A comparison between gravimetric and in-situ spectroscopic methods to measure the sorption of CO₂in a biocompatible polymer

In situ ATR-IR spectroscopy was used to simultaneously measure the sorption and swelling of carbon dioxide at high pressures in a biocompatible acrylate copolymer poly(methylmethacrylate-co-ethylhexylacrylate-co-ethyleneglycoldimethacrylate), P(MMA–EHA–EGDMA). The ν3 band of CO2 dissolved in the polymer (at 2335 cm−1) was used to calculate the sorption data and the polymer swelling was determined by analyzing the changes in the absorbance of the ν(C O) band (at 1730 cm−1) of the polymer. Transmission spectroscopy in the near-IR region was also used to study the sorption of CO2 in the polymer using combinational and overtone bands. The experiments were carried out in a pressure range of 2.0–12.0MPa and in a temperature range of 27–40 ◦C. The data for CO2 sorption in this polymer obtained by in situ spectroscopic methods have been compared to the data obtained by the gravimetric technique

A Spatially Robust ICA Algorithm for Multiple fMRI Data Sets

In this paper we derive an independent-component analysis (ICA) method for analyzing two or more data sets simultaneously. Our model extracts independent components common to all data sets and independent data-set-specific components. We use time-delayed autocorrelations to obtain independent signal components and base our algorithm on prediction analysis. We applied this method to functional brain mapping using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The results of our 3-subject analysis demonstrate the robustness of the algorithm to the spatial misalignment intrinsic in multiple-subject fMRI data sets. 1

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of inverted hybrid bulk-heterojunction solar cells using TiO2/reduced graphene oxide films as electron transport layers

In this study, we investigated inverted hybrid bulk-heterojunction solar cells with the following configuration: fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) |TiO2/RGO|P3HT:PC61BM|V2O5 or PEDOT:PSS|Ag. The TiO2/GO dispersions were prepared by sol-gel method, employing titanium isopropoxide and graphene oxide (GO) as starting materials. The GO concentration was varied from 0.1 to 4.0 wt%. The corresponding dispersions were spin-coated onto FTO substrates and a thermal treatment was performed to remove organic materials and to reduce GO to reduced graphene oxide (RGO). The TiO2/RGO films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and microscopy techniques. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images showed that the addition of RGO significantly changes the morphology of the TiO2 films, with loss of uniformity and increase in surface roughness. Independent of the use of V2O5 or PEDOT: PSS films as the hole transport layer, the incorporation of 2.0 wt% of RGO into TiO2 films was the optimal concentration for the best organic photovoltaic performance. The solar cells based on TiO2/RGO (2.0 wt%) electrode exhibited a ∼22.3% and ∼28.9% short circuit current density (Jsc) and a power conversion efficiency enhancement, respectively, if compared with the devices based on pure TiO2 films. Kelvin probe force microscopy images suggest that the incorporation of RGO into TiO2 films can promote the appearance of regions with different charge dissipation capacities.The authors thank LNNano/LNLS for the AFM and KPFM images, and INEO, CNPq (fellowship 246430/2012-5), and FAPESP (fellowship 2010/18656-1) for the financial supports. MINECO for the economic support through the ENE2013-48816-C5-4-R project. The COST Action StableNextSol project MP1307. The Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca for the project 2014 SGR 1212. FASL would like to thank to the Secretary of Education of the State of Ceará (SEDUC-CE) for the financial support.Peer reviewe

An In-vivo 1H-MRS short-echo time technique at 7T: Quantification of metabolites in chronic multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica brain lesions and normal appearing brain tissue

Highlights NAAG likely contributes to the total NAA differences between multiple sclerosis lesion and normal appearing brain tissue. myo-Inositol was not shown to be different between chronic AQP4Ab-NMOSD brain lesions and normal appearing brain tissue. An optimised MRS methodology is described, using 7T field strength and correcting for tissue T2 water relaxion differences. 7-tesla MRS profiles of chronic brain lesions and normal appearing white matter are presented for MS and AQP4Ab-NMOSD. Abstract Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) allows for the non-invasive quantification of neurochemicals and has the potential to differentiate between the pathologically distinct diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS) and AQP4Ab-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4Ab-NMOSD). In this study we characterised the metabolite profiles of brain lesions in 11 MS and 4 AQP4Ab-NMOSD patients using an optimised MRS methodology at ultra-high field strength (7T) incorporating correction for T2 water relaxation differences between lesioned and normal tissue. MS metabolite results were in keeping with the existing literature: total N-acetylaspartate (NAA) was lower in lesions compared to normal appearing brain white matter (NAWM) with reciprocal findings for myo-Inositol. An unexpected subtlety revealed by our technique was that total NAA differences were likely driven by NAA-glutamate (NAAG), a ubiquitous CNS molecule with functions quite distinct from NAA though commonly quantified together with NAA in MRS studies as total NAA. Surprisingly, AQP4Ab-NMOSD showed no significant differences for total NAA, NAA, NAAG or myo-Inositol between lesion and NAWM sites, nor were there any differences between MS and AQP4Ab-NMOSD for a priori hypotheses. Post-hoc testing revealed a significant correlation between NAWM Ins:NAA and disability (as measured by EDSS) for disease groups combined, driven by the AP4Ab-NMOSD group. Utilising an optimised MRS methodology, our study highlights some under-explored subtleties in MRS profiles, such as the absence of myo-Inositol concentration differences in AQP4Ab-NMOSD brain lesions versus NAWM and the potential influence of NAAG differences between lesions and normal appearing white matter in MS

Cladosporium tenuissimum URM 7803: a promising new β-galactosidase producer

The Cladosporium genus, defined by Link in 1816, is one of the largest and most heterogeneous Hyphomycetes genus. It comprises more than 189 species still rarely explored biotechnologically. One of the most studied microbial enzymes, -galactosidase is a glycoside hydrolase enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of -galactosides into monosaccharides through the breaking of a glycosidic bond. Recently, new studies comprising new microbial sources of -galactosidase, presenting biotechnologically interesting characteristics, have been encouraged. In this context, the present study evaluated the production of -galactosidase by a new isolate of Cladosporium tenuissimum. A C. tenuissimum inoculum was prepared adding 107 spore/mL in sterile saline solution 0.85% (w/v) NaCl containing 0.01% (w/v) Tween 80 and added to fermentation medium for enzyme production. The fermentation medium, composed of (% w/v): lactose (2), peptone (0.4), yeast extract (0.4) and salts (KH2PO4 (0.2), Na2HPO4.12H2O (0.8) and MgSO4.7H2O (0.025), pH 6.5, was maintained at 28° C and 180 rpm for 13 days. One sample (50 mL erlenmeyer) was removed every 24 hours and -galactosidase activity was evaluated using ONPG (ortho-Nitrophenyl--galactoside) method. The results showed maximum -galactosidase production by C. tenuissimum URM 7803 on thirteenth day, displayed enzymatic activity of 462.13 U/mL. The C. tenuissimum URM 7803 isolate proved to be a powerful new -galactosidase producer with potential application for food processing.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

In situ evaluation of fluoride-, stannous- and polyphosphate-containing solutions against enamel erosion

Objective To evaluate the anti-erosive effect of solutions containing sodium fluoride (F: 225 ppm of fluoride), sodium fluoride + stannous chloride (F + Sn: 225 ppm of fluoride + 800 ppm of stannous), sodium fluoride + stannous chloride + sodium linear polyphosphate (F + Sn + LPP: 225 ppm of fluoride + 800 ppm of stannous + 2% of sodium linear polyphosphate), and deionized water (C: control), using a four-phase, single-blind, crossover in situ clinical trial. Methods In each phase, 12 volunteers wore appliances containing 4 enamel specimens, which were submitted to a 5-day erosion-remineralization phase that consisted of 2 h of salivary pellicle formation with the appliance in situ, followed by 2 min extra-oral immersion in 1% citric acid (pH 2.4), 6x/day, with 90 min of exposure to saliva in situ between the challenges. Treatment with the test solutions was performed extra-orally for 2 min, 2x/day. At the end of the experiment, surface loss (SL, in μm) was evaluated by optical profilometry. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey tests (α = 0.05). The surface of additional specimens was evaluated by x-ray diffraction after treatments (n = 3). Results C (mean SL ± standard-deviation: 5.97 ± 1.70) and F (5.36 ± 1.59) showed the highest SL, with no significant difference between them (p > 0.05). F + Sn (2.68 ± 1.62) and F + Sn + LPP (2.10 ± 0.95) did not differ from each other (p > 0.05), but presented lower SL than the other groups (P < 0.05). Apatite and stannous deposits on specimen surfaces were identified in the x-ray analysis for F + Sn and F + Sn + LPP. Conclusions Sodium fluoride solution exhibited no significant anti-erosive effect. The combination between sodium fluoride and stannous chloride reduced enamel erosion, irrespective of the presence of linear sodium polyphosphate. Clinical significance Under highly erosive conditions, sodium fluoride rinse may not be a suitable alternative to prevent enamel erosion. A rinse containing sodium fluoride and stannous chloride was shown to be a better treatment option, which was not further improved by addition of the sodium linear polyphosphate

Lactococcus lactis carrying the pValac DNA expression vector coding for IL-10 reduces inflammation in a murine model of experimental colitis

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are intestinal disorders characterized by inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Interleukin-10 is one of the most important anti-inflammatory cytokines involved in the intestinal immune system and because of its role in downregulating inflammatory cascades, its potential for IBD therapy is under study. We previously presented the development of an invasive strain of Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) producing Fibronectin Binding Protein A (FnBPA) which was capable of delivering, directly to host cells, a eukaryotic DNA expression vector coding for IL-10 of Mus musculus (pValac:il-10) and diminish inflammation in a trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced mouse model of intestinal inflammation. As a new therapeutic strategy against IBD, the aim of this work was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of two L. lactis strains (the same invasive strain evaluated previously and the wild-type strain) carrying the therapeutic pValac:il-10 plasmid in the prevention of inflammation in a dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced mouse model. Results: Results obtained showed that not only delivery of the pValac:il-10 plasmid by the invasive strain L. lactis MG1363 FnBPA+, but also by the wild-type strain L. lactis MG1363, was effective at diminishing intestinal inflammation (lower inflammation scores and higher IL-10 levels in the intestinal tissues, accompanied by decrease of IL-6) in the DSS-induced IBD mouse model. Conclusions: Administration of both L. lactis strains carrying the pValac:il-10 plasmid was effective at diminishing inflammation in this murine model of experimental colitis, showing their potential for therapeutic intervention of IBD.Fil: Zurita Turk, Meritxell. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; BrasilFil: del Carmen, Silvina Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Santos, Ana C. G.. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; BrasilFil: Pereira, Vanessa Bastos. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; BrasilFil: Cara, Denise C.. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; BrasilFil: Leclercq, Sophie Y.. Fundaçao Ezequiel Dias. Laboratório de Inovaçao Biotecnológica; BrasilFil: de Moreno, Maria Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Azevedo, Vasco. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; BrasilFil: Chatel, Jean-Marc. Universidade Federal do Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Leblanc, Jean Guy Joseph. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucuman. Centro de Referencia Para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Miyoshi, Anderson. Universidade Federal Do Minas Gerais. Instituto de Cs.biologicas; Brasi