Confined water in aqueous solutions of imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) associated with acetate and imidazolate anions react reversibly with CO2 to yield bicarbonate. Three types of CO2 sorption in these “IL aqueous solutions” were observed: physical, CO2-imidazolium adduct generation, and bicarbonate formation (up to 1.9 molbicarbonate mol−1 of IL), resulting in a 10:1 (molar ratio) total absorption of CO2 relative to imidazolate anions in the presence of water 1:1000 (IL/water). These sorption values are higher than the classical alkanol amines or even alkaline aqueous solutions under similar experimental conditions.

Chromonic liquid crystals (CLC) are lyotropic phases formed by discotic mesogens in water. Simple chiral dopants such as amino acids have been reported to turn chromonic liquid crystals into their cholesteric counterparts. Here we report a chirality amplification effect in the nematic phase of a 9 wt% disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) upon doping with a water-soluble codeine derivative. The transition on cooling the isotropic to the nematic phase showed the presence of homochiral spindle-shaped droplets (tactoids). NMR DOSY experiments on a triple gradient probe revealed a small degree of diffusion anisotropy for the alkaloid embedded in the liquid crystal structure. These results in combination with XRD, CD and POM experiments agree with a supramolecular aggregation model based on simple columnar stacks.

Chitosan with three different molecular weights (538 ± 48, 229 ± 45 and 13 ± 3 kDa) was used to develop biodegradable Inverted Colloidal Crystal (ICC) scaffolds with uniform pore size and interconnected pore network. Mass loss and compression modulus were analyzed after hydrolytic degradation in order to understand the influence of molecular weight on structural and mechanical degradation of chitosan ICC structures. Results show that medium molecular weight chitosan (229 ± 45 kDa) retains ICC structure and compression modulus for an extended period (4 weeks) and is therefore the preferred one for the production of ICC for soft tissue engineering.

A novel Eddy Current (EC) probe configurations were developed to detect millimeter defects with any orientation on inner or outer pipe surfaces. The probes were designed and experimentally validated in different materials where the defects tested were identified with a high sensitivity and good signal-to-noise ratio.

In the last two decades, it has been observed an increasing low enrolment of students in chemistry teaching courses in secondary schools. On the one hand, because of the negative connotation of chemistry, associated with the potentially toxic and pollutant chemical industry, and on the other hand, that the teaching of this subject is exclusively carried out only in a theoretical classroom environment with almost non-existent practical/experimental component, despite chemistry is an experimental science in its essence. This state of affairs has been reflected in chemistry degrees offered by Portuguese universities throughout the country, which in the application process for each academic year, ended up by never completely fulfilling the number of offered nunerus clausus. Considering that the pedagogical mission of the Faculty of Science and Technology of Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (FCT-NOVA), in particular its Department of Chemistry (DQ), aims to contribute to the human, scientific and technical development of students, a project has been settled in the last nine years in order to offer to high school students a unique opportunity to arouse in them the interest in Science in general and Chemistry in particular, to stimulate impart on them the joy of curiosity, while at the same time conferring the necessary skills for their future activity as students of higher education or in the labour market. It is also through the close contact with students that method, discipline, and intellectual honesty are transmitted and cultivated. The aim of this Project was thus to promote the study and taste interest for Chemistry, through experimental activities, fitting the Portuguese High School Education curricula, offered to students enrolled in Chemistry subjects attending the 10th, 11th and 12th grades (the latter, compulsory high school degree to apply to University Throughout 2016/17 academic year, DQ-FCT-NOVA will receive, from October to May, 1888 students visits from eleven High Schools distributed among Physical Chemistry for 10th/11th grade and of the 12th grade attending the Chemistry subject. The former are offer one single laboratory activity while the latter participate up to 10 different experimental activities. During 70 practical sessions of 2.5 hours each, with an average attendance of 27 students, the number of higher education school staff involved are 22. Each high school class is accompanied by 1 teacher, who's also proactively contributing to the design of the practical session. The session is carried out in groups of 2/3 students, and the laboratories have a capacity of 24/48 according onto classes sizes. A quality questionnaire is filled by the students in order to monitor the action. In 2015/16, 63 % of the students answered the questionnaire in which more than 90% students were very satisfied with the action. This project has already been implemented for 9 years reflecting a growing collaboration between FCT-NOVA and in High Schools in the vicinity (Setubal District). Above all, this Project allowed most of these schools to continue to motivate students to enrol in 12th grade Chemistry subject. Actually, in the first year of the initiative, many of these schools did not have enough students to open chemistry classes for the 12th grade. After the first initiative, almost all high schools have been able to maintain open 12th grade chemistry classes. On the other hand, FCT-NOVA, namely, the Applied Chemistry course, has been able to fill 100% of the numerus clausus available in the first phase of the application period, which is not the case for other higher education schools courses in Portugal for the same domain - Chemistry.

Gold nanoparticles functionalized with thiolated oligonucleotides (Au-nanoprobes) have been used in a range of applications for the detection of bioanalytes of interest, from ions to proteins and DNA targets. These detection strategies are based on the unique optical properties of gold nanoparticles, in particular, the intense color that is subject to modulation by modification of the medium dieletric. Au-nanoprobes have been applied for the detection and characterization of specific DNA sequences of interest, namely pathogens and disease biomarkers. Nevertheless, despite its relevance, only a few reports exist on the detection of RNA targets. Among these strategies, the colorimetric detection of DNA has been proven to work for several different targets in controlled samples but demonstration in real clinical bioanalysis has been elusive. Here, we used a colorimetric method based on Au-nanoprobes for the direct detection of the e14a2 BCR-ABL fusion transcript in myeloid leukemia patient samples without the need for retro-transcription. Au-nanoprobes directly assessed total RNA from 38 clinical samples, and results were validated against reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The colorimetric Au-nanoprobe assay is a simple yet reliable strategy to scrutinize myeloid leukemia patients at diagnosis and evaluate progression, with obvious advantages in terms of time and cost, particularly in low- to medium-income countries where molecular screening is not routinely feasible.

