Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Alleviates Restrictions to Substrate Water Flow and Delays Transpiration Limitation to Stronger Drought in Tomato

PubMed Central

Bitterlich, Michael; Sandmann, Martin; Graefe, Jan

2018-01-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) proliferate in soil pores, on the surface of soil particles and affect soil structure. Although modifications in substrate moisture retention depend on structure and could influence plant water extraction, mycorrhizal impacts on water retention and hydraulic conductivity were rarely quantified. Hence, we asked whether inoculation with AMF affects substrate water retention, water transport properties and at which drought intensity those factors become limiting for plant transpiration. Solanum lycopersicum plants were set up in the glasshouse, inoculated or not with Funneliformis mosseae, and grown for 35 days under ample water supply. After mycorrhizal establishment, we harvested three sets of plants, one before (36 days after inoculation) and the second (day 42) and third (day 47) within a sequential drying episode. Sampling cores were introduced into pots before planting. After harvest, moisture retention and substrate conductivity properties were assessed and water retention and hydraulic conductivity models were fitted. A root water uptake model was adopted in order to identify the critical substrate moisture that induces soil derived transpiration limitation. Neither substrate porosity nor saturated water contents were affected by inoculation, but both declined after substrates dried. Drying also caused a decline in pot water capacity and hydraulic conductivity. Plant available water contents under wet (pF 1.8–4.2) and dry (pF 2.5–4.2) conditions increased in mycorrhizal substrates and were conserved after drying. Substrate hydraulic conductivity was higher in mycorrhizal pots before and during drought exposure. After withholding water from pots, higher substrate drying rates and lower substrate water potentials were found in mycorrhizal substrates. Mycorrhiza neither affected leaf area nor root weight or length. Consistently with higher substrate drying rates, AMF restored the plant hydraulic status, and increased plant transpiration when soil moisture declined. The water potential at the root surface and the resistance to water flow in the rhizosphere were restored in mycorrhizal pots although the bulk substrate dried more. Finally, substrates colonized by AMF can be more desiccated before substrate water flux quantitatively limits transpiration. This is most pronounced under high transpiration demands and complies with a difference of over 1,000 hPa in substrate water potential. PMID:29503655

Dewetting-mediated pattern formation inside the coffee ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Weibin; Lan, Ding; Wang, Yuren

2017-04-01

The rearrangement of particles in the final stage of droplet evaporation has been investigated by utilizing differential interference contrast microscopy and the formation mechanism of a network pattern inside a coffee ring has been revealed. A tailored substrate with a circular hydrophilic domain is prepared to obtain thin liquid film containing monolayer particles. Real-time bottom-view images show that the evolution of a dry patch could be divided into three stages: rupture initiation, dry patch expansion, and drying of the residual liquid. A growing number of dry patches will repeat these stages to form the network patterns inside the ringlike stain. It can be shown that the suction effect promotes the rupture of the liquid film and the formation of the dry patch. The particle-assembling process is totally controlled by the liquid film dewetting and dominated by the surface tension of the liquid film, which eventually determine the ultimate deposition patterns.

Effects of drying on nitrification activity in zeoponic medium used for long-term space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGilloway, R. L.; Weaver, R. W.

2004-01-01

One component of a proposed life support system is the use of zeoponic substrates, which slowly release NH4+ into "soil" solution, for the production of plants. Nitrifying bacteria that convert NH4+ to NO3- are among the important microbial components of these systems. Survival of nitrifying bacteria in dry zeoponic substrates is needed, because the substrate would likely be stored in an air-dry state between croppings. Substrate was enriched for nitrifying bacteria and allowed to air-dry in a laminar flow hood. Stored substrate was analyzed for nitrifier survivability by measuring nitrifier activity at the beginning, 3 days, 1, 2, and 3 weeks. After rewetting, activity was approximately 9 micrograms N g-1 h-1 regardless of storage time. Nitrification rates did not decrease during storage. It seems unlikely that drying between plantings would result in practical reductions in nitrification, and reinoculation with nitrifying bacteria would not be necessary.

The origins of microstructure in phase inversion coatings or membranes: Snapshots of the transient from time-sectioning cryo-SEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakash, Sai Sivasankaran

2001-11-01

Time-sectioning cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) is a unique method of visualizing how the microstructure of liquid coatings evolves during processing. Time-sectioning means rapidly freezing (nearly) identical specimens at successively later stages of the process; doing this requires that coating and drying be well controlled in the dry phase inversion process, and solvents exchange likewise in the wet phase inversion process. With control, frozen specimens are fractured, etched by limited sublimation, sputter-coated, and imaged at temperatures of ca -175°C. The coatings examined were of cellulose acetate, of high and low molecular weights, and polysulfone in mixed solvents and nonsolvents: acetone and water with cellulose acetate undergoing dry phase inversion; and tetrahydrofuran, dimethylacetamide, ethanol with polysulfone undergoing dry-wet phase inversion. All coatings, cast on silicon substrates, were initially homogeneous. The initial compositions of the high and low molecular weight cellulose acetate ternary solutions were "off-critical" and "near-critical", respectively, connoting their proximities to the critical or plait point of the phase diagram. The initial composition of the polysulfone quaternary solution was located near the binodal of the pseudo-ternary phase diagram. It appeared that as the higher molecular weight cellulose acetate coating dries, it nucleates and grows polymer-poor droplets that coalesce into a bicontinuous structure underlying a thin, dense skin. Bicontinuity of structure was verified by stereomicroscopy of the dry sample. The lower molecular weight cellulose acetate coating phase-separates, seemingly spinodally, directly into a bicontinuous structure whose polymer-rich network, stressed by frustrated in-plane shrinkage, ruptures far beneath the skin in some locales to form macrovoids. When, after partial drying, the polysulfone coating was immersed in a bath of water, a nonsolvent, it appeared to swell in thickness as it phase-separates. A dense skin, thinner than a micron, appeared to overlie a two-phase substructure that is punctuated with pear-shaped macrovoids. At early immersion times, this substructure is visibly bicontinuous or open-celled near the bath-side, and dispersion-like (droplets dispersed in a polymeric matrix) or closed-celled near the substrate-side. Moreover, in the bicontinuous regions, length-scales of the individual phases seem to increase across the coating thickness from the bath-side to the substrate-side. After prolonged immersion, the substructure, excluding the macrovoids, is entirely bicontinuous. The bicontinuity presumably results from a combination of spinodal decomposition and nucleation and growth plus coalescence. Quite strikingly, macrovoids are present exclusively in regions where phases are bicontinuous, and are absent where droplets are dispersed in the polymeric matrix. Evidence suggests that macrovoids result from an instability caused by a progressive rupture of polymer-rich links deeper and deeper beneath the skin, aggravated by stress localization in the rupturing network and a buildup of pressure in the polymer-poor phase (the pore space), as suspected by Grobe and Meyer in 1959.

Moving zone Marangoni drying of wet objects using naturally evaporated solvent vapor

DOEpatents

Britten, Jerald A.

1997-01-01

A surface tension gradient driven flow (a Marangoni flow) is used to remove the thin film of water remaining on the surface of an object following rinsing. The process passively introduces by natural evaporation and diffusion of minute amounts of alcohol (or other suitable material) vapor in the immediate vicinity of a continuously refreshed meniscus of deionized water or another aqueous-based, nonsurfactant rinsing agent. Used in conjunction with cleaning, developing or wet etching application, rinsing coupled with Marangoni drying provides a single-step process for 1) cleaning, developing or etching, 2) rinsing, and 3) drying objects such as flat substrates or coatings on flat substrates without necessarily using heat, forced air flow, contact wiping, centrifugation or large amounts of flammable solvents. This process is useful in one-step cleaning and drying of large flat optical substrates, one-step developing/rinsing and drying or etching/rinsing/drying of large flat patterned substrates and flat panel displays during lithographic processing, and room-temperature rinsing/drying of other large parts, sheets or continuous rolls of material.

Moving zone Marangoni drying of wet objects using naturally evaporated solvent vapor

DOEpatents

Britten, J.A.

1997-08-26

A surface tension gradient driven flow (a Marangoni flow) is used to remove the thin film of water remaining on the surface of an object following rinsing. The process passively introduces by natural evaporation and diffusion of minute amounts of alcohol (or other suitable material) vapor in the immediate vicinity of a continuously refreshed meniscus of deionized water or another aqueous-based, nonsurfactant rinsing agent. Used in conjunction with cleaning, developing or wet etching application, rinsing coupled with Marangoni drying provides a single-step process for (1) cleaning, developing or etching, (2) rinsing, and (3) drying objects such as flat substrates or coatings on flat substrates without necessarily using heat, forced air flow, contact wiping, centrifugation or large amounts of flammable solvents. This process is useful in one-step cleaning and drying of large flat optical substrates, one-step developing/rinsing and drying or etching/rinsing/drying of large flat patterned substrates and flat panel displays during lithographic processing, and room-temperature rinsing/drying of other large parts, sheets or continuous rolls of material. 5 figs.

Change in enzyme production by gradually drying culture substrate during solid-state fermentation.

PubMed

Ito, Kazunari; Gomi, Katsuya; Kariyama, Masahiro; Miyake, Tsuyoshi

2015-06-01

The influence of drying the culture substrate during solid-state fermentation on enzyme production was investigated using a non-airflow box. The drying caused a significant increase in enzyme production, while the mycelium content decreased slightly. This suggests that changes in the water content in the substrate during culture affect enzyme production in fungi. Copyright © 2014 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of storage conditions on the weight and appearance of dried blood spot samples on various cellulose-based substrates.

PubMed

Denniff, Philip; Spooner, Neil

2010-11-01

Before shipping and storage, dried blood spot (DBS) samples must be dried in order to protect the integrity of the spots. In this article, we examine the time required to dry blood spot samples and the effects of different environmental conditions on their integrity. Under ambient laboratory conditions, DBS samples on Whatman 903(®), FTA(®) and FTA(®) Elute substrates are dry within 90 min of spotting. An additional 5% of moisture is lost during subsequent storage with desiccant. When exposed to elevated conditions of temperature and relative humidity, the DBS samples absorb moisture. DBS samples on FTA lose this moisture on being returned to ambient conditions. DBS samples on 903 show no visible signs of deterioration when stored at elevated conditions. However, these conditions cause the DBS to diffuse through the FTA Elute substrate. Blood spots are dry within 90 min of spotting. However, the substrates examined behave differently when exposed to conditions of high relative humidity and temperature, in some cases resulting in the integrity of the substrate and DBS sample being compromised. It is recommended that these factors be investigated as part of method development and validation.

Aridity and plant uptake interact to make dryland soils hotspots for nitric oxide (NO) emissions

PubMed Central

Blankinship, Joseph C.; Marchus, Kenneth; Lucero, Delores M.; Sickman, James O.; Schimel, Joshua P.

2016-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important trace gas and regulator of atmospheric photochemistry. Theory suggests moist soils optimize NO emissions, whereas wet or dry soils constrain them. In drylands, however, NO emissions can be greatest in dry soils and when dry soils are rewet. To understand how aridity and vegetation interact to generate this pattern, we measured NO fluxes in a California grassland, where we manipulated vegetation cover and the length of the dry season and measured [δ15-N]NO and [δ18-O]NO following rewetting with 15N-labeled substrates. Plant N uptake reduced NO emissions by limiting N availability. In the absence of plants, soil N pools increased and NO emissions more than doubled. In dry soils, NO-producing substrates concentrated in hydrologically disconnected microsites. Upon rewetting, these concentrated N pools underwent rapid abiotic reaction, producing large NO pulses. Biological processes did not substantially contribute to the initial NO pulse but governed NO emissions within 24 h postwetting. Plants acted as an N sink, limiting NO emissions under optimal soil moisture. When soils were dry, however, the shutdown in plant N uptake, along with the activation of chemical mechanisms and the resuscitation of soil microbial processes upon rewetting, governed N loss. Aridity and vegetation interact to maintain a leaky N cycle during periods when plant N uptake is low, and hydrologically disconnected soils favor both microbial and abiotic NO-producing mechanisms. Under increasing rates of atmospheric N deposition and intensifying droughts, NO gas evasion may become an increasingly important pathway for ecosystem N loss in drylands. PMID:27114523

Gas-liquid chromatography for evaluating polysaccharide degradation by Ruminococcus flavefaciens C94 and Bacteroides succinogenes S85.

PubMed

Collings, G F; Yokoyama, M T

1980-03-01

Two predominant rumen cellulolytic bacteria, Ruminococcus flavefaciens C94 and Bacteroides succinogenes S85, were incubated with ground filter paper (Whatman no. 1), cattle manure fiber, wheat straw, Kentucky bluegrass, alfalfa, and corn silage as substrates. Analyses of the initial substrate and the recovered residue after 48 h of static incubation showed that R. flavefaciens C94 was quantitatively more effective than B. succinogenes S85 in degrading total dry matter (32.3% versus 16.1%). However, B. succinogenes S85 demonstrated a qualitative advantage in degrading the hemicellulose and hemicellulosic sugars of particular substrates. R. flavefaciens degraded a mean 29.7% of the cellulose and 35.6% of the hemicellulose in the various substrates, whereas B. succinogenes degraded a mean 17.9 and 31.6% of these fractions, respectively. Gas-liquid chromatography was an important aid in characterizing the polysaccharide-degrading capabilities of these rumen species.

Evaluations of cellulose accessibilities of lignocelluloses by solute exclusion and protein adsorption techniques

Treesearch

Q.Q. Wang; Z. He; Z. Zhu; Y.-H.P. Zhang; Y. Ni; X.L. Luo; J.Y. Zhu

2012-01-01

Cellulose accessibilities of a set of hornified lignocellulosic substrates derived by drying the never dried pretreated sample and a set of differently pretreated lodgepople pine substrates, were evaluated using solute exclusion and protein adsorption methods. Direct measurements of cellulase adsorption onto cellulose surface of the set of pretreated substrates were...

Dry fermentation of agricultural residues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jewell, W. J.; Chandler, J. A.; Dellorto, S.; Fanfoni, K. J.; Fast, S.; Jackson, D.; Kabrick, R. M.

1981-09-01

A dry fermentation process is discussed which converts agricultural residues to methane, using the residues in their as produced state. The process appears to simplify and enhance the possibilities for using crop residues as an energy source. The major process variables investigated include temperature, the amount and type of inoculum, buffer requirements, compaction, and pretreatment to control the initial available organic components that create pH problems. A pilot-scale reactor operation on corn stover at a temperature of 550 C, with 25 percent initial total solids, a seed-to-feed ratio of 2.5 percent, and a buffer-to-feed ratio of 8 percent achieved 33 percent total volatile solids destruction in 60 days. Volumetric biogas yields from this unit were greater than 1 vol/vol day for 12 days, and greater than 0.5 vol/vol day for 32 days, at a substrate density of 169 kg/m (3).

Detecting low levels of radionuclides in fluids

DOEpatents

Patch, Keith D.; Morgan, Dean T.

2000-01-01

An apparatus and method for detecting low levels of one or more radionuclides in a fluid sample uses a substrate that includes an ion exchange resin or other sorbent material to collect the radionuclides. A collecting apparatus includes a collecting chamber that exposes the substrate to a measured amount of the fluid sample such that radionuclides in the fluid sample are collected by the ion exchange resin. A drying apparatus, which can include a drying chamber, then dries the substrate. A measuring apparatus measures emissions from radionuclides collected on the substrate. The substrate is positioned in a measuring chamber proximate to a detector, which provides a signal in response to emissions from the radionuclides. Other analysis methods can be used to detect non-radioactive analytes, which can be collected with other types of sorbent materials.

Precision control of drying using rhythmic dancing of sessile nanoparticle laden droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanyal, Apratim; Basu, Saptarshi; Chowdhuri, Subham; Kabi, Prasenjit; Chaudhuri, Swetaprovo

2014-04-01

This work analyses the unique spatio-temporal alteration of the deposition pattern of evaporating nanoparticle laden droplets resting on a hydrophobic surface through targeted low frequency substrate vibrations. External excitation near the lowest resonant mode (n = 2) of the droplet initially de-pins and then subsequently re-pins the droplet edge creating pseudo-hydrophilicity (low contact angle). Vibration subsequently induces droplet shape oscillations (cyclic elongation and flattening) resulting in strong flow recirculation. This strong radially outward liquid flow augments nanoparticle transport, vaporization, and agglomeration near the pinned edge resulting in much reduced drying time under certain characteristic frequency of oscillations. The resultant deposit exhibits a much flatter structure with sharp, defined peripheral wedge topology as compared to natural drying. Such controlled manipulation of transport enables tailoring of structural and topological morphology of the deposits and offers possible routes towards controlling the formation and drying timescales which are crucial for applications ranging from pharmaceutics to surface patterning.

Effect of total solids content on methane and volatile fatty acid production in anaerobic digestion of food waste.

PubMed

Liotta, Flavia; d'Antonio, Giuseppe; Esposito, Giovanni; Fabbricino, Massimiliano; van Hullebusch, Eric D; Lens, Piet N L; Pirozzi, Francesco; Pontoni, Ludovico

2014-10-01

This work investigates the role of the moisture content on anaerobic digestion of food waste, as representative of rapidly biodegradable substrates, analysing the role of volatile fatty acid production on process kinetics. A range of total solids from 4.5% to 19.2% is considered in order to compare methane yields and kinetics of reactors operated under wet to dry conditions. The experimental results show a reduction of the specific final methane yield of 4.3% and 40.8% in semi-dry and dry conditions compared with wet conditions. A decreasing trend of the specific initial methane production rate is observed when increasing the total solids concentration. Because of lack of water, volatile fatty acids accumulation occurs during the first step of the process at semi-dry and dry conditions, which is considered to be responsible for the reduction of process kinetic rates. The total volatile fatty acids concentration and speciation are proposed as indicators of process development at different total solids content. © The Author(s) 2014.

Fabrication of multilayered thin films via spin-assembly

DOEpatents

Chiarelli, Peter A.; Robinson, Jeanne M.; Casson, Joanna L.; Johal, Malkiat S.; Wang, Hsing-Lin

2007-02-20

An process of forming multilayer thin film heterostructures is disclosed and includes applying a solution including a first water-soluble polymer from the group of polyanionic species, polycationic species and uncharged polymer species onto a substrate to form a first coating layer on the substrate, drying the first coating layer on the substrate, applying a solution including a second water-soluble polymer from the group of polyanionic species, polycationic species and uncharged polymer species onto the substrate having the first coating layer to form a second coating layer on the first coating layer wherein the second water-soluble polymer is of a different material than the first water-soluble polymer, and drying the second coating layer on the first coating layer so as to form a bilayer structure on the substrate. Optionally, one or more additional applying and drying sequences can be repeated with a water-soluble polymer from the group of polyanionic species, polycationic species and uncharged polymer species, so that a predetermined plurality of layers are built up upon the substrate.

A modified dynamical model of drying process of polymer blend solution coated on a flat substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagami, Hiroyuki

2008-05-01

We have proposed and modified a model of drying process of polymer solution coated on a flat substrate for flat polymer film fabrication. And for example numerical simulation of the model reproduces a typical thickness profile of the polymer film formed after drying. Then we have clarified dependence of distribution of polymer molecules on a flat substrate on a various parameters based on analysis of numerical simulations. Then we drove nonlinear equations of drying process from the dynamical model and the fruits were reported. The subject of above studies was limited to solution having one kind of solute though the model could essentially deal with solution having some kinds of solutes. But nowadays discussion of drying process of a solution having some kinds of solutes is needed because drying process of solution having some kinds of solutes appears in many industrial scenes. Polymer blend solution is one instance. And typical resist consists of a few kinds of polymers. Then we introduced a dynamical model of drying process of polymer blend solution coated on a flat substrate and results of numerical simulations of the dynamical model. But above model was the simplest one. In this study, we modify above dynamical model of drying process of polymer blend solution adding effects that some parameters change with time as functions of some variables to it. Then we consider essence of drying process of polymer blend solution through comparison between results of numerical simulations of the modified model and those of the former model.

Valorization of kitchen biowaste for ethanol production via simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using co-cultures of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia stipitis.

PubMed

Ntaikou, Ioanna; Menis, Nikolaos; Alexandropoulou, Maria; Antonopoulou, Georgia; Lyberatos, Gerasimos

2018-04-30

The biotransformation of the pre-dried and shredded organic fraction of kitchen waste to ethanol was investigated, via co-cultures of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia stipitis (Scheffersomyces stipitis). Preliminary experiments with synthetic media were performed, in order to investigate the effect of different operational parameters on the ethanol production efficiency of the co-culture. The control of the pH and the supplementation with organic nitrogen were shown to be key factors for the optimization of the process. Subsequently, the ethanol production efficiency from the waste was assessed via simultaneous saccharification and fermentation experiments. Different loadings of cellulolytic enzymes and mixtures of cellulolytic with amylolytic enzymatic blends were tested in order to enhance the substrate conversion efficiency. It was further shown that for solids loading up to 40% waste on dry mass basis, corresponding to 170 g.L -1 initial concentration of carbohydrates, no substrate inhibition occurred, and ethanol concentration up to 45 g.L -1 was achieved. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adhesive interactions of geckos with wet and dry fluoropolymer substrates

PubMed Central

Stark, Alyssa Y.; Dryden, Daniel M.; Olderman, Jeffrey; Peterson, Kelly A.; Niewiarowski, Peter H.; French, Roger H.; Dhinojwala, Ali

2015-01-01

Fluorinated substrates like Teflon® (poly(tetrafluoroethylene); PTFE) are well known for their role in creating non-stick surfaces. We showed previously that even geckos, which can stick to most surfaces under a wide variety of conditions, slip on PTFE. Surprisingly, however, geckos can stick reasonably well to PTFE if it is wet. In an effort to explain this effect, we have turned our attention to the role of substrate surface energy and roughness when shear adhesion occurs in media other than air. In this study, we removed the roughness component inherent to commercially available PTFE and tested geckos on relatively smooth wet and dry fluoropolymer substrates. We found that roughness had very little effect on shear adhesion in air or in water and that the level of fluorination was most important for shear adhesion, particularly in air. Surface energy calculations of the two fluorinated substrates and one control substrate using the Tabor–Winterton approximation and the Young–Dupré equation were used to determine the interfacial energy of the substrates. Using these interfacial energies we estimated the ratio of wet and dry normal adhesion for geckos clinging to the three substrates. Consistent with the results for rough PTFE, our predictions show a qualitative trend in shear adhesion based on fluorination, and the quantitative experimental differences highlight the unusually low shear adhesion of geckos on dry smooth fluorinated substrates, which is not captured by surface energy calculations. Our work has implications for bioinspired design of synthetics that can preferentially stick in water but not in air. PMID:26109635

Rolling dry-coupled transducers for ultrasonic inspections of aging aircraft structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komsky, Igor N.

2004-07-01

Some advanced aircraft materials or coatings are porous or otherwise sensitive to the application of water, gel, or some other ultrasonic couplants. To overcome the problems associated with the liquid coupling medium, dry-coupled rolling modules were developed at Northwestern University for the transmission of both longitudinal and transverse ultrasonic waves at frequencies up to 10 MHz. Dry-coupled ultrasonic modules contain solid core internal stators and solid or flexible external rotors with the flexible polymer substrates. Two types of the dry-coupled modules are under development. Cylindrical base transducer modules include solid core cylindrical rotors with flexible polymer substrates that rotate around the stators with ultrasonic elements. Dry-coupled modules with elongated bases contain solid core stators and flexible track-like polymer substrates that rotate around the stators as rotors of the modules. The elongated base modules have larger contact interfaces with the inspection surface in comparison with the cylindrical base modules. Some designs of the dry-coupled rolling modules contain several ultrasonic elements with different incident angles or a variable angle unit for rapid adjustments of incident angles. The prototype dry-coupled rolling modules were integrated with the portable ultrasonic inspection systems and tested on a number of Boeing aircraft structures.

Drying induced upright sliding and reorganization of carbon nanotube arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qingwen; DePaula, Raymond; Zhang, Xiefei; Zheng, Lianxi; Arendt, Paul N.; Mueller, Fred M.; Zhu, Y. T.; Tu, Yi

2006-09-01

Driven by capillary force, wet carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays have been found to reorganize into cellular structures upon drying. During the reorganization process, individual CNTs are firmly attached to the substrate and have to lie down on the substrate at cell bottoms, forming closed cells. Here we demonstrate that by modifying catalyst structures, the adhesion of CNTs to the substrate can be weakened. Upon drying such CNT arrays, CNTs may slide away from their original sites on the surface and self-assemble into cellular patterns with bottoms open. It is also found that the sliding distance of CNTs increases with array height, and drying millimetre tall arrays leads to the sliding of CNTs over a few hundred micrometres and the eventual self-assembly into discrete islands. By introducing regular vacancies in CNT arrays, CNTs may be manipulated into different patterns.

Method for dry etching of transition metals

DOEpatents

Ashby, C.I.H.; Baca, A.G.; Esherick, P.; Parmeter, J.E.; Rieger, D.J.; Shul, R.J.

1998-09-29

A method for dry etching of transition metals is disclosed. The method for dry etching of a transition metal (or a transition metal alloy such as a silicide) on a substrate comprises providing at least one nitrogen- or phosphorus-containing {pi}-acceptor ligand in proximity to the transition metal, and etching the transition metal to form a volatile transition metal/{pi}-acceptor ligand complex. The dry etching may be performed in a plasma etching system such as a reactive ion etching (RIE) system, a downstream plasma etching system (i.e. a plasma afterglow), a chemically-assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE) system or the like. The dry etching may also be performed by generating the {pi}-acceptor ligands directly from a ligand source gas (e.g. nitrosyl ligands generated from nitric oxide), or from contact with energized particles such as photons, electrons, ions, atoms, or molecules. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, an intermediary reactant species such as carbonyl or a halide ligand is used for an initial chemical reaction with the transition metal, with the intermediary reactant species being replaced at least in part by the {pi}-acceptor ligand for forming the volatile transition metal/{pi}-acceptor ligand complex.

Method for dry etching of transition metals

DOEpatents

Ashby, Carol I. H.; Baca, Albert G.; Esherick, Peter; Parmeter, John E.; Rieger, Dennis J.; Shul, Randy J.

1998-01-01

A method for dry etching of transition metals. The method for dry etching of a transition metal (or a transition metal alloy such as a silicide) on a substrate comprises providing at least one nitrogen- or phosphorous-containing .pi.-acceptor ligand in proximity to the transition metal, and etching the transition metal to form a volatile transition metal/.pi.-acceptor ligand complex. The dry etching may be performed in a plasma etching system such as a reactive ion etching (RIE) system, a downstream plasma etching system (i.e. a plasma afterglow), a chemically-assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE) system or the like. The dry etching may also be performed by generating the .pi.-acceptor ligands directly from a ligand source gas (e.g. nitrosyl ligands generated from nitric oxide), or from contact with energized particles such as photons, electrons, ions, atoms, or molecules. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, an intermediary reactant species such as carbonyl or a halide ligand is used for an initial chemical reaction with the transition metal, with the intermediary reactant species being replaced at least in part by the .pi.-acceptor ligand for forming the volatile transition metal/.pi.-acceptor ligand complex.

Gaseous Oxidized Mercury Flux from Substrates Associated with Industrial Scale Gold Mining in Nevada, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, M. B.

2015-12-01

Gaseous elemental and oxidized mercury (Hg) fluxes were measured in a laboratory setting from substrate materials derived from industrial-scale open pit gold mining operations in Nevada, USA. Mercury is present in these substrates at a range of concentrations (10 - 40000 ng g-1), predominantly of local geogenic origin in association with the mineralized gold ores, but altered and redistributed to a varying degree by subsequent ore extraction and processing operations, including deposition of Hg recently emitted to the atmosphere from large point sources on the mines. Waste rock, heap leach, and tailings material usually comprise the most extensive and Hg emission relevant substrate surfaces. All three of these material types were collected from active Nevada mine sites in 2010 for previous research, and have since been stored undisturbed at the University of Nevada, Reno. Gaseous elemental Hg (GEM) flux was previously measured from these materials under a variety of conditions, and was re-measured in this study, using Teflon® flux chambers and Tekran® 2537A automated ambient air analyzers. GEM flux from dry undisturbed materials was comparable between the two measurement periods. Gaseous oxidized Hg (GOM) flux from these materials was quantified using an active filter sampling method that consisted of polysulfone cation-exchange membranes deployed in conjunction with the GEM flux apparatus. Initial measurements conducted within greenhouse laboratory space indicate that in dry conditions GOM is deposited to relatively low Hg cap and leach materials, but may be emitted from the much higher Hg concentration tailings material.

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) - an economically viable source for antihypercholesterolemic metabolites production by Monascus purpureus.

PubMed

Venkateswaran, V; Vijayalakshmi, G

2010-08-01

Rice, parboiled rice, finger millet, germinated finger millet, broken wheat, njavara (medicinal rice), sorghum and maize were used as substrates for solid state fermentation of Monascus purpureus at 28°C for 7 days using 2% seed medium as inoculum for the production of its metabolites. The fungus exhibited good growth in all the substrates. The fermented substrates were dried at 45°C and analysed for antihypercholesterolemic metabolite statins by standardized HPLC method and dietary sterol contents by spectrophotometric method using reference standards of statin (pravastatin and lovastatin) and cholesterol, respectively. Germinated finger millet yielded higher total statin production of 5.2 g/kg dry wt with pravastatin and lovastatin content of 4.9 and 0.37 g/kg dry wt respectively than other substrates which range from 1.04-4.41 g/kg. In addition to statin, monascus fermented germinated finger millet yielded dietary sterol of 0.053 g/kg dry wt which is 7.6 folds higher than the control. The value addition of finger millet by germination and fermentation with Monascus purpureus provides scope for development of functional food.

Blood drop patterns: Formation and applications.

PubMed

Chen, Ruoyang; Zhang, Liyuan; Zang, Duyang; Shen, Wei

2016-05-01

The drying of a drop of blood or plasma on a solid substrate leads to the formation of interesting and complex patterns. Inter- and intra-cellular and macromolecular interactions in the drying plasma or blood drop are responsible for the final morphologies of the dried patterns. Changes in these cellular and macromolecular components in blood caused by diseases have been suspected to cause changes in the dried drop patterns of plasma and whole blood, which could be used as simple diagnostic tools to identify the health of humans and livestock. However, complex physicochemical driving forces involved in the pattern formation are not fully understood. This review focuses on the scientific development in microscopic observations and pattern interpretation of dried plasma and whole blood samples, as well as the diagnostic applications of pattern analysis. Dried drop patterns of plasma consist of intricate visible cracks in the outer region and fine structures in the central region, which are mainly influenced by the presence and concentration of inorganic salts and proteins during drying. The shrinkage of macromolecular gel and its adhesion to the substrate surface have been thought to be responsible for the formation of the cracks. Dried drop patterns of whole blood have three characteristic zones; their formation as functions of drying time has been reported in the literature. Some research works have applied engineering treatment to the evaporation process of whole blood samples. The sensitivities of the resultant patterns to the relative humidity of the environment, the wettability of the substrates, and the size of the drop have been reported. These research works shed light on the mechanisms of spreading, evaporation, gelation, and crack formation of the blood drops on solid substrates, as well as on the potential applications of dried drop patterns of plasma and whole blood in diagnosis. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of ambient conditions on the adhesion of cubic boron nitride films on silicon substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cardinale, G.F.; Howitt, D.G.; Mirkarimi, P.B.

1994-08-01

Effect of environmental conditions on cubic boron nitride (cBN) film adhesion to silicon substrates was studied. cBN films were deposited onto (100)-oriented silicon substrates by ion-assisted pulsed laser deposition. Irradiating ions were mixtures of nitrogen with argon, krypton, and xenon. Under room-ambient conditions, the films delaminated in the following time order: N/Xe, N/Kr, and N/Ar. cBN films deposited using N/Xe ion-assisted deposition were exposed to four environmental conditions for several weeks: a 1-mTorr vacuum, high humidity, dry oxygen, and dry nitrogen. Films exposed to the humid environment delaminated whereas those stored under vacuum or in dry gases did not. Filmsmore » stored in dry nitrogen were removed after nearly two weeks and placed in the high-humidity chamber; these films subsequently delaminated within 14 hours.« less

Cleaning process for EUV optical substrates

DOEpatents

Weber, Frank J.; Spiller, Eberhard A.

1999-01-01

A cleaning process for surfaces with very demanding cleanliness requirements, such as extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) optical substrates. Proper cleaning of optical substrates prior to applying reflective coatings thereon is very critical in the fabrication of the reflective optics used in EUV lithographic systems, for example. The cleaning process involves ultrasonic cleaning in acetone, methanol, and a pH neutral soap, such as FL-70, followed by rinsing in de-ionized water and drying with dry filtered nitrogen in conjunction with a spin-rinse.

Enhanced production of raw starch degrading enzyme using agro-industrial waste mixtures by thermotolerant Rhizopus microsporus for raw cassava chip saccharification in ethanol production.

PubMed

Trakarnpaiboon, Srisakul; Srisuk, Nantana; Piyachomkwan, Kuakoon; Sakai, Kenji; Kitpreechavanich, Vichien

2017-09-14

In the present study, solid-state fermentation for the production of raw starch degrading enzyme was investigated by thermotolerant Rhizopus microsporus TISTR 3531 using a combination of agro-industrial wastes as substrates. The obtained crude enzyme was applied for hydrolysis of raw cassava starch and chips at low temperature and subjected to nonsterile ethanol production using raw cassava chips. The agro-industrial waste ratio was optimized using a simplex axial mixture design. The results showed that the substrate mixture consisting of rice bran:corncob:cassava bagasse at 8 g:10 g:2 g yielded the highest enzyme production of 201.6 U/g dry solid. The optimized condition for solid-state fermentation was found as 65% initial moisture content, 35°C, initial pH of 6.0, and 5 × 10 6 spores/mL inoculum, which gave the highest enzyme activity of 389.5 U/g dry solid. The enzyme showed high efficiency on saccharification of raw cassava starch and chips with synergistic activities of commercial α-amylase at 50°C, which promotes low-temperature bioethanol production. A high ethanol concentration of 102.2 g/L with 78% fermentation efficiency was achieved from modified simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using cofermentation of the enzymatic hydrolysate of 300 g raw cassava chips/L with cane molasses.

Use of Plackett-Burman design for rapid screening of nitrogen and carbon sources for the production of lipase in solid state fermentation by Yarrowia lipolytica from mustard oil cake (Brassica napus).

PubMed

Imandi, Sarat Babu; Karanam, Sita Kumari; Garapati, Hanumantha Rao

2013-01-01

Mustard oil cake (Brassica napus), the residue obtained after extraction of mustard oil from mustard oil seeds, was investigated for the production of lipase under solid state fermentation (SSF) using the marine yeast Yarrowia lipolytica NCIM 3589. Process parameters such as incubation time, biomass concentration, initial moisture content, carbon source concentration and nitrogen source concentration of the medium were optimized. Screening of ten nitrogen and five carbon sources has been accomplished with the help of Plackett-Burman design. The highest lipase activity of 57.89 units per gram of dry fermented substrate (U/gds) was observed with the substrate of mustard oil cake in four days of fermentation.

3D plasmonic nanobowl platform for the study of exosomes in solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Changwon; Carney, Randy P.; Hazari, Sidhartha; Smith, Zachary J.; Knudson, Alisha; Robertson, Christopher S.; Lam, Kit S.; Wachsmann-Hogiu, Sebastian

2015-05-01

Thin silver film coated nanobowl Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) substrates are used to capture exosomes in solution for SERS measurements that can provide biochemical analysis of intact and ruptured exosomes. Exosomes derived via Total Exosome Isolation Reagent (TEIR) as well as ultracentrifugation (UC) from the SKOV3 cell line were analyzed. Spectra of exosomes derived via TEIR are dominated by a signal characteristic for the TEIR kit that needs to be subtracted for all measurements. Differences in SERS spectra recorded at different times during the drying of the exosome solution are statistically analyzed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA). At the beginning of the drying process, SERS spectra of exosomes exhibit peaks characteristic for both lipids and proteins. Later on during the drying process, new SERS peaks develop, suggesting that the initially intact exosome ruptures over time. This time-dependent evolution of SERS peaks enables analysis of exosomal membrane contents and the contents inside the exosomes.

Modeling Oblique Impact Dynamics of Particle-Laden Nanodroplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yong, Xin; Qin, Shiyi

2016-11-01

A fundamental understanding of the impact dynamics of nanoscopic droplets laden with nanoparticles has important implications for materials printing and thin film processing. Using many-body dissipative particle dynamics (MDPD), we model nanometer sized suspension droplets imping on dry solid substrate with oblique angles, and compare their behavior with pure liquid droplets. Equilibrated floating droplets containing two types of nanoparticles, namely fully-wetted hydrophilic particles and surface-active Janus particles, impact onto the solid surface with varying initial velocities and impact angles. The velocity components in the normal and tangential directions to the substrate defines normal and tangential Reynolds and Weber numbers, which are used to classify impact regimes. Droplets with nanoparticles dispersed in the bulk and covering the droplet surface (resembling liquid marbles) exhibit quite different behavior in the course of impact. We also reveal the influences of substrate wettability and its interaction with nanoparticles on the impact dynamics. In addition, the vapor film beneath an impinging droplet shows no significant effect on the impact dynamics in our MDPD simulations.

Biohydrogen production from lactose: influence of substrate and nitrogen concentration.

PubMed

Moreno, R; Fierro, J; Fernández, C; Cuetos, M J; Gómez, X

2015-01-01

Hydrogen produced from renewable sources may be considered the energy vector of the future. However, reducing process costs is imperative in order to achieve this goal. In the present research, the effect of nitrogen (N), initial pH and substrate content for starting up the dark fermentative process was studied using the response surface methodology. Anaerobic digested dried sludge (biosolid pellets) was used as the inoculum. Synthetic wastewater was used as the substrate in batch reactors. A decrease in H2 production was observed with the increase in N and lactose concentrations. This drop was considerably greater when the concentration of lactose was at its lower level. Although the increase in lactose concentration results in a lower H2 production, the effect of N on the response is attenuated at higher levels of lactose. On the other hand, the effect of initial pH on the fermentation system was not significant. The evaluation on the process under semi-continuous conditions was performed using anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (ASBRs). The process was evaluated at different C/N ratios using synthetic wastewater. Results showed higher hydrogen yields with the gradual decrease in nitrogen content. The addition of cheese whey to the ASBR resulted in a H2 production rate of 0.18 L H2 L(-1) d(-1).

Fabrication Methods for Adaptive Deformable Mirrors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toda, Risaku; White, Victor E.; Manohara, Harish; Patterson, Keith D.; Yamamoto, Namiko; Gdoutos, Eleftherios; Steeves, John B.; Daraio, Chiara; Pellegrino, Sergio

2013-01-01

Previously, it was difficult to fabricate deformable mirrors made by piezoelectric actuators. This is because numerous actuators need to be precisely assembled to control the surface shape of the mirror. Two approaches have been developed. Both approaches begin by depositing a stack of piezoelectric films and electrodes over a silicon wafer substrate. In the first approach, the silicon wafer is removed initially by plasmabased reactive ion etching (RIE), and non-plasma dry etching with xenon difluoride (XeF2). In the second approach, the actuator film stack is immersed in a liquid such as deionized water. The adhesion between the actuator film stack and the substrate is relatively weak. Simply by seeping liquid between the film and the substrate, the actuator film stack is gently released from the substrate. The deformable mirror contains multiple piezoelectric membrane layers as well as multiple electrode layers (some are patterned and some are unpatterned). At the piezolectric layer, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or its co-polymer, poly(vinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene P(VDF-TrFE) is used. The surface of the mirror is coated with a reflective coating. The actuator film stack is fabricated on silicon, or silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate, by repeatedly spin-coating the PVDF or P(VDFTrFE) solution and patterned metal (electrode) deposition. In the first approach, the actuator film stack is prepared on SOI substrate. Then, the thick silicon (typically 500-micron thick and called handle silicon) of the SOI wafer is etched by a deep reactive ion etching process tool (SF6-based plasma etching). This deep RIE stops at the middle SiO2 layer. The middle SiO2 layer is etched by either HF-based wet etching or dry plasma etch. The thin silicon layer (generally called a device layer) of SOI is removed by XeF2 dry etch. This XeF2 etch is very gentle and extremely selective, so the released mirror membrane is not damaged. It is possible to replace SOI with silicon substrate, but this will require tighter DRIE process control as well as generally longer and less efficient XeF2 etch. In the second approach, the actuator film stack is first constructed on a silicon wafer. It helps to use a polyimide intermediate layer such as Kapton because the adhesion between the polyimide and silicon is generally weak. A mirror mount ring is attached by using adhesive. Then, the assembly is partially submerged in liquid water. The water tends to seep between the actuator film stack and silicon substrate. As a result, the actuator membrane can be gently released from the silicon substrate. The actuator membrane is very flat because it is fixed to the mirror mount prior to the release. Deformable mirrors require extremely good surface optical quality. In the technology described here, the deformable mirror is fabricated on pristine substrates such as prime-grade silicon wafers. The deformable mirror is released by selectively removing the substrate. Therefore, the released deformable mirror surface replicates the optical quality of the underlying pristine substrate.

Integrated chemical and multi-scale structural analyses for the processes of acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of corn stover.

PubMed

Chen, Longjian; Li, Junbao; Lu, Minsheng; Guo, Xiaomiao; Zhang, Haiyan; Han, Lujia

2016-05-05

Corn stover was pretreated with acid under moderate conditions (1.5%, w/w, 121°C, 60min), and kinetic enzymolysis experiments were performed on the pretreated substrate using a mixture of Celluclast 1.5L (20FPU/g dry substrate) and Novozyme 188 (40CBU/g dry substrate). Integrated chemical and multi-scale structural methods were then used to characterize both processes. Chemical analysis showed that acid pretreatment removed considerable hemicellulose (from 19.7% in native substrate to 9.28% in acid-pretreated substrate) and achieved a reasonably high conversion efficiency (58.63% of glucose yield) in the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. Multi-scale structural analysis indicated that acid pretreatment caused structural changes via cleaving acetyl linkages, solubilizing hemicellulose, relocating cell wall surfaces and enlarging substrate porosity (pore volume increased from 0.0067cm(3)/g in native substrate to 0.019cm(3)/g in acid-pretreated substrate), thereby improving the polysaccharide digestibility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Productivity, Physicochemical Changes, and Antioxidant Activity of Shiitake Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom Lentinus edodes (Agaricomycetes) Cultivated on Lignocellulosic Residues.

PubMed

Gaitán-Hernández, Rigoberto; Zavaleta, Marco Antonio Barradas; Aquino-Bolaños, Elia Nora

2017-01-01

The effects of substrate and strain on productivity, physicochemical characteristics, and compounds with antioxidant activity were evaluated in basidiomes of the shiitake mushroom, Lentinus edodes. Strains IE-245 and IE-256 and the substrates oak wood shavings (OW), sorghum stubble (SS), and sugar cane bagasse (SC) were used. Productivity was evaluated by measuring biological efficiency (BE), production rate (PR), and yield. Total sugars, total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, color parameters, total phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant activity of the basidiomes were measured. BE, PR and yield were higher with the combination IE-256/SS, at 103.71%, 1.32%, and 34.57%, respectively. The largest amount of total sugars (17.61 mg glucose · g-1 dry weight) was found with combination IE-256/SS. Variation was observed in basidiome color; the lowest luminosity (L*) value (darkest color) was found in the IE-256 strain on the OW substrate (L* = 30.45), whereas that of the IE-245 strain on the SC substrate was the lightest in color (L* = 57.00). The largest amounts of total phenolics were recorded in the IE-256 strain on the OW (6.50 mg gallic acid equivalents [GAE] · g-1 dry weight) and the SS substrates (5.85 mg GAE · g-1 dry weight). The best antioxidant activity was obtained with IE-256-0.80, 0.65, and 0.59 μmol Trolox equivalents · g dry weight-1-on the OW, SC, and SS substrates, respectively. Based on the values of BE, PR, and yield, IE-256/SS was the most productive. Substrate and strain, and their interactions, influenced the physicochemical characteristics of the basidiomes and the amounts of compounds with antioxidant activity they contained.

Fuel ethanol from raw corn

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weller, C.L.; Rodda, E.D.; Steinberg, M.P.

Crude amylase preparations were produced by growing Aspergillus awamori and A. niger on raw ground whole corn. These Koji preparations were used to hydrolyze the starch of raw ground whole corn to sugars during simultaneous fermentation of the sugars to ethanol by distillers active dry yeast. Ethanol concentrations of the fermentation beers were determined with gas-chromatography. These fermentations yielded an average of 89.6% theoretical ethanol compared to control, conventional, fermentations that had an average of 89.8%. Carbon dioxide evolutions were determined with use of Alwood valves. Both the Koji and conventional fermentations produced an average of 0.48 gram of carbonmore » dioxide per gram of dry substrate starch within 72 hours. However, initially the conventional fermentation rate was greater. Koji dehydrated at 41 degrees C had no apparent detrimental effects on theoretical ethanol yield.« less

Fuel ethanol from raw corn

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weller, C.L.; Rodda, E.D.; Steinberg, M.P.

Crude amylase preparations were produced by growing Aspergillus awamori and A. niger on raw ground whole corn. These Koji preparations were used to hydrolyze the starch of raw ground whole corn to sugars during simultaneous fermentation of the sugars to ethanol by distillers active dry yeast. Ethanol concentrations of the fermentation beers were determined with gas-chromatography. These fermentations yielded an average of 89.6% theoretical ethanol compared to control, conventional, fermentations that had an average of 89.8%. Carbon dioxide evolutions were determined with use of Alwood valves. Both the Koji and conventional fermentations produced an average of 0.48 gram of carbonmore » dioxide per gram of dry substrate starch within 72 hours. However, initially the conventional fermentation rate was greater. Koji dehydrated at 41/sup 0/C had no apparent detrimental effects on theoretical ethanol yield.« less

Improvement of dry matter digestibility of water hyacinth by solid state fermentation using white rot fungi.

PubMed

Mukherjee, R; Ghosh, M; Nandi, B

2004-08-01

Feeding value of water hyacinth biomass colonized by three species of white rot fungi during solid-state fermentation was investigated. All three organisms proved to be efficient degraders and enhanced dry matter digestibility. Loss of organic matter was maximum (23.6+/-0.1% dry wt) after 48 days by P. ostreatus. C. indica showed maximum cellulose degradation (18.5+/-0.1% dry wt) than other two fungi after 48 days of incubation. In all cases, an extensive removal of hemicellulose at the initial growth period and a delayed degradation of lignin were observed. Hemicellulolysis was maximum (46.3+/-0.1% dry wt) by C. indica, but delignification (14.2+/-0.2% dry wt) by P. sajor-caju after 48 days. The amount of reducing sugar in the degraded biomass decreased at early stages, but increased as degradation progressed in all three cases (maximum 1.1+/-0.05% dry wt after 48 days by C. indica). Soluble nitrogen content increased only during 16-32 days of incubation (highest 1.1+/-0.1% dry wt after 32 days by P. sajor-caju). Crude protein of the bioconverted biomass increased gradually up to 32 days but decreased thereafter (maximum 10.3+/-0.1% dry wt after 32 days by P. sajor - caju). Per cent change in in vitro dry matter digestibility of degraded substrates enhanced gradually after 8 days and reached maximum after 32 days but thereafter decreased (highest + 20.4+/-0.3% dry wt by P. sajor-caju). The results demonstrated the efficient degrading capacity of the test fungi and their potential use in conversion of water hyacinth biomass into mycoprotein-rich ruminant feed, more so by P. sajor-caju.

Initiation devices, initiation systems including initiation devices and related methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daniels, Michael A.; Condit, Reston A.; Rasmussen, Nikki

Initiation devices may include at least one substrate, an initiation element positioned on a first side of the at least one substrate, and a spark gap electrically coupled to the initiation element and positioned on a second side of the at least one substrate. Initiation devices may include a plurality of substrates where at least one substrate of the plurality of substrates is electrically connected to at least one adjacent substrate of the plurality of substrates with at least one via extending through the at least one substrate. Initiation systems may include such initiation devices. Methods of igniting energetic materialsmore » include passing a current through a spark gap formed on at least one substrate of the initiation device, passing the current through at least one via formed through the at least one substrate, and passing the current through an explosive bridge wire of the initiation device.« less

Co-fermentation of cellobiose and xylose by mixed culture of recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae and kinetic modeling.

PubMed

Chen, Yingying; Wu, Ying; Zhu, Baotong; Zhang, Guanyu; Wei, Na

2018-01-01

Efficient conversion of cellulosic sugars in cellulosic hydrolysates is important for economically viable production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass, but the goal remains a critical challenge. The present study reports a new approach for simultaneous fermentation of cellobiose and xylose by using the co-culture consisting of recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae specialist strains. The co-culture system can provide competitive advantage of modularity compared to the single culture system and can be tuned to deal with fluctuations in feedstock composition to achieve robust and cost-effective biofuel production. This study characterized fermentation kinetics of the recombinant cellobiose-consuming S. cerevisiae strain EJ2, xylose-consuming S. cerevisiae strain SR8, and their co-culture. The motivation for kinetic modeling was to provide guidance and prediction of using the co-culture system for simultaneous fermentation of mixed sugars with adjustable biomass of each specialist strain under different substrate concentrations. The kinetic model for the co-culture system was developed based on the pure culture models and incorporated the effects of product inhibition, initial substrate concentration and inoculum size. The model simulations were validated by results from independent fermentation experiments under different substrate conditions, and good agreement was found between model predictions and experimental data from batch fermentation of cellobiose, xylose and their mixtures. Additionally, with the guidance of model prediction, simultaneous co-fermentation of 60 g/L cellobiose and 20 g/L xylose was achieved with the initial cell densities of 0.45 g dry cell weight /L for EJ2 and 0.9 g dry cell weight /L SR8. The results demonstrated that the kinetic modeling could be used to guide the design and optimization of yeast co-culture conditions for achieving simultaneous fermentation of cellobiose and xylose with improved ethanol productivity, which is critically important for robust and efficient renewable biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass.

