Abstract Composites Films were produced using Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) as the soft material and reinforced with Chitin Nanowhiskers(NWCH) as the rigid material. The present work studies the reinforcing mechanisms of NWCH in PVA films, made through a solvent casting technique and characterized for their calorimetric, swelling and mechanical properties. DSC tests revealed a sharp increase of 45 °C in glass transition temperatures with only 1.5% NWCH, while melting temperature had a small increases suggesting an anti-plasticizing effect. Swelling tests revealed decreasing hygoscopy when NWCH volume fraction increases. Estimates for elastic tensile modulus using a model that predicts the formation of a percolating network were not consistent with the experimental data of tensile tests suggesting that contrary to the reinforcement with cellulose nanowhiskers the percolating network is not primarily responsible for the reinforcement of the films. By adjusting the Halpin-Tsai equations, modified by Nielsen it was found that the mechanical properties were mainly influenced by the packing of the NWCH.

ABSTRACT Over the past decades, chitosan has been extensively investigated and used as a biomaterial due to a set of properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability and bioactivity. In the present work to produce the chitosan fibers was used the wet spinning technique and Two parameters, solvent and polymers concentration, were chosen as variables. For polymer concentration two concentrations were applied: 2%, 2.5%; and for solvents, three different acids were used: acetic, malic and lactic. Characterizations were carried out, using FTIR, Swelling Degree measurements, SEM and mechanical tests in terms of Traction. From the dimensional analysis of the fiber, different diameters where detected possibly due to steric effects cause by the presence of the acid. Other properties were also affected, revealing that as denser fibers are tend they have higher mechanical properties, and lesser tendency to swell. The fibers showed good potential for application as sutures.

OBJETIVO: Verificar o diagnóstico otoneurológico de idosos com tontura e a interferência deste sintoma na qualidade de vida. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, realizado com 56 idosos com tontura, com média de idade de 71,2 anos, submetidos à avaliação otoneurológica que envolveu: audiometria tonal, audiometria vocal, imitanciometria, provas de equilíbrio, pesquisa do nistagmo e vertigem de posição e posicionamento e vectoeletronistagmografia. Para avaliar a qualidade de vida, utilizou-se um questionário específico para tontura, o Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), que verifica os efeitos incapacitantes provocados por este distúrbio. RESULTADOS: A tontura rotatória foi referida por 29 pacientes (51,8%), 75% apresentaram alguma queixa auditiva e 69,6% apresentaram audiometria alterada. Os pacientes com queixas vestibulares de tontura posicional apresentaram diferença significativa para o aspecto físico do DHI. Já os pacientes com queixas vestibulares de desequilíbrio apresentaram diferença significativa para os aspectos funcional e emocional. A vectoeletronistagmografia computadorizada esteve alterada em 47 pacientes (83,9%), indicando comprometimento vestibular periférico em todos os casos. No exame pós-calórico, a hiperreflexia foi a alteração mais prevalente e o diagnóstico mais frequente foi o de síndrome Vestibular Periférica Deficitária à Esquerda. Com relação à qualidade de vida, o aspecto funcional apresentou o maior escore médio entre os três aspectos avaliados, e observou-se diferença significativa entre os aspectos funcional e o emocional. CONCLUSÃO: Idosos com tontura apresentam, em sua maioria, alterações na audiometria e na vectoeletronistagmografia, indicando disfunção do sistema cócleo-vestibular; apresentam também qualidade de vida comprometida.

PURPOSE: To verify the otoneurologic diagnosis of elderly individuals with dizziness and the interference of this symptom in their quality of life. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, conducted with 56 elderly individuals with dizziness. Subjects' mean age was 71.2 years, and they were submitted to otoneurologic assessment, which involved: pure-tone, speech and impedance audiometry, balance assessment, testing for positional and positioning vertigo and nystagmus, and vectoelectronystagmography. A specific questionnaire for dizziness was used to assess the quality of life, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), which verifies the handicap effects provoked by this symptom. RESULTS: Rotatory dizziness was reported by 29 patients (51.8%), 75% presented some hearing complaint, and 69.6% had altered results in audiometry. Patients with vestibular complaints of positional dizziness presented significant difference for the physical aspect of the DHI. Patients with vestibular complaints of imbalance showed significant difference for the functional and emotional aspects. The computerized vectoelectronystagmography was altered in 47 patients (83.9%), indicating peripheral vestibular disorder in all cases. In the post-caloric assessment, hyperreflexia was the most prevalent alteration, and the most frequent diagnosis was Deficient Peripheral Vestibular Syndrome to the Left. Regarding quality of life, the functional aspect had the highest average score among the three aspects evaluated, and there was a significant difference between the functional and emotional aspects. CONCLUSION: Most elderly patients with dizziness present alterations in audiometry and vectoelectronystagmography, which indicate a disorder in the vestibulocochlear system; they also present impaired quality of life.

OBJETIVOS: Dermopatia diabética é o marcador cutâneo mais comum de diabetes mellitus. Embora, a dermopatia e a retinopatia diabéticas sejam consideradas manifestações de microangiopatia diabética, poucos estudos foram publicados a respeito de uma possível associação. Este estudo pretendeu investigar a associação de retinopatia e dermopatia diabéticas e determinar a prevalência e os fatores de risco associados com retinopatia diabética em pacientes diabéticos do tipo 2 do Ambulatório de Diabetes da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Passo Fundo no Hospital de Ensino São Vicente de Paulo. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal de 90 pacientes diabéticos tipo 2, atendidos sucessivamente em um Ambulatório de Diabetes nos quais foi realizado exame físico dermatológico e oftalmológico. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de dermopatia diabética foi de 16,6% (n = 15) e a de retinopatia diabética foi de 34,4% (n = 31). Destes, 67,8% (n = 21) consistiam em retinopatia não-proliferativa e 32,2% (n = 10) em retinopatia proliferativa. Observou-se que a duração da doença maior do que 10 anos (p = 0,001) e idade maior que 50 anos (p = 0,014) estavam associadas à retinopatia. Não se encontrou associação entre hemoglobina glicada (p = 0,5) e glicemia de jejum (p = 0,8) com retinopatia diabética. A freqüência de retinopatia diabética em pacientes com dermopatia diabética não foi maior do que nos pacientes sem dermopatia (7,7%, 7 casos, p = 0,586). Não houve associação, estatisticamente significativa, entre retinopatia e dermopatia diabéticas. CONCLUSÃO: Não se encontrou associação entre dermopatia e retinopatia diabéticas entre estes indivíduos com diabetes mellitus do tipo 2. A presença de retinopatia diabética estava associada à duração da doença e à idade avançada dos pacientes.

PURPOSE: Diabetic dermopathy is the most frequent cutaneous marker of diabetes mellitus. Although diabetic dermopathy and diabetic retinopathy are both considered as manifestations of diabetic microangiopathy, there are only few reports in the literature regarding their possible association. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between diabetic dermopathy and diabetic retinopathy and to determine the prevalence and the associated risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes patients from the Outpatient Diabetic Clinic of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Passo Fundo and Teaching Hospital Sao Vicente de Paulo. METHODS: Cross sectional study was performed in 90 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients who attend to the outpatient diabetic clinic, consecutively. Physical, dermatological and ophthalmologic evaluations were performed in all the patients. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetic dermopathy was 16,6% (n = 15) and diabetic retinopathy was 34,4% (n = 31); 67,8% of those (n = 21) consisted of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 32,2% (n = 10) of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The duration of the disease greater than 10 years (p = 0,001) and age over 50 years (p = 0,014) were associated to retinopathy, but no association was found with elevated levels of HbA1c (p = 0,5) and fasting plasma glucose of 126 or higher (p = 0,8). The frequency of diabetic retinopathy in patients with diabetic dermopathy was not higher than in patients without dermopathy (7,7%, 7 cases, p = 0,586). There was no statistically significant association between diabetic retinopathy and diabetic dermopathy. CONCLUSION: No association between diabetic dermopathy and diabetic retinopathy in this group of type 2 diabetes patients was found. The presence of diabetic retinopathy was associated to the duration of the disease and the advanced age of the patients.