Adsorption of IgG on spacer‐arm and L‐arginine ligand attached poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA) beads

This work presents data on human immunoglobulin G (HIgG) adsorption onto L ‐arginine ligand attached poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA)‐based affinity beads which were synthesized from methyl methacrylate (MMA) and glycidiyl methacrylate (GMA) in the presence of a crosslinker (i.e., ethylene glycol dimethacrylate; EGDMA) by suspension polymerization. The epoxy groups of the poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA) beads were converted into amino groups after reaction with ammonia or 1,6‐diaminohexane (i.e., spacer‐arm). With L ‐arginine as a ligand, it was covalently immobilized on the aminated (poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA)‐ AA) and/or the spacer‐arm attached (poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA)‐SA) beads, using glutaric dialdehyde as a coupling agent. Both affinity poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA)‐based beads were used in HIgG adsorption/desorption studies under defined pH, ionic strength, or temperature conditions in a batch reactor, using acid‐treated poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA) beads as a control system. The poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA)‐SA affinity beads resulted in an increase in the adsorption capacity to HIgG compared with the aminated counterpart (i.e., poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA)‐AA). The maximum adsorption capacities of the poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA)‐AA and poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA)‐SA affinity beads were found to be 112.36 and 142 mg g^?1, and the affinity constants (K_d), evaluated by the Langmuir model, were 2.48 × 10^?7 and 6.98 × 10^?7M, respectively. Adsorption capacities of the poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA)‐AA and poly(GMA/MMA/EGDMA)‐SA were decreased with HIgG by increasing the ionic strength adjusted with NaCl. Adsorption kinetic of HIgG onto both affinity adsorbents was analyzed with first‐ and second‐order kinetic equations. The first‐order equation fitted well with the experimental data. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 672–679, 2007     

Polytetrahydrofuran macroinimer

Summary Polytetrahydrofuran macroinimers were synthesized by means of cationic polymerization of tetrahydrofuran, initiated by azo-oxocarbenium salt, followed by termination with methacrylate anion. The macroinimers were characterized by ¹H-NMR analysis and GPC measurements. Self polymerization of macroinimers and copolymerization with methyl methacrylate (MMA) yielded crosslinked and soluble branched block copolymers depending on the MMA concentration.     

Multiscale characterization of pathological bone tissue

Bone is a complex natural material with a complex hierarchical multiscale organization, crucial to perform its functions. Ultrastructural analysis of bone is crucial for our understanding of cell to cell communication, the healthy or pathological composition of bone tissue, and its three-dimensional (3D) organization. A variety of techniques has been used to analyze bone tissue. This article describes a combined approach of optical, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy for the ultrastructural analysis of bone from the nanoscale to the macroscale, as illustrated by two pathological bone tissues. By following a top-down approach to investigate the multiscale organization of pathological bones, quantitative estimates were made in terms of calcium content, nearest neighbor distances of osteocytes, canaliculi diameter, ordering, and D-spacing of the collagen fibrils, and the orientation of intrafibrillar minerals which enable us to observe the fine structural details. We identify and discuss a series of two-dimensional (2D) and 3D imaging techniques that can be used to characterize bone tissue. By doing so we demonstrate that, while 2D imaging techniques provide comparable information from pathological bone tissues, significantly different structural details are observed upon analyzing the pathological bone tissues in 3D. Finally, particular attention is paid to sample preparation for and quantitative processing of data from electron microscopic analysis.     

Specific features of Eu~(3+) and Tb~(3+) magnetooptics in gadolinium-gallium garnet (Gd_3Ga_5O_(12))

We reported magnetooptical properties of Eu3+(4f(6)) and Tb3+(4f(8)) in single crystals of Gd3Ga5O12 (GGG), Y3Ga5O12 (YGG), and Eu3+(4f(6)) in Eu3Ga5O12 (EuGG) for both ions occupying sites of D2 symmetry in the garnet structure. Absorption, luminescence, and magnetic circular polarization of luminescence (MCPL) spectra of Tb3+ in GGG and YGG and absorption and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) of Eu3+ in EuGG were studied. The data were obtained at 85 K and room temperature (RT). Magnetic susceptibility of...     

An alternative approach to the ground motion prediction problem by a non-parametric adaptive regression method

Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) are empirical relationships which are used for determining the peak ground response at a particular distance from an earthquake source. They relate the peak ground responses as a function of earthquake source type, distance from the source, local site conditions where the data are recorded and finally the depth and magnitude of the earthquake. In this article, a new prediction algorithm, called Conic Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (CMARS), is employed on an available dataset for deriving a new GMPE. CMARS is based on a special continuous optimization technique, conic quadratic programming. These convex optimization problems are very well-structured, resembling linear programs and, hence, permitting the use of interior point methods. The CMARS method is performed on the strong ground motion database of Turkey. Results are compared with three other GMPEs. CMARS is found to be effective for ground motion prediction purposes.     

Evaluation of Dispersion Based Calculations Compared to the Experimental Compressive Strength Results of CNT/6063AI Composites

Nowadays, it is vital to predict strength results of composites in advance of manufacturing process to reduce testing costs; especially in carbon nanotube （CNT） reinforced metal matrix composites. Therefore, compressive mechanical properties of fabricated CNT reinforced aluminum （AI） matrix composites are investigated and compared with the calculation results of dispersion based prediction models. First of all, CNT/6063 AI composites are fabricated by vacuum assisted infiltration of molten 6063 AI alloy into the CNT preform. Then, compressive mechanical properties of these composites are determined. Eventually, model calculations and experimental results are visualized by plotting comparison graphs. As a result, correlation between prediction models and experimental results are established and potential results of difference between these results are discussed.     

Injectable solid hydrogel: mechanism of shear-thinning and immediate recovery of injectable β-hairpin peptide hydrogels

β-Hairpin peptide-based hydrogels are a class of injectable hydrogel solids with significant potential use in injectable therapies. β-hairpin peptide hydrogels can be injected as preformed solids, because the solid gel can shear-thin and consequently flow under a proper shear stress but immediately recover back into a solid on removal of the stress. In this work, hydrogel behavior during and after flow was studied in order to facilitate fundamental understanding of how the gels flow during shear-thinning and how they quickly recover mechanically and morphologically relative to their original, pre-flow properties. While all studied β-hairpin hydrogels shear-thin and recover, the duration of shear and the strain rate affected both the gel stiffness immediately recovered after flow and the ultimate stiffness obtained after complete rehealing of the gel. Results of structural analysis during flow were related to bulk rheological behavior and indicated gel network fracture into large (>200 nm) hydrogel domains during flow. After cessation of flow the large hydrogel domains are immediately percolated which immediately reforms the solid hydrogel. The underlying mechanisms of the gel shear-thinning and healing processes are discussed relative to other shear-responsive networks like colloidal gels and micellar solutions.     

Fluorescence study of protein immobilization on poly(4-hydroxyphenyl thiophene-3-carboxylate)-coated electrodes

Synthesis of poly(4-hydroxyphenyl thiophene-3-carboxylate) (PHPT) was carried out in acetonitrile(ACN)/TBAClO₄(0.05 M) solvent-electrolyte medium using different working electrodes (glassy carbon and ITO) via potentiodynamic electrolysis. Characterization of the resulting polymer was performed using cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fluorescence microscopy (FS). The polymer exhibits well-defined and reversible redox behavior in an organic solvent. Flourescence microscopy indicates that protein immobilizes better onto the surface of PHPT-modified electrodes than onto those without such modification.     

Electrospun chitosan/PEDOT nanofibers

Plasma-modified chitosan and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) were blended to obtain conducting nanofibers with polyvinyl alcohol as a supporting polymer at various volumetric ratios by electrospinning method. Chemical compositions and molecular interactions among nanofiber blend components were determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The conducting blends containing plasma-modified chitosan resulted in a superior antibacterial activity and thinner fiber formation than those containing chitosan without plasma-modification. The obtained nanofiber diameters of plasma-modified chitosan were in the range of 170 to 200 nm and those obtained from unmodified chitosan were in the range of 190 to 246 nm. The electrical and electrochemical properties of nanofibers were also investigated by four-point probe conductivity and cyclic voltammetry measurements.     

The effect of humic acids on nitrobenzene oxidation by ozonation and O3/UV processes

Three types of commercially available humic acids from different sources were used to simulate natural organic matter in water for the investigation of nitrobenzene oxidation by ozonation and O(3)/UV. Despite the structural differences among the Fluka, Aldrich and Suwanee River humic acids as reflected by the UV absorptivity, their effects on nitrobenzene removal rate was observed to be similar for the two processes. Removal rate of nitrobenzene was hindered by the addition of humic acids in ozonation as well as in O(3)/UV processes. However, the hindrance by the humic acids was more pronounced in O(3)/UV as compared to the ozonation process. The effect of humic acid in O(3)/UV was primarily a UV light screening. Addition of humic acids above a certain concentration did not cause any further retardation on nitrobenzene removal rate by ozonation and O(3)/UV.Accumulation of hydrogen peroxide as well as probable formation of peroxy radicals in the solutions might induce chain promoting reactions to produce hydroxyl radical during the nitrobenzene oxidation. For waters containing high levels of humic acid, ozonation alone might be as effective as O(3)/UV process for the removal of nitrobenzene.