Anionic and ionic coordinative polymerization of L-lactide

The potassium naphthalenide complex with 18-crown-6 is able to initiate anionic polymerization of L -lactide at 20°C. This type of anionic initiator does not have to be removed from the polymer as it does not affect metabolic processes. The ionic polymerization of L -lactide with an initiator based on Zn(II) acetyl acetonate, which is fairly stable, has been investigated. It has been found that this process leads to the corresponding polyesters, at high yields. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inflation and integrable one‐field cosmologies embedded in rheonomic supergravity

In this paper we show that the new approach to the embedding of the inflationary potentials into supergravity, presented in a quite recent paper [11] of Ferrara, Kallosh, Linde and Porrati can be formulated within the framework of standard matter coupled supergravity, without the use of the new minimal auxiliary set and of conformal compensators. The only condition is the existence of a translational Peccei Quinn isometry of the scalar Kähler manifold. We suggest that this embedding strategy based on a nilpotent gauging amounts to a profound Copernican Revolution. The properties of the inflaton potential are encoded in the geometry of some homogeneous one‐dimensional Kähler manifolds that now should be regarded as the primary object, possibly providing a link with microscopic physics. We present a simple and elegant formula for the curvature of the Kähler manifold in terms of the potential. Most relevant consequence of the new strategy is that all the integrable potentials quite recently classified in a paper [7] that we have coauthored, are automatically embedded into supergravity and their associated Kähler manifolds demand urgent study. In particular one integrable potential that provides the best fit to PLANCK data seems to have inspiring geometrical properties deserving further study.     

Nanotopography Engineering on Homopolymeric Surfaces Using Cold Plasma Generated Charges

Summary : Cold plasma as source for charged particles was used to induce nanotopographies on homopolymeric surfaces (nylon 12, PMMA, PMA, etc.). Hydrogen and helium plasmas were successfully used for surface nanoengineering of polymers using inductively coupled or atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium barrier discharge reactors. AFM analyses reveal the presence of nanotopographies on the treated surfaces. Physical factors control the process below the T_g and chemical factors dominate the process above T_g. Pyrolysis GC/MS analyses have been performed in order to obtain more information about the plasma processes. Cold plasma chemical processes, including charges effects are discussed as tools that open-up new ways for nanoengineering of the polymers' surfaces with specific functionalities and / or topography. Future nanomanufacturing techniques can generate anti-scratch, superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic properties on surface of every day use polymeric products by simple and convenient plasma enhanced processes.     

Mapping the Distribution of Melanin Concentration in Different Fitzpatrick Skin Types Using Hyperspectral Imaging Technique

Measuring skin melanin concentration in order to assess skin phototype according to Fitzpatrick's classification is a constant research goal. In this study, a new approach for assessing skin melanin concentration based on hyperspectral imaging combined with an appropriate analytical model that exploits specific spectral bands to generate maps of melanin content distribution on different Fitzpatrick skin phototypes is presented. Hyperspectral images from the proximal inner side of the forearms of 51 young volunteers covering the first four classes of Fitzpatrick's phototypes were acquired using a hyperspectral imaging system. The images were analyzed using a modified Beer–Lambert law that segregates the contribution of melanin from the other constituents to the skin absorption spectrum. The performance of the model was evaluated using the coefficient of determination (r-squared). The results revealed that the approach proposed in this study generated accurate melanin concentration distribution maps that allowed a correct classification of skin phototype. In conclusion, the proposed approach for assessing skin melanin concentration proved to be very reliable for classifying skin phototypes, and, as it provides maps that are easily read, it has the advantage of a possible extension of its applications to other research concerning skin pigmentation.     

Vibrations Action of the Trilling Machine MA750 on the Human Operator Hand

The Work includes identifying and analyzing vibrations produced by a trilling machine MA750 within space work. To identify vibration is used a special method, which has not been used so far in identifying vibrations, with the action on the human body. For obtaining a very good identification of the human body vibrations has been used the Moiré projection method. General conditions were applied to human hand operator during working hours on a trilling machine, with different speeds of main shaft. In the paper are presented successively two methods of measuring the vibrations: the Moiré projection method and conventional method of measuring the vibrometer. The results in the booth situation (classical measurements and Moiré projection method) were in the same order of the unit scale, and the optical method named Moiré projection method can be considered a valid method for the human vibrations measurements without touch of the surface. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)