The polymers used in plastics are generally harmless. However, they are rarely used in pure form. In almost all commercial plastics, they are "compounded" with monomeric ingredients to improve their processing and end-use performance. In order of total volume used, these monomeric additives may be classified as follows: reinforcing fibers, fillers, and coupling agents; plasticizers; colorants; ...

General Electric has created case-based reasoning systems for remote diagnostics, call center automation, and internal productivity projects. CBR applications have been used to remotely diagnose x-ray machines, locomotives, and aircraft engines. Call centers have CBR systems that assist call takers in helping customers, provide web based customer self-service, and suggest standard responses to ...

It is proposed that the “threshold for etchable track formation” in plastics is associated with the linear density of activated polymeric clusters along the path of an ion, in the “grain-count regime.” Existing data for CR-39 reveal a change in etching rate in the neighborhood of z/β having the value of about 15-20. We infer that this defines the transition from the grain count regime to the tr...

An overview is given of the processing of plastic materials from the handling of polymers in the pellet and powder form to manufacturing of a plastic fabricated product. Various types of equipment used and melt processing ranges of various polymer formulations to make the myriad of plastic products that are commercially available are discussed.

Background: The mosquito Culex annulirostris Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae) is the major vector of endemic arboviruses in Australia and is also responsible for the establishment of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in southern Papua New Guinea (PNG) as well as its incursions into northern Australia. Papua New Guinea and mainland Australia are separated by a small stretch of water, the Torres St...

The modern consumer is exposed to a wide variety of plastic and rubber products in his day to day life: at home, work, school, shopping, recreation and play, and transport. A large variety of toxic sequellae have resulted from untoward exposures by many different routes: oral, dermal, inhalation, and parenteral. Toxic change may result from the plastic itself, migration of unbound components an...

Specialty polymerS Solvay’s high-performance plastics continue to find a wide variety of opportunities in the healthcare market. The demand for alternatives to metal continues to grow for instruments and devices, in addition to the tray systems that support them. Solvay offers the largest selection of high-performance polymers for the healthcare industry, which includes five unique chemistries....

Plastics are extensively used as a material for orthoses. However, one remaining problem is the ventilation of the orthosis. This is a real problem in countries such as Japan, where it is hot and humid especially in summer. The authors have invented a new orthosis "POROPLAST", which is made of mesh plastic sheets, combined in a cross-like weave. These orthoses provide good ventilation and are v...

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