Structure of semirigid polyamides with bulky groups in backbone

The structure of a range of systematically synthesized polyamides, as well as some corresponding component molecular fragments, were studied using wide angle X‐ray scattering and computer modeling methods. The molecules all contained tetrasubstituted biphenyls within the amide components, while the aliphatic acid components contained different lengths of the alkyl sequence. A model representing the molecular packing in fiber samples is proposed. It indicates that the polymer backbones are organized in a distorted hexagonal lattice while the intervening pendant side groups still remain randomly packed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 309–319, 1999     

Can Brazil replace 5% of the 2025 gasoline world demand with ethanol?

Increasing use of petroleum, coupled with concern for global warming, demands the development and institution of CO₂ reducing, non-fossil fuel-based alternative energy-generating strategies. Ethanol is a potential alternative, particularly when produced in a sustainable way as is envisioned for sugarcane in Brazil. We consider the expansion of sugarcane-derived ethanol to displace 5% of projected gasoline use worldwide in 2025. With existing technology, 21 million hectares of land will be required to produce the necessary ethanol. This is less than 7% of current Brazilian agricultural land and equivalent to current soybean land use. New production lands come from pasture made available through improving pasture management in the cattle industry. With the continued introduction of new cane varieties (annual yield increases of about 1.6%) and new ethanol production technologies, namely the hydrolysis of bagasse to sugars for ethanol production and sugarcane trash collection providing renewable process energy production, this could reduce these modest land requirements by 29–38%.     

A technique for measuring bronchial mucociliary clearance in unsedated dogs

An unsedated dog model of bronchial mucociliary clearance was developed using radioaerosol techniques. A neutralized, concentrated, monodisperse iron oxide aerosol (5–6 μm MMAD) radiotagged with technetium-99m was delivered to the dog via a face mask. Retained activity was measured while the dog was restrained in front of a gamma camera. Measurements were made for 2–3 h post-inhalation and again at 24 h. Three beagle dogs, each studied four times, demonstrated mean percents for 2 h particle retention within the whole lung of 76 ± 13, 92 ± 7 and 89 ± 4, within the bronchial airways of 48 ± 27, 84 ± 15 and 73 ± 10, and mean 24 h particle retentions of 47 ± 18, 65 ± 11 and 57 ± 9, respectively. The unsedated beagle dog provides a potential model for study of the effects of drugs, disease and inhaled pollutants on mucociliary transport.     

The association between price of regular-grade gasoline and injury and mortality rates among occupants involved in motorcycle- and automobile-related motor vehicle collisions

Motorcyclists have been reported to be more likely to die in a motor vehicle collision (MVC) than automobile occupants. With the recent increase in the pump price of gasoline, it has been reported that people are switching to motorcycles as main modes of transportation. This study evaluated the association between motor vehicle collision-related injury and mortality rates and increases in gasoline prices for occupants of automobiles and riders of motorcycles.There were an estimated 1,270,512 motorcycle MVC and 238,390,853 automobile MVC involved occupants in the U.S. from 1992 to 2007. Higher gasoline prices were associated with increased motorcycle-related injuries and deaths; however, this association no longer remained after accounting for changes in the number of registered vehicles.The current study observed that, while the number of injuries and fatalities in motorcycle-related MVCs increase with increasing gasoline price, rates remained largely unchanged. This suggests that the observed increase in motorcycle-related injuries and fatalities with increasing gasoline price is more a factor of the number of motorcycles on the road rather than operator characteristics.     

Catalytic Materials for High-Temperature Combustion

Catalytic combustion, as an alternative to conventional thermal combustion, has received considerable attention during the past decade. Research efforts have been promoted by the need to meet governmental demands concerning pollution and the wish to use energy sources more efficiently. The two main advantages offered by catalytic combustors over flame combustors apply to these goals:

1. Catalytic combustion can be carried out over a wide range of fuel concentrations in air and at low temperatures.
2. These low temperatures result in attaining NO, emission levels substantially lower than possible with conventional combustors.

     

Effect of humidity and temperature on the adhesive strength of pressure sensitive adhesives

This paper reports the effect of humidity and temperature on the adhesive strength of a pressure sensitive adhesive (Flexbond 150) used to bond Mylar films. It has been found that, ill general, the adhesive strength decreases significantly with an increase in temperature. The effect of humidity on the bonding strength, however, was found to be process dependent. The sample preparation conditions, e.g., press weight for the bonding and the press time, are important in determining the humidity effect. The water sorption isotherm A 24°C for the adhesive was also determined. The amount of water sorbed by the adhesive at 95 percent relative pressure was found to be less than one weight percent.     

Replace, refurbish, or retain? Evaluating aging electrical systems and equipment

Many electrical facilities were constructed or experienced major expansions in the 1950s and 1960s. We are now having to deal with electrical switchgear and systems that are 40 to 50 years old. Depending upon the environment and application of the equipment, they may be at or near the end of their useful lives. In order to make an objective evaluation of the equipment's condition and develop a forward plan for operation, reconditioning, or replacement, a detailed application guide for condition assessment of their aged medium-voltage (MV) switchgear was developed and described in this article. Over the past 40 to 50 years, the equipment has not only aged, but the electrical systems have often expanded to meet the needs of future growth and expansion. This growth has sometimes followed a well-planned strategy based on up-front conceptual studies integrated into long range plans. On other occasions, this growth has been achieved by adding on to existing facilities in an often haphazard manner, or by duplicating existing facilities, equipment, and designs. For a number of reasons, the reliability of our electrical facilities and related losses due to power failures may not be meeting our management's expectations. This article describes a process developed to model an electrical system and calculate system reliability and related financial risks based on the actual system components and process unit cost impacts.     

Blood-brain barrier carrier-mediated transport and brain metabolism of amino acids

We have examined the effects of the macrocyclic lactone protein kinase C (PKC) activator bryostatin 1 on taxol-induced apoptosis and inhibition of clonogenicity in the human monocytic leukemia cell line U937. Exposure of cells to bryostatin 1 (10 nM; 15 hr) after (but not before) a 6-hr incubation with 0.5 microM taxol significantly increased apoptosis and resulted in an approximately 3 log reduction in clonogenicity. Cell cycle analysis revealed that the increase in apoptotic cells following bryostatin 1 treatment occurred primarily in the population undergoing taxol-mediated G2M arrest. The actions of bryostatin 1 were not attributable to potentiation of taxol-induced tubulin stabilization or to a reduction in the intracellular retention of taxol. Following exposure of cells to taxol, the Bcl-2 protein displayed an alteration in mobility that was not modified appreciably by bryostatin 1 treatment. The mobility shift in Bcl-2 protein from cells exposed to taxol followed by bryostatin 1 was eliminated by treatment of lysates with the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A); the latter effect was blocked by okadaic acid. Treatment of cells with taxol followed by bryostatin 1 did not increase the amount of total Bax (compared with treatment with taxol alone), but did increase the amount of free Bax in the supernatant fraction. Finally, the ability of bryostatin 1 to potentiate taxol-induced apoptosis in U937 cells was mimicked closely by 2'-amino-3'-methoxyflavone (PD98059), a specific inhibitor of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK). Collectively, these findings indicate that bryostatin 1 increases the susceptibility of U937 cells to taxol-induced apoptosis and inhibition of clonogenicity. They also raise the possibility that this phenomenon may involve functional alterations in Bcl-2 and/or other proteins involved in regulation of the cell death pathway.