New Criteria of Indication and Selection of Patients to Cochlear Implant

Numerous changes continue to occur in cochlear implant candidacy. In general, these have been accompanied by concomitant and satisfactory changes in surgical techniques. Together, this has advanced the utility and safety of cochlear implantation. Most devices are now approved for use in patients with severe to profound unilateral hearing loss rather then the prior requirement of a bilateral profound loss. Furthermore, studies have begun utilizing short electrode arrays for shallow insertion in patients with considerable low-frequency residual hearing. This technique will allow the recipient to continue to use acoustically amplified hearing for the low frequencies simultaneously with a cochlear implant for the high frequencies. The advances in design of, and indications for, cochlear implants have been matched by improvements in surgical techniques and decrease in complications. The resulting improvements in safety and efficacy have further encouraged the use of these devices. This paper will review the new concepts in the candidacy of cochlear implant. Medline data base was used to search articles dealing with the following topics: cochlear implant in younger children, cochlear implant and hearing preservation, cochlear implant for unilateral deafness and tinnitus, genetic hearing loss and cochlear implant, bilateral cochlear implant, neuropathy and cochlear implant and neural plasticity, and the selection of patients for cochlear implant

Influence of summertime mesoscale convective systems on the heat balance and surface mixed layer dynamics of a large Amazonian hydroelectric reservoir

We evaluated the impacts of summertime mesoscale convective systems (MCS) on the heat balance and diel surface mixed layer (SML) dynamics of the Brazilian Amazon's Tucuruí Hydroelectric Reservoir (THR). We used a synergistic approach that combines in situ data, remote sensing data, and three-dimensional (3-D) modeling to investigate the typical behavior of the components of the heat balance and the SML dynamics. During the study period (the austral summer of 2012–2013), 22 days with MCS activity were identified. These events occurred approximately every 4 days, and they were most frequent during January (50% of the observations). An analysis of local meteorological data showed that when MCS occur, the environmental conditions at THR change significantly (p-value < 0.01). The net longwave flux, which was the heat balance component most strongly impacted by MCS, increased more than 32% on days with MCS activity. The daily integrated heat balance became negative (−54 W m−2) on MCS days, while the balance was positive (19 W m−2) on non-MCS days. In response to the changes in the heat balance, the SML dynamics changed when a MCS was over the THR. The SML depth was typically 28% higher on the days with MCS (∼1.6 m) compared with the days without MCS (∼1.3 m). The results indicate that MCS are one of the main meteorological disturbances driving the heat balance and the mixing dynamics of Amazonian hydroelectric reservoirs during the summer. These events may have implications for the water quality and greenhouse gas emissions of Amazonian reservoirs

The LISA PathFinder DMU and Radiation Monitor

The LISA PathFinder DMU (Data Management Unit) flight model was formally accepted by ESA and ASD on 11 February 2010, after all hardware and software tests had been successfully completed. The diagnostics items are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2010. In this paper we review the requirements and performance of this instrumentation, specially focusing on the Radiation Monitor and the DMU, as well as the status of their programmed use during mission operations, on which work is ongoing at the time of writing.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, prepared for the Proceedings of the 8th International LISA Symposium, Classical and Quantum Gravit

Preliminary Assessment of the Chemical Stability of Dried Extracts from Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (Sterculiaceae)

We report the results of a preliminary estimation of the stability of the dried extract from bark of Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (“Mutamba”), with and without added colloidal silicon dioxide (CSD). The physical and chemical properties and the compatibility of CSD in the extract were evaluated for 21 days of storage under stress conditions of temperature (45 ± 2°C) and humidity (75 ± 5%). Thermogravimetry (TG) was supplemented using selective high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for determination of stability of the characteristic constituents (chemical markers), namely, procyanidin B2 (PB2) and epicatechin (EP). The results showed that PB2 is an appropriate compound to be used as a chemical marker in the quality control of dried extracts of G. ulmifolia. The stress study showed that there was no significant difference between the two formulations. However, considering the TG data and the high temperatures involved, the results suggest that CSD increases the stability of the dried extract of G. ulmifolia

