Gene expression patterns following unilateral traumatic brain injury reveals a local pro-inflammatory and remote anti-inflammatory response.

BackgroundTraumatic brain injury (TBI) results in irreversible damage at the site of impact and initiates cellular and molecular processes that lead to secondary neural injury in the surrounding tissue. We used microarray analysis to determine which genes, pathways and networks were significantly altered using a rat model of TBI. Adult rats received a unilateral controlled cortical impact (CCI) and were sacrificed 24 h post-injury. The ipsilateral hemi-brain tissue at the site of the injury, the corresponding contralateral hemi-brain tissue, and naïve (control) brain tissue were used for microarray analysis. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software was used to identify molecular pathways and networks that were associated with the altered gene expression in brain tissues following TBI.ResultsInspection of the top fifteen biological functions in IPA associated with TBI in the ipsilateral tissues revealed that all had an inflammatory component. IPA analysis also indicated that inflammatory genes were altered on the contralateral side, but many of the genes were inversely expressed compared to the ipsilateral side. The contralateral gene expression pattern suggests a remote anti-inflammatory molecular response. We created a network of the inversely expressed common (i.e., same gene changed on both sides of the brain) inflammatory response (IR) genes and those IR genes included in pathways and networks identified by IPA that changed on only one side. We ranked the genes by the number of direct connections each had in the network, creating a gene interaction hierarchy (GIH). Two well characterized signaling pathways, toll-like receptor/NF-kappaB signaling and JAK/STAT signaling, were prominent in our GIH.ConclusionsBioinformatic analysis of microarray data following TBI identified key molecular pathways and networks associated with neural injury following TBI. The GIH created here provides a starting point for investigating therapeutic targets in a ranked order that is somewhat different than what has been presented previously. In addition to being a vehicle for identifying potential targets for post-TBI therapeutic strategies, our findings can also provide a context for evaluating the potential of therapeutic agents currently in development

Covalent Surface Modification of Silicon Oxides with Alcohols in Polar Aprotic Solvents

Alcohol based monolayers were successfully formed on the surfaces of silicon oxides through reaction performed in polar aprotic solvents. Monolayers prepared from alcohol based reagents have been previously introduced as an alternative approach to covalently modify the surfaces of silicon oxides. These reagents are readily available, widely distributed, and are minimally susceptible to side reactions with ambient moisture. A limitation of using alcohol based compounds is that previous reactions required relatively high temperatures in neat solutions, which can degrade some alcohol compounds or could lead to other unwanted side reactions during the formation of the monolayers. To overcome these challenges, we investigate the condensation reaction for alcohols on silicon oxides carried out in polar aprotic solvents. In particular, propylene carbonate has been identified as a polar aprotic solvent that is relatively non-toxic, readily accessible, and can facilitate the formation of alcohol based monolayers. We have successfully demonstrated tuning the surface chemistry of silicon oxide surfaces with a variety of alcohol containing compounds. The strategy introduced in this research can be utilized to create silicon oxide surfaces with hydrophobic, oleophobic, or charged functionalities

Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization Induced Transformation of Selenium Nanowires into Copper Selenide@Polystyrene Core-Shell Nanowires

This Article reports the first preparation of cuprous and cupric selenide nanowires coated with a ∼5 nm thick sheath of polystyrene (copper selenide@polystyrene). These hybrid nanostructures are prepared by the transformation of selenium nanowires in a one-pot reaction, which is performed under ambient conditions. The composition, purity, and crystallinity of the copper selenide@polystyrene products were assessed by scanning transmission electron microscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. We determined that the single crystalline selenium nanowires are converted into polycrystalline copper selenide@polystyrene nanowires containing both cuprous selenide and cupric selenide. The product is purified through the selective removal of residual, non-transformed selenium nanowires by performing thermal evaporation below the decomposition temperature of these copper selenides. Powder X-ray diffraction of the purified copper selenide nanowires@polystyrene identified the presence of hexagonal, cubic, and orthorhombic phases of copper selenide. These purified cuprous and cupric selenide@polystyrene nanowires have an indirect bandgap of 1.44 eV, as determined by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. This new synthesis of polymer-encapsulated nanoscale materials may provide a method for preparing other complex hybrid nanostructures

