Mercury -contaminated sediments often act as a sink of mercury and produce methyl-mercury, an acute neurotoxin which readily bio accumulates, due to the presence of bacterial communities hosted by the sediment. One common remediation approach to manage methyl-mercury is to amend the sediment by capping or directly mixing with a sorbent. This thesis aims to assess the capabilities of some calcium-based sorbent to act in that capacity. Laboratory experiments were implemented to simulate mercury fate and behavior in geochemical conditions that capping would likely create. Well-mixed slurries showed that gypsum materials were disparate and their behavior was similar from sand to organocaly. Mercury sorption capacities of these gypsums were poor with a sorption coefficient approximately equal to 300 L/kg. Reduction of methylmercury was minimal and even increased in two of the three materials. Therefore, the three gypsums, which tend to be more cohesive when wetted, doesn’t constitute a viable material for sediment capping. / text

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1983.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1993.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1983.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1953.

Orientador: Lizeti Toledo de Oliveira Ramalho / Banca: Lourdes Aparecida Martins dos Santos Pinto / Banca: Ana Maria Minarelli Gaspar / Banca: Maria Cristina Borsatto / Banca: Nivaldo Parizotto / Resumo: O estudo investigou os efeitos da radiação eletromagnética não ionizante emitidos pelos diodos LASER com comprimento de onda no espectro 688 ηm e 785 ηm, e diodo LED 635 ± 10 ηm, associados ao capeamento direto com hidróxido de cálcio em exposições pulpares mecânicas. Avaliou-se assim em dentes de macacos-prego a resposta pulpar baseado na morfologia das células pulpares, no processo inflamatório local, na formação da barreira mineralizada, e na organização do tecido pulpar nos diferentes grupos estudados. Discutiu-se também as diferentes fontes de emissão de radiação eletromagnética comparando os resultados obtidos de estimulação pulpar com os diodos LASER e LED, os quais apresentam energia coerente e não-coerente, respectivamente. Os resultado mostraram uma estimulação em todos os grupos irradiados com melhores resultados para o estímulo com LASER, quando comparado ao grupo tratado isoladamente com hidróxido de cálcio. Concluímos assim que a estimulação de energia eletromagnética LASER e LED associado ao capeamento pulpar direto com hidróxido de cálcio apresentou aceleração no processo de reparação tecidual. Porém, há necessidade de novos estudos com diferentes parâmetros de irradiação a fim de se obter protocolos cada vez mais eficientes para o estudo dos efeitos da luz sobre o processo de reparação pulpar. / Abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation emitted by LASER diodes 688 ηm and 785 ηm, and LED diode 635 ± 10 ηm associated to direct pulp capping with calcium hydroxide in traumatic pulp exposures were investigated. Based on pulp cells morphology, on the local inflammatory process, on mineralized barrier formation and on pulp tissue organization, the pulp response in capuchin monkey teeth was evaluated in different groups. It was also discussed the different electromagnetic radiation emission sources effects comparing the obtained results of pulp stimulation with diodes LASER and LED, which present coherent and non-coherent energy respectively. Stimulation was observed in all irradiated groups, being the best results achieved with LASER stimulation, when compared to the group treated only with calcium hydroxide. Thus, it is concluded that the electromagnetic LASER and LED energy stimulation associated with calcium hydroxide direct pulp capping accelerated the tissue repair process. However, further studies with different stimulation parameters in order to obtain increasingly efficient protocols to study light effects on pulp repair are necessary. / Doutor

