Modelos experimentais de deficiência limbar em coelhos: análise clínica

Objetivo: Comparar em coelhos três modelos experimentais de destruição das células germinativas (CG) do limbo corneano quanto a aspectos clínicos. Métodos: Foram utilizados 54 coelhos, 108 olhos, subdivididos em 3 grupos experimentais: (G1), (G2) e (G3), cada um formado pelos OE de 18 coelhos, submetidos às técnicas experimentais (T1), (T2) e (T3), respectivamente, e um grupo controle, formado pelos 54 olhos contralaterais (OD). Nas três técnicas foi utilizado o n-heptanol. Na T1, o n-heptanol foi aplicado por 5 minutos, para remoção do epitélio límbico. Na T2, além da aplicação do n-heptanol, realizou-se peritomia e remoção da conjuntiva perilímbica até 4 mm do limbo, juntamente com a escarificação do tecido episcleral. Na T3, além dos procedimentos da T2, foi realizada dissecção lamelar do limbo abrangendo aproximadamente 1,5 mm na periferia da córnea e 2 mm na superfície escleral. em todas as córneas dos animais foram estudados seis parâmetros clínicos: neovascularização, perda da transparência, irregularidade da superfície, reparação epitelial, erosão ou defeito epitelial, granuloma e outras lesões corneanas. Resultados: A neovascularização corneana iniciou-se mais precocemente com a T1 e T2; ocorreu em 100% dos casos com as três técnicas, de forma não homogênea, variando de leve a intensa; permaneceu estável a partir do 28º dia até o final do experimento (56º dia), foi maior nos quadrantes superior e inferior e menor nos quadrantes nasal e temporal. A perda da transparência e a irregularidade da superfície corneana foram menores com a T1 que com a T2 e T3, que foram similares entre si. Houve, nas três técnicas experimentais, latência de três dias para o início da reepitelização, que se completou com a T1 no 7º dia e com a T2 e T3 no 14º dia. Erosão epitelial corneana e granuloma corneano foram encontradas de forma similar nas três técnicas experimentais. Conclusões: A T2 e T3 mostraram-se adequadas como possíveis modelos de ampla remoção das CG límbicas, levando a resultados similares nos diversos parâmetros estudados. A T1 se mostrou adequada como modelo de remoção parcial do epitélio límbico. Ocorreu conjuntivalização e neovascularização nas três técnicas experimentais.

Modelos de neovascularização corneana em coelhos: análise morfológica

OBJETIVOS: Comparar em coelhos três modelos experimentais de destruição das células germinativas (CG) do limbo corneano quanto a aspectos morfológicos. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizados 54 coelhos, 108 olhos, subdivididos em 3 grupos experimentais: (G1), (G2) e (G3), formados por 18 coelhos cada, que tiveram o OE submetido às técnicas experimentais (T1), (T2) e (T3), respectivamente, e um grupo controle, formado por 54 olhos contralaterais (OD) dos coelhos do G1, G2 e G3. Quatro parâmetros morfológicos foram estudados: epitélio, resposta inflamatória, vascularização e resposta fibroblástica. RESULTADOS: Com a T1 não houve remoção da totalidade do epitélio límbico, com a T2 houve remoção da quase totalidade do epitélio límbico, com a T3 houve remoção da totalidade do epitélio límbico. A reparação da superfície corneana foi feita por epitélio de fenótipo conjuntival (conjuntivalização) com as três técnicas, havendo aparecimento de células caliciformes a partir do 14º dia, sendo a densidade maior no 28º dia. A resposta inflamatória com a T3 foi mais intensa que com a T1 e T2. A regressão foi mais rápida com a T1 e similar com a T2 e T3. Contribuiu para a turvação corneana principalmente no 14º e 28º dia, concentrando-se, principalmente, na metade estromal anterior, sendo poupada a metade posterior. Foi maior até o 28º dia, decrescendo a partir desse momento. Caracterizou-se, no início, por infiltrado com predomínio de polimorfonucleares e sofreu mudança no 56º dia para infiltrado com predomínio de mononucleares. Os neovasos apareceram a partir do 7º dia, a princípio permearam o estroma do terço médio para cima, progredindo para a superficialização com a regressão do edema estromal. A vascularização com as três técnicas, ao final do experimento, foi superficial no estroma, porém não houve a formação de tecido fibro-escleroso denso ou cicatriz propriamente dita distinta do estroma corneano. CONCLUSÕES: Ocorreu conjuntivalização e neovascularização nas três técnicas experimentais. As T2 e T3 mostraram-se adequadas como possíveis modelos de ampla remoção das CG límbicas, levando a resultados similares nos diversos parâmetros estudados. A T1 se mostrou adequada como modelo de remoção parcial do epitélio límbico.

Towards the prediction of essential genes by integration of network topology, cellular localization and biological process information

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Aerobic biodegradation of butanol and gasoline blends

This work aimed to assess the aerobic biodegradation of butanol/gasoline, blends (5; 10; 15 and 20% v/v), being the latter compared to the ethanol/gasoline blend (20% v/v). Two experimental techniques were employed, namely the respirometric method and the redox indicator DCPIP test. in the former, experiments simulating the contamination of natural environments (addition of 50 mL of fuel kg(-1) of soil from a non-contaminated site and 20 mL of fuel L(-1) of water from a river) were carried out in biometer flasks (250 mL), used to measure the microbial CO(2) production. The DCPIP test assessed the capability of four inocula to biodegrade the blends of 20%. The addition of butanol at different concentrations enhanced the biodegradation of gasoline in soil. However, no practical gains were observed for concentrations of butanol above 10%. Ethanol showed to have a much faster biodegradation rate than butanol, particularly in water, and the following order of biodegradability was found: ethanol > butanol > gasoline. The addition of the alcohols to the gasoline resulted in positive synergic effects on the biodegradation of the fuels in soil and water matrices. Furthermore, results suggest that, in soil, butanol better enhanced the biodegradation of gasoline than ethanol. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Tightly bound gap solitons in a Fermi gas

Within the framework of the mean-field hydrodynamic model of a degenerate Fermi gas ( DFG), we study, by means of numerical methods and variational approximation ( VA), the formation of fundamental gap solitons ( FGSs) in a DFG ( or in a BCS superfluid generated by weak interaction between spin- up and spin- down fermions), which is trapped in a periodic optical- lattice ( OL) potential. An effectively one- dimensional ( 1D) con. guration is considered, assuming strong transverse confinement; in parallel, a proper 1D model of the DFG ( which amounts to the known quintic equation for the Tonks- Girardeau gas in the OL) is considered too. The FGSs found in the first two bandgaps of the OL- induced spectrum ( unless they are very close to edges of the gaps) feature a ( tightly bound) shape, being essentially confined to a single cell of the OL. In the second bandgap, we also find antisymmetric tightly bound subfundamental solitons ( SFSs), with zero at the midpoint. The SFSs are also confined to a single cell of the OL, but, unlike the FGSs, they are unstable. The predicted solitons, consisting of similar to 10(4) - 10(5) atoms, can be created by available experimental techniques in the DFG of Li-6 atoms.

Quantum Mechanics Insight into the Microwave Nucleation of SrTiO3 Nanospheres

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

On the photoluminescence behavior of samarium-doped strontium titanate nanostructures under UV light. A structural and electronic understanding

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise de covariância para melhoria da capacidade de discriminação em ensaios de cultivares de milho

O uso de técnicas experimentais visando à precisão em detectar diferenças no rendimento de grãos é muito importante. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a viabilidade da análise da covariância, como forma de reduzir o erro experimental. Foram utilizados os dados de rendimento de grãos de milho (Zea mays L.) e da população final de plantas das unidades experimentais de 313 ensaios de competição de cultivares, conduzidos no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul nos anos de 1993/96. Para fins de comparação entre a precisão da análise com e sem o uso da covariância, criou-se uma estatística denominada HD, que é igual à amplitude entre as médias estimadas das cultivares, dividida pelo valor da diferença mínima significativa (DMS) do teste de Tukey. Quanto maior for o valor de HD, melhor será a qualidade do ensaio, por permitir melhor discriminação entre as cultivares. O uso da análise da covariância elevou a estatística HD de 4,7 para 19,5, e melhorou a discriminação entre as médias ajustadas pela covariável população final de plantas.

Phase transition in poly(vinylidene fluoride) investigated with micro-Raman spectroscopy

The phase transition from the non-polar a-phase to the polar beta-phase of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) has been investigated using micro-Raman spectroscopy, which is advantageous because it is a nondestructive technique. Films of alpha-PVDF were subjected to stretching under controlled rates at 80 degrees C, while the transition to P-PVDF was monitored by the decrease in the Raman band at 794 cm(-1) characteristic of the a-phase, along with the concomitant increase in the 839 cm-1 band characteristic of the P-phase. The alpha ->beta transition in our PVDF samples could be achieved even for the sample stretched to twice (2 X -stretched) the initial length and it did not depend on the stretching rate in the range between 2.0 and 7.0 mm/min. These conclusions were corroborated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction experiments for PVDF samples processed under the same conditions as in the Raman scattering measurements. Poling with negative corona discharge was found to affect the a-PVDF morphology, improving the Raman bands related to this crystalline phase. This effect is minimized for films stretched to higher ratios. Significantly, corona-induced effects could not be observed with the other experimental techniques, i.e., X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy.

Indium tin oxide films prepared via wet chemical route

In this work, indium tin oxide (ITO) films were prepared using a wet chemical route, the Pechini method. This consists of a polyesterification reaction between an alpha-hydroxicarboxylate complex (indium citrate and tin citrate) with a polyalcohol (ethylene glycol) followed by a post annealing at 500 degrees C. A 10 at.% of doping of Sn4+ ions into an In2O3 matrix was successfully achieved through this method. In order to characterize the structure, the morphology as well as the optical and electrical properties of the produced ITO films, they were analyzed using different experimental techniques. The obtained films are highly transparent, exhibiting transmittance of about 85% at 550 nm. They are crystalline with a preferred orientation of [222]. Microscopy discloses that the films are composed of grains of 30 nm average size and 0.63 nm RMS roughness. The films' measured resistivity, mobility and charge carrier concentration were 5.8 x 10(-3) Omega cm, 2.9 cm(2)/V s and -3.5 x 10(20)/cm(3), respectively. While the low mobility value can be related to the small grain size, the charge carrier concentration value can be explained in terms of the high oxygen concentration level resulting from the thermal treatment process performed in air. The experimental conditions are being refined to improve the electrical characteristics of the films while good optical, chemical, structural and morphological qualities already achieved are maintained. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The investigation of alpha -> beta phase transition in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)

The phase transition from the non-polar a-phase to the polar beta-phase of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) has been investigated using micro-Raman spectroscopy, which is advantageous for being a non-destructive technique. Films of alpha-PVDF were subjected to stretching under controlled rates and at 80 degrees C, the transition to beta-PVDF being monitored by the decrease in the Raman band at 794 cm(-1) characteristic of the a-phase, with the concomitant increase in the 839 cm(-1) band characteristic of the beta-phase. Poling with negative corona discharge was found to affect the alpha-PVDF morphology improving the Raman bands related to this crystalline phase. This effect is minimized for films stretched to higher ratios. Significantly, corona-induced effects could not be observed with the other experimental techniques, viz. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy.

Correlation among order-disorder, electronic levels, and photoluminescence in amorphous CT : Sm

Ca0.95Sm0.05TiO3 (CT:Sm) powder was prepared by the polymeric precursor method (PPM). Order-disorder at short and long range has been investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and photoluminescence emission (PL) experimental techniques. The broad PL band and the Sm emission spectrum measured at room temperature indicate the increase of structural order with annealing temperature. The measured PL emission reveals that the PL intensity changes with the degree of disorder in the CT: Sm. The electronic structures were performed by the ab initio periodic method in the DFT level with the hybrid nonlocal B3LYP approximation. Theoretical results are analyzed in terms of DOS, charge densities, and Mulliken charges. Localized levels into the band gap of the CT: Sm material favor the creation of the electron-hole pair, supporting the observed room-temperature PL phenomenon.

Physical properties of silicate glasses doped with SnO2

The presence of tin in the network of silicate glasses produces changes in several of their physico-chemical properties. Glasses with the composition (mol%) 22Na(2)O (.) 8CaO (.) 70SiO(2) containing up to 5 wt% of SnO2 were analyzed under several experimental techniques. Dilatometric measurements showed an increase of the glass transition temperature with increasing tin content, while the average thermal expansion coefficient is reduced. Vickers microhardness, density, and refractive index also increase with the tin content. Diffuse reflectance spectra in the infrared (DRIFT) showed that the presence of tin, even at low concentrations, is responsible for some structural changes since there is an increase of the bridging oxygen concentration. The doped glasses present a brown color and optical absorption spectra measurements are interpreted as being due to precipitation of tin in the form of colloidal particles during cooling of the melted glass. In the Na+ <-> K+ ion exchange process the presence of tin in the glass network hinders the diffusion of these ions. The diffusion coefficients of those ions were calculated by the Boltzmann-Matano technique, after concentration profiles obtained by EDS measurements. All results obtained present evidences that Sn4+ cation acts as a glass network former. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural and phenomenological characterization of the thermoreversible sol-gel transition of a zirconyl aqueous precursor modified by sulfuric acid

The thermoreversible sol-gel transition is well-known in biological and organic polymeric systems but has not been reported for inorganic systems. In this paper we put in evidence a thermoreversible sol-gel transition for zirconyl chloride aqueous solutions modified by sulfuric acid in the ratio 3:1 Zr:SO4. The synthesis conditions are detailed and a variety of experimental techniques (turbidimetry, dynamic rheology, and EXAFS) have been employed for investigating the thermal reversibility and the chemical structure of this new material. Turbidimetric measurements performed for solutions containing different concentrations of precursor have evidenced that the sol-gel transformation temperature increases from 50 to 80 degrees C as the concentration of zirconyl chloride decreases from 0.22 to 0.018 mol L-1. A more detailed study has been done for the sample with [Zr] = 0.156 mol L-1, in which the sol-gel-sol transformation has been repeated several times by a cyclic variation of the temperature. The mechanical properties of this sample, evaluated by measuring the storage and the loss moduli, show a change from liquid like to viscoelastic to elastic behavior during the sol-gel transition and vice versa during the gel-sol one. In situ EXAFS measurements performed at the Zr K-edge show that no change of the local order around Zr occurs during the sol-gel-sol transition, in agreement with the concept of physical gel formation. We have proposed for the structure of the precursor an inner core made of hydroxyl and oxo groups bridging together zirconium atoms surrounded in surface by complexing sulfate ligands, the sulfate groups act as a protective layer, playing a key role in the linking propagation among primary particles during sol-gel-sol transition.

Study of KCl + x% in and KCl + y% TlCl thin films

The present work reports the study of KCl thin films doped with In+ or Tl+. Both systems show optical absorption bands similar to single crystals. As the impurity concentration increases, so does the absorption as also the half band width, unlike in KCl: Cu+ films. Further experimental techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron micrographs and energy dispersive X-ray observations were used and comparative analysis with KCl : Cu+ films reveals new conditions for better crystallinity of the samples.