Estimating the Diffusion Coefficients of Sugars Using Diffusion Experiments in Agar-Gel and Computer Simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyamoto, Shuichi; Atsuyama, Kenji; Ekino, Keisuke; Shin, Takashi

2018-01-01

The isolation of useful microbes is one of the traditional approaches for the lead generation in drug discovery. As an effective technique for microbe isolation, we recently developed a multidimensional diffusion-based gradient culture system of microbes. In order to enhance the utility of the system, it is favorable to have diffusion coefficients of nutrients such as sugars in the culture medium beforehand. We have, therefore, built a simple and convenient experimental system that uses agar-gel to observe diffusion. Next, we performed computer simulations-based on random-walk concepts-of the experimental diffusion system and derived correlation formulas that relate observable diffusion data to diffusion coefficients. Finally, we applied these correlation formulas to our experimentally-determined diffusion data to estimate the diffusion coefficients of sugars. Our values for these coefficients agree reasonably well with values published in the literature. The effectiveness of our simple technique, which has elucidated the diffusion coefficients of some molecules which are rarely reported (e.g., galactose, trehalose, and glycerol) is demonstrated by the strong correspondence between the literature values and those obtained in our experiments.

Nanoemulsion-based gel formulation of diclofenac diethylamine: design, optimization, rheological behavior and in vitro diffusion studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamed, Rania; Basil, Marwa; AlBaraghthi, Tamadur; Sunoqrot, Suhair; Tarawneh, Ola

2016-12-01

Chronic oral administration of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, diclofenac diethylamine (DDEA), is often associated with gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding. As an alternative to oral administration, a nanoemulsion-based gel (NE gel) formulation of DDEA was developed for topical administration. An optimized formulation for the o/w nanoemulsion of oil, surfactant and cosurfactant was selected based on nanoemulsion mean droplet size, clarity, stability, and flowability, and incorporated into the gelling agent Carbopol® 971P. Rheological studies of the DDEA NE gel were conducted and compared to those of conventional DDEA gel and emulgel. The three gels exhibited an elastic behavior, where G' dominated G″ at all frequencies, indicating the formation of strong gels. NE gel exhibited higher G' values than conventional gel and emulgel, which indicated the formation of a stronger gel network. Strat-M® membrane, a synthetic membrane with diffusion characteristics that are well correlated to human skin, was used for the in vitro diffusion studies. The release of DDEA from conventional gel, emulgel and NE gel showed a controlled release pattern over 12 h, which was consistent with the rheological properties of the gels. DDEA release kinetics from the three gels followed super case II transport as fitted by Korsmeyer-Peppas model.

Hyper alginate gel microbead formation by molecular diffusion at the hydrogel/droplet interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirama, Hirotada; Kambe, Taisuke; Aketagawa, Kyouhei; Ota, Taku; Moriguchi, Hiroyuki; Torii, Toru

2013-01-15

We report a simple method for forming monodispersed, uniformly shaped gel microbeads with precisely controlled sizes. The basis of our method is the placement of monodispersed sodium alginate droplets, formed by a microfluidic device, on an agarose slab gel containing a high-osmotic-pressure gelation agent (CaCl(2) aq.): (1) the droplets are cross-linked (gelated) due to the diffusion of the gelation agent from the agarose slab gel to the sodium alginate droplets and (2) the droplets simultaneously shrink to a fraction of their original size (slab gel. We verified the mass transfer mechanism between the droplet and the agarose slab gel. This method circumvents the limitations of gel microbead formation, such as the need to prepare microchannels of various sizes, microchannel clogging, and the deformation of the produced gel microbeads.

Charge-regularized swelling kinetics of polyelectrolyte gels: Elasticity and diffusion

Science.gov (United States)

Sen, Swati; Kundagrami, Arindam

2017-11-01

We apply a recently developed method [S. Sen and A. Kundagrami, J. Chem. Phys. 143, 224904 (2015)], using a phenomenological expression of osmotic stress, as a function of polymer and charge densities, hydrophobicity, and network elasticity for the swelling of spherical polyelectrolyte (PE) gels with fixed and variable charges in a salt-free solvent. This expression of stress is used in the equation of motion of swelling kinetics of spherical PE gels to numerically calculate the spatial profiles for the polymer and free ion densities at different time steps and the time evolution of the size of the gel. We compare the profiles of the same variables obtained from the classical linear theory of elasticity and quantitatively estimate the bulk modulus of the PE gel. Further, we obtain an analytical expression of the elastic modulus from the linearized expression of stress (in the small deformation limit). We find that the estimated bulk modulus of the PE gel decreases with the increase of its effective charge for a fixed degree of deformation during swelling. Finally, we match the gel-front locations with the experimental data, taken from the measurements of charged reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer gels to show an increase in gel-size with charge and also match the same for PNIPAM (uncharged) and imidazolium-based (charged) minigels, which specifically confirms the decrease of the gel modulus value with the increase of the charge. The agreement between experimental and theoretical results confirms general diffusive behaviour for swelling of PE gels with a decreasing bulk modulus with increasing degree of ionization (charge). The new formalism captures large deformations as well with a significant variation of charge content of the gel. It is found that PE gels with large deformation but same initial size swell faster with a higher charge.

Comparison of Excretory-Secretory and Somatic Antigens of Ornithobilharzia turkestanicum in Agar Gel Diffusion Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Miranzadeh

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Ornithobilharziosis as one of the parasitic infections may give rise to serious economic problems in animal husbandry. The Aim of the study was to prepare and compare the somatic and excretory-secretory (ES antigens of O. tur­kestanicum in gel diffusion test. Methods: Excretory-secretory (ES and somatic antigens of Ornithobilharzia turkestanicum were prepared from collected worms from mesentric blood vessels of infected sheep. The laboratory bred rabbits were immunized with antigens and then antisera were prepared. The reaction of antigens and antisera was observed in gel diffusion test. Results: ES antigens of this species showed positive reaction with antisera raised against ES and also somatic antigens. Somatic antigens also showed positive reaction with antisera raised against somatic and also ES antigens. Conclusion: The antigenicity of O. turkestanicum ES and somatic antigens is the same in gel diffusion test.

Translational and rotational diffusion of flexible PEG and rigid dendrimer probes in sodium caseinate dispersions and acid gels.

Science.gov (United States)

Salami, Souad; Rondeau-Mouro, Corinne; Barhoum, Myriam; van Duynhoven, John; Mariette, François

2014-09-01

The dynamics of rigid dendrimer and flexible PEG probes in sodium caseinate dispersions and acid gels, including both translational diffusion and rotational diffusion, were studied by NMR. Above the onset of the close-packing limit (C ∼ 10 g/100 g H2 O), translational diffusion of the probe depended on its flexibility and on the fluctuations of the matrix chains. The PEG probe diffused more rapidly than the spherical dendrimer probe of corresponding hydrodynamic radius. The greater conformational flexibility of PEG facilitated its motion through the crowded casein matrix. Rotational diffusion was, however, substantially less hindered than the translational diffusion and depended on the local protein-probe friction which became high when the casein concentration increased. The coagulation of the matrix led to the formation of large voids, which resulted in an increase in the translational diffusion of the probes, whereas the rotational diffusion of the probes was retarded in the gel, which could be attributed to the immobilized environment surrounding the probe. Quantitative information from PFG-NMR and SEM micrographs have been combined for characterizing microstructural details in SC acid gels. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Experimental determination of the diffusion coefficient in two-dimensions in ferrous sulphate gels using the finite element method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldock, C.; Harris, P.J.; Piercy, A.R.; Healy, B.

2001-01-01

A novel two-dimensional finite element method for modelling the diffusion which occurs in Fricke or ferrous sulphate type radiation dosimetry gels is presented. In most of the previous work, the diffusion coefficient has been estimated using simple one-dimensional models. This work presents a two-dimensional model which enables the diffusion coefficient to be determined in a much wider range of experimental situations. The model includes the provision for the determination of a drift parameter. To demonstrate the technique comparative diffusion measurements between ferrous sulphate radiation dosimetry gels, with and without xylenol orange chelating agent and carbohydrate additives have been undertaken. Diffusion coefficients of 9.7±0.4, 13.3±0.6 and 9.5±0.8 10-3 cm 2 per h -1 were determined for ferrous sulphate radiation dosimetry gels with and without xylenol orange and with xylenol orange and sucrose additives respectively. Copyright (2001) Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine

Tracer diffusion in a polymer gel: simulations of static and dynamic 3D networks using spherical boundary conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamerlin, Natasha; Elvingson, Christer

2016-01-01

We have investigated an alternative to the standard periodic boundary conditions for simulating the diffusion of tracer particles in a polymer gel by performing Brownian dynamics simulations using spherical boundary conditions. The gel network is constructed by randomly distributing tetravalent cross-linking nodes and connecting nearest pairs. The final gel structure is characterised by the radial distribution functions, chain lengths and end-to-end distances, and the pore size distribution. We have looked at the diffusion of tracer particles with a wide range of sizes, diffusing in both static and dynamic networks of two different volume fractions. It is quantitatively shown that the dynamical effect of the network becomes more important in facilitating the diffusional transport for larger particle sizes, and that one obtains a finite diffusion also for particle sizes well above the maximum in the pore size distribution. (paper)

Diffusion of Acetic Acid Across Oil/Water Interface in Emulsification-Internal Gelation Process for Preparation of Alginate Gel Beads

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LIU Xiu-dong; YU Wei-ting; LIN Jun-zhang; MA Xiao-jun; YUAN Quan

2007-01-01

Alginate has been widely used in cell microencapsulation and drug delivery systems in the form of gel beads or microcapsules. Although an alternative novel emulsification-internal gelation technology has been established and both the properties and the potential applications of the beads in drug delivery systems have been studied, the mechanism has not been well understood compared with the traditional droplet method( external gelation technology). On the basis of our previous knowledge that the novel technology is composed of complicatedly consecutive processes with multistep diffusion and re action, and the diffusion of acetic acid across oil/water interface being the prerequisite that determines the occurrence and rate for the reactions and the structures and properties of final produced gel beads, a special emphasis was placed on the diffusion process. With the aid of diffusion modeling and simple experimental design, the diffusion rate constant and diffusion coefficient of acetic acid across oil/water interface were determined to be in the orders of magnitude of 10-6 and 10-16, respectively. This knowledge will be of particular importance in understanding and interpreting the formation, structure of the gel beads and the relationship between the structure and properties and guiding the preparation and quality control of the gel beads.

Diffusion structural analysis study of titania films deposited by sol-gel technique on silica glass

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Balek, V.; Mitsuhashi, T.; Bountseva, I.M.; Haneda, H.; Málek, Z.; Šubrt, Jan

2003-01-01

Roč. 26, 1-3 (2003), s. 185-189 ISSN 0928-0707. [International Workshop on Glasses, Ceramics, Hybrids and Nanocomposites from Gels /11./. Abano Terme, 16.09.2001-21.09.2001] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4032918 Keywords : titania film * diffusion structural analysis * sol-gel Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 1.546, year: 2003

Diffusive transfer to membranes as an effective interface between gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Ogorzalek Loo, Rachel R.; Mitchell, Charles; Stevenson, Tracy I.; Loo, Joseph A.; Andrews, Philip C.

1997-12-01

Diffusive transfer was examined as a blotting method to transfer proteins from polyacrylamide gels to membranes for ultraviolet matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. The method is well-suited for transfers from isoelectric focusing (IEF) gels. Spectra have been obtained for 11 pmol of 66 kDa albumin loaded onto an IEF gel and subsequently blotted to polyethylene. Similarly, masses of intact carbonic anhydrase and hemoglobin were obtained from 14 and 20 pmol loadings. This methodology is also compatible with blotting high molecular weight proteins, as seen for 6 pmol of the 150 kDa monoclonal antibody anti-[beta]-galactosidase transferred to Goretex. Polypropylene, Teflon, Nafion and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) also produced good spectra following diffusive transfer. Only analysis from PVDF required that the membrane be kept wet prior to application of matrix. Considerations in mass accuracy for analysis from large-area membranes with continuous extraction and delayed extraction were explored, as were remedies for surface charging. Vapor phase CNBr cleavage was applied to membrane-bound samples for peptide mapping.

Molecular structure effects on the post irradiation diffusion in polymer gel dosimeters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mattea, F.; Romero, M.; Strumia, M. [Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biologia Vegetal / CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Departamento de Quimica Organica, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Cordoba (Argentina); Vedelago, J. [Laboratorio de Investigaciones e Instrumentacion en Fisica Aplicada a la Medicina e Imagenes por Rayos X, Laboratorio 448 FaMAF - UNC, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Cordoba (Argentina); Quiroga, A. [Centro de Investigacion y Estudios de Matematica / CONICET, Oficina 318 FaMAF - UNC, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Cordoba (Argentina); Valente, M., E-mail: fmattea@gmail.com [Instituto de Fisica E. Gaviola / CONICET, LIIFAMIRx, Oficina 102 FaMAF - UNC, 5000 Cordoba (Argentina)

2014-08-15

Polymer gel dosimeters have specific advantages for recording 3D radiation dose distribution representing a key factor for most of the therapeutic and diagnostic radiation techniques. Radiation-induced polymerization and crosslinking reactions that take place in the dosimeter have been studied for different monomers like acrylamide and N,N-methylene-bis acrylamide (Bis) and most recently for less toxic monomers like N-isopropylacrylamide and Bis. In this work a novel system based on itaconic acid and Bis is proposed, the radical polymerization or gel formation of these monomers has been already studied for the formation of an hydrogel for non dosimetric applications and their reactivity are comparable with the already mentioned systems. Although the 3D structure is maintained after the dosimeter has been irradiated, it is not possible to eliminate the diffusion of the reacted and monomer species in regions of dose gradients within the gel after irradiation. As a consequence the dose information of the dosimeters loose quality over time. The mobility within the gelatin structure of the already mentioned species is related to their chemical structure, and nature. In this work the effect of changes in the chemical structure of the monomers over the dosimetric sensitivity and over the post-irradiation diffusion of species is studied. One of the acrylic acid groups of the itaconic acid molecule is modified to obtain molecules with similar reactivity but different molecular sizes. Dosimetric systems with these modified species, Bis, an antioxidant to avoid oxygen polymerization inhibition, water and gelatin are irradiated in an X-ray tomography at different doses, and the resulting dosimeters are characterized by Raman spectroscopy and optical absorbance to study their feasibility and capabilities as dosimetric systems, and by optical-CT to analyze the diffusion degree after being irradiated. (Author)

Molecular structure effects on the post irradiation diffusion in polymer gel dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattea, F.; Romero, M.; Strumia, M.; Vedelago, J.; Quiroga, A.; Valente, M.

2014-08-01

Polymer gel dosimeters have specific advantages for recording 3D radiation dose distribution representing a key factor for most of the therapeutic and diagnostic radiation techniques. Radiation-induced polymerization and crosslinking reactions that take place in the dosimeter have been studied for different monomers like acrylamide and N,N-methylene-bis acrylamide (Bis) and most recently for less toxic monomers like N-isopropylacrylamide and Bis. In this work a novel system based on itaconic acid and Bis is proposed, the radical polymerization or gel formation of these monomers has been already studied for the formation of an hydrogel for non dosimetric applications and their reactivity are comparable with the already mentioned systems. Although the 3D structure is maintained after the dosimeter has been irradiated, it is not possible to eliminate the diffusion of the reacted and monomer species in regions of dose gradients within the gel after irradiation. As a consequence the dose information of the dosimeters loose quality over time. The mobility within the gelatin structure of the already mentioned species is related to their chemical structure, and nature. In this work the effect of changes in the chemical structure of the monomers over the dosimetric sensitivity and over the post-irradiation diffusion of species is studied. One of the acrylic acid groups of the itaconic acid molecule is modified to obtain molecules with similar reactivity but different molecular sizes. Dosimetric systems with these modified species, Bis, an antioxidant to avoid oxygen polymerization inhibition, water and gelatin are irradiated in an X-ray tomography at different doses, and the resulting dosimeters are characterized by Raman spectroscopy and optical absorbance to study their feasibility and capabilities as dosimetric systems, and by optical-CT to analyze the diffusion degree after being irradiated. (Author)

Translational and rotational diffusion of flexible PEG and rigid dendrimer probes in sodium caseinate dispersions and acid gels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salami, S.; Rondeau-Mouro, C.; Barhoum, M.; Duynhoven, van J.P.M.; Mariette, F.

2014-01-01

The dynamics of rigid dendrimer and flexible PEG probes in sodium caseinate dispersions and acid gels, including both translational diffusion and rotational diffusion, were studied by NMR. Above the onset of the close-packing limit (C ~ 10 g/100 g H2O), translational diffusion of the probe depended

Transmembrane protein diffusion in gel-supported dual-leaflet membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chih-Ying; Hill, Reghan J

2014-11-18

Tools to measure transmembrane-protein diffusion in lipid bilayer membranes have advanced in recent decades, providing a need for predictive theoretical models that account for interleaflet leaflet friction on tracer mobility. Here we address the fully three-dimensional flows driven by a (nonprotruding) transmembrane protein embedded in a dual-leaflet membrane that is supported above and below by soft porous supports (e.g., hydrogel or extracellular matrix), each of which has a prescribed permeability and solvent viscosity. For asymmetric configurations, i.e., supports with contrasting permeability, as realized for cells in contact with hydrogel scaffolds or culture media, the diffusion coefficient can reflect interleaflet friction. Reasonable approximations, for sufficiently large tracers on low-permeability supports, are furnished by a recent phenomenological theory from the literature. Interpreting literature data, albeit for hard-supported membranes, provides a theoretical basis for the phenomenological Stokes drag law as well as strengthening assertions that nonhydrodynamic interactions are important in supported bilayer systems, possibly leading to overestimates of the membrane/leaflet viscosity. Our theory provides a theoretical foundation for future experimental studies of tracer diffusion in gel-supported membranes.

Diffusion simulation of ferric ions in dosemeter Fricke-gel with variable diffusion coefficient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milani, Caio Jacob; Bevilacqua, Joyce da Silva; Rodrigues Junior, Orlando

2014-01-01

Dosimetry using dosimeters Fricke-xylenol-Gel (FXG) allows confirmation and better understanding of radiotherapy treatments. The technique involves the evaluation of volumes irradiated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or CT-optical. In both cases, the time spent between the irradiation and measurement is an important factor that directly influences the results. The quality of the images can be compromised by the mobility of ferric ions (Fe 3+), formed during the interaction of radiation with matter, increasing the uncertainty in determining the isodose. In this work, we simulated the dynamic involving ferric ions formed in one irradiated region irradiated in a two-dimensional domain with a variable diffusion coefficient. This phenomenon is modeled by a differential equation and solved numerically by an efficient algorithm that generalizes the Crank-Nicolson method. The stability and consistency of the method guarantee the convergence of the numerical solution for a predefined tolerance based in the choice of discretization steps of time and space. Different continuous functions were chosen to represent the diffusion coefficient and graphical views of the phenomenon are presented for a better understanding of the process

Use of the diffusive gradients in thin films technique (DGT) with various diffusive gels for characterization of sewage sludge-contaminated soils

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kovaříková, V.; Dočekalová, H.; Dočekal, Bohumil; Podborská, Martina

2007-01-01

Roč. 389, 7-8 (2007), s. 2303-2311 ISSN 1618-2642 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40310501; CEZ:AV0Z50040702 Keywords : DGT * diffusive gels * soils Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation Impact factor: 2.867, year: 2007

Supramolecular polypseudorotaxane gels for controlled delivery of rAAV vectors in human mesenchymal stem cells for regenerative medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Rey-Rico, Ana; Babicz, Heiko; Madry, Henning; Concheiro, Angel; Alvarez-Lorenzo, Carmen; Cucchiarini, Magali

2017-10-15

The aim of this work was to investigate, for the first time, the possibility of using supramolecular polypseudorotaxane gels as scaffolds that can durably deliver rAAV vectors for applications in cartilage regeneration. Dispersions of Pluronic ® F68 (PF68) or Tetronic ® 908 (T908) containing either hyaluronic acid (HA) or chondroitin sulfate (CS) were prepared in PBS. Then, alpha-cyclodextrin (αCD) was added to some dispersions to form polypseudorotaxane gels. Polysaccharides and αCD reinforced the viscoelasticity of the gels, which could withstand autoclaving without changes. In vitro release of rAAV vectors and subsequent transduction of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) by rAAV vectors from the release medium and from gels in direct contact with the cells were investigated. Compared with free vectors, the gels provided higher levels of transgene expression. CS (or HA)/PF68/αCD gels rapidly released rAAV vectors while CS (or HA)/T908/αCD gels provided sustained release probably due to different interactions with the viral vectors. Incorporation of αCD into CS (or HA)/PF68 gels resulted on higher rAAV concentrations and sustained levels of transgene expression over time. HA increased the bioactivity and cytocompatibility of the gels, especially those based on T908. Overall, combining rAAV gene transfer with polypseudorotaxane gels may provide new, promising tools for human tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

rKnowledge: The Spatial Diffusion of rDNA Methods

OpenAIRE

Maryann Feldman; Dieter Kogler; David Rigby

2013-01-01

The 1980 patent granted to Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer for their development of rDNA technology played a critical role in the establishment of the modern biotechnology industry. From the birth of this general purpose technology in the San Francisco Bay area, rDNA-related knowledge diffused across sectors and regions of the U.S. economy. The local absorption and application of rDNA technology is tracked across metropolitan areas with USPTO patent data. The influence of cognitive, geographi...

Inhibition of prostate cancer osteoblastic progression with VEGF121/rGel, a single agent targeting osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and tumor neovasculature.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamedali, Khalid A; Li, Zhi Gang; Starbuck, Michael W; Wan, Xinhai; Yang, Jun; Kim, Sehoon; Zhang, Wendy; Rosenblum, Michael G; Navone, Nora M

2011-04-15

A hallmark of prostate cancer (PCa) progression is the development of osteoblastic bone metastases, which respond poorly to available therapies. We previously reported that VEGF(121)/rGel targets osteoclast precursors and tumor neovasculature. Here we tested the hypothesis that targeting nontumor cells expressing these receptors can inhibit tumor progression in a clinically relevant model of osteoblastic PCa. Cells from MDA PCa 118b, a PCa xenograft obtained from a bone metastasis in a patient with castrate-resistant PCa, were injected into the femurs of mice. Osteoblastic progression was monitored following systemic administration of VEGF(121)/rGel. VEGF(121)/rGel was cytotoxic in vitro to osteoblast precursor cells. This cytotoxicity was specific as VEGF(121)/rGel internalization into osteoblasts was VEGF(121) receptor driven. Furthermore, VEGF(121)/rGel significantly inhibited PCa-induced bone formation in a mouse calvaria culture assay. In vivo, VEGF(121)/rGel significantly inhibited the osteoblastic progression of PCa cells in the femurs of nude mice. Microcomputed tomographic analysis revealed that VEGF(121)/rGel restored the bone volume fraction of tumor-bearing femurs to values similar to those of the contralateral (non-tumor-bearing) femurs. VEGF(121)/rGel significantly reduced the number of tumor-associated osteoclasts but did not change the numbers of peritumoral osteoblasts. Importantly, VEGF(121)/rGel-treated mice had significantly less tumor burden than control mice. Our results thus indicate that VEGF(121)/rGel inhibits osteoblastic tumor progression by targeting angiogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and bone formation. Targeting VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-1- or VEGFR-2-expressing cells is effective in controlling the osteoblastic progression of PCa in bone. These findings provide the basis for an effective multitargeted approach for metastatic PCa. ©2011 AACR.

Inhibition of prostate cancer osteoblastic progression with VEGF121/rGel, a single agent targeting osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and tumor neovasculature

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamedali, Khalid A.; Li, Zhi Gang; Starbuck, Michael W.; Wan, Xinhai; Yang, Jun; Kim, Sehoon; Zhang, Wendy; Rosenblum, Michael G.; Navone, Nora M.

2011-01-01

Purpose A hallmark of prostate cancer (PCa) progression is the development of osteoblastic bone metastases, which respond poorly to available therapies. We previously reported that VEGF121/rGel targets osteoclast precursors and tumor neovasculature. Here we tested the hypothesis that targeting non-tumor cells expressing these receptors can inhibit tumor progression in a clinically relevant model of osteoblastic PCa. Experimental Design Cells from MDA PCa 118b, a PCa xenograft obtained from a bone metastasis in a patient with castrate-resistant PCa, were injected into the femurs of mice. Osteoblastic progression was monitored following systemic administration of VEGF121/rGel. Results VEGF121/rGel was cytotoxic in vitro to osteoblast precursor cells. This cytotoxicity was specific as VEGF121/rGel internalization into osteoblasts was VEGF121 receptor driven. Furthermore, VEGF121/rGel significantly inhibited PCa-induced bone formation in a mouse calvaria culture assay. In vivo, VEGF121/rGel significantly inhibited the osteoblastic progression of PCa cells in the femurs of nude mice. Microcomputed tomography analysis revealed that VEGF121/rGel restored the bone volume fraction of tumor-bearing femurs to values similar to those of the contralateral (non–tumor bearing) femurs. VEGF121/rGel significantly reduced the number of tumor-associated osteoclasts but did not change the numbers of peritumoral osteoblasts. Importantly, VEGF121/rGel-treated mice had significantly less tumor burden than control mice. Our results thus indicate that VEGF121/rGel inhibits osteoblastic tumor progression by targeting angiogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and bone formation. Conclusions Targeting VEGFR-1 – or VEGFR-2–expressing cells is effective in controlling the osteoblastic progression of PCa in bone. These findings provide the basis for an effective multitargeted approach for metastatic PCa. PMID:21343372

Technical Note: Preliminary investigations into the use of a functionalised polymer to reduce diffusion in Fricke gel dosimeters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, S. T., E-mail: s164.smith@qut.edu.au; Masters, K.-S.; Hosokawa, K.; Blinco, J. P.; Trapp, J. V. [School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4000 (Australia); Crowe, S. B. [School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4000, Australia and Cancer Care Services, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane 4006 (Australia); Kairn, T. [School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4000, Australia and Genesis Cancer Care Queensland, Brisbane 4066 (Australia)

2015-12-15

Purpose: A modification of the existing PVA-FX hydrogel has been made to investigate the use of a functionalised polymer in a Fricke gel dosimetry system to decrease Fe{sup 3+} diffusion. Methods: The chelating agent, xylenol orange, was chemically bonded to the gelling agent, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to create xylenol orange functionalised PVA (XO-PVA). A gel was created from the XO-PVA (20% w/v) with ferrous sulfate (0.4 mM) and sulfuric acid (50 mM). Results: This resulted in an optical density dose sensitivity of 0.014 Gy{sup −1}, an auto-oxidation rate of 0.0005 h{sup −1}, and a diffusion rate of 0.129 mm{sup 2} h{sup −1}; an 8% reduction compared to the original PVA-FX gel, which in practical terms adds approximately 1 h to the time span between irradiation and accurate read-out. Conclusions: Because this initial method of chemically bonding xylenol orange to polyvinyl alcohol has inherently low conversion, the improvement on existing gel systems is minimal when compared to the drawbacks. More efficient methods of functionalising polyvinyl alcohol with xylenol orange must be developed for this system to gain clinical relevance.

Formulation and In Vitro Evaluation of Minoxidil Topical Gel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rabinarayan PARHI

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of the present investigation is to develop topical gel of minoxidil using model polymers such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose K4M (HPMC K4M and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC at different concentrations (1, 2 and 3% individually and in combination. The dmg and polymers compatibility study was carried out by FTIR teclmique. The gels were evaluated for dmg content, viscosity, pH, homogenity, grittiness and in vitro dmg release. The FTIR spectra of dmg alone and in physical mixture with polymers did not show any slıift in majör peaks, wlıich indicates no dmg-polymer interaction. Ali the data obtained from above physicochemical parameters were satisfactory. In vitro dmg release of gels was performed using Franz diffusion celi of 25 ınL capacity with cellulose acetate membrane in phosphate buffer pH 6.8 as receptor medium. According to the release study, the dmg release was decreasing with the increasing polymer concentration in each fonnulation. The correlation coefficient (r values demonstrate that the dmg release pattem followed Higuclıi model and the release exponent (n values were witlıin 0.45 to 0.85 for ali fonnulations except FG3, FG4 and FG7. The above results showed that swelling and diffusion (Non-Fickian diffusion were the dmg release mechanism. To know the marketing feasibility, the release data of ali the fonnulations were compared with the marketed formulation (Tugain gel and it was found tlıat formulation FG2 was lıaving lıighest similarity with similarity factor (f2 of 77.79

Cytotoxicity of VEGF121/rGel on vascular endothelial cells resulting in inhibition of angiogenesis is mediated via VEGFR-2

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Hittelman Walter N

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The fusion protein VEGF121/rGel composed of the growth factor VEGF121 and the plant toxin gelonin targets the tumor neovasculature and exerts impressive anti-vascular effects. We have previously shown that VEGF121/rGel is cytotoxic to endothelial cells overexpressing VEGFR-2 but not to endothelial cells overexpressing VEGFR-1. In this study, we examined the basis for the specific toxicity of this construct and assessed its intracellular effects in vitro and in vivo. Methods We investigated the binding, cytotoxicity and internalization profile of VEGF121/rGel on endothelial cells expressing VEGFR-1 or VEGFR-2, identified its effects on angiogenesis models in vitro and ex vivo, and explored its intracellular effects on a number of molecular pathways using microarray analysis. Results Incubation of PAE/VEGFR-2 and PAE/VEGFR-1 cells with 125I-VEGF121/rGel demonstrated binding specificity that was competed with unlabeled VEGF121/rGel but not with unlabeled gelonin. Assessment of the effect of VEGF121/rGel on blocking tube formation in vitro revealed a 100-fold difference in IC50 levels between PAE/VEGFR-2 (1 nM and PAE/VEGFR-1 (100 nM cells. VEGF121/rGel entered PAE/VEGFR-2 cells within one hour of treatment but was not detected in PAE/VEGFR-1 cells up to 24 hours after treatment. In vascularization studies using chicken chorioallantoic membranes, 1 nM VEGF121/rGel completely inhibited bFGF-stimulated neovascular growth. The cytotoxic effects of VEGF121/rGel were not apoptotic since treated cells were TUNEL-negative with no evidence of PARP cleavage or alteration in the protein levels of select apoptotic markers. Microarray analysis of VEGF121/rGel-treated HUVECs revealed the upregulation of a unique "fingerprint" profile of 22 genes that control cell adhesion, apoptosis, transcription regulation, chemotaxis, and inflammatory response. Conclusions Taken together, these data confirm the selectivity of VEGF121/rGel for VEGFR-2

Transdermal delivery of paeonol using cubic gel and microemulsion gel

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Maofu; Shen, Qi; Chen, Jinjin

2011-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to develop new systems for transdermal delivery of paeonol, in particular microemulsion gel and cubic gel formulations. Methods Various microemulsion vehicles were prepared using isopropyl myristate as an oil phase, polyoxyethylated castor oil (Cremophor® EL) as a surfactant, and polyethylene glycol 400 as a cosurfactant. In the optimum microemulsion gel formulation, carbomer 940 was selected as the gel matrix, and consisted of 1% paeonol, 4% isopropyl myristate, 28% Cremophor EL/polyethylene glycol 400 (1:1), and 67% water. The cubic gel was prepared containing 3% paeonol, 30% water, and 67% glyceryl monooleate. Results A skin permeability test using excised rat skins indicated that both the cubic gel and microemulsion gel formulations had higher permeability than did the paeonol solution. An in vivo pharmacokinetic study done in rats showed that the relative bioavailability of the cubic gel and microemulsion gel was enhanced by about 1.51-fold and 1.28-fold, respectively, compared with orally administered paeonol suspension. Conclusion Both the cubic gel and microemulsion gel formulations are promising delivery systems to enhance the skin permeability of paeonol, in particular the cubic gel. PMID:21904450

Analysis of rRNA gene methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana by CHEF-Conventional 2D gel electrophoresis

Science.gov (United States)

Mohannath, Gireesha; Pikaard, Craig S.

2017-01-01

Summary Contour-clamped homogenous electric field (CHEF) gel electrophoresis, a variant of Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), is a powerful technique for resolving large fragments of DNA (10 kb to 9 Mb). CHEF has many applications including the physical mapping of chromosomes, artificial chromosomes and sub-chromosomal DNA fragments, etc. Here we describe the use of CHEF and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to analyze rRNA gene methylation patterns within the two ~ 4 million base pair nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) of Arabidopsis thaliana. The method involves CHEF gel electrophoresis of agarose-embedded DNA following restriction endonuclease digestion to cut the NORs into large but resolvable segments, followed by digestion with methylation-sensitive restriction endonucleases and conventional (or CHEF) gel electrophoresis, in a second dimension. Resulting products are then detected by Southern blotting or PCR analyses capable of discriminating rRNA gene subtypes. PMID:27576719

Heparin modulates the endopeptidase activity of Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease cathepsin L-Like rCPB2.8.

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Wagner A S Judice

Full Text Available Cysteine protease B is considered crucial for the survival and infectivity of the Leishmania in its human host. Several microorganism pathogens bind to the heparin-like glycosaminoglycans chains of proteoglycans at host-cell surface to promote their attachment and internalization. Here, we have investigated the influence of heparin upon Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease rCPB2.8 activity.THE DATA ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT THE PRESENCE OF HEPARIN AFFECTS ALL STEPS OF THE ENZYME REACTION: (i it decreases 3.5-fold the k 1 and 4.0-fold the k -1, (ii it affects the acyl-enzyme accumulation with pronounced decrease in k 2 (2.7-fold, and also decrease in k 3 (3.5-fold. The large values of ΔG  =  12 kJ/mol for the association and dissociation steps indicate substantial structural strains linked to the formation/dissociation of the ES complex in the presence of heparin, which underscore a conformational change that prevents the diffusion of substrate in the rCPB2.8 active site. Binding to heparin also significantly decreases the α-helix content of the rCPB2.8 and perturbs the intrinsic fluorescence emission of the enzyme. The data strongly suggest that heparin is altering the ionization of catalytic (Cys(25-S(-/(His(163-Im(+ H ion pair of the rCPB2.8. Moreover, the interaction of heparin with the N-terminal pro-region of rCPB2.8 significantly decreased its inhibitory activity against the mature enzyme.Taken together, depending on their concentration, heparin-like glycosaminoglycans can either stimulate or antagonize the activity of cysteine protease B enzymes during parasite infection, suggesting that this glycoconjugate can anchor parasite cysteine protease at host cell surface.

An investigation of the chemical stability of a monomer/polymer gel dosimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Deene, Y.; De Wagter, C.; De Neve, W.; Achten, E.

2000-01-01

The aim of this work is to investigate the temporal stability of a polyacrylamide gelatin hydrogel used for 3D monomer/polymer gel dosimetry techniques involving different methods of analysis. Long-term instabilities for a similar gel have recently been reported, but differ markedly from those described in this work. Two kinds of long-term instabilities are described. One affects the slope of the dose-R 2 plot and is related to post-irradiation polymerization of the comonomer/polymer aggregates. It is observed that post-irradiation polymerization only lasts 12 hours after irradiation. The other instability affects the intercept of the dose-R 2 plot, lasts for up to 30 days and is related to the gelation process of gelatin. Further studies were performed on gelatin gels of varying compositions to obtain a better understanding of the molecular mechanism that causes the instability due to gelation. The studies included observations of the spin-spin and spin-lattice relaxation rates in combination with diffusion measurements and optical measurements. It is shown that the heating history during the manufacture of the gel affects the absolute R 2 value of the gel but not its variation. The findings presented in this study may help in producing more stable and reproducible monomer/polymer gel dosimeters. (author)

Dynamic Behaviors of Solvent Molecules Restricted in Poly (Acryl Amide Gels Analyzed by Dielectric and Diffusion NMR Spectroscopy

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Hironobu Saito

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Dynamics of solvent molecules restricted in poly (acryl amide gels immersed in solvent mixtures of acetone–, 1,4-dioxane–, and dimethyl sulfoxide–water were analyzed by the time domain reflectometry method of dielectric spectroscopy and the pulse field gradient method of nuclear magnetic resonance. Restrictions of dynamic behaviors of solvent molecules were evaluated from relaxation parameters such as the relaxation time, its distribution parameter, and the relaxation strength obtained by dielectric measurements, and similar behaviors with polymer concentration dependences for the solutions were obtained except for the high polymer concentration in collapsed gels. Scaling analyses for the relaxation time and diffusion coefficient respectively normalized by those for bulk solvent suggested that the scaling exponent determined from the scaling variable defined as a ratio of the size of solvent molecule to mesh size of polymer networks were three and unity, respectively, except for collapsed gels. The difference in these components reflects characteristic molecular interactions in the rotational and translational diffusions, and offered a physical picture of the restriction of solvent dynamics. A universal treatment of slow dynamics due to the restriction from polymer chains suggests a new methodology of characterization of water structures.

Basic investigations on LCV micelle gel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebenezer, S B; Rafic, M K; Ravindran, P B

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using Leuco Crystal Violet (LCV) based micelle gel dosimeter as a quality assurance tool in radiotherapy applications. Basic properties such as absorption coefficient and diffusion of LCV gel phantom over time were evaluated. The gel formulation consisted of 25 mM Trichloroacetic acid, 1mM LCV, 4 mM Triton X-100, 4% gelatin by mass and distilled water. The advantages of using this gel are its tissue equivalence, easy and less preparation time, lower diffusion rate and it can be read with an optical scanner. We were able to reproduce some of the results of Babic et al. The peak absorption was found to be at 600 nm and hence a matrix of yellow LEDs was used as light source. The profiles obtained from projection images confirmed the diffusion of LCV gel after 6 hours of irradiation. Hence the LCV gel phantom should be read before 6 hours post irradiation to get accurate dose information as suggested previously.

Diffusion of Oxygen in Alginate Gels Related to the Kinetics of Methanol Oxidation by Immobilized Hansenula polymorpha Cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hiemstra, Harry; Dijkhuizen, Lubbert; Harder, Willem

1983-01-01

In the yeast Hansenula polymorpha an oxygen-requiring enzyme, alcohol oxidase, catalyzes the conversion of methanol into formaldehyde. After growth on methanol cells of the organism were harvested and entrapped in barium-alginate gels. The diffusion of oxygen towards these cells is seriously

Li+ ions diffusion into sol-gel V2O5 thin films: electrochromic properties

Science.gov (United States)

Benmoussa, M.; Outzourhit, A.; Bennouna, A.; Ihlal, A.

2009-10-01

V{2}O{5} thin films were prepared by the sol-gel spin coating process. The Li+ ions insertion effect on optical and electrochromic properties of those films was studied. The diffusion coefficient was calculated using both cyclic voltammograms and chronoamperometric curves. The amount x of Li+ ions in LixV{2}O{5} was also calculated. Finally, the electrochromic performance evolution characteristics such as the reversibility, coloration efficiency, coloration memory stability and response time were studied.

Transport Phenomena in Gel

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Masayuki Tokita

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Gel becomes an important class of soft materials since it can be seen in a wide variety of the chemical and the biological systems. The unique properties of gel arise from the structure, namely, the three-dimensional polymer network that is swollen by a huge amount of solvent. Despite the small volume fraction of the polymer network, which is usually only a few percent or less, gel shows the typical properties that belong to solids such as the elasticity. Gel is, therefore, regarded as a dilute solid because its elasticity is much smaller than that of typical solids. Because of the diluted structure, small molecules can pass along the open space of the polymer network. In addition to the viscous resistance of gel fluid, however, the substance experiences resistance due to the polymer network of gel during the transport process. It is, therefore, of importance to study the diffusion of the small molecules in gel as well as the flow of gel fluid itself through the polymer network of gel. It may be natural to assume that the effects of the resistance due to the polymer network of gel depends strongly on the network structure. Therefore, detailed study on the transport processes in and through gel may open a new insight into the relationship between the structure and the transport properties of gel. The two typical transport processes in and through gel, that is, the diffusion of small molecules due to the thermal fluctuations and the flow of gel fluid that is caused by the mechanical pressure gradient will be reviewed.

Real-time UV imaging of piroxicam diffusion and distribution from oil solutions into gels mimicking the subcutaneous matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Fengbin; Larsen, Susan Weng; Yaghmur, Anan; Jensen, Henrik; Larsen, Claus; Østergaard, Jesper

2012-05-12

A novel real-time UV imaging approach for non-intrusive investigation of the diffusion and partitioning phenomena occurring during piroxicam release from medium chain triglyceride (MCT) solution into two hydrogel matrices is described. Two binary polymer/buffer gel matrices, 0.5% (w/v) agarose and 25% (w/v) Pluronic F127, were applied as simple models mimicking the subcutaneous tissue. The evolution of the absorbance maps as a function of time provided detailed information on the piroxicam release processes upon the exposure of the gel matrices to MCT. Using calibration curves, the concentration maps of piroxicam in the UV imaging area were determined. Regression of the longitudinal concentration-distance profiles, which were obtained using expressions derived from Fick's second law, provided the diffusivity and the distribution coefficients of piroxicam penetrated into the gels. The obtained MCT-agarose (pH 7.4) distribution coefficient of 1.4 was identical to the MCT-aqueous (pH 7.4) distribution coefficient determined by the shake-flask method whereas that of the MCT-Pluronic F127 system was four times less. The experimental data show that UV imaging may have considerable potential for investigating the transport properties of drug formulations intended for the subcutaneous administration. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photoluminescence studies of ZnO thin films on R-plane sapphire substrates grown by sol-gel method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Min Su [Department of Nano Systems Engineering, Center for Nano Manufacturing, Inje University, Gimhae, Gyungnam 621-749 (Korea, Republic of); Nam, Giwoong; Kim, Soaram [Department of Nano Engineering, Inje University, Gimhae, Gyungnam 621-749 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Do Yeob [Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 (United States); Lee, Dong-Yul [LED R and D team, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Yongin 446-711 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jin Soo [Research Center of Advanced Materials Development (RCAMD), Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Chonbuk 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sung-O [Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 (United States); Kim, Jong Su [Department of Physics, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do 712-749 (Korea, Republic of); Son, Jeong-Sik [Department of Visual Optics, Kyungwoon University, Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do 730-850 (Korea, Republic of); Leem, Jae-Young, E-mail: jyleem@inje.ac.kr [Department of Nano Systems Engineering, Center for Nano Manufacturing, Inje University, Gimhae, Gyungnam 621-749 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films on R-plane sapphire substrates were grown by the sol-gel spin-coating method. The optical properties of the ZnO thin films were investigated using photoluminescence. In the UV range, the asymmetric near-band-edge emission was observed at 300 K, which consisted of two emissions at 3.338 and 3.279 eV. Eight peaks at 3.418, 3.402, 3.360, 3.288, 3.216, 3.145, 3.074, and 3.004 eV, which respectively correspond to the free exciton (FX), bound exciton, transverse optical (TO) phonon replica of FX recombination, and first-order longitudinal optical phonon replica of FX and the TO (1LO+TO), 2LO+TO, 3LO+TO, 4LO+TO, and 5LO+TO, were obtained at 12 K. From the temperature-dependent PL, it was found that the emission peaks at 3.338 and 3.279 eV corresponded to the FX and TO, respectively. The activation energy of the FX and TO emission peaks was found to be about 39.3 and 28.9 meV, respectively. The values of the fitting parameters of Varshni's empirical equation were {alpha}=4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} eV/K and {beta}=4.9 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 3} K, and the S factor of the ZnO thin films was 0.658. With increasing temperature, the exciton radiative lifetime of the FX and TO emissions increased. The temperature-dependent variation of the exciton radiative lifetime for the TO emission was slightly higher than that for the FX emission. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ZnO thin films on R-plane sapphire substrates were grown by sol-gel method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Two emission peaks at 3.338 and 3.279 eV were observed at 300 K Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Activation energies of the two peaks were 39.3 and 28.9 meV,respectively. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Exciton radiative lifetime of the two peaks increased with increasing temperature.

miR-29b, miR-205 and miR-221 enhance chemosensitivity to gemcitabine in HuH28 human cholangiocarcinoma cells.

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Kinya Okamoto

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA is highly resistant to chemotherapy, including gemcitabine (Gem treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs are endogenous, non-coding, short RNAs that can regulate multiple genes expression. Some miRNAs play important roles in the chemosensitivity of tumors. Here, we examined the relationship between miRNA expression and the sensitivity of CCA cells to Gem. METHODS: Microarray analysis was used to determine the miRNA expression profiles of two CCA cell lines, HuH28 and HuCCT1. To determine the effect of candidate miRNAs on Gem sensitivity, expression of each candidate miRNA was modified via either transfection of a miRNA mimic or transfection of an anti-oligonucleotide. Ontology-based programs were used to identify potential target genes of candidate miRNAs that were confirmed to affect the Gem sensitivity of CCA cells. RESULTS: HuCCT1 cells were more sensitive to Gem than were HuH28 cells, and 18 miRNAs were differentially expressed whose ratios over ± 2log2 between HuH28 and HuCCT1. Among these 18 miRNAs, ectopic overexpression of each of three downregulated miRNAs in HuH28 (miR-29b, miR-205, miR-221 restored Gem sensitivity to HuH28. Suppression of one upregulated miRNA in HuH28, miR-125a-5p, inhibited HuH28 cell proliferation independently to Gem treatment. Selective siRNA-mediated downregulation of either of two software-predicted targets, PIK3R1 (target of miR-29b and miR-221 or MMP-2 (target of miR-29b, also conferred Gem sensitivity to HuH28. CONCLUSIONS: miRNA expression profiling was used to identify key miRNAs that regulate Gem sensitivity in CCA cells, and software that predicts miRNA targets was used to identify promising target genes for anti-tumor therapies.

Comparison of the method of diffusive gels in thin films with conventional extraction techniques for evaluating zinc accumulation in plants and isopods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koster, Marijke [National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Laboratory for Ecological Risk Assessment, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven (Netherlands); Open University Netherlands, Heerlen (Netherlands); Reijnders, Lucas [Open University Netherlands, Heerlen (Netherlands); Oost, Nathalie R. van [National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Laboratory for Ecological Risk Assessment, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven (Netherlands); Peijnenburg, Willie J.G.M. [National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Laboratory for Ecological Risk Assessment, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven (Netherlands)]. E-mail: wjgm.peijnenburg@rivm.nl

2005-01-01

The measurement of diffusive gels in thin films (DGT) has recently been developed to assess metal bioavailability in soils. The DGT-method is based on diffusion in a porous matrix. To test the predictive capabilities of the method with regard to metal bioavailability, a study was set up with 28 soils having a variety of textures and amounts of zinc salts added. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to compare DGT-extracted zinc levels to zinc concentrations obtained by extraction with 0.01 M CaCl{sub 2} and 0.43 M HNO{sub 3}, digestion with aqua regia and the zinc concentration in pore water. The amount of zinc extracted with CaCl{sub 2} correlated well with DGT-extracted zinc levels in all soils spiked with different amounts of ZnCl{sub 2}. A similar correlation was not found for zinc concentrations in soil samples collected in the field. Experiments were performed to compare zinc content in organisms and in soils. The organisms tested were plants (grass, lettuce and lupine) and the hard bodied soil dwelling isopod Oniscus asellus. Good correlations were found between zinc accumulation in grass and lettuce and the C{sub E} (effective concentration) measured by a DGT-device, CaCl{sub 2} extracted zinc and the zinc content in the pore water of all soils. The correlation with C{sub E} was not significant for lupine, neither for spiked soils, nor for field soils (p {<=} 0.001). Zinc levels in the isopods were not significantly related to any set of zinc measurements. From a synthesis of all results obtained it is concluded that the DGT-methodology does not have an additional value in predicting bioavailability of zinc in terrestrial ecosystems as compared to conventional extraction methods. - Capsule: The newly developed method of diffusive gels in Thin films (DGT) does not have an added value over conventional extraction techniques in predicting zinc uptake by plants and isopods.

Comparison of the method of diffusive gels in thin films with conventional extraction techniques for evaluating zinc accumulation in plants and isopods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koster, Marijke; Reijnders, Lucas; Oost, Nathalie R. van; Peijnenburg, Willie J.G.M.

2005-01-01

The measurement of diffusive gels in thin films (DGT) has recently been developed to assess metal bioavailability in soils. The DGT-method is based on diffusion in a porous matrix. To test the predictive capabilities of the method with regard to metal bioavailability, a study was set up with 28 soils having a variety of textures and amounts of zinc salts added. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to compare DGT-extracted zinc levels to zinc concentrations obtained by extraction with 0.01 M CaCl 2 and 0.43 M HNO 3 , digestion with aqua regia and the zinc concentration in pore water. The amount of zinc extracted with CaCl 2 correlated well with DGT-extracted zinc levels in all soils spiked with different amounts of ZnCl 2 . A similar correlation was not found for zinc concentrations in soil samples collected in the field. Experiments were performed to compare zinc content in organisms and in soils. The organisms tested were plants (grass, lettuce and lupine) and the hard bodied soil dwelling isopod Oniscus asellus. Good correlations were found between zinc accumulation in grass and lettuce and the C E (effective concentration) measured by a DGT-device, CaCl 2 extracted zinc and the zinc content in the pore water of all soils. The correlation with C E was not significant for lupine, neither for spiked soils, nor for field soils (p ≤ 0.001). Zinc levels in the isopods were not significantly related to any set of zinc measurements. From a synthesis of all results obtained it is concluded that the DGT-methodology does not have an additional value in predicting bioavailability of zinc in terrestrial ecosystems as compared to conventional extraction methods. - Capsule: The newly developed method of diffusive gels in Thin films (DGT) does not have an added value over conventional extraction techniques in predicting zinc uptake by plants and isopods

Use of Magic polymer gels for dosimetry of unsealed source of yttrium 90

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meynard, K.; Bordage, M.C.; Cassol, E.; Courbon, F.; Ravel, P.

2007-01-01

Polymer gels are relative chemical dosimeters. They allow to access to three-dimensional dose distribution. The aim of this study has been to investigate the preparation and the use of a polymer gel with a tissue equivalent density known as MAGIC gel from magnetic resonance imaging and x-ray computed tomography for non-sealed source dosimetry. This kind of gel is 'normoxic' because it can be manufactured and used in normal room atmosphere. In the first part of this study, its accuracy and sensibility were studied using external beam irradiation by photons. Spin-spin relaxation rate (R 2 ) and Computed Tomography (CT) number had been used to record gel responses. Using the same manufacture process. radiolabelled gels composed of 95% MAGIC gel and 5% of 90 Y termed 90 Y-MAGIC 95 with varying activity ranged from 0 to 30 MBq were made. In case of photon external beam irradiation, a linear response is observed whatever the calibration method and the imaging system used (the correlation coefficient r 2 > 0.98 in all cases). 90 Y-MAGIC 95 radiolabelled gel responses were recorded after 28. 76 and 124 h. The R 2 /dose curves are not linear: three phases can be described. the first being linear with a slow slope (0.14 s -1 Gy -1 instead of 0.41 s -1 Gy -1 for external beam irradiation of the same gel batch). This study shows safety of radiolabelled MAGIC gels manufacturing process and their large dosimetric feasibility. 90 Y-MAGIC 95 gel response appears to be reproducible and related to the absorbed dose, thus this gel is a promising tool for non-sealed source dosimetry. (authors)

Enhancing Antidepressant Effect of Poloxamer/Chitosan Thermosensitive Gel Containing Curcumin-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex

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Ye Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Poor solubility and bioavailability are limiting factors for the clinical application of curcumin. This study seeks to develop poloxamer/chitosan thermosensitive gel containing curcumin-cyclodextrin inclusion complex with enhanced brain bioavailability and antidepressant effect. The optimized gel had shorter gelation time and produced sustained release in vitro characterized with non-Fickian diffusion. Pharmacokinetics of gel were evaluated using male Sprague-Dawley rats receiving 240 μg/kg of curcumin and curcumin-cyclodextrin inclusion complex through intranasal administration, compared against a control group receiving intravenous curcumin (240 μg/kg. The intranasal administration of gel provided sustained release by maintaining plasma concentrations of curcumin above 21.27 ± 3.26 ng/mL for up to 8 h. Compared to intranasal administration of the inclusion complex, AUC0–8 h of curcumin from thermoreversible gel in plasma and hippocampus was increased 1.62- and 1.28-fold, respectively. The gel exhibited superior antidepressant activity in mice. The findings reported here suggested that the clinical application of curcumin can be better exploited through an intranasal administration of the thermosensitive gel.

Characterization and inhibitive study of gel-grown hydroxyapatite crystals at physiological temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Parekh, Bharat; Joshi, Mihir; Vaidya, Ashok

2008-04-01

Hydroxyapatite is very useful for various biomedical applications, due to its chemical similarity with mineralized bone of human. Hydroxyapatite is also responsible for arthropathy (joint disease). In the present study, the growth of hydroxyapatite crystals was carried out by using single-diffusion gel growth technique in silica hydro gel media, at physiological temperature. The growth of hydroxyapatite crystals under slow and controlled environment in gel medium can be simulated in a simple manner to the growth in human body. The crystals, formed in the Liesegang rings, were characterized by powder XRD, FTIR and dielectric study. The diffusion study is also carried out for the hydroxyapatite crystals using the moving boundary model. The inhibitive influence of various Ayurvedic medicinal plant extracts such as Boswellia serrata gum resin , Tribulus terrestris fruits, Rotula aquatica roots, Boerhaavia diffusa roots and Commiphora wightii, on the growth of hydroxyapatite was studied. Roots of R. aquatica and B. diffusa show some inhibition of the hydroxyapatite crystals in vitro. This preclinical study will be helpful to design the therapy for prevention of hydroxyapatite-based ailments.

Stacking gels: A method for maximising output for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

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Heng See

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE, the gold standard of molecular typing methods, has a major disadvantage of an unusually long electrophoretic time. From the original protocol of 6 days, it was modified to 3 days and subsequently to a single day. We describe the procedure of stacking five to six gels one on top of another in order to increase and maximize the output in a shorter time without compromising the resolution and reproducibility. All the variables that affect pulsed field gels during electrophoresis were taken into consideration. We firstly optimized the parameters to be used and secondly determined whether stacking of five to six gels had any effect on the molecular separation during electrophoresis in comparison with a single gel run. DNA preparation, restriction, electrophoresis, staining and gel documentation was carried out based on previously published methods. Gels were analysed using BioNumerics and dice coefficient and unweighted pair group methods were used to generate dendrograms based on 1.5% tolerance values. Identical band profiles and band resolution-separation were seen in the PFGE patterns with single gel and multiple stacking gels. Cluster analysis further strengthened the fact that results from stacking gels were reproducible and comparable with a single gel run. This method of stacking gels saves time and maximizes the output at the same time. The run time for a single gel was about 28 hours, but with six stacked gels the run time was 54 hours compared with 28 x 6 = 168 hours if they were run separately as single gels thus saving time of 67.86%. Beside the big factor of saving time, stacking gels save resources (electricity, reagents, water, chemicals and working time by increasing the sample throughput in a shorter time without compromising on quality of data. But optimization of working parameters is vital depending on the PFGE system used.

Extraction of americium (III) by thermosensitive polymer gel copolymerized with acidic phosphorus compound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeshita, Kenji; Nakano, Yoshio; Matsumura, Tatsuro

2001-01-01

A new gel-liquid extraction using a thermosensitive gel was proposed. The thermosensitive gel shows the conformational change of polymer network with temperature, which is known as the phase transition phenomena of gel. The extraction rate and equilibrium of Am(III) in an aqueous solution containing nitrate ion were measured batchwise by using a thermosensitive gel, N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) copolymerized with 2-methacryloyloxy- ethylacidphosphate (MR). The effects of the conformational change of polymer network on the extraction rate and equilibrium were discussed. The distribution ratio of Am(III) showed a large value at higher than LCST (low critical solution temperature; 34degC) and was decreased by the phase transition of gel from shrinking to swelling with decreasing temperature. The extraction of Am(III) in the aqueous solution and the release of Am(III) extracted in the gel were repeated stably by the temperature swing operation between 40 and 3degC. The extraction mechanism of Am(III) was described simply as Am 3+ + 3R - OH=(R-O) 3 Am + 3H + (R-OH: MR). The equilibrium constant at the shrinking state (40degC) was more than 3 times of that at swelling state (3degC). The gel-phase diffusivity of Eu(III) used as a substitute of Am(III) was evaluated as the order of 10 -12 m 2 /s at either of 3 or 40degC, which was similar to those for practical extraction chromatographic resins. The temperature-response of gel for the extraction of Eu(III) was very excellent without delay even for the rapid temperature change at 10degC/min. These results suggest that the extraction and release of Am(III) in an aqueous solution can be controlled by the conformational change of polymer network of thermosensitive gel. (author)

Chiral gels derived from secondary ammonium salts of (1R,3S-(+-camphoric acid

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Tapas Kumar Adalder

2010-09-01

Full Text Available In order to have access to chiral gels, a series of salts derived from (1R,3S-(+-camphoric acid and various secondary amines were prepared based on supramolecular synthon rationale. Out of seven salts prepared, two showed moderate gelation abilities. The gels were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, table top rheology, scanning electron microscopy, single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. Structure property correlation based on X-ray diffraction techniques remain inconclusive indicating that some of the integrated part associated with the gelation phenomena requires a better understanding.

Study of gel materials as radioactive 222Rn gas detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espinosa, G.; Golzarri, J. I.; Rickards, J.; Gammage, R. B.

2006-01-01

Commercial hair gel material (polyvinyl pyrolidone triethanolamine carbo-pol in water) and bacteriological agar (phycocolloid extracted from a group of red-purple algae, usually Gelidium sp.) have been studied as radioactive radon gas detectors. The detection method is based on the diffusion of the radioactive gas in the gel material, and the subsequent measurement of trapped products of the natural decay of radon by gamma spectrometry. From the several radon daughters with gamma radiation emission ( 214 Pb, 214 Bi, 214 Po, 210 Pb, 210 Po), two elements, 214 Pb (0.352 MeV) and 214 Bi (0.609 MeV), were chosen for the analysis in this work; in order to determine the best sensitivity, corrections were made for the short half-life of the analysed isotopes. For the gamma spectrometry analysis, a hyper-pure germanium solid state detector was used, associated with a PC multichannel analyser card with Maestro R and Microsoft R Excel R software. The results show the viability of the method: a linear response in a wide radon concentration range (450-10,000 Bq m -3 ), reproducibility of data, easy handling and low cost of the gel material. This detection methodology opens new possibilities for measurements of radon and other radioactive gases. (authors)

Insights into gelation kinetics and gel front migration in cation-induced polysaccharide hydrogels by viscoelastic and turbidity measurements: Effect of the nature of divalent cations.

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Uyen T D; Chambin, Odile; du Poset, Aline Maire; Assifaoui, Ali

2018-06-15

Polysaccharide-based hydrogels were prepared by the diffusion of various divalent cations (X 2+ ) into the polygalacturonate (polyGal) solution through a dialysis membrane. The diffusion of various divalent cations (Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Zn 2+ and Ba 2+ ) was investigated. The polyGal gel growth was studied as a function of the initial cation concentration by both viscoelastic and turbidity measurements. We have demonstrated for the first time that the determination of the spatiotemporal variation of turbidity during the gelation process allowed to study the gel front migration. For Ca-polyGal, Zn-polyGal and Ba-polyGal, the gel front migration was characterized by the presence of a peak at the sol/gel interface. This peak was not observed in the case of Mg-polyGal where the gel was not formed. The apparent diffusion coefficient of the gel front (D app ) which was calculated from the evolution of this peak increased when the initial cation concentration was increased. Moreover, we have suggested a gelation mechanism based on the presence of a threshold molar ratio R* (=[X 2+ ]/[Galacturonic unit]) in which some point-like crosslinks are precursors of the formation of dimers and multimers inducing the contraction of the gel and thus the formation of the gel front. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetic nanosized rare earth iron garnets R_3Fe_5O_1_2: Sol–gel fabrication, characterization and reinspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Opuchovic, Olga; Kareiva, Aivaras; Mazeika, Kestutis; Baltrunas, Dalis

2017-01-01

The magnetic nanosized rare earth iron garnets (R_3Fe_5O_1_2, where R=Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) were prepared by an aqueous sol–gel method. Herein we present, that all these garnets can be obtained by this effective synthesis method simply by changing the temperature of the final annealing. It was also demonstrated, that a different annealing temperature leads to a different particle size distribution of the final product. The SEM analysis results revealed that the smallest particles were formed in the range of 75–130 nm. The phase purity and structure of the rare earth iron garnets were estimated using XRD analysis and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Magnetic properties were determined by magnetization measurements. The relation between the particle size, composition and magnetic properties of the sol-gel derived garnets were also discussed in this study. - Highlights: • First time series of R_3Fe_5O_1_2 (R=from Sm to Lu) are prepared by sol–gel process. • Different sintering temperature leads to the different particle size distribution. • Correlation between microstructure, composition and magnetic properties is shown.

Influence of in-office whitening gel pH on hydrogen peroxide diffusion through enamel and color changes in bovine teeth.

Science.gov (United States)

Pignoly, Christian; Camps, Lila; Susini, Guy; About, Imad; Camps, Jean

2012-04-01

To assess the influence of in-office whitening gel pH on whitening efficiency. Hydrogen peroxide diffusion and color changes on bovine teeth were assessed. Three gels with close hydrogen peroxide concentrations but with various pH levels were tested: Zoom 2 (Discus Dental), Opalescence Endo and Opalescence Boost (Ultradent). The pH levels were respectively: 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0. Thirty enamel slices and tooth crowns were used for both studies (n = 10 per group per study). Hydrogen peroxide diffusion through the enamel slices and the tooth crowns was spectrophotometrically recorded every 10 minutes for 1 hour to calculate the diffusion coefficients. Color changes were spectrophotometrically recorded every 10 minutes for 1 hour and quantified in term of CIE-Lab. The hydrogen peroxide diffusion coefficient through enamel ranged from 5.12 +/- 0.82 x 10(-9) cm2 s(-1) for pH 3 to 5.19 +/- 0.92 x 10(-9) cm2 S(-1) for pH 7. Through tooth crowns it ranged from 4.80 +/- 1.75 x 10(-10) cm2 s(-1) for pH 5 to 4.85 +/- 1.82 x 10(-10) cm2 s(-1) for pH 3. After 1 hour, the deltaE varied from 5.6 +/- 4.0 for pH 7 to 7.0 +/- 5.0 for pH 3 on enamel slices and from 3.9 +/- 2.5 for pH 5 to 4.9 +/- 3.5 for pH 7 on tooth crowns. There was no statistically significant difference between groups for both parameters.

Steady-state leaching of tritiated water from silica gel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Das, H.A.; Hou, Xiaolin

2009-01-01

Aqueous leaching of tritium from silica gel, loaded by absorption of water vapor, makes part of reactor de-commissioning. It is found to follow the formulation of steady-state diffusion.......Aqueous leaching of tritium from silica gel, loaded by absorption of water vapor, makes part of reactor de-commissioning. It is found to follow the formulation of steady-state diffusion....

A theory for fracture of polymeric gels

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Yunwei; Anand, Lallit

2018-06-01

A polymeric gel is a cross-linked polymer network swollen with a solvent. If the concentration of the solvent or the deformation is increased to substantial levels, especially in the presence of flaws, then the gel may rupture. Although various theoretical aspects of coupling of fluid permeation with large deformation of polymeric gels are reasonably well-understood and modeled in the literature, the understanding and modeling of the effects of fluid diffusion on the damage and fracture of polymeric gels is still in its infancy. In this paper we formulate a thermodynamically-consistent theory for fracture of polymeric gels - a theory which accounts for the coupled effects of fluid diffusion, large deformations, damage, and also the gradient effects of damage. The particular constitutive equations for fracture of a gel proposed in our paper, contain two essential new ingredients: (i) Our constitutive equation for the change in free energy of a polymer network accounts for not only changes in the entropy, but also changes in the internal energy due the stretching of the Kuhn segments of the polymer chains in the network. (ii) The damage and failure of the polymer network is taken to occur by chain-scission, a process which is driven by the changes in the internal energy of the stretched polymer chains in the network, and not directly by changes in the configurational entropy of the polymer chains. The theory developed in this paper is numerically implemented in an open-source finite element code MOOSE, by writing our own application. Using this simulation capability we report on our study of the fracture of a polymeric gel, and some interesting phenomena which show the importance of the diffusion of the fluid on fracture response of the gel are highlighted.

Permeability and Diffusion Coefficients of Single Methyl Lactate Enantiomers in Nafion® and Cellophane Membranes Measured in Diffusion Cell.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hovorka, Š.; Randová, A.; Borbášová, T.; Sysel, P.; Vychodilová, Hana; Červenková Šťastná, Lucie; Brožová, Libuše; Žitka, Jan; Storch, Jan; Kačírková, Marie; Drašar, P.; Izák, Pavel

2016-01-01

Roč. 158, JAN 28 (2016), s. 322-332 ISSN 1383-5866 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP106/12/0569 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 ; RVO:61389013 Keywords : diffusion coefficient measurement * permeability * nafion * cellophane * chirality of polymer membrane Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Impact factor: 3.359, year: 2016

High Ionic Liquid Content Polymeric Gel Membranes: Correlation of Membrane Structure with Gas and Vapour Transport Properties

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Friess, K.; Jansen, J. C.; Bazzarelli, F.; Izák, Pavel; Jarmarová, Veronika; Kačírková, Marie; Schauer, Jan; Clarizia, G.; Bernardo, P.

2012-01-01

Roč. 415, OCT 1 (2012), s. 801-809 ISSN 0376-7388 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 7C11009 Grant - others:RFCS(XE) RFCR-CT-2010-00009 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 ; RVO:61389013 Keywords : Ionic liquidmembrane * polymer gel * diffusion Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Impact factor: 4.093, year: 2012

Étude des matrices sol-gel en film mince par détection de molécule unique en champ large : diffusion moléculaire et agrégation photo-induite

Science.gov (United States)

Nutarelli, D.; Débarre, A.; Jaffiol, R.; Julien, C.; Richard, A.; Tchénio, P.; Chaput, F.; Boilot, J. P.

2004-11-01

La fluorescence de molécules de colorant dans des matrices sol-gel en film mince a été étudiée par détection de molécule unique. Outre les phénomènes de photo-blanchiment et de clignotement, un processus de photo-agrégation a été observé. Ce phénomène, dont la dynamique dépend de la présence d'oxygène, de l'intensité du laser d'excitation et de la température, montre l'existence de deux classes de molécules dans l'échantillon. Des molécules immobiles et d'autres qui diffusent. L'analyse de la dynamique d'agrégation permettra de dégager certaines caractéristiques du mécanisme de photo-agrégation et d'appréhender le rôle joué par la matrice sol-gel dans ce processus.

p53 Represses the Oncogenic Sno-MiR-28 Derived from a SnoRNA.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Yu

Full Text Available p53 is a master tumour repressor that participates in vast regulatory networks, including feedback loops involving microRNAs (miRNAs that regulate p53 and that themselves are direct p53 transcriptional targets. We show here that a group of polycistronic miRNA-like non-coding RNAs derived from small nucleolar RNAs (sno-miRNAs are transcriptionally repressed by p53 through their host gene, SNHG1. The most abundant of these, sno-miR-28, directly targets the p53-stabilizing gene, TAF9B. Collectively, p53, SNHG1, sno-miR-28 and TAF9B form a regulatory loop which affects p53 stability and downstream p53-regulated pathways. In addition, SNHG1, SNORD28 and sno-miR-28 are all significantly upregulated in breast tumours and the overexpression of sno-miR-28 promotes breast epithelial cell proliferation. This research has broadened our knowledge of the crosstalk between small non-coding RNA pathways and roles of sno-miRNAs in p53 regulation.

Study by {alpha}-particle scattering, of the collective states of closed shell nuclei with 28 neutrons, 28 and 50 protons; Etude des etats a caractere collectif des noyaux au voisinage des couches fermees par diffusion inelastique des particules {alpha}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruge, G [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1967-01-01

This report gives the results from a systematic study by 44 MeV {alpha} particle scattering on the collective states of closed shell nuclei with 28 neutrons, 28 and 50 protons especially in the energy region corresponding to the two phonon vibrational triplet. The nuclei studied are: {sup 46}Ti, {sup 48}Ti, {sup 50}Ti, {sup 52}Cr, {sup 54}Fe, {sup 56}Fe, {sup 58}Fe, {sup 58}Ni, {sup 60}Ni, {sup 62}Ni, {sup 64}Ni, {sup 112}Sn, {sup 114}Sn, {sup 116}Sn, {sup 118}Sn, {sup 120}Sn, {sup 122}Sn and {sup 124}Sn. The theoretical analysis has been made with the Austern and Blair model using a phase shift analysis of the elastic scattering. Deformation lengths {delta}{sub I} = {beta}{sub I}R and transition probabilities obtained are compared with several experimental and theoretical data. (author) [French] Ce rapport donne les resultats d'une etude systematique par diffusion de particules {alpha} de 44 MeV des etats collectifs des noyaux au voisinage des couches fermees a 28 neutrons et 28 et 50 protons, specialement dans la region correspondant au triplet vibrationnel a deux phonons. Les noyaux etudies sont: {sup 46}Ti, {sup 48}Ti, {sup 50}Ti, {sup 52}Cr, {sup 54}Fe, {sup 56}Fe, {sup 58}Fe, {sup 58}Ni, {sup 60}Ni, {sup 62}Ni, {sup 64}Ni, {sup 112}Sn, {sup 114}Sn, {sup 116}Sn, {sup 118}Sn, {sup 120}Sn, {sup 122}Sn et {sup 124}Sn. L'analyse theorique a ete faite a l'aide du modele de Austern et Blair utilisant une analyse en dephasages de la diffusion elastique. Les longueurs de deformation {delta}I = {beta}{sub I}R obtenues pour chaque niveau sont comparees a plusieurs donnees experimentales et theoriques. (auteur)

Study of silica sol-gel materials for sensor development

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Qiong

in disrupting R6G/silica attraction. Similar post-grafting method was applied to highly hydrated silica hydrogel monoliths. Rhodamine 6G (R6G) and fluorescein (Fl) molecules were used as probes to monitor the surface modification inside silica hydrogel by measuring anisotropy values of doped dyes. Due to the larger pore sizes, pore surface modification inside hydrogel was more effective than in alcogel. Surface modification by chemical reactions of 3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) showed dramatic effect on guest molecule mobility, whereas surface modification by physical method, that is to increase ionic strength by using 1.0 M sodium chloride or to neutralize pore surfaces by adding pH 2.0 hydrochloric acid, barely showed any effect. Charge-reversal by APTS is a more effective way to modify pore surfaces in hydrogel than hydrophobic capping from MTES. The ease of tracking surface modification inside hydrogel by simply locating R6G dye band, and the negligible pore fluid effect on R6G in modified hydrogel makes R6G a better probe than Fl to monitor the pore surface modification process in silica hydrogel monoliths. During the study of post-grafting on silica alcogel thin film, a new approach to produce stable silica hydrogel-like thin films was discovered. Homogeneous thin film hydrogel-like samples with thickness between 100 nm and 300 nm were produced, and they showed a very hydrophilic surface, high dye loading capacity, and the support of molecular diffusion. The reactive stage of starting silica gel matrix was elongated by increasing environmental humidity, the reproducibility of sample preparation was greatly improved by controlling environmental humidity, and the dye loading capacity of samples was improved more than ten times by using phosphate buffer solutions (PBS). The concentration of R6G trapped inside hydrogel-like thin film could reach as high as 900 times of its saturated aqueous solution. Dye encapsulation can

destiny: diffusion maps for large-scale single-cell data in R.

Science.gov (United States)

Angerer, Philipp; Haghverdi, Laleh; Büttner, Maren; Theis, Fabian J; Marr, Carsten; Buettner, Florian

2016-04-15

: Diffusion maps are a spectral method for non-linear dimension reduction and have recently been adapted for the visualization of single-cell expression data. Here we present destiny, an efficient R implementation of the diffusion map algorithm. Our package includes a single-cell specific noise model allowing for missing and censored values. In contrast to previous implementations, we further present an efficient nearest-neighbour approximation that allows for the processing of hundreds of thousands of cells and a functionality for projecting new data on existing diffusion maps. We exemplarily apply destiny to a recent time-resolved mass cytometry dataset of cellular reprogramming. destiny is an open-source R/Bioconductor package "bioconductor.org/packages/destiny" also available at www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/icb/destiny A detailed vignette describing functions and workflows is provided with the package. carsten.marr@helmholtz-muenchen.de or f.buettner@helmholtz-muenchen.de Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A mucoadhesive in situ gel delivery system for paclitaxel.

Science.gov (United States)

Jauhari, Saurabh; Dash, Alekha K

2006-06-02

MUC1 gene encodes a transmembrane mucin glycoprotein that is overexpressed in human breast cancer and colon cancer. The objective of this study was to develop an in situ gel delivery system containing paclitaxel (PTX) and mucoadhesives for sustained and targeted delivery of anticancer drugs. The delivery system consisted of chitosan and glyceryl monooleate (GMO) in 0.33M citric acid containing PTX. The in vitro release of PTX from the gel was performed in presence and absence of Tween 80 at drug loads of 0.18%, 0.30%, and 0.54% (wt/wt), in Sorensen's phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) at 37 degrees C. Different mucin-producing cell lines (Calu-3>Caco-2) were selected for PTX transport studies. Transport of PTX from solution and gel delivery system was performed in side by side diffusion chambers from apical to basal (A-B) and basal to apical (B-A) directions. In vitro release studies revealed that within 4 hours, only 7.61% +/- 0.19%, 12.0% +/- 0.98%, 31.7% +/- 0.40% of PTX were released from 0.18%, 0.30%, and 0.54% drug-loaded gel formulation, respectively, in absence of Tween 80. However, in presence of surfactant (0.05% wt/vol) in the dissolution medium, percentages of PTX released were 28.1% +/- 4.35%, 44.2% +/- 6.35%, and 97.1% +/- 1.22%, respectively. Paclitaxel has shown a polarized transport in all the cell monolayers with B-A transport 2 to 4 times higher than in the A-B direction. The highest mucin-producing cell line (Calu-3) has shown the lowest percentage of PTX transport from gels as compared with Caco-2 cells. Transport of PTX from mucoadhesive gels was shown to be influenced by the mucin-producing capability of cell.

Antibiotic-containing hyaluronic acid gel as an antibacterial carrier: Usefulness of sponge and film-formed HA gel in deep infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuno, Hiroaki; Yudoh, Kazuo; Hashimoto, Masamichi; Himeda, Yasukazu; Miyoshi, Teruzo; Yoshida, Kaoru; Kano, Syogo

2006-03-01

We have developed a novel bioabsorbable antibacterial carrier using hyaluronic acid (HA) gel for prevention and treatment of orthopedic infections. In this study, we investigated the in vivo antibacterial effects of two forms of this new material, an HA gel sponge and an HA gel film. A titanium cylinder was inserted into the intramedullary cavity of each rabbit femur, along with an HA gel sponge or HA gel film containing antibiotics. The HA gel sponge contained gentamycin, vancomycin, tobramycin, or minomycin. The HA gel film contained gentamycin or vancomycin. After 0, 7, and 14 days, the rabbit bone marrow was collected, and the antibacterial activity of the HA gel was determined by agar diffusion test. As a control, we used Septocoll, a commercially available antibacterial carrier. Both the HA gel sponge and HA gel film exhibited antibacterial activity. The present results indicate that HA gel containing antibiotics is a clinically useful bioabsorbable antibacterial carrier. Copyright 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society.

A study of correlations between the release of drugs from petrolatum-based gels containing nonionic surfactants and some physical and physico-chemical characteristics of the gel systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Colo, G D; Nannipieri, E; Serafini, M F; Vitale, D

1986-06-01

Synopsis The in vitro release of benzocaine and 2-ethyIhexyl p-di-methylaminobenzoate (EH-PABA) from petrolatum-based gels either containing two nonionic surfactants, or not, was compared with some physical and/or physico-chemical characteristics of the drugs, the gels and the drug-gel systems. The surfactants had no effect on the release of EH-PABA, the less polar drug, whereas they decreased the release of benzocaine. Moreover, the release data show a complex dependence of diffusive properties of ben-zocaine on drug and surfactant concentration. Benzocaine appears to form mixed micelles with each of the two surfactants and/or undergoes self-aggregation phenomena within surfactant micelles. The results indicate that drug diffusion is influenced by gel porosity, drug molecular size and polarity and molecular interactions. Etude des corrélations entre la disponibilité des medicaments dans les gels a base de vaseline contenant des surfactifs non ioniques et quelques propriétés physiques et physicochimiques des gels.

External and Intraparticle Diffusion of Coumarin 102 with Surfactant in the ODS-silica Gel/water System by Single Microparticle Injection and Confocal Fluorescence Microspectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakatani, Kiyoharu; Matsuta, Emi

2015-01-01

The release mechanism of coumarin 102 from a single ODS-silica gel microparticle into the water phase in the presence of Triton X-100 was investigated by confocal fluorescence microspectroscopy combined with the single microparticle injection technique. The release rate significantly depended on the Triton X-100 concentration in the water phase and was not limited by diffusion in the pores of the microparticle. The release rate constant was inversely proportional to the microparticle radius squared, indicating that the rate-determining step is the external diffusion between the microparticle and the water phase.

External and intraparticle diffusion of coumarin 102 with surfactant in the ODS-silica gel/water system by single microparticle injection and confocal fluorescence microspectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakatani, Kiyoharu; Matsuta, Emi

2015-01-01

The release mechanism of coumarin 102 from a single ODS-silica gel microparticle into the water phase in the presence of Triton X-100 was investigated by confocal fluorescence microspectroscopy combined with the single microparticle injection technique. The release rate significantly depended on the Triton X-100 concentration in the water phase and was not limited by diffusion in the pores of the microparticle. The release rate constant was inversely proportional to the microparticle radius squared, indicating that the rate-determining step is the external diffusion between the microparticle and the water phase. (author)

Growth and study of some gel grown group II single crystals of iodate

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

Abstract. Single crystals of calcium iodate and barium iodate were grown by simple gel technique by single diffusion method. The optimum conditions were established by varying various parameters such as pH of gel solution, gel concentration, gel setting time, concentration of the reactants etc. Crystals having different.

VARI-QUIR-3, 2-D Multigroup Steady-State Neutron Diffusion in X-Y R-Z or R-Theta Geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collier, George

1984-01-01

1 - Nature of physical problem solved: The steady-state, multigroup, two-dimensional neutron diffusion equations are solved in x-y, r-z, and r-theta geometry. 2 - Method of solution: A Gauss-Seidel type of solution with inner and outer iterations is used. The source is held constant during the inner iterations

Development and dosimetric evaluation of radiochromic PCDA vesicle gel dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, P.; Fu, Y.C.; Hu, J.; Hao, N.; Huang, W.; Jiang, B.

2016-01-01

The gel dosimeter has the unique capacity in recording radiation dose distribution in three dimensions (3D), which has the specific advantages in dosimetry measurements where steep dose gradients exist, such as in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), brachytherapy and so on. Some 3D dosimeters, such as Fricke gel dosimeters, polymer gel dosimeters, the PRESAGE plastic dosimeters and micelle gel dosimeters have appeared recently. However, there are several disadvantages of these 3D dosimeters limit their application in radiotherapy dose verification. In this study, a novel radiochromic gel dosimeter for 3D dose verification of radiotherapy was developed by dispersing nanovesicles self-assembled by 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid (PCDA) into the tissue equivalence gel matrix. The characteristics of radiochromic PCDA vesicle gel dosimeters were evaluated. The results indicate that these radiochromic gel dosimeters have good linear dose response to X-ray irradiation in the dose range of 2–100 Gy. In addition, the radiochromic gel dosimeters breakthrough the limitations of the existing gel dosimeters such as diffusion effect, post-radiation effect, and poor forming ability. The response of the gel dosimeter does not show any dose rate dependence, energy dependence and temperature effect, and there was no obvious difference in the gel response between single and cumulative dose of fractional irradiation. Hence, the radiochromic PCDA vesicle gel dosimeters developed in this study could be generally applied to 3D dose verification in radiotherapy. - Highlights: • A novel radiochromic gel dosimeter was developed by dispersing PCDA nanovesicles into the tissue equivalence gel matrix. • This nanovesicle overcomes the dose image blurring caused by the diffusion of monomer molecules. • This nanovesicle limits the polymer chain growth, so as to reduce the post-radiation effect. • The gel matrixes possess excellent tissue equivalence and elastic strength, which

Determination of aluminium and beryllium by diffuse reflectance spectrometry with the use of chromaticity functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanov, V.M.; Ershova, N.I.

2001-01-01

Immobilized Eriochrome Cyanine R was used for the direct trace determination of aluminium and beryllium by diffuse reflectance spectrometry. Anion exchanger AV-17, silica gel Silochrom C-120, Chromaton N-Super, silica gel C 18 , and cellulose were examined as supports. Optimal sorption conditions were found. The dependence of chromaticity functions (chromaticity coordinates, lightness, color saturation, yellowness, and whiteness) on different factors was studied. Advantages of the use of chromaticity functions rather than the diffuse reflectance coefficient were demonstrated. A method is developed for the separate determination of aluminium and beryllium using cellulose as the support; the method was used for the analysis of real samples and tested with standard samples. When solution samples of 50 and 100 ml were used, the determination limit was 0.004 μg/ml for aluminium and 0.0002 μg/ml for beryllium, respectively [ru

Anomalous behavior of the diffusion coefficient in thin active films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basu, Abhik; Joanny, Jean-Francois; Prost, Jacques; Jülicher, Frank

2012-01-01

Inspired by recent experiments in cell biology, we elucidate the visco-elastic properties of an active gel by studying the dynamics of a small tracer particle inside it. In a stochastic hydrodynamic approach for an active gel of finite thickness L, we calculate the mean square displacement of a particle. These particle displacements are governed by fluctuations in the velocity field. We characterize the short-time behavior when the gel is a solid as well as the limit of long times when the gel becomes a fluid and the particle shows simple diffusion. Active stresses together with local polar order give rise to velocity fluctuations that lead to characteristic behaviors of the diffusion coefficient that differ fundamentally from those found in a passive system: the diffusion coefficient can depend on system size and diverges as L approaches an instability threshold. Furthermore, the diffusion coefficient becomes independent of the particle size in this case. (paper)

TVEDIM, 2-D Homogeneous and Inhomogeneous Neutron Diffusion for X-Y, R-Z, R-Theta Geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kristiansen, G.K.

1987-01-01

1 - Nature of physical problem solved: The two-dimensional neutron diffusion equation (x-y, r-z, or r-theta geometry is solved, either in the inhomogeneous (source calculation) or the homogeneous form (K eff calculation or absorber adjustment). The boundary conditions specify each group current as a linear homogeneous function of the group fluxes (gamma matrix concept). For each material, the fission matrix is assumed to by dyadic. 2 - Method of solution: Finite difference formulation (5 point scheme, mesh corner variant) is used. Solution technique: multi-line SOR. Eigenvalue estimate by neutron balance

Alabama DOE/EPSCoR traineeship program. Final report, September 28, 1991--September 28, 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pruitt, K.M.; April, G.C.

1995-12-01

This report covers programmatic accomplishments of the Alabama DOE/EPSCoR Traineeship Program for the period September 28, 1991 to September 29, 1995. The Alabama DOE/EPSCoR Traineeship Program is an integral part of this state`s efforts to address barriers that inhibit the full development and substantial growth of energy-related research at the six major research institutions and at Alabama`s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). To overcome these barriers it was determined that the following actions were needed: Area 1: Strengthening the Research Faculty Base Area 2: Increasing the Number of Outstanding Graduate Students Area 3: Improving the Research Environment Area 4: Developing the Human Resources Base Area 5. Improving the Energy-related Infrastructure, Collaborations and Communications. Although the DOE/EPSCoR Traineeship Grant complements each of the areas listed above, its primary emphasis is the enhancement of opportunities for graduate students. The extent to which this program has met this challenge during the three year funding period constitutes the substance of this report.

Design, development and evaluation of rK28-based point-of-care tests for improving rapid diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sowmya Pattabhi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL is diagnosed by microscopic confirmation of the parasite in bone marrow, spleen or lymph node aspirates. These procedures are unsuitable for rapid diagnosis of VL in field settings. The development of rK39-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDT revolutionized diagnosis of VL by offering high sensitivity and specificity in detecting disease in the Indian subcontinent; however, these tests have been less reliable in the African subcontinent (sensitivity range of 75-85%, specificity of 70-92%. We have addressed limitations of the rK39 with a new synthetic polyprotein, rK28, followed by development and evaluation of two new rK28-based RDT prototype platforms. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Evaluation of 62 VL-confirmed sera from Sudan provided sensitivities of 96.8% and 93.6% (95% CI = K28: 88.83-99.61%; K39: 84.30-98.21% and specificities of 96.2% and 92.4% (95% CI = K28: 90.53-98.95%; K39: 85.54-96.65% for rK28 and rK39, respectively. Of greater interest was the observation that individual VL sera with low rK39 reactivity often had much higher rK28 reactivity. This characteristic of the fusion protein was exploited in the development of rK28 rapid tests, which may prove to be crucial in detecting VL among patients with low rK39 antibody levels. Evaluation of two prototype lateral flow-based rK28 rapid tests on 53 VL patients in Sudan and 73 VL patients in Bangladesh provided promisingly high sensitivities (95.9% [95% CI = 88.46-99.1 in Sudan and 98.1% [95% CI = 89.93-99.95%] in Bangladesh compared to the rK39 RDT (sensitivities of 86.3% [95% CI = 76.25-93.23%] in Sudan and 88.7% [95% CI = 76.97-95.73%] in Bangladesh. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study compares the diagnostic accuracy of rK39 and rK28 in detecting active VL cases and our findings indicate that rK28 polyprotein has great potential as a serodiagnostic tool. A new rK28-based RDT will prove to be a valuable asset in

Semi-empirical determination of the diffusion coefficient of the Fricke Xylenol Gel dosimeter through finite difference methods; Determinacao semi-empirica do coeficiente de difusao do dosimetro Fricke Xilenol Gel atraves do metodo de diferencas finitas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nascimento, E.O.; Oliveira, L.N., E-mail: lucas@ifg.edu.br [Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia de Goias (IFG), Goiania, GO (Brazil)

2014-11-01

Partial Differential Equations (PDE) can model natural phenomena, such as related to physics, chemistry and engineering. For these classes of equations, analytical solutions are difficult to be obtained, so a computational approach is indicted. In this context, the Finite Difference Method (FDM) can provide useful tools for the field of Medical Physics. In this study, is described the implementation of a computational mesh, in order to be used in determining the Diffusion Coefficient (DC) of the Fricke Xylenol Gel dosimeter (FXG). The initial and boundary conditions both referred by experimental factors are modelled in FDM, thus making a semi-empirical study in determining the DC. Together, the method of Reflection and Superposition (SRM) and the analysis of experimental data, served as first validation for the simulation. Such methodologies interface generated concordant results for a range of error of 3% in concentration lines for small times when compared to the analytical solution. The result for the DC was 0.43 mm{sup 2} /h. This value is in concordance with measures parameters range found in polymer gels dosimeters: 0.3-2.0 mm{sup 2} /h. Therefore, the application of computer simulation methodology supported by the FDM may be used in determining the diffusion coefficient in FXG dosimeter. (author)

Diffusing diffusivity: Rotational diffusion in two and three dimensions

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Rohit; Sebastian, K. L.

2017-06-01

We consider the problem of calculating the probability distribution function (pdf) of angular displacement for rotational diffusion in a crowded, rearranging medium. We use the diffusing diffusivity model and following our previous work on translational diffusion [R. Jain and K. L. Sebastian, J. Phys. Chem. B 120, 3988 (2016)], we show that the problem can be reduced to that of calculating the survival probability of a particle undergoing Brownian motion, in the presence of a sink. We use the approach to calculate the pdf for the rotational motion in two and three dimensions. We also propose new dimensionless, time dependent parameters, αr o t ,2 D and αr o t ,3 D, which can be used to analyze the experimental/simulation data to find the extent of deviation from the normal behavior, i.e., constant diffusivity, and obtain explicit analytical expressions for them, within our model.

Structure and amphoteric properties of titanium dioxide gels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kertesz, C.

1991-01-01

Mechanisms responsible for the in-solution ion retention by titanium dioxide are studied. Mineral oxide gel formation and structure are described and various titanium dioxide gel synthesis modes are presented. A two-phase model, taking into account the porous nature of the solid and allowing for the application of the mass action law, is adopted. The oxide amphoteric properties are studied with the potentiometric titration technique. Hysteresis loops are imputed to the slowness of the acid-basic neutralization reaction. The main characteristics are determined: isoelectric point, cation and anion retention capacity. Depending on the suspension agitation, the speed limiting factor may be the diffusion in the film or the diffusion in the particle. 60 fig., 128 ref

Light-induced spatial control of pH-jump reaction at smart gel interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Techawanitchai, Prapatsorn; Ebara, Mitsuhiro; Idota, Naokazu; Aoyagi, Takao

2012-11-01

We proposed here a 'smart' control of an interface movement of proton diffusion in temperature- and pH-responsive hydrogels using a light-induced spatial pH-jump reaction. A photoinitiated proton-releasing reaction of o-nitrobenzaldehyde (NBA) was integrated into poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-o-2-carboxyisopropylacrylamide) (P(NIPAAm-co-CIPAAm)) hydrogels. NBA-integrated hydrogels demonstrated quick release of proton upon UV irradiation, allowing the pH inside the gel to decrease below the pK(a) of P(NIPAAm-co-CIPAAm) within a minute. The NBA-integrated gel was shown to shrink rapidly upon UV irradiation without polymer "skin layer" formation due to a uniform decrease of pH inside the gel. Spatial control of gel shrinking was also created by irradiating UV light to a limited region of the gel through a photomask. The interface of proton diffusion ("active interface") gradually moved toward non-illuminated area. The apparent position of "active interface", however, did not change remarkably above the LCST, while protons continuously diffused outward direction. This is because the "active interface" also moved inward direction as gel shrank above the LCST. As a result, slow movement of the apparent interface was observed. The NBA-integrated gel was also successfully employed for the controlled release of an entrapped dextran in a light controlled manner. This system is highly promising as smart platforms for triggered and programmed transportation of drugs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Erosion of sodium bentonite by flow and colloid diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno, L.; Liu, L.; Neretnieks, I.

2011-01-01

Smectite gel formed at the outer part of a bentonite buffer in granitic rock could expand into rock fractures with seeping water. Such a gel can release colloids into low ionic strength waters. In addition the gel/sol can itself slowly flow downstream when it has reached a low particle concentration sufficient to decrease the viscosity to allow flow. The erosion due to the combined effects of particle diffusion and gel/sol flow is modelled for a thin fracture into which the gel expands influenced by various forces between and on particles. Some of the forces such as the electrical double layer force and viscous force are strongly influenced by the ionic strength of the pore water. Changes in the ionic strength due to diffusion and dilution of ions in the expanding clay are modelled simultaneously with the gel expansion, flow of gel and colloid release to the seeping water. The model includes description of flow of the seeping fluid, which gradually turns from pure water to sol to more dense gel as the smectite source is approached. The model also describes expansion of the gel/sol and colloid release and flow and diffusion of ions in the system. The coupled models are solved using a numerical code. The results show that the gel will flow with a non-negligible flowrate when its volume fraction is below 1%, but that the erosion and loss of smectite is not much influenced by the concentration of sodium in the clay or in the approaching seeping water, if they are kept below the Critical Coagulation Concentration, CCC. (authors)

Modelling of erosion of bentonite gel by gel/sol flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreno, Luis; Neretnieks, Ivars; Longcheng Liu (Chemical Engineering and Technology, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden))

2010-11-15

Bentonite intrusion into a fracture intersecting the canister deposition hole is modelled. The model describes the expansion of the bentonite within the fracture. It accounts for the repulsive electrostatic double-layer forces, the attractive van der Waals forces and friction forces between the particles and the water. The model also takes into account the diffusion of the colloid particles in the smectite sol. Diffusion of a counterion, sodium, is accounted for as this strongly influences the double layer force and the viscosity of the gel/sol. The gel/sol is considered to be a fluid with a varying viscosity that is strongly dependent on the bentonite volume fraction in the gel and the sodium concentration in the water. Two different geometries were modelled; a rectangular and a cylindrical. The rectangular geometry was used to gain experience with the processes and mechanisms and how they interact since the cylindrical geometry was somewhat less stable numerically and more time consuming. In the rectangular geometry a fracture 1 metre long in the flow direction was modelled. In both geometries the fracture size was selected sufficiently large to ensure that the water velocity, near the distant border was nearly the same as the approaching water velocity and that the smectite concentration there was vanishingly small. It was found that the velocity of the fluid drops considerably where the bentonite volume fraction is larger than 1-2%. This is due to the strong increase in viscosity with increasing bentonite volume fraction. The loss of smectite by the slowly flowing fluid was found to be proportional to the square root of the seeping water velocity for the rectangular geometry. For the cylindrical geometry, the dependence is somewhat lower (exponent about 0.4) since the length of the gel/water interface decreases with increasing water flow rate. The penetration depth of the gel/water interface decreases with increasing water flow rate. For water velocity of the

Modelling of erosion of bentonite gel by gel/sol flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno, Luis; Neretnieks, Ivars; Longcheng Liu

2010-11-01

Bentonite intrusion into a fracture intersecting the canister deposition hole is modelled. The model describes the expansion of the bentonite within the fracture. It accounts for the repulsive electrostatic double-layer forces, the attractive van der Waals forces and friction forces between the particles and the water. The model also takes into account the diffusion of the colloid particles in the smectite sol. Diffusion of a counterion, sodium, is accounted for as this strongly influences the double layer force and the viscosity of the gel/sol. The gel/sol is considered to be a fluid with a varying viscosity that is strongly dependent on the bentonite volume fraction in the gel and the sodium concentration in the water. Two different geometries were modelled; a rectangular and a cylindrical. The rectangular geometry was used to gain experience with the processes and mechanisms and how they interact since the cylindrical geometry was somewhat less stable numerically and more time consuming. In the rectangular geometry a fracture 1 metre long in the flow direction was modelled. In both geometries the fracture size was selected sufficiently large to ensure that the water velocity, near the distant border was nearly the same as the approaching water velocity and that the smectite concentration there was vanishingly small. It was found that the velocity of the fluid drops considerably where the bentonite volume fraction is larger than 1-2%. This is due to the strong increase in viscosity with increasing bentonite volume fraction. The loss of smectite by the slowly flowing fluid was found to be proportional to the square root of the seeping water velocity for the rectangular geometry. For the cylindrical geometry, the dependence is somewhat lower (exponent about 0.4) since the length of the gel/water interface decreases with increasing water flow rate. The penetration depth of the gel/water interface decreases with increasing water flow rate. For water velocity of the

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 12: The diffusion of federally funded aerospace Research and Development (R&D) and the information seeking behavior of US aerospace engineers and scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Kennedy, John M.; Barclay, Rebecca O.

1991-01-01

The present exploration of the diffusion of federally-funded R&D via the information-seeking behavior of scientists and engineers proceeds under three assumptions: (1) that knowledge transfer and utilization is as important as knowledge production; (2) that the diffusion of knowledge obtained through federally-funded R&D is necessary for the maintenance of U.S. preeminence in the aerospace field; and (3) that federally-funded NASA and DoD technical reports play an important, albeit as-yet undefined, role in aerospace R&D diffusion. A conceptual model is presented for the process of knowledge diffusion that stresses the role of U.S. government-funded technical reports.

Physical and chemical properties of gels. Application to protein nucleation control in the gel acupuncture technique

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Abel; Juárez-Martínez, Gabriela; Hernández-Pérez, Tomás; Batina, Nikola; Mundo, Manuel; McPherson, Alexander

1999-09-01

In this work, we present a new approach using analytical and optical techniques in order to determine the physical and chemical properties of silica gel, as well as the measurement of the pore size in the network of the gel by scanning electron microscopy. The gel acupuncture technique developed by García-Ruiz et al. (Mater. Res. Bull 28 (1993) 541) García-Ruiz and Moreno (Acta Crystallogr. D 50 (1994) 484) was used throughout the history of crystal growth. Several experiments were done in order to evaluate the nucleation control of model proteins (thaumatin I from Thaumatococcus daniellii, lysozyme from hen egg white and catalase from bovine liver) by the porous network of the gel. Finally, it is shown how the number and the size of the crystals obtained inside X-ray capillaries is controlled by the size of the porous structure of the gel.

Applications and Properties of Ionic Liquid- Based Gels and Soft Solid Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Voss, Bret Alan McGinness

2011-12-01

Solid-liquid composites (gels) have a combination of properties that afford new material applications in which high solute diffusion is desirable. These composites have a soft-solid mechanical integrity and will not flow under gravity, but entrain a liquid matrix (i.e. 60-98 mass %) which allows for high diffusion and high reactivity. Room temperature ionic liquid (RTILs) are molten organic salts with a melting point below room temperature and negligible vapor pressure. If the RTILs are used as the liquid component of a gel, then the gel matrix will not evaporate (unlike other organic solvents) and may be used for long term applications. This thesis research applies RTIL gels for two new applications; carbon dioxide/nitrogen separation and chemical warfare agent (CWA) barrier and decontamination. Separating CO2 from the flue gas of coal and gas fired power-plants is an increasingly economically and environmentally important gas separation. In this first study, RTIL gels are cast in a supported membrane and gas permeability and ideal selectivity are measured. The RTIL matrix has an inherent affinity for CO2 and provides a high diffusion, hence high permeability (i.e. 500-700 barrer). The solidifying component is a low molecular-weight organic gelator (LMOG) which through physical bonding interactions (i.e. hydrogen bonding, pi-pi stacking and van der Walls forces) forms an entangled network which provides mechanical stability (i.e. increase trans-membrane pressure required to expel selective material from the support). In these studies two LMOGs and five RTILs are used to make supported gel membranes and determine gas permeability and temperature dependent trends. The second application for RTIL gels is a decontaminating barrier for CWAs and toxic industrial compounds (TICs). In these studies a layer of RTIL gel is applied on top of a substrate contaminated with a CWA simulant (i.e. chloroethylethylsulfide, CEES). The gel performs well as a barrier, preventing CEES

Synthèse et diffusion de résultats de recherche à l'échelle régionale ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

PRE) du CRDI a financé plusieurs projets en Afrique orientale et australe. Ces projets ont permis de produire un imposant corpus de connaissances, mais la diffusion de leurs résultats a été limitée. La subvention servira à financer une synthèse ...

DGT/DET Gel partition features of humic acid/metal species

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veeken, van der P.L.R.; Leeuwen, van H.P.

2010-01-01

Gel layer based sensors are increasingly employed for dynamic trace metal speciation analysis in aquatic and soil media, in which humic and fulvic acid species are generally known to be relevant. In DGT (diffusive gradient in thin film), polyacrylamide hydrogels are commonly used for the diffusive

Dynamic partitioning of nanoparticulate metal species between gel layers and aqueous media

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veeken, van der P.L.R.

2010-01-01

This thesis deals with several aspects of the use of Diffusive Gradient in Thin film (DGT) and Diffusive Equilibriation in Thin film (DET) in dynamic metal speciation analysis. It has a clear focus on the properties of the diffusive gel layer, and their possible impact on metal speciation

The evaluation of collagen gel with various connection states by using MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kudo, Hiroki; Mukai, Naoki; Gouping, Chen; Numanno, Tomokazu; Honma, Kazuhiro; Tateishi, Tetsuya; Miyanaga, Yutaka; Miyakawa, Syumpei

2008-01-01

To noninvasively evaluate the connection states of collagen fiber, a characterizing factor of the physical property, is considered to be helpful in the evaluation of cartilage functions. The purpose of this study was to examine how the connection states of collagen influence the MRI parameters by evaluating the collagen gel with various connection states using MRI. MRI was performed to six type I collagen gel samples with various connection status and a water sample. The evaluation parameters included T1 relaxation time, T2 relaxation time, and diffusion coefficient. With regard to gel samples with cross-links, the T2 relaxation time was shortened in proportion to the dose of glutaraldehyde. It is considered that as the glutaraldehyde concentration increases, the distance between protons in water molecules decreases; this is followed by a stronger bipole-bipole interaction, resulting in a shorter T2 relaxation time. The diffusion coefficient for gel samples with cross-links also decreased with increasing glutaraldehyde concentrations. However, gel samples without glutaraldehyde were almost the same as that of the water. This result suggested that the degree of entrapment of water inside the gel samples without cross-links, even when it converted into gel, was found to be nearly equal to that of the free water

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 12: The diffusion of federally funded aerospace research and development (R/D) and the information seeking behavior of US aerospace engineers and scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Kennedy, John M.; Barclay, Rebecca O.

1991-01-01

In this paper, the diffusion of federally funded aerospace R&D is explored from the perspective of the information-seeking behavior of U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists. The following three assumptions frame this exploration: (1) knowledge production, transfer, and utilization are equally important components of the aerospace R&D process; (2) the diffusion of knowledge resulting from federally funded aerospace R&D is indispensable for the U.S. to remain a world leader in aerospace; and (3) U.S. government technical reports, produced by NASA and DOD, play an important, but as yet undefined, role in the diffusion of federally funded aerospace R&D. A conceptual model for federally funded aerospace knowledge diffusion, one that emphasizes U.S. goverment technical reports, is presented. Data regarding three research questions concerning the information-seeking behavior of U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists are also presented.

Maize Arabinoxylan Gels as Protein Delivery Matrices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Luisa Martínez-López

2009-04-01

Full Text Available The laccase induced gelation of maize bran arabinoxylans at 2.5% (w/v in the presence of insulin or β-lactoglobulin at 0.1% (w/v was investigated. Insulin and β-lacto-globulin did not modify either the gel elasticity (9 Pa or the cross-links content (0.03 and 0.015 mg di- and triferulic acids/mg arabinoxylan, respectively. The protein release capability of the gel was also investigated. The rate of protein release from gels was dependent on the protein molecular weight. The apparent diffusion coefficient was 0.99 × 10-7 and 0.79 × 10-7 cm2/s for insulin (5 kDa and β-lactoglobulin (18 kDa, respectively. The results suggest that maize bran arabinoxylan gels can be potential candidates for the controlled release of proteins.

Mass transport of heavy metal ions and radon in gels used as sealing agents in containment technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lakatos, I.; Bauer, K.; Lakatos-Szabo, J.; Kretzschmar, H.J.

1997-01-01

The diffusion and hydrodynamic mass transport of multivalent cations, mostly Cr(III) and Cr(VI) ions and radon in polymer/silicate gels and Montanwax emulsions were studied. It was concluded that the self-conforming gels may decrease the hydrodynamic mass transport in porous and fractured media by 4-6 orders of magnitude. In water saturated systems, however, the diffusion transport can be restricted by hydrogels only to a moderate extent. On the other hand, the high and selective retention capacity of gels towards different diffusing species may open new vistas in the sealing technologies. Similar results were obtained for transport phenomena of radon. The almost perfect quenching process of radon and its nuclides in gels and emulsions further enhances the positive effects of the encapsulation methods. The laboratory experiments provided valuable new information to design the different containment technologies

Mass transport of heavy metal ions and radon in gels used as sealing agents in containment technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lakatos, I.; Bauer, K.; Lakatos-Szabo, J. [Research Lab. for Mining Chemistry, Miskolc-Egyetemvaros (Hungary); Kretzschmar, H.J. [DBI Gas- und Umwelttechnik GmbH, Feiberg (Germany)

1997-12-31

The diffusion and hydrodynamic mass transport of multivalent cations, mostly Cr(III) and Cr(VI) ions and radon in polymer/silicate gels and Montanwax emulsions were studied. It was concluded that the self-conforming gels may decrease the hydrodynamic mass transport in porous and fractured media by 4-6 orders of magnitude. In water saturated systems, however, the diffusion transport can be restricted by hydrogels only to a moderate extent. On the other hand, the high and selective retention capacity of gels towards different diffusing species may open new vistas in the sealing technologies. Similar results were obtained for transport phenomena of radon. The almost perfect quenching process of radon and its nuclides in gels and emulsions further enhances the positive effects of the encapsulation methods. The laboratory experiments provided valuable new information to design the different containment technologies.

Brain calbindin-D28k and an Mr 29,000 calcium binding protein in cerebellum are different but related proteins: Evidence obtained from sequence analysis by tandem mass spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabrielides, C.; Christakos, S.; McCormack, A.L.; Hunt, D.F.

1991-01-01

A calcium binding protein of M r 29,000 which cross-reacts with antibodies raised against chick calbindin-D 28k was previously reported to be present in rat cerebellum. It was suggested that the M r 29,000 protein represents another form of calbindin-D 28k . In the authors laboratory they were able to identify M r 28,000 and 29,000 proteins in rat, human, and chick cerebellum by their ability to bind 45 Ca in a 45 Ca blot assay. Two calcium binding proteins of M r 27,680 and 29,450 were isolated from rat cerebelli by the use of gel permeation chromatography and preparative gel electrophoresis. After reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) the proteins were sequenced. Sequence analysis by tandem mass spectrometry indicated only 52% identity between the rat cerebellar M r 28,000 and 29,000 proteins. Thus they are not different forms of the same protein, as previously suggested. Eighty-nine percent identity was observed between the rate cerebellar M r 29,000 protein and chick calretinin. The difference in identity between the rat cerebellar M r 29,000 protein and chick calretinin may be due to species differences, and thus this protein is most likely rat calretinin. These results suggest either posttranscriptional regulation of calretinin in cerebellum or species differences. The study also suggests that previous immunocytochemical mapping for calbindin using antisera which cross-reacted with both proteins detected brain regions that expressed not only calbindin but also calretinin or a calretinin-like protein

Analysis of charge transport in gels containing polyoxometallates using methods of different sensitivity to migration.

Science.gov (United States)

Caban, Karolina; Lewera, Adam; Zukowska, Grazyna Z; Kulesza, Pawel J; Stojek, Zbigniew; Jeffrey, Kenneth R

2006-08-04

Two methods have been used for examination of transport of charge in gels soaked with DMF and containing dissolved polyoxometallates. The first method is based on the analysis of both Cottrellian and steady-state currents and therefore is capable of giving the concentration of the electroactive redox centres and their transport (diffusion-type) coefficient. The second method provides the real diffusion coefficients, i.e. transport coefficients free of migrational influence, for both the substrate and the product of the electrode reaction. Several gels based on poly(methyl methacrylate), with charged (addition of 1-acrylamido-2-methyl-2-propanesulphonic acid to the polymerization mixture) and uncharged chains, have been used in the investigation. The ratio obtained for the diffusion coefficient (second method) and transport coefficient (first method) was smaller for the gels containing charged polymer chains than for the gels with uncharged chains. In part these changes could be explained by the contribution of migration to the transport of polyoxomatallates in the gels. However, the impact of the changes in the polymer-channel capacity at the electrode surface while the electrode process proceeds was also considered. These structural changes should affect differently the methods based on different time domains.

Curved fronts in the Belousov-Zhabotinskii reaction-diffusion systems in R2

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Hong-Tao; Wang, Zhi-Cheng; Bu, Zhen-Hui

2018-05-01

In this paper we consider a diffusion system with the Belousov-Zhabotinskii (BZ for short) chemical reaction. Following Brazhnik and Tyson [4] and Pérez-Muñuzuri et al. [45], who predicted V-shaped fronts theoretically and discovered V-shaped fronts by experiments respectively, we give a rigorous mathematical proof of their results. We establish the existence of V-shaped traveling fronts in R2 by constructing a proper supersolution and a subsolution. Furthermore, we establish the stability of the V-shaped front in R2.

Investigation and analysis of ferrous sulfate polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel dosimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, Brendan; Baeck, Sven A J; Lepage, Martin; Simpson, John; Healy, Brendan; Baldock, Clive

2002-01-01

Ferrous sulfate (Fe(SO 4 ) 2 ) PVA gels were investigated for a range of absorbed doses up to 20 Gy using both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectrophotometry to determine R 1 and optical density (OD) dose responses and G values. It was found that R 1 - and OD-dose sensitivities increased with O 2 saturation or by the introduction of a freeze-thaw cycle during preparation of the PVA gel. The storage temperature of the Fe(SO 4 ) 2 PVA gel at -18 deg. C increased R 1 -dose sensitivity above that of gels stored at 5 deg C. The addition of sucrose to the formulation was found to result in the largest increase in both R 1 - and OD-dose sensitivities. Fe(SO 4 ) 2 PVA gel with and without the addition of xylenol orange was demonstrated to have a G value of ∼20 ions/100 eV and with sucrose ∼24 ions/100 eV

Studies on supramolecular gel formation using DOSY NMR

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Nonappa, N.; Šaman, David; Kolehmainen, E.

2015-01-01

Roč. 53, č. 4 (2015), s. 256-260 ISSN 0749-1581 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : DOSY * VT NMR * gel * diffusion coefficients Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 1.226, year: 2015

Deposition of Ibuprofen Crystals on Hydroxypropyl Cellulose/Polyacrylamide Gel: Experimental and Mathematic Modeling Releasing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Alicia Castillo-Miranda

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The crystallization of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug [2-(4-isobutyl-phenyl propionic acid] ibuprofen (IBP on a hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC and polyacrylamide (PAAm gel was studied as well as the release kinetics of the drug. The IBP was crystallized on the gel surface of HPC/PAAm. It had a prismatic shape and the growth was made in an aqueous medium; the crystallinity grade of the gels HPC/PAAm and HPC/PAAm-IBU increased to 68% and to 58%, respectively. The release of IBP is performed by two means: by a non-Fickian diffusion process and by relaxation of the chains of the gel; without regard to temperature and the diffusion media, this correlates with the lower critical solution temperature (LCST of the proposed gel. This polymer matrix provides an option for releasing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in a temperature range of 35–39°C. Korsmeyer and Peppas mathematical model was simulated for data releases, statistically significant at 95% confidence level.

Extracellular diffusion parameters in the rat somatosensory cortex during recovery from transient global ischemia/hypoxia

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zoremba, N.; Homola, Aleš; Šlais, Karel; Voříšek, Ivan; Rossaint, R.; Lehmenkühler, A.; Syková, Eva

2008-01-01

Roč. 28, č. 10 (2008), s. 1665-1673 ISSN 0271-678X R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC554; GA ČR GA305/06/1316 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50390512 Keywords : Diffusion * Edema * Extracellular space Subject RIV: FH - Neurology Impact factor: 5.741, year: 2008

Antibacterial Inhibitory Effects of Punica Granatum Gel on Cariogenic Bacteria: An in vitro Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Millo, Grazielle; Juntavee, Apa; Ratanathongkam, Ariya; Nualkaew, Natsajee; Peerapattana, Jomjai; Chatchiwiwattana, Supaporn

2017-01-01

This study evaluated the in vitro antibacterial effects of the formulated Punica granatum (PG) gel against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Lactobacillus casei. The PG extract was dissolved in water at 500 mg/mL. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for identification and quantification of chemical marker punicalagin. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and time-kill assay (TKA) were investigated. Antibacterial activities of the formulated PG gel, 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) gel and blank gel were tested by measuring the zones of inhibition through agar well diffusion method. The HPLC results showed presence of punicalagin at 2023.58 ± 25.29 pg/mL in the aqueous PG extract and at 0.234% (w/w) in the formulated PG gel. The MBC for S. mutans, S. Sanguinis, and L. casei were 250, 125, and 500 mg/mL respectively. The TKA of 500 mg/mL aqueous PG extract showed total inhibition of S. mutans, S. Sanguinis, and L. casei at 6, 1, and 24 hours contact time respectively. Agar well diffusion revealed that for S. mutans, CHX gel > PG gel > blank gel; for S. sanguinis, CHX gel = PG gel > blank gel; for L. casei, CHX gel > PG gel = blank gel. Comparison of the PG gel potency showed that S. sanguinis = S. mutans > L. casei. The PG gel equivalent to 0.234% punicalagin (w/w) inhibited S. mutans and S. sanguinis but not L. casei within 24 hours incubation period and has the potential to be used for caries prevention. Millo G, Juntavee A, Ratanathongkam A, Nualkaew N, Peerapattana J, Chatchiwiwattana S. Antibacterial Inhibitory Effects of Punica Granatum Gel on Cariogenic Bacteria: An in vitro Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(2):152-157.

Organization versus frustration: low temperature transitions in a gelatine-based gel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Philipp, M; Mueller, U; Sanctuary, R; Baller, J; Krueger, J K [Laboratoire de Physique des Materiaux, Universite du Luxembourg, 162A, avenue de la Faiencerie, L-1511 (Luxembourg)], E-mail: martine.philipp@uni.lu

2008-09-15

A commercial physical gel composed of gelatine, water and glycerol shows a sol-gel transition which has been resolved by optical rotation measurements by step-wise heating the gel. This transition is not observable in the longitudinal acoustic mode measured at hypersonic frequencies with Brillouin spectroscopy. Depending on the thermal treatment of the investigated material during the sol-gel transition and within the gel state, Brillouin spectroscopy reflects tremendously different hypersonic dynamics. These distinct dynamics are responsible for the formation of different glassy states at low temperatures including that of a glass-ceramic. The large variety of super-cooled and glassy states is attributed to distinct distributions of the gel's constituents within the samples. Surprisingly, the same gel state can be produced either by annealing the gel over months or by the non-equilibrium effect of thermo-diffusion (Soret effect) in the course of some minutes.

Dosimetric characteristics of PASSAG as a new polymer gel dosimeter with negligible toxicity

Science.gov (United States)

Farhood, Bagher; Abtahi, Seyed Mohammad Mahdi; Geraily, Ghazale; Ghorbani, Mehdi; Mahdavi, Seied Rabi; Zahmatkesh, Mohammad Hasan

2018-06-01

Despite many advantages of polymer gel dosimeters, their clinical use is only not realized now. Toxicity of polymer gel dosimeters can be considered as one of their main limitations for use in routine clinical applications. In the current study, a new polymer gel dosimeter is introduced with negligible toxicity. For this purpose, 2-Acrylamido-2-Methy-1-PropaneSulfonic acid (AMPS) sodium salt monomer was replaced instead of acrylamide monomer used in PAGAT gel dosimeter by using %6 T and %50 C to the gel formula and the new formulation is called PASSAG (Poly AMPS Sodium Salt and Gelatin) polymer gel dosimeter. The irradiation of gel dosimeters was carried out using a Co-60 therapy machine. MRI technique was used to quantify the dose responses of the PASSAG gel dosimeter. Then, the MRI responses (R2) of the gel dosimeter was analyzed at different dose values, post-irradiation times, and scanning temperatures. The results showed that the new gel formulation has a negligible toxicity and it is also eco-friendly. In addition, carcinogenicity and genetic toxicity tests are negative for the monomer used in PASSAG. The radiological properties of PASSAG gel dosimeter showed that this substance can be considered as a soft tissue/water equivalent material. Furthermore, dosimetric evaluation of the new polymer gel dosimeter revealed an excellent linear R2-dose response in the evaluated dose range (0-15 Gy). The R2-dose sensitivity and dose resolution of PASSAG gel dosimeter were 0.081 s-1Gy-1 (in 0-15 Gy dose range) and 1 Gy (in 0-10 Gy dose range), respectively. Moreover, it was shown that the R2-dose sensitivity and dose resolution of the new gel dosimeter improves over time after irradiation. It was also found that the R2 response of the PASSAG gel dosimeter has less dependency to the 18, 20, and 24 °C scanning temperature in comparison to that of room temperature (22 °C).

The Influence of Microgravity on Silica Sol-Gel Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Sibille, L.; Smith, D. D.; Cronise, R.; Hunt, A. J.; Wolfe, D. B.; Snow, L. A.; Oldenberg, S.; Halas, N.; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

We discuss space-flight experiments involving the growth of silica particles and gels. The effect of microgravity on the growth of silica particles via the sol-gel route is profound. In four different recipes spanning a large range of the parameter space that typically produces silica nanoparticles in unit-gravity, low-density gel structures were instead formed in microgravity. The particles that did form were generally smaller and more polydisperse than those grown on the ground. These observations suggest that microgravity reduces the particle growth rate, allowing unincorporated species to form aggregates and ultimately gel. Hence microgravity favors the formation of more rarefied structures, providing a bias towards diffusion-limited cluster-cluster aggregation. These results further suggest that in unit gravity, fluid flows and sedimentation can significantly perturb sol-gel substructures prior to gelation and these deleterious perturbations may be "frozen" into the resulting microstructure. Hence, sol-gel pores may be expected to be smaller, more uniform, and less rough when formed in microgravity.

Large-Scale Purification of r28M: A Bispecific scFv Antibody Targeting Human Melanoma Produced in Transgenic Cattle.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrin Spiesberger

Full Text Available 30 years ago, the potential of bispecific antibodies to engage cytotoxic T cells for the lysis of cancer cells was discovered. Today a variety of bispecific antibodies against diverse cell surface structures have been developed, the majority of them produced in mammalian cell culture systems. Beside the r28M, described here, no such bispecific antibody is known to be expressed by transgenic livestock, although various biologicals for medical needs are already harvested-mostly from the milk-of these transgenics. In this study we investigated the large-scale purification and biological activity of the bispecific antibody r28M, expressed in the blood of transgenic cattle. This tandem single-chain variable fragment antibody is designed to target human CD28 and the melanoma/glioblastoma-associated cell surface chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4.With the described optimized purification protocol an average yield of 30 mg enriched r28M fraction out of 2 liters bovine plasma could be obtained. Separation of this enriched fraction by size exclusion chromatography into monomers, dimers and aggregates and further testing regarding the biological activity revealed the monomer fraction as being the most appropriate one to continue working with. The detailed characterization of the antibody's activity confirmed its high specificity to induce the killing of CSPG4 positive cells. In addition, first insights into tumor cell death pathways mediated by r28M-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were gained. In consideration of possible applications in vivo we also tested the effect of the addition of different excipients to r28M.Summing up, we managed to purify monomeric r28M from bovine plasma in a large-scale preparation and could prove that its biological activity is unaffected and still highly specific and thus, might be applicable for the treatment of melanoma.

Diffusion through Pig Gastric Mucin: Effect of Relative Humidity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Runnsjö

Full Text Available Mucus covers the epithelium found in all intestinal tracts, where it serves as an important protecting barrier, and pharmaceutical drugs administrated by the oral, rectal, vaginal, ocular, or nasal route need to penetrate the mucus in order to reach their targets. Furthermore, the diffusion in mucus as well as the viscosity of mucus in the eyes, nose and throat can change depending on the relative humidity of the surrounding air. In this study we have investigated how diffusion through gels of mucin, the main protein in mucus, is affected by changes in ambient relative humidity (i.e. water activity. Already a small decrease in water activity was found to give rise to a significant decrease in penetration rate through the mucin gel of the antibacterial drug metronidazole. We also show that a decrease in water activity leads to decreased diffusion rate in the mucin gel for the fluorophore fluorescein. This study shows that it is possible to alter transport rates of molecules through mucus by changing the water activity in the gel. It furthermore illustrates the importance of considering effects of the water activity in the mucosa during development of potential pharmaceuticals.

External and Intraparticle Diffusion of Coumarin 102 with Surfactant in the ODS-silica Gel/water System by Single Microparticle Injection and Confocal Fluorescence Microspectroscopy

OpenAIRE

NAKATANI, Kiyoharu; MATSUTA, Emi

2015-01-01

The release mechanism of coumarin 102 from a single ODS-silica gel microparticle into the water phase in the presence of Triton X-100 was investigated by confocal fluorescence microspectroscopy combined with the single microparticle injection technique. The release rate significantly depended on the Triton X-100 concentration in the water phase and was not limited by diffusion in the pores of the microparticle. The release rate constant was inversely proportional to the microparticle radius s...

Effect of uniaxial strain on adatom diffusion across {l_brace}1 1 1{r_brace}-faceted step

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang Jianyu, E-mail: wuliyangjianyu@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Maths and Physics, Hunan Institute of Engineering, Donghu Street, Xiangtan 411104 (China); Hu Wangyu, E-mail: Wangyuhu2001@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Tang Jianfeng [Department of Applied Physics, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128 (China)

2011-02-01

Diffusion of Pt adatom across the strained {l_brace}1 1 1{r_brace}-faceted step is studied by embedded atom method along with nudged elastic band method. For adatom on the flat (1 1 1) surface, the anisotropic diffusion behavior is found as the uniaxial strain is imposed. For the strained {l_brace}1 1 1{r_brace}-faceted step, our results show that the maximum energy barrier for adatom crossing step edge remains approximately constant as the strain varied from -1.0% to 1.0%, and there is a rise as the larger uniaxial strain is applied. The calculated energy barrier for adatom diffusion along the step edge increases with increasing tensile strain, and the slope of the straight line is small.

Study of nuclear glasses alteration gel and synthesis of some model gels; Etude du gel d`alteration des verres nucleaires et synthese de gels modeles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ricol, S

1995-10-05

This work deals with the general problem of alteration of the reference nuclear glass R7T7. Attention is paid particularly to the altered layer formed at the glass surface during alteration process. In opposition to previous works, related essentially to glass dissolution kinetics based on chemical analyses of lixiviated elements, this thesis deals with alteration problems through structural studies of the reference glass and derived gel. This approach allows the determination of mechanisms for the gel formation and a better understanding of the behaviour of glasses towards lixiviation. Both approaches appeared complementary. Based on several spectroscopic techniques, this work showed the particular role of cations such as calcium, zirconium and iron. Studies of silica-based synthetic gels showed the synergic effect of formers cation and of one highly coordinated cation. The variation of the wavenumber related to Si-O-Si asymmetric stretching vibration can be correlated to O/Si ratio for ternary systems Si/Na/Zr. On the contrary, the Si losses of the materials depend on the number of non-bridging oxygen atoms. In the perspective of long-term behaviour, the alteration gel presents better characteristics than initial glass. It is therefore a highly stable material in static conditions. In the same way, synthetic gels are materials with very low solubilities (much lower than the alteration gel) and could be used as confining matrices. (authors). refs., 71 figs., 37 tabs.

CHOLESK, Diffusion Calculation with 2-D Source in X-Y or R-Z Geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

1 - Description of problem or function: Solution of the diffusion equation with source in two-dimensional geometries x-y or r-z. 2 - Method of solution: The finite-element method of Ritz-Galerkin is applied

Local transport method for hybrid diffusion-transport calculations in 2-D cylindrical (R, THETA) geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Dingkang; Rahnema, Farzad; Ougouag, Abderrfi M.

2011-01-01

A response-based local transport method has been developed in 2-D (r, θ) geometry for coupling to any coarse-mesh (nodal) diffusion method/code. Monte Carlo method is first used to generate a (pre-computed) the response function library for each unique coarse mesh in the transport domain (e.g., the outer reflector region of the Pebble Bed Reactor). The scalar flux and net current at the diffusion/transport interface provided by the diffusion method are used as an incoming surface source to the transport domain. A deterministic iterative sweeping method together with the response function library is utilized to compute the local transport solution within all transport coarse meshes. After the partial angular currents crossing the coarse mesh surfaces are converged, albedo coefficients are computed as boundary conditions for the diffusion methods. The iteration on the albedo boundary condition (for the diffusion method via transport) and the incoming angular flux boundary condition (for the transport via diffusion) is continued until convergence is achieved. The method was tested for in a simplified 2-D (r, θ) pebble bed reactor problem consisting of an inner reflector, an annular fuel region and a controlled outer reflector. The comparisons have shown that the results of the response-function-based transport method agree very well with a direct MCNP whole core solution. The agreement in coarse mesh averaged flux was found to be excellent: relative difference of about 0.18% and a maximum difference of about 0.55%. Note that the MCNP uncertainty was less than 0.1%. (author)

Thermal Diffusivity and Thermal Conductivity of Dispersed Glass Sphere Composites Over a Range of Volume Fractions

Science.gov (United States)

Carson, James K.

2018-06-01

Glass spheres are often used as filler materials for composites. Comparatively few articles in the literature have been devoted to the measurement or modelling of thermal properties of composites containing glass spheres, and there does not appear to be any reported data on the measurement of thermal diffusivities over a range of filler volume fractions. In this study, the thermal diffusivities of guar-gel/glass sphere composites were measured using a transient comparative method. The addition of the glass beads to the gel increased the thermal diffusivity of the composite, more than doubling the thermal diffusivity of the composite relative to the diffusivity of the gel at the maximum glass volume fraction of approximately 0.57. Thermal conductivities of the composites were derived from the thermal diffusivity measurements, measured densities and estimated specific heat capacities of the composites. Two approaches to modelling the effective thermal diffusivity were considered.

Investigation of the dose rate dependency of the PAGAT gel dosimeter at low dose rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zehtabian, M.; Faghihi, R.; Zahmatkesh, M.H.; Meigooni, A.S.; Mosleh-Shirazi, M.A.; Mehdizadeh, S.; Sina, S.; Bagheri, S.

2012-01-01

Medical physicists need dosimeters such as gel dosimeters capable of determining three-dimensional dose distributions with high spatial resolution. To date, in combination with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), polyacrylamide gel (PAG) polymers are the most promising gel dosimetry systems. The purpose of this work was to investigate the dose rate dependency of the PAGAT gel dosimeter at low dose rates. The gel dosimeter was used for measurement of the dose distribution around a Cs-137 source from a brachytherapy LDR source to have a range of dose rates from 0.97 Gy h −1 to 0.06 Gy h −1 . After irradiation of the PAGAT gel, it was observed that the dose measured by gel dosimetry was almost the same at different distances (different dose rates) from the source, although the points nearer the source had been expected to receive greater doses. Therefore, it was suspected that the PAGAT gel is dose rate dependent at low dose rates. To test this further, three other sets of measurements were performed by placing vials containing gel at different distances from a Cs-137 source. In the first two measurements, several plastic vials were exposed to equal doses at different dose rates. An ionization chamber was used to measure the dose rate at each distance. In addition, three TLD chips were simultaneously irradiated in order to verify the dose to each vial. In the third measurement, to test the oxygen diffusion through plastic vials, the experiment was repeated again using plastic vials in a nitrogen box and glass vials. The study indicates that oxygen diffusion through plastic vials for dose rates lower than 2 Gy h −1 would affect the gel dosimeter response and it is suggested that the plastic vials or (phantoms) in an oxygen free environment or glass vials should be used for the dosimetry of low dose rate sources using PAGAT gel to avoid oxygen diffusion through the vials.

Sol–gel followed by urea–acetone spherodization for preparation of lithium titanate ceramics pebbles and preliminary characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sinha, S.K., E-mail: sk.sinha@bitmesra.ac.in [Department of Physics, Birla Institute of Technology, Patna 800014 (India); Yadav, S. [Department of Physics, Birla Institute of Technology, Patna 800014 (India); Raole, P.M. [Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar 382428 (India)

2016-12-15

Lithium titanate ceramics pebbles were prepared by chemical method of sol. gel followed by urea-aceton spherodization technique. Lithium titanate having monoclinic phase was obtained. Laser flash method was used to study thermal conductivity and diffusivity of the ceramics. At near 472 K the average value of diffusivity was around 0.0052 cm{sup 2} s{sup −1} while the specific heat capacity was 3101.3 J kg{sup −1} K{sup −1} while the same two parameters had values of 0.0041 cm{sup 2} s{sup −1} and 3894.4 J kg{sup −1} K{sup −1} at a temperature 1050 K. The crush strength of pebble was measured on Universal Testing Machine (UTM) and was found as 37.08 N. The density was measured and found to be 2.8 g/cc (81.63% of TD of value 3.43 g/cc).

Diffusion of .sup.65./sup.Zn in AZ91 and QE22 alloys with Saffil reinforcement – Influence of interfaces matrix/Saffil

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stloukal, Ivo; Čermák, Jiří

289-292, - (2009), s. 145-152 ISSN 1012-0386. [DIMAT 2008, International Conference on Diffusion in Materials /7./. Lanzarote, Canary Islands , 28.10.2008-31.10.2008] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA106/05/2115 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : magnesium * metal-matrix composites * zinc diffusion Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics http://www.scientific.net/DDF.289-292.145/

Method of making ionic liquid mediated sol-gel sorbents

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, Abdul; Shearrow, Anne M.

2017-01-31

Ionic liquid (IL)-mediated sol-gel hybrid organic-inorganic materials present enormous potential for effective use in analytical microextraction. One obstacle to materializing this prospect arises from high viscosity of ILs significantly slowing down sol-gel reactions. A method was developed which provides phosphonium-based, pyridinium-based, and imidazolium-based IL-mediated advanced sol-gel organic-inorganic hybrid materials for capillary microextraction. Scanning electron microscopy results demonstrate that ILs can serve as porogenic agents in sol-gel reactions. IL-mediated sol-gel coatings prepared with silanol-terminated polymers provided up to 28 times higher extractions compared to analogous sol-gel coatings prepared without any IL in the sol solution. This study shows that IL-generated porous morphology alone is not enough to provide effective extraction media: careful choice of the organic polymer and the precursor with close sol-gel reactivity must be made to ensure effective chemical bonding of the organic polymer to the created sol-gel material to be able to provide the desired sorbent characteristics.

Polyacrylamide gel polymerization with adjustable gelation rate

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Wiesner, Ivo; Wiesnerová, Dana

2002-01-01

Roč. 32, - (2002), s. 740-742 ISSN 0736-6205 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KSK5052113; GA ČR GA521/00/0075 Keywords : polyacrylamide gel Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 2.173, year: 2002

A Simple Experiment for Visualizing Diffusion

Science.gov (United States)

Helseth, L. E.

2011-01-01

We propose a simple and fascinating experiment for studying diffusion in gels using a pH-sensitive dye. By doping agar with methyl red, we obtain a gel which rapidly reacts to changes in pH by changing its absorption spectrum. The pH gradients can be followed using a digital camera, and we demonstrate here that the pH-sensitive colour changes can…

[Phylogeny of protostome moulting animals (Ecdysozoa) inferred from 18 and 28S rRNA gene sequences].

Science.gov (United States)

Petrov, N B; Vladychenskaia, N S

2005-01-01

Reliability of reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships within a group of protostome moulting animals was evaluated by means of comparison of 18 and 28S rRNA gene sequences sets both taken separately and combined. Reliability of reconstructions was evaluated by values of the bootstrap support of major phylogenetic tree nodes and by degree of congruence of phylogenetic trees inferred by various methods. By both criteria, phylogenetic trees reconstructed from the combined 18 and 28S rRNA gene sequences were better than those inferred from 18 and 28S sequences taken separately. Results obtained are consistent with phylogenetic hypothesis separating protostome animals into two major clades, moulting Ecdysozoa (Priapulida + Kinorhyncha, Nematoda + Nematomorpha, Onychophora + Tardigrada, Myriapoda + Chelicerata, Crustacea + Hexapoda) and unmoulting Lophotrochozoa (Plathelminthes, Nemertini, Annelida, Mollusca, Echiura, Sipuncula). Clade Cephalorhyncha does not include nematomorphs (Nematomorpha). Conclusion was taken that it is necessary to use combined 18 and 28S data in phylogenetic studies.

Clinical signification of diffuse thyroid uptake on {sup 18}F-FDG PET-CT; Signification clinique des hyperfixations thyroidiennes diffuses du 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose en Morpho-TEP: a propos de 28 cas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruna, C.; Journo, A.; Netter, F.; Muller, M.A.; Olivier, P.; Karcher, G. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Nancy-Brabois, Service de Medecine Nucleaire, 54 - Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France)

2007-03-15

Aim and methods: This retrospective study, performed on 28 patients. gave us the opportunity to evaluate the interest of the description of diffuse thyroid uptake on {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT. Indeed. this topic is rarely treated in the literature. The first aim of our study was to search for the previous history of thyroid disease of the patients for whom a diffuse uptake was reported. We also evaluated the ability of the procedure to help the diagnosis of unknown thyroid pathologies. Results: Eighteen patients out of 28 had previous history of thyroid disease: most of them were already treated. For the other 10 patients. the FDG PET/CT allowed the detection of two chronic thyroiditis without biological abnormalities. one hypothyroidism and one hyperthyroidism. Five patients had normal thyroid biology and for an additional one, the diffuse uptake was probably in relation with a known lymphoma. Conclusion: This study confirms that the majority of patients with diffuse thyroid uptake of {sup 18}F-FDG are related to previously known chronic thyroiditis, Basedow disease or goiter. Only one case was in relation with a neoplastic pathology (lymphoma). When patients have no previous thyroid disease, biology should be performed to detect a hypo- or hyperthyroidism, which could require a treatment. These results should be confirmed in a prospective way. (authors)

Extraction of cerium (III) by polymer gels swollen with bidentate organophosphorus compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeshita, Kenji; Takashima, Yoichi; Matsumoto, Shiro; Yamanaka, Hiromitsu.

1995-01-01

The extraction of Ce (III) from aqueous solutions containing Al (NO 3 ) 3 was examined by using styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer (SDB) gels swollen with dihexyl-N, N-diethylcarbamoylmethylphosphonate (CMP), octyl(phenyl)-N, N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO) and an equimolar mixture of CMP and CMPO. The extraction constants (K ex ) for the gels with CMP and CMPO were evaluated. The distribution ratio of Ce (III) for the gel with an equimolar mixture of CMP and CMPO was described as K d = (K ex CMP [CMP] 3 + K ex CMPO [CMPO] 3 ) [NO 3 - ] 3 by using these extraction constants. The extraction rate was found to be controlled by diffusion of Ce-complex [Ce(NO 3 ) 3 (CMPO) 3 or Ce(NO 3 ) 3 (CMP) 3 ] through the gel. The diffusion coefficient (D s ) was inversely proportional to the viscosity of extractant (η) and represented by an expression similar to the Stokes-Einstein equation, D s η/T = constant. A decrease in the viscosity of extractant was effective for increasing the extraction rate. (author)

Safety, tolerability, and systemic absorption of dapivirine vaginal microbicide gel in healthy, HIV-negative women.

Science.gov (United States)

Nel, Annalene M; Coplan, Paul; van de Wijgert, Janneke H; Kapiga, Saidi H; von Mollendorf, Claire; Geubbels, Eveline; Vyankandondera, Joseph; Rees, Helen V; Masenga, Gileard; Kiwelu, Ireen; Moyes, Jocelyn; Smythe, Shanique C

2009-07-31

To assess the local and systemic safety of dapivirine vaginal gel vs. placebo gel as well as the systemic absorption of dapivirine in healthy, HIV-negative women. Two prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I/II studies were conducted at five research centers, four in Africa and one in Belgium. A total of 119 women used dapivirine gel (concentrations of 0.001, 0.002, 0.005, or 0.02%), and 28 used placebo gel twice daily for 42 days. The primary endpoints were colposcopic findings, adverse events, Division of AIDS grade 3 or grade 4 laboratory values, and plasma levels of dapivirine. Safety data were similar for the dapivirine and placebo gels. None of the adverse events with incidence more than 5% occurred with greater frequency in the dapivirine than placebo groups. Similar percentages of placebo and dapivirine gel users had adverse events that were considered by the investigator to be related to study gel. A total of five serious adverse events occurred in the two studies, and none was assessed as related to study gel. Mean plasma concentrations of dapivirine were approximately dose proportional, and, within each dose group, mean concentrations were similar on days 7, 28, and 42. The maximum observed mean concentration was 474 pg/ml in the 0.02% gel group on day 28. Two weeks after the final application of study gel, mean concentrations decreased to 5 pg/ml or less. Twice daily administration of dapivirine vaginal gel for 42 days was safe and well tolerated with low systemic absorption in healthy, HIV-negative women suggesting that continued development is warranted.

Behavior of variable V3 region from 16S rDNA of lactic acid bacteria in denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ercolini, D; Moschetti, G; Blaiotta, G; Coppola, S

2001-03-01

Separation of amplified V3 region from 16S rDNA by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was tested as a tool for differentiation of lactic acid bacteria commonly isolated from food. Variable V3 regions of 21 reference strains and 34 wild strains referred to species belonging to the genera Pediococcus, Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Weissella, and Streptococcus were analyzed. DGGE profiles obtained were species-specific for most of the cultures tested. Moreover, it was possible to group the remaining LAB reference strains according to the migration of their 16S V3 region in the denaturing gel. The results are discussed with reference to their potential in the analysis of LAB communities in food, besides shedding light on taxonomic aspects.

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based prognostic models in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with R-CHOP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Green, Tina M; Jensen, Andreas K; Holst, René

2016-01-01

We present a multiplex analysis for genes known to have prognostic value in an attempt to design a clinically useful classification model in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure transcript levels of 28 relevant genes in 194 de...... models. The best model was validated in data from an online available R-CHOP treated cohort. With progression-free survival (PFS) as primary endpoint, the best performing IPI independent model incorporated the LMO2 and HLADQA1 as well as gene interactions for GCSAMxMIB1, GCSAMxCTGF and FOXP1xPDE4B....... This model assigned 33% of patients (n = 60) to poor outcome with an estimated 3-year PFS of 40% vs. 87% for low risk (n = 61) and intermediate (n = 60) risk groups (P model incorporated LMO2 and BCL2 and assigned 33% of the patients with a 3-year PFS of 35% vs...

Study on the kinetics of gel formation in the radiation crosslinking reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Mingjun; Liu Yuming

1988-01-01

From the kinetic equation of gel formation obtained by the authors, the mechanism of gel formation may be interpreted clearly as follows: (1) When the degree of crosslinking q g , the system is sol and the crosslinking reaction is only carried out between the sol molecules. (q g is the gel point). (2) When q=q g , there exists a beginning point where the gel is coexisted with the sol, and the system is still sol, and the crosslinking reaction is still carried out between the sol molecules. (3) When q>q g , the crosslinking reaction exceeds the gel point and the gel is coexisted with the sol. The kinetic equation shows clearly that the transformation from sol into gel is caused by crosslinking reaction of the uncrosslinked chain units between the sol and gel molecules. As a result the sol molecules are transformed into the gel molecules gradually, and the sol fraction is reduced. When the chain units P-barw(s)S(1-s)dq in sol are crosslinked with gel, the sol fraction in the system is reduced ds (where P-barw(s) is a function of the radiation dose and s is sol frection). The degree of crosslinking per unit dose (q 0 ) is a reduced function of dose (R). The equation for calculating its value for every irradiation dose is obtained. After knowing the correlation between P-bar W(s) vs R and q 0 vs R, the distribution of gel and sol in the process of radiation crosslinking can be discussed as well

Correlation between ionic conductivity and fluidity of polymer gel ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

Ionic conductivity; ion aggregates; FTIR spectroscopy; gels; fluidity. 1. Introduction ... liquid and polymer gel electrolytes have been studied as functions of salt ..... Ratner M A 1987 in Polymer electrolyte reviews (eds) J R. MacCallum and C A ...

Electrolyte transport in neutral polymer gels embedded with charged inclusions

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Reghan

2005-11-01

Ion permeable membranes are the basis of a variety of molecular separation technologies, including ion exchange, gel electrophoresis and dialysis. This work presents a theoretical model of electrolyte transport in membranes comprised of a continuous polymer gel embedded with charged spherical inclusions, e.g., biological cells and synthetic colloids. The microstructure mimics immobilized cell cultures, where electric fields have been used to promote nutrient transport. Because several important characteristics can, in principle, be carefully controlled, the theory provides a quantitative framework to help tailor the bulk properties for enhanced molecular transport, microfluidic pumping, and physicochemical sensing applications. This talk focuses on the electroosmotic flow driven by weak electric fields and electrolyte concentration gradients. Also of importance is the influence of charge on the effective ion diffusion coefficients, bulk electrical conductivity, and membrane diffusion potential.

Functionalization of sol-gel zirconia composites with europium complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danchova, Nina; Gutzov, Stoyan

2014-01-01

Different sol-gel strategies based on functionalization of ZrO 2 :Eu microparticles with 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and incorporation of colloidal Eu(phen) 2 (NO 3 ) 3 into zirconia have been used to obtain hybrid sol-gel composites with controlled optical properties. The process leads to materials with quantum yields of about 48 % monitoring the 615 nm emission line at 350 nm excitation. Excitation/luminescence spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction have been used to characterize the hybrid zirconia composites. (orig.)

RNA sequence analyses of r-Moj-DM treated cells: TXNIP is required to induce apoptosis of SK-Mel-28.

Science.gov (United States)

McBride, Terri D; Andrew, U; Ly, Nicko; Soto, Julio G

2016-10-01

RNA sequencing of untreated and r-Moj-DM treated SK-Mel-28 cells was performed after 6 h, to begin unraveling the apoptotic pathway induced by r-Moj-DM. Bioinformatic analyses of RNA sequencing data yielded 40 genes that were differentially expressed. Nine genes were upregulated and 31 were downregulated. qRT-PCR was used to validate differential expression of 13 genes with known survival or apoptotic-inducing activities. Expression of BNiP3, IGFBP3, PTPSF, Prune 2, TGF-ß, and TXNIP were compared from cells treated with r-Moj-DN (a strong apoptotic inducer) or r-Moj-DA (a non-apoptotic inducer) for 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, and 6 h after treatment. Our results demonstrate that significant differences in expression are only detected after 4 h of treatment. In addition, expression of TXNIP (an apoptotic inducer) remains elevated at 4 h and 6 h only in r-Moj-DN treated cells. Based on the consistency of elevated TXNIP expression, we further studied TXNIP as a novel target of disintegrin activation. Confocal microscopy of anti-TXNIP stained SK-Mel-28 cells suggests nuclear localization of TXNIP after r-Moj-DM treatment. A stable TXNIP knockdown SK-Mel-28 cell line was produced to test TXNIP' role in the apoptotic induction by r-Moj-DM. High cell viability (74.3% ±9.1) was obtained after r-Moj-DM treatment of TXNIP knocked down SK-Mel-28 cells, compared to 34% ±0.187 for untransduced cells. These results suggest that TXNIP is required early in the apoptotic-inducing pathway resulting from r-Moj-DM binding to the αv integrin subunit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of nuclear glasses alteration gel and synthesis of some model gels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ricol, S.

1995-01-01

This work deals with the general problem of alteration of the reference nuclear glass R7T7. Attention is paid particularly to the altered layer formed at the glass surface during alteration process. In opposition to previous works, related essentially to glass dissolution kinetics based on chemical analyses of lixiviated elements, this thesis deals with alteration problems through structural studies of the reference glass and derived gel. This approach allows the determination of mechanisms for the gel formation and a better understanding of the behaviour of glasses towards lixiviation. Both approaches appeared complementary. Based on several spectroscopic techniques, this work showed the particular role of cations such as calcium, zirconium and iron. Studies of silica-based synthetic gels showed the synergic effect of formers cation and of one highly coordinated cation. The variation of the wavenumber related to Si-O-Si asymmetric stretching vibration can be correlated to O/Si ratio for ternary systems Si/Na/Zr. On the contrary, the Si losses of the materials depend on the number of non-bridging oxygen atoms. In the perspective of long-term behaviour, the alteration gel presents better characteristics than initial glass. It is therefore a highly stable material in static conditions. In the same way, synthetic gels are materials with very low solubilities (much lower than the alteration gel) and could be used as confining matrices. (authors). refs., 71 figs., 37 tabs

Protein diffusion in photopolymerized poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engberg, Kristin; Frank, Curtis W

2011-01-01

In this study, protein diffusion through swollen hydrogel networks prepared from end-linked poly(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate (PEG-DA) was investigated. Hydrogels were prepared via photopolymerization from PEG-DA macromonomer solutions of two molecular weights, 4600 Da and 8000 Da, with three initial solid contents: 20, 33 and 50 wt/wt% PEG. Diffusion coefficients for myoglobin traveling across the hydrogel membrane were determined for all PEG network compositions. The diffusion coefficient depended on PEG molecular weight and initial solid content, with the slowest diffusion occurring through lower molecular weight, high-solid-content networks (D gel = 0.16 ± 0.02 x 10 -8 cm 2 s -1 ) and the fastest diffusion occurring through higher molecular weight, low-solid-content networks (D gel = 11.05 ± 0.43 x 10 -8 cm 2 s -1 ). Myoglobin diffusion coefficients increased linearly with the increase of water content within the hydrogels. The permeability of three larger model proteins (horseradish peroxidase, bovine serum albumin and immunoglobulin G) through PEG(8000) hydrogel membranes was also examined, with the observation that globular molecules as large as 10.7 nm in hydrodynamic diameter can diffuse through the PEG network. Protein diffusion coefficients within the PEG hydrogels ranged from one to two orders of magnitude lower than the diffusion coefficients in free water. Network defects were determined to be a significant contributing factor to the observed protein diffusion.

Alteration of 'R7T7' type nuclear glasses: statistical approach, experimental validation, local evolution model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thierry, F.

2003-02-01

The aim of this work is to propose an evolution of nuclear (R7T7-type) glass alteration modeling. The first part of this thesis is about development and validation of the 'r(t)' model. This model which predicts the decrease of alteration rates in confined conditions is based upon a coupling between a first-order dissolution law and a diffusion barrier effect of the alteration gel layer. The values and the uncertainties regarding the main adjustable parameters of the model (α, Dg and C*) have been determined from a systematic study of the available experimental data. A program called INVERSION has been written for this purpose. This work lead to characterize the validity domain of the 'r(t)' model and to parametrize it. Validation experiments have been undertaken, confirming the validity of the parametrization over 200 days. A new model is proposed in the second part of this thesis. It is based on an inhibition of glass dissolution reaction by silicon coupled with a local description of silicon retention in the alteration gel layer. This model predicts the evolutions of boron and silicon concentrations in solution as well as the concentrations and retention profiles in the gel layer. These predictions have been compared to measurements of retention profiles by the secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) method. The model has been validated on fractions of gel layer which reactivity present low or moderate disparities. (author)

Analysis of the response of PVA-GTA Fricke-gel dosimeters with clinical magnetic resonance imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Collura, Giorgio; Gallo, Salvatore; Tranchina, Luigi; Abbate, Boris Federico; Bartolotta, Antonio; d'Errico, Francesco; Marrale, Maurizio

2018-01-01

Fricke gel dosimeters produced with a matrix of Poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA) cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GTA) were analyzed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Previous studies based on spectrophotometry showed valuable dosimetric features of these gels in terms of X-ray sensitivity and diffusion of the ferric ions produced after irradiation. In this study, MRI was performed on the gels at 1.5 T with a clinical scanner in order to optimize the acquisition parameters and obtain high contrast between irradiated and non-irradiated samples. The PVA gels were found to offer good linearity in the range of 0-10 Gy and a stable signal for several hours after irradiation. The sensitivity was about 40% higher compared to gels produced with agarose as gelling agent. The effect of xylenol orange (XO) on the MRI signal was also investigated: gel dosimeters made without XO show higher sensitivity to x-rays than those made with XO. The dosimetric accuracy of the 3D gels was investigated by comparing their MRI response to percentage depth dose and transversal dose profile measurements made with an ionization chamber in a water phantom. The comparison of PVA-GTA gels with and without XO showed that the chelating agent reduces the MRI sensitivity of the gels. Depth-dose and transversal dose profiles acquired by PVA-GTA gels without XO are more accurate and consistent with the ionization chamber data. However, diffusion effects hinder accurate measurements in the steep dose gradient regions and they should be further reduced by modifying the gel matrix and/or by minimizing the delay between irradiation and imaging.

Fabrication and Optimization of a PAGATA Gel Dosimeter: Increasing the Melting Point of the PAGAT Gel Dosimeter with Agarose Additive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bakhtiar Azadbakht

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The PAGAT polymer gel dosimeter melts at 30 ˚C and even at room temperature during the summer, so it needs to be kept in a cool place such as a refrigerator. To increase the stability of the PAGAT gel, different amounts of agarose were added to the PAGAT gel composition and the PAGATA gel was manufactured. Material and Methods: The PAGATA gel vials were irradiated using a Co-60 machine. Then, the samples were evaluated using a 1.5 T Siemens MRI scanner. The ingredients of the PAGATA normoxic gel dosimeter were 4.5% N-N' methylen-bis-acrylamide, 4.5% acrylamide, 4.5% gelatine, 5 mM tetrakis (THPC, 0.01 mM hydroquinone (HQ, 0.5% agarose and 86% de-ionized water (HPLC. Results: Melting point and sensitivity of the PAGAT gel dosimeter with addition of 0.0, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% of agarose were measured, in which the melting points were increased to 30, 82, 86, 88, 89 and 90°C and their sensitivities found to be 0.113, 0.1059, 0.125, 0.122, 0.115 and 0.2  respectively. Discussion and Conclusions: Adding agarose increased the sensitivity and background R2 of the evaluated samples. The optimum amount of agarose was found to be 0.5% regarding these parameters and also the melting point of the gel dosimeter. A value of 0.5% agarose was found to be an optimum value considering the increase of sensitivity to 0.125 and melting point to 86°C but at the expense of increasing the background R2 to 4.530.

Effect of a New Bleaching Gel on Tooth Whitening.

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, T N; Bailey, C W; Ashcraft-Olmscheid, D; Vandewalle, K S

The purpose of this study was to compare the whitening efficacy of a novel bleaching agent containing a unique tribarrel hydremide-peroxide gel (KöR) with a traditional bleaching system of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide (Opalescence). Bovine incisors were mounted into a custom resin, arch-shaped mounting device. Four groups of 10 teeth were created using mounting devices containing five teeth each. The in-office and home bleaching gels of KöR and Opalescence were applied to the teeth alone and in trays to simulate a combination of in-office and home bleaching or home bleaching only. Spectrophotometer readings of L* a* b* were performed at baseline, the end of active bleaching (immediate), and three and six months postbleaching. Immediately postbleaching, the use of Opalescence gel resulted in greater change in ΔE* and Δb* (less yellow) for combined and home bleaching techniques compared with KöR. After six months, Opalescence had significantly greater ΔE* and Δb* compared with KöR for home bleaching only. There was no significant difference in ΔL* between Opalescence and KöR at any time period with either technique.

Growth and characterization of gel grown pure and mixed iron ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

is to grow pure and mixed iron (II)–manganese levo-tartrate crystals by the single diffusion gel growth technique and characterize them by several methods. 2. ... also attracted several researchers to grow different crystals for various ...

Functional characterization of six aspartate (D) recombinant mojastin mutants (r-Moj): A second aspartate amino acid carboxyl to the RGD in r-Moj-D_ peptides is not sufficient to induce apoptosis of SK-Mel-28 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Carla J; Gutierrez, Daniel A; Aranda, Ana S; Koshlaychuk, Melissa A; Carrillo, David A; Medrano, Rafael; McBride, Terri D; U, Andrew; Medina, Stephanie M; Lombardo, Melissa C; Lucena, Sara E; Sanchez, Elda E; Soto, Julio G

2016-08-01

Disintegrins are small peptides produced in viper venom that act as integrin antagonists. When bound to integrins, disintegrins induce altered cellular behaviors, such as apoptotic induction. Disintegrins with RGDDL or RGDDM motifs induce apoptosis of normal and cancer cells. We hypothesized that a second aspartate (D) carboxyl to the RGD is sufficient to induce apoptosis. Five recombinant mojastin D mutants were produced by site-directed mutagenesis (r-Moj-DA, r-Moj-DG, r-Moj-DL, r-Moj-DN, and r-Moj-DV). Stable αv integrin knockdown and shRNA scrambled control SK-Mel-28 cell lines were produced to test a second hypothesis: r-Moj-D_ peptides bind to αv integrin. Only r-Moj-DL, r-Moj-DM, and r-Moj-DN induced apoptosis of SK-Mel-28 cells (at 29.4%, 25.6%, and 36.2%, respectively). Apoptotic induction was significantly reduced in SK-Mel-28 cells with a stable αv integrin knockdown (to 2%, 17%, and 2%, respectively), but not in SK-Mel-28 cells with a stable scrambled shRNA. All six r-Moj-D_ peptides inhibited cell proliferation; ranging from 49.56% (r-Moj-DN) to 75.6% (r-Moj-DA). Cell proliferation inhibition by r-Moj-D_ peptides was significantly reduced in SK-Mel-28 cells with a stable αv integrin knockdown. All six r-Moj-D_ peptides inhibited SK-Mel-28 cell migration at high levels (69%-100%). As a consequence, rac-1 mRNA expression levels were significantly reduced as early as 1 h after treatment, suggesting that rac-1 is involved in the cell migration activity of SK-Mel-28. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of static light scattering for the structure analysis of radiosensitive polymer gels: a literature survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bussche, E Vanden [Department of Radiotherapy Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Deene, Y de [Department of Radiotherapy Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Dubruel, P [Polymer Material Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Vergote, K [Department of Radiotherapy Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Schacht, E [Polymer Material Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Wagter, C de [Department of Radiotherapy Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent (Belgium)

2004-01-01

Static light scattering (SLS) could be a worthy technique to perform a structure analysis of the polymer structures inside radiation sensitive gels. The information obtained with SLS is a static characterization of the particle structures inside the gel. SLS will be combined with NMR relaxometry and NMR diffusion measurements, which deliver a hydrodynamic characterization of the microstructure of the gels.

Alteration of 'R7T7' type nuclear glasses: statistical approach, experimental validation, local evolution model; Alteration des verres nucleaires de type 'R7T7': demarche statistique, validation experimentale, modele local d'evolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thierry, F

2003-02-01

The aim of this work is to propose an evolution of nuclear (R7T7-type) glass alteration modeling. The first part of this thesis is about development and validation of the 'r(t)' model. This model which predicts the decrease of alteration rates in confined conditions is based upon a coupling between a first-order dissolution law and a diffusion barrier effect of the alteration gel layer. The values and the uncertainties regarding the main adjustable parameters of the model ({alpha}, Dg and C*) have been determined from a systematic study of the available experimental data. A program called INVERSION has been written for this purpose. This work lead to characterize the validity domain of the 'r(t)' model and to parametrize it. Validation experiments have been undertaken, confirming the validity of the parametrization over 200 days. A new model is proposed in the second part of this thesis. It is based on an inhibition of glass dissolution reaction by silicon coupled with a local description of silicon retention in the alteration gel layer. This model predicts the evolutions of boron and silicon concentrations in solution as well as the concentrations and retention profiles in the gel layer. These predictions have been compared to measurements of retention profiles by the secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) method. The model has been validated on fractions of gel layer which reactivity present low or moderate disparities. (author)

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy: correlation between Loes score and diffusion tensor imaging parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, Sergio Eiji; de Carvalho Neto, Arnolfo; Gasparetto, Emerson Leandro; Coelho, Luiz Otávio de Mattos; Escuissato, Dante Luiz; Bonfim, Carmem Maria Sales; Ribeiro, Lisandro Lima

2014-01-01

The present study was aimed at evaluating the correlation between diffusion tensor imaging parameters and Loes score as well as whether those parameters could indicate early structural alterations. Diffusion tensor imaging measurements were obtained in 30 studies of 14 patients with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy and were correlated with Loes scores. A control group including 28 male patients was created to establish agematched diffusion tensor imaging measurements. Inter- and intraobserver statistical analyses were undertaken. Diffusion tensor imaging measurements presented strong Pearson correlation coefficients (r) of -0.86, 0.89, 0.89 and 0.84 for fractional anisotropy and mean, radial and axial diffusivities (p tensor measurements at early stage of the disease indicates that mean and radial diffusivities might be useful to predict the disease progression. Measurements of diffusion tensor parameters can be used as an adjunct to the Loes score, aiding in the monitoring of the disease and alerting for possible Loes score progression in the range of interest for therapeutic decisions.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray study of a (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase from Bacillus coagulans 2-6.

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Xiangzhi; Huang, Xianhui; Zhang, Guofang; Zhao, Xiufang; Zhu, Xianming; Dong, Hui

2013-10-01

(2R,3R)-2,3-Butanediol dehydrogenase (R,R-BDH) from Bacillus coagulans 2-6 is a zinc-dependent medium-chain alcohol dehydrogenase. Recombinant R,R-BDH with a His6 tag at the C-terminus was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells and purified by Ni2+-chelating affinity and size-exclusion chromatography. Crystals were grown by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 289 K. The crystallization condition consisted of 8%(v/v) Tacsimate pH 4.6, 18%(w/v) polyethylene glycol 3350. The crystal diffracted to 2.8 Å resolution in the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁, with unit-cell parameters a=88.35, b=128.73, c=131.03 Å.

An evaluation of the dosimetric performance characteristics of N-vinylpyrrolidone-based polymer gels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papadakis, A E [Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Iraklion 71003, Crete (Greece); Maris, T G [Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Iraklion 71003, Crete (Greece); Zacharopoulou, F [Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Iraklion 71003, Crete (Greece); Pappas, E [Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Iraklion 71003, Crete (Greece); Zacharakis, G [Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), PO Box 1527, Iraklion, Crete (Greece); Damilakis, J [Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Iraklion 71003, Crete (Greece)

2007-08-21

The aim of this work was to investigate the dosimetric performance properties of the N-vinylpyrrolidone argon (VIPAR) based polymer gel as a dosimetric tool in clinical radiotherapy. VIPAR gels with a larger concentration of gelatin than the standard recipe were manufactured and irradiated up to 68 Gy using a 6 and 18 MV linear accelerator. Using MRI, the R2-dose response was recorded at different imaging sessions within a 34 day time period post-irradiation. The R2-dose response was found to be linear between 5 and 68 Gy. Although dose sensitivity did not show significant variation with time, the measured R2-dose values showed an increasing trend, which was less evident beyond 17 days. At one day post-irradiation, calculated dose standard uncertainties at 20 Gy and 56 Gy were 2.2% and 1.7%, providing a dose resolution of 0.45 Gy and 0.97 Gy, respectively. Although these values fulfilled the 2% limit of ICRU, when gels were imaged at one day post-irradiation, it was shown that the temporal evolution of the R2 values deteriorated the per cent standard uncertainty and the dose resolution by {approx}57%, when imaged 17 days post-irradiation. Variation in the coagulation temperature of the gels did not impact the R2-dose sensitivity. This study has shown that the VIPAR gel has the properties of a dosimetric tool required in clinical radiotherapy, especially in applications where a wide dose dynamic range is employed. For results with the lowest per cent uncertainty and the optimum dose resolution, the dosimetry gels used in this work should be MR scanned at one day post-irradiation. Furthermore, a preliminary study on the R2-dose response of a new normoxic N-vinylpyrrolidone-based polymer gel showed that it could potentially replace the traditional VIPAR gel formulation, while preserving the wide dynamic dose response inherent to that monomer.

Images of gel electrophoresis - RGP caps | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available List Contact us RGP caps Images of gel electrophoresis Data detail Data name Images of gel electrophoresis D...OI 10.18908/lsdba.nbdc00318-05-002 Description of data contents Detailed information and images of gel electrophoresis... of each marker. Data file File name: rgp_caps_electrophoresis_image.zip File URL: ftp://ftp.biosc...iencedbc.jp/archive/rgp-caps/LATEST/rgp_caps_electrophoresis_image.zip File size:... 28.7 MB Simple search URL - Data acquisition method Gel electrophoresis Data analysis method STS markers :

Phase stability and oxygen diffusion in RBa2Cu3O6+x (R=Y, Nd)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mozhaev, A.P.; Mazo, G.N.; Galkin, A.A.; Khromova, N.V.

1996-01-01

Phase stability boundaries of RBa 2 Cu 3 O 6 + x (R=Y, Nd) compounds for oxygen partial pressure wide range were determined by means of Coulomb titration. Phase decomposition is shown to occur without formation of liquid phase. Principial differences in the chemical composition of decomposition product of Y- and Nd-containing phases were detected. Dependences of oxygen non-stoichiometry of the compounds on temperature were determined. Fragments of P o 2 -T-x-diagrams were plotted. Oxygen diffusion coefficients within wide range of temperatures and partial pressures of oxygen were determined. Dependence of diffusion parameters on oxygen non-stoichiometry and P o 2 was determined. Oxygen diffusion was determined to occur more rapidly in orthorhombic phase than in tetragonal one. Diffusion coefficients were shown to increase at transition from Y-to Nd-containing phase. 13 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

The effects of Aloe vera [gel] on clotting time, prothrombin time and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Published reports on the effects of Aloe vera gel on blood coagulation in experimental animals are relatively scanty. Aim: To determine the effect of Aloe vera gel on clotting time, prothrombin time and plasma fibrinogen concentration in albino Wistar rats. Methods: A total of 28 adult albino Wistar rats divided ...

Influence of drug concentration on the diffusion parameters of caffeine

Science.gov (United States)

Mustapha, R.Ben; Lafforgue, C.; Fenina, N.; Marty, J.P.

2011-01-01

Background and Objectives: In the fields of the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries and in toxicology, the study of the skin penetration of molecules is very interesting. Various studies have considered the impact of different physicochemical drug characteristics, skin thickness, and formulations, on the transition from the surface of the skin to the underlying tissues or to the systemic circulation; however, the influence of drug concentration on the permeation flux of molecules has rarely been raised. Our study aims to discover the influence of caffeine concentration in a formulation on the percutaneous penetration from gels, as a result of different dose applications to polysulfate membrane and human skin. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, three identical base gels were used at 1, 3, and 5% of caffeine, to evaluate the effect of the concentration of caffeine on in vitro release through the synthetic membrane and ex vivo permeation through the human skin, using diffusion FranzTM cells. Results: The diffusion through the epidermal tissue was significantly slower than through the synthetic membrane, which recorded an increase of flux with an increase in the concentration of caffeine. The skin permeation study showed that diffusion depended not only on the concentration, but also on the deposited amount of gel. Nevertheless, for the same amount of caffeine applied, the flux was more significant from the less concentrated gel. Conclusion: Among all the different concentrations of caffeine examined, 1% gel of caffeine applied at 5 mg / cm2 showed the highest absorption characteristics across human skin. PMID:21572649

Effect of gamma radiation on the leakage of substances from lymphocytes. In vitro study using immuno-precipitation techniques in gel medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubos, M.; Nguyen, T.-L.; Drouet, J.; Goujon, P.

In vitro effect of a 5000 R irradiation on rat blood lymphocytes was studied during several days in surviving cell suspensions, at various incubation temperature. Immunochemical analysis in agarose gel, using the simple diffusion technique, exhibited the leakage of two groups of antigenic compounds, from lymphocytes. The first group compounds seemed to be periodical renewal products of surface cell membrane elements, common to lymphocytes and erythrocytes; irradiation increased their release. A correlation was established between the second group compounds and cell metabolism and these compounds seemed to be enzymes of cytolitic origin [fr

In vitro evaluation of calcium alginate gels as matrix for iontophoresis electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Haida, Haruka; Ando, Shizuka; Ogami, Saori; Wakita, Ryo; Kohase, Hikaru; Saito, Norio; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Tanaka, Junzo; Umino, Masahiro; Fukayama, Haruhisa

2012-03-13

Calcium alginate gel has some unique properties, such as the capability to keep the drugs, bioadhesiveness, safety, and low cost. The purpose of this study is to determine whether calcium alginate gel can be used as a matrix of electrodes for iontophoresis (IOP). We measured the concentration of lidocaine transported from calcium alginate gels with various concentrations of alginic acid using an in vitro experimental cell with square-wave alternating current (AC) application. Temperature and pH changes were also determined during AC-IOP. The results revealed that lidocaine was released from calcium alginate gels at concentrations nearly 1.71-fold larger at 5 V, 60 min after AC application than in the case of passive diffusion. Lidocaine transport depended on the alginic acid concentration in the gels. Although there were slight increases in temperature and pH, chemical and thermal burns were not severe enough to be a concern. In conclusion, the calcium alginate gel can be used as a possible matrix for IOP electrodes.

Fabrications and properties of doped porous polysiloxane sol-gel layers on optical fibers

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Berková, Daniela; Sedlář, Miroslav; Matějec, Vlastimil; Kašík, Ivan; Chomát, Miroslav; Abdelghani, A.; Jaffrezic-Renault, N.; Lacroix, M.

1998-01-01

Roč. 13, 1/3 (1998), s. 569-573 ISSN 0928-0707. [Glasses, Ceramics, Hybrids and Nanocomposites from Gels - SOL-GEL'97 /9./. Sheffield, 31.08.1997-05.09.1997] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA102/95/0871; GA ČR GA102/96/0939 Keywords : nonelectric sensing devices * optical fibres Subject RIV: JB - Sensors, Measurment, Regulation Impact factor: 1.526, year: 1997

NMR mechanisms in gel dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schreiner, L J

2009-01-01

observed rate is a function of the absorbed dose. In this review I will first develop the fast exchange model for the spin lattice relaxation Fricke gel dosimeter system, as this is conceptually the simpler system. Fundamental concepts such as relaxivity (which specifies the ability of some species to enhance the relaxation of water protons) and chemical yield will be presented. The linear dose relationship for Fricke gel dosimeters, and the reduced dose sensitivity of Fricke dosimeters containing chelators, will be explained. The model will then be extended to the spin-spin relaxation of polymer gel systems and the main differences discussed. The reasons for the enhanced dose sensitivy and dynamic range for spin-spin (R2) rather than spin-lattice (R1) relaxation will be presented.

