Orientador: Teresa Dib Zambon Atvars / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T12:38:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Domingues_RaquelAparecida_D.pdf: 6835134 bytes, checksum: cb024bd183c16c1ab7db85bee2dd72dc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Neste trabalho foram estudadas as propriedades fotofísicas de dois derivados de polifluoreno, F8BT e PFO-MEHPPV, visando determinar a influência de substratos sobre as mesmas. Os materiais na forma de filme foram depositados por spin coating em substrato de vidro e de vidro recoberto com ITO, sendo que as espessuras variaram de 50 nm a 600 nm, além de um filme preparado por casting com espessura de 50 ?m. As propriedades fotofísicas estudadas foram: os espectros de emissão, a largura à meia altura (FWHM) dos espectros, a posição do máximo de emissão da banda 0-0 em função da temperatura e a progressão vibrônica dos espectros de emissão. Para ambos os polímeros e dentro da faixa de espessura estudada foi verificado que a diminuição na espessura do filme causa também uma diminuição na temperatura de transição vítrea, sendo que abaixo de 450 nm o filme fino apresenta desvios de comportamento de bulk. O tipo de substrato não influenciou nas temperaturas de relaxação. Foi possível dividir os filmes de F8BT em dois grupos: espessuras de 52-185 nm que induzem maiores alargamentos inomogêneos e, portanto possuem ambientes cibotáticos heterogêneos para os fluoróforos inseridos na matriz; e espessuras maiores que 450 nm que possuem Tg maiores e menores alargamentos inomogêneos com ambientes mais homogêneos ao longo da matriz. Para o PFO-MEHPPV temos a relação que quanto maior a espessura, maior a Tg e maior o alargamento inomogêneo. Filmes mais espessos de PFO-MEHPPV encontram-se localmente menos organizados, e diferentemente do observado para os filmes de F8BT, o substrato estaria favorecendo algum grau de organização nos filmes em relação ao bulk. Medidas de tempo de vida de fluorescência foram utilizadas para estudar as interações nas interfaces do polímero orgânico com ITO e alumínio. A camada de alumínio foi considerada supressora para as diversas espessuras estudadas, e esta supressão foi atribuída aos processos de interferência, transferência de energia para o eletrodo metálico e difusão excitônica. O processo de interferência foi determinado através de modelo existente na literatura e sua menor contribuição ocorre em espessuras menores, nas quais os processos de transferência de energia são importantes. Com isso, foi possível concluir, a partir de todos os dados fotofísicos obtidos, que para espessuras acima de 450 nm os filmes deixam de ter comportamento de filme fino / Abstract: In this work, the influence of substrate on the photophysical properties of two polyfluorene derivatives, F8BT and PFO-MEHPPV was studied. The films were prepared by spin-coating solutions of the polymers, using glass and ITO coated glass as the substrates. The thickness was varied from 50 nm to 600 nm. A cast film with a thickness of 50 ìm was also prepared using both polymers. The photophysical properties of the two polyfluorene derivatives, F8BT and PFO-MEHPPV were studied using their emission spectra, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the spectra, the temperature dependence of the peak position of the 0-0 emission band and the vibronic progression of the emission spectra. For both polymers, F8BT and PFO-MEHPPV, as the film thickness decreased the glass transition temperature decreased. Below a film thickness of 450 nm, a deviation from bulk behavior was observed. It is also importante note that the substrate type did not affect the relaxation temperature. It was possible to classify the F8BT films into two groups. Those with thicknesses between 52 nm to 185 nm have shown greater inhomogeneous broadening and very heterogeneous cybotatic environments for the fluorophores, while those with film thicknesses greater than 450 nm have shown higher Tg values which induce lower inhomogeneous broadening. PFO-MEHPPV also has shown a similar trend. As the thickness of the film increased, a higher Tg was observed. However, thicker films of PFO-MEHPPV were observed to be less locally organized, in contrast to the F8BT films of the same thickness. This might be due to the substrate, which would favor some degree of organization in the films in comparison to the bulk material. Time-resolved PL measurements have also been used to characterize the interface interactions between the polymer film and ITO (polymer/ITO) or aluminum (polymer/aluminum). The aluminum layer acted as a quencher through an interference effect, energy transfer to the metal and excitonic diffusion. The interference effect was determined by using a model described in the literature however, it has a minimal effect in thinner films. The evidence gained from the photophysical measurements indicates that these films with thicknesses above 450 nm do not show thin film behavior / Doutorado / Físico-Química / Doutora em Ciências

