Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:50:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T13:58:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 00379.pdf: 2328949 bytes, checksum: fac8845534ae08657efb5fe7f3af3e68 (MD5) / Dissertacao (Mestrado) / IEA/D / Instituto de Biociencias, Universidade de Sao Paulo - IB/USP

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Pharmacy Johannesburg 2001. i / The use of a low molecular weight heparin, enoxaparin was evaluated in the prevention and treatment of deep vein thrombosis. Patterns of use were analysed and measured against pre-determined criteria with a view to promoting optimal use and identifying those factors, which may contribute to safer use of the drug. / IT2018

<p> That bacteriophage PBS 1 contains DNA of a considerable size is suggested by the size of its head, and also by the fairly high frequencies with which it performs joint transduction of genetic markers. Density differences between the active, plaque-forming particles and the transducing particles of PBS 1 facilitated a separation of the two which served as a preliminary to investigating the DNA content of each. The molecular weight of DNA obtained from active particles is estimated to be 1.9 x 10^8. Tentative evidence is offered for the presence of a large fragment of host DNA within the head of transducing PBS 1.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

The effect of molecular weight on the dispersion of relatively polar montmorillonite (MMT) in non polar, unmodified high density polyethylene (HDPE) was examined. Polymer layered silicate (PLS) nanocomposites were compounded using three unmodified HDPE matrices of differing molecular weight and an organically modified MMT in concentrations ranging from 2 wt% to 8 wt% via single screw extrusion. The weight average molecular weights of the HDPE matrices used in this study ranged from 87,000 g/mol to 460,000 g/mol. X-ray diffraction (XRD), mechanical testing, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), as well as dynamic and capillary rheometry were performed on the nanocomposites. Nanocomposites generated from the high molecular weight (HMW) HDPE matrix exhibited increased intercalation of the MMT as shown by XRD as well as greater improvements in the Young's modulus compared to nanocomposites generated from both the low (LMW) and middle molecular weight (MMW) matrices. This was attributed to higher shear stress imparted to MMT during compounding from the more viscous matrix facilitating their separation and orientation during injection molding. DMTA showed that the torsional response of the HMW nanocomposites was not as great compared to their LMW and MMW counterparts as observed from a lower percentage enhancement in the storage modulus (Gâ ) and estimated heat distortion temperature (HDT) due to anisotropy in mechanical properties. Dynamic rheology indicated that a percolated network did not exist in any of the nanocomposites as shown by no change in the terminal behavior of Gâ upon addition of clay. / Master of Science

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2008. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

No description available.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The operation and optimisation of a distillation train directly effects the total energy consumption of a typical processing plant. With this in mind, the efficient separation of low molecular weight alcohol azeotropes, using heterogeneous azeotropic distillation, is of great economic and environmental importance. Heterogeneous azeotropic distillation involves the addition of an extraneous component, known as an entrainer, to the mixture to facilitate separation. Benzene has long been replaced as the entrainer of choice, due to its carcinogenic nature, and research into finding a more suitable entrainer has commenced. To determine if an entrainer is suitable for a particular separation, detailed phase behaviour information of the ternary alcohol/entrainer/water system is required; vapour-liquid (VLE), vapour-liquid-liquid (VLLE) equilibria data and the composition of all azeotropes present. This is complicated by the fact that thermodynamic models (like the nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL), universal functional (UNIFAC) and universal quasichemical (UNIQUAC) activity coefficient models) often fail to predict the phase equilibria of ternary systems. The lack of available experimental phase equilibria data, and the inability of thermodynamic models to predict phase equilibria data, has fueled the need for the experimental determination of accurate, repeatable isobaric VLE, VLLE and azeotropic data. With this in mind, this research is focused on the experimental determination of VLE, VLLE and azeotropic data for three low molecular weight alcohol/entrainer/water systems at 101.3 kPa. Following an extensive literature study on azeotropes, applicable separation techniques and available VLE and VLLE data in literature, the ethanol/2-butanone/water, n-propanol/2-butanone/water and iso-propanol/2-butanone/water systems were chosen for experimental investigation. The experimental determination was carried out in a Gillespie type still, equipped with an ultrasonic homogenizer. The temperature and pressure accuracies of the equipment were found to be 0.03°C and 2mbar respectively. The chosen experimental methodology was verified, and its repeatability tested, through the measurement of isobaric VLE and VLLE data of ethanol/isooctane, ethanol/n-butanol/water and n-propanol/isooctane/water systems at 101.3 kPa and subsequent comparison of the measured data with literature data. The compositional error reported, taking into account experimental and analysis effects, is ±0.014 mole fraction. All experimentally determined data sets, verification and new data, were tested for thermodynamic consistency by using the Wisniak modification of the Herrington test, the L/W consistency test, as well as the McDermott-Ellis consistency test, and found to be consistent. The Othmer-Tobias correlation was used to ensure the measured LLE data followed a steady trend, with all R-values larger than 0.910. For all three of the new systems chosen, the absence of ternary heterogeneous azeotropes was noted. The presence of a ternary homogeneous azeotrope was found for both the ethanol/2-butanone/water and iso-propanol/2-butanone/water systems. No ternary azeotropes are present for the n-propanol/2-butanone/water system. Suitable entrainers were compared to 2-butanone (MEK) by plotting measured data and literature information of five similar alcohol/entrainer/water systems on a ternary phase diagram. It was found that MEK could not be considered as a suitable entrainer for heterogeneous azeotropic distillation of ethanol, n-propanol and IPA. This is due to the absence of a ternary heterogeneous azeotrope for the aforementioned alcohol/MEK/water systems. Finally, the ability of thermodynamic models (NRTL, UNIFAC and UNIQUAC) to predict experimental data was determined both visually and through descriptive statistics. This entailed the inspection of ternary phase diagrams and the calculation and evaluation of average absolute deviation (AAD) and and average absolute relative deviation (AARD%) values. The measured data were modelled in Aspen Plus®. It was found that none of the models could predict the ternary systems with acceptable accuracy and the data were regressed. In general, the regressed parameters for the NRTL, UNIFAC and UNIQAC models improved the model predictions when compared to the built-in Aspen parameters. The UNIFAC model predicted the ethanol/MEK/water and n-propanol/MEK/water systems most accurately while none of the models could predict the IPA/MEK/water systems with acceptable accuracy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwerp en optimering van 'n distillasietrein het ‘n duidelike effek op die totale energieverbruik van ‘n tipiese prosesaanleg. Met dit in gedagte, is ‘n meer doeltreffende skeiding van lae molekulêre massa alkohol aseotrope, met behulp van heterogene aseotropiese distillasie, voordelig vir die ekonomie en die omgewing. Heterogene aseotropiese distillasie behels die toevoeging van 'n eksterne komponent, wat bekend staan as 'n skeidingsagent, om uiteindelik die skeiding te fasiliteer deur die komponente se dampdrukke te verander. Benseen was in die verlede ‘n gewilde skeidingsagent, maar dit is a.g.v. sy karsenogeniese eienskappe nie meer aanvaarbaar om te gebruik nie. Nuwe navorsing in hierdie veld fokus dus onder andere op die identifisering van meer geskikte skeidingsagente. Om te bepaal of 'n skeidingsagent geskik is, word indiepte fasegedrag inligting benodig, i.e. damp-vloeistof en damp-vloeistof-vloeistof ewewigsdata en die samestelling van alle aseotrope teenwoordig. Ongelukkig kan termodinamiese modelle dikwels nie die fasegedrag van ternêre stelsels voorspel nie. Dit, sowel as die beperkte beskikbaarheid van eksperimentele ewewigsdata in die literatuur, het dus hierdie navorsing aangevuur. Die projek het gefokus op die experimentele bepaling van damp-vloeistof en damp-vloeistof-vloeistof ewewigsdata en aseotropiese data vir drie alkohol/skeidingsagent/water-stelsels by 101.3 kPa. Na ‘n indiepte literatuurstudie van aseotrope, gepaste skeidingstegnieke en beskikbare damp-vloeistof en damp-vloeistof-vloeistof ewewigsdata, is 2-butanone (MEK) gekies as ‘n moontlike skeidingsagent en die etanol/MEK/water-, n-propanol/MEK/water- en iso-propanol/MEK/water-stelsels gekies vir eksperimentele ondersoek. Die data is met ‘n dinamiese Gillespie eenheid gemeet, toegerus met ‘n ultrasoniese homogeniseerder om vloeistof-vloeistof skeiding te voorkom. Die akkuraatheidsbande van temperatuur- en druk meetinstrumente was 0,03°C en 2 mbar, onderskeidelik. Die eksperimentele metode en die herhaalbaarheid van metings is bevesting, deur die isobariese damp-vloeistof en damp-vloeistof-vloeistof ewewigsdata van etanol/iso-oktaan, etanol/n-butanol/water en n-propanol/iso-oktaan/water te vergelyk met onafhanklike stelle ooreenstemmende data uit die literatuur. Die gesamentlike eksperimentele en analitiese fout wat gemaak kon word tydens bepaling van molfraksie samestellings was ±0.014 molfraksie. Alle gemete eksperimentele data is getoets vir termodinamiese samehang deur middel van beide die L/W en McDermott-Ellis konsekwentheidstoetse. Die Othmer-Tobias korrelasie is gebruik om seker te maak dat die gemete LLE data ‘n konstante tendens volg, met alle R-waardes groter as 0.910. Vir al drie van die nuwe stelsels wat gekies is, was ‘n drieledige heterogene aseotroop afwesig. Die teenwoordigheid van drieledige homogene aseotrope is egter waargeneem vir die etanol/MEK/water- en IPA/MEK/water-stelsels. Geen drieledige aseotrope is vir die n-propanol/MEK/water-sisteem gevind nie. Alle gemete data, asook literatuur inligting van vyf soortgelyke alkohol/skeidingsagent/water sisteme, is op ‘n drieledige fase diagram voorgestel om die skeidingsagente met mekaar te vergelyk. Hiervolgens word dit getoon dat MEK nie as ‘n gepaste skeidingsagent vir heterogene aseotropiese distillase beskou kan word nie a.g.v. die afwesigheid van ‘n drieledige heterogene aseotroop in die voorgenoemde alkohol/MEK/waterstelsels. Die vermoë van die termodinamiese modelle (NRTL, UNIFAC en UNIQUAC) om die eksperimentele data te voorspel is visueel (per grafiek) sowel as deur beskrywende statistiek bepaal. Dit behels die inspeksie van drieledige fasediagrame en die berekening en evaluasie van die gemiddelde absolute afwyking en gemiddelde absolute relatiewe afwykingswaardes. Hierdie teoretiese data is met Aspen Plus® bepaal. Nie een van die modelle kon die drieledige stelsels se fasegedrag met aanvaarbare akkuraatheid voorspel nie. Die parameters vir die NRTL-,UNIFAC- en UNIQUAC-modelle kan verbeter word deur middel van regressie, in vergelyking met die ingeboude Aspen parameters. Dit is bevind dat die UNIFAC model die etanol/MEK/water- en n-propanol/MEK/water-stelsel die beste kan voorspel. Nie een van die bogenoemde modelle kon egter die fasegedrag van die IPA/MEK/water-stelsel voorspel nie.

