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Stainless steel 316L is widely used as a biomedical implant material; however, there is concern about the corrosion of metallic implants in the physiological environment. The corrosion process can cause mechanical failure due to resulting cracks and cavities in the implant. Alkyl phosphonic acid forms a thin film by self-assembly on the stainless steel surface and this report conclusively shows that thermal treatment of the octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) film greatly enhances the stability of the ODPA molecules on the substrate surface. AFM images taken from the modified substrates revealed that thermally treated films remain intact after methanol, THF and water flushes while untreated films suffer substantial loss. Water contact angles also show that the hydrophobicity of thermally treated films does not diminish after being incubated in a dynamic flow of water for a three hour period while the untreated film becomes increasingly hydrophilic due to loss of ODPA. IR spectra taken of both treated and untreated films after water and THF flushes show that the remaining film retains its initial crystallinity. A model is suggested to explain the stability of ODPA film enhanced by thermal treatment. An ODPA molecule is physisorbed to the surface weakly by hydrogen bonding. Heating drives away water molecules leading to the formation of strong monodentate or mixed mono/bi-dentate bonds of ODPA molecule to the surface.

Thermal inactivation rates were determined for two strains of Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores after equilibration to various relative humidity (RH) levels. In these tests, small thin stainless-steel squares were each inoculated with a drop of spore suspension and equilibrated to 11, 33, or 85% RH. Following equilibration, the squares were placed on a hot plate preheated to 108, 125, 136, 164, or 192 C for various exposure times and then assayed for surviving organisms. The results revealed that spores of the A strain of B. subtilis were least resistant if preequilibrated to 11% RH and most resistant if preequilibrated to 85% RH. The same trend was obtained at all temperatures except 192 C, at which, no difference was noted, probably because the rapid kill time approaches the heat-up time of the stainless-steel square. The B strain of B. subtilis spores showed an opposite RH effect; that is, the cells preequilibrated to 11% RH were the most resistant. Because the two strains of spores were grown on different media, further studies were conducted at 136 C after subculturing the cells on different media. When the B strain was subcultured on the A strain medium, the pattern was reversed; the cells preequilibrated to low RH were then least resistant. Although it was not possible to reverse these cells to the original pattern by subculturing on the original B strain medium again, the pattern was altered to the point that there was no significant difference in heat resistance of these cells regardless of the preequilibration RH. The same result was obtained when the A strain was grown on the B strain medium; that is, the thermal resistance could not be reversed, but it was altered from the point where the low RH equilibrated cells were least resistant initially to the point where there was no significant difference in any of the cells regardless of what RH was used for preequilibration. The thermal resistance of spores seemed to be dependent on (i) the medium on which the spores are grown, (ii) the RH on which they are exposed before heating, and (iii) some genetic characteristic of the cell.

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Strain hardening capability is critical for metallic materials to achieve high ductility during plastic deformation. A majority of nanocrystalline metals, however, have inherently low work hardening capability with few exceptions. Interpretations on work hardening mechanisms in nanocrystalline metals are still controversial due to the lack of in situ experimental evidence. Here we report, by using an in situ transmission electron microscope nanoindentation tool, the direct observation of dynamic work hardening event in nanocrystalline nickel. During strain hardening stage, abundant Lomer-Cottrell (L-C) locks formed both within nanograins and against twin boundaries. Two major mechanisms were identified during interactions between L-C locks and twin boundaries. Quantitative nanoindentation experiments recorded show an increase of yield strength from 1.64 to 2.29 GPa during multiple loading-unloading cycles. This study provides both the evidence to explain the roots of work hardening at small length scales and the insight for future design of ductile nanocrystalline metals.

This investigation aimed to fabricate a flexible micro resistive temperature sensor to measure the junction temperature of a light emitting diode (LED). The junction temperature is typically measured using a thermal resistance measurement approach. This approach is limited in that no standard regulates the timing of data capture. This work presents a micro temperature sensor that can measure temperature stably and continuously, and has the advantages of being lightweight and able to monitor junction temperatures in real time. Micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) technologies are employed to minimize the size of a temperature sensor that is constructed on a stainless steel foil substrate (SS-304 with 30 μm thickness). A flexible micro resistive temperature sensor can be fixed between the LED chip and the frame. The junction temperature of the LED can be measured from the linear relationship between the temperature and the resistance. The sensitivity of the micro temperature sensor is 0.059 ± 0.004 Ω/°C. The temperature of the commercial CREE® EZ1000 chip is 119.97 °C when it is thermally stable, as measured using the micro temperature sensor; however, it was 126.9 °C, when measured by thermal resistance measurement. The micro temperature sensor can be used to replace thermal resistance measurement and performs reliably.

Micro reformers still face obstacles in minimizing their size, decreasing the concentration of CO, conversion efficiency and the feasibility of integrated fabrication with fuel cells. By using a micro temperature sensor fabricated on a stainless steel-based micro reformer, this work attempts to measure the inner temperature and increase the conversion efficiency. Micro temperature sensors on a stainless steel substrate are fabricated using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and then placed separately inside the micro reformer. Micro temperature sensors are characterized by their higher accuracy and sensitivity than those of a conventional thermocouple. To the best of our knowledge, micro temperature sensors have not been embedded before in micro reformers and commercial products, therefore, this work presents a novel approach to integrating micro temperature sensors in a stainless steel-based micro reformer in order to evaluate inner local temperature distributions and enhance reformer performance.

In this work micro temperature and humidity sensors are fabricated to measure the junction temperature and humidity of light emitting diodes (LED). The junction temperature is frequently measured using thermal resistance measurement technology. The weakness of this method is that the timing of data capture is not regulated by any standard. This investigation develops a device that can stably and continually measure temperature and humidity. The device is light-weight and can monitor junction temperature and humidity in real time. Using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), this study minimizes the size of the micro temperature and humidity sensors, which are constructed on a stainless steel foil substrate (40 μm-thick SS-304). The micro temperature and humidity sensors can be fixed between the LED chip and frame. The sensitivities of the micro temperature and humidity sensors are 0.06 ± 0.005 (Ω/°C) and 0.033 pF/%RH, respectively.

Although molecular techniques have identified Helicobacter pylori in drinking water-associated biofilms, there is a lack of studies reporting what factors affect the attachment of the bacterium to plumbing materials. Therefore, the adhesion of H. pylori suspended in distilled water to stainless steel 304 (SS304) coupons placed on tissue culture plates subjected to different environmental conditions was monitored. The extent of adhesion was evaluated for different water exposure times, using epifluorescence microscopy to count total cell numbers. High shear stresses—estimated through computational fluid dynamics—negatively influenced the adhesion of H. pylori to the substrata (P < 0.001), a result that was confirmed in similar experiments with polypropylene (P < 0.05). However, the temperature and inoculation concentration appeared to have no effect on adhesion (P > 0.05). After 2 hours, H. pylori cells appeared to be isolated on the surface of SS304 and were able to form small aggregates with longer exposure times. However, the formation of a three-dimensional structure was only very rarely observed. This study suggests that the detection of the pathogen in well water described by other authors can be related to the increased ability of H. pylori to integrate into biofilms under conditions of low shear stress. It will also allow a more rational selection of locations to perform molecular or plate culture analysis for the detection of H. pylori in drinking water-associated biofilms.

Perfluorocarbon thin films and polymer brushes were formed on stainless steel 316L (SS316L) to control the surface properties of the metal oxide. Substrates modified with the films were characterized using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFT), contact angle analysis, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Perfluorooctadecanoic acid (PFOA) was used to form thin films by self-assembly on the surface of SS316L. Polypentafluorostyrene (PFS) polymer brushes were formed by surface initiated polymerization using SAMs of 16-phosphonohexadecanoic acid (COOH-PA) as the base. PFOA and PFS were effective in significantly reducing the surface energy and thus the interfacial wetting properties of SS316L. The SS316L control exhibited a surface energy of 38 mN/m compared to PFOA and PFS modifications, which had surface energies of 22 and 24 mN/m, respectively. PFOA thin films were more effective in reducing the surface energy of the SS316L compared to PFS polymer brushes. This is attributed to the ordered PFOA film presenting aligned CF3 terminal groups. However, PFS polymer brushes were more effective in providing corrosion protection. These low energy surfaces could be used to provide a hydrophobic barrier that inhibits corrosion of the SS316L metal oxide surface.

This study addresses the problem of thermal stress development in bulky specimens during cryopreservation via vitrification (vitreous means glassy in Latin). While this study is a part of an ongoing effort to associate the developing mechanical stress with the relevant physical properties of the cryopreserved media and to its the thermal history, the current paper focuses exclusively on the role of temperature gradients. Temperature gradients arise due to the high cooling rates necessary to facilitate vitrification; the resulting non-uniform temperature distribution leads to differential thermal strain, possibly resulting in cracking. The cooling rate is assumed constant on the outer surface in this study, and the material properties are assumed constant. It is demonstrated that under these assumptions, mechanical stress develops only when the temperature distribution in the specimen approaches thermal equilibrium at a cryogenic storage temperature. It is shown that the maximum possible stresses for a given cooling rate can be computed with a simple thermo-elastic analysis; these stresses are associated with cooling to sufficiently low temperatures and are independent of the variation of viscosity with temperature. Analytic estimates for these stresses are obtained for several idealized shapes, while finite element analysis is used to determine stresses for geometries used in cryopreservation practice. Stresses that develop under a wider range of storage temperatures are also studied with finite element analysis, and the results are summarized with suitable normalizations. It is found that no stresses arise if cooling ceases above the set-temperature, which defines the transition from viscous-dominated to elastic-dominated behavior; the set-temperature is determined principally by the dependency of viscosity upon temperature. Strategies for rapidly reaching low temperatures and avoiding high stresses are inferred from the results.

In this paper we compute elasto-plastic properties of hydroxyapatite single crystals from nanindentation data using a two-step algorithm. In the first step the yield stress is obtained using hardness and Young’s modulus data, followed by the computation of the flow parameters. The computational approach is first validated with data from existing literature. It is observed that hydroxyapatite single crystals exhibit anisotropic mechanical response with a lower yield stress along the [1010] crystallographic direction compared to the [0001] direction. Both work hardening rate and work hardening exponent are found to be higher for indentation along the [0001] crystallographic direction. The stress-strain curves extracted here could be used for developing constitutive models for hydroxyapatite single crystals.

Many methods have been reported on improving the photogenerated cathodic protection of nano-TiO2 coatings for metals. In this work, nano-TiO2 coatings doped with cerium nitrate have been developed by sol–gel method for corrosion protection of 316 L stainless steel. Surface morphology, structure, and properties of the prepared coatings were investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The corrosion protection performance of the prepared coatings was evaluated in 3 wt% NaCl solution by using electrochemical techniques in the presence and absence of simulated sunlight illumination. The results indicated that the 1.2% Ce-TiO2 coating with three layers exhibited an excellent photogenerated cathodic protection under illumination attributed to the higher separation efficiency of electron–hole pairs and higher photoelectric conversion efficiency. The results also showed that after doping with an appropriate concentration of cerium nitrate, the anti-corrosion performance of the TiO2 coating was improved even without irradiation due to the self-healing property of cerium ions.

Constitutive laws and crystal plasticity in diamond deformation have been the subjects of substantial interest since synthetic diamond was made in 1950's. To date, however, little is known quantitatively regarding its brittle-ductile properties and yield strength at high temperatures. Here we report, for the first time, the strain-stress constitutive relations and experimental demonstration of deformation mechanisms under confined high pressure. The deformation at room temperature is essentially brittle, cataclastic, and mostly accommodated by fracturing on {111} plane with no plastic yielding at uniaxial strains up to 15%. At elevated temperatures of 1000°C and 1200°C diamond crystals exhibit significant ductile flow with corresponding yield strength of 7.9 and 6.3 GPa, indicating that diamond starts to weaken when temperature is over 1000°C. At high temperature the plastic deformation and ductile flow is meditated by the <110>{111} dislocation glide and a very active {111} micro-twinning.

We present in situ transmission electron microscope tensile tests on focused ion beam fabricated single and multiple slip oriented Cu tensile samples with thicknesses in the range of 100–200 nm. Both crystal orientations fail by localized shear. While failure occurs after a few percent plastic strain and limited hardening in the single slip case, the multiple slip samples exhibit extended homogenous deformation and necking due to the activation of multiple dislocation sources in conjunction with significant hardening. The hardening behavior at 1% plastic strain is even more pronounced compared to compression samples of the same orientation due to the absence of sample taper and the interface to the compression platen. Moreover, we show for the first time that the strain rate sensitivity of such FIB prepared samples is an order of magnitude higher than that of bulk Cu.

A fiber optic sensor developed for the measurement of tendon forces was designed, numerically modeled, fabricated, and experimentally evaluated. The sensor incorporated fiber Bragg gratings and micro-fabricated stainless steel housings. A fiber Bragg grating is an optical device that is spectrally sensitive to axial strain. Stainless steel housings were designed to convert radial forces applied to the housing into axial forces that could be sensed by the fiber Bragg grating. The metal housings were fabricated by several methods including laser micromachining, swaging, and hydroforming. Designs are presented that allow for simultaneous temperature and force measurements as well as for simultaneous resolution of multi-axis forces.

The sensor was experimentally evaluated by hydrostatic loading and in vitro testing. A commercial hydraulic burst tester was used to provide uniform pressures on the sensor in order to establish the linearity, repeatability, and accuracy characteristics of the sensor. The in vitro experiments were performed in excised tendon and in a dynamic gait simulator to simulate biological conditions. In both experimental conditions, the sensor was found to be a sensitive and reliable method for acquiring minimally invasive measurements of soft tissue forces. Our results suggest that this sensor will prove useful in a variety of biomechanical measurements.

An accurate, simple, sensitive and selective reversed phase liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of ebastine in its pharmaceutical preparations. The proposed method depends on the complexation ability of the studied drug with Zn2+ ions. Reversed phase chromatography was conducted using an ODS C18 (150 × 4.6 mm id) stainless steel column at ambient temperature with UV-detection at 260 nm. A mobile phase containing 0.025%w/v Zn2+ in a mixture of (acetonitril/methanol; 1/4) and Britton Robinson buffer (65:35, v/v) adjusted to pH 4.2, has been used for the determination of ebastine at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. The calibration curve was rectilinear over the concentration range of 0.3 - 6.0 μg/ml with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.13 μg/ml, and quantification limit (LOQ) of 0.26 μg/ml. The proposed method was successfully applied for the analysis of ebastine in its dosage forms, the obtained results were favorably compared with those obtained by a comparison method. Furthermore, content uniformity testing of the studied pharmaceutical formulations was also conducted. The composition of the complex as well as its stability constant was also investigated. Moreover, the proposed method was found to be a stability indicating one and was utilized to investigate the kinetics of alkaline and ultraviolet induced degradation of the drug. The first-order rate constant and half life of the degradation products were calculated.

The surface physicochemical properties of Listeria monocytogenes LO28 under different conditions (temperature and growth phase) were determined by use of microelectrophoresis and microbial adhesion to solvents. The effect of these parameters on adhesion and biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes LO28 on hydrophilic (stainless steel) and hydrophobic (polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE]) surfaces was assessed. The bacterial cells were always negatively charged and possessed hydrophilic surface properties, which were negatively correlated with growth temperature. The colonization of the two surfaces, monitored by scanning electron microscopy, epifluorescence microscopy, and cell enumeration, showed that the strain had a great capacity to colonize both surfaces whatever the incubation temperature. However, biofilm formation was faster on the hydrophilic substratum. After 5 days at 37 or 20°C, the biofilm structure was composed of aggregates with a three-dimensional shape, but significant detachment took place on PTFE at 37°C. At 8°C, only a bacterial monolayer was visible on stainless steel, while no growth was observed on PTFE. The growth phase of bacteria used to inoculate surfaces had a significant effect only in some cases during the first steps of biofilm formation. The surface physicochemical properties of the strain are correlated with adhesion and surface colonization.

The low strain-rate viscosity of glass-forming cryoprotective agents (CPAs) in the vicinity of the glass transition is studied experimentally. Data on the mechanical behavior in this regime is necessary to the long-term goal of developing planning tools for cryopreservation via vitrification (vitreous means glassy in Latin); such tools will provide guidelines for reducing thermal stress with its devastating effects. While the flow behavior of some glass-forming CPAs is well documented in the literature for the upper part of the cryogenic temperature range (where the CPA has a comparatively low viscosity), it is the flow behavior near the glass transition temperature (where the CPA behaves as nearly a solid with an extremely high viscosity) which is critical to the analysis of stress that develops in the cryopreserved material. If the elevated viscosity limits the material's ability to flow—in order to accommodate the thermal strain resulting from large temperature gradients, especially at the high cooling rates necessary to form glass—structural damage may follow. Information on the behavior of the CPA in the lower part of the cryogenic temperature range is largely unavailable. A new measurement device is presented in this study, in which a solid rod is pulled from a long narrow cup containing a CPA, producing an essentially one-dimensional and isothermal field of flow. The viscosity and relaxation time of the CPA is inferred from measurements of the resulting load on the rod when extracted at a constant velocity. The current study reports on experimental data near glass transition of 7.05M DMSO, a reference CPA solution, and the CPA cocktails VS55 and DP6.

ABSTRACT

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is largely responsible for increasing the incidence of antibiotic-resistant infections worldwide. While studies have focused on HGT in vivo, this work investigates whether the ability of pathogens to persist in the environment, particularly on touch surfaces, may also play an important role. Escherichia coli, virulent clone ST131, and Klebsiella pneumoniae harboring extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL) blaCTX-M-15 and metallo-β-lactamase blaNDM-1, respectively, exhibited prolonged survival on stainless steel, with approximately 104 viable cells remaining from an inoculum of 107 CFU per cm2 after 1 month at 21°C. HGT of bla to an antibiotic-sensitive but azide-resistant recipient E. coli strain occurred on stainless steel dry touch surfaces and in suspension but not on dry copper. The conjugation frequency was approximately 10 to 50 times greater and occurred immediately, and resulting transconjugants were more stable with ESBL E. coli as the donor cell than with K. pneumoniae, but blaNDM-1 transfer increased with time. Transconjugants also exhibited the same resistance profile as the donor, suggesting multiple gene transfer. Rapid death, inhibition of respiration, and destruction of genomic and plasmid DNA of both pathogens occurred on copper alloys accompanied by a reduction in bla copy number. Naked E. coli DNA degraded on copper at 21°C and 37°C but slowly at 4°C, suggesting a direct role for the metal. Persistence of viable pathogenic bacteria on touch surfaces may not only increase the risk of infection transmission but may also contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance by HGT. The use of copper alloys as antimicrobial touch surfaces may help reduce infection and HGT.

IMPORTANCE

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) conferring resistance to many classes of antimicrobials has resulted in a worldwide epidemic of nosocomial and community infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms, leading to suggestions that we are in effect returning to the preantibiotic era. While studies have focused on HGT in vivo, this work investigates whether the ability of pathogens to persist in the environment, particularly on touch surfaces, may also play an important role. Here we show prolonged (several-week) survival of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae on stainless steel surfaces. Plasmid-mediated HGT of β-lactamase genes to an azide-resistant recipient E. coli strain occurred when the donor and recipient cells were mixed together on stainless steel and in suspension but not on copper surfaces. In addition, rapid death of both antibiotic-resistant strains and destruction of plasmid and genomic DNA were observed on copper and copper alloy surfaces, which could be useful in the prevention of infection spread and gene transfer.

Poly(ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK) has been used as a load bearing orthopaedic implant material with clinical success. All of the orthpaedic applications contain stress concentrations (notches) in their design; however, little work has been done to examine the stress-strain behavior of PEEK in the presence of a notch. This work examines both the stress-strain behavior and the fracture behavior of neat PEEK in a uniaxial loaded condition, and in circumferentially grooved round bar specimens with different elastic stress concentration factors. It was found that the material shows ductile necking in the smooth condition and that this is almost completely suppressed in the notched conditions. Additionally, the deformation and fracture micromechanisms changed drastically, from one of plastic deformation and void coalescence to one dominated by crazing and brittle fast fracture. This change in mechanism was explained via Neuber's theory of stresses at a notch.

The large amplitude oscillatory shear behavior of metallo-supramolecular polymer networks formed by adding bis-Pd(II) cross-linkers to poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PVP) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution is reported. The influence of scanning frequency, dissociation rate of cross-linkers, concentration of cross-linkers, and concentration of PVP solution on the large amplitude oscillatory shear behavior is explored. In semidilute unentangled PVP solutions, above a critical scanning frequency, strain hardening of both storage moduli and loss moduli is observed. In the semidilute entangled regime of PVP solution, however, strain softening is observed for samples with faster cross-linkers (kd ∼ 1450 s−1), whereas strain hardening is observed for samples with slower cross-linkers (kd ∼ 17 s−1). The mechanism of strain hardening is attributed primarily to a strain-induced increase in the number of elastically active chains, with possible contributions from non-Gaussian stretching of polymer chains at strains approaching network fracture. The divergent strain softening of samples with faster cross-linkers in semidilute entangled PVP solutions, relative to the strain hardening of samples with slower cross-linkers, is consistent with observed shear thinning/shear thickening behavior reported previously and is attributed to the fact that the average time that a cross-linker remains detached is too short to permit the local relaxation of polymer chain segments that is necessary for a net conversion of elastically inactive to elastically active cross-linkers. These and other observations paint a picture in which strain softening and shear thinning arise from the same set of molecular mechanisms, conceptually uniting the two nonlinear responses for this system.

Fifteen different isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used to study the kinetics of adhesion to 304 and 316-L stainless steel. Stainless steel plates were incubated with approximately 1.5 X 10(7) CFU/ml in 0.01 M phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4). After the plates were rinsed with the buffer, the number of adhering bacteria was determined by a bioluminescence assay. Measurable adhesion, even to the electropolished surfaces, occurred within 30 s. Bacterial cell surface hydrophobicity, as determined by the bacterial adherence to hydrocarbons test and the contact angle measurement test, was the major parameter influencing the adhesion rate constant for the first 30 min of adhesion. A parabolic relationship between the CAM values and the logarithm of the adhesion rate constants (In k) was established. No correlation between either the salt aggregation or the improved salt aggregation values and the bacterial adhesion rate constants could be found. Since there was no significant correlation between the bacterial electrophoretic mobilities and the In k values, the bacterial cell surface charge seemed of minor importance in the process of adhesion of P. aeruginosa to 304 and 316-L stainless steel.

Laboratory animals were exposed by inhalation for 2 hr/day (acute) or 6 hr/day (four consecutive days, repeated dose) to methyl isocyanate (MIC). Exposures were conducted in stainless steel and glass inhalation exposure chambers placed in stainless steel, wire mesh cages. MIC was delivered with nitrogen via stainless steel and Teflon supply lines. Chamber concentrations ranged from 0 to 60 ppm and were monitored continuously with infrared spectrophotometers to 1 ppm and at 2-hr intervals to 20 ppb with a high performance liquid chromatograph equipped with a fluorescence detector. Other operational parameters monitored on a continuous basis included chamber temperature (20-27 degrees C), relative humidity (31-64%), static (transmural) pressure (-0.3 in.), and flow (300-500 L/min). The computer-assistance system interfaced with the inhalation exposure laboratory is described in detail, including the analytical instrumentation calibration system used throughout this investigation.

Summary

We have taken advantage of the native surface roughness and the iron content of AISI-316 stainless steel to grow multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by chemical vapour deposition without the addition of an external catalyst. The structural and electronic properties of the synthesized carbon nanostructures have been investigated by a range of electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. The results show the good quality and the high graphitization degree of the synthesized MWCNTs. Through energy-loss spectroscopy we found that the electronic properties of these nanostructures are markedly different from those of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). Notably, a broadening of the π-plasmon peak in the case of MWCNTs is evident. In addition, a photocurrent was measured when MWCNTs were airbrushed onto a silicon substrate. External quantum efficiency (EQE) and photocurrent values were reported both in planar and in top-down geometry of the device. Marked differences in the line shapes and intensities were found for the two configurations, suggesting that two different mechanisms of photocurrent generation and charge collection are in operation. From this comparison, we are able to conclude that the silicon substrate plays an important role in the production of electron–hole pairs.

Background

Failure of a sternotomy closure because of closure system fatigue is a complication that may result in dehiscence and put the individual at risk for serious complications. The purpose of this study was to assess the fatigue performance of three peristernal median sternotomy closure techniques (figure-of-eight stainless-steel wires, figure-of-eight stainless-steel cables, or Pectofix Dynamic Sternal Fixation [DSF] stainless-steel plates) in order to quantify the potential risk of fatigue failure of these devices when subject to cyclic loads in physiologically relevant loading directions.

Study Design

All tests were conducted on polyurethane foam sternal models. A cardiothoracic surgeon divided each sternal model longitudinally and repaired it with a closure device. Tests were performed using a materials testing system that applied cyclic loading in a uniaxial direction until the test model catastrophically broke or data run-out occurred. For each loading direction (lateral distraction and longitudinal shear), five trials of each closure technique were tested. Life data and location of device failure (if present) were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using regression with life data allowed for correlation between life data and the various closure techniques to develop risk assessment curves for each device.

Results

The data show that the figure-of-eight stainless-steel cable and the DSF plate systems are considerably less likely to fail under both lateral distraction and longitudinal shear cyclic loading conditions as compared to the figure-of-eight stainless-steel wire system. Moreover, the figure-of-eight stainless-steel cable system is the most resistant to failure, particularly for high cycle counts.

Conclusion

This study in addition to Cohen and Griffin's earlier published biomechanical comparison of the ultimate strength of these same three closure techniques provide extensive experimental evidence regarding the mechanical differences among these three peristernal median sternotomy closure techniques. All data support the hypothesis that both the DSF plate system and the stainless-steel cable system offer important advantages over figure-of-eight wire closure techniques; although twisted wires are the weak-link in the systems we tested.

Background

The ability to withstand thermal stress is considered to be of crucial importance for individual fitness and species' survival. Thus, organisms need to employ effective mechanisms to ensure survival under stressful thermal conditions, among which phenotypic plasticity is considered a particularly quick and effective one.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In a series of experiments we here investigate phenotypic adjustment in temperature stress resistance following environmental manipulations in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Cooler compared to warmer acclimation temperatures generally increased cold but decreased heat stress resistance and vice versa. In contrast, short-time hardening responses revealed more complex patterns, with, e.g., cold stress resistance being highest at intermediate hardening temperatures. Adult food stress had a negative effect on heat but not on cold stress resistance. Additionally, larval feeding treatment showed interactive effects with adult feeding for heat but not for cold stress resistance, indicating that nitrogenous larval resources may set an upper limit to performance under heat stress. In contrast to expectations, cold resistance slightly increased during the first eight days of adult life. Light cycle had marginal effects on temperature stress resistance only, with cold resistance tending to be higher during daytime and thus active periods.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results highlight that temperature-induced plasticity provides an effective tool to quickly and strongly modulate temperature stress resistance, and that such responses are readily reversible. However, resistance traits are not only affected by ambient temperature, but also by, e.g., food availability and age, making their measurement challenging. The latter effects are largely underexplored and deserve more future attention. Owing to their magnitude, plastic responses in thermal tolerance should be incorporated into models trying to forecast effects of global change on extant biodiversity.