Photochemical Degradation of Recycled High-Impact Polystyrene

Photooxidative aging of high-impact polystyrene sheets at 25°C was followed for different intervals of 25, 40, 50, 75, and 80 h. Five different types of samples were used, viz. virgin, and recycled once, twice, three, and four times. The optical properties of exposed samples exhibited changes as a result of discoloration. The transmittance and reflection deceases whereas absorbance increases with increasing recycling of high-impact polystyrene.     

Suppression of TRPV1/TRPM8/P2Y Nociceptors by Withametelin via Downregulating MAPK Signaling in Mouse Model of Vincristine-Induced Neuropathic Pain

Vincristine (VCR) is a widely used chemotherapy drug that induced peripheral painful neuropathy. Yet, it still lacks an ideal therapeutic strategy. The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, purinergic receptor (P2Y), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. Withametelin (WMT), a potential Phytosteroid isolated from datura innoxa, exhibits remarkable neuroprotective properties. The present investigation was designed to explore the effect of withametelin on VCR-induced neuropathic pain and its underlying molecular mechanism. Initially, the neuroprotective potential of WMT was confirmed against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced PC12 cells. To develop potential candidates for neuropathic pain treatment, a VCR-induced neuropathic pain model was established. Vincristine (75 μg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 10 consecutive days (day 1–10) for the induction of neuropathic pain. Gabapentin (GBP) (60 mg/kg, i.p.) and withametelin (0.1 and 1 mg/kg i.p.) treatments were given after the completion of VCR injection on the 11th day up to 21 days. The results revealed that WMT significantly reduced VCR-induced pain hypersensitivity, including mechanical allodynia, cold allodynia, and thermal hyperalgesia. It reversed the VCR-induced histopathological changes in the brain, spinal cord, and sciatic nerve. It inhibited VCR-induced changes in the biochemical composition of the myelin sheath of the sciatic nerve. It markedly downregulated the expression levels of TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1); TRPM8 (Transient receptor potential melastatin 8); and P2Y nociceptors and MAPKs signaling, including ERK (Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase), JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase), and p-38 in the spinal cord. It suppressed apoptosis by regulating Bax (Bcl2-associated X-protein), Bcl-2 (B-cell-lymphoma-2), and Caspase-3 expression. It considerably attenuated inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity. This study suggests that WMT treatment suppressed vincristine-induced neuropathic pain by targeting the TRPV1/TRPM8/P2Y nociceptors and MAPK signaling.     

Discrimination in the 21st century: Are science and the law aligned?

Although scholars agree that traditional forms of discrimination have generally been supplanted by subtler interpersonal manifestations of discrimination, it is yet unknown whether targets of these behaviors or the American judicial branch recognize such negative behaviors as violations of extant law. Extending research and theory, we propose that denigrating messages toward women and ethnic minorities (i.e., microaggressions) emerge in workplace interactions and are sometimes interpreted as discrimination. Specifically, this research explores the presence, severity, and frequency of microaggressions that appear in a random sample of race and gender discrimination cases in federal court dockets since the year 2000. The results suggest that microinsults, microinvalidations, and microassaults are reported in a variety of discrimination claims. However, only overt and intentional forms of microaggressions (microassaults) increased the likelihood that decisions favored plaintiffs. Thus, there may be a disconnect between forms of discrimination perceived by claimants and how those forms are evaluated by the legal system that protects victims of discrimination. This potential misalignment of science and practice is discussed, as are directions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

International Rivers as Boundaries

Abstract

International rivers serve a number of purposes, the most obvious are the navigational and non-navigational uses. Less noticed is the fact that international rivers are also used to delimit boundaries between nations. The immediate question that would arise is: Where are such boundaries actually drawn across the river? Boundaries, however, are established by treaties and the answer to this question is often included in the interpretation of treaties delimiting such water boundaries, taking into account the special characteristics of the international river. Indeed, this has been the case regarding the boundaries across the Chobe river between Botswana and Namibia. Determining where such boundaries lie would result in deciding to whom a disputed Island, the Kasikili/Sedudu, belongs. In a praiseworthy step, the two countries agreed to take their dispute over the Island, after failure to resolve it through negotiations, to the International Court of Justice. This paper discusses the uses of international rivers as boundaries, and reviews the dispute between Botswana and Namibia, and the decision of the Court thereon.     

