Co-Stimulation of Oxytocin and Arginine-Vasopressin Receptors Affect Hypothalamic Neurospheroid Size

Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide involved in a plethora of behavioral and physiological processes. However, there is a prominent lack of 3D cell culture models that investigate the effects of OXT on a cellular/molecular level. In this study, we established a hypothalamic neuronal spheroid model to investigate the cellular response in a more realistic 3D setting. Our data indicate that the formation of spheroids itself does not alter the basic characteristics of the cell line and that markers of cellular morphology and connectivity are stably expressed. We found that both OXT and arginine vasopressin (AVP) treatment increase spheroid size (surface area and volume), as well as individual nucleus size, which serves as an indicator for cellular proliferation. The cellular response to both OXT and AVP seems mainly to be mediated by the AVP receptor 1a (V1aR); however, the OXT receptor (OXTR) contributes significantly to the observed proliferative effect. When we blocked the OXTR pharmacologically or knocked down the OXTR by siRNA, the OXT- or AVP-induced cellular proliferation decreased. In summary, we established a 3D cell culture model of the neuronal response to OXT and AVP and found that spheroids react to the treatment via their respective receptors but also via cross-talk between the two receptor types.     

A sub-0.5 μm bilevel lithographic process using the deep-UV electron-beam resist p(si-cms)

Optimization of the deep-UV and electron-beam lithographic properties of a copolymer of trimethylsilylmethyl methacrylate (SI) and chloromethylstyrene (CMS), P(SI-CMS), within a weight average molecular weight range of 1.4 to 4.1 × 10⁵ and 90 to 93 mole percent SI composition has been achieved. The solubility behavior of P(SI-CMS) resist was examined using the Hansen 3-dimensional solubility parameter model and dissolution rate measurements. Swelling of the resist has been minimized through the identification of a single component developer (2-propanol) and rinse (water) system. For the material containing 90 mole percent SI (14.9 weight percent Si) and M?_ω = 1.4 × 10⁵, the sensitivity to 248 nm radiation is 65 mJ/cm² and to electron-beam exposure is 3.4 μC/cm² at 20 kV. This material Is applicable to bilevel lithographic processes, and the O₂ reactive ion etching (RIE) rate is 16 times slower than standard hard-baked photoresist. Using a He/O₂(60/40) RIE pattern transfer process, 0.4 μm line/space patterns have been resolved in a 1.3 μm bilayer structure for deep-UV exposures, and 0.25 μm imaging has been demonstrated in a 0.7 μm thick planarizing layer using electron beam irradiation. The loss in linewidth associated with the 0.25 μm process is ～0.04 μm.     

Fluorescent amino-substituted squaraine probes for bovine serum albumin

The synthesis and spectroscopic properties of fluorescent amino-substituted squaraine dyes have been presented. The interaction between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fluorescence probes derived from squaric acid was studied by UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopies. The Benesi–Hildebrand, Lehrer, and Stern–Volmer equations were used to present the influence of BSA concentration on the binding constant for the process of association with squaraine dyes, as well as the effect of the concentration of fluorescence probes on the quenching process. It was also shown that the interaction between BSA and squaraine dyes is spontaneous. The number of binding sites to bovine serum albumin for a series of squaraine dyes has also been calculated.     

Free radical formation in three-component photoinitiating systems

N,N′-diethylthiacarbocyanine iodide (Cy) with two different compounds acting as co-initiators were used in the three-component photoinitiating systems for free radical polymerization of acrylate monomer. The steady state and time-resolved techniques were used to study the fluorescence quenching by co-initiators, as well as laser flash photolysis to investigate an electron transfer process, that occurs in these photoinitiating system (PIS). To investigate the key factors involved with visible-light activated radical polymerizations involving three-component photoinitiators, we used thermodynamic feasibility and kinetic considerations to study photopolymerizations initiated with thiacarbocyanine dye as a photosensitizer. The Rehm–Weller equation was used to verify the thermodynamic feasibility for electron transfer reaction. Experiments show, that the main interaction between the dye and both co-initiators occurs through its excited singlet state. It was concluded, that the key kinetic factors for efficient visible-light activated initiation process are summarized in two ways: (1) to retard back electron transfer and recombination reaction steps and (2) to use a secondary reaction step to consuming dye-based radical and regenerating the original photosensitizer.Basing on the study, it is known that, there are two possible mechanisms of generation of free radicals, which can start polymerization involving photoreducible series mechanism and parallel series mechanism (photoreducible–photooxidizable series mechanism).     

Pinning performance of (Nd,Eu,Gd)-123 superconductors: Comparison of melt-textured pellet and single crystal

We studied pinning homogeneity and the content fluctuation of light rare earth ions in a (Nd_0.33Eu_0.38Gd_0.28)Ba₂Cu₃O_y melt-textured (MT) pellet 16 mm in diameter, doped by 0.035 mol% ZnO. The pinning performance was compared to that of the recently grown (Nd_0.33Eu_0.2Gd_0.47)Ba₂Cu₃O_y single crystal. While magnetic properties of most test samples cut from the MT pellet were surprisingly uniform, two samples from the pellet center behaved significantly different. This anomaly was found to correlate with the significant departure of the Eu:Nd ratio from the average. Nearly all MT samples showed a high-field shoulder on J_c(B) curve that was attributed to the pinning effect of a nanoscopic correlated lamellar substructure filling channels between regular twin boundaries. As a result, the irreversibility field at 77 K reached in all 20 measured MT samples 9 T. In the single crystal no high-field J_c(B) shoulder was observed, and the irreversibility field at 77 K was about 6 T. The strip-like structure observed on the crystal surface was evidently of another origin than the lamellar substructure in the MT samples and did not significantly contribute to vortex pinning. The secondary peak in J_c(B) of the single crystal was quite strong, showing a well set point-like disorder. All magnetic characteristics of the single crystal were strongly affected by twin-plane channeling effect.     

FEM simulation of aluminium extrusion through two-hole multi-step pocket dies

Multi-hole pocket dies are a type of extrusion tooling setup commonly used across the aluminium extrusion industry for efficient production of solid aluminium profiles. Such dies are designed on the basis of experience and corrected after a number of trial extrusion runs before becoming usable. Computer simulation based on the finite element method (FEM) is in principle capable of predicting metal flow through the dies designed, but it is yet a huge technological challenge to simulate the extrusion process to produce profiles of industrial significance. The present research was attempted to investigate the effect of steps in the die pocket on metal flow to produce two chevron profiles with unequal thicknesses through two-hole dies, by means of 3D FEM simulation of extrusion in the transient state. The results showed that the pocket step could be effectively used to balance metal flow. Extrusion experiments validated the predictions of metal flow, extrudate temperature and the pressure required for extrusion through the pocket dies with three different designs. 3D FEM was demonstrated to be a powerful tool in optimising die design and decreasing the number of trial extrusion runs.     

Magnesium-based composites with improved in vitro surface biocompatibility

In this study, bioactive glass (BG, 45S5) particles were added to a biodegradable magnesium alloy (ZK30) through a semi-solid high-pressure casting process in order to improve the surface biocompatibility of the biomaterial and potentially its bioactivity. The observation of the as-cast microstructures of ZK30-BG composites indicated homogeneous dispersion of BG particles in the matrix. SEM, EDX and EPMA showed the retention of the morphological characteristics and composition of BG particles in the as-cast composite materials. In vitro tests in a cell culture medium confirmed that the composites indeed possessed an enhanced ability to induce the deposition of a bone-like apatite layer on the surface, indicating an improved surface biocompatibility as compared with the matrix alloy.     

Synthesis,properties, and application of new benzothiazole‐based sensitisers in polymer chemistry

New photoinitiating systems composed of benzothiazolestyrylium dyes as chromophores and n‐butyltriphenylborate anion as electron donor were prepared and characterised. Photoredox pairs consisting of hemicyanine dyes and organoborate salts may act as visible‐light photoinitiators for the radical polymerisation of multifunctional acrylates. The efficiences of these photoinitiator systems are based on the free energy changes of an electron transfer from borate salt to the dye. Experimental results show that the photoinitiating ability of the photoredox pair tested strongly depends upon the reduction potential of hemicyanine dye, the oxidation potential of borate salt, and the structure of the dicationic dye.