Kinetic asymmetry in the gel-liquid crystalline state transitions of DDAB vesicles studied by differential scanning calorimetry

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

Spontaneous vesicles of sodium dihexadecylphosphate in HEPES buffer

The formation of spontaneous vesicles of dihexadecylphosphate (DHP) in a HEPES buffered solution at pH 7.4, the size, morphology and melting temperature, obtained by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), are reported. The vesicles were formed by simply mixing a 5.0 mM lipid-solvent mixture at a temperature (75 degrees C) safely above the higher melting temperature T-m = 70.4 degrees C of DHP. The vesicle diameter ranges from 100 to 332 nm and their geometry is spherical, faceted or oblong. T-m increases from 66.8 to 70.4 as DHP concentration is raised from 0.6 to 5.0 mM. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermotropic phase behavior in aqueous mixtures of dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide and alkyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactant series studied by differential scanning calorimetry

The effect of the micelle-forming surfactant series alkyltrimethylammonium bromide (C(n)TAB, n = 12, 14, 16 and 18) on the thermotropic phase behavior of dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) vesicles in water was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry at constant 5.0 mM total surfactant concentration and varying individual surfactant concentrations. The pre-, post- and main transition temperatures (T-s, T-p and T-m), melting enthalpy (Delta H) and peak width of the main transition (Delta T-1/2) are reported as a function of the surfactant molar fraction. No clear dependence of these parameters on the C(n)TAB chain length was found. At 5 mM, neat DODAB in water exhibits two transition temperatures, T-s = 32.1 and T-m = 42.7 degrees C, as obtained from the DSC upscans, but not a clear T-p. For every n, except n = 12, T-s vanishes as CnTAB concentration increases and approaches CMC. T-m behaves differently for different n, the longer C(14)TAB and C(16)TAB decrease, while C(18)TAB increases T-m with increasing concentration. The data indicate that changes in T-m, T-s, T-p and Delta H of the transition are related not only to the extent of C(n)TAB affinity to DODAB but also to the surfactant chain length. Accordingly, C18TAB yields a more compact bilayer, thus increasing T-m, while C(14)TAB and C(1G)TAB yield a less organized bilayer and reduce T-m. C(12)TAB does not much affect T-s and T-m, although it yields T-p approximate to 51.6 degrees C. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of counterion on the thermotropic phase behavior of DODAB and DODAC vesicles

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Redox Behavior of molybdenum and tungsten in phosphate glasses

In this work, vitreous samples were prepared in the binary system (100 - x)NaPO3-xMO(3) with M = Mo and W and x varying from 10 to 60. The transmittance properties in the UV, visible, and near-infrared were monitored as a function of MO3 concentration. In both cases, an increase in the amount of transition metal results in an intense and broad absorption band in the visible and near-infrared attributed to metal reduction under synthesis conditions. It was shown that this large absorption can be partially or totally removed using specific oxidizing agents or by improving synthesis parameters such as melting temperature or cooling rate of the melt. In addition, structural investigations by Raman and X-ray absorption spectroscopy suggest that reduction only occurs when the metal cation is in octahedral geometry and that the transmittance improvement is not related with any structural changes. These results were explained in terms of thermodynamic equilibrium of redox species in the melt and allowed to obtain for the first time transparent and chemically stable glasses containing high concentrations of MO3 with transition metals in octahedral geometry inside the glass network.

Upconversion fluorescence spectroscopy of Er3+/Yb3+-doped heavy metal Bi2O3-Na2O-Nb2O5-GeO2 glass

Upconversion fluorescence emission of Er3+/Yb3+-doped Bi2O3-Na2O-Nb2O5-GeO2 heavy metal glass samples excited at 1.06 mu m is experimentally investigated. The results reveal the existence of intense emission bands centered around 520, 545, and 655 nm. The germano-niobate based host glass presents high transparency in the region of 400-2700 nm, the capability of incorporating high dopant concentrations, high melting temperature, and large resistance to atmospheric moisture. The observed intensity of the green fluorescence emission, suggested that the niobium based host glass material plays an important role in the efficiency of the upconversion process. Emission lines centered at 425, 483, 503, 608, and 628 nm were also observed. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.

Evaluation of the thermal shrinkage of titanium and the setting and thermal expansion of phosphate-boded investments

Statement of problem. There are few studies on titanium casting shrinkage, and phosphate-bonded investments for titanium casting have not produced appropriate marginal fit.Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the thermal shrinkage of titanium and the setting and thermal expansion of 3 phosphate-bonded investments.Material and methods. The thermal shrinkage between the melting temperature and room temperature was calculated using a titanium thermal expansion coefficient. The thermal and setting expansion were measured for 3 phosphate bonded investments: Rematitan Plus (RP) specific for titanium, Rema Exakt (RE), and Castorit Super C (CA), using different special liquid concentrations (100%, 75%, and 50%). Setting expansion was measured for cylindrical specimens 50 mm long x 8 mm in diameter with a transducer. The heating and cooling curves were obtained with a dilatometer (DIL 402 PC). The total expansion curve was drawn using software, and temperatures to obtain expansion equivalent to titanium casting shrinkage were determined (n=5). In addition, the total expansion of the control group (RP at 430 degrees C) was measured, as well as the temperatures at which the other groups achieved equivalent total expansion (n=5). Data were analyzed by 1-way ANOVA and the Tukey HSD test (alpha=.05).Results. Titanium casting shrinkage was estimated as 1.55%. RP did not achieve this expansion. RE achieved expansion of 1.55% only with a special liquid concentration of 100% at 594 degrees C. CA with all special liquid concentrations attained this expansion (351 degrees C to 572 degrees C). Total expansion of the control group was 0.86%, and the other groups reached that expansion within the range of 70 degrees C to 360 degrees C.Conclusions. Only RE and CA demonstrated sufficient expansion to compensate for titanium casting shrinkage. All groups reached total expansion equivalent to that of the control group at significantly lower temperatures.

Er(3+) doped phosphoniobate glasses and planar waveguides: structural and optical properties

Phosphoniobate glasses with composition (mol%) (100-x) NaPO(3)-xNb(2)O(5) ( x varying from 11 to 33) were prepared and characterized by means of thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman scattering and (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance. The addition of Nb(2)O(5) to the polyphosphate base glass leads to depolymerization of the metaphosphate structure. Different colors were observed and assigned as indicating the presence of Nb(4+) ions, as confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance measurements. The color was observed to depend on the glass composition and melting temperature as well. Er(3+) containing samples were also prepared. Strong emission in the 1550 nm region was observed. The Er(3+4)I(15/2) emission quantum efficiency was observed to be 90% and the quenching concentration was observed to be 1.1 mol%( 1.45 x 10(20) ions cm(-3)). Planar waveguides were prepared by Na(+)-K(+)-Ag(+) ion exchange with Er(3+) containing samples. Optical parameters of the waveguides were measured at 632.8, 543.5 and 1550 nm by the prism coupling technique as a function of the ion exchange time and Ag(+) concentration. The optimized planar waveguides show a diffusion depth of 5.9 mu m and one propagating mode at 1550 nm.

Drug-matrix interaction of sodium diclofenac incorporated into ureasilpoly(ethylene oxide) hybrid materials

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Expression, purification and spectroscopic analysis of an HdrC: An iron-sulfur cluster-containing protein from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Rugosidade superficial de ligas com alto conteúdo de cobre, em função do aquecimento acima da temperatura de fusão.

Being the surface roughness a fundamental property in the fit of the castings, it was determined the roughness of 5 high-copper casting alloys, according to the heating over their melting temperature. That way, the specimens made with smooth plastic in the shape of a rectangular plate, 2 mm x 7 mm x 11 mm were invested into a cristobalite investment. After heating and elimination on the plastic, the molds were filled by 3 g of molten alloy, casted in a electrical casting machine at the casting temperature at 25 degrees C and 50 degrees C overheating. The surface roughness was measured in a roughness analyser, Talysurf. As a result, it was verified that there is a variation of surface roughness among the alloys tested, and the heating of the alloys until 50 degrees C over the melting temperature does not interfere in the roughness.

Phase behavior of synthetic amphiphile vesicles investigated by calorimetry and fluorescence methods

The understanding of biological membranes may be improved by investigating physical properties of vesicles from natural or synthetic amphiphiles. The application of vesicles as mimetic agents depends on the knowledgment of their structure and properties. Vesicles having different curvature and size may be obtained using different preparation protocols. We have used differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and steady-state fluorescence to investigate the gel to liquid-crystal phase transition of vesicles prepared by sonication (SUV) and non-sonication (GUV) of the synthetic dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) in aqueous solution. DSC thermograms for a non-sonicated dispersion show a well-defined pre- and main transition corresponding to two narrow peaks at 36 and 45°C in the first upscan, while in a second upscan, only the main peak was observed. The sharpness of the peaks indicate a cooperative phase behavior for GUV. For a sonicated DODAB dispersion, the first upscan shows a third peak at 40.3°C, whereas for the second upscan the peaks are not well-defined, indicating a less cooperative phase behavior. Alternatively, the fluorescence quantum yield (Φ f) and the anisotropy (r) of trans, trans, trans-1-[4-(3-carboxypropyl)-phenyl]-6-[4-butylphenyl]-1,3,5-hexatriene (4H4A) and the ratio I 1/I 3 of the first to the third vibronic peaks of the pyrene emission spectrum as function of temperature are used as well to describe the phase behavior of DODAB sonicated and non-sonicated dispersions. It is in good agreement with the DSC results that the cooperativity of the thermotropic process is diminished under sonication of the DODAB dispersion, meaning that sonication changes from homogeneous to heterogeneous populations of the amphiphile aggregates. The pre- and main transitions obtained from these techniques are in fairly good accord with results from the literature.

Estudo de transições durante o processo de desenovelamento térmico da RNase A por meio da calorimetria (DSC) e espectroscopia de correlação bidimensional no infravermelho médio (2D-IR)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo da formação de domínios em bicamadas lipídicas induzidos por peptídeos antimicrobianos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Ciclo reprodutivo de machos de Dendropsophus minutus (Anura, Hylidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)