Cachimbos europeus de cerâmica branca, séculos XVI ao XIX: parâmetros básicos para análise arqueológica

O tabaco foi introduzido na Europa no final do século XV. Desde então, uma das formas mais comuns para o seu consumo foi o cachimbo, além do rapé, do tabaco de mascar, do charuto e, mais recentemente, dos cigarros. Os cachimbos de cerâmica branca, largamente produzidos e utilizados na Europa desde o século XV, são encontrados em sítios arqueológicos históricos ao redor do mundo, incluindo no Brasil, em decorrência do comércio internacional, que gradualmente se intensificou após o início da conquista europeia. Eles funcionam como excelentes elementos para datação de sítios e estratos arqueológicos, tendo sido estudados em vários países a partir dessa abordagem. Ainda, esse tipo de artefato, mais que fornecer datações, permite identificar redes comerciais entre nações e desenvolver discussões de cunho social e cultural. Contudo, eles foram pouco estudados no Brasil. Visando contribuir com os estudos nacionais dessa categoria material, este artigo oferece uma revisão da literatura internacional acerca do histórico da produção dos cachimbos europeus de caulim, incluindo apresentação dos principais centros produtores; da morfologia e decoração desses produtos, considerando a cronologia do fabrico; e dos métodos de análise dos diferentes cachimbos de caulim no âmbito da arqueologia histórica.Tobacco was introduced in Europe at the end of the 15th century. Since then, one of the most traditional means for its use has been the pipe, next to the powder version, chewing, cigars, and, more recently, cigarettes. White clay tobacco pipes, widely produced and used in Europe since the 15th century, are found in historical archaeological sites around the world, including Brazil, due to international trade, which gradually intensified with the European conquest of the New World. They are excellent guides for dating archaeological sites and layers. In addition, this type of artifact, more than a dating tool, permits identifying trading networks between nations and developing discussions of cultural and social nature. These pipes, however, have been understudied in Brazil. In order to contribute to studies of this type of artifact in our country, this paper offers a revision of the international literature on the history of clay pipe production in Europe, including the presentation of main production centers; morphology and decoration of these products, considering issues of fabrication chronology; and the methods used in Historical Archaeology for analyzing clay tobacco pipes

Hydrogelexpander as Drug Delivery System for Antibiotics

Purpose: The suitability of a high-hydrophilic osmotic self-inflating hydrogel expander consisting of a co-polymer of N-vinylpyrolidone and methyl methacrylate as a drug delivery system for antibiotics to prevent a postoperative infection was investigated in a laboratory setting. Methods: The dry expanders were incubated in a 0.3% solution of Ofloxacin or Tobramycin for 24 hours. The completely swollen expander had increased in volume from 0.3 mL to almost 3 mL (adsorbing 2.7 mL of the 0.3% solution, i.e.,8.1 mg of Ofloxacin or Tobramycin, respectively). Addressing the elimination of both antibiotics, the concentrations in 15 mL elution medium (simulating the volume of the orbit in a newborn baby) were measured after 0.25, 1, 2, 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours of elution. 0.9% sodium chloride (B. Braun Melsungen, Germany) was used as elution medium. To imitate fluid exchange due to blood perfusion in the surrounding tissue the medium was renewed after every sampling. For each substance 10 expanders were tested. Concentrations of antibiotic were determined by HPLC/UV for Ofloxacin and by using a specific fluorescence-polarisation immunoassay (Abbott TDx) for Tobramycin. Results: Mean concentrations of Ofloxacin at 0.25, 1, 2, 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours after beginning of the elution were 50.2, 46.8, 41.2, 75.4, 88.2, 46.2 and 19.1 mu g/mL, respectively. The cumulative amount of Ofloxacin eluted after 72 hours reached 68% of the loading dose. The corresponding mean concentrations of Tobramycin were 38.8, 48.5, 40.5, 69.8, 88.7, 119.3 and 71.6 mu g/mL. The cumulative eluted amount was 88%. Conclusions: The investigated hydrogel expanders soaked in 0.3% antibiotic solution can store and later on release sufficient amounts of Ofloxacin or Tobramycin to produce antimicrobial effective concentrations in vitro in the surrounding environment. This principle, when used in a clinical setting, might help to eliminate post-implantation infection which is one of the major complications in clinical use

In vitro kinetics of delivery of tobramycin and ofloxacin from osmotic hydro gel expanders

Objective: High-hydrophilic osmotic self-inflating hydro gel expanders are well-accepted for implantation to achieve tissue expansion in defined parts of the body like skin, breast and orbital soft tissue. To prevent post-implantation infections effective antibiotic prophylaxis might be helpful. The suitability of this hydro gel consisting of a co-polymer of N-vinyl-pyrolidone and methyl-methacrylate as a drug delivery system for antibiotics was investigated in a laboratory setting simulating the orbit in a newborn. Methods: In a first setting the dry expanders were incubated in a 0.3% solution (5 ml) of tobramycin and ofloxacin for 24 h (n = 10 for each substance, adsorbing 2.4 ml of the 0.3% solution, i.e. 7,200 mu g antibiotic). Addressing the release of both antibiotics, the concentrations in 15 ml elution medium (0.9% sodium chloride, renewed after every sampling) were measured after 0.25, 1, 2, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h of elution. To simulate the clinical use in a second setting the expanders were dried after incubation in a 0.3% and 0.03% solution of tobramycin (n = 5 for each concentration) before measuring the release. Results: The cumulative amount of tobramycin released after 72 h reached 7,157 mu g, i.e. 99% of the initially loaded antibiotic. The cumulatively released amount of ofloxacin was 5,505 mu g (76% of loading dose). Main fraction of release (about two thirds) was detected for both antibiotics for a elution period 0 - 24 h. In the periods 24 48 and 48 - 72 h the released amount of tobramycin was significantly higher than for ofloxacin. The release from expander dried after loading tobramycin was comparable: The cumulatively released amount of 0.3% and 0.03% incubation solution was 99% and 79% of loading dose, respectively. Conclusions: The investigated hydro gel expanders soaked in antibiotic solution can store and further on release sufficient amounts of tobramycin or ofloxacin to produce antimicrobial effective concentrations in vitro in the surrounding environment according to the breakpoints reported by EUCAST [14]. This principle, when used in a clinical setting, might help to eliminate post-implantation infection, which is one of the major complications in clinical use.Faculty of Medicine, University of Rostock, German