Water-repellent films from corn protein and tomato cutin

Flexible and hydrophobic biobased films were obtained using zein esterified with methanol and para-toluene (p-toluene) sulfonic acid, cutin from tomato peels and ethanol. Esterification was confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Non-modified zein films were brittle and hydrophilic. ATR-FTIR demonstrated that zein esterification increased zein hydrophobicity. Without cutin, esterified zein films were hydrophobic but brittle. Addition of cutin yielded films that were flexible and hydrophobic, as demonstrated by contact angle measurements. Principal component analysis (PCA) of ATR-FTIR data showed that intensities at 3195 cm⁻¹ and 3490 cm⁻¹ were correlated to the relative hydrophobicity of zein films. PCA also showed that films of esterified zein and cutin were more hydrophobic than their counterparts (non-modified zein without cutin). Optical and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that esterified zein was compatible with cutin and yielded cohesive films, which did not fracture upon bending.     

Tactile colour pictogram to improve artwork appreciation of people with visual impairments

A recent development in tactile technology enables an improvement in the appreciation of the visual arts for people with visual impairment (PVI). The tactile sense, in conjunction with, or a possibly as an alternative to, the auditory sense, would allow PVIs to approach artwork in a more self‐driven and engaging way that would be difficult to achieve with just an auditory stimulus. Tactile colour pictograms (TCPs), which are raised geometric patterns, are ideographic characters that are designed to enable PVIs to identify colours and interpret information by touch. In this article, three TCPs are introduced to code colours in the Munsell colour system. Each colour pattern consists of a basic cell size of 10 mm × 10 mm to represent the patterns consistently in terms of regular shape. Each TCP consists of basic geometric patterns that are combined to create primary, secondary, and tertiary colour pictograms of shapes indicating colour hue, intensity and lightness. Each TCP represents 29 colours including six hues; they were then further expanded to represent 53 colours. Two of them did not increase the cell size, the other increased the cell size 1.5 times for some colours, such as yellow‐orange, yellow, blue, and blue‐purple. Our proposed TCPs use a slightly larger cell size compared to most tactile patterns currently used to indicate colour, but code for more colours. With user experience and identification tests, conducted with 23 visually impaired adults, the effectiveness of the TCPs suggests that they were helpful for the participants.     

Fabrication of ceramic particles from preceramic polymers using stop flow lithography

Stop flow lithography (SFL) combines aspects of microfluidic and photolithography to continuously fabricate particles with uniform planar shapes as dictated by a mask. In this work we aim to expand the palette of materials suitable for SFL processing by investigating the use of UV-crosslinkable preceramic polymers to make ceramic particles. A commercially available methacrylated-polysiloxane was used as the preceramic polymer and was mixed with 2.5 wt% Irgacure 651 photoinitiator. A simple SFL system was assembled to continuously fabricate UV-crosslinked preceramic polymer particles in the shape of hexagons, triangles, and gears with diameters ranging from 100 to 200 μm and thicknesses of 74 μm +/- 4 μm. Particles were harvested from the excess preceramic solution, cleaned and then pyrolyzed at 1000 °C to transform them into silicon oxycarbide ceramic particles. Particle shape was maintained during pyrolysis despite a ～80 % linear shrinkage due to the removal of acryl and methyl side groups, as confirmed via FTIR. After pyrolysis the outer diameters of the SiOC particles ranged from 20 to 40 μm with thicknesses of 10 μm–12 μm. Pyrolyzed particles were successfully recovered and dispersed in water. This work demonstrates a robust path for the fabrication of ceramic particles with specific shapes from preceramic polymers via SFL.     

Cyanogenic,carotenoids and protein composition in leaves and roots across seven diverse population found in the world cassava germplasm collection at CIAT,Colombia

The objective of this study was to characterise the nutritional potential of leaves and identify a diversity centre with low cyanide and high nutrient content among 178 Latin American cassava genotypes. This field-based collection represents the seven diversity centres, held at The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT Palmira, Colombia) by the Cassava Program. The cyanide, all-trans-β-carotene and lutein concentrations in cassava leaves ranged from 346 to 7484 ppm dry basis (db), from 174–547 μg g⁻¹ db and 15–181 μg g⁻¹ db, respectively. Cassava leaves also showed significant levels of essential amino acids leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, valine and threonine, and average total protein content of 26.24 g 100 g⁻¹ db. Among seven diversity centres, South American rainforest group showed low cyanide and high carotene content in leaves. In addition, VEN77 and PAN51 genotypes stood out for having low cyanide in leaves and roots and high carotene in leaves. This genetic diversity can be used to select high potential progenitors for breeding purposes.     

Boccia game simulator: Serious game adapted for people with disabilities

Integration in the world of sport is one way for individuals with disabilities or motor disorders to feel more socially integrated, independent, and confident. Boccia is a Paralympic sport, which is increasingly getting more attention around the world. These facts have contributed to the objectives of this work. Including it in the serious games category enables to develop and rehabilitate the cognitive capabilities. The main focus was BC3 classification athletes (users with limited motor characteristics that require the use of an assistive device—a ramp, in this case). This paper describes a realistic Boccia game simulator adapted for people with disabilities that integrates a set of features that includes real physics and social features. These features can be used to enhance the interest of nonpractitioners of the sport and to improve the training conditions. The official Boccia regulation was added to the design of the simulator. The usability and approximation to the reality of the simulator were tested and validated based on the tests performed and data collected via a survey of users with no motor or psychological disorders. Realism and usability rating was almost excellent, and good results were achieved at the assessment of the game experience.     

Introducing the Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence Technique (PLIF) to Measure Mixing Time in Gas-Stirred Ladles

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - The planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique was implemented to measure mixing time in a 1/17 water model of a 200-ton ladle furnace. The...     

Effect of Functionalization Synthesis Type of Amino-MCM-41 Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles on Its RB5 Adsorption Capacity and Kinetics

Silicon - This study was undertaken to evaluate the adsorption of Reactive Black 5 dye (RB5), in aqueous solution, onto MCM-41 mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) functionalized with...