Direct ink writing of vancomycin-loaded polycaprolactone/ polyethylene oxide/ hydroxyapatite 3D scaffolds

Novel inks were formulated by dissolving polycaprolactone (PCL), a hydrophobic polymer, in organic solvent systems; polyethylene oxide (PEO) was incorporated to extend the range of hydrophilicity of the system. Hydroxyapatite (HAp) with a weight ratio of 55–85% was added to the polymer-based solution to mimic the material composition of natural bone tissue. The direct ink writing (DIW) technique was applied to extrude the formulated inks to fabricate the predesigned tissue scaffold structures; the influence of HAp concentration was investigated. The results indicate that in comparison to other inks containing HAp (55%, 75%, and 85%w/w), the ink containing 65% w/w HAp had faster ink recovery behavior; the fabricated scaffold had a rougher surface as well as better mechanical properties and wettability. It is noted that the 65% w/w HAp concentration is similar to the inorganic composition of natural bone tissue. The elastic modulus values of PCL/PEO/HAp scaffolds were in the range of 4–12 MPa; the values were dependent on the HAp concentration. Furthermore, vancomycin as a model drug was successfully encapsulated in the PCL/PEO/HAp composite scaffold for drug release applications. This paper presents novel drug-loaded PCL/PEO/HAp inks for 3D scaffold fabrication using the DIW printing technique for potential bone scaffold applications.     

Ternary type BaY2ZnO5: Eu3+ deep-red phosphor for possible latent fingerprint,security ink and WLED applications

Pc-WLEDs are considered to play a spectacular role in future generation light sources in view of their outstanding energy efficiency. In this regard, Eu³⁺ activated BaY₂ZnO₅ phosphor was prepared and investigated by XRD, PL and SEM analyses. Rietveld refinement analysis was carried out to confirm the structure of the synthesized phosphor. The prepared phosphor shows an intense red emission around 627 nm under excitation by near UV light. The ⁵D₀-⁷F₂ transition intensity of the prepared phosphor is three times higher compared to the commercial (Y,Gd)BO₃:Eu³⁺ red phosphor. The CIE colour coordinates of BaY₂ZnO₅:Eu³⁺ (9mol%) phosphor corresponds to be (0.6169, 0.3742) and it has a high 97.9 % colour purity. The obtained results reveal the utility of BaY₂ZnO₅:Eu³⁺ phosphor as an efficient red component in WLEDs, anti-counterfeiting and fingerprint detection applications.     

The impact of the thermal treatment during ink preparation on the ionomer-supported catalyst interactions in the catalyst layers

Catalyst slurries (inks) were prepared with and without thermal treatment to determine the support/ionomer structures and interactions in the catalyst layer (CL) which impact on membrane electrode performance and durability. The thermal treatment of the ink has a nominal effect on the ionomer/support structure in which the carbon support is non-graphitised. The agglomerate/aggregate structures have a high degree of support/ionomer interface and sufficient macroporosity for water movement in the CL. This improves the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) performance, but also accelerates electrochemical carbon degradation. Thermal treatment of graphitised support-containing inks resulted in increased performance facilitated by a larger support/ionomer interface. Without thermal treatment, the more hydrophobic support would form aggregate structures in which water contact was restricted, limiting proton transfer, isolating catalyst, decreasing performance. The water limited access, would however, prolong stability during accelerates carbon degradation. The electrochemical properties were studied using full and half MEA cells.     

Application of artificial neural network method to predict the breakage properties of PGE bearing chromite ore

In the present investigation, systematic grinding experiments were conducted in a laboratory ball mill to determine the breakage properties of low-grade PGE bearing chromite ore. The population balance modeling technique was used to study the breakage parameters such as primary breakage distribution (B_{i, j}) and the specific rates of breakage (S_i). The breakage and selection function values were determined for six feed sizes. The results stated that the breakage follows the first-order grinding kinetics for all the feed sizes. It was observed that the coarser feed sizes exhibit higher selection function values than the finer feed size. Further, an artificial neural network was used to predict breakage characteristics of low-grade PGE bearing chromite ore. The predicted results obtained from the neural network modeling were close to the experimental results with a correlation of determination R² = 0.99 for both product size and selection function.     

基于现代审美下的赣傩艺术元素分析与设计应用

目的 赣傩艺术元素内容丰富并保存完整,是研究我国古代赣傩地区文化与艺术的珍贵史料.研究赣傩艺术元素的提取及衍生图案的设计方法,在设计应用中表达赣傩傩面具、选取傩舞形和构筑傩庙魂,能给当代赣傩艺术元素的产品设计以指引.方法 通过直接引用、形意结合和局部强化的设计方法,增厚其丰富内涵、设计个性和主题意蕴.通过现代化审美中"绿色化、感性化、地域化"的要求,遵循"以退为进,化繁为简""多元并存,个性体现"的原则,强化赣傩艺术元素的独特风格.结论 用现代的手法,将特色的赣傩艺术元素植入到理性的产品设计中去,使赣傩艺术元素与现代设计思想有机结合.在继承传统文化与现代流行中找到契合点,深入挖掘赣傩艺术元素蕴含的文化精神、文化胸怀和文化自信,使中华传统文化在现代审美下进行创新再现.     

