Physicochemical properties and antimicrobial activity of biocompatible carboxymethylcellulose‐silver nanoparticle hybrids for wound dressing and epidermal repair

Skin loss can be caused by accident, burn, trauma, chronic wounds, and diseases, which is severely aggravated by multidrug‐resistant bacterial infections. Soft hybrids based on biopolymers combined with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have potential applications as wound dressing supports and skin tissue repair. Thus, our study focused on the design, green synthesis, and comprehensive characterization of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC–AgNP) nanocomposites for producing hydrogel membranes, with tunable physicochemical properties, cytocompatibility, and biocidal activity for potential application as wound dressing and skin repair. These nanocomposites were prepared using CMC with two degrees of carboxymethylation, distinct concentrations of citric acid (CA) crosslinker, and AgNPs by in situ chemical reduction, forming hybrid membranes by the solvent casting method. The results demonstrated that superabsorbent hydrogels were produced with swelling and degradation behaviors dependent on the concentration of CA crosslinker, degree of carboxymethylation of CMC, and content of AgNP in the matrices. Moreover, the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis evidenced that the CMC functional groups (e.g., ? COOH and ? OH) were directly involved in the chemical reactions for the formation of AgNPs and hydrogel crosslinking pathway. These nanocomposites were cytocompatible using in vitro 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide cell viability assay with of human embryonic kidney cells. Conclusively, the CMC–AgNP nanohybrids demonstrated to be simultaneously non‐toxic combined with highly effective antibacterial activity against gram‐positive multi‐resistant wound/skin pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus) and moderate effect towards gram‐negative strains (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45812.     

Preparation of nanocomposite by adding of Tunisian nanoclay in unsaturated polyester matrix: mechanical and thermal study

Unsaturated Polyester (UP) resin is widely used for many applications such as reinforced plastic (FRP) and polymer composites. However, these materials suffer from their low mechanical and thermal properties. For enhancing their performance, researchers have used Tunisian montmorillonite (MMT) for manufacturing of unsaturated polyester-montmorillonite (UP-MMT) nanocomposite synthesized by dispersing the UP resin into the silicate layers of MMT. The MMT has been modified ammonium quaternary as organic cation (OMMT). Test results, supported by mechanical testing, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (DSC and TGA) and transmission electron microscopy, indicated that the mechanical properties and the thermal stability of unsaturated polyester with OMMT nanocomposite (UP/OMMT) are better than those of pure UP. The degradation temperature increased by 78 °C with the addition of organic modification, and SEM micrographs show good dispersion of modified montmorillonite in the polymer matrix. Tensile strength is increased by 81 % for the UP/OMMT nanocomposite.     

Crop sequence and P fertilization effects on soil P fractions under no-tillage

Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems - Increasing cropping intensity may affect phosphorus (P) recycling through crop residue inputs, which may differ in soils with different productivity, P...     

Spontaneous vortex nanodomain arrays at ferroelectric heterointerfaces

The polarization of the ferroelectric BiFeO(3) sub-jected to different electrical boundary conditions by heterointerfaces is imaged with atomic resolution using a spherical aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope. Unusual triangular-shaped nanodomains are seen, and their role in providing polarization closure is understood through phase-field simulations. Heterointerfaces are key to the performance of ferroelectric devices, and this first observation of spontaneous vortex nanodomain arrays at ferroelectric heterointerfaces reveals properties unlike the surrounding film including mixed Ising-Ne?el domain walls, which will affect switching behavior, and a drastic increase of in-plane polarization. The importance of magnetization closure has long been appreciated in multidomain ferromagnetic systems; imaging this analogous effect with atomic resolution at ferroelectric heterointerfaces provides the ability to see device-relevant interface issues. Extension of this technique to visualize domain dynamics is envisioned.     

Production and in vitro characterization of 3D porous scaffolds made of magnesium carbonate apatite (MCA)/anionic collagen using a biomimetic approach

3D porous scaffolds are relevant biomaterials to bone engineering as they can be used as templates to tissue reconstruction. The aim of the present study was to produce and characterize in vitro 3D magnesium-carbonate apatite/collagen (MCA/col) scaffolds. They were prepared by using biomimetic approach, followed by cross-linking with 0.25% glutaraldehyde solution (GA) and liofilization. Results obtained with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed the type-B carbonate substitution, while by X-ray diffraction (XRD), a crystallite size of ~ 10 nm was obtained. Optical and electron microscopy showed that the cylindrical samples exhibited an open-porous morphology, with apatite nanocrystals precipitated on collagen fibrils. The cross-linked 3D scaffolds showed integrity when immersed in culture medium up to 14 days. Also, the immersion of such samples into an acid buffer solution, to mimic the osteoclastic resorption environment, promotes the release of important ions for bone repair, such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Bone cells (SaOs2) adhered, and proliferated on the 3D composite scaffolds, showing that synthesis and the cross-linking processes did not induce cytotoxicity.     

Phase Transformation under Continuous Cooling Conditions in Medium Carbon Microalloyed Steels

Several 35CrMo4 and 38MnV7 steels with different additions of Ti and V were manufactured by electroslag remelting. The influence of the alloying and microalloying elements on phase transformation at different cooling rates was studied and the continuous cooling transformation diagrams were plotted. In order to optimize the heat treatment and improve the mechanical properties, the range of cooling rates leading to a fully bainitic microstructure （without ferrite, pearlite and especially without martensite） was determined. Bainite and martensite transformation start temperatures （Bs, Ms） were also established and compared with the values predicted by empirical equations. The important role of precipitates （especially V carbonitride particles） on final microstructure and mechanical properties was assessed.     

Systematic Aptamer-Gold Nanoparticle Colorimetry for Protein Detection: Thrombin

Gold nanoparticle colorimetry assay using aptamers is a low cost and a highly effective means for detecting a wide range of biomolecular targets. In this work, this technique is used to detect the protein thrombin as a model system for understanding the relationship between the aptamer-target binding properties and the optical colorimetric response, as well as to gain insight on the secondary structures of the aptamers. The two known aptamers for thrombin, the 15-mer Bock and the 29-mer Tasset aptamer were conjugated to gold nanoparticles to form complexes that bind to thrombin upon contact. The Bock aptamer causes the aggregation of the nanoparticles and the concomitant reduction of the plasmon resonance peak, whereas the 29-mer Tasset aptamer, despite higher affinity, does not cause a spectral change. The data is understood on the basis of the difference in the number of binding sites available on thrombin for the respective aptamers. Additional results on single base substitutions suggest that the G-quadruplex secondary structure in the Bock aptamer is intermolecular and comprises of at least two interacting aptamer molecules. An estimate of the dissociation constant, derived from thrombin titration, is comparable to values reported in the literature.     

Simulated shift work in rats perturbs multiscale regulation of locomotor activity

Motor activity possesses a multiscale regulation that is characterized by fractal activity fluctuations with similar structure across a wide range of timescales spanning minutes to hours. Fractal activity patterns are disturbed in animals after ablating the master circadian pacemaker (suprachiasmatic nucleus, SCN) and in humans with SCN dysfunction as occurs with aging and in dementia, suggesting the crucial role of the circadian system in the multiscale activity regulation. We hypothesized that the normal synchronization between behavioural cycles and the SCN-generated circadian rhythms is required for multiscale activity regulation. To test the hypothesis, we studied activity fluctuations of rats in a simulated shift work protocol that was designed to force animals to be active during the habitual resting phase of the circadian/daily cycle. We found that these animals had gradually decreased mean activity level and reduced 24-h activity rhythm amplitude, indicating disturbed circadian and behavioural cycles. Moreover, these animals had disrupted fractal activity patterns as characterized by more random activity fluctuations at multiple timescales from 4 to 12 h. Intriguingly, these activity disturbances exacerbated when the shift work schedule lasted longer and persisted even in the normal days (without forced activity) following the shift work. The disrupted circadian and fractal patterns resemble those of SCN-lesioned animals and of human patients with dementia, suggesting a detrimental impact of shift work on multiscale activity regulation.     

Effects of covalent functionalization on the biocompatibility characteristics of multi-walled carbon nanotubes

We report the effect of chemical modification of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on their activation of the human serum complement system, as well as the adsorption of human plasma proteins on MWNTs. Four different types of chemically-modified MWNTs were tested for complement activation via the classical and alternative pathways using haemolytic assays. Human plasma protein binding was also tested using an affinity chromatography technique based on carbon nanotube-Sepharose matrix. Covalent functionalization of MWNTs greatly altered the level of activation of the complement system via the classical pathway. For example, MWNTs functionalised with epsilon-caprolactam or L-alanine showed respectively >90% and >75% reduction in classical pathway activation compared with unmodified MWNTs. These results demonstrate for the first time that these types of chemical modification are able to alter considerably the levels of specific complement proteins bound by pristine MWNTs (used as a control experiment). The reduced levels of complement activation via the classical pathway, that are likely to increase biocompatibility, were directly correlated with the amount of C1q protein bound to chemically modified carbon nanotubes. An inverse correlation was also observed between the amount of complement factor H bound to chemically modified MWNTs and the level of complement consumption via the alternative pathway. Binding of human plasma and serum proteins to pristine and modified MWNTs was highly selective. The chemical modifications studied generally increased nanotube dispersibility in aqueous media, but diminished protein adsorption.     

Optimal allocation of testing resources for statistical simulations

Statistical estimates from simulation involve uncertainty caused by the variability in the input random variables due to limited data. Allocating resources to obtain more experimental data of the input variables to better characterize their probability distributions can reduce the variance of statistical estimates. The methodology proposed determines the optimal number of additional experiments required to minimize the variance of the output moments given single or multiple constraints. The method uses multivariate t-distribution and Wishart distribution to generate realizations of the population mean and covariance of the input variables, respectively, given an amount of available data. This method handles independent and correlated random variables. A particle swarm method is used for the optimization. The optimal number of additional experiments per variable depends on the number and variance of the initial data, the influence of the variable in the output function and the cost of each additional experiment. The methodology is demonstrated using a fretting fatigue example.