Membranas de quitosana micro e macroporosas : preparo, caracterização e estudos de permeabilidade

Two methodologies were proposed to obtain micro and macroporous chitosan membranes, using two different porogenic agents. The methodologies proved to be effective in control the porosity as well as the pore size. Thus, microporous membranes were obtained through the physical blend of chitosan and polyethylene oxide (PEO) on an 80:20 (m/m) ratio, respectively, followed by the partial PEO solubilization in water at 80 ◦C. Macroporous chitosan membranes with asymmetric morphology were obtained using SiO2 as the porogenic agent. In this case, chiotsan-silica ratios used were 1:1, 1:3 and 1:5 (m/m). Membranes characterization were carried out by SEM (scanning electronic microscopy), X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermal analysis (TG, DTG , DSC and DMTA). Permeability studies were performed using two model drugs: sodium sulfamerazine and sulfametoxipyridazine. By transmission FTIR it was possible to confirm the complete removal of SiO2. The SEM images confirmed the porous formation for both micro and macroporous membranes and also determined their respective sizes. By thermal analysis it was possible to show differences related with water sorption capacity as well as thermal stability for both membranes. DTG and DSC allowed evidencing the PEO presence on microporous membranes. The absorbance x time curves obtained on permeability tests for micro and macroporous membranes showed a linear behavior for both drugs in all range of concentration used. It was also observed, through P versus C curves, an increase in permeability of macroporous membranes according to the increase in porosity and also a decrease on P with increase in drug concentration. The influences of the drug molecular structure, as well as test temperatures were also evaluated

Otimização da síntese de nanoferritas de nizn dopada com cobre e cobalto

Different compositions of Ni0,5-xCuxZn0,5Fe2O4 and Ni0,5-xCoxZn0,5Fe2O4 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3 were synthesized ferrite y the citrate precursor method. The stoichiometric compositions were calcined in air at 350°C and then pressed into pellets and toroids. The pressed samples were sintered at temperatures of 1000, 1050 and 1100°C/3h in air control at the speed of heating and cooling. The calcined powders were characterized by XRD, TGA / DTG, FTIR, SEM and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and the sintered samples by XRD, SEM, MAV, density and measurements of permeability and magnetic losses. There was pure phase formation ferrimagnetism applied at all temperatures except for A-I composition at all sintering temperatures and A-II only at a temperature of 1100°C. Crystallite sizes were obtained by Rietveld analysis, nanometer size from 11 to 20 nm for the calcined powders. For SEM, the sintered samples showed grain size between 1 and 10 micrometers. Bulk density (ρ) of sintered material presented to the Families almost linear behavior with increasing temperature and a tendency to decrease with increasing concentration of copper, different behavior of the B Family, where the increase in temperature decreased the density. The magnetic measurements revealed the powder characteristics of a soft ferrimagnetic material. Two processes of magnetization were considered, the superparamagnetism at low temperatures (350°C) and the formation of magnetic domains at higher temperatures. Obtaining the best parameters for P and B-II magnetic ferrites at high temperatures. The sintered material at 1000°C showed a relative permeability (μ) from 50 to 800 for the A Family and from 10 to 600 for the B Family. The samples sintered at 1100°C, B Family showed a variation from 10 to 1000 and the magnetic loss (tan δ) of A and B Families, around of 1. The frequency response of the toroidal core is in the range of 0.3 kHz. Several factors contribute to the behavior of microstructure considering the quantities μ and tan δ, such as the grain size, inter-and intragranular porosity, amount of grain boundary and the aspects of the dynamics of domain walls at high frequencies.

Síntese, caracterização de ferritas espinélio com propriedades magnéticas e absorvedoras de microondas

Were synthesized spinel-type ferrites with general formula Ni0,8Mg0.2-xMxFe2O4, where M represents the doping Mn, Co or Mn + Co simultaneously, x ranges for the values 0.02, 0.05 and 0.1. The value of x was divided by 2 in cases where M equals Mn and Co conjugates. We used the citrate precursor method and heat treatment to obtain the phases at 1100°C. The materials were characterized by XRD, TGA/ DTGA, SEM, MAV and reflectivity measurements by the method of waveguide. Powders to 350°C/3.5 h were crystalline and nanosized. According to the results this temperature all powders have a percentage of ferrite phase over 90%. The composition had the addition of Mn and Co simultaneously showed a higher percentage of secondary phase NiO, 5.8%. The TGA/DTGA curves indicate that this sample reached phase (s) crystalline (s) at lowest temperatures. The X-ray diffractograms of the samples calcined at 350°C and 1100°C were treated with the Rietveld refinament technique. The powders calcined at 1100 °C/3h in air show to be 100% except spinel phase composition with 0.02 doping. The micrographs show clusters of particles with sizes smaller than 1 μm in calcination temperature of 1100°C which agreed with the result of Rietveld refinement. In the compositions doped with Mn were higher values of magnetization (45.90 and 53.20 Am2/kg), which did not cause high microwave absorption. The theoretical calculation of magnetization (MT) was consistent with the results, considering that there was agreement between the increase of magnetization experimental and theoretical. It was observed that there was the interrelation of the final effect of absorption with the thickness of MARE, the composition of ferrimagnetic materials and in particular the specific values of frequency. The analysis shows that the reflectivity increases in the concentration of cobalt increased the frequency range and also for absorption 10.17 GHz and 84%, respectively. The best result of chemical homogeneity and the value of 2.96 x 10-2 tesla coercive field were crucial for high performance ferrite absorber with 0.1 cobalt. The Cobalt has high magnetocrystalline anisotropy, it is associated with an increased coercive field, Hc. Therefore, this property improves the results of reflectivity of spinel ferrites

Síntese e caracterização de pós Ba(x)Sr(1-x)Co0,8Fe0,2O3- através do método de coprecipitação via oxalato

Ceramic powders based on oxides of perovskite-type structure is of fundamental interest nowadays, since they have important ionic-electronic conductivity in the use of materials with technological applications such as gas sensors, oxygen permeation membranes, catalysts and electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The main objective of the project is to develop nanostructured ceramic compounds quaternary-based oxide Barium (Br), Strontium (Sr), Cobalt (Co) and Iron (Fe). In this project were synthesized compounds BaxSr(1-x)Co0, 8Fe0,2O3- (x = 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8) through the oxalate co-precipitation method. The synthesized powders were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis (TGADTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) with the Rietveld refinement using the software MAUD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the synthesis technique used was suitable for production of nanostructured ceramic solid solutions. The powders obtained had a crystalline phase with perovskite-type structure. The TGA-DTA results showed that the homogeneous phase of interest was obtained temperature above 1034°C. It was also observed that the heating rate of the calcination process did not affect the elimination of impurities present in the ceramic powder. The variation in the addition of barium dopant promoted changes in the average crystallite size in the nanometer range, the composition being BSCF(5582) obtained the lowest value (179.0nm). The results obtained by oxalate co-precipitation method were compared with those synthesis methods in solid state and EDTA-citrate method

Desenvolvimento de uma rota química alternativa de síntese de SrCo0,8Fe0,2O3- e LaNi0,3Co0,7O3- para aplicação na reação de oxidação do CO

This thesis focuses on the coprecipitation synthesis method for preparation of ceramic materials with perovskite structure, their characterization and application as catalytic material in the reaction of converting CO to CO2 developing a methodological alternative route of synthesis from the middle via oxalate coprecipitation material SrCo0,8Fe0,2O3-d. In order to check the influence of this method, it was also synthesized using a combined citrate - EDTA complexing method. The material was characterized by: X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld refinement method, thermogravimetry and differential thermo analysis (TG / DTA), scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy, particle size distribution and surface analysis method BET. Both methods led to post-phase synthesis, with pH as a relevant parameter. The synthesis based on the method via oxalate coprecipitation among particles led to the crystalline phase as those obtained using a combined citrate - EDTA complexing method under the same conditions of heat treatment. The nature of the reagent used via oxalate coprecipitation method produced a material with approximately 80 % lower than the average size of crystallites. Moreover, the via oxalate coprecipitation method precursors obtained in the solid state at low temperature (~ 26 oC), shorter synthesis, greater thermal stability and a higher yield of around 90-95 %, maintaining the same order of magnitude the crystallite size that the combined citrate - EDTA complexing method. For purposes of comparing the catalytic properties of the material was also synthesized by the using a combined citrate - EDTA complexing method. The evaluation of catalytic materials SrCo0,8Fe0,2O3-d LaNi0,3Co0,7O3-d was accompanied on the oxidation of CO to CO2 using a stainless steel tubular reactor in the temperature range of 75-300 oC. The conversion CO gas was evaluated in both materials on the results shaved that the firm conversion was loves for the material LaNi0,3Co0,7O3-d

Superparamagnetismo em Jacobsitas sintéticas

In this experimental study sintetic samples of Jacobsites (MnFe2O4) were synthesized by the Pechini method and calcined within ambient atmosphere and afterwards in the vacuum from 400 to 700ºC, the range of calcination temperatures. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and the Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) analysis have shown that the samples treated at 400ºC temperature are composed by a simple type of spinel phase, with a crystallite size of 8:8nm for the sample calcined in ambient atmosphere and 20; 1nm for the sample treated in the vacuum, showing that the cristallite average size can be manipulated by the atmosphere control. The hysteresis loops for the sample calcined at 400ºC in ambient atmosphere reveal features of superparamagnetic behavior with magnetization 29:3emu=g at the maximum field of 1:2T. The sample calcined in 400oC under vacuum show magnetization = 67emu=g at the maximum field of 1:5T. The sample treated at 500oC, under ambient atmosphere, has shown besides the spinel phase, secondary phases of hematite (Fe2O3) and bixbyite (FeMnO3). The hysteresis loops demonstrate a sharp drop of the magnetization compared to the previous sample. The analysis has revealed that for the samples treated in higher temperatures (600ºC and 700ºC) its observed the absence of the spinel phase and the maintenance of the bixbyite and hematite. The hysteresis loops for those samples in accordance to the external magnetic field are straight lines crossing the origin, consistent with the antiferromagnetic behavior of the phases.The Mössbauer espectroscopy show to the sample calcined at 400ºC within ambiente atmosphere two sextet and one doublet. The two sextets are assigned to the hyperfine fields related to the magnetic deployment in the nuclei of Fe3+ ions, at the tetraedric and octaedric sites. The doublet is assigned to superparamagnetic behavior of the particles with smaller diameter than dc . Now the sample calcined at 400ºC under vacuum only show two sextet

Performance, carcass yield, and meat quality of free-range broilers fed wet grain corn silage

This study aimed at evaluating the effect of total replacement of dry corn by wet grain corn silage (WGCS) in the feed of label broilers older than 28 days of age on performance, mortality, carcass, parts, breast meat and thighs meat yields, and meat quality. A mixed-sex flock of 448 ISA S 757-N (naked-neck ISA JA Label) day-old chicks was randomly distributed in to randomized block experimental design with four treatments (T1 - with no WGCS; T2 - WGCS between 28 and 83 days; T3 - WGCS between 42 and 83 days; and T4 - WGCS between 63 and 83 days) and four replicates of 28 birds each. Birds were raised under the same management and feeding conditions until 28 days of age, when they started to have free access to paddock with pasture (at least 3m²/bird) and to be fed the experimental diets. Feed and water were offered ad libitum throughout the rearing period, which was divided in three stages: starter (1 to 28 days), grower (29 to 63 days), and finisher (64 to 83 days) according to the feeding schedule. During the short periods of WGCS use (group T2 during grower stage and T4 during the finisher stage), performance and mortality results were similar as to those of the control group (T1). At the end of the experiment, it was observed that the extended use of WGCS (T2 and T3) determined a negative effect on feed conversion ratio. However, the best results of breast meat yield were observed with birds fed WGCS since 28 days (T2). It was concluded that WGCS can replace dry corn grain for short periods during the grower and finisher stages with no impairment of meat quality and yield in slow growth broilers.

Use of prebiotics and probiotics of bacterial and yeast origin for free-range broiler chickens

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of probiotics and prebiotics of bacterial and yeast origin on the performance, development of the digestive system, carcass yield and meat quality of free-range broiler chickens. Five hundred and sixty male chicks of the strain ISA S757-N were reared from one to 84 days old. The birds were distributed in four treatments according to a completely randomized block design: T1 = Control, T2 = Probiotics and Prebiotics of bacterial origin, T3 = Probiotics and prebiotics of yeast origin, T4 = Probiotics and prebiotics of bacterial origin + probiotics and prebiotics of yeast origin. There were four repetitions with 35 birds per repetition, and the birds had access to a pasture area after 35 days of age. Characteristics evaluated were performance, development of the digestive system, carcass and parts yield, abdominal fat, breast meat physical measurements (length, width and height) and meat quality parameters (pH from breast and leg meat, cooking loss and shearing force from breast meat). Lower mortality (p<0.05) and higher weight gain from 64 to 77 and 64 to 84 days of age were seen in birds supplemented with probiotics and prebiotics of bacterial origin compared to the non-supplemented birds (control). There were significant differences (p<0.05) among treatments for carcass yield. Birds supplemented with both probiotics and prebiotics of microbial and yeast origin (T4) showed higher carcass yield than control birds. Supplementation with probiotics and prebiotics of bacterial origin (T2) or the supplementation of these together with those of yeast origin (T4) reduced mortality and increased the carcass yield in free-range broiler chickens.

