Positioning living cells on a high-density electrode array by negative dielectrophoresis

We present in this paper a large-scale microelectrode array, which allows a dielectrophoretic positioning of cells in a matrix form. The electrode structure was chosen to produce regularly spaced field minima, toward which particles are directed and concentrated, under conditions of negative DEP. The need to power thousands of electrodes at the same time guided the choice of a multilayer structure. Cells can also be directed toward small wells formed in silicon, where they remain when the field is removed.     

Macroporous hydrogels based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. Part 4: Growth of rat bone marrow stromal cells in three-dimensional hydrogels with positive and negative surface charges and in polyelectrolyte complexes

The growth of bone marrow stromal cells was assessed in vitro in macroporous hydrogels based on 2-hydro- xyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) copolymers with different electric charges. Copolymers of HEMA with sodium methacrylate (MA⁻) carried a negative electric charge, copolymers of HEMA with [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride (MOETA⁻) carried a positive electric charge and terpolymers of HEMA, MA⁻ and MOETA⁺ carried both, positive and negative electric charges. The charges in the polyelectrolyte complexes were shielded by counter-ions. The hydrogels had similar porosities, based on a comparison of their diffusion parameters for small cations as measured by the real-time tetramethylammonium iontophoretic method of diffusion analysis. The cell growth was studied in the peripheral and central regions of the hydrogels at 2 hours and 2, 7, 14 and 28 days after cell seeding. Image analysis revealed the highest cellular density in the HEMA-MOETA⁺ copolymers; most of the cells were present in the peripheral region of the hydrogels. A lower density of cells but no difference between the peripheral and central regions was observed in the HEMA-MA⁻ copolymers and in polyelectrolyte complexes. This study showed that positively charged functional groups promote the adhesion of cells.     

Interaction of polyelectrolytes and their composites with living cells

Since the layer-wise polyelectrolyte deposition offers the opportunity to modify surfaces for biomedical applications, interactions and toxicity between polyelectrolytes and living cells become interesting. The aim of the present work is to determine the different factors such as contact area, charge, and transplantation site that influence the cell reaction to a specific polymer. We found that toxicity is influenced by all these factors and cannot be tested easily in a model.     

Macroporous hydrogels based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. Part 6: 3D hydrogels with positive and negative surface charges and polyelectrolyte complexes in spinal cord injury repair

Macroporous hydrogels are artificial biomaterials commonly used in tissue engineering, including central nervous system (CNS) repair. Their physical properties may be modified to improve their adhesion properties and promote tissue regeneration. We implanted four types of hydrogels based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with different surface charges inside a spinal cord hemisection cavity at the Th8 level in rats. The spinal cords were processed 1 and 6 months after implantation and histologically evaluated. Connective tissue deposition was most abundant in the hydrogels with positively-charged functional groups. Axonal regeneration was promoted in hydrogels carrying charged functional groups; hydrogels with positively charged functional groups showed increased axonal ingrowth into the central parts of the implant. Few astrocytes grew into the hydrogels. Our study shows that HEMA-based hydrogels carrying charged functional groups improve axonal ingrowth inside the implants compared to implants without any charge. Further, positively charged functional groups promote connective tissue infiltration and extended axonal regeneration inside a hydrogel bridge.     

一类机械噪声对全身振动不舒适度的正负掩蔽效应

船舶、车辆或飞机舱室内往往同时存在振动和噪声。振动会引起人体不舒适,而噪声可能会增大或减小振动引起的不适感。通过对比实验,研究了无声波激励（60dB （A）背景噪声）以及舱室内一类典型机械振动噪声激励（幅值为70、85 dB （A））下,低频随机垂直全身振动（加速度均方根值为1.5、2.0和2.5 m·s^-2）引起的不舒适度。每组振动和声波持续时间为2 min,12名被试每隔30 s判断振动不舒适度的幅值。结果表明,相对于无声波激励的条件,幅值为70dB （A）的噪声增大了振动不舒适度,而85 dB （A）的噪声却减小了振动不舒适度。该现象说明噪声对振动引起的不适感具有抑制或者增强的“正负”掩蔽作用：较高幅值的噪声对振动不舒适度具有正掩蔽（抑制）效应,较低幅值的噪声对振动不舒适度具有负掩蔽（增强）效应。该掩蔽效应随人体暴露于噪声和振动环境中的时长增大而逐渐减小。     

基于升降HFM组合的高分辨抗混响波形设计

双曲调频（Hyperbolic Frequency Modulation, HFM）波形是传统主动声呐常用的信号波形,具有多普勒不变性。HFM信号虽然便于匹配,但无法进行准确的测速、测距。升降HFM组合的V型双曲调频（V-Hyperbolic Frequency Modulation, V-HFM）脉冲信号,可以解决HFM的距离-速度耦合模糊问题,但在多目标情况下会有虚假亮点干扰问题。受V-HFM组合方式启发,文章提出一种新的HFM组合方法：N型双曲调频（N-Hyperbolic Frequency Modulation,N-HFM）组合信号。该信号形式可以降低虚假亮点出现的概率。水池实验表明：在多目标情况下,N-HFM脉冲信号可以实现距离和速度二维检测的较高分辨力,以及较强的抑制虚假目标的能力。     

Measurement of the difference of positive and negative pion interactions in a Cherenkov radiator

We describe a method for the measurement of differences of nuclear inelastic interactions of positive and negative pions in a Cherenkov radiator. The Cherenkov counter simultaneously represets the target and the detector. Advantages of the method are simple apparatus and absence of some important sources of systematic errors.     

Influence of structural and dielectric anisotropy on the dielectrophoresis of single-walled carbon nanotubes

We report on a carbon nanotube network which is composed of aligned metallic and randomly oriented semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes. The material is formed by using a novel radio frequency dielectrophoresis setup, which generates very large dielectrophoretic force fields and allows dielectrophoretic assembling of nanotube films up to 100 nm thickness. Polarization dependent absorption measurements provide experimental evidence for the electronic type specific alignment behavior. We explain the experimental data with an advanced model for nanotube dielectrophoresis, which explicitly takes into account both the longitudinal and transversal polarizability. On the basis of this model, we calculate the dielectrophoretic force fields and show that semiconducting nanotubes deposit under very large fields due to their transversal polarizability even for high field frequencies.     

Susceptibility and relaxation measurements on rhodium metal at positive and negative spin temperatures in the nanokelvin range

We have measured the susceptibility of polycrystalline rhodium foils, down to nuclear spin temperaturesT = 280 pK and up toT = –750 pK. AtT > 0, the static susceptibility follows the antiferromagnetic Curie-Weiss law with = –1.8±0.3 nK. AtT < 0, the expected ferromagnetic behavior in the vicinity ofT = –0 changes into antiferromgnetic tendency around –6 nK. If only nearest and next nearest neighbor interactions are assumed, our data yieldJ _n/h = –17±3 Hz andJ _nnn/h = 10±3 Hz for the exchange interaction coefficients. We have also investigated the field and polarization dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation time ₁ at positive and negative nanokelvin temperatures; surprisingly ₁ is longer whenT< 0. Infields below 1 mT, the Korringa constant shows a strong decrease, which becomes more pronounced as the conduction electron temperature decreases. Observed behavior is consistent with conduction electrons scattering from magnetic impurities, provided that the impurity-induced contribution to spin-lattice relaxation is proportional to the inverse of the nuclear spin temperature in small fields.     

Influence of the principal geometrical parameters of straight city streets on positive and negative phase blast wave impulses

This study is concerned with the effect of confinement, provided by tall buildings which border straight city streets, on the positive and negative phase impulses of blast waves originating from explosive detonations. An approach to the problem is described which is based on a parametric study comprising numerical simulations validated by comparison with small-scale experiments. Results of the simulations are presented in graphs of peak scaled positive and negative phase impulse, measured at locations near to ground level on the building facades, plotted against scaled distance along the centreline of the city street. A range of scaled street widths and building heights are considered which covers most cases of practical interest. The nature of the variation of both positive and negative phase impulses is described, and the implications for the design and hazard assessment of urban landscapes are considered.     

Evaluation of the incorporation ratio of ZnO, PbO and CdO into cement clinker

Zinc, lead, and cadmium are minor elements that might be brought by wastes to the cement kilns. This work studies the incorporation ratio of ZnO, PbO, and CdO when they are added to the clinker raw material. The cement raw material used in this work was prepared by mixing pure compounds, this choice was made to avoid the effect of other elements and provide a better understanding of the behavior of these metals during the clinkering process. The samples contained additions of 0.05, 0.10, 0.30, 0.50, 0.80 and 1.00 wt.% of a specific oxide (ZnO, PbO, or CdO) to the clinker raw-meal. The chlorine influence in the ZnO incorporation ratio was also evaluated. A device to simulate the thermal cycle imposed on the charge during the clinker production was used to evaluate the incorporation ratio of these oxides as well as thermogravimetric tests. The products of the tests in the simulator device were submitted to X-ray fluorescence chemical analysis or energy disperse scanning (EDS) microprobe analysis. The results led to the conclusions that the evaporation of Zn in cements kilns is due to the chlorine content and the Pb and Cd incorporation ratio stands around 50 wt.%.     

Mn,Zn, and Cd incorporation into the crystal lattice of indium antimonide

Using precision X-ray diffraction analysis, we have determined the unit-cell parameter of polycrystalline InSb plates and powders doped with Mn, Mn + Zn, and Mn + Cd. We have calculated the lattice parameter a of InSb〈M〉 solid solutions as a function of M content for both the ionic and covalent radii of the corresponding elements. Theoretical results and experimental data have been used to analyze the incorporation of the dopants into the InSb lattice.     

Detection of flaws in a two-dimensional body through measurement of surface temperatures and use of conjugate gradient method

This paper aims to obtain parameters (i.e. location and dimensions) relevant to flaws in a two-dimensional body by measuring the temperature on its boundaries. In this endeavour, a steady-state heat conduction problem is formulated, and the geometry under study is subjected to a known heat load, resulting in a specific heat distribution in the body. By using a number of heat sensors, the temperature at selected points on the boundary of the body is obtained. Inverse heat conduction methods implement these temperature data, working toward estimating the flaw parameters. The objective function is optimized using conjugate gradients method, and in solving the direct problem, an FEM code is employed. To check the effectiveness of this method, sample cases with one or more circular, elliptical cavities or cracks in the body, and a case with unknown cavity shape is solved. Finally the ensuing results analyzed.     

The predictive receiver operating characteristic curve for the joint assessment of the positive and negative predictive values

Binary test outcomes typically result from dichotomizing a continuous test variable, observable or latent. The effect of the threshold for test positivity on test sensitivity and specificity has been studied extensively in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. However, considerably less attention has been given to the study of the effect of the positivity threshold on the predictive value of a test. In this paper we present methods for the joint study of the positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of diagnostic tests. We define the predictive receiver operating characteristic (PROC) curve that consists of all possible pairs of PPV and NPV as the threshold for test positivity varies. Unlike the simple trade-off between sensitivity and specificity exhibited in the ROC curve, the PROC curve displays what is often a complex interplay between PPV and NPV as the positivity threshold changes. We study the monotonicity and other geometric properties of the PROC curve and propose summary measures for the predictive performance of tests. We also formulate and discuss regression models for the estimation of the effects of covariates.     

The role of surface charge on the uptake and biocompatibility of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles with osteoblast cells

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles with different surface charges on the cellular uptake behavior and in vitro cell viability and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cell lines (osteoblast). The nanoparticles' surface charge was varied by surface modification with two carboxylic acids: 12-aminododecanoic acid (positive) and dodecanedioic acid (negative). The untreated HAP nanoparticles and dodecanoic acid modified HAP nanoparticles (neutral) were used as the control. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that surface modifications by the three carboxylic acids did not change the crystal structure of HAP nanoparticles; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed the adsorption and binding of the carboxylic acids on the HAP nanoparticles' surfaces; and zeta potential measurement confirmed that the chemicals successfully modified the surface charge of HAP nanoparticles in water based solution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that positively charged, negatively charged and untreated HAP nanoparticles, with similar size and shape, all penetrated into the cells and cells had more uptake of HAP nanoparticles with positive charge compared to those with negative charge, which might be attributed to the attractive or repulsive interaction between the negatively charged cell membrane and positively/negatively charged HAP nanoparticles. The neutral HAP nanoparticles could not penetrate the cell membrane due to their larger size. MTT assay and LDH assay results indicated that as compared with the polystyrene control, greater cell viability and cell proliferation were measured on MC3T3-E1 cells treated with the three kinds of HAP nanoparticles (neutral, positive, and untreated), among which positively charged HAP nanoparticles showed the strongest improvement for cell viability and cell proliferation. In summary, the surface charge of HAP nanoparticles can be modified to influence the cellular uptake of HAP nanoparticles and the different uptake also influences the behavior of cells. These in vitro results may also provide useful information for investigations of HAP nanoparticle applications in gene delivery and intracellular drug delivery.