In vitro degradation of porous poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)/bioactive glass composite foams with a polar structure

In vitro degradation of porous 50/50, 70/30 and 90/10 PLGA (poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide)) foams and PLGA/bioactive glass (20 wt%) composite foams was studied up to 16 weeks in TRIS (pH 7.4; 37 °C). Polar PLGA/bioactive glass composite films were prepared by applying the bioactive glass (S53P4) on one side of the composite. Porous foams were made by solvent casting and pressure quenching with CO₂. The fabricated foams had an initial pore size of 50-500 μm and thickness of 2-2.5 mm. In vitro degradation of the prepared foams was evaluated after 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 16 weeks. Weight loss, water uptake, molecular mass and the amount of dissolved bioactive glass were measured after each time period. Changes in pore morphology were analysed with SEM. The present in vitro results will be evaluated and compared with the results from ongoing animal studies where comparable implants are used for bone defect treatment under non-load-bearing conditions.     

Solid Contact Micropipette Ion Selective Electrode for Potentiometric SECM

New solid contact ammonium micropipette electrodes (ISE), well applicable in scanning electrochemical microscopy are reported. The solid contact was made of a PEDOT nanowire coated carbon fiber, lowered down close to the orifice, and dipped inside the cocktail being in the pipette tip. This configuration provided low electrical resistance and good potential stability. Submicron tip size, usual in case of micropipette ISE‐s easily can be fabricated in this way. The applicability of the electrode in SECM has been proved in SG/TC mode imaging urease enzyme active spots in urea solutions.     

Electrical properties of triple-doped bismuth oxide electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cells

In this study, the quaternary solid solutions of (Bi₂O₃)_(0.8?x)(Tb₄O₇)_0.1(Ho₂O₃)_0.1(Dy₂O₃)_x (x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20) as an electrolyte were synthesized for solid oxide fuel cells by the technique of solid-state synthesis.

The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, differential thermal analysis/thermal gravimetry and the four-point probe technique (4PPT). The total electrical conductivity is measured on the temperature and the doped concentration by 4PPT.

All samples have been obtained as the δ-phase. According to the measurements of the 4PPT, the electrical conductivities of the samples increase with the temperature but decrease with the amount of doping rate. The value of the highest conductivity (σ) is found as 1.02?×?10^?1 S cm^?1 for the system of (Bi₂O₃)_0.75(Tb₄O₇)_0.1(Ho₂O₃)_0.1(Dy₂O₃)_0.05 at 850 °C. The thermal gravimetry (TG) curve shows that there is no mass loss of sample during the measurement. The analyses of differential thermal reveal that there are neither endothermic peaks nor exothermic peaks during the heating and cooling cycles (ranging from 30 to 1000 °C).     

Longest run of equal parts in a random integer composition

This paper examines a problem in enumerative and asymptotic combinatorics involving the classical structure of integer compositions. What is sought is an analysis on average and in distribution of the length of the longest run of consecutive equal parts in a composition of size n$n$. The problem was posed by Herbert Wilf at the Analysis of Algorithms conference in July 2009 (see arXiv:0906.5196).     

Optimization of passive optical network planning

Network planning problem typically involves large capital investment and can be formulated as an optimization problem where the objective is minimization of the first installed cost. We consider a passive optical network (PON) planning problem based on a residential area in Adana (Turkey). There are four possible primary node locations, twenty possible secondary node locations, and twenty-eight customers. We use genetic algorithm and mathematical modeling techniques to optimize the position of the primary and secondary nodes, their split levels and assigning customers to secondary nodes and secondary nodes to primary nodes under some constraints such as system’s attenuations and technical characteristics of all the equipment.     

Spatial and force resolution of magnetic force microscopy in current imaging

Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) can be used to image current distributions in current leads of sub-micron dimensions. Here we present a systematic study about the spatial and force resolution of such currents. In the case of force resolution, we studied the least measurable magnetic force of MFM for different sample currents. The analysis of images from parallel Al conducting plates are combined with those from force-distance curves and finite element calculations. Several interacting regimes between the magnetic tip and the currents are found and interpreted. It is shown that model calculations are necessary even for qualitative image interpretation. Then spatial resolution in the range of 100nm can well be obtained and quantitative studies of current distribution on widths of 10nm resolution are possible in special cases. The approach is demonstrated in imaging the current distribution in superconducting Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O _x single crystals. Presented at the VIII-th Symposium on Surface Physics, Třešt’ Castle, Czech Republic, June 28 – July 2, 1999. This work was supported in part by the Swiss Priority Program on Materials. The authors benefited greatly from discussions with D.A. Bonnell, B. Huey and C. Rüegg.     

Hydrogen transfer reaction on the surface of an oxide catalyst

RuO2(110) exposes two kinds of active surface species (acidic and basic centers) that govern the interaction of the gas phase in contact with the catalyst's surface. Here we will elucidate the cooperative interplay of these two active surface sites for a simple model reaction, namely the water formation over RuO2 catalysts when supplying hydrogen and oxygen from the gas phase. The bridging O atoms harvest the hydrogen from the gas phase, while the on-top O atoms pick up those adsorbed hydrogen atoms from the bridging O atoms to form water. This mechanism of hydrogen transfer is mediated by a strong hydrogen bond. Hydrogen transfer is expected to play a vital role for the whole class of catalyzed hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions of hydrocarbons over RuO2.     

Study of the Complexation of Pb(II) with meso‐2,3‐ Dimercaptosuccinic Acid (DMSA) and 2,3‐Dimercapto‐1‐propanesulfonic acid (DMPS) Using a Bismuth‐Bulk Rotating Disk Electrode

For the first time, the suitability of bismuth bulk rotating disk electrode (BiB‐RDE) for the study of metal complexation has been tested. Cyclic (CV) and differential pulse (DPV) voltammetry have been used to study the complexation of Pb(II) with two of the most effective chelating agents for the treatment of Pb(II) poisoning (meso‐2,3‐dimercaptosuccinic acid, DMSA, and 2,3‐dimercapto‐1‐propanesulfonic acid, DMPS). Multivariate curve resolution has been applied to voltammetric data to obtain the stoichiometries and stability constants of the complexes formed. In both systems, the ML₂ complex was predominant, with log β₂ values of 10.13 and 8.80 for DMSA‐Pb(II) and DMPS‐Pb(II), respectively.     

Blood Coagulation and Living Tissue Sterilization by Floating-Electrode Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Air

Thermal plasma discharges have been widely used in the past for treatment of living human and animal tissue. However, extensive thermal damage and tissue desiccation occurs due to extreme temperatures. Some solutions have been offered where the temperature is lowered by short current pulses, addition of noble gases, or significant decrease in the size of treatment electrodes. We propose a method of direct treatment of living tissue that occurs at room temperature and pressure without visible or microscopic tissue damage. The presented Floating-Electrode Dielectric Barrier Discharge plasma is proven electrically safe to human subjects and our results show no gross (visual) or histological (microscopic) damage to skin samples in minutes, complete tissue sterilization from skin flora in seconds, and blood clot formation in seconds of electric plasma treatment. We also observe significant hastening of blood clot formation via electric plasma induced catalysis of “natural” processes occurring in human blood. A model describing these processes is offered.An erratum to this article can be found at