Ethylcellulose lacquer coatings for polystyrene plastics.

An ethylcellulose lacquer system for both decorative and protective purposes was developed for use on polystyrene plastics. It was found that a one-coat lacquer containing only alcohol solvents produced the most satisfactory finish. Formulations were based on experimental work, conducted to determine the effect of the various lacquer components on the plastic. The results of a study of formulations on a two-coat system are presented

Dispersion of longitudinal momentum distributions induced in fragmentation reactions

On the basis of systematic measurements of fragmentation reactions, which provide a detailed overview on the velocity distributions of residual nuclei, an improved description of the kinematical properties of the fragmentation residues is established. This work is dedicated to the fluctuations of their momentum distributions. In contrast to previous investigations, limited to close-to-projectile fragments, we extended our study to the entire production range, down to the lightest observed fragments. In this context, beside the contribution of abrasion and evaporation processes, we considered the effect of the thermal break-up on the width of the momentum distributions. Using approximated theoretical descriptions of the different reaction stages, a new analytical formula for the variance of the momentum distribution is derived, which is well adapted to technical applications.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, background info. at http://www-wnt.gsi.de/charms

Classification of West African (peri)-urban and rural agricultural soils based on mid-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRIFT) and multivariate statistics and data mining

Urban and peri-urban agriculture has long been part of West African society. In Sub-Sahara Africa with its low soil fertility and high vulnerability for droughts, food security not only depends on rural food production but also on this (peri)-urban agriculture. The interdisciplinary GlobE – UrbanFoodPlus project aims to enhance the resource use efficiency of such agricultural sites in West African cities to improve the economic situation and food security for the people in this area. To assess soil productivity inside this project, several randomized surveys were conducted to characterize urban and peri-urban agriculture in Tamale (Ghana), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), and in rural Northern Ghana. All sample sites were situated in the West African Savannah zone. These surveys systematically described the status of urban agriculture by collecting soil samples, as well as additional socioeconomic and land use data. For our study, the spectra of more than 1000 soil samples were analyzed using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy in the mid-infrared range (MIR 4000–400 cm–1) at a resolution of 4 cm-1. Based on the large data set of spectra, we exploratory analyzed the data for clustering and grouping based on latest improvements in multivariate statistics and data mining. Statistically, we were able to find classes inside the spectral data. This grouping could be explained by sample location using the Random Forest algorithm at a very low error of about 5%. By mathematical pretreatment of the data, the error could further be reduced to <2%. Due to the spectral difference by geography location, potential caused by differences in climate, we continued to determine groups within one location using cluster algorithms. With this technique, we could determine further subgroups in the data. We then used topographic, land use, and socioeconomic data to explain the statistically found clustering in the MIR spectra. We herewith present a novel approach by combing multivariate MIR spectra analysis with socioeconomic data. Although we showed that soil spectra seemed to be largely affected by topography and climate, there were also differences in the spectra that could be explained by differences in land use practices

Defense-Inducing Volatiles: In Search of the Active Motif

Herbivore-induced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are widely appreciated as an indirect defense mechanism since carnivorous arthropods use VOCs as cues for host localization and then attack herbivores. Another function of VOCs is plant–plant signaling. That VOCs elicit defensive responses in neighboring plants has been reported from various species, and different compounds have been found to be active. In order to search for a structural motif that characterizes active VOCs, we used lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), which responds to VOCs released from damaged plants with an increased secretion of extrafloral nectar (EFN). We exposed lima bean to (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, a substance naturally released from damaged lima bean and known to induce EFN secretion, and to several structurally related compounds. (E)-3-hexenyl acetate, (E)-2-hexenyl acetate, 5-hexenyl acetate, (Z)-3-hexenylisovalerate, and (Z)-3-hexenylbutyrate all elicited significant increases in EFN secretion, demonstrating that neither the (Z)-configuration nor the position of the double-bond nor the size of the acid moiety are critical for the EFN-inducing effect. Our result is not consistent with previous concepts that postulate reactive electrophile species (Michael-acceptor-systems) for defense-induction in Arabidopsis. Instead, we postulate that physicochemical processes, including interactions with odorant binding proteins and resulting in changes in transmembrane potentials, can underlie VOCs-mediated signaling processes

Experimental study of fragmentation products in the reactions 112Sn + 112Sn and 124Sn + 124Sn at 1 AGeV

Production cross-sections and longitudinal velocity distributions of the projectile-like residues produced in the reactions 112Sn + 112Sn and 124Sn + 124Sn both at an incident beam energy of 1 AGeV were measured with the high-resolution magnetic spectrometer, the Fragment Separator (FRS) of GSI. For both reactions the characteristics of the velocity distributions and nuclide production cross sections were determined for residues with atomic number Z $\geq$ 10. A comparison of the results of the two reactions is presented.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figure

Learning and Developing Individual Exercise Skills (L.A.D.I.E.S.) for a Better Life: A Church-Based Physical Activity Intervention - Baseline Participant Characteristics

Objective: Physical activity (PA) is beneficial for health, yet most African American women do not achieve recommended levels. Successful, sustainable strategies could help to address disparities in health outcomes associated with low levels of PA. The Learning and Developing Individual Exercise Skills (L.A.D.I.E.S.) for a Better Life study compared a faith-based and a secular intervention for increasing PA with a selfguided control group. Design Setting Participants: This cluster randomized, controlled trial was conducted from 2010 – 2011 in African American churches (n=31) in suburban North Carolina. Participants were 469 self-identified low active African American women. Measures: Baseline data were collected on participant demographics, objective and self-reported PA, and constructs related to social ecological theory and social cognitive theory. Results: Complete baseline data were available for 417 participants who were aged 51.4 ± 12.9 years, with average BMI (kg/ m2) 35.8 ± 9.9; 73% of participants were obese (BMI &gt;30). Participants averaged 3,990 ± 1,828 pedometer-assessed daily steps and 23.9 ± 37.7 accelerometer-assessed minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous PA, and self-reported 25.4 ± 45.4 minutes of weekly walking and moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA. Baseline self-reported religiosity and social support were high. Conclusions: L.A.D.I.E.S. is one of the largest PA trials focused on individual behavior change in African American women. Baseline characteristics suggest participants are representative of the general population. Findings from the study will contribute toward understanding appropriate strategies for increasing PA in high-risk populations.Ethn Dis. 2017;27(3):257-264; doi:10.18865/ed.27.3.257 </p

Patching laser-reduced graphene oxide with carbon nanodots

Three-dimensional graphenes are versatile materials for a range of electronic applications and considered among the most promising candidates for electrodes in future electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) as they are expected to outperform commercially used activated carbon. Parameters such as electrical conductivity and active surface area are critical to the final device performance. By adding carbon nanodots to graphene oxide in the starting material for our standard laser-assisted reduction process, the structural integrity (i.e. lower defect density) of the final 3D-graphene is improved. As a result, the active surface area in the hybrid starting materials was increased by 130% and the electrical conductivity enhanced by nearly an order of magnitude compared to pure laser-reduced graphene oxide. These improved material parameters lead to enhanced device performance of the EDLC electrodes. The frequency response, i.e. the minimum phase angle and the relaxation time, were significantly improved from −82.2° and 128 ms to −84.3° and 7.6 ms, respectively. For the same devices the specific gravimetric device capacitance was increased from 110 to a maximum value of 214 F g−1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s−1