Charge transporting block copolymer for morphological control in light emitting device based on polymer blends

Bipolar charge transporting block copolymer composing of carbazole and oxadiazole monomers as hole and electron transporting units, respectively, was synthesized by nitroxide mediated radical polymerization. It is found that the current efficiency significantly increased with the addition of the block copolymer in the device based on polymer blend system. AFM measurement revealed that a phase-separated structure in the polymer blend layer changed to suitable morphology in the presence of block copolymer.     

Releasing property from surface polyion complex gel

Surface polyion complex (sPIC) gels were prepared with a nonionic hydrogel interior core, composed of poly(N‐vinylformamide and poly(N‐vinylacetamide), and a chemically bounded polyion complex layer on the outer surface, composed of poly(vinylamine) and poly(acrylic acid). The gels were investigated as controlled drug release models based on electrostatic interactions depending on pH. Methylene blue and allura red were employed as cationic and anionic drug models, respectively, and resulted in the selective adsorption depending on pH conditions. Monovalent and multivalent anionic drug models, allura red and 1,3,6‐naphthalenetrisulfonate were observed for their releasing behavior from the sPIC gel. The results indicated that the multivalent anionic drug effectively controlled release depending on pH conditions. We further investigated sPIC gels regarding their ability to control the release of ionic molecules as a function of pH‐driven changes in electrostatic interactions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42081.     

Consumer Demand for Information Accessible Through Automatic Identification

Packages are expected to carry ever more information in a limited space. One solution to this problem is automatic identification, i.e. adding elements to the package that can be linked to electronic information systems. The aim of this study was to find the best way to produce additional business for the value chain of packages via existing technologies for automatic identification. Automatic identification can give benefits in the form of cost savings, new business opportunities, additional value to existing business and increased customer loyalty to all players in the value chain. Available technologies are 2D bar codes, digital watermarks, image recognition, fibre matrix, radiofrequency identification tags and magnetic codes. Pilot tests and user studies showed that additional services offered via automatic identification should include detailed product data, recipes, nutrient needs and user instructions and should match user demand. Obstacles to use are costs, time consumption and complexity. In Japan, mobile barcodes are part of everyday life: well known to consumers and used on a flat‐rate basis. From the beginning, the introduction was based on consumer needs, not on early profit. Today, it operates on a win–win principle, with benefits for all the players in the value chain, and several traditional printers have created completely new service concepts for their customers. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Plant sterols in vegetables,fruits and berries

The plant sterol contents of the most important vegetables, fruits and berries available in Finland were determined by capillary gas chromatography. The sample preparation procedure included both acid and alkaline hydrolysis to liberate sterols from their conjugates. The plant sterol contents of fresh vegetables ranged from 51 to 370 mg kg^?1 fresh weight (fw) in samples obtained from retail sale. The highest contents (>300 mg kg^?1) were measured in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and dill and the lowest (51 mg kg^?1) in potato. The range of sterol contents on a dry weight (dw) basis was high, 246–4100 mg kg^?1 dw. Considerable variation was also observed when individual samples of some vegetables were compared. Sitosterol was the main sterol (proportion 43–86%) in all vegetables except cucumber and spinach, in which Δ⁷‐sterols dominated. The total sterol contents were in the range 116–228 mg kg^?1 fw in all fresh fruits except avocado, which contained more sterols, 752 mg kg^?1 fw. In fresh berries the corresponding range was 60–279 m kg^?1 fw. The wild berries lingonberry and blueberry were better plant sterol sources than the cultivated berries blackcurrant, redcurrant and strawberry. In fruits and berries the proportion of sitosterol ranged from 61–93% total sterols. On the basis of the results, the contribution of vegetables, fruits and berries to the total average daily plant sterol intake was estimated to be ca 60 mg. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Composition and in vitro digestibility of raw versus cooked white‐ and colour‐flowered peas

Ten pea cultivars (four white‐flowered, Pisum sativum ssp. hortense, and six colour‐flowered, Pisum sativum ssp. arvense) grown in Latvia were analyzed and tested in in vitro experiments, as raw and cooked seeds. The colour‐flowered (CF) had a greater proportion of hulls and a higher acid detergent fibre (ADF) content than white‐flowered (WF) pea seeds (10.7 vs. 8.2% and 92.2 vs. 84.5 g/kg dry matter (DM), respectively). Three out of six CF varieties had a significantly greater amount of protein bound to neutral detergent fibre (NDF) than WF peas. The tannin content was higher in CF than in WF peas (8.46 vs. 0.37 g/kg DM). In vitro protein and amino acid digestibility was about 8% higher in WF than in CF varieties. Cooking decreased the tannin content in CF peas (8.46 vs. 5.51 g/kg DM) but had no effect on in vitro protein digestibility. Heat treatment reduced significantly trypsin inhibitor activity and amount of protein bound to NDF in CF and WF varieties (from 6.50 to 0.52 and from 6.54 to 0.46 trypsin inhibitor units (TIU)/mg DM; from 1.250 to 0.831 and 0.761 to 0.209 g N/100 g NDF, respectively). However, the protein bound to NDF content in pea DM increased in CF and decreased in WF varieties (from 1.525 to 2.145 and from 0.913 to 0.502 g N/kg DM, respectively). Cooking resulted in an increased NDF content over two times in both CF and WF pea seeds (from 122 to 259 and from 120 to 262 g/kg DM, respectively). The results suggest that colour‐flowered pea may be considered as an interesting dietary alternative to white‐flowered pea since cooking removes trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA), decreases tannins, and increases dietary fibre contents.     

Morphological,mechanical, tribological,and thermal expansion properties of organoclay reinforced polyethylene composites

The morphological, mechanical, thermal, and tribological properties of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) composites reinforced with organo‐modified nanoclay (3 and 6 wt%) were studied. A commercial maleic anhydride‐based polymeric compatibilizer (PEgMA) was used to improve the adhesion between the polyethylene and clay. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization of composites revealed that nanoclay exists mainly in a multilayered structure in the HDPE matrix. Mechanical testing of composites showed that Young's modulus and tensile strength increased with nanoclay content. Coefficients of the linear thermal expansion (CLTE) of HDPE–PEgMA–clay composites were slightly lower in the flow direction than those of HDPE–PEgMA. The tribological properties were measured in dry conditions against a steel counterface. The friction coefficient of the matrix was decreased by the addition of clay. Electron microscopic results suggested that the wear mechanism for HDPE and HDPE composites was mainly adhesive. Clay agglomerates were observed on the worn surfaces of the composites, which may partly explain decreased friction. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Food control officers perception of the challenges in implementing new food control requirements in Finland

In addition to the food control officers’ former tasks, new EU and Finnish legislations have established new obligations for them, such as building up a quality system, amending a control plan and expanding the collection of fees to cover all the control targets. In order to study the implementation of these new tasks, an electronic survey was sent to the local food control officials in Finland. Our study shows that there will be significant differences in implementing the new food control requirements in Finland by our local units when we take into consideration the time of implementation, the approach and content of control plans, and the quality systems or fees. Especially the risk-based estimation of the control objects seems to have created a challenge in both the quality systems and in the control plans; in only 16% of the municipalities, the risk estimations had been calculated for each control object and in most cases, this estimation was made and the control frequency was decided on solely by their own inspector of the object alone. Furthermore, the amount of the planned fees per hour varied from 21 Euros to 45 Euros. Several respondents also expressed that they had no knowledge of the grounds for the charges of future inspections or the amount of fees. What is apparent is that the new approach will be implemented relatively slowly in Finland and there is a risk of the different treatment of business operators depending on their geographical location.     

Composition and in vitro digestibility of raw versus cooked white- and colour-flowered peas

Ten pea cultivars (four white-flowered, Pisum sativum ssp. hortense, and six colour-flowered, Pisum sativum ssp. arvense) grown in Latvia were analyzed and tested in in vitro experiments, as raw and cooked seeds. The colour-flowered (CF) had a greater proportion of hulls and a higher acid detergent fibre (ADF) content than white-flowered (WF) pea seeds (10.7 vs. 8.2% and 92.2 vs. 84.5 g/kg dry matter (DM), respectively). Three out of six CF varieties had a significantly greater amount of protein bound to neutral detergent fibre (NDF) than WF peas. The tannin content was higher in CF than in WF peas (8.46 vs. 0.37 g/kg DM). In vitro protein and amino acid digestibility was about 8% higher in WF than in CF varieties. Cooking decreased the tannin content in CF peas (8.46 vs. 5.51 g/kg DM) but had no effect on in vitro protein digestibility. Heat treatment reduced significantly trypsin inhibitor activity and amount of protein bound to NDF in CF and WF varieties (from 6.50 to 0.52 and from 6.54 to 0.46 trypsin inhibitor units (TIU)/mg DM; from 1.250 to 0.831 and 0.761 to 0.209 g N/100 g NDF, respectively). However, the protein bound to NDF content in pea DM increased in CF and decreased in WF varieties (from 1.525 to 2.145 and from 0.913 to 0.502 g N/kg DM, respectively). Cooking resulted in an increased NDF content over two times in both CF and WF pea seeds (from 122 to 259 and from 120 to 262 g/kg DM, respectively). The results suggest that colour-flowered pea may be considered as an interesting dietary alternative to white-flowered pea since cooking removes trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA), decreases tannins, and increases dietary fibre contents.