RoHS regulated substances in mixed plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment.

Science.gov (United States)

Wäger, Patrick A; Schluep, Mathias; Müller, Esther; Gloor, Rolf

2012-01-17

The disposal and recovery of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) are of considerable importance, both from an environmental and an economic perspective. This paper presents the results of a study investigating current concentrations of hazardous substances in mixed plastics from WEEE and their implications for an environmentally sound recovery. The study included 53 sampling campaigns for mixed plastics from WEEE. The samples were analyzed with regard to heavy metals (cadmium, chromium, mercury, and lead) and flame retardants (PentaBDE, OctaBDE, DecaBDE, DecaBB) regulated in the RoHS Directive. Besides these substances, other brominated flame retardants known to occur in electronics (HBCD, TBBPA) as well as the total bromine and phosphorus contents were considered. Results show that no mixed plastics fraction from WEEE is completely free from substances regulated in the RoHS Directive. The lowest number and average concentrations were found in flat screen monitors. The highest concentrations were found in mixed plastics from CRT monitors and TVs. Mixed plastics fractions with high average concentrations of heavy metals originate from the treatment of small household appliances (cadmium), ICT equipment (lead), and consumer equipment (lead). Mixed plastics fractions with high average concentrations of brominated flame retardants mainly originate from the treatment of small household appliances for high temperature applications (DecaBDE), CRT monitors (OctaBDE and DecaBDE) and consumer equipment (DecaBDE), in particular CRT TVs (DecaBDE). To avoid a dissipation of hazardous substances into plastics and the environment, it is recommended that mixed plastics from WEEE are subject to a strict quality management.

Thermal Characteristics of Plastic Film Tension in Roll-to-Roll Gravure Printed Electronics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kui He

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In the printing section of a roll-to-roll gravure printed electronics machine, the plastic film tension is directly associated with the product quality. The temperature distribution of the plastic film in the printing section is non-uniform, because of the higher drying temperature and the lower room temperature. Furthermore, the drying temperature and the room temperature are not constants in industrial production. As the plastic film is sensitive to temperature, the temperature of the plastic film will affects the web tension in the printing section. In this paper, the thermal characteristics of the plastic film tension in roll-to-roll gravure printed electronics are studied in order to help to improve the product quality. First, the tension model including the factor of temperature is derived based on the law of mass conservation. Then, some simulations and experiments are carried out in order to in-depth research the effects of the drying temperature and room temperature based on the relations between system inputs and outputs. The results show that the drying temperature and room temperature have significant influences on the web tension. The research on the thermal characteristics of plastic film tension would benefit the tension control accuracy for further study.

GREEN PLASTIC: A NEW PLASTIC FOR PACKAGING

OpenAIRE

Mr. Pankaj Kumar*, Sonia

2016-01-01

This paper gives a brief idea about a new type of plastic called as bio-plastic or green plastic. Plastic is used as a packaging material for various products, but this plastic is made up of non renewable raw materials. There are various disadvantages of using conventional plastic like littering, CO2 production, non-degradable in nature etc. To overcome these problems a new type of plastic is discovered called bio-plastic or green plastic. Bio-plastic is made from renewable resources and also...

Electronic Resource Management Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Ellingsen

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Computer applications which deal with electronic resource management (ERM are quite a recent development. They have grown out of the need to manage the burgeoning number of electronic resources particularly electronic journals. Typically, in the early years of e-journal acquisition, library staff provided an easy means of accessing these journals by providing an alphabetical list on a web page. Some went as far as categorising the e-journals by subject and then grouping the journals either on a single web page or by using multiple pages. It didn't take long before it was recognised that it would be more efficient to dynamically generate the pages from a database rather than to continually edit the pages manually. Of course, once the descriptive metadata for an electronic journal was held within a database the next logical step was to provide administrative forms whereby that metadata could be manipulated. This in turn led to demands for incorporating more information and more functionality into the developing application.

Electronic Resources Management Project Presentation 2012

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2012-11-05

This presentation describes the electronic resources management project undertaken by the KAUST library. The objectives of this project is to migrate information from MS Sharepoint to Millennium ERM module. One of the advantages of this migration is to consolidate all electronic resources into a single and centralized location. This would allow for better information sharing among library staff.

PRINCIPLES OF CONTENT FORMATION EDUCATIONAL ELECTRONIC RESOURCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

О Ю Заславская

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article considers modern possibilities of information and communication technologies for the design of electronic educational resources. The conceptual basis of the open educational multimedia system is based on the modular architecture of the electronic educational resource. The content of the electronic training module can be implemented in several versions of the modules: obtaining information, practical exercises, control. The regularities in the teaching process in modern pedagogical theory are considered: general and specific, and the principles for the formation of the content of instruction at different levels are defined, based on the formulated regularities. On the basis of the analysis, the principles of the formation of the electronic educational resource are determined, taking into account the general and didactic patterns of teaching.As principles of the formation of educational material for obtaining information for the electronic educational resource, the article considers: the principle of methodological orientation, the principle of general scientific orientation, the principle of systemic nature, the principle of fundamentalization, the principle of accounting intersubject communications, the principle of minimization. The principles of the formation of the electronic training module of practical studies in the article include: the principle of systematic and dose based consistency, the principle of rational use of study time, the principle of accessibility. The principles of the formation of the module for monitoring the electronic educational resource can be: the principle of the operationalization of goals, the principle of unified identification diagnosis.

Implementing CORAL: An Electronic Resource Management System

Science.gov (United States)

Whitfield, Sharon

2011-01-01

A 2010 electronic resource management survey conducted by Maria Collins of North Carolina State University and Jill E. Grogg of University of Alabama Libraries found that the top six electronic resources management priorities included workflow management, communications management, license management, statistics management, administrative…

Detour factors in water and plastic phantoms and their use for range and depth scaling in electron-beam dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez-Varea, J.M.; Andreo, P.; Tabata, T.

1996-01-01

Average penetration depths and detour factors of 1-50 MeV electrons in water and plastic materials have been computed by means of analytical calculation, within the continuous-slowing-down approximation and including multiple scattering, and using the Monte Carlo codes ITS and PENELOPE. Results are compared to detour factors from alternative definitions previously proposed in the literature. Different procedures used in low-energy electron-beam dosimetry to convert ranges and depths measured in plastic phantoms into water-equivalent ranges and depths are analysed. A new simple and accurate scaling method, based on Monte Carlo-derived ratios of average electron penetration depths and thus incorporating the effect of multiple scattering, is presented. Data are given for most plastics used in electron-beam dosimetry together with a fit which extends the method to any other low-Z plastic material. A study of scaled depth - dose curves and mean energies as a function of depth for some plastics of common usage shows that the method improves the consistency and results of other scaling procedures in dosimetry with electron beams at therapeutic energies. (author)

Managing electronic resources a LITA guide

CERN Document Server

Weir, Ryan O

2012-01-01

Informative, useful, current, Managing Electronic Resources: A LITA Guide shows how to successfully manage time, resources, and relationships with vendors and staff to ensure personal, professional, and institutional success.

Plastic waste as a resource. Strategies for reduction and utilization of plastic waste

OpenAIRE

Pasqual i Camprubí, Gemma

2010-01-01

Plastic materials have experienced a spectacular rate of growth in recent decades, consequently, production of plastics, and likewise their consumption, has increased markedly since 1950. Moreover, they are lightweight and durable, as well as can be moulded into a variety of products that can be manufactured in many different types of plastic and in a wide range of applications. Inevitably, continually increasing amounts of used plastic are originating daily, resulting in a plastic waste prob...

Practical use of a plastic scintillator for quality assurance of electron beam therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yogo, Katsunori; Tatsuno, Yuya; Tsuneda, Masato; Aono, Yuki; Mochizuki, Daiki; Fujisawa, Yoshiki; Matsushita, Akihiro; Ishigami, Minoru; Ishiyama, Hiromichi; Hayakawa, Kazushige

2017-06-07

Quality assurance (QA) of clinical electron beams is essential for performing accurate and safe radiation therapy. However, with advances in radiation therapy, QA has become increasingly labor-intensive and time-consuming. In this paper, we propose a tissue-equivalent plastic scintillator for quick and easy QA of clinical electron beams. The proposed tool comprises a plastic scintillator plate and a charge-coupled device camera that enable the scintillation light by electron beams to be recorded with high sensitivity and high spatial resolution. Further, the Cerenkov image is directly subtracted from the scintillation image to discriminate Cerenkov emissions and accurately measure the dose profiles of electron beams with high spatial resolution. Compared with conventional methods, discrepancies in the depth profile improved from 7% to 2% in the buildup region via subtractive corrections. Further, the output brightness showed good linearity with dose, good reproducibility (deviations below 1%), and dose rate independence (within 0.5%). The depth of 50% dose measured with the tool, an index of electron beam quality, was within  ±0.5 mm of that obtained with an ionization chamber. Lateral brightness profiles agreed with the lateral dose profiles to within 4% and no significant improvement was obtained using Cerenkov corrections. Field size agreed to within 0.5 mm with those obtained with ionization chamber. For clinical QA of electron boost treatment, a disk scintillator that mimics the shape of a patient's breast is applied. The brightness distribution and dose, calculated using a treatment planning system, was generally acceptable for clinical use, except in limited zones. Overall, the proposed plastic scintillator plate tool efficiently performs QA for electron beam therapy and enables simultaneous verification of output constancy, beam quality, depth, and lateral dose profiles during monthly QAs at lower doses of irradiation (small monitor units, MUs).

A study on depth-scaling of plastic phantom in electron beam dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kojima, T.; Saitoh, H.; Kawachi, T.; Katayose, T.; Myojyoyama, A.

2005-01-01

In recommendations of several standard dosimetry, water is defined as the reference medium, however, the water substitute plastic phantoms are highly discouraged. Nevertheless, in the case of accurate chamber positioning in water is not possible, or no waterproof chamber is available, their use is permitted at beam qualities R 50 2 (E 0 pl obtained from a ratio of electron average penetration depth; z av , half value depth ratio; (R 50 ) w,m from Monte Carlo dose calculation and that from measurements, are compared each other. As a result, there are slight differences in depth-scaling factor between obtained from simulation results and from measurements. These results indicate that c pl has to be studied more detail for the sake of precise electron dosimetry in plastic phantoms. (author)

Lab-scale thermal analysis of electronic waste plastics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Wu-Jun; Tian, Ke; Jiang, Hong, E-mail: jhong@ustc.edu.cn; Yu, Han-Qing

2016-06-05

Highlights: • We provided the experimental evidence that WEEE can be recovered by pyrolysis method. • We explored the thermochemical behaviors of WEEE using online TG–FTIR–MS technology. • The intramolecular oxygen atoms play a pivotal role in the formation of PBDD/Fs. - Abstract: In this work, we experimentally revealed the thermochemical decomposition pathway of Decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) containing electronic waste plastics using an online thermogravimetric–fourier transform infrared–mass spectroscopy (TG–FTIR–MS) system, a high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass (HRGC–MS) spectroscopy, and a fixed-bed reactor. We found the distribution and species of produced bromides can be easily controlled by adjusting pyrolytic temperature, which is particularly crucial to their recycle. From the analysis of the liquid and solid phase obtained from the fixed-bed reactor, we proposed that the ·Br radicals formed during the pyrolysis process may be captured by organic species derived from the depolymerization of plastics to form brominated compounds or by the inorganic species in the plastics, and that these species remained in the char residue after pyrolysis. Our work for the first time demonstrates intramolecular oxygen atoms play a pivotal role in the formation of PBDD/Fs that pyrolysis of oxygen-free BFRs is PBDD/Fs-free, whereas pyrolysis of oxygen-containing BFRs is PBDD/Fs-reduced.

Neuromorphic adaptive plastic scalable electronics: analog learning systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasa, Narayan; Cruz-Albrecht, Jose

2012-01-01

Decades of research to build programmable intelligent machines have demonstrated limited utility in complex, real-world environments. Comparing their performance with biological systems, these machines are less efficient by a factor of 1 million1 billion in complex, real-world environments. The Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics (SyNAPSE) program is a multifaceted Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) project that seeks to break the programmable machine paradigm and define a new path for creating useful, intelligent machines. Since real-world systems exhibit infinite combinatorial complexity, electronic neuromorphic machine technology would be preferable in a host of applications, but useful and practical implementations still do not exist. HRL Laboratories LLC has embarked on addressing these challenges, and, in this article, we provide an overview of our project and progress made thus far.

Gender Analysis Of Electronic Information Resource Use: The Case ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Based on the findings the study concluded that access and use of electronic information resources creates a “social digital divide” along gender lines. The study ... Finally, the library needs to change its marketing strategies on the availability of electronic information resources to increase awareness of these resources.

Users satisfaction with electronic information resources and services ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated users satisfaction on the use of electronic information resources and services in MTN Net libraries in ABU & UNIBEN. Two objectives and one null hypotheses were formulated and tested with respect to the users' satisfaction on electronic information resources and services in MTN Net libraries in ...

Regioregular narrow-bandgap-conjugated polymers for plastic electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Ying, Lei; Huang, Fei; Bazan, Guillermo C.

2017-03-01

Progress in the molecular design and processing protocols of semiconducting polymers has opened significant opportunities for the fabrication of low-cost plastic electronic devices. Recent studies indicate that field-effect transistors and organic solar cells fabricated using narrow-bandgap regioregular polymers with translational symmetries in the direction of the backbone vector often outperform those containing analogous regiorandom polymers. This review addresses the cutting edge of regioregularity chemistry, in particular how to control the spatial distribution in the molecular structures and how this order translates to more ordered bulk morphologies. The effect of regioregularity on charge transport and photovoltaic properties is also outlined.

Strong Adhesion of Silver/Polypyrrole Composite onto Plastic Substrates toward Flexible Electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Kawakita, Jin; Hashimoto, Yasuo; Chikyow, Toyohiro

2013-06-01

Flexible electronics require sufficient adhesion to substrates, such as a plastic or a polymer, of the electric wiring for devices. A composite of a conducting metal and a polymer is a candidate alternative to pure metals in terms of wire flexibility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the adhesiveness of a silver/polypyrrole composite to plastic substrates and to clarify the mechanism of adhesion. The composite was prepared on various plastic substrates by dropping its fluid dispersion. Its adhesiveness was evaluated by the peel-off test and its interfacial structure was characterized by microscopy measurements. Some polymers including Teflon with generally weak adhesion to different materials showed a high adhesiveness of more than 90%. The strong adhesion was related to the anchoring effect of the composite penetrating into the pores near the surface of the substrate.

Determination of heavy metals and halogens in plastics from electric and electronic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimitrakakis, Emmanouil; Janz, Alexander; Bilitewski, Bernd; Gidarakos, Evangelos

2009-01-01

The presence of hazardous substances and preparations in small waste electrical and electronic equipment (sWEEE) found in the residual household waste stream of the city of Dresden, Germany has been investigated. The content of sWEEE plastics in heavy metals and halogens is determined using handheld X-ray fluorescence analysis (HXRF), elemental analysis by means of atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and ion exchange chromatography (IEC). Mean value of results for heavy metals in samples (n = 51) by AAS are 17.4 mg/kg for Pb, 5.7 mg/kg for Cd, 8.4 mg/kg for Cr. The mass fraction of an additive as shown by HXRF (n = 161) can vary over a wide range. Precise deductions as regards sWEEE plastics content in hazardous substances and preparations cannot be made. Additional research would be expedient regarding the influence of hazardous substances to recycling processes, in particular regarding the contamination of clean fractions in the exit streams of a WEEE treatment plant. Suitable standards for calibrating HXRF for use on EEE plastics or complex electr(on)ic components do not exist and should be developed.

Radiation cross-linked plastics: a versatile material solution for packaging, automotive, Electrotechnic and Electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rouif, Sophie

2004-01-01

Used since the beginning of the 1970s for the production of halogen-free and heat-resistant cables and wires, for conditioning polyethylene hot-water pipes or for the manufacture of heat shrinkable tubes and of tyres, radiation cross-linking is developing fastly today on the scale of plastic-moulded parts, and not only by the mean of EB, but also under gamma rays. Indeed, it improves considerably the performances of a great number of plastics among thermoplastics, elastomers and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). Radiation cross-linking reinforces the dimensional stability of polymers in chemically aggressive and high-temperature conditions. Radiation cross-linked-based engineering plastics offers OEM and end users in many branches of industry both technical and economical advantages in comparison with high-performances plastics. They constitute a technical and economical compromise between engineering plastics that failed and high-performances plastic, often over-tailored and expensive. This modern industrial technology gives way to new applications and perspectives in various sectors (packaging, automotive, electrotechnic and electronics, including connectors, surface-mounted devices, integrated circuits, 3D-MID, etc.) that are described in the paper

Removal of brominated flame retardant from electrical and electronic waste plastic by solvothermal technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Cong-Cong; Zhang, Fu-Shen

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A process for brominated flame retardants (BFRs) removal in plastic was established. ► The plastic became bromine-free with the structure maintained after this treatment. ► BFRs transferred into alcohol solvent were easily debrominated by metallic copper. - Abstract: Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in electrical and electronic (E and E) waste plastic are toxic, bioaccumulative and recalcitrant. In the present study, tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) contained in this type of plastic was tentatively subjected to solvothermal treatment so as to obtain bromine-free plastic. Methanol, ethanol and isopropanol were examined as solvents for solvothermal treatment and it was found that methanol was the optimal solvent for TBBPA removal. The optimum temperature, time and liquid to solid ratio for solvothermal treatment to remove TBBPA were 90 °C, 2 h and 15:1, respectively. After the treatment with various alcohol solvents, it was found that TBBPA was finally transferred into the solvents and bromine in the extract was debrominated catalyzed by metallic copper. Bisphenol A and cuprous bromide were the main products after debromination. The morphology and FTIR properties of the plastic were generally unchanged after the solvothermal treatment indicating that the structure of the plastic maintained after the process. This work provides a clean and applicable process for BFRs-containing plastic disposal.

An ultra-lightweight design for imperceptible plastic electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaltenbrunner, Martin; Sekitani, Tsuyoshi; Reeder, Jonathan; Yokota, Tomoyuki; Kuribara, Kazunori; Tokuhara, Takeyoshi; Drack, Michael; Schwödiauer, Reinhard; Graz, Ingrid; Bauer-Gogonea, Simona; Bauer, Siegfried; Someya, Takao

2013-07-25

Electronic devices have advanced from their heavy, bulky origins to become smart, mobile appliances. Nevertheless, they remain rigid, which precludes their intimate integration into everyday life. Flexible, textile and stretchable electronics are emerging research areas and may yield mainstream technologies. Rollable and unbreakable backplanes with amorphous silicon field-effect transistors on steel substrates only 3 μm thick have been demonstrated. On polymer substrates, bending radii of 0.1 mm have been achieved in flexible electronic devices. Concurrently, the need for compliant electronics that can not only be flexed but also conform to three-dimensional shapes has emerged. Approaches include the transfer of ultrathin polyimide layers encapsulating silicon CMOS circuits onto pre-stretched elastomers, the use of conductive elastomers integrated with organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) on polyimide islands, and fabrication of OFETs and gold interconnects on elastic substrates to realize pressure, temperature and optical sensors. Here we present a platform that makes electronics both virtually unbreakable and imperceptible. Fabricated directly on ultrathin (1 μm) polymer foils, our electronic circuits are light (3 g m(-2)) and ultraflexible and conform to their ambient, dynamic environment. Organic transistors with an ultra-dense oxide gate dielectric a few nanometres thick formed at room temperature enable sophisticated large-area electronic foils with unprecedented mechanical and environmental stability: they withstand repeated bending to radii of 5 μm and less, can be crumpled like paper, accommodate stretching up to 230% on prestrained elastomers, and can be operated at high temperatures and in aqueous environments. Because manufacturing costs of organic electronics are potentially low, imperceptible electronic foils may be as common in the future as plastic wrap is today. Applications include matrix-addressed tactile sensor foils for health care and

Organizational matters of competition in electronic educational resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ирина Карловна Войтович

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article examines the experience of the Udmurt State University in conducting competitions of educational publications and electronic resources. The purpose of such competitions is to provide methodological support to educational process. The main focus is on competition of electronic educational resources. The technology of such contests is discussed through detailed analysis of the main stages of the contest. It is noted that the main task of the preparatory stage of the competition is related to the development of regulations on competition and the definition of criteria for selection of the submitted works. The paper also proposes a system of evaluation criteria of electronic educational resources developed by members of the contest organizing committee and jury members. The article emphasizes the importance of not only the preparatory stages of the competition, but also measures for its completion, aimed at training teachers create quality e-learning resources.

Degradation behaviour of fiber reinforced plastic under electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonoda, Katsumi; Yamamoto, Yasushi; Hashimoto, Osamu

1989-01-01

Various mechanical properties of four kinds of glass fiber-reinforced plastics irradiated with electron beams were examined at three temperatures; room temperature, 123 K and 77 K. Dynamic viscoelastic properties were measured, and fractography by means of scanning electron microscopy was observed in order to clarify degradation behaviour. A considerable decrease in interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) at room temperature was observed above 60 MGy. On the other hand, the three-point bending strength at 77 K and the ILSS at 123 K decreased with increasing irradiation. Fractography reveals that the degradation of the interface layer between matrix resin and fiber plays an important role in the strength reduction at 123 K and 77 K. These findings suggest that the interface between matrix resin and fiber loses its bondability at 123 K arid 77 K after electron beam irradiation. (author)

Propelling plastics into the circular economy - weeding out the toxics first.

Science.gov (United States)

Leslie, H A; Leonards, P E G; Brandsma, S H; de Boer, J; Jonkers, N

2016-09-01

The Stockholm Convention bans toxic chemicals on its persistent organic pollutants (POPs) list in order to promote cleaner production and prevent POPs accumulation in the global environment. The original 'dirty dozen' set of POPs has been expanded to include some of the brominated diphenyl ether flame retardants (POP-BDEs). In addition to cleaner production, there is an urgent need for increased resource efficiency to address the finite amount of raw materials on Earth. Recycling plastic enhances resource efficiency and is part of the circular economy approach, but how clean are the materials we are recycling? With the help of a new screening method and detailed analyses, we set out to investigate where these largely obsolete BDEs were showing up in Dutch automotive and electronics waste streams, calculate mass flows and determine to what extent they are entering the new product chains. Our study revealed that banned BDEs and other toxic flame retardants are found at high concentrations in certain plastic materials destined for recycling markets. They were also found in a variety of new consumer products, including children's toys. A mass flow analysis showed that 22% of all the POP-BDE in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is expected to end up in recycled plastics because these toxic, bioaccumulative and persistent substances are currently not effectively separated out of plastic waste streams. In the automotive sector, this is 14%, while an additional 19% is expected to end up in second-hand parts (reuse). These results raise the issue of delicate trade-offs between consumer safety/cleaner production and resource efficiency. As petroleum intensive materials, plastic products ought to be repaired, reused, remanufactured and recycled, making good use of the 'inner circles' of the circular economy. Keeping hazardous substances - whether they are well known POPs or emerging contaminants - out of products and plastic waste streams could make these

CHALLENGES OF ELECTRONIC INFORMATION RESOURCES IN ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper discusses the role of policy for proper and efficient library services in the electronic era. It points out some of the possible dangers of embarking in electronic resources without a proper focus at hand. Thus, it calls for today's librarians and policy makers to brainstorm and come up with working policies suitable to ...

Removal of brominated flame retardant from electrical and electronic waste plastic by solvothermal technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Cong-Cong [Research Center For Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing 100085 (China); Zhang, Fu-Shen, E-mail: fszhang@rcees.ac.cn [Research Center For Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing 100085 (China)

2012-06-30

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A process for brominated flame retardants (BFRs) removal in plastic was established. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The plastic became bromine-free with the structure maintained after this treatment. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer BFRs transferred into alcohol solvent were easily debrominated by metallic copper. - Abstract: Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in electrical and electronic (E and E) waste plastic are toxic, bioaccumulative and recalcitrant. In the present study, tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) contained in this type of plastic was tentatively subjected to solvothermal treatment so as to obtain bromine-free plastic. Methanol, ethanol and isopropanol were examined as solvents for solvothermal treatment and it was found that methanol was the optimal solvent for TBBPA removal. The optimum temperature, time and liquid to solid ratio for solvothermal treatment to remove TBBPA were 90 Degree-Sign C, 2 h and 15:1, respectively. After the treatment with various alcohol solvents, it was found that TBBPA was finally transferred into the solvents and bromine in the extract was debrominated catalyzed by metallic copper. Bisphenol A and cuprous bromide were the main products after debromination. The morphology and FTIR properties of the plastic were generally unchanged after the solvothermal treatment indicating that the structure of the plastic maintained after the process. This work provides a clean and applicable process for BFRs-containing plastic disposal.

Monte Carlo study of correction factors for the use of plastic phantoms in clinical electron dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araki, Fujio

2007-01-01

In some recent dosimetry protocols, plastic is allowed as a phantom material for the determination of an absorbed dose to water in electron beams, especially for low energy with beam qualities R 50 2 . In electron dosimetry with plastic, a depth-scaling factor, c pl , and a chamber-dependent fluence correction factor, h pl , are needed to convert the dose measured at a water-equivalent reference depth in plastic to a dose at a reference depth in water. The purpose of this study is to calculate correction factors for the use of plastic phantoms for clinical electron dosimetry using the EGSnrc Monte Carlo code system. RMI-457 and WE-211 were investigated as phantom materials. First the c pl values for plastic materials were calculated as a function of a half-value depth of maximum ionization, I 50 , in plastic. The c pl values for RMI-457 and WE-211 varied from 0.992 to 1.002 and from 0.971 to 0.979, respectively, in a range of nominal energies from 4 MeV to 18 MeV, and varied slightly as a function of I 50 in plastic. Since h pl values depend on the wall correction factor, P wall , of the chamber used, they are evaluated using a pure electron fluence correction factor, φ pl w , and P wall w and P wall pl for a combination of water or plastic phantoms and plane-parallel ionization chambers (NACP-02, Markus and Roos). The φ pl w and P wall (P wall w and P wall pl ) values were calculated as a function of the water-equivalent depth in plastic materials and at a reference depth as a function of R 50 in water, respectively. The φ pl w values varied from 1.024 at 4 MeV to 1.013 at 18 MeV for RMI-457, and from 1.025 to 1.016 for WE-211. P wall w values for plane-parallel chambers showed values in the order of 1.5% to 2% larger than unity at 4 MeV, consistent with earlier results. The P wall pl values of RMI-457 and WE-211 were close to unity for all the energy beams. Finally, calculated h pl values of RMI-457 ranged from 1.009 to 1.005, from 1.010 to 1.003 and from 1

Improvement in properties of plastic teeth by electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sano, Yuko; Ishikawa, Shun-ichi; Seguchi, Tadao

2011-01-01

Improvement of the comfort and esthetics of artificial plastic teeth is desirable for the recently increasing numbers of elderly in society. Plastic teeth made of polycarbonate (PC) were modified by electron beam (EB) irradiation under specific conditions, and the change in the chemical properties of the PC was investigated. The water absorption, glucose attachment, level of bis-phenol-A (BPA) extraction, maltose adhesion, and mucin adhesion on the PC teeth were measured before and after EB irradiation. EB irradiation to a dose of 3.5 kGy at 150 o C in a nitrogen gas atmosphere reduced the water absorption by 20%, glucose absorption by 40%, maltose adhesion by 20%, and the amount of various amino acids, formed as the hydrolysis products of mucin, adhering on the PC teeth were reduced by 60-99%. The BPA content was lower than the detection limit for analysis of both the original and the EB irradiated PC teeth. - Highlights: → Radiation improvement of polycarbonate for plastic teeth by EB irradiation 3.5 kGy at 150 o C in inert gas. → Water and glucose absorption and maltose adhesion on PC teeth were much reduced. → Bis-phenol-A content from PC teeth was lower than the detection limit after irradiation.

Use of Electronic Resources in a Private University in Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study examined awareness and constraints in the use of electronic resources by lecturers and students of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Nigeria. It aimed at justifying the resources expended in the provision of electronic resources in terms of awareness, patronage and factors that may be affecting awareness and use ...

Electronic Resources Management System: Recommendation Report 2017

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-05-01

This recommendation report provides an overview of the selection process for the new Electronic Resources Management System. The library has decided to move away from Innovative Interfaces Millennium ERM module. The library reviewed 3 system as potential replacements namely: Proquest 360 Resource Manager, Ex Libris Alma and Open Source CORAL ERMS. After comparing and trialling the systems, it was decided to go for Proquest 360 Resource Manager.

use of electronic resources by graduate students of the department

African Journals Online (AJOL)

respondent's access electronic resources from the internet via Cybercafé .There is a high ... KEY WORDS: Use, Electronic Resources, Graduate Students, Cybercafé. INTRODUCTION ... Faculty of Education, University of Uyo, Uyo. Olu Olat ...

Inkjet printing metals on flexible materials for plastic and paper electronics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Al-Shamery, K.; Raut, N. C.

2018-01-01

Inorganic printed electronics is now recognized as an area of tremendous commercial, potential and technical progress. Many research groups are actively involved worldwide in developing metal nanoparticle inks and precursors for printing inorganic/organic materials using different printing....... Besides some examples demonstrating aspects on ink formulation via patterning solid surfaces such as glass and silicon oxide, special emphasis will be placed on compatibility for usage in plastic and paper electronics. Printing of nanoparticles of copper, silver, gold etc. will be discussed...... and will be compared to printing of a variety of metal-organic precursor inks. Finally, a brief account on exemplary applications using the printed inorganic nanoparticles/materials is provided....

Electronic resource management practical perspectives in a new technical services model

CERN Document Server

Elguindi, Anne

2012-01-01

A significant shift is taking place in libraries, with the purchase of e-resources accounting for the bulk of materials spending. Electronic Resource Management makes the case that technical services workflows need to make a corresponding shift toward e-centric models and highlights the increasing variety of e-formats that are forcing new developments in the field.Six chapters cover key topics, including: technical services models, both past and emerging; staffing and workflow in electronic resource management; implementation and transformation of electronic resource management systems; the ro

Utilization of electronic information resources by academic staff at ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study investigated the utilization of Electronic Information resources by the academic staff of Makerere University in Uganda. It examined the academic staff awareness of the resources available, the types of resources provided by the Makerere University Library, the factors affecting resource utilization. The study was ...

Evaluation of some water - equivalent plastics as phantom materials for electron dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihailescu, D.; Borcia, C.

2005-01-01

In the International Code of Practice for Dosimetry TRS-398 published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), water is recommended as the reference medium for the determination of absorbed dose for high-energy electron beams. Plastic phantoms may be used under certain circumstances (electron energy below 10 MeV, R 50 2 ) for electron beam dosimetry. In this case, a depth-scaling factor is required for the conversion of depth in solid phantoms to depth in water. A fluence-scaling factor is also necessary for converting ionization chamber readings in plastic phantom to readings in water. The aim of this paper is to calculate, using Monte Carlo simulations, the depth-scaling factors c pl and fluence-scaling factors h pl of some commercially available water substitute solid phantoms in order to evaluate their water equivalency. Two sets of calculations were performed: one for electron pencil beams and another for 10 x 10 cm 2 parallel beams, both of which are normally incident on water and solid phantoms. We used only mono-energetic beams of 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 MeV. The results were compared with TRS-398 recommended values. In the case of pencil beams, we found that by applying the TRS-398 protocol, unacceptable uncertainties (up to 10%) were introduced in the dose distribution calculations. By contrast, TRS-398 can safely be used for 10 x 10 cm 2 beams (reference beams). In this case, uncertainties lower than 1% were obtained, what was in agreement with other published data. (authors)

Electronic Resources Management Project Presentation 2012

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2012-01-01

This presentation describes the electronic resources management project undertaken by the KAUST library. The objectives of this project is to migrate information from MS Sharepoint to Millennium ERM module. One of the advantages of this migration

Electron beam processed plasticized epoxy coatings for surface protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibrahim, Mervat S.; Mohamed, Heba A.; Kandile, Nadia G.; Said, Hossam M.; Mohamed, Issa M.

2011-01-01

Highlights: · Coating formulations with EA 70%, HD 20%, and castor oil 10% under 1 Mrad pass -1 irradiation dose showed the best adhesion and passed bending tests. · The prepared EP-SF-An adduct improve anti-corrosion properties of coatings without any significant effect on physical, mechanical and chemical properties of the cured film. The optimum amount of aniline adduct as corrosion inhibitor was found to be 0.4 g for 100 g of coating formulation. · The corrosion inhibition efficiency of the prepared adduct competed the commercial efficiency. - Abstract: Epoxy acrylate oligomer (EA) was plasticized by adding different plasticizers such as epoxidized soybean oil, glycerol and castor oil and cured by electron beam (EB). Different irradiation doses (1, 2.5 and 5 Mrad pass -1 ) were used in the curing process. The effect of both different irradiation doses and plasticizers on the end use performance properties of epoxy acrylate coating namely, pencil hardness, bending test, adhesion test, acid and alkali resistance test were studied. It was observed that incorporation of castor oil in epoxy acrylate diluted by 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HD) monomer with a ratio (EA 70%, HD 20%, castor oil 10%) under 1 Mrad pass -1 irradiation dose improved the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of cured films than the other plasticizer. Sunflower free fatty acid was epoxidized in situ under well established conditions. The epoxidized sunflower free fatty acids (ESFA) were subjected to react with aniline in sealed ampoules under inert atmosphere at 140 deg. C. The produced adducts were added at different concentrations to epoxy acrylate coatings under certain EB irradiation dose and then evaluated as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel surfaces in terms of weight loss measurements and corrosion resistance tests. It was found that, addition of 0.4 g of aniline adduct to 100 g epoxy acrylate formula may give the best corrosion protection for carbon steel and compete the

Plastic strain characterization in austenitic stainless steels and nickel alloys by electron backscatter diffraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saez-Maderuelo, A., E-mail: alberto.saez@ciemat.es [CIEMAT, Av. Complutense, 22-28040 Madrid (Spain); Castro, L.; Diego, G. de [CIEMAT, Av. Complutense, 22-28040 Madrid (Spain)

2011-09-01

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is enhanced by cold work and causes many problems in components of the nuclear power plants. Besides, during manufacturing, installation, welding and service of the material, residual strains can be produced increasing the susceptibility to SCC. For this reason, it is important to characterize the degree of plastic strain due to dislocation accumulation in each crystal. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), in conjunction with scanning electron microscope (SEM), has been a great advance in this field because it enables to estimate the plastic strain in a quick and easy way. Nevertheless, over the last few years, a lot of different mathematical expressions to estimate the plastic strain have appeared in the literature. This situation hinders the election of one of them by a novel scientist in this field. Therefore, in this paper some of the more common expressions used in the calculation of the angular misorientation have been presented and discussed in order to clarify their more important aspects. Then, using one of these expressions (average local misorientation), curves relating misorientation density with known levels of strain will be obtained for an austenitic stainless steel 304L and nickel base alloy 690, which have shown a linear behaviour that is in good agreement with results found in the literature. Finally, using curves obtained in previous steps, levels of plastic strain in a plate of nickel base alloy 600 welded with weld metal 182 were estimated between 8 and 10% for a high temperature mill annealing sample.

Plastic strain characterization in austenitic stainless steels and nickel alloys by electron backscatter diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saez-Maderuelo, A.; Castro, L.; Diego, G. de

2011-01-01

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is enhanced by cold work and causes many problems in components of the nuclear power plants. Besides, during manufacturing, installation, welding and service of the material, residual strains can be produced increasing the susceptibility to SCC. For this reason, it is important to characterize the degree of plastic strain due to dislocation accumulation in each crystal. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), in conjunction with scanning electron microscope (SEM), has been a great advance in this field because it enables to estimate the plastic strain in a quick and easy way. Nevertheless, over the last few years, a lot of different mathematical expressions to estimate the plastic strain have appeared in the literature. This situation hinders the election of one of them by a novel scientist in this field. Therefore, in this paper some of the more common expressions used in the calculation of the angular misorientation have been presented and discussed in order to clarify their more important aspects. Then, using one of these expressions (average local misorientation), curves relating misorientation density with known levels of strain will be obtained for an austenitic stainless steel 304L and nickel base alloy 690, which have shown a linear behaviour that is in good agreement with results found in the literature. Finally, using curves obtained in previous steps, levels of plastic strain in a plate of nickel base alloy 600 welded with weld metal 182 were estimated between 8 and 10% for a high temperature mill annealing sample.

Practical guide to electronic resources in the humanities

CERN Document Server

Dubnjakovic, Ana

2010-01-01

From full-text article databases to digitized collections of primary source materials, newly emerging electronic resources have radically impacted how research in the humanities is conducted and discovered. This book, covering high-quality, up-to-date electronic resources for the humanities, is an easy-to-use annotated guide for the librarian, student, and scholar alike. It covers online databases, indexes, archives, and many other critical tools in key humanities disciplines including philosophy, religion, languages and literature, and performing and visual arts. Succinct overviews of key eme

Thermal and mechanical properties of bio-based plasticizers mixtures on poly (vinyl chloride

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boussaha Bouchoul

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract The use of mixtures of nontoxic and biodegradable plasticizers coming from natural resources is a good way to replace conventional phthalates plasticizers. In this study, two secondary plasticizers of epoxidized sunflower oil (ESO and epoxidized sunflower oil methyl ester (ESOME were synthesized and have been used with two commercially available biobased plasticizers; isosorbide diesters (ISB and acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC in order to produce flexible PVC. Different mixtures of these plasticizers have been introduced in PVC formulations. Thermal, mechanical and morphological properties have been studied by using discoloration, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA, tensile - strain and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Studies have shown that PVC plasticization and stabilization were improved by addition of plasticizers blends containing ISB, ATBC, ESO and ESOME. An increase in the content of ESO or ESOME improved thermal and mechanical properties, whereas ESOME/ATBC formulations exhibited the best properties.

Utilisation of Electronic Information Resources By Lecturers in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study assesses the use of information resources, specifically, electronic databases by lecturers/teachers in Universities and Colleges of Education in South Western Nigeria. Information resources are central to teachers' education. It provides lecturers/teachers access to information that enhances research and ...

Discipline, availability of electronic resources and the use of Finnish National Electronic Library - FinELib

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanna Torma

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This study elaborated relations between digital library use by university faculty, users' discipline and the availability of key resources in the Finnish National Electronic Library (FinELib, Finnish national digital library, by using nationwide representative survey data. The results show that the perceived availability of key electronic resources by researchers in FinELib was a stronger predictor of the frequency and purpose of use of its services than users' discipline. Regardless of discipline a good perceived provision of central resources led to a more frequent use of FinELib. The satisfaction with the services did not vary with the discipline, but with the perceived availability of resources.

The Role of the Acquisitions Librarian in Electronic Resources Management

Science.gov (United States)

Pomerantz, Sarah B.

2010-01-01

With the ongoing shift to electronic formats for library resources, acquisitions librarians, like the rest of the profession, must adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of electronic resources by keeping up with trends and mastering new skills related to digital publishing, technology, and licensing. The author sought to know what roles…

Analysis of Pedagogic Potential of Electronic Educational Resources with Elements of Autodidactics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor A.

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: in recent years didactic properties of electronic educational resources undergo considerable changes, nevertheless, the question of studying of such complete phenomenon as “an electronic educational resource with autodidactics elements” remains open, despite sufficient scientific base of researches of the terms making this concept. Article purpose – determination of essence of electronic educational resources with autodidactics elements. Materials and Methods: the main method of research was the theoretical analysis of the pedagogical and psychological literature on the problem under study. We used the theoretical (analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization methods, the method of interpretation, pedagogical modeling, and empirical methods (observation, testing, conversation, interview, analysis of students’ performance, pedagogical experiment, peer review. Results: we detected the advantages of electronic educational resources in comparison with traditional ones. The concept of autodidactics as applied to the subject of research is considered. Properties of electronic educational resources with a linear and nonlinear principle of construction are studied.The influence of the principle of construction on the development of the learners’ qualities is shown. We formulated an integral definition of electronic educational resources with elements of autodidactics, namely, the variability, adaptivity and cyclicity of training. A model of the teaching-learning process with electronic educational resources is developed. Discussion and Conclusions: further development of a problem will allow to define whether electronic educational resources with autodidactics elements pedagogical potential for realization of educational and self-educational activity of teachers have, to modify technological procedures taking into account age features of students, their specialties and features of the organization of process of training of

Preservation and conservation of electronic information resources of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The major holdings of the broadcast libraries of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) are electronic information resources; therefore, providing safe places for general management of these resources have aroused interest in the industry in Nigeria for sometimes. The need to study the preservation and conservation of ...

Detection of electrons in the 10 MeV range by plastic scintillators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beaudoin, G; Champagne, A; Jeremie, H; Lessard, L

1986-09-10

Response functions for electrons from 1 to 12 MeV have been measured with a plastic scintillator telescope. A parametrization model for these response functions has been found to give good results at all energies. Furthermore it was established that the type of reflector used for the scintillator has a considerable influence on the response functions. A mechanism for this influence has been proposed and tested by Monte Carlo calculations.

Building an electronic resource collection a practical guide

CERN Document Server

Lee, Stuart D

2004-01-01

This practical book guides information professionals step-by-step through building and managing an electronic resource collection. It outlines the range of electronic products currently available in abstracting and indexing, bibliographic, and other services and then describes how to effectively select, evaluate and purchase them.

Analysis of Human Resources Management Strategy in China Electronic Commerce Enterprises

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Fang

The paper discussed electronic-commerce's influence on enterprise human resources management, proposed and proved the human resources management strategy which electronic commerce enterprise should adopt from recruitment strategy to training strategy, keeping talent strategy and other ways.

Using XML Technologies to Organize Electronic Reference Resources

OpenAIRE

Huser, Vojtech; Del Fiol, Guilherme; Rocha, Roberto A.

2005-01-01

Provision of access to reference electronic resources to clinicians is becoming increasingly important. We have created a framework for librarians to manage access to these resources at an enterprise level, rather than at the individual hospital libraries. We describe initial project requirements, implementation details, and some preliminary results.

Electronic Resources and Mission Creep: Reorganizing the Library for the Twenty-First Century

Science.gov (United States)

Stachokas, George

2009-01-01

The position of electronic resources librarian was created to serve as a specialist in the negotiation of license agreements for electronic resources, but mission creep has added more functions to the routine work of electronic resources such as cataloging, gathering information for collection development, and technical support. As electronic…

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in China: policies and recommendations for sound management of plastics from electronic wastes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Kun; Lu, Yonglong; Wang, Tieyu; Shi, Yajuan; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Xu, Li; Li, Qiushuang; Liu, Shijie

2013-01-30

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), used as flame retardants (BFRs), are incorporated in plastics of most electronic equipment. Among BFR mixtures, deca-BDE is the most widely used commercial additive in the polymer industry and the use of deca-BDE is currently not subject to any restrictions in China. However, debate over environmental and health risks associated with deca-BDE still remains. Regulatory agencies in developed countries have adopted and/or established environmentally sound strategies for the management of potential threat posed by PBDEs to the environment and human health. No regulations or management policies for PBDEs currently exist in China at either central or provincial government levels. Large amounts of plastics containing PBDEs are still in use and must be disposed of after their lifetimes, creating outdoor reservoirs for the future dispersal of PBDEs into the environment. Concerted action is needed not only to regulate the production and use of PBDEs but also to find ways to effectively manage waste electrical and electronic products that contain PBDEs. This article is the first to investigate the policy issues and current problems related to the use of PBDEs in China. In addition, we estimate the mass flows of PBDEs contained in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in China. We suggest alternatives to PBDEs and sound management of plastics used in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that contain PBDEs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research report for fiscal 1998. Research into the recycling of plastic wastes into resources; 1998 nendo hai plastic no saishigenka ni kansuru chosa hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

The actualities in Japan are investigated of the types and quantities of plastic wastes, collection and recovery systems, and recycling technologies. Plastic wastes exceeded 9-million tons in 1996, of which 39% was effectively utilized while 61% was merely incinerated or used for reclamation. The 61% of the plastic wastes which are equivalent to oil resources in terms of the energy they contain is found dealt with in such ways, for which additional energy has to be consumed. Some problems are mentioned that occur in the CO2 gas reduction effort in the process of plastic waste recycling for each of its stages of production, distribution, assortment, recovery, and reuse. The problems involve the required reform into production designs and systems with the greatest importance attached to recyclability; share of the expenses between the producing and distributing parties and financial support to assortment/recovery systems; reform of consciousness of both people at large and the administrative organizations, mutual collaboration between them, and reasonable share of expenses between them; construction of a unified assortment/recovery system; expansion of the scope of use of recycled products and the building of environments that encourage their use; diversification of recycling methods and establishment of technologies therefor; and limits on the use of materials and products that generate heavy impacts on environments during their life cycles. (NEDO)

Plastics - the sustainable way to use Oil and Gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siebourg, Wolfgang

2009-07-01

Conclusions (drawn by the author): Plastics are a sustainable use of oil and gas - Plastic products enable significant savings of energy and GHG emissions particularly in the use phase; - Plastic products help use resources in the most efficient way. Restricting plastics relative growth would result in increased energy consumption. Diversion from landfill would increase resource efficiency. Waste-to-Energy is an additional resource and is complementary to mechanical recycling. Plastics producers and the Oil and Gas industry should cooperate to produce reliable consumption data. Oil and Gas industry should develop and maintain European (world) eco-profiles (cradle to gate) for their respective industry. (author)

Characterization of plastic blends made from mixed plastics waste of different sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Turku, Irina; Kärki, Timo; Rinne, Kimmo; Puurtinen, Ari

2017-02-01

This paper studies the recyclability of construction and household plastic waste collected from local landfills. Samples were processed from mixed plastic waste by injection moulding. In addition, blends of pure plastics, polypropylene and polyethylene were processed as a reference set. Reference samples with known plastic ratio were used as the calibration set for quantitative analysis of plastic fractions in recycled blends. The samples were tested for the tensile properties; scanning electron microscope-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used for elemental analysis of the blend surfaces and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was used for the quantification of plastics contents.

Tiny plastic lung mimics human pulmonary function

Science.gov (United States)

Careers Inclusion & Diversity Work-Life Balance Career Resources Apply for a Job Postdocs Students Goals Recycling Green Purchasing Pollution Prevention Reusing Water Resources Environmental Management Releases - 2016 » April » Tiny plastic lung mimics human pulmonary function Tiny plastic lung mimics

Electronic Resources Management System: Recommendation Report 2017

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-01-01

This recommendation report provides an overview of the selection process for the new Electronic Resources Management System. The library has decided to move away from Innovative Interfaces Millennium ERM module. The library reviewed 3 system

The Internet School of Medicine: use of electronic resources by medical trainees and the reliability of those resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Egle, Jonathan P; Smeenge, David M; Kassem, Kamal M; Mittal, Vijay K

2015-01-01

Electronic sources of medical information are plentiful, and numerous studies have demonstrated the use of the Internet by patients and the variable reliability of these sources. Studies have investigated neither the use of web-based resources by residents, nor the reliability of the information available on these websites. A web-based survey was distributed to surgical residents in Michigan and third- and fourth-year medical students at an American allopathic and osteopathic medical school and a Caribbean allopathic school regarding their preferred sources of medical information in various situations. A set of 254 queries simulating those faced by medical trainees on rounds, on a written examination, or during patient care was developed. The top 5 electronic resources cited by the trainees were evaluated for their ability to answer these questions accurately, using standard textbooks as the point of reference. The respondents reported a wide variety of overall preferred resources. Most of the 73 responding medical trainees favored textbooks or board review books for prolonged studying, but electronic resources are frequently used for quick studying, clinical decision-making questions, and medication queries. The most commonly used electronic resources were UpToDate, Google, Medscape, Wikipedia, and Epocrates. UpToDate and Epocrates had the highest percentage of correct answers (47%) and Wikipedia had the lowest (26%). Epocrates also had the highest percentage of wrong answers (30%), whereas Google had the lowest percentage (18%). All resources had a significant number of questions that they were unable to answer. Though hardcopy books have not been completely replaced by electronic resources, more than half of medical students and nearly half of residents prefer web-based sources of information. For quick questions and studying, both groups prefer Internet sources. However, the most commonly used electronic resources fail to answer clinical queries more than half

Invasive Acer negundo outperforms native species in non-limiting resource environments due to its higher phenotypic plasticity.

