Enhancing DPCD in Liquid Products by Mechanical Inactivation Effects: Assessment of Feasibility

The enhancement of standard dense phase carbon dioxide (DPCD) pasteurization by additional mechanical effects was assessed in this work. These effects were induced during pasteurization by the sudden depressurization in a narrow minitube. The high flow velocities, moderate pressures (40–80 bar) and low temperatures (25–45 °C) lead to intense degasification and shear stress. The inactivation of the test microorganism Escherichia coli DH5α (E. coli DH5α) was determined before and after depressurization in the minitube, representing entirely chemical DPCD via dissolved CO₂ and total inactivation comprising the effects of dissolved CO₂ and mechanical effects, respectively. Compared to conventional DPCD pasteurization, which is mostly attributed to chemical effects, the additional mechanical effects increased the inactivation efficiency considerably.     

Direct Laser Patterning of Soft Matter: Photothermal Processing of Supported Phospholipid Multilayers with Nanoscale Precision

Direct laser patterning of supported phospholipid multilayers is investigated. Spin coating is used to fabricate stacked bilayers of 1,2‐dioleoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphate (DOPA). Photothermal processing with a focused laser beam at λ = 514 nm allows removal of the coating at predefined positions without causing any significant change in adjacent areas. Moreover, processing with nanoscale precision is feasible despite the soft and fluid nature of phospholipid films. In particular, holes with diameters from 1.8 µm down to 300 nm and below are fabricated by using a 1/e² laser spot size of about 2.5 µm. In addition, patterning is also very flexible and can be carried out over macroscopic length scales and at short processing times. Considering these features photothermal laser processing constitutes a powerful tool for micro‐ and nanopatterning of phospholipid films.     

The Collider Principle in Causal Reasoning: Why the Monty Hall Dilemma Is So Hard.

The authors tested the thesis that people find the Monty Hall dilemma (MHD) hard because they fail to understand the implications of its causal structure, a collider structure in which 2 independent causal factors influence a single outcome. In 4 experiments, participants performed better in versions of the MHD involving competition, which emphasizes causality. This manipulation resulted in more correct responses to questions about the process in the MHD and a counterfactual that changed its causal structure. Correct responses to these questions were associated with solving the MHD regardless of condition. In addition, training on the collider principle transferred to a standard version of the MHD. The MHD taps a deeper question: When is knowing about one thing informative about another? (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Teachers' occupational well-being and quality of instruction: The important role of self-regulatory patterns.

Teachers' occupational well-being (level of emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction) and quality of instruction are two key aspects of research on teaching that have rarely been studied together. The role of occupational engagement and resilience as two important work-related self-regulatory dimensions that predict occupational well-being and teachers' instructional performance in the classroom was investigated. In Part 1 of the study, self-regulatory data from 1,789 German mathematics teachers were subjected to a latent profile analysis, yielding four self-regulatory types (healthy-ambitious, unambitious, excessively ambitious, and resigned) that differed significantly on emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction. In Part 2, the association between teachers' self-regulatory type and instructional performance was examined in a subsample of 318 teachers. Results showed that teachers' self-regulatory type predicted the quality of instruction in three of the four aspects of instructional performance examined. Moreover, teachers' self-regulatory type was systematically linked to differences in students' motivation. No association was found between teacher self-regulation and student achievement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

3D‐Printed Scanning‐Probe Microscopes with Integrated Optical Actuation and Read‐Out

Scanning‐probe microscopy (SPM) is the method of choice for high‐resolution imaging of surfaces in science and industry. However, SPM systems are still considered as rather complex and costly scientific instruments, realized by delicate combinations of microscopic cantilevers, nanoscopic tips, and macroscopic read‐out units that require high‐precision alignment prior to use. This study introduces a concept of ultra‐compact SPM engines that combine cantilevers, tips, and a wide variety of actuator and read‐out elements into one single monolithic structure. The devices are fabricated by multiphoton laser lithography as it is a particularly flexible and accurate additive nanofabrication technique. The resulting SPM engines are operated by optical actuation and read‐out without manual alignment of individual components. The viability of the concept is demonstrated in a series of experiments that range from atomic‐force microscopy engines offering atomic step height resolution, their operation in fluids, and to 3D printed scanning near‐field optical microscopy. The presented approach is amenable to wafer‐scale mass fabrication of SPM arrays and capable to unlock a wide range of novel applications that are inaccessible by current approaches to build SPMs.     

Phosphatidylserine Supplementation as a Novel Strategy for Reducing Myocardial Infarct Size and Preventing Adverse Left Ventricular Remodeling

Phosphatidylserines are known to sustain skeletal muscle activity during intense activity or hypoxic conditions, as well as preserve neurocognitive function in older patients. Our previous studies pointed out a potential cardioprotective role of phosphatidylserine in heart ischemia. Therefore, we investigated the effects of phosphatidylserine oral supplementation in a mouse model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We found out that phosphatidylserine increases, significantly, the cardiomyocyte survival by 50% in an acute model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion. Similar, phosphatidylserine reduced significantly the infarcted size by 30% and improved heart function by 25% in a chronic model of AMI. The main responsible mechanism seems to be up-regulation of protein kinase C epsilon (PKC-ε), the main player of cardio-protection during pre-conditioning. Interestingly, if the phosphatidylserine supplementation is started before induction of AMI, but not after, it selectively inhibits neutrophil’s activation, such as Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) expression, without affecting the healing and fibrosis. Thus, phosphatidylserine supplementation may represent a simple way to activate a pre-conditioning mechanism and may be a promising novel strategy to reduce infarct size following AMI and to prevent myocardial injury during myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery. Due to the minimal adverse effects, further investigation in large animals or in human are soon possible to establish the exact role of phosphatidylserine in cardiac diseases.     

Determination of the phospholipid/lipophilic compounds ratio in liposomes by thin-layer chromatography scanning densitometry

The determination of the ratio of phospholipid/ lipophilic compounds in liposomes was achieved after thin-layer chromatography (TLC) by measuring the spot intensities of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and the lipophilic compound. The liposome components under study were separated on one TLC plate, developed in two steps, and detected after charring the plate with specific visualization reagents. The method shows good reproducibility and provides a simple way to quantify the level of lipophilic compound incorporated in the liposome bilayer.