The influence of wood components and cellulose crystallinity on the thermal degradation behavior of different wood species has been investigated using thermogravimetry, chemical analysis and X-ray diffraction. Four wood samples, Pinus elliottii (PIE), Eucalyptus grandis (EUG), Mezilaurus itauba (ITA) and Dipteryx odorata (DIP) were used in this study. The results showed that higher extractives ...

A new chitinase inhibitor, CI-4, was isolated from the culture broth of a marine bacterium Pseudomonas sp. IZ208. The structure of CI-4 was determined to be cyclo(L-Arg-D-Pro) by spectral studies and comparison with a synthetic sample. CI-4 showed inhibitory activity against chitinase.

Although body build is related to disability and mortality in older people, the independent contributions of adiposity and lean mass are not fully defined. The authors examined the relations of body composition (fat mass index, fat-free mass index) and adiposity (body mass index, waist circumference) to ill health and physical disability in a cross-sectional study of 4,252 British men aged 60-7...

We performed thermal analysis of polyethylene samples obtained from 73 new cups of the Weller hip prosthesis. There were marked individual differences in the degree of their crystallinity, ranging from 37.8% to 67.2% with a mean of 53%. Analysis of polyethylene from removed cups also showed differences in crystallinity in individual cups, with the mean value being higher in the removed implants...

Practical, efficient synthesis of metal oxide nanocrystals with good crystallinity and high specific surface area by a modified polymer-network gel method is demonstrated, taking ZnO nanocrystals as an example. A novel stepwise heat treatment yields significant improvement in crystal quality. Such nanophase materials can effectively degrade common organic dyes under solar radiation and can perf...

The effect of acidic hydrolysis duration on nanocellulose size, morphology, and proper ties was investigated, which opens up a whole new horizon versatility in poplar applications. This study aimed to examine Spanish wastes as raw material extract crystalline (CNC), substantiates the importance wastes. Wastes were pulped using 1 L 10% NaOH (wt./wt.) solution, bleached several times by NaClO2; a...

Plant biomechanical design is central to cell shape, morphogenesis, reproductive performance and protection against environmental and mechanical stress. The cell wall forms the central load bearing support structure for plant design, yet a mechanistic understanding of its synthesis is incomplete. A key tool for studying the structure of cellulose polymorphs has been x-ray diffraction and fourie...

MOCVD method has been used to grow optical coatings: Sc2O3 is a high index transparent coating while Ta-doped SnO2 is a transparent conductive oxide. Both films show dense packing and excellent properties. The influence of deposition temperature on the microstructure evolution and optical properties of Sc2O3 films was investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and spectroph...

This study investigated the potential of Rhizopus arrhizus UCP 402 for producing chitosan using corn steep liquor and honey as agroindustrial nitrogen and carbon sources. A complete factorial design was used to assess the improved biomass and chitosan production. The results were evaluated using Pareto charts (Statistica 7.0 software). The chitosan obtained was characterized by X-ray diffractio...

The excavation of the Merovingian cemetery Saint-Linaire (France) was an opportunity to describe completeness tombs preserved from soil erosion. An anthropobiological study carried out on osteological material and different categories graves. On basis a complete archaeo-anthropological corpus we have undertaken analysis differential preservation bones according archaeobiological parameters such...