New water-based copolymer nanoparticles and their use as eco-friendly binders for industry of flexographic ink, part I

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to prepare, characterise and evaluate nano-emulsions of copolymers of various compositions as eco-friendly binders for flexographic ink industry. Design/methodology/approach: Various nano-emulsions of copolymers were prepared using styrene (St), butyl acrylate (BuAc), acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AAm) monomers by means of a conventional seeded emulsion polymerisation technique, using K2S2O8 as the initiator. The characterisation of the prepared emulsions was performed using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A selection of copolymers was formulated with pigments and additional ingredients, as water-based flexographic inks. The inks were characterised for their viscosity, pH, degree of dispersion, water resistance and colour density. Findings: It was found that the low viscosity of the prepared copolymers may reduce the film thickness of the flexographic inks and may also increase the spreading of the ink on the surface. As a result, stable modified polyacrylate-based latex with improved physico-mechanical properties were obtained. The prepared latexes were showed improving and enhancing in water resistance; gloss values, and the print density that ranged from 2.06 to 2.51 and the maximum gloss values (39 and 48) were also obtained. Also, these binders provide excellent adhesion properties for both the pigment particles and the base paper. Practical implications: This study focuses on the preparation of new water-based copolymer nanoparticles and their use as eco-friendly binders for flexographic ink industry. Social implications: The ink formulations developed could find use in industrial-scale printing. Originality/value: Eco-friendly environment ink formulations for printing on paper substrates are novel

The food system in the wider bioeconomy: the BioSAM perspective : an economic impact analysis for EU Member States

The Bioeconomy emerges as an opportunity towards more economic, social and environmental sustainability, becoming a priority for many countries, including the European Union and its Member States. According to the definition in the European Union strategy, the Bioeconomy includes all sectors of the economy that are based on the use of renewable biological resources to produce value added products such as food, feed, energy, and bio-based products (European Commission, 2012). Due to the importance of promoting the Bioeconomy, it is necessary to analyse the impact of the sectors directly involved. However, the lack of available data is one of the main obstacles for monitoring its progress. As a response to this problem, the Bioeconomy Social Accounting Matrix (BioSAM) database has been developed for the EU Member States (Mainar-Causapé 2021). The purpose of this report is to present an overview of the European Union bio-based products and industries. Our focus is mainly on the analysis of the impacts of final demand variation on value added and employment by sectoral level disaggregation. By using the BioSAM database it is possible to deepen the impact analysis by considering a detailed disaggregation of bio-based products. A country cluster analysis focusing on food system sectors is also introduced. In addition, the results are presented in a dashboard to allow the replication and comparison of different impacts by sector and country.Publishe

Silver nanoparticles embedded in polystyrene-polyvinyl pyrrolidone nanocomposites using γ-ray irradiation: Physico-chemical properties

γ-Ray irradiation is used for the synthesis of silver–Polystyrene polyvinyl pyrrolidone nanocomposite microspheres with a controlled shape, size, and functional properties. A monodispersed polystyrene microsphere was synthesized using dispersion polymerization induced by γ-ray irradiation. A polystyrene microsphere surface was used to attract Silver (Ag) nanoparticles in which it is created on it via the continuous reduction of Ag+ by γ-ray irradiation. Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction Analysis, Ultraviolet–Visible Absorption, Thermal Gravimetric Analysis and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy are used for characterization of the final product. The discussion focuses on the physical–chemical aspects of the method. Special attention is paid to the preparation of nanocomposites with individual (non-aggregated) nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution and versatile morphologies, including the design of nanoparticles and nanocomposites that can perform multifunctional purposes. The focus was also on the problem of the spatial arrangement of nanoparticles and the elucidation of the role of polymers using this method. The synergistic role of the ingredients on the performance of nanocomposites was also discussed. Keywords: γ-Ray irradiation, Silver–Polystyrene polyvinyl pyrrolidone polyvinyl pyrrolidone, Nanocomposit

Thyroid dysfunction among type 2 diabetic female Egyptian subjects

Ibrahim N Elebrashy,1 Amr El Meligi,1 Laila Rashed,2 Randa F Salam,1 Elham Youssef,1 Shaimaa A Fathy1 1Department of Internal Medicine, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, 2Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt Purpose: High prevalence of thyroid disorders is more common in type 1 diabetes compared to type 2 diabetes, due to associated autoimmunity. Hypothyroidism is the most common disorder. The objective was to assess the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among type 2 diabetic Egyptian females and to find the correlation between metabolic syndrome components and autoimmune thyroid dysfunction. Materials and methods: The study included 62 type 2 diabetic Egyptian females and 27 sex- and age-matched controls. All patients in the study were subjected to anthropometric measures, including HbA1c, lipid profile, serum uric acid, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO), antithyroglobulin (anti-Tg), and thyroid ultrasound. Results: Hypothyroidism was found in 45.2% of patients (5.49±3.37 µIU/mL) versus 11.1% of controls (1.79±1.21 µIU/mL) (P<0.001). Anti-TPO was found in 75.8% (347.15±244.87 IU/mL) of patients versus 7.4% (32.89±33.26 IU/mL) of controls (P<0.001). Anti-Tg was found in 61.3% (508.03±369.16 IU/mL) of patients versus 0 (51.26±35.53 IU/mL) controls (P<0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between TSH and antithyroid antibodies (anti-Tg, anti-TPO; P=0.002 and P=0.043, respectively) and between TSH and thyroid-gland volume (P=0.002) in diabetic patients. No correlation was found between any components of metabolic syndrome and thyroid antibodies in diabetic patients. Conclusion: Autoimmune thyroid disease is more common in Egyptian women with type 2 diabetes than nondiabetic women, and thus points to a role of autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Keywords: autoimmune thyroid dysfunction, TSH, anti-TPO, anti-Tg, T2 diabetes, metabolic syndrom

The Use of 4-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-4-Oxo-2-(4-Antipyrinyl)-Butanoic Acid in the Preparation of Some New Heterocyclic Compounds With Expected Biological Activity

Reaction of 4-oxo-4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-butenoic acid (1) with antipyrin (2) gave the corresponding butanoic acid 3. Reaction of 3 with hydrazines gave the pyridazinone derivatives 5a,b. Compounds 5a,b were used to prepare the corresponding dithio derivatives. Reaction of 5a with POCl3 unexpectedly gave the chloropyridazine derivative 7, which is used to prepare the corresponding thio derivative. The hitherto unknown reactions of this chloro derivative with 2-amino-3-carbethoxy-4,5-dimethylthiophene and 2-amino-3-carbethoxy tetrahydrobenzothiophene have now been described. The behaviour of the chloro derivative toward hydrazine hydrate, sodium azide and anthranilic acid was also studied. Some of the new compounds showed antimicrobial and antifungal activities

Plasma long pentraxin 3 as a marker of endothelial dysfunction in early diabetic nephropathy

ObjectiveThis study investigated the utility of measuring plasma long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) levels in the early detection of endothelial dysfunction compared with Von Willebrand factor (vWF) activity and flow-dependent arterial dilatation (well-known markers of endothelial dysfunction) in early diabetic nephropathy. Materials and methodsA total of 50 Egyptian patients with type 2 diabetes and 20 healthy controls were recruited from the Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism center, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. The diabetic patients were divided into two equal groups of comparable age and sex: group I consisted of patients with normal urinary albumin excretion and group II consisted of patients with microalbuminuria. Results In group II, the plasma PTX3 level was significantly higher (median value 2.3 ng/ml) and the mean flow-mediated dilatation (FMD; 0.433±0.059) was significantly lower when compared with the control group (PTX3 1.15 ng/ml, FMD 0.901±0.04; P<00001) and with group I (PTX3 1.2 ng/ml, FMD 0.627±0.05; P<0.0001). The vWF activity (median value) was significantly higher in the two diabetic groups compared with controls (20.2, 16.3 and 4% in group I, group II, and controls, respectively; P<0.0001), with no significant difference between the two diabetic groups. There was a significant positive correlation between PTX3 levels and vWF activity (P<0.001), diabetes duration, and concentration of fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, cholesterol, and triglyceride and a significant negative correlation between PTX3 levels and FMD (P<0.001) in all diabetic patients. In group II, there was a significant positive correlation between PTX3 levels and vWF activity (r=0.603, P=0.001). Conclusion PTX3 may represent a useful endothelial dysfunction marker in early diabetes nephropathy

Putting Positivity and Relational Energy to Work in Higher Education

This chapter introduces the often-neglected resource within an organisation, a resource that is attracting attention due to the growing body of evidence confirming its effectiveness—this resource is relational energy. Clarke outlines using emerging knowledge, the linkage between positivity and relational energy. If we can promote and make best of this resource, staff wellbeing, happiness and ability to deliver great service to each other and all in the campus community amplifies. Clarke presents the case for positive organisational learning and strength-based approaches, such as appreciative inquiry, virtuosity and abundance, through case study and through presentation of a growing, yet niche, body of research. Clarke provides the argument for developing a framework of positivity and relational energy, based on the principles of humanisation. The chapter ends with a call to action to university leaders to take our rightful place as the anchors of society, enriching the world and fully embedding humanising into all that we do