This study aims to investigate the interpretive demonstrations of a group of undergraduates in chemistry at the Federal University of Sergipe, on the critical context within the Science Technology and Society (STS) educational perspective, using a reading of theoretical frameworks that are committed to this approach. Also, this study aims to evaluate what was absorbed from these readings by reading and analysing textual production of undergraduates, given the expressed views and written speeches, supported by the Textual Analysis Discourse. To this end, three articles were selected that were complementary, with the same lead author.. After reading the articles, the undergraduates produced a text and answered a questionnaire that discussed the critical context and the STS approach. The results enabled the creation of categories and emerging categories from the analysis of data collected through the discursive manifestations of undergraduates, which can frame and categorize these speeches, which distanced themselves from the concept of critical contextualization, championed by the author of the text and by the author of this study, pointing to a still very timid advance on the intervention performed, as reading and writing practice is undervalued in the education of these undergraduates. / Este trabalho se propõe a investigar as manifestações interpretativas de um grupo de licenciandos em Química da Universidade Federal de Sergipe, sobre contextualização crítica na perspectiva educacional CTS, a partir de uma leitura de referenciais teóricos que se comprometem com esta abordagem. Além disso, avaliar o que ficou destas leituras realizadas, a partir da análise e leitura da produção textual dos licenciandos, diante das concepções manifestadas e dos discursos escritos, apoiados na Análise Textual Discursiva. Para tanto, foram selecionados três artigos que se complementavam, tendo o mesmo autor principal. Após as leituras dos artigos, os licenciandos produziram um texto e responderam um questionário que discorria sobre a contextualização crítica e abordagem CTS. Os resultados obtidos possibilitaram a criação de categorias, a priori, e categorias emergentes a partir da análise dos dados coletados por meio das manifestações discursivas dos licenciandos, sendo possível enquadrar e categorizar estes discursos, que se distanciaram do conceito de contextualização crítica, defendida pelo autor e por nós, apontando um avanço ainda muito tímido diante da intervenção realizada, uma vez que, a prática da leitura e escrita é pouco valorizada na formação destes licenciandos.

Submitted by Cássia Santos (cassia.bcufg@gmail.com) on 2016-05-19T12:13:03Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Thiago Vasconcelos Ribeiro - 2015.pdf: 6650465 bytes, checksum: fff568c1c2d14350be65c2a484d804fb (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-05-19T13:05:45Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Thiago Vasconcelos Ribeiro - 2015.pdf: 6650465 bytes, checksum: fff568c1c2d14350be65c2a484d804fb (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-19T13:05:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Thiago Vasconcelos Ribeiro - 2015.pdf: 6650465 bytes, checksum: fff568c1c2d14350be65c2a484d804fb (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-30 / The dissertation “The Subfield Brazilian Research in Science Education STS (SCIENCETECHNOLOGY- SOCIETY): a construction space” presents the results of an investigation that aimed to characterize the social space formed by researchers and institutions responsible for production and reproduction of research in science education STS in Brazil. To build the object of research, we used the theoretical framework involving the notion of field, developed by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, synthesized in central concepts such as field, symbolic capital, habitus, illusio, symbolic violence, etc. In the construction of the methodology and analysis used was the Bardin’s Analysis of Content, updated to the way of thinking relational characteristic of implicit praxiological knowledge the notion of field in the form of a Relational Content Analysis. Data were built with originating from the information provided by the agents involved in the research in science education STS in Lattes Platform, through the Curriculum Lattes of each. The analyzes produced allowed signal to the existence of a form of symbolic market of cultural production, a scientific field involving the dispute of symbolic capital, about a hierarchy of positions that characterize and differentiate the dominant researchers and researchers dominated in the structure of symbolic struggles of research in science education STS. The analyzes allowed, yet, show some effects of symbolic violence by ruling on the Subfield Brazilian Research in Science Education STS. / A dissertação “O Subcampo Brasileiro de Pesquisa em Ensino de Ciências CTS (CIÊNCIATECNOLOGIA- SOCIEDADE): um espaço em construção” apresenta os resultados de uma investigação que teve como objetivo caracterizar o espaço social formado pelos pesquisadores e instituições responsáveis pela produção e reprodução das pesquisas em ensino de ciências CTS no Brasil. Para a construção do objeto de pesquisa, foi empregado o aporte teórico envolvendo a noção de campo, desenvolvido pelo sociólogo francês Pierre Bourdieu, sintetizado em conceitos centrais como campo, capitais simbólicos, habitus, illusio, violência simbólica, etc. Na construção da metodologia e das análises foi empregada a Analise de Conteúdo de Bardin, atualizada para o modo de pensar relacional característico do conhecimento praxiológico implícita na noção de campo, na forma de uma Análise de Conteúdo Relacional. Os dados analisados foram construídos tendo por fonte as informações disponibilizadas pelos agentes envolvidos na pesquisa em ensino de ciências CTS na Plataforma Lattes, por meio do Currículo Lattes de cada um deles. As análises produzidas permitiram sinalizar para a existência de uma forma de mercado simbólico de produção cultural, um campo científico, envolvendo a disputa de capitais simbólicos, em torno de uma hierarquia de posições que caracterizam e diferenciam os pesquisadores dominantes e os pesquisadores dominados na estrutura das lutas simbólicas das pesquisas em ensino de ciências CTS. As análises permitiram, ainda, evidenciar alguns efeitos de violência simbólica exercida pelos dominantes sobre o Subcampo Brasileiro de Pesquisa em Ensino de Ciências CTS.

Submitted by JÚLIO HEBER SILVA (julioheber@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-03-27T20:31:00Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Viviane Soares do Nascimento - 2015.pdf: 1621065 bytes, checksum: 5ac4d73e695185fd51cb24af57d83587 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-03-28T11:35:43Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Viviane Soares do Nascimento - 2015.pdf: 1621065 bytes, checksum: 5ac4d73e695185fd51cb24af57d83587 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-28T11:35:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Viviane Soares do Nascimento - 2015.pdf: 1621065 bytes, checksum: 5ac4d73e695185fd51cb24af57d83587 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-24 / The Youth and Adult Education (YAE) in the educational system of the country, is characterized as a teaching modality, required by law and aimed at people who had no access, for some reason, to the regular school at the appropriated age, according to has been established in the Federal Constitution of 1988. We believe that teaching of science can form more critical citizens. Thus, teaching of science allows citizens a better interaction with the world. This research aimed to evaluate the teaching of scientific concepts about substance in the adult education. Thus, we plan and develop pedagogical interventions (PIs) with approach in relations Science-Technology-Society-Environment (STSE). We have studied the processes of conceptual appropriation by Conversation Analysis (CA) produced these PIs. Based by socio-historical and cultural foundations, we developed an action research. Results lead us notice that the teaching and the learning of chemical concepts with STSE approach performed in adult education seems to contribute to the concepts appropriation of constituent entities of matter. Besides, he explained the link between the work world (context that characterizes and defines the subject of the YAE) and the chemical science, a fact that promoted the relations teacher - student - knowledge-cientific. / A Educação de Jovens e Adultos (EJA) no sistema educacional do país, caracteriza-se como uma modalidade de ensino, amparada por lei e voltada para pessoas que não tiveram acesso, por algum motivo, ao ensino regular na idade apropriada de acordo ao que se instaurou na Constituição Federal de 1988.Defendemos que ensinar ciências pode formar cidadãos mais críticos.Assim, ensinar ciências permite ao cidadão uma melhor interação com o mundo.Essa investigação visou avaliar o ensino dos conceitos científicos sobre substância na EJA. Desta forma, planejamos e desenvolvemos intervenções pedagógicas (IPs) com abordagem nas relações Ciência-Tecnologia-Sociedade-Ambiente (CTSA). Estudamos os processos de apropriação conceitual por meio da Análise da Conversação (AC) produzido nestas IPs. Pautada em bases sócio-históricas e culturais desenvolvemos uma pesquisa-ação. Os resultados permitem inferir que o ensino-aprendizagem dos conceitos químicos com enfoque CTSA realizado na EJA parece colaborar para a apropriação dos conceitos das entidades constituintes da matéria. Além do que, explicitou o vínculo entre o mundo do trabalho (contexto que caracteriza e define o sujeito da EJA) e a ciência química, fato que promoveu as relações professor-aluno-conhecimento científico.

Pulmonary function testing is an important part when it comes to evaluating patients with or at risk for lung diseases. Measurement of the diffusing capacity with carbon monoxide (DLCO) of the lung is a very important parameter and reflects how well the gas exchange work. Traditionally the DLCO have been measured by the single breath (SB) method which requires a forcefully inhalation and a 10 second breath-hold. Not all patients are able to perform the method due to illness or related problems therefore it would be favourable if the ward could change to an easier method called intrabreath (IB). The IB method is not depending on a breath-holding manoeuvre, which should make it easier to perform. Eleven volunteers participated in the study. They all performed both DLCO techniques, starting with the SB followed by IB. The DLCO, when determined with the IB technique, had an excellent correlation to the SB technique. However, the IB systematically showed a lower value for DLCO, and can therefore not use the same references as SB. Before the ward can change from the SB- to the IB- method there are needs for further studies. New studies should include more volunteers so more trustworthy reference values can be made, they should also include sick patients as a check-up for the new reference values. For the moment the ward have to stay with the SB method.

Hjärtsvikt är en hjärt-kärlsjukdom som drabbar allt fler människor i världen. Varje år söker ungefär en miljon patienter i U. S. A vård för symptom för hjärtsvikt. Kronisk hjärtsvikt delas in efter ejektionsfraktion, bevarad och reducerad. Vid bevarad ejektionsfraktion är det ofta en sämre fyllnad av vänster kammare. Magnet resonans tomografi (MR) är en undersökningsmetod som använder kroppens egna vätejoner för att skapa en bild med hjälp av ett starkt magnetfält och anses vara ”gold standard” för att mäta hjärtats volymer och massa. Syftet med den här studien var att jämföra vänster kammarvolymer, massa och funktion hos hjärtsviktspatienter med bevarad ejektionsfraktion och friska kontroller. Sju patienters och åtta friska kontrollers hjärtan undersöktes med magnetkamera på Skånes Universitetssjukhus i Lund. Bilderna analyserades genom manuell utlinjering av vänster kammare. Ingen statistiskt signifikant skillnad mellan grupperna kunde visas. I motsats med tidigare studier visade den nuvarande studien ingen skillnad i vänster kammarvolymer, massa och funktion. Dock kan den nuvarande studien anses vara begränsad på grund av det låga antalet patienter och kontroller. / Heart failure is a cardiovascular disease which affects more and more people in the World. Every year, approximately one million patients in the United States seek care for symptoms of heart failure. Chronic heart failure is categorized by ejection fraction, preserved or educed ejection fraction. In preserved ejection fraction it is common with a reduced filling of the left ventricle. Magnet resonance imaging (MR) is a test method which uses the hydrogen ions in the body to create an image using a magnetic field and is considered a “gold standard” to measure the heart volumes and mass. The aims of this study were to compare left ventricular volumes, mass and function in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction and healthy controls. The hearts of seven patients and eight healthy controls were examined in a magnetic camera at Skåne’s University Hospital in Lund. The images were analyzed by manual delineation of the left ventricle. No statistical significant difference could be demonstrated between the groups. In contrast with earlier studies this study did not show any difference in left ventricular volumes, mass and function. However, the current study is limited due to the low number of patients and controls.

The number of obese children has increased with almost 100 % in a few decades. Deceases like insulin-resistance and type-2 diabetes often comes with overweight and worldwide research to prevent and cure these complications is constantly approaching. This study provides with greater knowledge of what correlations there are between anthropometric measurements, insulin resistance and respiratory quotient.For this study, data from 83 children and teenagers was included. The medical records from their first visit to the pediatric science unit at Uppsala University Hospital was used. To measure basal metabolic rate (BMR), indirect respiratory calorimetrics was used to measure the respiratory ratio at rest and fasting (RQ-BMR), and blood samples were collected to analyze fs-(fasting) insulin. The anthropometric measurements that were taken were waist, waist-height-ratio (WtHR), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-hip-height ratio (WHtR), waist circumference (AC), waist circumference-height ratio (ACHR), sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) and Sagittal abdominal diameter-height ratio (SADHR).Correlations between fs-insulin and WHtR, WCHR, SAD and SADHR was found for the whole group of participators in this study. The strongest correlation was to WHtR for boys and SAD for girls. The RQ-BMR correlated the best with SADHR and ACHR. No correlations between RQ-BMR were found specifically for boys or girls.

Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa Científica e Tecnológica do Estado de Santa Catarina / In the face of current educational problems, indicated by research, as the propedeutic education and the separation between the "world of life" and the "world of school," the conception of science and technology neutral, among others, it is necessary to "make changes" in curriculum. Moreover, it is argued that teachers should be part of the process of curriculum reconfiguration. So, in this research, it is looked for identify and critically analyze challenges and potential faced by trainees in physics in the process of reconfiguring a curriculum guided by the approach of social themes marked by the Science and Technology. More specifically, focus on the elaboration and implementation of themes under the Supervised Internship Course in Teaching of Physics. The structure of these themes is referenced by an approximation of the presuppositions of the educator Paulo Freire and the Science-Technology-Society movement (CTS). The research problem is characterized by the following questions: 1) What dimensions the school context influences the execution of curriculum reconfigurations based on themes? 2) What are the constraints that the training of future teachers, has in the process of elaboration/implementation of themes? The research, entered on the Research Line called School Practice and Public Policies (PPGE/UFSM), is developed according to the dynamics of participative research. The instruments to obtain the "data" were used the Teacher's Journal, a semi-structured interviews and analysis of reportsfiled by the student teacher. The analysis was done using content analysis. The results were organized under four thematic categories: Training Fragmented; From Rigor" to the Curricular Flexibility; Real Problems and Epistemological Curiosity, and Student Problem or Curriculum Problem?. / Frente a atuais problemas educacionais, apontados pelas pesquisas, como o ensino propedêutico, a desvinculação entre o mundo da vida e o mundo da escola , a concepção de ciência e tecnologia neutras, entre outros, considera-se necessário mexer no currículo. Além disto, defende-se que os professores devem fazer parte do processo de reconfiguração curricular. Neste sentido, busca-se, nesta pesquisa, identificar e analisar criticamente desafios e potencialidades encontradas por estagiários de Física, no processo de uma reconfiguração curricular pautada pela abordagem de temas sociais marcados pela Ciência-Tecnologia. Mais especificamente, focalizar a elaboração e implementação de temáticas no âmbito do Estágio Curricular Supervisionado em Ensino de Física. A estruturação destas temáticas é referenciada por uma aproximação entre pressupostos do educador Paulo Freire e do movimento Ciência-Tecnologia-Sociedade (CTS). O problema de investigação é caracterizado pelas seguintes questões: 1) Em que dimensões o contexto escolar influencia a efetivação de reconfigurações curriculares baseadas em temáticas? 2) Quais os condicionamentos que a formação, destes futuros professores, exerce no processo de elaboração/implementação de temáticas? A pesquisa, inserida na Linha de Pesquisa Práticas Escolares e Políticas Públicas (PPGE/UFSM), é desenvolvida segundo a dinâmica da Pesquisa Participante. Como instrumentos, para a obtenção dos dados , foram utilizados o Diário do Professor, uma entrevista semi-estruturada e a análise dos relatórios entregues pelos estagiários. Em termos de análise, fez-se uso da análise de conteúdo. Os resultados foram sistematizados sob quatro categorias temáticas: Formação Fragmentada; Do Rigor à Flexibilidade Curricular; Problemas Reais e Curiosidade Epistemológica; e Aluno Problema ou Currículo Problema?.

Ansamling av amyloid beta (Aβ) i de extracellulära miljöerna är associerad till många svåra sjukdomar som Alzheimers och ålders-relaterad makuladegeneration (AMD). Amyloider karaktäriseras av att de är olösliga, toxiska mot neuron och orsakar därför svår skada. AMD är den ledande orsaken till blindhet och irreversibelt förlorande av skarp syn då Aβ manifesterar i makula. I AMD orsakar Aβ inflammatorisk aktivitet där det retinala pigmentepitelet bryts ned och ljuskänsliga fotoreceptorer dör genom apoptos. Idag lever ca 150 miljoner människor med AMD där mänga har svårt att utföra vardagliga uppgifter till följd av förlust av skarp syn. Idag är Kongo röd en av de vanligaste metoderna för att visualisera amyloider in vitro. Den patogenes som orsakas av amyloider kan analyseras med immunofluorescens och immunohistokemi. Syftet med studien var att undersöka förekomst av amyloider i samband med celldöd i näthinna från gris, undersöka den patogenes som amyloider orsakar med immunofluorescens och immunohistokemi, samt undersöka om det finns korrelation mellan amyloider och celldöd. Resultatet visade att amyloider var förekommande i näthinnan och hade orsakat celldöd och ansamling av aggresomer. Amyloider och den patologi som orsakats kunde visualiseras i det yttre lagret av näthinnan. / Deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ) in the extracellular environment are associated to some severe diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Amyloids are characterized by insolubility, toxicity towards neuron and are there-for damaging to tissues. AMD is the primary cause of blindness and irreversible loss of central vision through manifestation of Aβ in the macula. In AMD, Aβ drives an inflammatory action that degenerates the retinal pigment epithelium and cause atrophy of photoreceptors. Today ~150 million people live with AMD where many find difficulties performing everyday tasks due to loss of sharp vision. Congo red is a gold standard for visualizing amyloids in vitro and the pathogenesis caused by amyloids can be analyzed by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. The purpose of this study was to show the presence of amyloids relating to cell death in pig retina, show the pathogenesis caused by amyloids by using immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry, and investigate whether there is correlation between amyloids and cell death. The result showed that amyloids were present in the retina and caused cell death and gathering of aggresomes. Amyloids and the caused pathology could be visualized in the outer layer of the retina.

Heart failure is a common disorder and a major cause of illness and death in the population, creating an enormous health-care burden. It is a complex condition, representing the end-point of many cardiovascular diseases. In general heart failure progresses slowly over time and once it is diagnosed it has a poor prognosis which is comparable with that of many types of cancer. The heart has an ability to adapt in response to long lasting increases in hemodynamic demand; the heart conforms its shape and size in order to maintain adequate cardiac output. This process is called remodeling and can be triggered by pathologies such as hypertension or valvular disease. When the myocardial remodeling is maintained chronically it becomes maladaptive and is associated with an increased risk of heart failure. In many cases, heart failure is associated with left bundle branch block (LBBB). This electrical disturbance leads to dyssynchronous left ventricular (LV) contraction and relaxation which may contribute to cardiac dysfunction and ultimately heart failure. Mechanical dyssynchrony can be treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). However, many heart failure patients do not demonstrate clinical improvement despite CRT. Blood flow plays an important role in the normal development of the fetal heart. However, flow-induced forces may also induce changes in the heart cells that could lead to pathological remodeling in the adult heart. Until recently, measurement tools have been inadequate in describing the complex three-dimensional and time-varying characteristics of blood flow within the beating heart. 4D (3D + time) flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) enables acquisition of three-dimensional, three-directional, time-resolved velocity data from which visualization and quantification of the blood flow patterns over a complete cardiac cycle can be performed. In this thesis, novel 4D Flow CMR based methods are used to study the intraventricular blood flow in healthy subjects and heart failure patients with and without ventricular dyssynchrony in order to gain new knowledge of the ventricular function. Different flow components were assessed in normal heart ventricles. It was found that inflowing blood that passes directly to outflow during the same heartbeat (the Direct Flow component) was larger and possessed more kinetic energy (KE) than other flow components. Diastolic flow through the normal heart appears to create favorable conditions for effective systolic ejection. This organized blood flow pattern within the normal LV is altered in heart failure patients and is associated with decreased preservation of KE which might be unfavorable for efficient LV ejection. Inefficient flow of blood through the heart may influence diastolic wall stress, and thus contribute to pathological myocardial remodeling. In dyssynchronous LVs of heart failure patients with LBBB, Direct Flow showed even more reduced preservation of KE compared to similarly remodeled LVs without LBBB. Furthermore, in LBBB patients, LV filling hemodynamic forces, acting on the myocardium, were more orthogonal to the main flow direction compared to patients without LBBB. Deviation of LV flow forces and reduction of KE preservation and may reflect impairment of LV diastolic function and less efficient ensuing ejection related to dyssynchrony in these failing ventricles. Blood flow patterns were also studied with respect to fluctuations of the velocity of the flow (turbulent flow) in normal and failing LVs. In failing hearts, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) was higher during diastole than in healthy subjects. TKE is a cause of energy loss and can thus be seen as a measure of flow inefficiency. Elucidating the transit of multidimensional blood flow through the heart chambers is fundamental in understanding the physiology of the heart and to detect abnormalities in cardiac function. The 4D Flow CMR parameters presented in this thesis can be utilized to detect altered intracardiac blood flow and may be used as markers of deteriorating cardiac function, pathological remodeling and mechanical dyssynchrony in heart failure.

Electrodes are used in medicine for detection of biological signals and for stimulating tissue, e.g. in deep brain stimulation (DBS). For both applications, an understanding of the functioning of the electrode, and its interface and interaction with the target tissue involved is necessary. To date, there is no standardized method for medical electrode evaluation that allows transferability of acquired data. In this thesis, a physical axon (Paxon) potential generator was developed as a device to facilitate standardized comparisons of different electrodes. The Paxon generates repeatable, tuneable and physiological-like action potentials from a peripheral nerve. It consists of a testbed comprising 40 software controlled 20 μm gold wires embedded in resin, each wire mimicking a node of Ranvier. ECG surface Ag-AgCl electrodes were systematically tested with the Paxon. The results showed small variations in orientation (rotation) and position (relative to axon position) which directly impact the acquired signal. Other electrode types including DBS electrodes can also be evaluated with the Paxon. A theoretical comparison of a single cable neuronal model with an alternative established double cable neuron model was completed. The output with regards to DBS was implemented to comparing the models. These models were configured to investigate electrode stimulation activity, and in turn to assess the activation distance by DBS for changes in axon diameter (1.5-10 μm), pulse shape (rectangular biphasic and rectangular, triangular and sinus monophasic) and drive strength (1-5 V or mA). As both models present similar activation distances, sensitivity to input shape and computational time, the neuron model selection for DBS could be based on model complexity and axon diameter flexibility. An application of the in-house neuron model for multiple DBS lead designs, in a patient-specific simulation study, was completed. Assessments based on the electric field along multiple sample planes of axons support previous findings that a fixed electric field isolevel is sufficient for assessments of tissue activation distances for a predefined axon diameter and pulse width in DBS. / Elektroder används inom sjukvården, både för att mäta biologiska signaler, t.ex. hjärtats aktivitet med EKG, eller för att stimulera vävnad, t.ex. vid djup hjärnstimulering (DBS). För båda användningsområdena är det viktigt med en grundläggande förståelse av elektrodens interaktion med vävnaden. Det finns ingen standardiserad metod för att utvärdera medicinsk elektroders dataöverföringsfunktion. I den här avhandlingen presenteras en metod för att underlätta elektrodtestning. En hårdvarumodell av ett axon (Paxon) har utvecklats. Paxon kan programmeras för att efterlikna repeterbara aktionspotentialer från en perifer nerv. Längs axonet finns 40 noder, vilka var och en består av en tunn (20 μm) guldtråd inbäddad i harts och därefter kopplad till elektronik. Denna testbädd har använts för att undersöka EKG elektroders egenskaper. EKG elektroderna visade på variationer i orientering och position i relation till Paxon. Detta har en direkt inverkan på den registrerade signalen. Även andra elektrotyper kan testas i Paxon, t.ex. DBS elektroder. En teoretisk jämförelse mellan två neuronmodeller med olika komplexitet, anpassade för användning vid DBS studier, har utförts. Modellerna konfigurerades för att studera inverkan på aktiveringsavstånd från olika axondiametrar, stimulationspuls och stimulationsstyrka. Då båda modellerna visade likvärdiga aktiveringsavstånd och beräkningstid så förordas den enklare neuronmodellen för DBS simuleringar. En enklare modell kan lättare introduceras i klinisk verksamhet. Simuleringarna stöder tidigare resultat som visat att det elektriska fältet är en bra parameter för presentation av resultat vid simulering av DBS. Metoden exemplifieras vid simulering av aktiveringsavstånd och elektriska fältets utbredning för olika typer av DBS elektroder i en patient-specifik studie.