Combining hyaluronic acid with chitosan enhances gene delivery

The low gene transfer efficiency of chitosan-DNA polyplexes is a consequence of their high stability and consequent slow DNA release. The incorporation of an anionic polymer is believed to loosen chitosan interactions with DNA and thus promote higher transfection efficiencies. In this work, several formulations of chitosan-DNA polyplexes incorporating hyaluronic acid were prepared and characterized for their gene transfection efficiency on both HEK293 and retinal pigment epithelial cells. The different polyplex formulations showed morphology, size, and charge compatible with a role in gene delivery. The incorporation of hyaluronic acid rendered the formulations less stable, as was the goal, but it did not affect the loading and protection of the DNA. Compared with chitosan alone, the transfection efficiency had a 4-fold improvement, which was attributed to the presence of hyaluronic acid. Overall, our hybrid chitosan-hyaluronic acid polyplexes showed a significant improvement of the efficiency of chitosan-based nonviral vectors in vitro, suggesting that this strategy can further improve the transfection efficiency of nonviral vectors.Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia [SFRH/BD/52424/2013]; Marie Curie Reintegration Grant [PIRG-GA-2009-249314

Chitosan-Hyaluronic acid hybrid vectors for retinal gene therapy

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Efeito imediato da técnica músculo energia do esternocleidomastóideo com ponto gatilho latente na sensibilidade dolorosa à pressão e nas amplitudes cervicais

Introdução: Os pontos gatilho (PG) do esternocleidomastóideo (ECM) podem ser a causa de dor na face e no crânio. A técnica músculo-energia (TME) pode ser utilizada na presença de PG. Objectivo: Verificar qual o efeito imediato da TME, aplicada no ECM, na sensibilidade dolorosa à pressão (SDP) do PG do ECM e nas amplitudes cervicais em comparação com uma técnica placebo. Metodologia: Uma amostra voluntária de 52 indivíduos foi dividida aleatoriamente por dois grupos. Inicialmente foi medida a SDP e as amplitudes dos movimentos activos da coluna cervical. Após a aplicação da TME, com 20% da força máxima, e da técnica placebo, nos respectivos grupos, a SDP e as amplitudes cervicais foram reavaliadas. Resultados: Não existiram diferenças estatísticas significativas para afirmar que os dados recolhidos antes e depois da aplicação da TME eram significativamente diferentes. Conclusão: Os efeitos imediatos da TME, neste estudo, não foram significativos. No entanto, a bibliografia aponta noutro sentido, tornando-se importante perceber de que forma podemos melhorar a aplicação da TME, de forma a optimizar os seus efeitos.Background: The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) trigger points (TrP) may be the cause of pain in the face and skull. The muscle energy technique (MET) can be used in the presence of TrP. Aim: Investigate what the immediate effect of MET, applied in the SCM, in the pressure pain threshold (PPT) of SCM TrP and cervical range of motion (ROM) compared to a placebo technique. Methods: A voluntary sample of 52 subjects was randomly divided into two groups. Initially the PPT and the cervical active ROM were measured. After applying the MET, with 20% of maximum strength, and placebo technique, in their respective groups, the PPT and cervical ROM were reevaluated. Results: There were no significant statistical differences to assert that the data collected before and after the application of MET were significantly different. Conclusion: The immediate effect of MET, in this study, wasn’t significant. However, the bibliography points in another direction, making it important to understand how can we improve the MET application in order to optimize its effects

The impact of health consciousness on consumers’ purchase intention and the mediating effect of ingredients’ awareness : an analysis on Chocolate

Over the past few years a dramatic move has taken place in the food industry and people become more and more concerned about their own health. Following this trend, retailers are also taking actions, not just by creating areas in the supermarket dedicated to healthy food products but also having, on the same shelf, the healthy option of the same product. This entire study consists on an investigation about if the health consciousness impacts or not the purchase intention, giving a special attention to the role of the ingredients’ awareness, going deep on sugars. The pushback against sugar comes as, in general, consumers have begun to take a greater interest in what makes up their food and diets. The health conscious took umbrage with not only how much sugar was put into processed food, but also how many products included added sugars. The methodology used for this investigation includes both primary and secondary data, encompassing one survey. Results obtained with this study suggest that Purchase Intention is explained by Health Consciousness as well as by the Ingredients’ Awareness. In addition, Ingredients’ Awareness plays a key role in mediating some of these relationships.Ao longo dos últimos anos ocorreu um novo e importante movimento na indústria alimentar, com os consumidores a tornarem-se crescentemente preocupados com a sua saúde. Respondendo a esta tendência, os grandes retalhistas têm vindo a tomar medidas, não só começando a apresentar num mesmo linear as opções standard e mais saudáveis para um mesmo tipo de produto, como inclusivamente criando nas lojas áreas específicas e perfeitamente individualizadas, dedicadas a produtos alimentares saudáveis. Todo este estudo consiste numa investigação sobre se, e em que medida, a consciência da saúde por parte dos consumidores afeta a sua intenção de compra, dando especial relevo ao papel da perceção que os mesmos têm relativamente aos ingredientes, particularmente e com maior profundidade no que respeita aos açúcares. Em geral, a repulsa pelo açúcar decorre, da crescente atenção dos consumidores relativamente à composição dos seus alimentos e dietas. A consciência da saúde surge assim em consonância não só com o teor de açúcar adicionado aos alimentos processados, mas também com a quantidade de produtos aos quais foram adicionados açúcares. A metodologia utilizada para esta investigação inclui dados primários e secundários, envolvendo um questionário. Os resultados obtidos com este estudo sugerem que a Intenção de Compra é explicada pela Consciência da Saúde, bem como pela Perceção dos Ingredientes, desempenhando esta um papel chave na mediação de algumas dessas relações

