Projeto e construção de um picnômetro a ar para caracterização de insumos e produtos farmacêuticos

This paper describes a project, construction and test of a low cost air pycnometer, developed to be used preferentially in pharmaceutical research. A complete discussion of the construction, test and calibration of this equipment is presented and some measurements are made using pharmaceutical powders and dry granulations. The equipment performance has been estimated through its calibration curve, and the obtained value to its volume resolution is about 1%. This equipment is accomplished at the Applied Nuclear Physics Laboratory of University of Sorocaba (LAFINAU) in Sorocaba, SP, Brazil and it was denominated "Picnômetro a Ar Uniso - PICNAU"

Os efeitos dos estrogênios conjugados equinos e do tamoxifeno na histomorfologia da glândula tireóide de ratas

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the action of the conjugated equine estrogens and tamoxifen on the morphology of thyroid gland in ovariectomized (OVx) rats. METHODS: Conjugated equine estrogens (CEE), clinically used as estrogen therapy, is a complex formulation containing multiple estrogens that decrease menopausal symptoms. Thirty ovariectomized rats were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups: GI, vehicle (propylene glycol); GII, CEE 200 &micro;g/kg per day; and GIII, tamoxifen 1 mg/kg per day. Another group of 10 rats with intact ovaries (GIV) was included, treated with the vehicle, and sacrificed during estrous. All animals were treated by gavage for 50 days, after which they were sacrificed. Blood samples were collected, and the thyroid was removed for morphological analysis and PCNA evaluation through immunohistochemical study. RESULTS: The thyroid follicular cell height was increased in animals treated with CEE (14.90 &plusmn; 0.20 µm), with TAM (14.90 &plusmn; 0.10 µm), and in rats with intact ovaries (15.10 &plusmn; 0.50 µm) in comparison to that of the vehicle group (9.90 &plusmn; 0.20 µm) (P < 0.001). The follicular area was larger in the CEE (2,225 &plusmn; 51 µm²) and TAM (2,127 &plusmn; 67 µm²) groups compared to that of the vehicle group (5,016 &plusmn; 53 &micro;m²). The levels of T4 and T3 in rats treated with CEE, with Tamoxifen and in rats with intact ovaries, were higher than those those in the vehicle group (P < 0.001). The PCNA index in the vehicle group was lower than in other groups. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that estrogen and tamoxifen administration has a proliferative effect on the thyroid.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a ação dos estrogênios conjugados eqüinos e do tamoxifeno na histomorfologia da tireóide de ratas. MÉTODO: Estrogênios conjugados eqüinos são ministrados clinicamente como terapia estrogênica e contêm formulação complexa com muitos tipos de estrogênios que diminuem os sintomas da pós-menopausa. Trinta ratas adultas ooforectomizadas foram divididas aleatoriamente em três grupos: GI - veículo (propilenoglicol); GII - ECE 200 &micro;g/Kg por dia; e GIII - TAM 1 mg/Kg por dia. Acrescentou-se ainda um grupo de 10 animais com os ovários intactos e tratados com veículo (GIV). Todos os animais foram tratados por gavagem durante 50 dias consecutivos, ao final foram coletadas amostras do sangue e a tireóide removida e processada para análise morfológica e imunohistoquímico para avaliar o PCNA. RESULTADOS: A maior altura das células foliculares foi observada nos animais tratados com ECE (14,90 &plusmn; 0,20 µm), TAM (14,90 &plusmn; 0,10 µm) e no grupo com ovários intactos (15,10 &plusmn; 0,50 µm), comparando-se aos controles ovariectomizados (GI) (9,90 &plusmn; 0,20 µm) (

Stroke Correlates in Chagasic and Non-Chagasic Cardiomyopathies

BACKGROUND: Aging and migration have brought changes to the epidemiology and stroke has been shown to be independently associated with Chagas disease. We studied stroke correlates in cardiomyopathy patients with focus on the chagasic etiology. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a cross-sectional review of medical records of 790 patients with a cardiomyopathy. Patients with chagasic (329) and non-chagasic (461) cardiomyopathies were compared. There were 108 stroke cases, significantly more frequent in the Chagas group (17.3% versus 11.1%; p<0.01). Chagasic etiology (odds ratio [OR], 1.79), pacemaker (OR, 2.49), atrial fibrillation (OR, 3.03) and coronary artery disease (OR, 1.92) were stroke predictors in a multivariable analysis of the entire cohort. In a second step, the population was split into those with or without a Chagas-related cardiomyopathy. Univariable post-stratification stroke predictors in the Chagas cohort were pacemaker (OR, 2.73), and coronary artery disease (CAD) (OR, 2.58); while atrial fibrillation (OR, 2.98), age over 55 (OR, 2.92), hypertension (OR, 2.62) and coronary artery disease (OR, 1.94) did so in the non-Chagas cohort. Chagasic stroke patients presented a very high frequency of individuals without any vascular risk factors (40.4%; OR, 4.8). In a post-stratification logistic regression model, stroke remained associated with pacemaker (OR, 2.72) and coronary artery disease (OR, 2.60) in 322 chagasic patients, and with age over 55 (OR, 2.38), atrial fibrillation (OR 3.25) and hypertension (OR 2.12; p = 0.052) in 444 non-chagasic patients. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Chagas cardiomyopathy presented both a higher frequency of stroke and an independent association with it. There was a high frequency of strokes without any vascular risk factors in the Chagas as opposed to the non-Chagas cohort. Pacemaker rhythm and CAD were independently associated with stroke in the Chagas group while age over 55 years, hypertension and atrial fibrillation did so in the non-Chagas cardiomyopathies

Répteis da Ilha de Santa Catarina

Guia fotográficoNeste guia fotográfico apresentamos as 43 espécies de lagartos, serpentes, anfisbaenias e tarturugas registradas na Ilha de Santa Catarina, região insular do município de Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. Além do nome cientifico, incluimos o nome popular, status de conservação e para as serpentes, destacamos aquelas que podem oferecer riscos de acidente.FAPES

Sistema de informações executivas: suas características e reflexões sobre sua aplicação no processo de gestão

A necessidade que têm as organizações de aprimorar seu processo de gestão, face ao anseio de otimizar o desempenho e garantir o cumprimento de sua missão, faz com que seus administradores busquem alternativas na tecnologia da informação. O sistema de informações executivas é uma ferramenta que direciona o gestor a ações que buscam contribuir para esse fim. Dentro desse contexto, o presente artigo objetivou realizar uma incursão teórica nas características de um sistema de informações executivas, além de fazer algumas reflexões sobre sua aplicação no processo de gestão empresarial. Observa-se que, normalmente, há falta de integração entre os sistemas de informação das organizações, além de dificuldade dos gestores no acesso às informações contidas nestes sistemas. Assim, as características desejadas pelos gestores podem ser encontradas em um sistema de informações executivas, desde que seja adaptado às suas necessidades.Managers are constantly urged to optimize performance and guarantee the fulfillment of their mission. Consequently, they are confronted with the need to improve the management process. This makes them look for alternatives in information technology, since an effective executive information system is a tool that helps the manager in performing actions that contribute to the attainment of this goal. In this context, the present article aims at verifying what characteristics an executive information system has to possess in order to support the management process. The study shows both a lack of integration among institutional information systems and the difficulties the managers are confronted with in trying to access the information provided by the systems. The necessary characteristics of an executive information system were also verified among managers