Preparation and characterization of barium titanate stannate solid solutions

BaSn_xTi_1−xO₃ (x = 0; 0.05; 0.1; 0.15; 0.2) solid solutions were prepared via conventional solid state reaction and sintered at 1300 °C for 4 h, resulting in dense single phase ceramics with homogeneous microstructures. Tetragonal symmetry for x ≤ 0.1, cubic for x = 0.2 and a superposition of tetragonal and cubic for x = 0.15 compositions were found by X-ray diffraction analysis. The temperature and frequency dependence of the complex dielectric constant and dc tunability were determined. A transformation from normal ferroelectric to relaxor with diffuse phase transition was observed with increasing the Sn concentration. All the investigated compositions show a relative tunability between 0.55 (for x = 0.2) and 0.74 (for x = 0.1), at a field amplitude of E = 20 kV/cm.     

miR155 Deficiency Reduces Myofibroblast Density but Fails to Improve Cardiac Function after Myocardial Infarction in Dyslipidemic Mouse Model

Myocardial infarction remains the most common cause of heart failure with adverse remodeling. MicroRNA (miR)155 is upregulated following myocardial infarction and represents a relevant regulatory factor for cardiac remodeling by engagement in cardiac inflammation, fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Here, we investigated the role of miR155 in cardiac remodeling and dysfunction following myocardial infarction in a dyslipidemic mouse model. Myocardial infarction was induced in dyslipidemic apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE^−/−) mice with and without additional miR155 knockout by ligation of the LAD. Four weeks later, echocardiography was performed to assess left ventricular (LV) dimensions and function, and mice were subsequently sacrificed for histological analysis. Echocardiography revealed no difference in LV ejection fractions, LV mass and LV volumes between ApoE^−/− and ApoE^−/−/miR155^−/− mice. Histology confirmed comparable infarction size and unaltered neoangiogenesis in the myocardial scar. Notably, myofibroblast density was significantly decreased in ApoE^−/−/miR155^−/− mice compared to the control, but no difference was observed for total collagen deposition. Our findings reveal that genetic depletion of miR155 in a dyslipidemic mouse model of myocardial infarction does not reduce infarction size and consecutive heart failure but does decrease myofibroblast density in the post-ischemic scar.     

Comparative study of dental enamel loss after debonding braces by analytical scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Clinical procedures when shear forces are applied to brackets suggest adhesion forces between 2.8 and 10.0 MPa as appropriate. In this study dental enamel was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after removing the brackets. Thirty bicuspids (previous prophylaxis) with metallic brackets (Roth Inovation 0.022 GAC), Transbond Plus SEP 3M Unitek adhesive and Transbond XT 3M resin were used. The samples were preserved to 37°C during 24 hr and submited to tangential forces with the Instron Universal machine 1.0 mm/min speed load strength resistance debonding. Also the Adhesive Remanent Index (ARI) test was made, evaluating the bracket base and the bicuspid surface. All the bracket SEM images were processed with AutoCAD to determine the enamel detached area. The average value was 6.86 MPa (SD ± 3.2 MPa). ARI value 1= 63.3%, value 2= 20%, value 3= 13.3% and 33% presented value 0. All those samples with dental enamel loss, presented different situations as fractures, ledges, horizontal, and vertical loss in some cases, and some scratch lines. There is no association between the debonding resistance and enamel presence. Less than half of the remanent adhesive on the dental enamel was present in most of the samples when the ARI test was applied. When the resin area increases, the debonding resistance also increases, and when the enamel loss increases, the resin free metallic area of the bracket base decreases in the debonding.     

A Qualitative Approach for the Assessment of the Genetic Stability of the MON 810 Trait in Commercial Seed Maize Varieties

Maize MON 810 is one of the European Union’s (EU) authorized genetically modified organisms (GMO) for placing on the food and feed market. The total number of MON 810 varieties registered in the European Common Catalogue of varieties of agricultural plant species has almost tripled since 2005. One of the requirements described in EU legislation, namely the genetic stability of GM seed varieties, was thus assessed by analyzing the intactness of the entire MON 810 integration and its genotypic stability in commercial varieties available on the market for at least the last 2 years. A combined strategy using qualitative analytical methods made possible to determine the presence/absence of the individual genetic elements and of the whole GM construct. The restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns obtained from amplified whole constructs by long polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were compared side by side. CryIA(b) protein expression levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Twenty-four out of the 26 analyzed varieties met the expected stability features. One variety gave negative results in all assays, and one variety contained the necessary genetic elements for expressing CryIA(b) protein although giving negative results for the long PCR product. To our knowledge, this study is the first post-marketing stability analysis performed on GM commercial seed varieties.     

