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Purpose: The present paper addressed the application of the Six Sigma method for process management to reduce the variability and scrap of packages manufactured at a company located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Methodology/Approach: Exploratory research was conducted to understand the context, analyse, and create familiarity with the problems identified in the company, making them more explicit. Findings: Through Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC) the company was able to identify the main causes of customer complaints and the factors that led to these complaints. Using management tools, it was possible to solve the problems with packaging outside the specifications, which was the reason for complaints from customers. The benefits of this research were the identification and analysis of the quality management tools. Research Limitation/Implication: The present research had as a limitation the application of the method is only one company, so it is proposed as a future study of the application in different production processes of different organizations. Originality/Value of paper: It was evidenced that there is a positive relationship between the application of Quality management methods and company billing, as there was an increase of 1.7% in company billing. In past surveys, new possibilities for improvement to be addressed emerged, making the team aware of the need to continue the process of continuous improvement.

Background Biological drugs used for IBD are detected in breast milk at a concentration below 10% of the maternal serum concentration and have therefore been considered as permitted drugs. However, warnings have recently been published regarding vaccination with live agents in children whose mothers receive infliximab during breastfeeding. Aim To assess the risk of serious adverse events related to the administration of live vaccines in children exposed to biological drugs in utero or whose mothers were receiving biological agents during breastfeeding. Methods Children born to IBD mothers from DUMBO registry of GETECCU were included. DUMBO is a prospective, observational and multicentre registry, which enrolls pregnant women with IBD over 5 years in 70 centres in Spain. Data on treatment during gestation, type of lactation, breastfeeding, end-date of breastfeeding, maternal treatments during breastfeeding and serious adverse events in children from birth are being prospectively included contacting with the mothers every-3-months. Following the Spanish immunization calendar, rotavirus vaccine is (voluntarily) administered at 2, 4 and 6 (3rd dose only with Rotateq®) months; measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) at 12 months and 3-4 years of age; and varicella at 15 months and 3-4 years of age. Results 526 newborns were included in the registry at the time of data analysis. A total of 205 (39%) had been exposed to biologics during pregnancy or breastfeeding (table 1): 80 (42%) during pregnancy, 7 (2%) during breastfeeding, and 109 (57%) during both. Newborn’s demographics and exposure to drugs during breastfeeding are summarized in table 2. Mean follow-up was 12 months; proportion of children breastfed during follow-up is shown in table 3a. The percentage of children who had been vaccinated according to the recommended schedule was above 95% at all visits (table 3b). Live vaccines administered to children exposed in utero to biologics during the 3rd trimester of gestation are shown in table 4a. From birth, 71% of infants were breastfed (52% exclusively breastfed). Live vaccines administered to children breastfed at least until month 6, until month 12 and until month 15 are summarized in table 4b. No serious adverse event related to live vaccine was reported in our cohort. Conclusion Administration of live virus vaccines from 12 months of age in children born to IBD mothers and exposed to biological drugs in utero or during breastfeeding seems safe and should not be recommended against vaccination or breastfeeding. Rotavirus vaccine (under 6 months of age) appears to be equally safe in these children.

Context: Understanding the musculoskeletal adaptations in the shoulder complex of varying ages of tennis athletes may suggest preventive protocols and conditioning and rehabilitation programs to this population. This study aimed to generate a bilateral descriptive profile of shoulder flexibility, scapular and clavicular position, and muscle strength in pediatric and adult amateur tennis athletes. The outcome measures were compared between groups and sides. The number and percentage of athletes “at risk” according to cutoff values for shoulder range of motion (ROM) were also analyzed. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 36 pediatric and 28 adult amateur tennis athletes were tested. Outcome measures were ROM of shoulder flexion, abduction, internal and external rotation, posterior capsule tightness, pectoralis minor index (PMI), scapular upward rotation, clavicular elevation, and strength of the external rotators, serratus anterior, and lower trapezius of the dominant/nondominant sides. Results: Pediatric athletes had greater dominant side external rotation (P = .01) and total ROM (P = .04), increased Low Flexion test (P = .01), and decreased PMI (P = .01) compared with the adults. Bilaterally, the pediatric athletes had greater dominant side external rotation ROM (P P = .002) as compared with their nondominant side, whereas the adults displayed lower values on posterior capsule tightness (P = .01) and decreased PMI (P = .02) on their dominant side compared with their nondominant side. For the remaining outcomes, no interaction effects were observed. The cutoff values for shoulder ROM showed that several athletes were “at risk” of shoulder problems. Conclusion: Upper extremity adaptations at the shoulder are present in both pediatric and adult tennis athletes. These data can assist clinicians in better understanding the biomechanical adaptations in the shoulder of amateur tennis athletes in different age groups.

The systemic delivery of drugs employed by conventional methods has shown to be less effective than a localized delivery system. Many drugs have the effectiveness reduced by fast clearance, increasing the amount required for an efficient treatment. One way to overcome this drawback is through the use of thermoresponsive polymers that undergo a sol-gel transition at physiological temperature, allowing their injection directly in the desired site. In this work, thermosensitive nanocomposites based on poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) and silica particles with 80 and 330 nm were synthesized to be employed as delivery systems for hydrophobic (naringin) and hydrophilic (doxorubicin hydrochloride) drugs. The insertion of SiO2 increased the rheological properties of the nanocomposite at 37 °C, which helps to prevent its diffusion away from the site of injection. The synthesized materials were also able to control the drug release for a period of 7 days under physiological conditions. Due to its higher hydrophobicity and better interaction with the PNVCL matrix, naringin presented a more controlled release. The Korsmeyer-Peppas model indicated different release mechanisms for each drug. At last, a preliminary in vitro study of DOX-loaded nanocomposites cultured with L929 and MB49 cells showed negligible toxic effects on healthy cells and better efficient inhibition of carcinoma cells.

Background Eragrostis plana is the main invasive plant in the Pampa Biome of southern Brazil. This plant is highly competitive, tolerant to abiotic stresses, and very difficult to manage. Plants exposed to abiotic stresses and herbicides develop mechanisms that help alleviate or reduce damage caused by stressors and transmit this ability to the progenies. Objective The study’s objectives were to ascertain whether acclimatization to stress due to drought and sub-lethal doses of glyphosate may decrease plant sensitivity to glyphosate and investigate the possible memory mechanisms involved in this process. Methods A population of E. plana was submitted to drought, glyphosate, or a combination of drought plus glyphosate for two generations. The progenies were analyzed for sensitivity to the herbicide glyphosate and for biochemical, metabolites, and molecular responses. Results When testing sensitivity to glyphosate in the G 2 generations, the DRYxGLY (plants stressed with drought plus glyphosate) was the least sensitive (ED50 443.0 g a.e. ha-1), while CHK (without stresses) was the most sensitive (ED50 278.0 g a.e. ha-1). Evaluating the effects of glyphosate, the CHK population showed a greater accumulation of oxidative damage and shikimic acid. While DRYxGLY had greater antioxidant activity and higher expressions of the EPSPS and ABC-carrier MRP10 genes. Conclusions Recurrent selection with drought stress and sub-lethal rate of glyphosate (DRYxGLY) showed reduced sensitivity to glyphosate in the second generation ( G 2 ). The conjunction of factors, including the upregulation of EPSPS and the ABC MRP10 transporter, antioxidant enzymes seem to decrease the sensitivity of the DRYxGLY population to glyphosate.

The insertion of nanoparticles into smart hydrogels can diversify their functionalities by a synergistic combination of the components properties within the hydrogels. While these hybrid systems are attractive to the biomaterials field, careful design and control of their properties are required since the new interactions between the polymer and the nanoparticles can result in changes or the loss of hydrogels stimuli response. In order to understand the physicochemical aspects of the thermoresponsive systems, nanocomposites of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL) and silica nanoparticles with different sizes and concentrations were synthesized. The UV-vis and DLS techniques showed that the PNVCL has a sharp phase transition at 34 °C, while the nanocomposites have a diffuse transition. The nanocomposites showed an initial coil-globule transition before the phase transition takes place. This was identified by the evolution of the hydrodynamic diameter of the nanocomposite globules before the cloud point temperature (Tcp), which remained constant for PNVCL. This new transition profile can be described by two stages in which microscopic volume transitions occur first, followed by the macroscopic transition that forms the hydrogel. These results show that the proposed nanocomposites can be designed to have tunable stimuli response to smaller temperature variations with the formation of intermediate globule states.

BACKGROUND: Physical therapy is essential to help patients to recover their movements and function following a rotator cuff repair. However, there are uncertainties regarding how long a sling should be used for and when exercises should be started. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current clinical practice of Brazilian physical therapists treating patients who had a rotator cuff repair. We also explored differences between shoulder specialists and non-specialists. METHODS: An online survey with 38 questions, including a clinical case, regarding the physical therapy clinical practice for patients having a rotator cuff repair. RESULTS: We analyzed 194 responses. Majority of participants were from the Southeast of Brazil (57.5%), had up to 10 years of clinical experience (61.4%) and were not shoulder-specialists (69.8%). Majority of the respondents stated that patients have their first post-operative physical therapy session within the first three weeks (51%). Patients usually use a sling for four to six weeks (60.6%). Passive mobilization is often started in the first-week post-surgery. Fifteen percent of shoulder specialists compared to only six percent of non-shoulder specialists would allow strengthening exercises to start between the first and third weeks post-surgery. CONCLUSION: Physical therapists in Brazil seems to follow similar postoperative programs to other countries. Shoulder specialists allow a faster return to activities and start of strengthening exercises.

Background The safety of ustekinumab in pregnant patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in their offspring has been barely studied. Aims Primary: To know the risk of serious adverse events (SAEs) in women exposed to ustekinumab during pregnancy and in their offspring. Secondary: To assess the risk of complications of the mothers and their offspring. To describe the patterns of use of ustekinumab during pregnancy in these patients Methods Patients with IBD exposed to ustekinumab during pregnancy from DUMBO registry of GETECCU were included. DUMBO is a prospective, observational and multicentre registry, which enrols pregnant women with IBD over 5 years in 70 centres in Spain. The registry was kicked off in September 2019. SAE definition was based on “Clinical Safety Data Management: Definitions and Standards for Expedited Reporting by European Medicines Agency”. Study protocol is summarized in figure 1. Results 49 pregnant patients have been exposed to ustekinumab during pregnancy so far (table 1). All pregnancies were singleton. Two patients were lost of follow-up (1st and 2nd trimester) but had uneventful pregnancies up-to last visit. There were 2 miscarriages (4%) at 1st trimester of gestation, 34 newborns and 11 pregnancies that were still on-going at the time of this analysis. All patients were on ustekinumab at conception (57% of them 90 mg/8 weeks). A total of 12 patients (24%) withdrawn ustekinumab during pregnancy: 1 (8%) due to disease flare, 1 (8%) underwent surgery due to intestinal obstruction, 2 (17%) due to patient’s choice (at 1st and 2nd trimester), and 8 (67%) due to clinicians’ decision (1 at 1st, 5 at 2nd and 2 at 3rd trimesters). No patient flared up after ustekinumab discontinuation. 10 (20%) patients had SAEs: 2 miscarriages, 1 intestinal infection, 1 subcorionic hematoma, 3 preterm birth, 1 intestinal obstruction and perforation (underwent surgery), 1 preeclapmsia, and 1 stoma obstruction. A total of 34 women gave birth after a median of 39 weeks gestation [interquartile range (IQR)=38–40], 3 (9%) preterm births, 55% by caesarean section (82% obstetric reasons and 18% perianal fistulae). Of the 34 newborns, 53% were female, median birth weight was 3,110 g (IQR=2,820–3,325), 3 (9%) low-birth weight, and 50% were breastfed exclusively. Median babies’ follow-up was 12 months (IQR=7–16). During follow-up, 3 children (9%) had severe infections (2 urinary infections, and 1 bronchiolitis by respiratory syncytial virus). In addition, 4 (13%) children were hospitalized: 1 cardiorespiratory arrest, 1 prematurity, 1 jaundice, and 1 vesicoureteral reflux Conclusion Ustekinumab seems to be safe during pregnancy in patients with IBD and their offspring.

