Biolignin™ based epoxy resins

Wheat straw Biolignin? was used as a substitute of bisphenol‐A in epoxy resin. Synthesis was carried out in alkaline aqueous media using polyethyleneglycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) as epoxide agent. Structural study of Biolignin? and PEGDGE was performed by solid‐state ¹³C NMR and gel permeation chromatography, respectively, before epoxy resin synthesis. Biolignin? based epoxy resins were obtained with different ratios of Biolignin? : PEGDGE and their structures were analyzed by solid‐state ¹³C NMR. The crosslinking of PEGDGE with Biolignin? was highlighted in this study. Properties of Biolignin? based epoxy resins were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic load thermomechanical analysis as well as compared with those of a bisphenol‐A epoxy‐amine resin. Depending on the epoxy resin formulation, results confirmed the high potential of Biolignin? as a biosourced polyphenol used in epoxy resin applications. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Production of soy protein isolates with low phytic acid content by membrane technologies: Impact of the extraction and ultrafiltration/diafiltration conditions

The content of the antinutrient, phytic acid, of soy protein was analyzed during their extraction and purification by a series of ultrafiltration and diafiltration steps. The phosphorus content of the extracts was used as an indication of their phytic acid content and their ash content as an indication of their mineral content. The extraction of soy proteins was conducted by using a 2³ factorial experimental design, pH (7.5 or 9), solvent (0.06 M KCl or water), and temperature (25 °C or 50 °C). The most promising extraction conditions were 0.06 M KCl/pH 9.0/25 °C for the lowest phosphorus to protein ratio (12.2 ± 0.1 mg P/g protein) and H₂O/pH 9.0/50 °C for the combination of low phosphorus to protein ratio and the lowest ash content (13.9 ± 1.2 mg P/g protein, 9.6 ± 0.8% w/w ash content). After extraction, soy proteins were purified by sequential ultrafiltration (UF) with a volume concentration ratio (VCR) of 5 and diafiltration (DF) with volume diafiltration ratio (VD) of 4. Extracts were purified with no pH adjustment or with pH adjustment to 6.5 between the UF and the DF steps. The extraction conditions 0.06 M KCl/pH 9.0/25 °C and the purification conditions UF pH 9.0/DF pH 6.5 showed the lowest phosphorus to protein ratio (4.4 ± 0.3 mg P/g protein) and reduced membrane fouling when compared to extraction conditions with water.     

Reclaiming the energy of a schedule: models and algorithms

We consider a task graph to be executed on a set of processors. We assume that the mapping is given, say by an ordered list of tasks to execute on each processor, and we aim at optimizing the energy consumption while enforcing a prescribed bound on the execution time. Although it is not possible to change the allocation of a task, it is possible to change its speed. Rather than using a local approach such as backfilling, we consider the problem as a whole and study the impact of several speed variation models on its complexity. For continuous speeds, we give a closed‐form formula for trees and series–parallel graphs, and we cast the problem into a geometric programming problem for general directed acyclic graphs. We show that the classical dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) model with discrete modes leads to an NP‐complete problem, even if the modes are regularly distributed (an important particular case in practice, which we analyze as the incremental model). On the contrary, the Vdd‐hopping model that allows to switch between different supply voltages (V_DD) while executing a task leads to a polynomial solution. Finally, we provide an approximation algorithm for the incremental model, which we extend for the general DVFS model. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Control of upper limb prostheses: terminology and proportional myoelectric control-a review

The recent introduction of novel multifunction hands as well as new control paradigms increase the demand for advanced prosthetic control systems. In this context, an unambiguous terminology and a good understanding of the nature of the control problem is important for efficient research and communication concerning the subject.     

Flow distribution and mass transfer in a parallel microchannel contactor integrated with constructal distributors

Flow distribution and mass transfer characteristics during CO₂‐water flow through a parallel microchannel contactor integrated with two constructal distributors have been investigated numerically and experimentally. Each distributor comprises a dichotomic tree structure that feeds 16 microchannels with hydraulic diameters of 667 μm. It was found that constructal distributors could ensure a nearly uniform gas–liquid distribution at high gas flow rates where the ideal flow pattern was slug‐annular flow. Nevertheless, at small gas flow rates where the ideal flow pattern was slug flow, a significant flow maldistribution occurred primarily due to the lack of large pressure barrier inside each distributor, indicating that dynamic pressure fluctuation in parallel microchannels greatly disturbed an otherwise good flow distribution therein. It was further shown that the present parallel microchannel contactor could realize the desired mass transfer performance previously achieved in one single microchannel under relatively wide operational ranges due to the integration of constructal distributors. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010     

Surface analysis and adhesion properties of coalesced latex films

The surface composition of films obtained from acrylic latexes (45 wt% MMA, 55 wt% BuA) stabilized by two anionic surfactants (either sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) or sodium dodecyl diphenyl ether disulphonate (SDED) has been studied by attenuated total reflection with Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The results of this surface analysis are summarized and used to interpret adhesion properties of the films on glass substrate. Adhesion properties were derived from peeling tests. In the case of SDED, the peel strength increases with surfactant surface concentration. This is due to strong polar interactions between the hydrophilic part of the surfactant and the polar groups of the glass surface and to the anchorage of the hydrophobic part of the surfactant in the copolymer matrix. In the case of SDS, the peel strength decreases with increasing surfactant surface concentration. The same polar interactions as with SDED exist, but the SDS layer at the interface is very thick. It forms what is called a ‘weak boundary layer’ in which rupture propagates easily.     

Assessment of semantic processing in patients with Alzheimer's type dementia: The release-of-proactive-inhibition paradigm.

Investigated memory functioning in 10 patients with dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT [aged 54–87 yrs]) and 20 age-matched normal controls (CTLs) by using the release-from-proactive-interference paradigm. DAT Ss exhibited lower correct recall and higher intrusion rates than did CTLs. DAT Ss did not show the expected build-up and release from proactive interference when correct recall was considered but showed the expected pattern when intrusion rate was considered. CTLs showed evidence of semantic processing on both measures. Results are discussed in relation to the defects in semantic memory hypothesized in Alzheimer's disease. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perturbations induites sur un ensemble de conducteurs par l’impulsion électromagnétique et le front de plasma dans la zone source d’une explosion nucléaire au sol

Analytical expressions are derived for the current induced on a system of overhead lines located near the ground by an incident electromagnetic wave generated by a nuclear explosion.     

Mathematical model for lactic acid production from lactose in batch culture: Model development and simulation

The models available to describe lactic acid production do not seem to fit the experimental data very well, especially at the end of batch cultures. From a careful analysis of batch data, an unstructured model of the process has been derived, in which the specific growth rate variations and lactic acid concentration with time have been described by complemented logistic functions. Also, an additional term has been introduced into the Luedeking–Piret expression, taking into account the reduction in rate of lactic acid production observed at very low growth rate.