Comparative evaluation of five Pleurotus species for their growth behaviour and yield performance using wheat straw as a substrate.

PubMed

Holkar, Somnath Kadappa; Chandra, Ram

2016-01-01

Pleurotus spp. is one of the most important edible mushrooms cultivated in India. The present study was an attempt to compare five Pleurotus species in context of actual time required for each growth stage viz., spawn run period, number of days required for initiation of pin heads of sporophores, average weight of fruiting bodies in all the flushes and total yield. The spawn run period in all the five species were recorded between 18 days-21 days, similarly for initiation of pinheads 5 days -7 days were required after spawn run period. A total of 24 days to 27 days, 34 days to 37 days and 47 days to 53 days were required for harvesting the I, II and III flushes respectively. An average number of 41 to 70 sporophores per bag containing 1 kg of dry substrates were obtained from all the Pleurotus species. Maximum 14 g weight of single sporophore was recorded from P. florida, similarly, an average maximum diameter of 5.3 cm of sporophores of P. florida was observed whereas the diameter of sporophores in rest of the species ranged from 3.0 cm to 3.2 cm. The number of sporophores were obtained from P. sajor-caju (n-70) and all the species showed significant difference with respect to the number of sporophores in a bunch at probability level of P = 0.05. Maximum weight of single bunch was recorded (58 g) in P. florida and total yield of 740 gkg(-1) of dry matter was recorded in P. florida.

Improved Wear Resistance of Low Carbon Steel with Plasma Melt Injection of WC Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Aiguo; Guo, Mianhuan; Hu, Hailong

2010-08-01

Surface of a low carbon steel Q235 substrate was melted by a plasma torch, and tungsten carbide (WC) particles were injected into the melt pool. WC reinforced surface metal matrix composite (MMC) was synthesized. Dry sliding wear behavior of the surface MMC was studied and compared with the substrate. The results show that dry sliding wear resistance of low carbon steel can be greatly improved by plasma melt injection of WC particles. Hardness of the surface MMC is much higher than that of the substrate. The high hardness lowers the adhesion and abrasion of the surface MMC, and also the friction coefficient of it. The oxides formed in the sliding process also help to lower the friction coefficient. In this way, the dry sliding wear resistance of the surface MMC is greatly improved.

Influence of drainage and nutrient-solution nitrogen and potassium concentrations on the agronomic behavior of bell-pepper plants cultivated in a substrate.

PubMed

Wamser, Anderson Fernando; Cecilio Filho, Arthur Bernardes; Nowaki, Rodrigo Hiyoshi Dalmazzo; Mendoza-Cortez, Juan Waldir; Urrestarazu, Miguel

2017-01-01

The interactive effects of N (6, 9, 12 and 15 mmol L-1) and K (3, 5, 7, and 9 mmol L-1) concentrations in nutrient solutions were evaluated on bell pepper grown in a coconut-coir substrate and fertilized without drainage. An additional treatment with drainage was evaluated using N and K concentrations of 12 and 7 mmol L-1, respectively. The hybrid Eppo cultivar of yellow bell pepper was cultivated for 252 days beginning 9 November 2012. Electrical conductivity (EC), the N and K concentrations in the substrate solution, marketable fruit yield, total dry weight and macronutrient concentrations in shoots were periodically evaluated. Fruit production was lower in the system without drainage, regardless of the N and K concentrations, compared to the recommended 10-20% drainage of the volume of nutrient solution applied. Higher K concentrations in the nutrient solution did not affect plant production in the system without drainage for the substrate with an initial K concentration of 331.3 mg L-1. Fruit yield was higher without drainage at a nutrient-solution N concentration of 10.7 mmol L-1. The upper EC limit of the substrate solution in the system without drainage was exceeded 181 days after planting. Either lower nutrient concentrations in the nutrient solution or a drainage system could thus control the EC in the substrate solution.

Fuel ethanol from raw corn by Aspergilli hydrolysis with concurrent yeast fermentation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weller, C.L.; Steinberg, M.P.; Rodda, E.D.

Crude amylase preparations were produced by growing Aspergillus awamori and A. niger on raw ground whole corn. These Koji preparations were used to hydrolyze the starch of raw ground whole corn to sugars during simultaneous fermentation of the sugars to ethanol by distillers active dry yeast. Ethanol concentrations of the fermentation beers were determined with gas chromatography. These fermentations yielded an average of 89.6% theoretical ethanol compared to control, conventional, fermentations that had an average of 89.9%. Carbon dioxide evolutions were determined with use of Alwood valves. Both the Koji and conventional fermentations produced an average of 0.48 g ofmore » carbon dioxide per gram of dry substrate starch within 72 h. However, initially the conventional fermentation rate was greater. Koji dehydrated at 41/sup 0/C had no apparent detrimental effects on theoretical ethanol yield. 41 references, 1 figure, 2 tables.« less

Ring formation on an inclined surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deegan, Robert; Du, Xiyu

2015-11-01

A drop dried on a solid surface will typically leave a narrow band of solute deposited along the contact line. We examined variations of this deposit due to the inclination of the substrate using numerical simulations of a two-dimensional drop, equivalent to a strip-like drop. An asymptotic analysis of the contact line region predicts that the upslope deposit will grow faster at early times, but the growth of this deposit ends sooner because the upper contact line depins first. From our simulations we find that the deposit can be larger at either the upper or lower contact line depending on the initial drop volume and substrate inclination. For larger drops and steeper inclinations, the early lead in deposited mass at the upper contact line is wiped out by the earlier depinning of the upper contact line and subsequent continued growth at the lower contact line. Conversely, for smaller drops and shallower inclinations, the early lead of the upper contact line is insurmountable despite its earlier termination in growth. Our results show that it is difficult to reconstruct a postiorithe inclination of the substrate based solely on the shape of the deposit. The authors thank the James S. McDonnell Foundation for support through a 21st Century Science Initiative in Studying Complex Systems Research Award, and the National Science Foundation for support under Grant No. 0932600.

Hydrogen separation membrane on a porous substrate

DOEpatents

Song, Sun-Ju [Orland Park, IL; Lee, Tae H [Naperville, IL; Chen, Ling [Woodridge, IL; Dorris, Stephen E [LaGrange Park, IL; Balachandran, Uthamalingam [Hinsdale, IL

2011-06-14

A hydrogen permeable membrane is disclosed. The membrane is prepared by forming a mixture of metal oxide powder and ceramic oxide powder and a pore former into an article. The article is dried at elevated temperatures and then sintered in a reducing atmosphere to provide a dense hydrogen permeable portion near the surface of the sintered mixture. The dense hydrogen permeable portion has a higher initial concentration of metal than the remainder of the sintered mixture and is present in the range of from about 20 to about 80 percent by volume of the dense hydrogen permeable portion.

Native Liquid Extraction Surface Analysis Mass Spectrometry: Analysis of Noncovalent Protein Complexes Directly from Dried Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Nicholas J.; Griffiths, Rian L.; Edwards, Rebecca L.; Cooper, Helen J.

2015-08-01

Liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA) mass spectrometry is a promising tool for the analysis of intact proteins from biological substrates. Here, we demonstrate native LESA mass spectrometry of noncovalent protein complexes of myoglobin and hemoglobin from a range of surfaces. Holomyoglobin, in which apomyoglobin is noncovalently bound to the prosthetic heme group, was observed following LESA mass spectrometry of myoglobin dried onto glass and polyvinylidene fluoride surfaces. Tetrameric hemoglobin [(αβ)2 4H] was observed following LESA mass spectrometry of hemoglobin dried onto glass and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) surfaces, and from dried blood spots (DBS) on filter paper. Heme-bound dimers and monomers were also observed. The `contact' LESA approach was particularly suitable for the analysis of hemoglobin tetramers from DBS.

Nonlinear dynamics that appears in the dynamical model of drying process of a polymer solution coated on a flat substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagami, Hiroyuki

2007-01-01

We have proposed and modified the dynamical model of drying process of polymer solution coated on a flat substrate for flat polymer film fabrication and have presented the fruits through some meetings and so on. Though basic equations of the dynamical model have characteristic nonlinearity, character of the nonlinearity has not been studied enough yet. In this paper, at first, we derive nonlinear equations from the dynamical model of drying process of polymer solution. Then we introduce results of numerical simulations of the nonlinear equations and consider roles of various parameters. Some of them are indirectly concerned in strength of non-equilibriumity. Through this study, we approach essential qualities of nonlinearity in non-equilibrium process of drying process.

Imbibition with swelling: Capillary rise in thin deformable porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kvick, Mathias; Martinez, D. Mark; Hewitt, Duncan R.; Balmforth, Neil J.

2017-07-01

The imbibition of a liquid into a thin deformable porous substrate driven by capillary suction is considered. The substrate is initially dry and has uniform porosity and thickness. Two-phase flow theory is used to describe how the liquid flows through the pore space behind the wetting front when out-of-plane deformation of the solid matrix is considered. Neglecting gravity and evaporation, standard shallow-layer scalings are used to construct a reduced model of the dynamics. The model predicts convergence to a self-similar behavior in all regions except near the wetting front, where a boundary layer arises whose structure narrows with the advance of the front. Over time, the rise height approaches the similarity scaling of t1 /2, as in the classical Washburn or BCLW law. The results are compared with a series of laboratory experiments using cellulose paper sheets, which provide qualitative agreement.

Inorganic dual-layer microporous supported membranes

DOEpatents

Brinker, C. Jeffrey; Tsai, Chung-Yi; Lu, Yungfeng

2003-03-25

The present invention provides for a dual-layer inorganic microporous membrane capable of molecular sieving, and methods for production of the membranes. The inorganic microporous supported membrane includes a porous substrate which supports a first inorganic porous membrane having an average pore size of less than about 25 .ANG. and a second inorganic porous membrane coating the first inorganic membrane having an average pore size of less than about 6 .ANG.. The dual-layered membrane is produced by contacting the porous substrate with a surfactant-template polymeric sol, resulting in a surfactant sol coated membrane support. The surfactant sol coated membrane support is dried, producing a surfactant-templated polymer-coated substrate which is calcined to produce an intermediate layer surfactant-templated membrane. The intermediate layer surfactant-templated membrane is then contacted with a second polymeric sol producing a polymeric sol coated substrate which is dried producing an inorganic polymeric coated substrate. The inorganic polymeric coated substrate is then calcined producing an inorganic dual-layered microporous supported membrane in accordance with the present invention.

Chitooligomers preparation by chitosanase produced under solid state fermentation using shrimp by-products as substrate.

PubMed

Nidheesh, T; Pal, Gaurav Kumar; Suresh, P V

2015-05-05

Solid state fermentation (SSF) conditions were statistically optimized for the production of chitosanase by Purpureocillium lilacinum CFRNT12 using shrimp by-products as substrate. Central composite design and response surface methodology were applied to evaluate the effect of variables and their optimization. Incubation temperature, incubation time, concentration of inoculum and yeast extract were found to influence the chitosanase production significantly. The R(2) value of 0.94 indicates the aptness of the model. The level of variables for optimal production of chitosanase was 32 ± 1°C temperature, 96 h incubation, 10.5% (w/v) inoculum, 1.05% (w/w) yeast extract and 65% (w/w) moisture content. The chitosanase production was found to increase from 2.34 ± 0.07 to 41.78 ± 0.73 units/g initial dry substrate after optimization. The crude chitosanase produced 4.43 mM of chitooligomers as exclusive end product from colloidal chitosan hydrolysis. These results indicate the potential of P. lilacinum CFRNT12 for the chitosanase production employing cost effective SSF using shrimp by-products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oil palm waste and synthetic zeolite: an alternative soil-less growth substrate for lettuce production as a waste management practice.

PubMed

Jayasinghe, Guttila Y; Tokashiki, Yoshihiro; Kitou, Makato; Kinjo, Kazutoshi

2008-12-01

A study was conducted to assess the characteristics and the prospective utilization of oil palm waste (OP) and synthetic zeolite (SZ) developed by coal fly ash, as an alternative substrate to peat and commercial perlite for lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) production. The SZ, OP, sphagnum peat (PE), perlite (PL) and two different SZ-OP mixtures (v/v) at the ratio of 1 : 3 and 1 : 10 were utilized as the substrates under this study. The substrates formulated by mixing SZ with OP at the ratio of 1 : 3 and 1 : 10 showed improved substrate physical and chemical properties such as air space, bulk density, particle density, water-holding capacity, pH and electrical conductivity (EC), which were in the ideal substrate range when compared with PL. Furthermore, the water-holding capacity of the substrate having a 1 : 10 mixing ratio of SZ with OP was higher than that of the PL by 28.23%, whereas the bulk density was lower than that of PL by 35%. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to assess the influence of the substrates on the growth and development of lettuce. The shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight and number of leaves per plant of the lettuce grown in the 1 : 10 mixing ratio of SZ and OP were the highest, which showed increased values compared with that of PL by 11.56, 9.77, 3.48, 17.35 and 16.53%, respectively. The shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight and number of leaves per plant of the lettuce grown in the 1 : 10 mixing ratio of SZ and OP showed increased percentages compared with that of PE by 12.12, 11.37, 3.74, 23.66 and 17.50%, respectively. In addition, the growth and yield parameters of lettuce grown in the 1 : 3 mixing ratio and the OP did not show any significant difference with PL and PE but differed from the 1 : 10 mixing ratio. The results of the study suggest that the SZ-OP-based substrates and OP can be successfully utilized as alternatives to the commercial perlite and to substitute the conventional peat substrate for lettuce cultivation. In addition, this can be proposed as an alternative waste management practice.

Enzyme activities and substrate degradation during white rot fungi growth on sugar-cane straw in a solid state fermentation.

PubMed

Ortega, G M; Martinez, E O; González, P C; Betancourt, D; Otero, M A

1993-03-01

Two strains of Pleurotus spp., grown in solid state fermentation on sugar-cane straw, degraded the dry matter by 50% after 60 days. The rate of substrate consumption and the dry weight of fruiting bodies decreased in consecutive flushings. Both strains vigorously attacked hemicellulose (80% of total degradation) and lignin (70%). Fruiting bodies were rich in protein and lipids, and had a low content of carbohydrates and ash.

Moisture and substrate availability constrain soil trace gas fluxes in an eastern Amazonian regrowth forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasconcelos, Steel S.; Zarin, Daniel J.; Capanu, Marinela; Littell, Ramon; Davidson, Eric A.; Ishida, Francoise Y.; Santos, Elisana B.; Araújo, Maristela M.; AragãO, DéBora V.; Rangel-Vasconcelos, LíVia G. T.; de Assis Oliveira, Francisco; McDowell, William H.; de Carvalho, Claudio José R.

2004-06-01

Changes in land-use and climate are likely to alter moisture and substrate availability in tropical forest soils, but quantitative assessment of the role of resource constraints as regulators of soil trace gas fluxes is rather limited. The primary objective of this study was to quantify the effects of moisture and substrate availability on soil trace gas fluxes in an Amazonian regrowth forest. We measured the efflux of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitric oxide (NO), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) from soil in response to two experimental manipulations. In the first, we increased soil moisture availability during the dry season by irrigation; in the second, we decreased substrate availability by continuous removal of aboveground litter. In the absence of irrigation, soil CO2 efflux decreased during the dry season while irrigation maintained soil CO2 efflux levels similar to the wet season. Large variations in soil CO2 efflux consistent with a significant moisture constraint on respiration were observed in response to soil wet-up and dry-down events. Annual soil C efflux for irrigated plots was 27 and 13% higher than for control plots in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Litter removal significantly reduced soil CO2 efflux; annual soil C efflux in 2002 was 28% lower for litter removal plots compared to control plots. The annual soil C efflux:litterfall C ratio for the control treatment (4.0-5.2) was consistent with previously reported values for regrowth forests that indicate a relatively large belowground C allocation. In general, fluxes of N2O and CH4 were higher during the wet season and both fluxes increased during dry-season irrigation. There was no seasonal effect on NO fluxes. Litter removal had no significant impact on N oxide or CH4 emissions. Net soil nitrification did not respond to dry-season irrigation, but was somewhat reduced by litter removal. Overall, these results demonstrate significant soil moisture and substrate constraints on soil trace gas emissions, particularly for CO2, and suggest that climate and land-use changes that alter moisture and substrate availability are therefore likely to have an impact on atmosphere chemistry.

The relationship between water loss, mechanical stress, and molecular structure of human stratum corneum ex vivo.

PubMed

Vyumvuhore, Raoul; Tfayli, Ali; Biniek, Krysta; Duplan, Hélène; Delalleau, Alexandre; Manfait, Michel; Dauskardt, Reinhold; Baillet-Guffroy, Arlette

2015-03-01

Proper hydration of the stratum corneum (SC) is important for maintaining skin's vital functions. Water loss causes development of drying stresses, which can be perceived as 'tightness', and plays an important role in dry skin damage processes. However, molecular structure modifications arising from water loss and the subsequent development of stress has not been established. We investigated the drying stress mechanism by studying, ex vivo, the behaviors of the SC components during water desorption from initially fully hydrated samples using Raman spectroscopy. Simultaneously, we measure the SC mechanical stress with a substrate curvature instrument. Very good correlations of water loss to the mechanical stress of the stratum corneum were obtained, and the latter was found to depend mainly on the unbound water fraction. In addition to that, the water loss is accompanied with an increase of lipids matrix compactness characterized by lower chain freedom, while protein structure showed an increase in amount of α-helices, a decline in α-sheets, and an increase in folding in the tertiary structure of keratin. The drying process of SC involves a complex interplay of water binding, molecular modifications, and mechanical stress. This article provides a better understanding of the molecular mechanism associated to SC mechanics. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Volatile emission in dry seeds as a way to probe chemical reactions during initial asymptomatic deterioration

PubMed Central

Mira, Sara; Hill, Lisa M.; González-Benito, M. Elena; Ibáñez, Miguel Angel; Walters, Christina

2016-01-01

The nature and kinetics of reactions in dry seeds determines how long the seeds survive. We used gas chromatography to assay volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from seeds of three unrelated species as a means to non-invasively probe chemical changes during very dry, dry, and humid storage (seeds were dried to 5.5, 33, and 75% relative humidity at room temperature). VOCs emitted from seeds stored in humid conditions reflected fermentation-type reactions, with methanol and ethanol being predominant in Lactuca sativa and Carum carvi, and acetaldehyde and acetone being predominant in Eruca vesicaria. Dried C. carvi seeds continued to emit fermentation-type products, although at slower rates than the seeds stored in humid conditions. In contrast, drying caused a switch in VOC emission in L. sativa and E. vesicaria seeds towards higher emission of pentane and hexanal, molecules considered to be byproducts from the peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Longevity correlated best with the rate of fermentation-type reactions and appeared unrelated to the rate of lipid peroxidation. Emission of VOCs decreased when seed species were mixed together, indicating that seeds adsorbed VOCs. Adsorption of VOCs did not appear to damage seeds, as longevity was not affected in seed mixtures. Collectively, the study shows similarity among species in the types of reactions that occur in dry seeds, but high diversity in the substrates, and hence the byproducts, of the reactions. Moreover, the study suggests that the most abundant VOCs arise from degradation of storage reserves within seed cells, and that these reactions and their byproducts are not, in themselves, damaging. PMID:26956506

Volatile emission in dry seeds as a way to probe chemical reactions during initial asymptomatic deterioration.

PubMed

Mira, Sara; Hill, Lisa M; González-Benito, M Elena; Ibáñez, Miguel Angel; Walters, Christina

2016-03-01

The nature and kinetics of reactions in dry seeds determines how long the seeds survive. We used gas chromatography to assay volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from seeds of three unrelated species as a means to non-invasively probe chemical changes during very dry, dry, and humid storage (seeds were dried to 5.5, 33, and 75% relative humidity at room temperature). VOCs emitted from seeds stored in humid conditions reflected fermentation-type reactions, with methanol and ethanol being predominant in Lactuca sativa and Carum carvi, and acetaldehyde and acetone being predominant in Eruca vesicaria. Dried C. carvi seeds continued to emit fermentation-type products, although at slower rates than the seeds stored in humid conditions. In contrast, drying caused a switch in VOC emission in L. sativa and E. vesicaria seeds towards higher emission of pentane and hexanal, molecules considered to be byproducts from the peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Longevity correlated best with the rate of fermentation-type reactions and appeared unrelated to the rate of lipid peroxidation. Emission of VOCs decreased when seed species were mixed together, indicating that seeds adsorbed VOCs. Adsorption of VOCs did not appear to damage seeds, as longevity was not affected in seed mixtures. Collectively, the study shows similarity among species in the types of reactions that occur in dry seeds, but high diversity in the substrates, and hence the byproducts, of the reactions. Moreover, the study suggests that the most abundant VOCs arise from degradation of storage reserves within seed cells, and that these reactions and their byproducts are not, in themselves, damaging. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Parameters influencing the regeneration of a green roof's retention capacity via evapotranspiration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poë, Simon; Stovin, Virginia; Berretta, Christian

2015-04-01

The extent to which the finite hydrological capacity of a green roof is available for retention of a storm event largely determines the scale of its contribution as a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS). Evapotranspiration (ET) regenerates the retention capacity at a rate that is variably influenced by climate, vegetation treatment, soil and residual moisture content. Experimental studies have been undertaken to monitor the drying cycle behaviour of 9 different extensive green roof configurations with 80 mm substrate depth. A climate-controlled chamber at the University of Sheffield replicated typical UK spring and summer diurnal cycles. The mass of each microcosm, initially at field capacity, was continuously recorded, with changes inferred to be moisture loss/gain (or ET/dew). The ranges of cumulative ET following a 28 day dry weather period (ADWP) were 0.6-1.0 mm/day in spring and 0.7-1.25 mm/day in summer. These ranges reflect the influence of configuration on ET. Cumulative ET was highest from substrates with the greatest storage capacity. Significant differences in ET existed between vegetated and non-vegetated configurations. Initially, seasonal mean ET was affected by climate. Losses were 2.0 mm/day in spring and 3.4 mm/day in summer. However, moisture availability constrained ET, which fell to 1.4 mm/day then 1.0 mm/day (with an ADWP of 7 and 14 days) in spring; compared to 1.0 mm/day and 0.5 mm/day in summer. A modelling approach, which factors Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) according to stored moisture content, predicts daily ET with very good accuracy (PBIAS = 2.0% [spring]; -0.8% [summer]).

Investigation on Failures of Composite Beam and Substrate Concrete due to Drying Shrinkage Property of Repair Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattnaik, Rashmi Ranjan

2017-06-01

A Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and an experimental study was conducted on composite beam of repair material and substrate concrete to investigate the failures of the composite beam due to drying shrinkage property of the repair materials. In FEA, the stress distribution in the composite beam due to two concentrate load and shrinkage of repair materials were investigated in addition to the deflected shape of the composite beam. The stress distributions and load deflection shapes of the finite element model were investigated to aid in analysis of the experimental findings. In the experimental findings, the mechanical properties such as compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, and load-deflection curves were studied in addition to slant shear bond strength, drying shrinkage and failure patterns of the composite beam specimens. Flexure test was conducted to simulate tensile stress at the interface between the repair material and substrate concrete. The results of FEA were used to analyze the experimental results. It was observed that the repair materials with low drying shrinkage are showing compatible failure in the flexure test of the composite beam and deform adequately in the load deflection curves. Also, the flexural strength of the composite beam with low drying shrinkage repair materials showed higher flexural strength as compared to the composite beams with higher drying shrinkage value of the repair materials even though the strength of those materials were more.

Incorporation of multilayered silver nanoparticles into polymer brushes as 3-dimensional SERS substrates and their application for bacteria detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qian; Wang, Xiang-Dong; Tian, Ting; Chu, Li-Qiang

2017-06-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors have been extensively studied for ultrasensitive detection of diverse chemical or biological analytes. Facile fabrication of highly sensitive SERS substrates is believed to be of crucial importance in these analytical applications. In this regard, the preparation of 3-dimensional (3D) SERS substrates are explored via the incorporation of multilayered silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into poly (oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (POEGMA) brushes by repeating the immersion-rinsing-drying steps for different lengths of time (i.e., the so-called in-stacking method). The POEGMA brushes of different chain lengths are synthesized by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with various reaction time. The resulting POEGMA/AgNP nanocomposites are characterized by FE-SEM, UV-vis and Raman spectroscopy. FE-SEM and UV-vis results indicate that the AgNPs are successfully incorporated into the POEGMA brushes with a 3D configuration. The nanocomposite films are employed as SERS substrates for the detection of a Raman reporter molecule (i.e., 4-aminothiophenol), giving rise to an enhancement factor of up to 1.29 × 107 and also having relatively good uniformity and reproducibility. The obtained 3D SERS substrates are also used for the detection of a typical gram-positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus. The limit of detection is found to be as low as ca. 8 CFU/mL.

Lovastatin Production by Aspergillus terreus Using Agro-Biomass as Substrate in Solid State Fermentation

PubMed Central

Faseleh Jahromi, Mohammad; Liang, Juan Boo; Ho, Yin Wan; Mohamad, Rosfarizan; Goh, Yong Meng; Shokryazdan, Parisa

2012-01-01

Ability of two strains of Aspergillus terreus (ATCC 74135 and ATCC 20542) for production of lovastatin in solid state fermentation (SSF) using rice straw (RS) and oil palm frond (OPF) was investigated. Results showed that RS is a better substrate for production of lovastatin in SSF. Maximum production of lovastatin has been obtained using A. terreus ATCC 74135 and RS as substrate without additional nitrogen source (157.07 mg/kg dry matter (DM)). Although additional nitrogen source has no benefit effect on enhancing the lovastatin production using RS substrate, it improved the lovastatin production using OPF with maximum production of 70.17 and 63.76 mg/kg DM for A. terreus ATCC 20542 and A. terreus ATCC 74135, respectively (soybean meal as nitrogen source). Incubation temperature, moisture content, and particle size had shown significant effect on lovastatin production (P < 0.01) and inoculums size and pH had no significant effect on lovastatin production (P > 0.05). Results also have shown that pH 6, 25°C incubation temperature, 1.4 to 2 mm particle size, 50% initial moisture content, and 8 days fermentation time are the best conditions for lovastatin production in SSF. Maximum production of lovastatin using optimized condition was 175.85 and 260.85 mg/kg DM for A. terreus ATCC 20542 and ATCC 74135, respectively, using RS as substrate. PMID:23118499

Influence of drainage and nutrient-solution nitrogen and potassium concentrations on the agronomic behavior of bell-pepper plants cultivated in a substrate

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The interactive effects of N (6, 9, 12 and 15 mmol L-1) and K (3, 5, 7, and 9 mmol L-1) concentrations in nutrient solutions were evaluated on bell pepper grown in a coconut-coir substrate and fertilized without drainage. An additional treatment with drainage was evaluated using N and K concentrations of 12 and 7 mmol L-1, respectively. The hybrid Eppo cultivar of yellow bell pepper was cultivated for 252 days beginning 9 November 2012. Electrical conductivity (EC), the N and K concentrations in the substrate solution, marketable fruit yield, total dry weight and macronutrient concentrations in shoots were periodically evaluated. Fruit production was lower in the system without drainage, regardless of the N and K concentrations, compared to the recommended 10–20% drainage of the volume of nutrient solution applied. Higher K concentrations in the nutrient solution did not affect plant production in the system without drainage for the substrate with an initial K concentration of 331.3 mg L-1. Fruit yield was higher without drainage at a nutrient-solution N concentration of 10.7 mmol L-1. The upper EC limit of the substrate solution in the system without drainage was exceeded 181 days after planting. Either lower nutrient concentrations in the nutrient solution or a drainage system could thus control the EC in the substrate solution. PMID:28678884

Sustainable biobutanol production from pineapple waste by using Clostridium acetobutylicum B 527: Drying kinetics study.

PubMed

Khedkar, Manisha A; Nimbalkar, Pranhita R; Gaikwad, Shashank G; Chavan, Prakash V; Bankar, Sandip B

2017-02-01

Present investigation explores the use of pineapple peel, a food industry waste, for acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) production using Clostridium acetobutylicum B 527. Proximate analysis of pineapple peel shows that it contains 35% cellulose, 19% hemicellulose, and 16% lignin on dry basis. Drying experiments on pineapple peel waste were carried out in the temperature range of 60-120°C and experimental drying data was modeled using moisture diffusion control model to study its effect on ABE production. The production of ABE was further accomplished via acid hydrolysis, detoxification, and fermentation process. Maximum total sugar release obtained by using acid hydrolysis was 97g/L with 95-97% and 10-50% removal of phenolics and acetic acid, respectively during detoxification process. The maximum ABE titer obtained was 5.23g/L with 55.6% substrate consumption when samples dried at 120°C were used as a substrate (after detoxification). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Paddy straw as a substrate for the cultivation of Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (W.Curt.:Fr.) P. Karst. in India.

PubMed

Veena, S S; Pandey, Meera

2011-01-01

Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum, is generally cultivated on hardwood logs or sawdust/woodchips based formulations. More than 100 million tonnes of paddy straw is being produced in India per year, and almost 50% of the straw is potentially available for growing mushrooms. In the present study an attempt was made to use paddy straw as a substrate to cultivate G. lucidim. Different proportions of paddy straw were mixed with 0, 22.5%, 45%, and 67.5% sawdust and 10% rice bran. Spawn run period, fruiting initiation period, yield, moisture content, dry recovery, and fruiting body characteristics were recorded and compared. Fructification was observed with all the substrate formulations and they did not show any significant difference in yield. The highest biological efficiency (BE) (29.9%) was observed with the combination sawdust:paddy straw:rice bran 22.5:67.5:10, followed by saw dust:paddy straw:rice bran 45:45:10 with BE 27.3%. The current study demonstrated for the first time that the cultivation of G. lucidum is possible with paddy straw as the base substrate and indicated the enormous potential of paddy straw for the cultivation of G. lucidum.

Oxidation-Resistant Coating For Bipolar Lead/Acid Battery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolstad, James J.

1993-01-01

Cathode side of bipolar substrate coated with nonoxidizable conductive layer. Coating prepared as water slurry of aqueous dispersion of polyethylene copolymer plus such conductive fillers as tin oxide, titanium, tantalum, or tungsten oxide. Applied easily to substrate of polyethylene carbon plastic. As slurry dries, conductive, oxidation-resistant coating forms on positive side of substrate.

Microbial ecology of extreme environments: Antarctic dry valley yeasts and growth in substrate limited habitats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vishniac, H. S.

1981-01-01

The multiple stresses temperature, moisture, and for chemoheterotrophs, sources of carbon and energy of the Dry Valley Antarctica soils allow at best depauperate communities, low in species diversity and population density. The nature of community structure, the operation of biogeochemical cycles, the evolution and mechanisms of adaptation to this habitat are of interest in informing speculations upon life on other planets as well as in modeling the limits of gene life. Yeasts of the Cryptococcus vishniacil complex (Basidiobiastomycetes) are investigated, as the only known indigenes of the most hostile, lichen free, parts of the Dry Valleys. Methods were developed for isolating these yeasts (methods which do not exclude the recovery of other microbiota). The definition of the complex was refined and the importance of nitrogen sources was established as well as substrate competition in fitness to the Dry Valley habitats.

Thermal method for fabricating a hydrogen separation membrane on a porous substrate

DOEpatents

Song, Sun-Ju [Orland Park, IL; Lee, Tae H [Naperville, IL; Chen, Ling [Woodridge, IL; Dorris, Stephen E [LaGrange Park, IL; Balachandran, Uthamalingam [Hinsdale, IL

2009-10-20

A thermal method of making a hydrogen permeable composition is disclosed. A mixture of metal oxide powder and ceramic oxide powder and optionally a pore former is formed and pressed to form an article. The article is dried at elevated temperatures and then sintered in a reducing atmosphere to provide a dense hydrogen permeable portion near the surface of the sintered mixture. The dense hydrogen permeable portion has a higher initial concentration of metal than the remainder of the sintered mixture and is present in the range of from about 20 to about 80 percent by volume of the dense hydrogen permeable portion.

Biogeochemical Relationships of a Subtropical Dry Forest on Karst

Treesearch

E. Medina; E. Cuevas; H. Marcano-Vega; E. Meléndez-Ackerman; E.H. Helmer

2017-01-01

Tropical dry forests on calcareous substrate constitute the main vegetation cover in many islands of the Caribbean. Dry climate and nutrient scarcity in those environments are ideal to investigate the potential role of high levels of soil calcium (Ca) in regulating plant selection and productivity. We analyzed the elemental composition of soil, loose litter, and leaf...

Microbial ecology of extreme environments: Antarctic dry valley yeasts and growth in substrate-limited habitats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vishniac, H. S.

1982-01-01

The success of the Antarctic Dry Valley yeasts presumeably results from adaptations to multiple stresses, to low temperatures and substrate-limitation as well as prolonged resting periods enforced by low water availability. Previous investigations have suggested that the crucial stress is substrate limitation. Specific adaptations may be pinpointed by comparing the physiology of the Cryptococcus vishniacii complex, the yeasts of the Tyrol Valley, with their congeners from other habitats. Progress was made in methods of isolation and definition of ecological niches, in the design of experiments in competition for limited substrate, and in establishing the relationships of the Cryptococcus vishniacii complex with other yeasts. In the course of investigating relationships, a new method for 25SrRNA homology was developed. For the first time it appears that 25SrRNA homology may reflect parallel or convergent evolution.

Evaluation of preparation methods for suspended nano-objects on substrates for dimensional measurements by atomic force microscopy

PubMed Central

Göhler, Daniel; Wessely, Benno; Stintz, Michael; Lazzerini, Giovanni Mattia; Yacoot, Andrew

2017-01-01

Dimensional measurements on nano-objects by atomic force microscopy (AFM) require samples of safely fixed and well individualized particles with a suitable surface-specific particle number on flat and clean substrates. Several known and proven particle preparation methods, i.e., membrane filtration, drying, rinsing, dip coating as well as electrostatic and thermal precipitation, were performed by means of scanning electron microscopy to examine their suitability for preparing samples for dimensional AFM measurements. Different suspensions of nano-objects (with varying material, size and shape) stabilized in aqueous solutions were prepared therefore on different flat substrates. The drop-drying method was found to be the most suitable one for the analysed suspensions, because it does not require expensive dedicated equipment and led to a uniform local distribution of individualized nano-objects. Traceable AFM measurements based on Si and SiO2 coated substrates confirmed the suitability of this technique. PMID:28904839

Evaluation of preparation methods for suspended nano-objects on substrates for dimensional measurements by atomic force microscopy.

PubMed

Fiala, Petra; Göhler, Daniel; Wessely, Benno; Stintz, Michael; Lazzerini, Giovanni Mattia; Yacoot, Andrew

2017-01-01

Dimensional measurements on nano-objects by atomic force microscopy (AFM) require samples of safely fixed and well individualized particles with a suitable surface-specific particle number on flat and clean substrates. Several known and proven particle preparation methods, i.e., membrane filtration, drying, rinsing, dip coating as well as electrostatic and thermal precipitation, were performed by means of scanning electron microscopy to examine their suitability for preparing samples for dimensional AFM measurements. Different suspensions of nano-objects (with varying material, size and shape) stabilized in aqueous solutions were prepared therefore on different flat substrates. The drop-drying method was found to be the most suitable one for the analysed suspensions, because it does not require expensive dedicated equipment and led to a uniform local distribution of individualized nano-objects. Traceable AFM measurements based on Si and SiO 2 coated substrates confirmed the suitability of this technique.

Modeling the unmeasurable: scaling soil physiology from microns to meters and seconds to centuries (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schimel, J.; Xu, X.; Lawrence, C. R.

2013-12-01

Models are essential tools for linking microbial dynamics to their manifestations at large scales. Yet, developing mechanistically accurate models requires data that we often don't have and may not be able to get, such as the functional life-span of an extracellular enzyme. Yet there are approaches to condense complex microbial dynamics into 'workable' models. One example is in describing soil responses to moisture pulses. We developed a family of five separate models to capture microbial dynamics through dry/wet cycles. The simplest was a straight multi-pool, 1st-order decomposition model, with versions adding levels of microbial mechanism, culminating in one that included exoenzyme-breakdown of detritus. However, this identified the critical mechanism, not as exoenzymes, but as the production of a bioavailable C pool that accumulates in dry soil and is rapidly metabolized on rewetting. A final version of the model therefore stripped out explicit enzymes but retained separate polymer breakdown and substrate use; this model was the most robust. A second pervasive question in soil biology has been what controls the size of the microbial biomass across biomes? We approached this through a physiological model that regulated microbial C assimilation into biomass by two processes: initial assimilation followed by ongoing maintenance. Assimilation is a function of substrate quality, while maintenance is regulated by climate--notably the period of the year during which microbes are active. This model was tested against a global dataset of microbial biomass. It explains why, for example, deserts and tundra have relatively high proportions of their organic matter in microbial biomass, while the low substrate quality and long active periods common in temperate conifer forests lead to low biomass levels.

Dry season distribution of land crabs, Gecarcinus quadratus (Crustacea: Gecarcinidae), in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica.

PubMed

Griffiths, Megan E; Mohammad, Basma A; Vega, Andres

2007-03-01

The land crab Gecarcinus quadratus is an engineering species that controls nutrient cycling in tropical forests. Factors regulating their coastal distribution are not fully understood. We quantified land crab distribution during the dry season at Sirena Field Station in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica, and found that land crab burrow density decreases with increasing distance from the ocean. Leaf litter depth and tree seedling density are negatively correlated with land crab burrow density. Burrows are strongly associated with sand substrate and burrow density is comparatively low in clay substrate. Results suggest that G. quadratus is limited to a narrow coastal zone with sand substrate, and this distribution could have profound effects on plant community structure.

Studying the effect of material initial conditions on drying induced stresses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heydari, M.; Khalili, K.; Ahmadi-Brooghani, S. Y.

2018-02-01

Cracking as a result of non-uniform deformation during drying is one of defects that may occur during drying and has to be dealt with by proper drying treatment. In the current study the effect of initial condition has been investigated on stress-strain induced by drying. The convective drying of a porous clay-like material has been simulated by using a mathematical model. Mass and heat transfer along with the mechanical behavior of the object being dried make the phenomenon a highly coupled problem. The coupling variables are the solid displacement, moisture content and temperature of the porous medium. A numerical solution is sought and employed to predict the influence of initial conditions of material on the drying induced stresses, the moisture content, and the temperature variations. Simulation results showed that increasing the initial temperature is an effective way to reduce the stresses induced by drying and to obtain products with good quality without significant change in drying curve and in comparison this is more effective than intermittent drying.

Defect-selective dry etching for quick and easy probing of hexagonal boron nitride domains.

PubMed

Wu, Qinke; Lee, Joohyun; Park, Sangwoo; Woo, Hwi Je; Lee, Sungjoo; Song, Young Jae

2018-03-23

In this study, we demonstrate a new method to selectively etch the point defects or the boundaries of as-grown hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) films and flakes in situ on copper substrates using hydrogen and argon gases. The initial quality of the chemical vapor deposition-grown hBN films and flakes was confirmed by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Different gas flow ratios of Ar/H 2 were then employed to etch the same quality of samples and it was found that etching with hydrogen starts from the point defects and grows epitaxially, which helps in confirming crystalline orientations. However, etching with argon is sensitive to line defects (boundaries) and helps in visualizing the domain size. Finally, based on this defect-selective dry etching technique, it could be visualized that the domains of a polycrystalline hBN monolayer merged together with many parts, even with those that grew from a single nucleation seed.

Defect-selective dry etching for quick and easy probing of hexagonal boron nitride domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qinke; Lee, Joohyun; Park, Sangwoo; Woo, Hwi Je; Lee, Sungjoo; Song, Young Jae

2018-03-01

In this study, we demonstrate a new method to selectively etch the point defects or the boundaries of as-grown hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) films and flakes in situ on copper substrates using hydrogen and argon gases. The initial quality of the chemical vapor deposition-grown hBN films and flakes was confirmed by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Different gas flow ratios of Ar/H2 were then employed to etch the same quality of samples and it was found that etching with hydrogen starts from the point defects and grows epitaxially, which helps in confirming crystalline orientations. However, etching with argon is sensitive to line defects (boundaries) and helps in visualizing the domain size. Finally, based on this defect-selective dry etching technique, it could be visualized that the domains of a polycrystalline hBN monolayer merged together with many parts, even with those that grew from a single nucleation seed.

Effect of glucose and cellulase addition on wet-storage of excessively wilted maize stover and biogas production.

PubMed

Guo, Jianbin; Cui, Xian; Sun, Hui; Zhao, Qian; Wen, Xiaoyu; Pang, Changle; Dong, Renjie

2018-07-01

In north China, large amounts of excessively wilted maize stover are produced annually. Maize stover wet storage strategies and subsequent biogas production was examined in this study. Firstly, wet storage performances of harvested maize stover, air-dried for different time durations, were evaluated. Results showed that optimal storage performance was obtained when the initial water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content after air-drying was higher than 8.0%. Therefore, cellulase and glucose were added to the excessively wilted maize stover to achieve the targeted pre-storage WSC levels. Good storage performances were observed in treatments with addition of 76.4 g/kg DM glucose and 12.5 g/kg DM of cellulase; the specific methane yield increased by 23.7% and 19.2%, respectively. However, use of glucose as additive or co-storing with high WSC substrates can serve as economically feasible options to adapt wet storage of excessively wilted maize stover. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consecutive anaerobic-aerobic treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and lignocellulosic materials in laboratory-scale landfill-bioreactors.

PubMed

Pellera, Frantseska-Maria; Pasparakis, Emmanouil; Gidarakos, Evangelos

2016-10-01

The scope of this study is to evaluate the use of laboratory-scale landfill-bioreactors, operated consecutively under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, for the combined treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) with two different co-substrates of lignocellulosic nature, namely green waste (GW) and dried olive pomace (DOP). According to the results such a system would represent a promising option for eventual larger scale applications. Similar variation patterns among bioreactors indicate a relatively defined sequence of processes. Initially operating the systems under anaerobic conditions would allow energetic exploitation of the substrates, while the implementation of a leachate treatment system ultimately aiming at nutrient recovery, especially during the anaerobic phase, could be a profitable option for the whole system, due to the high organic load that characterizes this effluent. In order to improve the overall effectiveness of such a system, measures towards enhancing methane contents of produced biogas, such as substrate pretreatment, should be investigated. Moreover, the subsequent aerobic phase should have the goal of stabilizing the residual materials and finally obtain an end material eventually suitable for other purposes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tannase Production by Solid State Fermentation of Cashew Apple Bagasse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podrigues, Tigressa H. S.; Dantas, Maria Alcilene A.; Pinto, Gustavo A. S.; Gonçalves, Luciana R. B.

The ability of Aspergillus oryzae for the production of tannase by solid state fermentation was investigated using cashew apple bagasse (CAB) as substrate. The effect of initial water content was studied and maximum enzyme production was obtained when 60 mL of water was added to 100.0 g of CAB. The fungal strain was able to grow on CAB without any supplementation but a low enzyme activity was obtained, 0.576 U/g of dry substrate (gds). Optimization of process parameters such as supplementation with tannic acid, phosphorous, and different organic and inorganic nitrogen sources was studied. The addition of tannic acid affected the enzyme production and maximum tannase activity (2.40 U/gds) was obtained with 2.5% (w/w) supplementation. Supplementation with ammonium nitrate, peptone, and yeast extract exerted no influence on tannase production. Ammonium sulphate improved the enzyme production in 3.75-fold compared with control. Based on the experimental results, CAB is a promising substrate for solid state fermentation, enabling A. oryzae growth and the production of tannase, with a maximum activity of 3.42 U/gds and enzyme productivity of 128.5×10-3 U·gds -1·h-1.

Alternative Manufacturing Concepts for Solid Oral Dosage Forms From Drug Nanosuspensions Using Fluid Dispensing and Forced Drying Technology.

PubMed

Bonhoeffer, Bastian; Kwade, Arno; Juhnke, Michael

2018-03-01

Flexible manufacturing technologies for solid oral dosage forms with a continuous adjustability of the manufactured dose strength are of interest for applications in personalized medicine. This study explored the feasibility of using microvalve technology for the manufacturing of different solid oral dosage form concepts. Hard gelatin capsules filled with excipients, placebo tablets, and polymer films, placed in hard gelatin capsules after drying, were considered as substrates. For each concept, a basic understanding of relevant formulation parameters and their impact on dissolution behavior has been established. Suitable matrix formers, present either on the substrate or directly in the drug nanosuspension, proved to be essential to prevent nanoparticle agglomeration of the drug nanoparticles and to ensure a fast dissolution behavior. Furthermore, convection and radiation drying methods were investigated for the fast drying of drug nanosuspensions dispensed onto polymer films, which were then placed in hard gelatin capsules. Changes in morphology and in drug and matrix former distribution were observed for increasing drying intensity. However, even fast drying times below 1 min could be realized, while maintaining the nanoparticulate drug structure and a good dissolution behavior. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Note: Influence of rinsing and drying routines on growth of multilayer thin films using automated deposition system.

PubMed

Gamboa, Daniel; Priolo, Morgan A; Ham, Aaron; Grunlan, Jaime C

2010-03-01

A versatile, high speed robot for layer-by-layer deposition of multifunctional thin films, which integrates concepts from previous dipping systems, has been designed with dramatic improvements in software, positioning, rinsing, drying, and waste removal. This system exploits the electrostatic interaction of oppositely charged species to deposit nanolayers (1-10 nm thick) from water onto the surface of a substrate. Dip times and number of deposited layers are adjustable through a graphical user interface. In between dips the system spray rinses and dries the substrate by positioning it in the two-tiered rinse-dry station. This feature significantly reduces processing time and provides the flexibility to choose from four different procedures for rinsing and drying. Assemblies of natural montmorillonite clay and polyethylenimine are deposited onto 175 microm poly(ethylene terephthalate) film to demonstrate the utility of this automated deposition system. By altering the type of rinse-dry procedure, these clay-based assemblies are shown to exhibit variations in film thickness and oxygen transmission rate. This type of system reproducibly deposits films containing 20 or more layers and may also be useful for other types of coatings that make use of dipping.

Characterization and Potential Application of Next Generation Commercial Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

were evaluated. For these experiments, an aliquot of the common bacillus spore B. coagulans was drop-dried onto the SERS substrate active surface...the Klarite surface. Spectra for bacillus spore B. coagulans on different substrate types. 3.5 Energetic Sample Evaluation Hazard detection...substrate types (a–f). Notice the dramatic difference in size between the spore and the active areas on the Klarite surface. Spectra for bacillus

Process optimization of ultrasonic spray coating of polymer films.

PubMed

Bose, Sanjukta; Keller, Stephan S; Alstrøm, Tommy S; Boisen, Anja; Almdal, Kristoffer

2013-06-11

In this work we have performed a detailed study of the influence of various parameters on spray coating of polymer films. Our aim is to produce polymer films of uniform thickness (500 nm to 1 μm) and low roughness compared to the film thickness. The coatings are characterized with respect to thickness, roughness (profilometer), and morphology (optical microscopy). Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is used to do a full factorial design of experiments with selected process parameters such as temperature, distance between spray nozzle and substrate, and speed of the spray nozzle. A mathematical model is developed for statistical analysis which identifies the distance between nozzle and substrate as the most significant parameter. Depending on the drying of the sprayed droplets on the substrate, we define two broad regimes, "dry" and "wet". The optimum condition of spraying lies in a narrow window between these two regimes, where we obtain a film of desired quality. Both with increasing nozzle-substrate distance and temperature, the deposition moves from a wet state to a dry regime. Similar results are also achieved for solvents with low boiling points. Finally, we study film formation during spray coating with poly (D,L-lactide) (PDLLA). The results confirm the processing knowledge obtained with PVP and indicate that the observed trends are identical for spraying of other polymer films.

Method for forming suspended micromechanical structures

DOEpatents

Fleming, James G.

2000-01-01

A micromachining method is disclosed for forming a suspended micromechanical structure from {111} crystalline silicon. The micromachining method is based on the use of anisotropic dry etching to define lateral features of the structure which are etched down into a {111}-silicon substrate to a first etch depth, thereby forming sidewalls of the structure. The sidewalls are then coated with a protection layer, and the substrate is dry etched to a second etch depth to define a spacing of the structure from the substrate. A selective anisotropic wet etchant (e.g. KOH, EDP, TMAH, NaOH or CsOH) is used to laterally undercut the structure between the first and second etch depths, thereby forming a substantially planar lower surface of the structure along a {111} crystal plane that is parallel to an upper surface of the structure. The lateral extent of undercutting by the wet etchant is controlled and effectively terminated by either timing the etching, by the location of angled {111}-silicon planes or by the locations of preformed etch-stops. This present method allows the formation of suspended micromechanical structures having large vertical dimensions and large masses while allowing for detailed lateral features which can be provided by dry etch definition. Additionally, the method of the present invention is compatible with the formation of electronic circuitry on the substrate.

Controlled preparation of wet granular media reveals limits to lizard burial ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharpe, Sarah S.; Kuckuk, Robyn; Goldman, Daniel I.

2015-07-01

Many animals move within ground composed of granular media (GM); the resistive properties of such substrates can depend on water content and compaction, but little is known about how such parameters affect locomotion or the physics of drag and penetration. Using apparatus to control compaction of GM, our recent studies of movement in dry GM have revealed locomotion strategies of specialized dry-sand-swimming reptiles. However, these animals represent a small fraction of the diversity and presumed burial strategies of fossorial reptilian fauna. Here we develop a system to create states of wet GM of varying moisture content and compaction in quantities sufficient to study the burial and subsurface locomotion of the Ocellated skink (C. ocellatus), a generalist lizard. X-ray imaging revealed that in wet and dry GM the lizard slowly buried (≈ 30 s) propagating a wave from head to tail, while moving in a start-stop motion. During forward movement, the head oscillated, and the forelimb on the convex side of the body propelled the animal. Although body kinematics and ‘slip’ were similar in both substrates, the burial depth was smaller in wet GM. Penetration and drag force experiments on smooth cylinders revealed that wet GM was ≈ 4× more resistive than dry GM. In total, our measurements indicate that while the rheology of the dry and wet GM differ substantially, the lizard's burial motor pattern is conserved across substrates, while its burial depth is largely constrained by environmental resistance.

Quantitation of Na+, K+-atpase Enzymatic Activity in Tissues of the Mammalian Vestibular System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerr, T. P.

1985-01-01

In order to quantify vestibular Na(+), K(+)-ATPase, a microassay technique was developed which is sufficiently sensitive to measure the enzymatic activity in tissue from a single animal. The assay was used to characterize ATPase in he vestibular apparatus of the Mongolian gerbil. The quantitative procedure employs NPP (5 mM) as synthetic enzyme substrate. The assay relies upon spectrophotometric measurement (410 nm) of nitrophenol (NP) released by enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate. Product formation in the absence of ouabain reflects both specific (Na(+), K(+)-ATPase) and non-specific (Mg(++)-ATPase) enzymatic activity. By measuring the accumulation of reaction product (NP) at three-minute intervals during the course of incubation, it is found that the overall enzymatic reaction proceeds linearly for at least 45 minutes. It is therefore possible to determine two separate reaction rates from a single set of tissues. Initial results indicate that total activity amounts to 53.3 + or - 11.2 (S.E.M.) nmol/hr/mg dry tissue, of which approximately 20% is ouabain-sensitive.

Enhanced cellulase hydrolysis of eucalyptus waste fibers from pulp mill by Tween80-assisted ferric chloride pretreatment.

PubMed

Chen, Liheng; Fu, Shiyu

2013-04-03

Pretreatment combining FeCl3 and Tween80 was performed for cellulose-to-ethanol conversion of eucalyptus alkaline peroxide mechanical pulping waste fibers (EAWFs). The FeCl3 pretreatment alone showed a good effect on the enzymatic hydrolysis of EAWFs, but inhibited enzyme activity to some extent. A surfactant, Tween80, added during FeCl3 pretreatment was shown to significantly enhance enzyme reaction by eluting enzymatic inhibitors such as iron(III) that are present at the surface of the pretreated biomass. Treatment temperature, liquid-solid ratio, treatment time, FeCl3 concentration, and Tween80 dosage for pretreatment were optimized as follows: 180 °C, 8:1, 30 min, 0.15 mol/L, and 1% (w/v). Pretreated EAWFs under such optimal conditions provided enzymatic glucose (based on 100 g of oven-dried feedstock) and substrate enzymatic digestibility of EAWFs of 34.8 g and 91.3% after 72 h of enzymatic hydrolysis, respectively, with an initial cellulase loading of 20 FPU/g substrate.

Effects of wheat dried distillers' grains with solubles and cinnamaldehyde on in vitro fermentation and protein degradation using the Rusitec technique.

PubMed

Lia, Yangling; He, Maolong; Li, Chun; Forster, Robert; Beauchemin, Karen Anne; Yang, Wenzhu

2012-04-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of wheat dried distillers' grains with solubles (DDGS) and cinnamaldehyde (CIN) on in vitro fermentation and microbial profiles using the rumen simulation technique. The control substrate (10% barley silage, 85% barley grain and 5% supplement, on dry matter basis) and the wheat DDGS substrate (30% wheat DDGS replaced an equal portion of barley grain) were combined with 0 and 300 mg CIN/l of culture fluid. The inclusion of DDGS increased (p < 0.05) the concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and the molar proportion of acetate and propionate. Dry matter disappearance (p = 0.03) and production of bacterial protein (p < 0.01) were greater, whereas the disappearances of crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre were less (p < 0.01) for the DDGS than for the control substrate. With addition of CIN, concentration of total VFA decreased and fermentation pattern changed to greater acetate and less propionate proportions (p < 0.01). The CIN reduced (p < 0.01) methane production and CP degradability. The copy numbers of Fibrobacter, Prevotella and Archaea were not affected by DDGS but were reduced (p < 0.05) by CIN. The results indicate that replacing barley grain by DDGS increased nutrient fermentability and potentially increase protein flows to the intestine. Supplementation of high-grain substrates with CIN reduced methane production and potentially increased the true protein reaching the small intestine; however, overall reduction of feed fermentation may lower the feeding value of a high-grain diet.

Silica Coated Paper Substrate for Paper-Spray Analysis of Therapeutic Drugs in Dried Blood Spots

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhiping; Xu, Wei; Manicke, Nicholas E.; Cooks, R. Graham; Ouyang, Zheng

2011-01-01

Paper spray is a newly developed ambient ionization method that has been applied for direct qualitative and quantitative analysis of biological samples. The properties of the paper substrate and spray solution have a significant impact on the release of chemical compounds from complex sample matrices, the diffusion of the analytes through the substrate, and the formation of ions for mass spectrometry analysis. In this study, a commercially available silica-coated paper was explored in an attempt to improve the analysis of therapeutic drugs in dried blood spots (DBS). The dichloromethane/isopropanol solvent has been identified as an optimal spray solvent for the analysis. The comparison was made with paper spray using chromatography paper as substrate with methanol/water as solvent for the analysis of verapamil, citalopram, amitriptyline, lidocaine and sunitinib in dried blood spots. It has been demonstrated the efficiency of recovery of the analytes was notably improved with the silica coated paper and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) for the drug analysis was 0.1 ng mL−1 using a commercial triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The use of silica paper substrate also resulted in a sensitivity improvement of 5-50 fold in comparison with chromatography papers, including the Whatmann ET31 paper used for blood card. Analysis using a handheld miniature mass spectrometer Mini 11 gave LOQs of 10~20 ng mL−1 for the tested drugs, which is sufficient to cover the therapeutic ranges of these drugs. PMID:22145627

Glycine Betaine as a Direct Substrate for Methanogens (Methanococcoides spp.)

PubMed Central

Watkins, Andrew J.; Roussel, Erwan G.; Parkes, R. John

2014-01-01

Nine marine methanogenic Methanococcoides strains, including the type strains of Methanococcoides methylutens, M. burtonii, and M. alaskense, were tested for the utilization of N-methylated glycines. Three strains (NM1, PM2, and MKM1) used glycine betaine (N,N,N-trimethylglycine) as a substrate for methanogenesis, partially demethylating it to N,N-dimethylglycine, whereas none of the strains used N,N-dimethylglycine or sarcosine (N-methylglycine). Growth rates and growth yields per mole of substrate with glycine betaine (3.96 g [dry weight] per mol) were similar to those with trimethylamine (4.11 g [dry weight] per mol). However, as glycine betaine is only partially demethylated, the yield per methyl group was significantly higher than with trimethylamine. If glycine betaine and trimethylamine are provided together, trimethylamine is demethylated to dimethyl- and methylamine with limited glycine betaine utilization. After trimethylamine is depleted, dimethylamine and glycine betaine are consumed rapidly, before methylamine. Glycine betaine extends the range of substrates that can be directly utilized by some methanogens, allowing them to gain energy from the substrate without the need for syntrophic partners. PMID:24162571

Substrate attributes determine gait in a terrestrial gastropod.

PubMed

McKee, Amberle; Voltzow, Janice; Pernet, Bruno

2013-02-01

Some terrestrial gastropods are able to move using two gaits: adhesive crawling, where the entire foot is separated from the substrate only by a thin layer of mucus and the snail leaves a continuous mucus trail; and loping, where regions of the foot arch above the substrate and the snail leaves a discontinuous mucus trail. Loping has been interpreted as a means of rapidly escaping predators. We found that the pulmonate Cornu aspersum moved using adhesive crawling on dry acrylic or glass substrates, but loped on dry concrete or wood. Loping snails did not move more rapidly than snails using adhesive crawling. Snails moving on concrete secreted a greater volume of pedal mucus per area of trail than those moving on acrylic; locomotion on concrete thus requires greater expenditure of mucus than does locomotion on acrylic. Because loping snails deposit a smaller area of mucus per distance traveled than do snails using adhesive crawling, loping may conserve mucus when moving on porous, absorbent substrates. Members of several other terrestrial pulmonate taxa can also lope on concrete, suggesting that this plasticity in gait is widespread among terrestrial snails.

Use of commercial soil amendments in initial soils (II) - Impact on soil respiratory and carbon isotopic characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nii-Annang, S.; Rodionov, A.; Dilly, O.; Bens, O.; Raab, T.; Hüttl, R. F.

2009-04-01

The search for viable re-cultivation techniques for the reclamation of large scale soil disturbances induced by mining of mineral resources has increasingly received attention in recent times. These techniques should favour plant growth under dry conditions and under nutrient-poor substrates; a problem in the lignite mining district in Lusatia, Germany. Substrates with basal respiration around 0.04 µg CO2 g-1 h-1, which is relatively low compared to mature soils, were amended with two nutrient rich commercial soil additives (CSA 1 and CSA 2). The CSA 1 is a synthetic-mineral mixture and CSA 2 an organo-mineral mixture. The amendment stimulated basal respiration based on both carbon dioxide evolution and oxygen uptake by 150 and 125 % for SCA 1 and CSA 2, respectively when 1 % of each additive was thoroughly mixed with substrate in a laboratory study. The stimulating effect was evident after glucose addition to CSA 2. The CSA 1 application in the field at lower rates still showed apparent stimulation of soil respiratory activities after one year. Similarly, the organo-mineral-mixture has prominent effects on basal respiration and substrate-induced respiration when glucose was added. We concluded that the commercial additives used as long-term amelioration techniques increased both nutrient preservation and, to some extent, soil microbial activity.

[Solid-state fermentation with Penicillium sp. PT95 for carotenoid production].

PubMed

Han, J; Xu, J

1999-04-01

A preliminary study on solid-state fermentation (SSF) with Penicillium sp PT95 for carotenoid production was performed. The results showed that the production of carotenoid in sclerotia of PT95 was more efficient in corn meal medium than in either wheat bran medium or cottonseed hull medium. Addition of nitrogen and carbon sources as well as vegetable oil to media was required for increasing the dry weight of sclerotia and carotenoid yield. Among several tested compounds for nitrogen and carbon sources, sodium nitrate and maltose were the best. Through orthogonal experiments, the optimum culture medium was obtained by supplement of NaNO3 3g, maltose 10 g, soybean oil 2.5 g to per liter of salt solution. Under the optimum culture conditions, the sclerotia dry weight increased from 5.36 g to 9.70 g per 100 g dry substrate, the carotenoid yield from 2149 micrograms to 5260 micrograms per 100 g dry substrate, the proportion of beta-carotene in carotenoids from 61.4% to 71.3%.

Assessment of Reproducibility of Laser Electrospray Mass Spectrometry using Electrospray Deposition of Analyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sistani, Habiballah; Karki, Santosh; Archer, Jieutonne J.; Shi, Fengjian; Levis, Robert J.

2017-05-01

A nonresonant, femtosecond (fs) laser is employed to desorb samples of Victoria blue deposited on stainless steel or indium tin oxide (ITO) slides using either electrospray deposition (ESD) or dried droplet deposition. The use of ESD resulted in uniform films of Victoria blue whereas the dried droplet method resulted in the formation of a ring pattern of the dye. Laser electrospray mass spectrometry (LEMS) measurements of the ESD-prepared films on either substrate were similar and revealed lower average relative standard deviations for measurements within-film (20.9%) and between-films (8.7%) in comparison to dried droplet (75.5% and 40.2%, respectively). The mass spectral response for ESD samples on both substrates was linear (R2 > 0.99), enabling quantitative measurements over the selected range of 7.0 × 10-11 to 2.8 × 10-9 mol, as opposed to the dried droplet samples where quantitation was not possible (R2 = 0.56). The limit of detection was measured to be 210 fmol.

The effect of concentration of tackifying agent on adhesive and skin-protective properties of ceramide 2-containing hydrocolloid dressings.

PubMed

Kohta, M; Iwasaki, T

2015-01-01

In the treatment of pressure ulcers and leg ulcers it is necessary to achieve an effective balance between adhesive and skin-protective properties. We speculated that addition of a tackifying agent (TA) to ceramide 2-containing hydrocolloid dressings would increase their adhesiveness under dry conditions and reduce their adhesiveness under wet conditions because dry tack converts to wet tack after water absorption. We prepared ceramide 2-containing hydrocolloid dressings with varying amounts of TA. Basic characteristics of the test ceraminde dressings, such as initial tack force and peeling force, were evaluated using standard methods. Peeling force and stratum corneum (SC) removal on healthy human skin were also evaluated at 20 minutes, 7 hours, and 72 hours. In addition, the effect of 10 repeated applications on transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was investigated on the skin of hairless mice under dry and wet conditions. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way analysis of variance followed by Dunnett's multiple comparison test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. On a stainless steel substrate, initial tack force and 180° peeling force increased as TA content increased. Twenty minutes after application on human skin, peeling force and SC removal increased with increasing TA content. When TA contents were over 10%, significant differences in peeling force and SC removal were obtained compared with ceramide 2-containing hydrocolloid dressings without TA (p<0.05). However, a TA content-dependent increase in peeling force was not evident 7 hours and 72 hours after application. Under dry conditions, TEWL increased with repeated application and peeling. Conversely, no significant increases in TEWL were evident under wet conditions after 10 repeated applications and peelings. Our data demonstrate that the initial attachment of ceramide 2-containing hydrocolloid dressings to the skin increases with addition of TA. Skin damage can be avoided by conversion of the adhesive system to wet tack with water absorption. Masushi Kohta and Tetsuji IwasakI are employees of ALCARE Co., Ltd., Japan. This project was supported by an unrestricted grant from ALCARE.

Identification of locally available structural material as co-substrate for organic waste composting in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Springer, C; Heldt, N

2016-06-01

Owing to the lack in structural strength while composting certain kinds of organic wastes, 11 co-substrates were tested that are generally locally available in rural areas of northern Tamil Nadu, India. In addition to the classical composting parameters such as carbon/nitrogen ratio, moisture content, dry matter and organic dry matter, a compression test was conducted to evaluate the structural strength and the suitability as bulking agent for composting processes. Additionally, with respect to the climatic conditions in India, the water holding capacity was also evaluated. © The Author(s) 2016.

Substrate Chemistry and Rainfall Regime Regulate Elemental Composition of Tree Leaves in Karst Forests

Treesearch

Ernesto Medina; Elvira Cuevas; Ariel Lugo

2017-01-01

Forests on calcareous substrates constitute a large fraction of the vegetation in Puerto Rico. Plant growth on these substrates may be affected by nutrient deficiencies, mainly P and Fe, resulting from high pH and formation of insoluble compounds of these elements. The occurrence of these forests in humid and dry areas provides an opportunity to compare nutrient...

Optimization of a natural medium for cellulase by a marine Aspergillus niger using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Xue, Dong-Sheng; Chen, Hui-Yin; Lin, Dong-Qiang; Guan, Yi-Xin; Yao, Shan-Jing

2012-08-01

The components of a natural medium were optimized to produce cellulase from a marine Aspergillus niger under solid state fermentation conditions by response surface methodology. Eichhornia crassipes and natural seawater were used as a major substrate and a source of mineral salts, respectively. Mineral salts of natural seawater could increase cellulase production. Raw corn cob and raw rice straw showed a significant positive effect on cellulase production. The optimum natural medium consisted of 76.9 % E. crassipes (w/w), 8.9 % raw corn cob (w/w), 3.5 % raw rice straw (w/w), 10.7 % raw wheat bran (w/w), and natural seawater (2.33 times the weight of the dry substrates). Incubation for 96 h in the natural medium increased the biomass to the maximum. The cellulase production was 17.80 U/g the dry weight of substrates after incubation for 144 h. The natural medium avoided supplying chemicals and pretreating substrates. It is promising for future practical fermentation of environment-friendly producing cellulase.

Iron translocation in Pleurotus ostreatus basidiocarps: production, bioavailability, and antioxidant activity.

PubMed

Yokota, M E; Frison, P S; Marcante, R C; Jorge, L F; Valle, J S; Dragunski, D C; Colauto, N B; Linde, G A

2016-02-22

Translocation of minerals from substrate to mushrooms can change the medicinal characteristics, commercial value, and biological efficiency of mushroom. In the present study, we demonstrated that addition of iron to the substrate reduces the yield of Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom. The biological efficiency of the mushroom varied from 36.53% on the unsupplemented substrate to 2.08% for the substrate with 500 mg/kg iron added. The maximum iron concentration obtained for mushroom was 478.66 mg/kg (dry basis) and the maximum solubility in vitro was 293.70 mg/kg (dry basis). Iron translocation increased the ash and protein content, reduced antioxidant activity, and enhanced the aroma and flavor characteristics of the mushroom. However mushroom has higher amounts of iron than vegetables like collard greens, it is not feasible to use mushrooms as the only dietary source of iron. The study also indicated that because of more bioaccumulation of iron in mycelium than in the mushroom, mycelium and not mushroom, could be a better alternative as a non-animal iron source.

Wetting Behavior in Colloid-Polymer Mixtures at Different Substrates.

PubMed

Wijting, Willem K; Besseling, Nicolaas A M; Cohen Stuart, Martien A

2003-09-25

We present experimental observations on wetting phenomena in depletion interaction driven, phase separated colloidal dispersions. The contact angle of the colloidal liquid-gas interface at a solid substrate was determined for a series of compositions. Upon approach to the critical point, a transition occurs from partial to complete wetting. The interaction with the substrate was manipulated by modifying the substrate with a polymer. In that case, a transition from partial to complete drying is observed upon approach to the critical point.

From coffee ring to spherulites ring of poly(ethylene oxide) film from drying droplet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yinchun; Zhang, Xuerong; Qiu, Maibo; Wei, Yan; Zhou, Qiong; Huang, Di

2018-03-01

We discuss how the "spherulites ring" morphology and "coffee ring" profile of PEO film formed by the drying droplet at glass substrate with different heating rate. Upon increasing the heating rate of substrate, it is found that deposited PEO film from drying droplet shows the unusually observed "coffee ring" profile and "spherulites ring" morphology. The main mechanism for this phenomenon is proposed to be an enhanced Marangoni convection which is induced by the increased solute concentration gradient and reduced viscous force above 70 °C. A simple formation mechanism of the unusually observed "coffee ring" profile and "spherulites ring" morphology is proposed. These findings can be exploited to trace the center of Marangoni convection, with potential applications in designing the spherulite patterns of crystalline polymer films in ink-jet printing and self-assembly fields.

Kinetic Self-Assembly of DNA Tiles and Bricks

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-26

research, and educa- tion. This is achieved by freeze drying cell-free systems into paper and other porous substrates to create materials with the...different toehold switches on paper . Experiments were performed by freeze drying the recombinant PT7 expression system onto paper discs, along with linear...DNA encoding specific switch RNAs. The paper discs were rehy- drated with or without the complementary RNA trigger 24 hr after drying and then

Depositing nanoparticles on a silicon substrate using a freeze drying technique.

PubMed

Sigehuzi, Tomoo

2017-08-28

For the microscopic observation of nanoparticles, an adequate sample preparation is an essential part of this task. Much research has been performed for usable preparation methods that will yield aggregate-free samples. A freeze drying technique, which only requires a -80  ° C freezer and a freeze dryer, is shown to provide an on-substrate dispersion of mostly isolated nanoparticles. The particle density could be made sufficiently high for efficient observations using atomic force microscopy. Since this sandwich method is purely physical, it could be applied to deposit various nanoparticles independent of their surface chemical properties. Suspension film thickness, or the dimensionality of the suspension film, was shown to be crucial for the isolation of the particles. Silica nanoparticles were dispersed on a silicon substrate using this method and the sample properties were examined using atomic force microscopy.

Preparation, characterization and antioxidant activity of polysaccharide from spent Lentinus edodes substrate.

PubMed

Zhu, Hongji; Tian, Li; Zhang, Lei; Bi, Jingxiu; Song, Qianqian; Yang, Hui; Qiao, Jianjun

2018-06-01

This study explored the potential of spent Lentinus edodes substrate, a by-product of mushroom industries causing environmental pollution, serving as materials to produce antioxidant polysaccharide. The extraction process of spent Lentinus edodes substrate polysaccharide (SLSP) was optimized and the effects of drying methods on chemical composition, morphological property and antioxidant activity were investigated. Results showed that freeze-dried SLSP (SLSP-F) exhibited the best quality in terms of the polysaccharide yield (13.00%) and antioxidant activity. The EC 50 values of SLSP-F on DPPH, ABTS and superoxide anion radicals was 0.051mg/mL, 0.379mg/mL, 0.719mg/mL, respectively, which was significantly lower than that of freeze-dried Lentinus edodes polysaccharide (LP-F). After purification by Sephadex G-150, the purified SLSP-F (PSP) has a molecular weight of 16.77kDa. Compared with LP-F, PSP has more reducing sugars and uronic acids in chemical composition and higher contents of xylose, glucose and galactose in monosaccharide composition. FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy analysis revealed that PSP has both α and β glycosidic bonds and massive acetyl groups, which is different from LP-F mainly composed of 1, 3 linked α-D-Manp residue with some acetyl groups. The findings provided a reliable approach for the development of antioxidant polysaccharide from spent Lentinus edodes substrate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ESDA®-Lite collection of DNA from latent fingerprints on documents.

PubMed

Plaza, Dane T; Mealy, Jamia L; Lane, J Nicholas; Parsons, M Neal; Bathrick, Abigail S; Slack, Donia P

2015-05-01

The ability to detect and non-destructively collect biological samples for DNA processing would benefit the forensic community by preserving the physical integrity of evidentiary items for more thorough evaluations by other forensic disciplines. The Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA®) was systemically evaluated for its ability to non-destructively collect DNA from latent fingerprints deposited on various paper substrates for short tandem repeat (STR) DNA profiling. Fingerprints were deposited on a variety of paper substrates that included resume paper, cotton paper, magazine paper, currency, copy paper, and newspaper. Three DNA collection techniques were performed: ESDA collection, dry swabbing, and substrate cutting. Efficacy of each collection technique was evaluated by the quantity of DNA present in each sample and the percent profile generated by each sample. Both the ESDA and dry swabbing non-destructive sampling techniques outperformed the destructive methodology of substrate cutting. A greater number of full profiles were generated from samples collected with the non-destructive dry swabbing collection technique than were generated from samples collected with the ESDA; however, the ESDA also allowed the user to visualize the area of interest while non-destructively collecting the biological material. The ability to visualize the biological material made sampling straightforward and eliminated the need for numerous, random swabbings/cuttings. Based on these results, the evaluated non-destructive ESDA collection technique has great potential for real-world forensic implementation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth and elemental content of two tree species growing on abandoned coal fly ash basins. [Liquidambar styraciflua L. ; Platanus occidentalis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlson, C.L.; Adriano, D.C.

Differences in aboveground tissue concentrations of trace elements were assessed for sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) and sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis L.) growing on two abandoned coal fly ash basins and a control soil. The wet basin (pH = 5.58) had originally received precipitator ash in an ash-water slurry, while the dry basin (pH = 8.26) had received both precipitator and bottom ash in dry form. In general, trees from the wet basin exhibited elevated trace element concentrations in comparison to the controls, while the dry basin trees exhibited reduced concentrations. On eof the most striking differenced in elemental concentrations among themore » ash basin and control trees was observed for Mn, with the control trees exhibiting concentrations orders of magnitude greater than the ash basin trees. Differences in foliar trace element concentrations among the sites can generally be explained by differences in substrate trace element concentrations and/or substrate pH. While trees from the wet ash basin generally had the highest trace element concentrations, these trees also attained the greatest height and diameter growth, suggesting that the elevated trace element concentrations in the wet basin substrate are not limiting the establishment of these two species. The greater height and diameter growth of the wet basin trees is presumably a result of the greater water-holding capacity of the substrate on this site. Differences in growth and tissue concentrations between sweetgum and sycamore highlight the importance of using more than one species when assessing metal toxicity or deficiency on a given substrate.« less

Control of Growth Rate by Initial Substrate Concentration at Values Below Maximum Rate

PubMed Central

Gaudy, Anthony F.; Obayashi, Alan; Gaudy, Elizabeth T.

1971-01-01

The hyperbolic relationship between specific growth rate, μ, and substrate concentration, proposed by Monod and used since as the basis for the theory of steady-state growth in continuous-flow systems, was tested experimentally in batch cultures. Use of a Flavobacterium sp. exhibiting a high saturation constant for growth in glucose minimal medium allowed direct measurement of growth rate and substrate concentration throughout the growth cycle in medium containing a rate-limiting initial concentration of glucose. Specific growth rates were also measured for a wide range of initial glucose concentrations. A plot of specific growth rate versus initial substrate concentration was found to fit the hyperbolic equation. However, the instantaneous relationship between specific growth rate and substrate concentration during growth, which is stated by the equation, was not observed. Well defined exponential growth phases were developed at initial substrate concentrations below that required for support of the maximum exponential growth rate and a constant doubling time was maintained until 50% of the substrate had been used. It is suggested that the external substrate concentration initially present “sets” the specific growth rate by establishing a steady-state internal concentration of substrate, possibly through control of the number of permeation sites. PMID:5137579

Wear Characteristics of Ni-Based Hardfacing Alloy Deposited on Stainless Steel Substrate by Laser Cladding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awasthi, Reena; Limaye, P. K.; Kumar, Santosh; Kushwaha, Ram P.; Viswanadham, C. S.; Srivastava, Dinesh; Soni, N. L.; Patel, R. J.; Dey, G. K.

2015-03-01

In this study, dry sliding wear characteristics of the Ni-based hardfacing alloy (Ni-Mo-Cr-Si) deposited on stainless steel SS316L substrate by laser cladding have been presented. Dry sliding wear behavior of the laser clad layer was evaluated against two different counter bodies, AISI 52100 chromium steel (~850 VHN) and tungsten carbide ball (~2200 VHN) to study both adhesive and abrasive wear characteristics, in comparison with the substrate SS316L using ball on plate reciprocating wear tester. The wear resistance was evaluated as a function of load and sliding speed for a constant sliding amplitude and sliding distance. The wear mechanisms were studied on the basis of wear surface morphology and microchemical analysis of the wear track using SEM-EDS. Laser clad layer of Ni-Mo-Cr-Si on SS316L exhibited much higher hardness (~700 VHN) than that of substrate SS316L (~200 VHN). The laser clad layer exhibited higher wear resistance as compared to SS316L substrate while sliding against both the counterparts. However, the improvement in the wear resistance of the clad layer as compared to the substrate was much higher while sliding against AISI 52100 chromium steel than that while sliding against WC, at the same contact stress intensity.

A process for preparing an ultra-thin, adhesiveless, multi-layered, patterned polymer substrate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Robert G. (Inventor); Kruse, Nancy H. M. (Inventor); Fox, Robert L. (Inventor); Tran, Sang Q. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A process for preparing an ultra-thin, adhesiveless, multi-layered, patterned polymer substrate is disclosed. The process may be used to prepare both rigid and flexible cables and circuit boards. A substrate is provided and a polymeric solution comprising a self-bonding, soluble polymer and a solvent is applied to the substrate. Next, the polymer solution is dried to form a polymer coated substrate. The polymer coated substrate is metallized and patterned. At least one additional coating of the polymeric solution is applied to the metallized, patterned, polymer coated substrate and the steps of metallizing and patterning are repeated. Lastly, a cover coat is applied. When preparing a flexible cable and flexible circuit board, the polymer coating is removed from the substrate.

Drying kinetic of industrial cassava flour: Experimental data in view.

PubMed

Odetunmibi, Oluwole A; Adejumo, Oluyemisi A; Oguntunde, Pelumi E; Okagbue, Hilary I; Adejumo, Adebowale O; Suleiman, Esivue A

2017-12-01

In this data article, laboratory experimental investigation results on drying kinetic properties: the drying temperature ( T ), drying air velocity ( V ) and dewatering time (Te), each of the factors has five levels, and the experiment was replicated three times and the output: drying rate and drying time obtained, were observed. The experiment was conducted at National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) for a period of eight months, in 2014. Analysis of variance was carried out using randomized complete block design with factorial experiment on each of the outputs: drying rate and drying times of the industrial cassava flour. A clear picture on each of these outputs was provided separately using tables and figures. It was observed that all the main factors as well as two and three ways interactions are significant at 5% level for both drying time and rate. This also implies that the rate of drying grated unfermented cassava mash, to produce industrial cassava flour, depend on the dewatering time (the initial moisture content), temperature of drying, velocity of drying air as well as the combinations of these factors altogether. It was also discovered that all the levels of each of these factors are significantly difference from one another. In summary, the time of drying is a function of the dewatering time which was responsible for the initial moisture content. The higher the initial moisture content the longer the time of drying, and the lower the initial moisture content, the lower the time of drying. Also, the higher the temperature of drying the shorter the time of drying and vice versa. Also, the air velocity effect on the drying process was significant. As velocity increases, rate of drying also increases and vice versa. Finally, it can be deduced that the drying kinetics are influenced by these processing factors.

Filter and method of fabricating

DOEpatents

Janney, Mark A.

2006-02-14

A method of making a filter includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a porous surface; applying to the porous surface a coating of dry powder comprising particles to form a filter preform; and heating the filter preform to bind the substrate and the particles together to form a filter.

Cold Spray Coating of Submicronic Ceramic Particles on Poly(vinyl alcohol) in Dry and Hydrogel States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreau, David; Borit, François; Corté, Laurent; Guipont, Vincent

2017-06-01

We report an approach using cold spray technology to coat poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in polymer and hydrogel states with hydroxyapatite (HA). Using porous aggregated HA powder, we hypothesized that fragmentation of the powder upon cold spray could lead to formation of a ceramic coating on the surface of the PVA substrate. However, direct spraying of this powder led to complete destruction of the swollen PVA hydrogel substrate. As an alternative, HA coatings were successfully produced by spraying onto dry PVA substrates prior to swelling in water. Dense homogeneous HA coatings composed of submicron particles were obtained using rather low-energy spraying parameters (temperature 200-250 °C, pressure 1-3 MPa). Coated PVA substrates could swell in water without removal of the ceramic layer to form HA-coated hydrogels. Microscopic observations and in situ measurements were used to explain how local heating and impact of sprayed aggregates induced surface roughening and strong binding of HA particles to the molten PVA substrate. Such an approach could lead to design of ceramic coatings whose roughness and crystallinity can be finely adjusted to improve interfacing with biological tissues.

The Influence of Hydrophobicity, Inorganic Amendments and Surfactants on Turfgrass Establishment, Growth and Quality in Constructed Root Zone Mixes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMillan, Mica Franklin

Soil water repellency (SWR) negatively affects turfgrass growth and quality and impedes uniform distribution of water, particularly in sand-based rootzones. Surfactants and soil amendments such as calcined clay are two approaches to improving soil hydrological properties affected by SWR. However, studying SWR in the field is difficult due to the extreme spatial variability in the soil profile. An objective of this dissertation was to assess two methods to impart SWR on sand and examine SWR amelioration strategies using these procedures under a plant environment and deficit irrigation. To determine effectiveness of artificial hydrophobicity, two methods produced severely hydrophobic substrates: stearic acid sand (HSS) and sand:peat (90:10 sand:peat v/v)(HSP). Greenhouse studies compared the effects of substrates HSS, HSP, 100% sand (SAND), sand:peat (90:10 v/v) (SP), sand:calcined clay (90:10 v/v) (CC) and naturally water repellent sand (NWRS) on bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt Davy] establishment and growth. Results indicate that HSS and HSP were not toxic to turfgrass but initially, hindered bermudagrass growth. At trials end, SWR had declined in both soils. A second greenhouse study assessed surfactant chemistry on substrates. After three dry downs, surfactants generally improved turfgrass quality in SAND and CC but had no significant effect in HSP and SP. Water drop penetration tests deemed CC and SAND wettable and HSP and SP nonwettable. Contact angle analysis found CC and SAND to be subcritically water repellent while HSP and SP were water repellent. Both HSP and HSS could be used to evaluate the influence of SWR on plant growth. However, both methods have disadvantages. CC remained wettable after several dry downs. In another greenhouse study, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) seeds coated with 10% w/w alkyl-terminated block copolymer surfactant seed coating (SC) were evaluated as an amelioration strategy. Seed treated with surfactant yielded similar or greater percent coverage, shoot growth, root weight and increased volumetric water in the majority of substrates when compared to substrates sown with untreated seed. Coating seeds with surfactant may be used as a method to improve seed germination, establishment and enhance soil moisture, particularly under deficit irrigation.

Reach-scale cation exchange controls on major ion chemistry of an Antarctic glacial meltwater stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gooseff, Michael N.; McKnight, Diane M.; Runkel, Robert L.

2004-01-01

McMurdo dry valleys of Antarctica represent the largest of the ice-free areas on the Antarctic continent, containing glaciers, meltwater streams, and closed basin lakes. Previous geochemical studies of dry valley streams and lakes have addressed chemical weathering reactions of hyporheic substrate and geochemical evolution of dry valley surface waters. We examine cation transport and exchange reactions during a stream tracer experiment in a dry valley glacial meltwater stream. The injection solution was composed of dissolved Li+, Na+, K+, and Cl-. Chloride behaved conservatively in this stream, but Li+, Na+, and K+ were reactive to varying degrees. Mass balance analysis indicates that relative to Cl-, Li+ and K+ were taken up in downstream transport and Na+ was released. Simulations of conservative and reactive (first-order uptake or generation) solute transport were made with the OTIS (one-dimensional solute transport with inflow and storage) model. Among the four experimental reaches of Green Creek, solute transport simulations reveal that Li+ was removed from stream water in all four reaches, K+ was released in two reaches, taken up in one reach, and Na+ was released in all four reaches. Hyporheic sediments appear to be variable with uptake of Li+ in two reaches, uptake of K+ in one reach, release of K+ in two reaches, and uptake of Na+ in one reach. Mass balances of the conservative and reactive simulations show that from 1.05 to 2.19 moles of Li+ was adsorbed per reach, but less than 0.3 moles of K+ and less than 0.9 moles of Na+ were released per reach. This suggests that either (1) exchange of another ion which was not analyzed in this experiment or (2) that both ion exchange and sorption control inorganic solute transport. The elevated cation concentrations introduced during the experiment are typical of initial flows in each flow season, which flush accumulated dry salts from the streambed. We propose that the bed sediments (which compose the hyporheic zone) modulate the flushing of these salts during initial flows each season, due to ion exchange and sorption reactions.

Formation of Valley Networks in a Cold and Icy Early Mars Climate: Predictions for Erosion Rates and Channel Morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassanelli, J.

2017-12-01

Mars is host to a diverse array of valley networks, systems of linear-to-sinuous depressions which are widely distributed across the surface and which exhibit branching patterns similar to the dendritic drainage patterns of terrestrial fluvial systems. Characteristics of the valley networks are indicative of an origin by fluvial activity, providing among the most compelling evidence for the past presence of flowing liquid water on the surface of Mars. Stratigraphic and crater age dating techniques suggest that the formation of the valley networks occurred predominantly during the early geologic history of Mars ( 3.7 Ga). However, whether the valley networks formed predominantly by rainfall in a relatively warm and wet early Mars climate, or by snowmelt and episodic rainfall in an ambient cold and icy climate, remains disputed. Understanding the formative environment of the valley networks will help distinguish between these warm and cold end-member early Mars climate models. Here we test a conceptual model for channel incision and evolution under cold and icy conditions with a substrate characterized by the presence of an ice-free dry active layer and subjacent ice-cemented regolith, similar to that found in the Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys. We implement numerical thermal models, quantitative erosion and transport estimates, and morphometric analyses in order to outline predictions for (1) the precise nature and structure of the substrate, (2) fluvial erosion/incision rates, and (3) channel morphology. Model predictions are compared against morphologic and morphometric observational data to evaluate consistency with the assumed cold climate scenario. In the cold climate scenario, the substrate is predicted to be characterized by a kilometers-thick globally-continuous cryosphere below a 50-100 meter thick desiccated ice-free zone. Initial results suggest that, with the predicted substrate structure, fluvial channel erosion and morphology in a cold early Mars climate exposed to episodic high temperatures will not differ significantly from that in a warm climate. The fundamentally different hydrologic conditions are likely to influence other aspects of valley network morphology and morphometry including: drainage density, drainage pattern, and stream orders.

Component optimization of dairy manure vermicompost, straw, and peat in seedling compressed substrates using simplex-centroid design.

PubMed

Yang, Longyuan; Cao, Hongliang; Yuan, Qiaoxia; Luoa, Shuai; Liu, Zhigang

2018-03-01

Vermicomposting is a promising method to disposal dairy manures, and the dairy manure vermicompost (DMV) to replace expensive peat is of high value in the application of seedling compressed substrates. In this research, three main components: DMV, straw, and peat, are conducted in the compressed substrates, and the effect of individual components and the corresponding optimal ratio for the seedling production are significant. To address these issues, the simplex-centroid experimental mixture design is employed, and the cucumber seedling experiment is conducted to evaluate the compressed substrates. Results demonstrated that the mechanical strength and physicochemical properties of compressed substrates for cucumber seedling can be well satisfied with suitable mixture ratio of the components. Moreover, DMV, straw, and peat) could be determined at 0.5917:0.1608:0.2475 when the weight coefficients of the three parameters (shoot length, root dry weight, and aboveground dry weight) were 1:1:1. For different purpose, the optimum ratio can be little changed on the basis of different weight coefficients. Compressed substrate is lump and has certain mechanical strength, produced by application of mechanical pressure to the seedling substrates. It will not harm seedlings when bedding out the seedlings, since the compressed substrate and seedling are bedded out together. However, there is no one using the vermicompost and agricultural waste components of compressed substrate for vegetable seedling production before. Thus, it is important to understand the effect of individual components to seedling production, and to determine the optimal ratio of components.

Microfluidic-based photocatalytic microreactor for environmental application: a review of fabrication substrates and techniques, and operating parameters.

PubMed

Das, Susmita; Srivastava, Vimal Chandra

2016-06-08

Photochemical technology with microfluidics is emerging as a new platform in environmental science. Microfluidic technology has various advantages, like better mixing and a shorter diffusion distance for the reactants and products; and uniform distribution of light on the photocatalyst. Depending on the material type and related applications, several fabrication techniques have been adopted by various researchers. Microreactors have been prepared by various techniques, such as lithography, etching, mechanical microcutting technology, etc. Lithography can be classified into photolithography, soft lithography and X-ray lithography techniques whereas the etching process is divided into wet etching (chemical etching) and dry etching (plasma etching) techniques. Several substrates, like polymers, such as polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS), polymethyle-methacrylate (PMMA), hydrogel, etc.; metals, such as stainless steel, titanium foil, etc.; glass, such as silica capillary, glass slide, etc.; and ceramics have been used for microchannel fabrication. During degradation in a microreactor, the degradation efficiency is affected by few important parameters such as flow rate, initial concentration of the target compound, microreactor dimensions, light intensity, photocatalyst structure and catalyst support. The present paper discusses and critically reviews fabrication techniques and substrates used for microchannel fabrication and critical operating parameters for organics, especially dye degradation in the microreactor. The kinetics of degradation has also been discussed.

Biotechnological application of sustainable biogas production through dry anaerobic digestion of Napier grass.

PubMed

Dussadee, Natthawud; Ramaraj, Rameshprabu; Cheunbarn, Tapana

2017-05-01

Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), represents an interesting substrate for biogas production. The research project evaluated biogas potential production from dry anaerobic digestion of Napier grass using batch experiment. To enhance the biogas production from ensiled Napier grass, thermal and alkaline pre-treatments were performed in batch mode. Alkali hydrolysis of Napier grass was performed prior to batch dry anaerobic digestion at three different mild concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The study results confirmed that NaOH pretreated sample produced high yield of biogas than untreated (raw) and hot water pretreated samples. Napier grass was used as the mono-substrate. The biogas composition of carbon dioxide (30.10%), methane (63.50%) and 5 ppm of H 2 S was estimated from the biogas. Therefore, fast-growing, high-yielding and organic matter-enriched of Napier grass was promising energy crop for biogas production.

Au nanoparticles films used in biological sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosales Pérez, M.; Delgado Macuil, R.; Rojas López, M.; Gayou, V. L.; Sánchez Ramírez, J. F.

2009-05-01

Lactobacillus para paracasei are used commonly as functional food and probiotic substances. In this work Au nanoparticles self-assembled films were used for Lactobacillus para paracasei determination at five different concentrations. Functionalized substrates were immersed in a colloidal solution for one and a half hour at room temperature and dried at room temperature during four hours. After that, drops of Lactobacillus para paracasei in aqueous solution were put into the Au nanoparticles film and let dry at room temperature for another two hours. Infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance sampling mode was used to observe generation peaks due to substrate silanization, enhancement of Si-O band intensity due to the Au colloids added to silanized substrate and also to observe the enhancement of Lactobacillus para paracasei infrared intensity of the characteristic frequencies at 1650, 1534 and 1450 cm-1 due to surface enhancement infrared absorption.

Isothermal dehydration of thin films of water and sugar solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heyd, R.; Rampino, A.; Bellich, B.; Elisei, E.; Cesàro, A.; Saboungi, M.-L.

2014-03-01

The process of quasi-isothermal dehydration of thin films of pure water and aqueous sugar solutions is investigated with a dual experimental and theoretical approach. A nanoporous paper disk with a homogeneous internal structure was used as a substrate. This experimental set-up makes it possible to gather thermodynamic data under well-defined conditions, develop a numerical model, and extract needed information about the dehydration process, in particular the water activity. It is found that the temperature evolution of the pure water film is not strictly isothermal during the drying process, possibly due to the influence of water diffusion through the cellulose web of the substrate. The role of sugar is clearly detectable and its influence on the dehydration process can be identified. At the end of the drying process, trehalose molecules slow down the diffusion of water molecules through the substrate in a more pronounced way than do the glucose molecules.

Isothermal dehydration of thin films of water and sugar solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heyd, R.; Rampino, A.; Laboratory of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste

The process of quasi-isothermal dehydration of thin films of pure water and aqueous sugar solutions is investigated with a dual experimental and theoretical approach. A nanoporous paper disk with a homogeneous internal structure was used as a substrate. This experimental set-up makes it possible to gather thermodynamic data under well-defined conditions, develop a numerical model, and extract needed information about the dehydration process, in particular the water activity. It is found that the temperature evolution of the pure water film is not strictly isothermal during the drying process, possibly due to the influence of water diffusion through the cellulose webmore » of the substrate. The role of sugar is clearly detectable and its influence on the dehydration process can be identified. At the end of the drying process, trehalose molecules slow down the diffusion of water molecules through the substrate in a more pronounced way than do the glucose molecules.« less

Forest litter crickets prefer higher substrate moisture for oviposition: Evidence from field and lab experiments

PubMed Central

Sperber, Carlos Frankl; Albeny-Simões, Daniel; Breaux, Jennifer Ann; Fianco, Marcos; Szinwelski, Neucir

2017-01-01

For insects, choosing a favorable oviposition site is a type of parental care, as far as it increases the fitness of its offspring. Niche theory predicts that crickets should show a bell-shaped oviposition response to substrate moisture. However, lab experiments with mole crickets showed a linear oviposition response to substrate moisture. Studies with the house cricket Acheta domesticus also showed a linear juvenile body growth response to water availability, thus adult ovipositing females should respond positively to substrate moisture. We used a field experiment to evaluate the relationship between oviposition preference and substrate moisture in forest litter-dwelling cricket species. We also evaluated oviposition responses to substrate moisture level in Ubiquepuella telytokous, the most abundant litter cricket species in our study area, using a laboratory study. We offered cotton substrate for oviposition which varied in substrate moisture level from zero (i.e., dry) to maximum water absorption capacity. We used two complementary metrics to evaluate oviposition preference: (i) presence or absence of eggs in each sampling unit as binary response variable, and (ii) number of eggs oviposited per sampling unit as count response variable. To test for non-linear responses, we adjusted generalized additive models (GAMM) with mixed effects. We found that both cricket oviposition probability and effort (i.e., number of eggs laid) increased linearly with substrate moisture in the field experiment, and for U. telytokous in the lab experiment. We discarded any non-linear responses. Our results demonstrate the importance of substrate moisture as an ecological niche dimension for litter crickets. This work bolsters knowledge of litter cricket life history association with moisture, and suggests that litter crickets may be particularly threatened by changes in climate that favor habitat drying. PMID:28977023

Forest litter crickets prefer higher substrate moisture for oviposition: Evidence from field and lab experiments.

PubMed

de Farias-Martins, Fernando; Sperber, Carlos Frankl; Albeny-Simões, Daniel; Breaux, Jennifer Ann; Fianco, Marcos; Szinwelski, Neucir

2017-01-01

For insects, choosing a favorable oviposition site is a type of parental care, as far as it increases the fitness of its offspring. Niche theory predicts that crickets should show a bell-shaped oviposition response to substrate moisture. However, lab experiments with mole crickets showed a linear oviposition response to substrate moisture. Studies with the house cricket Acheta domesticus also showed a linear juvenile body growth response to water availability, thus adult ovipositing females should respond positively to substrate moisture. We used a field experiment to evaluate the relationship between oviposition preference and substrate moisture in forest litter-dwelling cricket species. We also evaluated oviposition responses to substrate moisture level in Ubiquepuella telytokous, the most abundant litter cricket species in our study area, using a laboratory study. We offered cotton substrate for oviposition which varied in substrate moisture level from zero (i.e., dry) to maximum water absorption capacity. We used two complementary metrics to evaluate oviposition preference: (i) presence or absence of eggs in each sampling unit as binary response variable, and (ii) number of eggs oviposited per sampling unit as count response variable. To test for non-linear responses, we adjusted generalized additive models (GAMM) with mixed effects. We found that both cricket oviposition probability and effort (i.e., number of eggs laid) increased linearly with substrate moisture in the field experiment, and for U. telytokous in the lab experiment. We discarded any non-linear responses. Our results demonstrate the importance of substrate moisture as an ecological niche dimension for litter crickets. This work bolsters knowledge of litter cricket life history association with moisture, and suggests that litter crickets may be particularly threatened by changes in climate that favor habitat drying.

Prebiotic Peptide (Amide) Bond Synthesis Accelerated by Glycerol and Bicarbonate Under Neutral to Alkaline Dry-Down Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forsythe, J. G.; Weber, A. L.

2017-07-01

We report a new process for robust peptide bond synthesis in the pH 6–10 range that involves dry-down heating of amino acids in the presence of glycerol and bicarbonate (substrates: L-alanine, L-2-aminobutyric acid, β-alanine, isoserine).

Method for applying a high-temperature bond coat on a metal substrate, and related compositions and articles

DOEpatents

Hasz, Wayne Charles; Sangeeta, D

2006-04-18

A method for applying a bond coat on a metal-based substrate is described. A slurry which contains braze material and a volatile component is deposited on the substrate. The slurry can also include bond coat material. Alternatively, the bond coat material can be applied afterward, in solid form or in the form of a second slurry. The slurry and bond coat are then dried and fused to the substrate. A repair technique using this slurry is also described, along with related compositions and articles.

Method for applying a high-temperature bond coat on a metal substrate, and related compositions and articles

DOEpatents

Hasz, Wayne Charles; Sangeeta, D

2002-01-01

A method for applying a bond coat on a metal-based substrate is described. A slurry which contains braze material and a volatile component is deposited on the substrate. The slurry can also include bond coat material. Alternatively, the bond coat material can be applied afterward, in solid form or in the form of a second slurry. The slurry and bond coat are then dried and fused to the substrate. A repair technique using this slurry is also described, along with related compositions and articles.

Method of applying a cerium diffusion coating to a metallic alloy

DOEpatents

Jablonski, Paul D [Salem, OR; Alman, David E [Benton, OR

2009-06-30

A method of applying a cerium diffusion coating to a preferred nickel base alloy substrate has been discovered. A cerium oxide paste containing a halide activator is applied to the polished substrate and then dried. The workpiece is heated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to diffuse cerium into the substrate. After cooling, any remaining cerium oxide is removed. The resulting cerium diffusion coating on the nickel base substrate demonstrates improved resistance to oxidation. Cerium coated alloys are particularly useful as components in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC).

Methane Potential and Microbial Community Dynamics in Anaerobic Digestion of Silage and Dry Cornstalks: a Substrate Exchange Study.

PubMed

Zhao, Ye; Yuan, Xufeng; Wen, Boting; Wang, Xiaofen; Zhu, Wanbin; Cui, Zongjun

2017-01-01

Silage and dry are the two typical cornstalk forms. Either form could be used as substrate in biogas plants and might be replaced by another when shortage occurred. This study focused on the feeding sequence of these two kinds of feedstocks, aiming to discuss their specific methane potential (SMP). A 15-day hydraulic retention time was chosen for semi-continuous experiments based on the batch test results. In semi-continuous experiments, before and after feedstocks were exchanged, the significantly decreased and comparable SMPs of silage and dry cornstalks indicated that a basis of unstable digestion would result in incomplete methane release from the subsequent digestion. A higher similarity of bacterial community structure and greater quantity of bacteria were shown in acidified silage cornstalk digestion through band similarity analysis. Methanosaetaceae and methanomicrobiales were the predominant methanogens, and aceticlastic methanogenesis was the main route for methane production. The different feeding sequences affected the hydrolysis course and further influenced the methanogenic proliferation. Our work suggests that silage cornstalk digestion should be conducted before dry cornstalk digestion.

Polymer subtrates for dry-coupled ultrasonic transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komsky, Igor N.

2003-07-01

Dry-coupled inspection techniques are very important for applications on components with non-uniform surfaces and for inspections of advanced materials or coatings that are porous or otherwise sensitive to the application of water, gel, or some other ultrasonic couplants. To overcome the problems associated with the liquid coupling medium, a number of polymer films have been developed to transmit the ultrasound through a dry interface. These materials are very flexible so even low pressure loading is sufficient to adapt the films to the irregular inspection surfaces. Several polymer films have been evaluated to develop dry-coupled substrates for transducer modules. The modules will be utilized to detect and characterize fatigue cracks and corrosion spots in the aircraft structures. Ultrasonic properties of the polymer films were measured and compared with the properties of plastic or rubber-like materials commonly used for ultrasonic applications. Experiments have been carried out to analyze propagation of longitudinal and shear waves in the films. Two different types of the ultrasonic modules with the flexible polymer substrates are being developed. The influence of the surface condition on the module performance was evaluated for both types of the modules.

Production of phytase by Mucor racemosus in solid-state fermentation.

PubMed

Bogar, Barbara; Szakacs, George; Pandey, Ashok; Abdulhameed, Sabu; Linden, James C; Tengerdy, Robert P

2003-01-01

Phytase production was studied by three Mucor and eight Rhizopus strains by solid-state fermentation (SSF) on three commonly used natural feed ingredients (canola meal, coconut oil cake, wheat bran). Mucor racemosus NRRL 1994 (ATCC 46129) gave the highest yield (14.5 IU/g dry matter phytase activity) on coconut oil cake. Optimizing the supplementation of coconut oil cake with glucose, casein and (NH(4))(2)SO(4), phytase production in solid-state fermentation was increased to 26 IU/g dry matter (DM). Optimization was carried out by Plackett-Burman and central composite experimental designs. Using the optimized medium phytase, alpha-amylase and lipase production of Mucor racemosus NRRL 1994 was compared in solid-state fermentation and in shake flask (SF) fermentation. SSF yielded higher phytase activity than did SF based on mass of initial substrate. Because this particular isolate is a food-grade fungus that has been used for sufu fermentation in China, the whole SSF material (crude enzyme, in situ enzyme) may be used directly in animal feed rations with enhanced cost efficiency.

Photoconductivity in DNA-Porphyrin Complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myint, Peco; Oxford, Emma; Nyazenga, Collence; Smith, Walter; Qi, Zhengqing; Johnson, A. T.

2015-03-01

We have measured the photoconductivity of λ - DNA that is modified by intercalating a porphyrin compound, meso-tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridiniumyl)porphyrin (TMPyP), into its base stacks. Intercalation was verified by a red shift and hypochromism of the Soret absorption peak. The DNA/porphyrin strands were then deposited onto oxidized silicon substrates which had been patterned with interdigitated electrodes, and blown dry. Electrical measurements were carried out under nitrogen, using illumination from a 445 nm laser; this wavelength falls within the absorption peak of the DNA/porphyrin complexes. When initially measured under dry nitrogen, the complexes show no photoconductivity or dark conductivity. However, at relative humidities of 30% and above, we do observe dark conductivity, and also photoconductivity that grows with time. Photoconductivity gets larger at higher relative humidity. Remarkably, when the humidity is lowered again, some photoconductivity is now observed, indicating a change that persists for more than 24 hours. It may be that the humidity alters the structure of the DNA, perhaps allowing for better alignment of the bases. This work was supported by NSF Grant BMAT-1306170.

Auto-optimization of dewetting rates by rim instabilities in slipping polymer films.

PubMed

Reiter, G; Sharma, A

2001-10-15

We investigated the instability of the moving rim in dewetting of slipping polymer films. Small fluctuations of the width of the rim get spontaneously amplified since narrower sections of the rim move faster than wider ones due to frictional forces being proportional to the width of the rim. Instability leads eventually to an autocontrol of the rim width by the continuous formation of droplets with a mean size proportional to the initial film thickness. Surprisingly, the mean dewetting velocity at late stages, averaged over the length of the rim, was found to be constant. Thus, the instability of the rim enabled a more efficient, i.e., faster, "drying" of the substrate. Nonslipping films did not show this instability.

Auto-Optimization of Dewetting Rates by Rim Instabilities in Slipping Polymer Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiter, Günter; Sharma, Ashutosh

2001-10-01

We investigated the instability of the moving rim in dewetting of slipping polymer films. Small fluctuations of the width of the rim get spontaneously amplified since narrower sections of the rim move faster than wider ones due to frictional forces being proportional to the width of the rim. Instability leads eventually to an autocontrol of the rim width by the continuous formation of droplets with a mean size proportional to the initial film thickness. Surprisingly, the mean dewetting velocity at late stages, averaged over the length of the rim, was found to be constant. Thus, the instability of the rim enabled a more efficient, i.e., faster, ``drying'' of the substrate. Nonslipping films did not show this instability.

Reconditioning of semiconductor substrates to remove photoresist during semiconductor device fabrication

DOEpatents

Farino, Anthony J.

2004-01-27

A method for reconditioning the surface of a semiconductor substrate to remove an unwanted (i.e. defective) layer of photoresist is disclosed. The method adapts a conventional automated spinner which is used to rotate the substrate at high speed while a stream of a first solvent (e.g. acetone) is used to dissolve the photoresist. A stream of a second solvent (e.g. methanol) is then used to clean the substrate at a lower speed, with the substrate being allowed to dry with continued rotation. The method of the present invention can be used within a photolithography track so that the substrates need never leave the track for reconditioning.

Kinetics of enzymatic high-solid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass studied by calorimetry.

PubMed

Olsen, Søren N; Lumby, Erik; McFarland, Kc; Borch, Kim; Westh, Peter

2011-03-01

Enzymatic hydrolysis of high-solid biomass (>10% w/w dry mass) has become increasingly important as a key step in the production of second-generation bioethanol. To this end, development of quantitative real-time assays is desirable both for empirical optimization and for detailed kinetic analysis. In the current work, we have investigated the application of isothermal calorimetry to study the kinetics of enzymatic hydrolysis of two substrates (pretreated corn stover and Avicel) at high-solid contents (up to 29% w/w). It was found that the calorimetric heat flow provided a true measure of the hydrolysis rate with a detection limit of about 500 pmol glucose s(-1). Hence, calorimetry is shown to be a highly sensitive real-time method, applicable for high solids, and independent on the complexity of the substrate. Dose-response experiments with a typical cellulase cocktail enabled a multidimensional analysis of the interrelationships of enzyme load and the rate, time, and extent of the reaction. The results suggest that the hydrolysis rate of pretreated corn stover is limited initially by available attack points on the substrate surface (<10% conversion) but becomes proportional to enzyme dosage (excess of attack points) at later stages (>10% conversion). This kinetic profile is interpreted as an increase in polymer end concentration (substrate for CBH) as the hydrolysis progresses, probably due to EG activity in the enzyme cocktail. Finally, irreversible enzyme inactivation did not appear to be the source of reduced hydrolysis rate over time.

Physical and chemical characterization of biochars produced from coppiced wood of thirteen tree species for use in horticultural substrates

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Seven-year-old coppiced shoots from thirteen species of native and non-native trees and shrubs were harvested, dried, and were pyrolyzed to produce biochars for potential use in horticultural substrates. Several chemical and physical characteristics of the biochars were determined. There were slight...

40 CFR 60.741 - Definitions, symbols, and cross-reference tables.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... prepolymers to a supporting web other than paper, plastic film, metallic foil, or metal coil. Substrate means... (i) entering the emission control device, in dry standard cubic meters per hour when Method 18 or 25... coats a continuous web to produce a substrate with a polymeric coating. Should the coating process not...

Biotechnological conversion of waste cooking olive oil into lipid-rich biomass using Aspergillus and Penicillium strains.

PubMed

Papanikolaou, S; Dimou, A; Fakas, S; Diamantopoulou, P; Philippoussis, A; Galiotou-Panayotou, M; Aggelis, G

2011-05-01

In this study, we have investigated the biochemical behaviour of Aspergillus sp. (five strains) and Penicillium expansum (one strain) fungi cultivated on waste cooking olive oil. The production of lipid-rich biomass was the main target of the work. In parallel, the biosynthesis of other extracellular metabolites (organic acids) and enzyme (lipase) and the substrate fatty acid specificity of the strains were studied. Carbon-limited cultures were performed on waste oil, added in the growth medium at 15g l(-1) , and high biomass quantities were produced (up to c.18g l(-1) , conversion yield of c. 1·0 g of dry biomass formed per g of fat consumed or higher). Cellular lipids were accumulated in notable quantities in almost all cultures. Aspergillus sp. ATHUM 3482 accumulated lipid up to 64·0% (w/w) in dry fungal mass. In parallel, extracellular lipase activity was quantified, and it was revealed to be strain and fermentation time dependent, with a maximum quantity of 645 U ml(-1) being obtained by Aspergillus niger NRRL 363. Storage lipid content significantly decreased at the stationary growth phase. Some differences in the fatty acid composition of both cellular and residual lipids when compared with the initial substrate fat used were observed; in various cases, cellular lipids more saturated and enriched with arachidic acid were produced. Aspergillus strains produced oxalic acid up to 5·0 g l(-1) . Aspergillus and Penicillium strains are able to convert waste cooking olive oil into high-added-value products.   Increasing fatty wastes amounts are annually produced. The current study provided an alternative way of biovalourization of these materials, by using them as substrates, to produce added-value compounds. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Protein enrichment, cellulase production and in vitro digestion improvement of pangolagrass with solid state fermentation.

PubMed

Hu, Chan-Chin; Liu, Li-Yun; Yang, Shang-Shyng

2012-02-01

Pangolagrass, Digitaria decumbens Stent, is a major grass for cow feeding, and may be a good substrate for protein enrichment. To improve the quality of pangolagrass for animal feeding, cellulolytic microbes were isolated from various sources and cultivated with solid state fermentation to enhance the protein content, cellulase production and in vitro digestion. The microbes, culture conditions and culture media were studied. Cellulolytic microbes were isolated from pangolagrass and its extracts, and composts. Pangolagrass supplemented with nitrogen and minerals was used to cultivate the cellulolytic microbes with solid state fermentation. The optimal conditions for protein enrichment and cellulase activity were pangolagrass substrate at initial moisture 65-70%, initial pH 6.0-8.0, supplementation with 2.5% (NH(4))(2)SO(4), 2.5% KH(2)PO(4) and K(2)HPO(4) mixture (2:1, w/w) and 0.3% MgSO(4).7H(2)O and cultivated at 30(o)C for 6 days. The protein content of fermented pangolagrass increased from 5.97-6.28% to 7.09-16.96% and the in vitro digestion improved from 4.11-4.38% to 6.08-19.89% with the inoculation of cellulolytic microbes by solid state fermentation. Each 1 g of dried substrate yielded Avicelase 0.93-3.76 U, carboxymethylcellulase 1.39-4.98 U and β-glucosidase 1.20-6.01 U. The isolate Myceliophthora lutea CL3 was the strain found to be the best at improving the quality of pangolagrass for animal feeding with solid state fermentation. Solid state fermentation of pangolagrass inoculated with appropriate microbes is a feasible process to enrich protein content, increase in vitro digestibility and improve the quality for animal feeding. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Suppression of coffee ring: (Particle) size matters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bansal, Lalit; Seth, Pranjal; Murugappan, Bhubesh; Basu, Saptarshi

2018-05-01

Coffee ring patterns in drying sessile droplets are undesirable in various practical applications. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that on hydrophobic substrates, the coffee ring can be suppressed just by increasing the particle diameter. Particles with larger size flocculate within the evaporation timescale, leading to a significant gravimetric settling (for Pe > 1) triggering a uniform deposit. Interestingly, the transition to a uniform deposit is found to be independent of the internal flow field and substrate properties. Flocculation of particles also alters the particle packing at the nanoscale resulting in order to disorder transitions. In this letter, we exhibit a physical exposition on how particle size affects morphodynamics of the droplet drying at macro-nano length scales.

Development of a special purpose spacecraft interior coating, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartoszek, E. J.; Nannelli, P.

1975-01-01

Coating formulations were developed consisting of latex blends of fluorocarbon polymers, acrylic resins, stabilizers, modifiers, other additives, and a variety of inorganic pigments. Suitable latex primers were also developed from an acrylic latex base. The formulations dried to touch in about one hour and were fully dry in about twenty-four hours under normal room temperature and humidity conditions. The resulting coatings displayed good optical and mechanical properties, including excellent bonding to (pre-treated) substrates. In addition, the preferred compositions were found to be self-extinguishing when applied to nonflammable substrates and could meet the offgassing requirements specified by NASA for the intended application. Improvements are needed in abrasion resistance and hardness.

Quantitative evaluation of haze formation of koji and progression of internal haze by drying of koji during koji making.

PubMed

Ito, Kazunari; Gomi, Katsuya; Kariyama, Masahiro; Miyake, Tsuyoshi

2017-07-01

The construction of an experimental system that can mimic koji making in the manufacturing setting of a sake brewery is initially required for the quantitative evaluation of mycelia grown on/in koji pellets (haze formation). Koji making with rice was investigated with a solid-state fermentation (SSF) system using a non-airflow box (NAB), which produced uniform conditions in the culture substrate with high reproducibility and allowed for the control of favorable conditions in the substrate during culture. The SSF system using NAB accurately reproduced koji making in a manufacturing setting. To evaluate haze formation during koji making, surfaces and cross sections of koji pellets obtained from koji making tests were observed using a digital microscope. Image analysis was used to distinguish between haze and non-haze sections of koji pellets, enabling the evaluation of haze formation in a batch by measuring the haze rate of a specific number of koji pellets. This method allowed us to obtain continuous and quantitative data on the time course of haze formation. Moreover, drying koji during the late stage of koji making was revealed to cause further penetration of mycelia into koji pellets (internal haze). The koji making test with the SSF system using NAB and quantitative evaluation of haze formation in a batch by image analysis is a useful method for understanding the relations between haze formation and koji making conditions. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Copper pollution decreases the resistance of soil microbial community to subsequent dry-rewetting disturbance.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Wang, Jun-Tao; Hu, Hang-Wei; Ma, Yi-Bing; Zhang, Li-Mei; He, Ji-Zheng

2016-01-01

Dry-rewetting (DW) disturbance frequently occurs in soils due to rainfall and irrigation, and the frequency of DW cycles might exert significant influences on soil microbial communities and their mediated functions. However, how microorganisms respond to DW alternations in soils with a history of heavy metal pollution remains largely unknown. Here, soil laboratory microcosms were constructed to explore the impacts of ten DW cycles on the soil microbial communities in two contrasting soils (fluvo-aquic soil and red soil) under three copper concentrations (zero, medium and high). Results showed that the fluctuations of substrate induced respiration (SIR) decreased with repeated cycles of DW alternation. Furthermore, the resistance values of substrate induced respiration (RS-SIR) were highest in non-copper-stressed (zero) soils. Structural equation model (SEM) analysis ascertained that the shifts of bacterial communities determined the changes of RS-SIR in both soils. The rate of bacterial community variance was significantly lower in non-copper-stressed soil compared to the other two copper-stressed (medium and high) soils, which might lead to the higher RS-SIR in the fluvo-aquic soil. As for the red soil, the substantial increase of the dominant group WPS-2 after DW disturbance might result in the low RS-SIR in the high copper-stressed soil. Moreover, in both soils, the bacterial diversity was highest in non-copper-stressed soils. Our results revealed that initial copper stress could decrease the resistance of soil microbial community structure and function to subsequent DW disturbance. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

From dots to doughnuts: Two-dimensionally confined deposition of polyelectrolytes on block copolymer templates

DOE PAGES

Oded, Meirav; Kelly, Stephen T.; Gilles, Mary K.; ...

2016-07-05

The combination of block copolymer templating with electrostatic self-assembly provides a simple and robust method for creating nano-patterned polyelectrolyte multilayers over large areas. The deposition of the first polyelectrolyte layer provides important insights on the initial stages of multilayer buildup. Here, we focus on two-dimensionally confined “dots” patterns afforded by block copolymer films featuring hexagonally-packed cylinders that are oriented normal to the substrate. Rendering the cylinder caps positively charged enables the selective deposition of negatively charged polyelectrolytes on them under salt-free conditions. The initially formed polyelectrolyte nanostructures adopt a toroidal (“doughnut”) shape, which results from retraction of dangling polyelectrolyte segmentsmore » into the “dots” upon drying. With increasing exposure time to the polyelectrolyte solution, the final shape of the deposited polyelectrolyte transitions from a doughnut to a hemisphere. In conclusion, these insights would enable the creation of patterned polyelectrolyte multilayers with increased control over adsorption selectivity of the additional incoming polyelectrolytes.« less

From dots to doughnuts: Two-dimensionally confined deposition of polyelectrolytes on block copolymer templates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oded, Meirav; Kelly, Stephen T.; Gilles, Mary K.

The combination of block copolymer templating with electrostatic self-assembly provides a simple and robust method for creating nano-patterned polyelectrolyte multilayers over large areas. The deposition of the first polyelectrolyte layer provides important insights on the initial stages of multilayer buildup. Here, we focus on two-dimensionally confined “dots” patterns afforded by block copolymer films featuring hexagonally-packed cylinders that are oriented normal to the substrate. Rendering the cylinder caps positively charged enables the selective deposition of negatively charged polyelectrolytes on them under salt-free conditions. The initially formed polyelectrolyte nanostructures adopt a toroidal (“doughnut”) shape, which results from retraction of dangling polyelectrolyte segmentsmore » into the “dots” upon drying. With increasing exposure time to the polyelectrolyte solution, the final shape of the deposited polyelectrolyte transitions from a doughnut to a hemisphere. In conclusion, these insights would enable the creation of patterned polyelectrolyte multilayers with increased control over adsorption selectivity of the additional incoming polyelectrolytes.« less

Conditions Affecting Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) Basidiome Quality, Morphogenesis, and Biodegradation of Wood By-products in Argentina.

PubMed

Kuhar, Francisco; Postemsky, Pablo Daniel; Bianchinotti, Maria Virginia

2018-01-01

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) with the medicinal higher Basidiomycete Ganoderma lucidum was studied as a strategy to use pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) and poplar (Populus nigra L.) wood chips and sawdust. Fruiting bodies were produced and the value of the biotransformed substrate was assessed. The highest mushroom yield (63 g dry weight per kilogram of dry substrate) was obtained with poplar sawdust and wood chips. Immersion of the bioreactors was a simple watering method that obtained suitable yields. Two morphological types were induced using 2 different incandescent light intensities. High light irradiation induced the highest valued mushroom morphology (as a whole product). Time course study of substrate biodegradation and mycelial growth dynamics indicated that the trophophase lasted 20 days and presented laccase activity of 0.01-0.03 units · g-1. The activity at idiophase was 10 times higher. Aqueous and alkali extracts, as well as carbohydrase enzyme profile activity, revealed differences in the properties of the residual substrate; some related to the substrate source are considered to be of concern for further use of this pretreated biomass. In view of the results obtained, we propose use of SSF of pine and poplar with G. lucidum to profitably recycle softwood by-products from the timber industry.

Thermally dried ink-jet process for 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene for high mobility and high uniformity on a large area substrate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryu, Gi Seong; Lee, Myung Won; Jeong, Seung Hyeon; Song, Chung Kun

2012-01-01

In this study we developed a simple ink-jet process for 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene (TIPS-pentacene), which is known as a high-mobility soluble organic semiconductor, to achieve relatively high-mobility and high-uniformity performance for large-area applications. We analyzed the behavior of fluorescent particles in droplets and applied the results to determining a method of controlling the behavior of TIPS-pentacene molecules. The grain morphology of TIPS-pentacene varied depending on the temperature applied to the droplets during drying. We were able to obtain large and uniform grains at 46 degrees C without any "coffee stain". The process was applied to a large-size organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) backplane for an electrophoretic display panel containing 192 x 150 pixels on a 6-in.-sized substrate. The average of mobilities of 36 OTFTs, which were taken from different locations of the backplane, was 0.44 +/- 0.08 cm2.V-1.s-1, with a small deviation of 20%, over a 6-in.-size area comprising 28,800 OTFTs. This process providing high mobility and high uniformity can be achieved by simply maintaining the whole area of the substrate at a specific temperature (46 degrees C in this case) during drying of the droplets.

Potential of Cultivated Ganoderma lucidum Mushrooms for the Production of Supplements Enriched with Essential Elements.

PubMed

Rzymski, Piotr; Mleczek, Mirosław; Niedzielski, Przemysław; Siwulski, Marek; Gąsecka, Monika

2016-03-01

Ganoderma lucidum is an important medicinal mushroom species and there is continuous interest in its bioactive properties. This study evaluated whether it may additionally serve as a nutritional supplement for the trace elements: selenium (Se), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Mushrooms were cultivated on substrates enriched with 0.1 to 0.8 mM of inorganic Se alone or in combination with Zn and/or Cu. Supplementation increased accumulation of the elements in fruiting bodies regardless of the applied cultivation model. G. lucidum demonstrated the ability to accumulate significant amounts of organic Se, maximally amounting to (i) over 44 mg/kg when the substrate was supplemented only with Se, (ii) over 20 mg/kg in the Se+Cu model, (iii) over 25 mg/kg in the Se+Zn model, and (iv) 15 mg/kg in the Se+Cu+Zn model. The accumulation of Cu and Zn steadily increased with their initial substrate concentrations. Maximum concentrations found after supplementation with 0.8 mM amounted to over 55 mg/kg (Se+Zn) and 52 mg/kg (Se+Cu+Zn) of Zn, and 29 mg/kg (Se+Cu) and over 31 mg/kg (Se+Cu+Zn) of Cu. The greater the supplemented concentration and number of supplemented elements, the lower the biomass of G. lucidum fruiting bodies. Nevertheless, it still remained high when the substrate was supplemented up to 0.4 mM with each element. These results highlight that G. lucidum can easily incorporate elements from the substrate and that, when biofortified, its dried fruiting bodies may serve as a nutritional source of these essential elements. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Strippable containment and decontamination coating composition and method of use

DOEpatents

Moore, Robert C [Edgewood, NM; Tucker, Mark D [Albuquerque, NM; Jones, Joseph A [Albuquerque, NM

2009-04-07

A method for containing at least a portion of radioisotopes, radionuclides, heavy metal or combination thereof contaminating a substrate wherein a containment composition is applied to the substrate. The ingredients within the containment composition interact with the contaminants on the surface of the substrate until the containment composition has polymerized to a water insoluble form containing at least a portion of the contaminates enmeshed therein. The dried composition is removed from the contaminated surface removing with the composition at least a portion of the contaminate.

[Influence of the cycle number in processing of cellulose from waste paper on its ability to hydrolysis by cellulases].

PubMed

Morozova, V V; Semenova, M V; Rozhkova, A M; Kondrat'eva, E G; Okunev, O N; Bekkarevich, A O; Novozhilov, E V; Sinitsin, A P

2010-01-01

Hydrolytic ability of laboratory enzyme preparations from fungus of the Penicillium genus was investigated using kraft pulp from nonbleached softwood and bleached hardwood cellulose as substrates. The enzyme preparations were shown to efficiently hydrolyze both softwood and hardwood cellulose. The yields of glucose and reducing sugars were 24-36 g/l and 27-37 g/l from 100 g/l of dry substrate in 48 h, respectively, and depended on the number of substrate grinding cycles.

Influence of smectite suspension structure on sheet orientation in dry sediments: XRD and AFM applications.

PubMed

Zbik, Marek S; Frost, Ray L

2010-06-15

The structure-building phenomena within clay aggregates are governed by forces acting between clay particles. Measurements of such forces are important to understand in order to manipulate the aggregate structure for applications such as dewatering of mineral processing tailings. A parallel particle orientation is required when conducting XRD investigation on the oriented samples and conduct force measurements acting between basal planes of clay mineral platelets using atomic force microscopy (AFM). To investigate how smectite clay platelets were oriented on silicon wafer substrate when dried from suspension range of methods like SEM, XRD and AFM were employed. From these investigations, we conclude that high clay concentrations and larger particle diameters (up to 5 microm) in suspension result in random orientation of platelets in the substrate. The best possible laminar orientation in the clay dry film, represented in the XRD 001/020 intensity ratio of 47 was obtained by drying thin layers from 0.02 wt.% clay suspensions of the natural pH. Conducted AFM investigations show that smectite studied in water based electrolytes show very long-range repulsive forces lower in strength than electrostatic forces from double-layer repulsion. It was suggested that these forces may have structural nature. Smectite surface layers rehydrate in water environment forms surface gel with spongy and cellular texture which cushion approaching AFM probe. This structural effect can be measured in distances larger than 1000 nm from substrate surface and when probe penetrate this gel layer, structural linkages are forming between substrate and clay covered probe. These linkages prevent subsequently smooth detachments of AFM probe on way back when retrieval. This effect of tearing new formed structure apart involves larger adhesion-like forces measured in retrieval. It is also suggested that these effect may be enhanced by the nano-clay particles interaction. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of feeding yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) in bioregenerative life support systems as a source of animal protein for humans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, LeYuan; Zhao, ZhiRuo; Liu, Hong

2013-11-01

In bioregenerative life support systems, using inedible plant biomass to feed animals can provide animal protein for astronauts, while at the same time treating with wastes so as to increase the degree of system closure. In this study, the potential of yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor L.) as an animal candidate in the system was analyzed. The feasibility of feeding T. molitor with inedible parts of wheat and vegetable was studied. To improve the feed quality of wheat straw, three methods of fermentation were tested. A feeding regime was designed to contain a proper proportion of bran, straw and old leaves. The results showed that T. molitor larvae fed on the plant waste diets grew healthily, their fresh and dry weight reached 56.15% and 46.76% of the larvae fed on a conventional diet (control), respectively. The economic coefficient of the larvae was 16.07%, which was 88.05% of the control. The protein and fat contents of the larvae were 76.14% and 6.44% on dry weigh basis, respectively. Through the processes of facultative anaerobic fermentation and larval consumption, the straw lost about 47.79% of the initial dry weight, and its lignocellulose had a degradation of about 45.74%. Wheat germination test indicated that the frass of T. molitor needs a certain treatment before the addition to the cultivation substrate.

Augmented Dried versus Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane as an Ocular Surface Dressing

PubMed Central

Allen, Claire L.; Clare, Gerry; Stewart, Elizabeth A.; Branch, Matthew J.; McIntosh, Owen D.; Dadhwal, Megha; Dua, Harminder S.; Hopkinson, Andrew

2013-01-01

Purpose Dried amniotic membrane (AM) can be a useful therapeutic adjunct in ophthalmic surgery and possesses logistical advantages over cryopreserved AM. Differences in preservation techniques can significantly influence the biochemical composition and physical properties of AM, potentially affecting clinical efficacy. This study was established to investigate the biochemical and structural effects of drying AM in the absence and presence of saccharide lyoprotectants and its biocompatibility compared to cryopreserved material. Methods AM was cryopreserved or dried with and without pre-treatment with trehalose or raffinose and the antioxidant epigallocatechin (EGCG). Structural and visual comparisons were assessed using electron microscopy. Localisation, expression and release of AM biological factors were determined using immunoassays and immunofluorescence. The biocompatibility of the AM preparations co-cultured with corneal epithelial cell (CEC) or keratocyte monolayers were assessed using cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, apoptosis and migration assays. Results Drying devitalised AM epithelium, but less than cryopreservation and cellular damage was reduced in dried AM pre-treated with trehalose or raffinose. Dried AM alone, and with trehalose or raffinose showed greater factor retention efficiencies and bioavailability compared to cryopreserved AM and demonstrated a more sustained biochemical factor time release in vitro. Cellular health assays showed that dried AM with trehalose or raffinose are compatible and superior substrates compared to cryopreserved AM for primary CEC expansion, with increased proliferation and reduced LDH and caspase-3 levels. This concept was supported by improved wound healing in an immortalised human CEC line (hiCEC) co-cultured with dried and trehalose or raffinose membranes, compared to cryopreserved and fresh AM. Conclusions Our modified preservation process and our resultant optimised dried AM has enhanced structural properties and biochemical stability and is a superior substrate to conventional cryopreserved AM. In addition this product is stable and easily transportable allowing it to be globally wide reaching for use in clinical and military sectors. PMID:24205233

Steaming of Red Oak Prior to Kiln-Drying: Effects on Moisture Movement

Treesearch

Robert A. Harris; James G. Schroeder; Stan C. Addis

1989-01-01

Red oak boards were steamed prior to kiln-drying to determine the effect of steaming on initial moisture content (MC), moisture distribution, and drying rate. Four hours of steaming in a saturated steam atmosphere caused a drop of approximately 10 percent in initial MC, a reduced moisture gradient through the thickness of the boards, and an increase in drying rate...

[Pathogenetic relationship between pterygium and dry eye syndrome (clinical and cytological study)].

PubMed

Petraevskiĭ, A V; Trishkin, K S

2014-01-01

To study the prevalence of dry eye syndrome in patients with initial primary pterygium for determination of a possible pathogenetic role of dry eye syndrome in the development of pterygium. 30 patients with initial primary pterygium; besides conventional ophthalmic assessment, cytological examination of bulbar conjunctiva was performed in all cases. Signs of dry eye syndrome, of similar severity in both eyes, were found in 100% of patients. Dry eye can be one of the precipitating factors of primary pterygium.

Inhibitory activities of Moringa oleifera leaf extract against α-glucosidase enzyme in vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natsir, H.; Wahab, A. W.; Laga, A.; Arif, A. R.

2018-03-01

Alpha-glucosidase is a key enzyme in the final process of breaking carbohydrates into glucose. Inhibition of α-glucosidase affected more absorption of glucose, so it can reduce hyperglycemia condition. The aims of this study is to determine the effectiveness of inhibition wet and dried Moringa oleifera leaf extract through α-glucosidase activity in vitro. The effectiveness study of inhibition on the activity of α-glucosidase enzyme obtained from white glutinous rice (Oryza sativa glutinosa) was carried out using wet and dried kelor leaf extract of 13% (w/v) with 10 mM α-D-glucopyranoside (PNPG) substrate. A positive control used 1% acarbose and substrate without addition of extract was a negative control. Inhibitory activity was measured using spectrophotometers at a wavelength of 400 nm. The result showed that the inhibition activity against α-glucosidase enzyme of dried leaf extract, wet leaf extract and acarbose was 81,39%, 83,94%, and 95,4%, respectively on pH 7,0. The effectiveness inhibition of the wet Moringa leaf extract was greater than the dried leaf extract. The findings suggest that M. oleifera leaf has the potential to be developed as an alternative food therapy for diabetics.

Release of MEMS devices with hard-baked polyimide sacrificial layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boroumand Azad, Javaneh; Rezadad, Imen; Nath, Janardan; Smith, Evan; Peale, Robert E.

2013-03-01

Removal of polyimides used as sacrificial layer in fabricating MEMS devices can be challenging after hardbaking, which may easily result by the end of multiple-step processing. We consider the specific commercial co-developable polyimide ProLift 100 (Brewer Science). Excessive heat hardens this material, so that during wet release in TMAH based solvents, intact sheets break free from the substrate, move around in the solution, and break delicate structures. On the other hand, dry reactive-ion etching of hard-baked ProLift is so slow, that MEMS structures are damaged from undesirably-prolonged physical bombardment by plasma ions. We found that blanket exposure to ultraviolet light allows rapid dry etch of the ProLift surrounding the desired structures without damaging them. Subsequent removal of ProLift from under the devices can then be safely performed using wet or dry etch. We demonstrate the approach on PECVD-grown silicon-oxide cantilevers of 100 micron × 100 micron area supported 2 microns above the substrate by ~100-micron-long 8-micron-wide oxide arms.

Response of Pleurotus ostreatus to cadmium exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Favero, N.; Bressa, G.; Costa, P.

1990-08-01

The possibility of utilizing agroindustrial wastes in the production of edible, high-quality products (e.g., mushrooms) implies the risk of bringing toxic substances, such as heavy metals, into the human food chain. Thus, growth in the presence of cadmium and cadmium accumulation limits have been studied in the industrially cultivated fungus P. ostreatus. Fruit body production is substantially unaffected in the presence of 25, 139, and 285 mg Cd/kg of dried substrate. Cadmium concentration in fruit bodies is related to cadmium substrate level, the metal being present at higher levels in caps (22-56 mg/kg dry wt) than in stems (13-36 mg/kgmore » dry wt). Concentration factor (CF), very low in the controls (about 2), further decreases in treated specimens. The presence of a cadmium control mechanism in this fungi species is suggested. Fruit body cadmium levels could, however, represent a risk for P. ostreatus consumers, according to FAO/WHO limits related to weekly cadmium intake.« less

Dry-spray deposition of TiO2 for a flexible dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using a nanoparticle deposition system (NPDS).

PubMed

Kim, Min-Saeng; Chun, Doo-Man; Choi, Jung-Oh; Lee, Jong-Cheon; Kim, Yang Hee; Kim, Kwang-Su; Lee, Caroline Sunyong; Ahn, Sung-Hoon

2012-04-01

TiO2 powders were deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates for application to the photoelectrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In the conventional DSSC manufacturing process, a semiconductor oxide such as TiO2 powder requires a sintering process at higher temperature than the glass transition temperature (T(g)) of polymers, and thus utilization of flexible polymer substrates in DSSC research has been constrained. To overcome this restriction related to sintering, we used a nanoparticle deposition system (NPDS) that could produce a thin coating layer through a dry-spray method under atmospheric pressure at room temperature. The powder was sprayed through a slit-type nozzle having a 0.4 x 10 mm2 rectangular outlet. In order to determine the deposited TiO2 thickness, five kinds of TiO2 layered specimens were prepared, where the specimens have single and double layer structures. Deposited powders on the ITO coated PET substrates were observed using FE-SEM and a scan profiler The thicker TiO2 photoelectrode with a DSSC having a double layer structure showed higher energy efficiency than the single layer case. The highest fabricated flexible DSSC displayed a short circuit current density J(sc) = 1.99 mA cm(-2), open circuit voltage V(oc) = 0.71 V, and energy efficiency eta = 0.94%. These results demonstrate the possibility of utilizing the dry-spray method to fabricate a TiO2 layer on flexible polymer substrates at room temperature under atmospheric pressure.

Heavy metal leaching from coal fly ash amended container substrates during Syngonium production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Q.S.; Chen, J.J.; Li, Y.C.

2008-02-15

Coal fly ash has been proposed to be an alternative to lime amendment and a nutrient source of container substrates for ornamental plant production. A great concern over this proposed beneficial use, however, is the potential contamination of surface and ground water by heavy metals. In this study, three fly ashes collected from Florida, Michigan, and North Carolina and a commercial dolomite were amended in a basal substrate. The formulated substrates were used to produce Syngonium podophyllum Schott 'Berry Allusion' in 15-cm diameter containers in a shaded greenhouse. Leachates from the containers were collected during the entire six months ofmore » plant production and analyzed for heavy metal concentrations. There were no detectable As, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Se in the leachates; Cd and Mo were only detected in few leachate samples. The metals constantly detected were Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn. The total amounts of Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn leached during the six-month production period were 95, 210, 44, and 337 {mu} g per container, indicating that such amounts in leachates may contribute little to contamination of surface and ground water. In addition, plant growth indices and fresh and dry weights of S. podophyllum 'Berry Allusion' produced from fly ash and dolomite-amended substrates were comparable except for the plants produced from the substrate amended with fly ash collected from Michigan which had reduced growth indices and fresh and dry weights. Thus, selected fly ashes can be alternatives to commercial dolomites as amendments to container substrates for ornamental plant production. The use of fly ashes as container substrate amendments should represent a new market for the beneficial use of this coal combustion byproduct.« less

Experimental and simulation study of growth of TiO2 films on different substrates and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghogare, Trupti T.; Kartha, Moses J.; Kendre, Subhash D.; Pathan, Habib M.

2018-04-01

Monte-Carlo Ballistic Deposition simulations have done on substrates with different initial roughness. The grown films were observed to be porous. The initial growths of the films with seed like initiations are observed for substrate with high initial roughness. In order to confirm this effect TiO2 films were deposited on different substrates using chemical bath deposition. The surface morphological and optical properties were measured using scanning electron microscopy and a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Flower like porous structure are obtained on glass substrate and continuous porous morphology is formed on ITO substrate. The morphology of the surfaces was successfully reconstructed and the surface porosity was calculated after digitalising images and reconstructed the surfaces. The TiO2 film formed on ITO is observed to be 10% more porous than on the film formed on glass substrate. Diffusion Limited Aggregation simulations with multiple seeds confirms that the observed flower like structure formed are due to the screening effects of the diffusing ion by already deposited particles.

Gas-phase surface esterification of cellulose microfibrils and whiskers.

PubMed

Berlioz, Sophie; Molina-Boisseau, Sonia; Nishiyama, Yoshiharu; Heux, Laurent

2009-08-10

A new and highly efficient synthetic method has been developed for the surface esterification of model cellulosic substrates of high crystallinity and accessibility, namely, freeze-dried tunicin whiskers and bacterial cellulose microfibrils dried by the critical point method. The reaction, which is based on the gas-phase action of palmitoyl chloride, was monitored by solid-state CP-MAS (13)C NMR. It was found that the grafting density not only depended on the experimental conditions, but also on the nature and conditioning of the cellulose samples. The structural and morphological modifications of the substrates at various degrees of grafting were revealed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. These characterizations indicated that the esterification proceeded from the surface of the substrate to their crystalline core. Hence, for moderate degree of substitution, the surface was fully grafted whereas the cellulose core remained unmodified and the original fibrous morphology maintained. An almost total esterification could be achieved under certain conditions, leading to highly substituted cellulose esters, presenting characteristic X-ray diffraction patterns.

Nondestructive Biological Evidence Collection with Alternative Swabs and Adhesive Lifters.

PubMed

Plaza, Dane T; Mealy, Jamia L; Lane, J Nicholas; Parsons, M Neal; Bathrick, Abigail S; Slack, Donia P

2016-03-01

In forensic science, biological material is typically collected from evidence via wet/dry double swabbing with cotton swabs, which is effective but can visibly damage an item's surface. When an item's appearance must be maintained, dry swabbing and tape-lifting may be employed as collection techniques that are visually nondestructive to substrates' surfaces. This study examined the efficacy of alternative swab matrices and adhesive lifters when collecting blood and fingerprints from glass, painted drywall, 100% cotton, and copy paper. Data were evaluated by determining the percent profile and quality score for each STR profile generated. Hydraflock(®) swabs, BVDA Gellifters(®) , and Scenesafe FAST™ tape performed as well as or better than cotton swabs when collecting fingerprints from painted drywall and 100% cotton. Collection success was also dependent on the type of biological material sampled and the substrate on which it was deposited. These results demonstrated that alternative swabs and adhesive lifters can be effective for nondestructive DNA collection from various substrates. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Production of cellulosic ethanol from cotton processing residues after pretreatment with dilute sodium hydroxide and enzymatic hydrolysis.

PubMed

Fockink, Douglas Henrique; Maceno, Marcelo Adriano Corrêa; Ramos, Luiz Pereira

2015-01-01

In this study, production of cellulosic ethanol from two cotton processing residues was investigated after pretreatment with dilute sodium hydroxide. Pretreatment performance was investigated using a 2(2) factorial design and the highest glucan conversion was achieved at the most severe alkaline conditions (0.4g NaOH g(-1) of dry biomass and 120°C), reaching 51.6% and 38.8% for cotton gin waste (CGW) and cotton gin dust (CGD), respectively. The susceptibility of pretreated substrates to enzymatic hydrolysis was also investigated and the best condition was achieved at the lowest total solids (5wt%) and the highest enzyme loading (85mg of Cellic CTec2 g(-1) of dry substrate). However, the highest concentration of fermentable sugars - 47.8 and 42.5gL(-1) for CGD and CGW, respectively - was obtained at 15wt% total solids using this same enzyme loading. Substrate hydrolysates had no inhibitory effects on the fermenting microorganism. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of airflow on biodrying of gardening wastes in reactors.

PubMed

Colomer-Mendoza, F J; Herrera-Prats, L; Robles-Martínez, F; Gallardo-Izquierdo, A; Piña-Guzmán, A B

2013-05-01

Biodrying consists of reducing moisture by using the heat from aerobic bio-degradation. The parameters that control the process are: aeration, temperature during the process, initial moisture of biowaste, and temperature and relative humidity of the input air. Lawn mowing and garden waste from the gardens of the University Jaume I, Castellón (Spain) were used as a substrate. Biodrying was performed in 10 reactors with known air volumes from 0.88 to 6.42 L/(min x kg dry weight). To promote aeration, 5 of the reactors had 15% of a bulking agent added. The experiment lasted 20 days. After the experiments it was found that the bulking agent led to greater weight loss. However, the increased airflow rate was not linearly proportional to the weight loss.

Heat and mass transfer models to understand the drying mechanisms of a porous substrate.

PubMed

Songok, Joel; Bousfield, Douglas W; Gane, Patrick A C; Toivakka, Martti

2016-02-01

While drying of paper and paper coatings is expensive, with significant energy requirements, the rate controlling mechanisms are not currently fully understood. Two two-dimensional models are used as a first approximation to predict the heat transfer during hot air drying and to evaluate the role of various parameters on the drying rates of porous coatings. The models help determine the structural limiting factors during the drying process, while applying for the first time the recently known values of coating thermal diffusivity. The results indicate that the thermal conductivity of the coating structure is not the controlling factor, but the drying rate is rather determined by the thermal transfer process at the structure surface. This underlines the need for ensuring an efficient thermal transfer from hot air to coating surface during drying, before considering further measures to increase the thermal conductivity of porous coatings.

Cleaning By Blasting With Pellets Of Dry Ice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fody, Jody

1993-01-01

Dry process strips protective surface coats from parts to be cleaned, without manual scrubbing. Does not involve use of flammable or toxic solvents. Used to remove coats from variety of materials, including plastics, ceramics, ferrous and nonferrous metals, and composites. Adds no chemical-pollution problem to problem of disposal of residue of coating material. Process consists of blasting solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) pellets at surface to be cleaned. Pellets sublime on impact and pass into atmosphere as carbon dioxide gas. Size, harness, velocity, and quantity of pellets adjusted to suit coating material and substrate.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Atwater, Harry A.; Leite, Marina S.; Warmann, Emily C.

A virtual substrate includes a handle support and a strain-relieved single crystalline layer on the handle support. A method of making the virtual substrate includes growing a coherently-strained single crystalline layer on an initial growth substrate, removing the initial growth substrate to relieve the strain on the single crystalline layer, and applying the strain-relieved single crystalline layer on a handle support.

The influence of microwave-assisted drying techniques on the rehydration behavior of blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.).

PubMed

Zielinska, Magdalena; Markowski, Marek

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of: (a) different drying methods, (b) hot air temperature in a convection oven, and (c) the moisture content of fruits dehydrated by multi-stage drying which involves a transition between different stages of drying, on the rehydration kinetics of dry blueberries. Models describing rehydration kinetics were also studied. Blueberries dehydrated by multi-stage microwave-assisted drying, which involved a hot air pre-drying step at 80 °C until the achievement of a moisture content of 1.95 kg H2O kg(-1)DM, were characterized by significantly higher rates of initial and successive rehydration as well as smaller initial loss of soluble solids in comparison with the samples dried by other methods. The highest initial rehydration rate and the smallest loss of soluble solids after 30 min of soaking were determined at 0.46 min(-1) and 0.29 kg DM kg(-1)DM, respectively. The Peleg model and the first-order-kinetic model fit the experimental data well. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microorganisms applying for artificial soil regeneration technology in space greenhouses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krivobok, A. S.

2012-04-01

The space greenhouse and technology for growing plants are being designed in frame of bio-technical life support systems development. During long-term space missions such greenhouse could provide the crew with vitamins and rough plant fiber. One of the important elements of the plant cultivation technology in the absence of earth gravity is organization and support the optimum root area. The capillary-porous substrate composed of anionites (FIBAN -1) and cationites (FIBAN -22-1) synthetic salt-saturated fibers is developed for plant cultivation in space and named "BIONA-V3". The BIONA main features are high productivity and usability. But the pointed features are not constant: the substrate productivity will be decreasing gradually from vegetation to vegetation course of plant residues and root secretions accumulation. Also, the basic hydro-physical characteristic of root zone will be shifted. Furthermore, saprotrophic microflora will develop and lead to increasing the level of microbial contamination of whole inhabit isolated module. Due to these changes the substrate useful life is limited and store mass is increased in long-term missions. For overhaul-period renewal it' necessary to remove the roots residues and other organic accumulation providing safety of the substrate capillary-porous structure. The basic components of 24-days old plant roots (Brassica chinensis, L) are cellulose (35 %) hemicellulose (11 %) and lignin (10 %). We see that one of the possible ways for roots residues removal from fibrous BIONA is microorganisms applying with strong cellulolytic and ligninolytic activities. The fungi Trichoderma sp., cellulolytic bacteria associations, and some genus of anaerobic thermophilic cellulolitic bacteria have been used for roots residues biodegradation. In case of applying cellulolytic fungi Trichoderma sp. considerable decrease of microcrystalline cellulose has been noted in both liquid and solid state fermentation. Cellulolytic fungi weight has been increased up to 30 % from initial roots dry weight. When the bacterial association derived from organic compost was used, the roots dry weight reduction was not exceeded 20 % in liquid state fermentation after 21 days. But the total cellulose was quietly steady, only the readily accessible soluble fractions were consumed. It was found that the most promising microorganisms for pointed task are anaerobic, thermophilic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum F9 and Caldicellulosiruptor bescii DSM 6725. It has been shown that its' in the liquid medium with the roots residuals during 10 days provides root biomass degradation up to 45 % and double decrease of crystalline cellulose. It's known that one of the possible ways to improve biodegradation process efficiency is applying of physical-chemical pretreatment for plant biomass. We used the pretreatment of BIONA substrate in microwave irradiation in 0,7 % sodium hydroxide water solution with addition of 0,5 % of hydrogen peroxide. It has allowed hydrolyzing the roots biomass partially and making the cellulose portion accessible to subsequent biodegradation. The alkaline pretreatment and the subsequent degradation by anaerobic, thermophilic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum, had lead to root biomass decrease up to 85% during 10 days. The examined procedure has allowed to restore the initial pore space volume of BIONA substrate and its' hydro-physical properties. It has made used-up BIONA suitable for the subsequent plant cultivation. The obtained results are the basis for future development of fibrous artificial soils regeneration technologies particularly for space greenhouses

Visualization and Non-Destructive Quantification of Inkjet-Printed Pharmaceuticals on Different Substrates Using Raman Spectroscopy and Raman Chemical Imaging.

PubMed

Edinger, Magnus; Bar-Shalom, Daniel; Rantanen, Jukka; Genina, Natalja

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the applicability of Raman spectroscopy for visualization and quantification of inkjet-printed pharmaceuticals. Haloperidol was used as a model active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), and a printable ink base containing lactic acid and ethanol was developed. Inkjet printing technology was used to apply haloperidol ink onto three different substrates. Custom-made inorganic compacts and dry foam, as well as marketed paracetamol tablets were used as the substrates. Therapeutic personalized doses were printed by using one to ten printing rounds on the substrates. The haloperidol content in the finished dosage forms were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The distribution of the haloperidol on the dosage forms were visualized using Raman chemical imaging combined with principal components analysis (PCA). Raman spectroscopy combined with modeling by partial least squares (PLS) regression was used for establishment of a quantitative model of the haloperidol content in the printed dosage forms. A good prediction of the haloperidol content was achieved for the inorganic compacts, while a slightly poorer prediction was observed for the paracetamol tablets. It was not possible to quantify haloperidol on the dry foam due to the low and varying density of the substrate. Raman spectroscopy is a useful tool for visualization and quality control of inkjet printed personalized medicine.

Effects of Illumination Pattern during Cultivation of Fruiting Body and Bioactive Compound Production by the Caterpillar Medicinal Mushroom, Cordyceps militaris (Ascomycetes).

PubMed

Wu, Chiu-Yeh; Liang, Zeng-Chin; Tseng, Chin-Yin; Hu, Shu-Hui

2016-01-01

We investigated the effects of light intensity in the 3 cultivation stages separately-the mycelium colonization stage, the primordial initiation stage, and the fruiting stage (in order)-on fruiting body and bioactive compound production by Cordyceps militaris. In the mycelium colonization stage, rice substrates were incubated in a spawn running room at 23°C. During the primordial initiation stage, C. militaris was grown at 18°C and illuminated 12 hours/day. In the fruiting stage the temperature was 23°C, with illumination provided 12 hours/day. The highest fruiting body yield and biological efficiency were 4.06 g dry weight/bottle and 86.83%, respectively, under 1750 ± 250 lux during the second and third stages. The cordycepin content was highest during the second and third stages under 1250 ± 250 lux. The mannitol and polysaccharide contents were highest under 1250 ± 250 and 1750 ± 250 lux during the primordial initiation stage and the fruiting stage, respectively. Thus, with controlled lighting, C. militaris can be cultivated in rice-water medium to increase fruiting body yield and bioactive compound production.

Experimental and numerical investigations on freeze-drying of porous media with prebuilt porosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Yang, Jing; Hu, Dapeng; Pan, Yanqiu; Wang, Shihao; Chen, Guohua

2018-05-01

Freeze-drying of initially porous frozen material was investigated aimed at improving the process economics by reducing drying time and raising productivity. Experimental results showed that freeze-drying can be significantly enhanced by the frozen material with prebuilt porosity, and about 31% of drying time can be saved compared with the conventionally solid frozen material under the tested operating conditions. A multiphase transport model was formulated based on the local mass non-equilibrium assumption. Numerical results showed excellent agreements between measured and predicted drying curves. Analyses of saturation and temperature profiles displayed that volumetric sublimation-desorption can occur for the initially porous frozen material.

