Search

Introdução: O transplante de medula óssea (TMO) autólogo é uma modalidade de tratamento para vários tipos de doença. A predição do sucesso na mobilização pode ser útil para otimizar a coleta de células progenitoras hematopoéticas (CPH). O objetivo foi identificar características que podem influenciar a eficácia da mobilização e criar um modelo de predição de sucesso da mobilização em candidatos ao TMO do estado de Minas Gerais. Materiais e métodos: Tratou-se de estudo retrospectivo, sendo que foram analisados dados dos pacientes candidatos ao TMO autólogo entre 09/2015 e 12/2019. Os participantes foram assistidos em cinco hospitais e os procedimentos laboratoriais foram realizados no Centro de Processamento Celular (CPC) do Cetebio/Fundação Hemominas. Os prontuários dos participantes foram revistos para obtenção das seguintes informações: sexo, idade, peso, diagnóstico, esquema de mobilização, ciclo de mobilização, número de esquemas prévios de quimioterapia, radioterapia prévia e sorologia positiva. Os dados laboratoriais analisados foram contagem de células CD34+ e o hemograma da amostra de sangue periférico (SP) pré-coleta. A contagem de células CD34+ foi realizada usando o protocolo ISHAGE. O hemograma foi realizado utilizando contador automatizado (SYSMEX XN-1000 AS-01). O desfecho estudado, mobilização boa, foi definido como a contagem de células CD34+ viáveis ≥ 20/uL no SP. A regressão logística foi usada para determinar o efeito independente de cada covariável no desfecho estudado. Resultados: a população do estudo consistiu em 559 pacientes, sendo 297 (53,1%) do sexo masculino. A mediana de idade foi 54 (20) anos. O mieloma múltiplo foi o diagnóstico mais comum (n = 323; 57,8%), seguido de linfoma não Hodgkin (n = 106; 19%) e linfoma de Hodgkin (n = 100; 17,9%). Dos 559 participantes, 321 (57,4%) eram bons mobilizadores. Das variáveis laboratoriais, a viabilidade das células CD34+ (OR = 1,2; IC95%: 1,11-1,30; p < 0,001), o VCM (OR = 0,92; IC95%:0,87-0,95; p < 0,001), o nRBC (OR = 3006,5; IC95%: 42,1-214.711,3; p < 0,001) e a contagem de granulócitos imaturos (OR = 1,43; IC95%: 1,30-1,57; p < 0,001) foram significativamente associadas à mobilização boa no modelo multivariado. Além disso, os participantes com diagnóstico de mieloma múltiplo apresentaram chance 2,8 vezes (OR = 2,82; IC95%: 1,76-4,5; p < 0,001) maior de serem bons mobilizadores se comparado aos pacientes com linfoma. Participantes que realizaram a coleta no primeiro ciclo de mobilização apresentaram chance 3,6 vezes (OR = 3,63; IC95%: 1,59-8,28; p = 0,002) maior de serem bons mobilizadores. Discussão: O CPC do Cetebio atende nove centros transplantadores. Os centros que realizam a coleta das CPH estão localizados entre 40 a 568 km de distância do Cetebio (local de quantificação de células CD34+). A predição do desfecho da mobilização pode permitir a adoção de medidas complementares como, por exemplo, o uso de plerixafor. Além disso, permitiria otimizar a coleta de CPH por aférese. Assim, seria possível evitar dias adicionais de coleta, reduzindo custos e riscos relacionados à administração de doses adicionais de G-CSF, manutenção de cateter e internação hospitalar prolongada. Conclusão: O sucesso na mobilização foi maior nos participantes que fizeram o primeiro ciclo de mobilização e que apresentavam diagnóstico de mieloma múltiplo. Além disso, níveis maiores de nRBC, granulócitos imaturos e viabilidade das células CD34+, bem como níveis menores de VCM foram associados ao sucesso na mobilização.

A moving immersed boundary method for unstructured grids is presented which offers several advantages over the standard ones with Cartesian grids. The flexibility provided by the unstructured grids allows for smaller grid sizes and meshing of complex flow configurations. The method features a conservative fluid domain characterization together with a flexible least-squares flow reconstruction to emulate the immersed body. The method is validated with several test cases and different grid types: polyhedral, triangular and Cartesian. A static problem is first simulated in order to demonstrate the expected second order accuracy. Then, a benchmark moving body problem is studied, where the method is shown to compute the correct velocity and pressure fields independently of the grid type. The effects of the cell topology in the spurious force oscillations (SFO) are also studied and the polyhedral grids are proven to be superior to their Cartesian and triangular counterparts. Finally, some examples of moving bodies in a computational domain with complex static boundaries are provided. The new method allows the use of unstructured grids for the outer fixed boundary, which allows good geometry conformance and therefore a better flow resolution. These grids can include a region with a reduced grid size and smooth transition, located at the body’s path.

