21 research outputs found

    High-throughput synthesis of CeO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles for transparent nanocomposites repelling Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms

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    Preventing bacteria from adhering to material surfaces is an important technical problem and a major cause of infection. One of nature’s defense strategies against bacterial colonization is based on the biohalogenation of signal substances that interfere with bacterial communication. Biohalogenation is catalyzed by haloperoxidases, a class of metal-dependent enzymes whose activity can be mimicked by ceria nanoparticles. Transparent CeO(2)/polycarbonate surfaces that prevent adhesion, proliferation, and spread of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 were manufactured. Large amounts of monodisperse CeO(2) nanoparticles were synthesized in segmented flow using a high-throughput microfluidic benchtop system using water/benzyl alcohol mixtures and oleylamine as capping agent. This reduced the reaction time for nanoceria by more than one order of magnitude compared to conventional batch methods. Ceria nanoparticles prepared by segmented flow showed high catalytic activity in halogenation reactions, which makes them highly efficient functional mimics of haloperoxidase enzymes. Haloperoxidases are used in nature by macroalgae to prevent formation of biofilms via halogenation of signaling compounds that interfere with bacterial cell–cell communication (“quorum sensing”). CeO(2)/polycarbonate nanocomposites were prepared by dip-coating plasma-treated polycarbonate panels in CeO(2) dispersions. These showed a reduction in bacterial biofilm formation of up to 85% using P. aeruginosa PA14 as model organism. Besides biofilm formation, also the production of the virulence factor pyocyanin in is under control of the entire quorum sensing systems P. aeruginosa. CeO(2)/PC showed a decrease of up to 55% in pyocyanin production, whereas no effect on bacterial growth in liquid culture was observed. This indicates that CeO(2) nanoparticles affect quorum sensing and inhibit biofilm formation in a non-biocidal manner

    Towards Biological Supramolecular Chemistry: A Variety of Pocket-Templated Metal Oxide Cluster Nucleations in the Cavity of a Mo/W-Storage Protein

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    Create and protect: The cavity shell of a molybdenum/tungsten‐storage protein acts as a polytopic host for several types of polyoxotungstate guests, which occur as individual clusters (one shown: yellow W, red O, ribbons protein) that are noncovalently or weakly bonded to the host. The formation of the guests is templated by the specific functionalities of the protein pockets

    Druckentlastung in Systemen mit hoeherviskosen Fluessigkeiten Abschlussbericht

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    The purpose of the research project was to study pressure relief at the dome sid e of vessels in gas releasing and evaporating systems in the upper viscosity range. The viscosity of a liquid exerts an influence on fluid dynamics in the vessel and pressure relief system. Despite the pervasive use of high-range viscous liquids in chemical processes this parameter has hardly been examined until now. The results of the research project are expected to facilitate the design of reliable pressure relief systems for high-range viscous systems. (orig./HS)Ziel des durchgefuehrten Forschungsvorhabens ist die Untersuchung der behaelterdomseitigen Druckentlastung gasentloesender und siedender Systeme mit hoeherviskoser Fluessigkeitsphase. Die Fluessigkeitsviskositaet wirkt sich auf die Fluiddynamik im Behaelter und im Entlastungssytem aus. Obwohl in vielen chemischen Prozessen mit hoeherviskosen Fluessigkeiten umgegangen wird, ist der Einfluss dieses Parameters bislang kaum untersucht worden. Die Ergebnisse dieses Forschungsvorhabens sollen dazu dienen, Entlastungssysteme fuer Systeme mit hoeherviskosen Fluessigkeiten zuverlaessiger auslegen zu koennen. (orig./HS)Available from TIB Hannover: F93B1422+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

    Toward high-throughput chip calorimetry by use of segmented-flow technology

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    •Chip calorimeters with sample transport in segmented flow.•Analysis of the signal dynamics under segmented-flow conditions.•Suppression of biofouling in the flow channel.•Heat production of spheroids.•Heat production of human hair follicles. The adaptation of segmented-flow technology to flow-through calorimetry was demonstrated by different kinds of newly designed chip calorimeters useful for liquids and suspensions as well as for solid samples. In segmented-flow technology, sample material is suspended in aqueous segments of nano- or microliter volume and transported by a water-immiscible carrier liquid. The analysis of the signal dynamics given by segmented samples in flow led to optimal settings of flow rate and sample volume for maximal throughput. For 12μL sample segments, a cycle time of 4min could be achieved. The protection of the measuring chamber of the calorimeters against biofouling caused by the water-immiscible carrier liquid was verified for segmented bacterial samples. The unique possibility to measure solid and aggregated samples in flow-through was demonstrated by the investigation of human hair follicles and fibroblast spheroids

