Influence of Bone Substitutes on Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in an Inflammatory Microenvironment

Bone regeneration is driven by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) via their interactions with immune cells, such as macrophages (MPs). Bone substitutes, e.g., bi-calcium phosphates (BCPs), are commonly used to treat bone defects. However, little research has focused on MSC responses to BCPs in the context of inflammation. The objective of this study was to investigate whether BCPs influence MSC responses and MSC–MP interactions, at the gene and protein levels, in an inflammatory microenvironment. In setup A, human bone marrow MSCs combined with two different BCP granules (BCP 60/40 or BCP 20/80) were cultured with or without cytokine stimulation (IL1β + TNFα) to mimic acute inflammation. In setup B, U937 cell-line-derived MPs were introduced via transwell cocultures to setup A. Monolayer MSCs with and without cytokine stimulation served as controls. After 72 h, the expressions of genes related to osteogenesis, healing, inflammation and remodeling were assessed in the MSCs via quantitative polymerase chain reactions. Additionally, MSC-secreted cytokines related to healing, inflammation and chemotaxis were assessed via multiplex immunoassays. Overall, the results indicate that, under both inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions, the BCP granules significantly regulated the MSC gene expressions towards a pro-healing genotype but had relatively little effect on the MSC secretory profiles. In the presence of the MPs (coculture), the BCPs positively regulated both the gene expression and cytokine secretion of the MSCs. Overall, similar trends in MSC responses were observed with BCP 60/40 and BCP 20/80. In summary, within the limits of in vitro models, these findings suggest that the presence of BCP granules at a surgical site may not necessarily have a detrimental effect on MSC-mediated wound healing, even in the event of inflammation.     

Systematic organophilization of montmorillonite: The impact thereof on the rheometric and mechanical characteristics of NBR and SBR based nanocomposites

Different montmorillonites either, completely hydrophilic (Mont‐0), amphiphilic (Mont‐25, Mont‐50, and Mont‐75) or completely hydrophobic (Mont‐100) were used as reinforcing fillers for styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) individually to predict the influence of the different forms on the properties of the rubbers (rheometric characteristics and mechanical properties). The shifts in the glass transition temperatures after the clay insertion were determined from dynamic mechanical thermal analysis to investigate the preference and action of each form. In addition, the storage moduli were used as indications to the corresponding mechanical properties of the samples. The influences could be followed after comparing the impacts of aging conditions on the properties of rubber compositions. The obtained data may provide a platform to suggest the mechanism by which these forms can in some cases act as compatibilizers in addition to their reinforcing/plasticizing effect when employed with the physically incompatible NBR/SBR (50/50) blend, which helps to optimize the properties of nanocomposites based on these blends. The proposed mechanism of action showed good correlation with the results of the mechanical properties and x‐ray diffraction investigations as well. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:942–948, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Fast relief from migraine attacks using fast-disintegrating sublingual zolmitriptan tablets

Zolmitriptan is a potent molecule for treatment of migraine. Its current oral therapies present drawbacks such as slow onset of action, low bioavailability and large inter-subject variability. Fast disintegrating sublingual zolmitriptan tablet (FDST) using freeze-drying technique has been developed to enhance tablet disintegration and dissolution with the intention of speeding drug absorption and onset of effect, hence mitigating the effects on the gastrointestinal dysmotility that typically accompanies the migraine attack. The FDSTs were prepared using different concentrations of gelatin as binder and mannitol or L-alanine as matrix supporting/disintegration enhancing agents. The effect of formulation variables on the physicochemical and solid-state properties, as well as the dissolution behaviour of the tablets, was studied. The formulated FDSTs disintegrated within 30 s and showed significantly faster dissolution rate of zolmitriptan compared to the zolmitriptan oral tablet. Tablet containing 2% gelatin and mannitol showed acceptable weight variation, drug content and friability values. Furthermore, it had a low in-vitro and in-vivo disintegration time (11 s) and it reached 100% of drug release within 30 s. This sublingual formulation gave faster and higher zolmitriptan plasma concentration in rabbits compared to the oral zolmetriptan market product. Zolmitriptan FDST may therefore constitute an advance in the management of acute migraine attacks.     

A switched chaotic encryption scheme using multi-mode generalized modified transition map

Multimedia Tools and Applications - This paper presents a multi-mode generalized modified transition chaotic map and a switched chaotic encryption scheme based on it. Eight different modes of...     

Monopyroxenic Basalt-Based Glass-Ceramics

Uniform, ultrafine, microcrystalline, hard, pyroxenic glass-ceramic materials have been obtained successfully from basalt rock; instead of adding nucleation catalysts, the FeO:Fe₂O₃, CaO:Na₂O, and CaO:MgO ratios have been rectified. This process has been accomplished by deliberately adding the smallest permissible amounts of oxidizers, limestone, dolomite, and soda ash (as additives) that are necessary to fulfill the monominerality requirements; these requirements affect the melting, workability, crystallization, and microstructure of the glass-ceramics. The melting temperature decreases as the ratios decrease (beyond certain limits); in addition, the workability, crystallization, and microstructure also improve as the ratios decrease. An almost-stable solid solution of augite or aegirine-augite composition is the only crystalline phase that is formed. The minimal FeO:Fe₂O₃ ratio and the likelihood of a greater affinity of the Na⁺ cation for the Fe³⁺ cation, rather than the Al³⁺ cation, may be responsible for increasing the stability and widening of the crystallization field of the complex aluminum-bearing pyroxene solid solution.     

NUMERICAL STUDY OF A HEATED PULSED AXISYMMETRIC JET IN LAMINAR MODE

In this work, we have studied numerically the influence of a pulsation on the flow generated by an axisymmetric immerged jet in a laminar mode. A finite-difference method is used to solve the dimensionless equations governing the flow. The simulation enabled us to determine the space-time evolution of the flow variables, such as the velocity components, temperatures, length of the potential core, and both the dynamic and thermal half-thicknesses. The results obtained are the outcome of various factors such as the pulsation amplitude, the frequency which affects the Strouhal number value, and the Reynolds and the Grashof numbers. All of them show that a pulsed jet reaches an asymptotic mode identical to that of the steady one. On the other hand, the pulsation considerably accelerates the expansion of the jet and clearly improves the entrainment at the nozzle exit for distances of some diameters. The results reached in this work are validated with those obtained for a steady jet in its various aspects.     

Catalytic para-xylene maximization. Part X: Toluene disproportionation on HF promoted H-ZSM-5 catalysts

H-ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts were doped with 2%, 3% and 4%HF to be used for investigating their activities and selectivities for xylenes production and for para-xylene maximization at temperatures of 300–500 °C via toluene disproportionation. This doping caused pore size modification of the H-ZSM-5 catalyst. The reaction was carried out in a fixed bed flow type reactor. The ratio of produced para-xylene relative to its thermodynamic composition reached as high as 3.29 at 300 °C on the 4%HF doped H-ZSM-5 catalyst although this catalyst possessed the lowest amount of the largest pores (3.0–5.7 nm) and the smallest pores (0.4–1.7 nm). The overall activities of the catalysts were decreased with an increase in HF doping because of diffusion restriction. The kinetics of the reaction were simply treated and found to give E_a and ΔS¹ values compatible with the characterization data of the catalysts.     

Electrical and mechanical properties of polyethylene–rubber blends

A systematic electrical and mechanical study was carried out on styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), as a nonpolar rubber, and nitrile rubber (NBR), as a polar one blended with pure and waste polyethylene (PE), low and high density. The compatibility investigations, which were carried out by the dielectric method and confirmed by the calculated heat of mixing, indicate that SBR–PE blends (either low or high density) are compatible, while NBR–PE blends are incompatible. From the electrical and mechanical results, it is found that the addition of waste PE to either polar or nonpolar rubber leads to better electrical and mechanical properties when compared with those for the blends having pure PE. The values of permittivity ε′ are found to increase pronouncely, while the values of dielectric loss ε′ slightly decrease. Shore hardness was also measured for all the investigated systems and found to vary linearly with the permittivity ε′. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polm Sci 69: 775–783, 1998