The infrared thermography control of the laser welding of amorphous polymers

In laser welding technique, a real-time control of temperature distribution inside the irradiated materials is essential when attempting to optimize the process. For all laser welding methods that operate by the transmission principle, the difficulty of recording the developed temperature at the interface derives from the fact that materials to be welded are in contact throughout the entire process. In the present study, in order to overcome this issue, a contact-free method such the infrared thermography is used for surface temperature measurement. Corroborating this data with a numerical simulation of the temperature field evolution inside the components, an assessment of optimal process parameters is possible. The experimental investigations are made on amorphous polymers, in a typical configuration for through-transmission laser welding. The fine agreement obtained between the experimentally and calculated data, validate the infrared thermography as a non-destructive method for real-time monitoring of the welding process.     

Innovation in power semiconductor industry: past and future

Power microelectronics plays an important role in many of the consumer and industrial applications today. With increase in demand for energy savings and efficient systems, the requirements for rapid advancement in MOS controlled power semiconductor device concepts and technologies are becoming more crucial than ever before. This puts a considerable pressure on industries to be innovative and competitive at the device, technology, manufacturing, and marketing levels. Today manufacturing companies are faced with intensifying competition and a turbulent economic environment. To some extent technology is seen as a means by which firms can strive to adapt to the requirements of this difficult and uncertain environment. On the other hand, rapid rates of technological change and associated shorter product cycles are themselves part of the difficulty, as is the increased blurring of long-established industrial boundaries (Kodama's, 1985) process of "technological fusion". The growing complexity and increased pace of industrial technological change especially in power microelectronics are forcing firms to forge new alliances and to seek greater flexibility and efficiency in responding to market changes. The aim of this paper is to explore these aspects.     

Moisture barrier and physical properties of acetylated derivatives with increasing acetylation degree

Four acetostearin products with increasing acetylation degree were synthesized by chemical interesterification followed by fractionation/blending stages. Their physical properties and functional barrier properties were studied and compared to the properties of technical tristearin. Increasing acetylation degree (AD) modified the triacylglycerols crystal habits and probably led to an increase in acyl chain fluidity, which induced, at macroscopic levels, a decrease in solid fat content (SFC), in melting point, in surface and bulk material hydrophobicity, and an increased moisture effective diffusivity. Water vapor permeability (WVP) coefficients of the materials were partially influenced by the AD factor, but also by the development of macroscopic cracks in lipids presenting high SFC. Acetylated stearin up to 47% (acetyl mol/mol of esterified chain) presented the lowest WVP at 20 °C resulting from an adequate balance between hydrophobicity and mechanical properties of the material.     

Factors determining the breastfeeding in children attending public and not-for-profit daycare centers in São Paulo, Brazil

Cross-sectional study with 270 children and their mothers in eight public and philanthropic daycare centers in the city of S?o Paulo, Brazil. The objective is to identify the determinants of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and breastfeeding (BF). The Mann-Whitney/ Wilcoxon test and survival analysis; Kaplan Meier curves and Cox multiple regression models were used for statistical analyses. The median of exclusive breastfeeding duration was 79.1 +/- 55.6 days and breastfeeding was 185.3 +/- 174.2 days. In multivariate analysis, the following risk factors of early weaning for exclusive breastfeeding were identified: pacifier use (HR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.24 to 2.2); previous hospital admission (HR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.80); mother working outside home (HR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.76). For breastfeeding were identified: pacifier use (HR = 2.54, 95% CI = 1.87 to 3.45) and mother who works outside the home (HR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.14-1.99). The results show that it is necessary to continue to promote and support breastfeeding, mainly the exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age. The daycare centers should incorporate this idea, once they may have direct control over some of the early weaning determinants, and are also good places to deliver messages and guidance on nutrition education to mothers and caregivers in contact with children under three years old.     

A Mutant D‐Fructose‐6‐Phosphate Aldolase (Ala129Ser) with Improved Affinity towards Dihydroxyacetone for the Synthesis of Polyhydroxylated Compounds

A mutant of D ‐fructose‐6‐phosphate aldolase (FSA) of Escherichia coli, FSA A129S, with improved catalytic efficiency towards dihydroxyacetone (DHA), the donor substrate in aldol addition reactions, was explored for synthetic applications. The k_cat/K_M value for DHA was 17‐fold higher with FSA A129S than that with FSA wild type (FSA wt). On the other hand, for hydroxyacetone as donor substrate FSA A129S was found to be 3.5‐fold less efficient than FSA wt. Furthermore, FSA A129S also accepted glycolaldehyde (GA) as donor substrate with 3.3‐fold lower affinity than FSA wt. This differential selectivity of both FSA wt and FSA A129S for GA makes them complementary biocatalysts allowing a control over donor and acceptor roles, which is particularly useful in carboligation multi‐step cascade synthesis of polyhydroxylated complex compounds. Production of the mutant protein was also improved for its convenient use in synthesis. Several carbohydrates and nitrocyclitols were efficiently prepared, demonstrating the versatile potential of FSA A129S as biocatalyst in organic synthesis.     

