Introduction: The acromioclavicular joint is a superficial diarthrodial joint that surrounds the medial articular facet of the acromion and the distal portion of the clavicle. Due to its anatomy and biomechanics, it i...Introduction: The acromioclavicular joint is a superficial diarthrodial joint that surrounds the medial articular facet of the acromion and the distal portion of the clavicle. Due to its anatomy and biomechanics, it is highly susceptible to trauma and in young men who play contact sports, acromioclavicular dislocation is common. This article aimed to systematically review the literature and compare the surgical techniques used in the treatment of acromioclavicular dislocation in patients who practice sports. Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the International Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Eligible studies for this systematic review included articles in English or Spanish published between 2013 and 2023, which mention the occurrence of acromioclavicular dislocation during sports practices. Additionally, only studies that addressed the surgical treatment of acromion-clavicular dislocation and contained original data on the topic were included. Results: We found 144 eligible studies after searching the LILACS and PubMed databases. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the reviewers’ consensus, we selected four studies for the systematic review. 133 patients with AC joint displacement were evaluated. Mean Age: approximately 31.90 years. 81.92 of these injuries occurred during sports practice. Surgical Procedures Used: titanium plates fixation (49 patients), arthroscopy (24), single tunnel technique (30) and coracoid sling technique (30). The results of the visual analog scale and Constant-Murley scores varied between the techniques used. Twenty-two complications after surgical treatment were identified. Conclusion: A significant variability of operative techniques can be used in the surgical approach of acromioclavicular dislocation, such as arthroscopy, single tunnel, coracoid sling and titanium plates. Although it presented excellent functional results compared to the other three techniques evaluated by this review, using titaniu展开更多
Since the austral summer of 2014 southeastern Brazil has been experiencing one of the most severe droughts in decades. This rainfall deficiency has generated water shortages and a water crisis that have affected popul...Since the austral summer of 2014 southeastern Brazil has been experiencing one of the most severe droughts in decades. This rainfall deficiency has generated water shortages and a water crisis that have affected population and local economies in the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo, the largest megacity in South America. By January 2015, main reservoirs had reached storage levels of only 5% of their 1.3 billion m3 capacity. The meteorological causes of the drought situation were linked to changes in the regional circulation, characterized by a mid-troposphere blocking high that lasted 45 days during the summer of 2014 over southeastern Brazil, something not seen in five decades. The water crisis was aggravated by a combination of lack of rainfall and higher temperatures, the summer of 2014 being the warmest and driest over the Cantareira reservoir system since 1951. Increasing population and water consumption increased vulnerability in the region, and while human-induced warming may not have generated the atmospheric conditions behind the 2014 and 2015 summer droughts in Southeast Brazil, it is more likely that the warm temperatures have affected the severity of the drought and exacerbated the impacts on the population.展开更多
Natural extracellular matrices (ECMs) perform the tasks necessary for tissue formation, maintenance, regulation and function, providing a powerful means of controlling the biological performance of regenerative materi...Natural extracellular matrices (ECMs) perform the tasks necessary for tissue formation, maintenance, regulation and function, providing a powerful means of controlling the biological performance of regenerative materials. In addition, biomedical materials have claimed attention because of the increased interest in tissue engineering materials for wound care and regenerative medicine. Moreover, the nanostructure and morphological similarities with collagen make BC attractive for cell immobilization, cell support and Natural Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Scaffolds. In this work, we present the extracellular matrix (ECM) using the bacterial cellulose (Nanoskin<sup>®</sup>) which regulates cell behavior by influencing cell proliferation, survival, shape, migration and differentiation. Bacterial cellulose fermentation process is modified before the bacteria are inoculated for mimicking ECM to cells support and built new local material for wound healing. Chemical groups influences and thermal behavior in bacterial cellulose were analyzed using transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. Besides, In vivo analysis was evaluated with clinical study at Sharjah Kuwait Hospital.展开更多
Artemisinins tested against W-2 strains of malaria falciparum are investigated with molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), in an attempt to identify key features of the compounds that are necessary for their activit...Artemisinins tested against W-2 strains of malaria falciparum are investigated with molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), in an attempt to identify key features of the compounds that are necessary for their activities, as well as to investigate likely interactions with the receptor in a biological process and to use that information to propose new molecules. In order to discover the best geometry involving the ligand-receptor complexes (heme) studied and help in the proposition of the new derivatives, molecular simulations of interactions between the most negative charged region around the peroxide and heme locates (the ones around the Fe2+ ion) were carried out. In addition, PCA (principal components analysis), HCA (hierarchical cluster analysis), SDA (stepwise discriminant analysis), and KNN (K-nearest neighbor) multivariate models were employed to investigate which descriptors are responsible for the classification between the higher and lower antimalarial activity of the compounds, and also this information was used to propose new potentially active molecules. The information accumulated in studies of MEP, molecular docking, and multivariate analysis supported the proposal of new structures with potential antimalarial activities. The multivariate models constructed were applied to the new structures and indicated numbers 19 and 20 as the most prominent for syntheses and biological assays.展开更多
The objective of this research will be to calculate the feasibility of investing in a solar energy generation project through the development of a methodology that allows the capture of environmental uncertainties by ...The objective of this research will be to calculate the feasibility of investing in a solar energy generation project through the development of a methodology that allows the capture of environmental uncertainties by improving decision making. The article presents a comparative study of the feasibility analysis of investment in a solar mini solar energy for a Shopping, considering a regime of certainty and uncertainty. The assumed stochastic variables were energy tariff and price of solar panels. The trajectories were simulated with the binomial approach that combined resulted in a quadratic diagram. The applied methodology presented the best recommendation and the option to wait was the most valuable. The exchange of the energy obtained from LIGHT by own generation of energy with solar photovoltaic source will be viable for the manager since it observes the behavior of the variables over time and follows the rules of optimal decision.展开更多
