Insight into the preformed albumin corona on in vitro and in vivo performances of albumin-selective nanoparticles

Preformed albumin corona of albumin-nonselective nanoparticles(NPs)is widely exploited to inhibit the unavoidable protein adsorption upon intravenous administration.However,very few studies have concerned the preformed albumin corona of albumin-selective NPs.Herein,we report a novel type of albumin-selective NPs by decorating 6-maleimidocaproyl polyethylene glycol stearate(SA)onto PLGA NPs(SP NPs)surface,taking albuminnonselective PLGA NPs as control.PLGA NPs and SP NPs were prepared by emulsion-solvent evaporation method and the resultant NPs were in spherical shape with an average diameter around 180 nm.The corresponding albumin-coating PLGA NPs(PLGA@BSA NPs)and albumin-coating SP NPs(SP@BSA NPs)were formulated by incubating SP NPs or PLGA NPs with bovine serum albumin solution,respectively.The impact of albumin corona on particle characteristics,stability,photothermal effect,cytotoxicity,cell uptake,spheroid penetration and pharmacokinetics was investigated.In line with previous findings of preformed albumin coating,PLGA@BSA NPs exhibited higher stability,cytotoxicity,cell internalization and spheroid penetration performances in vitro,and longer blood circulation time in vivo than those of albumin-nonselective PLGA NPs,but albumin-selective SP NPs is capable of achieving a comparable in vitro and in vivo performances with both SP@BSA NPs and PLGA@BSA NPs.Our results demonstrate that SA decorated albumin-selective NPs pave a versatile avenue for optimizing nanoparticulate delivery without preformed albumin corona.

Spinel Castables for Steel Ladle Lining:In-Situ Versus Preformed

The paper discusses the difference in the formulation concepts of alumina - spinel （spinel containing ） and alumina - magnesia （ spin, el forming） castables and the influence on their physical properties. The individual property profile is discussed with respect to the requirements of refactory lining materials for the different zones of a steel ladle.

Model of Preformed Hole-Pairs in c-Axis Transport in Cuprate Superconductors

Model of hole-pairs in electrical transport along ab plane in cuprate superconductors has already been proposed. It has been found to be in the shape of 3dx2–y2 orbital of an electron in an atom. This time, model of hole-pairs in transport along c-axis in cuprate superconductors is proposed. In ab-plane, hole-pairs are formed along CuO2 plane;one hole-pair covering 9 - 10 two dimensional CuO2 unit cells in 3dx2–y2 configuration. In the investigation of c-axis hole-pairs, cuprate superconductors have been sub-divided into three categories depending on the number of CuO2 planes/formula unit. There is a little different treatment for finding out the order parameter in each category. Coherence lengths along ab-planes are of the order of a few tens of Angstroms, whereas along c-axis, they are less than even their a-, b-lattice constants. In cuprates with 2 or 3 CuO2 planes, the order parameter is of 3dz2–x2 type in zx-plane with lobes along both the axes much constrained. For cuprates with a single CuO2 layer, the order parameter is of 3dx2–y2 type, but its dimensions are less than a-, b-lattice constants.

Degradable preformed particle gel as temporary plugging agent for low-temperature unconventional petroleum reservoirs:Effect of molecular weight of the cross-linking agent

The development of unconventional petroleum resources has gradually become an important succession for increasing oil production.However,the related engineers and researchers are paying more and more attention to the application of temporary plugging agents(TPAs)for their efficient development.TPAs can expand the stimulated reservoir volume(SRV)and facilitate the flow of oil and gas to the bottom of the well.Particle-gels used as temporary plugging agents have the characteristics of the simple injection process,good deformation,high plugging strength,and complete self-degradation performance,which have been widely applied in recent years.In this paper,five samples of DPPG polymerized by different molecular weights of cross-linking agents were prepared.In addition,infrared spectroscopy analysis,differential calorimetry scanning(DSC)analysis,static particle gel swelling and degradation performance evaluation experiments,and dynamic temporary plugging performance experiments in cores were conducted at 34°C.Results show that as the molecular weight of the cross-linking agent(at 0.01 g)in the DPPG molecule decreased from 1,000 to 200 Da,the fewer cross-linking sites of DPPG,the looser the microscopic three-dimensional mesh structure formed.The swelling ratio increased from 7 to 33 times.However,the complete degradation time increased from 40 to 210 min.Moreover,the DSC results confirmed that the higher the molecular weight of the cross-linking agent,the worse is chemical stability and the more prone it to self-degradation.DPPG samples had good temporary plugging performance in reservoir cores.DPPGs prepared by the cross-linking agent with smaller molecular weight has a stronger swelling ratio,higher gel strength,and greater plugging strength in the core permeabilities.Moreover,the degraded DPPG is less damaging to the cores.However,their slower degradation rates take a slightly longer times to reach complete degradation.The results of this paper can provide new ideas and a theoretical basis for the development of particle gel-type temporary plugging agents(TPA)with controllable degradation time in low-temperature reservoirs.It can help to expand the application range of existing DPPG reservoir conditions.

