Biodegradation kinetic modeling of acrylic acid-grafted polypropylene during thermophilic phase of composting

Iranian Polymer Journal - This work aims at modelling and characterizing the kinetics of biodegradation of acrylic acid-grafted polypropylene. Different films of acrylic acid-grafted polypropylene...     

Effect of iron oxide (Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>) on the structural,optical, electrical,and dielectric properties of SrO–V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> glasses

The oxide glass system of the composition (10 – x)SrO–xFe₂O₃–90V₂O₅, (x = 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mol %) were prepared by a standard melt quenching technique. The amorphous nature of the prepared glass was confirmed using X-ray diffraction technique. The infrared spectra of these glasses were recorded over a continuous spectral range (850–1500 cm^–1). The density of prepared sample was obtained by the Archimedes principle. The physical parameters of the glasses were also determined with respect to the composition. Density increases from 3.10 to 3.20 g/cm³, whereas the molar volume decreases with the increase in Fe₂O₃ concentration. In order to study optical properties, absorption spectra were measured at room temperature. Indirect optical energy band gap, optical dielectric constant, refractive index were calculated from optical energy band gap. The refractive index decreases gradually with the increase in Fe₂O₃ content due to increase of bridging oxygen’s. For temperatures from 300 to 500 K, the dc conductivity increased with the increasing Fe₂O₃ content. The dielectric properties like dielectric constant, dielectric loss factor and dielectric loss tangent investigated at the room temperature in the frequency range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz decreases with frequency. The dielectric behavior shows strong frequency as well as composition dependence.     

Disorders of adult attachment.

This article presents an overview of J. Bowlby's framework of attachment (e.g., 1990) for conceptualizing adult psychopathology and its application to clinical practice. The theory proposes that psychological disorders reflect an internalization of adverse attachment experiences, both current and past, and in particular those that undermine self-reliance and feelings of security. Clinical syndromes indicate intensification of anxiety, depression, and/or anger to a degree which interferes with adaptive functioning and interactions with others. The secure base of therapy provides a new model of what close relationships can be like, as well as a setting for exploring and possibly modifying the meaning given to separation and loss experiences. Issues of prevention and social policy are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Designing service-independent capabilities for intelligent networks

A key attribute desired of intelligent networks is the ability to design multiple services from a set of service-independent capabilities. Some aspects of the planning, requirements specification, design. and development processes to produce such capabilities are examined. Important factors and considerations necessary to the successful realization of service independence are described     

Analogs of natural lipids. IV. Synthesis and properties of cyclopentanoid analogs of phosphatidic acid

A new series of phosphatidic acid analogs has been synthesized in which the glycerol moiety of diacylglycerophosphoric acid is replaced by each of the three isomeric cyclopentane-1,2,3-triols (1,3/2, DL-1,2/3, and 1,2,3/0). Of the seven possible configurational and positional phosphatidic acid analogs of this series, five isomers have been obtained and characterized by spectroscopic methods and microanalysis. Four of the five isomers are 1-(or 3-)phosphoryl derivatives, while the fifth is a 2-phosphate. The analogs were prepared in configurationally pure form by unequivocal synthetic procedures involving selectively blocked intermediates: acyl migration was avoided by the use of mild deblocking procedures. The anhydrous lipid products, all of which are dipalmitoyl esters, are solids indefinitely stable at room temperature in the free acid or potassium salt form; they have chromographic mobility and melting points similar to dipalmitoyl glycerophosphoric acid the dipotassium salts bind water of hydration tenaciously, remaining hydrated after drying in vacuo at 100 degrees C. NMR spectra of dimethyl esters of some of the analogs show nonequivalence of the two methyl groups, consistent with the diastereotopic nature of those groups. In addition to their intrinsic interest as conformationally restricted acidic lipids, the analogs are now available as starting materials for the synthesis of the more complex acidic and amphoteric lipids required for our exploitation of these cyclopentanoid analogs as unique probes for the study of lipid-lipid and protein-lipid interactions.     

Attachment, detachment and borderline personality disorder.

In an attempt to expand understanding of more severe pathology, attachment theory, developed by John Bowlby, is applied to borderline personality disorder in adults. Conceptualized as a condition of profound insecure attachment, with extreme vacillations between a desire for proximity and attachment and a dread and avoidance of engagement, borderline pathology reflects traumatic attachment experiences, beginning early in life. Besides the importance of trauma, disturbances in affect regulation and cognitive distortions are emphasized. The secure base of a therapeutic bond provides consistency, reliability, and affirmation while encouraging exploration of separation and loss experiences, both current and past, in order to modify inner working models of oneself and relationships with others. Implications for prevention are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of performance of single-loop and current-injectioncontrol for PWM converters that operate in both continuous anddiscontinuous modes of operation

An analysis of current-injection-controlled (CIC) power converters operating in both the continuous and discontinuous modes is performed using the PWM switch model and a new, continuous-time model of CIC. The stability, output impedance, audio susceptibility, and transient response are compared with single-loop control. The control of an example buck converter is designed with CIC and single-loop control. It is shown how single-loop controlled power converters exhibit a large change in the dynamic performance when crossing the boundary between continuous mode and discontinuous mode. This is especially true for the output impedance and transient response. The dynamic performance of CIC power converters remains relatively fixed when crossing this boundary. A significant performance improvement can be realized when CIC is employed in converters that operate over a wide load range     

Involvement of the pleckstrin homology domain in the insulin-stimulated activation of protein kinase B

Involvement of the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain in the insulin-stimulated activation of protein kinase B (PKB) was investigated in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Different PKB constructs that contain mutations or deletions in the PH domain were transfected into cells, and the results on the basal and insulin-induced kinase activities were analyzed. Deletion of the entire PH domain (DeltaPH-PKB) did not impair the kinase activity; in contrast, the basal activity was elevated with respect to wild-type PKB. In addition, DeltaPH-PKB was responsive to insulin, and as for wild-type PKB, this was dependent on phosphoinositide 3-kinase. By contrast, a point mutation within the PH domain that impairs phospholipid binding (R25C) resulted in a construct that was not responsive to insulin. However, this defect was overcome by mutations that mimic the phosphorylation state of the active kinase. The increase in the basal activity of DeltaPH-PKB was shown to be due to an elevation in the level of phosphorylation of this construct. In addition, the subcellular localization of DeltaPH-PKB, as determined by both immunofluorescence and fractionation, was predominately cytosolic, and DeltaPH-PKB was present in the plasma membrane at much lower levels compared with wild-type PKB. These data show that phosphorylation is the major factor regulating the activity of PKB and that either removal of the PH domain or binding of phospholipids is required to permit this phosphorylation. In addition, membrane localization does not appear to be required for the activation process, but instead, binding of PKB to membrane phospholipids permits a conformational change in the molecule that allows for phosphorylation.     

Effects of chronic estradiol treatment on delayed spatial alternation and differential reinforcement of low rates of responding.

Estrogens have been shown to both enhance and impair cognitive function depending on several factors, including regimen of hormone treatment, age of subject, and task attributes. In rodent models, estradiol tends to enhance spatial learning and impair response or cued learning, but effects on executive functions are less well-studied. In this experiment, spatial working memory and response inhibition were tested using delayed spatial alternation (DSA) and differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL) tasks in ovariectomized rats that were given chronic estradiol via Silastic implants resulting in serum estradiol concentrations of 86.2 ± 8.2 (SEM) pg/ml. Rats were tested for 25 days DSA with variable delays of 0, 3, 6, 9, and 18 seconds between lever presentations, followed by 30 days on a DRL-15s operant schedule. Estradiol-replaced rats showed a significantly lower proportion of correct responses on the DSA task compared to vehicle-implanted ovariectomized animals. On DRL, estradiol-treated rats showed a lower ratio of reinforced to nonreinforced presses. These data suggest that chronic estrogen exposure may impair rats' abilities on measures of executive function including working memory and response inhibition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)