Background: HPV infection represents an important etiologic factor for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OPSCC). The different ethnic backgrounds could be related to different susceptibility to Human Papillomavir...Background: HPV infection represents an important etiologic factor for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OPSCC). The different ethnic backgrounds could be related to different susceptibility to Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The aim of our study was to assess the whole of genetic ancestry in HPV status in OPSCC patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on patients with OPSCC admitted to the Barretos Cancer Hospital, Brazil from 2014 to 2019. Of these, DNA extraction was performed on 40 patients and genetic ancestry was assessed using a specific panel of 46 informative ancestry markers. Results: We observed a predominance of European ancestry (63%), followed by African (18%), Amerindian (9%) and Asian (8%) both in the OPSCC HPV-positive and HPV-negative group. We did not find any statistically significant differences between the HPV-positive and HPV-negative OPSCC groups in relation to European (p = 0.499), African (p = 0.448), Asian (p = 0.275) or Amerindian (p = 0.836) ancestry. Conclusions: We found a predominance of European ancestry, both in the HPV-positive and HPV-negative groups. In our study, we did not find statistically significant differences between HPV-positive or HPV-negative groups in relation to ancestry.展开更多
Objective: The measurement of phase angles is an important monitoring parameter and supplementation with omega-3 could promote benefits by modulating the electrical potential of membranes and increasing body cell mass...Objective: The measurement of phase angles is an important monitoring parameter and supplementation with omega-3 could promote benefits by modulating the electrical potential of membranes and increasing body cell mass. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the phase angle of people living with HIV/AIDS. Methods: In this study, 63 individuals of all genders who were undergoing outpatient follow-up and showed lipodystrophy due to highly active antiretroviral therapy were analyzed. Our sample consisted of two groups, one that received supplementation containing 2550 mg of omega-3/day (1080 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 720 mg of docosahexaenoic acid) for three months (n = 32) and another that underwent nutrition guidance (n = 31). Phase angle and body cell mass were assessed for both groups and compared at the beginning of research (T0) and after our intervention (T1) for each group separately. Results: Phase angle averaged 6.45° ± 1.06 SD. The comparison between T0 and T1 showed a significant increase in phase angle and body cell mass, whereas the guidance group showed a decrease in body cell mass at T1 in relation to T0, with a significant p-value. Variance in phase angle between moments showed significant values between T0 and T1 in the supplementation group for all genders. Conclusion: Omega-3 positively modulated patients phase angle and body cell mass, but we emphasize the need for other studies that can solidify knowledge about supplementation dosage and intervention time.展开更多
Structural components made of steel are used in several areas and require welding for assembly. In some situations, repair of the weld bead, also performed by electric arc welding, can be used to correct, and eliminat...Structural components made of steel are used in several areas and require welding for assembly. In some situations, repair of the weld bead, also performed by electric arc welding, can be used to correct, and eliminate any discontinuities. However, electric arc welding causes the presence of residual stresses in the joint, which can impair its performance and not meet specific design requirements. In this paper, welded joints made of ASTM A 516 GR 70 steel plates, with a thickness of 30.5 mm, welded by the MAG—Metal Active Gas process (20% CO<sub>2</sub>) and using a “K” groove were analysed. The joints were manufactured with seven welding passes on each side of the groove. After welding, one batch underwent repair of the bead by TIG welding (Tungsten Insert Gas) and another batch underwent two repairs by TIG welding. Were presented results of the behaviour of the residual stress profile measured by X-ray diffraction and the Vickers microhardness profile in the joints as well the fracture toughness in the conditions only welded and submitted to repairs. The results indicated that the greater number of repair passes reduced the residual compressive stress values obtained in the material manufacturing process and caused a stabilization on the Vickers hardness values. It was concluded that compressive residual stresses did not play a major role in the R-curve results. The presence of discontinuities in the welded joint caused greater influence on the behaviour of the R curve.展开更多
Background: Pain and palliative care are a reality in daily routines of medical treatment. However, the theoretical-practical curricula of traditional medical school course still unsatisfactorily contemplate pain mana...Background: Pain and palliative care are a reality in daily routines of medical treatment. However, the theoretical-practical curricula of traditional medical school course still unsatisfactorily contemplate pain management, as well as the palliative care approach. Objective: To assess the knowledge of medical students about pain and palliative care, as well as to identify their perception of teaching these topics during hospitalization. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study, with a descriptive and exploratory approach, data collection for which was carried out between August and November 2020. The target population was medical students, who responded to an online survey of a quantitative, anonymous and follow-up nature. The survey study variables concerned knowledge about pain management and palliative care. Results: An expressive majority of academics showed difficulty in understanding the pathophysiology of pain related to prescribing drugs for pain management purposes, and all of them believe that it is necessary to acquire more knowledge about pain treatment. In parallel, only 9.3% report having received sufficient information regarding palliative care during medical school. Conclusion: The results suggest a certain lack of knowledge and insecurity among medical school students with respect to pain management and care for patients receiving palliative care. The didactical approach to this theme is still deficient in the medical curriculum and requires immediate improvement and new proposals that address the training of these professionals in a more specific and effective way.展开更多
Opioids are drugs used to alleviate pain. However, studies have demonstrated that these drugs can cause an increase in pain sensitivity, which is called opioid-induced hyperalgesia. The objective of this study was to ...Opioids are drugs used to alleviate pain. However, studies have demonstrated that these drugs can cause an increase in pain sensitivity, which is called opioid-induced hyperalgesia. The objective of this study was to describe the effects of dexamethasone, clonidine, tramadol and nalbuphine on fentanyl-induced hyperalgesia in rats. After obtaining approval from the Committee for the Ethical Use of Animals (CEUA), 36 male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: Group 1 (GCSSL) wherein the rats received 1 ml 0.9% saline solution in two injections;Group 2 (GFTSL), received fentanyl at a dose of 100 ug<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup> followed by 1 ml 0.9% saline solution via intraperitoneal;the remaining groups (3, 4, 5, 6) received fentanyl at a dose of 100 ug<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup> following doses via intraperitoneal: Group 3 (GFTDX), dexamethasone at a dose of 1.0 mg<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup>;Group 4 (GFTCL), clonidine at a dose of 20 mg<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup>;Group 5 (GFTTR), tramadol at a dose of 50 mg<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup>, and Group 6 (GFTNB), nalbuphine at a dose of 5 mg<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup>. Under general anestesia using isoflurane, the animals were submitted to a surgical incision. Hyperalgesia was evaluated by applying Von Frey filaments at 2 hours after the incision and on the 1<sup>st</sup>, 3<sup>rd</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup> days afterward. At 2 hours after the surgical procedure, there was lower intensity of pain in the fentanyl group (GFTSL) compared to the other groups, and on the fifth day there were no significant differences for pain intensity between groups. The results suggest the presence of fentanyl-induced hyperalgesia and efficacy in its reduction by dexamethasone, clonidine, tramadol and nalbuphine.展开更多
Cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory and metabolic disease represent 63% of all deaths worldwide and are considered the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Physical inactivity is considered a case of publi...Cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory and metabolic disease represent 63% of all deaths worldwide and are considered the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Physical inactivity is considered a case of public health, and other behavioral and metabolic risk factors, according to WHO (2011), such as smoking, increased blood pressure, increased blood glucose, hypercholesterolemia, overweight and obesity. The Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disease in adults, and can progress and be characterized as hepatic steatosis (HS) which is derived from the accumulation of lipids in hepatocytes, and histopathologic condition is more than 5% of the weight of liver. So, the purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between the physical activity level and the hepatic steatosis presence, metabolic syndrome and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus in men. We evaluated retrospectively medical records of 1399 men (40.7 ± 8.18 years old) who participated in the protocol of Preventive Health Check-up at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein from January to October 2011. According to the results, it is concluded that there is a positive association between low physical activity level and the presence of Hepatic steatosis. The results further demonstrate that, despite the high BMI, blood levels of the subjects remained unchanged. Even without a positive association between these variables, the results showed a high risk behavior for the development of diabetes mellitus type 2.展开更多
We present a new tracksite with multiple dinosaur tracks from the lowermost Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) of the Cape Espichel (Sesimbra, Portugal). The tracks are localized on three beds on the top carbonate beds of t...We present a new tracksite with multiple dinosaur tracks from the lowermost Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) of the Cape Espichel (Sesimbra, Portugal). The tracks are localized on three beds on the top carbonate beds of the Areia do Mastro Formation. Those bioclastic, nodular limestones were deposited in a very shallow subtidal-intertidal, restricted lagoon environment. The track surfaces are very dinoturbated, with a substantial number of tracks. Several tracks assign to sauropods, ornithopods and theropods dinosaurs were recorded. Due to heavy bioturbation and the preservation conditions, it is not possible to define trackways;some preliminary work done on the tracks could disclose some behaviours of their producers. Several species of carnivore and herbivore dinosaurs crossed that large area at different times. Herbivores may have used the lagoon margin as passage between feeding spots, while carnivores frequented the area to hunt in groups or individually.展开更多
The industrial importance and the high cost of the commercial amylase require the study of microorganisms that produce these enzymes. For this reason, the objective of this work was to isolate filamentous fungi from a...The industrial importance and the high cost of the commercial amylase require the study of microorganisms that produce these enzymes. For this reason, the objective of this work was to isolate filamentous fungi from a region of the caatinga and evaluate their potential for the production of amylase. Four soil samples were collected from a deactivated dump located in the city of Diamantina, MG, in a region of the caatinga. The analysis of amylolytic production in a submerged medium at the ideal temperature of each microorganism was performed using the saccharification method, and the reducing sugars formed were quantified by DNS. Fourteen filamentous fungi were isolated, which had different morphological aspects. Regarding amylase production, a mean activity of 0.477 U<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>mL<sup>-1</sup> was obtained with the isolates I 1.2.1 and I 4.4.1. These results bring important information regarding the biodiversity of the caatinga, in addition to the isolation of microorganisms that can be used as biological machinery to obtain metabolites with high biotechnological and industrial potential.展开更多
<strong>Background:</strong><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "=""> Extracranial Carotid Artery Aneurysm is considered a thera</span><span style="w...<strong>Background:</strong><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "=""> Extracranial Carotid Artery Aneurysm is considered a thera</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">peutic and diagnostic challenge. In an unprecedented way in the literature, we describe an aneurysm originat</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">ing</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "=""> from the Catastrophic Antiphospholipid </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">Syndrome. </span><b style="white-space:normal;"><span style="font-family:;" "="">Case Presentation: </span></b><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">A 25-year-old male patient came to the</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "=""> Emergency Room of the ABC University Hospital in Sao Bernardo do Campo referring </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">to </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">bilateral neck pain for 1 month, associated with carotid aneurysms. Due to the severity and urgency of the clinical condition, immediate surgical therapy was performed without a definitive etiological diagnosis. The initial morphological analysis of the carotid artery suggested a diagnosis of Polyarteritis Nodosa. After </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">anamnesis, physical examination</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">, the </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">use of a specific primary vasculitis </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">algori</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">thm, </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">and </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">a review of the pathological anatomy was requested, which showed bila</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">teral carotid aneurysms secondary to catastrophic antiphospholipid</span><span style="white-space:normal;展开更多
Protozoan diseases such as Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) have re-emerged in Northern Brazil and cases of Chagas Disease also occur. This VL increase leads to early therapy for the public. Confirmatory parasitological di...Protozoan diseases such as Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) have re-emerged in Northern Brazil and cases of Chagas Disease also occur. This VL increase leads to early therapy for the public. Confirmatory parasitological diagnoses in VL are performed by bone marrow or spleen aspiration, but ELISA, IFA or immunochromatographic tests for antibody detection are easily performed and can be used in the presence of clinical signs as confirmatory for specific therapy. This approach is successful in providing therapy and prevention of death in VL, but there is a chance of confusion with the emerging disease, Chagas Disease (CD), due to cross-reacting and similar clinical pictures, as in this case. Both VL and CD presented many asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic cases, complicating the picture. Our case report emphasizes these aspects. Positive serology, with an IIF titer of 1/160, and epidemiological correlation, suggests the diagnosis of VL and imposes antimony therapy. Despite the unfavorable evolution and signs of cardiac involvement, the presence of pericarditis and cardiac tamponade confirmed by the echocardiogram suggests CD. We reassessed the profiles of a suggested CD serology, the diagnosis was corrected and treatment with CD specific benznidazole. The good evolution started with benznidazole corroborates the diagnosis of CD and discards the hypothesis of double infection.展开更多
<strong>Background:</strong> Ischemia-reperfusion injury of organ transplantation activates several mediators which may link the innate to the adaptive immune response. Down the cascade of TLRs, we selecte...<strong>Background:</strong> Ischemia-reperfusion injury of organ transplantation activates several mediators which may link the innate to the adaptive immune response. Down the cascade of TLRs, we selected to study the expression of Interferon Regulatory Factors (IRF)-3 and -7 inside human Kidney Transplanted (KTx) organs and the synthesis of IFN<i>α</i>, the main growth factor induced by them, in KTx aspiration biopsy cultures. Simultaneously, we tested their robustness in diagnosing Acute Rejection (AR). <strong>Methods:</strong> Fine-needle aspiration biopsies (F-nab) were performed either on day 7 or 14 post-KTx among stable patients or on the day of AR diagnosis. On Fnab cytopreparations, we studied IRF3 and IRF7 by the enzymatic avidin-biotin complex staining, and in a different group of cases we quantified IFN<i>α</i> by ELISA in 48 hours Fnab culture supernatants. <strong>Results:</strong> AR group showed a significantly up-regulated expression for IRF3 and IRF7, reaching Positive Predictive Values (PPV) of 0.824 and 0.8, respectively, as well as Negative Predictive Values (NPV) above 0.9 for both;IFN<i>α</i> presented a PPV = 1.0 and a NPV = 0.9. A variation in the results was noticed according to different immunosuppressive therapies. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Our findings suggest that IRF3 and IRF7, and IFN<i>α</i> which they promote, may be very important players in the early days post-KTx, linking the innate with an adaptive response and triggering acute rejection. These differences were very clear-cut, lending consistency to our speculation. It would be important to scrutinize for other potential effects derived from these IRFs up-regulation which could be of clinical relevance.展开更多
At the transition from quiescence to propagating waves recorded in isolated retinas, a circular electric current closes in the extracellular matrix;this circular current creates a magnetic torus flow that, when enteri...At the transition from quiescence to propagating waves recorded in isolated retinas, a circular electric current closes in the extracellular matrix;this circular current creates a magnetic torus flow that, when entering quiescent tissue in front of the wave, recruits elements and when leaving behind, helps to build the absolute refractory state. The waving magnetic torus is the consequence of the vortex effect and explains the energy boost that drives propagation. <strong>Methods:</strong> We interpret experimental results from intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence dyes, voltage, calcium and pH sensitive, optical signals from isolated retinas, and time series recordings using ion exchange resins: Ca, K, pH, Na, Cl recorded extracellularly at retinas, cerebellums and cortices coupled to spreading depression waves. Finally, we checked the ECoG activity, also a time series, at the transition from after discharges to spreading depression in rat hippocampus.<strong> Results:</strong> The integrated assessment of the diversified measurements led to the realization that the magnetic flow at the wavefront is a major contributor to the wave propagation mechanisms. This flow couples mass and charge flows as a swirling torus from excited to quiescent tissue.<strong> Conclusions: </strong>An alternative model of the brain is possible, apart from the classical HH and molecular biology model. Physical chemistry of charged gels and its flows explains the results. The conceptual framework uses far from equilibrium thermodynamics.展开更多
Herein, the iodometric titration and HPLC-RP methods were compared for the determination of vitamin C in vitamin and mineral supplements. The methods were validated in terms of linearity, limits of detection (LOD), li...Herein, the iodometric titration and HPLC-RP methods were compared for the determination of vitamin C in vitamin and mineral supplements. The methods were validated in terms of linearity, limits of detection (LOD), limits of quantification (LOQ), precision, and recovery by using vitamin standards and a reference material SRM 3280 (multivitamin/multimineral tablets) obtained from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). A total of 22 samples of vitamin supplements, randomly acquired in local markets of Sao Paulo (Brazil) were evaluated for content of vitamin C by these two methodologies. The precision expressed as RSD was lower than 5% for both methods. LOD was 3.6 μg/mL for HPLC and 1.0 mg for titration, while LOQ were 12.0 μg/mL and 3.0 mg for HPLC and titration, respectively. Percent recoveries (%) of spiked samples ranged from 98.7 to 100.5 for HPLC and from 98 to 104 for titration. The contents of vitamin C in SRM 3280 (Certified value = 42.2 ± 3.7 mg/g) were 40.2 and 42.1 mg/g when determined by HPLC and titration respectively. Statistically, there was no difference in the analysed vitamin C content for half of the samples, irrespective of the method applied. HPLC was more sensitive, but the titrimetric method was faster and consumed less reagent. Although both methods were accurate in determining the vitamin C content in SRM 3280, the matrix constituents of some vitamin supplements may have interfered with the analysis.展开更多
Tobacco addiction has been mentioned as a leading cause of preventable illnesses and premature disability. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer and one of the factors that most contribute to the occurrence of hear...Tobacco addiction has been mentioned as a leading cause of preventable illnesses and premature disability. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer and one of the factors that most contribute to the occurrence of heart diseases, among others. The herbaceous species Nicotiana tabacum is a plant of the solanaceae family used for tobacco production. Some authors have conducted research about heavy metals and the toxicity of tobacco. It is, frequently, found in low concentrations in the ground, and superficial and underground waters, even though they do not have environmental anthropogenic contributions. However, with the increase of industrial activities and mining together with the agrochemical use of contaminated organic and inorganic fertilizers, an alteration of the geochemical cycle occurs. As a consequence, the natural flow of these materials increases and is released into the biosphere, where they are often accumulated in the superior layer of the ground, accessible to the roots of the plants. During planting and plant development, fertilizers and insecticides, including organochlorines and organophosphates, are used;consequently, the smoke from cigarette smoking presents various toxic substances, such as bromine (Br), manganese (Mn) and antimony (Sb), elements studied in this work. The procedures for the preparation of the samples were carried out in our laboratories and submitted to irradiation with thermal neutrons at Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN/CNEN-SP), in the Atomic Energy Institute IEA-R1 research reactor. The irradiated material was, then, analyzed by gamma spectrometry, using a high purity germanium detector (HPGe).展开更多
