Athabasca asphaltenes were characterized using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) with synchrotron radiation. Two methods were used to separate asphaltenes from Athabasca bitumen. Conventional chemical separation by precipitation with n-pentane, and physical separation realized by passing bitumen through a zirconia membrane with a 20 nm average pore size. The Athabasca permeates and chemically separated samples were dispersed in 1-methylnaphtalene and n-dodecane, with temperature and asphaltene concentration ranges of 50-310 C and 1-8 wt. %, respectively. Two approaches were also taken in the analysis of the SAXS emissions. A model-independent approach provided radii of gyration and scattering coefficients. A model-dependent fit provided size distributions for asphaltenes aggregates assuming that they are dense and spherical. Physically and chemically separated asphaltenes showed significant differences in nominal size and structure, and their structural properties exhibited different temperature dependencies. The results challenge the merits of using chemically separated asphaltene properties as a basis for asphaltene property prediction in crude oil/bitumen.

Proefschrift Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. / Met lit.opg. - Met samenvatting in het Nederlands.

No description available.

PSD95 is the canonical member of the Membrane Associated Guanylate Kinase class of scaffold proteins. PSD95 is a five-domain major scaffolding protein abundant in the postsynaptic density (PSD) of the neuronal excitatory synapse. Within PSD95 three PDZ domains modulate protein-protein interactions by selectively binding to short peptide motifs of target proteins. Under the direction of the multivalent PDZ domain interactions, the interacting proteins tend to cluster at the PSD, a phenomenon that is critical for synaptic signalling regulation. Earlier studies have shown that the N-terminal PDZ domains of PSD95 are obligatory for the clustering to occur. This thesis focuses on the strong inwardly rectifying potassium channel, Kir2.1 as the PSD95 binding partner. Kir2.1 is known to maintain membrane resting potential and control cell excitability. Previous studies have reported that Kir2.1 clustered into ordered tetrad complexes upon association with PSD95.This study investigates the detailed clustering mechanisms of Kir2.1 by PDZ domains. To achieve this, components that are involved in the formation of a complex namely PSD95 sub-domains comprising single PDZ and the tandem N terminal PDZ double domain (PDZ1-2), and Kir2.1 cytoplasmic domains(Kir2.1NC) are studied in detail via different structural and biophysical approaches; 1) PDZ1-2 is examined in apo- and bound ligand form with a Kir2.1 Cterminal peptide in crystal and solution via X-ray crystallography and small angle X-ray scattering; 2) the tandem and the single PDZ domain interaction with ligand are measured thermodynamically via isothermal calorimetry (ITC); 3) the complex of full length PSD95 with Kir2.1NC is analyzed with electron microscopy (EM). The protein components are produced in high quality by protein expression and multiple-step protein purification techniques. PDZ1-2 crystallographic structures were solved at 2.02A and 2.19A in theapo- and the liganded forms respectively. The solution state analysis showed domain separation and structural extension of the tandem domain when incorporated with the ligand. The ITC experiment revealed PDZ1-2 to have greater affinity towards the peptide ligand relative to the single PDZ domains. These combinatorial outcomes lead to the conclusion that PSD95 clusters Kir2.1 by adopting an enhanced binding interaction which is associated with increased PDZ1-2 inter-domain separation. The preliminary analysis of PSD95-Kir2.1NC complex with cryo-EM showed the establishment of a tetrad and led to a reconstruction at 40A resolution. The work in obtaining a higher resolution complex structure is promising with further data collection required to allow the employment of more sophisticated model reconstruction processes.

No description available.

Submitted by AMANDA PASQUOTO PERISSINOTTO null (amandap@rc.unesp.br) on 2016-02-17T12:33:22Z No. of bitstreams: 2 DissertaçãoAmandaok.pdf: 4083559 bytes, checksum: 7362f582721fdb5515688043eff181ca (MD5) DissertaçãoAmandaok.pdf: 4083559 bytes, checksum: 7362f582721fdb5515688043eff181ca (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-02-17T13:06:09Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 perissinotto_ap_me_rcla.pdf: 4083559 bytes, checksum: 7362f582721fdb5515688043eff181ca (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-17T13:06:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 perissinotto_ap_me_rcla.pdf: 4083559 bytes, checksum: 7362f582721fdb5515688043eff181ca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-16 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as características estruturais em géis úmidos de sílica preparados a partir da hidrólise ácida de Tetraetilortosilicato (TEOS) com adições do surfactante aniônico Dodecil Sulfato de Sódio (SDS). O surfactante foi removido após a gelificação. Os géis úmidos exibem uma estrutura fractal de massa com dimensão fractal de massa D (típicamente em torno de 2,25) numa escala de comprimentos que se estende desde o tamanho característico ξ (geralmente em torno de 10 nm) do domínio do fractal de massa até um tamanho característico a0 (típicamente entre 0,3 - 0,4 nm) da partícula primária que constituí o domínio fractal. ξ aumenta enquanto que D e a0 diminuem ligeiramente com o aumento da quantidade de SDS. Aerogéis SCD com superfície específica típica de 1000 m2 /g e massa específica aparente de 0,20 g/cm3 foram obtidos por secagem supercrítica (SCD) dos géis úmidos depois da lavagem com etanol. O volume de poros e o tamanho médio de poros aumentaram com o aumento da quantidade de SDS. Os aerogéis SCD preservaram a maior parte das características do fractal de massa dos géis úmidos originais em larga escala de comprimento e exibiram num nível de resolução em torno de 0,7 nm uma mudança („crossover‟) para uma estrutura de fractal de massa e superfície, com dimensão aparente de fractal de massa Dm ~ 2,4 e dimensão de fractal de superfície Ds ~ 2,6, conforme concluído a partir dos dados de espalhamento de raios-X à baixo angulo (SAXS) e adsorção de Nitrogênio. Aerogéis hidrofóbicos secos a pressão ambiente (APD) apresentaram superfície específica típica de 800 m2 /g e massa específica aparente de 0,20 g/cm3 e foram obtidos após sililação dos precursores géis úmidos com uma mistura de Hexametildisiloxano (HMDSO) e Trimetilclorosilano (TMCS). O volume de poros e o tamanho médio de poros dos aerogéis APD aumentaram com o aumento da quantidade de SDS. Os aerogéis APD preservaram a maior parte das características do fractal de massa do precursor gel úmido em larga escala de comprimento. O raio de giração dos clusters dos aerogéis APD (tipicamente 17 nm) aumentou com o aumento da quantidade de SDS, enquanto que o raio da partícula primária de sílica (tipicamente 2,0 nm) aumentou com a primeira adição de SDS (em relação à amostra sem SDS) e depois diminuiu regularmente com o aumento da quantidade de SDS. A partícula primária apresentou ainda alguma heterogeneidade interna e uma interface do contorno difuso com espessura em torno de 0,7 nm, de acordo com o modelo de gradiente linear para o contorno difuso. / This work aims to study the structural characteristics of silica wet gels prepared from hydrolysis of Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with additions of the anionic surfactant Sodium Dodecyl-Sulfate (SDS). The surfactant was removed after gelation. Wet gels exhibited massfractal structure with mass-fractal dimension D (typically around 2.25) in a length scale extending from a characteristic size ξ (typically about 10 nm) of the mass-fractal domains to a characteristic size a0 (typically between 0.3 - 0.4 nm) of the primary particles building up the fractal domains. ξ increased while D and a0 diminished slightly as the SDS quantity increased. Aerogels with typical specific surface of 1000 m 2 /g and density of 0.20 g/cm3 were obtained by supercritical drying (SCD) of the wet gels after washing with ethanol and n-hexane. The pore volume and the mean pore size increased with the increase of the SDS quantity. The aerogels presented most of the mass-fractal characteristics of the original wet gels at large length scales and exhibited at a higher resolution level at about 0.7 nm a crossover to a masssurface fractal structure, with apparent mass-fractal dimension Dm ~ 2.4 and surface-fractal dimension Ds ~ 2.6, as inferred from small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and Nitrogen adsorption data. Hydrophobic ambient pressure drying (APD) aerogels with typical specific surface of 800 m2 /g and bulk density of 0.20 g/cm3 were obtained after silylation of the precursor wet gels with a mixture of Hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) and Trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS). The pore volume and the mean pore size of the APD aerogels increased with increasing the SDS quantity. APD aerogels presented most of the mass-fractal characteristics of the precursor wet gels at large length scales. The radius of gyration of the clusters of the APD aerogels (typically 17 nm) increased with increasing the SDS quantity, while the radius of the silica primary particles (typically 2.0 nm) increased at first with the addition of SDS (with respect to the sample without SDS) and decreased regularly afterward with increasing the SDS quantity. The primary particles presented yet some internal inhomogeneity and a diffuse-boundary interface with thickness of about 0.7 nm, according to a linear-gradient model for the diffuse boundary.

Submitted by RANIELLE DE OLIVEIRA SILVA null (ranielleborges@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-06-14T16:20:17Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DissertaçãoMestrado_Ranielle_Silva 2.pdf: 11995453 bytes, checksum: abf2ac6021bf67009b8af99fe28a0026 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-06-16T14:40:09Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 silva_ro_me_araiq_par.pdf: 1314893 bytes, checksum: 9254863d01a93bf48fa2f06ae37a9209 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-16T14:40:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 silva_ro_me_araiq_par.pdf: 1314893 bytes, checksum: 9254863d01a93bf48fa2f06ae37a9209 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-09 / Híbridos Siloxano-PPO obtidos pela síntese sol-gel foram utilizados como matrizes carreadoras do fármaco cloridrato de propranolol com interesse de se aumentar a disponibilidade do fármaco em meio aquoso. Foram preparados amostras contendo teores de 5 e 30% do fármaco. A eficiência na formação da rede híbrida foi confirmada por análises FTIR, RMN e SAXS. A cinética de liberação mostrou que ela ocorre de forma prolongada (superior a 1200 h) com regimes intermitentes de aceleração e desaceleração da taxa de liberação. Foram aplicados ajustes matemáticos a cada regime utilizando a equação de Korsmayer-Peppas que demonstraram que a saída do fármaco ocorre por diferentes mecanismos. Observou-se que o acesso da água na amostra durante a liberação não é homogêneo, mas sim gradual da superfície ao centro. Devido a esses fenômenos as caracterizações foram feitas em diferentes regiões da amostra (periferia e centro) e em diferentes períodos da liberação, visando acompanhar a difusão da água para o interior da amostra e a cinética de saída do fármaco. As análises estruturais de DRX e as térmicas por TGA e DSC mostraram que o fármaco é incorporado na matriz híbrida na forma solubilizada e na forma cristalina. As medias realizadas em função do tempo mostraram que a velocidade de saída do fármaco e de entrada da água na matriz híbrida é maior na superfície em relação ao volume, confirmando o acesso gradual da água. Essas análises indicam a correlação entre as fases cristalina do fármaco com os primeiros regimes e da parte solubilizada com a liberação mais lenta. As medidas de DSC mostraram que o acesso da água em regiões mais internas da amostra resultaram no comportamento de confinamento da água, indicado pelo fenômeno de super congelamento. Foi detectado por medias de SAXS a existência de espalhadores secundários presentes em todas as amostras, inclusive nas matrizes híbridas sem a adição de fármaco, que foram atribuídos a agregados formados por domínios com maior densidade de nanopartículas de sílica. A evolução no tamanho desses agregados foi correlacionada aos regimes de liberação. Conclui-se, que a cinética de liberação tem uma forte dependência da evolução da matriz híbrida causadas por mudanças estruturais favorecidas pela mobilidade da cadeia polimérica e pela interação do fármaco com a água. / Siloxane-PPO hybrids obtained by sol-gel synthesis have been used as drug delivery systems for propranolol hydrochloride with the intent to increase the drug availability in the aqueous medium. Samples with 5% and 30% of drug have been prepared. The efficiency related to the formation of the hybrid network has been confirmed by means of FTIR, RMN and SAXS analyses. The drug delivery kinetics showed that it occurs in a prolonged form (more that 1200h) with increasing and decreasing intermediate release rates. The Korsmayer-Peppas equation has been used for each release rate with mathematical adjustments that displayed how the drug release occurred through different mechanisms. It has been observed that the water intake inside the sample during the drug release was not homogeneous but gradual, from the surface to the centre. Due to these phenomena, the characterizations have been carried out in different regions of the samples (exterior and interior) and at different drug delivery periods, aiming at accompanying the water diffusion to the sample centre and the drug release kinetics. The XRD structural analyses and the thermal analyses by means of TGA and DSC showed that the drug is incorporated in the hybrid matrix in a solubilized form and in a crystalline form. The tests done as function of time displayed that the drug release velocity and water intake inside the hybrid matrix is greater at the surface in relation to its volume, confirming the gradual access of water. These analyses point to the correlation between the drug crystalline phase with the first release regimes and between the solubilized form with the slower release. The DSC tests showed that the water intake inside more internal regions of the sample resulted in the water confinement, demonstrated by the super-cooling phenomenon. By means of SAXS, the existence in all the samples, including those without drug, of secondary scatterings has been observed and these have been attributed to aggregates formed by domains with a higher silica nanoparticle density. The size evolution of these aggregates has been correlated to the drug release regimes. It has been concluded that the drug release kinetics has a strong dependence with the hybrid matrix evolution caused by structural changes facilitated by polymer chain mobility and by drug/water interaction.

Submitted by Automação e Estatística (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2018-05-02T23:09:41Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MakeziaMayaraDaCostaFreitas_DISSERT.pdf: 3584915 bytes, checksum: 2f3f3a402eff4c59732f7ae096cc95c8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2018-05-07T22:35:24Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 MakeziaMayaraDaCostaFreitas_DISSERT.pdf: 3584915 bytes, checksum: 2f3f3a402eff4c59732f7ae096cc95c8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-07T22:35:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MakeziaMayaraDaCostaFreitas_DISSERT.pdf: 3584915 bytes, checksum: 2f3f3a402eff4c59732f7ae096cc95c8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-10-27 / Diferentemente de estudos acerca da formação de micelas diretas, que podem ser avaliadas com técnicas simples como condutividade e tensão superficial, há dificuldade na obtenção de dados bons e reprodutíveis quando se trata da formação de micelas reversas. Nas últimas décadas as micelas reversas têm sido sistematicamente utilizadas como moldes para síntese de nanomateriais, devido a sua capacidade de se auto agregar em estruturas diversas, repassando essas características para o material desejado. Portanto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar o efeito da variação de comprimento da cadeia carbônica do solvente, do grau de etoxilação dos tensoativos e da temperatura na formação de micelas reversas, no que toca as características estruturais e concentração micelar crítica (c.m.c.). A técnica utilizada para as análises foi o espalhamento de raios X à baixo ângulo e foram escolhidos solventes orgânicos apolares de cadeias lineares e tensoativos não iônicos do tipo nonilfenol etoxilado, ambos obtidos comercialmente. Uma vasta gama de combinações solvente-tensoativo foi analisada, os principais resultados mostram que o aumento do grau de etoxilação do tensoativo provoca uma diminuição na c.m.c. dos sistemas, esta tendência também foi observada com o aumento da temperatura, já o aumento da cadeia carbônica dos solventes induziu ao aumento da c.m.c.. As dimensões máximas dos agregados micelares seguiram um aumento tanto com a variação positiva do grau de etoxilação tensoativo, quanto com o comprimento da cadeia carbônica do solvente e da temperatura. No que diz respeito aos formatos adquiridos pelos agregados, houve uma predominância de variação de estrutura achatada, passando por estrutura esférica sólida e esférica oca em uma escala decrescente de concentração de tensoativo no sistema. / Unlike studies about the formation of direct micelles, which can be evaluated with simple techniques such as conductivity and surface tension, it is difficult to obtain good and reproducible data when it comes to the formation of reverse micelles. In recent decades, reverse micelles have been systematically used as templates for the synthesis of nanomaterials, due to their ability to self-aggregate in diverse structures, passing these characteristics to the desired material. Therefore, the present work had the objective of studying the effect of carbon chain length variation of the solvent, the degree of ethoxylation of the surfactants and the temperature in the formation of reverse micelles, with respect to the structural characteristics and micelar concentration critical (c.m.c.). Small angle X-ray scattering was used to evaluate the micellar systems and nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactant was chosen as solute, being used solvents of different carbon chain length. A wide range of solvent-surfactant combinations were analyzed, the main results show that increasing the ethoxylation degree of the surfactant causes a decrease in c.m.c.. The maximum dimensions of the micellar aggregates followed an increase both with the positive variation of the degree of surfactant ethoxylation with: the increase of the carbon chain of the solvents, and the carbon chain length of the surfactant and the temperature. As regards the formats acquired by the aggregates, there was a predominance of flat structure variation, passing through a solid spherical and hollow spherical structure when concentration surfactant was reduced in the system.

