Inkjet printing of UV-curable adhesive and dielectric inks for microfluidic devices.

Bonding of polymer-based microfluidics to polymer substrates still poses a challenge for Lab-On-a-Chip applications. Especially, when sensing elements are incorporated, patterned deposition of adhesives with curing at ambient conditions is required. Here, we demonstrate a fabrication method for fully printed microfluidic systems with sensing elements using inkjet and stereolithographic 3D-printing.

Ruminal dry matter and fiber fraction degradability from two stylos cultivars / Degradabilidade ruminal da matéria seca e fração fibrosa de duas cultivares de estilosantes

Ruminal degradability of dry matter, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber of cultivars Stylozanthes guianensis (Mineirão) and Stylozanthes spp. (Campo Grande) were evaluated. Two incubations in rumen-fistulated adult bovine females were undertaken. Each incubation comprised of 25 samples of 7.0 g of each cultivar and samples were collected at 0, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 hours after incubation. At a 5 percent/hour passage rate, Stylozanthes guianensis had 75.70, 59.01 and 76.81 percent effective degradability for dry matter, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber, respectively, whereas Stylozanthes spp. had 68.39, 51.93 and 58.89 percent for the same fractions. The lag time was different (P<0.05) only for acid detergent fiber. Stylozanthes guianensis presented higher ruminal degradability in dry matter and fiber fraction when compared to those by Stylozanthes spp. The decision to adopt one or another cultivar depends on studies that take into account the cost of deployment and maintenance of leguminous cultivar and its assets...

Avaliou-se a degradabilidade ruminal da matéria e fração fibrosa do Stylozanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão e Stylozanthes spp. cv. Campo Grande. Foram realizadas duas incubações em fêmea bovina adulta canulada no rúmen. Em cada incubação foram utilizadas 25 amostras de cada cultivar (7,0 g). As amostras foram retiradas nos tempos 0, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 e 96 horas de incubação. Para a taxa de passagem de 5 por cento/hora, o estilosantes Mineirão apresentou 75,70 por cento, 59,01 por cento e 76,81 por cento de degradabilidade efetiva (DE) da matéria seca (MS), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e fibra em detergente ácido (FDA), respectivamente, enquanto a cultivar Campo Grande alcançou DE de 68,39 por cento (MS), 51,93 por cento (FDN) e 58,89 por cento (FDA). O tempo de colonização foi estatisticamente diferente (P<0,05) apenas para a FDA. A cultivar Mineirão apresentou maior degradabilidade ruminal tanto para a MS quanto para a sua porção fibrosa. A escolha por uma das duas cultivares depende de estudos que levem em conta o custo de estabelecimento e manutenção das leguminosas e o benefício resultante...

Direct laser writing by two-photon polymerization as a tool for developing microenvironments for evaluation of bacterial growth.

Monitoring bacteria growth and motion in environments is fundamental to understand, for instance, how they proliferate and contaminate organism. Therefore, techniques to fabricate microenvironments for in situ and in vivo studies are interesting for that purpose. In this work we used two-photon polymerization to fabricate microenvironments and, as a proof of principle, we demonstrated the development of the bacteria ATCC 25922 Escherichia coli (E. coli) into the microstructure surroundings. Two varieties of polymeric microenvironments are presented: (i) a microenvironment doped at specific site with ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic typically used in the treatment of diseases caused by E. coli and (ii) micro-fences, which serve as traps for bacteria. These microenvironments, fabricated by two-photon polymerization, may be a potential platform for drug delivery system, by promoting or inhibiting the growth of bacteria in specific biological or synthetic sites.

Nanostructured conjugated polymers in chemical sensors: synthesis, properties and applications.

Conjugated polymers are organic materials endowed with a π-electron conjugation along the polymer backbone that present appealing electrical and optical properties for technological applications. By using conjugated polymeric materials in the nanoscale, such properties can be further enhanced. In addition, the use of nanostructured materials makes possible miniaturize devices at the micro/nano scale. The applications of conjugated nanostructured polymers include sensors, actuators, flexible displays, discrete electronic devices, and smart fabric, to name a few. In particular, the use of conjugated polymers in chemical and biological sensors is made feasible owning to their sensitivity to the physicochemical conditions of its surrounding environment, such as chemical composition, pH, dielectric constant, humidity or even temperature. Subtle changes in these conditions bring about variations on the electrical (resistivity and capacitance), optical (absorptivity, luminescence, etc.), and mechanical properties of the conjugated polymer, which can be precisely measured by different experimental methods and ultimately associated with a specific analyte and its concentration. The present review article highlights the main features of conjugated polymers that make them suitable for chemical sensors. An especial emphasis is given to nanostructured sensors systems, which present high sensitivity and selectivity, and find application in beverage and food quality control, pharmaceutical industries, medical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and homeland security, and other applications as discussed throughout this review.

Effect of interaction with micelles on the excited-state optical properties of zinc porphyrins and J-aggregates formation.

This work reports on the photophysical properties of zinc porphyrins meso-tetrakis methylpyridiniumyl (Zn(2+)TMPyP) and meso-tetrakis sulfonatophenyl (Zn(2+)TPPS) in homogeneous aqueous solutions and in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles. The excited-state dynamic was investigated with the Z-scan technique, UV-Vis absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Photophysical parameters were obtained by analyzing the experimental data with a conventional five-energy-level diagram. The interaction of the charged side porphyrin groups with oppositely charged surfactants can reduce the electrostatic repulsion between porphyrin molecules leading to aggregation, which affected the porphyrin characteristics such as absorption cross-sections, lifetimes and quantum yields. The interaction between anionic ZnTPPS with cationic CTAB micelles induced the formation of porphyrin J-aggregates, while this effect was not observed in the interaction of ZnTMPyP with SDS micelles. This difference is, probably, due to the difference in electrostatic repulsion between the porphyrin molecules. The insights obtained by these results are important for the understanding of the photophysical behavior of porphyrins, regarding potential applications in pharmacokinetics as encapsulation of photosensitizer for drug delivery systems and in its interaction with cellular membrane.

Degradabilidade in situ da matéria seca e fração fibrosa do estilosantes Campo Grande / In situ dry matter and fiber fraction degradability of the Campo Grande stylos

Avaliou-se, pela técnica in situ, a degradabilidade da matéria seca e da fração fibrosa da leguminosa estilosantes Campo Grande (Stylosanthes spp.). A cultivar Campo Grande é composta por uma mistura física de sementes das variedades S. capitata e S. macrocephala. Para o ensaio da degradabilidade, usou-se o método dos sacos de náilon, com duas incubações em um bovino adulto canulado no rúmen. O experimento foi realizado segundo o delineamento de blocos ao acaso, e os dados submetidos à análise de variância. A máxima degradabilidade efetiva foi atingida na taxa de passagem de 2%. Para a taxa de passagem de 5%, a degradabilidade efetiva foi de 68,4% para a matéria seca, 51,9% para a fibra em detergente neutro e 58,9% para a fibra em detergente ácido. Os resultados mostram que a cultivar analisada possui digestibilidade compatível com outras leguminosas tropicais atualmente utilizadas pelos produtores rurais, apresentando como vantagem o fato de ser nativa do bioma cerrado.

Using the in situ technique, this work evaluated the dry matter and fiber fraction degradability of the Campo Grande Stylos (Stylozanthes spp.). The Campo Grande cultivar consists of a physical seed mixture of the S. capitata and S. macrocephala varieties. For the degradability assay the nylon bag method was used, with two incubations in rumen cannulated adult bovine female. In each incubation 25 samples of 7.0 g each were used. The samples were collected at 0, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 hours. The experiment was conducted according to a randomized block design and data were submitted to variance analysis. The maximum effective degradability was in the 2% passage rate. For the 5% passage rate the Campo Grande stylos showed effective degradation of 68.4% for dry matter, 51.9% for neutral detergent fiber and 58.9% for acid detergent fiber. The results show that the analyzed cultivar has compatible digestibility in comparison to other tropical legumes currently used by farmers, and also has the advantage of being native from the Cerrado biome, and, therefore adapted to the region's ecological conditions.

Effects of environment on the photophysical characteristics of mesotetrakis methylpyridiniumyl porphyrin (TMPyP).

Porphyrins are an important class of organic molecules, with interesting linear and nonlinear optical properties given mainly by their extended π-conjugation structure. Their photophysical properties can be greatly affected by the surrounding environment, which can be used to tune its final properties. Here we report on an experimental study of the photophysical properties of meso-tetrakis (methylpyridiniumyl) porphyrin (TMPyP) in aqueous and in several organic solvents and its interaction with micelles formed from negatively charged sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS), positively charged cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and neutral TRITON X-100. By using the Z-scan technique, flash-photolysis and time-resolved fluorescence techniques, we were able to evaluate the excited state dynamics of the TMPyP, and observed that the tetrapyrrole ring plays important role due to hydrogen bonds formation between nitrogen atom and water, while the side groups determine the porphyrin localization in non-aqueous micelle part.

Experimental and theoretical study of two-photon absorption in nitrofuran derivatives: Promising compounds for photochemotherapy.

We report experimental and theoretical studies of the two-photon absorption spectrum of two nitrofuran derivatives: nitrofurantoine, (1-(5-nitro-2-furfurilideneamine)-hidantoine) and quinifuryl, 2-(5(')-nitro-2(')-furanyl)ethenyl-4-{N-[4(')-(N,N-diethylamino)-1(')-methylbutyl]carbamoyl} quinoline. Both molecules are representative of a family of 5-nitrofuran-ethenyl-quinoline drugs that have been demonstrated to display high toxicity to various species of transformed cells in the dark. We determine the two-photon absorption cross-section for both compounds, from 560 to 880 nm, which present peak values of 64 GM for quinifuryl and 20 GM for nitrofurantoine (1 GM = 1×10(-50)cm(4).s.photon(-1)). Besides, theoretical calculations employing the linear and quadratic response functions were carried out at the density functional theory level to aid the interpretations of the experimental results. The theoretical results yielded oscillator strengths, two-photon transition probabilities, and transition energies, which are in good agreement with the experimental data. A higher number of allowed electronic transitions was identified for quinifuryl in comparison to nitrofurantoine by the theoretical calculations. Due to the planar structure of both compounds, the differences in the two-photon absorption cross-section values are a consequence of their distinct conjugation lengths.

Two-photon polymerization for fabricating structures containing the biopolymer chitosan.

Two-photon polymerization is a powerful tool for fabricating three-dimensional micro/nano structures for applications ranging from nanophotonics to biology. To tailor such structure for specific purposes it is often important to dope them. In this paper we report on the fabrication of structures, with nanometric surface features (resolution of approximately 700 nm), using two-photon polymerization of an acrylic resin doped with the biocompatible polymer chitosan using a guest-host scheme. The fluorescence background in the Raman spectrum indicates the presence of chitosan throughout the structure. Mechanical characterization reveals that chitosan does not affect the mechanical properties of the host acrylic resin and, consequently, the structures exhibit excellent integrity. The approach presented in this work can be used in the fabrication of micro- and nanostructures containing biopolymers for biomedical applications.

Excited state absorption spectrum of chlorophyll a obtained with white-light continuum.

The study of excited state properties of chlorophyll a is a subject of foremost interest, given that it plays important roles in biological process and has also been proposed for applications in photonics. This work reports on the excited state absorption spectrum of chlorophyll a solution from 460 to 700 nm, obtained through the white-light continuum Z-scan technique. Saturation of absorption was observed due to the ground state depletion, induced by the white-light continuum region that is resonant with the Q band of chlorophyll a. The authors also observed reverse saturation of absorption related to the excitation from the first excited state to a higher energy level for wavelengths below 640 nm. An energy-level diagram, based on the electronic states of chlorophyll a, was employed to interpret their results, revealing that more states than the ones related to the Q and B bands participate in the excited state absorption of this molecule.

ATP-sensitive potassium channels do not mediate vasorelaxation by acetylcholine or iloprost.

The influence of glibenclamide (GBC), a blocker of ATP-sensitive K+ channels, on relaxation caused by cromakalim (CKL), acetylcholine (ACh) and iloprost (ILO) was assessed in aortic rings (AR) with (E+) or without endothelium (E-) and in the perfused arterial mesentery (MES) of the rat. In AR preconstricted with noradrenaline, CKL (0.03-10 microM) and ILO (5.5 nM-1.6 microM) caused graded vasodilations which were not modified by endothelium removal. ACh (0.01-3 microM) only relaxed E+AR preparations. GBC (3 microM) markedly reduced responses to CKL in E+AR and E-AR, but did not affect vasodilation induced by ILO in E+AR or E-AR and by ACh in E+AR. In MES preconstricted with methoxamine, bolus injections of CKL (10 or 30 nmol) or ACh (0.03-1 nmol) caused graded reductions of perfusion pressure. Only the responses to CKL were significantly inhibited by GBC (10 microM). We conclude that AR and MES contain functional ATP-sensitive K+ channels, which, however, do not play a significant role in the endothelium-dependent vasodilation triggered by ACh or in the endothelium-independent relaxation induced by ILO.

ATP-sensitive potassium channels do not mediate vasorelaxation by acetylcholine or iloprost

The influence of glibenclamide(GBC), a blocker of ATP-sensitive K+ channells, on relaxation caused by cromakalin(CKL), acetylcholine (ACh) and iloprost (ILO) was assessed in aortic rings (AR) with (E+) or without endotheliium (E-) and in the perfused arterial mesentery (MES) of the rat. In AR preconstricted with noradrenaline, CKL(0.03-10 *M) and ILO (5.5 nM) caused graded vasodilations which were not modified by endothelium removal. ACh(0.01-3 *M) only relaxed E+AR preparations. GBC (3*M) markedly reduced responses to CKL in E+AR and E-AR, but did not affect vasodilation induceds by ILO in E-AR and by ACH in E+AR. In MES preconstricted with methoxamine, bolus injections of CKL (10 or 30 nmol) or ACh (0.03-1nmol) caused graded reductions of perfusion pressure. Only the responses to CKL were significantly inhibited by GBC (10 *M). We conclude that AR and MES contain functional ATP-sensitive K+ channels, which, however, do not play a significant role in the endothelium-dependent vasodilation triggered by ACh or in the endothelium-indipendent relaxation induced by ILO