Thermal Conductivity of Diamond Films: 0.5 μm to 0.5 mm

A review of the thermal properties of chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond ranging in thickness from 0.5 μm to 0.5 mm is presented. The typical columnar microstructure of the material has a strong influence on the thermal properties, causing a steep gradient in both the in-plane (κ_‖) and normal (κ_⊥) conductivities, as well as considerable anisotropy. Data for κ_‖ from above room temperature down to liquid helium temperatures for high-quality thick samples has revealed several types of phonon scattering centers preferentially located along grain boundaries. This model of dirty grain boundaries provides a framework for understanding the conductivity of thinner, lower-quality material. The general difficulty of identifying microscopic sources of thermal resistance in CVD diamond is discussed, especially in view of the tendency for the concentrations of many types of defects to be highly correlated with each other. Finally, recent work on interfacial resistance between CVD diamond and Si substrate shows that the columnar microstructure has a strong influence for high-quality films as thin as 2 μm.     

Performance of bipolar diffusion chargers: Experiments with particles in the size range of 100 to 900 nm

Accurate measurement of particle size distribution using electrical-mobility techniques requires knowledge of the charging state of the sampled particles. A consistent particle charge distribution is possible with bipolar diffusion chargers operated under steady-state condition. Theoretical steady-state charge distributions for bipolar charging are well established but recent studies have shown that the performance of particle chargers is a strong function of particle size, particle concentration, ion source, and charger operating conditions. Most of these studies have focused on particles smaller than 100 nm and the applicability of these results for particles larger than 100 nm must be investigated. In this study, experimentally obtained singly-charged and doubly-charged fractions are compared against theoretical predictions for particles in the size range of 100 to 900 nm. The experimental results show that the commercial soft X-ray charger performs as theoretically-predicted over the range of conditions studied while the performance of other commonly used radioactive chargers (⁸⁵Kr and ²¹⁰Po) are dependent on source strengths, flowrates, particle charge polarities, and particle sizes. From measurements of particle residence times and ion concentrations in different test bipolar chargers, prior observations of flowrate-dependent charging fractions can be explained. Additionally, the results from this study are used to determine an acceptable time period for usage of the commercial TSI 3077A ⁸⁵Kr chargers for steady-state charging as a function of flowrate.

Copyright © 2018 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Hypoxia as a Stimulus for the Maturation of Meniscal Cells: Highway to Novel Tissue Engineering Strategies?

The meniscus possesses low self-healing properties. A perfect regenerative technique for this tissue has not yet been developed. This work aims to evaluate the role of hypoxia in meniscal development in vitro. Menisci from neonatal pigs (day 0) were harvested and cultured under two different atmospheric conditions: hypoxia (1% O₂) and normoxia (21% O₂) for up to 14 days. Samples were analysed at 0, 7 and 14 days by histochemical (Safranin-O staining), immunofluorescence and RT-PCR (in both methods for SOX-9, HIF-1α, collagen I and II), and biochemical (DNA, GAGs, DNA/GAGs ratio) techniques to record any possible differences in the maturation of meniscal cells. Safranin-O staining showed increments in matrix deposition and round-shape “fibro-chondrocytic” cells in hypoxia-cultured menisci compared with controls under normal atmospheric conditions. The same maturation shifting was observed by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR analysis: SOX-9 and collagen II increased from day zero up to 14 days under a hypoxic environment. An increment of DNA/GAGs ratio typical of mature meniscal tissue (characterized by fewer cells and more GAGs) was observed by biochemical analysis. This study shows that hypoxia can be considered as a booster to achieve meniscal cell maturation, and opens new opportunities in the field of meniscus tissue engineering.     

Effect of Calcination Temperature on the Catalytic Performance of γ-Bi2MoO6 in the Oxidative Dehydrogenation of n-Butene to 1,3-Butadiene

γ-Bi₂MoO₆ catalysts prepared by a co-precipitation method were calcined at various temperatures (425–675 °C), and were applied to the oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butene to 1,3-butadiene in a continuous flow fixed-bed reactor. Conversion of n-butene and yield for 1,3-butadiene were high at low calcination temperature (425–475 °C), but were decreased with increasing calcination temperature (525–675 °C). Temperature-programmed reoxidation (TPRO) measurements revealed that the catalytic performance of γ-Bi₂MoO₆ was well correlated with the oxygen mobility of the catalyst. Yield for 1,3-butadiene was increased with increasing oxygen mobility of γ-Bi₂MoO₆ catalyst. Among the catalysts tested, γ-Bi₂MoO₆ catalyst calcined at 475 °C showed the best catalytic performance due to its facile oxygen mobility.     

