Black Hillbilly: An Exploration of the Black Erasure from the Appalachian Historical Narrative

In 1915 two Black businessmen, Archie McKinney and Matthew Buster, secured the purchase and operation of Eagle Coal Company Inc. in Montgomery, West Virginia. A Black-owned coal company operated and existed in southwestern West Virginia. Eagle Coal has all but disappeared, even from historical memory. What exactly happened to this coal company remains very much a mystery and is a poignant image that represents the mystery that surrounds the Black experience in Appalachia. In the face of “social injustice, racial violence, disfranchisement, and the intensification of the segregationist system,” Black Americans set out from the South in search of better jobs and better wages.[1] A faction of this group would settle in the Appalachian coal mining industry and invest in settling into the area long term by building Black communities. Their attempts to create Black wealth would come in various forms, such as schools, newspapers, shops, and, in Montgomery’s case, even a coal company; however, these initiatives appear as a blip in the Progressive Era of American History. This has led to a dominantly white image of Appalachia both during its economic success and impoverished downfall. To understand how areas like Montgomery, Keystone, and McDowell County were successful in building Black culture and Black community is to follow the migration of Black labor to West Virginia, examine Black experience and Black existence in West Virginia from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, and observe patterns of Black progression in densely black populated West Virginia areas. Through the investigation of Black experience and Black existence in these West Virginia areas, I share how Black Appalachia existed alongside White Appalachia, playing a foundational role to West Virginia’s development. [1] Joe Trotter and Earl Lewis, African Americans in the Industrial Age (Boston: Northeastern University Press 1996)

Biocompatibility and erosion behavior of implants made of triglycerides and blends with cholesterol and phospholipids

Abstract Triglycerides are a promising class of material for the parenteral delivery of drugs and have become the focus of tremendous research efforts in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the biocompatibility of glyceroltripalmitate as well as the influence of cholesterol and distearoyl-phosphatidyl-choline (DSPC) on the erosion behavior of the lipid. For these investigations, two in vivo studies were carried out, in which cylindrical matrices of 2 mm diameter were manufactured and subcutaneously implanted in immunocompetent NMRI-mice. After excision of the implants, tissue reactions of the animals as well as changes in the weight, shape and microstructure of the implants were investigated. The triglyceride and cholesterol showed good biocompatibility, as indicated by their minimal encapsulation in connective tissue and the absence of inflammatory reactions. Increasing the levels of phospholipid in the implants, however, led to an increased inflammatory reaction. In contrast to cholesterol, which did not affect erosion, the incorporation of DSPC into the triglyceride matrices led to clearly visible signs of degradation

Biofabrication : reappraising the definition of an evolving field

Biofabrication is an evolving research field that has recently received significant attention. In particular, the adoption of Biofabrication concepts within the field of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine has grown tremendously, and has been accompanied by a growing inconsistency in terminology. This article aims at clarifying the position of Biofabrication as a research field with a special focus on its relation to and application for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. Within this context, we propose a refined working definition of Biofabrication, including Bioprinting and Bioassembly as complementary strategies within Biofabrication

Biofabrication: reappraising the definition of an evolving field

Biofabrication is an evolving research field that has recently received significant attention. In particular, the adoption of Biofabrication concepts within the field of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine has grown tremendously, and has been accompanied by a growing inconsistency in terminology. This article aims at clarifying the position of Biofabrication as a research field with a special focus on its relation to and application for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. Within this context, we propose a refined working definition of Biofabrication, including Bioprinting and Bioassembly as complementary strategies within Biofabrication.1111377Ysciescopu