Super-Strong Hydrogel Composites Reinforced with PBO Nanofibers for Cartilage Replacement

Cartilage replacement materials exhibiting a set of demanding properties such as high water content, high mechanical stiffness, low friction, and excellent biocompatibility are quite difficult to achieve. Here, poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) nanofibers are combined with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to form a super-strong structure with a performance that surpasses the vast majority of previously existing hydrogels. PVA–PBO composites with water contents in the 59–76% range exhibit tensile and compressive moduli reaching 20.3 and 4.5 MPa, respectively, and a coefficient of friction below 0.08. Further, they are biocompatible and support the viability of chondrocytes for 1 week, with significant improvements in cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation compared to PVA. The new composites can be safely sterilized by steam heat or gamma radiation without compromising their integrity and overall performance. In addition, they show potential to be used as local delivery platforms for anti-inflammatory drugs. These attractive features make PVA–PBO composites highly competitive engineered materials with remarkable potential for use in the design of load-bearing tissues. Complementary work has also revealed that these composites will be interesting alternatives in other industrial fields where high thermal and mechanical resistance are essential requirements, or which can take advantage of the pH responsiveness functionality.     

Regiospecific synthesis of trichloromethyl substituted 4,5‐dihydro‐1h‐1‐tosylpyrazoles

The regiospecific synthesis of a new series of eight 3‐alkyl(aryl)‐5‐hydroxy‐5‐trichloromethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐1‐tosylpyrazoles is reported. The 1‐p‐tosyl‐2‐pyrazolines were obtained from the cyclocondensation reaction of 4‐alkyl(aryl)‐4‐alkoxy‐1,1,1‐trichloroalk‐3‐en‐2‐ones, [where alkyl = H, Me and aryl = ‐C₆H₅, 4‐CH₃C₆H₄, 4‐OCH₃C₆H₄, 4‐FC₆H₄, 4‐ClC₆H₄, 4‐BrC₆H₄,] with p‐tosylhydrazine in 64 to 92 % yields, employing anhydrous toluene at reflux or diethyl ether at room temperature as the reaction condition.     

Modified Carbon Paste Electrode for Kinetic Investigation and Simultaneous Determination of Ascorbic and Uric Acids

The present work explores, for the first time, the electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid (AscH₂) and its determination in the presence of uric acid (UA) on the in situ activated 4‐nitrophthalonitrile modified carbon paste electrode. The kinetic constant κ for the catalytic reaction for the electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid, evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and RDE voltammetry provided values around 10⁶ L mol^?1 s^?1. The sensor provided a linear response range for AscH₂ and UA from 5.0 up to 120.0 μmol L^?1 with detection limits of 1.6 μmol L^?1and 1.3 μmol L^?1, respectively. The sensor was applied for the simultaneous determination of AscH₂ and UA in urine samples and the average recoveries for these samples were 99.8 (±3.1)% and 99.9 (±2.1)%, respectively .     

Tuning of a vibration absorber with shunted piezoelectric transducers

In order to reduce structural vibrations in narrow frequency bands, tuned mass absorbers can be an appropriate measure. A quite similar approach which makes use of applied piezoelectric elements, instead of additional oscillating masses, are the well-known resonant shunts, consisting of resistances, inductances, and possibly negative capacitances connected to the piezoelectric element. This paper presents a combined approach, which is based on a conventional tuned mass absorber, but whose characteristics can be strongly influenced by applying shunted piezoceramics. Simulations and experimental analyses are shown to be very effective in predicting the behavior of such electromechanical systems. The vibration level of the absorber can be strongly attenuated by applying different combinations of resistant, resonant, and negative capacitance shunt circuits. The damping characteristics of the absorber can be changed by applying a purely resistive or resonant resistant shunt. Additionally, the tuning frequency of the absorber can be adapted to the excitation frequency, using a negative capacitance shunt circuit, which requires only the energy to supply the electric components.     

Effectiveness, against tuberculosis, of pseudo-ternary complexes: peptide-DNA-cationic liposome

We report the effects of a synthetic peptide designed to act as a nuclear localization signal on the treatment of tuberculosis. The peptide contains 21 amino acid residues with the following specific domains: nuclear localization signal from SV 40T, cationic shuttle sequence, and cysteamide group at the C-terminus. The peptide was complexed with the plasmid DNAhsp65 and incorporated into cationic liposomes, forming a pseudo-ternary complex. The same cationic liposomes, composed of egg chicken L-α-phosphatidylcholine, 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane, and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (2:1:1M), were previously evaluated as a gene carrier for tuberculosis immunization protocols with DNAhsp65. The pseudo-ternary complex presented a controlled size (250 nm), spherical-like shape, and various lamellae in liposomes as evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. An assay of fluorescence probe accessibility confirmed insertion of the peptide/DNA into the liposome structure. Peptide addition conferred no cytotoxicity in vitro, and similar therapeutic effects against tuberculosis were seen with four times less DNA compared with naked DNA treatment. Taken together, the results indicate that the pseudo-ternary complex is a promising gene vaccine for tuberculosis treatment. This work contributes to the development of multifunctional nanostructures in the search for strategies for in vivo DNA delivery.     

Numerical simulation of the liquid phase in SnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> thin film deposition by sol-gel-dip-coating

The fluid flow of the liquid phase in the sol-gel-dip-coating process for SnO₂ thin film deposition is numerically simulated. This calculation yields useful information on the velocity distribution close to the substrate, where the film is deposited. The fluid modeling is done by assuming Newtonian behavior, since the linear relation between shear stress and velocity gradient is observed. Besides, very low viscosities are used. The fluid governing equations are the Navier–Stokes in the two dimensional form, discretized by the finite difference technique. Results of optical transmittance and X-ray diffraction on films obtained from colloidal suspensions with regular viscosity, confirm the substrate base as the thickest part of the film, as inferred from the numerical simulation. In addition, as the viscosity increases, the fluid acquires more uniform velocity distribution close to the substrate, leading to more homogenous and uniform films.     

A theoretical and spectroscopic study of conformational structures of piroxicam

Piroxicam (PRX) has been widely studied in an attempt to elucidate the causes and mechanisms of its side effects, mainly the photo-toxicity. In this paper fluorescence spectra in non-protic solvents and different polarities were carried out along with theoretical calculations. Preliminary potential surfaces of the keto and enol forms were obtained at AM1 level of theory providing the most stable conformers, which had their structure re-optimized through the B3LYP/CEP-31G(d,p) method. From the optimized structures, the electronic spectra were calculated using the TD-DFT method in vacuum and including the solvent effect through the PCM method and a single water molecule near PRX. A new potential surface was constructed to the enol tautomer at DFT level and the most stable conformers were submitted to the QST2 calculations. The experimental data showed that in apolar media, the solution fluorescence is raised. Based on conformational analysis for the two tautomers, keto and enol, the results indicated that the PRX-enol is the main tautomer related to the drug fluorescence, which is reinforced by the spectra results, as well as the interconvertion barrier obtained from the QST2 calculations. The results suggest that the PRX one of the enol conformers presents great possibility of involvement in the photo-toxicity mechanisms.     

Maximal covers of finite groups

Abstract

Let λ(G) be the maximum number of subgroups in an irredundant covering of the finite group G. We prove that if G is a group with λ(G) ≤ 6, then G is supersolvable. We also describe the structure of groups G with λ(G) = 6. Moreover, we show that if G is a group with λ(G)?<?31, then G is solvable.     

Alternative positional FEM applied to thermomechanical impact of truss structures

This paper presents a formulation to deal with dynamic thermomechanical problems by the finite element method. The proposed methodology is based on the minimum potential energy theorem written regarding nodal positions, not displacements, to solve the mechanical problem. The thermal problem is solved by a regular finite element method. Such formulation has the advantage of being simple and accurate. As a solution strategy, it has been used as a natural split of the thermomechanical problem, usually called isothermal split or isothermal staggered algorithm. Usual internal variables and the additive decomposition of the strain tensor have been adopted to model the plastic behavior. Four examples are presented to show the applicability of the technique. The results are compared with other authors’ numerical solutions and experimental results.