Topical application of zein-silk sericin nanoparticles loaded with curcumin for improved therapy of dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is characterized by leukocyte migration into the skin dermis and typically driven by excessive chemokine production at the site of inflammation. Conventional topical formulations such as gels, creams, and ointments are insufficient for this treatment because of low penetration of drug molecules into the targeted skin tissues. Herein, using a simple, green, sustainable strategy, we have developed novel primary zein nanoparticles embedded in curcumin (Cur) and coated with silk sericin (ZHSCs) for the topical delivery of Cur to penetrate into the dermis and exercise anti-dermatitis effects on the lesion with minimal side-effects. Transdermal delivery experiments and porcine skin fluorescence imaging indicated that ZHSCs facilitate the penetration of Cur across the epidermis layer of skin to reach deep-seated sites. Notably, ZHSCs = 1:0.25 (zein-to-silk sericin mass ratios of 1:0.25) markedly elevated the skin permeability and cumulative turnover of Cur transferred, which were provided a greater than a 3.8-fold increase relative to free Cur. The special nanoparticles of ZHS = 1:0.25 possessed the deepest localization depth and experience a transition of the particle structure and core-shell separation after penetrating into the dermis of skin. In a cell model of dermatitis induced by tumor necrosis factor α/interferon γ co-stimulation, compared with free Cur, Cur-loaded ZHS nanoparticles down-regulated the generation of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in keratinocytes through suppression of the nuclear translocation of NF-κBp65 and hence exerted an anti-dermatitis effect. This strategy may provide new avenues and direction for the demanding issues of valid topical delivery systems.     

Effect of oxygen on regulation of properties of moderately boron-doped diamond films

Regulation of oxygen on properties of moderately boron-doped diamond films is fully investigated. Results show that, with adding a small amount of oxygen (oxygen-to-carbon ratio < 5.0%), the crystal quality of diamond is improved, and a suppression effect of residual nitrogen is observed. With increasing ratio of O/C from 2.5% to 20.0%, the hole concentration is firstly increased then reduced. This change of hole concentration is also explained. Moreover, the results of Hall effect measurement with temperatures from 300 K to 825 K show that, with adding a small amount of oxygen, boron and oxygen complex structures (especially B₃O and B₄O) are formed and exhibit as shallow donor in diamond, which results in increase of donor concentration. With further increase of ratio of O/C, the inhibitory behaviors of oxygen on boron leads to decrease of acceptor concentration (the optical emission spectroscopy has shown that it is decreased with ratio of O/C more than 10.0%). This work demonstrates that oxygen-doping induced increasement of the crystalline and surface quality could be restored by the co-doping with oxygen. The technique could achieve boron-doped diamond films with both high quality and acceptable hole concentration, which is applicable to electronic level of usage.     

On Hr(curl,Ω) estimates for a Maxwell type system in convex domains

In bounded convex domains, the regularity of a vector field u with its $\mathrm{div}\mathbf{u}$, $\mathrm{curl}\mathbf{u}$ in $L^r$ space and the tangential component or the normal component of u over the boundary in $L^r$ space, is established for $1<r<\infty$. As an application, we derive an $H^r(\mathrm{curl},\mathrm{\Omega })$ estimate for solutions to a Maxwell type system with an inhomogeneous boundary condition in convex domains. In contrast to the well-posed region of r in the space $H^r(\mathrm{curl},\mathrm{\Omega })$ for the Maxwell type system in Lipschitz domains given by Kar and Sini (2016) [16], we extend the well-posed region to be optimal.     

A nonlinear model for marble sulphation including surface rugosity and mechanical damage

Here we propose and analyze a mathematical model that aims to describe the marble sulphation process occurring in a given material. The model accounts for rugosity as well as for damaging effects. This model is characterized by some technical difficulties that seem hard to overcome from a theoretical viewpoint. Therefore, we introduce some physically reasonable modifications in order to establish the existence of a suitable notion of solution on a given time interval. Numerical simulations are presented and discussed, also in view of further research.     

Characterizations of modalities and lex modalities

A reflective subuniverse in homotopy type theory is an internal version of the notion of a localization in topology or in the theory of ∞-categories. Working in homotopy type theory, we give new characterizations of the following conditions on a reflective subuniverse L: (1) the associated subuniverse $L^{\prime }$ of L-separated types is a modality; (2) L is a modality; (3) L is a lex modality; and (4) L is a cotopological modality. In each case, we give several necessary and sufficient conditions. Our characterizations involve various families of maps associated to L, such as the L-étale maps, the L-equivalences, the L-local maps, the L-connected maps, the unit maps ${\eta }_X$, and their left and/or right orthogonal complements. More generally, our main theorem gives an overview of how all of these classes related to each other. We also give examples that show that all of the inclusions we describe between these classes of maps can be strict.     

Dendritic polyurethane-based prodrug as unimolecular micelles for precise ultrasound-activated localized drug delivery

Ultrasound has been recognized as an exciting tool to enhance the therapeutic efficacy in tumor chemotherapy owing to the triggered drug release, facilitated intracellular drug delivery, and improved spatial precision. Aiming for a precise localized drug delivery, novel dendritic polyurethane-based prodrug (DOX-DPU-PEG) was fabricated with a drug content of 18.9% here by conjugating DOX onto the end groups of the functionalized dendritic polyurethane via acid-labile imine bonds. It could easily form unimolecular micelles around 38 nm. Compared with the non-covalently drug-loaded unimolecular micelles (DOX@Ph-DPU-PEG), they showed excellent pH/ultrasound dual-triggered drug release performance, with drug leakage of only 4% at pH 7.4, but cumulative release of 14% and 88% at pH 5.0 without and with ultrasound, respectively. The ultrasound responsiveness was attributed to the unique strawberry-shaped topological structure of the DOX-DPU-PEG, in which DOX was embedded in the skin layer of the hydrophobic DPU cores. With ultrasound, the DOX-DPU-PEG unimolecular micelles possessed enhanced tumor growth inhibition than free DOX but showed no obvious cytotoxicity on the tumor cells without ultrasound. Such feature makes them promising potential for precise localized drug delivery.     

基于TOPSIS模型的机场网络节点重要度评估

在机场网络中单个机场节点的失效往往会对其他的节点产生影响,特别是关键节点的失效会波及整个网络.准确客观的识别重要节点机场关乎整个机场网络的安全运营.本文分析了机场网络拓扑特性中的度、集聚系数和接近度指标,考虑了机场旅客吞吐量和所在城市人口等交通经济特性指标,使用熵权法确定权重的基础上,应用TOPSIS法构建综合评价体系模型,最后以华东地区机场网络为例进行节点重要度排序.结果表明与单一指标的评估结果相比,该方法更加全面客观的确定不同属性指标的权重,避免了不同指标取值的差异性,使评价更加全面,更符合机场网络实际运营情况.     

Full cross-diffusion limit in the stationary Shigesada-Kawasaki-Teramoto model

This paper studies the asymptotic behavior of coexistence steady-states of the Shigesada-Kawasaki-Teramoto model as both cross-diffusion coefficients tend to infinity at the same rate. In the case when either one of two cross-diffusion coefficients tends to infinity, Lou and Ni [18] derived a couple of limiting systems, which characterize the asymptotic behavior of coexistence steady-states. Recently, a formal observation by Kan-on [10] implied the existence of a limiting system including the nonstationary problem as both cross-diffusion coefficients tend to infinity at the same rate. This paper gives a rigorous proof of his observation as far as the stationary problem. As a key ingredient of the proof, we establish a uniform $L^{\infty }$ estimate for all steady-states. Thanks to this a priori estimate, we show that the asymptotic profile of coexistence steady-states can be characterized by a solution of the limiting system.     

Dynamic Modeling of the Feed Drive System of a CNC Metal Cutting Machine

Studying the vibrational behavior of feed drive systems is important for enhancing the structural performance of computer numerical control (CNC) machines. The preload on the screw and nut position have a great influence on the vibration characteristics of the feed drive as two very important operational conditions. Rotational acceleration of the screw also affects the performance of the CNC feed drive when machining small parts. This paper investigates the influence of preload and nut position on the vibration characteristics of the feed drive system of a CNC metal cutting machine in order to be able to eliminate an observed resonance occurred at high rotational speeds of the screw, corresponding to high feed rates. Additionally, rational structural parameters of the feed drive system are selected in order to increase the rotational acceleration for improving the performance of the CNC machine. Experiments and analyses showed that by selecting specific parameters of feed drive system and simultaneously applying a certain value of preload, a 97% increase in rotational acceleration and 30% time reduction considering the vibration resistance at high rotational speeds can be achieved.     

Pure tetrahedral quadruple systems with index two

An oriented tetrahedron defined on four vertices is a set of four cyclic triples with the property that any ordered pair of vertices is contained in exactly one of the cyclic triples. A tetrahedral quadruple system of order $n$ with index $\lambda$, denoted by ${\text{TQS}}_{\lambda }\left(n\right)$, is a pair $\left(X,\mathrm{?}\right)$, where $X$ is an $n$‐set and $\mathrm{?}$ is a set of oriented tetrahedra (blocks) such that every cyclic triple on $X$ is contained in exactly $\lambda$ members of $\mathrm{?}$. A ${\text{TQS}}_{\lambda }\left(n\right)$ is pure if there do not exist two blocks with the same vertex set. When $\lambda =1$, the spectrum of a pure TQS $\left(n\right)$ has been completely determined by Ji. In this paper, we show that there exists a pure ${\text{TQS}}_2\left(n\right)$ if and only if $n\equiv 1,2\left(\mathrm{mod}3\right)$ and $n\ge 7$. A corollary is that a simple ${\text{QS}}_4\left(n\right)$ also exists if and only if $n\equiv 1,2\left(\mathrm{mod}3\right)$ and $n\ge 7$.