Orientadores: José Euclides Stipp Paterniani, Cristiano de Mello Gallep / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T21:52:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Santos_SamuelRicardodos_D.pdf: 51294263 bytes, checksum: 55a8bb93513a62aa29e85fe9467412c6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Giardia spp. e Cryptosporidium spp. são organismos desafiadores em monitoramento ambiental, podendo afetar os seres humanos e os animais com grandes impactos na saúde pública. Métodos para detectar esses organismos são descritos na literatura ¿ p.ex.: o método EPA 1623.1. No entanto, muitos não são capazes de detectar a viabilidade destes parasitos. Este trabalho avaliou o uso de marcadores fluorescentes combinados com a técnica de detecção de fluorescência retardada na detecção de viabilidade de Giardia intestinalis e Cryptosporidium parvum. Testes de incubação com 6-carboxifluorceina-succinimidil-diacetato-éster (CFDA-SE), C12-resazurina e SYTOX Green foram desenvolvidos com cistos de G. intestinalis e oocistos de C. parvum. Medidas de fluorescência retardada em câmara escura projetada e em dispositivo comercial foram aplicados em amostras purificadas e concentradas de G. intestinalis após incubação com CFDA-SE. Grupos contendo cistos vivos e infecciosos, mortos a 100° C, estressados com luz UV-C e envelhecidos foram analisados via fluorescência retardada e microscopia de epifluorescência em oito séries experimentais. Os resultados demonstram que (oo)cistos vivos e infecciosos não são marcados com os marcadores fluorescentes. Dupla marcação em (oo)cistos mortos é observada após 30 minutos de incubação com C12-resazurina 5,0 ?M e SYTOX Green 100 nM. (Oo)cistos mortos apresentam marcação verde após incubação de CFDA-SE 5,0 ?M. O envelhecimento da amostra foi acompanhado pelo aumento da taxa de marcação celular com cistos apresentando ~50% de marcação aos 30 dias de idade e ~100% aos 50 dias de idade. Testes com fluorescência retardada demonstram que cistos vivos e com idade inferior a 20 dias apresentam intensidades superiores aos cistos mortos e estressados após excitação com 365 nm. A excitação com 365 nm apresentou correlação R2 > 95% após análise de cinética de decaimento com modelo exponencial de segunda ordem. Os dados indicam que o decaimento da fluorescência retardada é acompanhado por duas componentes k1 e k2 onde k2 = 5?k1, estando estas conectadas com as condições fisiológicas da Giardia. O procedimento pode ser efetuado em 10 passos laboratoriais em aproximadamente 60 minutos de análise. A fluorescência retardada apresenta futuro promissor na análise de viabilidade de parasitos em amostras purificadas / Abstract: Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. are challenging and important organisms in modern environmental monitoring. These protozoa can affect humans and animals seriously, as reflection of sanitation problems in water quality control, with huge impact over economics and public health. Methods to detect such organisms are well described in literature - i.e. the EPA Method 1623.1 and AWWA 2012. But those ones are not able to detect infectivity. For that, the usual procedures include infection of animal model leading to at least one week for confirming infectivity. Some research with dye probes are being developed in order to provide useful, reliable and low cost procedures for detection of protozoa viability, i.e. enabling to distinguish dead samples cells from living ones. This work describes the screening tests for viability detection of protozoa samples - Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium parvum - using carboxifluorcein-succinimidyl-diacetate-ester (CFDA-SE), C12-resazurin and SYTOX Green. Living, heat-killed and UV-C stressed (oo)cysts were analyzed using these chemical probes. G. intestinalis in concentrated samples and stained with CFDA-SE were analysed by fluorescence imaging as well as by delayed fluorescence (DF) after UV-A and white-light excitation. The weak DF profiles were detected in photon-counting setups, in 8 series of tests for intact, for heat-killed and for UV-C-stressed samples are shown. Results show that fresh, i.e. living and viable (oo)cysts cannot be stained by the mentioned neither with CFDA-SE nor C12-resazurin and SYTOX Green dyes. Double-marked (oo)cysts are observed when C12-resazurin and SYTOX Green are applied to old cysts as well to dead ones. Aged samples show increasing number of stained organisms: 30-day-old with ~50% while samples older than 50 days with almost 100% marked. Intact samples present stronger fluorescence and DF than the stressed ones, with good replication after UV-A excitation. After excitation @365nm samples present DF better fitted by double exponential decay kinetics, with the decay constant k2 five times higher than the k1 constant. The procedure can be easily reproduced in 10 steps, taking around 1h of laboratorial work with purified samples / Doutorado / Agua e Solo / Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola

Orientador: Oswaldo Luiz Alves / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T03:04:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Simoes_MateusBatista_M.pdf: 4986679 bytes, checksum: 2b115e73f65ae444a8545b2ab4b05173 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: As diferenças nas propriedades observadas considerando um material no seu estado bulk e na sua escala nanométrica são, possivelmente, a característica mais marcante e fascinante da nanotecnologia. Os carbon dots são nanomateriais baseados em carbono que apresentam fluorescência quando menores do que 10 nm, mas que podem fluorescer após tratamento da sua superfície, quando em partículas da ordem de até 100 nm. É interessante notar que o comprimento de onda no qual ocorrerá a fluorescência é dependente do tamanho das partículas. Assim, é possível modular a fluorescência controlando o tamanho dos carbon dots, os quais apresentam grande potencial para aplicação em fotocatálise, bioimagem, sensores e optoeletrônica, sendo possível funcionalizar estes materiais, objetivando uma aplicação in vivo, a fim de aumentar sua biocompatibilidade. As sínteses hidrotérmicas vêm despertando interesse para a obtenção dos carbon dots, por ser uma técnica simples, econômico e eficiente. Além disto, é possível obter materiais com grande homogeneidade e com controle de morfologia e tamanho, fatores estes que irão influenciar a fluorescência. Desta forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a influência das condições de síntese hidrotérmica na fluorescência dos carbon dots, realizar a funcionalização deste material e avaliar a capacidade de utilização in vivo do material por meio de ensaios de hemólise. Carbon dots foram obtidos por meio da carbonização hidrotérmica de glicose e as condições de síntese foram otimizadas utilizando-se um planejamento fatorial. Observou-se que temperatura e tempos de síntese elevados e uma menor concentração inicial da fonte de carbono leva a nanopartículas com maior rendimento quântico (variando entre 3,3 e 5,8%). Os carbon dots foram caracterizados por espectroscopia na região do infravermelho, espectroscopia na região do ultravioleta-visível, microscopia eletrônica de transmissão, além de ter seu perfil de fluorescência estudado, sendo que o máximo de excitação ocorre na região do ultravioleta e o máximo de emissão na região do azul. Testes hemolíticos foram realizados com as nanopartículas que apresentaram maior rendimento quântico e mostraram que não há indução de hemólise, demonstrando que o material tem elevado potencial para aplicação in vivo. Por fim, utilizando-se as condições ótimas de síntese, carbon dots também foram obtidos por meio da carbonização hidrotérmica de pectina, demonstrando que o método de síntese é robusto e válido para fontes de carbono alternativas. Os carbon dots obtidos de pectina apresentam um rendimento quântico de 3,6% e foram caracterizados pelas mesmas técnicas utilizadas para os carbon dots de glicose / Abstract: The differences in observed properties considering a material in its bulk state and its nanoscale are possibly the most striking and fascinating feature of nanotechnology. Carbon dots are carbon-based nanomaterials that present fluorescence when smaller than 10 nm, but may fluoresce after treatment of its surface considering particles of the order of until 100 nm. Interestingly, the wavelength at which the fluorescence occurs is dependent on the particle size. Thus, it is possible to modulate the fluorescence controlling the size of the carbon dots, which have great potential for application in photocatalysis, bioimage, optoelectronics and sensors, being possible to functionalize these materials, aiming an application in vivo, in order to increase its biocompatibility. The hydrothermal syntheses have attracted interest for obtaining the carbon dots, being a simple, cheap and efficient technique. Moreover, it is possible to obtain materials with high homogeneity and controlled morphology and size, factors that will influence the fluorescence. Thus, the present work aimed to study the influence of the conditions of hydrothermal synthesis in the fluorescence of carbon dots, perform the functionalization of this material and evaluate the ability to in vivo use of the material by hemolytic trials. Carbon dots were obtained by hydrothermal carbonization of glucose and the synthesis parameters were optimized by a factorial design of experiments. It was observed that higher temperature and time of synthesis and a lower initial concentration of the carbon source leads to nanoparticles with a higher quantum yield (varying between 3.3 and 5.8%). The carbon dots were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, beyond to have its fluorescence profile studied, and it was observed that the maximum excitation occurs at the ultraviolet range and the maximum emission at the blue range of the spectrum. Hemolytic trials were performed with the nanoparticles of highest quantum yield, and the results showed that no hemolysis was provoked, demonstrating that he material have a raised potential to in vivo applications. Lastly, with the optimized synthesis parameters, carbon dots were also obtained by hydrothermal carbonization of pectin, evidencing that the synthesis protocol is robust and effectual to alternatives carbon sources. The carbon dots of pectin presented a quantum yield of 3.6% and were characterized by the same techniques utilized to the carbon dots of glucose / Mestrado / Quimica Inorganica / Mestre em Química