Pullulan, a neutral polysaccharide, was chemically modified in order to obtain two charged derivatives: reaction with SO3.DMF complex afforded a sulfate derivative (SP), while reaction with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride gave a quaternary ammonium salt (AP). The presence of the charged groups was confirmed by FTIR. Assessment of the positions where the reaction took place was based on 1H- and 13C NMR (COSY, HSQC-TOCSY, HSQC-DEPT, and HMBC) experiments. Estimation of the degree of substitution (DS) was made from elemental analysis data, and further confirmed by NMR peak areas in the case of AP. These new derivatives showed the capability to condense with each other, forming nanoparticles with the ability to associate a model protein (BSA) and displaying adequate size for drug delivery applications, therefore making them good candidates for the production of pullulan-based nanocarriers by polyelectrolyte complexation.

In the present work, two drug delivery systems were produced by encapsulating doxorubicin into chitosan and O-HTCC (ammonium-quaternary derivative of chitosan) nanoparticles. The results show that doxorubicin release is independent of the molecular weight and is higher at acidic pH (4.5) than at physiological pH. NPs with an average hydrodynamic diameter bellow 200 nm are able to encapsulate up to 70% and 50% of doxorubicin in the case of chitosan and O-HTCC nanoparticles, respectively. O-HTCC nanoparticles led to a higher amount of doxorubicin released than chitosan nanoparticles, for the same experimental conditions, although the release mechanism was not altered. A burst effect occurs within the first hours of release, reaching a plateau after 24 h. Fitting mathematical models to the experimental data led to a concordant release mechanism between most samples, indicating an anomalous or mixed release, which is in agreement with the swelling behavior of chitosan described in the literature.

In the present work, two drug delivery systems were produced by encapsulating doxorubicin into chitosan and O-HTCC (ammonium-quaternary derivative of chitosan) nanoparticles. The results show that doxorubicin release is independent of the molecular weight and is higher at acidic pH (4.5) than at physiological pH. NPs with an average hydrodynamic diameter bellow 200 nm are able to encapsulate up to 70% and 50% of doxorubicin in the case of chitosan and O-HTCC nanoparticles, respectively. O-HTCC nanoparticles led to a higher amount of doxorubicin released than chitosan nanoparticles, for the same experimental conditions, although the release mechanism was not altered. A burst effect occurs within the first hours of release, reaching a plateau after 24 h. Fitting mathematical models to the experimental data led to a concordant release mechanism between most samples, indicating an anomalous or mixed release, which is in agreement with the swelling behavior of chitosan described in the literature.

Gold nanoparticles functionalized with thiolated oligonucleotides (Au-nanoprobes) have been used in a range of applications for the detection of bioanalytes of interest, from ions to proteins and DNA targets. These detection strategies are based on the unique optical properties of gold nanoparticles, in particular, the intense color that is subject to modulation by modification of the medium dieletric. Au-nanoprobes have been applied for the detection and characterization of specific DNA sequences of interest, namely pathogens and disease biomarkers. Nevertheless, despite its relevance, only a few reports exist on the detection of RNA targets. Among these strategies, the colorimetric detection of DNA has been proven to work for several different targets in controlled samples but demonstration in real clinical bioanalysis has been elusive. Here, we used a colorimetric method based on Au-nanoprobes for the direct detection of the e14a2 BCR-ABL fusion transcript in myeloid leukemia patient samples without the need for retro-transcription. Au-nanoprobes directly assessed total RNA from 38 clinical samples, and results were validated against reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The colorimetric Au-nanoprobe assay is a simple yet reliable strategy to scrutinize myeloid leukemia patients at diagnosis and evaluate progression, with obvious advantages in terms of time and cost, particularly in low- to medium-income countries where molecular screening is not routinely feasible.

The strategy of confining stimuli-responsive microgels in electrospun fibres would allow the fabrication of polymeric networks that combine the microgels swelling ability and properties with the interest features of the electrospun fibres. Colloidal electrospinning is an emerging method in which fibres containing microgels can be produced by a single-nozzle and designed through the solution carrier materials. The incorporation of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAM) and PNIPAAM-chitosan (PNIPAAM-CS) in poly(ethyleneoxyde) (PEO) fibres via colloidal electrospinning producing composite fibres was the main purpose of the present work{,} which was confirmed by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Dynamic light scattering was used to analyse the microgels hydrodynamic diameter ranging up to 900 nm depending on the composition and temperature of the surrounding medium. By performing a statistical analysis the relationship of the processing variables over the fibre size was evaluated following the response surface methodology (RSM). From the set of parameters aimed to minimize the fibre diameter{,} composite fibres with an average diameter of 63 nm were produced. Only the as-prepared microgels with higher monodispersity provided {"}bead-on-a-string{"} morphologies.

Nearly 1.5 million people worldwide suffer from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), characterized by the genetic translocation t(9;22)(q34;q11.2), involving the fusion of the Abelson oncogene (ABL1) with the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) gene. Early onset diagnosis coupled to current therapeutics allow for a treatment success rate of 90, which has focused research on the development of novel diagnostics approaches. In this review, we present a critical perspective on current strategies for CML diagnostics, comparing to gold standard methodologies and with an eye on the future trends on nanotheranostics.