The inhibition of butyl acrylate by p-methoxyphenol

The lengths of polymerization induction periods for butyl acrylate (BA) in the presence of air were measured at temperatures from 54 to 122.5°C. The kinetics of MEHQ and oxygen consumption at 80 and 100°C are characterized by their own induction periods followed by sharply accelerated rates immediately prior to the BA polymerization. It is proposed that these phenomena are consistent with an “intrinsic” BA radical formation rate that is extremely slow compared to the ultimate rate of radical production from the decomposition of peroxides. These oligomeric peroxides build up during the induction period and, at its end, rapidly decompose with a resulting “radical cascade effect,” causing the accelerated inhibitor and oxygen consumption followed rapidly by BA polymerization. Thus, confirmation that a supply of BA has a normal MEHQ concentration may not be sufficient to ensure its stability. Strict adherence to the storage conditions and shelf life recommended by the supplier⁶ is absolutely vital to storage safety, especially because uncontrolled poly-merization of BA has the potential to be violent (polymerization exotherm rates higher than 1000°C/min were observed). © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Visualization of connectivity in octree based models

An interesting problem in the oil and gas industry is the visualization of the movement of oil and gas in porous media. An example of such a medium is a rock sample with some distribution of holes (pores) connected by channels (pore throats), the solid parts of the rock are called grains. In our work we have simulated the porous medium using a pointer-based octree, representing these pores and grains. This data structure allows us to model the connectivity of the pores and thus visualize fluid penetration within the medium. Whereas earlier models represent a serious simplifications or two dimensional homogeneous layers, our model provides us with a statistically accurate distribution in three dimensions and a more accurate representation of the connectivity. In this paper we present our data structure and the techniques which were used to create models of porous media and their porous networks. Next, we present algorithms for connectivity in octrees and we show how to apply them to modelling and visualization of fluid penetration in porous media.     

Druggability Assessment for Selected Serine Proteases in a Pharmaceutical Industry Setting

Target druggability assessment is an integral part of the early target characterization and selection process in pharmaceutical industry. Here, we investigate a set of five different serine proteases from the blood coagulation cascade. The aim of this study is twofold. Firstly, leveraging the wealth of available in-house high-throughput screening (HTS) data, we analyze HTS hit rates and discuss their predictive value for the development of small molecule (SMOL) candidates. Purely structure-activity relationship (SAR) based druggability ratings are compared with computational protein-structure based druggability assessments. Secondly, we evaluate the impact of using conformational ensembles from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations instead of single static crystal structures as basis for computational druggability assessments. Based on this study, we recommend incorporating molecular dynamics routinely into the early target characterization process, especially if only a single X-ray structure is available.     

Removal of formaldehyde from aqueous solutions via oxygen reduction using a reticulated vitreous carbon cathode cell

The removal of formaldehyde from waste streams to <0.3 ppm has been demonstrated using a cell with a reticulated vitreous carbon cathode; the formaldehyde is oxidized by hydrogen peroxide, formed at the cathode by reduction of oxygen. In most electrolytes studied (e.g. NaOH, NaCl and Na₂SO₄), the formaldehyde is oxidised only to formic acid. On the other hand, the addition of a low concentration of an iron salt (i.e. 0.5 mm), catalyses the complete oxidation to carbon dioxide. The removal of formaldehyde can be achieved in media of low ionic strength (< 10 mm) although the use of iron salts necessitates the adjustment of pH to 3 to maintain the catalyst in solution.     

Preparation and Use of a Boron Nitride Precursor as Binder for the Densification of Boron Nitride

A precursor of boron nitride was prepared through the partial condensation of 2,4,6-trichloroborazine and bis-(trimethylsilyl)acetylene. This reaction was conducted at 100°C and is catalyzed by AlCl₃. The condensation product pyrolyzed at 800°C, producing trimethylsilyl chloride as a volatile product and a boron nitride rich residue containing 54 wt% of the initial weight. Mixtures of the precursor and commercial boron nitride were made and hot-pressed at 800°C and 27.6 MPa. A maximum density of 1.84 g/cm³ is reached at a loading corresponding to the deposition of 13 wt% residue derived from the precursor. Examination by analytical electron microscopy, including X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy analyses, revealed the location of material derived from the precursor in BN-binder composites through the presence of residual aluminum, silicon, and carbon. Crystallization of boron nitride from the precursor appears to have taken place, as deduced from the morphology of the phases observed and association with residual elements present in the binder.     

Electrical and mechanical behaviors of carbon nanotube‐filled polymer blends

Four carbon nanotube (CNT)‐filled polymer blends, i.e., CNT‐filled polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/polyvinylidene fluoride, PET/nylon 6,6, PET/polypropylene, and PET/high‐density polyethylene blends, have been injection‐molded and characterized in terms of their microstructures, electrical conductivities, and mechanical properties. The distribution of CNTs in the polymer blends has been examined based on their wetting coefficients and minimization of the interfacial energy. The electrical conductivity and mechanical properties have been related to the cocontinuous polymer blends, the conductive path formed by CNTs, the CNT distribution, and the intrinsic properties of the constituent polymers. It is found that to obtain a CNT‐filled polymer composite with both high electrical conductivity and good mechanical properties, it is preferred that most CNTs distribute in one polymer phase, while the other polymer phase(s) remain neat. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 477–488, 2006     

Liver lipids of the polar bear,Thalarctos maritimus

The distribution of total and free fatty acids as well as the acids from the glycerides, sterol esters and phospholipids of polar bear liver lipids was ascertained and found to contain somewhat higher levels of unsaturated components as compared to those of such mammals as the pig. Saponification of the liver lipids yielded the hydrocarbons, alcohols and sterols which were analyzed by GLC. The hydrocarbons occurred at an overall level of 55 mg/kg liver or 57.9 mg/100 g total lipids, of which pristane and other saturated hydrocarbons, mainly normal homologs, comprised 2.6 and 5.3 mg/100 g, respectively; the remainder contained squalene (37.7 mg/100 g) and other unsaturated types (12.3 mg/100 g). As based on the total lipids, the levels of fatty alcohols, sterol and glyceryl ethers amounted to 1.65%, 5.9% and 0.03%, respectively. The fatty alcohols displayed about 31 peaks of C₁₂ to C₃₀, of which the hexadecanol and a branched C₂₀ component were prominent.     

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Manganese (II) Complexes of Phthalic and Isophthalic Acid: X-Ray Crystal Structures of [Mn(ph)(Phen)(2)(H(2)O)]. 4H(2)O, [Mn(Phen)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](2)(Isoph)(2)(Phen). 12H(2)O and {[Mn(Isoph)(bipy)](4). 2.75biby}(n)(phH(2) = Phthalic Acid; isoph = Isophthalic Acid; phen = 1,10-Phenanthroline; bipy = 2,2-Bipyridine)

Manganese(II) acetate reacts with phthalic acid (phH(2)) to give [Mn(ph)].0.5H(2)O (1). Reaction of 1 with 1,10-phenanthroline produces [Mn(ph)(phen)].2H(2)O (2) and [Mn(ph)(phen)(2)(H(2)O)].4H(2)O (3). Reaction of isophthalic acid (isophH(2)) with manganese(II) acetate results in the formation of [Mn(isoph)].2H(2)O (4). The addition of the N,N-donor ligands 1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2'-bipyridine to 4 leads to the formation of [Mn(2) (isoph)(2)(phen)(3))].4H(2)O (5), [(Mn(phen)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](2)(isoph)(2)(phen).12H(2)O (6) and {[Mn(isoph)(bipy)](4).2.75 biby}(n) (7), respectively. Molecular structures of 3, 6 and 7 were determined crystallographically. In 3 the phthalate ligand is bound to the manganese via just one of its carboxylate groups in a monodentate mode with the remaining coordination sites filled by four phenanthroline nitrogen and one water oxygen atoms. In 6 the isophthalates are uncoordinated with the octahedral manganese center ligated by two phenanthrolines and two waters. In 7 the Isophthalate ligands act as bridges resulting in a polymeric structure. One of the carboxylate groups is chelating a single manganese with the other binding two metal centres in a bridging bidentate mode. The phthalate and isophthalate complexes, the metal free ligands and a number of simple manganes salts were each tested for their ability, to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans. Only the "metal free" 1,10-phenanthroline and its manganese complexes were found to be active.     

Light scattering and viscoelasticity study of poly(vinyl alcohol)-borax aqueous solutions and gels

Poly(vinyl alcohol)-borate (PVA-borate) aqueous solutions properties with PVA concentrations ranging from 2 to 60 g/L and borax concentrations of 0.0 and 0.2 M were investigated at room temperature using static and dynamic light scattering (SLS and DLS), and dynamic viscoelasticity measurements. Light scattering and viscoelasticity data revealed that all the PVA-borate aqueous systems, except those with [PVA]≥40 g/L and [borax]=0.2 M, behaved as solutions. For PVA-borate aqueous systems with [PVA]≥40 g/L and [borax]=0.2 M, light scattering data revealed that these systems behaved like gels, but viscoelasticity data showed that these systems were in flow states. The experimental data suggest that PVA-borate aqueous systems with [PVA]≥40 g/L and [borax]=0.2 M are thermoreversible gels with finite equilibrium life time of thermoreversible borate-PVA di-diol crosslinks. The thermoreversible crosslinks can be observed by the non-perturbing light scattering technique but not by the pertubing rheometric method. These results indicate the advantage of light scattering relative to rheometers for studying the physical or reversible crosslink gels.     

Increased liver and lupus mortalities in 24-year follow-up of the Taiwanese people highly exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls and dibenzofurans

BACKGROUND: A follow-up study was designed to compare the 24-year overall and disease-specific mortality in Yucheng people who were highly exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls/dibenzofurans (PCBs/PCDFs) to that in the background population in Taiwan. In 1979, the Yucheng (oil-disease in Chinese) incident occurred in central Taiwan involving approximately 2000 victims due to ingestion of rice oil contaminated with PCBs/PCDFs. Long-term follow-up of these people has been continued for 24 years. METHODS: Standardized mortality ratios were calculated using the Taiwan population as comparison group. Overall and disease-specific mortality was compared between Yucheng and background populations. RESULTS: Mortality from chronic liver disease and cirrhoses was increased in the Yucheng men, but not in women, in the early period after exposure. Cancer mortality was not increased in the Yucheng population up to 24 years after exposure. SLE in females was highly increased in the later period after PCB/PCDF exposure. Mortality from disease in any other organ system was not significantly different between Yucheng and background populations. CONCLUSIONS: The study provided a long-term mortality picture after the Taiwanese PCB/PCDF exposure incident. In addition to re-confirming the increase in liver mortality, we found high mortality of SLE among exposed population. This finding highlights the importance of further investigating the immunological effects associated with PCB/PCDF exposure.