Preparation and Evaluation of a Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System Loaded with Heparin Phospholipid Complex

A self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) was developed to enhance the absorption of heparin after oral administration, in which heparin was compounded with phospholipids to achieve better fat solubility in the form of heparin-phospholipid (HEP-Pc) complex. HEP-Pc complex was prepared using the solvent evaporation method, which increased the solubility of heparin in n-octanol. The successful preparation of HEP-Pc complex was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, NMR, and SEM. A heparin lipid microemulsion (HEP-LM) was prepared by high-pressure homogenization and characterized. HEP-LM can enhance the absorption of heparin after oral administration, significantly prolong activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time (TT) in mice, and reduce fibrinogen (FIB) content. All these outcomes indicate that HEP-LM has great potential as an oral heparin formulation.     

Toughness and R-curve behaviour of laminated Si3N4/SiCw ceramics

Laminated Si₃N₄/SiC_w ceramics were successfully prepared by tape casting and hot-pressing. Its mechanical properties were measured and the impact resistance was discussed. The toughness of the laminated Si₃N₄/SiC_w ceramics was 13.5 MPa m^1/2, which was almost 1.6 times that of Si₃N₄/SiC_w composite ceramics, namely 8.5 MPa m^1/2. Moreover, the indentation strength of laminated Si₃N₄/SiC_w ceramics was not sensitive to increasing indentation loads and exhibited a rising R-curve behaviour, indicating that the laminated Si₃N₄/SiC_w ceramics had excellent impact resistance. The improved toughness and impact resistance of laminated Si₃N₄/SiC_w ceramics was attributed to the residual stress caused by a thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the different layers, resulting in crack deflection and bridging of SiC whiskers in the interface layer, thus consuming a large amount of fracture work.     

Synthesis of nanopowders with low agglomeration by elaborating Φ values for producing Gd2O3-MgO nanocomposites with extremely fine grain sizes and high mid-infrared transparency

Refining ceramic microstructures to the nanometric range to minimize light scattering provides an interesting methodology for developing novel optical ceramic materials. In this work, we reported the fabrication and properties of a new nanocomposite optical ceramic of Gd₂O₃-MgO. The citric acid sol-gel combustion method was adopted to fabricate Gd₂O₃-MgO nanocomposites with fine-grain sizes, dense microstructures and homogeneous phase domains. Nanopowders with low agglomeration and improved sinterability can be obtained by elaborating Φ values. Further refining of the microstructure of the nanocomposites was achieved by elaborating the hot-pressing conditions. The sample sintered at 65 MPa and 1300 °C showed a quite high hardness value of 14.3 ± 0.2 GPa, a high transmittance of 80.3 %–84.7 % over the 3?6 μm wavelength range, due mainly to its extremely fine-grain size of Gd₂O₃ and MgO (93 and 78 nm, respectively) and high density.     

Observations on the oral organelle,cytopharynx, and subpellicular structure of a Dileptus sp.

We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to observe the oral organelle, cytopharynx, and subpellicular structure of a Dileptus sp. The main results were as follows: (a) the cytostome was located on the ventral surface of the base of the beak, surrounded by a periportal matrix that integrated 135 microtube bundles. When these microtube bundles contract, radially arranged into a disk, the cytostome was closed. When these microtube bundles were stretch, they fell into the cytostome and opens. The diameter of the cytostome was about 16 μm regardless of its closure or opening, indicating that the contraction or elongation of these microtube bundles did not change the size of the cytostome, which was only related to whether it blocked the cytostome, thus determining the opening and closing of the cytostome. There were many microtube bundles on two sides of the feeding trough, which could widen or narrow the feeding trough and facilitate beak feeding. (b) The cytopharynx was basket‐like without a bottom with a diameter of about 6 μm and was woven from two kind fibers about 0.08 and 0.19 μm. (c) There were two types of extrusomes under the pellicle. Using transmission electron microscopy，the Type I extrusomes showed narrow and long egg shape, its cross section was circular which is composed by various electronic density of concentric. Using the scanning electron microscope, they were two slightly thin clavate, the length was about 5 μm, the diameter of the middle section was about 0.75 μm, and the diameter of the two ends was about 0.32 μm, they were distributed abundantly between the microtubule fasciculi which were located on both sides of the gap on the feeding groove. Using transmission electron microscopy, the Type II extrusomes showed egg shape. Using the scanning electron microscopy, they were about 1.6 × 0.8 μm in size, they were distributed abundantly under the body pellicle while rarely the proboscis. In addition, many different of developmental stages two types of extrusomes could be also seen in the cytoplasm. (d) There were very well‐developed fibrous systems under the pellicle that were woven from fibers about 0.14 μm in diameter that attached to the pellicle and bound some organelles in the cytoplasm (e.g., mitochondria, extrusomes) and other structures to the cytoplasm and maintained cell morphology. The results of this study not only supplement and enrich the morphological contents of the Dileptus sp., but also provide the basis for the study of the taxonomy of the Dileptus sp. It also provides a new method for researchers to explore the morphology and structure of ciliate cells under the cortex by SEM.     

Revealing Electrical-Poling-Induced Polarization Potential in Hybrid Perovskite Photodetectors

Despite recent rapid advances in metal halide perovskites for use in optoelectronics, the fundamental understanding of the electrical-poling-induced ion migration, accounting for many unusual attributes and thus performance in perovskite-based devices, remain comparatively elusive. Herein, the electrical-poling-promoted polarization potential is reported for rendering hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite photodetectors with high photocurrent and fast response time, displaying a tenfold enhancement in the photocurrent and a twofold decrease in the response time after an external electric field poling. First, a robust meniscus-assisted solution-printing strategy is employed to facilitate the oriented perovskite crystals over a large area. Subsequently, the electrical poling invokes the ion migration within perovskite crystals, thus inducing a polarization potential, as substantiated by the surface potential change assessed by Kelvin probe force microscopy. Such electrical-poling-induced polarization potential is responsible for the markedly enhanced photocurrent and largely shortened response time. This work presents new insights into the electrical-poling-triggered ion migration and, in turn, polarization potential as well as into the implication of the latter for optoelectronic devices with greater performance. As such, the utilization of ion-migration-produced polarization potential may represent an important endeavor toward a wide range of high-performance perovskite-based photodetectors, solar cells, transistors, scintillators, etc.     

复杂难选铁矿石悬浮磁化焙烧-高效分选技术

针对传统铁矿石磁化焙烧技术与装备存在焙烧产品质量差、产能低、能耗高和环境污染严重等问题，创造性提出了一种“预热-蓄热还原-再氧化”悬浮磁化焙烧新工艺。该工艺具有原料适应性广、焙烧产品质量均匀、回收率高、生产能耗低、无污染等特点，适合处理赤铁矿、褐铁矿、菱铁矿及其混合型难选铁矿石。通过多年的潜心基础研究与技术攻关，形成了非均质矿石颗粒悬浮态流动控制、蓄热式高效低温还原、铁物相精准调控与余热同步回收等一系列关键技术，建成了500kg/h复杂难选铁矿石悬浮磁化焙烧-高效分选半工业试验平台。     

Blocked crystallization in capped ultrathin polymer films studied by molecular simulations

The crystallization of capped ultrathin polymer films is closely dependent on film thickness and interfacial interaction. Using dynamic Monte Carlo simulations, the crystallization behaviors of polymer films confined between two substrates were investigated. The crystallization rate of confined polymers is reduced with high interfacial interactions. Above a critical strength of interfacial interaction, polymer crystallization in the thin film is inhibited within the simulation time scales. An increase in film thickness leads to a rise in critical interfacial interaction. In thicker films, the chains have more space to change conformation to form crystal stems. In addition, there are fewer absorbed segments in confined chains for the thicker films, and thus the chains have stronger ability to adjust their conformation. Therefore an increase in film thickness can cause a reduction in the entropic barrier required for the formation of crystals and thus an increase in the critical interfacial interaction. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry