The preparation and applicability of solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers coated with a sol-gel organically modified silica based on 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and polydimethylsiloxane (APTMS/PDMS) are described here. Micrographs of the coated fibers revealed a rugous surface; the thickness of the coating was estimated to be less than 30 microm. The APTMS/PDMS fibers were tested with sy...

Spider silk is an attractive biopolymer with numerous potential applications due to its remarkable characteristics. Among the six categories of spider silks, flagelliform (Flag) spider silk possesses longer and more repetitive core domains than others, therefore performing the highest extensibility. To investigate the correlation between the recombinant spidroin size and the synthetic fiber pro...

Staple yarns form the bulk of the manufacturing activity of the U.S. textile industry. Staple fiber yams are utilized in the making of apparel, upholstery and industrial fabrics. Yarns may be made from natural staple fibers or from a variety of synthetic fibers or from the blends of different fibers. As a matter of fact, blends constitute a bulk of the staple yarns manufactured in the U.S. Alth...

We report an unusual etiology for a thromboembolic complication. Occlusion of the middle cerebral artery occurred before embolization of an intracranial aneurysm. Attempts to recanalize the artery failed by using both fibrinolytics and IIb/IIIa inhibitors but succeeded with mechanical thrombectomy with a micro-snare. Pathologic analysis of the thrombus showed numerous synthetic fibers that were...

Abstract—Thermal insulation materials based on natural fibers represent a very promising area of materials based on natural easy renewable row sources. These materials may be in terms of the properties of most competing synthetic insulations, but show somewhat higher moisture sensitivity and thermal insulation properties are strongly influenced by the density and orientation of fibers. The pape...

By examining rapid changes in the volume and temperature during excitation of a large number of excitable cells and tissues, we have shown that the excitation process is invariably accompanied by swelling and heat production in the superficial protoplasmic layer. By comparing the behavior of a model system (synthetic anionic gels containing both Caand Naions) with that of nerve fibers under com...

A number of animals have evolved to produce silk-based composite materials for a variety of task-specific applications. The review initially focuses on the composite structure of silk fibers produced naturally by silkworms and spiders, followed by the preparation and applications of man-made composite materials (including fibers, films, foams, gels and particulates) incorporating silk proteins ...