A high-throughput microtiter plate based method for the determination of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide.

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Karson S Putt

Full Text Available Peracetic acid is gaining usage in numerous industries who have found a myriad of uses for its antimicrobial activity. However, rapid high throughput quantitation methods for peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide are lacking. Herein, we describe the development of a high-throughput microtiter plate based assay based upon the well known and trusted titration chemical reactions. The adaptation of these titration chemistries to rapid plate based absorbance methods for the sequential determination of hydrogen peroxide specifically and the total amount of peroxides present in solution are described. The results of these methods were compared to those of a standard titration and found to be in good agreement. Additionally, the utility of the developed method is demonstrated through the generation of degradation curves of both peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide in a mixed solution.

Image-based ELISA on an activated polypropylene microtest plate--a spectrophotometer-free low cost assay technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Parween, Shahila; Nahar, Pradip

2013-10-15

In this communication, we report ELISA technique on an activated polypropylene microtest plate (APPµTP) as an illustrative example of a low cost diagnostic assay. Activated test zone in APPµTP binds a capture biomolecule through covalent linkage thereby, eliminating non-specific binding often prevalent in absorption based techniques. Efficacy of APPµTP is demonstrated by detecting human immunoglobulin G (IgG), human immunoglobulin E (IgE) and Aspergillus fumigatus antibody in patient's sera. Detection is done by taking the image of the assay solution by a desktop scanner and analyzing the color of the image. Human IgE quantification by color saturation in the image-based assay shows excellent correlation with absorbance-based assay (Pearson correlation coefficient, r=0.992). Significance of the relationship is seen from its p value which is 4.087e-11. Performance of APPµTP is also checked with respect to microtiter plate and paper-based ELISA. APPµTP can quantify an analyte as precisely as in microtiter plate with insignificant non-specific binding, a necessary prerequisite for ELISA assay. In contrast, paper-ELISA shows high non-specific binding in control sera (false positive). Finally, we have carried out ELISA steps on APPµTP by ultrasound waves on a sonicator bath and the results show that even in 8 min, it can convincingly differentiate a test sample from a control sample. In short, spectrophotometer-free image-based miniaturized ELISA on APPµTP is precise, reliable, rapid, and sensitive and could be a good substitute for conventional immunoassay procedures widely used in clinical and research laboratories. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative determination of heparin levels in serum with microtiter plate-format optode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sung Bae; Kang, Tae Young; Cha, Geun Sig; Nam, Hakhyun

2006-01-01

A new assay method has been developed for the quantitative determination of heparin in serum using a microtiter plate-format optode (MPO). Heparin and proton in physiological sample are favorably co-extracted into the solvent polymeric optode membrane containing both cationic lipophilic additive, tridodecylmethyl ammonium chloride (TDMAC), and proton-selective ionophore, 3-hydroxy-4-(4-nitrophenylazo)-phenyloctadecanoate (ETH 2412), resulting in the absorbance change of the membrane to varying heparin levels. The optimized MPO composition contains low polymer-to-plasticizer ratio compared to those of conventional ion-selective optodes or electrodes, i.e., poly(vinyl chloride) (20.0)/dioctylsebacate (76.3)/ETH 2412 (1.7)/TDMAC (1.0) (wt.%): it resulted in a quantitative response to heparin from 0 to 15 unit/mL in serum with high sensitivity. The heparin-protamine titration on the MPO could provide rapid and precise determination of heparin. It was shown that the heparin levels in serum sample could be determined from the rate of absorbance change over time (ΔA/Δt); this method was more effective than the direct absorbance measurement in minimizing the interferences from color and turbidity of serum samples. MPO has been developed as a high throughput and convenient disposable sensing device, and may find a wide application in the determination of polyions and charged macromolecules

Spectrophotometric determination of various polyanions with polymeric film optodes using microtiter plate reader.

Science.gov (United States)

Dürüst, Nedime; Meyerhoff, Mark E; Unal, Nazangül; Naç, Sibel

2011-08-05

Polycation-sensitive membrane optodes based on the chromoionophore 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein octadecylester (DCFOE) have previously been developed and used for determination of heparin via a titrimetric method. In this study, it is shown that some other important polyanions such as PPS (pentosan polysulfate), DNA, xanthan, Na-alginate, and carrageenan (food additive) can also be readily determined by using DCFOE-based microtiter plate-format optodes (MPOs) and polycationic titrants that bind these polyanionic species. The optical sensors are prepared with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polyurethane (PU), bis(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate (DOS), and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein octadecylester (DCFOE) and exhibit reproducible and sensitive absorbance changes in response to the varying polycationic titrant concentrations. Three different polycations; protamine, poly-l-lysine and poly-l-arginine, are employed as titrants. The method has a detection limit of 1 μg mL(-1), and a dynamic range of 1-40 μg mL(-1). After the quantitative determinations are successfully demonstrated in buffered solutions, similar titrations are also performed in real samples. The method is validated by recovery studies in these samples. The average polyanion recoveries were quantitative [99.7(±1.3) % for pastry cream with vanillin (protamine titrant); 100.4 (±3.3) % for pastry gel with strawberry(PLA titrant), and 102.9(±2.0) % for pastry gel with strawberry (PLL titrant)]. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enzyme activity deviates due to spatial and temporal temperature profiles in commercial microtiter plate readers.

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Grosch, Jan-Hendrik; Sieben, Michaela; Lattermann, Clemens; Kauffmann, Kira; Büchs, Jochen; Spieß, Antje C

2016-03-01

Microtiter plates (MTP) and automatized techniques are increasingly applied in the field of biotechnology. However, the susceptibility of MTPs to edge effects such as thermal gradients can lead to high variation of measured enzyme activities. In an effort to enhance experimental reliability, to quantify, and to minimize instrument-caused deviations in enzyme kinetics between two MTP-readers, we comprehensively quantified temperature distribution in 96-well MTPs. We demonstrated the robust application of the absorbance dye cresol red as easily applicable temperature indicator in cuvettes and MTPs and determined its accuracy to ±0.16°C. We then quantified temperature distributions in 96-well MTPs revealing temperature deviations over single MTP of up to 2.2°C and different patterns in two commercial devices (BioTek Synergy 4 and Synergy Mx). The obtained liquid temperature was shown to be substantially controlled by evaporation. The temperature-induced enzyme activity variation within MTPs amounted to about 20 %. Activity deviations between MTPs and to those in cuvettes were determined to 40 % due to deviations from the set temperature in MTPs. In conclusion, we propose a better control of experimental conditions in MTPs or alternative experimental systems for reliable determination of kinetic parameters for bioprocess development. Copyright © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Use of a Fluorometric Imaging Plate Reader in high-throughput screening

Science.gov (United States)

Groebe, Duncan R.; Gopalakrishnan, Sujatha; Hahn, Holly; Warrior, Usha; Traphagen, Linda; Burns, David J.

1999-04-01

High-throughput screening (HTS) efforts at Abbott Laboratories have been greatly facilitated by the use of a Fluorometric Imaging Plate Reader. The FLIPR consists of an incubated cabinet with integrated 96-channel pipettor and fluorometer. An argon laser is used to excite fluorophores in a 96-well microtiter plate and the emitted fluorometer. An argon laser is used to excite fluorophores in a 96-well microtiter plate and the emitted fluorescence is imaged by a cooled CCD camera. The image data is downloaded from the camera and processed to average the signal form each well of the microtiter pate for each time point. The data is presented in real time on the computer screen, facilitating interpretation and trouble-shooting. In addition to fluorescence, the camera can also detect luminescence form firefly luciferase.

Evaluation of the light scattering and the turbidity microtiter plate-based methods for the detection of the excipient-mediated drug precipitation inhibition.

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Petruševska, Marija; Urleb, Uroš; Peternel, Luka

2013-11-01

The excipient-mediated precipitation inhibition is classically determined by the quantification of the dissolved compound in the solution. In this study, two alternative approaches were evaluated, one is the light scattering (nephelometer) and other is the turbidity (plate reader) microtiter plate-based methods which are based on the quantification of the compound precipitate. Following the optimization of the nephelometer settings (beam focus, laser gain) and the experimental conditions, the screening of 23 excipients on the precipitation inhibition of poorly soluble fenofibrate and dipyridamole was performed. The light scattering method resulted in excellent correlation (r>0.91) between the calculated precipitation inhibitor parameters (PIPs) and the precipitation inhibition index (PI(classical)) obtained by the classical approach for fenofibrate and dipyridamole. Among the evaluated PIPs AUC100 (nephelometer) resulted in only four false positives and lack of false negatives. In the case of the turbidity-based method a good correlation of the PI(classical) was obtained for the PIP maximal optical density (OD(max), r=0.91), however, only for fenofibrate. In the case of the OD(max) (plate reader) five false positives and two false negatives were identified. In conclusion, the light scattering-based method outperformed the turbidity-based one and could be reliably used for identification of novel precipitation inhibitors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of affinity on antibody determination in microtiter ELISA systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterman, J.H.; Voss, E.W. Jr.; Butler, J.E.

1986-01-01

Theoretically, all immunoassays are affinity (Ka) dependent when the product of the antibody (Ab) Ka and the free epitope concentration is less than 10. Thus, the degree of dependence on Ka depends on the concentration of available antigen in the system. The authors examined the binding of 125 I-anti-fluorescein (a-FLU) monoclonal antibodies of different affinities to FLU-gelatin adsorbed on Immunlon 2 microtiter plates. Data obtained were in general agreement with our theoretical predictions; the percent of 125 I-a-FLU which bound correlated with Ka, as did the shape of the titration curves. Measurement of 5 a-FLU monoclonals by the ELISA showed that the determination of Ab concentrations depends on the FLU-gelatin concentration, epitope density, and on the relationship between the Kas of test samples and the reference standard Ab preparation. Thus the ELISA is Ka dependent and should not be used routinely to estimate the absolute amount to Ab in unknown samples. However, the Ka dependency of the ELISA might provide a convenient assay for the estimation of the relative functional Ka (rfKa) of antibody preparations

Optimized candidal biofilm microtiter assay

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krom, Bastiaan P.; Cohen, Jesse B.; Feser, Gail E. McElhaney; Cihlar, Ronald L.

Microtiter based candidal biofilm formation is commonly being used. Here we describe the analysis of factors influencing the development of candidal biofilms such as the coating with serum, growth medium and pH. The data reported here show that optimal candidal biofilm formation is obtained when

Single-cell screening of photosynthetic growth and lactate production by cyanobacteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hammar, P.; Angermayr, S.A.; Sjostrom, S.L.; van der Meer, J.; Hellingwerf, K.J.; Hudson, E.P.; Joensson, H.N.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Photosynthetic cyanobacteria are attractive for a range of biotechnological applications including biofuel production. However, due to slow growth, screening of mutant libraries using microtiter plates is not feasible. RESULTS: We present a method for high-throughput, single-cell

Single-cell screening of photosynthetic growth and lactate production by cyanobacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hammar, Petter; Angermayr, S. Andreas; Sjostrom, Staffan L.

2015-01-01

Background: Photosynthetic cyanobacteria are attractive for a range of biotechnological applications including biofuel production. However, due to slow growth, screening of mutant libraries using microtiter plates is not feasible.Results: We present a method for high-throughput, single-cell analy...

Porous Silicon Antibody Microarrays for Quantitative Analysis: Measurement of Free and Total PSA in Clinical Plasma Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Tojo, Axel; Malm, Johan; Marko-Varga, György; Lilja, Hans; Laurell, Thomas

2014-01-01

The antibody microarrays have become widespread, but their use for quantitative analyses in clinical samples has not yet been established. We investigated an immunoassay based on nanoporous silicon antibody microarrays for quantification of total prostate-specific-antigen (PSA) in 80 clinical plasma samples, and provide quantitative data from a duplex microarray assay that simultaneously quantifies free and total PSA in plasma. To further develop the assay the porous silicon chips was placed into a standard 96-well microtiter plate for higher throughput analysis. The samples analyzed by this quantitative microarray were 80 plasma samples obtained from men undergoing clinical PSA testing (dynamic range: 0.14-44ng/ml, LOD: 0.14ng/ml). The second dataset, measuring free PSA (dynamic range: 0.40-74.9ng/ml, LOD: 0.47ng/ml) and total PSA (dynamic range: 0.87-295ng/ml, LOD: 0.76ng/ml), was also obtained from the clinical routine. The reference for the quantification was a commercially available assay, the ProStatus PSA Free/Total DELFIA. In an analysis of 80 plasma samples the microarray platform performs well across the range of total PSA levels. This assay might have the potential to substitute for the large-scale microtiter plate format in diagnostic applications. The duplex assay paves the way for a future quantitative multiplex assay, which analyses several prostate cancer biomarkers simultaneously. PMID:22921878

Fuel cell cooler-humidifier plate

Science.gov (United States)

Vitale, Nicholas G.; Jones, Daniel O.

2000-01-01

A cooler-humidifier plate for use in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack assembly is provided. The cooler-humidifier plate combines functions of cooling and humidification within the fuel cell stack assembly, thereby providing a more compact structure, simpler manifolding, and reduced reject heat from the fuel cell. Coolant on the cooler side of the plate removes heat generated within the fuel cell assembly. Heat is also removed by the humidifier side of the plate for use in evaporating the humidification water. On the humidifier side of the plate, evaporating water humidifies reactant gas flowing over a moistened wick. After exiting the humidifier side of the plate, humidified reactant gas provides needed moisture to the proton exchange membranes used in the fuel cell stack assembly. The invention also provides a fuel cell plate that maximizes structural support within the fuel cell by ensuring that the ribs that form the boundaries of channels on one side of the plate have ends at locations that substantially correspond to the locations of ribs on the opposite side of the plate.

Validation of a high-throughput fermentation system based on online monitoring of biomass and fluorescence in continuously shaken microtiter plates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kensy Frank

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background An advanced version of a recently reported high-throughput fermentation system with online measurement, called BioLector, and its validation is presented. The technology combines high-throughput screening and high-information content by applying online monitoring of scattered light and fluorescence intensities in continuously shaken microtiter plates. Various examples in calibration of the optical measurements, clone and media screening and promoter characterization are given. Results Bacterial and yeast biomass concentrations of up to 50 g/L cell dry weight could be linearly correlated to scattered light intensities. In media screening, the BioLector could clearly demonstrate its potential for detecting different biomass and product yields and deducing specific growth rates for quantitatively evaluating media and nutrients. Growth inhibition due to inappropriate buffer conditions could be detected by reduced growth rates and a temporary increase in NADH fluorescence. GFP served very well as reporter protein for investigating the promoter regulation under different carbon sources in yeast strains. A clone screening of 90 different GFP-expressing Hansenula polymorpha clones depicted the broad distribution of growth behavior and an even stronger distribution in GFP expression. The importance of mass transfer conditions could be demonstrated by varying filling volumes of an E. coli culture in 96 well MTP. The different filling volumes cause a deviation in the culture growth and acidification both monitored via scattered light intensities and the fluorescence of a pH indicator, respectively. Conclusion The BioLector technology is a very useful tool to perform quantitative microfermentations under engineered reaction conditions. With this technique, specific yields and rates can be directly deduced from online biomass and product concentrations, which is superior to existing technologies such as microplate readers or optode

Free vibration analysis of corroded steel plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eslami-Majd, Alireza; Rahbar-Ranji, Ahmad [AmirKabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2014-06-15

Vibration analysis of unstiffened/stiffened plates has long been studied due to its importance in the design and condition assessments of ship and offshore structures. Corrosion is inevitable in steel structures and has been so far considered in strength analysis of structures. We studied the free vibration of pitted corroded plates with simply supported boundary conditions. Finite element analysis, with ABAQUS, was used to determine the natural frequencies and mode shapes of corroded plates. Influential parameters including plate aspect ratio, degree of pit, one-sided/both-sided corroded plate, and different corrosion patterns were investigated. By increasing the degree of corrosion, reduction of natural frequency increases. Plate aspect ratio and plate dimensions have no influence on reduction of natural frequency. Different corrosion patterns on the surface of one-sided corroded plates have little influence on reduction of natural frequency. Ratio of pit depth over plate thickness has no influence on the reduction of natural frequency. The reduction of natural frequency in both-sided corroded plates is higher than one-sided corroded plates with the same amount of total corrosion loss. Mode shapes of vibration would change due to corrosion, except square mode shapes.

A rapid microtiter plate serum bactericidal assay method for determining serum complement-mediated killing of Mannheimia haemolytica.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayalew, Sahlu; Confer, Anthony W; Shrestha, Binu; Payton, Mark E

2012-05-01

In this study, we describe a rapid microtiter serum bactericidal assay (RMSBA) that can be used to measure the functionality of immune sera. It quantifies bactericidal activity of immune sera in the presence of complement against a homologous bacterium, M. haemolytica in this case. There is high correlation between data from RMSBA and standard complement-mediated bacterial killing assay (r=0.756; p<0.0001). The RMSBA activity of sera can be generated in less than 5 h instead of overnight incubation. RMSBA costs substantially less in terms of time, labor, and resources and is highly reproducible. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antibody Microarray for E. coli O157:H7 and Shiga Toxin in Microtiter Plates

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Andrew G. Gehring

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Antibody microarray is a powerful analytical technique because of its inherent ability to simultaneously discriminate and measure numerous analytes, therefore making the technique conducive to both the multiplexed detection and identification of bacterial analytes (i.e., whole cells, as well as associated metabolites and/or toxins. We developed a sandwich fluorescent immunoassay combined with a high-throughput, multiwell plate microarray detection format. Inexpensive polystyrene plates were employed containing passively adsorbed, array-printed capture antibodies. During sample reaction, centrifugation was the only strategy found to significantly improve capture, and hence detection, of bacteria (pathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 to planar capture surfaces containing printed antibodies. Whereas several other sample incubation techniques (e.g., static vs. agitation had minimal effect. Immobilized bacteria were labeled with a red-orange-fluorescent dye (Alexa Fluor 555 conjugated antibody to allow for quantitative detection of the captured bacteria with a laser scanner. Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1 could be simultaneously detected along with the cells, but none of the agitation techniques employed during incubation improved detection of the relatively small biomolecule. Under optimal conditions, the assay had demonstrated limits of detection of ~5.8 × 105 cells/mL and 110 ng/mL for E. coli O157:H7 and Stx1, respectively, in a ~75 min total assay time.

Antibody Microarray for E. coli O157:H7 and Shiga Toxin in Microtiter Plates.

Science.gov (United States)

Gehring, Andrew G; Brewster, Jeffrey D; He, Yiping; Irwin, Peter L; Paoli, George C; Simons, Tawana; Tu, Shu-I; Uknalis, Joseph

2015-12-04

Antibody microarray is a powerful analytical technique because of its inherent ability to simultaneously discriminate and measure numerous analytes, therefore making the technique conducive to both the multiplexed detection and identification of bacterial analytes (i.e., whole cells, as well as associated metabolites and/or toxins). We developed a sandwich fluorescent immunoassay combined with a high-throughput, multiwell plate microarray detection format. Inexpensive polystyrene plates were employed containing passively adsorbed, array-printed capture antibodies. During sample reaction, centrifugation was the only strategy found to significantly improve capture, and hence detection, of bacteria (pathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7) to planar capture surfaces containing printed antibodies. Whereas several other sample incubation techniques (e.g., static vs. agitation) had minimal effect. Immobilized bacteria were labeled with a red-orange-fluorescent dye (Alexa Fluor 555) conjugated antibody to allow for quantitative detection of the captured bacteria with a laser scanner. Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1) could be simultaneously detected along with the cells, but none of the agitation techniques employed during incubation improved detection of the relatively small biomolecule. Under optimal conditions, the assay had demonstrated limits of detection of ~5.8 × 10⁵ cells/mL and 110 ng/mL for E. coli O157:H7 and Stx1, respectively, in a ~75 min total assay time.

A Modified Kirchhoff plate theory for Free Vibration analysis of functionally graded material plates using meshfree method

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen Van Do, Vuong

2018-04-01

In this paper, a modified Kirchhoff theory is presented for free vibration analyses of functionally graded material (FGM) plate based on modified radial point interpolation method (RPIM). The shear deformation effects are taken account into modified theory to ignore the locking phenomenon of thin plates. Due to the proposed refined plate theory, the number of independent unknowns reduces one variable and exists with four degrees of freedom per node. The simulated free vibration results employed by the modified RPIM are compared with the other analytical solutions to verify the effectiveness and the accuracy of the developed mesh-free method. Detail parametric studies of the proposed method are then conducted including the effectiveness of thickness ratio, boundary condition and material inhomogeneity on the sample problems of square plates. Results illustrated that the modified mesh-free RPIM can effectively predict the numerical calculation as compared to the exact solutions. The obtained numerical results are indicated that the proposed method are stable and well accurate prediction to evaluate with other published analyses.

Free Vibration of Rectangular Plates with Attached Discrete Sprung Masses

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Ding Zhou

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A direct approach is used to derive the exact solution for the free vibration of thin rectangular plates with discrete sprung masses attached. The plate is simply supported along two opposite edges and elastically supported along the two other edges. The elastic support can represent a range of boundary conditions from free to clamped supports. Considering only the compatibility of the internal forces between the plate and the sprung masses, the equations of the coupled vibration of the plate-spring-mass system are derived. The exact expressions for mode and frequency equations of the coupled vibration of the plate and sprung masses are determined. The solutions converge steadily and monotonically to exact values. The correctness and accuracy of the solutions are demonstrated through comparison with published results. A parametric study is undertaken focusing on the plate with one or two sprung masses. The results can be used as a benchmark for further investigation.

Multidimensional Normalization to Minimize Plate Effects of Suspension Bead Array Data.

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Hong, Mun-Gwan; Lee, Woojoo; Nilsson, Peter; Pawitan, Yudi; Schwenk, Jochen M

2016-10-07

Enhanced by the growing number of biobanks, biomarker studies can now be performed with reasonable statistical power by using large sets of samples. Antibody-based proteomics by means of suspension bead arrays offers one attractive approach to analyze serum, plasma, or CSF samples for such studies in microtiter plates. To expand measurements beyond single batches, with either 96 or 384 samples per plate, suitable normalization methods are required to minimize the variation between plates. Here we propose two normalization approaches utilizing MA coordinates. The multidimensional MA (multi-MA) and MA-loess both consider all samples of a microtiter plate per suspension bead array assay and thus do not require any external reference samples. We demonstrate the performance of the two MA normalization methods with data obtained from the analysis of 384 samples including both serum and plasma. Samples were randomized across 96-well sample plates, processed, and analyzed in assay plates, respectively. Using principal component analysis (PCA), we could show that plate-wise clusters found in the first two components were eliminated by multi-MA normalization as compared with other normalization methods. Furthermore, we studied the correlation profiles between random pairs of antibodies and found that both MA normalization methods substantially reduced the inflated correlation introduced by plate effects. Normalization approaches using multi-MA and MA-loess minimized batch effects arising from the analysis of several assay plates with antibody suspension bead arrays. In a simulated biomarker study, multi-MA restored associations lost due to plate effects. Our normalization approaches, which are available as R package MDimNormn, could also be useful in studies using other types of high-throughput assay data.

Fuel cell end plate structure

Science.gov (United States)

Guthrie, Robin J.; Katz, Murray; Schroll, Craig R.

1991-04-23

The end plates (16) of a fuel cell stack (12) are formed of a thin membrane. Pressure plates (20) exert compressive load through insulation layers (22, 26) to the membrane. Electrical contact between the end plates (16) and electrodes (50, 58) is maintained without deleterious making and breaking of electrical contacts during thermal transients. The thin end plate (16) under compressive load will not distort with a temperature difference across its thickness. Pressure plate (20) experiences a low thermal transient because it is insulated from the cell. The impact on the end plate of any slight deflection created in the pressure plate by temperature difference is minimized by the resilient pressure pad, in the form of insulation, therebetween.

Design of a titering assay for lentiviral vectors utilizing direct extraction of DNA from transduced cells in microtiter plates

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Michele E Murphy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Using lentiviral vector products in clinical applications requires an accurate method for measuring transduction titer. For vectors lacking a marker gene, quantitative polymerase chain reaction is used to evaluate the number of vector DNA copies in transduced target cells, from which a transduction titer is calculated. Immune Design previously described an integration-deficient lentiviral vector pseudotyped with a modified Sindbis virus envelope for use in cancer immunotherapy (VP02, of the ZVex platform. Standard protocols for titering integration-competent lentiviral vectors employ commercial spin columns to purify vector DNA from transduced cells, but such columns are not optimized for isolation of extrachromosomal (nonintegrated DNA. Here, we describe a 96-well transduction titer assay in which DNA extraction is performed in situ in the transduction plate, yielding quantitative recovery of extrachromosomal DNA. Vector titers measured by this method were higher than when commercial spin columns were used for DNA isolation. Evaluation of the method's specificity, linear range, and precision demonstrate that it is suitable for use as a lot release assay to support clinical trials with VP02. Finally, the method is compatible with titering both integrating and nonintegrating lentiviral vectors, suggesting that it may be used to evaluate the transduction titer for any lentiviral vector.

Sonocatalytic injury of cancer cells attached on the surface of a nickel-titanium dioxide alloy plate.

Science.gov (United States)

Ninomiya, Kazuaki; Maruyama, Hirotaka; Ogino, Chiaki; Takahashi, Kenji; Shimizu, Nobuaki

2016-01-01

The present study demonstrates ultrasound-induced cell injury using a nickel-titanium dioxide (Ni-TiO2) alloy plate as a sonocatalyst and a cell culture surface. Ultrasound irradiation of cell-free Ni-TiO2 alloy plates with 1 MHz ultrasound at 0.5 W/cm(2) for 30s led to an increased generation of hydroxyl (OH) radicals compared to nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) control alloy plates with and without ultrasound irradiation. When human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 cells) cultured on the Ni-TiO2 alloy plates were irradiated with 1 MHz ultrasound at 0.5 W/cm(2) for 30s and then incubated for 48 h, cell density on the alloy plate was reduced to approximately 50% of the controls on the Ni-Ti alloy plates with and without ultrasound irradiation. These results indicate the injury of MCF-7 cells following sonocatalytic OH radical generation by Ni-TiO2. Further experiments demonstrated cell shrinkage and chromatin condensation after ultrasound irradiation of MCF-7 cells attached on the Ni-TiO2 alloy plates, indicating induction of apoptosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fundamental aspects of molecular plating and production of smooth crack-free Nd targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vascon, A.; Reich, T.; Drebert, J.; Eberhardt, K.; Helmholtz Institute Mainz, Mainz; Duellmann, Ch.E.; GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt; Helmholtz Institute Mainz, Mainz

2014-01-01

A general understanding of the molecular plating process was obtained recently, which serves as a first step towards further improvements of the method aiming, for example, at the production of smooth, crack-free targets for nuclear physics applications. Constant current density electrolysis experiments were performed in organic media containing the model electrolyte Nd(NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O. The process was investigated by considering influences of the electrolyte concentration (0.11, 0.22, 0.44 mM), the surface roughness of the deposition substrates (a few tens of nm), and the plating solvent (an isopropanol/isobutanol mixture, and N,N-dimethylformamide). The response of the process to changes of these parameters was monitored by recording cell potential curves and by characterizing the obtained deposits with γ-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. By changing the solvent from isopropanol/isobutanol mixtures to N,N-dimethylformamide, we have succeeded in producing smooth, crack-free Nd targets. (author)

Free vibration analysis of rectangular plates with central cutout

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Kanak Kalita

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A nine-node isoparametric plate element in conjunction with first-order shear deformation theory is used for free vibration analysis of rectangular plates with central cutouts. Both thick and thin plate problems are solved for various aspect ratios and boundary conditions. In this article, primary focus is given to the effect of rotary inertia on natural frequencies of perforated rectangular plates. It is found that rotary inertia has significant effect on thick plates, while for thin plates the rotary inertia term can be ignored. It is seen that the numerical convergence is very rapid and based on comparison with experimental and analytical data from literature, it is proposed that the present formulation is capable of yielding highly accurate results. Finally, some new numerical solutions are provided here, which may serve as benchmark for future research on similar problems.

Plate waste of adults in the United States measured in free-living conditions.

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Brian E Roe

Full Text Available We analyze food-item level data collected from 50 adults from the United States using the Remote Food Photography Method® to provide the first estimates of plate waste gathered from adults across multiple consecutive meals and days in free-living conditions, and during laboratory-based meals with fixed food items and quantities. We find average plate waste in free-living conditions is 5.6 grams (7.7 kcals per item and that 3.3% of all food selected is returned as plate waste, where the percent waste figure is substantially lower than previously published plate waste estimates gathered primarily from dine-out settings in the United States such as buffets and institutional settings with limited-choice meals (e.g., school cafeterias. Plate waste from the same participants during the laboratory-based meals is significantly higher with an average of 203.2 grams of solid plate waste per meal (531.3 kcals or 39.1% of the food provided, which is similar to the plate waste percentages found reported in some school cafeteria settings. The amount of plate waste generated in free-living conditions is significantly positively associated with portion size selected for an item. In a multivariate analysis that controls for macronutrient profile, items selected from the vegetables, fats/oils/dressings, and grains categories are associated with significantly greater amounts of plate waste per item. We find no significant associations between free-living plate waste and gender, age, race or body mass index but find that women leave more plate waste in the lab meal where portion sizes are pre-determined by the researcher and similar for all respondents. We discuss possible implications of these findings for programs focused on reducing plate waste and food waste among consumers.

Plate waste of adults in the United States measured in free-living conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, H. Raymond

2018-01-01

We analyze food-item level data collected from 50 adults from the United States using the Remote Food Photography Method® to provide the first estimates of plate waste gathered from adults across multiple consecutive meals and days in free-living conditions, and during laboratory-based meals with fixed food items and quantities. We find average plate waste in free-living conditions is 5.6 grams (7.7 kcals) per item and that 3.3% of all food selected is returned as plate waste, where the percent waste figure is substantially lower than previously published plate waste estimates gathered primarily from dine-out settings in the United States such as buffets and institutional settings with limited-choice meals (e.g., school cafeterias). Plate waste from the same participants during the laboratory-based meals is significantly higher with an average of 203.2 grams of solid plate waste per meal (531.3 kcals) or 39.1% of the food provided, which is similar to the plate waste percentages found reported in some school cafeteria settings. The amount of plate waste generated in free-living conditions is significantly positively associated with portion size selected for an item. In a multivariate analysis that controls for macronutrient profile, items selected from the vegetables, fats/oils/dressings, and grains categories are associated with significantly greater amounts of plate waste per item. We find no significant associations between free-living plate waste and gender, age, race or body mass index but find that women leave more plate waste in the lab meal where portion sizes are pre-determined by the researcher and similar for all respondents. We discuss possible implications of these findings for programs focused on reducing plate waste and food waste among consumers. PMID:29444094

Evaluation of the Sensititre MycoTB plate for susceptibility testing of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex against first- and second-line agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Leslie; Jude, Kurt P; Clark, Shirley L; Dionne, Kim; Merson, Ryan; Boyer, Ana; Parrish, Nicole M; Wengenack, Nancy L

2012-11-01

The Sensititre MycoTB plate (TREK Diagnostic Systems, Cleveland, OH) uses a microtiter plate MIC format for susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates against first- and second-line antituberculosis agents. Categorical agreement versus the agar proportion method for 122 M. tuberculosis complex isolates was 94% to 100%.

Spontaneous and cytokine induced basophil adhesion evaluated by microtiter assay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quan, Sha; Poulsen, Lars K; Reimert, Claus Michael

2002-01-01

We have developed a microtiter assay for evaluating basophil spontaneous adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins exemplified by fibronectin and cytokine induced basophil adhesion to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The percentage of basophils adhering to either ECM or BSA was quantified...

Bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Middelman, E.; Kout, W.; Vogelaar, B.; Lenssen, J.; de Waal, E.

The bipolar plates are in weight and volume the major part of the PEM fuel cell stack, and are also a significant contributor to the stack costs. The bipolar plate is therefore a key component if power density has to increase and costs must come down. Three cell plate technologies are expected to reach targeted cost price levels, all having specific advantages and drawbacks. NedStack has developed a conductive composite materials and a production process for fuel cell plates (bipolar and mono-polar). The material has a high electric and thermal conductivity, and can be processed into bipolar plates by a proprietary molding process. Process cycle time has been reduced to less than 10 s, making the material and process suitable for economical mass production. Other development work to increase material efficiency resulted in thin bipolar plates with integrated cooling channels, and integrated seals, and in two-component bipolar plates. Total thickness of the bipolar plates is now less than 3 mm, and will be reduced to 2 mm in the near future. With these thin integrated plates it is possible to increase power density up to 2 kW/l and 2 kW/kg, while at the same time reducing cost by integrating other functions and less material use.

An analytical study of the free and forced vibration response of a ribbed plate with free boundary conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Tian Ran; Zhang, Kai

2018-05-01

An analytical study to predict the vibration response of a ribbed plate with free boundary conditions is presented. The analytical solution was derived using a double cosine integral transform technique and then utilized to study the free and forced vibration of the ribbed plate, as well as the effect of the rib on the modal response of the uniform plate. It is shown that in addition to the three zero-frequency rigid body modes of the plate, the vibration modes of the uniform plate can be classified into four mode groups according to the symmetric properties of the plate with respect to the two orthogonal middle lines parallel to the plate edges. The four mode groups correspond to a double symmetric group, a double anti-symmetric group and two symmetric/anti-symmetric groups. Whilst the inclusion of the rib to the plate is shown to cause distortion to the distribution of vibration modes, most modes can still be traced back to the original modes of the uniform plate. Both the mass and stiffness of the rib are shown to affect the modal vibration of the uniform plate, whereby a dominant effect from the rib mass leads to a decrease in the modal frequency of the plate, whereas a dominant effect from the rib stiffness leads to an increase in plate modal frequency. When the stiffened rib behaves as an effective boundary to the plate vibration, an original plate mode becomes a pair of degenerate modes, whereby one mode has a higher frequency and the other mode has a lower frequency than that of the original mode.

Analysis of Terminal Metallic Armor Plate Free-Surface Bulging

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rapacki, Jr, E. J

2008-01-01

An analysis of the bulge formed on the free-surface of the terminal metallic plate of an armor array is shown to lead to reasonable estimates of the armor array's remaining penetration/perforation resistance...

Ni-based amorphous alloy-coating for bipolar plate of PEM fuel cell by electrochemical plating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaura, S; Kim, S C; Inoue, A

2013-01-01

In this study, the Ni-Cr-P amorphous alloy-coated bipolar plates were produced by electro-plating on the Cu base plates with a flow field. The power generation tests of a single fuel cell with those Ni-Cr-P bipolar plates were conducted at 353 K. It was found that the single fuel cell with those Ni-Cr-P bipolar plates showed excellent I-V performance as well as that with the carbon graphite bipolar plates. It was also found that the single cell with those Ni-Cr-P bipolar plates showed better I-V performance than that with the Ni-P amorphous alloy-coated bipolar plates. Furthermore, the long-time operation test was conducted for 440 h with those Ni-Cr-P bipolar plates at the constant current density of 200 mA·cm −2 . As a result, it was found that the cell voltage gradually decreased at the beginning of the measurement before 300 h and then the voltage was kept constant after 300 h.

A pinned or free-floating rigid plate on a thin viscous film

KAUST Repository

Trinh, Philippe  H.; Wilson, Stephen  K.; Stone, Howard  A.

2014-01-01

© 2014 Cambridge University Press. A pinned or free-floating rigid plate lying on the free surface of a thin film of viscous fluid, which itself lies on top of a horizontal substrate that is moving to the right at a constant speed is considered. The focus of the present work is to describe how the competing effects of the speed of the substrate, surface tension, viscosity, and, in the case of a pinned plate, the prescribed pressure in the reservoir of fluid at its upstream end, determine the possible equilibrium positions of the plate, the free surface, and the flow within the film. The present problems are of interest both in their own right as paradigms for a range of fluid-structure interaction problems in which viscosity and surface tension both play an important role, and as a first step towards the study of elastic effects.

A pinned or free-floating rigid plate on a thin viscous film

KAUST Repository

Trinh, Philippe H.

2014-11-11

© 2014 Cambridge University Press. A pinned or free-floating rigid plate lying on the free surface of a thin film of viscous fluid, which itself lies on top of a horizontal substrate that is moving to the right at a constant speed is considered. The focus of the present work is to describe how the competing effects of the speed of the substrate, surface tension, viscosity, and, in the case of a pinned plate, the prescribed pressure in the reservoir of fluid at its upstream end, determine the possible equilibrium positions of the plate, the free surface, and the flow within the film. The present problems are of interest both in their own right as paradigms for a range of fluid-structure interaction problems in which viscosity and surface tension both play an important role, and as a first step towards the study of elastic effects.

Adherence of coagulase-negative staphylococci to plastic tissue culture plates: a quantitative model for the adherence of staphylococci to medical devices.

OpenAIRE

Christensen, G D; Simpson, W A; Younger, J J; Baddour, L M; Barrett, F F; Melton, D M; Beachey, E H

1985-01-01

The adherence of coagulase-negative staphylococci to smooth surfaces was assayed by measuring the optical densities of stained bacterial films adherent to the floors of plastic tissue culture plates. The optical densities correlated with the weight of the adherent bacterial film (r = 0.906; P less than 0.01). The measurements also agreed with visual assessments of bacterial adherence to culture tubes, microtiter plates, and tissue culture plates. Selected clinical strains were passed through ...

Analytically Sensitive Protein Detection in Microtiter Plates by Proximity Ligation with Rolling Circle Amplification.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebai, Tonge; Souza de Oliveira, Felipe Marques; Löf, Liza; Wik, Lotta; Schweiger, Caroline; Larsson, Anders; Keilholtz, Ulrich; Haybaeck, Johannes; Landegren, Ulf; Kamali-Moghaddam, Masood

2017-09-01

Detecting proteins at low concentrations in plasma is crucial for early diagnosis. Current techniques in clinical routine, such as sandwich ELISA, provide sensitive protein detection because of a dependence on target recognition by pairs of antibodies, but detection of still lower protein concentrations is often called for. Proximity ligation assay with rolling circle amplification (PLARCA) is a modified proximity ligation assay (PLA) for analytically specific and sensitive protein detection via binding of target proteins by 3 antibodies, and signal amplification via rolling circle amplification (RCA) in microtiter wells, easily adapted to instrumentation in use in hospitals. Proteins captured by immobilized antibodies were detected using a pair of oligonucleotide-conjugated antibodies. Upon target recognition these PLA probes guided oligonucleotide ligation, followed by amplification via RCA of circular DNA strands that formed in the reaction. The RCA products were detected by horseradish peroxidase-labeled oligonucleotides to generate colorimetric reaction products with readout in an absorbance microplate reader. We compared detection of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-8, p53, and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) by PLARCA and conventional sandwich ELISA or immuno-RCA. PLARCA detected lower concentrations of proteins and exhibited a broader dynamic range compared to ELISA and iRCA using the same antibodies. IL-4 and IL-6 were detected in clinical samples at femtomolar concentrations, considerably lower than for ELISA. PLARCA offers detection of lower protein levels and increased dynamic ranges compared to ELISA. The PLARCA procedure may be adapted to routine instrumentation available in hospitals and research laboratories. © 2017 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

Surface conditioning with Escherichia coli cell wall components can reduce biofilm formation by decreasing initial adhesion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana C. Gomes

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on food processing surfaces pose major risks to human health. Non-efficient cleaning of equipment surfaces and piping can act as a conditioning layer that affects the development of a new biofilm post-disinfection. We have previously shown that surface conditioning with cell extracts could reduce biofilm formation. In the present work, we hypothesized that E. coli cell wall components could be implicated in this phenomena and therefore mannose, myristic acid and palmitic acid were tested as conditioning agents. To evaluate the effect of surface conditioning and flow topology on biofilm formation, assays were performed in agitated 96-well microtiter plates and in a parallel plate flow chamber (PPFC, both operated at the same average wall shear stress (0.07 Pa as determined by computational fluid dynamics (CFD. It was observed that when the 96-well microtiter plate and the PPFC were used to form biofilms at the same shear stress, similar results were obtained. This shows that the referred hydrodynamic feature may be a good scale-up parameter from high-throughput platforms to larger scale flow cell systems as the PPFC used in this study. Mannose did not have any effect on E. coli biofilm formation, but myristic and palmitic acid inhibited biofilm development by decreasing cell adhesion (in about 50%. These results support the idea that in food processing equipment where biofilm formation is not critical below a certain threshold, bacterial lysis and adsorption of cell components to the surface may reduce biofilm buildup and extend the operational time.

Free vibration response of a multilayer smart hybrid composite plate with embedded SMA wires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Malekzadeh

Full Text Available In this paper, free vibration response of a hybrid composite plate was studied. Effects of some geometrical, physical and material parameters on response of the composite plates embedded with shape memory alloy (SMA wires were investigated, which have not been reported in the literature thus far. Some of these parameters included important factors affecting free vibration response of the smart hybrid composite plates. The SMA wires were embedded within the layers of the composite laminate. First-order shear deformation theory (FSDT was utilized to obtain the governing equations of hybrid composite plates. Transverse shear and rotary inertia effects of the plate were taken into consideration. For simply-supported boundary conditions, systematic closed form solutions were obtained by Navier's technique. It was established that dynamic behavior of the smart hybrid composite plate depended on various parameters such as volume fraction, temperature dependent recovery stress and tensile pre-strain of SMA wires and aspect ratio of the laminated hybrid plate.

Investigation of free vibration characteristics for skew multiphase magneto-electro-elastic plate

Science.gov (United States)

Kiran, M. C.; Kattimani, S.

2018-04-01

This article presents the investigation of skew multiphase magneto-electro-elastic (MMEE) plate to assess its free vibration characteristics. A finite element (FE) model is formulated considering the different couplings involved via coupled constitutive equations. The transformation matrices are derived to transform local degrees of freedom into the global degrees of freedom for the nodes lying on the skew edges. Effect of different volume fraction (Vf) on the free vibration behavior is explicitly studied. In addition, influence of width to thickness ratio, the aspect ratio, and the stacking arrangement on natural frequencies of skew multiphase MEE plate investigated. Particular attention has been paid to investigate the effect of skew angle on the non-dimensional Eigen frequencies of multiphase MEE plate with simply supported edges.

Investigation of free vibration analysis of functionally graded annular piezoelectric plate using COMSOL

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Trivendra Kumar; Parashar, Sandeep Kumar

2018-05-01

In the present age functionally graded piezoelectric materials (FGPM) are increasingly being used as actuators and sensors. In spite of the fact that the piezoelectric coupling coefficient for shear d15 has much higher value in comparison to d31 or d33, it is far less utilized for the applications due to complex nature of the shear induced vibrations. In this work three dimensional free vibration analysis of functionally graded piezoelectric material annular plates with free-free boundary conditions is presented. The annular FGPM plate is polarized along the radial direction while the electric field is applied along the thickness direction inducing flexural vibrations of the plate due to d15 effect of functionally graded piezoelectric materials. The material properties are assumed to have a power law variation along the thickness. COMSOL Multiphysics is used to obtain the natural frequencies and modeshapes. Detailed numerical study is performed to ascertain the effect of variation in power law index and various geometrical parameters. The results presented shall be helpful in optimizing the existing applications and developing the new ones utilizing the FGPM annular plates.

Optimizing Two-Color Semiconductor Nanocrystal Immunoassays in Single Well Microtiter Plate Formats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Russ Algar

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The simultaneous detection of two analytes, chicken IgY (IgG and Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB, in the single well of a 96-well plate is demonstrated using luminescent semiconductor quantum dot nanocrystal (NC tracers. The NC-labeled antibodies were prepared via sulfhydryl-reactive chemistry using a facile protocol that took

Automated sample preparation using membrane microtiter extraction for bioanalytical mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Janiszewski, J; Schneider, P; Hoffmaster, K; Swyden, M; Wells, D; Fouda, H

1997-01-01

The development and application of membrane solid phase extraction (SPE) in 96-well microtiter plate format is described for the automated analysis of drugs in biological fluids. The small bed volume of the membrane allows elution of the analyte in a very small solvent volume, permitting direct HPLC injection and negating the need for the time consuming solvent evaporation step. A programmable liquid handling station (Quadra 96) was modified to automate all SPE steps. To avoid drying of the SPE bed and to enhance the analytical precision a novel protocol for performing the condition, load and wash steps in rapid succession was utilized. A block of 96 samples can now be extracted in 10 min., about 30 times faster than manual solvent extraction or single cartridge SPE methods. This processing speed complements the high-throughput speed of contemporary high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) analysis. The quantitative analysis of a test analyte (Ziprasidone) in plasma demonstrates the utility and throughput of membrane SPE in combination with HPLC/MS. The results obtained with the current automated procedure compare favorably with those obtained using solvent and traditional solid phase extraction methods. The method has been used for the analysis of numerous drug prototypes in biological fluids to support drug discovery efforts.

Radioimmunoassay for antibodies against surface membrane antigens using adhering cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tax, A; Manson, L A [Wistar Inst. of Anatomy and Biology, Philadelphia, Pa. (USA)

1976-07-01

A radioimmunoassay using cells adhering to plastic is described. In this assay, A-10 mammary carcinoma attached to the surface of plastic in microtiter plates were permitted to bind antibody and the bound antibody was detected with purified rabbit /sup 125/I-antimouse-Fab. The bound radioactive material was eluted with glycine-HCl buffer (pH 2.5), and the acid eluates were counted in a gamma counter. This assay can be used to detect cytolic or noncytolic antibody to cell surface antigens in studies with any tumor or normal cell that will adhere to a solid surface.

Sound Scattering by a Flexible Plate Embedded on Free Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eldad J. Avital

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Sound wave scattering by a flexible plate embedded on water surface is considered. Linear acoustics and plate elasticity are assumed. The aim is to assess the effect of the plate’s flexibility on sound scattering and the potential in using that flexibility for this purpose. A combined sound-structure solution is used, which is based on a Fourier transform of the sound field and a finite-difference numerical-solution of the plate’s dynamics. The solution is implemented for a circular plate subject to a perpendicular incoming monochromatic sound wave. A very good agreement is achieved with a finite-difference solution of the sound field. It is shown that the flexibility of the plate dampens its scattered sound wave regardless of the type of the plate’s edge support. A hole in the plate is shown to further scatter the sound wave to form maxima in the near sound field. It is suggested that applying an external oscillatory pressure on the plate can reduce significantly and even eliminate its scattered wave, thus making the plate close to acoustically invisible. A uniformly distributed external pressure is found capable of achieving that aim as long as the plate is free edged or is not highly acoustically noncompact.

Strongly nonlinear free vibration of four edges simply supported stiffened plates with geometric imperfections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Zhaoting; Wang, Rong Hui; Chen, Li; Dong, Chung Uang [School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou (China)

2016-08-15

This article investigated the strongly nonlinear free vibration of four edges simply supported stiffened plates with geometric imperfections. The von Karman nonlinear strain-displacement relationships are applied. The nonlinear vibration of stiffened plate is reduced to a one-degree-of-freedom nonlinear system by assuming mode shapes. The Multiple scales Lindstedt-Poincare method (MSLP) and Modified Lindstedt-Poincare method (MLP) are used to solve the governing equations of vibration. Numerical examples for stiffened plates with different initial geometric imperfections are presented in order to discuss the influences to the strongly nonlinear free vibration of the stiffened plate. The results showed that: the frequency ratio reduced as the initial geometric imperfections of plate increased, which showed that the increase of the initial geometric imperfections of plate can lead to the decrease of nonlinear effect; by comparing the results calculated by MSLP method, using MS method to study strongly nonlinear vibration can lead to serious mistakes.

A radioimmunoassay for antibodies against surface membrane antigens using adhering cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tax, A.; Manson, L.A.

1976-01-01

A radioimmunoassay using cells adhering to plastic is described. In this assay, A-10 mammary carcinoma attached to the surface of plastic in microtiter plates were permitted to bind antibody and the bound antibody was detected with purified rabbit 125 I-antimouse-Fab. The bound radioactive material was eluted with glycine-HCl buffer (pH 2.5), and the acid eluates were counted in a gamma counter. This assay can be used to detect cytolic or noncytolic antibody to cell surface antigens in studies with any tumor or normal cell that will adhere to a solid surface

Forced and free convection hydromagnetic flow past a vertical flat plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdelkhalek, M.M.

2004-01-01

The effects of magnetic field and temperature heat source on the free and forced convection flow past an infinite vertical plate is studied analytically. Solutions of the reduced equation appropriate in the forced convection and free convection regime are obtained using perturbation technique. The expression for the velocity field, skin friction and Nusselt number have been obtained

Radioimmunoassay in microtiter plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirschberg, T.; Hirschberg, H.

1987-01-01

A radioimmunoassay was performed in the wells of casein-coated microplates employing 125 I-labelled sheep anti-human second antibody. The antigen-antibody complexes were thereafter dislodged from the well walls using detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the entire contents of the wells were simultaneously absorbed into 48 cellulose acetate-absorbing cartridges. All 48 cartridges were transferred to counting vials and the radioactivity determined by standard gamma counting techniques. The particular advantage of the method described here is the ease with which the supernatants can be collected and transferred to counting vials with minimal handling of radioactive samples. 6 refs.; 1 figure; 1 table

Mathematical model of temperature field distribution in thin plates during polishing with a free abrasive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Avilov Alex

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to estimate the dynamic characteristics of the heating process of thin plates during polishing with a free abrasive. A mathematical model of the temperature field distribution in space and time according to the plate thickness is based on Lagrange equation of the second kind in the thermodynamics of irreversible processes (variation principle Bio. The research results of thermo elasticity of thin plates (membranes will allow to correct the modes of polishing with a free abrasive to receive the exact reflecting surfaces of satellites reflector, to increase temperature stability and the ability of radio signal reflection, satellite precision guidance. Calculations of temperature fields in thin plates of different thicknesses (membranes is held in the Excel, a graphical characteristics of temperature fields in thin plates (membranes show non-linearity of temperature distribution according to the thickness of thin plates (membranes.

5-AED Enhances Survival of Irradiated Mice in a G-CSF-Dependent Manner, Stimulates Innate Immune Cell Function, Reduces Radiation-Induced DNA Damage and Induces Genes that Modulate Cell Cycle Progression and Apoptosis

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-22

modulate cell cycle progression and apoptosis. INTRODUCTION Because of the increasing threat posed by nuclear weapons [1], there is a pressing need for both...Detection System ( Bio -Rad Laboratories, Hercules CA) on 96-well microtiter plates with optical caps. Reactions were performed in a total volume of 50 µL... antigen -induced arthritis by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Inflamm Res 2004;53:189–98. 56. Auci D, Nicoletti F, Mangano K et al. Anti-inflammatory and

Surface composition effect of nitriding Ni-free stainless steel as bipolar plate of polymer electrolyte fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Yang; Shironita, Sayoko [Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1, Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188 (Japan); Nakatsuyama, Kunio [Nakatsuyama Heat Treatment Co., Ltd., 1-1089-10, Nanyou, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-1164 (Japan); Souma, Kenichi [Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1, Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188 (Japan); Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd., 3 Kanda Neribei, Chiyoda, Tokyo 101-0022 (Japan); Umeda, Minoru, E-mail: mumeda@vos.nagaokaut.ac.jp [Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1, Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188 (Japan)

2016-12-01

Graphical abstract: The anodic current densities in the passive region of nitrided SUS445-N stainless steel are lower than those of a non heat-treated SUS445 stainless steel and heat-treated SUS445-Ar stainless steel under an Ar atmosphere. It shows a better corrosion resistance for the SUS445 stainless steel after the nitriding heat treatment. - Highlights: • The nitriding heat treatment was carried out using Ni-free SUS445 stainless steel. • The corrosion resistance of the nitrided SUS445-N stainless steel was improved. • The structure of the nitrided SUS445-N stainless steel changed from α-Fe to γ-Fe. • The surface elemental components present in the steels affect the corrosion resistance. - Abstract: In order to increase the corrosion resistance of low cost Ni-free SUS445 stainless steel as the bipolar plate of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, a nitriding surface treatment experiment was carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere under vacuum conditions, while an Ar atmosphere was used for comparison. The electrochemical performance, microstructure, surface chemical composition and morphology of the sample before and after the electrochemical measurements were investigated using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), X-ray diffraction (XRD), glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDS) and laser scanning microscopy (LSM) measurements. The results confirmed that the nitriding heat treatment not only increased the corrosion resistance, but also improved the surface conductivity of the Ni-free SUS445 stainless steel. In contrast, the corrosion resistance of the SUS445 stainless steel decreased after heat treatment in an Ar atmosphere. These results could be explained by the different surface compositions between these samples.

Silver-free Metallization Technology for Producing High Efficiency, Industrial Silicon Solar Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michaelson, Lynne M [Technic Inc; Munoz, Krystal [Technic Inc.; Karas, Joseph [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Bowden, Stuart [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Rand, James A; Gallegos, Anthony [Technic Inc.; Tyson, Tom [Technic Inc.; Buonassisi, Tonio [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

2018-03-30

The goal of this project is to provide a commercially viable Ag-free metallization technology that will both reduce cost and increase efficiency of standard silicon solar cells. By removing silver from the front grid metallization and replacing it with lower cost nickel, copper, and tin metal, the front grid direct materials costs will decrease. This reduction in material costs should provide a path to meeting the Sunshot 2020 goal of $1 / WDC. As of today, plated contacts are not widely implemented in large scale manufacturing. For organizations that wish to implement pilot scale manufacturing, only two equipment choices exist. These equipment manufacturers do not supply plating chemistry. The main goal of this project is to provide a chemistry and equipment solution to the industry that enables reliable manufacturing of plated contacts marked by passing reliability results and higher efficiencies than silver paste front grid contacts. To date, there have been several key findings that point to plated contacts performing equal to or better than the current state of the art silver paste contacts. Poor adhesion and reliability concerns are a few of the hurdles for plated contacts, specifically plated nickel directly on silicon. A key finding of the Phase 1 budget period is that the plated contacts have the same adhesion as the silver paste controls. This is a huge win for plated contacts. With very little optimization work, state of the art electrical results for plated contacts on laser ablated lines have been demonstrated with efficiencies up to 19.1% and fill factors ~80% on grid lines 40-50 um wide. The silver paste controls with similar line widths demonstrate similar electrical results. By optimizing the emitter and grid design for the plated contacts, it is expected that the electrical performance will exceed the silver paste controls. In addition, cells plated using Technic chemistry and equipment pass reliability testing; i.e. 1000 hours damp heat and 200

CarbonNanoTubes (CNT) in bipolar plates for PEM fuel cell applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grundler, M.; Derieth, T.; Beckhaus, P.; Heinzel, A. [centre for fuel cell technology ZBT GmbH (Germany)

2010-07-01

Using standard mass production techniques for the fabrication of fuel cell components, such as bipolar plates, is a main issue for the commercialisation of PEM fuel cell systems. Bipolar plates contribute significantly to the cost structure of PEM stacks. In an upcoming fuel cell market a large number of bipolar plates with specific high-quality standards will be needed. At the Centre for Fuel Cell Technology (ZBT) together with the University of Duisburg-Essen fuel cell stacks based on injection moulded bipolar plates have been developed and demonstrated successfully [1]. This paper focuses on the interactions between carbon filling materials (graphite, carbon black and carbon nanotubes (CNT)) in compound based bipolar plates and especially the potential of CNTs, which were used in bipolar plates for the first time. The entire value added chain based on the feedstock, the compounding and injection moulding process, the component bipolar plate, up to the operation of a PEM single fuel cell stack with CNT-based bipolar plates is disclosed. (orig.)

Highly conductive composites for fuel cell flow field plates and bipolar plates

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Bor Z; Zhamu, Aruna; Song, Lulu

2014-10-21

This invention provides a fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate having flow channels on faces of the plate, comprising an electrically conductive polymer composite. The composite is composed of (A) at least 50% by weight of a conductive filler, comprising at least 5% by weight reinforcement fibers, expanded graphite platelets, graphitic nano-fibers, and/or carbon nano-tubes; (B) polymer matrix material at 1 to 49.9% by weight; and (C) a polymer binder at 0.1 to 10% by weight; wherein the sum of the conductive filler weight %, polymer matrix weight % and polymer binder weight % equals 100% and the bulk electrical conductivity of the flow field or bipolar plate is at least 100 S/cm. The invention also provides a continuous process for cost-effective mass production of the conductive composite-based flow field or bipolar plate.

Rapid screening of monoclonal antibodies: new 'microstick' radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheinberg, D.A.; Strand, M.; Wilsnack, R.

1983-01-01

A new system for assaying monoclonal antibodies consisting of an 8 x 12 array of sticks which fits into a 96-well microtiter plate is described. Tests using virus specific monoclonal antibodies and virus proteins demonstrated sensitivity equivalent to the conventional microtiter plate assay. Antibody production, antigen specific antibody, and immunoglobulin isotypes could be measured under sterile conditions directly in the original fusion mixture wells and much greater rapidity than with the microtiter plate assay. (Auth.)

Assay of mouse-cell clones for retrovirus p30 protein by use of an automated solid-state radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennel, S.J.; Tnnant, R.W.

1979-01-01

A solid-state radioimmunoassay system has been developed that is useful for automated analysis of samples in microtiter plates. Assays for interspecies and type-specific antigenic determinants of the C-type retrovirus protein, p30, have been used to identify clones of cells producing this protein. This method allows testing of at least 1000 clones a day, making it useful for studies of frequencies of virus protein induction, defective virus production, and formation of recombinant viruses

Reconstruction of large upper eyelid defects with a free tarsal plate graft and a myocutaneous pedicle flap plus a free skin graft.

Science.gov (United States)

Toft, Peter B

2016-01-01

To review and present the results of a one-step method employing a free tarsal plate graft and a myocutaneous pedicle flap plus a free skin graft for reconstruction of large upper eyelid defects after tumour surgery. This was a retrospective case-series of 8 patients who underwent reconstruction of the upper eyelid after tumour removal. The horizontal defect involved 50-75% of the lid (3 pts.), more than 75% (3 pts.), and more than 75% plus the lateral canthus (2 pts.). The posterior lamella was reconstructed with contralateral upper eyelid tarsal plate. The anterior lamella was reconstructed with a laterally based myocutaneous pedicle flap in 7 patients, leaving a raw surface under the brow which was covered with a free skin graft. In 1 patient with little skin left under the brow, the anterior lamella was reconstructed with a bi-pedicle orbicularis muscle flap together with a free skin graft. All patients healed without necrosis, did not suffer from lagophthalmos, achieved reasonable cosmesis, and did not need lubricants. In one patient, a contact lens was necessary for three weeks because of corneal erosion. One patient still needs a contact lens 3 months after excision to avoid eye discomfort. Large upper eyelid defects can be reconstructed with a free tarsal plate graft and a laterally based myocutaneous pedicle flap in combination with a free skin graft. Two-step procedures can probably be avoided in most cases.

Health-related quality of life after segmental resection of the lateral mandible: Free fibula flap versus plate reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

van Gemert, Johannes; Holtslag, Irene; van der Bilt, Andries; Merkx, Matthias; Koole, Ron; Van Cann, Ellen

2015-06-01

Segmental resection of the mandible causes functional, aesthetic and social problems affecting health-related quality of life (HRQoL). It is often assumed that reconstruction with composite free flaps guarantees better function and aesthetics than bridging the defect with reconstruction plates. Using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35), we compared HRQoL in patients who received free fibula flaps versus reconstruction plates after segmental resection of the lateral mandible. Thirty-seven completed questionnaires (18 fibula reconstructions and 19 patients with reconstruction plates) were available. Reconstruction with a free fibula flap did not provide clear additional benefit to bridging the defect with a reconstruction plate after segmental resection of the lateral mandible. In particular aspects known to have the most impact on HRQoL like swallowing, speech and chewing were not influenced by the type of reconstruction. Reconstruction of segmental defects of the lateral mandible with free fibula flap and reconstruction plate resulted in comparable HRQoL. If dental rehabilitation by means of dental implants is not anticipated in the fibula, then plate reconstruction with adequate soft tissue remains a suitable technique for the reconstruction of segmental defects of the lateral mandible. Copyright © 2015 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cell-Based Microarrays for In Vitro Toxicology

Science.gov (United States)

Wegener, Joachim

2015-07-01

DNA/RNA and protein microarrays have proven their outstanding bioanalytical performance throughout the past decades, given the unprecedented level of parallelization by which molecular recognition assays can be performed and analyzed. Cell microarrays (CMAs) make use of similar construction principles. They are applied to profile a given cell population with respect to the expression of specific molecular markers and also to measure functional cell responses to drugs and chemicals. This review focuses on the use of cell-based microarrays for assessing the cytotoxicity of drugs, toxins, or chemicals in general. It also summarizes CMA construction principles with respect to the cell types that are used for such microarrays, the readout parameters to assess toxicity, and the various formats that have been established and applied. The review ends with a critical comparison of CMAs and well-established microtiter plate (MTP) approaches.

Iron-based alloy and nitridation treatment for PEM fuel cell bipolar plates

Science.gov (United States)

Brady, Michael P [Oak Ridge, TN; Yang, Bing [Oak Ridge, TN; Maziasz, Philip J [Oak Ridge, TN

2010-11-09

A corrosion resistant electrically conductive component that can be used as a bipolar plate in a PEM fuel cell application is composed of an alloy substrate which has 10-30 wt. % Cr, 0.5 to 7 wt. % V, and base metal being Fe, and a continuous surface layer of chromium nitride and vanadium nitride essentially free of base metal. A oxide layer of chromium vanadium oxide can be disposed between the alloy substrate and the continuous surface nitride layer. A method to prepare the corrosion resistant electrically conductive component involves a two-step nitridization sequence by exposing the alloy to a oxygen containing gas at an elevated temperature, and subsequently exposing the alloy to an oxygen free nitrogen containing gas at an elevated temperature to yield a component where a continuous chromium nitride layer free of iron has formed at the surface.

General Observations of the Time-Dependent Flow Field Around Flat Plates in Free Fall

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hærvig, Jakob; Jensen, Anna Lyhne; Pedersen, Marie Cecilie

2015-01-01

a six degrees of freedom (6DOF) solver and a dynamic mesh. To validate the simulation, the trajectories of aluminium plates falling in water are recorded by digital camera recordings and compared to the simulation. The simulation is able to calculate the motion of the plate within each time step...... with high accuracy, and thereby allowing the whole trajectory to be predicted with fair accuracy. With the numerical model able to predict the free fall and the complex plate fluid interactions, fluids forces can be extracted for model development in future studies....

Transfer plate radioassay using cell monolayers to detect anti-cell surface antibodies synthesized by lymphocyte hybridomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, M.D.; Eisenbarth, G.S.

1979-01-01

A solid phase [ 125 I] Protein A radioassay for anti-cell surface antibodies is described, which employs target cell monolayers cultured on fenestrated polyvinyl chloride 96-well plates ('transfer plates'). The calibrated aperture in the bottom of each well is small enough to retain fluid contents by surface tension during monolayer growth, but also permits fluid to enter the wells when transfer plate are lowered into receptacles containing washing buffer on test sera. To assay for antibodies directed against target cell surface antigens, transfer plates bearing monolayers are inserted into microculture plates with corresponding 96-well geometry, thereby simultaneously sampling 96 wells. This assay allows rapid screening of hundreds of hybrid cell colonies for production of antibodies with desired tissue specificity. (Auth.)

Free Vibration Analyses of FGM Thin Plates by Isogeometric Analysis Based on Classical Plate Theory and Physical Neutral Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuohui Yin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The isogeometric analysis with nonuniform rational B-spline (NURBS based on the classical plate theory (CPT is developed for free vibration analyses of functionally graded material (FGM thin plates. The objective of this work is to provide an efficient and accurate numerical simulation approach for the nonhomogeneous thin plates and shells. Higher order basis functions can be easily obtained in IGA, thus the formulation of CPT based on the IGA can be simplified. For the FGM thin plates, material property gradient in the thickness direction is unsymmetrical about the midplane, so effects of midplane displacements cannot be ignored, whereas the CPT neglects midplane displacements. To eliminate the effects of midplane displacements without introducing new unknown variables, the physical neutral surface is introduced into the CPT. The approximation of the deflection field and the geometric description are performed by using the NURBS basis functions. Compared with the first-order shear deformation theory, the present method has lower memory consumption and higher efficiency. Several numerical results show that the present method yields highly accurate solutions.

PEM fuel cell bipolar plate material requirements for transportation applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borup, R.L.; Stroh, K.R.; Vanderborgh, N.E. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)] [and others

1996-04-01

Cost effective bipolar plates are currently under development to help make proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells commercially viable. Bipolar plates separate individual cells of the fuel cell stack, and thus must supply strength, be electrically conductive, provide for thermal control of the fuel stack, be a non-porous materials separating hydrogen and oxygen feed streams, be corrosion resistant, provide gas distribution for the feed streams and meet fuel stack cost targets. Candidate materials include conductive polymers and metal plates with corrosion resistant coatings. Possible metals include aluminium, titanium, iron/stainless steel and nickel.

Studies on whole cell fluorescence-based screening for epoxide hydrolases and Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bicalho, Beatriz; Chen, Lu S.; Marsaioli, Anita J.; Grognux, Johann; Reymond, Jean-Louis

2004-01-01

Biocatalysis reactions were performed on microtiter plates (200 μL) aiming at the utilization of fluorogenic substrates (100 μmol L -1 ) for rapid whole cell screening for epoxide hydrolases (EHs) and Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases (BVMOs). A final protocol was achieved for EHs, with 3 new enzymatic sources being detected (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Pichia stipitis, Trichosporom cutaneum). The fluorogenic assay for BVMO did not work as expected. However, an approach to possible variables involved (aeration; pH) provided the first detection of a BVMO activity in T. cutaneum. (author)

Application of the Modified Vlasov Model to the Free Vibration Analysis of Thick Plates Resting on Elastic Foundations

OpenAIRE

Ozgan, Korhan; Daloglu, Ayse T.

2009-01-01

The Modified Vlasov Model is applied to the free vibration analysis of thick plates resting on elastic foundations. The effects of the subsoil depth, plate dimensions and their ratio, the value of the vertical deformation parameter within the subsoil on the frequency parameters of plates on elastic foundations are investigated. A four-noded, twelve degrees of freedom quadrilateral finite element (PBQ4) is used for plate bending analysis based on Mindlin plate theory which is effectively appli...

MHD free convection flow past an oscillating plate in the presence of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study of unsteady magnetohydrodynamic heat and mass transfer in MHD flow past an infinite vertical oscillating plate through porous medium, taking account of the presence of free convection and mass transfer. The energy and chemical species equations are solved in closed form by Laplace-transform technique and ...

Alternative bipolar plates design and manufacturing for PEM fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee Chang Chuan; Norhamidi Muhamad; Jaafar Sahari

2006-01-01

Bipolar plates is one of the important components in fuel cell stack, it comprise up to 80% of the stack volume. Traditionally, these plates have been fabricated from graphite, owing to its chemical nobility, and high electrical and thermal conductivity; but these plates are brittle and relatively thick. Therefore increasing the stack volume and size. Alternatives to graphite are carbon-carbon composite, carbon-polymer composite and metal (aluminum, stainless steel, titanium and nickel based alloy). The use of coated and uncoated metal bipolar plates has received attention recently due to the simplicity of plate manufacturing. The thin nature of the metal substrate allows for smaller stack design with reduced weight. Lightweight coated metals as alternative to graphite plate is being developed. Beside the traditional method of machining and slurry molding, metal foam for bipolar plates fabrication seems to be a good alternative. The plates will be produced with titanium powder by Powder Metallurgy method using space holders technique to produce the meal foam flow-field. This work intends to facilitate the materials and manufacturing process requirements to produce cost effective foamed bipolar plates for fuel cell

Two-step freezing of hybridoma cells in 96-well microculture plates.

Science.gov (United States)

Pĕknicová, J; Kristofová, H

1985-01-01

Stabile hybridoma cells, colonies of hybridoma cells 14 days after fusion of immune spleen and myeloma cells, myeloma cells and fibroblasts cultured in 96-well microculture plates were frozen by the method of two-step freezing. The culture medium was aspirated, and 50 microliter of the medium containing a cryoprotectant (5% dimethyl sulphoxide) was added for 10 min at room temperature. The plates were put into microtene bags, placed at -25 degrees C in a freezer for 30 min and then stored at -100 degrees C in liquid nitrogen vapour. Plates with cells were thawed rapidly in a 50 degree C water bath. After thawing the hybrid cells were viable and continued to produce the specific antibody.

Composite Bipolar Plate for Unitized Fuel Cell/Electrolyzer Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Mittelsteadt, Cortney K.; Braff, William

2009-01-01

In a substantial improvement over present alkaline systems, an advanced hybrid bipolar plate for a unitized fuel cell/electrolyzer has been developed. This design, which operates on pure feed streams (H2/O2 and water, respectively) consists of a porous metallic foil filled with a polymer that has very high water transport properties. Combined with a second metallic plate, the pore-filled metallic plates form a bipolar plate with an empty cavity in the center.

Reflection of Lamb waves obliquely incident on the free edge of a plate.

Science.gov (United States)

Santhanam, Sridhar; Demirli, Ramazan

2013-01-01

The reflection of obliquely incident symmetric and anti-symmetric Lamb wave modes at the edge of a plate is studied. Both in-plane and Shear-Horizontal (SH) reflected wave modes are spawned by an obliquely incident in-plane Lamb wave mode. Energy reflection coefficients are calculated for the reflected wave modes as a function of frequency and angle of incidence. This is done by using the method of orthogonal mode decomposition and by enforcing traction free conditions at the plate edge using the method of collocation. A PZT sensor network, affixed to an Aluminum plate, is used to experimentally verify the predictions of the analysis. Experimental results provide support for the analytically determined results. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of dual PZT transducers for reference-free crack detection in thin plate structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohn, Hoon; Kim, Seuno Bum

2010-01-01

A new Lamb-wave-based nondestructive testing (NDT) technique, which does not rely on previously stored baseline data, is developed for crack monitoring in plate structures. Commonly, the presence of damage is identified by comparing "current data" measured from a potentially damaged stage of a structure with "baseline data" previously obtained at the intact condition of the structure. In practice, structural defects typically take place long after collection of the baseline data, and the baseline data can be also affected by external loading, temperature variations, and changing boundary conditions. To eliminate the dependence on the baseline data comparison, the authors previously developed a reference-free NDT technique using 2 pairs of collocated lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers placed on both sides of a plate. This reference-free technique is further advanced in the present study by the necessity of attaching transducers only on a single surface of a structure for certain applications such as aircraft. To achieve this goal, a new design of PZT transducers called dual PZT transducers is proposed. Crack formation creates Lamb wave mode conversion due to a sudden thickness change of the structure. This crack appearance is instantly detected from the measured Lamb wave signals using the dual PZT transducers. This study also suggests a reference-free statistical approach that enables damage classification using only the currently measured data set. Numerical simulations and experiments were conducted using an aluminum plate with uniform thickness and fundamental Lamb waves modes to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed technique to reference-free crack detection.

A layer-wise MITC9 finite element for the free-vibration analysis of plates with piezo-patches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Cinefra

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The present article considers the free-vibration analysis of plate structures with piezoelectric patches by means of a plate finite element with variable through-the-thickness layer-wise kinematic. The refined models used are derived from Carrera’s Unified Formulation (CUF and they permit the vibration modes along the thickness to be accurately described. The finite-element method is employed and the plate element implemented has nine nodes, and the mixed interpolation of tensorial component (MITC method is used to contrast the membrane and shear locking phenomenon. The related governing equations are derived from the principle of virtual displacement, extended to the analysis of electromechanical problems. An isotropic plate with piezoelectric patches is analyzed, with clamped-free boundary conditions and subjected to open- and short-circuit configurations. The results, obtained with different theories, are compared with the higher-order type solutions given in the literature. The conclusion is reached that the plate element based on the CUF is more suitable and efficient compared to the classical models in the study of multilayered structures embedding piezo-patches.

Evaluation for the effects of a ring plate device to eliminate free surface gradients in liquid metal fast breeder reactor vessel using multi-dimensional thermohydraulics computer code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Ming Qing.

1997-02-01

There is a free surface at the upper plenum in a reactor vessel of LMFBR. The free surface has spatial gradient caused by the internal coolant flow. This is a disadvantageous factor to engineering from the view point of gas entrainment into coolant. To eliminate the free surface gradients, ring plates about 20 cm wide are fitted at about 1 meter under the free surface. They interfere fluid flow, and decrease the component velocity in vertical direction. To investigate the efficiency of the ring plates, analyses with the AQUA-VOF code were carried out. For contrast, three conditions were given: Case-1: Without ring plates. Case-2: Ring plates, fitted at 1.125 m under the free surface. Case-3: Ring plates, fitted at 1.5 m under the free surface. The results shown that the ring plates have a sufficiently high potential to eliminate the free surface gradients due to disperse the momentum along reactor vessel axis to radial direction. In the calculations with ring plate (Cases-2 and -3), the maximum free surface height differences and the maximum gradients of free surface were decreased to less than 15% and 64% compared with the case without ring plates, respectively. (author)

Create Your Plate

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Your Plate Gluten Free Diets Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Cook with Heart-Healthy Foods Holiday Meal ... Healthy Diet Create Your Plate Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Gluten Free Diets Holiday Meal Planning Cook ...

Create Your Plate

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Meals Diabetes Meal Plans Create Your Plate Gluten Free Diets Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Cook with ... Your Plate Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Gluten Free Diets Holiday Meal Planning Cook with Heart-Healthy ...

Unsteady free convection MHD flow between two heated vertical parallel conducting plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanyal, D.C.; Adhikari, A.

2006-01-01

Unsteady free convection flow of a viscous incompressible electrically conducting fluid between two heated conducting vertical parallel plates subjected to a uniform transverse magnetic field is considered. The approximate analytical solutions for velocity, induced field and temperature distribution are obtained for small and large values of magnetic Reynolds number. The problem is also extended to thermometric case. (author)

Monolayer culturing and cloning of human pluripotent stem cells on laminin-521-based matrices under xeno-free and chemically defined conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodin, Sergey; Antonsson, Liselotte; Hovatta, Outi; Tryggvason, Karl

2014-10-01

A robust method for culturing human pluripotent stem (hPS) cells under chemically defined and xeno-free conditions is an important tool for stem cell research and for the development of regenerative medicine. Here, we describe a protocol for monolayer culturing of Oct-4-positive hPS cells on a specific laminin-521 (LN-521) isoform, under xeno-free and chemically defined conditions. The cells are dispersed into single-cell suspension and then plated on LN-521 isoform at densities higher than 5,000 cells per cm², where they attach, migrate and survive by forming small monolayer cell groups. The cells avidly divide and expand horizontally until the entire dish is covered by a confluent monolayer. LN-521, in combination with E-cadherin, allows cloning of individual hPS cells in separate wells of 96-well plates without the presence of rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitors or any other inhibitors of anoikis. Characterization of cells maintained for several months in culture reveals pluripotency with a minimal degree of genetic abnormalities.

Create Your Plate

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Planning Meals Diabetes Meal Plans Create Your Plate Gluten Free Diets Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Cook with Heart- ... Create Your Plate Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Gluten Free Diets Holiday Meal Planning Cook with Heart-Healthy Foods ...

Unsteady free convection MHD flow between two heated vertical parallel plates in induced magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakraborty, S.; Borkakati, A.K.

1999-01-01

An unsteady viscous incompressible free convection flow of an electrically conducting fluid between two heated vertical parallel plates is considered in presence of a uniform magnetic field applied transversely to the flow. The approximate analytical solutions for velocity, induced field and temperature distributions are obtained for small and large magnetic Reynolds number. The skin-friction on the two plates are obtained and plotted graphically. The problem is extended for thermometric case. (author)

Method for the radioimmunoassay of large numbers of samples using quantitative autoradiography of multiple-well plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luner, S.J.

1978-01-01

A double antibody assay for thyroxine using 125 I as label was carried out on 10-μl samples in Microtiter V-plates. After an additional centrifugation to compact the precipitates the plates were placed in contact with x-ray film overnight and the spots were scanned. In the 20 to 160 ng/ml range the average coefficient of variation for thyroxine concentration determined on the basis of film spot optical density was 11 percent compared to 4.8 percent obtained using a standard gamma counter. Eliminating the need for each sample to spend on the order of 1 min in a crystal well detector makes the method convenient for large-scale applications involving more than 3000 samples per day

Electroless plating of Ni–B film as a binder-free highly efficient electrocatalyst for hydrazine oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen, Xiao-Ping; Dai, Hong-Bin, E-mail: mshbdai@scut.edu.cn; Wu, Lin-Song; Wang, Ping, E-mail: mspwang@scut.edu.cn

2017-07-01

Graphical abstract: A Ni–B film was grown on Ni foam to form a binder-free highly efficient electrocatalyst for hydrazine oxidation in alkaline medium. The newly-developed Ni–B/Ni foam electrocatalyst may promote the practical application of hydrazine as a viable energy carrier for fuel cells. - Highlights: • A Ni–B film grown on Ni foam electrocatalyst is prepared by the electrless plating. • The Ni–B film shows high activity and stability for N{sub 2}H{sub 4} electrooxidation reaction. • The improved catalytic property is ascribed to B-tuned electronic structure of Ni. • The resultant catalyst may promote application of N{sub 2}H{sub 4} as a viable energy carrier. - Abstract: Hydrazine is a promising energy carrier for fuel cells owing to its combined advantages of high theoretical cell voltage, high-power density, and no greenhouse gas emission. By using an electroless plating process, we have prepared a robust Ni–B film grown on Ni foam that is highly effective for hydrazine electrooxidation in alkaline media. The effects of reaction temperature, concentrations of hydrous hydrazine and sodium hydroxide in the fuel solution on performance of hydrazine electrooxidation reaction are investigated. The mechanistic reason for the property advantage of as-prepared Ni–B/Ni foam catalyst over the relevant catalysts is discussed based on careful kinetics studies and characterization. The facile synthesis of Ni-based catalyst with high activity and good stability is of clear significance for the development of hydrous hydrazine as a viable energy carrier.

Electroless plating of Ni–B film as a binder-free highly efficient electrocatalyst for hydrazine oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen, Xiao-Ping; Dai, Hong-Bin; Wu, Lin-Song; Wang, Ping

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: A Ni–B film was grown on Ni foam to form a binder-free highly efficient electrocatalyst for hydrazine oxidation in alkaline medium. The newly-developed Ni–B/Ni foam electrocatalyst may promote the practical application of hydrazine as a viable energy carrier for fuel cells. - Highlights: • A Ni–B film grown on Ni foam electrocatalyst is prepared by the electrless plating. • The Ni–B film shows high activity and stability for N_2H_4 electrooxidation reaction. • The improved catalytic property is ascribed to B-tuned electronic structure of Ni. • The resultant catalyst may promote application of N_2H_4 as a viable energy carrier. - Abstract: Hydrazine is a promising energy carrier for fuel cells owing to its combined advantages of high theoretical cell voltage, high-power density, and no greenhouse gas emission. By using an electroless plating process, we have prepared a robust Ni–B film grown on Ni foam that is highly effective for hydrazine electrooxidation in alkaline media. The effects of reaction temperature, concentrations of hydrous hydrazine and sodium hydroxide in the fuel solution on performance of hydrazine electrooxidation reaction are investigated. The mechanistic reason for the property advantage of as-prepared Ni–B/Ni foam catalyst over the relevant catalysts is discussed based on careful kinetics studies and characterization. The facile synthesis of Ni-based catalyst with high activity and good stability is of clear significance for the development of hydrous hydrazine as a viable energy carrier.

Free Vibration Analysis of Composite Plates via Refined Theories Accounting for Uncertainties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Giunta

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The free vibration analysis of composite thin and relatively thick plates accounting for uncertainty is addressed in this work. Classical and refined two-dimensional models derived via Carrera's Unified Formulation (CUF are considered. Material properties and geometrical parameters are supposed to be random. The fundamental frequency related to the first bending eigenmode is stochastically described in terms of the mean value, the standard deviation, the related confidence intervals and the cumulative distribution function. The Monte Carlo Method is employed to account for uncertainty. Cross-ply, simply supported, orthotropic plates are accounted for. Symmetric and anti-symmetric lay-ups are investigated. Displacements based and mixed two-dimensional theories are adopted. Equivalent single layer and layer wise approaches are considered. A Navier type solution is assumed. The conducted analyses have shown that for the considered cases, the fundamental natural frequency is not very sensitive to the uncertainty in the material parameters, while uncertainty in the geometrical parameters should be accounted for. In the case of thin plates, all the considered models yield statistically matching results. For relatively thick plates, the difference in the mean value of the natural frequency is due to the different number of degrees of freedom in the model.

DNS of heat transfer in transitional, accelerated boundary layer flow over a flat plate affected by free-stream fluctuations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wissink, Jan G.; Rodi, Wolfgang

2009-01-01

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of flow over and heat transfer from a flat plate affected by free-stream fluctuations were performed. A contoured upper wall was employed to generate a favourable streamwise pressure gradient along a large portion of the flat plate. The free-stream fluctuations originated from a separate LES of isotropic turbulence in a box. In the laminar portions of the accelerating boundary layer flow the formation of streaks was observed to induce an increase in heat transfer by the exchange of hot fluid near the surface of the plate and cold fluid from the free-stream. In the regions where the streamwise pressure gradient was only mildly favourable, intermittent turbulent spots were detected which relaminarised downstream as the streamwise pressure gradient became stronger. The relaminarisation of the turbulent spots was reflected by a slight decrease in the friction coefficient, which converged to its laminar value in the region where the streamwise pressure gradient was strongest.

In-situ Investigation of Lead-free Solder Alloy Formation Using a Hot-plate Microscope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergmann, René; Tang, Peter Torben; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard

2007-01-01

This work presents the advantages of using a hot-plate microscope for investigation of new (high-temperature) lead- free solders as in-situ analysis tool and preparation equipment. A description of the equipment and the preparation method is given and some examples are outlined. The formation...

Free vibration analysis of multi directional functionally graded circular and annular plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kermani, Iman Davoodi; Ghayour, Mostafa; Mirdamadi, Hamid Reza [Isfahan Univ. of Technology, Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2012-11-15

This paper addresses the free vibration of multi directional functionally graded circular and annular plates using a semianalytical/numerical method, called state space based differential quadrature method. Three-dimensional elasticity equations are derived for multi directional functionally graded plates and a solution is given by the semi-analytical/numerical method. This method gives an analytical solution along the thickness direction, using a state space method and a numerical solution using differential quadrature method. Some numerical examples are presented to show the accuracy and convergence of the method. The most of simulations of the present study have been validated by the existing literature. The non dimensional frequencies and corresponding displacements mode shapes are obtained. Then the influences of thickness ratio and graded indexes are demonstrated on the non dimensional natural frequencies.

Search-free license plate localization based on saliency and local variance estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Safaei, Amin; Tang, H. L.; Sanei, S.

2015-02-01

In recent years, the performance and accuracy of automatic license plate number recognition (ALPR) systems have greatly improved, however the increasing number of applications for such systems have made ALPR research more challenging than ever. The inherent computational complexity of search dependent algorithms remains a major problem for current ALPR systems. This paper proposes a novel search-free method of localization based on the estimation of saliency and local variance. Gabor functions are then used to validate the choice of candidate license plate. The algorithm was applied to three image datasets with different levels of complexity and the results compared with a number of benchmark methods, particularly in terms of speed. The proposed method outperforms the state of the art methods and can be used for real time applications.

Receptivity to free stream acoustic disturbances due to a roughness element on a flat plate

OpenAIRE

Ashour, Osama Naim

1993-01-01

The boundary-layer receptivity resulting from acoustic forcing over a flat plate with a surface irregularity is investigated. The unsteady free-stream disturbances couple with the steady perturbations resulting from the surface irregularity to form a traveling-wave mode. The resonance condition necessary for receptivity requires a forcing at a wave number equal to that of the Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) eigenmode and a frequency equal to that of the free-stream acoustic disturban...

Antibiofilm activity of carboxymethyl chitosan on the biofilms of non-Candida albicans Candida species.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Yulong; Leonhard, Matthias; Moser, Doris; Schneider-Stickler, Berit

2016-09-20

Although most cases of candidiasis have been attributed to Candida albicans, non-C. albicans Candida species have been isolated in increasing numbers in patients. In this study, we determined the inhibition of carboxymethyl chitosan (CM-chitosan) on single and mixed species biofilm of non-albicans Candida species, including Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei and Candida glabrata. Biofilm by all tested species in microtiter plates were inhibited nearly 70%. CM-chitosan inhibited mixed species biofilm in microtiter plates and also on medical materials surfaces. To investigate the mechanism, the effect of CM-chitosan on cell viability and biofilm growth was employed. CM-chitosan inhibited Candida planktonic growth as well as adhesion. Further biofilm formation was inhibited with CM-chitosan added at 90min, 12h or 24h after biofilm initiation. CM-chitosan was not only able to inhibit the metabolic activity of Candida cells, but was also active upon the establishment and the development of biofilms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Free Convection from a Semi-Infinite Vertical Plate with Discontinuous Blowing or Suction.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-03-01

SCHIESSR UNCLASSIFIED; EhEllllEllEE EE[E]hEEEIllIEllhlEEIl EEEEEIIIEEEEI EEEIIIIIIIIII EIIIEIIEEEEII EEEIIIIIIIIIIE LVEL NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey...the unsteady free convective flow past a simi-infinite porous plate with constant suction were studied through mathematical analysis by Soundalgekar...boundary-layers and; therefore, will often indicate a preferred method of analytical solution. Although there are several possible mathematical techniques

Damage-free laser patterning of silicon nitride on textured crystalline silicon using an amorphous silicon etch mask for Ni/Cu plated silicon solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bailly, Mark S., E-mail: mbailly@asu.edu; Karas, Joseph; Jain, Harsh; Dauksher, William J.; Bowden, Stuart

2016-08-01

We investigate the optimization of laser ablation with a femtosecond laser for direct and indirect removal of SiN{sub x} on alkaline textured c-Si. Our proposed resist-free indirect removal process uses an a-Si:H etch mask and is demonstrated to have a drastically improved surface quality of the laser processed areas when compared to our direct removal process. Scanning electron microscope images of ablated sites show the existence of substantial surface defects for the standard direct removal process, and the reduction of those defects with our proposed process. Opening of SiN{sub x} and SiO{sub x} passivating layers with laser ablation is a promising alternative to the standard screen print and fire process for making contact to Si solar cells. The potential for small contacts from laser openings of dielectrics coupled with the selective deposition of metal from light induced plating allows for high-aspect-ratio metal contacts for front grid metallization. The minimization of defects generated in this process would serve to enhance the performance of the device and provides the motivation for our work. - Highlights: • Direct laser removal of silicon nitride (SiN{sub x}) damages textured silicon. • Direct laser removal of amorphous silicon (a-Si) does not damage textured silicon. • a-Si can be used as a laser patterned etch mask for SiN{sub x}. • Chemically patterned SiN{sub x} sites allow for Ni/Cu plating.

Effects of aromatic amino acids on glutamate-induced neuronal cell death

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zafar, Z.; Sumners, C.

2005-01-01

Glutamate accumulation is believed to lead to overstimulation of glutamate receptors which results in neuronal death. The protective effects of aromatic amino acids on glutamate induced neuronal cell death were examined using rat cerebral cortical neurons. Neuronal death is quantified by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) using a spectrophotometric microtiter plate reader (ELISA reader). Neuronal cells were incubated with varying doses of glutamate plus or minus the aromatic amino acid D-Phenylalanine (D-Phe) for different time periods to observe protection against cytotoxicity. Percent cytotoxicity was seen to follow a dose dependent rise with increasing concentrations of glutamate, reaching a plateau at around 100 -500 uM glutamate. Lower levels of cytotoxicity were achieved with cell exposed to D-Phe and Dibromo tyrosine (DBrT). 48-hour experimental runs were also carried out to further investigate the mode of action of D-Phe. It was found that the difference between cytotoxicity levels of control cells and protected cells was higher over longer time. (author)

Dlx proteins position the neural plate border and determine adjacent cell fates.

Science.gov (United States)

Woda, Juliana M; Pastagia, Julie; Mercola, Mark; Artinger, Kristin Bruk

2003-01-01

The lateral border of the neural plate is a major source of signals that induce primary neurons, neural crest cells and cranial placodes as well as provide patterning cues to mesodermal structures such as somites and heart. Whereas secreted BMP, FGF and Wnt proteins influence the differentiation of neural and non-neural ectoderm, we show here that members of the Dlx family of transcription factors position the border between neural and non-neural ectoderm and are required for the specification of adjacent cell fates. Inhibition of endogenous Dlx activity in Xenopus embryos with an EnR-Dlx homeodomain fusion protein expands the neural plate into non-neural ectoderm tissue whereas ectopic activation of Dlx target genes inhibits neural plate differentiation. Importantly, the stereotypic pattern of border cell fates in the adjacent ectoderm is re-established only under conditions where the expanded neural plate abuts Dlx-positive non-neural ectoderm. Experiments in which presumptive neural plate was grafted to ventral ectoderm reiterate induction of neural crest and placodal lineages and also demonstrate that Dlx activity is required in non-neural ectoderm for the production of signals needed for induction of these cells. We propose that Dlx proteins regulate intercellular signaling across the interface between neural and non-neural ectoderm that is critical for inducing and patterning adjacent cell fates.

Simplified Procedure For The Free Vibration Analysis Of Rectangular Plate Structures With Holes And Stiffeners

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Cho Dae Seung

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Thin and thick plates, plates with holes, stiffened panels and stiffened panels with holes are primary structural members in almost all fields of engineering: civil, mechanical, aerospace, naval, ocean etc. In this paper, a simple and efficient procedure for the free vibration analysis of such elements is presented. It is based on the assumed mode method and can handle different plate thickness, various shapes and sizes of holes, different framing sizes and types as well as different combinations of boundary conditions. Natural frequencies and modes are determined by solving an eigenvalue problem of a multi-degree-of-freedom system matrix equation derived by using Lagrange’s equations. Mindlin theory is applied for a plate and Timoshenko beam theory for stiffeners. The applicability of the method in the design procedure is illustrated with several numerical examples obtained by the in-house developed code VAPS. Very good agreement with standard commercial finite element software is achieved.

Assessment of Theories for Free Vibration Analysis of Homogeneous and Multilayered Plates

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Erasmo Carrera

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This paper assesses classical and advanced theories for free vibrational response of homogeneous and multilayered simply supported plates. Closed form solutions are given for thick and thin geometries. Single layer and multilayered plates made of metallic, composite and piezo-electric materials, are considered. Classical theories based on Kirchhoff and Reissner-Mindlin assumptions are compared with refined theories obtained by enhancing the order of the expansion of the displacement fields in the thickness direction z. The effect of the Zig-Zag form of the displacement distribution in z as well as of the Interlaminar Continuity of transverse shear and normal stresses at the layer interface were evaluated. A number of conclusions have been drawn. These conclusions could be used as desk-bed in order to choose the most valuable theories for a given problem.

Free vibration characteristics analysis of rectangular plate with rectangular opening based on Fourier series method

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WANG Minhao

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Plate structures with openings are common in many engineering structures. The study of the vibration characteristics of such structures is directly related to the vibration reduction, noise reduction and stability analysis of an overall structure. This paper conducts research into the free vibration characteristics of a thin elastic plate with a rectangular opening parallel to the plate in an arbitrary position. We use the improved Fourier series to represent the displacement tolerance function of the rectangular plate with an opening. We can divide the plate into an eight zone plate to simplify the calculation. We then use linear springs, which are uniformly distributed along the boundary, to simulate the classical boundary conditions and the boundary conditions of the boundaries between the regions. According to the energy functional and variational method, we can obtain the overall energy functional. We can also obtain the generalized eigenvalue matrix equation by studying the extremum of the unknown improved Fourier series expansion coefficients. We can then obtain the natural frequencies and corresponding vibration modes of the rectangular plate with an opening by solving the equation. We then compare the calculated results with the finite element method to verify the accuracy and effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper. Finally, we research the influence of the boundary condition, opening size and opening position on the vibration characteristics of a plate with an opening. This provides a theoretical reference for practical engineering application.

Analysis technology in the thick plate free drop impact, heat and thermal stress of the cask for radioactive material transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Dew Hey; Lee, Young Shin; Ryu, Chung Hyun; Kim, Hyun Su; Choi, Kyung Joo; Choi, Young Jin; Lee, Jae Hyung; Na, Jae Yun; Kim, Seong Jong

2002-03-01

In this study, The regulatory condition and analysis condition is analyzed for thick plate free drop, heat and thermal stress analysis to develop the safety assessment technology. Analysis is performed with finite element method which is one of the many analysis methods of the shipping cask. ANSYS, LS-DYNA3D and ABAQUS is suitable for thick plate free drop, heat and thermal stress analysis of the shipping cask. For the analysis model, the KSC-4 that is the shipping cask to transport spent nuclear fuel is investigated. The results of both LS-DYNA3D and ABAQUS for thick plate free drop and the results of ANSYS, LS-DYNA3D and ABAQUS for heat and thermal stress analysis is completely corresponded. And the integrity of the shipping cask is verified. Using this study, the reliable safety assessment technology is supplied to the staff. The efficient and reliable regulatory tasks is performed using the standard safety assessment technology

Analysis technology in the thick plate free drop impact, heat and thermal stress of the cask for radioactive material transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Dew Hey [Korea Institute of Nuclear and Safety, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Young Shin; Ryu, Chung Hyun; Kim, Hyun Su; Choi, Kyung Joo; Choi, Young Jin; Lee, Jae Hyung; Na, Jae Yun; Kim, Seong Jong [Chungnam National Univ., Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2002-03-15

In this study, The regulatory condition and analysis condition is analyzed for thick plate free drop, heat and thermal stress analysis to develop the safety assessment technology. Analysis is performed with finite element method which is one of the many analysis methods of the shipping cask. ANSYS, LS-DYNA3D and ABAQUS is suitable for thick plate free drop, heat and thermal stress analysis of the shipping cask. For the analysis model, the KSC-4 that is the shipping cask to transport spent nuclear fuel is investigated. The results of both LS-DYNA3D and ABAQUS for thick plate free drop and the results of ANSYS, LS-DYNA3D and ABAQUS for heat and thermal stress analysis is completely corresponded. And the integrity of the shipping cask is verified. Using this study, the reliable safety assessment technology is supplied to the staff. The efficient and reliable regulatory tasks is performed using the standard safety assessment technology.

Free Vibration Analysis of Fiber Metal Laminate Annular Plate by State-Space Based Differential Quadrature Method

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G. H. Rahimi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A three-dimensional elasticity theory by means of a state-space based differential quadrature method is presented for free vibration analysis of fiber metal laminate annular plate. The kinds of composite material and metal layers are considered to be S2-glass and aluminum, respectively. A semianalytical approach which uses state-space in the thickness and differential quadrature in the radial direction is implemented for evaluating the nondimensional natural frequencies of the annular plates. The influences of changes in boundary condition, plate thickness, and lay-up direction on the natural frequencies are studied. A comparison is also made with the numerical results reported by ABAQUS software which shows an excellent agreement.

Concave microwell plate facilitates chondrogenesis from mesenchymal stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Ji-Yun; Im, Gun-Il

2016-11-01

To compare in vitro chondrogenesis from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells using concave microwell plates with those obtained using culture tubes. Pellets cultured in concave microwell plates had a significantly higher level of GAG per DNA content and greater proteoglycan content than those cultured in tubes at day 7 and 14. Three chondrogenic markers, SOX-9, COL2A1 and aggrecan, showed significantly higher expression in pellets cultured in concave microwell plates than those cultured in tubes at day 7 and 14. At day 21, there was not a significant difference in the expression of these markers. COL10A1, the typical hypertrophy marker, was significantly lower in concave microwell plates during the whole culture period. Runx-2, a marker of hypertrophy and osteogenesis, was significantly lower at day 7 in pellets cultured in concave microwell plates than those cultured in tubes. Concave microwell plates provide a convenient and effective tool for the study of in vitro chondrogenesis and may replace the use of propylene culture tube.

Application of the Modified Vlasov Model to the Free Vibration Analysis of Thick Plates Resting on Elastic Foundations

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Korhan Ozgan

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The Modified Vlasov Model is applied to the free vibration analysis of thick plates resting on elastic foundations. The effects of the subsoil depth, plate dimensions and their ratio, the value of the vertical deformation parameter within the subsoil on the frequency parameters of plates on elastic foundations are investigated. A four-noded, twelve degrees of freedom quadrilateral finite element (PBQ4 is used for plate bending analysis based on Mindlin plate theory which is effectively applied to the analysis of thin and thick plates when selective reduced integration technique is used. The first ten natural frequency parameters are presented in tabular and graphical forms to show the effects of the parameters considered in the study. It is concluded that the effect of the subsoil depth on the frequency parameters of the plates on elastic foundation is generally larger than that of the other parameters considered in the study.

Defined Essential 8™ Medium and Vitronectin Efficiently Support Scalable Xeno-Free Expansion of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Stirred Microcarrier Culture Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Badenes, Sara M.; Fernandes, Tiago G.; Cordeiro, Cláudia S. M.; Boucher, Shayne; Kuninger, David; Vemuri, Mohan C.; Diogo, Maria Margarida; Cabral, Joaquim M. S.

2016-01-01

Human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cell culture using Essential 8™ xeno-free medium and the defined xeno-free matrix vitronectin was successfully implemented under adherent conditions. This matrix was able to support hiPS cell expansion either in coated plates or on polystyrene-coated microcarriers, while maintaining hiPS cell functionality and pluripotency. Importantly, scale-up of the microcarrier-based system was accomplished using a 50 mL spinner flask, under dynamic conditions. A three-level factorial design experiment was performed to identify optimal conditions in terms of a) initial cell density b) agitation speed, and c) to maximize cell yield in spinner flask cultures. A maximum cell yield of 3.5 is achieved by inoculating 55,000 cells/cm2 of microcarrier surface area and using 44 rpm, which generates a cell density of 1.4x106 cells/mL after 10 days of culture. After dynamic culture, hiPS cells maintained their typical morphology upon re-plating, exhibited pluripotency-associated marker expression as well as tri-lineage differentiation capability, which was verified by inducing their spontaneous differentiation through embryoid body formation, and subsequent downstream differentiation to specific lineages such as neural and cardiac fates was successfully accomplished. In conclusion, a scalable, robust and cost-effective xeno-free culture system was successfully developed and implemented for the scale-up production of hiPS cells. PMID:26999816

A Baseline-Free Defect Imaging Technique in Plates Using Time Reversal of Lamb Waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Hyunjo; Cho, Sungjong; Wei, Wei

2011-01-01

We present an analytical investigation for a baseline-free imaging of a defect in plate-like structures using the time-reversal of Lamb waves. We first consider the flexural wave (A 0 mode) propagation in a plate containing a defect, and reception and time reversal process of the output signal at the receiver. The received output signal is then composed of two parts: a directly propagated wave and a scattered wave from the defect. The time reversal of these waves recovers the original input signal, and produces two additional sidebands that contain the time-of-flight information on the defect location. One of the side-band signals is then extracted as a pure defect signal. A defect localization image is then constructed from a beamforming technique based on the time-frequency analysis of the side band signal for each transducer pair in a network of sensors. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme enables the accurate, baseline-free imaging of a defect. (fundamental areas of phenomenology(including applications))

Cell-free synthetic biology: thinking outside the cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodgman, C Eric; Jewett, Michael C

2012-05-01

Cell-free synthetic biology is emerging as a powerful approach aimed to understand, harness, and expand the capabilities of natural biological systems without using intact cells. Cell-free systems bypass cell walls and remove genetic regulation to enable direct access to the inner workings of the cell. The unprecedented level of control and freedom of design, relative to in vivo systems, has inspired the rapid development of engineering foundations for cell-free systems in recent years. These efforts have led to programmed circuits, spatially organized pathways, co-activated catalytic ensembles, rational optimization of synthetic multi-enzyme pathways, and linear scalability from the micro-liter to the 100-liter scale. It is now clear that cell-free systems offer a versatile test-bed for understanding why nature's designs work the way they do and also for enabling biosynthetic routes to novel chemicals, sustainable fuels, and new classes of tunable materials. While challenges remain, the emergence of cell-free systems is poised to open the way to novel products that until now have been impractical, if not impossible, to produce by other means. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison between beryllium and diamond-backing plates in diamond-anvil cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Periotto, Benedetta; Nestola, Fabrizio; Balic Zunic, Tonci

2011-01-01

A direct comparison between two complete intensity datasets, collected on the same sample loaded in two identical diamond-anvil pressure cells equipped, respectively, with beryllium and diamond backing plates was performed. The results clearly demonstrate that the use of diamond-backing plates...

Fuel cell plates with skewed process channels for uniform distribution of stack compression load

Science.gov (United States)

Granata, Jr., Samuel J.; Woodle, Boyd M.

1989-01-01

An electrochemical fuel cell includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, an electrolyte matrix sandwiched between electrodes, and a pair of plates above and below the electrodes. The plate above the electrodes has a lower surface with a first group of process gas flow channels formed thereon and the plate below the electrodes has an upper surface with a second group of process gas flow channels formed thereon. The channels of each group extend generally parallel to one another. The improvement comprises the process gas flow channels on the lower surface of the plate above the anode electrode and the process gas flow channels on the upper surface of the plate below the cathode electrode being skewed in opposite directions such that contact areas of the surfaces of the plates through the electrodes are formed in crisscross arrangements. Also, the plates have at least one groove in areas of the surfaces thereof where the channels are absent for holding process gas and increasing electrochemical activity of the fuel cell. The groove in each plate surface intersects with the process channels therein. Also, the opposite surfaces of a bipolar plate for a fuel cell contain first and second arrangements of process gas flow channels in the respective surfaces which are skewed the same amount in opposite directions relative to the longitudinal centerline of the plate.

Transfer plate radioassay using adsorbed anti-insulin antibody to detect insulin secreted by islet cell cultures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scearce, R.M.; Oie, H.K.; Gazdar, A.F.; Chick, W.L.; Eisenbarth, G.S.

1981-01-01

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay for detection of insulin synthesized by islet cell clones is described. This assay employs anti-insulin antibody adsorbed onto fenestrated polyvinyl chloride 96-well plates ('transfer plates'). The calibrated aperture in the bottom of each transfer plate well permits fluid to enter the wells when transfer plates are lowered into microculture wells containing insulin. With this assay it is possible to rapidly screen hundreds of islet cell cultures for insulin production. The authors have used this assay to facilitate cloning of the RIN rat insulinoma cell line. The assay readily detects insulin synthesis by RIN cells and [ 125 I]insulin is not displaced by culture medium from cells which do not produce insulin. The transfer plate format should be applicable to semiautomate other radioimmunoassays. (Auth.)

Reconstruction of large upper eyelid defects with a free tarsal plate graft and a myocutaneous pedicle flap plus a free skin graft

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toft, Peter B

2016-01-01

skin graft. RESULTS: All patients healed without necrosis, did not suffer from lagophthalmos, achieved reasonable cosmesis, and did not need lubricants. In one patient, a contact lens was necessary for three weeks because of corneal erosion. One patient still needs a contact lens 3 months after...... excision to avoid eye discomfort. CONCLUSION: Large upper eyelid defects can be reconstructed with a free tarsal plate graft and a laterally based myocutaneous pedicle flap in combination with a free skin graft. Two-step procedures can probably be avoided in most cases....

Methods for dynamic investigations of surface-attached in vitro bacterial and fungal biofilms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sternberg, Claus; Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Shirtliff, Mark

2014-01-01

Three dynamic models for the investigation of in vitro biofilm formation are described in this chapter. In the 6-well plate assay presented here, the placing of the plate on a rotating platform provides shear, thereby making the system dynamic with respect to the static microtiter assay.The second...... reported model, especially suitable for harvesting high amounts of cells for transcriptomic or proteomic investigations, is based on numerous glass beads placed in a flask incubated with shaking on a rotating platform, thus increasing the surface area for biofilm formation. Finally, the flow-cell system...

A coverslip-based technique for evaluating Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation on human plasma

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Jennifer N Walker

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The ability of the opportunistic pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, to form biofilms is increasingly being viewed as an important contributor to chronic infections. In vitro methods for analyzing S. aureus biofilm formation have focused on bacterial attachment and accumulation on abiotic surfaces, such as in microtiter plate and flow cell assays. Microtiter plates provide a rapid measure of relative biomass levels, while flow cells have limited experimental throughput but are superior for confocal microscopy biofilm visualization. Although these assays have proven effective at identifying mechanisms involved in cell attachment and biofilm accumulation, the significance of these assays in vivo remains unclear. Studies have shown that when medical devices are implanted they are coated with host factors, such as matrix proteins, that facilitate S. aureus attachment and biofilm formation. To address the challenge of integrating existing biofilm assay features with a biotic surface, we have established an in vitro biofilm technique utilizing UV-sterilized coverslips coated with human plasma. The substratum more closely resembles the in vivo state and provides a platform for S. aureus to establish a robust biofilm. Importantly, these coverslips are amenable to confocal microscopy imaging to provide a visual reference of the biofilm growth stage, effectively merging the benefits of the microtiter and flow cell assays. We confirmed the approach using clinical S. aureus isolates and mutants with known biofilm phenotypes. Altogether, this new biofilm assay can be used to assess the function of S. aureus virulence factors associated with biofilm formation and for monitoring the efficacy of biofilm treatment modalities.

The Generation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Blood Cells: An Efficient Protocol Using Serial Plating of Reprogrammed Cells by Centrifugation

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Youngkyun Kim

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs have demonstrated great potential for differentiation into diverse tissues. We report a straightforward and highly efficient method for the generation of iPSCs from PBMCs. By plating the cells serially to a newly coated plate by centrifugation, this protocol provides multiple healthy iPSC colonies even from a small number of PBMCs. The generated iPSCs expressed pluripotent markers and differentiated into all three germ layer lineages. The protocol can also be used with umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs. In this study, we present a simple and efficient protocol that improved the yield of iPSCs from floating cells such as PBMCs and CBMCs by serial plating and centrifugation.

Hydrodynamics of a flexible plate between pitching rigid plates

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Junyoung; Kim, Daegyoum

2017-11-01

The dynamics of a flexible plate have been studied as a model problem in swimming and flying of animals and fluid-structure interaction of plants and flags. Motivated by fish schooling and an array of sea grasses, we investigate the dynamics of a flexible plate closely placed between two pitching rigid plates. In most studies on passive deformation of the flexible plate, the plate is immersed in a uniform flow or a wavy flow. However, in this study, the flexible plate experiences periodic deformation by the oscillatory flow generated by the prescribed pitching motion of the rigid plates. In our model, the pitching axes of the rigid plates and the clamping position of the flexible plate are aligned on the same line. The flexible plate shows various responses depending on length and pitching frequency of rigid plates, thickness of a flexible plate, and free-stream velocity. To find the effect of each variable on the response of the flexible plate, amplitude of a trailing edge and modal contribution of a flapping motion are compared, and flow structure around the flexible plate is examined.

Free energy analysis of cell spreading.

Science.gov (United States)

McEvoy, Eóin; Deshpande, Vikram S; McGarry, Patrick

2017-10-01

In this study we present a steady-state adaptation of the thermodynamically motivated stress fiber (SF) model of Vigliotti et al. (2015). We implement this steady-state formulation in a non-local finite element setting where we also consider global conservation of the total number of cytoskeletal proteins within the cell, global conservation of the number of binding integrins on the cell membrane, and adhesion limiting ligand density on the substrate surface. We present a number of simulations of cell spreading in which we consider a limited subset of the possible deformed spread-states assumed by the cell in order to examine the hypothesis that free energy minimization drives the process of cell spreading. Simulations suggest that cell spreading can be viewed as a competition between (i) decreasing cytoskeletal free energy due to strain induced assembly of cytoskeletal proteins into contractile SFs, and (ii) increasing elastic free energy due to stretching of the mechanically passive components of the cell. The computed minimum free energy spread area is shown to be lower for a cell on a compliant substrate than on a rigid substrate. Furthermore, a low substrate ligand density is found to limit cell spreading. The predicted dependence of cell spread area on substrate stiffness and ligand density is in agreement with the experiments of Engler et al. (2003). We also simulate the experiments of Théry et al. (2006), whereby initially circular cells deform and adhere to "V-shaped" and "Y-shaped" ligand patches. Analysis of a number of different spread states reveals that deformed configurations with the lowest free energy exhibit a SF distribution that corresponds to experimental observations, i.e. a high concentration of highly aligned SFs occurs along free edges, with lower SF concentrations in the interior of the cell. In summary, the results of this study suggest that cell spreading is driven by free energy minimization based on a competition between decreasing

Flat plate vs. concentrator solar photovoltaic cells - A manufacturing cost analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Granon, L. A.; Coleman, M. G.

1980-01-01

The choice of which photovoltaic system (flat plate or concentrator) to use for utilizing solar cells to generate electricity depends mainly on the cost. A detailed, comparative manufacturing cost analysis of the two types of systems is presented. Several common assumptions, i.e., cell thickness, interest rate, power rate, factory production life, polysilicon cost, and direct labor rate are utilized in this analysis. Process sequences, cost variables, and sensitivity analyses have been studied, and results of the latter show that the most important parameters which determine manufacturing costs are concentration ratio, manufacturing volume, and cell efficiency. The total cost per watt of the flat plate solar cell is $1.45, and that of the concentrator solar cell is $1.85, the higher cost being due to the increased process complexity and material costs.

A New Triangular Hybrid Displacement Function Element for Static and Free Vibration Analyses of Mindlin-Reissner Plate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun-Bin Huang

Full Text Available Abstract A new 3-node triangular hybrid displacement function Mindlin-Reissner plate element is developed. Firstly, the modified variational functional of complementary energy for Mindlin-Reissner plate, which is eventually expressed by a so-called displacement function F, is proposed. Secondly, the locking-free formulae of Timoshenko’s beam theory are chosen as the deflection, rotation, and shear strain along each element boundary. Thirdly, seven fundamental analytical solutions of the displacement function F are selected as the trial functions for the assumed resultant fields, so that the assumed resultant fields satisfy all governing equations in advance. Finally, the element stiffness matrix of the new element, denoted by HDF-P3-7β, is derived from the modified principle of complementary energy. Together with the diagonal inertia matrix of the 3-node triangular isoparametric element, the proposed element is also successfully generalized to the free vibration problems. Numerical results show that the proposed element exhibits overall remarkable performance in all benchmark problems, especially in the free vibration analyses.

ADSORPTION PROPERTIES OF NICKEL-BASED MAGNETIC ACTIVATED CARBON PREPARED BY PD-FREE ELECTROLESS PLATING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boyang Jia

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Nickel-based magnetic activated carbon was synthesized from coconut shell activated carbon by electroless plating with palladium-free activation. The effect of plating solution volume on metallic ratio and adsorption capacity were evaluated. The effect of metallic ratio on specific area, pore volume, and magnetic properties were investigated. The morphologies of activated carbon before and after plating were observed by SEM, and the composition of the layer was analyzed by EDS analysis. The results showed that the metallic ratio was increased with the increase of the plating solution volume. The magnetic activated carbon showed high adsorption capacity for methylene blue and a high iodine number. Those values reached 142.5 mg/g and 1035 mg/g, respectively. The specific area and pore volume decreased from 943 m2/g to 859 m2/g and 0.462 ml/g to 0.417 ml/g, respectively. And the layer was more compact and continuous when the metallic ratio reached 16.37 wt.%. In the layer, there was about 97 wt.% nickel and 3 wt.% phosphorus, which indicates that the layer was a low-phosphorus one. At the same time, magnetism was enhanced, making the product suitable for some special applications.

Initial Unsteady Free Convective Flow Past an Infinite Vertical Plate with Radiation and Mass Transfer Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khan A.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available An exact solution and analysis of an initial unsteady two dimensional free convection flow, heat and mass transfer in the presence of thermal radiation along an infinite fixed vertical plate when the plate temperature is instantaneously raised, is presented. The fluid considered is a gray, absorbing emitting radiation but a nonscattering medium. Three cases have been discussed, in particular, namely, (i when, the plate temperature is instantaneously raised to a higher constant value, (ii when, the plate temperature varies linearly with time and (iii when, the plate temperature varies non-linearly with time. A close form general solution for all the cases has been obtained in terms of repeated integrals of error functions. In two particular cases, the solutions in terms of the repeated integrals of error functions have been further simplified to forms containing only error functions. It is observed that for an increase in the radiation parameter N or a decrease in the Grashof number Gr or Gm, there is a fall in the velocity or temperature, but compared to the no radiation case or no diffusing species, there is a rise in the velocity and temperature of the fluid.

Low-cost zinc-plated photoanode for fabric-type dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kong, Lingfeng; Bao, Yunna; Guo, Wanwan; Cheng, Li; Du, Jun; Liu, Renlong [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); Wang, Yundong [Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, State Key Lab of Chemical Engineering, Beijing 100084 (China); Fan, Xing, E-mail: foxcqdx@cqu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China); Tao, Changyuan [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030 (China)

2016-02-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Fabric-type flexible solar cells have been assembled on Zn-plated wires and meshes. • Metal Zn can improve the carriers transfer over the metal/ZnO nanoarrays interface. • A current increase by ∼6 mA/cm{sup 2} was realized by plating Zn on various metal substrates. • All-solid fabric-type DSSC was also assembled on Zn-plated metal wires. - Abstract: Fabric-type flexible solar cells have been recently proposed as a very promising power source for wearable electronics. To increase the photocurrent of fabric-type flexible solar cells, low-cost zinc-plated wire and mesh photoanodes are assembled for the first time through a mild wet process. Given the protection of the compact protection layer, the DSSC device could benefit from the low work function of Zn and self-repairing behavior on the Zn/ZnO interface. An evident current increase by ∼6 mA/cm{sup 2} could be observed after coating a layer of metal Zn on various metal substrates, such as traditional stainless steel wire. Given the self-repairing behavior on Zn/ZnO interface, the Zn layer can help to improve the interfacial carrier transfer, leading to better photovoltaic performance, for both liquid-type and solid-type cells.

Low-cost zinc-plated photoanode for fabric-type dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong, Lingfeng; Bao, Yunna; Guo, Wanwan; Cheng, Li; Du, Jun; Liu, Renlong; Wang, Yundong; Fan, Xing; Tao, Changyuan

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Fabric-type flexible solar cells have been assembled on Zn-plated wires and meshes. • Metal Zn can improve the carriers transfer over the metal/ZnO nanoarrays interface. • A current increase by ∼6 mA/cm"2 was realized by plating Zn on various metal substrates. • All-solid fabric-type DSSC was also assembled on Zn-plated metal wires. - Abstract: Fabric-type flexible solar cells have been recently proposed as a very promising power source for wearable electronics. To increase the photocurrent of fabric-type flexible solar cells, low-cost zinc-plated wire and mesh photoanodes are assembled for the first time through a mild wet process. Given the protection of the compact protection layer, the DSSC device could benefit from the low work function of Zn and self-repairing behavior on the Zn/ZnO interface. An evident current increase by ∼6 mA/cm"2 could be observed after coating a layer of metal Zn on various metal substrates, such as traditional stainless steel wire. Given the self-repairing behavior on Zn/ZnO interface, the Zn layer can help to improve the interfacial carrier transfer, leading to better photovoltaic performance, for both liquid-type and solid-type cells.

Fluorescence assay for mitochondrial permeability transition in cardiomyocytes cultured in a microtiter plate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Marie Louise Muff; Braunstein, Thomas Hartig; Treiman, Marek

2008-01-01

Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) is a voltage-dependent, large-conductance channel of the inner mitochondrial membrane with an important role in a range of pathophysiological conditions. To facilitate studies of pharmacological pore modulation, we describe an assay in a model using......, dequenching occurred on the distribution of rhodamine-123 into the extracellular volume. The addition of a small buffer volume containing digitonin (final concentration 10 microg/ml) and Ca(2+) (final concentrations up to 100 microM free Ca(2+)) caused dequenching (Delta F) due to Delta Psi m dissipation...

The Cell Cycle: An Activity Using Paper Plates to Represent Time Spent in Phases of the Cell Cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Scherer, Yvette D.

2014-01-01

In this activity, students are given the opportunity to combine skills in math and geometry for a biology lesson in the cell cycle. Students utilize the data they collect and analyze from an online onion-root-tip activity to create a paper-plate time clock representing a 24-hour cell cycle. By dividing the paper plate into appropriate phases of…

Arabidopsis R-SNARE proteins VAMP721 and VAMP722 are required for cell plate formation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liang Zhang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cell plate formation during plant cytokinesis is facilitated by SNARE complex-mediated vesicle fusion at the cell-division plane. However, our knowledge regarding R-SNARE components of membrane fusion machinery for cell plate formation remains quite limited. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report the in vivo function of Arabidopsis VAMP721 and VAMP722, two closely sequence-related R-SNAREs, in cell plate formation. Double homozygous vamp721vamp722 mutant seedlings showed lethal dwarf phenotypes and were characterized by rudimentary roots, cotyledons and hypocotyls. Furthermore, cell wall stubs and incomplete cytokinesis were frequently observed in vamp721vamp722 seedlings. Confocal images revealed that green fluorescent protein-tagged VAMP721 and VAMP722 were preferentially localized to the expanding cell plates in dividing cells. Drug treatments and co-localization analyses demonstrated that punctuate organelles labeled with VAMP721 and VAMP722 represented early endosomes overlapped with VHA-a1-labeled TGN, which were distinct from Golgi stacks and prevacuolar compartments. In addition, protein traffic to the plasma membrane, but not to the vacuole, was severely disrupted in vamp721vamp722 seedlings by subcellular localization of marker proteins. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: These observations suggest that VAMP721 and VAMP722 are involved in secretory trafficking to the plasma membrane via TGN/early endosomal compartment, which contributes substantially to cell plate formation during plant cytokinesis.

A 96-well-plate-based optical method for the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation and its application to susceptibility testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Müsken, Mathias; Di Fiore, Stefano; Römling, Ute; Häussler, Susanne

2010-08-01

A major reason for bacterial persistence during chronic infections is the survival of bacteria within biofilm structures, which protect cells from environmental stresses, host immune responses and antimicrobial therapy. Thus, there is concern that laboratory methods developed to measure the antibiotic susceptibility of planktonic bacteria may not be relevant to chronic biofilm infections, and it has been suggested that alternative methods should test antibiotic susceptibility within a biofilm. In this paper, we describe a fast and reliable protocol for using 96-well microtiter plates for the formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms; the method is easily adaptable for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. This method is based on bacterial viability staining in combination with automated confocal laser scanning microscopy. The procedure simplifies qualitative and quantitative evaluation of biofilms and has proven to be effective for standardized determination of antibiotic efficiency on P. aeruginosa biofilms. The protocol can be performed within approximately 60 h.

Create Your Plate

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Diabetes Meal Plans Create Your Plate Gluten Free Diets Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Cook with Heart-Healthy Foods Holiday Meal Planning ... Planning Meals Diabetes Meal Plans and a Healthy Diet Create Your Plate Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets ...

A comparison of titers of anti-Brucella antibodies of naturally infected and healthy vaccinated cattle by standard tube agglutination test, microtiter plate agglutination test, indirect hemagglutination assay, and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anju Mohan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Aim: We determined the antibody response in cattle naturally infected with brucellosis and normal healthy adult cattle vaccinated during calf hood with strain 19. Materials and Methods: The antibody titers were measured by standard tube agglutination test (STAT, microtiter plate agglutination test (MAT, indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA, and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA as per standard protocols. Results: The mean STAT titers were 1.963±0.345 in infected cattle and 1.200±0.155 in healthy vaccinated cattle. The difference was extremely significant (p<0.0001. The mean MAT titers were 2.244±0.727 in infected cattle and 1.200±0.155 in healthy vaccinated cattle. The difference was very significant (p<0.005. The mean IHA titers in infected cattle were 2.284±0.574, and those in healthy vaccinated cattle were 1.200±0.155. The difference was extremely significant (p=0.0002. However, the difference in mean iELISA titers of infected cattle (1.3678±0.014 and healthy vaccinated cattle (1.367±0.014 was non-significant. The infected animals showed very high titers of agglutinating antibodies compared to the vaccinated animals. However, it cannot be ascertained whether these antibodies are due to vaccine or response to infection. Since the infected animals had been vaccinated earlier, the current infection may suggest that vaccination was unable to induce protective levels of antibody. The heightened antibody response after infection may also indicate a secondary immune response to the antigens common to the vaccine strain and wild Brucella organisms. Conclusion: The brucellosis infected animals showed very high titers of agglutinating antibodies compared to the vaccinated animals.

A Numerical Study on Laminar Free Convection between Vertical Flat Plates with Symmetric Heating

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Ameer A. Jadoaa

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The development of free convection in a viscous fluid between heated plates is investigated. The basic governing continuity, momentum, and energy equations are solved numerically by finite difference method. Results are obtained for the variations of Nusselt number, velocity, temperature, and pressure throughout the flow field assuming the fluid to enter the channel with ambient temperature and a flat velocity profile. The flow and heat-transfer characteristics of the channel are studied and a development height established. Heating plate condition is (C.W.T and C.H.F. An correlation equation has been deduced for the average Nusselt number as a function of Rayligt number. A comparison is made between the results of this theoretical investigation and theoretical work of (Bodoia, J.R 1962[1].

Shielding analysis of the IEM cell offset adapter plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simons, R.L.

1995-01-01

The adapter plate for the Interim Examination and Maintenance (IEM) cell ten foot ceiling valve was modified so that the penetration through the valve is offset to the north side of the steel plate. The modifications required that the shielding effectiveness be evaluated for several operating conditions. The highest gamma ray dose rate (51 mrem/hr) occurs when a Core Component Container (CCC) with six high burn-up driver fuel assemblies is transferred into or out of Solid Waste Cask (SWC). The neutron dose rate at the same source location is 2.5 mrem/hr. The total dose rate during the transfer is less than the 200 mrem/hr limit. If the ten foot ceiling valve is closed, the dose rate with twelve DFA in the cell will be less than 0.1 mrem/hr. However, with the ceiling valve open the dose rate will be as high as 12 mrem/hr. The latter condition will require controlled access to the area around the offset adapter plate when the ceiling valve is open. It was found that gaps in the shield block around the SWC floor valve will allow contact dose rates as high as 350 mrem/hr during the transfer of a fully loaded CCC. Although this situation does not pertain to the offset adapter plate, it will require controlled access around the SWC valve during the transfer of a fully loaded CCC

Modeling and Investigation of Elongation in Free Explosive Forming of Aluminum Alloy Plate

OpenAIRE

R. Alipour; F.Najarian

2011-01-01

Because of high ductility, aluminum alloys, have been widely used as an important base of metal forming industries. But the main week point of these alloys is their low strength so in forming them with conventional methods like deep drawing, hydro forming, etc have been always faced with problems like fracture during of forming process. Because of this, recently using of explosive forming method for forming of these plates has been recommended. In this paper free explosive forming of A2024 al...

Whole blood microculture assay of human lymphocyte function.

Science.gov (United States)

Pauly, J L; Han, T

1976-11-01

A whole blood microculture assay is described for measuring lymphocyte reactivity to mitogenic and antigenic stimulants. This assay employs heparinized whole blood, serum-free culture medium, microtiter plates, and a Multiple Automated Sample Harvester (MASH). When this assay is compared to other leukocyte assays, its major advantages include (1) the utilization of fewer lymphocytes per microculture, thuus reducing the amount of blood required per test while increasing the number of test agents and replicate cultures which can be employed in any given experiment; (2) the conservation of mitogens, antigens, drugs, enzymes, hormones, lymphokines, and other test agents, some of which are either expensive of difficult to prepare in large quantities; (3) the elimination of lymphocyte isolation and purification procedures which may disrupt the relative proportion of T cells, B cells and antigen-processing cells; and (4) the application of an automated harvester which simplifies and expedites procedures required for processing cells for liquid scintillation counting.

NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON THE FLUTTER OF CANTILEVERED PLATES WITH FREE LEADING EDGE IN AXIAL FLOW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. P. G. SOPAN RAHTIKA

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the results of the numerical and experimental investigation on the flutter of cantilevered thin flat plates with free leading edge in axial flow. Three methods of in-vacuo modal analyses of the plates are presented and compared in this paper, namely the finite element modal analysis using ANSYS STUDENT Modal, the analytical beam model, and the experimental modal analysis. In this study, the numerical Fluid Structure Interaction was performed using the ANSYS STUDENT Structural Transient Analysis and ANSYS STUDENT CFX to obtain the system response in the time domain. Furthermore, the experimental investigation was conducted in the smooth flow of a wind tunnel to observe the flutter speeds of the plates and their vibration characteristics. The plates’ vibration behaviors were mapped on the normalized air speed. The normalized air speed can be divided into four speed zones based on the experimental plates’ vibration characteristics. A new finding observed during the experiments is the presence of intermittent vibration behavior that is unique to the free leading edge configuration and has not been reported by other researchers in the earlier references of the clamped leading edge configuration. The potential application of this Fluid Structure Interaction configuration to wind harvesting is inquired.

Flow channel shape optimum design for hydroformed metal bipolar plate in PEM fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peng, Linfa; Lai, Xinmin; Liu, Dong' an; Hu, Peng [State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Ni, Jun [Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

2008-03-15

Bipolar plate is one of the most important and costliest components of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Micro-hydroforming is a promising process to reduce the manufacturing cost of PEM fuel cell bipolar plates made of metal sheets. As for hydroformed bipolar plates, the main defect is the rupture because of the thinning of metal sheet during the forming process. The flow channel section decides whether high quality hydroformed bipolar plates can be successively achieved or not. Meanwhile, it is also the key factor that is related with the reaction efficiency of the fuel cell stacks. In order to obtain the optimum flow channel section design prior the experimental campaign, some key geometric dimensions (channel depth, channel width, rib width and transition radius) of flow channel section, which are related with both reaction efficiency and formability, are extracted and parameterized as the design variables. By design of experiments (DOE) methods and an adoptive simulated annealing (ASA) optimization method, an optimization model of flow channel section design for hydroformed metal bipolar plate is proposed. Optimization results show that the optimum dimension values for channel depth, channel width, rib width and transition radius are 0.5, 1.0, 1. 6 and 0.5 mm, respectively with the highest reaction efficiency (79%) and the acceptable formability (1.0). Consequently, their use would lead to improved fuel cell efficiency for low cost hydroformed metal bipolar plates. (author)

Corrosion-resistant, electrically-conductive plate for use in a fuel cell stack

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, J David [Bolingbrook, IL; Mawdsley, Jennifer R [Woodridge, IL; Niyogi, Suhas [Woodridge, IL; Wang, Xiaoping [Naperville, IL; Cruse, Terry [Lisle, IL; Santos, Lilia [Lombard, IL

2010-04-20

A corrosion resistant, electrically-conductive, durable plate at least partially coated with an anchor coating and a corrosion resistant coating. The corrosion resistant coating made of at least a polymer and a plurality of corrosion resistant particles each having a surface area between about 1-20 m.sup.2/g and a diameter less than about 10 microns. Preferably, the plate is used as a bipolar plate in a proton exchange membrane (PEMFC) fuel cell stack.

Controlling cell-free metabolism through physiochemical perturbations.

Science.gov (United States)

Karim, Ashty S; Heggestad, Jacob T; Crowe, Samantha A; Jewett, Michael C

2018-01-01

Building biosynthetic pathways and engineering metabolic reactions in cells can be time-consuming due to complexities in cellular metabolism. These complexities often convolute the combinatorial testing of biosynthetic pathway designs needed to define an optimal biosynthetic system. To simplify the optimization of biosynthetic systems, we recently reported a new cell-free framework for pathway construction and testing. In this framework, multiple crude-cell extracts are selectively enriched with individual pathway enzymes, which are then mixed to construct full biosynthetic pathways on the time scale of a day. This rapid approach to building pathways aids in the study of metabolic pathway performance by providing a unique freedom of design to modify and control biological systems for both fundamental and applied biotechnology. The goal of this work was to demonstrate the ability to probe biosynthetic pathway performance in our cell-free framework by perturbing physiochemical conditions, using n-butanol synthesis as a model. We carried out three unique case studies. First, we demonstrated the power of our cell-free approach to maximize biosynthesis yields by mapping physiochemical landscapes using a robotic liquid-handler. This allowed us to determine that NAD and CoA are the most important factors that govern cell-free n-butanol metabolism. Second, we compared metabolic profile differences between two different approaches for building pathways from enriched lysates, heterologous expression and cell-free protein synthesis. We discover that phosphate from PEP utilization, along with other physiochemical reagents, during cell-free protein synthesis-coupled, crude-lysate metabolic system operation inhibits optimal cell-free n-butanol metabolism. Third, we show that non-phosphorylated secondary energy substrates can be used to fuel cell-free protein synthesis and n-butanol biosynthesis. Taken together, our work highlights the ease of using cell-free systems to explore

Activation of Wnt Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) signaling promotes growth plate column formation in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Randall, Rachel M; Shao, Yvonne Y; Wang, Lai; Ballock, R Tracy

2012-12-01

Disrupting the Wnt Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) signaling pathway in vivo results in loss of columnar growth plate architecture, but it is unknown whether activation of this pathway in vitro is sufficient to promote column formation. We hypothesized that activation of the Wnt PCP pathway in growth plate chondrocyte cell pellets would promote columnar organization in these cells that are normally oriented randomly in culture. Rat growth plate chondrocytes were transfected with plasmids encoding the Fzd7 cell-surface Wnt receptor, a Fzd7 deletion mutant lacking the Wnt-binding domain, or Wnt receptor-associated proteins Ror2 or Vangl2, and then cultured as three-dimensional cell pellets in the presence of recombinant Wnt5a or Wnt5b for 21 days. Cellular morphology was evaluated using histomorphometric measurements. Activation of Wnt PCP signaling components promoted the initiation of columnar morphogenesis in the chondrocyte pellet culture model, as measured by histomorphometric analysis of the column index (ANOVA p = 0.01). Activation of noncanonical Wnt signaling through overexpression of both the cell-surface Wnt receptor Fzd7 and receptor-associated protein Ror2 with addition of recombinant Wnt5a promotes the initiation of columnar architecture of growth plate chondrocytes in vitro, representing an important step toward growth plate regeneration. Copyright © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society.

Mural cell associated VEGF is required for organotypic vessel formation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lasse Evensen

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Blood vessels comprise endothelial cells, mural cells (pericytes/vascular smooth muscle cells and basement membrane. During angiogenesis, mural cells are recruited to sprouting endothelial cells and define a stabilizing context, comprising cell-cell contacts, secreted growth factors and extracellular matrix components, that drives vessel maturation and resistance to anti-angiogenic therapeutics. METHODS AND FINDINGS: To better understand the basis for mural cell regulation of angiogenesis, we conducted high content imaging analysis on a microtiter plate format in vitro organotypic blood vessel system comprising primary human endothelial cells co-cultured with primary human mural cells. We show that endothelial cells co-cultured with mural cells undergo an extensive series of phenotypic changes reflective of several facets of blood vessel formation and maturation: Loss of cell proliferation, pathfinding-like cell migration, branching morphogenesis, basement membrane extracellular matrix protein deposition, lumen formation, anastamosis and development of a stabilized capillary-like network. This phenotypic sequence required endothelial-mural cell-cell contact, mural cell-derived VEGF and endothelial VEGFR2 signaling. Inhibiting formation of adherens junctions or basement membrane structures abrogated network formation. Notably, inhibition of mural cell VEGF expression could not be rescued by exogenous VEGF. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest a unique role for mural cell-associated VEGF in driving vessel formation and maturation.

Operation of the multigap resistive plate chamber using a gas mixture free of flammable components

CERN Document Server

Akindinov, A; Antonioli, P; Arcelli, S; Basile, M; Cara Romeo, G; Cifarelli, Luisa; Cindolo, F; De Caro, A; De Pasquale, S; Di Bartolomeo, A; Fusco-Girard, M; Golovine, V; Guida, M; Hatzifotiadou, D; Kaidalov, A B; Kim, D H; Kim, D W; Kisselev, S M; Laurenti, G; Lee, K; Lee, S C; Lioublev, E; Luvisetto, M L; Margotti, A; Martemyanov, A N; Nania, R; Noferini, F; Otiougova, P; Pesci, A; Pinazza, O; Polozov, P A; Scapparone, E; Scioli, G; Sellitto, S B; Semeria, F; Smirnitsky, A V; Tchoumakov, M M; Usenko, E; Valenti, G; Voloshin, K G; Williams, M C S; Zagreev, B V; Zampolli, C; Zichichi, A

2004-01-01

We have investigated the operation of the multigap resistive plate chamber (MRPC) for the ALICE-TOF system with a gas mixture free of flammable components. Two different gas mixtures, with and without iso-C//4H//1//0 have been used to measure the performance of the MRPC. The efficiency, time resolution, total charge, and the fast to total charge ratio have been found to be comparable.

A stromal cell free culture system generates mouse pro-T cells that can reconstitute T-cell compartments in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Gehre, Nadine; Nusser, Anja; von Muenchow, Lilly; Tussiwand, Roxane; Engdahl, Corinne; Capoferri, Giuseppina; Bosco, Nabil; Ceredig, Rhodri; Rolink, Antonius G

2015-03-01

T-cell lymphopenia following BM transplantation or diseases such as AIDS result in immunodeficiency. Novel approaches to ameliorate this situation are urgently required. Herein, we describe a novel stromal cell free culture system in which Lineage(-) Sca1(+)c-kit(+) BM hematopoietic progenitors very efficiently differentiate into pro-T cells. This culture system consists of plate-bound Delta-like 4 Notch ligand and the cytokines SCF and IL-7. The pro-T cells developing in these cultures express CD25, CD117, and partially CD44; express cytoplasmic CD3ε; and have their TCRβ locus partially D-J rearranged. They could be expanded for over 3 months and used to reconstitute the T-cell compartments of sublethally irradiated T-cell-deficient CD3ε(-/-) mice or lethally irradiated WT mice. Pro-T cells generated in this system could partially correct the T-cell lymphopenia of pre-Tα(-/-) mice. However, reconstituted CD3ε(-/-) mice suffered from a wasting disease that was prevented by co-injection of purified CD4(+) CD25(high) WT Treg cells. In a T-cell-sufficient or T-lymphopenic setting, the development of disease was not observed. Thus, this in vitro culture system represents a powerful tool to generate large numbers of pro-T cells for transplantation and possibly with clinical applications. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Design of metallic bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

This project focused on the design and production of metallic bipolar plates for use in PEM fuel cells. Different metals were explored : and stainless steel was found out to be best suited to our purpose. Following the selection of metal, it was calc...

On the use of plate-type normal pressure cells in silos

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramirez, Alvaro; Nielsen, Jørgen; Ayuga, F.

2010-01-01

the interpretation of results. Once the cells have been delivered from the manufacturer to the researcher, they should be calibrated and validated with reference to the measurement of pressure from a granular material against a silo wall. Two related papers deal with a specific plate-type normal pressure cell...... for use in an installation of three full-scale steel silos with different hopper eccentricities (concentric, half-eccentric and full-eccentric) as part of a silo research project. It was found to be necessary to validate the performance of the cells when measuring pressures in the silos in order to arrive...... at a solid basis for the interpretation of the pressure measurements in the silo installation aforementioned. This paper presents calibration results from three investigated methods as well as results from a finite element analysis of the plate deflection of the pressure cell which were performed to evaluate...

Corrosion of metal bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells: A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antunes, Renato A. [Engenharia de Materiais, Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), 09210-170 Santo Andre, SP (Brazil); Oliveira, Mara Cristina L.; Ett, Gerhard; Ett, Volkmar [Electrocell Ind. Com. Equip. Elet. LTDA, Centro de Inovacao, Empreendedorismo e Tecnologia (CIETEC), 05508-000 Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2010-04-15

PEM fuel cells are of prime interest in transportation applications due to their relatively high efficiency and low pollutant emissions. Bipolar plates are the key components of these devices as they account for significant fractions of their weight and cost. Metallic materials have advantages over graphite-based ones because of their higher mechanical strength and better electrical conductivity. However, corrosion resistance is a major concern that remains to be solved as metals may develop oxide layers that increase electrical resistivity, thus lowering the fuel cell efficiency. This paper aims to present the main results found in recent literature about the corrosion performance of metallic bipolar plates. (author)

Stressor Controllability and Immune Function

Science.gov (United States)

1986-10-17

susceptibility to infectious disease . In E. Kurstak, P. V. Morozov, & Z. P. Lipowski (Eds.), Viruses , immunity, and mental health. Plenum Press, in press. w...following inmunization . a. ELISA Procedure. We-Tsof a flat bottomed microtiter plate (NUNC, certified Immunopla.e I) were coated with KLH (0.2 mi/well, 0.5 mg...because the, rats were being infected with viruses and other agents tnat could alter proliferation. We thus began to purchase pathogen-free animals and

Formyl Met-Leu-Phe-Stimulated FPR1 Phosphorylation in Plate-Adherent Human Neutrophils: Enhanced Proteolysis but Lack of Inhibition by Platelet-Activating Factor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Algirdas J. Jesaitis

2018-01-01

Full Text Available N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF is a model PAMP/DAMP driving human PMN to sites of injury/infection utilizing the GPCR, FPR1. We examined a microtiter plate format for measurement of FPR1 phosphorylation in adherent PMN at high densities and found that a new phosphosensitive FPR1 fragment, 25K-FPR1, accumulates in SDS-PAGE extracts. 25K-FPR1 is fully inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate PMN pretreatment but is not physiologic, as its formation failed to be significantly perturbed by ATP depletion, time and temperature of adherence, or adherence mechanism. 25K-FPR1 was minimized by extracting fMLF-exposed PMN in lithium dodecylsulfate at 4°C prior to reduction/alkylation. After exposure of adherent PMN to a 5 log range of PAF before or after fMLF, unlike in suspension PMN, no inhibition of fMLF-induced FPR1 phosphorylation was observed. However, PAF induced the release of 40% of PMN lactate dehydrogenase, implying significant cell lysis. We infer that PAF-induced inhibition of fMLF-dependent FPR1 phosphorylation observed in suspension PMN does not occur in the unlysed adherent PMN. We speculate that although the conditions of the assay may induce PAF-stimulated necrosis, the cell densities on the plates may approach levels observed in inflamed tissues and provide for an explanation of PAF’s divergent effects on FPR1 phosphorylation as well as PMN function.

An improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for whole-cell determination of methanogens in samples from anaerobic reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, A.H.; Ahring, B.K.

1997-01-01

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for the detection of whole cells of methanogens in samples from anaerobic continuously stirred tank digesters treating slurries of solid waste. The assay was found to allow for quantitative analysis of the most important groups of methanogens......-quality microtiter plates and the addition of dilute hydrochloric acid to the samples. In an experiment on different digester samples, the test demonstrated a unique pattern of different methanogenic strains present in each sample. The limited preparatory work required for the assay and the simple assay design make...... in samples from anaerobic digesters in a reproducible manner. Polyclonal antisera against eight strains of methanogens were employed in the test, The specificities of the antisera were increased by adsorption with cross-reacting cells. The reproducibility of the assay depended on the use of high...

Gateway-compatible vectors for high-throughput protein expression in pro- and eukaryotic cell-free systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagoski, Dejan; Mureev, Sergey; Giles, Nichole; Johnston, Wayne; Dahmer-Heath, Mareike; Škalamera, Dubravka; Gonda, Thomas J; Alexandrov, Kirill

2015-02-10

Although numerous techniques for protein expression and production are available the pace of genome sequencing outstrips our ability to analyze the encoded proteins. To address this bottleneck, we have established a system for parallelized cloning, DNA production and cell-free expression of large numbers of proteins. This system is based on a suite of pCellFree Gateway destination vectors that utilize a Species Independent Translation Initiation Sequence (SITS) that mediates recombinant protein expression in any in vitro translation system. These vectors introduce C or N terminal EGFP and mCherry fluorescent and affinity tags, enabling direct analysis and purification of the expressed proteins. To maximize throughput and minimize the cost of protein production we combined Gateway cloning with Rolling Circle DNA Amplification. We demonstrate that as little as 0.1 ng of plasmid DNA is sufficient for template amplification and production of recombinant human protein in Leishmania tarentolae and Escherichia coli cell-free expression systems. Our experiments indicate that this approach can be applied to large gene libraries as it can be reliably performed in multi-well plates. The resulting protein expression pipeline provides a valuable new tool for applications of the post genomic era. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scaling Up ITO-free solar cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Galagan, Yulia; Coenen, Erica W. C.; Zimmermann, Birger

2014-01-01

Indium-tin-oxide-free (ITO-free) polymer solar cells with composite electrodes containing current-collecting grids and a semitransparent poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) conductor are demonstrated. The up-scaling of the length of the solar cell from 1 to 6 cm...... resistances. The performance of ITO-free organic solar cells with different dimensions and different electrode resistances are evaluated for different light intensities. The current generation and electric potential distribution are found to not be uniformly distributed in large-area devices at simulated 1...

Boundary Layer Flow and Heat Transfer with Variable Fluid Properties on a Moving Flat Plate in a Parallel Free Stream

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norfifah Bachok

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The steady boundary layer flow and heat transfer of a viscous fluid on a moving flat plate in a parallel free stream with variable fluid properties are studied. Two special cases, namely, constant fluid properties and variable fluid viscosity, are considered. The transformed boundary layer equations are solved numerically by a finite-difference scheme known as Keller-box method. Numerical results for the flow and the thermal fields for both cases are obtained for various values of the free stream parameter and the Prandtl number. It is found that dual solutions exist for both cases when the fluid and the plate move in the opposite directions. Moreover, fluid with constant properties shows drag reduction characteristics compared to fluid with variable viscosity.

The Generation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Blood Cells: An Efficient Protocol Using Serial Plating of Reprogrammed Cells by Centrifugation

OpenAIRE

Youngkyun Kim; Yeri Alice Rim; Hyoju Yi; Narae Park; Sung-Hwan Park; Ji Hyeon Ju

2016-01-01

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have demonstrated great potential for differentiation into diverse tissues. We report a straightforward and highly efficient method for the generation of iPSCs from PBMCs. By plating the cells serially to a newly coated plate by centrifugation, this protocol provides multiple healthy iPSC colonies even from a small number of PBMCs. The generated iPSCs expressed pluripotent markers and differentiated into all three germ layer lineages. The protocol...

Fabrication of carbon-polymer composite bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells by compression moulding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raza, M.A.; Ahmed, R.; Saleem, A.; Din, R.U.

2009-01-01

Fuel cells are considered as one of the most important technologies to address the future energy and environmental pollution problems. These are the most promising power sources for road transportation and portable devices. A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. A fuel cell stack consists of bipolar plates and membrane electrode assemblies (MEA). The bipolar plate is by weight, volume and cost one of the most significant components of a fuel cell stack. Major functions of bipolar plates are to separate oxidant and fuel gas, provide flow channels, conduct electricity and provide heat transfer. Bipolar plates can be made from various materials including graphite, metals, carbon / carbon and carbon/ polymer composites. Materials for carbon-polymer composites are relatively inexpensive, less corrosive, strong and channels can be formed by means of a moulding process. Carbon-polymer composites are of two type i.e; thermosetting and thermoplastic. For thermosetting composite a bulk molding compound (BMC) was prepared by adding graphite, vinyl ester resin, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide and cobalt naphthalate. The BMC was thoroughly mixed, poured into a die mould of a bipolar plate with channels and hot pressed at a specific temperature and pressure. A bipolar plate was formed according to the die mould. Design of the mould is also discussed. Conducting polymers were also added to BMC to increase the conductivity of bipolar plates. Particle size of the graphite has also a significant effect on the conductivity of the bipolar plates. Thermoplastic composites were also prepared using polypropylene and graphite.

Influence of radiation on initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells on titanium plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakuta, Saburo; Hamazaki, Miki; Mitsumoto, Kazuyo; Itabashi, Yuto; Fujimori, Shinya; Miyazaki, Takashi; Nagumo, Masao

1996-01-01

Radiotherapy is a useful and convenient therapy for oral cancer. However, there are many side effects such as stomatitis and radionecrosis of jaws. Radionecrosis may cause loosing or infection of biomaterials used for reconstruction of jaws. In this experiment, in vitro investigation was performed to clarify the influence of radiation on initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells to the titanium plate. UMR-106 and MC3T3-E1 cells were used as osteoblast-like cells. Cell attachment was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase activity and staining attached cells with crystal violet. The results revealed that initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells to the titanium plate was dose-dependently decreased by radiation and that radiosensitivity of each cell was different respectively. Furthermore, the participation of active oxygen was suggested because of partial recovery of cell attachment by addition of superoxide dismutase and/or an antioxidant such as ascorbic acid. (author)

Laminated exfoliated graphite composite-metal compositions for fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zhamu, Aruna; Shi, Jinjun; Guo, Jiusheng; Jang, Bor Z

2014-05-20

An electrically conductive laminate composition for fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate applications. The laminate composition comprises at least a thin metal sheet having two opposed exterior surfaces and a first exfoliated graphite composite sheet bonded to the first of the two exterior surfaces of the metal sheet wherein the exfoliated graphite composite sheet comprises: (a) expanded or exfoliated graphite and (b) a binder or matrix material to bond the expanded graphite for forming a cohered sheet, wherein the binder or matrix material is between 3% and 60% by weight based on the total weight of the first exfoliated graphite composite sheet. Preferably, the first exfoliated graphite composite sheet further comprises particles of non-expandable graphite or carbon in the amount of between 3% and 60% by weight based on the total weight of the non-expandable particles and the expanded graphite. Further preferably, the laminate comprises a second exfoliated graphite composite sheet bonded to the second surface of the metal sheet to form a three-layer laminate. Surface flow channels and other desired geometric features can be built onto the exterior surfaces of the laminate to form a flow field plate or bipolar plate. The resulting laminate has an exceptionally high thickness-direction conductivity and excellent resistance to gas permeation.

End plate for e.g. solid oxide fuel cell stack, sets thermal expansion coefficient of material to predetermined value

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2011-01-01

.05-0.3 mm. USE - End plate for solid oxide fuel cell stack (claimed). Can also be used in polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack and direct methanol fuel cell stack. ADVANTAGE - The robustness of the end plate is improved. The structure of the end plate is simplified. The risk of delamination of the stack...

Pd-Pt loaded graphene aerogel on nickel foam composite as binder-free anode for a direct glucose fuel cell unit

Science.gov (United States)

Tsang, Chi Him A.; Leung, D. Y. C.

2017-09-01

Fabrication of electrocatalyst for direct glucose fuel cell (DGFC) operation involves destructive preparation methods with the use of stabilizer like binder, which may cause activity depreciation. Binder-free electrocatalytic electrode becomes a possible solution to the above problem. Binder-free bimetallic Pd-Pt loaded graphene aerogel on nickel foam plates with different Pd/Pt ratios (1:2.32, 1:1.62, and 1:0.98) are successfully fabricated through a green one-step mild reduction process producing a Pd-Pt/GO/nickel form plate (NFP) composite. Anode with the binder-free electrocatalysts exhibit a strong activity in a batch type DGFC unit under room temperature. The effects of glucose and KOH concentrations, and the Pd/Pt ratios of the electrocatalyst on the DGFC performance are also studied. Maximum power density output of 1.25 mW cm-2 is recorded with 0.5 M glucose/3 M KOH as the anodic fuel, and Pd1Pt0.98/GA/NFP as catalyst, which is the highest obtained so far among other types of electrocatalyst.

Wet-process Fabrication of Low-cost All-solid Wire-shaped Solar Cells on Manganese-plated Electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Xing; Zhang, Xiaoying; Zhang, Nannan; Cheng, Li; Du, Jun; Tao, Changyuan

2015-01-01

Highlights: • All-solid wire-shaped flexible solar cells are firstly assembled on low-cost Mn-plated fibers. • Energy efficiency improved by >27% after coating a layer of Mn on various substrates. • The cell is fabricated via wet process under low temperature and mild pH conditions. • Stable flexible solar cells are realized on lightweight and low-cost polymer fiber. - Abstract: All-solid wire-shaped flexible solar cells are assembled for the first time on low-cost Mn-plated wires through wet-process fabrication under low temperature and mild pH conditions. With a price cheap as the steel, metal Mn can be easily plated on almost any substrates, and evidently promote the photovoltaic efficiency of wire-shaped solar cells on various traditional metal wire substrates, such as Fe and Ti, by 27% and 65%, respectively. Flexible solar cell with much lower cost and weight is assembled on Mn-plated polymer substrate, and is still capable of giving better performance than that on Fe or Ti substrate. Both its mechanical and chemical stability are good for future weaving applications. Owing to the wire-type structure, such low-cost metals as Mn, which are traditionally regarded as unsuitable for solar cells, may provide new opportunities for highly efficient solar cells

Investigating electro-mechanical signals from collocated piezoelectric wafers for the reference-free damage diagnosis of a plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Eun Jin; Park, Hyun Woo; Kim, Min Koo; Sohn, Hoon

2011-01-01

The electro-mechanical (EM) signals from piezoelectric (PZT) wafers are investigated for reference-free damage diagnosis so that a notch in a plate can be detected without requiring direct comparison with a baseline EM signal. Two identical PZT wafers collocated on both surfaces of a plate are utilized for extracting the mode-converted Lamb wave signals created by a notch. As harmonic input voltage signals are exerted on the collocated PZT wafers, the corresponding mode-converted Lamb wave signals become steady-state in the presence of damage. Applying fast Fourier transform to these mode-converted Lamb wave signals followed by a proper normalization, the EM signals associated with the mode conversion can be obtained. The theoretical finding of this paper is validated through spectral element simulations of a cantilever beam with a notch. The effects of the size and the location of the notch on the mode-converted EM signals are investigated as well. Finally, the applicability of the decomposed EM signals to reference-free damage diagnosis is discussed

Scaling up ITO-Free solar cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Galagan, Y.O.; Coenen, E.W.C.; Zimmermann, B.; Slooff, L.H.; Verhees, W.J.H.; Veenstra, S.C.; Kroon, J.M.; Jørgensen, M.; Krebs, F.C.; Andriessen, H.A.J.M.

2014-01-01

Indium-tin-oxide-free (ITO-free) polymer solar cells with composite electrodes containing current-collecting grids and a semitransparent poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) conductor are demonstrated. The up-scaling of the length of the solar cell from 1 to 6 cm and

Evaluation of a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies against Salmonella, employing a stable coating of lipopolysaccharide-derived antigens covalently attached to polystyrene microwells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wiuff, C.; Jauho, E. S.; Stryhn, H.

2000-01-01

to microtiter polystyrene plates by ultraviolet irradiation. Both polysaccharide antigens could be coupled simultaneously to the same microtiter plate. The coated surface was used in indirect ELISA for the determination of serum antibodies from pigs infected with bacteria of the two Salmonella groups and from......Polysaccharides derived from Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS) representing the O-antigen factors 1, 4, 5, and 12 and the O-antigen factors 6 and 7 from Salmonella choleraesuis LPS were derivatized with the photoreactive compound anthraquinone and subsequently covalently coupled...