Rapid Covalent Modification of Silicon Oxide Surfaces through Microwave-Assisted Reactions with Alcohols

We demonstrate the method of a rapid covalent modification of silicon oxide surfaces with alcohol-containing compounds with assistance by microwave reactions. Alcohol-containing compounds are prevalent reagents in the laboratory, which are also relatively easy to handle because of their stability against exposure to atmospheric moisture. The condensation of these alcohols with the surfaces of silicon oxides is often hindered by slow reaction kinetics. Microwave radiation effectively accelerates this condensation reaction by heating the substrates and/or solvents. A variety of substrates were modified in this demonstration, such as silicon oxide films of various thicknesses, glass substrates such as microscope slides (soda lime), and quartz. The monolayers prepared through this strategy demonstrated the successful formation of covalent surface modifications of silicon oxides with water contact angles of up to 110° and typical hysteresis values of 2° or less. An evaluation of the hydrolytic stability of these monolayers demonstrated their excellent stability under acidic conditions. The techniques introduced in this article were successfully applied to tune the surface chemistry of silicon oxides to achieve hydrophobic, oleophobic, and/or charged surfaces

Synthesis of Lithium Niobate Nanocrystals with Size Focusing through an Ostwald Ripening Process

A simple surfactant assisted solution-phase approach is demonstrated here for the preparation of lithium niobate (LiNbO3) nanoparticles with an average size of 30 nm. This solution-phase process results in the formation of crystalline, uniform nanoparticles of LiNbO3 at 220 °C with an optimal reaction time of 36 h. Advantages of this method also include the preparation of crystalline nanoparticles of LiNbO3 without the need for further heat treatment or the use of an inert atmosphere. The growth of these nanoparticles began with a controlled agglomeration of nuclei. The reaction subsequently underwent a process of oriented attachment and Ostwald ripening, which dominated and controlled the further growth of the nanoparticles. These processes produced single-crystalline nanoparticles of LiNbO3. The average dimensions of the nanoparticles were tuned from 30 to 95 nm by increasing the reaction time of the solvothermal process. The LiNbO3 nanoparticles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), high resolution TEM, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The nanoparticles were also confirmed to be optically active for second harmonic generation (SHG). These particles could enable further development of SHG based microscopy techniques

Tuning Oleophobicity of Silicon Oxide Surfaces with Mixed Monolayers

We demonstrate the formation of mixed monolayers derived from a microwave-assisted reaction of alcohols with silicon oxide surfaces in order to tune their surface oleophobicity. This simple, rapid method provides an opportunity to precisely tune the constituents of the monolayers. As a demonstration, we sought fluorinated alcohols and aliphatic alcohols as reagents to form monolayers from two distinct constituents for tuning the surface oleophobicity. The first aspect of this study sought to identify a fluorinated alcohol that formed monolayers with a relatively high surface coverage. It was determined that 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoro-1-octanol yielded high quality monolayers with a water contact angle (WCA) value of ∼110° and contact angle values of ∼80° with toluene and hexadecane exhibiting both an excellent hydrophobicity and oleophobicity. Tuning of the oleophobicity of the modified silicon oxide surfaces was achieved by controlling the molar ratio of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoro-1-octanol within the reaction mixtures. Surface oleophobicity progressively decreased with a decrease in the fluorinated alcohol content while the monolayers maintained their hydrophobicity with WCA values of ∼110°. The simple and reliable approach to preparing monolayers of a tuned composition that is described in this article can be utilized to control the fluorocarbon content of the hydrophobic monolayers on silicon oxide surfaces

Hierarchical Surface Coatings of Polystyrene Nanofibers and Silica Microparticles with Rose Petal Wetting Properties

