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At least 91 records · Page 5

Occupational exposures at a polyvinyl chloride production facility are associated with significant changes to the plasma metabolome

Background: Occupational vinyl chloride (VC) exposures have been associated with toxicant-associated steatohepatitis and liver cancer. Metabolomics has been used to clarify mode of action in drug-induced liver injury but has not been performed following VC exposures. Methods: Plasma samples from 17 highly exposed VC workers without liver cancer and 27 unexposed healthy volunteers were obtained for metabolite extraction and GC/MS and LC/MS{sup 2} analysis. Following ion identification/quantification, Ingenuity pathway analysis was performed. Results: 613 unique named metabolites were identified. Of these, 189 metabolites were increased in the VC exposure group while 94 metabolites were decreased. Random Forest analysis indicated that the metabolite signature could separate the groups with 94% accuracy. VC exposures were associated with increased long chain (including arachidonic acid) and essential (including linoleic acid) fatty acids. Occupational exposure increased lipid peroxidation products including monohydroxy fatty acids (including 13-HODE); fatty acid dicarboxylates; and oxidized arachidonic acid products (including 5,9, and 15-HETE). Carnitine and carnitine esters were decreased, suggesting peroxisomal/mitochondrial dysfunction and alternate modes of lipid oxidation. Differentially regulated metabolites were shown to interact with extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), Akt, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and the N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. The top canonical pathways affected by occupational exposure included tRNA charging, nucleotide degradation, amino acid synthesis/degradation and urea cycle. Methionine and homocysteine was increased with decreased cysteine, suggesting altered 1-carbon metabolism. Conclusions: Occupational exposure generated a distinct plasma metabolome with markedly altered lipid and amino acid metabolites. ERK1/2, Akt, AMPK, and NMDA were identified as protein targets for vinyl chloride toxicity. - Highlights: • Occupational vinyl chloride exposure is linked to toxicant-associated steatohepatitis, liver cancer, and other diseases. • Vinyl chloride exposure led to a distinct plasma metabolome with markedly altered lipid and amino acid metabolites. • A metabolomics approach can provide useful information regarding exposure in chemical workers.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

TSDC and X-ray diffraction analysis of pure and malachite green sensitized polyvinyl carbazole films

This paper describes the method for investigating the electrical properties of high solids via the study of thermal relaxation effects and offers an alternative scheme to the conventional bridge methods or the current voltage temperature measurements. For standard TSD experiment, this is comparable to a dielectric loss measurement, the low equivalent frequency and high sensitivity (ability to detect dipole concentration). The activation energies found by initial rise method are 0.31 {+-} 0.02 eV for pure and 0.43 {+-} 0.03 eV for malachite green sensitized PVK thermoelectrets. The peak current charges and activation energy associated with the peaks are affected by concentration of malachite green and have been explained in terms of formation of charge transfer complexes and molecular aggregates. The microscopic origin of a given current spectrum is explained by comparing the predictions of the general theories regarding the main polarization processes with the experimental data.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Formation and fluidity measurement of supported lipid bilayer on polyvinyl chloride membrane

We prepared an artificial lipid bilayer on a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane on a Si3N4 layer deposited on a Si wafer. We optimized the experimental condition for the fabrication of the PVC membrane, and obtained a PVC membrane with a flat and uniform surface on the scale of several hundreds of micrometer suitable for a substrate for supported lipid bilayers (SLBs). The SLB of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) was formed on the PVC membrane by the vesicle fusion method. The observation with a conventional epi-fluorescence microscope and a confocal laser scanning microscope gave geometrically uniform images of the SLB on the PVC membrane. The fluidity and the mobile fraction of the SLB was evaluated by the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching method, and compared with that on a thermally oxidized SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate. The SLB on the PVC membrane contained immobile fraction ∼30%, but the diffusion in the mobile fraction was two times faster than that in the SLB on SiO{sub 2}/Si, which had little immobile fraction.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Interactions between silver nanoparticles and polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers

The interaction of polyvinylalcohol (PVA) nanofibers with silver (Ag) nanoparticles (mean diameter 8nm) has been modeled using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The physical adsorption of PVA through the hydroxyl group, to the Ag, and its corresponding molecular orientation was compared with experimental results obtained from surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies of the same material. A good agreement was found between the computational model of the vibrational spectrum of the adsorbate and the experimentally observed SERS. In general, aliphatic capping molecules are used to passivate the surface of Ag{sub 55} nanocrystals (55 = atomic number of Ag). In this study, a DFT simulation was employed to show binding energies and electron contour map analyses of Ag{sub 55} with PVA. Here we show that the PVA interacts with the Ag nanoparticle's surface, through the OH group, thereby contributing significantly to the increase in SERS activity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Luminescence study of ZnSe/PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) composite film

The ZnSe nanocrystals have been prepared into poly vinyl alcohol(PVA) polymer matrix on glass using ZnCl2 and Na2SeSO3 as zinc and selenium source respectively. Poly vinyl Alcohol (PVA) used as polymer matrix cum capping agent due to their high viscosity and water solubility. It is transparent for visible region and prevents Se- ions to photo oxidation. The ZnSe/PVA composite film was deposited on glass substrate. The film was characterized by X Ray Diffraction (XRD) and UV-Visible absorption Spectroscopy and Photoluminescence. The X Ray Diffraction (XRD) study confirms the nanometer size (10 nm) particle formation within PVA matrix with cubic zinc blend crystal structure. The UV-Visible Absorption spectrum of ZnSe/PVA composite film shown blue shift in absorption edge indicating increased band gap due to quantum confinement. The calculated energy band gap from the absorption edge using Tauc relation is 3.4 eV. From the Photoluminescence study a broad peak at 435 nm has been observed in violet blue region due to recombination of surface states.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Polyvinyl Chloride/Silica Nanoporous Composite Separator for All-Vanadium Redox Flow Battery Applications

Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are capable of reversible conversion between electricity and chemical energy. Potential RFB applications resolve around mitigating the discrepancy between electricity production and consumption to improve the stability and utilization of the power infrastructure and tackling the intermittency of renewables such as photovoltaics or wind turbines to enable their reliable integration [1, 2]. Because the energy is stored in externally contained liquid electrolytes and the energy conversion reactions take place at the electrodes, RFBs hold a unique capability to separate energy and power and thus possess considerable design flexibility to meet either energy management driven or power rating oriented grid applications, which is considered to be a unparalleled advantage over conventional solid-state secondary batteries [3]. Other advantages of RFBs include fast response to load changes, high round-trip efficiency, long calender and cycle lives, safe operations, tolerance to deep discharge, etc. [4]. Among various flow battery chemistries, all-vanadium redox flow battery (VRB) was invented by Maria Skyllas-Kazacos at the University of New South Wales in the 1980s [5, 6] and have attracted substantial attention in both research and industrial communities today [7, 8]. A well-recognized advantage that makes VRB stands out among other redox chemistries is the reduced crossover contamination ascribed to employing four different oxidation states of the same vanadium element as the two redox couples. Recently, great progress has led to remarkably improved energy density of VRB by using sulfuric-chloric mixed acid supporting electrolytes that were stable at 2.5M vanadium and had wider operational temperature window of -5~50oC [9], compared with the traditional sulfuric acid VRB system [10].

Wei, Xiaoliang↗

The Impact of Carbonation Curing on the Fatigue Behavior of Polyvinyl Alcohol Engineered Cementitious Composites (PVA-ECC)

Use of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) has been proven to enhance structural fatigue resistance and reduce the use-phase emissions for transportation infrastructure. Carbonation curing offers an opportunity to reduce the embodied carbon of ECC via direct CO 2 sequestration. In this study, the impact of carbonation curing on ECC’s fatigue resistance was examined. ECC’s CO 2 uptake, static flexural behavior, flexural fatigue performance, and single fiber pull-out behavior were studied experimentally. Midspan deflection up to 3 million cycles under fatigue load, fatigue stress-life relationship, and failure mechanism for carbonation-cured and air-cured ECC were investigated. Carbonation curing was found to significantly improved the fatigue life of ECC and lowered the midspan deflection under the same stress. Further, CO 2 -cured ECC can achieve >20% CO 2 uptake per cement mass after 24-hour carbonation curing. Carbonation curing increased ECC’s flexural strength by 32% and promoted crack width control capability, with maximum post-fatigue crack width reduced from 148 μm to 76 μm. As a result, the positive impact of carbonation curing on the fatigue behavior of ECC simultaneously lowers the embodied and operational carbon of ECC structural members subjected to fatigue loading during service.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Polyvinyl alcohol membranes as alkaline battery separators

Polyvinly alcohol (PVA) cross-linked with aldehyde reagents yields membranes that demonstrate properties that make them suitable for use as alkaline battery separators. Film properties can be controlled by the choice of cross-linker, cross-link density and the method of cross-linking. Three methods of cross-linking and their effects on film properties are discussed. Film properties can also be modified by using a copolymer of vinyl alcohol and acrylic acid as the base for the separator and cross-linking it similarly to the PVA. Fillers can be incorporated into the films to further modify film properties. Results of separator screening tests and cell tests for several variations of PBA films are discussed.

Sheibley, D. W.↗

Development and evaluation of polyvinyl-alcohol blend polymer films as battery separators

Several dialdehydes and epoxies were evaluated for their suitability as cross-linkers. Optium concentrations of several cross-linking reagents were determined. A two-step method of cross-linking, which involves treatment of the film in an acid or acid periodate bath, was investigated and dropped in favor of a one-step method in which the acid catalyst, which initiates cross-linking, is added to the PVA - cross-linker solution before casting. The cross-linking was thus achieved during the drying step. This one-step method was much more adaptable to commercial processing. Cross-linked films were characterized as alkaline battery separators. Films were prepared in the lab and tested in cells in order to evaluate the effect of film composition and a number of processing parameters on cell performance. These tests were conducted in order to provide a broader data base from which to select optimum processing parameters. Results of the separator screening tests and the cell tests are discussed.

Manzo, M. A.↗

Solar cells of metal-free phthalocyanine dispersed in polyvinyl carbazole. 1: Effects of the recrystallization of H2PC on cell characteristics

The development of an organic semiconductor solar cell and the effects of the recrystallization of metal free phthalocyanine (H2PC) on the characteristics of NESA/H2PC-PVK/Au sandwich cells were investigated. Alfa-H2PC sandwich cells showed photovoltage and photocurrent in a two direction opposite to that shown y as supplied H2PC cells, which consists mainly of beta-H2PC. Some difference was observed in the response times of the two cells. It is suggested that photocharacteristics change with the specific resistance of the H2PC, which is related to its crystal forms. In the cells with low resistance H2PC carriers are generated in H2PC by illumination, while in high resistance H2PC cells, carriers are generated in PVK which is sensitized with H2PC.

Shimura, M.↗