Le but de cette étude est de développer des effets innovants sur la soie par résonance plasmon. Pour cela, différents types de synthèses de nanoparticules d'or et d'alliages avec d'autres métaux nobles ont été envisagés : une synthèse préalable des nanoparticules par le biais de méthodes d'ores et déjà connues, suivie d'une incorporation sur la soie ; et une synthèse des nanoparticules in-situ sur la soie. Cette deuxième approche a permis de mettre en évidence deux effets intéressants : un effet irisé des colorations (couleur changeant en fonction de l'angle d'observation), dû à la formation simultanée sur la soie de nanoparticules plasmoniques absorbant la lumière et d'agrégats métalliques la réfléchissant ; et un effet d'addition des concentrations par rematage des pâtes d'impression permettant de réaliser des effets de superpositions et de dégradés attractifs pour les industriels. Après l'étude des paramètres de préparation, de stockage et d'impression à contrôler, la faisabilité d'un tel procédé en milieu industriel et la reproductibilité des résultats ont été validées. Il reste encore à réaliser certains réglages pour le passage à grande échelle en vue d'une future industrialisation / The purpose of this study is to develop innovative effects on silk due to plasmon resonance. For this, different synthesis pathways of pure gold nanoparticles and alloys with other noble metals have been considered: preliminary syntheses of nanoparticles through already known methods, followed by their incorporation on silk; and an in situ synthesis of nanoparticles directly on the silk. This second approach allowed us to identify two interesting effects: first, an iridescent effect of the dye (color change depending on the observation angle), due to the simultaneous formation on silk of plasmonic light-absorbing nanoparticles and light-reflective metal aggregates; second, an effect of concentrations addition by the pastes’ re-impression to achieve overlaying and gradient effects interesting for the industrial partners. After the preparation, storage and printing parameters’ study, the feasibility of such a process in industry and the reproducibility of the results have been validated. Some adjustments still need to be made in the case of a future industrialization

The European Union (EU) is a key trading partner for the People's Republic of China (PRC). Nearly one third of PRC's production is send to the EU and half of EU exports is directed to the PRC. Such huge trade volumes require an appropriate logistical connection, which is currently dominated by maritime transport. However, since 2007 railway transport has also been available. The aim of this dissertation is to evaluate the position of the railway transport of the PRC European route (with focus on the position of the Czech Republic) with regard to its development, obstacles and potential for the future. Firstly, the paper describes the background and reasons for the establishment of the New Silk Road (One Belt One Road initiative), followed by the trade and economic cooperation between the PRC and the Czech Republic. The practical part deals with individual aspects of railway connection. Neither in terms of trade volumes nor price can railway compete with the maritime solution, nevertheless it slowly but surely acquires its first regular customers.

The aim of the diploma thesis is the comparison of maritime and rail freight transport between Asia and Europe. The thesis focuses on characteristic of rail transport as an alternative mode of transport and identification of possibilities, how to increase its competitiveness towards to maritime transport. First part of the thesis analyses current situation in maritime and rail transport and focuses on their specifics and future potential. The practical part deals with the change of fictitious company´s logistics system. Maritime and rail transport are compared in terms of risks, costs and shipping time. The last part of thesis deals with possibilities of increasing competitiveness of rail transport in the future.

Iron-tannate dyes have been used for thousands of years and on many continents to colour materials that are now part of our cultural heritage shades of black, grey, or brown. Cellulosic and proteinaceous yarns and woven textiles have been dyed with iron-tannate dyes to form objects or components of objects for domestic and ceremonial use. Unfortunately, the longevity and useful lifetime of iron-tannate dyed objects is threatened by the dye itself which accelerates the degradation of organic materials through metal-catalysed oxidation and acid-catalysed hydrolysis. The accelerated degradation causes weakening, discolouration, and embrittlement of the organic materials at a faster rate than undyed equivalents and if left unimpeded, weakens the objects to the point that they are no longer able to be exhibited without damage. In some cases the degradation is so great that the dyed areas of the objects have crumbled to dust. At present there is no suitable chemical stabilisation method available with which to inhibit this degradation. An aqueous treatment is available for successfully stabilising paper containing iron gall ink; iron gall ink is chemically similar to iron-tannate dye. However, the aqueous nature of this treatment makes it unsuitable for weakened fibres, water soluble components, and water sensitive materials which may be part of a composite material containing iron-tannate dye. Non-aqueous treatments are therefore urgently needed in order to preserve our iron-tannate dyed cultural heritage for future generations.In this project a range of non-aqueous antioxidants and a non-aqueous deacidifier (described in Chapter 8) were tested alongside existing aqueous treatment in order to establish their ability to slow down the degradation of a range of model iron-tannate dyed textiles (Chapters 9 and 10). Model textiles were developed as part of the project (Chapters 3-5) to be substitutes for historic materials in these stabilisation studies. Validation of the model textiles for this purpose (Chapter 6) involved the comparison of the model textiles with selected historic iron-tannate dyed objects within the British Museum’s collection (Chapter 6). The historic objects and the properties of the model textiles before and after accelerated ageing (Chapters 5 and 6) and before and after treatment application (Chapters 9 and 10) have been characterised using a variety of analytical techniques (Chapter 2). In order to determine which accelerated ageing conditions were the most suitable for this project various combinations of elevated temperature and either cycling or stable relative humidity were tested for their ability to produce noticeable changes in the properties of the dyed model textiles within four weeks of ageing (Chapter 7). This project is an AHRC/EPSRC funded Science and Heritage Programme PhD in which the British Museum has been a collaborative institution. Among other wider dissemination methods, research from this project has been presented to the public on numerous occasions at gallery tours and Science Day events at the British Museum.

No description available.

Development of methods for studying drug delivery systems is of great significance for the improvement of topical formulations. Active compounds for topical drug delivery are often formulated into gels and creams, that can be applied onto skin surfaces. It is important to know the extent of the permeability of the active compounds, in order to determine the medical effect. This study examines the possibilities of using an animal-free skin equivalent for penetration and permeation experiments, i.e. a silk scaffold integrated with viable human dermaland epidermal cells. Mammalian cell culturing together with silkconstruct formation, constituted the upstream bioprocess and acquisition of the skin equivalents. Permeability of fluorescently labelled Bovine Serum Albumin and Sodium Fluorescein salt was assessed, using a Franz- cell setup incorporated with the skin equivalents. Furthermore, fluorescence analysis and SDS-PAGE was performed on the collected samples, along with cryosectioning and image analysis of the skin equivalents. The results indicate variations in tissue integrity, leading to both high and low permeability. Fluorescence intensity can be correlated with the amount of sample liquid passing through. The model is still under development, hence more research is needed to draw a conclusion regarding the cellular composition of the skin equivalents, and how it influences permeability. / NextBioForm

Nowadays, exceptional advantages of silk fibroin over synthetic and natural polymers have impelled the scientists to application of this biomaterial for tissue engineering purposes. Recently, we showed that embedding natural degummed silk fibers in regenerated Bombyx mori silk-based scaffold significantly increases the mechanical stiffness, while the porosity of the scaffolds remains the same. In the present study, we evaluated degradation rate, biocompatibility and regenerative properties of the regenerated 2% and 4% wt silk-based composite scaffolds with or without embedded natural degummed silk fibers within 90 days in both athymic nude and wild-type C57BL/6 mice through subcutaneous implantation. In all scaffolds, a suitable interconnected porous structure for cell penetration was seen under scanning electron microscopy. Compressive tests revealed a functional relationship between fiber reinforcement and compressive modulus. In addition, the fiber/fibroin composite scaffolds support cell attachment and proliferation. On days 30 to 90 after subcutaneous implantation, the retrieved tissues were examined via gross morphology, histopathology, immunofluorescence staining and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction as shown in Figure 1. Results showed that embedding the silk fibers within the matrix enhances the biodegradability of the matrix resulting in replacement of the composite scaffolds with the fresh connective tissue. Fortification of the composites with degummed fibers not only regulates the degradation profile but also increases the mechanical performance of the scaffolds. This report also confirmed that pore size and structure play an important role in the degradation rate. In conclusion, the findings of the present study narrate key role of additional surface area in improving in vitro and in vivo biological properties of the scaffolds and suggest the potential ability of these fabricated composite scaffolds for connective tissue regeneration.

No description available.

Bröstcancer är den vanligaste formen av cancer som drabbar kvinnor. Det är en heterogen och komplex sjukdom som består av flera undergrupper, var och en med distinkt morfologi och kliniska implikationer [1]. För att modellera och studera cellbiologi, vävnadsmorfologi, molekylära mekanismer och läkemedels effekter används cellkulturer [2]. Idag är tvådimensionella (2D) modeller fortfarande den mest använda metoden för att odla celler in vitro [3]. En nackdel med 2D-modeller är att mikromiljön i dessa modeller inte imiterar in vivo strukturen av tumörer och vävnader, då de saknar tre dimensionella (3D) cell-cell och cellextracellulär matrix (ECM) interaktioner [2]. På grund av nackdelarna med 2D-modeller, har 3D-modeller blivit mer intressanta som alternativ för att lösa behovet av en pålitlig preklinisk modell för läkemedelstestning och för studier av cancerbiologi. För att utveckla ett redskap som är relevant för cancerforskning etablerar professor My Hedhammars laboratorium en 3D-modell av bröstcancer. I en sådan ny modell används Biosilk som byggnadsställning för att odla odödliga cellinjer som är representativa för de tre huvudklasserna av bröstcancer (i.e. MCF-7 (luminal-lik), SKBR-3 (HER2-överuttryckt) och MDAMB- 231 (trippel-negativ)). Eftersom transkriptions signaturer kan användas för att klassificera och studera bröstcancer är det viktigt att undersöka om och hur tillväxt i 3D-Biosilk kan påverka genuttrycksprofiler. Hypotesen som testades i denna studie var om cellkulturer i 3DBiosilk kan ha signifikanta skillnader i uttryck av biomarkörer, relevanta för bröstcancerbiologi, vid jämförelse av samma cellinje kultiverad i 2D. För att testa detta utvärderades kvalitén och reproducerbarheten av 3D-Biosilk konstruktionen med hjälp av olika kvalitetstester. Strukturen granskades med brightfield mikroskopi, arean av konstruktionen mättes med ImageJ, infärgning med phalloidin bekräftade cellnärvaro och cellvidhäftning till modellen. Alamar blue utfördes för att bedöma den cellulära metaboliska aktiviteten i modellen. Förändringarna av målgenernas genuttryck undersöktes med kvantitativ omvänd transkription PCR (RT-qPCR) och detta påvisade en statistiskt signifikant skillnad i genuttrycket beroende på om cellerna odlats i 2D- eller 3D-Biosilk modeller. I cellinje MDA-MB-231 hittades tre gener, i cellinje SKBR-3 hittades två gener och i cellinje MCF-7 hittades fyra gener. Genuttrycket för en av dessa gener i cellinje MCF-7, som var kultiverad i 3D-Biosilk, var nedreglerad (i.e. ZO-1). Detta kunde valideras på proteinnivå med immunofluorescens. Sammanfattningsvis, celler odlade i 3D-Biosilk visar på en mer aggressiv fenotyp. / Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. It is a heterogenous and complex disease composed of several subtypes, each with distinct morphological and clinical implications [1]. To model and study cell biology, tissue morphology, molecular mechanisms and drug actions, cell cultures are canonically used [2]. Today two-dimensional (2D) models are still widely the preferred method for culturing cells in vitro [3]. A drawback with 2D models is that the microenvironment in these models does not mimic the in vivo structure of tumors and tissues, lacking three-dimensional (3D) cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions [2]. Due to the disadvantages of 2D models, 3D cultures have become an increasingly interesting alternative to solve the need for a reliable preclinical model for drug testing and the study of cancer biology. To develop a relevant tool for cancer research, the laboratory of professor My Hedhammar is currently establishing a 3D model of breast cancer. In such novel model, Biosilk is used as scaffold to grow immortalized cell lines representative of the three major classes of breast cancer (i.e. MCF-7 (luminal-like), SKBR-3 (HER2-overexpression) and MDA-MB-231 (triplenegative)). Since transcriptional signatures can be used to classify and study breast cancers, it is important to investigate if and how growth in 3D-Biosilk can impact gene expression profiles. The hypothesis tested in this study was that cells cultured in 3D-Biosilk have differences in expression of biomarkers relevant to breast cancer biology, when compared to the same cell lines cultured in 2D. To examine this, 3D-Biosilk models were created and evaluated to ensure their quality and reproducibility, for instance, the scaffold structure was monitored by brightfield microscopy, the construct’s area was measured with ImageJ, staining with phalloidin confirmed the presence of cells as well as their attachment to the construct, and Alamar blue was used to assess the cellular metabolic activity. Differences in gene expression of target genes were investigated using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RTqPCR), which revealed statistically significant changes depending on whether the cells were cultivated in 2D or a 3D-Biosilk model. For cell line MDA-MB-231 three genes were found, for SKBR-3 two genes were found and for MCF-7 four genes were found. The expression of one gene which was found downregulated in MCF-7 cultured in 3D-Biosilk (i.e. ZO-1) was validated at protein level by immunofluorescence. In conclusion, cultivating cells in 3D-Biosilk indicates a more aggressive phenotype.

The supervising teacher of the Thesis chose two bulidings to be the subject of solution, which were used as warehouses of cocoons. These are the biggest buildings of the premises as for the volume, which stand out for their impressing construction and their area (1493,1 & 1486,6 m2). The distance between them is aprox. 125 m. The systém of construction is the same in both the buildings, it is a wooden timber reinforced brick masonry frame in modular size of 3,6 x 6,15 m. The constructive height of street floor of building A is 4,4 m, building B 3,85 m. The clearence of bulinding A is 3,85 m and for building B 3,27m. The clearance of second floor in both objects is 4,84m. The existing inner staircase has one arm and is of 54 cm in width. There is a cargo lift on its … covered by … for the connecting the floor areas. … … of both the building forms together with wooden pillars elements also … . The windows of 160 cm width are set rytmicaly in three consecutive rows, they ensure max lighting of the interior of the buildings. The roofing of the buildings is made from wooden frame structure and covered by tiles. The roof construction is not covered from bottom and therefor they make an impression of one of the most striking elements in the interior. The clean dispositions, the lenght of the halls of 104 m to the adequate width, the clean construction both the brick and the wooden ones, together with impressive lighting, the all form an enormous value resulting in a unique character as a whole.