Science.gov (United States)

Porté, Annabel J; Lamarque, Laurent J; Lortie, Christopher J; Michalet, Richard; Delzon, Sylvain

2011-11-24

To identify the determinants of invasiveness, comparisons of traits of invasive and native species are commonly performed. Invasiveness is generally linked to higher values of reproductive, physiological and growth-related traits of the invasives relative to the natives in the introduced range. Phenotypic plasticity of these traits has also been cited to increase the success of invasive species but has been little studied in invasive tree species. In a greenhouse experiment, we compared ecophysiological traits between an invasive species to Europe, Acer negundo, and early- and late-successional co-occurring native species, under different light, nutrient availability and disturbance regimes. We also compared species of the same species groups in situ, in riparian forests. Under non-limiting resources, A. negundo seedlings showed higher growth rates than the native species. However, A. negundo displayed equivalent or lower photosynthetic capacities and nitrogen content per unit leaf area compared to the native species; these findings were observed both on the seedlings in the greenhouse experiment and on adult trees in situ. These physiological traits were mostly conservative along the different light, nutrient and disturbance environments. Overall, under non-limiting light and nutrient conditions, specific leaf area and total leaf area of A. negundo were substantially larger. The invasive species presented a higher plasticity in allocation to foliage and therefore in growth with increasing nutrient and light availability relative to the native species. The higher level of plasticity of the invasive species in foliage allocation in response to light and nutrient availability induced a better growth in non-limiting resource environments. These results give us more elements on the invasiveness of A. negundo and suggest that such behaviour could explain the ability of A. negundo to outperform native tree species, contributes to its spread in European resource

Characterization of blend hydrogels based on plasticized starch/cellulose acetate/carboxymethyl cellulose synthesized by electron beam irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Senna, Magdy M.; Mostafa, Abo El-Khair B.; Mahdy, Sanna R.; El-Naggar, Abdel Wahab M.

2016-11-01

Blend hydrogels based on aqueous solutions of plasticized starch and different ratios of cellulose acetate (CA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were prepared by electron beam irradiation (EB). The blends before and after EB irradiation were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The physico-chemical properties of blend hydrogels prepared by electron beam irradiation were improved compared to unirradiated blends.

ANALYTICAL REVIEW OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES FOR THE STUDY OF LATIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olena Yu. Balalaieva

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The article investigates the current state of development of e-learning content in the Latin language. It is noted that the introduction of ICT in the educational space has expanded the possibility of studying Latin, opened access to digital libraries resources, made it possible to use scientific and educational potential and teaching Latin best practices of world's leading universities. A review of foreign and Ukrainian information resources and electronic editions for the study of Latin is given. Much attention was paid to the didactic potential of local and online multimedia courses of Latin, electronic textbooks, workbooks of interactive tests and exercises, various dictionaries and software translators, databases and digital libraries. Based on analysis of the world market of educational services and products the main trends in the development of information resources and electronic books are examined. It was found that multimedia courses with interactive exercises or workbooks with interactive tests, online dictionaries and translators are the most widely represented and demanded. The noticeable lagging of Ukrainian education and computer linguistics in quantitative and qualitative measures in this industry is established. The obvious drawback of existing Ukrainian resources and electronic editions for the study of Latin is their noninteractive nature. The prospects of e-learning content in Latin in Ukraine are outlined.

Elektronik Bilgi Kaynaklarının Seçimi / Selection of Electronic Information Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pınar Al

2003-04-01

Full Text Available For many years, library users have used only from the printed media in order to get the information that they have needed. Today with the widespread use of the Web and the addition of electronic information resources to library collections, the use of information in the electronic environment as well as in printed media is started to be used. In time, such types of information resources as, electronic journals, electronic books, electronic encyclopedias, electronic dictionaries and electronic theses have been added to library collections. In this study, selection criteria that can be used for electronic information resources are discussed and suggestions are provided for libraries that try to select electronic information resources for their collections.

The Rise of Technology in Plastic Surgery Education: Is the Textbook Dead on Arrival (DOA)?

Science.gov (United States)

Waltzman, Joshua T; Tadisina, Kashyap K; Zins, James E

2016-02-01

Over the past decade there has been a dramatic rise in the use of technology. Evaluating our use of technology is crucial to advancing the next generation of plastic surgeons. The goals of this study were to assess the current use of technology by residents, help Program Directors allocate financial resources, and predict the future of technology and education. A 17-question online survey was emailed to American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery resident/fellow members (n = 447). The survey evaluated current use of technology, preferred use of educational resources, and directions for the future. Ample space was allocated for free response questions. The response rate was 40%. The average age of respondents was 32 years old (standard deviation 3.7). The majority (86.5%) of residents own iPhones, and 90% of residents own tablets. There was a heavy daily reliance on smartphone technology. Sixty percent of residents used physical textbooks on a weekly basis. The Plastic Surgery Education Network was used on a weekly basis by 42% of residents. In contrast, 78% of residents were not aware of, or had never used, the readily available digital aesthetic resource (RADAR) Resource iPad application. In order to remain at the forefront of education, we as a specialty need to adapt with technology. Program Directors should support integrating technology with electronic access to educational materials. There exists an opportunity in resident education to increase awareness and utilization of the RADAR Resource. The future of plastic surgery education will be reliant on platforms like the iPhone and iPad to conveniently provide large volumes of information with only a finger touch. © 2015 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Plastic coating on paper by electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ametani, Kazuo; Tsuchiya, Mitsuaki; Sawai, Takeshi

1984-01-01

It has been known long since that the resin system of unsaturated polyester and vinylmonomer mixture cures by irradiation. Ford of USA for the first time industrialized the radiation curing reaction of resins for the coating of automobile parts. Thereafter, accompanying the development and technical advance of the low energy electron beam irradiation apparatus which is suitable to surface treatment such as coating and easy to handle and the development of resins, the electron beam curing method has become to be utilized for coating hardboard and wooden doors, coating automobile tire rims, adhering printing papers and others. The electron beam curing method has advantage such as energy conservation, resource saving and little pollution because solvent is not used, high production rate and small floor space. In glossing industry, for the purpose of developing the techniques to apply electron beam curing method to glazed paper production, the selection of the composition of resins suitable to glazed papers, the irradiating condition and the properties of cured films were examined. The films withstanding bending can be obtained at low dose with urethane group, ester group or the combination of monomers. (Kako, I.)

Access to electronic resources by visually impaired people

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jenny Craven

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Research into access to electronic resources by visually impaired people undertaken by the Centre for Research in Library and Information Management has not only explored the accessibility of websites and levels of awareness in providing websites that adhere to design for all principles, but has sought to enhance understanding of information seeking behaviour of blind and visually impaired people when using digital resources.

Environmental impact of pyrolysis of mixed WEEE plastics part 2: Life cycle assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Alston, Sue M; Arnold, J Cris

2011-11-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) contains up to 25% plastics. Extraction of higher quality fractions for recycling leaves a mix of plastic types contaminated with other materials, requiring the least environmentally harmful disposal route. Data from trials of pyrolysis, described in part 1 of this paper set, were used in a life cycle assessment of the treatment of WEEE plastics. Various levels of recycling of the sorted fraction were considered, and pyrolysis was compared with incineration (with energy recovery) and landfill for disposal of the remainder. Increased recycling gave reduced environmental impact in almost all categories considered, although inefficient recycling decreased that benefit. Significant differences between pyrolysis, incineration and landfill were seen in climate change impacts, carbon sent to landfill, resources saved, and radiation. There was no overall "best" option. Landfill had the least short-term impact on climate change so could be a temporary means of sequestering carbon. Incineration left almost no carbon to landfill, but produced the most greenhouse gases. Pyrolysis or incineration saved most resources, with the balance depending on the source of electricity replaced by incineration. Pyrolysis emerged as a strong compromise candidate since the gases and oils produced could be used as fuels and so provided significant resource saving without high impact on climate change or landfill space.

Electron microscopy and plastic deformation of industrial austenitic stainless steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, Barry

1976-01-01

The different mechanisms of plastic deformation observed in austenitic stainless steels are described and the role of transmission electron microscopy in the elucidation of the mechanisms is presented. At temperatures below 0,5Tm, different variants of dislocation glide are competitive: slip of perfect and partial dislocations, mechanical twinning and strain-induced phase transformations. The predominance of one or other of these mechanisms can be rationalized in terms of the temperature and composition dependence of the stacking fault energy and the thermodynamic stability of the austenite. At temperatures above 0,5Tm dislocation climb and diffusion of point defects become increasingly important and at these temperatures recovery, recrystallization and precipitation can also occur during deformation [fr

Library training to promote electronic resource usage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frandsen, Tove Faber; Tibyampansha, Dativa; Ibrahim, Glory

2017-01-01

Purpose: Increasing the usage of electronic resources is an issue of concern for many libraries all over the world. Several studies stress the importance of information literacy and instruction in order to increase the usage. Design/methodology/approach: The present article presents the results...

Why and How to Measure the Use of Electronic Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean Bernon

2008-11-01

Full Text Available A complete overview of library activity implies a complete and reliable measurement of the use of both electronic resources and printed materials. This measurement is based on three sets of definitions: document types, use types and user types. There is a common model of definitions for printed materials, but a lot of questions and technical issues remain for electronic resources. In 2006 a French national working group studied these questions. It relied on the COUNTER standard, but found it insufficient and pointed out the need for local tools such as web markers and deep analysis of proxy logs. Within the French national consortium COUPERIN, a new working group is testing ERMS, SUSHI standards, Shibboleth authentication, along with COUNTER standards, to improve the counting of the electronic resources use. At this stage this counting is insufficient and its improvement will be a European challenge for the future.

Recycling of mixed plastic waste from electrical and electronic equipment. Added value by compatibilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Vazquez, Yamila V; Barbosa, Silvia E

2016-07-01

Plastic waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) grows up exponentially fast in the last two decades. Either consumption increase of technological products, like cellphones or computers, or the short lifetime of this products contributes to this rise generating an accumulation of specific plastic materials such ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene), HIPS (High impact Polystyrene), PC (Polycarbonate), among others. All of they can be recycled by themselves. However, to separate them by type is neither easy nor economically viable, then an alternative is recycling them together as a blend. Taking into account that could be a deterioration in final properties, to enhance phase adhesion and add value to a new plastic WEEE blend a compatibilization is needed. In this work, a systematical study of different compatibilizers for blends of HIPS and ABS from WEEE was performed. A screening analysis was carried out by adding two different compatibilizer concentration (2wt% and 20wt%) on a HIPS/ABS physical blend 80/20 proportion from plastic e-waste. Three copolymers were selected as possible compatibilizers by their possible affinity with initial plastic WEEE. A complete characterization of each WEEE was performed and compatibilization efficiency was evaluated by comparing either mechanical or morphological blends aspects. Considering blends analyzed in this work, the best performance was achieved by using 2% of styrene-acrylonitrile rubber, obtaining a compatibilized blend with double ultimate strength and modulus respect to the physical blend, and also improve mechanical properties of initial WEEE plastics. The proposed way is a promise route to improve benefit of e-scrap with sustainable, low costs and easy handling process. Consequently, social recycling interest will be encouraged by both ecological and economical points of view. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recycling of engineering plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipments: influence of virgin polycarbonate and impact modifier on the final performance of blends.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramesh, V; Biswal, Manoranjan; Mohanty, Smita; Nayak, Sanjay K

2014-05-01

This study is focused on the recovery and recycling of plastics waste, primarily polycarbonate, poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and high impact polystyrene, from end-of-life waste electrical and electronic equipments. Recycling of used polycarbonate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene/high impact polystrene material was carried out using material recycling through a melt blending process. An optimized blend composition was formulated to achieve desired properties from different plastics present in the waste electrical and electronic equipments. The toughness of blended plastics was improved with the addition of 10 wt% of virgin polycarbonate and impact modifier (ethylene-acrylic ester-glycidyl methacrylate). The mechanical, thermal, dynamic-mechanical and morphological properties of recycled blend were investigated. Improved properties of blended plastics indicate better miscibility in the presence of a compatibilizer suitable for high-end application.

Steel Protective Coating Based on Plasticized Epoxy Acrylate Formulation Cured by Electron Beam Irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibrahim, M.S.; Said, H.M.; Mohamed, I.M.; Mohamed, H.A.; Kandile, N.G.

2011-01-01

Electron beam (EB) was used to cure coatings based on epoxy acrylate oligomer (EA) and different plasticizers such as epoxidized soybean oil, glycerol and castor oil. The effect of irradiation doses (10, 25, 50 kGy) on the curing epoxy acrylate formulations containing plasticizers was studied. In the addition, the effect of the different plasticizers on the end use performance properties of epoxy acrylate coatings such as hardness, bending, adhesion, acid and alkali resistance tests were investigated. It was observed that the incorporation of castor oil in epoxy acrylate, diluted by 1,6 hexandiol diacrylate monomer (HD) with a ratio (EA 70%, HD 20%, castor oil 10%) under the dose 10 kGy improved the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of cured films than the other plasticizers. On the other hand, sunflower free fatty acids were epoxidized in-situ under well established conditions and then was subjected to react with aniline in sealed ampoules under inert atmosphere at 140 degree C. The produced adduct was added at different concentrations to epoxy acrylate coatings under certain EB irradiation dose and then evaluated as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel surfaces in terms of weight loss measurements and corrosion resistance tests. It was observed that the formula containing 0.4 gm of aniline adduct / 100 gm epoxy acrylate resin gave the best corrosion protection for carbon steel

Plasticity mechanisms in ultrafine grained freestanding aluminum thin films revealed by in-situ transmission electron microscopy nanomechanical testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idrissi, Hosni; Kobler, Aaron; Amin-Ahmadi, Behnam; Schryvers, Dominique; Coulombier, Michael; Pardoen, Thomas; Galceran, Montserrat; Godet, Stéphane; Raskin, Jean-Pierre; Kübel, Christian

2014-01-01

In-situ bright field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) nanomechanical tensile testing and in-situ automated crystallographic orientation mapping in TEM were combined to unravel the elementary mechanisms controlling the plasticity of ultrafine grained Aluminum freestanding thin films. The characterizations demonstrate that deformation proceeds with a transition from grain rotation to intragranular dislocation glide and starvation plasticity mechanism at about 1% deformation. The grain rotation is not affected by the character of the grain boundaries. No grain growth or twinning is detected

Plasticity mechanisms in ultrafine grained freestanding aluminum thin films revealed by in-situ transmission electron microscopy nanomechanical testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Idrissi, Hosni, E-mail: hosni.idrissi@ua.ac.be [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Sainte Barbe 2, B-1348 Louvain-La-Neuve (Belgium); Kobler, Aaron [Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) and Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - KIT, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Joint Research Laboratory Nanomaterials (KIT and TUD) at Technische Universität Darmstadt (TUD), Petersenstr. 32, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Amin-Ahmadi, Behnam; Schryvers, Dominique [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Coulombier, Michael; Pardoen, Thomas [Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Sainte Barbe 2, B-1348 Louvain-La-Neuve (Belgium); Galceran, Montserrat; Godet, Stéphane [Matters and Materials Department, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 Av. FD Roosevelt CP194/03, 1050 Brussels (Belgium); Raskin, Jean-Pierre [Information and Communications Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics (ICTEAM), Microwave Laboratory, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Kübel, Christian [Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) and Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - KIT, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)

2014-03-10

In-situ bright field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) nanomechanical tensile testing and in-situ automated crystallographic orientation mapping in TEM were combined to unravel the elementary mechanisms controlling the plasticity of ultrafine grained Aluminum freestanding thin films. The characterizations demonstrate that deformation proceeds with a transition from grain rotation to intragranular dislocation glide and starvation plasticity mechanism at about 1% deformation. The grain rotation is not affected by the character of the grain boundaries. No grain growth or twinning is detected.

Correlating Fluorescence and High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HRSEM) for the study of GABAA receptor clustering induced by inhibitory synaptic plasticity

KAUST Repository

Orlando, Marta

2017-10-17

Both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic contacts display activity dependent dynamic changes in their efficacy that are globally termed synaptic plasticity. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying glutamatergic synaptic plasticity have been extensively investigated and described, those responsible for inhibitory synaptic plasticity are only beginning to be unveiled. In this framework, the ultrastructural changes of the inhibitory synapses during plasticity have been poorly investigated. Here we combined confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) with high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) to characterize the fine structural rearrangements of post-synaptic GABAA Receptors (GABAARs) at the nanometric scale during the induction of inhibitory long-term potentiation (iLTP). Additional electron tomography (ET) experiments on immunolabelled hippocampal neurons allowed the visualization of synaptic contacts and confirmed the reorganization of post-synaptic GABAAR clusters in response to chemical iLTP inducing protocol. Altogether, these approaches revealed that, following the induction of inhibitory synaptic potentiation, GABAAR clusters increase in size and number at the post-synaptic membrane with no other major structural changes of the pre- and post-synaptic elements.

Correlating Fluorescence and High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HRSEM) for the study of GABAA receptor clustering induced by inhibitory synaptic plasticity

KAUST Repository

Orlando, Marta; Ravasenga, Tiziana; Petrini, Enrica Maria; Falqui, Andrea; Marotta, Roberto; Barberis, Andrea

2017-01-01

Both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic contacts display activity dependent dynamic changes in their efficacy that are globally termed synaptic plasticity. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying glutamatergic synaptic plasticity have been extensively investigated and described, those responsible for inhibitory synaptic plasticity are only beginning to be unveiled. In this framework, the ultrastructural changes of the inhibitory synapses during plasticity have been poorly investigated. Here we combined confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) with high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) to characterize the fine structural rearrangements of post-synaptic GABAA Receptors (GABAARs) at the nanometric scale during the induction of inhibitory long-term potentiation (iLTP). Additional electron tomography (ET) experiments on immunolabelled hippocampal neurons allowed the visualization of synaptic contacts and confirmed the reorganization of post-synaptic GABAAR clusters in response to chemical iLTP inducing protocol. Altogether, these approaches revealed that, following the induction of inhibitory synaptic potentiation, GABAAR clusters increase in size and number at the post-synaptic membrane with no other major structural changes of the pre- and post-synaptic elements.

Correlating Fluorescence and High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HRSEM) for the study of GABAA receptor clustering induced by inhibitory synaptic plasticity.

Science.gov (United States)

Orlando, Marta; Ravasenga, Tiziana; Petrini, Enrica Maria; Falqui, Andrea; Marotta, Roberto; Barberis, Andrea

2017-10-23

Both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic contacts display activity dependent dynamic changes in their efficacy that are globally termed synaptic plasticity. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying glutamatergic synaptic plasticity have been extensively investigated and described, those responsible for inhibitory synaptic plasticity are only beginning to be unveiled. In this framework, the ultrastructural changes of the inhibitory synapses during plasticity have been poorly investigated. Here we combined confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) with high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) to characterize the fine structural rearrangements of post-synaptic GABA A Receptors (GABA A Rs) at the nanometric scale during the induction of inhibitory long-term potentiation (iLTP). Additional electron tomography (ET) experiments on immunolabelled hippocampal neurons allowed the visualization of synaptic contacts and confirmed the reorganization of post-synaptic GABA A R clusters in response to chemical iLTP inducing protocol. Altogether, these approaches revealed that, following the induction of inhibitory synaptic potentiation, GABA A R clusters increase in size and number at the post-synaptic membrane with no other major structural changes of the pre- and post-synaptic elements.

Euler European Libraries and Electronic Resources in Mathematical Sciences

CERN Document Server

The Euler Project. Karlsruhe

The European Libraries and Electronic Resources (EULER) Project in Mathematical Sciences provides the EulerService site for searching out "mathematical resources such as books, pre-prints, web-pages, abstracts, proceedings, serials, technical reports preprints) and NetLab (for Internet resources), this outstanding engine is capable of simple, full, and refined searches. It also offers a browse option, which responds to entries in the author, keyword, and title fields. Further information about the Project is provided at the EULER homepage.

Effects of Electronic Information Resources Skills Training for Lecturers on Pedagogical Practices and Research Productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Bhukuvhani, Crispen; Chiparausha, Blessing; Zuvalinyenga, Dorcas

2012-01-01

Lecturers use various electronic resources at different frequencies. The university library's information literacy skills workshops and seminars are the main sources of knowledge of accessing electronic resources. The use of electronic resources can be said to have positively affected lecturers' pedagogical practices and their work in general. The…

Plastics and health risks.

Science.gov (United States)

Halden, Rolf U

2010-01-01

By 2010, the worldwide annual production of plastics will surpass 300 million tons. Plastics are indispensable materials in modern society, and many products manufactured from plastics are a boon to public health (e.g., disposable syringes, intravenous bags). However, plastics also pose health risks. Of principal concern are endocrine-disrupting properties, as triggered for example by bisphenol A and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Opinions on the safety of plastics vary widely, and despite more than five decades of research, scientific consensus on product safety is still elusive. This literature review summarizes information from more than 120 peer-reviewed publications on health effects of plastics and plasticizers in lab animals and humans. It examines problematic exposures of susceptible populations and also briefly summarizes adverse environmental impacts from plastic pollution. Ongoing efforts to steer human society toward resource conservation and sustainable consumption are discussed, including the concept of the 5 Rs--i.e., reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink, restrain--for minimizing pre- and postnatal exposures to potentially harmful components of plastics.

Durability of wood plastic composites manufactured from recycled plastic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Turku

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The influence of accelerated weathering, xenon-arc light and freeze-thaw cycling on wood plastic composites extruded from a recycled plastic was studied. The results showed that, in general, weathering had a stronger impact on samples made from plastic waste compared to a sample made from virgin material. After weathering, the mechanical properties, tensile and flexural, were reduced by 2–30%, depending on the plastic source. Wettability of the samples was shown to play a significant role in their stability. Chemical analysis with infrared spectroscopy and surface observation with a scan electron microscope confirmed the mechanical test results. Incorporation of carbon black retained the properties during weathering, reducing the wettability of the sample, diminishing the change of mechanical properties, and improving color stability. Keywords: Environmental science, Mechanical engineering, Materials science

Sensory methods and electronic nose as innovative tools for the evaluation of the aroma transfer properties of food plastic bags.

Science.gov (United States)

Torri, Luisa; Piochi, Maria

2016-07-01

Despite the key role of the sensory quality for food acceptance, the aroma transfer properties of food packaging materials have not yet been studied using sensory approaches. This research investigated the suitability of sensory and electronic nose methods to evaluate the aroma transfer properties of plastic materials that come in contact with food. Four (W, X, Y, and Z) commercial freezer bags (polyethylene) for domestic uses were compared. The degree of the aroma transfer through the materials was estimated as the sensory contamination of an odor absorber food (bread) by an odor releaser food (onion), separated by the bags and stored under frozen conditions. Bread samples were analyzed by means of an electronic nose, and 42 assessors used three different sensory methods (triangle, scoring, and partial sorted Napping tests). From the triangle test, none of the plastic bags acted as a complete aroma barrier, showing a sensory contamination of bread stored in all four materials. Partial sorting Napping results clearly described the sensory contamination of bread as "onion flavor", due to the aroma transfer from the odor releaser food to the odor absorber food through the plastic bag. Scoring tests showed significant (pbags, revealing the highest aroma permeation for W (3.1±0.1), the lowest aroma transfer for X and Y (2.0±0.1), and intermediate aroma transfer properties for Z (2.6±0.1). Electronic nose data were in good agreement with the sensory responses, and a high correlation with the scoring data was observed (R 2 =0.988). The presented approaches had suitable results to provide meaningful information on the aroma transfer properties of freezer plastic bags, and could advantageously be applied in the future for analyzing other finished food containers (e.g. plastic trays, boxes, etc.) or packaging materials of a different nature (multilayer plastic films, biodegradable materials, composites, etc.). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smart film actuators using biomass plastic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoneyama, Satoshi; Tanaka, Nobuo

2011-01-01

This paper presents a novel smart film actuator based on the use of a biomass plastic as a piezoelectric film. Conventional polymeric smart sensors and actuators have been based upon synthetic piezoelectric polymer films such as PVDF. Almost all synthetic polymers are made from nearly depleted oil resources. In addition combustion of their materials releases carbon dioxide, thereby contributing to global warming. Thus at least two important sustainability principles are violated when employing synthetic polymers: avoiding depletable resources and avoiding ecosystem destruction. To overcome such problems, industrial plastic products made from synthetic polymers were developed to replace oil-based plastics with biomass plastics. This paper applies a biomass plastic with piezoelectricity such as poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA). As a result, PLLA film becomes a distributed parameter actuator per se, hence an environmentally conscious smart film actuator is developed. Firstly, this paper overviews the fundamental properties of piezoelectric synthetic polymers and biopolymers. The concept of carbon neutrality using biopolymers is mentioned. Then a two-dimensional modal actuator for exciting a specific structural mode is proposed. Furthermore, a biomass plastic-based cantilever beam with the capability of modal actuation is developed, the validity of the proposed smart film actuator based upon a biomass plastic being analytically as well as experimentally verified

Interaction between vegetable oil based plasticizer molecules and polyvinyl chloride, and their plasticization effect

Science.gov (United States)

Haryono, Agus; Triwulandari, Evi; Jiang, Pingping

2017-01-01

Plasticizer molecules are low molecular weight compounds that are widely used in polymer industries especially in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin. As an additive in PVC resin, the important role of plasticizer molecules is to improve the flexibility and processability of PVC by lowering the glass transition temperature (Tg). However, the commercial plasticizer like di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is known to cause liver cancer, at least in laboratory rats. DEHP can leach out from PVC into blood, certain drug solutions and fatty foods, which has been detected in the bloodstream of patients undergoing transfusion. Vegetable oil based plasticizers have some attractive properties such as non-toxic, bio-degradable, good heat and light stability, renewable resources, and environmentally friendly. Here we discussed the main results and development of vegetable oil based plasticizer, and especially palm oil based plasticizer. The interaction between plasticizer and polymer was discussed from the properties of the plasticized polymeric material.

Electronic Commerce Resource Centers. An Industry--University Partnership.

Science.gov (United States)

Gulledge, Thomas R.; Sommer, Rainer; Tarimcilar, M. Murat

1999-01-01

Electronic Commerce Resource Centers focus on transferring emerging technologies to small businesses through university/industry partnerships. Successful implementation hinges on a strategic operating plan, creation of measurable value for customers, investment in customer-targeted training, and measurement of performance outputs. (SK)

Electron paramagnetic resonance of intrinsic point defects in GaAs following plastic deformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benakki-Stiet, S.

1988-01-01

Defects generated in GaAs by a plastic deformation were studied to see if these defects, particularly anionic antisites associated with the deep donor EL2, were the same as those presented in the raw growth material, or the same as those which can be created in a high concentration by electron or neutron irradiation. Results show that there are different types of anionic antisites, so the subset associated with EL2 was identified. The apparent correlation between EL2 and dislocation density is discussed [fr

Scenarios study on post-consumer plastic packaging waste recycling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thoden van Velzen, E.U.; Bos-Brouwers, H.E.J.; Groot, J.J.; Bing Xiaoyun, Xiaoyun; Jansen, M.; Luijsterburg, B.

2013-01-01

We all use plastics on a daily basis. Plastics come in many shapes, sizes and compositions and are used in a wide variety of products. Almost all of the currently used plastic packaging are made from fossil resources, which are finite. The production of plastic packages causes environmental impacts,

Plastics recycling: challenges and opportunities

OpenAIRE

Hopewell, Jefferson; Dvorak, Robert; Kosior, Edward

2009-01-01

Plastics are inexpensive, lightweight and durable materials, which can readily be moulded into a variety of products that find use in a wide range of applications. As a consequence, the production of plastics has increased markedly over the last 60 years. However, current levels of their usage and disposal generate several environmental problems. Around 4 per cent of world oil and gas production, a non-renewable resource, is used as feedstock for plastics and a further 3–4% is expended to pro...

The Prism Plastic Calorimeter (PPC)

CERN Multimedia

2002-01-01

This proposal supports two goals: \\\\ \\\\ First goal:~~Demonstrate that current, widely used plastic technologies allow to design Prism Plastic Calorimeter~(PPC) towers with a new ``liquid crystal'' type plastic called Vectra. It will be shown that this technique meets the requirements for a LHC calorimeter with warm liquids: safety, hermeticity, hadronic compensation, resolution and time response. \\\\ \\\\ Second goal:~~Describe how one can design a warm liquid calorimeter integrated into a LHC detector and to list the advantages of the PPC: low price, minimum of mechanical structures, minimum of dead space, easiness of mechanical assembly, accessibility to the electronics, possibility to recirculate the liquid. The absorber and the electronic being outside of the liquid and easily accessible, one has maximum flexibility to define them. \\\\ \\\\ The R&D program, we define here aims at showing the feasibility of these new ideas by building nine towers of twenty gaps and exposing them to electron and hadron beams.

Forecasting waste compositions: A case study on plastic waste of electronic display housings.

Science.gov (United States)

Peeters, Jef R; Vanegas, Paul; Kellens, Karel; Wang, Feng; Huisman, Jaco; Dewulf, Wim; Duflou, Joost R

2015-12-01

Because of the rapid succession of technological developments, the architecture and material composition of many products used in daily life have drastically changed over the last decades. As a result, well-adjusted recycling technologies need to be developed and installed to cope with these evolutions. This is essential to guarantee continued access to materials and to reduce the ecological impact of our material consumption. However, limited information is currently available on the material composition of arising waste streams and even less on how these waste streams will evolve. Therefore, this paper presents a methodology to forecast trends in the material composition of waste streams. To demonstrate the applicability and value of the proposed methodology, it is applied to forecast the evolution of plastic housing waste from flat panel display (FPD) TVs, FPD monitors, cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs and CRT monitors. The results of the presented forecasts indicate that a wide variety of plastic types and additives, such as flame retardants, are found in housings of similar products. The presented case study demonstrates that the proposed methodology allows the identification of trends in the evolution of the material composition of waste streams. In addition, it is demonstrated that the recycling sector will need to adapt its processes to deal with the increasing complexity of plastics of end-of-life electronic displays while respecting relevant directives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Plastic Menagerie

Science.gov (United States)

Hadley, Mary Jane

2010-01-01

Bobble heads had become quite popular, depicting all sorts of sports figures, animals, and even presidents. In this article, the author describes how her fourth graders made bobble head sculptures out of empty plastic drink bottles. (Contains 1 online resource.)

USE OF ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WHEN TRAINING IN WORK WITH SPREADSHEETS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Х А Гербеков

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Today the tools for maintaining training courses based on opportunities of information and communication technologies are developed. Practically in all directions of preparation and on all subject matters electronic textbook and self-instruction manuals are created. Nevertheless the industry of computer educational and methodical materials actively develops and gets more and more areas of development and introduction. In this regard more and more urgent is a problem of development of the electronic educational resources adequate to modern educational requirements. Creation and the organization of training courses with use of electronic educational resources in particular on the basis of Internet technologies remains a difficult methodical task.In article the questions connected with development of electronic educational resources for use when studying the substantial line “Information technologies” of a school course of informatics in particular for studying of spreadsheets are considered. Also the analysis of maintenance of a school course and the unified state examination from the point of view of representation of task in him corresponding to the substantial line of studying “Information technologies” on mastering technology of information processing in spreadsheets and the methods of visualization given by means of charts and schedules is carried out.

Features micro plastic deformation auxetic beryllium irradiated with high-energy electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rarans'kij, M.D.; Olyijnich-Lisyuk, A.V.; Tashchuk, O.Yu.

2016-01-01

By low-frequency internal friction (LFIF) (1...3 Hz) method, the study of the behavior of the dynamic modulus of torsion (Gef) and by mathematical modeling of dislocation motion studied micro plastic deformation in naturally aged and irradiated with high-energy (18 MeV) electrons auxetic beryllium. With increasing doses of radiation found an increase in IF and speed of movement of dislocations in 2-3 times. Installed stage character micro strain auxetic Be. By mathematical modeling showed that in the irradiated material the deformation occurs due to the accelerated movement of the twin dislocations in the early stages, and anomalous dynamic deceleration of complete dislocations with an increase in the degree of deformation in the second stage. It is shown that theoretically estimated values are in good agreement with the experimentally determined.

Analytical Study of Usage of Electronic Information Resources at Pharmacopoeial Libraries in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunil Tyagi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to know the rate and purpose of the use of e-resource by the scientists at pharmacopoeial libraries in India. Among other things, this study examined the preferences of the scientists toward printed books and journals, electronic information resources, and pattern of using e-resources. Non-probability sampling specially accidental and purposive technique was applied in the collection of primary data through administration of user questionnaire. The sample respondents chosen for the study consists of principle scientific officer, senior scientific officer, scientific officer, and scientific assistant of different division of the laboratories, namely, research and development, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacovigilance, pharmacology, pharmacogonosy, and microbiology. The findings of the study reveal the personal experiences and perceptions they have had on practice and research activity using e-resource. The major findings indicate that of the total anticipated participants, 78% indicated that they perceived the ability to use computer for electronic information resources. The data analysis shows that all the scientists belonging to the pharmacopoeial libraries used electronic information resources to address issues relating to drug indexes and compendia, monographs, drugs obtained through online databases, e-journals, and the Internet sources—especially polices by regulatory agencies, contacts, drug promotional literature, and standards.

Page 170 Use of Electronic Resources by Undergraduates in Two ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

undergraduate students use electronic resources such as NUC virtual library, HINARI, ... web pages articles from magazines, encyclopedias, pamphlets and other .... of Nigerian university libraries have Internet connectivity, some of the system.

Plastics in the Ocean: More Than a Litter Problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Center for Environmental Education, Washington, DC.

Environmental impacts arise from entanglement of marine animals in plastic debris and from ingestion of plastics by marine organisms. Plastic debris can cause potential threats to humans when divers become entangled or vessels become fouled in debris. The depletion of fishery resources, vessel damage, and aesthetic degradation resulting in lost…

Model of e-learning with electronic educational resources of new generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Loban

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose of the article: improving of scientific and methodical base of the theory of the е-learning of variability. Methods used: conceptual and logical modeling of the е-learning of variability process with electronic educational resource of new generation and system analysis of the interconnection of the studied subject area, methods, didactics approaches and information and communication technologies means. Results: the formalization complex model of the е-learning of variability with electronic educational resource of new generation is developed, conditionally decomposed into three basic components: the formalization model of the course in the form of the thesaurusclassifier (“Author of e-resource”, the model of learning as management (“Coordination. Consultation. Control”, the learning model with the thesaurus-classifier (“Student”. Model “Author of e-resource” allows the student to achieve completeness, high degree of didactic elaboration and structuring of the studied material in triples of variants: modules of education information, practical task and control tasks; the result of the student’s (author’s of e-resource activity is the thesaurus-classifier. Model of learning as management is based on the principle of personal orientation of learning in computer environment and determines the logic of interaction between the lecturer and the student when determining the triple of variants individually for each student; organization of a dialogue between the lecturer and the student for consulting purposes; personal control of the student’s success (report generation and iterative search for the concept of the class assignment in the thesaurus-classifier before acquiring the required level of training. Model “Student” makes it possible to concretize the learning tasks in relation to the personality of the student and to the training level achieved; the assumption of the lecturer about the level of training of a

A survey of the use of electronic scientific information resources among medical and dental students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aarnio Matti

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To evaluate medical and dental students' utilization of electronic information resources. Methods A web survey sent to 837 students (49.9% responded. Results Twenty-four per cent of medical students and ninteen per cent of dental students searched MEDLINE 2+ times/month for study purposes, and thiry-two per cent and twenty-four per cent respectively for research. Full-text articles were used 2+ times/month by thirty-three per cent of medical and ten per cent of dental students. Twelve per cent of respondents never utilized either MEDLINE or full-text articles. In multivariate models, the information-searching skills among students were significantly associated with use of MEDLINE and full-text articles. Conclusion Use of electronic resources differs among students. Forty percent were non-users of full-text articles. Information-searching skills are correlated with the use of electronic resources, but the level of basic PC skills plays not a major role in using these resources. The student data shows that adequate training in information-searching skills will increase the use of electronic information resources.

Access to electronic information resources by students of federal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper discusses access to electronic information resources by students of Federal Colleges of Education in Eha-Amufu and Umunze. Descriptive survey design was used to investigate sample of 526 students. Sampling technique used was a Multi sampling technique. Data for the study were generated using ...

Adoption and use of electronic information resources by medical ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the adoption and use of electronic information resources by medical science students of the University of Benin. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study and 390 students provided the data. Data collected were analysed with descriptive Statistics(Simple percentage and ...

Marine microbe with potential to adhere and degrade plastic structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alka Kumari

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Extensive usages of plastics have led to their accumulation as a contaminant in natural environment worldwide. Plastic is an inert and non-biodegradable material, due to its complex structure and hydrophobic backbone [1]. Conventional methods for reduction of plastic waste such as burning, land-filling release unwanted toxic chemicals to the environment and harming living organism of land as well as the ocean. There is growing interest in development of strategies for the degradation of plastic wastes to clean the environment [2]. Marine bacteria have evolved with the capability to adapt and grow in the diverse environmental conditions [3]. We studied the ability of marine bacteria for destabilization and utilization of different plastic films (LDPE, HDPE, PVC and PET as a sole source of carbon. An active bacterial strain AIIW2 was selected based on the triphenyl tetrazolium chloride reduction assay, and it was identified as Bacillus species based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. The viability of the strain over the plastic surface was studied and confirmed by bacLight assay with fluorescent probes. Scanning Electron Microscope and Atomic Force Microscope images suggested that bacterial interaction over the plastic surface is causing deterioration and roughness with increasing bacterial incubation time. In Fourier transform infrared spectra of treated plastic film evidenced stretching of the (-CH alkane rock chain and (-CO carbonyl region, suggested the oxidative activities of the bacteria. The results revealed that ability of bacterial strain for instigating their colonization over plastic films and deteriorating the polymeric structure in the absence of other carbon sources [4]. Moreover, production of extracellular enzymes such as esterase, laccase, and dehalogenase which are reported to support utilization of plastics was confirmed by plate assays. In concise, our results suggested that the marine bacterial strain AIIW2 have the ability to utilize

Sustainable polymers from renewable resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yunqing; Romain, Charles; Williams, Charlotte K

2016-12-14

Renewable resources are used increasingly in the production of polymers. In particular, monomers such as carbon dioxide, terpenes, vegetable oils and carbohydrates can be used as feedstocks for the manufacture of a variety of sustainable materials and products, including elastomers, plastics, hydrogels, flexible electronics, resins, engineering polymers and composites. Efficient catalysis is required to produce monomers, to facilitate selective polymerizations and to enable recycling or upcycling of waste materials. There are opportunities to use such sustainable polymers in both high-value areas and in basic applications such as packaging. Life-cycle assessment can be used to quantify the environmental benefits of sustainable polymers.

Where Do Electronic Books Fit in the College Research Arsenal of Resources?

Science.gov (United States)

Barbier, Patricia

2007-01-01

Student use of electronic books has become an accepted supplement to traditional resources. Student use and satisfaction was monitored through an online course discussion board. Increased use of electronic books indicate this service is an accepted supplement to the print book collection.

Studies on internal friction in electron-irradiated iron crystals after plastic deformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolf, J.

1986-01-01

For the analysis of atomic point defects in high-purity the generation of atomic point defects was, above all, carried out by electron radiation, but in addition, also by plastic deformation. The exposure to radiation was realized at different temperatures in the Dynamitron of the University of Stuttgart (80 K, 160 K) and also in the low-temperature radiation facility of the nuclear research plant (KfA) Juelich (50 K). The radiation doses ranged between 2.7.10 21 e - /m 2 and 1.0.10 23 e - /m 2 . In situ plastic deformation was achieved at about 80 K (torsion, 4%). Internal friction which was determined in an inverse torsion pendulum in the temperature range of 80 K - 700 K and at frequencies of about 1 Hz served as defect indicator. In this study simulation programs were developed which were to give information prior to the realization of measurements on the temperatures and the intensity of the damping peaks to be expected. The internal friction peaks measured in the framework of this study could be assigned to the recovery stages I-IV. The measured values were discussed for three temperature ranges with main emphasis on the investigation of the recovering, radiation-induced or deformation-induced, atomic point defect in the temperature range of the recovery stage III (200 K - 270 K). (orig./MM) [de

Discoloration of plasticized PVC upon irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kojima, Keiichi; Ueno, Keiji; Kumafuji, Hisao.

1981-01-01

The effects of the factors on the discoloration of PVC cross-linked by electron irradiation, such as irradiation dose, the polymerization degree of PVC resin, plasticizers and stabilizers, were studied. The composition of the plasticized PVC used for the experiment was 100 PHR of PVC, 50 PHR of plasticizer, 5 PHR of stabilizer and 5 PHR of cross-linking agent (TMPMA). Three samples with the different degree of polymerization of the PVC resin were used, namely 750, 1050 and 2600. As the plasticizers, phthalic acid esters (DBP, DOP, DIDP), trimellitic acid esters (TOTM, n-TOTM), fatty acid esters (DOS, DOZ), polyester and epoxy group plasticizers were used. The irradiation dose for the test was 3, 6 and 12 Mrad. The experimental results are summarized as follows. As the electron irradiation dose was higher, the resultant discoloration was more remarkable, and the optimum irradiation dose was below 6 Mrad. The degree of polymerization of the PVC resin did not affect the irradiation discoloration. However it was noticed that the cross-linking efficiency was better as the degree of polymerization was higher. The cross-linking efficiency was better as the content of plasticizer was more. The fatty acid esters and epoxy groups showed less discoloration and better cross-linking efficiency. Tin and barium-zinc stabilizers were good. (Kako, I.)

Strategic Planning for Electronic Resources Management: A Case Study at Gustavus Adolphus College

Science.gov (United States)

Hulseberg, Anna; Monson, Sarah

2009-01-01

Electronic resources, the tools we use to manage them, and the needs and expectations of our users are constantly evolving; at the same time, the roles, responsibilities, and workflow of the library staff who manage e-resources are also in flux. Recognizing a need to be more intentional and proactive about how we manage e-resources, the…

REVIEW OF MOODLE PLUGINS FOR DESIGNING MULTIMEDIA ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FROM LANGUAGE DISCIPLINES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anton M. Avramchuk

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Today the problem of designing multimedia electronic educational resources from language disciplines in Moodle is very important. This system has a lot of different, powerful resources, plugins to facilitate the learning of students with language disciplines. This article presents an overview and comparative analysis of the five Moodle plugins for designing multimedia electronic educational resources from language disciplines. There have been considered their key features and functionality in order to choose the best for studying language disciplines in the Moodle. Plugins are compared by a group of experts according to the criteria: efficiency, functionality and easy use. For a comparative analysis of the plugins it is used the analytic hierarchy process.

Influence of severe plastic deformation on intermetallic particles in Mg-12wt.%Zn alloy investigated using transmission electron microscopy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Němec, Martin; Gärtnerová, Viera; Jäger, Aleš

2016-01-01

Roč. 119, Sep (2016), 129-136 ISSN 1044-5803 R&D Projects: GA ČR GBP108/12/G043 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : Mg-Zn * severe plastic deformation * equal channel angular pressing * transmission electron microscopy * microstructure * intermetallic particles Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 2.714, year: 2016

Modern ICT Tools: Online Electronic Resources Sharing Using Web ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Modern ICT Tools: Online Electronic Resources Sharing Using Web 2.0 and Its Implications For Library And Information Practice In Nigeria. ... The PDF file you selected should load here if your Web browser has a PDF reader plug-in installed (for example, a recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader). If you would like more ...

The plastic-associated microorganisms of the North Pacific Gyre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carson, Henry S.; Nerheim, Magnus S.; Carroll, Katherine A.; Eriksen, Marcus

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Microorganisms mediate processes affecting the fate and impacts of marine plastic. • North Pacific Gyre (NPG) plastics were examined with scanning-electron microscopy. • Bacillus bacteria and pennate diatoms dominated the NPG plastic fouling community. • Bacterial abundance was patchily distributed but increased on foamed polystyrene. • Diatom abundance increased on rough surfaces and at sites with high plastic density. -- Abstract: Microorganisms likely mediate processes affecting the fate and impacts of marine plastic pollution, including degradation, chemical adsorption, and colonization or ingestion by macroorganisms. We investigated the relationship between plastic-associated microorganism communities and factors such as location, temperature, salinity, plankton abundance, plastic concentration, item size, surface roughness, and polymer type. Small plastic items from the surface of the North Pacific Gyre in 2011 were examined using scanning electron microscopy. Bacillus bacteria (mean 1664 ± 247 individuals mm −2 ) and pennate diatoms (1097 ± 154 mm −2 ) were most abundant, with coccoid bacteria, centric diatoms, dinoflagellates, coccolithophores, and radiolarians present. Bacterial abundance was patchy, but increased on foamed polystyrene. Diatom abundance increased on items with rough surfaces and at sites with high plastic concentrations. Morphotype richness increased slightly on larger fragments, and a biogeographic transition occurred between pennate diatom groups. Better characterizing this community will aid in understanding how it interacts with plastic pollution

Plastic debris ingestion by marine catfish: an unexpected fisheries impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Possatto, Fernanda E; Barletta, Mário; Costa, Monica F; do Sul, Juliana A Ivar; Dantas, David V

2011-05-01

Plastic marine debris is a pervasive type of pollution. River basins and estuaries are a source of plastics pollution for coastal waters and oceans. Estuarine fauna is therefore exposed to chronic plastic pollution. Three important catfish species [Cathorops spixii (N=60), Cathorops agassizii (N=60) and Sciades herzbergii (N=62)] from South Western Atlantic estuaries were investigated in a tropical estuary of the Brazilian Northeast in relation to their accidental ingestion of plastic marine debris. Individuals from all three species had ingested plastics. In C. spixii and C. agassizii, 18% and 33% of individuals had plastic debris in their stomachs, respectively. S. herzbergii showed 18% of individuals were contaminated. All ontogenetic phases (juveniles, sub-adults and adults) were contaminated. Nylon fragments from cables used in fishery activities (subsistence, artisanal and commercial) played a major role in this contamination. These catfish spend their entire life cycles within the estuary and are an important feeding resource for larger, economically important, species. It is not yet possible to quantify the scale and depth of the consequences of this type of pollution. However, plastics are well known threat to living resources in this and other estuaries. Conservation actions will need to from now onto take plastics pollution into consideration. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Creating Methane from Plastic: Recycling at a Lunar Outpost

Science.gov (United States)

Santiago-Maldonado, Edgardo; Captain, Janine; Devor, Robert; Gleaton, Jeremy

2010-01-01

The high cost of re-supply from Earth demands resources to be utilized to the fullest extent for exploration missions. The ability to refuel on the lunar surface would reduce the vehicle mass during launch and provide excess payload capability. Recycling is a key technology that maximizes the available resources by converting waste products into useful commodities. One example of this is to convert crew member waste such as plastic packaging, food scraps, and human waste into fuel. This process thermally degrades plastic in the presence of oxygen producing CO2 and CO. The CO2 and CO are then reacted with hydrogen over catalyst (Sabatier reaction) producing methane. An end-to-end laboratory-scale system has been designed and built to produce methane from plastic, in this case polyethylene. This first generation system yields 12-16% CH4 by weight of plastic used.

THE MODEL OF LINGUISTIC TEACHERS’ COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT ON DESIGNING MULTIMEDIA ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES IN THE MOODLE SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anton M. Avramchuk

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the problem of developing the competency of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system. The concept of "the competence of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system" is justified and defined. Identified and characterized the components by which the levels of the competency development of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system should be assessed. Developed a model for the development of the competency of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system, which is based on the main scientific approaches, used in adult education, and consists of five blocks: target, informative, technological, diagnostic and effective.

Developing Humanities Collections in the Digital Age: Exploring Humanities Faculty Engagement with Electronic and Print Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Kachaluba, Sarah Buck; Brady, Jessica Evans; Critten, Jessica

2014-01-01

This article is based on quantitative and qualitative research examining humanities scholars' understandings of the advantages and disadvantages of print versus electronic information resources. It explores how humanities' faculty members at Florida State University (FSU) use print and electronic resources, as well as how they perceive these…

Characterization of blend hydrogels based on plasticized starch/cellulose acetate/carboxymethyl cellulose synthesized by electron beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Senna, Magdy M., E-mail: magdysenna@hotmail.com [Radiation Chemistry Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt); Mostafa, Abo El-Khair B. [Chemistry Department, College for Girls, Ain Shams University, Cairo (Egypt); Mahdy, Sanna R.; El-Naggar, Abdel Wahab M. [Radiation Chemistry Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • Semi-interpenetrating (IPN) blend hydrogels were synthesized by EB irradiation. • The hydrogels were based on starch/cellulose acetate/carboxymethyl cellulose blends. • The gelation, swelling, thermal and mechanical properties of hydrogels were studied. • The thermal stability was studied by determining kinetic energy by different methods. - Abstract: Blend hydrogels based on aqueous solutions of plasticized starch and different ratios of cellulose acetate (CA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were prepared by electron beam irradiation (EB). The blends before and after EB irradiation were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The physico-chemical properties of blend hydrogels prepared by electron beam irradiation were improved compared to unirradiated blends.

Characterization of blend hydrogels based on plasticized starch/cellulose acetate/carboxymethyl cellulose synthesized by electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senna, Magdy M.; Mostafa, Abo El-Khair B.; Mahdy, Sanna R.; El-Naggar, Abdel Wahab M.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Semi-interpenetrating (IPN) blend hydrogels were synthesized by EB irradiation. • The hydrogels were based on starch/cellulose acetate/carboxymethyl cellulose blends. • The gelation, swelling, thermal and mechanical properties of hydrogels were studied. • The thermal stability was studied by determining kinetic energy by different methods. - Abstract: Blend hydrogels based on aqueous solutions of plasticized starch and different ratios of cellulose acetate (CA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were prepared by electron beam irradiation (EB). The blends before and after EB irradiation were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The physico-chemical properties of blend hydrogels prepared by electron beam irradiation were improved compared to unirradiated blends.

Smartphones and the plastic surgeon.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hadithy, Nada; Ghosh, Sudip

2013-06-01

Surgical trainees are facing limited training opportunities since the introduction of the European Working Time Directive. Smartphone sales are increasing and have usurped computer sales for the first time. In this context, smartphones are an important portable reference and educational tool, already in the possession of the majority of surgeons in training. Technology in the palm of our hands has led to a revolution of accessible information for the plastic surgery trainee and surgeon. This article reviews the uses of smartphones and applications for plastic surgeons in education, telemedicine and global health. A comprehensive guide to existing and upcoming learning materials and clinical tools for the plastic surgeon is included. E-books, podcasts, educational videos, guidelines, work-based assessment tools and online logbooks are presented. In the limited resource setting of modern clinical practice, savvy plastic surgeons can select technological tools to democratise access to education and best clinical care. Copyright © 2013 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychological interventional approach for reduce resource consumption : Reducing plastic bag usage at supermarkets

OpenAIRE

Ohtomo, Shoji; OHNUMA, Susumu

2014-01-01

A field study was conducted to investigate the reduction of plastic bag usage at supermarkets. Many behaviors leading to potential damage to the environment may be unintentional. This study applied a dual motivation model to plastic bag usage and examined the effects of an intervention aimed at promoting pro-environmental behavior. A voice prompt intervention was implemented in Japanese supermarkets. In the first (control) week, shoppers were given free plastic bags by the cashier. In the sec...

Can plastic mulching replace irrigation in dryland agriculture?

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, L.; Daryanto, S.; Jacinthe, P. A.

2017-12-01

Increasing water use efficiency (WUE) is a key strategy to maintaining crops yield without over-exploiting the scarce water resource. Plastic mulching technology for wheat and maize has been commonly used in China, but their effect on yield, soil moisture, evapotranspiration (ET), and WUE has not been compared with traditional irrigation method. Using a meta-analysis approach, we quantitatively examined the efficacy of plastic mulching in comparison with traditional irrigation in dryland agriculture. Our results showed that plastic mulching technique resulted in yield increase comparable to irrigated crops but used 24% less water. By covering the ridges with plastic and channeling rainwater into a very narrow planting zone (furrow), plastic mulching increased WUE and available soil moisture. Higher WUE in plastic-mulched croplands was likely a result of greater proportion of available water being used for transpiration than evaporation. If problems related to production costs and residual plastic pollution could be managed, plastic mulching technology would become a promising strategy for dryland farming in other regions.

Antimony leaching in plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) with various acids and gamma irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tostar, Sandra; Stenvall, Erik; Boldizar, Antal; Foreman, Mark R St J

2013-06-01

There has been a recent interest in antimony since the availability in readily mined areas is decreasing compared to the amounts used. It is important in many applications such as flame retardants and in the production of polyester, which can trigger an investigation of the leachability of antimony from plastics using different acids. In this paper, different types of acids are tested for their ability to leach antimony from a discarded computer housing, made of poly(acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), which is a common plastic type used in electrical and electronic equipment. The acid solutions included sodium hydrogen tartrate (0.5M) dissolved in either dimethyl sulfoxide or water (at ca. 23°C and heated to ca. 105°C). The metal content after leaching was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The most efficient leaching medium was the heated solution of sodium hydrogen tartrate in dimethyl sulfoxide, which leached almost half of the antimony from the poly(acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). Gamma irradiation, which is proposed to improve the mechanical properties in plastics, was used here to investigate the influence of antimony leaching ability. No significant change in the amount of leached antimony could be observed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electronic resource management systems a workflow approach

CERN Document Server

Anderson, Elsa K

2014-01-01

To get to the bottom of a successful approach to Electronic Resource Management (ERM), Anderson interviewed staff at 11 institutions about their ERM implementations. Among her conclusions, presented in this issue of Library Technology Reports, is that grasping the intricacies of your workflow-analyzing each step to reveal the gaps and problems-at the beginning is crucial to selecting and implementing an ERM. Whether the system will be used to fill a gap, aggregate critical data, or replace a tedious manual process, the best solution for your library depends on factors such as your current soft

Mechanical energy losses in plastically deformed and electron plus neutron irradiated high purity single crystalline molybdenum at elevated temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zelada, Griselda I. [Laboratorio de Materiales, Escuela de Ingenieria Electrica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingenieria y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Avda. Pellegrini 250, 2000 Rosario (Argentina); Lambri, Osvaldo Agustin [Laboratorio de Materiales, Escuela de Ingenieria Electrica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingenieria y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Avda. Pellegrini 250, 2000 Rosario (Argentina); Instituto de Fisica Rosario - CONICET, Member of the CONICET& #x27; s Research Staff, Avda. Pellegrini 250, 2000 Rosario (Argentina); Bozzano, Patricia B. [Laboratorio de Microscopia Electronica, Unidad de Actividad Materiales, Centro Atomico Constituyentes, Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Avda. Gral. Paz 1499, 1650 San Martin (Argentina); Garcia, Jose Angel [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada II, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologia, Universidad del Pais Vasco, Apdo. 644, 48080 Bilbao, Pais Vasco (Spain)

2012-10-15

Mechanical spectroscopy (MS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies have been performed in plastically deformed and electron plus neutron irradiated high purity single crystalline molybdenum, oriented for single slip, in order to study the dislocation dynamics in the temperature range within one third of the melting temperature. A damping peak related to the interaction of dislocation lines with both prismatic loops and tangles of dislocations was found. The peak temperature ranges between 900 and 1050 K, for an oscillating frequency of about 1 Hz. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Electronic Resource Management System. Vernetzung von Lizenzinformationen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michaela Selbach

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In den letzten zehn Jahren spielen elektronische Ressourcen im Bereich der Erwerbung eine zunehmend wichtige Rolle: Eindeutig lässt sich hier ein Wandel in den Bibliotheken (fort vom reinen Printbestand zu immer größeren E-Only-Beständen feststellen. Die stetig wachsende Menge an E-Ressourcen und deren Heterogenität stellt Bibliotheken vor die Herausforderung, die E-Ressourcen effizient zu verwalten. Nicht nur Bibliotheken, sondern auch verhandlungsführende Institutionen von Konsortial- und Allianzlizenzen benötigen ein geeignetes Instrument zur Verwaltung von Lizenzinformationen, welches den komplexen Anforderungen moderner E-Ressourcen gerecht wird. Die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG unterstützt ein Projekt des Hochschulbibliothekszentrums des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (hbz, der Universitätsbibliothek Freiburg, der Verbundzentrale des Gemeinsamen Bibliotheksverbundes (GBV und der Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt, in dem ein bundesweit verfügbares Electronic Ressource Managementsystem (ERMS aufgebaut werden soll. Ein solches ERMS soll auf Basis einer zentralen Knowledge Base eine einheitliche Nutzung von Daten zur Lizenzverwaltung elektronischer Ressourcen auf lokaler, regionaler und nationaler Ebene ermöglichen. Statistische Auswertungen, Rechteverwaltung für alle angeschlossenen Bibliotheken, kooperative Datenpflege sowie ein über standardisierte Schnittstellen geführter Datenaustausch stehen bei der Erarbeitung der Anforderungen ebenso im Fokus wie die Entwicklung eines Daten- und Funktionsmodells. In the last few years the importance of electronic resources in library acquisitions has increased significantly. There has been a shift from mere print holdings to both e- and print combinations and even e-only subscriptions. This shift poses a double challenge for libraries: On the one hand they have to provide their e-resource collections to library users in an appealing way, on the other hand they have to manage these

Biodegradable and bio-based polymers: future prospects of eco-friendly plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwata, Tadahisa

2015-03-09

Currently used plastics are mostly produced from petrochemical products, but there is a growing demand for eco-friendly plastics. The use of bio-based plastics, which are produced from renewable resources, and biodegradable plastics, which are degraded in the environment, will lead to a more sustainable society and help us solve global environmental and waste management problems. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Distribution and Modeled Transport of Plastic Pollution in the Great Lakes, the World's Largest Freshwater Resource

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel N. Cable

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Most plastic pollution originates on land. As such, freshwater bodies serve as conduits for the transport of plastic litter to the ocean. Understanding the concentrations and fluxes of plastic litter in freshwater ecosystems is critical to our understanding of the global plastic litter budget and underpins the success of future management strategies. We conducted a replicated field survey of surface plastic concentrations in four lakes in the North American Great Lakes system, the largest contiguous freshwater system on the planet. We then modeled plastic transport to resolve spatial and temporal variability of plastic distribution in one of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie. Triplicate surface samples were collected at 38 stations in mid-summer of 2014. Plastic particles >106 μm in size were quantified. Concentrations were highest near populated urban areas and their water infrastructure. In the highest concentration trawl, nearly 2 million fragments km−2 were found in the Detroit River—dwarfing previous reports of Great Lakes plastic abundances by over 4-fold. Yet, the accuracy of single trawl counts was challenged: within-station plastic abundances varied 0- to 3-fold between replicate trawls. In the smallest size class (106–1,000 μm, false positive rates of 12–24% were determined analytically for plastic vs. non-plastic, while false negative rates averaged ~18%. Though predicted to form in summer by the existing Lake Erie circulation model, our transport model did not predict a permanent surface “Lake Erie Garbage Patch” in its central basin—a trend supported by field survey data. Rather, general eastward transport with recirculation in the major basins was predicted. Further, modeled plastic residence times were drastically influenced by plastic buoyancy. Neutrally buoyant plastics—those with the same density as the ambient water—were flushed several times slower than plastics floating at the water's surface and exceeded the

The Electron Microscopy Outreach Program: A Web-based resource for research and education.

Science.gov (United States)

Sosinsky, G E; Baker, T S; Hand, G; Ellisman, M H

1999-01-01

We have developed a centralized World Wide Web (WWW)-based environment that serves as a resource of software tools and expertise for biological electron microscopy. A major focus is molecular electron microscopy, but the site also includes information and links on structural biology at all levels of resolution. This site serves to help integrate or link structural biology techniques in accordance with user needs. The WWW site, called the Electron Microscopy (EM) Outreach Program (URL: http://emoutreach.sdsc.edu), provides scientists with computational and educational tools for their research and edification. In particular, we have set up a centralized resource containing course notes, references, and links to image analysis and three-dimensional reconstruction software for investigators wanting to learn about EM techniques either within or outside of their fields of expertise. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

R&D proposal the prism plastic calorimeter:PPC

CERN Document Server

Dobrzynski, Ludwik; Marchand, P; Nédélec, P; Salin, P; CERN. Geneva. Detector Research and Development Committee

1990-01-01

This proposal supports two goals: First Goal_Demonstrate that current, widely used plastic technologies allow to design Prism Plastic Calorimeter (PPC) towers with a new "liquid crystal" type plastic called Vectra. It will be shown that this technique meets the requirements for a LHC calorimeter with warm liquids: safety, hermeticity, hadronic compensation, resolution and time response. Second Goal_ Describe how one can design a warm liquid calorimeter integrated into a LHC detector,and list the advantages of the PPC: low price, minimum of mechanical structures, minimum amount of dead space, easiness of mechanical assembly, accessibility to the electronics, possibility to recirculate the liquid. The absorber and the electronics being outside the liquid and easily accessible, one has maximum flexibility to define them. The R&D program we define here aims at showing the feasibility of these new ideas by building nine towers of twenty gaps and exposing them to electron and hadron beams.

Technical Communicator: A New Model for the Electronic Resources Librarian?

Science.gov (United States)

Hulseberg, Anna

2016-01-01

This article explores whether technical communicator is a useful model for electronic resources (ER) librarians. The fields of ER librarianship and technical communication (TC) originated and continue to develop in relation to evolving technologies. A review of the literature reveals four common themes for ER librarianship and TC. While the…

Electromigration-induced plasticity and texture in Cu interconnects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Advanced Light Source; Tamura, Nobumichi; Budiman, A. S.; Hau-Riege, C.S.; Besser, P. R.; Marathe, A.; Joo, Y.-C.; Tamura, N.; Patel, J. R.; Nix, W. D.

2007-01-01

Plastic deformation has been observed in damascene Cu interconnect test structures during an in-situ electromigration experiment and before the onset of visible microstructural damage (ie. voiding) using a synchrotron technique of white beam X-ray microdiffraction. We show here that the extent of this electromigration-induced plasticity is dependent on the texture of the Cu grains in the line. In lines with strong textures, the extent of plastic deformation is found to be relatively large compared to our plasticity results in the previous study [1] using another set of Cu lines with weaker textures. This is consistent with our earlier observation that the occurrence of plastic deformation in a given grain can be strongly correlated with the availability of a direction of the crystal in the proximity of the direction of the electron flow in the line (within an angle of 10 o ). In out-of-plane oriented grains in a damascene interconnect scheme, the crystal plane facing the sidewall tends to be a {110} plane,[2-4] so as to minimize interfacial energy. Therefore, it is deterministic rather than probabilistic that the grains will have a direction nearly parallel to the direction of electron flow. Thus, strong textures lead to more plasticity, as we observe

Electromigration-induced Plasticity and Texture in Cu Interconnects

Science.gov (United States)

Budiman, A. S.; Hau-Riege, C. S.; Besser, P. R.; Marathe, A.; Joo, Y.-C.; Tamura, N.; Patel, J. R.; Nix, W. D.

2007-10-01

Plastic deformation has been observed in damascene Cu interconnect test structures during an in-situ electromigration experiment and before the onset of visible microstructural damage (ie. voiding) using a synchrotron technique of white beam X-ray microdiffraction. We show here that the extent of this electromigration-induced plasticity is dependent on the texture of the Cu grains in the line. In lines with strong textures, the extent of plastic deformation is found to be relatively large compared to our plasticity results in the previous study[1] using another set of Cu lines with weaker textures. This is consistent with our earlier observation that the occurrence of plastic deformation in a given grain can be strongly correlated with the availability of a direction of the crystal in the proximity of the direction of the electron flow in the line (within an angle of 10°). In out-of-plane oriented grains in a damascene interconnect scheme, the crystal plane facing the sidewall tends to be a {110} plane,[2-4] so as to minimize interfacial energy. Therefore, it is deterministic rather than probabilistic that the grains will have a direction nearly parallel to the direction of electron flow. Thus, strong textures lead to more plasticity, as we observe.

Protection of active implant electronics with organosilicon open air plasma coating for plastic overmolding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeppenfeld Matthias

2016-09-01

Full Text Available To overcome challenges for manufacturing of modern smart medical plastic parts by injection molding, e.g. for active implants, the optimization of the interface between electronics and the polymer component concerning adhesion and diffusion behavior is crucial. Our results indicate that a nano-sized SiOxCyHz layer formed by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PE-CVD via open air atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ and by use of a hexamthyldisiloxane (HMDSO precursor can form a non-corrosive, anti-permeable and biocompatible coating. Due to the open air character of the APPJ process an inline coating before overmolding could be an easy applicable method and a promising advancement.

Life cycle assessment of post-consumer plastics production from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) treatment residues in a Central European plastics recycling plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wäger, Patrick A.; Hischier, Roland

2015-01-01

Plastics play an increasingly important role in reaching the recovery and recycling rates defined in the European WEEE Directive. In a recent study we have determined the life cycle environmental impacts of post-consumer plastics production from mixed, plastics-rich WEEE treatment residues in the Central European plant of a market-leading plastics recycler, both from the perspective of the customers delivering the residues and the customers buying the obtained post-consumer recycled plastics. The results of our life cycle assessments, which were extensively tested with sensitivity analyses, show that from both perspectives plastics recycling is clearly superior to the alternatives considered in this study (i.e. municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) and virgin plastics production). For the three ReCiPe endpoint damage categories, incineration in an MSWI plant results in an impact exceeding that of the examined plastics recycling facility each by about a factor of 4, and the production of virgin plastics has an impact exceeding that of the post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics production each by a factor of 6–10. On a midpoint indicator level the picture is more differentiated, showing that the environmental impacts of the recycling options are lower by 50% and more for almost all impact factors. While this provides the necessary evidence for the environmental benefits of plastics recycling compared to existing alternatives, it can, however, not be taken as conclusive evidence. To be conclusive, future research will have to address the fate of hazardous substances in the outputs of such recycling systems in more detail. - Highlights: • LCA of plastics production from plastics-rich WEEE treatment residues • Multiple stakeholder perspectives addressed via different research questions • Plastics production from WEEE treatment residues clearly superior to alternatives • Robust results as demonstrated by extensive sensitivity analyses

Life cycle assessment of post-consumer plastics production from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) treatment residues in a Central European plastics recycling plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wäger, Patrick A., E-mail: patrick.waeger@empa.ch; Hischier, Roland

2015-10-01

Plastics play an increasingly important role in reaching the recovery and recycling rates defined in the European WEEE Directive. In a recent study we have determined the life cycle environmental impacts of post-consumer plastics production from mixed, plastics-rich WEEE treatment residues in the Central European plant of a market-leading plastics recycler, both from the perspective of the customers delivering the residues and the customers buying the obtained post-consumer recycled plastics. The results of our life cycle assessments, which were extensively tested with sensitivity analyses, show that from both perspectives plastics recycling is clearly superior to the alternatives considered in this study (i.e. municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) and virgin plastics production). For the three ReCiPe endpoint damage categories, incineration in an MSWI plant results in an impact exceeding that of the examined plastics recycling facility each by about a factor of 4, and the production of virgin plastics has an impact exceeding that of the post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics production each by a factor of 6–10. On a midpoint indicator level the picture is more differentiated, showing that the environmental impacts of the recycling options are lower by 50% and more for almost all impact factors. While this provides the necessary evidence for the environmental benefits of plastics recycling compared to existing alternatives, it can, however, not be taken as conclusive evidence. To be conclusive, future research will have to address the fate of hazardous substances in the outputs of such recycling systems in more detail. - Highlights: • LCA of plastics production from plastics-rich WEEE treatment residues • Multiple stakeholder perspectives addressed via different research questions • Plastics production from WEEE treatment residues clearly superior to alternatives • Robust results as demonstrated by extensive sensitivity analyses.

Recycling-oriented characterization of plastic frames and printed circuit boards from mobile phones by electronic and chemical imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmieri, Roberta; Bonifazi, Giuseppe; Serranti, Silvia

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A recycling oriented characterization of end-of-life mobile phones was carried out. • Characterization was developed in a zero-waste-perspective, aiming to recover all the mobile phone materials. • Plastic frames and printed circuit boards were analyzed by electronic and chemical imaging. • Suitable milling/classification strategies were set up to define specialized-pre-concentrated-streams. • The proposed approach can improve the recovery of polymers, base/precious metals, rare earths and critical raw materials. - Abstract: This study characterizes the composition of plastic frames and printed circuit boards from end-of-life mobile phones. This knowledge may help define an optimal processing strategy for using these items as potential raw materials. Correct handling of such a waste is essential for its further “sustainable” recovery, especially to maximize the extraction of base, rare and precious metals, minimizing the environmental impact of the entire process chain. A combination of electronic and chemical imaging techniques was thus examined, applied and critically evaluated in order to optimize the processing, through the identification and the topological assessment of the materials of interest and their quantitative distribution. To reach this goal, end-of-life mobile phone derived wastes have been systematically characterized adopting both “traditional” (e.g. scanning electronic microscopy combined with microanalysis and Raman spectroscopy) and innovative (e.g. hyperspectral imaging in short wave infrared field) techniques, with reference to frames and printed circuit boards. Results showed as the combination of both the approaches (i.e. traditional and classical) could dramatically improve recycling strategies set up, as well as final products recovery

Recycling-oriented characterization of plastic frames and printed circuit boards from mobile phones by electronic and chemical imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palmieri, Roberta; Bonifazi, Giuseppe; Serranti, Silvia, E-mail: silvia.serranti@uniroma1.it

2014-11-15

Highlights: • A recycling oriented characterization of end-of-life mobile phones was carried out. • Characterization was developed in a zero-waste-perspective, aiming to recover all the mobile phone materials. • Plastic frames and printed circuit boards were analyzed by electronic and chemical imaging. • Suitable milling/classification strategies were set up to define specialized-pre-concentrated-streams. • The proposed approach can improve the recovery of polymers, base/precious metals, rare earths and critical raw materials. - Abstract: This study characterizes the composition of plastic frames and printed circuit boards from end-of-life mobile phones. This knowledge may help define an optimal processing strategy for using these items as potential raw materials. Correct handling of such a waste is essential for its further “sustainable” recovery, especially to maximize the extraction of base, rare and precious metals, minimizing the environmental impact of the entire process chain. A combination of electronic and chemical imaging techniques was thus examined, applied and critically evaluated in order to optimize the processing, through the identification and the topological assessment of the materials of interest and their quantitative distribution. To reach this goal, end-of-life mobile phone derived wastes have been systematically characterized adopting both “traditional” (e.g. scanning electronic microscopy combined with microanalysis and Raman spectroscopy) and innovative (e.g. hyperspectral imaging in short wave infrared field) techniques, with reference to frames and printed circuit boards. Results showed as the combination of both the approaches (i.e. traditional and classical) could dramatically improve recycling strategies set up, as well as final products recovery.

Characterisation and materials flow management for waste electrical and electronic equipment plastics from German dismantling centres.

Science.gov (United States)

Arends, Dagmar; Schlummer, Martin; Mäurer, Andreas; Markowski, Jens; Wagenknecht, Udo

2015-09-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment is a complex waste stream and treatment options that work for one waste category or product may not be appropriate for others. A comprehensive case study has been performed for plastic-rich fractions that are treated in German dismantling centres. Plastics from TVs, monitors and printers and small household appliances have been characterised extensively. Based on the characterisation results, state-of-the-art treatment technologies have been combined to design an optimised recycling and upgrade process for each input fraction. High-impact polystyrene from TV casings that complies with the European directive on the restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) was produced by applying continuous density separation with yields of about 60%. Valuable acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/polycarbonate can be extracted from monitor and printer casings by near-infrared-based sorting. Polyolefins and/or a halogen-free fraction of mixed styrenics can be sorted out by density separation from monitors and printers and small household appliances. Emerging separation technologies are discussed to improve recycling results. © The Author(s) 2015.

Electrical and photomechanical effects of plastic deformation of mercuric iodide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marschall, J.; Milstein, F.; Gerrish, V.

1991-01-01

The effects of bulk plastic deformation of mercuric iodide (HgI 2 ), upon some of the electronic properties relevant to the performance of HgI 2 as a radiation detector were examined experimentally. Hole lifetimes, as well as hole and electron mobilities, were measured at various stages of sample deformation. Hole lifetimes were found to decrease by a factor of 2 under strains of several percent; carrier mobilities varied within experimental error, except during creep loading where electron and hole mobilities decreased by about 65 % and 25 %, respectively. Additionally, dark current measurements were made on specimens with varying degrees of accumulated plastic damage caused by c plane shear. Dark current values did not strongly reflect the extent of bulk plastic damage in deformed specimens. 16 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

MODEL OF AN ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE OF NEW GENERATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anatoliy V. Loban

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The mathematical structure of the modular architecture of an electronic educational resource (EER of new generation, which allows to decompose the process of studying the subjects of the course at a hierarchically ordered set of data (knowledge and procedures for manipulating them, to determine the roles of participants of process of training of and technology the development and use of EOR in the study procrate.

Using Polymer Semiconductors and a 3-in-1 Plastic Electronics STEM Education Kit to Engage Students in Hands-On Polymer Inquiry Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Enlow, Jessica L.; Marin, Dawn M.; Walter, Michael G.

2017-01-01

To improve polymer education for 9-12 and undergraduate students, a plastic electronics laboratory kit using polymer semiconductors has been developed. The three-module kit and curriculum use polymer semiconductors to provide hands-on inquiry activities with overlapping themes of electrical conductivity, light emission, and light-harvesting solar…

Plastic Surgery Response in Natural Disasters.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Susan; Zimmerman, Amanda; Gaviria, Andres; Dayicioglu, Deniz

2015-06-01

Disasters cause untold damage and are often unpredictable; however, with proper preparation, these events can be better managed. The initial response has the greatest impact on the overall success of the relief effort. A well-trained multidisciplinary network of providers is necessary to ensure coordinated care for the victims of these mass casualty disasters. As members of this network of providers, plastic surgeons have the ability to efficiently address injuries sustained in mass casualty disasters and are a valuable member of the relief effort. The skill set of plastic surgeons includes techniques that can address injuries sustained in large-scale emergencies, such as the management of soft-tissue injury, tissue viability, facial fractures, and extremity salvage. An approach to disaster relief, the types of disasters encountered, the management of injuries related to mass casualty disasters, the role of plastic surgeons in the relief effort, and resource management are discussed. In order to improve preparedness in future mass casualty disasters, plastic surgeons should receive training during residency regarding the utilization of plastic surgery knowledge in the disaster setting.

Electromigration-induced plasticity and texture in Cu interconnects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Advanced Light Source; Tamura, Nobumichi; Budiman, A. S.; Hau-Riege, C.S.; Besser, P. R.; Marathe, A.; Joo, Y.-C.; Tamura, N.; Patel, J. R.; Nix, W. D.

2007-10-31

Plastic deformation has been observed in damascene Cu interconnect test structures during an in-situ electromigration experiment and before the onset of visible microstructural damage (ie. voiding) using a synchrotron technique of white beam X-ray microdiffraction. We show here that the extent of this electromigration-induced plasticity is dependent on the texture of the Cu grains in the line. In lines with strong <111> textures, the extent of plastic deformation is found to be relatively large compared to our plasticity results in the previous study [1] using another set of Cu lines with weaker textures. This is consistent with our earlier observation that the occurrence of plastic deformation in a given grain can be strongly correlated with the availability of a <112> direction of the crystal in the proximity of the direction of the electron flow in the line (within an angle of 10{sup o}). In <111> out-of-plane oriented grains in a damascene interconnect scheme, the crystal plane facing the sidewall tends to be a {l_brace}110{r_brace} plane,[2-4] so as to minimize interfacial energy. Therefore, it is deterministic rather than probabilistic that the <111> grains will have a <112> direction nearly parallel to the direction of electron flow. Thus, strong <111> textures lead to more plasticity, as we observe.

New process of co-coking of waste plastics and blend coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liao, H.; Yu, G.; Zhao, P. (and others) [Shougang Technical Research Institute, Beijing (China)

2006-07-01

To recycle and reuse waste plastics, as well as to get a new resource of coking, co-coking process of waste plastics and blend coal has been developed by Nippon Steel. However, the ratio of waste plastics in blend coal should be limited in the range of 1% to maintain the coke strength. This paper suggested a new process of co-coking of waste plastics and blend coal. The new process can add the waste plastics ratio up to 2-4%; when the waste plastics ratio is 2%, the coke strength after reaction with CO{sub 2} (CSR) increased 8%. 8 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.

Production of Methane and Water from Crew Plastic Waste

Science.gov (United States)

Captain, Janine; Santiago, Eddie; Parrish, Clyde; Strayer, Richard F.; Garland, Jay L.

2008-01-01

Recycling is a technology that will be key to creating a self sustaining lunar outpost. The plastics used for food packaging provide a source of material that could be recycled to produce water and methane. The recycling of these plastics will require some additional resources that will affect the initial estimate of starting materials that will have to be transported from earth, mainly oxygen, energy and mass. These requirements will vary depending on the recycling conditions. The degredation products of these plastics will vary under different atmospheric conditions. An estimate of the the production rate of methane and water using typical ISRU processes along with the plastic recycling will be presented.

Life cycle assessment of post-consumer plastics production from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) treatment residues in a Central European plastics recycling plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Wäger, Patrick A; Hischier, Roland

2015-10-01

Plastics play an increasingly important role in reaching the recovery and recycling rates defined in the European WEEE Directive. In a recent study we have determined the life cycle environmental impacts of post-consumer plastics production from mixed, plastics-rich WEEE treatment residues in the Central European plant of a market-leading plastics recycler, both from the perspective of the customers delivering the residues and the customers buying the obtained post-consumer recycled plastics. The results of our life cycle assessments, which were extensively tested with sensitivity analyses, show that from both perspectives plastics recycling is clearly superior to the alternatives considered in this study (i.e. municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) and virgin plastics production). For the three ReCiPe endpoint damage categories, incineration in an MSWI plant results in an impact exceeding that of the examined plastics recycling facility each by about a factor of 4, and the production of virgin plastics has an impact exceeding that of the post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics production each by a factor of 6-10. On a midpoint indicator level the picture is more differentiated, showing that the environmental impacts of the recycling options are lower by 50% and more for almost all impact factors. While this provides the necessary evidence for the environmental benefits of plastics recycling compared to existing alternatives, it can, however, not be taken as conclusive evidence. To be conclusive, future research will have to address the fate of hazardous substances in the outputs of such recycling systems in more detail. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental analysis of plastic materials containing radionuclides for decontamination viability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tazaki, Kazue; Nakano, Mikio; Takehara, Teruaki; Ishigaki, Yasuhito; Nakagawa, Hideaki

2015-01-01

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident on 11 March, 2011, the high radioactive dosage was found in polluted water for agriculture use at Baba, Haramachi, Minami-Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Field experiment for decontamination of water had been studied by using commercial plastic materials. The agricultural water comes from Tetsuzan dam is full of radioactive-contaminated water. Experimental analysis showed that the plastic materials can take up radioactive elements for several months soaked in the polluted agricultural water. The quantitative analyses using X-ray fluorescence analysis, Ge semiconductor and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDS), revealed the detection of the radionuclides on the plastic materials with diatom and clays. The results suggest the adsorption of radionuclides on the surface of plastic materials due to FDNPP accident. The plastic materials associated with clays and diatoms could be stronger carriers of radionuclides in the polluted water. Adherence of diatoms to the plastic fiber in the water for 7 months suggested that some plastic materials were taking up heavy metals (Zn, Ba, Pb, Sb) with radioactive elements (Cs etc.). Mechanisms by which radioactive pollutants and microorganisms are adsorbed onto and desorbed from clays at aqueous interface can be understood by combining chemical analysis with electron microscopy observation. (author)

Plastics recycling: challenges and opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopewell, Jefferson; Dvorak, Robert; Kosior, Edward

2009-07-27

Plastics are inexpensive, lightweight and durable materials, which can readily be moulded into a variety of products that find use in a wide range of applications. As a consequence, the production of plastics has increased markedly over the last 60 years. However, current levels of their usage and disposal generate several environmental problems. Around 4 per cent of world oil and gas production, a non-renewable resource, is used as feedstock for plastics and a further 3-4% is expended to provide energy for their manufacture. A major portion of plastic produced each year is used to make disposable items of packaging or other short-lived products that are discarded within a year of manufacture. These two observations alone indicate that our current use of plastics is not sustainable. In addition, because of the durability of the polymers involved, substantial quantities of discarded end-of-life plastics are accumulating as debris in landfills and in natural habitats worldwide. Recycling is one of the most important actions currently available to reduce these impacts and represents one of the most dynamic areas in the plastics industry today. Recycling provides opportunities to reduce oil usage, carbon dioxide emissions and the quantities of waste requiring disposal. Here, we briefly set recycling into context against other waste-reduction strategies, namely reduction in material use through downgauging or product reuse, the use of alternative biodegradable materials and energy recovery as fuel. While plastics have been recycled since the 1970s, the quantities that are recycled vary geographically, according to plastic type and application. Recycling of packaging materials has seen rapid expansion over the last decades in a number of countries. Advances in technologies and systems for the collection, sorting and reprocessing of recyclable plastics are creating new opportunities for recycling, and with the combined actions of the public, industry and governments it

Plastics recycling: challenges and opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Hopewell, Jefferson; Dvorak, Robert; Kosior, Edward

2009-01-01

Plastics are inexpensive, lightweight and durable materials, which can readily be moulded into a variety of products that find use in a wide range of applications. As a consequence, the production of plastics has increased markedly over the last 60 years. However, current levels of their usage and disposal generate several environmental problems. Around 4 per cent of world oil and gas production, a non-renewable resource, is used as feedstock for plastics and a further 3–4% is expended to provide energy for their manufacture. A major portion of plastic produced each year is used to make disposable items of packaging or other short-lived products that are discarded within a year of manufacture. These two observations alone indicate that our current use of plastics is not sustainable. In addition, because of the durability of the polymers involved, substantial quantities of discarded end-of-life plastics are accumulating as debris in landfills and in natural habitats worldwide. Recycling is one of the most important actions currently available to reduce these impacts and represents one of the most dynamic areas in the plastics industry today. Recycling provides opportunities to reduce oil usage, carbon dioxide emissions and the quantities of waste requiring disposal. Here, we briefly set recycling into context against other waste-reduction strategies, namely reduction in material use through downgauging or product reuse, the use of alternative biodegradable materials and energy recovery as fuel. While plastics have been recycled since the 1970s, the quantities that are recycled vary geographically, according to plastic type and application. Recycling of packaging materials has seen rapid expansion over the last decades in a number of countries. Advances in technologies and systems for the collection, sorting and reprocessing of recyclable plastics are creating new opportunities for recycling, and with the combined actions of the public, industry and governments it

Resource Recovery. Redefining the 3 Rs. Reduce...Reuse...Recycle. Resources in Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Technology Teacher, 1991

1991-01-01

Discusses the problems of waste disposal, recycling, and resource recovery. Includes information on the social and cultural impact, the three classes of resource recovery (reuse, direct recycling, and indirect recycling), and specific products (paper, glass, plastics, metals, and so on). Includes a student quiz and possible outcomes. (JOW)

Phenotypic Plasticity in Gut Length in the Planktivorous Filter-Feeding Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhixin Ke

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Phenotypic plasticity widely exists in the external morphology of animals as well as the internal traits of organs. In the present study, we studied the gut length plasticity of planktivorous filter-feeding silver carp under different food resources in large-net cage experiments in Meiliang Bay of Lake Taihu in 2004 and 2005. There was a significant difference in stocking density between these 2 years. Under a low stocking density and abundant food resources, silver carp increased their energy intake by feeding on more zooplankton. Meanwhile, silver carp adjusted their gut length to match the digestive requirements of food when exposed to different food resources. In the main growth seasons (from April to October, silver carp significantly increased their relative gut length when feeding on more phytoplankton in 2005 (p < 0.01, 9.23 ± 1.80 in 2004 and 10.77 ± 2.05 in 2005, respectively. There was a nearly significant negative correlation between zooplankton proportion in the diet and the relative gut length when silver carp were stocked in a high density (p = 0.112. It appears that silver carp might have evolved plasticity to change their gut length rapidly to facilitate efficient utilization of food resources. Such resource polymorphisms in the gut may be a good indication of temporal adaptation to resource conditions. Our work provided field evidence for understanding the functional basis of resource polymorphisms and the evolution of phenotypic plasticity in planktivorous filter-feeding fish.

An efficient and fast analytical procedure for the bromine determination in waste electrical and electronic equipment plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Taurino, R; Cannio, M; Mafredini, T; Pozzi, P

2014-01-01

In this study, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy was used, in combination with micro-Raman spectroscopy, for a fast determination of bromine concentration and then of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) compounds in waste electrical and electronic equipments. Different samples from different recycling industries were characterized to evaluate the sorting performances of treatment companies. This investigation must be considered of prime research interest since the impact of BFRs on the environment and their potential risk on human health is an actual concern. Indeed, the new European Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS 2011/65/EU) demands that plastics with BFRs concentration above 0.1%, being potential health hazards, are identified and eliminated from the recycling process. Our results show the capability and the potential of Raman spectroscopy, together with XRF analysis, as effective tools for the rapid detection of BFRs in plastic materials. In particular, the use of these two techniques in combination can be considered as a promising method suitable for quality control applications in the recycling industry.

GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galina P. Lavrentieva

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The article highlights the causes of insufficient effective use of electronic learning resources and sets out the guidelines on ways to solve the aforementioned problems. The set of didactic, methodical, psychological, pedagogical, design and ergonomic quality requirements is considered for evaluation, selection and application of information and communication technologies in the educational process. The most appropriate mechanisms for the ICT introduction into the learning process are disclosed as it should meet the specific learning needs of the student and the objectives of the educational process. The guidance for psycho-educational assessment of quality of electronic educational resources is provided. It is argued that the effectiveness of the ICT use is to be improved by means of quality evaluation mechanisms involved into the educational process.

Nanoscale characterization of the evolution of the twin–matrix orientation in Fe–Mn–C twinning-induced plasticity steel by means of transmission electron microscopy orientation mapping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albou, A.; Galceran, M.; Renard, K.; Godet, S.; Jacques, P.J.

2013-01-01

The evolution of the orientation relationship between mechanical twins and the surrounding matrix with the degree of plastic deformation has been characterized at the nanoscale in twinning-induced plasticity steel. The recently developed automated crystal orientation mapping in transmission electron microscopy revealed that the ideal twin relationship is retained up to large levels of strain, while large orientation gradients are built up within the matrix. This particular evolution undoubtedly plays a role in the large work hardening rate of these steels.

Availability, Use and Constraints to Use of Electronic Information Resources by Postgraduates Students at the University of Ibadan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dare Samuel Adeleke

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Availability, awareness and use of electronic resources provide access to authoritative, reliable, accurate and timely access to information. The use of electronic information resources (EIRs can enable innovation in teaching and increase timeliness in research of postgraduate students which will eventual result into encouragement of the expected research-led enquiry in this digital age. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Samples of 300 of postgraduate students within seven out 13 Faculties were randomly selected. Data were collected using questionnaire designed to elicit response from respondents and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics methods percentages, mean, and standard deviation. Results indicated that internet was ranked most available and used in the university. Low level of usage of electronic resources, in particular, full texts data bases is linked to a number of constraints: Interrupted power supply was ranked highest among other factors as speed and capacity of computers, retrieval of records with high recall and low precision, retrieving records relevant to information need, lack of knowledge of search techniques to retrieve information effectively, non possession of requisite IT skills and problems accessing the internet. The study recommended that usage of electronic resources be made compulsory, intensifying awareness campaigns concerning the availability, training on use of electronic resources and the problem of power outage be addressed.

Plastic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong Gi Hyeon

1987-04-01

This book deals with plastic, which includes introduction for plastic, chemistry of high polymers, polymerization, speciality and structure of a high molecule property of plastic, molding, thermosetting plastic, such as polyethylene, polyether, polyamide and polyvinyl acetyl, thermal plastic like phenolic resins, xylene resins, melamine resin, epoxy resin, alkyd resin and poly urethan resin, new plastic like ionomer and PPS resin, synthetic laminated tape and synthetic wood, mixed materials in plastic, reprocessing of waste plastic, polymer blend, test method for plastic materials and auxiliary materials of plastic.

A Study on Developing Evaluation Criteria for Electronic Resources in Evaluation Indicators of Libraries

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, Younghee

2010-01-01

This study aimed to improve the current state of electronic resource evaluation in libraries. While the use of Web DB, e-book, e-journal, and other e-resources such as CD-ROM, DVD, and micro materials is increasing in libraries, their use is not comprehensively factored into the general evaluation of libraries and may diminish the reliability of…

Plastics and environmental health: the road ahead.

Science.gov (United States)

North, Emily J; Halden, Rolf U

2013-01-01

Plastics continue to benefit society in innumerable ways, even though recent public focus on plastics has centered mostly on human health and environmental concerns, including their endocrine-disrupting properties and the long-term pollution they represent. The benefits of plastics are particularly apparent in medicine and public health. Plastics are versatile, cost-effective, require less energy to produce than alternative materials like metal or glass, and can be manufactured to have many different properties. Due to these characteristics, polymers are used in diverse health applications like disposable syringes and intravenous bags, sterile packaging for medical instruments as well as in joint replacements, tissue engineering, etc. However, not all current uses of plastics are prudent and sustainable, as illustrated by the widespread, unwanted human exposure to endocrine-disrupting bisphenol A (BPA) and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), problems arising from the large quantities of plastic being disposed of, and depletion of non-renewable petroleum resources as a result of the ever-increasing mass production of plastic consumer articles. Using the health-care sector as example, this review concentrates on the benefits and downsides of plastics and identifies opportunities to change the composition and disposal practices of these invaluable polymers for a more sustainable future consumption. It highlights ongoing efforts to phase out DEHP and BPA in the health-care and food industry and discusses biodegradable options for plastic packaging, opportunities for reducing plastic medical waste, and recycling in medical facilities in the quest to reap a maximum of benefits from polymers without compromising human health or the environment in the process.

Plastics and Environmental Health: The Road Ahead

Science.gov (United States)

North, Emily J.; Halden, Rolf U.

2013-01-01

Plastics continue to benefit society in innumerable ways, even though recent public focus on plastics has centered mostly on human health and environmental concerns, including endocrine-disrupting properties and long-term pollution. The benefits of plastics are particularly apparent in medicine and public health. Plastics are versatile, cost-effective, require less energy to produce than alternative materials – such as metal or glass – and can be manufactured to have many different properties. Due to these characteristics, polymers are used in diverse health applications, such as disposable syringes and intravenous bags, sterile packaging for medical instruments as well as in joint replacements, tissue engineering, etc. However, not all current uses of plastics are prudent and sustainable, as illustrated by widespread, unwanted human exposure to endocrine-disrupting bisphenol-A (BPA) and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), problems arising from the large quantities of plastic being disposed of, and depletion of non-renewable petroleum resources as a result of ever increasing mass-production of plastic consumer articles. By example of the healthcare sector, this review concentrates on benefits and downsides of plastics and identities opportunities to change the composition and disposal practices of these invaluable polymers for a more sustainable future consumption. It highlights ongoing efforts to phase out DEHP and BPA in the healthcare and food industry, and discusses biodegradable options for plastic packaging, opportunities for reducing plastic medical waste, and recycling in medical facilities in the quest to reap a maximum of benefits from polymers without compromising human health or the environment in the process. PMID:23337043

Plasticity of intermediate mechanics students’ coordinate system choice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eleanor C. Sayre

2008-11-01

Full Text Available We investigate the interplay between mathematics and physics resources in intermediate mechanics students. In the mechanics course, the selection and application of coordinate systems is a consistent thread. At the University of Maine, students often start the course with a strong preference to use Cartesian coordinates, in accordance with their prior physics and mathematics classes. In small-group interviews and in homework help sessions, we ask students to define a coordinate system and set up the equations of motion for a simple pendulum for which polar coordinates are more appropriate. We analyze video data from several encounters using a combination of Process/Object theory and Resource Theory. We find that students sometimes persist in using an inappropriate Cartesian system. Furthermore, students often derive (rather than recall the details of the polar coordinate system, indicating that their knowledge is far from solid. To describe our work more precisely, we define a scale of plasticity and several heuristics for defining resources and their plasticity.

Thin film transistors on plastic substrates with reflective coatings for radiation protection

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, Jesse D [Fairfield, CA; Theiss, Steven D [Woodbury, MN; Carey, Paul G [Mountain View, CA; Smith, Patrick M [San Ramon, CA; Wickbold, Paul [Walnut Creek, CA

2006-09-26

Fabrication of silicon thin film transistors (TFT) on low-temperature plastic substrates using a reflective coating so that inexpensive plastic substrates may be used in place of standard glass, quartz, and silicon wafer-based substrates. The TFT can be used in large area low cost electronics, such as flat panel displays and portable electronics such as video cameras, personal digital assistants, and cell phones.

Property of filler-loaded magnetic ferrite from plastic waste bottle used to treat municipal domestic sewage.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Ru-Jin; Gong, Li-Ying; Zhu, Hai-Dong; Liu, Qiao; Xu, Li-Xia; Lu, Lu; Yang, Qi-Zhi

2018-06-01

The present work investigates the properties of self-made magnetic filler from plastic waste bottle and explores a new technology approach of waste plastic resource utilization. The magnetic filler was prepared by air plasma modification and loading magnetic ferrite on the plastic strip from waste plastic bottle. The surface properties of magnetic filler were characterized by Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), contact angle system and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). AFM images of original and modified plastic strip showed that low-temperature plasma treatment markedly increased the surface roughness of plastic strip. The mean roughness (Ra) of plastic strip rose from 1.116 to 5.024 nm. FTIR spectra indicated that a lot of polar oxygenic groups were introduced onto the surface of plastic by plasma modification. Modification by low-temperature plasma increased the hydrophilicity of plastic strip surface. When treatment time is 40 s, water contact angle of plastic strip surface reduced from 78.2° of original plastic strip to 25.3°. When used in bioreactor, magnetic filler had very favorable microenvironment for microorganism growth. Magnetic filler was more efficient for removing chemical oxygen demand (COD) and [Formula: see text] in sewage than nonmagnetic filler. The resource utilization of plastic wastes will become reality if the magnetic filler is applied widely.

Energy recycling of plastic and rubber wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussain, R.

2003-01-01

Major areas for applications of plastics and rubbers are building and construction, packaging, transportation, automobiles, furniture, house wares, appliances, electrical and electronics. Approximately 20% of all the plastics produced are utilized by the building and construction industry/sup (1-3)/. Categories of polymers mostly used in the above industries include poly (vinyl chloride), polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene phenolics, acrylics and urethanes. Tyres and tubes are almost exclusively made up of rubbers. One third of total consumption of plastics finds applications, like films, bottles and packaging, in food-products that have a maximum life-span of two years, after which these find way to waste dumps. As the polymer industry in Pakistan is set to grow very rapidly in the near future the increase in utilization of plastic products in synchronous with the advent of computers and information technology. About 0.60 Kg per capita of waste generated daily in Lahore /(7.14)/ contains considerable quantity of plastics. (AB)

Pregnancy and the Plastic Surgery Resident.

Science.gov (United States)

Garza, Rebecca M; Weston, Jane S; Furnas, Heather J

2017-01-01

Combining pregnancy with plastic surgery residency has historically been difficult. Two decades ago, 36 percent of plastic surgery program directors surveyed actively discouraged pregnancy among residents, and 33 percent of women plastic surgeons suffered from infertility. Most alarmingly, 26 percent of plastic surgery trainees had had an elective abortion during residency. With increasing numbers of women training in plastic surgery, this historical lack of support for pregnancy deserves further attention. To explore the current accommodations made for the pregnant plastic surgery resident, an electronic survey was sent to 88 plastic surgery program directors in the United States. Fifty-four responded, for a response rate of 61.36 percent. On average, a director trained a total of 7.91 women among 17.28 residents trained over 8.19 years. Of the women residents, 1.43 were pregnant during a director's tenure, with 1.35 of those residents taking maternity leave. An average 1.75 male residents took paternity leave. Approximately one-third of programs had a formal maternity/paternity leave policy (36.54 percent) which, in most cases, was limited to defining allowed weeks of leave, time required to fulfill program requirements, and remuneration during leave. This survey of plastic surgery directors is a first step in defining the challenges training programs face in supporting the pregnant resident. Directors provided comments describing their challenges accommodating an absent resident in a small program and complying with the American Board of Plastic Surgery's required weeks of training per year. A discussion of these challenges is followed by suggested solutions.