Corrosion resistance characteristics of stamped and hydroformed proton exchange membrane fuel cell metallic bipolar plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dundar, F. [NSF I/UCRC Center for Precision Forming (CPF), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gebze Institute of Technology (Turkey); Dur, Ender; Koc, M. [NSF I/UCRC Center for Precision Forming (CPF), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (United States); Mahabunphachai, S. [NSF I/UCRC Center for Precision Forming (CPF), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (United States); National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC), Pathumthani (Thailand)

2010-06-01

Metallic bipolar plates have several advantages over bipolar plates made from graphite and composites due to their high conductivity, low material and production costs. Moreover, thin bipolar plates are possible with metallic alloys, and hence low fuel cell stack volume and mass are. Among existing fabrication methods for metallic bipolar plates, stamping and hydroforming are seen as prominent approaches for mass production scales. In this study, the effects of important process parameters of these manufacturing processes on the corrosion resistance of metallic bipolar plates made of SS304 were investigated. Specifically, the effects of punch speed, pressure rate, stamping force and hydroforming pressure were studied as they were considered to inevitably affect the bipolar plate micro-channel dimensions, surface topography, and hence the corrosion resistance. Corrosion resistance under real fuel cell conditions was examined using both potentiodynamic and potentiostatic experiments. The majority of the results exhibited a reduction in the corrosion resistance for both stamped and hydroformed plates when compared with non-deformed blank plates of SS304. In addition, it was observed that there exist an optimal process window for punch speed in stamping and the pressure rate in hydroforming to achieve improved corrosion resistance at a faster production rate. (author)

Effect of peracetic acid on biofilms formed by Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes isolated from dairy plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, S H I; Cappato, L P; Corassin, C H; Cruz, A G; Oliveira, C A F

2016-03-01

This research investigated the removal of adherent cells of 4 strains of Staphylococcus aureus and 1 Listeria monocytogenes strain (previously isolated from dairy plants) from polystyrene microtiter plates using peracetic acid (PAA, 0.5%) for 15, 30, 60, and 120 s, and the inactivation of biofilms formed by those strains on stainless steel coupons using the same treatment times. In the microtiter plates, PAA removed all S. aureus at 15 s compared with control (no PAA treatment). However, L. monocytogenes biofilm was not affected by any PAA treatment. On the stainless steel surface, epifluorescence microscopy using LIVE/DEAD staining (BacLight, Molecular Probes/Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eugene, OR) showed that all strains were damaged within 15 s, with almost 100% of cells inactivated after 30 s. Results of this trial indicate that, although PAA was able to inactivate both S. aureus and L. monocytogenes monospecies biofilms on stainless steel, it was only able to remove adherent cells of S. aureus from polystyrene microplates. The correct use of PAA is critical for eliminating biofilms formed by S. aureus strains found in dairy plants, although further studies are necessary to determine the optimal PAA treatment for removing biofilms of L. monocytogenes. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stochastic analysis of laminated composite plates on elastic foundation: The cases of post-buckling behavior and nonlinear free vibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, B.N.; Lal, Achchhe

2010-01-01

This study deals with the stochastic post-buckling and nonlinear free vibration analysis of a laminated composite plate resting on a two parameters Pasternak foundation with Winkler cubic nonlinearity having uncertain system properties. The system properties are modeled as basic random variables. A C 0 nonlinear finite element formulation of the random problem based on higher-order shear deformation theory in the von Karman sense is presented. A direct iterative method in conjunction with a stochastic nonlinear finite element method proposed earlier by the authors is extended to analyze the effect of uncertainty in system properties on the post-buckling and nonlinear free vibration of the composite plates having Winler type of geometric nonlinearity. Mean as well as standard deviation of the responses have been obtained for various combinations of geometric parameters, foundation parameters, stacking sequences and boundary conditions and compared with those available in the literature and Monte Carlo simulation.

[Detection of biofilm formation by selected pathogens relevant to the food industry].

Science.gov (United States)

Šilhová-Hrušková, L; Moťková, P; Šilha, D; Vytřasová, J

2015-09-01

Detection of biofilm formation by microbial pathogens relevant to the food industry and comparison of biofilm formation under different conditions of culture. The following microorganisms were selected for the study: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria innocua, Listeria ivanovii, Cronobacter sakazakii, Cronobacter muytjensii, Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus, Campylobacter jejuni, and Campylobacter coli. To detect biofilm formation the microtiter plate assay, as described by Christensen and culture on stainless steel coupons were used. The biofilm forming capacity was confirmed in all microorganisms tested, both on the microtiter plates and stainless steel coupons. Biofilm formation was influenced by the culture medium, material used, and culture duration as well as by the test microorganism. It was found that different species and strains of the same genus differ in biofilm formation. Differences were also found between the collection strains and isolates from the environment. Some bacteria tended to form biofilm more readily on the surface of the polyethylene microtiter plates and less readily on stainless steel coupons while others appeared to have an opposite tendency. Some pathogens were able to increase the planktonic cell density in the initial suspension even by three orders of magnitude within 72 hours while producing plenty of biofilm. The study of biofilm formation by high risk pathogens is of utmost importance, not only to the food industry. From the obtained results, it is evident that bacterial biofilms form rapidly (within 24 hours in the present study). Due to their architecture, these biofilms are difficult to eradicate, and therefore, it is crucial to prevent biofilm formation.

Nanosized TiN-SBR hybrid coating of stainless steel as bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumagai, Masanobu; Myung, Seung-Taek; Asaishi, Ryo; Sun, Yang-Kook; Yashiro, Hitoshi

2008-01-01

In attempt to improve interfacial electrical conductivity of stainless steel for bipolar plates of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, TiN nanoparticles were electrophoretically deposited on the surface of stainless steel with elastic styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) particles. From transmission electron microscopic observation, it was found that the TiN nanoparticles (ca. 50 nm) surrounded the spherical SBR particles (ca. 300-600 nm), forming agglomerates. They were well adhered on the surface of the type 310S stainless steel. With help of elasticity of SBR, the agglomerates were well fitted into the interfacial gap between gas diffusion layer (GDL) and stainless steel bipolar plate, and the interfacial contact resistance (ICR), simultaneously, was successfully reduced. A single cell using the TiN nanoparticles-coated bipolar plates, consequently, showed comparable cell performance with the graphite employing cell at a current density of 0.5 A cm -2 (12.5 A). Inexpensive TiN nanoparticle-coated type 310S stainless steel bipolar plates would become a possible alternate for the expensive graphite bipolar plates as use in fuel cell applications

Evaluation of korzincalloy prepared by Hohman Plating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korinko, P. S. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Hollingshad, A. N. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2017-07-17

A commercial vendor, Hohman Plating performed contract engineering work to determine the feasibility of producing pin hole free KorZincAlloy bronze material used for zinc gettering. Samples were tested for Sn plating thickness, heat treatability, and chemistry prior to being subjected to a standardized zinc exposure. The samples absorbed zinc and were examined using visual and scanning electron microscopy. Hohman Plating successfully produced KZA that met the target composition, was pin hole free, and was an effective zinc getter.

Dynamic imaging of cell-free and cell-associated viral capture in mature dendritic cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Izquierdo-Useros, Nuria; Esteban, Olga; Rodriguez-Plata, Maria T; Erkizia, Itziar; Prado, Julia G; Blanco, Julià; García-Parajo, Maria F; Martinez-Picado, Javier

2011-12-01

Dendritic cells (DCs) capture human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through a non-fusogenic mechanism that enables viral transmission to CD4(+) T cells, contributing to in vivo viral dissemination. Although previous studies have provided important clues to cell-free viral capture by mature DCs (mDCs), dynamic and kinetic insight on this process is still missing. Here, we used three-dimensional video microscopy and single-particle tracking approaches to dynamically dissect both cell-free and cell-associated viral capture by living mDCs. We show that cell-free virus capture by mDCs operates through three sequential phases: virus binding through specific determinants expressed in the viral particle, polarized or directional movements toward concrete regions of the cell membrane and virus accumulation in a sac-like structure where trapped viral particles display a hindered diffusive behavior. Moreover, real-time imaging of cell-associated viral transfer to mDCs showed a similar dynamics to that exhibited by cell-free virus endocytosis leading to viral accumulation in compartments. However, cell-associated HIV type 1 transfer to mDCs was the most effective pathway, boosted throughout enhanced cellular contacts with infected CD4(+) T cells. Our results suggest that in lymphoid tissues, mDC viral uptake could occur either by encountering cell-free or cell-associated virus produced by infected cells generating the perfect scenario to promote HIV pathogenesis and impact disease progression. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Cell agglomeration in the wells of a 24-well plate using acoustic streaming.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurashina, Yuta; Takemura, Kenjiro; Friend, James

2017-02-28

Cell agglomeration is essential both to the success of drug testing and to the development of tissue engineering. Here, a MHz-order acoustic wave is used to generate acoustic streaming in the wells of a 24-well plate to drive particle and cell agglomeration. Acoustic streaming is known to manipulate particles in microfluidic devices, and even provide concentration in sessile droplets, but concentration of particles or cells in individual wells has never been shown, principally due to the drag present along the periphery of the fluid in such a well. The agglomeration time for a range of particle sizes suggests that shear-induced migration plays an important role in the agglomeration process. Particles with a diameter of 45 μm agglomerated into a suspended pellet under exposure to 2.134 MHz acoustic waves at 1.5 W in 30 s. Additionally, BT-474 cells also agglomerated as adherent masses at the center bottom of the wells of tissue-culture treated 24-well plates. By switching to low cell binding 24-well plates, the BT-474 cells formed suspended agglomerations that appeared to be spheroids, fully fifteen times larger than any cell agglomerates without the acoustic streaming. In either case, the viability and proliferation of the cells were maintained despite acoustic irradiation and streaming. Intermittent excitation was effective in avoiding temperature excursions, consuming only 75 mW per well on average, presenting a convenient means to form fully three-dimensional cellular masses potentially useful for tissue, cancer, and drug research.

Micro direct methanol fuel cell with perforated silicon-plate integrated ionomer membrane

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Jackie Vincent; Dalslet, Bjarke Thomas; Johansson, Anne-Charlotte Elisabeth Birgitta

2014-01-01

This article describes the fabrication and characterization of a silicon based micro direct methanol fuel cell using a Nafion ionomer membrane integrated into a perforated silicon plate. The focus of this work is to provide a platform for micro- and nanostructuring of a combined current collector...... at a perforation ratio of 40.3%. The presented fuel cells also show a high volumetric peak power density of 2 mW cm−3 in light of the small system volume of 480 μL, while being fully self contained and passively feed....... and catalytic electrode. AC impedance spectroscopy is utilized alongside IV characterization to determine the influence of the plate perforation geometries on the cell performance. It is found that higher ratios of perforation increases peak power density, with the highest achieved being 2.5 mW cm−2...

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Create Your Plate

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Bipolar Plates for PEM Systems

OpenAIRE

Lædre, Sigrid

2016-01-01

Summary of thesis: The Bipolar Plate (BPP) is an important component in both Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) and Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers (PEMWEs). Bipolar plate material and processing constitutes for a large fraction of the cost and weight of a PEM cell stack. The main tasks for the bipolar plates in both systems are to separate single cell in a stack, conduct current between single cells and remove heat from active areas. In addition, the BPPs distribu...

Review of the Potential of the Ni/Cu Plating Technique for Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atteq ur Rehman

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Developing a better method for the metallization of silicon solar cells is integral part of realizing superior efficiency. Currently, contact realization using screen printing is the leading technology in the silicon based photovoltaic industry, as it is simple and fast. However, the problem with metallization of this kind is that it has a lower aspect ratio and higher contact resistance, which limits solar cell efficiency. The mounting cost of silver pastes and decreasing silicon wafer thicknesses encourages silicon solar cell manufacturers to develop fresh metallization techniques involving a lower quantity of silver usage and not relying pressing process of screen printing. In recent times nickel/copper (Ni/Cu based metal plating has emerged as a metallization method that may solve these issues. This paper offers a detailed review and understanding of a Ni/Cu based plating technique for silicon solar cells. The formation of a Ni seed layer by adopting various deposition techniques and a Cu conducting layer using a light induced plating (LIP process are appraised. Unlike screen-printed metallization, a step involving patterning is crucial for opening the masking layer. Consequently, experimental procedures involving patterning methods are also explicated. Lastly, the issues of adhesion, back ground plating, process complexity and reliability for industrial applications are also addressed.

Enhanced biofilm formation in dual-species culture of Listeria monocytogenes and Ralstonia insidiosa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunfeng Xu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In the natural environments microorganisms coexist in communities as biofilms. Since foodborne pathogens have varying abilities to form biofilms, investigation of bacterial interactions in biofilm formation may enhance our understanding of the persistence of these foodborne pathogens in the environment. Thus the objective of this study was to investigate the interactions between Listeria monocytogenes and Ralstonia insidiosa in dual species biofilms. Biofilm development after 24 h was measured using crystal violet in 96-well microtiter plate. Scanning electron microscopy and cell enumeration were employed after growth on stainless steel coupons. When compared with their single species counterparts, the dual species biofilms exhibited a significant increase in biofilm biomass. The number of L. monocytogenes in co-culture biofilms on stainless steel also increased significantly. However, there was no effect on the biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes when cultured with R. insidiosa separated by a semi-permeable membrane-linked compartment or cultured in R. insidiosa cell-free supernatant, indicating that direct cell-cell contact is critical for this interaction.

Waveguiding in supported phononic crystal plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasseur, J; Hladky-Hennion, A-C; Deymier, P; Djafari-Rouhani, B; Duval, F; Dubus, B; Pennec, Y

2007-01-01

We investigate, with the help of the finite element method, the existence of absolute band gaps in the band structure of a free-standing phononic crystal plate and of a phononic crystal slab deposited on a substrate. The two-dimensional phononic crystal is constituted by a square array of holes drilled in an active piezoelectric (PZT5A or AlN) matrix. For both matrix materials, an absolute band gap occurs in the band structure of the free-standing plate provided the thickness of the plate is on the order of magnitude of the lattice parameter. When the plate is deposited on a Si substrate, the absolute band gap still remains when the matrix of the phononic crystal is made of PZT5A. The AlN phononic crystal plate losses its gap when supported by the Si substrate. In the case of the PZT5A matrix, we also study the possibility of localized modes associated with a linear defect created by removing one row of air holes in the deposited phononic crystal plate

Design and performance of tubular flat-plate solid oxide fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsushima, T.; Ikeda, D.; Kanagawa, H. [NTT Integrated Information & Energy Systems Labs., Tokyo (Japan)] [and others

1996-12-31

With the growing interest in conserving the environmental conditions, much attention is being paid to Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC), which has high energy-conversion efficiency. Many organizations have conducted studies on tubular and flat type SOFCs. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) has studied a combined tubular flat-plate SOFC, and already presented the I-V characteristics of a single cell. Here, we report the construction of a stack of this SOFC cell and successful generation tests results.

Design of experiment study of the parameters that affect performance of three flow plate configurations of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carton, J.G.; Olabi, A.G.

2010-01-01

Low temperature hydrogen fuel cells are electrochemical devices which offer a promising alternative to traditional power sources. Fuel cells produce electricity with a reaction of the fuel (hydrogen) and air. Fuel cells have the advantage of being clean; only producing water and heat as by products. The efficiency of a fuel cell varies depending on the type; SOFC with CHP for example, can have a system efficiency of up to 65%. What the Authors present here is a comparison between three different configurations of flow plates of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, the manufacturer's serpentine flow plate and two new configurations; the maze flow plate and the parallel flow plate. A study of the input parameters affecting output responses of voltage, current, power and efficiency of a fuel cell is performed through experimentation. The results were taken from direct readings of the fuel cell and from polarisation curves produced. This information was then analysed through a design of experiment to investigate the effects of the changing parameters on different configurations of the fuel cell's flow plates. The results indicate that, in relation to current and voltage response of the polarisation curve and the corresponding graphs produced from the DOE, the serpentine flow plate design is a much more effective design than the maze or parallel flow plate design. It was noted that the parallel flow plate performed reasonably well at higher pressures but over all statically the serpentine flow plate performed better.

Performance of a parallel plate volume cell prototype for a fast iron/gas calorimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bizzeti, A.; Civinini, C.; D'alessandro, R.; Ferrando, A.

1993-01-01

We present the first test of the application of the parallel plate chamber principles for the design of a very fast and radiation-hard iron/gas sampling calorimeter, suitable for very forward regions in detectors for LBC; based on the use of thick iron plates as electrodes. We have built a one cell prototype consisting of three parallel thick iron plates (117 mn each). Results on efficiencies and mean collected charge for minimum ionizing particles with different gases are presented. (Author)

Performance of a parallel plate volume cell prototype for a fast iron/gas calorimeter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bizzeti, A.; Civinini, C.; D' Alessandro, R.; Ferrando, A.; Malinin, A.; Martinez-Laso, L.; Pojidaev, V.

1993-07-01

We present the first test of the application of the parallel plate chamber principles for the design of a very fast and radiation-hard iron/gas sampling calorimeter, suitable for very forward regions in detectors for LHC, based on the use of thick iron plates as electrodes. We have built a one cell prototype consisting of three parallel thick iron plates (17 mm each). Results on efficiencies and mean collected charge for minimum ionizing particles with different gases are presented. (Author) 7 refs.

Performance of a parallel plate volume cell prototype for a fast iron/gas calorimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bizzeti, A.; Civinini, C.; D'Alessandro, R.; Ferrando, A.; Malinin, A.; Martinez-Laso, L.; Pojidaev, V.

1993-01-01

We present the first test of the application of the parallel plate chamber principles for the design of a very fast and radiation-hard iron/gas sampling calorimeter, suitable for very forward regions in detectors for LHC, based on the use of thick iron plates as electrodes. We have built a one cell prototype consisting of three parallel thick iron plates (17 mm each). Results on efficiencies and mean collected charge for minimum ionizing particles with different gases are presented. (Author) 7 refs

Requirements and testing methods for surfaces of metallic bipolar plates for low-temperature PEM fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Jendras, P.; Lötsch, K.; von Unwerth, T.

2017-03-01

To reduce emissions and to substitute combustion engines automotive manufacturers, legislature and first users aspire hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Up to now the focus of research was set on ensuring functionality and increasing durability of fuel cell components. Therefore, expensive materials were used. Contemporary research and development try to substitute these substances by more cost-effective material combinations. The bipolar plate is a key component with the greatest influence on volume and mass of a fuel cell stack and they have to meet complex requirements. They support bending sensitive components of stack, spread reactants over active cell area and form the electrical contact to another cell. Furthermore, bipolar plates dissipate heat of reaction and separate one cell gastight from the other. Consequently, they need a low interfacial contact resistance (ICR) to the gas diffusion layer, high flexural strength, good thermal conductivity and a high durability. To reduce costs stainless steel is a favoured material for bipolar plates in automotive applications. Steel is characterized by good electrical and thermal conductivity but the acid environment requires a high chemical durability against corrosion as well. On the one hand formation of a passivating oxide layer increasing ICR should be inhibited. On the other hand pitting corrosion leading to increased permeation rate may not occur. Therefore, a suitable substrate lamination combination is wanted. In this study material testing methods for bipolar plates are considered.

Oral epithelial cells are susceptible to cell-free and cell-associated HIV-1 infection in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, Jennifer S.; Rahemtulla, Firoz; Kent, Leigh W.; Hall, Stacy D.; Ikizler, Mine R.; Wright, Peter F.; Nguyen, Huan H.; Jackson, Susan

2003-01-01

Epithelial cells lining the oral cavity are exposed to HIV-1 through breast-feeding and oral-genital contact. Genital secretions and breast milk of HIV-1-infected subjects contain both cell-free and cell-associated virus. To determine if oral epithelial cells can be infected with HIV-1 we exposed gingival keratinocytes and adenoid epithelial cells to cell-free virus and HIV-1-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells and monocytes. Using primary isolates we determined that gingival keratinocytes are susceptible to HIV-1 infection via cell-free CD4-independent infection only. R5 but not X4 viral strains were capable of infecting the keratinocytes. Further, infected cells were able to release infectious virus. In addition, primary epithelial cells isolated from adenoids were also susceptible to infection; both cell-free and cell-associated virus infected these cells. These data have potential implications in the transmission of HIV-1 in the oral cavity

A hydrogel-based versatile screening platform for specific biomolecular recognition in a well plate format.

Science.gov (United States)

Beer, Meike V; Rech, Claudia; Diederichs, Sylvia; Hahn, Kathrin; Bruellhoff, Kristina; Möller, Martin; Elling, Lothar; Groll, Jürgen

2012-04-01

Precise determination of biomolecular interactions in high throughput crucially depends on a surface coating technique that allows immobilization of a variety of interaction partners in a non-interacting environment. We present a one-step hydrogel coating system based on isocyanate functional six-arm poly(ethylene oxide)-based star polymers for commercially available 96-well microtiter plates that combines a straightforward and robust coating application with versatile bio-functionalization. This system generates resistance to unspecific protein adsorption and cell adhesion, as demonstrated with fluorescently labeled bovine serum albumin and primary human dermal fibroblasts (HDF), and high specificity for the assessment of biomolecular recognition processes when ligands are immobilized on this surface. One particular advantage is the wide range of biomolecules that can be immobilized and convert the per se inert coating into a specifically interacting surface. We here demonstrate the immobilization and quantification of a broad range of biochemically important ligands, such as peptide sequences GRGDS and GRGDSK-biotin, the broadly applicable coupler molecule biocytin, the protein fibronectin, and the carbohydrates N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetyllactosamine. A simplified protocol for an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was established for the detection and quantification of ligands on the coating surface. Cell adhesion on the peptide and protein-modified surfaces was assessed using HDF. All coatings were applied using a one-step preparation technique, including bioactivation, which makes the system suitable for high-throughput screening in a format that is compatible with the most routinely used testing systems.

Standardization of the CFU-GM assay: Advantages of plating a fixed number of CD34+ cells in collagen gels.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobo, Irène; Pineau, Danielle; Robillard, Nelly; Geneviève, Frank; Piard, Nicole; Zandecki, Marc; Hermouet, Sylvie

2003-10-01

We investigated whether plating a stable amount of CD34(+) cells improves the CFU-GM assay. Data of CFU-GM assays performed with leukaphereses products in two transplant centers using a commercial collagen-based medium and unified CFU-GM scoring criteria were pooled and analyzed according to the numbers of CD34(+) cells plated. A first series of 113 CFU-GM assays was performed with a fixed number of mononuclear cells (i.e., a variable number of CD34(+) cells). In these cultures the CFU-GM/CD34 ratio varied according to the number of CD34(+) cells plated: median CFUGM/CD34 ratios were 1/6.2 to 1/6.6 for grafts containing or =2% CD34(+) cells. The median CFU-GM/CD34 ratio also varied depending on pathology: 1/9.3 for multiple myeloma (MM), 1/6.8 for Hodgkin's disease (HD), 1/6.5 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and 1/4.5 for solid tumors (ST). A second series of 95 CFU-GM assays was performed with a fixed number of CD34(+) cells (220/ml). The range of median CFU-GM/CD34 ratios was narrowed to 1/7.0 to 1/5.2, and coefficients of variation for CFU-GM counts decreased by half to 38.1% (NHL), 36.1% (MM), 49.9% (HD), and 22.4% (ST). In addition, CFU-GM scoring was facilitated as the percentages of cultures with >50 CFU/GM/ml decreased from 6.7% to 43.8% when a variable number of CD34(+) cells was plated, to 4.5% to 16.7% when 220 CD34(+) cells/ml were plated. Hence, plating a fixed number of CD34(+) cells in collagen gels improves the CFU-GM assay by eliminating cell number-related variability and reducing pathology-related variability in colony growth.

Aligned Magnetic Field, Radiation, and Rotation Effects on Unsteady Hydromagnetic Free Convection Flow Past an Impulsively Moving Vertical Plate in a Porous Medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandeep Naramgari

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We analyse the effects of aligned magnetic field, radiation, and rotation on unsteady hydromagnetic free convection flow of a viscous incompressible electrically conducting fluid past an impulsively moving vertical plate in a porous medium in presence of heat source. An exact solution of the governing equations in dimensionless form is obtained by Laplace transform technique in ramped temperature case. To compare the results obtained in this case with that of isothermal plate, the exact solution of the governing equations is also obtained for isothermal plate and results are discussed graphically in both ramped temperature and isothermal cases.

The emerging age of cell-free synthetic biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Mark Thomas; Wilding, Kristen M; Hunt, Jeremy M; Bennett, Anthony M; Bundy, Bradley C

2014-08-25

The engineering of and mastery over biological parts has catalyzed the emergence of synthetic biology. This field has grown exponentially in the past decade. As increasingly more applications of synthetic biology are pursued, more challenges are encountered, such as delivering genetic material into cells and optimizing genetic circuits in vivo. An in vitro or cell-free approach to synthetic biology simplifies and avoids many of the pitfalls of in vivo synthetic biology. In this review, we describe some of the innate features that make cell-free systems compelling platforms for synthetic biology and discuss emerging improvements of cell-free technologies. We also select and highlight recent and emerging applications of cell-free synthetic biology. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

xCELLigence system for real-time label-free monitoring of growth and viability of cell lines from hematological malignancies.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Serra, Jordi; Gutierrez, Antonio; Muñoz-Capó, Saúl; Navarro-Palou, María; Ros, Teresa; Amat, Juan Carlos; Lopez, Bernardo; Marcus, Toni F; Fueyo, Laura; Suquia, Angela G; Gines, Jordi; Rubio, Francisco; Ramos, Rafael; Besalduch, Joan

2014-01-01

The xCELLigence system is a new technological approach that allows the real-time cell analysis of adherent tumor cells. To date, xCELLigence has not been able to monitor the growth or cytotoxicity of nonadherent cells derived from hematological malignancies. The basis of its technology relies on the use of culture plates with gold microelectrodes located in their base. We have adapted the methodology described by others to xCELLigence, based on the pre-coating of the cell culture surface with specific substrates, some of which are known to facilitate cell adhesion in the extracellular matrix. Pre-coating of the culture plates with fibronectin, compared to laminin, collagen, or gelatin, significantly induced the adhesion of most of the leukemia/lymphoma cells assayed (Jurkat, L1236, KMH2, and K562). With a fibronectin substrate, nonadherent cells deposited in a monolayer configuration, and consequently, the cell growth and viability were robustly monitored. We further demonstrate the feasibility of xCELLigence for the real-time monitoring of the cytotoxic properties of several antineoplastic agents. In order to validate this technology, the data obtained through real-time cell analysis was compared with that obtained from using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. This provides an excellent label-free tool for the screening of drug efficacy in nonadherent cells and discriminates optimal time points for further molecular analysis of cellular events associated with treatments, reducing both time and costs.

Efficiently-cooled plasmonic amorphous silicon solar cells integrated with a nano-coated heat-pipe plate

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yinan; Du, Yanping; Shum, Clifford; Cai, Boyuan; Le, Nam Cao Hoai; Chen, Xi; Duck, Benjamin; Fell, Christopher; Zhu, Yonggang; Gu, Min

2016-04-01

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are emerging as a major alternative energy source. The cost of PV electricity depends on the efficiency of conversion of light to electricity. Despite of steady growth in the efficiency for several decades, little has been achieved to reduce the impact of real-world operating temperatures on this efficiency. Here we demonstrate a highly efficient cooling solution to the recently emerging high performance plasmonic solar cell technology by integrating an advanced nano-coated heat-pipe plate. This thermal cooling technology, efficient for both summer and winter time, demonstrates the heat transportation capability up to ten times higher than those of the metal plate and the conventional wickless heat-pipe plates. The reduction in temperature rise of the plasmonic solar cells operating under one sun condition can be as high as 46%, leading to an approximate 56% recovery in efficiency, which dramatically increases the energy yield of the plasmonic solar cells. This newly-developed, thermally-managed plasmonic solar cell device significantly extends the application scope of PV for highly efficient solar energy conversion.

Peptide specific expansion of CD8(+) T cells by recombinant plate bound MHC/peptide complexes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Esben G W; Buus, Soren; Thorn, Mette

2009-01-01

to in vitro T cell stimulation was investigated. By use of an antigenic peptide derived from the cytomegalovirus (CMVp) we tested the stimulatory efficacy of recombinant plate bound MHC molecules (PB-MHC), being immobilized in culture plates. A single stimulation of non-adherent peripheral blood mononuclear...

Flow field bipolar plates in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell: Analysis & modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahraman, Huseyin; Orhan, Mehmet F.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Covers a comprehensive review of available flow field channel configurations. • Examines the main design considerations and limitations for a flow field network. • Explores the common materials and material properties used for flow field plates. • Presents a case study of step-by-step modeling for an optimum flow field design. - Abstract: This study investigates flow fields and flow field plates (bipolar plates) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. In this regard, the main design considerations and limitations for a flow field network have been examined, along with a comprehensive review of currently available flow field channel configurations. Also, the common materials and material properties used for flow field plates have been explored. Furthermore, a case study of step-by-step modeling for an optimum flow field design has been presented in-details. Finally, a parametric study has been conducted with respect to many design and performance parameters in a flow field plate.

Effect of aspect ratio in free-swimming plunging flexible plates

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Peter; Alexeev, Alexander

2015-11-01

Using three dimensional fully-coupled fluid-structure interaction simulations, we investigate the free swimming of plunging elastic rectangular plates with aspect ratios ranging from 0.5 to 5 in a viscous fluid with Reynolds number 250. We find that maximum velocity occurs near the first natural frequency regardless of aspect ratio, while the maximum swimming economy occurs away from the first natural frequency and corresponds to a specific swimmer bending pattern characterized by reduced displacement of the swimmer's center of mass. Furthermore, we find that swimmers with wider span are both faster and more economical than narrow swimmers. These faster speeds are due to decreased drag for low aspect ratio plunging swimmers, which is in agreement with a recently proposed vortex-induced drag model that suggests that the smaller relative size of side vortices in low aspect ratio swimmers creates less drag per unit width. Our results are useful for the design of small autonomous micro-swimming devices and also provide insights on the physics of aquatic locomotion using oscillating fins.

Improving poor fill factors for solar cells via light-induced plating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xing Zhao; Jia Rui; Ding Wuchang; Meng Yanlong; Jin Zhi; Liu Xinyu

2012-01-01

Silicon solar cells are prepared following the conventional fabrication processes, except for the metallization firing process. The cells are divided into two groups with higher and lower fill factors, respectively. After light-induced plating (LIP), the fill factors of the solar cells in both groups with different initial values reach the same level. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images are taken under the bulk silver electrodes, which prove that the improvement for cells with a poor factor after LIP should benefit from sufficient exploitation of the high density silver crystals formed during the firing process. Moreover, the application of LIP to cells with poor electrode contact performance, such as nanowire cells and radial junction solar cells, is proposed. (semiconductor devices)

Chronic inflammation triggered by the NLRP3 inflammasome in myeloid cells promotes growth plate dysplasia by mesenchymal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chun; Xu, Can-Xin; Alippe, Yael; Qu, Chao; Xiao, Jianqiu; Schipani, Ernestina; Civitelli, Roberto; Abu-Amer, Yousef; Mbalaviele, Gabriel

2017-07-07

Skeletal complications are common features of neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID), a disorder caused by NLRP3-activating mutations. NOMID mice in which NLRP3 is activated globally exhibit several characteristics of the human disease, including systemic inflammation and cartilage dysplasia, but the mechanisms of skeletal manifestations remain unknown. In this study, we find that activation of NLRP3 in myeloid cells, but not mesenchymal cells triggers chronic inflammation, which ultimately, causes growth plate and epiphyseal dysplasia in mice. These responses are IL-1 signaling-dependent, but independent of PARP1, which also functions downstream of NLRP3 and regulates skeletal homeostasis. Mechanistically, inflammation causes severe anemia and hypoxia in the bone environment, yet down-regulates the HIF-1α pathway in chondrocytes, thereby promoting the demise of these cells. Thus, activation of NLRP3 in hematopoietic cells initiates IL-1β-driven paracrine cascades, which promote abnormal growth plate development in NOMID mice.

Advanced thermal management of a solar cell by a nano-coated heat pipe plate: A thermal assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du, Yanping

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The nano-coated heat pipe plate provides sufficient cooling energy to the solar cell. • The induced solar cell temperature is below 40 °C in normal range of solar irradiance. • The evaporative heat flux is tuneable and varies with the change of operating conditions. • Additional cooling at the condenser is helpful to improve the heat removal of the device. - Abstract: The significant temperature effect on solar cells results in loss of photovoltaic (PV) efficiency by up to 20–25%, which may over-negate the efforts in technology development for promoting PV efficiency. This motivates studies in thermal management for solar cells. This study concerns the thermal assessment of an advanced system composed by a solar cell and a nano-coated heat pipe plate for thermal management. Solar cell temperature and the corresponding evaporative heat flux are evaluated based on a conjugated heat transfer model. It indicates that the solar cell can be cooled down to be below 40 °C and suffers no temperature effect due to the use of the heat pipe plate. The heat pipe plate can provide sufficient cooling to the solar cell under different solar irradiance. The analytical and experimental results show that the maximum evaporative heat flux of the current heat pipe plate is around 450 W/m"2. However, the practical heat removal flux at the condenser is 390 W/m"2. The loss of cooling energy is due to the gathered vapour at the condenser section, which prevents the liquid-vapour circulation inside the vacuum chamber of the device. By using additional cooling strategies (i.e. heat sink, PCMs, water jacket) at the condenser section, the heat removal ability can be further improved.

A Label Free Disposable Device for Rapid Isolation of Rare Tumor Cells from Blood by Ultrasounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Itziar González

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The use of blood samples as liquid biopsy is a label-free method for cancer diagnosis that offers benefits over traditional invasive biopsy techniques. Cell sorting by acoustic waves offers a means to separate rare cells from blood samples based on their physical properties in a label-free, contactless and biocompatible manner. Herein, we describe a flow-through separation approach that provides an efficient separation of tumor cells (TCs from white blood cells (WBCs in a microfluidic device, “THINUS-Chip” (Thin-Ultrasonic-Separator-Chip, actuated by ultrasounds. We introduce for the first time the concept of plate acoustic waves (PAW applied to acoustophoresis as a new strategy. It lies in the geometrical chip design: different to other microseparators based on either bulk acoustic waves (BAW or surface waves (SAW, SSAW and tSAW, it allows the use of polymeric materials without restrictions in the frequency of work. We demonstrate its ability to perform high-throughput isolation of TCs from WBCs, allowing a recovery rate of 84% ± 8% of TCs with a purity higher than 80% and combined viability of 85% at a flow rate of 80 μL/min (4.8 mL/h. The THINUS-Chip performs cell fractionation with low-cost manufacturing processes, opening the door to possible easy printing fabrication.

Create Your Plate

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In situ cannulation, microgrid follow-up and low-density plating provide first passage endothelial cell masscultures for in vitro lining.

Science.gov (United States)

Zilla, P; Fasol, R; Dudeck, U; Siedler, S; Preiss, P; Fischlein, T; Müller-Glauser, W; Baitella, G; Sanan, D; Odell, J

1990-08-01

A rapid and reliable harvest and culture technique was developed to provide a sufficient number of autologous endothelial cells for the confluent in vitro lining of cardiovascular prostheses. Enzymatic endothelial cell detachment was achieved by the in situ application of collagenase to short vessel segments. This harvest technique resulted in a complete lack of contaminating smooth muscle cells in all of 124 cultures from nonhuman primates and 13 cultures from human adults. The use of a microgrid technique enabled the daily in situ quantification of available endothelial cells. To assess ideal plating densities after passage the population doubling time was continuously related to the cell density. Surprisingly, a low plating density of 1.5 X 10(3) endothelial cells/cm2 achieved 43% shorter cell cycles than the usual plating density of 1.0 X 10(4) endothelial cells/cm2. Moreover, low density plating enabled mass cultures after one single cell passage, thereby reducing the cell damaging effect of trypsin. When the growth characteristics of endothelial cells from five anatomically different vessel sites were compared, the external jugular vein--which would be easily accessible and dispensable in each patient--proved to be an excellent source for endothelial cell cultures. By applying in situ administration of collagenase, low density plating and microgrid follow-up to adult human saphenous vein endothelial cells, 14,000,000 first passage endothelial cells--sufficient for the in vitro lining of long vascular prostheses--were obtained 26.2 days after harvest. (95% confidence interval:22.3 to 32.2 days).

Optimal Design for the Diffusion Plate with Nanoparticles in a Diffusive Solar Cell Window by Mie Scattering Simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruei-Tang Chen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A diffusive solar cell window comprises a diffusion plate with TiO2 nanoparticles sandwiched between two glass layers. It is a simple, inexpensive, easy-to-made, and highly reliable transparent solar energy module. To improve its power generation efficiency as well as maintain indoor natural lighting, we examined the scattering mechanism in the diffusion plate with TiO2 nanoparticles within a diffusive solar cell window by Mie scattering simulations. In this work, a multiwavelength ASAP ray tracing model for a diffusive solar cell window with acceptable accuracy was developed to investigate the influence of the diffusion plate design parameter, mainly concentration of a diffusion plate with determined particle size distribution, on power generation efficiency and color shift of transmitted sun light. A concept of “effective average radius” was proposed to account for the equivalent scattering effect of a size distribution of quasispherical particles. Simulation results demonstrated that both the transmitted light and its correlated color temperature decreased as the concentration increased for a large-size diffusive solar cell window. However, there existed a maximum power generation efficiency at around 160 ppm concentration. The optimal design for a large-size diffusion plate inside a diffusive solar cell window by taking indoor lighting into account was suggested based on the simulation results.

Asymmetric free vibrations of laminated annular cross-ply circular plates including the effects of shear deformation and rotary inertia. Spline method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viswanathan, K.K.; Kim, Kyung Su; Lee, Jang Hyun [Inha Univ., Incheon (Korea). Dept. of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering

2009-12-15

Asymmetric free vibrations of annular cross-ply circular plates are studied using spline function approximation. The governing equations are formulated including the effects of shear deformation and rotary inertia. Assumptions are made to study the cross-ply layered plates. A system of coupled differential equations are obtained in terms of displacement functions and rotational functions. These functions are approximated using Bickley- type spline functions of suitable order. Then the system is converted into the eigenvalue problem by applying the point collocation technique and suitable boundary conditions. Parametric studies have been made to investigate the effect of transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia on frequency parameter with respect to the circumferential node number, radii ratio and thickness to radius ratio for both symmetric and anti-symmetric cross-ply plates using various types of material properties. (orig.)

Create Your Plate

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Full Text Available ... Risk Test Lower Your Risk Healthy Eating Overweight Smoking High Blood Pressure Physical Activity High Blood Glucose ... Diabetes Meal Plans Create Your Plate Gluten Free Diets Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Cook with Heart- ...

Create Your Plate

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Full Text Available ... Recipes Association Cookbook Recipes Planning Meals Diabetes Meal Plans Create Your Plate Gluten Free Diets Meal Planning ... serving of dairy or both as your meal plan allows. Choose healthy fats in small amounts. For ...

Environmental testing of flat plate solar cell modules

Science.gov (United States)

Griffith, J.; Dumas, L.; Hoffman, A.

1978-01-01

Commercially available flat-plate solar cell modules have been subjected to a variety of environmental tests designed to simulate service conditions. Among the tests are those simulating heat and rain, wind-driven rains, humidity and freezing, humidity and heat, humidity with a voltage bias, salt fog, hail impact, and fungus infestation. Tests for optical surface soiling and the combined effects of temperature, humidity and UV irradiation are under development. A correlation has been demonstrated between degradation caused by the qualification tests and such observed field effects as power loss.

Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Stem Cell Expansion by Plating Whole Bone Marrow at a Low Cellular Density: A More Advantageous Method for Clinical Use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katia Mareschi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs are a promising source for cell therapy due to their pluripotency and immunomodulant proprieties. As the identification of “optimal” conditions is important to identify a standard procedure for clinical use. Percoll, Ficoll and whole bone marrow directly plated were tested from the same sample as separation methods. The cells were seeded at the following densities: 100 000, 10 000, 1000, 100, 10 cells/cm2. After reaching confluence, the cells were detached, pooled and re-plated at 1000, 500, 100, and 10 cells/cm2. Statistical analyses were performed. Cumulative Population Doublings (PD did not show significant differences for the separation methods and seeding densities but only for the plating density. Some small quantity samples plated in T25 flasks at plating densities of 10 and 100 cells/cm2 did not produce any expansion. However, directly plated whole bone marrow resulted in a more advantageous method in terms of CFU-F number, cellular growth and minimal manipulation. No differences were observed in terms of gross morphology, differentiation potential or immunophenotype. These data suggest that plating whole bone marrow at a low cellular density may represent a good procedure for MSC expansion for clinical use.

Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Stem Cell Expansion by Plating Whole Bone Marrow at a Low Cellular Density: A More Advantageous Method for Clinical Use

Science.gov (United States)

Mareschi, Katia; Rustichelli, Deborah; Calabrese, Roberto; Gunetti, Monica; Sanavio, Fiorella; Castiglia, Sara; Risso, Alessandra; Ferrero, Ivana; Tarella, Corrado; Fagioli, Franca

2012-01-01

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising source for cell therapy due to their pluripotency and immunomodulant proprieties. As the identification of “optimal” conditions is important to identify a standard procedure for clinical use. Percoll, Ficoll and whole bone marrow directly plated were tested from the same sample as separation methods. The cells were seeded at the following densities: 100 000, 10 000, 1000, 100, 10 cells/cm2. After reaching confluence, the cells were detached, pooled and re-plated at 1000, 500, 100, and 10 cells/cm2. Statistical analyses were performed. Cumulative Population Doublings (PD) did not show significant differences for the separation methods and seeding densities but only for the plating density. Some small quantity samples plated in T25 flasks at plating densities of 10 and 100 cells/cm2 did not produce any expansion. However, directly plated whole bone marrow resulted in a more advantageous method in terms of CFU-F number, cellular growth and minimal manipulation. No differences were observed in terms of gross morphology, differentiation potential or immunophenotype. These data suggest that plating whole bone marrow at a low cellular density may represent a good procedure for MSC expansion for clinical use. PMID:23715383

Studies of flat-plate solar air collectors with absorber plates made of amorphous silicon photovoltaic modules; Amorphous taiyo denchi module wo shunetsuban to shita heibangata kukishiki shunetsuki no kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sato, K; Ito, S; Miura, N [Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Kanagawa (Japan)

1996-10-27

A light/heat hybrid air type heat collector has been developed in which heat is collected by solar cell panels. In Type 1 heat collector provided with a glass cover, two modules are connected in series and placed under a glass cover to serve as a heat collecting plate, each module built of a steel plate and two thin-film amorphous solar cells bonded to the steel plate. Air runs under the heat collecting plate. Type 2 heat collector is a Type 1 heat collector minus the glass cover. Air is taken in by a fan, runs in a vinyl chloride tube, and then through the heat collector where it is heated by the sun, and goes out at the exit. Heat collecting performance was subjected to theoretical analysis. This heat collector approximated in point of heat collection a model using a board painted black, which means that the new type functions effectively as an air-type heat collector. Operating as a photovoltaic power generator, the covered type generated approximately 20% less than the uncovered type under 800W/m{sup 2} insolation conditions. Type 1 has been in service for five months, and Type 2 for 2 months. At present, both are free of troubles such as deformation and the amorphous solar cell modules have deteriorated but a little. 4 refs., 9 figs.

Cell-free protein synthesis: applications in proteomics and biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Mingyue

2008-01-01

Protein production is one of the key steps in biotechnology and functional proteomics. Expression of proteins in heterologous hosts (such as in E. coli) is generally lengthy and costly. Cell-free protein synthesis is thus emerging as an attractive alternative. In addition to the simplicity and speed for protein production, cell-free expression allows generation of functional proteins that are difficult to produce by in vivo systems. Recent exploitation of cell-free systems enables novel development of technologies for rapid discovery of proteins with desirable properties from very large libraries. This article reviews the recent development in cell-free systems and their application in the large scale protein analysis.

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Full Text Available ... Food Planning Meals Diabetes Meal Plans and a Healthy Diet Create Your Plate Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Gluten Free Diets Holiday Meal Planning Cook with Heart-Healthy Foods donate en -- A Future Without Diabetes - a- ...

Root-Contact/Pressure-Plate Assembly For Hydroponic System

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Carlton E.; Loretan, Philip A.; Bonsi, Conrad K.; Hill, Walter A.

1994-01-01

Hydroponic system includes growth channels equipped with rootcontact/pressure-plate assemblies. Pump and associated plumbing circulate nutrient liquid from reservoir, along bottom of growth channels, and back to reservoir. Root-contact/pressure-plate assembly in each growth channel stimulates growth of roots by applying mild contact pressure. Flat plate and plate connectors, together constitute pressure plate, free to move upward to accommodate growth of roots. System used for growing sweetpotatoes and possibly other tuber and root crops.

Effect of pervaporation plate thickness on the rate of methanol evaporation in a passive vapor-feed direct methanol fuel cell

Science.gov (United States)

Fauzi, N. F. I.; Hasran, U. A.; Kamarudin, S. K.

2015-09-01

In a passive vapor-feed direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), methanol vapor is typically obtained using a pervaporation plate in a process by which liquid methanol contained in the fuel reservoir undergoes a phase change to vapor in the anodic vapor chamber. This work investigates the effect of pervaporation plate thickness on the rate of methanol evaporation using a three-dimensional simulation model developed by varying the plate thickness. A. The rate of methanol evaporation was measured using Darcy's law. The rate of methanol evaporation was found to be inversely proportional to the plate thickness, where the decrease in thickness inevitably lowers the resistance along the plate and consequently increases the methanol transport through the plate. This shows that the plate thickness has a significant influence on the rate of methanol evaporation and thereby plays an important role in improving the performance of the passive vapor-feed direct methanol fuel cell.

[Experimental study on carbon fiber reinforced plastic plate--analysis of stabilizing force required for plate].

Science.gov (United States)

Iizuka, H

1990-11-01

Plates currently in use for the management of bone fracture made of metal present with various problems. We manufactured carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) plates from Pyrofil T/530 puriplegs overlaid at cross angles of +/- 10 degrees, +/- 20 degrees, and +/- 30 degrees for trial and carried out an experimental study on rabbit tibiofibular bones using 316L stainless steel plates of comparable shape and size as controls. The results indicate the influence of CFRP plate upon cortical bone was milder than that of stainless steel plate, with an adequate stabilizing force for the repair of fractured rabbit tibiofibular bones. CFRP has the advantages over metals of being virtually free from corrosion and fatigue, reasonably radiolucent and able to meet a wide range of mechanical requirements. This would make CFRP plate quite promising as a new devices of treating fracture of bones.

In vitro effects of preservative-free and preserved prostaglandin analogs on primary cultured human conjunctival fibroblast cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eun Joo; Kim, Yeoun-Hee; Kang, Sun-Hee; Lee, Kyoo Won; Park, Young Jeung

2013-12-01

Long-term use of topical medication is needed for glaucoma treatment. One of the most commonly prescribed classes of hypotensive agents are prostaglandin analogs (PGs) used as both first-line monotherapy; as well as in combination therapy with other hypotensive agents. Several side effects of eye drops can be caused by preservatives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of PGs with varying concentrations of benzalkonium chloride (BAC), alternative preservatives, or no preservatives on human conjunctival fibroblast cells. Primary human conjunctival fibroblast cells were used in these experiments. Cells were exposed to the following drugs: BAC at different concentrations, bimatoprost 0.01% (with BAC 0.02%), latanoprost 0.005% (with BAC 0.02%), tafluprost 0.0015% with/without 0.001% BAC and travoprost 0.004% (with 0.001% Polyquad) for 15 and 30 minutes. Cell cytotoxicity was evaluated by phase-contrast microscopy to monitor morphological changes of cells, Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay to cell viability, and fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis to measure apoptosis. BAC caused cell shrinkage and detachment from the plate in a dose-dependent manner. Morphological changes were observed in cells treated with bimatoprost 0.01% and latanoprost 0.005%. However, mild cell shrinkage was noted in cells treated with tafluprost 0.0015%, while a non-toxic effect was noted with travoprost 0.004% and preservative-free tafluprost 0.0015%. CCK-8 assay and FACS analysis showed all groups had a significantly decreased cell viability and higher apoptosis rate compared with the control group. However, travoprost 0.004% and preservative-free tafluprost 0.0015% showed lower cytotoxicity and apoptosis rate than other drugs. This in vitro study revealed that BAC-induced cytotoxicity is dose-dependent, although it is important to emphasize that the clinical significance of toxicity differences observed among the different PGs formulations has not yet been firmly

Free convective heat transfer with hall effects, heat absorption and chemical reaction over an accelerated moving plate in a rotating system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hussain, S.M., E-mail: hussain.modassir@yahoo.com [Department of Mathematics, OP Jindal University, Raigarh 496109 (India); Jain, J., E-mail: jj.28481@gmail.com [Department of Mathematics, OP Jindal University, Raigarh 496109 (India); Seth, G.S., E-mail: gsseth_ism@yahoo.com [Department of Applied Mathematics, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad 826004 (India); Rashidi, M.M., E-mail: mm_rashidi@yahoo.com [Shanghai Key Lab of Vehicle Aerodynamics and Vehicle Thermal Management System, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804 (China)

2017-01-15

The unsteady MHD free convective heat and mass transfer flow of an electrically conducting, viscous and incompressible fluid over an accelerated moving vertical plate in the presence of heat absorption and chemical reaction with ramped temperature and ramped surface concentration through a porous medium in a rotating system is studied, taking Hall effects into account. The governing equations are solved analytically with the help of Laplace transform technique. The unified closed-form expressions are obtained for fluid velocity, fluid temperature, species concentration, skin friction, Nusselt number and Sherwood numbers. The effects of various parameters on fluid velocity, fluid temperature and species concentration are discussed by graphs whereas numerical values of skin friction, Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are presented in tabular form for different values of pertinent flow parameters. The numerical results are also compared with free convective flow near ramped temperature plate with ramped surface concentration with the corresponding flow near isothermal plate with uniform surface concentration. - Highlights: • Magnetic field, Hall current, rotation and chemical reaction play vital role on flow field. • Hall current tends to accelerate secondary fluid velocity in the boundary layer region. • Rotation tends to retard primary fluid velocity throughout the boundary layer region. • Rotation and chemical reaction tend to enhance primary skin friction. • Solutal buoyancy force and permeability of medium reduce primary skin friction.

