Anti-hemorrhagic effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of the leaves of Mikania glomerata in lesions induced by Bothrops jararaca venom in rats

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of hydroalcoholic leaf extract of Mikania glomerata Spreng (Asteraceae) on the activity of Bothrops jararaca snake venom in Wistar rats. METHODS: Fifty four rats Wistar were divided into six groups of nine animals in each: control treated with saline; control treated with B. jararaca venom; control treated with M. glomerata extract; B. jararaca venom incubated with M. glomerata extract at proportions of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4. RESULTS: Histopathological and morphometric analysis showed that intradermal administration of snake venom incubated with the hydroalcoholic extract at proportions of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4 promoted a significant reduction in the number of inflammatory cells and a marked decrease in edema after the third hour. There was also a significant reduction in the intensity of the hemorrhagic halo in animals receiving the snake venom incubated with the extract, with the observation of a progressive and parallel inhibition with increasing proportion of M. glomerata. CONCLUSION: The Mikania glomerata hydroalcoholic extract exerted effective anti-inflammatory and antihemorrhagic activity against the effects induced by Bothrops jararaca snake venom.2913037Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CNPq [108113/2010-8

Electrospun Membranes of Poly(Lactic Acid) (PLA) Used as Scaffold in Drug Delivery of Extract of Sedum Dendroideum

Biomaterials nanofibrous electrospun with biodegradable polymers have the advantage of the similarity to natural extracellular matrices, showing promising as scaffolds for application in tissue engineering. Sedum dendroideum is a phytotherapic drug that stands out for its healing properties and anti-inflammatory. This study presents the efficacy of PLA electrospun membranes used as support S. dendroideum extract releasing on excisional skin lesions of Wistar rats. The PLA porous membranes, which are nonwoven fibrous mats, were obtained by electrospinning using a conventional apparatus with a flat collector. The animals were randomly divided into nine groups: control (C), animals treated with electrospun membranes of PLA (M), animals treated with extract of S. dendroideum dissolved in saline (F), animals treated with membranes of PLA with 10% S. dendroideum (MF10), animals treated with membranes of PLA with 25% S. dendroideum (MF25). Tissue samples were taken after 2, 6 and 10 days after surgery and were subjected to structural analysis and morphology. The experimental observations showed the application of the phytotherapic incorporated in the membrane promoted a significant response regarding the number of inflammatory cells, percentage of mature collagen fibers and epithelium birrefringent in thickness excisional skin lesions in Wistar rats. It was also demonstrated that the application of the PLA membranes without the extract promoted similar responses tissues.1374694470

Avaliação do perfil auditivo de militares de um quartel do Exército Brasileiro Audiometric assessment for military personnel

No serviço militar, os sujeitos estão expostos a ruídos contínuos em oficinas e a ruídos de impacto provenientes de armas de fogo e detonações. Estes ruídos indesejáveis são capazes de causar lesão ao sistema auditivo, muitas vezes irreversível, além de outros efeitos em todo o organismo. OBJETIVO: Avaliar os perfis auditivos de um grupo de militares e, em face dos resultados, incentivar a implementação de medidas preventivas para perdas auditivas, como programa de conservação auditiva. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Coorte transversal. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Avaliação auditiva de 97 sujeitos que trabalham em uma organização militar do Exército, por meio de entrevista, otoscopia e exames audiométricos. RESULTADOS: 38,1% dos militares examinados apresentaram alterações audiométricas supostamente induzidas por ruído, predominantemente nos artilheiros, com predomínio da perda auditiva unilateral. 64,5% dos militares examinados não utilizava proteção adequada. CONCLUSÃO: A grande ocorrência da perda auditiva entre os militares e a falta de proteção adequada à exposição ao ruído indica a necessidade de se implantarem, nesta categoria, medidas de prevenção de perda auditiva.<br>The individuals rendering the military service are often liable to frequent noise in factories and discharge sounds deriving from firearms and detonations. These sort of undesirable sounds cause lesions the auditory system, which are sometimes irreversible, besides provoking bad effects to the body as a whole. AIM: Evaluating the auditory profiles from a specific group of military personnel, and according to the achieved results to promote the incentive towards the implantation of preventive measures related to auditory losses, such as auditory preservation programs. STUDY DESIGN: Transversal cohort. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Auditory evaluation of 97 individuals working in a military organization, which included interviews, as well as otoscopic and audiometric tests. RESULTS: From the total examined personnel, 38,1% presented audiometric changes supposedly noise-induced since these changes prevailed in the artillerymen, being the unilateral hearing loss predominant. The use of no proper protection equipment was observed in 64,5% of the total examined military personnel. CONCLUSION: The high level of hearing loss occurrences found between the military personnel joined to the absence of proper protection equipment for the exposition to noises, indicate the need of implanting prevention measures to avoid hearing losses among theses professionals