THE MODEL OF LINGUISTIC TEACHERS’ COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT ON DESIGNING MULTIMEDIA ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES IN THE MOODLE SYSTEM

OpenAIRE

Anton M. Avramchuk

2017-01-01

The article is devoted to the problem of developing the competency of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system. The concept of "the competence of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system" is justified and defined. Identified and characterized the components by which the levels of the competency development of teachers of language disciplines on designing ...

THE APPLICATION OF WASTE PLASTICS IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION

OpenAIRE

MR. YASHODHAN ARVIND JAGTAP; DIGVIJAY PRAMOD BHOSALE

2017-01-01

Disposal of plastic waste in the environment is considered to be a big problem because it is very low in biodegradability and its presence is large. Chocolate, chocolate, chips, handbags, cold drink bottles and other plastic packaging can cause major environmental and economic problems. They consume a lot of energy and other natural resources and exhaust the environment in various ways. In recent years, the use of industrial waste to replace a part of conventional concrete aggregate is being ...

Determining the level of awareness of the physicians in using the variety of electronic information resources and the effecting factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Papi, Ahmad; Ghazavi, Roghayeh; Moradi, Salimeh

2015-01-01

Understanding of the medical society's from the types of information resources for quick and easy access to information is an imperative task in medical researches and management of the treatment. The present study was aimed to determine the level of awareness of the physicians in using various electronic information resources and the factors affecting it. This study was a descriptive survey. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The study population included all the physicians and specialty physicians of the teaching hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and numbered 350. The sample size based on Morgan's formula was set at 180. The content validity of the tool was confirmed by the library and information professionals and the reliability was 95%. Descriptive statistics were used including the SPSS software version 19. On reviewing the need of the physicians to obtain the information on several occasions, the need for information in conducting the researches was reported by the maximum number of physicians (91.9%) and the usage of information resources, especially the electronic resources, formed 65.4% as the highest rate with regard to meeting the information needs of the physicians. Among the electronic information databases, the maximum awareness was related to Medline with 86.5%. Among the various electronic information resources, the highest awareness (43.3%) was related to the E-journals. The highest usage (36%) was also from the same source. The studied physicians considered the most effective deterrent in the use of electronic information resources as being too busy and lack of time. Despite the importance of electronic information resources for the physician's community, there was no comprehensive knowledge of these resources. This can lead to less usage of these resources. Therefore, careful planning is necessary in the hospital libraries in order to introduce the facilities and full capabilities of the

Managing Selection for Electronic Resources: Kent State University Develops a New System to Automate Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Downey, Kay

2012-01-01

Kent State University has developed a centralized system that manages the communication and work related to the review and selection of commercially available electronic resources. It is an automated system that tracks the review process, provides selectors with price and trial information, and compiles reviewers' feedback about the resource. It…

Radiation processing of wood-plastic composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czvikovszky, T.

1992-01-01

There are three main types of radiation-processed composite material derived from plastics and fibrous natural polymers. The first are the monomer-impregnated, radiation-treated wood-plastic composites (WPC). They became a commercial success in the early 1970s. More recently, work has focused on improving the WPCs by creating in them interpenetrating network (IPN) systems by the use of appropriate multifunctional oligomers and monomers. The main kinetic features of radiation-initiated chain polymerization remain applicable even in impregnated wood. The second type are the plastics filled or reinforced with dispersed wood fiber or other cellulosics (WFRP). In their case, radiation processing offers a new opportunity to apply radiation-reactive adhesion promoters between wood or cellulosic fibers and the thermoplastic matrices. The third type are the laminar composites made by electron beam coating of wood-based agglomerate sheets and boards. This chapter reviews the industrial applications and the radiation processing of the three types of the wood-plastic composites and indicates future trends. (orig.)

Laser direct joining of metal and plastic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katayama, Seiji; Kawahito, Yousuke

2008-01-01

We have developed an innovative rapid laser direct joining process of metal and plastic lap plates without adhesives or glues. The joints made between a Type 304 stainless steel plate and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic sheet of 30 mm width possessed tensile shear loads of about 3000 N. Transmission electron microscope photographs of the joint demonstrated that Type 304 and the PET were bonded on the atomic, molecular or nanostructural level through a Cr oxide film

End-of-life resource recovery from emerging electronic products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parajuly, Keshav; Habib, Komal; Cimpan, Ciprian

2016-01-01

Integrating product design with appropriate end-of-life (EoL) processing is widely recognized to have huge potentials in improving resource recovery from electronic products. In this study, we investigate both the product characteristics and EoL processing of robotic vacuum cleaner (RVC), as a case...... of emerging electronic product, in order to understand the recovery fate of different materials and its linkage to product design. Ten different brands of RVC were dismantled and their material composition and design profiles were studied. Another 125 RVCs (349 kg) were used for an experimental trial...... at a conventional ‘shred-and-separate’ type preprocessing plant in Denmark. A detailed material flow analysis was performed throughout the recycling chain. The results show a mismatch between product design and EoL processing, and the lack of practical implementation of ‘Design for EoL’ thinking. In the best...

Use of electronic sales data to tailor nutrition education resources for an ethnically diverse population.

Science.gov (United States)

Eyles, H; Rodgers, A; Ni Mhurchu, C

2010-02-01

Nutrition education may be most effective when personally tailored. Individualised electronic supermarket sales data offer opportunities to tailor nutrition education using shopper's usual food purchases. The present study aimed to use individualised electronic supermarket sales data to tailor nutrition resources for an ethnically diverse population in a large supermarket intervention trial in New Zealand. Culturally appropriate nutrition education resources (i.e. messages and shopping lists) were developed with the target population (through two sets of focus groups) and ethnic researchers. A nutrient database of supermarket products was developed using retrospective sales data and linked to participant sales to allow tailoring by usual food purchases. Modified Heart Foundation Tick criteria were used to identify 'healthier' products in the database suitable for promotion in the resources. Rules were developed to create a monthly report listing the tailored and culturally targeted messages to be sent to each participant, and to produce automated, tailored shopping lists. Culturally targeted nutrition messages (n = 864) and shopping lists (n = 3 formats) were developed. The food and nutrient database (n = 3000 top-selling products) was created using 12 months of retrospective sales data, and comprised 60%'healthier' products. Three months of baseline sales data were used to determine usual food purchases. Tailored resources were successfully mailed to 123 Māori, 52 Pacific and 346 non-Māori non-Pacific participants over the 6-month trial intervention period. Electronic supermarket sales data can be used to tailor nutrition education resources for a large number of ethnically diverse supermarket shoppers.

Phenotypic plasticity as an adaptive response to predictable and unpredictable environmental changes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manenti, Tommaso

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of a genotype to modify its phenotype in response to environmental changes as a consequence of an interaction between genes and environment (Bradshaw, 1965). Plasticity contributes to the vast phenotypic variation observed in natural populations. Many examples...... of a plastic response are expected to depend on the environmental conditions experienced by organisms. Thus, in populations exposed to a non-changing environment, the plastic machinery might be a waste of resources. Contrary, in populations experiencing varying environmental conditions, plasticity is expected...... such as anti-predator behaviours or the activation of mechanisms to prevent thermal stress injuries suggest that plasticity is an adaptive response, favoured by natural selection. At the same time, organisms do show limited plastic responses, indicating that this ability is not for free. Costs and benefits...

Availability, Level of Use and Constraints to Use of Electronic Resources by Law Lecturers in Public Universities in Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Amusa, Oyintola Isiaka; Atinmo, Morayo

2016-01-01

(Purpose) This study surveyed the level of availability, use and constraints to use of electronic resources among law lecturers in Nigeria. (Methodology) Five hundred and fifty-two law lecturers were surveyed and four hundred and forty-two responded. (Results) Data analysis revealed that the level of availability of electronic resources for the…

A systematic review of portable electronic technology for health education in resource-limited settings.

Science.gov (United States)

McHenry, Megan S; Fischer, Lydia J; Chun, Yeona; Vreeman, Rachel C

2017-08-01

The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the literature of how portable electronic technologies with offline functionality are perceived and used to provide health education in resource-limited settings. Three reviewers evaluated articles and performed a bibliography search to identify studies describing health education delivered by portable electronic device with offline functionality in low- or middle-income countries. Data extracted included: study population; study design and type of analysis; type of technology used; method of use; setting of technology use; impact on caregivers, patients, or overall health outcomes; and reported limitations. Searches yielded 5514 unique titles. Out of 75 critically reviewed full-text articles, 10 met inclusion criteria. Study locations included Botswana, Peru, Kenya, Thailand, Nigeria, India, Ghana, and Tanzania. Topics addressed included: development of healthcare worker training modules, clinical decision support tools, patient education tools, perceptions and usability of portable electronic technology, and comparisons of technologies and/or mobile applications. Studies primarily looked at the assessment of developed educational modules on trainee health knowledge, perceptions and usability of technology, and comparisons of technologies. Overall, studies reported positive results for portable electronic device-based health education, frequently reporting increased provider/patient knowledge, improved patient outcomes in both quality of care and management, increased provider comfort level with technology, and an environment characterized by increased levels of technology-based, informal learning situations. Negative assessments included high investment costs, lack of technical support, and fear of device theft. While the research is limited, portable electronic educational resources present promising avenues to increase access to effective health education in resource-limited settings, contingent

Structural Plasticity Denoises Responses and Improves Learning Speed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robin Spiess

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Despite an abundance of computational models for learning of synaptic weights, there has been relatively little research on structural plasticity, i.e. the creation and elimination of synapses. Especially, it is not clear how structural plasticity works in concert with spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP and what advantages their combination offers.Here we present a fairly large-scale functional model that uses leaky integrate-and-fire neurons, STDP, homeostasis, recurrent connections, and structural plasticity to learn the input encoding, the relation between inputs, and to infer missing inputs. Using this model, we compare the error and the amount of noise in the network's responses with and without structural plasticity and the influence of structural plasticity on the learning speed of the network.Using structural plasticity during learning shows good results for learning the representation of input values, i.e. structural plasticity strongly reduces the noise of the response by preventing spikes with a high error.For inferring missing inputs we see similar results, with responses having less noise if the network was trained using structural plasticity.Additionally, using structural plasticity with pruning significantly decreased the time to learn weights suitable for inference.Presumably, this is due to the clearer signal containing less spikes that misrepresent the desired value. Therefore, this work shows that structural plasticity is not only able to improve upon the performance using STDP without structural plasticity but also speeds up learning.Additionally, it addresses the practical problem of limited resources for connectivity that is not only apparent in the mammalian neocortex but also in computer hardware or neuromorphic (brain-inspired hardware by efficiently pruning synapses without losing performance.

SAGES: a suite of freely-available software tools for electronic disease surveillance in resource-limited settings.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheri L Lewis

Full Text Available Public health surveillance is undergoing a revolution driven by advances in the field of information technology. Many countries have experienced vast improvements in the collection, ingestion, analysis, visualization, and dissemination of public health data. Resource-limited countries have lagged behind due to challenges in information technology infrastructure, public health resources, and the costs of proprietary software. The Suite for Automated Global Electronic bioSurveillance (SAGES is a collection of modular, flexible, freely-available software tools for electronic disease surveillance in resource-limited settings. One or more SAGES tools may be used in concert with existing surveillance applications or the SAGES tools may be used en masse for an end-to-end biosurveillance capability. This flexibility allows for the development of an inexpensive, customized, and sustainable disease surveillance system. The ability to rapidly assess anomalous disease activity may lead to more efficient use of limited resources and better compliance with World Health Organization International Health Regulations.

Fine-root trait plasticity of beech (Fagus sylvatica) and spruce (Picea abies) forests on two contrasting soils

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weemstra, M.; Sterck, F.J.; Visser, Eric J.W.; Kuyper, Thomas W.; Goudzwaard, L.; Mommer, L.

2017-01-01

Aim
The fine roots of trees may show plastic responses to their resource environment. Several, contrasting hypotheses exist on this plasticity, but empirical evidence for these hypotheses is scattered. This study aims to enhance our understanding of tree root plasticity by examining

Use and Cost of Electronic Resources in Central Library of Ferdowsi University Based on E-metrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Reza Davarpanah

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the usage of electronic journals in Ferdowsi University, Iran based on e-metrics. The paper also aimed to emphasize the analysis of cost-benefit and the correlation between the journal impact factors and the usage data. In this study experiences of Ferdowsi University library on licensing and usage of electronic resources was evaluated by providing a cost-benefit analysis based on the cost and usage statistics of electronic resources. Vendor-provided data were also compared with local usage data. The usage data were collected by tracking web-based access locally, and by collecting vender-provided usage data. The data sources were one-year of vendor-supplied e-resource usage data such as Ebsco, Elsevier, Proquest, Emerald, Oxford and Springer and local usage data collected from the Ferdowsi university web server. The study found that actual usage values differ for vendor-provided data and local usage data. Elsevier has got the highest usage degree in searches, sessions and downloads. Statistics also showed that a small number of journals satisfy significant amount of use while the majority of journals were used less frequent and some were never used at all. The users preferred the PDF rather than HTML format. The data in subject profile suggested that the provided e-resources were best suited to certain subjects. There was no correlation between IF and electronic journal use. Monitoring the usage of e-resources gained increasing importance for acquisition policy and budget decisions. The article provided information about local metrics for the six surveyed vendors/publishers, e.g. usage trends, requests per package, cost per use as related to the scientific specialty of the university.

Silicon-ion-implanted PMMA with nanostructured ultrathin layers for plastic electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Hadjichristov, G. B.; Ivanov, Tz E.; Marinov, Y. G.

2014-12-01

Being of interest for plastic electronics, ion-beam produced nanostructure, namely silicon ion (Si+) implanted polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) with ultrathin nanostructured dielectric (NSD) top layer and nanocomposite (NC) buried layer, is examined by electric measurements. In the proposed field-effect organic nanomaterial structure produced within the PMMA network by ion implantation with low energy (50 keV) Si+ at the fluence of 3.2 × 1016 cm-2 the gate NSD is ion-nanotracks-modified low-conductive surface layer, and the channel NC consists of carbon nanoclusters. In the studied ion-modified PMMA field-effect configuration, the gate NSD and the buried NC are formed as planar layers both with a thickness of about 80 nm. The NC channel of nano-clustered amorphous carbon (that is an organic semiconductor) provides a huge increase in the electrical conduction of the material in the subsurface region, but also modulates the electric field distribution in the drift region. The field effect via the gate NSD is analyzed. The most important performance parameters, such as the charge carrier field-effect mobility and amplification of this particular type of PMMA- based transconductance device with NC n-type channel and gate NSD top layer, are determined.

How to prepare a road map for the management of plastic waste

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dorland, Jens; Jørgensen, Michael Søgaard; Skovgaard, Mette

This paper presents the results of Plastic Zero with the hope to inspire further action to enhance plastic resource-efficiency. It is meant as a source of inspiration on how to make a road map in a similar project. The process has given us various experiences and this guideline on how to make...

The plastic-associated microorganisms of the North Pacific Gyre.

Science.gov (United States)

Carson, Henry S; Nerheim, Magnus S; Carroll, Katherine A; Eriksen, Marcus

2013-10-15

Microorganisms likely mediate processes affecting the fate and impacts of marine plastic pollution, including degradation, chemical adsorption, and colonization or ingestion by macroorganisms. We investigated the relationship between plastic-associated microorganism communities and factors such as location, temperature, salinity, plankton abundance, plastic concentration, item size, surface roughness, and polymer type. Small plastic items from the surface of the North Pacific Gyre in 2011 were examined using scanning electron microscopy. Bacillus bacteria (mean 1664 ± 247 individuals mm(-2)) and pennate diatoms (1097 ± 154 mm(-2)) were most abundant, with coccoid bacteria, centric diatoms, dinoflagellates, coccolithophores, and radiolarians present. Bacterial abundance was patchy, but increased on foamed polystyrene. Diatom abundance increased on items with rough surfaces and at sites with high plastic concentrations. Morphotype richness increased slightly on larger fragments, and a biogeographic transition occurred between pennate diatom groups. Better characterizing this community will aid in understanding how it interacts with plastic pollution. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Building and Managing Electronic Resources in Digital Era in India with Special Reference to IUCAA and NIV, Pune: A Comparative Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, H. K.; Singh, S. N.

2015-04-01

This paper discusses and presents a comparative case study of two libraries in Pune, India, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics and Information Centre and Library of National Institute of Virology (Indian Council of Medical Research). It compares how both libraries have managed their e-resource collections, including acquisitions, subscriptions, and consortia arrangements, while also developing a collection of their own resources, including pre-prints and publications, video lectures, and other materials in an institutional repository. This study illustrates how difficult it is to manage electronic resources in a developing country like India, even though electronic resources are used more than print resources. Electronic resource management can be daunting, but with a systematic approach, various problems can be solved, and use of the materials will be enhanced.

Flexible and tunable silicon photonic circuits on plastic substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yu; Li, Huan; Li, Mo

2012-09-01

Flexible microelectronics has shown tremendous promise in a broad spectrum of applications, especially those that cannot be addressed by conventional microelectronics in rigid materials and constructions. These unconventional yet important applications range from flexible consumer electronics to conformal sensor arrays and biomedical devices. A recent paradigm shift in implementing flexible electronics is to physically transfer highly integrated devices made in high-quality, crystalline semiconductors on to plastic substrates. Here we demonstrate a flexible form of silicon photonics using the transfer-and-bond fabrication method. Photonic circuits including interferometers and resonators have been transferred onto flexible plastic substrates with preserved functionalities and performance. By mechanically deforming, the optical characteristics of the devices can be tuned reversibly over a remarkably large range. The demonstration of the new flexible photonic systems based on the silicon-on-plastic (SOP) platform could open the door to many future applications, including tunable photonics, optomechanical sensors and biomechanical and bio-photonic probes.

Cellulose Nanofiber Composite Substrates for Flexible Electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Ronald Sabo; Jung-Hun Seo; Zhenqiang Ma

2012-01-01

Flexible electronics have a large number of potential applications including malleable displays and wearable computers. The current research into high-speed, flexible electronic substrates employs the use of plastics for the flexible substrate, but these plastics typically have drawbacks, such as high thermal expansion coefficients. Transparent films made from...

Crystallization-induced plasticity of Cu-Zr containing bulk amorphous alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seok-Woo; Huh, Moo-Young; Fleury, Eric; Lee, Jae-Chul

2006-01-01

This study examined the parameter governing the plasticity observed in various Cu-Zr containing monolithic amorphous alloys. All the alloys were fully amorphous in their as-cast condition but exhibited different plastic strains. Microscopic observations of the quasi-statically compressed alloys showed abundant nanocrystallites in the amorphous matrices in the alloys that exhibited pronounced plasticity. On the other hand, insignificant changes in the microstructure were observed in the alloy that did not show plasticity. The mechanism for the formation of these deformation-induced nanocrystallites was examined from the viewpoints of thermodynamics and kinetics. The role of the deformation-induced nanocrystallites on the plasticity of the amorphous alloy was examined using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that compressive loading facilitates nanocrystallization in monolithic Cu-Zr containing amorphous alloys, resulting in plasticity. The parameter governing the plasticity in these monolithic Cu-Zr containing amorphous alloys lies in the activation energy for the overall crystallization process

Assessment of environmental impact of ultraviolet radiation or electron beam cured print inks on plastic packaging materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bardi, Marcelo Augusto Goncalves

2014-01-01

The high level of pollution generated by the inadequate disposal of polymeric materials has motivated the search for environmentally friendly systems and techniques such as the application of biodegradable polymers and the replacement of the solvent-based paint systems by those with high solids content, based water or cured by radiation, practically free of volatile organic compounds. However, the cured polymer coatings are neither soluble nor molten, increasing the complexity of the reprocessing, recycling and degradation. Thus, this work aimed to develop print inks modified with pro-degrading agents, cured by ultraviolet radiation or electron beam, for printing or decoration in plastic packaging products of short lifetime, which are biodegradable or not. Six coatings (varnish and inks in five colors: yellow, blue, white, black and red), three pro-degrading agents (cobalt stearate, cerium stearate and manganese stearate), five polymeric substrates (Ecobras®, low density polyethylene and its respective modifications with pro-degrading agents). The coatings were applied to the substrates and cured by ultraviolet radiation or electron beam, resulting in 180 samples. These materials were then exposed to accelerated aging chamber, type 'QUV', and composting in natural environment. In order to assess the effects of the polymer coatings on the degradation process of the specimens, only the yellow and black samples were exposed to a controlled composting environment via respirometry, reducing to 16 the number of samples. The organic compound generated by the biodegradation process was analyzed by the ecotoxicity tests. It was observed that the coating layer acted as a barrier that inhibits degradation of the plastic when exposed to weathering. The addition of pro-degrading agents promoted acceleration in the degradation process, promoting the migration of the metal ion to the medium without affecting the final quality of the organic compost. (author)

In vivo reactive neural plasticity investigation by means of correlative two photon: electron microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Allegra Mascaro, A. L.; Cesare, P.; Sacconi, L.; Grasselli, G.; Mandolesi, G.; Maco, B.; Knott, G.; Huang, L.; De Paola, V.; Strata, P.; Pavone, F. S.

2013-02-01

In the adult nervous system, different populations of neurons correspond to different regenerative behavior. Although previous works showed that olivocerebellar fibers are capable of axonal regeneration in a suitable environment as a response to injury1, we have hitherto no details about the real dynamics of fiber regeneration. We set up a model of singularly axotomized climbing fibers (CF) to investigate their reparative properties in the adult central nervous system (CNS) in vivo. Time lapse two-photon imaging has been combined to laser nanosurgery2, 3 to define a temporal pattern of the degenerative event and to follow the structural rearrangement after injury. To characterize the damage and to elucidate the possible formation of new synaptic contacts on the sprouted branches of the lesioned CF, we combined two-photon in vivo imaging with block face scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). Here we describe the approach followed to characterize the reactive plasticity after injury.

Plastics Distribution and Degradation on Lake Huron Beaches

Science.gov (United States)

Zbyszewski, M.; Corcoran, P.

2009-05-01

The resistivity of plastic debris to chemical and mechanical weathering processes poses a serious threat to the environment. Numerous marine beaches are littered with plastic fragments that entangle and become ingested by organisms including birds, turtles and plankton. Although many studies have been conducted to determine the amount and effects of plastics pollution on marine organisms, relatively little is known about the distribution and quantity of polymer types along lacustrine beaches. Plastic particles sampled from selected beaches on Lake Huron were analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to determine polymer composition. The majority of the plastic fragments are industrial pellets composed of polypropylene and polyethylene. Varying degrees of oxidation are indicated by multiple irregular peaks in the lower wavenumber region on the FTIR spectra. The oxidized pellets also represent the plastic particles with the most pronounced surface textures, as identified using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Crazes and flakey, fibrous, or granular textures are consistent with chemical weathering processes, whereas gauges and pits occur through abrasion during mechanical weathering. Further textural and compositional analysis will indicate which polymer types are more resistant to weathering processes. Additional investigation of the distribution of plastic debris along the beaches of Lake Huron will indicate the amount and primary transport directions of resistant plastic debris polluting one of Ontario's Great Lakes.

[Use of internet and electronic resources among Spanish intensivist physicians. First national survey].

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Tello, V; Latour-Pérez, J; Añón Elizalde, J M; Palencia-Herrejón, E; Díaz-Alersi, R; De Lucas-García, N

2006-01-01

Estimate knowledge and use habits of different electronic resources in a sample of Spanish intensivists: Internet, E-mail, distribution lists, and use of portable electronic devices. Self-applied questionnaire. A 50-question questionnaire was distributed among Spanish intensivists through the hospital marketing delegates of a pharmaceutical company and of electronic forums. A total of 682 questionnaires were analyzed (participation: 74%). Ninety six percent of those surveyed used Internet individually: 67% admitted training gap. Internet was the second source of clinical consultations most used (61%), slightly behind consultation to colleagues (65%). The pages consulted most were bibliographic databases (65%) and electronic professional journals (63%), with limited use of Evidence Based Medicine pages (19%). Ninety percent of those surveyed used e-mail regularly in the practice of their profession, although 25% admitted that were not aware of its possibilities. The use of E-mail decreased significantly with increase in age. A total of 62% of the intensivists used distribution lists. Of the rest, 42% were not aware of its existence and 32% admitted they had insufficient training to handle them. Twenty percent of those surveyed had portable electronic devices and 64% considered it useful, basically due to its rapid consultation at bedside. Female gender was a negative predictive factor of its use (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.2-0.63; p=0.0002). A large majority of the Spanish intensivists use Internet and E-mail. E-mail lists and use of portable devices are still underused resources. There are important gaps in training and infrequent use of essential pages. There are specific groups that require directed educational policies.

Model of e-learning with electronic educational resources of new generation

OpenAIRE

A. V. Loban; D. A. Lovtsov

2017-01-01

Purpose of the article: improving of scientific and methodical base of the theory of the е-learning of variability. Methods used: conceptual and logical modeling of the е-learning of variability process with electronic educational resource of new generation and system analysis of the interconnection of the studied subject area, methods, didactics approaches and information and communication technologies means. Results: the formalization complex model of the е-learning of variability with elec...

Absorbed Dose Distributions in Irradiated Plastic Tubing and Wire Insulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miller, Arne; McLaughlin, W. L.

1979-01-01

Plastic tubing and wire insulation were simulated by radiochromic dye dosimeter films having electron absorbing properties similar to the materials of interest (polyethylene and PVC). A 400-keV electron accelerator was used to irradiate from 1, 2, 3 and 4 sides simulating possible industrial...

Impact of Knowledge Resources Linked to an Electronic Health Record on Frequency of Unnecessary Tests and Treatments

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Kenneth; Grad, Roland; Pluye, Pierre; Nowacki, Amy; Hickner, John

2012-01-01

Introduction: Electronic knowledge resources have the potential to rapidly provide answers to clinicians' questions. We sought to determine clinicians' reasons for searching these resources, the rate of finding relevant information, and the perceived clinical impact of the information they retrieved. Methods: We asked general internists, family…

Electronic Document Management: A Human Resource Management Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Groenewald

2004-11-01

Full Text Available This case study serve as exemplar regarding what can go wrong with the implementation of an electronic document management system. Knowledge agility and knowledge as capital, is outlined against the backdrop of the information society and knowledge economy. The importance of electronic document management and control is sketched thereafter. The literature review is concluded with the impact of human resource management on knowledge agility, which includes references to the learning organisation and complexity theory. The intervention methodology, comprising three phases, follows next. The results of the three phases are presented thereafter. Partial success has been achieved with improving the human efficacy of electronic document management, however the client opted to discontinue the system in use. Opsomming Die gevalle studie dien as voorbeeld van wat kan verkeerd loop met die implementering van ’n elektroniese dokumentbestuur sisteem. Teen die agtergrond van die inligtingsgemeenskap en kennishuishouding word kennissoepelheid en kennis as kapitaal bespreek. Die literatuurstudie word afgesluit met die inpak van menslikehulpbronbestuur op kennissoepelheid, wat ook die verwysings na die leerorganisasie en kompleksietydsteorie insluit. Die metodologie van die intervensie, wat uit drie fases bestaan, volg daarna. Die resultate van die drie fases word vervolgens aangebied. Slegs gedeelte welslae is behaal met die verbetering van die menslike doeltreffendheid ten opsigte van elektroniese dokumentbestuur. Die klient besluit egter om nie voort te gaan om die huidige sisteem te gebruik nie.

Knowledge and opinions on oncoplastic surgery among breast and plastic surgeons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carstensen, Lena Felicia; Rose, Michael; Bentzon, Niels

2015-01-01

surgeons and 22 plastic surgeons; the response rate was 67%. All breast surgery units had an established cooperation with plastic surgeons. Most breast surgeons used unilateral displacement techniques; plastic surgeons also included breast reduction techniques and replacement with local flaps. Almost all...... of implementation of OPS in Denmark. METHODS: An electronic questionnaire was sent to breast and plastic surgeons performing breast cancer treatment. The questionnaire included demographics, education, experience with operative procedures and opinions on OPS. RESULTS: The questionnaire was sent to 50 breast...... symmetrisation procedures were performed by plastic surgeons. Breast surgeons had sought more specific education, both international observerships and specific courses. In both groups of surgeons, the majority expressed that both tumour removal and reconstruction should be performed by doctors of their own...

Neural plasticity explored by correlative two-photon and electron/SPIM microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Allegra Mascaro, A. L.; Silvestri, L.; Costantini, I.; Sacconi, L.; Maco, B.; Knott, G. W.; Pavone, F. S.

2013-06-01

Plasticity of the central nervous system is a complex process which involves the remodeling of neuronal processes and synaptic contacts. However, a single imaging technique can reveal only a small part of this complex machinery. To obtain a more complete view, complementary approaches should be combined. Two-photon fluorescence microscopy, combined with multi-photon laser nanosurgery, allow following the real-time dynamics of single neuronal processes in the cerebral cortex of living mice. The structural rearrangement elicited by this highly confined paradigm of injury can be imaged in vivo first, and then the same neuron could be retrieved ex-vivo and characterized in terms of ultrastructural features of the damaged neuronal branch by means of electron microscopy. Afterwards, we describe a method to integrate data from in vivo two-photon fluorescence imaging and ex vivo light sheet microscopy, based on the use of major blood vessels as reference chart. We show how the apical dendritic arbor of a single cortical pyramidal neuron imaged in living mice can be found in the large-scale brain reconstruction obtained with light sheet microscopy. Starting from its apical portion, the whole pyramidal neuron can then be segmented and located in the correct cortical layer. With the correlative approach presented here, researchers will be able to place in a three-dimensional anatomic context the neurons whose dynamics have been observed with high detail in vivo.

Replacing fossil based plastic performance products by bio-based plastic products-Technical feasibility.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Oever, Martien; Molenveld, Karin

2017-07-25

Larger scale market introduction of new bio-based products requires a clear advantage regarding sustainability, as well as an adequate techno-economic positioning relative to fossil based products. In a previous paper [Broeren et al., 2016], LCA results per kg and per functionality equivalent of bio-based plastics were presented, together with economic considerations. The present paper discusses the mechanical and thermal properties of a range of commercially available bio-based plastics based on polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose esters, starch and polyamides, and the feasibility of replacing fossil-based counterparts based on performance. The evaluation is approached from an end user perspective. First, potentially suitable bio-based plastics are selected based on manufacturers' specifications in technical data sheets, then a first experimental evaluation is performed on injection moulded ISO specimens, and finally a further selection of plastics is tested on large 50×70cm panels. This technical feasibility study indicates that so far bio-based plastics do not completely match the properties of high performance materials like flame retardant V-0 PC/ABS blends used in electronic devices. The performance gap is being decreased by the development of stereocomplex PLA and hybrid PLA blends with polycarbonate, which offer clearly improved properties with respect to maximum usage temperature and toughness. In addition, several materials meet the V-0 flammability requirements needed in specific durable applications. On the other hand, improving these properties so far has negative consequences for the bio-based content. This study also shows that replacement of bulk polymers like PS is feasible using PLA compounds with a bio-based content as high as 85%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Co@MWNTs-Plastic: A novel electrode for NaBH4 oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Dongming; Ye, Ke; Cao, Dianxue; Wang, Bin; Cheng, Kui; Li, Yiju; Wang, Guiling; Xu, Yang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • MP substrate was fabricated by adhering MWNTs on a piece of obsoleted plastic bag. • Co nano-thorns were prepared by a simple electrodeposition method on the MP surface. • MP owns a superior stability in strong alkaline environment. • CMP exhibits a high catalytic activity for NaBH 4 electrooxidation. • The possible mechanisms of NaBH 4 electrooxidation on CMP was discussed. - Abstract: A novel multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)-Plastic (MP) substrate was first fabricated by adhering MWNTs on a piece of obsoleted plastic bag, and Co nano-thorns were subsequently prepared by a simple electrodeposition method on the MP surface. The morphology and phase structure of the as-prepared Co@MWNTs-Plastic (CMP) catalytic electrode are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometer. The catalytic activity of the CMP electrode for NaBH 4 electrooxidation is investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The employing of waste plastic bags reduces white pollution and the MP substrate exhibits superior stability in alkaline solution. The 3D CMP catalytic electrode owns a high electrochemical activity for NaBH 4 oxidation. Moreover, we discussed the possible mechanisms of NaBH 4 electrooxidation on the CMP

Challenges in the implementation of an electronic surveillance system in a resource-limited setting: Alerta, in Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soto Giselle

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Infectious disease surveillance is a primary public health function in resource-limited settings. In 2003, an electronic disease surveillance system (Alerta was established in the Peruvian Navy with support from the U.S. Naval Medical Research Center Detachment (NMRCD. Many challenges arose during the implementation process, and a variety of solutions were applied. The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss these issues. Methods This is a retrospective description of the Alerta implementation. After a thoughtful evaluation according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC guidelines, the main challenges to implementation were identified and solutions were devised in the context of a resource-limited setting, Peru. Results After four years of operation, we have identified a number of challenges in implementing and operating this electronic disease surveillance system. These can be divided into the following categories: (1 issues with personnel and stakeholders; (2 issues with resources in a developing setting; (3 issues with processes involved in the collection of data and operation of the system; and (4 issues with organization at the central hub. Some of the challenges are unique to resource-limited settings, but many are applicable for any surveillance system. For each of these challenges, we developed feasible solutions that are discussed. Conclusion There are many challenges to overcome when implementing an electronic disease surveillance system, not only related to technology issues. A comprehensive approach is required for success, including: technical support, personnel management, effective training, and cultural sensitivity in order to assure the effective deployment of an electronic disease surveillance system.

Plastic recycling in the Nordics: A value chain market analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Milios, Leonidas; Holm Christensen, Lena; McKinnon, David; Christensen, Camilla; Rasch, Marie Katrine; Hallstrøm Eriksen, Mikael

2018-06-01

There is low utilisation of plastic waste in the Nordic region and only a fraction of plastic materials go back into production processes through reuse and recycling practices. This paper aims to increase knowledge concerning factors that inhibit demand for recycled plastics, and to identify critical barriers for plastic recycling across the regional plastics value chain. A literature review and targeted interviews with key actors across the plastics value chain enabled the mapping of interactions between the major actors and identified hotspots that act as barriers to the flow of plastic materials. Barriers identified include the lack of both supply and demand of recycled plastic and are mainly attributed to the fragmented market of secondary materials. The main hotspots identified are the low demand due to price considerations, insufficient traceability and transparency in value chain transactions, and general design deficiencies in the recyclability of products. Value chain coordination is considered as the most important intervention by the interviewees, followed by the need for increased investment in innovation and technology development. Complementary measures that could counteract the identified barriers include public procurement for resource efficiency, ban on the incineration of recyclable materials, and specifications on the design of plastic products for reducing the number of different polymers, and the number and usage of additives. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A guide on resources of waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-07-01

This book is a guide on resources of waste, which includes general remarks, analysis of investigation on city resources of waste, disposal and recycling technology of resources of waste, mechanical distinguish, incineration system, pyrolysis refuse derived fuel, composting, the recycling case of resources of waste, such as waste oil, waste plastic, waste tire, waste wood, waste ceramics and waste con crete, integrated recycling system and the cases like landfill gas, composting plant U.S. Bureau of Mines recycling system and law related resources of waste.

Dislocation Dynamics During Plastic Deformation

CERN Document Server

Messerschmidt, Ulrich

2010-01-01

The book gives an overview of the dynamic behavior of dislocations and its relation to plastic deformation. It introduces the general properties of dislocations and treats the dislocation dynamics in some detail. Finally, examples are described of the processes in different classes of materials, i.e. semiconductors, ceramics, metals, intermetallic materials, and quasicrystals. The processes are illustrated by many electron micrographs of dislocations under stress and by video clips taken during in situ straining experiments in a high-voltage electron microscope showing moving dislocations. Thus, the users of the book also obtain an immediate impression and understanding of dislocation dynamics.

Physico-chemical modifications of plastics by ionization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rouif, S.

2002-01-01

The industrial use of ionizing radiations (beta and gamma), initially for the sterilization of medico-surgical instruments and for the preservation of food products, has led to the development of the chemistry of polymers under radiations. Ionizing radiations can initiate chemical reactions (chain cutting, poly-additions, polymerization etc..) thanks to the formation of free radicals. The main applications concerns the degradation of plastics, the reticulation of plastics and of woods impregnated with resin, and the grafting of polymers. The processing of plastic materials was initially performed with low energy electron accelerators (0.1 to 3 MeV), allowing only surface treatments, while recent high energy accelerators (10 MeV) and gamma facilities allow the treatment in depth of materials (from few cm to 1 m). This article describes the industrial treatments performed with such high energy facilities: 1 - action of ionizing radiations on plastic materials: different types of ionizing radiations, action of beta and gamma radiations, chemical changes induced by beta and gamma radiations; 2 - reticulation of plastic materials submitted to beta and gamma radiations: radio-'reticulable' polymers and reticulation co-agents, modification of the properties of reticulated plastic materials under beta and gamma radiations; 3 - industrial aspects of reticulation under beta and gamma radiation: industrial irradiation facilities, dosimetry and radio-reticulation control, applications; 4 - conclusion. (J.S.)

Plastic packaged microcircuits: Quality, reliability, and cost issues

Science.gov (United States)

Pecht, Michael G.; Agarwal, Rakesh; Quearry, Dan

1993-12-01

Plastic encapsulated microcircuits (PEMs) find their main application in commercial and telecommunication electronics. The advantages of PEMs in cost, size, weight, performance, and market lead-time, have attracted 97% of the market share of worldwide microcircuit sales. However, PEMs have always been resisted in US Government and military applications due to the perception that PEM reliability is low. This paper surveys plastic packaging with respect to the issues of reliability, market lead-time, performance, cost, and weight as a means to guide part-selection and system-design.

Microbial degradation of high impact polystyrene (HIPS), an e-plastic with decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekhar, Vini C.; Nampoothiri, K. Madhavan; Mohan, Arya J.; Nair, Nimisha R.; Bhaskar, Thallada; Pandey, Ashok

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Biodegradation of a high impact polystyrene e − plastic. • 12.4% (w/w) e plastic film lost using an isolate, Enterobacter sp. • Noted changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of degraded e-plastic film. • Polystyrene intermediates were detected in the degradation medium. • e-plastic degrading microbes displayed extracellular depolymerase activity. - Abstract: Accumulation of electronic waste has increased catastrophically and out of that various plastic resins constitute one of the leading thrown out materials in the electronic machinery. Enrichment medium, containing high impact polystyrene (HIPS) with decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide as sole carbon source, was used to isolate microbial cultures. The viability of these cultures in the e-plastic containing mineral medium was further confirmed by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduction test. Four cultures were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Enterobacter sp., Citrobacter sedlakii, Alcaligenes sp. and Brevundimonas diminuta. Biodegradation experiments were carried out in flask level and gelatin supplementation (0.1% w/v) along with HIPS had increased the degradation rate to a maximum of 12.4% (w/w) within 30 days. This is the first report for this kind of material. The comparison of FTIR, NMR, and TGA analysis of original and degraded e-plastic films revealed structural changes under microbial treatment. Polystyrene degradation intermediates in the culture supernatant were also detected using HPLC analysis. The gravity of biodegradation was validated by morphological changes under scanning electron microscope. All isolates displayed depolymerase activity to substantiate enzymatic degradation of e-plastic.

Microbial degradation of high impact polystyrene (HIPS), an e-plastic with decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sekhar, Vini C. [Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695 019, Kerala (India); Nampoothiri, K. Madhavan, E-mail: madhavan85@hotmail.com [Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695 019, Kerala (India); Mohan, Arya J.; Nair, Nimisha R. [Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695 019, Kerala (India); Bhaskar, Thallada [Bio-Fuels Division (BFD), CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248005 (India); Pandey, Ashok [Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum 695 019, Kerala (India)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • Biodegradation of a high impact polystyrene e − plastic. • 12.4% (w/w) e plastic film lost using an isolate, Enterobacter sp. • Noted changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of degraded e-plastic film. • Polystyrene intermediates were detected in the degradation medium. • e-plastic degrading microbes displayed extracellular depolymerase activity. - Abstract: Accumulation of electronic waste has increased catastrophically and out of that various plastic resins constitute one of the leading thrown out materials in the electronic machinery. Enrichment medium, containing high impact polystyrene (HIPS) with decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide as sole carbon source, was used to isolate microbial cultures. The viability of these cultures in the e-plastic containing mineral medium was further confirmed by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduction test. Four cultures were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as Enterobacter sp., Citrobacter sedlakii, Alcaligenes sp. and Brevundimonas diminuta. Biodegradation experiments were carried out in flask level and gelatin supplementation (0.1% w/v) along with HIPS had increased the degradation rate to a maximum of 12.4% (w/w) within 30 days. This is the first report for this kind of material. The comparison of FTIR, NMR, and TGA analysis of original and degraded e-plastic films revealed structural changes under microbial treatment. Polystyrene degradation intermediates in the culture supernatant were also detected using HPLC analysis. The gravity of biodegradation was validated by morphological changes under scanning electron microscope. All isolates displayed depolymerase activity to substantiate enzymatic degradation of e-plastic.

Considering Point-of-Care Electronic Medical Resources in Lieu of Traditional Textbooks for Medical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Hale, LaDonna S; Wallace, Michelle M; Adams, Courtney R; Kaufman, Michelle L; Snyder, Courtney L

2015-09-01

Selecting resources to support didactic courses is a critical decision, and the advantages and disadvantages must be carefully considered. During clinical rotations, students not only need to possess strong background knowledge but also are expected to be proficient with the same evidence-based POC resources used by clinicians. Students place high value on “real world” learning and therefore may place more value on POC resources that they know practicing clinicians use as compared with medical textbooks. The condensed nature of PA education requires students to develop background knowledge and information literacy skills over a short period. One way to build that knowledge and those skills simultaneously is to use POC resources in lieu of traditional medical textbooks during didactic training. Electronic POC resources offer several advantages over traditional textbooks and should be considered as viable options in PA education.

Inhibiting the deterioration of plasticized poly (vinyl chloride)-a museum perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shashoua, Yvonne

for at least 50 years. The present study outlines a strategy for prolonging the useful lifetime of plasticized PVC objects with di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). Examination of deteriorated PVC in museums suggested that migration, loss and chemical breakdown of plasticizer were the major mechanisms....... Weight loss was used to quantify total loss of plasticizer. Changes in the distribution of DEHP were mapped using low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy (LV-SEM). Densitometry was used to quantify darkening of the PVC component of samples. Degradation of model formulations and naturally degraded objects...

Plasticity theory

CERN Document Server

Lubliner, Jacob

2008-01-01

The aim of Plasticity Theory is to provide a comprehensive introduction to the contemporary state of knowledge in basic plasticity theory and to its applications. It treats several areas not commonly found between the covers of a single book: the physics of plasticity, constitutive theory, dynamic plasticity, large-deformation plasticity, and numerical methods, in addition to a representative survey of problems treated by classical methods, such as elastic-plastic problems, plane plastic flow, and limit analysis; the problem discussed come from areas of interest to mechanical, structural, and

Investigation Of HDPE Plastic Waste Aggregate On The Properties Of Concrete

OpenAIRE

A. M. Mustafa Al Bakri; S. Mohammad Tamizi; A. R. Rafiza; Y. Zarina

2011-01-01

Quantities of polymer wastes have increased in recent years due to increases in industrialization and the rapid improvement in the standard of living. In Malaysia, most polymer wastes are abandoned and not recycled, causing serious problems, such as the waste of natural resources and environmental pollution. Polymer products, such as synthetic fibers, plastics, and rubber, are made from petrochemical compounds, and they degrade extremely slowly in the natural environment. Plastic materials ar...

Millimeter-sized marine plastics: a new pelagic habitat for microorganisms and invertebrates

OpenAIRE

Reisser, Julia Wiener; Shaw, Jeremy; Hallegraeff, Gustaaf; Proietti, Maíra Carneiro; Barnes, David; Thums, Michele; Wilcox, Chris; Hardesty, Britta Denise; Pattiaratchi, Charitha

2014-01-01

Millimeter-sized plastics are abundant in most marine surface waters, and known to carry fouling organisms that potentially play key roles in the fate and ecological impacts of plastic pollution. In this study we used scanning electron microscopy to characterize biodiversity of organisms on the surface of 68 small floating plastics (length range = 1.7–24.3 mm, median = 3.2 mm) from Australia-wide coastal and oceanic, tropical to temperate sample collections. Diatoms were the most diverse grou...

Radiation processing of plastics for decorative purposes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knizhnik, R.I.; Onisko, A.D.

1982-01-01

Methods are reviewed for the radiation processing of polymeric films, sheets, plates and panels to form patterns, drawings, images and decorative finishing which have been recently developed in various countries. Methods of beam and radiation processing of transparent plastics are described for making a decorative article with a pattern inside the volume; advantages and shortcomings of the methods are shown. The method of radiation processing of transparent dielectric plastics by electron beam of a Microtron is considered in detail. It provides an economical method of fabrication of large-size highly artistic decorative articles with an original pattern inside the volume. Radiation processing operations are presented which are aimed at creation and visualization of regions of extended thermalized electron space charges stored by irradiation of dielectric. Examples are presented of large-size highly artistic decorative articles of polymethylmethacrylate which were used in interior of buildings and demonstrated at home and international exhibitions. (author)

Plastic Deformation Characteristics Of AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Sheets At Elevated Temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jingee; Lee, Jongshin; You, Bongsun; Choi, Seogou; Kim, Youngsuk

2007-01-01

Using lightweight materials is the emerging need in order to reduce the vehicle's energy consumption and pollutant emissions. Being a lightweight material, magnesium alloys are increasingly employed in the fabrication of automotive and electronic parts. Presently, magnesium alloys used in automotive and electronic parts are mainly processed by die casting. The die casting technology allows the manufacturing of parts with complex geometry. However, the mechanical properties of these parts often do not meet the requirements concerning the mechanical properties (e.g. endurance strength and ductility). A promising alternative can be forming process. The parts manufactured by forming could have fine-grained structure without porosity and improved mechanical properties such as endurance strength and ductility. Because magnesium alloy has low formability resulted form its small slip system at room temperature it is usually formed at elevated temperature. Due to a rapid increase of usage of magnesium sheets in automotive and electronic industry it is necessary to assure database for sheet metal formability and plastic yielding properties in order to optimize its usage. Especially, plastic yielding criterion is a critical property to predict plastic deformation of sheet metal parts in optimizing process using CAE simulation. Von-Mises yield criterion generally well predicts plastic deformation of steel sheets and Hill'1979 yield criterion predicts plastic deformation of aluminum sheets. In this study, using biaxial tensile test machine yield loci of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet were obtained at elevated temperature. The yield loci ensured experimentally were compared with the theoretical predictions based on the Von-Mises, Hill, Logan-Hosford, and Barlat model

Resource conservation approached with an appropriate collection and upgrade-remanufacturing for used electronic products.

Science.gov (United States)

Zlamparet, Gabriel I; Tan, Quanyin; Stevels, A B; Li, Jinhui

2018-03-01

This comparative research represents an example for a better conservation of resources by reducing the amount of waste (kg) and providing it more value under the umbrella of remanufacturing. The three discussed cases will expose three issues already addressed separately in the literature. The generation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) interacts with the environmental depletion. In this article, we gave the examples of addressed issues under the concept of remanufacturing. Online collection opportunity eliminating classical collection, a business to business (B2B) implementation for remanufactured servers and medical devices. The material reuse (recycling), component sustainability, reuse (part harvesting), product reuse (after repair/remanufacturing) indicates the recovery potential using remanufacturing tool for a better conservation of resources adding more value to the products. Our findings can provide an overview of new system organization for the general collection, market potential and the technological advantages using remanufacturing instead of recycling of WEEE or used electrical and electronic equipment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Contribution of plastic waste recovery to greenhouse gas (GHG) savings in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Sevigné-Itoiz, Eva; Gasol, Carles M; Rieradevall, Joan; Gabarrell, Xavier

2015-12-01

This paper concentrates on the quantification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of post-consumer plastic waste recovery (material or energy) by considering the influence of the plastic waste quality (high or low), the recycled plastic applications (virgin plastic substitution or non-plastic substitution) and the markets of recovered plastic (regional or global). The aim is to quantify the environmental consequences of different alternatives in order to evaluate opportunities and limitations to select the best and most feasible plastic waste recovery option to decrease the GHG emissions. The methodologies of material flow analysis (MFA) for a time period of thirteen years and consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) have been integrated. The study focuses on Spain as a representative country for Europe. The results show that to improve resource efficiency and avoid more GHG emissions, the options for plastic waste management are dependent on the quality of the recovered plastic. The results also show that there is an increasing trend of exporting plastic waste for recycling, mainly to China, that reduces the GHG benefits from recycling, suggesting that a new focus should be introduced to take into account the split between local recycling and exporting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Google Trends as a Resource for Informing Plastic Surgery Marketing Decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Brittany; Ward, Max; Paskhover, Boris

2018-04-01

Celebrities have long influenced the medical decisions of the general population. By analyzing Google search data using Google Trends, we measured the impact of highly publicized plastic surgery-related events on the interest level of the general population in specific search terms. Additionally, we investigated seasonal and geographic trends around interest in rhinoplasties, which is information that physicians and small surgical centers can use to optimize marketing decisions. Google Trends was used to access search data histories for three separate areas of interest: Kylie Jenner and lip fillers, Joan Rivers and plastic surgery, and rhinoplasty, which were then analyzed using two-tailed, two-sample equal variance t-tests. The average interest level in fillers increased by 30.31 points after Kylie Jenner announced that she received Juvéderm lip injections. The interest level in plastic surgery was decreased by 21.3% the month after Joan Rivers' death. Between January 2004 and May 2017, the average interest level for rhinoplasty was significantly different in January/December (67.91 ± 20.68) and June/July (70.12 ± 18.89) from the remaining calendar months (63.58 ± 19.67). Los Angeles, New York City, and Miami showed consistently high interest levels throughout the time period, while Tulsa, OK, showed a major interest increase between 2015 to 2016 of 65 points. A noticeable impact was observed in both celebrity cases on search term volume, and a seasonal effect is apparent for rhinoplasty searches. As many surgeons already employ aggressive Internet marketing strategies, understanding and utilizing these trends could help optimize their investments, increase social engagement, and increase practice awareness by potential patients. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www

The conversion of waste plastics/petroleum residue mixtures to transportation fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, M.F.; Siddiqui, M.N.

2005-01-01

Plastics have become the material of choice in the modern world and its applications in the industrial field are continually increasing. Presently the plastics are manufactured for various uses such as: consumer packaging, wires, pipes, containers, bottles, appliances, electrical/electronic parts, computers and automotive parts. Most of he post consumer, plastic products are discarded and end up as mixed plastic municipal waste. The disposal of his waste has become a major social concern. Mixed plastic waste (MPW) recycling is still very much in its infancy. Approximately 20 million tons of plastic waste is generated in the United States of America, while about 15 million tons is generated throughout the Europe. With existing recycle efforts, only 7% of the MPW are recycled to produce low-grade plastic products such as plastic sacks, pipes, plastic fencing, and garden furniture. The current plastic reclamation technology options are generally grouped into the following four types: (i) Primary: The processing of plastic for use comparable to the original application. (ii) Secondary: The processing of plastics waste into new products with a lower quality level. (iii) Tertiary: The chemical or thermal processing of plastic waste to their basic hydrocarbon feedstock. The resulting raw materials are then reprocessed into plastic material or other products of the oil refining process. (iv) Quaternary: The incineration of plastics waste to recover energy. This paper deals exclusively with tertiary recycling by pyrolysis and catalytic cracking of plastics waste alone and by coprocessing with petroleum residue or heavy oils to fuels and petrochemical feedstock for further processing in existing refinery and petrochemical units. (author)

Effects of the Use of Electronic Human Resource Management (EHRM Within Human Resource Management (HRM Functions at Universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chux Gervase Iwu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study set out to examine the effect of e-hrm systems in assisting human resource practitioners to execute their duties and responsibilities. In comparison to developed economies of the world, information technology adoption in sub-Saharan Africa has not been without certain glitches. Some of the factors that are responsible for these include poor need identification, sustainable funding, and insufficient skills. Besides these factors, there is also the issue of change management and users sticking to what they already know. Although, the above factors seem negative, there is strong evidence that information systems such as electronic human resource management present benefits to an organization. To achieve this, a dual research approach was utilized. Literature assisted immensely in both the development of the conceptual framework upon which the study hinged as well as in the development of the questionnaire items. The study also made use of an interview checklist to guide the participants. The findings reveal a mix of responses that indicate that while there are gains in adopting e-hrm systems, it is wiser to consider supporting resources as well as articulate the needs of the university better before any investment is made.

A correlative approach to segmenting phases and ferrite morphologies in transformation-induced plasticity steel using electron back-scattering diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gazder, Azdiar A; Al-Harbi, Fayez; Spanke, Hendrik Th; Mitchell, David R G; Pereloma, Elena V

2014-12-01

Using a combination of electron back-scattering diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data, a segmentation procedure was developed to comprehensively distinguish austenite, martensite, polygonal ferrite, ferrite in granular bainite and bainitic ferrite laths in a thermo-mechanically processed low-Si, high-Al transformation-induced plasticity steel. The efficacy of the ferrite morphologies segmentation procedure was verified by transmission electron microscopy. The variation in carbon content between the ferrite in granular bainite and bainitic ferrite laths was explained on the basis of carbon partitioning during their growth. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic human resource management: Enhancing or entrancing?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Poisat

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Orientation: This article provides an investigation into the current level of development of the body of knowledge related to electronic human resource management (e-HRM by means of a qualitative content analysis. Several aspects of e-HRM, namely definitions of e-HRM, the theoretical perspectives around e-HRM, the role of e-HRM, the various types of e-HRM and the requirements for successful e-HRM, are examined. Research purpose: The purpose of the article was to determine the status of e-HRM and examine the studies that report on the link between e-HRM and organisational productivity. Motivation for the study: e-HRM has the capacity to improve organisational efficiency and leverage the role of human resources (HR as a strategic business partner. Main findings: The notion that the implementation of e-HRM will lead to improved organisational productivity is commonly assumed; however, empirical evidence in this regard was found to be limited. Practical/managerial implications: From the results of this investigation it is evident that more research is required to gain a greater understanding of the influence of e-HRM on organisational productivity, as well as to develop measures for assessing this influence. Contribution: This article proposes additional areas to research and measure when investigating the effectiveness of e-HRM. It provides a different lens from which to view e-HRM assessment whilst keeping it within recognised HR measurement parameters (the HR value chain. In addition, it not only provides areas for measuring e-HRM’s influence but also provides important clues as to how the measurements may be approached.

From waste plastics to industrial raw materials: A life cycle assessment of mechanical plastic recycling practice based on a real-world case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Fu; Guo, Jianfeng; Zhang, Wujie; Summers, Peter A; Hall, Philip

2017-12-01

Mechanical recycling of waste plastics is an environmental solution to the problem of waste plastic disposal, and has already become a common practice in industry. However, limited information can be found on either the industralised plastic recycling or the recycled materials, despite the use of recycled plastics has already extended to automobile production. This study investigates the life cycle environmental impacts of mechanical plastic recycling practice of a plastic recycling company in China. Waste plastics from various sources, such as agricultural wastes, plastic product manufacturers, collected solid plastic wastes and parts dismantled from waste electric and electronic equipments, are processed in three routes with products end up in different markets. The results of life cycle assessments show that the extrusion process has the largest environmental impacts, followed by the use of fillers and additives. Compared to production of virgin plastics and composites, the mechanical recycling is proved to be a superior alternative in most environmental aspects. Substituting virgin plastic composites with recycled plastic composites has achieved the highest environmental benefits, as virgin composite production has an impact almost 4 times higher that of the recycled composite production in each ReCiPe endpoint damage factor. Sensitivity analysis shows that the coverage of collecting network contribute affect little to overall environmental impact, and centralisation plays an important role in reducing overall environmental impacts. Among the fillers and additives, impact modifiers account for the most significant contributions to the environmental impacts of recycled composites. This study provides necessary information about the existing industrialised plastic recycling practice, and recommendations are given. Research implications are presented with the purpose to achieve higher substitution rate and lower environmental impact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B

Magical Engineering Plastic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Gwang Ung

1988-01-15

This book introduces engineering plastic about advantage of engineering plastic, plastic material from processing method, plastic shock, plastic until now, background of making of engineering plastic, wonderful engineering plastic science such as a high molecule and molecule, classification of high molecule, difference between metal and high molecule, heat and high molecule materials, and property of surface, engineering plastic of dream like from linseed oil to aramid, small dictionary of engineering plastic.

Magical Engineering Plastic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Gwang Ung

1988-01-01

This book introduces engineering plastic about advantage of engineering plastic, plastic material from processing method, plastic shock, plastic until now, background of making of engineering plastic, wonderful engineering plastic science such as a high molecule and molecule, classification of high molecule, difference between metal and high molecule, heat and high molecule materials, and property of surface, engineering plastic of dream like from linseed oil to aramid, small dictionary of engineering plastic.

Manufacture of wood/plastic composites by radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwamoto, Takeo

1976-01-01

The manufacture and use of wood/plastic composite (WPC) as an example of wood matrix and wood sawdust/plastic composites (SDP) as an example of plastic matrix are reviewed. The raw material for WPC are mostly vinyl monomers, particularly methyl methacrylate and styrene. The reaction in WPC polymerization is radical polymerization. Researches on the radiation sources mostly resulted in gamma-ray. Electron beam can be applied only to thin products. The future use of WPC may be for furnitures, sporting goods, decorative parts and the like. Vital study on the reduction of manufacturing costs is required, for example, the improvement of reaction and the adoption of continuous process must be considered. The raw materials for SDP are wood sawdust, vinyl monomer (mostly methyl methacrylate) and resins. Electron beam accelerators are the most preferable radiation source because of its high efficiency and safe operation. SDP shows good forming property. The most preferable use of SDP is as interior materials for prefabricated houses, for example, opening frames for bath rooms. Some combination of the technologies of wood engineering, chemical engineering and radiation engineering must be established to develop and maintain the demands. The present radiation sources are forced to grow to large scale industrially, but the establishment of radiation source technology which can be enlarged stepwise is important to keep pace with the development. (Iwakiri, K.)

Identifying and evaluating electronic learning resources for use in adult-gerontology nurse practitioner education.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Hilaire J; Belza, Basia; Baker, Margaret; Christianson, Phyllis; Doorenbos, Ardith; Nguyen, Huong

2014-01-01

Enhancing existing curricula to meet newly published adult-gerontology advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) competencies in an efficient manner presents a challenge to nurse educators. Incorporating shared, published electronic learning resources (ELRs) in existing or new courses may be appropriate in order to assist students in achieving competencies. The purposes of this project were to (a) identify relevant available ELR for use in enhancing geriatric APRN education and (b) to evaluate the educational utility of identified ELRs based on established criteria. A multilevel search strategy was used. Two independent team members reviewed identified ELR against established criteria to ensure utility. Only resources meeting all criteria were retained. Resources were found for each of the competency areas and included formats such as podcasts, Web casts, case studies, and teaching videos. In many cases, resources were identified using supplemental strategies and not through traditional search or search of existing geriatric repositories. Resources identified have been useful to advanced practice educators in improving lecture and seminar content in a particular topic area and providing students and preceptors with additional self-learning resources. Addressing sustainability within geriatric APRN education is critical for sharing of best practices among educators and for sustainability of teaching and related resources. © 2014.

Systematic review of electronic surveillance of infectious diseases with emphasis on antimicrobial resistance surveillance in resource-limited settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Rattanaumpawan, Pinyo; Boonyasiri, Adhiratha; Vong, Sirenda; Thamlikitkul, Visanu

2018-02-01

Electronic surveillance of infectious diseases involves rapidly collecting, collating, and analyzing vast amounts of data from interrelated multiple databases. Although many developed countries have invested in electronic surveillance for infectious diseases, the system still presents a challenge for resource-limited health care settings. We conducted a systematic review by performing a comprehensive literature search on MEDLINE (January 2000-December 2015) to identify studies relevant to electronic surveillance of infectious diseases. Study characteristics and results were extracted and systematically reviewed by 3 infectious disease physicians. A total of 110 studies were included. Most surveillance systems were developed and implemented in high-income countries; less than one-quarter were conducted in low-or middle-income countries. Information technologies can be used to facilitate the process of obtaining laboratory, clinical, and pharmacologic data for the surveillance of infectious diseases, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR) infections. These novel systems require greater resources; however, we found that using electronic surveillance systems could result in shorter times to detect targeted infectious diseases and improvement of data collection. This study highlights a lack of resources in areas where an effective, rapid surveillance system is most needed. The availability of information technology for the electronic surveillance of infectious diseases, including AMR infections, will facilitate the prevention and containment of such emerging infectious diseases. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanisms by Which Phenotypic Plasticity Affects Adaptive Divergence and Ecological Speciation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nonaka, Etsuko; Svanbäck, Richard; Thibert-Plante, Xavier; Englund, Göran; Brännström, Åke

2015-11-01

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of one genotype to produce different phenotypes depending on environmental conditions. Several conceptual models emphasize the role of plasticity in promoting reproductive isolation and, ultimately, speciation in populations that forage on two or more resources. These models predict that plasticity plays a critical role in the early stages of speciation, prior to genetic divergence, by facilitating fast phenotypic divergence. The ability to plastically express alternative phenotypes may, however, interfere with the early phase of the formation of reproductive barriers, especially in the absence of geographic barriers. Here, we quantitatively investigate mechanisms under which plasticity can influence progress toward adaptive genetic diversification and ecological speciation. We use a stochastic, individual-based model of a predator-prey system incorporating sexual reproduction and mate choice in the predator. Our results show that evolving plasticity promotes the evolution of reproductive isolation under diversifying environments when individuals are able to correctly select a more profitable habitat with respect to their phenotypes (i.e., adaptive habitat choice) and to assortatively mate with relatively similar phenotypes. On the other hand, plasticity facilitates the evolution of plastic generalists when individuals have a limited capacity for adaptive habitat choice. We conclude that plasticity can accelerate the evolution of a reproductive barrier toward adaptive diversification and ecological speciation through enhanced phenotypic differentiation between diverging phenotypes.

International policies to reduce plastic marine pollution from single-use plastics (plastic bags and microbeads): A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Xanthos, Dirk; Walker, Tony R

2017-05-15

Marine plastic pollution has been a growing concern for decades. Single-use plastics (plastic bags and microbeads) are a significant source of this pollution. Although research outlining environmental, social, and economic impacts of marine plastic pollution is growing, few studies have examined policy and legislative tools to reduce plastic pollution, particularly single-use plastics (plastic bags and microbeads). This paper reviews current international market-based strategies and policies to reduce plastic bags and microbeads. While policies to reduce microbeads began in 2014, interventions for plastic bags began much earlier in 1991. However, few studies have documented or measured the effectiveness of these reduction strategies. Recommendations to further reduce single-use plastic marine pollution include: (i) research to evaluate effectiveness of bans and levies to ensure policies are having positive impacts on marine environments; and (ii) education and outreach to reduce consumption of plastic bags and microbeads at source. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new approach for elasto-plastic finite strain analysis of cantilever ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

GЦKHAN T TAYYAR

mental kinematic theories are not well selected according to the expected deflection. ... elasto-plastic behavior to curvature-based kinematic dis- placement theory (KDT) [11]. In KDT ..... transportation and exploitation of sea resources. London:.

Influence of severe plastic deformation on intermetallic particles in Mg-12 wt.%Zn alloy investigated using transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Němec, M.; Gärtnerová, V.; Jäger, A.

2016-01-01

The in-depth microstructural characterization of intermetallic particles in an Mg-12 wt.%Zn binary alloy subjected to a severe plastic deformation is presented. The alloy was processed by four passes via equal channel angular pressing with an applied back pressure at a gradually decreasing temperature and analyzed using transmission electron microscopy techniques to observe the influence of processing on intermetallic particles. The results are compared with the initial state of the material prior to severe plastic deformation. The microstructural evolution of the α-Mg matrix and the Mg 21 Zn 25 , Mg 51 Zn 20 and MgZn 2 was analyzed using bright field imaging, selected area electron diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and high-angle annular dark field imaging in scanning mode. The plastic deformation process influenced the α-Mg matrix and each type of intermetallic particle. The α-Mg matrix consisted of two types of areas. The first type of area had a highly deformed structure, and the second type of area had a partially recrystallized structure with an average grain size of approximately 250 nm. The Mg 21 Zn 25 microparticles exhibited distinct forms in the α-Mg matrix that were characterized as a single-crystalline form, a nano-crystalline form and a broken up form. No evidence of Mg 51 Zn 20 nanoparticles within the α-Mg matrix was found in the microstructure, which indicates their dissolution or phase transformation during the deformation process. MgZn 2 nanoparticles exhibited different behavior in both types of α-Mg matrix. Two orientation relationships toward the highly deformed α-Mg matrix were observed; however, there was no relationship toward the partially recrystallized α-Mg matrix. Additionally, the growth of the MgZn 2 nanoparticles was different in the two types of α-Mg matrix. The Mg 51 Zn 20 nanoparticles inside Mg 21 Zn 25 microparticles exhibited a distinct behavior within the single-crystalline or nano

From Millennium ERM to Proquest 360 Resource Manager: Implementing a new Electronic Resources Management System ERMS in an International Graduate Research University in Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-01-01

An overview of the Recommendation Study and the subsequent Implementation of a new Electronic Resources Management system ERMS in an international graduate research university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It covers the timeline, deliverables

Plasticity of decagonal Al-Ni-Co single quasicrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schall, P.

2002-03-01

Decagonal quasicrystals exhibit quasiperiodic order along two spatial directions and periodic order along the third. Many physical properties of these materials show an anisotropic behaviour. Three different modifications of the decagonal phase in the Al-Ni-Co system were grown as single crystals using the Bridgman and flux growth techniques: quasicrystals of a nickel-rich composition, the so-called basic Ni phase, of a composition of about Al 70 Ni 15 Co 15 and of a cobalt-rich composition, so-called basic Co. Plastic deformation experiments at constant strain rate were carried out on these phases at temperatures of about 70 to 85% of the melting temperature. Stress-relaxation tests and temperature changes were performed during the deformation to study the strain-rate and temperature sensitivity of the flow stress, respectively. Distinct anisotropies are observed in the plastic behaviour, which differ fundamentally for the three modifications. Microstructural investigations of deformed samples by transmission electron microscopy show that plastic deformation is mediated by a dislocation mechanism. Depending on orientation a pure glide, a pure climb or a mixed glide and climb process is observed. Burgers vectors were determined by convergent beam electron diffraction in direction and length. Three different types of dislocations are observed, i.e. dislocations with a periodic, quasiperiodic and a mixed Burgers vector. The Burgers vectors were identified in a current structure model. The dislocations with the periodic and the mixed Burgers vector exhibit reactions which are of fundamental importance for the macroscopic deformation behaviour. In particular, they explain the different plastic behaviours of the three modifications. (orig.)

Study on calibration of neutron efficiency and relative photo-yield of plastic scintillator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Taiping; Zhang Chuanfei; Li Rurong; Zhang Jianhua; Luo Xiaobing; Xia Yijun; Yang Zhihua

2002-01-01

A method used for the calibration of neutron efficiency and the relative photo yield of plastic scintillator is studied. T(p, n) and D(d, n) reactions are used as neutron resources. The neutron efficiencies and the relative photo yields of plastic scintillators 1421 (40 mm in diameter and 5 mm in thickness) and determined in the neutron energy range of 0.655-5 MeV

Chapter 2.3 Cellulose Nanofibril Composite Substrates for Flexible Electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Ronald Sabo; Jung-Hun Seo; Zhenqiang Ma

2013-01-01

Flexible electronics have a large number of potential applications, including malleable displays and wearable computers. Current research into high-speed, flexible electronic substrates uses plastics for the flexible substrate, but these plastics typically have drawbacks, such as high thermal expansion coefficients. Transparent films made from cellulose...

All-natural bio-plastics using starch-betaglucan composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Sagnelli, Domenico; Kirkensgaard, Jacob J K; Giosafatto, Concetta Valeria L; Ogrodowicz, Natalia; Kruczała, Krzysztof; Mikkelsen, Mette S; Maigret, Jean-Eudes; Lourdin, Denis; Mortensen, Kell; Blennow, Andreas

2017-09-15

Grain polysaccharides represent potential valuable raw materials for next-generation advanced and environmentally friendly plastics. Thermoplastic starch (TPS) is processed using conventional plastic technology, such as casting, extrusion, and molding. However, to adapt the starch to specific functionalities chemical modifications or blending with synthetic polymers, such as polycaprolactone are required (e.g. Mater-Bi). As an alternative, all-natural and compostable bio-plastics can be produced by blending starch with other polysaccharides. In this study, we used a maize starch (ST) and an oat β-glucan (BG) composite system to produce bio-plastic prototype films. To optimize performing conditions, we investigated the full range of ST:BG ratios for the casting (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100 BG). The plasticizer used was glycerol. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) as a spin probe, showed that the composite films with high BG content had a flexible chemical environment. They showed decreased brittleness and improved cohesiveness with high stress and strain values at the break. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction displayed a decrease in crystallinity at high BG content. Our data show that the blending of starch with other natural polysaccharides is a noteworthy path to improve the functionality of all-natural polysaccharide bio-plastics systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leaf life span plasticity in tropical seedlings grown under contrasting light regimes

OpenAIRE

Vincent, Grégoire

2006-01-01

Background and Aims The phenotypic plasticity of leaf life span in response to low resource conditions has a potentially large impact on the plant carbon budget, notably in evergreen species not subject to seasonal leaf shedding, but has rarely been well documented. This study evaluates the plasticity of leaf longevity, in terms of its quantitative importance to the plant carbon balance under limiting light. Methods Seedlings of four tropical tree species with contrasting light requirements (...

Earthquake prediction research with plastic nuclear track detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woith, H.; Enge, W.; Beaujean, R.; Oschlies, K.

1988-01-01

Since 1984 a German-Turkish project on earthquake prediction research has been operating at the North Anatolian fault zone in Turkey. Among many other parameters changes in Radon emission have also been investigated. Plastic nuclear track detectors (Kodak cellulose nitrate LR 115) are used to record alpha-particles emitted from Radon and Thoron atoms and their daughter isotopes. The detectors are replaced and analyzed every 3 weeks. Thus a quasi-continuous time sequence of the Radon soil gas emission is recorded. We present a comparison between measurements made with electronic counters and plastic track detectors. (author)

Optical absorption in recycled waste plastic polyethylene

Science.gov (United States)

Aji, M. P.; Rahmawati, I.; Priyanto, A.; Karunawan, J.; Wati, A. L.; Aryani, N. P.; Susanto; Wibowo, E.; Sulhadi

2018-03-01

We investigated the optical properties of UV spectrum absorption in recycled waste plastic from polyethylene polymer type. Waste plastic polyethylene showed an optical spectrum absorption after it’s recycling process. Spectrum absorption is determined using spectrophotometer UV-Nir Ocean Optics type USB 4000. Recycling method has been processed using heating treatment around the melting point temperature of the polyethylene polymer that are 200°C, 220°C, 240°C, 260°C, and 280°C. In addition, the recycling process was carried out with time variations as well, which are 1h, 1.5h, 2h, and 2.5h. The result of this experiment shows that recycled waste plastic polyethylene has a spectrum absorption in the ∼ 340-550 nm wavelength range. The absorbance spectrum obtained from UV light which is absorbed in the orbital n → π* and the orbital π → π*. This process indicates the existence of electron transition phenomena. This mechanism is affected by the temperature and the heating time where the intensity of absorption increases and widens with the increase of temperature and heating time. Furthermore this study resulted that the higher temperature affected the enhancement of the band gap energy of waste plastic polyethylene. These results show that recycled waste plastic polyethylene has a huge potential to be absorber materials for solar cell.

Open-Source Electronic Health Record Systems for Low-Resource Settings: Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Syzdykova, Assel; Malta, André; Zolfo, Maria; Diro, Ermias; Oliveira, José Luis

2017-11-13

Despite the great impact of information and communication technologies on clinical practice and on the quality of health services, this trend has been almost exclusive to developed countries, whereas countries with poor resources suffer from many economic and social issues that have hindered the real benefits of electronic health (eHealth) tools. As a component of eHealth systems, electronic health records (EHRs) play a fundamental role in patient management and effective medical care services. Thus, the adoption of EHRs in regions with a lack of infrastructure, untrained staff, and ill-equipped health care providers is an important task. However, the main barrier to adopting EHR software in low- and middle-income countries is the cost of its purchase and maintenance, which highlights the open-source approach as a good solution for these underserved areas. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of open-source EHR systems based on the requirements and limitations of low-resource settings. First, we reviewed existing literature on the comparison of available open-source solutions. In close collaboration with the University of Gondar Hospital, Ethiopia, we identified common limitations in poor resource environments and also the main requirements that EHRs should support. Then, we extensively evaluated the current open-source EHR solutions, discussing their strengths and weaknesses, and their appropriateness to fulfill a predefined set of features relevant for low-resource settings. The evaluation methodology allowed assessment of several key aspects of available solutions that are as follows: (1) integrated applications, (2) configurable reports, (3) custom reports, (4) custom forms, (5) interoperability, (6) coding systems, (7) authentication methods, (8) patient portal, (9) access control model, (10) cryptographic features, (11) flexible data model, (12) offline support, (13) native client, (14) Web client,(15) other clients, (16) code

Municipal Solid Waste Resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2016-06-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is a source of biomass material that can be utilized for bioenergy production with minimal additional inputs. MSW resources include mixed commercial and residential garbage such as yard trimmings, paper and paperboard, plastics, rubber, leather, textiles, and food wastes. Waste resources such as landfill gas, mill residues, and waste grease are already being utilized for cost-effective renewable energy generation. MSW for bioenergy also represents an opportunity to divert greater volumes of residential and commercial waste from landfills.

Recycling of plastic waste: Screening for brominated flame retardants (BFRs).

Science.gov (United States)

Pivnenko, K; Granby, K; Eriksson, E; Astrup, T F

2017-11-01

Flame retardants are chemicals vital for reducing risks of fire and preventing human casualties and property losses. Due to the abundance, low cost and high performance of bromine, brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have had a significant share of the market for years. Physical stability on the other hand, has resulted in dispersion and accumulation of selected BFRs in the environment and receiving biota. A wide range of plastic products may contain BFRs. This affects the quality of waste plastics as secondary resource: material recycling may potentially reintroduce the BFRs into new plastic product cycles and lead to increased exposure levels, e.g. through use of plastic packaging materials. To provide quantitative and qualitative data on presence of BFRs in plastics, we analysed bromophenols (tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), dibromophenols (2,4- and 2,6-DBP) and 2,4,6-tribromophenol (2,4,6-TBP)), hexabromocyclododecane stereoisomers (α-, β-, and γ-HBCD), as well as selected polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in samples of household waste plastics, virgin and recycled plastics. A considerable number of samples contained BFRs, with highest concentrations associated with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS, up to 26,000,000ngTBBPA/g) and polystyrene (PS, up to 330,000ng∑HBCD/g). Abundancy in low concentrations of some BFRs in plastic samples suggested either unintended addition in plastic products or degradation of higher molecular weight BFRs. The presence of currently restricted flame retardants (PBDEs and HBCD) identified in the plastic samples illustrates that circular material flows may be contaminated for extended periods. The screening clearly showed a need for improved documentation and monitoring of the presence of BFRs in plastic waste routed to recycling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Transgenerational Plasticity in Plants: Case Studies, Mechanisms, and Implications for Natural Populations

OpenAIRE

Herman, Jacob J.; Sultan, Sonia E.

2011-01-01

Plants respond to environmental conditions not only by plastic changes to their own development and physiology, but also by altering the phenotypes expressed by their offspring. This transgenerational plasticity was initially considered to entail only negative effects of stressful parental environments, such as production of smaller seeds by resource- or temperature-stressed parent plants, and was therefore viewed as environmental noise. Recent evolutionary ecology studies have shown that in ...

Calculations of electron fluence correction factors using the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siegbahn, E A; Nilsson, B; Fernandez-Varea, J M; Andreo, P

2003-01-01

In electron-beam dosimetry, plastic phantom materials may be used instead of water for the determination of absorbed dose to water. A correction factor φ water plastic is then needed for converting the electron fluence in the plastic phantom to the fluence at an equivalent depth in water. The recommended values for this factor given by AAPM TG-25 (1991 Med. Phys. 18 73-109) and the IAEA protocols TRS-381 (1997) and TRS-398 (2000) disagree, in particular at large depths. Calculations of the electron fluence have been done, using the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE, in semi-infinite phantoms of water and common plastic materials (PMMA, clear polystyrene, A-150, polyethylene, Plastic water TM and Solid water TM (WT1)). The simulations have been carried out for monoenergetic electron beams of 6, 10 and 20 MeV, as well as for a realistic clinical beam. The simulated fluence correction factors differ from the values in the AAPM and IAEA recommendations by up to 2%, and are in better agreement with factors obtained by Ding et al (1997 Med. Phys. 24 161-76) using EGS4. Our Monte Carlo calculations are also in good accordance with φ water plastic values measured by using an almost perturbation-free ion chamber. The important interdependence between depth- and fluence-scaling corrections for plastic phantoms is discussed. Discrepancies between the measured and the recommended values of φ water plastic may then be explained considering the different depth-scaling rules used

Plastic Flow Induced by Single Ion Impacts on Gold

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birtcher, R.C.; Donnelly, S.E.

1996-01-01

The formation of holes in thin gold foils as a result of single ion impacts by 200keV Xe ions has been followed using transmission electron microscopy. Video recording provided details of microstructure evolution with a time resolution of 1/30th sec. Hole formation involves the movement by plastic flow of massive amounts of material, on the order of tens of thousands of Au atoms per ion impact. Plastic flow, as a consequence of individual ion impacts, results in a continual filling of both holes and craters as well as a thickening of the gold foil. Changes in morphology during irradiation is attributed to a localized, thermal-spike induced melting, coupled with plastic flow of effected material under the influence of surface forces. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Characteristics of A-150 plastic equivalent gas in A-150 plastic ionization chambers for p(66)Be(49) neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awschalom, M.; Rosenberg, I.; Ten Haken, R.K.; Pearson, D.W.; DeLuca, P.M. Jr.; Attix, F.H.

1982-01-01

The average energy necessary to produce an electron-ion pair (anti W) of a gas mixture having an atomic composition very close to that of A-150 plastic has been studied through use in different size ionization chambers made of that plastic in a p(66)Be(49) neutron therapy beam. A tentative value for anti W(A-150-gas) of 27.3 +/ -0.5 J C -1 was derived. The anti W value of the A-150 equivalent gas mixture is compared to those of methane-based tissue-equivalent gas and of air for the p(66)Be(49) neutron beam as well as to corresponding values found in similar experiments using 14.8 MeV monoenergetic neutrons

Root plasticity buffers competition among plants: theory meets experimental data.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiffers, Katja; Tielbörger, Katja; Tietjen, Britta; Jeltsch, Florian

2011-03-01

Morphological plasticity is a striking characteristic of plants in natural communities. In the context of foraging behavior particularly, root plasticity has been documented for numerous species. Root plasticity is known to mitigate competitive interactions by reducing the overlap of the individuals' rhizospheres. But despite its obvious effect on resource acquisition, plasticity has been generally neglected in previous empirical and theoretical studies estimating interaction intensity among plants. In this study, we developed a semi-mechanistic model that addresses this shortcoming by introducing the idea of compensatory growth into the classical-zone-of influence (ZOI) and field-of-neighborhood (FON) approaches. The model parameters describing the belowground plastic sphere of influence (PSI) were parameterized using data from an accompanying field experiment. Measurements of the uptake of a stable nutrient analogue at distinct distances to the neighboring plants showed that the study species responded plastically to belowground competition by avoiding overlap of individuals' rhizospheres. An unexpected finding was that the sphere of influence of the study species Bromus hordeaceus could be best described by a unimodal function of distance to the plant's center and not with a continuously decreasing function as commonly assumed. We employed the parameterized model to investigate the interplay between plasticity and two other important factors determining the intensity of competitive interactions: overall plant density and the distribution of individuals in space. The simulation results confirm that the reduction of competition intensity due to morphological plasticity strongly depends on the spatial structure of the competitive environment. We advocate the use of semi-mechanistic simulations that explicitly consider morphological plasticity to improve our mechanistic understanding of plant interactions.

Evaluation of three electronic report processing systems for preparing hydrologic reports of the U.S Geological Survey, Water Resources Division

Science.gov (United States)

Stiltner, G.J.

1990-01-01

In 1987, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey undertook three pilot projects to evaluate electronic report processing systems as a means to improve the quality and timeliness of reports pertaining to water resources investigations. The three projects selected for study included the use of the following configuration of software and hardware: Ventura Publisher software on an IBM model AT personal computer, PageMaker software on a Macintosh computer, and FrameMaker software on a Sun Microsystems workstation. The following assessment criteria were to be addressed in the pilot studies: The combined use of text, tables, and graphics; analysis of time; ease of learning; compatibility with the existing minicomputer system; and technical limitations. It was considered essential that the camera-ready copy produced be in a format suitable for publication. Visual improvement alone was not a consideration. This report consolidates and summarizes the findings of the electronic report processing pilot projects. Text and table files originating on the existing minicomputer system were successfully transformed to the electronic report processing systems in American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) format. Graphics prepared using a proprietary graphics software package were transferred to all the electronic report processing software through the use of Computer Graphic Metafiles. Graphics from other sources were entered into the systems by scanning paper images. Comparative analysis of time needed to process text and tables by the electronic report processing systems and by conventional methods indicated that, although more time is invested in creating the original page composition for an electronically processed report , substantial time is saved in producing subsequent reports because the format can be stored and re-used by electronic means as a template. Because of the more compact page layouts, costs of printing the reports were 15% to 25

Evaluation of climatic vibration testing on plastic waterproof enclosure for electronic equipment using ANSYS[reg] workbench

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aw, K.C.; Huang, W.D.J.; De Silva, M.W.R.P.

2007-01-01

Designing and testing of waterproof enclosure for electronic equipment involves significant amount of time and resources. This paper concentrates on electronic equipment used for maritime application. Typical waterproof test perform is based on the IEC 60529 standards and is insufficient to determine its reliability. Since, these enclosures were subjected to environmental stress such as heat and vibration and there is a need to understand how these affect the waterproof performance. Simulation using ANSYS workbench software was performed to comprehend the effect of various parameters of accelerated testing performed on these waterproof enclosures. Experiments were performed to examine the correlation with simulation results. The results confirmed that accelerated testing with random vibration at cold temperature causes greatest stress and causes degradation to adhesive bonds and hence affect the waterproof performance

Competitive forces and academic plastic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, S H

1998-04-01

Economic constraints developing as a result of rising health care costs in the United States pose significant challenges for and threats to the survival of academic plastic surgery. Declining clinical revenues, competition for patients and resources from other health care providers, and reductions in support of its education and research efforts necessitate a paradigm shift if it is to survive. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 92 of the 100 postgraduate training program directors of plastic surgery in the United States. The most common source of clinical income on a national basis was indemnity insurance. Sources of clinical income varied by region. The majority of programs, 80 percent, report that at least 75 percent of the income support for faculty came from practice income. Financial support for ancillary and research personnel, in large part, came from this same source. Resident salaries and benefits came largely from other resources. Generally as population density within the metropolitan area in which a program was located increased, so too did the number of competing plastic surgeons, including graduates of the program and nonacademic cosmetic and hand surgeons. However, levels of competition for cosmetic surgery in smaller metropolitan areas of some regions seem to be similar to those reported by programs in larger communities. Plastic surgery programs in very competitive communities received significantly greater amounts of their income from indemnity insurance and self-paying patients than did programs in less competitive metropolitan areas. Internal competition from other surgical and nonsurgical specialists within the same institution is likewise keen. Virtually all respondents, 93 percent, report that their institutions provided patient care in a least one designated center of excellence in the following disciplines: hand, microsurgery, craniofacial, cleft lip and palate, burn, and cosmetic surgery. This study suggests that centers of

The second green revolution? Production of plant-based biodegradable plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Mooney, Brian P

2009-03-01

Biodegradable plastics are those that can be completely degraded in landfills, composters or sewage treatment plants by the action of naturally occurring micro-organisms. Truly biodegradable plastics leave no toxic, visible or distinguishable residues following degradation. Their biodegradability contrasts sharply with most petroleum-based plastics, which are essentially indestructible in a biological context. Because of the ubiquitous use of petroleum-based plastics, their persistence in the environment and their fossil-fuel derivation, alternatives to these traditional plastics are being explored. Issues surrounding waste management of traditional and biodegradable polymers are discussed in the context of reducing environmental pressures and carbon footprints. The main thrust of the present review addresses the development of plant-based biodegradable polymers. Plants naturally produce numerous polymers, including rubber, starch, cellulose and storage proteins, all of which have been exploited for biodegradable plastic production. Bacterial bioreactors fed with renewable resources from plants--so-called 'white biotechnology'--have also been successful in producing biodegradable polymers. In addition to these methods of exploiting plant materials for biodegradable polymer production, the present review also addresses the advances in synthesizing novel polymers within transgenic plants, especially those in the polyhydroxyalkanoate class. Although there is a stigma associated with transgenic plants, especially food crops, plant-based biodegradable polymers, produced as value-added co-products, or, from marginal land (non-food), crops such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), have the potential to become viable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics and an environmentally benign and carbon-neutral source of polymers.

Use and User Perception of Electronic Information Resources: A Case Study of Siva Institute of Frontier Technology, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Velmurugan Chandran

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The present study aims to explore the use and user perception of electronic resources in Siva Institute of Frontier Technology, India. A total number of 123 users were taken into account for the study through a questionnaire-based survey method. A well-structured questionnaire was designed and distributed to the selected 200 students and staff members. 123 copies of the questionnaires were returned dully filled in and the overall response rate was 61.50 percent. The questionnaire contained both open- and close-ended questions. The collected data were classified, analyzed, and tabulated by using simple statistical methods. This study covers the impact of electronic resources on students and faculty in their academic pursuit.

Telemedicine and Plastic Surgery: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denis Souto Valente

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Telemedicine can be defined as the use of electronic media for transmission of information and medical data from one site to another. The objective of this study is to demonstrate an experience of telemedicine in plastic surgery. Methods. 32 plastic surgeons received a link with password for real-time streaming of a surgery. At the end of the procedure, the surgeons attending the procedure by the Internet answered five questions. The results were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results. 27 plastic surgeons attended the online procedure in real-time. 96.3% considered the access to the website as good or excellent and 3.7% considered it bad. 14.8% reported that the transmission was bad and 85.2% considered the quality of transmission as good or excellent. 96.3% classified the live broadcasting as a good or excellent learning experience and 3.7% considered it a bad experience. 92.6% reported feeling able to perform this surgery after watching the demo and 7.4% did not feel able. 100% of participants said they would like to participate in other surgical demonstrations over the Internet. Conclusion. We conclude that the use of telemedicine can provide more access to education and medical research, for plastic surgeons looking for medical education from distant regions.

A preliminary categorization of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment as secondary metal resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oguchi, Masahiro; Murakami, Shinsuke; Sakanakura, Hirofumi; Kida, Akiko; Kameya, Takashi

2011-01-01

Highlights: → End-of-life electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) as secondary metal resources. → The content and the total amount of metals in specific equipment are both important. → We categorized 21 EEE types from contents and total amounts of various metals. → Important equipment types as secondary resources were listed for each metal kind. → Collectability and possible collection systems of various EEE types were discussed. - Abstract: End-of-life electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) has recently received attention as a secondary source of metals. This study examined characteristics of end-of-life EEE as secondary metal resources to consider efficient collection and metal recovery systems according to the specific metals and types of EEE. We constructed an analogy between natural resource development and metal recovery from end-of-life EEE and found that metal content and total annual amount of metal contained in each type of end-of-life EEE should be considered in secondary resource development, as well as the collectability of the end-of-life products. We then categorized 21 EEE types into five groups and discussed their potential as secondary metal resources. Refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and CRT TVs were evaluated as the most important sources of common metals, and personal computers, mobile phones, and video games were evaluated as the most important sources of precious metals. Several types of small digital equipment were also identified as important sources of precious metals; however, mid-size information and communication technology (ICT) equipment (e.g., printers and fax machines) and audio/video equipment were shown to be more important as a source of a variety of less common metals. The physical collectability of each type of EEE was roughly characterized by unit size and number of end-of-life products generated annually. Current collection systems in Japan were examined and potentially appropriate collection

The Ecological Impacts of Marine Plastic Debris in the South Pacific Region

OpenAIRE

Chowra, Isabella

2013-01-01

The population in the Pacific Islands region is vastly dependant on their oceanic resources, for food, protection and economic income. Today the Pacific Ocean faces many threats that could risk the living hood of its population. This study aims to map the extent of plastic pollution in the South Pacific and possible measurements against it. The study will also be focused on plastic shopping bags and try to assess the most environmentally friendly option. This will be achieved by literature re...

Standard guide for preparation of plastics and polymeric specimens for microstructural examination

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2004-01-01

1.1 This guide covers recommended procedures and guidelines for the preparation of plastic and polymeric specimens for microstructural examination by light and electron microscopy. 1.2 This guide is applicable to most semi-rigid and rigid plastics, including engineering plastics. This guide is also applicable to some non-rigid plastics. 1.3 The procedures and guidelines presented in this guide are those which generally produce satisfactory specimens. This guide does not describe the variations in techniques required to solve individual problems. 1.4 Many detailed descriptions of grinding and polishing of plastics and polymers are available (1-7). 1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

Plastic Surgery

Science.gov (United States)

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Plastic Surgery KidsHealth / For Teens / Plastic Surgery What's in ... her forehead lightened with a laser? What Is Plastic Surgery? Just because the name includes the word " ...

Principles of formation of the content of an educational electronic resource on the basis of general and didactic patterns of learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ольга Юрьевна Заславская

2018-12-01

Full Text Available The article considers the influence of the development of technical means of teaching on the effectiveness of educational and methodical resources. Modern opportunities of information and communication technologies allow creating electronic educational resources that represent educational information that automates the learning process, provide information assistance, if necessary, collect and process statistical information on the degree of development of the content of the school material by schoolchildren, set an individual trajectory of learning, and so on. The main principle of data organization is the division of the training course into separate sections on the thematic elements and components of the learning process. General regularities include laws that encompass the entire didactic system, and in specific (particular cases, those whose actions extend to a separate component (aspect of the system. From the standpoint of the existence of three types of electronic training modules in the aggregate content of the electronic learning resource - information, control and module of practical classes - the principles of the formation of the electronic learning resource, in our opinion, should regulate all these components. Each of the certain principles is considered in the groups: scientific orientation, methodological orientation, systemic nature, accounting of interdisciplinary connections, fundamentalization, systematic and dosage sequence, rational use of study time, accessibility, minimization, operationalization of goals, unified identification diagnosis.

Plastic Logic quits e-reader market

Science.gov (United States)

Perks, Simon

2012-07-01

A UK firm spun out from the University of Cambridge that sought to be a world leader in flexible organic electronic circuits and displays has pulled out of the competitive e-reader market as it struggles to find a commercial outlet for its technology. Plastic Logic announced in May that it is to close its development facility in Mountain View, California, with the loss of around 40 jobs.

Plastic dosimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagai, Shiro; Matsuda, Kohji.

1988-01-01

The report outlines major features and applications of plastic dosimeters. Some plastic dosimeters, including the CTA and PVC types, detect the response of the plastic material itself to radiations while others, such as pigment-added plastic dosimeters, contain additives as radiation detecting material. Most of these dosimeters make use of color centers produced in the dosimeter by radiations. The PMMA dosimeter is widely used in the field of radiation sterilization of food, feed and medical apparatus. The blue cellophane dosimeter is easy to handle if calibrated appropriately. The rad-color dosimeter serves to determine whether products have been irradiated appropriately. The CTA dosimeter has better damp proofing properties than the blue cellophane type. The pigment-added plastic dosimeter consists of a resin such as nylon, CTA or PVC that contains a dye. Some other plastic dosimeters are also described briefly. Though having many advantages, these plastic dosimeter have disadvantages as well. Some of their major disadvantages, including fading as well as large dependence on dose, temperature, humidity and anviroment, are discussed. (Nogami, K.)

Plastic evolution behavior of H340LAD-Z steel by an optical method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Nan; Liang, Jin; Yu, Qiang; Qian, Boxing

2017-02-01

An optical method based on digital image correlation (DIC) technology was proposed to measure the plastic evolution of the high-strength low alloy steel H340LAD-Z. The basic principle of DIC technology is introduced, and then, the use of a 3D deformation measurement system and electronic universal testing machine to dynamically measure plastic evolution during the tensile yield stage is described. Through the full-field full-process measurement of plastic deformation during the yield stage in the 0°, 45° and 90° loading directions, the plastic evolution law was revealed. The results demonstrate that the proposed 3D DIC method can accurately reveal the starting and ending times for plastic evolution. The specimens in the three directions exhibit different plastic evolution behaviors, although they have similar yield strengths and yield times. The specimens in the 45° and 90° loading directions began to enter plastic deformation from bottom to top and the plastic area was maintained in a constant deformed state, while the evolution behavior in the 0° direction transited from both sides to the middle and plastic deformation was uneven. It is important to study plastic evolution of a metal sheet to determine the material properties and to provide an accurate basis for finite element modeling.

Plastic evolution behavior of H340LAD-Z steel by an optical method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Nan; Liang, Jin; Yu, Qiang; Qian, Boxing

2017-01-01

An optical method based on digital image correlation (DIC) technology was proposed to measure the plastic evolution of the high-strength low alloy steel H340LAD-Z. The basic principle of DIC technology is introduced, and then, the use of a 3D deformation measurement system and electronic universal testing machine to dynamically measure plastic evolution during the tensile yield stage is described. Through the full-field full-process measurement of plastic deformation during the yield stage in the 0°, 45° and 90° loading directions, the plastic evolution law was revealed. The results demonstrate that the proposed 3D DIC method can accurately reveal the starting and ending times for plastic evolution. The specimens in the three directions exhibit different plastic evolution behaviors, although they have similar yield strengths and yield times. The specimens in the 45° and 90° loading directions began to enter plastic deformation from bottom to top and the plastic area was maintained in a constant deformed state, while the evolution behavior in the 0° direction transited from both sides to the middle and plastic deformation was uneven. It is important to study plastic evolution of a metal sheet to determine the material properties and to provide an accurate basis for finite element modeling.

Polymer electronics

CERN Document Server

Geoghegan, Mark

2013-01-01

Polymer electronics is the science behind many important new developments in technology, such as the flexible electronic display (e-ink) and many new developments in transistor technology. Solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and transistors are all areas where plastic electronics is likely to, or is already having, a serious impact on our daily lives. With polymer transistors and light-emitting diodes now being commercialised, there is a clear need for a pedagogic text thatdiscusses the subject in a clear and concise fashion suitable for senior undergraduate and graduate students. The content

Technical Note: Dosimetry of Leipzig and Valencia applicators without the plastic cap

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Granero, D., E-mail: dgranero@eresa.com [Department of Radiation Physics, ERESA, Hospital General Universitario, Valencia 46014 (Spain); Candela-Juan, C. [National Dosimetry Centre (CND), Instituto Nacional de Gestión Sanitaria, Valencia 46009 (Spain); Vijande, J. [Department of Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics, University of Valencia, Burjassot 46100, Spain and Instituto de Física Corpuscular (UV-CSIC), Burjassot 46100 (Spain); Ballester, F. [Department of Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics, University of Valencia, Burjassot 46100, Spain and Instituto de Fisica Corpuscular (UV-CSIC), Burjassot 46100 (Spain); Perez-Calatayud, J. [Radiation Oncology Department, La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital, Valencia 46026, Spain and Department of Radiotherapy, Clínica Benidorm, Benidorm 03501 (Spain); Jacob, D.; Mourtada, F. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, Delaware 19713 (United States)

2016-05-15

Purpose: High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy for treatment of small skin lesions using the Leipzig and Valencia applicators is a widely used technique. These applicators are equipped with an attachable plastic cap to be placed during fraction delivery to ensure electronic equilibrium and to prevent secondary electrons from reaching the skin surface. The purpose of this study is to report on the dosimetric impact of the cap being absent during HDR fraction delivery, which has not been explored previously in the literature. Methods: GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations (version 10.0) have been performed for the Leipzig and Valencia applicators with and without the plastic cap. In order to validate the Monte Carlo simulations, experimental measurements using radiochromic films have been done. Results: Dose absorbed within 1 mm of the skin surface increases by a factor of 1500% for the Leipzig applicators and of 180% for the Valencia applicators. Deeper than 1 mm, the overdosage flattens up to a 10% increase. Conclusions: Differences of treating with or without the plastic cap are significant. Users must check always that the plastic cap is in place before any treatment in order to avoid overdosage of the skin. Prior to skin HDR fraction delivery, the timeout checklist should include verification of the cap placement.

Characteristics of a New Plastic Explosive Named EPX-1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Elbeih

2015-01-01

Full Text Available EPX-1 is a new plastic explosive (in the research stage which has been prepared for military and civilian applications. EPX-1 explosive contains pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN with different particle size as explosive filler bonded by nonenergetic thermoplastic binder plasticized by dibutyl phthalate (DBP. In this paper, the production method of EPX-1 was described. The crystal morphology was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM. Heat of combustion was determined experimentally. The compatibility of PETN with the polymeric matrix was studied by vacuum stability test. Sensitivities to impact and friction were measured. The detonation velocity was measured experimentally and the detonation characteristics were calculated by EXPLO5 thermodynamic code. For comparison, Semtex 1A, Semtex 10, Formex P1, and Sprängdeg m/46 were studied. It was concluded that PEX-1 has compatible ingredients, it has the highest detonation velocity of all the studied plastic explosives, and its sensitivity is in the same level of the studied plastic explosives except Semtex 1A.

Challenges and opportunities of biodegradable plastics: A mini review.

Science.gov (United States)

Rujnić-Sokele, Maja; Pilipović, Ana

2017-02-01

The concept of materials coming from nature with environmental advantages of being biodegradable and/or biobased (often referred to as bioplastics) is very attractive to the industry and to the consumers. Bioplastics already play an important role in the fields of packaging, agriculture, gastronomy, consumer electronics and automotive, but still they have a very low share in the total production of plastics (currently about 1% of the about 300 million tonnes of plastic produced annually). Biodegradable plastics are often perceived as the possible solution for the waste problem, but biodegradability is just an additional feature of the material to be exploited at the end of its life in specific terms, in the specific disposal environment and in a specific time, which is often forgotten. They should be used as a favoured choice for the applications that demand a cheap way to dispose of the item after it has fulfilled its job (e.g. for food packaging, agriculture or medical products). The mini-review presents the opportunities and future challenges of biodegradable plastics, regarding processing, properties and waste management options.

Life in the "plastisphere": microbial communities on plastic marine debris.

Science.gov (United States)

Zettler, Erik R; Mincer, Tracy J; Amaral-Zettler, Linda A

2013-07-02

Plastics are the most abundant form of marine debris, with global production rising and documented impacts in some marine environments, but the influence of plastic on open ocean ecosystems is poorly understood, particularly for microbial communities. Plastic marine debris (PMD) collected at multiple locations in the North Atlantic was analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and next-generation sequencing to characterize the attached microbial communities. We unveiled a diverse microbial community of heterotrophs, autotrophs, predators, and symbionts, a community we refer to as the "Plastisphere". Pits visualized in the PMD surface conformed to bacterial shapes suggesting active hydrolysis of the hydrocarbon polymer. Small-subunit rRNA gene surveys identified several hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, supporting the possibility that microbes play a role in degrading PMD. Some Plastisphere members may be opportunistic pathogens (the authors, unpublished data) such as specific members of the genus Vibrio that dominated one of our plastic samples. Plastisphere communities are distinct from surrounding surface water, implying that plastic serves as a novel ecological habitat in the open ocean. Plastic has a longer half-life than most natural floating marine substrates, and a hydrophobic surface that promotes microbial colonization and biofilm formation, differing from autochthonous substrates in the upper layers of the ocean.

Plastic Muscles TM as lightweight, low voltage actuators and sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Matthew; Leo, Donald; Duncan, Andrew

2008-03-01

Using proprietary technology, Discover Technologies has developed ionomeric polymer transducers that are capable of long-term operation in air. These "Plastic Muscle TM" transducers are useful as soft distributed actuators and sensors and have a wide range of applications in the aerospace, robotics, automotive, electronics, and biomedical industries. Discover Technologies is developing novel fabrication methods that allow the Plastic Muscles TM to be manufactured on a commercial scale. The Plastic Muscle TM transducers are capable of generating more than 0.5% bending strain at a peak strain rate of over 0.1 %/s with a 3 V input. Because the Plastic Muscles TM use an ionic liquid as a replacement solvent for water, they are able to operate in air for long periods of time. Also, the Plastic Muscles TM do not exhibit the characteristic "back relaxation" phenomenon that is common in water-swollen devices. The elastic modulus of the Plastic Muscle TM transducers is estimated to be 200 MPa and the maximum generated stress is estimated to be 1 MPa. Based on these values, the maximum blocked force at the tip of a 6 mm wide, 35 mm long actuator is estimated to be 19 mN. Modeling of the step response with an exponential series reveals nonlinearity in the transducers' behavior.

Black plastics: Linear and circular economies, hazardous additives and marine pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Andrew

2018-05-17

Black products constitute about 15% of the domestic plastic waste stream, of which the majority is single-use packaging and trays for food. This material is not, however, readily recycled owing to the low sensitivity of black pigments to near infrared radiation used in conventional plastic sorting facilities. Accordingly, there is mounting evidence that the demand for black plastics in consumer products is partly met by sourcing material from the plastic housings of end-of-life waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE). Inefficiently sorted WEEE plastic has the potential to introduce restricted and hazardous substances into the recyclate, including brominated flame retardants (BFRs), Sb, a flame retardant synergist, and the heavy metals, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb. The current paper examines the life cycles of single-use black food packaging and black plastic WEEE in the context of current international regulations and directives and best practices for sorting, disposal and recycling. The discussion is supported by published and unpublished measurements of restricted substances (including Br as a proxy for BFRs) in food packaging, EEE plastic goods and non-EEE plastic products. Specifically, measurements confirm the linear economy of plastic food packaging and demonstrate a complex quasi-circular economy for WEEE plastic that results in significant and widespread contamination of black consumer goods ranging from thermos cups and cutlery to tool handles and grips, and from toys and games to spectacle frames and jewellery. The environmental impacts and human exposure routes arising from WEEE plastic recycling and contamination of consumer goods are described, including those associated with marine pollution. Regarding the latter, a compilation of elemental data on black plastic litter collected from beaches of southwest England reveals a similar chemical signature to that of contaminated consumer goods and blended plastic WEEE recyclate, exemplifying the pervasiveness

From Millennium ERM to Proquest 360 Resource Manager: Implementing a new Electronic Resources Management System ERMS in an International Graduate Research University in Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-05-17

An overview of the Recommendation Study and the subsequent Implementation of a new Electronic Resources Management system ERMS in an international graduate research university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It covers the timeline, deliverables and challenges as well as lessons learnt by the Project Team.

Millimeter-sized marine plastics: a new pelagic habitat for microorganisms and invertebrates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia Reisser

Full Text Available Millimeter-sized plastics are abundant in most marine surface waters, and known to carry fouling organisms that potentially play key roles in the fate and ecological impacts of plastic pollution. In this study we used scanning electron microscopy to characterize biodiversity of organisms on the surface of 68 small floating plastics (length range = 1.7-24.3 mm, median = 3.2 mm from Australia-wide coastal and oceanic, tropical to temperate sample collections. Diatoms were the most diverse group of plastic colonizers, represented by 14 genera. We also recorded 'epiplastic' coccolithophores (7 genera, bryozoans, barnacles (Lepas spp., a dinoflagellate (Ceratium, an isopod (Asellota, a marine worm, marine insect eggs (Halobates sp., as well as rounded, elongated, and spiral cells putatively identified as bacteria, cyanobacteria, and fungi. Furthermore, we observed a variety of plastic surface microtextures, including pits and grooves conforming to the shape of microorganisms, suggesting that biota may play an important role in plastic degradation. This study highlights how anthropogenic millimeter-sized polymers have created a new pelagic habitat for microorganisms and invertebrates. The ecological ramifications of this phenomenon for marine organism dispersal, ocean productivity, and biotransfer of plastic-associated pollutants, remains to be elucidated.

Manufacture of plastic parts by radiation molding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leszyk, G.M.; Morrison, E.D.; Williams, R.F. Jr.

1977-01-01

Thin plastic parts which can have precise tolerances and can be of complex shape are prepared by casting a viscous radiation-curable composition onto a support, such as a moving web of polymeric material, in the shape of the desired part and then irradiating, for example with ultraviolet radiation or high energy electrons, to cause curing of the composition to a solid plastic. The radiation-curable composition is formulated with viscosity and flow characteristics it to be cast in the exact shape of the part desired yet retain this shape during curing while supported only by the surface on which it has been cast. Plastic parts made by this method can be formed entirely of the radiation-curable composition by casting onto a web having a release surface from which the part can be stripped subsequent to curing or can be formed partially from a web material and partially from the radiation-curable composition by casting onto a web to which the composition will bond and subsequently cutting the web into discrete portions which include the cured composition

The Synthesis of the Hierarchical Structure of Information Resources for Management of Electronic Commerce Entities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krutova Anzhelika S.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to develop the theoretical bases for the classification and coding of economic information and the scientific justification of the content of information resources of an electronic commerce enterprise. The essence of information resources for management of electronic business entities is investigated. It is proved that the organization of accounting in e-commerce systems is advisable to be built on the basis of two circuits: accounting for financial flows and accounting associated with transformation of business factors in products and services as a result of production activities. There presented a sequence of accounting organization that allows to combine the both circuits in a single information system, which provides a possibility for the integrated replenishment and distributed simultaneous use of the e-commerce system by all groups of users. It is proved that the guarantee of efficient activity of the information management system of electronic commerce entities is a proper systematization of the aggregate of information resources on economic facts and operations of an enterprise in accordance with the management tasks by building the hierarchy of accounting nomenclatures. It is suggested to understand nomenclature as an objective, primary information aggregate concerning a certain fact of the economic activity of an enterprise, which is characterized by minimum requisites, is entered into the database of the information system and is to be reflected in the accounting system. It is proposed to build a database of e-commerce systems as a part of directories (constants, personnel, goods / products, suppliers, buyers and the hierarchy of accounting nomenclatures. The package of documents regulating the organization of accounting at an enterprise should include: the provision on the accounting services, the order on the accounting policy, the job descriptions, the schedules of information exchange, the report card and

Study on the synthesis of antibacterial plastic by using silver nanoparticles doped in zeolite framework

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Anh Quoc; Dang Van Phu; Nguyen Ngoc Duy; Nguyen Thi Kim Lan; Vo Thi Kim Lang; Nguyen Quoc Hien

2015-01-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) doped in the zeolite framework (AgNPs/Z) were successfully synthesized by gamma irradiation in ethanol solution of silver ion-zeolite (Ag"+/Z) prepared by ion exchange reaction between silver nitrate (AgNO_3) and zeolite 4A. The effect of the Ag"+ concentration and irradiation dose on the formation of AgNPs/Z were also investigated. AgNPs/Z with the silver content of about 10,000 ppm and AgNPs size of about 27 nm was characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Firstly, AgNPs/Z was added into PP resins for creation of PP-AgNPs/Z masterbatch (Ag content of ~1.000 ppm) and then PP-AgNPs/Z plastics were prepared by mixing masterbatch with PP resins. The antibacterial activity of the PP-AgNPs/Z plastics was investigated against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli). The results showed that PP-AgNPs/Z plastic contained 100 ppm of Ag possessed a high antibacterial property, namely the bactericidal effect was more than 96% on the plastic surface. In conclusion, possessing many advantages such as: vigorously antimicrobial effect and good dispersion in plastic matrix, AgNPs/Z is promising to be applied as bactericidal agent for plastic industry. (author)

Study on the synthesis of antibacterial plastic by using silver nanoparticles doped in zeolite framework

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Anh Quoc; Dang Van Phu; Nguyen Ngoc Duy; Nguyen Thi Kim Lan; Vo Thi Kim Lang; Nguyen Quoc Hien

2016-01-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) doped in the zeolite framework (AgNPs/Z) were successfully synthesized by γ-irradiation in ethanol solution of silver ion-zeolite (Ag"+/Z) prepared by ion exchange reaction between silver nitrate (AgNO_3) and zeolite 4A. The effects of the Ag"+ concentration and irradiation dose on the formation of AgNPs/Z were also investigated. AgNPs/Z with the silver content of about 10,000 ppm and the average particle size of AgNPs of about 27 nm was characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Firstly, AgNPs/Z was added into PP resins for creation of PP-AgNPs/Z masterbatch (Ag content of ~10.000 ppm) and then PP-AgNPs/Z plastics were prepared by mixing masterbatch with PP resins. The antibacterial activity of the PP-AgNPs/Z plastics was investigated against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli). The results showed that PPAgNPs/Z plastic contained 100 ppm of Ag possessed a high antibacterial property, namely the bactericidal effect was more than 96 % on the plastic surface. In conclusion, possessing many advantages such as: vigorously antibacterial effect and good dispersion in plastic matrix, AgNPs/Z is promising to be applied as bactericidal agent for plastic industry. (author)

plastic waste recycling

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Ahmed

incinerators is increasing around the world. Discarded plastic products ... Agency (EPA) estimated that the amount of plastics throw away is. 50 % greater in the ... The waste plastics were identified using the Society of the Plastic. Industry (SPI) ...

In Situ Manufacturing of Plastics and Composites to Support H&R Exploration, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Makel Engineering and BAE Systems propose to develop processes to manufacture plastics and composites for radiation shielding based on In Situ Resources Utilization...

Comparative scanning electron microscope study of the degradation of a plasticized polyvinyl chloride waterproofing membrane in different conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedrosa, A.; Del Río, M.

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the analysis of several samples of a plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC-P) waterproofing membrane. The samples were extracted from different areas of the same flat roof, which was in service for over 12 years. An original sample of an identical PVC-P membrane that was not installed on the roof was also analyzed. The analysis of the materials was carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). An elemental analysis of every sample was also performed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Micrographs and the elemental composition of the samples were compared with the data obtained in the analysis of the original sample. The results show dehydrochlorination of the polymer in two of the samples studied and great deterioration that was not visible to the naked eye in the sample that was totally exposed to the weather. [es

The Current State Of Secondary Resource Usage In Ukraine

OpenAIRE

Julia Makovetska

2011-01-01

The state and the perspectives of the development of secondary resource usage in Ukraine have been analyzed in the article. The level of the main types recyclable materials as paper and cardboard, glass, plastics, waste tires are considered. Priority directions of development of the secondary resources usage have been defined.

Odours from marine plastic debris induce food search behaviours in a forage fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Savoca, Matthew S; Tyson, Chris W; McGill, Michael; Slager, Christina J

2017-08-16

Plastic pollution is an anthropogenic stressor in marine ecosystems globally. Many species of marine fish (more than 50) ingest plastic debris. Ingested plastic has a variety of lethal and sublethal impacts and can be a route for bioaccumulation of toxic compounds throughout the food web. Despite its pervasiveness and severity, our mechanistic understanding of this maladaptive foraging behaviour is incomplete. Recent evidence suggests that the chemical signature of plastic debris may explain why certain species are predisposed to mistaking plastic for food. Anchovy ( Engraulis sp.) are abundant forage fish in coastal upwelling systems and a critical prey resource for top predators. Anchovy ingest plastic in natural conditions, though the mechanism they use to misidentify plastic as prey is unknown. Here, we presented wild-caught schools of northern anchovy ( Engraulis mordax ) with odour solutions made of plastic debris and clean plastic to compare school-wide aggregation and rheotactic responses relative to food and food odour presentations. Anchovy schools responded to plastic debris odour with increased aggregation and reduced rheotaxis. These results were similar to the effects food and food odour presentations had on schools. Conversely, these behavioural responses were absent in clean plastic and control treatments. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental evidence that adult anchovy use odours to forage. We conclude that the chemical signature plastic debris acquires in the photic zone can induce foraging behaviours in anchovy schools. These findings provide further support for a chemosensory mechanism underlying plastic consumption by marine wildlife. Given the trophic position of forage fish, these findings have considerable implications for aquatic food webs and possibly human health. © 2017 The Author(s).

Direct liquefaction of plastics and coprocessing of coal with plastics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huffman, G.P.; Feng, Z.; Mahajan, V. [Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States)

1995-12-31

The objectives of this work were to optimize reaction conditions for the direct liquefaction of waste plastics and the coprocessing of coal with waste plastics. In previous work, the direct liquefaction of medium and high density polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PPE), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and a mixed plastic waste, and the coliquefaction of these plastics with coals of three different ranks was studied. The results established that a solid acid catalyst (HZSM-5 zeolite) was highly active for the liquefaction of the plastics alone, typically giving oil yields of 80-95% and total conversions of 90-100% at temperatures of 430-450 {degrees}C. In the coliquefaction experiments, 50:50 mixtures of plastic and coal were used with a tetralin solvent (tetralin:solid = 3:2). Using approximately 1% of the HZSM-5 catalyst and a nanoscale iron catalyst, oil yields of 50-70% and total conversion of 80-90% were typical. In the current year, further investigations were conducted of the liquefaction of PE, PPE, and a commingled waste plastic obtained from the American Plastics Council (APC), and the coprocessing of PE, PPE and the APC plastic with Black Thunder subbituminous coal. Several different catalysts were used in these studies.

Plastic bags for prevention of hypothermia in preterm and low birth weight infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Leadford, Alicia E; Warren, Jamie B; Manasyan, Albert; Chomba, Elwyn; Salas, Ariel A; Schelonka, Robert; Carlo, Waldemar A

2013-07-01

Hypothermia contributes to neonatal mortality and morbidity, especially in preterm and low birth weight infants in developing countries. Plastic bags covering the trunk and extremities of very low birth weight infants reduces hypothermia. This technique has not been studied in larger infants or in many resource-limited settings. The objective was to determine if placing preterm and low birth weight infants inside a plastic bag at birth maintains normothermia. Infants at 26 to 36 weeks' gestational age and/or with a birth weight of 1000 to 2500 g born at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia, were randomized by using a 1:1 allocation and parallel design to standard thermoregulation (blanket or radiant warmer) care or to standard thermoregulation care plus placement inside a plastic bag at birth. The primary outcome measure was axillary temperature in the World Health Organization-defined normal range (36.5-37.5°C) at 1 hour after birth. A total of 104 infants were randomized. At 1 hour after birth, infants randomized to plastic bag (n = 49) were more likely to have a temperature in the normal range as compared with infants in the standard thermoregulation care group (n = 55; 59.2% vs 32.7%; relative risk 1.81; 95% confidence interval 1.16-2.81; P = .007). The temperature at 1 hour after birth in the infants randomized to plastic bag was 36.5 ± 0.5°C compared with 36.1 ± 0.6°C in standard care infants (P 38.0°C) did not occur in any infant. Placement of preterm/low birth weight infants inside a plastic bag at birth compared with standard thermoregulation care reduced hypothermia without resulting in hyperthermia, and is a low-cost, low-technology tool for resource-limited settings.

Industrial applications of electron beam technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khairul Zaman Mohd Dahlan

1997-01-01

Electron beam technology was first introduced in Malaysia in 1989 with the conclusion of the bilateral cooperation between the Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT) and Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) on Radiation Application Projects. Two electron beam accelerators with energy of 3.0 MeV and 200 keV were installed at MINT. These two accelerators pave the way for R and D to be carried out in radiation processing of polymers for cross-linking and surface curing. In 1994, another electron beam accelerator was installed in the private sector for cross-linking of home appliance wires. Since then, two more accelerators were installed in the private sector for cross-linking of heat shrinkable plastic films. Recently, a local company has acquired a low energy electron beam machine for cross-linking of plastic film. Within a period of 7 years, industrial applications of electron beam technology in Malaysia have increased significantly

Controlling user access to electronic resources without password

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Fred Hewitt

2015-06-16

Described herein are devices and techniques for remotely controlling user access to a restricted computer resource. The process includes pre-determining an association of the restricted computer resource and computer-resource-proximal environmental information. Indicia of user-proximal environmental information are received from a user requesting access to the restricted computer resource. Received indicia of user-proximal environmental information are compared to associated computer-resource-proximal environmental information. User access to the restricted computer resource is selectively granted responsive to a favorable comparison in which the user-proximal environmental information is sufficiently similar to the computer-resource proximal environmental information. In at least some embodiments, the process further includes comparing user-supplied biometric measure and comparing it with a predetermined association of at least one biometric measure of an authorized user. Access to the restricted computer resource is granted in response to a favorable comparison.

Numerical investigation of heat transfer in Plastic Leaded Chip ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier (PLCC) package has been emerged a promising option to tackle the thermal management issue of micro-electronic devices. In the present study, three dimensional numerical analysis of heat and fluid flow through PLCC packages oriented in-line and mounted horizontally on a printed circuit ...

SU-E-T-782: Using Light Output From Doped Plastic Scintillators to Resolve the Linear Energy Transfer Spectrum of Clinical Electron Beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nusrat, H; Pang, G; Ahmad, S; Keller, B; Sarfehnia, A

2015-01-01

Purpose: This research seeks to develop a portable, clinically-suitable linear energy transfer (LET) detector. In radiotherapy, absorbed dose is commonly used to measure the amount of delivered radiation, though, it is not a good indicator of actual biological damage. LET is the energy absorbed per unit length by a medium along charged particle’s pathway; studies have shown that LET correlates well with relative biological effectiveness (RBE). Methods: According to Birks’ law, light output of plastic scintillators is stopping-power dependent. This dependency can be varied through doping by various high-Z elements. By measuring light output signals of differently doped plastic scintillators (represented by column vector S, where each row corresponds to different scintillator material), the fluence of charged particles of a given LET (represented by column vector Φ, where each row corresponds to different LET bins) can be unfolded by S=R*Φ where R is system response matrix (each row represents a different scintillator, each column corresponds to different electron LET). Monte Carlo (MC) GEANT4.10.1 was used to evaluate ideal detector response of BC408 scintillating material doped with various concentrations of several high Z dopants. Measurements were performed to validate MC. Results: Signal for 1%-lead doped BC408 and the non-doped scintillator was measured experimentally by guiding light emitted by the scintillator (via in-house made taper, fiber system) to a PMT and then an electrometer. Simulations of 1%Pb-doped scintillator to non-doped scintillator revealed 9.3% reduction in light output for 6 MeV electrons which compared well (within uncertainty) with measurements showing 10% reduction (6MeV electrons). Conclusion: Measurements were used to validate MC simulation of light output from doped scintillators. The doping of scintillators is a viable technique to induce LET dependence. Our goal is to use this effect to resolve the LET spectrum of an incident

Creating Methane from Plastics: Recycling at a Lunar Outpost

Science.gov (United States)

Captain, Janine; Santiago, Eddie; Wheeler, Ray; Strayer, RIchard; Garland, Jay; Parrish, Clyde

2010-01-01

The high cost of re-supply from Earth demands resources to be utilized to the fullest extent for exploration missions. Recycling is a key technology that maximizes the available resources by converting waste products into useful commodities. One example of this is to convert crew member waste such as plastic packaging, food scraps, and human waste, into fuel. The ability to refuel on the lunar surface would reduce the vehicle mass during launch and provide excess payload capability. The goal of this project is to determine the feasibility of recycling waste into methane on the lunar outpost by performing engineering assessments and lab demonstrations of the technology. The first goal of the project was to determine how recycling could influence lunar exploration. Table I shows an estimation of the typical dried waste stream generated each day for a crew of four. Packaging waste accounts for nearly 86% of the dry waste stream and is a significant source of carbon on the lunar surface. This is important because methane (CH4) can be used as fuel and no other source of carbon is available on the lunar surface. With the initial assessment indicating there is sufficient resources in the waste stream to provide refueling capabilities, the project was designed to examine the conversion of plastics into methane.

Recycling of Plastic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Thomas Højlund; Fruergaard, Thilde

2011-01-01

Plastic is produced from fossil oil. Plastic is used for many different products. Some plastic products like, for example, wrapping foil, bags and disposable containers for food and beverage have very short lifetimes and thus constitute a major fraction of most waste. Other plastic products like...

Electronic theses and dissertations: a review of this valuable resource for nurse scholars worldwide.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodfellow, L M

2009-06-01

A worldwide repository of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) could provide worldwide access to the most up-to-date research generated by masters and doctoral students. Until that international repository is established, it is possible to access some of these valuable knowledge resources. ETDs provide a technologically advanced medium with endless multimedia capabilities that far exceed the print and bound copies of theses and dissertations housed traditionally in individual university libraries. CURRENT USE: A growing trend exists for universities worldwide to require graduate students to submit theses or dissertations as electronic documents. However, nurse scholars underutilize ETDs, as evidenced by perusing bibliographic citation lists in many of the research journals. ETDs can be searched for and retrieved through several digital resources such as the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (http://www.ndltd.org), ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (http://www.umi.com), the Australasian Digital Theses Program (http://adt.caul.edu.au/) and through individual university web sites and online catalogues. An international repository of ETDs benefits the community of nurse scholars in many ways. The ability to access recent graduate students' research electronically from anywhere in the world is advantageous. For scholars residing in developing countries, access to these ETDs may prove to be even more valuable. In some cases, ETDs are not available for worldwide access and can only be accessed through the university library from which the student graduated. Public access to university library ETD collections is not always permitted. Nurse scholars from both developing and developed countries could benefit from ETDs.

Diode Lasers used in Plastic Welding and Selective Laser Soldering - Applications and Products

Science.gov (United States)

Reinl, S.

Aside from conventional welding methods, laser welding of plastics has established itself as a proven bonding method. The component-conserving and clean process offers numerous advantages and enables welding of sensitive assemblies in automotive, electronic, medical, human care, food packaging and consumer electronics markets. Diode lasers are established since years within plastic welding applications. Also, soft soldering using laser radiation is becoming more and more significant in the field of direct diode laser applications. Fast power controllability combined with a contactless temperature measurement to minimize thermal damage make the diode laser an ideal tool for this application. These advantages come in to full effect when soldering of increasingly small parts in temperature sensitive environments is necessary.

Knowledge and opinions on oncoplastic surgery among breast and plastic surgeons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carstensen, Lena; Rose, Michael; Bentzon, Niels

2015-01-01

symmetrisation procedures were performed by plastic surgeons. Breast surgeons had sought more specific education, both international observerships and specific courses. In both groups of surgeons, the majority expressed that both tumour removal and reconstruction should be performed by doctors of their own...... of implementation of OPS in Denmark. METHODS: An electronic questionnaire was sent to breast and plastic surgeons performing breast cancer treatment. The questionnaire included demographics, education, experience with operative procedures and opinions on OPS. RESULTS: The questionnaire was sent to 50 breast...

Extensive disordering in long-range-ordered Cu3Au induced by severe plastic deformation studied by transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rentenberger, C.; Karnthaler, H.P.

2008-01-01

Bulk nanocrystalline materials can be made by severe plastic deformation. In L1 2 long-range-ordered alloys, this leads to extensive disordering which influences the highly improved properties of these nanocrystalline alloys. Transmission electron microscopy methods were applied to Cu 3 Au; both diffraction contrast images and diffraction patterns reveal that disordering takes place locally. It is concluded that in addition to disordering by the refinement of the grown-in antiphase boundary domains, the formation of antiphase boundary tubes is a prominent process of disordering. The latter is facilitated by the fact that, unlike dislocations, antiphase boundary tubes can be stored at a very high density without causing long-range stresses. The local disordering indicates that the nanocrystalline structure nucleates inhomogeneously in the highly strained disordered regions

Radiation processing in the plastics industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saunders, C.B.

1988-01-01

The interaction of ionizing radiation with organic substrates to produce useful physical and chemical changes is the basis of the radiation processing industry for plastics. Electron beam (EB) accelerators dominate the industry; however, there are a few small applications that use gamma radiation. The five general product categories that account for over 95% of the worldwide EB capacity used for plastics production are the following: wire and cable insulation; heat-shrinkable film, tubes and pipes; radiation-curable coatings; rubber products; and polyolefin foam. A total of 6.1% of the yearly production of these products in the United States is EB treated. The United States accounts for 59% of the total worldwide EB capacity of 20.5 MW (1984), followed by Europe (16%) and Japan (15%). There are 469 to 479 individual EB units worldwide used for the production of plastics and rubber. The average annual rate of growth (AARG) for the EB processing of plastics in Japan, from 1977 to 1987, was 13.3%. The AARG for Japan has decreased from 20% for 1977 to 198, to 6.4% for 1984 to 1987. Radiation cross-linking, of power cable insulation (cable rating ≥75 kV), thick polyolefin and rubber sheet (≥15 mm), and thick-walled tubing is one fo the potential applications for a 5- to 10-MeV EB system. Other products such as coatings, films and wire insulation may be economically EB-treated using a 5 to 10 MeV accelerator, if several layers of the product could be irradiated simultaneously. Two general product categories that require more study to determine the potential of high-energy EB processing are moulded plastics and composite materials. 32 refs

Tribo-charging properties of waste plastic granules in process of tribo-electrostatic separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jia; Wu, Guiqing; Xu, Zhenming

2015-01-01

Plastic products can be found everywhere in people's daily life. With the consistent growth of plastic consumption, more and more plastic waste is generated. Considering the stable chemical and physics characteristics of plastic, regular waste management methods are not suitable for recycling economic strategy of each government, which has become a serious environmental problem. Recycling plastic waste is considered to be the best way to treat it, because it cannot only deduce the waste but also save the energy to produce new virgin plastic. Tribo-electrostatic separation is strongly recommended for plastic separation as it can preserve the original properties of plastic and has little additional pollution. In this study, plastic granules are generated by crushing plastic waste in waste electric and electronic equipment. The tribo-charging properties of plastic waste were studied by vibrating tribo-charging and cyclone tribo-charging. The triboelectric series obtained by vibrating was: (-)-PE-PS-PC-PVC-ABS-PP-(+), while the triboelectric series obtained by cyclone was (-)-PE-PS-PC-PVC-ABS-PP-(+). Further, the cyclone charging was more effective and stable than vibrating charging. The impact factors experiments showed that small particle size was better changed than large ones and were more suitable recycled by tribo-electrostatic separation. High relative humidity was identified as impede charging effect. The results of this study will help defining the operating parameters of subsequent separator. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Library resources on the Internet

Science.gov (United States)

Buchanan, Nancy L.

1995-07-01

Library resources are prevalent on the Internet. Library catalogs, electronic books, electronic periodicals, periodical indexes, reference sources, and U.S. Government documents are available by telnet, Gopher, World Wide Web, and FTP. Comparatively few copyrighted library resources are available freely on the Internet. Internet implementations of library resources can add useful features, such as full-text searching. There are discussion lists, Gophers, and World Wide Web pages to help users keep up with new resources and changes to existing ones. The future will bring more library resources, more types of library resources, and more integrated implementations of such resources to the Internet.

Recrystallization kinetics of nanostructured copper processed by dynamic plastic deformation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lin, Fengxiang; Zhang, Yubin; Pantleon, Wolfgang

2012-01-01

The recrystallization kinetics of nanostructured copper samples processed by dynamic plastic deformation was investigated by electron backscatter diffraction. It was found that the evolution of the recrystallized volume fraction as a function of annealing time has a very low slope (n=0.37) when...

The role of adaptive trans-generational plasticity in biological invasions of plants

Science.gov (United States)

Trans-generational plasticity (TGP) that confers greater offspring fitness is likely to be an important mechanism contributing to the spread of some invasive plant species. TGP is predicted for populations found in habitats with predictable spatial or temporal resource heterogeneity, and that have ...

Millimeter-Sized Marine Plastics: A New Pelagic Habitat for Microorganisms and Invertebrates

Science.gov (United States)

Reisser, Julia; Shaw, Jeremy; Hallegraeff, Gustaaf; Proietti, Maira; Barnes, David K. A.; Thums, Michele; Wilcox, Chris; Hardesty, Britta Denise; Pattiaratchi, Charitha

2014-01-01

Millimeter-sized plastics are abundant in most marine surface waters, and known to carry fouling organisms that potentially play key roles in the fate and ecological impacts of plastic pollution. In this study we used scanning electron microscopy to characterize biodiversity of organisms on the surface of 68 small floating plastics (length range = 1.7–24.3 mm, median = 3.2 mm) from Australia-wide coastal and oceanic, tropical to temperate sample collections. Diatoms were the most diverse group of plastic colonizers, represented by 14 genera. We also recorded ‘epiplastic’ coccolithophores (7 genera), bryozoans, barnacles (Lepas spp.), a dinoflagellate (Ceratium), an isopod (Asellota), a marine worm, marine insect eggs (Halobates sp.), as well as rounded, elongated, and spiral cells putatively identified as bacteria, cyanobacteria, and fungi. Furthermore, we observed a variety of plastic surface microtextures, including pits and grooves conforming to the shape of microorganisms, suggesting that biota may play an important role in plastic degradation. This study highlights how anthropogenic millimeter-sized polymers have created a new pelagic habitat for microorganisms and invertebrates. The ecological ramifications of this phenomenon for marine organism dispersal, ocean productivity, and biotransfer of plastic-associated pollutants, remains to be elucidated. PMID:24941218

Paper electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Tobjörk, Daniel; Österbacka, Ronald

2011-05-03

Paper is ubiquitous in everyday life and a truly low-cost substrate. The use of paper substrates could be extended even further, if electronic applications would be applied next to or below the printed graphics. However, applying electronics on paper is challenging. The paper surface is not only very rough compared to plastics, but is also porous. While this is detrimental for most electronic devices manufactured directly onto paper substrates, there are also approaches that are compatible with the rough and absorptive paper surface. In this review, recent advances and possibilities of these approaches are evaluated and the limitations of paper electronics are discussed. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR ONLINE SUPPORT OF MODERN CHEMISTRY CLASSES IN SPECIALIZED SCHOOL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria D. Tukalo

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This article contains material of some modern electronic educational resources that can be used via the Internet to support the modern chemistry classes in specialized school. It was drawn attention to the educational chemical experiments as means of knowledge; simulated key motivational characteristics to enhance students interest for learning subjects, their cognitive and practical activity in the formation of self-reliance and self-creative; commented forecasts for creating of conditions to enhance the creative potential of students in a modern learning environment.

Recent advances in uranium exploration with electronic alpha cups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, R.K.

1977-01-01

Data from a new radon measuring device, based on electronic alpha cups are compared with data from the nonelectronic, plastic alpha cups commonly used in exploring for uranium. A burial time of three days appears to be adequate for the electronic alpha cups to collect exploration data equivalent to those from plastic sensing devices. The advantages of the electronic cups are short time of burial and instant readout in the field; the major disadvantages is the capital expenditure required for the instruments. It is possible the cups may be useful for copper exploration too. 5 refs

Selection and Evaluation of Electronic Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doğan Atılgan

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Publication boom and issues related to controlling and accession of printed sources have created some problems after World War II. Consequently, publishing industry has encountered the problem of finding possible solution for emerged situation. Industry of electronic publishing has started to improve with the rapid increase of the price of printed sources as well as the problem of publication boom. The first effects of electronic publishing were appeared on the academic and scholarly publications then electronic publishing became a crucial part of all types of publications. As a result of these developments, collection developments and service policies of information centers were also significantly changed. In this article, after a general introduction about selection and evaluation processes of electronic publications, the subscribed databases by a state and a privately owned university in Turkey and their usage were examined.

Recycling potential of post-consumer plastic packaging waste in Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlbo, Helena; Poliakova, Valeria; Mylläri, Ville; Sahimaa, Olli; Anderson, Reetta

2018-01-01

Recycling of plastics is urged by the need for closing material loops to maintain our natural resources when striving towards circular economy, but also by the concern raced by observations of plastic scrap in oceans and lakes. Packaging industry is the sector using the largest share of plastics, hence packaging dominates in the plastic waste flow. The aim of this paper was to sum up the recycling potential of post-consumer plastic packaging waste in Finland. This potential was evaluated based on the quantity, composition and mechanical quality of the plastic packaging waste generated by consumers and collected as a source-separated fraction, within the mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) or within energy waste. Based on the assessment 86,000-117,000 tons (18 kg/person/a) of post-consumer plastic packaging waste was generated in Finland in 2014. The majority, 84% of the waste was in the mixed MSW flow in 2014. Due to the launching of new sorting facilities and separate collections for post-consumer plastic packaging in 2016, almost 40% of the post-consumer plastic packaging could become available for recycling. However, a 50% recycling rate for post-consumer plastic packaging (other than PET bottles) would be needed to increase the overall MSW recycling rate from the current 41% by around two percentage points. The share of monotype plastics in the overall MSW plastics fraction was 80%, hence by volume the recycling potential of MSW plastics is high. Polypropylene (PP) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) were the most common plastic types present in mixed MSW, followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). If all the Finnish plastic packaging waste collected through the three collection types would be available for recycling, then 19,000-25,000 tons of recycled PP and 6000-8000 tons of recycled HDPE would be available on the local market. However, this assessment includes uncertainties due to performing the

An Exploratory study on the use of LibAnswers to Resolve, Track and Monitor Electronic Resources Issues: The KAUST Library experience

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-01-01

An Exploratory study on KAUST library use of LibAnswers in resolving electronic resources questions received in LibAnswers. It describes the findings of the questions received in LibAnswers. The author made suggestions based on the findings to improve the reference services in responding to e-resources questions.

An Exploratory study on the use of LibAnswers to Resolve, Track and Monitor Electronic Resources Issues: The KAUST Library experience

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-05-03

An Exploratory study on KAUST library use of LibAnswers in resolving electronic resources questions received in LibAnswers. It describes the findings of the questions received in LibAnswers. The author made suggestions based on the findings to improve the reference services in responding to e-resources questions.

Plastic value chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baxter, John; Wahlstrom, Margareta; Zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, Malin

2014-01-01

Optimizing plastic value chains is regarded as an important measure in order to increase recycling of plastics in an efficient way. This can also lead to improved awareness of the hazardous substances contained in plastic waste, and how to avoid that these substances are recycled. As an example......, plastics from WEEE is chosen as a Nordic case study. The project aims to propose a number of improvements for this value chain together with representatives from Nordic stakeholders. Based on the experiences made, a guide for other plastic value chains shall be developed....

Effects of No-tillage Combined with Reused Plastic Film Mulching on Maize Yield and Irrigation Water Productivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SU Yong-zhong

2016-09-01

Full Text Available A field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of reused plastic film mulching and no-tillage on maize yield and irriga-tion water productivity(IWP in the marginal oasis in the middle of Hexi Corridor region of northwestern China. The aim is to provide an alternative tillage and cultivation pattern for reducing plastic film pollution, saving cost and increasing income, and improving resource use efficiency. The field experiment was carried out in three soils with different textures and fertility levels. Three treatments for each soil were set up:(1 conventional tillage,winter irrigation, and new plastic mulching cultivation(NM;(2 no tillage, less winter irrigation and reused plastic mulching cultivation (RM;(3 no tillage, less winter irrigation and reused plastic mulching combined with straw mulching (RMS. The results showed that the average daily soil temperature in the two reused plastic mulching treatment(RM and RMS during maize sowing and elongation stage was lower 0.6~1.0℃(5 cm depth and 0.5~0.8℃(15 cm depth than that in the NM. This result suggested that no tillage and reused plastic mulching cultivation still had the effect of increasing soil temperature. Maize grain yield in the RM was reduced by 4.4%~10.6% compared with the conventional cultivation(NM, while the net income increased due to saving in plastic film and tillage ex-penses. There was no significant difference in maize grain yield between the RMS and NM treatment, but the net income in the RMS was in-creased by 12.5%~17.1% than that in the NM. Compared with the NM, the two reused plastic film mulching treatments (RM and RMS decreased the volume of winter irrigation, but maize IWP increased. Soil texture and fertility level affected significantly maize nitrogen uptake and IWP. In the arid oases with the shortage of water resources, cultivation practices of conservation tillage with recycle of plastic film is an ideal option for saving cost and increasing income

The level of the usage of the human resource information system and electronic recruitment in Croatian companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Snježana Pivac

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Performing business according to contemporary requirements influences companies for continuous usage of modern managerial tools, such as a human resource information system (HRIS and electronic recruitment (ER. Human resources have been recognised as curtail resources and the main source of a competitive advantage in creation of successful business performance. In order to attract and select the top employees, companies use quality information software for attracting internal ones, and electronic recruitment for attracting the best possible external candidates. The main aim of this paper is to research the level of the usage of HRIS and ER within medium-size and large Croatian companies. Moreover, the additional aim of this paper is to evaluate the relationship among the usage of these modern managerial tools and the overall success of human resource management within these companies. For the purpose of this paper, primary and secondary research has been conducted in order to reveal the level of the usage of HRIS and ER as well as the overall success of human resource management in Croatian companies. The companies’ classification (HRIS and ER is done by using the non-hierarchical k-means cluster method as well as the nonparametric Kruskal Wallis test. Further, the companies are ranked by the multicriteria PROMETHEE method. Relevant nonparametric tests are used for testing the overall companies’ HRM. Finally, binary logistic regression is estimated, relating binary variable HRM and HRIS development. After detailed research, it can be concluded that large Croatian companies apply HRIS in majority (with a positive relation to HRM performance, but still require certain degrees of its development.

Our plastic age.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Richard C; Swan, Shanna H; Moore, Charles J; vom Saal, Frederick S

2009-07-27

Within the last few decades, plastics have revolutionized our daily lives. Globally we use in excess of 260 million tonnes of plastic per annum, accounting for approximately 8 per cent of world oil production. In this Theme Issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, we describe current and future trends in usage, together with the many benefits that plastics bring to society. At the same time, we examine the environmental consequences resulting from the accumulation of waste plastic, the effects of plastic debris on wildlife and concerns for human health that arise from the production, usage and disposal of plastics. Finally, we consider some possible solutions to these problems together with the research and policy priorities necessary for their implementation.

Our plastic age

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Richard C.; Swan, Shanna H.; Moore, Charles J.; vom Saal, Frederick S.

2009-01-01

Within the last few decades, plastics have revolutionized our daily lives. Globally we use in excess of 260 million tonnes of plastic per annum, accounting for approximately 8 per cent of world oil production. In this Theme Issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, we describe current and future trends in usage, together with the many benefits that plastics bring to society. At the same time, we examine the environmental consequences resulting from the accumulation of waste plastic, the effects of plastic debris on wildlife and concerns for human health that arise from the production, usage and disposal of plastics. Finally, we consider some possible solutions to these problems together with the research and policy priorities necessary for their implementation. PMID:19528049

The electronic encapsulation of knowledge in hydraulics, hydrology and water resources

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Michael B.

The rapidly developing practice of encapsulating knowledge in electronic media is shown to lead necessarily to the restructuring of the knowledge itself. The consequences of this for hydraulics, hydrology and more general water-resources management are investigated in particular relation to current process-simulation, real-time control and advice-serving systems. The generic properties of the electronic knowledge encapsulator are described, and attention is drawn to the manner in which knowledge 'goes into hiding' through encapsulation. This property is traced in the simple situations of pure mathesis and in the more complex situations of taxinomia using one example each from hydraulics and hydrology. The consequences for systems architectures are explained, pointing to the need for multi-agent architectures for ecological modelling and for more general hydroinformatics systems also. The relevance of these developments is indicated by reference to ongoing projects in which they are currently being realised. In conclusion, some more general epistemological aspects are considered within the same context. As this contribution is so much concerned with the processes of signification and communication, it has been partly shaped by the theory of semiotics, as popularised by Eco ( A Theory of Semiotics, Indiana University, Bloomington, 1977).

RESEARCH OF INFLUENCE OF QUALITY OF ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ON QUALITY OF TRAINING WITH USE OF DISTANCE TECHNOLOGIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. M. Kravtsov

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Communication improving of educational processes requires today new approaches to the management arrangements and forming of educational policy in the field of distance learning, which is based on the use of modern information and communication technologies. An important step in this process is the continuous monitoring of the development and implementation of information technology and, in particular, the distance learning systems in higher educational establishments. The main objective of the monitoring is the impact assessment on the development of distance learning following the state educational standards, curricula, methodical and technical equipment and other factors; factors revelation that influence the implementation and outcomes of distance learning; results comparison of educational institution functioning and distance education systems in order to determine the most efficient ways of its development. The paper presents the analysis results of the dependence of the quality of educational services on the electronic educational resources. Trends in educational services development was studied by comparing the quality influence of electronic educational resources on the quality of educational services of higher pedagogical educational institutions of Ukraine as of 2009-2010 and 2012-2013. Generally, the analysis of the survey results allows evaluating quality of the modern education services as satisfactory and it can be said that almost 70% of the success of their future development depends on the quality of the used electronic educational resources and distance learning systems in particular.

Impact of Bio-Based Plastics on Current Recycling of Plastics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luc Alaerts

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Bio-based plastics are increasingly appearing in a range of consumption products, and after use they often end up in technical recycling chains. Bio-based plastics are different from fossil-based ones and could disturb the current recycling of plastics and hence inhibit the closure of plastic cycles, which is undesirable given the current focus on a transition towards a circular economy. In this paper, this risk has been assessed via three elaborated case studies using data and information retrieved through an extended literature search. No overall risks were revealed for bio-based plastics as a group; rather, every bio-based plastic is to be considered as a potential separate source of contamination in current recycling practices. For PLA (polylactic acid, a severe incompatibility with PET (polyethylene terephthalate recycling is known; hence, future risks are assessed by measuring amounts of PLA ending up in PET waste streams. For PHA (polyhydroxy alkanoate there is no risk currently, but it will be crucial to monitor future application development. For PEF (polyethylene furanoate, a particular approach for contamination-related issues has been included in the upcoming market introduction. With respect to developing policy, it is important that any introduction of novel plastics is well guided from a system perspective and with a particular eye on incompatibilities with current and upcoming practices in the recycling of plastics.

Plastic condoms.

Science.gov (United States)

1968-01-01

Only simple equipment, simple technology and low initial capital investment are needed in their manufacture. The condoms can be made by people who were previously unskilled or only semi-skilled workers. Plastic condoms differ from those made of latex rubber in that the nature of the plastic film allows unlimited shelf-life. Also, the plastic has a higher degree of lubricity than latex rubber; if there is a demand for extra lubrication in a particular market, this can be provided. Because the plastic is inert, these condoms need not be packaged in hermetically sealed containers. All these attributes make it possible to put these condoms on the distributors' shelves in developing countries competitively with rubber condoms. The shape of the plastic condom is based on that of the lamb caecum, which has long been used as luxury-type condom. The plastic condom is made from plastic film (ethylene ethyl acrilate) of 0.001 inch (0.0254 mm.) thickness. In addition, a rubber ring is provided and sealed into the base of the condom for retention during coitus. The advantage of the plastic condom design and the equipment on which it is made is that production can be carried out either in labour-intensive economy or with varying degrees of mechanization and automation. The uniform, finished condom if made using previously untrained workers. Training of workers can be done in a matter of hours on the two machines which are needed to produce and test the condoms. The plastic film is provided on a double wound roll, and condom blanks are prepared by means of a heat-sealing die on the stamping machine. The rubber rings are united to the condom blanks on an assembly machine, which consists of a mandrel and heat-sealing equipment to seal the rubber ring to the base of the condom. Built into the assembly machine is a simple air-testing apparatus that can detect the smallest pinhole flaw in a condom. The manufacturing process is completed by unravelling the condom from the assembly

Biodegradability of plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokiwa, Yutaka; Calabia, Buenaventurada P; Ugwu, Charles U; Aiba, Seiichi

2009-08-26

Plastic is a broad name given to different polymers with high molecular weight, which can be degraded by various processes. However, considering their abundance in the environment and their specificity in attacking plastics, biodegradation of plastics by microorganisms and enzymes seems to be the most effective process. When plastics are used as substrates for microorganisms, evaluation of their biodegradability should not only be based on their chemical structure, but also on their physical properties (melting point, glass transition temperature, crystallinity, storage modulus etc.). In this review, microbial and enzymatic biodegradation of plastics and some factors that affect their biodegradability are discussed.

Tracking the Flow of Resources in Electronic Waste - The Case of End-of-Life Computer Hard Disk Drives.

Science.gov (United States)

Habib, Komal; Parajuly, Keshav; Wenzel, Henrik

2015-10-20

Recovery of resources, in particular, metals, from waste flows is widely seen as a prioritized option to reduce their potential supply constraints in the future. The current waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) treatment system is more focused on bulk metals, where the recycling rate of specialty metals, such as rare earths, is negligible compared to their increasing use in modern products, such as electronics. This study investigates the challenges in recovering these resources in the existing WEEE treatment system. It is illustrated by following the material flows of resources in a conventional WEEE treatment plant in Denmark. Computer hard disk drives (HDDs) containing neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets were selected as the case product for this experiment. The resulting output fractions were tracked until their final treatment in order to estimate the recovery potential of rare earth elements (REEs) and other resources contained in HDDs. The results further show that out of the 244 kg of HDDs treated, 212 kg comprising mainly of aluminum and steel can be finally recovered from the metallurgic process. The results further demonstrate the complete loss of REEs in the existing shredding-based WEEE treatment processes. Dismantling and separate processing of NdFeB magnets from their end-use products can be a more preferred option over shredding. However, it remains a technological and logistic challenge for the existing system.

Thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of a mixture of plastics from small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

Science.gov (United States)

Santella, Chiara; Cafiero, Lorenzo; De Angelis, Doina; La Marca, Floriana; Tuffi, Riccardo; Vecchio Ciprioti, Stefano

2016-08-01

Pyrolysis seems a promising route for recycling of heterogeneous, contaminated and additives containing plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This study deals with the thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of a synthetic mixture containing real waste plastics, representative of polymers contained in small WEEE. Two zeolite-based catalysts were used at 400°C: HUSY and HZSM-5 with a high silica content, while three different temperatures were adopted for the thermal cracking: 400, 600 and 800°C. The mass balance showed that the oil produced by pyrolysis is always the main product regardless the process conditions selected, with yields ranging from 83% to 93%. A higher yield was obtained when pyrolysis was carried out with HZSM-5 at 400°C and without catalysts, but at 600 and 800°C. Formation of a significant amount of solid residue (about 13%) is observed using HUSY. The oily liquid product of pyrolysis, analysed by GC-MS and GC-FID, as well as by elemental analysis and for energy content, appeared lighter, less viscous and with a higher concentration of monoaromatics under catalytic condition, if compared to the liquid product derived from thermal degradation at the same temperature. HZSM-5 led to the production of a high yield of styrene (17.5%), while HUSY favoured the formation of ethylbenzene (15%). Energy released by combustion of the oil was around 39MJ/kg, thus suggesting the possibility to exploit it as a fuel, if the recovery of chemical compounds could not be realised. Elemental and proximate analysis of char and GC-TCD analysis of the gas were also performed. Finally, it was estimated to what extent these two products, showing a relevant ability to release energy, could fulfil the energy demand requested in pyrolysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Prevalence of Cosmetic Facial Plastic Procedures among Facial Plastic Surgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Moayer, Roxana; Sand, Jordan P; Han, Albert; Nabili, Vishad; Keller, Gregory S

2018-04-01

This is the first study to report on the prevalence of cosmetic facial plastic surgery use among facial plastic surgeons. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency with which facial plastic surgeons have cosmetic procedures themselves. A secondary aim is to determine whether trends in usage of cosmetic facial procedures among facial plastic surgeons are similar to that of nonsurgeons. The study design was an anonymous, five-question, Internet survey distributed via email set in a single academic institution. Board-certified members of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) were included in this study. Self-reported history of cosmetic facial plastic surgery or minimally invasive procedures were recorded. The survey also queried participants for demographic data. A total of 216 members of the AAFPRS responded to the questionnaire. Ninety percent of respondents were male ( n  = 192) and 10.3% were female ( n  = 22). Thirty-three percent of respondents were aged 31 to 40 years ( n  = 70), 25% were aged 41 to 50 years ( n  = 53), 21.4% were aged 51 to 60 years ( n  = 46), and 20.5% were older than 60 years ( n  = 44). Thirty-six percent of respondents had a surgical cosmetic facial procedure and 75% has at least one minimally invasive cosmetic facial procedure. Facial plastic surgeons are frequent users of cosmetic facial plastic surgery. This finding may be due to access, knowledge base, values, or attitudes. By better understanding surgeon attitudes toward facial plastic surgery, we can improve communication with patients and delivery of care. This study is a first step in understanding use of facial plastic procedures among facial plastic surgeons. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Recycling of plastic waste: Presence of phthalates in plastics from households and industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Pivnenko, K; Eriksen, M K; Martín-Fernández, J A; Eriksson, E; Astrup, T F

2016-08-01

Plastics recycling has the potential to substitute virgin plastics partially as a source of raw materials in plastic product manufacturing. Plastic as a material may contain a variety of chemicals, some potentially hazardous. Phthalates, for instance, are a group of chemicals produced in large volumes and are commonly used as plasticisers in plastics manufacturing. Potential impacts on human health require restricted use in selected applications and a need for the closer monitoring of potential sources of human exposure. Although the presence of phthalates in a variety of plastics has been recognised, the influence of plastic recycling on phthalate content has been hypothesised but not well documented. In the present work we analysed selected phthalates (DMP, DEP, DPP, DiBP, DBP, BBzP, DEHP, DCHP and DnOP) in samples of waste plastics as well as recycled and virgin plastics. DBP, DiBP and DEHP had the highest frequency of detection in the samples analysed, with 360μg/g, 460μg/g and 2700μg/g as the maximum measured concentrations, respectively. Among other, statistical analysis of the analytical results suggested that phthalates were potentially added in the later stages of plastic product manufacturing (labelling, gluing, etc.) and were not removed following recycling of household waste plastics. Furthermore, DEHP was identified as a potential indicator for phthalate contamination of plastics. Close monitoring of plastics intended for phthalates-sensitive applications is recommended if recycled plastics are to be used as raw material in production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-situ straining and time-resolved electron tomography data acquisition in a transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Hata, S; Miyazaki, S; Gondo, T; Kawamoto, K; Horii, N; Sato, K; Furukawa, H; Kudo, H; Miyazaki, H; Murayama, M

2017-04-01

This paper reports the preliminary results of a new in-situ three-dimensional (3D) imaging system for observing plastic deformation behavior in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) as a directly relevant development of the recently reported straining-and-tomography holder [Sato K et al. (2015) Development of a novel straining holder for transmission electron microscopy compatible with single tilt-axis electron tomography. Microsc. 64: 369-375]. We designed an integrated system using the holder and newly developed straining and image-acquisition software and then developed an experimental procedure for in-situ straining and time-resolved electron tomography (ET) data acquisition. The software for image acquisition and 3D visualization was developed based on the commercially available ET software TEMographyTM. We achieved time-resolved 3D visualization of nanometer-scale plastic deformation behavior in a Pb-Sn alloy sample, thus demonstrating the capability of this system for potential applications in materials science. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Recycling of plastic waste: Presence of phthalates in plastics from households and industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pivnenko, Kostyantyn; Eriksen, Marie Kampmann; Martín-Fernández, J. A.

2016-01-01

Plastics recycling has the potential to substitute virgin plastics partially as a source of raw materials in plastic product manufacturing. Plastic as a material may contain a variety of chemicals, some potentially hazardous. Phthalates, for instance, are a group of chemicals produced in large...... recognised, the influence of plastic recycling on phthalate content has been hypothesised but not well documented. In the present work we analysed selected phthalates (DMP, DEP, DPP, DiBP, DBP, BBzP, DEHP, DCHP and DnOP) in samples of waste plastics as well as recycled and virgin plastics. DBP, DiBP and DEHP...

Biodegradability of Plastics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yutaka Tokiwa

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Plastic is a broad name given to different polymers with high molecular weight, which can be degraded by various processes. However, considering their abundance in the environment and their specificity in attacking plastics, biodegradation of plastics by microorganisms and enzymes seems to be the most effective process. When plastics are used as substrates for microorganisms, evaluation of their biodegradability should not only be based on their chemical structure, but also on their physical properties (melting point, glass transition temperature, crystallinity, storage modulus etc.. In this review, microbial and enzymatic biodegradation of plastics and some factors that affect their biodegradability are discussed.

Reduce, reuse, recycle: Acceptance of CO_2-utilization for plastic products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heek, Julia van; Arning, Katrin; Ziefle, Martina

2017-01-01

Global warming is a central threat for today's society caused by greenhouse gas emissions, mostly carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide capture and utilization (CCU) is a promising approach to reduce emissions and the use of expensive and limited fossil resources. Applying CCU, carbon dioxide (CO_2) can be incorporated as raw material during the manufacture of plastic products. While most of the studies address technical feasibilities, hardly any systematic research on public perception and acceptance of those specific products exists so far. This study empirically investigates the acceptance of CCU plastic products (mattress as example). First, interviews with experts and lay people revealed critical acceptance factors (CO_2 proportion, saving of fossil resources, disposal conditions, perceived health complaints). Their relative importance was detailed in two consecutive conjoint studies. Study 1 revealed disposal conditions and saving of fossil resources as essential for product selection, while the products’ CO_2 proportion was less important. In study 2, potential health complaints were integrated as well as individual levels of domain knowledge and risk perception, which significantly affected acceptance of CCU products. Recommendations concerning communication strategies for policy and industry were derived. - Highlights: • Study provides insights into the acceptance of specific CCU products. • Disposal conditions and savings of fossil resource are main drivers of acceptance. • Concerns about potential health effects act as major barrier especially for laypeople. • Perceived knowledge and risk perception affect CCU product acceptance. • Communication strategy recommendations for policy and industry are derived.

Filling behaviour of wood plastic composites

Science.gov (United States)

Duretek, I.; Lucyshyn, T.; Holzer, C.

2017-01-01

Wood plastic composites (WPC) are a young generation of composites with rapidly growing usage within the plastics industry. The advantages are the availability and low price of the wood particles, the possibility of partially substituting the polymer in the mixture and sustainable use of the earth’s resources. The current WPC products on the market are to a large extent limited to extruded products. Nowadays there is a great interest in the market for consumer products in more use of WPC as an alternative to pure thermoplastics in injection moulding processes. This work presents the results of numerical simulation and experimental visualisation of the mould filling process in injection moulding of WPC. The 3D injection moulding simulations were done with the commercial software package Autodesk® Moldflow® Insight 2016 (AMI). The mould filling experiments were conducted with a box-shaped test part. In contrast to unfilled polymers the WPC has reduced melt elasticity so that the fountain flow often does not develop. This results in irregular flow front shapes in the moulded part, especially at high filler content.

Introduction of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery FACE TO FACE Database.

Science.gov (United States)

Abraham, Manoj T; Rousso, Joseph J; Hu, Shirley; Brown, Ryan F; Moscatello, Augustine L; Finn, J Charles; Patel, Neha A; Kadakia, Sameep P; Wood-Smith, Donald

2017-07-01

The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery FACE TO FACE database was created to gather and organize patient data primarily from international humanitarian surgical mission trips, as well as local humanitarian initiatives. Similar to cloud-based Electronic Medical Records, this web-based user-generated database allows for more accurate tracking of provider and patient information and outcomes, regardless of site, and is useful when coordinating follow-up care for patients. The database is particularly useful on international mission trips as there are often different surgeons who may provide care to patients on subsequent missions, and patients who may visit more than 1 mission site. Ultimately, by pooling data across multiples sites and over time, the database has the potential to be a useful resource for population-based studies and outcome data analysis. The objective of this paper is to delineate the process involved in creating the AAFPRS FACE TO FACE database, to assess its functional utility, to draw comparisons to electronic medical records systems that are now widely implemented, and to explain the specific benefits and disadvantages of the use of the database as it was implemented on recent international surgical mission trips.

Elastic-plastic behaviour of thick-walled containers considering plastic compressibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Betten, J.; Frosch, H.G.

1983-01-01

In this paper the elastic-plastic behaviour of thick-walled pressure vessels with internal and external pressure is studied. To describe the mechanical behaviour of isotropic, plastic compressible materials we use a plastic potential which is a single-valued function of the principle stresses. For cylinders and spheres an analytic expression for the computation of stresses and residual stresses is specified. Afterwards the strains are calculated by using the finite difference method. Some examples will high-light the influence of the plastic compressibility on the behaviour of pressure vessels. (orig.) [de

Electron beam technology as a new industrial processing tool in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaman, K.

1996-01-01

Electron beam cross-linked products such as heat resistant automobile and home appliance wires, heat shrinkable tubes, sleeves, end caps for power and electronic industries, plastic packaging and semiconductors are commercially available in Malaysia and most of them are imported products. However, recently there are three newly established in-house industrial electron beam accelerators, in operation in Malaysia for cross-linking of home appliance wires and plastic packaging. Another electron beam accelerator of 3.0 MV, 90 kW is stationed in MINT which is used for research as well as for irradiation services. Research on electron beam cross-linking of natural polymer is one of the main subjects of interest. (author)

Are functional fillers improving environmental behavior of plastics? A review on LCA studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Civancik-Uslu, Didem; Ferrer, Laura; Puig, Rita; Fullana-I-Palmer, Pere

2018-06-01

The use of functional fillers can be advantageous in terms of cost reduction and improved properties in plastics. There are many types of fillers used in industry, organic and inorganic, with a wide application area. As a response to the growing concerns about environmental damage that plastics cause, recently fillers have started to be considered as a way to reduce it by decreasing the need for petrochemical resources. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is identified as a proper tool to evaluate potential environmental impacts of products or systems. Therefore, in this study, the literature regarding LCA of plastics with functional fillers was reviewed in order to see if the use of fillers in plastics could be environmentally helpful. It was interesting to find out that environmental impacts of functional fillers in plastics had not been studied too often, especially in the case of inorganic fillers. Therefore, a gap in the literature was identified for the future works. Results of the study showed that, although there were not many and some differences exist among the LCA studies, the use of fillers in plastics industry may help to reduce environmental emissions. In addition, how LCA methodology was applied to these materials was also investigated. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crystal plasticity study of single crystal tungsten by indentation tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao, Weizhi

2012-01-01

Owing to its favorable material properties, tungsten (W) has been studied as a plasma-facing material in fusion reactors. Experiments on W heating in plasma sources and electron beam facilities have shown an intense micro-crack formation at the heated surface and sub-surface. The cracks go deep inside the irradiated sample, and often large distorted areas caused by local plastic deformation are present around the cracks. To interpret the crack-induced microscopic damage evolution process in W, one needs firstly to understand its plasticity on a single grain level, which is referred to as crystal plasticity. In this thesis, the crystal plasticity of single crystal tungsten (SCW) has been studied by spherical and Berkovich indentation tests and the finite element method with a crystal plasticity model. Appropriate values of the material parameters included in the crystal plasticity model are determined by fitting measured load-displacement curves and pile-up profiles with simulated counterparts for spherical indentation. The numerical simulations reveal excellent agreement with experiment. While the load-displacement curves and the deduced indentation hardness exhibit little sensitivity to the indented plane at small indentation depths, the orientation of slip directions within the crystals governs the development of deformation hillocks at the surface. It is found that several factors like friction, indentation depth, active slip systems, misoriented crystal orientation, misoriented sample surface and azimuthal orientation of the indenter can affect the indentation behavior of SCW. The Berkovich indentation test was also used to study the crystal plasticity of SCW after deuterium irradiation. The critical load (pop-in load) for triggering plastic deformation under the indenter is found to depend on the crystallographic orientation. The pop-in loads decrease dramatically after deuterium plasma irradiation for all three investigated crystallographic planes.

The effect of superconducting transition on macroscopic characteristics of metal and alloy plasticity: fundamental and application aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pustovalov, V.V.; Fomenko, V.S.

2006-01-01

The results of the papers concerning detection and investigation of the new effect - the changes of macroscopic properties of plastic deformation of metals and alloys at the superconducting transition - are presented. Those papers were the first to demonstrate the efficiency of electron drag of dislocations at low temperature deformation. The review is concerned with the main experimental regularities of the effect - the dependence of plasticity characteristics at the superconducting transition on stress, strain, temperature, strain rate, and doping element concentration in a superconductor. The results suggest the correlation between the effect characteristics and the superconducting properties. The experiments aimed at elucidating the mechanism of the effect are discussed. The theoretical studies into electron retardation of dislocations in metals in normal and superconducting states and the influence of superconducting transition on plasticity are briefly reported. Comparison between theoretical and experimental data is made. The review presents some examples of how the effect can be used as a new method of investigating physical mechanisms of low temperature plastic deformation. Application aspects of the phenomenon are also discussed

The influence of temperature on the formation of liquid fuel from Polypropylene plastic wastes

Science.gov (United States)

Martynis, M.; Mulyazmi; Praputri, E.; Witri, R.; Putri, N.

2018-03-01

The current trend of municipal waste management in urban areas is caused by rapid changes in social, economic, political and cultural life. As a non-biodegradable polymers that have become essential materials, plastic wastes have created a very serious environmental challenge because of the huge quantities and their disposal problems. Recycling of plastics is seen as one method for reducing environmental and resource depletion. The most attractive technique of plastics recycling is pyrolysis involving the degradation of the polymeric materials by heating in the absence of oxygen. This study investigated the characteristics of pyrolysis liquid fuel (PLF) produced from polypropylene plastic wastes with temperature variations. Pyrolisis was carried out on 200 grams of polypropylene waste plastics at the operating temperature of 200°C, 250°C, 300 °C and 350 °C for 45 minutes. The liquid products were found to have carbon chain length in the range of C8-C9, similar with gasoline. The maximum density, volume and calorific value of the oil obtained were 0.8 g/cm3, 61 ml and 1307 cal/gr, respectively.

Mechanically equivalent elastic-plastic deformations and the problem of plastic spin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steigmann David J.

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The problem of plastic spin is phrased in terms of a notion of mechanical equivalence among local intermediate configurations of an elastic/ plastic crystalline solid. This idea is used to show that, without further qualification, the plastic spin may be suppressed at the constitutive level. However, the spin is closely tied to an underlying undistorted crystal lattice which, once specified, eliminates the freedom afforded by mechanical equivalence. As a practical matter a constitutive specification of plastic spin is therefore required. Suppression of plastic spin thus emerges as merely one such specification among many. Restrictions on these are derived in the case of rate-independent response.

Thermal recycling of plastic waste using pyrolysis-gasification process for energy production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forbit, George Teke

2012-04-04

The disposal of mixed waste in landfills, dump sites and open burning without material and energy recovery leads to resource loss, causes health problems, pollution and littering. Increasing energy demand for industrial and domestic application with rising costs due to scarcity motivates a constant search for alternative clean energy sources. Recovering energy from waste presents various incentives e.g. creating jobs, alleviating poverty, combating and mitigating climate change, protecting the environment and reducing dependence on traditional fuels sources. Hence, plastics end up in landfills, surface waters and ocean bed with serious negative impact on terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity. Plastic waste with high calorific value (36-46MJ/kg) occupies the greatest portion of landfill space. Hence, using an appropriate technology to transform waste plastic to a hot gaseous mixture which is burned in-situ produces enormous amount of energy without pollution. Based on this hypothesis, the study objectives accomplished were to: 1. Characterise, quantify and classify waste fractions and plastic components common in MSW by manual sorting 2. Evaluate options for sustainable plastic waste management especially for developing countries 3. Design, construct, test and optimize an appropriate technology that applies pyrolysis and gasification processes to convert non-PVC plastic waste to energy 4. Assess the efficiency of the technology based on the functioning, the engineering, mass and energy analysis including socioeconomic and environmental impacts An integrated methodology involving review of current literature, field and laboratory experiments on mixed waste and plastic waste analysis was used. In addition, the pyrolysis-gasification technology (PGT) was conceptualised, designed, constructed, tested and optimised at BTU Cottbus, Germany; Lagos, Nigeria and Dschang, Cameroon. Field studies involving natural observation, interviews, personal discussions and visits to

Thermal recycling of plastic waste using pyrolysis-gasification process for energy production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forbit, George Teke

2012-04-04

The disposal of mixed waste in landfills, dump sites and open burning without material and energy recovery leads to resource loss, causes health problems, pollution and littering. Increasing energy demand for industrial and domestic application with rising costs due to scarcity motivates a constant search for alternative clean energy sources. Recovering energy from waste presents various incentives e.g. creating jobs, alleviating poverty, combating and mitigating climate change, protecting the environment and reducing dependence on traditional fuels sources. Hence, plastics end up in landfills, surface waters and ocean bed with serious negative impact on terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity. Plastic waste with high calorific value (36-46MJ/kg) occupies the greatest portion of landfill space. Hence, using an appropriate technology to transform waste plastic to a hot gaseous mixture which is burned in-situ produces enormous amount of energy without pollution. Based on this hypothesis, the study objectives accomplished were to: 1. Characterise, quantify and classify waste fractions and plastic components common in MSW by manual sorting 2. Evaluate options for sustainable plastic waste management especially for developing countries 3. Design, construct, test and optimize an appropriate technology that applies pyrolysis and gasification processes to convert non-PVC plastic waste to energy 4. Assess the efficiency of the technology based on the functioning, the engineering, mass and energy analysis including socioeconomic and environmental impacts An integrated methodology involving review of current literature, field and laboratory experiments on mixed waste and plastic waste analysis was used. In addition, the pyrolysis-gasification technology (PGT) was conceptualised, designed, constructed, tested and optimised at BTU Cottbus, Germany; Lagos, Nigeria and Dschang, Cameroon. Field studies involving natural observation, interviews, personal discussions and visits to

Description of the small plastics fragments in marine sediments along the Alang-Sosiya ship-breaking yard, India

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasa Reddy, M.; Basha, Shaik; Adimurthy, S.; Ramachandraiah, G.

2006-07-01

This study aimed to assess the accumulation of small plastic debris in the intertidal sediments of the world's largest ship-breaking yard at Alang-Sosiya, India. Small plastics fragments were collected by flotation and separated according to their basic polymer type under a microscope, and subsequently identified by FT-IR spectroscopy as polyurethane, nylon, polystyrene, polyester and glass wool. The morphology of these materials was also studied using a scanning electron microscope. Overall, there were on average 81 mg of small plastics fragments per kg of sediment. The described plastic fragments are believed to have resulted directly from the ship-breaking activities at the site.

Tribo-charging properties of waste plastic granules in process of tribo-electrostatic separation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jia, E-mail: weee@sjtu.edu.cn; Wu, Guiqing; Xu, Zhenming

2015-01-15

Highlights: • The cyclone charging was more effective and stable than vibrating charging. • The small particle size was better changed than large ones and was more suitable recycled by TES. • The drying pretreatment is good for improving the short-term charging effect. - Abstract: Plastic products can be found everywhere in people’s daily life. With the consistent growth of plastic consumption, more and more plastic waste is generated. Considering the stable chemical and physics characteristics of plastic, regular waste management methods are not suitable for recycling economic strategy of each government, which has become a serious environmental problem. Recycling plastic waste is considered to be the best way to treat it, because it cannot only deduce the waste but also save the energy to produce new virgin plastic. Tribo-electrostatic separation is strongly recommended for plastic separation as it can preserve the original properties of plastic and has little additional pollution. In this study, plastic granules are generated by crushing plastic waste in waste electric and electronic equipment. The tribo-charging properties of plastic waste were studied by vibrating tribo-charging and cyclone tribo-charging. The triboelectric series obtained by vibrating was: (−)-PE–PS–PC–PVC–ABS–PP-(+), while the triboelectric series obtained by cyclone was (−)-PE–PS–PC–PVC–ABS–PP-(+). Further, the cyclone charging was more effective and stable than vibrating charging. The impact factors experiments showed that small particle size was better changed than large ones and were more suitable recycled by tribo-electrostatic separation. High relative humidity was identified as impede charging effect. The results of this study will help defining the operating parameters of subsequent separator.

Tribo-charging properties of waste plastic granules in process of tribo-electrostatic separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Jia; Wu, Guiqing; Xu, Zhenming

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The cyclone charging was more effective and stable than vibrating charging. • The small particle size was better changed than large ones and was more suitable recycled by TES. • The drying pretreatment is good for improving the short-term charging effect. - Abstract: Plastic products can be found everywhere in people’s daily life. With the consistent growth of plastic consumption, more and more plastic waste is generated. Considering the stable chemical and physics characteristics of plastic, regular waste management methods are not suitable for recycling economic strategy of each government, which has become a serious environmental problem. Recycling plastic waste is considered to be the best way to treat it, because it cannot only deduce the waste but also save the energy to produce new virgin plastic. Tribo-electrostatic separation is strongly recommended for plastic separation as it can preserve the original properties of plastic and has little additional pollution. In this study, plastic granules are generated by crushing plastic waste in waste electric and electronic equipment. The tribo-charging properties of plastic waste were studied by vibrating tribo-charging and cyclone tribo-charging. The triboelectric series obtained by vibrating was: (−)-PE–PS–PC–PVC–ABS–PP-(+), while the triboelectric series obtained by cyclone was (−)-PE–PS–PC–PVC–ABS–PP-(+). Further, the cyclone charging was more effective and stable than vibrating charging. The impact factors experiments showed that small particle size was better changed than large ones and were more suitable recycled by tribo-electrostatic separation. High relative humidity was identified as impede charging effect. The results of this study will help defining the operating parameters of subsequent separator

Synthesis of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes from Plastic Waste Using a Stainless-Steel CVD Reactor as Catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Pranav K; Durbach, Shane; Coville, Neil J

2017-09-22

The disposal of non-biodegradable plastic waste without further upgrading/downgrading is not environmentally acceptable and many methods to overcome the problem have been proposed. Herein we indicate a simple method to make high-value nanomaterials from plastic waste as a partial solution to the environmental problem. Laboratory-based waste centrifuge tubes made of polypropylene were chosen as a carbon source to show the process principle. In the process, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized from plastic waste in a two-stage stainless steel 316 (SS 316) metal tube that acted as both reactor vessel and catalyst. The steel reactor contains Fe (and Ni, and various alloys), which act as the catalyst for the carbon conversion process. The reaction and products were studied using electron probe microanalysis, thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Optimization studies to determine the effect of different parameters on the process showed that the highest yield and most graphitized MWCNTs were formed at 900 °C under the reaction conditions used (yield 42%; Raman I D / I G ratio = 0.48). The high quality and high yield of the MWCNTs that were produced in a flow reactor from plastic waste using a two stage SS 316 chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace did not require the use of an added catalyst.

Synthesis of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes from Plastic Waste Using a Stainless-Steel CVD Reactor as Catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pranav K. Tripathi

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The disposal of non-biodegradable plastic waste without further upgrading/downgrading is not environmentally acceptable and many methods to overcome the problem have been proposed. Herein we indicate a simple method to make high-value nanomaterials from plastic waste as a partial solution to the environmental problem. Laboratory-based waste centrifuge tubes made of polypropylene were chosen as a carbon source to show the process principle. In the process, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs were synthesized from plastic waste in a two-stage stainless steel 316 (SS 316 metal tube that acted as both reactor vessel and catalyst. The steel reactor contains Fe (and Ni, and various alloys, which act as the catalyst for the carbon conversion process. The reaction and products were studied using electron probe microanalysis, thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Optimization studies to determine the effect of different parameters on the process showed that the highest yield and most graphitized MWCNTs were formed at 900 °C under the reaction conditions used (yield 42%; Raman ID/IG ratio = 0.48. The high quality and high yield of the MWCNTs that were produced in a flow reactor from plastic waste using a two stage SS 316 chemical vapor deposition (CVD furnace did not require the use of an added catalyst.

ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC SUBSTANTIATION OF SELECTION OF THE METHOD FOR PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. P. Shanina

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Analysis of the classifications of plastic waste from production and consumption is made by various criteria. Distinctive features of the specifi ed waste behavior under various treatment methods (deposition at landfill, incineration and recycling are discussed. Clustering of the polymeric waste by hazard categories of the combustion products is performed. The polyvinyl-chlorides and polycarbonates which generate the most hazardous products under  the combustion are singled out in a particular cluster. The qualitative and quantitative descrip- The qualitative and quantitative description of the plastic waste generated in Ukraine from 2011 to 2013 is provided. Grossemissions of the polyvinylchloride and polystyrene waste incineration products are calculated. Evaluation of the environmental damage resulting from implementation of various methods for plastic waste management is based on an environmental tax rate having a compensatory nature. Potential profit from selling the secondary raw materials, produced from plastic waste, is analysed. Ranking of the potential methods for plastic waste management is presented in the context of ecological and economic substantiation: the most preferable method is production of secondary raw materials (recycled resources; the least preferable one is incineration of the specified wastes.

Recycling of plastic waste: Presence of phthalates in plastics from households and industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pivnenko, Kostyantyn; Eriksen, Marie Kampmann; Martín-Fernández, J. A.

2016-01-01

recognised, the influence of plastic recycling on phthalate content has been hypothesised but not well documented. In the present work we analysed selected phthalates (DMP, DEP, DPP, DiBP, DBP, BBzP, DEHP, DCHP and DnOP) in samples of waste plastics as well as recycled and virgin plastics. DBP, DiBP and DEHP...... product manufacturing (labelling, gluing, etc.) and were not removed following recycling of household waste plastics. Furthermore, DEHP was identified as a potential indicator for phthalate contamination of plastics. Close monitoring of plastics intended for phthalates-sensitive applications...

Pulse shape analyzer/timing-SCA application to beta measurement by plastic scintillator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Celiktas, C.; Selvi, S.

2000-01-01

Noise contribution to pulses from BC-400 plastic scintillators, preamplifier and spectroscopy amplifier is rejected by using electronics processing of the modified beta spectrometer containing pulse shape analyzer/timing SCA and related complementary equipment. The noise rejection capability of the spectrometer which have been developed to measure pure and scattered beta spectra, which are reliable in view of evaluations of the detector and target electron scattering characteristics correctly. (author)

Assessment of plastic waste generation and its potential recycling of household solid waste in Can Tho City, Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Thanh, Nguyen Phuc; Matsui, Yasuhiro; Fujiwara, Takeshi

2011-04-01

Plastic solid waste has become a serious problem when considering the disposal alternatives following the sequential hierarchy of sound solid waste management. This study was undertaken to assess the quantity and composition of household solid waste, especially plastic waste to identify opportunities for waste recycling. A 1-month survey of 130 households was carried out in Can Tho City, the capital city of the Mekong Delta region in southern Vietnam. Household solid waste was collected from each household and classified into ten physical categories; especially plastic waste was sorted into 22 subcategories. The average household solid waste generation rate was 281.27 g/cap/day. The compostable and recyclable shares respectively accounted for high percentage as 80.74% and 11%. Regarding plastic waste, the average plastic waste generation rate was 17.24 g/cap/day; plastic packaging and plastic containers dominated with the high percentage, 95.64% of plastic waste. Plastic shopping bags were especially identified as the major component, accounting for 45.72% of total plastic waste. Relevant factors such as household income and household size were found to have an existing correlation to plastic waste generation in detailed composition. The household habits and behaviors of plastic waste discharge and the aspects of environmental impacts and resource consumption for plastic waste disposal alternatives were also evaluated.

Circuit design on plastic foils

CERN Document Server

Raiteri, Daniele; Roermund, Arthur H M

2015-01-01

This book illustrates a variety of circuit designs on plastic foils and provides all the information needed to undertake successful designs in large-area electronics.  The authors demonstrate architectural, circuit, layout, and device solutions and explain the reasons and the creative process behind each. Readers will learn how to keep under control large-area technologies and achieve robust, reliable circuit designs that can face the challenges imposed by low-cost low-temperature high-throughput manufacturing.   • Discusses implications of problems associated with large-area electronics and compares them to standard silicon; • Provides the basis for understanding physics and modeling of disordered material; • Includes guidelines to quickly setup the basic CAD tools enabling efficient and reliable designs; • Illustrates practical solutions to cope with hard/soft faults, variability, mismatch, aging and bias stress at architecture, circuit, layout, and device levels.

Existence of two twinning-mediated plastic deformation modes in Au nanowhiskers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sedlmayr, Andreas; Bitzek, Erik; Gianola, Daniel S.; Richter, Gunther; Mönig, Reiner; Kraft, Oliver

2012-01-01

We have performed in situ scanning electron microscopy tensile experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on nominally defect-free single-crystalline Au nanowhiskers. The room temperature experiments reveal strengths on the order of the ideal strength and plastic strains of up to 12%, a direct result of deformation twinning that governs plastic flow. The in situ and post mortem electron microscopy observations can be divided into two broad classes of deformation morphologies that correlate with distinct stress–strain responses. MD simulations show that the mechanism of twin growth can change from layer-by-layer propagation to parallel and accelerated formation of coalescing nanotwins. The transition between mechanisms is caused by the bending moment resulting from the augmented stress state due to the initial twin and the boundary conditions when a twin grows beyond an embryonic state. These distinct manifestations of deformation twinning suggest that nanoscale material behavior can be tailored for high tensile ductility in addition to ultra-high strength.

Is there a digital generation gap for e-learning in plastic surgery?

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Roger J G; Hamilton, Neil M

2012-01-01

Some authors have claimed that those plastic surgeons born between 1965 and 1979 (generation X, or Gen-X) are more technologically able than those born between 1946 and 1964 (Baby Boomers, or BB). Those born after 1980, which comprise generation Y (Gen-Y), might be the most technologically able and most demanding for electronic learning (e-learning) to support their education and training in plastic surgery. These differences might represent a "digital generation gap" and would have practical and financial implications for the development of e-learning. The aim of this study was to survey plastic surgeons on their experience and preferences in e-learning in plastic surgery and to establish whether there was a difference between different generations. Online survey (e-survey) of plastic surgeons within the UK and Ireland was used for this study. In all, 624 plastic surgeons were invited by e-mail to complete an e-survey anonymously for their experience of e-learning in plastic surgery, whether they would like access to e-learning and, if so, whether this should this be provided nationally, locally, or not at all. By stratifying plastic surgeons into three generations (BB, Gen-X, and Gen-Y), the responses between generations were compared using the χ(2)-test for linear trend. A p value learning. These findings refute the claim that there are differences in the experience of e-learning of plastic surgeons by generation. Furthermore, there is no evidence that there are differences in whether there should be access to e-learning and how e-learning should be provided for different generations of plastic surgeons. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenges in plastics recycling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pivnenko, Kostyantyn; Jakobsen, L. G.; Eriksen, Marie Kampmann

2015-01-01

Recycling of waste plastics still remains a challenging area in the waste management sector. The current and potential goals proposed on EU or regional levels are difficult to achieve, and even to partially fullfil them the improvements in collection and sorting should be considerable. A study...... was undertaken to investigate the factors affecting quality in plastics recycling. The preliminary results showed factors primarily influencing quality of plastics recycling to be polymer cross contamination, presence of additives, non-polymer impurities, and polymer degradation. Deprivation of plastics quality......, with respect to recycling, has been shown to happen throughout the plastics value chain, but steps where improvements may happen have been preliminary identified. Example of Cr in plastic samples analysed showed potential spreading and accumulation of chemicals ending up in the waste plastics. In order...

Case study: Is the 'catch-all-plastics bin' useful in unlocking the hidden resource potential in the residual waste collection system?

Science.gov (United States)

Kranzinger, Lukas; Schopf, Kerstin; Pomberger, Roland; Punesch, Elisabeth

2017-02-01

Austria's performance in the collection of separated waste is adequate. However, the residual waste still contains substantial amounts of recyclable materials - for example, plastics, paper and board, glass and composite packaging. Plastics (lightweight packaging and similar non-packaging materials) are detected at an average mass content of 13% in residual waste. Despite this huge potential, only 3% of the total amount of residual waste (1,687,000 t y -1 ) is recycled. This implies that most of the recyclable materials contained in the residual waste are destined for thermal recovery and are lost for recycling. This pilot project, commissioned by the Land of Lower Austria, applied a holistic approach, unique in Europe, to the Lower Austrian waste management system. It aims to transfer excess quantities of plastic packaging and non-packaging recyclables from the residual waste system to the separately collected waste system by introducing a so-called 'catch-all-plastics bin'. A quantity flow model was constructed and the results showed a realistic increase in the amount of plastics collected of 33.9 wt%. This equals a calculated excess quantity of 19,638 t y -1 . The increased plastics collection resulted in a positive impact on the climate footprint (CO 2 equivalent) in line with the targets of EU Directive 94/62/EG (Circular Economy Package) and its Amendments. The new collection system involves only moderate additional costs.

Individual differences in behavioural plasticities.

Science.gov (United States)

Stamps, Judy A

2016-05-01

Interest in individual differences in animal behavioural plasticities has surged in recent years, but research in this area has been hampered by semantic confusion as different investigators use the same terms (e.g. plasticity, flexibility, responsiveness) to refer to different phenomena. The first goal of this review is to suggest a framework for categorizing the many different types of behavioural plasticities, describe examples of each, and indicate why using reversibility as a criterion for categorizing behavioural plasticities is problematic. This framework is then used to address a number of timely questions about individual differences in behavioural plasticities. One set of questions concerns the experimental designs that can be used to study individual differences in various types of behavioural plasticities. Although within-individual designs are the default option for empirical studies of many types of behavioural plasticities, in some situations (e.g. when experience at an early age affects the behaviour expressed at subsequent ages), 'replicate individual' designs can provide useful insights into individual differences in behavioural plasticities. To date, researchers using within-individual and replicate individual designs have documented individual differences in all of the major categories of behavioural plasticities described herein. Another important question is whether and how different types of behavioural plasticities are related to one another. Currently there is empirical evidence that many behavioural plasticities [e.g. contextual plasticity, learning rates, IIV (intra-individual variability), endogenous plasticities, ontogenetic plasticities) can themselves vary as a function of experiences earlier in life, that is, many types of behavioural plasticity are themselves developmentally plastic. These findings support the assumption that differences among individuals in prior experiences may contribute to individual differences in behavioural

Phenotypic plasticity, costs of phenotypes, and costs of plasticity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Callahan, Hilary S; Maughan, Heather; Steiner, Uli

2008-01-01

Why are some traits constitutive and others inducible? The term costs often appears in work addressing this issue but may be ambiguously defined. This review distinguishes two conceptually distinct types of costs: phenotypic costs and plasticity costs. Phenotypic costs are assessed from patterns...... of covariation, typically between a focal trait and a separate trait relevant to fitness. Plasticity costs, separable from phenotypic costs, are gauged by comparing the fitness of genotypes with equivalent phenotypes within two environments but differing in plasticity and fitness. Subtleties associated with both...... types of costs are illustrated by a body of work addressing predator-induced plasticity. Such subtleties, and potential interplay between the two types of costs, have also been addressed, often in studies involving genetic model organisms. In some instances, investigators have pinpointed the mechanistic...

The role of adaptive trans-generational plasticity in biological invasions of plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Dyer, Andrew R; Brown, Cynthia S; Espeland, Erin K; McKay, John K; Meimberg, Harald; Rice, Kevin J

2010-03-01

High-impact biological invasions often involve establishment and spread in disturbed, high-resource patches followed by establishment and spread in biotically or abiotically stressful areas. Evolutionary change may be required for the second phase of invasion (establishment and spread in stressful areas) to occur. When species have low genetic diversity and short selection history, within-generation phenotypic plasticity is often cited as the mechanism through which spread across multiple habitat types can occur. We show that trans-generational plasticity (TGP) can result in pre-adapted progeny that exhibit traits associated with increased fitness both in high-resource patches and in stressful conditions. In the invasive sedge, Cyperus esculentus, maternal plants growing in nutrient-poor patches can place disproportional number of propagules into nutrient-rich patches. Using the invasive annual grass, Aegilops triuncialis, we show that maternal response to soil conditions can confer greater stress tolerance in seedlings in the form of greater photosynthetic efficiency. We also show TGP for a phenological shift in a low resource environment that results in greater stress tolerance in progeny. These lines of evidence suggest that the maternal environment can have profound effects on offspring success and that TGP may play a significant role in some plant invasions.

The radiation resistance of thermoset plastics: Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilfrich, H.-P.; Roesinger, S.; Wilski, H.

1991-01-01

Not much is known about the influence of ionising radiation on thermoset plastics. In particular the influence of the dose rate on the radiation resistance has not yet been investigated. To get more information about this subject we have irradiated a number of thermoset plastics of different chemical compositions in two ways: irradiation with electrons at a high dose rate and under exclusion of oxygen and irradiation at an extremely low dose rate in air with the γ-rays of a cobalt-60 source. The latter experiment lasting over a period of 10 years (and in some cases even 16 years). In this first part of our report we describe the experimental conditions as well as the results obtained using two phenolic plastics with different inorganic fillers. In no case did we find any improvement in the properties tested. The mechanical properties deteriorated at high doses, the effects being particularly noticeable in long term experiments. Both materials became more sensitive to the influence of heat and humidity. A relatively reliable extrapolation of the results to a working period of 50 years seems to be possible. (author)

On verification of a theory in dislocation plasticity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, D.H.Y.; Lee, L.H.N.

1981-01-01

In the past twenty years, many attempts to unify the theories of macroplasticity and microplasticity in polycrystalline materials have been made. Several major approaches have been suggested namely: the geometrical approach, the analytical approach, the phenomenological approach and the internal variables approach. To verify the plasticity theory based on any one of the above models, detail experimental data including microstructural quantities such as dislocation density, dislocation speed, etc. are required. Unfortunately, there were some difficulties in evaluating dislocation speed and dealing with the term 'mobile fraction' of dislocation density. Therefore, an experimental verification of such plasticity theory has not been made. A dislocation velocity equation based on a thermally activated model is used. A set of plastic strain rate equations for polycrystalline materials formulated by analyzing dislocation dynamics in a statistical approach are presented. In order to evaluate the activation free energy, Gibbs' modified tetragonal distortion model is used together with some measurements obtained from electron micrographs. Experimental results on the dynamic yielding and fracture of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy tubings under biaxial loadings obtained by Ng, Delich and Lee are used. In dealing with 'mobile fraction', Gilman's suggestion is adopted. (orig./HP)

Thermal degradation and plasticizing mechanism of poly(vinyl chloride) plasticized with a novel cardanol derived plasticizer

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, J.; Nie, X. A.; Jiang, J. C.; Zhou, Y. H.

2018-01-01

A natural plasticizer cardanol derivatives glycidyl ether (CGE) was synthesized and employed as a plasticizer for the poly(vinyl chloride). The effect of CGE on thermal degradation of PVC films and its plasticizing mechanism were firstly reported. The molecular structure of CGE was characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thermal properties, degradation properties and compatibility of the PVC films were investigated by Differential scanning calorimeter analysis (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and FTIR, respectively. Compared with the commercial plasticizers dioctylphthalate (DOP), CGE can endow PVC film with a decrease of 4.31 °C in glass transition temperature (Tg), an increase of 24.01 °C and 25.53 °C in 10% weight loss (T 10) and 50% weight loss (T 50) respectively, and a higher activetion energy of thermal degradation (Ea ).

An analysis of the composition and metal contamination of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stenvall, Erik; Tostar, Sandra; Boldizar, Antal; Foreman, Mark R.StJ.; Möller, Kenneth

2013-01-01

The compositions of three WEEE plastic batches of different origin were investigated using infrared spectroscopy, and the metal content was determined with inductively coupled plasma. The composition analysis of the plastics was based mainly on 14 samples collected from a real waste stream, and showed that the major constituents were high impact polystyrene (42 wt%), acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene copolymer (38 wt%) and polypropylene (10 wt%). Their respective standard deviations were 21.4%, 16.5% and 60.7%, indicating a considerable variation even within a single batch. The level of metal particle contamination was found to be low in all samples, whereas wood contamination and rubber contamination were found to be about 1 wt% each in most samples. In the metal content analysis, iron was detected at levels up to 700 ppm in the recyclable waste plastics fraction, which is of concern due to its potential to catalyse redox reactions during melt processing and thus accelerate the degradation of plastics during recycling. Toxic metals were found only at very low concentrations, with the exception of lead and cadmium which could be detected at 200 ppm and 70 ppm levels, respectively, but these values are below the current threshold limits of 1000 ppm and 100 ppm set by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive

An analysis of the composition and metal contamination of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stenvall, Erik, E-mail: erik.stenvall@chalmers.se [Department of Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Tostar, Sandra [Department of Industrial Materials Recycling, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Boldizar, Antal [Department of Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Foreman, Mark R.StJ. [Department of Industrial Materials Recycling, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Möller, Kenneth [Chemistry and Materials Technology, SP, 50115 Borås (Sweden)

2013-04-15

The compositions of three WEEE plastic batches of different origin were investigated using infrared spectroscopy, and the metal content was determined with inductively coupled plasma. The composition analysis of the plastics was based mainly on 14 samples collected from a real waste stream, and showed that the major constituents were high impact polystyrene (42 wt%), acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene copolymer (38 wt%) and polypropylene (10 wt%). Their respective standard deviations were 21.4%, 16.5% and 60.7%, indicating a considerable variation even within a single batch. The level of metal particle contamination was found to be low in all samples, whereas wood contamination and rubber contamination were found to be about 1 wt% each in most samples. In the metal content analysis, iron was detected at levels up to 700 ppm in the recyclable waste plastics fraction, which is of concern due to its potential to catalyse redox reactions during melt processing and thus accelerate the degradation of plastics during recycling. Toxic metals were found only at very low concentrations, with the exception of lead and cadmium which could be detected at 200 ppm and 70 ppm levels, respectively, but these values are below the current threshold limits of 1000 ppm and 100 ppm set by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive.

Recent progress on thin-film encapsulation technologies for organic electronic devices

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Duan; Yang, Yong-Qiang; Chen, Zheng; Tao, Ye; Liu, Yun-Fei

2016-03-01

Among the advanced electronic devices, flexible organic electronic devices with rapid development are the most promising technologies to customers and industries. Organic thin films accommodate low-cost fabrication and can exploit diverse molecules in inexpensive plastic light emitting diodes, plastic solar cells, and even plastic lasers. These properties may ultimately enable organic materials for practical applications in industry. However, the stability of organic electronic devices still remains a big challenge, because of the difficulty in fabricating commercial products with flexibility. These organic materials can be protected using substrates and barriers such as glass and metal; however, this results in a rigid device and does not satisfy the applications demanding flexible devices. Plastic substrates and transparent flexible encapsulation barriers are other possible alternatives; however, these offer little protection to oxygen and water, thus rapidly degrading the devices. Thin-film encapsulation (TFE) technology is most effective in preventing water vapor and oxygen permeation into the flexible devices. Because of these (and other) reasons, there has been an intense interest in developing transparent barrier materials with much lower permeabilities, and their market is expected to reach over 550 million by 2025. In this study, the degradation mechanism of organic electronic devices is reviewed. To increase the stability of devices in air, several TFE technologies were applied to provide efficient barrier performance. In this review, the degradation mechanism of organic electronic devices, permeation rate measurement, traditional encapsulation technologies, and TFE technologies are presented.

Mixed plastics recycling technology

CERN Document Server

Hegberg, Bruce

1995-01-01

Presents an overview of mixed plastics recycling technology. In addition, it characterizes mixed plastics wastes and describes collection methods, costs, and markets for reprocessed plastics products.

