Sorption properties of polymers based on N‐substituted maleimides

Physicochemical and functional properties of 2,2‐diallyl‐1,1,3,3‐tetraethylguanidinium chloride copolymers with N‐(n‐carboxyphenyl)maleimide, of N‐vinylpyrrolidone with N‐(n‐carboxyphenyl)maleimide, and of N‐vinylpyrrolidone with N‐phenylmaleimide have been investigated. Specific surface area and porosity of the copolymers under investigation have been determined by using the low‐temperature adsorption method. Electron microscope investigations in surfaces of the polymers have evinced that all of them have a spongy microstructure, the N‐vinylpyrrolidone copolymer with N‐(n‐carboxyphenyl)maleimide being the most homogeneous of these. Sorption capacity of the copolymers toward Re(VII) ions has been investigated. The process is described by the Langmuir isotherm. The pH is the most important parameter for sorption process of Re(VII). In the conjoint presence of Re(VII) and Mo(VI) in a solution of acid and ammoniac mediums, rhenium can be separated from molybdenum by using the sorbents under investigation at pH > 4.5 or at hydrochloric acid concentrations 0.1 mol L^?1 and more. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Relaxation Properties of Pressure-sensitive Adhesives upon Withdrawal of Bonding Pressure

Relaxation properties of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA) have been studied with the squeeze-recoil tester used in the regime of parallel-plate dilatometer under conditions imitating the removal of compressive force in the course of adhesive bond formation. The relaxation properties of PSAs are compared with their adhesive behavior measured using the 180-Deg Peel Test. Two classes of PSAs are considered: 1) conventional rubbery adhesives based on the mixtures of styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS) block copolymer with a tackifier resin and a plasticizer, and butyl rubber plasticized with low-molecular-weight polyisobutylene, and 2) hydrophilic PSAs composed of the blends of high-molecular-weight poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) with oligomeric polyethylene glycol (PEG). By comparing the adhesive and relaxation behaviors of different PSAs, the relaxation criteria for pressure-sensitive adhesion have been stated. Relaxation behavior of the examined PSAs demonstrates two values of retardation time: the shorter retardation time of 10–70?sec and the longer time of 300–660?sec. These times can be associated, respectively, with small- and large-scale mechanisms of strain recovery. By comparing the relaxation and adhesive properties of PVP-PEG blend (which involves the formation of a hydrogen-bonded network through both terminal hydroxyl groups in PEG short chains) with the properties of covalently crosslinked copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) with PEG-diacrylate and comb-like VP copolymers with PEG-monomethacrylate, the contributions of covalent crosslinking and H-bonding network have been characterized.     

The impact of drying and steaming processes on surface color changes of tension and normal beech wood

Abstract

Beech wood has a high frequency of defects such as red heartwood, reaction wood (tension wood). For the experimental measurements four logs without visible defects like red heartwood, which can noticeably affects the measurements' results were qualified. The drying medium temperature in the first phase of the process before the moisture content of the specimens fell below the FSP was maintained at 45?°C. Then, the temperature was gradually increased to the maximum value 65?°C. The results showed that different initial wood moisture content does not affect to final value of tension and normal wood. The colorimetric parameter L* was much higher for tension wood. After steaming, there were greater differences in the colorimetric parameters, respectively, a* and b*. After drying the difference of all colorimetric parameters between tension and normal wood was significantly less. The color changes were only noticed in the surface layers of specimens. Differences were small, and thus, the impact of the tension wood on the color changes was not confirmed. However, since the lightness of tension wood plays a key role for its visual detection, it may be adequate to only measure the lightness parameter (L*).     

AICAR Protects Vascular Endothelial Cells from Oxidative Injury Induced by the Long-Term Palmitate Excess

Hyperlipidemia manifested by high blood levels of free fatty acids (FFA) and lipoprotein triglycerides is critical for the progression of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its cardiovascular complications via vascular endothelial dysfunction. However, attempts to assess high FFA effects in endothelial culture often result in early cell apoptosis that poorly recapitulates a much slower pace of vascular deterioration in vivo and does not provide for the longer-term studies of endothelial lipotoxicity in vitro. Here, we report that palmitate (PA), a typical FFA, does not impair, by itself, endothelial barrier and insulin signaling in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), but increases NO release, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and protein labeling by malondialdehyde (MDA) hallmarking oxidative stress and increased lipid peroxidation. This PA-induced stress eventually resulted in the loss of cell viability coincident with loss of insulin signaling. Supplementation with 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-riboside (AICAR) increased endothelial AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity, supported insulin signaling, and prevented the PA-induced increases in NO, ROS, and MDA, thus allowing to maintain HUVEC viability and barrier, and providing the means to study the long-term effects of high FFA levels in endothelial cultures. An upgraded cell-based model reproduces FFA-induced insulin resistance by demonstrating decreased NO production by vascular endothelium.     

