Processing, compatibilization and properties of ternary composites of Mater-Bi with polyolefins and hemp fibres

Ternary composites of a biodegradable thermoplastic matrix, Mater-Bi® (MB), with various polyolefins (PP, HDPE and PS) and hemp fibres (H) were obtained by melt mixing and characterized by SEM, OM, DSC, TGA and tensile tests. The properties of composites were compared with those of MB/polyolefin and MB/H blends. Maleic anhydride functionalized polyolefins were employed as compatibilizers. Crystallization behaviour and morphology of the composites were found to be affected by the composition, phase dispersion and compatibilizer. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the thermal stability of the polyolefin phase and fibres was influenced by the composition and phase structure. A significant improvement of tensile modulus and strength was recorded for composites of MB with PE and PS as compared to MB/H composites. The results indicate that incorporation of polyolefins in the biodegradable matrix, compared to binary matrix/fibre system, may have significant advantages in terms of properties, processability and cost.     

Nanopatterned platinum electrodes by focused ion beam in single palladium nanowire based devices

In this paper we present different devices, working as hydrogen sensors, based on single palladium nanowire and realized combining focused ion beam and dielectrophoresis techniques. The combination of these two techniques consists in the employ of focused ion beam for electrode patterning onto silicon/silicon dioxide substrates, followed by the assembly of a single palladium nanowire applying between electrodes an electric field at fixed frequency (dielectrophoresis) to a palladium nanoparticles solution. The nanowire morphology can be branched or not, depending on the applied frequency value. The devices are characterized in hydrogen environment at room temperature and their responses are compared.     

The Singapore high resolution single cell imaging facility

The Centre for Ion Beam Applications, National University of Singapore has recently expanded from three state-of-the-art beam lines to five. Two new beam lines have been constructed: A second generation proton beam writing line, and a high resolution single cell imaging facility. Both systems feature high demagnification lens systems based on compact Oxford Microbeams OM52 lenses, coupled with reduced lens/image distances.The single cell imaging facility is designed around OM52 compact lenses capable of operating in a variety of high demagnification configurations including the spaced Oxford triplet and the double crossover Russian quadruplet. The new facility has design specifications aimed at spatial resolutions below 50 nm, with a variety of techniques including STIM, secondary electron and fluorescence imaging, and an in-built optical and fluorescence microscope for sample imaging, identification and positioning.Preliminary tests using the single space Oxford triplet configuration have indicated a beam spot size of 31 × 39 nm in the horizontal and vertical directions respectively, at beam currents of ∼10,000 protons per second. However, a weakness in the specifications of the electrostatic scanning system has been identified, and a more stable scanning system needs to be implemented before we can fully realize the optimum performance. A single whole fibroblast cell has been scanned using 1.5 MeV protons, and a median fit to the proton transmission energy loss data has shown that proton STIM gives excellent details of the cell structure despite the relatively poor contrast of proton STIM compared with alpha STIM.     

Synthesis of novel tetracationic asymmetric monomeric monomethine cyanine dyes – highly fluorescent dsDNA probes

Quaternisation of monomethine cyanine dyes bearing haloalkyl chains, with the appropriate monoquaternised 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives, yielded novel tetracationic asymmetric monomeric monomethine cyanine dyes belonging to the thiazole orange family. The optimal conditions for this reaction were investigated. The longest wavelength absorption maxima of the studied dyes are in the region 504–507 nm. The molar absorptivities of the target dyes are high, with values between 70 500 and 99 500 l mol^?1 cm^?1. The fluorescence intensity and the fluorescence quantum yields of the free dyes in solution or in the presence of double‐stranded DNA were determined using thiazole orange for comparison. The dyes are suitable for nucleic acid detection and have a high binding affinity, attributable to their four positive charges.     

New hybrid system: Poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel with covalently bonded pegylated nanotubes

Hydrogels containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are expected to be promising conjugates because they might show a synergic combination of properties from both materials. Most of the hybrid materials containing CNTs only entrap them physically, and the covalent attachment has not been properly addressed yet. In this study, single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were successfully incorporated into a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel by covalent bonds to form a hybrid material. For this purpose, SWNTs were functionalized with poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) to obtain water‐soluble pegylated SWNTs (SWNT–PEGMA). These functionalized SWNTs were covalently bonded through their PEG moieties to a PEG hydrogel. The hybrid network was obtained from the crosslinking reaction of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate prepolymer and the SWNT–PEGMA by dual photo‐UV and thermal initiations. The mechanical and swelling properties of the new hybrid material were studied. In addition, the material and lixiviates were analyzed to elucidate any kind of SWNT release and to evaluate a possible in vitro cytotoxic effect. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Daily urinary excretion of uranium in members of the public of Southwest Nigeria

The main aim of this study was to determine and evaluate urinary excretion values of uranium in members of the public of Southwest Nigeria living in areas of low environmental uranium. As several uranium mines are running in Nigeria and the operations could be a risk of contamination for the workers as well as for the members of the public, biomonitoring of urine could provide information about the exposure to uranium for the subjects. Therefore, baseline values of uranium in urine are needed from subjects living in areas without mining activities. Volunteers of both genders (age range 3 to 78 years) were asked to collect 24 h-urine samples. The concentration measurements of uranium in urine were performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). In addition, urinary creatinine values were determined for normalization of the renal uranium relative to the creatinine concentrations.The urinary uranium concentrations and their creatinine normalized values ranged from < 10.4 to 150 ng L^? 1 (median 13.8 ng L^? 1) and from 2.52 to 252.7 ng g^? 1 creatinine (median 33.4 ng g^? 1 creatinine), respectively, for adult subjects above 15 years of both genders. An increased uranium excretion value of 61.6 ng L^? 1 (median), and of 76.0 ng g^? 1 creatinine, respectively, were found in young subjects below 15 years. The median of daily excreted uranium was estimated to be 14.2 ng d^? 1 for adults and of 45.1 ng d^? 1 for children, respectively. The uranium excretion from males and females living in Nigeria in a non-mining area was comparable to reference values reported from other countries with low level of environmental uranium. The data can be considered as baseline values of urinary uranium in unexposed subjects in Nigeria.     

Toxicity of water extracted rapeseed meal in the rat

The toxic effect of different concentrations of “detoxified” rapeseed meal (DRSM) obtained by 2 h lixiviation was studied. This preparation contained 0.02 % oxazolidinethiones (VTO) and no detectable isothiocyanates (ITC). It was fed for 4 weeks to weanling rats in amounts that provided from 0 to 100% of total dietary protein. The control diet provided 20% protein from casein. Another control group was fed crude rapeseed meal (RSM) to the same protein level. Growth rates and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were similar in rats fed DRSM and casein diets. The substitution of casein by increasing levels of DRSM did not modify PER. The weight of the liver, thyroid, heart, spleen, adrenals and kidneys was normal. In animals fed DRSM no histological changes were detected in the liver. The thyroid exhibited changes similar to, but of lesser severity than in animals fed crude RSM. It is suggested that other toxic compound(s) may be present in rapeseed meal that are not extractable by lixiviation. The need of further investigations of the effect of this “detoxified” product including functional studies before its extensive inclusion in animal or human diets is emphasised.