Aligned poly(L-lactic-co-ε-caprolactone) electrospun microfibers and knitted structure: a novel composite scaffold for ligament tissue engineering

We developed a novel technique involving knitting and electrospinning to fabricate a composite scaffold for ligament tissue engineering. Knitted structures were coated with poly(L-lactic-co-e-caprolactone) (PLCL) and then placed onto a rotating cylinder and a PLCL solution was electrospun onto the structure. Highly aligned 2-μm-diameter microfibers covered the space between the stitches and adhered to the knitted scaffolds. The stress–strain tensile curves exhibited an initial toe region similar to the tensile behavior of ligaments. Composite scaffolds had an elastic modulus (150 ± 14 MPa) similar to the modulus of human ligaments. Biological evaluation showed that cells proliferated on the composite scaffolds and they spontaneously orientated along the direction of microfiber alignment. The microfiber architecture also induced a high level of extracellular matrix secretion, which was characterized by immunostaining. We found that cells produced collagen type I and type III, two main components found in ligaments. After 14 days of culture, collagen type III started to form a fibrous network. We fabricated a composite scaffold having the mechanical properties of the knitted structure and the morphological properties of the aligned microfibers. It is difficult to seed a highly macroporous structure with cells, however the technique we developed enabled an easy cell seeding due to presence of the microfiber layer. Therefore, these scaffolds presented attractive properties for a future use in bioreactors for ligament tissue engineering.

Density-wave theory of dislocations in crystals

The density-wave theory of Ramakrishnan and Yussouff is extended to provide a scheme for describing dislocations and other topological defects in crystals. Quantitative calculations are presented for the order-parameter profiles, the atomic configuration, and the free energy of a screw dislocation with Burgers vector b=(a/2, a/2, a/2) in a bcc solid. These calculations are done using a simple parametrization of the direct correlation function and a gradient expansion. It is conventional to express the free energy of the dislocation in a crystal of size R as (λb2/4π)ln(αR/‖b‖), where λ is the shear elastic constant, and α is a measure of the core energy. Our results yield for Na the value α≃1.94a/(‖c1’’‖)1/2 (≃1.85) at the freezing temperature (371 K) and α≃2.48a/(‖c1’’‖)1/2 at 271 K, where c1’’ is the curvature of the first peak of the direct correlation function c(q). Detailed results for the density distribution in the dislocation, particularly the core region, are also presented. These show that the dislocation core has a columnar character. To our knowledge, this study represents the first calculation of dislocation structure, including the core, within the framework of an order-parameter theory and incorporating thermal effects.

