Aplicações hipermídia no desenvolvimento de um ambiente sobre educação ambiental

Este trabalho tem como propósito avaliar um ambiente de apoio a um programa de ensino que tem como foco a educação ambiental, cujo protótipo é chamado Portal Reciclar, desenvolvido segundo a tecnologia de hipertexto. Na modelagem e estruturação do ambiente Reciclar foi utilizado o Hypermedia Model Technique - HMT como modelo para especificação conceitual de aplicações hipertexto. O Portal Reciclar foi avaliado pelos alunos do ensino médio de uma escola pública do estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, como uma ferramenta adequada ao trabalho didático-pedagógico com o conteúdo por ele veiculado. O conteúdo é de qualidade e apresenta uma variedade de abordagens e recursos que possibilitam ampliar as aprendizagens em Química

Cytokine profile of Ehrlich ascites tumor treated with Bothrops jararaca venom.

We previously demonstrated that Bothrops jararaca venom (BjV) has an antitumor effect on Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells and induces an increase of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in early stages of tumor growth. It has been reported that this venom presents an important inflammatory effect when inoculated in animal models and in human snakebites, and that cytokine levels have been detected in these cases. To evaluate whether the cytokines can be involved with the suppression of the tumoral growth, we evaluate the cytokine profile in the peritoneal cavity of mice inoculated with EAT cells and treated with BjV. Swiss mice were inoculated with EAT cells by the intraperitoneal route and treated with BjV venom (0.4 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), on the 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th, and 13th day. Mice were evaluated for cytokine levels on the 2nd, 5th, 8th, 11th and 14th day. Analysis was performed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-2, IL4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in the peritoneal washing supernatant. Results were analyzed statistically by the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests at the 5% level of significance. We observed that EAT implantation induces IL-6 production on the 11th and 14th days of tumor growth, IL-10 on the 11th day and TNF-alpha on the 14th day. The treatment with BjV suppresses production of these cytokines. In addition, IL-13 was produced by animals that were inoculated only with venom on the 11th and 14th days, and by the group inoculated with EAT cells and treated with venom on the 2nd and 14th days. Furthermore, we suggest that the IL-6 detected in the present study is produced by the EAT cells and the suppression of its production could be associated with the antitumor effect of BjV

Antitumor effect of Bothrops jararaca venom.

Many experimental studies have been carried out using snake venoms for the treatment of animal tumors, with controversial results. While some authors have reported an antitumor effect of treatment with specific snake venom fractions, others have reported no effects after this treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Bothrops jararaca venom (BjV) on Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells in vivo and in vitro. In the in vivo study, Swiss mice were inoculated with EAT cells by the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route and treated with BjV venom (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.), on the 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th, and 13th days. Mice were evaluated for total and differential cells number on the 2nd, 5th, 8th, 11th and 14th days. The survival time was also evaluated after 60 days of tumor growth. In the in vitro study, EAT and normal peritoneal cells were cultivated in the presence of different BjV concentrations (2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, 40.0, and 80 microg) and viability was verified after 3, 6, 12 and 24 h of cultivation. Results were analyzed statistically by the Kruskal-Wallis and Tukey tests at the 5% level of significance. It was observed that in vivo treatment with BjV induced tumor growth inhibition, increased animal survival time, decreased mortality, increased the influx of polymorphonuclear leukocytes on the early stages of tumor growth, and did not affect the mononuclear cells number. In vitro treatment with BjV produced a dose-dependent toxic effect on EAT and peritoneal cells, with higher effects against peritoneal cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that BjV has an important antitumor effect. This is the first report showing this in vivo effect for this venom

Uso de mapa conceitual na explicação de uma reação química por licenciandos em química

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Overview on protein extraction and purification using ionic-liquid-based processes

Proteins are one the most widely studied biomolecules with diverse functions and applications. Aiming at overcoming the current drawbacks of purification processes of proteins, the introduction of ionic liquids (ILs) has been a hot topic of research. ILs have been applied in the creation of aqueous biphasic systems (IL-based ABS), solid-phase extractions through poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) and supported ionic-liquid phases (SILPs), and in the crystallization of proteins. In this sense, ILs have emerged as solvents, electrolytes or adjuvants, or as supported materials to tune the adsorption/affinity capacity aiming at developing an efficient, cost-effective, sustainable and green IL-based process for protein extraction. This review discusses different IL-based processes in the extraction and purification of proteins in the past years, namely IL-based aqueous biphasic systems (IL-based ABS), solid-phase extractions through PILs and SILPs, and protein crystallization. The type and structure of ILs applied and their influence in the different processes performance are also discussed.publishe

