Effect of polymerization conditions on o‐phenylenediamine and o‐phenetidine oxidative copolymers

A series of new o‐phenylenediamine (OPD)/o‐phenetidine (PHT) copolymers with partly phenazine‐like structures has been successfully synthesized at three polymerization temperatures by chemically oxidative polymerization in four different polymerization media. The molecular structures and properties of the resulting OPD/PHT polymers were investigated by IR, UV–vis and high‐resolution ¹H NMR spectroscopies, and DSC, in order to ascertain the effect of reaction temperature, comonomer ratio and acid medium. The copolymerization mechanism of OPD with PHT monomers has been proposed. It is found that the statistical OPD/PHT copolymer obtained at a temperature of 118 °C has a higher degree of polymerization than that obtained at 12–17 °C. The OPD content in the copolymers calculated from NMR spectroscopic analysis is higher than that in the feed OPD content, whereas the OPD content calculated from element analysis is slightly lower than the feed OPD content. It can be predicted that denitrogenation takes place in the OPD units during the polymerization process at OPD/PHT molar ratios of 90/10 and 100/0. These OPD/PHT copolymers exhibit a much better solubility than the OPD homopolymer, hence suggesting an incorporation of PHT units into the phenazine structure of the homopolymer. The thermal behavior of the copolymers was also studied. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Nucleotide sequence and genome structure of mink enteritis virus

Diabetes mellitus is a common disease. It affects multiple organ systems. Adverse effects of hyperglycemia on infection, fracture healing, and bone remodeling have been recently reported. This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical and radiographic results of 93 total hip arthroplasties in 78 consecutive patients with diabetes. All femoral components were cemented using contemporary cementing techniques. Prophylactic antibiotics were given in each case. The mean follow-up period was 4.1 years (range, 2-6.5 years). Ninety-six percent of the hips were rated excellent or good. Radiolucencies were observed in only 3.7% of the stems, while 22.2% of the cups showed radiolucencies. There was a 4% revision incidence. There was no postoperative infection in this series--a distinct improvement from previously reported series. However, complications remained high at 24.3%. The most frequent complication was urinary tract infection (14.2%). The most serious complication was myocardial infarction. The authors believe total hip arthroplasty can be safely performed in patients with diabetes, provided that adequate medical and follow-up evaluations are performed. The medium-term clinical and radiographic follow-up evaluations are not inferior to reported series in patients without diabetes.     

Growth and morphology of nanometer LiMn2O4 powder

The growth of Li_1+xMn₂O₄ via detonation reaction was investigated with respect to the presence of an energetic precursor, such as the metallic nitrate and the degree of confinement of the explosive charge. The detonation products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the products. Li_1+xMn₂O₄ with 1-2 μm spherical morphology and more uniform secondary particles, but with smaller primary particles of diameters from 20 to 60 nm and a variety of morphologies were found. The oxides produced by this cheap method affirmed the validity of detonation synthesis of nano-size powders.     

Study of miscibility enhancement in poly(styrene‐co‐4‐vinylphenol)/poly(ethylene oxide) blends by the spin labelling method

The electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of end‐group spin labelled poly(ethylene oxide) (SLPEO) using 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐piperdine‐1‐oxyl nitroxide and its blends with poly(styrene‐co‐4‐vinylphenol) (STVPhs) of different hydroxyl contents were recorded over a wide temperature range. For a blend of SLPEO and pure polystyrene (PS), the ESR spectrum was composed of a single motion component, indicating that PS was immiscible with PEO. For blends composed of SLPEO and different‐hydroxyl‐content STVPhs, two spectral components with different motion rates were observed over a certain temperature range. The difference between the motion rates should be attributed to micro‐heterogeneity in the blends, with the faster rate corresponding to a nitroxide radical motion trapped in the PEO‐rich domain and the slower rate corresponding to a nitroxide radical motion trapped in the STVPh‐rich domain. Variations in the values of a number of the ESR parameters (T_a, T_d and T_50G) and the apparent activation energy (E_a) with hydroxyl content in the blends indicated that the miscibility of the blends increased with increasing hydrogen‐bonding density due to specific interactions between the hydroxyl groups in STVPh and the ether oxygens in PEO. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

New bottle but old wine: A research of cyberbullying in schools

This study investigates the nature and the extent of adolescences’ experience of cyberbullying. A survey study of 177 grade seven students in an urban city is conducted. In this paper, “cyberbullying” refers to bullying via electronic communication tools. The results show that almost 54% of the students were victims of traditional bullying and over a quarter of them had been cyber-bullied. Almost one in three students had bullied others in the traditional form, and almost 15% had bullied others using electronic communication tools. Almost 60% of the cyber victims are females, while over 52% of cyber-bullies are males. Majority of the cyber-bully victims and bystanders did not report the incidents to adults.     

Apatite as an interesting seed to remove phosphorus from wastewater in constructed wetlands.

Intensive use of phosphates has resulted in high P levels in surface waters and therefore eutrophication problems. Over the last decade many studies have revealed the advantage of using specific materials with efficient phosphorus retention capacities. Recent studies state that Ca materials are of particular interest for long-term retention of P, but can induce negative effects. To improve P retention and avoid negative counter-effects we tested the potential of natural apatites. Apatite sorption was evaluated using batch and open reactor experiments. Batch experiments identify sorption mechanisms and the influence of the ionic characteristics of the solution; open reactor experiments evaluate sorption capacities in relation to the ionic composition of the solution and biomass development. In parallel, observation of the material by electron microscopy was used to give more precision information about the mechanisms involved. This work reveals the strong chemical affinity between apatites and phosphorus. Compared to other calcareous materials apatite is better able to maintain low outlet P levels. After more than 550 days feeding, sorption was still present and low P outlet levels were still being obtained when sufficient contact time and calcium content in the solution were ensured. This work demonstrates the advantages of using apatites for phosphorus removal in constructed wetlands. The behaviour of apatite in phosphorus retention is explained and its suitability for use in such extensive systems defined.     

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Magnesium Aluminate Platelets

Magnesium aluminate (MgAl₂O₄) platelets were first synthesized by hydrothermal treatment of γ-AlO(OH) in a magnesium nitrate aqueous solution at 400°C. The platelets are 100–200 nm in width and 25 nm in thickness. The influence of temperature, the anions of the magnesium salt, the amount of magnesium salt, and precursor pH on the formation of such structure was investigated. The experimental results indicated that the anions of the magnesium salt and precursor pH could have a significant influence on the growth of MgAl₂O₄. MgAl₂O₄ formation followed the in situ transformation mechanism, which was the reason why the MgAl₂O₄ crystallites had a platelet morphology.     

煤气厂脱硫剂脱硫探讨

介绍了大同煤气厂H2S含量的现状、脱硫情况和脱硫剂的再生等问题，提出了解决的办法及一些设想。