渤海沉积物中氮的赋存形态及其在循环中的作用

为揭示渤海沉积物中氮的生物地球化学循环过程，本文应用自然粒度下的分级分离浸取方法首次对渤海沉积物中氮的形态进行了研究，获得了氮形态分布的地球化学特征；将沉积物氮中可转化和非转化部分定量区别开，并对可转化态中各形态氮对其循环贡献的大小进行了评估；结合底栖生物的分布初步探计了沉积物中氮与生物生产的关系及底栖生物对氮循环的影响。得到的主要结论包括：渤海沉积物中氮的形态分布特征及其控制因素。表层沉积物中IEF-N、CF-N、IMOF-N和OSF-N占TN的比例分别为3.67%，0.31%，0.42%和26.45%，OSF-N是可转化态氮的优势形态。IEF-N 中NH_4~+和NO_3~-具有不同的成岩机制：NH_2~+主要受OC、Es和粘土矿物性质影响，NO_3~-与水体分布密切相关。CF-N含量最小，主要受沉积环境pH值的影响。IMOF-N主要由NH_4~+在Fe~（3+）上的吸附形成，受沉积物的氧化还原环境控制。OSF-N除与物质来源有关外，受到粘土矿物性质及沉积物粒度的影响。Fe、Mn和Co对IEF-N和IMOF-N的成岩作用影响明显，Cu、Pb和Mo对OSF-N的分布产生影响，二者作用的机理不同。表层样中，约69.15%的氮经过早期成岩作用而埋藏，短期内不再参与循环。氮的埋藏通量与沉积物聚积速率呈显著正相关，同时受温度、Eh、OC、盐度、硫化物含量等因素影响。沉积物中C/N和N/P均呈现异常的低值，前者主要是由于沉积物中保留了大量的无机氮，后者主要因为陆地排放大量磷入海以及磷的埋藏效率高于氮所致。柱状样中，IEF-N基本随深度减小，IMOF-N随深度有突变现象，OSF-N随深度的变化表明了矿化作用进行的程度。对沉积物中生源要素分解速率常数有：N>P>C>Si。表层沉积物中可转化态氮占总氮的比例高于深层沉积物。OC/ON随深度减小表明沉积物通过某种机制富集了有机氮。各形态氮在氮循环中作用及渤海氮循环收支。对渤海沉积物中可转化态氮的量进行了估算，IEF-N、CF-N、IMOF-N和OSF-N分别为3.657 * 10~8kg，2.794 * 10~7 kg，3.832 * 10~7kg和2.372平共处* 10~9kg；结合室内模拟的氮的界面交换通量，估算其完全释放所需的时间分别为2.15a，0.16a，0.225a和13.94a。各形态氮释放的顺序与其结合牢固程度一致，即IEF-N>CF-N >IMOF-N>OSF-N，其对界面交换的贡献大小则随时间尺度大小发生变化：随时间尺度增加，IEF-N、CF-N、IMOF-N的贡献逐渐减小，OSF-N的贡献逐渐增大，当时间尺度大到足以使四态氮完全释放时，其贡献的大小与各形态氮的量一致即OSF-N（84.6%）>IEF-N（13.0%）>IMOF-N（1.4%）>CF-N（1.0%）。非转化态氮占总氮的 69.15%，其中由于颗粒物包裹导致的“非转化态”氮为49%，说明粒度的影响非常重要。IEF-N和OSF-N主要存在于颗粒物质外层，是循环的主要参与者，CF-N和IMOF-N绝大部分在内层，对循环的贡献很小。水体中再循环的氮对初级生产力的贡献（74.4%）比沉积物中再循环氮的贡献 （26.1）大得多，二者对生态系统的作用不同，水体再生的营养盐通常在较长的时间尺度上维持初级生产力的平衡，而沉积物中的再生则在很短的时间内通过强烈的混合作用提高初级生产力。沉积物中氮与生物生产的关系及底栖生物对沉积物氮循环的影响。IEF-N和OSF-N的分布均与初级生产力以及浮游植物个体数量的分布具有一定的相似性。沉积物中的IEF-N的作用相当于一个氮营养盐的“储存库”对初级生产力产生影响，其作用机制类似于水体富营养化的正反馈机制。IEF-N能对赤潮的发生起加速作用。底栖生物的分布与氮形态分布具有正的相关性：莱洲湾内IEF-N和OSF-N的分布与该区域高生物量和高密度的大型底栖动物分布一致，说明在底栖生物活动活跃的区域营养盐的再生和流动是高效而迅速的。生物扰动能加速矿化作用的进行，使沉积物在一定深度范围内NH_4~+含量增加，大型底栖动物的灌溉作用使NO_3~-在深层仍有较高的分布。底栖生物的不同种群对营养盐变化的响应不同。

Intermittent and Scale-Invariant Intensity Fluctuations in Hot Coronal Loops

ABSTRACT BODY: To resolve outstanding questions on heating of coronal loops, we study intensity fluctuations in inter-moss portions of active region core loops as observed with AIA/SDO. The 94Å fluctuations (Figure 1) have structure on timescales shorter than radiative and conductive cooling times. Each of several strong 94Å brightenings is followed after ~8 min by a broader peak in the cooler 335Å emission. This indicates that we see emission from the hot component of the 94Å contribution function. No hotter contributions appear, and we conclude that the 94Å intensity can be used as a proxy for energy injection into the loop plasma. The probability density function of the observed 94Å intensity has 'heavy tails' that approach zero more slowly than the tails of a normal distribution. Hence, large fluctuations dominate the behavior of the system. The resulting 'intermittence' is associated with power-law or exponential scaling of the related variables, and these in turn are associated with turbulent phenomena. The intensity plots in Figure 1 resemble multifractal time series, which are common to various forms of turbulent energy dissipation. In these systems a single fractal dimension is insufficient to describe the dynamics and instead there is a spectrum of fractal dimensions that quantify the self-similar properties. Figure 2 shows the multifractal spectrum from our data to be invariant over timescales from 24 s to 6.4 min. We compare these results to outputs from theoretical energy dissipation models based on MHD turbulence, and in some cases we find substantial agreement, in terms of intermittence, multifractality and scale invariance. Figure 1. Time traces of 94A intensity in the inter-moss portions of four AR core loops. Figure 2. Multifractal spectra showing timescale invariance. The four cases of Figure 1 are included.

Effects of parylene-C photooxidation on serum-assisted glial and neuronal patterning

The increasing use of patterned neural networks in multielectrode arrays and similar devices drives the constant development and evaluation of new biomaterials. Recently, we presented a promising technique to guide neurons and glia reliably and effectively. Parylene-C, a common hydrophobic polymer, was photolithographically patterned on silicon oxide (SiO2) and subsequently activated via immersion in serum. In this article, we explore the effects of ultraviolet (UV)-induced oxidation on parylene's ability to pattern neurons and glia. We exposed parylene-C stripe patterns to increasing levels of UV radiation and found a dose-dependent reduction in the total mass of patterned cells, as well as a gradual loss of glial and neuronal conformity to the patterns. In contrast, nonirradiated patterns had superior patterning results and increased presence of cells. The reduced cell adhesion and patterning after the formation of aldehyde and carboxyl groups on UV-radiated parylene-C supports our hypothesis that cell adhesion and growth on parylene is facilitated by hydrophobic adsorption of serum proteins. We conclude that unlike other cell patterning schemes, our technique does not rely on photooxidation of the polymer. Nonetheless, the precise control of oxygenated groups on parylene could pave the way for the differential binding of proteins and other molecules on the surface, aiding in the adhesion of alternative cell types. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2010

Osteoconductivity of modified fluorcanasite glass-ceramics for bone tissue augmentation and repair

Modified fluorcanasite glasses were fabricated by either altering the molar ratios of Na(2)O and CaO or by adding P(2)O(5) to the parent stoichiometric glass compositions. Glasses were converted to glass-ceramics by a controlled two-stage heat treatment process. Rods (2 mm x 4 mm) were produced using the conventional lost-wax casting technique. Osteoconductive 45S5 bioglass was used as a reference material. Biocompatibility and osteoconductivity were investigated by implantation into healing defects (2 mm) in the midshaft of rabbit femora. Tissue response was investigated using conventional histology and scanning electron microscopy. Histological and histomorphometric evaluation of specimens after 12 weeks implantation showed significantly more bone contact with the surface of 45S5 bioglass implants when compared with other test materials. When the bone contact for each material was compared between experimental time points, the Glass-Ceramic 2 (CaO rich) group showed significant difference (p = 0.027) at 4 weeks, but no direct contact at 12 weeks. Histology and backscattered electron photomicrographs showed that modified fluorcanasite glass-ceramic implants had greater osteoconductivity than the parent stoichiometric composition. Of the new materials, fluorcanasite glass-ceramic implants modified by the addition of P(2)O(5) showed the greatest stimulation of new mineralized bone tissue formation adjacent to the implants after 4 and 12 weeks implantation. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 94A: 760-768, 2010

Studi ed approfondimenti sulla composizione in acidi grassi del latte bovino di razza Reggiana con diverso fenotipo per k-caseina e Beta-lactoglobulina

The aim of the present study was to examine the association between milk protein polymorphism and fatty acids profiles of bovine milk. Milk samples were collected from each of 55 Reggiana cows during early, mid and late lactation, respectively, in two farms within the production area of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Identification and quantification of fatty acids were performed by gas chromatography. Milk fatty acid composition using cows of differing κ-casein (κ-Cn) and β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) phenotypes was investigated. Statistically significant results regarding the associations between milk fatty acid composition and κ-Cn phenotype were found, in particular, κ-Cn BB seems to influence de novo fatty acid synthesis in the mammary gland. Also κ-Cn AB seems to have the same effect. Proportions of C10:0 (2,29a AA; 2,53b AB; 2,59b BB), C12:0 (2,77a AA; 3,17b AB; 3,20b BB) and C14:0 (9,22a AA; 10,25b AB; 10,27b BB) were higher in the milk from cows with κ-Cn phenotype AB and BB vs κ-Cn phenotype AA (p<0,05). Conversely C18:0 (7,84b AA; 7,20a,b AB; 6,94a BB) and C18:1 (19,19b AA; 16,81a AB; 16,79a BB) were lower in the milk from cows with κ-Cn phenotype AB and BB vs κ-Cn phenotype AA. The association between milk fatty acid composition and β-Lg phenotype was not statistically significant, except for some fatty acids. In particular, C12:0 (3,05a AA; 3,04a AB; 3,33b BB) was higher in the milk from cows with β-Lg phenotype BB vs β-Lg phenotype AA and AB (p<0,05). Concentrations of C18:0 (6,93a AA; 7,86b AB; 6,59a BB) and C18:1 (16,74a,b AA; 18,24b AB; 16,07a BB) were lower in the milk from cows with β-Lg phenotype AA and BB vs β-Lg phenotype AB (p<0,05). Moreover this research, carried out in farms within the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese district, analysed also the size distribution of fat globules in bulk milk of Reggiana and Frisona breed cows. In particular, the size distribution of individual milk fat globules of Reggiana cows with differing κ-Cn phenotypes was considered. From first observations, no statistically significant differences were observed.