In-situ Substrate Addition to Create Reactive Zones for Treatment of Chlorinated Aliphatic Hydrocarbons: Cost and Performance Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

subsurface. The substrate is typically molasses, but other substrates can be used, including high fructose corn syrup , whey, etc. Through subsurface...solution, typically consisting of a carbohydrate such as molasses, whey, high fructose corn syrup , lactate, butyrate, or benzoate. The technology alters...lb of PCE Treated Molasses 0.20 – 0.35 0.16 Sugar ( corn syrup ) 0.25 – 0.30 0.4 Sodium Lactate 1.25 – 1.46 NA Whey (powdered, dry) 1.17 NA Whey

Effects of Flavonoids on Rumen Fermentation Activity, Methane Production, and Microbial Population

PubMed Central

Abdullah, Norhani; Oskoueian, Armin

2013-01-01

This research was carried out to evaluate the effects of flavone, myricetin, naringin, catechin, rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol at the concentration of 4.5% of the substrate (dry matter basis) on the rumen microbial activity in vitro. Mixture of guinea grass and concentrate (60 : 40) was used as the substrate. The results showed that all the flavonoids except naringin and quercetin significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the dry matter degradability. The gas production significantly (P < 0.05) decreased by flavone, myricetin, and kaempferol, whereas naringin, rutin, and quercetin significantly (P < 0.05) increased the gas production. The flavonoids suppressed methane production significantly (P < 0.05). The total VFA concentration significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in the presence of flavone, myricetin, and kaempferol. All flavonoids except naringin and quercetin significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the carboxymethyl cellulase, filter paperase, xylanase, and β-glucosidase activities, purine content, and the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis. Flavone, myricetin, catechin, rutin, and kaempferol significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the population of rumen microbes. Total populations of protozoa and methanogens were significantly (P < 0.05) suppressed by naringin and quercetin. The results of this research demonstrated that naringin and quercetin at the concentration of 4.5% of the substrate (dry matter basis) were potential metabolites to suppress methane production without any negative effects on rumen microbial fermentation. PMID:24175289

Thermally Dried Ink-Jet Process for 6,13-Bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-Pentacene for High Mobility and High Uniformity on a Large Area Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Gi Seong; Lee, Myung Won; Jeong, Seung Hyeon; Song, Chung Kun

2012-05-01

In this study we developed a simple ink-jet process for 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene (TIPS-pentacene), which is known as a high-mobility soluble organic semiconductor, to achieve relatively high-mobility and high-uniformity performance for large-area applications. We analyzed the behavior of fluorescent particles in droplets and applied the results to determining a method of controlling the behavior of TIPS-pentacene molecules. The grain morphology of TIPS-pentacene varied depending on the temperature applied to the droplets during drying. We were able to obtain large and uniform grains at 46 °C without any “coffee stain”. The process was applied to a large-size organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) backplane for an electrophoretic display panel containing 192×150 pixels on a 6-in.-sized substrate. The average of mobilities of 36 OTFTs, which were taken from different locations of the backplane, was 0.44±0.08 cm2·V-1·s-1, with a small deviation of 20%, over a 6-in.-size area comprising 28,800 OTFTs. This process providing high mobility and high uniformity can be achieved by simply maintaining the whole area of the substrate at a specific temperature (46 °C in this case) during drying of the droplets.

Assessment of benthic macroinvertebrates at Nile tilapia production using artificial substrate samplers.

PubMed

Moura E Silva, M S G; Graciano, T S; Losekann, M E; Luiz, A J B

2016-05-17

Biomonitoring is a cheap and effective tool for evaluation of water quality, and infer on the balance of aquatic ecosystems. The benthic macroinvertebrates are bioindicators sensitive to environmental changes, and can assist in detecting and preventing impacts such as organic enrichment and imbalance in the food chain. We compared the structure of benthic communities on artificial substrate samplers located in places near and far from net cages for production of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Samplers were manufactured with nylon net, using substrates such as crushed stone, gravel, loofah and cattail leaves. Samples were collected after 30 days of colonization, rinsed and then the specimens were identified and quantified. The following metrics were calculated: richness of Operational Taxonomic Units, Margalef richness, abundance of individuals, Shannon index and evenness index. The macrobenthic community structure was strongly modified according to the proximity of the net cages. Metrics showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between near and distant sites, for both periods (dry and rainy seasons). The position of the samplers significantly affected the structure of macroinvertebrate community, as near sites showed higher values for the community metrics, such as richness and diversity. Near sites presented a larger number of individuals, observed both in the dry and rainy seasons, with a predominance of Chironomidae (Diptera) in the dry season and Tubificidae (Oligochaeta) in the rainy season.

Water adsorption on TiO2 surfaces probed by soft X-ray spectroscopies: bulk materials vs. isolated nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Benkoula, Safia; Sublemontier, Olivier; Patanen, Minna; Nicolas, Christophe; Sirotti, Fausto; Naitabdi, Ahmed; Gaie-Levrel, François; Antonsson, Egill; Aureau, Damien; Ouf, François-Xavier; Wada, Shin-Ichi; Etcheberry, Arnaud; Ueda, Kiyoshi; Miron, Catalin

2015-01-01

We describe an experimental method to probe the adsorption of water at the surface of isolated, substrate-free TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) based on soft X-ray spectroscopy in the gas phase using synchrotron radiation. To understand the interfacial properties between water and TiO2 surface, a water shell was adsorbed at the surface of TiO2 NPs. We used two different ways to control the hydration level of the NPs: in the first scheme, initially solvated NPs were dried and in the second one, dry NPs generated thanks to a commercial aerosol generator were exposed to water vapor. XPS was used to identify the signature of the water layer shell on the surface of the free TiO2 NPs and made it possible to follow the evolution of their hydration state. The results obtained allow the establishment of a qualitative determination of isolated NPs’ surface states, as well as to unravel water adsorption mechanisms. This method appears to be a unique approach to investigate the interface between an isolated nano-object and a solvent over-layer, paving the way towards new investigation methods in heterogeneous catalysis on nanomaterials. PMID:26462615

Spread of pathogens through rain drop impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Seungho; Gruszewski, Hope; Gidley, Todd; Schmale, David G., III; Jung, Sunghwan

2017-11-01

Rain drop impact can disperse micron-sized pathogenic particles over long distances. In this study, we aim to elucidate mechanisms for disease dispersal when a rain drop impacts a particle-laden solid surface. Three different dispersal types were observed depending on whether the dispersed glass particles were dry or wet. For a dry particle dispersal, the movement of contact line made the particles initially jump off the surface with relatively high velocity. Then, air vortex was formed due to the air current entrained along with the falling drop, and advected the particles with relatively low velocity. For a wet particle dispersal, the contact line of a spreading liquid became unstable due to the presence of the particles on the substrate. This caused splashing at the contact line and ejected liquid droplets carrying the particles. Finally, we released a drop onto wheat plants infected with the rust fungus, Puccinia triticina, and found that nearly all of the satellite droplets from a single drop contained at least one rust spore. Also, we visualized such novel dispersal dynamics with a high-speed camera and characterized their features by scaling models. This research was partially supported by National Science Foundation Grant CBET-1604424.

Targeting Biological Sensing with Commercial SERS Substrates

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) U.S. Army Research Laboratory ATTN: RDRL-SEE-E 2800 Powder Mill Road Adelphi, MD 20783-1197 8. PERFORMING...Pellegrino* *U.S. Army Research Laboratories, RDRL-SEE-E, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, Maryland 20783 Department of Mechanical Engineering and...demonstrated typical RSDs ranging from 10-15% under drop and dry conditions. While these standard Klarite substrates do demonstrate a high

Production of Mycophenolic Acid by Penicillium brevicompactum Using Solid State Fermentation.

PubMed

Patel, Gopal; Patil, Mahesh D; Soni, Surbhi; Chisti, Yusuf; Banerjee, Uttam Chand

2017-05-01

Solid-state fermentation using the microfungus Penicillium brevicompactum for the production of mycophenolic acid is reported in this paper. Of the initial substrates tested (whole wheat, cracked wheat, long grain Basmati rice, and short grain Parmal rice), Parmal rice proved to be the best. Under initial conditions, using steamed Parmal rice with 80% (w/w) initial moisture content, a maximum mycophenolic acid concentration of 3.4 g/kg substrate was achieved in 12 days of fermentation at 25 °C. The above substrate was supplemented with the following additional nutrients (g/L packed substrate): glucose 40.0, peptone 54.0, KH 2 PO 4 8.0, MgSO4⋅7H 2 O 2.0, glycine 7.0, and methionine 1.65 (initial pH 5.0). A small amount of a specified trace element solution was also added. The final mycophenolic acid concentration was increased to nearly 4 g/kg substrate by replacing glucose with molasses. Replacing Parmal rice with rice bran as substrate further improved the mycophenolic acid production to nearly 4.5 g/kg substrate.

Application of a mixed metal oxide catalyst to a metallic substrate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sevener, Kathleen M. (Inventor); Lohner, Kevin A. (Inventor); Mays, Jeffrey A. (Inventor); Wisner, Daniel L. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A method for applying a mixed metal oxide catalyst to a metallic substrate for the creation of a robust, high temperature catalyst system for use in decomposing propellants, particularly hydrogen peroxide propellants, for use in propulsion systems. The method begins by forming a prepared substrate material consisting of a metallic inner substrate and a bound layer of a noble metal intermediate. Alternatively, a bound ceramic coating, or frit, may be introduced between the metallic inner substrate and noble metal intermediate when the metallic substrate is oxidation resistant. A high-activity catalyst slurry is applied to the surface of the prepared substrate and dried to remove the organic solvent. The catalyst layer is then heat treated to bind the catalyst layer to the surface. The bound catalyst layer is then activated using an activation treatment and calcinations to form the high-activity catalyst system.

Content and bioconcentration of mercury in mushrooms from northern Poland.

PubMed

Falandysz, J; Gucia, M; Brzostowski, A; Kawano, M; Bielawski, L; Frankowska, A; Wyrzykowska, B

2003-03-01

Mercury (Hg) was quantified using cold vapour-atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) in the fruiting bodies of nine edible and five inedible mushrooms and in underlying soil substrate samples. In total, 404 samples comprising caps and stalks and 202 samples of soil substrate (0-10 cm layer) were collected in 1996 from Trójmiejski Landscape Park, northern Poland. Mean Hg concentrations in the soil substrate for different species varied between 10 +/- 3 and 780 +/- 500 ng x g(-1) dry wt (range 2.3-1700). Among edible mushroom species, Horse Mushroom (Agaricus arvensis), Brown Birch Scaber Stalk (Leccinum scabrum), Parasol Mushroom (Macrolepiota procera), King Bolete (Boletus edulis) and Yellow-cracking Bolete (Xerocomus subtomentosus) contained elevated concentrations of Hg ranging from 1600 +/- 930 to 6800 +/- 4000 ng x g(-1) dry wt in the caps. Concentrations of Hg in the stalks were 2.6 +/- 1.1 to 1.7 +/- 1.0 times lower than those in the caps. Some mushroom species investigated had high Hg levels when compared with specimens collected from the background reference sites elsewhere (located far away from the big cities) in northern Poland. Bioconcentration factors of Hg in the caps of Horse Mushroom, Parasol Mushroom and Brown Birch Scaber Stalk were between 150 +/- 58 and 230 +/- 150 ng x g(-1) dry wt, respectively, and for inedible Pestle-shaged Puffball (Claviata excipulformis) was 960 +/- 300 ng x g(-1) dry wt. Linear regression coefficients between Hg in caps and in stalks and Hg soil concentrations showed a positive relationship for A. arvensis and Horse mushroom (p < 0.05) and a negative correlation for the caps of Death Caps (Amanita phalloides) and Woolly Milk Cap (Lactarius torminosus) (p < 0.05), while for other species no clear trend was found.

Verification of the modified model of drying process of a polymer liquid film on a flat substrate by experiment (3) - using organic solvent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagami, Hiroyuki

2007-05-01

We have proposed and modified a model of drying process of polymer solution coated on a flat substrate for flat polymer film fabrication and have presented the fruits through Photomask Japan 2002, 2003, 2004, Smart Materials, Nano-, and Micro-Smart Systems 2006 and so on. And for example numerical simulation of the model qualitatively reappears a typical thickness profile of the polymer film formed after drying, that is, the profile that the edge of the film is thicker and just the region next to the edge's bump is thinner. Then we have clarified dependence of distribution of polymer molecules on a flat substrate on a various parameters based on analysis of many numerical simulations. Then we did a few kinds of experiments so as to verify the modified model and reported the results of them through Photomask Japan 2005 and 2006. We could observe some results supporting the modified model. But we could not observe a characteristic region of a valley next to the edge's bump of a polymer film after drying. After some trial of various improved experiments we reached the conclusion that the characteristic region didn't appear by reason that water which vaporized slower than organic solvent was used as solvent. Then, in this study, we adopted organic solvent instead of water as solvent for experiments. As a result, that the characteristic region as mentioned above could be seen and we could verify the model more accurately. In this paper, we present verification of the model through above improved experiments for verification using organic solvent.

75 FR 52321 - Dry Lake Wind Power II LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-25

... proceeding, of Dry Lake Wind Power II LLC application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER10-1720-000] Dry Lake Wind Power II LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket...

Freeze-drying of tert-butyl alcohol/water cosolvent systems: effects of formulation and process variables on residual solvents.

PubMed

Wittaya-Areekul, S; Nail, S L

1998-04-01

The objective of this study was to identify significant formulation and processing variables affecting levels of tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) in freeze-dried solids prepared from TBA/water cosolvent systems. The variables examined were the physical state of the solute (crystalline vs amorphous), initial TBA concentration, freezing rate, cake thickness, and the temperature and duration of secondary drying. Sucrose and glycine were used as models for noncrystallizing and crystallizing solutes, respectively. The TBA concentration above which eutectic crystallization takes place was determined by differential scanning calorimetry. Model formulations were subjected to extremes of freezing rate by either dipping in liquid nitrogen or by slowly freezing on the shelf of a freeze-dryer. Dynamics of solvent loss during secondary drying was determined by withdrawing samples as a function of time at different shelf temperatures using a thief system. On the basis of these studies, the most important determinant of residual TBA level is the physical state of the solute. Freeze-dried glycine contained very low levels of residual TBA (0.01-0.03%) regardless of freezing rate or initial TBA concentration. For freeze-dried sucrose, residual TBA levels were approximately 2 orders of magnitude higher and were significantly affected by initial TBA concentration and freezing rate. For the sucrose/TBA/water system, relatively low residual TBA levels were obtained when the initial TBA level was above the threshold concentration for eutectic crystallization of TBA, whereas samples freeze-dried from solutions containing TBA concentrations below this threshold contained significantly higher levels of TBA. Residual IPA levels increased continuously with initial concentration of TBA in the sucrose/TBA/water system. Formulations of sucrose/TBA/water which were frozen rapidly contained residual TBA levels which were approximately twice those measured in the same formulation after slow freezing and drying under the same conditions. For the sucrose/TBA/water system, the temperature and time of secondary drying had only minimal influence on residual TBA in the freeze-dried solid. At low initial TBA concentrations (2%), residual TBA increases with increased cake thickness, perhaps because of the influence of depth of fill on effective freezing rate.

Using Ice Nucleating Particles to Enable Desublimation on Chilled Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, Julia; Failor, Kevin; Bisbano, Caitlin; Mulroe, Megan; Nath, Saurabh; Vinatzer, Boris; Boreyko, Jonathan

2017-11-01

On a subfreezing surface, nucleating embryos usually form as supercooled condensate that later freeze into ice, as opposed to desublimation. Ice nucleating particles (INPs) have been widely used to freeze existing water; however, nobody has studied how they might affect the initial mode of nucleation. Here, we show that INPs deposited on a substrate can switch the mode of embryo nucleation to desublimation, rather than supercooled condensation. Deposition was achieved by evaporating a water droplet containing INPs on a hydrophobic silicon wafer. A Peltier stage was used to cool the wafer down inside of a controlled humidity chamber, such that the desired set point temperature correlated with the dew point and onset of nucleation. Beneath a critical surface temperature, microscopy indicated that desublimation occurred on the circular patch of deposited INPs, compared to supercooled condensation outside the circle. The hydrophobic surface was then patterned with hydrophilic stripe arrays, which facilitated the deposition of stripes of INPs via the same evaporation method. The resulting array of desublimating ice stripes created dry zones free of condensation or frost in the intermediate areas, as the hygroscopic ice stripes served as overlapping humidity sinks.

Desiccation of a pool of blood: from fluid mechanics to forensic investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicloux, Celine; Brutin, David

2012-11-01

The evaporation of biological fluids (with droplet configuration) has been studied since a few years due to several applications in medical fields such as medical tests, drug screening, biostabilization... The evaporation of a drop of whole blood leads to the formation of final typical pattern of cracks. Flow motion, adhesion, gelation and fracturation all occur during the evaporation of this complex matter. During the drying, a sol-gel transition develops. The evaporation of a pool of blood is studied in order to link the pattern formation and the evaporation dynamics. We intend to transfer the knowledge acquired for drops on pool to improve the forensic investigations. In this study, we focus on both pool of blood and pure water to determine the transition region from drop to pool and then to characterize the evaporation rate in the pool configuration. The spreading of blood which can be seen as a complex fluid is strongly influenced the substrate nature. The initial contact angle of blood on different substrate nature will influence the maximum thickness of the layer and then will influence the evaporation mass flux. The authors gratefully acknowledge the help and the fruitful discussions raised with A. Boccoz.

The influence of process parameters in production of lipopeptide iturin A using aerated packed bed bioreactors in solid-state fermentation.

PubMed

Piedrahíta-Aguirre, C A; Bastos, R G; Carvalho, A L; Monte Alegre, R

2014-08-01

The strain Bacillus iso 1 co-produces the lipopeptide iturin A and biopolymer poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) in solid-state fermentation of substrate consisting of soybean meal, wheat bran with rice husks as an inert support. The effects of pressure drop, oxygen consumption, medium permeability and temperature profile were studied in an aerated packed bed bioreactor to produce iturin A, diameter of which was 50 mm and bed height 300 mm. The highest concentrations of iturin A and γ-PGA were 5.58 and 3.58 g/kg-dry substrate, respectively, at 0.4 L/min after 96 h of fermentation. The low oxygen uptake rates, being 23.34 and 22.56 mg O2/kg-dry solid substrate for each air flow rate tested generated 5.75 W/kg-dry substrate that increased the fermentation temperature at 3.7 °C. The highest pressure drop was 561 Pa/m at 0.8 L/min in 24 h. This is the highest concentration of iturin A produced to date in an aerated packed bed bioreactor in solid-state fermentation. The results can be useful to design strategies to scale-up process of iturin A in aerated packed bed bioreactors. Low concentration of γ-PGA affected seriously pressure drop, decreasing the viability of the process due to generation of huge pressure gradients with volumetric air flow rates. Also, the low oxygenation favored the iturin A production due to the reduction of free void by γ-PGA production, and finally, the low oxygen consumption generated low metabolic heat. The results show that it must control the pressure gradients to scale-up the process of iturin A production.

Flow coating apparatus and method of coating

DOEpatents

Hanumanthu, Ramasubrahmaniam; Neyman, Patrick; MacDonald, Niles; Brophy, Brenor; Kopczynski, Kevin; Nair, Wood

2014-03-11

Disclosed is a flow coating apparatus, comprising a slot that can dispense a coating material in an approximately uniform manner along a distribution blade that increases uniformity by means of surface tension and transfers the uniform flow of coating material onto an inclined substrate such as for example glass, solar panels, windows or part of an electronic display. Also disclosed is a method of flow coating a substrate using the apparatus such that the substrate is positioned correctly relative to the distribution blade, a pre-wetting step is completed where both the blade and substrate are completed wetted with a pre-wet solution prior to dispensing of the coating material onto the distribution blade from the slot and hence onto the substrate. Thereafter the substrate is removed from the distribution blade and allowed to dry, thereby forming a coating.

Comparison of secondary organic aerosol formation from toluene on initially wet and dry ammonium sulfate particles at moderate relative humidity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Tengyu; Huang, Dan Dan; Li, Zijun; Liu, Qianyun; Chan, ManNin; Chan, Chak K.

2018-04-01

The formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) has been widely studied in the presence of dry seed particles at low relative humidity (RH). At higher RH, initially dry seed particles can exist as wet particles due to water uptake by the seeds as well as the SOA. Here, we investigated the formation of SOA from the photooxidation of toluene using an oxidation flow reactor in the absence of NOx under a range of OH exposures on initially wet or dry ammonium sulfate (AS) seed particles at an RH of 68 %. The ratio of the SOA yield on wet AS seeds to that on dry AS seeds, the relative SOA yield, decreased from 1.31 ± 0.02 at an OH exposure of 4.66 × 1010 molecules cm-3 s to 1.01 ± 0.01 at an OH exposure of 5.28 × 1011 molecules cm-3 s. This decrease may be due to the early deliquescence of initially dry AS seeds after being coated by highly oxidized toluene-derived SOA. SOA formation lowered the deliquescence RH of AS and resulted in the uptake of water by both AS and SOA. Hence the initially dry AS seeds contained aerosol liquid water (ALW) soon after SOA formed, and the SOA yield and ALW approached those of the initially wet AS seeds as OH exposure and ALW increased, especially at high OH exposure. However, a higher oxidation state of the SOA on initially wet AS seeds than that on dry AS seeds was observed at all levels of OH exposure. The difference in mass fractions of m / z 29, 43 and 44 of SOA mass spectra, obtained using an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS), indicated that SOA formed on initially wet seeds may be enriched in earlier-generation products containing carbonyl functional groups at low OH exposures and later-generation products containing acidic functional groups at high exposures. Our results suggest that inorganic dry seeds become at least partially deliquesced particles during SOA formation and hence that ALW is inevitably involved in the SOA formation at moderate RH. More laboratory experiments conducted with a wide variety of SOA precursors and inorganic seeds under different NOx and RH conditions are warranted.

Combination of decentralized waste drying and SSF techniques for household biowaste minimization and ethanol production.

PubMed

Sotiropoulos, A; Vourka, I; Erotokritou, A; Novakovic, J; Panaretou, V; Vakalis, S; Thanos, T; Moustakas, K; Malamis, D

2016-06-01

The results of the demonstration of an innovative household biowaste management and treatment scheme established in two Greek Municipalities for the production of lignocellulosic ethanol using dehydrated household biowaste as a substrate, are presented within this research. This is the first time that biowaste drying was tested at a decentralized level for the production of ethanol using the Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) process, at a pilot scale in Greece. The decentralized biowaste drying method proved that the household biowaste mass and volume reduction may reach 80% through the dehydration process used. The chemical characteristics related to lignocellulosic ethanol production have proved to differ substantially between seasons thus; special attention should be given to the process applied for ethanol production mainly regarding the enzyme quality and quantity used during the pretreatment stage. The maximum ethanol production achieved was 29.12g/L, approximately 60% of the maximum theoretical yield based on the substrate's sugar content. The use of the decentralized waste drying as an alternative approach for household biowaste minimization and the production of second generation ethanol is considered to be a promising approach for efficient biowaste management and treatment in the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Correlation Between Green Density and the Occurrence of Honeycomb in Kiln-Dried

Treesearch

Robert A. Harris; Philip A. Araman

1995-01-01

Fresh-cut, 5/4 red oak (Quercus sp.) boards were weighed, measured to determine volume and then kiln-dried to determine if the initial green density (green weight/green volume) was correlated to the occurrence of honeycomb. A positive relationship was found between the occurrence of honeycomb during drying and the initial green density. These results...

Catalyst–substrate interaction and growth delay in vapor–liquid–solid nanowire growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolíbal, Miroslav; Pejchal, Tomáš; Musálek, Tomáš; Šikola, Tomáš

2018-05-01

Understanding of the initial stage of nanowire growth on a bulk substrate is crucial for the rational design of nanowire building blocks in future electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, we provide in situ scanning electron microscopy and Auger microscopy analysis of the initial stage of Au-catalyzed Ge nanowire growth on different substrates. Real-time microscopy imaging and elementally resolved spectroscopy clearly show that the catalyst dissolves the underlying substrate if held above a certain temperature. If the substrate dissolution is blocked (or in the case of heteroepitaxy) the catalyst needs to be filled with nanowire material from the external supply, which significantly increases the initial growth delay. The experiments presented here reveal the important role of the substrate in metal-catalyzed nanowire growth and pave the way for different growth delay mitigation strategies.

Catalyst-substrate interaction and growth delay in vapor-liquid-solid nanowire growth.

PubMed

Kolíbal, Miroslav; Pejchal, Tomáš; Musálek, Tomáš; Šikola, Tomáš

2018-05-18

Understanding of the initial stage of nanowire growth on a bulk substrate is crucial for the rational design of nanowire building blocks in future electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, we provide in situ scanning electron microscopy and Auger microscopy analysis of the initial stage of Au-catalyzed Ge nanowire growth on different substrates. Real-time microscopy imaging and elementally resolved spectroscopy clearly show that the catalyst dissolves the underlying substrate if held above a certain temperature. If the substrate dissolution is blocked (or in the case of heteroepitaxy) the catalyst needs to be filled with nanowire material from the external supply, which significantly increases the initial growth delay. The experiments presented here reveal the important role of the substrate in metal-catalyzed nanowire growth and pave the way for different growth delay mitigation strategies.

CO2 (dry ice) cleaning system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnett, Donald M.

1995-01-01

Tomco Equipment Company has participated in the dry ice (solid carbon dioxide, CO2) cleaning industry for over ten years as a pioneer in the manufacturer of high density, dry ice cleaning pellet production equipment. For over four years Tomco high density pelletizers have been available to the dry ice cleaning industry. Approximately one year ago Tomco introduced the DI-250, a new dry ice blast unit making Tomco a single source supplier for sublimable media, particle blast, cleaning systems. This new blast unit is an all pneumatic, single discharge hose device. It meters the insertion of 1/8 inch diameter (or smaller), high density, dry ice pellets into a high pressure, propellant gas stream. The dry ice and propellant streams are controlled and mixed from the blast cabinet. From there the mixture is transported to the nozzle where the pellets are accelerated to an appropriate blasting velocity. When directed to impact upon a target area, these dry ice pellets have sufficient energy to effectively remove most surface coatings through dry, abrasive contact. The meta-stable, dry ice pellets used for CO2 cleaning, while labeled 'high density,' are less dense than alternate, abrasive, particle blast media. In addition, after contacting the target surface, they return to their equilibrium condition: a superheated gas state. Most currently used grit blasting media are silicon dioxide based, which possess a sharp tetrahedral molecular structure. Silicon dioxide crystal structures will always produce smaller sharp-edged replicas of the original crystal upon fracture. Larger, softer dry ice pellets do not share the same sharp-edged crystalline structures as their non-sublimable counterparts when broken. In fact, upon contact with the target surface, dry ice pellets will plastically deform and break apart. As such, dry ice cleaning is less harmful to sensitive substrates, workers and the environment than chemical or abrasive cleaning systems. Dry ice cleaning system components include: a dry ice pellet supply, a non-reactive propellant gas source, a pellet and propellant metering device, and a media transport and acceleration hose and nozzle arrangement. Dry ice cleaning system operating parameters include: choice of propellant gas, its pressure and temperature, dry ice mass flow rate, dry ice pellet size and shape, and acceleration nozzle configuration. These parameters may be modified to fit different applications. The growth of the dry ice cleaning industry will depend upon timely data acquisition of the effects that independent changes in these parameters have on cleaning rates, with respect to different surface coating and substrate combinations. With this data, optimization of cleaning rates for particular applications will be possible. The analysis of the applicable range of modulation of these parameters, within system component mechanical constraints, has just begun.

Corecovery of lipids and fermentable sugars from Rhodosporidium toruloides using ionic liquid cosolvents: application of recycle to batch fermentation.

PubMed

Severa, Godwin; Kumar, Guneet; Cooney, Michael J

2014-01-01

This work evaluates the ability of an ionic liquid-methanol cosolvent system to extract lipids and recycle fermentable sugars recovered from oil-bearing Rhodosporidium toruloides grown in batch culture on defined media using glucose and xylose as carbon sources. Growth on the recycled mixed carbon substrate was successful with glucose consumed before xylose and overall cell mass to lipid yields (YP/X ) between 57% and 61% (w/w relative to whole dried cell mass) achieved. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the delipified carbohydrate fraction recovered approximately 9%-11% (w/w) of the whole dried cell mass as fermentable sugars, which were successfully recycled as carbon sources without further purification. In total, up to 70% (w/w) of the whole dried cell mass was recovered as lipids and fermentable sugars and the substrate to lipid yields (YP/S ) was increased from 0.12 to 0.16 g lipid/g carbohydrate consumed, highlighting the promise of this approach to process lipid bearing cell biomass. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Ridge-width dependence of the threshold of long wavelength (λ ≈ 14 µm) Quantum Cascade lasers with sloped and vertical sidewalls.

PubMed

Huang, Xue; Chiu, Yenting; Charles, William O; Gmachl, Claire

2012-01-30

We investigate the ridge-width dependence of the threshold of Quantum Cascade lasers fabricated by wet and dry etching, respectively. The sloped sidewalls resulting from wet etching affect the threshold in two ways as the ridge gets narrower. First, the transverse modes are deeper in the substrate, hence reducing the optical confinement factor. Second, more important, a non-negligible field exists in the lossy SiO2 insulation layer, as a result of transverse magnetic mode coupling to the surface plamon mode at the insulator/metal surface, which increases the waveguide loss. By contrast, dry etching is anisotropic and leads to waveguides with vertical sidewalls, which avoids the shift of the modes to the substrate layer and coupling to the surface plasmons, resulting in improved threshold compared with wet-etched lasers, e.g., for narrow ridge widths below 20 µm, the threshold of a 14 µm wide λ ≈ 14 µm laser by dry etching is ~60% lower than that of a wet-etched laser of the same width, at 80 K.

From Dot to Ring: The Role of Friction in the Deposition Pattern of a Drying Colloidal Suspension Droplet.

PubMed

Xie, Qingguang; Harting, Jens

2018-05-08

The deposition of particles on a substrate by drying a colloidal suspension droplet is at the core of applications ranging from traditional printing on paper to printable electronics or photovoltaic devices. The self-pinning induced by the accumulation of particles at the contact line plays an important role in the formation of a deposit. In this article, we investigate, both numerically and theoretically, the effect of friction between the particles and the substrate on the deposition pattern. Without friction, the contact line shows a stick-slip behavior and a dotlike deposit is left after the droplet is evaporated. By increasing the friction force, we observe a transition from a dotlike to a ringlike deposit. We propose a theoretical model to predict the effective radius of the particle deposit as a function of the friction force. Our theoretical model predicts a critical friction force when self-pinning happens and the effective radius of deposit increases with increasing friction force, confirmed by our simulation results. Our results can find implications for developing active control strategies for the deposition of drying droplets.

A closed-chamber method to measure greenhouse gas fluxes from dry aquatic sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesmeister, Lukas; Koschorreck, Matthias

2017-06-01

Recent research indicates that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dry aquatic sediments are a relevant process in the freshwater carbon cycle. However, fluxes are difficult to measure because of the often rocky substrate and the dynamic nature of the habitat. Here we tested the performance of different materials to seal a closed chamber to stony ground both in laboratory and field experiments. Using on-site material consistently resulted in elevated fluxes. The artefact was caused both by outgassing of the material and production of gas. The magnitude of the artefact was site dependent - the measured CO2 flux increased between 10 and 208 %. Errors due to incomplete sealing proved to be more severe than errors due to non-inert sealing material.Pottery clay as sealing material provided a tight seal between the chamber and the ground and no production of gases was detected. With this approach it is possible to get reliable gas fluxes from hard-substrate sites without using a permanent collar. Our test experiments confirmed that CO2 fluxes from dry aquatic sediments are similar to CO2 fluxes from terrestrial soils.

A 3D Lattice Modelling Study of Drying Shrinkage Damage in Concrete Repair Systems

PubMed Central

Luković, Mladena; Šavija, Branko; Schlangen, Erik; Ye, Guang; van Breugel, Klaas

2016-01-01

Differential shrinkage between repair material and concrete substrate is considered to be the main cause of premature failure of repair systems. The magnitude of induced stresses depends on many factors, for example the degree of restraint, moisture gradients caused by curing and drying conditions, type of repair material, etc. Numerical simulations combined with experimental observations can be of great use when determining the influence of these parameters on the performance of repair systems. In this work, a lattice type model was used to simulate first the moisture transport inside a repair system and then the resulting damage as a function of time. 3D simulations were performed, and damage patterns were qualitatively verified with experimental results and cracking tendencies in different brittle and ductile materials. The influence of substrate surface preparation, bond strength between the two materials, and thickness of the repair material were investigated. Benefits of using a specially tailored fibre reinforced material, namely strain hardening cementitious composite (SHCC), for controlling the damage development due to drying shrinkage in concrete repairs was also examined. PMID:28773696

A 3D Lattice Modelling Study of Drying Shrinkage Damage in Concrete Repair Systems.

PubMed

Luković, Mladena; Šavija, Branko; Schlangen, Erik; Ye, Guang; van Breugel, Klaas

2016-07-14

Differential shrinkage between repair material and concrete substrate is considered to be the main cause of premature failure of repair systems. The magnitude of induced stresses depends on many factors, for example the degree of restraint, moisture gradients caused by curing and drying conditions, type of repair material, etc. Numerical simulations combined with experimental observations can be of great use when determining the influence of these parameters on the performance of repair systems. In this work, a lattice type model was used to simulate first the moisture transport inside a repair system and then the resulting damage as a function of time. 3D simulations were performed, and damage patterns were qualitatively verified with experimental results and cracking tendencies in different brittle and ductile materials. The influence of substrate surface preparation, bond strength between the two materials, and thickness of the repair material were investigated. Benefits of using a specially tailored fibre reinforced material, namely strain hardening cementitious composite (SHCC), for controlling the damage development due to drying shrinkage in concrete repairs was also examined.

Evaluating industrial drying of cellulosic feedstock for bioenergy: A systems approach

DOE PAGES

Sokhansanj, Shahab; Webb, Erin

2016-01-21

Here, a large portion of herbaceous and woody biomass must be dried following harvest. Natural field drying is possible if the weather cooperates. Mechanical drying is a certain way of reducing the moisture content of biomass. This paper presents an engineering analysis applied to drying of 10 Mg h –1 (exit mass flow) of biomass with an initial moisture content ranging from 25% to 70% (wet mass basis) down to 10% exit moisture content. The requirement for hog fuel to supply heat to the dryer increases from 0.5 dry Mg to 3.8 dry Mg h –1 with the increased initialmore » moisture of biomass. The capital cost for the entire drying system including equipment for biomass size reduction, pollution control, dryer, and biomass combustor sums up to more than 4.7 million dollars. The operating cost (electricity, labor, repair, and maintenance) minus fuel cost for the dryer alone amount to 4.05 Mg –1 of dried biomass. For 50% moisture content biomass, the cost of fuel to heat the drying air is 7.41 dollars/ dry ton of biomass for a total 11.46 dollars per dry ton at 10% moisture content. The fuel cost ranges from a low of 2.21 dollars to a high of 18.54 dollars for a biomass at an initial moisture content of 25% to 75%, respectively. This wide range in fuel cost indicates the extreme sensitivity of the drying cost to initial moisture content of biomass and to ambient air humidity and temperature and highlights the significance of field drying for a cost effective drying operation.« less

In vitro and in vivo assessment of the effect of initial moisture content and drying temperature on the feeding value of maize grain.

PubMed

Huart, F; Malumba, P; Odjo, S; Al-Izzi, W; Béra, F; Beckers, Y

2018-06-11

1. This study assessed the impact of drying temperature (54, 90, and 130°C) and maize grain moisture content at harvest (36% and 29%) on in vitro digestibility, the growth performance and ileal digestibility of broiler chickens. 2. In contrast to the results from the in vitro digestibility, apparent ileal digestibility of starch and energy decreased when the drying temperature was raised from 54 to 130°C, and this effect was more pronounced in maize grain harvested at high initial moisture content (36%). Ileal protein digestibility of maize grain decreased significantly when dried at the intermediate temperature (90°C) and with a high harvest moisture content (36%). Drying temperature and initial moisture content did not significantly affect AMEn. 3. When maize was dried at 130°C, the particle sizes of flour recovered after standard milling procedures decreased significantly, which would influence animal growth performance and in vivo digestibility through animal feed selection.

Refractory Oxidative-Resistant Ceramic Carbon Insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leiser, Daniel B. (Inventor); Hsu, Ming-Ta S. (Inventor); Chen, Timothy S. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

High-temperature, lightweight, ceramic carbon insulation is prepared by coating or impregnating a porous carbon substrate with a siloxane gel derived from the reaction of an organodialkoxy silane and an organotrialkoxy silane in an acid or base medium in the presence of the carbon substrate. The siloxane gel is subsequently dried on the carbon substrate to form a ceramic carbon precursor. The carbon precursor is pyrolyzed, in an inert atmosphere, to form the ceramic insulation containing carbon, silicon, and oxygen. The carbon insulation is characterized as a porous, fibrous, carbon ceramic tile which is particularly useful as lightweight tiles for spacecraft.

The influence of light, substrate and seed origin on the germination and establishment of an ant-garden bromeliad.

PubMed

Leroy, C; Petitclerc, F; Orivel, J; Corbara, B; Carrias, J-F; Dejean, A; Céréghino, R

2017-01-01

Plant germination and development depend upon a seed's successful dispersal into a suitable habitat and its ability to grow and survive within the surrounding biotic and abiotic environment. The seeds of Aechmea mertensii, a tank-bromeliad species, are dispersed by either Camponotus femoratus or Neoponera goeldii, two ant species that initiate ant gardens (AGs). These two mutualistic ant species influence the vegetative and reproductive traits of the bromeliad through their divergent ecological preferences (i.e. light and substrate). We hypothesised that the seeds dispersed by these two ant species have underlying genetic differences affecting germination, growth and survival of A. mertensii seedlings in different ways. To test this, we used an experimental approach consisting of sowing seeds of A. mertensii: (i) taken from the two AG-ant associations (i.e. seed origin), (ii) in two contrasting light conditions, and (iii) on three different substrates. Light and substrate had significant effects on germination, survival and on eight key leaf traits reflecting plant performance. Seed origin had a significant effect only on germination and on two leaf traits (total dry mass and relative growth rate). Overall, this bromeliad performs better (i.e. high growth and survival rates) when growing both in the shade and in the carton nest developed by C. femoratus ants. These results suggest that the plasticity of the tank bromeliad A. mertensii is mainly due to environment but also to genetic differences related to seed origin, as some traits are heritable. Thus, these two ant species may play contrasting roles in shaping plant evolution and speciation. © 2016 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Single-anchor support and supercritical CO2 drying enable high-precision microfabrication of three-dimensional structures.

PubMed

Maruo, Shoji; Hasegawa, Takuya; Yoshimura, Naoki

2009-11-09

In high-precision two-photon microfabrication of three-dimensional (3-D) polymeric microstructures, supercritical CO(2) drying was employed to reduce surface tension, which tends to cause the collapse of micro/nano structures. Use of supercritical drying allowed high-aspect ratio microstructures, such as micropillars and cantilevers, to be fabricated. We also propose a single-anchor supporting method to eliminate non-uniform shrinkage of polymeric structures otherwise caused by attachment to the substrate. Use of this method permitted frame models such as lattices to be produced without harmful distortion. The combination of supercritical CO(2) drying and the single-anchor supporting method offers reliable high-precision microfabrication of sophisticated, fragile 3-D micro/nano structures.

The effects of the fungus-growing ant, Trachymyrmex jamaicensis, on soil fertility and seed germination in a subtropical dry forest

Treesearch

J.A. Torres; M. Santiago; M. Salgado

1999-01-01

The fungus-growing ant, Trachymyrmex jamaicensis, is common in the Guanica dry forest of Puerto Rico and uses the pulp of fleshy fruits of many plant species as the primary substrate on which its fungal symbiont is cultivated. The ants discard the seeds and often intact fruits in refuse piles located on the soil surface near the nest entrance. Nest construction...

Low-cost passive UHF RFID tags on paper substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sajal, Sayeed Zebaul Haque

To reduce the significant cost in the widespread deployment of UHF radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, an UHF RFID tag design is presented on paper substrates. The design is based on meander-line miniaturization techniques and open complementary split ring resonator (OCSRR) elements that reduce required conducting materials by 30%. Another passive UHF RFID tag is designed to sense the moisture based on the antenna's polarization. An inexpensive paper substrate and copper layer are used for flexibility and low-cost. The key characteristic of this design is the sensitivity of the antenna's polarization on the passive RFID tag to the moisture content in the paper substrate. In simulations, the antenna is circularly-polarized when the substrate is dry and is linearly-polarized when the substrate is wet. It was shown that the expected read-ranges and desired performance could be achieved reducing the over-all cost of the both designs.

Stable thermophilic anaerobic digestion of dissolved air flotation (DAF) sludge by co-digestion with swine manure.

PubMed

Creamer, K S; Chen, Y; Williams, C M; Cheng, J J

2010-05-01

Environmentally sound treatment of by-products in a value-adding process is an ongoing challenge in animal agriculture. The sludge produced as a result of the dissolved air flotation (DAF) wastewater treatment process in swine processing facilities is one such low-value residue. The objective of this study was to determine the fundamental performance parameters for thermophilic anaerobic digestion of DAF sludge. Testing in a semi-continuous stirred tank reactor and in batch reactors was conducted to determine the kinetics of degradation and biogas yield. Stable operation could not be achieved using pure DAF sludge as a substrate, possibly due to inhibition by long-chain fatty acids or to nutrient deficiencies. However, in a 1:1 ratio (w/w, dry basis) with swine manure, operation was both stable and productive. In the semi-continuous stirred reactor at 54.5 degrees Celsius, a hydraulic residence time of 10 days, and an organic loading rate of 4.68 gVS/day/L, the methane production rate was 2.19 L/L/day and the specific methane production rate was 0.47 L/gVS (fed). Maximum specific methanogenic activity (SMA) in batch testing was 0.15 mmoles CH(4) h(-1) gVS(-1) at a substrate concentration of 6.9 gVS L(-1). Higher substrate concentrations cause an initial lag in methane production, possibly due to long-chain fatty acid or nitrogen inhibition. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of supplementing crop substrate with defatted pistachio meal on Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus production.

PubMed

Pardo-Giménez, Arturo; Catalán, Luis; Carrasco, Jaime; Álvarez-Ortí, Manuel; Zied, Diego; Pardo, José

2016-08-01

This work assesses the agronomic performance of defatted pistachio meal, after oil extraction, as a nutritional substrate supplement when growing the mushroom species Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach and Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm. Materials were applied at different doses at spawning. Along with non-supplemented substrates, commercial nutritional supplements were used as controls. Proximate analysis of mushrooms is also considered. For the cultivation of champignon, defatted pistachio meal has provided larger mushrooms (unitary weight and cap diameter) with firmer texture and greater content in dry weight and protein, without significant alterations in quantitative parameters. For Pleurotus ostreatus, the supplement led to significant yield increase, even providing up to 34.4% of increment compared to non-supplementation with meal, reaching a biological efficiency of 129.9 kg dt(-1) , when applied to the 15 g kg(-1) compost dose. Supplementation has also been conducted to increase dry weight, protein and fibre within carpophores and to decrease the energy value. Defatted pistachio meal has similar or better results compared to the commercial supplements used as reference. Compost supplementation with defatted pistachio meal in A. bisporus concerns mainly the quantitative parameters (size, texture, dry weight and protein). Based on the results obtained, this technique has greater potential of development for P. ostreatus commercial crops, basically due to expected increases in production, with a direct impact on benefits and crop profitability. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Relative Influence of Initial Surface and Atmospheric Conditions on Seasonal Water and Energy Balances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oglesby, Robert J.; Marshall, Susan; Roads, John O.; Robertson, Franklin R.; Goodman, H. Michael (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We constructed and analyzed wet and dry soil moisture composites for the mid-latitude GCIP region of the central US using long climate model simulations made with the NCAR CCM3 and reanalysis products from NCEP. Using the diagnostic composites as a guide, we have completed a series of predictability experiments in which we imposed soil water initial conditions in CCM3 for the GCIP region for June 1 from anomalously wet and dry years, with atmospheric initial conditions taken from June 1 of a year with 'near-normal' soil water, and initial soil water from the near-normal year and atmospheric initial conditions from the wet and dry years. Preliminary results indicate that the initial state of the atmosphere is more important than the initial state of soil water determining the subsequent late spring and summer evolution of sod water over the GCIP region. Surprisingly, neither the composites or the predictability experiments yielded a strong influence of soil moisture on the atmosphere. To explore this further, we have made runs with extreme dry soil moisture initial anomalies imposed over the GCIP region (the soil close to being completely dry). These runs did yield a very strong effect on the atmosphere that persisted for at least three months. We conclude that the magnitude of the initial soil moisture anomaly is crucial, at least in CCM3, and are currently investigating whether a threshold exists, below which little impact is seen. In a complementary study, we compared the impact of the initial condition of snow cover versus the initial atmospheric state over the western US (corresponding to the westward extension of the GAPP program follow-on to GCIP). In this case, the initial prescription of snow cover is far more important than the initial atmospheric state in determining the subsequent evolution of snow cover. We are currently working to understand the very different soil water and snow cover results.

Desiccation tolerance of Sphagnum revisited: a puzzle resolved.

PubMed

Hájek, T; Vicherová, E

2014-07-01

As ecosystem engineers, Sphagnum mosses control their surroundings through water retention, acidification and peat accumulation. Because water retention avoids desiccation, sphagna are generally intolerant to drought; however, the literature on Sphagnum desiccation tolerance (DT) provides puzzling results, indicating the inducible nature of their DT. To test this, various Sphagnum species and other mesic bryophytes were hardened to drought by (i) slow drying; (ii) ABA application and (iii) chilling or frost. DT tolerance was assessed as recovery of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters after severe desiccation. We monitored the seasonal course of DT in bog bryophytes. Under laboratory conditions, following initial de-hardening, untreated Sphagnum shoots lacked DT; however, DT was induced by all hardening treatments except chilling, notably by slow drying, and in Sphagnum species of the section Cuspidata. In the field, sphagna in hollows and lawns developed DT several times during the growing season, responding to reduced precipitation and a lowered water table. Hummock and aquatic species developed DT only in late autumn, probably as a response to frost. Sphagnum protonemata failed to develop DT; hence, desiccation may limit Sphagnum establishment in drier habitats with suitable substrate chemistry. Desiccation avoiders among sphagna form compact hummocks or live submerged; thus, they do not develop DT in the field, lacking the initial desiccation experience, which is frequent in hollow and lawn habitats. We confirmed the morpho-physiological trade-off: in contrast to typical hollow sphagna, hummock species invest more resources in water retention (desiccation avoidance), while they have a lower ability to develop physiological DT. © 2013 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Surface modification for interaction study with bacteria and preosteoblast cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Qing

Surface modification plays a pivotal role in bioengineering. Polymer coatings can provide biocompatibility and biofunctionalities to biomaterials through surface modification. In this dissertation, initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) was utilized to coat two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) substrates with differently charged polyelectrolytes in order to generate antimicrobial and osteocompatible biomaterials. ICVD is a modified CVD technique that enables surface modification in an all-dry condition without substrate damage and solvent contamination. The free-radical polymerization allows the vinyl polymers to conformally coat on various micro- and nano-structured substrates and maintains the delicate structure of the functional groups. The vapor deposition of polycations provided antimicrobial activity to planar and porous substrates through destroying the negatively charged bacterial membrane and brought about high contact-killing efficiency (99.99%) against Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis and Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Additionally, the polyampholytes synthesized by iCVD exhibited excellent antifouling performance against the adhesion of Gram-positive Listeria innocua and Gram-negative E. coli in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Their antifouling activities were attributed to the electrostatic interaction and hydration layers that served as physical and energetic barriers to prevent bacterial adhesion. The contact-killing and antifouling polymers synthesized by iCVD can be applied to surface modification of food processing equipment and medical devices with the aim of reducing foodborne diseases and medical infections. Moreover, the charged polyelectrolyte modified 2D polystyrene surfaces displayed good osteocompatibility and enhanced osteogenesis of preosteoblast cells than the un-modified polystyrene surface. In order to promote osteoinduction of hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds, bioinspired polymer-controlled mineralization was conducted on the polyelectrolyte modified HA scaffolds. The mineralized scaffolds stimulated osteogenesis of preosteoblast cells compared with the control HA scaffolds. Therefore, the surface modification through vapor deposition of polyelectrolytes and polymer-controlled mineralization can improve osteoinduction of bone materials. In summary, the iCVD-mediated surface modification is a simple and promising approach to biofunctionalizing various structured substrates and generating antimicrobial and biocompatible biomaterials.

The influence of the surrounding gas on drop impact onto a wet substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deegan, Robert; Zhang, Li; Toole, Jameson

2011-11-01

The impact of a droplet with a wet or solid substrate creates a spray of secondary droplets. The effect of the surrounding gas on this process was widely neglected prior to the work of Xu, Zhang, & Nagel which showed that lowering the gas pressure suppresses splashing for impact with a dry solid substrate. Here we present the results of our experimental investigation of the effect of the surrounding gas on the evolution of splashes from a wet substrate. We varied the density and pressure of the surrounding gas. We find quantitative changes to the onset thresholds of splashing and on the size distribution of, but no qualitative changes. The effects are most pronounced on the evolution of the ejecta sheet.

Identifying suitable substrates for high-quality graphene-based heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banszerus, L.; Janssen, H.; Otto, M.; Epping, A.; Taniguchi, T.; Watanabe, K.; Beschoten, B.; Neumaier, D.; Stampfer, C.

2017-06-01

We report on a scanning confocal Raman spectroscopy study investigating the strain-uniformity and the overall strain and doping of high-quality chemical vapour deposited (CVD) graphene-based heterostuctures on a large number of different substrate materials, including hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), transition metal dichalcogenides, silicon, different oxides and nitrides, as well as polymers. By applying a hBN-assisted, contamination free, dry transfer process for CVD graphene, high-quality heterostructures with low doping densities and low strain variations are assembled. The Raman spectra of these pristine heterostructures are sensitive to substrate-induced doping and strain variations and are thus used to probe the suitability of the substrate material for potential high-quality graphene devices. We find that the flatness of the substrate material is a key figure for gaining, or preserving high-quality graphene.

Initial substrate moisture content and storage temperature affects chemical properties of bagged substrates containing controlled release fertilizer at two different temperatures

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bagged potting mixes can be stored for weeks or months before being used by consumers. Some bagged potting mixes are amended with controlled release fertilizers (CRF). The objective of this research was to observe how initial substrate moisture content and storage temperature affect the chemical p...

Amplifying and attenuating the coffee-ring effect in drying sessile nanofluid droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crivoi, A.; Duan, Fei

2013-04-01

Experiments and simulations to promote or attenuate the “coffee-ring effect” for pinned sessile nanofluid droplets are presented. The addition of surfactant inside a water suspension of aluminum oxide nanoparticles results in coffee-ring formation after the pinned sessile droplets are fully dried on a substrate, while droplets of the same suspension without the surfactant produce a fine uniform coverage. A mathematical model based on diffusion-limited cluster-cluster aggregation has been developed to explain the observed difference in the experiments. The simulations show that the particle sticking probability is a crucial factor on the morphology of finally dried structures.

Effects of working gas pressure on zirconium dioxide thin film prepared by pulsed plasma deposition: roughness, wettability, friction and wear characteristics.

PubMed

Berni, M; Marchiori, G; Gambardella, A; Boi, M; Bianchi, M; Russo, A; Visani, A; Marcacci, M; Pavan, P G; Lopomo, N F

2017-08-01

In joint arthroplasty one of the main issues related to the failure of prosthetic implants is due to the wear of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) component. Surface treatments and coatings have been recognized as enhancing methods, able to improve the tribological properties of the implants. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to investigate the possibility to fabricate yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings on a metal (AISI 316-L) substrate by means of Pulsed Electron Deposition, in order to improve the tribological behavior of the polymer-metal coupling, by reducing the initial wear of the UHMWPE component. In order to optimize the coating characteristics, the effects of working gas pressure on both its morphological and tribological properties were analyzed. Morphological characterization of the films was evaluated by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Coating wettability was also estimated by contact angle (CA) measurement. Tribological performance (coupling friction and wear of UHMWPE) was evaluated by using a ball-on-disc tribometer during highly-stressing tests in dry and lubricated (i.e. NaCl and serum) conditions; friction and wear were specifically evaluated at the initial sliding distances - to highlight the main effect of coating morphology - and after 100m - where the influence of the intrinsic materials properties prevails. AFM analysis highlighted that the working pressure heavily affected the morphological characteristics of the realized films. The wettability of the coating at the highest and lowest deposition pressures (CA ~ 60°, closed to substrate value) decreased for intermediate pressures, reaching a maximum CA of ~ 90°. Regarding tribological tests, a strong correlation was found in the initial steps between friction coefficient and wettability, which decreased as the distance increased. Concerning UHMWPE wear associated to coated counterpart, at 100m a reduction rate of about 7% in dry, 12% in NaCl and 5% in presence of serum was obtained compared to the uncoated counterpart. Differently from what highlighted for friction, no correlation was found between wear rate and morphological parameters. These findings, in agreement with literature, underlined the effect of the deposition pressure on the morphological properties, but suggested that physical characteristics are influenced too. Further research on the deposition process will be required in order to improve the tribological performance of the coating at long distances, addressing - above all - orthopedic applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of photonic band gap materials

DOEpatents

Constant, Kristen; Subramania, Ganapathi S.; Biswas, Rana; Ho, Kai-Ming

2002-01-15

A method for forming a periodic dielectric structure exhibiting photonic band gap effects includes forming a slurry of a nano-crystalline ceramic dielectric or semiconductor material and monodisperse polymer microspheres, depositing a film of the slurry on a substrate, drying the film, and calcining the film to remove the polymer microspheres therefrom. The film may be cold-pressed after drying and prior to calcining. The ceramic dielectric or semiconductor material may be titania, and the polymer microspheres may be polystyrene microspheres.

Hydrolysis of various thai agricultural biomasses using the crude enzyme from Aspergillus aculeatus iizuka FR60 isolated from soil

PubMed Central

Boonmee, Atcha

2012-01-01

In this study, forty-two fungi from soil were isolated and tested for their carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) and xylanase activities. From all isolates, the fungal isolate FR60, which was identified as Aspergillus aculeatus Iizuka, showed high activities in both CMCase and xylanase with 517 mU/mg protein and 550 mU/mg protein, respectively. The crude enzyme from A. aculeatus Iizuka FR60 could hydrolyze several agricultural residues such as corncob, and sweet sorghum leaf and stalk at comparable rates with respect to the tested commercial enzymes and with a maximum rate in rice hull hydrolysis (29 μg sugar g-1 dry weight substrate mg-1 enzyme hr-1). The highest amount of glucose was obtained from corncob by using the crude enzyme from A. aculeatus Iizuka FR60 (10.1 g/100 g dry substrate). From overall enzymatic treatment results, the lowest sugar yield was from rice hulls treatment (1.6 g/100 g dry weight) and the highest amount of reducing sugar was obtained from rice straw treatment (15.3 g/100 g dry weight). Among tested agricultural wastes, rice hull could not be effectively hydrolyzed by enzymes, whereas sugarcane leaf and stalk, and peanut shell could be effectively hydrolyzed (30-31% total sugar comparing with total sugar yield from acid treatment). PMID:24031852

Presence or absence of ocular surface inflammation directs clinical and therapeutic management of dry eye.

PubMed

Sambursky, Robert

2016-01-01

The presence of clinically significant inflammation has been confirmed in the tears of 40%-65% of patients with symptoms of dry eye. Ocular surface inflammation may lead to tear film instability, epithelial cell irregularities, and permeability, resulting in chronic symptomatic pain and fluctuating vision as well as negative surgical outcomes. A retrospective single center medical chart review of 100 patients was conducted. All patients were tested with the InflammaDry test to determine if patients exhibited elevated levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9). InflammaDry-positive patients were started on a combination of cyclosporine 0.05% twice daily, 2,000-4,000 mg oral omega-3 fatty acids, and frequent artificial tear replacement. InflammaDry-negative patients were started on 2,000-4,000 mg of oral omega-3 fatty acids and frequent artificial tear replacement. Each patient was retested at ~90 days. A symptom questionnaire was performed at the initial visit and at 90 days. 60% of the patients with dry eye symptoms tested positive for elevated MMP-9 at the initial visit. 78% of all patients returned for follow-up at ~90 days including 80% (48/60) of the previously InflammaDry-positive patients and 75% (30/40) of the previously InflammaDry-negative patients. A follow-up symptom questionnaire reported at least 75% symptomatic improvement in 65% (31/48) of the originally InflammaDry-positive patients and in 70% (21/30) of the initially InflammaDry-negative patients. Symptomatic improvement of at least 50% was reported in 85% (41/48) of previously InflammaDry-positive patients and 86% (26/30) of previously InflammaDry-negative patients. Following treatment, 54% (26/48) of previously InflammaDry-positive patients converted to a negative InflammaDry result. Identifying which symptomatic dry eye patients have underlying inflammation may predict patient responses to treatment and influence clinical management strategies.

Presence or absence of ocular surface inflammation directs clinical and therapeutic management of dry eye

PubMed Central

Sambursky, Robert

2016-01-01

Background The presence of clinically significant inflammation has been confirmed in the tears of 40%–65% of patients with symptoms of dry eye. Ocular surface inflammation may lead to tear film instability, epithelial cell irregularities, and permeability, resulting in chronic symptomatic pain and fluctuating vision as well as negative surgical outcomes. Patients and methods A retrospective single center medical chart review of 100 patients was conducted. All patients were tested with the InflammaDry test to determine if patients exhibited elevated levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9). InflammaDry-positive patients were started on a combination of cyclosporine 0.05% twice daily, 2,000–4,000 mg oral omega-3 fatty acids, and frequent artificial tear replacement. InflammaDry-negative patients were started on 2,000–4,000 mg of oral omega-3 fatty acids and frequent artificial tear replacement. Each patient was retested at ~90 days. A symptom questionnaire was performed at the initial visit and at 90 days. Results 60% of the patients with dry eye symptoms tested positive for elevated MMP-9 at the initial visit. 78% of all patients returned for follow-up at ~90 days including 80% (48/60) of the previously InflammaDry-positive patients and 75% (30/40) of the previously InflammaDry-negative patients. A follow-up symptom questionnaire reported at least 75% symptomatic improvement in 65% (31/48) of the originally InflammaDry-positive patients and in 70% (21/30) of the initially InflammaDry-negative patients. Symptomatic improvement of at least 50% was reported in 85% (41/48) of previously InflammaDry-positive patients and 86% (26/30) of previously InflammaDry-negative patients. Following treatment, 54% (26/48) of previously InflammaDry-positive patients converted to a negative InflammaDry result. Conclusion Identifying which symptomatic dry eye patients have underlying inflammation may predict patient responses to treatment and influence clinical management strategies. PMID:27920494

Friction and wear of plasma-deposited diamond films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa; Wu, Richard L. C.; Garscadden, Alan; Barnes, Paul N.; Jackson, Howard E.

1993-01-01

Reciprocating sliding friction experiments in humid air and in dry nitrogen and unidirectional sliding friction experiments in ultrahigh vacuum were conducted with a natural diamond pin in contact with microwave-plasma-deposited diamond films. Diamond films with a surface roughness (R rms) ranging from 15 to 160 nm were produced by microwave-plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. In humid air and in dry nitrogen, abrasion occurred when the diamond pin made grooves in the surfaces of diamond films, and thus the initial coefficients of friction increased with increasing initial surface roughness. The equilibrium coefficients of friction were independent of the initial surface roughness of the diamond films. In vacuum the friction for diamond films contacting a diamond pin arose primarily from adhesion between the sliding surfaces. In these cases, the initial and equilibrium coefficients of friction were independent of the initial surface roughness of the diamond films. The equilibrium coefficients of friction were 0.02 to 0.04 in humid air and in dry nitrogen, but 1.5 to 1.8 in vacuum. The wear factor of the diamond films depended on the initial surface roughness, regardless of environment; it increased with increasing initial surface roughness. The wear factors were considerably higher in vacuum than in humid air and in dry nitrogen.

Microwave drying of wood strands

Treesearch

Guanben Du; Siqun Wang; Zhiyong Cai

2005-01-01

Characteristics of microwave drying of wood strands with different initial moisture contents and geometries were investigated using a commercial small microwave oven under different power inputs. Temperature and moisture changes along with the drying efficiency were examined at different drying scenarios. Extractives were analyzed using gas chromatography=mass...

Superhydrophobic surfaces allow probing of exosome self organization using X-ray scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Accardo, Angelo; Tirinato, Luca; Altamura, Davide; Sibillano, Teresa; Giannini, Cinzia; Riekel, Christian; di Fabrizio, Enzo

2013-02-01

Drops of exosome dispersions from healthy epithelial colon cell line and colorectal cancer cells were dried on a superhydrophobic PMMA substrate. The residues were studied by small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering using both a synchrotron radiation micrometric beam and a high-flux table-top X-ray source. Structural differences between healthy and cancerous cells were detected in the lamellar lattices of the exosome macro-aggregates.Drops of exosome dispersions from healthy epithelial colon cell line and colorectal cancer cells were dried on a superhydrophobic PMMA substrate. The residues were studied by small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering using both a synchrotron radiation micrometric beam and a high-flux table-top X-ray source. Structural differences between healthy and cancerous cells were detected in the lamellar lattices of the exosome macro-aggregates. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr34032e

Innovative approaches for converting a wood hydrolysate to high-quality barrier coatings.

PubMed

Ryberg, Yingzhi Zhu; Edlund, Ulrica; Albertsson, Ann-Christine

2013-08-28

An advanced approach for the efficient and controllable production of softwood hydrolysate-based coatings with excellent oxygen-barrier performance is presented. An innovative conversion of the spray-drying technique into a coating applicator process allowed for a fast and efficient coating process requiring solely aqueous solutions of softwood hydrolysate, even without additives. Compared to analogous coatings prepared by manual application, the spray-drying produced coatings were more homogeneous and smooth, and they adhered more strongly to the substrate. The addition of glyoxal to the aqueous softwood hydrolysate solutions prior to coating formation allowed for hemicellulose cross-linking, which improved both the mechanical integrity and the oxygen-barrier performance of the coatings. A real-time scanning electron microscopy imaging assessment of the tensile deformation of the coatings allowed for a deeper understanding of the ability of the coating layer itself to withstand stress as well as the coating-to-substrate adhesion.

Quantitating protein synthesis, degradation, and endogenous antigen processing.

PubMed

Princiotta, Michael F; Finzi, Diana; Qian, Shu-Bing; Gibbs, James; Schuchmann, Sebastian; Buttgereit, Frank; Bennink, Jack R; Yewdell, Jonathan W

2003-03-01

Using L929 cells, we quantitated the macroeconomics of protein synthesis and degradation and the microeconomics of producing MHC class I associated peptides from viral translation products. To maintain a content of 2.6 x 10(9) proteins, each cell's 6 x 10(6) ribosomes produce 4 x 10(6) proteins min(-1). Each of the cell's 8 x 10(5) proteasomes degrades 2.5 substrates min(-1), creating one MHC class I-peptide complex for each 500-3000 viral translation products degraded. The efficiency of complex formation is similar in dendritic cells and macrophages, which play a critical role in activating T cells in vivo. Proteasomes create antigenic peptides at different efficiencies from two distinct substrate pools: rapidly degraded newly synthesized proteins that clearly represent defective ribosomal products (DRiPs) and a less rapidly degraded pool in which DRiPs may also predominate.

Development of a water hyacinth based vermireactor using an epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida.

PubMed

Gupta, Renuka; Mutiyar, Praveen Kumar; Rawat, Naresh Kumar; Saini, Mahender Singh; Garg, V K

2007-09-01

The aim of this work was to investigate the potential of water hyacinth (WH) spiked with cow dung (CD) into vermicompost. Five vermireactors containing WH and CD in different ratios, were run under laboratory conditions for 147 days. The maximum worm growth was recorded in CD alone. Worms grew and reproduced favourably in 25% WH+75% CD feed mixture. Greater proportion of WH in feed mixture significantly affected the biomass gain, hatchling numbers and numbers of cocoons produced during experiments. In all the vermireactors, there was significant decrease in pH, TOC and C:N ratio, but increase in TKN, TK and TAP at the end. The heavy metals content in the vermicomposts was lower than initial feed mixtures. The results indicated that WH could be potentially useful as raw substrate in vermicomposting if mixed with up to 25% in cow dung (on dry weight basis).

Surface modification of active material structures in battery electrodes

DOEpatents

Erickson, Michael; Tikhonov, Konstantin

2016-02-02

Provided herein are methods of processing electrode active material structures for use in electrochemical cells or, more specifically, methods of forming surface layers on these structures. The structures are combined with a liquid to form a mixture. The mixture includes a surface reagent that chemically reacts and forms a surface layer covalently bound to the structures. The surface reagent may be a part of the initial liquid or added to the mixture after the liquid is combined with the structures. In some embodiments, the mixture may be processed to form a powder containing the structures with the surface layer thereon. Alternatively, the mixture may be deposited onto a current collecting substrate and dried to form an electrode layer. Furthermore, the liquid may be an electrolyte containing the surface reagent and a salt. The liquid soaks the previously arranged electrodes in order to contact the structures with the surface reagent.

Empirical evaluation of inhibitory product, substrate, and enzyme effects during the enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass.

PubMed

Smith, Benjamin T; Knutsen, Jeffrey S; Davis, Robert H

2010-05-01

The cellulose hydrolysis kinetics during batch enzymatic saccharification are typified by a rapid initial rate that subsequently decays, resulting in incomplete conversion. Previous studies suggest that changes associated with the solution, substrate, or enzymes may be responsible. In this work, kinetic experiments were conducted to determine the relative magnitude of these effects. Pretreated corn stover (PCS) was used as a lignocellulosic substrate likely to be found in a commercial saccharification process, while Avicel and Kraft lignin were used to create model substrates. Glucose inhibition was observed by spiking the reaction slurry with glucose during initial-rate experiments. Increasing the glucose concentration from 7 to 48 g/L reduced the cellulose conversion rate by 94%. When product sugars were removed using ultrafiltration with a 10 kDa membrane, the glucose-based conversion increased by 9.5%. Reductions in substrate reactivity with conversion were compared directly by saccharifying PCS and Avicel substrates that had been pre-reacted to different conversions. Reaction of substrate with a pre-conversion of 40% resulted in about 40% reduction in the initial rate of saccharification, relative to fresh substrate with identical cellulose concentration. Overall, glucose inhibition and reduced substrate reactivity appear to be dominant factors, whereas minimal reductions of enzyme activity were observed.

Solid state fermentation and production of rifamycin SV using Amycolatopsis mediterranei.

PubMed

Nagavalli, M; Ponamgi, S P D; Girijashankar, V; Venkateswar Rao, L

2015-01-01

Production of Rifamycin SV from cheaper agro-industrial by-products using mutant strain of Amycolatopsis mediterranei OVA5-E7 in solid state fermentation (SSF) was optimized. Among the agro-based substrates used, ragi bran was found suitable for maximizing the yield of Rifamycin SV (1310 mg 100 g(-1) ds). The yield can be further enhanced to 19·7 g Kg(-1) of dry substrate by supplementing the substrate with deoiled cotton cake (10% w/w) using optimized fermentation parameters such as maintaining 80% moisture, pH 7·0, 30°C incubation temperature, inoculum 25% v/w and carrying the solid state fermenting for 9 days. Manipulating these seven specifications, the end product yield achieved in our experimentation was 20 g of Rifamycin SV Kg(-1) ds. Eventually, an overall 5-fold improvement in Rifamycin SV production was achieved. Antibiotics such as rifamycin are broad-spectrum antimicrobial drugs used in large-scale worldwide as human medicine towards controlling diseases. Amycolatopsis mediterranei strain which produces this antibiotic was earlier used in submerged fermentation yielded lower amounts of rifamycin. By employing cheaper agro-industrial by-products, we produced upto 20 g rifamycin SV per Kg dry substrate used under optimized solid state fermentation conditions. Keeping in view, the role of rifamycin in meeting the medical demands of world's increasing population; we successfully used an improved strain on cheaper substrates with optimized fermentation parameters and achieved a 5-fold improvement in rifamycin SV production. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Studies on carboxymethyl cellulase and xylanase activities of anaerobic fungal isolate CR4 from the bovine rumen.

PubMed

Matsui, Hiroki; Ban-Tokuda, Tomomi

2008-12-01

An anaerobic fungal isolate, CR4, was isolated from the bovine rumen. The DNA sequence of internal transcribed spacer region 1 showed that CR4 belonged to the genus Caecocmyces. The dry matter digestibility of timothy hay by anaerobic fungal isolate CR4 was determined. The effects of carbohydrate growth substrates on carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) and xylanase activities also were examined. The extent of dry matter digestibility of timothy hay was 31% at 6 days' incubation. The highest specific activity of CMCase in the culture supernatant (SN) fraction was observed in xylose culture. The activity of CMCase was not detected in the SN fraction of cellobiose and xylan or in the cell-bound fraction of all growth substrates. The highest specific activity of xylanase in the SN fraction was observed in glucose culture. These results suggest that fiber-degrading enzyme activities were affected by growth substrates and that CR4 is xylanolytic. Zymogram analysis showed that CR4 produces three CMCases of molecular mass (95, 89, and 64 kDa) and three xylanases of molecular mass (82, 73, and 66 kDa). This is the first demonstration showing the molecular mass of fiber-degrading enzymes of Caecomyces.

Utilization of whey powder as substrate for low-cost preparation of β-galactosidase as main product, and ethanol as by-product, by a litre-scale integrated process.

PubMed

You, Shengping; Chang, Hongxing; Yin, Qingdian; Qi, Wei; Wang, Mengfan; Su, Rongxin; He, Zhimin

2017-12-01

Whey powder, a by-product of dairy industry, is an attractive raw material for value-added products. In this study, utilization of whey powder as substrate for low-cost preparation of β-galactosidase as main product and ethanol as by-product were investigated by a litre-scale integrated strategy, encompassing fermentation, isolation, permeabilization and spray drying. Firstly, through development of low-cost industrial culture and fed-batch strategies by Kluyveromyces lactis, 119.30U/mL β-galactosidase activity and 16.96mg/mL by-product ethanol were achieved. Afterward, an up-dated mathematic model for the recycling permeabilization was established successfully and 30.4g cells sediment isolated from 5L fermentation broth were permeabilized completely by distilled ethanol from broth supernatant. Then β-galactosidase product with 5.15U/mg from protection of gum acacia by spray drying was obtained. Furthermore, by-product ethanol with 31.08% (v/v) was achieved after permeabilization. Therefore, the integrated strategy using whey powder as substrate is a feasible candidate for industrial-scale implementation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geomorphic field experiment to quantify grain size and biotic influence on riverbed sedimentation dynamics in a dry-season reservoir, Russian River, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florsheim, J. L.; Ulrich, C.; Hubbard, S. S.; Borglin, S. E.; Rosenberry, D. O.

2013-12-01

An important problem in geomorphology is to differentiate between abiotic and biotic fine sediment deposition on coarse gravel river beds because of the potential for fine sediment to infiltrate and clog the pore space between gravel clasts. Infiltration of fines into gravel substrate is significant because it may reduce permeability; therefore, differentiation of abiotic vs. biotic sediment helps in understanding the causes of such changes. We conducted a geomorphic field experiment during May to November 2012 in the Russian River near Wohler, CA, to quantify biotic influence on riverbed sedimentation in a small temporary reservoir. The reservoir is formed upstream of a small dam inflated during the dry season to enhance water supply pumping from the aquifer below the channel; however, some flow is maintained in the reservoir to facilitate fish outmigration. In the Russian River field area, sediment transport dynamics during storm flows prior to dam inflation created an alternate bar-riffle complex with a coarser gravel surface layer over the relatively finer gravel subsurface. The objective of our work was to link grain size distribution and topographic variation to biotic and abiotic sediment deposition dynamics in this field setting where the summertime dam annually increases flow depth and inundates the bar surfaces. The field experiment investigated fine sediment deposition over the coarser surface sediment on two impounded bars upstream of the reservoir during an approximately five month period when the temporary dam was inflated. The approach included high resolution field surveys of topography, grain size sampling and sediment traps on channel bars, and laboratory analyses of grain size distributions and loss on ignition (LOI) to determine biotic content. Sediment traps were installed at six sites on bars to measure sediment deposited during the period of impoundment. Preliminary results show that fine sediment deposition occurred at all of the sample sites, and is spatially variable--likely influenced by topographic differences that moderate flow over the bars. Traps initially filled with coarse gravel from the bar's surface trapped more fine sediment than traps initially filled with material from the bar's subsurface sediment, suggesting that a gravel bar's armor layer may enhance the source of material available to infiltrate into the channel substrate. LOI analysis indicates that both surface and subsurface samples have organic content ranging between 2 and 4%, following winter storm flows prior to impoundment. In contrast, samples collected after the 5-month impoundment have higher organic content ranging between 5 and 11%. This work aids in differentiating between abiotic and biotic fine sediment deposition in order to understand their relative potential for clogging gravel substrate.

The introduction of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio Molitor L.) into BLSS as a source of animal protein for humans: experiments and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Leyuan; Liu, lh64. Hong; Ruo Zhao, Zhi

2012-07-01

In bioregenerative life support systems, using inedible plant biomass to feed animals can provide animal protein for astronauts, while at the same time treating with wastes so as to increase the degree of system closure and the efficiency of material cycling. In this study, an analysis and demonstration on the potential of yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor L.) as an animal candidate in the system was presented. The feasibility of feeding T. molitor with inedible parts of wheat and vegetables was studied. Moreover, a process for straw fermentation was selected. T. molitor was fed on wheat bran for the first 10 days, and then gradually, fermented straw was added. Old leaves of Chinese cabbage were used as supplementary feedstuff. The results showed that T. molitor larvae fed on this diet survived and grew normally, their fresh and dry weight achieved 56.15% and 46.76% of the larvae fed on a conventional diet, respectively. The bioconversion rate of the larvae was 16.07%, which was 88.05% of the conventional diet group. The protein and fat contents were 76.14% and 6.44% on dry weigh, respectively. Through the processes of anaerobic fermentation and mealworm consumption, the straw lost about 47.79% of the initial dry weight, and its lignocellulose had a degradation of about 45.74%. Wheat germination test indicated that the frass of T. molitor has the potential to be utilized as plant cultivation substrate after certain treatment. Stoichiometric modeling of BLSS containing T. molitor was also conducted.

Streptomyces sp. TEM 33 possesses high lipolytic activity in solid-state fermentation in comparison with submerged fermentation.

PubMed

Cadirci, Bilge Hilal; Yasa, Ihsan; Kocyigit, Ali

2016-01-01

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is a bioprocess that doesn't need an excess of free water, and it offers potential benefits for microbial cultivation for bioprocesses and product development. In comparing the antibiotic production, few detailed reports could be found with lipolytic enzyme production by Streptomycetes in SSF. Taking this knowledge into consideration, we prefer to purify Actinomycetes species as a new source for lipase production. The lipase-producing strain Streptomyces sp. TEM 33 was isolated from soil and lipase production was managed by solid-state fermentation (SSF) in comparison with submerged fermentation (SmF). Bioprocess-affecting factors like initial moisture content, incubation time, and various carbon and nitrogen additives and the other enzymes secreted into the media were optimized. Lipase activity was measured as 1.74 ± 0.0005 U/g dry substrate (gds) by the p-nitrophenylpalmitate (pNPP) method on day 6 of fermentation with 71.43% final substrate moisture content. In order to understand the metabolic priority in SSF, cellulase and xylanase activity of Streptomyces sp. TEM33 was also measured. The microorganism degrades the wheat bran to its usable form by excreting cellulases and xylanases; then it secretes the lipase that is necessary for degrading the oil in the medium.

Multifunctional zirconium nitride/copper multilayer coatings on medical grade 316L SS and titanium substrates for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Kumar, D Dinesh; Kaliaraj, Gobi Saravanan

2018-01-01

Protecting from wear and corrosion of many medical devices in the biomedical field is an existing scientific challenge. Surface modification with multilayer ZrN/Cu coating was deposited on medical grade stainless steel (SS) and titanium substrates to enhance their surface properties. Structural results revealed that the ZrN/Cu coatings are highly crystalline and uniform microstructure on both the substrates. Dry and wet tribological measurements of the coated titanium substrate exhibit enhanced wear resistance and low friction coefficient due to the improved microstructure. Similarly, the corrosion resistance was exceptionally improved on titanium substrates, resulting from the high inertness of coating to the SBF electrolyte solution. Antibacterial activity and epifluorescence results signify the effective killing of pathogens by means of ion release killing as well as contact killing mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Grazing exclusion, substrate type, and drought frequency affect plant community structure in rangelands of the arid unpredictable Arabian Deserts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Keblawy, Ali; El-Sheikh, Mohamed

2017-04-01

Grazing and drought can adversely affect the ecology and management of rangeland ecosystems. Several management actions have been applied to restore species diversity and community structure in degraded rangelands of the unpredictable arid environment. Protection from grazing is considered as a proper approach for restoration of degraded rangelands, but this depends on substrate type and sometime is hindered with water deficiency (drought). In this study, the effect of protection from grazing animals on species diversity and plant community structure was assessed after a dry and wet periods in both sandy and gravelly substrates in the Dubai Desert Conservation reserve (DDCR), United Arab Emirates. Two sites were selected during November 2012 on the two substrate types (fixed sandy flat and gravel plain) in the arid DDCR. An enclosure was established in each site. Plant community attributes (plant cover, density, frequency, species composition, and diversity indices) were assessed in a number of permanent plots laid inside and outside each enclosure during November 2012, April 2014 and April 2016. The results showed that protection improved clay content, but decreased the organic matters. Interestingly, the protection reduced the concentrations of most estimated nutrients, which could be attributed to the high turnover rate of nutrients associated grazing and low decomposition of accumulated dry plants of non-protected sites. Protection significantly increased all plant community attributes, but the only significant effect was for plant density. Plant density was almost twice greater inside than outside the enclosures. During the dry period, protection resulted in significantly greater deterioration in cover, density and all diversity indices in gravel, compared to sandy sites. Most of the grasses and shrubby plants had died in the gravel plains. However, plant community of the gravel plains was significantly restored after receiving considerable rainfalls. The overall results indicate that rangelands of the gravel plains are more fragile and should receive proper management through conservation and restoration.

Sensitivity of soil moisture initialization for decadal predictions under different regional climatic conditions in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khodayar, S.; Sehlinger, A.; Feldmann, H.; Kottmeier, C.

2015-12-01

The impact of soil initialization is investigated through perturbation simulations with the regional climate model COSMO-CLM. The focus of the investigation is to assess the sensitivity of simulated extreme periods, dry and wet, to soil moisture initialization in different climatic regions over Europe and to establish the necessary spin up time within the framework of decadal predictions for these regions. Sensitivity experiments consisted of a reference simulation from 1968 to 1999 and 5 simulations from 1972 to 1983. The Effective Drought Index (EDI) is used to select and quantify drought status in the reference run to establish the simulation time period for the sensitivity experiments. Different soil initialization procedures are investigated. The sensitivity of the decadal predictions to soil moisture initial conditions is investigated through the analysis of water cycle components' (WCC) variability. In an episodic time scale the local effects of soil moisture on the boundary-layer and the propagated effects on the large-scale dynamics are analysed. The results show: (a) COSMO-CLM reproduces the observed features of the drought index. (b) Soil moisture initialization exerts a relevant impact on WCC, e.g., precipitation distribution and intensity. (c) Regional characteristics strongly impact the response of the WCC. Precipitation and evapotranspiration deviations are larger for humid regions. (d) The initial soil conditions (wet/dry), the regional characteristics (humid/dry) and the annual period (wet/dry) play a key role in the time that soil needs to restore quasi-equilibrium and the impact on the atmospheric conditions. Humid areas, and for all regions, a humid initialization, exhibit shorter spin up times, also soil reacts more sensitive when initialised during dry periods. (e) The initial soil perturbation may markedly modify atmospheric pressure field, wind circulation systems and atmospheric water vapour distribution affecting atmospheric stability conditions, thus modifying precipitation intensity and distribution even several years after the initialization.

Fabrication of large-area nano-scale patterned sapphire substrate with laser interference lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xuan, Ming-dong; Dai, Long-gui; Jia, Hai-qiang; Chen, Hong

2014-01-01

Periodic triangle truncated pyramid arrays are successfully fabricated on the sapphire substrate by a low-cost and high-efficiency laser interference lithography (LIL) system. Through the combination of dry etching and wet etching techniques, the nano-scale patterned sapphire substrate (NPSS) with uniform size is prepared. The period of the patterns is 460 nm as designed to match the wavelength of blue light emitting diode (LED). By improving the stability of the LIL system and optimizing the process parameters, well-defined triangle truncated pyramid arrays can be achieved on the sapphire substrate with diameter of 50.8 mm. The deviation of the bottom width of the triangle truncated pyramid arrays is 6.8%, which is close to the industrial production level of 3%.

Dual inoculation with an Aarbuscular Mycorrhizal fungus and Rhizobium to facilitate the growth of alfalfa on coal mine substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, F.Y.; Bi, Y.L.; Wong, M.H.

2009-07-01

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Glomus mosseae and Rhizobium on Medicago sativa grown on three types of coal mine substrates, namely a mixture of coal wastes and sands (CS), coal wastes and fly ash (CF), and fly ash (FA). Inoculation with Rhizobium alone did not result in any growth response but G. mosseae alone displayed a significant effect on plant growth. G. mosseae markedly increased the survival rate of M. sativa in CS substrate. In CF and FA substrates the respective oven dry weights of M. sativa inoculated with G. mosseae were 1.8 and 5.1more » times higher than those without inoculation. Based on nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) uptake and legume growth, the results also show that dual inoculation in CS and CF substrates elicited a synergistic effect. This indicates that inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi may be a promising approach for revegetation of coal mine substrates.« less

It's Harder to Splash on Soft Solids.

PubMed

Howland, Christopher J; Antkowiak, Arnaud; Castrejón-Pita, J Rafael; Howison, Sam D; Oliver, James M; Style, Robert W; Castrejón-Pita, Alfonso A

2016-10-28

Droplets splash when they impact dry, flat substrates above a critical velocity that depends on parameters such as droplet size, viscosity, and air pressure. By imaging ethanol drops impacting silicone gels of different stiffnesses, we show that substrate stiffness also affects the splashing threshold. Splashing is reduced or even eliminated: droplets on the softest substrates need over 70% more kinetic energy to splash than they do on rigid substrates. We show that this is due to energy losses caused by deformations of soft substrates during the first few microseconds of impact. We find that solids with Young's moduli ≲100  kPa reduce splashing, in agreement with simple scaling arguments. Thus, materials like soft gels and elastomers can be used as simple coatings for effective splash prevention. Soft substrates also serve as a useful system for testing splash-formation theories and sheet-ejection mechanisms, as they allow the characteristics of ejection sheets to be controlled independently of the bulk impact dynamics of droplets.

It's Harder to Splash on Soft Solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howland, Christopher J.; Antkowiak, Arnaud; Castrejón-Pita, J. Rafael; Howison, Sam D.; Oliver, James M.; Style, Robert W.; Castrejón-Pita, Alfonso A.

2016-10-01

Droplets splash when they impact dry, flat substrates above a critical velocity that depends on parameters such as droplet size, viscosity, and air pressure. By imaging ethanol drops impacting silicone gels of different stiffnesses, we show that substrate stiffness also affects the splashing threshold. Splashing is reduced or even eliminated: droplets on the softest substrates need over 70% more kinetic energy to splash than they do on rigid substrates. We show that this is due to energy losses caused by deformations of soft substrates during the first few microseconds of impact. We find that solids with Young's moduli ≲100 kPa reduce splashing, in agreement with simple scaling arguments. Thus, materials like soft gels and elastomers can be used as simple coatings for effective splash prevention. Soft substrates also serve as a useful system for testing splash-formation theories and sheet-ejection mechanisms, as they allow the characteristics of ejection sheets to be controlled independently of the bulk impact dynamics of droplets.

Direct Numerical Simulation of Wetting and Spreading Behavior on Heterogeneous and Roughened Substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwartz, Leonard W.

1999-01-01

A method of calculation is presented that allows the simulation of the time-dependent three-dimensional motion of thin liquid layers on solid substrates for systems with finite equilibrium contact angles. The contact angle is a prescribed function of position on the substrate. Similar mathematical models are constructed for substrates with a pattern of roughness. Evolution equations are given, using the lubrication approximation, that include viscous, capillary and disjoining forces. Motion to and from dry substrate regions is made possible by use of a thin energetically-stable wetting layer. We simulate motion on heterogeneous substrates with periodic arrays of high contact-angle patches. Two different problems are treated for heterogenous substrates. The first is spontaneous motion driven only by wetting forces. If the contact-angle difference is sufficiently high, the droplet can find several different stable positions, depending on the previous history of the motion. A second simulation treats a forced cyclical motion. Energy dissipation per cycle for a heterogeneous substrate is found to be larger than for a uniform substrate with the same total energy. The Landau-Levich solution for plate removal from a liquid bath is extended to account for a pattern of roughness on the plate.

An Experimental Investigation of Fluid Flow Resulting from the Impact of a Water Drop with an Unyielding Dry Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stow, C. D.; Hadfield, M. G.

1981-01-01

The flow of fluid associated with the impact of water drops of radius R at a speed V onto unyielding dry metal surfaces of known roughness R_a is described. Spatial dimensions of the deforming drop are normalized by transformations of the kind x' = x/R, and time scales are normalized according to t' = tV/R, to permit comparison of events where R or V differ. It is shown that the primary influence of the surface roughness parameter R_a is the determination of the condition for the ejection of secondary droplets by the excitation of an instability in the developing watersheet; provided R_a ~= R, it is possible to evaluate the condition to a high degree of accuracy, and for R_a = 0.84 μ m it is found to be α4/3RV1.69 > 7.4, where α is the eccentricity of the drop at the moment of impact. Deceleration of the drop apex does not commence until t' > 0.6, contrary to the prediction of Engel (1955) but in good agreement with that of Savic & Boult (1957). Close examination of the very early stages of impact suggests strongly that the so-called watersheet originates at a moment t' = 0.01 after first contact, regardless of the absolute values of R, V or R_a; the initial normalized watersheet velocity is of order 5. Where there is ejected material, its normalized velocity at the moment of ejection is of the order of 20% greater than that of the watersheet substrate. Simple calculations also suggest that initial fluid velocities greater than 10V are required immediately before the initiation of the watersheet (t' < 0.01). Impacts at speeds considerably greater than the appropriate terminal fall speed in air show no deviations in character from those investigated at much lower speeds. A simple subsidiary experiment also suggests that greater impact velocities are required to produce splashing on inclined targets.

Non-canonical transcription initiation: the expanding universe of transcription initiating substrates.

PubMed

Barvík, Ivan; Rejman, Dominik; Panova, Natalya; Šanderová, Hana; Krásný, Libor

2017-03-01

RNA polymerase (RNAP) is the central enzyme of transcription of the genetic information from DNA into RNA. RNAP recognizes four main substrates: ATP, CTP, GTP and UTP. Experimental evidence from the past several years suggests that, besides these four NTPs, other molecules can be used to initiate transcription: (i) ribooligonucleotides (nanoRNAs) and (ii) coenzymes such as NAD+, NADH, dephospho-CoA and FAD. The presence of these molecules at the 5΄ ends of RNAs affects the properties of the RNA. Here, we discuss the expanding portfolio of molecules that can initiate transcription, their mechanism of incorporation, effects on RNA and cellular processes, and we present an outlook toward other possible initiation substrates. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Porous honeycomb structures formed from interconnected MnO2 sheets on CNT-coated substrates for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Wen-Yin; Chen, You-Feng; Lu, Ke-Ming; Lin, Kuan-Jiuh

2016-01-01

The use of lightweight and easily-fabricated MnO2/carbon nanotube (CNT)-based flexible networks as binder-free electrodes and a polyvinyl alcohol/H2SO4 electrolyte for the formation of stretchable solid-state supercapacitors was examined. The active electrodes were fabricated from 3D honeycomb porous MnO2 assembled from cross-walled and interconnected sheet-architectural MnO2 on CNT-based plastic substrates (denoted as honeycomb MnO2/CNT textiles).These substrates were fabricated through a simple two-step procedure involving the coating of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) onto commercial textiles by a dipping-drying process and subsequent electrodeposition of the interconnected MnO2 sheets onto the MWCNT-coated textile. With such unique MnO2 architectures integrated onto CNT flexible films, good performance was achieved with a specific capacitance of 324 F/g at 0.5 A/g. A maximum energy density of 7.2 Wh/kg and a power density as high as 3.3 kW/kg were exhibited by the honeycomb MnO2/CNT network device, which is comparable to the performance of other carbon-based and metal oxide/carbon-based solid-state supercapacitor devices. Specifically, the long-term cycling stability of this material is excellent, with almost no loss of its initial capacitance and good Coulombic efficiency of 82% after 5000 cycles. These impressive results identify these materials as a promising candidate for use in environmentally friendly, low-cost, and high-performance flexible energy-storage devices.

Porous honeycomb structures formed from interconnected MnO2 sheets on CNT-coated substrates for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors

PubMed Central

Ko, Wen-Yin; Chen, You-Feng; Lu, Ke-Ming; Lin, Kuan-Jiuh

2016-01-01

The use of lightweight and easily-fabricated MnO2/carbon nanotube (CNT)-based flexible networks as binder-free electrodes and a polyvinyl alcohol/H2SO4 electrolyte for the formation of stretchable solid-state supercapacitors was examined. The active electrodes were fabricated from 3D honeycomb porous MnO2 assembled from cross-walled and interconnected sheet-architectural MnO2 on CNT-based plastic substrates (denoted as honeycomb MnO2/CNT textiles).These substrates were fabricated through a simple two-step procedure involving the coating of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) onto commercial textiles by a dipping-drying process and subsequent electrodeposition of the interconnected MnO2 sheets onto the MWCNT-coated textile. With such unique MnO2 architectures integrated onto CNT flexible films, good performance was achieved with a specific capacitance of 324 F/g at 0.5 A/g. A maximum energy density of 7.2 Wh/kg and a power density as high as 3.3 kW/kg were exhibited by the honeycomb MnO2/CNT network device, which is comparable to the performance of other carbon-based and metal oxide/carbon-based solid-state supercapacitor devices. Specifically, the long-term cycling stability of this material is excellent, with almost no loss of its initial capacitance and good Coulombic efficiency of 82% after 5000 cycles. These impressive results identify these materials as a promising candidate for use in environmentally friendly, low-cost, and high-performance flexible energy-storage devices. PMID:26726724

Select Generic Dry-Storage Pilot Plant Design for Safeguards and Security by Design (SSBD) per Used Fuel Campaign

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Demuth, Scott Francis; Sprinkle, James K.

As preparation to the year-end deliverable (Provide SSBD Best Practices for Generic Dry-Storage Pilot Scale Plant) for the Work Package (FT-15LA040501–Safeguards and Security by Design for Extended Dry Storage), the initial step was to select a generic dry-storage pilot plant design for SSBD. To be consistent with other DOE-NE Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&D) activities, the Used Fuel Campaign was engaged for the selection of a design for this deliverable. For the work Package FT-15LA040501–“Safeguards and Security by Design for Extended Dry Storage”, SSBD will be initiated for the Generic Dry-Storage Pilot Scale Plant described by the layout ofmore » Reference 2. SSBD will consider aspects of the design that are impacted by domestic material control and accounting (MC&A), domestic security, and international safeguards.« less

Synthesis and Characterization of BaFe12O19 Thin Films Using Suspension of Nano Powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salemizadeh, Saman; Seyyed Ebrahimi, S. A.

BaM thin films have been synthesized by dispersing the dried gel nano powders prepared by Sol-Gel method. The solution was made by dissolving iron nitrate Fe(NO3).9H2O, barium nitrate Ba(NO3)2 and citric acid in deyonized water and methanol. This sol was slowly evaporated until a dried gel was formed. This dried gel was then added to ethylene glycol. The final solution was vigorously shaken and mixed in ultrasonic cleaner for 30 min to disperse particles sufficiently. Then the prepared solution spin coated on Si(110) substrate. The obtained thin films were dried at 120 °C and then calcined at 900 °C for 1 h. The films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM).

Study of Sn and SnAgCu Solders Wetting Reaction on Ni/Pd/Au Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, C. Y.; Wei, Y. S.; Lin, E. J.; Hsu, Y. C.; Tang, Y. K.

2016-12-01

Wetting reactions of pure Sn and Sn-Ag-Cu solder balls on Au(100 Å and 1000 Å)/Pd(500 Å)/Ni substrates were investigated. The (Au, Pd)Sn4 phase formed in the initial interfacial reaction between pure Sn and Au(100 Å and 1000 Å)/Pd(500 Å)/Ni substrates. Then, the initially formed (Au, Pd)Sn4 compound layer either dissolved or spalled into the molten Sn solder with 3 s of reflowing. The exposed Ni under-layer reacted with Sn solder and formed an interfacial Ni3Sn4 compound. We did not observe spalling compound in the Sn-Ag-Cu case, either on the thin Au (100 Å) or the thick Au (1000 Å) substrates. This implies that the Cu content in the Sn-Ag-Cu solder can efficiently suppress the spalling effect and really stabilize the interfacial layer. Sn-Ag-Cu solder has a better wetting than that of the pure Sn solder, regardless of the Au thickness of the Au/Pd/Ni substrate. For both cases of pure Sn and Sn-Ag-Cu, the initial wetting (<3-s reflowing) on the thin Au (100 Å) substrate is better than that of the thick Au (1000 Å) substrate. Over 3-s reflowing, the wetting on the thicker Au layer (1000 Å) substrate becomes better than the wetting on the thinner Au layer (100 Å) substrate.

Continuous ethanol production from cheese whey fermentation by Candida pseudotropicalis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghaly, A.E.; El-Taweel, A.A.

1997-12-01

Three pilot-scale continuous mix reactors of 5-L volume each were used to study the effects of retention time (18--42 hours) and initial substrate concentration (50--150 g/L) on the cell yield, lactose consumption, and maximum ethanol concentration during continuous fermentation of cheese whey using the yeast Candida pseudotropicalis. A microaeration rate of 480 mL/min and a nutrient supplement (yeast extract) concentration of 0.1% vol/vol were used. The results indicated that the dissolved oxygen concentration, temperature, cell concentration, lactose utilization rate, and ethanol concentration were affected by hydraulic retention time and initial substrate concentration. The highest cell concentration of 5.46 g/L andmore » the highest ethanol concentration of 57.96 g/L (with a maximum ethanol yield of 99.6% from the theoretical yield) were achieved at the 42-hour hydraulic retention time and the 150 g/L initial substrate concentration, whereas the highest cell yield was observed at the 50 g/L initial substrate concentration and the 36-hour hydraulic retention time. Lactose utilizations of 98, 91, and 83% were obtained with 50, 100, and 150 g/L initial substrate concentrations at the 42-hour hydraulic retention time. A pH control system was found unnecessary.« less

Development of PDMS-based flexible dry type SEMG electrodes by micromachining technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Jung Mo; Cha, Doo Yeol; Kim, Deok Su; Yang, Hee Jun; Choi, Kyo Sang; Choi, Jong Myoung; Chang, Sung Pil

2014-09-01

The authors developed PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane)-based dry type surface electromyography (SEMG) electrodes for myoelectric prosthetic hands. The SEMG electrodes were strongly recommended to be fabricated on a flexible substrate to be compatible with the surface of skin. In this study, the authors designed a bar-shaped dry-type flexible SEMG electrodes comprised of two input electrodes and a reference electrode on a flexible PDMS substrate to measure EMG signals. The space distance between each electrode with a size of 10 mm × 2 mm was chosen to 18 mm to get optimal result according to the simulation result with taking into consideration the conduction velocity and the median frequency of EMG signals. Raw EMG signals were measured from Brachioradialis, Biceps brachii, deltoideus, and pectoralis major muscles, to drive the application of the myoelectric hand prosthesis. Measured raw EMG signals were transformed to root mean square (RMS) EMG signals using Acqknowledge4.2. The experimental peak voltage values of RMS EMG signals from Brachioradialis, Biceps brachii, deltoideus, and pectoralis major muscles were 2.96 V, 4.45 V, 1.74 V, and 2.62 V, respectively. Values from the dry type flexible SEMG electrodes showed higher peak values than a commercially available wet type Ag-AgCl electrode. The study shows that the PDMS-based flexible electrode devised for measuring myoelectric signals from the surface of skin is more useful for prosthetic hands because of its greater sensitivity and flexibility.

40 CFR 63.2263 - Initial compliance demonstration for a dry rotary dryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) and operates with a... dry rotary dryer. You must record the inlet furnish moisture content (dry basis) and inlet dryer... days. You must submit the highest recorded 24-hour average inlet furnish moisture content and the...

40 CFR 63.2263 - Initial compliance demonstration for a dry rotary dryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) and operates with a... dry rotary dryer. You must record the inlet furnish moisture content (dry basis) and inlet dryer... days. You must submit the highest recorded 24-hour average inlet furnish moisture content and the...

40 CFR 63.2263 - Initial compliance demonstration for a dry rotary dryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) and operates with a... dry rotary dryer. You must record the inlet furnish moisture content (dry basis) and inlet dryer... days. You must submit the highest recorded 24-hour average inlet furnish moisture content and the...

The Impact of Dry Midlevel Air on Hurricane Intensity in Idealized Simulations with No Mean Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, Scott A.; Sippel, Jason A.; Nolan, David S.

2012-01-01

This study examines the potential negative influences of dry midlevel air on the development of tropical cyclones (specifically, its role in enhancing cold downdraft activity and suppressing storm development). The Weather Research and Forecasting model is used to construct two sets of idealized simulations of hurricane development in environments with different configurations of dry air. The first set of simulations begins with dry air located north of the vortex center by distances ranging from 0 to 270 km, whereas the second set of simulations begins with dry air completely surrounding the vortex, but with moist envelopes in the vortex core ranging in size from 0 to 150 km in radius. No impact of the dry air is seen for dry layers located more than 270 km north of the initial vortex center (approximately 3 times the initial radius of maximum wind). When the dry air is initially closer to the vortex center, it suppresses convective development where it entrains into the storm circulation, leading to increasingly asymmetric convection and slower storm development. The presence of dry air throughout the domain, including the vortex center, substantially slows storm development. However, the presence of a moist envelope around the vortex center eliminates the deleterious impact on storm intensity. Instead, storm size is significantly reduced. The simulations suggest that dry air slows intensification only when it is located very close to the vortex core at early times. When it does slow storm development, it does so primarily by inducing outward- moving convective asymmetries that temporarily shift latent heating radially outward away from the high-vorticity inner core.

Into the groove: instructive silk-polypyrrole films with topographical guidance cues direct DRG neurite outgrowth.

