Innovative tarantula hair-inspired washing machine filters for enhanced microfiber capture.

Aquatic environments are being polluted by microplastics primarily originating from the washing of synthetic textiles. Microfibers (MF), which are microplastics in synthetic fibers, are consistently introduced into the environment with each domestic laundry cycle. To address this issue, we developed a specialized MF capture "barbed filter" (BF) by transforming PET monofilaments of different diameters (0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 mm) into structures that closely resemble the characteristics of tarantula urticating hairs. BFs feature sharp barbs that effectively capture and retain microfibers of diverse lengths, surpassing the performance of conventional control filters. The BFs had a retention efficiency of 88-91 %, while the CFs had an efficiency of 79-86 %. Our findings revealed that the barbed filter significantly outperformed the conventional control filter in capturing microfibers due to its smaller pore size, shorter pore distance, and unique filter shape. This design not only enhances the surface area and friction, facilitating microfibril strong entrapment but also minimizes the probability of microfibril passage through the filter. This research offers a promising solution for reducing microfibril release from laundry and textile industrial wastewater. The implementation of BFs in real life has the potential to significantly reduce microplastic pollution and promote a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

Study on the Migration Behaviors of Magnesium Oxysulfate Nano-Whiskers in Polypropylene Composites with Surface Modification.

In this study, surface modification aimed to enhance the compatibility between a hydrophilic inorganic filler and polypropylene (PP) matrix using hydrophobic treatment. Lauric acid, butyl acrylate, and maleic anhydride were employed to modify the filler surface. After treatment, inorganic filler/PP composites were produced using melt-mixing and extrusion-injection molding processes. The study focused on investigating compatibility and migration behavior between the filler and matrix. The findings indicated that hydrophobic modification, specifically with butyl acrylate and maleic anhydride, improved migration issues in nano-whisker, while maintaining favorable mechanical properties even under accelerated thermal aging. However, excessive hydrophobicity induced by superhydrophobic treatment using lauric acid led to reduced compatibility with the matrix, compromising its effectiveness. Consequently, the study revealed the potential of surface modification to enhance interfacial properties and mitigate migration concerns in PP composites for automotive applications.

Effects of Grafting Degree on the Formation of Waterborne Polyurethane-Acrylate Film with Hard Core-Soft Shell Structure.

Waterborne polyurethane-acrylate (WPUA) grafted with polyurethane was prepared to improve the film-forming ability of hard-type acrylic latex. To balance the film-formation ability and hardness, the WPUA latex was designed with a hard core (polyacrylate) and soft shell (polyurethane). The grafting ratio was controlled through varying the content of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) used to cap the ends of the polyurethane prepolymer. The morphologies of the latex particles, film surface, and fracture surface of the film were characterized through transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. An increase in the grafting ratio resulted in the enhanced miscibility of polyurethane and polyacrylate but reduced adhesion between particles and increased minimum film formation temperature. In addition, grafting was essential to obtain transparent WPUA films. Excessive grafting induced defects such as micropores within the film, leading to the decreased hardness and adhesive strength of the film. The optimal HEMA content for the preparation of a WPUA coating with excellent film-forming ability and high hardness in ambient conditions was noted to be 50%. The final WPUA film was prepared without coalescence agents that generate volatile organic compounds.

Computational Approach to the Surface-Crosslinking Process of Superabsorbent Polymer via Central Composite Design.

The improvement of gel strength and absorption properties through the surface-crosslinking of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) is essential for sanitary industry applications. We prepared core-SAP via aqueous solution copolymerization, and then surface-crosslinked the core-SAP under various conditions. The structure of the SAP was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM) has been applied to determine the optimum surface-crosslinking conditions such as surface-crosslinker content, reaction temperature, and reaction time. The optimal surface-crosslinking conditions were identified at a surface-crosslinker content of 2.22 mol%, reaction temperature of 160 °C, and reaction time of 8.7 min. The surface-crosslinked SAP showed excellent absorbency under load of 50 g/g with a permeability of 50 s. Other absorption properties were also evaluated by measuring the free absorbency and centrifuge retention capacity in saline solution.

The Effect of the Physical and Chemical Properties of Synthetic Fabrics on the Release of Microplastics during Washing and Drying.

Synthetic fibers released during washing are the primary source of microplastic pollution. Hence, research on reducing the release of microplastic fibers during washing has recently attracted considerable attention. As a result of previous studies, there is a difference in the amount of microplastic emission according to various types of fabrics. To mitigate the release of microplastics, the study of the reason for the difference in the amount of microplastics is needed. Therefore, this study investigated different synthetic fabrics that release microplastics and the physical properties of the fabrics that affect the release of fibers. Three types of fabrics with different chemical compositions were analyzed. The washing and drying processes were improved by focusing on the mechanical factors that affected microplastic release. Furthermore, based on the mass of the collected microplastic fibers, it was found that the chemical compositions of the fabric can affect the microplastics released during washing and drying. This evaluation of physical properties helped to identify the physical factors that affect microplastic release. These results may provide a basis for reducing microplastic fiber types, thereby minimizing unintended environmental pollution.

Characterization of Microplastics Released Based on Polyester Fabric Construction during Washing and Drying.

With the increasing production of synthetic materials, more microplastic fibers are being generated while washing clothes. Consequently, these particles are increasingly detected in the aquatic environment. Synthetic fibers produced via washing have a relatively high contribution to microplastic pollution. Hence, recent research on reducing the release of microplastic fibers is attracting considerable attention. In this study, fabric-specific analysis was performed by strictly controlling various factors, and each washing and drying process was improved by focusing on the mechanical factors affecting microplastic release. Furthermore, the mass of the collected microplastic fibers and their length distribution were measured. Fabric construction, including chemical composition and yarn type, impacted the microplastics released during washing and drying. Differences in the mechanical factors during washing helped to identify the physical factors affecting microplastic release. These results on the release of microplastics may provide a basis for developing a filter system that can minimize the unintended environmental consequences.

Analysis of Microplastics Released from Plain Woven Classified by Yarn Types during Washing and Drying.

Microplastics reach the aquatic environment through wastewater. Larger debris is removed in sewage treatment plants, but filters are not explicitly designed to retain sewage sludge's microplastic or terrestrial soils. Therefore, the effective quantification of filtration system to mitigate microplastics is needed. To mitigate microplastics, various devices have been designed, and the removal efficiency of devices was compared. However, this study focused on identifying different fabrics that shed fewer microplastics. Therefore, in this study, fabric-specific analyses of microplastics of three different fabrics during washing and drying processes were studied. Also, the change in the generation of microplastics for each washing process of standard washing was investigated. The amount of microplastics released according to the washing process was analyzed, and the collected microplastics' weight, length, and diameter were measured and recorded. According to the different types of yarn, the amount of microplastic fibers produced during washing and drying varied. As the washing processes proceed, the amount of microplastics gradually decreased. The minimum length (>40 µm) of micro-plastics generated were in plain-woven fabric. These results will be helpful to mitigate microplastics in the production of textiles and in selecting built-in filters, and focusing on the strict control of other parameters will be useful for the development of textile-based filters, such as washing bags.

Photocatalytic Activity and Filtration Performance of Hybrid TiO2-Cellulose Acetate Nanofibers for Air Filter Applications.

A facile method to prepare hybrid cellulose acetate nanofibers containing TiO2 (TiO2-CA nanofibers) by emulsion electrospinning technique was developed for the denitrification and filtration of particulate matters (PMs). This work found that hybrid TiO2-CA nanofibers mainly contain the anatase form of TiO2, contributing to the photodecomposition of NO gas under UV irradiation. The TiO2-CA nanofibers also showed an excellent filtration efficiency of 99.5% for PM0.5 and a photocatalytic efficiency of 78.6% for NO removal. Furthermore, the results implied that the morphology of the TiO2-CA nanofibers, such as micro-wrinkles and protrusions, increased the surface hydrophobicity up to 140°, with the increased addition of TiO2 nanoparticles. The proposed TiO2-CA nanofibers, as a result, would be promising materials for highly efficient and sustainable air filters for industrial and home appliance systems.

