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Oil spills on ocean waters represent a major threat to marine ecosystems. A significant part of the spilled oil is dispersed in microdroplets that are not recovered by traditional oil-removing methods. In this work, we report on the manufacture of cellulose acetate (CA) electrospun non-woven membranes, stamped with different cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) patterns. We demonstrate the use of the membranes produced as selective oil microdroplets removal from water emulsions with an efficiency up to 80%. Screenprinting was used to imprint different CNC designs on the CA surface membranes. To promote the adhesion between the CNCs and the CNCs with the CA fibers the membrane was subjected to a thermal and chemical treatments. Oil droplets were collected under water in the oleophilic CNC pattern while the water could flow through the hydrophilic CA electrospun non-woven membrane. The application of a non-woven all cellulosic composite membrane for separation of a water/oil suspension is presented. The under-water wetting behavior, of annealed cellulose nanocrystals, for oil is studied. Special consideration is given to the capability for the collection of oil micro droplets in aqueous suspension and the influence of the geometrical pattern of the cellulose nanoparticles layer in oil recovery efficiency.

The goal of the present contribution is to test the effectiveness of an impedance-based structural health monitoring (ISHM) methodology to detect damage in steel fiber-reinforced concrete structures. For this aim, a piezoceramic sensor coated with epoxy is used. A prismatic concrete specimen was evaluated for the case in which the damage condition was obtained from compression testing. The impedance signatures were measured both before and after the compression testing for the specimens placed inside an environmental chamber. An optimization procedure was applied to compensate for the temperature effects that appear on the impedance signatures. For illustration purposes, the coated piezoelectric transducer was initially bonded to the surface of an aluminum beam to detect damage induced by a loosening bolt. An impedance analyzer was used to measure impedance signatures in the frequency range of 40–70 kHz for the procedure with the aluminum beam and 50–80 kHz for the prismatic steel fiber concrete specimen. An in-house portable impedance meter (SySHM impedance meter) was used to measure the impedance signatures. The results encourage the use of the ISHM approach for health monitoring of steel fiber-reinforced concrete structures.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T01:58:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-02-19 Background: Pelvic floor muscles (PFM) and rectus abdominis muscles (RAM) of pregnant diabetic rats exhibit atrophy, co-localization of fast and slow fibers and an increased collagen type I/III ratio. However, the role of similar PFM or RAM hyperglycemic-related myopathy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains poorly investigated. This study aims to assess the frequency of pelvic floor muscle disorders and pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence (PS-UI) 12 months after the Cesarean (C) section in women with GDM. Specifically, differences in PFM/RAM hyperglycemic myopathy will be evaluated. Methods: The Diamater is an ongoing cohort study of four groups of 59 pregnant women each from the Perinatal Diabetes Research Centre (PDRC), Botucatu Medical School (FMB)-UNESP (São Paulo State University), Brazil. Diagnosis of GDM and PS-UI will be made at 24-26 weeks, with a follow-up at 34-38 weeks of gestation. Inclusion in the study will occur at the time of C-section, and patients will be followed at 24-48 h, 6 weeks and 6 and 12 months postpartum. Study groups will be classified as (1) GDM plus PS-UI; (2) GDM without PS-UI; (3) Non-GDM plus PS-UI; and (4) Non-GDM without PS-UI. We will analyze relationships between GDM, PS-UI and hyperglycemic myopathy at 12 months after C-section. The mediator variables to be evaluated include digital palpation, vaginal squeeze pressure, 3D pelvic floor ultrasound, and 3D RAM ultrasound. RAM samples obtained during C-section will be analyzed for ex-vivo contractility, morphological, molecular and OMICS profiles to further characterize the hyperglycemic myopathy. Additional variables to be evaluated include maternal age, socioeconomic status, educational level, ethnicity, body mass index, weight gain during pregnancy, quality of glycemic control and insulin therapy. Discussion: To our knowledge, this will be the first study to provide data on the prevalence of PS-UI and RAM and PFM physical and biomolecular muscle profiles after C-section in mothers with GDM. The longitudinal design allows for the assessment of cause-effect relationships between GDM, PS-UI, and PFMs and RAMs myopathy. The findings may reveal previously undetermined consequences of GDM. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Botucatu Medical School (FMB) São Paulo State University (UNESP) Physics Department Institute of Biosciences Letters and Exact Sciences Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation UNESP-São Paulo State University Physiotherapy Department Faculdades Integradas de Bauru FIB Universidade Do Sagrado Coração (USC), Jardim Brasil Department of Health Research Methods Evidence and Impact McMaster University Biostatistics Unit Father Sean o'Sullivan Research Centre St Joseph's Healthcare-Hamilton Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Weill Cornell Medicine Institute of Tropical Medicine University of Sao Paulo Medical School School of Philosophy and Sciences Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy UNESP-São Paulo State University Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Botucatu Medical School (FMB) São Paulo State University (UNESP) Physics Department Institute of Biosciences Letters and Exact Sciences Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation UNESP-São Paulo State University School of Philosophy and Sciences Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy UNESP-São Paulo State University

Application of sewage sludge in agricultural lands is a growing practice in several countries due to its numerous benefits to soil and crops, where chemical and pathogen levels are determined by corresponding legislation. However, the presence of contaminants in residues must always be controlled before application due to their dangerous effects over the ecosystem and potential risks to human health. The main objective of this study was to integrate biological and chemical analysis in order to help elucidating the residue potential toxic, cytotoxic, and mutagenic effects. We evaluate samples of sewage sludge before and after the sanitizing treatment with lime in cytokinesis-block assay using CHO-k1 culture cells. The sanitizing treatment promoted a decrease in pathogen levels, which is the main purpose of this process. Even with chemical levels below the established by environmental agencies, results showed sewage sludge ability to enhance genotoxic and mutagenic effects, proving that residue should be handled with caution in order to minimize its environmental and human risk.

Cellulose is the main constituent of plant cell walls and can be converted into a wide range of derivatives. The derivatives are produced by a chemical reaction of the primary and two secondary hydroxyl groups available in β-d-glucopyranose units, often in heterogeneous conditions, yielding, in many cases

We present an initial attempt for the development of a distributed and scalable GIS-like tool for the storage, selection and visualization of 4D marine datasets. The aim of this tool is to standardize the variety of data available for the water column and support non-technical marine biologists in manipulating 4D marine datasets. The tool is developed towards answering specific environmental and biological questions regarding ocean processes and essential fish habitat mapping in three dimensions.

Ultrathin Langmuir-Blodgett film properties of tert-butyl silicon-[bis ethyloxy]-phthalocyanine (tbPcSi(OC2 H5)2) have been studied and characterised. Surface pressure–area isotherms reveal an area per molecule of around 0.85 nm2, and that a compact ‘solid’ phase occurs in the region 10–30 m N m−1. LB films of different thicknesses were deposited onto gold interdigitated electrodes on glass in order to facilitate I–V measurements and assess the conductometric sensing properties in response to 5 ppm NO2. The I–V characteristic is Ohmic and yields conductivity in the range comparable to that obtained for other phthalocyanine monomers. The gas sensing behaviour of these films in response to NO2 was investigated and modelled using a double exponential model. Preliminary UV–visible spectroscopic investigations indicate that the film also responds optically.

The k0-method in INAA has been used at CENA/USP Brazil for analyzing geological and biological materials. With the acquisition of a well-type detector, it was realized that the true-coincidence effects, originally corrected by semi-empirical procedures with the in-house k0-software (Quantu-INAA), would affect the accuracy of results. Thus, new coincidence correction algorithms were developed, based on a theoretical equation for obtaining the correction factors. Validation of the algorithms was performed by analysis of plant certified reference materials.

Soil is usually carried to the mills, as an impurity in sugar cane, leading to economic drawbacks for the industry. The quantification of this dirt is important to identify its causes and for routine quality control. Several methods have been used for this purpose, however, no single one has been pointed out as an industrial standard. The use of a γ-ray emitting radionuclide of natural occurence was investigated and, after several soil and cane radioactivity analyses,212Pb was chosen as the best tracer. Calibration curves developed with the addition of soil in clean cane, from 0 to 10% (dry mass), demonstrated the linearity of the method. Analyses of eleven samples taken from consignments showed that the procedure was consistent and reliable when compared to the traditional ash method.

The salient feature of liquid crystal elastomers and networks is strong coupling between orientational order and mechanical strain. Orientational order can be changed by a wide variety of stimuli, including the presence of moisture. Changes in the orientation of constituents give rise to stresses and strains, which result in changes in sample shape. We have utilized this effect to build soft cellulose-based motor driven by humidity. The motor consists of a circular loop of cellulose film, which passes over two wheels. When humid air is present near one of the wheels on one side of the film, with drier air elsewhere, rotation of the wheels results. As the wheels rotate, the humid film dries. The motor runs so long as the difference in humidity is maintained. Our cellulose liquid crystal motor thus extracts mechanical work from a difference in humidity.

This study comprises Tertiary sediments (clays, silts, and fine clayey sands) from the unsaturated zone of the Experimental Station in the University of Sao Paulo, taken from a nine meters depth profile; ten samples were separated in bulk and

Human genomic structural variation (SV) is significant factor in genome complexity, and thus has substantial implications to the cause, development and progression of genetic diseases. These SVs, ranging in size of 1kbp-1Mbp, are challenging to assess with current technologies. As such, we have developed a commercial system (nanoAnalyzer® 1000) for the rapid linear analysis of genomes at single-molecule level.The core of our system is a nanofluidic chip consisting of an array of channels with a diameter less than 100 nm, nanofabricated on the surface of a silicon substrate. Thousands of unamplified genomic DNA molecules of 100’s kbps to several Mbps can be isolated and linearly streamed into the array for analysis in a parallel fashion. Fluorescently labeled sequence-specific signatures can then be identified and aligned to reference patterns at high resolution with custom software. This automated, multi-color imaging platform will enable a wide range of applications, such as accurate sequencing assembly, discovering genome structural variations, and uncovering epigenomic content. Nanochannel arrays promise to substantially lower the barriers of entry for single-molecule DNA analysis for scientists and clinicians, greatly impacting the advancement of molecular diagnostics, personalized medicine, and biomedical research.