Growth and three-dimensional analysis of a Nb–Al–Ni ternary eutectic

In this work, the microstructure of an Al₃Nb–Nb₂Al–AlNbNi ternary eutectic obtained by directional solidification was analyzed. Because the phase arrangement of this eutectic is highly complex, this study involved a three-dimensional reconstruction of the microstructure using the serial sectioning technique. The visualization of the reconstructed microstructure revealed that the fibers possessed a high degree of sinuosity. Although these fibers were continuous in the growth direction, they displayed a tendency to move back and forth across a central axis.     

Use of 1-acetoxypinoresinol to authenticate Picual olive oils

Picual olive oils may represent 25% of the world olive oil production. This monovarietal oil is highly valued from a nutritional viewpoint because of its high content of monounsaturated acid and polyphenols. This study reports a method to authenticate virgin olive oils of the Picual variety. The method was based on the very low content of the lignan 1-acetoxypinoresinol in these oils. The compound, as well as the other phenolic substances, was extracted from oil by using N,N -dimethylformamide (DMF), the extract was washed with hexane and nitrogen was bubbled into the solution. The identification and quantification of the lignan used HPLC to separate, followed by UV, electrochemical, fluorescence and mass spectrometry detection or gas chromatography (GC) coupled to a mass spectrometry detector. UV detection offered low sensitivity and peaks coeluting with 1-acetoxypinoresinol were also observed. Mass spectrometry detection clearly discriminated between olive oils of Picual variety and other Spanish varieties. However, lignans show a very high response to fluorescence excitation, this detector is cheaper than mass spectrometry detectors and therefore it was considered as more appropriate for industrial uses. Thus, the latter method allowed discrimination between thirty-eight Picual olive oils and eight oils of the Hojiblanca, Cornicabra, Empeltre and Arbequina varieties. The paper also demonstrated the possibility of analysing all the phenolic compounds in virgin olive oil by fluorescence. Using this technique an easy methodology to authenticate Picual olive oils was developed.     

A Highly Enantioselective Catalytic Domino Aza‐Michael/Aldol Reaction: One‐Pot Organocatalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of 1,2‐Dihydroquinolidines

The highly enantioselective organocatalytic domino aza‐Michael/aldol reaction is presented. The unprecedented, chiral amine‐catalyzed asymmetric domino reactions between 2‐aminobenzaldehydes and α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes proceed with excellent chemo‐ and enantioselectivity to give the corresponding pharmaceutically valuable 1,2‐dihydroquinolines derivatives in high yields with 90 to >99 % ee.     

Resistance Training Regulates Cardiac Function through Modulation of miRNA-214

Aims: To determine the effects of resistance training (RT) on the expression of microRNA (miRNA)-214 and its target in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA2a), and on the morphological and mechanical properties of isolated left ventricular myocytes. Main methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups (n = 7/group): Control (CO) or trained (TR). The exercise-training protocol consisted of: 4 × 12 bouts, 5×/week during 8 weeks, with 80% of one repetition maximum. Key findings: RT increased the left ventricular myocyte width by 15% and volume by 12%, compared with control animals (p < 0.05). The time to half relaxation and time to peak were 8.4% and 4.4% lower, respectively, in cells from TR group as compared to CO group (p < 0.05). RT decreased miRNA-214 level by 18.5% while its target SERCA2a expression were 18.5% higher (p < 0.05). Significance: Our findings showed that RT increases single left ventricular myocyte dimensions and also leads to faster cell contraction and relaxation. These mechanical adaptations may be related to the augmented expression of SERCA2a which, in turn, may be associated with the epigenetic modification of decreased miRNA-214 expression.     

Photocurable bulk epoxy resins based on resorcinol derivative through cationic polymerization

Bio-sourced epoxy resins from resorcinol diglycidyl ether (RDGE) have been obtained by using cationic photopolymerization under UV-light exposure. The photoinduced bulk resin samples were characterized by three-point bending tests, dynamic mechanical analysis, as well as differential scanning calorimetry analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. The influence of processing parameters, that is, reactant contents, UV irradiation time, and postcuring conditions on the thermomechanical behavior has been pointed out. For instance, the flexural modulus of the most performing materials reaches 4.1 GPa with the flexural strength and the glass-transition temperature of around 105 MPa and 99°C, respectively. Interestingly, our optimized protocol has led to the synthesis of new bio-based materials with more valuable thermal and mechanical properties than those of thermocured materials obtained from petroleum-based commercial epoxy resins. Focus has been given on processing parameters to optimize the final properties of the material and to open an interesting alternative for sustainable building materials.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Potential Bio-Based Lubricant Basestocks via Epoxidation Process

Chemical modifications of vegetable oils may be applied for the purpose of improving their physicochemical properties in their usage for the bio-based lubricants. The vegetable oils with a high percentage of oleic acid, such as soybeans and rapeseed oils, are important raw materials to obtain the biolubricants. In this particular study, the oleic acid was esterified with 1-octanol, followed by epoxidation. The oxirane ring opening reaction was performed using different alcohol structures (linear, branched, and cyclic), in order to evaluate their influence on the final physicochemical properties with the synthesized samples. These aforesaid reaction steps were followed by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance and the main physicochemical properties in the intermediate and final samples were assessed. The highest oxidative stability was observed for the samples obtained, using a cyclic alcohol at the oxirane ring opening reaction (230 min), followed by the linear alcohols with the branched alcohol presenting the lowest oxidative stability (124 min). The pour point values for the samples synthesized with the branched alcohol were slightly better than those with the linear and cyclic alcohols. All the synthesized samples showed high viscosity indexes (>130) and kinematic viscosities at 40 °C, ranging from 30 to 33 cSt (application degree ISO VG-32), which are adequate for their use in the formulation of bio-based lubricants.     

Bifunctional Thiourea‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Addition of Anthrones to Maleimides

For the first time, the addition of anthrones to maleimides catalyzed by bifunctional thiourea catalysts is reported. The thiourea moiety is able to activate the maleimide and the tertiary amine deprotonates the anthrone, furnishing the final Diels–Alder or Michael adducts in excellent yields and enantioselectivities.     

Damage development in a noncrimp‐glass fabric reinforced epoxy composite material

The relationship between textile architecture and the damage sequence under tensile loading has been investigated experimentally for a composite material reinforced with a noncrimp glass‐fiber textile of configuration [0°, +45°, 90°, −45°] stacking sequence based on epoxy resin matrix cured with high‐temperature hardener. The system chosen for this work consists of a bifunctional epoxy, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, cured with a tetrafunctional amine, diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS). This system ensures to obtain a rigid material with excellent mechanical properties in order to observe, analyze, and identify the process and progress of the generated damage and the failure mechanism which leads to the materials fracture. The properties have been studied for each ply direction at 0°, +45°, 90°, and −45° in order to make a comparative assessment of the influence of the polyester (PES) yarns in zig‐zag and unidirectional geometry, that hold together the four plies in the textile, in the composite damage generation. The laminates were uniaxially tensile loaded until final fracture occurred. It was found that PES threads have an effect on cracking progression depending on the textile orientation. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers