Cytogenetic analysis of the neotropical spider Nephilengys cruentata (Araneomorphae, tetragnathidae): standard staining, NORs, C-bands and base-specific fluorochromes

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Understanding the Crystallization Mechanism of a Wollastonite Base Glass Using Isoconversional, IKP Methods and Master Plots

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

Processing and hygrothermal effects on viscoelastic behavior of glass fiber/epoxy composites

Fiber reinforced epoxy composites are used in a wide variety of applications in the aerospace field. These materials have high specific moduli, high specific strength and their properties can be tailored to application requirements. In order to screening optimum materials behavior, the effects of external environments on the mechanical properties during usage must be clearly understood. The environmental action, such as high moisture concentration, high temperatures, corrosive fluids or ultraviolet radiation (UV), can affect the performance of advanced composites during service. These factors can limit the applications of composites by deteriorating the mechanical properties over a period of time. Properties determination is attributed to the chemical and/or physical damages caused in the polymer matrix, loss of adhesion of fiber/resin interface, and/or reduction of fiber strength and stiffness. The dynamic elastic properties are important characteristics of glass fiber reinforced composites (GRFC). They control the damping behavior of composite structures and are also an ideal tool for monitoring the development of GFRC's mechanical properties during their processing or service. One of the most used tests is the vibration damping. In this work, the measurement consisted of recording the vibration decay of a rectangular plate excited by a controlled mechanism to identify the elastic and damping properties of the material under test. The frequency amplitude were measured by accelerometers and calculated by using a digital method. The present studies have been performed to explore relations between the dynamic mechanical properties, damping test and the influence of high moisture concentration of glass fiber reinforced composites (plain weave). The results show that the E' decreased with the increase in the exposed time for glass fiber/epoxy composites specimens exposed at 80 degrees C and 90% RH. The E' values found were: 26.7, 26.7, 25.4, 24.7 and 24.7 GPa for 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 days of exposure, respectively. (c) 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.

Undoped and calcium doped borate glass system for thermoluminescent dosimeter

Borate glasses present an absorption coefficient very close to that of human tissue. This fact makes some borates ideal materials to develop medical and environmental dosimeters. Glass compositions with calcium tetraborate (CaB4O7) and calcium metaborate (CaB2O4), such as the xCaB(4)O(7) - (100-x)CaB2O4 System (0 <= x <= 100 wt%) were obtained by the traditional melting/quenching method. A phenomenon widely known as the 'boron anomaly' was observed in our thermal analysis measurements, as indicated by the increase of T, and the appearance of a maximum value in the composition with 40 wt% of CaB2O4. The Dy doped and Li co-doped 80CaB(4)O(7)-20CaB(2)O(4) (Wt%) glass samples were studied by the thermoluminescence technique. The addition of Dy improved the signal sensitivity in about three times with respect to the undoped glass sample. The addition of Li as a co-dopant in this glass caused a shift to a lower temperature of about 20 degrees C in the main glow peak. The structural analysis of the 80CaB(4)O(7)-20CaB(2)O(4) (wt%) undoped and doped samples were studied through infrared absorption. We have noted an increase in the coordination number of the boron atoms from 3 to 4, i.e., the conversion of the BO3 triangular structural units into BO4 tetrahedra. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of the particle size and nucleation temperature on tellurite 20Li(2)O-80TeO(2) glass crystallization

20Li(2)O-80TeMO(2) glasses were heat annealed at different temperatures between T-g and T-x and studied by using XRD, FTIR spectroscopy and DSC techniques to understand the crystallization kinetics in this glass matrix. The infrared band structure of this glass is similar to what was observed in glassy TeO2. XRD results reveal the presence of three distinct crystalline gamma-TeO2, alpha-TeO2 and Li2Te2O5 phases during the crystallization process. This is a first report of gamma-TeO2 phase crystallization in this glass matrix. DSC results confinn the crystallization of three distinct structures in the glass. In summary, our results suggest a crystallization hierarchy on this glass matrix since the gamma-TeO2 and alpha-TeO2 phases crystallization occurs before the Li2Te2O5 phase crystallization. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The structure and optical dispersion of the refractive index of tellurite glass

