Nanoengineering the heart: conductive scaffolds enhance connexin 43 expression

Scaffolds that couple electrical and elastic properties may be valuable for cardiac cell function. However, existing conductive materials do not mimic physiological properties. We prepared and characterized a tunable, hybrid hydrogel scaffold based on Au nanoparticles homogeneously synthesized throughout a polymer templated gel. Conductive gels had Young's moduli more similar to myocardium relative to polyaniline and polypyrrole, by 1-4 orders of magnitude. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes exhibited increased expression of connexin 43 on hybrid scaffolds relative to HEMA with or without electrical stimulation.     

Enabling and Localizing Omnidirectional Nonlinear Deformation in Liquid Crystalline Elastomers

Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are widely recognized for their exceptional promise as actuating materials. Here, the comparatively less celebrated but also compelling nonlinear response of these materials to mechanical load is examined. Prior examinations of planarly aligned LCEs exhibit unidirectional nonlinear deformation to mechanical loads. A methodology is presented to realize surface‐templated homeotropic orientation in LCEs and omnidirectional nonlinearity in mechanical deformation. Inkjet printing of the homeotropic alignment surface localizes regions of homeotropic and planar orientation within a monolithic LCE element. The local control of the self‐assembly and orientation of the LCE, when subject to rational design, yield functional materials continuous in composition with discontinuous mechanical deformation. The variation in mechanical deformation in the film can enable the realization of nontrivial performance. For example, a patterned LCE is prepared and shown to exhibit a near‐zero Poisson's ratio. Further, it is demonstrated that the local control of deformation can enable the fabrication of rugged, flexible electronic devices. An additively manufactured device withstands complex mechanical deformations that would normally cause catastrophic failure.     

Reduction of endocrine disruptor emissions in the environment: The benefit of wastewater treatment

The occurrence and fate of four estrogens and five alkylphenolic compounds were studied in thirteen plants with various treatment processes, sizes and countries. Complete load mass balance, including water and sludge phases, has shown a high reduction of the total load of hormones, around 90%. The removal of alkylphenols was more variable, due to the degradation of nonylphenol (NP) precursors - alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APnEO) - during the treatment, resulting in significant production of shorter and toxic alkylphenols (NP and short polyethoxylates) that concentrate in the sludges. Under anaerobic conditions, such as anaerobic digestion process, the load of NP was in most cases observed to increase. When considering the environmental impact, the high reduction of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC) concentrations between raw wastewater and effluent enables to satisfy the requirements of the Water Framework Directive for NP except in very critical situations where the dilution factor of the effluent in the river would be lower than 7. For sludges, the pending European Directive on spreading of sludge on land would be complied with in all cases.     

Axial conduction in laminar pipe flows with nonlinear wall heat fluxes

A numerical analysis to determine the heat-transfer parameters of a fluid flow rejecting heat to the surrounding medium by convection and radiation is developed. The influence of axial conduction is included and the velocity profile is taken as nonuniform in the transverse direction. Use of a transformation eliminates the required boundary conditions at infinity. Approximate numerical techniques are employed to solve the nonlinear conjugate problem. As Péclet number increases, the temperature fields simplify to those where axial conduction is excluded. The computed results indicate that the effects of axial conduction are strongly altered by the parameters responsible for the convection and radiation. Bulk fluid temperatures, wall heat fluxes and Nusselt numbers are plotted against Graetz numbers. Critical Péclet numbers for a variety of cooling conditions are presented using the bulk fluid temperature as a reference.     

The tammar wallaby and fur seal: models to examine local control of lactation

Mammary development and function are regulated by systemic endocrine factors and by autocrine mechanisms intrinsic to the mammary gland, both of which act concurrently. The composition of milk includes nutritional and developmental factors that are crucial to the development of the suckled young, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that milk also has a role in regulating mammary function. This review examines the option of exploiting the comparative biology of species with extreme adaptation to lactation to examine regulatory mechanisms that are present but not readily apparent in other laboratory and livestock species. The tammar wallaby has adopted a reproductive strategy that includes a short gestation (26 d), birth of an immature young, and a relatively long lactation (300 d). The composition of milk changes progressively during the lactation cycle, and this is controlled by the mother and not the sucking pattern of the young. Furthermore, the tammar can practice concurrent asynchronous lactation; the mother provides a concentrated milk high in protein and fat for an older animal that is out of the pouch and a dilute milk low in fat and protein but high in carbohydrates from an adjacent mammary gland for a newborn pouch young. This phenomenon suggests that the mammary gland is controlled locally. The second study species, the Cape fur seal, has a lactation characterized by a repeated cycle of long at-sea foraging trips (up to 28 d) alternating with short suckling periods of 2 to 3 d ashore. Lactation almost ceases while the seal is off shore, but the mammary gland does not progress to apoptosis and involution, most likely because of local control of the mammary gland. Our studies have exploited the comparative biology of these models to investigate how mammary function is regulated by endocrine factors, and particularly by milk. This review reports 3 major findings using these model animals. First, the mammary epithelial cell has an extraordinary intrinsic capacity for survival in our culture model, and the path to either function or death by apoptosis is actively driven. The second outcome is that the route to apoptosis is most likely regulated by specific milk factors. Finally, whey acidic protein, a major milk protein in some species, may play a role in normal mammary development, but that role in vivo may be limited to marsupials. Evolutionary pressure has led to changes in the structure of the protein with an accompanying change in function. Therefore, we propose that a loss of function of this protein in eutherians may relate to a reproductive strategy that is less dependent on lactation.     

Microstructure development in isothermally melt-textured 123–211 composite materials

Microstructures of isothermally melt-textured 123–211 composite materials have been examined during the solidification process from quenched specimens. The distribution of 211 particles, the superconducting 123 grain boundary and the solid-liquid interface features are emphasized. The quality of the materials has been investigated by thermopower and thermal conductivity measurements. A seeded-melt texturing technique has been also tested in order to grow large single-domain of DyBa₂Cu₃O_7-y. The chosen seed was a Dy₂O₃ single crystal.     

Use of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography for the broad screening of hazardous contaminants in urban wastewaters.

The list of priority chemicals included in various regulations such as the European Water Framework Directive, as well as the list of hazardous contaminants identified in the aquatic environment, are increasing at an accelerated pace. Therefore, there is a need for broad spectrum methods capable of simultaneously determining hundreds, if not thousands, of contaminants. For the analysis of non-polar or semi-polar contaminants, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) is more powerful than conventional gas chromatography thanks to a separation on two different stationary phases. This paper reports the use of GC x GC for a broad screening of hazardous contaminants in an urban wastewater plant. Comparison between the raw and treated wastewater has been carried out using a semi-quantitative approach. A variety of drugs, personal care products, pesticides, carcinogens and compounds toxic for reproduction, were identified. Most of these compounds were removed or decreased by this wastewater treatment plant. Preliminary results from this single plant will need to be confirmed by a more extensive study before drawing conclusions on the removal efficiency of 2D-GC amenable compounds.     

Determining the long-term potential for energy conservation and renewable energy in Canada

This paper summarizes the results of a 28-month study, funded by the Canadian government, which developed new methods for analysing the technical and economic potential for conservation and renewable energy alternatives in Canada to the year 2025. The results of the study show that under conditions of strong economic growth and moderate population growth, it would be technically feasible and cost-effective to operate the Canadian economy in 2025 with 12–34% less energy than it requires today and, over the same 47-year period, to shift from 16% reliance on renewable sources to over 77% (mostly biomass and hydro). Over the study period, energy use per capita falls to between one-half and two-fifths of its level in 1978, and energy use per dollar of GDP to just over one-quarter of its 1978 level.