| 1. |
- Ail, Ujwala, et al.
(författare)
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Room temperature synthesis of transition metal silicide-conducting polymer micro-composites for thermoelectric applications
- 2017
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Ingår i: Synthetic metals. - : Elsevier BV. - 0379-6779 .- 1879-3290. ; 225, s. 55-63
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Organic polymer thermoelectrics (TE) as well as transition metal (TM) silicides are two thermoelectric class of materials of interest because they are composed of atomic elements of high abundance; which is a prerequisite for mass implementation of thermoelectric (TE) solutions for solar and waste heat recovery. But both materials have drawbacks when it comes to finding low-cost manufacturing. The metal silicide needs high temperature (>1000 °C) for creating TE legs in a device from solid powder, but it is easy to achieve long TE legs in this case. On the contrary, organic TEs are synthesized at low temperature from solution. However, it is difficult to form long legs or thick films because of their low solubility. In this work, we propose a novel method for the room temperature synthesis of TE composite containing the microparticles of chromium disilicide; CrSi2 (inorganic filler) in an organic matrix of nanofibrillated cellulose- poly(3,4-ethyelenedioxythiophene)-polystyrene sulfonate (NFC-PEDOT:PSS). With this method, it is easy to create long TE legs in a room temperature process. The originality of the approach is the use of conducting polymer aerogel microparticles mixed with CrSi2 microparticles to obtain a composite solid at room temperature under pressure. We foresee that the method can be scaled up to fabricate and pattern TE modules. The composite has an electrical conductivity (σ) of 5.4 ± 0.5 S/cm and the Seebeck coefficient (α) of 88 ± 9 ΌV/K, power factor (α2σ) of 4 ± 1 ΌWm−1K−2 at room temperature. At a temperature difference of 32 °C, the output power/unit area drawn across the load, with the resistance same as the internal resistance of the device is 0.6 ± 0.1 ΌW/cm2.
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| 2. |
- Almgren, Karin M., et al.
(författare)
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Moisture uptake and hygroexpansion of wood fiber composite materials with polylactide and polypropylene matrix materials
- 2009
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Ingår i: Polymer Composites. - : Wiley. - 0272-8397 .- 1548-0569. ; 30:12, s. 1809-1816
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Effects of butantetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) modification, choice of matrix, and fiber volume fraction on hygroexpansion of wood fiber composites have been investigated. Untreated reference wood fibers and BTCA-modified fibers were used as reinforcement in composites with matrices composed of polylactic acid (PLA), polypropylene (PP), or a mixture thereof. The crosslinking BTCA modification reduced the out-of-plane hygroexpansion of PLA and PLA/PP composites, under water-immersed and humid conditions, whereas the swelling increased when PP was used as matrix material. This is explained by difficulties for the BTCA-modified fibers to adhere to the PP matrix. Fiber volume fraction was the most important parameter as regards out-of-plane hygroexpansion, with a high-fiber fraction leading to large hygroexpansion. Fiber-matrix wettability during processing and consolidation also showed to have a large impact on the dimensional stability and moisture uptake. POLYM. COMPOS., 30:1809-1816, 2009.
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| 3. |
- Arve-Butler, Sabine, et al.
(författare)
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Identification of novel autoantigens as potential biomarkers in juvenile idiopathic arthritis associated uveitis
- 2023
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Pediatrics. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-2360. ; 10, s. 1-11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Many children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have autoantibodies, targeting nuclear components (anti-nuclear antibodies, ANA). ANA in JIA is associated with uveitis, an eye inflammation which may cause permanent vision impairment if not detected and treated. However, ANA-testing is neither specific nor sensitive enough to be a clinically reliable predictor of uveitis risk, and the precise autoantigens targeted by ANA in JIA are largely unknown. If identified, specific autoantibodies highly associated with uveitis could be used as biomarkers to facilitate identification of JIA patients at risk.METHODS: Antibodies from six ANA-positive, oligoarticular JIA patients, with and without uveitis, were explored by two large-scale methods: (1) screening against 42,100 peptides on an autoimmunity profiling planar array, and (2) immunoprecipitations from cell lysates with antigen identification by mass spectrometry. Three hundred thirty-five peptide antigens, selected from proteins identified in the large-scale methods and the scientific literature were investigated using a bead-based array in a cohort of 56 patients with oligoarticular- or RF-negative polyarticular JIA, eight of which were having current or previous uveitis.RESULTS: In the planar array, reactivity was detected against 332 peptide antigens. The immunoprecipitations identified reactivity towards 131 proteins. Only two proteins were identified by both methods. In the bead-based array of selected peptide antigens, patients with uveitis had a generally higher autoreactivity, seen as higher median fluorescence intensity (MFI) across all antigens, compared to patients without uveitis. Reactivity towards 17 specific antigens was significantly higher in patients with uveitis compared to patients without uveitis. Hierarchical clustering revealed that patients with uveitis clustered together.CONCLUSION: This study investigated autoantigens in JIA and uveitis, by combining two exploratory methods and confirmation in a targeted array. JIA patients with current or a history of uveitis had significantly higher reactivity towards 17 autoantigens and a generally higher autoreactivity compared to JIA patients without uveitis. Hierarchical clustering suggests that a combination of certain autoantibodies, rather than reactivity towards one specific antigen, is associated with uveitis. Our analysis of autoantibodies associated with uveitis in JIA could be a starting point for identification of prognostic biomarkers useful in JIA clinical care.
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| 4. |
- Arve-Butler, Sabine, et al.
(författare)
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Synovial fluid neutrophils in oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis have an altered phenotype and impaired effector functions
- 2021
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Ingår i: Arthritis Research and Therapy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1478-6354 .- 1478-6362. ; 23:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Neutrophils are the most prevalent immune cells in the synovial fluid in inflamed joints of children with oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Despite this, little is known about neutrophil function at the site of inflammation in JIA and how local neutrophils contribute to disease pathogenesis. This study aimed to characterize the phenotype and function of synovial fluid neutrophils in oligoarticular JIA. Methods: Neutrophils obtained from paired blood and synovial fluid from patients with active oligoarticular JIA were investigated phenotypically (n = 17) and functionally (phagocytosis and oxidative burst, n = 13) by flow cytometry. In a subset of patients (n = 6), blood samples were also obtained during inactive disease at a follow-up visit. The presence of CD206-expressing neutrophils was investigated in synovial biopsies from four patients by immunofluorescence. Results: Neutrophils in synovial fluid had an activated phenotype, characterized by increased CD66b and CD11b levels, and most neutrophils had a CD16hi CD62Llowaged phenotype. A large proportion of the synovial fluid neutrophils expressed CD206, a mannose receptor not commonly expressed by neutrophils but by monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. CD206-expressing neutrophils were also found in synovial tissue biopsies. The synovial fluid neutrophil phenotype was not dependent on transmigration alone. Functionally, synovial fluid neutrophils had reduced phagocytic capacity and a trend towards impaired oxidative burst compared to blood neutrophils. In addition, the effector functions of the synovial fluid neutrophils correlated negatively with the proportion of CD206+ neutrophils. Conclusions: Neutrophils in the inflamed joint in oligoarticular JIA were altered, both regarding phenotype and function. Neutrophils in the synovial fluid were activated, had an aged phenotype, had gained monocyte-like features, and had impaired phagocytic capacity. The impairment in phagocytosis and oxidative burst was associated with the phenotype shift. We speculate that these neutrophil alterations might play a role in the sustained joint inflammation seen in JIA.
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| 5. |
- Berglund, Lars A., 1956-, et al.
(författare)
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Eco-friendly high-strength composites based on hot-pressed lignocellulose microfibrils or fibers
- 2021
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Ingår i: ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering. - : American Chemical Society. - 2168-0485. ; 9:4, s. 1899-1910
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Unbleached lignocellulosic wood fiber materials of low porosity are of great interest as eco-friendly load-bearing materials because their yield is much higher than that for “pure” wood cellulosics. The difference between comparable materials based on lignocellulose fibers or nanocellulose is investigated. The structure, surface area, mechanical properties, moisture sorption, and optical properties of films based on fibers or microfibrillated lignocellulose (MFLC) were characterized as a function of lignin content, and the environmental impact was compared. The modulus and tensile strength of comparable fiber and MFLC films (≈25% porosity) increased up to an optimum lignin content (11−17%) and then decreased at a very high lignin content. Hot-pressed MFLC films with little porosity showed excellent properties, 230−260 MPa strength, 17−20 GPa modulus, and 81 MPa wet strength. The mechanical property values of hot-pressed wood fibers with 25% porosity were also as high as 154 MPa strength and 13.2 GPa modulus, which are higher than those of comparable materials reported in the literature. Because hot-pressed lignocellulose fibers can be readily recycled and show low cumulative energy demand, they are candidates for semistructural engineering materials. MFLC is of great interest for coatings, films, adhesives, and as additives or in high-technology applications.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Berthold, Elisabet, et al.
(författare)
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The risk of depression and anxiety is not increased in individuals with juvenile idiopathic arthritis - results from the south-Swedish juvenile idiopathic arthritis cohort
- 2022
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Ingår i: Pediatric Rheumatology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-0096. ; 20:1, s. 1-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundChildren with chronic diseases are reported to have increased risk of psychiatric comorbidity. Few studies have investigated this risk in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), with conflicting results. We performed a population-based, longitudinal cohort study of the risk of depression and anxiety in south-Swedish patients with juvenile arthritis.MethodsThe south-Swedish JIA cohort (n = 640), a population-based cohort with validated JIA diagnosis 1980 – 2010 and comparators, a reference group of 3200 individuals free from JIA, matched for sex, year of birth and residential region, was used. Data on comorbid diagnosis with depression or anxiety were obtained from the Skåne Healthcare Register, containing all healthcare contacts in the region, from 1998 to 2019. We used Cox proportional models for the calculation of hazard ratios.ResultsDuring the study period, 1998 to 2019, 93 (14.5%) of the individuals in the JIA group were diagnosed with depression, and 111 (17.3%) with anxiety. Corresponding numbers among the references was 474 (14.8%) with depression and 557 (17.4%) with anxiety. Hazard ratio for depression was 1.1 (95% CI 0.9 – 1.5) in females and 0.8 (95% CI 0.5 – 1.4) in males, and for anxiety 1.2 (95% CI 0.9 – 1.5) in females and 0.6 (95% CI 0.4 – 1.1) in males. There were no statistically significant hazard ratios when analyzing subgroups of JIA patients with long disease duration or treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.ConclusionsIndividuals with JIA do not have any statistically increased risk of being diagnosed with depression or anxiety compared to matched references.
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