Cement-less and/cement-like geopolymer mortars were made with pulverised fuel ash (PFA) or ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) activated by alkali with different alkali moduli (AM) and alkali dosage (AD). Once synthesised the samples were cured at 20°C and 70°C up to 28 days. The flexural and compressive strengths of these samples at early ages up to 28 days were tested conforming to BS EN196-1:2005. The electrical resistivity of these materials was monitored using a set of non-contacting electrodes to the age up to 7 days to characterise the geopolymerisation process from a physical phenomenon point of view. The effects of AD and AM on the early-age mechanical strengths and electrical resistivity of geopolymer materials were examined from the experimental results. The correlation between strength development and electrical resistivity was studied. The geopolymerisation process was characterised by a 5-stage model, based on electrical resistivity, analogue to hydration process of Portland cement. This research therefore proposes an alternative method for characterisation of geopolymerisation of geopolymers different from traditional methods based on chemistry. It is expected that such a physical phenomenon model will be better accepted by structural engineers for better promotion of usage of geopolymer composites, a type of low carbon and more sustainable binder-based materials, in construction.

A utilização do concreto auto-adensável (CAA) vem aumentando consideravelmente, no Brasil e no mundo. Com isso, há mais interesse em estudos práticos e teóricos a respeito do material, porém a maioria realizada está centrada em propriedades mecânicas da mistura no estado endurecido. Poucos estudos estão voltados para uma das áreas de maior lacuna: a dosagem. Os métodos de dosagem existentes para o CAA ou são experimentais, baseados na experiência do executor, ou são dependentes de tabelas determinadas a partir de materiais de difícil reprodução em outros locais. Com o intuito de ajudar a resolver este problema, foi proposto um método de dosagem experimental para CAA nesta tese. Este método visa a dosagem de CAA através de ensaios simples que determinem a composição dos agregados, de forma que o empacotamento granular apresente a menor quantidade de vazios possível, a fim de se minimizar o consumo de pasta na mistura. O método utiliza conceitos novos e já consagrados de outros métodos, como o IPT/EPUSP (Helene e Terzian, 1992), o proposto por Tutikian (2004), o de O´Reilly (1992) e o Modelo de Empacotamento Compressivo (CPM) (De Larrard, 1999). Para a comprovação da eficácia deste método, foram dosadas seis famílias de CAA, sendo três com areia fina e outras três com cinza volante, formando pares dosados por diferentes métodos. Entre as seis famílias, duas utilizaram o método de Tutikian (2004) e quatro o método proposto, porém primeiramente com uma faixa de agregado graúdo e após com duas granulometrias de brita, proporcionando famílias com o esqueleto granular mais compacto. Por fim, foi realizada uma família de concreto convencional (CCV). Os CAA dosados através deste novo método são de obtenção mais simples e menos trabalhosa, dependendo menos da experiência do executor, e os resultados mostraram que estes podem ser mais econômicos e com as propriedades no estado endurecido similares ou até vantajosas em relação às dos CCV e a dos outros CAA, principalmente o com duas granulometrias de agregado graúdo. / The utilization of self compacting concrete (SCC) has been increasing considerably throughout Brazil and the world. Hence, there has been more interest in theoretical and practical studies regarding the issue; however, the majority of such studies have been focused on the mechanical properties of the mixture in the hardened state. Very few studies have been focused on the subject of the dosage. The existing methods of dosage for SCC are either experimental, based on the experience of the executor, or are dependent on customized charts based on local materials which are very difficult to reproduce. With the intention to aid in the solution of this problem, an experimental dosage method was proposed in this thesis. This method aims at the dosage of SCC through simple tests that determine the composition of the aggregates, so that the packing density presents the least amount of voids, in order to minimize the consumption of binder in the mixture. The method uses new concepts and some concepts already determined from other methods, such as the IPT/EPUSP (Helene e Terzian, 1992), the one proposed by Tutikian (2004), the O´Reilly (1992) and the Compressive Packing Model (CPM) (De Larrard, 1999). In order to substantiate the efficienty of this method, six families of SCC were carried out, three of those with fine sand and the remaining three with fly ash, forming three pairs dosed by different methods. Amongst the six families, two used the Tutikian method (2004) and the other four families used the proposed method, which were divided into two subgroups; two with one class of gravel and the remaining subgroup utilizing two classes of gravel, supplying each family with a more compact granular skeleton. As a control group, a test family of conventional concrete (CCV) was produced. The SCC designed through this new method is simpler to obtain and requires less labor, depending less on the experience of the executor. The results present themselves as more economical and with the properties in the hardened state quite similar or even enhanced in relation to the ones of the CCV and the other SCC, specially with two classes of gravel.

Na engenharia em geral existem técnicas consagradas de construção e materiais com comportamentos exaustivamente estudados para um melhor aproveitamento de suas características a favor do engenheiro. Pode-se dizer que uma construção está cada vez mais integrada com o meio ambiente, tanto na economia de materiais quanto no reaproveitamento dos mesmos. O uso mais racional dos materiais também é uma importante alternativa para minimizar custos em uma obra, tais como transporte, escolha do material mais adequado a ser utilizado, tanto por suas características quanto por sua disponibilidade de uso. Já foram realizadas e ainda hoje têm sido realizadas inúmeras pesquisas sobre solos artificialmente cimentados na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, visando seu emprego como camada de suporte para fundações superficiais, no encapsulamento de solos contaminados e como barreiras de contenção de contaminação. Analisando as características mecânicas de areia fina artificialmente cimentada, o objetivo desta pesquisa é verificar a validade do uso do fator vazios/cimento na estimativa da resistência à compressão simples, rigidez inicial, resistência à compressão triaxial em condições drenadas com medidas de G0, comportamento tensão-dilatância e comportamento tensão-deformação da areia de Osório. Para tanto foi verificado que o fator vazios/cimento mostrou-se ser um parâmetro muito eficaz e confiável no que diz respeito à previsão de comportamento do material para dosagem de solo-cimento, em projetos geotécnicos que utilizem a areia de Osório. / In traditional engineering, there are special construction techniques and exhausted studies in materials behavior, for a better employment of it due to the characteristics by the engineer. Today, constructions are increasingly integrated in the environment, both in the economy as in the reuse of materials from them. The more rational use of materials is also important alternative to minimize costs in a work such as transportation, choice of the most appropriate material to be used, either by their characteristics, or their availability for use. Many researches have been made until today on artificially cemented soils in the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, targeting their employment as layer of support for foundations surface in the encapsulation of contaminated soil and barriers of contamination containment. Analyzing the mechanical characteristics of fine artificially cemented sand, the objective of this research is to verify the validity of the use of the void/cement ratio in the estimation of the unconfined compressive strength, initial stiffness, triaxial compressive strength in drained conditions with measures of shear modulus (G0), stress-dilatancy behavior and stress-strain behavior of the Osório sand. Thus was verified that the void/cement ratio has proven to be a very effective and reliable parameter regarding prediction of material behavior for soil-cement, dosage in geotechnical projects that use the sand of Osório.

In severely ill hospitalised patients with diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2) there is an increase in metabolic rate. Insulin requirements are increased and glycaemic control becomes more difficult to achieve. The insulin sliding-scale is a form of „top up‟ therapy used to supplement the patients existing hypoglycaemic medication. In 2002, research at Livingstone Hospital found that 14 different sliding scales were used in 38 patients (Du Plessis, 2002: 79). In 2006 the nurses and doctors working in the general medical wards at Livingstone Hospital indicated that they were willing to use a standardised insulin sliding scale protocol (Smith, 2006: 56). Thus the aim of this study was to assess whether a standardised insulin protocol can be effectively implemented. The objectives of the study were to: 1) assess insulin usage via insulin sliding scales prior to the implementation of the standardised insulin protocol; 2) implement the standardised insulin protocol; and 3) reassess insulin usage after the implementation of the standardised insulin protocol. As the study involved evaluating the use of insulin via the insulin sliding scale and the implemented insulin protocol, it occurred in four phases. The preliminary phase entailed obtaining ethical approval. The pre-intervention phase included data collection in the form of a nursing questionnaire and the auditing of patient medical records using a data collection tool. The intervention phase involved education sessions on the new insulin protocol for the nursing staff, and the implementation of a standardised insulin protocol, while the post-intervention phase comprised of post-intervention data collection, which included a nursing questionnaire, a prescribers questionnaire and the auditing of patient medical records using a data collection tool. The overall impression obtained from the comparison between the pre- and post-intervention nursing questionnaire was conflicting; in some aspects the educational intervention was successful in others not. Regardless the indication obtained was that the nursing staff require more in-service training on a more regular basis as a lack of knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus as a disease state may negatively affect patient outcomes. The overall response from the nursing staff towards the insulin protocol was positive. The prescribers‟ response to the insulin protocol was conflicted. The number of correct insulin sliding scale doses administered in the pre-intervention and post intervention phase improved by 5.25 percent. The number of incorrect insulin sliding scale doses administered during the pre- and post -intervention phase decreased by 5.25 percent. These results are positive and may be due to fewer sliding scales being prescribed in the post-intervention phase and the implemented insulin protocol. Only three (5.55%; n=54) inpatients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus were placed on the implemented protocol that is, the basal bolus regime, and rarely were dose adjustments to their insulin made rendering the effectives of the protocol undesirable. Only four (7.40%; n=54) inpatients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus were placed on the implemented protocol that is, an intermediate- to long-acting insulin (Protophane®). However all four patients experienced immediate improvements in their fasting blood glucose levels. These results indicated that by adding an intermediate- to long-acting insulin (Protophane®) to the therapy of a patient with Type 2 diabetes mellitus fasting blood glucose levels decrease. This would improve patient outcomes and decrease the risk of related diabetic complications. These limited results may indicate a clinical inertia on the part of the prescribers. Unfortunately overall the educational intervention was not successful and the implementation of the protocol was not successful and did not yield the desired results.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-03-24Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:37:36Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 diraimo_c_me_bauru.pdf: 1842866 bytes, checksum: 36d05c62d9c28fd1f941cb059f62bf3d (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A crescente demanda por alimentos no mundo, com a mesma área agrícola e com os recursos financeiros para a aquisição de fertilizantes, cada vez mais escassos é inevitável à utilização de novas tecnologias para fazer frente a essa nova realidade, pois com o uso dessas pode-se produzir mais alimentos com menos fertilizantes. Na busca por novas tecnologias que fazem o processo produtivo mais eficiente é que surge a chamada Agricultura de Precisão utilizada como uma alternativa para aperfeiçoar o processo de produção agrícola. As ações que conduzem à chamada agricultura de precisão exigem diversas etapas para sua implementação. Contudo, uma das mais importantes está relacionada com o tratamento localizado das culturas, para isto, tem-se a necessidade de desenvolver equipamentos capazes de executar tais tarefas. Com esse intuito estudou-se o comportamento de um protótipo que tem como objetivo dosar e aplicar no momento do plantio, três fertilizantes sólidos simultâneos, que são: Nitrogênio, Fósforo e Potássio (N, P e K) em taxas variáveis de acordo com as quantidades desejáveis da cultura em questão. Para a avaliação do protótipo foi construída uma bancada de testes onde foram acoplados os dosadores helicoidais e seus respectivos motores elétricos de corrente contínua e três tanques para armazenamento de fertilizantes. Também foram utilizados equipamentos complementares tais como: uma fonte (12vdc); três drivers de potência (MOSFET); um Desktop; uma placa de aquisição e controle e um software de Instrumentação Virtual. Os ensaios foram realizados com o software de instrumentação e controle virtual (LabVIEW®), que teve como função, controlar a rotação dos eixos dos três motores de maneira independente, baseando-se em dados de um mapa de fertilidade do solo com localização fundamentada em informações geográficas, obtendo a vazão... / The increasing demand for food in the world with the same agricultural area and the financial resources to purchase fertilizes, more and more scarse it is inevitable to use new technologies to confront this new reality, because with the use of these can produce more food with less fertilizer. In the search for new tecnologies that make the production process more efficient arises the called precision agriculture used as an alternative to improve the agricultural production process. The action that lead to the called precision agriculture require several steps for its implementation. However, one of the most important is related to the localized treatment of cultures, for this, there is the need to develop equipment capable of performing such tasks. With this aim we studied the behavior of a prototype which aims to meter and apply at the planning moment three simultaneous solid fertilizers, which are: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N, P and K) with variable rates according with the desired quantities of the culture in question. For the evaluation of the prototype was built a test bench where engaged the helical dosers and their respective direct current electric motors and three tanks for storage of fertilizers. Were also used additional equipment such as: a source (12vdc), threee power drivers (MOSFET), a desktop, an acquisition board and control software and virtual instrumentation. The test were performed with the software virtual instrumentation and control (LabVIEW®), with had as its objective to control the rotation of the axes of the three engines independently, based on data from a map of soil fertility based on location information geographical, obtaining the mass flow of the desired product in the exact location and quatity needed for the plant, according to the size of grid soil sampling. The values of the mass flow rate determined by the time were compared with... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-10-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:29:22Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 souza_lgr_me_botib.pdf: 668467 bytes, checksum: 6af9a46606d8122e4df642943b2d5e06 (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Avaliar formas farmacêuticas sólidas in vivo fornece um entendimento mais profundo quando um efeito sistêmico ou local é desejado. Geralmente, estes estudos são realizados por meio da cintilografia e técnicas biomagnéticas. A Ressonância Magnética (RM) vem sendo aplicada em tecnologia farmacêutica sendo que estes estudos são realizados com comprimidos marcados por partículas de óxido de ferro ou por gadolíneo em pó. Este estudo propõe a utilização da RM para monitorar o processo de desintegração in vitro e in vivo de comprimidos contendo açaí (Euterpe oleracea) como agente de contraste natural. O açaí é uma fruta presente em abundância na região norte do Brasil com a propriedade de atuar como agente de contraste oral em imagens obtidas por RM. Comprimidos obtidos com diferentes desintegrantes (croscarmelose sódica, crospovidona e mistura efervescente) foram marcados com açaí e revestidos com uma solução de polímero pH-independente. As formas farmacêuticas foram avaliadas in vitro e in vivo em um equipamento de RM de 0,5 T. Os resultados mostraram que o açaí é um forte agente de contraste e pode ser empregado em estudos farmacêuticos. Foi possível definir a imagem do comprimido e quantificar o processo de desintegração. Não foram encontradas diferenças (p>0,7) no tempo de desintegração avaliado in vitro nas medidas empregando-se comprimidos de crospovidona (14±1 min) e croscarmelose (15±1 min). No entanto, comparando-se com os comprimidos efervescentes (6±1 min), o tempo de desintegração foi significantemente diferente (p<0,01). Foi possível obter as imagens ponderadas em T1 dos comprimidos no estômago humano com qualidade razoável. O tempo de desintegração dos comprimidos in vivo foi 14±1 min. Este estudo mostrou que a RM é uma técnica capaz de monitorar o processo... / The performance of pharmaceutical dosage forms must be fully investigated in vivo to provide more reliable information when a local or systemic effect is desirable. Generally, in vivo investigation on the behavior of dosage forms has been made by using gammascintigraphy and biomagnetic techniques. Magnetic resonance (MR) methods have become established tools in the drug discovery and development process. Most of MR studies have been made with tablets labeled with iron oxide particles or dry gadolinium chelates (Gd- DOTA) powder. The aim of this study was to evaluate the disintegration process of tablets labeled with açai (Euterpe oleraceae) in vitro and in human stomach. Açai is a typical fruit from Amazonia, and has been recognized for its functional properties for use as oral contrast agent for MR. Tablets obtained from different disintegrants (croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone and an effervescent blend) were labeled with açai and were coated by using pHindependent polymer solution. The dosage forms have been evaluated in vitro and in vivo in a 0.5 T magnetic resonance system. The results showed that açai may be employed as a useful contrast agent which for pharmaceutical purposes. It was able to define the image of the tablets and to quantify the disintegration process. The disintegration time evaluated in vitro for tablets obtained from crospovidone (14±1 min) and croscarmellose (15±1 min) it was not significantly different (p>0.7). However, in comparison with tablets obtained with effervescent blend (6±1 min), the disintegration time was significantly different (p<0.01). It was possible to obtain images of the tablets in human stomach in T1 weighting with reasonable quality. The disintegration time of tablets made from croscarmellose sodium obtained from in vivo measurements was 14±1 min. This study showed that MR technique... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-10-30Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:09:06Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 bolognesi_l_me_botib.pdf: 259849 bytes, checksum: d7d575323f591bd0006aeb8a07bc7b2b (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / A administração oral de fármacos é uma prática comum na terapia e as formas farmacêuticas sólidas são amplamente utilizadas. O conhecimento sobre o trânsito de cápsulas e comprimidos no trato gastrointestinal é incompleto. Desse modo, avaliar o trânsito esofágico de farmacêuticas sólidas fornece um entendimento mais profundo sobre os mecanismos que desencadeiam a esofagite induzida por fármacos. Geralmente, os estudos de trânsito esofágico são realizados por meio da cintilografia, manometria e técnicas biomagnéticas, como o SQUID (Dispositivos Supercondutores de Interferência Quântica) e a Biosusceptometria de Corrente Alternada (BAC). A BAC é uma técnica que merece destaque por suas características, acurácia dos resultados obtidos e versatilidade. O objetivo do trabalho foi investigar a influência do tipo e peso da forma farmacêutica no tempo de trânsito esofágico e na velocidade de transporte no esôfago, além de estabelecer parâmetros comparativos entre os métodos cintilográfico e biomagnético empregados, para validar a BAC no estudo de trânsito esofágico de formas farmacêuticas sólidas. Cada um dos seis voluntários que participaram do estudo deglutiu com 50 ml de água cápsulas e comprimidos com 0,5, 0,8 e 1,0 gramas de ferrita, na cintilografia e na BAC. Para o estudo cintilográfico, a radiomarcação das formas farmacêuticas foi feita com 99mTc. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que o tipo e o peso da forma farmacêutica não influenciaram significativamente o tempo de trânsito esofágico e a velocidade de transporte no esôfago, embora os resultados estatísticos apontem para uma variação significativa para um número maior de voluntários. Além disso, uma comparação entre as técnicas permitiu validar a BAC como um método biomagnético para avaliar o trânsito... / Oral administration is a common practice in drug therapy and the solid dosage forms are widely used. Knowledge about esophageal transit of tablets and capsules is incomplete since it have been reported a number of injuries related to drug-induced esophageal damage. Esophageal transit time may be evaluated by employing gammascintigraphy, manometry, and biomagnetic techniques as SQUID and AC Biosusceptometry (ACB). ACB is a non-invasive and radiation free technique which enough versatility for a number of studies related to the gastrointestinal behavior of solid dosage forms. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of different dosage forms (hard gelatin capsules and tablets) on the esophageal transit time and transport velocity in the esophagus upon to establish a comparison between the Scintigraphy and Biosusceptometry and to validate the ACB as a tool for esophageal transit studies. Six volunteers have participated in the study and they swallowed capsules and tablets with 0.5g, 0.8g and 1.0g of ferrite together 50 ml of water. For scintigraphic study, the dosage forms were labeled with 99mTc. The results showed that the parameters evaluated could not be significantly influenced by the different dosage forms administered. However, it could be observed that the results pointed out to a decrease in the transit time measured for dosage forms with lower weight. We have shown that ACB allowed investigating the influence of dosage forms parameters on the esophageal transit time in healthy volunteers with high spatiotemporal resolution. In summary, this study has allowed introducing the ACB as an alternative technique to investigate the esophageal transit of pharmaceutical dosage forms to understand the factors which could contribute to drug-induced esophageal damages.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-11-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:11:34Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 araujo_ra_me_jabo.pdf: 208132 bytes, checksum: 25e53edf94ff2edd161c660b654017a1 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O estudo objetivou avaliar a segurança da administração oral da dose terapêutica do firocoxib por 14 dias em equinos saudáveis. Foram utilizados 9 equinos, 4 machos e 5 fêmeas, com peso médio de 405±31 Kg e idade média 11±3 anos que receberam uma vez ao dia, 0,1mg/kg de firocoxib. Hemograma, avaliação dos parâmetros de coagulação e bioquímicos séricos e urinálise foram realizados antes do início do tratamento (D1), após 7 e 14 dias de tratamento (D7 e D14) e 7 dias após o final do tratamento (D21). Foi realizado exame gastroscópico 1 dia antes do início do tratamento (D0) e dois dias após a última coleta de dados. O número de leucócitos diminuiu na avaliação do D14 em relação ao D1, voltando aos valores basais no D21- 7 dias após o final do tratamento. A concentração de hemoglobina aumentou nos momentos D14 e D21 em relação ao do D1. A concentração plasmática de fibrinogênio aumentou no momento D21 em relação a D7 e D14. O tempo de tromboplastina parcial ativada e o tempo de protrombina aumentaram em D7 e D14 e D21 quando comparadas as médias em relação à média do D1. A contagem de plaquetas diminuiu nas avaliações em D7, D14 e D21 em relação ao momento D1. A atividade sérica da aspartato aminotranferase aumentou no D14 em relação ao D1. A atividade sérica da fosfatase alcalina aumentou nos momentos D7 e D14 em relação ao D1. A concentração de ureia diminuiu no D14 em relação ao D1. A creatinina se manteve estável no período de tratamento porém, no D21 apresentou diminuição em relação a D1, D7 e D14. A atividade sérica da gama glutamiltranferase diminuiu no D21 quando comparada ao D14, mas não houve diminuição em relação ao D1 e ao D7. Não foram observadas alterações na urinálise e no exame gastroscópico. Conclui-se que a administração do firocoxib em equinos é segura uma vez... / The study aimed to evaluate the safety of oral administration of the therapeutic dose of firocoxib for 14 days in healthy horses. Were used 9 horses, 4 males and 5 females, with a mean weight of 405 ± 31 kg and an average age 11 ± 3 years who received once a day orally 0.1 mg/kg firocoxib. CBC, evaluation of coagulation parameters and serum biochemical and urinalysis were performed before the initiation of treatment (D1) after 7 and 14 days of treatment (D7 and D14) and 7 days after end of treatment (D21). Gastroscopic examination was conducted 1 day prior to initiation of treatment (D0) and two days after the last data collection. The number of leukocytes decreased in evaluating the relative D14 to D1, returning to baseline at D21-7 days after end of treatment. The hemoglobin concentration increased during times D14 and D21 in relation to the D1. The plasma concentration of fibrinogen increased when compared to D7 D21 and D14. The activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time increased at D7 and D14 and D21 compared the averages from the average of D1. Platelet count decreased in assessments in D7, D14 and D21 compared to D0 moment. Serum activity of aspartate aminotranferase increased in D14 compared to D1. The serum alkaline phosphatase activity increased in times D7 and D14 compared to D1. The concentration of urea has decreased compared to the D14 D1. Creatinine remained stable during treatment but showed a decrease in D21 compared to D1, D7 and D14. Serum activity of gamma glutamyltranferase decreased when compared to the D21 D14, but no decrease from D1 and D7. No changes were observed in the gastroscopic examination and urinalysis. It is concluded that administration of firocoxib is safe in horses since it was not able to promote the appearance of adverse effects, allowing... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Thesis (MTech Biomedical Technology)--Cape Peninsula University of Cape Town, 2005 / In clinical radiotherapy, experiments are performed to determine optimal conditions of the radiation prior to radiotherapy. These experiments focus on the relative biological effectivness(RBE) determination and are predominantly applied in high linear energy transfer (LET) radiations i.e. fast neutrons, as the RBE values for such radiations vary greatly. In general, the RBE of a certain radiation relative to a given reference radiation flCo gamma) varies widely with the energy, dose, dose rate, fractionation, type of tissue and end-point used. Experience with neutron therapy at iThemba LABS has shown that treatment with more fractions and lower doses per fraction may be beneficial for some patients. To calculate the iso-effective treatment dose needed, an appropriate alp ratio for early effects is needed. In this study, the repair of mouse jejunum was measured for split-dose irradiations to determine if a suitable alP ratio for neutrons could be estimated using the known value for gamma rays and the applicable RBE.. Crypt stem cell survival was measured 3.5 days after split-dose exposures to p(66)/Be neutrons and 6OCo gamma rays. Dose response curves for both treatment modalities and for both acute and fractionated exposures were constructed by counting crypts of Leiberkhiin at the base of the villi in haematoxylin and Eosin-stained sections of mouse jejunum. Using a RBE value of 1.64 and an alP ratio of 7Gy noted for tbe fractionated photon exposures, an alP ratio of 11.5 IV could be estimated for neutrons.

Thesis (DTech (Biomedical Technology))--Cape Technikon, 2001 / Ionising radiation has the ability to induce, inter alia, DNA damage and is well established as a causative agent of carcinogenesis and mutagenesis. The effects of high doses of short duration have been well documented, whereas the effects of continuous exposure to low doses of ionising radiation have not, nor are they as clearly understood and current risk estimates are largely extrapolated from high-dose data of atomic bomb survivors. This study evaluated the clastogenic effects of low dose ionising radiation on a population of bats (Chiroptera) residing in an abandoned monazite mine. Bats were sampled from two areas in the mine, with external radiation levels measuring around 20 µSv/h (low dose) and 100 µSv/h (high dose). A control group of bats was collected from a cave with no detectable radiation above normal background levels. The most frequently encountered genetic event in human malignancy is the alteration of the p53 gene. Mutant p53 proteins have a longer half-life than the wild-type variant and accumulate to high levels in the nucleus of tumour cells. The study showed that not only was there a significant increase in p53 positive cells of radiation exposed bats, but also in the degree of positivity, especially in the cells lining the bronchioles of the lungs. Although experimental studies have shown that exposure to radiation may lead to the onset of fibrosis and an inflammatory response in the lung and other tissues, the magnitude of the dose exposure was not comparable to this study and histological examination of bat lung and liver tissues showed no morphological changes in radiation exposed bats when compared to the control group. It has been documented that chronic radiation exposures may give rise to a number of specific haematological defects which are collectively termed "preleukemia" or myelodysplastic syndrome. Full blood counts on bat samples showed a significant decrease in the MCV indicating microcytic erythrocytes from the radiation exposed bats. Differential counts performed on the peripheral blood of the bats showed a marked neutropenia. Neutrophils also showed marked dysplasia including psuedo-Pelger Huet cells in radiation-exposed bats. Cytochemical analysis using DAB myeIoperoxidase showed that control bats had hypogranular neutrophils andradiation-exposedbats had largely '1granularneutrophils. Bonemarrow biopsies were taken from both control and radiation-exposed bats and evaluated for ceIlularity, granulocyte: lymphocyte: erythrocyte (GLE) ratio and megakaryocyte morphology. A hypocelIular bone marrow, a decreased granulocytic haematopoeisis and dysplastic megakaryocyte morphology were observed in radiation-exposed bats. Mineralisation of bone osteoid was determined using image analysis and showed a highly significant decrease in the bone matrix from radiation-exposed bats. All haematological features observed are congruent with current literature describing secondary (radiation-induced) myelodysplastic syndrome.