Introdução: O cancro é a segunda maior causa de morte em Portugal, logo a seguir às doenças cardi... more Introdução: O cancro é a segunda maior causa de morte em Portugal, logo a seguir às doenças cardiovasculares (DCV), e o seu peso percentual no total de mortes revela um aumento constante e progressivo. Em Portugal, tal como na generalidade dos países, o orçamento para a saúde sofre constantes pressões de contenção. Neste contexto, é necessário verificar se estão a ser afectados os recursos necessários para a doença em termos de despesas de saúde. O principal objectivo deste estudo é o de realizar uma estimativa do custo do tratamento do cancro em Portugal e compará-lo aos valores dedicados a este fim na Europa e Estados Unidos da América (EUA) e aos valores dedicados ao tratamento das DCV. Como objectivo secundário pretende-se avaliar o custo dos medicamentos utilizados no tratamento do cancro em Portugal, relativamente ao gasto total em medicamentos e a outras áreas de despesa em saúde. Métodos: Este estudo recorreu a três principais fontes de informação: revisão da literatura pertinente, fontes primárias e secundárias, e um Painel Delphi modificado, que foi usado para preencher as lacunas de informação identificadas nos dados e na revisão da literatura. O indicador utilizado para determinar a carga da doença (Burden of Disease-BoD) foi o Disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) e, para se determinar os custos do tratamento do cancro, recorreu-se a informação detalhada relativa a 2006 sobre custos de consultas médicas e episódios de internamento com base nos Grupos de Diagnósticos Homogéneos (GDHs). Para estimar o custo total do cancro, utilizou-se uma combinação de metodologias top down (com base em dados referentes à despesa total, repartidos entre níveis específicos) e bottom up (com base na soma de diferentes componentes de despesa). Resultados: Baseado em dados de 2006 constatou-se que foram gastos 565 milhões de € em termos de gastos directos com o tratamento do cancro em Portugal e 1.320 milhões de € nas DCV o que representa 3,91% e 9,14% dos gastos totais na saúde, respectivamente. Ao dividirmos os gastos totais em medicamentos por área terapêutica, os medicamentos para as DCV representaram cerca de 21,6% dos gastos totais em medicamentos e para o cancro cerca de 5,6%. Os medicamentos oncológicos representaram 32% dos gastos totais relativos ao cancro, enquanto que os das DCV 54% do gasto total em DCV. Em comparação, no que toca às BoD em Portugal, 18,6% dos DALYs foram associados às DCV e 15,3% ao cancro. Conclusão: Considerando a BoD entre as DCV e o cancro em Portugal, pode-se afirmar que os gastos com o tratamento do cancro em Portugal ficam aquém do que seria esperado. Usando o critério de despesa de acordo com as necessidades verificámos um diferencial entre despesa/BoD no cancro, dando a entender que o tratamento do cancro parece estar sub-financiado em Portugal. Embora este não deva ser o único critério a determinar o volume de despesa em determinada área terapêutica, o diferencial identificado neste estudo é suficientemente grande para merecer a atenção dos decisores.
Degradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE) was studied for the pure polymer and mixed with si... more Degradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE) was studied for the pure polymer and mixed with silicoaluminophosphate SAPO-11 catalyst. SAPO-11 was synthesized by hydrothermal method using di-isoprolpylamine as structure template, and characterized by XRD and SEM. From X-ray diffraction, it was observed that SAPO-11 was obtained with high crystallinity. Using the model-free kinetics, proposed by Vyazovkin, the activation energies were determined
The standard molar enthalpy of formation of crystalline dialkyldithiocarbamate chelates, [Pd(S 2 ... more The standard molar enthalpy of formation of crystalline dialkyldithiocarbamate chelates, [Pd(S 2 CNR 2 ) 2 ], with R=CH 3 and i-C 3 H 7 , was determined through reaction-solution calorimetry in 1,2-dichloroethane, at 298 K. Using the standard molar enthalpies of formation of the gaseous chelates, the homolytic (526±18 and 666±10) and heterolytic (2693±18 and 2957±10 kJ mol -1 ) mean enthalpies of palladium-sulphur bond dissociation were calculated.
Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies and it causes more than 1 million ... more Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies and it causes more than 1 million deaths each year worldwide. Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for about 15 to 20% of all lung cancers and it is an extremely aggressive cancer, having a response rate of 60-80% with the standard first-line chemotherapy (CT). Topotecan is a topoisomerase I inhibitor currently approved for relapsed SCLC. The authors reviewed the clinical files of SCLC's patients (pts) of a single institution, the Portuguese Institute of Oncology-Porto Centre, in a five year period. The end-points were to evaluate response rates (RR), time to progression (TTP), overall survival (OS) and toxicity profile of topotecan as a second-line treatment of SCLC. From January of 2002 to December of 2006, it was diagnosed 146 pts with SCLC, 32 were submitted to second-line treatment and 23 with topotecan. The RR was 17.4%, median TTP and median survival after topotecan were 2.8 months and 6.3 months, respectively, and median OS was 17.5 months. The incidence of grade 3 and 4 adverse events was 16.6 and 2.6%, respectively. Topotecan showed clinical activity in our unselected daily patients with relapsed SCLC, with acceptable toxicity, in accordance with the published literature.
... Marcelo JB Souza1, Stevie H. Lima2, Antonio S. Araujo2*, Anne M. Garrido Pedrosa2 and Ana CSL... more ... Marcelo JB Souza1, Stevie H. Lima2, Antonio S. Araujo2*, Anne M. Garrido Pedrosa2 and Ana CSLS Coutinho2 (1) Department of Chemical ... for the BET surface area (SBET), a0 (mesopore parameter), dp (pore diameter), pore volume (Vp) and silicaalumina wall thickness (Wt ...
The critical role of angiogenesis in tumor development makes its inhibition a valuable new approa... more The critical role of angiogenesis in tumor development makes its inhibition a valuable new approach in therapy, rapidly making anti-angiogenesis a major focus in research. While the VEGF/VEGFR pathway is the main target of the approved anti-angiogenic molecules in NSCLC treatment, the results obtained are still modest, especially due to resistance mechanisms. Accumulating scientific data show that vessel co-option is an alternative mechanism to angiogenesis during tumor development in well-vascularized organs such as the lungs, where tumor cells highjack the existing vasculature to obtain its blood supply in a non-angiogenic fashion. This can explain the low/lack of response to current anti-angiogenic strategies. The same principle applies to lung metastases of other primary tumors. The exact mechanisms of vessel co-option need to be further elucidated, but it is known that the co-opted vessels regress by the action of Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), a vessel destabilizing cytokine expresse...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 00306525 1999 9634528, Oct 11, 2010
Catry, P., Aralijo, A., Cruz, C., Pinheiro, A., Pqas, M., Nadum, J., Armelin, M.& Pereira... more Catry, P., Aralijo, A., Cruz, C., Pinheiro, A., Pqas, M., Nadum, J., Armelin, M.& Pereira, JR 1999. Are mist-nets suitable for rapid habitat evaluations in the tropics? Results from a study in Guyinea-Bissau. Ostrich 70(2) 134-137 ... There is an increasing need for rapid habitat ...
Evaluate if serum levels of VEGF and Ang-2 are correlated in non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs)... more Evaluate if serum levels of VEGF and Ang-2 are correlated in non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) and its implications in the diagnostic and prognostic of the disease. Unselected cohort of 145 NSCLC patients and 30 control individuals. The serum levels of Ang-2 and VEGF of each patient were measured by ELISA prior to treatment. Serum levels of Ang-2 and VEGF are correlated (p < 0.0001). High serum levels of Ang-2 and VEGF isolated and both combined (highAng-2/VEGF) correlate with likelihood of presenting NSCLC (p = 0.016; p = 0.003; p < 0.0001, respectively). Serum levels of Ang-2 and highAng-2/VEGF but not VEGF alone are independent prognostic factors (p = 0.001; p = 0.619; p = 0.005). HighAng-2/VEGF serum levels could be exploited as a new valuable integral biomarker in NSCLC.
Leptin hormone and receptor have been associated to cancer development and were identified in lun... more Leptin hormone and receptor have been associated to cancer development and were identified in lung tissue. In this study, a functional polymorphism in the 5' flanking region of the leptin gene (LEP -2548 G/A) was found to increase susceptibility for non-small cell lung cancer [odds ratio (OR), 1.97; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-3.43]. Age-adjusted logistic regression analysis in men indicated an association of AA genotype with adenocarcinoma (OR, 4.29; CI, 1.64-11.72) and squamous cell carcinoma (OR, 3.19; CI, 1.26-8.13). Logistic regression analysis confirmed the AA genotype as an independent risk factor for lung cancer after adjustment for age and gender (OR, 2.57; CI, 1.34-4.92). The AA genotype was overrepresented only in patients with non-metastatic disease (OR, 1.86; CI, 1.13-3.04). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated an earlier age of onset for lung cancer in AA carriers (P=0.023). Results suggest the existence of genetic susceptibility for lung cancer in carriers of...
ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the activity of Al-MCM-41, as mesoporous heterogeneous cata... more ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the activity of Al-MCM-41, as mesoporous heterogeneous catalyst, for the thermal and catalytic degradation of a Brazilian heavy crude oil (14°API), via thermogravimetry. The American Petroleum Institute gravity (°API) is a measure of how light of heavy petroleum is when compared to water. The API value is an inverse measure of the relative density of a petroleum liquid, and it is used to compare the relative densities of petroleum samples. The catalytic activity was investigated as a function of different concentration of Al-MCM-41 (1, 3, 5, 10 and 20 mass%) added to the oil, as well as the apparent activation energy relative to degradation process. The TG runs were carried out at temperature range of 30-900 °C, at heating rates of 5, 10 and 20 °C min−1, under nitrogen atmosphere. From TG/DTG tests, the material presented effective catalytic activity when added to the heavy oil at concentration higher than 5 mass%. This property was clearly evidenced by the activation energy values. By the application of Ozawa-Flynn-Wall kinetic model, it was observed that when the amount of catalyst was increased, the value of the apparent activation energy decreased from 103 kJ mol−1 (without catalyst) to 70 kJ mol−1 (with 20 mass% of catalyst).
Os objetivos do trabalho foram os de avaliar o efeito da aplicação de fungicida às sementes de am... more Os objetivos do trabalho foram os de avaliar o efeito da aplicação de fungicida às sementes de amendoim (Arachis hypogaea L.), que foram colhidas em distintos estádios de maturação e provenientes de plantas-mãe que foram ou não submetidas à calagem, nas condições de envelhecimento acelerado. Foram avaliados quatro lotes de sementes do cultivar Botucatu, provenientes das áreas que receberam (CC) ou não a aplicação de calcário (SC) e que foram colhidas aos 104 (E1) e 124 (E2) dias após a semeadura e denominados de lote 1 (E1/SC), 2 (E1/CC), 3 (E2/SC) e 4(E2/CC). De cada lote, foram retiradas duas amostras de sementes, uma original e outra tratada com fungicida thiram. Estas amostras foram submetidas às condições do teste de envelhecimento acelerado, e após o período de exposição, as sementes foram avaliadas na primeira e na segunda contagem do teste de germinação realizado com e sem secagem. Pelos resultados pode-se concluir que há maior incidência de patógenos nas sementes colhidas a...