Efficiency of prebiotics and probiotics on the performance, yield, meat quality and presence of Salmonella spp in carcasses of free-range broiler chickens

Two trials were carried out in the present study. Trial I evaluated the performance, carcass yield and breast meat quality, whereas Trial II evaluated the efficacy of utilizing prebiotics + probiotics on the control of Salmonella spp incidence in the carcasses of free-range broilers. In Trial I, 688 one-day-old male chicks of the Naked Neck Label Rouge strain were used, distributed in a randomized block design arranged according to a 2 x 2 factorial: control diet or diet supplemented with probiotics and prebiotics; and two rearing systems (confined or with access to paddocks - 3m²/bird), using four replicates with 35 birds each. The birds were reared until 84 days of age following the recommendations of management and nutrition for free-range strains, and had access to paddocks after 35 days of age. Water and food were given inside the experimental poultry house. Birds fed probiotics and prebiotics in the diet and the confined birds showed better performance, carcass yield and meat quality compared to the birds of the other treatments. In Trial II, 128 one-day-old male chicks of the free-range Naked Neck Label Rouge strain were used. The birds were distributed into four treatments: NCC (non-challenged control), NCS (non-challenged supplemented), CC (challenged control) and CS (challenged supplemented). There were no significant effects of adding probiotics and prebiotics in the diet in regard to Salmonella enteritidis recovery from the carcasses.

Follicular diameter range based on morphological features in Synbranchus marmoratus (Bloch, 1795) (Teleostei, Synbranchiformes, Synbranchidae) from the South-central region of Brazil

The morphological characteristics of Synbranchus marmoratus female germ cells in various development stages were described in details; then measurements of ovarian follicle diameters were taken from primary and secondary growth as during these development stages the oocyte size varied considerably along the fish growth. The results were correlated to total fish length, using the individuals division in six size classes. It was possible to group oocytes by stages according to histological characteristics but not according to morphometric diameter, as there was a wide variation in diameter in each stage and overlap between different maturation stages. These data make available new information on the reproductive biology of Synbranchidae. (c) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The influence of landscape characteristics and home-range size on the quantification of landscape-genetics relationships

A common approach used to estimate landscape resistance involves comparing correlations of ecological and genetic distances calculated among individuals of a species. However, the location of sampled individuals may contain some degree of spatial uncertainty due to the natural variation of animals moving through their home range or measurement error in plant or animal locations. In this study, we evaluate the ways that spatial uncertainty, landscape characteristics, and genetic stochasticity interact to influence the strength and variability of conclusions about landscape-genetics relationships. We used a neutral landscape model to generate 45 landscapes composed of habitat and non-habitat, varying in percent habitat, aggregation, and structural connectivity (patch cohesion). We created true and alternate locations for 500 individuals, calculated ecological distances (least-cost paths), and simulated genetic distances among individuals. We compared correlations between ecological distances for true and alternate locations. We then simulated genotypes at 15 neutral loci and investigated whether the same influences could be detected in simple Mantel tests and while controlling for the effects of isolation-by distance using the partial Mantel test. Spatial uncertainty interacted with the percentage of habitat in the landscape, but led to only small reductions in correlations. Furthermore, the strongest correlations occurred with low percent habitat, high aggregation, and low to intermediate levels of cohesion. Overall genetic stochasticity was relatively low and was influenced by landscape characteristics.

The Influence of Solutes on the Enthalpy/Entropy Change of the Actinomycin D Binding to DNA: Hydration, Energy Compensation and Long-Range Deformation on DNA

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Range extension of the Peale's Free-tailed Bat Nyctinomops aurispinosus (Molossidae) in Brazil

Há uma grande lacuna no conhecimento da biologia e corologia de Nyctinomops aurispinosus. Nesta comunicação, nós apresentamos o registro mais austral deste molossídeo, realizado na cidade de Curitiba (25° 25' S e 49° 15' W, 920 m), estado do Paraná, Brasil, e sumarizamos a distribuição geográfica conhecida para a espécie na América do Sul.

Cosmological constraints on an invisibly decaying Higgs

Working in the context of a proposal for collisional dark matter, we derive bounds on the Higgs boson coupling g' to a stable light scalar particle, which we refer to as phion (phi), required to solve problems with small scale structure formation which arise in collisionless, dark matter models. We discuss the behaviour of the phion in the early universe for different ranges of its mass. We find that a phion in the mass range of 100 MeV is excluded and that a phion in the mass range of I GeV requires a large coupling constant, g' greater than or similar to 2, and m(h) less than or similar to 130 GeV in order to avoid overabundance, in which case the invisible decay mode of the Higgs boson would be dominant. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.