Development of scaffolds by thermally-induced phase separation from biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) and poly(butylene succinate)

Aplicat embargament des de la data de defensa fins el 31 de juliol de 2022TIPS process followed by freeze-dtying was used to prepare blodegradable and biocompatible matrices from poly(3- hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) containing 5 and 12 wt% of 3-hydroxyvalerate (HV) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS). 1,4 dioxane (DXN) and tetrahydofuran (THF) were used as solvents. The cloud points of the polymer solutions were determíned by turbidimetry method, to predict the locus of binodal curve in the binary phase diagrams. A multidirectional cooling from ~70ºC to 25ºC, and then to -5 ºC or -25 ºC was applied to PHBV solutions in the TIPS process. The effect of the applied thermal gradients and HV molar ratio of PHBV copolymer on phase separation mechanism, morphology and mechanical properties of the scaffolds was studied. Upon high HV contents and fast cooling, the solid-liquid phase separation through crystallization of DXN was the controlling mechanism and generated large pores with well-distinguished walls and great structural continuity. The morphologies ascribed to polymer crystallizatíon, mostly with low structural consistency were further discernible upon slow cooling. An improvement in scaffolds rigidity were observed in low HV and fast cooling conditions, due to the increased polymer crystallinity and the greater structural consistency, respectively. PHBV scaffolds showed a complete biocompatibility towards MDCK and NRK cell adhesion and proliferation. A multidirectional cooling from ~70 ºC to -20 or -74 ºC were applied to PBS-DXN and PBS-THF solutions and a uniaxial cooling from ~70ºC to -74 or -196 ºC to PBS-DXN. 5 and 100 wt% ofcurcumin (CUR) and piperine (PIP) natural drugs were loaded into PBS matrices via a one-step TIPS fabrication/drug loadlng protocot. Utílizing DXN and THF solvents, solid-liquid and liquid-liquid phase separation were respectívely detected as the main mechanisms responsible for creating the porous structures, while the subregions composed of crysta llized PBS were also obse rved . The applied uniaxial thermal gradient enabled DXN solvent to crystallize along the heat transfer direction and form an oriented pare structure. Although the low drug values did not significantly influence the morphology, the high-level drug loading gave rise to the decreased porosity and superficial roughness ofthe scaffolds . A uniform distribution ofprismatic PIP crystals and matrix-integrated CUR aggregation was observed all overthe structure. The integration of CUR which was confirmed by the physicochemical analyses attributed to a possible interaction with the PBS matrix, as it also showed a slower release profile compared to PIP. Oriented matrices showed greater biocompatibility and also retarded drug release from their·dense spherulitic pore walls. Biobased highly rigid polycarbonate and polyesters with terpene oxide units were blended with PBS at different ratios to increase the biocontents and modify the properties. Ali the terpene-derived polymers exhibi ted high Tg, thermal stability biocompatibility and mechanical strength. Their rigid nature and stiff chains led to insignificant hydrolytic and enzymatic biodegradation, while an accelerated degradation in oxidative media was observed. Their blends with PBS were also biocom patible and to sorne extent biodegradable . 30 wt% of poly (PA-LO) the copolyester derived from phthalic anhydride and limonene oxide, was blended with PBS and porous matrices were prepared by a one-step TIPS fabrication/blending protocol. Multidirectional cooling to -20 ºC or-74 ºC and uniaxial cooling to -74 ºC or-196 ºC was applied to PBS-Poly (PA-LO)-DX N system. Although the blending did not affect the morphology and pore structure of the random/oriented matrices, could somewhat restrict the crystallization of PBS from the solution during the TIPS process. Accordin gly, thinner polymer leaves upon multídirectional and lower thermal gradient, and smaller, less planar and less integrated spherulites were formed upon high uniaxial gradient.El proceso TIPS seguido de liofilización fue usado para preparar matrices porosas ("scaffolds") biodegradables y biocompatibles a partir del poliéster poli (3-hidroxibutirato-co-3-hidroxivalerato) (PHBV) que contiene 5 y 12 wto/o de 3- hidroxivalerato (HV) y del poliéster poli(butilensuccinato) (PBS). El 1.4 dioxano (DXN) yel tetrahidofurano (THF) fueron los disolventes. En el TIPS para las disoluciones de PHBV se aplicó un enfriamiento multidireccional de 70 a 25ºC y luego a -5 ó -25ºC. Se estudiaron los efectos del gradiente térmico y contenido de HV del copolímero sobre el mecanismo de separación de fases, la morfología y propiedades mecánicas de los scaffolds. La separación de fase sólido-líquido en la cristalización del DXN durante el enfriamiento rápido fue el mecanismo que controla la formación de los scaffolds del copolímero con alto contenido de HV. Los scaffolds mostraron grandes poros con paredes bien formadas y gran integridad estructural. Las morfologías atribuidas a la cristalización del polímero. en su mayoría con poca integridad estructural. fueron obtenidas con el enfriamiento lento. Se observó una mejora en la rigidez y mayor integridad estructural de los scaffolds con bajo HV y enfriamiento rápido. debido al aumento de la cristalinidad del polímero. Los scaffolds de PHBV mostraron gran biocompatibilidad determinada por la adhesión y proliferación de células MDCK y NRK. Las disoluciones de PBS-DXN y PBS-THF fueron enfriadas multidireccionalmente de 70ºC a -20 ó -74ºC. y de manera uniaxial para PBS-DXN de 70ºC a -74 ó -196ºC. Los scaffolds de PBS durante su preparación por TIPS fueron cargados con 5 y 100 wt% de curcumina (CUR) o piperina (PIP). La separación de fases sólido-líquido y líquido-líquido (con los disolventes DXN y THF respectivamente) fueron los principales mecanismos responsables para formar las estructuras porosas y subregiones compuestas por PBS cristalizada. El gradiente térmico uniaxial permitió la cristalización del DXN a lo largo de la dirección de transferencia de calor y la formación de poros orientados. La presencia de los fármacos no influyo significativamente en la morfología de los scaffolds. La gran cantidad del fármaco disminuye la porosidad y la rugosidad superficial en los scaffolds. En los scaffolds se observó una distribución uniforme de cristales de PIP y agregación de CUR. La integración de CUR indico una posible interacción con la matriz de PBS y mostró un perfil de liberación más lento en comparación con PIP. Los scaffolds orientados mostraron una mayor biocompatibilidad y una liberación lenta del fármaco debido a sus densas paredes formadas por esferulitas policarbonatos y poliésteres biobasados altamente rígidos y formados por unidades de óxido de terpeno fueron mezclados con PBS en diferentes proporciones para aumentar su biocontenido y modificar sus propiedades. La Tg. estabilidad térmica, biocompatibilidad y resistencia mecánica son elevadas en los polímeros derivados del terpeno. La biodegradación hidrolítica y enzimática de estos polímeros fue insignificante debido a la rigidez de sus cadenas. mientras una degradación acelerada fue lograda en medios oxidativos. Las mezclas con PBS fueron biocompatibles y algo biodegradables. La mezcla del copoliéster derivado de anhídrido phtalico y óxido de limoneno (poli(PA-LO)) con PBS (30:70 wo/o, respectivamente) fue usada para preparar scaffolds con la metodología TIPS. El enfriamiento multidireccional a -20ºC ó -74ºC y el enfriamiento uniaxial a -74ºC ó -196ºC fue aplicado al sistema PBS-Poly(PA-LO)-DXN. Esta mezcla no influye en la morfología y estructura de los poros de los scaffolds con porosidad orientada o al azar. Durante el proceso TIPS, la cristalización del PBS fue afectada. En consecuencia, el PBS en el menor gradiente térmico multidireccional forma estructuras en hojas más delgadas y con el mayor gradiente uniaxial se formaron esferolitas más pequeñas, menos planas y menos integradas.Postprint (published version