Reactivity of Human Preformed Natural Antibodies with Various Porcine Pancreatic Cells

The reactivity of human preformed natural antibodies (PNAbs) with various porcine pancreatic cells and its isotypes was investigated. Eighteen serum samples from patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 20 serum samples from healthy human subjects were collected. The frozen sections of the pig pancreas were incubated with these sera, and subsequently incubated with FITC conjugated goat antihuman IgG and IgM monoclonal antibodies. The reactivity of human PNAbs with various porcine pancreatic cells was determined by indirect immunofluorescence staining technique. The results showed that 55.6 % of IDDM patients and 55.0 % of healthy human individuals contained PNAbs against porcine endocrine cells. However, the percentage of strongly reacting sera in the patient group was significantly increased as compared with that in the control group. All used sera from IDDM patients and 95 % of sera from healthy controls could react to one or more of the various pancreatic cell types, including: endocrine cells, exocrine cells, vascular endothelial cells, ductal epithelial cells and macrophages. The isotypes of PNAbs contained both IgG and IgM. In view of strongly positive reactivity of PNAbs with various porcine pancreatic cells, pretransplantly cross matching test and graft pretreatment may be necessary for survival of islet transplants.

Model of Preformed Hole-Pairs in Cuprate Superconductors

A model of preformed hole-pairs in cuprate superconductors has been proposed based on some experimental results i.e., 1) electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of quenched superconductors which show very frequently the fragment (CuO)4 broken off from the CuO2 layer in the structure, 2) 41 meV peak observed in neutron diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of superconductors, 3) Heisenberg exchange interaction leading to ferromagnetism observed in CuO which is an essential ingredient of all superconductors and some generally accepted conclusions i.e., a) that the order parameter in superconductors has dx2–y2 symmetr and b) coherence length is of the order of 15 - 20 Angstrom. Heisenberg exchange interaction between two (CuO4) plaquettes each containing a lattice hole binds the two holes which are the charge carriers in the cuprate superconductors. It is not very clear whether the hole-pair is in the triplet or singlet state, but the triplet state is supported by the experimental observation of ferromagnetism in the parent material CuO. The proposed hole-pair singlet is different from Zhang-Rice singlet.

Tailor and Control of Acidic Strength in Ordered Mesoporous Aluminosilicates by Using Preformed Zeolite Precursors

The acidic strength of ordered mesoporous aluminosilicates of MAS-2, MAS-3, MAS-7 and MAS-9 and mi-croporous crystals of Y, L, beta, and ZSM-5 zeolites was systemically investigated by temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH3-TPD). Due to the use of preformed zeolite precursors of Y, L, beta and ZSM-5, the ordered mesoporous aluminosilicates with distinguished acidic strength were obtained, being dependent on the type of preformed zeolite precursors. Therefore, the acidic strength of these mesoporous aluminosilicates could be tai-lored and controlled.

Modeling human hypertrophic scars with 3D preformed cellular aggregates bioprinting

The therapeutic interventions of human hypertrophic scars(HHS)remain puzzle largely due to the lack of accepted models.Current HHS models are limited by their inability to mimic native scar architecture and associated pathological microenvironments.Here,we create a 3D functional HHS model by preformed cellular aggregates(PCA)bioprinting,firstly developing bioink from scar decellularized extracellular matrix(ECM)and alginate-gelatin(Alg-Gel)hydrogel with suitable physical properties to mimic the microenvironmental factors,then pre-culturing patient-derived fibroblasts in this bioink to preform the topographic cellular aggregates for sequent printing.We confirm the cell aggregates preformed in bioink displayed well defined aligned structure and formed functional scar tissue self-organization after bioprinting,hence showing the potential of creating HHS models.Notably,these HHS models exhibit characteristics of early-stage HHS in gene and protein expression,which significantly activated signaling pathway related to inflammation and cell proliferation,and recapitulate in vivo tissue dynamics of scar forming.We also use the in vitro and in vivo models to define the clinically observed effects to treatment with concurrent anti-scarring drugs,and the data show that it can be used to evaluate the potential therapeutic target for drug testing.The ideal humanized scar models we present should prove useful for studying critical mechanisms underlying HHS and to rapidly test new drug targets and develop patient-specific optimal therapeutic strategies in the future.

Migration characteristics and profile control capabilities of preformed particle gel in porous media

Inspired by the viscoelastic displacement theory,a product called preformed particle gel(PPG)is developed as conformance control agent to enhance oil recovery and control excess water production.The migration law of PPG suspension in porous media is related to its deep profile control and displacement capability.Laboratory experiments indicate that PPG suspension has good viscosity increasing,and the apparent viscosity decreases with the increase of shear rate.PPG suspension is mainly elastic,and its network structure makes it have certain shear stability.PPG particles realize migration in porous media in the way of“accumulation and blockage/pressure increase/deformation and migration”.When the ratio of the PPG particle size to the pore throat diameter d ranges from 35.52 to 53.38,the particles can match through the porous medium.When the permeability difference of the parallel model is 5,PPG suspension has the highest profile improvement rate,69.10%.PPG suspension can adjust the planar heterogeneity,and increase the oil recovery rate by 20.75%.The PPG suspension can effectively start“cluster"、“film”and“blind end residual oil”,and has a high oil washing efficiency.The core NMR T2 spectrum shows that PPG suspension mainly reduces oil saturation in mesopores and macropores.After PPG flooding,the EOR capacity of small pores is the highest,39.11%.

Fluxless bonding with silver nanowires aerogel in die-attached interconnection

The electronic product has gravitated towards component miniaturization and integration, employment of lead-free materials, and low-temperature soldering processes. Noble-metal aerogels have drawn increasing attention for high conduction and low density. However,the noble metal aerogels with outstanding solderability were rarely studied. This work has successfully synthesized an aerogel derived from silver nanowires(AgNWs) using a liquid phase reduction method. It is found that the noble metal aerogels can be made into diverse aerogel preformed soldering sheets. The influence of bonding temperature(150-300 ℃), time(2-20 min), and pressure(5-20 MPa) on the joint strength of the AgNWs aerogel affixed to electroless nickel/silver copper plates were investigated. Additionally, the AgNWs aerogel displays almost the same shear strength for substrates of various sizes. In a word, this study presents a flux-free, high-strength, and adaptable soldering structural material.

An Overview of 3D Thin Shell Textile Preforms

The automobiles, aircraft, and lightweight industries continuously demand thin near-net-shape preforms just out-of-machine as close to the final shape. This study addresses the possibilities of 3D thin shell textile preform as the solution of lightweight reinforcement in various applications. Investigation into the development of 3D thin shells has led to different manufacturing processes. However, 3D thin shell preforms are mostly made by weaving and knitting, but nonwoven, winding, and/or layup techniques have been reported for over a decade. Owing to the complex thin shell manufacturing processes, they are not similar to the conventional methods. The different 3D thin shell preforms can extend the opportunities for new applications in various technical fields. This study presents existing research gaps and a few potential issues to be solved regarding 3D thin shell preforms in the near future.

An Overview of 3D Thin Shell Textile Preforms

The automobiles, aircraft, and lightweight industries continuously demand thin near-net-shape preforms just out-of-machine as close to the final shape. This study addresses the possibilities of 3D thin shell textile preform as the solution of lightweight reinforcement in various applications. Investigation into the development of 3D thin shells has led to different manufacturing processes. However, 3D thin shell preforms are mostly made by weaving and knitting, but nonwoven, winding, and/or layup techniques have been reported for over a decade. Owing to the complex thin shell manufacturing processes, they are not similar to the conventional methods. The different 3D thin shell preforms can extend the opportunities for new applications in various technical fields. This study presents existing research gaps and a few potential issues to be solved regarding 3D thin shell preforms in the near future.

Dehydration Mechanism of Secondary Cross-linked Gels

In this paper, microscopic characteristics of preformed gels （PGs） and secondary cross-linked gels （SCG） with the same concentration were analyzed by atomic force microscopy （AFM）. Experimental results indicate that the microstructure of secondary cross-linked gels is a thick 3-D network, in which micro-holes and irregular macro-holes are embedded. The maximum width of the irregular macro-holes is 200 nm. In the SCG two different chemical bonds were formed, which leads to the structural inhomogeneity and the asymmetry of the crosslinking density. The structural inhomogeneity of SCG results in the formation of irregular macro-holes. The excessive cross-linking density is the primary reason for dehydration of SCG and the presence of irregular macro-holes in SCG can facilitate dehydration.

Sensitivity Analysis Based Multiple Objective Preform Die Shape Optimal Design in Metal Forging

The multiple objective preform design optimization was put forward. The final forging＇s shape and deformation uniformity were considered in the multiple objective. The objective is to optimize the shape and the deformation uniformity of the final forging at the same time so that a more high integrate quality of the final forging can be obtained. The total objective was assembled by the shape and uniformity objective using the weight adding method. The preform die shape is presented by cubic B-spline curves. The control points of B-spline curves are used as the design variables. The forms of the total objective function, shape and uniformity sub-objective function are given. The sensitivities of the total objective function and the sub-objective functions with respect to the design variables are developed. Using this method, the preform die shape of an H-shaped forging process is optimally designed. The optimization results are very satisfactory.

Optimal Preform Die Design through Controlling Deformation Uniformity in Metal Forging

A finite element based sensitivity analysis method for preform die shape design in metal forging is developed. The optimization goal is to obtain more uniform deformation within the final forging by controlling the deformation uniformity. The objective function expressed by the effective strain is constructed. The sensitivity equations of the objective function, elemental volume, elemental effective strain rate and the elemental strain rate with respect to the design variables are constituted. The preform die shapes of an H-shaped forging process in axisymmetric deformation are designed using this method.

A Numerical Study of Densification Behavior of Silicon Carbide Matrix Composites in Isothermal Chemical Vapor Infiltration

We studied the characteristics of two-scale pore structure of preform in the deposition process and the mass transfer of reactant gas in dual-scale pores, and observed the physiochemical phenomenon associated with the reaction. Thereby, we established mathematical models on two scales, respectively, preform and reactor. These models were used for the numerical simulation of the process of ceramic matrix composites densified by isothermal chemical vapor infiltration(ICVI). The models were used to carry out a systematic study on the influence of process conditions and the preform structure on the densification behaviors. The most important findings of our study are that the processing time could be reduced by about 50% without compromising the quality of the material, if the processing temperature is 950-1 000 ℃ for the first 70 hours and then raised to 1 100 ℃.

Surface composites fabricated by vacuum infiltration casting technique

Alumina （Al2O3） particles reinforced copper matrix surface composites were fabricated on the bronze substrate using the vacuum infiltration casting technique. Three cases were obtained in the vacuum infiltration casting technique： no infiltration, partial infiltration and full infiltration （the thickness of preforms do not exceed 3.5mm）. The reason of no infiltration is that the vacuum degree is not enough so that the force acting on the liquid metal is lower than the resistance due to the surface tension. Partial infiltration is because of somewhat lower vacuum degree and pouring temperature. Full desired infiltration is on account of suitable infiltration casting conditions, such as vacuum degree, pouring temperature, grain size and preheating temperature of the preform. The most important factor of affecting formation of surface composites is the vacuum degree, then pouring temperature and particle size. The infiltration mechanism was discussed on the bases of different processing conditions. The surface composite up to 3.5 mm in thickness with uniformly distributed Al2O3 particles could be fabricated via the vacuum infiltration casting technique.

Triple-phase interfaces of graphene-like carbon clusters on antimony trisulfide nanowires enable high-loading and long-lasting liquid Li_(2)S_(6)-based lithium-sulfur batteries

High performance of lithium-sulfur batteries have been dragged down by their shuttling behavior which is complicated multiphase transition-based 16-electron redox reactions of the S8/Li2 S.In this article,the triple-phase interfaces of graphene-like carbon clusters on antimony trisulfide(C-Sb_(2)S_(3))nanowires are tailored to design a multifunctional polysulfide host which can inhibit migration of polysulfides and accelerate conversion kinetics of redox electrochemical reactions.Benefiting from the triple-interface design of polysulfides/Sb_(2)S_(3)/carbon clusters,the C-Sb_(2)S_(3) electrode not only anchors polysulfide migration by the synergistic effect of Sb,S,and C atoms as interfacial active sites,but also the graphene-like carbon clusters shorten the diffusion paths to further favor redox electron/ion transport through the liquid(electrolyte/polysulfide)and solid(Li2 S/S8,carbon clusters,and Sb_(2)S_(3))-based triple-phases.Therefore,these Li_(2)S_(6)-based C-Sb_(2)S_(3) cells possess high sulfur loading,excellent cycling stability,impressive specific capacity,and great rate capability.This work of interfacial engineering reveals insight for powering reaction kinetics in the complicated multistep catalysis reaction with multiphase evolution-based chargetransfer/non-transfer processes.

Mechanical Properties of the Cured Laminates on the Hot-press Tackified Preforms in Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding

A hot-press tackified preform was used to improve the uniformity of the laminates thickness and the mechanical properties of the obtained laminates were studied using vacuum assisted resin transfer molding（VARTM）. Two modified preforms were prepared under 0.1 and 0.6 MPa in an autoclave and then were used to fabricate the laminates via VARTM. Permeability and thickness distribution of the laminates were obtained by using a special device. Moreover, the tensile and compressive strengths of the obtained laminates were studied and compared with the unmodified ones. Results show that the tackified laminates present a maximum and minimum thickness under 0.1 and 0.6 MPa, respectively. The thicknesses and in-plane permeability of the tackified laminates, with better thickness uniformity, are significantly decreased compared with that of the unmodified cases, while the tensile and compressive strengths of the tackified laminates are improved obviously. Results show that the mechanical property of the tackified laminates prepared by hotpressing at 0.1 MPa is better than that processed at 0.6 MPa.