Optimized SU-8 processing for low-cost microstructures fabrication without cleanroom facilities

The study and optimization of epoxy-based negative photoresist (SU-8) microstructures through a low-cost process and without the need for cleanroom facility is presented in this paper. It is demonstrated that the Ultraviolet Rays (UV) exposure equipment, commonly used in the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) industry, can replace the more expensive and less available equipment, as the Mask Aligner that has been used in the last 15 years for SU-8 patterning. Moreover, high transparency masks, printed in a photomask, are used, instead of expensive chromium masks. The fabrication of well-defined SU-8 microstructures with aspect ratios more than 20 is successfully demonstrated with those facilities. The viability of using the gray-scale technology in the photomasks for the fabrication of 3D microstructures is also reported. Moreover, SU-8 microstructures for different applications are shown throughout the paper.Work supported by FEDER funds through the Eixo I do Programa Operacional Fatores de Competitividade (POFC) QREN, project reference COMPETE: FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-020241, and by FCT- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, project reference PTDC/EBB-EBI/120334/2010. Vânia C. Pinto thanks the FCT for the SFRH/BD/81526/2011 grant. Paulo J. Sousa thanks the FCT for the SFRH/BD/81562/2011 grant. Vanessa F. Cardoso thanks the FCT for the SFRH/BPD/98109/2013 gran

DODAB:MO versus novel liposomes for protein delivery: comparing toxicity and encapsulation efficiency

UID/BIA/04050/2019, funded by national funds through the FCT IP, and project FUN2CYT: Harnessing the potential for biomedical applications of pleiotropic cytokines LIF and oncostatin M (PTDC/BTM-MAT/30568/2017, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030568) supported by POCI through FEDER and FCT IPinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

VARIAÇÕES ANATÔMICAS DO CANAL MANDIBULAR

O trabalho irá apresentar a prevalência dos diferentes trajetos do canal mandibular. Tendo por objetivo destacar essas já conhecidas variações anatômicas do canal mandibular e informar os profissionais da área da saúde quanto à existência das mesmas, bem como suas condutas clínicas frente a esses achados anatômicos. Foram avaliadas 211 radiografias panorâmicas de pacientes atendidos no curso de odontologia da UFPR no período de 2005 a 2006. Os pacientes eram brasileiros, de ambos sexos, com idades entre 7 e 84 anos. As radiografias foram avaliadas por 3 pesquisadores após calibração prévia, sobre negastocópio adequado. Utilizou-se a classificação de LANGLAIS et al (1985). Das 211 radiografias avaliadas 2,36% (5casos) apresentaram canal mandibular ramificados, sendo que destes 2 apresentavam ramificação para o terceiro molar bilateralmente, 1 ramificação para o terceiro molar unilateralmente e 2 ramificação limitada ao ramo mandibular bilateralmente. Pode-se confirmar que o canal mandibular pode apresentar variações em sua trajetória, sendo extremamente importante a verificação criteriosa do mesmo em radiografias panorâmicas prévias ao tratamento a fim de se estabelecer um plano de tratamento adequado para o pacient

Fatores de risco cardiovascular e distribuição de gordura corporal em brasileiros com 80 anos ou mais

