Capillary flooding of wood with microemulsions from Winsor I systems

A new approach based on microemulsions formulated with at least 85% water and minority components consisting of oil (limonene) and surfactant (anionic and nonionic) is demonstrated for the first time to be effective for flooding wood's complex capillary structure. The formulation of the microemulsion was based on phase behavior scans of Surfactant-Oil-Water systems (SOWs) and the construction of pseudo-ternary diagrams to localize thermodynamically stable one-phase emulsion systems with different composition, salinity and water-to-oil ratios. Wicking and fluid penetration isotherms followed different kinetic regimes and indicated enhanced performance relative to that of the base fluids (water, oil or surfactant solutions). The key properties of microemulsions to effectively penetrate the solid structure are discussed; microemulsion formulation and resultant viscosity are found to have a determining effect in the extent of fluid uptake. The solubilization of cell wall components is observed after microemulsion impregnation. Thus, the microemulsion can be tuned not only to effectively penetrate the void spaces but also to solubilize hydrophobic and hydrophilic components. The concept proposed in this research is expected to open opportunities in fluid sorption in fiber systems for biomass pretreatment, and delivery of hydrophilic or lipophilic moieties in porous, lignocellulosics.     

Lipscomb’s L(A) Space Fractalized in l p (A)

In this paper, by using some of our new results concerning the shift space for an infinite IFS (see A. Mihail and R. Miculescu, The shift space for an infinite iterated function system, Math. Rep. Bucur. 11 (2009), 21?C32), we show that, for an infinite set A, the embedded version of the Lipscomb space L(A) in l ^p (A), ${p \in [1,\infty)}$ , with the metric induced from l ^p (A), denoted by ${\omega_p^A}$ , is the attractor of an infinite iterated function system comprising affine transformations of l ^p (A). In this way we provide a generalization of the positive answer that we gave to an open problem of J.C. Perry (see Lipscomb??s universal space is the attractor of an infinite iterated function system, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 124 (1996), 2479?C2489) in one of our previous works (see R. Miculescu and A. Mihail, Lipscomb space ?? ^A is the attractor of an infinite IFS containing affine transformations of l ²(A), Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 136 (2008), 587?C592). Moreover, as a byproduct, we provide a generalization of Corollary 15 from Perry??s paper by proving that ${\omega_p^A}$ is a closed subset of l ^p (A).     

Linear and Nonlinear Viscoelasticity of a Model Unentangled Polymer Melt: Molecular Dynamics and Rouse Modes Analysis

Summary: Using molecular dynamics simulations, we determine the linear and nonlinear viscoelastic properties of a model polymer melt in the unentangled regime. Several approaches are compared for the computation of linear moduli and viscosity, including Green‐Kubo and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD). An alternative approach, based on the use of the Rouse modes, is also discussed. This approach could be used to assess local viscoelastic properties in inhomogeneous systems. We also focus on the contributions of different interactions to the viscoelastic moduli and explain the microscopic mechanisms involved in the mechanical response of the melt to external solicitation.

     

Biomolecules from Plant Wastes Potentially Relevant in the Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Co-Occurring Symptomatology

During and following the processing of a plant’s raw material, considerable amounts are wasted, composted, or redistributed in non-alimentary sectors for further use (for example, some forms of plant waste contribute to biofuel, bioethanol, or biomass production). However, many of these forms of waste still consist of critical bioactive compounds used in the food industry or medicine. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders. The primary treatment is based on symptomatology alleviation and controlled dietary management. Thus, this review aimed to describe the possible relevance of molecules residing in plant waste that can be used to manage IBS and co-occurring symptoms. Significant evidence was found that many forms of fruit, vegetable, and medicinal plant waste could be the source of some molecules that could be used to treat or prevent stool consistency and frequency impairments and abdominal pain, these being the main IBS symptoms. While many of these molecules could be recovered from plant waste during or following primary processing, the studies suggested that enriched food could offer efficient valorization and prevent further changes in properties or stability. In this way, root, stem, straw, leaf, fruit, and vegetable pomaces were found to consist of biomolecules that could modulate intestinal permeability, pain perception, and overall gastrointestinal digestive processes.     

Sensitivity analysis of the differential matrix Riccati equation based on the associated linear differential system

Perturbation bounds are given for the solution of the nth order differential matrix Riccati equation using the associated linear 2nth order differential system. The new bounds are alternative to those existing in the literature and are sharper in some cases. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Perron Conditions for Uniform Exponential Expansiveness of Linear Skew-Product Flows

 We present necessary and sufficient conditions for uniform exponential expansiveness of discrete skew-product flows, in terms of uniform complete admissibility of the pair (c ₀(N, X), c ₀(N, X)). We give discrete and continuous characterizations for uniform exponential expansiveness of linear skew-product flows, using the uniform complete admissibility of the pairs (c ₀(N, X), c ₀(N, X)) and (C ₀(R ₊, X), C ₀(R ₊, X)), respectively. We generalize an expansiveness theorem due to Van Minh, R?biger and Schnaubelt, for the case of linear skew-product flows. Received August 10, 2001; in revised form June 25, 2002     

Decay Law of Moving Unstable Particle

Quantum relativistic decay law of moving unstable particle is analytically calculated in the model case of the Breit–Wigner mass distribution. It turns out that Einstein time dilation of the moving particle decay holds approximately at times when the decay is exponential. The related correction is calculated analytically. Being very small at these times it is practically unobservable. It is shown that Einstein dilation fails for large times t when decay is not exponential. An unstable system of the kind of K ₀-meson (which is the superposition of K _s and K _I) is also considered. In this case, the violation of Einstein dilation is shown to be appreciable at all times under some condition     

Statistical Characterization of the Phytochemical Characteristics of Edible Mushroom Extracts

The antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content of 10 edible mushrooms species, including cultivated (Pleurotus ostreatus, Agaricus bisporus white and brown) and wild (P. ostreatus, Macrolepiota procera, Cantharellus cibarius, Russula vesca, Russula alutacea, Boletus edulis and Agaricus campestris), were determined. The extraction was performed using water and 50% water–ethanol and the caps and stipe were investigated separately. Water was the most appropriate solvent for phenolic compounds regardless of the sample. In contrast, the presence of ethanol in the solvent increased the extraction of flavonoids for cultivated P. ostreatus (caps and stipe), and wild R. alutacea, R. vesca, A. campestris, P. ostreatus (only caps) and C. cibarius, M. procera (only stipe). Significant differences between the antioxidant activities of the samples were registered in relationship with the different solvents. The antioxidant activity of water extract of dried A. bisporus brown (cultivated) showed the strongest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals-scavenging assay (88.64%), while the B. edulis hydroalcoholic extract contained 74.93%. A detailed investigation into the functional group of phenolics and other organic compounds responsible with the antioxidant activity has been performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The infrared spectra showed that the solvent-type directly influences the extraction process and, hence, the antioxidant activity. The present study contributes to information concerning mushrooms as sources of biologically active compounds. To investigate the correlations between phytochemical characteristics (i.e., phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity) closely related to nature of solvents, the statistical analysis was performed.