Effect of pervaporation plate thickness on the rate of methanol evaporation in a passive vapor-feed direct methanol fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fauzi, N F I; Hasran, U A; Kamarudin, S K

2015-01-01

In a passive vapor-feed direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), methanol vapor is typically obtained using a pervaporation plate in a process by which liquid methanol contained in the fuel reservoir undergoes a phase change to vapor in the anodic vapor chamber. This work investigates the effect of pervaporation plate thickness on the rate of methanol evaporation using a three-dimensional simulation model developed by varying the plate thickness. A. The rate of methanol evaporation was measured using Darcy's law. The rate of methanol evaporation was found to be inversely proportional to the plate thickness, where the decrease in thickness inevitably lowers the resistance along the plate and consequently increases the methanol transport through the plate. This shows that the plate thickness has a significant influence on the rate of methanol evaporation and thereby plays an important role in improving the performance of the passive vapor-feed direct methanol fuel cell. (paper)

Magnetic Imaging with a Novel Hole-Free Phase Plate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pollard, Shawn; Malac, Marek; Beleggia, Marco

2014-01-01

One of the main interests in phase plate imaging is motivated by a decrease in irradiation dose needed to obtain desired signal to noise ratio, a result of improved contrast transfer [1]. The decrease in irradiation improves the imaging of biological materials [2]. Here we demonstrate that phase...... most phase objects, including magnetic and electrostatic fields in vacuum. The requirement for phase plate imaging, including that by HFPP, is that the object spectrum in the back focal plane of the objective lens must not be broadened via the effect of chromatic aberration. In other words, the imaged...

Compact and Light-Weight Solar Spaceflight Instrument Designs Utilizing Newly Developed Miniature Free-Standing Zone Plates: EUV Radiometer and Limb-Scanning Monochromator

Science.gov (United States)

Seely, J. F.; McMullin, D. R.; Bremer, J.; Chang, C.; Sakdinawat, A.; Jones, A. R.; Vest, R.

2014-12-01

Two solar instrument designs are presented that utilize newly developed miniature free-standing zone plates having interconnected Au opaque bars and no support membrane resulting in excellent long-term stability in space. Both instruments are based on a zone plate having 4 mm outer diameter and 1 to 2 degree field of view. The zone plate collects EUV radiation and focuses a narrow bandpass through a pinhole aperture and onto a silicon photodiode detector. As a miniature radiometer, EUV irradiance is accurately determined from the zone plate efficiency and the photodiode responsivity that are calibrated at the NIST SURF synchrotron facility. The EUV radiometer is pointed to the Sun and measures the absolute solar EUV irradiance in high time cadence suitable for solar physics and space weather applications. As a limb-scanning instrument in low earth orbit, a miniature zone-plate monochromator measures the extinction of solar EUV radiation by scattering through the upper atmosphere which is a measure of the variability of the ionosphere. Both instruments are compact and light-weight and are attractive for CubeSats and other missions where resources are extremely limited.

A micromethod for the assay of cellular secretory physiology: Application to rabbit parietal cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adrian, T.E.; Goldenring, J.R.; Oddsdottir, M.; Zdon, M.J.; Zucker, K.A.; Lewis, J.J.; Modlin, I.M.

1989-01-01

A micromethod for investigating secretory physiology in isolated cells was evaluated. The method utilized a specially designed polycarbonate incubation chamber to provide constant oxygenation to cells incubating in a 96-well microtiter plate. Cells were rapidly separated from media by vacuum filtration. Isolated parietal cells were utilized to demonstrate the versatility of the method for assay of intracellular accumulation of [ 14 C]-aminopyrine, secretion of intrinsic factor into the medium, and assay of intracellular cAMP. Histamine stimulated the uptake of [ 14 C]aminopyrine and intrinsic factor secretion in a sustained and linear fashion. At the end of the 2-h period uptake of aminopyrine and secretion of intrinsic factor were increased 17- and 5-fold, respectively. This response to histamine was accompanied by a rapid and sustained 3-fold rise in intracellular cyclic AMP. In contrast, carbamylcholine caused a transient increase in [ 14 C]aminopyrine accumulation and intrinsic factor secretion which was most pronounced during the first 10 min and had almost ceased by 30 min. Carbamylcholine had no effect on intracellular cAMP levels. This new method, which can handle 400 replicates using parietal cells from the fundic mucosa of a single rabbit, is suitable for studying the time course of intracellular events which accompany general secretory processes

Effect of enterocin AS-48 in combination with biocides on planktonic and sessile Listeria monocytogenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, Natacha Caballero; Abriouel, Hikmate; Grande, M A José; Pulido, Rubén Pérez; Gálvez, Antonio

2012-05-01

Enterocin AS-48 was tested on a cocktail of Listeria monocytogenes strains in planktonic and sessile states, singly or in combination with biocides benzalkonium chloride, cetrimide, hexadecylpyridinium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium bromide, triclosan, poly-(hexamethylen guanidinium) hydrochloride, chlorhexidine, hexachlorophene, and the commercial sanitizers P3 oxonia and P3 topax 66. Combinations of sub-inhibitory bacteriocin concentrations and biocide concentrations 4 to 10-fold lower than their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) completely inhibited growth of the planktonic listeriae. Inactivation of Listeria in biofilms formed on polystyrene microtiter plates required concentrations of enterocin AS-48 greater than 50 μg/ml, and biocide concentrations ten to 100-fold higher. In combination with enterocin AS-48 (25 or 50 μg/ml), microbial inactivation increased remarkably for all biocides except P3 oxonia and P3 topax 66 solutions. Polystyrene microtiter plates conditioned with enterocin solutions (0.5-25 μg/ml) decreased the adherence and biofilm formation of the L. monocytogenes cell cocktail, avoiding biofilm formation for at least 24 h at a bacteriocin concentration of 25 μg/ml. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cell-free synthetic biology for environmental sensing and remediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Karig, David K

2017-06-01

The fields of biosensing and bioremediation leverage the phenomenal array of sensing and metabolic capabilities offered by natural microbes. Synthetic biology provides tools for transforming these fields through complex integration of natural and novel biological components to achieve sophisticated sensing, regulation, and metabolic function. However, the majority of synthetic biology efforts are conducted in living cells, and concerns over releasing genetically modified organisms constitute a key barrier to environmental applications. Cell-free protein expression systems offer a path towards leveraging synthetic biology, while preventing the spread of engineered organisms in nature. Recent efforts in the areas of cell-free approaches for sensing, regulation, and metabolic pathway implementation, as well as for preserving and deploying cell-free expression components, embody key steps towards realizing the potential of cell-free systems for environmental sensing and remediation. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Number of infection events per cell during HIV-1 cell-free infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Yusuke; Remion, Azaria; Tauzin, Alexandra; Ejima, Keisuke; Nakaoka, Shinji; Iwasa, Yoh; Iwami, Shingo; Mammano, Fabrizio

2017-07-26

HIV-1 accumulates changes in its genome through both recombination and mutation during the course of infection. For recombination to occur, a single cell must be infected by two HIV strains. These coinfection events were experimentally demonstrated to occur more frequently than would be expected for independent infection events and do not follow a random distribution. Previous mathematical modeling approaches demonstrated that differences in target cell susceptibility can explain the non-randomness, both in the context of direct cell-to-cell transmission, and in the context of free virus transmission (Q. Dang et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101:632-7, 2004: K. M. Law et al., Cell reports 15:2711-83, 2016). Here, we build on these notions and provide a more detailed and extensive quantitative framework. We developed a novel mathematical model explicitly considering the heterogeneity of target cells and analysed datasets of cell-free HIV-1 single and double infection experiments in cell culture. Particularly, in contrast to the previous studies, we took into account the different susceptibility of the target cells as a continuous distribution. Interestingly, we showed that the number of infection events per cell during cell-free HIV-1 infection follows a negative-binomial distribution, and our model reproduces these datasets.

Cell-Free, De Nova Synthesis of Poliovirus

Science.gov (United States)

Molla, Akhteruzzaman; Paul, Aniko V.; Wimmer, Eckard

1991-12-01

Cell-free translation of poliovirus RNA in an extract of uninfected human (HeLa) cells yielded viral proteins through proteolysis of the polyprotein. In the extract, newly synthesized proteins catalyzed poliovirus-specific RNA synthesis, and formed infectious poliovirus de novo. Newly formed virions were neutralized by type-specific antiserum, and infection of human cells with them was prevented by poliovirus receptor-specific antibodies. Poliovirus synthesis was increased nearly 70-fold when nucleoside triphosphates were added, but it was abolished in the presence of inhibitors of translation or viral genome replication. The ability to conduct cell-free synthesis of poliovirus will aid in the study of picornavirus proliferation and in the search for the control of picornaviral disease.

Curing pasted plates for lead/acid batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Napoleon, E.S.

1987-02-15

This paper covers various aspects of the hydroset process and final drying of battery plates in a controlled chamber. Through the use of such chambers, battery makers are obtaining finished plates of consistent quality in 48 h or less, including final drying. Added benefits include: (i) reduced free-lead in plates; (ii) reduced floor space requirements; (iii) better knitting of paste to grid; (iv) reduced inventories; (v) reduced battery rejects.

Static bending deflection and free vibration analysis of moderate thick symmetric laminated plates using multidimensional wave digital filters

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Chien-Hsun

2018-06-01

This paper aims to develop a multidimensional wave digital filtering network for predicting static and dynamic behaviors of composite laminate based on the FSDT. The resultant network is, thus, an integrated platform that can perform not only the free vibration but also the bending deflection of moderate thick symmetric laminated plates with low plate side-to-thickness ratios (< = 20). Safeguarded by the Courant-Friedrichs-Levy stability condition with the least restriction in terms of optimization technique, the present method offers numerically high accuracy, stability and efficiency to proceed a wide range of modulus ratios for the FSDT laminated plates. Instead of using a constant shear correction factor (SCF) with a limited numerical accuracy for the bending deflection, an optimum SCF is particularly sought by looking for a minimum ratio of change in the transverse shear energy. This way, it can predict as good results in terms of accuracy for certain cases of bending deflection. Extensive simulation results carried out for the prediction of maximum bending deflection have demonstratively proven that the present method outperforms those based on the higher-order shear deformation and layerwise plate theories. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that shows an optimal selection of SCF can significantly increase the accuracy of FSDT-based laminates especially compared to the higher order theory disclaiming any correction. The highest accuracy of overall solution is compared to the 3D elasticity equilibrium one.

Free piston inertia compressor

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, W.D.C.; Bilodeau, D.; Marusak, T.; Dutram, L. Jr.; Brady, J.

A free piston inertia compressor comprises a piston assembly including a connecting rod having pistons on both ends, the cylinder being split into two substantially identical portions by a seal through which the connecting rod passes. Vents in the cylinder wall are provided near the seal to permit gas to escape the cylinder until the piston covers the vent whereupon the remaining gas in the cylinder functions as a gas spring and cushions the piston against impact on the seal. The connecting rod has a central portion of relatively small diameter providing free play of the connecting rod through the seal and end portions of relatively large diameter providing a limited tolerance between the connecting rod and the seal. Finally, the seal comprises a seal ring assembly consisting of a dampener plate, a free floating seal at the center of the dampener plate and a seal retainer plate in one face of the dampener plate.

Theroretical modelling of the plate-tubes coupling in the hydroelasticity of the perforated plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dzhupanov, V.A.; Manoach, E.S.

1983-01-01

In the previous investigations on the perforated plate hydroelasticity the problem of the plates-tubes-liquid interaction in the process of the general structural vibration is stated. But the interaction of the vibrating plates with the tubes, passing through them, is taken into account considering the tubes only as absolutely rigid supports. This is one of the possible technical realizations. In the present article the case when the tubes are taking part in the plate motion (vibration) is studied. Two circular perforated plates are supported by the absolutely rigid wall of the modelled roundcircular reactor barrel. The distance between the plates is given. They are connected by tubes, passing through, and clamped into the perforation holes. The plates and the tubes are made by any elastic HOOKIAN material. The volume between the two plates and outwardly to the tubes, but intrinsically of the barrel is filled by ideal, compressible and heavy liquid. Evidently the liquid volume is multiconnected one. The free vibration of the whole system is considered with the purposes: i) to give a theoretical model of the plates-tubes-liquid interaction including governing equations and boundary conditions; ii) to trace the solution of the eigen-value problem for the modelled structure; iii) to underline the engineering sides of the modelling process. (orig./GL)

Generation of hematopoietic stem cells from human embryonic stem cells using a defined, stepwise, serum-free, and serum replacement-free monolayer culture method.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, So-Jung; Jung, Ji-Won; Ha, Hye-Yeong; Koo, Soo Kyung; Kim, Eung-Gook; Kim, Jung-Hyun

2017-03-01

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can be expanded infinitely in vitro and have the potential to differentiate into hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs); thus, they are considered a useful source of cells for HSC production. Although several technical in vitro methods for engineering HSCs from pluripotent stem cells have been developed, clinical application of HSCs engineered from pluripotent stem cells is restricted because of the possibility of xenogeneic contamination resulting from the use of murine materials. Human ESCs (CHA-hES15) were cultured on growth factor-reduced Matrigel-coated dishes in the mTeSR1 serum-free medium. When the cells were 70% confluent, we initiated HSC differentiation by three methods involving (1) knockout serum replacement (KSR), cytokines, TGFb1, EPO, and FLT3L; (2) KSR, cytokines, and bFGF; or (3) cytokines and bFGF. Among the three differentiation methods, the minimal number of cytokines without KSR resulted in the greatest production of HSCs. The optimized method resulted in a higher proportion of CD34 + CD43 + hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) and CD34 + CD45 + HPCs compared to the other methods. In addition, the HSCs showed the potential to differentiate into multiple lineages of hematopoietic cells in vitro . In this study, we optimized a two-step, serum-free, animal protein-free, KSR-free, feeder-free, chemically defined monolayer culture method for generation of HSCs and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from human ESCs.

Arraying proteins by cell-free synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Mingyue; Wang, Ming-Wei

2007-10-01

Recent advances in life science have led to great motivation for the development of protein arrays to study functions of genome-encoded proteins. While traditional cell-based methods have been commonly used for generating protein arrays, they are usually a time-consuming process with a number of technical challenges. Cell-free protein synthesis offers an attractive system for making protein arrays, not only does it rapidly converts the genetic information into functional proteins without the need for DNA cloning, but also presents a flexible environment amenable to production of folded proteins or proteins with defined modifications. Recent advancements have made it possible to rapidly generate protein arrays from PCR DNA templates through parallel on-chip protein synthesis. This article reviews current cell-free protein array technologies and their proteomic applications.

Bipolar plate materials in molten carbonate fuel cells. Final CRADA report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krumpelt, M.

2004-06-01

Advantages of implementation of power plants based on electrochemical reactions are successfully demonstrated in the USA and Japan. One of the msot promising types of fuel cells (FC) is a type of high temperature fuel cells. At present, thanks to the efforts of the leading countries that develop fuel cell technologies power plants on the basis of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are really close to commercialization. One of the problems that are to be solved for practical implementation of MCFC and SOFC is a problem of corrosion of metal components of stacks that are assembled of a number of fuel cells. One of the major components of MCFC and SOFC stacks is a bipolar separator plate (BSP) that performs several functions - it is separation of reactant gas flows sealing of the joints between fuel cells, and current collection from the surface of electrodes. The goal of Task 1 of the project is to develop new cost-effective nickel coatings for the Russian 20X23H18 steel for an MCFC bipolar separator plate using technological processes usually implemented to apply corrosion stable coatings onto the metal parts for products in the defense. There was planned the research on production of nickel coatings using different methods, first of all the galvanic one and the explosion cladding one. As a result of the works, 0.4 x 712 x 1296 mm plates coated with nickel on one side were to be made and passed to ANL. A line of 4 galvanic baths 600 liters was to be built for the galvanic coating applications. The goal of Task 2 of the project is the development of a new material of an MCFC bipolar separator plate with an upgraded corrosion stability, and development of a technology to produce cold roll sheets of this material the sizes of which will be 0.8 x 712x 1296 mm. As a result of these works, a pilot batch of the rolled material in sheets 0.8 x 712 x 1296 mm in size is to be made (in accordance with the norms and standards of the Russian

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) flow field plate: design, materials and characterisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamilton, P.J.; Pollet, B.G. [PEM Fuel Cell Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT (United Kingdom)

2010-08-15

This review describes some recent developments in the area of flow field plates (FFPs) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The function, parameters and design of FFPs in PEM fuel cells are outlined and considered in light of their performance. FFP materials and manufacturing methods are discussed and current in situ and ex situ characterisation techniques are described. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Analysis and design recommendation on rabbeted capping plate of equipment cell in nuclear chemical facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jingyu; Yin Xiaozhan

2013-01-01

Rabbeted capping plates are widely used in the roof of equipment cells in order to meet the requirements of nuclear radiation protection. The key considerations in the design include vertical load, seismic load and repair load. This article establishes T shaped and Z-shaped plate model via FEM software (ANSYS), analyzes the bearing capacity and displacement distribution in different load cases, and provides recommendations to the design and construction accordingly. (authors)

Effects of rest time after Li plating on safety behavior—ARC tests with commercial high-energy 18650 Li-ion cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waldmann, Thomas; Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, Margret

2017-01-01

During charging at low temperatures, metallic Lithium can be deposited on the surface of graphite anodes of Li-ion cells. This Li plating does not only lead to fast capacity fade, it can also impair the safety behavior. The present study observes the effect of rest periods between Li plating and subsequent accelerated rate calorimetry (ARC) tests. As an example, commercial 3.25 Ah 18650-type cells with graphite anodes and NCA cathodes are cycled at 0 °C to provoke Li plating. It is found that the rest period at 25 °C between Li plating and the ARC tests has a significant influence on the onset temperature of exothermic reactions (T SH ), the onset temperature of thermal runaway (T TR ), the maximum temperature, the self-heating rate, and on damage patterns of 18650 cells. The results are discussed in terms of chemical intercalation of Li plating into adjacent graphite particles during the rest period. The exponential increase of capacity recovery and T SH as a function of time suggests a reaction of 1st order for the relaxation process.

Similarity Solution for Combined Free-Forced Convection Past a Vertical Porous Plate in a Porous Medium with a Convective Surface Boundary Condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Garg P.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper studies the mathematical implications of the two dimensional viscous steady laminar combined free-forced convective flow of an incompressible fluid over a semi infinite fixed vertical porous plate embedded in a porous medium. It is assumed that the left surface of the plate is heated by convection from a hot fluid which is at a temperature higher than the temperature of the fluid on the right surface of the vertical plate. To achieve numerical consistency for the problem under consideration, the governing non linear partial differential equations are first transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations using a similarity variable and then solved numerically under conditions admitting similarity solutions. The effects of the physical parameters of both the incompressible fluid and the vertical plate on the dimensionless velocity and temperature profiles are studied and analysed and the results are depicted both graphically and in a tabular form. Finally, algebraic expressions and the numerical values are obtained for the local skin-friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number.

Temperature and UV light affect the activity of marine cell-free enzymes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Thomson

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Microbial extracellular enzymatic activity (EEA is the rate-limiting step in the degradation of organic matter in the oceans. These extracellular enzymes exist in two forms: cell-bound, which are attached to the microbial cell wall, and cell-free, which are completely free of the cell. Contrary to previous understanding, cell-free extracellular enzymes make up a substantial proportion of the total marine EEA. Little is known about these abundant cell-free enzymes, including what factors control their activity once they are away from their sites (cells. Experiments were run to assess how cell-free enzymes (excluding microbes respond to ultraviolet radiation (UVR and temperature manipulations, previously suggested as potential control factors for these enzymes. The experiments were done with New Zealand coastal waters and the enzymes studied were alkaline phosphatase (APase, β-glucosidase, (BGase, and leucine aminopeptidase (LAPase. Environmentally relevant UVR (i.e. in situ UVR levels measured at our site reduced cell-free enzyme activities by up to 87 % when compared to controls, likely a consequence of photodegradation. This effect of UVR on cell-free enzymes differed depending on the UVR fraction. Ambient levels of UV radiation were shown to reduce the activity of cell-free enzymes for the first time. Elevated temperatures (15 °C increased the activity of cell-free enzymes by up to 53 % when compared to controls (10 °C, likely by enhancing the catalytic activity of the enzymes. Our results suggest the importance of both UVR and temperature as control mechanisms for cell-free enzymes. Given the projected warming ocean environment and the variable UVR light regime, it is possible that there could be major changes in the cell-free EEA and in the enzymes contribution to organic matter remineralization in the future.

Create Your Plate

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Full Text Available ... Your Plate Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Gluten Free Diets Holiday Meal Planning Cook with Heart-Healthy Foods donate en -- A Future Without Diabetes - a-future-without-diabetes-2.html A Future Without Diabetes Donate towards research today and your gift will be matched. Donate ...

Method of nickel-plating large components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilbuer, K.

1997-01-01

The invention concerns a method of nickel-plating components, according to which even large components can be provided with an adequate layer of nickel which is pore- and stress-free and such that water is not lost. According to the invention, the component is heated and, after heating, is pickled, rinsed, scoured, plated in an electrolysis process, and rinsed again. (author)

A Novel Higher-Order Shear and Normal Deformable Plate Theory for the Static, Free Vibration and Buckling Analysis of Functionally Graded Plates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi-Chao Yi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Closed-form solution of a special higher-order shear and normal deformable plate theory is presented for the static situations, natural frequencies, and buckling responses of simple supported functionally graded materials plates (FGMs. Distinguished from the usual theories, the uniqueness is the differentia of the new plate theory. Each individual FGM plate has special characteristics, such as material properties and length-thickness ratio. These distinctive attributes determine a set of orthogonal polynomials, and then the polynomials can form an exclusive plate theory. Thus, the novel plate theory has two merits: one is the orthogonality, where the majority of the coefficients of the equations derived from Hamilton’s principle are zero; the other is the flexibility, where the order of the plate theory can be arbitrarily set. Numerical examples with different shapes of plates are presented and the achieved results are compared with the reference solutions available in the literature. Several aspects of the model involving relevant parameters, length-to-thickness, stiffness ratios, and so forth affected by static and dynamic situations are elaborate analyzed in detail. As a consequence, the applicability and the effectiveness of the present method for accurately computing deflection, stresses, natural frequencies, and buckling response of various FGM plates are demonstrated.

Surface roughness effect on the metallic bipolar plates of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Chien-Hung

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Various degrees of roughness are caused by the sandblasting method. ► An improper surface modification depletes the PEMFC performance severely. ► The AC impedance are used to assess the fuel gas transfer effect. ► The Warburg resistance form in the coarse flow channel surface. - Abstract: Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is a promising candidate as energy systems. However, the stability and lifetime of cells are still important issues. The effect of surface roughness on metallic bipolar plate is discussed in this paper. Various roughness on the bulk surface are obtained by the sandblasting method. The grain sizes of sand are selected as 50, 100 and 200 μm. The Ac impedance experiment results show that the bipolar plate roughness and carbon paper porosity are well matched when the surface roughness is within 1–2 μm. Superior condition decreases the contact resistance loss in the fuel cell. The high frequency resistance of the coarse surface was larger than that of the substrate by around 5 mΩ. Furthermore, a new arc was formed at the low frequency region. Hence, the unmatch roughness condition of the bipolar plate significantly increases the contact resistance and mass transfer resistance. This paper develops a sequential approach to study an optimum surface roughness by combining the whole performance (I–V) curve and AC impedance result. It benefits us to quantify the contact and mass transfer resistance exists in the PEMFC. The proposed surface treatment improves the surface effect and promotes the implement of potential metallic bipolar plate in near future

Human HepaRG Cells can be Cultured in Hanging-drop Plates for Cytochrome P450 Induction and Function Assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Murayama, Norie; Usui, Takashi; Slawny, Nicky; Chesné, Christophe; Yamazaki, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

Recent guidance/guidelines for industry recommend that cytochrome P450 induction can be assessed using human hepatocyte enzyme activity and/or mRNA levels to evaluate potential drug- drug interactions. To evaluate time-dependent cytochrome P450 induction precisely, induction of CYP1A2, CYP2B6, and CYP3A4 mRNA was confirmed (>2-fold) by the treatment with omeprazole, phenobarbital, and rifampicin, respectively, for 24 or 48 h on day 3 from the start of culture. After 24 h, the fold induction of CYP1A2 with 3.6 and 1.8x10(4) HepaRG cells per well was lower than that for 7.2x10(4) cells. CYP1A2 induction levels at 24 h were higher than those after 48 h. In contrast, higher CYP2B6 inductions were confirmed after 48 h exposure than after 24 h, independent of the number of cells per well. To help reduce the use of human cryopreserved hepatocytes, typical P450-dependent enzyme activities were investigated in human HepaRG cells cultured in commercial hanging-drop plates. Newly designed 96-well hanging-drop plates were capable of maintaining human CYP3A-dependent midazolam hydroxylation activities for up to 4 days using only 10% of the recommended initial 7.2x10(4) cells per well. Favorable HepaRG function using hanging-drop plates was confirmed by detecting 1'- hydroxymidazolam O-glucuronide on day 3, suggesting an improvement over traditional control plates in which this metabolite can be detected for 24-well plates. These results suggest that the catalytic function and/or induction of CYP1A2, CYP2B6, and CYP3A4 can be readily assessed with reduced numbers of starting HepaRG cells cultured in three-dimensional cultures in drops prepared with hanging-drop plates.

Create Your Plate

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Full Text Available ... meal-planning, . In this section Food Planning Meals Diabetes Meal Plans and a Healthy Diet Create Your Plate Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets Gluten Free Diets Holiday Meal Planning Cook with Heart-Healthy Foods donate en -- A Future Without Diabetes - a-future-without-diabetes-2.html A Future ...

Free Vibration Study of Anti-Symmetric Angle-Ply Laminated Plates under Clamped Boundary Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Viswanathan, K. K.; Karthik, K.; Sanyasiraju, Y. V. S. S.; Aziz, Z. A.

2016-11-01

Two type of numerical approach namely, Radial Basis Function and Spline approximation, used to analyse the free vibration of anti-symmetric angle-ply laminated plates under clamped boundary conditions. The equations of motion are derived using YNS theory under first order shear deformation. By assuming the solution in separable form, coupled differential equations obtained in term of mid-plane displacement and rotational functions. The coupled differential is then approximated using Spline function and radial basis function to obtain the generalize eigenvalue problem and parametric studies are made to investigate the effect of aspect ratio, length-to-thickness ratio, number of layers, fibre orientation and material properties with respect to the frequency parameter. Some results are compared with the existing literature and other new results are given in tables and graphs.

Evaluation of a Bead-Free Coimmunoprecipitation Technique for Identification of Virus-Host Protein Interactions Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

DeBlasio, Stacy L; Bereman, Michael S; Mahoney, Jaclyn; Thannhauser, Theodore W; Gray, Stewart M; MacCoss, Michael J; Cilia Heck, Michelle

2017-09-01

Protein interactions between virus and host are essential for viral propagation and movement, as viruses lack most of the proteins required to thrive on their own. Precision methods aimed at disrupting virus-host interactions represent new approaches to disease management but require in-depth knowledge of the identity and binding specificity of host proteins within these interaction networks. Protein coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) provides a high-throughput way to characterize virus-host interactomes in a single experiment. Common co-IP methods use antibodies immobilized on agarose or magnetic beads to isolate virus-host complexes in solutions of host tissue homogenate. Although these workflows are well established, they can be fairly laborious and expensive. Therefore, we evaluated the feasibility of using antibody-coated microtiter plates coupled with MS analysis as an easy, less expensive way to identify host proteins that interact with Potato leafroll virus (PLRV), an insect-borne RNA virus that infects potatoes. With the use of the bead-free platform, we were able to detect 36 plant and 1 nonstructural viral protein significantly coimmunoprecipitating with PLRV. Two of these proteins, a 14-3-3 signal transduction protein and malate dehydrogenase 2 (mMDH2), were detected as having a weakened or lost association with a structural mutant of the virus, demonstrating that the bead-free method is sensitive enough to detect quantitative differences that can be used to pin-point domains of interaction. Collectively, our analysis shows that the bead-free platform is a low-cost alternative that can be used by core facilities and other investigators to identify plant and viral proteins interacting with virions and/or the viral structural proteins.

Prenatal Cell-Free DNA Screening

Science.gov (United States)

... poses no physical risks for you or your baby. While prenatal cell-free DNA screening might cause anxiety, it might help you avoid the need for more invasive tests, treatment or monitoring during your pregnancy. Keep in mind, however, that ...

A Continuous-Exchange Cell-Free Protein Synthesis System Based on Extracts from Cultured Insect Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Stech, Marlitt; Quast, Robert B.; Sachse, Rita; Schulze, Corina; Wüstenhagen, Doreen A.; Kubick, Stefan

2014-01-01

In this study, we present a novel technique for the synthesis of complex prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteins by using a continuous-exchange cell-free (CECF) protein synthesis system based on extracts from cultured insect cells. Our approach consists of two basic elements: First, protein synthesis is performed in insect cell lysates which harbor endogenous microsomal vesicles, enabling a translocation of de novo synthesized target proteins into the lumen of the insect vesicles or, in the case of membrane proteins, their embedding into a natural membrane scaffold. Second, cell-free reactions are performed in a two chamber dialysis device for 48 h. The combination of the eukaryotic cell-free translation system based on insect cell extracts and the CECF translation system results in significantly prolonged reaction life times and increased protein yields compared to conventional batch reactions. In this context, we demonstrate the synthesis of various representative model proteins, among them cytosolic proteins, pharmacological relevant membrane proteins and glycosylated proteins in an endotoxin-free environment. Furthermore, the cell-free system used in this study is well-suited for the synthesis of biologically active tissue-type-plasminogen activator, a complex eukaryotic protein harboring multiple disulfide bonds. PMID:24804975

Determination of total galactose from dried blood spots—extensive assay evaluation of a CE-marked test-kit

OpenAIRE

Fingerhut, R; Torresani, T

2013-01-01

Most newborn screening laboratories use CE-marked or FDA-approved test-kits, like in routine clinical chemistry. National regulations require only minimal evaluation from the customer, if the test-kits are used as specified by the manufacturer. The microtiter-based kit-concept is often based on the perception, that the laboratory always processes whole microtiter plates. However, in the daily routine, this is rather a rare exception, which leads to much higher costs per newborn, compared to t...

Maximizing band gaps in plate structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halkjær, Søren; Sigmund, Ole; Jensen, Jakob Søndergaard

2006-01-01

periodic plate using Bloch theory, which conveniently reduces the maximization problem to that of a single base cell. Secondly, we construct a finite periodic plate using a number of the optimized base cells in a postprocessed version. The dynamic properties of the finite plate are investigated......Band gaps, i.e., frequency ranges in which waves cannot propagate, can be found in elastic structures for which there is a certain periodic modulation of the material properties or structure. In this paper, we maximize the band gap size for bending waves in a Mindlin plate. We analyze an infinite...... theoretically and experimentally and the issue of finite size effects is addressed....

The Relationship between fenestrations, sieve plates and rafts in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dmitri Svistounov

Full Text Available Fenestrations are transcellular pores in endothelial cells that facilitate transfer of substrates between blood and the extravascular compartment. In order to understand the regulation and formation of fenestrations, the relationship between membrane rafts and fenestrations was investigated in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells where fenestrations are grouped into sieve plates. Three dimensional structured illumination microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, internal reflectance fluorescence microscopy and two-photon fluorescence microscopy were used to study liver sinusoidal endothelial cells isolated from mice. There was an inverse distribution between sieve plates and membrane rafts visualized by structured illumination microscopy and the fluorescent raft stain, Bodipy FL C5 ganglioside GM1. 7-ketocholesterol and/or cytochalasin D increased both fenestrations and lipid-disordered membrane, while Triton X-100 decreased both fenestrations and lipid-disordered membrane. The effects of cytochalasin D on fenestrations were abrogated by co-administration of Triton X-100, suggesting that actin disruption increases fenestrations by its effects on membrane rafts. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF depleted lipid-ordered membrane and increased fenestrations. The results are consistent with a sieve-raft interaction, where fenestrations form in non-raft lipid-disordered regions of endothelial cells once the membrane-stabilizing effects of actin cytoskeleton and membrane rafts are diminished.

Synthetic Lipid (DOPG) Vesicles Accumulate in the Cell Plate Region But Do Not Fuse1

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Esseling-Ozdoba, A.; Vos, J.W.; Lammeren, van A.A.M.; Emons, A.M.C.

2008-01-01

Synthetic Lipid (DOPG) Vesicles Accumulate in the Cell Plate Region But Do Not Fuse1,[W],[OA] Agnieszka Esseling-Ozdoba2, Jan W. Vos, André A.M. van Lammeren and Anne Mie C. Emons* Laboratory of Plant Cell Biology, Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University, 6703¿BD Wageningen, The

Anti-adherence potential of Enterococcus durans cells and its cell-free supernatant on plastic and stainless steel against foodborne pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Amel, Ait Meddour; Farida, Bendali; Djamila, Sadoun

2015-07-01

It is demonstrated that numerous bacteria are able to attach to surfaces of equipment used for food handling or processing. In this study, a strain of Enterococcus durans, originally isolated from a milking machine surface, was firstly studied for its biofilm formation potential on plastic and stainless steel supports. The strain was found to be a biofilm producer either at 25, 30 or 37 °C on polystyrene microtitre plates, with a best adherence level observed at 25 °C. En. durans showed a strong adhesion to stainless steel AISI-304. Antibacterial and anti-adherence activities of En. durans were tested against four foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Listeria innocua CLIP 74915) which were shown as biofilm producers on both plastic and stainless steel. En. durans cells and cell-free culture supernatant showed a significant (P < 0.05) inhibition potential of the pathogens either on solid media or in broth co-cultures. Characterization of the antibacterial substances indicated their proteinaceous nature which assigned them most probably to bacteriocins group.

Microtiter miniature shaken bioreactor system as a scale-down model for process development of production of therapeutic alpha-interferon2b by recombinant Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Joo Shun; Abbasiliasi, Sahar; Kadkhodaei, Saeid; Tam, Yew Joon; Tang, Teck-Kim; Lee, Yee-Ying; Ariff, Arbakariya B

2018-01-04

Demand for high-throughput bioprocessing has dramatically increased especially in the biopharmaceutical industry because the technologies are of vital importance to process optimization and media development. This can be efficiently boosted by using microtiter plate (MTP) cultivation setup embedded into an automated liquid-handling system. The objective of this study was to establish an automated microscale method for upstream and downstream bioprocessing of α-IFN2b production by recombinant Escherichia coli. The extraction performance of α-IFN2b by osmotic shock using two different systems, automated microscale platform and manual extraction in MTP was compared. The amount of α-IFN2b extracted using automated microscale platform (49.2 μg/L) was comparable to manual osmotic shock method (48.8 μg/L), but the standard deviation was 2 times lower as compared to manual osmotic shock method. Fermentation parameters in MTP involving inoculum size, agitation speed, working volume and induction profiling revealed that the fermentation conditions for the highest production of α-IFN2b (85.5 μg/L) was attained at inoculum size of 8%, working volume of 40% and agitation speed of 1000 rpm with induction at 4 h after the inoculation. Although the findings at MTP scale did not show perfect scalable results as compared to shake flask culture, but microscale technique development would serve as a convenient and low-cost solution in process optimization for recombinant protein.

Surface free energy of non-stick coatings deposited using closed field unbalanced magnetron sputter ion plating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, C.-C.; Lee, S.-C.; Dai, S.-B.; Tien, S.-L.; Chang, C.-C.; Fu, Y.-S.

2007-01-01

Semiconductor IC packaging molding dies require wear resistance, corrosion resistance and non-sticking (with a low surface free energy). The molding releasing capability and performance are directly associated with the surface free energy between the coating and product material. The serious sticking problem reduces productivity and reliability. Depositing TiN, TiMoS, ZrN, CrC, CrN, NiCr, NiCrN, CrTiAlN and CrNiTiAlN coatings using closed field unbalanced magnetron sputter ion plating, and characterizing their surface free energy are the main object in developing a non-stick coating system for semiconductor IC molding tools. The contact angle of water, diiodomethane and ethylene glycol on the coated surfaces were measured at temperature in 20 deg. C using a Dataphysics OCA-20 contact angle analyzer. The surface free energy of the coatings and their components (dispersion and polar) were calculated using the Owens-Wendt geometric mean approach. The surface roughness was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The adhesion force of these coatings was measured using direct tensile pull-off test apparatus. The experimental results showed that NiCrN, CrN and NiCrTiAlN coatings outperformed TiN, ZrN, NiCr, CiTiAlN, CrC and TiMoS coatings in terms of non-sticking, and thus have the potential as working layers for injection molding industrial equipment, especially in semiconductor IC packaging molding applications

Explosively free-formed pass partition plate for a nuclear steam generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schroeder, J.W.

1980-01-01

A large flow-separating dished plate of a complex shape was manufactured by near-contact explosive forming in which only an edge die was used. The shape of the part, for service in a large, nuclear steam generator, was obtained by careful sizing and placement of the explosive charge. The development of the technique and the manufacture of the plate are described. 4 refs

Label-free single-cell separation and imaging of cancer cells using an integrated microfluidic system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Antfolk, Maria; Kim, Soo Hyeon; Koizumi, Saori

2017-01-01

, an integrated system is presented that efficiently eliminates this risk by integrating label-free separation with single cell arraying of the target cell population, enabling direct on-chip tumor cell identification and enumeration. Prostate cancer cells (DU145) spiked into a sample with whole blood...... a fully integrated system for rapid label-free separation and on-chip phenotypic characterization of circulating tumor cells from peripheral venous blood in clinical practice....

Plated copper front side metallization on printed seed-layers for silicon solar cells

OpenAIRE

Kraft, Achim

2015-01-01

A novel copper front side metallization architecture for silicon solar cells based on a fine printed silver seed-layer, plated with nickel, copper and silver, is investigated. The work focuses on the printing of fine seed-layers with low silver consumption, the corrosion of the printed seed-layers by the interaction with electrolyte solutions and the encapsulation material on module level and on the long term stability of the cells due to copper migration. The investigation of the correlation...

Culture of bovine embryos on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microwell plate.

Science.gov (United States)

Akagi, Satoshi; Hosoe, Misa; Matsukawa, Kazutsugu; Ichikawa, Akihiko; Tanikawa, Tamio; Takahashi, Seiya

2010-08-01

We fabricated a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microwell plate (PDMS-MP) containing 100 microwells with a rounded bottom and examined whether it can be used for culture of individual in vitro fertilized (IVF) embryos or parthenogenetically activated zona-free embryos in cattle. In Experiment 1, we examined the in vitro developmental ability of IVF embryos cultured individually on PDMS-MP. After IVF, 20 embryos were transferred into 100 microl drops on PDMS-MP and cultured individually in each well of PDMS-MP (PDMS group). After 7 days of culture, the embryos in the PDMS group developed to the blastocyst stage at the same rate of those in the control group cultured in a group of 20 embryos without PDMS-MP. There were no differences in total number of cells and the ratio of inner cell mass to total cells between the PDMS and control groups. In Experiment 2, we examined the in vitro developmental ability of parthenogenetically activated zona-free bovine embryos cultured individually on PDMS-MP. The zona-free embryos were cultured individually in each well of a PDMS-MP or in each well produced by pressing a darning needle onto the bottom of a culture dish (WOW group). After 7 days of culture, the blastocyst formation rate and cell number of blastocysts in the PDMS group did not differ from those of the zona-intact embryos in the control group. Also, there were no differences in the blastocyst formation rate and cell number of blastocysts between the WOW and PDMS groups. These results suggest that the culture system using PDMS-MP is useful for individual embryos or zona-free embryos in cattle.

Spore coat protein synthesis in cell-free systems from sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakayama, T; Munoz, L E; Sadaie, Y; Doi, R H

1978-09-01

Cell-free systems for protein synthesis were prepared from Bacillus subtilis 168 cells at several stages of sporulation. Immunological methods were used to determine whether spore coat protein could be synthesized in the cell-free systems prepared from sporulating cells. Spore coat protein synthesis first occurred in extracts from stage t2 cells. The proportion of spore coat protein to total proteins synthesized in the cell-free systems was 2.4 and 3.9% at stages t2 and t4, respectively. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns of immunoprecipitates from the cell-free systems showed the complete synthesis of an apparent spore coat protein precursor (molecular weight, 25,000). A polypeptide of this weight was previously identified in studies in vivo (L.E. Munoz, Y. Sadaie, and R.H. Doi, J. Biol. Chem., in press). The synthesis in vitro of polysome-associated nascent spore coat polypeptides with varying molecular weights up to 23,000 was also detected. These results indicate that the spore coat protein may be synthesized as a precursor protein. The removal of proteases in the crude extracts by treatment with hemoglobin-Sepharose affinity techniques may be preventing the conversion of the large 25,000-dalton precursor to the 12,500-dalton mature spore coat protein.

Manipulation of the response of human endothelial colony-forming cells by focal adhesion assembly using gradient nanopattern plates.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Long-Hui; Joo, Hyung Joon; Kim, Dae Hwan; Seo, Ha-Rim; Kim, Jung Suk; Choi, Seung-Cheol; Huang, Li-Hua; Na, Ji Eun; Lim, I-Rang; Kim, Jong-Ho; Rhyu, Im Joo; Hong, Soon Jun; Lee, Kyu Back; Lim, Do-Sun

2018-01-01

Nanotopography plays a pivotal role in the regulation of cellular responses. Nonetheless, little is known about how the gradient size of nanostructural stimuli alters the responses of endothelial progenitor cells without chemical factors. Herein, the fabrication of gradient nanopattern plates intended to mimic microenvironment nanotopography is described. The gradient nanopattern plates consist of nanopillars of increasing diameter ranges [120-200 nm (GP 120/200), 200-280 nm (GP 200/280), and 280-360 nm (GP 280/360)] that were used to screen the responses of human endothelial colony-forming cells (hECFCs). Nanopillars with a smaller nanopillar diameter caused the cell area and perimeter of hECFCs to decrease and their filopodial outgrowth to increase. The structure of vinculin (a focal adhesion marker in hECFCs) was also modulated by nanostructural stimuli of the gradient nanopattern plates. Moreover, Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) gene expression was significantly higher in hECFCs cultured on GP 120/200 than in those on flat plates (no nanopillars), and ROCK suppression impaired the nanostructural-stimuli-induced vinculin assembly. These results suggest that the gradient nanopattern plates generate size-specific nanostructural stimuli suitable for manipulation of the response of hECFCs, in a process dependent on ROCK signaling. This is the first evidence of size-specific nanostructure-sensing behavior of hECFCs. Nano feature surfaces are of growing interest as materials for a controlled response of various cells. In this study, we successfully fabricated gradient nanopattern plates to manipulate the response of blood-derived hECFCs without any chemical stimulation. Interestingly, we find that the sensitive nanopillar size for manipulation of hECFCs is range between 120 nm and 200 nm, which decreased the area and increased the filopodial outgrowth of hECFCs. Furthermore, we only modulate the nanopillar size to increase ROCK expression can be an

Pathophysiological consequences of hemolysis. Role of cell-free hemoglobin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Misztal

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abundant hemolysis is associated with a number of inherent and acquired diseases including sickle-cell disease (SCD, polycythemia, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH and drug-induced hemolytic anemia. Despite different etiopathology of hemolytic diseases, many concomitant symptoms are comparable and include e.g. hypertension, hemoglobinuria and hypercoagulation state. Studies in the last years have shown a growing list of mechanisms lying at the basis of those symptoms, in particular irreversible reaction between cell-free hemoglobin (Hb and nitric oxide (NO – endogenous vasorelaxant and anti-thrombotic agent. Saturation of protective physiological cell-free Hb-scavenging mechanisms results in accumulation of Hb in plasma and hemoglobinemia. Extensive hemoglobinemia subsequently leads to hemoglobinuria, which may cause kidney damage and development of Fanconi syndrome. A severe problem in patients with SCD and PNH is pulmonary and systemic hypertension. It may lead to circulation failure, including stroke, and it is related to abolition of NO bioavailability for vascular smooth muscle cells. Thrombotic events are the major cause of death in SCD and PNH. It ensues from lack of platelet inhibition evoked by Hb-mediated NO scavenging. A serious complication that affects patients with excessive hemolysis is erectile dysfunction. Also direct cytotoxic, prooxidant and proinflammatory effects of cell-free hemoglobin and heme compose the clinical picture of hemolytic diseases. The pathophysiological role of plasma Hb, mechanisms of its elimination, and direct and indirect (via NO scavenging deleterious effects of cell-free Hb are presented in detail in this review. Understanding the critical role of hemolysis and cell-free Hb is important in the perspective of treating patients with hemolytic diseases and to design new effective therapies in future.

Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis and isotope labeling of mammalian proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Terada, Takaho; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki

2015-01-01

This chapter describes the cell-free protein synthesis method, using an Escherichia coli cell extract. This is a cost-effective method for milligram-scale protein production and is particularly useful for the production of mammalian proteins, protein complexes, and membrane proteins that are difficult to synthesize by recombinant expression methods, using E. coli and eukaryotic cells. By adjusting the conditions of the cell-free method, zinc-binding proteins, disulfide-bonded proteins, ligand-bound proteins, etc., may also be produced. Stable isotope labeling of proteins can be accomplished by the cell-free method, simply by using stable isotope-labeled amino acid(s) in the cell-free reaction. Moreover, the cell-free protein synthesis method facilitates the avoidance of stable isotope scrambling and dilution over the recombinant expression methods and is therefore advantageous for amino acid-selective stable isotope labeling. Site-specific stable isotope labeling is also possible with a tRNA molecule specific to the UAG codon. By the cell-free protein synthesis method, coupled transcription-translation is performed from a plasmid vector or a PCR-amplified DNA fragment encoding the protein. A milligram quantity of protein can be produced with a milliliter-scale reaction solution in the dialysis mode. More than a thousand solution structures have been determined by NMR spectroscopy for uniformly labeled samples of human and mouse functional domain proteins, produced by the cell-free method. Here, we describe the practical aspects of mammalian protein production by the cell-free method for NMR spectroscopy. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cell-free synthetic biology for in vitro prototype engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Simon J; MacDonald, James T; Freemont, Paul S

2017-06-15

Cell-free transcription-translation is an expanding field in synthetic biology as a rapid prototyping platform for blueprinting the design of synthetic biological devices. Exemplar efforts include translation of prototype designs into medical test kits for on-site identification of viruses (Zika and Ebola), while gene circuit cascades can be tested, debugged and re-designed within rapid turnover times. Coupled with mathematical modelling, this discipline lends itself towards the precision engineering of new synthetic life. The next stages of cell-free look set to unlock new microbial hosts that remain slow to engineer and unsuited to rapid iterative design cycles. It is hoped that the development of such systems will provide new tools to aid the transition from cell-free prototype designs to functioning synthetic genetic circuits and engineered natural product pathways in living cells. © 2017 The Author(s).

Nonhomologous DNA End Joining in Cell-Free Extracts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheetal Sharma

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Among various DNA damages, double-strand breaks (DSBs are considered as most deleterious, as they may lead to chromosomal rearrangements and cancer when unrepaired. Nonhomologous DNA end joining (NHEJ is one of the major DSB repair pathways in higher organisms. A large number of studies on NHEJ are based on in vitro systems using cell-free extracts. In this paper, we summarize the studies on NHEJ performed by various groups in different cell-free repair systems.

Miniaturized polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) stack using micro structured bipolar plate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veziridis, Z; Scherer, G G; Marmy, Ch; Glaus, F [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

1999-08-01

In Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC) technology the reducing of volume and mass of the fuel cell stack and the improvement of catalyst utilization are of great interest. These parameters affect applicability and system cost. In this work we present an alternative way for reducing the stack volume by combining gas distribution and catalytic active area in one plate. Micro machined glassy carbon electrodes serve as support material for the platinum catalyst, as well as gas distributor at the same time. A comparison of these electrodes with conventional platinum-black gas diffusion electrodes under fuel cell conditions shows that the new system is a promising electrode type for enhanced power density and catalyst utilization. (author) 3 figs., 5 refs.

Low hydrostatic head electrolyte addition to fuel cell stacks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kothmann, R.E.

1983-01-01

A fuel cell and system for supply electrolyte, as well as fuel and an oxidant to a fuel cell stack having at least two fuel cells, each of the cells having a pair of spaced electrodes and a matrix sandwiched therebetween, fuel and oxidant paths associated with a bipolar plate separating each pair of adjacent fuel cells and an electrolyte fill path for adding electrolyte to the cells and wetting said matrices. Electrolyte is flowed through the fuel cell stack in a back and forth fashion in a path in each cell substantially parallel to one face of opposite faces of the bipolar plate exposed to one of the electrodes and the matrices to produce an overall head uniformly between cells due to frictional pressure drop in the path for each cell free of a large hydrostatic head to thereby avoid flooding of the electrodes. The bipolar plate is provided with channels forming paths for the flow of the fuel and oxidant on opposite faces thereof, and the fuel and the oxidant are flowed along a first side of the bipolar plate and a second side of the bipolar plate through channels formed into the opposite faces of the bipolar plate, the fuel flowing through channels formed into one of the opposite faces and the oxidant flowing through channels formed into the other of the opposite faces

Electroplating of Ni-Mo Coating on Stainless Steel for Application in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Bipolar Plate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Rashtchi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Stainless steel bipolar plates are preferred choice for use in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs. However, regarding the working temperature of 80 °C and corrosive and acidic environment of PEMFC, it is necessary to apply conductive protective coatings resistant to corrosion on metallic bipolar plate surfaces to enhance its chemical stability and performance. In the present study, by applying Ni-Mo and Ni-Mo-P alloy coatings via electroplating technique, corrosion resistance was improved, oxid layers formation on substrates which led to increased electrical conductivity of the surface was reduced and consequently bipolar plates fuction was enhanced. Evaluation tests included microstructural and phase characterizations for evaluating coating components; cyclic voltammetry test for electrochemical behavior investigations; wettability test for measuring hydrophobicity characterizations of the coatings surfaces; interfacial contact resistance measurements of the coatings for evaluating the composition of applied coatings; and polarization tests of fuel cells for evaluating bipolar plates function in working conditions. Finally, the results showed that the above-mentioned coatings considerably decreased the corrosion and electrical resistance of the stainless steel.