Effect of cathodic arc plasma treatment on the properties of WC–Co based hard metals

In this study, ion bombardment in a cathodic arc physical vapor deposition system was applied on WC–Co hard metal surfaces aiming to benefit from the diffusion acceleration effect, and to investigate the role of this effect on the surface composition, morphology and corrosion resistance of the materials. Chromium ions obtained via cathodic arc evaporation were accelerated under low (− 150 V) and high (− 1000 V) bias voltages in order to apply coating–bombardment cycles to sample surfaces. Substrate temperatures were measured by an optical pyrometer during the processes. The treated samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Temperature measurements showed that the sample temperature could be controlled precisely by adjusting the bias voltage. Temperatures in the range of 750–1200 °C were measured during the treatment depending on the duration of the high bias voltage cycles. XRD analysis showed η phase formation in the near surface regions of all treated samples. The amount of the formed η phase was shown to be dependent on the heating–cooling regime that varied with the applied mode of bias. The corrosion behavior of the samples was investigated by immersing treated and untreated samples in a solution of 5% H₃PO₄ containing 1 g/l Zn^{+ 2} for 24 h at 50 °C. The samples were investigated via SEM observations after immersion. Cathodic arc plasma treated samples showed a better resistance to corrosion in this environment.     

Crystallization behaviour and properties of multicomponent strontium—Containing lithia calcia silicate glasses

The crystallization behaviour of lithia calcia silicate system containing MgO, SrO, and Al₂O₃ has been investigated using DTA, XRD and SEM. The coefficient of thermal expansion and Vicker's microhardness of the obtained products were also evaluated. The main crystalline phases formed after different heat-treatments were lithium metasilicate, wollastonite, diopside, β-spodumene ss, pseudo-wollastonite, Sr₂SiO₄, Sr₂Mg(Si₂O₇) and μ-(Ca,Sr)SiO₃. The wollastonite structure can accept considerable amount of strontium to form wollastonite strontium solid solution, while there is no solid solution of strontium in pseudo-wollastonite.     

A study on integrated design conjugation profiles application analysis of scroll profiles for automobile air conditioning

The research on scroll profiles theory at present mainly is aiming at the single profile and its amelioration or parameter optimization,not aiming at the natural characteristic of the profiles equation of scroll profiles itself.Thus,the intrinsic differential equation bearing on arc-length and tangent direction angle was studied.Using the inherent differential equation and general functional theory,the conversion ideas between the expression of intrinsic differential equation and the expression in Cartesian...     

Stills,not full motion,for interactive spatial training: American,Turkish and Taiwanese female pre-service teachers learn spatial visualization

This study investigated how female elementary education pre-service teachers in the United States, Turkey and Taiwan learned spatial skills from structured activities involving discrete, as opposed to continuous, transformations in interactive computer programs, and how these activities transferred to non-related standardized tests of spatial visualization and mental rotation. The study used a pretest, intervention, posttest research design with experimental and comparison groups. The experimental group participated in transformational geometry visualization exercises, once a week for six weeks, for approximately 20 minutes each session. Instruments were standardized measures of spatial visualization and mental rotation; intervention activity worksheets directed the participants through 2D and 3D transformational geometry tasks in computer environments. For Turkish and Taiwanese participants, the experimental group improved significantly more than the control group in spatial visualization, while the American participants showed no such significant improvement.     

United Nations General Assembly Resolution: International Decade for Action,Water for Life, 2005–2015

Abstract

Of the voluminous resolutions issued by United Nations General Assembly, the Millennium Declaration, adopted in 2000, is one of the most significant. It specifies eight development goals and sets the year 2015 as the target date for achieving such goals. Although water is not explicitly mentioned as one of those eight principal goals, it is specified as a subset under one of those goals. Three years later, the United Nations General Assembly paid special attention to water by issuing a separate resolution declaring the period 2005 to 2015 as the “International Decade for Action, Water for Life.” This article reviews and discusses the Resolution and analyzes its added value.