Optimization of electrically conductive films: Poly(3-methylthiophene) or polypyrrole in Kapton

A method to generate conductive films composed of small amounts of conductive polymer absorbed into the surface of polyimide films has been optimized. Both pyrrole (PY) and 3-methylthiophene (3MT) were evaluated as precursors for the conductive phase. Predictive models were empirically derived for each precursor to describe the effects of polymerization variables on the conductivity of the films. The variables studied were found to be highly synergistic. An optimum set of conditions was found for each conductive polymer that produces the highest conductivity. Using p-3MT as the conductive phase, films with conductivity as high as 5.7 Ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹ can be produced, an improvement of four orders of magnitude over previously reported results with Kapton as a base polymer. The highest conductivity achieved using p-PY as the conductive phase was 0.041 Ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹, still a two order of magnitude improvement over previously reported results. Mean mechanical properties of the 3MT-treated films were not significantly lower than that for untreated Kapton. The conductivities of p-3MT/Kapton films tested over time under ambient temperature in air persist fairly well for 300 days. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 63: 821–834, 1997     

Copolymerization and polymer blending of trimethylene carbonate and adipic anhydride for tailored drug delivery

The copolymerization in bulk and solution of trimethylene carbonate (TMC) with adipic anhydride (AA) as well as the blending of homopolymers are described. We show experimentally that the components are not copolymerizable but partially miscible, forming a microscopic dispersion without any visible signs of phase separation. Poly(adipic anhydride) (PAA) functions as a plasticizer, permitting an increase in the erosion rate by increasing the porosity and hydration. Drug delivery from the blends was evaluated. A statistical factorial model was designed to explore the influence of three important blend parameters and their interactions, making it possible to predict the erosion and drug‐release behavior of the blend matrices. The PAA:poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) ratio and molecular weight of the polycarbonate component significantly influence the drug‐release performance, mass loss, and degree of plasticization. The interaction among these factors also influences the blend properties. Plasticization of PTMC enhances the drug release to an extent that is dependent on the amount of PAA used. We demonstrate that blending offers a convenient alternative to copolymerization for the preparation of polymer matrices with predictable drug delivery. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 227–239, 1999     

Understanding E. coli internalization in lettuce leaves for optimization of irradiation treatment

Irradiation penetrates food tissues and effectively reduces the number of food microorganisms in fresh produce, but the efficacy of the process against internalized bacteria is unknown. The objective of this study was to understand the mechanisms of pathogen colonization of plants relative to lettuce leaf structures so that radiation treatment of fresh leafy vegetables can be optimized. Leaves of iceberg, Boston, green leaf, and red leaf lettuces were cut into pieces, submerged in a cocktail mixture of two isolates of Escherichia coli (Rifampicin resistant), and subjected to a vacuum perfusion process to force the bacterial cells into the intercellular spaces in the leaves. Sixty bags containing 20 g of lettuce each were tested. The inoculated leaves were gamma irradiated (Lanthanum-140, 0.16 kGy/h) at 0.25–1.0-kGy (surface dose values), with increments of 0.25 kGy at 15 °C. Microbial analysis was performed right after irradiation, including non-irradiated leaf pieces (controls). A dose uniformity ratio (max/min dose) of 2.8 was set to confirm the effect of non-uniform dose distribution. Calculated D₁₀-values varied between 48 and 62% based on the dose distribution from the entrance dose. However, despite the subtle differences in composition and structure among the four lettuce varieties, the D₁₀-values were not significantly different. Irradiation up to 1.0-kGy resulted in 3–4-log reduction of internalized E. coli on the lettuce leaves. The SEM images suggest that the contamination sites of pathogens in leafy vegetables are mainly localized on crevices and into the stomata. This study shows that irradiation effectively reduces viable E. coli cells internalized in lettuce, and decontamination is not influenced by lettuce variety. Ionizing irradiation effectively reduced the population of internalized pathogen in a dose-dependent manner and could be used as an effective killing step to mitigate the risk of foodborne disease outbreaks.     

Nothing Regular about the Regulins: Distinct Functional Properties of SERCA Transmembrane Peptide Regulatory Subunits

The sarco-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) is responsible for maintaining calcium homeostasis in all eukaryotic cells by actively transporting calcium from the cytosol into the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum (SR/ER) lumen. Calcium is an important signaling ion, and the activity of SERCA is critical for a variety of cellular processes such as muscle contraction, neuronal activity, and energy metabolism. SERCA is regulated by several small transmembrane peptide subunits that are collectively known as the “regulins”. Phospholamban (PLN) and sarcolipin (SLN) are the original and most extensively studied members of the regulin family. PLN and SLN inhibit the calcium transport properties of SERCA and they are required for the proper functioning of cardiac and skeletal muscles, respectively. Myoregulin (MLN), dwarf open reading frame (DWORF), endoregulin (ELN), and another-regulin (ALN) are newly discovered tissue-specific regulators of SERCA. Herein, we compare the functional properties of the regulin family of SERCA transmembrane peptide subunits and consider their regulatory mechanisms in the context of the physiological and pathophysiological roles of these peptides. We present new functional data for human MLN, ELN, and ALN, demonstrating that they are inhibitors of SERCA with distinct functional consequences. Molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations of SERCA in complex with the transmembrane domains of MLN and ALN provide insights into how differential binding to the so-called inhibitory groove of SERCA—formed by transmembrane helices M2, M6, and M9—can result in distinct functional outcomes.     

In vitro antioxidant activity of anthocyanins of black soybean seed coat in human low density lipoprotein (LDL)

The objectives of this study were to determine the phenolic and anthocyanin contents in black soybean Mallika and Cikuray variety seed coat extract and to examine antioxidant activity of extract against DPPH radical and LDL oxidation. Black soybean seed coat of Mallika (M) and Cikuray (C) was extracted using methanol-1%HCl. The phenolic and anthocyanin contents were determined with Folin–Ciocalteu and pH differential methods, respectively. Individual anthocyanidins were identified with HPLCdiode array detector, and antioxidant activity was examined, using DPPH and TBARS assay with LDL as the oxidation substrate. BHT and rutin were used as antioxidant references. The phenolic content in M and C were 8.15 ± 0.23 and 6.46 ± 0.11 g GAE/100 g, respectively. The anthocyanin contents were 11.36 ± 0.12 and 1.45 ± 0.13 g/100 g, respectively. Cyanidin, delphinidin, and pelargonidin were found as individual anthocyanidins. The optimum DPPH radical scavenging capacity (%) of M and C were 92.78% and 91.50%, respectively, BHT and rutin were 77.0% and 91.94%, respectively. The optimum inhibition of TBARS formation from M and C were 37.10 and 30.37 nmol MDA equivalents/g LDL protein, respectively, and rutin were 30.10 nmol MDA equivalents/g LDL protein, respectively. These results suggest that black soybean seed coat has high levels of phenolic and anthocyanin, and also demonstrated considerable antioxidant activity of black soybean seed coat.     

Biochemical and physicochemical properties of thermally treated natural actomyosin extracted from normal and PSE pork Longissimus muscle

Biochemical and physicochemical properties of thermally treated natural actomyosin (NAM) from normal and pale, soft and exudative (PSE) pork were studied. About 37% and 25% of available sulphydryl groups formed disulphide bonds or other permanent chemical bonds at 70 °C in NAM from normal and PSE pork, respectively. Surface hydrophobicities of NAM from normal and PSE pork at 70 °C were 3.6 and 2.4 times greater than that at 40 °C. About 90% of the α-helical structure of NAM was lost by heating to 70 °C. The temperature at maximum α-helical content decline of NAM was in accordance with the peak 3 thermal transition obtained by differential scanning calorimetry and the lowest storage modulus (G′) during thermal rheology. NAM from normal pork underwent aggregation with a higher extent of hydrophobic interaction and disulphide bonds, higher temperatures at maximum velocity for conformational change and unfolding than that from PSE pork. As a consequence, NAM from normal pork had superior rheological properties.     

Returning Genius to the Place

Advocates of sustainable design since the early 1990s, HOK are intent on disseminating new research, resources and tools across their global design teams. Mary Ann Lazarus , Sustainable Design Director at HOK, and Chip Crawford , Planning Group Director at HOK, describe a particularly innovative project that the two groups have collaborated on with the essential input of the Biomimicry Guild (see p 44). Addressing critical environmental issues at the habitat scale and performance standards, they have developed ecological design tools that have been employed on masterplans for Lavasa, India, and Langfang, China. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shape statistics variational approach for the outer contour segmentation of left ventricle MR images.

Segmentation of left ventricles is one of the important research topics in cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The segmentation precision influences the authenticity of ventricular motion reconstruction. In left ventricle MR images, the weak and broken boundary increases the difficulty of segmenting the outer contour precisely. In this paper, we present an improved shape statistics variational approach for the outer contour segmentation of left ventricle MR images. We use the Mumford-Shah model in an object feature space and incorporate the shape statistics and an edge image to the variational framework. The introduction of shape statistics can improve the segmentation with broken boundaries. The edge image can enhance the weak boundary and thus improve the segmentation precision. The generation of the object feature image, which has homogenous "intensities" in the left ventricle, facilitates the application of the Mumford-Shah model. A comparison of mean absolute distance analysis between different contours generated with our algorithm and that generated by hand demonstrated that our method can achieve a higher segmentation precision and a better stability than various approaches. It is a semiautomatic way for the segmentation of the outer contour of the left ventricle in clinical applications.