13C NMR study of presence of uron structures in amino adhesives and relation with wood‐based panels performance

The chemical structure of amino adhesives produced by the strongly acid process was investigated by ¹³C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. This technique allowed the identification of functional groups and its quantitative determination. Concentration of cyclic polymeric structures (urons) was shown to be related with adhesive performance and with particleboard physico‐mechanical properties and formaldehyde content. Higher urons concentration presented lower viscosity and reactivity. Particleboards produced with resins with lower urons concentration presented lower formaldehyde content, but also lower internal bond strength. Wood‐based panels produced fulfilled E1 class requirements for formaldehyde emissions, indicating that strongly acid process is an alternative to the conventional alkaline–acid process. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 4500–4507, 2013     

A CAD-oriented method to analyze and design radiating structures based on bodies of revolution by using finite elements and generalized scattering matrix

In this work, an efficient analysis of radiating structures based on bodies of revolution is dealt with. The procedure is a hybrid method based on a segmentation of the structure into two-dimensional regions, finite elements and a spherical computation domain surrounding the antenna, defining a boundary or port where a spherical mode expansion of the fields is used. A reduced order model is computed for a fast frequency sweep. To validate this method, some structures based on bodies of revolution as a rod dielectric antenna, conical dielectric-loaded horns, profiled horns and a monopole-dielectric resonator antenna are studied and results are compared with those demonstrated by other authors. The design of a smooth-walled horn by means of the optimization of the profile is also carried out.     

A simnet simulation model for estimating system reliability

A general SIMNET simulation model is developed for estimating system reliability. The input data to the model is comprised of the minimal cut sets of the block diagram representing the system. The time-to-failure of the (parallel-series) components may be descriebd by different distributions. The model can be readily extended to include repair and maintenance of the components.     

Stress urinary incontinence. Our experience with its treatment using the transvaginal colposuspension technique (Raz I and II)

Presentation of our experience in the surgical treatment of urinary stress incontinence, with transvaginal colposuspension techniques, specifically those described by S. Raz and known as Raz I and Raz II. Over a 24-month period, 25 transvaginal colposuspensions (22 Raz I and 3 Raz II) were performed. The results achieved were 21 patients (84%) have recovered, while 4 (16%) remain incontinent, 3 of them referring improvement and 1 without improvement, after a follow-up of 12 to 36 months. With regard to complications, there has been 5 cases (20%) of postoperative retention, one vesical perforation while passing the needles, and a vesicle perforation during vaginal dissection of the retropubic space.     

Design of polymeric nanoparticles and its applications as drug delivery systems for acne treatment

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate a formulation made of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles containing azelaic acid for potential acne treatment.

Methods: Azelaic acid-loaded PLGA nanoparticles were prepared by spontaneous emulsification processes using poloxamer 188 as stabilizer. Several manufacturing parameters such as stirring rate, concentration of stabilizer and different recovery methods were investigated. Nanoparticles were evaluated in terms of size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, release kinetics and permeation kinetics in vitro. Furthermore, in vitro toxicological studies were performed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae model.

Results: The results showed that by adjusting some formulation conditions it was possible to obtain nanoparticles with high loading and a controlled drug release. Freeze-dried recovery altered the nanoparticles structure by enhancing porous structures and mannitol was required to control the mean particle size. The centrifugation recovery was found to be the best approach to nanoparticles recovery. Similar toxicity profiles were observed for both drug-free and azelaic acid-loaded nanoparticles, with concentration-dependent decreases in cell viability.

Conclusion: These results indicate a potential formulation for controlled release delivery of azelaic acid to the follicular unit.     

Very Large Photoconduction Enhancement Upon Self‐Assembly of a New Triindole Derivative in Solution‐Processed Films

A new carbazole‐related small molecule exhibiting self‐assembly into ordered nanostructures in solution‐processed cast films has been synthesized and its charge‐photogeneration and ‐transport properties have been investigated. Large photoconductivity was measured in the amorphous state while an enormous improvement in the photoconduction properties was observed when the molecules spontaneously organized. Photocurrents increased upon self‐assembly by up to four orders of magnitude, mostly due to the drastic enhancement of the charge photogeneration. A greatly favorable arrangement of the aromatic cores in the resulting nanostructures, which were characterized by X‐ray analysis, may explain these improvements. Photocurrents of mA cm^?2, on/off ratios of 10⁴ and quantum efficiencies of unity at low field and light intensity, which are among the best values reported to date, along with the simplicity of fabrication, give this readily‐available organic system great potential for use in plastic optoelectronic devices.     