Magnetogels based on iron oxide nanoparticles and peptide hydrogels containing Naproxen and/or RGD

In this work, iron oxide nanoparticles, with diameters around 12 nm, were synthesized by coprecipitation method in aqueous solution. These nanoparticles exhibit a superparamagnetic behavior, with a coercive field of 9.7 Oe and a blocking temperature of 118 K. The nanoparticles were successfully incorporated in peptide-based hydrogels containing naproxen (Npx) and/or RGD. The ability of these magnetogels to act as drug nanocarriers is being investigated, aiming at developing multifunctional therapeutic nanosystems.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Anti-de Sitter curvature radius constrained by quasars in brane-world scenarios

This paper is intended to investigate the luminosity due to accretion of gas in supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in the center of quasars, using a brane-world scenario naturally endowed with extra dimensions, whereon theories formulated introduce corrections in the field equations at high energies. SMBHs possess the necessary highly energetic environment for the introduction of these corrections, which are shown to produce small deviations in all SMBH properties and, consequentely, corrections in the accretion theory that supports quasars radiative processes. The radiative flux observed from quasars indicates these deviations, from which the magnitude of the AdS$_5$ bulk curvature radius, and consequently the extra dimension compactification radius is estimated.Comment: 11 pages, RevTeX, Eq.(2) and (3) expanded, and comments thereon update

Desafio anatômico: uma metodologia capaz de auxiliar no aprendizado de anatomia humana

In 2007 the city of Cajazeiras-PB received the implantation of the School of Medicine from Federal University of Campina Grande. In this process professors were faced with several difficulties. To propose improvements and even supplementation in Anatomy concepts, they created a didactic activity called “Anatomical Challenge” in which the students were instructed to fabricate didactical anatomical models to be used in classrooms, helping the content of the discipline. After work, the students were satisfied with the results, especially from the point of view of knowledge transmission and absorption of content. Thus, this experience was positive and unique to the process of teaching and learning of anatomy in medical school, because it stimulated creativity in many ways, memory and group working by the participants.Em 2007 a cidade de Cajazeiras-PB recebeu a implantação do curso de Medicina pela Universidade Federal de Campina Grande. Neste processo, os docentes se depararam com várias dificuldades. Para propor melhoras e até, suplementação da carga de conceitos em Anatomia Humana, foi criada uma atividade didática chamada “Desafio Anatômico”, no qual os discentes eram instruídos a confeccionar modelos anatômicos que fossem didáticos a ponto de serem usados nas aulas, auxiliando o conteúdoda disciplina. Após a apresentação dos trabalhos, os discentes mostraram-se satisfeitos com os resultados, sobretudo sob o ponto de vista de transmissão de conhecimento e absorção de conteúdo. Desta maneira, esta experiência mostrou-se positiva e singular para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem da anatomia no curso médico, pois a mesma estimulou de diversas formas a criatividade, memória e trabalho em grupo dos participantes

The NMR-derived solution structure of a new cationic antimicrobial peptide from the skin secretion of the anuran Hyla punctata.

Amphibian skin secretions constitute an important source of molecules for antimicrobial drug research in order to combat the increasing resistance of pathogens to conventional antibiotics. Among the various types of substances secreted by the dermal granular amphibian glands, there is a wide range of peptides and proteins, often displaying potent antimicrobial activities and providing an effective defense system against parasite infection. In the present work, we report the NMR solution structure and the biological activity of a cationic 14-residue amphiphilic alpha-helical polypeptide named Hylaseptin P1 (HSP1), isolated from the skin secretion of the hylid frog Hyla punctata. The peptide antimicrobial activity was verified against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, whereas no significant lytic effect was detected toward red or white blood cells