This work focuses on the adsorption of Bromelain in expanded bed conditions, such as the adsorption kinetics parameters. The adsorption kinetics parameters showed that after 40 minutes equilibrium was achieved and maximum adsorption capacity was 6.11 U per resin mL. However, the maximum adsorption capacity was only determined by measuring the adsorption isotherm. Only by the Langmuir model the maximum adsorption capacity, Qm, and dissociation constant, kd, values could be estimated as 9.18 U/mL and 0.591, respectively, at 25 ºC and 0.1 mol/L phosphate buffer pH 7.5. A column made of glass with an inner diameter of 1 cm was used for the expanded bed adsorption (EBA). The residence time was reduced 10 fold by increasing the expansion degree 2.5 times; nonetheless, the plate number (N) value was reduced only 2 fold. After adsorption, the bromelain was eluted in packed bed mode, with a downward flow. The purification factor was about 13 fold and the total protein was reduced 4 fold. EBA showed to be feasible for purification of bromelain.

Our propose was to demonstrate the brain access of the recombinant human erythropoietin, with low sialic acid content, in the Mongolian gerbil and Macaca fascicularis, as well as the safety of nasal administration in both species. Eighteen Mongolian gerbils received intranasally I125 labelled erythropoietin. Olfactory bulb and cerebellum-associated radioactivity were measured by a gamma counter. In a second experiment, erythropoietin was intranasally administered to 10 monkeys. Erythropoietin content in serum and cerebrospinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture was determined by an ELISA method. From the intranasal administered radioactivity, a 0,8% was detected in the olfactory bulb at 5 min. In M. fascicularis, a 0,15% of the dose was determined in the cerebrospinal fluid 15 min after the intranasal administration. Treatment related-changes in blood parameters in both species were not observed. Results suggest that nasal route may be an alternative, non invasive and sure mode of access to the brain for the erythropoietin, which can be used as neuroprotector in stroke, a current health problem nowadays.

El objetivo de este estudio fue demostrar la llegada al cerebro de la molécula de eritropoyetina recombinante humana, con bajo contenido en ácidos siálicos, administrada por vía nasal en el gerbo de Mongolia y el primate Macaca fascicularis, así como la seguridad de aplicación nasal en ambas especies. Se emplearon 18 gerbos de Mongolia a los cuales se les administró eritropoyetina marcada con I125. La radioactividad asociada al bulbo olfatorio y al cerebelo fue determinada mediante un contador gamma. En un segundo experimento se administró eritropoyetina por vía nasal en 10 monos. El contenido de eritropoyetina en suero y líquido cefalorraquídeo obtenido por punción lumbar fue determinado por un ELISA que cuantifica la cantidad de molécula presente por mL. Se detectó un 0,8% de la radioactividad aplicada por la vía nasal, en el bulbo olfatorio, 5 min después de la aplicación en el gerbil de Mongolia. En el M. fascicularis se determinó un 0,15% de la dosis aplicada por vía nasal en el líquido cefalorraquídeo lumbar a los 15 min. No se observaron cambios en los parámetros sanguíneos en estas especies. Los resultados sugieren que la vía nasal constituye una alternativa de acceso no invasivo y seguro de la molécula de eritropoyetina humana recombinante al SNC, que puede tener uso como neuroprotector en accidentes cerebrovasculares, que constituyen en la actualidad un problema de salud humana.

Objective: To determine therapeutic effects of epidural blockade with ropivacaine in patients with chronic arteriopathies of the lower limbs. Material and method: Descriptive, prospective and longitudinal study in 58 patients undergoing epidural blockade with ropivacaine. We determined the degree of motor blockade according to Bromage´s scale, the level of sensitive blockade using the pricking method, the degree of analgesia according to the visual analogical scale (VAS), appearance or changes in pulse rate and changes in skin temperature at the limbs involved, as well as improvement of skin trophic lesions. These determinations were performed 15 and 30 minutes after the blockade, then at 4-hours intervals during the first 24 hours and subsequently once daily until hospital discharge and 15 and 30 days afterwards. Results: After the blockade, an immediate relief of pain was observed in 56 patients and all of them recovered the pulse rates measured. One month later, pain persisted in 6 patients. Trophic disorders improved in 82.8%, skin lesions in 86.3% and pulse rate in 91.4%. In more than half of the patients, skin temperature increased from 3 to 3.9 °C and in some patients it increased in more than 5 °C. Conclusions: The results were satisfactory in 89.6% of patients, so we conclude that this therapeutic method is effective particularly for the management of pain at rest and for the improvement of blood circulation in the limb involved.

Objetivo: Evaluar los efectos terapéuticos del bloqueo epidural con ropivacaína en pacientes con insuficiencia arterial crónica de miembros inferiores. Material y método: Estudio descriptivo, prospectivo y longitudinal en 58 pacientes a los que se les realizó bloqueo epidural con ropivacaína. Determinamos grado de bloqueo motor según la escala de Bromage, nivel de bloqueo sensitivo por método del pinchazo, grado de analgesia por medio de la escala visual analógica (EVA), aparición o cambios en la intensidad de los pulsos y las modificaciones en la temperatura cutánea de los miembros afectados, así como la mejoría de las lesiones tróficas de la piel. Estas evaluaciones se hicieron a los 15 y 30 minutos siguientes al bloqueo, luego cada cuatro horas en las primeras 24 horas y posteriormente cada día hasta el alta, luego a los 15 y 30 días. Resultados: Después del bloqueo se observó mejoría inmediata del dolor en 56 pacientes y todos recuperaron la intensidad de los pulsos explorados. Al mes persistía el dolor en 6 pacientes. Las alteraciones tróficas mejoraron en el 82,8%, las lesiones cutáneas en el 86,3% y los pulsos en el 91,4%. En más de la mitad de los pacientes la temperatura cutánea se elevó de 3 a 3,9 °C y en algunos en más de 5 °C. Conclusiones: El resultado fue bueno en el 89,6% de los casos, por lo que consideramos que este método de tratamiento es útil sobre todo para el alivio del dolor en reposo y la mejoría en la circulación del miembro afectado.

The description of non-idealities in Cascode Switched-Current (SI) cell as well as its application in analog signal processing is described. A test chip (CMOS, 1.5 μm, N-well, 0-5 V) was designed to verify that the proposed method works successfully in the magnitude glitch reduction problem.

Se describen las no idealidades de una celda cascode en corriente conmutada, así como su aplicación en procesamiento analógico de señales. Para ello, se fabricó un chip de prueba en tecnología CMOS para verificar el método propuesto para minimizar la magnitud de la respuesta espuria que aparece debido al proceso de conmutación aplicado.

Foi conduzido um ensaio numa plantação comercial de café de variedade Mundo Novo de 9 anos de idade, com uma população de 1904 covas/ha, destinada a avaliar a quantidade de biomassa e de nutrientes removidas por diferentes tipos de poda: recepa a 0,40m; decote a 1,00, 1,50 e 2,00 m; decote a 1,50m com esqueletamento. A análise do material e dos dados permitiu tirar-se as seguintes conclusões: (1) a biomassa removida pela poda foi maior na recepa (24,3 t de matéria fresca e 11,9 de matéria seca) e no decote a 1,00 m (20,6 e 10,1 t, respectivamente); seguia-se o decote a 1,50 m com esqueletamento que deu 19,4 e 8,3 t de matéria fresca e seca por hectare; os pesos da matéria fresca e seca correspondentes aos decotes a 1,50 m e 2,00 m foram: 12,1 e 5,4; 5,6 e 2,5 t/ha; (2) a relação existente entre a altura de poda e quantidade de fitomassa removida é descrita por equações de regressão simples; (3) as quantidades de nutrientes removidas são proporcionais as quantidades de material podado sendo as seguintes de acordo com a ordem dos tratamentos dado, em kg/ha: N - 320, 294, 162, 80 e 261; P - 18, 15, 10, 44 e 16; K - 286, 266, 168, 78 e 273; Ca - 149, 139, 63, 33 e 101: Mg - 30, 33, 16, 8 e 26; S - 10, 7,6, 3 e 10; as quantidades de micronutrientes removidas foram, em g/ha: B - 306, 337, 163, 83 e 268; Cu - 229, 219, 121, 51 e 191; Fe - 2783, 2328, 1367, 544 e 2,088; Mn - 437, 779, 264, 142 e 412; Zn - 174, 152, 74, 28 e 121; (3) foram derivadas equações de regressão simples que relacionam quantidade extraídas e altura da poda; (4) a reciclagem de fitomassa contribui com economia substancial de fertilizantes para a nova vegetação. Cerca de dois terços e três quartos de nutrientes, entretanto, estão contidos no material lenhoso de caules e ramos o que deve fazer que a sua disponibilidade seja mais lenta.

An experiment has carried out in commercial coffee plantation (varie ty Mundo Novo, 7 years old, 1904 "covas" per ha, previous yield 3,180 kg cleancoffe, Ipanema Agro Indústria S.A., Alfenas, MG, Brazil) designed to estimate the quantities of biomass, macro and micronutrients there in, removed by different types of pruning, namely: (1) stumping at 0,40 m above ground;(2) capping at 1,00 m; (3) capping at 1,50 m; (4) capping at 2,00 m; (5) capping at 1,50 m and cutting of laterals at 15 cm from the main stem. Analyses of data and material allowed for the following conclusions to be drawn. (1) Biomass removed by pruning was higher when pruning was done by stumping (24.3 tons of fresh weight and 11.9 tons dry weight) and by capping at 1,00 m above ground (20.6 and 10.1 tons, respectively); these treatments were followed by capping at 1,50 m plus cutting off laterals which yielded 19.4 and 8.3 tons of fresh and dry weight; the fresh and try weight corresponding to capping at 1,50 and 2,00 m above ground were: 12.1 and 5.4, 5.6 and 2.5 tons por hectare. (2) Simple regression equations describe with a high degree of significance the relationship between height of pruning and biomass removed there off. (3) The amount of macro and micronutrients, as expected, relate well with the quantity of plant material which corresponds to each treatment. Total amounts for macronutrients were, according to the order of the treatments given above (in kg/ha): N - 320; 294; 162; 80 and 261; P - 18; 15; 10; 44 and 16; K - 286; 266; 168; 78 and 273; Ca - 149; 139; 63; 33 and 101; Mg - 30; 33; 16; 8 and 26; S - 10; 7; 6; 3 and 10. In the same order, the amounts of micronutrients were, in g/ha: B - 306; 337; 163; 83 and 268; Cu - 229; 219; 121; 51 and 191; Fe - 2783; 2328; 1367; 544 and 2088; Mn - 437; 779; 264; 142 and 412; Zn - 174; 152; 74; 28 and 121. (4) Simple regression equations were derived which express the relationship between quantities of macro and micronutrients removed and the heighth of pruning. (5) Recycling of the biomass curt off fy pruning could contribute to savings in the rates of fertilizer to be applied in the period of regrowth. Most of the nutrients, however, from two thirds to three fourths of the total, are found in branches and stems which is likely to more slonly released.