Extrapolation of fuzzy values from incomplete data bases

This paper presents different approaches which enable a data base management system to obtain a plausible fuzzy estimate for an attribute value of an item for which the information is not explicitly stored in the data base. This can be made either by a kind of analogical reasoning from information about particular items or by means of expert rules which specify the (fuzzy) sets of possible values of the attribute under consideration, for various classes of items. Another kind of expert rules enables the system to compute an estimate from the attribute value of another item provided that, in other respects, this latter item sufficiently resembles the item, the value of which we are interested in; then these expert rules are used either for controlling the analogical reasoning process or for enlarging the scope of application of the first kind of expert rules. The different approaches are discussed in the framework of possibility theory.     

Pulmonary yellow hyaline membrane disease. New variant in premature infants with intrahepatic cholestasis

Two premature female infants with a new variant of pulmonary hyaline membrane disease had both received assisted ventilation with high oxygen concentrations. Postmortem examination showed straw-yellow hyaline membranes lining the terminal bronchioles and alveoli. Pneumonocytes and macrophages also contained straw-yellow pigments in the cytoplasm. These yellow membranes and pigments in pneumonocytes and in macrophages stained positively for bile and negatively for iron. Both infants had severe intrahepatic cholestasis. Cholestasis and pulmonary changes due to oxygen toxicity are believed to be the main features leading to this curious entity.     

Acroleindiethylacetal: Reaction with free radicals and copolymerization

The reaction between acroleindiethylacetal (3.3-diethoxypropene) and free radicals and the behaviour of this acetal in the free radical copolymerization with unsaturated monomers has been investigated. The decomposition of benzoyl peroxide and tert.-butyl peroxide in acroleindiethylacetal has been studied in the liquid phase. On the basis of the obtained products a mechanism is proposed which involves the abstraction of a hydrogen atom by a primary radical from a carbon atom which is adjacent to oxygen. We also tried to copolymerize the acetal with several conventional comonomers but copolymers were only obtained when acrylonitrile and maleic anhydride were used. The remarkably uniform composition of the copolymers from the acetal and maleic anhydride is explained through a donor-acceptor complex between the two monomers.     

Cr(VI) removal from synthetic and real wastewaters: The use of the invasive biomass Sargassum muticum in batch and column experiments

The macroalgae Sargassum muticum was selected for the treatment of solutions containing Cr(VI). Very acidic pH values were established as optimal for Cr(VI) reduction. Algae chemical modification reduced equilibrium time to 4 h. First order kinetic model was used to describe the reduction kinetic of Cr(VI). A column experiment allowed to distinguish the processes occurring during Cr(VI) elimination: its reduction to Cr(III) and the subsequent adsorption of this species formed. Under the selected conditions the biomass was capable of reducing all the incoming Cr(VI) during 77 h. Industrial wastewaters from chrome plating industry were also tested for chromium removal.     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF KINETIC MODELS FOR ION-EXCHANGE USING MACROPOROUS RESINS AND CONCENTRATED SOLUTIONS

ABSTRACT

A “shallow bed” technique was employed for the study of the kinetics of K⁺ ? H⁺ exchange in concentrated solutions with a macroporous ion-exchange resin. Six kinetic models were applied to the experimental data. The fitting of the mathematical models and the behaviour of the kinetic curves when some variables change, show that there does not exist any model based on the Donnan exclusion principle suitable for explaining the experimental data. The best model in these extreme conditions is a modification of the Progressive Conversion mechanism. It can be easily applied to the design of industrial operations.     

Influence of the alkyl chain length of HSO3-R-MCM-41 on the esterification of glycerol with fatty acids

Ordered mesoporous materials functionalized with alkyl sulfonic acid groups have been proved to be efficient catalysts for esterification. In this paper we report on the synthesis and characterization of new materials containing simultaneously alkyl groups (vinyl, chloromethyl), that have been sulfonated in a post-synthesis step, and methyl groups. Different techniques have been used to characterize the obtained materials: XRD, TEM, elemental analysis, nitrogen adsorption, TGA, ²⁹Si and ¹³C MAS NMR. Finally, the influence of the different synthesis parameters and functional groups on the behavior of the catalysts in the reaction of esterification of glycerol with lauric and oleic acids has been studied. The catalytic performance of the resulting HSO₃-ethyl-MCM-41, HSO₃-ethyl/methyl-MCM-41 and HSO₃-methyl-MCM-41 new materials is also compared to those of HSO₃-phenyl/methyl-MCM-41 and HSO₃-propyl/methyl-MCM-41 synthesized previously. It has been demonstrated that an optimum balance among parameters such as nature of the organic group which support the sulfonic acid, distance between the sulfonic group and the silica surface, average pore size of the material, etc., allows to obtain catalysts with improved activity and selectivity for these reactions.     

Machinability of titanium alloys (Ti6Al4V and Ti555.3)

Near-beta titanium alloys like Ti555.3 are increasingly being used in aeronautics replacing in some critical applications the most common Ti6Al4V. However, these near-beta titanium alloys have a poor machinability rating which needs to be overcome so as to maintain at least the same productivity levels as in Ti6Al4V.This paper presents the machinability results carried out for Ti555.3 compared with the commonly used Ti6Al4V. The aim of this research work is to understand tool wear mechanisms when machining Ti555.3. Analysis of variables such as cutting forces, chip geometry and tool wear shows that: (I) greater difficulty is encounterd when machining Ti555.3 alloy compared with Ti6Al4V alloy which can be machined at higher speeds up to 90 m min^?1; (II) there was a correlation between the mechanical properties of work material, tool wear, and component forces; (III) the occurrence of the diffusion process leads to the formation of a layer of adhered material composed of Ti and TiC on the tool's rake face for both Ti alloys.