This paper presents a study to develop a microwave irradiated fixed bed flow reactor for high temperature operations. One innovation introduced is the concept of catalytic bed sensitive to microwave heating which catalyzes the reaction and heats only the reaction site. Another innovation is on the cavity design, which is of a non-standard shape, which is a result from computational electromagnetic modelling. The focus of this work is on green ethylene production from ethanol dehydration. This reaction is conducted at high temperature and over a solid catalyst. Results showed a yield of 60.8% for green ethylene. This figure is of the same order than the ethylene conventional process, with the advantage that no carbon dioxide emission exists in the whole process. This concept may be thought of as a consequence of Microwave Chemistry evolution, which records nowadays has about 36 review papers, 15 books, more than a thousand scientific papers published per year, and 530 patents on microwave enhanced chemical processes.

Introducao Devido a pandemia do novo Coronavirus, a criopreservacao tem sido recomendada para garantir a continuidade do transplante de medula ossea (TMO) alogenico nao aparentado independentemente da fonte de celulas. Porem, a criopreservacao de celulas progenitoras hematopoeticas coletadas por puncao aspirativa da medula ossea (CPH,MO) e menos utilizada e poucos dados estao disponiveis na literatura. Objetivo descrever a experiencia do Centro de Processamento Celular do Cetebio/Fundacao Hemominas com a criopreservacao de CPH,MO para utilizacao terapeutica em TMO. Metodos Trata-se de um estudo do tipo serie de casos e a casuistica foi composta por oito unidades de CPH,MO criopreservadas entre 10/2020 e 06/2021. As unidades de CPH,MO foram submetidas a deseritrocitacao utilizando hidroxietilamido (HES) 450/0,7 e, em seguida, a centrifugacao para desplasmatizacao. O volume da camada leucocitaria foi ajustado para atingir a concentracao de celulas nucleadas final ≤2 × 108 NC/mL apos a adicao da solucao de criopreservacao (5%HES/5%DMSO). As unidades foram congeladas em freezer mecânico a -80°C e armazenadas em tanque a vapor de nitrogenio. Resultados oito unidades de CPH,MO foram criopreservadas para utilizacao em nove pacientes; uma unidade foi dividida para uso em dois pacientes pediatricos irmaos HLA identicos. Uma (11,1%) unidade foi criopreservada para o uso autologo e oito (88,9%) para uso alogenico nao aparentado. Cinco (55,6%) pacientes eram do sexo masculino. A media de idade dos pacientes foi 14,7 ± 19,1 anos (1–42). Um (11,1%) paciente possuia neuroblastoma, um (11,1%) LMC, um (11,1%) LMA, um (11,1%) sindrome de Griscelli, dois (22,2%) sindrome de Wiskott-Aldrich e tres (33,3%) LLA. O volume (mL) medio das unidades pre e pos-processamento foi 756,9 ± 411,7 e 78,7 ± 45,8, respectivamente. O volume (mL) medio de hemacias pre e pos-processamento foi 239,1 ± 150,8 e 27,02 ± 16,9, respectivamente. A media do total de celulas nucleadas (x108) pre e pos-processamento foi 153,07 ± 80,0 e 120,01 ± 67,7, respectivamente. A media de celulas CD34+ viaveis (x106) pre e pos-processamento foi 131,7 ± 74,0 e 120,2 ± 77,8, respectivamente. Quatro (50%) unidades apresentaram teste microbiologico positivo (Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium sp e Staphylococcus aureus). A viabilidade celular (%) media pos-descongelamento em amostras de segmento foi 66,1 ± 8,5. Os ensaios clonogenicos realizados em amostras pre-processamento (n = 6), pos-processamento (n = 8) e pos-descongelamento (n = 7) apresentaram crescimento positivo. Seis (66,6%) unidades foram liberadas para uso terapeutico, das quais cinco (83,3%) possuimos os dados da enxertia. Nenhum paciente apresentou falha de enxertia ou obito apos a infusao. O tempo medio de enxertia de granulocitos e plaquetas foi 17 ± 5,8 e 19,5 ± 9,2 dias, respectivamente. Discussao A reducao do volume possibilitou a criopreservacao do material, sendo que a recuperacao celular foi satisfatoria. Os testes de controle de qualidade realizados em todas etapas do processo evidenciaram a qualidade e seguranca do procedimento e foram corroborados pelos dados de enxertia. Alertamos, entretanto, sobre a necessidade de cuidados adicionais com os pacientes devido ao volume de hemacias a ser infundido e a contaminacao bacteriana, mais frequentemente observada nas unidades de CPH,MO. Conclusoes A criopreservacao CPH, MO apresentou resultados satisfatorios, demonstrando que a metodologia utilizada e segura e eficiente.

