Extraction of the Microstructure of Wool Fabrics Based on Structure Tensor.

The trends of "fashionalization", "personalization" and "customization" of wool fabrics have prompted the textile industry to change the original processing design based on the experience of engineers and trial production. In order to adapt to the promotion of intelligent production, the microstructure of wool fabrics is introduced into the finishing process. This article presents an automated method to extract the microstructure from the micro-CT data of woven wool fabrics. Firstly, image processing was performed on the 3D micro-CT images of the fabric. The raw grayscale data were converted into eigenvectors of the structure tensor to segment the individual yarns. These data were then used to calculate the three parameters of diameter, spacing and the path of the center points of the yarn for the microstructure. The experimental results showed that the proposed method was quite accurate and robust on woven single-ply tweed fabrics.

Forward osmosis membrane doped with water-based zirconium fumarate MOFs to enhance dye pollutant removal and membrane antifouling performance.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can be applied to enhance the property of forward osmosis membranes. However, organic solvents can easily remain in organic synthetic metal-organic frame materials and cause membrane fouling and a decrease in membrane permeability. In this study, water-based Zr-fumarate MOFs were synthesized and doped into the membrane active layer by interfacial polymerization to provide a water-based MOF-doped thin-film composite membrane (TFC membrane). It was found that doping the water-based MOFs effectively improved membrane hydrophilicity, and nanowater passages were introduced in the active layer to improve permeability. The water flux of the water-based MOF-doped TFC membranes was increased by 21% over that of the original membrane, and the selectivity performance of the membrane was improved while keeping the salt rejection basically unchanged. Additionally, the water-based MOF-doped TFC membrane showed good removal efficiency (Rd > 94%) and strong antipollution performance in the treatment of dye pollutants.

The occurrence, formation and transformation of disinfection byproducts in the water distribution system: A review.

Disinfection is an effective process to inactivate pathogens in drinking water treatment. However, disinfection byproducts (DBPs) will inevitably form and may cause severe health concerns. Previous research has mainly focused on DBPs formation during the disinfection in water treatment plants. But few studies paid attention to the formation and transformation of DBPs in the water distribution system (WDS). The complex environment in WDS will affect the reaction between residual chlorine and organic matter to form new DBPs. This paper provides an overall review of DBPs formation and transformation in the WDS. Firstly, the occurrence of DBPs in the WDS around the world was cataloged. Secondly, the primary factors affecting the formation of DBPs in WDS have also been summarized, including secondary chlorination, pipe materials, biofilm, deposits and coexisting anions. Secondary chlorination and biofilm increased the concentration of regular DBPs (e.g., trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs)) in the WDS, while Br- and I- increased the formation of brominated DBPs (Br-DBPs) and iodinated DBPs (I-DBPs), respectively. The mechanism of DBPs formation and transformation in the WDS was systematically described. Aromatic DBPs could be directly or indirectly converted to aliphatic DBPs, including ring opening, side chain breaking, chlorination, etc. Finally, the toxicity of drinking water in the WDS caused by DBPs transformation was examined. This review is conducive to improving the knowledge gap about DBPs formation and transformation in WDS to better solve water supply security problems in the future.

Design and test of Kinect-based variable spraying control system for orchards.

Target detection technology and variable-rate spraying technology are key technologies for achieving precise and efficient pesticide application. To address the issues of low efficiency and high working environment requirements in detecting tree information during variable spraying in orchards, this study has designed a variable spraying control system. The system employed a Kinect sensor to real-time detect the canopy volume of citrus trees and adjusted the duty cycle of solenoid valves by pulse width modulation to control the pesticide application. A canopy volume calculation method was proposed, and precision tests for volume detection were conducted, with a maximum relative error of 10.54% compared to manual measurements. A nozzle flow model was designed to determine the spray decision coefficient. When the duty cycle ranged from 30% to 90%, the correlation coefficient of the flow model exceeded 0.95, and the actual flow rate of the system was similar to the theoretical flow rate. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the spraying effectiveness of the variable spraying control system based on the Kinect sensor. The experimental results indicated that the variable spraying control system demonstrated good consistency between the theoretical spray volume and the actual spray volume. In deposition tests, compared to constant-rate spraying, the droplets under the variable-rate mode based on canopy volume exhibited higher deposition density. Although the amount of droplet deposit and coverage slightly decreased, they still met the requirements for spraying operation quality. Additionally, the variable-rate spray mode achieved the goal of reducing pesticide use, with a maximum pesticide saving rate of 57.14%. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the Kinect sensor in guiding spraying operations and provides a reference for their application in plant protection operations.

Transcriptome Analysis to Identify Responsive Genes under Sublethal Concentration of Bifenazate in the Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae).

Bifenazate is a novel acaricide that has been widely used to control spider mites. Interestingly, we found bifenazate had a biological activity against the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), one of the most economically important pests on crucifer crops around the world. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of P. xylostella to bifenazate treatment are not clear. In this study, we first estimated the LC30 dose of bifenazate for third-instar P. xylostella larvae. Then, in order to identify genes that respond to the treatment of this insecticide, the comparative transcriptome profiles were used to analyze the gene expression changes in P. xylostella larvae after exposure to LC30 of bifenazate. In total, 757 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between bifenazate-treated and control P. xylostella larvae were identified, in which 526 and 231 genes were up-regulated and down-regulated, respectively. The further Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that the xenobiotics metabolisms pathway was significantly enriched, with ten detoxifying enzyme genes (four P450s, five glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), and one UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase (UGT)) were up-regulated, and their expression patterns were validated by qRT-PCR as well. Interestingly, the present results showed that 17 cuticular protein (CP) genes were also remarkably up-regulated, including 15 CPR family genes. Additionally, the oxidative phosphorylation pathway was found to be activated with eight mitochondrial genes up-regulated in bifenazate-treated larvae. In contrast, we found some genes that were involved in tyrosine metabolism and purine pathways were down-regulated, indicating these two pathways of bifenazate-exposed larvae were significantly inhibited. In conclusion, the present study would help us to better understand the molecular mechanisms of sublethal doses of bifenazate detoxification and action in P. xylostella.

Stable Forward Osmosis Nanocomposite Membrane Doped with Sulfonated Graphene Oxide@Metal-Organic Frameworks for Heavy Metal Removal.

A sulfonated graphene oxide@metal-organic framework-modified forward osmosis nanocomposite (SGO@UiO-66-TFN) membrane was developed to improve stability and heavy metal removal performance. An in situ growth method was applied to uniformly distribute UiO-66 nanomaterial with a frame structure on SGO nanosheets to form SGO@UiO-66 composite nanomaterial. This nanomaterial was then added to a polyamide layer using interfacial polymerization. The cross-linking between SGO@UiO-66 and m-phenylenediamine improved the stability of the nanomaterial in the membrane. Additionally, the water permeability was improved because of additional water channels introduced by SGO@UiO-66. SGO, with its lamellar structure, and UiO-66, with its frame structure, made the diffusion path of the solute more circuitous, which improved the heavy metal removal and salt rejection performances. Moreover, the hydrophilic layer of the SGO@UiO-66-TFN membrane could block contaminants and loosen the structure of the pollution layer, ensuring that the membrane maintained a high removal rate. The water flux and reverse solute flux of the SGO@UiO-66-TFN membrane reached 14.77 LMH and 2.95 gMH, and compared with the thin-film composite membrane, these values were increased by 41 and 64%, respectively. The membrane also demonstrated a good heavy metal ion removal performance. In 2 h, the heavy metal ion removal rate (2000 ppm Cu2+ and Pb2+) was greater than 99.4%, and in 10 h the removal rate was greater than 97.5%.

Precisely Tunable Ion Sieving with an Al13-Ti3C2Tx Lamellar Membrane by Controlling Interlayer Spacing.

Two-dimensional (2D) membranes exhibit exceptional properties in molecular separation and transport, which reveals their potential use in various applications. However, ion sieving with 2D membranes is severely restrained due to intercalation-induced swelling. Here, we describe how to efficiently stabilize the lamellar architecture using Keggin Al13 polycations as pillars in a Ti3C2Tx membrane. More importantly, interlayer spacing can be easily adjusted with angstrom precision over a wide range (2.7-11.2 Å) to achieve selective and tunable ion sieving. A membrane with narrow d-spacing demonstrated enhanced selectivity for monovalent ions. When applied in a forward osmosis desalination process, this membrane exhibited high NaCl exclusion (99%) with a fast water flux (0.30 L m-2 h-1 bar-1). A membrane with wide d-spacing showed notable selectivity, which was dependent on the cation valence. When it was applied to acid recovery from iron-based industrial wastewater, the membrane showed good H+/Fe2+ selectivity, which makes it a promising substitute for traditional polymeric membranes. Thus, we introduce a possible route to construct 2D membranes with appropriate structures to satisfy different ion-sieving requirements in diverse environment-, resource-, and energy-related applications.

Ion sieving by a two-dimensional Ti3C2Tx alginate lamellar membrane with stable interlayer spacing.

Two-dimensional membranes attract extensive interest due to the anomalous transport phenomena; however, the ion separation performance is below the theoretical prediction. The stabilization of d-spacing is a key step for enhancing ion selectivity. Here, we demonstrate a strategy for stabilizing the Ti3C2Tx laminar architecture by alginate hydrogel pillars. After pillared by Ca-alginate, the nanochannel diameters are effectively fixed at 7.4 ± 0.2 Å, and the membrane presents a permeation cutoff and an outstanding sieving property towards valent cations. When applied for acid recovery, the outstanding H+/Fe2+ selectivity makes the membrane a promising substitution for traditional ion-exchange membranes. Moreover, the ultrathin Mn-alginate pillared membrane with identical d-spacing exhibits 100% Na2SO4 rejection with high water permeance, which is superior to the state-of-the-art nanofiltration membranes. Building on these findings, we demonstrate an efficient method to tune the ion selectivity and introduce a new perspective for energy- and environment-related applications.

Fabrication of sulphonated poly(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate hydrogel as a bone grafting scaffold.

To improve the biological performance of poly(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel as an injectable bone grafting scaffold, sodium methallyl sulphonate (SMAS) was incorporated into PEGDA hydrogel. The physiochemical properties of the resultant polymers were assessed via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), swelling ratio, zeta potential, surface morphology, and protein adsorption analysis. MC3T3-E1 cells were seeded on the hydrogel to evaluate the effect of the sulphonated modification on their attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. The results of FTIR and zeta potential evaluations revealed that SMAS was successfully incorporated into PEGDA. With increasing concentrations of SMAS, the swelling ratio of the hydrogels increased in deionized water but stayed constant in phosphate buffered saline. The protein adsorption also increased with increasing concentration of SMAS. Moreover, the sulphonated modification of PEGDA hydrogel not only enhanced the attachment and proliferation of osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells but also up-regulated alkaline phosphatase activity as well as gene expression of osteogenic markers and related growth factors, including collagen type I, osteocalcin, runt related transcription factor 2, bone morphogenetic protein 2, and transforming growth factor beta 1. These findings indicate that the sulphonated modification could significantly improve the biological performance of PEGDA hydrogel. Thus, the sulphonated PEGDA is a promising scaffold candidate for bone grafting.

Molasses wastewater treatment and lipid production at low temperature conditions by a microalgal mutant Scenedesmus sp. Z-4.

BACKGROUND: Simultaneous wastewater treatment and lipid production by oleaginous microalgae show great potential to alleviate energy shortage and environmental pollution, because they exhibit tremendous advantages over traditional activated sludge. Currently, most research on wastewater treatment by microalgal are carried out at optimized temperature conditions (25-35 °C), but no information about simultaneous wastewater treatment and lipid production by microalgae at low temperatures has been reported. Microalgal growth and metabolism will be inhibited at low temperature conditions, and satisfactory wastewater treatment performance will be not obtained. Therefore, it is critical to domesticate and screen superior microalgal strains with low temperature adaptability, which is of great importance for wastewater treatment and biodiesel production. RESULTS: In this work, simultaneous wastewater treatment and lipid production were achieved by a microalgal mutant Scenedesmus sp. Z-4 at the low temperature conditions (4, 10, and 15 °C). The results showed that algal growth was inhibited at 4, 10, and 15 °C compared to that at the optimal temperature of 25 °C. However, decreased temperature had no significant effect on the total cellular lipid content of algae. Importantly, lipid productivity at 10 °C was compromised by more net energy output relevant to biodiesel production, which demonstrated that the low temperature of 10 °C was favorable to wastewater treatment and energy recovery by Scenedesmus sp. Z-4. When molasses wastewater with optimal COD concentration of 8000 mg L-1, initial inoculation ratio of 15%, and C/N ratio of 15 was used to cultivate microalgae, the maximum removal rate of COD, TN, and TP at 10 °C reached 87.2, 90.5, and 88.6%, respectively. In addition, lipid content of 28.9% and lipid productivity of 94.4 mg L-1 day-1 were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Scenedesmus sp. Z-4 had good adaptability to low temperature conditions, and showed great potential to realize simultaneous wastewater treatment and lipid production at low temperatures. The proposed approach in the study was simple compared to other wastewater treatment methods, and this potential novel process was still efficient to remove COD, N, and P at low temperatures. Thus, it had a vital significance for the wastewater treatment in low temperature regions.

The comparative capacity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) validity scales to detect suspected malingering in a disability claimant sample.

The current study expands on past research examining the comparative capacity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher et al., 2001) and MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008/2011) overreporting validity scales to detect suspected malingering, as assessed by the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST; Miller, 2001), in a sample of public insurance disability claimants (N = 742) who were considered to have potential incentives to malinger. Results provide support for the capacity of both the MMPI-2 and the MMPI-2-RF overreporting validity scales to predict suspected malingering of psychopathology. The MMPI-2-RF overreporting validity scales proved to be modestly better predictors of suspected psychopathology malingering-compared with the MMPI-2 overreporting scales-in dimensional predictive models and categorical classification accuracy analyses. (PsycINFO Database Record

[Dietary Factors Associated with Hyperuricemia and Glycolipid Metabolism Disorder in Middle-aged and Elderly People].

UNLABELLED: Health Supervision of Law Enforcement Detachment , Chengdu 610016 , China OBJECTIVE: To identify dietary factors associated with glycolipid metabolism disorder and hyperuricemia in middle-aged and elderly people. METHODS: 183 visitors to a community health service center for physical examinations and 241 respiratory patients admitted to a hospital ward were randomly selected. The prevalence of hyperuricemia and dyslipidemic diabetics in the two groups of participants was investigated. Dietary information was collected using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS (1) Male participants had a higher level of prevalence of hyperuricemia than female (P < 0.01). (2) Hypoglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and excessive intake of meat, poultry, alcohol, energy and fat were risk factors of hyperuricemia (P < 0.05); whereas, moderate intake of vegetables and fruits were protective factors (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Hyperuricemia is associated with glycolipid metabolism disorder and dietary factors. Early monitoring of glucose and lipid metabolism and dietary interventions in high risk population may play an important role in the prevention of hyperuricemia.

[Study on the relationship between anemia and dietary factors of rural residents in the suburb of Chengdu].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between anemia and dietary factors of rural residents in the suburb of Chengdu. METHODS: 467 rural residents were randomly selected in the survey, using 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire and food frequency questionnaire to obtain dietary information of surveyed residents and to detect the hemoglobin content and calculate dietary diversity scores. RESULTS: (1)The prevalence of anemia in surveyed residents was 20. 13%, with a percentage of 19. 30% in female and20. 92% in male. (2)The average intake of cereals, vegetables, livestock and poultry meat, protein, carbohydrate, fibre, folic acid, magnesium, iron and copper were lower in anemic male than that in non-anemic male( P < 0. 05, P < 0. 01). The average intake of cereals, energy, protein, carbohydrate, fibre, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin C, magnesium and iron were lower in anemic female than that in non-anemic female( P <0. 05, P < 0. 01). (3) The prevalence of anemia in group with dietary diversity scored between 1 and 3 was the highest, the risk of which was 6. 109 times of group with dietarydiversity scored between 7 and 9( P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: Nutrients intake and the level of dietary diversity are associated with anemia of the rural residents in the suburb of Chengdu.

[Clinical distribution and drug resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from hospitalized children].

OBJECTIVE: To learn about the clinical distribution and drug resistance of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) isolated from inpatients and provide evidence for clinically reasonable use of antibiotics. METHODS: Data including clinical features and drug sensitivity of S. aureus isolated from hospitalized patients in the last two years were analyzed. RESULTS: 248 S. aureus strains were isolated from inpatients of our hospital in the last 2 years. The most common disease caused by S. aureus was pneumonia with a total of 163 patients. The second was skin and soft tissue infection with 21 patients in total. Sepsis occurred in 11 patients. The most commonly used antibiotics included oxacillin, nafcillin, cefathiamidine and vancomycin. The average course of antibiotic was 12.48 days. Treatment course of pneumonia and sepsis was 13.71 and 15.11 respectively. 96.31% (235/244) of S. aureus were resistant to penicillin. Vancomycin-resistant S. aureus has not been isolated. CONCLUSION: S. aureus pneumonia is the leading cause of hospitalization of children with S. aureus infection. S. aureus is highly resistant to commonly used antibiotics and related infections need longer therapy. Clinicians should pay more attention to S. aureus infection.