Porous 3D polymer scaffolds prepared by TIPS from PLGA (53:47) and PS are intrinsically hydrophobic which prohibits the wetting of such porous media by water. This limits the application of these materials for the fabrication of scaffolds as supports for cell adhesion/spreading. Here we demonstrate that the interior surfaces of polymer scaffolds can be effectively modified using atmospheric air plasma (AP).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe wettability of the (001), (100), and (011) crystallographic facets of macroscopic aspirin crystals has been experimentally investigated using a sessile drop contact angle (theta) method. theta for a nonpolar liquid was very similar for all three facets, though significant theta differences were observed for three polar probe liquids. The observed hydrophobicity of the (001) and (100) facets is ascribed to a reduced hydrogen bonding potential at these surfaces, whilst the observed hydrophilicity of facet (011) may be attributed to presence of surface carboxylic functionalities as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe report the sequence and analysis of the 814-megabase genome of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, a model for developmental and systems biology. The sequencing strategy combined whole-genome shotgun and bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) sequences. This use of BAC clones, aided by a pooling strategy, overcame difficulties associated with high heterozygosity of the genome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Receptor Tyrosine kinase (RTK) and TGF-beta signaling pathways play essential roles during development in many organisms and regulate a plethora of cellular responses. From the genome sequence of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, we have made an inventory of the genes encoding receptor tyrosine kinases and their ligands, and of the genes encoding cytokines of the TGF-beta superfamily and their downstream components. The sea urchin genome contains at least 20 genes coding for canonical receptor tyrosine kinases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFundamental questions of floral morphology remain unresolved in the grasslike monocots in order Poales, including what constitutes a flower and what constitutes a spikelet. The mapaniid sedges have particularly complex spikeletlike structures, variously interpreted as clusters of flowers or spikelets. Recent phylogenetic studies of Cyperaceae have identified the mapaniid clade as sister to the rest of the family, but the homology of mapaniid reproductive units (RUs) and spikeletlike units (SLUs) to other sedge flowers and spikelets is unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrain Behav Evol
October 2006
Neurotrophins are structurally related neurotrophic polypeptide factors that regulate neuronal differentiation and are essential for neuronal survival, neurite growth and plasticity. It has until very recently been thought that the neurotrophin system appeared with the vertebrate species, but identification of a cephalochordate neurotrophin receptor (Trk), and more recently neurotrophin sequences in several genomes of deuterostome invertebrates, show that the system already existed at the stem of the deuterostome group. Comparative genomics supports the hypothesis that two whole genome duplications produced many of the vertebrate gene families, among those the neurotrophin and Trk families.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite its apparent benefits, high-dose ibuprofen has been infrequently applied to children with cystic fibrosis. We have noted a decrease in the use of high-dose ibuprofen at our pediatric cystic fibrosis center during the past decade. In this retrospective study, we examined our clinical experience with high-dose ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory drugs in cystic fibrosis patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission to surgeons is related to the HCV prevalence in the surgical patient population. As HCV-related cirrhosis is the commonest indication for liver transplantation in Europe and North America, liver transplant surgeons are at particular risk. The prevalence of HCV infection in liver transplant surgeons is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhys Chem Chem Phys
June 2006
Highly dispersed H(3)PW(12)O(40)/SiO(2) catalysts with loadings between 3.6 and 62.5 wt% have been synthesised and characterised.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Adolesc Health
April 2006
Purpose: To describe the prevalence of herbal product use in adolescents and the association between herbal product use and tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use.
Methods: The 1999 Monroe County, New York Youth Risk Behavior Survey provided data on a random sample of 2,006 high school students. Herbal product use was defined by lifetime use of "herbal or other natural products--to feel better, or perform better in sports or school.
Purpose: Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing, but some dietary supplements have potentially negative side effects. This study examines CAM and dietary supplement use among a national sample of adolescents.
Methods: A total of 1280 adolescents 14-19 years old completed an online survey in 2002 about lifetime and past-30-day use of all CAM modalities, and specifically about use of herbal medicines and dietary supplements.
Protein identification plays an important role in today's academic and industrial proteomic research. Commonly used methods for the separation of proteins from complex samples include liquid chromatography (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdvancing (theta(A)) and receding (theta(R)) contact angles were measured with several probe liquids on the external facets (201), (001), (011), and (110) of macroscopic form I paracetamol crystals as well as the cleaved (internal) facet (010). For the external crystal facets, dispersive surface energies gamma(d) calculated from the contact angles were found to be similar (34 +/- 1 mJ/m(2)), while the polar components varied significantly. Cleaving the crystals exposed a more apolar (010) surface with very different surface properties, including gamma(d) = 45 +/- 1 mJ/m(2).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this study was to produce a well-characterised electrospun polystyrene scaffold which could be used routinely for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture experimentation. A linear relationship (p<0.01) between three principal process variables (applied voltage, working distance and polymer concentration) and fibre diameter was reliably established enabling a mathematical model to be developed to standardise the electrospinning process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Phys Chem B
January 2006
The catalytic destruction of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) over model sulfated Pt(111) surfaces has been investigated by fast X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. TCA adsorbs molecularly over SO4 precovered Pt(111) at 100 K, with a saturation coverage of 0.4 monolayer (ML) comparable to that on the bare surface.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Despite multiple causes, Chronic Kidney Disease is commonly associated with proteinuria. A previous study on Non Obese Diabetic mice (NOD), which spontaneously develop type 1 diabetes, described histological and gene expression changes incurred by diabetes in the kidney. Because proteinuria is coincident to diabetes, the effects of proteinuria are difficult to distinguish from those of other factors such as hyperglycemia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To explore adolescents' knowledge of and beliefs about dietary supplements, including herbs, and over-the-counter (OTC) medications.
Methods: Eighteen focus groups with 81 adolescents in Monroe County, New York, explored teens' familiarity with and beliefs about CAM, specifically dietary supplements. We asked about general health beliefs and opinions of OTC medications to provide a framework for understanding how dietary supplements are conceptualized.
Gold nanoparticles with diameters of ca. 13 nm were synthesised by UV irradiation of a supramolecular organogel into which HAuCl4 and tetraoctylammonium bromide had been diffused-the gel network plays an essential role in nanoparticle stabilisation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe current trial assessed differences in physician and patient symptom-severity perceptions in ambulatory outpatient females with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs). We also investigated the efficacy and safety profile of once-daily ciprofloxacin in a 500-mg PO extended-release formulation for 3 days to treat acute cystitis. This prospective, open-label, multicenter (1,972 sites), phase 4 clinical trial enrolled 7,614 adult women with a clinical diagnosis of an acute uUTI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe evaluated the effectiveness of an educational brochure designed to increase patient knowledge about uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs). Participants were adult female outpatients (average age, 45 years) with a clinical diagnosis of uUTI. The 1,972 study sites (primary care physicians' offices and urology clinics) were randomized to receive patient enrollment kits with or without educational brochures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFast X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals efficient C-Cl activation of 1,1,1-trichloroethane occurs over platinum surfaces at 150 K, and in the presence of hydrogen, sustained ambient temperature dehydrochlorination to HCl and ethane is possible over supported Pt/Al2O3 catalysts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe reaction of localised C[double bond, length as m-dash]C bonds on the surface of activated carbons has been shown to be an effective method of chemical modification especially using microwave-assisted reactions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study examined gender differences in prospective within-day assessments of pain, pain coping, and mood in men and women having OA, and analyzed gender differences in dynamic relations between pain, mood, and pain coping. A sample of 64 women and 36 men diagnosed as having pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee(s) rated their pain, pain coping, and mood two times each day (once in the afternoon and once in the evening) for 30 days using a booklet format. Two gender differences were found in between person-analyses: women used more problem focused coping than men, and women who catastrophized were less likely than men to report negative mood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFragrance substances represent a very diverse group of chemicals; a proportion of them are associated with the ability to cause allergic reactions in the skin. Efforts to find substitute materials are hindered by the need to undertake animal testing for determining both skin sensitization hazard and potency. One strategy to avoid such testing is through an understanding of the relationships between chemical structure and skin sensitization, so-called structure-activity relationships.
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