Toxicological Study Employing Repeated Doses of Garcinielliptone FC, a Polyisoprenylated-Benzophenone Isolated from Seed of Platonia Insignis Mart

The major constituent from the hexane extract of the seeds of P. insignis is GFC (garcinielliptone FC). Doses of 25, 50and 75 mg/kg of GFC were aseptically suspended in 0.05% Tween 80 dissolved in 0.9% saline (vehicle) and orally administered for30, 90 and 120 consecutive days to adult Swiss mice. In this work, the repeated oral administration, in animals of both sexes,demonstrates that this compound is not able to induce mortality and/or behavioral changes in adult mice. In addition, body weightgain, feed intake and disposal of excreta were not altered by the administration of this compound with repeated doses. Furthermore,no differences in weight and macroscopic structure of the brain, liver, kidney, lung, heart and spleen between groups of male andfemale adult mice were observed after treatment. During the periods of treatment, GFC produced no significant changes onhaematological and biochemical parameters in male and female mice treated with all doses used. The aim of this study was toinvestigate the toxicological potential of GFC through behavioral, hematological, biochemical and morphological parameters inanimals in order to ensure the safe use of Platonia insignis in folk medicine.Fil: Silva, Ana P.. Federal University of Piauí; BrasilFil: Filho, José Carlos C. L. S.. North Union of Parana; BrasilFil: da Costa Júnior, Joaquim S.. Federal Institute of Piauí; BrasilFil: Peláez, Walter José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Faillace, Martín Sebastián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Falcão Ferraz, Alexandre de B.. Lutheran University of Brazil; BrasilFil: David, Jorge M.. Institute Of Chemistry, Federal University Of Bahia; Brasil. Universidade Federal da Bahia; BrasilFil: Freitas, Rivelilson M.. Federal University of Bahia; Brasi

Obtaining high purity silica from rice hulls

Many routes for extracting silica from rice hulls are based on direct calcining. These methods, though, often produce silica contaminated with inorganic impurities. This work presents the study of a strategy for obtaining silica from rice hulls with a purity level adequate for applications in electronics. The technique is based on two leaching steps, using respectively aqua regia and Piranha solutions, which extract the organic matrix and inorganic impurities. The material was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), particle size analysis by laser diffraction (LPSA) and thermal analysis

Cleaning Validation: A Case Study Involving Dexamethasone Cream

In order to achieve a reliable degree of quality, the pharmaceutical industry needs to introduce a quality control system that includes validation of the cleaning of equipment. This study carried out cleaning validation on the dexamethasone cream production line. The validation study involved evaluation of the cleaning procedures for the dexamethasone cream production line. Samples were collected at thirteen points involving the reactor, the colloidal mill, the industrial blender, the mixer and the packaging machine, for each of the batches. Samples were collected for study of the residue of the principle active ingredient, of detergent, and for microbiological analysis. Cleaning was shown to be within the stipulated parameters (acceptable level = 9.95 μg/mL) for: residues of active ingredient, TOC, pH, conductivity and microbiological contamination. It was thus concluded that the strategy adopted for cleaning validation was simple, swift, and efficient and capable of being applied to other kinds of pharmaceutical products.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Reconfiguração de sistemas de distribuição utilizando fluxo de potência ótimo e análise de sensibilidade

This paper presents a new approach for distribution system reconfiguration (DSR) based on optimum power flow (OPF) in which the branch statuses (open/close) are represented by continuous functions. In the proposed approach, all branches are initially considered closed and from the OPF results a heuristic technique is used to determine the next loop to be broken by opening one switch. Then the list of switches that are candidates to be opened is updated and the above process is repeated until all loops are broken, making the distribution system radial. The paper includes results and comparisons on test systems utilized in three classical papers published in the technical literature, as well as in a previous paper by the authors. Results obtained on a real large scale distribution system are also presented.Este artigo apresenta uma nova metodologia de Reconfiguração de Sistemas de Distribuição (RSD) baseada na utilização do Fluxo de Potência Ótimo (FPO) no qual o status das chaves (aberto/fechado) é representado através de funções contínuas. Na metodologia proposta, todas as chaves são consideradas inicialmente fechadas e a partir dos resultados fornecidos pelo FPO, utiliza-se uma técnica heurística para determinar o próximo laço a ser quebrado através da abertura de uma chave. A lista de chaves candidatas a abertura é atualizada e o processo descrito anteriormente é repetido até que todos os laços sejam quebrados, tornando o sistema radial. Este trabalho apresenta resultados e comparações utilizando-se sistemas publicados em três artigos técnicos clássicos encontrados na literatura e em um artigo prévio do autor. Resultados obtidos em sistemas reais de distribuição também serão apresentados

Avaliação do estado nutricional de agroecossistemas de café orgânico no estado de Minas Gerais.

A produção de café orgânico vem se constituindo uma tendência necessária e irreversível do agronegócio brasileiro. Essa atividade tem-se destacado como uma alternativa de renda para alguns cafeicultores, devido à crescente demanda mundial por alimentos mais saudáveis. Entretanto, grande parte das técnicas propostas pela agricultura orgânica está sendo aplicada empiricamente no cultivo de café, principalmente no Estado de Minas Gerais, maior região produtora de café do Brasil. Levando-se em consideração a baixa fertilidade natural dos solos dessa região cafeeira, bem como a elevada extração de nutrientes pelo cafeeiro, objetivou-se neste trabalho identificar possíveis fatores limitantes para a produção orgânica do cafeeiro, relacionados à fertilidade do solo e ao estado nutricional das plantas. Foram realizadas avaliações da fertilidade do solo e análise das folhas em vinte e uma lavouras orgânicas representativas do Estado de Minas Gerais. As amostras de solo foram analisadas para determinação do pH, acidez potencial e dos teores de P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Al e matéria orgânica. As amostras foliares foram analisadas para determinação dos teores de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn. Com base nos padrões de interpretação para cafeeiros convencionais propostos pela literatura, estabeleceram-se as freqüências com que os caracteres analisados foram inferiores aos critérios de interpretação da fertilidade do solo e estado nutricional das plantas. A análise dos dados foi realizada por estatística descritiva. Novos trabalhos nessa nova área são necessários, visando a uma melhor interpretação da análise foliar e da fertilidade do solo, quando se trabalha com café orgânico

Incidence of human and free-ranging wild rodent infections with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, aetiological agent of cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Background. Human and wild rodent infection rates with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis are needed to differentiate transmission pathways in anthropogenically altered habitats. Methods. Human participants in northeast Brazil were tested by the leishmanin skin test (LST) and inspected for lesions/scars characteristic of American clinical leishmaniasis (ACL). Molecular (PCR/qPCR) test records of free-ranging rodents were available from a concurrent capture–mark–recapture study. Force of Infection (λ) and recovery (ρ) rates were estimated from cross-sectional and longitudinal datasets. Results. Cumulative prevalences of human LST+ves and ACL scar+ves were 0.343–0.563 (n = 503 participants) and 0.122–0.475 (n = 503), respectively. Active ACL lesions were not detected. Annual rates of LST conversions were λ = 0.03–0.15 and ρ = 0.02–0.07. The probability of infection was independent of sex and associated with increasing age in addition to the period of exposure. Rodents (n = 596 individuals of 6 species) showed high rates of exclusively asymptomatic infection (λ = 0.222/month) and potential infectiousness to the sand fly vector. Spatially concurrent rodent and household human infection prevalences were correlated. Conclusions. Human exposure to L. (V.) braziliensis continues to be high despite the substantial drop in reported ACL cases in recent years. Spill-over transmission risk to humans from rodents in peridomestic habitats is likely supported by a rodent infection/transmission corridor linking houses, plantations, and the Atlantic Forest

Long‐term outcomes and molecular analysis of a large cohort of patients with 46,XY disorder of sex development due to partial gonadal dysgenesis

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145419/1/cen13717_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145419/2/cen13717.pd

A 46,XX testicular disorder of sex development caused by a Wilms’ tumour Factorâ 1 (WT1) pathogenic variant

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146930/1/cge13459_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146930/2/cge13459.pd