Nanocellulose-Based Inks—Effect of Alginate Content on the Water Absorption of 3D Printed Constructs

2,2,6,6-tetramethylpyperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) were used as ink for three-dimensional (3D) printing of porous structures with potential as wound dressings. Alginate (10, 20, 30 and 40 wt%) was incorporated into the formulation to facilitate the ionic cross-linking with calcium chloride (CaCl2). The effect of two different concentrations of CaCl2 (50 and 100 mM) was studied. The 3D printed hydrogels were freeze-dried to produce aerogels which were tested for water absorption. Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) pictures demonstrated that the higher the concentration of the cross-linker the higher the definition of the printed tracks. CNF-based aerogels showed a remarkable water absorption capability. Although the incorporation of alginate and the cross-linking with CaCl2 led to shrinkage of the 3D printed constructs, the approach yielded suitable porous structures for water and moisture absorption. It is concluded that the 3D printed biocomposite structures developed in this study have characteristics that are promising for wound dressings devices

The Differentiation and Stress Response Factor XBP-1 Drives Multiple Myeloma Pathogenesis

Multiple myeloma (MM) evolves from a highly prevalent premalignant condition termed MGUS. The factors underlying the malignant transformation of MGUS are unknown. We report a MGUS/MM phenotype in transgenic mice with Eμ-directed expression of the XBP-1 spliced isoform (XBP-1s), a factor governing unfolded protein/ER stress response and plasma-cell development. Eμ-XBP-1s elicited elevated serum Ig and skin alterations. With age, Eμ-xbp-1s transgenics develop features diagnostic of human MM, including bone lytic lesions and subendothelial Ig deposition. Furthermore, transcriptional profiles of Eμ-xbp-1s lymphoid and MM cells show aberrant expression of known human MM dysregulated genes. The similarities of this model with the human disease, coupled with documented frequent XBP-1s overexpression in human MM, serve to implicate XBP-1s dysregulation in MM pathogenesis

Determination of the respiratory compensation point by detecting changes in intercostal muscles oxygenation by using near-infrared spectroscopy

This study aimed to evaluate if the changes in oxygen saturation levels at intercostal muscles (SmO2-m.intercostales) assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) using a wearable device could determine the respiratory compensation point (RCP) during exercise. Fifteen healthy competitive triathletes (8 male; 29±6 years; height 167.6±25.6 cm; weight 69.2±9.4 kg; V ̇O2-máx 58.4±8.1 mL·kg-1·min-1) were evaluated in a cycle ergometer during the maximal oxygen-uptake test (V ̇O2-máx), while lung ventilation (V ̇E), power output (watts, W) and SmO2-m.intercostales were measured. RCP was determined by visual method (RCPvisual: changes at ventilatory equivalents (V ̇E·V ̇CO2-1, V ̇E·V ̇O2-1) and end-tidal respiratory pressure (PetO2, PetCO2) and NIRS method (RCPNIRS: breakpoint of fall in SmO2-m.intercostales). During exercise, SmO2-m.intercostales decreased continuously showing a higher decrease when V ̇E increased abruptly. A good agreement between methods used to determine RCP was found (visual vs NIRS) at %V ̇O2-máx, V ̇O2, V ̇E, and W (Bland-Altman test). Correlations were found to each parameters analyzed (r=0.854; r=0.865; r=0.981; and r=0,968; respectively. p<0.001 in all variables, Pearson test), with no differences (p<0.001 in all variables, t-student test) between methods used (RCPvisual and RCPNIRS). We concluded that changes at SmO2-m.intercostales measured by NIRS could adequately determine RCP in triathletes

Visual Performance Fields: Frames of Reference

Performance in most visual discrimination tasks is better along the horizontal than the vertical meridian (Horizontal-Vertical Anisotropy, HVA), and along the lower than the upper vertical meridian (Vertical Meridian Asymmetry, VMA), with intermediate performance at intercardinal locations. As these inhomogeneities are prevalent throughout visual tasks, it is important to understand the perceptual consequences of dissociating spatial reference frames. In all studies of performance fields so far, allocentric environmental references and egocentric observer reference frames were aligned. Here we quantified the effects of manipulating head-centric and retinotopic coordinates on the shape of visual performance fields. When observers viewed briefly presented radial arrays of Gabors and discriminated the tilt of a target relative to homogeneously oriented distractors, performance fields shifted with head tilt (Experiment 1), and fixation (Experiment 2). These results show that performance fields shift in-line with egocentric referents, corresponding to the retinal location of the stimulus

RELICS: High-Resolution Constraints on the Inner Mass Distribution of the z=0.83 Merging Cluster RXJ0152.7-1357 from strong lensing

Strong gravitational lensing (SL) is a powerful means to map the distribution of dark matter. In this work, we perform a SL analysis of the prominent X-ray cluster RXJ0152.7-1357 (z=0.83, also known as CL 0152.7-1357) in \textit{Hubble Space Telescope} images, taken in the framework of the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS). On top of a previously known $z=3.93$ galaxy multiply imaged by RXJ0152.7-1357, for which we identify an additional multiple image, guided by a light-traces-mass approach we identify seven new sets of multiply imaged background sources lensed by this cluster, spanning the redshift range [1.79-3.93]. A total of 25 multiple images are seen over a small area of ~0.4 $arcmin^2$, allowing us to put relatively high-resolution constraints on the inner matter distribution. Although modestly massive, the high degree of substructure together with its very elongated shape make RXJ0152.7-1357 a very efficient lens for its size. This cluster also comprises the third-largest sample of z~6-7 candidates in the RELICS survey. Finally, we present a comparison of our resulting mass distribution and magnification estimates with those from a Lenstool model. These models are made publicly available through the MAST archive.Comment: 15 Pages, 7 Figures, 4 Tables Accepted for publication in Ap