Piezoelectric inkjet printing of medical adhesives and sealants

Piezoelectric inkjet printing is a noncontact process that enables microscale processing of biological materials. In this research summary, the use of piezoelectric inkjet printing for patterning medical adhesives and sealants, including a two-component polyethylene glycol hydrogel-based medical sealant, an N-butyl cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive, and a mussel adhesive protein biological adhesive, is described The effect of Fe(III) on mussel adhesive protein structure was evaluated by means of atomic force microscopy. The ability to process microscale patterns of medical sealants and adhesives will provide an improvement in tissue joining, including enhanced tissue integrity, reduced bond lines, and decreased adhesive toxicity. Piezoelectric inkjet deposition of medical adhesives and sealants may be used in wound closure, fracture fixation, and microscale vascular surgery.     

Interface properties of cytochrome c on a nano-textured diamond surface

The electron transfer process and the peroxidase activity of native and denatured cytochrome c were investigated on OH-terminated diamond nano-textured surfaces. The nano-textured surfaces with geometrical properties of typical protein dimensions were fabricated by a top-down technology, where diamond nanoparticles are used as etching masks. The cyclic voltammogram of native cytochrome c shows an adsorption-controlled, reversible electron transfer process of the heme redox center, which was not detected for denatured cytochrome c. Native cytochrome c denatures in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Higher peroxidase activity was found on the denatured cytochrome c than on native cytochrome c. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constants K_m for denatured cytochrome c and the native cytochrome c were determined to be 0.08 and 0.23 mM, respectively.     

Long-chain lipids are required for the innate immune recognition of trehalose diesters by macrophages

Going to any length? Trehalose diesters of various chain lengths have been synthesised in order to determine the effect of lipid length on innate immune recognition, as determined by NO and cytokine production by macrophages. In this work, we show that longer lipids (C(20) -C(26)) are required for macrophage activation, with C(22) giving optimal activity.     

Switching on the photochemical reactivity in heterodimetallic Os–Ru bipyridyl complexes containing a bis(bidentate) phosphine

For the first time the excited states of the RuP₂N₄ moiety belonging to a new heterodimetallic Os^II–Ru^II bipyridyl complex are successfully designed in order to introduce photochemical reactivity. This dramatic effect is achieved via the use of the sterically demanding bis(bidentate) phosphine cis, trans, cis-1,2,3,4-tetrakis(diphenylphosphino)cyclobutane (dppcb). Thus, the temperature dependence of the luminescence lifetimes ranging from 77 to 298 K for the novel homodimetallic species meso-(ΔΛ/ΛΔ)-[Os₂(dppcb)(bpy)₄](PF₆)₄ (1) and rac-(ΔΔ/ΛΛ)-[Os₂(dppcb)(bpy)₄](PF₆)₄ (2) clearly indicates that the d–d state responsible for photochemistry is not populated. By contrast, the analogous temperature dependence for the new heterodimetallic species ΔΛ/ΛΔ-[Os(bpy)₂(dppcb)Ru(bpy)₂](PF₆)₄ (3) and ΔΔ/ΛΛ-[Os(bpy)₂(dppcb)Ru(bpy)₂](PF₆)₄ (4) unequivocally shows that as a consequence of the population of the d–d state the photochemical reactivity is switched on. Since single crystal X-ray structure analyses are a major clue to the understanding of photophysical and photochemical properties, also the X-ray structures of 1–3 are given.     

Novel tools for coating developers: a solution to the inverse problem in formulation

The inverse problem in coating formulation, i.e., that of finding a formulation that will satisfy a given set of performance properties, is much more difficult than the direct problem of finding the properties of a given formula. While the latter case may be labor intensive and time-consuming, we have at hand a wealth of test methods that make the solution straightforward. By contrast, the former case calls for experienced formulators plus intensive trial-and-testing work. In this work we describe a way to use intelligent systems in the form of artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms to tackle the more difficult inverse problem. It is applied to a set of five different families of alkyd enamels. In the direct mode, we are able to predict performance of a formulation with 90% efficiency. Through a sensitivity analysis, we can also obtain those variables to which a given property responds more strongly. In the inverse mode, we can obtain enamel formulations that will satisfy a given set of performance requirements. On the whole, it constitutes a powerful lab tool for coating developers. Computer-proposed formulations with some prescribed characteristics and their laboratory tests are discussed. Presented at the 2006 FutureCoat! conference, sponsored by the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology, in New Orleans, LA, on November 1–3, 2006. Javier E. Vitela On Sabbatical Leave from Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, UNAM, 04510 México D.F., México     

Fate of foodborne bacterial pathogens in pesticide products

The effects of diluting concentrated pesticide products with water containing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (human, bovine and ground meat strains), Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis, Shigella sonnei, Shigella flexneri and Listeria monocytogenes were investigated. Individual cultures were inoculated at about 10² colony‐forming units (cfu) ml^?1 into the following commercial pesticide products—Roundup, Poast & Merge, Gramoxone, Afolan, 2,4‐D amine, Dithane M45, Benlate, Bravo 500, Ridomil 240EC, Thiram 75WP, Sevin XLR+, Lorsban 4E, Diazinon 500, Ambush 500EC and Lagon 480E—following dilution with sterile tap water to recommended spray application concentrations (pesticide solution). Following incubation at 22 °C for 1 h, survivor levels for all three E coli O157:H7 strains in pesticide solutions of Roundup, Poast & Merge, Gramoxone, Dithane M45, Ridomil 240EC and Lagon 480E were lower (P ≤ 0.05) compared to their survival in water. In several pesticide solutions (Afolan, Bravo 500, Lorsban 4E and Ambush 500EC), survivor levels were no different (P≥0.05) from the control after 1 h; however, by 24 h, population levels of all strains in these four pesticide solutions were higher (P ≤ 0.05) than those observed at 1 h. Overall, similar survivor or growth patterns were observed with the remaining bacteria, with the exception of S flexneri. For this bacterium, survival or growth was poor, especially in Bravo 500, which consistently supported substantial growth of the other micro‐organisms. Time course growth studies over 96 h at 22 °C were conducted with Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria and E coli O157:H7 in solutions of Afolan, Bravo 500, Lorsban 4E and Ambush 500EC. Overall, a 100 to 1060‐fold increase in population was usually obtained in these pesticide solutions by 96 h. Changes in either the initial inoculum level of E coli O157:H7 from about 10² to 10⁴ cfu ml^?1 or temperature (from 20–22 to 31 °C) and concentration (from 0.5 to 1.5 times the recommended spray concentration) were shown to affect its growth in the pesticide solutions. The findings of this study indicate that some pesticide products, when diluted using contaminated water, may have the potential to promote growth of pathogens which could increase the risk of more widespread contamination of standing crops, including fruits. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry