Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A new method for the determination of the cmc using a dialysis technique which allows monometric species to diffuse through but no micelles has been applied for determining the mixed micelle composition. The method is based on determining the amount of surfactant that diffuses through at two different times which allows for the calculation of the cmc by use of the appropriate equation. This method requires the preparation of only one concentration of solution and lends itself particularly well to the determination of the composition of mixed micelles. (orig.)

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

To study the role in AIDS pathogenesis of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat protein, a transactivator of viral and cellular genes, we generated transgenic mice with a recombinant DNA...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hydrolysis of olive oil by Chromobacterium viscosum lipase was studied in a reverse micellar system of a anionic surfactant Aerosol OT (AOT) and isooctane. Different methods of solubilization of the micellar system afford specific dependence of enzymatic activity of the lipase on the water content in the micelles. In an injection method, water content is controlled by the amount of injected water, which determines the micelle size and hydrophobicity of the micelle without salt addition and changes reversibly the conformation of lipase corresponding to the change of lipase activity. The activity reaches the maximum at a water content (water/AOT)of 7. In a phase transfer method, water content is determined by salt concentration in the aqueous phase in contact with micelles and the water content corresponding to the maximum activity is 12 to 13, below which the activity decrese drastically. Addition of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NMR spectroscopy combined with paramagnetic relaxation agents was used to study the positioning of the 40-residue Alzheimer Amyloid {beta}-peptide A{beta}(1-40) in SDS micelles. 5-Doxyl stearic acid incorporated into the micelle or Mn{sup 2+} ions in the aqueous solvent were used to determine the position of the peptide relative to the micelle geometry. In SDS solvent, the two {alpha}-helices induced in A{beta}(1-40), comprising residues 15-24, and 29-35, respectively, are surrounded by flexible unstructured regions. NMR signals from these unstructured regions are strongly attenuated in the presence of Mn{sup 2+} showing that these regions are positioned mostly outside the micelle. The central helix (residues 15-24) is significantly affected by 5-doxyl stearic acid however somewhat less for residues 16, 20, 22 and 23. This {alpha}-helix therefore resides in the SDS headgroup region with the face with ...

Science.gov (United States)

In this paper, we prepared a novel cationic self-assembled micelle from poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-poly(ethyl glycol)-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) grafted polyethyleneimine (PCEC-g-PEI). The PCEC-g-PEI micelles, formed by self-assembly method, had mean particle size of ca. 82 nm and zeta potential of +22.5 mV at 37 degrees C, and could efficiently transfer pGFP into HEK293 cells in vitro. Meanwhile, as a model hydrophobic chemotherapeutic drug, honokiol was loaded into PCEC-g-PEI micelles by direct dissolution method assisted by ultrasonication. The honokiol loaded cationic PCEC-g-PEI micelles could effectively adsorb DNA onto its surface, while it could release honokiol in an extended period in vitro. This study demonstrated a novel DNA and hydrophobic chemotherapeutic drug co-delivery system. PMID:21121283

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The project involved several studies of vesicles and micelles and their constituent surfactants. The primary objective of the project was an elucidation of factors involved in the stabilization and destabilization of vesicles and micelles. Work was performed on seven individual studies. Several different types of novel cleavable surfactants were synthesized, including systems with two chains and two head groups, and their aqueous micelles and vesicles were characterized by methods including dynamic laser light scattering (to give aggregate sizes) and differential scanning calorimetry (to give vesicle bilayer phase transition temperatures). A cleavable surfactant is stable under certain conditions but liable under other conditions with respect to cleavage to give nonsurfactant products and/or other surfactants with different properties. The destruction of several cleavable surfactant-derived aggregates was demonstrated, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To assist the Department of Energy (DOE) in fulfilling its responsibilities under the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985, the National Low-Level Waste Management Program (NLLWMP) outlines the key activities tat the NLLWMP will accomplish in the following fiscal year. Additional activities are added during the fiscal year as necessary to accomplish programmatic goals. This report summarizes the activities and accomplishments of the NLLWMP during Fiscal Year 1996.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Both x-ray and optical cone-beam CT (CBCT) scanners are limited by scattered photons that contaminate the primary images. Transparent radiochromic gels and plastics are anticipated to produce less scattering than polymerization gels and hence result in reconstructed dose distributions with greater contrast and dynamic range. Four methods of scatter measurement were investigated to quantify scatter fractions using an in-house optical CBCT scanner. The methods consisted of generating either 'coin' shadows or primary beamlets in transmission images. The four methods generated similar results of 10% scatter fractions in gel transmission images for this particular scanner configuration with both leuco crystal violet and carbon black micelle gels. The scatter contributions were distributed as 5% from micelle gel, 2% from Teflon wall, 2% from refractive index matching liquid and 1% other sources. Applying a uniform background ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Interactions between cationic dye-cationic surfactant and anionic dye-cationic surfactant systems were investigated in aqueous solutions using spectrophotometric method at 288.15, 298.15, 308.15 and 318.15K. C.I. Basic Red 9 (BR9) and C.I. Acid Blue 25 (AB25) were used as cationic and anionic dyes, respectively, and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMABr) was selected as cationic surfactant in this study. Although there was an interaction between the AB25 and the HDTMABr molecules, an interaction between the BR9 and HDTMABr did not occur due to the electrostatic repulsion forces. Binding constants and partition coefficients between the micellar and the bulk water phases for the AB25-HDTMABr system were calculated from the changes in absorbance values and the critical micelle concentra...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Zusammenfassung Die Festigkeitshypothesen und Flie?fl?chen aus den klassischen Kursen der Mechanik (die Normalspannungshypothese, die Modelle nach von Mises und Tresca) reichen oft nicht aus, das tats?chliche Verhalten von Bauteilen unter Belastung zu erfassen. Deshalb werden in der Literatur weitere Modelle mit einem oder mehreren Parametern vorgeschlagen. Diese Modelle beschr?nken allerdings die Geometrien der zul?ssigen Formen der Fl?chen im Spannungsraum. In dieser Arbeit wird ein auf die Zugspannung normiertes Druck-Torsion-Diagramm vorgestellt, in dem sich die Modelle inkompressiblen Materialverhaltens miteinander vergleichen lassen. Mit diesem Diagramm wird der Begriff der Symmetrie der Fl?che in der ?-Ebene verdeutlicht. Die konvexen Fl?chen inkompressiblen Materialverhaltens sind ...

CERN Document Server

We study suspensions of semi-flexible colloidal rods and biopolymers using an Onsager-type second-virial functional for a segmented-chain model. For suspensions of thin and thick fd virus particles we calculate phase diagrams in quantitative agreement with experimental observations, and we find their effective state-point dependent shape to be much shorter and thicker than the actual shape. We also calculate the stretching of worm-like micelles in a host fd virus solution, again finding agreement with experiments. For both systems, our results show that the fd virus stiffness can play a key role in system behavior.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Chitosan (a?-(1-4)-amino-2-deoxy-b?-D-glucan) is a deacetylated form of chitin, a polysaccharide from crustacean shells. Its unique characteristics, such as positive charge, biodegradability, biocompatibility, nontoxicity, and rigid structure, make this macromolecule ideal for an oral vaccine delivery system. We prepared reverse-phase evaporation vesicles (REVs) sandwiched by chitosan (Chi) and polyvinylic alcohol (PVA). However, in this method, there are still some problems to be circumvented related to protein stabilization. During the inverted micelle phase of protein nanoencapsulation, hydrophobic interfaces are expanded, leading to interfacial adsorption, followed by protein unfolding and aggregation. Here, spectroscopic and immunological techniques were used to ascertain the effects ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The reverse micelle catalyst preparation method has been used to prepare catalysts on four supports: magnesium oxide, carbon, alumina- titania and steamed Y zeolite. These catalysts were not as active as a reference catalyst prepared during previous contracts to Union Carbide Corp. This catalyst was supported on steamed Y zerolite support and was impregnated by a pore-filling method using a nonaqueous solvent. Additional catalysts were prepared via pore- filling impregnation of steamed Y zeolites. These catalysts had levels of cobalt two to three and a half times as high as the original Union Carbide catalyst. On a catalyst volume basis they were much more active than the previous catalyst; on an atom by atom basis the cobalt was about of the same activity, i.e., the high cobalt catalysts` cobalt atoms were not extensively covered over and deactivated by other cobalt atoms. The new, high activity, Y zerolite catalysts were not as stable as the earlier Union Carbide ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In the present study, the authors examine the interactions of pentavalent technetium ions (TcO/sup 3+/) with the basic form of the lasalocid A in pure methanol solvent and in methanol-water mixtures. There are a number of reasons for such a study. First, the interactions of technetium ions with biologically important compounds are of considerable importance owing to the widespread use of /sup 99m/Tc in diagnostic radio-imaging. Second, lasalocid A is known to transport metal ions across phospholipid bilayer membranes and between the aqueous cores of phospholipid inverse micelles. Third, lasalocid A is known to bind and solubilize metal ions in bulk organic liquid phases. Fourth, the conformation adopted by lasalocid A on interaction with TcO/sup 3+/ appears to be different than those found in most other cases and circumstances. Fifth, it may also be possible to use the competition of TcO/sup 3+/ with other, physiologically relevant cations (Na/sup +/, K/sup +/, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The distribution of lead in lactating mice and suckling offspring was studied with whole body autoradiography at 4 and 24 h after a single intravenous injection of {sup 203}Pb (50 mmol Pb/kg) to the dams. In the lactating mice on day 14 of lactation, the highest uptake of radioactivity at 4 h after administration was recorded in renal cortex, skeleton and liver. A high uptake was also evident in the mannary gland. At 24 h after administration, the radioactivity had decreased in most organs except in the skeleton. In the suckling pups, exposed to lead only via dams` milk for 24 h, the highest level of radioactivity was present in the intestinal mucosa and a much lower level of radioactivity was present in the skeleton. The mammary glands from mice given three daily intravenous injections of 240 {mu}mol Pb/kg were examined with X-ray microanalysis. At 4 h after the last injection, lead was found associated with casein micelles both inside the alveolar cell and in the ...

Science.gov (United States)

Magnetic drug targeting, using core-shell magnetic carrier particles loaded with anti-cancer drugs, is an emerging and significant method of cancer treatment. Gold shell-iron core nanoparticles (Fe@Au) were synthesized by the reverse micelle method with aqueous reactants, surfactant, co-surfactant and oil phase. XRD, XPS, TEM and magnetic property measurements were utilized to characterize these core-shell nanoparticles. Magnetic measurements showed that the particles were superparamagnetic at room temperature and that the saturation magnetization decreased with increasing gold concentration. The anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded onto these Fe@Au nanoparticle carriers and the drug release profiles showed that upto 25% of adsorbed drug was released in 80 h. It was found that the amine (-NH2) group of DOX binds to the gold shell. An in vitro apparatus simulating the human circulatory system was used to determine the retention of these nanoparticle ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The solvent extraction of 12-phosphotungstic acid, also known as 12-tungstophosphoric acid-H_3PW_1_2O_4_0, the so-called Keggin heteropolyacid - by 0.73 M (20%v/v) tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) in n-octane under conditions comparable to those used previously for the extraction of conventional inorganic mineral acids is described. A simplified phase diagram for the pentanary system comprised of H_3PW_1_2O_4_0, HNO_3, H_2O, TBP, and n-octane reveals an extremely low initial concentration of H_3PW_1_2O_4_0 (1.1 mM) at the LOC (limiting organic concentration) condition, far lower than the most effective third-phase-forming inorganic acid, namely HClO_4. The results from small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) indicate that the interparticle attraction energy - U(r) calculated through application of the Baxter sticky sphere model to the SANS data at the LOC condition - does not approach the -2 k_B T value associated with phase splitting in previous studies of TBP third-phase formation. The ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The fixed bed pilot plant, the catalyst testing procedure, and the calculations for conversion and selectivities were previously described in the technical progress report covering the period of 3/16/88 to 6/16/88 for Contract DE-AC22-87PC79812. Conversions and hydrocarbon selectivities were calculated using data from an on-line gas chromatography (GC) analyzer. Alcohol selectivities were calculated using data from an on-line boiling point GC analyzer which analyzed the liquid product. The catalysts were prepared via the steps of impregnation, calcination, and reduction on a special Y-zeolite-derived support. The impregnation step consisted of evaporation of metal salts on to the support from an aqueous solution. For one catalyst (No. 6531-188) the metal salts were evaporated on to the support from a reverse micelle solution containing the metal salts. All the catalysts were calcined for four hours at 450{degree}C. The calcined catalysts were loaded in the reactor ...