A self-assembly based supramolecular bioink with hierarchical control As a new bioprinting tool

Tissue engineering aims to capture details of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that stimulate cell growth and tissue regeneration. Molecularly complex materials or advanced additive fabrication techniques are often used to capture aspects of the ECM. Promising biofabrication techniques often lack nano and molecular scale control, as well as materials that can recreate the natural ECM or selectively guide cell behaviour. On the other hand, complex biomaterials based on molecular self-assembly tend to lack reproducibility and order beyond the nanoscale. We propose a new material fabrication platform that integrates the benefits of bioprinting and molecular self-assembly to overcome the current major limitations. Our approach relies on the co-assembly of peptide amphiphiles (PAs) with biomolecules and/or proteins found in the ECM, whilst exploiting the droplet-on-demand (DoD) printing process. Taking advantage of the interfacial fluid forces during printing, it is possible to guide the self-assembly into aligned or disordered nanofibers, hydrogel structures of different geometries and sizes, surface topographies and higher-ordered structures made from multiple hydrogels. The co-assembly process can be performed during printing and in cell-friendly conditions, whilst exhibiting high cell viability (\u3e 88 %). Moreover, multiple cell types can be spatially distributed on the outside or embedded within the tuneable biomimetic scaffolds. The combination of self-assembly with 3D-bioprinting, provides a basis for a new biofabrication platform to create hydrogels of complex geometry, structural hierarchy and tuneable chemical composition. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in Alström syndrome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A case series of the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings in seven adult Alström patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Seven patients from the National Specialist Commissioning Group Centre for Alström Disease, Torbay, England, UK, completed the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging protocol to assess cardiac structure and function in Alström cardiomyopathy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All patients had some degree of left and right ventricular dysfunction. Patchy mid wall gadolinium delayed enhancement was demonstrated, suggesting an underlying fibrotic process. Some degree of cardiomyopathy was universal. No evidence of myocardial infarction or fatty infiltration was demonstrated, but coronary artery disease cannot be completely excluded. Repeat scanning after 18 months in one subject showed progression of fibrosis and decreased left ventricular function.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Adult Alström cardiomyopathy appears to be a fibrotic process causing impairment of both ventricles. Serial cardiac magnetic resonance scanning has helped clarify the underlying disease progression and responses to treatment. Confirmation of significant mutations in the <it>ALMS1 </it>gene should lead to advice to screen the subject for cardiomyopathy, and metabolic disorders.</p

Escape probability methods versus "exact" transfer for modelling the X-ray spectrum of Active Galactic Nuclei and X-ray binaries

In the era of XMM-Newton and Chandra missions, it is crucial to use codes able to compute correctly the line spectrum of X-ray irradiated thick media (Thomson thickness of the order of unity) to build models for the structure and the emission of the central regions of AGN or X-ray binaries. In all photoionized codes except in our code Titan, the line intensities are computed with the "escape probability approximation". In its last version, Titan solves the transfer of a thousand lines and of the continuum with the ``Accelerated Lambda Iteration" method, which is one of the most efficient and most secure for line transfer. We find that for conditions typical of the AGN or X-ray binary emission medium, all escape approximations commonly used lead to an overestimation of the soft X-ray lines which can reach one order of magnitude for intense lines.Comment: 19 pages, 14 figures, accepted in A&

Morphology And Sorption Kinetic Studies Of L Type Activated Carbons Prepared From Oil Palm Shells By ZnCl2 And H3PO4 Activation

The aim of this investigation was to study the morphology and sorption kinetic studies of an L-type activated carbon prepared from Oil Palm Shells (OPS) by way of the two stage activation method in self-generated atmosphere using a muffle furnace. Both L-type dehydrating agents, zinc chloride and phosphoric acid were used as the chemical activation agent. For (he ZnCl2 samples, the optimum adsorption capacity was obtained when the samples were subjected to semi-carbonization of 400°C, 5 M ZnCl2 impregnating solution, followed by pyrolysis at 400°C. Whereas for the H3PO4 samples, semi-carbonization of 400°C followed by 4.5 M H3PO4 impregnating solution and pyrolysis at 400°C has shown to produced the optimum adsorption capacity. All activated carbons were fitted well in the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetics. These results demonstrated that this agricultural waste has the potential to be converted into high-capacity adsorbent for the remediation of waste waters

GaP-ZnS Multilayer Films:Visible-Light Photoelectrodes by Interface Engineering

In the field of solar water splitting, searching for and modifying bulk compositions have been the conventional approaches to enhancing visible-light activity. In this work, manipulation of heterointerfaces in ZnS-GaP multilayer films is demonstrated as a successful alternative approach to achieving visible-light-active photoelectrodes. The photocurrent measured under visible light increases with the increasing number of interfaces for ZnS-GaP multilayer films with the same total thickness, indicating it to be a predominantly interface-driven effect. The activity extends to long wavelengths (650 nm), much longer than those expected for pure ZnS and also longer than those previously reported for GaP. Density functional theory calculations of ZnS-GaP multilayers predict the presence of electronic states associated with atoms at the interfaces between ZnS and GaP that are different from those found within the layers away from the interfaces; these states, formed due to unique bonding environments found at the interfaces, lead to a lowering of the band gap and hence the observed visible-light activity. The presence of these electronic states attributed to the interfaces is confirmed by depth-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Thus, we show that interface engineering is a promising route for overcoming common deficiencies of individual bulk materials caused by both wide band gaps and indirect band gaps and hence enhancing visible-light absorption and photoelectrochemical performance

A three-dimensional atlas of human dermal leukocytes, lymphatics, and blood vessels.

Dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages (Mφ), and T cells are major components of the skin immune system, but their interstitial spatial organization is poorly characterized. Using four-channel whole-mount immunofluorescence staining of the human dermis, we demonstrated the three-dimensional distribution of CD31(+) blood capillaries, LYVE-1(+) lymphatics, discrete populations of CD11c(+) myeloid DCs, FXIIIa(+) Mφ, and lymphocytes. We showed phenotypic and morphological differences in situ between DCs and Mφ. DCs formed the first dermal cellular layer (0-20 μm beneath the dermoepidermal junction), Mφ were located deeper (40-60 μm), and CD3(+) lymphocytes were observed throughout (0-60 μm). Below this level, DCs, T cells, and the majority of Mφ formed stable perivascular sheaths. Whole-mount imaging revealed the true extent of dermal leukocytes previously underestimated from cross-section views. The total area of apical dermis (0-30 μm) contained approximately 10-fold more myeloid DCs than the entire blood volume of an average individual. Surprisingly, <1% of dermal DCs occupied lymphatics in freshly isolated skin. Dermal DCs rapidly accumulated within lymphatics, but Mφ remained fixed in skin explants cultured ex vivo. The leukocyte architecture observed in normal skin was distorted in inflammation and disease. These studies illustrate the micro-anatomy of dermal leukocytes and provide further insights into their functional organization

Chlorinated phenol removal from aqueous media by tea (Camellia sinensis) leaf waste tailored activated carbon

In this study, activated carbons (ACs) were prepared from tea leaves by using a two-stage self-generated atmosphere method. The process was done by semi-carbonizing the precursor at 300 oC for 1 h, followed by the impregnation of the resulting char at 85 oC for 4 h and finally activation at 500 oC for 2 h. The semi-carbonised samples were impregnated with different ratios of zinc chloride (ZnCl2) and their physicochemical effect was studied. The prepared ACs underwent several aspects of both, chemical and physical characterizations, such as the percentage of yield, moisture content, ash content, pH, porosity, adsorption capacity of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), surface area, porosity, morphology and surface chemistry studies. It was found that sample AC2, with an impregnation ratio of 2:1 was the best AC produced in this study. The maximum Brunauer, Emmett and Teller surface area of AC2 was found to be 695 m2/g. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were used to examine the experimental isotherms while the kinetic data was analyzed using the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion kinetic models. The 2,4-DCP adsorption isotherm results complied well to the Langmuir isotherm for the equilibrium data while the adsorption kinetic data fitted well to the pseudo-second order model, indicating that chemisorption by valency forces via the sharing (covalent bond) or exchanging of electrons between the AC and the 2,4-DCP molecules were mainly responsible for the adsorption process. From these findings, it is concluded that tea leaves can be used as a low cost precursor for the removal of 2,4-DCP in aqueous medium

Ontogeny of cone photoreceptor mosaics in zebrafish

Cone photoreceptors in fish are typically arranged into a precise, reiterated pattern known as a “cone mosaic.” Cone mosaic patterns can vary in different fish species and in response to changes in habitat, yet their function and the mechanisms of their development remain speculative. Zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) have four cone subtypes arranged into precise rows in the adult retina. Here we describe larval zebrafish cone patterns and investigate a previously unrecognized transition between larval and adult cone mosaic patterns. Cone positions were determined in transgenic zebrafish expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in their UV-sensitive cones, by the use of multiplex in situ hybridization labelling of various cone opsins. We developed a “mosaic metric” statistical tool to measure local cone order. We found that ratios of the various cone subtypes in larval and adult zebrafish were statistically different. The cone photoreceptors in larvae form a regular heterotypic mosaic array; i.e., the position of any one cone spectral subtype relative to the other cone subtypes is statistically different from random. However, the cone spectral subtypes in larval zebrafish are not arranged in continuous rows as in the adult. We used cell birth dating to show that the larval cone mosaic pattern remains as a distinct region within the adult retina and does not reorganize into the adult row pattern. In addition, the abundance of cone subtypes relative to other subtypes is different in this larval remnant compared with that of larvae or canonical adult zebrafish retina. These observations provide baseline data for understanding the development of cone mosaics via comparative analysis of larval and adult cone development in a model species. J. Comp. Neurol. 518:4182–4195, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77982/1/22447_ftp.pd

The Return–Volatility Relation in Commodity Futures Markets

By employing a continuous time multi-factor stochastic volatility model, the dynamic relation between returns and volatility in the commodity futures markets is analyzed. The model is estimated by using an extensive database of gold and crude oil futures and futures options. A positive relation in the gold futures market and a negative relation in the crude oil futures market subsist, especially over periods of high volatility principally driven by market-wide shocks. The opposite relation holds over quiet periods typically driven by commodity-specific effects. According to the proposed convenience yield effect, normal (inverted) commodity futures markets entail a negative (positive) relation

3D zero-thickness coupled interface finite element:Formulation and application

In many fields of geotechnical engineering, the modelling of interfaces requires special numerical tools. This paper presents the formulation of a 3D fully coupled hydro-mechanical finite element of interface. The element belongs to the zero-thickness family and the contact constraint is enforced by the penalty method. Fluid flow is discretised through a three-node scheme, discretising the inner flow by additional nodes. The element is able to reproduce the contact/loss of contact between two solids as well as shearing/sliding of the interface. Fluid flow through and across the interface can be modelled. Opening of a gap within the interface influences the longitudinal transmissivity as well as the storage of water inside the interface. Moreover the computation of an effective pressure within the interface, according to the Terzaghi’s principle creates an additional hydro-mechanical coupling. The uplifting simulation of a suction caisson embedded in a soil layer illustrates the main features of the element. Friction is progressively mobilised along the shaft of the caisson and sliding finally takes place. A gap is created below the top of the caisson and filled with water. It illustrates the storage capacity within the interface and the transversal flow. Longitudinal fluid flow is highlighted between the shaft of the caisson and the soil. The fluid flow depends on the opening of the gap and is related to the cubic law