电位滴定分析ASP驱采出液中表面活性剂浓度

以十二烷基磺酸钠为例,考察了利用电位滴定方法分析ASP三元复合驱采出液中表面活性剂浓度时,pH值、盐度、聚合物含量、石油酸皂浓度等因素对分析结果的影响,研究出因石油酸皂和聚合物的存在导致结果偏高的消除方法,并对方法的检出限进行研究。该方法为ASP三元驱中十二烷基磺酸钠类阴离子表面活性剂浓度的分析提供了参考。     

Effects of Eltrombopag on In Vitro Macrophage Polarization in Pediatric Immune Thrombocytopenia

Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibodies-mediated platelet destruction, a prevalence of M1 pro-inflammatory macrophage phenotype and an elevated T helper 1 and T helper 2 lymphocytes (Th1/Th2) ratio, resulting in impairment of inflammatory profile and immune response. Macrophages are immune cells, present as pro-inflammatory classically activated macrophages (M1) or as anti-inflammatory alternatively activated macrophages (M2). They have a key role in ITP, acting both as effector cells, phagocytizing platelets, and, as antigen presenting cells, stimulating auto-antibodies against platelets production. Eltrombopag (ELT) is a thrombopoietin receptor agonist licensed for chronic ITP to stimulate platelet production. Moreover, it improves T and B regulatory cells functions, suppresses T-cells activity, and inhibits monocytes activation. We analyzed the effect of ELT on macrophage phenotype polarization, proposing a new possible mechanism of action. We suggest it as a mediator of macrophage phenotype switch from the M1 pro-inflammatory type to the M2 anti-inflammatory one in paediatric patients with ITP, in order to reduce inflammatory state and restore the immune system function. Our results provide new insights into the therapy and the management of ITP, suggesting ELT also as immune-modulating drug.     

The Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Epilepsy: Possible Treatments and Future Perspectives

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent adult cells with self-renewing capacities. MSCs display specific properties, such as the ability to repair damaged tissues, resulting in optimal candidates for cell therapy against degenerative diseases. In addition to the reparative functions of MSCs, growing evidence shows that these cells have potent immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, MSCs are potential tools for treating inflammation-related neurological diseases, including epilepsy. In this regard, over the last decades, epilepsy has no longer been considered a purely neuronal pathology, since inflammatory events underlying the genesis of epilepsy have been demonstrated. This review assessed current knowledge on the use of MSCs in the treatment of epilepsy. Mostly, attention will be focused on the anti-inflammatory and immunological skills of MSCs. Understanding the mechanisms by which MSCs might modulate the severity of the disease will contribute to the development of new potential alternatives for both prophylaxis and treatment against epilepsy.     

Notch Signaling Regulation in Autoinflammatory Diseases

Notch pathway is a highly conserved intracellular signaling route that modulates a vast variety of cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, migration, cell fate and death. Recently, the presence of a strict crosstalk between Notch signaling and inflammation has been described, although the precise molecular mechanisms underlying this interplay have not yet been fully unravelled. Disruptions in Notch cascade, due both to direct mutations and/or to an altered regulation in the core components of Notch signaling, might lead to hypo- or hyperactivation of Notch target genes and signaling molecules, ultimately contributing to the onset of autoinflammatory diseases. To date, alterations in Notch signaling have been reported as associated with three autoinflammatory disorders, therefore, suggesting a possible role of Notch in the pathogenesis of the following diseases: hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), Behçet disease (BD), and giant cell arteritis (GCA). In this review, we aim at better characterizing the interplay between Notch and autoinflammatory diseases, trying to identify the role of this signaling route in the context of these disorders.     

Generation of Nanoparticles with a Nebulizer-Cyclone System

A cyclone was used to modify the droplet output with a three-jet Collison nebulizer. The cyclone-nebulizer system was tested by producing ammonium fluorescein particles from a liquid suspension. The particle size distribution produced with the cyclone was smaller and narrower than that produced without the cyclone. Thus, the cyclone effectively removed the large droplets produced by the nebulizer. The nebulizer-cyclone system reduced the GSD of the output aerosol from 1.7 to 1.4. At the input pressures greater than 138 kPa, the concentration of 10–60 nm particles was greater with the cyclone than without the cyclone. These results are consistent with the shattering of large droplets within the cyclone and re-entrainment of these small secondary droplets. Optimization of the system using cyclone modeling to enhance the sharpness of cut, operational improvements, and decreased venting could maximize the output of tailored distributions of nanoparticles for various applications.     

Electro-tactile device for material texture simulation

This paper deals with the simulation of material texture by means of electro-tactile stimuli, which directly derive from real material properties. The research presents a novel tactile display by its hardware and software system architecture and the elaboration procedure to generate the stimulating signals, and validates the adopted simulation strategy by experimental testing. The tactile system elaborates data from scans of real material samples and generates electrical stimuli to reproduce roughness and texture coarseness sensations. It also adds a coherent sound feedback to improve the realism of the simulation. The research defines also an experimental protocol based on the theory of Psychophysics to carry out system calibration and tests with users. The scope is to validate the proposed tactile system as a new tool for material simulation, which can be adopted for material virtual prototyping in several fields (product design, textile and clothing, gaming and entertainment, virtual museum, rehabilitation, etc.). Experimentations have been carried out to measure the users’ response to our different material classes (wood, paper, rubber and textile fabric). Experimental results concern how good the adopted simulation approach is and the analysis of the human tactile perception simulated by the system. Main findings relate to the system performance and the users’ response in terms of signal recognition and material class discrimination.     

Engineering Education Research: Discipline,Community, or Field?

Engineering education research has experienced a notable scale‐up in recent years through the development of departments and degree programs, high‐profile publication outlets, research agendas, and meetings. We begin by reviewing these developments, contextualizing them historically, and clarifying some relevant terminology. We then use observational data collected at the 2007 inaugural International Conference on Research in Engineering Education (ICREE) to examine how engineering education is variously conceptualized as a discipline, community of practice, and/or field. We also examine how ICREE participants engaged with questions about the infrastructure and major goals of engineering education research. Our data reveals both an overall lack of clarity and continued sense of ambiguity about the identity and status of engineering education research. We conclude by recommending that participants and stakeholders work to clarify the goals and objectives of engineering education research, especially to inform the continued development of the field's identity and supporting infrastructures.