Transposable Elements and Stress in Vertebrates: An Overview

Since their identification as genomic regulatory elements, Transposable Elements (TEs) were considered, at first, molecular parasites and later as an important source of genetic diversity and regulatory innovations. In vertebrates in particular, TEs have been recognized as playing an important role in major evolutionary transitions and biodiversity. Moreover, in the last decade, a significant number of papers has been published highlighting a correlation between TE activity and exposition to environmental stresses and dietary factors. In this review we present an overview of the impact of TEs in vertebrate genomes, report the silencing mechanisms adopted by host genomes to regulate TE activity, and finally we explore the effects of environmental and dietary factor exposures on TE activity in mammals, which is the most studied group among vertebrates. The studies here reported evidence that several factors can induce changes in the epigenetic status of TEs and silencing mechanisms leading to their activation with consequent effects on the host genome. The study of TE can represent a future challenge for research for developing effective markers able to detect precocious epigenetic changes and prevent human diseases.     

Acquisition and Spread of Antimicrobial Resistance: A tet(X) Case Study

Understanding the mechanisms leading to the rise and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is crucially important for the preservation of power of antimicrobials and controlling infectious diseases. Measures to monitor and detect AMR, however, have been significantly delayed and introduced much later after the beginning of industrial production and consumption of antimicrobials. However, monitoring and detection of AMR is largely focused on bacterial pathogens, thus missing multiple key events which take place before the emergence and spread of AMR among the pathogens. In this regard, careful analysis of AMR development towards recently introduced antimicrobials may serve as a valuable example for the better understanding of mechanisms driving AMR evolution. Here, the example of evolution of tet(X), which confers resistance to the next-generation tetracyclines, is summarised and discussed. Initial mechanisms of resistance to these antimicrobials among pathogens were mostly via chromosomal mutations leading to the overexpression of efflux pumps. High-level resistance was achieved only after the acquisition of flavin-dependent monooxygenase-encoding genes from the environmental microbiota. These genes confer resistance to all tetracyclines, including the next-generation tetracyclines, and thus were termed tet(X). ISCR2 and IS26, as well as a variety of conjugative and mobilizable plasmids of different incompatibility groups, played an essential role in the acquisition of tet(X) genes from natural reservoirs and in further dissemination among bacterial commensals and pathogens. This process, which took place within the last decade, demonstrates how rapidly AMR evolution may progress, taking away some drugs of last resort from our arsenal.     

The effects of the modification of the BST-system solid solutions with rare earth elements

The conditions for the preparation of the solid solutions of a binary system of barium-strontium titanates with the substitutions in the A-sublattice with the rare-earth elements (REE), including the solid-phase synthesis, mechanical activation and sintering of dispersed-crystalline products by the conventional ceramic technology, were optimized. The presence (absence) of the impurity phases was established depending on the size effect of the REE. The precision X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the features of the phase formation in the studied solid solutions and showed that the “behavior” of the structural characteristics of the solid solutions with the participation of the REE is determined by the limiting conditions of the isomorphism and anion excess of the media under study. An assumption is made about the nature of the formation of a fine-grained landscape of the modified solid solutions, associated with the multicluster structure of the crystallite structure and the formation of the ballast phases during their synthesis. The dependences of the dielectric properties of the solid-state solution on the external influences – temperature, frequency of an alternating electric field and strength of a constant field – have been established. The possibility of choosing on the basis of the obtained data, promising for practical applications of the compositions is shown.     

Preparation of P(St-NMA) microsphere inks and their application in photonic crystal patterns with brilliant structural colors

Patterned photonic crystals with structural colors on textile substrates have attracted a special attention due to the great advantages in application, which currently become a research hot-spot. This study utilized an ink-jet printing technology to prepare high-quality photonic crystal patterns with structural colors on polyester substrates. The self-assembly temperature of poly(styrene-N-methylol acrylamide) (P(St-NMA)) microspheres set to construct photonic crystals were deeply optimized. Moreover, the structural colors of prepared photonic crystal patterns were characterized and evaluated. When the mass fraction of P(St-NMA) microspheres was 1.0 wt.%, the pH value ranged from 5 to 7, and the surface tension was in the range of 63.79 to 71.20 mN/m, inks could present the best print performance. At 60 °C, prepared P(St-NMA) microsphere inks were good for printing to obtain patterned photonic crystals with regular arrangement and beautiful structural colors. Specifically, photonic crystals with different colors could be constructed by regulating the diameter of microspheres in inks, and prepared structural colors exhibited distinct iridescent phenomenon. The present results could provide a theoretical basis for the industrial realization of patterned photonic crystals by ink-jet printing technology.