    Necessidades especiais de escolares com diabetes mellitus tipo 1 identificadas por familiares Special needs of students with diabetes mellitus type 1 identified by relatives

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    É um desafio atender aos alunos, em suas diversas necessidades especiais. Diferentemente das deficiências, há poucas pesquisas no Brasil sobre estudantes com doenças crônicas e suas especificidades, na escola. O objetivo do presente estudo foi identificar as necessidades especiais de escolares com diabetes mellitus tipo 1. Participaram 37 familiares de escolares em tratamento ambulatorial de uma faculdade paulista, por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, gravada em áudio e transcrita para análise. Os resultados mostraram que todos comunicaram a escola a respeito da doença do filho, mas, mesmo assim, 29,7% relatam dificuldade de inclusão ou acesso à escola, como desconhecimento do professor para o controle do diabetes, merenda escolar inadequada, preconceito dos colegas e da diretora ou vergonha por parte do aluno. As faltas ocorrem com 70,3% dos alunos, principalmente devido às consultas médicas. Necessidades especiais foram identificadas por 32,4%, incluindo a alimentação, o desempenho escolar e a necessidade de profissionais da escola mais bem informados sobre a doença. Além disso, 72,9% referem algum tipo de apoio para enfrentar o diabetes, principalmente de profissionais de saúde. Dos familiares, 51,3% apresentam sugestões para um melhor desenvolvimento do filho na escola, incluindo alimentação escolar adequada e melhor preparo da escola para lidar com o diabetes, como palestras e treinamento aos professores. Sugerimos a aproximação entre a escola e a área da saúde, porém, o primeiro passo para a integração intersetorial é identificar as necessidades desses alunos com doenças crônicas, como foi possível com este trabalho, ao enfocar o diabetes mellitus e suas repercussões escolares.<br>Catering to students according to their various special needs is a challenge. As opposed to the field of disability, there is little research in Brazil on students with chronic diseases and their specific needs at school. The purpose of this study was to identify the special needs of children with diabetes mellitus type 1. The participants were 37 family members of students in treatment in an outpatient center at a state of São Paulo medical school. A semi-structured interview was carried, which was audio recorded and transcribed for analysis. The results showed that all participants informed the school informed about their child's condition, however 29,7% reported that inclusion or access to school was difficult, due to the teacher being uninformed about diabetes control, inadequate school lunches, and preconceptions of peers and school supervisor, or the student's embarrassment. Absenteeism occurred among 70,3% of the students, mainly due to doctor appointments. Special needs were identified by 32,4%, including meals, performance in school tasks and the need to better inform school professionals about the condition. Furthermore, 72,9% reported some kind of support to cope with diabetes had been provided, mainly by health professionals. In order to improve their child's development at school 51,3% presented suggestions such as including appropriate school meals, better preparation of school for dealing with diabetes, i.e. lectures and training for teachers. Our suggestion is that there should be a closer relationship between the school and health services, but the first step towards intersector integration is to identify the needs of students with chronic diseases, such as this study showed, by focusing on diabetes mellitus and its impact on the school

    Face-directed self-assembly of an electronically active Archimedean polyoxometalate architecture

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    The convergent assembly of metal-organic frameworks has enabled the design of porous materials using a structural building unit approach, but functional systems incorporating pre-assembled structural building unit 'pore' openings are rare. Here, we show that the face-directed assembly of a ring-shaped macrocyclic polyoxometalate structural building unit, {P8W48O184}(40-) with an integrated 1-nm pore as an 'aperture synthon', with manganese linkers yields a vast three-dimensional extended framework architecture based on a truncated cuboctahedron. The 1-nm-diameter entrance pores of the {P8W48O184}(40-) structural building unit lead to approximately spherical 7.24-nm(3) cavities containing exchangeable alkali-metal cations that can be replaced by transition-metal ions through a cation exchange process. Control over this process can be exerted by either electrochemically switching the overall framework charge by manipulating the oxidation state of the manganese linker ions, or by physically gating the pores with large organic cations, thus demonstrating how metal-organic framework-like structures with integrated pores and new physical properties can be assembled
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