Anisotropic Brownian motion in ordered phases of DNA fragments

Using Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching, we investigate the Brownian motion of DNA rod-like fragments in two distinct anisotropic phases with a local nematic symmetry. The height of the measurement volume ensures the averaging of the anisotropy of the in-plane diffusive motion parallel or perpendicular to the local nematic director in aligned domains. Still, as shown in using a model specifically designed to handle such a situation and predicting a non-Gaussian shape for the bleached spot as fluorescence recovery proceeds, the two distinct diffusion coefficients of the DNA particles can be retrieved from data analysis. In the first system investigated (a ternary DNA-lipid lamellar complex), the magnitude and anisotropy of the diffusion coefficient of the DNA fragments confined by the lipid bilayers are obtained for the first time. In the second, binary DNA-solvent system, the magnitude of the diffusion coefficient is found to decrease markedly as DNA concentration is increased from isotropic to cholesteric phase. In addition, the diffusion coefficient anisotropy measured within cholesteric domains in the phase coexistence region increases with concentration, and eventually reaches a high value in the cholesteric phase.

Phenylephrine-induced hypertension during transient middle cerebral artery occlusion alleviates ischemic brain injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Arterial hypertension is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. However, the management of preexisting hypertension is still controversial in the treatment of acute stroke in hypertensive patients. The present study evaluates the influence of preserving hypertension during focal cerebral ischemia on stroke outcome in a rat model of chronic hypertension, the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by transient (1 h) occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, during which mean arterial blood pressure was maintained at normotension (110-120 mm Hg, group 1, n=6) or hypertension (160-170 mm Hg, group 2, n=6) using phenylephrine. T2-, diffusion- and perfusion-weighted MRI were performed serially at five different time points: before and during ischemia, and at 1, 4 and 7 days after ischemia. Lesion volume and brain edema were estimated from apparent diffusion coefficient maps and T2-weighted images. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured within and outside the perfusion deficient lesion and in the corresponding regions of the contralesional hemisphere. Neurological deficits were evaluated after reperfusion. Infarct volume, edema, and neurological deficits were significantly reduced in group 2 vs. group 1. In addition, higher values and rapid restoration of rCBF were observed in group 2, while rCBF in both hemispheres was significantly decreased in group 1. Maintaining preexisting hypertension alleviates ischemic brain injury in SHR by increasing collateral circulation to the ischemic region and allowing rapid restoration of rCBF. The data suggest that maintaining preexisting hypertension is a valuable approach to managing hypertensive patients suffering from acute ischemic stroke. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Reducing Water and Chloride Penetration Through Silicate Treatments for Concrete as a Mean to Control Corrosion Kinetics

There are currently many types of protective materials for reinforced concrete structures and the influence of these materials in the chloride diffusion coefficient and water penetration still needs more research. The aim of this work is to analyze the contributions regarding the typical three surface concrete protection systems (coatings, linings and pore blockers) and discusses the results of three pore blockers (sodium silicate) tested in this work. To this end, certain tests were used: one involving permeability mechanism (low pressure-immersion absorption), one involving capillary water absorption, and the last, a migration test used to estimate the effective chloride diffusion coefficient in saturated condition. Results indicated reduction in chloride diffusion coefficients and capillary water absorption, therefore, restrictions to water penetration from external environmental. As a consequence, a reduction of the corrosion kinetics and a control of the chloride ingress are expected.

Deslocamento miscível de um efluente de indústria de explosivo em colunas de solo

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar alguns impactos decorrentes do deslocamento miscível de efluente de nitração de uma indústria de explosivos aplicado em colunas de um Latossolo Amarelo, horizonte B (LA-B), submetido aos tratamentos: adição de carbonatos (BASE), ácidos (ACID), fosfato (FOSF), carbonatos e fosfato (BASE-FOSF) e ácidos e fosfatos (ACID-FOSF). A recuperação de nitrogênio em relação ao total aplicado varia entre 10,1 (ACID) e 65,5% (BASE). Há correlação significativa entre as curvas de transposição de N obtidas experimentalmente e as simuladas pelo aplicativo STANMOD para a maioria das colunas (p<0,001). A exceção ocorreu para ACID-FOSF (p=0,202). Não há correlação entre carga eletrostática líquida (CEL) e as variáveis de ajuste do modelo: fator de retardamento (FR), coeficiente de dispersão-difusão (D) e taxa de decaimento de primeira ordem m (µ). A adição de fosfato (FOSF) favorece a movimentação do nitrogênio, pois diminui FR (2,35±0,05) e µ (0,498±0,050 h-1) e aumenta D (41,8±5,5 cm2 h-1) em relação ao observado na coluna LA-B (2,51±0,03; 1,697±0,084 h-1e 2,8±1,3 cm2 h-1 respectivamente). A adição de carbonatos e/ou fosfatos (BASE, BASE/FOSF e FOSF) resultou nos maiores valores máximos de demanda química de oxigênio (DQOMÁX). A pequena quantidade de DNA extraída das células bacterianas nos solos sugere que, possivelmente, os processos que governam a adsorção e movimentação de N sejam de natureza não biológica ou que a elevada DQO do líquido percolado prejudica os microrganismos do solo.

