Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:22:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseARRL.pdf: 2887620 bytes, checksum: f9805339ae9291b11000e1a896f6b3f2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-10-27 / Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais / The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the combined use of functional electrical stimulation (FES) and treadmill training with body weight support (BWS) in walking functions and voluntary limb control in chronic hemiparetic patients. Eight hemiparetic individuals (mean age, 56.6 ± 10.26 years) were evaluated in the present clinical trial. The stroke interval was 17.3 ± 10.9 months. The stroke etiology of the subjects was ischemia (75%) or haemorrhage (25%) in the middle cerebral artery region. An A1-B-A2 single-case study design was applied. Phases A1 and A2: three weeks of gait training on a treadmill with body weight support, and phase B: three weeks of treadmill training plus FES. FES was applied to the peroneal nerve to improve ankle dorsiflexion during the swing phase and heel strike on the initial floor contact. Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM, 0-60) was used to assess motor recovery. Kinematical analysis was used to assess cycle length (m); cycle duration (s); gait velocity (m/s); stance duration (s); swing duration (s) and cadence (steps/min). The results showed substantial improvement in the motor functions during phase B (from 54.9% to 71.0%). The space-temporal variables of cycle duration, stance and cycle cadence as well as cycle symmetry presented improvements when compared to treadmill training with BWS but without FES (p<0.01). The combined use of FES and treadmill training with BWS promoted an improvement in the motor recovery and gait pattern of hemiparetic subjects and could be used during gait rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of uphill treadmill inclination in the gait of ambulatory subjects with hemiparesis. Fourteen individuals (mean age 64.3±14.56 years) were evaluated in the present trial. The stroke etiology of the subjects was supratentorial ischemia (12 cases) or haemorrhage (2 cases). Gait analysis was performed during each experimental condition (floor walking and uphill treadmill walking of 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8%). The space-temporal variables, gait line, cyclogram, force graphs and vertical ground reaction forces during initial contact, midstance and toe-off, and muscular activity were recorded by Infotronic Ultraflex System. Muscular activity recordings were obtained for the following muscles on the subjects paretic side: tibialis anterior, medial belly of gastrocnemius, biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, gluteus medius and erector spinae. Heart rate was also monitored during each experimental condition. The results showed that uphill treadmill improved the heart rate from 82.6±11.0 bpm to 97.7±20.2 bpm as the treadmill inclination improved to 8%. Spacetemporal variables were not significantly affected by the uphill walking while velocity remained steady. EMG amplitude of gastrocnemius decreased while vastus lateralis and biceps femoris increased with slope. We conclude that treadmill inclination would have some beneficial effect on the subjects general fitness and could be used during stroke rehabilitation when the patient motor condition does not allow the increase of gait velocity. However, gait ability in stroke patients changes within certain limits during uphill treadmill. / Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar os efeitos do treino em esteira com suporte parcial de peso (SPP) associado à estimulação elétrica funcional (EEF) na marcha e controle motor de sujeitos hemiparéticos crônicos. Foram avaliados oito sujeitos hemiparéticos (média de idade de 56.6 ± 10.26 anos). O intervalo de lesão foi de 17.3 ± 10.9 meses e a etiologia da lesão foi isquemia (75%) e hemorragia (25%) na região da artéria cerebral média. Utilizou-se o modelo A1-B-A2 da seguinte forma: Fases A1 e A2: três semanas de treino de marcha em esteira com SPP e fase B: três semanas de treino de marcha em esteira com SPP combinado à EEF. A eletroestimulação funcional foi aplicada no nervo fibular para melhorar a dorsiflexão durante a fase de balanço e contato inicial do calcanhar com o solo. O protocolo de Avaliação da Reabilitação Motora após Acidente Vascular Cerebral (0-60) foi usado para avaliar a recuperação motora dos sujeitos. O comprimento do ciclo (m); duração do ciclo (s); velocidade da marcha (m/s); duração do tempo de apoio (s); duração do tempo de balanço (s) e cadência (passos/min) foram avaliados através da análise cinemática. Os resultados mostraram uma considerável melhora nas funções motoras durante a fase B (de 54.9% para 71.0%). As variáveis espaço-temporais duração do ciclo, tempo de apoio e cadência, assim como simetria do ciclo apresentaram melhora mais efetiva durante o treino em esteira com SPP associado à EEF (p<0.01). O treino em esteira com SPP combinado com EEF promoveu melhora na recuperação motora e no padrão de marcha de sujeitos hemiparéticos e pode ser usado durante a reabilitação da marcha. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar os efeitos da inclinação da esteira na marcha de sujeitos hemiparéticos. Participaram do estudo 14 sujeitos hemiparéticos (média de idade 64.3±14.56 anos). Seis indivíduos eram portadores de hemiparesia direita e oito de hemiparesia esquerda e a média do intervalo compreendido entre a lesão a avaliação foi de 7.1±1.7 semanas. A etiologia da lesão foi isquemia (12 casos) ou hemorragia (2 casos) na região supratentorial. A análise da marcha foi realizada em cada condição experimental, ou seja, durante a marcha sobre o solo, e sobre a esteira com inclinação de 0, 2, 4, 6 e 8%. As variáveis espaço-temporais da marcha, linha da marcha, ciclograma, gráficos de força, assim como a força de reação vertical ao solo, durante o contato inicial, apoio médio e contato final, e eletromiografia foram coletados com a ajuda do sistema Infotronic Ultraflex. A eletromiografia foi realizada nos seguintes músculos do lado hemiparético: tibial anterior, gastrocnêmio (porção medial), bíceps femoral, vasto lateral, vasto medial, glúteo médio e eretor espinhal. A freqüência cardíaca dos sujeitos foi monitorada em cada condição experimental. Os resultados deste estudo mostraram que o uso da esteira inclinada provocou o aumento da média da freqüência cardíaca dos sujeitos de 82.6±11.0 bpm para 97.7±20.2 bpm, após caminharem em esteira com inclinação de 8%. Não houve melhora importante nas variáveis espaço-temporais da marcha, uma vez mantida a velocidade e utilizado um percentual mínimo de suporte parcial de peso. A inclinação da esteira causou redução na intensidade da contração do músculo gastrocnêmio e aumento na intensidade de contração dos músculos vasto lateral e bíceps femoral. Conclui-se que a marcha sobre esteira com inclinação favorece a condição cardiovascular de sujeitos hemiparéticos e pode ser utilizada por indivíduos que não possuem condições motoras que permitam o aumento da velocidade da marcha. Entretanto a habilidade da marcha em sujeitos hemiplégicos se altera dentro de certas limitações durante marcha sobre superfícies inclinadas.

Submitted by Marilene Donadel (marilene.donadel@unioeste.br) on 2018-04-19T23:12:45Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Cintia_Kruger_2017.pdf: 1926572 bytes, checksum: 365416cbae7153ee1220106ae7f6204f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-19T23:12:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cintia_Kruger_2017.pdf: 1926572 bytes, checksum: 365416cbae7153ee1220106ae7f6204f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-06 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The objective of this study was to produce the lipase of Penicillium sumatrense by solid-state fermentation (SSF), in this manner taking advantage of agroindustrial residues for the production of an enzyme that is useful in biocatalysis. It was studied as a substrate, the agroindustrial residue, crambe cake (Crambe abyssinica hochst), provided by MS Foundation, Mato Grosso do Sul. The enzymatic activity was determinated by the titrimetric method, using olive oil as substrate. In order to optimize the lipase production, was performed an experimental design 22, aiming to evaluate the effects of the variables involved in the process (substrate granulometry and moisture). The response variable chosen was the enzymatic activity in U (Total Units), of each fermented enviorement. Statistical analyzes were performed by the software Statistica 7.0. The results of the experimental design indicated that the enzymatic activity was maximum (243,0 U) when using a substrate moisture of 60 % (m/m, wet basis), substrate granulometry of 28 mesh, 29°C, after 96 h of fermentation. The dry fermented solid produced from the industrial waste crambe cake (24,3 U gss-1) was used in the synthesis studies of ethyl oleate in n-heptane studying the variables temperature and molar ratio (MR, acid:alcohol). The ester yield was evaluated by the method of LowryTinsley. The best conditions for ester production were 37C, MR of 1:3 and the amount of enzyme in the reaction of 60,0 U, obtaining a yield or conversion in ester of 100,0% after 30 min of reaction. It was also found that the time required to reach equilibrium was 40 min. The crambe cake was reused 10 times for the synthesis reaction of ethyl oleate. In the sixth reuse the enzyme reached half of the yield initially obtained (half life time). The results obtained in this work are inedited, since no papers were found in the literature using lipase of Penicillium sumatrense produced by solid-state fermentation with applications in biocatalysis and show the feasibility of using fermented solids directly in reactions of ester synthesis in organic solvents. Key-words: enzymes; SSF; ethyl oleate. / O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a produção da lipase de Penicillium sumatrense por Fermentação no Estado Sólido (FES), utilizando como substratos resíduos agroindustriais à produção de uma enzima com características especiais para utilização em biocatálise. Foi estudado como substrato, o resíduo agroindustrial, torta de crambe (Crambe abyssinica hochst), fornecida pela Fundação MS, Mato Grosso do Sul. A atividade enzimática foi determinada pelo método titulométrico utilizando-se o óleo de oliva como substrato. Para otimizar a produção de lipases foi realizado um planejamento experimental 22, visando avaliar os efeitos das variáveis envolvidas no processo (granulometria do substrato e umidade). A variável resposta escolhida foi a atividade enzimática em U (Unidades totais), de cada meio fermentado. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas pelo software Statistica 7.0. Os resultados do planejamento experimental indicaram que a atividade enzimática foi máxima (243,0 U) quando utilizamos uma umidade do substrato de 60 % (m/m, base úmida) granulometria do substrato de 28 mesh, 29°C, após 96 h de fermentação. O sólido fermentado seco produzido a partir do resíduo industrial torta de crambe (24,3 U gss-1) foi empregado nos estudos da síntese do oleato de etila em n-heptano estudando-se as variáveis temperatura e razão molar (RM, ácido:álcool). O rendimento em éster foi avaliado pelo método de LowryTinsley. As melhores condições para a produção do éster foram 37C, RM de 1:3 e a quantidade de enzima no meio reacional de 60,0 U, obtendo-se um rendimento ou conversão em éster de 100,0% após 30 min de reação. Verificou-se também que o tempo necessário para atingir o equilíbrio químico foi de 40 min. A torta de crambe foi reutilizada 10 vezes para a reação de síntese do oleato de etila. Na sexta reutilização a enzima atingiu a metade do rendimento obtido inicialmente (tempo de meia vida). Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho são inéditos, uma vez que não foram encontrados trabalhos na literatura utilizando-se a lipase de Penicillium sumatrense produzida por FES com aplicações em biocatálise e mostram a viabilidade de utilização de sólidos fermentados diretamente em reações de síntese de ésteres em solventes orgânicos.

Parasitic protists with modified mitochondria represent important and exciting group of organisms, not only from the view of eukaryotic cell evolution but also because these parasites are causative agents of serious and widespread diseases. The study and understanding of their biology is thus necessary for the development of new antiparasitic drugs. These organisms reside in host body cavities with low concentrations of oxygen and while they lack typical mitochondria, they possess mitochondrion-related organelles which still integrate many physiologically important processes. Trichomonas vaginalis is an anaerobic flagellate inhabiting mucosal surface of vagina. Instead of canonical mitochondria, T. vaginalis possesses organelles termed hydrogenosomes. These organelles harbor pathways of ATP-generating metabolism via substrate-level phosphorylation, dependent on enzymes prone to oxidative damage, such as pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase and Fe-Fe hydrogenase. Because the environment of trichomonads is not fully anaerobic, the parasite had to develop complex strategies to cope with both oxygen and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by host immune system cells. Recent data from T. vaginalis proteomic and genomic analyses revealed the presence of bacterial-type proteins potentially participating...

The synthesis of iron-sulfur clusters is an essential cellular process, which depends on complex biosynthetic pathways. In model eukaryotes, these pathways are the ISC pathway in the mitochondria and the CIA pathway in the cytosol. A recent genome and transcriptome analysis showed, that an amitochondriate protist Monocercomonoides exilis lacks the canonical ISC pathway, which has been replaced by a bacterial SUF pathway. A close free-living relative of M. exilis, Paratrimastix pyriformis possesses a mitochondrion-related organelle, yet also possesses a SUF pathway instead of ISC. The acquisition of the SUF pathway has been suggested as the primordial cause for mitochondrial loss in M. exilis, which is the first documented eukaryotic organism without a mitochondrion. The SUF pathway has been the subject of numerous studies in bacteria, however, its role as the core provider of iron-sulfur clusters for eukaryotic cells has been reported in merely a handful of eukaryotes and was based predominantly on genomic data. This thesis focuses on the putative ATPase SufC and the putative scaffold protein SufB. Both proteins were successfully produced in recombinant forms. SufC has been found to possess ATPase activity in vitro, which was increased upon interaction with SufB. The conditions for theATPase...

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Spinal cord injury and stroke affect many people each year and can result in the loss of muscle function. Current research attempts to correct muscle paralysis through the use of mechanical braces or through open-loop stimulation methods. However, prosthetic systems that use closed-loop control strategies can offer improved functionality by accounting for the changing dynamics associated with the human body and external disturbances. In particular, closed-loop functional electrical stimulation (FES) offers the possibility of moving paralyzed muscles in a predetermined manner, allowing a paraplegic individual to regain the ability to perform some tasks. An experimental setup was designed for the development and testing of a closed-loop FES control system, as well as the characterization of muscle properties. Due to the complexities associated with using a human subject, an inverted pendulum model is utilized for this preliminary study. This model is a basic engineering control problem often used when studying postural control in humans. In particular, electrical stimuli will be applied to the gastrocnemius muscle of a frog in order to produce a contraction force that will drive an inverted pendulum and maintain its desired angle. The stimulation signal will be determined by control algorithms applied through the use of Matlab® and implemented in real-time with a data acquisition system. This setup will help provide an understanding of the muscle behavior and can be used to establish the validity of proposed controller methods.

[pt] As invenções tecnológicas ganham terreno em várias áreas da sociedade, auxiliando a pesquisa científica através de desenvolvimento de software e computadores mais ágeis e potentes, que permite sondar as instâncias mais profundas do corpo humano, a fim de prolongar a vida e, também, promover maior qualidade da mesma. A tecnologia também está presente no entretenimento, em forma de jogos e mecanismos capazes de produzir uma realidade virtual. Ultimamente, porém, ela vem se manifestando num diálogo mais próximo com as formas de religiosidade contemporânea. A presente dissertação busca explorar esse diálogo, constante no imaginário tecnológico, através do estudo da cinematografia de ficção científica e de algumas ideologias que circulam no ciberespaço. / [en] Technological inventions are increasingly present in many fields of society, helping scientific research by developing software and more powerful computers, making it possible probe the deepest corners of the human body so as to prolong life and improve its quality. Technology is also present in entertainment, in the form of games and mechanisms that produce a virtual reality. Ultimately, however, it has become more engaged in a dialogue with contemporary religiosity. This thesis explores the dialogue between faith and science as present in the imaginary of technology, through the study of sciencefiction films and some of the ideologies circulating in cyberspace.