Water adsorption on and desorption from crystalline copolymers of vinylidene fluoride with trifluoroethylene

Water adsorption and absorption on crystalline polyvinylidene fluoride with 30% trifluoroethylene, P(VDF-TrFE, 70:30), was examined by thermal desorption spectroscopy. Two distinctly different water adsorption sites are identified: one adsorbed species that resembles ice and another species that interacts more strongly with the polymer thin film. The existence of the latter species is consistent with X-ray diffraction studies of water absorbed into the bulk of copolymers of polyvinylidene fluoride with trifluoroethylene crystalline thin films. There are strong steric effects observed in the angle-resolved thermal desorption that may be a result of the large polymer thin film surface dipoles.     

Magnetic properties of Fe−Mn−Al alloy system in the FCC disordered phase

In this work we report the experimental studies of Fe?Mn?Al alloys in the FCC disordered phase at room temperature by Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. In this phase the alloys are antiferromagnetic with a constant mean hyperfine field ( \(\bar H\) ) near 26 kOe in the composition range from 0 to 7.5 at.% Al and 50 to 65 at.% Fe. When the Al or Fe concentration increases, the \(\bar H\) value gradually decreases to zero and the alloy becomes paramagnetic. In the same way when the Al concentration increases the lattice parameter increases linearly but when the Fe concentration increases the lattice parameter remains nearly constant for alloys with 5 at.% Al and decreases for alloys with 10 at.% Al.     

Nitric oxide photorelease from ruthenium salen complexes in aqueous and organic solutions

The complexes [Ru(salen)(NO)Cl] and [Ru(salen)(NO)(H(2)O)](+) were shown to release the nitrosyl ligand as nitric oxide upon exposure to visible light in organic and aqueous solutions respectively, by means of UV-visible, EPR, and FTIR spectroscopies. The former was prepared by a new synthetic route and had its structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. A crystal of the dichloromethane solvate is orthorhombic, space group Fdd2 (No. 43) and formula C(16)H(14)ClN(3)O(3)Ru.CH(2)Cl(2), with Z = 16 and cell parameters a = 25.489(4), b = 33.435(4), and c = 9.3716(9) A. The electronic absorption spectra of the complexes were calculated using the INDO/S method. The water-soluble complex is a potential drug for antitumoral phototreatment.     

Coffee Chlorogenic Acids Incorporation for Bioactivity Enhancement of Foods: A Review

The demand of foods with high antioxidant capacity have increased and research on these foods continues to grow. This review is focused on chlorogenic acids (CGAs) from green coffee, which is the most abundant source. The main CGA in coffee is 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA). Coffee extracts are currently the most widely used source to enhance the antioxidant activity of foods. Due to the solubility of CGAs, their extraction is mainly performed with organic solvents. CGAs have been associated with health benefits, such as antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activity, and others that reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, the biological activities depend on the stability of CGAs, which are sensitive to pH, temperature, and light. The anti-inflammatory activity of 5-CQA is attributed to reducing the proinflammatory activity of cytokines. 5-CQA can negatively affect colon microbiota. An increase in anthocyanins and antioxidant activity was observed when CGAs extracts were added to different food matrices such as dairy products, coffee drinks, chocolate, and bakery products. The fortification of foods with coffee CGAs has the potential to improve the functionality of foods.     

Effect of Biodegradable Coatings on the Growth of Aspergillus flavus In Vitro,on Maize Grains,and on the Quality of Tortillas during Storage

The fungus Aspergillus flavus causes serious damage to maize grains and its by-products, such as tortilla. Currently, animal and plant derivatives, such as chitosan and propolis, and plant extract residues, respectively, are employed as alternatives of synthetic fungicides. The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of several formulations based on propolis-chitosan-pine resin extract on the in vitro growth of A. flavus, the growth of maize grain plantlets and the quality of stored tortillas at 4 and 28 °C. The most outstanding formulation was that based on 59.7% chitosan + 20% propolis nanoparticles + 20% pine resin extract nanoparticles; since the in vitro conidia germination of A. flavus did not occur, disease incidence on grains was 25–30% and in tortillas, 0% infection was recorded, along with low aflatoxin production (1.0 ppb). The grain germination and seedling growth were markedly reduced by the nanocoating application. The percentage weight loss and color of tortillas were more affected by this coating compared to the control, and the rollability fell within the scale of non-ruptured at 4 °C and partially ruptured at 28 °C. The next step is to evaluate the toxicity of this formulation.     

Green Extraction Techniques as Advanced Sample Preparation Approaches in Biological,Food, and Environmental Matrices: A Review

Green extraction techniques (GreETs) emerged in the last decade as greener and sustainable alternatives to classical sample preparation procedures aiming to improve the selectivity and sensitivity of analytical methods, simultaneously reducing the deleterious side effects of classical extraction techniques (CETs) for both the operator and the environment. The implementation of improved processes that overcome the main constraints of classical methods in terms of efficiency and ability to minimize or eliminate the use and generation of harmful substances will promote more efficient use of energy and resources in close association with the principles supporting the concept of green chemistry. The current review aims to update the state of the art of some cutting-edge GreETs developed and implemented in recent years focusing on the improvement of the main analytical features, practical aspects, and relevant applications in the biological, food, and environmental fields. Approaches to improve and accelerate the extraction efficiency and to lower solvent consumption, including sorbent-based techniques, such as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and fabric-phase sorbent extraction (FPSE), and solvent-based techniques (μQuEChERS; micro quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), in addition to supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and pressurized solvent extraction (PSE), are highlighted.     

通过有光阑近轴ABCD光学系统激光束的近似解析传输公式

用傅立叶级数展开法研究光束通过有光阑限制的近轴ABCD光学系统的传输特性,导出了光阑透射率函数不同时的传输公式。硬边光阑的情况可作为其它光阑的特例得到,其它光阑也可视作硬边光阑来处理。数值计算表明了该方法快速的优点,并得到与用Collins公式直接积分一致结果。     

激光对红外系统的失效机理和破坏效应研究

根据红外光学系统的会聚特性,用光学增益方法分析了红外系统中各元件对应的光强分布,确定了位于焦面附近光学元件是激光破坏的易损部件,并提出了强激光对红外系统元件损伤,造成其探测、制导功能失效的硬破坏机理;由红外滤光片、探测器和信号处理电路与入射激光波长的光谱响应分析,提出了弱激光对红外系统干扰,导致其探测、制导功能在激光辐照一段时间内失效的软破坏机理;开展了激光辐照红外系统的失效验证实验,较好地解释了其失效的机理和效应。     

An Investigation of Complexation of Cadmium(II) with Arginine

Among amino acids, arginine is important in human physiology because it plays an important role in cardiovascular and depression problems. In this paper the behavior of arginine as a ligand toward cadmium(II) [Cd(II)] in two different ionic media: 1.00 mol·dm^?3 NaCl and NaClO₄, is studied. Knowledge of the species formed between Cd(II) and arginine in a wide concentration range is useful also in biology. This system was investigated using two different methods in two ranges of hydrogen ion concentration. In acidic solutions, electromotive force measurements are performed using glass and Cd amalgam electrodes. In basic solutions, polarography was used and the shift of the half wave potential was measured as a function of the ligand concentration. The experimental data obtained in NaCl solutions are explained by assuming the formation of the species [CdL], [CdHL], [CdL₂], [CdHL₂] and [CdH₂L₂]. The data obtained in NaClO₄ solutions are explained by assuming the formation of the species [CdL], [CdHL], and [CdH₂L₂]. In both cases the stability constants are reported.     

THE EFFECT OF ALCOHOLS WITH DIFFERENT STRUCTURES ON THE FORMATION OF WARM O/W MICROEMULSIONS

The influence of twenty five different alcohols on the formation of warm oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsions was investigated. Selected concentrations of each alcohol were added to fixed amounts of stearic acid, Tween 20 and water at 65 ° C. Fifteen alcohols formed microemulsions, at least at one of the concentrations. A pattern recognition study was performed to elucidate the activities of the alcohols by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) was used to classify them. Two classification functions, obtained for alcohols forming / not forming microemulsions, suggest that the formation of warm O/W microemulsion is linked to the nature and the dimension/lipophilicity of the alcohol.