Synthesis of multihollow polyester particles in supra‐ and infra‐millimeter size ranges by double emulsion process

Multivesiculated particles (MVPs) are obtained from a double emulsion system, being currently used as opacifying agents by waterborne paint industry. They have high mechanical resistance and low density as a result of a rigid multialveolar structure formed by cross‐linked polyester. Depending on the particle sizes, different novel applications can be envisaged. This work studies how the conventional one‐step batch emulsification approach can be adapted for producing MVPs with average diameters ranging from tens of microns to a few millimeters. The Taguchi method was employed to identify the level of influence of several process variables on the final yield of small (<100 µm) or large (>1 mm) particles. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) concentration and molecular weight proved to be the most significant factors to obtain small particles. For large particles, the most significant factors were the PVA molecular weight and the stirring rate during the curing phase. Uniform vesiculation and low particle density could only be obtained by adjusting the stirring conditions during dispersion of the organic phase, due to limitations in water diffusion rate into large organic droplets. Large particles exhibited tendency to fracture due to residual stresses, but this problem was solved by using an organic‐soluble cure initiator. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:590–597, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Octacosanol from the Leaves of Sabicea grisea var. grisea in Mice

Sabicea species are used in the Amazon for treatment of fever and malaria, which suggests that its chemical constituents may have some effect on pain and inflammation. Phytochemical analysis of the hexane fraction obtained from the crude ethanol extract from Sabicea grisea var. grisea Cham. & Schltdl (Rubiaceae), an endemic plant in Brazil, resulted in the isolation of octacosanol. This study investigated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the octacosanol in different experimental models. The crude ethanolic extract and hexane fraction obtained from the leaves of S. grisea produced an inhibition of acetic acid-induced pain. Moreover, octacosanol isolated from the hexane fraction produced a significant inhibition of pain response elicited by acetic acid. Pre-treatment with yohimbine, an alpha 2-adrenergic receptor antagonist, notably reversed the antinociceptive activity induced by octacosanol in the abdominal constriction test. Furthermore, mice treated with octacosanol did not exhibit any behavioral alteration during the hot plate and rota-rod tests, indicating non-participation of the supraspinal components in the modulation of pain by octacosanol with no motor abnormality. In the formalin test, octacosanol did not inhibit the licking time in first phase (neurogenic pain), but significantly inhibited the licking time in second phase (inflammatory pain) of mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of octacosanol was evaluated using carrageenan-induced pleurisy. The octacosanol significantly reduced the total leukocyte count and neutrophils influx, as well as TNF-α levels in the carrageenan-induced pleurisy. This study revealed that the mechanism responsible for the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the octacosanol appears to be partly associated with an inhibition of alpha 2-adrenergic transmission and an inhibition of pathways dependent on pro-inflammatory cytokines. Finally, these results demonstrated that the octacosanol from the leaves of S. grisea possesses antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities, which could be of relevance for the pharmacological control of pain and inflammatory processes.     

Spatiotemporally resolved black carbon concentration,schoolchildren's exposure and dose in Barcelona

At city level, personal monitoring is the best way to assess people's exposure. However, it is usually estimated from a few monitoring stations. Our aim was to determine the exposure to black carbon (BC) and BC dose for 45 schoolchildren with portable microaethalometers and to evaluate the relationship between personal monitoring and fixed stations at schools (indoor and outdoor) and in an urban background (UB) site. Personal BC concentra‐tions were 20% higher than in fixed stations at schools. Linear mixed‐effect models showed low R² between personal measurements and fixed stations at schools (R² ≤ 0.28), increasing to R² ≥ 0.70 if considering only periods when children were at schools. For the UB station, the respective R² were 0.18 and 0.45, indicating the importance of the distance to the monitoring station when assessing exposure. During the warm season, the fixed stations agreed better with personal measurements than during the cold one. Children spent 6% of their time on commuting but received 20% of their daily BC dose, due to co‐occurrence with road traffic rush hours and the close proximity to the source. Children received 37% of their daily‐integrated BC dose at school. Indoor environments (classroom and home) were responsible for the 56% BC dose.     

Synthesis and characterization of ethylene-1-hexene copolymers using homogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalysts

Summary This study investigated the copolymerization of ethylene with 1-hexene using the homogeneous Et[Ind]₂ZrCl₂ and [Ind]₂ZrCl₂ catalysts. The Et[Ind]₂ZrCl₂ catalyst gave a higher catalytic activity than the [Ind]₂ZrCl₂ and also showed a better incorporation of 1-hexene for the same comonomer concentration in the feed. Thermal analysis (DSC) and viscosity measurements showed that an increase of the 1-hexene incorporated in the copolymer results in a decrease of the melting point, crystallinity and molecular weight of the polymer formed. The reactivity ratios for ethylene and 1-hexene confirmed the more successful incorporation of the comonomer for the polymerization catalyzed by Et[Ind]₂ZrCl₂.     

Nanohybrid versus nanofill composite in class I cavities: margin analysis after 12 months

This study evaluates the margin of a nanofill, a nanohybrid, and a conventional microhybrid composite in restorations in occlusal cavities of posterior teeth after 12 months. Forty-one patients, each with three molars affected by primary caries or the need to replace restorations, participated in this research. The teeth were restored with a nanofill (Filtek Z350), a nanohybrid (Esthet-X), and a microhybrid as a control (Filtek Z250). Ten patients were selected randomly, and the three restorations were molded with a low-viscosity polyvinyl siloxane material. The molds were poured with epoxy resin, gold-sputter coated, observed by scanning electron microscopy, and classified as: "perfect margin," "marginal irregularity," "marginal gap," "marginal fracture," or "artifact." For statistical analysis, the Wilcoxon and Friedman nonparametric tests and paired-samples t-test were used (significance level of 5%). The performance of the three materials was compared after 1 week and 12 months. No statistically significant differences were detected for all criteria (P > 0.05). When each composite was compared over time, statistically significant differences were found for the criterion, perfect margins (Esthet-X and Filtek Z350, P < 0.05). The materials performed satisfactorily over the 12-month-observation period, but all composites under investigation showed a certain amount of deterioration relating to marginal quality over time.     

Demonstration of the internal model principle by digital repetitive control of an educational laboratory plant

A key topic in classical control theory is the Internal Model Principle (IMP). A particular case of the IMP for tracking periodic references or attenuating periodic disturbances in closed-loop control systems is a technique called repetitive control. This work proposes and describes an educational laboratory plant to show the students the advantages of repetitive controllers in systems with periodic references or disturbances. The plant has been designed to be low cost, easy to build, and subject to periodic disturbances with a clear physical explanation. More specifically, it consists of a pulsewidth modulation (PWM) electronic amplifier, a small dc motor, and a magnetic setup that generates a periodic load torque under constant mechanical speed operation. The control objective for the closed-loop control system is to regulate the mechanical speed to a constant value in spite of the periodic load torque disturbance. In order to accomplish this performance specification, a detailed design of a digital repetitive controller is presented, and some basic experimental results are provided to prove its good behavior. The paper also includes some repetitive control concepts and facts that teaching experience shows as essential to understand the design process.     

Effect of dye auxiliaries on the kinetics of advanced oxidation UV/H2O2 of Acid Orange 7 (AO7)

BACKGROUND: The effect of four dye‐auxiliary chemicals, typically employed in acid dyeing, on the performance of UV/H₂O₂ decolouration of the model non‐biodegradable dye C.I. Acid Orange 7 (AO7) was investigated. The initial concentration of AO7 was 0.150 g L^?1, while the concentration of the auxiliary compounds (NaCl, Na₂SO₄, Na₂CO₃ and CH₃COOH) was varied in the range 1–10 g L^?1. RESULTS: The negative influence of the presence of the dye‐auxiliary compounds studied on the decolouration rate of AO7 decreased in the following order: CH₃COOH > Na₂SO₄ > NaCl > Na₂CO₃. Results were quantified in terms of the observed kinetic rate constant, k_obs (s^?1), of AO7 decolouration as a function of dye auxiliary chemical concentration. The decolouration rate of AO7 decreased as the concentration of dye‐auxiliary compound increased in the range 1–5 g L^?1, while higher concentrations had a minor effect. Upon addition of 5 g L^?1 of CH₃COOH, NaCl and Na₂SO₄, the kinetic rate constant decreased by 39%, 30% and 12%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that the presence of NaCl, Na₂SO₄ and above all of CH₃COOH should be considered in the design of the treatment of real dye‐bath effluents by UV/H₂O₂. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Quasioptical Transmission Lines for ECRH at TJ-II Stellarator

Two mirror lines have been used to transmit the microwave power from the powerful microwave generators to the TJ-II plasmas. Both lines have been tested at nominal power level and they are in operation now. This paper deals with the final design of the transmission lines and their testing. Before starting operation at high power level, measurements of the wave beam parameters at low power level were performed. Two horn antennas were designed to simulate the gyrotron output. The results are presented in this paper. A computer code based on Huygens diffraction theory was developed to simulate the propagation of the beam along the mirror lines. A comparison of the theoretical and the experimental results is also shown here.     

Effects of resveratrol and purple grape juice on nucleotide hydrolysis by adult rat serum

ATP, ADP and AMP (adenosine tri, bi and mono-phosphate, respectively) hydrolysis in rat serum were assessed in vitro in the presence of certain flavonoids: resveratrol, quercetin and rutin. Also, the effects of purple grape juice (PGJ) and the effect of PGJ before arginine treatment were observed on serum nucleotide hydrolysis. The in vitro nucleotide hydrolysis by rat serum was increased in the presence of resveratrol for ATP and ADP hydrolysis. There was a decrease of nucleotide hydrolysis in the presence of other flavonoids tested in vitro. The effects of PGJ treatment after 15 days showed that nucleotide hydrolysis increased for ATP, ADP and AMP. We also investigated whether animals that had received injections of arginine and presented reduction of nucleotide hydrolysis activities, would present a retrieval of this reduction by receiving PGJ before injections were administered. Evidently resveratrol may increase nucleotide hydrolysis by serum and PGJ may be capable of preventing the decrease in nucleotide hydrolysis caused by arginine treatment.