Development of Thermosensitive Hydrogels with Tailor-Made Geometries to Modulate Cell Harvesting of Non-Flat Cell Cultures.

Considering the complexity in terms of design that characterizes the different tissues of the human body, it is necessary to study and develop more precise therapies. In this sense, this article presents the possibility of fabricating photocurable thermosensitive hydrogels with free geometry and based on N-Vinyl Caprolactam (VCL) with the aim of modulating the adhesion of non-planar cell cultures. The fabrication process is based on the use as a mold of two-layer thick water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) previously printed by Extrusion Material (MatEx).

Worldwide comparison of carbon stocks and fluxes between native and non-native forests.

Climate change is one of the main challenges that human societies are currently facing. Given that forests represent major natural carbon sinks in terrestrial ecosystems, administrations worldwide are launching broad-scale programs to promote forests, including stands of non-native trees. Yet, non-native trees may have profound impacts on the functions and services of forest ecosystems, including the carbon cycle, as they may differ widely from native trees in structural and functional characteristics.

Pediatric firearm injuries and socioeconomic vulnerability before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Pediatric firearm injuries disproportionately affect groups experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage. Firearm injuries increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the impact on communities by degree of socioeconomic disadvantage is unknown. We examined the association between socioeconomic vulnerability and change in pediatric firearm injuries before versus during the pandemic.

Selective collection of absorbent hygienic products: The results of a pilot test and waste characterization.

Absorbent hygiene products (AHP) are single-use materials that are discarded after use. These products include diapers for babies and adults, menstrual pads, absorbent pads, and other personal hygiene items that represent a significant proportion of municipal solid waste (MSW). In this research, the impact of a pilot campaign for the separation of these AHP in a neighborhood of a city in eastern Spain has been studied.

On-Surface Synthesis of Covalently-Linked Carbaporphyrinoid-Based Low-Dimensional Polymers.

The synthesis of porphyrinoid-based low-dimensional polymers has recently attracted considerable interest in view of their intriguing electronic, optical, and catalytic properties. Here, this is introduced by the surface-assisted synthesis of two carbaporphyrinoid-based polymers of increasing dimensionality under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions. The structural and electronic characterization of the resulting polymers has been performed by scanning tunneling and non-contact atomic force microscopies, complemented by theoretical modeling.