Structural relaxation in the amorphous and liquid-crystalline phases of a thermotropic polymer

Summary The analysis of the structural relaxation in specimens of a thermotropic polymer that are either in the glassy amorphous or in the liquid crystalline state (or in a mixture of them) has been carried out. The results indicate that the two phases behave independently, exhibiting two independent (and well different) glass transitions and with their own structural relaxations. Moreover, the physical aging has a profound influence on the ability to develop the liquid-crystalline phase. It seems that the changes in local order associated with a densification of the liquid-like packing lead to the development of some kind or local alignment, which favors the subsequent liquid-crystallization.     

DC conductivity study of polyaniline and poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) blends

In this study, conducting blends of poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and polyaniline doped with dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid were prepared by solution blending. In order to understand the electrical conduction mechanism of the samples, DC electrical conductivity measurements of the blends were carried out in the temperature range of 80–320 K. The experimental results fit well with Mott's model of three-dimensional variable range hopping conduction. The values of Mott's temperature, density of states at the Fermi energy, average hopping distance and barrier height for the composites were calculated and presented.     

Environmental Effects on the Accumulation of Hydroxamic Acids in Wheat Seedlings: The Importance of Plant Growth Rate

The effects of temperature and photoperiod on accumulation of hydroxamic acids (Hx) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Hx concentrations were significantly higher at higher temperatures. No such clear trend was found for the photoperiod effect. The significant effect of temperature and photoperiod on growth rate of seedlings and the significant positive correlation between growth rate prior to analysis and levels of Hx, suggested that environmental effects on Hx accumulation were at least partially mediated through their effect on plant growth rate. After uncoupling the effect of environmental conditions from the effect of plant growth rate by statistical means the effect of temperature on Hx was no longer significant. Therefore, temperature effect was fully mediated by plant growth rate. Implications of the patterns found are discussed in issues of plant-defense general theories.     

Characteristics of Hydroxamic Acid Induction in Wheat Triggered by Aphid Infestation

Hydroxamic acids (Hx) are natural products of Gramineae that are associated with cereal resistance to pests. We aimed at characterizing the induction of Hx accumulation in seedlings of wheat,Triticum aestivum, by short-term infestation of the cereal aphid,Rhopalosiphum padi. A load of 25 aphids increased significantly the Hx levels in the infested primary leaf in comparison with control levels. Lower loads did not increase Hx concentration. Aphid infestation lasting 16 hr did not elicit induction of Hx, even after a time-lag of 32 hr to allow the expression of any induced response. Forty-eight hours was the minimum duration of aphid infestation required to trigger Hx induction. The age of the infested tissue (the primary leaf) did not affect induction. Similar increases of Hx were found in unfolding, expanding, and totally expanded primary leaves. It was determined that the regime of nutrient supply (N-intensive nutritive solutions at low and high concentration) to wheat seedlings had no effect on the magnitude of the aphid-induced Hx (N-based secondary metabolites). Results obtained are discussed in the framework of general theories of plant defense allocation.     

Molecular weight effect on the obtainment of parallel and perpendicular orientation in thermotropic poly(diethylene glycol <Emphasis Type="Italic">p,p′</Emphasis>-bibenzoate)

Summary The effect of molecular weight on the uniaxial orientation process has been analyzed in two samples of thermotropic poly(diethylene glycol p,p′-bibenzoate), evaluating the influence of that parameter on the type of orientation obtained. Several strain rates and deformation temperatures have been tested in order to map out the conditions for obtaining the two different kinds of orientation. The results show that in the lower molecular weight PDEB sample (M_w=31200) it is rather easy to get exclusively perpendicular “anomalous” orientation, with the molecular axes aligned transversely to the stretching direction. However, it is extremely difficult to obtain 100% parallel “normal” orientation. On the contrary, either type of orientation or a mixture of them can be easily developed for the higher molecular weight PDEB sample (M_w=102900).     

The Combined Role of Soot Aggregation and Surface Effect on the Friction of a Lubricated Contact

One of the considered research paths to reduce friction loss consists in optimizing the interactions between surfaces and lubricants. The latter may significantly change with the lubricant ageing. In this framework, the tribological behaviour of aged formulated lubricant is analysed for various low-speed reciprocating motions and with different nature of surfaces. This paper focuses on soot aggregate formation processes in a lubricated contact and on their correlation to friction. Although no aggregates have been observed in pure rolling conditions, pure sliding conditions may lead to the appearance of aggregates moving through the contact as a function of the nature of the surfaces. The analysis of their displacement within the contact is used to discuss their interactions with the surfaces. Moreover, we show that the velocity and the dwell time of the aggregate depend on the sliding speed. The morphology of these aggregates evolves over time, affecting friction behaviour. An additive law combining a contribution from the shear of the aggregates with another one due to the shear of a thin lubricant film surrounding the aggregate is then proposed to interpret friction origin and friction evolution with time of shear. The aggregate motion also varies with the nature of the surfaces: in particular, DLC–DLC couple reduces aggregation phenomena and maintains a low friction without apparent wear.     

Effect of Aloe vera application on the content and molecular arrangement of glycosaminoglycans during calcaneal tendon healing

Although several treatments for tendon lesions have been proposed, successful tendon repair remains a great challenge for orthopedics, especially considering the high incidence of re‐rupture of injured tendons. Our aim was to evaluate the pharmacological potential of Aloe vera on the content and arrangement of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) during tendon healing, which was based on the effectiveness of A. vera on collagen organization previously observed by our group. In rats, a partial calcaneal tendon transection was performed with subsequent topical A. vera application at the injury site. The tendons were treated with A. vera ointment for 7 days and excised on the 7^th, 14^th, or 21^st day post‐surgery. Control rats received ointment without A. vera. A higher content of GAGs and a lower amount of dermatan sulfate were detected in the A. vera‐treated group on the 14^th day compared with the control. Also at 14 days post‐surgery, a lower dichroic ratio in toluidine blue stained sections was observed in A. vera‐treated tendons compared with the control. No differences were observed in the chondroitin‐6‐sulfate and TGF‐β1 levels between the groups, and higher amount of non‐collagenous proteins was detected in the A. vera‐treated group on the 21^st day, compared with the control group. No differences were observed in the number of fibroblasts, inflammatory cells and blood vessels between the groups. The application of A. vera during tendon healing modified the arrangement of GAGs and increased the content of GAGs and non‐collagenous proteins. Microsc. Res. Tech. 77:964–973, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Issues in fortification and analysis of omega‐3 fatty acids in foods

It is extensively documented that omega‐3 fatty acids play important roles in many bioactive processes. Omega‐3 can also influence the onset, prevention, and control of many illnesses, including prevention of cardiovascular disease. The main sources of omega‐3 fatty acids are currently from vegetable oils and cold water fish. New sources such as from microalgae and krill oils are quickly increasing their share in the supplement market. Challenges for the incorporation of omega‐3 into foods and supplements have been gradually overcome by the introduction of new, more effective, antioxidants and by the use of various types of encapsulation technologies. Also, the smaller, micronutrient level, amounts of omega‐3 fatty acids normally added to fortified foods and supplements present several challenges of sample extraction, preparation and analysis of bioactive omega‐3 ingredients.     

Thermal, optical, electrochemical properties and conductivity of trans- and cis-poly(1-ethynylpyrene): a comparative investigation

The thermal, optical and electrochemical properties of trans-poly(1-ethynylpyrene) (trans-PEP) and cis-poly(1-ethynylpyrene) (cis-PEP) have been studied as a function of polymer backbone configuration and internal stacking. Absorption spectra of the polymers showed that trans-PEP possesses a higher degree of conjugation than its homologue, cis-PEP. Intramolecular interactions occur between adjacent pendant pyrene units (associated pyrenes) present in each polymer, giving rise to static excimer emissions, strongest in cis-PEP because of the shorter distances between aromatic rings. Data resulting from excitation spectra and fluorescence decay profiles proved that such interactions take place in the ground state. Cyclic voltammetry of trans- and cis-PEP exhibited irreversible behaviors with different oxidation potentials as a result of their dissimilar geometry.