Antimicrobial Activity of Binary and Ternary Mixtures of Vanillin,Citral, and Potassium Sorbate in Laboratory Media and Fruit Purées

The susceptibility of Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Zygosaccharomyces bailii to binary and ternary mixtures of potassium sorbate (KS), vanillin (V), and citral (C) was evaluated according to the Berenbaum experimental design, in laboratory media. For some V/C combinations, KS inhibitory concentrations were determined in agarized melon and mango purées by the spiral gradient endpoint (SGE) method. In laboratory media, inhibitory antimicrobial combinations were generally additives. For the yeasts, some synergistic effects were observed. All Berenbaum mixtures which resulted inhibitory in laboratory media were confirmed in the fruit purées. When the SGE method was used, several inhibitory ternary mixtures were found. The lowest inhibitory KS concentrations, estimated for a given V/C combination, corresponded to the bacteria assayed in melon purée. Z. bailii was not inhibited at any condition. Some synergistic antimicrobial combinations (595 ppm V + 251 ppm C + 8 ppm KS in melon and 280 ppm V + 123 ppm C + 8 ppm KS in mango purées) could be useful to achieve a desired inhibitory effect in fruit purées while reducing their concentrations.     

Development of Active Films From Pectin and Fruit Extracts: Light Protection,Antioxidant Capacity,and Compounds Stability

Pectin films containing fruit extracts were developed and tested in relation to ultraviolet light transmission, phytochemical contents, and antioxidant capacity during 90 d shelf life storage. Aqueous and alcoholic extracts from 5 different fruits (acerola, cashew apple, papaya, pequi, and strawberry) were obtained. Because the alcoholic extracts from acerola, cashew apple, and strawberry presented the highest phytochemical content and antioxidant capacity, they were incorporated into pectin films individually or as a mixture. Incorporation of these extracts into pectin films provided antioxidant capacity while retaining the physical properties. The pectin films containing fruit extract acted as adequate light barrier and prevented photooxidation. Among the prepared films, the pectin film containing acerola extract afforded the highest antioxidant capacity, with a half‐life of 99 d. Overall, the results revealed that incorporation of fruit extracts into pectin films potentially produces antioxidant films and coatings for different food applications.     

Catalytic activity of Fe/AC, obtained by impregnation of activated carbon in aqueous and non-aqueous media, to neutralize NO

The influence of the nature of the impregnating solutions media (aqueous or non-aqueous) on the forming of active phases is investigated in case of preparing iron catalysts, supported on activated carbon with respect to their catalytic activity in the reaction of NO reduction by CO. The catalysts are characterized by chemical analysis (AAS), BET surface area, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetic susceptibility, and Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS). The catalytic investigations and TPD are carried out in a flow apparatus. Three peculiarities are observed with respect to this influence—the ratio between the separate iron species in different oxidation state of Fe species, which build up the catalytic active complexes (CAC), common participation of superficial groups of the carbon support and Fe components of the impregnating solutions as well as different dispersion of the active phase on the surface of the samples. As a result the highest catalytic activity was observed with the sample, obtained by impregnation with an aqueous solution, while with the other samples, obtained from organic solutions, the catalytic activity decreases in the order of: Methanol > Ethyl Ether > Acetone. It was assumed that the different catalytic activities are connected most probably with the process of forming of CAC during the process of preparation of the samples.     

Effect of calcium and/or barium crosslinking on the physical and antimicrobial properties of natamycin-loaded alginate films

The preparation of alginate films with suitable properties requires a two-step contact with reticulating agents: initially a weakly structured pre-film is formatted which is further crosslinked in a second stage by immersion in a more concentrated solution. The present work evaluated the effects of a combined crosslinking procedure using calcium and barium ions on the physical and morphological properties of alginate-based films containing natamycin as antimicrobial agent. The release behavior of natamycin in water was evaluated as well as the antimicrobial activity against four target microorganisms, which are common cheese product contaminants. Films attributes were affected by the type of ion used in the second stage while the natamycin release rate and the antimicrobial activity were influenced by the ion used in the first stage. Films crosslinked with Ba²⁺ in the first and Ca²⁺ in the second stage (Ba–Ca films) exhibited physical properties very similar to films crosslinked with calcium in both stages. Release kinetics of natamycin in water fitted well to Fick's second law diffusional model, with effective diffusivity values ranging from 0.40 × 10⁻¹¹ to 1.74 × 10⁻¹¹ cm²/s. Ba–Ca films presented the lowest natamycin diffusion coefficient and the smallest inhibition zone diameter against the four microorganisms tested.