Thermal analysis characterization of isosorbide-containing thermosets

Sugar-based new monomers, polymers, and low molar mass additives have emerged as an exciting topic on green chemistry research, due to the worldwide focus on sustainable material. Isosorbide and its isomers, as ??Generally Recognized as Safe?? GRAS materials, possess unique stereochemistry and molecular geometry suitable for making cost-effective chemicals and polymers. With growing awareness of bisphenol A (BPA) as a xenoestrogen, isosorbide and its isomers holding the remarkable chemical properties and attractive price can be attached to glycidyl ether to make crosslinkable epoxy resin monomers with similar properties to BPA diglycidyl ether. By adding the hydrophobic functional group into the backbone of isosorbide epoxy or adjusting the amount and type of crosslinker, the mechanical properties and the water uptake ratios (from <1 to >50?wt%) of the isosorbide-derived epoxies could be optimized for different applications. The high water uptake epoxy with controllable biodegradation rate could be used as a drug delivery system or extracellular matrix for biomedical applications while the low water uptake epoxy with strong mechanical properties could be used for can coatings, bone cements, and other industrial additives and adhesives. The chemical structures and properties of the synthesized epoxy monomers and polymers were characterized by DSC, TG, and ¹H NMR.     

Closed-form solutions for continuous time random walks on finite chains

Continuous time random walks (CTRWs) on finite arbitrarily inhomogeneous chains are studied. By introducing a technique of counting all possible trajectories, we derive closed-form solutions in Laplace space for the Green's function (propagator) and for the first passage time probability density function (PDF) for nearest neighbor CTRWs in terms of the input waiting time PDFs. These solutions are also the Laplace space solutions of the generalized master equation. Moreover, based on our counting technique, we introduce the adaptor function for expressing higher order propagators (joint PDFs of time-position variables) for CTRWs in terms of Green's functions. Using the derived formula, an escape problem from a biased chain is considered.     

Shear strain estimation and lesion mobility assessment in elastography

Elastography typically measures and images the normal strain component along the insonification/compression axis, i.e., in the axial direction. We have recently shown that, by using interpolation and cross-correlation methods of transversely displaced RF echo segments, it is possible to measure and image displacement and strain transversely to the beam with good precision. This enables the estimation and imaging of all three principal normal strain components. Generally, motion in a direction other than that in which strain is estimated may result in decorrelation noise, severely corrupting the estimates. Therefore, a correction method is applied to correct the displacement and strain estimates for decorrelating motion. In this paper, we show how corrected displacement estimates can also be used to estimate and image the shear strain components. This may allow us to identify regions of decorrelation noise in the normal strain measurement that are due to shear strain. Shear strain estimates provide supplementary information, which can characterize different tissue elements based on their mobility. In the case of breast lesions, low mobility is related to malignancy. Following an in vivo case, we show with 2D simulations how assessment of tumor mobility can be achieved with shear strain estimation.     

Buzzwords on their way to a tipping‐point: A view from the blogosphere

“Buzzwords” are new words (i.e., neologisms) that enter the language and acquire great popularity as “fashion words.” To date, the dynamic aspect of buzzwords has not been the subject of a rigorous scientific analysis. In this study, we analyzed the appearance of buzzwords in the blogosphere and compared their dynamics to the one of nonpopular neologisms and well‐established words. It was found that the growth rate of buzzwords is exponential and higher than that of the blogosphere. Moreover, we have identified general early warning signals for an approaching tipping point in the dynamics of buzzwords indicating that as fashion words they are on their way to a tipping‐point of decline. The article presents these findings and others and concludes by presenting a model for studying the dynamics of new words entering the language. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 16: 58‐68, 2011     

Arrangements on Parametric Surfaces II: Concretizations and Applications

We describe the algorithms and implementation details involved in the concretizations of a generic framework that enables exact construction, maintenance, and manipulation of arrangements embedded on certain two-dimensional orientable parametric surfaces in three-dimensional space. The fundamentals of the framework are described in a companion paper. Our work covers arrangements embedded on elliptic quadrics and cyclides induced by intersections with other algebraic surfaces, and a specialized case of arrangements induced by arcs of great circles embedded on the sphere. We also demonstrate how such arrangements can be used to accomplish various geometric tasks efficiently, such as computing the Minkowski sums of polytopes, the envelope of surfaces, and Voronoi diagrams embedded on parametric surfaces. We do not assume general position. Namely, we handle degenerate input, and produce exact results in all cases. Our implementation is realized using Cgal and, in particular, the package that provides the underlying framework. We have conducted experiments on various data sets, and documented the practical efficiency of our approach.     

Properties of the generalized master equation: Green's functions and probability density functions in the path representation

The Green's function for the master equation and the generalized master equation in path representation is an infinite sum over the length of path probability density functions (PDFs). In this paper, the properties of path PDFs are studied both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results are used in building efficient approximations for Green's function in 1D, and are relevant in modeling and in data analysis.     

Multiphase thermoplastic hybrid for controlled release of antimicrobial essential oils in active packaging film

Active packaging, a new technology concept in the field of food packaging, has been introduced in recent years in order to provide quality and safety, as well as extend the shelf life of food products. Antimicrobial (AM) agents can be incorporated directly into the active packaging and migrate in a controlled manner to the headspace between the food and the package, inhibiting bacteria growth on the food surface. Naturally derived AM agent, such as essential oils (EOs), has received considerable attention for food preservation purposes, because of their effective AM activity against various bacteria and fungi. In the present study, AM active film systems based on polypropylene/polyamide blends, montmorillonite nanoclays, and thymol EO were produced to investigate the feasibility of controlling the release rate of thymol from food packaging systems. Selective localization of thymol in a specific phase in the system that derives from thermodynamic affinity was assumed to be useful in controlling its migration rate from the film to the headspace. EO retention in the film under two different time conditions was measured by spectroscopic analysis. The release rate of EO was determined using Gas chromatography technique and analyzed by diffusion model approach. Inhibition of bacterial growth was periodically tested for Listeria and Escherichia coli bacteria. This study confirms the thermodynamic affinity of polyamide phase with thymol that has a positive effect in retaining the EO. Results show controlled AM behavior of the active packaging films, based on various blend compositions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Antimicrobial active packaging combining essential oils mixture: Migration and odor control study

Thymol is an essential oil (EO), known to have excellent antimicrobial (AM) properties and can potentially be used as an active agent in AM food packages. Mixing Thymol with other EOs may help to reduce the organoleptic impact of its strong odor. In the present study, the effect of thymol, carvacrol, citral, and eugenol binary mixtures on the AM activity, migration over time, and sensory properties of polypropylene (PP)/polyamide (PA)/nanoclays composite blends active package (AP) films was examined. The release of different EOs from the polymer film was found to have a direct correlation with the odor perception of thymol. Varied EOs bearing films have shown different capacity to inhibit bacterial growth over time (Escherichia coli). Lastly, the inhibition of fungal growth on food sample using EO‐loaded films was obtained for over 50 days, indicating the potential use of the developed films as active food packaging.