Lignin Nanoparticles as A Promising Way for Enhancing Lignin Flame Retardant Effect in Polylactide

International audienceThe present study investigates the effect of using lignin at nanoscale as new flame-retardant additive for polylactide (PLA). Lignin nanoparticles (LNP) were prepared from Kraft lignin microparticles (LMP) through a dissolution-precipitation process. Both micro and nano lignins were functionalized using diethyl chlorophosphate (LMP-diEtP and LNP-diEtP, respectively) and diethyl (2-(triethoxysilyl)ethyl) phosphonate (LMP-SiP and LNP-SiP, respectively) to enhance their flame-retardant effect in PLA. From the use of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometry, it can be considered that a large amount of phosphorus has been grafted onto the nanoparticles. It has been previously shown that blending lignin with PLA induces degradation of the polymer matrix. However, phosphorylated lignin nanoparticles seem to limit PLA degradation during melt processing and the nanocomposites were shown to be relatively thermally stable. Cone calorimeter tests revealed that the incorporation of untreated lignin, whatever its particle size, induced an increase in pHRR. Using phosphorylated lignin nanoparticles, especially those treated with diethyl (2-(triethoxysilyl)ethyl) phosphonate allows this negative effect to be overcome. Moreover, the pHRR is significantly reduced, even when only 5 wt% LNP-SiP is used

Controlled Emissivity Coatings to Delay Ignition of Polyethylene

International audienceSemi-opaque to opaque films containing small amounts of various aluminium particles to decrease emissivity were easily prepared and coated onto low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheets. The thermal-radiative properties (reflectivity, transmissivity and absorptivity) of the films were measured and related to the aluminum particles' content, size and nature. Time-to-ignition of samples was assessed using a cone calorimeter at different heat flux values (35, 50 and 75 kW/m 2). The coatings allowed significant ignition delay and, in some cases, changed the material behaviour from thermally thin to thick behaviour. These effects are related both to their emissivity and transmissivity. A lower emissivity, which decreases during the degradation, and a lower transmissivity are the key points to ensure an optimal reaction-to-fire

Determinants of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus native bone and joint infection treatment failure: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Although methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) native bone and joint infection (BJI) constitutes the more frequent clinical entity of BJI, prognostic studies mostly focused on methicillin-resistant S. aureus prosthetic joint infection. We aimed to assess the determinants of native MSSA BJI outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study (2001-2011) of patients admitted in a reference hospital centre for native MSSA BJI. Treatment failure determinants were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients (42 males [63.6%]; median age 61.2 years; interquartile range [IQR] 45.9-71.9) presented an acute (n = 38; 57.6%) or chronic (n = 28; 42.4%) native MSSA arthritis (n = 15; 22.7%), osteomyelitis (n = 19; 28.8%) or spondylodiscitis (n = 32; 48.5%), considered as "difficult-to-treat" in 61 cases (92.4%). All received a prolonged (27.1 weeks; IQR, 16.9-36.1) combined antimicrobial therapy, after surgical management in 37 cases (56.1%). Sixteen treatment failures (24.2%) were observed during a median follow-up period of 63.3 weeks (IQR, 44.7-103.1), including 13 persisting infections, 1 relapse after treatment disruption, and 2 super-infections. Independent determinants of treatment failure were the existence of a sinus tract (odds ratio [OR], 5.300; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.166-24.103) and a prolonged delay to infectious disease specialist referral (OR, 1.134; 95% CI 1.013-1.271). CONCLUSIONS: The important treatment failure rate pinpointed the difficulty of cure encountered in complicated native MSSA BJI. An early infectious disease specialist referral is essential, especially in debilitated patients or in presence of sinus tract

Reactivation of Clostridium tertium bone infection 30 years after the Iran-Iraq war

Clostridium tertium could be responsible forlate metal fragment bone and joint infection.LateC. tertium metal fragment bone and joint infections requires a multidisciplinary management. Late C. tertium metal fragment bone and joint infections requires metal extraction and prolonged antimicrobial therapy for healin

Functionalized nanodiamond as potential synergist in flame-retardant ethylene vinyl acetate

International audiencePristine and phosphorylated detonation nanodiamonds (ND) were incorporated in ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)as potential synergist agents to improve flame retardancy. Combinations of 5 wt% of pristine or modified ND and20 or 25 wt% of Ammonium Polyphosphate (APP) were investigated using ThermoGravimetric Analysis (TGA),Pyrolysis Combustion Flow Calorimeter (PCFC), and Cone Calorimeter (CC). The study of thermal stability showsthat APP and pure ND interacts, resulting in the formation of a char residue which is stable up to 750 °C. A strongreduction in the peak of HRR at Cone Calorimeter is highlighted for APP/ND combinations. PCFC data show thatthe peak of heat release rate (pHRR) decreases with the additive content. All these experiments suggest theformation of a thick charring layer, able to protect the material during thermal degradation. SEM micrographsconfirm that EVA/APP/ND residues are more cohesive than EVA/APP ones

MeRy-B: a web knowledgebase for the storage, visualization, analysis and annotation of plant NMR metabolomic profiles

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Improvements in the techniques for metabolomics analyses and growing interest in metabolomic approaches are resulting in the generation of increasing numbers of metabolomic profiles. Platforms are required for profile management, as a function of experimental design, and for metabolite identification, to facilitate the mining of the corresponding data. Various databases have been created, including organism-specific knowledgebases and analytical technique-specific spectral databases. However, there is currently no platform meeting the requirements for both profile management and metabolite identification for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments.</p> <p>Description</p> <p>MeRy-B, the first platform for plant ¹H-NMR metabolomic profiles, is designed (<it>i</it>) to provide a knowledgebase of curated plant profiles and metabolites obtained by NMR, together with the corresponding experimental and analytical metadata, (<it>ii</it>) for queries and visualization of the data, (<it>iii</it>) to discriminate between profiles with spectrum visualization tools and statistical analysis, (<it>iv</it>) to facilitate compound identification. It contains lists of plant metabolites and unknown compounds, with information about experimental conditions, the factors studied and metabolite concentrations for several plant species, compiled from more than one thousand annotated NMR profiles for various organs or tissues.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>MeRy-B manages all the data generated by NMR-based plant metabolomics experiments, from description of the biological source to identification of the metabolites and determinations of their concentrations. It is the first database allowing the display and overlay of NMR metabolomic profiles selected through queries on data or metadata. MeRy-B is available from <url>http://www.cbib.u-bordeaux2.fr/MERYB/index.php</url>.</p

Effect of post curing temperature on mechanical properties of a flax fiber reinforced epoxy composite

International audienceAchieving a complete curing of biocomposites without damaging fibers is very challenging. This study assesses the impact of processing upon the mechanical properties of a unidirectional flax reinforced epoxy composite and identifies which component (resin, reinforcement or interphase) is the most sensitive to post-curing at high temperature (100, 120 or 150 °C).Post-curing temperature had a limited impact on the composite mechanical behavior excepted at 150 °C where ultimate stress and strain decreased drastically while the stabilized modulus slightly increases.Post curing is responsible of a slight decrease of the matrix tensile properties attributed to the polymer oxidation but cannot explain on its own the evolution of the composite behavior. Interfacial adhesion played a minor role in the composite behavior probably due to its intrinsic weakness. Finally, the flax fabric was highlighted to be the component most sensitive to thermal treatment thus governing the drop in the composite mechanical properties

Risk factors for treatment failure in orthopedic device-related methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection

The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical and microbiological risk factors for treatment failure of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) orthopedic device-related infection (ODRI). A retrospective cohort study of patients with MRSA ODRI who were treated at Geneva University Hospitals between 2000 and 2008 was undertaken. Stored MRSA isolates were retrieved for genetic characterization and determination of the vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Fifty-two patients were included, of whom 23 (44%) had joint arthroplasty and 29 (56%) had osteosynthesis. All 41 of the retrieved MRSA isolates were susceptible to vancomycin (MIC ≤ 2mg/L) and 35 (85%) shared genetic characteristics of the South German clone (ST228). During a median follow-up of 391days (range, 4-2,922days), 18 patients (35%) experienced treatment failure involving MRSA persistence or recurrence. Microbiological factors such as infection with the predominant clone and a vancomycin MIC of 2mg/L were not associated with treatment failure. Using a Cox proportional hazards model, implant retention (hazard ratio [HR], 4.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-18.2; P = 0.017) and single-agent antimicrobial therapy (HR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.2-16.3; P = 0.025) were independent predictors of treatment failure after debridement. Therapy using a combination of antimicrobials should be considered for patients with MRSA ODRI, especially when implant removal is not feasibl