Microbial susceptibility of various polymers and evaluation of thermoplastic elastomers with antimicrobial additives

The incursion of microbial growth on polymeric products can deteriorate their performance and lead to the development of undesirable staining and odors. A growing trend in the industry has aimed to reduce microbial populations on high-touch surfaces via the use of antimicrobials to protect material aesthetics and durability or to prevent the spread of pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, a variety of plastic substrates (30 unique polymer compounds), including poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene-co-styrene), poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(etherimide), various thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), poly(carbonates), and poly(amides), were screened for susceptibility to microbial attack using American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) G21 (fungi susceptibility), Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) Z2801, and modified ASTM E1428-15a (bacterial susceptibility) test standards. TPEs were determined to be most susceptible to microbial attack under the appropriate environmental conditions. Subsequent studies assessed the use of an antimicrobial additive, zinc pyrithione (ZPT), for potential efficacy in a variety of TPE blends for diverse target market applications. ZPT proved to be very effective in protecting TPEs, reducing Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli populations by 99.9% or more in JIS Z2801 testing and inhibiting fungal growth (rating = 0) according to the ASTM G21 standard.     

Mitochondrial and Autophagic Regulation of Adult Neurogenesis in the Healthy and Diseased Brain

Adult neurogenesis is a highly regulated process during which new neurons are generated from neural stem cells in two discrete regions of the adult brain: the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle and the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus. Defects of adult hippocampal neurogenesis have been linked to cognitive decline and dysfunction during natural aging and in neurodegenerative diseases, as well as psychological stress-induced mood disorders. Understanding the mechanisms and pathways that regulate adult neurogenesis is crucial to improving preventative measures and therapies for these conditions. Accumulating evidence shows that mitochondria directly regulate various steps and phases of adult neurogenesis. This review summarizes recent findings on how mitochondrial metabolism, dynamics, and reactive oxygen species control several aspects of adult neural stem cell function and their differentiation to newborn neurons. It also discusses the importance of autophagy for adult neurogenesis, and how mitochondrial and autophagic dysfunction may contribute to cognitive defects and stress-induced mood disorders by compromising adult neurogenesis. Finally, I suggest possible ways to target mitochondrial function as a strategy for stem cell-based interventions and treatments for cognitive and mood disorders.     

水杨酸处理诱导采后甜瓜抗坏血酸-还原型谷胱甘肽循环代谢清除过氧化氢的作用及机制

目的：研究抗坏血酸（ascorbic acid，AsA）-还原型谷胱甘肽（reduced glutathione，GSH）循环代谢在水杨酸处理采后甜瓜诱导的过量H2O2清除过程中的作用。方法：用4 mmol/L水杨酸浸泡‘玉金香’厚皮甜瓜10 min，测定处理后果实常温贮藏过程中丙二醛（malondialdehyde，MDA）含量，分析活性氧的积累水平、超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase，SOD）和过氧化氢酶（catalase，CAT）活力，以及AsA-GSH循环过程相关酶活力及产物和底物含量。结果：水杨酸处理降低了果实MDA含量，第10天处理组MDA含量较对照组降低14.6%；显著提高了果实O2－·的产生速率和H2O2含量（P＜0.05），其中处理后第2天O2－·的产生速率高出同期对照组的1.9 倍，第6天H2O2含量高出对照组果实29.7%；提高了果实SOD活力，但抑制了CAT活力，说明H2O2的清除可能是依赖于除酶促系统外的其他系统。此外，水杨酸处理提高了果实抗坏血酸过氧化物酶、单脱氢抗坏血酸过氧化物酶、脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶和谷胱甘肽还原酶的活力，增加了AsA和氧化型谷胱甘肽的含量，降低了脱氢抗坏血酸和GSH的含量。结论：水杨酸处理诱导了厚皮甜瓜果实的氧爆，抑制了MDA产生，由水杨酸诱导产生的过量H2O2主要依靠AsA-GSH循环系统清除。     

Tailored-Made Polydopamine Nanoparticles to Induce Ferroptosis in Breast Cancer Cells in Combination with Chemotherapy

Ferroptosis is gaining followers as mechanism of selective killing cancer cells in a non-apoptotic manner, and novel nanosystems capable of inducing this iron-dependent death are being increasingly developed. Among them, polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) are arousing interest, since they have great capability of chelating iron. In this work, PDA NPs were loaded with Fe³⁺ at different pH values to assess the importance that the pH may have in determining their therapeutic activity and selectivity. In addition, doxorubicin was also loaded to the nanoparticles to achieve a synergist effect. The in vitro assays that were performed with the BT474 and HS5 cell lines showed that, when Fe³⁺ was adsorbed in PDA NPs at pH values close to which Fe(OH)₃ begins to be formed, these nanoparticles had greater antitumor activity and selectivity despite having chelated a smaller amount of Fe³⁺. Otherwise, it was demonstrated that Fe³⁺ could be released in the late endo/lysosomes thanks to their acidic pH and their Ca²⁺ content, and that when Fe³⁺ was co-transported with doxorubicin, the therapeutic activity of PDA NPs was enhanced. Thus, reported PDA NPs loaded with both Fe³⁺ and doxorubicin may constitute a good approach to target breast tumors.     

柿竹园多金属矿选矿废水处理试验研究

针对柿竹园多金属矿选矿废水量大、难沉降、pH值高、COD高等特点,研究了石灰沉降+ZJYH03氧化法、石灰沉降+漂白粉氧化法、石灰沉降+NaClO氧化法、聚合硫酸铁沉降+ZJYH03氧化法和石灰沉降+生物氧化法等废水处理工艺,并对比分析了各工艺的处理效果和药剂成本,结果表明: 聚合硫酸铁沉降+ZJYH03氧化法取得了较好的处理效果,该方法具有工艺简单、水质无色透明、药剂成本低等特点。     

油藏中后期减氧空气驱提高采收率机理研究

尕斯库勒油田E¹₃油藏已经进入高含水时期，储采失衡加剧，综合含水率达到了80%以上，原油产量下降，经济效益变差。为了提高油藏原油采出程度、改善油藏开发效果，调研了国内外减氧空气驱的机理研究以及现场试验的资料，建立了以油藏真实孔渗饱数据为基础的一维条形地层机理模型，并选取该油藏Y12-27井组进行了减氧空气驱可行性验证。研究表明:纵向顶部减氧空气驱驱油效果优于水驱和氮气驱；驱替压力对原油采出程度影响不大；注水转注气可以提高原油采出程度；对于减氧空气驱，由于低温氧化反应的作用，氧气浓度对原油采出程度有一定影响，但比较微弱，其中，氧气浓度为10%时，驱替结束采出程度最高；尕斯库勒油田E¹₃油藏属于注水开发“双高”油藏，适用于减氧空气驱；对于该油藏Y12-27井组，顶部减氧空气驱驱油效果好于水驱和氮气驱，建议氧气浓度超过10%时采取关井等措施。     

基于粒子群优化算法的五自由度机械臂轨迹规划

为了让机械臂的工作时间达到最优,以自主研发的抛光机器人样机为研究对象,针对手表表壳表耳部分的抛光过程,提出PSO算法对五自由度机械臂轨迹规划进行优化,并通过MATLAB软件进行机械臂的仿真与分析。仿真结果表明,基于PSO算法的轨迹规划使机械臂在工作过程中加加速度不会产生突变,运动轨迹精度高,机械臂工作时间达到最优。     

生物标志物在生物药临床研究中的应用及生物分析策略

中国生物药研发进入快车道，新药研发费用不断攀升，但并没有提高药物上市的成功率，因此亟需对药物研发模式进行转变。为了提高药物研发成功率，以生物标志物为核心的转化医学新药研发模式被普遍接受。本文综述了以生物标志物为核心的转化医学新药研发思路，生物标志物在生物药临床研究中的应用，生物标志物生物分析策略，生物标志物在生物药临床研究中的机遇与挑战。通过对标国际，寻找中国优势，从生物标志物为立足点的转化医学研发模式寻找机遇，中国可以尽早做成具有全球影响力的创新药。