Patterning and process parameter effects in 3D suspension near-field electrospinning of nanoarrays

The extracellular matrix (ECM) contains nanofibrous proteins and proteoglycans. Nanofabrication methods have received growing interest in recent years as a means of recapitulating these elements within the ECM. Near-field electrospinning (NFES) is a versatile fibre deposition method, capable of layer-by-layer nano-fabrication. The maximum layer height is generally limited in layer-by-layer NFES as a consequence of electrostatic effects of the polymer at the surface, due to residual charge and polymer dielectric properties. This restricts the total volume achievable by layer-by-layer techniques. Surpassing this restriction presents a complex challenge, leading to research innovations aimed at increasing patterning precision, and achieving a translation from 2D to 3D additive nanofabrication. Here we investigated a means of achieving this translation through the use of 3D electrode substrates. This was addressed by in-house developed technology in which selective laser melt manufactured standing pillar electrodes were combined with a direct suspension near-field electrospinning (SNFES) technique, which implements an automated platform to manoeuvre the pillar electrodes around the emitter in order to suspend fibres in the free space between the electrode support structures. In this study SNFES was used in multiple operation modes, investigating the effects of varying process parameters, as well as pattern variations on the suspended nanoarrays. Image analysis of the nanoarrays allowed for the assessment of fibre directionality, isotropy, and diameter; identifying optimal settings to generate fibres for tissue engineering applications

Modeling the additional root cohesion of four sub-tropical shrub and tree species

The effect of plant roots on hillslope stabilization against rainfall-induced shallow landslides depends on the mutual interaction between biotechnical characteristics of the root system (i.e., root length, root tensile strength, root area, root diameter profile) with the soil root-zone and the hydrological processes therein. Describing adequately the root architecture of a plant species is useful when root strength models, such as the Root Bundle Model (RBM), are applied to assess the ultimate root reinforcement. This study describes the preliminary results of the calibration of an existing Root Topological Model (RTM) combined with a RBM model to estimate the additional roots shear resistance of vegetation typical of a subtropical climate. Specifically, the dataset of the root system of four Hong Kong native species of shrubs (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa and Melastoma sanguineum) and trees (Schefflera heptaphylla and Reevesia thyrsoidea) has been used. The dataset includes the measurements relative to both the root architecture, i.e., root diameter classes and number of roots as function of depth, and the root resistance, i.e. root tensile strengths for each diameter classes, which were obtained from laboratory test. The present application allows for calibrating and exploiting the potentiality of the framework RTM-RBM in a climatic environment different from the Mediterranean one analyzed so far for its development, thus testing the response and the flexibility of the modeling framework. The availability of such a tool could enhance, for example, the assessment of the most suitable plant species to be adopted for the slope stabilization in different soil and/or climatic conditions

Incostituzionali le restrizioni ai colloqui difensivi dei detenuti in regime di “carcere duro”: nuovi tracciati della Corte in tema di bilanciamento dei diritti fondamentali Nota a Corte cost., 17 giugno 2013 (dep. 20 giugno 2013), n. 143, Pres. Gallo, Rel. Frigo

1. Premessa. - 2. La "labilità" del parametro e la "dignità costituzionale" del diritto del detenuto di conferire con il difensore. - 3. I limiti di tollerabilità costituzionale delle restrizioni ai colloqui difensivi. Le precedenti pronunce della Corte. - 4. I neointrodotti limiti "quantitativi" al diritto ai colloqui coi difensori dei detenuti in regime di "carcere duro". - 5. La decisione della Corte: l'esclusione di soluzioni "salvifiche" a carattere interpretativo. - 6. L'idoneità delle restrizioni a penalizzare il diritto di difesa. - 7. L'impiego delle norme della CEDU (e della giurisprudenza della Corte di Strasburgo) come canone interpretativo della Costituzione. - 8. Le "coordinate" del giudizio di "bilanciamento"

Pressor effects from daily events and laboratory complex stimuli relating personality factors.

Our preliminary research has attempted to establish a series of methods to study the complex interactions occurring between pressor reactivity and personality profile. Ten untreated mild hypertensives (age 42.9 +/- 8) without damaged target organs were recruited from an outpatient hypertension center along with an equal number of normotensive volunteers (age 38.2 +/- 8.1). We performed a sequence of stressor types under laboratory conditions (sensory perceptual activities, psychomotor responses, and cognitive behavior) following an order ranging from inferior levels to superior levels of systemic integration. The subjects also underwent a 24-h automatic noninvasive blood pressure recording which took into account the situational reactivity. They filled in MMPI and STAI questionnaires before and after the stressor batteries. Only the sensory-perceptual test (Stroop color test modified), the arithmetic test, and the psychomotor test provoked a significant increase in blood pressure and, in the latter test, also a significant increase of the heart rate. The test batteries' mean differences were not significant between the two groups. Similarly, the answers to the trait-anxiety questionnaires did not allow us to make a substantial division between normotensive and hypertensive subjects. On the contrary, the situational anxiety questionnaires showed a significant difference in the score reading preceding and following a task performed by the hypertensive subjects. We observed significant differences for both systolic and diastolic 24-h blood pressure data in transition from a working situation to the sleeping period. However, there was not a significant difference in hypertensive blood pressure readings recorded during work and at home.

Structural characterisation of human recombinant glycohormones follitropin, lutropin and choriogonadotropin expressed in chinese hamster ovary cells

The a and chains from human recombinant gonadotropins follitropin, lutropin and choriogonadotropin expressed in CHO cells have been structurally characterised both at the protein and at the carbohydrate level by using advanced mass spectrometric procedures. The three a chains share the same amino acid sequence while they display different glycosylation patterns. The oligosaccharide structures detected belong to the complex-type glycans with different degree of sialylation. Partial proteolytic processing occurred at the N-terminus of the follitropin p chain and at the C-terminus of the lutropin 11' chain. The N-linked glycans from the three p chains were found to contain fucosylated and sialylated diantennary and triantennary complex-type structures. The follitropin p chain showed the presence of N-acetyllactosamine repeats on the antennae. The overall structure of the recombinant glycohormones corresponds to their natural counterparts with the exception that sulphated terminal glycosylation is missing