Z-Source Inverter for Photovoltaic Microgeneration

The number of grid-connected photovoltaic systems has been growing in the world as a sustainable alternative for power generation. This paper presents a study of Z-source inverter applied to a low voltage residential photovoltaic microgeneration system. The ZSI topology is evaluated through the expressions related to its equivalent electrical circuits, with the differential of considering asymmetry and accounting for the ohmic losses due to the equivalent series resistances in the inductors and capacitors of the impedance network. In addition to the mathematical model of the ZSI converter, it is also presented a design methodology for the selection of impedance network elements. Finally, computational simulations considering the Simple Boost modulation technique are developed to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the proposed system.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)IFSP Inst Fed Educ Ciencia & Tecnol Sao Paulo, Boituva, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Control & Automat Engn, Sorocaba, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Control & Automat Engn, Sorocaba, BrazilFAPESP: 2016/08645-9FAPESP: 2018/24331-

Static Transfer Switch Applied to Single-Phase Uninterruptible Power Supply

This paper presents a Static Transfer Switch (STS) applied to Single-Phase Uninterruptible Power Supply. The performance of two STS topologies was evaluated, one traditional composed of thyristors and the other formed by the association of IGBTs and diodes. In addition, two approaches for detection of disturbances in the grid voltage waveform are explored: the first method is based on the dq0 transformation and the second one is performed through a PLL (Phase Locked Loop) algorithm. Simulation and experimental results were performed to evaluate the performance of topologies and methods for disturbances detection.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)IFSP Inst Fed Sao Paulo, Avare, BrazilUEL Univ Estadual Londrina, Londrina, Parana, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Sorocaba, BrazilUniv Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Sorocaba, BrazilFAPESP: 2016/08645-9FAPESP: 2018/24331-

Considerations on Communication Infrastructures for Cooperative Operation of Smart Inverters

The presence of distributed generation systems spread over low-voltage electrical networks is boosting the development of control methodologies aiming at coordinating and cooperatively managing the existing smart inverters. Although low-bandwidth data transmission links are constantly described to be required for a considerable number of centralized and decentralized control methodologies, there is a gap in literature concerning the plain understanding of the features of the related communication protocols available for such application. Thus, this paper brings considerations on some of the most relevant communication protocols that can be applied to the cooperative control of multiple smart inverters, taking into account the recent updates on interoperability requirements recommended by the IEEE 1547-2018 standard. The communication infrastructure, topology and features of a low-bandwidth data transmission link are discussed in this paper focusing on the SunSpec, DNP3 and SEP2 protocols. Yet, some critical comments are made regarding the practical interoperability of commercial inverters, also bordering cyber security matters.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)NFRCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Sao Paulo State Univ, UNESP, G Automat & Int Syst GASI, Sorocaba, BrazilFed Univ Minas Gerais UFMG, Grad Program Elect Engn, Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilNorwegian Univ Sci & Technol NTNU, Dept Elect Power Engn, Trondheim, NorwaySao Paulo State Univ, UNESP, G Automat & Int Syst GASI, Sorocaba, BrazilFAPESP: 2018/22172-1FAPESP: 2017/24652-8FAPESP: 2016/08645-9NFR: f261735/H3

Modeling Battery Energy Storage System operating in DC microgrid with DAB converter

This paper presents a computational model for studying the energy flow at the integration of a battery bank (BB) to a DC microgrid, through the use of the Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converter. The one time constant model was adopted for the battery, with its parameters obtained through exponential regression by the Least Squares method, through its hysteresis curve between terminal voltage and load level percentage. The curve was synthesized by data collected from a LiFeYPO4 reference battery. The DAB converter was controlled by the Phase-Shift modulation technique. The converter power management occurs through a state machine, which defines the conditions of energy flow between the microgrid and the energy storage system. This paper has educational aims for the study of energy flow at the integration of BB into DC microgrids.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)UNESP Inst Ciencia & Tecnol Sorocaba, Av Tres de Marco 511, BR-18087180 Sorocaba, SP, BrazilEmerson Proc Management AB, Hammarby Alle 150, SE-12066 Stockholm, SwedenUNESP Inst Ciencia & Tecnol Sorocaba, Av Tres de Marco 511, BR-18087180 Sorocaba, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2016/08645-9FAPESP: 2018/24331-