A new immersed boundary interpolation for discrete forcing methods is presented. The method decreases spurious oscillations in the pressure field and consequently in the body force calculations which are a common issue in several immersed boundary methods. The method applies a continuity constraint in the least-squares interpolation, and guarantees that adjacent interpolation polynomials are continuous between each other. This approach strictly enforces continuity in the flow reconstruction domain, reducing time discontinuities caused by the boundary conditions applied at the immersed boundary. Several moving body problems test cases are simulated, including a three dimensional one, to demonstrate the new method's capability of computing stable pressure fields, even for coarse grids and small CFL numbers, which are known to increase the pressure oscillations.

The reference adult male voxel phantom recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection no. 110 was implemented in the Geant4 Monte Carlo code. Geant4 was used to calculate Dose Conversion Coefficients (DCCs) expressed as dose deposited in organs per air kerma for photons, electrons and neutrons in the Annals of the ICRP. In this work the AP and PA irradiation geometries of the ICRP male phantom were simulated for the purpose of benchmarking the Geant4 code. Monoenergetic photons were simulated between 15 keV and 10 MeV and the results were compared with ICRP 110, the VMC Monte Carlo code and the literature data available, presenting a good agreement.

Objective: To analyze the relationship between leptin and obesity expressed as body mass index (BMI) and certain components of the metabolic syndrome (MS) in an adult population. Methods: The study included 103 subjects, 42 men and 61 women, aged over 30 years, clinically defined as non-diabetic but with personal or family history of cardiovascular disease. All subjects underwent fasting blood measurement of leptin, insulin, glucose, glucose after ingestion of 75 g glucose, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and insulin resistance (IR) and BMI were calculated. Results: BMI as an index of overall adiposity was strongly associated with serum leptin. BMI rose as serum leptin levels increased from the first to the third tertile; the correlation between leptin and BMI was strong, r=0.524 in men and r=0.603 in women, with high statistical significance (p

Artigo também disponível em inglês: Relationship between leptin and body mass and metabolic syndrome in an adult population. http://www.elsevier.pt/en/revistas/revista-portuguesa-cardiologia-334/artigo/relationship-between-leptin-and-body-mass-and-metabolic-90165186 Objetivo Estudar a relação que a leptina tem com a obesidade (expressa em índice de massa corporal) e alguns componentes da síndrome metabólica (SM) numa amostra da população adulta. População e métodos Em 103 indivíduos, 42 homens e 61 mulheres, com idades superiores a 30 anos, clinicamente definidos como não diabéticos mas com patologia cardiovascular e/ou antecedentes familiares de doenças cardiovasculares (DCV), determinaram-se, além da leptina, a insulina, a glicemia em jejum e após ingestão de 75g de glicose, HDL-c, triglicéridos e calcularam-se os índices de resistência à insulina (IR-HOMA) e de massa corporal (IMC). Resultados O IMC, tomado como índice de obesidade geral, condicionou os níveis séricos da leptina. O IMC subiu, em ambos os sexos, à medida que os níveis séricos da leptina se elevaram do 1.° para o 3.° tercil da respetiva distribuição. Foi muito forte a correlação leptina/IMC com r=0,524 nos homens e r=0,603 nas mulheres, significância estatística elevada. Na previsão da hiperleptinemia, a posição cimeira foi assumida pelo IMC com AUC (area under curve) de 0,81 nos homens e 0,84 nas mulheres. Ao avaliar-se a magnitude da associação da leptina aos diferentes fatores de risco (regressão logística binária univariada) observaram-se valores muito altos de odds ratio (OR) para a relação leptina/IMC, em ambos os sexos (10,11 nos homens e 6,00 nas mulheres).Verificou-se mesmo (regressão logística multivariada) que a hiperleptinemia foi condicionada, em ambos os sexos, pela obesidade com OR de 9,30 nos homens e 8,1 nas mulheres, considerando IMC ≥ 30 kg/m2. - A hiperinsulinemia e a IR influenciaram profundamente a hiperleptinemia. Na previsão da IR, a leptina surgiu, em ambos os sexos, como primeiro elemento (AUC=0,89 nos homens e 0,85 nas mulheres) e, na previsão da hiperleptinemia, vêm logo a seguir à obesidade (IMC), a IR nos homens e a hiperinsulinémia nas mulheres com AUC respetivamente de 0,79 e 0,78. Foram fortes as correlações leptina/IR-HOMA e leptina/insulina, em ambos os sexos e enorme a influência que nos homens teve a hiperinsulinémia (OR=11,71) e a IR nas mulheres (OR=21,22). - Relativamente aos componentes da SM: Observou-se elevação dos respetivos níveis séricos, à medida que as concentrações da leptina subiram do 1.° para o 3.° tercil da respetiva distribuição (com exceção do HDL-c, que desceu). Conclusão O aumento da leptina sérica, sobretudo nos indivíduos obesos, deve constituir sinal de alerta para desiquilíbrios energéticos e do regimen alimentar, para a existência de hiperinsulinemia, de IR, de alterações em outros fatores de risco metabólicos que têm profunda influência nas DCV e diabetes tipo 2. [ENG] OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between leptin and obesity expressed as body mass index (BMI) and certain components of the metabolic syndrome (MS) in an adult population. METHODS: The study included 103 subjects, 42 men and 61 women, aged over 30 years, clinically defined as non-diabetic but with personal or family history of cardiovascular disease. All subjects underwent fasting blood measurements of leptin, insulin, glucose, glucose after ingestion of 75g glucose, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and insulin resistance (IR) and BMI were calculated. RESULTS: BMI as an index of overall adiposity was strongly associated with serum leptin. BMI rose as serum leptin levels increased from the first to the third tertile; the correlation between leptin and BMI was strong, r=0.524 in men and r=0.603 in women, with high statistical significance (p

