Porous Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene/Functionalized Activated Nanocarbon Composites with Improved Biocompatibility.

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) materials have been prevalent joint replacement materials for more than 45 years because of their excellent biocompatibility and wear resistance. In this study, functionalized activated nanocarbon (FANC) was prepared by grafting maleic anhydride polyethylene onto acid-treated activated nanocarbon. A novel porous UHMWPE composite was prepared by incorporating the appropriate amount of FANC and pore-forming agents during the hot-pressing process for medical UHMWPE powder. The experimental results showed that the best prepared porous UHMWPE/FANC exhibited appropriate tensile strength, porosity, and excellent hydrophilicity, with a contact angle of 65.9°. In vitro experiments showed that the porous UHMWPE/FANC had excellent biocompatibility, which is due to its porous structure and hydrophilicity caused by FANC. This study demonstrates the potential viability for our porous UHMWPE/FANC to be used as cartilage replacement material for biomedical applications.

[Genetic diversity of Pardosa pseudoannulata populations and its relationships with habitats].

A random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was made on the Pardosa pseudoannulata populations collected from eight habitats in Central-south China, Southwest China, and Hainan Island. 10 from 50 primers were selected, and 84 bands of 200-2500 bp fragments were amplified, among which, 62 bands (73.8%) were polymorphic, suggesting an obvious polymorphism of the populations. As estimated by Shannon index, genetic similarity index and genetic distance, the total genetic diversity index of the spider was 0.5177, with the genetic variation being 64.24% within the P. pseudoannulata populations and 35.76% among the populations. The genetic distance among the eight populations ranged from 0.0753 to 0.3725, with an average of 0.2426, indicating that the eight populations engendered adaptive variations with different habitats. Multiple regression analysis showed that annual mean air temperature and pesticide application were the main factors restricting P. pseudoannulata to be a dominant insect species in rice field.