The Role of mTOR and eIF Signaling in Benign Endometrial Diseases

Adenomyosis, endometriosis, endometritis, and typical endometrial hyperplasia are common non-cancerous diseases of the endometrium that afflict many women with life-impacting consequences. The mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway interacts with estrogen signaling and is known to be dysregulated in endometrial cancer. Based on this knowledge, we attempt to investigate the role of mTOR signaling in benign endometrial diseases while focusing on how the interplay between mTOR and eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs) affects their development. In fact, mTOR overactivity is apparent in adenomyosis, endometriosis, and typical endometrial hyperplasia, where it promotes endometrial cell proliferation and invasiveness. Recent data show aberrant expression of various components of the mTOR pathway in both eutopic and ectopic endometrium of patients with adenomyosis or endometriosis and in hyperplastic endometrium as well. Moreover, studies on endometritis show that derangement of mTOR signaling is linked to the establishment of endometrial dysfunction caused by chronic inflammation. This review shows that inhibition of the mTOR pathway has a promising therapeutic effect in benign endometrial conditions, concluding that mTOR signaling dysregulation plays a critical part in their pathogenesis.     

Fullerene C₆₀ as a multifunctional system for drug and gene delivery

The fullerene family, and especially C(60), has delighted the scientific community during the last 25 years with perspective applications in a wide variety of fields, including the biological and the biomedical domains. Several biomedical uses have been explored using water-soluble C(60)-derivatives. However, the employment of fullerenes for drug delivery is still at an early stage of development. The design and synthesis of multifunctionalized and multimodal C(60) systems able to cross the cell membranes and efficiently deliver active molecules is an attracting challenge that involves multidisciplinary strategies. Promising results have emerged in the last years, bringing fullerenes again to the front of interest. Herein, the state of the art of this emerging field is presented and illustrated with some of the most representative examples.     

Regeneration of Pd/TiO2 catalyst deactivated in reductive CCl4 transformations by the treatment with supercritical CO2, ozone in supercritical CO2 or oxygen plasma

Carbonaceous deposits formation was established as the primary reason of Pd/TiO₂ catalyst deactivation during reductive processing of CCl₄ to form hydrodechlorination and oligomerization products. Three methods of carbonaceous deposits elimination were tested: (1) extraction by supercritical CO₂, (2) oxidation by ozone in supercritical CO₂, and (3) low-temperature glow-discharge oxygen plasma treatment. Synchronic thermal analysis confirms effective carbonaceous deposits removal during regeneration by ozone or low temperature glow-discharge oxygen plasma; by XPS deep oxidation of surface Pd after oxidative treatment (by ozone or oxygen plasma) was found. Thus H₂ reduction was proposed as the second step making possible full regeneration of initial catalytic activity of Pd/TiO₂.     

The occurrence of bromate and perbromate on BDD anodes during electrolysis of aqueous systems containing bromide: first systematic experimental studies

Bromide electrolysis was carried out on laboratory-scale cells in the range of 1–1,005 mg [Br⁻] dm⁻³ using boron-doped diamond (BDD) anodes. These studies were part of fundamental research activities on drinking water electrolysis for disinfection. Synthetic water systems were mostly used in the experiments, which varied the temperature between 5 and 30 °C, the current density between 50 and 700 A m⁻², and the rotation rate of the rotating anode between 100 and 500 rpm (laminar regime). Hypobromite and bromate were found as by-products, as expected. Bromite was not detected. Higher bromate levels were formed at higher current density, but no clear relationship was observed between bromate concentration and the rotation rate or temperatures between 5 and 30 °C. Bromate yields higher than 90% were found at higher charge passed. Perbromate was found as a new potential synthesis or disinfection by-product (DBP), but no perbromate was detected at the lowest bromide concentrations and under drinking water conditions. The perbromate yield was about 1%, and somewhat lower when bromate was used as a starting material instead of bromide. At a temperature of 5 °C more perbromate was detected compared with experiments at 20°. Approximately 20 times more perchlorate was formed compared with perbromate formation in the presence of chloride ions of equimolar concentration. State of mechanistic considerations is presented and a mechanism for perbromate formation is proposed. The reaction from bromate to perbromate was found to be limited that is in contrast to the earlier studied chlorate-to-perchlorate conversion. In the measured concentration range, reduction processes at the mixed oxide cathode showed a much higher impact on the resulting concentration for perbromate than for bromate.