Motivational interviews to improve nurses' motivation and self-efficacy for the use of Closed Suctioning System in the ICU

Nurses play a key role in providing care to mechanically ventilated ICU patients and suctioning their secretions. Endotracheal suctioning is a major nursing procedure. Using closed suctioning systems is preferable to open suctioning systems for several reasons. Enhancing the nurses' motivation for using the closed suctioning system (CSS) can accelerate the patients' recovery. This study uses motivational interviews to enhance ICU nurses' internal motivation for change. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of motivational interviews on the level of motivation and self-efficacy for the use of CSS in ICU nurses at Shohada Tajrish Hospital in Tehran in 2015. the present quasi-experimental pretest posttest intervention study was conducted on a sample population of all the ICU nurses at Shohada Tajrish Hospital in Tehran, selected through census sampling. The subjects were randomly divided into equal groups of cases and control (n= 30). Both groups filled out the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Work Motivation Scale before beginning the study. The intervention consisted of five 90-minute group sessions carried out over three weeks. Three months later, both groups completed the scales once again as the posttest. The analysis of the data was carried out in SPSS-18. Descriptive statistics were then used to describe the data, inferential statistics to test the hypothesis and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and the ANVOCA for identifying the relationship between the variables. the mean posttest score of job motivation and self-efficacy increased in the intervention group. The results of the ANCOVA also showed that motivational interviews had a meaningful impact on the examined ICU nurses' motivation for the use of CSS (P< 0.05). Motivational interviews also had a meaningful impact on the nurses' self-efficacy for the use of CSS (P< 0.05). Motivational interviews can therefore be regarded as an effective technique for enhancing motivation and self-efficacy in ICU nurses for the use of CSS

Volume averaging of multiphase flows with hydrate formation in subsea pipelines

In oil and gas pipeline operations, the gas, oil, and water phases simultaneously move through pipe systems. The mixture cools as it flows through subsea pipelines, and forms a hydrate formation region, where the hydrate crystals start to grow and may eventually block the pipeline. The potential of pipe blockage due to hydrate formation is one of the most significant flow-assurance problems in deep-water subsea operations. Due to the catastrophic safety and economic implications of hydrate blockage, it is important to accurately predict the simultaneous flow of gas, water, and hydrate particles in flowlines. Currently, there are few or no studies that account for the simultaneous effects of hydrate growth and heat transfer on flow characteristics within pipelines. This thesis presents new and more accurate predictive models of multiphase flows in undersea pipelines to describe the simultaneous flow of gas, water, and hydrate particles through a pipeline. A growth rate model for the hydrate phase is presented and then used in the development of a new three-phase model. The conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy are formulated to describe the physical phenomena of momentum and heat transfer between the fluid and the wall. The governing equations are solved based on an analytical-numerical approach using a Newton-Raphson method for the nonlinear equations. An algorithm was developed in Matlab software to solve the equations from the inlet to the outlet of the pipeline. The developed models are validated against a single-phase model with mixture properties, and the results of comparative studies show close agreement. The new model predicts the volume fraction and velocity of each phase, as well as the mixture pressure and temperature profiles along the length of the pipeline. The results from the hydrate growth model reveal the growth rate and location where the initial hydrates start to form. Finally, to assess the impact of certain parameters on the flow characteristics, parametric studies have been conducted. The results show the effect of a variation in the pipe diameter, mass flow rate, inlet pressure, and inlet temperature on the flow characteristics and hydrate growth rates

Magnetodynamic finite element analysis coupled with a vector hysteresis model applied to a variable flux reluctance machine

This article presents an extended magnetodynamic finite element modeling technique for 2-D time-dependent electromechanical problems with soft-magnetic laminated steels. The proposed modeling technique includes magnetic vector hysteresis, eddy-current, and excess field components in the system of equations instead of obtaining them in the post-processing. A transient finite element solver is coupled with the Jiles-Atherton vector hysteresis model, while the dynamic components, i.e. eddy current and excess field, are modeled in a weak formulation. The proposed method is experimentally verified using a laminated transformer core similar to TEAM problem 32. It is demonstrated that the proposed magnetodynamic model with vector hysteresis characteristics calculates the flux linkage and iron loss more accurately than magnetostatic and magnetodynamic models coupled with the single-valued magnetization curve. The proposed method estimates the iron loss with a discrepancy of less than 15 % up to an excitation frequency of 1500 Hz when it is compared to the transformer core measurements. Later, the experimentally verified magnetodynamic model is employed to model a 48 V, 5 kW variable flux reluctance machine with 16 Nm peak torque under various excitation levels. The machine is tested in laboratory conditions utilizing a field-oriented control algorithm in motor mode at 1000 rpm rotor speed. The average percentage error of the magnetodynamic model with vector hysteresis characteristics is found to be 14 % compared to the iron loss measurements while the magnetodynamic and magnetostatic models coupled with the single-valued curve exhibit 25 % and 45 % average percentage errors, respectively

Linear Modal Analysis of Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) Torsional Interaction: Effect of DFIG Controllers and System Parameters

Clean energy sources like wind energy have received great attention due to growing demand for electrical energy and increase of environmental pollution. The Doubly Fed Induction Generators (DFIGs) are also in common use due to their ability to control the reactive power with no need for capacitor banks. Existence of active and reactive power controllers in DFIG may provide the possibility of adverse interaction with torsional modes of the turbine-generator set. Because of the importance of this phenomenon, in this paper, the interaction of DFIG controllers with other components of the wind turbine-generator, especially torsional modes, has been studied. As the variable speed wind turbine is used, the effects of rotor speed variation on the torsional interaction with the active and reactive power controllers have been investigated. Moreover, the effects of variation of other parameters such as local load, and mechanical and electrical parameters of DFIG on the torsional interaction have been studied. In order to study and analyze this phenomenon, the linear modal analysis is used. The obtained results demonstrate the effects of parameters in possible occurrence of interaction between the DFIG controllers and the DFIG turbine generator set. In addition, the obtained analytical results are verified via time domain simulation

Poly(butylene succinate) matrices obtained by thermally-induced phase separation: Pore shape and orientation affect drug release

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) scaffolds with 3D microporous interconnected architecture and crystallized PBS substructures have been prepared by thermally-induced phase separation (TIPS). Curcumin (CUR) and piperine (PIP) natural drugs were incorporated into the matrices during a one-step fabrication protocol. Alterations in TIPS parameters such as solvent system (1,4 dioxane (DXN) or THF) and cooling condition (intensity and direction of thermal gradient) affected the phase separation process and the scaffold properties. Controlling the crystallization of DXN in a uniaxial direction, resulted in the formation of microtubular scaffolds with oriented porosities. Well-developed PIP crystals and matrix-integrated CUR agglomerates were uniformly distributed throughout the scaffolds. The integration of CUR to the polymer matrix was confirmed by physicochemical evaluations, attributed to a possible interaction with PBS, resulting in a slower release than PIP. The scaffolds with uniaxially-oriented porosities displayed a greater sustained release (only 50–60% after 170 h) due to the restricted drug diffusion through their dense spherulitic pore walls. Due to such structure and smoother well-arranged surfaces, the oriented scaffolds also exhibited greater biocompatibility. Our results reveal the positive influence of TIPS-derived structural orientation on properties of PBS matrices for cell/drug delivery.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Evaluation of the relative contribution of meteorological and oceanic forces to the drift of ice islands offshore Newfoundland

On 29 April 2015, four beacons were deployed onto an ice island in the Strait of Belle Isle to record positional data. The ice island later broke up into many fragments, four of which were tracked by the beacons. The relative influences of wind drag, current drag, Coriolis force, sea surface height gradient and sea-ice force on the drift of the tracked ice island fragments were analyzed. Using atmospheric and oceanic model outputs, the sea-ice force was calculated as the residual of the fragments' net forces and the sum of all other forces. This was compared against the force obtained through ice concentration-dependent relationships when sea ice was present. The sea-ice forces calculated from the residual approach and concentration-dependent relationships were significant only when sea ice was present at medium-high concentrations in the vicinity of the ice island fragments. The forces from ocean currents and sea surface tilt contributed the most to the drift of the