Thesis (doctoral)--Techn. Hochsch., Aachen, 2003.

The one dimensional transient heat conduction equation was numerically modeled through matrix diagonalization and three time-discretization schemes. The discrete methods were first-order backward, second-order backward, and implicit finite difference schemes. All simulations used the central difference formula in the space dimension. Two relevant physical systems were considered: a uniformly conducting slab and a melting block of ice. The latter lead to a moving boundary system, or Stefan problem. The multiphysics of melting was numerically modeled through alternating updates of temperature and melt front profiles. Iterative simulations were run with regularly refined discretization meshes in both systems. In the case of the conducting slab, temperature at a fixed point in space and time was considered. For the Stefan problem, the melt front movement after a set time was the physical solution of interest. The accuracy of the convergent results was increased using Richardson acceleration and the Wynn's epsilon algorithm. Accuracy was improved for the moving boundary problem as well, but to a significantly lesser degree. The relative errors improved by five and two orders of magnitude for the conducting block and melting ice simulations, respectively. These relative errors were used to determine that matrix diagonalization is the most accurate numerical solution among the four considered. In both simulation convergence and acceleration potential, matrix diagonalization was superior to the implicit and explicit discretization solutions. However, matrix diagonalization required significantly more computational time. With the enhancement of convergence acceleration, the finite difference schemes obtained similar relative errors to the diagonalization model. This demonstrated the value of convergence acceleration in the classic dilemma for every programmer. There is always a balance struck between model sophistication, accuracy, and computational time. Convergence acceleration allows for a simpler numerical model to achieve comparable accuracy, and in less time than that required for sophisticated numerical models. The numerical models were also compared for stability through parameters that arose in each simulation. These parameters were the Courant-Friederichs-Lewy (CFL) condition and diagonalized eigenvalues. Though diagonalization was found to be the most accurate, it was determined that the backwards finite difference solutions are the easiest to evaluate for stability. In these solution methods, the CFL value allows the stability to be determined prior to running the simulation.

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Type 2 diabetes accounts for 85-90% of all people with diabetes and is currently estimated to affect more than 180 million people worldwide, a figure estimated to double by the year 2030. Thus understanding the basic biology of glucose homeostasis and how it is altered during disease progression is crucial to the development of safe and effective treatment regimes. The link between high dietary fat and the development of type Il diabetes is well established. Chronic treatment of pancreatic islets with the lipid palmitate induces defects in glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) akin to those seen in the development of type Il diabetes. Previous studies from our group have identified the lipid-activated kinase protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) as a potential mediator of some of these effects. Deletion of PKCε in mice results in complete protection from high-fat diet induced glucose intolerance. This protection is associated with enhanced circulating insulin suggesting that PKCε may be involved in the regulation of insulin release from the pancreatic β-Cell. The data presented here suggests that PKCs plays an important role in the regulation of insulin secretion under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. We demonstrate that PKCε can be activated by chronic lipid treatment and acute cholinergic stimulation. Under these conditions insulin secretion is enhanced by PKCε deletion or inhibition suggesting that PKCε is a negative regulator of insulin secretion. Mechanistically the PKCs mediated inhibition of insulin release by acute or chronic PKCε activation appears to be distinct. The effect of PKCε induced by palmitate pre-treatment appears to be distal to calcium influx. The pool of pre-docked vesicles is enhanced in palmitate pre-treated β-cells lacking PKCε suggesting that PKCε may be involved in the regulation of vesicle dynamics. In contrast, calcium dynamics induced by cholinergic stimulation are altered by PKCε deletion, suggesting an effect on either the calcium channels themselves or on the upstream signalling. Given the ability of PKCε to inhibit insulin secretion, inhibition of PKCε in the β-cells of people suffering from insulin resistance and (or) type II diabetes represents a novel target for the treatment of type II diabetes.

Techn. Hochsch., Diss., 2004--Aachen.

Mismatch repair corrects errors made during DNA replication and inactive mismatch repair is associated with Lynch Syndrome and sporadic cancer. Genome replication in eukaryotes is accompanied by chromatin formation. The first step in chromatin establishment is nucleosome assembly, that starts with histone tetramer deposition. It is not clear how three important cellular processes: genome replication, mismatch repair and nucleosome assembly are coordinated. Here we analyzed human mismatch repair in the presence of histone deposition in a reconstituted system. We showed that mismatch repair factor inhibits nucleosome assembly on the DNA region with the replicative error. Such a mechanism is important, since in this way DNA with errors remains accessible for mismatch repair system to perform the repair. The DNA synthesis step in mismatch repair is performed by DNA polymerase. Eukaryotes possess two major replicative DNA Polymerases: DNA Polymerase delta and DNA Polymerase epsilon. DNA polymerase delta is involved in mismatch repair. However, it was unknown whether DNA polymerase epsilon can also work in mismatch repair. Here we analyzed human mismatch repair with DNA Polymerase delta and DNA Polymerase epsilon in the environment of histone deposition. Our results indicated that repair activity with both polymerases was activated by histone deposition. Here it was first shown that human DNA Polymerase epsilon performs DNA synthesis during mismatch repair in vitro. Importantly, recent studies have revealed association of Polymerase epsilon mutations with cancer. Since our data showed activity of DNA Polymerase epsilon in mismatch repair, a possible tumor development mechanism may involve inactivation of mismatch repair due to Polymerase epsilon mutations. Overall, our study expanded the understanding of the mechanism of human mismatch repair in the chromatin environment.

Resumo: toxina Épsilon (ETX) produzida pelo Clostridium perfringens tipos B e D é uma das mais potentes toxinas clostridiais superada apenas pelas neurotoxinas botulínica e tetânica. É responsável por quadros fatais de enterotoxemia em ovinos, caprinos e ocasionalmente em outros animais, caracterizados por edema em vários órgãos e aumento da permeabilidade vascular. Nos estudos "in vitro", a linhagem de células "Madin-Darby canine kidney" (MDCK) é susceptível à ação da ETX, que se heptameriza nas membranas celulares formando um poro complexo que evolui para a lise celular. No presente estudo, foram avaliadas a morfologia e a viabilidade celular, a despolarização da membrana mitocondrial e a expressão de mediadores de morte celular programada (Bax e Bcl-2), após a exposição das células MDCK, com a ETX, a cada 24 horas, durante intervalo de 1 a 5 horas. Verificou-se o aparecimento de vacúolos no interior do citoplasma celular associados à perda de viabilidade celular, que evoluíram de forma progressiva, nos períodos de 1 a 5 horas pós-exposição. Foram realizadas análises por citometria de fluxo acústica para obtenção de uma visão mais aprofundada da patogenia causada pela ETX. Utilizando a citometria de fluxo acústica, considerada altamente sensível, as células MDCK expostas à ação da ETX, nos períodos de 1 a 5 horas, revelaram uma diminuição do potencial de membrana mitocondrial, seguido da expressão das proteínas Bax (25,48 %) e Bcl-2 (45,45 %) na fase de formação do pré-poro (1 hora pós exposição). Estes resultados, juntamente com alta citotoxicidade e visualização de vacúolos celulares, demonstra que a análise por citometria de fluxo acústico representa potencialmente uma ferramenta eficaz para estudar a patogênese da ETX / Abstract:Epsilon toxin (ETX) produced by Clostridium perfringens types B and D is one of the most powerful clostridial toxins surpassed only by neurotoxins botulinum and tetanus. Studies blame the ETX by developing a fatal enterotoxemia in sheep, goats and occasionally in other animals, characterized by edema in multiple organs and increased vascular permeability. In "in vitro" toxicoinfection studies the "Madin-Darby canine kidney" (MDCK) cell line is susceptible to the action of ETX, which forms a heptamer in the cell membranes forming a pore complex that progresses to cell lysis. In the present study, we assessed cell viability and morphology, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and expression of programmed cell death mediators (Bax and Bcl-2) after exposure of MDCK cells with the ETX every 24 hours for range of 1 to 5 hours. Our results shows the appearance of vacuoles within the cytoplasm associated with loss of cell viability, which evolved gradually, in periods 1-5 hours after exposure. Analyzes were performed by acoustic flow cytometry to obtain further insight into the pathogenesis caused by ETX. Using acoustic flow cytometry, considered highly sensitive, MDCK cells exposed to the action of ETX, during 1 to 5 hours showed a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential followed by the expression of Bax (25.48%) and Bcl-2 (45.45%) proteins at the pre-pore stage (1 hour post exposure). These results along with high cytotoxicity and visualization of cellular vacuoles, demonstrates that the flow cytometry analysis acoustic represents a potentially powerful tool for studying the pathogenesis of ETX / Orientador:Tereza Cristina Cardoso da Silva / Banca:Rafael Silva Cipriano / Banca:Roberto Gameiro de Carvalho / Banca:Marcia Marinho / Banca:Vera Cláudia Lorenzetti Magalhães Curci / Mestre

Submitted by Luiz Felipe Barbosa (luiz.fbabreu2@ufpe.br) on 2015-03-10T19:13:26Z No. of bitstreams: 2 DISSERTAÇÃO Tarcísio Couto Pereira.pdf: 2103982 bytes, checksum: df4254a236a805949d9c999329dba52d (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Daniella Sodre (daniella.sodre@ufpe.br) on 2015-03-10T19:43:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 DISSERTAÇÃO Tarcísio Couto Pereira.pdf: 2103982 bytes, checksum: df4254a236a805949d9c999329dba52d (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-10T19:43:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 DISSERTAÇÃO Tarcísio Couto Pereira.pdf: 2103982 bytes, checksum: df4254a236a805949d9c999329dba52d (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-24 / Os processos estão se tornando cada vez mais complexos e heterogêneos, inseridos em ambientes onde as mudanças são constantes, sendo influenciados por fatores geográficos, climáticos, dentre outros. As empresas precisam manter seus processos atualizados e funcionando adequadamente, sem desprezar os requisitos de qualidade. Baseado neste cenário, foi proposto na literatura uma abordagem de configuração de processos chamada BVCCoN. Esta abordagem possui como objetivo oferecer suporte a configuração de processos baseada em NFRs e informações contextuais. A abordagem possui três perspectivas na configuração de processo de negócio: a descrição de variabilidade, os requisitos não-funcionais e o contexto. Durante as etapas desta abordagem, é necessário realizar a modelagem destas três perspectivas. Contudo, modelar as três perspectivas é uma atividade que requer tempo e que está propensa a erros. Assim, esta dissertação propõe o desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta que apoia a modelagem dos requisitos não-funcionais, da variabilidade e das regras de contexto. Para construir a ferramenta, foi realizada a integração de três metamodelos, com algumas alterações, sendo cada um referente a uma perspectiva da abordagem BVCCoN. Além disso, foi utilizado o framework Epsilon e seu conjunto de linguagens integrado no ambiente Eclipse para o desenvolvimento da ferramenta. Para ilustrar a utilização da ferramenta, foi realizado um estudo de caso em um cenário de check-in em aeroporto, bem como uma avaliação de usabilidade com potenciais usuários, visando avaliar os seguintes fatores: satisfação geral, utilidade do sistema, qualidade da informação e qualidade da interface.

Orientador: Carlos Amílcar Parada / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-16T13:34:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Prado_FilipeCesardo_M.pdf: 428700 bytes, checksum: 1f8f2df5d5cae548c5b0d1a6a66947f7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Enquanto a hiperalgesia inflamatória depende da liberação de prostaglandinas e/ou de aminas simpatomiméticas que sensibilizam os neurônios aferentes primários, nosso grupo demonstrou recentemente que o bloqueio do receptor P2X3 no tecido periférico previne a hiperalgesia induzida pela carragenina.. No entanto, o mecanismo pelo qual a ativação dos receptores P2X3 neuronais contribui para a hiperalgesia inflamatória não está completamente estabelecido. O presente estudo verifica se a ativação do receptor P2X3 dos neurônios aferentes primários contribui para a hiperalgesia mecânica induzida pela prostaglandina E2 ou pela dopamine no tecido periférico. A co-administração de A317491 (60 µg / paw), um antagonista seletivo do receptor P2X3, ou o prétratamento com dexametasona (1 mg / mL / kg), preveniu a hiperalgesia mecânica medida 3 horas depois da administraçao de carragenina (300 µg / paw) na pata posterior de ratos. A administração de ??meATP (50 µg /paw) induziu hiperalgesia mecânica 1 hora, mas não 3 horas, depois da sua administração, que foi prevenida pela dexametasona ou pelo A317491. Doses sublimiares de PGE2 (4 ng / paw) ou dopamina (0.4 µg / paw) que não induzem hiperalgesia por si só, induziram hiperalgesia, 3 horas depois, quando administradas logo depois de ??meATP ou carragenina em ratos tratados com dexametasona. Esses estados de hiperalgesia ("priming") revelados pelas doses sublimiares de PGE2 ou dopamine foram prevenidos pelo A317491 ou pelo tratamento com administração intraganglionar (DRG-L5) de ODN antisense, mas não pelo ODN mismatch, contra o receptor P2X3 (40 µg /5µL once a day for 4 days). ODN antisense, mas não o ODN mismatch, reduziu a expressão dos receptores P2X3 no nervo safeno e no DRG-L5. Para verificar se a PKC? media esse estado de hiperalgesia, inibidor de translocação de PKC? (1 µg/paw) foi administrado no tecido periférico 45 minutos antes do ??meATP ou PGE2 (100 ng/paw). O inibidor de PKC? preveniu o estado de hiperalgesia induzido pelo ??meATP ("priming"), mas não a hiperalgesia mecânica induzida pela PGE2 (100 ng/paw). Dessa maneira, os resultados desse estudo sugerem que a hiperalgesia inflamatória depended a ativação dos receptores P2X3 neuronais e da subsequente translocação da PKC? , que aumenta a susceptibilidade dos neurônios aferentes primários (priming) à ação de outros mediadores inflamatórios como a PGE2 e as aminas simpatomiméticas / Abstract: While inflammatory hyperalgesia depends on the release of prostaglandins and/or sympathetic amines that ultimately sensitize the primary afferent neurons, we have recently demonstrated that blockade of P2X3 receptor in the peripheral tissue completely prevents carrageenan-induced hyperalgesia. However, the mechanism by which the activation of neuronal P2X3 receptor contributes to the inflammatory hyperalgesia is not completely clear. The present study verifies whether the activation of P2X3 receptor on primary afferent neurons contributes to the mechanical hiperalgesia induced by prostaglandin E2 or dopamine in the peripheral tissue. Co-administration of A317491(60 µg / paw), a selective P2X3,2/3 receptor antagonist, or pre-treatment with dexamethasone (1 mg / mL / Kg), prevented the mechanical hyperalgesia measured 3 hours after the administration of carrageenan (300 µg / paw) in the rat's hind paw. The administration of ??meATP (50 µg /paw) induced mechanical hiperalgesia 1 hour, but not 3 hours, after its administration, which also was prevented by dexamethasone or A317491. Sub-threshold doses of PGE2 (4 ng / paw) or dopamine (0.4 µg / paw) that do not induce hyperalgesia by themselves, induced maximal hyperalgesia, 3 hours after, when administrated Just following ??meATP or carrageenan in rats treated with dexamethasone. These hyperalgesic states ("priming") revealed by sub-threshold doses of PGE2 or dopamine were prevented by A317491 or treatment with ganglionar administrations (DRG-L5) of ODN antisense, but not ODN mismatch, against P2X3 receptor (40 µg /5µL once a day for 4 days). ODN antisense, but not ODN mismatch reduced the expression of P2X3 receptors in the saphenous nerve and in DRG-L5. To verify whether PKC? mediates this hyperalgesic state, PKC? translocation inhibitor (1 µg/paw) was administrated in peripheral tissue 45 min. before ??meATP or PGE2 (100 ng/paw). PKC? inhibitor inhibited the hyperalgesic state induced by ??meATP ("priming"), but not the mechanical hyperalgesia induced by PGE2 (100 ng/paw). Briefly, the findings of this study suggest that the inflammatory hyperalgesia depends on neuronal activation of P2X3 receptor and the subsequent PKC? translocation, which increases the susceptibility of primary afferent neurons (priming) to others inflammatory mediators such as PGE2 and symphatetic amines / Mestrado / Fisiologia / Mestre em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

Orientador: Lucia Helena Innocentini Mei / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Quimica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-05T05:56:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Almeida_WandersonBuenode_M.pdf: 2402252 bytes, checksum: 993dbabcfaa7bab2a9b3dba98a58a430 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: As propriedades de blendas de PCL (poli-caprolactona) com amido natural e modificado, na presença de plastificante alquil epóxi estearato, de origem vegetal e de fonte renovável, foram estudadas nesta dissertação de mestrado. A necessidade de se ter composições biodegradáveis com boas propriedades mecânicas, norteou este estudo onde amidos modificados foram incorporados ao polímero biodegradável (PCL) para agregar um composto de menor custo na formulação final da blenda biodegradável, no sentido de viabilizar sua comercialização. Foram preparadas blendas contendo de 30% a 50% de PCL, com 50% a 70% de mistura de amido adipatado e plastificante, na proporção (70/30 % em massa). As blendas foram preparadas em misturador tipo ¿dry blend¿ e processadas em extrusora mono e dupla-rosca, visando estudar, também, a influência do processamento nas propriedades mecânicas das mesmas. A mistura que apresentou melhor resultado na caracterização das propriedades mecânicas de blenda PCL / Amido adipatado / Edenol 3203 n/m %(50:35: 15) foi caracterizada com maior detalhamento, através das análises de microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), calorimetria, exploratória diferencial (DSC), análise de Raio-X e cromatografia de permeação em gel (GPC). Em seguida, foi feito um estudo preliminar, visando a continuidade deste trabalho, utilizando-se pó de fibra de coco (5 a 15%) incorporado à blenda PCL / Amido adipatado / Edenol 3203 m/m %(50:35: 15), com o intuito de se obter um material mais resistente mecanicamente, e ao mesmo tempo mais propenso a biodegradação. Os resultados, no entanto, não foram satisfatórios e as blendas feitas com o pó de fibra de coco mostraram propriedades mecânicas bastante inferiores às blendas sem sua incorporação / Abstract: The mechanical properties of PCL (Polycaprolactone) blend with natural and modified starch (Adipic acid derivative), in the presence of a plasticizer like Alquil Epoxi Stearate, a totally biodegradable product, were studied in this dissertation. The necessity to develop biodegradable polymeric compositions with good mechanical properties, but with competitive cost, was the objective of this study where modified starch was incorporated to the PCL matrix to turn the final product commercially viable. Were prepared blends with 30 to 50% of PCL and 50 to 70% of a mix of Adipic acid modified starch and Edenol 3203 (70/30% w/w). These blends were mixed in a Dry blend system and processed in single and double screw extruder, in order to study the influence of processing in the final properties of the products. The best result, regarding to the mechanical properties, were obtained with the blend PCL/Starch adipic modified/Edenol 3203 w/w %(50:35:15), which was studied in details by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential / Mestrado / Ciencia e Tecnologia de Materiais / Mestre em Engenharia Química