Effect of Ionizing Radiation Applied to PLA Used as Compatibilizing Agent in Reinforced eGG Shell PBAT/PLA Bio-Based Composites

Bio-filler from eggshells as reinforcement of bio-based polymers are based on their benefits as adequate strength and stiffness, besides friendly, degradable and renewable environment. Eggshell is an agricultural waste considered as garbage, contributing to pollution; nevertheless, it can be transformed into bio-calcium carbonate, acquiring new values. As biodegradable polymers, there were chosen PLA (poly-lactic-acid) and PBAT (butylene adipate co-terephthalate), thermoplastics capable to be processed via conventional methods. PLA is a linear, aliphatic thermoplastic polyester, high in strength and modulus, but brittle. PBAT is a synthetic polymer, very flexible, based on fossil resources with high elongation at break, but low strength. It will be required the use of compatibilizers, for reducing interfacial tension exhibited by PLA/PBAT immiscible blend, considering their extreme glass transition temperatures: 62 o C for PLA and – 30 o C for PBAT. Herein it was used ionizing radiation for inducing compatibilization by free radicals, improving dispersion and adhesion of blend phases, without using chemical additives, at room temperature. PLA, acting as compatibilizer, was previously e-beam and gamma radiated, at 150 kGy. PBAT/PLA 50/50 blend with 15 phr of bio-filler from avian eggs 125 µm particle size and both compatibilizers were homogeneized in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder, within a temperature profile 120 to 145 o C, from hopper to die. Characterization involved: Differential Scanning Calorimeter, Thermogravimetric Analyses, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Wide Angle X-Ray Diffraction, Tensile Strength and Elongation at Break

Study of Bio-Based Foams Prepared from PBAT/PLA Reinforced with Bio-Calcium Carbonate and Compatibilized with Gamma Radiation

Foamed polymers are future materials, considered “green materials” due to their properties with very low consumption of raw materials; they can be used to ameliorate appearance of structures besides contributing for thermal and acoustic insulation. Nevertheless, waste disposal has generated about 20–30% of total of solid volume in landfills besides prejudicing flora and fauna by uncontrolled disposal. The development of biodegradable polymers aims to solve this problem, considering that in 2012, bio-plastics market was evaluated in 1.4 million tons produced and in 2017 attained 6.2 million tons. Biodegradable polymers as poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) are thermoplastics which can be processed using the most conventional polymer processing methods. PLA is high in strength and modulus but brittle, while PBAT is flexible and tough. In order to reduce interfacial tension exhibited by PLA/PBAT blends, it was used as compatibilizing agent 5 phr of PLA previously gamma-radiated at 150 kGy. Ionizing radiation induces compatibilization by free radicals, improving the dispersion and adhesion of blend phases, without using chemical additives and at room temperature. As a reinforcement agent, calcium carbonate from avian eggshell waste was used, at 10 ph of micro particles, 125 μm. Admixtures were further processed in a single-screw extruder, using CO2 as physical blowing agent (PBA). Property investigations were performed by DSC, TGA, XRD, SEM, FTIR, and mechanical essays

hospital anxiety and depression

Objective: The study investigate the presence of depressive disorders in patient who are taken in general hospital, to prevent and reduce the risk of developing a psychological pathology (anxious-depressive symptoms). Methods: We used two tests: 1. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) by Goldberg, a self-report questionnaire, consisting of 12 items, used to estimate the probability of detecting non-psychotic mental disorders and problems in every day's activity. 2. Personal Health Questionnaire (PHQ), a self-report questionnaire, consisting of 10 items. It is a new tool for detecting individuals with ICD-10 depressive disorders, used to estimate the probability to individuate the presence of major depression symptoms, and minor depression symptoms. Tests have been administered to 140 subjects (males' experimental group, 32 subjects; males' control group, 20 subjects; females' experimental group 58 subjects; females' control group, 30 subjects) from eight departments of university hospital, medical faculty, and social services. Results: It can be noted that with GHQ-12, the presence of non-psychotic mental disorders does not come out: just the females' group, experimental and control, shows some problems with insomnia and stress. On the other hand, with PHQ, the presence of no great entity depressive symptoms comes out for all groups. In the experimental groups the quantity of depressive symptoms is greater than in the control groups. Conclusions: We have find the presence of a number of depressive symptoms into a hospitalized population. It is known that detecting such symptoms is important for protection and care of depressive disorders in hospitalized and nonhospitalized populations

Should nutrient profile models be ‘category specific' or ‘across-the-board'? A comparison of the two systems using diets of British adults

Background/Objectives: Nutrient profile models have the potential to help promote healthier diets. Some models treat all foods equally (across-the-board), some consider different categories of food separately (category specific). This paper assesses whether across-the-board or category-specific nutrient profile models are more appropriate tools for improving diets. Subjects/Methods: Adult respondents to a British dietary survey were split into four groups using a diet quality index. Fifteen food categories were identified. A nutrient profile model provided a measure of the healthiness of all foods consumed. The four diet quality groups were compared for differences in (a) the calories consumed from each food category and (b) the healthiness of foods consumed in each category. Evidence of a healthier diet quality groups consuming more of healthy food categories than unhealthy diet quality groups supported the adoption of across-the-board nutrient profile models. Evidence of healthier diet quality groups consuming healthier versions of foods within food categories supported adoption of category-specific nutrient profile models. Results: A significantly greater percentage of the healthiest diet quality group's diet consisted of fruit and vegetables (21 vs 16%), fish (3 vs 2%) and breakfast cereals (7 vs 2%), and significantly less meat and meat products (7 vs 14%) than the least healthy diet quality group. The foods from the meat, dairy and cereals categories consumed by the healthy diet quality groups were healthier versions than those consumed by the unhealthy diet quality groups. Conclusions: All other things being equal, nutrient profile models designed to promote an achievable healthy diet should be category specific but with a limited number of categories. However models which use large number of categories are unhelpful for promoting a healthy diet