The comprehensive in vitro evaluation of eight different calcium phosphates: Significant parameters for cell behavior

Eight different calcium phosphate nanoparticles, namely bovine bone bioapatite calcined at 500, 600, and 700°C, Mg-doped brushite, fluorinated calcium phosphate, Ca-deficient hydroxyapatite, hydroxyapatite, and tricalcium phosphate, were characterized employing physico-chemical methods. Their cytocompatibility was evaluated under human osteoblast-like cell line MG-63 culture conditions in elution media and via the direct interaction of cells with calcium phosphate nanoparticles. The main objective was to determine the correlation of the cell indices with the differently determined physical and chemical parameters of the calcium phosphates. Chemical composition, which contributes toward pH changes, and the calcium ion concentration in the medium appear to make up particularly significant factors; moreover, it was proved that the number of material types represents a further important aspect. In the case of a large number of material types, almost no correlation was determined between the analyzed parameters; however, in the case of a small number of apatite types, several positive correlations were found. It can be concluded that it is not possible to identify any monitored parameters that had a major impact on cell behavior or, at least, such an effect which can be generalized. It appears more likely that cell behavior is affected by the interplay of various parameters.     

Molecularly imprinted polymers: present and future prospective

Molecular Imprinting Technology (MIT) is a technique to design artificial receptors with a predetermined selectivity and specificity for a given analyte, which can be used as ideal materials in various application fields. Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs), the polymeric matrices obtained using the imprinting technology, are robust molecular recognition elements able to mimic natural recognition entities, such as antibodies and biological receptors, useful to separate and analyze complicated samples such as biological fluids and environmental samples. The scope of this review is to provide a general overview on MIPs field discussing first general aspects in MIP preparation and then dealing with various application aspects. This review aims to outline the molecularly imprinted process and present a summary of principal application fields of molecularly imprinted polymers, focusing on chemical sensing, separation science, drug delivery and catalysis. Some significant aspects about preparation and application of the molecular imprinting polymers with examples taken from the recent literature will be discussed. Theoretical and experimental parameters for MIPs design in terms of the interaction between template and polymer functionalities will be considered and synthesis methods for the improvement of MIP recognition properties will also be presented.     

Large Eddy Simulation of mixing effects on the course of parallel chemical reactions and comparison with k-? modeling

The way in which reagents are mixed can have a large influence on the product distribution of chemical reactions. To model effects of mixing on various scales on the course of chemical reactions the method of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of non-premixed, turbulent reactive flows of incompressible fluids is considered in this work. The subgrid modeling of chemical reaction is based on a beta distribution of the mixture fraction in combination with a conditional moment closure based on linear interpolation of local instantaneous reactant concentration values. The predictions obtained with LES are compared with experimental data for fast parallel chemical reactions, the fluid velocity measured using Particle Image Velocity (PIV) technique and the passive tracer concentration measured using the Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) technique. Predictions of the model based on LES are compared as well with results obtained using the non-equilibrium multiple-time-scale mixing model combined with a standard k-? model and employing similar conditional moment closure as LES, applied, however, at larger scale. All comparisons show a very good performance of the model based on LES.     

Herbivore-Induced Changes in Tomato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum lycopersicum</Emphasis>) Primary Metabolism: A Whole Plant Perspective

Induced changes in primary metabolism are important plant responses to herbivory, providing energy and metabolic precursors for defense compounds. Metabolic shifts also can lead to reallocation of leaf resources to storage tissues, thus increasing a plant’s tolerance. We characterized whole-plant metabolic responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) 24 h after leaf herbivory by two caterpillars (the generalist Helicoverpa zea and the specialist Manduca sexta) by using GC-MS. We measured 56 primary metabolites across the leaves, stems, roots, and apex, comparing herbivore-attacked plants to undamaged plants and mechanically damaged plants. Induced metabolic change, in terms of magnitude and number of individual concentration changes, was stronger in the apex and root tissues than in undamaged leaflets of damaged leaves, indicating rapid and significant whole-plant responses to damage. Helicoverpa zea altered many more metabolites than M. sexta across most tissues, suggesting an enhanced plant response to H. zea herbivory. Helicoverpa zea herbivory strongly affected concentrations of defense-related metabolites (simple phenolics and precursor amino acids), while M. sexta altered metabolites associated with carbon and nitrogen transport. We conclude that herbivory induces many systemic primary metabolic changes in tomato, and that changes often are specific to a single tissue or type of herbivore. The potential implications of primary metabolic changes are discussed in relation to resistance and tolerance.     

High-Stable Mesoporous Ni-Ce/Clay Catalysts for Syngas Production

Abstract  

A mesoporous-type catalytic support was synthesized through the modification of a smectite with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and microwaves. Texture and micro-morphology of the support was determined. Several techniques were employed in order to describe the chemical environment of active species on the surface. Ni⁰ particle sizes were dependent on the structural site of reducible species. High stable Ni-Ce catalysts (calcined at 800 °C) were evaluated in the CO₂ reforming of methane reaction at 700 °C (WHSV = 96 L g⁻¹ h⁻¹, without dilution gas and pre-reduction). The catalysts have presented CH₄ conversions between 40 and 65%, CO₂ conversion between 35 and 65% and H₂/CO ratios between 0.2 and 0.4.     

Amine-terminated aromatic and semi-aromatic hyperbranched polyamides: synthesis and characterization

A facile synthetic approach to aromatic and semiaromatic amine-terminated hyperbranched polyamides via direct polymerization of triamine (B₃) with different diacid chlorides (A₂) was explored. An aromatic triamine, 1,3,5-tris(4′-aminophenylcarbamoyl)benzene (TAPCB), was synthesized and monomers were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Finally, the polycondensation reaction of TAPCB with terephthaloyl chloride (TPC), isophthaloyl chloride (IPC), sebacoyl chloride (SC) and adipoyl chloride (AC) resulted in the preparation of four hyperbranched polyamides i.e., HBPA 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. FTIR and ¹H NMR analyses confirmed the structures of the ensuing polymers and DB was found between 0.51–0.55. These thermally stable amorphous HBPAs were soluble in polar aprotic solvents at room temperature having glass transition temperatures (T_g) between 138–198 °C. Inherent viscosities (η_inh) and weight average molecular weights (M_w) were in the range of 0.27–0.35 dL/g and 1.3 × 10⁴–2.7 × 10⁴, respectively. Future prospects are envisaged.     

The effect of synthesis conditions on the physicochemical properties of magnesium aluminate materials

Magnesium aluminate-based materials were prepared by applying different methods: (i) mechanochemical milling of the initial mixture of magnesium and aluminium nitrate powders (in appropriate stoichiometric amounts) followed by heat treatment at temperatures of 650 °C and 850 °C and (ii) melting of the mixture of nitrate precursors at 240 °C followed by thermal treatment at 650 °C, 750 °C and 850 °C. The effect of synthesis method on the structure and morphology of the obtained solids was studied by using various techniques such as: nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, powder XRD, IR spectroscopy and SEM. It was shown that the mechanochemical milling performed before calcination procedure leads to obtaining of nanocrystalline magnesium aluminate spinel phase at lower temperature of 650 °C in comparison with the method using thermal treatment only (at 750 °C). The obtained nanomaterials exhibit mesoporous structure.     

Sorptive removal of methylene blue from aqueous solutions by polymer/activated charcoal composites

In this study, a new sorbent, a poly(acrylamide‐co‐itaconic acid) [P(AAm‐co‐IA)]/activated charcoal (AC) composite, was prepared by the aqueous polymerization of acrylamide and itaconic acid in the presence of AC with N,N′‐methylene bisacrylamide as a crosslinker and potassium persulfate as an initiator. The P(AAm‐co‐IA)/AC composite sorbent showed a fair capacity to adsorb the cationic dye methylene blue. The maximum sorption capacity, as studied at 23, 37, and 50°C and determined with the Langmuir isotherm model, was found to be 909.0, 312.5, and 192.3 mg/g, respectively. For an initial concentration of 5 mg/L, the kinetic uptake data were studied with various kinetic models. The pseudo‐second‐order equation was found to fairly fit the uptake data with a regression value of 0.999. The dye uptake increased with the pH of the sorbate solution, and the optimum pH was found to be in the range of 7–10. Intraparticle diffusion was also observed to take place, and the coefficient of intraparticle diffusion was evaluated to be 26.51 × 10^?2 mg g^?1 min^?1/2. The various thermodynamic parameters were also determined to predict the nature of the uptake process. The sorption process was found to be spontaneous, as indicated by a negative standard free energy change. The negative standard enthalpy change suggested an exothermic nature for the uptake. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

The effect of BMP‐2 and VEGF loading of gelatin‐pectin‐BCP scaffolds to enhance osteoblast proliferation

A composite scaffold of gelatine (Gel)‐pectin (Pec)‐biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) was successfully fabricated. Growth factors such as bone morphogenetic protein‐2 (BMP‐2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were loaded into the Gel‐Pec‐BCP hydrogel scaffolds by freeze‐drying. The surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, and BCP dispersion in the hydrogel scaffolds was measured by energy dispersive and X‐ray diffraction spectroscopy. The results obtained from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and quantitative measurements showed successfully loading of BMP‐2 and VEGF into the Gel‐Pec‐BCP hydrogel scaffolds. In addition MC3T3‐E1 preosteoblasts were cultivated on the three types of scaffolds to investigate the effects of BMP‐2 and VEGF on cell viability and proliferation. The Gel‐Pec‐BCP scaffolds loaded with VEGF and BMP‐2 demonstrated more cell spreading and proliferation compared to those of the Gel‐Pec‐BCP scaffolds. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41241.     

Fabrication of different conductive matrix supported binary metal oxides for supercapacitors applications

Here, we have fabricated the spinel binary-metal oxide (FeCo₂O₄) via a solvent-free and cost-effective approach. The nanocomposites of the as-fabricated binary-metal spinel oxide have been prepared with three different conductive-matrices, namely r-GO, CNTs, and PANI, via ultra-sonication approach. The spinel phase and surface functionalities of the fabricated FeCo₂O₄ sample have been confirmed via XRD and FT-IR analyses, respectively. The morphological-structure and elemental composition of the fabricated samples have been probed via FESEM and EDX results. The role of added conductive-matrices in the improvement of the electrical conductivities of the fabricated nanocomposites has been investigated via I–V experiments. The electrochemical experiments, conducted in half-cell configuration, showed that FeCo₂O₄/PANI nanocomposite exhibited the highest specific capacitance (658.9 Fg^-1) than that of the remaining two nanocomposites. Furthermore, FeCo₂O₄/PANI nanocomposite exhibited excellent cyclic stability as it lost just 8.3% of its initial specific capacitance even after 3000 cyclic tests. The superior capacitive-activity of the FeCo₂O₄/PANI nanocomposite is accredited to its high conductivity, large surface area, and synergy effects between the pseudocapacitance derived from the PANI and FeCo₂O₄ nanostructure. The electrochemical and electrical measurements suggested that FeCo₂O₄/PANI nanostructure is an emerging contender for energy storage applications.