Laser Sintering is an Additive Manufacturing technology that uses digital files to construct 3-dimensional parts by depositing and consolidating layers of powdered material. Application of the technology for metal and ceramic powders is common but the focus of this work was on polymer laser sintering. A significant drawback for polymer laser sintering is the limited selection of materials currently available for use compared with more conventional processes such as injection moulding. This constrains the usefulness of the technology for designers and engineers. A primary reason for this is a lack of detailed understanding of the development process for new materials for laser sintering. This PhD investigation examines some of the key attributes and requirements needed for successfully implementing new polymer-based laser sintering materials. A strategic method for characterizing and identifying new polymer materials was created utilizing thermal measurements, practical and analytical methods to quantify sintering rate, and degradation studies. Validation of this work occurred through the successful integration of a new laser sintering material at industrial project partner Burton Snowboards. Thermal degradation as a result of the laser sintering process was studied in detail and resulted in the creation of a proposed new parameter: Stable Sintering Region (SSR). The term acknowledges and defines the region above the melting point that is the minimum requirement for sintering to occur and an upper limit beyond which polymer deterioration impedes on mechanical properties. A quantitative approach to define the SSR was developed and explored with three different laser sintering materials, two of which were flexible elastomers. The ability to specifically interpret laser sintering process parameters from thermal degradation characterization was created and used to explore the effects of high energy input on tensile properties and molecular weight. The results of these tests showed the potential to identify an Optimum Sintering Range based on maximizing mechanical properties through the control of energy input and molecular weight. This thesis makes a significant contribution to the knowledge and understanding of polymer laser sintering, especially in the context of materials development. Novel concepts such as the Stable Sintering Region were developed using a theoretical approach and practical measurements and were also thoroughly explored for verification. Additionally, a new method to use a powder characterization technique to predict the actual machine parameters of a material in the laser sintering process was quantified. This has several implications for testing new materials for laser sintering and efficiently identifying appropriate processing conditions.

Statement of the problem The primary objective of this thesis was to determine the best study design to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an intermediate dose of low molecular weight heparin for secondary prevention of pregnancy associated VTE (PAVTE). An RCT was deemed unfeasible,so the use of a single arm study with prior evaluation of feasibility with a pilot study is proposed. // Methods - A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of current strategies used for secondary prevention of PAVTE.A survey was used to elicit the non-inferiority margin. // Results - The pooled proportion of recurrent VTE in patients treated with full dose LMWH was 0.012(95% CI 0.006 to 0.02) and the rate of major bleeding was 0.025(95% CI=0.01 to 0.041). The non-inferiority margin was elicited at 2.5%. // Conclusions - Although a randomized controlled trial should be conducted whenever possible, in certain scenarios they are unfeasible. Therefore, an alternative study design should perhaps be used to evaluate the safety and efficacy of therapeutic strategies.

Low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) are interesting materials whose applications are as diverse and wide ranging as their molecular structures. These materials self-assemble through the formation of non-covelent intermolecular forces and interactions to form supramolecular assemblies that trap solvent within their matrices. Because of the non-covalent nature of the forces of self-assembly, the gelation process is typically thermally reversible. In addition, low molecular weight gelators can also be modified to respond to various stimuli, such as change in pH, presence of enzymes or metal cations, or exposure to light. The design of low molecular weight gelators is often difficult, and most new classes of low molecular weight gelators are discovered by serendipity. As such, it is often useful to use structural templates in the design of LMWGs. Biomolecules, such as steroids, amino acids and peptides, and carbohydrates make excellent templates due to their inherent propensity to self assemble. A review of the current literature regarding the use of biomolecules as templates for the design and synthesis of LMWGs will be presented in chapter 1. Our research group has been active in the research of carbohydrate-based LMWGs for several years, and these results are also briefly reviewed in the related chapters. The synthesis and characterization of ester derivatives of D-galactose, D-glucose, and amide derivatives of D-glucosamine will be discussed in chapters 2-4, along with their evaluation for gelation in aqueous and organic solvents, such as hexane, ethanol, water, and aqueous DMSO or ethanol mixtures.