Immobilization of Platelet-Rich Plasma onto COOH Plasma-Coated PCL Nanofibers Boost Viability and Proliferation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

The scaffolds made of polycaprolactone (PCL) are actively employed in different areas of biology and medicine, especially in tissue engineering. However, the usage of unmodified PCL is significantly restricted by the hydrophobicity of its surface, due to the fact that its inert surface hinders the adhesion of cells and the cell interactions on PCL surface. In this work, the surface of PCL nanofibers is modified by Ar/CO₂/C₂H₄ plasma depositing active COOH groups in the amount of 0.

Effect of Hydrogen Exposure on Mechanical and Tribological Behavior of CrN Coatings Deposited at Different Pressures on IN718.

In the current study, the properties of the CrN coatings deposited on the Inconel 718 superalloy using direct current reactive magnetron sputtering are investigated. The influence of working pressure on the microstructure, mechanical, and tribological properties of the CrN coatings before and after high-temperature hydrogen exposure is studied. The cross-sectional scanning electron micrographs indicate the columnar structure of the coatings, which changes from dense and compact columns to large columns with increasing working pressure.

Chemical and Morphological Characterization of Magnetron Sputtered at Different Bias Voltages Cr-Al-C Coatings.

MAX phases (M = transition metal, A = A-group element, and X = C/N) are of special interest because they possess a unique combination of the advantages of both metals and ceramics. Most attention is attracted to the ternary carbide Cr2AlC because of its excellent high-temperature oxidation, as well as hot corrosion resistance. Despite lots of publications, up to now the influence of bias voltage on the chemical bonding structure, surface morphology, and mechanical properties of the film is still not well understood.

Mobile phone radiofrequency exposure has no effect on DNA double strand breaks (DSB) in human lymphocytes.

Background: The use of mobile phones has been associated with an increased risk of developing certain type of cancer, especially in long term users. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the potential genotoxic effect of mobile phone radiofrequency exposure on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Methods: The study population consisted in 14 healthy volunteers. After collection of two whole blood samples, the former was placed in a plastic rack, 1 cm from the chassis of a commercial mobile phone (900 MHz carrier frequency), which was activated by a 30-min call.

Modeling biological gradient formation: combining partial differential equations and Petri nets.

Both Petri nets and differential equations are important modeling tools for biological processes. In this paper we demonstrate how these two modeling techniques can be combined to describe biological gradient formation. Parameters derived from partial differential equation describing the process of gradient formation are incorporated in an abstract Petri net model.

DNA injury is acutely enhanced in response to increasing bulks of aerobic physical exercise.

The aim of this study was to evaluate DNA damage in response to increasing bulks of aerobic physical exercise. Fifteen adult and trained athletes performed four sequential trials with increasing running distance (5-, 10-, 21- and 42-km) in different periods of the year. The γ-H2AX foci parameters were analyzed before and 3h after the end of each trial.

Multiplex localization of sequential peptide epitopes by use of a planar microbead chip.

Epitope mapping is crucial for the characterization of protein-specific antibodies. Commonly, small overlapping peptides are chemically synthesized and immobilized to determine the specific peptide sequence. In this study, we report the use of a fast and inexpensive planar microbead chip for epitope mapping.

Analyzing Structural Changes of Fe-N-C Cathode Catalysts in PEM Fuel Cell by Mößbauer Spectroscopy of Complete Membrane Electrode Assemblies.

The applicability of analyzing by Mößbauer spectroscopy the structural changes of Fe-N-C catalysts that have been tested at the cathode of membrane electrode assemblies in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells is demonstrated. The Mößbauer characterization of powders of the same catalysts was recently described in our previous publication. A possible change of the iron species upon testing in fuel cell was investigated here by Mößbauer spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray cross-sectional imaging, and neutron activation analysis.

Probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 reduces growth, Shiga toxin expression, release and thus cytotoxicity of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli.

