Novel NGR anchored pullulan micelles for controlled and targeted delivery of doxorubicin to HeLa cancerous cells

Doxorubicin (DOX) is used to treat different kinds of cancers, including cervix carcinoma. However, it has various side effects such as cardiotoxicity. Nano-sized controlled releasing carriers such as polymeric micelles are of interesting approaches to overcome these side effects of doxorubicin in cancer chemotherapy. Regarding the up-regulation of CD13/APN receptors on the cervix carcinoma cells, which can bind to peptide sequences specially NGR (asparagine–glycine–arginine) with high affinity, peptide sequence (NGR) targeted micelles would lead to effective treatment of this carcinoma. In this study, the NGR peptide sequence was synthesized using the solution-phase strategy from asparagine, glycine, and arginine residues. The pullulan–retinoic acid conjugate and pullulan–retinoic acid–NGR conjugate were prepared by the amide and ester bond formation between the hydroxyl groups of pullulan and carboxylic acid groups of retinoic acid and peptide sequence. Pullulan–retinoic acid–NGR micelles were prepared by the direct dissolution method. The optimized micelles, according to their particle size (124.5 nm), zeta potential (? 3.65 mV), entrapment efficiency (85%), and release of DOX (70%, within 72 h) were assessed for their cytotoxicity on HeLa cells using MTT assay. NGR-targeted pullulan/retinoic acid micelles had higher cytotoxicity than the free DOX in cell culture studies on the HeLa cell line, and this can be a promising result in the treatment of cervix carcinoma.     

Processing and 3D printing of SiCN polymer-derived ceramics

Preceramic polymer resins are attractive for the 3D printing of net-shaped ceramic components. Recently various processes have been demonstrated for 3D printing of polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs). Ultimately in these processes, the process outcomes strongly depend on the process parameters. In particular, for PDCs the ceramic density, and ceramic yield are affected by the catalyst concentration and cross-linking duration. Here, we use thermal analysis and FTIR to quantify the interrelation of the process parameters on the process outcome for polysilazanes and demonstrate 3D printing of PDC components based on the best-identified process parameters. The results of this work can be used as guidelines for future additive manufacturing of PDCs.     

Multi-level cross-layer protocol for end-to-end delay provisioning in wireless multimedia sensor networks

Frontiers of Information Technology & Electronic Engineering - Rapid developments in information and communication technology in recent years have posed a significant challenge in wireless...     

Generation of motional entangled coherent state in an optomechanical system in the single photon strong coupling regime

The single-photon strong coupling in the deep-resolved sideband of the optomechanical system induces photon blockade (PB) effect. For the PB cavity, an initial mechanical coherent state evolves into superposition of phonon cat states entangled with the cavity Fock states. Measurement of the cavity photon number states produces phonon even and odd cat states. The information leakage effect of two photon states on the fidelity of cat states is calculated, it is shown that for low average phonon number this effect is negligible and decreases by increasing the two photon cavity state. The Lindblad equation is solved numerically to obtain the environmental effects on the fidelity of cat states.     

A new manufacturable filter design approach for spectral reflectance estimation

Selection of the best possible filter set among a set of available filters is the obvious method of increasing dimension of camera signals for spectral reflectance reconstruction. There are also methods that are focusing on the filter design regardless of noticing to the constructability of the designed filters. This study shows that direct optimization of physical variables of filter manufacturing technique is more reliable than indirect approach of designing and then physical manufacturing of the designed filters. Direct optimization of the transmission‐controlling primaries in filter manufacturing process would guarantee having the designed filters in reality. Combination of some solvent dyes was used as the spectral transmission matching system for filter manufacturing. As a conventional technique, filters were designed and best possible dye concentrations that match the desired filters were calculated. As an alternative approach, filters were also designed using direct optimization of dyes concentrations. The results showed that direct optimization of dye concentrations exhibits better performance in comparison with the conventional technique. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 42, 316–326, 2017     

Two-phase cooling characteristics of a saturated free falling circular jet of HFE7100 on a heated disk: Effect of jet length

Direct jet impingement boiling heat transfer operating at low flow rates is of great interest for the localized moderate heat fluxes from the targets with delicate mechanical structure, where the aggressive techniques such as high-speed jets are not suitable. Boiling heat transfer from an upward facing disk targeted by a falling jet was studied experimentally at different volumetric flow rates and various jet lengths. The working fluid was chosen to be the dielectric liquid HFE7100 and the heated spot was an 8-mm diameter disk. Using previous CHF correlations in their original form, valid at very low volumetric flow rates, results in large disagreements since it was found that variation in the jet length changes the boiling characteristics. It is demonstrated that although the circular hydraulic jump formation within the heater diameter may suppress the heat transfer under certain conditions, moving the jet closer to the target may significantly improve the boiling curves at the critical heat flux (CHF) regime. At low flow rates, the CHF increases as the jet length decreases while for moderate and high flow rates the boiling curves show approximately a universal behavior for different jet lengths. For such low flow rates, the effect of jet length on boiling curves was shown to be related to the variation of the cross section of the falling jet and the formation of hydraulic jump at radial distances smaller than the heater diameter. The current CHF results for different jet lengths are correlated by including the effect of jet length in the previous correlation proposed by Sharan and Lienhard.     

Application of Deep Hole Drilling to the Measurement and Analysis of Residual Stresses in Steel Shrink‐Fitted Assemblies

Abstract: Residual stress measurement of shrink‐fitted assemblies was achieved through finite element simulations and experiments using the deep hole drilling technique. Shrink‐fitted assemblies using stainless steel and cast iron were manufactured and residual stresses measured using a combination of deep hole and centre hole drilling. The results from the finite element simulations demonstrated that modifications to the deep hole drilling method were required to account for plastic relaxation during the measurement process. This was verified through the experimental measurements. The results from both the stainless steel and cast iron assemblies provided a clear demonstration that the final residual stress state was a consequence of the machining and assembly of the components.