Pressure and compressibility in a quantum one-component plasma
With the help of scaling methods, a general relation is established between the thermodynamic pressure and the mechanical pressure tensor of an equilibrium one-component plasma in a magnetic field. The mechanical pressure tenser is shown to be anisotropic. A general proof of the compressibility sum rule for a magnetized quantum plasma is presented. Finally, fourth-order wavenumber inequalities for the static charge correlation function are derived.
On the compressibility of a one-component plasma
A fluid of charged particles embedded in a neutralising background is considered and, in contradistinction with ordinary fluids, its isothermal compressibility is defined from the k4-term of the small-wavevector expansion (k to 0) of the static structure factor S(k). This compressibility can also be written as a thermodynamic derivative but, contrary to what happens for ordinary fluids, it is not a positive semidefinite quantity, in agreement with the recent numerical results obtained for charged fluids.
Scaffolds Containing Spirulina sp. LEB 18 Biomass: Development, Characterization and Evaluation of In Vitro Biodegradation.
Polymer nanofibers are nanomaterials that can be used as scaffolds in tissue engineering. The objective of this study was to develop, characterize and evaluate the in vitro degradation of a biomaterial consisting of nanofibers produced from biodegradable and biocompatible polymers with potential applications as a scaffold for tissue regeneration and containing Spirulina sp. LEB 18 biomass as the bioactive compound. The polymers used were poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) and polycaprolactone. The polymeric solutions exhibited sufficiently high viscosity to produce uniform nanofibers with diameters between 335 and 617 nm. The applied conditions were as follows: a voltage of 25 kV, a distance from the capillary to the collector of 120 mm, a capillary diameter of 0.80 mm, and 12% polycaprolactone and a blend of 5% polycaprolactone and 10% poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate). The biomass was incorporated into the nanofibers at a concentration of 3%, and the incorporation was confirmed using confocal microscopy. The nanofibers were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, which showed that the addition of biomass did not alter the thermal properties of the biomaterial. The addition of biomass improved the tensile strength and elongation of the scaffolds compared with those produced with polymers alone. A biodegradation assay showed enzymatic action toward the biomaterial, simulating the behavior of natural tissue. Based on the analysis, it was concluded that the scaffolds that were produced have the potential to be applied in the field of tissue regeneration as biomaterials with pharmacological properties.