M ycoplasmas (the trivial name for microorganisms belonging to the class Mollicutes) are the smallest free-living, self-replicating bacteria, having diameters of 300 to 800 nm. These pleomorph microorganisms have no cell walls. (1~ Because of their small size and flexibility, mollicutes can pass through filters of 450 and 220 nm used commonly in cell culturing. ~,2) Mollicute contamination of p...

Shot peening with steel shot followed by a cleaning process with glass beads is commonly used as surface finish in the production of modular hip endoprostheses. The induced compressive residual stresses increase the resistance against fatigue and fretting fatigue. The surface roughness can be adjusted in a range that enhances the physiological acceptance I compatibility of monolithic ~rnplants....

Purpose. To investigate whether the addition of antibiotic/antimycotic during human granulosa-lutein cells (GLCs) isolation and cell-plating procedures prevents microbial contamination after 144 h of culture and also evaluate the effects of contamination on GLCs ultrastructure and steroid secretion. Methods. GLCs obtained from five women submitted to assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) were...

Fracturing quartz produces silica-based radicals on the fracture planes and generates hydroxyl radicals (.OH) in aqueous media. .OH production has been shown to be directly associated with quartz-induced cell damage and phagocyte activation in vitro. This .OH production in vitro is inhibited by desferrioxamine mesylate, an Fe chelator, indicating involvement of a Fenton-like reaction. Our objec...

This paper summarizes parenteral drug contamination case studies presented at industry conferences and a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee meeting in the period of 2000-2004. CGMP deficiencies associated with each contamination event are discussed. The key role of a well-functioning quality system in contamination prevention is emphasized.

We demonstrate a process for batch production of large-area (100-3000 microm(2)) patterned free-standing graphene membranes on Cu scaffolds using chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown graphene. This technique avoids the use of silicon and transfers of graphene. As one application of this technique, we fabricate transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample supports. TEM characterization of the ...

The scanning electron microscope (SEM) has gone through a tremendous evolution to become indispensable for many and diverse scientific and industrial applications. The improvements have significantly enriched and augmented the overall SEM performance and have made the instrument far easier to operate. But, the ease of operation also might lead, through operator complacency, to poor results. In ...

Much of the algorithms used to calculate dose distributions for photon beams generated by clinical electron linacs (Zhou et al. 2010, Sikora and Alber 2009, Tillikainen 2009) consider three particle sources: a photon source corresponding to Bremsstrahlung in the target (primary source), a second photon source that takes into account those photons produced by scattering into the primary collimat...