Near-Term Fetal Hypoxia-Ischemia in Rabbits MRI Can Predict Muscle Tone Abnormalities and Deep Brain Injury

Background and Purpose-The pattern of antenatal brain injury varies with gestational age at the time of insult. Deep brain nuclei are often injured at older gestational ages. Having previously shown postnatal hypertonia after preterm fetal rabbit hypoxia-ischemia, the objective of this study was to investigate the causal relationship between the dynamic regional pattern of brain injury on MRI and the evolution of muscle tone in the near-term rabbit fetus. Methods-Serial MRI was performed on New Zealand white rabbit fetuses to determine equipotency of fetal hypoxia-ischemia during uterine ischemia comparing 29 days gestation (E29, 92% gestation) with E22 and E25. E29 postnatal kits at 4, 24, and 72 hours after hypoxia-ischemia underwent T2- and diffusion-weighted imaging. Quantitative assessments of tone were made serially using a torque apparatus in addition to clinical assessments. Results-Based on the brain apparent diffusion coefficient, 32 minutes of uterine ischemia was selected for E29 fetuses. At E30, 58% of the survivors manifested hind limb hypotonia. By E32, 71% of the hypotonic kits developed dystonic hypertonia. Marked and persistent apparent diffusion coefficient reduction in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and brain stem was predictive of these motor deficits. Conclusions-MRI observation of deep brain injury 6 to 24 hours after near-term hypoxia-ischemia predicts dystonic hypertonia postnatally. Torque-displacement measurements indicate that motor deficits in rabbits progressed from initial hypotonia to hypertonia, similar to human cerebral palsy, but in a compressed timeframe. The presence of deep brain injury and quantitative shift from hypo-to hypertonia may identify patients at risk for developing cerebral palsy. (Stroke. 2012;43:2757-2763.)

Light scattering on the structural characterization of DMPG vesicles along the bilayer anomalous phase transition

Highly charged vesicles of the saturated anionic lipid dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) in low ionic strength medium exhibit a very peculiar thermo-structural behavior. Along a wide gel-fluid transition region, DMPG dispersions display several anomalous characteristics, like low turbidity, high electrical conductivity and viscosity. Here, static and dynamic light scattering (SLS and DLS) were used to characterize DMPG vesicles at different temperatures. Similar experiments were performed with the largely studied zwitterionic lipid dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC). SLS and DLS data yielded similar dimensions for DMPC vesicles at all studied temperatures. However, for DMPG, along the gel-fluid transition region, SLS indicated a threefold increase in the vesicle radius of gyration, whereas the hydrodynamic radius, as obtained from DLS, increased 30% only. Despite the anomalous increase in the radius of gyration, DMPG lipid vesicles maintain isotropy, since no light depolarization was detected. Hence, SLS data are interpreted regarding the presence of isotropic vesicles within the DMPG anomalous transition, but highly perforated vesicles, with large holes. DLS/SLS discrepancy along the DMPG transition region is discussed in terms of the interpretation of the Einstein-Stokes relation for porous vesicles. Therefore, SLS data are shown to be much more appropriate for measuring porous vesicle dimensions than the vesicle diffusion coefficient. The underlying nanoscopic process which leads to the opening of pores in charged DMPG bilayer is very intriguing and deserves further investigation. One could envisage biotechnological applications, with vesicles being produced to enlarge and perforate in a chosen temperature and/or pH value. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tank experiments with borehole self-potential data

Despite their importance in the evaluation of petroleum and gas reservoirs, measurements of self-potential data under borehole conditions (well-logging) have found only minor applications in aquifer and waste-site characterization. This can be attributed to lower signals from the diffusion fronts in near-surface environments because measurements are made long after the drilling of the well, when concentration fronts are already disappearing. Proportionally higher signals arise from streaming potentials that prevent using simple interpretation models that assume signals from diffusion only. Our laboratory experiments found that dual-source self-potential signals can be described by a simple linear model, and that contributions (from diffusion and streaming potentials) can be isolated by slightly perturbing the borehole conditions. Perturbations are applied either by changing the concentration of the borehole-filling solution or its column height. Parameters useful for formation evaluation can be estimated from data measured during perturbations, namely, pore water resistivity, pressure drop across the borehole wall, and electrokinetic coupling parameter. These are important parameters to assess, respectively, water quality, aquifer lateral continuity, and interfacial properties of permeable formations.

Income inequality and elderly self-rated health in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Purpose: To test the association between income inequality and elderly self-rated health and to propose a pathway to explain the relationship. Methods: We analyzed a sample of 2143 older individuals (60 years of age and over) from 49 distritos of the Municipality of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Bayesian multilevel logistic models were performed with poor self-rated health as the outcome variable. Results: Income inequality (measured by the Gini coefficient) was found to be associated with poor self-rated health after controlling for age, sex, income and education (odds ratio, 1.19; 95% credible interval, 1.01-1.38). When the practice of physical exercise and homicide rate were added to the model, the Gini coefficient lost its statistical significance (P>.05). We fitted a structural equation model in which income inequality affects elderly health by a pathway mediated by violence and practice of physical exercise. Conclusions: The health of older individuals may be highly susceptible to the socioeconomic environment of residence, specifically to the local distribution of income. We propose that this association may be mediated by fear of violence and lack of physical activity. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-assembled films from chitosan and poly(vinyl sulfonic acid) on Nafion® for direct methanol fuel cell

Chitosan/poly(vinyl sulfonic acid) (PVS) films have been prepared on Nafion® membranes by the layer-by-layer (LbL) method for use in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). Computational methods and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra suggest that an ionic pair is formed between the sulfonic group of PVS and the protonated amine group of chitosan, thereby promoting the growth of LbL films on the Nafion® membrane as well as partial blocking of methanol. Chronopotentiometry and potential linear scanning experiments have been carried out for investigation of methanol crossover through the Nafion® and chitosan/PVS/Nafion® membranes in a diaphragm diffusion cell. On the basis of electrical impedance measurements, the values of proton resistance of the Nafion® and chitosan/PVS/Nafion® membranes are close due to the small thickness of the LbL film. Thus, it is expected an improved DMFC performance once the additional resistance of the self-assembled film is negligible compared to the result associated with the decrease in the crossover effect.