Orientador: Lizeti Toledo de Oliveira Ramalho / Banca: Fábio Luiz Camargo Villela Berbert / Banca: Welingtom Dinelli / Banca: Manoel Damião de Souza Neto / Banca: Antônio Miranda da Cruz Filho / Resumo: O presente estudo avaliou o efeito do laser de baixa intensidade diodo semicondutor de arseneto de gálio e alumínio em exposições pulpares induzidas e nos tecidos apicais e periapicais após tratamento endodôntico em dentes de macacos. Nas exposições pulpares, foi avaliado efeito do laser infra-vermelho associado ao hidróxido de cálcio, variando o tempo de aplicação, onde utilizou-se quatro macacos, totalizando 24 dentes, distribuídos em quatro grupos experimentais: Grupo I: Laser 2,5 segundos (dentes incisivos), Grupo II: Laser 40 segundos (dentes incisivos), Grupo III: Laser 40 segundos (dentes prémolares) e Grupo IV: Controle sem Laser (dentes pré-molares), por um período de 55 dias. Quanto ao efeito do laser sobre a agressividade tecidual do cimento endodôntico óxido de zinco e eugenol (OZE), após tratamento endodôntico nos tecidos apicais e periapicais, foi comparando o laser vermelho com o infravermelho, utilizando quatro macacos, totalizando 24 dentes, distribuídos em três grupos experimentais: Grupo I (Laser Vermelho), Grupo II (laser Infra-Vermelho) e Grupo III (Controle: Sem Laser), por um período de 22 dias. Decorrido os períodos experimentais de cada estudo, os animais foram mortos, os dentes ou peças removidas e preparadas para análise histológica. De acordo com a proposta e as condições específicas deste trabalho, os resultados nos permitem concluir que nas exposições pulpares, a irradiação com laser infra-vermelho (40 segundos) diminuiu a reação inflamatória e induziu a organização tecidual, bem como na formação da barreira mineralizada, apresentando diferenças estatísticas significantes entre os grupos (p<0,05), tendo como melhor resultado a irradiação com laser infra-vermelho (40 segundos), já nos tecidos apicais e periapicais a irradiação... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present study evaluated the effect of the laser of low intensity diode semiconductor of gallium aluminum arsenide in exposed pulp induced in apical and periapical tissues after endodontic treatment in teeth of monkeys. In the exposed pulp, the effect of the laser infra-red associated to the hydroxide of calcium was evaluated varying the time of application, being used 04 monkeys, totaling 24 teeth, distributed in four experimental groups: Group I: Laser 2,5 seconds (incisive teeth), Group II: Laser 40 seconds (incisive teeth), Group III: Laser 40 seconds (premolar teeth) and Group IV: Control without Laser (premolar teeth), for a period of 55 days. As for the effect of the laser on the tissue aggressiveness of the endodontic zinco oxide and eugenol (OZE) sealer, after endodontic treatment o in the apical and Periapical tissues, the red laser was compared with the laser infra-red, using 04 monkeys, totaling 24 teeth, distributed in 03 experimental groups: Group I (Red Laser), Group II (Infra-red laser) and Group III (it Controls: Without Laser), for a period of 22 days. After the experimental periods of each study, the animals were killed, the teeth or pieces were removed and prepared for histological analysis. In agreement with the proposal and the specific conditions of this study work, the results allow to conclude us that in exposed pulp infra-red laser irradiation (40 seconds.) reduced the inflammatory reaction and induced the tissue organization, as well as the mineralized barrier formation and in apical and periapical tissues infra-red laser irradiation stimulated the cells of the periodontal tissue inducing periapical repair. / Doutor

