Biodegradable Spheres Protect Traumatically Injured Spinal Cord by Alleviating the Glutamate‐Induced Excitotoxicity

New treatment strategies for spinal cord injury with good therapeutic efficacy are actively pursued. Here, acetalated dextran (AcDX), a biodegradable polymer obtained by modifying vicinal diols of dextran, is demonstrated to protect the traumatically injured spinal cord. To facilitate its administration, AcDX is formulated into microspheres (≈7.2 µm in diameter) by the droplet microfluidic technique. Intrathecally injected AcDX microspheres effectively reduce the traumatic lesion volume and inflammatory response in the injured spinal cord, protect the spinal cord neurons from apoptosis, and ultimately, recover the locomotor function of injured rats. The neuroprotective feature of AcDX microspheres is achieved by sequestering glutamate and calcium ions in cerebrospinal fluid. The scavenging of glutamate and calcium ion reduces the influx of calcium ions into neurons and inhibits the formation of reactive oxygen species. Consequently, AcDX microspheres attenuate the expression of proapoptotic proteins, Calpain, and Bax, and enhance the expression of antiapoptotic protein Bcl‐2. Overall, AcDX microspheres protect traumatically injured spinal cord by alleviating the glutamate‐induced excitotoxicity. This study opens an exciting perspective toward the application of neuroprotective AcDX for the treatment of severe neurological diseases.     

Template-Based Synthesis of Nano/Micro Structures on a Semiconducting Substrate

In recent years, nano/micro wires have attracted considerable attention because of their extraordinary physical properties and enormous potential for applications in numerous fields of research and technology. Among the methods widely used to create nanowires, electrochemical deposition in the pores of ion-track polymer membranes have turned out to be very suitable. This method may also be used to synthesize nano/micro structures on the substrate itself to prevent post-synthesis manipulations. For this, the polycarbonate layer is spin coated on the semiconducting substrate and then irradiated with heavy ions. Chemical etching of these latent tracks leads to the formation of nano-/micro-size pores. After depositing metal in these pores, the polycarbonate templates are removed by dissolving them in dichloromethane, leading to the formation of nanowires standing on the substrate itself. Using this technique, we have studied VI characteristics of metallic nano/micro wires grown on the silicon substrate. These nano/micro structures show Schottky behavior when forward biased and ohmic behavior when reversed biased.     

Study of the Formation of Nano-Networks in Colloidal Particles

The authors studied the formation of a wafer-scale network of connected colloidal beads by reactive ion etching. The dimensions of the connections have been studied as a function of etching time for colloidal beads of different sizes, and could be well controlled. The authors have found that the nano-network forms and disappears for the same time of etching independent of the diameter of the polystyrene beads. With recent interest of connected colloidal networks in various optical sensing applications, such as photonic crystals, as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates, the studies have potential uses in the development of wafer-scale nanophotonic sensors.     

Some metal compounds in the phase of crosslinked ionic polymer—precursors for new sorbents and catalysts

A commercial crosslinked ionic polymer AV‐17 containing ? N(CH₃)₃Cl groups was used. The common compounds of Bi(III) and Al(III); Bi(III) and Cr(III); Bi(III) and Fe(III); Bi(III) and FeOOH and of three components—Bi(III), Fe(III), and Cr(III); Bi(III), FeOOH, and Cr(III) were obtained in the AV‐17 polymer phase and investigated using scanning electron microscopy, powder X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. It was shown that metal‐containing compounds were concentrated on the surface of the polymer granules. The compounds were in the crystalline (BiOCl) or amorphous (jarosites and oxihydroxides) state. The morphology and composition of the metal‐containing ultra dispersed particles were different on the surface and in the volume of the polymer granule. Most of the metal‐containing compounds were in the form of pseudo spherical particles, but compounds containing Bi(III) and FeOOH in the volume of AV‐17 granule, were in the form of clew of nanometer fibers. Thermogravimetric analysis (in an N₂ atmosphere) in the range 24–1000°C of the metallic compounds containing polymer was also carried out. The metal‐containing polymer samples were stable up to 120°C. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Theoretical Estimation of Acid Strength of Fluorine Hydrogen-Boron Fluoride Complexes

Abstract

The calculation of complexes R _n BF_3-n . HF (there is R = CH₃ and C₂H₅) has been carried out by the quantum-chemical semi-empirical MNDO method in Dewar and Teel parameterization. The geometrical and electronic structure of these complexes was obtained. On an example of simple H-acids we estimated their acid strength. We found that irrespective of the ligand surrounding of B atom the complexes R _n BF_3-n HF have rather high acid strength (pK _a = 17.9 14.9).     

Cluster structure of SnO2/SnCo composites as anodes for lithium ion batteries

SnO₂/CoSn composites have been prepared by hydrolysis accompanied by carbothermal reduction. With the addition of cobalt, SnO₂/CoSn nanoparticles self-assemble to form nano-micro-structure cluster even microparticles. The nano-micro-structure cluster not only shortens lithium-ion diffusion and electron transportation route, but also cohere together to form compact defense. This preserves the integrity of the structure and the capacity from fading during cycling. It exhibits the improved charge capacity of 627.3 mA h/g in the first cycle and 421.9 mA h/g after 50 cycles at 100 mA/g. It paves the way for practical applications of tin-based anodes.     

Arsenic and phosphorus codiffusion during silicon microelectronic processes

Arsenic (As) and phosphorus (P) implantations are concurrently used to create the n-zones of recent microelectronic device pn-junctions. We studied the As-P codiffusion effect on the junction depths during the dopant activation process. As diffusion is accelerated during codiffusion. The acceleration magnitude depends on As concentration and varies during annealing time. Contrasting with usual transient-enhanced-diffusion phenomena, a time delay can be observed before As diffusion acceleration occurs. P diffusion shows no specific modification due to codiffusion. Its diffusion behavior can be understood considering the usual Fermi level and electrical effects linked to the time evolution of the two dopant distributions. The behavior of As during codiffusion is discussed using finite element simulations.