Nanofabrication of Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Device by an Integrated Block-Copolymer and Nanoimprint Lithography Method

The integration of block-copolymers and nanoimprint lithography presents a novel and cost-effective approach to achieving nanoscale patterning capabilities. The authors demonstrate the fabrication of a surface-enhanced Raman scattering device using templates created by the block-copolymers nanoimprint lithography integrated method.

Modulation of Immune Response in Lambs

Experiments using different types of antigen-adjuvant preparations were conducted in outbred sheep to compare effects of adjuvants on immune responses. Trinitrophenyl-ovalbumin (TNP-ovalbumin) incorporated in a preparation with nonionic block copolymers elicited high antibody titers to both ovalbumin and TNP. Different humoral immune responses were observed when Pasteurella haemolytica lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was added to the preparations. Responses to ovalbumin and TNP were reduced when Pasteurella haemolytica LPS was added to copolymer L121. The antibody titers to ovalbumin or TNP were not affected by the addition of LPS to the preparation containing copolymer L180.5. Lymphocyte proliferation assays demonstrated high stimulation indices at day 17 to ovalbumin by lymphocytes from lambs receiving preparations containing copolymers without Pasteurella haemolytica LPS.

CO2 Electroreduction on Cu-Modified Platinum Single Crystal Electrodes in Aprotic Media

Techniques of electrode modification by copper deposits are developed that allow obtaining compact bulk quasi-epitaxial deposits on basal Pt(hkl) single crystal faces. The issues of the deposit roughness and characterization are discussed. Problems of drying and transferring electrodes with copper deposits into other solutions are considered. The obtained deposits are used for CO2 electroreduction in propylene carbonate and acetonitrile solutions of 0.1 M TBAPF6, and the relationship between the electrode surface structure and its electrocatalytic activity in CO2 electroreduction is discussed. We also demonstrate that the restructuring of Cu deposits occurs upon CO2 electroreduction. Complementary reactivity studies are presented for bare Pt(hkl) and Cu(hkl) single crystal electrodes. Cu-modified Pt(hkl) electrodes display the highest activity as compared to bare Pt(hkl) and Cu(hkl). Particularly, the Cu/Pt(110) electrode shows the highest activity among the electrodes under study. Such high activity of Cu/Pt(hkl) electrodes can be explained not only by the increasing actual surface area but also by structural effects, namely by the presence of a large amount of specific defect sites (steps, kinks) on Cu crystallites.

Milk fatty acids as possible biomarkers to early diagnose elevated concentrations of blood plasma nonesterified fatty acids in dairy cows

Most cows encounter a state of negative energy balance during the periparturient period, which may lead to metabolic disorders and impaired fertility. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of milk fatty acids as diagnostic tools of detrimental levels of blood plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), defined as NEFA concentrations beyond 0.6 mmol/L, in a data set of 92 early lactating cows fed a glucogenic or lipogenic diet and subjected to 0-, 30-, or 60-d dry period before parturition. Milk was collected in wk 2, 3, 4, and 8 (n = 368) and blood was sampled weekly from wk 2 to 8 after parturition. Milk was analyzed for milk fatty acids and blood plasma for NEFA. Data were classified as "at risk of detrimental blood plasma NEFA" (NEFA ≥ 0.6 mmol/L) and "not at risk of detrimental blood plasma NEFA" (NEFA <0.6 mmol/L). Concentrations of 45 milk fatty acids and milk fat C18:1 cis-9-to-C15:0 ratio were subjected to a discriminant analysis. Milk fat C18:1 cis-9 revealed the most discriminating variable to identify detrimental blood plasma NEFA. A false positive rate of 10% allowed us to diagnose 46% of the detrimental blood plasma NEFA cases based on a milk fat C18:1 cis-9 concentration of at least 230 g/kg of milk fatty acids. Additionally, it was assessed whether the milk fat C18:1 cis-9 concentrations of wk 2 could be used as an early warning for detrimental blood plasma NEFA risk during the first 8 wk in lactation. Cows with at least 240 g/kg of C18:1 cis-9 in milk fat had about 50% chance to encounter blood plasma NEFA values of 0.6 mmol/L or more during the first 8 wk of lactation, with a false positive rate of 11.4%. Profit simulations were based on costs for cows suffering from detrimental blood plasma NEFA, and costs for preventive treatment based on daily dosing of propylene glycol for 3 wk. Given the relatively low incidence rate (8% of all observations), continuous monitoring of milk fatty acids during the first 8 wk of lactation to diagnose detrimental blood plasma NEFA does not seem cost effective. On the contrary, milk fat C18:1 cis-9 of the second lactation week could be an early warning of cows at risk of detrimental blood NEFA. In this case, selective treatment may be cost effective.