The Dose Volume Histograms are tools commonly used in medical physics, for the analysis of doses delivered to the tumors and organs at risk, during radiotherapy treatments. However, there are few studies in the litera...The Dose Volume Histograms are tools commonly used in medical physics, for the analysis of doses delivered to the tumors and organs at risk, during radiotherapy treatments. However, there are few studies in the literature showing in details the steps of its construction. This work presents the implementation and evaluation of a computational methodology, for the construction of Dose Volume histograms, generated from simulations using anthropomorphic and voxel phantoms, in conjunction with the Monte Carlo code MCNP. The methodology was evaluated considering brachytherapy planning of low dose rate, using 108 seeds of I-125 with individual activities of 0.33 mCi performed on the simulator in voxel recommended by ICRP 110. The dosimetric analysis after implantation showed that the prostate received doses ranging from 0 to 360 Gy. We found the values of 50, 145 and 160 Gy for the parameters D<sub>100</sub>, D<sub>90</sub> and D<sub>80</sub> and 28%, 90%, 92% and 95% for the parameters V<sub>200</sub>, V<sub>100</sub>, V<sub>90</sub> and V<sub>80</sub>. The rectum and bladder received maximum doses equal to 41 and 60 Gy and found the values of 39 and 22 Gy and 58 and 42 Gy to the parameters D<sub>0.1cc</sub> and D<sub>2cc</sub>, respectively. The results after dosimetric implant proved satisfactory, which validate the methodology described above.展开更多
文摘Introduction: The acromioclavicular joint is a superficial diarthrodial joint that surrounds the medial articular facet of the acromion and the distal portion of the clavicle. Due to its anatomy and biomechanics, it is highly susceptible to trauma and in young men who play contact sports, acromioclavicular dislocation is common. This article aimed to systematically review the literature and compare the surgical techniques used in the treatment of acromioclavicular dislocation in patients who practice sports. Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the International Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Eligible studies for this systematic review included articles in English or Spanish published between 2013 and 2023, which mention the occurrence of acromioclavicular dislocation during sports practices. Additionally, only studies that addressed the surgical treatment of acromion-clavicular dislocation and contained original data on the topic were included. Results: We found 144 eligible studies after searching the LILACS and PubMed databases. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the reviewers’ consensus, we selected four studies for the systematic review. 133 patients with AC joint displacement were evaluated. Mean Age: approximately 31.90 years. 81.92 of these injuries occurred during sports practice. Surgical Procedures Used: titanium plates fixation (49 patients), arthroscopy (24), single tunnel technique (30) and coracoid sling technique (30). The results of the visual analog scale and Constant-Murley scores varied between the techniques used. Twenty-two complications after surgical treatment were identified. Conclusion: A significant variability of operative techniques can be used in the surgical approach of acromioclavicular dislocation, such as arthroscopy, single tunnel, coracoid sling and titanium plates. Although it presented excellent functional results compared to the other three techniques evaluated by this review, using titaniu
文摘Since the austral summer of 2014 southeastern Brazil has been experiencing one of the most severe droughts in decades. This rainfall deficiency has generated water shortages and a water crisis that have affected population and local economies in the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo, the largest megacity in South America. By January 2015, main reservoirs had reached storage levels of only 5% of their 1.3 billion m3 capacity. The meteorological causes of the drought situation were linked to changes in the regional circulation, characterized by a mid-troposphere blocking high that lasted 45 days during the summer of 2014 over southeastern Brazil, something not seen in five decades. The water crisis was aggravated by a combination of lack of rainfall and higher temperatures, the summer of 2014 being the warmest and driest over the Cantareira reservoir system since 1951. Increasing population and water consumption increased vulnerability in the region, and while human-induced warming may not have generated the atmospheric conditions behind the 2014 and 2015 summer droughts in Southeast Brazil, it is more likely that the warm temperatures have affected the severity of the drought and exacerbated the impacts on the population.
文摘Natural extracellular matrices (ECMs) perform the tasks necessary for tissue formation, maintenance, regulation and function, providing a powerful means of controlling the biological performance of regenerative materials. In addition, biomedical materials have claimed attention because of the increased interest in tissue engineering materials for wound care and regenerative medicine. Moreover, the nanostructure and morphological similarities with collagen make BC attractive for cell immobilization, cell support and Natural Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Scaffolds. In this work, we present the extracellular matrix (ECM) using the bacterial cellulose (Nanoskin<sup>®</sup>) which regulates cell behavior by influencing cell proliferation, survival, shape, migration and differentiation. Bacterial cellulose fermentation process is modified before the bacteria are inoculated for mimicking ECM to cells support and built new local material for wound healing. Chemical groups influences and thermal behavior in bacterial cellulose were analyzed using transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. Besides, In vivo analysis was evaluated with clinical study at Sharjah Kuwait Hospital.
文摘Artemisinins tested against W-2 strains of malaria falciparum are investigated with molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), in an attempt to identify key features of the compounds that are necessary for their activities, as well as to investigate likely interactions with the receptor in a biological process and to use that information to propose new molecules. In order to discover the best geometry involving the ligand-receptor complexes (heme) studied and help in the proposition of the new derivatives, molecular simulations of interactions between the most negative charged region around the peroxide and heme locates (the ones around the Fe2+ ion) were carried out. In addition, PCA (principal components analysis), HCA (hierarchical cluster analysis), SDA (stepwise discriminant analysis), and KNN (K-nearest neighbor) multivariate models were employed to investigate which descriptors are responsible for the classification between the higher and lower antimalarial activity of the compounds, and also this information was used to propose new potentially active molecules. The information accumulated in studies of MEP, molecular docking, and multivariate analysis supported the proposal of new structures with potential antimalarial activities. The multivariate models constructed were applied to the new structures and indicated numbers 19 and 20 as the most prominent for syntheses and biological assays.
文摘The objective of this research will be to calculate the feasibility of investing in a solar energy generation project through the development of a methodology that allows the capture of environmental uncertainties by improving decision making. The article presents a comparative study of the feasibility analysis of investment in a solar mini solar energy for a Shopping, considering a regime of certainty and uncertainty. The assumed stochastic variables were energy tariff and price of solar panels. The trajectories were simulated with the binomial approach that combined resulted in a quadratic diagram. The applied methodology presented the best recommendation and the option to wait was the most valuable. The exchange of the energy obtained from LIGHT by own generation of energy with solar photovoltaic source will be viable for the manager since it observes the behavior of the variables over time and follows the rules of optimal decision.
文摘Background: HPV infection represents an important etiologic factor for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OPSCC). The different ethnic backgrounds could be related to different susceptibility to Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The aim of our study was to assess the whole of genetic ancestry in HPV status in OPSCC patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on patients with OPSCC admitted to the Barretos Cancer Hospital, Brazil from 2014 to 2019. Of these, DNA extraction was performed on 40 patients and genetic ancestry was assessed using a specific panel of 46 informative ancestry markers. Results: We observed a predominance of European ancestry (63%), followed by African (18%), Amerindian (9%) and Asian (8%) both in the OPSCC HPV-positive and HPV-negative group. We did not find any statistically significant differences between the HPV-positive and HPV-negative OPSCC groups in relation to European (p = 0.499), African (p = 0.448), Asian (p = 0.275) or Amerindian (p = 0.836) ancestry. Conclusions: We found a predominance of European ancestry, both in the HPV-positive and HPV-negative groups. In our study, we did not find statistically significant differences between HPV-positive or HPV-negative groups in relation to ancestry.
文摘Objective: The measurement of phase angles is an important monitoring parameter and supplementation with omega-3 could promote benefits by modulating the electrical potential of membranes and increasing body cell mass. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the phase angle of people living with HIV/AIDS. Methods: In this study, 63 individuals of all genders who were undergoing outpatient follow-up and showed lipodystrophy due to highly active antiretroviral therapy were analyzed. Our sample consisted of two groups, one that received supplementation containing 2550 mg of omega-3/day (1080 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 720 mg of docosahexaenoic acid) for three months (n = 32) and another that underwent nutrition guidance (n = 31). Phase angle and body cell mass were assessed for both groups and compared at the beginning of research (T0) and after our intervention (T1) for each group separately. Results: Phase angle averaged 6.45° ± 1.06 SD. The comparison between T0 and T1 showed a significant increase in phase angle and body cell mass, whereas the guidance group showed a decrease in body cell mass at T1 in relation to T0, with a significant p-value. Variance in phase angle between moments showed significant values between T0 and T1 in the supplementation group for all genders. Conclusion: Omega-3 positively modulated patients phase angle and body cell mass, but we emphasize the need for other studies that can solidify knowledge about supplementation dosage and intervention time.
文摘Structural components made of steel are used in several areas and require welding for assembly. In some situations, repair of the weld bead, also performed by electric arc welding, can be used to correct, and eliminate any discontinuities. However, electric arc welding causes the presence of residual stresses in the joint, which can impair its performance and not meet specific design requirements. In this paper, welded joints made of ASTM A 516 GR 70 steel plates, with a thickness of 30.5 mm, welded by the MAG—Metal Active Gas process (20% CO<sub>2</sub>) and using a “K” groove were analysed. The joints were manufactured with seven welding passes on each side of the groove. After welding, one batch underwent repair of the bead by TIG welding (Tungsten Insert Gas) and another batch underwent two repairs by TIG welding. Were presented results of the behaviour of the residual stress profile measured by X-ray diffraction and the Vickers microhardness profile in the joints as well the fracture toughness in the conditions only welded and submitted to repairs. The results indicated that the greater number of repair passes reduced the residual compressive stress values obtained in the material manufacturing process and caused a stabilization on the Vickers hardness values. It was concluded that compressive residual stresses did not play a major role in the R-curve results. The presence of discontinuities in the welded joint caused greater influence on the behaviour of the R curve.
文摘Background: Pain and palliative care are a reality in daily routines of medical treatment. However, the theoretical-practical curricula of traditional medical school course still unsatisfactorily contemplate pain management, as well as the palliative care approach. Objective: To assess the knowledge of medical students about pain and palliative care, as well as to identify their perception of teaching these topics during hospitalization. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study, with a descriptive and exploratory approach, data collection for which was carried out between August and November 2020. The target population was medical students, who responded to an online survey of a quantitative, anonymous and follow-up nature. The survey study variables concerned knowledge about pain management and palliative care. Results: An expressive majority of academics showed difficulty in understanding the pathophysiology of pain related to prescribing drugs for pain management purposes, and all of them believe that it is necessary to acquire more knowledge about pain treatment. In parallel, only 9.3% report having received sufficient information regarding palliative care during medical school. Conclusion: The results suggest a certain lack of knowledge and insecurity among medical school students with respect to pain management and care for patients receiving palliative care. The didactical approach to this theme is still deficient in the medical curriculum and requires immediate improvement and new proposals that address the training of these professionals in a more specific and effective way.
文摘Opioids are drugs used to alleviate pain. However, studies have demonstrated that these drugs can cause an increase in pain sensitivity, which is called opioid-induced hyperalgesia. The objective of this study was to describe the effects of dexamethasone, clonidine, tramadol and nalbuphine on fentanyl-induced hyperalgesia in rats. After obtaining approval from the Committee for the Ethical Use of Animals (CEUA), 36 male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: Group 1 (GCSSL) wherein the rats received 1 ml 0.9% saline solution in two injections;Group 2 (GFTSL), received fentanyl at a dose of 100 ug<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup> followed by 1 ml 0.9% saline solution via intraperitoneal;the remaining groups (3, 4, 5, 6) received fentanyl at a dose of 100 ug<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup> following doses via intraperitoneal: Group 3 (GFTDX), dexamethasone at a dose of 1.0 mg<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup>;Group 4 (GFTCL), clonidine at a dose of 20 mg<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup>;Group 5 (GFTTR), tramadol at a dose of 50 mg<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup>, and Group 6 (GFTNB), nalbuphine at a dose of 5 mg<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>kg<sup>-1</sup>. Under general anestesia using isoflurane, the animals were submitted to a surgical incision. Hyperalgesia was evaluated by applying Von Frey filaments at 2 hours after the incision and on the 1<sup>st</sup>, 3<sup>rd</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup> days afterward. At 2 hours after the surgical procedure, there was lower intensity of pain in the fentanyl group (GFTSL) compared to the other groups, and on the fifth day there were no significant differences for pain intensity between groups. The results suggest the presence of fentanyl-induced hyperalgesia and efficacy in its reduction by dexamethasone, clonidine, tramadol and nalbuphine.
文摘Cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory and metabolic disease represent 63% of all deaths worldwide and are considered the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Physical inactivity is considered a case of public health, and other behavioral and metabolic risk factors, according to WHO (2011), such as smoking, increased blood pressure, increased blood glucose, hypercholesterolemia, overweight and obesity. The Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disease in adults, and can progress and be characterized as hepatic steatosis (HS) which is derived from the accumulation of lipids in hepatocytes, and histopathologic condition is more than 5% of the weight of liver. So, the purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between the physical activity level and the hepatic steatosis presence, metabolic syndrome and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus in men. We evaluated retrospectively medical records of 1399 men (40.7 ± 8.18 years old) who participated in the protocol of Preventive Health Check-up at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein from January to October 2011. According to the results, it is concluded that there is a positive association between low physical activity level and the presence of Hepatic steatosis. The results further demonstrate that, despite the high BMI, blood levels of the subjects remained unchanged. Even without a positive association between these variables, the results showed a high risk behavior for the development of diabetes mellitus type 2.
文摘We present a new tracksite with multiple dinosaur tracks from the lowermost Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) of the Cape Espichel (Sesimbra, Portugal). The tracks are localized on three beds on the top carbonate beds of the Areia do Mastro Formation. Those bioclastic, nodular limestones were deposited in a very shallow subtidal-intertidal, restricted lagoon environment. The track surfaces are very dinoturbated, with a substantial number of tracks. Several tracks assign to sauropods, ornithopods and theropods dinosaurs were recorded. Due to heavy bioturbation and the preservation conditions, it is not possible to define trackways;some preliminary work done on the tracks could disclose some behaviours of their producers. Several species of carnivore and herbivore dinosaurs crossed that large area at different times. Herbivores may have used the lagoon margin as passage between feeding spots, while carnivores frequented the area to hunt in groups or individually.
文摘The industrial importance and the high cost of the commercial amylase require the study of microorganisms that produce these enzymes. For this reason, the objective of this work was to isolate filamentous fungi from a region of the caatinga and evaluate their potential for the production of amylase. Four soil samples were collected from a deactivated dump located in the city of Diamantina, MG, in a region of the caatinga. The analysis of amylolytic production in a submerged medium at the ideal temperature of each microorganism was performed using the saccharification method, and the reducing sugars formed were quantified by DNS. Fourteen filamentous fungi were isolated, which had different morphological aspects. Regarding amylase production, a mean activity of 0.477 U<span style="white-space:nowrap;">·</span>mL<sup>-1</sup> was obtained with the isolates I 1.2.1 and I 4.4.1. These results bring important information regarding the biodiversity of the caatinga, in addition to the isolation of microorganisms that can be used as biological machinery to obtain metabolites with high biotechnological and industrial potential.
文摘<strong>Background:</strong><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "=""> Extracranial Carotid Artery Aneurysm is considered a thera</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">peutic and diagnostic challenge. In an unprecedented way in the literature, we describe an aneurysm originat</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">ing</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "=""> from the Catastrophic Antiphospholipid </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">Syndrome. </span><b style="white-space:normal;"><span style="font-family:;" "="">Case Presentation: </span></b><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">A 25-year-old male patient came to the</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "=""> Emergency Room of the ABC University Hospital in Sao Bernardo do Campo referring </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">to </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">bilateral neck pain for 1 month, associated with carotid aneurysms. Due to the severity and urgency of the clinical condition, immediate surgical therapy was performed without a definitive etiological diagnosis. The initial morphological analysis of the carotid artery suggested a diagnosis of Polyarteritis Nodosa. After </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">anamnesis, physical examination</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">, the </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">use of a specific primary vasculitis </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">algori</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">thm, </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">and </span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">a review of the pathological anatomy was requested, which showed bila</span><span style="white-space:normal;font-family:;" "="">teral carotid aneurysms secondary to catastrophic antiphospholipid</span><span style="white-space:normal;
文摘Protozoan diseases such as Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) have re-emerged in Northern Brazil and cases of Chagas Disease also occur. This VL increase leads to early therapy for the public. Confirmatory parasitological diagnoses in VL are performed by bone marrow or spleen aspiration, but ELISA, IFA or immunochromatographic tests for antibody detection are easily performed and can be used in the presence of clinical signs as confirmatory for specific therapy. This approach is successful in providing therapy and prevention of death in VL, but there is a chance of confusion with the emerging disease, Chagas Disease (CD), due to cross-reacting and similar clinical pictures, as in this case. Both VL and CD presented many asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic cases, complicating the picture. Our case report emphasizes these aspects. Positive serology, with an IIF titer of 1/160, and epidemiological correlation, suggests the diagnosis of VL and imposes antimony therapy. Despite the unfavorable evolution and signs of cardiac involvement, the presence of pericarditis and cardiac tamponade confirmed by the echocardiogram suggests CD. We reassessed the profiles of a suggested CD serology, the diagnosis was corrected and treatment with CD specific benznidazole. The good evolution started with benznidazole corroborates the diagnosis of CD and discards the hypothesis of double infection.
