Developing a novel microchannel emulsification device for diabetes cell therapy

Microcarrier-based 3D culture changed the dimension scale of in vitro expansion culture of attachment-dependent stem cells and made the handling process more efficient compared with conventional 2D culture method. Several reports suggest that plastic microcarriers in spherical shape are optimal choice for scale-up culture of postnatal stem cells such as hMSCs [1,2]. However, the use of plastic microcarriers in spherical shape makes monitoring of cell culture difficult and complicated, because conventional monitoring/analysis tools are based on 2D platform and do not support observation of cells on spherical microcarrier. Due to the lack of a readily available monitoring method for the 3D culture, researchers have no option but to detach the cells from microcarriers to count the number of cells and to analyze cell characteristics which is apparently time-consuming and cost-inefficient process. In other words, even though 3D culture platforms are most effective in terms of scale-up culture and handling, 2D-based monitoring/analysis tools are tremendously easier and effective for observation of cell morphology and confluence. To find a breakthrough to overcome the limit of current technology in 3D expansion culture, we slightly reverted in dimension to take merits from both platforms - thereby making 2.5D microcarriers that can utilize not only 3D platform for culture but also conventional 2D-based tools for monitoring and analysis. 2.5D microcarriers were manufactured by projecting circular UV light on photo-polymer flowing in microfluidic channel. The resulting micro-sized particles were transparent plastic particles with parallel 2D planes in a discus shape. To secure the transparent nature of micro-particles, 2.5D microcarriers were surface-modified by polydopamine. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Attribution of the 2015 record high sea surface temperatures over the central equatorial Pacific and tropical Indian Ocean

This study assessed the anthropogenic contribution to the 2015 record-breaking high sea surface temperatures (SSTs) observed in the central equatorial Pacific and tropical Indian Ocean. Considering a close link between extreme warm events in these regions, we conducted a joint attribution analysis using a fraction of attributable risk approach. Probability of occurrence of such extreme anomalies and long-term trends for the two oceanic regions were compared between CMIP5 multi-model simulations with and without anthropogenic forcing. Results show that the excessive warming in both regions is well beyond the range of natural variability and robustly attributable to human activities due to greenhouse gas increase. We further explored associated mechanisms including the Bjerknes feedback and background anthropogenic warming. It is concluded that background warming was the main contribution to the 2015 extreme SST event over the central equatorial Pacific Ocean on a developing El Niño condition, which in turn induced the extreme SST event over the tropical Indian Ocean through the atmospheric bridge effect.113Ysciescopu

Influence of Antioxidant-Enhanced Polymers in Bitumen Rheology and Bituminous Concrete Mixtures Mechanical Performance

This paper evaluates the effect of polymer enhancement with antioxidant in the rheological properties of bitumen and mechanical properties of bituminous concrete mixture (BCM). In this study, two antioxidant-enhanced polymers were utilized in mitigating bitumen hardening due to aging. The rheological testing consists of temperature sweep using Dynamic Shear Rheometer at various aging conditions. Critical stiffness temperature data from the sweep test suggested that enhanced polymer exhibits less long-term hardening and brittleness compared to standard polymer. The mechanical testing consists of dynamic modulus, indirect tensile, flow number, and beam fatigue tests on BCM exposed to short-term aging. Hamburg wheel tracking test was also performed to assess moisture-damage susceptibility. It is found that the enhanced-polymer BCM exhibited higher modulus, higher tensile strength ratio, improved rutting resistance, lower moisture-damage susceptibility, and slightly increased fatigue life as compared to standard-polymer BCM

Implantable cardioverter defibrillator as a treatment for massive left ventricular fibroma-induced ventricular arrhythmia in a child

Pediatric cardiac tumors are rare. Among these, cardiac fibroma is the second most common. Its clinical manifestations depend on size and location of the tumor and include arrhythmia or obstruction to blood flow. Symptomatic cardiac fibroma is generally treated with surgical resection or cardiac transplantation. We present the case of a 12-year-old boy with a lethal ventricular arrhythmia induced by a remnant tumor that was previously partially resected. An implantable cardioverter defibrillator was inserted as the arrhythmia was resistant to medical treatment. He was discharged in stable condition with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator generator and followed up in the outpatient clinic

Effects of nanofluids containing graphene/graphene-oxide nanosheets on critical heat flux

The superb thermal conduction property of graphene establishes graphene as an excellent material for thermal management. In this paper, we selected graphene/graphene oxide nanosheets as the additives in nanofluids. The authors interestingly found that the highly enhanced critical heat flux (CHF) in the nanofluids containing graphene/graphene-oxide nanosheets (GON) cannot be explained by both the improved surface wettability and the capillarity of the nanoparticles deposition layer. Here we highlights that the GON nanofluid can be exploited to maximize the CHF the most efficiently by building up a characteristically ordered porous surface structure due to its own self-assembly characteristic resulting in a geometrically changed critical instability wavelength.open363