Hydrolytic Degradation of Polylactic Acid Fibers as a Function of pH and Exposure Time.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a widely used bioresorbable polymer in medical devices owing to its biocompatibility, bioresorbability, and biodegradability. It is also considered a sustainable solution for a wide variety of other applications, including packaging. Because of its widespread use, there have been many studies evaluating this polymer.

Implantable nerve guidance conduits: Material combinations, multi-functional strategies and advanced engineering innovations.

Nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) have attracted much attention due to their great necessity and applicability in clinical use for the peripheral nerve repair. Great efforts in recent years have been devoted to the development of high-performance NGCs using various materials and strategies. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of progress in the material innovation, structural design, advanced engineering technologies and multi functionalization of state-of-the-art nerve guidance conduits NGCs.

Depyrogenation using Plasmas: A Novel Approach for Endotoxin Deactivation Using a Dielectric Barrier Discharge at Atmospheric Pressure.

Developing a low-cost depyrogenation process is vital in extending medical applicability of polymers that can be used in medicine. We present an overview of the plasma-based depyrogenation literature and address the need to develop a non-thermal plasma-based depyrogenation process for delicate materials such as chitosan. We present a low-cost plasma apparatus to treat chitosan powder in hermetically sealed bags.

Advanced Zinc Anode with Nitrogen-Doping Interface Induced by Plasma Surface Treatment.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are one of the most ideal candidates for grid-scale energy storage applications due to their excellent price and safety advantages. However, formation of Zn dendrites and continuous side reactions during cycling result in serious instability problems for ZIBs. In this work, the authors develop a facile and versatile plasma-induced nitrogen-doped Zn (N-Zn) foil for dendrite-free Zn metal anode.

Modeling the Triboelectric Behaviors of Elastomeric Nonwoven Fabrics.

Theoretical modeling of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is fundamental to their performance optimization, since it can provide useful guidance on the material selection, structure design, and parameter control of relevant systems. Built on the theoretical model of film-based TENGs, here, an analytical model is introduced for conductor-to-dielectric contact-mode nonwoven-based TENGs, which copes with the unique hierarchical structure of nonwovens and details the correlation between the triboelectric output (maximum transferred charge density) and nonwoven structural parameters (thickness, solidity, and average fiber diameter). A series of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene nonwoven samples are fabricated through a melt-blowing process to map nonwoven structural features within certain ranges, while an ion-injection protocol is adopted to quantify the triboelectric output with superior consistency and reproducibility.

Flexible, transparent and tough silver nanowire/nanocellulose electrodes for flexible touch screen panels.

Flexible touch screen panel (f-TSP) has been emerging recently and metallic nanowire transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) are its key components. However, most metallic nanowire (MNW) TCEs suffer from weak bonding strength between metal nanowire electrode layers and polymer substrates, which causes delamination of TCEs and produces serious declines in durability of f-TSPs. Here, we introduce AgS bonding and develop tough and strong electrode-substrate bonded MNW TCEs, which can enhance durability of f-TSPs significantly.

Occurrences and Potential Sources of Halogenated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Associated with PM in Mumbai, India.

Occurrences of chlorinated and brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (ClPAHs and BrPAHs, respectively) in fine aerosol particulate matter <2.5 μm in diameter were investigated in urban and suburban sites in Mumbai, India; and the possible sources from association with indicators, such as hopanes, steranes, and trace elements are discussed. The mean concentrations of total ClPAHs and BrPAHs were 0.

Biology Beyond the Classroom: Experiential Learning Through Authentic Research, Design, and Community Engagement.

This paper introduces the collection of manuscripts from the symposium, "Biology Beyond the Classroom: Experiential Learning through Authentic Research, Design, and Community Engagement," presented at the 2021 annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. The following papers showcase innovative approaches for engaging undergraduate students in experiential science learning experiences. Specifically, we focus on three high-impact practices that allow students to take their learning outside of the classroom for increased relevance and authenticity: (1) Course-Based Undergraduate Research, (2) Digital Fabrication in Makerspaces, and (3) Service or Community-based Learning Opportunities.

Connected While Distant: Networking CUREs Across Classrooms to Create Community and Empower Students.

Connections, collaborations, and community are key to the success of individual scientists as well as transformative scientific advances. Intentionally building these components into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education can better prepare future generations of researchers. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are a new, fast-growing teaching practice in STEM that expand opportunities for undergraduate students to gain research skills.

An updated species list for "Smoky Bears": Tardigrades of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA.

One of the largest inventories of tardigrades ever conducted occurred from 20002010 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Over 16,000 specimens were catalogued, 85 species were identified, 11 species new to science were described, and 16 other possible new species await further study. More than 20 papers have resulted from the GSMNP tardigrade inventory, making the Smokies the most thoroughly studied area in North America for tardigrades.

Process-Property Relationships for Melt-Spun Poly(lactic acid) Yarn.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is an attractive biomaterial due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and fiber-forming ability. However, the polymer is highly susceptible to both hydrolytic and thermal degradation during processing. Melt processing conditions typically involve high temperature and shear, whereas to prevent premature degradation, PLA needs to be processed under the mildest conditions that still yield the desired yarn properties.

Authentic Research in the Classroom Increases Appreciation for Plants in Undergraduate Biology Students.

Engaging students in authentic research increases student knowledge, develops STEM skills, such as data analysis and scientific communication, and builds community. Creating authentic research opportunities in plant biology might be particularly crucial in addressing plant awareness disparity (PAD) (formerly known as plant blindness), producing graduates with botanical literacy, and preparing students for plant-focused careers. Our consortium created four CUREs (course-based undergraduate research experiences) focused on dual themes of plant biology and global change, designed to be utilized by early and late-career undergraduates across a variety of educational settings.

Disintegrable, transparent and mechanically robust high-performance antimony tin oxide/nanocellulose/polyvinyl alcohol thermal insulation films.

Polymer-based thermal insulation films are widely utilized to reduce the influence of solar radiation. However, current thermal insulation films face several challenges from poor thermal insulation performance and severe environmental pollution, which are caused by the non-disintegratability of polymer substrates. Here, cellulose nanofiber (CNF)/antimony tin oxide (ATO) hybrid films with and without polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are presented and they can be used as window thermal barrier films and personal thermal management textiles.

Integrative taxonomy resolves species identities within the Macrobiotus pallarii complex (Eutardigrada: Macrobiotidae).

The taxonomy of many groups of meiofauna is challenging due to their low number of diagnostic morphological characters and their small body size. Therefore, with the advent of molecular techniques that provide a new source of traits, many cryptic species have started to be discovered. Tardigrades are not an exception, and many once thought to be cosmopolitan taxa are being found to be complexes of phenotypically similar species.

Temporal vs. spatial variation in stress-associated metabolites within a population of climate-sensitive small mammals.

Temporal variation in stress might signify changes in an animal's internal or external environment, while spatial variation in stress might signify variation in the quality of the habitats that individual animals experience. Habitat-induced variations in stress might be easiest to detect in highly territorial animals, and especially in species that do not take advantage of common strategies for modulating habitat-induced stress, such as migration (escape in space) or hibernation (escape in time). Spatial and temporal variation in response to potential stressors has received little study in wild animals, especially at scales appropriate for relating stress to specific habitat characteristics.

Reflecting the Times? Reexamining the Effect of Alcohol Intoxication on Perceptions of Campus Sexual Assault.

We examined the effects of victim and perpetrator alcohol intoxication on perceptions of campus sexual assault. Participants ( = 276) read a campus assault vignette; both perpetrator and victim intoxication levels were manipulated. Participants reported attitudes toward both parties and perceptions of responsibility, blame, and criminal and civil liability.

Covalent conjugation of single-walled carbon nanotube with CYP101 mutant for direct electrocatalysis.

Covalent linkage between the single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and CYP101 through a specific site of the enzyme can provide a novel method of designing efficient enzyme electrodes using this prototype cytochrome P450 enzyme. We have chemically modified the SWCNT with linker 4-carboxy phenyl maleimide (CPMI) containing maleimide functional groups. The enzyme was covalently attached on to the SWCNT through the maleimide group of the linker (CPMI) to the thiolate group of the surface exposed Cys 58 or Cys 136 of the CYP101 forming a covalently immobilized protein on the nanotube.

Taxonomic revisions of Altigena laticeps and A. lippa (Cyprinidae: Labeoninae) from the Mekong River Basin.

Altigena laticeps, previously considered a junior synonym of A. lippa, is revalidated and re-described based on morphological examinations of type and non-type material. This species, found in the Upper Mekong River basin in China, can be distinguished from A.

Development of a polycaprolactone/poly(-dioxanone) bioresorbable stent with mechanically self-reinforced structure for congenital heart disease treatment.

Recent progress in bioresorbable stents (BRSs) has provided a promising alternative for treating coronary artery disease. However, there is still lack of BRSs with satisfied compression and degradation performance for pediatric patients with congenital heart disease, leading to suboptimal therapy effects. Here, we developed a mechanically self-reinforced composite bioresorbable stent (cBRS) for congenital heart disease application.

Effects of yarn size and blood drop size on wicking and bloodstains in textiles.

Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) for stains found on non-porous surfaces has matured into a powerful forensic science tool based on fluid mechanics principles. The same cannot be said when bloodstains are found on porous substrates, such as textiles. This is partially due to the complex nature of textiles with tens of thousands of different materials in addition to unknown wear characteristics.

Design and Characterization of the Surface Porous UHMWPE Composite Reinforced by Graphene Oxide.

The surface porous ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites were successfully fabricated with NaCl and graphene oxide (GO) in the hot-pressing procedure. The GO sheets were evenly dispersed in UHMWPE with the sedimentation method of GO in saturated NaCl. The morphologies, chemical compositions, mechanical, and tribological properties of GO and surface porous GO/NaCl/UHMWPE were investigated.

Biosynthesis and characterization of deuterated chitosan in filamentous fungus and yeast.

Deuterated chitosan was produced from the filamentous fungus Rhizopus oryzae, cultivated with deuterated glucose in HO medium, without the need for conventional chemical deacetylation. After extraction and purification, the chemical composition and structure were determined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). C NMR experiments provided additional information about the position of the deuterons in the glucoseamine backbone.

Evaluation of an electrochemically aligned collagen yarn for textile scaffold fabrication.

Collagen is the major component of the extracellular matrix in human tissues and widely used in the fabrication of tissue engineered scaffolds for medical applications. However, these forms of collagen gels and films have limitations due to their inferior strength and mechanical performance and their relatively fast rate of degradation. A new form of continuous collagen yarn has recently been developed for potential usage in fabricating textile tissue engineering scaffolds.