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Crystallization kinetics and thermal properties of 20Li(2)O-80TeO(2) glass

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of glass ionomer cements on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells

Glass ionomer cements are widely used in dentistry as restorative materials and adhesives for composite restorations. However, the results of genotoxicity studies using these materials are inconclusive in literature. The goal of this study was to examine the genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of three different glass ionomer cements available commercially (Ketac Cem, Ketac Molar and Vitrebond) by the single cell gel (comet) assay and trypan blue exclusion test, respectively. For this, such materials were exposed to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in vitro for 1 h at 37 degrees C. Data were assessed by Kruskall-Wallis nonparametric test. The results showed that the powder from Ketac Molar displayed genotoxicity only in the maximum concentration evaluated (100 mu g/mL). In the same way, the liquid from Vitrebond at 0.1% dilution caused an increase of DNA injury. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in cytotoxicity provoked by all powders tested of glass ionomer cements were observed for exposure at 1000 mu g/mL concentration. With respect to liquids of glass ionomer cements evaluated, the major toxic effect on cell viability was produced at 10%, beginning at the dilution of 0.5% for Vitrebond. Taken together, we conclude that some components of glass ionomer cements show both genotoxic and cytotoxic effects.

Diagnosis of clinical bovine mastitis by fine needle aspiration followed by staining and scanning electron microscopy in a Prototheca zopfii outbreak

Biopsy by fine needle aspiration together with microbiological examination and scanning electron microscopy were evaluated in diagnosis of clinical bovine mastitis in a Prototheca zopfii outbreak. Fine needle aspiration was performed in 21 mammary quarters from ten Holstein cows presenting clinical mastitis caused by P. zopfii. The algae were previously identified in the microbiological examination of milk collected from these cows. Material aspirated from these 21 mammary glands was submitted to cytological staining (Gram, Giemsa and/or Shor staining). Fine needle aspiration enabled cytological identification of the algae in these 21 mammary glands, from which P. zopfii was isolated in the milk. Simultaneously, five mammary fragments collected by fine needle aspiration from these 21 mammary glands presenting clinical mastitis were also submitted to microbiological examination. P. zopfii was also isolated from these five fragments. Scanning electron microscopy technique also identified three of these five P. zopfii strains isolated from mammary fragments collected by cytological aspiration. These results suggest that fine needle aspiration may be an alternative method for the diagnosis of clinical mastitis.

Retention of oral microorganisms on conventional and resin-modified glass-ionomer cements

A cárie secundária representa problema de saúde pública e socioeconômico no mundo. A restauração de dentes acometidos por cárie pode criar condições favoráveis à proliferação microbiana na superfície do material restaurador ou na interface dente/restauração, criando ambiente propício para o estabelecimento de cárie secundária. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a capacidade de retenção de placa bacteriana em cimentos de ionômero de vidro convencionais (Chelon-Fil e Vidrion R) e modificados por resina (Vitremer e Fuji II LC) e de resina composta híbrida (Z100), utilizada como controle. Nos testes de retenção de microrganismos, in situ, 12 voluntários utilizaram, por 7 dias, placa de Hawley contendo corpos-de-prova de todos os materiais. A seguir, os corpos-de-prova foram transferidos para tubos contendo 2,0 ml de Ringer-PRAS e os microrganismos presentes em sua superfície foram cultivados em placa com ágar-sangue e ágar Mitis Salivarius Bacitracina, os quais foram incubados, a 37ºC, em anaerobiose (90% N2, 10% CO2), por 10 e 2 dias, respectivamente. Os ionômeros modificados por resina retiveram quantidade de bactérias similar àquela mostrada pela resina testada. Os ionômeros modificados por resina também apresentaram menor número de estreptococos do grupo mutans do que a resina e os cimentos ionoméricos convencionais. Os ionômeros de vidro convencionais apresentaram menor número de estreptococos do grupo mutans que a resina, sendo que essa diferença não foi estatisticamente significativa.

Influence of Bioactive Glass and/or Acellular Dermal Matrix on Bone Healing of Surgically Created Defects in Rat Tibiae: A Histological and Histometric Study

The purpose of this study was to histologically analyze the influence of bioactive glass and/or acellular dermal matrix on bone healing in surgically created defects in the tibiae of 64 rats (Rattus norvegicus, albinus, Wistar). Materials and Methods: A 4-mm X 3-mm unicortical defect was created on the anterolateral surface of the tibia. Animals were divided into 4 groups: C, control; BG, the defect was filled with bioactive glass; ADM, the defect was covered with acellular dermal matrix; and BG/ADM, the defect was filled with bioactive glass and covered with acellular dermal matrix. Animals were sacrificed at 10 or 30 days postoperatively, and the specimens were removed for histologic processing. The formation of new bone in the cortical area of the defect was evaluated histomorphometrically. Results: At 10 and 30 days postoperatively, groups C (39.65% +/- 5.63% / 63.34% +/- 5.22%) and ADM (38.12% +/- 5.53 / 58.96% +/- 7.05%) presented a larger amount of bone formation compared to the other groups (P<.05). In the same periods, groups BG (13.10% +/- 6.29% / 29.5% +/- 5.56%) and BG/ADM (20.72% +/- 8.31% / 24.19% +/- 6.69%) exhibited statistically similar new bone formation. However, unlike the other groups, group BG/ADM did not present a significant increase in bone formation between the 2 time points. Conclusion: Based on these results, it can be concluded that all of the materials used in this study delayed bone healing in non-critical-size defects. INT J ORAL MAXILLOFAC IMPLANTS 2008;23:811-817

Bone healing in critical-size defects treated with new bioactive glass/calcium sulfate: A histologic and histometric study in rat calvaria

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

COLOR STABILITY of SEALED COMPOSITE RESIN RESTORATIVE MATERIALS AFTER ULTRAVIOLET ARTIFICIAL AGING and IMMERSION IN STAINING SOLUTIONS

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

Hybrid layer thickness and resin tag length of a self-etching adhesive bonded to sound dentin

Objectives: the purpose of this study is to employ optical microscopy to measure the thickness of the hybrid layer and the penetration (tags) of an aggressive self-etching adhesive system into sound dentin.Methods: occtusat cavities were prepared in 40 extracted human posterior teeth. The prepared teeth were randomly assigned to four experimental groups with 10 specimens each. The self-etching adhesive system Adper Prompt L-Pop was applied to the dentin surface as follows: Group 1: cavosurface enamel was etched for 60 s and dentin for 20 s with 35% phosphoric acid get, immediately followed by application of the self -etching adhesive with a brush to the entire cavity for 15 s; Groups 2, 3, and 4: no pre-etching was performed, and the self -etching adhesive was applied to both enamel and dentin for 15, 30 and 45 s, respectively. After curing, the cavities were fitted with composite resin Fittek Z250. Afterwards, the teeth were decalcified and the restorations were carefully removed for later embedding in paraffin. The specimens were serially sectioned at 6 mu m of thickness and sequentially mounted in glass slides. These sections were stained with Brown and Brenn staining for posterior analysis and measurement of the hybrid layer and resin tags on a tight microscope with a micrometric ocular 40/075. The results were submitted to analysis of variance at the 5% level.Results: whenever there was significance, the Tukey test was applied at the 5% level. The specimens receiving application of acid etching before the selfetching. adhesive displayed a larger thickness of the hybrid layer; on the other hand, specimens receiving only application of the self -etching adhesive on dentin for 15, 30 and 45 s exhibited similar thickness of the hybrid layer. As regards the resin tags, no statistically significant differences could be found between the study groups.Conclusions: it could be concluded that the increase in the time of application of the self-etching adhesive Adper Prompt L-Pop did not significantly influence the formation and thickness of hybrid layer, as well as its penetration into the sound dentin surface. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Different Light-Curing Modes on Degree of Conversion, Staining Susceptibility and Stain's Retention Using Different Beverages in a Nanofilled Composite Resin

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)