Detecting early changes in choroidal vascularity and thickness using optical coherence tomography in patients with corneal crosslinking for keratoconus

AIM:To investigate changes in choroidal thickness and vascularity in keratoconus patients treated with corneal crosslinking.METHODS:This study evaluated 28 eyes of 22 patients with keratoconus who underwent corneal crosslinking.The choroidal thicknesses were evaluated on enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography at the preoperative and postoperative 3d,1,and 3mo.Choroidal thickness in the four cardinal quadrants and the fovea were evaluated.The choroidal vascularity index was also calculated.RESULTS:There was no significant difference in central choroidal thickness between the preoperative and postoperative 3d,1mo(P>0.05).There was a significant increase in the 3mo(P=0.034)and a significant decrease in the horizontal choroidal vascularity index on the postoperative 3d(P=0.014),there was no statistically significant change in vertical axes and other visits in horizontal sections(P>0.05).CONCLUSION:This study sheds light on choroidal changes in postoperative corneal crosslinking for keratoconus.While it suggests the procedure’s relative safety for submacular choroid,more extensive research is necessary to confirm these findings and their clinical significance.

Stromal lenticule addition keratoplasty with corneal crosslinking for corneal ectasia secondary to FS-LASIK:a case series

●AIM:To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of stromal lenticule addition keratoplasty(SLAK)with corneal crosslinking(CXL)on patients with corneal ectasia secondary to femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis(FS-LASIK).●METHODS:A series of 5 patients undertaking SLAK with CXL for the treatment of corneal ectasia secondary to FS-LASIK were followed for 4-9mo.The lenticules were collected from patients undertaking small incision lenticule extraction(SMILE)for the correction of myopia.Adding a stromal lenticule was aimed at improving the corneal thickness for the safe application of crosslinking and compensating for the thin cornea to improve its mechanical strength.●RESULTS:All surgeries were conducted successfully with no significant complications.Their best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)ranged from 0.05 to 0.8-2 before surgery.The pre-operational total corneal thickness ranged from 345-404μm and maximum keratometry(Kmax)ranged from 50.8 to 86.3.After the combination surgery,both the corneal keratometry(range 55.9 to 92.8)and total corneal thickness(range 413-482μm)significantly increased.Four out of 5 patients had improvement of corneal biomechanical parameters(reflected by stiffness parameter A1 in Corvis ST).However,3 patients showed decreased BCVA after surgery due to the development of irregular astigmatism and transient haze.Despite the onset of corneal edema right after SLAK,the corneal topography and thickness generally stabilized after 3mo.●CONCLUSION:SLAK with CXL is a potentially beneficial and safe therapy for advanced corneal ectasia.Future work needs to address the poor predictability of corneal refractometry and compare the outcomes of different surgical modes.

Carcinoma-associated fibroblast-derived lysyl oxidase-rich extracellular vesicles mediate collagen crosslinking and promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition via p-FAK/ p-paxillin/YAP signaling

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts(CAFs)are the main cellular components of the tumor microenvironment and promote cancer progression by modifying the extracellular matrix(ECM).The tumor-associated ECM is characterized by collagen crosslinking catalyzed by lysyl oxidase(LOX).Small extracellular vesicles(sEVs)mediate cell-cell communication.However,the interactions between sEVs and the ECM remain unclear.Here,we demonstrated that sEVs released from oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)-derived CAFs induce collagen crosslinking,thereby promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT).CAF sEVs preferably bound to the ECM rather than being taken up by fibroblasts and induced collagen crosslinking,and a LOX inhibitor or blocking antibody suppressed this effect.Active LOX(αLOX),but not the LOX precursor,was enriched in CAF sEVs and interacted with periostin,fibronectin,and bone morphogenetic protein-1 on the surface of sEVs.CAF sEV-associated integrinα2β1 mediated the binding of CAF sEVs to collagen I,and blocking integrinα2β1 inhibited collagen crosslinking by interfering with CAF sEV binding to collagen I.CAF sEV-induced collagen crosslinking promoted the EMT of OSCC through FAK/paxillin/YAP pathway.Taken together,these findings reveal a novel role of CAF sEVs in tumor ECM remodeling,suggesting a critical mechanism for CAF-induced EMT of cancer cells.

