Ana Clara Lancarovici Alves, Rafael Grande, Antonio José Felix Carvalho^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.7, No.3, pp. 245-252, 2019, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2019.00833

Abstract The interest in thermoplastic starch (TPS) as a substitute material to replace conventional thermoplastics continues especially due its biodegradability, availability, low cost and because it is obtained from renewable sources. However, its poor mechanical properties and its high sensitivity to humidity have limited its use in several applications. Here, the copolymer poly (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH), with two different ethylene contents, 27 and 44 mol% were blended with TPS by extrusion in order to overcome these limitations. The obtained blends were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical tensile testing, Scanning Electron Microscopy More >

Anna Kundys^1,*, Justyna Ostrowska², Urszula Chojnacka¹, Zuzanna Grodzka¹, Aleksandra Lange¹, Magdalena Paluch²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.6, pp. 611-618, 2018, DOI:10.32604/JRM.2018.00134

Abstract The degradation of thermoplastic starch blend in the presence of commercial α-amylase and unpurified amylase of microbial origin was investigated. The blends consisting of thermoplastic starch and poly(butylene succinate) have potential use in packaging applications thus, it is essential to establish susceptibility to degradation. Molar mass loss, gravimetric weight loss, and molecular structure were evaluated. The changes in the surface were observed with scanning electron microscopy. It was confirmed that there was a significant difference in gravimetric weight loss between the blends degraded in two different solutions. Unpurified enzymes of microbial origin, produced by Rhizopus More >

Sofía Collazo-Bigliardi^1,*, Rodrigo Ortega-Toro², Amparo Chiralt Boix¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.6, pp. 599-610, 2018, DOI:10.32604/JRM.2018.00127

Abstract Cellulosic fibres from coffee (CF) and rice (RF) husks have been obtained applying chemical treatments and characterized as to their microstructure and thermal behaviour. These materials have been incorporated into glycerol plasticised thermoplastic starch (TPS) films obtained by melt blending and compression moulding at 1 wt%, 5 wt% and 10 wt%. Microstructure, thermal behaviour and optical, tensile and barrier properties of the composites were analysed. Both kinds of micro-fibres improve the film stiffness while reduced the film stretchability. However, CF better maintained the film ductility at 1 and 5 wt%. A network of fine oriented More >

Andrea Dorigato^1,*, Martino Negri², Alessandro Pegoretti^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.5, pp. 493-503, 2018, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634177

Abstract Novel fully biodegradable thermoplastic composite laminates reinforced with ultrathin wood laminae were prepared through a hot-pressing process by using two different thermoplastic starch (TPS) matrices. The microstructure and physical properties of the resulting unidirectional and bidirectional laminates were studied. The investigated materials presented a complex microstructure, in which the porosity of the wood laminae was almost entirely occluded by the polymer matrix. The mechanical behavior of the laminates was strongly affected by the obtained microstructure, and matrix penetration in wood pores led to biodegradable composites with elastic modulus and tensile strength higher than those of More >

A. Atiqah¹, M. Jawaid^1,*, S. M. Sapuan^1,2, M. R. Ishak³

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.5, pp. 477-492, 2018, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634188

Abstract The aim of the present study was to develop sugar palm fiber (SPF) reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites and to investigate the effects of fiber surface modification by 2% silane treatment and fiber loading (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 wt%) on the mechanical and thermal properties of the obtained composites. Surface treatment was employed to improve the fiber-matrix interface, which was expected to boost the mechanical strength of the composites, in terms of tensile, flexural and impact properties. Thermal properties were also investigated by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA)… More >

Bruno Henrique dos Santos, Karen de Souza do Prado, Asaph Armando Jacinto, Márcia Aparecida da Silva Spinacé*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.2, pp. 176-182, 2018, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2018.634101

Abstract Although thermoplastic starch (TPS) is biodegradable, its low mechanical resistance limits its wide application. Sugarcane bagasse (SB) fibers can be used as reinforcement in TPS matrix composites, but the influence of fiber size on the properties of the composite is still unknown. In this study, TPS composites reinforced with SB short fibers of four sizes were processed and characterized in order to analyze the influence of fiber size on the mechanical properties of the TPS/SB composite. It was observed that the interaction between fiber and matrix was good and optimized when the fibers are sifted More >

Athanasios Zachariou¹, Maria Filiponi², Dimitrios Baltogiannis¹, John Giannakis¹, Fotios Dimitriadis³, Panagiota Tsounapi⁴, Atsushi Takenaka⁴, Nikolaos Sofikitis¹

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.24, No.6, pp. 9107-9113, 2017

Abstract Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the commonest progressive neurological disease affecting young people. With advancing disease, management of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) based on antimuscarinics may prove inadequate and if based on botulinum toxin, may necessitate clean intermittent self-catheterization. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of combined mirabegron and desmopressin administration in the treatment of NDO in patients with MS.
Materials and methods: Sixty patients diagnosed with MS and NDO were evaluated. All had received treatment with solifenacin 10 mg/daily for 3 months and were displeased with the results. Patients were divided in… More >

David E. Dawe^1,2, Salaheddin Mahmud^3,4

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.24, No.6, pp. 9081-9088, 2017

Abstract Introduction: During their lives, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Several drugs have been shown to decrease prostate cancer risk, but have not been widely used in prostate cancer prevention because of concerns about side-effects and cost-effectiveness. Statins are indicated for prevention of cardiovascular disease, have an excellent benefit to risk profile, and some studies suggest that statins may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Materials and methods: We performed a systematic search of Medline (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), and PubMed. This search informed a narrative review of the biological rationale for why statins… More >

Kendra A. Allen¹, Sarah Cady², David Grewell^1*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, Suppl.1, pp. 124-126, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634139

Abstract Biobased fillers were utilized as components in soy-elastomer composites. Soy flour is lightweight, low cost, and high strength, which makes it an ideal alternative to petroleum-derived fillers. However, poor interfacial adhesion and low dispersion within the polymer matrix are limiting factors for composite performance. Soy flour chemically pretreated by acetylation was compounded with synthetic rubber elastomers. In general, soy flour (as received) concentration in the composite is proportional to the ultimate strength. However, soyelastomer composites with acetylated filler performed similar to the neat elastomer. In addition, the pretreated composite’s thermal stability increased and exhibited less More >

González-Franco AC¹, L Robles-Hernández¹, JL Strap²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.86, pp. 14-27, 2017, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2017.86.014

Abstract The Streptomyces genus comprises a large and diverse group of bacteria, many of which are commercially exploited for the production of antibiotics and lytic enzymes. The thermophilic species are less studied than the predominant mesophilic species. However, the first ones are a potential source of thermostable bioactive products and enzymes with novel properties. In this study, two selected thermophilic streptomycetes were identified and their chitinolytic activities were evaluated. The identification of these two isolates was performed by microscopic morphology, partial 16S rDNA sequences, and its phylogenetic analysis. To study the chitinolytic activities of these isolates, the… More >