Artificial reproduction in dairy cattle is challenged by summer temperatures in tropical environments. We describe a treatment based on mild temperature increases to induce thermotolerance and improve the embryo’s performance under heat stress conditions. A protocol was established to induce upregulation of heat shock protein A (HSPA, formerly known as HSP70) but not impair embryonic development. Thermal treatment (TT) had no effect on morula/blastocyst rate or blastocyst quality (cell number and apoptosis). Heat shock given one day after TT revealed higher (P = 0.00) survival rates in TT blastocysts compared with Control. Treated embryos were transferred to recipients and no detrimental effects were observed regarding pregnancy rates, length, fetal growth or calf weight. Our results demonstrated that the established TT protocol could induce a thermal response by the embryo and is safe for further development.

Background Scapular focused exercise interventions are frequently used to treat individuals with shoulder pain. However, evidence for changes in scapular motion after intervention is limited. Objective To compare the effects of scapular movement training versus standardized exercises for individuals with shoulder pain. Methods This will be a single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four individuals with shoulder pain for at least 3 months, scapular dyskinesis, and a positive scapular assistance test will be randomly allocated to one of two groups: Scapular Movement Training (group 1) and Standardized Exercises (group 2). Group 1 will receive education about scapular position and movement, and be trained to modify the scapular movement pattern. Group 2 will perform stretching and strengthening exercises. Both groups will be treated twice a week for eight weeks. Three-dimensional scapular kinematics and muscle activity of the serratus anterior and upper, middle, and lower trapezius during elevation and lowering of the arm will be assessed at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment. Pain intensity, function, fear avoidance beliefs, and kinesiophobia will be assessed at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment, and 4 weeks after the end of treatment. Conclusions The results of this study may contribute to a better understanding of the efficacy of scapular focused treatments for individuals with shoulder pain. Clinical trial registration: NCT03528499

Vitrification is a superior method for cryopreservation of IVF embryos, but due to complicated warming protocols, it is not commonly used for commercial bovine embryos routine. To overcome the need of laboratory embryo preparation during warming, we developed an in-straw warming protocol compatible with most vitrification devices for embryo transfer without sucrose gradient steps and embryo evaluation. Surprisingly, one of the tested protocols improved embryo survival (95.0%* vs 83.1% expansion rate and 74.2%* vs 51.5% hatching rate) compared to conventional in-plate warming. Embryo quality was also increased, taken by the higher total cell numbers (160.7 ± 8.6* vs 99.0 ± 7.9) and lower apoptosis index (4.9 ± 0.6* vs 11.5 ± 2.4) 48 h after warming. Pregnancy rates were similar between vitrified-warmed embryos and fresh embryos (40% vs 43%). Based on our results, we suggest in-straw warming should always be used for vitrified embryos due to beneficial effects. Direct transfer can be safely performed using this protocol.

Objective To evaluate the association of sleep problems with weight and waist size gain during four years of follow-up. Methods We investigated 13,030 participants (35–74 years) of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), a multicentric cohort conducted with civil servants from six academic institutions recruited between 2008 and 2010. Sleep problems were assessed at baseline by the Clinical Interview Schedule - Revised (CIS-R), designed to detect common mental disorders based on somatic, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Weight and waist size were measured at baseline and at follow-up (2012–2014). Large weight and waist size gain were defined as ≥ 90th percentile (≥1.65 kg/year and ≥2.41 cm/year, respectively). Results Sleep problems were associated with higher risk of a large weight gain (RR = 1.11; 95% CI 1.01–1.24) and large waist size gain (RR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.07–1.32), adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, income, educational level, investigation center, smoking, alcohol intake, dietary energy intake, leisure-time physical activity and body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference at baseline. After additional adjustment for common mental disorders the associations became non-significant (RR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.88–1.12; RR = 1.08; 95% CI 0.97–1.22, respectively). Conclusion Sleep problems are associated with increased risk of developing large weight and waist size gain, but are not independently associated with common mental disorders.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:02:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-03-01 Aim: To assemble, characterize and assess the antifungal effects of a new fluconazole (FLZ)-carrier nanosystem. Materials & methods: The nanosystem was prepared by loading FLZ on chitosan (CS)-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). Antifungal effects were evaluated on planktonic cells (by minimum inhibitory concentration determination) and on biofilms (by quantification of cultivable cells, total biomass, metabolism and extracellular matrix) of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. Results: Characterization results ratified the formation of a nanosystem (

Background: Clearfield® (CL) rice is one of the most successful tools for selective weedy rice control, using imidazolinone herbicides (IMI). However, IMI have residual soil activity and may carryover to non-tolerant crops growing in succession. It is necessary to find options to reduce IMI persistence in paddy rice fields. Objective: Evaluate the effect of water management on IMI dissipation in rice paddy and its carryover to soybean and non-CL rice. Methods: The herbicide mixture of imazapyr and imazapic totalizing 147 g a.i. ha−1 and 49 g a.i. ha−1, respectively, was applied half in preemergence (S3 stage – rice spike stage) and the other half in postemergence (V3-V4 rice stage). After herbicide application, a total of 21 samples were taken for analysis of residues. Soil samples were air dried and herbicides residues were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Results: Calculated field dissipation half-life (DT½) of imazapyr was 182.5 and 42.0 days in continuous flooding and intermittent water management, respectively. Imazapic had a DT½ of 96.3 days on intermittent water management. No adjustment for the dissipation regression parameters was obtained for imazapic in continuous water management. No reduction in yield components was observed in soybean when grown in soil with imidazolinone residues. On the other hand, non-CL rice showed decreased shoot dry weight and stem number. Conclusion: Imidazolinone herbicides have a longer half-life under continuous rice water management than intermittent. Therefore, growers can use intermittent irrigation in ares prone to IMI carryover and can use soybean in rotation.

Climate change is predicted to drive various changes in hydrology that can translate into risks for river ecosystems and for those who manage rivers, such as for hydropower. Here we use the WWF Water Risk Filter (WRF) and geospatial analysis to screen hydropower projects, both existing (2488 dams) and projected (3700 dams), for a variety of risks at a global scale, focusing on biodiversity risks, hydrological risks (water scarcity and flooding), and how those hydrological risks may shift with climate change, based on three scenarios. Approximately 26% of existing hydropower dams and 23% of projected dams are within river basins that currently have medium to very high risk of water scarcity; 32% and 20% of the existing and projected dams, respectively, are projected to have increased risk by 2050 due to climate change. For flood risk, 75% of existing dams and 83% of projected dams are within river basins with medium to very high risk, and the proportion of hydropower dams in basins with the highest levels of flood risk is projected to increase by nearly twenty times (e.g., from 2% to 36% of dams). In addition, a large proportion of existing (76%) and projected hydropower dams (93%) are located in river basins with high or very high freshwater biodiversity importance. This is a high-level screening, intended to elucidate broad patterns of risk to increase awareness, highlight trends, and guide more detailed studies.

Content from this work may be used under the terms of theCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. Gallium nitride commercial transistors (GaN FET) are great candidates as power devices tolerant to the effects of Total ionizing dose (TID). Therefore, we have evaluated its robustness by analysing parameters in its characteristic parameters. Devices were exposed to a 10 keV X-ray source accumulating a total of 350 krad(Si). However, results indicate that the tested components are more tolerant to the effects of TID when in on-state mode rather than the off-mode, that is, when the device is working, which is good news for COTS applications in environments subject to the effects of ionizing radiation.

An analysis of the muscle mechanical properties (MMPs) of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) is relevant for understanding the physiopathology of urinary incontinence (UI). However, there is no objective and reliable methodology currently available for quantifying the MMPs of PFMs. Thus, the objective was to determine the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the MMPs of PFM assessment with a hand-held tonometer device, called the MyotonPRO, in young women with and without UI. Sociodemographic and pelvic floor questionnaires, plus MMPs of PFMs were assessed in 38 nulliparous women with UI and 40 matched healthy women by two trained physiotherapists on two different occasions, 48–72 h apart. Good to excellent absolute reliability was found for tone, stiffness, and decrement of both intra- and inter-rater analyses in both study groups (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient ranged from 0.75 to 0.92), with a trend of lower values for relaxation and creep. The standard error of measurement (SEM) did not achieve 10% of the mean values for any MMPs. The minimum detectable change (MDC) values were also provided for clinical applications. In conclusion, the relative reliability of tone, stiffness, and the assessment of the decrement of PFMs with MyotonPRO is good to excellent for UI and healthy women. The SEM and MDC values were acceptable for their application in clinical settings.

Background Prospective registries are necessary to evaluate the safety of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment during pregnancy and in children in the long term. Aims The overall aim of DUMBO registry is to know the risk of serious adverse events (SAEs) during pregnancy and in children up to 4 years of age exposed during pregnancy to drugs for IBD (mainly focused on biologics), compared to unexposed children. In this analysis we aim to evaluate the risk of SAEs during pregnancy and the predictive factors of it (mainly focused on IBD drugs). Methods Prospective, observational and multicentre registry, which enrols pregnant women with IBD (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBD-unclassified) over 5 years in 70 centres in Spain. The registry was kicked off in September 2019. SAE was defined based on “Clinical Safety Data Management: Definitions and Standards for Expedited Reporting by European Medicines Agency”. Study protocol is summarized in figure 1. Results 433 women have been included so far; 241 got pregnant at least 9 months before this interim analysis (table 1). Mean age was 34 years, and 17% of women had active disease at any time during pregnancy. 23% of pregnancies were exposed to immumodulators (thiopurines), 25% to biologics and 10% to combo therapy (biologics and immunomodulators). 85 pregnancies (35%) were exposed to biologics (60 anti-TNF, 17 ustekinumab, and 8 vedolizumab) either in combo or in monotherapy. There were 237 newborns (227 singleton and 5 pair of twins), 9 miscarriages and 1 abortion. 72% of patients had vaginal delivery and 28% C-sections (18% due to perianal CD or active disease). A total of 59 pregnancies (24.5%) reported at least one SAE: 32% in exposed to biologics and 20.5% in non-exposed group (p>0.05) (figure 2). Four out of 17 pregnancies exposed to ustekinumab and 3 out of 8 exposed to vedolizumab had SAEs (non-related with the drug). In the multivariate analysis, adjusted by disease activity, in comparison with no immunosuppressive treatment, neither immunosuppressants [Odds ratio (OR)=1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.3–4.3] nor biologics in monotherapy or in combo (OR=0.8; 95%CI=0.2–3) were associated with higher risk of SAEs. 40 patients (17%) were hospitalised due to complications during pregnancy or delivery (figure 3). Two patients underwent surgery during pregnancy due to IBD complications Conclusion IBD treatment (either immunomodulators or biologics) does not increase the risk of SAEs during pregnancy. Nevertheless, one-quarter of IBD women suffer SAEs during pregnancy and about 20% need hospitalisation, which should be taken into account when managing IBD during pregnancy.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:47:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-11-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Infected cutaneous ulcers from diabetic rats with Candida albicans and Streptococcus aureus were treated with spray formulations containing green silver nanoparticles (GS), chemical silver nanoparticles (CS), or pomegranate peel extract (PS). After wound development and infection, the treatments were performed twice per day for 14 days. The wound healing was analyzed on days 2, 7, and 14 through the determination of CFUs, inflammatory infiltrate, angiogenesis, fibroplasia, myeloperoxidase, and collagen determination. Expressive improvement in wound healing was noted using both silver nanoparticles for 7 days. All the treatments were superior to controls and promoted significant S. aureus reduction after 14 days. CS presented better anti-inflammatory results, and GS and CS the highest number of fibroblasts. Despite the techniques’ limitations, GS and CS demonstrated considerable potential for managing infected wounds, especially considering no early strategies prior to the drugs, such as the debridement of these wounds, were included. Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics School of Dentistry São Paulo State University (UNESP) Laboratory of Research Development & Innovation Apis Flora Industrial e Comercial Ltda Department of Chemistry Federal University of São Carlos Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics School of Dentistry São Paulo State University (UNESP) FAPESP: 2016/04230-9

Objetivos: O estudo tem o objetivo de avaliar a implementação de protocolo de tratamento para leucemia linfoblástica (LLA) com estratificação de risco baseado em pesquisa de doença residual mínima (DRM). Material e métodos: Realizou-se estudo observacional e analítico com delineamento longitudinal retrospectivo. Incluíram-se pacientes com LLA, com idade entre 1 e 18 anos, que realizaram tratamento no Hospital da Criança de Brasília (HCB) entre 06 de 2018 e 06 de 2021. Nos dias 15, 33 e 78, realizou-se avaliação de DRM por citometria de fluxo de 8 cores de nova geração (CFNG) em medula óssea. Os pacientes foram estratificados para os braços de tratamento conforme descrito a seguir. Baixo Risco (BR): LLA-B; 5%; DRM D78 >0,01%; presença das translocações BCR-ABL ou MLL-AF4. Risco intermediário (RI): demais pacientes. Para casos específicos, aceitaram-se ajustes das classificações fora dos critérios descritos. O teste de Log Rank (Mantel-Cox) foi utilizado para comparação de curvas de sobrevida global (SG) e livre de doença (SLD). Resultados: Foram incluídos 82 pacientes, sendo 78 com LLA-B e 4 com LLA-T. Desses, 15 foram classificados como BR, 50 RI e 17 AR. Houve 14 óbitos (17,07%) e 4 recaídas (4,87%), sendo duas (2,43%) isoladas em SNC. Dos óbitos, 5 (35,71%) estavam classificados como RI e 9 (64,29%) como AR; não houve óbitos no grupo BR. Houve diferença estatística significativa para a SG entre os grupos de classificação de risco (p

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T15:39:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-05-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial/antibiofilm and mechanical properties, and the effect on enamel demineralization of a resin-modified GIC (RMGIC) containing CHX and nano-sized sodium trimetaphosphate (TMP). Methods: RMGIC was associated with CHX (1.25 or 2.5%) and/or TMP (7 or 14%). Antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity were assessed using agar diffusion test and evaluation of biofilm metabolism, respectively. In addition, fluoride (F) and TMP releases as well as the diametral tensile (DTS) and compressive (CS) strength were determined. The percentage of mineral loss (%SH), integrated loss of subsurface hardness (ΔKHN) and enamel F concentrations were also evaluated. Results: RMGICs containing CHX associated or not with TMP presented higher inhibition zones and effect on S. mutans biofilm. A reduction on CS was observed only for RMGIC + 2.5%CHX and on DTS for RMGIC + 2.5%CHX + 14%TMP. The highest F and TMP releases and lowest %SH and ΔKHN values were detected for RMGIC + 1.25%CHX + 14%TMP and RMGIC + 2.5%CHX + 14%TMP. Higher enamel F concentrations were observed for TMP groups. Conclusion: 1.25%CHX and 14%TMP increased antimicrobial/antibiofilm action and the ability to prevent enamel demineralization, with minimal effect on the mechanical properties of RMGIC. Clinical significance: RMGIC containing CHX and TMP is an alternative material for patients at high risk for dental caries and can be indicated for low-stress regions or provisional restorations. Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Dentistry Department of Surgery and Integrated Clinic São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Dentistry Department of Chemistry Federal University of São Carlos Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Dentistry Department of Surgery and Integrated Clinic São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Dentistry