Kartagener is syndrome is a rare disorder described in dogs determined by the triad situs inversus totalis, chronic sinusitis, and bronchial disease. The clinical signs of chronic respiratory and other less common presentations (such as hydrocephalus and subfertility) are due to a concomitant ciliary dysfunction. This article describes the clinical, radiographic, and computed tomography findings and treatment in a dog affected by Kartagener is syndrome since early months of life. This is the first case report of this syndrome in a domestic dog in Brazil and the only known scientific report in the English Cocker Spaniel.

Heavy metals are not biodegradable and enter the food chain through a number of pathways causing progressive toxic actions due to the accumulation in different organs during a life span and long-term exposure to contaminated environments. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were used to localize chromium in Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms. ICP-MS was used for the determination of Cr concentrations in water, sediments and plant samples in the Cachoeira basin, Bahia, Brazil. The results obtained by ICP-MS shows abnormally high values of Cr concentrations in water samples (0.38 mg/l), in soil samples (63 mg/g) and 70 mg/g in plant tissue. SIMS results show increased levels of Cr in the root cell wall and xylem vessel, these sites show high Cr accumulation. The ICP-MS data confirm E. crassipes like bioindicator plant. Chemical analysis using ICP-MS, confirms SIMS analysis on the presence of Cr in roots xylem cell walls. The use of ICP-MS, to investigate the same organs as the ones investigated by SIMS, provided complementary results on chromium study. # 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is an important complication related to kidney transplantation (KT), and its occurrence is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, KT is considered to be the most effective treatment option that offers better quality of life for patients with end-stage kidney disease. This study aimed to describe the occurrence of PTDM and the risk factors associated with its development in kidney transplant patients of a transplantation reference center in the State of Ceara (Brazil). This historical cohort study, based on medical records data, included adult patients undergoing KT from January 2006 to December 2010 in a public tertiary hospital. Multivariate analysis was performed with the use of a logistic regression model, with PTDM presence as dependent variable and the possible risk factors under study as independent variables. Throughout the evaluated period, 430 KTs were performed; 92 patients were excluded. Diabetes mellitus was already present in 9.2% of patients before KT. Hyperglycemia during the 1st month after transplantation occurred in 34.5% of recipients, and the occurrence of PTDM to the end of study was 19.9%. Factors associated with PTDM development were: fasting plasma glucose 1 month after KT (P < .001; odds ratio [OR] 1.05), deceased-donor KT (P = .015; OR 3.53), impaired fasting glucose before transplantation (P = .014; OR 4.10), and acute rejection occurrence (P = .003; OR 6.43). High PTDM occurrence was found, in accordance with the literature. Identification of factors associated with PTDM development, as well as its early diagnosis, could result in long-term improvement in patient and graft survivals.

We have developed a new spectro-electrochemical cell derived from the three-electrodes standard cell, in order to study the electrolyte/single-crystal interfaces by using surface X-ray diffraction. Results obtained with this cell are described here. We studied the phase transition of gold (111) in sulfuric acid. Preliminary results are shown concerning the overpotential deposition and the new possibilities that are opened by the use of a 2-D X-ray-sensitive detector. This set-up allowed us to follow in situ and in real time the morphology of Cu growth on Au (001), in free and surfactant-containing solution.

