The preparation of rod-like bismuth sulfide structures, effectively anchored to graphene oxide (GO) sheets, is informed using a fast and trouble-free method. This strategy, which incorporates ...elemental sulfur as S2− source, hot dimethylsulfoxide as solvent, and a short reaction time, has been used to obtain Bi2S3@GO composites. The products were characterized by powder-XRD, Raman Spectroscopy, electron absorption spectroscopy in UV–vis–NIR region, SEM, HR-TEM, and XPS. All the characterization techniques showed pure, well-structured, rod-shaped Bi2S3 particles with sizes around 150 nm in diameter and hundreds of nanometers in length, which were anchored parallel to graphene oxide matrix. These elongated structures tended to grow along the 0 1 0 axis. Noteworthy, the presence of GO was undoubtedly detected on the surface of elongated bismuth sulfide by HR-TEM assays. In order to test the GO effect on the formation of the rod-like structures, a sample of pristine Bi2S3 was synthesized under the same conditions. XPS results indicate the presence of oxygen functional groups in GO as the main factor for the development of the lengthen bismuth sulfide structures, achieving this through the formation of BiO bonds.
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•The synthesis of a Bi2S3@GO composite is proposed using a faster and easier method.•Bi2S3 on GO grows as rods, which tends to grow along the 0 1 0 axis.•Oxygen functional groups in GO appear to bias the formation of rod-shaped Bi2S3.•Layers of GO wrapping Bi2S3 rods were undoubtedly identified by HR-TEM analyses.•Spherical NPs were achieved when pure Bi2S3 was obtained under the same conditions.
Acellular nerve allografts (ANA) recellularized with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) or Schwann cells (SC) are, at present, a therapeutic option for peripheral nerve injuries (PNI). This study aimed to ...evaluate the regenerative and functional capacity of a recellularized allograft (RA) compared with autograft nerve reconstruction in PNI.
Fourteen ovines were randomly included in two groups (n=7). A peroneal nerve gap 30 mm in length was excised, and nerve repair was performed by the transplantation of either an autograft or a recellularized allograft with SC-like cells. Evaluations included a histomorphological analysis of the ANA, MSC pre differentiated into SC-like cells, at one year follow-up functional limb recovery (support and gait), and nerve regeneration using neurophysiological tests and histomorphometric analysis. All evaluations were compared with the contralateral hindlimb as the control.
The nerve allograft was successfully decellularized and more than 70% of MSC were pre differentiated into SC-like cells. Functional assessment in both treated groups improved similarly over time (p <0.05). Neurophysiological results (latency, amplitude, and conduction velocity) also improved in both treated groups at twelve months. Histological results demonstrated a less organized arrangement of nerve fibers (p <0.05) with an active remyelination process (p <0.05) in both treated groups compared with controls at twelve months.
ANA recellularized with SC-like cells proved to be a successful treatment for nerve gaps. Motor recovery and nerve regeneration were satisfactorily achieved in both graft groups compared with their contralateral nontreated nerves. This approach could be useful for the clinical therapy of PNI.
The compressive strength of concrete mixtures with accelerator additives designed for structural elements with strength of 5000 psi was correlated with the maturity index of concrete at an early age. ...The design of the mixture was made by adding the quantity of additives according to the specifications of the supplier. The maturity index was calculated using the thermal profile of the concrete dependent of the setting time, which was obtained through an automated adiabatic system. The number of thermal sensors required for temperature measurement dependent of setting time (1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days) was determined by a factorial experimental design of two factors. The correlation coefficient was 0.96, so the logarithmic model adequately explains the variability of the compressive strength. The equation obtained was validated by means of the values of resistance to compression measured by the standard method for each age of the concrete; all values are within the calibration range of the resistances estimated by the maturity method.
Titanium films were deposited on AISI 316L stainless steel substrates by D.C. unbalanced magnetron sputtering, the substrate temperature and deposition time were changed. In this study, the ...structural characterization was conducted by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Furthermore, mechanical properties were obtained by nanoindentation. Adhesion and wear behavior were evaluated through progressive load scratch test (PLST) and pin-on-disk test, respectively. Titanium films thicknesses within a range of 2.5–4.2μm were obtained, different XRD Ti peaks such as (002), (102) and (103) were identified. Values estimated for hardness were between 7.2 and 8.4GPa, and for Young's modulus they were 126–162GPa. Tensile cracks, compressive and gross spallation failure mechanisms were found with scratch tests. Preferred oriented sample only showed cracks, with a critical load of 2.6N, and exhibited a better wear ratio (~1.5×10−4), which is about two times better than substrate steel. This study provides evidence of how a preferred oriented Ti (002) film exhibits better hardness, adhesion and wear properties.
•Heating the substrate caused a strong preferred (002) orientation in one sample.•Preferred oriented sample presented the best scratch resistance.•Wear behavior information of titanium films with different deposition parameters.•Lower wear ratio obtained with preferred (002) orientation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the biggest challenges worldwide. The psychological disorders associated with the pandemic causing depression, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ...and anxiety reduce emotional stability. Different antidepressant drugs with several mechanisms of action are used with a prescription. The excretion of the compounds and their metabolites reach municipal wastewaters and enter sewage treatment plants with a low rate of remotion of pharmaceutical compounds and the releasing on the environment. Several effects on aquatic species exposed to antidepressants have been reported as the impact in gene transcription, reproduction cycles, predator defense, and motility. The aim of this work is to resume the common antidepressants detected in wastewater around the world and show the increment of its use during SARS-CoV-2 crisis.
Caption: Summary of common antidepressants and its sudden increase consumption due COVID-19 pandemic, surveillance through wastewater of society intake and environmental concentration. Created with BioRender.com. Display omitted
A spinal pattern generator controls the ejaculatory response. Central pattern generators (CPGs) may be entrained to improve the motor patterns under their control. In the present study we tested the ...hypothesis that training of the spinal generator for ejaculation (SGE) by daily copulation until ejaculation, could promote substantive changes in its functioning permitting a better SGE control of the genital motor pattern of ejaculation (GMPE) and, as a consequence, a normalization of the ejaculation latency of rats with rapid ejaculation. To that aim, we evaluated in sexually experienced male rats with rapid ejaculation (1) the effects of daily copulation to ejaculation, following different entrainment schedules, on their ejaculation latencies, (2) the impact of these different ejaculatory entrainment schedules upon the parameters of the GMPE and (3) the possible emergence of persistent changes in the functioning of the SGE associated to the daily ejaculation entrainment schedules. The data obtained show that intense ejaculatory training of rats with rapid ejaculation lengthens the ejaculation latency during copulation and augments the ejaculatory capacity of the SGE in this population when spinalized. Thus, present data reveal that like other CPGs, the SGE can be trained and put forward that training of the SGE by daily copulation to ejaculation might be a promising alternative that should be taken into consideration for the treatment of premature ejaculation.
A magneto-dielectric material composed of a polyester resin-based microstrip (P115A), copper sheets and magnetite powders was designed in concentrations of 10, 20 and 30% Wt and with filters of 200, ...325 and 500. The particles were aligned vertically and horizontally during the curing process using 300 mT magnetic fields. From a complete factorial design of 33, 27 microstrip-type circuits of 4 mm width, 70 mm length and 0.93 mm thickness were manufactured, characterized by scanning electron microscopy and vector network analysis. The cross-matrix analysis determined an optimal circuit response from the magneto-dielectric material with a concentration of 20% magnetite and an average particle size of 21.48 μm in horizontal alignment to the applied magnetic field and to the transmission line, obtaining a relative dielectric constant of Er 3.88 with a low dielectric loss of 0.054, within an operating range of 150 KHz to 4 GHz.
Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disease that results from antibody-mediated platelet destruction and impaired platelet production. Novel therapies have emerged in the last decade, but ...15–20% of patients will relapse or fail and require further therapy. We performed a prospective, single-arm intervention study on seven patients with chronic, persistent, or refractory ITP from the Hospital Universitario “Dr. José E González”, in Monterrey, Mexico between 2015 and 2019. Eligible patients received oral oseltamivir 75 mg twice daily for 5 days and were followed up for six months. Most patients received a median of three distinct therapies (range 2–6). Four patients (57.1%) received combined therapy. The median time for any response was 55.5 days (range = 14–150). All patients responded at some point in time (ORR = 100%, six had a proportion of loss of response PR, and one achieved CR). Six months after oseltamivir administration, three patients (42.9%) maintained a response, and one patient had a CR (14.3%). Oseltamivir was well tolerated with a good overall response rate and was useful for treating chronic ITP. We observed an initial increase in the number of platelets; however, this response was not maintained.
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