Transmission properties of high barrier coated paperboard packages

High barrier materiaaleilla pyritään pidentämään pakattujen elintarvikkeiden hyllyikää. Barrierin tärkein tehtävä on elintarvikkeen suojaaminen hapelta ja kosteudelta. Alumiinin käyttöä barriermateriaalina pyritään vähentämään korvaamalla alumiini polymeereillä, jotka täyttävät elintarvikkeiden asettamat korkeat säilyvyysvaatimukset. Etyylivinyylialkoholin (EVOH) hapenläpäisevyys on kuivissa olosuhteissa alhaisin kaupallisista muovilaaduista. EVOH tarjoaa myös erinomaisen suojan muita kaasuja, rasvoja, hajuja ja aromeja vastaan ja sitä on helppo prosessoida. Polyamideilla on erinomainen kaasutiiveys sekä hyvä lujuus ja sitkeys. Eri muovilaatuja sekoittamalla voidaan vähentää hapenläpäisyä ja parantaa prosessointia. Polyolefiineja käytetään yleisesti päällystysmateriaaleina, koska ne suojaavat tuotetta erinomaisesti kosteudelta. Hapenläpäisyllä tarkoitetaan hapen kulkeutumista materiaalin läpi joko permeaation kautta tai reikien ja vuotojen läpi. Kaasun permeoitumiseen materiaalin läpi vaikuttavat materiaalin vapaa tilavuus, kiteisyysaste, orientaatio, substituointi, suhteellinen kosteus, lämpötila, barrierkerroksen paksuus, paine-ero ja permeoituvan molekyylin ominaisuudet. Kokeellisessa osassa analysoitiin ja vertailtiin kartonkipohjaisia mehutölkkejä, joissa käytettävät high barrier materiaalit olivat EVOH ja PA. Kartonkipohjaisia alumiinitölkkejä käytettiin referenssinä. Pakkausten hapenläpäisevyysmittauksissa saatiin samasta näytteestä toistettavia tuloksia, vaikka vuotomittauksissa saadut tulokset eivät olleet vertailukelpoisia hapenläpäisytulosten kanssa. Tölkkien valmistus vaikutti oleellisesti pakkausten tiiveysominaisuuksiin. Hapenläpäisy vuotojen ja reikien läpi oli merkittävämpää kuin hapenläpäisy materiaalin läpi. Pakkausten tiiveysominaisuuksia analysoitiin mittaamalla appelsiinimehun askorbiini-happopitoisuus. Askorbiinihapon hajoaminen mitattiin koetölkkeihin pakatusta appelsiinimehusta, ja lämpötilan, valon ja hapen vaikutusta askorbiinihapon hajoamiseen tutkittiin 12 viikon ajan. Lämpötilalla oli suurin vaikutus askorbiinihapon hajoamiseen huolimatta käytetystä pakkausmateriaalista.

Biochanin A and prunetin improve epithelial barrier function in intestinal CaCo-2 cells via downregulation of ERK, NF-κB, and tyrosine phosphorylation

The single-layered gut epithelium represents the primary line of defense against environmental stressors; thereby monolayer integrity and tightness are essentially required to maintain gut health and function. To date only a few plant-derived phytochemicals have been described as affecting intestinal barrier function. We investigated the impact of 28 secondary plant compounds on the barrier function of intestinal epithelial CaCo-2/TC-7 cells via transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements. Apart from genistein, the compounds that had the biggest effect in the TEER measurements were biochanin A and prunetin. These isoflavones improved barrier tightness by 36 and 60%, respectively, compared to the untreated control. Furthermore, both isoflavones significantly attenuated TNFα-dependent barrier disruption, thereby maintaining a high barrier resistance comparable to nonstressed cells. In docking analyses exploring the putative interaction with the tyrosine kinase EGFR, these novel modulators of barrier tightness showed very similar values compared to the known tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein. Both biochanin A and prunetin were also identified as potent reducers of NF-κB and ERK activation, zonula occludens 1 tyrosine phosphorylation, and metalloproteinase-mediated shedding activity, which may account for the barrier-improving ability of these isoflavones.

Hiiletysteräs- ja polymeerilieriöhammaspyörien mitoituksen vertailu

Tässä työssä vertailtiin hiiletysteräksisten ja polymeeristen lieriöhammaspyörien mitoitusta. Työssä selvitettiin kirjallisuustutkimuksen keinoin merkittävimmät erot mitoitettaessa hammaspyöriä hiiletysteräksistä ja polymeereistä. Työssä keskityttiin erityisesti materiaaliominaisuuksiltaan kehittyneempiin niin kutsuttuihin high performance -polymeereihin. High performance -polymeerit ovat useilta materiaaliomi naisuuksiltaan perinteisiä koneenrakennusmuoveja kehittyneempiä. Työssä käytiin läpi polymeerien mitoitukseen vaikuttavat keskeiset materiaaliominaisuudet. Polymeerihammaspyörien mitoitusohjeita verrattiin vielä kirjoitushetkellä voimassa olleeseen SFS 4790 (1984) -standardiin. Työssä todettiin polymeerilieriöhammaspyörien ja hiiletysteräshammaspyörien mitoituksen suurimman eron tulevan polymeerien voimakkaasti lämpötilariippuvaisista materiaaliominaisuuksista. Lisäksi työssä todettiin polymeerien materiaaliominaisuuksien vaikuttavan mitoituksen lisäksi muihin suunnitteluparametreihin, kuten kuormituksen tyyppiin ja erityisesti käyttölämpötilaan. Työssä todettiin polymeerien materiaaliominaisuuksista olevan taulukkotietoa saatavilla rajoitetusti, tai sen löytäminen todettiin hankalaksi. Lisäksi työssä todettiin ettei polymeerihammaspyörien mitoituksesta ole olemassa standartoitua tai vakiintunutta ohjeistusta. Työssä todettiin myös polymeerien valmistustekniikoiden mahdollistavan hammaspyörästandardista poikkeavat hammasprofiilit ja ryntökulmat hammaspyörän muodon optimoimiseksi. Standardista poikkeavila hammaspyöräprofiileila standardin SFS 4790 (1984) mukaisten laskentatapojen soveltaminen suoraan ei ole mahdollista.

Roll-to-roll atomic layer deposition process for flexible electronics applications

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is the technology of choice where very thin and highquality films are required. Its advantage is its ability to deposit dense and pinhole-free coatings in a controllable manner. It has already shown promising results in a range of applications, e.g. diffusion barrier coatings for OLED displays, surface passivation layers for solar panels. Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition (SALD) is a concept that allows a dramatic increase in ALD throughput. During the SALD process, the substrate moves between spatially separated zones filled with the respective precursor gases and reagents in such a manner that the exposure sequence replicates the conventional ALD cycle. The present work describes the development of a high-throughput ALD process. Preliminary process studies were made using an SALD reactor designed especially for this purpose. The basic properties of the ALD process were demonstrated using the wellstudied Al2O3 trimethyl aluminium (TMA)+H2O process. It was shown that the SALD reactor is able to deposit uniform films in true ALD mode. The ALD nature of the process was proven by demonstrating self-limiting behaviour and linear film growth. The process behaviour and properties of synthesized films were in good agreement with previous ALD studies. Issues related to anomalous deposition at low temperatures were addressed as well. The quality of the coatings was demonstrated by applying 20 nm of the Al2O3 on to polymer substrate and measuring its moisture barrier properties. The results of tests confirmed the superior properties of the coatings and their suitability for flexible electronics encapsulation. Successful results led to the development of a pilot scale roll-to-roll coating system. It was demonstrated that the system is able to deposit superior quality films with a water transmission rate of 5x10-6 g/m2day at a web speed of 0.25 m/min. That is equivalent to a production rate of 180 m2/day and can be potentially increased by using wider webs. State-of-art film quality, high production rates and repeatable results make SALD the technology of choice for manufacturing ultra-high barrier coatings for flexible electronics.

The interaction of iron pyrite with oxygen, nitrogen and nitrogen oxides: a first-principles study

Sulphide materials, in particular MoS2, have recently received great attention from the surface science community due to their extraordinary catalytic properties. Interestingly, the chemical activity of iron pyrite (FeS2) (the most common sulphide mineral on Earth), and in particular its potential for catalytic applications, has not been investigated so thoroughly. In this study, we use density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the surface interactions of fundamental atmospheric components such as oxygen and nitrogen, and we have explored the adsorption and dissociation of nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on the FeS2(100) surface. Our results show that both those environmentally important NOx species chemisorb on the surface Fe sites, while the S sites are basically unreactive for all the molecular species considered in this study and even prevent NO2 adsorption onto one of the non-equivalent Fe–Fe bridge sites of the (1 1)–FeS2(100) surface. From the calculated high barrier for NO and NO2 direct dissociation on this surface, we can deduce that both nitrogen oxides species are adsorbed molecularly on pyrite surfaces.

New Molecular Species of Potential Interest to Atmospheric Chemistry: Isomers on the [H, S(2), Br] Potential Energy Surface

This work reports a state-of-the-art theoretical characterization of four new sulfur-bromine species and five transition states on the [H, S(2), Br] potential energy surface. Our highest level theoretical approach employed the method coupled cluster singles and doubles with perturbative contributions of connected triples, CCSD(T), along with the series of correlation-consistent basis sets and with extrapolation to the complete basis set (CBS) limit in the optimization of the geometrical parameters and to quantify the energetic quantities. The structural and vibrational frequencies here reported are unique and represent the most accurate investigation to date of these species. The global minimum corresponds to a skewed structure HSSBr with a disulfide bond; this is followed by a pyramidal-like structure, SSHBr, 18.85 kcal/mol above the minimum. Much higher in energy, we found another skewed structure, HSBrS (50.29 kcal/mol), with one S-Br dative-type bond, and another pyramidal-like one, HBrSS (109.80 kcal/mol), with two S-Br dative-type bonds. The interconversion of HSSBr into SSHBr can occur via a transfer of either the hydrogen or the bromine atom but involves a very high barrier of about 43 kcal/mol. These molecules are potentially a new route of coupling the sulfur and bromine chemistry in the atmosphere, and conditions of high concentration of H(2)S like in volcanic eruptions might contribute to their formation. We note that HSSBr can act as a reservoir molecule for the reaction between the radicals HSS and Br. Also, an assessment of the methods DFT/B3LYP/CBS and MP2/CBS relative to CCSD(T)/CBS provides insights on the expected performance of these methods on the characterization of polysulfides and also of more complex systems containing disulfide bridges.

Qualidade do melão 'Orange flesh' minimamente processado e submetido a diferentes métodos de conservação

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Facile ketene-ketene and ketene-ketenimine rearrangements: A study of the 1,3-migration of alpha-substituents interconverting alpha-imidoylketenes and alpha-oxoketenimines, a pseudopericyclic reaction

Theoretical calculations (B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G*) of the 1,3 migration of NR2 transforming alpha-oxoketenimines 1 to alpha-imidoylketenes 3 and vice versa indicate that this process is a pseudo-pericyclic reaction with a low activation energy (NH2 97 kJ mol(-1), N(CH3)(2) 62 kJ mol(-1)). The oxoketenimines were found to be more stable (by 18-35 kJ mol(-1)) which is in line with experimental observations. The hindered amine rotation in the amide and amidine moieties adjacent to the cumulenes are important in the migration of the NR2 group, as one of the rotation transition states is close to the 1,3 migration pathway. This gives an interesting potential energy surface with a valley-ridge inflection (VRI) between the orthogonal hindered amine rotation and 1,3 migration transition states. The imidoylketene may also undergo ring closure to an azetinone 5; however, this is metastable, and under the conditions that allow the 1,3-migration, the oxoketenimine 1 will be favored. The imine NH E/Z-interconversion of the ketenimine group takes place by inversion and has a low activation barrier (similar to40 kJ mol(-1)). In all the amidines examined the E/Z-interconversion of the imine function was predicted to be by rotation with a high barrier (>80 kJ mol(-1)), in contrast to all other reported imine E/Z-interconversions which are by inversion.

Effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the barrier properties of polyamide-6 films

Little is known about the barrier properties of polymer films during high pressure processing of prepackaged foods. In order to learn more about this, we examined the influence of high hydrostatic pressure on the permeation of raspberry ketone (dissolved in ethanol/water) through polyamide-6 films at temperatures between 20 and 60ºC. Permeation was lowered by increasing pressure at all temperatures. At 23°C, the increasing pressure sequence 0.1, 50, 100, 150, and 200 MPa correlated with the decreasing permeation coefficients P/(10(9) cm² s-1) of 6.2, 3.8, 3.0, 2.2, and 1.6. Analysis of the permeation kinetics indicated that this effect was due to a reduced diffusion coefficient. Pressure and temperature acted antagonistically to each other. The decrease in permeation at 200 MPa was compensated for by a temperature increase of 20ºC. After release of pressure, the former permeation coefficients were recovered, which suggests that this `pressure effect' is reversible. Taken together, our data revealed no detrimental effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the barrier properties of polymer films.

High-resolution, unstructured meshes for hydrodynamic models of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Accuracy and mesh generation are key issues for the high-resolution hydrodynamic modelling of the whole Great Barrier Reef. Our objective is to generate suitable unstructured grids that can resolve topological and dynamical features like tidal jets and recirculation eddies in the wake of islands. A new strategy is suggested to refine the mesh in areas of interest taking into account the bathymetric field and an approximated distance to islands and reefs. Such a distance is obtained by solving an elliptic differential operator, with specific boundary conditions. Meshes produced illustrate both the validity and the efficiency of the adaptive strategy. Selection of refinement and geometrical parameters is discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidences Of Endocytosis Via Caveolae Following Blood-brain Barrier Breakdown By Phoneutria Nigriventer Spider Venom.

Spider venoms contain neurotoxic peptides aimed at paralyzing prey or for defense against predators; that is why they represent valuable tools for studies in neuroscience field. The present study aimed at identifying the process of internalization that occurs during the increased trafficking of vesicles caused by Phoneutria nigriventer spider venom (PNV)-induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown. Herein, we found that caveolin-1α is up-regulated in the cerebellar capillaries and Purkinje neurons of PNV-administered P14 (neonate) and 8- to 10-week-old (adult) rats. The white matter and granular layers were regions where caveolin-1α showed major upregulation. The variable age played a role in this effect. Caveolin-1 is the central protein that controls caveolae formation. Caveolar-specialized cholesterol- and sphingolipid-rich membrane sub-domains are involved in endocytosis, transcytosis, mechano-sensing, synapse formation and stabilization, signal transduction, intercellular communication, apoptosis, and various signaling events, including those related to calcium handling. PNV is extremely rich in neurotoxic peptides that affect glutamate handling and interferes with ion channels physiology. We suggest that the PNV-induced BBB opening is associated with a high expression of caveolae frame-forming caveolin-1α, and therefore in the process of internalization and enhanced transcytosis. Caveolin-1α up-regulation in Purkinje neurons could be related to a way of neurons to preserve, restore, and enhance function following PNV-induced excitotoxicity. The findings disclose interesting perspectives for further molecular studies of the interaction between PNV and caveolar specialized membrane domains. It proves PNV to be excellent tool for studies of transcytosis, the most common form of BBB-enhanced permeability.

Chronostratigraphy and radiocarbon age inversion in the Holocene regressive barrier of Parana, southern Brazil

Twenty-two (14)C datings were performed at the central sector of the Parana coast to define Holocene regressive barrier evolution. The barrier Pleistocene substratum was ascribed an age between 40400 and 30000 yr BP, but it can also represent the penultimate sea level highstand during marine isotope stage 5e. The Holocene barrier samples provided ages between 8542-8279 and 2987-2751 cal yr BP, and showed at least six age inversions that were related to age differences between in situ or low-distance transported shells or trunk fragments, and high-distance transported vegetal debris, wood fragments and organic matter samples. The regressive Holocene barrier age was 4402-4135 cal yr BP near the base, and 2987-2751 cal yr BP near the top. Most of the vegetal remains were transported by ebb tidal currents from the estuaries to the inner shelf below wave base level during the mid-Holocene highstand; they were transported onshore by storm waves and littoral currents during the sea level lowering after the sea level maximum, and were deposited mainly as middle shoreface swaley cross-stratification facies. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Sensory Stability of Ultra-High Temperature Milk in Polyethylene Bottle

The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensory stability of ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk subjected to different heat treatments and stored at room temperature in white high density polyethylene bottles (HDPE) pigmented with titanium dioxide. Two lots of 300 units each were processed, respectively, at 135 and 141 degrees C/10 s using indirect heating and subsequently aseptically filled in an ISO class 7 clean room. These experimental lots were evaluated for appearance, aroma, flavor, and overall appreciation and compared to samples of commercial UHT milk purchased from local commercial stores. The time-temperature combinations investigated did not affect either the acceptability or the shelf life of the milk. Despite the limited light barrier properties of HDPE bottles, the product contained in the package tested exhibited good stability, with a shelf life ranging from 4 to 11 wk. Within this time period, the acceptability of the experimental lots was similar to that of the commercial products. The results achieved in this study contribute to turn the low-cost UHT system investigated into a technically viable option for small-size dairy processing plants.

Low symbiont diversity in southern Great Barrier Reef corals, relative to those of the Caribbean

The specific identity of endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium spp.) from most zooxanthellate corals is unknown. In a survey of symbiotic cnidarians from the southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR), 23 symbiont types were identified from 86 host species representing 40 genera. A majority (>85%) of these symbionts belong to a single phylogenetic clade or subgenus (C) composed of closely related (as assessed by sequence data from the internal transcribed spacer region and the ribosomal large subunit gene), yet ecologically and physiologically distinct, types. A few prevalent symbiont types, or generalists, dominate the coral community of the southern GBR, whereas many rare and/or specific symbionts, or specialists, are found uniquely within certain host taxa. The comparison of symbiont diversity between southern GBR and Caribbean reefs shows an inverse relationship between coral diversity and symbiont diversity, perhaps as a consequence of more-rapid diversification of Caribbean symbionts. Among clade C types, generalists C1 and C3 are common to both Caribbean and southern GBR symbiont assemblages, whereas the rest are regionally endemic. Possibly because of environmental changes in the Caribbean after geographic isolation through the Quaternary period, a high proportion of Caribbean fauna associate with symbiont taxa from two other distantly related Symbiodinium clades (A and B) that rarely occur in Pacific hosts. The resilience of Porites spp. and the resistance of Montipora digitata to thermal stress and bleaching are partially explained by their association with a thermally tolerant symbiont type, whereas the indiscriminant widespread bleaching and death among certain Pacific corals, during El Nino Southern Oscillation events, are influenced by associations with symbionts possessing higher sensitivity to thermal stress.

Low coral cover in a high-CO2 world

Coral reefs generally exist within a relatively narrow band of temperatures, light, and seawater aragonite saturation states. The growth of coral reefs is minimal or nonexistent outside this envelope. Climate change, through its effect on ocean temperature, has already had an impact on the world's coral reefs, with almost 30% of corals having disappeared since the beginning of the 1980s. Abnormally warm temperatures cause corals to bleach ( lose their brown dinoflagellate symbionts) and, if elevated for long enough, to die. Increasing atmospheric CO2 is also potentially affecting coral reefs by lowering the aragonite saturation state of seawater, making carbonate ions less available for calcification. The synergistic interaction of elevated temperature and CO2 is likely to produce major changes to coral reefs over the next few decades and centuries. Known tolerances of corals to projected changes to sea temperatures indicate that corals are unlikely to remain abundant on reefs and could be rare by the middle of this century if the atmospheric CO2 concentration doubles or triples. The combination of changes to sea temperature and carbonate ion availability could trigger large- scale changes in the biodiversity and function of coral reefs. The ramifications of these changes for the hundred of millions of coral reef - dependent people and industries living in a high- CO2 world have yet to be properly defined. The weight of evidence suggests, however, that projected changes will cause major shifts in the prospects for industries and societies that depend on having healthy coral reefs along their coastlines.