Evaluation of different crosslinking methods in altering the properties of extrusion-printed chitosan-basedmulti-material hydrogel composites

Three-dimensional printing technologies exhibit tremendous potential in the advancing fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine due to the precise spatial control over depositing the biomaterial.Despite their widespread utilization and numerous advantages,the development of suitable novel biomaterials for extrusion-based 3D printing of scaffolds that support cell attachment,proliferation,and vascularization remains a challenge.Multi-material composite hydrogels present incredible potential in this field.Thus,in this work,a multi-material composite hydrogel with a promising formulation of chitosan/gelatin functionalized with egg white was developed,which provides good printability and shape fidelity.In addition,a series of comparative analyses of different crosslinking agents and processes based on tripolyphosphate(TPP),genipin(GP),and glutaraldehyde(GTA)were investigated and compared to select the ideal crosslinking strategy to enhance the physicochemical and biological properties of the fabricated scaffolds.All of the results indicate that the composite hydrogel and the resulting scaffolds utilizing TPP crosslinking have great potential in tissue engineering,especially for supporting neo-vessel growth into the scaffold and promoting angiogenesis within engineered tissues.

Crosslinking Mechanism of Soy Protein-based Adhesives based on Glyoxal and a Compound of Protein Model

The crosslinking mechanism of glyoxal and asparagine was analyzed,and the relationship between the mechanism and practical performances of soy protein-based adhesives was also discussed.It is shown that when pH=1 and 3,glyoxal reacted with asparagine in the form of major cyclic ether compounds.When pH=5,glyoxal reacted with asparagine in two structural forms of sodium glycollate and cyclic ether compounds.However,amidogens of asparagine were easy to develop protonation under acid conditions.Supplemented by the instability of cyclic ether compounds,the reaction activity and reaction degree between glyoxal and asparagine were relatively small.Under alkaline conditions,glyoxal mainly reacted with asparagine in the form of sodium glycollate.With the increase of pH,the polycondensation was more sufficient and the produced polycondensation products were more stable.The reaction mechanism between glyoxal and asparagine had strong correspondence to the practical performances of the adhesives.Glyoxal solution could develop crosslinking reactions with soy protein under both acid and alkaline conditions.Bonding strength and water resistance of the prepared soy protein-based adhesives were increased significantly.When pH>7,glyoxal had relatively high reaction activity and reaction intensity with soy protein,and the prepared adhesives had high crosslinking density and cohesion strength,showing relatively high bonding strength,water resistance and thermal stability.

Novel polyimide binder for achieving high-rate capability and long-term cycling stability of LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) cathode via constructing polar and micro-branched crosslinking network structure

LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2)(NCM811)material,as the promising cathode candidate for next-generation highenergy lithium-ion batteries,has gained considerable attention for extremely high theoretical capacity and low cost.Nevertheless,the intrinsic drawbacks of NCM811 such as unstable structure and inevitable interface side reaction result in severe capacity decay and thermal runaway.Herein,a novel polyimide(denoted as PI-Om DT)constructed with the highly polar and micro-branched crosslinking network is reported as a binder material for NCM811 cathode.The micro-branched crosslinking network is achieved by using 1,3,5-Tris(4-aminophenoxy)benzene(TAPOB)as a crosslinker via condensation reaction,which endows excellent mechanical properties and large free volume.Meanwhile,the massive polar carboxyl(-COOH)groups provide strong adhesion sites to active NCM811 particles.These functions of PIOm DT binder collaboratively benefit to forming the mechanically robust and homogeneous coating layer with rapid Li+diffusion on the surface of NCM811,significantly stabilizing the cathode structure,suppressing the detrimental interface side reaction and guaranteeing the shorter ion-diffusion and electron-transfer paths,consequently enhancing electrochemical performance.As compared to the NCM811 with PVDF binder,the NCM811 using PI-Om DT binder delivers a superior high-rate capacity(121.07 vs.145.38 m Ah g^(-1))at 5 C rate and maintains a higher capacity retention(80.38%vs.91.6%)after100 cycles at 2.5–4.3 V.Particularly,at the high-voltage conditions up to 4.5 and 4.7 V,the NCM811 with PI-Om DT binder still maintains the remarkable capacity retention of 88.86%and 72.5%after 100 cycles,respectively,paving the way for addressing the high-voltage operating stability of the NCM811 cathode.Moreover,the full-charged NCM811 cathode with PI-Om DT binder exhibits a significantly enhanced thermal stability,improving the safety performance of batteries.This work opens a new avenue for developing high-energy NCM811 based lithium-ion batteries with long cycle-life and superior safety performance using a novel and effective binder.

