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).     

Influence of halide ions and alloy microstructure on the passive and localized corrosion behavior of alloy 22

Alloy 22 (N06022) is the current candidate alloy used to fabricate the external wall of the high-level nuclear waste containers for the Yucca Mountain repository. It was of interest to study and compare the general and localized corrosion susceptibility of Alloy 22 in fluoride and chloride solutions at 90 °C. Standard electrochemical tests such as cyclic potentiodynamic polarization, amperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used. Studied variables included the solution pH and the alloy microstructure (thermal aging). Results show that Alloy 22 is highly resistant to general corrosion in all the solutions tested. Thermal aging is not detrimental and even seems to be slightly beneficial for general corrosion at the higher solution pHs. Pitting corrosion was never observed. Crevice corrosion was found only for high chloride-containing solutions after anodic polarization. The presence of fluoride ions together with chloride ions seems to increase the susceptibility of Alloy 22 to crevice corrosion compared to pure chloride solutions. This article is based on a presentation made in the symposium “Effect of Processing on Materials Properties for Nuclear Waste Disposition,” November 10–11, 2003, at the TMS Fall meeting in Chicago, Illinois, under the joint auspices of the TMS Corrosion and Environmental Effects and Nuclear Materials Committees.     

The growth and development of research in the field of ecology

This study assesses the growth, the patterns of development and the complexity of research in the field of ecology from 1976 to 1993 in Spain and the five Spanish speaking countries of the Caribbean. Using as a yardstick of research and development in that field, the dissertation titles were counted for each region. The total length, the key words per title were recorded and analysed statistically. Results show that the growth of research in ecology is greater in Spain and peaked earlier than in the Caribbean countries. However, the titles in the latter region were more complex than those in Spain.     

Intestinal obstruction and peritoneal carcinomatosis after endoscopic resection of transitional carcinoma of urinary bladder

Gut involvement in bladder tumours is low, even exceptional in the presence of surface, low-grade neoplasia. The authors explain their experience in the diagnosis and management of a patient treated endoscopically for a vesical surface tumour which subsequently exhibited peritoneal and gut metastatic seeding. The various mechanisms for gut dissemination of vesical neoplasias and the repercussion of their endoscopic management are discussed.     

The placebo effect and clinical research in urology

A case of a large dentigerous cyst containing a canine tooth in the maxillary antrum is presented. This case is of interest due because of its extensiveness and the presence of a canine tooth in the roof of the maxillary sinus. In addition, this caused a right-sided epiphora. Enucleation of the cyst containing the ectopic tooth was made.     

Compositional constraints in the extremely GC-poor genome of Plasmodium falciparum

We have analyzed the compositional properties of coding (protein encoding) and non-coding sequences of Plasmodium falciparum, a unicellular parasite characterized by an extremely AT-rich genome. GC% levels, base and dinucleotide frequencies were studied. We found that among the various factors that contribute to the properties of the sequences analyzed, the most relevant are the compositional constraints which operate on the whole genome.