Mathematical Modeling for the Design and Scale-Up of a Large Industrial Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition Process under Uncertainty

Aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) can be used to produce coatings and thin films such as transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films, which are used in self-cleaning surfaces, solar cells, and other electronic and optoelectronic applications. A process based on AACVD consists of a number of steps: aerosol generation, aerosol transport, aerosol delivery, and chemical deposition. Predicting the behavior of such a process at an industrial scale is challenging due to a number of factors: the aerosol generation creates droplets of different sizes, losses are incurred in the transport, the delivery must evaporate the solvent to release the precursors, and the reactions on the surface of the deposition target may be complex. This paper describes a full process model, including the prediction of the size distribution of the generated aerosol, the number and size of droplets delivered, the carrier gas temperature profile at the reaction site, the solvent evaporation time, and the rate of film formation. The key modeling challenges addressed include incorporating the impact of uncertainties in parameters such as heat and mass transfer coefficients and reaction rate constants. Preliminary simulations demonstrate a proof of concept for the use of simulation for gaining insights into the feasibility of a process scale-up for an industrial-scale AACVD

Design optimization of microfluidic-based solvent extraction systems for radionuclides detection

The development of reliable and fast automated methodologies to detect and identify radionuclides during the decommissioning of nuclear power plants is of paramount importance. In this regard, process flowsheeting and computational simulations are useful tools to aid the design and testing of these advanced detection technologies. We implement an optimization based design procedure for the design of continuous analysis systems based on microfluidic solvent extraction and on-line measurement to detect radionuclides in nuclear waste. The optimization of such detection systems is treated as a design under uncertainty problem. The systems are based on thermal lens microscopy as the detection instrument. We demonstrate our approach on a flowsheet for the detection of trivalent lanthanides in organic and aqueous solutions. We highlight the importance of using computer-aided optimization based procedures to design microsystems comprising several chemical operations and their coupling with the detection step. It constitutes a proof of concept and a first step towards robust optimization based modelling approaches for the design of microfluidic lab-on-a-chip platforms for the detection of radionuclides in nuclear waste

Studies of Copaifera luetzelburgii Harms in reproductive pharmacology: In vivo and in vitro approaches

The objective of this study was to evaluate the estrogenic and anti-estrogenic actions, as well as the reproductive and foetal toxicity, of the ethanol extract from Copaifera luetzelburgii (EEtOH-Cl). In the experiment of (anti) estrogenicity, nulliparous Wistar rats were treated for 3 days with EEtOH-Cl (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg); estradiol (E, 5 μg/kg); E + EEtOH-Cl; tamoxifen (T, 4mg/kg). This extract presented estrogenic activity by increasing the relative weight (%) of the uterus of rats treated at doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg (0.267 ± 0.016*, 0.231 ± 0.014*, 0.242 ± 0.015*), and it showed anti-estrogenic activity when associated with estradiol (0.116 ± 0.006*, 0.103 ± 0.06*, 0.098 ± 0.05*), respectively. For assessment of toxicity in pregnancy, the animals were divided into two groups and treated daily with EEtOH-Cl. In the first group, the effect of the extract on the development of pregnancy from first to seventh day was observed, and in the second group, from 8 to 21 days, there was no change of these parameters or the viability of the progeny when the study assessed reproductive and foetal toxicity; however, there was shortening of pregnancy (125 mg/kg) without affecting the progeny. In the in vitro study, uterine strips of pregnant (P) and non-pregnant (NP) females were used. In both groups, half received EEtOH-Cl (vo) for 13 days (treated females - T), and the other half received EEtOH-Cl directly to the isolated organ bath system (untreated - NT). In vitro study on the uterus of pregnant animals pretreated with doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg showed that there was inhibition of KCl 80-induced phasic contractions (0.490 ± 0.110, 0.540 ± 0.092), respectively. Also, the contractions induced by oxytocin were inhibited at a dose of 500 mg/kg (0.380 ± 0.109). In non-pregnant, non-treated females, the extract at a concentration of 125 μg/mL (0.180 ± 0.062) also inhibited the contractions induced by oxytocin. Thus, EEtOH-Cl demonstrated estrogenic activity, but when combined with estradiol, it demonstrated anti-estrogenic activity. It did not induce toxicity in the progenitors or in the progeny, and it inhibited isometric contractions induced by oxytocin and KCl 80 mM in pregnant and non-pregnant rats.Keywords: Copaifera luetzelburgii, (anti-)estrogenicity, reproductive toxicity, phasic contractionsAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(24), pp. 3864-387

RELAT?RIO T?CNICO Projeto Integrador em Sistemas para Internet (PISI)

Relat?rio PISI - Gleidson Castelo Branco Magalh?es FilhoO Projeto Integrador em Sistemas para Internet pretende desenvolver a capacidade de aplica??o dos conceitos e teorias adquiridas durante o curso de forma integrada. Dessa maneira, o presente relat?rio ? consubstanciado em duas partes: a documenta??o de um produto implementado na forma de software (parte I) e as percep??es acad?micas dos autores sobre os variados t?picos e ?reas presentes no curso superior em Sistemas para Internet (parte II). O projeto de implementa??o se refere ao desenvolvimento de um software, p?gina web e/ou aplicativo h?brido com o objetivo de gerenciar campeonatos de skate. Por se tratar de projeto de implementa??o meramente com fins educacionais, a comercializa??o/venda do programa de computador oriundo desta implementa??o - transfer?ncia de tecnologia - n?o ? cab?vel neste trabalho. Por sua vez, as percep??es sobre a integra??o de t?picos e ?reas presentes no curso superior em Sistemas para Internet s?o descritas neste documento

Metaplastic breast carcinomas exhibit EGFR, but not HER2, gene amplification and overexpression: immunohistochemical and chromogenic in situ hybridization analysis

INTRODUCTION: Metaplastic breast carcinomas constitute a heterogeneous group of neoplasms, accounting for less than 1% of all invasive mammary carcinomas. Approximately 70–80% of metaplastic breast carcinomas overexpress the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)2 and EGFR have attracted much attention in the medical literature over the past few years owing to the fact that humanized monoclonal antibodies against HER2 and therapies directed against the extracellular ligand-binding domain or the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain of EGFR have proven successful in treating certain types of human cancer. We investigated whether HER2 and EGFR overexpression was present and evaluated gene amplification in a series of metaplastic breast carcinomas. METHOD: Twenty-five metaplastic breast carcinomas were immunohistochemically analyzed using a monoclonal antibody (31G7) for EGFR and two antibodies for HER2 (Herceptest and CB11) and scored using the Herceptest scoring system. Gene amplification was evaluated by chromogenic in situ hybridization using Zymed Spot-Light EGFR and HER2 amplification probe. The results were evaluated by bright field microscopy under 40× and 63× objective lenses. RESULTS: Nineteen (76%) metaplastic breast carcinomas exhibited EGFR ovexpression, and among these EGFR amplification (defined either by large gene clusters or >5 signals/nucleus in >50% of neoplastic cells) was detected in seven cases (37%): three carcinomas with squamous differentiation and four spindle cell carcinomas. One case exhibited HER2 overexpression of grade 2+ (>10% of cells with weak to moderate complete membrane staining), but HER2 gene amplification was not detected. CONCLUSION: Metaplastic breast carcinomas frequently overexpressed EGFR, which was associated with EGFR gene amplification in one-third of cases. Our findings suggest that some patients with metaplastic breast carcinomas might benefit from novel therapies targeting EGFR. Because most metaplastic breast carcinomas overexpress EGFR without gene amplification, further studies to evaluate EGFR activating mutations are warranted

Perfil microbiológico da carne de frangos abatidos artesanalmente e na indústria, comercializados na grande Recife-PE

Considerando o elevado consumo da carne de frango no contexto nacional e mais especificamente na cidade do Recife, onde o abate clandestino ainda é intenso, objetivou-se delinear o perfil microbiológico da carne de frango disponível no mercado, comparando-se os produtos advindos de abatedouro industrial e artesanal e verificar se os produtos atendiam às especificações dos padrões recomendados pela legislação. Determinou-se o Número Mais Provável (NMP) de coliformes totais e termotolerantes, bem como realizou-se a pesquisa de Salmonella spp. e Aeromonas spp., além da contagem de bactérias aeróbias mesófilas, psicrófilas e Staphylococcus spp.. Foram analisadas 24 amostras, sendo que 12 advindas do processamento de frigoríficos industriais, resfriadas e comercializadas. As outras 12 amostras foram provenientes de abatedouro artesanal e comercializadas sem refrigeração. Nos resultados obtidos, a contagem de Staphylococcus spp., a determinação do NMP de coliformes totais e termotolerantes apresentaram valores acima dos permitidos nas carcaças artesanais, enquanto que, as pesquisas de Salmonella spp. e Aeromonas spp. não apresentaram diferença significativa. Nas carcaças artesanais o número de bactérias mesófilas foi 2,6 vezes maior que nas industriais, enquanto que no número de psicrófilas/pisicotróficas não houve diferença significativa entre as amostras. Algumas amostras não estão dentro dos padrões recomendados pela legislação

Markers for the identification of late breast cancer recurrence

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited