A paradigm shift: biomaterials that heal

Biomaterials based on synthetic polymers have been explored in medicine since early in the 20th century. The inert nature of polymeric materials and their many fabrication options suggested possibilities in medicine to surgeons having to deal with repair and replacement of diseased or injured organs and tissues. Now the biomaterials/medical device industry is estimated at US$ 150 billion worldwide and saves the lives of millions and improves the quality of life for millions more. In spite of the success of biomaterials and medical devices, there are issues with ‘biocompatible’ biomaterials that have an on impact medical practice and stimulate scientific questions. This perspective discusses the fact that although we have been reasonably successful with implants, there is much room for improvement. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

DCS在网状自愈网中的应用

随着通信网向综合化，智能化的发展，自愈在网络中占有越来越重要的地位。本文首先介绍了利用ＤＣＳ的重构能力在ＳＤＨ网状自愈网中的应用，然后分析了ＳＤＨ－ＤＣＳ设备影响自愈时间的几个因素，最后提出了利用ＡＴＭ－ＶＰＸ在ＡＴＭ层实现了自愈功能。     

Review of The psychobiology of mind-body healing: New concepts of therapeutic hypnosis.

Reviews the book, The psychobiology of mind-body healing: New concepts of therapeutic hypnosis by Earnest L. Rossi. This is one of the best books currently available for psychologists that summarizes the burgeoning field of mind-body interaction. Rossi's healing intention is clearly stated in his Preface, and it is this emphasis that tends to distinguish his text most prominently from other available reviews of the same literature. The other chief positive attribute of the Rossi text is his explication of numerous uses of hypnotherapeutic phenomena in the treatment process. Rossi makes no bones about his allegiance to the Ericksonian hypnotherapeutic school, and his effectively presented clinical examples are very similar to Erickson's own case presentations in their vividness and their potency for attacking a large number of mind-body problems. The Psychobiology of Mind-Body Healing is 380 pages in length, including some 29 pages of references that are comprehensive. They represent contributions from very basic sciences among biology, chemistry, and psychophysiology, as well as a number of references on hypnotherapy, state-dependent learning, and some features of information systems. I highly recommend this text, with appropriate cautions about its tables and anecdotes, to all students of psychotherapeutic phenomena with physically ill patients, especially those who must struggle uphill to assist those with chronic and debilitating illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, musculo-skeletal disorders, and AIDS. Rossi has put together a notable and useful text mat is provocative and rewarding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

大鼠烫伤愈合过程中对He－Ne激光反射规律的实验研究

本实验用Ｈｅ－Ｎｅ激光照射大鼠烫伤创面促进其愈合，同时测定了愈合过程中创面对Ｈｅ－Ｎｅ激光的反射率。结果表明：在整个愈合过程中其反射率呈现先迅速下降，而后缓慢上升的变化趋势。反射率变化的幅度与剂量无关而变化的平均速率与剂量有关。     

Construction and Properties of Hydrophobic Association Hydrogels with High Mechanical Strength and Reforming Capability

Hydrophobic association hydrogels (HA‐gels) with almost ideal properties were successfully prepared by micellar copolymerization, and the associated micelles acted as physical cross‐linking points in the network of HA‐gels. HA‐gels exhibit exceptional mechanical properties and transparency. However, the most striking properties are that HA‐gels possess the capability of self‐healing and remolding, which is mainly due to the dissociation and re‐association process of the associated micelles. Dried‐gels, which were prepared by stretching HA‐gels to a certain elongation for a period of time in the air, can be used as shrinkable or thermal sensitivity materials. HA‐gels have a broad selectivity for components, so we have synthesized HA‐gels with variously available properties by changing a corresponding component: thermoresponsive HA‐gels, nanosphere‐composite HA‐gels, and fluorescent HA‐gels. Therefore, we are sure that HA‐gels will be widely used in various fields, such as biology, medication, sensors, optics, and oil exploitation.