Scalable 96-well Plate Based iPSC Culture and Production Using a Robotic Liquid Handling System.

Science.gov (United States)

Conway, Michael K; Gerger, Michael J; Balay, Erin E; O'Connell, Rachel; Hanson, Seth; Daily, Neil J; Wakatsuki, Tetsuro

2015-05-14

Continued advancement in pluripotent stem cell culture is closing the gap between bench and bedside for using these cells in regenerative medicine, drug discovery and safety testing. In order to produce stem cell derived biopharmaceutics and cells for tissue engineering and transplantation, a cost-effective cell-manufacturing technology is essential. Maintenance of pluripotency and stable performance of cells in downstream applications (e.g., cell differentiation) over time is paramount to large scale cell production. Yet that can be difficult to achieve especially if cells are cultured manually where the operator can introduce significant variability as well as be prohibitively expensive to scale-up. To enable high-throughput, large-scale stem cell production and remove operator influence novel stem cell culture protocols using a bench-top multi-channel liquid handling robot were developed that require minimal technician involvement or experience. With these protocols human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were cultured in feeder-free conditions directly from a frozen stock and maintained in 96-well plates. Depending on cell line and desired scale-up rate, the operator can easily determine when to passage based on a series of images showing the optimal colony densities for splitting. Then the necessary reagents are prepared to perform a colony split to new plates without a centrifugation step. After 20 passages (~3 months), two iPSC lines maintained stable karyotypes, expressed stem cell markers, and differentiated into cardiomyocytes with high efficiency. The system can perform subsequent high-throughput screening of new differentiation protocols or genetic manipulation designed for 96-well plates. This technology will reduce the labor and technical burden to produce large numbers of identical stem cells for a myriad of applications.

Free convection flow of some fractional nanofluids over a moving vertical plate with uniform heat flux and heat source

Science.gov (United States)

Azhar, Waqas Ali; Vieru, Dumitru; Fetecau, Constantin

2017-08-01

Free convection flow of some water based fractional nanofluids over a moving infinite vertical plate with uniform heat flux and heat source is analytically and graphically studied. Exact solutions for dimensionless temperature and velocity fields, Nusselt numbers, and skin friction coefficients are established in integral form in terms of modified Bessel functions of the first kind. These solutions satisfy all imposed initial and boundary conditions and reduce to the similar solutions for ordinary nanofluids when the fractional parameters tend to one. Furthermore, they reduce to the known solutions from the literature when the plate is fixed and the heat source is absent. The influence of fractional parameters on heat transfer and fluid motion is graphically underlined and discussed. The enhancement of heat transfer in such flows is higher for fractional nanofluids in comparison with ordinary nanofluids. Moreover, the use of fractional models allows us to choose the fractional parameters in order to get a very good agreement between experimental and theoretical results.

Free Convection over a Permeable Horizontal Flat Plate Embedded in a Porous Medium with Radiation Effects and Mixed Thermal Boundary Conditions

OpenAIRE

Najiyah S. Khasi'ie; Roziena Khairuddin; Najihah Mohamed; Mohd Zuki Salleh; Roslinda Nazar; Ioan Pop

2012-01-01

Problem statement: In this study, the mathematical modeling of free convection boundary layer flow over a permeable horizontal flat plate embedded in a porous medium under mixed thermal boundary conditions and radiation effects is considered. Approach: The transformed boundary layer equations are solved numerically using the shooting method. Results: Numerical solutions are obtained for the wall temperature, the heat transfer coefficient, as well as the velocity and temperature profiles. The ...

Modeling the hydrodynamics of phloem sieve plates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaare Hartvig Jensen

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Sieve plates have an enormous impact on the efficiency of the phloem vascular system of plants, responsible for the distribution of photosynthetic products. These thin plates, which separate neighboring phloem cells, are perforated by a large number of tiny sieve pores and are believed to play a crucial role in protecting the phloem sap from intruding animals by blocking flow when the phloem cell is damaged. The resistance to the flow of viscous sap in the phloem vascular system is strongly affected by the presence of the sieve plates, but the hydrodynamics of the flow through them remains poorly understood. We propose a theoretical model for quantifying the effect of sieve plates on the phloem in the plant, thus unifying and improving previous work in the field. Numerical simulations of the flow in real and idealized phloem channels verify our model, and anatomical data from 19 plant species are investigated. We find that the sieve plate resistance is correlated to the cell lumen resistance, and that the sieve plate and the lumen contribute almost equally to the total hydraulic resistance of the phloem translocation pathway.

SHP2 regulates chondrocyte terminal differentiation, growth plate architecture and skeletal cell fates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margot E Bowen

Full Text Available Loss of PTPN11/SHP2 in mice or in human metachondromatosis (MC patients causes benign cartilage tumors on the bone surface (exostoses and within bones (enchondromas. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying cartilage tumor formation, we investigated the role of SHP2 in the specification, maturation and organization of chondrocytes. Firstly, we studied chondrocyte maturation by performing RNA-seq on primary chondrocyte pellet cultures. We found that SHP2 depletion, or inhibition of the ERK1/2 pathway, delays the terminal differentiation of chondrocytes from the early-hypertrophic to the late-hypertrophic stage. Secondly, we studied chondrocyte maturation and organization in mice with a mosaic postnatal inactivation of Ptpn11 in chondrocytes. We found that the vertebral growth plates of these mice have expanded domains of early-hypertrophic chondrocytes that have not yet terminally differentiated, and their enchondroma-like lesions arise from chondrocytes displaced from the growth plate due to a disruption in the organization of maturation and ossification zones. Furthermore, we observed that lesions from human MC patients also display disorganized chondrocyte maturation zones. Next, we found that inactivation of Ptpn11 in Fsp1-Cre-expressing fibroblasts induces exostosis-like outgrowths, suggesting that loss of SHP2 in cells on the bone surface and at bone-ligament attachment sites induces ectopic chondrogenesis. Finally, we performed lineage tracing to show that exostoses and enchondromas in mice likely contain mixtures of wild-type and SHP2-deficient chondrocytes. Together, these data indicate that in patients with MC, who are heterozygous for inherited PTPN11 loss-of-function mutations, second-hit mutations in PTPN11 can induce enchondromas by disrupting the organization and delaying the terminal differentiation of growth plate chondrocytes, and can induce exostoses by causing ectopic chondrogenesis of cells on the bone surface. Furthermore, the

Biofilm Formation and Adherence Characteristics of Listeria ivanovii Strains Isolated from Ready-to-Eat Foods in Alice, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirriam E. Nyenje

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The present study was carried out to investigate the potential of Listeria ivanovii isolates to exist as biofilm structures. The ability of Listeria ivanovii isolates to adhere to a surface was determined using a microtiter plate adherence assay whereas the role of cell surface properties in biofilm formation was assessed using the coaggregation and autoaggregation assays. Seven reference bacterial strains were used for the coaggregation assay. The degree of coaggregation and autoaggregation was determined. The architecture of the biofilms was examined under SEM. A total of 44 (88% strains adhered to the wells of the microtiter plate while 6 (12% did not adhere. The coaggregation index ranged from 12 to 77% while the autoaggregation index varied from 11 to 55%. The partner strains of S. aureus, S. pyogenes, P. shigelloides, and S. sonnei displayed coaggregation indices of 75% each, while S. Typhimurium, A. hydrophila, and P. aeruginosa registered coaggregation indices of 67%, 58%, and 50%, respectively. The ability of L. ivanovii isolates to form single and multispecies biofilms at 25°C is of great concern to the food industry where these organisms may adhere to kitchen utensils and other environments leading to cross-contamination of food processed in these areas.

Probing the biology of cell boundary conditions through confinement of Xenopus cell-free cytoplasmic extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Bermudez, Jessica G; Chen, Hui; Einstein, Lily C; Good, Matthew C

2017-01-01

Cell-free cytoplasmic extracts prepared from Xenopus eggs and embryos have for decades provided a biochemical system with which to interrogate complex cell biological processes in vitro. Recently, the application of microfabrication and microfluidic strategies in biology has narrowed the gap between in vitro and in vivo studies by enabling formation of cell-size compartments containing functional cytoplasm. These approaches provide numerous advantages over traditional biochemical experiments performed in a test tube. Most notably, the cell-free cytoplasm is confined using a two- or three-dimensional boundary, which mimics the natural configuration of a cell. This strategy enables characterization of the spatial organization of a cell, and the role that boundaries play in regulating intracellular assembly and function. In this review, we describe the marriage of Xenopus cell-free cytoplasm and confinement technologies to generate synthetic cell-like systems, the recent biological insights they have enabled, and the promise they hold for future scientific discovery. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Current density and catalyst-coated membrane resistance distribution of hydro-formed metallic bipolar plate fuel cell short stack with 250 cm2 active area

Science.gov (United States)

Haase, S.; Moser, M.; Hirschfeld, J. A.; Jozwiak, K.

2016-01-01

An automotive fuel cell with an active area of 250 cm2 is investigated in a 4-cell short stack with a current and temperature distribution device next to the bipolar plate with 560 current and 140 temperature segments. The electrical conductivities of the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer assembly are determined ex-situ with this current scan shunt module. The applied fuel cell consists of bipolar plates constructed of 75-μm-thick, welded stainless-steel foils and a graphitic coating. The electrical conductivities of the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer assembly are determined ex-situ with this module with a 6% deviation in in-plane conductivity. The current density distribution is evaluated up to 2.4 A cm-2. The entire cell's investigated volumetric power density is 4.7 kW l-1, and its gravimetric power density is 4.3 kW kg-1 at an average cell voltage of 0.5 V. The current density distribution is determined without influencing the operating cell. In addition, the current density distribution in the catalyst-coated membrane and its effective resistivity distribution with a finite volume discretisation of Ohm's law are evaluated. The deviation between the current density distributions in the catalyst-coated membrane and the bipolar plate is determined.

Hall effects on free convection hydromagnetic boundary layer flow of Rivlin-Ericksen fluid past a vertical plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jha, P.K.

1986-01-01

An attempt has been made to study the problem of free convection hydromagnetic flow of an elastico-viscous fluid past a porous vertical plate in a rotating frame of reference taking ohmic and viscous dissipations into account in the presence of Hall current. The nature of velocity profile shows the existence of multiple boundary layers. Their 'thickness' is seen to decrease with increasing values of Ekman, Hartman and Prandtl numbers and Hall parameter. The graphical study reveals that the increasing values of Hall parameter and Ekman number (for a fixed large value of Hall parameter) exert opposite influence on the flow. (author). 11 refs., 2 tables

Cell-free DNA: A Neglected Source for Antibiotic Resistance Genes Spreading from WWTPs.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yan; Li, Aolin; Dai, Tianjiao; Li, Feifei; Xie, Hui; Chen, Lujun; Wen, Donghui

2018-01-02

Cell-associated ARGs in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has been concerned, however, cell-free ARGs in WWTPs was rarely studied. In this study, the abundances of four representative ARGs, sulII, tetC, bla PSE-1 , and ermB, in a large municipal WWTP were investigated in both cell-associated and cell-free fractions. Cell-associated ARGs was the dominant ARGs fraction in the raw wastewater. After biological treatment, sludge settling, membrane filtration, and disinfection, cell-associated ARGs were substantially reduced, though the ratios of ARG/16S rRNA gene were increased with disinfection. Cell-free ARGs persisted in the WWTP with a removal of 0.36 log to 2.68 logs, which was much lower than the removal of cell-associated ARGs (3.21 logs to 4.14 logs). Therefore, the abundance ratio of cell-free ARGs to cell-associated ARGs increased from 0.04-1.59% to 2.00-1895.08% along the treatment processes. After 25-day-storage, cell-free ARGs in both biological effluent and disinfection effluent increased by 0.14 log to 1.99 logs and 0.12 log to 1.77 logs respectively, reflecting the persistence and low decay rate of cell-free ARGs in the discharge water. Therefore, cell-free ARGs might be a kind of important but previously neglected pollutant from WWTPs, which added potential risks to the effluent receiving environments.

Recent advances in flat plate photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar collectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ibrahim, Adnan; Othman, Mohd Yusof; Ruslan, Mohd Hafidz; Mat, Sohif; Sopian, Kamaruzzaman [Solar Energy Research Institute Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia)

2011-01-15

Flat plate photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar collector produces both thermal energy and electricity simultaneously. This paper presents the state-of-the-art on flat plate PV/T collector classification, design and performance evaluation of water, air and combination of water and/or air based. This review also covers the future development of flat plate PV/T solar collector on building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) and building integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPVT) applications. Different designs feature and performance of flat plate PV/T solar collectors have been compared and discussed. Future research and development (R and D) works have been elaborated. The tube and sheet design is the simplest and easiest to be manufactured, even though, the efficiency is 2% lower compared to other types of collectors such as, channel, free flow and two-absorber. It is clear from the review that for both air and water based PV/T solar collectors, the important key factors that influenced the efficiency of the system are the area where the collector covered, the number of passes and the gap between the absorber collector and solar cells. From the literature review, it is obvious that the flat plate PV/T solar collector is an alternative promising system for low-energy applications in residential, industrial and commercial buildings. Other possible areas for the future works of BIPVT are also mentioned. (author)

Plate performance in liquid-liquid extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadkins, R.P.

1984-01-01

The relative effectiveness of perforated, nozzle, and burred plates from a capacity and extraction standpoint were studied in a pulsed liquid-liquid extraction system. The experiments were conducted in a 3.8 x 10 -2 m diameter column using a mixture of aluminum nitrate, nitric acid, and uranyl nitrate as the aqueous phase, and tributyl phosphate dissolved in AMSCO 125-90 W as the organic phase. The uranium was extracted from the aqueous phase to the organic phase. A standard cartridge was made for each type of plate and consisted of an assembly of plates spaced 5.08 x 10 -2 m apart. Each plate had 3.2 x 10 -3 m holes spaced on 6.1 x 10 -3 -m centers, and contained 23% free area. 16 references, 4 figures, 1 table

Vector-free and transgene-free human iPS cells differentiate into functional neurons and enhance functional recovery after ischemic stroke in mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osama Mohamad

Full Text Available Stroke is a leading cause of human death and disability in the adult population in the United States and around the world. While stroke treatment is limited, stem cell transplantation has emerged as a promising regenerative therapy to replace or repair damaged tissues and enhance functional recovery after stroke. Recently, the creation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS cells through reprogramming of somatic cells has revolutionized cell therapy by providing an unlimited source of autologous cells for transplantation. In addition, the creation of vector-free and transgene-free human iPS (hiPS cells provides a new generation of stem cells with a reduced risk of tumor formation that was associated with the random integration of viral vectors seen with previous techniques. However, the potential use of these cells in the treatment of ischemic stroke has not been explored. In the present investigation, we examined the neuronal differentiation of vector-free and transgene-free hiPS cells and the transplantation of hiPS cell-derived neural progenitor cells (hiPS-NPCs in an ischemic stroke model in mice. Vector-free hiPS cells were maintained in feeder-free and serum-free conditions and differentiated into functional neurons in vitro using a newly developed differentiation protocol. Twenty eight days after transplantation in stroke mice, hiPS-NPCs showed mature neuronal markers in vivo. No tumor formation was seen up to 12 months after transplantation. Transplantation of hiPS-NPCs restored neurovascular coupling, increased trophic support and promoted behavioral recovery after stroke. These data suggest that using vector-free and transgene-free hiPS cells in stem cell therapy are safe and efficacious in enhancing recovery after focal ischemic stroke in mice.

Culture in embryonic kidney serum and xeno-free media as renal cell carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma cancer stem cells research model.

Science.gov (United States)

Krawczyk, Krzysztof M; Matak, Damian; Szymanski, Lukasz; Szczylik, Cezary; Porta, Camillo; Czarnecka, Anna M

2018-04-01

The use of fetal bovine serum hinders obtaining reproducible experimental results and should also be removed in hormone and growth factor studies. In particular hormones found in FBS act globally on cancer cell physiology and influence transcriptome and metabolome. The aim of our study was to develop a renal carcinoma serum free culture model optimized for (embryonal) renal cells in order to select the best study model for downstream auto-, para- or endocrine research. Secondary aim was to verify renal carcinoma stem cell culture for this application. In the study, we have cultured renal cell carcinoma primary tumour cell line (786-0) as well as human kidney cancer stem cells in standard 2D monolayer cultures in Roswell Park Memorial Institute Medium or Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium and Complete Human Kidney Cancer Stem Cell Medium, respectively. Serum-free, animal-component free Human Embryonic Kidney 293 media were tested. Our results revealed that xeno-free embryonal renal cells optimized culture media provide a useful tool in RCC cancer biology research and at the same time enable effective growth of RCC. We propose bio-mimic RCC cell culture model with specific serum-free and xeno-free medium that promote RCC cell viability.

A Study of Chemically Reactive Species and Thermal Radiation Effects on an Unsteady MHD Free Convection Flow Through a Porous Medium Past a Flat Plate with Ramped Wall Temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Pandit, K. K.; Sarma, D.; Singh, S. I.

2017-12-01

An investigation of the effects of a chemical reaction and thermal radiation on unsteady MHD free convection heat and mass transfer flow of an electrically conducting, viscous, incompressible fluid past a vertical infinite flat plate embedded in a porous medium is carried out. The flow is induced by a general time-dependent movement of the vertical plate, and the cases of ramped temperature and isothermal plates are studied. An exact solution of the governing equations is obtained in closed form by the Laplace Transform technique. Some applications of practical interest for different types of plate motions are discussed. The numerical values of fluid velocity, temperature and species concentration are displayed graphically whereas the numerical values of skin friction, Nusselt number and Sherwood number are presented in a tabular form for various values of pertinent flow parameters for both ramped temperature and isothermal plates.

The effects of radiofrequency fields on cell proliferation are non-thermal.

Science.gov (United States)

Velizarov, S; Raskmark, P; Kwee, S

1999-02-01

The number of reports on the effects induced by radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields and microwave (MW) radiation in various cellular systems is still increasing. Until now no satisfactory mechanism has been proposed to explain the biological effects of these fields. One of the current theories is that heat generation by RF/MW is the cause, in spite of the fact that a great number of studies under isothermal conditions have reported significant cellular changes after exposure to RF/MW. Therefore, this study was undertaken to investigate which effect MW radiation from these fields in combination with a significant change of temperature could have on cell proliferation. The experiments were performed on the same cell line, and with the same exposure system as in a previous work [S. Kwee, P. Raskmark, Changes in cell proliferation due to environmental non-ionizing radiation: 2. Microwave radiation, Bioelectrochem. Bioenerg., 44 (1998), pp. 251-255]. The field was generated by signal simulation of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) of 960 MHz. Cell cultures, growing in microtiter plates, were exposed in a specially constructed chamber, a Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM) cell. The Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) value for each cell well was calculated for this exposure system. However, in this study the cells were exposed to the field at a higher or lower temperature than the temperature in the field-free incubator i.e., the temperature in the TEM cell was either 39 or 35 +/- 0.1 degrees C. The corresponding sham experiments were performed under exactly the same experimental conditions. The results showed that there was a significant change in cell proliferation in the exposed cells in comparison to the non-exposed (control) cells at both temperatures. On the other hand, no significant change in proliferation rate was found in the sham-exposed cells at both temperatures. This shows that biological effects due to RF/MW cannot be attributed only to a

Sensitive microplate assay for the detection of proteolytic enzymes using radiolabeled gelatin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, B.D.; Kwan-Lim, G.E.; Maizels, R.M.

1988-01-01

A sensitive, microplate assay is described for the detection of a wide range of proteolytic enzymes, using radio-iodine-labeled gelatin as substrate. The technique uses the Bolton-Hunter reagent to label the substrate, which is then coated onto the wells of polyvinyl chloride microtiter plates. By measuring the radioactivity released the assay is able to detect elastase, trypsin, and collagenase in concentrations of 1 ng/ml or less, while the microtiter format permits multiple sample handling and minimizes sample volumes required for analysis

xCELLigence system for real-time label-free monitoring of growth and viability of cell lines from hematological malignancies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martinez-Serra J

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Jordi Martinez-Serra,1 Antonio Gutierrez,1 Saúl Muñoz-Capó,1 María Navarro-Palou,1 Teresa Ros,1 Juan Carlos Amat,1 Bernardo Lopez,1 Toni F Marcus,1 Laura Fueyo,2 Angela G Suquia,2 Jordi Gines,3 Francisco Rubio,1 Rafael Ramos,4 Joan Besalduch11Department of Hematology, 2Department of Clinical Analysis, 3Department of Pharmacy, 4Department of Pathology, University Hospital Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, SpainAbstract: The xCELLigence system is a new technological approach that allows the real-time cell analysis of adherent tumor cells. To date, xCELLigence has not been able to monitor the growth or cytotoxicity of nonadherent cells derived from hematological malignancies. The basis of its technology relies on the use of culture plates with gold microelectrodes located in their base. We have adapted the methodology described by others to xCELLigence, based on the pre-coating of the cell culture surface with specific substrates, some of which are known to facilitate cell adhesion in the extracellular matrix. Pre-coating of the culture plates with fibronectin, compared to laminin, collagen, or gelatin, significantly induced the adhesion of most of the leukemia/lymphoma cells assayed (Jurkat, L1236, KMH2, and K562. With a fibronectin substrate, nonadherent cells deposited in a monolayer configuration, and consequently, the cell growth and viability were robustly monitored. We further demonstrate the feasibility of xCELLigence for the real-time monitoring of the cytotoxic properties of several antineoplastic agents. In order to validate this technology, the data obtained through real-time cell analysis was compared with that obtained from using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. This provides an excellent label-free tool for the screening of drug efficacy in nonadherent cells and discriminates optimal time points for further molecular analysis of cellular events associated with treatments

Development of serum-free media for lepidopteran insect cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Agathos, Spiros N

2007-01-01

Lepidopteran insect cell culture technology has progressed to the point of becoming an essential part of one of the most successful eukaryotic expression systems and is increasingly used industrially on a large scale. Therefore, there is a constant need for convenient and low-cost culture media capable of supporting good insect cell growth and ensuring high yield of baculovirus as well as the strong expression of recombinant proteins. Vertebrate sera or invertebrate hemolymph were essential supplements in first-generation insect cell media. These supplements, however, are cumbersome and expensive for routine large-scale culture; thus, their use is now circumvented by substituting the essential growth factors present in these supplements with serum-free substances. Such non-serum supplements are typically of non-animal origin and include protein hydrolysates, lipid emulsions, and specialized substances (e.g., surfactants and shear damage protecting chemicals). These supplements need to complement the defined, synthetic basal medium to ensure that the fundamental nutritional needs of the cells are satisfied. Although there is a significant number of proprietary serum-free and low-protein or protein-free media on the market, the lack of information concerning their detailed composition is a drawback in their adoption for different applications, including their adaptation to the metabolic and kinetic analysis and monitoring of a given insect cell based bioprocess. Hence, there is wide appeal for formulating serum-free media based on a rational assessment of the metabolic requirements of the lepidopteran cells during both the growth and the production phases. Techniques such as statistical experimental design and genetic algorithms adapted to the cellular behavior and the bioreactor operation mode (batch, fed-batch, or perfusion) permit the formulation of versatile serum- and protein-free media. These techniques are illustrated with recent developments of serum-free

Stress analyses of flat plates with attached nozzles. Vol. 2: Experimental stress analyses of a flat plate with one nozzle attached

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Battiste, R.L.; Peters, W.H.; Ranson, W.F.; Swinson, W.F.

1975-07-01

Vol. 1 of this report compares experimental results with theoretical stress distributions for a flat plate with one nozzle configuration and for a flat plate with two closely spaced nozzles attached. This volume contains the complete test results for a flat plate with one nozzle attached that was subjected to 1:1 and 1:2 biaxial planar loadings on the plate, to a thrust loading on the nozzle, and to a moment loading on the nozzle. The plate tested was 36 x 36 x 0.375 in., and the attached nozzle had an outer dia of 2.625 in. and a 0.250-in.-thick wall. The nozzle was located in the center of the plate and was considered to be free of weld distortions and irregularities in the junction area. (U.S.)

Free-zone electrophoresis of animal cells. 1: Experiments on cell-cell interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Todd, P. W.; Hjerten, S.

1985-01-01

The electrophoretically migrating zones wasa monitored. The absence of fluid flows in the direction of migration permits direct measurement of electrophoretic velocities of any material. Sedimentation is orthogonal to electrokinetic motion and the effects of particle-particle interaction on electrophoretic mobility is studied by free zone electrophoresis. Fixed erythrocytes at high concentrations, mixtures of fixed erythrocytes from different animal species, and mixtures of cultured human cells were studied in low ionic strength buffers. The electrophoretic velocity of fixed erythrocytes was not altered by increasing cell concentration or by the mixing of erythrocytes from different species. When zones containing cultured human glial cells and neuroblastoma cells are permitted to interact during electrophoresis, altered migration patterns occur. It is found that cell-cell interactions depends upon cell type.

Dynamic Modeling of Cell-Free Biochemical Networks Using Effective Kinetic Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph A. Wayman

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Cell-free systems offer many advantages for the study, manipulation and modeling of metabolism compared to in vivo processes. Many of the challenges confronting genome-scale kinetic modeling can potentially be overcome in a cell-free system. For example, there is no complex transcriptional regulation to consider, transient metabolic measurements are easier to obtain, and we no longer have to consider cell growth. Thus, cell-free operation holds several significant advantages for model development, identification and validation. Theoretically, genome-scale cell-free kinetic models may be possible for industrially important organisms, such as E. coli, if a simple, tractable framework for integrating allosteric regulation with enzyme kinetics can be formulated. Toward this unmet need, we present an effective biochemical network modeling framework for building dynamic cell-free metabolic models. The key innovation of our approach is the integration of simple effective rules encoding complex allosteric regulation with traditional kinetic pathway modeling. We tested our approach by modeling the time evolution of several hypothetical cell-free metabolic networks. We found that simple effective rules, when integrated with traditional enzyme kinetic expressions, captured complex allosteric patterns such as ultrasensitivity or non-competitive inhibition in the absence of mechanistic information. Second, when integrated into network models, these rules captured classic regulatory patterns such as product-induced feedback inhibition. Lastly, we showed, at least for the network architectures considered here, that we could simultaneously estimate kinetic parameters and allosteric connectivity from synthetic data starting from an unbiased collection of possible allosteric structures using particle swarm optimization. However, when starting with an initial population that was heavily enriched with incorrect structures, our particle swarm approach could converge

Nanoscale investigation of the interface situation of plated nickel and thermally formed nickel silicide for silicon solar cell metallization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mondon, A., E-mail: andrew.mondon@ise.fraunhofer.de [Fraunhofer ISE, Heidenhofst. 2, D-79110 Freiburg (Germany); Wang, D. [Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), H.-von-Helmholz-Platz 1, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Zuschlag, A. [Universität Konstanz FB Physik, Jacob-Burckhardt-Str. 27, D-78464 Konstanz (Germany); Bartsch, J.; Glatthaar, M.; Glunz, S.W. [Fraunhofer ISE, Heidenhofst. 2, D-79110 Freiburg (Germany)

2014-12-30

Highlights: • Adhesion of metallization of fully plated nickel–copper contacts on silicon solar cells can be achieved by formation of nickel silicide at the cost of degraded cell performance. • Understanding of silicide growth mechanisms and controlled growth may lead to high performance together with excellent adhesion. • Silicide formation is well known from CMOS production from PVD-Ni on flat surfaces. Yet the deposition methods and therefore layer characteristics and the surface topography are different for plated metallization. • TEM analysis is performed for differently processed samples. • A nickel silicide growth model is created for plated Ni on textured silicon solar cells. - Abstract: In the context of nickel silicide formation from plated nickel layers for solar cell metallization, there are several open questions regarding contact adhesion and electrical properties. Nanoscale characterization by transmission electron microscopy has been employed to support these investigations. Interfacial oxides and silicide phases were investigated on differently prepared samples by different analytical methods associated with transmission electron microscopy analysis. Processing variations included the pre-treatment of samples before nickel plating, the used plating solution and the thermal budget for the nickel–silicon solid-state reaction. It was shown that interface oxides of only few nm thickness on both silicon and nickel silicide are present on the samples, depending on the chosen process sequence, which have been shown to play an important role in adhesion of nickel on silicide in an earlier publication. From sample pretreatment variations, conclusions about the role of an interfacial oxide in silicide formation and its influence on phase formation were drawn. Such an oxide layer hinders silicide formation except for pinhole sites. This reduces the availability of Ni and causes a silicide with low Ni content to form. Without an interfacial oxide

Watch Out for the “Living Dead”: Cell-Free Enzymes and Their Fate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Federico Baltar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Microbes are the engines driving biogeochemical cycles. Microbial extracellular enzymatic activities (EEAs are the “gatekeepers” of the carbon cycle. The total EEA is the sum of cell-bound (i.e., cell-attached, and dissolved (i.e., cell-free enzyme activities. Cell-free enzymes make up a substantial proportion (up to 100% of the total marine EEA. Although we are learning more about how microbial diversity and function (including total EEA will be affected by environmental changes, little is known about what factors control the importance of the abundant cell-free enzymes. Since cell-attached EEAs are linked to the cell, their fate will likely be linked to the factors controlling the cell’s fate. In contrast, cell-free enzymes belong to a kind of “living dead” realm because they are not attached to a living cell but still are able to perform their function away from the cell; and as such, the factors controlling their activity and fate might differ from those affecting cell-attached enzymes. This article aims to place cell-free EEA into the wider context of hydrolysis of organic matter, deal with recent studies assessing what controls the production, activity and lifetime of cell-free EEA, and what their fate might be in response to environmental stressors. This perspective article advocates the need to go “beyond the living things,” studying the response of cells/organisms to different stressors, but also to study cell-free enzymes, in order to fully constrain the future and evolution of marine biogeochemical cycles.

Watch Out for the “Living Dead”: Cell-Free Enzymes and Their Fate

Science.gov (United States)

Baltar, Federico

2018-01-01

Microbes are the engines driving biogeochemical cycles. Microbial extracellular enzymatic activities (EEAs) are the “gatekeepers” of the carbon cycle. The total EEA is the sum of cell-bound (i.e., cell-attached), and dissolved (i.e., cell-free) enzyme activities. Cell-free enzymes make up a substantial proportion (up to 100%) of the total marine EEA. Although we are learning more about how microbial diversity and function (including total EEA) will be affected by environmental changes, little is known about what factors control the importance of the abundant cell-free enzymes. Since cell-attached EEAs are linked to the cell, their fate will likely be linked to the factors controlling the cell’s fate. In contrast, cell-free enzymes belong to a kind of “living dead” realm because they are not attached to a living cell but still are able to perform their function away from the cell; and as such, the factors controlling their activity and fate might differ from those affecting cell-attached enzymes. This article aims to place cell-free EEA into the wider context of hydrolysis of organic matter, deal with recent studies assessing what controls the production, activity and lifetime of cell-free EEA, and what their fate might be in response to environmental stressors. This perspective article advocates the need to go “beyond the living things,” studying the response of cells/organisms to different stressors, but also to study cell-free enzymes, in order to fully constrain the future and evolution of marine biogeochemical cycles. PMID:29354095

Tunable Ampere phase plate for low dose imaging of biomolecular complexes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tavabi, Amir H.; Beleggia, Marco; Migunov, Vadim

2018-01-01

A novel device that can be used as a tunable support-free phase plate for transmission electron microscopy of weakly scattering specimens is described. The device relies on the generation of a controlled phase shift by the magnetic field of a segment of current-carrying wire that is oriented...... parallel or antiparallel to the electron beam. The validity of the concept is established using both experimental electron holographic measurements and a theoretical model based on Ampere's law. Computer simulations are used to illustrate the resulting contrast enhancement for studies of biological cells...

Scale-up of Carbon/Carbon Bipolar Plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

David P. Haack

2009-04-08

This project was focused upon developing a unique material technology for use in PEM fuel cell bipolar plates. The carbon/carbon composite material developed in this program is uniquely suited for use in fuel cell systems, as it is lightweight, highly conductive and corrosion resistant. The project further focused upon developing the manufacturing methodology to cost-effectively produce this material for use in commercial fuel cell systems. United Technology Fuel Cells Corp., a leading fuel cell developer was a subcontractor to the project was interested in the performance and low-cost potential of the material. The accomplishments of the program included the development and testing of a low-cost, fully molded, net-shape carbon-carbon bipolar plate. The process to cost-effectively manufacture these carbon-carbon bipolar plates was focused on extensively in this program. Key areas for cost-reduction that received attention in this program was net-shape molding of the detailed flow structures according to end-user design. Correlations between feature detail and process parameters were formed so that mold tooling could be accurately designed to meet a variety of flow field dimensions. A cost model was developed that predicted the cost of manufacture for the product in near-term volumes and long-term volumes (10+ million units per year). Because the roduct uses lowcost raw materials in quantities that are less than competitive tech, it was found that the cost of the product in high volume can be less than with other plate echnologies, and can meet the DOE goal of $4/kW for transportation applications. The excellent performance of the all-carbon plate in net shape was verified in fuel cell testing. Performance equivalent to much higher cost, fully machined graphite plates was found.

Modeling plate shell structures using pyFormex

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bagger, Anne; Verhegghe, Benedict; Hertz, Kristian Dahl

2009-01-01

A shell structure made of glass combines a light-weight structural concept with glass’ high permeability to light. If the geometry of the structure is plane-based facetted (plate shell structure), the glass elements will be plane panes, and these glass panes will comprise the primary load...... (plate shells and triangulated lattice shells) may not differ in complexity regarding the topology, but when it comes to the practical generation of the geometry, e.g. in CAD, the plate shell is far more troublesome to handle than the triangulated geometry. The free software tool “pyFormex”, developed...

Constitutive error based parameter estimation technique for plate structures using free vibration signatures

Science.gov (United States)

Guchhait, Shyamal; Banerjee, Biswanath

2018-04-01

In this paper, a variant of constitutive equation error based material parameter estimation procedure for linear elastic plates is developed from partially measured free vibration sig-natures. It has been reported in many research articles that the mode shape curvatures are much more sensitive compared to mode shape themselves to localize inhomogeneity. Complying with this idea, an identification procedure is framed as an optimization problem where the proposed cost function measures the error in constitutive relation due to incompatible curvature/strain and moment/stress fields. Unlike standard constitutive equation error based procedure wherein a solution of a couple system is unavoidable in each iteration, we generate these incompatible fields via two linear solves. A simple, yet effective, penalty based approach is followed to incorporate measured data. The penalization parameter not only helps in incorporating corrupted measurement data weakly but also acts as a regularizer against the ill-posedness of the inverse problem. Explicit linear update formulas are then developed for anisotropic linear elastic material. Numerical examples are provided to show the applicability of the proposed technique. Finally, an experimental validation is also provided.

A Study of Chemically Reactive Species and Thermal Radiation Effects on an Unsteady MHD Free Convection Flow Through a Porous Medium Past a Flat Plate with Ramped Wall Temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pandit K. K.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available An investigation of the effects of a chemical reaction and thermal radiation on unsteady MHD free convection heat and mass transfer flow of an electrically conducting, viscous, incompressible fluid past a vertical infinite flat plate embedded in a porous medium is carried out. The flow is induced by a general time-dependent movement of the vertical plate, and the cases of ramped temperature and isothermal plates are studied. An exact solution of the governing equations is obtained in closed form by the Laplace Transform technique. Some applications of practical interest for different types of plate motions are discussed. The numerical values of fluid velocity, temperature and species concentration are displayed graphically whereas the numerical values of skin friction, Nusselt number and Sherwood number are presented in a tabular form for various values of pertinent flow parameters for both ramped temperature and isothermal plates.

Insights to the effects of free cells on community structure of attached cells and chalcopyrite bioleaching during different stages.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Shoushuai; Yang, Hailin; Wang, Wu

2016-01-01

The effects of free cells on community structure of attached cells and chalcopyrite bioleaching by Acidithiobacillus sp. during different stages were investigated. The attached cells of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans owned the community advantage from 14thd to the end of bioprocess in the normal system. The community structure of attached cells was greatly influenced in the free cells-deficient systems. Compared to A. thiooxidans, the attached cells community of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans had a higher dependence on its free cells. Meanwhile, the analysis of key biochemical parameters revealed that the effects of free cells on chalcopyrite bioleaching in different stages were diverse, ranging from 32.8% to 64.3%. The bioleaching contribution of free cells of A. ferrooxidans in the stationary stage (8-14thd) was higher than those of A. thiooxidans, while the situation was gradually reversed in the jarosite passivation inhibited stage (26-40thd). These results may be useful in guiding chalcopyrite bioleaching. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An optimized rapid bisulfite conversion method with high recovery of cell-free DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Shaohua; Long, Fei; Cheng, Juanbo; Huang, Daixin

2017-12-19

Methylation analysis of cell-free DNA is a encouraging tool for tumor diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis. Sensitivity of methylation analysis is a very important matter due to the tiny amounts of cell-free DNA available in plasma. Most current methods of DNA methylation analysis are based on the difference of bisulfite-mediated deamination of cytosine between cytosine and 5-methylcytosine. However, the recovery of bisulfite-converted DNA based on current methods is very poor for the methylation analysis of cell-free DNA. We optimized a rapid method for the crucial steps of bisulfite conversion with high recovery of cell-free DNA. A rapid deamination step and alkaline desulfonation was combined with the purification of DNA on a silica column. The conversion efficiency and recovery of bisulfite-treated DNA was investigated by the droplet digital PCR. The optimization of the reaction results in complete cytosine conversion in 30 min at 70 °C and about 65% of recovery of bisulfite-treated cell-free DNA, which is higher than current methods. The method allows high recovery from low levels of bisulfite-treated cell-free DNA, enhancing the analysis sensitivity of methylation detection from cell-free DNA.

A cell-free fluorometric high-throughput screen for inhibitors of Rtt109-catalyzed histone acetylation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jayme L Dahlin

Full Text Available The lysine acetyltransferase (KAT Rtt109 forms a complex with Vps75 and catalyzes the acetylation of histone H3 lysine 56 (H3K56ac in the Asf1-H3-H4 complex. Rtt109 and H3K56ac are vital for replication-coupled nucleosome assembly and genotoxic resistance in yeast and pathogenic fungal species such as Candida albicans. Remarkably, sequence homologs of Rtt109 are absent in humans. Therefore, inhibitors of Rtt109 are hypothesized as potential and minimally toxic antifungal agents. Herein, we report the development and optimization of a cell-free fluorometric high-throughput screen (HTS for small-molecule inhibitors of Rtt109-catalyzed histone acetylation. The KAT component of the assay consists of the yeast Rtt109-Vps75 complex, while the histone substrate complex consists of full-length Drosophila histone H3-H4 bound to yeast Asf1. Duplicated assay runs of the LOPAC demonstrated day-to-day and plate-to-plate reproducibility. Approximately 225,000 compounds were assayed in a 384-well plate format with an average Z' factor of 0.71. Based on a 3σ cut-off criterion, 1,587 actives (0.7% were identified in the primary screen. The assay method is capable of identifying previously reported KAT inhibitors such as garcinol. We also observed several prominent active classes of pan-assay interference compounds such as Mannich bases, catechols and p-hydroxyarylsulfonamides. The majority of the primary active compounds showed assay signal interference, though most assay artifacts can be efficiently removed by a series of straightforward counter-screens and orthogonal assays. Post-HTS triage demonstrated a comparatively small number of confirmed actives with IC50 values in the low micromolar range. This assay, which utilizes five label-free proteins involved in H3K56 acetylation in vivo, can in principle identify compounds that inhibit Rtt109-catalyzed H3K56 acetylation via different mechanisms. Compounds discovered via this assay or adaptations thereof could

Label-free quantitative cell division monitoring of endothelial cells by digital holographic microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Kemper, Björn; Bauwens, Andreas; Vollmer, Angelika; Ketelhut, Steffi; Langehanenberg, Patrik; Müthing, Johannes; Karch, Helge; von Bally, Gert

2010-05-01

Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) enables quantitative multifocus phase contrast imaging for nondestructive technical inspection and live cell analysis. Time-lapse investigations on human brain microvascular endothelial cells demonstrate the use of DHM for label-free dynamic quantitative monitoring of cell division of mother cells into daughter cells. Cytokinetic DHM analysis provides future applications in toxicology and cancer research.

Thermal radiation and mass transfer effects on unsteady MHD free convection flow past a vertical oscillating plate

Science.gov (United States)

Rana, B. M. Jewel; Ahmed, Rubel; Ahmmed, S. F.

2017-06-01

Unsteady MHD free convection flow past a vertical porous plate in porous medium with radiation, diffusion thermo, thermal diffusion and heat source are analyzed. The governing non-linear, partial differential equations are transformed into dimensionless by using non-dimensional quantities. Then the resultant dimensionless equations are solved numerically by applying an efficient, accurate and conditionally stable finite difference scheme of explicit type with the help of a computer programming language Compaq Visual Fortran. The stability and convergence analysis has been carried out to establish the effect of velocity, temperature, concentration, skin friction, Nusselt number, Sherwood number, stream lines and isotherms line. Finally, the effects of various parameters are presented graphically and discussed qualitatively.

Comparative analysis of biofilm formation by Bacillus cereus reference strains and undomesticated food isolates and the effect of free iron.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayrapetyan, Hasmik; Muller, Lisette; Tempelaars, Marcel; Abee, Tjakko; Nierop Groot, Masja

2015-05-04

Biofilm formation of Bacillus cereus reference strains ATCC 14579 and ATCC 10987 and 21 undomesticated food isolates was studied on polystyrene and stainless steel as contact surfaces. For all strains, the biofilm forming capacity was significantly enhanced when in contact with stainless steel (SS) as a surface as compared to polystyrene (PS). For a selection of strains, the total CFU and spore counts in biofilms were determined and showed a good correlation between CFU counts and total biomass of these biofilms. Sporulation was favoured in the biofilm over the planktonic state. To substantiate whether iron availability could affect B. cereus biofilm formation, the free iron availability was varied in BHI by either the addition of FeCl3 or by depletion of iron with the scavenger 2,2-Bipyridine. Addition of iron resulted in increased air-liquid interface biofilm on polystyrene but not on SS for strain ATCC 10987, while the presence of Bipyridine reduced biofilm formation for both materials. Biofilm formation was restored when excess FeCl3 was added in combination with the scavenger. Further validation of the iron effect for all 23 strains in microtiter plate showed that fourteen strains (including ATCC10987) formed a biofilm on PS. For eight of these strains biofilm formation was enhanced in the presence of added iron and for eleven strains it was reduced when free iron was scavenged. Our results show that stainless steel as a contact material provides more favourable conditions for B. cereus biofilm formation and maturation compared to polystyrene. This effect could possibly be linked to iron availability as we show that free iron availability affects B. cereus biofilm formation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of cell-free culture using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and gene expression studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, R; Elankumaran, Y; Hijjawi, N; Ryan, U

2015-06-01

A cell-free culture system for Cryptosporidium parvum was analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to characterise life cycle stages and compare gene expression in cell-free culture and cell culture using HCT-8 cells. Cryptosporidium parvum samples were harvested at 2 h, 8 h, 14 h, 26 h, 50 h, 74 h, 98 h, 122 h and 170 h, chemically fixed and specimens were observed using a Zeiss 1555 scanning electron microscope. The presence of sporozoites, trophozoites and type I merozoites were identified by SEM. Gene expression in cell culture and cell-free culture was studied using reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) of the sporozoite surface antigen protein (cp15), the glycoprotein 900 (gp900), the Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP) and 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes in both cell free and conventional cell culture. In cell culture, cp15 expression peaked at 74 h, gp900 expression peaked at 74 h and 98 h and COWP expression peaked at 50 h. In cell-free culture, CP15 expression peaked at 98 h, gp900 expression peaked at 74 h and COWP expression peaked at 122 h. The present study is the first to compare gene expression of C. parvum in cell culture and cell-free culture and to characterise life cycle stages of C. parvum in cell-free culture using SEM. Findings from this study showed that gene expression patterns in cell culture and cell-free culture were similar but in cell-free culture, gene expression was delayed for CP15 and COWP in cell free culture compared with the cell culture system and was lower. Although three life cycle stageswere conclusively identified, improvements in SEM methodology should lead to the detection of more life cycle stages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Unsteady MHD free convective flow past a vertical porous plate ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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International Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology .... dimensional MHD boundary layer on the body with time varying temperature. ... flow of an electrically conducting fluid past an infinite vertical porous flat plate coinciding with.

Numerical analysis of the vibroacoustic properties of plates with embedded grids of acoustic black holes.

Science.gov (United States)

Conlon, Stephen C; Fahnline, John B; Semperlotti, Fabio

2015-01-01

The concept of an Acoustic Black Hole (ABH) has been developed and exploited as an approach for passively attenuating structural vibration. The basic principle of the ABH relies on proper tailoring of the structure geometrical properties in order to produce a gradual reduction of the flexural wave speed, theoretically approaching zero. For practical systems the idealized "zero" wave speed condition cannot be achieved so the structural areas of low wave speed are treated with surface damping layers to allow the ABH to approach the idealized dissipation level. In this work, an investigation was conducted to assess the effects that distributions of ABHs embedded in plate-like structures have on both vibration and structure radiated sound, focusing on characterizing and improving low frequency performance. Finite Element and Boundary Element models were used to assess the vibration response and radiated sound power performance of several plate configurations, comparing baseline uniform plates with embedded periodic ABH designs. The computed modal loss factors showed the importance of the ABH unit cell low order modes in the overall vibration reduction effectiveness of the embedded ABH plates at low frequencies where the free plate bending wavelengths are longer than the scale of the ABH.

The functions of the variable lipoprotein family of Mycoplasma hyorhinis in adherence to host cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Qiyan; Wang, Jia; Ji, Yan; Ni, Bo; Zhang, Bixiong; Ma, Qinghong; Wei, Yanna; Xiao, Shaobo; Feng, Zhixin; Liu, Maojun; Shao, Guoqing

2016-04-15

Mycoplasma hyorhinis (M. hyorhinis) is a swine pathogen that is associated with various human cancers and contamination in cell cultures. However, no studies on the adhesion molecules of this pathogen have yet been reported. The variable lipoprotein (Vlp) family is an important surface component of M. hyorhinis. Herein, we performed several experiments to identify the function of the Vlp family in adherence to host cells. Seven recombinant Vlp (rVlp) proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography. The potential role of rVlp adherence to pig kidney (PK-15) and swine tracheal epithelial (STEC) cells was then studied by indirect immunofluorescence assay and microtiter plate adherence assay. Adhesion of M. hyorhinis to PK-15 and STEC cells was specifically inhibited by the addition of a cocktail of rVlp proteins. The rVlp protein mixture was shown to bind to both PK-15 and STEC cells. The binding increased in a dose-dependent manner and could be blocked by antisera against the rVlp proteins. Most of the rVlp proteins could bind individually to both PK-15 and STEC cells except for rVlpD and rVlpF, which bound only to STEC cells. Because Vlp members vary in size among different strains and generations, they may vary in their cytoadhesion capabilities in various strains. In summary, the present results indicate that the Vlp family functions as adhesins of M. hyorhinis. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Rapid detection and quantification of cell free cytomegalovirus by a high-speed centrifugation-based microculture assay: comparison to longitudinally analyzed viral DNA load and pp67 late transcript during lactation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamprecht, Klaus; Witzel, Simone; Maschmann, Jens; Dietz, Klaus; Baumeister, Andrea; Mikeler, Elfriede; Goelz, Rangmar; Speer, Christian P; Jahn, Gerhard

2003-12-01

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is reactivated in nearly every seropositive breastfeeding mother during lactation [Lancet 357 (2001) 513]. Conventional tissue culture (TC) and low-speed centrifugation-enhanced microtiter culture methods are not able to detect HCMV from milk during all stages of lactation. Development of a sensitive and quantitative microculture technique to describe the dynamics of HCMV reactivation in different milk compartments during lactation. Milk samples were collected longitudinally from seropositive breastfeeding mothers of preterm infants. Native milk samples were separated into fraction 1 (aqueous extract of milk fat), fraction 2 (cell and fat free milk whey) and fraction 3 (milk cells). Each of these fractions was screened qualitatively (TC, nPCR, pp67 late mRNA) and quantitatively (high-speed centrifugation-based microculture, quantitative PCR). Prior to low-speed centrifugation-enhanced inoculation, virus particles were concentrated by high-speed centrifugation (60 min at 50,000 x g, 4 degrees C). Using fraction 2 we were able to describe the dynamics of viral reactivation during lactation. We present the course of the quantitative virolactia and DNAlactia and qualitative detection of HCMV pp67 late mRNA in milk whey of four mothers (three transmitters and one non-transmitter). In all these cases virolactia described an unimodal and self limited course. Peak levels of virolactia for transmitters (T1: day 44; T2: day 43; T3: day 50) were closely related the onset of viruria of the corresponding preterm infants (U1: day 39; U2a/U2b: day 44/57; U3: day 60). The courses of viral load coincidence with the courses of DNA load. We present a rapid and highly sensitive microculture method for the quantification of cell free HCMV from milk whey and aqueous extracts from milk fat. Viral reactivation during lactation describes an unimodal course. Our findings have strong implications for quality control of any virus inactivation procedure.

Highly conductive, multi-layer composite precursor composition to fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Bor Z [Centerville, OH; Zhamu, Aruna [Centerville, OH; Guo, Jiusheng [Centerville, OH

2011-02-15

This invention provides a moldable, multiple-layer composite composition, which is a precursor to an electrically conductive composite flow field plate or bipolar plate. In one preferred embodiment, the composition comprises a plurality of conductive sheets and a plurality of mixture layers of a curable resin and conductive fillers, wherein (A) each conductive sheet is attached to at least one resin-filler mixture layer; (B) at least one of the conductive sheets comprises flexible graphite; and (C) at least one resin-filler mixture layer comprises a thermosetting resin and conductive fillers with the fillers being present in a sufficient quantity to render the resulting flow field plate or bipolar plate electrically conductive with a conductivity no less than 100 S/cm and thickness-direction areal conductivity no less than 200 S/cm.sup.2.

Cytotoxic drug sensitivity testing of tumor cells from patients with ovarian carcinoma using the fluorometric microculture cytotoxicity assay (FMCA).

Science.gov (United States)

Csoka, K; Larsson, R; Tholander, B; Gerdin, E; de la Torre, M; Nygren, P

1994-08-01

The automated fluorometric microculture cytotoxicity assay (FMCA) is based on the measurement of fluorescence generated from cellular hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate (FDA) to fluorescein by viable cells after a 72-hr culture period in microtiter plates. The FMCA was adopted for chemosensitivity testing of tumor cells from patients with ovarian carcinoma. Thirty-seven samples of solid tumors and malignant effusions were obtained from 35 patients at diagnosis or relapse. Tumor cells from solid samples and effusions were prepared by enzymatic digestion and centrifugation, respectively, followed by Percoll or Ficoll purification. The fluorescence was proportional to the number of cells/well and considerably higher in tumor cells than in contaminating normal cells. The effect of up to 19 cytotoxic drugs was successfully assessed in 70% of the samples and there was a good correlation between drug sensitivity data reported by the FMCA and the DiSC assay performed in parallel. The overall drug sensitivity pattern in vitro corresponded well to the clinical experience. The effect of cisplatin varied considerably between patients and resistance was found also in cases not previously exposed to cytotoxic drugs. The FMCA is a rapid and simple method that seems to report clinically relevant cytotoxic drug sensitivity data in ovarian carcinomas. In the future, this method may contribute to optimizing chemotherapy by assisting in individualized drug selection and new drug development.

Free vibration analysis of perforated plate with square penetration pattern using equivalent material properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jhung, Myung Ho [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Kyeong Hoon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-06-15

In this study, the natural frequencies of the perforated square plate with a square penetration pattern are obtained as a function of ligament efficiency using the commercial finite-element analysis code ANSYS. In addition, they are used to extract the effective modulus of elasticity under an assumption of a constant Poisson's ratio. The effective modulus of elasticity of the fully perforated square plate is applied to the modal analysis of a partially perforated square plate using a homogeneous finite-element analysis model. The natural frequencies and the corresponding mode shapes of the homogeneous model are compared with the results of the detailed finite-element analysis model of the partially perforated square plate to check the validity of the effective modulus of elasticity. In addition, the theoretical method to calculate the natural frequencies of a partially perforated square plate with fixed edges is suggested according to the Rayleigh-Ritz method.

Reviewing metallic PEMFC bipolar plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, H.; Turner, J.A. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO (United States)

2010-08-15

A bipolar plate is one of the most important components in a polymer exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack and has multiple functions. Metallic bipolar plate candidates have advantages over composite rivals in excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, good mechanical strength, high chemical stability, very wide alloy choices, low cost and, most importantly, existing pathways for high-volume, high-speed mass production. The challenges with metallic bipolar plates are the higher contact resistance and possible corrosion products, which may contaminate the membrane electrode assembly. This review evaluates the candidate metallic and coating materials for bipolar plates and gives the perspective of the research trends. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Investigation of heave response of the deepwater octagonal FDPSO using various heave plate configurations

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Chenfang; Hu, Zhiqiang; Wang, Shisheng

2017-12-01

Heave plates can be employed to control undesirable heave motion amplitudes of the deepwater octagonal Floating, Drilling, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FDPSO) platform. Numerical simulations and model tests were applied to analyze and investigate the hydrodynamic response and the feasibility of the heave plate configurations. The diameter and the depth below the free surface of a single-layer heave plate, as well as the spacing of two-layer heave plates, were considered as the primary variables when studying the effect of heave plates on FDPSO hydrodynamics. The analysis results indicate that the heave plate diameter significantly affects the heave hydrodynamics, and heave performance could be improved with an increased diameter. In addition, increasing the depth below the free surface of a single-layer heave plate does not effectively suppress the heave motion within the range of draft depths tested. The target FDPSO obtained better heave characteristics with increased spacing between the two-layer heave plates. Furthermore, the global performances of the octagonal FDPSO with these typical heave plate configurations were comparatively analyzed. The results indicate that from a hydrodynamic point of view, the single-layer heave plate configuration has an advantage over the two-layer heave plate configuration.

Free flexural vibration studies on laminated composite skew plates

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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Srinivasa et al. / International Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology, Vol. 4, No. 4, 2012, pp. 13-24. 23 l. E. : Young's modulus of the fiber in longitudinal direction t. E. : Young's modulus of the fiber in transverse direction lt. G. : Shear modulus. D. : Plate bending rigidity,. 3. 2. /12(1. ) Et. −ν rf. : Frequency coefficient ...

Free and Forced Vibration of the Moderately Thick Laminated Composite Rectangular Plate on Various Elastic Winkler and Pasternak Foundations

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Dongyan Shi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available An improved Fourier series method (IFSM is applied to study the free and forced vibration characteristics of the moderately thick laminated composite rectangular plates on the elastic Winkler or Pasternak foundations which have elastic uniform supports and multipoints supports. The formulation is based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT and combined with artificial virtual spring technology and the plate-foundation interaction by establishing the two-parameter foundation model. Under the framework of this paper, the displacement and rotation functions are expressed as a double Fourier cosine series and two supplementary functions which have no relations to boundary conditions. The Rayleigh-Ritz technique is applied to solve all the series expansion coefficients. The accuracy of the results obtained by the present method is validated by being compared with the results of literatures and Finite Element Method (FEM. In this paper, some results are obtained by analyzing the varying parameters, such as different boundary conditions, the number of layers and points, the spring stiffness parameters, and foundation parameters, which can provide a benchmark for the future research.

Histomorphometric Parameters of the Growth Plate and Trabecular Bone in Wild-Type and Trefoil Factor Family 3 (Tff3)-Deficient Mice Analyzed by Free and Open-Source Image Processing Software.

Science.gov (United States)

Bijelić, Nikola; Belovari, Tatjana; Stolnik, Dunja; Lovrić, Ivana; Baus Lončar, Mirela

2017-08-01

Trefoil factor family 3 (Tff3) peptide is present during intrauterine endochondral ossification in mice, and its deficiency affects cancellous bone quality in secondary ossification centers of mouse tibiae. The aim of this study was to quantitatively analyze parameters describing the growth plate and primary ossification centers in tibiae of 1-month-old wild-type and Tff3 knock-out mice (n=5 per genotype) by using free and open-source software. Digital photographs of the growth plates and trabecular bone were processed by open-source computer programs GIMP and FIJI. Histomorphometric parameters were calculated using measurements made with FIJI. Tff3 knock-out mice had significantly smaller trabecular number and significantly larger trabecular separation. Trabecular bone volume, trabecular bone surface, and trabecular thickness showed no significant difference between the two groups. Although such histomorphological differences were found in the cancellous bone structure, no significant differences were found in the epiphyseal plate histomorphology. Tff3 peptide probably has an effect on the formation and quality of the cancellous bone in the primary ossification centers, but not through disrupting the epiphyseal plate morphology. This work emphasizes the benefits of using free and open-source programs for morphological studies in life sciences.

Cell cycle indicators of buccal epithelial cells in the treatment of different types of removable plate partial dentures

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E. V. Beliaiev

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the work. To investigate nuclear DNA and buccal epithelial cells proliferative activity in patients with dental defects, who use removable partial dentures plates made of acrylic or thermoplastic. Materials and Methods. The study of buccal epithelial cell cycle parameters was carried out in 70 people. Among them 23 patients were treated with acrylic dentures prostheses, 23 patients – with thermoplastic-based prostheses. The comparison group consisted of 24 clinically healthy persons without defects in the dentition. DNA content in human buccal epithelial cells nuclei was determined by flow cytometry. Results. The obtained indicators of buccal epithelial cell cycle of the control group indicate a high intensity of cell self-renewal in the normal range. It is suggested by a significant percentage of events occurring within the Sub-G1 range that characterizes apoptosis, as well as the fact that more than half of the cells were in the range of S + G2/M. It has been revealed by flow cytometry that the percentage of apoptosis in cells was higher in patients using acrylic dentures base plastic, showed initial signs of keratinization that was confirmed by increase in cells in the range of Sub-G1 and by their decrease in the range of S-G2/M. It has been established in the study of buccal epithelium cell cycle indicators in the dentures bases thermoplastic application that these prostheses did not affect the proliferative activity of buccal epithelial cells compared to the group using acrylic dentures bases with prolonged use. This is evident in almost the same number of cellular events ranging Sub-G1, so apoptosis in the thermoplastic dentures bases application corresponded to the control group indicators both in the early period and over a year of use. Conclusions. The direct negative effect of prostheses with acrylic bases on the complex mechanism of the oral cavity mucous membrane functioning has been revealed. Absence of dentures

2017 Bipolar Plate Workshop Summary Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kopasz, John P. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Benjamin, Thomas G. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Schenck, Deanna [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2017-08-17

The Bipolar Plate (BP) Workshop was held at USCAR1 in Southfield, Michigan on February 14, 2017 and included 63 participants from industry, government agencies, universities, and national laboratories with expertise in the relevant fields. The objective of the workshop was to identify research and development (R&D) needs, in particular early-stage R&D, for bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells for transportation applications. The focus of the workshop was on materials, manufacturing, and design aspects of bipolar plates with the goal of meeting DOE’s 2020 bipolar plate targets. Of special interest was the cost target of ≤$3/kW for the bipolar plate.

Cell-free mitochondrial DNA copy number variation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A study of non-invasive biomarker from Northeast India.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Manish; Srivastava, Shilpee; Singh, Seram Anil; Das, Anup Kumar; Das, Ganesh Chandra; Dhar, Bishal; Ghosh, Sankar Kumar; Mondal, Rosy

2017-10-01

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. The lifestyle, food habits, and customary practices manifest the Northeast Indian population toward higher susceptibility to develop head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Here, we have investigated the association of smoke and smokeless tobacco, and alcohol with copy number variation of cell-free mitochondrial DNA and cell-free nuclear DNA in cases and controls. Cell-free DNA from plasma was isolated from 50 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cases and 50 controls with informed written consent using QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid Kit. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was done for copy number variation in cell-free mitochondrial DNA and cell-free nuclear DNA. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic application between the two study groups using clinicopathological parameters. The levels of cell-free nuclear DNA and cell-free mitochondrial DNA of cases in association with smoke and smokeless tobacco, alcohol with smoking (p squamous cell carcinoma cases and controls, we distinguished cell-free mitochondrial DNA (cutoff: 19.84 raw Ct; sensitivity: 84%; specificity: 100%; p < 0.001) and cell-free nuclear DNA (cutoff: 463,282 genomic equivalent/mL; sensitivity: 53%; specificity: 87%; p < 0.001). The copy number variation in cases (cell-free nuclear DNA: 5451.66 genomic equivalent/mL and cell-free mitochondrial DNA: 29,103,476.15 genomic equivalent/mL) and controls (cell-free nuclear DNA: 1650.9 genomic equivalent/mL and cell-free mitochondrial DNA: 9,189,312.54 genomic equivalent/mL), respectively. Our result indicates that the cell-free mitochondrial DNA content is highly associated with smoke and smokeless tobacco, betel quid chewing, and alcohol which shows greater promises, holding the key characteristics of diagnostic biomarkers, that is, minimal invasiveness, high specificity, and sensitivity.

Free vibration analysis of perforated plate with square penetration pattern using equivalent material properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myung Jo Jhung

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, the natural frequencies of the perforated square plate with a square penetration pattern are obtained as a function of ligament efficiency using the commercial finite-element analysis code ANSYS. In addition, they are used to extract the effective modulus of elasticity under an assumption of a constant Poisson's ratio. The effective modulus of elasticity of the fully perforated square plate is applied to the modal analysis of a partially perforated square plate using a homogeneous finite-element analysis model. The natural frequencies and the corresponding mode shapes of the homogeneous model are compared with the results of the detailed finite-element analysis model of the partially perforated square plate to check the validity of the effective modulus of elasticity. In addition, the theoretical method to calculate the natural frequencies of a partially perforated square plate with fixed edges is suggested according to the Rayleigh–Ritz method.

Mesostructured platinum-free anode and carbon-free cathode catalysts for durable proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Xiangzhi; Shi, Jianlin; Wang, Yongxia; Chen, Yu; Zhang, Lingxia; Hua, Zile

2014-01-01

As one of the most important clean energy sources, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have been a topic of extensive research focus for decades. Unfortunately, several critical technique obstacles, such as the high cost of platinum electrode catalysts, performance degradation due to the CO poisoning of the platinum anode, and carbon corrosion by oxygen in the cathode, have greatly impeded its commercial development. A prototype of a single PEMFC catalyzed by a mesostructured platinum-free WO3/C anode and a mesostructured carbon-free Pt/WC cathode catalysts is reported herein. The prototype cell exhibited 93% power output of a standard PEMFC using commercial Pt/C catalysts at 50 and 70 °C, and more importantly, CO poisoning-free and carbon corrosion-resistant characters of the anode and cathode, respectively. Consequently, the prototype cell demonstrated considerably enhanced cell operation durability. The mesostructured electrode catalysts are therefore highly promising in the future development and application of PEMFCs. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Anticorrosion Coating of Carbon Nanotube/Polytetrafluoroethylene Composite Film on the Stainless Steel Bipolar Plate for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshiyuki Show

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Composite film of carbon nanotube (CNT and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE was formed from dispersion fluids of CNT and PTFE. The composite film showed high electrical conductivity in the range of 0.1–13 S/cm and hydrophobic nature. This composite film was applied to stainless steel (SS bipolar plates of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC as anticorrosion film. This coating decreased the contact resistance between the surface of the bipolar plate and the membrane electrode assembly (MEA of the PEMFC. The output power of the fuel cell is increased by 1.6 times because the decrease in the contact resistance decreases the series resistance of the PEMFC. Moreover, the coating of this composite film protects the bipolar plate from the surface corrosion.

Electron cryotomography of vitrified cells with a Volta phase plate.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukuda, Yoshiyuki; Laugks, Ulrike; Lučić, Vladan; Baumeister, Wolfgang; Danev, Radostin

2015-05-01

Electron cryotomography provides a means of studying the three dimensional structure of pleomorphic objects, such as organelles or cells, with a resolution of 1-3nm. A limitation in the study of radiation sensitive biological samples is the low signal-to-noise ratio of the tomograms which may obscure fine details. To overcome this limitation, the recently developed Volta phase plate (VPP) was applied in electron cryotomographic studies of a wide range of cellular structures, from magnetotactic bacteria to primary cultured neurons. The results show that the VPP improves contrast significantly and consequently the signal-to-noise ratio of the tomograms, moreover it avoids disturbing fringing artifacts typical for Zernike phase plates. The contrast improvement provided by the VPP was also confirmed in projection images of relatively thick (∼400nm) samples. In order to investigate the respective contributions of the VPP and the energy filter, images acquired with different combinations of the two were compared. Zero-loss energy filtering reduced the background noise in thicker areas of the sample and improved the contrast of features such as poly-β-hydroxybutyrate granules in magnetotactic bacteria, whereas the VPP provided an overall contrast improvement for all sample areas. After 3D reconstruction, tomograms acquired with the combination of a VPP and an energy filter showed structural features in neuronal processes with outstanding clarity. We also show that the VPP can be combined with focused ion beam milling to examine structures embedded deeply inside cells. Thus, we expect that VPP will become a standard element of the electron cryotomography workflow. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Catalysts characteristics of Ni/YSZ core-shell according to plating conditions using electroless plating

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyun-Wook; Jang, Jae-Won; Lee, Young-Jin; Kim, Jin-Ho; Jeon, Dae-Woo; Lee, Jong-Heun; Hwang, Hae-jin; Lee, Mi-Jai

2017-11-01

This study aims to develop an anode catalyst for a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) using electroless nickel plating. We have proposed a new method for electroless plating of Ni metal on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) particles. We examine the uniformity of the Ni layer on the plated core-shell powder, in addition to the content of Ni and the reproducibility of the plating. We have also evaluated the carbon deposition rate and characteristics of the SOFC anode catalyst. To synthesize Ni-plated YSZ particles, the plated powder is heat-treated at 1200 °C. The resultant particles, which have an average size of 50 μm, were subsequently used in the experiment. The size of the Ni particles and the Ni content both increase with increasing plating temperature and plating time. The X-ray diffraction pattern reveals the growth of Ni particles. After heat-treatment, Ni is oxidized to NiO, leading to the co-existence of Ni and NiO; Ni3P is also observed due to the presence of phosphorous in the plating solution. Following heat treatment for 1 h at 1200 °C, Ni is mostly oxidized to NiO. The carbon deposition rate of the reference YSZ powder is 135%, while that of the Ni-plated YSZ is 1%-6%.

Migration of phthalates on culture plates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frohnert Hansen, Juliana; Boas, Malene; Møller Brorson, Marianne

2016-01-01

-well culture plates are typically used to study phthalates in cell cultures. In a pilot study, we observed evidence of phthalate migration in 24-well culture plates. As this has not previously been described, we investigated the phenomenon in more detail. Primary human thyroid epithelial cell cultures (n = 8...... cultures) were exposed to either di-ethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) or di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Measurement of phthalate metabolites by mass spectrometry demonstrated that the short-branched DEP was able to migrate to adjacent wells when added...... to cell culture plates. DnBP also seemed to be able to migrate, unlike the long-branched DEHP or the monoester MnBP which did not seem to have this ability. High background levels of phthalate metabolites were also observed, which might compromise results from low dose phthalate studies. In conclusion...

Responses of Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus to Simulated Food Processing Treatments, Determined Using Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting and Plate Counting▿

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Deirdre; Cronin, Ultan P.; Wilkinson, Martin G.

2011-01-01

Three common food pathogenic microorganisms were exposed to treatments simulating those used in food processing. Treated cell suspensions were then analyzed for reduction in growth by plate counting. Flow cytometry (FCM) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) were carried out on treated cells stained for membrane integrity (Syto 9/propidium iodide) or the presence of membrane potential [DiOC2(3)]. For each microbial species, representative cells from various subpopulations detected by FCM were sorted onto selective and nonselective agar and evaluated for growth and recovery rates. In general, treatments giving rise to the highest reductions in counts also had the greatest effects on cell membrane integrity and membrane potential. Overall, treatments that impacted cell membrane permeability did not necessarily have a comparable effect on membrane potential. In addition, some bacterial species with extensively damaged membranes, as detected by FCM, appeared to be able to replicate and grow after sorting. Growth of sorted cells from various subpopulations was not always reflected in plate counts, and in some cases the staining protocol may have rendered cells unculturable. Optimized FCM protocols generated a greater insight into the extent of the heterogeneous bacterial population responses to food control measures than did plate counts. This study underlined the requirement to use FACS to relate various cytometric profiles generated by various staining protocols with the ability of cells to grow on microbial agar plates. Such information is a prerequisite for more-widespread adoption of FCM as a routine microbiological analytical technique. PMID:21602370

Development of an innovative 3D cell culture system to study tumour--stroma interactions in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arno Amann

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: We describe a novel 3D co-culture model using non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC cell lines in combination with lung fibroblasts. This model allows the investigation of tumour-stroma interactions and addresses the importance of having a more in vivo like cell culture model. METHODS: Automation-compatible multi-well hanging drop microtiter plates were used for the production of 3D mono- and co-cultures. In these hanging drops the two NSCLC cell lines A549 and Colo699 were cultivated either alone or co-cultured with lung fibroblasts. The viability of tumour spheroids was confirmed after five and ten days by using Annexin V/Propidium Iodide staining for flow-cytometry. Tumour fibroblast spheroid formation was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM, semi-thin sections, fluorescence microscope and immunohistochemistry (IHC. In addition to conventional histology, protein expression of E-Cadherin, vimentin, Ki67, fibronectin, cytokeratin 7 and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA was investigated by IHC. RESULTS: Lower viability was observed in A549 monocultures compared to co-cultures, whereas Colo699 monocultures showed better viability compared to co-cultures. Ki67 expression varied significantly between mono- and co-cultures in both tumour cell lines. An increase of vimentin and decreased E-Cadherin expression could be detected during the course of the cultivation suggesting a transition to a more mesenchymal phenotype. Furthermore, the fibroblast cell line showed an expression of α-SMA only in co-culture with the cancer cell line A549, thereby indicating a mesenchymal to mesenchymal shift to an even more myofibroblast phenotype. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that our method is a promising tool for the generation of tumour spheroid co-cultures. Furthermore, these spheroids allow the investigation of tumour-stroma interactions and a better reflection of in vivo conditions of cancer cells in their microenvironment. Our method holds

Advancement on Lead-Free Organic-Inorganic Halide Perovskite Solar Cells: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sani, Faruk; Shafie, Suhaidi; Lim, Hong Ngee; Musa, Abubakar Ohinoyi

2018-06-14

Remarkable attention has been committed to the recently discovered cost effective and solution processable lead-free organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells. Recent studies have reported that, within five years, the reported efficiency has reached 9.0%, which makes them an extremely promising and fast developing candidate to compete with conventional lead-based perovskite solar cells. The major challenge associated with the conventional perovskite solar cells is the toxic nature of lead (Pb) used in the active layer of perovskite material. If lead continues to be used in fabricating solar cells, negative health impacts will result in the environment due to the toxicity of lead. Alternatively, lead free perovskite solar cells could give a safe way by substituting low-cost, abundant and non toxic material. This review focuses on formability of lead-free organic-inorganic halide perovskite, alternative metal cations candidates to replace lead (Pb), and possible substitutions of organic cations, as well as halide anions in the lead-free organic-inorganic halide perovskite architecture. Furthermore, the review gives highlights on the impact of organic cations, metal cations and inorganic anions on stability and the overall performance of lead free perovskite solar cells.

The value of cell-free DNA for molecular pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Caitlin M; Kothari, Prachi D; Mouliere, Florent; Mair, Richard; Somnay, Saira; Benayed, Ryma; Zehir, Ahmet; Weigelt, Britta; Dawson, Sarah-Jane; Arcila, Maria E; Berger, Michael F; Tsui, Dana Wy

2018-04-01

Over the past decade, advances in molecular biology and genomics techniques have revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The technological advances in tissue profiling have also been applied to the study of cell-free nucleic acids, an area of increasing interest for molecular pathology. Cell-free nucleic acids are released from tumour cells into the surrounding body fluids and can be assayed non-invasively. The repertoire of genomic alterations in circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) is reflective of both primary tumours and distant metastatic sites, and ctDNA can be sampled multiple times, thereby overcoming the limitations of the analysis of single biopsies. Furthermore, ctDNA can be sampled regularly to monitor response to treatment, to define the evolution of the tumour genome, and to assess the acquisition of resistance and minimal residual disease. Recently, clinical ctDNA assays have been approved for guidance of therapy, which is an exciting first step in translating cell-free nucleic acid research tests into clinical use for oncology. In this review, we discuss the advantages of cell-free nucleic acids as analytes in different body fluids, including blood plasma, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid, and their clinical applications in solid tumours and haematological malignancies. We will also discuss practical considerations for clinical deployment, such as preanalytical factors and regulatory requirements. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lead plating of the low beta resonator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brennan, J.M.; Corcoran, D.; Coughlin, R.; Goliak, T.; Hodgkins, D.; James, P.; Seamster, A.G.; Secora, J.H.

1984-01-01

Plating operations were performed at the lead plating facility at SUNY, Stony Brook. Initial procedures were based on the previous experience of prototype development by Ben-Zvi and Brennan. Several attempts were made to produce satisfactory results, however the lead surfaces were consistently stained and lacked the bright metallic finish routinely achieved with the split loop resonator at SUNY. The development of a new set of procedures was initiated, aided by reports of plating success from Ben-Zvi. Controlled tests were conducted which suggested several changes in the plating parameters. Based on these results and suggestions from the staff at SUNY a new process was defined which was successful in producing the smooth reflective metallic surface known to be necessary forla optimum resonator performance. Following a successful repair of the the crack, the prototype was plated and chemically polished with the new techniques. The resultant surface was highly reflective and free of stains and particulates. The subsequent prototype cold test was successful

Low-cost zinc-plated photoanode for fabric-type dye-sensitized solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Lingfeng; Bao, Yunna; Guo, Wanwan; Cheng, Li; Du, Jun; Liu, Renlong; Wang, Yundong; Fan, Xing; Tao, Changyuan

2016-02-01

Fabric-type flexible solar cells have been recently proposed as a very promising power source for wearable electronics. To increase the photocurrent of fabric-type flexible solar cells, low-cost zinc-plated wire and mesh photoanodes are assembled for the first time through a mild wet process. Given the protection of the compact protection layer, the DSSC device could benefit from the low work function of Zn and self-repairing behavior on the Zn/ZnO interface. An evident current increase by ∼6 mA/cm2 could be observed after coating a layer of metal Zn on various metal substrates, such as traditional stainless steel wire. Given the self-repairing behavior on Zn/ZnO interface, the Zn layer can help to improve the interfacial carrier transfer, leading to better photovoltaic performance, for both liquid-type and solid-type cells.

Ag-polytetrafluoroethylene composite coating on stainless steel as bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Yu. [Laboratory of Fuel Cells, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Hou, Ming; Shao, Zhigang; Yi, Baolian [Laboratory of Fuel Cells, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); Xu, Hongfeng; Hou, Zhongjun; Ming, Pingwen [Sunrise Power Co., Ltd., Dalian 116025 (China)

2008-08-01

Forming a coating on metals by surface treatment is a good way to get high performance bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). In our research, Ag-polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite film was electrodeposited with silver-gilt solution of nicotinic acid by a bi-pulse electroplating power supply on 316 L stainless steel bipolar plate of PEMFC. Surface topography, contact angle, interfacial conductivity and corrosion resistance of the bipolar plate samples were investigated. Results showed that the defects on the Ag-PTFE composite coating are greatly reduced compared with those on the pure Ag coating fabricated under the same condition; and the contact angle of the Ag-PTFE composite coating with water is 114 , which is much bigger than that of the pure Ag coating (73 ). In addition, the interfacial contact resistance of the composite coating stays as low as the pure Ag coating; and the bipolar plate sample with composite coating shows a close corrosion resistance to the pure Ag coating sample in potentiodynamic and potentiostatic tests. Coated 316 L stainless steel plate with Ag-PTFE composite coating exhibits well hydrophobic characteristic, less defects, high interfacial conductivity and good corrosion resistance, which shows a great potential of the application in PEMFC. (author)

Insights into cell-free therapeutic approach: Role of stem cell "soup-ernatant".

Science.gov (United States)

Raik, Shalini; Kumar, Ajay; Bhattacharyya, Shalmoli

2018-03-01

Current advances in medicine have revolutionized the field of regenerative medicine dramatically with newly evolved therapies for repair or replacement of degenerating or injured tissues. Stem cells (SCs) can be harvested from different sources for clinical therapeutics, which include fetal tissues, umbilical cord blood, embryos, and adult tissues. SCs can be isolated and differentiated into desired lineages for tissue regeneration and cell replacement therapy. However, several loopholes need to be addressed properly before this can be extended for large-scale therapeutic application. These include a careful approach for patient safety during SC treatments and tolerance of recipients. SC treatments are associated with a number of risk factors and require successful integration and survival of transplanted cells in the desired microenvironment with concurrent tissue regeneration. Recent studies have focused on developing alternatives that can replace the cell-based therapy using paracrine factors. The development of stem "cell free" therapies can be devoted mainly to the use of soluble factors (secretome), extracellular vesicles, and mitochondrial transfer. The present review emphasizes on the paradigms related to the use of SC-based therapeutics and the potential applications of a cell-free approach as an alternative to cell-based therapy in the area of regenerative medicine. © 2017 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Hydrodynamics of a three-dimensional self-propelled flexible plate

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Jaeha; Sung, Hyung Jin

2017-11-01

A three-dimensional self-propelled flexible plate in a quiescent flow was simulated using the immersed boundary method. The clamped leading edge of the flexible plate was forced into a vertical oscillation, while free to move horizontally. To reveal the hydrodynamics of the plate, the averaged cruising speed (UC) , the input power (P) , and the swimming efficiency (η) were analyzed as a function of the bending rigidity (γ) and the flapping frequency (f) . The velocity field around the plate and the exerted force on the plate were demonstrated to find out the dynamic interaction between the plate and the surrounding fluid. The kinematics of the plate, the maximum angle of attack (ϕmax) , and the mean effective length (Leff) were examined accounting for the hydrodynamics of the self-propelled flexible plate. The vortical structures around the plate were visualized, and the influence of the tip vortex on the swimming efficiency was explored qualitatively and quantitatively. This work was supported by the Creative Research Initiatives (No. 2017-013369) program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (MSIP).

Vector-free intracellular delivery by reversible permeabilization.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shirley O'Dea

Full Text Available Despite advances in intracellular delivery technologies, efficient methods are still required that are vector-free, can address a wide range of cargo types and can be applied to cells that are difficult to transfect whilst maintaining cell viability. We have developed a novel vector-free method that uses reversible permeabilization to achieve rapid intracellular delivery of cargos with varying composition, properties and size. A permeabilizing delivery solution was developed that contains a low level of ethanol as the permeabilizing agent. Reversal of cell permeabilization is achieved by temporally and volumetrically controlling the contact of the target cells with this solution. Cells are seeded in conventional multi-well plates. Following removal of the supernatant, the cargo is mixed with the delivery solution and applied directly to the cells using an atomizer. After a short incubation period, permeabilization is halted by incubating the cells in a phosphate buffer saline solution that dilutes the ethanol and is non-toxic to the permeabilized cells. Normal culture medium is then added. The procedure lasts less than 5 min. With this method, proteins, mRNA, plasmid DNA and other molecules have been delivered to a variety of cell types, including primary cells, with low toxicity and cargo functionality has been confirmed in proof-of-principle studies. Co-delivery of different cargo types has also been demonstrated. Importantly, delivery occurs by diffusion directly into the cytoplasm in an endocytic-independent manner. Unlike some other vector-free methods, adherent cells are addressed in situ without the need for detachment from their substratum. The method has also been adapted to address suspension cells. This delivery method is gentle yet highly reproducible, compatible with high throughput and automated cell-based assays and has the potential to enable a broad range of research, drug discovery and clinical applications.

A new discrete Kirchhoff-Mindlin element based on Mindlin-Reissner plate theory and assumed shear strain fields. I - An extended DKT element for thick-plate bending analysis. II - An extended DKQ element for thick-plate bending analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Katili, Irwan

1993-06-01

A new three-node nine-degree-of-freedom triangular plate bending element is proposed which is valid for the analysis of both thick and thin plates. The element, called the discrete Kirchhoff-Mindlin triangle (DKMT), has a proper rank, passes the patch test for thin and thick plates in an arbitrary mesh, and is free of shear locking. As an extension of the DKMT element, a four-node element with 3 degrees of freedom per node is developed. The element, referred to as DKMQ (discrete Kirchhoff-Mindlin quadrilateral) is found to provide good results for both thin and thick plates without any compatibility problems.

Octanol reduces end-plate channel lifetime

Science.gov (United States)

Gage, Peter W.; McBurney, Robert N.; Van Helden, Dirk

1978-01-01

1. Post-synaptic effects of n-octanol at concentrations of 0·1-1 mM were examined in toad sartorius muscles by use of extracellular and voltage-clamp techniques. 2. Octanol depressed the amplitude and duration of miniature end-plate currents and hence depressed neuromuscular transmission. 3. The decay of miniature end-plate currents remained exponential in octanol solutions even when the time constant of decay (τD) was decreased by 80-90%. 4. The lifetime of end-plate channels, obtained by analysis of acetylcholine noise, was also decreased by octanol. The average lifetime measured from noise spectra agreed reasonably well with the time constant of decay of miniature end-plate currents, both in control solution and in octanol solutions. 5. Octanol caused a reduction in the conductance of end-plate channels. Single channel conductance was on average about 25 pS in control solution and 20 pS in octanol. 6. In most cells the normal voltage sensitivity of the decay of miniature end-plate currents was retained in octanol solutions. The lifetime of end-plate channels measured from acetylcholine noise also remained voltage-sensitive in octanol solutions. In some experiments in which channel lifetime was exceptionally reduced the voltage sensitivity was less than normal. 7. In octanol solutions, τD was still very sensitive to temperature changes in most cells although in some the temperature sensitivity of τD was clearly reduced. Changes in τD with temperature could generally be fitted by the Arrhenius equation suggesting that a single step reaction controlled the decay of currents both in control and in octanol solutions. In some cells in which τD became less than 0·3 ms, the relationship between τD and temperature became inconsistent with the Arrhenius equation. 8. As the decay of end-plate currents in octanol solutions remains exponential, and the voltage and temperature sensitivity can be unchanged even when τD is significantly reduced, it seems likely that

Generation of clinical-grade human induced pluripotent stem cells in Xeno-free conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Juan; Hao, Jie; Bai, Donghui; Gu, Qi; Han, Weifang; Wang, Lei; Tan, Yuanqing; Li, Xia; Xue, Ke; Han, Pencheng; Liu, Zhengxin; Jia, Yundan; Wu, Jun; Liu, Lei; Wang, Liu; Li, Wei; Liu, Zhonghua; Zhou, Qi

2015-11-12

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are considered as one of the most promising seed cell sources in regenerative medicine. Now hiPSC-based clinical trials are underway. To ensure clinical safety, cells used in clinical trials or therapies should be generated under GMP conditions, and with Xeno-free culture media to avoid possible side effects like immune rejection that induced by the Xeno reagents. However, up to now there are no reports for hiPSC lines developed completely under GMP conditions using Xeno-free reagents. Clinical-grade human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells used as feeder cells and parental cells of the clinical-grade hiPSCs were isolated from human foreskin tissues and cultured in Xeno-free media. Clinical-grade hiPSCs were derived by integration-free Sendai virus-based reprogramming kit in Xeno-free pluriton™ reprogramming medium or X medium. Neural cells and cardiomyocytes differentiation were conducted following a series of spatial and temporal specific signals induction according to the corresponding lineage development signals. Biological safety evaluation of the clinical-grade HFF cells and hiPSCs were conducted following the guidance of the "Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, Edition 2010, Volume III". We have successfully derived several integration-free clinical-grade hiPSC lines under GMP-controlled conditions and with Xeno-free reagents culture media in line with the current guidance of international and national evaluation criteria. As for the source of hiPSCs and feeder cells, biological safety evaluation of the HFF cells have been strictly reviewed by the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC). The hiPSC lines are pluripotent and have passed the safety evaluation. Moreover, one of the randomly selected hiPSC lines was capable of differentiating into functional neural cells and cardiomyocytes in Xeno-free culture media. The clinical-grade hiPSC lines therefore could be valuable sources for

A simple method for validation and verification of pipettes mounted on automated liquid handlers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stangegaard, Michael; Hansen, Anders Johannes; Frøslev, Tobias Guldberg

 We have implemented a simple method for validation and verification of the performance of pipettes mounted on automated liquid handlers as necessary for laboratories accredited under ISO 17025. An 8-step serial dilution of Orange G was prepared in quadruplicates in a flat bottom 96-well microtit...... available. In conclusion, we have set up a simple solution for the continuous validation of automated liquid handlers used for accredited work. The method is cheap, simple and easy to use for aqueous solutions but requires a spectrophotometer that can read microtiter plates....... We have implemented a simple method for validation and verification of the performance of pipettes mounted on automated liquid handlers as necessary for laboratories accredited under ISO 17025. An 8-step serial dilution of Orange G was prepared in quadruplicates in a flat bottom 96-well microtiter...

A simplified suite of methods to evaluate chelator conjugation of antibodies: effects on hydrodynamic radius and biodistribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Ejeh, Fares; Darby, Jocelyn M.; Thierry, Benjamin; Brown, Michael P.

2009-01-01

Introduction: Antibodies covalently conjugated with chelators such as 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) are required for radioimmunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy, which are of growing importance in cancer medicine. Method: Here, we report a suite of simple methods that provide a preclinical assessment package for evaluating the effects of DOTA conjugation on the in vitro and in vivo performance of monoclonal antibodies. We exemplify the use of these methods by investigating the effects of DOTA conjugation on the biochemical properties of the DAB4 clone of the La/SSB-specific murine monoclonal autoantibody, APOMAB (registered) , which is a novel malignant cell death ligand. Results: We have developed a 96-well microtiter-plate assay to measure directly the concentration of DOTA and other chelators in antibody-chelator conjugate solutions. Coupled with a commercial assay for measuring protein concentration, the dual microtiter-plate method can rapidly determine chelator/antibody ratios in the same plate. The biochemical properties of DAB4 immunoconjugates were altered as the DOTA/Ab ratio increased so that: (i) mass/charge ratio decreased; (ii) hydrodynamic radius increased; (iii) antibody immunoactivity decreased; (iv) rate of chelation of metal ions and specific radioactivity both increased and in vivo, (v) tumor uptake decreased as nonspecific uptake by liver and spleen increased. Conclusion: This simplified suite of methods readily identifies biochemical characteristics of the DOTA-immunoconjugates such as hydrodynamic diameter and decreased mass/charge ratio associated with compromised immunotargeting efficiency and, thus, may prove useful for optimizing conjugation procedures in order to maximize immunoconjugate-mediated radioimmunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy.

F NMR measurement of intracellular free calcium in human red blood cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, R.K.; Schanne, F.A.X.

1986-01-01

Optical techniques for the measurement of intracellular Ca are not readily applicable to the human red cell because of the intense absorption of hemoglobin. The authors have therefore examined the use of 19 F NMR of 5,5'-difluoro-1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetra acetic acid (5FBAPTA) introduced non-disruptively by intracellular hydrolysis of the membrane-permeant acetoxymethyl ester derivative. 19 F NMR spectra of 5FBAPTA-containing erythrocytes at 188 MHz displayed two well resolved resonances corresponding to the free and Ca-bound forms of the chelator, the resonance of the free form being ten-fold larger than that of the Ca-bound form. Addition of the ionophore A23187 resulted in the disappearance of the resonance of the free anion and a quantitative increase in the intensity of the resonance of the Ca-complex. From these data, and a K/sub D/ of 708 nM for the Ca-5FBAPTA complex, the authors estimate red cell free Ca to be 70 nM, which is in the range of values obtained for other cells, despite the fact that the human red cell, which lacks intracellular organelles for storing Ca, possesses only 1 μmol total Ca/1. cells in comparison to mmols of total Ca found in other cells. The authors ability to use 19 F NMR to measure free Ca in the red blood cell paves the way for future NMR studies of red cell free Ca concentrations in human essential hypertension as well as in other diseases states in which alterations in cellular Ca homeostasis may be involved

Free vibration analysis of a steam generator tube bundle with and without lateral support

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, D.M.

1979-04-01

The vibrational modes and frequency characteristics of a pressurized water reactor (PWR) steam generator tube bundle assembly with and without lateral support in a fluid environment are analyzed. The idealized half-model was constructed using the SAP-IV finite element code. Free vibration analyses were performed for an in-air case and a submerged in-water case, each with different constraint conditions at steam generator tube bundle assembly support plates 10 and 11. These constraint conditions included having both support plates free, having both support plates fixed, and having support plate 11 free while support plate 10 was fixed. It was found that as the support plate constraints were removed, the frequency range for each case increased significantly

Rapid Detection of Cell-Free Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in Tuberculous Pleural Effusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Che, Nanying; Yang, Xinting; Liu, Zichen; Li, Kun; Chen, Xiaoyou

2017-05-01

Tuberculous pleurisy is one of the most common types of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, but its diagnosis remains difficult. In this study, we report for the first time on the detection of cell-free Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in pleural effusion and an evaluation of a newly developed molecular assay for the detection of cell-free Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA. A total of 78 patients with pleural effusion, 60 patients with tuberculous pleurisy, and 18 patients with alternative diseases were included in this study. Mycobacterial culture, the Xpert MTB/RIF assay, the adenosine deaminase assay, the T-SPOT.TB assay, and the cell-free Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA assay were performed on all the pleural effusion samples. The cell-free Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA assay and adenosine deaminase assay showed significantly higher sensitivities of 75.0% and 68.3%, respectively, than mycobacterial culture and the Xpert MTB/RIF assay, which had sensitivities of 26.7% and 20.0%, respectively ( P pleural effusion showed the highest sensitivity of 95.0% but the lowest specificity of 38.9%. The cell-free Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA assay detected as few as 1.25 copies of IS 6110 per ml of pleural effusion and showed good accordance of the results between repeated tests ( r = 0.978, P = 2.84 × 10 -10 ). These data suggest that the cell-free Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA assay is a rapid and accurate molecular test which provides direct evidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis etiology. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Content of intrinsic disorder influences the outcome of cell-free protein synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokmakov, Alexander A; Kurotani, Atsushi; Ikeda, Mariko; Terazawa, Yumiko; Shirouzu, Mikako; Stefanov, Vasily; Sakurai, Tetsuya; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki

2015-09-11

Cell-free protein synthesis is used to produce proteins with various structural traits. Recent bioinformatics analyses indicate that more than half of eukaryotic proteins possess long intrinsically disordered regions. However, no systematic study concerning the connection between intrinsic disorder and expression success of cell-free protein synthesis has been presented until now. To address this issue, we examined correlations of the experimentally observed cell-free protein expression yields with the contents of intrinsic disorder bioinformatically predicted in the expressed sequences. This analysis revealed strong relationships between intrinsic disorder and protein amenability to heterologous cell-free expression. On the one hand, elevated disorder content was associated with the increased ratio of soluble expression. On the other hand, overall propensity for detectable protein expression decreased with disorder content. We further demonstrated that these tendencies are rooted in some distinct features of intrinsically disordered regions, such as low hydrophobicity, elevated surface accessibility and high abundance of sequence motifs for proteolytic degradation, including sites of ubiquitination and PEST sequences. Our findings suggest that identification of intrinsically disordered regions in the expressed amino acid sequences can be of practical use for predicting expression success and optimizing cell-free protein synthesis.

Using label-free screening technology to improve efficiency in drug discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Halai, Reena; Cooper, Matthew A

2012-02-01

Screening assays have traditionally utilized reporter labels to quantify biological responses relevant to the disease state of interest. However, there are limitations associated with the use of labels that may be overcome with temporal measurements possible with label-free. This review comprises general and system-specific information from literature searches using PubMed, published books and the authors' personal experience. This review highlights the label-free approaches in the context of various applications. The authors also note technical issues relevant to the development of label-free assays and their application to HTS. The limitations associated with the use of transfected cell lines and the use of label-based assays are gradually being realized. As such, greater emphasis is being placed on label-free biophysical techniques using native cell lines. The introduction of 96- and 384-well plate label-free systems is helping to broker a wider acceptance of these approaches in high-throughput screening. However, potential users of the technologies remain skeptical, primarily because the physical basis of the signals generated, and their contextual relevance to cell biology and signal transduction, has not been fully elucidated. Until this is done, these new technology platforms are more likely to complement, rather than replace, traditional screening platforms.

A simple assay for the detection of antibodies to endocrine islet cell surface antigens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Contreas, G.; Madsen, O.D.; Vissing, H.; Lernmark, Aa.

1986-01-01

A simple and sensitive immunoradiometric assay for the detection of islet cell surface antibodies (CIRMA) has been developed. Live, transformed islet cells derived from a liver metastasis of a transplantable islet cell tumor were grown in removable microtiter wells and incubated with antibody. Cell-bound antibodies were quantitated using 125 I-labelled second antibodies. The assay was used to detect islet cell antibodies present in sera from non-diabetic and diabetic BB rats and proved to be particularly effective for screening hybridoma supernatants in order to identify monoclonal antibodies recognizing islet cell surface antigens. (Auth.)

Intercellular signaling through secreted proteins induces free-energy gradient-directed cell movement.

Science.gov (United States)

Kravchenko-Balasha, Nataly; Shin, Young Shik; Sutherland, Alex; Levine, R D; Heath, James R

2016-05-17

Controlling cell migration is important in tissue engineering and medicine. Cell motility depends on factors such as nutrient concentration gradients and soluble factor signaling. In particular, cell-cell signaling can depend on cell-cell separation distance and can influence cellular arrangements in bulk cultures. Here, we seek a physical-based approach, which identifies a potential governed by cell-cell signaling that induces a directed cell-cell motion. A single-cell barcode chip (SCBC) was used to experimentally interrogate secreted proteins in hundreds of isolated glioblastoma brain cancer cell pairs and to monitor their relative motions over time. We used these trajectories to identify a range of cell-cell separation distances where the signaling was most stable. We then used a thermodynamics-motivated analysis of secreted protein levels to characterize free-energy changes for different cell-cell distances. We show that glioblastoma cell-cell movement can be described as Brownian motion biased by cell-cell potential. To demonstrate that the free-energy potential as determined by the signaling is the driver of motion, we inhibited two proteins most involved in maintaining the free-energy gradient. Following inhibition, cell pairs showed an essentially random Brownian motion, similar to the case for untreated, isolated single cells.

Development of scalable high throughput fermentation approaches for physiological characterisation of yeast and filamentous fungi

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Peter Boldsen

producing the heterologous model polyketide, 6-methylsalicylic acid (6-MSA). An automated methodology for high throughput screening focusing on growth rates, together with a fully automated method for quantitative physiological characterisation in microtiter plates, was established for yeast. Full...

Synthetic Biology Outside the Cell: Linking Computational Tools to Cell-Free Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, Daniel D.; Villarreal, Fernando D.; Wu, Fan; Tan, Cheemeng

2014-01-01

As mathematical models become more commonly integrated into the study of biology, a common language for describing biological processes is manifesting. Many tools have emerged for the simulation of in vivo synthetic biological systems, with only a few examples of prominent work done on predicting the dynamics of cell-free synthetic systems. At the same time, experimental biologists have begun to study dynamics of in vitro systems encapsulated by amphiphilic molecules, opening the door for the development of a new generation of biomimetic systems. In this review, we explore both in vivo and in vitro models of biochemical networks with a special focus on tools that could be applied to the construction of cell-free expression systems. We believe that quantitative studies of complex cellular mechanisms and pathways in synthetic systems can yield important insights into what makes cells different from conventional chemical systems.

Synthetic Biology Outside the Cell: Linking Computational Tools to Cell-Free Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewis, Daniel D. [Integrative Genetics and Genomics, University of California Davis, Davis, CA (United States); Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA (United States); Villarreal, Fernando D.; Wu, Fan; Tan, Cheemeng, E-mail: cmtan@ucdavis.edu [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA (United States)

2014-12-09

As mathematical models become more commonly integrated into the study of biology, a common language for describing biological processes is manifesting. Many tools have emerged for the simulation of in vivo synthetic biological systems, with only a few examples of prominent work done on predicting the dynamics of cell-free synthetic systems. At the same time, experimental biologists have begun to study dynamics of in vitro systems encapsulated by amphiphilic molecules, opening the door for the development of a new generation of biomimetic systems. In this review, we explore both in vivo and in vitro models of biochemical networks with a special focus on tools that could be applied to the construction of cell-free expression systems. We believe that quantitative studies of complex cellular mechanisms and pathways in synthetic systems can yield important insights into what makes cells different from conventional chemical systems.

Synthetic Biology Outside the Cell: Linking Computational Tools to Cell-Free Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel eLewis

2014-12-01

Full Text Available As mathematical models become more commonly integrated into the study of biology, a common language for describing biological processes is manifesting. Many tools have emerged for the simulation of in vivo systems, with only a few examples of prominent work done on predicting the dynamics of cell-free systems. At the same time, experimental biologists have begun to study dynamics of in vitro systems encapsulated by amphiphilic molecules, opening the door for the development of a new generation of biomimetic systems. In this review, we explore both in vivo and in vitro models of biochemical networks with a special focus on tools that could be applied to the construction of cell-free expression systems. We believe that quantitative studies of complex cellular mechanisms and pathways in synthetic systems can yield important insights into what makes cells different from conventional chemical systems.

Positive cell-free fetal DNA testing for trisomy 13 reveals confined placental mosaicism.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, April L; Drendel, Holli M; Verbrugge, Jennifer L; Reese, Angela M; Schumacher, Katherine L; Griffith, Christopher B; Weaver, David D; Abernathy, Mary P; Litton, Christian G; Vance, Gail H

2013-09-01

We report on a case in which cell-free fetal DNA was positive for trisomy 13 most likely due to confined placental mosaicism. Cell-free fetal DNA testing analyzes DNA derived from placental trophoblast cells and can lead to incorrect results that are not representative of the fetus. We sought to confirm commercial cell-free fetal DNA testing results by chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis. These results were followed up by postnatal chromosome analysis of cord blood and placental tissue. First-trimester cell-free fetal DNA test results were positive for trisomy 13. Cytogenetic analysis of chorionic villus sampling yielded a mosaic karyotype of 47,XY,+13[10]/46,XY[12]. G-banded analysis of amniotic fluid was normal, 46,XY. Postnatal cytogenetic analysis of cord blood was normal. Karyotyping of tissues from four quadrants of the placenta demonstrated mosaicism for trisomy 13 in two of the quadrants and a normal karyotype in the other two. Our case illustrates several important aspects of this new testing methodology: that cell-free fetal DNA may not be representative of the fetal karyotype; that follow-up with diagnostic testing of chorionic villus sampling and/or amniotic fluid for abnormal test results should be performed; and that pretest counseling regarding the full benefits, limitations, and possible testing outcomes of cell-free fetal DNA screening is important.

A sensitive gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric aptasensor for Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Jinglei; Wu, Shijia; Duan, Nuo; Ma, Xiaoyuan; Xia, Yu; Chen, Jie; Ding, Zhansheng; Wang, Zhouping

2014-09-01

In this study, a gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric aptasensor for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) using tyramine signal amplification (TSA) technology has been developed. First, the biotinylated aptamer specific for S. aureus was immobilized on the surface of the wells of the microtiter plate via biotin-avidin binding. Then, the target bacteria (S. aureus), biotinylated-aptamer-streptavidin-HRP conjugates, biotinylated tyramine, hydrogen peroxide and avidin-catalase were successively introduced into the wells of the microtiter plate. After that, the existing catalase consumed the hydrogen peroxide. Finally, the freshly prepared gold (III) chloride trihydrate was added, the color of the reaction production would be changed and the absorbance at 550 nm could be measured with a plate reader. Under optimized conditions, there was a linear relationship between the absorbance at 550 nm and the concentration of S. aureus over the range from 10 to 10(6) cfu mL(-1) (with an R² of 0.9947). The limit of the developed method was determined to be 9 cfu mL(-1). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells from dissociated monolayer and feeder-free cultured pluripotent stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, Tomoko; Miyamoto, Yuki; Bando, Yoshio; Ono, Takashi; Kobayashi, Sakurako; Doi, Ayano; Araki, Toshihiro; Kato, Yosuke; Shirakawa, Takayuki; Suzuki, Yutaka; Yamauchi, Junji; Yoshida, Shigetaka; Sato, Naoya

2017-01-01

Oligodendrocytes myelinate axons and form myelin sheaths in the central nervous system. The development of therapies for demyelinating diseases, including multiple sclerosis and leukodystrophies, is a challenge because the pathogenic mechanisms of disease remain poorly understood. Primate pluripotent stem cell-derived oligodendrocytes are expected to help elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of these diseases. Oligodendrocytes have been successfully differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells. However, it is challenging to prepare large amounts of oligodendrocytes over a short amount of time because of manipulation difficulties under conventional primate pluripotent stem cell culture methods. We developed a proprietary dissociated monolayer and feeder-free culture system to handle pluripotent stem cell cultures. Because the dissociated monolayer and feeder-free culture system improves the quality and growth of primate pluripotent stem cells, these cells could potentially be differentiated into any desired functional cells and consistently cultured in large-scale conditions. In the current study, oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and mature oligodendrocytes were generated within three months from monkey embryonic stem cells. The embryonic stem cell-derived oligodendrocytes exhibited in vitro myelinogenic potency with rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. Additionally, the transplanted oligodendrocyte progenitor cells differentiated into myelin basic protein-positive mature oligodendrocytes in the mouse corpus callosum. This preparative method was used for human induced pluripotent stem cells, which were also successfully differentiated into oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and mature oligodendrocytes that were capable of myelinating rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. Moreover, it was possible to freeze, thaw, and successfully re-culture the differentiating cells. These results showed that embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells maintained in a

Customization of flexographic printing plates related to uvc-induced changes in the crosslinking degree

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tamara Tomašegović

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the swelling properties of photopolymer flexographic printing plates related to the variations of UVC post-treatment have been analysed. The aim of the research was to interconnect the changes in the crosslinking degree of the photopolymer material occurring due to the modified UVC radiation of the printing plate and the changes of its surface free energy crucial in the graphic reproduction process. Changes in the crosslinking degree in the photopolymer materials have been analysed by the swelling experiments. Results have proven that the partial dissolution of the photopolymer material caused by the immersion of the printing plates in various solvents is in the direct relation with the changes of the dispersive surface free energy. UVC post-treatment, used for the crosslinking termination and the definition of the surface properties of printing plates, is therefore directly affecting the resistivity of the printing plate in the solvent environment. By calculating the correlation coefficients for the weight loss of the photopolymer material in solvents and the dispersive surface free energy, the relation between the crosslinking degree and the UVC post-treatment has been established.

The study of electroplating trivalent CrC alloy coatings with different current densities on stainless steel 304 as bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Hsiang-Cheng; Hou, Kung-Hsu; Lu, Chen-En; Ger, Ming-Der

2014-01-01

In this study, the trivalent Cr–C coatings were electroplated on stainless steel 304 (SS304) substrates for an application in bipolar plates (BPPs) that was because of coating's excellent electric conductivity and corrosion resistance. The images of scanning electron microscope showed that the thickness of the coatings was between 1.4 and 11.4 μm, which increased with increase of coating current density. The surface morphology of Cr–C plated at coating current density of 10 A/dm 2 was smooth, crack- and pinhole-free, while cracks and pinholes appearing in networks were observed apparently in the deposits plated at a higher coating current density. Additionally, the C content in the coating decreased with increasing the coating current density. Moreover, the polarization curve with different coating current densities (10, 30, 50 A/dm 2 ) exhibited the coating prepared at 10 A/dm 2 and 10 min possessing the best corrosion resistance (I corr = 9.360 × 10 −8 A/cm 2 ). The contact resistance of Cr–C plated at coating current density of 10 A/dm 2 was the lowest (16.54 mΩ cm 2 at 150 N cm −2 ), which showed great potential of application. The single cell test with Cr–C coated SS304 prepared at coating current density of 10 A/dm 2 as BPPs showed the highest current density (about 791.532 mA/cm 2 ) and power density (about 270.150 mW/cm 2 ). - Highlights: • The Cr–C coatings on steel are electroplated for utilization as bipolar plate. • The electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance increase with carbon content. • The power density of Cr–C coated steel is superior to the bare steel

The study of electroplating trivalent CrC alloy coatings with different current densities on stainless steel 304 as bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hsiang-Cheng [Graduate School of Defense Science, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense University, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Hou, Kung-Hsu, E-mail: khou@ndu.edu.tw [Department of Power Vehicle and Systems Engineering, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense University, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Lu, Chen-En [Graduate School of Defense Science, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense University, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China); Ger, Ming-Der [Department of Applied Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense University, Taoyuan, Taiwan (China)

2014-11-03

In this study, the trivalent Cr–C coatings were electroplated on stainless steel 304 (SS304) substrates for an application in bipolar plates (BPPs) that was because of coating's excellent electric conductivity and corrosion resistance. The images of scanning electron microscope showed that the thickness of the coatings was between 1.4 and 11.4 μm, which increased with increase of coating current density. The surface morphology of Cr–C plated at coating current density of 10 A/dm{sup 2} was smooth, crack- and pinhole-free, while cracks and pinholes appearing in networks were observed apparently in the deposits plated at a higher coating current density. Additionally, the C content in the coating decreased with increasing the coating current density. Moreover, the polarization curve with different coating current densities (10, 30, 50 A/dm{sup 2}) exhibited the coating prepared at 10 A/dm{sup 2} and 10 min possessing the best corrosion resistance (I{sub corr} = 9.360 × 10{sup −8} A/cm{sup 2}). The contact resistance of Cr–C plated at coating current density of 10 A/dm{sup 2} was the lowest (16.54 mΩ cm{sup 2} at 150 N cm{sup −2}), which showed great potential of application. The single cell test with Cr–C coated SS304 prepared at coating current density of 10 A/dm{sup 2} as BPPs showed the highest current density (about 791.532 mA/cm{sup 2}) and power density (about 270.150 mW/cm{sup 2}). - Highlights: • The Cr–C coatings on steel are electroplated for utilization as bipolar plate. • The electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance increase with carbon content. • The power density of Cr–C coated steel is superior to the bare steel.

Modeling the hydrodynamics of Phloem sieve plates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kaare Hartvig; Mullendore, Daniel Leroy; Holbrook, Noel Michele

2012-01-01

Sieve plates have an enormous impact on the efficiency of the phloem vascular system of plants, responsible for the distribution of photosynthetic products. These thin plates, which separate neighboring phloem cells, are perforated by a large number of tiny sieve pores and are believed to play...... understood. We propose a theoretical model for quantifying the effect of sieve plates on the phloem in the plant, thus unifying and improving previous work in the field. Numerical simulations of the flow in real and idealized phloem channels verify our model, and anatomical data from 19 plant species...... a crucial role in protecting the phloem sap from intruding animals by blocking flow when the phloem cell is damaged. The resistance to the flow of viscous sap in the phloem vascular system is strongly affected by the presence of the sieve plates, but the hydrodynamics of the flow through them remains poorly...

PEM fuel cells with injection moulded bipolar plates of highly filled graphite compounds; PEM-Brennstoffzellen mit spritzgegossenen Bipolarplatten aus hochgefuelltem Graphit-Compound

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kreuz, Can

2008-04-11

This work concerns with the injection moulding of highly filled graphite compounds to bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells in a power output range between 100 - 500 Watts. A particular focus is laid on the combination of the three multidisciplinary scopes like material development, production technology and component development / design. The results of the work are specified by the process-oriented characterisation of the developed and manufactured bipolar plates as well as their application in a functioning fuel cell. (orig.)

Pathway to low-cost metallization of silicon solar cell through understanding of the silicon metal interface and plating chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebong, Abasifreke

2014-01-01

Metallization is crucial to silicon solar cell performance. It is the second most expensive process step in the fabrication of a solar cell. In order to reduce the cost of solar cell, the metallization cost has to be cut down by using less metal without compromising the efficiency. Screen-printing has been used in metallizing the commercial solar cell because of the high throughput and low cost at the expense of performance. However, because of the variability in the screen-printed gridlines, the amount of Ag metal used cannot be controlled. More so, the dependence of the contact resistance on doping necessitates the use of low sheet resistance emitters, which exacerbates losses in the blue response and hence the efficiency. To balance the contact resistance and improve blue response, several approaches have been undertaken including, use of Ag pastes incorporating nanoparticle glass frits that will not diffuse excessively into a lightly doped emitter, Ni plating on lightly doped emitter through SiNx dielectric plus NiSi formation followed by Cu and/or Ag plating, light induced plating (LIP) of Ag or Cu on fired through dielectric metal seed layers formed by aerosol or inkjet or screen-printing. All these approaches require excellent adhesion and gridline conductivity to minimize the total series resistance, which impedes the collection of electrons. This paper presents the issues and the pathway to achieving high efficiency using low cost metallization technology involving inkjet-printed Ag fine gridline having 38 μm width and 3 μm height fired through the SiNx followed by Ni and Cu plating. A comprehensive analysis of silicon/metal interface, using high precision microscopy, has shown that the investigated metallization technology is appropriate for the longevity of the device

Direct simulation of flat-plate boundary layer with mild free-stream turbulence

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaohua; Moin, Parviz

2014-11-01

Spatially evolving direct numerical simulation of the flat-plate boundary layer has been performed. The momentum thickness Reynolds number develops from 80 to 3000 with a free-stream turbulence intensity decaying from 3 percent to 0.8 percent. Predicted skin-friction is in agreement with the Blasius solution prior to breakdown, follows the well-known T3A bypass transition data during transition, and agrees with the Erm and Joubert Melbourne wind-tunnel data after the completion of transition. We introduce the concept of bypass transition in the narrow sense. Streaks, although present, do not appear to be dynamically important during the present bypass transition as they occur downstream of infant turbulent spots. For the turbulent boundary layer, viscous scaling collapses the rate of dissipation profiles in the logarithmic region at different Reynolds numbers. The ratio of Taylor microscale and the Kolmogorov length scale is nearly constant over a large portion of the outer layer. The ratio of large-eddy characteristic length and the boundary layer thickness scales very well with Reynolds number. The turbulent boundary layer is also statistically analyzed using frequency spectra, conditional-sampling, and two-point correlations. Near momentum thickness Reynolds number of 2900, three layers of coherent vortices are observed: the upper and lower layers are distinct hairpin forests of large and small sizes respectively; the middle layer consists of mostly fragmented hairpin elements.

Comparing handheld and hands-free cell phone usage behaviors while driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Soccolich, Susan A; Fitch, Gregory M; Perez, Miguel A; Hanowski, Richard J

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to compare cell phone usage behaviors while driving across 3 types of cell phones: handheld (HH) cell phones, portable hands-free (PHF) cell phones, and integrated hands-free (IHF) cell phones. Naturalistic driving data were used to observe HH, PHF, and IHF usage behaviors in participants' own vehicles without any instructions or manipulations by researchers. In addition to naturalistic driving data, drivers provided their personal cell phone call records. Calls during driving were sampled and observed in naturalistically collected video. Calls were reviewed to identify cell phone type used for, and duration of, cell phone subtasks, non-cell phone secondary tasks, and other use behaviors. Drivers in the study self-identified as HH, PHF, or IHF users if they reported using that cell phone type at least 50% of the time. However, each sampled call was classified as HH, PHF, or IHF if the talking/listening subtask was conducted using that cell phone type, without considering the driver's self-reported group. Drivers with PHF or IHF systems also used HH cell phones (IHF group used HH cell phone in 53.2% of the interactions, PHF group used HH cell phone for 55.5% of interactions). Talking/listening on a PHF phone or an IHF phone was significantly longer than talking/listening on an HH phone (P phone call task for HH phones was significantly longer in duration than the end phone call task for PHF and IHF phones. Of all the non-cell phone-related secondary tasks, eating or drinking was found to occur significantly more often during IHF subtasks (0.58%) than in HH subtasks (0.15%). Drivers observed to reach for their cell phone mostly kept their cell phone in the cup holder (36.3%) or in their seat or lap (29.0% of interactions); however, some observed locations may have required drivers to move out of position. Hands-free cell phone technologies reduce the duration of cell phone visual-manual tasks compared to handheld cell phones. However

New technology for regiospecific covalent coupling of polysaccharide antigens in ELISA for serological detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jauho, E.S.; Boas, Ulrik; Wiuff, Camilla

2000-01-01

In this study we demonstrate a new UV irradiation technique for covalent coupling of bacterial polysaccharides derived from lipopolysaccharides to microtiter plates and the use of such plates in an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Lipopolysaccharides were cleaved by mild acid hydrolysis...... describe the use of this technique for the immobilization of Lipopolysaccharide derived polysaccharides from Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Choleraesuis lipopolysaccharides, representing the O-antigens 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12, The functional polysaccharide surface gave similar ELISA results to plates...

Confocal microscopy of colloidal dispersions in shear flow using a counter-rotating cone-plate shear cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derks, Didi; Wisman, Hans; Blaaderen, Alfons van; Imhof, Arnout

2004-01-01

We report on novel possibilities for studying colloidal suspensions in a steady shear field in real space. Fluorescence confocal microscopy is combined with the use of a counter-rotating cone-plate shear cell. This allows imaging of individual particles in the bulk of a sheared suspension in a stationary plane. Moreover, this plane of zero velocity can be moved in the velocity gradient direction while keeping the shear rate constant. The colloidal system under study consists of rhodamine labelled PMMA spheres in a nearly density and refractive index matched mixture of cyclohexylbromide and cis-decalin. We show measured flow profiles in both the fluid and the crystalline phase and find indications for shear banding in the case of a sheared crystal. Furthermore, we show that, thanks to the counter-rotating principle of the cone-plate shear cell, a layer of particles in the bulk of a sheared crystalline suspension can be imaged for a prolonged time, with the result that their positions can be tracked

Advanced feeder-free generation of induced pluripotent stem cells directly from blood cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Trokovic, Ras; Weltner, Jere; Nishimura, Ken; Ohtaka, Manami; Nakanishi, Mahito; Salomaa, Veikko; Jalanko, Anu; Otonkoski, Timo; Kyttälä, Aija

2014-12-01

Generation of validated human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for biobanking is essential for exploring the full potential of iPSCs in disease modeling and drug discovery. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are attractive targets for reprogramming, because blood is collected by a routine clinical procedure and is a commonly stored material in biobanks. Generation of iPSCs from blood cells has previously been reported using integrative retroviruses, episomal Sendai viruses, and DNA plasmids. However, most of the published protocols require expansion and/or activation of a specific cell population from PBMCs. We have recently collected a PBMC cohort from the Finnish population containing more than 2,000 subjects. Here we report efficient generation of iPSCs directly from PBMCs in feeder-free conditions in approximately 2 weeks. The produced iPSC clones are pluripotent and transgene-free. Together, these properties make this novel method a powerful tool for large-scale reprogramming of PBMCs and for iPSC biobanking. ©AlphaMed Press.

Maintaining Microclimates during Nanoliter Chemical Dispensations Using Custom-Designed Source Plate Lids.

Science.gov (United States)

Foley, Bryan J; Drozd, Ashley M; Bollard, Mary T; Laspina, Denise; Podobedov, Nikita; Zeniou, Nicholas; Rao, Anjali S; Andi, Babak; Jackimowicz, Rick; Sweet, Robert M; McSweeney, Sean; Soares, Alexei S

2016-02-01

A method is described for using custom snap-on lids to protect chemicals in microtiter plates from evaporation and contamination. The lids contain apertures (diameter 1.5, 1.0, or 0.5 mm) through which the chemical building blocks can be transferred. The lid with 0.5 mm apertures was tested using a noncontact acoustic liquid handler; the 1.0 and 1.5 mm lids were tested using two tip-based liquid handlers. All of the lids reduced the rate at which solvents evaporated to room air, and greatly reduced the rate of contamination by water and oxygen from room air. In steady-state measurements, the lids reduced the rate of evaporation of methanol, 1-hexene, and water by 33% to 248%. In cycled experiments, the contamination of aqueous solvent with oxygen was reduced below detectability and the rate at which DMSO engorged atmospheric water was reduced by 81%. Our results demonstrate that the lids preserve the integrity of air-sensitive reagents during the time needed for different types of liquid handlers to perform dispensations. Controlling degradation and evaporation of chemical building blocks exposed to the atmosphere is increasingly useful as the reagent volume is reduced by advances in liquid handling technology, such as acoustic droplet ejection. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Vibration modes of a single plate with general boundary conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Phamová L.

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with free flexural vibration modes and natural frequencies of a thin plate with general boundary conditions — a simply supported plate connected to its surroundings with torsional springs. Vibration modes were derived on the basis of the Rajalingham, Bhat and Xistris approach. This approach was originally used for a clamped thin plate, so its adaptation was needed. The plate vibration function was usually expressed as a single partial differential equation. This partial differential equation was transformed into two ordinary differential equations that can be solved in the simpler way. Theoretical background of the computations is briefly described. Vibration modes of the supported plate with torsional springs are presented graphically and numerically for three different values of stiffness of torsional springs.

Aperture-based antihydrogen gravity experiment: Parallel plate geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Rocha, J. R.; Hedlof, R. M.; Ordonez, C. A.

2013-10-01

An analytical model and a Monte Carlo simulation are presented of an experiment that could be used to determine the direction of the acceleration of antihydrogen due to gravity. The experiment would rely on methods developed by existing antihydrogen research collaborations. The configuration consists of two circular, parallel plates that have an axis of symmetry directed away from the center of the earth. The plates are separated by a small vertical distance, and include one or more pairs of circular barriers that protrude from the upper and lower plates, thereby forming an aperture between the plates. Antihydrogen annihilations that occur just beyond each barrier, within a "shadow" region, are asymmetric on the upper plate relative to the lower plate. The probability for such annihilations is determined for a point, line and spheroidal source of antihydrogen. The production of 100,000 antiatoms is predicted to be necessary for the aperture-based experiment to indicate the direction of free fall acceleration of antimatter, provided that antihydrogen is produced within a sufficiently small antiproton plasma at a temperature of 4 K.

Aperture-based antihydrogen gravity experiment: Parallel plate geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rocha, J. R.; Hedlof, R. M.; Ordonez, C. A. [Department of Physics, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203 (United States)

2013-10-15

An analytical model and a Monte Carlo simulation are presented of an experiment that could be used to determine the direction of the acceleration of antihydrogen due to gravity. The experiment would rely on methods developed by existing antihydrogen research collaborations. The configuration consists of two circular, parallel plates that have an axis of symmetry directed away from the center of the earth. The plates are separated by a small vertical distance, and include one or more pairs of circular barriers that protrude from the upper and lower plates, thereby forming an aperture between the plates. Antihydrogen annihilations that occur just beyond each barrier, within a “shadow” region, are asymmetric on the upper plate relative to the lower plate. The probability for such annihilations is determined for a point, line and spheroidal source of antihydrogen. The production of 100,000 antiatoms is predicted to be necessary for the aperture-based experiment to indicate the direction of free fall acceleration of antimatter, provided that antihydrogen is produced within a sufficiently small antiproton plasma at a temperature of 4 K.

Aperture-based antihydrogen gravity experiment: Parallel plate geometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. R. Rocha

2013-10-01

Full Text Available An analytical model and a Monte Carlo simulation are presented of an experiment that could be used to determine the direction of the acceleration of antihydrogen due to gravity. The experiment would rely on methods developed by existing antihydrogen research collaborations. The configuration consists of two circular, parallel plates that have an axis of symmetry directed away from the center of the earth. The plates are separated by a small vertical distance, and include one or more pairs of circular barriers that protrude from the upper and lower plates, thereby forming an aperture between the plates. Antihydrogen annihilations that occur just beyond each barrier, within a “shadow” region, are asymmetric on the upper plate relative to the lower plate. The probability for such annihilations is determined for a point, line and spheroidal source of antihydrogen. The production of 100,000 antiatoms is predicted to be necessary for the aperture-based experiment to indicate the direction of free fall acceleration of antimatter, provided that antihydrogen is produced within a sufficiently small antiproton plasma at a temperature of 4 K.

Undergraduate Laboratory Module for Implementing ELISA on the High Performance Microfluidic Platform

Science.gov (United States)

Giri, Basant; Peesara, Ravichander R.; Yanagisawa, Naoki; Dutta, Debashis

2015-01-01

Implementing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in microchannels offers several advantages over its traditional microtiter plate-based format, including a reduced sample volume requirement, shorter incubation period, and greater sensitivity. Moreover, microfluidic ELISA platforms are inexpensive to fabricate and allow integration of…

High-throughput and automated diagnosis of antimicrobial resistance using a cost-effective cellphone-based micro-plate reader

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Steve; Tseng, Derek; di Carlo, Dino; Garner, Omai B.; Ozcan, Aydogan

2016-12-01

Routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) can prevent deaths due to bacteria and reduce the spread of multi-drug-resistance, but cannot be regularly performed in resource-limited-settings due to technological challenges, high-costs, and lack of trained professionals. We demonstrate an automated and cost-effective cellphone-based 96-well microtiter-plate (MTP) reader, capable of performing AST without the need for trained diagnosticians. Our system includes a 3D-printed smartphone attachment that holds and illuminates the MTP using a light-emitting-diode array. An inexpensive optical fiber-array enables the capture of the transmitted light of each well through the smartphone camera. A custom-designed application sends the captured image to a server to automatically determine well-turbidity, with results returned to the smartphone in ~1 minute. We tested this mobile-reader using MTPs prepared with 17 antibiotics targeting Gram-negative bacteria on clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, containing highly-resistant antimicrobial profiles. Using 78 patient isolate test-plates, we demonstrated that our mobile-reader meets the FDA-defined AST criteria, with a well-turbidity detection accuracy of 98.21%, minimum-inhibitory-concentration accuracy of 95.12%, and a drug-susceptibility interpretation accuracy of 99.23%, with no very major errors. This mobile-reader could eliminate the need for trained diagnosticians to perform AST, reduce the cost-barrier for routine testing, and assist in spatio-temporal tracking of bacterial resistance.

Fetal Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Differentiating towards Chondrocytes Acquire a Gene Expression Profile Resembling Human Growth Plate Cartilage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Gool, S.A.; Emons, J.A.M.; Leijten, Jeroen Christianus Hermanus; Decker, E.; Sticht, C.; van Houwelingen, J.C.; Goeman, J.J.; Kleijburg, C.; Scherjon, S.; Gretz, N.; Wit, J.M.; Rappold, G.; Post, Janine Nicole; Karperien, Hermanus Bernardus Johannes

2012-01-01

Abstract We used human fetal bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hfMSCs) differentiating towards chondrocytes as an alternative model for the human growth plate (GP). Our aims were to study gene expression patterns associated with chondrogenic differentiation to assess whether

The Impact of Reduced Gravity on Free Convective Heat Transfer from a Finite, Flat, Vertical Plate

Science.gov (United States)

Lotto, Michael A.; Johnson, Kirstyn M.; Nie, Christopher W.; Klaus, David M.

2017-10-01

Convective heat transfer is governed by a number of factors including various fluid properties, the presence of a thermal gradient, geometric configuration, flow condition, and gravity. Empirically-derived analytical relationships can be used to estimate convection as a function of these governing parameters. Although it is relatively straightforward to experimentally quantify the contributions of the majority of these variables, it is logistically difficult to assess the influence of reduced-gravity due to practical limitations of establishing this environment. Therefore, in order to explore this regime, a series of tests was conducted to evaluate convection under reduced-gravity conditions averaging 0.45 m/sec2 (0.05 g) achieved aboard a parabolic aircraft. The results showed a reduction in net heat transfer of approximately 61% in flight relative to a 1 g terrestrial baseline using the same setup. The average experimental Nusselt Number of 19.05 ± 1.41 statistically correlated with the predicted value of 18.90 ± 0.63 (N = 13), estimated using the Churchill-Chu correlation for free convective heat transfer from a finite, flat, vertical plate. Extrapolating this to similar performance in true microgravity (10-6 g) indicates that these conditions should yield a Nusselt Number of 1.27, which is 2.6% the magnitude of free convection at 1 g, or a reduction of 97.4%. With advection essentially eliminated, heat transfer becomes limited to diffusion and radiation, which are gravity-independent and nearly equivalent in magnitude in this case. These results offer a general guideline for integrating components that utilize natural (free) convective gas cooling in a spacecraft habitat and properly sizing the thermal control system.

A multi-component parallel-plate flow chamber system for studying the effect of exercise-induced wall shear stress on endothelial cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yan-Xia; Xiang, Cheng; Liu, Bo; Zhu, Yong; Luan, Yong; Liu, Shu-Tian; Qin, Kai-Rong

2016-12-28

In vivo studies have demonstrated that reasonable exercise training can improve endothelial function. To confirm the key role of wall shear stress induced by exercise on endothelial cells, and to understand how wall shear stress affects the structure and the function of endothelial cells, it is crucial to design and fabricate an in vitro multi-component parallel-plate flow chamber system which can closely replicate exercise-induced wall shear stress waveforms in artery. The in vivo wall shear stress waveforms from the common carotid artery of a healthy volunteer in resting and immediately after 30 min acute aerobic cycling exercise were first calculated by measuring the inner diameter and the center-line blood flow velocity with a color Doppler ultrasound. According to the above in vivo wall shear stress waveforms, we designed and fabricated a parallel-plate flow chamber system with appropriate components based on a lumped parameter hemodynamics model. To validate the feasibility of this system, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) line were cultured within the parallel-plate flow chamber under abovementioned two types of wall shear stress waveforms and the intracellular actin microfilaments and nitric oxide (NO) production level were evaluated using fluorescence microscope. Our results show that the trends of resting and exercise-induced wall shear stress waveforms, especially the maximal, minimal and mean wall shear stress as well as oscillatory shear index, generated by the parallel-plate flow chamber system are similar to those acquired from the common carotid artery. In addition, the cellular experiments demonstrate that the actin microfilaments and the production of NO within cells exposed to the two different wall shear stress waveforms exhibit different dynamic behaviors; there are larger numbers of actin microfilaments and higher level NO in cells exposed in exercise-induced wall shear stress condition than resting wall shear stress condition

Rapid acquisition and model-based analysis of cell-free transcription–translation reactions from nonmodel bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Wienecke, Sarah; Ishwarbhai, Alka; Tsipa, Argyro; Aw, Rochelle; Kylilis, Nicolas; Bell, David J.; McClymont, David W.; Jensen, Kirsten; Biedendieck, Rebekka

2018-01-01

Native cell-free transcription–translation systems offer a rapid route to characterize the regulatory elements (promoters, transcription factors) for gene expression from nonmodel microbial hosts, which can be difficult to assess through traditional in vivo approaches. One such host, Bacillus megaterium, is a giant Gram-positive bacterium with potential biotechnology applications, although many of its regulatory elements remain uncharacterized. Here, we have developed a rapid automated platform for measuring and modeling in vitro cell-free reactions and have applied this to B. megaterium to quantify a range of ribosome binding site variants and previously uncharacterized endogenous constitutive and inducible promoters. To provide quantitative models for cell-free systems, we have also applied a Bayesian approach to infer ordinary differential equation model parameters by simultaneously using time-course data from multiple experimental conditions. Using this modeling framework, we were able to infer previously unknown transcription factor binding affinities and quantify the sharing of cell-free transcription–translation resources (energy, ribosomes, RNA polymerases, nucleotides, and amino acids) using a promoter competition experiment. This allows insights into resource limiting-factors in batch cell-free synthesis mode. Our combined automated and modeling platform allows for the rapid acquisition and model-based analysis of cell-free transcription–translation data from uncharacterized microbial cell hosts, as well as resource competition within cell-free systems, which potentially can be applied to a range of cell-free synthetic biology and biotechnology applications. PMID:29666238

Aluminum cathode plates in zinc electrowinning cells: microstructural and failure analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buarzaiga, M.; Dreisinger, D.; Tromans, D.; Gonzalez, J.A.

2001-01-01

The microstructure of aluminum cathode plates used in zinc electrowinning was analyzed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Three principal phases dominated the microstructure: primary aluminum, uniformly distributed intermetallic particles, and round rosettes. The intermetallics exhibited blade shape morphology, light gray color, and were aligned in the rolling direction. The chemical composition of the intermetallic particles was consistent with FeAl 3 . Angular particles of elemental silicon were also detected. Failure characteristics of industrial cathode plates were analyzed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, and x-ray diffraction analysis. Three distinct corrosion zones were identified on failed plates: Zone I below the electrolyte/air interface, Zone II 0-40 mm above the electrolyte/air interface, and Zone III 40-140 mm above the electrolyte/air interface. After 24 months in service, the corrosion damage in Zones I and III was equivalent to ca. 10% reduction in plate thickness. Zone II experienced the greatest corrosion damage; the reduction in plate thickness was ca. 80%. Some plates exhibited severe thinning and perforation, which occurred preferentially near the electrical contact edge. Plates often fail in service by fracture in Zone II. (author)

Label-free and live cell imaging by interferometric scattering microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jin-Sung; Lee, Il-Buem; Moon, Hyeon-Min; Joo, Jong-Hyeon; Kim, Kyoung-Hoon; Hong, Seok-Cheol; Cho, Minhaeng

2018-03-14

Despite recent remarkable advances in microscopic techniques, it still remains very challenging to directly observe the complex structure of cytoplasmic organelles in live cells without a fluorescent label. Here we report label-free and live-cell imaging of mammalian cell, Escherischia coli , and yeast, using interferometric scattering microscopy, which reveals the underlying structures of a variety of cytoplasmic organelles as well as the underside structure of the cells. The contact areas of the cells attached onto a glass substrate, e.g. , focal adhesions and filopodia, are clearly discernible. We also found a variety of fringe-like features in the cytoplasmic area, which may reflect the folded structures of cytoplasmic organelles. We thus anticipate that the label-free interferometric scattering microscopy can be used as a powerful tool to shed interferometric light on in vivo structures and dynamics of various intracellular phenomena.

Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation on gain saturation effect of microchannel plate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Qiangqiang; Yuan, Zheng; Cao, Zhurong, E-mail: cao33jin@aliyun.com; Deng, Bo; Chen, Tao; Deng, Keli [Research Center of Laser Fusion, Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, Sichuan 621900 (China)

2016-07-15

We present here the results of the simulation work, using the three-dimensional particle-in-cell method, on the performance of the lead glass microchannel plate under saturated state. We calculated the electron cascade process with different DC bias voltages under both self-consistent condition and non-self-consistent condition. The comparative results have demonstrated that the strong self-consistent field can suppress the cascade process and make the microchannel plate saturated. The simulation results were also compared to the experimental data and good agreement was obtained. The simulation results also show that the electron multiplication process in the channel is accompanied by the buildup process of positive charges in the channel wall. Though the interactions among the secondary electron cloud in the channel, the positive charges in the channel wall, and the external acceleration field can make the electron-surface collision more frequent, the collision energy will be inevitably reduced, thus the electron gain will also be reduced.

Serum-Free Media and the Immunoregulatory Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Vivo and In Vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mei Wu

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Mesenchymal stem cells are capable of self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation. They are used extensively to treat several diseases. Traditionally, mesenchymal stem cells are cultured in serum-containing media, typically supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS. However, the variability of FBS is likely to skew experimental results. Although serum-free media used to expand mesenchymal stem cells has facilitated remarkable achievements, immunomodulation of these cells in under serum-free conditions is poorly understood. We hypothesized that mesenchymal stem cells expanded in serum-free media will retain powerful immunoregulatory functions in vitro and in vivo. Design and Methods: Immunosuppressive activity and the immunomodulatory cytokines produced by mesenchymal stem cells in serum-free media were characterized in vitro. Immunomodulation by serum-free mesenchymal stem cell expansion in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension was explored in vivo. Results: Similar to cells in serum-containing media, mesenchymal stem cells expanded in serum-free media inhibited proliferation and apoptosis of CD4+T cells. They also exhibited strong immunosuppressive activities and secreted high levels of immunomodulatory cytokines such as PGE2, IDO1, COX2, IL-6, and IL-1β, but not HGF. On the other hand, growth of mesenchymal stem cells in serum-free media attenuated pulmonary vascular remodeling and inhibited mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-18. Conclusions: Mesenchymal stem cells in serum-free media maintained powerful immunomodulatory function in vitro and in vivo; serum-free media may replace serum-containing media for basic research and clinical applications.

Progress in Electrolyte-Free Fuel Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Yuzheng; Zhu, Bin; Cai, Yixiao; Kim, Jung-Sik; Wang, Baoyuan; Wang, Jun; Zhang, Yaoming; Li, Junjiao

2016-01-01

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) represents a clean electrochemical energy conversion technology with characteristics of high conversion efficiency and low emissions. It is one of the most important new energy technologies in the future. However, the manufacture of SOFCs based on the structure of anode/electrolyte/cathode is complicated and time-consuming. Thus, the cost for the entire fabrication and technology is too high to be affordable, and challenges still hinder commercialization. Recently, a novel type of electrolyte-free fuel cell (EFFC) with single component was invented, which could be the potential candidate for the next generation of advanced fuel cells. This paper briefly introduces the EFFC, working principle, performance, and advantages with updated research progress. A number of key R&D issues about EFFCs have been addressed, and future opportunities and challenges are discussed.

Progress in Electrolyte-Free Fuel Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Yuzheng [Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Solar Energy Science and Technology, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing (China); Zhu, Bin, E-mail: binzhu@kth.se [Faculty of Physics and Electronic Technology, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan (China); Department of Energy Technology, Royal Institute of Technology KTH, Stockholm (Sweden); Cai, Yixiao [Ångström Laboratory, Department of Engineering Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala (Sweden); Kim, Jung-Sik [Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough (United Kingdom); Wang, Baoyuan [Faculty of Physics and Electronic Technology, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan (China); Department of Energy Technology, Royal Institute of Technology KTH, Stockholm (Sweden); Wang, Jun, E-mail: binzhu@kth.se; Zhang, Yaoming [Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Solar Energy Science and Technology, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing (China); Li, Junjiao [Nanjing Yunna Nano Technology Co., Ltd., Nanjing (China)

2016-05-02

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) represents a clean electrochemical energy conversion technology with characteristics of high conversion efficiency and low emissions. It is one of the most important new energy technologies in the future. However, the manufacture of SOFCs based on the structure of anode/electrolyte/cathode is complicated and time-consuming. Thus, the cost for the entire fabrication and technology is too high to be affordable, and challenges still hinder commercialization. Recently, a novel type of electrolyte-free fuel cell (EFFC) with single component was invented, which could be the potential candidate for the next generation of advanced fuel cells. This paper briefly introduces the EFFC, working principle, performance, and advantages with updated research progress. A number of key R&D issues about EFFCs have been addressed, and future opportunities and challenges are discussed.

Analysis of three idealized reactor configurations: plate, pin, and homogeneous

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKnight, R.D.

1983-01-01

Detailed Monte Carlo calculations have been performed for three distinct configurations of an idealized fast critical assembly. This idealized assembly was based on the LMFBR benchmark critical assembly ZPR-6/7. In the first configuration, the entire core was loaded with the plate unit cell of ZPR-6/7. In the second configuration, the entire core was loaded with the ZPR sodium-filled pin calandria. The actual ZPR pin calandria are loaded with mixed (U,Pu) oxide pins which closely match the composition of the ZPR-6/7 plate unit cell. For the present study, slight adjustments were made in the atom concentrations and the length of the pin calandria in order to make the core boundaries and average composition for the pin-cell configuration identical to those of the plate-cell configuration. In the third configuration, the core was homogeneous, again with identical core boundaries and average composition as the plate and pin configurations

Exact Solutions for Unsteady Free Convection Flow of Casson Fluid over an Oscillating Vertical Plate with Constant Wall Temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asma Khalid

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The unsteady free flow of a Casson fluid past an oscillating vertical plate with constant wall temperature has been studied. The Casson fluid model is used to distinguish the non-Newtonian fluid behaviour. The governing partial differential equations corresponding to the momentum and energy equations are transformed into linear ordinary differential equations by using nondimensional variables. Laplace transform method is used to find the exact solutions of these equations. Expressions for shear stress in terms of skin friction and the rate of heat transfer in terms of Nusselt number are also obtained. Numerical results of velocity and temperature profiles with various values of embedded flow parameters are shown graphically and their effects are discussed in detail.

Evaluation of materials for bipolar plates in simulated PEM fuel-cell cathodic environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rivas, S.V.; Belmonte, M.R.; Moron, L.E.; Torres, J.; Orozco, G. [Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo Technologico en Electroquimica S.C. Parcque Sanfandila, Queretaro (Mexico); Perez-Quiroz, J.T. [Mexican Transport Inst., Queretaro (Mexico); Cortes, M. A. [Mexican Petroleum Inst., Mexico City (Mexico)

2008-04-15

The bipolar plates in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are exposed to an oxidizing environment on the cathodic side, and therefore are susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion resistant materials are needed for the bipolar plates in order to improve the lifespan of fuel cells. This article described a study in which a molybdenum (Mo) coating was deposited over austenitic stainless steel 316 and carbon steel as substrates in order to evaluate the resulting surfaces with respect to their corrosion resistance in simulated anodic and cathodic PEMFC environments. The molybdenum oxide films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The article presented the experiment and discussed the results of the corrosion behaviour of coated stainless steel. In general, the electrochemical characterization of bare materials and coated steel consisted of slow potentiodynamic polarization curves followed by a constant potential polarization test. The test medium was 0.5M sulfuric acid with additional introduction of oxygen to simulate the cathodic environment. All tests were performed at ambient temperature and at 50 degrees Celsius. The potentiostat used was a Gamry instrument. It was concluded that it is possible to deposit Mo-oxides on steel without using another alloying metal. The preferred substrate for corrosion prevention was found to be an alloy with high chromium content. 24 refs., 4 figs.

Characterization of Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene-Based Composites for Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates and Development of Educational Tools in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez Gaxiola, Daniel

2011-01-01

In this project we developed conductive thermoplastic resins by adding varying amounts of three different carbon fillers: carbon black (CB), synthetic graphite (SG) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) to a polypropylene matrix for application as fuel cell bipolar plates. This component of fuel cells provides mechanical support to the stack,…

Cell-free DNA, inflammation, and the initiation of spontaneous term labor.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera, Christina A; Stoerker, Jay; Carlquist, John; Stoddard, Gregory J; Jackson, Marc; Esplin, Sean; Rose, Nancy C

2017-11-01

Hypomethylated cell-free DNA from senescent placental trophoblasts may be involved in the activation of the inflammatory cascade to initiate labor. To determine the changes in cell-free DNA concentrations, the methylation ratio, and inflammatory markers between women in labor at term vs women without labor. In this prospective cohort study, eligible participants carried a nonanomalous singleton fetus. Women with major medical comorbidity, preterm labor, progesterone use, aneuploidy, infectious disease, vaginal bleeding, abdominal trauma, or invasive procedures during the pregnancy were excluded. Maternal blood samples were collected at 28 weeks, 36 weeks, and at admission for delivery. Total cell-free DNA concentration, methylation ratio, and interleukin-6 were analyzed. The primary outcome was the difference in methylation ratio in women with labor vs without labor. Secondary outcomes included the longitudinal changes in these biomarkers corresponding to labor status. A total of 55 women were included; 20 presented in labor on admission and 35 presented without labor. Women in labor had significantly greater methylation ratio (P = .001) and interleukin-6 (P < .001) on admission for delivery than women without labor. After we controlled for body mass index and maternal age, methylation ratio (adjusted relative risk, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.13 to 1.68) and interleukin-6 (adjusted relative risk, 1.12, 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.17) remained greater in women presenting in labor. Total cell-free DNA was not significantly different in women with labor compared with women without. Longitudinally, total cell-free DNA (P < .001 in labor, P = .002 without labor) and interleukin-6 (P < .001 in labor, P = .01 without labor) increased significantly across gestation in both groups. The methylation ratio increased significantly in women with labor from 36 weeks to delivery (P = .02). Spontaneous labor at term is associated with a greater cell-free DNA

Applications of cell-free protein synthesis in synthetic biology: Interfacing bio-machinery with synthetic environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kyung-Ho; Kim, Dong-Myung

2013-11-01

Synthetic biology is built on the synthesis, engineering, and assembly of biological parts. Proteins are the first components considered for the construction of systems with designed biological functions because proteins carry out most of the biological functions and chemical reactions inside cells. Protein synthesis is considered to comprise the most basic levels of the hierarchical structure of synthetic biology. Cell-free protein synthesis has emerged as a powerful technology that can potentially transform the concept of bioprocesses. With the ability to harness the synthetic power of biology without many of the constraints of cell-based systems, cell-free protein synthesis enables the rapid creation of protein molecules from diverse sources of genetic information. Cell-free protein synthesis is virtually free from the intrinsic constraints of cell-based methods and offers greater flexibility in system design and manipulability of biological synthetic machinery. Among its potential applications, cell-free protein synthesis can be combined with various man-made devices for rapid functional analysis of genomic sequences. This review covers recent efforts to integrate cell-free protein synthesis with various reaction devices and analytical platforms. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Carbohydrate-dependent binding of langerin to SodC, a cell wall glycoprotein of Mycobacterium leprae.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hee Jin; Brennan, Patrick J; Heaslip, Darragh; Udey, Mark C; Modlin, Robert L; Belisle, John T

2015-02-01

Langerhans cells participate in the immune response in leprosy by their ability to activate T cells that recognize the pathogen, Mycobacterium leprae, in a langerin-dependent manner. We hypothesized that langerin, the distinguishing C-type lectin of Langerhans cells, would recognize the highly mannosylated structures in pathogenic Mycobacterium spp. The coding region for the extracellular and neck domain of human langerin was cloned and expressed to produce a recombinant active trimeric form of human langerin (r-langerin). Binding assays performed in microtiter plates, by two-dimensional (2D) Western blotting, and by surface plasmon resonance demonstrated that r-langerin possessed carbohydrate-dependent affinity to glycoproteins in the cell wall of M. leprae. This lectin, however, yielded less binding to mannose-capped lipoarabinomannan (ManLAM) and even lower levels of binding to phosphatidylinositol mannosides. However, the superoxide dismutase C (SodC) protein of the M. leprae cell wall was identified as a langerin-reactive ligand. Tandem mass spectrometry verified the glycosylation of a recombinant form of M. leprae SodC (rSodC) produced in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Analysis of r-langerin affinity by surface plasmon resonance revealed a carbohydrate-dependent affinity of rSodC (equilibrium dissociation constant [KD] = 0.862 μM) that was 20-fold greater than for M. leprae ManLAM (KD = 18.69 μM). These data strongly suggest that a subset of the presumptively mannosylated M. leprae glycoproteins act as ligands for langerin and may facilitate the interaction of M. leprae with Langerhans cells. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Investigating free radical generation in HepG2 cells using immuno-spin trapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Horinouchi, Yuya; Summers, Fiona A; Ehrenshaft, Marilyn; Kawazoe, Kazuyoshi; Tsuchiya, Koichiro; Tamaki, Toshiaki; Mason, Ronald P

2014-10-01

Oxidative stress can induce the generation of free radicals, which are believed to play an important role in both physiological and pathological processes and a number of diseases such as cancer. Therefore, it is important to identify chemicals which are capable of inducing oxidative stress. In this study, we evaluated the ability of four environmental chemicals, aniline, nitrosobenzene (NB), N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA) and N,N-dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline (DMNA), to induce free radicals and cellular damage in the hepatoma cell line HepG2. Cytotoxicity was assessed using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays and morphological changes were observed using phase contrast microscopy. Free radicals were detected by immuno-spin trapping (IST) in in-cell western experiments or in confocal microscopy experiments to determine the subcellular localization of free radical generation. DMNA induced free radical generation, LDH release and morphological changes in HepG2 cells whereas aniline, NB and DMA did not. Confocal microscopy showed that DMNA induced free radical generation mainly in the cytosol. Preincubation of HepG2 cells with N-acetylcysteine and 2,2'-dipyridyl significantly prevented free radical generation upon subsequent incubation with DMNA, whereas preincubation with apocynin and dimethyl sulfoxide did not. These results suggest that DMNA induces oxidative stress and that reactive oxygen species, metals and free radical generation play a critical role in DMNA-induced cytotoxicity. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Concentration of solar radiation by white painted transparent plates.

Science.gov (United States)

Smestad, G; Hamill, P

1982-04-01

A simple flat-plate solar concentrator is described in this paper. The device is composed of a white painted transparent plate with a photovoltaic cell fixed to an unpainted area on the bottom of the plate. Light scattering off the white material is either lost or directed to the solar cell. Experimental concentrations of up to 1.9 times the incident solar flux have been achieved using white clays. These values are close to those predicted by theory for the experimental parameters investigated. A theory of the device operation is developed. Using this theory suggestions are made for optimizing the concentrator system. For reasonable choices of cell and plate size and reflectivities of 80% concentrations of over 2x are possible. The concentrator has the advantage over other systems in that the concentration is independent of incidence angle and the concentrator is easy to produce. The device needs no tracking system and will concentrate on a cloudy day.

Free material optimization for laminated plates and shells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weldeyesus, Alemseged Gebrehiwot; Stolpe, Mathias

2016-01-01

Free Material Optimization (FMO) is a powerful approach for conceptual optimal design of composite structures. The design variable in FMO is the entire elastic material tensor which is allowed to vary almost freely over the design domain. The imposed requirements on the tensor are that it is symm......Free Material Optimization (FMO) is a powerful approach for conceptual optimal design of composite structures. The design variable in FMO is the entire elastic material tensor which is allowed to vary almost freely over the design domain. The imposed requirements on the tensor...

The influence of biosurfactants released by S-mitis BMS on the adhesion of pioneer strains and cariogenic bacteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Hoogmoed, CG; Van der Mei, HC; Busscher, HJ

2004-01-01

The influence of Streptococcus mitis BMS biosurfactants on the adhesion of eight pioneer and four cariogenic oral bacterial strains was, for a first screening, examined in a microtiter plate assay. The adhesion to pellicle-coated wells of three cariogenic strains was inhibited >70% by the

Repurposing metformin as a quorum sensing inhibitor in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2017-09-03

Sep 3, 2017 ... logic agent of a number of nosocomial infections includ- ing pneumonia .... wells of a 96-well microtiter plate, the bacterial suspen- sion was added in .... were determined and the search area was set to be 9 Å from the center ...

Preparation of ubiquitin-conjugated proteins using an insect cell-free protein synthesis system.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Takashi; Ezure, Toru; Ando, Eiji; Nishimura, Osamu; Utsumi, Toshihiko; Tsunasawa, Susumu

2010-01-01

Ubiquitination is one of the most significant posttranslational modifications (PTMs). To evaluate the ability of an insect cell-free protein synthesis system to carry out ubiquitin (Ub) conjugation to in vitro translated proteins, poly-Ub chain formation was studied in an insect cell-free protein synthesis system. Poly-Ub was generated in the presence of Ub aldehyde (UA), a de-ubiquitinating enzyme inhibitor. In vitro ubiquitination of the p53 tumor suppressor protein was also analyzed, and p53 was poly-ubiquitinated when Ub, UA, and Mdm2, an E3 Ub ligase (E3) for p53, were added to the in vitro reaction mixture. These results suggest that the insect cell-free protein synthesis system contains enzymatic activities capable of carrying out ubiquitination. CBB-detectable ubiquitinated p53 was easily purified from the insect cell-free protein synthesis system, allowing analysis of the Ub-conjugated proteins by mass spectrometry (MS). Lys 305 of p53 was identified as one of the Ub acceptor sites using this strategy. Thus, we conclude that the insect cell-free protein synthesis system is a powerful tool for studying various PTMs of eukaryotic proteins including ubiqutination presented here.

A single-cell and feeder-free culture system for monkey embryonic stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, Takashi; Suzuki, Yutaka; Kato, Yosuke; Fujita, Risako; Araki, Toshihiro; Yamashita, Tomoko; Kato, Hidemasa; Torii, Ryuzo; Sato, Naoya

2014-01-01

Primate pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), including embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), hold great potential for research and application in regenerative medicine and drug discovery. To maximize primate PSC potential, a practical system is required for generating desired functional cells and reproducible differentiation techniques. Much progress regarding their culture systems has been reported to date; however, better methods would still be required for their practical use, particularly in industrial and clinical fields. Here we report a new single-cell and feeder-free culture system for primate PSCs, the key feature of which is an originally formulated serum-free medium containing FGF and activin. In this culture system, cynomolgus monkey ESCs can be passaged many times by single-cell dissociation with traditional trypsin treatment and can be propagated with a high proliferation rate as a monolayer without any feeder cells; further, typical PSC properties and genomic stability can be retained. In addition, it has been demonstrated that monkey ESCs maintained in the culture system can be used for various experiments such as in vitro differentiation and gene manipulation. Thus, compared with the conventional culture system, monkey ESCs grown in the aforementioned culture system can serve as a cell source with the following practical advantages: simple, stable, and easy cell maintenance; gene manipulation; cryopreservation; and desired differentiation. We propose that this culture system can serve as a reliable platform to prepare primate PSCs useful for future research and application.

Chemical reaction effect on an unsteady MHD free convection flow past a vertical porous plate in the presence of suction or injection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shivaiah S.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to analyze the effect of chemical reaction on unsteady magneto hydrodynamic free convective fluid flow past a vertical porous plate in the presence of suction or injection. The governing equations of the flow field are solved numerically by a finite element method. The effects of the various parameters on the velocity, temperature and concentration profiles are presented graphically and values of skin-friction coefficient, Nusselt number and Sherwood number for various values of physical parameters are presented through tables.

An investigation of coated aluminium bipolar plates for PEMFC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Chien-Hung; Tsai, Sung-Ying

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Coated aluminium bipolar plates demonstrate the hydrophobic property than the raw material. ► The corrosion behaviour of bipolar plate decreases the PEMFC performance severely. ► These PEMFCs are measured by current–voltage (I–V) curve test. ► The oxide film increases the interfacial contact resistance. -- Abstract: The performance of Al-alloy bipolar plates for the PEMFC (proton exchange membrane fuel cell) system is investigated in this paper. The metallic bipolar plates are modified with a Ni–P coating. The performance of the Al-alloy bipolar plates is evaluated by the coating structure, corrosion resistance, contact angle and single cell performance. The results indicate that the coated aluminium bipolar plates demonstrate hydrophobic and anti-corrosive properties. The hydrophobic property increases the contact angle on the surface from 46.08° to 80.51°. Meanwhile, the corrosion rate of the Ni–P coating can be over 1 order of magnitude lower than that of the substrate. Hence, the substrate with the coating maintains superior performance under the long term test. The present study proves that both the hydrophobicity and corrosion resistance significantly affect the metallic bipolar plate.

NF-kappaB specifically activates BMP-2 gene expression in growth plate chondrocytes in vivo and in a chondrocyte cell line in vitro.