Dual inhibition of FOXM1 and its compensatory signaling pathway decreased the survival of ovarian cancer cells.

The present study aimed to analyze the compensatory signaling pathways induced by forkhead domain inhibitor­6 (FDI­6), which is a forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1) inhibitor, in ovarian cancer cells and evaluate the effectiveness of simultaneous inhibition of FOXM1 and the compensatory signaling pathway in decreasing the survival of ovarian cancer cells. The present study identified the proteins involved in the compensatory mechanism activated by FDI­6 in HeyA8 ovarian cancer cells using western blot analysis and a reverse­phase protein array. In addition, a cell viability assay was performed to determine the effects of FDI­6 and the compensatory signaling pathway on cancer cell viability. All experiments were performed in three­dimensional cell cultures. The present study observed that FDI­6 stimulated the upregulation of N­Ras, phosphoprotein kinase Cδ (p­PKCδ) (S664) and HER3 in HeyA8 cells. Tipifarnib as an N­Ras inhibitor, rottlerin as a p­PKCδ (S664) inhibitor and sapitinib as a HER3 inhibitor were selected. The combination of FDI­6 with tipifarnib attenuated the upregulation of N­Ras induced by FDI­6 and the combination of FDI­6 with sapitinib also attenuated HER3 downstream signaling pathway in HeyA8 cells, as shown by on western blot analysis. Rottlerin downregulated p­PKCδ (S664) by inhibiting the activity of a Src­related tyrosine kinase that transfers a phosphate group to PKCδ. Compared with FDI­6 alone, the addition of tipifarnib or rottlerin to FDI­6 was significantly more effective in reducing the growth of HeyA8 cells. However, the combination of FDI­6 and sapitinib did not induce a significant decrease in survival of HeyA8 cells. In conclusion, the addition of tipifarnib or rottlerin to inhibit N­Ras or p­PKCδ (S664), respectively, inhibited the compensatory signaling pathway response induced by FDI­6 in HeyA8 cells. These inhibitors increased the efficacy of FDI­6, which inhibits FOXM1, in reducing ovarian cancer cell viability.

Nilotinib in patients with metastatic melanoma harboring KIT gene aberration.

PURPOSE: Patients with metastatic melanoma have a poor prognosis and few treatment options are available. We evaluated the anti-tumor activity and safety of nilotinib, a KIT inhibitor, in patients with metastatic melanoma harboring KIT alterations, either mutations or amplifications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was open-label, single center, prospective phase II clinical trial. Between October 2009 and April 2011, 11 patients with metastatic melanoma harboring KIT gene mutations or KIT gene amplifications were enrolled in the first stage of phase II study and nilotinib was administered orally at a dose of 400 mg twice a day until disease progression or intolerable toxicities. The primary endpoint was response rate and secondary endpoints were safety, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Of 11 patients, 9 patients were evaluable for treatment response. Of 9 patients, three patients had KIT mutations in exon 11, Leu576Pro, Val559Ala and Lys558Arg; and 6 patients had KIT amplifications > 50 copies compared to control DNA. Two patients achieved partial response (22.2%) and 5 patients achieved stable disease (55.6%). In two patients who responded to nilotinib, both had KIT mutations and showed durable response for 8.4 months and 10.0+ months. Of note, one patient with KIT amplification had stable disease with response for 6 months. A decrease in tumor size from baseline was observed in four patients (44.4%). Nilotinib 800 mg/d was very well tolerated with grade 1 nausea and grade 1 dry-eye being the most common adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: We have decided to publish the preliminary results because anti-tumor activity of nilotinib was promising in KIT mutated patients. Although our results are preliminary, nilotinib had very favorable toxicity profile with durable response in metastatic melanoma patients with KIT mutations. The anti-tumor activity of nilotinib in melanoma patients with KIT amplification is yet to be determined in future studies. Currently, phase II nilotinib trial is ongoing in Korea as multi-center study.