Supervisory control and data acquisition for virtual enterprise

The new manufacturing paradigms, such as agile manufacture and lean production, are leading industrial countries towards the new generation of concurrent enterprises involving virtual enterprise architecture and concurrent engineering extended methodology. Continuing adaptation to the market can only be achieved efficiently if the planning and control processes are both optimized horizontally (Automatic Control Systems) and vertically (Management Control Systems). The desired improvement in performance and the realization of global enterprise objectives require a tight integration of the units of the enterprise. The close monitoring of the operational performance of various plants, manufacturing shop-floors/cells/machines, as well as their associated instrumentation and control is of increasing strategic importance. Failures can lead to increased costs and reduced product quality, consistency and production, and to plant shutdowns and increased environmental impact. There is a real need for advanced monitoring technologies to be applied, and their potential demonstrated, on complex industrial plants. The planning and scheduling of manufacturing systems integrated into virtual enterprise architectures requires the implementation of new General Master Production Planning and Scheduling techniques and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) functions. This paper discusses some key issues on the SCADA-oriented open system for virtual enterprise architecture.     

Investigation of the composition-dependent properties of BaTi1−xZrxO3 ceramics prepared by the modified Pechini method

Single phase and dense BaTi_1?xZr_xO₃ (BTZ) ceramics (x = 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20) were obtained from nanopowders synthesised by the modified Pechini method. The evolution of both Raman spectra and low-field dielectric properties against temperature indicated the occurrence of diffuse ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transitions for all the BTZ compositions under investigation. The evolution of first-order reversal curves (FORC) diagrams emphasised the crossover from the ferroelectric towards the relaxor state as the Zr content increased. Lower values of the Curie temperatures than those usually reported earlier in the literature were obtained for all the BTZ samples analysed here. The high-field tunability data completed the low-field and Raman results, showing that by increasing Zr addition, multiple polarisation components with various weights are responsible for the dielectric and ferroelectric properties.     

Phosphatidylserine Supplementation as a Novel Strategy for Reducing Myocardial Infarct Size and Preventing Adverse Left Ventricular Remodeling

Phosphatidylserines are known to sustain skeletal muscle activity during intense activity or hypoxic conditions, as well as preserve neurocognitive function in older patients. Our previous studies pointed out a potential cardioprotective role of phosphatidylserine in heart ischemia. Therefore, we investigated the effects of phosphatidylserine oral supplementation in a mouse model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We found out that phosphatidylserine increases, significantly, the cardiomyocyte survival by 50% in an acute model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion. Similar, phosphatidylserine reduced significantly the infarcted size by 30% and improved heart function by 25% in a chronic model of AMI. The main responsible mechanism seems to be up-regulation of protein kinase C epsilon (PKC-ε), the main player of cardio-protection during pre-conditioning. Interestingly, if the phosphatidylserine supplementation is started before induction of AMI, but not after, it selectively inhibits neutrophil’s activation, such as Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) expression, without affecting the healing and fibrosis. Thus, phosphatidylserine supplementation may represent a simple way to activate a pre-conditioning mechanism and may be a promising novel strategy to reduce infarct size following AMI and to prevent myocardial injury during myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery. Due to the minimal adverse effects, further investigation in large animals or in human are soon possible to establish the exact role of phosphatidylserine in cardiac diseases.     

In vitro models of periodontal cells: a comparative study of long-term gingival,periodontal ligament and alveolar bone cell cultures in the presence of β-glycerophosphate and dexamethasone

Human gingival (HG), periodontal ligament (HPL) and alveolar bone (HAB) cells (first subculture) were cultured (10⁴ cells/cm²) for 35 days in α-Minimal Essential Medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum in the presence of (i) ascorbic acid (AA, 50 μg/mL), (ii) AA + β-glycerophosphate (βGP, 10 mM) and (iii) AA + βGP + dexamethasone (Dex, 10 nM). Cultures were assessed for cell attachment and spreading, cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (ACP) activities and matrix mineralization. HG cell cultures presented a high proliferation rate, a low ability to synthesize ALP and ACP and the formation of a non-mineralized extracellular matrix, regardless the experimental situation. HPL cell cultures were very sensitive to the culture conditions and showed a high proliferation rate, synthesis of moderate levels of ALP and ACP and a modest matrix mineralization in the presence of AA + βGP + Dex. HAB cell cultures presented a growth rate lower than that of HG and HPL cells, a high ALP activity and comparatively low levels of ACP, and the ready formation of a heavy mineralized matrix in the presence of βGP. In the three periodontal cell cultures, Dex enhanced cell proliferation and expression of osteoblastic markers. Results showed that βGP and Dex allowed the modulation of the cell proliferation/differentiation behavior within the proposed physiological and regenerative capabilities of these periodontal cells.