the most influencing HPWS factors on innovative performance. The main three aspects are training coverage, employees involvement and the diffusion of bonuses. These variables show persistent and significant relations with all the three innovation types. The same do the components having such variables at their inside. In sum the aspects of the HPWS influence the propensity to innovate of the firm. At the same time, emerges a quite neat (although not always strong) evidence of complementarities presence between HPWS practices. In terns of the complementarity issue it can be said that some specific complementarities exist. Training activities, when adopted and managed in bundles, are related to the propensity to innovate. Having a sound skill base may be an element that enhances the firm’s capacity to innovate. It may enhance both the capacity to absorbe exogenous innovation and the capacity to endogenously develop innovations. The presence and diffusion of bonuses and the employees involvement also spur innovative propensity. The former because of their incentive nature and the latter because direct workers participation may increase workers commitment to the organizationa and thus their willingness to support and suggest inovations. The other line of analysis provides results on the relation between HPWS and economic performances of the firm. There have been a bulk of international empirical studies on the relation between organizational changes and economic performance (Black & Lynch 2001; Zwick 2004; Janod & Saint-Martin 2004; Huselid 1995; Huselid & Becker 1996; Cappelli & Neumark 2001), while the works aiming to capture the relations between economic performance and unions or industrial relations aspects are quite scant (Addison & Belfield, 2001; Pencavel, 2003; Machin & Stewart, 1990; Addison, 2005). In the empirical analysis the integration of the two main areas of the HPWS represent a scarcely exploited approach in the panorama of both national and international empirical studies. As remarked by Addison “although most analysis of workers representation and employee involvement/high performance work practices have been conducted in isolation – while sometimes including the other as controls – research is beginning to consider their interactions” (Addison, 2005, p.407). The analysis conducted exploiting temporal lags between dependent and covariates, possibility given by the merger of cross section and panel data, provides evidence in favour of the existence of HPWS practices impact on firm’s economic performance, differently measured. Although it does not seem to emerge robust evidence on the existence of complementarities among HPWS aspects on performances there is evidence of a general positive influence of the single practices. The results are quite sensible to the time lags, inducing to hypothesize that time varying heterogeneity is an important factor in determining the impact of organizational changes on economic performance. The implications of the analysis can be of help both to management and local level policy makers. Although the results are not simply extendible to other local production systems it may be argued that for contexts similar to the Reggio Emilia province, characterized by the presence of small and medium enterprises organized in districts and by a deep rooted unionism, with strong supporting institutions, the results and the implications here obtained can also fit well. However, a hope for future researches on the subject treated in the present work is that of collecting good quality information over wider geographical areas, possibly at national level, and repeated in time. Only in this way it is possible to solve the Gordian knot about the linkages between innovation, performance, high performance work practices and industrial relations.

Variables of host response in saliva of patients with periodontitis: A pilot study

Periodontitis is an infection that results from an imbalance between periodontopathic microorganisms and the local and systemic host defense. This study analyzed saliva samples of patients with periodontitis for several biomarkers of host response.