Three dimensional gel dosimetry by use of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Deene, Y; De Wagter, C; Van Duyse, B; Achten, E; De Neve, W [Ghent Rijksuniversiteit (Belgium). Kliniek voor Radiotherapie en Kerngeneeskunde; De Poorter, J [Ghent Univ. (Belgium). Dept. of Magnetic Resonance

1995-12-01

As co-monomers are found to polymerize by radiation, they are eligible for constructing a three dimensional dosimeter. Another kind of three dimensional dosimeter, based on the radiation sensitivity of the ferrous ions in a Fricke solution, was tested in a previous study. However, a major problem that occurs in this kind of gel dosimeters is the diffusion of the ferric and ferrous ions. The co-monomer gels are more stable. The degree of polymerisation is visualized with a clinical MRI system. Acrylamide and N,N-methylene-bis-acrylamide are dissolved in a gel composed of gelatin and water. By irradiation the co-monomers are polymerized to polyacrylamide. The gel is casted in humanoid forms. As such, a simulation of the irradiation of the patient can be performed. Magnetic resonance relaxivity images of the irradiated gel display the irradiation dose. The images of the gel are fused with the radiological images of the patient. Quantitation of the dose response of the co-monomer gel is obtained through calibration by test tubes.

Three dimensional gel dosimetry by use of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Deene, Y.; De Wagter, C.; Van Duyse, B.; Achten, E.; De Neve, W.; De Poorter, J.

1995-01-01

As co-monomers are found to polymerize by radiation, they are eligible for constructing a three dimensional dosimeter. Another kind of three dimensional dosimeter, based on the radiation sensitivity of the ferrous ions in a Fricke solution, was tested in a previous study. However, a major problem that occurs in this kind of gel dosimeters is the diffusion of the ferric and ferrous ions. The co-monomer gels are more stable. The degree of polymerisation is visualized with a clinical MRI system. Acrylamide and N,N-methylene-bis-acrylamide are dissolved in a gel composed of gelatin and water. By irradiation the co-monomers are polymerized to polyacrylamide. The gel is casted in humanoid forms. As such, a simulation of the irradiation of the patient can be performed. Magnetic resonance relaxivity images of the irradiated gel display the irradiation dose. The images of the gel are fused with the radiological images of the patient. Quantitation of the dose response of the co-monomer gel is obtained through calibration by test tubes

Dynamics of the sol—gel transition in organic—inorganic nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Judeinstein, P.; Oliveira, P. W.; Krug, H.; Schmidt, H.

1994-03-01

Two different techniques have been used to follow the gelation of photochromic organic—inorganic nanocomposites. The variations of molecular and macromolecular motions in these complex systems have been analyzed. Photo-correlation spectroscopy probes the formation of the gel network. Forced Rayleigh scattering experiences the microstructure of the mixtures via the measurement of the translational diffusion coefficient of entrapped photoreactive targets. In the different mixtures, a drop of the network mobility could be observed around the sol to gel conversion, while the entrapped molecules do not experience the macroscopic transition.

Investigation of vacuum pumping on the dose response of the MAGAS normoxic polymer gel dosimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venning, AJ.; Canberra Hospital, Canberra; University of Sydney, Sydney; Mather, ML.; Baldock, C.

2005-01-01

The effect of vacuum pumping on the dose response of the MAGAS polymer gel dosimeter has been investigated. A delay of several days post-manufacture before irradiation was previously necessary due to the slow oxygen scavenging of ascorbic acid. The MAGAS polymer gel dosimeter was vacuum pumped before gelation to remove dissolved oxygen. The MAGAS polymer gel dosimeter was poured into glass screw-top vials, which were irradiated at various times, post-manufacture to a range of doses. Magnetic resonance imaging techniques were used to determine the R2-dose response and /?2-dose sensitivity of the MAGAS polymer gel. The results were compared with a control batch of MAGAS polymer gel that was not vacuum pumped. It was shown that vacuum pumping on the MAGAS polymer gel solution immediately prior to sealing in glass screw-top vials initially increases the R2-dose response and R2-dose sensitivity of the dosimeter. An increase in the .R2-dose response and i?2-dose sensitivity was observed with increasing time between manufacture and irradiation. Over the range of post-manufacture irradiation times investigated, the greatest i?2-dose response and if 2 -dose sensitivity occurred at 96 hours

Minimally Adhesive, Advanced Non-toxic Coatings of Dendrimeric Catalysts in Sol-Gel Matrices

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-19

Catalysts in Sol -Gel Matrices 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER N00014-09-1-0217 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Detty, Michael R. 5d...Technical Report for ONR N00014-09-1-0217 Minimally Adhesive, Advanced Non-toxic Coatings of Dendrimeric Catalysts in Sol -Gel Matrices Michael R. Detty, PI...Environmentally benign sol -gel antifouling and foul-releasing coatings. Ace. Chem. Res. 2014, 47, 678-687. 11) Alberto, E. E.; Müller, L. M

Colloidal probe dynamics in gelatin solution during the sol-gel transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Wei; Xu, Guozhi; Ou, Xiaogang; Sun, Weixiang; Wang, Tao; Tong, Zhen

2018-05-16

The dynamics of the colloidal probes in a gelatin solution during the time-dependent sol-gel transition was investigated by multi-particle tracking. The relationship between the relaxation of the medium at the critical gel point and the mean square displacement of the probes was elucidated. Based on this understanding, the critical gel point of gelatin and the corresponding critical exponent n were unambiguously determined by the loss angle criterion and the time-cure superposition. The shift factors of the latter are further used to estimate the time/length-scale evolution of the gelatin during the sol-gel transition. The growth of the medium length scale crossed with the two measuring length scales successively at the pre-gel regime. Coinciding with the length-scale crossovers, the probability density function (PDF) of the probe displacements displayed two transient peaks of non-Gaussianity. In the post-gel regime, the third peak of Gaussianity suggested inhomogeneity in the gel network. The non-Gaussianity results from the bifurcation of diffusivity. The present work showed that the non-Gaussian dynamics of the probes are not the direct equivalence of that of the medium, but an effect of length-scale coupling.

EVALUASI, UJI STABILITAS FISIK DAN SINERESIS SEDIAAN GEL YANG MENGANDUNG MINOKSIDIL, APIGENIN DAN PERASAN HERBA SELEDRI (Apium graveolens L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emma Sri Kuncari

2015-01-01

Full Text Available AbstractMinoxidil, apigenin and celery are believed to have the same bioactivity as a vasodilator that can widen blood vessels. This study discusses about the gel formulation in the scope of evaluation of gel preparation, using carbomer as a gelling agent each containing minoxidil, apigenin and celery juice. The method used in gel evaluation were organoleptic observation, homogeneity, pH, consistency and viscosity; physical stability at 40±2 °C, 28±2 °C, 4±2 °C and syneresis. Based on the result, all gel formulations showed their consistency and viscosity were higher after 8 weeks of storage at room temperature. The rheogram of three gel formulations in term of flow properties remain unchanged after 8 weeks of storage. It was indicated that the flow properties of gel formulation was pseudoplastis tixotropic. The gel containing minoxidil, apigenin and celery juice showed good physical stability at 28±2 °C and 40±2 °C, but less stable at 4±2 °C after 14 weeks of storage. The highest number of syneresis was found in a gel containing celery juice.Keywords : Celery, Apigenin, Gel, StabilityAbstrakMinoksidil, apigenin dan seledri memiliki aktivitas biologi yang sama sebagai vasodilator yang dapat memperlebar pembuluh darah. Penelitian ini sebagai evaluasi sediaan gel, menggunakan karbomer sebagai gelling agentyang mengandung masing-masing minoksidil, apigenin dan perasan herba seledri. Metode yang digunakan dalam evaluasi gel adalah pengamatan organoleptis, homogenitas, pH, konsistensi dan viskositas; stabilitas fisik pada suhu 40±2 °C, 28±2 °C, 4±2 °C dan sineresis. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, ketiga formula gel menunjukkan konsistensi dan viskositas yang lebih tinggi setelah 8  minggu  penyimpanan  pada  temperatur  ruang.  Hasil  rheogram  dari  ketiga  formula gel  menunjukkan  sifat  alir  yang  tetap  tidak  berubah  setelah  8  minggu  penyimpanan, yaitu pseudoplastis tiksotropik. Gel yang mengandung

Development and evaluation of a 28S rRNA gene-based nested PCR assay for P. falciparum and P. vivax

Science.gov (United States)

Pakalapati, Deepak; Garg, Shilpi; Middha, Sheetal; Acharya, Jyoti; Subudhi, Amit K; Boopathi, Arunachalam P; Saxena, Vishal; Kochar, Sanjay K; Kochar, Dhanpat K; Das, Ashis

2013-01-01

The 28S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced from P. falciparum and P. vivax isolates collected from northwest India. Based upon the sequence diversity of the Plasmodium 28SrRNA gene in comparison with its human counterpart, various nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers were designed from the 3R region of the 28SrRNA gene and evaluated on field isolates. This is the first report demonstrating the utility of this gene for species-specific diagnosis of malaria for these two species, prevalent in India. The initial evaluation on 363 clinical isolates indicated that, in comparison with microscopy, which showed sensitivity and specificity of 85.39% and 100% respectively, the sensitivity and specificity of the nested PCR assay was found to be 99.08% and 100% respectively. This assay was also successful in detecting mixed infections that are undetected by microscopy. Our results demonstrate the utility of the 28S rRNA gene as a diagnostic target for the detection of the major plasmodial species infecting humans. PMID:23816509

Modified thermoresponsive Poloxamer 407 and chitosan sol-gels as potential sustained-release vaccine delivery systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kojarunchitt, Thunjiradasiree; Baldursdottir, Stefania; Dong, Yao-Da; Boyd, Ben J; Rades, Thomas; Hook, Sarah

2015-01-01

Thermoresponsive, particle-loaded, Poloxamer 407 (P407)-Pluronic-R® (25R4) or chitosan-methyl cellulose (MC) formulations were developed as single-dose, sustained release vaccines. The sol-gels, loaded either with a particulate vaccine (cubosomes) or soluble antigen (ovalbumin) and adjuvants (Quil A and monophosphoryl lipid A), were free-flowing liquids at room temperature and formed stable gels at physiological temperatures. Rheological results showed that both systems meet the criteria of being thermoresponsive gels. The P407-25R4 sol-gels did not significantly sustain the release of antigen in vivo while the chitosan-MC sol-gels sustained the release of antigen up to at least 14 days after administration. The chitosan-MC sol-gels stimulated both cellular and humoral responses. The inclusion of cubosomes in the sol-gels did not provide a definitive beneficial effect. Further analysis of the formulations with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed that while cubosomes were stable in chitosan-MC gels they were not stable in P407-25R4 formulations. The reason for the mixed response to cubosome-loaded vehicles requires more investigation, however it appears that the cubosomes did not facilitate synchronous vaccine release and may in fact retard release, reducing efficacy in some cases. From these results, chitosan-MC sol-gels show potential as sustained release vaccine delivery systems, as compared to the P407-25R4 system that had a limited ability to sustain antigen release. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developing an assessment framework to improve the efficiency of R and D and the market diffusion of energy technologies - EduaR and D. Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bradke, H.; Cremer, C.; Dreher, C. (and others)

2007-01-31

The energy R and D and innovation policy will have to concentrate on accelerating innovation processes and the market penetration of those technologies capable of meeting challenges in the future and reducing the risks. The lack of financing available to substantially enlarge public funds for energy-related R and D and market diffusion policies is a major bottleneck to meeting these challenges. One way to tackle this dilemma is to improve the efficiency of energy R and D and relevant innovations including market entrance and diffusion. Unfortunately, little is understood about how to make the best choices from among the myriad research ideas and proposals in order to reduce the risks of R and D funding and to maximise the outcome of public (or private) R and D funds. This was the starting point of a small research programme called EduaR and D (Energy data and Analysis of Research and Development) initiated by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) with five analytical projects on energy systems and related research and development. Two of them focus on methodological questions ('Decision criteria for efficient R and D policy strategies' and 'Priority setting by methods of innovation and technology cycle research') and three on concrete technological areas ('systemic evaluation of new co-generation technologies', 'multi-criteria technology assessment applied to electricity generation', 'highly insulated buildings and intelligent building management'). The results of the second methodological project are reported here. During the analysis of this project, several meetings were held among the participating research teams to exchange and discuss intermediate results. (orig.)

The miRNA Pull Out Assay as a Method to Validate the miR-28-5p Targets Identified in Other Tumor Contexts in Prostate Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milena Rizzo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available miR-28-5p is an intragenic miRNA which is underexpressed in several tumor types showing a tumor suppressor (TS activity. Routinely, the known miR-28-5p targets are validated in specific tumor contexts but it is unclear whether these targets are also being regulated in other tumor types. To this end, we adopted the miRNA pull out assay to capture the miR-28-5p targets in DU-145 prostate cancer (PCa cells. Firstly, we demonstrated that miR-28-5p acts as a TS-miRNA in PCa, affecting cell proliferation, survival, and apoptosis. Secondly, we evaluated the enrichment of the 10 validated miR-28-5p targets in the pull out sample. We showed that E2F6, TEX-261, MAPK1, MPL, N4BP1, and RAP1B but not BAG1, OTUB1, MAD2L1, and p21 were significantly enriched, suggesting that not all the miR-28-5p targets are regulated by this miRNA in PCa. We then verified whether the miR-28-5p-interacting targets were regulated by this miRNA. We selected E2F6, the most enriched target in the pull out sample, and demonstrated that miR-28-5p downregulated E2F6 at the protein level suggesting that our approach was effective. In general terms, these findings support the miRNA pull out assay as a useful method to identify context-specific miRNA targets.

Development of bufferless gel electrophoresis chip for easy preparation and rapid DNA separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Oleksandrov, Sergiy; Aman, Abdurazak; Lim, Wanyoung; Kim, Younghee; Bae, Nam Ho; Lee, Kyoung G; Lee, Seok Jae; Park, Sungsu

2018-02-01

This work presents a handy, fast, and compact bufferless gel electrophoresis chip (BGEC), which consists of precast agarose gel confined in a disposable plastic body with electrodes. It does not require large volumes of buffer to fill reservoirs, or the process of immersing the gel in the buffer. It withstands voltages up to 28.4 V/cm, thereby allowing DNA separation within 10 min with a similar separation capability to the standard gel electrophoresis. The results suggest that our BGEC is highly suitable for in situ gel electrophoresis in forensic, epidemiological settings and crime scenes where standard gel electrophoresis equipment cannot be brought in while quick results are needed. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Epoxy-silica hybrids by nonaqueous sol-gel process

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ponyrko, Sergii; Kobera, Libor; Brus, Jiří; Matějka, Libor

2013-01-01

Roč. 54, č. 23 (2013), s. 6271-6282 ISSN 0032-3861 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP108/12/1459 Grant - others:AV ČR(CZ) M200500903 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : epoxy-silica hybrid * nonaqueous sol-gel process * gelation Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 3.766, year: 2013

Crystallization of paraffins, formation of organo gels and flow in pipelines; Cristalizacao de parafinas, formacao de organogeis e escoamento em oleodutos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vaz, Juliana Correia Bergallo; Mohamed, Rahoma Sadeg; Oliveira, Marcelo Ganzarolli de [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil)]. E-mails: jcbvaz8@hotmail.com; mohamed@feq.unicamp.br; mgo@iqm.unicamp.br

2003-06-01

In this work, polarized light microscopy , differential scan calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and viscosimetry were used to investigate the phase behavior of binary and tertiary mixtures of the paraffins C10 , C21 , C25 , C28 , C32 ,C36 and C40. Phase transition temperatures for the binary mixtures C28/C40 , C21/C40 , C28/C32 and C21/C25 were obtained using DSC measurements. The formation of organogels in C10/C21, C10/C28, C10/C36, C10/C40, C10/C21/C28, C10/C21/C40 and C10/C28/C40 mixtures was confirmed using other techniques. The evidence of the formation of organo gels systems allows phase diagrams to be interpreted from a new perspective that takes into account the important role of these systems in the transportation of oil in pipelines and its implications in the retention of large amounts of oil in the gel structure. The results obtained suggest that all paraffins mixtures, considered in this work, are potentially capable of forming organo gels at a given temperature and composition, except those that form solid solutions. A very important characteristic of organo gels is that they do not form under shear rate. Therefore, a turbulent oil flow would make it more difficult to form paraffinic organo gels. On the other hand, once they have been formed, organo gels do not get unstructured under shear and constant oscillation and with the increase of temperature, which could make it difficult for oil to flow . Thus, the characterization of the formation of these organo gels can provide new information to solve technological problems of oil flow. (author)

Changes in the diversity of pig ileal lactobacilli around weaning determined by means of 16S rRNA gene amplification and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janzcyk, P.; Pieper, R.; Smidt, H.; Souffrant, W.B.

2007-01-01

Our study aimed to provide a comprehensive characterization of changes in porcine intestinal Lactobacillus populations around the time of weaning based on 16S rRNA gene amplification and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). DNA was extracted from the ileal contents of piglets at weaning

Solid-state electroanalytical characterization of the nonaqueous proton-conducting redox gel containing polyoxometallates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewera, Adam; Zukowska, Grazyna; Miecznikowski, Krzysztof; Chojak, Malgorzata; Wieczorek, Wladyslaw; Kulesza, Pawel J.

2005-01-01

A novel polymetacrylate-based redox-conducting polymeric gel, into which Keggin-type polyoxometallate, phosphododecatungstic acid (H 3 PW 12 O 40 ), had been incorporated, was electrochemically characterized in the absence of external liquid supporting electrolyte using an ultramicrodisk-working electrode. The phosphotungstate component (15 wt.% of the gel block) was entrapped as the polar organic solvent solution within pores of the polymer matrix. H 3 PW 12 O 40 plays bifunctional role: it provides well-behaved redox centers and serves as strong acid (source of mobile protons). The solid-state voltammetric properties of the system are defined by the reversible one-electron transfers between phosphotungstate redox centers. The following parameters have been determined from the combination of potential step experiments performed in two limiting (radial and linear) diffusional regimes: the concentration of heteropolytungstate redox centers, 6 x 10 -2 mol dm -3 , and the apparent diffusion coefficient, 5 x 10 -7 cm 2 s -1 . The room temperature ionic (protonic) conductivity of the bulk gel was equal to 1.6 x 10 -3 S cm -1 . The charge propagation mechanism was found to be primarily controlled by physical diffusion of heteropolytungstate units within the gel pores rather than by electron hopping (self-exchange) between mixed-valence sites

A Simple Method to Decode the Complete 18-5.8-28S rRNA Repeated Units of Green Algae by Genome Skimming.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Geng-Ming; Lai, Yu-Heng; Audira, Gilbert; Hsiao, Chung-Der

2017-11-06

Green algae, Chlorella ellipsoidea , Haematococcus pluvialis and Aegagropila linnaei (Phylum Chlorophyta) were simultaneously decoded by a genomic skimming approach within 18-5.8-28S rRNA region. Whole genomic DNAs were isolated from green algae and directly subjected to low coverage genome skimming sequencing. After de novo assembly and mapping, the size of complete 18-5.8-28S rRNA repeated units for three green algae were ranged from 5785 to 6028 bp, which showed high nucleotide diversity (π is around 0.5-0.6) within ITS1 and ITS2 (Internal Transcribed Spacer) regions. Previously, the evolutional diversity of algae has been difficult to decode due to the inability design universal primers that amplify specific marker genes across diverse algal species. In this study, our method provided a rapid and universal approach to decode the 18-5.8-28S rRNA repeat unit in three green algal species. In addition, the completely sequenced 18-5.8-28S rRNA repeated units provided a solid nuclear marker for phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis for green algae for the first time.

Repair of surgical wounds in rats using a 10% unripe Musa sapientum peel gel.

Science.gov (United States)

Von Atzingen, Dênia Amélia Novato Castelli; Mendonça, Adriana Rodrigues dos Anjos; Mesquita Filho, Marcos; Alvarenga, Vinícius Alves; Assis, Vinícius Almeida; Penazzo, Afonso Esteves; Muzetti, Julio Henrique; Rezende, Thaisa Sousa

2015-09-01

To investigate the efficacy of a 10% gel of unripe banana (Musa sapientum) peel in treating surgical wounds in rats. A longitudinal, prospective, randomized triple-blind study was conducted with 60 Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus) weighing approximately 400g. The animals were randomly divided into: control group (treated with gel containing no active ingredient) and study group (treated with 10% gel of unripe banana peel). The gel was applied every three days to a 4x4-cm surgical wound created on the back of each animal (day 0) in both groups. Tissue samples were collected for histological analysis on days 14, 21 and 28. On day 14, more extensive vascular proliferation (p=0.023), presence of mononuclear cells (p=0.000), fibroblast proliferation (p=0.012), re-epithelialization (p=0.000), and decreased presence of polymorphonuclear cells (p=0.010) were observed in the study group than in controls. No significant between-group difference in the presence of polymorphonuclear cells was found on day 21. Fibroblast proliferation was significantly greater (p=0.006) in the study group than in the control group on day 28. The 10% gel of unripe banana peel showed anti-inflammatory activity and stimulated wound healing in rat skin when compared with a gel containing no active ingredient.

Effect of DCCA on synthesis of inorganic mesoporous gels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemancha, A.R.

2004-01-01

Full text.The porous texture of the monolith inorganic gels plays an important role in the utilization of porous material by control of several properties such as gas diffusion, thermal stability, mechanical strength. the sol gel process provides many possibilities to manufacture porous material with extremely low concentration of impurities at low sinter temperature. The serious problem in the production of the monolith gels is fracture and crack formation which may occur in the conversion of the wet gels to dry gels. This phenomenon is probably due to the capillary forces which appear during the drying steps. in order to reduce the effect of capillary forces a number of methods were applied (hyper critic drying, organic DCCAs). The purpose of the present work, is to understand the chemical changes that result from adding formamide as drying control chemical additives DCCA to the colloidal silica sols in the presence of acid catalyst. Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the influence of formamide on gel formation. The Nitrogen adsorption-desorption technique is used to investigate the effect of formamide on gel texture. The results show that the gels with formamide are monolith and obtained during a short time of gelling reaction, the silica particles link formation depend strongly on the formamide concentration. the BET and BJH results show that the presence of formamide promotes the creation of meso porous texture depending on formamide/silica molar ratio in the starting sol. The maximum average diameter of the obtained gel reaches a value close to 25 nm with a bulk density equal to 1.1 g/cm 3

Functional evaluation of hydronephrosis by diffusion-weighted MR imaging: Relationship between apparent diffusion coefficient and split glomerular filtration rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toyoshima, S.; Noguchi, K.; Seto, H.; Shimizu, M.; Watanabe, N.

2000-01-01

To determine the relationship between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values measured by diffusion-weighted MR imaging and split renal function determined by renal scintigraphy in patients with hydronephrosis. Material and Methods: Diffusion-weighted imaging on a 1.5 T MR unit and renal scintigraphy were performed in 36 patients with hydronephrosis (45 hydronephrotic kidneys, 21 non-hydronephrotic kidneys). ADC values of the individual kidneys were measured by diffusion-weighted MR imaging. Split renal function (glomerular filtration rate (GFR)) was determined by renal scintigraphy using 99m Tc-DTPA. The relationship between ADC values and split GFR was examined in 66 kidneys. The hydronephrotic kidneys were further classified into three groups (severe renal dysfunction, GFR 25 ml/min, n=28), and mean values for ADCs were calculated. Results: In hydronephrotic kidneys, there was a moderate positive correlation between ADC values and split GFR (R2=0.56). On the other hand, in non-hydronephrotic kidneys, poor correlation between ADC values and split GFR was observed (R2=0.08). The mean values for ADCs of the dysfunctioning hydronephrotic kidneys (severe renal dysfunction, 1.32x10 -3 ±0.18x10 -3 mm 2 /s; moderate renal dysfunction, 1.38x10 -3 ±0.10x10 -3 mm2/s) were significantly lower than that of the normal functioning hydronephrotic kidneys (1.63x10 -3 ±0.12±10 -3 mm 2 /s). Conclusion: These results indicated that measurement of ADC values by diffusion-weighted MR imaging has a potential value in the evaluation of the functional status of hydronephrotic kidneys

Solvent cleanup using base-treated silica gel solid adsorbent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tallent, O.K.; Mailen, J.C.; Pannell, K.D.

1984-06-01

A solvent cleanup method using silica gel columns treated with either sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or lithium hydroxide (LiOH) has been investigated. Its effectiveness compares favorably with that of traditional wash methods. After treatment with NaOH solution, the gels adsorb HNO 3 , dibutyl phosphate (DBP), UO 2 2+ , Pu 4+ , various metal-ion fission products, and other species from the solvent. Adsorption mechanisms include neutralization, hydrolysis, polymerization, and precipitation, depending on the species adsorbed. Sodium dibutyl phosphate, which partially distributes to the solvent from the gels, can be stripped with water; the stripping coefficient ranges from 280 to 540. Adsorption rates are diffusion controlled such that temperature effects are relatively small. Recycle of the gels is achieved either by an aqueous elution and recycle sequence or by a thermal treatment method, which may be preferable. Potential advantages of this solvent cleanup method are that (1) some operational problems are avoided and (2) the amount of NaNO 3 waste generated per metric ton of nuclear fuel reprocessed would be reduced significantly. 19 references, 6 figures, 12 tables

Iron specificity of a biosensor based on fluorescent pyoverdin immobilized in sol-gel glass

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Two current technologies used in biosensor development are very promising: 1. The sol-gel process of making microporous glass at room temperature, and 2. Using a fluorescent compound that undergoes fluorescence quenching in response to a specific analyte. These technologies have been combined to produce an iron biosensor. To optimize the iron (II or III) specificity of an iron biosensor, pyoverdin (a fluorescent siderophore produced by Pseudomonas spp.) was immobilized in 3 formulations of porous sol-gel glass. The formulations, A, B, and C, varied in the amount of water added, resulting in respective R values (molar ratio of water:silicon) of 5.6, 8.2, and 10.8. Pyoverdin-doped sol-gel pellets were placed in a flow cell in a fluorometer and the fluorescence quenching was measured as pellets were exposed to 0.28 - 0.56 mM iron (II or III). After 10 minutes of exposure to iron, ferrous ion caused a small fluorescence quenching (89 - 97% of the initial fluorescence, over the range of iron tested) while ferric ion caused much greater quenching (65 - 88%). The most specific and linear response was observed for pyoverdin immobilized in sol-gel C. In contrast, a solution of pyoverdin (3.0 μM) exposed to iron (II or III) for 10 minutes showed an increase in fluorescence (101 - 114%) at low ferrous concentrations (0.45 - 2.18 μM) while exposure to all ferric ion concentrations (0.45 - 3.03 μM) caused quenching. In summary, the iron specificity of pyoverdin was improved by immobilizing it in sol-gel glass C. PMID:21554740

Diffusion properties of NAA in human corpus callosum as studied with diffusion tensor spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Upadhyay, Jaymin; Hallock, Kevin; Erb, Kelley; Kim, Dae-Shik; Ronen, Itamar

2007-11-01

In diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) the anisotropic movement of water is exploited to characterize microstructure. One confounding issue of DTI is the presence of intra- and extracellular components contributing to the measured diffusivity. This causes an ambiguity in determining the underlying cause of diffusion properties, particularly the fractional anisotropy (FA). In this study an intracellular constituent, N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), was used to probe intracellular diffusion, while water molecules were used to probe the combined intra- and extracellular diffusion. NAA and water diffusion measurements were made in anterior and medial corpus callosum (CC) regions, which are referred to as R1 and R2, respectively. FA(NAA) was found to be greater than FA(Water) in both CC regions, thus indicating a higher degree of anisotropy within the intracellular space in comparison to the combined intra- and extracellular spaces. A decreasing trend in the FA of NAA and water was observed between R1 and R2, while the radial diffusivity (RD) for both molecules increased. The increase in RD(NAA) is particularly significant, thus explaining the more significant decrease in FA(NAA) between the two regions. It is suggested that diffusion tensor spectroscopy of NAA can potentially be used to further characterize microscopic anatomic organization in white matter. Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

MAGAT gel dosimetry for its application in small field treatment techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gopishankar, N; Vivekanandhan, S; Kale, S S; Rath, G K; Kumaran, S Senthil; Thulkar, Sanjay; Subramani, V; Laviraj, M A; Bisht, R K; Mahapatra, A K

2010-01-01

Purpose of this work is to present the role of in-house manufactured MAGAT gel for treatment verification in small field dosimetric techniques such as Gammaknife (GK) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most extensively used imaging technique for polymer gel dosimetry hence we used this method for gel evaluation. Different MR scanners and MRI sequences were used in this study for obtaining calibration plot between R2 and absorbed dose. An experimental plan was created for Gammaknife and IMRT. The prepared gel was filled in spherical glass phantom and in-house designed human head shape phantom for verification purpose. We used 8 TE values for all the imaging sequences for two reasons. Firstly it is sufficient enough to give good signal to noise ratio. Second considering the enormous scanning time involved in multiple spin echo sequence. MATLAB based in-house programs were used for R2 estimation and dose comparison. The isodose comparison with MAGAT gel showed reasonable agreement for both Gammaknife and IMRT techniques.

Growth of hydrated gel layers in nuclear waste glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, T.M.; Machiels, A.J.

1984-01-01

The hydration kinetics of waste glasses in contact with an aqueous solution has been studied by using three different approaches. Emphasis has been placed on modeling processes in the transition zone defined as the region in which the nature of the glass changes from the original dry glass to an open hydrated structure. The first model relies on concentration-dependent diffusion coefficients to obtain a transition zone in which the ions mobility is extremely low compared to that in the gel layer. In the second model, the transition zone and hydrated layer are treated as distinct phases and it is assumed that ion exchange at their common boundary is the rate-controlling process. The third model treats the transition zone as a thin film of constant thickness and low diffusivity. In the absence of appreciable network dissolution, all three models indicate that growth of the gel layer becomes eventually proportional to the square root of time; however, as long as processes in the transition zone are rate controlling, growth is linearly proportional to time

Impact of Protein Gel Porosity on the Digestion of Lipid Emulsions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Anwesha; Juan, Jean-Marc; Kolodziejczyk, Eric; Acquistapace, Simone; Donato-Capel, Laurence; Wooster, Tim J

2015-10-14

The present study sought to understand how the microstructure of protein gels impacts lipolysis of gelled emulsions. The selected system consisted of an oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion embedded within gelatin gels. The gelatin-gelled emulsions consisted of a discontinuous network of aggregated emulsion droplets (mesoscale), dispersed within a continuous network of gelatin (microscale). The viscoelastic properties of the gelled emulsions were dominated by the rheological behavior of the gelatin, suggesting a gelatin continuous microstructure rather than a bicontinuous gel. A direct relationship between the speed of fat digestion and gel average mesh size was found, indicating that the digestion of fat within gelatin-gelled emulsions is controlled by the ability of the gel's microstructure to slow lipase diffusion to the interface of fat droplets. Digestion of fat was facilitated by gradual breakdown of the gelatin network, which mainly occurred via surface erosion catalyzed by proteases. Overall, this work has demonstrated that the lipolysis kinetics of gelled emulsions is driven by the microstructure of protein gels; this knowledge is key for the future development of microstructures to control fat digestion and/or the delivery of nutrients to different parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

Coercivity enhancement mechanism in Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B nanoparticles synthesized by sol–gel base method followed by a reduction-diffusion process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rahimi, Hamed; Ghasemi, Ali, E-mail: ali13912001@yahoo.com; Mozaffarinia, Reza; Tavoosi, Majid

2017-05-01

In current work, Nd{sub 15−x}Dy{sub x}Fe{sub 77.5}B{sub 7.5} (at%) nanoparticles with different Dy-content (x=0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0) were synthesized by sol–gel method followed by a reduction-diffusion process. The effects of Dy on the magnetic properties and the relations between the microstructure and the coercivity of Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B nanoparticles have been studied. The coercivity of Nd–Fe–B nanoparticles with the addition of Dy first increase, reaches a maximum, and then starts to decrease. The coercivity of Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B nanoparticle synthesized by sol–gel method increased from 938.9 to 1663.9 kA/m while the remanence decreased slightly from 1.16 to 1.06 T. The results show that with an increase in Dy content the variation of maximum energy product ((BH){sub max}), lowest-order uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant (K{sub u1}), and Curie temperature (T{sub c}) had a trend as same as the coercivity. The Henkel plot showed that the existence of exchange coupling interaction between grains, and the exchange coupling interactions increased with increasing x from 0.0 to 2.0 and then decrease with further increasing x≥2.5. The optimum magnetic properties of Nd–Fe–B nanoparticles with (BH){sub max} =40.38 MGOe, H{sub c}=1663.9 kA/m, B{sub r}=1.08 T were obtained by substituted 2.0 at% Dy. The effects of increasing temperature on magnetic properties of Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B nanoparticle magnets with 2.0 at% Dy was investigated. The reduced spin-reorientation temperature was obtained for Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B nanoparticles with 2.0 at% Dy. Below 100 K a spin-reorientation transition was takes place. The temperature coefficient of coercivity (β) was −0.36, −0.46, −0.41, −0.34, −0.29, −0.24, −0.25%/°C at different temperature 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 °C, respectively. Mössbauer spectroscopy was applied to study the composition and properties of Dy-substituted Nd�

Coercivity enhancement mechanism in Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B nanoparticles synthesized by sol–gel base method followed by a reduction-diffusion process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahimi, Hamed; Ghasemi, Ali; Mozaffarinia, Reza; Tavoosi, Majid

2017-01-01

In current work, Nd 15−x Dy x Fe 77.5 B 7.5 (at%) nanoparticles with different Dy-content (x=0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0) were synthesized by sol–gel method followed by a reduction-diffusion process. The effects of Dy on the magnetic properties and the relations between the microstructure and the coercivity of Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B nanoparticles have been studied. The coercivity of Nd–Fe–B nanoparticles with the addition of Dy first increase, reaches a maximum, and then starts to decrease. The coercivity of Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B nanoparticle synthesized by sol–gel method increased from 938.9 to 1663.9 kA/m while the remanence decreased slightly from 1.16 to 1.06 T. The results show that with an increase in Dy content the variation of maximum energy product ((BH) max ), lowest-order uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant (K u1 ), and Curie temperature (T c ) had a trend as same as the coercivity. The Henkel plot showed that the existence of exchange coupling interaction between grains, and the exchange coupling interactions increased with increasing x from 0.0 to 2.0 and then decrease with further increasing x≥2.5. The optimum magnetic properties of Nd–Fe–B nanoparticles with (BH) max =40.38 MGOe, H c =1663.9 kA/m, B r =1.08 T were obtained by substituted 2.0 at% Dy. The effects of increasing temperature on magnetic properties of Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B nanoparticle magnets with 2.0 at% Dy was investigated. The reduced spin-reorientation temperature was obtained for Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B nanoparticles with 2.0 at% Dy. Below 100 K a spin-reorientation transition was takes place. The temperature coefficient of coercivity (β) was −0.36, −0.46, −0.41, −0.34, −0.29, −0.24, −0.25%/°C at different temperature 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 °C, respectively. Mössbauer spectroscopy was applied to study the composition and properties of Dy-substituted Nd–Fe–B magnet. Microstructure analysis showed a

Electrochemical corrosion behavior of composite MAO/sol-gel coatings on magnesium alloy AZ91D using combined micro-arc oxidation and sol-gel technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shang Wei; Chen Baizhen; Shi Xichang; Chen Ya; Xiao Xiang

2009-01-01

Protective composite coatings were obtained on a magnesium alloy by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and sol-gel technique. The coatings consisted of a MAO layer and a sol-gel layer. The microstructure and composition of the MAO coating and the composite coatings were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-rays (EDX). Potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and total immersion tests were used to evaluate the corrosion behavior of these coatings in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The results show that the sol-gel layer provides corrosion protection by physically sealing the pores in the MAO coating and acting as a barrier. The composite coatings can suppress the corrosion process by preventing the corrosive ions from transferring or diffusing to the magnesium alloy substrate. This enhances the corrosion resistance of the magnesium alloy AZ91D significantly

Comparative study of nano copper aluminate spinel prepared by sol–gel and modified sol–gel techniques: Structural, electrical, optical and catalytic studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, R. Thinesh; Suresh, P.; Selvam, N. Clament Sagaya; Kennedy, L. John; Vijaya, J. Judith

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A modified sol–gel method for the preparation of nano CuAl 2 O 4 spinel using ethylenediamine was studied. ► Role of ethylenediamine in enhancing the structural, electrical, optical and catalytic properties of copper aluminate is highlighted. ► Effect of preparation method on the activity and selectivity of the samples on the oxidation of benzyl alcohol by CuAl 2 O 4 is studied. - Abstract: The effect of ethylenediamine addition in the sol–gel method for the preparation of nano CuAl 2 O 4 spinel for the enhancement in their structural, electrical, optical and catalytic properties was investigated. The samples were prepared by two different methods: sol–gel and modified sol–gel technique using ethylenediamine. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, temperature dependent conductance measurements, thermoelectric power (TEP) measurements and UV–visible diffuse reflectance (UV–vis-DRS) spectra were used to characterize the samples prepared. CuAl 2 O 4 prepared by modified sol–gel technique was found to possess a higher surface area, lower crystallite size, lower activation energy and high porosity than the one prepared by sol–gel method which in turn lead to the improved performance of it towards the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. Effect of solvent on the catalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol by the nano CuAl 2 O 4 prepared by modified sol–gel technique was also investigated.

Contribution to the study of the structure and properties of silica gel (1962); Contribution a l'etude de la structure et des proprietes des gels de silice (1962)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fraissard, J [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1961-04-15

The study of the texture of two types of silica gels, xerogels and aerogels, shows that the latter evolve differently on heating. By I.R. spectrography it has been possible to establish that this is due to the existence, in these solids, of a microstructure undetectable by X-rays and which depends on the preparation conditions initially. By using both chemical (thermogravimetry, hydrolysis of diborane) and physical (I.R. spectrography and wide-band N.M.R.) methods we have been able to determine the state of the water of constitution of these gels (water molecules and hydroxyls) and to show that the density, the distribution and the mobility of the protons of this water are very different. For example, the relaxation time T{sub 1} of the protons of a xerogel is about 1 second whilst that of the protons in an aerogel is of the order of a microsecond. Finally, it has been possible by using high resolution N.M.R. to propose a mechanism for the adsorption of formic acid on two types of gel thereby explaining, with the help of previous results, the differences in specificity of these two solids in the decomposition reaction of this acid. (author) [French] L'etude de la texture de deux types de gels de silice, les xerogels et les aerogels, montre que ceux-ci evoluent differemment en fonction de la temperature. La spectrographie I.R a permis de preciser que ceci est du a l'existence, dans ces solides, d'une microstructure indecelable aux rayons X, et fonction des conditions initiales de preparation. Par des methodes chimiques (thermogravimetrie, hydrolyse du diborane) et physiques (spectrographie I.R et R.M.N. large bande), nous avons pu determiner l'etat de l'eau de constitution de ces gels (molecules d'eau et hydroxyles) et montrer que la densite, la repartition et la mobilite des protons de cette eau sont tres differentes. Ainsi le temps de relaxation T{sub 1} des protons d'un xerogel est de l'ordre de la seconde, celui des protons d'un aerogel de l'ordre de la

A simple immunoblotting method after separation of proteins in agarose gel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koch, C; Skjødt, K; Laursen, I

1985-01-01

A simple and sensitive method for immunoblotting of proteins after separation in agarose gels is described. It involves transfer of proteins onto nitrocellulose paper simply by diffusion through pressure, a transfer which only takes about 10 min. By this method we have demonstrated the existence ...

Optimization of the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) method for simultaneous assay of potassium and plant-available phosphorus in soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yulin; Mason, Sean; McNeill, Ann; McLaughlin, Michael J

2013-09-15

Potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) are two important macronutrients for crops, and are usually applied to soils as granular fertilizer before seeding. Therefore, accurate soil tests prior to planting to predict crop response to fertilizers are important in optimizing crop yields. Traditional methods used for testing both available K and P in soils, which are based on chemical extraction procedures, are to be soil-type dependent, and the predictive relationships across a broad range of soils are generally poor. The diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique, based on diffusion theory, is extensively used to measure the diffusive supply of trace elements, metals and some nutrients in soils and water. When DGT is used to assess plant-available P in soils, a good relationship is found between crop response to P fertilizer and concentrations of P in soil measured by DGT, and therefore the DGT method provides a more precise recommendation of P fertilizer requirements. Adaptation of the DGT method to measure plant-available K in soils has already been attempted [1], but limitations were reported due to the non-uniform size of the resin gel, decreased K binding rate of the gel at long deployment times and a limited ability to measure a wide range of K concentrations. To eliminate these problems, a new resin gel has been developed by combining Amberlite and ferrihydrite. This mixed Amberlite and ferrihydrite (MAF) gel has improved properties in terms of handling and even distribution of Amberlite in the gel. The elution efficiencies of the MAF gel for K and P were 90% and 96%, respectively. The diffusion coefficient of K through the diffusive gel was 1.30 × 10(-5)cm(2)s(-1) at 22 ± 1°C and was stable through time. Since ferrihydrite is already used in DGT P testing, the ability of the MAF gel to assess available P simultaneously was also assessed. The MAF gel performed the same as the traditional ferrihydrite gel for available P assessment in a wide variety of

Local environment of zirconium in nuclear gels studied by XAS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelegrin, E.; Ildefonse, Ph.; Calas, G.; Ricol, St.; Flank, A.M.

1997-01-01

During lixiviation experiments, nuclear gels are formed and heavy metals are retained. In order to understand this retardation mechanisms, we performed an analysis of the local environment of Zr in parent glasses and derived alteration gels both at the Zr-L II,III , and Zr-K edges. Calibration of the method was conducted through the analysis of model compounds with known coordination number (CN): catapleite Na 2 ZrSi 3 O 9 ,2H 2 O (CN=6), baddeleyite ZrO 2 (CN=7) and zircon SiZrO 4 (CN=8). Nuclear glasses (R7T7, and a simplified nuclear glass V 1) and gels obtained at 90 deg C, with leaching times from 7 to 12 months and with solution renewal. were also investigated (GR7T7R and GV1). Zr-L II,III XANES spectra evidenced that zirconium is 6-fold coordinated in R7T7 and V1 nuclear glasses. For GR7T7R and GV1 gels, Zr local environment is significantly changed, and a mixture of CN (6 and 7J has been evidenced. Quantitative structural results were derived from EXAFS analysis at Zr-K edge. In parent glasses, derived Zr-O distance is 2.10±0.01 10 -10 m, and is in the range Zr-O distances for octahedral coordination in model compounds. In both gels studied, Zr-O distances increase significantly up to 2.15 ±0.01 10 -10 m. This distance is close to that known in baddeleyite (2,158 10 -10 m). A better understanding of the Zr retention mechanism has to be made by studying the second neighbors contributions. (authors)

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: usefulness of diffusion-weighted MR imaging in the prediction of a neoadjuvant therapeutic effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Hiroki; Tanaka, Osamu; Hoshi, Hiroaki; Kanematsu, Masayuki; Mizuta, Keisuke; Aoki, Mitsuhiro; Shibata, Toshiyuki; Yamashita, Tomomi; Hirose, Yoshinobu

2009-01-01

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging in predicting the responses to neoadjuvant therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Diffusion-weighted, T2-weighted, and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images were obtained from 28 patients with untreated head and neck squamous cell carcinomas with histological proof. A blinded radiologist evaluated the quantitative and qualitative signal intensities and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) in the lesions on each sequence. All patients were treated by neoadjuvant therapies, and the post-therapeutic tumor regression rate was determined. Both the quantitative and qualitative signal intensities on diffusion-weighted images showed positive correlations (r=0.367 and 0.412, p<.05), and the ADCs showed a weak, inversed correlation (r=-0.384, p<.05) with the tumor regression rates. Diffusion-weighted imaging including an assessment by ADCs may be able to predict tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. (orig.)

Solvent exchange-induced in situ forming gel comprising ethyl cellulose-antimicrobial drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Phaechamud, Thawatchai; Mahadlek, Jongjan

2015-10-15

Solvent-exchanged in situ forming gel is a drug delivery system which is in sol form before administration. When it contacts with the body fluid, then the water miscible organic solvent dissipates and water penetrates into the system, leading the polymer precipitation as in situ gel at the site of injection. The aim of this research was to study the parameters affecting the gel properties, drug release and antimicrobial activities of the in situ forming gels prepared from ethyl cellulose (EC) dissolved in N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) to deliver the antimicrobial agents (doxycycline hyclate, metronidazole and benzyl peroxide) for periodontitis treatment. The gel appearance, pH, viscosity, rheology, syringeability, gel formation, rate of water diffusion into the gels, in vitro degradation, drug release behavior and antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Streptococcus mutans and Porphyrommonas gingivalis were determined. Increasing the amount of EC increased the viscosity of system while still exhibiting Newtonian flow and increased the work of syringeability whereas decreased the releasing of drug. The system transformed into the rigid gel formation after being injected into the simulated gingival crevicular fluid. The developed systems containing 5% w/w antimicrobial agent showed the antimicrobial activities against all test bacteria. Thus the developed solvent exchange-induced in situ forming gels comprising EC-antimicrobial drugs exhibited potential use for periodontitis treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Activation energy of tracer-diffusion of manganese ions (Mn2+) in alkali metal chloride solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borhade, A.V.

2000-01-01

The activation energy of the tracer diffusion of Mn 2+ ions in alkali chloride solutions (0.1M) has been determined in agar gel medium (1-2.5%) over the temperature range of 25 - 45 deg C. The decrease in the value of the Arrhenius parameters, E and D 0 , with gel percentage is explained on the basis of the transition state theory. Further, the activation energy as a function of electrolyte concentration is also investigated using 1% agar gel in the temperature range of 25 - 45 deg C. In both the cases, the activation energies are determined by the least square fitting of the diffusion coefficient data obtained at various temperatures through the Arrhenius plots. (author)

Sol–gel synthesized mesoporous anatase titanium dioxide ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

for dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications. R GOVINDARAJ1,∗, M ... DSSC than rutile phase. In this work, we have synthesized hierarchically structured ... Hydrolysis and polycondensation reaction mechanism of sol–gel process. 2.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol Silver Nanoparticles Gel for Wound Dressing Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nguyen Thi Hiep

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to fabricate chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol/Ag nanoparticles (CPA gels with microwave-assistance for skin applications. Microwave irradiation was employed to reduce silver ions to silver nanoparticles and to crosslink chitosan (CS with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA. The presence of silver nanoparticles in CPA gels matrix was examined using UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The interaction of CS and PVA was analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The release of silver ions was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The antimicrobial properties of CPA gels against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus were investigated using agar diffusion method. Finally, the biocompatibility and wound-healing ability of the gels were studied using fibroblast cells (in vitro and mice models (in vivo. In conclusion, the results showed that CPA gels were successfully fabricated using microwave irradiation method. These gels can be applied to heal an open wound thanks to their antibacterial activity and biocompatibility.

Lead diffusion in monazite; Diffusion du plomb dans la monazite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gardes, E

2006-06-15

Proper knowledge of the diffusion rates of lead in monazite is necessary to understand the U-Th-Pb age anomalies of this mineral, which is one of the most used in geochronology after zircon. Diffusion experiments were performed in NdPO{sub 4} monocrystals and in Nd{sub 0.66}Ca{sub 0.17}Th{sub 0.17}PO{sub 4} polycrystals from Nd{sub 0.66}Pb{sub 0.17}Th{sub 0.17}PO{sub 4} thin films to investigate Pb{sup 2+} + Th{sup 4+} {r_reversible} 2 Nd{sup 3+} and Pb{sup 2+} {r_reversible} Ca{sup 2+} exchanges. Diffusion annealings were run between 1200 and 1500 Celsius degrees, at room pressure, for durations ranging from one hour to one month. The diffusion profiles were analysed using TEM (transmission electronic microscopy) and RBS (Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy). The diffusivities extracted for Pb{sup 2+} + Th{sup 4+} {r_reversible} 2 Nd{sup 3+} exchange follow an Arrhenius law with parameters E equals 509 {+-} 24 kJ mol{sup -1} and log(D{sub 0} (m{sup 2}s{sup -1})) equals -3.41 {+-} 0.77. Preliminary data for Pb{sup 2+} {r_reversible} Ca{sup 2+} exchange are in agreement with this result. The extrapolation of our data to crustal temperatures yields very slow diffusivities. For instance, the time necessary for a 50 {mu}m grain to lose all of its lead at 800 Celsius degrees is greater than the age of the Earth. From these results and other evidence from the literature, we conclude that most of the perturbations in U-Th-Pb ages of monazite cannot be attributed to lead diffusion, but rather to interactions with fluids. (author)

[Phylogenetic relationships among the genera of Taxodiaceae and Cupressaceae from 28S rDNA sequences].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chun-Xiang; Yang, Qun

2003-03-01

DNA sequences from 28S rDNA were used to assess relationships between and within traditional Taxodiaceae and Cupressaceae s.s. The MP tree and NJ tree generally are similar to one another. The results show that Taxodiaceae and Cupressaceae s.s. form a monophyletic conifer lineage excluding Sciadopitys. In the Taxodiaceae-Cupressaceae s.s. monophyletic group, the Taxodiaceae is paraphyletic. Taxodium, Glyptostrobus and Cryptomeria forming a clade(Taxodioideae), in which Glyptostrobus and Taxodium are closely related and sister to Cryptomeria; Sequoia, Sequoiadendron and Metasequoia are closely related to each other, forming another clade (Sequoioideae), in which Sequoia and Sequoiadendron are closely related and sister to Metasequoia; the seven genera of Cupressaceae s.s. are found to be closely related to form a monophyletic lineage (Cupressoideae). These results are basically similar to analyses from chloroplast gene data. But the relationships among Taiwania, Sequoioideae, Taxodioideae, and Cupressoideae remain unclear because of the slow evolution rate of 28S rDNA, which might best be answered by sequencing more rapidly evolving nuclear genes.

Solid-state electroanalytical characterization of the nonaqueous proton-conducting redox gel containing polyoxometallates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewera, Adam [Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, PL-02-093 Warsaw (Poland); Zukowska, Grazyna [Department of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, PL-00-664 Warsaw (Poland); Miecznikowski, Krzysztof [Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, PL-02-093 Warsaw (Poland); Chojak, Malgorzata [Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, PL-02-093 Warsaw (Poland); Wieczorek, Wladyslaw [Department of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, PL-00-664 Warsaw (Poland); Kulesza, Pawel J. [Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, PL-02-093 Warsaw (Poland)]. E-mail: pkulesza@chem.uw.edu.pl

2005-04-22

A novel polymetacrylate-based redox-conducting polymeric gel, into which Keggin-type polyoxometallate, phosphododecatungstic acid (H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}), had been incorporated, was electrochemically characterized in the absence of external liquid supporting electrolyte using an ultramicrodisk-working electrode. The phosphotungstate component (15 wt.% of the gel block) was entrapped as the polar organic solvent solution within pores of the polymer matrix. H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} plays bifunctional role: it provides well-behaved redox centers and serves as strong acid (source of mobile protons). The solid-state voltammetric properties of the system are defined by the reversible one-electron transfers between phosphotungstate redox centers. The following parameters have been determined from the combination of potential step experiments performed in two limiting (radial and linear) diffusional regimes: the concentration of heteropolytungstate redox centers, 6 x 10{sup -2} mol dm{sup -3}, and the apparent diffusion coefficient, 5 x 10{sup -7} cm{sup 2} s{sup -1}. The room temperature ionic (protonic) conductivity of the bulk gel was equal to 1.6 x 10{sup -3} S cm{sup -1}. The charge propagation mechanism was found to be primarily controlled by physical diffusion of heteropolytungstate units within the gel pores rather than by electron hopping (self-exchange) between mixed-valence sites.

Erosion of bentonite by flow and colloid diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno, Luis; Liu, Longcheng; Neretnieks, Ivars

2010-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. Bentonite intrusion into a fracture intersecting the canister deposition hole is modelled. The model describes the expansion of the bentonite within the fracture. It accounts for the repulsive electrostatic double-layer forces, the attractive van der Waals forces and friction forces between the particles and the water. The model also takes into account the diffusion of the colloid particles in the smectite sol. The buffer contains sodium in the pore water in much higher concentrations than the approaching seeping groundwater in the fracture has. Diffusion of sodium outward in the expanding gel is accounted for as this strongly influences the double layer force and the viscosity of the gel/sol. The gel/ sol is considered to be a fluid with a varying viscosity that is strongly dependent on the bentonite volume fraction in the gel and the sodium concentration in the water. Two different geometries were modelled; a rectangular and a cylindrical showing the flow in a fracture intersecting the deposition hole with the canister. The rectangular geometry was used to gain experience with the processes and mechanisms and how they interact since the cylindrical geometry was somewhat less stable numerically and more time consuming. In the rectangular geometry a fracture 1 metre long in the flow direction was modelled. In both geometries the fracture depth (extent from the deposition hole) was selected sufficiently large to ensure that the water velocity, near this border was nearly the same as the approaching water velocity and that the smectite concentration there was vanishingly small. It was found that the velocity of the fluid drops considerably where the bentonite volume fraction is larger than 1-2%. This is due to the strong increase in viscosity with increasing bentonite volume fraction. The loss of smectite as it is carried away by the slowly flowing fluid was found to be proportional to the square root of the seeping

Growth and micro-topographical studies of gel grown cholesterol ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

The single test-tube diffusion method (Henisch 1988) was employed ... solution was filtered and kept in a clean flask. ... vents in the gel will enhance the growth of crystals in the ... Results. 3.1 Effect of different solvents. In the first case the stock solution was mixed with acetone ... A 0⋅5% (w/v) solution of cholesterol in ace-.

Environmentally benign sol-gel antifouling and foul-releasing coatings.

Science.gov (United States)

Detty, Michael R; Ciriminna, Rosaria; Bright, Frank V; Pagliaro, Mario

2014-02-18

Biofouling on ships and boats, characterized by aquatic bacteria and small organisms attaching to the hull, is an important global issue, since over 80000 tons of antifouling paint is used annually. This biofilm, which can form in as little as 48 hours depending on water temperature, increases drag on watercraft, which greatly reduces their fuel efficiency. In addition, biofouling can lead to microbially induced corrosion (MIC) due to H2S formed by the bacteria, especially sulfate-reducing bacteria. When the International Maritime Organization (IMO) international convention banned the use of effective but environmentally damaging coatings containing tributyl tin in 2008, the development of clean and effective antifouling systems became more important than ever. New nonbiocidal coatings are now in high demand. Scientists have developed new polymers, materials, and biocides, including new elastomeric coatings that they have obtained by improving the original silicone (polydimethylsiloxane) formulation patented in 1975. However, the high cost of silicones, especially of fluoropolymer-modified silicones, has generally prevented their large-scale diffusion. In 2009, traditional antifouling coatings using cuprous oxide formulated in copolymer paints still represented 95% of the global market volume of anti-fouling paints. The sol-gel nanochemistry approach to functional materials has emerged as an attractive candidate for creating low fouling surfaces due to the unique structure and properties of silica-based coatings and of hybrid inorganic-organic silicas in particular. Sol-gel formulations easily bind to all types of surfaces, such as steel, fiberglass, aluminum, and wood. In addition, they can cure at room temperature and form thin glassy coatings that are markedly different from thick silicone elastomeric foul-releasing coatings. Good to excellent performance against biofouling, low cure temperatures, enhanced and prolonged chemical and physical stability, ease of

Investigation of water mobility and diffusivity in hydrating micronized low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, and hydroxypropyl cellulose matrix tablets by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Science.gov (United States)

Kojima, Masazumi; Nakagami, Hiroaki

2002-12-01

The water mobility and diffusivity in the gel-layer of hydrating low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose (LH41) tablets with or without a drug were investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and compared with those properties in the gel-layer of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) tablets. For this purpose, a localized image-analysis method was newly developed, and the spin-spin relaxation time (T(2)) and apparent self-diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water in the gel-layer were visualized in one-dimensional maps. Those maps showed that the extent of gel-layer growth in the tablets was in the order of HPC>HPMC>LH41, and there was a water mobility gradient across the gel-layers of all three tablet formulations. The T(2) and ADC in the outer parts of the gel-layers were close to those of free water. In contrast, these values in the inner parts of the gel-layer decreased progressively; suggesting that the water mobility and diffusivity around the core interface were highly restricted. Furthermore, the correlation between the T(2) of (1)H proton in the gel-layer of the tablets and the drug release rate from the tablets was observed.

Formulation and evaluation of antimicrobial activity of Morus alba sol-gel against periodontal pathogens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shilpa Gunjal

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Periodontitis has a multifactorial etiology, with primary etiologic agents being pathogenic bacteria that reside in the subgingival area. Recent advances in the field of alternative medicine introduced various herbal products for the treatment of periodontitis. Aim: To assess and compare the antimicrobial activity of Morus alba sol-gel with chlorhexidine sol-gel against ATCC standard strains of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Tannerella forsythia. Materials and Methods: Crude extract of Morus alba leaves was prepared by Soxhlet method by using ethanol as a solvent. Phytochemical screening of the crude extract of M. alba was performed to check the various chemical constituents. M. alba sol-gel and chlorhexidine sol-gel were formulated using Pluronic f127 and Pluronic f108 and compared for their antimicrobial activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration of both the gels was performed using agar well diffusion technique. Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration of M. alba sol-gel and chlorhexidine sol-gel against A. actinomycetemcomitans is 19 and 17 mm, T. forsythia is 12 and 21 mm, and P. gingivalis is 16 and 18 mm, respectively. Conclusion: Both M. alba and chlorhexidine sol-gel exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against periodontal pathogens.

Ion-conductive polymethylmethacrylate gel electrolytes for lithium batteries

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vondrák, Jiří; Reiter, Jakub; Velická, Jana; Klápště, Břetislav; Sedlaříková, M.; Dvorak, J.

2005-01-01

Roč. 146, 1-2 (2005), s. 436-440 ISSN 0378-7753 R&D Projects: GA MŽP SN/3/171/05; GA ČR GA104/02/0731 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40320502 Keywords : polymethylmethacrylate * gel electrolytes * polymer electrolytes Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 2.770, year: 2005

Preparation, characterization and efficacy of lysostaphin-chitosan gel against Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Nithya, Sai; Nimal, T R; Baranwal, Gaurav; Suresh, Maneesha K; C P, Anju; Anil Kumar, V; Gopi Mohan, C; Jayakumar, R; Biswas, Raja

2018-04-15

Lysostaphin (LST) is a bacteriocin that cleaves within the pentaglycine cross bridge of Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan. Previous studies have reported the high efficiency of LST even against multi drug resistant S. aureus including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). In this study, we have developed a new chitosan based hydrogel formulation of LST to exploit its anti-staphylococcal activity. The atomic interactions of LST with chitosan were studied by molecular docking studies. The rheology and the antibacterial properties of the developed LSTC gel were evaluated. The developed LST containing chitosan hydrogel (LSTC gel) was flexible, flows smoothly and remains stable at physiological temperature. The in vitro studies by agar well diffusion and ex vivo studies in porcine skin model exhibited a reduction in S. aureus survival by ∼3 Log 10 CFU/mL in the presence of LSTC gel. The cytocompatibility of the gel was tested in vitro using macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line and in vivo in Drosophila melanogaster. A gradual disruption of S. aureus biofilms with the increase of LST concentrations in the LSTC gel was observed which was confirmed by SEM analysis. We conclude that LSTC gel could be highly effectual and advantageous over antibiotics in treating staphylococcal-topical and biofilm infections. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Local mobility and topology in gels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgins, J.S.; Ma, K.; Hall, R.H.; Warner, M.

1981-04-01

In the first section of this two part report entitled 'Separation of the motion around cross-link points from main chain motion in network samples' by Higgins, Ma and Hall, experimental evidence for topologically dependent diffusion in gels and rubbers is presented from high resolution neutron scattering experiments on deuterium labelled model trifunctional networks which show that the junction points move more slowly than the free chain centres by a factor of about two. In the second part by Warner entitled 'The dynamics of particular points on a polymer chain', the diffusional dynamics of particular points of a polymer chain is calculated in the Rouse approximation. The points considered correspond, in the case of incoherent neutron scattering, to the proton-labelled free ends of chains, crosslinks between chains in rubbers or gels, or the central monomers in branched or star polymers. Results derived are also relevant to NMR, ESR and computer simulation experiments. (U.K.)

Modified thermoresponsive Poloxamer 407 and chitosan sol-gels as potential sustained-release vaccine delivery systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kojarunchitt, Thunjiradasiree; Baldursdottir, Stefania; Dong, Yao-Da

2015-01-01

Thermoresponsive, particle-loaded, Poloxamer 407 (P407)-Pluronic-R® (25R4) or chitosan-methyl cellulose (MC) formulations were developed as single-dose, sustained release vaccines. The sol-gels, loaded either with a particulate vaccine (cubosomes) or soluble antigen (ovalbumin) and adjuvants (Quil...... the chitosan-MC sol-gels sustained the release of antigen up to at least 14 days after administration. The chitosan-MC sol-gels stimulated both cellular and humoral responses. The inclusion of cubosomes in the sol-gels did not provide a definitive beneficial effect. Further analysis of the formulations...... with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed that while cubosomes were stable in chitosan-MC gels they were not stable in P407-25R4 formulations. The reason for the mixed response to cubosome-loaded vehicles requires more investigation, however it appears that the cubosomes did not facilitate...

Effective research and innovation (R&I) policy in the EU-28: A causal and configurational analysis of political governance determinants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Turkeli, S.; Kemp, R.P.M.

2015-01-01

Effective research and innovation (R&I) policy depends on the extent to which ideas, interests and institutional mechanisms for policy making work together rather than work against each other. In a political governance model for effective R&I policy in the EU-28, the separate influence of

3D MR gel dosimetry with lung equivalent gel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scherer, J.; Solleder, M.; Schiessl, I.; Bogner, L.; Herbst, M.

1998-01-01

The MR gel dosimetry is used to verify complex 3D treatment plans. Till now this method served only for dose evaluation in homogeneous phantoms. On the way to build a heterogeneous anthropomorphic gel phantom, a lung equivalent gel with the density 0.4 g/cm 3 was developed. First experiments show a 1.55 times higher dose reponse in the low density gel (LD gel). The comparison of a dose distribution in a gel/LD gel/gel slab phantom with Monte Carlo calculations shows good agreement within 5%. More over the accuray of the measuring device magnetic resonance imager was studied in respect to the now exclusive digital image processing with the software MRD (MR dosimetry). Because of the dimensions of the Fricke gel phantom an artefact correction, based on the data from the unirradiated phantom proved to be essential. (orig.) [de

Évolution des contraintes résiduelles dans la couche de diffusion d’un acier modèle Fe-Cr-C nitruré

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jegou, Sébastien; Barrallier, Laurent; Somers, Marcel A. J.

2011-01-01

Limiter la fatigue et la corrosion des pièces est possible grâce à une nitruration. Des contraintes résiduelles en découlent. Le rôle de la diffusion du carbone sur le développement de ces contraintes a été étudié sur un acier modèle Fe-3%m.Cr-0.35%m.C.......Limiter la fatigue et la corrosion des pièces est possible grâce à une nitruration. Des contraintes résiduelles en découlent. Le rôle de la diffusion du carbone sur le développement de ces contraintes a été étudié sur un acier modèle Fe-3%m.Cr-0.35%m.C....

Role of clove oil in solvent exchange-induced doxycycline hyclate-loaded Eudragit RS in situ forming gel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thawatchai Phaechamud

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Solvent exchange induced in situ forming gel (ISG is the promising drug delivery system for periodontitis treatment owing to the prospect of maintaining an effective high drug level in the gingival crevicular fluid. In the present study, the influence of clove oil (CO on the characteristics of doxycycline hyclate (DH-loaded ISG comprising Eudragit RS (ERS was investigated including viscosity/rheology, syringeability, in vitro gel formation/drug release, matrix formation/solvent diffusion and antimicrobial activities. CO could dissolve ERS and increase the viscosity of ISG and its hydrophobicity could also retard the diffusion of solvent and hinder the drug diffusion; thus, the minimization of burst effect and sustained drug release were achieved effectively. All the prepared ISGs comprising CO could expel through the 27-gauge needle for administration by injection and transform into matrix depot after exposure to the simulated gingival crevicular fluid. The antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis were increased when the ratio of CO and N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP was decreased from 1:1 to 1:10 owing to higher diffusion of DH except that for C. albicans was increased as CO amount was higher. Therefore, CO could minimize the burst while prolonging the drug release of DH-loaded ERS ISG for use as a local drug delivery system for periodontitis treatment. Keywords: In situ forming gel, Eudragit RS, Clove oil, Doxycycline hyclate, Periodonditis, Burst release

Optical Sensors for Biomolecules Using Nanoporous Sol-Gel Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Jonathan; Zhou, Jing C.; Lan, Esther H.; Dunn, Bruce; Gillman, Patricia L.; Smith, Scott M.

2004-01-01

An important consideration for space missions to Mars is the ability to detect biosignatures. Solid-state sensing elements for optical detection of biological entities are possible using sol-gel based biologically active materials. We have used these materials as optical sensing elements in a variety of bioassays, including immunoassays and enzyme assays. By immobilizing an appropriate biomolecule in the sol-gel sensing element, we have successfully detected analytes such as amino acids and hormones. In the case of the amino acid glutamate, the enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase was the immobilized molecule, whereas in the case of the hormone cortisol, an anti-cortisol antibody was immobilized in the sensing element. In this previous work with immobilized enzymes and antibodies, excellent sensitivity and specificity were demonstrated in a variety of formats including bulk materials, thin films and fibers. We believe that the sol-gel approach is an attractive platform for bioastronautics sensing applications because of the ability to detect a wide range of entities such as amino acids, fatty acids, hopanes, porphyrins, etc. The sol-gel approach produces an optically transparent 3D silica matrix that forms around the biomolecule of interest, thus stabilizing its structure and functionality while allowing for optical detection. This encapsulation process protects the biomolecule and leads to a more "rugged" sensor. The nanoporous structure of the sol-gel matrix allows diffusion of small target molecules but keeps larger, biomolecules immobilized in the pores. We are currently developing these biologically active sol-gel materials into small portable devices for on-orbit cortisol detection

Investigation of water mobility and diffusivity in hydrating micronized low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, and hydroxypropyl cellulose matrix tablets by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kojima, Masazumi; Nakagami, Hiroaki

2002-01-01

The water mobility and diffusivity in the gel-layer of hydrating low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose (LH41) tablets with or without a drug were investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and compared with those properties in the gel-layer of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) tablets. For this purpose, a localized image-analysis method was newly developed, and the spin-spin relaxation time (T 2 ) and apparent self-diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water in the gel-layer were visualized in one-dimensional maps. Those maps showed that the extent of gel-layer growth in the tablets was in the order of HPC>HPMC>>LH41, and there was a water mobility gradient across the gel-layers of all three tablet formulations. The T 2 and ADC in the outer parts of the gel-layers were close to those of free water. In contrast, these values in the inner parts of the gel-layer decreased progressively; suggesting that the water mobility and diffusivity around the core interface were highly restricted. Furthermore, the correlation between the T 2 of 1 H proton in the gel-layer of the tablets and the drug release rate from the tablets was observed. (author)

Molecular systematic of three species of Oithona (Copepoda, Cyclopoida from the Atlantic Ocean: comparative analysis using 28S rDNA.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georgina D Cepeda

Full Text Available Species of Oithona (Copepoda, Cyclopoida are highly abundant, ecologically important, and widely distributed throughout the world oceans. Although there are valid and detailed descriptions of the species, routine species identifications remain challenging due to their small size, subtle morphological diagnostic traits, and the description of geographic forms or varieties. This study examined three species of Oithona (O. similis, O. atlantica and O. nana occurring in the Argentine sector of the South Atlantic Ocean based on DNA sequence variation of a 575 base-pair region of 28S rDNA, with comparative analysis of these species from other North and South Atlantic regions. DNA sequence variation clearly resolved and discriminated the species, and revealed low levels of intraspecific variation among North and South Atlantic populations of each species. The 28S rDNA region was thus shown to provide an accurate and reliable means of identifying the species throughout the sampled domain. Analysis of 28S rDNA variation for additional species collected throughout the global ocean will be useful to accurately characterize biogeographical distributions of the species and to examine phylogenetic relationships among them.

Integrated MRI and [11 C]-PBR28 PET Imaging in Amyotrophic Lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Alshikho, Mohamad J; Zürcher, Nicole R; Loggia, Marco L; Cernasov, Paul; Reynolds, Beverly; Pijanowski, Olivia; Chonde, Daniel B; Izquierdo Garcia, David; Mainero, Caterina; Catana, Ciprian; Chan, James; Babu, Suma; Paganoni, Sabrina; Hooker, Jacob M; Atassi, Nazem

2018-05-08

To characterize [ 11 C]-PBR28 brain uptake using positron emission tomography (PET) in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and primary lateral sclerosis (PLS). We have previously shown increased [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake in the precentral gyrus in a small group of ALS patients. Herein, we confirm our initial finding, study the longitudinal changes, and characterize the gray vs. white matter distribution of [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake in a larger cohort of patients with ALS and PLS. Eighty-five participants including 53 ALS, 11 PLS and 21 healthy controls underwent integrated [ 11 C]-PBR28 PET-MR brain imaging. Patients were clinically assessed using the upper motor neuron burden (UMNB), and the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R). [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake was quantified as standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR), and compared between groups. Cortical thickness, and fractional anisotropy were compared between groups and correlated with SUVR and the clinical data. [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake and ALSFRS-R were compared longitudinally over six-month in ten ALS individuals. Whole brain voxel-wise, surface-based and region of interest analyses revealed increased [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake in the precentral and paracentral gyri in ALS, and in the sub-cortical white matter for the same regions in PLS, compared to controls. The increase in [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake co-localized and correlated with cortical thinning, reduced fractional anisotropy, increased mean diffusivity, and correlated with higher UMNB score. No significant changes were detected in [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake over six-month despite clinical progression. Glial activation measured by in vivo [ 11 C]-PBR28 PET is increased in pathologically relevant regions in people with ALS and correlates with clinical measures. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 American Neurological Association.

Chemical gel barriers as low-cost alternative to containment and in situ cleanup of hazardous wastes to protect groundwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

Chemical gel barriers are being considered as a low-cost alternative for containment and in situ cleanup of hazardous wastes to protect groundwater. Most of the available gels in petroleum application are non-reactive and relative impermeable, providing a physical barriers for all fluids and contaminants. However, other potential systems can be envisioned. These systems could include gels that are chemically reactive and impermeable such that most phase are captured by the barriers but the contaminants could diffuse through the barriers. Another system that is chemically reactive and permeable could have potential applications in selectivity capturing contaminants while allowing water to pass through the barriers. This study focused on chemically reactive and permeable gel barriers. The gels used in experiment are DuPont LUDOX SM colloidal silica gel and Pfizer FLOPAAM 1330S hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) gel

A reduction of diffusion in PVA Fricke hydrogels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, S T; Masters, K S; Hosokawa, K; Blinco, J; Crowe, S B; Kairn, T; Trapp, J V

2015-01-01

A modification to the PVA-FX hydrogel whereby the chelating agent, xylenol orange, was partially bonded to the gelling agent, poly-vinyl alcohol, resulted in an 8% reduction in the post irradiation Fe 3+ diffusion, adding approximately 1 hour to the useful timespan between irradiation and readout. This xylenol orange functionalised poly-vinyl alcohol hydrogel had an OD dose sensitivity of 0.014 Gy −1 and a diffusion rate of 0.133 mm 2 h −1 . As this partial bond yields only incremental improvement, it is proposed that more efficient methods of bonding xylenol orange to poly-vinyl alcohol be investigated to further reduce the diffusion in Fricke gels

3D Architectured polyazomethine gel synthesis: its self-assembled ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2018-03-28

Mar 28, 2018 ... Schiff's base reactions are well-known organic reactions that are the main source of ... it difficult to ver- satile applications and the determination of their structural ... Since non-covalent gel phase materials are formed through weak and .... nitrogen as major elements in the composition, which proves that the ...

Skin permeation enhancement effects of the gel and whole-leaf materials of Aloe vera, Aloe marlothii and Aloe ferox.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Lizelle T; Gerber, Minja; du Preez, Jan L; du Plessis, Jeanetta; Hamman, Josias H

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the in-vitro permeation enhancement effects of the gel and whole-leaf materials of Aloe vera, Aloe marlothii and Aloe ferox using ketoprofen as a marker compound. The permeation studies were conducted across excised female abdominal skin in Franz diffusion cells, and the delivery of ketoprofen into the stratum corneum-epidermis and epidermis-dermis layers of the skin was investigated using a tape-stripping technique. A. vera gel showed the highest permeation-enhancing effect on ketoprofen (enhancement ratio or ER = 2.551) when compared with the control group, followed by A. marlothii gel (ER = 1.590) and A. ferox whole-leaf material (ER = 1.520). Non-linear curve fitting calculations indicated that the drug permeation-enhancing effect of A. vera gel can be attributed to an increased partitioning of the drug into the skin, while A. ferox whole leaf modified the diffusion characteristics of the skin for ketoprofen. The tape stripping results indicated that A. marlothii whole leaf delivered the highest concentration of the ketoprofen into the different skin layers. Of the selected aloe species investigated, A. vera gel material showed the highest potential as transdermal drug penetration enhancer across human skin. © 2014 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Anti-arthritic effects of microneedling with bee venom gel

OpenAIRE

Mengdi Zhao; Jie Bai; Yang Lu; Shouying Du; Kexin Shang; Pengyue Li; Liu Yang; Boyu Dong; Ning Tan

2016-01-01

Objective: To combine with transdermal drug delivery using microneedle to simulate the bee venom therapy to evaluate the permeation of bee venom gel. Methods: In this study, the sodium urate and LPS were used on rats and mice to construct the model. Bee venom gel–microneedle combination effect on the model is to determine the role of microneedle gel permeation by observing inflammation factors. Results: Compared with the model group, the bee venom gel–microneedle combination group can r...

Nanoscale dynamics and aging of fibrous peptide-based gels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dudukovic, Nikola A., E-mail: dudukov1@illinois.edu [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Zukoski, Charles F. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14222 (United States)

2014-10-28

Solutions of the aromatic dipeptide derivative molecule fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-diphenylalanine (Fmoc-FF) in dimethyl sulfoxide produce fibrous gels when mixed with water. We study the evolution of density fluctuations of this three-component system using X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) and compare these results to the macroscopic rheology of the gels and optical observations of the microstructure evolution. At the investigated scattering angles, the intensity autocorrelation functions do not follow behavior expected for simple diffusion of individual Fmoc-FF molecules localized within cages of nearest neighbors. Instead, the dynamics are associated with density fluctuations on length scales of ∼10–100 nm arising from disaggregation and reformation of fibers, leading to an increasingly uniform network. This process is correlated with the growth of the elastic modulus, which saturates at long times. Autocorrelation functions and relaxation times acquired from XPCS measurements are consistent with relaxation rates of structures at dynamic equilibrium. This study provides further support to the concept of exploring peptide-based gelators as valence-limited patchy particles capable of forming equilibrium gels.

Separation of Native Allophycocyanin and R-Phycocyanin from Marine Red Macroalga Polysiphonia urceolata by the Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis Performed in Novel Buffer Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; Gong, Xueqin; Wang, Shumei; Chen, Lixue; Sun, Li

2014-01-01

Three buffer systems of Imidazole−Acetic acid, HEPES−Imidazole/Bis-tris and Bis-tris−HEPES−MES were designed based on the principle of discontinuous polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) for the native PAGE which could be performed in pH 7.0 and 6.5 in order to analyze and prepare the minor components of allophycocyanin (AP) and R-phycocyanin (R-PC) from marine red macroalga Polysiphonia urceolata. These AP and R-PC phycobiliproteins are easily denatured in alkaline environments. The obtained results demonstrated that the PAGE modes performed in the buffer systems of HEPES−Imidazole/Bis-tris and Bis-tris−HEPES−MES gave the satisfactory resolution and separation of AP and R-PC proteins. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of the AP and R-PC proteins which were prepared by the established PAGE modes proved that they maintained natural spectroscopic characteristics. The established PAGE modes may also provide useful references and selections for some other proteins that are sensitive to alkaline environments or are not effectively separated by the classical PAGE modes performed normally in alkaline buffer systems. PMID:25166028

Quantification of 16S rRNAs in complex bacterial communities by multiple competitive reverse transcription-PCR in temperature gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprints.

Science.gov (United States)

Felske, A; Akkermans, A D; De Vos, W M

1998-11-01

A novel approach was developed to quantify rRNA sequences in complex bacterial communities. The main bacterial 16S rRNAs in Drentse A grassland soils (The Netherlands) were amplified by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR with bacterium-specific primers and were separated by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE). The primer pair used (primers U968-GC and L1401) was found to amplify with the same efficiency 16S rRNAs from bacterial cultures containing different taxa and cloned 16S ribosomal DNA amplicons from uncultured soil bacteria. The sequence-specific efficiency of amplification was determined by monitoring the amplification kinetics by kinetic PCR. The primer-specific amplification efficiency was assessed by competitive PCR and RT-PCR, and identical input amounts of different 16S rRNAs resulted in identical amplicon yields. The sequence-specific detection system used for competitive amplifications was TGGE, which also has been found to be suitable for simultaneous quantification of more than one sequence. We demonstrate that this approach can be applied to TGGE fingerprints of soil bacteria to estimate the ratios of the bacterial 16S rRNAs.

Diffuse Deckenlüftung

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Yu, Tao; Heiselberg, Per Kvols

Richtung in den Raum geleitet (daher auch der Namensteil „diffus“). Im Vergleich zu herkömmlichen Lüftungsanlagen (Misch- oder Verdrängungslüftung) kann die diffuse Deckenlüftung das Risiko eines Luftzugs im Raum erheblich reduzieren oder sogar vermeiden. Darüber hinaus bietet diese Lüftungsanlage die...... vielversprechende Möglichkeit, Energie einzusparen. Dies liegt am geringen Druckverlust, an dem längeren Zeitraum der freien Kühlung und dem großen Potenzial der Nachtkühlung. Die Investitionskosten für eine Anlage für die diffuse Deckenlüftung sind 5 bis 10 % geringer als die für herkömmliche Anlagen, da die...... Akustikdecke direkt als Luftverteiler verwendet werden kann. Durch den Einsatz eines Hohlraums für die Luftverteilung fallen zudem auch die Kosten für Luftkanäle niedriger aus. Das Interesse daran, die diffuse Deckenlüftung in Büros und anderen Gewerbegebäuden einzusetzen, wächst aufgrund der Vorteile in Bezug...

Decreasing the amount of trypsin in in-gel digestion leads to diminished chemical noise and improved protein identifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Mo; Liu, Yanhua; Yu, Kaiwen; Liu, Xiaoyun

2014-09-23

Pre-fractionation by gel electrophoresis is often combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for large-scale profiling of complex protein samples. An essential component of this widely applied proteomic platform is in-gel protein digestion. In nearly two decades of practicing this approach, an extremely high level of trypsin has been utilized due to the consideration of slow enzyme diffusion into the gel matrix. Here we report that trypsin autolysis products contribute to the bulk of chemical noise in in-gel digestion and remarkably we found evidence that the amount of trypsin can be slashed by an order of magnitude with comparable digestion performance. By revising perhaps the most critical element of this decade-old digestion protocol, the proteomics community relying on gel separation prior to LC-MS analysis will benefit instantly from much lowered cost due to enzyme expenditure. More importantly, substantially reduced chemical noise (i.e., trypsin self-cleavage products) as a result of less enzyme usage translates into more protein identifications when limited amounts of samples are the interest of interrogation. In-gel digestion is one of the most widely used methods in proteomics. An exceedingly high level of trypsin has been utilized due to the consideration of slow enzyme diffusion into the gel matrix. This requirement has been faithfully kept in nearly two decades of practicing this approach. Here we report that trypsin concentration can be slashed by at least an order of magnitude while still providing comparable digestion performance. Thus the proteomics community relying on gel separation prior to LC-MS analysis will benefit instantly from much lowered enzyme cost. More importantly, substantially reduced chemical noise (i.e., trypsin autolysis products) due to less enzyme usage translates into ~30% more protein identifications when limited amounts of protein samples are analyzed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of growth parameters on spatial pattern formation of cadmium hydroxide in agar gel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palaniandavar, N.; Gnanam, F.D.; Ramasamy, P.

1986-01-01

The interrelated effects of growth parameters on spatial pattern formation of cadmium hydroxide in agar gel medium have been investigated. The main parameters are concentration of electrolytes, pH of the medium, density of the gel, the concentration of parasitic electrolyte and the concentration of additives. The pattern formation is explained on the basis of electrical double layer theory coupled with diffusion. Using Shinohara's revised coagulation concept, the flocculation value is calculated. With suitable combinations of parameter values, dendritic growth and spherulitic growth of cadmium hydroxide crystals have been observed. (author)

Ionic conductivity of polymer gels deriving from alkali metal ionic liquids and negatively charged polyelectrolytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogihara, Wataru; Sun Jiazeng; Forsyth, Maria; MacFarlane, Douglas R.; Yoshizawa, Masahiro; Ohno, Hiroyuki

2004-01-01

We have prepared polymer gel electrolytes with alkali metal ionic liquids (AMILs) that inherently contain alkali metal ions. The AMIL consisted of sulfate anion, imidazolium cation, and alkali metal cation. AMILs were mixed directly with poly(3-sulfopropyl acrylate) lithium salt or poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) lithium salt to form polymer gels. The ionic conductivity of these gels decreased with increasing polymer fraction, as in general ionic liquid/polymer mixed systems. At low polymer concentrations, these gels displayed excellent ionic conductivity of 10 -4 to 10 -3 S cm -1 at room temperature. Gelation was found to cause little change in the 7 Li diffusion coefficient of the ionic liquid, as measured by pulse-field-gradient NMR. These data strongly suggest that the lithium cation migrates in successive pathways provided by the ionic liquids

Correlation between the viscoelastic properties of the gel layer of swollen HPMC matrix tablets and their in vitro drug release.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamed, Rania; Al Baraghthi, Tamadur; Sunoqrot, Suhair

2016-11-21

Drug release from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) hydrophilic matrix tablets is controlled by drug diffusion through the gel layer of the matrix-forming polymer upon hydration, matrix erosion or combination of diffusion and erosion mechanisms. In this study, the relationship between viscoelastic properties of the gel layer of swollen intact matrix tablets and drug release was investigated. Two sets of quetiapine fumarate (QF) matrix tablets were prepared using the high viscosity grade HPMC K4M at low (70 mg/tablet) and high (170 mg/tablet) polymer concentrations. Viscoelastic studies using a controlled stress rheometer were performed on swollen matrices following hydration in the dissolution medium for predetermined time intervals. The gel layer of swollen tablets exhibited predominantly elastic behavior. Results from the in vitro release study showed that drug release was strongly influenced by the viscoelastic properties of the gel layer of K4M tablets, which was further corroborated by results from water uptake studies conducted on intact tablets. The results provide evidence that the viscoelastic properties of the gel layer can be exploited to guide the selection of an appropriate matrix-forming polymer, to better understand the rate of drug release from matrix tablets in vitro and to develop hydrophilic controlled-release formulations.

An Improved Transit Measurement for a 2.4 R ⊕ Planet Orbiting A Bright Mid-M Dwarf K2–28

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ge; Knutson, Heather A.; Dressing, Courtney D.; Morley, Caroline V.; Werner, Michael; Gorjian, Varoujan; Beichman, Charles; Benneke, Björn; Christiansen, Jessie L.; Ciardi, David; Crossfield, Ian; Howell, Steve B.; Krick, Jessica E.; Livingston, John; Morales, Farisa Y.; Schlieder, Joshua E.

2018-05-01

We present a new Spitzer transit observation of K2–28b, a sub-Neptune (R p = 2.45 ± 0.28 R ⊕) orbiting a relatively bright (V mag = 16.06, K mag = 10.75) metal-rich M4 dwarf (EPIC 206318379). This star is one of only seven with masses less than 0.2 {M}ȯ known to host transiting planets, and the planet appears to be a slightly smaller analogue of GJ 1214b (2.85+/- 0.20 {R}\\oplus ). Our new Spitzer observations were taken two years after the original K2 discovery data and have a significantly higher cadence, allowing us to derive improved estimates for this planet’s radius, semimajor axis, and orbital period, which greatly reduce the uncertainty in the prediction of near future transit times for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations. We also evaluate the system’s suitability for atmospheric characterization with JWST and find that it is currently the only small (K2–28b to be representative of the kind of mid-M systems that should be detectable in the TESS sample.

Diffusion of manganese ions in agar gel containing alkali metal chlorides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borhade, A.V.

2000-01-01

The obstruction effect for tracer-diffusion of Mn 2+ ions in the presence of different supporting electrolytes (LiCl, NaCl, KCl, CsCl) at various concentrations has been studied at 25 deg C using the zone diffusion technique. It has been observed that the obstruction effect determined in terms of α increases with concentration of the electrolyte. Further, for a given concentration it is found to decrease with increasing charge density of the cation. We also report here on the effect of temperature on obstruction and found that is constant over the temperature range studied (25-45 deg C). These observations are explained on the basis of competitive hydration between ions and agar macromolecules. (author)

Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity in the corpus callosum of patients with multiple sclerosis: the effect of physiotherapy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ibrahim, I.; Tintěra, J.; Škoch, A.; Jírů, F.; Hluštík, P.; Martinková, Patrícia; Zvára, Karel; Řasová, K.

2011-01-01

Roč. 24, Suppl. 1 (2011), s. 291 ISSN 0968-5243. [ESMRMB 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting /28./. 06.10.2011-08.10.2011, Leipzig] R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 1M0517 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Keywords : corpus callosum * diffusion tensor imaging * facilitation physiotherapy * multiple sclerosis * rehabilitation Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research

Two kinds of ketoprofen enteric gel beads (CA and CS-SA using biopolymer alginate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bingchao Cheng

2018-03-01

Full Text Available To obtain expected rapid-release and sustained-release of ketoprofen gel beads, this paper adopted biopolymer alginate to prepare alginate beads and chitosan-alginate gel beads. Formulation factors were investigated and optimized by the single factor test. The release of ketoprofen from calcium alginate gel beads in pH 1.0 hydrochloric acid solution was less than 10% during 2 h, then in pH6.8 was about 95% during 45 min, which met the requirements of rapid-release preparations. However, the drug release of chitosan-alginate gel beads in pH1.0 was less than 5% during 2 h, then in pH6.8 was about 50% during 6 h and reached more than 95% during 12 h, which had a good sustained-release behavior. In addition, the release kinetics of keteprofen from the calcium alginate gel beads fitted well with the Korsmeyer–Peppas model and followed a case-II transport mechanism. However, the release of keteprofen from the chitosan-alginate gel beads exhibited a non-Fickian mechanism and based on the mixed mechanisms of diffusion and polymer relaxation from chitosan-alginate beads. In a word, alginate gel beads of ketoprofen were instant analgesic, while chitosan-alginate gel beads could control the release of ketoprofen during gastro-intestinal tract and prolong the drug's action time. Keywords: Gel beads, Enteric rapid-release, Enteric sustained-release, Ketoprofen

Randomized Trial Comparing R-CHOP Versus High-Dose Sequential Chemotherapy in High-Risk Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Cortelazzo, Sergio; Tarella, Corrado; Gianni, Alessandro Massimo; Ladetto, Marco; Barbui, Anna Maria; Rossi, Andrea; Gritti, Giuseppe; Corradini, Paolo; Di Nicola, Massimo; Patti, Caterina; Mulé, Antonino; Zanni, Manuela; Zoli, Valerio; Billio, Atto; Piccin, Andrea; Negri, Giovanni; Castellino, Claudia; Di Raimondo, Francesco; Ferreri, Andrés J M; Benedetti, Fabio; La Nasa, Giorgio; Gini, Guido; Trentin, Livio; Frezzato, Maurizio; Flenghi, Leonardo; Falorio, Simona; Chilosi, Marco; Bruna, Riccardo; Tabanelli, Valentina; Pileri, Stefano; Masciulli, Arianna; Delaini, Federica; Boschini, Cristina; Rambaldi, Alessandro

2016-11-20

Purpose The benefit of high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) as first-line treatment in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphomas is still a matter of debate. To address this point, we designed a randomized phase III trial to compare rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP)-14 (eight cycles) with rituximab plus high-dose sequential chemotherapy (R-HDS) with ASCT. Patients and Methods From June 2005 to June 2011, 246 high-risk patients with a high-intermediate (56%) or high (44%) International Prognostic Index score were randomly assigned to the R-CHOP or R-HDS arm, and 235 were analyzed by intent to treat. The primary efficacy end point of the study was 3-year event-free survival, and results were analyzed on an intent-to-treat basis. Results Clinical response (complete response, 78% v 76%; partial response, 5% v 9%) and failures (no response, 15% v 11%; and early treatment-related mortality, 2% v 3%) were similar after R-CHOP versus R-HDS, respectively. After a median follow-up of 5 years, the 3-year event-free survival was 62% versus 65% ( P = .83). At 3 years, compared with the R-CHOP arm, the R-HDS arm had better disease-free survival (79% v 91%, respectively; P = .034), but this subsequently vanished because of late-occurring treatment-related deaths. No difference was detected in terms of progression-free survival (65% v 75%, respectively; P = .12), or overall survival (74% v 77%, respectively; P = .64). Significantly higher hematologic toxicity ( P < .001) and more infectious complications ( P < .001) were observed in the R-HDS arm. Conclusion In this study, front-line intensive R-HDS chemotherapy with ASCT did not improve the outcome of high-risk patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphomas.

Diffusion in silicon isotope heterostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silvestri, Hughes Howland [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2004-01-01

The simultaneous diffusion of Si and the dopants B, P, and As has been studied by the use of a multilayer structure of isotopically enriched Si. This structure, consisting of 5 pairs of 120 nm thick natural Si and ²⁸Si enriched layers, enables the observation of ³⁰Si self-diffusion from the natural layers into the ²⁸Si enriched layers, as well as dopant diffusion from an implanted source in an amorphous Si cap layer, via Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). The dopant diffusion created regions of the multilayer structure that were extrinsic at the diffusion temperatures. In these regions, the Fermi level shift due to the extrinsic condition altered the concentration and charge state of the native defects involved in the diffusion process, which affected the dopant and self-diffusion. The simultaneously recorded diffusion profiles enabled the modeling of the coupled dopant and self-diffusion. From the modeling of the simultaneous diffusion, the dopant diffusion mechanisms, the native defect charge states, and the self- and dopant diffusion coefficients can be determined. This information is necessary to enhance the physical modeling of dopant diffusion in Si. It is of particular interest to the modeling of future electronic Si devices, where the nanometer-scale features have created the need for precise physical models of atomic diffusion in Si. The modeling of the experimental profiles of simultaneous diffusion of B and Si under p-type extrinsic conditions revealed that both species are mediated by neutral and singly, positively charged Si self-interstitials. The diffusion of As and Si under extrinsic n-type conditions yielded a model consisting of the interstitialcy and vacancy mechanisms of diffusion via singly negatively charged self-interstitials and neutral vacancies. The simultaneous diffusion of P and Si has been modeled on the basis of neutral and singly negatively charged self-interstitials and neutral and singly

Real world data on young patients with high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP or R-CHOEP - MYC, BCL2 and BCL6 as prognostic biomarkers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Mette Ølgod; Gang, Anne Ortved; Brown, Peter

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Double expression of MYC and BCL2 proteins (DE) and double-hit MYC+BCL2/BCL6 translocations (DH) were established as important biomarkers in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) by the 2016 revision of the World Health Organization classification of lymphoid neoplasms...... in situ hybridization (FISH). RESULTS: DE with MYC>75% and BCL2>85% was an independent negative prognostic marker of progression free survival (PFS) in patients treated with R-CHOP but not R-CHOEP (peffect of DE for response (PFS) to R...

Epoxy-based organic-inorganic nanocomposite coatings and films prepared by sol-gel process

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Špírková, Milena; Brus, Jiří; Matějka, Libor

2004-01-01

Roč. 6, 3-4 (2004), s. 7-15 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/01/0735; GA AV ČR IAA4050008; GA AV ČR KSK4050111 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4050913 Keywords : sol-gel process * nanocomposite s * solid-state NMR Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry

Efficient and Stable Photovoltaic Characteristics of Quasi-Solid State DSSC using Polymer Gel Electrolyte Based on Ionic Liquid in Organosiloxane Polymer Gels

Science.gov (United States)

Pujiarti, H.; Arsyad, W. S.; Shobih; Muliani, L.; Hidayat, R.

2018-04-01

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) is still one of the promising solar cell types among the third generation of solar cells because of easiness of fabrication and variety of available materials. In this type of solar cell, the electrolyte is one of the important components for regenerating excited dyes and transporting electric charge carriers to the counter electrode. Indeed, the power conversion efficiency of DSSC can be then significantly affected by the chemical and physical properties of the electrolyte. The simplest electrolyte system of an I-/I3 - redox couple in an organic solvent, however, has some drawbacks due to corrosive properties, volatile and leakage problem. Use of solid phase or gel phase electrolyte may overcome those problems, but it is often considered to suppress the efficiency due to low ion diffusion. Here, we report the photovoltaic characteristics of DSSC using polymer gel electrolyte (PGE), which is composed of ionic liquid and an organosiloxane polymer gel. The better cell performance with power conversion efficiency of about 6% has been obtained by optimizing the mesoporous size of the TiO2 layer and the PGE viscosity.

ITER TASK T26/28 (1995): Solubility, diffusion and absorption of hydrogen isotopes in potential fusion reactor ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, D.A.; Macauley-Newcombe, R.G.

1996-04-01

Ceramic insulators are integral parts of numerous components essential for the heating control and diagnostic measurement of fusion plasmas. For safe and reliable reactor operations it is necessary to be able to predict the resultant tritium inventories and permeation fluxes through these materials. Some materials being considered are Al 2 O 3 (both as single crystal sapphire and polycrystalline alumina) and BeO. This report contains results of ion-implantation, thermal absorption (diffusion loading) and ion-beam analysis experiments performed in 1994 and 1995 for ITER task T26/28. The combination of implantation and thermal absorption capabilities enable us to load samples with hydrogen isotopes under differing conditions. 13 figs., 1 tab., 11 refs

Hydrogen permeation through sol-gel-coated iron during galvanostatic charging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakorchemna, I.; Carmona, N.; Zakroczymski, T.

2008-01-01

One-layer sol-gel silica-zirconia and two-layer silica-zirconia and zirconia coatings were deposited on one side of iron membranes by spin-coating, densified in air and annealed up to 800 deg. C in vacuum. Hydrogen permeation through the membranes, coated and uncoated, polarised cathodically under galvanostatic control in 0.1 M NaOH solution was studied using the electrochemical permeation technique. During the initial period, the effect of the sol-gel coatings was insignificant. However, the coatings quite efficiently prevented the iron surface become more active to hydrogen entry during a long-lasting cathodic polarisation. In addition, the electrochemical-corrosion behaviour of the coated iron and the effect of the sol-gel coatings on the effective diffusivity of hydrogen in the coated membranes were studied. On the basis of the polarisation curves and the hydrogen permeation data it was proved that the sol-gel coatings blocked the iron surface for the hydrogen evolution reaction and, consequently, for the hydrogen entry into iron. The effective coating coverage was determined by comparison of the hydrogen fluxes permeating the coated and uncoated membranes. Finally the real concentration of hydrogen beneath the uncoated iron sites and the amount of hydrogen stored in a membrane were evaluated

Obtaining new composite biomaterials by means of mineralization of methacrylate hydrogels using the reaction–diffusion method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramadan, Yousof [Department of Physical Chemistry II, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain); González-Sánchez, M. Isabel [Department of Physical Chemistry, School of Industrial Engineering, Castilla-La Mancha University, 02071 Albacete (Spain); Hawkins, Karl [Centre of Nanohealth, Institute of Life Sciences, College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales (United Kingdom); Rubio-Retama, Jorge [Department of Physical Chemistry II, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Valero, Edelmira [Department of Physical Chemistry, School of Industrial Engineering, Castilla-La Mancha University, 02071 Albacete (Spain); Perni, Stefano [School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF103NB (United Kingdom); Department of Biological Engineering, MA Institute of Technology, Cambridge (United States); Prokopovich, Polina [School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF103NB (United Kingdom); Institute of Medical Engineering and Medical Physics, School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff (United Kingdom); Department of Biological Engineering, MA Institute of Technology, Cambridge (United States); López-Cabarcos, Enrique, E-mail: cabarcos@farm.ucm.es [Department of Physical Chemistry II, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2014-09-01

The present paper describes the synthesis and characterization of a new polymeric biomaterial mineralized with calcium phosphate using the reaction–diffusion method. The scaffold of this biomaterial was a hydrogel constituted by biocompatible polyethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMEM) and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEM), which were cross-linked with N-N’-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS). The cross-linking content of the hydrogels was varied from 0.25% to 15% (w/w). The gels were used as matrix where two reactants (Na{sub 2}HPO{sub 4} and CaCl{sub 2}) diffused from both ends of the gel and upon encountering produced calcium phosphate crystals that precipitated within the polymer matrix forming bands. The shape of the crystals was tuned by modifying the matrix porosity in such a way that when the polymer matrix was slightly reticulated the diffusion reaction produced round calcium phosphate microcrystals, whilst when the polymer matrix was highly reticulated the reaction yielded flat calcium phosphate crystals. Selected area electron diffraction performed on the nanocrystals that constitute the microcrystals showed that they were formed by Brushite (CaHPO{sub 4}.2H{sub 2}O). This new composite material could be useful in medical and dentistry applications such as bone regeneration, bone repair or tissue engineering. - Highlights: • New polymeric biomaterial mineralized with calcium phosphate using the reaction-diffusion method.-Growing of brushite nanocrystals within a polymeric matrix. • Mineralization by reaction diffusion method controls the crystal growth within gels.

Obtaining new composite biomaterials by means of mineralization of methacrylate hydrogels using the reaction–diffusion method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramadan, Yousof; González-Sánchez, M. Isabel; Hawkins, Karl; Rubio-Retama, Jorge; Valero, Edelmira; Perni, Stefano; Prokopovich, Polina; López-Cabarcos, Enrique

2014-01-01

The present paper describes the synthesis and characterization of a new polymeric biomaterial mineralized with calcium phosphate using the reaction–diffusion method. The scaffold of this biomaterial was a hydrogel constituted by biocompatible polyethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMEM) and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEM), which were cross-linked with N-N’-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS). The cross-linking content of the hydrogels was varied from 0.25% to 15% (w/w). The gels were used as matrix where two reactants (Na 2 HPO 4 and CaCl 2 ) diffused from both ends of the gel and upon encountering produced calcium phosphate crystals that precipitated within the polymer matrix forming bands. The shape of the crystals was tuned by modifying the matrix porosity in such a way that when the polymer matrix was slightly reticulated the diffusion reaction produced round calcium phosphate microcrystals, whilst when the polymer matrix was highly reticulated the reaction yielded flat calcium phosphate crystals. Selected area electron diffraction performed on the nanocrystals that constitute the microcrystals showed that they were formed by Brushite (CaHPO 4 .2H 2 O). This new composite material could be useful in medical and dentistry applications such as bone regeneration, bone repair or tissue engineering. - Highlights: • New polymeric biomaterial mineralized with calcium phosphate using the reaction-diffusion method.-Growing of brushite nanocrystals within a polymeric matrix. • Mineralization by reaction diffusion method controls the crystal growth within gels

The Effect of Various Acids to the Gelation Process to the Silica Gel Characteristic Using Organic Silica

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, NA; Widiyastuti, W.; Sigit, D.; Ajiza, M.; Sujana, W.

2018-01-01

Bagasse ash is solid waste of cane sugar industry which contain of silica more than 51%. Some previous study of silica gel from bagasse ash have been conducted often and been applied. This study concerns about the effect of various acid used in the process of gelation to the characteristic of silica gel produced. Then, this silica gel will be used as adsorbent. As that, the silica gel must fulfill the requirements of adsorbent, as have good pores characteristics, fit in mesoporous size so that adsorbent diffusion process is not disturbed. A fitted pores size of silica gel can be prepared by managing acid concentration used. The effect of acid, organic acid (tartaric acid) and inorganic acid (hydrochloric acid), is investigated in detail. The acid is added into sodium silicate solution in that the gel is formed, the pores structures can be investigated with BET, the crystal form is analyzed with XRD and the pore structure is analyzed visually with SEM. By managing the acid concentration added, it gets the effect of acid to the pore structure of silica gel. The bigger concentration is, the bigger the pore’s size of silica gel produced.

Determination of total arsenic using a novel Zn-ferrite binding gel for DGT techniques: Application to the redox speciation of arsenic in river sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorny, Josselin; Lesven, Ludovic; Billon, Gabriel; Dumoulin, David; Noiriel, Catherine; Pirovano, Caroline; Madé, Benoît

2015-11-01

A new laboratory-made Zn-ferrite (ZnFe2O4) binding gel is fully tested using Diffusive Gradient in Thin films (DGT) probes to measure total As [including inorganic As(III) and As(V), as well as MonoMethyl Arsenic Acid (MMAA(V)) and DiMethyl Arsenic Acid (DMAA(V))] in river waters and sediment pore waters. The synthesis of the binding gel is easy, cheap and its insertion into the acrylamide gel is not problematic. An important series of triplicate tests have been carried out to validate the use of the Zn-ferrite binding gel in routine for several environmental matrixes studies, in order to test: (i) the effect of pH on the accumulation efficiency of inorganic As species; (ii) the reproducibility of the results; (iii) the accumulation efficiency of As species; (iv) the effects of the ionic strength and possible competitive anions; and (v) the uptake and the elution efficiency of As species after accumulation in the binding gel. All experimental conditions have been reproduced using two other existing binding gels for comparison: ferrihydrite and Metsorb® HMRP 50. We clearly demonstrate that the Zn-ferrite binding gel is at least as good as the two other binding gels, especially for pH values higher than 8. In addition, by taking into consideration the diffusion rates of As(III) and As(V) in the gel, combining the 3-mercaptopropyl [accumulating only As(III)] with the Zn-ferrite binding gels allows for performing speciation studies. An environmental study along the Marque River finally illustrates the ability of the new binding gel to be used for field studies. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Sol-Gel Glasses

Science.gov (United States)

Mukherjee, S. P.

1985-01-01

Multicomponent homogeneous, ultrapure noncrystalline gels/gel derived glasses are promising batch materials for the containerless glass melting experiments in microgravity. Hence, ultrapure, homogeneous gel precursors could be used to: (1) investigate the effect of the container induced nucleation on the glass forming ability of marginally glass forming compositions; and (2) investigate the influence of gravity on the phase separation and coarsening behavior of gel derived glasses in the liquid-liquid immiscibility zone of the nonsilicate systems having a high density phase. The structure and crystallization behavior of gels in the SiO2-GeO2 as a function of gel chemistry and thermal treatment were investigated. As are the chemical principles involved in the distribution of a second network former in silica gel matrix being investigated. The procedures for synthesizing noncrystalline gels/gel-monoliths in the SiO2-GeO2, GeO2-PbO systems were developed. Preliminary investigations on the levitation and thermal treatment of germania silicate gel-monoliths in the Pressure Facility Acoustic Levitator were done.

Self-diffusion in isotopically enriched silicon carbide and its correlation with dopant diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rueschenschmidt, K.; Bracht, H.; Stolwijk, N.A.; Laube, M.; Pensl, G.; Brandes, G.R.

2004-01-01

Diffusion of 13 C and 30 Si in silicon carbide was performed with isotopically enriched 4H- 28 Si 12 C/ nat SiC heterostructures which were grown by chemical vapor phase epitaxy. After diffusion annealing at temperatures between 2000 deg. C and 2200 deg. C the 30 Si and 13 C profiles were measured by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry. We found that the Si and C diffusivity is of the same order of magnitude but several orders of magnitude lower than earlier data reported in the literature. Both Si and C tracer diffusion coefficients are in satisfactory agreement with the native point defect contribution to self-diffusion deduced from B diffusion in SiC. This reveals that the native defect which mediates B diffusion also controls self-diffusion. Assuming that B atoms within the extended tail region of B profiles are mainly dissolved on C sites, we propose that B diffuses via the kick-out mechanism involving C interstitials. Accordingly, C diffusion should proceed mainly via C interstitials. The mechanism of Si diffusion remains unsolved but Si may diffuse via both Si vacancies and interstitials, with the preference for either species depending on the doping level

Production optimization of {sup 99}Mo/{sup 99m}Tc zirconium molybate gel generators at semi-automatic device: DISIGEG

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monroy-Guzman, F., E-mail: fabiola.monroy@inin.gob.mx [Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Carretera Mexico-Toluca S/N, La Marquesa, Ocoyoacac, 52750, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Rivero Gutierrez, T., E-mail: tonatiuh.rivero@inin.gob.mx [Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Carretera Mexico-Toluca S/N, La Marquesa, Ocoyoacac, 52750, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Lopez Malpica, I.Z.; Hernandez Cortes, S.; Rojas Nava, P.; Vazquez Maldonado, J.C. [Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Carretera Mexico-Toluca S/N, La Marquesa, Ocoyoacac, 52750, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Vazquez, A. [Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Eje Central Norte Lazaro Cardenas 152, Col. San Bartolo Atepehuacan, 07730, Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

2012-01-15

DISIGEG is a synthesis installation of zirconium {sup 99}Mo-molybdate gels for {sup 99}Mo/{sup 99m}Tc generator production, which has been designed, built and installed at the ININ. The device consists of a synthesis reactor and five systems controlled via keyboard: (1) raw material access, (2) chemical air stirring, (3) gel dried by air and infrared heating, (4) moisture removal and (5) gel extraction. DISIGEG operation is described and dried condition effects of zirconium {sup 99}Mo- molybdate gels on {sup 99}Mo/{sup 99m}Tc generator performance were evaluated as well as some physical-chemical properties of these gels. The results reveal that temperature, time and air flow applied during the drying process directly affects zirconium {sup 99}Mo-molybdate gel generator performance. All gels prepared have a similar chemical structure probably constituted by three-dimensional network, based on zirconium pentagonal bipyramids and molybdenum octahedral. Basic structural variations cause a change in gel porosity and permeability, favouring or inhibiting {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4}{sup -} diffusion into the matrix. The {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4}{sup -} eluates produced by {sup 99}Mo/{sup 99m}Tc zirconium {sup 99}Mo-molybdate gel generators prepared in DISIGEG, air dried at 80 Degree-Sign C for 5 h and using an air flow of 90 mm, satisfied all the Pharmacopoeias regulations: {sup 99m}Tc yield between 70-75%, {sup 99}Mo breakthrough less than 3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3}%, radiochemical purities about 97% sterile and pyrogen-free eluates with a pH of 6. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer {sup 99}Mo/{sup 99m}Tc generators based on {sup 99}Mo-molybdate gels were synthesized at a semi-automatic device. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Generator performances depend on synthesis conditions of the zirconium {sup 99}Mo-molybdate gel. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4}{sup -} diffusion and yield into generator depends on gel porosity and permeability. Black

Fluorographic detection of tritiated glycopeptides and oligosaccharides separated on polyacrylamide gels: analysis of glycans from Dictyostelium discoideum glycoproteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prem Das, O.; Henderson, E.J.

1986-01-01

Previous workers have shown that oligosaccharides and glycopeptides can be separated by electrophoresis in buffers containing borate ions. However, normal fluorography of tritium-labeled structures cannot be performed because the glycans are soluble and can diffuse during equilibration with scintillants. This problem has been circumvented by equilibration of the gel with 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) prior to electrophoresis. The presence of PPO in the gel during electrophoresis does not alter mobility of the glycopeptides and oligosaccharides. After electrophoresis, the gel is simply dried and fluorography performed. This allows sensitive and precise comparisons of labeled samples in parallel lanes of a slab gel and, since mobilities are highly reproducible, between different gels. The procedure is preparative in that after fluorography the gel bands can be quantitatively eluted for further study, without any apparent modification by the procedure. In this report, the procedure is illustrated by fractionation of both neutral and anionic glycopeptides produced by the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum

Clotrimazole nanoparticle gel for mucosal administration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esposito, Elisabetta; Ravani, Laura; Contado, Catia; Costenaro, Andrea; Drechsler, Markus; Rossi, Damiano; Menegatti, Enea; Grandini, Alessandro; Cortesi, Rita

2013-01-01

In this study a formulation suitable to be applied on oral and/or vaginal mucosa has been developed for the treatment of fungal infections. The aim of the research is a comparison between clotrimazole (CLO) containing semisolid formulations based on monoolein aqueous dispersion (MAD) or nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC). MAD and NLC have been characterized in terms of morphology and dimensional distribution by cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (cryo-TEM) and Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS). CLO was encapsulated with high entrapment efficiency both in MAD and in NLC, according to Sedimentation Field Flow Fractionation (SdFFF) combined with HPLC. CLO recovery in MAD and NLC has been investigated by time. In order to obtain formulations with suitable viscosity for mucosal application, MAD was diluted with a carbomer gel, while NLC was directly viscosized by the addition of poloxamer 407 in the dispersion. The rheological properties of MAD and NLC after viscosizing have been investigated. Franz cell has been employed to study CLO diffusion from the different vehicles, evidencing diffusion rates from MAD and NLC superimposable to that obtained using Canesten ® . An anticandidal activity study demonstrated that both CLO-MAD and CLO-NLC were more active against Candida albicans with respect to the pure drug. Highlights: ► Comparison between monoolein aqueous dispersion (MAD) and nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC). ► Clotrimazole (CLO) encapsulated with high entrapment efficiency both in MAD and in NLC. ► The solid matrix of NLC controls CLO degradation better than MAD. ► CLO containing MAD and NLC exhibits a higher anticandidal activity than the free drug. ► Simple production of CLO-NLC based poloxamer gel, suitable for industry scaling up

Slow Release of Plant Volatiles Using Sol-Gel Dispensers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bian, L; Sun, X L; Cai, X M; Chen, Z M

2014-12-01

The black citrus aphid, also known as the tea aphid, (Toxoptera aurantii Boyer) attacks economically important crops, including tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze). In the current study, silica sol-gel formulations were screened to find one that could carry and release C. sinensis plant volatiles to lure black citrus aphids in a greenhouse. The common plant volatile trans-2-hexen-1-al was used as a model molecule to screen for suitable sol-gel formulations. A zNose (Electronic Sensor Technology, Newbury Park, CA) transportable gas chromatograph was used to continuously monitor the volatile emissions. A sol-gel formulation containing tetramethyl orthosilicate and methyltrimethoxysilane in an 8:2 (vol:vol) ratio was selected to develop a slow-release dispenser. The half-life of trans-2-hexen-1-al in the sol-gel dispenser increased slightly with the volume of this compound in the dispenser. Ten different volatiles were tested in the sol-gel dispenser. Alcohols of 6-10 carbons had the longest half-lives (3.01-3.77 d), while esters of 6-12 carbons had the shortest (1.53-2.28 d). Release of these volatiles from the dispensers could not be detected by the zNose after 16 d (cis-3-hexenyl acetate) to 26 d (3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-ol). In greenhouse experiments, trans-2-hexen-1-al and cis-3-hexen-1-ol released from the sol-gel dispensers attracted aphids for ≍17 d, and release of these volatiles could not be detected by the zNose after ≍24 d. The sol-gel dispensers performed adequately for the slow release of plant volatiles to trap aphids in the greenhouse. © 2014 Entomological Society of America.

Optimization and formulation design of carbopol loaded Piroxicam gel using novel penetration enhancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhary, Hema; Rohilla, Ajay; Rathee, Permender; Kumar, Vikash

2013-04-01

The aim of the study was to develop and optimize Piroxicam transdermal gel formulation using three-factor, three-level Box-Behnken design by deriving a second-order polynomial equation to construct contour plots for prediction of responses as three selected independent variables with ratio of carbopol 974 (X1), ratio of propylene glycol (PG) (X2) and ratio of ethanol (X3). The dependent variables studied were the skin permeation rate of piroxicam (Y1), viscosity of the gel (Y2) and pH of the gel (Y3). Response surface plots were drawn, statistical validity of the polynomials was established to find the compositions of optimized formulation which was evaluated using the vertical Franz-type diffusion cell. The permeation rate of piroxicam increased proportionally with ethanol concentration but decreased with polymer concentration. The design demonstrated the role of the derived polynomial equation and contour plots in predicting the values of dependent variables for the preparation and optimization of gel formulation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Theory of the Thermal Diffusion of Microgel Particles in Highly Compressed Suspensions

Science.gov (United States)

Sokoloff, Jeffrey; Maloney, Craig; Ciamarra, Massimo; Bi, Dapeng

One amazing property of microgel colloids is the ability of the particles to thermally diffuse, even when they are compressed to a volume well below their swollen state volume, despite the fact that they are surrounded by and pressed against other particles. A glass transition is expected to occur when the colloid is sufficiently compressed for diffusion to cease. It is proposed that the diffusion is due to the ability of the highly compressed particles to change shape with little cost in free energy. It will be shown that most of the free energy required to compress microgel particles is due to osmotic pressure resulting from either counterions or monomers inside of the gel, which depends on the particle's volume. There is still, however, a cost in free energy due to polymer elasticity when particles undergo the distortions necessary for them to move around each other as they diffuse through the compressed colloid, even if it occurs at constant volume. Using a scaling theory based on simple models for the linking of polymers belonging to the microgel particles, we examine the conditions under which the cost in free energy needed for a particle to diffuse is smaller than or comparable to thermal energy, which is a necessary condition for particle diffusion. Based on our scaling theory, we predict that thermally activated diffusion should be possible when the mean number of links along the axis along which a distortion occurs is much larger than N 1 / 5, where Nis the mean number of monomers in a polymer chain connecting two links in the gel.

Fluctuations and symmetries in two-dimensional active gels.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, N; Basu, A

2011-04-01

Motivated by the unique physical properties of biological active matter, e.g., cytoskeletal dynamics in eukaryotic cells, we set up effective two-dimensional (2d) coarse-grained hydrodynamic equations for the dynamics of thin active gels with polar or nematic symmetries. We use the well-known three-dimensional (3d) descriptions (K. Kruse et al., Eur. Phys. J. E 16, 5 (2005); A. Basu et al., Eur. Phys. J. E 27, 149 (2008)) for thin active-gel samples confined between parallel plates with appropriate boundary conditions to derive the effective 2d constitutive relations between appropriate thermodynamic fluxes and generalised forces for small deviations from equilibrium. We consider three distinct cases, characterised by spatial symmetries and boundary conditions, and show how such considerations dictate the structure of the constitutive relations. We use these to study the linear instabilities, calculate the correlation functions and the diffusion constant of a small tagged particle, and elucidate their dependences on the activity or nonequilibrium drive.

Normal and Inverse Diffusive Isotope Fractionation of Deuterated Toluene and Benzene in Aqueous Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rolle, Massimo; Jin, Biao

2017-01-01

and toluene. Multitracer experiments were carried out in 1-D gel dissection tubes and in a quasi-2-D flow-through porous medium. The experiments allowed us to simultaneously and directly compare the diffusive and dispersive behavior of benzene and toluene. We observed an unexpected, opposite behavior...... of the two monoaromatic hydrocarbons. Toluene showed a normal diffusive isotope effect (DC7D8/DC7H8 = 0.96) with enrichment of the nondeuterated isotopologue in the direction of the diffusive and transverse dispersive fluxes. Conversely, the measured trends for benzene indicate inverse diffusive...

Cost and cost effectiveness of vaginal progesterone gel in reducing preterm birth: an economic analysis of the PREGNANT trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Pizzi, Laura T; Seligman, Neil S; Baxter, Jason K; Jutkowitz, Eric; Berghella, Vincenzo

2014-05-01

Preterm birth (PTB) is a costly public health problem in the USA. The PREGNANT trial tested the efficacy of vaginal progesterone (VP) 8 % gel in reducing the likelihood of PTB among women with a short cervix. We calculated the costs and cost effectiveness of VP gel versus placebo using decision analytic models informed by PREGNANT patient-level data. PREGNANT enrolled 459 pregnant women with a cervical length of 10-20 mm and randomized them to either VP 8 % gel or placebo. We used a cost model to estimate the total cost of treatment per mother and a cost-effectiveness model to estimate the cost per PTB averted with VP gel versus placebo. Patient-level trial data informed model inputs and included PTB rates in low- and high-risk women in each study group at <28 weeks gestation, 28-31, 32-36, and ≥37 weeks. Cost assumptions were based on 2010 US healthcare services reimbursements. The cost model was validated against patient-level data. Sensitivity analyses were used to test the robustness of the cost-effectiveness model. The estimated cost per mother was $US23,079 for VP gel and $US36,436 for placebo. The cost-effectiveness model showed savings of $US24,071 per PTB averted with VP gel. VP gel realized cost savings and cost effectiveness in 79 % of simulations. Based on findings from PREGNANT, VP gel was associated with cost savings and cost effectiveness compared with placebo. Future trials designed to include cost metrics are needed to better understand the value of VP.

M R Sudarsana Kumar

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Bulletin of Materials Science. M R Sudarsana Kumar. Articles written in Bulletin of Materials Science. Volume 24 Issue 2 April 2001 pp 249-252 Crystal Growth. Thermal behaviour of strontium tartrate single crystals grown in gel · M H Rahimkutty K Rajendra Babu K Sreedharan Pillai M R Sudarsana Kumar ...

GelTouch

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miruchna, Viktor; Walter, Robert; Lindlbauer, David

2015-01-01

We present GelTouch, a gel-based layer that can selectively transition between soft and stiff to provide tactile multi-touch feedback. It is flexible, transparent when not activated, and contains no mechanical, electromagnetic, or hydraulic components, resulting in a compact form factor (a 2mm thin...... touchscreen layer for our prototype). The activated areas can be morphed freely and continuously, without being limited to fixed, predefined shapes. GelTouch consists of a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gel layer which alters its viscoelasticity when activated by applying heat (>32 C). We present three different...

Recombinant rubistatin (r-Rub), an MVD disintegrin, inhibits cell migration and proliferation, and is a strong apoptotic inducer of the human melanoma cell line SK-Mel-28.

Science.gov (United States)

Carey, Clayton M; Bueno, Raymund; Gutierrez, Daniel A; Petro, Christopher; Lucena, Sara E; Sanchez, Elda E; Soto, Julio G

2012-02-01

Disintegrins are low molecular weight peptides isolated from viper venom. These peptides bind to integrin receptors using a conserved binding motif sequence containing an RGD or similar motif. As a consequence, disintegrins can inhibit platelet aggregation and inhibit cell migration, proliferation, and initiate apoptosis in cancer cell lines. Rubistatin is a MVD disintegrin cloned from a Crotalus ruber ruber venom gland. The biological activity of MVD disintegrins is poorly understood. Recombinant rubistatin (r-Rub) was cloned into a pET32b plasmid and expressed in reductase-deficient Escherichia coli. Expression was induced with IPTG and the resulting fusion peptide was affinity purified, followed by thrombin cleavage, and removal of vector coded sequences. r-Rub peptide inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation by 54% ± 6.38 in whole blood. We assessed the ability of r-Rub to initiate apoptosis in three human cancer cell lines. Cultures of SK-Mel-28, HeLA, and T24 cells were grown for 24 h with 2.5 μM r-Rub followed by Hoechst staining. Chromatin fragmentation was observed in treated SK-Mel-28, but not in T24 or HeLA cells. A TUNEL assay revealed that 51.55% ± 5.28 of SK-Mel-28 cells were apoptotic after 18 h of treatment with 3.5 μM of r-Rub. Cell migration and proliferation assays were performed in order to further characterize the biological effects of r-Rub on SK-Mel-28 cells. At 3 μM, r-Rub inhibited cell migration by 44.4% ± 0.5, while at 3.5 μM it was able to inhibit cell proliferation by 83% ± 6.0. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accumulation of humic acid in DET/DGT gels

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Van der Veeken, P.L.R.; Chakraborty, P.; Van Leeuwen, H.P.

, but it is practically negligible above an ionic strength of 10 mM (22, 33). The SRFA is expected to be negatively charged at pH 6.1, which would explain the lower FA concentrations in the gel in the presence of a negative Donnan potential, although this effect... thickness in solution κ -1 m, Debye length τ s, elementary diffusion time constant τ acc s, time scale for DET accumulation Literature Cited (1) Morel, F. M. M. Principles of Aquatic Chemistry; John Wiley: New York, 1983. (2) Wilkinson, K. J.; Slaveykova, V...

The gel electrophoresis markup language (GelML) from the Proteomics Standards Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Frank; Hoogland, Christine; Martinez-Bartolomé, Salvador; Medina-Aunon, J Alberto; Albar, Juan Pablo; Babnigg, Gyorgy; Wipat, Anil; Hermjakob, Henning; Almeida, Jonas S; Stanislaus, Romesh; Paton, Norman W; Jones, Andrew R

2010-09-01

The Human Proteome Organisation's Proteomics Standards Initiative has developed the GelML (gel electrophoresis markup language) data exchange format for representing gel electrophoresis experiments performed in proteomics investigations. The format closely follows the reporting guidelines for gel electrophoresis, which are part of the Minimum Information About a Proteomics Experiment (MIAPE) set of modules. GelML supports the capture of metadata (such as experimental protocols) and data (such as gel images) resulting from gel electrophoresis so that laboratories can be compliant with the MIAPE Gel Electrophoresis guidelines, while allowing such data sets to be exchanged or downloaded from public repositories. The format is sufficiently flexible to capture data from a broad range of experimental processes, and complements other PSI formats for MS data and the results of protein and peptide identifications to capture entire gel-based proteome workflows. GelML has resulted from the open standardisation process of PSI consisting of both public consultation and anonymous review of the specifications.

Diffusion in and around alginate and chitosan films with embedded sub-millimeter voids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patra, Subhajit; Bal, Dharmendra Kumar; Ganguly, Somenath, E-mail: snganguly@che.iitkgp.ernet.in

2016-02-01

Hydrogel scaffolds from biopolymers have potential use in the controlled release of drugs, and as 3-D structure for the formation of tissue matrix. This article describes the solute release behavior of alginate and chitosan films with embedded voids of sub-millimeter dimensions. Nitrogen gas was bubbled in a fluidic arrangement to generate bubbles, prior to the crosslinking. The crosslinked gel was dried in a vacuum oven, and subsequently, soaked in Vitamin B-12 solution. The dimensions of the voids immediately after the cross-linking of gel, and also after complete drying were obtained using a digital microscope and scanning electron microscope respectively. The porosity of the gel was measured gravimetrically. The release of Vitamin B-12 in PBS buffer on a shaker was studied. The release experiments were repeated at an elevated temperature of 37 °C in the presence of lysozyme. The diffusion coefficient within the gel layer and the mass transfer coefficient at the interface with the bulk-liquid were estimated using a mathematical model. For comparison, the experiment was repeated with a film that does not have any embedded void. The enhancement in diffusion coefficient due to the presence of voids is discussed in this article. - Highlights: • Formation of sub-millimeter voids in biopolymer films using fluidic arrangement • The retention of self-assembled bubbles in films after crosslinking, and drying • The enhancement observed in release of model drug with introduction of voids • The diffusion coefficients in and around biopolymer films from model regression • Use of classical model in explaining release profiles from dual porosity media.

Non-immunological precipitation by the neutral detergent triton X-100 in agar gel diffusion.

OpenAIRE

Mansheim, B J; Stenstrom, M L

1980-01-01

Triton X-100 can be used to clarify vague immunoprecipitin lines from bacterial antigens; however, non-immunological precipitation can lead to mistaken interpretation of immunodiffusion results. If Triton X-100 is added directly to the gel during preparation rather than to the antigen well, this detergent artifact can be eliminated.

Role of pluronics on rheological, drying and crack initiation of 'suckable' gels of decontamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bousquet, C.

2007-12-01

The aim of this work was to understand the role of an addition of pluronics on the rheological behaviour, the drying and the fracturing of 'suckable' gels used for nuclear decontamination. The system studied was an aqueous suspension of silica (100 g/L of Aerosil 380) in a strong acidic medium (HNO 3 /H 3 PO 4 1.5 mol/L/1.5 mol/L) in presence of pluronics. Pluronics are amphiphilic tri-blocks copolymers composed of ethylene poly-oxide blocks and of propylene poly-oxide. The first part of this study deals with the characterization of the rheological properties of the gels. From viscosity retaking measurements, flow rheo-grams analysis and the viscoelastic properties of the gels, have been determined an improvement of the rheological properties of the gels significant from the addition of 5 g/L of copolymer. In a second part, the determination of adsorption isotherms coupled to small angles neutrons diffusion measurements has revealed that copolymers are adsorbed flat on silica in bridging the aggregates between them and that the improvement of the rheological behaviour of the gels is due to the increase of the bonds density of the gelled lattice. Moreover, beyond 10 g/L, the adsorption saturation of copolymers at the surface of the silica prevents the bridging of the aggregates which induces the gel destabilization. The last part of this work deals with the characterization of characteristic values of drying and of crack initiation of gels. Then is revealed a relation between the drying kinetics and the formation of cracks in the gel layer. Moreover, the study of the evolution of stresses in the gel layer during time allows to reveal that the addition of pluronics to the formulation of gels allows to improve the gel resistance to the crack initiation and to the delamination. (O.M.)

Preliminary investigation of PAGAT polymer gel radionuclide dosimetry of Tc-99m

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Kelly; Bailey, Dale; Hill, Brendan; Baldock, Clive

2009-05-01

PAGAT polymer gel was investigated as a suitable dosimeter materials for measuring absorbed dose from the unsealed source radionuclide Tc-99m. Differing amounts of Tc-99m over the range of 25-5000 MBq were introduced into a normoxic polymer gel mixture (PAGAT) in sealed nitrogen-filled P6 glass vials. After irradiation the gels were evaluated using MRI more than 48 hours after preparation to allow for radioactive decay. The dose delivered to the vial was also calculated empirically. R2 versus total activity curves were obtained over a number of experiments and these were used to evaluate the relationship between the amount of gel polymerization and the dose deposited by the radionuclide. A linear response up to 1000 MBq (corresponding to 20Gy) was displayed and was still behaving monotonically at 5000 MBq. Polymer gels offer the potential to measure radiation dose three-dimensionally using MRI.

Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging Detects Microstructural Alterations in Brain of alfa-Synuclein Overexpressing Transgenic Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Study

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Khainar, A.; Latta, P.; Dražanová, Eva; Rudá-Kučerová, J.; Szabó, N.; Arab, A.; Hutter-Paier, B.; Havas, D.; Windisch, M.; Šulcová, A.; Starčuk jr., Zenon; Rektorová, I.

2015-01-01

Roč. 28, č. 4 (2015), 281-289 ISSN 1029-8428 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1212; GA MŠk ED0017/01/01 Institutional support: RVO:68081731 Keywords : diffusion kurtosis imaging * alfa-Synuclein * TNWT-61 * Parkinson’s disease * Transgenic mice * TBSS Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 3.140, year: 2015

Infrared spectra of phosphate sorbed on iron hydroxide gel and the sorption products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nanzyo, M.

1986-01-01

Infrared absorption spectra of phosphate sorbed on iron hydroxide gel were obtained by applying the differential diffuse reflectance method. Absorption bands due to P-O stretching vibration were observed at 1,110 and 1,010 cm -1 at pH 12.3. With decreasing pH, these absorption bands gradually shifted to 1,100 and 1,020 cm -1 at pH 4.9. At pH 2.3, they became a broad single absorption band at 1,060 cm -1 . At pH 11 or above, the difference in the Na + adsorption between phosphated iron hydroxide gel and iron hydroxide gel was almost equal to the amount of phosphate sorption. This finding shows that phosphate was retained on the iron hydroxide gel surface as a bidentate ligand at a high pH. It was concluded that at a high pH phosphate was sorbed on iron hydroxide gel as a binuclear surface complex similar to that on goethite; the change in spectra for P-O stretching vibration with decreasing pH value was mainly caused by an increase in the fraction of amorphous iron phosphate; at pH 2.3, the phosphate sorption product consisted of amorphous iron phosphate. (author)

Ramas, familles, réseaux. Les supports sociaux de la diffusion de la santería cubaine (Cuba-Mexique)

OpenAIRE

Argyriadis, Kali

2014-01-01

Ramas, familles, réseaux. Les supports sociaux de la diffusion de la santería cubaine (Cuba-Mexique). La santería cubaine participe d’un processus de transnationalisation qui concerne l’ensemble des religions dites afro-américaines, présentes aujourd’hui en Afrique de l’Ouest, en Europe et sur tout le continent américain. Pour parvenir à cerner cet objet dans son ampleur, l’approche en termes de réseau semble a priori la plus opératoire. L’enquête ethnographique, quand elle concentre son atte...

Radiotherapy gel dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldock, C.

2002-01-01

be either through direct absorption of ionising radiation or via intermediate water free radicals. Fe 2+ ions are converted to Fe 3+ ions with a corresponding change in paramagnetic properties that may be quantified using NMR relaxation measurements or optical techniques. Due to predominantly diffusion-related limitations (and references therein), alternative polymer gel dosimeters were subsequently suggested. In polymer gels, monomers such as acrylamide and N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide are usually dispersed in a gelatin or agarose matrix. Monomers undergo a polymerisation reaction as a function of absorbed dose resulting in a 3D polymer gel matrix. The radiation-induced formation of polymer influences NMR relaxation properties and results in other physical changes that may be used to quantify absorbed radiation dose. As well as MRI, other quantitative techniques for measuring dose distributions include X-ray computer tomography, vibrational spectroscopy and ultrasound. Clinical applications of these radiologically tissue equivalent gel dosimeters have been reported in the literature. For further information of gel dosimetry and specifically clinical applications the proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Radiotherapy Gel Dosimetry and references therein should be consulted

Extraction of silver by gels of sodium poly-acrylic-polyacrylate acid. Application: elimination of chloride anions; Extraction de l'argent par des gels d'acide polyacrylique-polyacrylate de sodium. Application a l'elimination des ions chlorures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rifi, E.H. [Universite Ibn-Tofail, Lab. de Synthese Organique et Pocedes d' Extraction, Faculte des Sciences, Kenitra (Morocco); Lakkis, D.; Leroy, J.F.M. [Universite Louis Pasteur, Lab. de Chimie Analytique et Minerale, Ecole Europeenne de Chimie, Polymeres et Materiaux, 67 - Strasbourg (France)

2005-05-01

The extraction of silver from diluted aqueous solutions by gels of sodium poly-acrylic-polyacrylate acid was studied. The study of pH variations shows that the extraction is done by cation-cation exchange process. The highest loading of the gel by silver is obtained at R(moles of Ag{sup +} fixed by the gel/moles of -COO(H, Na))=0.75. The silver gel loaded allows the recovery of ions chlorides from the aqueous solutions. (authors)

The study of polymeric hydro-gels with unique properties obtained by polymerization with gamma radiation processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dragusin, M.

1995-01-01

This thesis presents the work carried out on polymeric hydro-gels obtained by radiation processing using 60 Co gamma rays from the irradiation facility IETI-10.000 (10 k Ci), and on the polymeric hydro-gels obtained by irradiation with the electron beams from a linear accelerator (6 MeV). The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the rate dose and total dose absorbed in the materials. There are presented the preparation methods of homo- and co-polymer hydro-gels (acrylics, namely anionic and neutral monomers (acrylamide, acrylic acid, vinyl acetate) and cationic monomers (di-methyl di-allyl ammonium chloride)) such as floculants, additives, absorbers, etc. Concerning with these we have analysed the preparation methods, the mechanical, thermal, diffusivity, and swelling properties of polymeric hydro-gels in a large variety of gels of type I or II. The technological aspects and end use were studied in connection with the characteristics of the radiation processing of these hydro-gels as a function of chemical composition rate and absorbed dose, swelling degree (low and very high hydro-soluble), mechanical and diffusional properties. (author) 33 figs., 12 tabs., 101 refs

Formulation, characterization and clinical evaluation of propranolol hydrochloride gel for transdermal treatment of superficial infantile hemangioma.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wenhu; He, Shiying; Yang, Yijun; Jian, Dan; Chen, Xiang; Ding, Jinsong

2015-01-01

The objective of the present study is to formulate and characterize propranolol hydrochloride (PPL · HCl) gel, and to evaluate the efficacy of this formulation in transdermal treatment for superficial infantile hemangioma (IH). The transdermal PPL · HCl gel was prepared by a direct swelling method, which chose hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as the matrix and used terpenes plus alcohols as permeation enhancer. Permeation studies of PPL · HCl were carried out with modified Franz diffusion cells through piglet skin. Our results pointed to that among all studied permeation enhancers, farnesol plus isopropanol was the most effective combination (Q24, 6027.4 ± 563.1 μg/cm(2), ER, 6.8), which was significantly higher than that of control gel (p homemade PPL · HCl oral solution as a control. Clinical studies also confirmed the excellent therapeutic response and few side effects of the PPL · HCl gel. These results suggest that transdermal application of the PPL · HCl gel is an effective and safe formulation in treating superficial IH.

The Optical-Mid-infrared Extinction Law of the l = 165° Sightline in the Galactic Plane: Diversity of the Extinction Law in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shu; Jiang, B. W.; Zhao, He; Chen, Xiaodian; de Grijs, Richard

2017-10-01

Understanding the effects of dust extinction is important to properly interpret observations. The optical total-to-selective extinction ratio, {R}V={A}V/E(B-V), is widely used to describe extinction variations in ultraviolet and optical bands. Since the {R}V=3.1 extinction curve adequately represents the average extinction law of diffuse regions in the Milky Way, it is commonly used to correct observational measurements along sightlines toward diffuse regions in the interstellar medium. However, the {R}V value may vary even along different diffuse interstellar medium sightlines. In this paper, we investigate the optical-mid-infrared (mid-IR) extinction law toward a very diffuse region at l=165^\\circ in the Galactic plane, which was selected based on a CO emission map. Adopting red clump stars as extinction tracers, we determine the optical-mid-IR extinction law for our diffuse region in two APASS bands (B,V), three XSTPS-GAC bands (g,r,I), three 2MASS bands (J,H,{K}s), and two WISE bands (W1,W2). Specifically, 18 red clump stars were selected from the APOGEE-RC catalog based on spectroscopic data in order to explore the diversity of the extinction law. We find that the optical extinction curves exhibit appreciable diversity. The corresponding {R}V ranges from 1.7 to 3.8, while the mean {R}V value of 2.8 is consistent with the widely adopted average value of 3.1 for Galactic diffuse clouds. There is no apparent correlation between {R}V value and color excess E(B-V) in the range of interest, from 0.2 to 0.6 mag, or with specific visual extinction per kiloparsec, {A}V/d.

Clotrimazole nanoparticle gel for mucosal administration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esposito, Elisabetta, E-mail: ese@unife.it [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121 Ferrara (Italy); Ravani, Laura [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121 Ferrara (Italy); Contado, Catia [Department of Chemistry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara (Italy); Costenaro, Andrea [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121 Ferrara (Italy); Drechsler, Markus [Macromolecular Chemistry II, University of Bayreuth (Germany); Rossi, Damiano [Department of Biology and Evolution, LT Terra and Acqua Tech UR7, University of Ferrara, Ferrara (Italy); Menegatti, Enea [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121 Ferrara (Italy); Grandini, Alessandro [Department of Biology and Evolution, LT Terra and Acqua Tech UR7, University of Ferrara, Ferrara (Italy); Cortesi, Rita [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121 Ferrara (Italy)

2013-01-01

In this study a formulation suitable to be applied on oral and/or vaginal mucosa has been developed for the treatment of fungal infections. The aim of the research is a comparison between clotrimazole (CLO) containing semisolid formulations based on monoolein aqueous dispersion (MAD) or nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC). MAD and NLC have been characterized in terms of morphology and dimensional distribution by cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (cryo-TEM) and Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS). CLO was encapsulated with high entrapment efficiency both in MAD and in NLC, according to Sedimentation Field Flow Fractionation (SdFFF) combined with HPLC. CLO recovery in MAD and NLC has been investigated by time. In order to obtain formulations with suitable viscosity for mucosal application, MAD was diluted with a carbomer gel, while NLC was directly viscosized by the addition of poloxamer 407 in the dispersion. The rheological properties of MAD and NLC after viscosizing have been investigated. Franz cell has been employed to study CLO diffusion from the different vehicles, evidencing diffusion rates from MAD and NLC superimposable to that obtained using Canesten{sup Registered-Sign }. An anticandidal activity study demonstrated that both CLO-MAD and CLO-NLC were more active against Candida albicans with respect to the pure drug. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Comparison between monoolein aqueous dispersion (MAD) and nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Clotrimazole (CLO) encapsulated with high entrapment efficiency both in MAD and in NLC. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The solid matrix of NLC controls CLO degradation better than MAD. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CLO containing MAD and NLC exhibits a higher anticandidal activity than the free drug. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simple production of CLO-NLC based poloxamer gel, suitable for industry scaling up.

Increase in local protein concentration by field-inversion gel electrophoresis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulus Aran

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Proteins that migrate through cross-linked polyacrylamide gels (PAGs under the influence of a constant electric field experience negative factors, such as diffusion and non-specific trapping in the gel matrix. These negative factors reduce protein concentrations within a defined gel volume with increasing migration distance and, therefore, decrease protein separation efficiency. Enhancement of protein separation efficiency was investigated by implementing pulsed field-inversion gel electrophoresis (FIGE. Results Separation of model protein species and large protein complexes was compared between FIGE and constant field electrophoresis (CFE in different percentages of PAGs. Band intensities of proteins in FIGE with appropriate ratios of forward and backward pulse times were superior to CFE despite longer running times. These results revealed an increase in band intensity per defined gel volume. A biphasic protein relative mobility shift was observed in percentages of PAGs up to 14%. However, the effect of FIGE on protein separation was stochastic at higher PAG percentage. Rat liver lysates subjected to FIGE in the second-dimension separation of two-dimensional polyarcylamide gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE showed a 20% increase in the number of discernible spots compared with CFE. Nine common spots from both FIGE and CFE were selected for peptide sequencing by mass spectrometry (MS, which revealed higher final ion scores of all nine protein spots from FIGE. Native protein complexes ranging from 800 kDa to larger than 2000 kDa became apparent using FIGE compared with CFE. Conclusion The present investigation suggests that FIGE under appropriate conditions improves protein separation efficiency during PAGE as a result of increased local protein concentration. FIGE can be implemented with minimal additional instrumentation in any laboratory setting. Despite the tradeoff of longer running times, FIGE can be a powerful protein

Increase in local protein concentration by field-inversion gel electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Henghang; Low, Teck Yew; Freeby, Steve; Paulus, Aran; Ramnarayanan, Kalpana; Cheng, Chung-Pui Paul; Leung, Hon-Chiu Eastwood

2007-09-26

Proteins that migrate through cross-linked polyacrylamide gels (PAGs) under the influence of a constant electric field experience negative factors, such as diffusion and non-specific trapping in the gel matrix. These negative factors reduce protein concentrations within a defined gel volume with increasing migration distance and, therefore, decrease protein separation efficiency. Enhancement of protein separation efficiency was investigated by implementing pulsed field-inversion gel electrophoresis (FIGE). Separation of model protein species and large protein complexes was compared between FIGE and constant field electrophoresis (CFE) in different percentages of PAGs. Band intensities of proteins in FIGE with appropriate ratios of forward and backward pulse times were superior to CFE despite longer running times. These results revealed an increase in band intensity per defined gel volume. A biphasic protein relative mobility shift was observed in percentages of PAGs up to 14%. However, the effect of FIGE on protein separation was stochastic at higher PAG percentage. Rat liver lysates subjected to FIGE in the second-dimension separation of two-dimensional polyarcylamide gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE) showed a 20% increase in the number of discernible spots compared with CFE. Nine common spots from both FIGE and CFE were selected for peptide sequencing by mass spectrometry (MS), which revealed higher final ion scores of all nine protein spots from FIGE. Native protein complexes ranging from 800 kDa to larger than 2000 kDa became apparent using FIGE compared with CFE. The present investigation suggests that FIGE under appropriate conditions improves protein separation efficiency during PAGE as a result of increased local protein concentration. FIGE can be implemented with minimal additional instrumentation in any laboratory setting. Despite the tradeoff of longer running times, FIGE can be a powerful protein separation tool.

The Conserved RNA Exonuclease Rexo5 Is Required for 3′ End Maturation of 28S rRNA, 5S rRNA, and snoRNAs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefanie Gerstberger

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Non-coding RNA biogenesis in higher eukaryotes has not been fully characterized. Here, we studied the Drosophila melanogaster Rexo5 (CG8368 protein, a metazoan-specific member of the DEDDh 3′-5′ single-stranded RNA exonucleases, by genetic, biochemical, and RNA-sequencing approaches. Rexo5 is required for small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA and rRNA biogenesis and is essential in D. melanogaster. Loss-of-function mutants accumulate improperly 3′ end-trimmed 28S rRNA, 5S rRNA, and snoRNA precursors in vivo. Rexo5 is ubiquitously expressed at low levels in somatic metazoan cells but extremely elevated in male and female germ cells. Loss of Rexo5 leads to increased nucleolar size, genomic instability, defective ribosome subunit export, and larval death. Loss of germline expression compromises gonadal growth and meiotic entry during germline development.

The miRNA Pull Out Assay as a Method to Validate the miR-28-5p Targets Identified in Other Tumor Contexts in Prostate Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rizzo, Milena; Berti, Gabriele; Russo, Francesco

2017-01-01

targets in the pull out sample. We showed that E2F6, TEX-261, MAPK1, MPL, N4BP1, and RAP1B but not BAG1, OTUB1, MAD2L1, and p21 were significantly enriched, suggesting that not all the miR-28-5p targets are regulated by this miRNA in PCa. We then verified whether the miR-28-5p-interacting targets were...

High-rate supercapacitive performance of GO/r-GO electrodes interfaced with plastic-crystal-based flexible gel polymer electrolyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suleman, Mohd; Kumar, Yogesh; Hashmi, S.A.

2015-01-01

We report the performance of symmetrical electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) fabricated with graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) electrodes, and plastic crystal based flexible gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) film. The GPE, comprising the solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI) in a plastic crystal succinonitrile (SN) entrapped in poly (vinylidinefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP), shows suitability as separator/electrolyte in EDLCs due to its excellent electrochemical properties including high ionic conductivity (∼1.97 × 10 −3 S cm −1 a 20 °C). The GO and r-GO electrodes exhibit supercapacitive properties with the SN-based GPE as evidenced from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge analyses. The residual oxygen functionalities associated with GO-electrodes provide additional pseudo-capacitance resulting in higher specific capacitance and specific energy (∼66 F g −1 and 18 Wh kg −1 , respectively) as compared to r-GO electrodes (specific capacitance ∼60 F g −1 and specific energy ∼15.6 Wh kg −1 ). High knee frequency f k (∼38 Hz), low response time ∼τ 0 (∼166.5 ms) and high pulse power P 0 (∼32.9 kW kg −1 ), observed from EIS studies, indicate the high rate capability of GO-electrodes-based EDLCs. About three fold increase in f k and three times decrease in τ 0 indicates a substantially higher rate performance of r-GO-based EDLCs with respect to GO-based cell. The high rate capability of GO/r-GO electrodes in combination with SN-based GPEs is further confirmed from the rectangular CV shapes up to scan rates of 5 V s −1 for GO and 10 V s −1 for r-GO electrodes. The r-GO based EDLC offers higher specific power (∼54.9 kW kg −1 ) as compared to that of GO-based EDLC (∼33.3 kW kg −1 ), as observed from charge-discaharge studies. Both EDLCs show stable capacitive performance up to ∼11000-13500 charge

Efficacy and cytotoxicity of a bleaching gel after short application times on dental enamel.

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Diana Gabriela; Ribeiro, Ana Paula Dias; da Silveira Vargas, Fernanda; Hebling, Josimeri; de Souza Costa, Carlos Alberto

2013-11-01

This study aimed to evaluate and correlate the efficacy and cytotoxicity of a 35 % hydrogen peroxide (HP) bleaching gel after different application times on dental enamel. Enamel/dentin disks in artificial pulp chambers were placed in wells containing culture medium. The following groups were formed: G1, control (no bleaching); G2 and G3, three or one 15-min bleaching applications, respectively; and G4 and G5, three or one 5-min bleaching applications, respectively. Extracts (culture medium with bleaching gel components) were applied for 60 min on cultured odontoblast-like MDPC-23 cells. Cell metabolism (methyl tetrazolium assay) (Kruskal-Wallis/Mann-Whitney; α = 5 %) and cell morphology (scanning electron microscopy) were analyzed immediately after the bleaching procedures and the trans-enamel and trans-dentinal HP diffusion quantified (one-way analysis of variance/Tukey's test; α = 5 %). The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was evaluated 24 h after the contact time of the extracts with the cells (Kruskal-Wallis/Mann-Whitney; α = 5 %). Tooth color was analyzed before and 24 h after bleaching using a spectrophotometer according to the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage L*a*b* system (Kruskal-Wallis/Mann-Whitney; α = 0.05). Significant difference (p 0.05). The lowest amount of HP diffusion was observed in G5 (p 0.05). HP diffusion through dental tissues and its cytotoxic effects were proportional to the contact time of the bleaching gel with enamel. However, shorter bleaching times reduced bleaching efficacy. Shortening the in-office tooth bleaching time could be an alternative to minimize the cytotoxic effects of this clinical procedure to pulp tissue. However, the reduced time of bleaching agent application on enamel may not provide adequate esthetic outcome.

Influence of sol-gel conditions on the final structure of silica-based precursors

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Perchacz, Magdalena; Beneš, Hynek; Kobera, Libor; Walterová, Zuzana

2015-01-01

Roč. 75, č. 3 (2015), s. 649-663 ISSN 0928-0707 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-05146S Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : sol–gel * (3-glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane * alkoxysilane Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 1.473, year: 2015

Diffusion Experiments in Opalinus Clay: Laboratory, Large-Scale Diffusion Experiments and Microscale Analysis by RBS.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia-Gutierrez, M.; Alonso de los Rios, U.; Missana, T.; Cormenzana, J.L.; Mingarro, M.; Morejon, J.; Gil, P.

2008-08-06

The Opalinus Clay (OPA) formation in the Zurcher Weiland (Switzerland) is a potential host rock for a repository for high-level radioactive waste. Samples collected in the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory (URL), where the OPA formation is located at a depth between -200 and -300 m below the surface, were used to study the radionuclide diffusion in clay materials. Classical laboratory essays and a novel experimental set-up for large-scale diffusion experiments were performed together to a novel application of the nuclear ion beam technique Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), to understand the transport properties of the OPA and to enhance the methodologies used for in situ diffusion experiments. Through-Diffusion and In-Diffusion conventional laboratory diffusion experiments were carried out with HTO, 36{sup C}l-, I-, 22{sup N}a, 75{sup S}e, 85{sup S}r, 233{sup U}, 137{sup C}s, 60{sup C}o and 152{sup E}u. Large-scale diffusion experiments were performed with HTO, 36{sup C}l, and 85{sup S}r, and new experiments with 60{sup C}o, 137{sup C}s and 152{sup E}u are ongoing. Diffusion experiments with RBS technique were done with Sr, Re, U and Eu. (Author) 38 refs.

Fitting Diffusion Item Response Theory Models for Responses and Response Times Using the R Package diffIRT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dylan Molenaar

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In the psychometric literature, item response theory models have been proposed that explicitly take the decision process underlying the responses of subjects to psychometric test items into account. Application of these models is however hampered by the absence of general and flexible software to fit these models. In this paper, we present diffIRT, an R package that can be used to fit item response theory models that are based on a diffusion process. We discuss parameter estimation and model fit assessment, show the viability of the package in a simulation study, and illustrate the use of the package with two datasets pertaining to extraversion and mental rotation. In addition, we illustrate how the package can be used to fit the traditional diffusion model (as it has been originally developed in experimental psychology to data.

Electrophoresis of DNA in agarose gels, polyacrylamide gels and in free solution

Science.gov (United States)

Stellwagen, Nancy C.

2009-01-01

This review describes the electrophoresis of curved and normal DNA molecules in agarose gels, polyacrylamide gels and in free solution. These studies were undertaken to clarify why curved DNA molecules migrate anomalously slowly in polyacrylamide gels but not in agarose gels. Two milestone papers are cited, in which Ferguson plots were used to estimate the effective pore size of agarose and polyacrylamide gels. Subsequent studies on the effect of the electric field on agarose and polyacrylamide gel matrices, DNA interactions with the two gel matrices, and the effect of curvature on the free solution mobility of DNA are also described. The combined results suggest that the anomalously slow mobilities observed for curved DNA molecules in polyacrylamide gels are due primarily to preferential interactions of curved DNAs with the polyacrylamide gel matrix; the restrictive pore size of the matrix is of lesser importance. In free solution, DNA mobilities increase with increasing molecular mass until leveling off at a plateau value of (3.17 ± 0.01) × 10-4 cm2/Vs in 40 mM Tris-acetate-EDTA buffer at 20°C. Curved DNA molecules migrate anomalously slowly in free solution as well as in polyacrylamide gels, explaining why the Ferguson plots of curved and normal DNAs containing the same number of base pairs extrapolate to different mobilities at zero gel concentration. PMID:19517510

Photographic measurements of the diffuse light in the coma cluster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thuan, T.X.; Kormendy, J.

1977-01-01

The diffuse background light in the Coma cluster is measured using isodensity tracings of B, G, V, and R photographic plates taken with the Palomar 1.2-m Schmidt telescope. The isodensity contours are calibrated using the star profile derived by Kormendy (1973). Between 4 and 14 arc min from the center, the surface brightness of the diffuse light decreases from approximately 26 to approximately 28 G magnitudes arc sec -2 . The total magnitude in this annulus is G = 11.22, which is approximately 45 percent of the light in galaxies alone, or approximately 30 percent of the total. This does little to alleviate the ''missing mass'' problem. The isodensity contours and the equivalent profile of the diffuse light closely parallel the distribution of light in galaxies, implying no strong mass segregation. However, the background light appears to be bluer than the galaxies. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the background consists of stars tidally stripped from galaxies, which generally become bluer at larger radii. The present technique is very different from methods used in the past. Comparison of a variety of measurements shows that a reasonably consistent body of data on the background light now exists

Effects of lactose as an inducer on expression of Helicobacter pylori rUreB and rHpaA,and Escherichia colirLTKA63 and rLTB

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Jie Yan; Shou-Feng Zhao; Ya-Fei Mao; Yi-Hui Luo

2004-01-01

AIM: To demonstrate the effect of lactose as an inducer on expression of the recombinant proteins encoded by Helicobacter pylori ureB and hpaA, and Escherichia coli LTB and LTKA63 genes and to determine the optimal expression parameters.METHODS: By using SDS-PAGE and BIO-RAD gel image analysis system, the outputs of the target recombinant proteins expressed by pET32a-ureB-E. coliBL21, pET32ahpaA-E. coliBL21, pET32a-L TKA63-E. coliBL21 and pET32aLTB-E.coliBL21 were measured when using lactose as inducer at different dosages, original bacterial concentrations,various inducing temperatures and times. The results of the target protein expression induced by lactose were compared to those by isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG).The proteins were expressed in E.coli.RESULTS: Lactose showed higher efficiency of inducing the expression of rHpaA, rUreB, rLTB and rLTKA63 than IPTG. The expression outputs of the target recombinant proteins induced at 37 ℃ were remarkably higher than those at 28 ℃. Other optimal expression parameters for the original bacterial concentrations, dosages of lactose and inducing time were 0.8, 50 g/L and 4 h for rHpaA; 0.8, 100 g/L and 4 h for rLTKA63; 1.2, 100 g/Land 5 h for both rUreB and rLTB, respectively.CONCLUSION: Lactose, a sugar with non-toxicity and low cost, is able to induce the recombinant genes to express the target proteins with higher efficiency than IPTG. The results in this study establish a beneficial foundation for industrial production of H pylori genetic engineering vaccine.

Design and Development of Repaglinide Microemulsion Gel for Transdermal Delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Shinde, Ujwala A; Modani, Sheela H; Singh, Kavita H

2018-01-01

Microemulsion formulation of repaglinide, a BCS class II hypoglycemic agent with limited oral bioavailability, was developed considering its solubility in various oils, surfactants, and cosurfactants. The pseudo-ternary phase diagrams for microemulsion regions were constructed by water titration method at K m 1:1 and characterized for optical birefringence, percentage transmittance, pH, refractive index, globule size, zeta potential, viscosity, drug content, and thermodynamic stability. To enhance the drug permeation and residence time, the optimized microemulsions having mean globule size of 36.15 ± 9.89 nm was gelled with xanthan gum. The developed microemulsion-based gel was characterized for globule size, zeta potential, pH, and drug content. All evaluation parameters upon gelling were found to be satisfactory. Ex vivo permeability study across rat skin demonstrated higher steady-state flux (P microemulsion of repaglinide in comparison to the repaglinide microemulsion gel. At the end of 24 h, the cumulative drug permeation from microemulsion and microemulsion gel was found to be 229.19 ± 24.34 and 180.84 ± 17.40 μg/cm 2 , respectively. The microemulsion formulation showed 12.30-fold increase in flux as compared to drug suspension with highest enhancement ratio (E r ) of 12.36. Whereas microemulsion gel exhibited 10.97-fold increase in flux (with highest E r , 11.78) as compared to repaglinide (RPG) suspension. In vivo efficacy study was performed in normal Sprague-Dawley rats by using oral glucose tolerance test. Results of RPG transdermal microemulsion gel demonstrated remarkable advantage over orally administered RPG by reducing the glucose level in controlled manner. Hence, it could be a new, alternative dosage form for effective therapy of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Recolonization of mutans Streptococci after application of chlorhexidine gel.

Science.gov (United States)

Vale, Glauber Campos; Cury, Altair Antoninha Del Bel; Arthur, Rodrigo Alex; Cury, Jaime Aparecido; Tabchoury, Cínthia Pereira Machado

2014-01-01

Streptococcus mutans is specifically suppressed by intensive treatment with chlorhexidine gel, but the time for recolonization and the effect on other oral bacteria are not totally clear. In this study, recolonization of mutans streptococci was evaluated in nine healthy adult volunteers, who were highly colonized with this microorganism. Stimulated saliva was collected before (baseline) and at 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after application of 1% chlorhexidine gel on volunteers' teeth for two consecutive days. On each day, the gel was applied using disposable trays for 3 x 5 min with intervals of 5 min between each application. Saliva was plated on blood agar to determine total microorganisms (TM); on mitis salivarius agar to determine total streptococci (TS) and on mitis salivarius agar plus bacitracin to determine mutans streptococci (MS). Chlorhexidine was capable of reducing the counts of MS and the proportion of MS with regard to total microorganisms (%MS/TM) (p0.05) after 14 days for MS and 21 days for %MS/TM. The counts of TM and TS and the proportion of MS to total streptococci did not differ statistically from baseline (p>0.05) after chlorhexidine treatment. The results suggest that the effect of chlorhexidine gel treatment on suppression of mutans streptococci is limited to less than a month in highly colonized individuals.

Nanocrystalline Ni-Zn ferrites prepared by sol-gel method

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Popovici, M.; Savii, C.; Nižňanský, Daniel; Šubrt, Jan; Boháček, Jaroslav; Becherescu, D.; Caizer, C.; Enache, C.; Ionescu, C.

2003-01-01

Roč. 5, č. 1 (2003), s. 251-256 ISSN 1454-4164 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LN00A028 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4032918 Keywords : nanostructures * sol-gel processing * XRD Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 0.996, year: 2003

Genetic diversity based on 28S rDNA sequences among populations of Culex quinquefasciatus collected at different locations in Tamil Nadu, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakthivelkumar, S; Ramaraj, P; Veeramani, V; Janarthanan, S

2015-09-01

The basis of the present study was to distinguish the existence of any genetic variability among populations of Culex quinquefasciatus which would be a valuable tool in the management of mosquito control programmes. In the present study, population of Cx. quinquefasciatus collected at different locations in Tamil Nadu were analyzed for their genetic variation based on 28S rDNA D2 region nucleotide sequences. A high degree of genetic polymorphism was detected in the sequences of D2 region of 28S rDNA on the predicted secondary structures in spite of high nucleotide sequence similarity. The findings based on secondary structure using rDNA sequences suggested the existence of a complex genotypic diversity of Cx. quinquefasciatus population collected at different locations of Tamil Nadu, India. This complexity in genetic diversity in a single mosquito population collected at different locations is considered an important issue towards their influence and nature of vector potential of these mosquitoes.

Role of pluronics on rheological, drying and crack initiation of 'suckable' gels of decontamination; Role des pluronics sur les proprietes rheologiques, de sechage et de fracturation des gels 'aspirables' de decontamination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bousquet, C

2007-12-15

The aim of this work was to understand the role of an addition of pluronics on the rheological behaviour, the drying and the fracturing of 'suckable' gels used for nuclear decontamination. The system studied was an aqueous suspension of silica (100 g/L of Aerosil 380) in a strong acidic medium (HNO{sub 3}/H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} 1.5 mol/L/1.5 mol/L) in presence of pluronics. Pluronics are amphiphilic tri-blocks copolymers composed of ethylene poly-oxide blocks and of propylene poly-oxide. The first part of this study deals with the characterization of the rheological properties of the gels. From viscosity retaking measurements, flow rheo-grams analysis and the viscoelastic properties of the gels, have been determined an improvement of the rheological properties of the gels significant from the addition of 5 g/L of copolymer. In a second part, the determination of adsorption isotherms coupled to small angles neutrons diffusion measurements has revealed that copolymers are adsorbed flat on silica in bridging the aggregates between them and that the improvement of the rheological behaviour of the gels is due to the increase of the bonds density of the gelled lattice. Moreover, beyond 10 g/L, the adsorption saturation of copolymers at the surface of the silica prevents the bridging of the aggregates which induces the gel destabilization. The last part of this work deals with the characterization of characteristic values of drying and of crack initiation of gels. Then is revealed a relation between the drying kinetics and the formation of cracks in the gel layer. Moreover, the study of the evolution of stresses in the gel layer during time allows to reveal that the addition of pluronics to the formulation of gels allows to improve the gel resistance to the crack initiation and to the delamination. (O.M.)

Diffusion coefficient of alginate microcapsules used in pancreatic islet transplantation, a method to cure type 1 diabetes

Science.gov (United States)

Najdahmadi, Avid; Lakey, Jonathan R. T.; Botvinick, Elliot

2018-02-01

Pancreatic islet transplantation is a promising approach of providing insulin in type 1 diabetes. One strategy to protect islets from the host immune system is encapsulation within a porous biocompatible alginate membrane. This encapsulation provides mechanical support to the cells and allows selective diffusion of oxygen, nutrients and insulin while blocking immunoglobulins. These hydrogels form by diffusion of calcium ions into the polymer network and therefore they are highly sensitive to environmental changes and fluctuations in temperature. We investigated the effects of gel concentration, crosslinking time and ambient conditions on material permeability, volume, and rigidity, all of which may change the immunoisolating characteristics of alginate. To measure diffusion coefficient as a method to capture structural changes we studied the diffusion of fluorescently tagged dextrans of different molecular weight into the midplane of alginate microcapsules, the diffusion coefficient is then calculated by fitting observed fluorescence dynamics to the mathematical solution of 1-D diffusion into a sphere. These measurements were performed after incubation in different conditions as well as after an in vivo experiment in six immunocompetent mice for seven days. Additionally, the changes in gel volume after incubation at different temperatures and environmental conditions as well as changes in compression modulus of alginate gels during crosslinking were investigated. Our result show that increase of polymer concentration and crosslinking time leads to a decrease in volume and increase in compression modulus. Furthermore, we found that samples crosslinked and placed in physiological environment, experience an increase in volume. As expected, these volume changes affect diffusion rates of fluorescent dextrans, where volume expansion is correlated with higher calculated diffusion coefficient. This observation is critical to islet protection since higher permeability due

Identificación de Yarrowia lipolytica (Ascomycota: Hemiascomycetes como contaminante en la obtención de amplificados del gen 28S rRNA de moluscos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jenny Chirinos

2011-05-01

Full Text Available En el presente trabajo se identifica una secuencia de DNA no esperada proveniente de los amplificados del gen 28S rRNA de moluscos terrestres. Las extracciones de DNA se realizaron del tejido del pie de caracoles terrestres por el método del CTAB modificado. Las PCRs fueron llevadas a cabo con primers universales para el gen COI e iniciadores diseñados para moluscos, para el marcador 16S rRNA, 28S rRNA y la región ITS-2. Los tamaños aproximados de las bandas de los amplificados de moluscos fueron de 706 pb para el COI, 330 pb para el 16S rRNA, 900 pb para el ITS-2 y 583 pb para el 28S rRNA; un amplificado del último marcador fue de una longitud inesperada, ~340 pb. Las secuencias de DNA fueron comparadas con la base de datos del GenBank mediante el programa BLASTn y la muestra con la banda de tamaño inesperado resultó en un 100% de identidad y cobertura del 99% con el gen 26S rRNA de la levadura Yarrowia lipolytica. El análisis filogenético con Neighbour-Joining y los valores de divergencia confirmaron la identificación, proporcionando resultados que apoyan la ubicación taxonómica de la especie dentro del clado de los Hemiascomycetes.

Rheology of oleo gels based on sorbitan and glyceryl mono stearates and vegetable oils for lubricating applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez, R.; Franco, J. M.; Delgado, M. A.; Valencia, C.; Gallegos, C.

2011-07-01

Oleo gels based on sorbitan and glyceryl mono stearates and different types of vegetable oils, potentially applicable as biodegradable alternatives to traditional lubricating greases, have been studied. In particular, the rheological behavior, by means of small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) measurements, and some lubrication performance-related properties (mechanical stability and tribological response) have been evaluated in this work. SAOS response and mechanical stability of these oleo gels are significantly influenced by the type and concentration of the organogelator and the vegetable oil used in the formulations. Glyceryl monostearate (GMS) generally produces stronger gels than sorbitan monostearate (SMS). The use of low-viscosity oils, such as rapeseed and soybean oils, yields gels with significantly higher values of the linear viscoelastic functions than oleo gels prepared with high-viscosity oils, i.e. castor oil. The rheological behavior of SMS-based oleo gels also depends on the cooling rate applied during the gelification process. On the other hand, the oleo gels studied present low values of the friction coefficient obtained in a tribological contact, although only some GMS/castor oil-based oleo gels exhibit a suitable mechanical stability. (Author) 28 refs.

An rK28-Based Immunoenzymatic Assay for the Diagnosis of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in Latin America

Science.gov (United States)

Lauricella, Marta Alicia; Maidana, Cristina Graciela; Frias, Victoria Fragueiro; Romagosa, Carlo M.; Negri, Vanesa; Benedetti, Ruben; Sinagra, Angel J.; Luna, Concepcion; Tartaglino, Lilian; Laucella, Susana; Reed, Steven G.; Riarte, Adelina R.

2016-01-01

Direct observation of Leishmania parasites in tissue aspirates has shown low sensitivity for the detection of canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Therefore in the last quarter century immunoenzymatic tests have been developed to improve diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to develop a fast recombinant K28 antigen, naked-eye qualitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (VL Ql-ELISA) and a quantitative version (VL Qt-ELISA), and to display it in a kit format, whose cutoff value (0.156) was selected as the most adequate one to differentiate reactive from nonreactive samples. Considering 167 cases and 300 controls, sensitivity was 91% for both assays and specificity was 100% and 98.7% in Ql-ELISA and Qt-ELISA, respectively. Positive predictive values were 100% and 97.4% for Ql-ELISA and Qt-ELISA, respectively, and negative predictive values were 95.2% for both ELISAs. Reagent stability, reliability studies, including periodic repetitions and retest of samples, cutoff selection, and comparison of rK28 ELISAs with rK39 immunochromatographic test, were the international criteria that supported the quality in both kits. The performance of both ELISA kits in this work confirmed their validity and emphasized their usefulness for low-to-medium complexity laboratories. PMID:27162270

A unique box in 28S rRNA is shared by the enigmatic insect order Zoraptera and Dictyoptera.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanhui Wang

Full Text Available The position of the Zoraptera remains one of the most challenging and uncertain concerns in ordinal-level phylogenies of the insects. Zoraptera have been viewed as having a close relationship with five different groups of Polyneoptera, or as being allied to the Paraneoptera or even Holometabola. Although rDNAs have been widely used in phylogenetic studies of insects, the application of the complete 28S rDNA are still scattered in only a few orders. In this study, a secondary structure model of the complete 28S rRNAs of insects was reconstructed based on all orders of Insecta. It was found that one length-variable region, D3-4, is particularly distinctive. The length and/or sequence of D3-4 is conservative within each order of Polyneoptera, but it can be divided into two types between the different orders of the supercohort, of which the enigmatic order Zoraptera and Dictyoptera share one type, while the remaining orders of Polyneoptera share the other. Additionally, independent evidence from phylogenetic results support the clade (Zoraptera+Dictyoptera as well. Thus, the similarity of D3-4 between Zoraptera and Dictyoptera can serve as potentially valuable autapomorphy or synapomorphy in phylogeny reconstruction. The clades of (Plecoptera+Dermaptera and ((Grylloblattodea+Mantophasmatodea+(Embiodea+Phasmatodea were also recovered in the phylogenetic study. In addition, considering the other studies based on rDNAs, this study reached the highest congruence with previous phylogenetic studies of Holometabola based on nuclear protein coding genes or morphology characters. Future comparative studies of secondary structures across deep divergences and additional taxa are likely to reveal conserved patterns, structures and motifs that can provide support for major phylogenetic lineages.

Double-tagged fluorescent bacterial bioreporter for the study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon diffusion and bioavailability.

Science.gov (United States)

Tecon, Robin; Binggeli, Olivier; van der Meer, Jan R

2009-09-01

Bacterial degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), ubiquitous contaminants from oil and coal, is typically limited by poor accessibility of the contaminant to the bacteria. In order to measure PAH availability in complex systems, we designed a number of diffusion-based assays with a double-tagged bacterial reporter strain Burkholderia sartisoli RP037-mChe. The reporter strain is capable of mineralizing phenanthrene (PHE) and induces the expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) as a function of the PAH flux to the cell. At the same time, it produces a second autofluorescent protein (mCherry) in constitutive manner. Quantitative epifluorescence imaging was deployed in order to record reporter signals as a function of PAH availability. The reporter strain expressed eGFP proportionally to dosages of naphthalene or PHE in batch liquid cultures. To detect PAH diffusion from solid materials the reporter cells were embedded in 2 cm-sized agarose gel patches, and fluorescence was recorded over time for both markers as a function of distance to the PAH source. eGFP fluorescence gradients measured on known amounts of naphthalene or PHE served as calibration for quantifying PAH availability from contaminated soils. To detect reporter gene expression at even smaller diffusion distances, we mixed and immobilized cells with contaminated soils in an agarose gel. eGFP fluorescence measurements confirmed gel patch diffusion results that exposure to 2-3 mg lampblack soil gave four times higher expression than to material contaminated with 10 or 1 (mg PHE) g(-1).

Double-tagged fluorescent bacterial bioreporter for the study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon diffusion and bioavailability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tecon, R.; Binggeli, O.; van der Meer, J.R. [University of Lausanne, Lausanne (Switzerland). Dept. of Fundamental Microbiology

2009-09-15

Bacterial degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), ubiquitous contaminants from oil and coal, is typically limited by poor accessibility of the contaminant to the bacteria. In order to measure PAH availability in complex systems, we designed a number of diffusion-based assays with a double-tagged bacterial reporter strain Burkholderia sartisoli RP037-mChe. The reporter strain is capable of mineralizing phenanthrene (PHE) and induces the expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) as a function of the PAH flux to the cell. At the same time, it produces a second autofluorescent protein (mCherry) in constitutive manner. Quantitative epifluorescence imaging was deployed in order to record reporter signals as a function of PAH availability. The reporter strain expressed eGFP proportionally to dosages of naphthalene or PHE in batch liquid cultures. To detect PAH diffusion from solid materials the reporter cells were embedded in 2 cm-sized agarose gel patches, and fluorescence was recorded over time for both markers as a function of distance to the PAH source. eGFP fluorescence gradients measured on known amounts of naphthalene or PHE served as calibration for quantifying PAH availability from contaminated soils. To detect reporter gene expression at even smaller diffusion distances, we mixed and immobilized cells with contaminated soils in an agarose gel. eGFP fluorescence measurements confirmed gel patch diffusion results that exposure to 2-3 mg lampblack soil gave four times higher expression than to material contaminated with 10 or 1 (mg PHE) g{sup -1}.

Microstructure of Zirconia-Based Sol-Gel Glasses Studied by SANS

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ryukhtin, Vasyl; Strunz, Pavel; Kopitsa, G. P.; Ezdakova, K. V.; Gubanova, N. N.; Ivanov, V. K.; Baranchikov, A. Y.; Angelov, Borislav; Feoktistov, A.; Pipich, V.; Levinský, P.

2015-01-01

Roč. 128, č. 4 (2015), s. 582-584 ISSN 0587-4246. [ISPMA 13 - 13th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON PHYSICS OF MATERIALS. Praha, 31.08.2014 - 04.09.2014] R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36566G; GA MŠk LM2011019 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 ; RVO:61389005 Keywords : sol-gel method * SANS * USANS Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.525, year: 2015

Sol-gel/drop-coated micro-thick TiO{sub 2} memristors for γ-ray sensing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abunahla, Heba [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Jaoude, Maguy Abi, E-mail: maguy.abijaoude@kustar.ac.ae [Department of Applied Mathematics and Sciences, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); O' Kelly, Curtis J.; Mohammad, Baker [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)

2016-12-01

Sol-gel/drop-coated micro-thick TiO{sub 2} memristors were investigated and developed for low-power radiation sensing. Devices constructed with coated aluminum (Al) electrodes exhibited unipolar I-V characteristics with dynamic turn-on voltage, and progressive R{sub OFF}/R{sub ON} ratio loss under applied bias. Endurance failure of micro-thick Al/Al stacks is ascribed to gradual passivation of Al surface resulting from an electrically-enhanced oxygen-ion diffusion. By exchanging a single Al contact with higher work function copper (Cu) metal, two distinct superimposed TiO{sub 2} phases were formed. The TiO{sub 2} coating on Al surface was carbon-contaminated and amorphous, while that on Cu was found to be additionally doped with Cu{sup (I/II)} ions resulting from the corrosion of the surface of the electrode by the amine-based gelation agent. After initial forming, the hybrid stack could achieve a bipolar memristance, with high R{sub OFF}/R{sub ON} (up to 10{sup 6}), and over 10 switching cycles at low-operating voltages (±1 V). The enhanced memristive switching properties of Al/Cu devices are explained via cooperative valence-change/electrochemical-metallization processes, involving migration of oxygen and copper species. The advanced micro-thick TiO{sub 2} memristors were exposed to Cs-137 γ-rays, providing for the first time initial insights into their radiation detection capabilities. The sensing mechanism through these devices could be actuated by synergistic radiation-induced and field-driven photo-electric effects. - Highlights: • Micro-thick TiO{sub 2} memristors with Al or Cu electrodes are advanced via sol-gel drop-coating. • Memristive switching in Al/TiO{sub 2}/Al structure is not viable due to resistance build-up. • Drop-coated Cu electrode gets corroded by ethanolamine additive, introducing Cu{sup (I/II)} cations into bulk TiO{sub 2}. • Bipolar memristance in Al/TiO{sub 2}/Cu{sup (I/II)} doped-TiO{sub 2}/Cu structure is depicted for the

Influence of sulfates on chloride diffusion and chloride-induced reinforcement corrosion in limestone cement materials at low temperature

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Sotiriadis, Konstantinos; Rakanta, E.; Mitzithra, M. E.; Batis, G.; Tsivilis, S.

2017-01-01

Roč. 29, č. 8 (2017), č. článku 04017060. ISSN 0899-1561 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1219 Keywords : limestone cement * chloride diffusion * reinforcement corrosion * sulfate attack * low temperature Subject RIV: JN - Civil Engineering OBOR OECD: Composites (including laminates, reinforced plastics, cermets, combined natural and synthetic fibre fabrics Impact factor: 1.644, year: 2016 http://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/%28ASCE%29MT.1943-5533.0001895

A model of non-Gaussian diffusion in heterogeneous media

Science.gov (United States)

Lanoiselée, Yann; Grebenkov, Denis S.

2018-04-01

Recent progress in single-particle tracking has shown evidence of the non-Gaussian distribution of displacements in living cells, both near the cellular membrane and inside the cytoskeleton. Similar behavior has also been observed in granular materials, turbulent flows, gels and colloidal suspensions, suggesting that this is a general feature of diffusion in complex media. A possible interpretation of this phenomenon is that a tracer explores a medium with spatio-temporal fluctuations which result in local changes of diffusivity. We propose and investigate an ergodic, easily interpretable model, which implements the concept of diffusing diffusivity. Depending on the parameters, the distribution of displacements can be either flat or peaked at small displacements with an exponential tail at large displacements. We show that the distribution converges slowly to a Gaussian one. We calculate statistical properties, derive the asymptotic behavior and discuss some implications and extensions.

Photochromic and fluorescent LC gels based on a bent-shaped azobenzene-containing gelator

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bobrovsky, A.; Shibaev, I.; Hamplová, Věra; Novotná, Vladimíra; Kašpar, Miroslav

2015-01-01

Roč. 5, č. 70 (2015), 56891-56895 ISSN 2046-2069 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-14133S Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : liquid crystals * photochromic LC- gels Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 3.289, year: 2015

Mutational profile and prognostic significance of TP53 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with R-CHOP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu-Monette, Zijun Y; Wu, Lin; Visco, Carlo

2012-01-01

TP53 mutation is an independent marker of poor prognosis in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) therapy. However, its prognostic value in the rituximab immunochemotherapy era remains undefined. ...... for stratifying R-CHOP-treated patients into distinct prognostic subsets and has significant value in the design of future therapeutic strategies....

Comparison of non-electrophoresis grade with electrophoresis grade BIS in NIPAM polymer gel preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Khodadadi, Roghayeh; Khajeali, Azim; Farajollahi, Ali Reza; Hajalioghli, Parisa; Raeisi, Noorallah

2015-01-01

Introduction:The main objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of replacing electrophoresis cross-linker with non-electrophoresis N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS) in N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) polymer gel and its possible effect on dose response. Methods: NIPAM polymer gel was prepared from non-electrophoresis grade BIS and the relaxation rate (R2) was measured by MR imaging after exposing the gel to gamma radiation from Co-60 source. To compare the response of this gel with the one that contains electrophoresis grade BIS, two sets of NIPAM gel were prepared using electrophoresis and non-electrophoresis BIS and irradiated to different gamma doses. Results: It was found that the dose–response of NIPAM gel made from the non-electrophoresis grade BIS is coincident with that of electrophoresis grade BIS. Conclusion:Taken all, it can be concluded that the non-electrophoresis grade BIS not only is a suitable alternative for the electrophoresis grade BIS but also reduces the cost of gel due to its lower price. PMID:26457250

Dynamic light scattering of nano-gels of xanthan gum biopolymer in colloidal dispersion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbas Rahdar

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The dynamical properties of nanogels of xanthan gum (XG with hydrodynamic radius controlled in a size range from 5 nm to 35 nm, were studied at the different XG concentrations in water/sodium bis-2-ethylhexyl-sulfosuccinate (AOT/decane reverse micelles (RMs vs. mass fraction of nano-droplet (MFD at W = 40, using dynamic light scattering (DLS. The diffusion study of nanometer-sized droplets by DLS technique indicated that enhancing concentration of the XG polysaccharide resulted in exchanging the attractive interaction between nano-gels to repulsive interaction, as the mass fraction of nano-droplets increased. The reorientation time (τr of water nanodroplets decreased with MFD for water-in-oil AOT micro-emulsion comprising high concentration (0.0000625 of XG. On the other hand, decreasing concentration of biopolymer led to increasing the rotational correlation time of water nanodroplets with MFD. In conclusion, a single relaxation curve was observed for AOT inverse microemulsions containing different XG concentrations. Furthermore, the interaction between nanogels was changed from attractive to repulsive versus concentration of XG in the AOT RMs.

Surface self-diffusion of adatom on Pt cluster with truncated octahedron structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang Jianyu, E-mail: wuliyangjianyu@yahoo.com.c [Department of Maths and Physics, Hunan Institute of Engineering, Xiangtan 411104 (China); Hu Wangyu, E-mail: wangyuhu2001@yahoo.com.c [Department of Applied Physics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Chen Shuguang [Department of Applied Physics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China)

2010-05-03

Surface diffusion of single Pt adatom on Pt cluster with truncated octahedron structure is investigated through a combination of molecular dynamics and nudged elastic band method. Using an embedded atom method to describe the atomic interactions, the minimum energy paths are determined and the energy barriers for adatom diffusion across and along step are evaluated. The diffusion of adatom crossing step edge between {l_brace}111{r_brace} and {l_brace}100{r_brace} facets has a surprisingly low barrier of 0.03 eV, which is 0.12 eV lower than the barrier for adatom diffusion from {l_brace}111{r_brace} to neighboring {l_brace}111{r_brace} facet. Owing to the small barrier of adatom diffusion across the step edge between {l_brace}111{r_brace} and {l_brace}100{r_brace} facets, the diffusion of adatom along the step edge cannot occur. The molecular dynamics simulations at low temperatures also support these results. Our results show that mass transport will prefer step with {l_brace}100{r_brace} microfacet and the Pt clusters can have only {l_brace}111{r_brace} facets in epitaxial growth.

Renormalization analysis of catalytic Wright-Fisher diffusions

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Swart, Jan M.; Fleischmann, K.

2006-01-01

Roč. 2006, č. 11 (2006), s. 585-654 ISSN 1083-6489 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA201/06/1323 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : renormalization * catalytic Wright-Fisher diffusion * embedded particle system * extinction * unbounded growth * interacting diffusions * universality Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.676, year: 2006

The impact of the oxygen scavenger on the dose-rate dependence and dose sensitivity of MAGIC type polymer gels

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Muzafar; Heilemann, Gerd; Kuess, Peter; Georg, Dietmar; Berg, Andreas

2018-03-01

Recent developments in radiation therapy aimed at more precise dose delivery along with higher dose gradients (dose painting) and more efficient dose delivery with higher dose rates e.g. flattening filter free (FFF) irradiation. Magnetic-resonance-imaging based polymer gel dosimetry offers 3D information for precise dose delivery techniques. Many of the proposed polymer gels have been reported to exhibit a dose response, measured as relaxation rate ΔR2(D), which is dose rate dependent. A lack of or a reduced dose-rate sensitivity is very important for dosimetric accuracy, especially with regard to the increasing clinical use of FFF irradiation protocols with LINACs at high dose rates. Some commonly used polymer gels are based on Methacrylic-Acid-Gel-Initiated-by-Copper (MAGIC). Here, we report on the dose sensitivity (ΔR2/ΔD) of MAGIC-type gels with different oxygen scavenger concentration for their specific dependence on the applied dose rate in order to improve the dosimetric performance, especially for high dose rates. A preclinical x-ray machine (‘Yxlon’, E  =  200 kV) was used for irradiation to cover a range of dose rates from low \\dot{D} min  =  0.6 Gy min-1 to high \\dot{D} max  =  18 Gy min-1. The dose response was evaluated using R2-imaging of the gel on a human high-field (7T) MR-scanner. The results indicate that all of the investigated dose rates had an impact on the dose response in polymer gel dosimeters, being strongest in the high dose region and less effective for low dose levels. The absolute dose rate dependence \\frac{(Δ R2/Δ D)}{Δ \\dot{D}} of the dose response in MAGIC-type gel is significantly reduced using higher concentrations of oxygen scavenger at the expense of reduced dose sensitivity. For quantitative dose evaluations the relative dose rate dependence of a polymer gel, normalized to its sensitivity is important. Based on this normalized sensitivity the dose rate sensitivity was reduced distinctly

Opposing Post-transcriptional Control of InR by FMRP and LIN-28 Adjusts Stem Cell-Based Tissue Growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arthur Luhur

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Summary: Although the intrinsic mechanisms that control whether stem cells divide symmetrically or asymmetrically underlie tissue growth and homeostasis, they remain poorly defined. We report that the RNA-binding protein fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP limits the symmetric division, and resulting expansion, of the stem cell population during adaptive intestinal growth in Drosophila. The elevated insulin sensitivity that FMRP-deficient progenitor cells display contributes to their accelerated expansion, which is suppressed by the depletion of insulin-signaling components. This FMRP activity is mediated solely via a second conserved RNA-binding protein, LIN-28, known to boost insulin signaling in stem cells. Via LIN-28, FMRP controls progenitor cell behavior by post-transcriptionally repressing the level of insulin receptor (InR. This study identifies the stem cell-based mechanism by which FMRP controls tissue adaptation, and it raises the possibility that defective adaptive growth underlies the accelerated growth, gastrointestinal, and other symptoms that affect fragile X syndrome patients. : Luhur et al. report that FMRP acts via LIN-28 in progenitor cells to dampen the adaptive expansion of intestinal tissue in the fruit fly, raising the possibility that defective LIN28-mediated adaptive growth underlies some of the symptoms that affect fragile X syndrome patients. Keywords: FMRP, fmr1, LIN-28, insulin receptor, IIS, adaptive growth, tissue resizing, intestinal stem cell, insulin sensitivity

The catalytic chain of human complement subcomponent C1r. Purification and N-terminal amino acid sequences of the major cyanogen bromide-cleavage fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Arlaud, G J; Gagnon, J; Porter, R R

1982-01-01

1. The a- and b-chains of reduced and alkylated human complement subcomponent C1r were separated by high-pressure gel-permeation chromatography and isolated in good yield and in pure form. 2. CNBr cleavage of C1r b-chain yielded eight major peptides, which were purified by gel filtration and high-pressure reversed-phase chromatography. As determined from the sum of their amino acid compositions, these peptides accounted for a minimum molecular weight of 28 000, close to the value 29 100 calculated from the whole b-chain. 3. N-Terminal sequence determinations of C1r b-chain and its CNBr-cleavage peptides allowed the identification of about two-thirds of the amino acids of C1r b-chain. From our results, and on the basis of homology with other serine proteinases, an alignment of the eight CNBr-cleavage peptides from C1r b-chain is proposed. 4. The residues forming the 'charge-relay' system of the active site of serine proteinases (His-57, Asp-102 and Ser-195 in the chymotrypsinogen numbering) are found in the corresponding regions of C1r b-chain, and the amino acid sequence around these residues has been determined. 5. The N-terminal sequence of C1r b-chain has been extended to residue 60 and reveals that C1r b-chain lacks the 'histidine loop', a disulphide bond that is present in all other known serine proteinases.

Thorium inorganic gels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genet, M.; Brandel, V.

1988-01-01

The optimum pH and concentration values of thorium salts and oxoacids or oxoacid salts which lead to transparent and stable inorganic gels have been determined. The isotherm drying process of the gel at 50 0 C leads successively to a partly dehydrated gel, then, to the formation of an unusual liquid phase and, finally to a dry amorphous solid phase which is still transparent. This kind of transparent inorganic gels and amorphous phase can be used as matrices for spectroscopic studies [fr

Biaxial stress-strain behavior of chemical and physical gels of poly(vinyl alcohol)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Meissner, Bohumil; Matějka, Libor

2008-01-01

Roč. 49, č. 10 (2008), s. 2560-2567 ISSN 0032-3861 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA400500701 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : poly(vinyl alcohol) gels * pure shear behavior * constitutive equation Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 3.331, year: 2008

16S rRNA PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis of Oral Lactobacillus casei Group and Their Phenotypic Appearances.

Science.gov (United States)

Piwat, S; Teanpaisan, R

2013-01-01

This study aimed to develop a 16S rRNA PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to identify the species level of Lactobacillus casei group and to investigate their characteristics of acid production and inhibitory effect. PCR-DGGE has been developed based on the 16S rRNA gene, and a set of HDA-1-GC and HDA-2, designed at V2-V3 region, and another set of CARP-1-GC and CARP-2, designed at V1 region, have been used. The bacterial strains included L. casei ATCC 393, L. paracasei CCUG 32212, L. rhamnosus ATCC 7469, L. zeae CCUG 35515, and 46 clinical strains of L. casei/paracasei/rhamnosus. Inhibitory effect against Streptococcus mutans and acid production were examined. Results revealed that each type species strain and identified clinical isolate showed its own unique DGGE pattern using CARP1-GC and CARP2 primers. HDA1-GC and HDA2 primers could distinguish the strains of L. paracasei from L. casei. It was found that inhibitory effect of L. paracasei was stronger than L. casei and L. rhamnosus. The acid production of L. paracasei was lower than L. casei and L. rhamnosus. In conclusion, the technique has been proven to be able to differentiate between closely related species in L. casei group and thus provide reliable information of their phenotypic appearances.

Ion transport properties of lithium ionic liquids and their ion gels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shobukawa, Hitoshi; Tokuda, Hiroyuki; Susan, Md. Abu Bin Hasan; Watanabe, Masayoshi

2005-01-01

A new series of lithium ionic liquids were prepared by introducing of two electron-withdrawing trifluoroacetyl groups in borate salts containing two methoxy-oligo(ethylene oxide) groups in the structures. Successive substitution reactions of oligo-ethylene glycol monomethyl ether and trifluroacetic acid from LiBH 4 yielded the lithium salts, which were clear and colorless liquids at room temperature. The fundamental physicochemical properties, such as density, thermal property, viscosity, ionic conductivity, self-diffusion coefficients, and electrochemical stability, were measured. The lithium ionic liquids had self-dissociation ability and conducted ions even in the absence of organic solvents. New polymer electrolytes, named 'ion gels', were prepared by radical cross-linking reactions of a poly(ethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide)tri-acrylate macromonomer in the presence the lithium ionic liquid. An increase in the glass transition temperatures (T g ) of the ion gels was very small even with increasing lithium ionic liquid concentration, and the T g 's were lower than that of the ionic liquid itself. The ionic conductivity of the ion gels surpassed that of the lithium ionic liquid in the bulk at certain compositions

Possibilities for in-vitro testing of controlled-release parenterals.

OpenAIRE

Kožák, Jan

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to start with the development of a gel-based medium simulating intramuscular environment for in-vitro drug release testing as an alternative to currently used water-based media. A pork meat was selected as a model of the muscle tissue. At the first part of the study, diffusion rate was proposed as the most determining factor of drug release in gel-based medium. Consequently, the diffusion rate of sodium fluorescein in pork meat was compared with the diffusion r...

Effect of saccharide additives on response of ferrous-agarose-xylenol orange radiotherapy gel dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Healy, B.J.; Zahmatkesh, M.H.; Nitschke, K.N.; Baldock, C.

2003-01-01

Glucose, sucrose, starch, and locust bean gum have been used as additives to the ferrous-agarose-xylenol orange (FAX) gel dosimeter. The saccharide enhanced dosimeters were found to have a higher dose sensitivity over a standard FAX gel as measured by both optical density change and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). With optical density measurement, OD-dose sensitivity increases were up to 55% for glucose, 122% for sucrose and 43% for starch, while locust bean gum did not give a consistent response. With MRI, R 1 -dose sensitivity increases were up to 178% with sucrose addition. The FAX gel with sucrose was studied in greatest detail. The OD-dose sensitivity dependence on cooling rate was reduced for the sucrose FAX gel over the standard FAX gel, which has significant implications for uniform dose sensitivity in large gel phantoms. The thermal oxidation rate in the sucrose FAX gel was up to 2.3 times higher than in the standard gel. The OD-dose sensitivity of oxygenated sucrose FAX gels was 4.3 times greater than standard FAX gels, while continued enhancement in OD-dose sensitivity with increased sucrose concentrations beyond 2.0 g/l was found only for the oxygenated sucrose FAX gels. Both the molar absorption coefficient of the ferric ion-xylenol orange complex at 543 nm and gel pH were not affected by the presence of sucrose, with the implication that the higher OD-dose sensitivity of gels with saccharides is due to increased chain reaction production of ferric ions

Normal and Inverse Diffusive Isotope Fractionation of Deuterated Toluene and Benzene in Aqueous Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rolle, Massimo; Jin, Biao

2017-01-01

Diffusive isotope fractionation of organic contaminants in aqueous solution is difficult to quantify, and only a few experimental data sets are available for compounds of environmental interest. In this study, we investigate diffusive fractionation of perdeuterated and nondeuterated benzene...... and toluene. Multitracer experiments were carried out in 1-D gel dissection tubes and in a quasi-2-D flow-through porous medium. The experiments allowed us to simultaneously and directly compare the diffusive and dispersive behavior of benzene and toluene. We observed an unexpected, opposite behavior...... of the two monoaromatic hydrocarbons. Toluene showed a normal diffusive isotope effect (DC7D8/DC7H8 = 0.96) with enrichment of the nondeuterated isotopologue in the direction of the diffusive and transverse dispersive fluxes. Conversely, the measured trends for benzene indicate inverse diffusive...

Evaluation of the Accuracy of Polymer Gels for Determining Electron Dose Distributions in the Presence of Small Heterogeneities.

Science.gov (United States)

Asl, R Ghahraman; Nedaie, H A; Banaee, N

2017-12-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the application and accuracy of polymer gels for determining electron dose distributions in the presence of small heterogeneities made of bone and air. Different cylindrical phantoms containing MAGIC (Methacrylic and Ascorbic acid in Gelatin Initiated by Copper) normoxic polymer gel were used under the slab phantoms during irradiation. MR images of the irradiated gel phantoms were obtained to determine their R2 (spin-spin) relaxation maps for conversion to absorbed dose. One- and 2-dimensional lateral dose profiles were acquired at depths of 1 and 4 cm for 8 and 15 MeV electron beams. The results were compared with the doses measured by a diode detector at the same positions. In addition, the dose distribution in the axial orientation was measured by the gel dosimeter. The slope and intercept for the R2 versus dose curve were 0.509 ± 0.002 Gy s and 4.581 ± 0.005 s, respectively. No significant variation in dose-R2 response was seen for the two electron energies within the applied dose ranges. The mean dose difference between the measured gel dose profiles was smaller than 3% compared to those measured by the diode detector. These results provide further demonstration that electron dose distributions are significantly altered in the presence of tissue inhomogeneities such as bone and air cavity and that MAGIC gel is a useful tool for 3-dimensional dose visualization and qualitative assessment of tissue inhomogeneity effects in electron beam dosimetry.

Effect of the exothermal polymerization reaction on polymer gel dosimetric measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sedaghat, Mahbod; Bujold, Rachel; Lepage, Martin

2010-01-01

Discrepancies in polymer gel dosimetric measurements have been observed between containers of different sizes receiving the same radiation dose. We hypothesized that these deviations are caused by a change in the rate of polymerization due to internal heat increase in the gel containers resulting from the exothermic polymerization of monomers. Here, we test this hypothesis in a polyacrylamide gel dosimeter by recording the temperature in glass phantoms of different sizes during and after irradiation. The dose response of the samples was determined with magnetic resonance imaging. The difference of R 2 values along the depth of the containers was below ±1%. We discuss that this small difference can be attributed to variations in the rate of gelatin cooling during manufacture rather than to the measured heat increase during irradiation.

Colloid molecular weight estimation by gel chromatography/acrylamide gel electrophoresis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liberatore, F.A.; Dearborn, C.; Nigam, S.; Poon, C.; Camin, L.; Liteplo, M.

1984-01-01

Size or molecular weight (MW) estimation of radiolabeled collides in aqueous solutions has long been a problem. The authors have prepared several minimicroaggregated albumin colloids (mμAA) by heat denaturation of stannous-containing HSA solutions at pH 7.0, 7.5, and 8.5). The resulting colloids were labeled with Tc-99m and compared with Au-198 colloid and Tc-99m-antimony sulfide colloid (Tc-99m-Sb/sub 2/S3) by gel chromatography and gel electrophoresis. Tc-99mm-mμAA aggregated at pH 7.0 and the Au-198 colloid appeared in the external void volume of a BioRad A5.0 agarose column indicating an apparent MW of > 5 x 10/sup 6/ daltons. The pH7.5 Tc-99m-mμAA, migrated within the filtration range of the column as did a small fraction of Tc-99m-Sb/sub 2/S/sub 3/, suggesting that the MW is between 6 x 10/sup 4/ - 5 x 10/sup 6/ daltons. The Tc-99m-mμAA, aggregated at pH 8.5, had an apparent MW on gel filtration similar to that of untreated albumin, MW 6.6 x 10-/sup 4/ daltons. The mobilities of the colloids, on acrylamide disc gel electrophoresis, were consistent with the results on gel chromatography. The largest colloids, Au-198 colloid and pH 7.0 Tc-99m-mμAA, barely entered the separating gel; intermediate sized colloids, a small fraction of Tc-99m-Sb/sub 2/S/sub 3/ and pH 7.5 Tc-99m-mμAA migrated farther into the separating gel; while pH 8.5 Tc-99m-mμAA had mobility approaching that of untreated albumin. Lymphoscintigraphy studies using these colloids in animals showed the predicted, particle size-related differences in migration and clearance. The authors conclude that gel chromatography and gel electrophoresis are useful methods for estimating the apparent size of the colloidal particles

Evolutionary insight on localization of 18S, 28S rDNA genes on homologous chromosomes in Primates genomes

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzoleni, Sofia; Rovatsos, Michail; Schillaci, Odessa; Dumas, Francesca

2018-01-01

Abstract We explored the topology of 18S and 28S rDNA units by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in the karyotypes of thirteen species representatives from major groups of Primates and Tupaia minor (Günther, 1876) (Scandentia), in order to expand our knowledge of Primate genome reshuffling and to identify the possible dispersion mechanisms of rDNA sequences. We documented that rDNA probe signals were identified on one to six pairs of chromosomes, both acrocentric and metacentric ones. In addition, we examined the potential homology of chromosomes bearing rDNA genes across different species and in a wide phylogenetic perspective, based on the DAPI-inverted pattern and their synteny to human. Our analysis revealed an extensive variability in the topology of the rDNA signals across studied species. In some cases, closely related species show signals on homologous chromosomes, thus representing synapomorphies, while in other cases, signal was detected on distinct chromosomes, leading to species specific patterns. These results led us to support the hypothesis that different mechanisms are responsible for the distribution of the ribosomal DNA cluster in Primates. PMID:29416829

Evolutionary insight on localization of 18S, 28S rDNA genes on homologous chromosomes in Primates genomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofia Mazzoleni

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We explored the topology of 18S and 28S rDNA units by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH in the karyotypes of thirteen species representatives from major groups of Primates and Tupaia minor (Günther, 1876 (Scandentia, in order to expand our knowledge of Primate genome reshuffling and to identify the possible dispersion mechanisms of rDNA sequences. We documented that rDNA probe signals were identified on one to six pairs of chromosomes, both acrocentric and metacentric ones. In addition, we examined the potential homology of chromosomes bearing rDNA genes across different species and in a wide phylogenetic perspective, based on the DAPI-inverted pattern and their synteny to human. Our analysis revealed an extensive variability in the topology of the rDNA signals across studied species. In some cases, closely related species show signals on homologous chromosomes, thus representing synapomorphies, while in other cases, signal was detected on distinct chromosomes, leading to species specific patterns. These results led us to support the hypothesis that different mechanisms are responsible for the distribution of the ribosomal DNA cluster in Primates.

Growth and characterization of calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate crystals from single diffusion gel technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rajendran, K.; Dale Keefe, C. [Department of Chemistry, Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia (Canada)

2010-09-15

Calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate (CaHPO{sub 4}.2H{sub 2}O, CHPD) a dissolved mineral in urine is known to cause renal or bladder stones in both human and animals. Growth of CHPD or brushite using sodium metasilicate gel techniques followed by light and polarizing microscopic studies revealed its structural and morphological details. Crystal identity by powder x-ray diffraction confirmed the FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopic techniques as alternate methods for fast analysis of brushite crystals which could form as one type of renal stones. P-O-P asymmetric stretchings in both FT-IR (987.2, 874.1 and 792 cm{sup -1}) and FT-Raman (986.3 cm{sup -1}, 1057.6 cm{sup -1} and 875.2 cm{sup -1}) were found as characteristics of brushite crystals. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis revealed brushite crystallization purity using gel method by studying their endothermic peaks. This study incorporated a multidisciplinary approach in characterizing CHPD crystals grown in vitro to help formulate prevention or dissolution strategy in controlling urinary stone growth. Initial studies with 0.2 M citric acid ions as controlling agent in the nucleation of brushite crystals further support the presented approach. (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Improvement of cooking quality and gel formation capacity of Bombay duck (Harpodon nehereus) fish meat.

Science.gov (United States)

Rupsankar, Chakrabarti

2010-10-01

High moisture content (89%) along with high enzymatic and bacteriological activity in Bombay duck (Harpodon nehereus) meat are responsible for short shelf life and disintegration of meat in cooking. Minimum solubility was at pH 5 (iso-electric point) of muscle protein. Citric acid- sodium citrate buffer (pH 5) with 0.2% potassium sorbate was very effective in reducing moisture in dressed fish and in increasing shelf life up to 4 days at ambient temperature (25-28 °C). Reduction in moisture in meat improved its cooking quality and gel formation capacity with increased protein content. Fish meat contained 1.0-1.5% NaCl and produced stronger gel by using 2% NaCl than conventionally prepared gel with 4% NaCl. Washing fish mince with cold water followed by pressing at pH 5, gave fish cake with more salt soluble protein and better gel strength (>500 gcm) than the same operation done at ambient temperature.

Performance of the sol-gel method for the preparation of optical fibers

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Matějec, Vlastimil; Hayer, Miloš; Mrázek, Jan; Kašík, Ivan; Podrazký, Ondřej; Pospíšilová, Marie

2007-01-01

Roč. 52, č. 10 (2007), s. 991-998 ISSN 0035-3930. [Physical Chemistry Conference ROMPHYSCHEM /12./. Bucharest, 06.09.2006-08.09.2006] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA102/05/0956 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20670512 Keywords : sol-gel processing * optical fibres * chemical sensors Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering Impact factor: 0.262, year: 2007

Chitosan gel-embedded moxifloxacin niosomes: An efficient antimicrobial hybrid system for burn infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohrabi, Shohreh; Haeri, Azadeh; Mahboubi, Arash; Mortazavi, Alireza; Dadashzadeh, Simin

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to prepare and characterize a hybrid system of moxifloxacin loaded niosomes incorporated into chitosan gel as a potential carrier for topical antimicrobial delivery. The prepared system was characterized regarding entrapment efficiency, particle size, zeta potential, in vitro drug release kinetics, morphology, FTIR analysis, bioadhesive strength and rheological behavior. The effect of different formulation parameters (surfactant type, surfactant to drug ratio, cholesterol percentage and loading methodology) on moxifloxacin entrapment and drug release was evaluated. The antibacterial effectiveness of various formulations was also assessed by measuring the minimal inhibitory concentrations, minimal bactericidal concentrations and agar diffusion assay using Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus as model pathogens. The optimized niosomal formulation showed 73% drug entrapment, 47% drug release in 8h and was ∼290 nm in particle diameter and negatively charged (ζ∼-23 mV). The gel-embedded niosomes exhibited pseudo-plastic flow behavior and more sustained drug release profile compared to niosomes. The niosomal formulation of moxifloxacin was the most efficient system against P. aeruginosa, while gel based formulations were superior against S. aureus. Taken together, moxifloxacin-in-niosomes-in-gels hold great promise for topical microbial infections. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diffusion of Carbon and Manganese in Fe-C-Mn

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Král, Lubomír; Million, Bořivoj; Čermák, Jiří

2007-01-01

Roč. 263, - (2007), s. 153-158 ISSN 1012-0386. [Diffusion and Thermodynamics of Materials /9./. Brno, 13.09.2006-15.09.2006] R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IBS2041105 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : Diffusion * steel * interdiffusion * Wagner’s coefficients * diffusion interaction coefficients Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics Impact factor: 0.483, year: 2005 http://www.scientific.net/3-908451-35-3/153/

The Gini coefficient: a methodological pilot study to assess fetal brain development employing postmortem diffusion MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viehweger, Adrian; Sorge, Ina; Hirsch, Wolfgang; Riffert, Till; Dhital, Bibek; Knoesche, Thomas R.; Anwander, Alfred; Stepan, Holger

2014-01-01

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is important in the assessment of fetal brain development. However, it is clinically challenging and time-consuming to prepare neuromorphological examinations to assess real brain age and to detect abnormalities. To demonstrate that the Gini coefficient can be a simple, intuitive parameter for modelling fetal brain development. Postmortem fetal specimens(n = 28) were evaluated by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) on a 3-T MRI scanner using 60 directions, 0.7-mm isotropic voxels and b-values of 0, 150, 1,600 s/mm 2 . Constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD) was used as the local diffusion model. Fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and complexity (CX) maps were generated. CX was defined as a novel diffusion metric. On the basis of those three parameters, the Gini coefficient was calculated. Study of fetal brain development in postmortem specimens was feasible using DWI. The Gini coefficient could be calculated for the combination of the three diffusion parameters. This multidimensional Gini coefficient correlated well with age (Adjusted R 2 = 0.59) between the ages of 17 and 26 gestational weeks. We propose a new method that uses an economics concept, the Gini coefficient, to describe the whole brain with one simple and intuitive measure, which can be used to assess the brain's developmental state. (orig.)

Tertiary-amine-containing thermo- and pH-sensitive hydrophilic ABA triblock copolymers: effect of different tertiary amines on thermally induced sol-gel transitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Henn, Daniel M; Wright, Roger A E; Woodcock, Jeremiah W; Hu, Bin; Zhao, Bin

2014-03-11

This Article reports on the synthesis of a series of well-defined, tertiary-amine-containing ABA triblock copolymers, composed of a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) central block and thermo- and pH-sensitive outer blocks, and the study of the effect of different tertiary amines on thermally induced sol-gel transition temperatures (T(sol-gel)) of their 10 wt % aqueous solutions. The doubly responsive ABA triblock copolymers were prepared from a difunctional PEO macroinitiator by atom transfer radical polymerization of methoxydi(ethylene glycol) methacrylate and ethoxydi(ethylene glycol) methacrylate at a feed molar ratio of 30:70 with ∼5 mol % of either N,N-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA), N,N-diisopropylaminoethyl methacrylate, or N,N-di(n-butyl)aminoethyl methacrylate. The chain lengths of thermosensitive outer blocks and the molar contents of tertiary amines were very similar for all copolymers. Using rheological measurements, we determined the pH dependences of T(sol-gel) of 10 wt % aqueous solutions of these copolymers in a phosphate buffer. The T(sol-gel) versus pH curves of all polymers exhibited a sigmoidal shape. The T(sol-gel) increased with decreasing pH; the changes were small on both high and low pH sides. At a specific pH, the T(sol-gel) decreased with increasing the hydrophobicity of the tertiary amine, and upon decreasing pH the onset pH value for the T(sol-gel) to begin to increase noticeably was lower for the more hydrophobic tertiary amine-containing copolymer. In addition, we studied the effect of different tertiary amines on the release behavior of FITC-dextran from 10 wt % micellar gels in an acidic medium at 37 and 27 °C. The release profiles for three studied hydrogels at 37 °C were essentially the same, suggesting that the release was dominated by the diffusion of FITC-dextran. At 27 °C, the release was significantly faster for the DEAEMA-containing copolymer, indicating that both diffusion and gel dissolution contributed to the

Transport equivalent diffusion constants for reflector region in PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahara, Yoshihisa; Sekimoto, Hiroshi

2002-01-01

The diffusion-theory-based nodal method is widely used in PWR core designs for reason of its high computing speed in three-dimensional calculations. The baffle/reflector (B/R) constants used in nodal calculations are usually calculated based on a one-dimensional transport calculation. However, to achieve high accuracy of assembly power prediction, two-dimensional model is needed. For this reason, the method for calculating transport equivalent diffusion constants of reflector material was developed so that the neutron currents on the material boundaries could be calculated exactly in diffusion calculations. Two-dimensional B/R constants were calculated using the transport equivalent diffusion constants in the two-dimensional diffusion calculation whose geometry reflected the actual material configuration in the reflector region. The two-dimensional B/R constants enabled us to predict assembly power within an error of 1.5% at hot full power conditions. (author)

Estabilidad en anaquel de un gel de Rhizophora mangle L. (mangle rojo para heridas y quemaduras Long-term stability of a Rhizophora mangle L. (red mangrove gel for wounds and burns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dulce María Soler Roger

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: evaluar la estabilidad en anaquel de un gel elaborado a partir del extracto acuoso de la corteza de Rhizophora mangle L. (mangle rojo. Métodos: los tres lotes pilotos del gel (GM01, GM02 y GM03 se almacenaron a temperatura de refrigeración (5 ± 3 °C durante 12 meses. Se realizó una evaluación físico-química y microbiológica a tiempo inicial y a los 3, 6, 9 y 12 meses. Resultados: todos los lotes mantuvieron una apariencia de geles homogéneos, viscosos, libres de grumo, brillantes y de un color pardo-rojizo oscuro y mostraron amplias áreas de extensibilidad. El pH estuvo entre 6 y 7 y la reología fue característica de un fluido no newtoniano del tipo Herschel Bulkley con potencial modificado en todos los tiempos evaluados. Los tres lotes cumplieron el límite microbiano establecido, así como la concentración mínima inhibitoria que estuvo entre 8 y 10 mg/mL y la concentración de taninos entre 13 a 30 mg/g. Conclusiones: se demostró que todos los lotes del gel fueron estables durante el período de estabilidad en anaquel, por lo que se propone que se almacene de 2-8 ºC durante 1 año.Objective: to evaluate the long-term stability of a gel obtained from the aqueous extract of the Rhizophora mangle L. (red mangrove bark. Methods: the three gel pilot batches (GM01, GM02 and GM03 were stored under refrigeration (5 ± 3 °C for 12 months. Physical-chemical and microbiological evaluations were made at the beginning and after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Results: All these batches kept their appearance of homogeneous, viscous, lump-free and bright gels with dark reddish-brown color and wide areas of extensibility. The pH ranged 6 to 7 and the rheology reflected a non-Newtonian Herschel Bulkley-type fluid with modified potential at all evaluated times. The three batches met the established microbial limit and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC of 8 to 10 mg / mL and the tannin concentration of 13 to 30 mg/g. Conclusions: it

Radial thermal diffusivity of toroidal plasma affected by resonant magnetic perturbations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanno, Ryutaro; Nunami, Masanori; Satake, Shinsuke; Takamaru, Hisanori; Okamoto, Masao

2012-04-01

We investigate how the radial thermal diffusivity of an axisymmetric toroidal plasma is modified by effect of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs), using a drift kinetic simulation code for calculating the thermal diffusivity in the perturbed region. The perturbed region is assumed to be generated on and around the resonance surfaces, and is wedged in between the regular closed magnetic surfaces. It has been found that the radial thermal diffusivity χ r in the perturbed region is represented as χ r = χ r (0) {1 + c r parallel 2 >}. Here r parallel 2 > 1/2 is the strength of the RMPs in the radial directions, means the flux surface average defined by the unperturbed (i.e., original) magnetic field, χ r (0) is the neoclassical thermal diffusivity, and c is a positive coefficient. In this paper, dependence of the coefficient c on parameters of the toroidal plasma is studied in results given by the δ f simulation code solving the drift kinetic equation under an assumption of zero electric field. We find that the dependence of c is given as c ∝ ω b /ν eff m in the low collisionality regime ν eff b , where ν eff is the effective collision frequency, ω b is the bounce frequency and m is the particle mass. In case of ν eff > ω b , the thermal diffusivity χ r evaluated by the simulations becomes close to the neoclassical thermal diffusivity χ r (0) . (author)

Formulation of Convenient, Easily Scalable, and Efficient Granisetron HCl Intranasal Droppable Gels.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Howida K; Abdel Malak, Nevine S; Abdel Halim, Sally A

2015-06-01

Deacetylated gellan gum and two sodium alginate polymer types were used each at three concentrations in the suitable range for their sol-gel transition. The prepared nine droppable gels were evaluated in vitro, ex vivo through sheep nasal mucosa, as well as in vivo in comparison to drug solution given intravenously and orally at the same dose. The prepared formulas gelled instantaneously in simulated nasal fluid and the obtained gels sustained their shear thinning and thixotropic behavior up to 48 h. Polymer type and concentration had significant effects on the apparent viscosities and the in vitro release profile of granisetron from the prepared gels. The drug release data best fitted a modified Higuchi equation with initial burst and followed Fickian diffusion mechanism. A 0.5% gellan-gum-based formula sustained the in vitro drug release up to 3 h and enhanced the drug permeation without need for an enhancer. The histopatholgical study revealed the safety of the tested formula. Intranasal delivery recorded double the drug bioavailabilty in comparison to the oral route. It had an absolute bioavailability of 0.6539 and the maximum plasma drug concentration reached after 1.5 h. The developed formula could be promising for the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting regarding its improved bioavailability, patient acceptability, and ease of production.

Supported Phospholipid Membranes Formation at a Gel Electrode and Transport of Divalent Cations across them

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Navrátil, Tomáš; Šestáková, Ivana; Mareček, Vladimír

2011-01-01

Roč. 6, č. 1 (2011), s. 6032-6046 ISSN 1452-3981 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA400400806; GA ČR GAP206/11/1638 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40400503 Keywords : gel * agar * phospholipids Subject RIV: CG - Electrochemistry Impact factor: 3.729, year: 2011 http://www.electrochemsci.org/list11.htm

Multienergy anomalous diffuse scattering

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kopecký, Miloš; Fábry, Jan; Kub, Jiří; Lausi, A.; Busetto, E.

2008-01-01

Roč. 100, č. 19 (2008), 195504/1-195504/4 ISSN 0031-9007 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100100529 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100523 Keywords : diffuse scattering * x-rays * structure determination Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 7.180, year: 2008

MYCN-driven regulatory mechanisms controlling LIN28B in neuroblastoma

Science.gov (United States)

Beckers, Anneleen; Van Peer, Gert; Carter, Daniel R.; Gartlgruber, Moritz; Herrmann, Carl; Agarwal, Saurabh; Helsmoortel, Hetty H.; Althoff, Kristina; Molenaar, Jan J.; Cheung, Belamy B.; Schulte, Johannes H.; Benoit, Yves; Shohet, Jason M.; Westermann, Frank; Marshall, Glenn M.; Vandesompele, Jo; De Preter, Katleen; Speleman, Frank

2016-01-01

LIN28B has been identified as an oncogene in various tumor entities, including neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that originates from neural crest-derived cells, and is characterized by amplification of the MYCN oncogene. Recently, elevated LIN28B expression levels were shown to contribute to neuroblastoma tumorigenesis via let-7 dependent de-repression of MYCN. However, additional insight in the regulation of LIN28B in neuroblastoma is lacking. Therefore, we have performed a comprehensive analysis of the regulation of LIN28B in neuroblastoma, with a specific focus on the contribution of miRNAs. We show that MYCN regulates LIN28B expression in neuroblastoma tumors via two distinct parallel mechanisms. First, through an unbiased LIN28B-3′UTR reporter screen, we found that miR-26a-5p and miR-26b-5p regulate LIN28B expression. Next, we demonstrated that MYCN indirectly affects the expression of miR-26a-5p, and hence regulates LIN28B, therefor establishing a MYCN-miR-26a-5p-LIN28B regulatory axis. Second, we provide evidence that MYCN regulates LIN28B expression via interaction with the LIN28B promotor, establishing a direct MYCN-LIN28B regulatory axis. We believe that these findings mark LIN28B as an important effector of the MYCN oncogenic phenotype and underlines the importance of MYCN-regulated miRNAs in establishing the MYCN-driven oncogenic process. PMID:26123663

Diffusion of titanium and nickel in B2 NiTi

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Divinski, S.V.; Stloukal, Ivo; Král, Lubomír; Herzig, Ch.

289-292, - (2009), s. 377-382 ISSN 1012-0386. [DIMAT 2008, International Conference on Diffusion in Materials /7./. Lanzarote, Canary Islands , 28.10.2008-31.10.2008] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : intermetallic compound NiTi * nickel nad titanium diffusion * diffusion mechanism Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics http://www.scientific.net/DDF.289-292.377/

Doppler waveforms of the hepatic veins in children with diffuse fatty infiltration of the liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uzun, Hakan; Yazici, Burhan; Erdogmus, Besir; Kocabay, Kenan; Buyukkaya, Ramazan; Buyukkaya, Ayla; Yazgan, Omer

2009-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fatty infiltration of the liver (FIL) on the Doppler waveform pattern in the hepatic veins of obese children. Methods: In this prospective study, 59 patients with diffuse FIL and 45 normal healthy children who served as control group underwent hepatic vein B-mod and duplex Doppler sonography. The Doppler sonography spectrum of the right hepatic vein was classified into three groups: triphasic waveform, biphasic waveform, and monophasic or flat waveform. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the phasicity of hepatic venous flow between patients and control subjects (p < 0.001). The Doppler flow pattern in the right hepatic vein was triphasic in 28 (47.5%), biphasic in 28 (47.5%), and monophasic in 3 (5%) children with fatty liver, while it was triphasic in 43 (95.6%) and biphasic in 2 (4.4%) control subjects. There was an inverse correlation between the sonographic grade of fatty infiltration of the liver and the phasicity of hepatic venous flow (r = -0.479, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Abnormal right hepatic vein Doppler waveform, biphasic as well as monophasic, can be seen in healthy obese children with diffuse FIL.

Diffusion of helium and estimated diffusion coefficients of hydrogen dissolved in water-saturated, compacted Ca-montmorillonite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higashihara, Tomohiro; Sato, Seichi; Ohashi, Hiroshi; Otsuka, Teppei

2001-01-01

The diffusion coefficients of hydrogen gas dissolved in water-saturated, compacted montmorillonite are required to estimate the performance of bentonite buffer materials for geological disposal of nuclear waste. As part of the effort to determine the diffusion coefficients, the diffusion coefficients of helium in water-saturated, compacted calcium montmorillonite (Ca-montmorillonite) were determined as a function of dry density, 0.78 to 1.37x10 3 kg m -3 , by a transient diffusion method. The diffusion coefficients were from 8.3x10 -10 m 2 s -1 at 0.78x10 3 kgm -3 to 2.8x10 -10 m 2 s -1 at 1.37x10 3 kgm -3 . The data obtained by this diffusion experiment of helium were highly reproducible. The diffusion coefficients of helium in Ca-montmorillonite were somewhat larger than those previously obtained for helium in sodium montmorillonite (Na-montmorillonite). The diffusion coefficients of hydrogen gas in the montmorillonites were roughly estimated using the diffusion coefficients of helium. These estimates were based on assumptions that both helium and hydrogen molecules are non-adsorptive and that the geometric factors in the compacted montmorillonites are approximately the same for diffusion of helium and diffusion of hydrogen. (author)

Retention of actinides and rare earth in the alteration gels of R7T7 nuclear glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Advocat, Th.; Menard, O.; Chouchan, J.L.; Jollivet, P.

1997-01-01

Under oxic conditions, over 98.5% of the lanthanides and thorium released from the glass were retained in the alteration products on the glass surface, probably by coprecipitation with a siliceous gel. Uranium and Neptunium retention varied from 40% in carbonated medium to more than 95% in phosphate medium. With carbonate ions, Np and U formed stable complexes, which tend to limit actinide incorporation in the gel layer. Plutonium retention is larger than 90%. This element exhibited atypical behaviour to the extend that it was strongly bonded to colloidal particles in solution. (authors)

Electrolyte diffusion in compacted montmorillonite engineered barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jahnke, F.M.; Radke, C.J.

1985-09-01

The bentonite-based engineered barrier or packing is a proposed component of several designs conceived to dispose of high-level nuclear waste in geologic repositories. Once radionuclides escape the waste package, they must first diffuse through the highly impermeable clay-rich barrier before they reach the host repository. To determine the effectiveness of the packing as a sorption barrier in the transient release period and as a mass-transfer barrier in the steady release period over the geologic time scales involved in nuclear waste disposal, a fundamental understanding of the diffusion of electrolytes in compacted clays is required. We present, and compare with laboratory data, a model quantifying the diffusion rates of cationic cesium and uncharged tritium in compacted montmorillonite clay. Neutral tritium characterizes the geometry (i.e., tortuosity) of the particulate gel. After accounting for cation exchange, we find that surface diffusion is the dominant mechanism of cation transport, with an approximate surface diffusion coefficient of 2 x 10 -6 cm 2 /s for cesium. This value increases slightly with increasing background ionic strength. The implications of this work for the packing as a migration barrier are twofold. During the transient release period, K/sub d/ values are of little importance in retarding ion migration. This is because sorption also gives rise to a surface diffusion path, and it is surface diffusion which controls the diffusion rate of highly sorbing cations in compacted montmorillonite. During the steady release period, the presence of surface diffusion leads to a flux through the packing which is greatly enhanced. In either case, if surface diffusion is neglected, the appropriate diffusion coefficient of ions in compacted packing will be in considerable error relative to current design recommendations. 11 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Internal structure analysis of particle-double network gels used in a gel organ replica

Science.gov (United States)

Abe, Mei; Arai, Masanori; Saito, Azusa; Sakai, Kazuyuki; Kawakami, Masaru; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

2016-04-01

In recent years, the fabrication of patient organ replicas using 3D printers has been attracting a great deal of attention in medical fields. However, the cost of these organ replicas is very high as it is necessary to employ very expensive 3D printers and printing materials. Here we present a new gel organ replica, of human kidney, fabricated with a conventional molding technique, using a particle-double network hydrogel (P-DN gel). The replica is transparent and has the feel of a real kidney. It is expected that gel organ replicas produced this way will be a useful tool for the education of trainee surgeons and clinical ultrasonography technologists. In addition to developing a gel organ replica, the internal structure of the P-DN gel used is also discussed. Because the P-DN gel has a complex structure comprised of two different types of network, it has not been possible to investigate them internally in detail. Gels have an inhomogeneous network structure. If it is able to get a more uniform structure, it is considered that this would lead to higher strength in the gel. In the present study we investigate the structure of P-DN gel, using the gel organ replica. We investigated the internal structure of P-DN gel using Scanning Microscopic Light Scattering (SMILS), a non-contacting and non-destructive.

Apparent diffusion coefficient measurement in a moving phantom simulating linear respiratory motion.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwee, Thomas C; Takahara, Taro; Muro, Isao; Van Cauteren, Marc; Imai, Yutaka; Nievelstein, Rutger A J; Mali, Willem P T M; Luijten, Peter R

2010-10-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of simulated linear respiratory motion on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements. Six rectangular test tubes (14 × 92 mm) filled with either water, tomato ketchup, or mayonnaise were positioned in a box containing agarose gel. This box was connected to a double-acting pneumatic cylinder, capable of inducing periodic linear motion in the long-axis direction of the magnetic bore (23-mm stroke). Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was performed for both the static and moving phantoms, and ADC measurements were made in the six test tubes in both situations. In the three test tubes whose long axes were parallel to the direction of motion, ADCs agreed well between the moving and static phantom situations. However, in two test tubes that were filled with fluids that had a considerably lower diffusion coefficient than the surrounding agarose gel, and whose long axes were perpendicular to the direction of motion, the ADCs agreed poorly between the moving and static phantom situations. ADC measurements of large homogeneous structures are not affected by linear respiratory motion. However, ADC measurements of inhomogeneous or small structures are affected by linear respiratory motion due to partial volume effects.

Apparent diffusion coefficient measurement in a moving phantom simulating linear respiratory motion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwee, T.C.; Takahara, Taro; Nievelstein, R.A.J.; Mali, W.P.T.M.; Luijten, P.R.; Muro, Isao; Imai, Yutaka; Cauteren, M. Van

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of simulated linear respiratory motion on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements. Six rectangular test tubes (14 x 92 mm) filled with either water, tomato ketchup, or mayonnaise were positioned in a box containing agarose gel. This box was connected to a double-acting pneumatic cylinder, capable of inducing periodic linear motion in the long-axis direction of the magnetic bore (23-mm stroke). Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was performed for both the static and moving phantoms, and ADC measurements were made in the six test tubes in both situations. In the three test tubes whose long axes were parallel to the direction of motion, ADCs agreed well between the moving and static phantom situations. However, in two test tubes that were filled with fluids that had a considerably lower diffusion coefficient than the surrounding agarose gel, and whose long axes were perpendicular to the direction of motion, the ADCs agreed poorly between the moving and static phantom situations. ADC measurements of large homogeneous structures are not affected by linear respiratory motion. However, ADC measurements of inhomogeneous or small structures are affected by linear respiratory motion due to partial volume effects. (author)

Histological analysis of effects of 24% EDTA gel for nonsurgical treatment of periodontal tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vasconcellos, Luana Marotta Reis; Ricardo, Lucilene Hernandes; Balducci, Ivan; de Vasconcellos, Luis Gustavo Oliveira; Carvalho, Yasmin Rodarte

2006-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate, by means of histological and histomorphometric analysis, the effects of 24% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) gel in periodontal tissue when used in combination with conventional periodontal treatment. Periodontitis was induced in the 2nd upper left permanent molars of 45 male Wistar rats by means of ligature. After 5 weeks, this was removed and debridement was performed. The animals were then randomly divided into 3 groups; group 1: mechanical treatment, group 2: mechanical treatment and EDTA gel application for 2 min, and group 3: mechanical treatment and placebo gel application for 2 min. After the treatment, rinsing was done with 0.9% saline solution for 1 min in all cases, followed by root notching in the deepest part of the pocket. After 4, 10, and 28 days the animals were sacrificed. The averages obtained were evaluated by means of test two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey statistical tests (P 24% EDTA gel did not interfere with periodontal tissue repair when used in combination with conventional periodontal treatment.

Polymer gel dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baldock, C [Institute of Medical Physics, School of Physics, University of Sydney (Australia); De Deene, Y [Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University Hospital (Belgium); Doran, S [CRUK Clinical Magnetic Resonance Research Group, Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey (United Kingdom); Ibbott, G [Radiation Physics, UT M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States); Jirasek, A [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC (Canada); Lepage, M [Centre d' imagerie moleculaire de Sherbrooke, Departement de medecine nucleaire et de radiobiologie, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC (Canada); McAuley, K B [Department of Chemical Engineering, Queen' s University, Kingston, ON (Canada); Oldham, M [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (United States); Schreiner, L J [Cancer Centre of South Eastern Ontario, Kingston, ON (Canada)], E-mail: c.baldock@physics.usyd.edu.au, E-mail: yves.dedeene@ugent.be

2010-03-07

Polymer gel dosimeters are fabricated from radiation sensitive chemicals which, upon irradiation, polymerize as a function of the absorbed radiation dose. These gel dosimeters, with the capacity to uniquely record the radiation dose distribution in three-dimensions (3D), have specific advantages when compared to one-dimensional dosimeters, such as ion chambers, and two-dimensional dosimeters, such as film. These advantages are particularly significant in dosimetry situations where steep dose gradients exist such as in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery. Polymer gel dosimeters also have specific advantages for brachytherapy dosimetry. Potential dosimetry applications include those for low-energy x-rays, high-linear energy transfer (LET) and proton therapy, radionuclide and boron capture neutron therapy dosimetries. These 3D dosimeters are radiologically soft-tissue equivalent with properties that may be modified depending on the application. The 3D radiation dose distribution in polymer gel dosimeters may be imaged using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical-computerized tomography (optical-CT), x-ray CT or ultrasound. The fundamental science underpinning polymer gel dosimetry is reviewed along with the various evaluation techniques. Clinical dosimetry applications of polymer gel dosimetry are also presented. (topical review)

Thin TiO2 Films Prepared by Inkjet Printing of the Reverse Micelles Sol-Gel Composition

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Morozová, Magdalena; Klusoň, Petr; Krýsa, Josef; Dzik, P.; Veselý, M.; Šolcová, Olga

2011-01-01

Roč. 160, č. 1 (2011), s. 371-378 ISSN 0925-4005 R&D Projects: GA ČR GD203/08/H032; GA ČR GA104/09/0694; GA AV ČR KAN400720701 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40720504 Keywords : sol-gel * titanium oxide * inkjet printing Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 3.898, year: 2011

Applications of gel dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibbott, Geoffrey S

2004-01-01

Gel dosimetry has been examined as a clinical dosimeter since the 1950s. During the last two decades, however, a rapid increase in the number of investigators has been seen, and the body of knowledge regarding gel dosimetry has expanded considerably. Gel dosimetry is still considered a research project, and the introduction of this tool into clinical use is proceeding slowly. This paper will review the characteristics of gel dosimetry that make it desirable for clinical use, the postulated and demonstrated applications of gel dosimetry, and some complications, set-backs, and failures that have contributed to the slow introduction into routine clinical use

Structure-property relationships in flavour-barrier membranes with reduced high-temperature diffusivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heitfeld, Kevin A.; Schaefer, Dale W.

2009-01-01

Encapsulation is used to decrease the premature release of volatile flavour ingredients while offering protection against environmental damage such as oxidation, light-induced reactions, etc. Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) is investigated here as a 'smart,' temperature responsive membrane for flavour encapsulation and delivery. Gel films were synthesized and characterized by diffusion and small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering techniques. Increasing temperature typically increases the diffusion rate across a membrane; HPC, however, can be tailored to give substantially improved elevated temperature properties. Scattering results indicate processing conditions have a significant impact on membrane morphology (micro phase separation). Under certain synthetic conditions, micro phase separation is mitigated and the membranes show temperature-independent diffusivity between 25 C and 60 C.

Two-dimensional simulation of reactive diffusion in binary systems

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Svoboda, Jiří; Stopka, J.; Fischer, F. D.

2014-01-01

Roč. 95, DEC (2014), s. 309-315 ISSN 0927-0256 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-24252S Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Phase transformation * Diffusion-controlled interface migration * Reactive diffusion * Multiphase system * Intermetallic compounds Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics Impact factor: 2.131, year: 2014

Removing water from gels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lane, E.S.; Winter, J.A.

1982-01-01

Water is removed from a gel material by contacting the gel material with an organic liquid and contacting the organic liquid with a gas such that water is taken up by the gas. The invention, in one embodiment, may be used to dry gel materials whilst maintaining an open porous network therein. In one example, the invention is applied to gel precipitated spheres containing uranium and plutonium. (author)

Gas Transport Properties of PEBAX®/Room Temperature Ionic Liquid Gel Membranes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bernardo, P.; Jansen, J. C.; Bazzarelli, F.; Tasselli, F.; Fuoco, A.; Friess, K.; Izák, Pavel; Jarmarová, Veronika; Kačírková, Marie; Clarizia, G.

2012-01-01

Roč. 97, SI (2012), s. 73-82 ISSN 1383-5866. [Conference on Ionic Liquids in Separation and Purification Technology (ILSEPT) /1./. Sitges, 04.09.2011-07.09.2011] R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP106/10/1194 Grant - others:RFCS(XE) RFCR-CT-2010-00009 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : room temperature ionic liquid * ionic liquid * polymer gel Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Impact factor: 2.894, year: 2012

Three-dimensional visualization and measurement of conformal dose distributions using magnetic resonance imaging of bang polymer gel dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibbott, Geoffrey S.; Maryanski, Marek J.; Eastman, Peter; Holcomb, Stephen D.; Yashan, Zhang; Avison, Robin G.; Sanders, Michael; Gore, John C.

1997-01-01

Purpose/Objective: The measurement of complex dose distributions (those created by irradiation through multiple beams, multiple sources, or multiple source dwell positions) requires a dosimeter that can integrate the dose during a complete treatment. Integrating dosimeter devices generally are capable of measuring only dose at a point (ion chamber, diode, TLD) or in a plane (film). With increasing use of conformal dose distributions requiring shaped, non coplanar beams, there will be an increased requirement for a dosimeter that can record and display a 3D dose distribution. The use of a 3D dosimeter will be required to confirm the accuracy of treatment plans produced by the current generation of 3D treatment-planning computers. Methods and Materials: The use of a Fricke-infused gel and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to demonstrate the localization of stereotactic beams has been demonstrated (11). The recently developed BANG polymer gel dosimetry system (MGS Research, Inc., Guilford, CT), based on radiation-induced chain polymerization of acrylic monomers dispersed in a tissue-equivalent gel, surpasses the Fricke-gel method by providing accurate, quantitative dose distribution data that do not deteriorate with time (6, 9). The improved BANG2 formulation contains 3% N,N'-methylene-bis acrylamide, 3% acrylic acid, 1% sodium hydroxide, 5% gelatin, and 88% water, where all percentages are by weight. The gel was poured into volumetric flasks, of dimensions comparable to a human head. The gels were irradiated with complex beam arrangements, similar to those used for conformal radiation therapy. Images of the gels were acquired using a Siemens 1.5T imager and a Hahn spin-echo pulse sequence (90 deg. -τ-180 deg. -τ-acquire, for different values of τ). The images were transferred via network to a Macintosh computer for which a data analysis and display program was written. The program calculates R2 maps on the basis of multiple TE images, using a monoexponential

Factorized Estimation of Partially Shared Parameters in Diffusion Networks

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dedecius, Kamil; Sečkárová, Vladimíra

2017-01-01

Roč. 65, č. 19 (2017), s. 5153-5163 ISSN 1053-587X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GP14-06678P; GA ČR GA16-09848S Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : Diffusion network * Diffusion estimation * Heterogeneous parameters * Multitask networks Subject RIV: BD - Theory of Information OBOR OECD: Applied mathematics Impact factor: 4.300, year: 2016 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2017/AS/dedecius-0477044.pdf

Categorization of rheological scaling models for particle gels applied to casein gels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mellema, M.; Opheusden, van J.H.J.; Vliet, van T.

2002-01-01

Rennet-induced casein gels made from skim milk were studied rheologically. A scaling model or framework for describing the rheological behavior of gels is discussed and used for classification of the structure of casein gels. There are two main parameters in the model that describe the number of

Ion diffusion related to structure in molten salts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tosi, M.P.

1996-08-01

A model first developed by Zwanzig to derive transport coefficients in cold dense fluids directly from the Green-Kubo time correlation formulae allows one to relate macroscopic diffusion coefficients to the local fluid structure. Applications to various ionic diffusion processes in molten salts are reviewed. Consequences of partial structural quenching are also discussed. (author). 28 refs, 3 tabs

A BIDISPERSE MODEL TO STUDY THE HYDROLYSIS OF MALTOSE USING GLUCOAMYLASE IMMOBILIZED IN SILICA AND WRAPPED IN PECTIN GEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.R.B. Gonçalves

1997-12-01

Full Text Available In this work, a bidisperse model is built to represent the hydrolysis of maltose using immobilized glucoamylase. The experimental set is a mixed-batch reactor, maintained at 30ºC, with pectin gel spherical particles that contain enzyme immobilized in macroporous silica. The possibility of substrate adsorption on the pectin gel is also studied because this phenomenon may result in smaller values of diffusivity. Equilibrium assays are then performed for different substrates (maltose, lactose and glucose at different temperatures and pHs. These assays show that adsorption on the pectin gel is not important for the three dextrins analysed. The bidisperse model presents a good fit with the experimental data, when using previously-estimated kinetic and mass transfer parameters (Gonçalves et al., 1997. This result shows that the methodology used (wrapping the silica in pectin gel is appropriate for experimental studies with silica, since it allows a higher degree of agitation without causing shearing

Human glans penis augmentation using injectable hyaluronic acid gel.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, J J; Kwak, T I; Jeon, B G; Cheon, J; Moon, D G

2003-12-01

Although augmentation phalloplasty is not an established procedure, some patients still need enlargement of their penis. Current penile augmentation is girth enhancement of penile body by dermofat graft. We performed this study to identify the efficacy and the patient's satisfaction of human glans penis augmentation with injectable hyaluronic acid gel. In 100 patients of subjective small penis (Group I) and 87 patients of small glans after dermofat graft (Group II), 2 cm(3) of hyaluronic acid gel was injected into the glans penis, subcutaneously. At 1 y after injection, changes of glandular diameter were measured by tapeline. Patient's visual estimation of glandular size (Gr 0-4) and patient's satisfaction (Grade (Gr) 0-4) were evaluated, respectively. Any adverse reactions were also evaluated. The mean age of patients was 42.2 (30-70) y in Group I and 42.13 (28-61) y in Group II. The maximal glandular circumference was significantly increased compared to basal circumference of 9.13+/-0.64 cm in Group I (Ppenis.

Theory of kinetics and equilibrium of ion exchange-adsorption and mechanism of extracting uranium from sea-water with titanic gel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ai Hongtao

1989-01-01

An isothermal equation for ion exchange-adsorption is derived by mass action law. The equation can be used to sum up empirical and semiempirical formulas of the exchange adsorption, such as Gapon Equation, Sips Formula, Langmuir Equation and Freundlich Formula. In this paper, by adopting the ion exchange reaction to act as the determining step of the ion exchange adsorption kinetics, and exchange-adsorption kinetics equation is derived. It is verified by he results of a series of experiments in which uranium is extracted form enriched sea-water and natural sea-water with hydrous titanium oxide (titanic gel). This equation can be used to explain not only the results of test which have been applied to prove fast intraparticle diffusion of liquid film deffusion mechanism, but also test data which can be expalined by the co-controlling fast intraparticle and liquid film diffusion, and the kinetic data which can not be clarified by diffusion mechanism. It is proposed that the mechanism of the exchange adsorption of uranium from sea-water with titanic gel is a cationic exchange reaction. A method for calculating the quantity of exchange-adsorption at equilibrium is also given

Meta-Analysis of the Correlation between Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and Standardized Uptake Value in Malignant Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Shengming; Wu, Zhifang; Wu, Yiwei; Zhang, Wei; Li, Jihui; Dai, Na; Zhang, Bin; Yan, Jianhua

2017-01-01

The objective of this meta-analysis is to explore the correlation between the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) on diffusion-weighted MR and the standard uptake value (SUV) of 18 F-FDG on PET/CT in patients with cancer. Databases such as PubMed (MEDLINE included), EMBASE, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Review were searched for relevant original articles that explored the correlation between SUV and ADC in English. After applying Fisher's r -to- z transformation, correlation coefficient ( r ) values were extracted from each study and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses based on tumor type were performed to investigate the potential heterogeneity. Forty-nine studies were eligible for the meta-analysis, comprising 1927 patients. Pooled r for all studies was -0.35 (95% CI: -0.42-0.28) and exhibited a notable heterogeneity ( I 2 = 78.4%; P correlation coefficients of ADC/SUV range from -0.12 (lymphoma, n = 5) to -0.59 (pancreatic cancer, n = 2). We concluded that there is an average negative correlation between ADC and SUV in patients with cancer. Higher correlations were found in the brain tumor, cervix carcinoma, and pancreas cancer. However, a larger, prospective study is warranted to validate these findings in different cancer types.

Asbestos-related diffuse pleural thickening.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimoto, Nobukazu; Kato, Katsuya; Usami, Ikuji; Sakai, Fumikazu; Tokuyama, Takeshi; Hayashi, Seiji; Miyamoto, Kenji; Kishimoto, Takumi

2014-01-01

The clinical features of asbestos-related diffuse pleural thickening (DPT) remain unclear. To clarify the association between radiological findings of DPT and respiratory function. Medical data from patients with asbestos-related DPT were collected, including their history of occupational or neighborhood asbestos exposure, initial symptoms, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea grade, smoking history, radiological findings, and respiratory function test results. There were 106 DPT patients between 2005 and 2010 [i.e. 103 men (97.2%) and 3 women (2.8%)]. The median age at diagnosis was 69 years (range 46-88). Patient occupations related to asbestos exposure included: asbestos product manufacturing (n = 17); the shipbuilding industry (n = 14); the construction industry (n = 13); heat insulation work (n = 12); plumbing, asbestos spraying, and electrical work (n = 7 each), and transportation and demolition work (n = 4 each). The median duration of asbestos exposure was 25 years (range 2-54), and the median latency period before the onset of DPT was 46 years (range 25-66). Involvement of the costophrenic angle (CPA) was also negatively correlated with the percent vital capacity (%VC; r = -0.448, p < 0.01). Pleural thickness and the craniocaudal and horizontal extension of pleural thickening, as determined by chest computed tomography (CT), were also negatively correlated with %VC (r = -0.226, p < 0.05; r = -0.409, p < 0.01, and r = -0.408, p < 0.01, respectively). DPT develops after a long latency period following occupational asbestos exposure and causes marked respiratory dysfunction. The extension of DPT should be evaluated by chest CT, and chest X-ray would be important for the evaluation of the involvement of the CPA.

Infrared diffuse interstellar bands

Science.gov (United States)

Galazutdinov, G. A.; Lee, Jae-Joon; Han, Inwoo; Lee, Byeong-Cheol; Valyavin, G.; Krełowski, J.

2017-05-01

We present high-resolution (R ˜ 45 000) profiles of 14 diffuse interstellar bands in the ˜1.45 to ˜2.45 μm range based on spectra obtained with the Immersion Grating INfrared Spectrograph at the McDonald Observatory. The revised list of diffuse bands with accurately estimated rest wavelengths includes six new features. The diffuse band at 15 268.2 Å demonstrates a very symmetric profile shape and thus can serve as a reference for finding the 'interstellar correction' to the rest wavelength frame in the H range, which suffers from a lack of known atomic/molecular lines.

Diffusion in heterogeneous lattices

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Tarasenko, Alexander; Jastrabík, Lubomír

2010-01-01

Roč. 256, č. 17 (2010), s. 5137-5144 ISSN 0169-4332 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KAN301370701; GA MŠk(CZ) 1M06002 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100522 Keywords : lattice- gas systems * diffusion * Monte Carlo simulations Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.795, year: 2010

Rationalization of reduced penetration of drugs through ceramide gel phase membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Paloncýová, Markéta; DeVane, Russell H; Murch, Bruce P; Berka, Karel; Otyepka, Michal

2014-11-25

Since computing resources have advanced enough to allow routine molecular simulation studies of drug molecules interacting with biologically relevant membranes, a considerable amount of work has been carried out with fluid phospholipid systems. However, there is very little work in the literature on drug interactions with gel phase lipids. This poses a significant limitation for understanding permeation through the stratum corneum where the primary pathway is expected to be through a highly ordered lipid matrix. To address this point, we analyzed the interactions of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and its ethyl (benzocaine) and butyl (butamben) esters with two membrane bilayers, which differ in their fluidity at ambient conditions. We considered a dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) bilayer in a fluid state and a ceramide 2 (CER2, ceramide NS) bilayer in a gel phase. We carried out unbiased (100 ns long) and biased z-constraint molecular dynamics simulations and calculated the free energy profiles of all molecules along the bilayer normal. The free energy profiles converged significantly slower for the gel phase. While the compounds have comparable affinities for both membranes, they exhibit penetration barriers almost 3 times higher in the gel phase CER2 bilayer. This elevated barrier and slower diffusion in the CER2 bilayer, which are caused by the high ordering of CER2 lipid chains, explain the low permeability of the gel phase membranes. We also compared the free energy profiles from MD simulations with those obtained from COSMOmic. This method provided the same trends in behavior for the guest molecules in both bilayers; however, the penetration barriers calculated by COSMOmic did not differ between membranes. In conclusion, we show how membrane fluid properties affect the interaction of drug-like molecules with membranes.

The role of the solvent in PMMA gel polymer\

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vondrák, J.; Musil, M.; Sedlaříková, M.; Kořínek, Radim; Bartušek, Karel; Fedorková, A.

2016-01-01

Roč. 2, č. 1 (2016), s. 6-12 E-ISSN 2300-3545 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ED0017/01/01 Institutional support: RVO:68081731 Keywords : gel polymer electrolyte * TGA * NMR spectroscopy * conductivity * sodium polymer electrolyte Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/eetech.2016.2.issue-1/eetech-2016-0002/eetech-2016-0002.xml

Metal-silica sol-gel materials

Science.gov (United States)

Stiegman, Albert E. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

The present invention relates to a single phase metal-silica sol-gel glass formed by the co-condensation of a transition metal with silicon atoms where the metal atoms are uniformly distributed within the sol-gel glass as individual metal centers. Any transition metal may be used in the sol-gel glasses. The present invention also relates to sensor materials where the sensor material is formed using the single phase metal-silica sol-gel glasses. The sensor materials may be in the form of a thin film or may be attached to an optical fiber. The present invention also relates to a method of sensing chemicals using the chemical sensors by monitoring the chromatic change of the metal-silica sol-gel glass when the chemical binds to the sensor. The present invention also relates to oxidation catalysts where a metal-silica sol-gel glass catalyzes the reaction. The present invention also relates to a method of performing oxidation reactions using the metal-silica sol-gel glasses. The present invention also relates to organopolymer metal-silica sol-gel composites where the pores of the metal-silica sol-gel glasses are filled with an organic polymer polymerized by the sol-gel glass.

Regulatory function of cytomegalovirus-specific CD4+CD27-CD28- T cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tovar-Salazar, Adriana; Patterson-Bartlett, Julie; Jesser, Renee; Weinberg, Adriana

2010-01-01

CMV infection is characterized by high of frequencies of CD27 - CD28 - T cells. Here we demonstrate that CMV-specific CD4 + CD27 - CD28 - cells are regulatory T cells (T R ). CD4 + CD27 - CD28 - cells sorted from CMV-stimulated PBMC of CMV-seropositive donors inhibited de novo CMV-specific proliferation of autologous PBMC in a dose-dependent fashion. Compared with the entire CMV-stimulated CD4 + T-cell population, higher proportions of CD4 + CD27 - CD28 - T R expressed FoxP3, TGFβ, granzyme B, perforin, GITR and PD-1, lower proportions expressed CD127 and PD1-L and similar proportions expressed CD25, CTLA4, Fas-L and GITR-L. CMV-CD4 + CD27 - CD28 - T R expanded in response to IL-2, but not to CMV antigenic restimulation. The anti-proliferative effect of CMV-CD4 + CD27 - CD28 - T R significantly decreased after granzyme B or TGFβ inhibition. The CMV-CD4 + CD27 - CD28 - T R of HIV-infected and uninfected donors had similar phenotypes and anti-proliferative potency, but HIV-infected individuals had higher proportions of CMV-CD4 + CD27 - CD28 - T R . The CMV-CD4 + CD27 - CD28 - T R may contribute to the downregulation of CMV-specific and nonspecific immune responses of CMV-infected individuals.

Diffusion von Leerstelleninseln auf Cu(111)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verheij, Laurens K.; Schlößer, Dietmar; Rosenfeld, Georg

1998-01-01

Die zufällige Bewegung von Leerstelleninseln wurde bisher vorwiegend in einem Bild beschrieben, das von der Diffusion einzelner Atome ausgeht. In diesem Bild kann man Inseldiffusion durch die Einstein-Beziehung für Brownsche Bewegung ((Δ r)2 = 4 D Δ t) beschreiben. Für die Diffusionskonstante D wird

Thoria sol-gel processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthews, R.B.

1978-10-01

Alternate fuel fabrication techniques are being developed at WNRE as part of the thorium fuel cycle program. The sol-gel techniques are attractive and this report assembles and summarizes information relating to thoria sol-gel fuels. Some background information on the behaviour and advantages of sol-gel fuel forms is presented, followed by a review of relevant colloid chemistry and an explanation of the fundamental steps of sol-gel processes. Finally, several variants to the basic process are reviewed and evaluated. (author)

Tracer diffusion in compacted, water-saturated bentonite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourg, Ian C.; Sposito, Garrison; Bourg, Alain C.M.

2005-01-01

Compacted Na-bentonite clay barriers, widely used in the isolation of solid-waste landfills and other contaminated sites, have been proposed for a similar use in the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Molecular diffusion through the pore space in these barriers plays a key role in their performance, thus motivating recent measurements of the apparent diffusion coefficient tensor of water tracers in compacted, water-saturated Na-bentonites. In the present study, we introduce a conceptual model in which the pore space of water-saturated bentonite is divided into 'macropore' and 'interlayer nanopore' compartments. With this model we determine quantitatively the relative contributions of pore-network geometry (expressed as a geometric factor) and of the diffusive behavior of water molecules near montmorillonite basal surfaces(expressed as a contrastivity factor) to the apparent diffusion coefficient tensor. Our model predicts, in agreement with experiment, that the mean principal value of the apparent diffusion coefficient tensor follows a single relationship when plotted against the partial montmorillonite dry density (mass of montmorillonite per combined volume of montmorillonite and pore space). Using a single fitted parameter, the mean principal geometric factor, our model successfully describes this relationship for a broad range of bentonite-water system, from dilute gel to highly-compacted bentonite with 80 percent of its pore water in interlayer nanopores

Review of Fricke gel dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schreiner, L J

2004-01-01

The innovation of adding a gel matrix to the traditional Fricke dosimeter to stabilize geometric information established the field of gel dosimetry for radiation therapy. A discussion of Fricke gels provides an overview of the issues that determine the dose response of all gel dosimeters in general. In this paper we review some of the features of Fricke systems to illustrate these issues and, in addition, to motivate renewed clinical interest in Fricke gels

Reduction-induced inward diffusion and crystal growth on the surfaces of iron-bearing silicate glasses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, S.J.; Tao, H.Z.; Zhang, Y.F.

2015-01-01

We investigate the sodium inward diffusion (i.e., sodium diffusion from surface toward interior) in iron containing alkaline earth silicate glasses under reducing conditions around Tg and the induced surface crystallization. The surface crystallization is caused by formation of a silicate-gel lay......+ ions have stronger bonds to oxygen and lower coordination number (4~5) than Ca2+, Sr2+ and Ba2+ ions. In contrast, a cristobalite layer forms in Ca-, Sr- and Ba-containing glasses....

Gel nano-particulates against radioactivity; Des nanoparticules en gel contre la radioactivite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deroin, Ph

2004-11-01

The Argonne research center (USA) has developed a 'super-gel' compound, a polymer close to those used in baby's diapers, which can reach a 90% efficiency in the radioactive decontamination of porous materials, like bricks or concrete. The contaminated materials are sprayed with a mixture of polymer gel and wetting agent with nano-particulates in suspension. Under the action of the wetting agent, radioactivity migrates from the pores to the gel and is trapped by the nano-particulates. The drying and recycling of the gel allows to reduce the volume of radioactive wastes. Short paper. (J.S.)

Polymer gel dosimeters with enhanced sensitivity for use in x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jirasek, A; Hilts, M; McAuley, K B

2010-01-01

A primary limitation of current x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry is the low contrast, and hence poor dose resolution, of dose images produced by the system. The low contrast is largely due to the low-dose sensitivity of current formulations of polymer gel for x-ray CT imaging. This study reports on the investigation of new dosimeter formulations with improved dose sensitivity for x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry. We incorporate an isopropanol co-solvent into an N-isopropylacrylamide-based gel formulation in order to increase the total monomer/crosslinker concentration (%T) within the formulation. It is shown that gels of high %T exhibit enhanced dose sensitivity and dose resolutions over traditional formulations. The gels are shown to be temporally stable and reproducible. A single formulation (16%T) is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry system in measuring known dose distributions. A 1 L gel volume is exposed to three separate irradiations: a single-field percent depth dose, a two-field 'cross' and a three-field 'test case'. The first two irradiations are used to generate a dose calibration curve by which images are calibrated. The calibrated images are compared with treatment planning predictions and it is shown that the x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry system is capable of capturing spatial and dose information accurately. The proposed new gel formulation is shown to be sensitive, stable and to improve the dose resolution over current formulations so as to provide a feasible gel for clinical applications of x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry.

The Gini coefficient: a methodological pilot study to assess fetal brain development employing postmortem diffusion MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viehweger, Adrian; Sorge, Ina; Hirsch, Wolfgang [University Hospital Leipzig, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Leipzig (Germany); Riffert, Till; Dhital, Bibek; Knoesche, Thomas R.; Anwander, Alfred [Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig (Germany); Stepan, Holger [University Leipzig, Department of Obstetrics, Leipzig (Germany)

2014-10-15

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is important in the assessment of fetal brain development. However, it is clinically challenging and time-consuming to prepare neuromorphological examinations to assess real brain age and to detect abnormalities. To demonstrate that the Gini coefficient can be a simple, intuitive parameter for modelling fetal brain development. Postmortem fetal specimens(n = 28) were evaluated by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) on a 3-T MRI scanner using 60 directions, 0.7-mm isotropic voxels and b-values of 0, 150, 1,600 s/mm{sup 2}. Constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD) was used as the local diffusion model. Fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and complexity (CX) maps were generated. CX was defined as a novel diffusion metric. On the basis of those three parameters, the Gini coefficient was calculated. Study of fetal brain development in postmortem specimens was feasible using DWI. The Gini coefficient could be calculated for the combination of the three diffusion parameters. This multidimensional Gini coefficient correlated well with age (Adjusted R{sup 2} = 0.59) between the ages of 17 and 26 gestational weeks. We propose a new method that uses an economics concept, the Gini coefficient, to describe the whole brain with one simple and intuitive measure, which can be used to assess the brain's developmental state. (orig.)

Evaluation of a preservative system in a gel containing hydroalcoholic extract of Schinus terebinthifolius

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Túlio Flávio A. L. Moura

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Currently, microbial contamination is one of the major problems faced by the phytomedicine industry with respect to the quality of the raw materials. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a preservative system in a formulation with hydrogel containing hydroalcoholic extract of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, Anacardiaceae ("aroeira" or "Brazilian Peppertree", through the challenge test. The extracts were prepared by maceration at a ratio of 1:10 plant/solvent in 40% alcohol. Gel samples were artificially contaminated with separate inocula of Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the number of viable microorganisms determined in triplicate by the "pour plate" method for counting colonies at 0, 24 and 48h, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. The addition of the preservatives (methyl and propylparaben in the "aroeira" gel proved to be effective against the studied species when the samples were evaluated using the challenge test. According to the criterion A of the European Pharmacopoeia, it was verified that the hydrogel product showed good conservation in a 28 days period.

Design of Autonomous Gel Actuators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuji Hashimoto

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we introduce autonomous gel actuators driven by chemical energy. The polymer gels prepared here have cyclic chemical reaction networks. With a cyclic reaction, the polymer gels generate periodical motion. The periodic motion of the gel is produced by the chemical energy of the oscillatory Belouzov-Zhabotinsky (BZ reaction. We have succeeded in making synthetic polymer gel move autonomously like a living organism. This experimental fact represents the great possibility of the chemical robot.

Optimal processing for gel electrophoresis images: Applying Monte Carlo Tree Search in GelApp.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Phi-Vu; Ghezal, Ali; Hsueh, Ya-Chih; Boudier, Thomas; Gan, Samuel Ken-En; Lee, Hwee Kuan

2016-08-01

In biomedical research, gel band size estimation in electrophoresis analysis is a routine process. To facilitate and automate this process, numerous software have been released, notably the GelApp mobile app. However, the band detection accuracy is limited due to a band detection algorithm that cannot adapt to the variations in input images. To address this, we used the Monte Carlo Tree Search with Upper Confidence Bound (MCTS-UCB) method to efficiently search for optimal image processing pipelines for the band detection task, thereby improving the segmentation algorithm. Incorporating this into GelApp, we report a significant enhancement of gel band detection accuracy by 55.9 ± 2.0% for protein polyacrylamide gels, and 35.9 ± 2.5% for DNA SYBR green agarose gels. This implementation is a proof-of-concept in demonstrating MCTS-UCB as a strategy to optimize general image segmentation. The improved version of GelApp-GelApp 2.0-is freely available on both Google Play Store (for Android platform), and Apple App Store (for iOS platform). © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Diffusion in Coulomb crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughto, J; Schneider, A S; Horowitz, C J; Berry, D K

2011-07-01

Diffusion in Coulomb crystals can be important for the structure of neutron star crusts. We determine diffusion constants D from molecular dynamics simulations. We find that D for Coulomb crystals with relatively soft-core 1/r interactions may be larger than D for Lennard-Jones or other solids with harder-core interactions. Diffusion, for simulations of nearly perfect body-centered-cubic lattices, involves the exchange of ions in ringlike configurations. Here ions "hop" in unison without the formation of long lived vacancies. Diffusion, for imperfect crystals, involves the motion of defects. Finally, we find that diffusion, for an amorphous system rapidly quenched from Coulomb parameter Γ=175 to Coulomb parameters up to Γ=1750, is fast enough that the system starts to crystalize during long simulation runs. These results strongly suggest that Coulomb solids in cold white dwarf stars, and the crust of neutron stars, will be crystalline and not amorphous.

Tomotherapy dose distribution verification using MAGIC-f polymer gel dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavoni, J. F.; Pike, T. L.; Snow, J.; DeWerd, L.; Baffa, O.

2012-01-01

Purpose: This paper presents the application of MAGIC-f gel in a three-dimensional dose distribution measurement and its ability to accurately measure the dose distribution from a tomotherapy unit. Methods: A prostate intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) irradiation was simulated in the gel phantom and the treatment was delivered by a TomoTherapy equipment. Dose distribution was evaluated by the R2 distribution measured in magnetic resonance imaging. Results: A high similarity was found by overlapping of isodoses of the dose distribution measured with the gel and expected by the treatment planning system (TPS). Another analysis was done by comparing the relative absorbed dose profiles in the measured and in the expected dose distributions extracted along indicated lines of the volume and the results were also in agreement. The gamma index analysis was also applied to the data and a high pass rate was achieved (88.4% for analysis using 3%/3 mm and of 96.5% using 4%/4 mm). The real three-dimensional analysis compared the dose-volume histograms measured for the planning volumes and expected by the treatment planning, being the results also in good agreement by the overlapping of the curves. Conclusions: These results show that MAGIC-f gel is a promise for tridimensional dose distribution measurements.

Tomotherapy dose distribution verification using MAGIC-f polymer gel dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavoni, J. F.; Pike, T. L.; Snow, J.; DeWerd, L.; Baffa, O. [Departamento de Fisica, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciencias e Letras de Ribeirao Preto-Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900 - CEP 14040-901 - Bairro Monte Alegre - Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil); Medical Radiation Research Center, Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, 1111 Highland Avenue, B1002 WIMR, Madison, Wisconsin 53705-2275 (United States); Departamento de Fisica, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciencias e Letras de Ribeirao Preto-Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900 - CEP 14040-901 - Bairro Monte Alegre - Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil)

2012-05-15

Purpose: This paper presents the application of MAGIC-f gel in a three-dimensional dose distribution measurement and its ability to accurately measure the dose distribution from a tomotherapy unit. Methods: A prostate intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) irradiation was simulated in the gel phantom and the treatment was delivered by a TomoTherapy equipment. Dose distribution was evaluated by the R2 distribution measured in magnetic resonance imaging. Results: A high similarity was found by overlapping of isodoses of the dose distribution measured with the gel and expected by the treatment planning system (TPS). Another analysis was done by comparing the relative absorbed dose profiles in the measured and in the expected dose distributions extracted along indicated lines of the volume and the results were also in agreement. The gamma index analysis was also applied to the data and a high pass rate was achieved (88.4% for analysis using 3%/3 mm and of 96.5% using 4%/4 mm). The real three-dimensional analysis compared the dose-volume histograms measured for the planning volumes and expected by the treatment planning, being the results also in good agreement by the overlapping of the curves. Conclusions: These results show that MAGIC-f gel is a promise for tridimensional dose distribution measurements.

[A correlation between diffusion kurtosis imaging and the proliferative activity of brain glioma].

Science.gov (United States)

Tonoyan, A S; Pronin, I N; Pitshelauri, D I; Shishkina, L V; Fadeeva, L M; Pogosbekyan, E L; Zakharova, N E; Shults, E I; Khachanova, N V; Kornienko, V N; Potapov, A A

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess the capabilities of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in diagnosis of the glioma proliferative activity and to evaluate a relationship between the glioma proliferative activity index and diffusion parameters of the contralateral normal appearing white matter (CNAWM). The study included 47 patients with newly diagnosed brain gliomas (23 low grade, 13 grade III, and 11 grade IV gliomas). We determined a relationship between absolute and normalized parameters of the diffusion tensor (mean (MD), axial (AD), and radial (RD) diffusivities; fractional (FA) and relative (RA) anisotropies) and diffusion kurtosis (mean (MK), axial (AK), and radial (RK) kurtosis; kurtosis anisotropy (KA)) and the proliferative activity index in the most malignant glioma parts (pAK, and RK) and anisotropy (KA, FA, RA) values increased, and diffusivity (MD, AD, RD) values decreased as the glioma proliferative activity index increased. A strong correlation between the proliferative activity index and absolute RK (r=0,71; p=0.000001) and normalized values of MK (r=0.8; p=0.000001), AK (r=0.71; p=0.000001), RK (r=0.81; p=0.000001), and RD (r=-0.71; p=0.000001) was found. A weak, but statistically significant correlation between the glioma proliferative activity index and diffusion values RK (r=-0.36; p=0.014), KA (r=-0.39; p=0.007), RD (r=0.35; p=0.017), FA (r=-0.42; p=0.003), and RA (r=-0.41; p=0.004) of CNAWM was found. DKI has good capabilities to detect immunohistochemical changes in gliomas. DKI demonstrated a high sensitivity in detection of microstructural changes in the contralateral normal appearing white matter in patients with brain gliomas.

Kinetics of electrically and chemically induced swelling in polyelectrolyte gels

Science.gov (United States)

Grimshaw, P. E.; Nussbaum, J. H.; Grodzinsky, A. J.; Yarmush, M. L.

1990-09-01

Controlled swelling and shrinking of polyelectrolyte gels is useful for regulating the transport of solutes into, out of, and through these materials. A macroscopic continuum model is presented to predict the kinetics of swelling in polyelectrolyte gel membranes induced by augmentation of electrostatic swelling forces arising from membrane fixed charge groups. The model accounts for ionic transport within the membrane, electrodiffusion phenomena, dissociation of membrane charge groups, intramembrane fluid flow, and mechanical deformation of the membrane matrix. Model predictions are compared with measurements of chemically and electrically induced swelling and shrinking in crosslinked polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) membranes. Large, reversible changes in PMAA membrane hydration were observed after changing the bath pH or by applying an electric field to modify the intramembrane ionic environment and fixed charge density. A relatively slow swelling process and more rapid shrinking for both chemical and electrical modulation of the intramembrane pH are observed. The model indicates that retardation of membrane swelling is dominated by diffusion-limited reaction of H+ ions with membrane charge groups, and that the more rapid shrinking is limited primarily by mechanical processes.

Polymer gel dosimeters with enhanced sensitivity for use in x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jirasek, A [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria BC V8W 3P6 (Canada); Hilts, M [Medical Physics, BC Cancer Agency-Vancouver Island Centre, Victoria BC V6R 2B6 (Canada); McAuley, K B, E-mail: jirasek@uvic.c [Department of Chemical Engineering, Queens University, Kingston, ON K7 L 3N6 (Canada)

2010-09-21

A primary limitation of current x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry is the low contrast, and hence poor dose resolution, of dose images produced by the system. The low contrast is largely due to the low-dose sensitivity of current formulations of polymer gel for x-ray CT imaging. This study reports on the investigation of new dosimeter formulations with improved dose sensitivity for x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry. We incorporate an isopropanol co-solvent into an N-isopropylacrylamide-based gel formulation in order to increase the total monomer/crosslinker concentration (%T) within the formulation. It is shown that gels of high %T exhibit enhanced dose sensitivity and dose resolutions over traditional formulations. The gels are shown to be temporally stable and reproducible. A single formulation (16%T) is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry system in measuring known dose distributions. A 1 L gel volume is exposed to three separate irradiations: a single-field percent depth dose, a two-field 'cross' and a three-field 'test case'. The first two irradiations are used to generate a dose calibration curve by which images are calibrated. The calibrated images are compared with treatment planning predictions and it is shown that the x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry system is capable of capturing spatial and dose information accurately. The proposed new gel formulation is shown to be sensitive, stable and to improve the dose resolution over current formulations so as to provide a feasible gel for clinical applications of x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry.

A model for swelling changes in a covalently crosslinked gel caused by unfolding of folded domains

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dušek, Karel; Dušková, Miroslava; Stewart, R.; Kopeček, J.

2001-01-01

Roč. 47, 3-4 (2001), s. 351-358 ISSN 0170-0839 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA4050808; GA AV ČR KSK2050602 Grant - others:XE(XC) IC15CT96-0756 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4050913 Keywords : polymer gel * swelling * phase transition Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 0.880, year: 2001

Plasticity of an Amorphous Assembly of Elastic Gel Beads

Science.gov (United States)

Grosshans, D.; Knaebel, A.; Lequeux, F.

1995-01-01

We have studied the rheological properties of an assembly of swollen gel beads in a lack of solvent. The system is an amorphous assembly of packed soft spheres in a given volume. We have studied the plastic behavior of the system, and interpreted it in terms of bead rearrangements within the assembly. Nous avons étudié les propriétés rhéologiques d'un assemblage de billes de gel gonflées en défaut de solvant. Le système est donc une assemblée amorphe de sphères molles écrasées à volume total constant. Nous avons étudié divers aspects du comportement plastique et nous l'avons interprété en termes de réorganisations de billes dans l'assemblage.

Three dimensional measurement of dose distributions produced by a robot-mounted linac using magnetic resonance imaging of bang polymer gel dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, S.P.; Garwood, D.P.; Clarke, G.D.; McColl, R.W.; Maryanski, M.J.; Gore, J.C.

1996-01-01

Purpose/Objective: A novel image-guided robotic radiosurgical system, capable of irradiating 102 non-coplanar nodes in 3 π geometry, produces complex dose distributions which are difficult or impractical to measure with conventional dosimetry instrumentation. The recently developed BANG polymer gel dosimetry system provides accurate, high resolution and three dimensional dose distributions data and is ideally suited for the task described above. In this study, the polymer gels were used for imaging the dose distributions produced by this extremely flexible radiosurgical system. Materials and Methods: The dosimeter materials consist of 2-liter BANG polymer gels in spherical, clear glass flasks, closed with ground glass stoppers, with glass rods extending to the center of the gel that serve as a target for the frameless robotic radiosurgery. A compact 6 MV x-band linac (285 lbs) is mounted and maneuvered by a 6 degree-of-freedom robotic arm. The gels were irradiated using a 25 mm circular insert. A total of 10 Gy was delivered at isocenter at a dose rate of 300 cGy/min using all of the available 102 nodes. The gels were then imaged by MRI(GE Signa) at 1.5 T, using a series of Hahn spin echoes of TR = 3s, TE = 20,100,200,400 ms. Transverse relaxation rate (R 2 ) maps were constructed from those multiple images, using the non-linear least-squares Lavenberg-Marquardt algorithm and a data analysis and display program 'DoseMap' which was written using the scientific computational program MATLAB. R 2 maps were converted to dose maps using an R 2 -to-dose calibration curve. Dose maps and isodose curves were then compared with corresponding data from the treatment planning computer software. Results: The dose dependence of the NMR transverse relaxation rate, R 2 , is reproducible (less than 2 % variation) and is linear up to about 10 Gy, with a slope of 0.25 s -1 Gy -1 at 1.5 Tesla. Isodose curves in three orthogonal (axial, sagittal and coronal) planes show excellent

Transcutaneous port for levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel administration in Parkinson's disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Laar, T.; Nyholm, D.; Nyman, R.

Objective - To evaluate the safety and tolerability of the T-Port (R) for intestinal infusion of levodopa/carbidopa gel in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods - This prospective study was carried out in 24 patients with PD (15 males, mean age 61.8 years, mean duration PD 18.7

Tantala-based sol-gel coating for capillary microextraction on-line coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, MinhPhuong; Turner, Erica B; Segro, Scott S; Fang, Li; Seyyal, Emre; Malik, Abdul

2017-11-03

A sol-gel organic-inorganic hybrid sorbent, consisting of chemically integrated tantalum (V) ethoxide (TaEO) and polypropylene glycol methacrylate (PPGM), was developed for capillary microextraction (CME). The sol-gel sorbent was synthesized within a fused silica capillary through hydrolytic polycondensation of TaEO and chemical incorporation of PPGM into the evolving sol-gel tantala network. A part of the organic-inorganic hybrid sol-gel network evolving in the vicinity of the capillary walls had favorable conditions to get chemically bonded to the silanol groups on the capillary surface forming a surface-bonded coating. The newly developed sol-gel sorbent was employed to isolate and enrich a variety of analytes from aqueous samples for on-line analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with a UV detector. CME was performed on aqueous samples containing trace concentrations of analytes representing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, alcohols, amines, nucleosides, and nucleotides. This sol-gel hybrid coating provided efficient extraction with CME-HPLC detection limits ranging from 4.41pM to 28.19 pM. Due to direct chemical bonding between the sol-gel sorbent coating and the fused silica capillary inner surface, this sol-gel sorbent exhibited enhanced solvent stability. The sol-gel tantala-based sorbent also exhibited excellent pH stability over a wide pH range (pH 0-pH 14). Furthermore, it displayed great performance reproducibility in CME-HPLC providing run-to-run HPLC peak area relative standard deviation (RSD) values between 0.23% and 3.83%. The capillary-to-capillary RSD (n=3), characterizing capillary preparation method reproducibility, ranged from 0.24% to 4.11%. The results show great performance consistency and application potential for the sol-gel tantala-PPGM sorbent in various fields including biomedical, pharmaceutical, and environmental areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of acid ethanol extraction and acid gel filtration prior to IGF-I and IGF-II radioimmunoassays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bang, P.; Eriksson, U.; Wivall, I.-L.; Hall, K.; Sara, V.

1991-01-01

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins interfere in the IGF-I and -II radioimmunoassays. In an attempt to overcome this problem, we have compared the use of truncated IGF-I, with reduced IGFBP affinity, and IGF-I as radioligands for IGF-I RIA measurements in serum separated by acid gel filtration or acid ethanol extraction followed by cryo-precipitation. With truncated IGF-I as radioligand the IGF-I measurements in acid gel filtrates and acid ethanol extracts were significantly correlated in healthy subjects (N=42, r=0.91, p<0.001) and in patients with acromegaly (N=10, r=0.85, p<0.01), GH deficiency (N=10, r=0.88, p<0.001) or Type I diabetes mellitus (N=10, r=0.90, p<0.001). In contrast, the IGF-I concentrations in acid ethanol extracts determined with IGF-I as radioligand did not correlate with those in acid gel filtrates using truncated IGF-I radioligand in patients with acromegaly (r=0.61, NS) or GH deficiency (r=0.46, NS). In the latter group the mean IGF-I concentrations measured in acid ethanol extracts were erroneously elevated by 112%. Low-affinity antibodies used for IGF-II RIA determinations failed to give reliable results in acid ethanol extracts from patients with Type I diabetes mellitus or GH deficiency. In conclusion, erroneously high IGF-I concentrations owing to binding of the radioligand to IGFBPs not completely removed by acid ethanol extraction can be avoided by the use of truncated IGF-I as radioligand. (author)

Microstructure evolution and coercivity enhancement in Nd-Fe-B thin films diffusion-processed by R-Al alloys (R=Nd, Pr)

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Yigao; Yang, Yang; Zhang, Tongbo; Fu, Yanqing; Jiang, Qingzheng; Ma, Shengcan; Zhong, Zhenchen; Cui, Weibin; Wang, Qiang

2018-05-01

Diffusion process by Nd-Al and Pr-Al alloys was compared and investigated in Nd-Fe-B thin films. Enhanced coercivity 2.06T and good squareness was obtained by using Pr85Al15 and Nd85Al15 alloys as diffusion sources. But the coercivity of diffusion-processed thin films by Pr70Al30 and Pr55Al45 alloys decreased to 2.04T and 1.82T. High ambient coercivity of 2.26T was achieved in diffusion-processed thin film by Nd70Al30 leading to an improved coercivity thermal stability because Nd2Fe14B grains were enveloped by Nd-rich phase as seen by transmission electron microscopy Nd-loss image. Meanwhile, microstructure-dependent parameters α and Neff were improved. However, high content of Al in diffusion-processed thin film by Nd55Al45 lead to degraded texture and coercivity.

Self-diffusion of polycrystalline ice Ih under confining pressure: Hydrogen isotope analysis using 2-D Raman imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Noguchi, Naoki; Kubo, Tomoaki; Durham, William B.; Kagi, Hiroyuki; Shimizu, Ichiko

2016-08-01

We have developed a high-resolution technique based on micro Raman spectroscopy to measure hydrogen isotope diffusion profiles in ice Ih. The calibration curve for quantitative analysis of deuterium in ice Ih was constructed using micro Raman spectroscopy. Diffusion experiments using diffusion couples composed of dense polycrystalline H2O and D2O ice were carried out under a gas confining pressure of 100 MPa (to suppress micro-fracturing and pore formation) at temperatures from 235 K to 245 K and diffusion times from 0.2 to 94 hours. Two-dimensional deuterium profiles across the diffusion couples were determined by Raman imaging. The location of small spots of frost from room air could be detected from the shapes of the Raman bands of OH and OD stretching modes, which change because of the effect of the molar ratio of deuterium on the molecular coupling interaction. We emphasize the validity for screening the impurities utilizing the coupling interaction. Some recrystallization and grain boundary migration occurred in recovered diffusion couples, but analysis of two-dimensional diffusion profiles of regions not affected by grain boundary migration allowed us to measure a volume diffusivity for ice at 100 MPa of (2.8 ± 0.4) ×10-3exp[ -57.0 ± 15.4kJ /mol RT ] m2 /s (R is the gas constant, T is temperature). Based on ambient pressure diffusivity measurements by others, this value indicates a high (negative) activation volume for volume diffusivity of -29.5 cm3/mol or more. We can also constrain the value of grain boundary diffusivity in ice at 100 MPa to be volume diffusivity.

Swelling pressure induced phase-volume transition in hybrid biopolymer gels caused by unfolding of folded crosslinks: A model

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dušek, Karel; Dušková, Miroslava; Ilavský, Michal; Steward, R.; Kopeček, J.

2003-01-01

Roč. 4, č. 6 (2003), s. 1818-1826 ISSN 1525-7797 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KSK4050111 Keywords : thermodynamic model * swelling transitions * hybrid gels Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 2.824, year: 2003

High Rhodotorula sequences in skin transcriptome of patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Arron, Sarah T; Dimon, Michelle T; Li, Zhenghui; Johnson, Michael E; Wood, Tammara A; Feeney, Luzviminda; Angeles, Jorge G; Lafyatis, Robert; Whitfield, Michael L

2014-08-01

Previous studies have suggested a role for pathogens as a trigger of systemic sclerosis (SSc), although neither a pathogen nor a mechanism of pathogenesis is known. Here we show enrichment of Rhodotorula sequences in the skin of patients with early, diffuse SSc compared with that in normal controls. RNA-seq was performed on four SSc patients and four controls, to a depth of 200 million reads per patient. Data were analyzed to quantify the nonhuman sequence reads in each sample. We found little difference between bacterial microbiome and viral read counts, but found a significant difference between the read counts for a mycobiome component, R. glutinis. Normal samples contained almost no detected R. glutinis or other Rhodotorula sequence reads (mean score 0.021 for R. glutinis, 0.024 for all Rhodotorula). In contrast, SSc samples had a mean score of 5.039 for R. glutinis (5.232 for Rhodotorula). We were able to assemble the D1-D2 hypervariable region of the 28S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) of R. glutinis from each of the SSc samples. Taken together, these results suggest that R. glutinis may be present in the skin of early SSc patients at higher levels than in normal skin, raising the possibility that it may be triggering the inflammatory response found in SSc.

Diffusion weighted MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): Does the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) correlate with tracer uptake (SUV)?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Regier, M.; Derlin, T.; Schwarz, D.; Laqmani, A.; Henes, F.O.; Groth, M.; Buhk, J.-H.; Kooijman, H.; Adam, G.

2012-01-01

Introduction: To investigate the potential correlation of the apparent diffusion coefficient assessed by diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) and glucose metabolism determined by the standardized uptake value (SUV) at 18F-FDG PET/CT in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and methods: 18F-FDG PET/CT and DWI (TR/TE, 2000/66 ms; b-values, 0 and 500 s/mm 2 ) were performed in 41 consecutive patients with histologically verified NSCLC. Analysing the PET-CT data calculation of the mean (SUV mean ) and maximum (SUV max ) SUV was performed. By placing a region-of-interest (ROI) encovering the entire tumor mean (ADC mean ) and minimum ADC (ADC min ) were determined by two independent radiologists. Results of 18F-FDG PET-CT and DWI were compared on a per-patient basis. For statistical analysis Pearson's correlation coefficient, Bland–Altman and regression analysis were assessed. Results: Data analysis revealed a significant inverse correlation of the ADC min and SUV max (r = −0.46; p = 0.032). Testing the correlation of the ADC min and SUV max for each histological subtype separately revealed that the inverse correlation was good for both adenocarcinomas (r = −0.47; p = 0.03) and squamouscell carcinomas (r = −0.71; p = 0.002), respectively. No significant correlation was found for the comparison of ADC min and SUV mean (r = −0.29; p = 0.27), ADC mean vs. SUV mean (r = −0.28; p = 0.31) or ADC mean vs. SUV max (r = −0.33; p = 0.23). The κ-value of 0.88 indicated a good agreement between both observers. Conclusion: This preliminary study is the first to verify the relation between the SUV and the ADC in NSCLC. The significant inverse correlation of these two quantitative imaging approaches points out the association of metabolic activity and tumor cellularity. Therefore, DWI with ADC measurement might represent a new prognostic marker in NSCLC

Polymer gels and networks

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Osada, Yoshihito; Khokhlov, A. R

2002-01-01

... or magnetic field, etc.). It was realized that not only can polymer gels absorb and hold a considerable volume of liquids, but they can also be forced to expel the absorbed liquid in a controlled manner. Of particular interest are hydrogels, i.e., polymer gels, which swell extensively in water. The most common hydrogels are polyelectrolyte gels: ...

Modified sol–gel preparation of LiNbO.sub.3./sub. target for PLD

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jakeš, V.; Rubešová, V.; Erben, J.; Nekvindová, P.; Jelínek, Miroslav

2013-01-01

Roč. 35, č. 12 (2013), s. 2540-2543 ISSN 0925-3467 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP106/10/1477 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : lithium niobate * PLD * sol–gel * Pechini polyesterification * transmittance Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 2.075, year: 2013 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2013.07.019

Preparation of continuous alumina gel fibres by aqueous sol–gel ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. Continuous alumina gel fibres were prepared by sol–gel method. The spinning sol was prepared by mixing aluminum nitrate, lactic acid and polyvinylpyrrolidone with a mass ratio of 10:3:1·5. Thermogravimetry– differential scanning calorimetry (TG–DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, X-ray diffraction ...

Lung diffusing capacity for nitric oxide and carbon monoxide in relation to morphological changes as assessed by computed tomography in patients with cystic fibrosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nowak Dennis

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Due to large-scale destruction, changes in membrane diffusion (Dm may occur in cystic fibrosis (CF, in correspondence to alterations observed by computed tomography (CT. Dm can be easily quantified via the diffusing capacity for nitric oxide (DLNO, as opposed to the conventional diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO. We thus studied the relationship between DLNO as well as DLCO and a CF-specific CT score in patients with stable CF. Methods Simultaneous single-breath determinations of DLNO and DLCO were performed in 21 CF patients (mean ± SD age 35 ± 9 y, FEV1 66 ± 28%pred. Patients also underwent spirometry and bodyplethysmography. CT scans were evaluated via the Brody score and rank correlations (rS with z-scores of functional measures were computed. Results CT scores correlated best with DLNO (rS = -0.83; p S = -0.63; p CO (rS = -0.79; p NO were significantly lower than for DLCO (p 1, IVC or bodyplethysmographic (e.g., SRaw, RV/TLC indices were weaker than for DLNO or DLCO but most of them were also significant (p Conclusion In this cross sectional study in patients with CF, DLNO and DLCO reflected CT-morphological alterations of the lung better than other measures. Thus the combined diffusing capacity for NO and CO may play a future role for the non-invasive, functional assessment of structural alterations of the lung in CF.

Sealing wells with gel