[Design of a thermic detection system applied to chick embryonated eggs irradiated with infrared rays]

Infrared radiations are widely used in medical therapeutics. It has been argued that the doses and the periods of time employed in experimental animals are higher than those used in clinic. Thus, we considered of interest to analyse aspects of dosimetry and thermic effects of infrared rays with current methods in medical practice, using the in ovo chick embryo as a model of easy control. To this end we designed a system to measure temperatures and their acquisitions and software for its handling. The system consists of: a) thermic points: thermocuples or termistores adaptable to the experimental requirements and calibrated with a greater precision within a range of ten degrees around the incubation temperature; b) acquirer circuit of thermic data (hardware): it generates a time base that varies with the thermic sensor. Software: the PC XT or AT detects changes in the time base by means of a programs' in a Turbo Pascal; c) storage and analysis of data allows, through a menu (expansibles) the scale selection, time of program data to be acquired, storage and recovery of the diskette information and graphic impression; d) chick's embryonated eggs. This system allows to measure temperature distribution in small physical spaces with little disturbance of the system to be measured in irradiated bodies, to analyse variations of the temperatures in time and to secure a greater confidence and automatism to obtain the required data.