In this paper we describe an experiment with syntactic phrase indexing for Dutch texts. We compare different choices for combining terms to form head-modifier pairs and we also investigate the effect of adding none, one, or all constituent parts of the pair as a separate index term. The results of our experiments show that using head-modifier pairs as index terms can improve both recall and pre...

In this work, methodologies to determine manganese (Mn) in urine and whole blood by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry were developed. The use of Ru, Rh, and Zr as permanent modifiers, Pd as a modifier in solution, and the condition without modifier were investigated for the direct determination of Mn in urine and whole blood samples. The best results for Mn in urine and in whole blo...

This study investigated the potential of reusing plastics derived from multilayered food carton recycling processes as a modifier for asphalt mixtures by dry process. Two types plastics, one untreated and pelletized, were added to mixture containing neat binder using three different methods in two amounts (2 5% weight aggregates). The chemical physical properties explored via differential scann...

Fluorinated copolymers bearing ammonium groups were prepared by radical copolymerization of fluorinated olefins (chlorotrifluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene) with different vinyl ethers (2-chloroethyl, cyclohexyl, n-butyl, and ethyl vinyl ethers) followed by the cationization of these copolymers with trimethylamine. Copolymers were obtained in high yield (generally > 85 %), with molecular weig...

The recent interest in nanotechnology has triggered research on nanofibers and nanostructures. Here we present our work on fiber-based multifunctional materials including nanofibers obtained via electrospinning processes. Such nanofibers are of potential value given the highly porous structures they form and their large surface area-to-volume ratio which is often required in high performance ap...

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a sustainable, bio-based, and industrially compostable polymer with recalcitrant abiotic degradation phase, limiting its organic recovery to well-managed industrial composting facilities. We present methodology fully biodegrade PLA in home settings. Thermoplastic starch (TPS) were reactively blended by adding chemical modifier peroxide radicals obtain PLA-g-TPS blend ...

Dynamic optimization can be used to determine optimal input profiles for dynamic processes. Due to plant-model mismatch and disturbances, the optimal inputs determined through model-based optimization will, in general, not be optimal for the plant. Modifier adaptation is a methodology that uses measurements to achieve optimality in the presence of uncertainty. Modifier-adaptation schemes have b...

Controlling the level of dispersion of silicate layers in polymer matrices through intermolecular interactions and exploiting these interactions to enhance thermomechanical behavior are key challenges in the field of polymer nanocomposites. In this investigation, unmodified Laponite platelets are dispersed in a segmented polyurethane containing a polar, hydrophilic soft segment and a hydrophobi...

The effect of the streaming current flowing through the porous structure of composite membranes during tangential electrokinetic measurements was investigated. It was shown that neglecting this additional path for streaming current may have dramatic implications in the interpretation of the experimental data and on the determination of the membrane zeta potential. Experimental measurements of b...

In this review, we present a summary of how computer modeling has been used in the development of covalent-modifier drugs. Covalent-modifier drugs bind by forming a chemical bond with their target. This covalent binding can improve the selectivity of the drug for a target with complementary reactivity and result in increased binding affinities due to the strength of the covalent bond formed. In...