Creative discovery in the lexical “validation gap”

Compound terms play a surprisingly key role in the organization of lexical ontologies. However, their inclusion forces one to address the issues of completeness and consistency that naturally arise from this organizational role. In this paper, we show how creative exploration in the space of literal compounds can reveal not only additional compound terms to systematically balance an ontology, but can also discover new and potentially innovative concepts in their own right.     

Adrenergic reactivity after inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis in the cerebral circulation of awake goats

The interaction between nitric oxide (NO) and adrenergic reactivity in the cerebral circulation was studied using in vivo and in vitro preparations. Blood flow to one brain hemisphere (cerebral blood flow) was electromagnetically measured in conscious goats, and the effects of norepinephrine, tyramine and cervical sympathetic nerve stimulation were recorded before (control) and after inhibition of NO formation with Nw-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME). The responses to norepinephrine, tyramine and electrical field stimulation were also recorded in segments, 4 mm in length, from the goat's middle cerebral artery under control conditions and after l-NAME. In vivo, l-NAME (10 goats, 47 mg kg-1 administered i.v.) reduced resting cerebral blood flow by 37+/-2%, increased mean systemic arterial pressure by 24+/-3%, reduced heart rate by 35+/-2%, and decreased cerebrovascular conductance by 52+/-2% (all P<0.01). Norepinephrine (0.3-9 microgram), tyramine (50-500 microgram), and supramaximal electrical sympathetic cervical nerve stimulation (1. 5-6 Hz) decreased cerebrovascular conductance, and these decreases were significantly higher after l-NAME than under control conditions, remaining higher for about 48 h after this treatment. Norepinephrine (10-8-10-3 M), tyramine (10-6-10-3 M) and electrical field stimulation (1.5-6 Hz) contracted isolated cerebral arteries, and the maximal contraction, but not the sensitivity, was significantly higher in the arteries treated than in non-treated with l-NAME (10-4 M). Therefore, the reactivity of cerebral vasculature to exogenous and endogenous norepinephrine may be increased after inhibition of NO synthesis. This increase might be related, at least in part, to changes at postjunctional level in the adrenergic innervation of the vessel wall, and it might contribute to the observed decreases in resting cerebral blood flow after inhibition of NO synthesis.     

Contribution and importance of wine spirit to the port wine final quality—initial approach

The commercial wine spirit used for this study revealed that the aldehyde content mainly comprises acetaldehyde but other aldehydes such as propionaldehyde, 2‐methylbutyraldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, methylglyoxal, benzaldehyde and others are also present in significant amounts. A typical grape must was used to assess the influence of wine spirit in the analytical and sensorial characteristics of fortified wines. Decreasing levels of anthocyanins, as well the increase in the red colour and tanning capacity, were observed, and seem to be positively correlated with the increase of the aldehyde content present in the wine spirits used to fortify the must. Using the CIE L*a*b* system, this aldehyde content present in the spirit used seemed to be correlated with the decrease of the wines' lightness (darkening effect), the displacement of the hue angle to higher values (yellowing effect) and the increase of the chromaticity (colour saturation) of the wines. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Automatic Synthesis of Motion Estimation Processors Based on a New Class of Hardware Architectures

A new class of fully parameterizable multiple array architectures for motion estimation in video sequences based on the Full-Search Block-Matching algorithm is proposed in this paper. This class is based on a new and efficient AB2 single array architecture with minimum latency, maximum throughput and full utilization of the hardware resources. It provides the ability to configure the target processor within the boundary values imposed for the configuration parameters concerning the algorithm setup, the processing time and the circuit area. With this purpose, a software configuration tool has been implemented to determine the set of possible configurations which fulfill the requisites of a given video coder. Experimental results using both FPGA and ASIC technologies are presented. In particular, the implementation of a single array processor configuration on a single-chip is illustrated, evidencing the ability to estimate motion vectors in real-time.