Bio-based and recycled polymers for cleaner production : an assessment of plastics and fibres

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shen, L.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/310872022

2011-01-01

Today, almost all man-made plastics and fibres are produced from synthetic polymers. Synthetic polymers, made from petroleum which took millions of years to form, have three sustainability challenges: (i) the limited fossil fuel resources, (ii) the environmental impacts caused by non-degradable

Using mobile electronic devices to deliver educational resources in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazal, Jonathan Robert; Ludwig, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Developing countries have far fewer trained radiography professionals than developed countries, which exacerbates the limited access to imaging services. The lack of trained radiographers reflects, in part, limited availability of radiographer-specific educational resources. Historically, organizations that provided such resources in the developing world faced challenges related to the limited stock of current materials as well as expenses associated with shipping and delivery. Four mobile electronic devices (MEDs) were loaded with educational content (e-books, PDFs, and digital applications) spanning major radiography topics. The MEDs were distributed to 4 imaging departments in Ghana, India, Nepal, and Nigeria based on evidence of need for radiography-specific resources, as revealed by survey responses. A cost comparison of postal delivery vs digital delivery of educational content was performed. The effectiveness of delivering additional content via Wi-Fi transmission also was evaluated. Feedback was solicited on users' experience with the MEDs as a delivery tool for educational content. An initial average per e-book expense of $30.05, which included the cost of the device, was calculated for the MED delivery method compared with $15.56 for postal delivery of printed materials. The cost of the MED delivery method was reduced to an average of $10.05 for subsequent e-book deliveries. Additional content was successfully delivered via Wi-Fi transmission to all recipients during the 3-month follow-up period. Overall user feedback on the experience was positive, and ideas for enhancing the MED-based method were identified. Using MEDs to deliver radiography-specific educational content appears to be more cost effective than postal delivery of printed materials on a long-term basis. MEDs are more efficient for providing updates to educational materials. Customization of content to department needs, and using projector devices could enhance the usefulness of MEDs for

Optically stimulated luminescence of common plastic materials for accident dose reconstruction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, I.; Lee, J. I.; Kim, J. L. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Chung, K. S. [Gyeongsang National Univ., Jinju (Korea, Republic of)

2014-05-15

Optically stimulate luminescence(OSL) has many applications in a variety of radiation dosimetry fields, including personal dosimetry, environmental radiation level monitor, retrospective dosimetry for dating, and reconstruction of radiation doses from radiation accident. In the reconstruction of radiation doses from radiation accident, OSL technique has been used to estimate the doses exposed to public area through analysis of housewares or house construing materials. Recently, many efforts have been carried out for dose reconstruction using personal electronic devices such as mobile phones and USB memory chips. Some of natural minerals such as quartz and feldspar have OSL properties. Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in continental crust of the Earth. In some of common plastics, inorganic fillers (quartz, alumina etc.) are added to make strengthen of their properties depends on applications areas. The aim of this research is to explore a possibility of use of the common plastic materials for dose reconstruction in radiation accident case. In this research the OSL dose response-curve and fading characteristics of the common plastics were tested and evaluated. Finally, we expect this work contribute to elevate the possibility of the dose reconstruction. The general conclusion of this work is that the possibility of dose reconstruction using common plastic materials is showed using the OSL characteristics of the materials. However, the tested common plastic materials have relatively low sensitivities. Further work is required to establish a database of OSL properties of common plastic materials for emergency dose reconstruction by using housewares.

Sub-nanosecond plastic scintillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyons, P.B.; Caldwell, S.E.; Hocker, L.P.; Crandall, D.G.; Zagarino, P.A.; Cheng, J.; Tirsell, G.; Hurlbut, C.R.

1977-01-01

Quenched plastic scintillators have been developed that yield much faster short decay components and greatly reduced long decay components compared to conventional plastic scintillators. The plastics are produced through the addition of selected quench agents to NE111 plastic scintillator that result in reduced total light output. Eight different agents have been studied. Benzophenone and piperidine are two of the most effective quench agents. Data are presented both for short and long decay components. The plastics are expected to make significant contributions in areas of plasma diagnostics

Sub-nanosecond plastic scintillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyons, P.B.; Caldwell, S.E.; Hocker, L.P.; Crandall, D.G.; Zagarino, P.A.; Cheng, J.; Tirsell, G.; Hurlbut, C.R.

1976-01-01

Quenched plastic scintillators have been developed that yield much faster short decay components and greatly reduced long decay components compared to conventional plastic scintillators. The plastics are produced through the addition of selected quench agents to NE111 plastic scintillator that result in reduced total light output. Eight different agents have been studied. Benzophenone and piperidine are two of the most effective quench agents. Data are presented both for short and long decay components. The plastics are expected to make significant contributions in areas of plasma diagnostics

Success criteria for electronic medical record implementations in low-resource settings: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Fritz, Fleur; Tilahun, Binyam; Dugas, Martin

2015-03-01

Electronic medical record (EMR) systems have the potential of supporting clinical work by providing the right information at the right time to the right people and thus make efficient use of resources. This is especially important in low-resource settings where reliable data are also needed to support public health and local supporting organizations. In this systematic literature review, our objectives are to identify and collect literature about success criteria of EMR implementations in low-resource settings and to summarize them into recommendations. Our search strategy relied on PubMed queries and manual bibliography reviews. Studies were included if EMR implementations in low-resource settings were described. The extracted success criteria and measurements were summarized into 7 categories: ethical, financial, functionality, organizational, political, technical, and training. We collected 381 success criteria with 229 measurements from 47 articles out of 223 articles. Most papers were evaluations or lessons learned from African countries, published from 1999 to 2013. Almost half of the EMR systems served a specific disease area like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The majority of criteria that were reported dealt with the functionality, followed by organizational issues, and technical infrastructures. Sufficient training and skilled personnel were mentioned in roughly 10%. Political, ethical, and financial considerations did not play a predominant role. More evaluations based on reliable frameworks are needed. Highly reliable data handling methods, human resources and effective project management, as well as technical architecture and infrastructure are all key factors for successful EMR implementation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Microfouling communities from pelagic and benthic marine plastic debris sampled across Mediterranean coastal waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mercedes Masó

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The present study used scanning electron microscopy to characterize the organisms colonizing marine plastic debris collected from pelagic and benthic habitats across Mediterranean coastal waters of Greece, Italy and Spain. A total of 42 fragments of plastic were collected during the COMSOM experimental cruise, 16 from the seafloor and 26 from surface waters. The results showed that diatoms were the most abundant organisms on both pelagic and benthic plastics. The diatom Ceratoneis closterium, frequently observed on surface plastics (73%, is a harmful microalgae associated with mucilage events in the Mediterranean. The abundance of marine plastic in coastal and oceanic waters may provide new habitats that offer an easy substrate for these invasive organisms. Furthermore, the colonization of these new environments might reduce the success of life strategies, or drive the organisms out of their essential habitat by dispersion and rafting phenomena. The results of the present work highlight the need to increase our knowledge of the consequences of colonization of plastics introduced into the marine environment, and the need to raise awareness of the potential impacts of debris accumulation on biodiversity of marine ecosystems.

Time between plastic displacements of elasto-plastic oscillators subject to Gaussian white noise

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tarp-Johansen, Niels Jacob; Ditlevsen, Ove Dalager

2001-01-01

A one degree of freedom elasto-plastic oscillator subject to stationary Gaussian white noise has a plastic displacement response process of intermittent character. During shorter or longer time intervals the oscillator vibrates within the elastic domain without undergoing any plastic displacements...... between the clumps of plastic displacements. This is needed for a complete description of the plastic displacement process. A quite accurate fast simulation procedure is presented based on an amplitude model to determine the short waiting times in the transient regime of the elastic vibrations existing...

Chemical constituent influence on ionizing radiation treatment of a wood–plastic composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palm, Andrew; Smith, Jennifer; Driscoll, Mark; Smith, Leonard; Scott Larsen, L.

2016-01-01

A dose range of 0–200 kGy was used to irradiate polyethylene-based wood plastic composite (WPC) specimens. An evaluation of mechanical properties in bending resulted in an increase in ultimate strength, but little effect to stiffness. The bending test results were compared to previous testing in order to examine reproducibility. Hardness tests were also conducted, revealing an increase at a dose range of 0–250 kGy. - Highlights: • Feasibility of electron beam treatment of a wood plastic composite. • No significant impact on modulus of elasticity. • Increase in ultimate strength and hardness.

Selecting aesthetic gynecologic procedures for plastic surgeons: a review of target methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Ostrzenski, Adam

2013-04-01

The objective of this article was to assist cosmetic-plastic surgeons in selecting aesthetic cosmetic gynecologic-plastic surgical interventions. Target methodological analyses of pertinent evidence-based scientific papers and anecdotal information linked to surgical techniques for cosmetic-plastic female external genitalia were examined. A search of the existing literature from 1900 through June 2011 was performed by utilizing electronic and manual databases. A total of 87 articles related to cosmetic-plastic gynecologic surgeries were identified in peer-review journals. Anecdotal information was identified in three sources (Barwijuk, Obstet Gynecol J 9(3):2178-2179, 2011; Benson, 5th annual congress on aesthetic vaginal surgery, Tucson, AZ, USA, November 14-15, 2010; Scheinberg, Obstet Gynecol J 9(3):2191, 2011). Among those articles on cosmetic-plastic gynecologic surgical technique that were reviewed, three articles met the criteria for evidence-based medicine level II, one article was level II-1 and two papers were level II-2. The remaining papers were classified as level III. The pertinent 25 papers met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. There was no documentation on the safety and effectiveness of cosmetic-plastic gynecologic procedures in the scientific literature. All published surgical interventions are not suitable for a cosmetic-plastic practice. The absence of documentation on safety and effectiveness related to cosmetic-plastic gynecologic procedures prevents the establishment of a standard of practice. Traditional gynecologic surgical procedures cannot be labeled and used as cosmetic-plastic procedures, it is a deceptive practice. Obtaining legal trademarks on traditional gynecologic procedures and creating a business model that tries to control clinical-scientific knowledge dissemination is unethical. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings

[Application of biodegradable plastic film to reduce plastic film residual pollution in Chinese agriculture].

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Changrong; He, Wenqing; Xue, Yinghao; Liu, Enke; Liu, Qin

2016-06-25

Plastic film has become an important agriculture production material in recent years. Over the past three decades, the amount and application area of plastic film have increased steadily, and in 2014, which are 1.4 million tons and more than 180 million hm² respectively. It plays a key role for ensuring the supply of agricultural goods in China. Meanwhile, plastic film residual pollution becomes more and more serious, and in some regions, the amount of plastic film residues has reached over 250 kg/hm². In part of the Northwest region, soil structure of farmland has been destroyed by plastic film residues and then crop growth and farming operations were suppressed. It is recognized as a good choice to replace plastic film with biodegradable plastic film, an effective measure to solve the plastic film residue pollution. Now, it is in a critical stage of study and assessment of biodegradable plastic film in China and fortunately some biodegradable plastic films show effects in the production of potatoes, peanuts and tobacco. Overall, a series of challenges has still been faced by the biodegradable plastic film, mainly including improving the quality of biodegradable plastic products, such as tensile strength, flexibility, improving the controllability of rupture and degradation, enhancing the ability of increasing soil temperature and preserving soil moisture, and to satisfy the demand of crops production with mulching. In addition, it is essential to reduce the cost of the biodegradable film and promote the application of biodegradable film on large-scale. With the development of biodegradable plastic technology and agricultural production environment, the application of the biodegradable film will have a good future.

An analysis of the composition and metal contamination of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

Science.gov (United States)

Stenvall, Erik; Tostar, Sandra; Boldizar, Antal; Foreman, Mark R StJ; Möller, Kenneth

2013-04-01

The compositions of three WEEE plastic batches of different origin were investigated using infrared spectroscopy, and the metal content was determined with inductively coupled plasma. The composition analysis of the plastics was based mainly on 14 samples collected from a real waste stream, and showed that the major constituents were high impact polystyrene (42 wt%), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (38 wt%) and polypropylene (10 wt%). Their respective standard deviations were 21.4%, 16.5% and 60.7%, indicating a considerable variation even within a single batch. The level of metal particle contamination was found to be low in all samples, whereas wood contamination and rubber contamination were found to be about 1 wt% each in most samples. In the metal content analysis, iron was detected at levels up to 700 ppm in the recyclable waste plastics fraction, which is of concern due to its potential to catalyse redox reactions during melt processing and thus accelerate the degradation of plastics during recycling. Toxic metals were found only at very low concentrations, with the exception of lead and cadmium which could be detected at 200 ppm and 70 ppm levels, respectively, but these values are below the current threshold limits of 1000 ppm and 100 ppm set by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plasticity of peripheral auditory frequency sensitivity in Emei music frog.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Dian; Cui, Jianguo; Tang, Yezhong

2012-01-01

In anurans reproductive behavior is strongly seasonal. During the spring, frogs emerge from hibernation and males vocalize for mating or advertising territories. Female frogs have the ability to evaluate the quality of the males' resources on the basis of these vocalizations. Although studies revealed that central single torus semicircularis neurons in frogs exhibit season plasticity, the plasticity of peripheral auditory sensitivity in frog is unknown. In this study the seasonally plasticity of peripheral auditory sensitivity was test in the Emei music frog Babina daunchina, by comparing thresholds and latencies of auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) evoked by tone pips and clicks in the reproductive and non-reproductive seasons. The results show that both ABR thresholds and latency differ significantly between the reproductive and non-reproductive seasons. The thresholds of tone pip evoked ABRs in the non-reproductive season increased significantly about 10 dB than those in the reproductive season for frequencies from 1 KHz to 6 KHz. ABR latencies to waveform valley values for tone pips for the same frequencies using appropriate threshold stimulus levels are longer than those in the reproductive season for frequencies from 1.5 to 6 KHz range, although from 0.2 to 1.5 KHz range it is shorter in the non-reproductive season. These results demonstrated that peripheral auditory frequency sensitivity exhibits seasonal plasticity changes which may be adaptive to seasonal reproductive behavior in frogs.

Plastic fish

CERN Multimedia

Antonella Del Rosso

2015-01-01

In terms of weight, the plastic pollution in the world’s oceans is estimated to be around 300,000 tonnes. This plastic comes from both land-based and ocean-based sources. A lecture at CERN by chemist Wolfgang Trettnak addressed this issue and highlighted the role of art in raising people’s awareness.   Artwork by Wolfgang Trettnak. Packaging materials, consumer goods (shoes, kids’ toys, etc.), leftovers from fishing and aquaculture activities… our oceans and beaches are full of plastic litter. Most of the debris from beaches is plastic bottles. “PET bottles have high durability and stability,” explains Wolfgang Trettnak, a chemist by education and artist from Austria, who gave a lecture on this topic organised by the Staff Association at CERN on 26 May. “PET degrades very slowly and the estimated lifetime of a bottle is 450 years.” In addition to the beach litter accumulated from human use, rivers bring several ki...

Plastic anisotropy of straight and cross rolled molybdenum sheets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oertel, C.-G.; Huensche, I.; Skrotzki, W.; Knabl, W.; Lorich, A.; Resch, J.

2008-01-01

The microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of molybdenum sheets produced by different rolling processes were investigated by orientation imaging in the scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and tensile tests, respectively. For comparable recrystallization degree of the sheets investigated, straight rolling with low reduction ratio produces α-fiber textures with a maximum at {100} . At higher rolling degrees the maximum shifts to {112} . Cross rolling increases the rotated cube component {100} . The strong differences in the texture measured are reflected in the plastic anisotropy characterized by differences in the yield stress and Lankford parameter which were measured along directions in the rolling plane at angles of 0 deg., 45 deg. and 90 deg. with the rolling direction. The Taylor-Bishop-Hill theory is used successfully to qualitatively explain the plastic anisotropy

Revision of the concept of registration threshold in plastic track detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Somogyi, G.; Grabisch, K.; Scherzer, R.; Enge, W.

1976-01-01

Response curves (V identical Vsub(T)/Vsub(B) versus REL) of various plastic track detectors (CN, CA, PC, PET) were determined in the region of relatively low etching rate ratios V. Comparative investigations made it clear thay the registration threshold concept needs revision. It was found that for most of the commercial plastics the V(REL) curves can be well described by the relation V = 1 + αRELsup(β), where the power index is about 3 within a limit +- 10% for pure materials. With CN the situation proved to be more complex in the presence of a relatively large amount of camphor in the matrix of the detector. For the interpretation of the observed shape of the V(REL) curves, a theoretical model similar to the one that is used to describe the survival curves of irradiated biological objects, was proposed. Experiments performed for a better understanding of the nature of the radiation-damage in plastics yielded a simple relation REL = const x √D between the REL value of nuclei and the volume dose D deposited by accelerated electron beams, which produced equivalent chemical etchability in the irradiated plastics. (orig./ORU) [de

Plastics in the Marine Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Kara Lavender

2017-01-03

Plastics contamination in the marine environment was first reported nearly 50 years ago, less than two decades after the rise of commercial plastics production, when less than 50 million metric tons were produced per year. In 2014, global plastics production surpassed 300 million metric tons per year. Plastic debris has been detected worldwide in all major marine habitats, in sizes from microns to meters. In response, concerns about risks to marine wildlife upon exposure to the varied forms of plastic debris have increased, stimulating new research into the extent and consequences of plastics contamination in the marine environment. Here, I present a framework to evaluate the current understanding of the sources, distribution, fate, and impacts of marine plastics. Despite remaining knowledge gaps in mass budgeting and challenges in investigating ecological impacts, the increasing evidence of the ubiquity of plastics contamination in the marine environment, the continued rapid growth in plastics production, and the evidence-albeit limited-of demonstrated impacts to marine wildlife support immediate implementation of source-reducing measures to decrease the potential risks of plastics in the marine ecosystem.

Plastics in the Marine Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Kara Lavender

2017-01-01

Plastics contamination in the marine environment was first reported nearly 50 years ago, less than two decades after the rise of commercial plastics production, when less than 50 million metric tons were produced per year. In 2014, global plastics production surpassed 300 million metric tons per year. Plastic debris has been detected worldwide in all major marine habitats, in sizes from microns to meters. In response, concerns about risks to marine wildlife upon exposure to the varied forms of plastic debris have increased, stimulating new research into the extent and consequences of plastics contamination in the marine environment. Here, I present a framework to evaluate the current understanding of the sources, distribution, fate, and impacts of marine plastics. Despite remaining knowledge gaps in mass budgeting and challenges in investigating ecological impacts, the increasing evidence of the ubiquity of plastics contamination in the marine environment, the continued rapid growth in plastics production, and the evidence—albeit limited—of demonstrated impacts to marine wildlife support immediate implementation of source-reducing measures to decrease the potential risks of plastics in the marine ecosystem.

Valorization of post-consumer waste plastic in cementitious concrete composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marzouk, O. Yazoghli; Dheilly, R.M.; Queneudec, M.

2007-01-01

The sheer amount of disposable bottles being produced nowadays makes it imperative to identify alternative procedures for recycling them since they are non-biodegradable. This paper describes an innovative use of consumed plastic bottle waste as sand-substitution aggregate within composite materials for building application. Particularly, bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) have been used as partial and complete substitutes for sand in concrete composites. Various volume fractions of sand varying from 2% to 100% were substituted by the same volume of granulated plastic, and various sizes of PET aggregates were used. The bulk density and mechanical characteristics of the composites produced were evaluated. To study the relationship between mechanical properties and composite microstructure, scanning electron microscopy technique was employed. The results presented show that substituting sand at a level below 50% by volume with granulated PET, whose upper granular limit equals 5 mm, affects neither the compressive strength nor the flexural strength of composites. This study demonstrates that plastic bottles shredded into small PET particles may be used successfully as sand-substitution aggregates in cementitious concrete composites. These new composites would appear to offer an attractive low-cost material with consistent properties; moreover, they would help in resolving some of the solid waste problems created by plastics production and in saving energy

Structural conditions of maximal plasticity of two-phase metal materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Movchan, B.A.

1975-01-01

Analysis is given of experimental values of the strength and plasticity of iron- and tungsten-based two-phase materials with the regulated amount of the second phase and the grain size. Specimens in the form of a 120 mm x 200 mm sheet with a thickness of 0.8-1.2 mm are prepared by means of the electron beam evaporation technique and subsequent condensation of the materials on a preheated support. The variable content of the second phase along the sheet in the range 0.5 volume per cent and more than a 10-fold change in the grain size of the metallic matrix are attained by a simultaneous evaporation of pure metal (99.98 per cent) and nonlmetallic material-niobium carbide or zirconium dioxide ZrO 2 -from two separate sources. The content of arbitrarily distributed spherical particles of the second phase corresponding to a maximum of the plasticity depends only on the structural parameter - the d/D ratio. The absolute falue of the plasticity and its dependence on the temperature is a complex function of many variables - mechanical properties of particles and the matrix, peculiarities of interphase interaction on the boundary particle - matrix, the size of particles, the rate of plastic deformation and relaxation processes

Selection of polychlorinated plastics in plastic waste by X-ray fluorescence method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumasaki, H.; Shinozaki, Y.

1979-01-01

The X-ray fluorescence method using a small source of 55 Fe was examined and found to be applicable for the selection of polychlorinated plastics from plastic waste in model areas in Tokyo designated for investigating their content in the waste. The weight ratios of soft and hard polychlorinated plastics to the total plastic waste estimated by this method were found to be 15.6% and 0.29% respectively. These values agree well with the results obtained with the Beilstein method. (author)

Toxicological Threats of Plastic

Science.gov (United States)

Plastics pose both physical (e.g., entanglement, gastrointestinal blockage, reef destruction) and chemical threats (e.g., bioaccumulation of the chemical ingredients of plastic or toxic chemicals sorbed to plastics) to wildlife and the marine ecosystem.

Effects of No-tillage Combined with Reused Plastic Film Mulching on Maize Yield and Irrigation Water Productivity

OpenAIRE

SU Yong-zhong; ZHANG Ke; LIU Ting-na; WANG Ting

2016-01-01

A field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of reused plastic film mulching and no-tillage on maize yield and irriga-tion water productivity(IWP) in the marginal oasis in the middle of Hexi Corridor region of northwestern China. The aim is to provide an alternative tillage and cultivation pattern for reducing plastic film pollution, saving cost and increasing income, and improving resource use efficiency. The field experiment was carried out in three soils with different texture...

High density polyethylene (HDPE-2) and polystyrene (PS-6) waste plastic mixture turns into valuable fuel energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarker, Moinuddin; Rashid, Mohammad Mamunor; Rahman, Md. Sadikur; Molla, Mohammed [Department of Research and Development, Natural State Research Inc, Stamford, (United States)

2011-07-01

Disposal of waste plastic is a serious concern in USA. Waste plastic generated from different cities and towns is a part of municipal solid waste. It is a matter of concern that disposal of waste plastic is causing many problems such as leaching impact on land and ground water, choking of drains, making land infertile, indiscriminate burning causes environmental hazards etc. Waste plastics being nonbiodegradable it can remain as a long period of landfill. Over 48 million tons of synthetic polymer material is produced in the United States every year. Plastic are made from limited resources such as petroleum. When waste plastic come in contact with light and starts photo degrading, it starts releasing harmful such as carbon, chlorine and sulfur causing the soil around them to decay, contributing many complications for cultivation. Waste plastics also end up in the ocean, where it becomes small particles due to the reaction caused by the sun ray and salt from the ocean. Million of ocean habitants die from consuming these small plastic particles when they mistake them for food. To solve this problem countries are resorting to dumping the waste plastics, which requires a lot of effort and money yet they are only able to recycle a fraction of waste plastics. This developed a new technology which will remove these waste plastics form landfill and ocean and convert them into useful liquid fuels. The fuels show high potential for commercialization due to the fact, its influence to the environment. Keywords: waste plastics, fuel, energy, polystyrene, high density polyethylene, thermal, environmental.

Plasticity and beyond microstructures, crystal-plasticity and phase transitions

CERN Document Server

Hackl, Klaus

2014-01-01

The book presents the latest findings in experimental plasticity, crystal plasticity, phase transitions, advanced mathematical modeling of finite plasticity and multi-scale modeling. The associated algorithmic treatment is mainly based on finite element formulations for standard (local approach) as well as for non-standard (non-local approach) continua and for pure macroscopic as well as for directly coupled two-scale boundary value problems. Applications in the area of material design/processing are covered, ranging from grain boundary effects in polycrystals and phase transitions to deep-drawing of multiphase steels by directly taking into account random microstructures.

Potential of bacteria isolated from landfill soil in degrading low density polyethylene plastic

Science.gov (United States)

Munir, E.; Sipayung, F. C.; Priyani, N.; Suryanto, D.

2018-03-01

Plastic is an important material and used for many purposes. It is returned to the environment as a waste which is recently considered as the second largest solid waste. The persistency of plastic in the environment has been attracted researchers from a different point of view. The study of the degradation of plastic using bacteria isolated from local landfill soil was conducted. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic was used as tested material. Potential isolates were obtained by culturing the candidates in mineral salt medium broth containing LDPE powder. Two of ten exhibited better growth response in the selection media and were used in degradation study. Results showed that isolate SP2 and SP4 reduced the weight of LDPE film significantly to a weight loss of 10.16% and 12.06%, respectively after four weeks of incubation. Scanning electron micrograph analyses showed the surface of LDPE changed compared to the untreated film. It looked rough and cracked, and bacteria cells attached to the surface was also noticed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses confirmed the degradation of LDPE film. These results indicated that bacteria isolated from landfill might play an important role in degrading plastic material in the landfill.

Vegetative and reproductive evaluation of hot peppers under different plastic mulches in poly/plastic tunnel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iqbal, Q.; Amjad, M.; Ahmad, R.

2009-01-01

Since the beginning of civilization, the man has developed technologies to increase the efficiency of food production. The use of plastic mulch in commercial vegetable production is one of these traditional techniques that have been used for centuries. Studies were conducted to assess the efficacy of plastic mulch on growth and yield of two hot pepper hybrids, viz. Sky Red and Maha in poly/plastic tunnel. The treatments were black plastic mulch, clear plastic mulch and bare soil as control. Both hot pepper hybrids mulched with black plastic showed significantly better vegetative growth (plant height, leaf area etc) and fruit yield. Clear plastic mulch significantly increased soil temperature and reduced the number of days to first flower than black plastic mulch and bare soil. However, fruit yield was higher by 39.56 and 36.49% respectively in both hybrids when they were grown on black and clear plastic mulch as compared to bare soil. Overall results indicated that the use of plastic mulch is an ideal option to maximize hot pepper productivity as well as to extend their production season in poly/plastic tunnels. (author)

Handbook of Plastic Welding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Islam, Aminul

The purpose of this document is to summarize the information about the laser welding of plastic. Laser welding is a matured process nevertheless laser welding of micro dimensional plastic parts is still a big challenge. This report collects the latest information about the laser welding of plastic...... materials and provides an extensive knowhow on the industrial plastic welding process. The objectives of the report include: - Provide the general knowhow of laser welding for the beginners - Summarize the state-of-the-art information on the laser welding of plastics - Find the technological limits in terms...... of design, materials and process - Find the best technology, process and machines adaptive to Sonion’s components - Provide the skills to Sonion’s Design Engineers for successful design of the of the plastic components suitable for the laser welding The ultimate goal of this report is to serve...

Irradiated recycled plastic as a concrete additive for improved chemo-mechanical properties and lower carbon footprint.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Carolyn E; Kupwade-Patil, Kunal; Ortega, Michael; Soriano, Carmen; Büyüköztürk, Oral; White, Anne E; Short, Michael P

2018-01-01

Concrete production contributes heavily to greenhouse gas emissions, thus a need exists for the development of durable and sustainable concrete with a lower carbon footprint. This can be achieved when cement is partially replaced with another material, such as waste plastic, though normally with a tradeoff in compressive strength. This study discusses progress toward a high/medium strength concrete with a dense, cementitious matrix that contains an irradiated plastic additive, recovering the compressive strength while displacing concrete with waste materials to reduce greenhouse gas generation. Compressive strength tests showed that the addition of high dose (100kGy) irradiated plastic in multiple concretes resulted in increased compressive strength as compared to samples containing regular, non-irradiated plastic. This suggests that irradiating plastic at a high dose is a viable potential solution for regaining some of the strength that is lost when plastic is added to cement paste. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Backscattered Electron Microscopy (BSE), and X-ray microtomography explain the mechanisms for strength retention when using irradiated plastic as a filler for cement paste. By partially replacing Portland cement with a recycled waste plastic, this design may have a potential to contribute to reduced carbon emissions when scaled to the level of mass concrete production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanoscale lamellae in an oxide dispersion strengthened steel processed by dynamic plastic deformation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Zhenbo; Mishin, Oleg; Tao, N. R.

2014-01-01

The microstructure of an oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic PM2000 steel with a strong initial (100) texture has been investigated after compression by dynamic plastic deformation (DPD) at room temperature to a strain of 2.1. Measurements using electron backscatter diffraction and transmission...

Abiotic degradation of plastic films

Science.gov (United States)

Ángeles-López, Y. G.; Gutiérrez-Mayen, A. M.; Velasco-Pérez, M.; Beltrán-Villavicencio, M.; Vázquez-Morillas, A.; Cano-Blanco, M.

2017-01-01

Degradable plastics have been promoted as an option to mitigate the environmental impacts of plastic waste. However, there is no certainty about its degradability under different environmental conditions. The effect of accelerated weathering (AW), natural weathering (NW) and thermal oxidation (TO) on different plastics (high density polyethylene, HDPE; oxodegradable high density polyethylene, HDPE-oxo; compostable plastic, Ecovio ® metalized polypropylene, PP; and oxodegradable metalized polypropylene, PP-oxo) was studied. Plastics films were exposed to AW per 110 hours; to NW per 90 days; and to TO per 30 days. Plastic films exposed to AW and NW showed a general loss on mechanical properties. The highest reduction in elongation at break on AW occurred to HDPE-oxo (from 400.4% to 20.9%) and was higher than 90% for HDPE, HDPE-oxo, Ecovio ® and PP-oxo in NW. No substantial evidence of degradation was found on plastics exposed to TO. Oxo-plastics showed higher degradation rates than their conventional counterparts, and the compostable plastic was resistant to degradation in the studied abiotic conditions. This study shows that degradation of plastics in real life conditions will vary depending in both, their composition and the environment.

Plasticity characteristic obtained by indentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mil'man, Yu.V.; Chugunova, S.I.; Goncharova, I.V.

2011-01-01

Methods for determination plasticity characteristic δH in the measurement of hardness and nanohardness are considered. Parameter δH characterizes the plasticity of a material by the part of plastic deformation in the total elastic-plastic deformation. The value of δH is defined for metals with different types of crystal lattice, covalent and partially covalent crystals, intermetallics, metallic glasses and quasicrystals. It is discussed the dependence of the plasticity characteristic δH on structural factors and temperature. Parameter δH allows to analyze and compare the plasticity of materials which are brittle at standard mechanical tests. The combination of hardness H, as the strength characteristic, and the plasticity characteristic δH makes possible the better characterization of mechanical behavior of materials than only the hardness H. The examples of plasticity characteristic δH application are represented.

Leaf life span plasticity in tropical seedlings grown under contrasting light regimes.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Gregoire

2006-02-01

The phenotypic plasticity of leaf life span in response to low resource conditions has a potentially large impact on the plant carbon budget, notably in evergreen species not subject to seasonal leaf shedding, but has rarely been well documented. This study evaluates the plasticity of leaf longevity, in terms of its quantitative importance to the plant carbon balance under limiting light. Seedlings of four tropical tree species with contrasting light requirements (Alstonia scholaris, Hevea brasiliensis, Durio zibethinus and Lansium domesticum) were grown under three light regimes (full sunlight, 45 % sunlight and 12 % sunlight). Their leaf dynamics were monitored over 18 months. All species showed a considerable level of plasticity with regard to leaf life span: over the range of light levels explored, the ratio of the range to the mean value of life span varied from 29 %, for the least plastic species, to 84 %, for the most. The common trend was for leaf life span to increase with decreasing light intensity. The plasticity apparent in leaf life span was similar in magnitude to the plasticity observed in specific leaf area and photosynthetic rate, implying that it has a significant impact on carbon gain efficiency when plants acclimate to different light regimes. In all species, median survival time was negatively correlated with leaf photosynthetic capacity (or its proxy, the nitrogen content per unit area) and leaf emergence rate. Longer leaf life spans under low light are likely to be a consequence of slower ageing as a result of a slower photosynthetic metabolism.

Experiments with elasto-plastic oscillator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Randrup-thomsen, Søren; Ditlevsen, Ove Dalager

1996-01-01

Plastic displacements of a Gaussian white noise excited three degrees of freedom non-ideal elasto-plastic oscillator are measured in laboratory experiments and the plastic displacements are compared to computer simulated results for the corresponding ideal elasto-plastic oscillator. The comparative...

Experiments with elasto-plastic oscillator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Randrup-Thomsen, S.; Ditlevsen, Ove Dalager

1999-01-01

Plastic displacements of a Gaussian white noise excited three degrees of freedom non-ideal elasto-plastic oscillator are measured in laboratory experiments and the plastic displacements are compared to computer simulated results for the corresponding ideal elasto-plastic oscillator. The comparative...

Substitution potentials of recycled HDPE and wood particles from post-consumer packaging waste in Wood-Plastic Composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Sommerhuber, Philipp F; Welling, Johannes; Krause, Andreas

2015-12-01

The market share of Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC) is small but expected to grow sharply in Europe. This raises some concerns about suitable wood particles needed in the wood-based panels industry in Europe. Concerns are stimulated by the competition between the promotion of wooden products through the European Bioeconomy Strategy and wood as an energy carrier through the Renewable Energy Directive. Cascade use of resources and valorisation of waste are potential strategies to overcome resource scarcity. Under experimental design conditions, WPC made from post-consumer recycled wood and plastic (HDPE) were compared to WPC made from virgin resources. Wood content in the polymer matrix was raised in two steps from 0% to 30% and 60%. Mechanical and physical properties and colour differences were characterized. The feasibility of using cascaded resources for WPC is discussed. Results indicate the technical and economic feasibility of using recycled HDPE from packaging waste for WPC. Based on technical properties, 30% recycled wood content for WPC is feasible, but economic and political barriers of efficient cascading of biomass need to be overcome. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proton-Induced Plasticity in Hydrogen Clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stich, I.; Marx, D.; Parrinello, M.; Terakura, K.; Terakura, K.

1997-01-01

The effect of protonation of pure hydrogen clusters is investigated at low temperature using a combination of path-integral simulations and first-principles electronic structure calculations. The added proton gets trapped as a very localized H 3 + impurity in the cluster core, and is surrounded by stable shells of solvating H 2 molecules. These clusters are frozen with respect to the translational degrees of freedom, while the H 2 ligands undergo large-amplitude rotations. The classical approximation for the nuclei fails to account for this effect which is akin to plastic behavior in crystals. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE-PLASTIC

OpenAIRE

Sunita Shakle

2017-01-01

Polythene is the most common plastic, the annual global production is approximately 60 million tones, and its primary use is in packing. Plastic bags pollute soil and waters and kill thousands of marine generalize plastic bags are not biodegradable they clog water ways, spoil the land scape and end up in landfills. Where they may take 1000 year or more to break down into ever smaller particals that continue to pollution the soil and water.

A VLSI recurrent network of integrate-and-fire neurons connected by plastic synapses with long-term memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Chicca, E; Badoni, D; Dante, V; D'Andreagiovanni, M; Salina, G; Carota, L; Fusi, S; Del Giudice, P

2003-01-01

Electronic neuromorphic devices with on-chip, on-line learning should be able to modify quickly the synaptic couplings to acquire information about new patterns to be stored (synaptic plasticity) and, at the same time, preserve this information on very long time scales (synaptic stability). Here, we illustrate the electronic implementation of a simple solution to this stability-plasticity problem, recently proposed and studied in various contexts. It is based on the observation that reducing the analog depth of the synapses to the extreme (bistable synapses) does not necessarily disrupt the performance of the device as an associative memory, provided that 1) the number of neurons is large enough; 2) the transitions between stable synaptic states are stochastic; and 3) learning is slow. The drastic reduction of the analog depth of the synaptic variable also makes this solution appealing from the point of view of electronic implementation and offers a simple methodological alternative to the technological solution based on floating gates. We describe the full custom analog very large-scale integration (VLSI) realization of a small network of integrate-and-fire neurons connected by bistable deterministic plastic synapses which can implement the idea of stochastic learning. In the absence of stimuli, the memory is preserved indefinitely. During the stimulation the synapse undergoes quick temporary changes through the activities of the pre- and postsynaptic neurons; those changes stochastically result in a long-term modification of the synaptic efficacy. The intentionally disordered pattern of connectivity allows the system to generate a randomness suited to drive the stochastic selection mechanism. We check by a suitable stimulation protocol that the stochastic synaptic plasticity produces the expected pattern of potentiation and depression in the electronic network.

Water-equivalent plastic scintillation detectors for radiotherapy dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beddar, A.S.

1995-01-01

Plastic scintillation dosimetry is a promising new method of measuring absorbed dose for high energy radiotherapy beams. The theory behind this concept will be presented along with the many advantages that it offers over conventional dosimetry. A variety of plastic scintillation detector systems have been recently developed for photon and electron dosimetry. These new water-equivalent detectors use small to miniature plastic scintillators. Their attractive feature lies in their use for field mapping in water, particularly for small fields, high dose gradient regions, and near inhomogeneous interfaces, or for in-vivo insertions. The physical characteristics and the dosimetric properties of these scintillators will be presented, discussed, and compared to the commonly used detectors in radiation dosimetry. The system first used successfully for multi-purpose radiotherapy field mapping, as well as other systems, will be described. The technical challenges of the design of these detectors including the optical coupling to small fibers will be discussed. One of the limitations, at the present time, is the radiation-induced light produced in the optical fibers that are used to transmit the signal to the photodetectors. The mechanisms of these spurious effects will be identified and discussed with emphasis on signal-to-noise improvements

A correlative approach to segmenting phases and ferrite morphologies in transformation-induced plasticity steel using electron back-scattering diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gazder, Azdiar A., E-mail: azdiar@uow.edu.au [Electron Microscopy Centre, University of Wollongong, New South Wales 2500 (Australia); Al-Harbi, Fayez; Spanke, Hendrik Th. [School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, New South Wales 2522 (Australia); Mitchell, David R.G. [Electron Microscopy Centre, University of Wollongong, New South Wales 2500 (Australia); Pereloma, Elena V. [Electron Microscopy Centre, University of Wollongong, New South Wales 2500 (Australia); School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, New South Wales 2522 (Australia)

2014-12-15

Using a combination of electron back-scattering diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data, a segmentation procedure was developed to comprehensively distinguish austenite, martensite, polygonal ferrite, ferrite in granular bainite and bainitic ferrite laths in a thermo-mechanically processed low-Si, high-Al transformation-induced plasticity steel. The efficacy of the ferrite morphologies segmentation procedure was verified by transmission electron microscopy. The variation in carbon content between the ferrite in granular bainite and bainitic ferrite laths was explained on the basis of carbon partitioning during their growth. - Highlights: • Multi-condition segmentation of austenite, martensite, polygonal ferrite and ferrite in bainite. • Ferrites in granular bainite and bainitic ferrite segmented by variation in relative carbon counts. • Carbon partitioning during growth explains variation in carbon content of ferrites in bainites. • Developed EBSD image processing tools can be applied to the microstructures of a variety of alloys. • EBSD-based segmentation procedure verified by correlative TEM results.

Nano-Ceramic Coated Plastics

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Junghyun

2013-01-01

Plastic products, due to their durability, safety, and low manufacturing cost, are now rapidly replacing cookware items traditionally made of glass and ceramics. Despite this trend, some still prefer relatively expensive and more fragile ceramic/glassware because plastics can deteriorate over time after exposure to foods, which can generate odors, bad appearance, and/or color change. Nano-ceramic coatings can eliminate these drawbacks while still retaining the advantages of the plastic, since the coating only alters the surface of the plastic. The surface coating adds functionality to the plastics such as self-cleaning and disinfectant capabilities that result from a photocatalytic effect of certain ceramic systems. These ceramic coatings can also provide non-stick surfaces and higher temperature capabilities for the base plastics without resorting to ceramic or glass materials. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) are the candidates for a nano-ceramic coating to deposit on the plastics or plastic films used in cookware and kitchenware. Both are wide-bandgap semiconductors (3.0 to 3.2 eV for TiO2 and 3.2 to 3.3 eV for ZnO), so they exhibit a photocatalytic property under ultraviolet (UV) light. This will lead to decomposition of organic compounds. Decomposed products can be easily washed off by water, so the use of detergents will be minimal. High-crystalline film with large surface area for the reaction is essential to guarantee good photocatalytic performance of these oxides. Low-temperature processing (nano-ceramic coatings (TiO2, ZnO) on plastic materials (silicone, Teflon, PET, etc.) that can possess both photocatalytic oxide properties and flexible plastic properties. Processing cost is low and it does not require any expensive equipment investment. Processing can be scalable to current manufacturing infrastructure.

Characterization of ecofriendly polyethylene fiber from plastic bag waste

Science.gov (United States)

Soekoco, Asril S.; Noerati, Komalasari, Maya; Kurniawan, Hananto, Agus

2017-08-01

This paper presents the characterization of fiber morphology, fiber count and tenacity of polyethylene fiber which is made from plastic bag waste. Recycling plastic bag waste into textile fiber has not developed yet. Plastic bag waste was recycled into fiber by melt spinning using laboratory scale melt spinning equipment with single orifice nozzle and plunger system. The basic principle of melt spinning is by melting materials and then extruding it through small orifice of a spinning nozzle to form fibers. Diameter and cross section shape of Recycled polyethylene fiber were obtained by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) instrumentation. Linear density of the recycled fiber were analyzed by calculation using denier and dTex formulation and The mechanical strength of the fibers was measured in accordance with the ASTM D 3379-75 standard. The cross section of recycled fiber is circular taking the shape of orifice. Fiber count of 303.75 denier has 1.84 g/denier tenacity and fiber count of 32.52 has 3.44 g/denier tenacity. This conditions is affected by the growth of polymer chain alignment when take-up axial velocity become faster. Recycled polyethylene fiber has a great potential application in non-apparel textile.

Electronic Human Resources Management (e-HRM Adoption Studies: Past and Future Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Winarto Winarto

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Electronic human resource management (e-HRM systems become more widely used by profit and non-profit organization. However, the field currently lacks sound theoretical frameworks that can be useful in addressing a key issue concerning the implementation of e-HRM systems, in particular to obtain a better understanding of the factors influencing the adoption of e-HRM systems. The objective of this paper is to provide a foundation towards the development of a theoretical framework for the implementation of e-HRM systems and develop a conceptual model that would reflect the nature of e-HRM systems’ adoption through systematic literature review. Adopting Crossan and Apaydin’s procedure of systematic review, this paper investigated 21 empirical papers of electronics human resources management, then categorized them into 4 characteristics which influence the adoption; System and technology characteristics; Organizational characteristics; User/individual characteristics, and Environmental and contextual characteristics. Finally, the e-HRM adoption research framework is drawn and based on the framework; avenues for future research are discussed.   Bahasa Indonesia Abstrak: Manajemen sumber daya manusia elektronik (selanjutnya disebut dengan e-HRM semakin banyak digunakan oleh organisasi profit dan nonprofit. Namun, bidang dan topik ini belum memiliki kerangka teori yang mapan, yang dapat digunakan untuk menganalisis isu-isu terkait penerapan e-HRM, terutama mengenai faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi adopsi sistem e-HRM. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk memberikan landasan bagi pengembangan kerangka teoritis untuk implementasi sistem e-HRM dan mengembangkan model konseptual yang akan menggambarkan adopsi sistem e-HRM melalui tinjauan literatur sistematis. Mengadopsi prosedur dan metode Crossan dan Apaydin untuk melakukan telaah literatur secara sistematis, paper ini menyelidiki 21 publikasi empiris manajemen sumber daya manusia elektronik dari 2

Elastic-plastic analysis of AS4/PEEK composite laminate using a one-parameter plasticity model

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, C. T.; Yoon, K. J.

1992-01-01

A one-parameter plasticity model was shown to adequately describe the plastic deformation of AS4/PEEK (APC-2) unidirectional thermoplastic composite. This model was verified further for unidirectional and laminated composite panels with and without a hole. The elastic-plastic stress-strain relations of coupon specimens were measured and compared with those predicted by the finite element analysis using the one-parameter plasticity model. The results show that the one-parameter plasticity model is suitable for the analysis of elastic-plastic deformation of AS4/PEEK composite laminates.

Performance of molded plastic scintillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gen, N.S.; Leman, V.E.; Solomonov, V.M.

1989-01-01

The performance of molded plastic scintillators is studied. The plastic scintillators studied were formed by transfer molding and intrusion from a scintillation composition consisting of polystyrene and a standard system of luminescent additives: 2 mass % of paraterphenyl + 0.06 mass % 1,4-di-/2-[5-phenyloxazoyly]/benzene and a plasticizer. The combined effect of mechanical load and temperature was studied. The effect of radiation on molded plastic scintillators was studied using gamma radiation from a 60 Co source. The studies show that the main operating characteristics of molded plastic scintillators are on a par with those of polymerized plastic scintillators. At the same time, molded plastic scintillators are superior in thermal stability at temperatures below the glass transition temperature and with respect to their working temperature range

Plastic food packaging and health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raika Durusoy

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Plastics have a wide usage in our daily lives. One of their uses is for food packaging and food containers. The aim of this review is to introduce different types of chemicals that can leach from food packaging plastics into foods and cause human exposure and to mention their effects on health. The types of plastics were reviewed under the 13 headings in Turkish Codex Alimentarius and plastics recycling symbols were provided to enable the recognition of the type of plastic when applicable. Chemicals used during the production and that can cause health risks are investigated under the heading of the relevant type of plastic. The most important chemicals from plastic food packaging that can cause toxicity are styrene, 1,3-butadiene, melamine, formaldehyde, acrylamide, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, di-2-ethylhexyl adipate, vinyl chloride and bisphenol A. These chemicals have endocrine disrupting, carcinogenic and/or development disrupting effects. These chemicals may leach into foods depending on the chemical properties of the plastic or food, temperature during packaging, processing and storage, exposure to UV and duration of storage. Contact with fatty/oily or acidic foods, heating of the food inside the container, or drinking hot drinks from plastic cups, use of old and scratched plastics and some detergents increase the risk of leaching. The use of plastic containers and packaging for food and beveradges should be avoided whenever possible and when necessary, less harmful types of plastic should be preferred. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2011; 10(1.000: 87-96

Cold surface treatments on fiber-reinforced plastics by pulsed laser

OpenAIRE

Gebauer, Jana; Franke, Volker; Klotzbach, Udo; Beyer, Eckhard

2017-01-01

The importance of lightweight materials increases in all aspects of manufacturing, e.g. automotive, sports equipment and aerospace [1]. Making fiber reinforced plastics suitable for use in mass production new technologies have to be developed to overcome existing challenges e.g. shorter cycle times or more efficient resource usage. Innovative laser systems are used for a full range of treatments for all materials, like structuring, drilling, joining and cutting [2] - [4]. This paper presents ...

Our plastic age

OpenAIRE

Thompson, Richard C.; Swan, Shanna H.; Moore, Charles J.; vom Saal, Frederick S.

2009-01-01

Within the last few decades, plastics have revolutionized our daily lives. Globally we use in excess of 260 million tonnes of plastic per annum, accounting for approximately 8 per cent of world oil production. In this Theme Issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, we describe current and future trends in usage, together with the many benefits that plastics bring to society. At the same time, we examine the environmental consequences resulting from the accumulation of waste pl...

Measurements of the Minimum Bending Radius of Small Diameter Scintillating Plastic Fibres

CERN Document Server

Gruber, Lukas; Vaananen, Mika Petteri; Gavardi, Laura

2018-01-01

The minimum bending radius of plastic fibres is an important parameter as it determines the geometrical flexibility of the fibres during long-term storage or installation and usage inside detectors. The following document describes measurements of the minimum bending radius of round scintillating plastic fibres with small diameter performed in the context of the LHCb SciFi Tracker project. The experimental set-up is based on measuring the light output of a bent fibre in response to 1 MeV electrons over several days. The results suggest that the 250 μm diameter fibres can be bent to a radius of about 10 mm without damaging and losing light.

A Conservative Formulation for Plasticity

Science.gov (United States)

1992-01-01

concepts that apply to a broad class of macroscopic models: plastic deformation and plastic flow rule. CONSERVATIVE PLASTICITY 469 3a. Plastic Defrrnation...temperature. We illustrate these concepts with a model that has been used to describe high strain-rate plastic flow in metals [11, 31, 32]. In the case...JOURDREN, AND P. VEYSSEYRE. Un Modele ttyperelastique- Plastique Euldrien Applicable aux Grandes Dtformations: Que/ques R~sultats 1-D. preprint, 1991. 2. P

Wood-plastic combination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaudy, R.

1978-02-01

A review on wood-plastic combinations is given including the production (wood and plastic component, radiation hardening, curing), the obtained properties, present applications and prospects for the future of these materials. (author)

Melt processing and property testing of a model system of plastics contained in waste from electrical and electronic equipment.

Science.gov (United States)

Triantou, Marianna I; Tarantili, Petroula A; Andreopoulos, Andreas G