     

Biodiversity Targets as the Basis for Green Design

Mike Wells , the Director of Biodiversity by Design, and Ken Yeang outline the need for biodiversity targets in architecture to provide a more far-reaching basis for green design. Rather than just literally ‘greening’ a building by covering it with foliage, they seek to encourage designers to engage with wider ecological processes and in more specific detail. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characteristics of a kHz helium atmospheric pressure plasma jet interacting with two kinds of targets

This study investigates the influence of two types of target,skin tissue and cell culture medium,with different permittivities on a k Hz helium atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) during its application for wound healing.The basic optical–electrical characteristics,the initiation and propagation and the emission spectra of the He APPJ under different working conditions are explored.The experimental results show that,compared with a jet freely expanding in air,the diameter and intensity of the plasma plume outside the nozzle increase when it interacts with the pigskin and cell culture medium targets,and the mean velocity of the plasma bullet from the tube nozzle to a distance of 15 mm is also significantly increased.There are also multiple increases in the relative intensity of OH (A~2Σ?→?X~2Π) and O (3p~5S–3s~5S) at a position 15 mm away from nozzle when the He APPJ interacts with cell culture medium compared with the air and pigskin targets.Taking the surface charging of the low permittivity material capacitance and the strengthened electric field intensity into account,they make the various characteristics of He APPJ interacting with two different targets together.     

Autonomic Healing of Epoxy Vinyl Esters via Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization

A materials system for autonomic healing of epoxy vinyl esters is demonstrated. The system is comprised of wax microspheres containing Grubbs' catalyst and microcapsules containing exo‐dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) embedded together in an epoxy vinyl ester matrix. Healing is triggered when damage in the form of a crack ruptures the microcapsules, causing DCPD to be released into the crack plane where it comes in contact and mixes with the catalyst microspheres initiating ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The chemical compatibility of the catalyst with the matrix is investigated and wax protection of the catalyst via microspheres of a sufficient size (34–98 μm) is shown to provide a suitable barrier for protecting the catalyst from free radicals generated in situ during the curing of the epoxy vinyl ester resin. Wax protection of the catalyst also allows uninhibited curing of the matrix to proceed at room temperature. Concentration of self‐healing components is varied with a view towards optimization of the recovery of virgin mechanical properties. Efficient self‐healing is observed with microspheres that are smaller than those used in previous polymer matrices. Significant recovery of virgin mechanical properties is observed within 2.5 min of healing time at room temperature and the mechanical properties of healed samples after 24 h of healing time match those of existing ROMP‐based self‐healing systems.     

An Injectable Self‐Healing Multifluorescent Hydrogel Formed by Engineered Coiled‐Coil Polypeptide and Quantum Dots

An injectable and self‐healing multifluorescent hydrogel system based on engineered coiled‐coil polypeptide and CdSe@ZnS quantum dots (QDs) is developed. The mechanical properties of the PC₁₀A‐QD hydrogel are able to be tuned by changing the concentrations of PC₁₀A and QDs. The G′ of PC₁₀A hydrogel increases from 800 to 1000 Pa by doping 6 nm oil‐soluble CdSe@ZnS QDs. The PC₁₀A‐QD hydrogel can easily pass through a 26‐gauge needle without clogging. In addition, through interfacial assembly of PC₁₀A polypeptide on the surface of the PC₁₀A‐QD hydrogel, each of these hydrogel can self‐assemble into a multifluorescent hydrogel. This approach for preparation of injectable self‐healing multifluorescent hydrogels is expected to apply in biomedicine.     

Plasma-enabled healing of graphene nano-platelets layer

Graphene platelet networks (GPNs) were deposited onto silicon substrates by means of anodic arc discharge ignited between two graphite electrodes.Substrate temperature and pressure of helium atmosphere were optimized for the production of the carbon nanomaterials.The samples were modified or destroyed with different methods to mimic typical environments responsible of severe surface degradation.The emulated conditions were performed by four surface treatments,namely thermal oxidation,substrate overheating,exposition to glow discharge,and metal coating due to arc plasma.In the next step,the samples were regenerated on the same substrates with identical deposition technique.Damaging and re-growth of GPN samples were systematically characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy.The full regeneration of the structural and morphological properties of the samples has proven that this healing method by arc plasma is adequate for restoring the functionality of2D nanostructures exposed to harsh environments.