Search results for " surface"

Charging a Capacitor from an External Fluctuating Potential using a Single Conical Nanopore

2015

We explore the electrical rectification of large amplitude fluctuating signals by an asymmetric nanostructure operating in aqueous solution. We show experimentally and theoretically that a load capacitor can be charged to voltages close to 1 V within a few minutes by converting zero time-average potentials of amplitudes in the range 0.5–3 V into average net currents using a single conical nanopore. This process suggests that significant energy conversion and storage from an electrically fluctuating environment is feasible with a nanoscale pore immersed in a liquid electrolyte solution, a system characteristic of bioelectronics interfaces, electrochemical cells, and nanoporous membranes.

Poloxamer/sodium cholate co-formulation for micellar encapsulation of Doxorubicin with high efficiency for intracellular delivery: an in-vitro bioava…

2020

Abstract Hypothesis Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DX) is widely used as a chemotherapeutic agent, though its severe side-effects limit its clinical use. A way to overcome these limitations is to increase DX latency through encapsulation in suitable carriers. However, DX has a high solubility in water, hindering encapsulation. The formulation of DX with sodium cholate (NaC) will reduce aqueous solubility through charge neutralization and hydrophobic interactions thus facilitating DX encapsulation into poloxamer (F127) micelles, increasing drug latency. Experiments DX/NaC/PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer (F127) formulations with high DX content (DX-PMs) have been prepared and characterized by scat…

DNA-mediated immunization to hepatitis B virus envelope proteins: preS antigen secretion enhances the humoral response.

1999

In order to design optimized DNA vectors as genetic vaccines against infections with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) we investigated if secretion or retention of the viral antigens has an influence on the quality and quantity of the humoral immune response. Intramuscular injection of plasmid DNA encoding the HBV large L envelope protein, known to be retained within host cells, induced only a weak response in mice whereas a vector expressing the secretion-competent small S envelope protein elicited strong and sustained immunity. Immunization with rearranged envelope genes further demonstrated that secretion affects the magnitude of the immune response. In situ expression of modified small and mi…

Modification of halloysite lumen with dopamine derivatives as filler for antibiofilm coating

2023

Hypothesis: Development of nanocomposite coating with antibiofilm properties is of fundamental importance to efficient fight biofilm formation preventing infections in biomedical area. In this context, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), biocompatible and low-cost clay mineral, have been efficiently used as filler for different polymeric matrices affording several nanocomposites with appealing antimicrobial properties. The modification of HNTs surfaces represents a valuable strategy to improve the utilization of the clay for biological purposes. Experiments: Herein, the covalent modification of the HNTs lumen with properly designed dopamine derivatives with different perfluoroalkyl chain length is…

Saving time when measuring BET isotherms.

2007

The measurement of adsorption isotherms and the detn. of surface properties of a solid by means of the BET equation usually takes a lot of time as it involves measurement of several dynamic adsorption curves each at a given gas pressure. Two different timesaving approaches are suggested: (a) the beginning of a single dynamic curve is considered and (b) the beginnings of a no. of different dynamic curves is considered. Approach (a) is less time consuming than approach (b), where approach (b) yields more accurate ests. of the BET-parameters. A discussion is given of the possibilities of using the time saving procedure of Jaentti for the two approaches. [on SciFinder (R)]

Climate variation during the Holocene influenced the skeletal properties of Chamelea gallina shells in the North Adriatic Sea (Italy)

2021

Understanding how marine taxa will respond to near-future climate changes is one of the main challenges for management of coastal ecosystem services. Ecological studies that investigate relationships between the environment and shell properties of commercially important marine species are commonly restricted to latitudinal gradients or small-scale laboratory experiments. This paper aimed to explore the variations in shell features and growth of the edible bivalve Chamelea gallina from the Holocene sedimentary succession to present-day thanatocoenosis of the Po Plain-Adriatic Sea system (Italy). Comparing the Holocene sub-fossil record to modern thanatocoenoses allowed obtaining an insight o…

An ab initio potential energy surface for the C2H2-N2 system

2012

International audience; An ab initio potential energy surface determined at the CCSD(T) level of theory is presented for the van der Waals complex C2H2-N2. Additional calculations performed with the HF- and DFT-SAPT methods compare well with the CCSD(T) results and allow a better understanding of the main features of this interaction potential surface. An expansion of this surface over spherical harmonics has also been performed. The global energy minimum of the complex is obtained for the linear conformation. The T conformations are the least attractive. Such characteristics mainly arise because of the variation, in sign and in absolute value of the electrostatic energy between all these c…

Hybrid Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics Simulations with Two-Dimensional Interpolated Corrections:  Application to Enzymatic Processes

2006

Hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) techniques are widely used to study chemical reactions in large systems. Because of the computational cost associated with the high dimensionality of these systems, the quantum description is usually restricted to low-level methods, such as semiempirical Hamiltonians. In some cases, the description obtained at this computational level is quite poor and corrections must be considered. We here propose a simple but efficient way to include higher-level corrections to be used in potential energy surface explorations and in the calculation of potentials of mean force. We evaluate a correction energy term as the difference between a high-level …

Giant liposomes as model membranes for immunological studies: spontaneous insertion of purified K1-antigen (poly-alpha-2,8-NeuAc) of Escherichia coli.

1990

A flow chamber has been constructed to use giant liposomes (diameter 5-50 microns) as model membranes for immunological studies and other experiments involving the interaction with water-soluble compounds. As an example of immunological importance, the insertion of purified K-antigen from Escherichia coli K1 has been studied. Despite its large hydrophilic part (poly-alpha-2,8-NeuAc), which is capped at its potential reducing end with phosphatidic acid acting as a lipid anchor group, this water-soluble material is readily incorporated into liposomal membranes of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC). The incorporation has been proven by immunofluorescence using a FITC-labeled monoclonal anti…

PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOPOLYMERIC POROUS STRUCTURES FOR ADVANCED APPLICATIONS

Porous biopolymers received an increasing academic and industrial interest finding application in several fields such as tissue engineering, bioprocess intensification and waste removal. Tissue engineering combines the knowledge of materials science and bioengineering in order to develop structures able to substitute and restore the normal function of injured or diseased tissues. In this context, polymeric 3D or 2D scaffolds are widely investigated as temporary cell guidance during the tissue restore. Porous biomaterials can offer a versatile and cost effective way for immobilization of filamentous microorganisms in submerged fermentation processes for the production of biologically active …