Due to increased release or production of Shiga toxin by Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) after exposure to antimicrobial agents, the role of antimicrobial agents in EHEC mediated infections remains controversial. Probiotics are therefore rapidly gaining interest as an alternate therapeutic option. The well-known probiotic strain Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) was tested in vitro to determine its probiotic effects on growth, Shiga toxin (Stx) gene expression, Stx amount and associated cytotoxicity on the most important EHEC strains of serotype O104:H4 and O157:H7.

Diagnosis and classification of ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterised by superficial mucosal ulceration, rectal bleeding, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. In contrast to Crohn's disease (CrD), UC is restricted to the colon and the inflammation is limited to the mucosal layer. Classic UC affects the colon in a retrograde and continuous fashion starting from the rectum and extending proximally.

Diagnosis and classification of Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease (CrD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) potentially affecting any portion of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. CrD usually manifests between 15 and 30 years of age and presents typically with abdominal pain, fever, bloody or non-bloody diarrhoea, and weight loss. Paediatric patients may show failure to thrive, growth impairment, and delayed puberty additionally.

Ellipsometry and XPS comparative studies of thermal and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposited Al2O3-films.

We report on results on the preparation of thin (<100 nm) aluminum oxide (Al2O3) films on silicon substrates using thermal atomic layer deposition (T-ALD) and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) in the SENTECH SI ALD LL system. The T-ALD Al2O3 layers were deposited at 200 °C, for the PE-ALD films we varied the substrate temperature range between room temperature (rt) and 200 °C. We show data from spectroscopic ellipsometry (thickness, refractive index, growth rate) over 4" wafers and correlate them to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results.

Adhesion patterns of commensal and pathogenic Escherichia coli from humans and wild animals on human and porcine epithelial cell lines.

Background: Different strategies of colonization or infection by E. coli result in formation of certain adhesion patterns which help also in classifying intestinal E. coli into pathotypes.

Theoretical direct correlation function for two-dimensional fluids of monodisperse hard spheres.

The direct correlation function plays an important role in describing the effects of the structure of particle systems with respect to light diffraction, x-ray diffraction as well as transmission and transmission fluctuations of radiation through a dense suspension. In this paper, the direct correlation function for a monolayer of monodisperse hard spheres or disks is derived theoretically. Based on the approximation of Baus and Colot [Phys.

Colour removal from model solutions by coagulation--surface charge and floc characterisation aspects.

Chemical coagulation applied for colour removal from dye bearing solutions has been investigated from the point of view of surface charge progression. Two commercially used dyes, i.e.

The tropospheric ozone problem.

Derived from measurements it has been concluded that in the last hundred years the ground-based ozone concentration has risen by about a factor of two. Models also show a doubling of the tropospheric ozone content due to human activities. It is very likely that mean ozone concentration will further increase.

Chemical composition of organic matter in extremely acid, lignite-containing lake sediments impacted by fly ash contamination.

In the Lusatian lignite mining district of eastern Germany, extremely acid lakes developed during ground water rising after exploitation of lignite in open-cast mines. The reasons of plant colonization (Juncus bulbosus L.) of some lakes exhibiting moderate pH values while others remain extremely acid and unvegetated are unknown.

Chemical and physical characterisation of low clouds: results from the FEBUKO ground-based cloud experiment.

Clouds play an immense role in transport and transformation of atmospheric trace species. In the joint project FEBUKO (Field investigations of budgets and conversions of particle phase organics in tropospheric cloud processes) the microphysics and chemistry of different types of aerosols, the role of aerosol chemical composition for cloud formation as well as the chemical transformation in cloud processes have been investigated by means of ground-based cloud experiments at Mt. Schmücke in the Thuringian Forest (Germany).

Innovative low cost procedure for nutrient removal as an integrated element of a decentralised water management concept for rural areas.

The absence of large rivers with rather high niveau of self purifying effect in parts of east Germany leads to a discharging of the effluent of wastewater treatment plants into the groundwater in many cases. One useful consequence is the idea of realisation of decentralised measures and concepts in urban water resources management concerning municipal wastewater as well as rainfall, precipitation. At the same time, only the upper soil zone--a few decimetres--is water--saturated and thus discharge effective, even when extreme rainfall takes place.