Effect of Additive on Crystallization and Mechanical Properties of Polymer Blends of Poly(Lactic Acid) and Poly[(Butylene Succinate)-co-Adipate]

AbstractThe effect of additive on crystallization and mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) blend was studied. PLA and PBSA were blended in a twin screw extruder, which incorporated poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) as an additive in PLA/PBSA blend. The ratio of PLA/PBSA was 80/20. The contents of PBAT were varied from 0 to 50 wt%. The thermal properties and crystallization behavior of PLA/PBSA/PBAT blends were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry. The effect of PBAT contents on non-isothermal crystallization kinetic of the composites was investigated by using Avrami equation. Tensile strength and impact performance of the PLA/PBSA/PBAT blends decreased when increasing PBAT contents. It can be noted that the addition of 20 wt% PBAT showed the maximum impact performance of the PLA/PBSA blends

Cognitive behavioral therapy with interoceptive exposure and complementary video materials for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial in Japan

BackgroundThere is growing evidence of the treatment efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). CBT is recommended by several practice guidelines for patients with IBS if lifestyle advice or pharmacotherapy has been ineffective. Manual-based CBT using interoceptive exposure (IE), which focuses on the anxiety response to abdominal symptoms, has been reported to be more effective than other types of CBT. One flaw of CBT use in general practice is that it is time and effort consuming for therapists. Therefore, we developed a set of complementary video materials that include psycho-education and homework instructions for CBT patients, reducing time spent in face-to-face sessions while maintaining treatment effects. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of CBT-IE with complementary video materials (CBT-IE-w/vid) in a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT).MethodsThis study will be a multicenter, parallel-design RCT. Participants diagnosed with IBS according to the Rome IV diagnostic criteria will be randomized to either the treatment as usual (TAU) group or the CBT-IE-w/vid + TAU group. CBT-IE-w/vid consists of 10 sessions (approximately 30 min face-to-face therapy + viewing a video prior to each session). Patients in the CBT-IE-w/vid group will be instructed to pre- view 3- to 13-min videos at home prior to each face-to-face therapy visit at a hospital. The primary outcome is the severity of IBS symptoms. All participants will be assessed at baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up (3 months after post assessment). The sample will include 60 participants in each group.DiscussionTo our knowledge, this study will be the first RCT of manual-based CBT for IBS in Japan. By using psycho-educational video materials, the time and cost of therapy will be reduced. Manual based CBTs for IBS have not been widely adopted in Japan to date. If our CBT-IE-w/vid program is confirmed to be more effective than TAU, it will facilitate dissemination of cost-effective manual-based CBT in clinical settings

Synthesis and Characterization of Alkali Metal Ion-Binding Copolymers Bearing Dibenzo-24-crown-8 Ether Moieties

Dibenzo-24-crown-8 (DB24C8)-bearing copolymers were synthesized by radical copolymerization using a DB24C8-carrying acrylamide derivative and N-isopropylacrylamide monomers. The cloud point of the resulting copolymers changed in aqueous solution in the presence of cesium ions. In addition, the 1H NMR signals of DB24C8-bearing copolymers shifted in the presence of alkali metal. This shift was more pronounced following the addition of Cs+ compared to Rb+, K+, Na+, and Li+ ions due to recognition of the Cs+ ion by DB24C8

Immobilization of the iron on the surface of non-woven carbon fiber for use in a microbial fuel cell

Abstract Iron particles were immobilized onto non-woven carbon fiber via electroplating for use in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). Electroplating was performed under an applied voltage at a current of 0.2 A for 5, 10, and 15 min. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations show that 5 min was not adequate for the particles to be immobilized, whereas 10 and 15 min of electroplating resulted in an adequate number of particles on the surface. To evaluate the strength of the binding of iron via electroplating on the surface of the fiber, the samples were washed with pure water and observed using an SEM. The 10 min electroplated sample has a larger surface area, which is suitable for the MFC anode, than the 15 min electroplated sample. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis, the peaks corresponded to those of Fe2O3, and the sample dipped into tannic acid shows the peaks of Fe3O4. The amount of biofilm of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 was evaluated using crystal violet staining, and living bacteria were counted as colony forming units. Electroplated Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 were found to be effective for producing biofilm and immobilizing S. oneidensis MR-1