Surfaces with rose petal like properties, simultaneously exhibiting a high degree of hydrophobicity and a high adhesion to water, were prepared by spray coating of progressively smaller hydrophilic silica particles along with hydrophobic nanofibers onto surfaces of interest. Various polymer structures were achieved by tuning the spray coating flow rates during deposition of the polymer nanofibers and silica particles. At a reduced flow rate, polystyrene fibers were formed with diameters of less than 100 nm. Water contact angles (WCAs) of coatings prepared from the hierarchical assemblies of silica particles blended with polystyrene nanofibers were greater than 110°. Coatings prepared from the hierarchical assemblies either with or without incorporation of the polymer nanofibers pinned water droplets to their surfaces even after inverting the substrates, similar to the properties of a rose petal. Hierarchical coatings of silica particles without the polystyrene nanofibers also exhibited a high adhesion to water, pinning at least 30% more water on its surfaces. Conversely, hierarchical coatings containing the polystyrene nanofibers exhibited an increased water mobility across their surfaces. Further water retention experiments were performed to determine the ability of the different coatings to efficiently condense water vapor, as well as their efficiency to remove this condensed liquid from their surfaces. Both types of hierarchical coatings exhibited an excellent ability to retain water at a low humidity, while establishing a self-limiting condition for retaining water at a high humidity. These coatings could be prepared on a relatively large-scale and with a relatively low cost on the surfaces of a variety of materials to enhance their water resistance, water retention and/or ability to condense water vapor

Mesoporous Platinum Prepared by Electrodeposition for Ultralow Loading Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

The porosity and utilization of platinum catalysts have a direct impact on their performance within proton exchange membrane fuel cells. It is desirable to identify methods that can prepare these catalysts with the desired features, and that can be widely implemented using existing and industrially scalable techniques. Through the use of electrodeposition processes, fuel cell testing, and electron microscopy analyses before and after fuel cell testing, we report the preparation and performance of mesoporous platinum catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. We found that these mesoporous platinum catalysts can be prepared in sufficient quantities through techniques that also enable their direct incorporation into membrane electrode assemblies. We also determined that the mesoporous catalysts achieved a high porosity, which was retained after assembly and utilization within fuel cells. In addition, these mesoporous platinum catalysts exhibited an improved platinum mass specific power over catalysts prepared from commercially available platinum nanocatalysts

Improved Adhesion and Compliancy of Hierarchical Fibrillar Adhesives

The gecko relies on van der Waals forces to cling onto surfaces with a variety of topography and composition. The hierarchical fibrillar structures on their climbing feet, ranging from mesoscale to nanoscale, are hypothesized to be key elements for the animal to conquer both smooth and rough surfaces. An epoxy-based artificial hierarchical fibrillar adhesive was prepared to study the influence of the hierarchical structures on the properties of a dry adhesive. The presented experiments highlight the advantages of a hierarchical structure despite a reduction of overall density and aspect ratio of nanofibrils. In contrast to an adhesive containing only nanometer-size fibrils, the hierarchical fibrillar adhesives exhibited a higher adhesion force and better compliancy when tested on an identical substrate

Determining the Thickness of Aliphatic Alcohol Monolayers Covalently Attached to Silicon Oxide Surfaces Using Angle-Resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

The thickness of alcohol based monolayers on silicon oxide surfaces were investigated using angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS). Advantages of using alcohols as building blocks for the formation of monolayers include their widespread availability, ease of handling, and stability against side reactions. Recent progress in microwave assisted reactions demonstrated the ease of forming uniform monolayers with alcohol based reagents. The studies shown herein provide a detailed investigation of the thickness of monolayers prepared from a series of aliphatic alcohols of different chain lengths. Monolayers of 1-butanol, 1-hexanol, 1-octanol, 1-decanol, and 1-dodecanol were each successfully formed through microwave assisted reactions and characterized by ARXPS techniques. The thickness of these monolayers consistently increased by ∼1.0 Å for every additional methylene (CH2) within the hydrocarbon chain of the reagents. Tilt angles of the molecules covalently attached to silicon oxide surfaces were estimated to be ∼35° for each type of reagent. These results were consistent with the observations reported for thiol based or silane based monolayers on either gold or silicon oxide surfaces, respectively. The results of this study also suggest that the alcohol based monolayers are uniform at a molecular level