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Jeffrey Eckert,1 Brian Scott,1,2 Shelley M Lawrence,3 Michael Ihnat,4 Hala Chaaban1 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 2Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 3Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 4Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Oklahoma, College of Pharmacy, Oklahoma City, OK, USA Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating gastrointestinal disease that primarily affects premature infants. It is characterized by inflammation and leukocyte infiltration that can progress to intestinal necrosis, perforation, systemic inflammatory response, and death. In this study, we examined the effect of FLLL32, a curcumin analog, on an NEC-like neonatal intestinal injury model. Methods: NEC was induced in CD-1 mice pups using the Paneth cell ablation and Klebsiella infection model. Pups were divided into sham, NEC, and NEC + FLLL32 groups. At the end of the experiment, pups were euthanized; whole blood and small intestines were harvested. Intestinal inflammatory cytokine profile, in vivo intestinal permeability using serum fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran, and histological injury scores were compared between the groups. Results and conclusion: FLLL32-treated pups had lower intestinal injury, improved intestinal permeability, and lower proinflammatory cytokine profiles compared to those in untreated pups with NEC. These results suggest that FLLL32 plays a protective role in NEC. Keywords: necrotizing enterocolitis, neonatal intestinal inflammation, curcumin, FLLL32, STAT3 inhibitors

The wetting behavior and reactivity between molten pure Gd and polycrystalline 3YSZ substrate (ZrO2 stabilized with 3 wt% of Y2O3)were experimentally determined by a sessile drop method using a classical contact heating coupled with drop pushing procedure. The test was performed under an inert flowing gas atmosphere (Ar) at two temperatures of 1362°C and 1412°C. Immediately after melting (Tm=1341°C), liquid Gd did not wet the substrate forming a contact angle of θ=141°. The non-wetting to wetting transition (θ < 90°) took place after about 110 seconds of interaction and was accompanied by a sudden decrease in the contact angle value to 67°. Further heating of the couple to 1412 °C did not affect wetting (θ=67°±1°). The solidified Gd/3YSZ couple was studied by means of optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. Structural investigations revealed that the wettability in the Gd/3YSZ system is of a reactive nature associated with the formation of a continuous layer of a wettable reaction product Gd2Zr2O7.

In this study, the evolution of the nanostructure on dc Joule heated Fe72Al5Ga2P11C6B4 metallic glass ribbons have been investigated. Heating power per square area (PS) was ranging between 0.8 to 7.1 W/cm2 in order to get various stages of relaxation or nanocrystallization. The crystallization starts after applying PS ≈ 4.35 W/cm2 and the sample consist of residual amorphous matrix, a magnetic crystalline component and also a non-magnetic crystalline component (relative abundance of Fe in the crystalline phase is about 35 %). XRD measurements show that crystalline samples after current annealing consist of Fe3B, FeC, FeP and Fe3P compounds. On TEM micrograph a broad distribution of shapes and sizes is noticed, the latter range from about 60 to 350 nm, increasing by applied heating power. The decrease of the electrical resistivity after each current annealing treatment is rather small in comparison with other Fe-based amorphous alloys (only about 1.5 % for the highest PS). Partial nanocrystallization leads to increase of coercive field (from HC ≈ 7 A/m in the amorphous as-cast state up to 45 A/m) attributed to precipitation of magnetically harder compounds (Fe3B and FeC).

Crystallization of Fe82Si2B16 and Fe82Si4B14 metallic glasses upon heat treatment has been studied. The amorphous ribbons have been isothermally annealed at different temperatures (673, 693, 733 and 743 K) and for various times (from 15 min to 78 hours). Phase compositions and the sequence of their appearance in dependence on the annealing temperature and time have been established.

While postsecondary education appears to promote civic mindedness and engagement, relatively little is known about the association between civic outcomes and types of postsecondary education, as well as across different academic programs. Using a convenience sample from two postsecondary education institutions in the Mid-Atlantic U.S., this research examines the differences in civic mindedness and civic engagement between 2-year community college and 4-year university students, as well as students in different majors. Despite no significant difference between 2- and 4-year institutions, social science majors have greater civic outcomes in the specific areas compared to other majors.

The local elastic strains during tensile deformation in a CuZrAlAg metallic glass are obtained by fitting an elliptic shape function to the characteristic amorphous ring in electron diffraction patterns. Scanning nanobeam electron diffraction enables strain mapping with a resolution of a few nanometers. Here, a fast direct electron detector is used to acquire the diffraction patterns at a sufficient speed to map the local transient strain during continuous tensile loading in situ in the transmission electron microscope. The elastic strain in tensile direction was found to increase during loading. After catastrophic fracture, a residual elastic strain that relaxes over time was observed.

Fluctuation electron microscopy of bulk metallic glasses of CuZrAl(Ag) demonstrates that medium-range order is sensitive to minor compositional changes. By analyzing nanodiffraction patterns medium-range order is detected with crystal-like motifs based on the B2 CuZr structure and its distorted structures resembling the martensitic ones. This result demonstrates some structural homology between the metallic glass and its high temperature crystalline phase. The amount of medium-range order seems slightly affected with increasing Ag concentration (0, 2, 5 at.%) but the structural motifs of the medium-range ordered clusters become more diverse at the highest Ag concentration. The decrease of dominant clusters is consistent with the destabilization of the B2 structure measured by calorimetry and accounts for the increased glass-forming ability.