ZnTe nanocrystal formation and growth control on UV-transparent substrate

ZnTe nanocrystals (NCs) were successfully grown in a UV transparent, vitreous substrate synthesized by fusion and then annealed. The formation of dot structures, emitting in the UV-range, was investigated by optical absorption (OA), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy. Dot growth was evidenced by an OA band red-shift with increasing annealing time. Average sizes of the ZnTe dots were determined using the effective mass fit model with OA spectra and comparing the results with estimates from AFM images. A UV-transparent PZABP vitreous matrix was used because it allowed ZnTe NC growth and displayed typical Raman active phonon modes.MCT/CNPqFAPEMIGFAPESPCAPE

Oral delivery of fish oil in oil-in-water nanoemulsion : development, colloidal stability and modulatory effect on in vivo inflammatory induction in mice

To improve the oral absorption of fish oil and test its anti-inflammatory effect, a fish oil nanoemulsion was developed using cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic fatty acid as a biomarker for oral administration. The colloidal stability tests of the fish oil nanoemulsion showed an average size of 155.44 nm ± 6.46 (4 °C); 163.04 nm ± 9.97 (25 °C) and polydispersity index 0.22 ± 0.02 (4 °C), 0.21 ± 0.02 (25 °C), indicating systems with low polydispersity and stable droplets. The fish oil nanoemulsion did not alter the cell viability of the RAW 264.7 macrophages and, at a concentration of 0.024 mg/mL, was kinetically incorporated into the cells after 18 h of contact. The nanoemulsion was maintained in the gastrointestinal region for a significantly shorter period of time (p ≤ 0.05) compared to the intake of fish oil in free form. Inflammatory tests demonstrated that nanoemulsion and fish oil showed less (p ≤ 0.05) neutrophil infiltration after 24h of sepsis induction and there was a significant reduction (p ≤ 0.05) in the volume of paw edema in female adult Balb/c mice who received the nanoemulsion diet compared to the other experimental groups (control, formalin, fish oil and sunflower oil). These results indicate that the fish oil nanoemulsion was significantly effective in the dietary conditions tested here, presenting satisfactory responses in the modulation of inflammatory disorders, demonstrating interesting and beneficial nutraceutical effects