ABSTRACT The ideal spacing of a tree species is the one that maximizes wood production. Spacing i... more ABSTRACT The ideal spacing of a tree species is the one that maximizes wood production. Spacing is an important matter to be considered in forest management researches. The present study aimed to evaluate the development of Pinus taeda L. in the region of Irati, southern Brazil, grown at different vital spaces (ranging from 1.0 m2 to 16.0 m2 per tree), provided by nine different spacing measures between plants of a field experiment carried out in randomized block design with five replications. This study was based on measures of height and diameter at breast height (DBH) on 25 trees within the plot, seven years after the planting of seedlings from a clonal seed orchard. Analyses of variance and regressions were used to interpret the results. Average volumes between 74.75 and 274.89 m3 per hectare have been verified. Considering production volume even with small diameters, one should opt for smaller spaces; when larger diameters are desired, the option should be for larger spaces. A better performance in the relationship between volume and diameter can be obtained using vital spaces between 5.0 m2 and 8.0 m2 for each tree.
2010 9th IEEE/IAS International Conference on Industry Applications - INDUSCON 2010, 2010
Adjustable Frequency AC Drive Systems are nowadays a reality in industrial applications. Occurren... more Adjustable Frequency AC Drive Systems are nowadays a reality in industrial applications. Occurrence of failures in these systems can compromise plants production severely. Therefore, rising their reliability is highly desirable. With this in mind, grounding and protection systems have been developed over the time. Particularly, the situation of a PWM (Pulse Width Modulated) drive in a non-grounded system deserves closer examination. If it is driving a system with insulation failures to ground (e.g. induction motor), at first it will not be interrupted by existing protections, which is good for operation continuity. However, phase-to-ground overvoltages will arise and may lead to insulation failure, equipment breakdown and undesirable unscheduled production stop. This paper aims to characterize involved phenomena that can cause system failure, loss of drive equipment and the subsequent production stop or restriction. Based on this understanding, a circuit capable to ensure operation continuity while motor failures are not eliminated is designed and built, avoiding the risk of drive loss.
ABSTRACT Abstract: Background: In western world, lung cancer is the third type of cancer and non-... more ABSTRACT Abstract: Background: In western world, lung cancer is the third type of cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80% of all lung cancers representing the leading cause of death from cancer. The epidermal growth factor (EGF) has an established important role in lung carcinogenesis. EGF+61G/A is a biallelic G/A functional polymorphism, located in the 5’-UTR, which leads to increased EGF expression. The aim of our study was to evaluate the genetic influence of this polymorphism in NSCLC development. Material and Methods: DNA samples extracted from peripheral blood cells of 171 patients (pts) with NSCLC, with an accurate stage and a 3 month minimum of follow-up, were analyzed. From 171 pts, with a mean age 62,7 years (median – 64,0), 136 were males, 131 had a smoking history, and 85 had adenocarcinoma. The EGF genotypes were determined using the PCR-RFLP methodology. Results: Regarding the frequency of the EGF+61G/A polymorphism genotypes, 63,2% of patients showed genotypes carrying the G allele and 36,8% presented the homozygous genotype AA. Among G carrier genotypes, 16.7% corresponded to NSCLC patients with stages I/II and 83,3% to advanced stages of the disease (III/IV). Regarding AA genotype, 30,2% of the patients were diagnosed with early stage NSCLC (I/II) and 69,8% presented advanced stages of NSCLC (III/IV). These differences were statistically significant and suggest that individuals with genotypes carrying the G allele present a 2,16 fold higher risk for the progression from early stages of NSCLC (I/II) to clinically more advanced stages of the disease (III/IV) (OR=2,16; 95%CI: 1,03-4,52; P=0,039). Conclusions: These preliminary results indicate that the EGF+61G/A is involved in NSCLC progression, which is in agreement with previous findings that suggest that EGF overexpression is associated with worst prognosis of the disease. This makes EGF polymorphism an attractive factor for prognosis in NSCLC. Co-authors: A. Araújo1, A.P. Araújo2, A.L. Teixeira2, A. Coelho2, R. Ribeiro2, I. Azevedo1, R. Catarino2, D. Pinto2, M. Soares1, R. Medeiros2. 1Instituto Português de Oncologia-Porto, Medical Oncology, Porto, Portugal. 2Instituto Português de Oncologia-Porto, Molecular Oncology - CI, Porto, Portugal.
Introdução: O cancro é a segunda maior causa de morte em Portugal, logo a seguir às doenças cardi... more Introdução: O cancro é a segunda maior causa de morte em Portugal, logo a seguir às doenças cardiovasculares (DCV), e o seu peso percentual no total de mortes revela um aumento constante e progressivo. Em Portugal, tal como na generalidade dos países, o orçamento para a saúde sofre constantes pressões de contenção. Neste contexto, é necessário verificar se estão a ser afectados os recursos necessários para a doença em termos de despesas de saúde. O principal objectivo deste estudo é o de realizar uma estimativa do custo do tratamento do cancro em Portugal e compará-lo aos valores dedicados a este fim na Europa e Estados Unidos da América (EUA) e aos valores dedicados ao tratamento das DCV. Como objectivo secundário pretende-se avaliar o custo dos medicamentos utilizados no tratamento do cancro em Portugal, relativamente ao gasto total em medicamentos e a outras áreas de despesa em saúde. Métodos: Este estudo recorreu a três principais fontes de informação: revisão da literatura pertinente, fontes primárias e secundárias, e um Painel Delphi modificado, que foi usado para preencher as lacunas de informação identificadas nos dados e na revisão da literatura. O indicador utilizado para determinar a carga da doença (Burden of Disease-BoD) foi o Disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) e, para se determinar os custos do tratamento do cancro, recorreu-se a informação detalhada relativa a 2006 sobre custos de consultas médicas e episódios de internamento com base nos Grupos de Diagnósticos Homogéneos (GDHs). Para estimar o custo total do cancro, utilizou-se uma combinação de metodologias top down (com base em dados referentes à despesa total, repartidos entre níveis específicos) e bottom up (com base na soma de diferentes componentes de despesa). Resultados: Baseado em dados de 2006 constatou-se que foram gastos 565 milhões de € em termos de gastos directos com o tratamento do cancro em Portugal e 1.320 milhões de € nas DCV o que representa 3,91% e 9,14% dos gastos totais na saúde, respectivamente. Ao dividirmos os gastos totais em medicamentos por área terapêutica, os medicamentos para as DCV representaram cerca de 21,6% dos gastos totais em medicamentos e para o cancro cerca de 5,6%. Os medicamentos oncológicos representaram 32% dos gastos totais relativos ao cancro, enquanto que os das DCV 54% do gasto total em DCV. Em comparação, no que toca às BoD em Portugal, 18,6% dos DALYs foram associados às DCV e 15,3% ao cancro. Conclusão: Considerando a BoD entre as DCV e o cancro em Portugal, pode-se afirmar que os gastos com o tratamento do cancro em Portugal ficam aquém do que seria esperado. Usando o critério de despesa de acordo com as necessidades verificámos um diferencial entre despesa/BoD no cancro, dando a entender que o tratamento do cancro parece estar sub-financiado em Portugal. Embora este não deva ser o único critério a determinar o volume de despesa em determinada área terapêutica, o diferencial identificado neste estudo é suficientemente grande para merecer a atenção dos decisores.
Degradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE) was studied for the pure polymer and mixed with si... more Degradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE) was studied for the pure polymer and mixed with silicoaluminophosphate SAPO-11 catalyst. SAPO-11 was synthesized by hydrothermal method using di-isoprolpylamine as structure template, and characterized by XRD and SEM. From X-ray diffraction, it was observed that SAPO-11 was obtained with high crystallinity. Using the model-free kinetics, proposed by Vyazovkin, the activation energies were determined
The standard molar enthalpy of formation of crystalline dialkyldithiocarbamate chelates, [Pd(S 2 ... more The standard molar enthalpy of formation of crystalline dialkyldithiocarbamate chelates, [Pd(S 2 CNR 2 ) 2 ], with R=CH 3 and i-C 3 H 7 , was determined through reaction-solution calorimetry in 1,2-dichloroethane, at 298 K. Using the standard molar enthalpies of formation of the gaseous chelates, the homolytic (526±18 and 666±10) and heterolytic (2693±18 and 2957±10 kJ mol -1 ) mean enthalpies of palladium-sulphur bond dissociation were calculated.
Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies and it causes more than 1 million ... more Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies and it causes more than 1 million deaths each year worldwide. Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for about 15 to 20% of all lung cancers and it is an extremely aggressive cancer, having a response rate of 60-80% with the standard first-line chemotherapy (CT). Topotecan is a topoisomerase I inhibitor currently approved for relapsed SCLC. The authors reviewed the clinical files of SCLC's patients (pts) of a single institution, the Portuguese Institute of Oncology-Porto Centre, in a five year period. The end-points were to evaluate response rates (RR), time to progression (TTP), overall survival (OS) and toxicity profile of topotecan as a second-line treatment of SCLC. From January of 2002 to December of 2006, it was diagnosed 146 pts with SCLC, 32 were submitted to second-line treatment and 23 with topotecan. The RR was 17.4%, median TTP and median survival after topotecan were 2.8 months and 6.3 months, respectively, and median OS was 17.5 months. The incidence of grade 3 and 4 adverse events was 16.6 and 2.6%, respectively. Topotecan showed clinical activity in our unselected daily patients with relapsed SCLC, with acceptable toxicity, in accordance with the published literature.
... Marcelo JB Souza1, Stevie H. Lima2, Antonio S. Araujo2*, Anne M. Garrido Pedrosa2 and Ana CSL... more ... Marcelo JB Souza1, Stevie H. Lima2, Antonio S. Araujo2*, Anne M. Garrido Pedrosa2 and Ana CSLS Coutinho2 (1) Department of Chemical ... for the BET surface area (SBET), a0 (mesopore parameter), dp (pore diameter), pore volume (Vp) and silicaalumina wall thickness (Wt ...
The critical role of angiogenesis in tumor development makes its inhibition a valuable new approa... more The critical role of angiogenesis in tumor development makes its inhibition a valuable new approach in therapy, rapidly making anti-angiogenesis a major focus in research. While the VEGF/VEGFR pathway is the main target of the approved anti-angiogenic molecules in NSCLC treatment, the results obtained are still modest, especially due to resistance mechanisms. Accumulating scientific data show that vessel co-option is an alternative mechanism to angiogenesis during tumor development in well-vascularized organs such as the lungs, where tumor cells highjack the existing vasculature to obtain its blood supply in a non-angiogenic fashion. This can explain the low/lack of response to current anti-angiogenic strategies. The same principle applies to lung metastases of other primary tumors. The exact mechanisms of vessel co-option need to be further elucidated, but it is known that the co-opted vessels regress by the action of Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), a vessel destabilizing cytokine expresse...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 00306525 1999 9634528, Oct 11, 2010
Catry, P., Aralijo, A., Cruz, C., Pinheiro, A., Pqas, M., Nadum, J., Armelin, M.& Pereira... more Catry, P., Aralijo, A., Cruz, C., Pinheiro, A., Pqas, M., Nadum, J., Armelin, M.& Pereira, JR 1999. Are mist-nets suitable for rapid habitat evaluations in the tropics? Results from a study in Guyinea-Bissau. Ostrich 70(2) 134-137 ... There is an increasing need for rapid habitat ...
Evaluate if serum levels of VEGF and Ang-2 are correlated in non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs)... more Evaluate if serum levels of VEGF and Ang-2 are correlated in non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) and its implications in the diagnostic and prognostic of the disease. Unselected cohort of 145 NSCLC patients and 30 control individuals. The serum levels of Ang-2 and VEGF of each patient were measured by ELISA prior to treatment. Serum levels of Ang-2 and VEGF are correlated (p < 0.0001). High serum levels of Ang-2 and VEGF isolated and both combined (highAng-2/VEGF) correlate with likelihood of presenting NSCLC (p = 0.016; p = 0.003; p < 0.0001, respectively). Serum levels of Ang-2 and highAng-2/VEGF but not VEGF alone are independent prognostic factors (p = 0.001; p = 0.619; p = 0.005). HighAng-2/VEGF serum levels could be exploited as a new valuable integral biomarker in NSCLC.
Leptin hormone and receptor have been associated to cancer development and were identified in lun... more Leptin hormone and receptor have been associated to cancer development and were identified in lung tissue. In this study, a functional polymorphism in the 5' flanking region of the leptin gene (LEP -2548 G/A) was found to increase susceptibility for non-small cell lung cancer [odds ratio (OR), 1.97; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-3.43]. Age-adjusted logistic regression analysis in men indicated an association of AA genotype with adenocarcinoma (OR, 4.29; CI, 1.64-11.72) and squamous cell carcinoma (OR, 3.19; CI, 1.26-8.13). Logistic regression analysis confirmed the AA genotype as an independent risk factor for lung cancer after adjustment for age and gender (OR, 2.57; CI, 1.34-4.92). The AA genotype was overrepresented only in patients with non-metastatic disease (OR, 1.86; CI, 1.13-3.04). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated an earlier age of onset for lung cancer in AA carriers (P=0.023). Results suggest the existence of genetic susceptibility for lung cancer in carriers of...
ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the activity of Al-MCM-41, as mesoporous heterogeneous cata... more ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the activity of Al-MCM-41, as mesoporous heterogeneous catalyst, for the thermal and catalytic degradation of a Brazilian heavy crude oil (14°API), via thermogravimetry. The American Petroleum Institute gravity (°API) is a measure of how light of heavy petroleum is when compared to water. The API value is an inverse measure of the relative density of a petroleum liquid, and it is used to compare the relative densities of petroleum samples. The catalytic activity was investigated as a function of different concentration of Al-MCM-41 (1, 3, 5, 10 and 20 mass%) added to the oil, as well as the apparent activation energy relative to degradation process. The TG runs were carried out at temperature range of 30-900 °C, at heating rates of 5, 10 and 20 °C min−1, under nitrogen atmosphere. From TG/DTG tests, the material presented effective catalytic activity when added to the heavy oil at concentration higher than 5 mass%. This property was clearly evidenced by the activation energy values. By the application of Ozawa-Flynn-Wall kinetic model, it was observed that when the amount of catalyst was increased, the value of the apparent activation energy decreased from 103 kJ mol−1 (without catalyst) to 70 kJ mol−1 (with 20 mass% of catalyst).
Os objetivos do trabalho foram os de avaliar o efeito da aplicação de fungicida às sementes de am... more Os objetivos do trabalho foram os de avaliar o efeito da aplicação de fungicida às sementes de amendoim (Arachis hypogaea L.), que foram colhidas em distintos estádios de maturação e provenientes de plantas-mãe que foram ou não submetidas à calagem, nas condições de envelhecimento acelerado. Foram avaliados quatro lotes de sementes do cultivar Botucatu, provenientes das áreas que receberam (CC) ou não a aplicação de calcário (SC) e que foram colhidas aos 104 (E1) e 124 (E2) dias após a semeadura e denominados de lote 1 (E1/SC), 2 (E1/CC), 3 (E2/SC) e 4(E2/CC). De cada lote, foram retiradas duas amostras de sementes, uma original e outra tratada com fungicida thiram. Estas amostras foram submetidas às condições do teste de envelhecimento acelerado, e após o período de exposição, as sementes foram avaliadas na primeira e na segunda contagem do teste de germinação realizado com e sem secagem. Pelos resultados pode-se concluir que há maior incidência de patógenos nas sementes colhidas a...
ABSTRACT The ideal spacing of a tree species is the one that maximizes wood production. Spacing i... more ABSTRACT The ideal spacing of a tree species is the one that maximizes wood production. Spacing is an important matter to be considered in forest management researches. The present study aimed to evaluate the development of Pinus taeda L. in the region of Irati, southern Brazil, grown at different vital spaces (ranging from 1.0 m2 to 16.0 m2 per tree), provided by nine different spacing measures between plants of a field experiment carried out in randomized block design with five replications. This study was based on measures of height and diameter at breast height (DBH) on 25 trees within the plot, seven years after the planting of seedlings from a clonal seed orchard. Analyses of variance and regressions were used to interpret the results. Average volumes between 74.75 and 274.89 m3 per hectare have been verified. Considering production volume even with small diameters, one should opt for smaller spaces; when larger diameters are desired, the option should be for larger spaces. A better performance in the relationship between volume and diameter can be obtained using vital spaces between 5.0 m2 and 8.0 m2 for each tree.
2010 9th IEEE/IAS International Conference on Industry Applications - INDUSCON 2010, 2010
Adjustable Frequency AC Drive Systems are nowadays a reality in industrial applications. Occurren... more Adjustable Frequency AC Drive Systems are nowadays a reality in industrial applications. Occurrence of failures in these systems can compromise plants production severely. Therefore, rising their reliability is highly desirable. With this in mind, grounding and protection systems have been developed over the time. Particularly, the situation of a PWM (Pulse Width Modulated) drive in a non-grounded system deserves closer examination. If it is driving a system with insulation failures to ground (e.g. induction motor), at first it will not be interrupted by existing protections, which is good for operation continuity. However, phase-to-ground overvoltages will arise and may lead to insulation failure, equipment breakdown and undesirable unscheduled production stop. This paper aims to characterize involved phenomena that can cause system failure, loss of drive equipment and the subsequent production stop or restriction. Based on this understanding, a circuit capable to ensure operation continuity while motor failures are not eliminated is designed and built, avoiding the risk of drive loss.
ABSTRACT Abstract: Background: In western world, lung cancer is the third type of cancer and non-... more ABSTRACT Abstract: Background: In western world, lung cancer is the third type of cancer and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80% of all lung cancers representing the leading cause of death from cancer. The epidermal growth factor (EGF) has an established important role in lung carcinogenesis. EGF+61G/A is a biallelic G/A functional polymorphism, located in the 5’-UTR, which leads to increased EGF expression. The aim of our study was to evaluate the genetic influence of this polymorphism in NSCLC development. Material and Methods: DNA samples extracted from peripheral blood cells of 171 patients (pts) with NSCLC, with an accurate stage and a 3 month minimum of follow-up, were analyzed. From 171 pts, with a mean age 62,7 years (median – 64,0), 136 were males, 131 had a smoking history, and 85 had adenocarcinoma. The EGF genotypes were determined using the PCR-RFLP methodology. Results: Regarding the frequency of the EGF+61G/A polymorphism genotypes, 63,2% of patients showed genotypes carrying the G allele and 36,8% presented the homozygous genotype AA. Among G carrier genotypes, 16.7% corresponded to NSCLC patients with stages I/II and 83,3% to advanced stages of the disease (III/IV). Regarding AA genotype, 30,2% of the patients were diagnosed with early stage NSCLC (I/II) and 69,8% presented advanced stages of NSCLC (III/IV). These differences were statistically significant and suggest that individuals with genotypes carrying the G allele present a 2,16 fold higher risk for the progression from early stages of NSCLC (I/II) to clinically more advanced stages of the disease (III/IV) (OR=2,16; 95%CI: 1,03-4,52; P=0,039). Conclusions: These preliminary results indicate that the EGF+61G/A is involved in NSCLC progression, which is in agreement with previous findings that suggest that EGF overexpression is associated with worst prognosis of the disease. This makes EGF polymorphism an attractive factor for prognosis in NSCLC. Co-authors: A. Araújo1, A.P. Araújo2, A.L. Teixeira2, A. Coelho2, R. Ribeiro2, I. Azevedo1, R. Catarino2, D. Pinto2, M. Soares1, R. Medeiros2. 1Instituto Português de Oncologia-Porto, Medical Oncology, Porto, Portugal. 2Instituto Português de Oncologia-Porto, Molecular Oncology - CI, Porto, Portugal.
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Papers by Antonio Araujo