Orientador: Silvana Moreira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Química / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-19T05:19:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Geraldo_SimoniMicheti_M.pdf: 8576780 bytes, checksum: 143842c5f48e40fb90b5def8331f572b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Os metais podem ser introduzidos no ambiente naturalmente pelo intemperismo dos minerais e por fontes não naturais como fertilizantes, pesticidas, combustão de carvão e óleo, emissões veiculares, mineração, fundição, refinamento e incineração de resíduos urbanos e industriais. Atualmente muitos estudos utilizam os bioindicadores, plantas ou animais capazes de apresentar respostas qualitativas e/ou quantitativas, quando expostas a substâncias poluentes. As árvores registram e incorporam no seu lenho, desenvolvido ano após ano, as impressões do meio abiótico, tornando possível o estudo das diferentes alterações ambientais, entre elas a poluição, ocorridas ao longo da vida dessas árvores. A possibilidade de datação dos anéis de crescimento do lenho das árvores, aliada à aplicação das informações registradas em sua estrutura para estudos ambientais e históricos deu início à ciência chamada de dendrocronologia. A espécie selecionada para o estudo foi a Tipuana tipu. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal a determinação do teor de metais tóxicos em amostras de anéis de crescimento de árvores da espécie Tipuana tipu, previamente datados, coletadas nas regiões da Lapa, Pompéia, Sumaré, Butantã na cidade de São Paulo, através da técnica de Fluorescência de Raios X por Reflexão Total com Radiação Síncrotron. Foram realizadas coletas de anéis também no Campus da ESALQ/USP em Piracicaba (SP), local de pouco acesso e com baixo fluxo de veículos. Foram encontrados os seguintes elementos: K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Ba e Pb. Alguns elementos traços apresentaram concentrações acima das consideradas normais em determinados períodos. Na cidade de São Paulo, a amostra 2 do Campus do IPT no Butantã foi a que apresentou maior toxicidade, com concentrações acima do limite tolerável para os seguintes elementos: Ti, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr e Pb. Para as amostras coletadas no Campus da ESALQ em Piracicaba, a amostra 2 apresentou concentrações mais elevadas para a maioria dos elementos quando comparada as outras quatro amostras coletadas no mesmo local, ultrapassando os limites de toxicidade para: Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr e Pb. Pelos resultados obtidos podemos considerar que os anéis de árvore de crescimento da espécie Tipuana tipu podem ser utilizados como bioindicadores da contaminação ambiental / Abstract: Metals can be introduced in the environment naturally by the weathering of the minerals and by no natural sources as fertilizers, pesticides, oil and coal combustions, vehicular emissions, mining, foundry, refinement and incineration of urban and industrial wastes. Nowadays many studies use the bio-indicators, plants or animals capable to present qualitative and/or quantitative answers, when exposed to substances pollutant. Trees record and incorporate in their log, developed year after year, the impressions of the environment, becoming possible the study of the different environmental changes, including contamination, that have occurred over the life of these trees. The possibility to date the growth rings, combining with the information recorded in its structure to environmental and historical studies began to science called dendrochronology. The selected species, Tipuana tipu, of the Leguminosae family, is native of Argentina and Bolivia and was introduced in Brazil as ornamental. It is one of the most common trees in urban landscaping in Sao Paulo city. The present project has as main objective the determination of the content of heavy metals in samples of growth tree rings of Tipuana tipu, previously dated, collected in strategically locations of São Paulo, using Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence with Synchrotron Radiation (SR-TXRF). Samples were collected also in the Campus of ESALQ/USP, in Piracicaba (SP), local of little access and small flow traffic. The following elements were determined: K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Ba, Pb. Some trace elements present concentrations higher than considered as normal in some periods. In São Paulo city, sample 2 collected in IPT Campus, Butantã, showed the highest toxicity, with concentration above the tolerable limit for the elements: Ti, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr and Pb. For the samples collected in the ESALQ Campus, Piracicaba city, the sample 2 present highest concentrations for the majority of the elements when compared to the others four samples collected at the same place, exceeding the toxicity limits for: Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr and Pb. By the results obtained we can considerate that growth tree rings of Tipuana tipu specie can be used as bioindicators of environmental contamination / Mestrado / Saneamento e Ambiente / Mestre em Engenharia Civil

The blood-brain barrier BBB refers to the set of specialized endothelial cells that line the vasculature in the brain and effectively control movement of molecules into and out of the brain. While necessary for proper brain function, the BBB blocks 98% of drugs from entering the brain and is the most significant barrier to developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. Active transport allows some specific molecules to cross the BBB, but therapeutic development using this route has had limited success. A number of techniques have been used to bypass the BBB, but are often highly invasive and ineffective. Over the last two decades, a minimally invasive technique to transiently open the BBB has been under development that utilizes transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) in combination with intravascular microbubble contrast agents. This method is often carried out in conjunction with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to guide and assess BBB opening and has been referred to as MRI guided FUS (MRgFUS). Because of the utility of mouse models of neurological disease and the exploratory nature of MRgFUS, systems that allow BBB opening in mice are a useful and necessary tool to develop and evaluate this method for clinical application. In this dissertation project, a custom built, cost-effective FUS system for opening the BBB in mice was developed, with the objective of using this device to deliver therapeutics to the brain. Being a custom device, it was necessary to evaluate the ultrasound output, verify in vivo safety, and anticipate the therapeutic effect. The scope of the work herein consists of the design, construction, and evaluation of system that fulfills these requirements. The final constructed system cost was an order of magnitude less than any commercially available MRgFUS system. At this low price point, the hardware could allow the implementation of the methodology in many more research areas than previously possible. Additionally, to anticipate the therapeutic effect, molecules of pharmacologically-relevant sizes were delivered to brain with a novel, multispectral approach. Results demonstrated that the device was able to safely open the BBB, and macromolecule delivery showed that both molecule size and FUS pressure both influence the amount and distribution of molecules in the brain. Using different ultrasound pressures, the threshold for BBB opening was found to be ≥ 180 kPa (0.13 MI). The threshold for damage was found to be ≥ 420 kPa (0.30 MI), and was minor at this pressure, but extensive for higher pressure (870 kPa, 0.62 MI), in which minor damage was caused by this pressure. Performing a novel implementation of a diffusion model on the fluorescence images of 500, 70, and 3 kDa dextran resulted in calculated diffusion coefficients of 0.032 ± 0.015, 12 ± 6.0, and 0.13 ± 0.094 square microns per second, respectively.

Renin is the initiator and rate-limiting factor of the renin-angiotensin system, a major mechanism of blood pressure regulation. The synthesis and secretion of this active circulatory enzyme is confined exclusively to the dense core granules of kidney juxtaglomerular (JG) cells where its precursor prorenin is packaged, cleaved to the active form and stored for release on a regulated pathway. Given its importance, surprisingly little is known about this process, in part due to the difficulty in culturing primary JG cells in vitro and the lack of reliable cell lines. The initial aim of the current work was to investigate renin-containing granule dynamics in live JG cells. To achieve this, I attempted to derive novel cell lines from triple transgenic mouse models comprising immortalised granulated or non-granulated JG cells. Due to the nature of JG cells in culture, the use of these cell lines to investigate granulation was not feasible; therefore the culture of primary JG cell culture was modified and enhanced to visualise granule dynamics in live, primary JG cells for the first time. By isolating cells using a Percoll gradient and plating them on fibronectin-coated dishes, rapid and full adhesion of JG cells was achieved, as well as prolonged expression of renin from 3 days to up to 8 days post-isolation. Using this protocol to isolate JG cells from RenGFP renin reporter mice and identifying granules using the acidotropic fluorophore Lysotracker, granule dynamics were investigated in primary JG cells. High resolution, rapid image acquisition was performed using widefield and total internal reflection microscopy, showing that dense core granules respond dynamically to the β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol, a known renin secretory stimulus. Two different pools of granules of varying granule diameters and dynamic parameters were identified optically, suggesting that separate granule pools were being identified. Mice null for the Ren-1d gene lack