Long-term effects of hydrogel properties on human chondrocyte behavior

Hydrogels provide a 3-dimensional network for embedded cells and offer promise for cartilage tissue engineering applications. Nature-derived hydrogels, including alginate, have been shown to enhance the chondrocyte phenotype but are variable and not entirely controllable. Synthetic hydrogels, including polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based matrices, have the advantage of repeatability and modularity; mechanical stiffness, cell adhesion, and degradability can be altered independently. In this study, we compared the long-term in vitro effects of different hydrogels (alginate and Factor XIIIa-cross-linked MMP-sensitive PEG at two stiffness levels) on the behavior of expanded human chondrocytes and the development of construct properties. Monolayer-expanded human chondrocytes remained viable throughout culture, but morphology varied greatly in different hydrogels. Chondrocytes were characteristically round in alginate but mostly spread in PEG gels at both concentrations. Chondrogenic gene (COL2A1, aggrecan) expression increased in all hydrogels, but alginate constructs had much higher expression levels of these genes (up to 90-fold for COL2A1), as well as proteoglycan 4, a functional marker of the superficial zone. Also, chondrocytes expressed COL1A1 and COL10A1, indicative of de-differentiation and hypertrophy. After 12 weeks, constructs with lower polymer content were stiffer than similar constructs with higher polymer content, with the highest compressive modulus measured in 2.5% PEG gels. Different materials and polymer concentrations have markedly different potency to affect chondrocyte behavior. While synthetic hydrogels offer many advantages over natural materials such as alginate, they must be further optimized to elicit desired chondrocyte responses for use as cartilage models and for development of functional tissue-engineered articular cartilage.

Quality Assurance and Assessment in Technical Education System: A Web Based Approach

Engineering education quality embraces the activities through which a technical institution satisfies itself that the quality of education it provides and standards it has set are appropriate and are being maintained. There is a need to develop a standardised approach to most aspects of quality assurance for engineering programmes which is sufficiently well defined to be accepted for all assessments.We have designed a Technical Educational Quality Assurance and Assessment (TEQ-AA) System, which makes use of the information on the web and analyzes the standards of the institution. With the standards as anchors for definition, the institution is clearer about its present in order to plan better for its future and enhancing the level of educational quality.The system has been tested and implemented on the technical educational Institutions in the Karnataka State which usually host their web pages for commercially advertising their technical education programs and their Institution objectives, policies, etc., for commercialization and for better reach-out to the students and faculty. This helps in assisting the students in selecting an institution for study and to assist in employment.

用于激光加工中的矩形孔径Dammann光栅光束变换技术

针对大功率激光加工对光束空间强度分布的实际要求，提出了一种用二元光学元件对光束进行变换的方法，即利用均匀采样的矩形孔径Dammann光栅对激光高斯光束进行光束变换，可满足任意点阵分布的输出要求。以线状、均匀、环状和非均匀分布的光强输出为例，介绍了矩形孔径Dammann光栅光束变换技术的设计原理及实现方法，结果表明输出光强分布具有较高的衍射效率和均匀性。将均匀和非均匀分布的输出光束应用在激光加工技术的表面强化上，结果表明试样表面的硬度和耐磨性等力学性能均有提高并且强化层具有较好的均匀性。

旅游及城市化影响下的避暑山庄植被及其生态规划研究

避暑山庄是现存我国最大的皇家园林。由于种种原因，避暑山庄植被从建庄至今，发生了很大的变化，原始植被破坏殆尽，仅留下少数古树，现状植被多为五十年代大搞绿化时所植，植物配冤出现了与这一历史名园不相协调的矛盾;近几十年来旅游及城市的发展对避暑山庄植被有一定的冲击，要求有相应的对策。 我有从生态学的观点出发，首先对避暑山庄的历史及现状植被进行了研究，然后研究了旅游与城市化对避暑山庄植被的影响，最后，对避暑山庄不同游览区的生境优劣(土壤肥力及小气侯因子)及环境污染(S、Pb)的现状进行了观测与分析。根据上述研究，我们进进了避暑山庄植被生态规划。结果如下: 1、避暑山庄盛期的主要植被是以油松、栎类为主的针(阔)叶林或混交林，尚有以白榆、国槐、旱柳、元宝械等组成的混合林等10个植物群落。 2、避暑山庄现状植被可划分为14个植物群落，以油松群落面积最大。 3、旅游及城市化对避暑山庄植被的影响，主要表现在对土壤的影响及对植被的直接影响，主要方式有机械破坏及造成的环境污染的危害等，这些影响与避暑山庄古松死亡(26.5棵/年)有很大关系。 4、山庄各游览区环境污染的大小顺序是:宫殿区>湖洲区>平原区>山峦区。其中避暑山庄S污染严重是北京北京植物园的2.1倍。 5、避暑山庄各游览区生境优劣:山峦区优予胡洲区，湖洲区优于平原区，平原区优于宫殿区;在山峦区，沟谷优于阴坡，阴坡优于阳坡。 6、避暑山庄湖水出现了富营养化污染，总N及总P含量超过国家标准3倍多。 7、基于上述分析，提出了以旅游为主的避暑山庄植被生态规划原则，根据这一原则，规划出11个植物群落。 8、共编绘了1:10000的避署山庄历史、现状及规划植被图3幅。

Método global de lectura y escritura.

Proyecto de aplicación de un método de lecto-escritura que se adecúe a la etapa de desarrollo psicológico de los niños y les permita un aprendizaje lúdico y activo. Los objetivos son iniciar en la lecto-escritura al alumnado de Preescolar de forma global, y afianzar este aprendizaje en el Ciclo Inicial a través del texto libre y el periódico. Para el desarrollo de esta experiencia se utilizan las frases y el diálogo normal del alumnado para la identificación y reconocimiento de palabras y sílabas que se irán incorporando a nuevos textos a los que se asocian ilustraciones y dibujos que representan su significado. También se mantiene una correspondencia escolar con otros centros, y se elabora un periódico en el que se recogen los primeros textos escritos de los alumnos para destacar su trabajo (incluido en la memoria). La valoración de la experiencia es positiva tanto desde el punto de vista didáctico como social.

Xylanase production by Bacillus circulans D1 using maltose as carbon source

Bacillus circulans D1 is a good producer of extracellular thermostable xylanase. Xylanase production in different carbon sources was evaluated and the enzyme synthesis was induced by various carbon sources. It was found that D-maltose is the best inducer of the enzyme synthesis ( 7.05 U/ mg dry biomass at 48 h), while D-glucose and D-arabinose lead to the production of basal levels of xylanase. The crude enzyme solution is free of cellulases, even when the microorganism was cultivated in a medium with D-cellobiose. When oat spelt xylan was supplemented with D-glucose, the repressive effect of this sugar on xylanase production was observed at 24 h, only when used at 5.0 g/ L, leading to a reduction of 60% on the enzyme production. on the other hand, when the xylan medium was supplemented with D- xylose ( 3.0 or 5.0 g/ L), this effect was more evident ( 80 and 90% of reduction on the enzyme production, respectively). Unlike that observed in the xylan medium, glucose repressed xylanase production in the maltose medium, leading to a reduction of 55% on the enzyme production at 24 h of cultivation. Xylose, at 1.0 g/ L, induced xylanase production on the maltose medium. on this medium, the repressive effect of xylose, at 3.0 or 5.0 g/ L, was less expressive when compared to its effect on the xylan medium.

Biotransformation of 4-nerolidylcatechol by Heraclides brasiliensis (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) reduces the toxicity of Piper umbellata (Piperaceae)

Heraclides brasiliensis (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) larvae feed preferably on Piperaceae, foraging successfully on leaf tissues even though species of this contain high levels of secondary metabolites such as amides and lignans, associated with diverse biological activities including insecticidal properties. Studies examining the metabolism of chemical constituents in Piperaceae by insects are rare. In this study, we characterized the metabolites of 4-nerolidylcatechol (4-NC), the major constituent of Piper umbellata (Piperaceae), and E-2,3-dihydro-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)farnesoic acid, compounds from fecal material of H. brasiliensis larvae fed a diet containing only P. umbellata leaves. The biotransformed product was also detected in larval and pupal tissues. Moreover, we observed deactivation of the toxicity of P. umbellata leaves against brine shrimp after their metabolism in H. brasiliensis larvae from a LC50 of 523.3 to 3,460.7 mu g/mL. This deactivation is closely associated with the biotransformation of 4-NC to E-2,3-dihydro-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)farnesoic acid, which showed LC50 of 8.0 and >1,000 mu g/mL, respectively.

Konfokalmikroskopie an stabilen und metastabilen kolloidalen Hartkugel-Fluiden : interne Struktur, Kristallnukleation und Kristallwachstum

Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit behandelt konfokalmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur Strukturbildung in kolloidalen Suspensionen, die als experimentelles Modellsystem für harte Kugeln verwendet werden. Die lokale und globale Struktur wurde im stabilen und metastabilen Fluid bestimmt. Bereits unterhalb des Gefriervolumenbruchs wurden nah-geordnete Cluster vorgefunden, die mit zunehmendem Volumenbruch häufiger und größer werden. Das Kristallwachstum aus der metastabilen kolloidalen Schmelze konnte quantitativ analysiert werden und es zeigt sich eine Übereinstimmung mehrerer Kenngrößen mit Literaturdaten nahe dem Schmelzvolumenbruch. Die Untersuchung demonstrierte die Realisierbarkeit der quantitativen Analyse der Kristallisationskinetik mittels konfokaler Mikroskopie. Es zeigte sich ein mehrstufiges Nukleationsszenario bei dem zuerst nah-geordnete Cluster gebildet werden, die im weiteren Verlauf zu kristall-artigen Clustern transformieren. Die Beobachtungen belegen den Mechanismus der Precursornukleation in Hartkugelsystemen. Die heterogene Nukleation wurde an glatten und an hexagonal strukturierten Substraten untersucht. Anhand der Kristallisationskinetik und der direkten Messung der Benetzungswinkel konnte ein Übergang des Benetzungsverhaltens unter Variation des Substratgitterabstands nachgewiesen werden: An glatten und an kommensurabel strukturierten Substraten zeigten sich eine vollständige Bedeckung des Substrats mit der kristallinen Phase und ein sofortiges unidirektionales Wachstum. Bei inkommensurabel strukturierten Substraten wurde eine unvollständige Bedeckung des strukturierten Substrats mit der kristallinen Phase sowie ein verzögertes isotropes Wachstum bei fortwährender Kristallnukleation beobachtet.

Zur Verminderung der einheimischen Vogelwelt

Von Pastor Brehmer

Estudio y diseño de elementos acústicos para proporcionar una acústica variable en una sala multifuncional

El objetivo de este proyecto es profundizar en el estudio y diseño de sistemas relacionados con el acondicionamiento acústico para una sala multifuncional. El proyecto se compone de dos partes. Una parte teórica y una parte práctica dónde se aplican los conceptos teóricos aprendidos. La primera parte, está dividida en capítulos en los que se habla de los siguientes temas: Acústica de salas. Para obtener una acústica adecuada en un recinto destinado a varias funciones, se debe contar con una serie de características que lo definan según su uso, por lo que es necesario conocer el tiempo de reverberación y otros parámetros subjetivos para poder caracterizar ese recinto. Materiales para el acondicionamiento acústico, donde se habla de los materiales absorbentes clasificándolos según las frecuencias a las que actúan y de los distintos tipos de difusores. Métodos para conseguir una acústica variable mediante la utilización de elementos físicos variables, citando casos reales de salas multifuncionales. La segunda parte, consiste en la realización de diseños de elementos de acústica variable para una posible utilización en salas polivalentes reales. La herramienta elegida a la hora de la elaboración de estos diseños es el AutoCad. Con esta herramienta se han realizado estos diseños representados en dos y tres dimensiones. ABSTRACT. The objective of this project is to deepen the study and design of systems related to multifunctional room acoustic conditioning. The project is composed of two parts. A theoretical part and a practical part where the learned theoretical concepts are applied. The first part is divided into chapters in which we talk about the following topics: Acoustics of rooms. To obtain proper acoustics in a room intended for various functions, you must have a number of characteristics that define it according to its use, so it is necessary to know the reverberation time and other subjective parameters to characterize the hall. Materials for acoustic conditioning, where we talk about the absorbent materials classified according to frequencies that those materials act and the different types of diffusers. Methods for obtain a variable acoustic by using variable physical elements, mentioning real cases of multi-purpose rooms. The second part deals with designs execution of variable acoustic elements for a possible use in a real multipurpose room. The chosen tool to develop these designs is the AutoCad. These designs have been made with this tool, represented in two and three dimensions.