In this study we determined the cardiovascular effects produced by microinjection of angiotensin peptides [Angiotensin-(1-7) and Angiotensin II] and angiotensin antagonists (losartan, L-158,809, CGP 42112A. Sar1-Thr8-Ang II, A-779) into the rostral ventrolateral medulla of freely moving rats. Microinjection of angiotensins (12.5-50 pmol) produced pressor responses associated to variable changes in heart rate, usually tachycardia. Unexpectedly, microinjection of both AT1 and AT2 ligands produced pressor effects at doses that did not change blood pressure in anesthetized rats. Conversely, microinjection of Sar1-Thr8-Ang II and the selective Ang-(1-7) antagonist, A-779, produced a small but significant decrease in MAP an HR. These findings suggest that angiotensins can influence the tonic activity of vasomotor neurons at the RVLM. As previously observed in anesthetized rats, our results further suggest a role for endogenous Ang-(1-7) at the RVLM. The pressor activity of the ligands for AT1 and AT2 angiotensin receptor subtypes at the RVLM, remains to be clarified.

Virtual reality is an innovating manner of comprehending and acting on how the world is and, also, considered a new way of intellectual exercise. This work took place in a biochemistry masters discipline (Advanced Formation in ScientificEducation) and had as its observation context the forum (on-line tool) viability, intending the construction of hypertexts (active collaborative writing ) by the 15 registered students in the discipline in 2008. The discipline was available on the web, in bioq.educacao.biz , where the students, teachers and monitors couldsubscribe. The virtual space was set with several environments (agenda,classroom, dictionary, email and forum); all of which were used during thediscipline. The forum, called orkuteducation, was destined to the hypertextelaboration, which was focused in three themes: 1º) How to work with technology at school; 2º) Teaching/learning methods and new information and communication technology; 3º) Constructivism. The virtual learning environment had 2,275accesses to its content; being the forum the most visited one, with 1,026. The built hypertext presented clear ideas about the approached themes, and realized the important role which a qualified teacher plays in the educational process. The new ways of create, organize and interact with information changes the relationship between the subject and the information itself. The hype rtext constitutes "high level computer tools", through which is possible to explore knowledge in a non -linear and interactive way. Hypertext remains a revolutionary concept oforganization and access to information and its generalization impact in society is not known yet.

The objective of this work was to study the distribution of apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes in a sample of the Portuguese population, and its association with the dyslipidemias observed. Study participants were healthy users of local Public Health Laboratories in six regions of mainland Portugal (Porto, Vila Real, Viseu, Lisboa, Portalegre and Faro). A total of 779 men and 1153 women aged 15-74 years agreed to participate. Fasting lipid levels and APOE genotypes were determined centrally at the National Institute of Health in Lisboa. The frequency distribution of APOE alleles was: epsilon2=5.3%, epsilon3=84.9% and epsilon4=9.8%. Dyslipidemias were present in 66.6% of men and 60.7% of women. Comparison of APOE genotypes and relative allele frequencies showed that in dyslipidemic compared to normolipidemic subjects, the epsilon4 allele was more frequent in both sexes, although in a more pronounced way in men than in women due to higher frequencies of epsilon3/epsilon4 and epsilon4/epsilon4 genotypes. The known association of the epsilon4 allele with high cholesterol levels, the association of the epsilon2 allele with low cholesterol levels, and the association of the epsilon2 allele with high levels of triglycerides and low levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were confirmed in this study.

The ApoEurope group, collaborating centres, and their associated investigators: Portugal: Unidade de Química Clinica, Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Lisboa: Maria do Carmo Martins, Maria Odete Rodrigues, Maria Isabel Albergaria, Maria Liseta Alpendre As part of the ApoEurope Project, the apolipoprotein E (apo E) serum concentration and polymorphism were determined in 6934 healthy subjects aged 25-64 years recruited in six European countries: Finland; France; Greece; Northern Ireland; Portugal and Spain. Age and sex influenced apo E concentration with concentrations being significantly higher in men than in women for those aged between 25 and 44 years. The age effect differed between the sexes after the age of 44 years, displaying a linear increase in women and a plateau in men. As expected, the serum apo E concentration was highest in varepsilon2 carriers and lowest in varepsilon4 carriers in each country with a significantly higher frequency of the varepsilon4 allele in the northern regions. The main finding of this study was a clear increasing North-South gradient in serum apo E concentration independent of age, sex and apo E genotype. In subjects aged