Background Posterior capsule tightness (PCT) and shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) symptoms are both associated with altered shoulder biomechanics and impairments. However, their combined effect on kinematics, pain, range of motion (ROM), strength, and function remain unknown. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine if the combination of PCT and SIS affects scapular and humeral kinematics, glenohumeral joint ROM, glenohumeral joint external rotation strength, pain, and function differently than does either factor (PCT or SIS) alone. Design The design was a cross-sectional group comparison. Methods Participants were placed into 1 of 4 groups based on the presence or absence of SIS and PCT: control group (n = 28), PCT group (n = 27), SIS group (n = 25), and SIS + PCT group (n = 25). Scapular kinematics and humeral translations were quantified with an electromagnetic motion capture system. Shoulder internal rotation and external rotation ROM, external rotation strength, and pain and Shoulder Pain and Disabilities Index scores were compared between groups with ANOVA. Results The SIS group had greater scapular internal rotation (mean difference = 5.13°; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.53°–8.9°) and less humeral anterior translation (1.71 mm; 95% CI = 0.53–2.9 mm) than the other groups. Groups without PCT had greater internal rotation ROM (16.05°; 95% CI = 5.09°–28.28°). The SIS + PCT group had lower pain thresholds at the levator scapulae muscle (108.02 kPa; 95% CI = 30.15–185.88 kPa) and the highest Shoulder Pain and Disabilities Index score (∼ 44.52; 95% CI = 33.41–55.63). Limitations These results may be limited to individuals with impingement symptoms and cannot be generalized to other shoulder conditions. Conclusions Decreased ROM and lower pain thresholds were found in individuals with both impingement symptoms and PCT. However, the combination of factors did not influence scapular and humeral kinematics.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T16:03:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-03-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Acrylic resin employed in dental materials can act as substrate for microorganisms’ adhesion and biofilm formation. To overcome this, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were combined with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to reduce denture stomatitis caused by Candida glabrata. Although AgNPs antimicrobial activity is already known, the physicochemical properties of its nanocomposites, which dictate the performance of these commercial targets remain little explored. We evaluated the effect of different amount of AgNPs in PMMA obtained by the thermal polymerization. Among the mechanical tests employed, PMMA flexural strength decreased with higher AgNPs concentration. The microbiological adhesion test against Candida glabrata revealed the nanocomposite with 0.05% of AgNPs has greater capacity to inhibit the biofilm formed on its surface. Although we observed distinct thermo-mechanical behavior in the presence of AgNPs, antimicrobial property was not linearly dependent of nanoparticles concentration and was influenced by nanoparticles dispersion and distribution in the polymer matrix. Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) Department of Chemistry Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Electrochemistry and Ceramics (LIEC), Rod. Washington Luis, Km 235 State University of São Paulo (UNESP) Araçatuba Dental School Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health, Rua José Bonifácio 1193 Federal Institute of Education Science and Technology of Goias – Campus Uruaçu (IFG), Rua Formosa, Qd 28 e 29, Loteamento Santana Graduate Program in Dentistry (GPD) – Master's Degree University of Western São Paulo (UNOESTE), Rua José Bongiovani 700 State University of São Paulo (UNESP) Araçatuba Dental School Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health, Rua José Bonifácio 1193 FAPESP: 2012/07067-0 FAPESP: 2012/17880-0 FAPESP: 2015/13958-3

Silver materials are known to present excellent properties, such as high electrical and thermal conductivity as well as chemical stability. Silver-based inks have drawn a lot of attention for being compatible with various substrates, which can be used in the production uniform and stable pseudo-reference electrodes with low curing temperatures. Furthermore, the interest in the use of disposable electrodes has been increasing due to the low cost and the possibility of their use in point-of-care and point-of-need situations. Thus, in this work, two new inks were developed using Ag as conductive material and colorless polymers (nail polish (NP) and shellac (SL)), and applied to different substrates (screen-printed electrodes, acetate sheets, and 3D-printed electrodes) to verify the performance of the proposed inks. Measurements attained with open circuit potential (OCP) attested to the stability of the potential of the pseudo-reference proposed for 1 h. Analytical curves for β-estradiol were also obtained using the devices prepared with the proposed inks as pseudo-references electrodes, which presented satisfactory results concerning the potential stability (RSD < 2.6%). These inks are simple to prepare and present great alternatives for the development of pseudo-reference electrodes useful in the construction of disposable electrochemical systems.

A comercialização de organismos aquáticos ornamentais se destaca entre os vários segmentos do mercado Pet no Brasil. Dentre as diversas espécies utilizadas para a aquariofilia, as carpas coloridas, conhecidas como Koi ou Nishikigoi (Cyprinus Carpio L.), representam a principal espécie comercializada no país. Neste contexto, o presente estudo realizou a análise da viabilidade econômica da produção de carpa Nishikigoi em uma piscicultura comercial instalada na região metropolitana de São Paulo que comercializa animais para o mercado Pet brasileiro de peixes ornamentais. Avaliaram-se três hectares de lâmina de água durante dez ciclos de produção por ano. Neste período, foram obtidos os custos totais de produção (CT) e os custos operacionais efetivos (COE) e custos operacionais totais (COT), acrescidos dos custos fixos para operacionalização deste agronegócio. Indicadores econômicos foram aplicados para avaliar a viabilidade de investimento no negócio por meio da taxa interna de retorno (TIR), valor presente líquido (VPL), período de retorno do capital (PRC) e relação custo-benefício do investimento (RCB). A projeção de investimento inicial foi de ̴2.3 milhões de reais. Os indicadores econômicos de viabilidade mais expressivos foram obtidos pelo TIR de 10.41% ao ano e VPL de aproximadamente 1.6 milhões de reais, considerando o fluxo líquido de caixa para o período de dez anos. O período de retorno do capital investido poderá ser alcançado em 7.15 anos com um RBC em 1.68 reais. Dessa maneira, o cenário estudado demostrou a viabilidade de investir neste agronegócio sendo um empreendimento promissor do setor da aquicultura.

L-Citrulline is a non-essential but still important amino acid that is released from enterocytes. Because plasma levels are reduced in case of impaired intestinal function, it has become a biomarker to monitor intestinal integrity. Moreover, oxidative stress induces protein citrullination, and antibodies against anti-citrullinated proteins are useful to monitor rheumatoid diseases. Citrullinated histones, however, may even predict a worse outcome in cancer patients. Supplementation of citrulline is better tolerated compared to arginine and might be useful to slightly improve muscle strength or protein balance. The following article shall provide an overview of L-citrulline properties and functions, as well as the current evidence for its use as a biomarker or as a therapeutic supplement.

We present a high-resolution metocean forecast model (Aimar), which provides 24/7 results for the Brazilian coast. The model integrates global model boundary conditions and detailed coastal models, especially for complex geometry areas near ports and major coastal cities. The aim of this paper is to assess the forecast reliability and to present model data compared to in-situ measurements under high energy weather events. Mean wind velocity and direction were investigated during the occurrence of an extratropical cyclone near Brazilian coast. The model has been assessed by comparing its results to two specific events, one for winds and one for waves. Results of the tested wind event show that Aimar results predict the high energy winds in advance of 5 days, while NCEP’s Global Forecast System Ensemble (GFSe) predicted the same event in advance of 2–3 days, for the region of Santos city. Results of the tested wave event show that Aimar forecasts properly represent the wave propagation for complex geometry coasts. The high-resolution coastal model could predict the nearshore state of sea agitation caused by the passage of a cold front. Model agreement with in-situ wave measurements adjacent to Rio de Janeiro-RJ city were considered Excellent and Good, according to statistical parameters R and RMAE. These results show that high-resolution coastal forecast models can be applied to increase the efficiency, resource uses and reduce the risks for marine operations and engineering works.

The impacts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have raised public concerns regarding the sustainability and security of food supplies, prompting the investigation of alternative methods that have combinations of both agricultural and environmental benefits, such as the use of biofertilizers involving microbes. These types of microbial inoculants are living microorganisms that colonize the soil or plant tissues when applied to the soil, seeds, or plant surfaces, facilitating plant nutrient acquisition. They can enhance plant growth by transforming nutrients into a form assimilable by plants and by acting as biological control agents, known as plant growth-promoting bacteria. The potential use of bacteria as biofertilizers in agriculture constitutes an economical and eco-friendly way to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In this context, nanotechnology has emerged as a new source of quality enrichment for the agricultural sector. The use of nanoparticles can be an effective method to meet the challenges regarding the effectiveness of biofertilizers in natural environments. Given the novel sustainable strategies applied in agricultural systems, this review addresses the effects of nanoparticles on beneficial plant bacteria for promoting plant growth.

Gas sensors are used for measuring the concentration of pressure of gases around their vicinity. These sensors are equipped with highly sensitive sensing elements of nanostructured materials. They find extensive application in residences, urban areas, smart farms, military systems, and industries for detecting toxic gases, including hydrogen sulfide, ammonium, carbon monoxide, and several species of nitrogen oxide, or to control the partial pressure of oxygen inside confined spaces, such as submarines, military aircraft, or chambers for hyperbaric treatments. The rise in demand from critical industries for gas sensors is due to environmental regulation of gas emissions or the monitoring of air quality in metropolitan areas due to vehicle emissions; these are the major factors driving the growth of the gas sensors market, which can open new opportunities for small companies in high technology and nanotechnology. The advent of a new era based on the Internet of Things (IoT) in smart cities, residences, and farms, as well as on smartphones and wearable devices, also represents an opportunity for advanced gas sensors. These lower-power, more affordable sensors are becoming available and are being integrated into consumer electronics. Here our emphasis is on highlighting the market segments and the different priorities underlying the choice of environmental sensor, which varies with the application. The principal gas sensors are pellistor sensors, infrared sensors, metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensors, electrochemical sensors, and optical particle monitor (OPM) sensors. This chapter summarizes some examples of highly sensitive nanostructured material sensors in smart cities, smart farming, and process and manufacturing industries for detecting various toxic gases, including hydrogen sulfide, ammonium, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T10:51:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-01-01 Objective: To systematically review the effectiveness of electromyographic biofeedback interventions to improve pain and function of patients with shoulder pain. Design: Systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Literature search: Databases (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PEDro, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and SCOPUS) were searched in December 2020. Study selection criteria: Randomized clinical trials that investigated the effects of electromyographic biofeedback for individuals with shoulder pain. Patient-reported pain and functional outcomes were collected and synthesized. Data synthesis: The level of evidence was synthesized using GRADE and Standardized Mean Differences and 95% confidence interval were calculated using a random-effects inverse variance model for meta-analysis. Results: Five studies were included with a total sample of 272 individuals with shoulder pain. Very-low quality of evidence indicated that electromyographic biofeedback was not superior to control for reducing shoulder pain (standardized mean differences = −0.21, 95% confidence interval: −0.67 to 0.24, P = 0.36). Very-low quality of evidence indicated that electromyographic biofeedback interventions were not superior to control for improving shoulder function (standardized mean differences = −0.11, 95% confidence interval: −0.41 to 0.19, P = 0.48). Conclusion: Electromyographic biofeedback may be not effective for improving shoulder pain and function. However, the limited number of included studies and very low quality of evidence does not support a definitive recommendation about the effectiveness of electromyographic biofeedback to treat individuals with shoulder pain. Laboratory of Analysis and Intervention of the Shoulder Complex Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar) São Carlos Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics Araraquara Dental School Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics Araraquara Dental School Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara

Measurement of affective user experience is not straightforward as it is typically to measure the physical properties of the elements that aggregate a product For this purpose, it is necessary to develop metrics associating observed user experience in the real world with a relevant latent (i.e., unobserved) attribute of the product. However, metrics for latent variables can be undermined by misinterpretation, ambiguity, unfamiliarity, bias, redundancy and multidimensionality. For this reason, anomalies in data ought to be investigated through a robust measurement theory to determine to what extent they corrupt quantitative properties. This paper shows that Rasch measurement theory, which embraces a family of probabilistic models, provides procedures referred to as calibration to test the hypothesis that the metric fulfils measurement principles. As a result, linear scales of affective user experience can be aligned to physical properties of products, allowing generalization of comparisons beyond the particular sample under which a particular product experience was observed.

The ability to produce phase pure and compositionally controlled nanomaterials at temperatures lower than the ones required by solid state reaction methods is one of the most important features in a solution-chemistry synthetic method. The sol–gel based methods usually use many of organic compounds throughout the synthetic process, which can be detrimental to certain applications, as high quantities of residual carbon can be found along the final product. The Oxidant Peroxo Method, usually known by the acronym OPM, is a solution-chemistry method based on the production of peroxo complexes with hydrogen peroxide and different transition metal ions at alkaline pH. The production of these peroxo complexes leads to an amorphous material that upon calcination produces phase pure transition metal oxides with controlled composition. One special feature of the OPM method is the total absence of the organic compounds during the synthesis, which avoids the presence of undesired pyrolyzed organic molecules mixed with the metal oxide product. Additionally, the absence of organic compounds produces an oxidizing atmosphere during the synthesis, yielding very reactive powders, facilitating the production highly dense ceramic pellets for electronic applications. The production of powders with surface containing peroxo groups, also, has been beneficial for increasing the photocatalytic activity of titanium-based compounds and for use as a precursor in the solid-state reactions, which considerably decreases the processing temperature. Since its inception and first publication, back in 2001, the OPM method has been successfully applied by different research groups worldwide to produce binary oxides, i.e. TiO2, tertiary oxides, PbTiO3, BaZrO3, and doped tertiary oxides Pb1−xLaTiO3. The variety of different metal oxides produced confirms the versatility of OPM method on yielding not only different compositions, but also different crystalline structures, like anatase, perovskite, sillenite, and spinel. Furthermore, the OPM method has yield metal oxides for many different applications, such as dielectric, optical, and photocatalytic. For instance, undoped Bi12TiO20 and Nb-doped Bi12(Ti1−xNbx)O20 were used as efficient photocatalysts for degradation of rhodamine B under ultraviolet and visible lights, presenting better activity than TiO2. In this chapter, the chemistry underlying the OPM method and the oxides most commonly prepared by this technique will be described, focusing how the method contributed to the advance of the synthetic, structural, and application aspects related to each one of these compounds. The future goals and applications of the method will be critically discussed. The authors hope this chapter can provide enough information to motivate a continuous dissemination of the OPM method, in view of its confirmed successful features and potential.

Holstein-Gyr crossbred cattle are strategic for dairy systems in tropical countries, since they combine milk yield genetics with adaptability to tropical climate. However, Holstein (Bos taurus) and Gyr (Bos indicus) breeds present remarkable differences regarding reproductive physiology. Brazil stands out as the world's largest user of embryo in vitro production (IVP) in bovine, and the use of this technique is increasing in dairy systems. As Holstein-Gyr crossbreds are important oocyte donors for IVP, the present work aimed at investigating whether increased Gyr or Holstein breed composition influences donor's performance. Sixteen Holstein-Gyr crossbred females presenting increased (HG, 71.4 to 87.5% Holstein; n = 9) or decreased (GH, 40.2 to 46.6% Holstein; n = 7) Holstein composition were submitted to three ovum pick up (OPU) sessions. We observed similar (P = 0.2946) antral follicle count between HG and GH donors (24.8 ± 3.2 vs 29.4 ± 2.8 respectively; mean ± SEM). Groups also display similar morphological oocyte grading (Grade I: 0.1 ± 0.1 vs 0.1 ± 0.1 - P = 0.9680; Grade II: 0.9 ± 0.5 vs 1.9 ± 0.5 - P = 0.1942; Grade III, 4.0 ± 1.2 vs 7.2 ± 1.4 - P = 0.1047, HG vs GH respectively; mean ± SEM). Additionally, the proportion of viable oocyte was similar between HG and GH groups (27.8% vs 31.9%, respectively, P = 0.3500) and oocyte lipid area fraction (6.8% vs 9.5%, respectively; P = 0.1539). Our results indicate that the individual variation has more influence than breed composition of crossbred oocyte donors.

BACKGROUND: The unilateral and repetitive nature of overhead sports, often result in a biomechanical overload of the upper extremity. Understanding the musculoskeletal shoulder range of motion (ROM) and strength patterns in the youth sports of baseball, softball, and tennis could assist injury prevention screening and further the development of conditioning and rehabilitation programs. PURPOSE: To generate a descriptive profile of shoulder musculoskeletal characteristics and determine whether bilateral differences in shoulder ROM exist in youth baseball, softball, and tennis athletes. A secondary aim was to determine whether shoulder rotational adaptations are correlated with playing position, sport, or years of experience. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive Laboratory METHODS: A total of 136 competitive youth overhead athletes (baseball: n = 51,12.8 ± 0.9yrs; softball: n = 63,12.3 ± 1.1yrs; and tennis: n = 22,12.5 ± 0.9yrs) participated. Bilateral shoulder internal (IR) and external (ER) passive ROM and external rotation strength were measured using an inclinometer and handheld dynamometer. RESULTS: Significant differences (p