Cytotoxicity and Compatibility of Polymeric Blend: Evaluation of the Cytotoxicity in Fibroblast Bovine Cells and Compatibility of Poly(ɛ-Caprolactone)/Poly(Methyl Methacrylate-co-Butyl Methacrylate) Blend Films

Blends between poly(?-caprolactone) and poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl methacrylate) were prepared by solution blending in the presence of dichloromethane as solvent. The compatibility of the blends was studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, micro-Raman imaging, and thermogravimetric analysis. Cytotoxicity assays were also performed to assess the feasibility of using such materials in veterinary devices. Based on results, we conclude that poly(?-caprolactone) and poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl methacrylate)-form compatible blends owing to specific interactions between carbonyl groups of poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl methacrylate) and hydrogens present in the polymeric chain of poly(?-caprolactone). Furthermore, these materials were not toxic to bovine fibroblasts, which supports their possible use in cattle veterinary devices.     

Letter to the Editor :Impressions of ICIS’0 2 and the Future of International Collaboration

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Targeting of phosphonoacetate to the liver: Synthesis of a phosphonoacetate—trilactoside conjugate

As part of continuing studies on drug delivery to the human liver, a phosphonoacetate—trilactoside conjugate ( 12 ) has been synthesized in an overall yield of 23%. The shortness of the synthesis of this conjugate hinges upon a successful Michaelis—Arbuzov reaction of bromoacetamide 8 with tris-(trimethylsilyl) phosphite.     

Improved processing stability in the hydrogenation of dimethyl maleate to γ-butyrolactone, 1,4-butanediol and tetrahydrofuran

In the hydrogenation of dimethyl maleate (DMM) to γ-butyrolactone (GBL), 1,4-butanediol (BDO) and tetrahydrofuran (THF), the performance of the process can be negatively affected by (1) fouling and plugging of the unit through deposition of polymeric by-products and (2) activity drop of the Cu/ZnO-based catalysts through structural changes of the active copper phase at reaction conditions. On the basis of thermodynamic data, we calculated the feed compositions required to prevent condensation of reactants and subsequent formation of polyester deposits in the relevant temperature (453-) and pressure (1-) regime. The resulting critical values of the minimum H₂/DMM ratios of the feed, when corrected for capillary effects, were found to be in excellent agreement with the limits as experienced in the processing experiments. Conditions for safe and stable gas-phase processing of DMM in a single stage can thus be predicted. The Cu/ZnO-based catalysts were improved by modifying the thermal pre-treatment. As compared to conventional materials of the same composition, they need less runtime to reach stationary performance levels, and their steady state activities are higher. The yield ratio of GBL to BDO can be adjusted through temperature and total pressure because the corresponding hydrogenation attains thermodynamic equilibrium. The subsequent dehydration to THF can be promoted by applying higher temperatures; however, selectivities to tetrahydrofuran remain low over typical Cu/ZnO catalysts unless additional acid sites are implemented.     

Combinational Therapy of Cardiac Atrial Appendage Stem Cells and Pyridoxamine: The Road to Cardiac Repair?

