Static testing of bridge deck plate prototypes

This report gives details of the static tests conducted on two types of prototypes : a) Sandwich type with aluminium alloy honeycomb core and Redux bonded GFRP face sheets and b) All GFRP integral web typ

Environmental effects on advanced fibre hybrid composites - an acoustic emission study

Hygrothermal effects on the failure mechanism of neat resin and simple and hybrid (permeable and/or impermeable) fiber composites have been studied using AE techniques. AE cumulative counts as a function of stress have been obtained for both dry and hygrothermally conditioned specimens. The experiments revealed a significant change in the failure process in these composites, in addition to the degradation in strength and stiffness properties

Optimization of supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of bioactive flavonoid compounds from spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) leaves by using response surface methodology

The bioactive flavonoid compounds of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) leaves were obtained by using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction. Extraction was carried out according to face-centred central composite design, and independent variables were pressure (100, 200 and 300 bar), temperature (40, 50 and 60 °C) and co-solvent amount (3, 6 and 9 g/min). The extraction process was optimized by using response surface methodology for the highest crude extraction yield of bioactive flavonoid compounds. The optimal conditions were identified as 209.39 bar pressure, 50.00 °C temperature and 7.39 g/min co-solvent amount. The obtained extract under optimum SC-CO2 condition was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Seven bioactive flavonoids including catechin, epicatechin, rutin, luteolin, myricetin, apigenin and naringenin were identified as major compounds. The results of quantification showed that spearmint leaves are potential source of antioxidant compounds

The unique vulnerabilities of children to environmental hazards

Children in their first 1000\ua0days of life are extraordinarily vulnerable to environmental hazards, especially in their specific settings which are predominantly the intrauterine and domestic environment. Their vulnerabilities can be thus categorised in terms of their developmental phases, environmental settings, and environmental hazards within those settings that characterise their environmental exposures. While we generally have a good understanding of environmental, chemical, physical, and infectious hazards in the different environments of a child and their parents, rapidly intensifying in recent times, global environmental and demographic drivers such as climate change, population growth, urbanisation, antimicrobial resistance, prolific production use of chemicals, emerging infectious diseases, and pollution caused by inadequate waste management, thus exacerbating complexological and anthropogenic services, can increase environmental hazard potential for a very young child if not exposures to well-known as well as emerging hazards. Parental behaviour and socio-economic status, etc. are optimally managed