Reservoir quality evaluation of the Narimba Formation in Bass Basin,Australia:Implications from petrophysical analysis,sedimentological features,capillary pressure and wetting fluid saturation

The evaluation of reservoir quality was accomplished on the Late Paleocene to Early Eocene Narimba Formation in Bass Basin,Australia.This study involved combination methods such as petrophysical analysis,petrography and sedimentological studies,reservoir quality and fluid flow units from derivative parameters,and capillary pressure and wetting fluid saturation relationship.Textural and diagenetic features are affecting the reservoir quality.Cementation,compaction,and presence of clay minerals such as kaolinite are found to reduce the quality while dissolution and secondary porosity are noticed to improve it.It is believed that the Narimba Formation is a potential reservoir with a wide range of porosity and permeability.Porosity ranges from 3.1%to 25.4%with a mean of 15.84%,while permeability ranges between 0.01 mD and 510 mD,with a mean of 31.05 mD.Based on the heterogenous lithology,the formation has been categorized into five groups based on permeability variations.Group I showed an excellent to good quality reservoir with coarse grains.The impacts of both textural and diagenetic features improve the reservoir and producing higher reservoir quality index(RQI)and flow zone indicators(FZI)as well as mostly mega pores.The non-wetting fluid migration has the higher possibility to flow in the formation while displacement pressure recorded as zero.Group II showed a fair quality reservoir with lower petrophysical properties in macro pores.The irreducible water saturation is increasing while the textural and digenetic properties are still enhancing the reservoir quality.Group III reflects lower quality reservoir with mostly macro pores and higher displacement pressure.It may indicate smaller grain size and increasing amount of cement and clay minerals.Group IV,and V are interpreted as a poor-quality reservoir that has lower RQI and FZI.The textural and digenetic features are negatively affecting the reservoir and are leading to smaller pore size and pore throat radii(r35)values to be within the range of macro,meso-,micro-,and nano pores.The capillary displacement pressure curves of the three groups show increases reaching the maximum value of 400 psia in group V.Agreement with the classification of permeability,r35 values,and pore type can be used in identifying the quality of reservoir.

Exploring Capillary Fringe Flow:Quasilinear Modeling with Kirchhoff Transforms and Gardner Model

Recent studies have underscored the significance of the capillary fringe in hydrological and biochemical processes.Moreover,its role in shallow waters is expected to be considerable.Traditionally,the study of groundwater flow has centered on unsaturated-saturated zones,often overlooking the impact of the capillary fringe.In this study,we introduce a steady-state two-dimensional model that integrates the capillary fringe into a 2-D numerical solution.Our novel approach employs the potential form of the Richards equation,facilitating the determination of boundaries,pressures,and velocities across different ground surface zones.We utilized a two-dimensional Freefem++finite element model to compute the stationary solution.The validation of the model was conducted using experimental data.We employed the OFAT(One_Factor-At-Time)method to identify the most sensitive soil parameters and understand how changes in these parameters may affect the behavior and water dynamics of the capillary fringe.The results emphasize the role of hydraulic conductivity as a key parameter influencing capillary fringe shape and dynamics.Velocity values within the capillary fringe suggest the prevalence of horizontal flow.By variation of the water table level and the incoming flow q0,we have shown the correlation between water table elevation and the upper limit of the capillary fringe.

A new interacting capillary bundle model on the multiphase flow in micropores of tight rocks

Surfactants are widely used in the fracturing fluid to enhance the imbibition and thus the oil recovery rate. However, current numerical models cannot capture the physics behind capillary imbibition during the wettability alteration by surfactants. Although the interacting capillary bundle(ICB) model shows potential in characterizing imbibition rates in different pores during wettability alteration, the existing ICB models neglect the influence of wettability and viscosity ratio on the imbibition behavior, making it difficult to accurately describe the oil-water imbibition behavior within the porous media. In this work,a new ICB mathematical model is established by introducing pressure balance without assuming the position of the leading front to comprehensively describe the imbibition behavior in a porous medium under different conditions, including gas-liquid spontaneous imbibition and oil-water imbibition.When the pore size distribution of a tight rock is known, this new model can predict the changes of water saturation during the displacement process in the tight rock, and also determine the imbibition rate in pores of different sizes. The water saturation profiles obtained from the new model are validated against the waterflooding simulation results from the CMG, while the imbibition rates calculated by the model are validated against the experimental observations of gas-liquid spontaneous imbibition. The good match above indicates the newly proposed model can show the water saturation profile at a macroscopic scale while capture the underlying physics of the multiphase flow in a porous medium at a microscopic scale. Simulation results obtained from this model indicate that both wettability and viscosity ratio can affect the sequence of fluid imbibition into pores of different sizes during the multiphase flow, where less-viscous wetting fluid is preferentially imbibed into larger pores while more-viscous wetting fluid tends to be imbibed into smaller pores. Furthermore, this model provides an avenue to calculate the imbibition rate in pores of different sizes during wettability alteration and capture the non-Darcy effect in micro-and nano-scale pores.

Capillary Property of Entangled Porous Metallic Wire materials and Its Application in Fluid Buffers:Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Study

Strong impact does serious harm to the military industries so it is necessary to choose reasonable cushioning material and design effective buffers to prevent the impact of equipment.Based on the capillary property entangled porous metallic wire materials(EPMWM),this paper designed a composite buffer which uses EPMWM and viscous fluid as cushioning materials under the low-speed impact of the recoil force device of weapon equipment(such as artillery,mortar,etc.).Combined with the capillary model,porosity,hydraulic diameter,maximum pore diameter and pore distribution were used to characterize the pore structure characteristics of EPMWM.The calculation model of the damping force of the composite buffer was established.The low-speed impact test of the composite buffer was conducted.The parameters of the buffer under low-speed impact were identified according to the model,and the nonlinear model of damping force was obtained.The test results show that the composite buffer with EPMWM and viscous fluid can absorb the impact energy from the recoil movement effectively,and provide a new method for the buffer design of weapon equipment(such as artillery,mortar,etc.).

Comparative Quantitative Analysis of Retinal Superficial Capillary Plexus in Patients with Retinal Vein Occlusion and Unaffected Fellow Eyes

Purpose: To evaluate optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) data obtained from the superficial retinal capillary plexus of patients with retinal vein occlusion and comparative analysis with data registered from unaffected fellow eyes. Methods: The examined patients were classified into 2 groups: group 1—eyes with established retinal vein occlusion (n = 29) and group 2—unaffected fellow eyes of patients with retinal vein occlusion (n = 24). The scanning protocol “Angiography 3 × 3 mm” of Zeiss Cirrus HD-OCT 6000, AngioPlex Metrix was used to evaluate the retinal superficial capillary plexus. The analyzed parameters were vascular density and perfusion density, as well as the area, perimeter, and circularity of the foveolar avascular zone (FAZ). Results: The comparative analysis of FAZ parameters at the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) between group 1 (eyes with retinal vein occlusion) and group 2 (unaffected fellow eyes) showed significant results for the three parameters, respectively area (p = 0.003), perimeter (p ≤ 0.001), and circularity (p = 0.011) of FAZ. The comparative analysis of the vascular network at SCP in patients with diagnosed retinal vein occlusion and unaffected fellow eyes showed significant results for vascular density (VD) in the central (p = 0.038) and inner (p ≤ 0.001) zones as well as total VD (p ≤ 0.001) were statistically significant. Moreover, the results obtained in the study of vascular perfusion (VP) indicated significant results in the inner zone (p ≤ 0.001) and total VP (p = 0.001). Vascular perfusion in the central zone (p = 0.116) was the only parameter not to meet significant results. Conclusion: The current study observed a significant enlargement of the FAZ and loss of its circularity, along with a reduction in vascular network parameters at the superficial retinal capillary plexus level.

Microvascular structural changes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma pathology according to intrapapillary capillary loop types under magnifying endoscopy

BACKGROUND The intrapapillary capillary loop(IPCL)characteristics,visualized using magnifying endoscopy,are commonly assessed for preoperative evaluation of the infiltration depth of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Japan Esophageal Society(JES)classification is the most widely used classification.Microvascular structural changes are evaluated by magnifying endoscopy for the presence or absence of each morphological factor:tortuosity,dilatation,irregular caliber,and different shapes.However,the pathological characteristics of IPCLs have not been thoroughly investigated,especially the microvascular structures corresponding to the deepest parts of the lesions'infiltration.AIM To investigate differences in pathological microvascular structures of ESCC,which correspond to the deepest parts of the lesions'infiltration.METHODS Patients with ESCC and precancerous lesions diagnosed at Peking University Third Hospital were enrolled between January 2019 and April 2023.Patients first underwent magnified endoscopic examination,followed by endoscopic submucosal dissection or surgical treatment.Pathological images were scanned using a threedimensional slice scanner,and the pathological structural differences in different types,according to the JES classification,were analyzed using nonparametric tests and t-tests.RESULTS The 35 lesions were divided into four groups according to the JES classification:A,B1,B2,and B3.Statistical analyses revealed significant differences(aP<0.05)in the short and long calibers,area,location,and density between types A and B.Notably,there were no significant differences in these parameters between types B1 and B2 and between types B2 and B3(P>0.05).However,significant differences in the short calibers,long calibers,and area of IPCL were observed between types B1 and B3(aP<0.05);no significant differences were found in the density or location(P>0.05).CONCLUSION Pathological structures of IPCLs in the deepest infiltrating regions differ among various IPCL types classified by the JES classification under magnifying endoscopy,especially between the types A and B.

Capillary Zone Electrophoretic Separation of Proteins in Polymer Coated Capillaries

Fused-silica capillaries used in capillary zone electrophoresis were statically coated with γ- glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane and epoxy polymer in order to suppress wall adsorption in the separation of proteins. It has been shown that a significant decrease in adsorption was obtained and eletroosmotic flow was the diminished in the pH range 3-5. However with higher pH values, appreciable peak deformation and decreases in the resolving power were observed. Under pH 5, the epoxy polymer coating was shown to be quite stable and exhibited reproducible separations from run-to-run and day-to-day over a period of time.

Metal cation crosslinking of Ti O_2-alginate hybrid gels

In order to improve the substrate diffusion properties and stability of an immobilized enzyme alginate microgels modified with TiO2 nanoparticles were employed as the enzyme immobilizing support.Ionotropic gelation was applied for the preparation of hybrid gels while Ca2＋ Ce3＋ Ni2＋Cu2＋and Fe3＋were employed as the crosslinkers.Papain was selected as the model enzyme. UV-Vis spectroscopy was employed to investigate the activity of papain to evaluate kinetics and stability.Analysis results show that the highest affinity the lowest Michaelis-Menten constant Km =11.0 mg/mL and the highest stability are obtained when using Cu2＋as the crosslinker.The effect of the mass ratio of TiO2 to papain on the stability and leakage of papain is also investigated and the results show that 10∶1 TiO2∶papain is optimal because the proper use of TiO2 can reduce enzyme leakage and ensure enzyme stability.Preparing Cu/alginate/TiO2 hybrid gels via ionotropic gelation can provide a satisfactory diffusion capability and enzyme stability.

Study on Tribological Properties of Irradiated Crosslinking UHMWPE Nano-Composite

Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene(UHMWPE)has been widely used as a bearing material for artificial joint replacement over forty years.It is usually crosslinked by gamma rays irradiation before its implantation into human body.In this study,UHMWPE and UHMWPE/nano-hydroxyapatite(n-HA)composite were prepared by vacuum hot-pressing method.The prepared materials were irradiated by gamma rays in vacuum and molten heat treated in vacuum just after irradiation.The effect of filling n-HA with gamma irradiation on tribological properties of UHMWPE was investigated by using friction and wear experimental machine(model MM-200)under deionized water lubrication.Micro-morphology of worn surface was observed by metallographic microscope.Contact angle and hardness of the materials were also measured.The results show that contact angle and hardness are changed by filling n-HA and gamma irradiation.Friction coefficient and wear rate under deionized water lubrication are reduced by filling n-HA.While friction coefficient is increased and wear rate is reduced significantly by gamma irradiation.The worn surface of unfilled material is mainly characterized as adhesive wear and abrasive wear,and that of n-HA filled material is mainly characterized as abrasive wear.After gamma irradiation,the degrees of adhesive and abrasive wear for unfilled material and abrasive wear of n-HA filled material are significantly reduced.Unfilled and filled materials after irradiation are mainly shown as slight fatigue wear.The results indicate that UHMWPE and UHMWPE/n-HA irradiated at the dose of 150 kGy can be used as bearing materials in artificial joints for its excellent wear resistance compared to original UHMWPE.

Procyanidins Inhibit Tumor Angiogenesis by Crosslinking Extracellular Matrix

Objective： Procyanidins （PC） are widely available natural polyphenols. The present study is designed to investigate if PC can inhibit angiogenesis in lung adenocarcinoma xenografts through crosslinking vascular extracellular matrix （ECM） and preventing proteolysis by matrix metalloproteinases （MMPs）. Methods： Using the in vitro MMP-2 proteolysis and in vivo subcutaneous implantation models, we investigated if PC crosslinking inhibits MMP-mediated proteolysis. Using a cultured cell detachment assay, an in vitro angiogenesis assay, and a cell proliferation assay, we investigated if PC inhibits MMP-2-mediated endothelial cell detachment, angiogenesis, and cell proliferation, respectively. Using tumor xenografts, we evaluated if PC can inhibit growth of lung adenocarcinoma. Results： PC crosslink vascular ECM proteins, protecting them against proteolysis by MMPs in vitro and in vivo, protecting cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells from detachment by MMP-2, and inhibiting in vitro angiogenesis. However, PC （0.75-100 μg/mL） did not inhibit vascular and tumor cells proliferation. PC injections （30 mg PC/kg bodyweight） in situ had anticancer effects on xenografts of lung adenocarcinoma, most likely by inhibiting angiogenesis during ECM proteolysis by MMPs. Conclusion： The results suggest that PC may be important MMP inhibitors that can be used as therapeutic anticancer agents.

Corneal collagen crosslinking for corneal ectasia of post-LASIK: one-year results

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of corneal collagen crosslinking (01) to prevent the progression of post-laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) corneal ectasia. METHODS: In a prospective, nonrandomized, single-centre study, CXL was performed in 20 eyes of 11 patients who had LASIK for myopic astigmatism and subsequently developed keratectasia. The procedure included instillation of 0.1% riboflavin-20% dextrane solution 30 minutes before UVA irradiation and every 5 minutes for an additional 30 minutes during irradiation. The eyes were evaluated preoperatively and at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month intervals. The complete ophthalmologic examination comprised uncorrected visual acuity, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, endothelial cell count, ultrasound pachymetry, corneal topography, and in vivo confocal microscopy. RESULTS: CXL appeared to stabilise or partially reverse the progression of post-LASIK corneal ectasia without apparent complication in our cohort. UCVA and BCVA improvements were statistically significant (P<0.05)beyond 12 months after surgery (improvement of 0.07 and 0.13 logMAR at 1 year, respectively). Mean baseline flattest meridian keratometry and mean steepest meridian keratometry reduction (improvement of 2.00 and 1.50 diopters (D), respectively) were statistically significant (P < 0.05) at 12 months postoperatively. At 1 year after 01, mean endothelial cell count did not deteriorate. Mean thinnest cornea pachymetry increased significantly. CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed a long-term stability of post-LASIK corneal ectasia after crosslinking without relevant side effects. It seems to be a safe and promising procedure to stop the progression of post-LASIK keratectasia, thereby avoiding or delaying keratoplasty.

COORDINATION CROSSLINKING OF NITRILE RUBBER FILLED WITH COPPER SULFATE PARTICLES

By incorporating copper sulfate （CuSO4） particles into acrylonitrile butadiene rubber （NBR） followed by heat pressing, a novel vulcanization method is developed in rubber through the formation of coordination crosslinking. This method totally differs from traditional covalent or non-covalent vulcanization approaches of rubber. No other vulcanizing agent or additional additive is involved in this process. By analyzing the results of DMA, XPS and FT-IR, it is found that the crosslinking of CuSO4 particles filled NBR was induced by in situ coordination between nitrogen atoms of nitrile groups （-CN） and copper ions （Cu^2＋） from CuSO4. SEM and EDX results revealed the generation of a core （CuSO4 solid particle）- shell （adherent NBR） structure, which leads to a result that the crosslinked rubber has excellent mechanical properties. Moreover, poly（vinyl chloride） （PVC） and liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber （LNBR） were used as mobilizer to improve the coordination crosslinking of CuSO4/NBR. The addition of PVC or LNBR could lead to higher crosslink density and better mechanical properties of coordination vulcanization. In addition, crystal water in CuSO4 played a positive role to coordination crosslinking of rubber because it decreased the metal point of CuSO4 and promoted the metal ionization.

CHARACTERIZATION OF RADIATION CROSSLINKING DENSITY OF F-40

In this paper, radiation-induced crosslinking mechanism and characterization of the crosslinking density of F-40 and F-4 by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） have been studied. The dose of gelation of F-40 obtained from XPS is 4.1×10;Gy. It is found that crosslinking density is the largest in the range of certain dose for F-40 and F-4.

Evaluation of the in vitro antimicrobial properties of ultraviolet A/riboflavin mediated crosslinking on Candida albicans and Fusarium solani

AIMTo evaluate the antimicrobial properties of ultraviolet A (UVA) (365 nm)/riboflavin against Candida albicans and Fusarium solani.