Uso de geotecnologias para a análise da dinâmica do uso da terra no município de Santa Rita de Cássia (BA)

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Humanas, Departamento de Geografia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geografia, 2014.O avanço da fronteira agropecuária no oeste baiano é uma das principais causas de fragmentação da paisagem nessa região. A realização de estudos capazes de identificar o padrão da cobertura e uso da Terra assim como quantificar e analisar a fragmentação da vegetação proporciona subsídios para o planejamento ambiental. O objetivo desse trabalho é estudar o processo de cobertura e uso da Terra e da fragmentação da paisagem em uma perspectiva temporal no município de Santa Rita de Cássia – BA, a partir do uso de técnicas de geoprocessamento, com o propósito de descrever o seu avanço e fornecer subsídios para o planejamento ambiental. Para alcançar tal objetivo foi elaborado o mapa do uso da terra do município para o ano de 2008, com a utilização das imagens do sensor PRISM/ALOS e a análise multitemporal do uso da terra no recorte temporal de 1988 a 2008 com o auxílio de imagens do sensor TM/LANDSAT 5. Posteriormente foi elaborada a compartimentação morfogenética do município e o mapeamento de padrões de fragmentos da paisagem. A análise multitemporal e a classificação do tipo de cobertura e uso da Terra mostrou que em 1988 as atividades agropecuárias correspondiam a 8,62% da área total do município passando, em 2008, a ocupar 14,9%, em contrapartida a taxa de ocupação da vegetação natural que era de 88% no ano de 1988, passou por um processo de retração ao longo dos anos analisados e chegou ao índice de 81% em 2008. Com a compartimentação morfogenética foi possível averiguar que houve um crescimento da cobertura e uso da Terra em todas os compartimentos ao longo dos anos porém essa taxa foi mais expressiva nos processos erosivos e estáveis. A análise morfológica da paisagem revelou que as áreas de núcleo correspondiam a 85% da área do município em 1988 e durante os anos passou por um processo significativo de redução de sua área chegando a 77% em 2008. A análise da dinâmica da cobertura e uso da Terra em Santa Rita de Cássia mostrou que o município ainda encontra-se bastante preservado devido, principalmente, as suas características morfogenéticas. _____________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe advance of the agricultural frontier in the west of Bahia is one of the main causes of landscape fragmentation in this region. Conducting studies that identify the pattern of use and land cover and can quantify and analyze the vegetation fragments provides grants for environmental planning. The aim of this work is to study the process of use and land cover and landscape fragmentation in a time perspective in the municipality of Santa Rita - BA, from the use of GIS techniques, with the purpose of describing its progress and provide subsidies for environmental planning. To achieve this goal a map of land use for the municipality was created, for the year 2008, with the use of images from PRISM / ALOS sensor and multitemporal mapping of land use in the time frame from 1988 to 2008 with the aid of images from TM/LANDSAT 5 sensor. After that the morphogenetic partitioning and mapping of the municipality landscape fragment patterns was elaborated. The multitemporal analysis and classification of the type of use and land cover in 1988 showed that agricultural activities accounted for 8.62% of the total area of the municipality. In 2008, this activities were occupying 14.9%, however the rate of occupation of natural vegetation was 88% in 1988, and went through a process of retraction over the years and reached the rate of 81% in 2008. With the morphogenetic partitioning, it was possible to verify that there was a growth in the use and land cover in all compartments over the years but this rate was more significant in erosive and stable processes. Morphological analysis of the landscape revealed that the core areas accounted for 85% of the municipal area in 1988 and has undergone a significant process of reduction of its area reaching 77% in 2008. The analysis of coverage and use of land in Santa Rita showed that the city is still well preserved, mainly due to the morphogenetic characteristics

ENVIE Co-ordination action on indoor air quality and health effects; WP3 Final report – Characterisation of spaces and source

Human exposure to environmental pollutants occurs via various pathways. For many pollutants, especially the volatile ones, air exposure is the dominant pathway. Exposure via air occurs both outdoors and indoors, with diverse types of indoor spaces playing a role, e.g., home, workplace, and passenger cabins of means of transportation. In average people spend over 90% of their time indoors, that percentage being particularly high for some specific groups as new-born, elderly, disabled or sick people. The global exposure to air contaminants is therefore drastically determined by indoor conditions. It is now well established that indoor air pollution contributes significantly to the global burden of disease of the population. For a majority of indoor air contaminants, particularly in the presence of common indoor sources, however, indoor concentrations usually exceed outdoor concentrations, for some pollutants even with an indoor/outdoor ratio of 10 or 20. Emissions are identified, accordingly to the EnVIE approach and grouped into four categories: building materials and related sources, including dampness and moulds; ventilation, natural and mechanical, including, or not, heating, cooling and humidification/ dehumidification; consumer products, furnishing, cleaning and household products; and occupant activities. Emission of chemical substances from construction materials and products in buildings to the indoor air have been reported and reviewed for a wide range of substances, including those formed during secondary reactions, causing complaints of irritation and odour. During the last two decades there has been increasing advances in construction technology that have caused a much greater use of synthetic building materials. Whilst these improvements have led to more comfortable buildings, they also provide indoor environments with contaminants in higher concentrations than are found outside. Wood and cork are now frequently used as a building product for floor coverings, because the material is often regarded as “natural” and “healthy”. However, industrial products, even based on natural raw materials, may contain a number of artificial ingredients and the chemical emissions will strongly depend on the type of additives and the manufacturing process. Modern interior paints are usually based on a polymeric binder. In order to fulfil requirements on e.g., durability, paint contains various functional chemicals. Water-borne paints usually also contains small amounts of approved biocides. Polymeric binders with a very low content of residual monomers have been developed for paint. Besides the release of substances to the indoor air due to primary emission, damp building materials may give rise to volatile substances formed during secondary reactions. Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are now receiving much more attention than heretofore. The HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems as providers, among others, of services of cleaning and dilution of pollutants in the indoor air are also recognized as potential pollution sources. Several studies have shown that the prevalence of SBS symptoms is often higher in air conditioned buildings than in buildings with natural ventilation. 8 The outdoor air introduced indoors through either ventilation systems or natural means is also an important and not always controllable source for the intake of some outdoor pollutants. Outdoor air used for ventilation may also be source of pollution containing particulate matter, particulates of biological origin (microorganisms, pollen, etc.) and various gases like NOx and O building structures which is a driving force for the airflows which will transport to indoors water vapour and gaseous or particulate contaminants. Volatile organic compounds are emitted from a wide variety of household and consumer products with emission rates that are strongly dependent on the type of application and are distributed over several orders of magnitude. A number of product classes are identified and information on ingredients and available data on emissions from individual products are presented. Human activities and the associated use of products encompass a wide range of indoor sources involving release of inorganic gases, particles and organic compounds as a consequence of the activity. For some releases such as with air fresheners the release is a necessary part of the activity to achieve the intended effect whereas for others, such as the release of combustion fumes from a gas appliance, the purpose of the action (in this case generation of heat) is different from the emission. Combustion processes are an important source of a range of air pollutants as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, particulates and associated inorganic and organic chemicals, organic vapours e.g. formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and benzene. Sources of these are present in both ambient and indoor environments. The concentrations present in the ambient air provide a baseline for the level of pollutant found indoors as this air enters indoors by processes of infiltration and ventilation. However, the concentration indoors will be modified by processes of sorption to surfaces and chemical reaction depending on the chemical and physical properties of the pollutant and internal surfaces. People themselves are a source of emissions of chemicals and gases, notably CO range of organic compounds that are referred to as body odours. The removal of such body odours is a prime objective of ventilation in order to achieve a satisfactory indoor environment. WP3 aims at to characterize spaces and sources in order to understand where and how to act to guarantee good IAQ. From the two strategies for good IAQ, source control and ventilation, the precautionary principle suggests that first priority shall be given to source control, avoiding, mitigating or simply managing sources of emissions. An overview of all policies on IAQ or related to IAQ, existing or in preparation, directly related to indoor air sources, but also covering outdoor air and industrial emissions, which could affect indirectly IAQ is made. Considering the presented it could be concluded that IAQ is yet poorly regulated at EU level, and in view of that some recommendations are made. The recommendations on policies have taken into account the existing related to IAQ policies such as new EU policies on chemicals (REACH; 2006/121/EC), consumer products (GPSD; 2001/95/EC), construction products (CPD; 89/106/EC) and energy performance of buildings (EPBD; 2002/91/EC) all refer to IAQ issues - suggesting that they could, and probably should, contribute to IAQ policy development and advocate an integrative and comprehensive policy approach centred

Nova espécie de Trichodina Ehrenberg, 1830 (Ciliophora: Trichodinidae) encontrada em Rhamdia quelen (Siluriforme: Heptapteridae), Santa Catarina, Brasil

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Curso de Engenharia de Aquicultura.O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido no Laboratório de Patologia e Sanidade de Organismos Aquáticos – AQUOS, durante o período de março de 2011 a março de 2012. No Brasil ainda se tem pouco conhecimento sobre espécies de tricodinídeos que parasitam, tanto peixes de cultivo, quanto peixes selvagens, continentais ou marinhos. Com o desenvolvimento da aquicultura, tais estudos servirão para a manutenção de um cultivo produtivo e sustentável. Este estudo descreve Trichodina n. sp. encontrada no muco da superfície corporal e nadadeiras de jundiá (Rhamdia quelen), selvagens e de cultivo, no sul do Brasil. Foram capturados 137 peixes no município de Paulo Lopes, estado de Santa Catarina, provenientes de três pontos distintos, sendo eles uma piscicultura local (n=80), ponto não poluído do Rio da Madre (n=32), e outro poluído do mesmo rio (n=25). Esfregaços do muco foram secos à temperatura ambiente e impregnados com Nitrato de Prata para posterior análise das estruturas do disco adesivo e dentículos. A prevalência foi de 64% no local poluído, 50% no local não poluído e 21,25% na piscicultura. Caracterizado como médio tricodinídeo apresentou diâmetro do corpo de 54,4 ± 3,7 μm, disco adesivo de 45,3 ± 3,8 μm, anel denticulado 27,3 ± 2,7 μm e 20 a 22 dentículos. Dentículo com 8,4 ± 0,55 μm, lâmina com 4,3 ± 0,5 μm, raio com 6,7 ± 1,32 μm de comprimento e parte central com 3,8 ± 0,55 μm; curvatura da ciliadura adoral com 367º. Trichodina n. sp. apresentada neste estudo é ligeiramente semelhante à T. heteredentata e T. acuta no que se refere às características biométricas, porém difere da primeira principalmente por não apresentar apófise do raio e da segunda por não possuir círculo central. Além disso, com formato da lâmina distinta, Trichodina n. sp. difere de todas as outras espécies já descritas, não deixando nenhuma dúvida de que se trata de uma nova espécie

Implementação de sistemas SAP em empresas de serviços públicos

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia e Gestão de SistemasA utilização de sistemas Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) para organizar a informação relevante de uma organização é cada vez mais frequente. Com este documento pretende-se explorar o percurso profissional na implementação de sistemas ERP, mais precisamente na implementação de sistemas SAP para empresas de serviços públicos, ou seja implementação de sistemas SAP IS-U. Apesar do foco principal do presente documento se prender com a descrição de experiência profissional na área de tecnologias de informação (TI), não podia deixar de contextualizar a mesma. Dessa forma é apresentada a metodologia Accelerated SAP (ASAP), utilizada na implementação de sistemas SAP. É ainda exposta brevemente a metodologia Rational Unified Process (RUP), dado ser comum a sua utilização em ambiente académico para a explicação de implementações de sistemas ERP. Dessa forma o leitor poderá estabelecer a comparação entre a metodologia RUP e a metodologia ASAP. Adicionalmente é contextualizado o mercado de implementações de sistemas ERP, através da análise comparativa da posição de mercado de vários sistemas ERP. É efetuada uma análise mais crítica entre os sistemas SAP, Oracle e Microsoft.The usage of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to organize the relevant information of an organization is increasingly common. This document intends to explore the career in the implementation of ERP systems, specifically the implementation of SAP IS-U systems, which is used for utilities companies. Although the principal focus of this document is to describe the professional experience in information technology (IT), this experience had to be contextualized. Therefore the methodology Accelerated SAP (ASAP), used in SAP systems implementations, is explained. Once the usage of Rational Unified Process (RUP) methodology is very common in academic environment to explain ERP systems implementations, RUP methodology is also briefly explained. This way, the reader can establish a comparison between RUP and ASAP methodologies. Additionally ERP market is contextualized by market position analysis of different ERP systems. The big market ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle and Microsoft are compared more in detail