Este trabalho consistiu numa avaliação, sob um ponto de vista físico, da aplicabilidade da sílica mesoporosa ordenada tipo SBA-15 como adjuvante imunológico. Inicialmente foi estudado o método de preparação e reprodutibilidade das propriedades do material, condição necessária para a síntese de grandes quantidades (N 100g). Mostrou-se que a calcinação em vácuo, comparada com o processo em N2 e ar, resulta em material com estrutura mesoporosa mais bem ordenada. Para aplicações biológicas foi analisado o potencial de encapsulação de antígerios no material, através de estudos de incorporação de Albumina Bovina (BSA) e vacina contra Hepatite A. Foi observada uma incorporação bem-sucedida de BSA na sílica, com essa proteína alojando-se dentro da estrutura de poros. Resultado semelhante foi observado para a vacina contra hepatite A. O processo mais eficiente de incorporação foi determinado para uma mistura em repouso e seca através de evaporação. A aplicabilidade da sílica como adjuvante para uso animal foi avaliada através de análises, pelo método PIXE, da acumulação do material no organismo de camundongos. A sílica foi administrada a camundongos Swiss por via oral e intra-muscular, e o teor de silício em diferentes órgáos foi comparado aos teores em um grupo controle. Foi detectada a presença de sílica em determinados órgãos dos camundongos, cuja eliminação total se processa num período de 70 dias. Além disso, em testes toxicológicos realizados no Instituto Butantan, a sílica mostrou-se eficaz na indução de resposta humoral e atóxica. / This work consisted of an evaluation, from a physical standpoint, of the applicability of SB.4-15 type ordered rnesoporous silica as an inmunological adjuvant. The method of preparation and reproducibility of the material properties were initially studied. Those conditions are necessary to synthesize large quantities of the material (N 100g). Vacuum calcination, whem compared to the process executed in A5 and air, results in a better ordered mesoporous structure. For biological applications, the potential to encapsulate antigens in the material was analyzed through studies of incorporation of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and vaccine for Hepatitis A. A successful incorporation of BSA in the silica was observed, with that protein being lodged inside the porous structure. A similar result was obtained for the vaccine for Hepatitis A. The most efficient incorporation process was determined by keeping the solution at rest and drying it through evaporation. The applicability of silica as an immunological adjuvant for animal use was evaluated through PIXE analyses of the silicon accumulation in mice\'s organs. Silica was administrated to Swiss mice through oral and intramuscular ways and the silicon content of different organs was compared to the figures of the control group. The silica´s presence was detected on certain organs, and it was completely eliminated after 70 days. Besides that, toxicological studies accomplished at the Butantan Institute showed that the silica is efficient for inductíon of humoral response and it is non-toxic.

The chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan (CSPG) versican forms complexes with hyaluronan (HA), which are essential in a range of functions including cellular proliferation and migration. Four isoforms of versican result from alternative splicing. Furthermore, biological roles have been identified for the proteolytic cleavage product of versican which contains the N-terminal G1 hyaluronan binding domain. All of these versican forms have different tightly regulated tissue expression profiles. Consequently, impaired regulation is associated with a number of disease pathologies. For example the largest variants (V0/V1) have been shown to be negative indicators of disease outcome in a number of malignant cancers and are a marker of disease progression in atherosclerosis. Interestingly, the smaller versican isoform V3 which lacks CS chains has been demonstrated to have the potential to reverse disease associated phenotypes. The motivation for carrying out the work in this thesis was to try and gain a better understanding of how versican functions on a molecular scale. In this regard, the first aim was to investigate the structure of the hyaluronan binding region of versican using a construct called VG1. The structure of VG1 was analysed in the presence and absence of hyaluronan oligomers. This revealed an insight into the multi-modular structure of the versican hyaluronan binding region and demonstrated that on binding to HA, VG1 under goes a conformational change. Furthermore, the interaction between VG1 and longer lengths of hyaluronan (pHA) was investigated. This demonstrated that when VG1 binds to pHA it is does so with positive cooperativity, packing very close to neighbouring VG1 molecules along a chain of HA. One consequence of this interaction was to reorganise pHA into a helical conformation, an organisation that was confirmed by a number of solution phase techniques. The effect of this reorganisation of pHA by VG1 on HA/CD44 interactions was also assessed. Previously the interaction between CD44 (a cell surface hyaluronan receptor) and long chains of HA (>30 kDa) was shown to be irreversible; however we demonstrate that VG1 can reverse this. Furthermore, a TSG-6 enhanced CD44/interaction was also completely reversed by the addition of VG1. This provides an indication that a functional hierarchy of hyaluronan binding proteins may exist which could have important implications in understanding the function of hyaluronan complexes. Currently, we do not know whether intact versican molecules could interact with HA in the same way as VG1. However, preliminary data suggests that the CS-containing variants (i.e. V0, V1 and V2) would not, whereas V3 and versican fragments could. This work provides an exciting mechanistic insight into the function of versican variants and their breakdown products.