文摘<strong>Background:</strong> Ischemia-reperfusion injury of organ transplantation activates several mediators which may link the innate to the adaptive immune response. Down the cascade of TLRs, we selected to study the expression of Interferon Regulatory Factors (IRF)-3 and -7 inside human Kidney Transplanted (KTx) organs and the synthesis of IFN<i>α</i>, the main growth factor induced by them, in KTx aspiration biopsy cultures. Simultaneously, we tested their robustness in diagnosing Acute Rejection (AR). <strong>Methods:</strong> Fine-needle aspiration biopsies (F-nab) were performed either on day 7 or 14 post-KTx among stable patients or on the day of AR diagnosis. On Fnab cytopreparations, we studied IRF3 and IRF7 by the enzymatic avidin-biotin complex staining, and in a different group of cases we quantified IFN<i>α</i> by ELISA in 48 hours Fnab culture supernatants. <strong>Results:</strong> AR group showed a significantly up-regulated expression for IRF3 and IRF7, reaching Positive Predictive Values (PPV) of 0.824 and 0.8, respectively, as well as Negative Predictive Values (NPV) above 0.9 for both;IFN<i>α</i> presented a PPV = 1.0 and a NPV = 0.9. A variation in the results was noticed according to different immunosuppressive therapies. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Our findings suggest that IRF3 and IRF7, and IFN<i>α</i> which they promote, may be very important players in the early days post-KTx, linking the innate with an adaptive response and triggering acute rejection. These differences were very clear-cut, lending consistency to our speculation. It would be important to scrutinize for other potential effects derived from these IRFs up-regulation which could be of clinical relevance.
文摘At the transition from quiescence to propagating waves recorded in isolated retinas, a circular electric current closes in the extracellular matrix;this circular current creates a magnetic torus flow that, when entering quiescent tissue in front of the wave, recruits elements and when leaving behind, helps to build the absolute refractory state. The waving magnetic torus is the consequence of the vortex effect and explains the energy boost that drives propagation. <strong>Methods:</strong> We interpret experimental results from intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence dyes, voltage, calcium and pH sensitive, optical signals from isolated retinas, and time series recordings using ion exchange resins: Ca, K, pH, Na, Cl recorded extracellularly at retinas, cerebellums and cortices coupled to spreading depression waves. Finally, we checked the ECoG activity, also a time series, at the transition from after discharges to spreading depression in rat hippocampus.<strong> Results:</strong> The integrated assessment of the diversified measurements led to the realization that the magnetic flow at the wavefront is a major contributor to the wave propagation mechanisms. This flow couples mass and charge flows as a swirling torus from excited to quiescent tissue.<strong> Conclusions: </strong>An alternative model of the brain is possible, apart from the classical HH and molecular biology model. Physical chemistry of charged gels and its flows explains the results. The conceptual framework uses far from equilibrium thermodynamics.
文摘Herein, the iodometric titration and HPLC-RP methods were compared for the determination of vitamin C in vitamin and mineral supplements. The methods were validated in terms of linearity, limits of detection (LOD), limits of quantification (LOQ), precision, and recovery by using vitamin standards and a reference material SRM 3280 (multivitamin/multimineral tablets) obtained from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). A total of 22 samples of vitamin supplements, randomly acquired in local markets of Sao Paulo (Brazil) were evaluated for content of vitamin C by these two methodologies. The precision expressed as RSD was lower than 5% for both methods. LOD was 3.6 μg/mL for HPLC and 1.0 mg for titration, while LOQ were 12.0 μg/mL and 3.0 mg for HPLC and titration, respectively. Percent recoveries (%) of spiked samples ranged from 98.7 to 100.5 for HPLC and from 98 to 104 for titration. The contents of vitamin C in SRM 3280 (Certified value = 42.2 ± 3.7 mg/g) were 40.2 and 42.1 mg/g when determined by HPLC and titration respectively. Statistically, there was no difference in the analysed vitamin C content for half of the samples, irrespective of the method applied. HPLC was more sensitive, but the titrimetric method was faster and consumed less reagent. Although both methods were accurate in determining the vitamin C content in SRM 3280, the matrix constituents of some vitamin supplements may have interfered with the analysis.
文摘Tobacco addiction has been mentioned as a leading cause of preventable illnesses and premature disability. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer and one of the factors that most contribute to the occurrence of heart diseases, among others. The herbaceous species Nicotiana tabacum is a plant of the solanaceae family used for tobacco production. Some authors have conducted research about heavy metals and the toxicity of tobacco. It is, frequently, found in low concentrations in the ground, and superficial and underground waters, even though they do not have environmental anthropogenic contributions. However, with the increase of industrial activities and mining together with the agrochemical use of contaminated organic and inorganic fertilizers, an alteration of the geochemical cycle occurs. As a consequence, the natural flow of these materials increases and is released into the biosphere, where they are often accumulated in the superior layer of the ground, accessible to the roots of the plants. During planting and plant development, fertilizers and insecticides, including organochlorines and organophosphates, are used;consequently, the smoke from cigarette smoking presents various toxic substances, such as bromine (Br), manganese (Mn) and antimony (Sb), elements studied in this work. The procedures for the preparation of the samples were carried out in our laboratories and submitted to irradiation with thermal neutrons at Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN/CNEN-SP), in the Atomic Energy Institute IEA-R1 research reactor. The irradiated material was, then, analyzed by gamma spectrometry, using a high purity germanium detector (HPGe).
文摘The Dose Volume Histograms are tools commonly used in medical physics, for the analysis of doses delivered to the tumors and organs at risk, during radiotherapy treatments. However, there are few studies in the literature showing in details the steps of its construction. This work presents the implementation and evaluation of a computational methodology, for the construction of Dose Volume histograms, generated from simulations using anthropomorphic and voxel phantoms, in conjunction with the Monte Carlo code MCNP. The methodology was evaluated considering brachytherapy planning of low dose rate, using 108 seeds of I-125 with individual activities of 0.33 mCi performed on the simulator in voxel recommended by ICRP 110. The dosimetric analysis after implantation showed that the prostate received doses ranging from 0 to 360 Gy. We found the values of 50, 145 and 160 Gy for the parameters D<sub>100</sub>, D<sub>90</sub> and D<sub>80</sub> and 28%, 90%, 92% and 95% for the parameters V<sub>200</sub>, V<sub>100</sub>, V<sub>90</sub> and V<sub>80</sub>. The rectum and bladder received maximum doses equal to 41 and 60 Gy and found the values of 39 and 22 Gy and 58 and 42 Gy to the parameters D<sub>0.1cc</sub> and D<sub>2cc</sub>, respectively. The results after dosimetric implant proved satisfactory, which validate the methodology described above.
