Improved cellular response on multiwalled carbon nanotube-incorporated electrospun polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan nanofibrous scaffolds

We report the fabrication of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-incorporated electrospun polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/chitosan (CS) nanofibers with improved cellular response for potential tissue engineering applications. In this study, smooth and uniform PVA/CS and PVA/CS/MWCNTs nanofibers with water stability were formed by electrospinning, followed by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde vapor. The morphology, structure, and mechanical properties of the formed electrospun fibrous mats were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and mechanical testing, respectively. We showed that the incorporation of MWCNTs did not appreciably affect the morphology of the PVA/CS nanofibers; importantly the protein adsorption ability of the nanofibers was significantly improved. In vitro cell culture of mouse fibroblasts (L929) seeded onto the electrospun scaffolds showed that the incorporation of MWCNTs into the PVA/CS nanofibers significantly promoted cell proliferation. Results from this study hence suggest that MWCNT-incorporated PVA/CS nanofibrous scaffolds with small diameters (around 160 nm) and high porosity can mimic the natural extracellular matrix well, and potentially provide many possibilities for applications in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.     

细胞培养液中多溴联苯醚以及代谢产物的GC-MS/MS测定方法

利用柱前衍生化耦合气相/质谱/质谱(GC/MS/MS),建立了细胞培养液中13种多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)、8种甲氧基化多溴联苯醚(MeO-PBDEs)和5种羟基化多溴联苯醚(HO-PBDEs)的分析方法.采用氯甲酸甲酯作为HO-PBDEs的衍生化试剂,相比传统重氮甲烷作为衍生化试剂的方法,其衍生化时间明显缩短.同时,衍...     

Hydrophilic interaction chromatography of nucleoside triphosphates with temperature as a separation parameter

Eight deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) and nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs): ATP, CTP, GTP, UTP, dATP, dCTP, dGTP and dTTP, were separated with two 15 cm ZIC-pHILIC columns coupled in series, using LC-UV instrumentation. The polymer-based ZIC-pHILIC column gave significantly better separations and peak shape than a silica-based ZIC-HILIC column. Better separations were obtained with isocratic elution as compared to gradient elution. The temperature markedly affected the selectivity and could be used to fine tune separation. The analysis time was also affected by temperature, as lower temperatures surprisingly reduced the retention of the nucleotides. dNTP/NTP standards could be separated in 35 min with a flow rate of 200 μL/min. In Escherichia coli cell culture samples dNTP/NTPs could be selectively separated in 7 0min using a flow rate of 100 μL/min.     

Static and dynamic binding capacities of human immunoglobulin G on polymethacrylate based mixed-modal, thiophilic and hydrophobic cation exchangers

The aim of this study was to investigate functional increments of ion exchange type ligands, which may improve the performance of mixed-modal ligands for antibody capture out of feed solutions with pH above 6.0 and containing sodium chloride concentrations of 150 mM and higher. For this purpose several functional groups such as sulfonyl, sulfanyl, amide, methoxy, short alkyl and aromatic moieties were tested in combination with a strong sulfonic acid and/or a weak carboxylic acid group. Therefore a series of ligands were synthesized and subsequently coupled onto epoxide activated Fractogel^® EMD. In the first instance, all materials were tested by static binding capacity measurements (SBC) under test conditions, comprising a wide variety of different sodium chloride concentrations and differing pH values ranging from 4.5 to 7.5. From these preliminary experiment it was found that especially the aromatic groups improved the binding of human immunoglobulin G (h-IgG) under isotonic conditions, while other increments, e.g. thiophilic or amide groups, were not able to increase the capacity significantly. Taking the SBC results into account, the most promising materials were investigated under dynamic binding conditions (DBC) with a reduced selection of test conditions (pH 5.5, 6.5 and 7.4 at 75 and 150 mM NaCl). N-benzoyl-homocysteine (material J) and 3,5-dimethoxybenzoyl-homocysteine (material K) showed 100% DBCs of 37 mg/mL and 32 mg/mL in the presence of 75 mM NaCl and pH 6.5. Material L carrying mercaptobenzoic acid as a ligand and tested with the same solution provided a 100% DBC of 68 mg/mL. The influence of Pluronic F68 in a mock feed solution as well as in cell culture supernatant was investigated with the best performing bio-affinity type adsorbent, material L. For the real sample feed subsequent SDS-PAGE was conducted for the collected fractions.     

“Do we teach subjects or students?” Analyzing science and mathematics teacher conversations about issues of equity in the classroom

Teachers involved in a Master's level course in diversity participated in virtual, synchronous, anonymized discussions around issues of ethnic and racial diversity, gender, and stereotypes that could impact their students’ participation in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Guided by theoretical frameworks from Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and Critical Race Theory (CRT), a convenience sample of 14 science and mathematics teachers participated in a series of virtual chats using open‐ended questioning and facilitated by two university instructors. Using conversation and critical discourse analyses, three primary themes emerged: understanding of issues related to stereotypes, encouragement of females and minorities to pursue careers in STEM, and the place for diversity discussions in science and mathematics classrooms. The teachers felt burdened by curricular and administrative constraints that inhibit their ability to participate in thought‐provoking critical conversations. The paper concludes with a discussion of ways teachers can assist in the STEM career identity development of their underrepresented females and students of color and calls for research that combines the key findings in SCCT and CRT to build confidence and capacity for teachers to effectively confront issues of racism, sexism, and stereotyping in science and mathematics classrooms.     

Empirically supporting school STEM culture—The creation and validation of the STEM Culture Assessment Tool (STEM‐CAT)

School STEM Culture—an aspect of culture within a school community—is defined as the beliefs, values, practices, and resources in STEM fields as perceived by students, parents, teachers, and administrators and counselors within a school. This study validates the STEM Culture Assessment Tool (STEM‐CAT), an instrument intended to advance the use of the School STEM Culture construct within the research community. Internal consistency was determined through the use of Cronbach's alpha and factor analyses, and the instrument was found to be a reliable measure of School STEM Culture. The instrument can be used in future research to quantify School STEM Culture to determine if interventions change the culture of a school to further STEM education.     

Aligning simulation models: A case study and results

This paper develops the concepts and methods of a process we will call “alignment of computational models” or “docking” for short. Alignment is needed to determine whether two models can produce the same results, which in turn is the basis for critical experiments and for tests of whether one model can subsume another. We illustrate our concepts and methods using as a target a model of cultural transmission built by Axelrod. For comparison we use the Sugarscape model developed by Epstein and Axtell. The two models differ in many ways and, to date, have been employed with quite different aims. The Axelrod model has been used principally for intensive experimentation with parameter variation, and includes only one mechanism. In contrast, the Sugarscape model has been used primarily to generate rich “artificial histories”, scenarios that display stylized facts of interest, such as cultural differentiation driven by many different mechansims including resource availability, migration, trade, and combat. The Sugarscape model was modified so as to reproduce the results of the Axelrod cultural model. Among the questions we address are: what does it mean for two models to be equivalent, how can different standards of equivalence be statistically evaluated, and how do subtle differences in model design affect the results? After attaining a “docking” of the two models, the richer set of mechanisms of the Sugarscape model is used to provide two experiments in sensitivity analysis for the cultural rule of Axelrod's model. Our generally positive experience in this enterprise has suggested that it could be beneficial if alignment and equivalence testing were more widely practiced among computational modelers.     

作物垄作的数学模型

应用高等数学中对面积的曲面积分等方法,建立了垄作种植中半椭圆形、抛物线型和三角形垄的数学模型,比较了不同垄形、垄宽、垄高在增加单位土地表面积和突出地面垄体体积的效果.     

大麦幼胚培养的初步研究

大麦幼胚组织培养结果初步表明,两种培养基之间,两个品种之间总出愈率没有显著差异,而不同类型愈伤组织诱导率却存在差异。Ⅱ号培养基中,甲、乙两种类型愈伤组织产生比例多于Ⅰ号培养基,丙型愈伤组织正好相反。因此认为Ⅱ号培养基对大麦幼胚培养中诱导出愈及生长是较理想的。啤酒大麦品种“付8”的甲型愈伤组织比例大于高蛋白品种“Hiproly”。愈伤组织和胚芽的总过氧化物酶活性变化较大,但规律不明显,因此很难作大麦幼胚培养中愈伤组织诱导、生长及分化的指标。过氧化物酶同工酶和酯酶同工酶的电泳分析,表明不同品种,培养基、组织器官之间存在一些差异。改进与扩大试验设计进一步探索提高出愈及分化率的研究正在进行中。