ABSTRACT
In this study, nonwoven fabrics, rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF), Basalt woven fabrics, and an aluminum foil film mold are used to produce multi-functional composite sheets with flame-retardant, sound-absorbing, and electromagnetic-shielding functions. The nonwoven layer is composed of Nomex fibers, flame-retardant PET fibers, and low-melting-point (LMPET) fibers via the needle rolling process. The optimal Nomex fiber/flame-retardant PET fiber/LMPET fiber (N/F/L) nonwoven fabrics are then combined with rigid polyurethane (PU) foam, Basalt woven fabric, and an aluminum foil film mold, thereby producing nonwoven/rigid polyurethane foam/Basalt woven fabric composite sheets that are wrapped in the aluminized foil film. The test results indicate that formed with a foaming density of 60 kg/m3 and 10 wt% of a flame retardant, the composite sheets exhibit electromagnetic interference shielding efficacy (EMI SE) that exceeds 40 dB and limiting oxygen index (LOI) that is greater than 26. The efficient and highly reproducible experimental design proposed in this study can produce multifunctional composite sheets that feature excellent combustion resistance, sound absorption, and EMI SE and are suitable for use in the transportation, industrial factories, and building wall fields.
ABSTRACT
The yellow Monascus pigments (YMPs) named monascin and ankaflavin and the orange Monascus pigments (OMPs) named rubropunctatin and monascorubrin are two groups of bioactive components in a mixture state in the Monascus fermented products. In order to separate these two groups of bioactive pigments, a facile macroporous resin-based method was developed. The weak-polar resin CAD-40 was selected from the seven tested macroporous resins as it revealed better properties for the adsorption and desorption of the YMPs and OMPs. Then, CAD-40 resin was used for column-chromatographic separation. After eluted by 4 bed volumes of ethanol, the yellow group (monascin and ankaflavin) and the orange group (rubropunctatin and monascorubrin) were successfully separated and purified, with an increased content from 49.3% and 44.2% in the crude pigment extract to 85.2% and 83.0% in the final products, respectively. This method would be helpful for the large-scale separation and purification of Monascus pigment products with specific bioactivity.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk factors related to tuberculosis infection among people living with HIV/AIDS and to develop strategies for preventing the co-infection. METHODS: A 1:2 matched nested case-control study was carried out to analyze the influencing factors of tuberculosis among people living with HIV/AIDS. RESULTS: 1018 people living with HIV/AIDS were followed up for one year with a total number of 736.75 person-years, among them 62 tuberculosis cases were diagnosed. The incidence density of tuberculosis among people living with HIV/AIDS was 8.42 persons per 100 person-years. Factors as education level(OR = 0.483), vaccination history of Bacille Calmette Guerin (OR = 0.561), CD(4)(+) count T-lymphocyte (OR = 0.356), unemployment (OR = 1.976), living alone (OR = 2.646), and smoking (OR = 2.215) were significantly related to the prevalence of tuberculosis among people living with HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSION: High education level, with vaccination history of Bacille Calmette Guerin and high level of CD(4)(+) T-lymphocyte count were protective factors while being unemployed, living alone, and smoking habit were risk factors related to the prevalence of tuberculosis among people living with HIV/AIDS.