O desenvolvimento de biomateriais com aplicações na área da saúde mostram-se cada vez mais importantes e a procura por novos polímeros com propriedades bioativas, biodegradabilidade, atoxicidade são o foco das principais pesquisas em diferentes aplicações médicas e odontológicas. Os materiais capeadores pulpares evoluíram rapidamente na ultima década, sendo que são disponibilizadas atualmente diversas alternativas para uso clínico odontológico. Este trabalho teve como objetivo o desenvolvimento de um novo produto bioestimulador e capeador dentino/pulpar que poderá ser base para o desenvolvimento e recobrimento de scaffolds para reparo das diferentes estruturas dentárias. O desenvolvimento das bandagens BBio e os resultados obtidos nos testes das propriedades físico-químicas (absorção de água, perda de massa e pH), bem como as análises biológicas da morfologia celular e viabilidade celular com MTT a BBio apresentaram dados favoráveis e desejáveis para sua aplicação clínica. A propriedade de liberação de cálcio foi bastante promissora, sendo esta uma condição que dará a diferenciação positiva da BBio como um produto bioestimulador pulpar. Com esses dados pode-se concluir que a mesma se encontra dentro dos parâmetros desejados para o produto final e com propriedades semelhantes aos produtos existentes no mercado, de qualidade e aprovados pelas agências reguladoras. / The development of biomaterials with applications in the health area are increasingly important and the search for new polymers with bioactive properties, biodegradability and toxicity are the focus of the main researches in different medical and dental applications. The pulp capping materials evolved rapidly in the last decade, and several alternatives are now available for clinical dental use. This project aimed to develop a new biostimulating and dentin / pulp capping product that could be the basis for the development and recoating of \"scaffolds\" for repair of different dental structures. The development of the BBio bandages and the results obtained in the physical-chemical properties tests (water absorption, loss of mass and pH), as well as the biological analyzes of the cellular morphology and cell viability with MTT to BBio presented favorable and desirable data for its clinical application. The calcium release property was quite promising, and this is a condition that will give BBio a positive differentiation as a pulp biostimulator product. With this data it can be concluded that it is within the parameters desired for the final product and with properties similar to the products on the market, of quality and approved by the regulatory agencies.

Spintronics discusses about fundamental physics and material science in mostly nanometer size structures. Spintronics also delivers many promising technologies for now and the future. One of the interesting spintronic structures is called “Magnetic Tunnel junction” (MTJ). A typical MTJ consists of a thin (1-3nm) insulator layer sandwiched between two ferromagnetic layers. In this work, I present MTJ with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) using an MgO tunnel barrier. The effect of different heavy metals (HMs) adjacent to the ferromagnets (FMs) on tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) and PMA of the junctions are discussed. Namely, Ta, Mo, Ta/Mo, W, Ir, and Hf have been utilized in HM/FM/MgO structures, and magneto-transport properties are explored. It is shown that when Ta/Mo is employed, TMR values as high as 208%, and highly thermally stable PMA can be obtained. Some physical explanation based on electronic band structure and thermochemical effects are discussed. In the last part of this work, the newly discovered tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance (TAMR) effect in antiferromagnets is studied, and clear TAMR is demonstrated for NiFe/IrMn/MgO/Ta structures.

Coastal areas around the world have been recognized as largely impacted by anthropogenic activities resulting in pollution of marine sediments. In Sweden, surveys conducted along the coastline of the Bothnian Bay have identified a total area of about 29 km2 as fiber rich sediments. In the Bureå sea area near Skellefteå vicinity, Västerbotten county, elevated levels of mercury (Hg), methyl-Hg, arsenic (As), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have been classified and believed to be mainly affected by emissions from a pulp and paper industry formerly active on a nearby headland.  Contaminants in sediments are of concern as continuous dispersion can adversely affect the benthic community. To isolate contaminants and reduce their bioavailability, in-situ thin-layer capping using an active material is one suitable approach. This type of remediation method, using biochar mixed with bentonite clay will be implemented on a pilot scale in the sea area outside of Bureå in the spring of 2021. However, bentonite is a relatively expensive material yielding a need to further develop the selection of capping materials suitable to aid in the deposition of biochar in an active thin-layer cap. In this thesis, biochar-based thin layer caps mixed with bentonite clay, rock dust of two grain sizes and a concrete-based slurry was evaluated on their physicochemical properties and efficiency for preventing release of trace elements from sediment to the overlying water. This was conducted by a laboratory column experiment where four set ups were performed: (1) no capping for sediment control, (2) only capping material for material control, (3) sediment mixed with biochar and (4) sediment capped with each material mixed with biochar. Three times during an 8-week test period, 60 mL of the overlying water in the columns was extracted and sent for trace element analysis.  The experimental set up revealed that the capping layers effectively prevent release of trace elements trough the sediment to the overlying water. The concrete slurry showed suitable settling properties and negligible loss of biochar in the set-up of the columns. Also, the biochar+concrete slurry thin-layer cap displayed the highest efficiency for preventing and/or delaying release of As, P, Cu, Fe, Mn and SO4.