Modelo do estudo: Estudo transversal. Objetivo: Analisar a presença de fatores de risco cardiovascular (FRC) de acordo com o padrão de distribuição de gordura corporal em brasileiros com 80 anos ou mais. Materiais e Método: A amostra foi composta de 113 idosos, com média de idade de 83,4 anos, de ambos os sexos. O percentual de gordura corporal total e abdominal, hipertensão e perfil lipídico foram usados para caracterização dos FRC. O teste qui-quadrado foi utilizado para avaliação das proporções de FRC e o teste Mann-Whitney foi utilizado para comparar os resultados de adiposidade. Resultados: Idosos eutróficos apresentaram baixo triglicerídeos (p=0,017) e colesterol total (p=0,001) além de menores prevalências de hipertensão (p=0,003) e hipertrigliceridemia (p=0,007). Idosos com maior adiposidade abdominal apresentaram maior colesterol total (p=0,026) e prevalência de hipertrigliceridemia (p=0,011) e hipercolesterolemia (p=0,026) quando comparados com os de menor adiposidade abdominal. Aqueles com excesso de gordura (total, ou abdominal ou ambos), com exceção da glicemia (p=0,877), apresentaram alta prevalência de FRC. Aqueles com ambos os excessos de gordura apresentam diferenças, com maior nível de prevalência quando comparados aqueles com apenas um ou nenhum dos excessos. Conclusão: A obesidade, sendo abdominal ou total, é associada, da mesma maneira, com FRC em sujeitos com 80 anos ou maisStudy design: Cross-sectional study. Objective: To analyze the presence of cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) according to the pattern of body fat distribution, in Brazilians aged 80 years or over. Methods: The sample consisted of 113 subjects, of 83.4 years, of both sexes. The percentages of total and abdominal body fat, hypertension and lipid profile were used for characterization of CRFs. The chisquare test was used to assess proportions of CRFs and the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the results of adiposity. Results: Eutrophic subjects presented lower triglycerides (p=0.017), total cholesterol (p=0.001) and prevalence of both hypertension (p=0.003) and hypertriglyceridemia (p=0.007). Subjects with higher abdominal adiposity presented higher total cholesterol (p=0.026) and prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia (p=0.011) and hypercholesterolemia (p=0.026) than those with no excess abdominal adiposity. Those with excess fat (total, abdominal or both), with the exception of glucose (p=0.877), presented a high prevalence of CRFs. Those with both types of excess fat presented differences, with a higher prevalence level when compared to those with only one or neither of the excesses. Conclusion: Obesity, whether abdominal or total, is similarly associated with CRFs in subjects aged 80 years and ove

Evaluation of antifungal activity and potential application as fluorescent probes of indolenine and benzo[e]indole-based squarylium dyes

The antifungal performance and the possible use as fluorescent probes of a series of squarylium dyes derived from indolenine and benzo[e]indole previously synthesized was evaluated. Some photophysical properties were performed in ethanol and phosphate buffer, and the type of aggregates form in phosphate buffer was analyzed. Using the 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran assay, a qualitative assessment of the capacity of dyes to produce singlet oxygen after irradiation was performed. Regarding the antifungal activity, this was studied through a broth microdilution assay using Saccharomyces cerevisiae PYCC 4072 as a biological model. The effect of irradiation of the dyes, with an appropriate light emitting diode system, on the antifungal activity was also evaluated, and it was verified that some of the dyes improve their activity after irradiation. Using fluorescence microscopy techniques, the colocalization of dyes in S. cerevisae cells was investigated and it was possible to verify that some of the squarylium dyes with a barbituric moiety in the four-membered central ring stained and accumulated preferentially in the mitochondrial web and perinuclear membrane of the cells. The possible use as a fluorescent probe for the detection of HSA was also evaluated for one of the dyes of the series, demonstrating a linear variation of the fluorescence intensity accompanied by the increase of the protein concentration.We thank to Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Norte (CCDR-N) and FEDER (European Fund for Regional Development)-COMPETEQREN-EU for financial support to the research centers CQ/UM (UIDB/00686/2020), CBMA (UID/BIA/04050/2020), CQ/VR (UID/QUI/UI0616/2019) and CICSUBI (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007491), as well as PhD grants to V.S.D.G. (UMINHO/BD/43/2016) and J.C.C.F. (SFRH/BD/133207/2017)

Squaraine dyes derived from indolenine and benzo[e]indole as potential fluorescent probes for HSA detection and antifungal agents

Four squaraine dyes derived from 2,3,3-trimethylindolenine and 1,1,2-trimethyl-1H-benzo[e]indole with different combinations of barbituric groups attach to the central ring, having ester groups and alkyl chains in the nitrogen atoms of heterocyclic rings were synthesized. These dyes were fully characterized and their photophysical behavior was studied in ethanol and phosphate-buffered saline solution. Absorption and emission bands between 631 and 712 nm were detected, with the formation of aggregates in aqueous media, which is typical of this class of dyes. Tests carried out with 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran allowed us to verify the ability of the dyes to produce singlet oxygen. The interaction of synthesized dyes with human serum albumin (HSA) was also evaluated, being demonstrated a linear correlation between fluorescence intensity and protein concentration. The antifungal potential of the dyes against the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was evaluated using a broth microdilution assay. In order to test the photosensitizing capacity of the synthesized dyes, tests were carried out in the dark and with irradiation, using a custom-built light-emitting diode that emits close to the absorption wavelength of the studied dyes. The results showed that the interaction of dyes with HSA and the antifungal activity depends on the different structural modifications of the dyes.We thanks to Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Norte (CCDR-N) and FEDER (European Fund for Regional Development)-COMPETEQREN-EU for financial support to the research centers CQ/UM (UIDB/00686/2020), CBMA (UID/BIA/04050/2020), CQ/VR (UID/QUI/UI0616/2019) and CICSUBI (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007491), as well as PhD grants to V.S.D.G. (UMINHO/BD/43/2016) and J.C.C.F. (SFRH/BD/133207/2017)

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Chitooligosaccharides in Vivo

All the reports to date on the anti-inflammatory activity of chitooligosaccharides (COS) are mostly based on in vitro methods. In this work, the anti-inflammatory activity of two COS mixtures is characterized in vivo (using balb/c mice), following the carrageenan-induced paw edema method. This is a widely accepted animal model of acute inflammation to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of drugs. Our data suggest that COS possess anti-inflammatory activity, which is dependent on dose and, at higher doses, also on the molecular weight. A single dose of 500 mg/kg b.w. weight may be suitable to treat acute inflammation cases; however, further studies are needed to ascertain the effect upon longer inflammation periods as well as studies upon the bioavailability of these compounds

Epidemiological profile of cutaneous superficial mycoses in South, Brazil

Cutaneous superficial mycoses appear as lesions on the skin, hair and nails. The highest prevalence is of fungal infections caused by the fungi of the genus Microsporum, Epidermophyton, Trichophyton, Candida and Malassezia. These mycoses are common in tropical regions and are commonly neglected due to lack of patient knowledge, difficult diagnosis and lack of access to health facilities, which makes them a public health problem. In research, mycological examination of patients using Basic Health Units (BHU) was carried out in order to diagnose mycoses. Results: Through this action, it was possible to diagnose and refer to the appropriate treatment 5359 patients, seeking to improve their quality of life. From the results of the mycological exams of these patients during the period from 2011 to 2016, it was possible to trace the epidemiological profile of the State of Rio Grande do Sul and the most prevalent species, contributing to the accomplishment of measures in public health

DNA barcoding identifies cryptic animal tool materials

Funding: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) (Grants BB/G023913/1 and BB/G023913/2 to C.R., and studentship to B.C.K.), the School of Biology at the University of St Andrews (studentships to M.P.S. and B.C.K.), and the Leverhulme Trust (Grant RPG-2015-273 to P.M.H.).Some animals fashion tools or constructions out of plant materials to aid foraging, reproduction, self-maintenance, or protection. Their choice of raw materials can affect the structure and properties of the resulting artifacts, with considerable fitness consequences. Documenting animals’ material preferences is challenging, however, as manufacture behavior is often difficult to observe directly, and materials may be processed so heavily that they lack identifying features. Here, we use DNA barcoding to identify, from just a few recovered tool specimens, the plant species New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) use for crafting elaborate hooked stick tools in one of our long-term study populations. The method succeeded where extensive fieldwork using an array of conventional approaches—including targeted observations, camera traps, radio-tracking, bird-mounted video cameras, and behavioral experiments with wild and temporarily captive subjects—had failed. We believe that DNA barcoding will prove useful for investigating many other tool and construction behaviors, helping to unlock significant research potential across a wide range of study systems.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Sistema team groupware

Orientador: Dieval GuizeliniMonografia (graduação) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Escola Técnica, Curso de Tecnologia em InformáticaInclui bibliografi