Influence of creatine supplementation on bone quality in the ovariectomized rat model: an FT-Raman spectroscopy study

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Application of impedance spectroscopy to evaluate the effect of different setting accelerators on the developed microstructures of calcium phosphate cements

The main goal of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different setting accelerator agents on the developed microstructures of calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) by employing the impedance spectroscopy (IS) technique. Six compositions of CPCs were prepared from mixtures of commercial dicalcium phosphate anhydrous (DCPA) and synthesized tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) as the solid phases. Two TTCP/DCPA molar ratios (1/1 and 1/2) and three liquid phases (aqueous solutions of Na(2)HPO(4), tartaric acid (TA) and oxalic acid (OA), 5% volume fraction) were employed. Initial (I) and final (F) setting times of the cement pastes were determined with Gillmore needles (ASTM standard C266-99). The hardened samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and apparent density measurements. The IS technique was employed as a non-destructive tool to obtain information related to porosity, tortuosity and homogeneity of the cement microstructures. The formulation prepared from a TTCP/DCPA equimolar mixture and OA as the liquid phase presented the shortest I and F (12 and 20 min, respectively) in comparison to the other studied systems. XRD analyses revealed the formation of low-crystallinity hydroxyapatite (HA) (as the main phase) as well as the presence of little amounts of unreacted DCPA and TTCP after 24 h hardening in 100% relative humidity. This was related to the proposed mechanisms of dissolution of the reactants. The bands observed by FTIR allowed identifying the presence of calcium tartrate and calcium oxalate in the samples prepared from TA and OA, in addition to the characteristic bands of HA. High degree of entanglement of the formed crystals was observed by SEM in samples containing OA. SEM images were also correlated to the apparent densities of the hardened cements. Changes in porosity, tortuosity and microstructural homogeneity were determined in all samples, from IS results, when the TTCP/DCPA ratio was changed from 1/1 to 1/2. The cement formulated from an equimolar mixture of TTCP/DCPA and OA as the liquid phase presented setting times, degree of conversion to low-crystallinity HA and microstructural features suitable to be used as potential bone cement in clinical applications. The IS technique was shown to be a very sensitive and non-destructive tool to relate the paste composition to the developed microstructures. This approach could be very useful to develop calcium phosphate bone cements for specific clinical demands.

A Dielectric Model of Self-Assembled Monolayer Interfaces by Capacitive Spectroscopy

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

Impedance spectroscopy study of dehydrated chitosan and chitosan containing LiClO4

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Capacitance Spectroscopy: A Versatile Approach To Resolving the Redox Density of States and Kinetics in Redox-Active Self-Assembled Monolayers

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

Spectroscopy and electrochemical characterization of Langmuir-Blodgett and physical vapor thin films of 29-membered diazocrown ether 1 with two n-octyl substituents

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

Impedance spectroscopy analysis of TiO(2) thin film gas sensors obtained from water-based anatase colloids

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

Mossbauer spectroscopy study of iron oxide nanoparticles obtained by spray pyrolysis

Mossbauer spectroscopy was used in this study to investigate magnetite nanoparticles, obtained by spray pyrolysis and thermal treatment under H-2 reduction atmosphere. Room temperature XRD data indicate the formation of magnetite phase and a second phase (metallic iron) which amount increases as the time of reduction under H2 is increased. While room temperature Mossbauer data confirm the formation of the cubic phase of magnetite and the occurrence of metallic iron phase, the more complex features of 77 K-Mossbauer spectra suggest the occurrence of electronic localization favored by the different crystalline phase of magnetite at low temperatures which transition to the lower symmetry structure should occur at T similar to 120 K (Verwey transition).

Analysis of biodiesel and frying vegetable oils by means of FTIR photoacoustic spectroscopy

Fourier Transform Infrared Photoacoustic Spectroscopy was used to determine the mid-infrared vibrational modes of biodiesel and vegetable oils. Our results indicate that this method can contribute significantly to the biodiesel wash process during the sample preparation. Besides, by analyzing the spectra of vegetable oils used to fry snacks we could to monitor the degradation in function of the fried time.

Exploring the binding mechanism of Guaijaverin to human serum albumin: Fluorescence spectroscopy and computational approach

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Optical spectroscopy and upconversion luminescence in Nd3+ doped Ga10Ge25S65 glass

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Near-infrared Raman spectroscopy to detect anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody in blood sera of domestic cats: quantitative analysis based on partial least-squares multivariate statistics

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

Hadronic spectroscopy: Light and heavy mesons

We calculate the spectrum of the masses of light and heavy mesons, using a potential that shows confinement and asymptotic freedom for quark-antiquark pairs. From the analysis of the results we estimate the masses of mesons with hottom not yet found experimentally. We discuss the behaviour of the confinement potential under Lorentz transformation and calculate the spin-dependent corrections. We also calculate the electromagnetic decay rates and the leptonic and hadronic decay widths for some mesons. © 1985 Società Italiana di Fisica.

Study of SnO2 gels by Eu3+ fluorescence spectroscopy

Eu3+ fluorescence spectroscopy was used as a probe to study the changes in local arrangements of tin oxyhydroxide precipitate → sol → gel → glass conversion. Electronic transition intensities and 5D0 excited state lifetime variations were followed during the entire process. Adsorption of Eu3+ ions on the colloid and changes of chemical interactions occurring in each step are described. © 1992 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. All rights reserved.