renin storage granules in their JG cells, however granulation was restored in Ren1d-null mice carrying a transgene encompassing the human renin (hRen) locus. Therefore in order to investigate the relationship between renin expression and the amount of granulation in JG cells, mice expressing human renin were used. To dissect the granulation phenotype in detail, 2D electron micrographs were taken of JG cells, which were immunogold stained to confirm renin content, and reconstructed in 3D. Female hRen mice showed a significantly higher volume of granulation and an increased granule number compared to males, a finding consistent with the sexually dimorphic expression of the transgene, supporting the hypothesis that granulation in JG cells is dependent on the level of renin expression. The macula densa (MD) is a critical sensor of flow and salt content in the blood; through extensive tubulo-vascular crosstalk known as tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF), it releases key signalling factors stimulating and inhibiting renin synthesis and secretion from JG cells. Ren-1d-/- mice showed a hypercellular and columnar MD plaque, which was not restored by the introduction of the hRen transgene, indicating that TGF may be impaired in these mice. Using an isolated, perfused juxtaglomerular apparatus model it was shown that high salt- and increased flow-induced TGF functioned effectively in Ren1d-/- and huRen+/-Ren1d-/- mice, although animals on a Ren1d-/- background showed decreased sensitivity of glomerular tuft contraction and abnormal calcium signalling within macula densa cells. In conclusion, an appropriate in vitro model was developed for investigating granule dynamics in JG cells, using which granule motion was visualised and quantified for the first time in these cells. Although JG cell granulation is required for normal MD morphology, it was shown to not affect JGA function.

Cell division is a fundamental biological process that occurs in all kingdoms of life. Our understanding of cell division in bacteria stems from studies in the rod-shaped model organisms: Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis. The molecular underpinnings of cell division regulation in non-rod-shaped bacteria remain to be studied in detail. Rod-shaped bacteria possess many positive and negative regulatory proteins that are essential to the proper placement of the division septa and ultimately the production of two identical daughter cells, many of which are absent in cocci. Given that essential cell division proteins are attractive antibacterial drug targets, it is imperative for us to identify key cell division factors especially in pathogens, to help counter the emergence of multi-drug resistance. In Staphylococcus aureus, a spherical Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen that causes a range of diseases from minor skin infections to life-threatening sepsis, we have identified the role of an essential protein, GpsB, in the regulation of cell division. We discovered that GpsB preferentially localizes to cell division sites and that overproduction of GpsB results in cell enlargement typical of FtsZ inhibition, while depletion of GpsB results in cell lysis and nucleoid-less minicell formation. The identification of GpsB’s interaction partners will allow us to understand the molecular mechanism by which GpsB regulates cell division.

Ce travail de thèse a démontré la possibilité de mesurer la relaxation d’un complexe biomoléculaire ainsi que son hétérogénéité structurale, en associant la microfluidique et la fluorescence résolue en temps (FRT). Je présente de quelle façon la FRT permet d’obtenir une information sur la structure d’une molécule et comment on la mesure, notamment grâce à une caméra à balayage de fente. J’introduis ensuite la microfluidique de gouttes, permettant de mélanger deux réactifs en quelques millisecondes et de suivre la relaxation du complexe au cours de la propagation des micro-réacteurs. Puis, la mesure d’une cinétique avec un couple de molécules modèle démontre la preuve de principe, faisant l’objet d’un article soumis. Enfin la mesure de FRT par comptage de photons uniques dans des gouttes uniques est décrite. Elle ouvre une perspective d’application pour le criblage à haut débit : un brevet a été déposé. / This thesis has proven the feasibility of measuring the relaxation of a biomolecular complex as well as its structural heterogeneity, by associating microfluidics and time resolved fluorescence (TRF). I present in which way TRF allows for probing the structure of a molecule and how it is measured, in particular by using a streak camera. I then introduce droplet microfluidics, which enables to mix two reagents in a few milliseconds and to follow the relaxation of the complex, along propagation of the micro-reactors. Next, the measurement of a kinetics with test molecules validates the proof of concept, reported in a submitted article. Finally, the measurement of TRF by single photon counting in single droplets is described. It opens a perspective for an application in high-throughput screening: a patent has been registered.

Abstract This study focuses on the clinical use of laser fluorescence compared to visual inspection (VI) for detecting and monitoring the progress of caries lesions during a one-year follow-up period and for screening subjects with unfavourable dietary habits causing demineralization of teeth. The effect of professional cleaning on laser fluorescence was also studied. The study groups were comprised of schoolchildren (n = 259), and altogether 3 651 occlusal tooth surfaces were examined visually and by using laser fluorescence. Laser fluorescence was found to be useful as an adjunct to visual inspection in detecting dental caries lesions during routine dental check-ups. The variation of laser fluorescence values in each visual category excludes its use as a primary or only method for caries detection. It rather functions as an alarm for a closer or more thorough examination. In addition, it can be a useful tool when deciding on the intervention method and the length of the recall-interval. The best cut-off point for considering operative intervention was found to be 30/99. Laser fluorescence was also found to be useful in monitoring lesion progression. Monitoring can be done through clear sealants. High laser fluorescence values (> 20) of sound tooth surfaces may predict decaying within a period of one year. Professional cleaning increased laser fluorescence values of molars, especially second molars. The increase was significant in molars with a visual score of > 0 or when visually detected initial and dentinal caries lesions were included. Professional cleaning was most efficient when using only a rubber cup and water spray without paste. A computer-based questionnaire on dietary habits was used to evaluate the cariogenity of children's dietary habits. The laser fluorescence values of tooth surfaces of children with harmful dietary habits were found to be higher than among children with favourable dietary habits. Laser fluorescence can be used for screening children whose current dietary habits may harm their teeth.

La photosynthèse consiste en la conversion photo-induite du dioxyde de carbone et de l'eau en matière organique et en dioxygène. Utilisée par les algues, les plantes ou certaines bactéries, la photosynthèse est pourtant intrinsèquement bridée puisque seulement 4 % de l'énergie lumineuse sont convertis en énergie chimique. Sous forte irradiation, ceci peut engendrer une dénaturation de l'appareil photosynthétique. Par ailleurs, dans le contexte environnemental actuel, cette limitation représente également une opportunité d'utiliser l'énergie non convertie sous forme d'énergie électrique. Le travail présenté dans ce manuscrit a donc pour but de créer une voie secondaire d'écoulement des électrons photosynthétiques excédentaires afin de réduire l'endommagement du système sous forte irradiation et de les transcrire sous la forme d'un photo-courant. C'est pourquoi un système impliquant une électrode collectrice de carbone et des médiateurs redox de type quinone a été envisagé. La capacité acceptrice de certaines quinones, connues pour être de bons accepteurs du Photosystème II, a été évaluée au moyen d'études de fluorescence. La facilité de restitution des électrons dérivés par les quinones réduites a été quant à elle étudiée par électrochimie. Au bilan, les meilleures quinones (DCBQ, PPBQ) permettent d'obtenir des photo-courants de l'ordre de quelques µA.cm-2. La corrélation entre données expérimentales et théorie a également permis de mieux cerner le mécanisme de dérivation des électrons photosynthétiques par les quinones exogènes mais aussi de mettre en évidence des effets d'empoisonnement et/ou de perte d'accepteur dans les membranes. / Photosynthesis can be views as the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into organic matter and dioxygen. Used by algae, plants or some bacteria, photosynthesis efficiency is limited because only 4% of light energy is converted into chemical energy. Under high light conditions, this can induce serious damages of the photosynthetic machinery. Besides, if considering the current environmental context, this limitation is an opportunity to use the part of not converted energy to generate some useable electricity. The aim of the work developed in this manuscript is thus to create an additional pathway for derivating the photosynthetic electrons flow. In this way, the system damages are expected to be reduced under hight light conditions as well as some photocurrent to be generated. This is why an experimental set-up involving carbon working electrode and some quinone type redox mediators has been developed. The quinone ability to accept some electrons from Photosystem II has been studied by the mean of fluorescence techniques. Their ability to be re-oxidised at the carbon electrode surface has been investigated by cyclic voltametry. As a conclusion, the best quinones (selected after the fluorescence investigations) are DCBQ and PPBQ and correspond to photocurrent values about several µA.cm-2. A correlation between experimental data and theoretical predictions helped us to best understand the photosynthetic electrons derivation pathway and to evidence concomitant phenomenon like poisoning and quinone partition effects.