L-asparaginase-based biosensors

L-asparaginase (ASNase) is an aminohydrolase enzyme widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Although currently its main applications are focused on the treatment of lymphoproliferative disorders such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acrylamide reduction in starch-rich foods cooked at temperatures above 100 ºC, its use as a biosensor in the detection and monitoring of L-asparagine levels is of high relevance. ASNase-based biosensors are a promising and innovative technology, mostly based on colorimetric detection since the mechanism of action of ASNase is the catalysis of the L-asparagine hydrolysis, which releases L-aspartic acid and ammonium ions, promoting a medium pH value change followed by color variation. ASNase biosensing systems prove their potential for L-asparagine monitoring in ALL patients, along with L-asparagine concentration analysis in foods, due to their simplicity and fast response.publishe

Subglottic stenosis as a clinical manifestation of Wegener's granulomatosis in adolescents: report of a case and review of literature

Wegener's Granulomatosis is a well-characterized systemic vasculitis and necrotising granulomatous inflammation of the upper, lower respiratory tracts and the kidneys. The initial manifestations of the disease usually occur in patients over than twenty years old. The otolaryngologic symptoms like rhinorrhea, recurrent sinusitis and epistaxis are commonly present in early course of the disease. It seems that subglottic stenosis is correlated to Wegener's granumatosis in adolescents. We describe a case of a patient that developed subglottic stenosis associated with Wegener's granulomatosis in childhood during the course of the disease.A Granulomatose de Wegener é uma patologia caracterizada por vasculite sistêmica e inflamação granulomatosa necrotizante que compromete o trato respiratório alto, pulmões e rins, cujas manifestações iniciais, na maioria das vezes, ocorre em maiores de 20 anos de idade. As queixas clínicas otorrinolaringológicas estão, com freqüência, presentes nas fases iniciais da doença, sendo rinite, sinusopatia de repetição e epistaxe as mais comuns. A estenose subglógica parece estar correlacionada com a Granulomatose de Wegener em adolescentes. Relatamos o caso de uma paciente portadora de Granulomatose de Wegener cujo início dos sintomas foi na infância, tendo evoluído com estenose laríngea durante o curso da doença.Hospital do Servidor Público do Estado de São Paulo Serviço de Otorrinolaringologia/Cabeça e PescoçoFaculdade de Medicina de São Paulo Divisão de Clínica OtorrinolaringológicaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Maternal and neonatal characteristics and early neonatal mortality in Greater Metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil

O objetivo foi descrever as características do recém-nascido, da mãe e da mortalidade neonatal precoce, segundo local de parto, na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, Brasil. Utilizou-se coorte de nascidos vivos vinculados aos respectivos óbitos neonatais precoces, por técnica determinística. Identificou-se o parto domiciliar a partir da Declaração de Nascido Vivo e os ocorridos em estabelecimentos a partir da vinculação com o Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde. Foram estudados 154.676 nascidos vivos, dos quais 0,3% dos nascimentos ocorreram acidentalmente em domicílio, 98,7% em hospitais e menos de 1% em outro serviço de saúde. A mortalidade foi menor no Centro de Parto Normal e nas Unidades Mistas de Saúde, condizente com o perfil de baixo risco obstétrico. As taxas mais elevadas ocorreram nos prontos-socorros (54,4 óbitos por mil nascidos vivos) e domicílios (26,7), representando um risco de morte, respectivamente, 9,6 e 4,7 vezes maior que nos hospitais (5,6). Apesar da alta predominância do parto hospitalar, há um segmento de partos acidentais tanto em domicílios como em prontos-socorros que merece atenção, por registrar elevadas taxas de mortalidade neonatal precoce.The objective was to describe maternal and neonatal characteristics and early neonatal mortality rate according to place of delivery in Greater Metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil. The study linked the databases on live births and early neonatal deaths with the national hospital registry. Place of delivery was identified through certificates of live birth. There were a total of 154,676 live births: 98.7% in-hospital; 0.3% home deliveries, and 1% in other health services. Deliveries in birthing centers and small hospital units were associated with low obstetric risk and a low proportion of preterm and low birth weight infants, and as a result these services showed the lowest early neonatal mortality rate. Compared to hospital maternity ward deliveries, the early neonatal mortality rate was 4.7 times higher for home deliveries and 9.6 higher for emergency room deliveries. There is a high rate of hospital delivery care in São Paulo, but there is still a small portion of accidental home births and deliveries occurring in inappropriate health services, probably as a result of obstetric emergencies and difficulties in accessing hospital services.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq