Recycling of Polyethylene Bags into High-Strength Yarns Without Using Melt Processing

A critical issue facing mankind is how to effectively recycle plastic grocery bags. Currently, the most proven practice for bag recycling is to create numerous returning sites throughout the nation. However, the success is compromised by the voluntary nature of such activities. In this work, we investigate an alternative approach to bag returning, by diverting recycling activities directly to consumers or end users at home. Specifically, a simple process for converting waste bags into high-strength fibers and yarns is designed and tested in an experimental feasibility study. The results from tensile testing and thermal analysis demonstrate that by a combined process sequence of cutting, knotting, twisting, hot drawing, and heat setting, high-strength polyethylene yarns with mechanical properties comparable to those of melt-spun polyethylene fibers can be produced. Without the involvement of melt processing, yarns made of a waste high-density polyethylene grocery bag material were hot drawn and heat set to achieve a tensile strength of 330 MPa. Yarns with such ternacity are expected to find numerous applications in textile, flooring, and leisure products. This may open up a new paradigm in plastic bags recycling and allow part of the recycling burden to be shifted to local residential communities. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60: 281–287, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

A Dual Inhibitor of DYRK1A and GSK3β for β-Cell Proliferation: Aminopyrazine Derivative GNF4877

Loss of β-cell mass and function can lead to insufficient insulin levels and ultimately to hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus. The mainstream treatment approach involves regulation of insulin levels; however, approaches intended to increase β-cell mass are less developed. Promoting β-cell proliferation with low-molecular-weight inhibitors of dual-specificity tyrosine-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) offers the potential to treat diabetes with oral therapies by restoring β-cell mass, insulin content and glycemic control. GNF4877, a potent dual inhibitor of DYRK1A and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) was previously reported to induce primary human β-cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we describe the lead optimization that lead to the identification of GNF4877 from an aminopyrazine hit identified in a phenotypic high-throughput screening campaign measuring β-cell proliferation.     

Toward an understanding of how red phosphorus and expandable graphite enhance the fire resistance of expandable polystyrene foams

Flame retardant expandable polystyrene (EPS) foams were prepared by coating method. Red phosphorus (RP) and expandable graphite (EG) were chosen as the flame retardants to be coated on the surface of expanded PS beads. By the presence of 33 phr RP/EG with a mass ratio of 1:1, the limiting oxygen index of EPS foam could reach up to 26.9%, with V-0 rating obtained in UL-94 test. The peak heat release rate could also decrease to 180.67 kW/m², which was 72.9% lower than that of neat EPS sample. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed an obvious increase of thermal stability and residue char amount by the presence of RP and EG. From the observation and analysis of char residue, it could be proposed that there existed a significant synergistic effect between RP and EG. RP could be oxidized and further react with graphite by the presence of oxygen at high temperature, forming isolated char layer and releasing nonflammable gases. Moreover, P radicals were generated at high temperature and could capture the radicals formed during the combustion of polystyrene and eliminate the burning chain reactions.     

黄陵矿区主要含水层特征对煤矿采掘的影响

黄陵矿区位于黄陇侏罗纪煤田北部,主要开采2#煤层,矿井生产中对各含水层特征认识不一,严重影响了煤矿的安全生产。针对此问题,收集整理黄陵矿区历年来的勘查数据,对各地层含水性特征进行客观分析与研究,并对主要含水层的富水性进行详细论述。研究结果表明,影响矿区煤层采掘的主要含水层为白垩系下统洛河组含水层和侏罗系中统直罗组含水层,其中,洛河组含水层对矿井采掘的影响较为突出。洛河组含水层富水性属于弱-中等,弱富水性区域位于矿区的东部,中等富水性区域位于矿区的中西部。今后矿井防治水工作中需高度重视矿区中西部洛河组含水层对煤矿采掘的影响。     

The effects of ozone,ultrasound and coating with shellac and lysozyme–chitosan on fresh egg during storage at ambient temperature – part 1: interior quality changes

The objective of this research was to investigate and compare the effect of different treatments including gaseous ozone (6-ppm/4-min), ultrasound (450 W/4 min) and coating of shellac, lysozyme–chitosan (L-C) on fresh eggs internal quality during storage for six weeks at ambient temperature. The internal quality attributes such as weight loss (WL), albumen viscosity, Haugh unit (HU), yolk index, total soluble solids, albumen and yolk's pH were monitored. Control groups had the worst HU (50.04), WL (8.35%), albumen pH (9.27) and viscosity (7.72 mPa·s) values after storage. The best interior qualities were obtained by shellac coating [HU (72.37), WL (1.37) and viscosity (30.10 mPa·s)] and sonication (albumen pH: 8.22). Thus, the shellac-coated eggs maintained all the internal quality parameters at the highest values, while the ozone and ultrasound only helped to keep the internal quality and enhance the shelf life of eggs.     

Fractional Order Echo State Network for Time Series Prediction

Neural Processing Letters - In this brief, considering the infinite memory of fractional-order differential equation, a fractional-order echo state network (FESN) is given for time series...     

Adaptive Finite-time Tracking Control for Class of Uncertain Nonlinearly Parameterized Systems with Input Delay

International Journal of Control, Automation and Systems - In this paper, the tracking problem for a class of uncertain nonlinearly parameterized systems with input delay based the adaptive...