Reactive Compatibilizer Precursors for LDPE/PA6 Blends, 4

Summary: The effectiveness of some thermoplastic elastomers grafted with maleic anhydride (MA) or with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) as compatibilizer precursors (CPs) for blends of low density polyethylene (LDPE) with polyamide‐6 (PA) has been studied. The CPs were produced by grafting different amounts of MA or GMA onto a styrene‐block‐(ethylene‐co‐1‐butene)‐block‐styrene copolymer (SEBS) (KRATON G 1652), either in the melt or in solution. A commercially available SEBS‐g‐MA copolymer with 1.7 wt.‐% MA (KRATON FG 1901X) was also used. The effect of the MA concentration and of other characteristics of the SEBS‐g‐MA CPs was also studied. The specific interactions between the CPs and the blends components were investigated through characterizations of the binary LDPE/CP and PA/CP blends, in the whole composition range. It was demonstrated that the SEBS‐g‐GMA copolymers display poor compatibilizing effectiveness due to cross‐linking resulting from reactions of the epoxy rings of these CPs with both the amine and the carboxyl end groups of PA. On the contrary, the compatibilizing efficiency of the MA‐grafted elastomers, as revealed by the thermal properties and the morphology of the compatibilized blends, was shown to be excellent. The results of this study confirm that the anhydride functional groups possess considerably higher efficiency, for the reactive compatibilization of LDPE/PA blends, than those of the ethylene‐acrylic acid and ethylene‐glycidyl methacrylate copolymers investigated in previous works.

SEM micrograph of the 75/25 LD08/PA blend (with 2 phr SEBSMA1).     

High-resolution subunit detection of glutamate receptor by ultrasmall gold nanoparticles

In this study, we aimed to increase the sensitivity of protein labeling using 1.4 nm gold nanoparticles and glutamate δ2 receptor (GluD2) from the postsynaptic membrane of the Purkinje cells. The very small marker size of the particles reduces the steric hindrance between antibodies leading to a higher labeling efficiency of more than one subunit per single receptor molecule. The nanoparticles are visible in 200 kV dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscope on freeze‐fractured carbon replica of nervous tissue after plasma cleaning treatment. The different elemental composition of nanoparticles as Au nanogold or CdS quantum dot can be distinguished by energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. This method ensures detection of an average of three subunits per GluD2 and often labels all four of them with 1.4 nm Au nanoparticles. It is concluded that this high‐resolution microscopic method is useful for exploring the quaternary structure of membrane proteins. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:1159–1164, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Dependence of Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit Performance on H-Oil Severity,Catalyst Activity,and Coke Selectivity

The effect of the quality of ebullated bed vacuum residue H-Oil hydrocracking gas oils cracked in a commercial fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) on its performance was studied. Six different catalysts were employed in this study. Four catalysts were tested in a commercial FCCU, and two in a laboratory FCCU. An increase of the H-Oil hydrocracker reaction temperature was associated with a decrease in the K_W factor of the H-Oil gas oils. The diminished K_W factor of H-Oil gas oils resulted in lower FCCU conversion and higher regenerator temperatures. The FCC conversion at maximum gasoline yield is best predicted by the feed K_W factor. The higher-activity, higher-Δcoke catalyst is unfavorable for FCCU performance because the excessive regenerator temperature excursions require reduction of the throughput.     

催化逆流反应器(CH4MIN)技术及其在中国的应用潜力

通过一系列的试验，加拿大矿物与能源技术中心开发出了一项专门处理和利用煤矿矿井乏风中甲烷(甲烷体积浓度0．1％～1．0％)的技术——催化逆流反应器(CH4MIN)技术。CH4MIN技术是在催化剂的作用下，促使乏风混合气体的温度升高到足以让甲烷发生氧化，从而产生热量。通过利用这种热量达到利用乏风中甲烷的目的。本文从CH4MIN技术工作原理、试验结果分析、经济可行性分析及在中国的应用前景作了分析和论述。     

Manufacturing of patterned ZnO films with application for photoinitiated decolorization of malachite green in aqueous solutions

Patterned thin films, ZnO, are successfully prepared on glass substrates by the sol-gel method using dip-coating technique. The films, formed of ZnO nanocrystallites with hexagonal crystal structure, are characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The as obtained ZnO films are studied with respect to photo-initiated bleaching of malachite green in aqueous solutions. The bleaching process is investigated at various initial concentrations of malachite green in the aqueous solutions by using ZnO films of different thicknesses. The obtained results are promising for the development of ZnO photocatalysts by the sol-gel method.     

Aetiology and Pathogenesis of Cutaneous Melanoma: Current Concepts and Advances

Melanoma develops from malignant transformations of the pigment-producing melanocytes. If located in the basal layer of the skin epidermis, melanoma is referred to as cutaneous, which is more frequent. However, as melanocytes are be found in the eyes, ears, gastrointestinal tract, genitalia, urinary system, and meninges, cases of mucosal melanoma or other types (e.g., ocular) may occur. The incidence and morbidity of cutaneous melanoma (cM) are constantly increasing worldwide. Australia and New Zealand are world leaders in this regard with a morbidity rate of 54/100,000 and a mortality rate of 5.6/100,000 for 2015. The aim of this review is to consolidate and present the data related to the aetiology and pathogenesis of cutaneous melanoma, thus rendering them easier to understand. In this article we will discuss these problems and the possible impacts on treatment for this disease.     

Antibacterial and antifungal activities of selected microalgae and cyanobacteria

In vitro activity of nine cyanobacterial and ten microalgal newly isolated or culture collection strains against eight significant food‐borne pathogens has been evaluated and compared. Water extracts and culture liquids of Gloeocapsa sp. and Synechocystis sp. demonstrated the widest spectrum of activity with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 1.56 to 12.5 mg mL^?1. Culture liquid of Anabaena sp. had the highest activity (MIC = 0.39 mg mL^?1) but only to Gram‐positive bacteria. Ethanol extracts and fatty acids from all cyanobacteria and microalgae were active against Streptococcus pyogenes and/or Staphylococcus aureus. The fatty acids of Synechocystis sp. inhibited the growth of Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans (MIC values of 2.5–1.25 mg mL^?1, respectively). Exopolysaccharides (EPS) of Gloeocapsa sp. were the sample that exhibited activity against all test pathogens with lowest MIC values (0.125–1 mg mL^?1). High activity with a narrower range of susceptible targets demonstrated the exopolysaccharides of Synechocystis sp. and Rhodella reticulata. Antimicrobial activity was proven for phycobiliproteins isolated from Synechocystis sp., Arthrospira fusiformis, Porphyridium aerugineum and Porphyridium cruentum, respectively. In conclusion Gloeocapsa sp. and Synechocystis sp. and especially their exopolysaccharides showed the most promising potential against the examined food pathogens.     

Classification of radar signatures by autoregressive model fittingand cluster analysis

Ninety radar signatures were digitally recorded during the probing of ten different land and marine objects with a pulsed coherent Doppler radar. Their spectra were evaluated on the basis of the Marple algorithm for autoregressive model fitting. An attempt at classification is made. The method consists in representing the radar signatures as points in four-dimensional space and identifying the obtained clusters of four-dimensional points with the observed objects. The cluster analysis is carried out assuming that the classification parameters have different clustering lengths