Myocardial infarction (MI) occurs when the coronary blood supply is interrupted. As a consequence, cardiomyocytes are irreversibly damaged and lost. Unfortunately, current therapies for MI are unable to prevent progression towards heart failure. As the renewal rate of cardiomyocytes is minimal, the optimal treatment should achieve effective cardiac regeneration, possibly with stem cells transplantation. In that context, our research group identified the cardiac atrial appendage stem cells (CASCs) as a new cellular therapy. However, CASCs are transplanted into a hostile environment, with elevated levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which may affect their regenerative potential. In this study, we hypothesize that pyridoxamine (PM), a vitamin B6 derivative, could further enhance the regenerative capacities of CASCs transplanted after MI by reducing AGEs’ formation. Methods and Results: MI was induced in rats by ligation of the left anterior descending artery. Animals were assigned to either no therapy (MI), CASCs transplantation (MI + CASCs), or CASCs transplantation supplemented with PM treatment (MI + CASCs + PM). Four weeks post-surgery, global cardiac function and infarct size were improved upon CASCs transplantation. Interstitial collagen deposition, evaluated on cryosections, was decreased in the MI animals transplanted with CASCs. Contractile properties of resident left ventricular cardiomyocytes were assessed by unloaded cell shortening. CASCs transplantation prevented cardiomyocyte shortening deterioration. Even if PM significantly reduced cardiac levels of AGEs, cardiac outcome was not further improved. Conclusion: Limiting AGEs’ formation with PM during an ischemic injury in vivo did not further enhance the improved cardiac phenotype obtained with CASCs transplantation. Whether AGEs play an important deleterious role in the setting of stem cell therapy after MI warrants further examination.     

Exfoliated Kidney Cells from Urine for Early Diagnosis and Prognostication of CKD: The Way of the Future?

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health issue, affecting more than 10% of the worldwide population. The current approach for formal diagnosis and prognostication of CKD typically relies on non-invasive serum and urine biomarkers such as serum creatinine and albuminuria. However, histological evidence of tubulointerstitial fibrosis is the ‘gold standard’ marker of the likelihood of disease progression. The development of novel biomedical technologies to evaluate exfoliated kidney cells from urine for non-invasive diagnosis and prognostication of CKD presents opportunities to avoid kidney biopsy for the purpose of prognostication. Efforts to apply these technologies more widely in clinical practice are encouraged, given their potential as a cost-effective approach, and no risk of post-biopsy complications such as bleeding, pain and hospitalization. The identification of biomarkers in exfoliated kidney cells from urine via western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence techniques, measurement of cell and protein-specific messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)/micro-RNA and other techniques have been reported. Recent innovations such as multispectral autofluorescence imaging and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) have brought additional dimensions to the clinical application of exfoliated kidney cells from urine. In this review, we discuss the current evidence regarding the utility of exfoliated proximal tubule cells (PTC), podocytes, mesangial cells, extracellular vesicles and stem/progenitor cells as surrogate markers for the early diagnosis and prognostication of CKD. Future directions for development within this research area are also identified.     

Thermochemistry of the ZrO2–SrO System: From enthalpies of formation and heat capacities of the compounds to the phase diagram

The thermodynamics of the ZrO₂–SrO system is of interest for the optimization of synthesis and applications of functional materials and high-temperature structural ceramics. Earlier data on phase relationships and thermodynamic properties of the system are unfortunately scattered and inconsistent. In this study, the compounds Sr_n+1Zr_nO_3n+1 (n = 3, 2, and 1) were prepared by solid-state reaction. Their heat capacities from 573 to 1273 K were measured by differential scanning calorimetry and their enthalpies of formation from component oxides at 298 K were determined by high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry. The CALPHAD method was used to assess the ZrO₂–SrO system, using both available literature data and our new measurements. A self-consistent thermodynamic database and the calculated phase diagram of the ZrO₂–SrO system are provided. This work is a prerequisite for accurate predictions of the relationships among the composition, temperature, and microstructure of complex functional and structural materials containing ZrO₂ and SrO.     

Ni Nanoparticles Stabilized by Hyperbranched Polymer: Does the Architecture of the Polymer Affect the Nanoparticle Characteristics and Their Performance in Catalysis?

Heat-up and hot-injection methods were employed to synthesize Ni nanoparticles (NPs) with narrow size distribution in the presence of hyperbranched pyridylphenylene polymer (PPP) as a stabilizing agent. It was shown that depending on the synthetic method, Ni NPs were formed either in a cross-linked polymer network or stabilized by a soluble hyperbranched polymer. Ni NPs were characterized by a combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning TEM, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and magnetic measurements. The architecture of polymer support was found to significantly effect Ni NPs characteristics and behavior. The Ni NPs demonstrated a high catalytic activity in a model Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. No significant drop in activity was observed upon repeated use after magnetic separation in five consecutive catalytic cycles. We believe that hyperbranched PPP can serve as universal platform for the controllable synthesis of Ni NPs, acting as highly active and stable catalysts.     

Performance enhancement of block-copolymer solar cells through tapering the donor–acceptor interface: A multiscale study

Tapered block copolymers offer an exciting opportunity to tailor the interfacial region between different components by conserving their phase-separated mesoscale structure, which enable the generation of polymer systems with the desired spatio-dynamic properties. Here, we explore their usefulness for optimizing the photovoltaic performance of polymer bulk heterojunctions. To this end, we apply a recently developed particle-based multiscale solar-cell algorithm and investigate the effect of random tapering at the chemical junctions between the electron-donor- (D) and electron-acceptor- (A) blocks on the photovoltaic properties of various lamellar-like polyfluorene-based block-copolymer systems. Our simulation results reveal that introducing a tapered middle block with optimal length leads to a significant increase of the exciton dissociation efficiency, but deteriorates the charge transport efficiency only moderately. This results in a gain of the internal quantum efficiency from 25 up to 39% by increasing the thickness of the active layer of the solar cell from 10 up to 50 nm in direction to the DA interface.     

Curcumin Enhances Cytotoxic Effects of Bortezomib in Human Multiple Myeloma H929 Cells: Potential Roles of NF-κB/JNK

Combined curcumin and PS-341 treatment has been reported to enhance cytotoxicity and minimize adverse effects through ERK and p38MAPK mechanisms in human multiple myeloma cells. However, whether JNK plays similar role in this process remains unclear. In the present study, we found combined treatment altered NF-κB p65 expressions and distributions in multiple myeloma H929 cells. Western blot analysis showed combined treatment inactivated NF-κB while activated JNK signaling. Pre-treatment with JNK inhibitor SP600125 could attenuate NF-κB inactivation and restored H929 cells' survival. These results suggested that curcumin might enhance the cytotoxicity of PS-341 by interacting with NF-κB, at least in part, through JNK mechanism.     

Preparation of La1?x Sr x CoO3 Oxide Electrode Material and its Influence on the Structure and Dielectric Performance of the Supported Ba1?x Sr x TiO3 Thin Films

Using the sol–gel method, La_1−x Sr _x CoO₃ (LSCO) electrode films were first fabricated on the Si (100) substrates, followed by the growth of Ba_1−x Sr _x TiO₃ (BST) thin films on the LSCO electrode film. The crystal structure and surface morphology of these films were characterized by XRD and SEM. The effects of Sr-doping and annealing temperature on the structure and electric resistivity of the LSCO films and the dielectric properties of the BST films were studied. Results show that the La_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃ electrode annealed at 750 °C has the lowest electric resistivity, 1.1 × 10⁻³Ω cm. The relative permittivity of the La_0.5Sr_0.5CoO₃-supported BST films first increases and then decreases with Sr-doping. The relative permittivity of the BST film decreases while the dielectric loss increases with frequency. Among the studied BST films, Ba_0.5Sr_0.5TiO₃ has the largest relative permittivity and the smallest dielectric loss (95 and 0.1, respectively) when the frequency is 1 kHz.     

The solid-state rearrangement of the Wells-Dawson K6P2W18O62·10H2O to a stable Keggin-type heteropolyanion phase: a catalyst for the selective oxidation of isobutane to isobutene

The thermal and structural stability of the Wells-Dawson-type heteropoly compound K₆P₂W₁₈O₆₂·10H₂O was examined by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and HRTEM. It was found that calcination at temperatures higher than 850 K led to the formation of a Keggin-type compound K₃PW₁₂O₄₀, containing small amounts of an additional phase originated from the high-temperature interaction between potassium phosphate (K₃PO₄ formed during the decomposition of the K₆P₂W₁₈O₆₂·10H₂O) and the Keggin-type compound itself. The Keggin-type product showed a higher activity in the selective oxidative dehydrogenation of isobutane to isobutene compared to both the Wells-Dawson precursor and to pure, authentic K₃PW₁₂O₄₀. This higher activity can be tentatively attributed to the presence of an amorphous layer of unknown stoichiometry at the surface of the thermally rearranged Wells-Dawson compound.