PubMed

Hardy, John G; Khaing, Zin Z; Xin, Shangjing; Tien, Lee W; Ghezzi, Chiara E; Mouser, David J; Sukhavasi, Rushi C; Preda, Rucsanda C; Gil, Eun S; Kaplan, David L; Schmidt, Christine E

2015-01-01

Instructive biomaterials capable of controlling the behaviour of the cells are particularly interesting scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Novel biomaterials are particularly important in societies with rapidly aging populations, where demand for organ/tissue donations is greater than their supply. Herein we describe the preparation of electrically conductive silk film-based nerve tissue scaffolds that are manufactured using all aqueous processing. Aqueous solutions of Bombyx mori silk were cast on flexible polydimethylsiloxane substrates with micrometer-scale grooves on their surfaces, allowed to dry, and annealed to impart β-sheets to the silk which assures that the materials are stable for further processing in water. The silk films were rendered conductive by generating an interpenetrating network of polypyrrole and polystyrenesulfonate in the silk matrix. Films were incubated in an aqueous solution of pyrrole (monomer), polystyrenesulfonate (dopant) and iron chloride (initiator), after which they were thoroughly washed to remove low molecular weight components (monomers, initiators, and oligomers) and dried, yielding conductive films with sheet resistances of 124 ± 23 kΩ square(-1). The micrometer-scale grooves that are present on the surface of the films are analogous to the natural topography in the extracellular matrix of various tissues (bone, muscle, nerve, skin) to which cells respond. Dorsal root ganglions (DRG) adhere to the films and the grooves in the surface of the films instruct the aligned growth of processes extending from the DRG. Such materials potentially enable the electrical stimulation (ES) of cells cultured on them, and future in vitro studies will focus on understanding the interplay between electrical and topographical cues on the behaviour of cells cultured on them.

Fabrication process for polymer PLC platforms with V-grooves for passive alignment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Suntak; Lee, Jong-Moo; Ahn, Joon Tae; Baek, Yong-Soon

2005-12-01

A method for polymer planar lightwave circuit (PLC) devices fabricated on a substrate with V-grooves is developed for passive alignment of an optical fiber to a polymer waveguide. In order to minimize thickness nonuniformity of polymer layers caused by the V-grooves, dry film resist (DFR) is used. The V-grooves are covered with the DFR before the polymer layers are spin-coated on the substrate. The DFR prevents the polymer from being filled in the V-grooves as well as from being spin-coated nonuniformly on the substrate. This process provides a simple and cost-effective fabrication method of polymer PLCs or platforms for passive alignment.

Korean guidelines for the diagnosis and management of dry eye: development and validation of clinical efficacy.

PubMed

Hyon, Joon Young; Kim, Hyo-Myung; Lee, Doh; Chung, Eui-Sang; Song, Jong-Suk; Choi, Chul Young; Lee, Jungbok

2014-06-01

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of newly developed guidelines for the diagnosis and management of dry eye. This retrospective, multi-center, non-randomized, observational study included a total of 1,612 patients with dry eye disease who initially visited the clinics from March 2010 to August 2010. Korean guidelines for the diagnosis and management of dry eye were newly developed from concise, expert-consensus recommendations. Severity levels at initial and final visits were determined using the guidelines in patients with 90 ± 7 days of follow-up visits (n = 526). Groups with different clinical outcomes were compared with respect to clinical parameters, treatment modalities, and guideline compliance. Main outcome measures were ocular and visual symptoms, ocular surface disease index, global assessment by patient and physician, tear film break-up time, Schirmer-1 test score, ocular surface staining score at initial and final visits, clinical outcome after three months of treatment, and guideline compliance. Severity level was reduced in 47.37% of patients treated as recommended by the guidelines. Younger age (odd ratio [OR], 0.984; p = 0.044), higher severity level at initial visit, compliance to treatment recommendation (OR, 1.832; p = 0.047), and use of topical cyclosporine (OR, 1.838; p = 0.011) were significantly associated with improved clinical outcomes. Korean guidelines for the diagnosis and management of dry eye can be used as a valid and effective tool for the treatment of dry eye disease.

Adsorption of protein GlnB of Herbaspirillum seropedicae on Si(111) investigated by AFM and XPS.

PubMed

Lubambo, A F; Benelli, E M; Klein, J; Schreiner, W; Camargo, P C

2006-01-01

The protein GlnB-Hs (GlnB of Herbaspirillum seropedicae) in diazotroph micro-organisms signalizes levels of nitrogen, carbon, and energy for a series of proteins involved in the regulation of expression and control of the activity of nitrogenase complex that converts atmospheric nitrogen in ammonia, resulting in biological nitrogen fixation. Its structure has already been determined by X-ray diffraction, revealing a trimer of (36 kDa) with lateral cavities having hydrophilic boundaries. The interactions of GlnB-Hs with the well-known Si(111) surface were investigated for different incubation times, protein concentrations in initial solution, deposition conditions, and substrate initial state. The protein solution was deposited on Si(111) and dried under controlled conditions. An atomic force microscope operating in dynamic mode shows images of circular, linear, and more complex donut-shaped protein arrangement, and also filament types of organization, which vary from a few nanometers to micrometers. Apparently, the filament formation was favored because of protein surface polarity when in contact with the silicon surface, following some specific orientation. The spin-coating technique was successfully used to obtain more uniform surface covering.

The use of dried cerebrospinal fluid filter paper spots as a substrate for PCR diagnosis of the aetiology of bacterial meningitis in the Lao PDR

PubMed Central

Elliott, I; Dittrich, S; Paris, D; Sengduanphachanh, A; Phoumin, P; Newton, P N

2013-01-01

We investigated whether dried cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) conserved on filter paper can be used as a substrate for accurate PCR diagnosis of important causes of bacterial meningitis in the Lao PDR. Using mock CSF, we investigated and optimized filter paper varieties, paper punch sizes, elution volumes and quantities of DNA template to achieve sensitive and reliable detection of bacterial DNA from filter paper specimens. FTA Elute Micro Card™ (Whatman, Maidstone, UK) was the most sensitive, consistent and practical variety of filter paper. Following optimization, the lower limit of detection for Streptococcus pneumoniae from dried mock CSF spots was 14 genomic equivalents (GE)/μL (interquartile range 5.5 GE/μL) or 230 (IQR 65) colony forming units/mL. A prospective clinical evaluation for S. pneumoniae, S. suis and Neisseria meningitidis was performed. Culture and PCR performed on fresh liquid CSF from patients admitted with a clinical diagnosis of meningitis (n = 73) were compared with results derived from dried CSF spots. Four of five fresh PCR-positive CSF samples also tested PCR positive from dried CSF spots, with one patient under the limit of detection. In a retrospective study of S. pneumoniae samples (n = 20), the median (IQR; range) CSF S. pneumoniae bacterial load was 1.1 × 104 GE/μL (1.2 × 105; 1 to 6.1 × 106 DNA GE/μL). Utilizing the optimized methodology, we estimate an extrapolated sensitivity of 90%, based on the range of CSF genome counts found in Laos. Dried CSF filter paper spots could potentially help us to better understand the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in resource-poor settings and guide empirical treatments and vaccination policies. PMID:23738720

Electric-field-induced forces between two surfaces filled with an insulating liquid: the role of adsorbed water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yong Jian; Xu, Zuli; Sheng, Ping; Tong, Penger

2014-06-01

A systematic study of the electric-field-induced forces between a solid glass sphere and a flat gold-plated substrate filled with an insulating liquid has been carried out. Using atomic force microscopy, we measure the electrostatic force f(s, V) between the sphere and substrate as a function of the surface separation s and applied voltage V. The measured f(s, V) is found to be well described by an equation for a conducting sphere. Further force measurements for the "wet" porous glass spheres filled with an aqueous solution of urea and the dried porous glass spheres filled with (dry) air suggest that there is a water layer of a few nanometers in thickness adsorbed on the hydrophilic glass surface under ambient conditions. This adsorbed water layer is more conductive than the dielectric core of the glass sphere, making the sphere surface to be at a potential close to that of the cantilever electrode. As a result, the electric field is strongly concentrated in the gap region between the glass sphere and gold-plate substrate and thus their electrostatic attraction is enhanced. This surface conductivity effect is further supported by the thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and force response measurements to a time-dependent electric field. The experiment clearly demonstrates that the adsorption of a conductive water layer on a hydrophilic surface plays a dominant role in determining the electrostatic interaction between the dielectric sphere and substrate.

Initial Plasma Testing of the Ion Proportional Surface Emission Cathode

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-15

REPRINT 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Initial Plasma Testing of the Ion Proportional Surface Emission Cathode 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...substrate and an adjacent metal cathode element. The substrate potential is held positive of the cathode with gate elements. In plasma , the gate is...eliminated due to ambient ion flux which maintains the substrate potential near plasma ground. Prototype devices have been tested using a laboratory plasma

Low temperature process for obtaining thin glass films

DOEpatents

Brinker, C. Jeffrey; Reed, Scott T.

1984-01-01

A method for coating a substrate with a glass-like film comprises, applying to the substrate an aqueous alcoholic solution containing a polymeric network of partially hydrolyzed metal alkoxide into which network there is incorporated finely powdered glass, whereby there is achieved on the substrate a coherent and adherent initial film; and heating said film to a temperature sufficient to melt said powdered glass component, thereby converting said initial film to a final densified film.

Low temperature process for obtaining thin glass films

DOEpatents

Brinker, C.J.; Reed, S.T.

A method for coating a substrate with a glass-like film comprises, applying to the substrate an aqueous alcoholic solution containing a polymeric network of partially hydrolyzed metal alkoxide into which network there is incorporated finely powdered glass, whereby there is achieved on the substrate a coherent and adherent initial film; and heating said film to a temperature sufficient to melt said powdered glass component, thereby converting said initial film to a final densified film.

Fabrication of Conductive Paths on a Fused Deposition Modeling Substrate using Inkjet Deposition

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Wenchao; List, III, Frederick Alyious; Duty, Chad E.; ...

2015-01-15

Inkjet deposition is one of the most attractive fabrication techniques for producing cost efficient and lightweight electronic devices on various substrates with low environmental impact. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is one of the most used and reliable additive manufacturing processes by extrusion of wire-shaped thermoplastic materials, which provides an opportunity for embedding printed electronics into mechanical structures during the building process and enables the design of compact smart structures that can sense and adapt to their own state and the environment. This paper represents one of the first explorations of integrating inkjet deposition of silver nanoparticle inks with the FDMmore » process for making compact electro-mechanical structures. Three challenges have been identified and investigated, including the discontinuity of the printed lines resulting from the irregular surface of the FDM substrate, the non-conductivity of the printed lines due to the particle segregation during the droplet drying process, and the slow drying process caused by the skinning effect . Two different techniques are developed in this paper to address the issue of continuity of the printed lines, including surface ironing and a novel thermal plow technique that plows a channel in the FDM substrate to seal off the pores in the substrate and contain the deposited inks. Two solutions are also found for obtaining conductivity from the continuous printed lines, including porous surface coating and using a more viscous ink with larger nanoparticle size. Then the effects of the printing and post-processing parameters on the conductivity are examined. It is found that post-processing is a dominant factor in determining the conductivity of the printed lines.« less

Competing feedbacks drive state transitions during initial catchment evolution: Examples from post-mining landscape and ecosystems evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinz, Christoph; Wolfgang, Schaaf; Werner, Gerwin

2014-05-01

Within the context of severely disturbed landscapes with little or no ecological memory, such as post-mining landscapes, we propose a simple framework that explains the catchment evolution as a result of competing feedbacks influenced by the initial conditions and the atmospheric drivers such as rainfall intermittency and intensity. The first stage of the evolution is dominated by abiotic feedbacks triggered by rainfall and subsequent fluid flow causing particle mobilisation on the surface and in the subsurface leading to flow concentration or in some instances to densification of surface and subsurface substrates. Subsequently, abiotic-biotic feedbacks start to compete in the sense that biological activity generally stabilizes substrate by preventing particle mobilisation and hence contribute to converting the substrate to a habitat. We suggest that these competing feedbacks may generate alternative stable states in particular under semi-arid and arid climatic conditions, while in temperate often energy limited environments biological process "outcompete" abiotic processes leading to a stable state, in particular from the water balance point of view for comparable geomorphic situations. To illustrate this framework, we provide examples from post-mining landscapes, in which soil, water and vegetation was monitored. In case of arid regions in Australia, we provide evidence that the initial conditions of a mine waste disposal "locked" the system into a state that was limited by water and nutrient storage capacity while at the same time it was stable from a geomorphic point of view for the observation period. The cause of the system to be locked in, is the very high hydraulic conductivity of the substrate, that has not undergone any changes during the first years. In contrast to this case study, we illustrate how this framework explains the evolution of an artificial catchment (Hühnerwasser Catchment) in Lusatia (150 km southeast of Berlin, Germany). During the initial phase of development the catchment changed very rapidly due to sediment transport, drainage network formation, and soil crusting very similar to geomorphic processes observed in arid and semi-arid landscapes void of dense vegetation. Hydraulic properties changed rapidly after few wet and dry cycles, indicative of particle mobilisation and trapping in the subsurface. Accordingly, the hydrological regime was controlled by rapid surface runoff enhanced through crust formation and at the same time a shallow ground water system developed. This surface runoff regime peeked about two years initialisation as shown by a maximum area of drainage channels. A major, fairly rapid transition occurred between three and five years after placement, in which the sediment transport ceased and vegetation coverage of the drainage channel exceeded 90%. The transition represents the onset of a transpiration dominated regime that is further enhanced by change of the plant composition of the vegetation with tree recruitment from the surrounding forming significant clusters in the catchment. This transition in the third year was also seen in a significant increase in soil fauna and plant diversity.

Volatile emission in dry seeds as a way to probe chemical reactions during initial asymptomatic deterioration

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The nature and kinetics of reactions in dry seeds determines how long they survive. We used gas chromatography to assay volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted from seeds of three unrelated species as a means to non-invasively probe chemical changes during very dry, dry and humid (15, 33 and 75% RH...

X-ray Crystal Structures Elucidate the Nucleotidyl Transfer Reaction of Transcript Initiation Using Two Nucleotides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M Gleghorn; E Davydova; R Basu

2011-12-31

We have determined the X-ray crystal structures of the pre- and postcatalytic forms of the initiation complex of bacteriophage N4 RNA polymerase that provide the complete set of atomic images depicting the process of transcript initiation by a single-subunit RNA polymerase. As observed during T7 RNA polymerase transcript elongation, substrate loading for the initiation process also drives a conformational change of the O helix, but only the correct base pairing between the +2 substrate and DNA base is able to complete the O-helix conformational transition. Substrate binding also facilitates catalytic metal binding that leads to alignment of the reactive groupsmore » of substrates for the nucleotidyl transfer reaction. Although all nucleic acid polymerases use two divalent metals for catalysis, they differ in the requirements and the timing of binding of each metal. In the case of bacteriophage RNA polymerase, we propose that catalytic metal binding is the last step before the nucleotidyl transfer reaction.« less

Relationships between Hg Air-surface exchange, Soil Moisture and Precipitation at a Background Vegetated Site in South-Eastern Australia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macsween, K.; Edwards, G. C.

2017-12-01

Despite many decades of research, the controlling mechanisms of mercury (Hg) air-surface exhange are still poorly understood. Particularly in Australian ecosystems where there are few anthropogenic inputs. A clear understanding of these mechanisms is vital for accurate representation in the global Hg models, particularly regarding re-emission. Water is known to have a considerable influence on Hg exchange within a terrestrial ecosystem. Precipitation has been found to cause spikes is Hg emissions during the initial stages of rain event. While, Soil moisture content is known to enhance fluxes between 15 and 30% Volumetric soil water (VSW), above which fluxes become suppressed. Few field experiments exist to verify these dominantly laboratory or controlled experiments. Here we present work looking at Hg fluxes over an 8-month period at a vegetated background site. The aim of this study is to identify how changes to precipitation intensity and duration, coupled with variable soil moisture content may influence Hg flux across seasons. As well as the influence of other meteorological variables. Experimentation was undertaken using aerodynamic gradient micrometeorological flux method, avoiding disruption to the surface, soil moisture probes and rain gauge measurements to monitor alterations to substrate conditions. Meteorological and air chemistry variables were also measured concurrently throughout the duration of the study. During the study period, South-Eastern Australia experienced several intense east coast low storm systems during the Autumn and Spring months and an unusually dry winter. VSW rarely reached above 30% even following the intense rainfall experienced during the east coast lows. The generally dry conditions throughout winter resulted in an initial spike in Hg emissions when rainfall occurred. Fluxes decreased shortly after the rain began but remained slightly elevated. Given the reduced net radiation and cooler temperatures experienced during the winter months soils took several days to dry out, resulting in slightly enhanced fluxes for the days preceding rainfall. It is thought that seasonality of rainfall has a significant impact of Hg air-surface exchange trends, both through increased recovery times once rain has past and through the increased occurrence of major storm events.

Proceedings of the Seventh Joint Magnetism and Magnetic Materials-Intermag Conference 6-9 January 1998 San Francisco, California Volume 83, Number 11, Part 2.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-06-01

drying (surface tension tends to pull the oscillators to the substrate). To overcome this, a freeze- drying technique5 was successfully employed...left magnet in the 6 direc- tion, push and pull forces occur on the right magnet. When the right magnet is restricted to linear motion, the magnet...make the magnetic field intensity yielding the forces large, the iron yoke is fixed to the rotating magnet on the left side. The push- pull force

The Effect of the Elimination of Micromotion and Tissue Strain on Intracortical Device Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

dry mode and after soaking for 60 min in PBS at 37 °C. 6 3. Connectivity Issue: An additional issue emerged while trying to establish an electrical...patterned to dry etch the Parylene-C film using DMA ribbons photo mask using O2 plasma. The photoresist is then stripped off to get the wafers ready for...investigated visually by the naked eye and with an optical microscope and only those who pass (substrates with very low number of small particles, if

Forest composition modifies litter dynamics and decomposition in regenerating tropical dry forest.

PubMed

Schilling, Erik M; Waring, Bonnie G; Schilling, Jonathan S; Powers, Jennifer S

2016-09-01

We investigated how forest composition, litter quality, and rainfall interact to affect leaf litter decomposition across three successional tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. We monitored litter stocks and bulk litter turnover in 18 plots that exhibit substantial variation in soil characteristics, tree community structure, fungal communities (including forests dominated by ecto- or arbuscular mycorrhizal host trees), and forest age. Simultaneously, we decomposed three standard litter substrates over a 6-month period spanning an unusually intense drought. Decay rates of standard substrates depended on the interaction between litter identity and forest type. Decomposition rates were correlated with tree and soil fungal community composition as well as soil fertility, but these relationships differed among litter types. In low fertility soils dominated by ectomycorrhizal oak trees, bulk litter turnover rates were low, regardless of soil moisture. By contrast, in higher fertility soils that supported mostly arbuscular mycorrhizal trees, bulk litter decay rates were strongly dependent on seasonal water availability. Both measures of decomposition increased with forest age, as did the frequency of termite-mediated wood decay. Taken together, our results demonstrate that soils and forest age exert strong control over decomposition dynamics in these tropical dry forests, either directly through effects on microclimate and nutrients, or indirectly by affecting tree and microbial community composition and traits, such as litter quality.

On dewetting of thin films due to crystallization (crystallization dewetting).

PubMed

Habibi, Mehran; Rahimzadeh, Amin; Eslamian, Morteza

2016-03-01

Drying and crystallization of a thin liquid film of an ionic or a similar solution can cause dewetting in the resulting thin solid film. This paper aims at investigating this type of dewetting, herein termed "crystallization dewetting", using PbI2 dissolved in organic solvents as the model solution. PbI2 solid films are usually used in X-ray detection and lead halide perovskite solar cells. In this work, PbI2 films are fabricated using spin coating and the effect of major parameters influencing the crystallization dewetting, including the type of the solvent, solution concentration, drying temperature, spin speed, as well as imposed vibration on the substrate are studied on dewetting, surface profile and coverage, using confocal scanning laser microscopy. Simplified hydrodynamic governing equations of crystallization in thin films are presented and using a mathematical representation of the process, it is phenomenologically demonstrated that crystallization dewetting occurs due to the absorption and consumption of the solution surrounding a growing crystal. Among the results, it is found that a low spin speed (high thickness), a high solution concentration and a low drying temperature promote crystal growth, and therefore crystallization dewetting. It is also shown that imposed vibration on the substrate can affect the crystal size and crystallization dewetting.

Preparation of 'near' homogeneous samples for the analysis of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allwood, D. A.; Perera, I. K.; Perkins, J.; Dyer, P. E.; Oldershaw, G. A.

1996-11-01

Highly uniform thin films of samples for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation (MALDI) have been fabricated by depositing a saturated solution of ferulic acid onto a soda lime glass disc and crushing with polished aluminium, the films covering large areas of the substrate and having a thickness between 45-60 μm. The effects that different substrates and crushing materials as well as sample concentration and sample recrystallisation have on these films has been examined by scanning electron microscopy. Such films have been shown to have a lower threshold fluence for matrix ion detection than standard dried-droplet samples, the reduction being approximately 15% for three of the five matrices analysed. An explanation for this is proposed in terms of crushed samples possessing a greater average energy per unit volume coupled to them by the laser due to their improved surface uniformity. Furthermore, samples that are dried at refrigerated temperatures (˜ 2.25°C) are shown to have a much improved macroscopic uniformity over samples dried at room temperature. Refrigerated and crushed MALDI samples yield analyte ions with good spot-to-spot and pulse-to-pulse reproducibility and both preparation steps appear to improve the resolution of spectra obtained with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

Adaptation of continuous biogas reactors operating under wet fermentation conditions to dry conditions with corn stover as substrate.

PubMed

Kakuk, Balázs; Kovács, Kornél L; Szuhaj, Márk; Rákhely, Gábor; Bagi, Zoltán

2017-08-01

Corn stover (CS) is the agricultural by-product of maize cultivation. Due to its high abundance and high energy content it is a promising substrate for the bioenergy sector. However, it is currently neglected in industrial scale biogas plants, because of its slow decomposition and hydrophobic character. To assess the maximum biomethane potential of CS, long-term batch fermentations were carried out with various substrate concentrations and particle sizes for 72 days. In separate experiments we adapted the biogas producing microbial community in wet fermentation arrangement first to the lignocellulosic substrate, in Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR), then subsequently, by continuously elevating the feed-in concentration, to dry conditions in solid state fermenters (SS-AD). In the batch tests, the <10 mm fraction of the grinded and sieved CS was amenable for biogasification, but it required 10% more time to produce 90% of the total biomethane yield than the <2 mm sized fraction, although in the total yields there was no significant difference between the two size ranges. We also observed that increasing amount of substrate added to the fermentation lowered the specific methane yield. In the CSTR experiment, the daily substrate loading was gradually increased from 1 to 2 g vs /L/day until the system produced signs of overloading. Then the biomass was transferred to SS-AD reactors and the adaptation process was studied. Although the specific methane yields were lower in the SS-AD arrangement (177 mL CH 4 /g vs in CSTR vs. 105 mL in SS-AD), the benefits of process operational parameters, i.e. lower energy consumption, smaller reactor volume, digestate amount generated and simpler configuration, may compensate the somewhat lower yield. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Development of an In Vivo and In Vitro Ileal Fermentation Method in a Growing Pig Model.

PubMed

Montoya, Carlos A; de Haas, Edward S; Moughan, Paul J

2018-02-01

Substantial microbial fermentation may occur mainly in the lower small intestine (SI) of human adults, but there is no established methodology to determine this. The study aimed to develop a combined in vivo and in vitro methodology for ileal fermentation based on the pig as an animal model for digestion in human adults. Several aspects of a combined in vivo/in vitro ileal fermentation assay were evaluated. Male 9-wk-old pigs (n = 30; mean ± SD body weight: 23 ± 1.6 kg) were fed a human-type diet (143, 508, 45, 49, and 116 g/kg dry matter diet of crude protein, starch, total lipid, ash, and total dietary fiber) for 15 d. On day 15, pigs were killed, and the last third of the SI was collected to prepare an ileal digesta-based inoculum. Terminal jejunal digesta (last 50 cm of the second third of the SI) were collected as substrate for the assay to test the form of substrate (fresh or freeze-dried), origin (location in jejunum or SI) of the substrate, storage of the inoculum, incubation time (1.2-6.8 h), pH of the medium, and inoculum concentration (6-26 mg inoculum/100 mg substrate). The group of donor pigs used to prepare the inoculum, form of the substrate, origin of the substrate, origin of the inoculum (location in the SI), storage of the inoculum, incubation time, and inoculum concentration did not influence the in vitro ileal organic matter (OM) fermentability (P > 0.05). The in vitro ileal OM fermentability decreased when the pH of the medium increased from 5.5 to 7.5 (31% to 28%; P ≤ 0.05). Predicted (in vivo/in vitro) apparent ileal OM digestibility was similar to the value measured in vivo. Thirty-percent of the terminal jejunal digesta OM was fermented in the ileum. Fiber fermentation in the ileum can be studied using the optimized in vivo/in vitro ileal fermentation method.

The Effect of Mangrove Leaf Litter Enrichment on Macrobenthic Colonization of Defaunated Sandy Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S. Y.

1999-11-01

The importance of exported mangrove materials to nearshore macrobenthos has largely been predicted based upon decomposition and utilization studies conducted within the mangrove environment, and from quantitative measurements of export. The present study evaluated the impact of mangrove leaf litter enrichment on non-mangrove substrates in a high-salinity microcosm experiment. Fortnightly addition of Kandelia candel leaf detritus at levels equivalent to 0·66 and 0·33 mg cm -2day -1in defaunated sand in microcosms maintained under high salinity conditions and on a sandy substrate resulted in no significant differences from the control in total faunal dry biomass or ash-free dry weight (AFDW) after 28, 73, 137 and 217 days of experiment. Duration of experiment was significant in determining the biomass (both dry weight and AFDW) of the macrofaunal assemblage in the microcosms, but neither enrichment nor its interaction with time had an effect. Species richness, Shannon diversity and evenness, and the total number of individuals, however, decreased in the order control>low enrichment>high enrichment for almost all sampling dates. By contrast, soluble tannins in the microcosm sediment demonstrated the reverse pattern. Both duration of experiment and enrichment were significant in determining species richness and the total number of individuals. The interaction between time and enrichment level was significant in the former but not the latter case. Discriminant analysis performed on the species abundance data indicated distinct animal assemblages characteristic of the three enrichment levels. These findings suggest that mangrove organic matter may not necessarily result in enhancement effects on marine benthos but high concentrations of tannins may hamper colonization by the macrobenthos.

Role of surface energy and nano-roughness in the removal efficiency of bacterial contamination by nonwoven wipes from frequently touched surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Nicholas W. M.; Best, Emma L.; Connell, Simon D.; Goswami, Parikshit; Carr, Chris M.; Wilcox, Mark H.; Russell, Stephen J.

2017-12-01

Healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) are responsible for substantial patient morbidity, mortality and economic cost. Infection control strategies for reducing rates of transmission include the use of nonwoven wipes to remove pathogenic bacteria from frequently touched surfaces. Wiping is a dynamic process that involves physicochemical mechanisms to detach and transfer bacteria to fibre surfaces within the wipe. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which systematic changes in fibre surface energy and nano-roughness influence removal of bacteria from an abiotic polymer surface in dry wiping conditions, without liquid detergents or disinfectants. Nonwoven wipe substrates composed of two commonly used fibre types, lyocell (cellulosic) and polypropylene, with different surface energies and nano-roughnesses, were manufactured using pilot-scale nonwoven facilities to produce samples of comparable structure and dimensional properties. The surface energy and nano-roughness of some lyocell substrates were further adjusted by either oxygen (O2) or hexafluoroethane (C2F6) gas plasma treatment. Static adpression wiping of an inoculated surface under dry conditions produced removal efficiencies of between 9.4% and 15.7%, with no significant difference (p < 0.05) in the relative removal efficiencies of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus or Enterococcus faecalis. However, dynamic wiping markedly increased peak wiping efficiencies to over 50%, with a minimum increase in removal efficiency of 12.5% and a maximum increase in removal efficiency of 37.9% (all significant at p < 0.05) compared with static wiping, depending on fibre type and bacterium. In dry, dynamic wiping conditions, nonwoven wipe substrates with a surface energy closest to that of the contaminated surface produced the highest E. coli removal efficiency, while the associated increase in fibre nano-roughness abrogated this trend with S. aureus and E. faecalis.

Uptake of /sup 226/Ra by established vegetation and black cutworm larvae, Agrotis ipsilon (class Insecta: order Lepidoptera), on U mill tailings at Elliot Lake, Canada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clulow, F.V.; Dave, N.K.; Lim, T.P.

1988-07-01

Radium-226 levels in samples from an inactive U tailings site at Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada, were: 9140 +/- 500 mBq g-1 dry weight in the substrate; 62 +/- 1 mBq g-1 dry weight in rye, Secale cereale, and less than 3.7 mBq g-1 dry weight in oats, Avena sativa, the dominant species established by revegetation of the tailings; and 117 +/- 7 mBq g-1 dry weight in washed and unwashed black cutworm larvae. Concentration ratios were: vegetation to tailings 0.001-0.007; black cutworms to vegetation 3.6 and black cutworms to tailings 0.01. The values are considered too low to be consideredmore » a hazard to herring gulls, Larus argentatus, which occasionally feed on cutworms.« less

Substrates coated with silver nanoparticles as a neuronal regenerative material

PubMed Central

Alon, Noa; Miroshnikov, Yana; Perkas, Nina; Nissan, Ifat; Gedanken, Aharon; Shefi, Orit

2014-01-01

Much effort has been devoted to the design of effective biomaterials for nerve regeneration. Here, we report the novel use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as regenerative agents to promote neuronal growth. We grew neuroblastoma cells on surfaces coated with AgNPs and studied the effect on the development of the neurites during the initiation and the elongation growth phases. We find that the AgNPs function as favorable anchoring sites, and the growth on the AgNP-coated substrates leads to a significantly enhanced neurite outgrowth. Cells grown on substrates coated with AgNPs have initiated three times more neurites than cells grown on uncoated substrates, and two times more than cells grown on substrates sputtered with a plain homogenous layer of silver. The growth of neurites on AgNPs in the elongation phase was enhanced as well. A comparison with substrates coated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) demonstrated a clear silver material-driven promoting effect, in addition to the nanotopography. The growth on substrates coated with AgNPs has led to a significantly higher number of initiating neurites when compared to substrates coated with AuNPs or ZnONPs. All nanoparticle-coated substrates affected and promoted the elongation of neurites, with a significant positive maximal effect for the AgNPs. Our results, combined with the well-known antibacterial effect of AgNPs, suggest the use of AgNPs as an attractive nanomaterial – with dual activity – for neuronal repair studies. PMID:24872701

Nanoparticle preparation of Mefenamic acid by electrospray drying

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zolkepali, Nurul Karimah, E-mail: fitrah@salam.uitm.edu.my; Bakar, Noor Fitrah Abu, E-mail: fitrah@salam.uitm.edu.my; Anuar, Nornizar

2014-02-24

Nanoparticles preparation of Mefenamic acid (MA) by using an electrospray drying method was conducted in this study. Electrospray drying is a process that uses electrostatic force to disperse a conductive liquid stream into fine charged droplets through the coulomb fission of charges in the liquid and finally dry into fine particles. Electrospray drying modes operation usually in Taylor cone jet, and it was formed by controlling applied voltage and liquid flow rate. A conductive liquid (2.77–8.55μScm{sup −1}) which is MA solution was prepared by using acetone with concentration 0.041 and 0.055 M before pumping at a flow rate of 3–6ml/h.more » By applying the applied voltage at 1.3–1.5 kV, Taylor cone jet mode was formed prior to the electrospray. During electrospray drying process, solvent evaporation from the droplet was occurring that leads to coulomb disruption and may generate to nanoparticles. The dried nanoparticles were collected on a grounded substrate that was placed at varying distance from the electrospray. MA particle with size range of 100–400 nm were produced by electrospray drying process. Characterization of particles by using X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) show that particles formed into polymorph I.« less

Extensive green roof CO2 exchange and its seasonal variation quantified by eddy covariance measurements.

PubMed

Heusinger, Jannik; Weber, Stephan

2017-12-31

The CO 2 surface-atmosphere exchange of an unirrigated, extensive green roof in Berlin, Germany was measured by means of the eddy covariance method over a full annual cycle. The present analysis focusses on the cumulative green roof net ecosystem exchange of CO 2 (NEE), on its seasonal variation and on green roof physiological characteristics by applying a canopy (A-g s ) model. The green roof was a carbon sink with an annual cumulative NEE of -313gCO 2 m -2 year - 1 , equivalent to -85gCm -2 year - 1 . Three established CO 2 flux gap-filling methods were applied to estimate NEE and to study the performance during different meteorological situations. A best estimate NEE time series was established, which chooses the gap filling method with the highest performance. During dry periods daytime carbon uptake was shown to decline linearly with substrate moisture below a threshold of 0.05m 3 m -3 , whereas night-time respiration was unaffected by substrate moisture variation. The roof turned into a temporary C source during dry conditions in summer 2015. We conclude that the carbon uptake of the present green roof can be optimized when substrate moisture is kept above 0.05m 3 m -3 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tribocorrosion behaviour of nanostructured titanium substrates processed by high-pressure torsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faghihi, S.; Li, D.; Szpunar, J. A.

2010-12-01

Aseptic loosening induced by wear particles from artificial bearing materials is one of the main causes of malfunctioning in total hip replacements. With the increase in young and active patients, complications in revision surgeries and immense health care costs, there is considerable interest in wear-resistant materials that can endure longer in the harsh and corrosive body environment. Here, the tribological behaviour of nanostructured titanium substrates processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) is investigated and compared with the coarse-grained samples. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals that a nanostructured sample has a grain size of 5-10 nm compared to that of ~ 10 µm and ~ 50 µm for untreated and annealed substrates, respectively. Dry and wet wear tests were performed using a linear reciprocating ball-on-flat tribometer. Nanostructured samples show the best dry wear resistance and the lowest wear rate in the electrolyte. There was significantly lower plastic deformation and no change in preferred orientation of nanostructured samples attributable to the wear process. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) shows lower corrosion resistance for nanostructured samples. However, under the action of both wear and corrosion the nanostructured samples show superior performance and that makes them an attractive candidate for applications in which wear and corrosion act simultaneously.

Simulation of High-Speed Droplet Impact Against Dry Substrates with Partial Velocity Slip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondo, Tomoki; Ando, Keita

2017-11-01

High-speed droplet impact can be used to clean substrates such as silicon wafers. Radially spreading shear flow after the impact may allow for mechanically removing contaminant particles at substrate surfaces. Since it is a big challenge to experimentally explore such complicated flow that exhibits contact line motion and water hammer, its flow feature is not well understood. Here, we aim to numerically evaluate shear flow caused by the impact of a spherical water droplet (of submillimeter sizes) at high speed (up to 50 m/s) against a dry rigid wall. We model the flow based on compressible Navier-Stokes equations with Stokes' hypothesis and solve them by a high-order-accurate finite volume method equipped with shock and interface capturing. To treat the motion of a contact line between the three phases (the droplet, the rigid wall, and the ambient air) in a robust manner, we permit velocity slip at the wall with Navier's model, for wall slip is known to come into play under steep velocity gradients that can arise from high-speed droplet impact. In our presentation, we will examine radially spreading flow after the droplet impact and the resulting wall shear stress generation from the simulation. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP17J02211.

Dry transfer of graphene to dielectrics and flexible substrates using polyimide as a transparent and stable intermediate layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchena, Miriam; Wagner, Frederic; Arliguie, Therese; Zhu, Bin; Johnson, Benedict; Fernández, Manuel; Lai Chen, Tong; Chang, Theresa; Lee, Robert; Pruneri, Valerio; Mazumder, Prantik

2018-07-01

We demonstrate the direct transfer of graphene from Cu foil to rigid and flexible substrates, such as glass and PET, using as an intermediate layer a thin film of polyimide (PI) mixed with an aminosilane (3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane) or only PI, respectively. While the dry removal of graphene by an adhesive has been previously demonstrated—being removed from graphite by scotch tape or from a Cu foil by thick epoxy (~20 µm) on Si—our work is the first step towards making a substrate ready for device fabrication using the polymer-free technique. Our approach leads to an article that is transparent, thermally stable—up to 350 °C—and free of polymer residues on the device side of the graphene, which is contrary to the case of the standard wet-transfer process using PMMA. Also, in addition to previous novelty, our technique is fast and easier by using current industrial technology—a hot press and a laminator—with Cu recycling by its mechanical peel-off; it provides high interfacial stability in aqueous media and it is not restricted to a specific material—polyimide and polyamic acids can be used. All the previous reasons demonstrate a feasible process that enables device fabrication.

Sandwich-type electrode

DOEpatents

Lu, Wen-Tong P.; Garcia, Earl R.

1983-01-01

Disclosed is an improvement on a method of making an electrode wherein a suspension in a liquid is prepared of a powdered catalyst containing a noble metal, carbon powder and a binder, and the suspension is poured over a carbon substrate dried, compressed and sintered to form a solid catalyst layer bonded to the carbon substrate. The improvement is placing a carbon paper on the catalyst layer prior to compressing. The improved electrode can be used as either a cathode or an anode in a sulfur dioxide depolarized electrolyzer in a process for producing hydrogen from water.

Multilayered micro/nanocrystalline CVD diamond coatings for biotribology =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salgueiredo, Ermelinda da Conceicao Portela

In the present work multilayered micro/nanocrystalline (MCD/NCD) diamond coatings were developed by Hot Filament Chemical Vapour Deposition (HFCVD). The aim was to minimize the surface roughness with a top NCD layer, to maximize adhesion onto the Si3N4 ceramic substrates with a starting MCD coating and to improve the mechanical resistance by the presence of MCD/NCD interfaces in these composite coatings. This set of features assures high wear resistance and low friction coefficients which, combined to diamond biocompatibility, set this material as ideal for biotribological applications. The deposition parameters of MCD were optimized using the Taguchi method, and two varieties of NCD were used: NCD-1, grown in a methane rich gas phase, and NCD-2 where a third gas, Argon, was added to the gas mixture. The best combination of surface pre-treatments in the Si3N4 substrates is obtained by polishing the substrates with a 15 mum diamond slurry, further dry etching with CF4 plasma for 10 minutes and final ultrasonic seeding in a diamond powder suspension in ethanol for 1 hour. The interfaces of the multilayered CVD diamond films were characterized with high detail using HRTEM, STEM-EDX and EELS. The results show that at the transition from MCD to NCD a thin precursor graphitic film is formed. On the contrary, the transition of the NCD to MCD grade is free of carbon structures other than diamond, as a result of the richer atomic hydrogen content and of the higher substrate temperature for MCD deposition. At those transitions, WC nanoparticles were found due to contamination from the filament, being also present at the first interface of the MCD layer with the silicon nitride substrate. In order to study the adhesion and mechanical resistance of the diamond coatings, indentation and particle jet blasting tests were conducted, as well as tribological experiments with homologous pairs. Indentation tests proved the superior behaviour of the multilayered coatings that attained a load of 800 N without delamination, when compared to the mono and bilayered ones. The multilayered diamond coatings also reveal the best solid particle erosion resistance, due to the MCD/NCD interfaces that act as crack deflectors. These results were confirmed by an analytical model on the stress field distribution based on the von Mises criterion. Regarding the tribological testing under dry sliding, multilayered coatings also exhibit the highest critical load values (200N for Multilayers with NCD-2). Low friction coefficient values in the range mu=0.02- 0.09 and wear coefficient values in the order of 10. -7 mm3 N-1 m-1 were obtained for the ball and flat specimensindicating a mild wear regime. Under lubrication with physiological fluids (HBSS e FBS), lower wear coefficient values 10. -9-10. -8 mm3 N-1 m-1) wereachieved, governed by the initial surface roughness and the effective contact pressure.

Device and method for separating minerals, carbon and cement additives from fly ash

DOEpatents

Link, Thomas A.; Schoffstall, Micael R.; Soong, Yee

2004-01-27

A process for separating organic and inorganic particles from a dry mixture by sizing the particles into isolated fractions, contacting the sized particles to a charged substrate and subjecting the charged particles to an electric field to separate the particles.

Stretchable metal oxide thin film transistors on engineered substrate for electronic skin applications.

PubMed

Romeo, Alessia; Lacour, Stphanie P

2015-08-01

Electronic skins aim at providing distributed sensing and computation in a large-area and elastic membrane. Control and addressing of high-density soft sensors will be achieved when thin film transistor matrices are also integrated in the soft carrier substrate. Here, we report on the design, manufacturing and characterization of metal oxide thin film transistors on these stretchable substrates. The TFTs are integrated onto an engineered silicone substrate with embedded strain relief to protect the devices from catastrophic cracking. The TFT stack is composed of an amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O active layer, a hybrid AlxOy/Parylene dielectric film, gold electrodes and interconnects. All layers are prepared and patterned with planar, low temperature and dry processing. We demonstrate the interconnected IGZO TFTs sustain applied tensile strain up to 20% without electrical degradation and mechanical fracture. Active devices are critical for distributed sensing. The compatibility of IGZO TFTs with soft and biocompatible substrates is an encouraging step towards wearable electronic skins.

Depositing nanometer-sized particles of metals onto carbon allotropes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delozier, Donavon M. (Inventor); Fallbach, Michael J. (Inventor); Smith, Joseph G. (Inventor); Watson, Kent A. (Inventor); Ghose, Sayata (Inventor); Connell, John W. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A process for depositing nanometer-sized metal particles onto a substrate in the absence of aqueous solvents, organic solvents, and reducing agents, and without any required pre-treatment of the substrate, includes preparing an admixture of a metal compound and a substrate by dry mixing a chosen amount of the metal compound with a chosen amount of the substrate; and supplying energy to the admixture in an amount sufficient to deposit zero valance metal particles onto the substrate. This process gives rise to a number of deposited metallic particle sizes which may be controlled. The compositions prepared by this process are used to produce polymer composites by combining them with readily available commodity and engineering plastics. The polymer composites are used as coatings, or they are used to fabricate articles, such as free-standing films, fibers, fabrics, foams, molded and laminated articles, tubes, adhesives, and fiber reinforced articles. These articles are well-suited for many applications requiring thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, antibacterial activity, catalytic activity, and combinations thereof.

Fabrication of 2-inch nano patterned sapphire substrate with high uniformity by two-beam laser interference lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, LongGui; Yang, Fan; Yue, Gen; Jiang, Yang; Jia, Haiqiang; Wang, Wenxin; Chen, Hong

2014-11-01

Generally, nano-scale patterned sapphire substrate (NPSS) has better performance than micro-scale patterned sapphire substrate (MPSS) in improving the light extraction efficiency of LEDs. Laser interference lithography (LIL) is one of the powerful fabrication methods for periodic nanostructures without photo-masks for different designs. However, Lloyd's mirror LIL system has the disadvantage that fabricated patterns are inevitably distorted, especially for large-area twodimensional (2D) periodic nanostructures. Herein, we introduce two-beam LIL system to fabricate consistent large-area NPSS. Quantitative analysis and characterization indicate that the high uniformity of the photoresist arrays is achieved. Through the combination of dry etching and wet etching techniques, the well-defined NPSS with period of 460 nm were prepared on the whole sapphire substrate. The deviation is 4.34% for the bottom width of the triangle truncated pyramid arrays on the whole 2-inch sapphire substrate, which is suitable for the application in industrial production of NPSS.

78 FR 24334 - Milk in the Northeast and Other Marketing Areas; Order Amending the Orders

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-25

...) allowances for cheese, butter, nonfat dry milk (NFDM) and dry whey contained in the Class III and Class IV....1715 per pound); NFDM ($0.1678 per pound); and dry whey ($0.1991 per pound). In addition, the butterfat... dry whey continues to be $0.1991 per pound (initially increased from $0.1956 per pound). Finally, the...

[Textural research on the origin and evolution of the"theory of drying dampness"and its initiator].

PubMed

Zhou, X M; Hu, J P

2016-07-28

There are two different records, namely,"vulnerability to dampness in autumn"and"dryness prevailing"in autumn, in the Neijing ( Inner Canon ). In the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, Liu Wansu supplemented the pathogenesis of dryness pathogen, whereas Wang Andao explained the contradictory records in the Neijing . In the Qing Dynasty, Yu Chang definitely challenged the theory"vulnerability to dampness in autumn"of the Neijing ,triggering a debate on the recognition of"drying dampness". In fact, Yu Guopei was the initiator of"theory of drying dampness", who discussed the nature of Yin and Yang of"drying dampness"based on the laws of correspondence between human body and natural environment, elucidating that drying dampness should be the root of both exogenous disease and internal damage, and elaborating the etiology and pathogenesis of"drying dampness", the diagnosis and the nature of the drugs for drying dampness. Shi Shoutang inherited Yu's theory and made a further development. In modern times, some scholars advocated that"drying dampness"should be consideredalong with Yin and Yang, superficies and interior, excess and deficiency, cold and heat, as the guiding principle for syndrome differentiation.

It's harder to splash on soft solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howison, Sam; Howland, Christopher; Antkowiak, Arnaud; Castrejon-Pita, Rafael; Oliver, James; Style, Robert; Castrejon-Pita, Alfonso

2016-11-01

Droplets splash when they impact dry, flat substrates above a critical velocity that depends on parameters such as droplet size, viscosity and air pressure. By imaging ethanol drops impacting silicone gels of different stiffnesses we show that substrate stiffness also affects the splashing thresh- old. Splashing is reduced or even eliminated: droplets on the softest substrates need over 70% more kinetic energy to splash than they do on rigid substrates. We show that this is due to energy losses caused by deformations of soft substrates during the first few microseconds of impact. We find that solids with Young's moduli < 100kPa reduce splashing, in agreement with simple scaling arguments. Thus materials like soft gels and elastomers can be used as simple coatings for effective splash prevention. Soft substrates also serve as a useful system for testing splash-formation theories and sheet-ejection mechanisms, as they allow the characteristics of ejection sheets to be controlled independently of the bulk impact dynamics of droplets. EPSRC (CJH), John Fell Oxford University Press (OUP) Research Fund (AACP and RWS), The Royal Society (AAC-P).

Evolution of temperature and chemical parameters during composting of the pig slurry solid fraction amended with natural zeolite.

PubMed

Venglovsky, J; Sasakova, N; Vargova, M; Pacajova, Z; Placha, I; Petrovsky, M; Harichova, D

2005-01-01

A 3-month experiment was conducted at a 300 kg scale to observe decomposition processes in pig slurry solids amended with two different doses of natural Slovak zeolite-clinoptilolite (substrates S1 and S2, 1% and 2% of zeolite by weight, respectively) in comparison with the control (unamended solids). The experimental and control substrates were stored outdoors in sheltered static piles at ambient temperatures ranging from 8.0 to 34.7 degrees C. The solid fraction (SF) of pig slurry was obtained by separation on vibration sieves prior to slurry treatment with activated sludge. The initial water content of the SF was 77.1% and no water was added to the piles during the storage. The temperature in the core of the piles was recorded throughout the experiment. By day 3 and 5 of storage (1% and 2% zeolite, resp.), the temperature in the substrates S1 and S2 exceeded 55 degrees C and remained above this level for 15 days while the highest temperature recorded in the control during the experiment was 29.8 degrees C. Samples from the core of the piles were taken periodically to determine pH, dry matter at 105 degrees C (DM), ash (550 degrees C/4 h), ammonia nitrogen (N-NH(4)(+)), nitrate nitrogen (N-NO(3)(-)), total nitrogen (N(t)), total phosphorus (P(t)); total organic carbon (TOC) was computed. The results showed that pH levels in S1 and S2 remained below that in the control for most of the thermophilic stage. This may be related to water-soluble ammonia and the affinity of zeolites to ammonium ions. A significant decrease in the level of ammonia nitrogen in water extracts from S1 and S2 was observed between days 5 and 35 in comparison with the control. The values of ash also differed and corresponded to the intensity of the decomposition processes in the respective substrates.

Molybdenum reduction to molybdenum blue in Serratia sp. Strain DRY5 is catalyzed by a novel molybdenum-reducing enzyme.

PubMed

Shukor, M Y; Halmi, M I E; Rahman, M F A; Shamaan, N A; Syed, M A

2014-01-01

The first purification of the Mo-reducing enzyme from Serratia sp. strain DRY5 that is responsible for molybdenum reduction to molybdenum blue in the bacterium is reported. The monomeric enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of 105 kDalton. The isoelectric point of this enzyme was 7.55. The enzyme has an optimum pH of 6.0 and maximum activity between 25 and 35°C. The Mo-reducing enzyme was extremely sensitive to temperatures above 50°C (between 54 and 70°C). A plot of initial rates against substrate concentrations at 15 mM 12-MP registered a V max for NADH at 12.0 nmole Mo blue/min/mg protein. The apparent K m for NADH was 0.79 mM. At 5 mM NADH, the apparent V max and apparent K m values for 12-MP of 12.05 nmole/min/mg protein and 3.87 mM, respectively, were obtained. The catalytic efficiency (k cat/K m ) of the Mo-reducing enzyme was 5.47 M(-1) s(-1). The purification of this enzyme could probably help to solve the phenomenon of molybdenum reduction to molybdenum blue first reported in 1896 and would be useful for the understanding of the underlying mechanism in molybdenum bioremediation involving bioreduction.

Molybdenum Reduction to Molybdenum Blue in Serratia sp. Strain DRY5 Is Catalyzed by a Novel Molybdenum-Reducing Enzyme

PubMed Central

Shukor, M. Y.; Halmi, M. I. E.; Rahman, M. F. A.; Shamaan, N. A.; Syed, M. A.

2014-01-01

The first purification of the Mo-reducing enzyme from Serratia sp. strain DRY5 that is responsible for molybdenum reduction to molybdenum blue in the bacterium is reported. The monomeric enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of 105 kDalton. The isoelectric point of this enzyme was 7.55. The enzyme has an optimum pH of 6.0 and maximum activity between 25 and 35°C. The Mo-reducing enzyme was extremely sensitive to temperatures above 50°C (between 54 and 70°C). A plot of initial rates against substrate concentrations at 15 mM 12-MP registered a V max for NADH at 12.0 nmole Mo blue/min/mg protein. The apparent K m for NADH was 0.79 mM. At 5 mM NADH, the apparent V max and apparent K m values for 12-MP of 12.05 nmole/min/mg protein and 3.87 mM, respectively, were obtained. The catalytic efficiency (k cat/K m) of the Mo-reducing enzyme was 5.47 M−1 s−1. The purification of this enzyme could probably help to solve the phenomenon of molybdenum reduction to molybdenum blue first reported in 1896 and would be useful for the understanding of the underlying mechanism in molybdenum bioremediation involving bioreduction. PMID:24724104

Synthesis of Poly-Silicon Thin Films on Glass Substrate Using Laser Initiated Metal Induced Crystallization of Amorphous Silicon for Space Power Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abu-Safe, Husam H.; Naseem, Hameed A.; Brown, William D.

2007-01-01

Poly-silicon thin films on glass substrates are synthesized using laser initiated metal induced crystallization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon films. These films can be used to fabricate solar cells on low cost glass and flexible substrates. The process starts by depositing 200 nm amorphous silicon films on the glass substrates. Following this, 200 nm of sputtered aluminum films were deposited on top of the silicon layers. The samples are irradiated with an argon ion cw laser beam for annealing. Laser power densities ranging from 4 to 9 W/cm2 were used in the annealing process. Each area on the sample is irradiated for a different exposure time. Optical microscopy was used to examine any cracks in the films and loss of adhesion to the substrates. X-Ray diffraction patterns from the initial results indicated the crystallization in the films. Scanning electron microscopy shows dendritic growth. The composition analysis of the crystallized films was conducted using Energy Dispersive x-ray Spectroscopy. The results of poly-silicon films synthesis on space qualified flexible substrates such as Kapton are also presented.

Polygonal crack patterns by drying thin films under quasi-two-dimensional confinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiaolei; Lowensohn, Janna; Burton, Justin

Cracks patterns such as T/Y junction cracks in dried mud are ubiquitous in nature. Although the conditions for cracking in solids is well-known, cracks in colloidal and granular systems are more complex. Here we report the formations of polygonal cracks by drying thin films of corn starch ( 10 μm in diameter) under quasi-2D confinement. We find there are two drying stages before the films are completely dried. Initially, a compaction front invades throughout the film. Then, a second drying stage ''percolates'' throughout the film with a characteristic branching pattern, leading to a dense packing of particles connected by liquid capillary bridges. Finally, polygonal cracks appear as the remaining liquid dries. The same drying kinetics occur for films with different thickness, h, except that fractal-like fracture patterns form in thin films, where the thickness is comparable to the particle size, while polygons form in thick films with many layers of particles. We also find that the average area of the polygons, A, in fully dried films scales with the thickness, A hβ , where β 1 . 5 , and the prefactor depends on the initial packing fraction of the suspension. This form is consistent with a simple energy balance criterion for crack formation.

In situ surface-enhanced Raman scattering monitoring of reduction of 4-nitrothiophenol on bifunctional metallic nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Pan; Zhang, Xin; Yin, Hongjun; Zhao, Yongmei; Liu, Luo; Wu, Zhenglong; Xu, Haijun

2018-03-01

Bifunctional Au/Ag nanoparticle-decorated silicon nanowire arrays (Au/Ag@SiNWAs) were prepared using a facile wet chemical method. This surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate not only showed excellent reutilization capabilities by the simple NaBH4 washing, but also could reach a detection limit for drop-dried rhodamine 6G molecules as low as 10-16 M. More importantly, this substrate could be used to monitor the in situ reduction of 4-nitrothiophenol by NaBH4 using SERS spectroscopy. Our findings demonstrate that the bifunctional substrate can serve as a powerful system for the real-time in situ SERS monitoring of catalytic reactions, which should be beneficial for new catalyst exploration.

Production, Survival, and Evaluation of Solid-Substrate Inocula of Penicillium oxalicum, a Biocontrol Agent Against Fusarium Wilt of Tomato.

PubMed

Larena, I; Melgarejo, P; De Cal, A

2002-08-01

ABSTRACT Production of conidia of Penicillium oxalicum (ATCC number pending), a biocontrol agent of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, was tested in liquid and solid fermentation. P. oxalicum produced 250-fold more conidia in solid than in liquid fermentation at 30 days after inoculation of substrate. Solid fermentation was carried out in plastic bags (600 cm(3)) especially designed for solid fermentation (VALMIC) containing 50 g of peat/vermiculite (PV) (1:1, wt/wt) with 40% moisture, sealed, sterilized, and then inoculated with 1 ml of a conidial suspension of P. oxalicum (10(5) conidia g(-1) dry substrate), sealed again, and incubated in darkness at 20 to 25 degrees C for 30 days. Addition of amendments to PV in a proportion of 0.5 (wt/wt) significantly increased conidial production of P. oxalicum. The best production was obtained on PV plus meal of cereal grains (barley) or leguminous seeds (lentil) (100-fold higher). Conidial production obtained after 5 days of inoculation was similar to that obtained at 30 days. However, viability of conidia produced in PV plus lentil meal was 35% higher than that of conidia produced in PV plus barley meal. Changes in proportions (1:1:0.5, wt/wt/wt; 1:1:1, wt/wt/wt; 1:0.5:0.5, wt/wt/wt; 1:1:0.5, vol/vol/vol) of components of the substrate (peat/vermiculite/lentil meal) did not enhance production or viability of conidia. Optimal initial moisture in the substrate was 30 to 40%. At lower moistures, significant reductions of production of conidia were observed, particularly at 10%. There was a general decline in the number of conidia in bags with time of storage at -80, -20, 4, and 25 degrees C, or at room temperature (range from 30 to 15 degrees C), with the highest decline occurring from 60 to 180 days. Conidial viability also was reduced with time, except for conidia stored at -20 degrees C. Fresh conidia produced in solid fermentation system or those conidia stored at -20 degrees C for 180 days reduced Fusarium wilt of tomato by 49 and 61%, respectively.

Vine Trimming Shoots as Substrate for Ferulic Acid Esterases Production.

PubMed

Pérez-Rodríguez, N; Outeiriño, D; Torrado Agrasar, A; Domínguez, J M

2017-02-01

Ferulic acid esterases (FAE) possess a large variety of biotechnological applications mainly based on their ability to release ferulic acid from lignocellulosic matrixes. The use of vine trimming shoots (VTS), an agricultural waste, as substrate for the generation of this kind of esterases represents an attractive alternative to change the consideration of VTS from residue to resource. Furthermore, xylanase, cellobiase, and cellulase activities were quantified. Six microorganisms were screened for FAE production by solid-state fermentation, and the effects of the additional supplementation and substrate size were also tested. Finally, the process was scaled-up to a horizontal bioreactor where the influence of aeration in enzymatic activities was evaluated. Thus, the optimal FAE activity (0.44 U/g dry VTS) was attained by Aspergillus terreus CECT 2808, in non-additional supplementation media, using the larger particles size of substrate (≤ 5 mm) and at a flow rate of 0.7 L/min.

Tribology Study of High-Technological Composite Coatings Applied Using High Velocity Oxy-Fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandeva, M.; Grozdanova, T.; Karastoyanov, D.; Ivanov, Pl; Kalichin, Zh

2018-01-01

In the work are studied the differential parameters of wear and wear resistance of high-tech composite coatings of powder superalloys with nickel matrix, WC-12Co and mixed compositions. Coatings were created and applied to a substrate of steel with a different flame velocity - 700 m/s and 1000 m/s without preheating the substrate and with preheating the substrate to 650° C. The wear is carried out with a "thumb-disk" tribotester under dry surface friction with fixed black corundum abrasive particles. Comparative results were obtained for the microstructure and texture of the pre- and post- friction coating, the porosity, roughness, hardness, the dependence of mass wear, the speed and wear intensity and the wear resistance of the coatings on the number of friction cycles. Influence of the flame rate and substrate temperature on wear resistance and differential wear parameters has been determined.

Composite Pillars with a Tunable Interface for Adhesion to Rough Substrates

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The benefits of synthetic fibrillar dry adhesives for temporary and reversible attachment to hard objects with smooth surfaces have been successfully demonstrated in previous studies. However, surface roughness induces a dramatic reduction in pull-off stresses and necessarily requires revised design concepts. Toward this aim, we introduce cylindrical two-phase single pillars, which are composed of a mechanically stiff stalk and a soft tip layer. Adhesion to smooth and rough substrates is shown to exceed that of conventional pillar structures. The adhesion characteristics can be tuned by varying the thickness of the soft tip layer, the ratio of the Young’s moduli and the curvature of the interface between the two phases. For rough substrates, adhesion values similar to those obtained on smooth substrates were achieved. Our concept of composite pillars overcomes current practical limitations caused by surface roughness and opens up fields of application where roughness is omnipresent. PMID:27997118

Efflorescence of ammonium sulfate and coated ammonium sulfate particles: evidence for surface nucleation.

PubMed

Ciobanu, V Gabriela; Marcolli, Claudia; Krieger, Ulrich K; Zuend, Andreas; Peter, Thomas

2010-09-09

Using optical microscopy, we investigated the efflorescence of ammonium sulfate (AS) in aqueous AS and in aqueous 1:1 and 8:1 (by dry weight) poly(ethylene glycol)-400 (PEG-400)/AS particles deposited on a hydrophobically coated slide. Aqueous PEG-400/AS particles exposed to decreasing relative humidity (RH) exhibit a liquid-liquid phase separation below approximately 90% RH with the PEG-400-rich phase surrounding the aqueous AS inner phase. Pure aqueous AS particles effloresced in the RH range from 36.3% to 43.7%, in agreement with literature data (31-48% RH). In contrast, aqueous 1:1 (by dry weight) PEG-400/AS particles with diameters of the AS phase from 7.2 to 19.2 mum effloresced between 26.8% and 33.9% RH and aqueous 8:1 (by dry weight) PEG-400/AS particles with diameters of the AS phase from 1.8 to 7.3 mum between 24.3% and 29.3% RH. Such low efflorescence relative humidity (ERH) values have never been reached before for AS particles of this size range. We show that these unprecedented low ERHs of AS in PEG-400/AS particles could not possibly be explained by the presence of low amounts of PEG-400 in the aqueous AS phase, by a potential inhibition of water evaporation via anomalously slow diffusion through the PEG coating, or by different time scales between various experimental techniques. High-speed photography of the efflorescence process allowed the development of the AS crystallization fronts within the particles to be monitored with millisecond time resolution. The nucleation sites were inferred from the initial crystal growth sites. Analysis of the probability distribution of initial sites of 31 and 19 efflorescence events for pure AS and 1:1 (by dry weight) PEG-400/AS particles, respectively, showed that the particle volume can be excluded as the preferred nucleation site in the case of pure AS particles. For aqueous 1:1 (by dry weight) PEG-400/AS particles preferential AS nucleation in the PEG phase and at the PEG/AS/substrate contact line can be excluded. On the basis of this probability analysis of efflorescence events together with the AS ERH values of pure aqueous AS and aqueous PEG-400/AS particles aforementioned, we suggest that in pure aqueous AS particles nucleation starts at the surface of the particles and attribute the lower ERH values observed for aqueous PEG-400/AS particles to the suppression of the surface-induced nucleation process. Our results suggest that surface-induced nucleation is likely to also occur during the efflorescence of atmospheric AS aerosol particles, possibly constituting the dominating nucleation pathway.

Resolution of an apparent hook effect in Roche partner DRI oxycodone immunoassay.

PubMed

Colón-Franco, Jessica M; Cox, Elbert T; Crosby, David B; Dawling, Sheila

2013-01-01

A presumed hook effect in the semiquantitative DRI Oxycodone immunoassay, OXY3S (Cobas Integra, Roche Diagnostics), was investigated in 14 urine samples with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) >10,000 ng/mL but OXY3S <1,000 ng/mL. These samples included the index case, a false-negative OXY3S result with >75,000 ng/mL oxycodone + oxymorphone by GC-MS confirmation. Patient samples needed 2- to 16-fold dilution to obtain the correct OXY3S response. The OXY3S test did not hook at high-spiked concentrations of oxycodone, oxymorphone or oxymorphone-3β-d-glucuronide in drug-free urine. The OXY3S test parameters were replicated in a development channel on the Cobas using DRI Reagents (Microgenics, CA, USA) and were subsequently modified. Delayed sample addition or doubling of Reagent 1 (R1: antibody/substrate/co-factor) yielded maximal immunoassay response (>10,000 ng/mL) in 12 of 14 and 14 of 14 undiluted patient samples, respectively. Supplementation of R1 with substrate alone did not correctly recover oxycodone from any of the samples, while co-factor supplementation resulted a maximal OXY3S response in 13 of 14 samples. The remaining (index) sample could only be corrected by supplemental R1. The semiquantitative utility of the DRI Oxycodone assay is questionable. Although the precise cause of the under-recovery could not be determined, the modification presented permits reliable oxycodone determination at the high concentrations frequently seen in clinical urine samples.

Domain epitaxy for thin film growth

DOEpatents

Narayan, Jagdish

2005-10-18

A method of forming an epitaxial film on a substrate includes growing an initial layer of a film on a substrate at a temperature T.sub.growth, said initial layer having a thickness h and annealing the initial layer of the film at a temperature T.sub.anneal, thereby relaxing the initial layer, wherein said thickness h of the initial layer of the film is greater than a critical thickness h.sub.c. The method further includes growing additional layers of the epitaxial film on the initial layer subsequent to annealing. In some embodiments, the method further includes growing a layer of the film that includes at least one amorphous island.

Measurement of the bed material of gravel-bed rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milhous, R.T.; ,

2002-01-01

The measurement of the physical properties of a gravel-bed river is important in the calculation of sediment transport and physical habitat values for aquatic animals. These properties are not always easy to measure. One recent report on flushing of fines from the Klamath River did not contain information on one location because the grain size distribution of the armour could not be measured on a dry river bar. The grain size distribution could have been measured using a barrel sampler and converting the measurements to the same as would have been measured if a dry bar existed at the site. In another recent paper the porosity was calculated from an average value relation from the literature. The results of that paper may be sensitive to the actual value of porosity. Using the bulk density sampling technique based on a water displacement process presented in this paper the porosity could have been calculated from the measured bulk density. The principle topics of this paper are the measurement of the size distribution of the armour, and measurement of the porosity of the substrate. The 'standard' method of sampling of the armour is to do a Wolman-type count of the armour on a dry section of the river bed. When a dry bar does not exist the armour in an area of the wet streambed is to sample and the measurements transformed analytically to the same type of results that would have been obtained from the standard Wolman procedure. A comparison of the results for the San Miguel River in Colorado shows significant differences in the median size of the armour. The method use to determine the porosity is not 'high-tech' and there is a need improve knowledge of the porosity because of the importance of porosity in the aquatic ecosystem. The technique is to measure the in-situ volume of a substrate sample by measuring the volume of a frame over the substrate and then repeated the volume measurement after the sample is obtained from within the frame. The difference in the volumes is the volume of the sample.

Rich variety of substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Bich Ha; Hieu Nguyen, Van; Nhung Tran, Hong

2016-09-01

The efficiency of the application of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technique to each specified purpose significantly depends on the choice of the SERS substrate with an appropriate structure as well as on its performance. Until the present time a rich variety of SERS substrates was fabricated. They can be classified according to their structures. The present work is a review of main types of SERS substrates for using in the trace analysis application. They can be classified into 4 groups: (1) Substrates using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with spherical shape such as colloidal AuNPs, AuNPs fabricated by pulsed laser deposition, by sputtering or by capillary force assembly (CFA), substrates fabricated by electrospinning technique, substrates using metallic nanoparticle arrays fabricated by electron beam lithography combined with CFA method, substrates using silver nanoparticle (AgNP) arrays grain by chemical seeded method, substrates with tunable surface plasmon resonance, substrates based on precies subnanometer plasmonic junctions within AuNP assemblies, substrates fabricated by simultaneously immobilizing both AuNPs and AgNPs on the same glass sides etc. (2) Substrates using nanostructures with non-spherical shapes such as gold nanowire (NW), or highly anisotropic nickel NW together with large area, free-standing carpets, substrates with obviously angular, quasi-vertically aligned cuboid-shaped TiO2 NW arrays decorated with AgNPs, substrates using gold nanoprism monolayer films, substrates using silver nanocube dimmers or monodisperse close-packed gold nanotriangle monolayers. (3) Substrates using multiparticle complex nanostructure such as nanoparticle cluster arrays, gold nanoflowers and nanodendrites. (4) Flexible substrate such as paper-based swab with gold nanorods, adhesive polymer tapes fabricated by inkjet printing method and flexible and adhesive SERS tapes fabricated by decorating AuNPs via the conventional drop-dry method.

Bioactive maca (Lepidium meyenii) alkamides are a result of traditional Andean postharvest drying practices.

PubMed

Esparza, Eliana; Hadzich, Antonella; Kofer, Waltraud; Mithöfer, Axel; Cosio, Eric G

2015-08-01

Maca, Lepidium meyenii Walpers (Brassicaceae), is an annual herbaceous plant native to the high plateaus of the Peruvian central Andes. Its underground storage hypocotyls have been a traditional medicinal agent and dietary staple since pre-Columbian times. Reported properties include energizing and fertility-enhancing effects. Published reports have focused on the benzylalkamides (macamides) present in dry hypocotyls as one of the main bioactive components. Macamides are secondary amides formed by benzylamine and a fatty acid moiety, with varying hydrocarbon chain lengths and degree of unsaturation. Although it has been assumed that they are usually present in fresh undamaged tissues, analyses show them to be essentially absent from them. However, hypocotyls dried by traditional Andean postharvest practices or industrial oven drying contain up to 800μgg(-1) dry wt (2.3μmolg(-1) dry wt) of macamides. In this study, the generation of macamides and their putative precursors were studied during nine-week traditional drying trials at 4200m altitude and in ovens under laboratory conditions. Freeze-thaw cycles in the open field during drying result in tissue maceration and release of free fatty acids from storage and membrane lipids up to levels of 1200μgg(-1) dry wt (4.3μmolg(-1) dry wt). Endogenous metabolism of the isothiocyanates generated from glucosinolate hydrolysis during drying results in maximal benzylamine values of 4300μgg(-1) dry wt (40.2μmolg(-1) dry wt). Pearson correlation coefficients of the accumulation profiles of benzylamine and free fatty acid to that of macamides showed good values of 0.898 and 0.934, respectively, suggesting that both provide sufficient substrate for amide synthesis during the drying process. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[Combination of phosphorus solubilizing and mobilizing fungi with phosphate rocks and volcanic materials to promote plant growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)].

PubMed

Velázquez, María S; Cabello, Marta N; Elíades, Lorena A; Russo, María L; Allegrucci, Natalia; Schalamuk, Santiago

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) increase the uptake of soluble phosphates, while phosphorus solubilizing fungi (S) promote solubilization of insoluble phosphates complexes, favoring plant nutrition. Another alternative to maintaining crop productivity is to combine minerals and rocks that provide nutrients and other desirable properties. The aim of this work was to combine AMF and S with pyroclastic materials (ashes and pumices) from Puyehue volcano and phosphate rocks (PR) from Rio Chico Group (Chubut) - to formulate a substrate for the production of potted Lactuca sativa. A mixture of Terrafertil®:ashes was used as substrate. Penicillium thomii was the solubilizing fungus and Rhizophagus intraradices spores (AMF) was the P mobilizer (AEGIS® Irriga). The treatments were: 1) Substrate; 2) Substrate+AMF; 3) Substrate+S; 4) Substrate+AMF+S; 5) Substrate: PR; 6) Substrate: PR+AMF; 7) Substrate: PR+S and 8) Substrate: PR+AMF+S. Three replicates were performed per treatment. All parameters evaluated (total and assimilable P content in substrate, P in plant tissue and plant dry biomass) were significantly higher in plants grown in substrate containing PR and inoculas with S and AMF. This work confirms that the combination of S/AMF with Puyehue volcanic ashes, PR from the Río Chico Group and a commercial substrate promote the growth of L. sativa, thus increasing the added value of national geomaterials. Copyright © 2017 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Enhanced solid-state citric acid bio-production using apple pomace waste through surface response methodology.

PubMed

Dhillon, G S; Brar, S K; Verma, M; Tyagi, R D

2011-04-01

  To evaluate the potential of apple pomace (AP) supplemented with rice husk for hyper citric acid production through solid-state fermentation by Aspergillus niger NRRL-567. Optimization of two key parameters, such as moisture content and inducer (ethanol and methanol) concentration was carried out by response surface methodology.   In this study, the effect of two crucial process parameters for solid-state citric acid fermentation by A. niger using AP waste supplemented with rice husk were thoroughly investigated in Erlenmeyer flasks through response surface methodology. Moisture and methanol had significant positive effect on citric acid production by A. niger grown on AP (P < 0·05). Higher values of citric acid on AP by A. niger (342·41gkg(-1) and 248·42gkg(-1) dry substrate) were obtained with 75% (v/w) moisture along with two inducers [3% (v/w) methanol and 3% (v/w) ethanol] with fermentation efficiency of 93·90% and 66·42%, respectively depending upon the total carbon utilized after 144h of incubation period. With the same optimized parameters, conventional tray fermentation was conducted. The citric acid concentration of 187·96gkg(-1) dry substrate with 3% (v/w) ethanol and 303·34gkg(-1) dry substrate with 3% (v/w) methanol were achieved representing fermentation efficiency of 50·80% and 82·89% in tray fermentation depending upon carbon utilization after 120h of incubation period.   Apple pomace proved to be the promising substrate for the hyper production of citric acid through solid-state tray fermentation, which is an economical technique and does not require any sophisticated instrumentation.   The study established that the utilization of agro-industrial wastes have positive repercussions on the economy and will help to meet the increasing demands of citric acid and moreover will help to alleviate the environmental problems resulting from the disposal of agro-industrial wastes. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Calculation of the process of vacuum drying of a metal-concrete container with spent nuclear fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karyakin, Yu. E.; Lavrent'ev, S. A.; Pavlyukevich, N. V.; Pletnev, A. A.; Fedorovich, E. D.

2012-01-01

An algorithm and results of calculation of the process of vacuum drying of a metal-concrete container intended for long-term "dry" storage of spent nuclear fuel are presented. A calculated substantiation of the initial amount of moisture in the container is given.

Drop splashing induced by target roughness and porosity: The size plays no role.

PubMed

Roisman, Ilia V; Lembach, Andreas; Tropea, Cameron

2015-08-01

Drop splash as a result of an impact onto a dry substrate is governed by the impact parameters, gas properties and the substrate properties. The splash thresholds determine the boundaries between various splash modes. Various existing models for the splash threshold are reviewed in this paper. It is shown that our understanding of splash is not yet complete. The most popular, widely used models for splash threshold do not describe well the available experimental data. The scientific part of this paper is focused on the description of drop prompt splash on rough and porous substrates. It is found that the absolute length scales of the substrate roughness, like Ra or Rz, do not have any significant effect on the splash threshold. It is discovered that on rough substrates the main influencing splash parameters are the impact Weber number and the characteristic slope of the roughness of the substrate. The drop deposition without splash on porous substrates is enhanced by the liquid modified Reynolds number. Surprisingly, it is not influenced by the pore size, at least for the impact parameters used in the experiments. Finally, an empirical correlation for the prompt splash on rough and porous substrates is proposed, based on a rather amount of experimental data. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Short communication: Effects of vacuum freeze-drying on inactivation of Cronobacter sakazakii ATCC29544 in liquid media with different initial inoculum levels.

PubMed

Jiao, Rui; Gao, Jina; Zhang, Xiyan; Zhang, Maofeng; Chen, Jiren; Wu, Qingping; Zhang, Jumei; Ye, Yingwang

2017-03-01

Vacuum freeze-drying is an important food-processing technology for valid retention of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Cronobacter sakazakii has been reported to be associated with severe infections in neonates through consumption of contaminated powdered infant formula. In this study, effects of vacuum freeze-drying treatment for 12, 24, and 36 h on inactivation of C. sakazakii with different initial inoculum levels in sterile water, tryptic soy broth (TSB), skim milk, and whole milk were determined. Results indicated that the lethality rate of C. sakazakii in each sample increased with the extension of vacuum freeze-drying time. With initial inoculum levels of 10 2 and 10 3 cfu/mL, the survival of C. sakazakii in different liquid media was significantly affected by vacuum freeze-drying for 12, 24, and 36 h. In addition, the lethality rates of C. sakazakii in whole milk, skim milk, and TSB was significantly reduced compared with those in sterile water. Furthermore, whole milk showed the strongest protective role for C. sakazakii cells, followed by skim milk and TSB medium. Using the scanning electron microscope, the intracellular damage and obvious distortion of C. sakazakii cells were observed after vacuum freeze-drying for 24 and 36 h compared with the untreated sample, and the injured cells increased with the extension of vacuum-drying time. We concluded that inactivation of vacuum freeze-drying on C. sakazakii cells is related to the food matrix, and a combination with other methods for inactivating C. sakazakii is required for ensuring microbial safety of powdered infant formula. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microwave-Assisted Drying for the Conservation of Honeybee Pollen.

PubMed

Canale, Angelo; Benelli, Giovanni; Castagna, Antonella; Sgherri, Cristina; Poli, Piera; Serra, Andrea; Mele, Marcello; Ranieri, Annamaria; Signorini, Francesca; Bientinesi, Matteo; Nicolella, Cristiano

2016-05-12

Bee pollen is becoming an important product thanks to its nutritional properties, including a high content of bioactive compounds such as essential amino acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. Fresh bee pollen has a high water content (15%-30% wt %), thus it is a good substrate for microorganisms. Traditional conservation methods include drying in a hot air chamber and/or freezing. These techniques may significantly affect the pollen organoleptic properties and its content of bioactive compounds. Here, a new conservation method, microwave drying, is introduced and investigated. The method implies irradiating the fresh pollen with microwaves under vacuum, in order to reduce the water content without reaching temperatures capable of thermally deteriorating important bioactive compounds. The method was evaluated by taking into account the nutritional properties after the treatment. The analyzed parameters were phenols, flavonoids, with special reference to rutin content, and amino acids. Results showed that microwave drying offers important advantages for the conservation of bee pollen. Irrespective of microwave power and treatment time, phenol and flavonoid content did not vary over untreated fresh pollen. Similarly, rutin content was unaffected by the microwave drying, suggesting that the microwave-assisted drying could be a powerful technology to preserve bioprotective compounds in fresh pollen.

Total solids content: a key parameter of metabolic pathways in dry anaerobic digestion

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In solid-state anaerobic digestion (AD) bioprocesses, hydrolytic and acidogenic microbial metabolisms have not yet been clarified. Since these stages are particularly important for the establishment of the biological reaction, better knowledge could optimize the process performances by process parameters adjustment. Results This study demonstrated the effect of total solids (TS) content on microbial fermentation of wheat straw with six different TS contents ranging from wet to dry conditions (10 to 33% TS). Three groups of metabolic behaviors were distinguished based on wheat straw conversion rates with 2,200, 1,600, and 1,400 mmol.kgVS-1 of fermentative products under wet (10 and 14% TS), dry (19 to 28% TS), and highly dry (28 to 33% TS) conditions, respectively. Furthermore, both wet and dry fermentations showed acetic and butyric acid metabolisms, whereas a mainly butyric acid metabolism occurred in highly dry fermentation. Conclusion Substrate conversion was reduced with no changes of the metabolic pathways until a clear limit at 28% TS content, which corresponded to the threshold value of free water content of wheat straw. This study suggested that metabolic pathways present a limit of TS content for high-solid AD. PMID:24261971

Milliscale Self-Integration of Megamolecule Biopolymers on a Drying Gas-Aqueous Liquid Crystalline Interface.

PubMed

Okeyoshi, Kosuke; Okajima, Maiko K; Kaneko, Tatsuo

2016-06-13

A drying environment is always a proposition faced by dynamic living organisms using water, which are driven by biopolymer-based micro- and macrostructures. Here, we introduce a drying process for aqueous liquid crystalline (LC) solutions composed of biopolymer with extremely high molecular weight components such as polysaccharides, cytoskeletal proteins, and DNA. On controlling the mobility of the LC microdomain, the solutions showed milliscale self-integration starting from the unstable gas-LC interface during drying. In particular, we first identified giant rod-like microdomains (∼1 μm diameter and more than 20 μm length) of the mega-molecular polysaccharide, sacran, which is remarkably larger than other polysaccharides. These microdomains led to the formation of a single milliscale macrodomain on the interface. In addition, the dried polymer films on a solid substrate also revealed that such integration depends on the size of the microdomain. We envision that this simple drying method will be useful not only for understanding the biopolymer hierarchization at the macroscale level but also for preparation of surfaces with direction controllability, as seen in living organisms, for use in various fields such as diffusion, mechanics, and photonics.

Modified Anaerobic Digestion Model No.1 for dry and semi-dry anaerobic digestion of solid organic waste.

PubMed

Liotta, Flavia; Chatellier, Patrice; Esposito, Giovanni; Fabbricino, Massimiliano; Frunzo, Luigi; van Hullebusch, Eric D; Lens, Piet N L; Pirozzi, Francesco

2015-01-01

The role of total solids (TS) content in anaerobic digestion of selected complex organic matter, e.g. rice straw and food waste, was investigated. A range of TS from wet (4.5%) to dry (23%) was evaluated. A modified version of the Anaerobic Digestion Model No.1 for a complex organic substrate is proposed to take into account the effect of the TS content on anaerobic digestion. A linear function that correlates the kinetic constants of three specific processes (i.e. disintegration, acetate and propionate up-take) was included in the model. Results of biomethanation and volatile fatty acids production tests were used to calibrate the proposed model. Model simulations showed a good agreement between numerical and observed data.

Method for fabrication of ceramic dielectric films on copper foils

DOEpatents

Ma, Beihai; Narayanan, Manoj; Dorris, Stephen E.; Balachandran, Uthamalingam

2017-06-14

The present invention provides copper substrate coated with a lead-lanthanum-zirconium-titanium (PLZT) ceramic film, which is prepared by a method comprising applying a layer of a sol-gel composition onto a copper foil. The sol-gel composition comprises a precursor of a ceramic material suspended in 2-methoxyethanol. The layer of sol-gel is then dried at a temperature up to about 250.degree. C. The dried layer is then pyrolyzed at a temperature in the range of about 300 to about 450.degree. C. to form a ceramic film from the ceramic precursor. The ceramic film is then crystallized at a temperature in the range of about 600 to about 750.degree. C. The drying, pyrolyzing and crystallizing are performed under a flowing stream of an inert gas.

Kinetic modeling of lactic acid production from batch submerged fermentation of cheese whey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tango, M.S.A.; Ghaly, A.E.

1999-12-01

A kinetic model for the production of lactic acid through batch submerged fermentation of cheese whey using Lactobacillus helveticus was developed. The model accounts for the effect of substrate limitation, substrate inhibition, lactic acid inhibition, maintenance energy and cell death on the cell growth, substrate utilization, and lactic acid production during the fermentation process. The model was evaluated using experimental data from Tango and Ghaly (1999). The predicted results obtained from the model compared well with experimental (R{sup 2} = 0.92--0.98). The model was also used to investigate the effect of the initial substrate concentration on the lag period, fermentationmore » time, specific growth rate, and cell productivity during batch fermentation. The maximum specific growth rate ({micro}{sub m}), the saturation constant (K{sub S}), the substrate inhibition constant (K{sub IS}), and the lactic acid inhibition constant (K{sub IP}) were found to be 0.25h{sup {minus}1}, 0.9 g/L, 250.0 g/L, and 60.0 g/L, respectively. High initial lactose concentration in cheese whey reduced both the specific growth rate and substrate utilization rate due to the substrate inhibition phenomenon. The maximum lactic acid production occurred at about 100 g/L initial lactose concentration after 40 h of fermentation. The maximum lactic acid concentration above which Lactobacillus helveticus did not grow was found to be 80.0 g/L.« less

Dry patches in a flowing film : Predicting rewetting and the effects of inertia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebon, Luc; Sebilleau, Julien; Limat, Laurent

2016-11-01

We study the effects of inertia on the shape and stability of dry patches using liquids of decreasing viscosities. These dry patches are formed when a liquid film flows down along a substrate under partial wetting conditions. They become stationary and exhibit an "arch" shape well described by a simple viscous model developed long ago by Podgorski. Surprisingly, this "arch" shape appears to be robust when one decreases the fluid viscosity which increases inertial effects, but the evolution of the apex curvature upon flow rate is strongly affected. We here proposed an improved description of the dry patch evolution taking into account several physical effects as the hydrostatic pressure in the liquid film, the curvature of the contact line, and these inertial effects. These ones affect both the mechanical equilibrium of the rim surrounding the dry patch and the flow inside the rim. This model allows us to show that the dry patch shape remains extremely close to the viscous -Podgorski- prediction but with a rescaling of the apex curvature. It also allows us to get a better prediction of the apex curvature dependence upon flow rate and a prediction of the rewetting threshold above which dry patches are swept away by the film flow.

Use of cheese whey for biomass production and spray drying of probiotic lactobacilli.

PubMed

Lavari, Luisina; Páez, Roxana; Cuatrin, Alejandra; Reinheimer, Jorge; Vinderola, Gabriel

2014-08-01

The double use of cheese whey (culture medium and thermoprotectant for spray drying of lactobacilli) was explored in this study for adding value to this wastewater. In-house formulated broth (similar to MRS) and dairy media (cheese and ricotta whey and whey permeate) were assessed for their capacity to produce biomass of Lactobacillus paracasei JP1, Lb. rhamnosus 64 and Lb. gasseri 37. Simultaneously, spray drying of cheese whey-starch solution (without lactobacilli cells) was optimised using surface response methodology. Cell suspensions of the lactobacilli, produced in in house-formulated broth, were spray-dried in cheese whey-starch solution and viability monitored throughout the storage of powders for 2 months. Lb. rhamnosus 64 was able to grow satisfactorily in at least two of the in-house formulated culture media and in the dairy media assessed. It also performed well in spray drying. The performance of the other strains was less satisfactory. The growth capacity, the resistance to spray drying in cheese whey-starch solution and the negligible lost in viability during the storage (2 months), makes Lb. rhamnosus 64 a promising candidate for further technological studies for developing a probiotic dehydrated culture for foods, utilising wastewaters of the dairy industry (as growth substrate and protectant) and spray drying (a low-cost widely-available technology).

Starch/fiber/poly(lactic acid) foam and compressed foam composites

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Composites of starch, fiber, and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were made using a foam substrate formed by dehydrating starch or starch/fiber gels. PLA was infiltrated into the dry foam to provide better moisture resistance. Foam composites were compressed into plastics using force ranging from 4-76MPa. Te...

Microencapsuling aerial conidia of Trichoderma harzianum through spray drying at elevated temperatures

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Trichoderma conidia are mostly produced by solid fermentation systems. Inoculum is produced by liquid culturing, and then transferred to solid substrate for aerial conidial production. Aerial conidia of T. harzianum are hydrophilic in nature, and it is difficult to separate them from the solid subst...

Interactive initialization of heat flux parameters for numerical models using satellite temperature measurements. [Kansas and Indiana

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, T. N. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

A method for obtaining patterns of moisture availability (and net evaporation) from satellite infrared measurements employs Carlson's boundary layer model and a variety of image processing routines executed by a minicomputer. To test the method with regard to regional scale moisture analyses, two case studies were chosen because of the availability of HCMM data and because of the presence of a large horizontal gradient in antecedent precipitation and crp moisture index. Results show some correlation in both cases between antecedent precipitation and derived moisture availability. Apparently, regional-scale moisture availability patterns can be determined with some degree of fidelity but the values themselves may be useful only in the relative sense and significant to within plus or minus one category of dryness over a range of 4 or 5 categories between absolutely dry and field saturation. Preliminary results suggest that the derived moisture values correlate best with longer-term precipitation totals, suggesting that the infrared temperatures respond more sensitively to a relatively deep substrate layer.

Evaluation of agrowastes as immobilizers for probiotics in soy milk.

PubMed

Teh, Sue-Siang; Ahmad, Rosma; Wan-Abdullah, Wan-Nadiah; Liong, Min-Tze

2009-11-11

The objective of this study was to evaluate agricultural wastes as immobilizers for probiotics in liquid foods, such as soy milk. Probiotic strains were initially evaluated for acid and bile tolerance and the ability to produce alpha-galactosidase. Rinds of durian, mangosteen, and jackfruit were dried, ground, and sterilized prior to immobilization of selected strains ( Lactobacillus acidophilus FTDC 1331, L. acidophilus FTDC 2631, L. acidophilus FTDC 2333, L. acidophilus FTDC 1733, and Lactobacillus bulgaricus FTCC 0411). Immobilized cells were inoculated into soy milk, and growth properties were evaluated over 168 h at 37 degrees C. Soy milk containing free cells without agrowastes was used as the control. Immobilized probiotics showed increased growth, greater reduction of stachyose, sucrose, and glucose, higher production of lactic and acetic acids, and lower pH in soy milk compared to the control. The results illustrated that agrowastes could be used for the immobilization of probiotics with enhanced growth, utilization of substrates, and production of organic acids.

Effect of limonene on the heterotrophic growth and polyhydroxybutyrate production by Cupriavidus necator H16.

PubMed

Guzman Lagunes, F; Winterburn, J B

2016-12-01

The inhibitory effect of limonene on polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production in Cupriavidus necator H16 was studied. Firstly, results demonstrate the feasibility of using orange juicing waste (OJW) as a substrate for PHB production. An intracellular PHB content of 81.4% (w/w) was attained for a total dry matter concentration of 9.58gL -1 , when the OJW medium was used. Later, a mineral medium designed to mimic the nutrient levels found in the complex medium derived from OJW was used to study the effect of limonene on the production of PHB. Results showed a drop in specific growth rate (μ) of more than 50% when the initial limonene concentration was 2% (v/v) compared to the limonene free medium. This work highlights the importance of a limonene recovery stage prior to fermentation, to maintain levels below 1% (v/v) in the medium, adding value to the OJW and enhancing the fermentation process productivity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The annealing investigation on morphology and photoluminescence properties of In2O3 1-D nanostructures in resistive evaporation mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shariati, Mohsen; Ghafouri, Vahid

2014-02-01

Synthesis of In2O3 nanostructures grown on Si substrate by the resistive evaporation of metallic indium granules followed by dry oxidation process has been articulated. To prepare nucleation growth sites, selected samples pre-annealed around indium melting point in free-oxygen atmosphere and then to fabricate 1-D nanostructures, they annealed in a horizontal thermal furnace in presence of argon and oxygen. For comparison, one sample, the same origin as initially pre-annealed samples, was excluded in pre-annealing process but presented in annealing step. Characterization of the products with FESEM revealed that the pre-annealed obtained nanostructures are mostly nanorod and nanowire with different morphologies. For the comparative sample, no 1-D structures achieved. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns for pre-annealed samples indicated that they are crystalline and the comparative one is polycrystalline. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements carried out at room temperature revealed that emission band shifted to shorter wavelength from pre-annealed samples to comparative one.

Date seed characterisation, substrate extraction and process modelling for the production of polyhydroxybutyrate by Cupriavidus necator.

PubMed

Yousuf, R G; Winterburn, J B

2016-12-01

Poly-3-hydroxybutrate (PHB) is a biodegradable polymer synthesised via bacterial fermentation as a means of storing carbon and energy under unbalanced growth conditions. The production cost of petroleum-based plastics is currently lower than that for biopolymers, and the carbon source is the most significant contributor to biopolymer production cost. A feasibility study to assess the suitability of using a date seed derived media as an alternative for PHB production under various stress conditions was investigated. Results include fructose extraction from date seeds and a mass transfer model to describe the process, demonstrating that the high nutrient content of date seeds makes them a promising raw material for microbial growth and that a meaningful amount of PHB can be produced without supplementation. Maximum dry cell weight and PHB concentrations were 6.3g/l and 4.6g/l respectively, giving a PHB content of 73%, when an initial fructose concentration of 10.8g/l was used. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method for removal of beryllium contamination from an article

DOEpatents

Simandl, Ronald F.; Hollenbeck, Scott M.

2012-12-25

A method of removal of beryllium contamination from an article is disclosed. The method typically involves dissolving polyisobutylene in a solvent such as hexane to form a tackifier solution, soaking the substrate in the tackifier to produce a preform, and then drying the preform to produce the cleaning medium. The cleaning media are typically used dry, without any liquid cleaning agent to rub the surface of the article and remove the beryllium contamination below a non-detect level. In some embodiments no detectible residue is transferred from the cleaning wipe to the article as a result of the cleaning process.

Characterization of strain relaxation behavior in Si1- x Ge x epitaxial layers by dry oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hyunchul; Kim, Byongju; Koo, Sangmo; Park, Seran; Ko, Dae-Hong

2017-11-01

We fabricated fully strained Si0.77Ge0.23 epitaxial layers on Si substrates and investigated their strain relaxation behaviors under dry oxidation and the effect of oxidation temperatures and times. After the oxidation process, a Ge-rich layer was formed between the oxide and the remaining Si0.77Ge0.23 layer. Using reciprocal space mapping measurements, we confirmed that the strain of the Si0.77Ge0.23 layers was efficiently relaxed after oxidation, with a maximum relaxation value of 70% after oxidation at 850 °C for 120 min. The surface of Si0.77Ge0.23 layer after strain relaxation by dry oxidation was smoother than a thick Si0.77Ge0.23 layer, which achieved a similar strain relaxation value by increasing the film thickness. Additionally, N2 annealing was performed in order to compare its effect on the relaxation compared to dry oxidation and to identify relaxation mechanisms, other than the thermally driven ones, occurring during dry oxidation.

Feasibility study on the utilization of rubber latex effluent for producing bacterial biopolymers.

PubMed

Tang, S N; Fakhru'l-Razi, A; Hassan, M A; Karim, M I

1999-01-01

Rubber latex effluent is a polluting source that has a high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). It is estimated that about 100 million liters of effluent are discharged daily from rubber processing factories. Utilization of this effluent such as the use of a coupled system not only can reduce the cost of treatment but also yield a fermentation feedstock for the production of bioplastic. This study initially was carried out to increase the production of organic acids by anaerobic treatment of rubber latex effluent. It was found that through anaerobic treatment the concentration of organic acids did not increase. Consequently, separation of organic acids from rubber latex effluent by anion exchange resin was examined as a preliminary study of recovering acetic and propionic acids. However, the suspended solids (SS) content in the raw effluent was rather high which partially blocked the ion-exchange columns. Lime was used to remove the SS in the rubber latex effluent. After the lime precipitation process, organic acids were found to adsorb strongly onto the anion exchange resin. Less adsorption of organic acids onto the resin was observed before the lime precipitation. This was probably due to more sites being occupied by colloidal particles on the resin thus inhibiting the adsorption of organic acids. The initial concentration of organic acids in the raw effluent was 3.9 g/L. After ion exchange, the concentration of the organic acids increased to 27 g/L, which could be utilized for production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). For PHA accumulation stage, concentrated rubber latex effluent obtained from ion exchange resins and synthetic acetic acid were used as the carbon source. Quantitative analyses from fed batch culture via HPLC showed that the accumulation of PHA in Alcaligenes eutrophus was maximum with a concentration of 1.182 g/L when cultivated on synthetic acetic acid, corresponding to a yield of 87% based on its cell dry weight. The dry cell weight increased from 0.71 to 1.67 g/L. On the other hand, using concentrated rubber latex effluent containing acetic and propionic acids resulted in reduced PHA content by dry weight (14%) but the dry cell weight increased from 0.49 to 1.30 g/L. The results clearly indicated that the cells grow well in rubber latex effluent but no PHA was accumulated. This could be due to the high concentration of propionic acid in culture broth or other factors such as heavy metals. Thus further work is required before rubber latex effluent can be utilized as a substrate for PHA production industrially.

Wear and Adhesive Failure of Al2O3 Powder Coating Sprayed onto AISI H13 Tool Steel Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amanov, Auezhan; Pyun, Young-Sik

2016-07-01

In this study, an alumina (Al2O3) ceramic powder was sprayed onto an AISI H13 hot-work tool steel substrate that was subjected to sanding and ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) treatment processes. The significance of the UNSM technique on the adhesive failure of the Al2O3 coating and on the hardness of the substrate was investigated. The adhesive failure of the coating sprayed onto sanded and UNSM-treated substrates was investigated by a micro-scratch tester at an incremental load. It was found, based on the obtained results, that the coating sprayed onto the UNSM-treated substrate exhibited a better resistance to adhesive failure in comparison with that of the coating sprayed onto the sanded substrate. Dry friction and wear property of the coatings sprayed onto the sanded and UNSM-treated substrates were assessed by means of a ball-on-disk tribometer against an AISI 52100 steel ball. It was demonstrated that the UNSM technique controllably improved the adhesive failure of the Al2O3 coating, where the critical load was improved by about 31%. Thus, it is expected that the application of the UNSM technique to an AISI H13 tool steel substrate prior to coating may delay the adhesive failure and improve the sticking between the coating and the substrate thanks to the modified and hardened surface.

Early infant HIV diagnosis and entry to HIV care cascade in Thailand: an observational study.

PubMed

Sirirungsi, Wasna; Khamduang, Woottichai; Collins, Intira Jeannie; Pusamang, Artit; Leechanachai, Pranee; Chaivooth, Suchada; Ngo-Giang-Huong, Nicole; Samleerat, Tanawan

2016-06-01

Early infant diagnosis of HIV is crucial for timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in infected children who are at high risk of mortality. Early infant diagnosis with dried blood spot testing was provided by the National AIDS Programme in Thailand from 2007. We report ART initiation and vital status in children with HIV after 7 years of rollout in Thailand. Dried blood spot samples were collected from HIV-exposed children in hospitals in Thailand and mailed to the Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, where HIV DNA was assessed with real-time PCR to establish HIV infection. We linked data from children with an HIV infection to the National AIDS Programme database to ascertain ART and vital status. Between April 5, 2007, and Oct 1, 2014, 16 046 dried blood spot samples were sent from 8859 children in 364 hospitals in Thailand. Median age at first dried blood spot test was 2·1 (IQR 1·8-2·5) months. Of 7174 (81%) children with two or more samples, 223 (3%) were HIV positive (including five unconfirmed). Of 1685 (19%) children with one sample, 70 (4%) were unconfirmed positive. Of 293 (3%) children who were HIV positive, 220 (75%) registered for HIV care and 170 (58%) initiated ART. Median age at ART initiation decreased from 14·2 months (IQR 10·2-25·6) in 2007 to 6·1 months (4·2-9·2) in 2013, and the number of children initiating ART aged younger than 1 year increased from five (33%) of 15 children initiating ART in 2007 to ten (83%) of 12 initiating ART in 2013. 15 (9%) of 170 children who initiated ART died and 16 (32%) of 50 who had no ART record died. Early infant diagnosis with dried blood spot testing had high uptake in primary care settings. Further improvement of linkage to HIV care is needed to ensure timely treatment of all children with an HIV infection. None. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental study on the drying of natural latex medical gloves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chankrachang, Mano; Yongyingsakthavorn, Pisit; Tohsan, Atitaya; Nontakaew, Udomkiat

2018-01-01

The purpose of this research was to study latex film drying at 70 °C using a laboratory drying oven. Two different total solid content (TSC) latex compounds, which 45% TSC and 35% TSC were used. The undried latex films were prepared according to the common procedures used in latex gloves manufacturers, that is, by dry coagulant dipping process. The experimental results such as initial moisture content, the amount of moisture and drying time of latex films in each latex compound formula were determined. After that, the results were projected to calculate on the production capacity expand by 1 million piece/day of natural latex medical gloves. Finally, the rate of moisture entering the latex drying oven and the energy consumption of the drying oven were estimated. The results indicated that when the 35% TSC of latex compound was used. The initial moisture content of latex film was higher than 45% TSC of latex compound about 7%. The drying time of 35% TSC was longer than 45% TSC for 2.5 min and consume more energy about 10%. As a result, the 45% TSC latex compound was the better way to saving energy and managing humidity in the production line. Therefore, it was found to very useful to an approximate design length and size of actual of latex drying oven and the rate of moisture entering the oven as well.

40 CFR 63.2263 - Initial compliance demonstration for a dry rotary dryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... operate a dry rotary dryer, you must demonstrate that your dryer processes furnish with an inlet moisture.... You must record the inlet furnish moisture content (dry basis) and inlet dryer operating temperature... highest recorded 24-hour average inlet furnish moisture content and the highest recorded 24-hour average...

40 CFR 63.2263 - Initial compliance demonstration for a dry rotary dryer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... operate a dry rotary dryer, you must demonstrate that your dryer processes furnish with an inlet moisture.... You must record the inlet furnish moisture content (dry basis) and inlet dryer operating temperature... highest recorded 24-hour average inlet furnish moisture content and the highest recorded 24-hour average...

Irradiation effect of low-energy ion on polyurethane nanocoating containing metal oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Jaya; Nigam, Subhasha; Sinha, Surbhi; Sikarwar, B. S.; Bhattacharya, Arpita

2017-12-01

Irradiation effect of low-energy ion beam has been investigated on nanocoating developed with silica, titania and silica-titania core-shell nanoparticles embedded in an organic binder for nanopaint application. In this work, we have taken polyurethane as a model organic binder. Silica nanoparticles have been prepared through sol-gel synthesis with a particle size of 85 nm. Titania and core-shell nanoparticles have been prepared through both sol-gel and peptization process. Particle sizes obtained were 107 nm for titania and 240 nm for core-shell nanoparticles prepared through sol-gel process and 75 nm for TiO2 and 144 nm for core-shell nanoparticles prepared through peptization process. The coating formulations were developed with the above nanoparticles individually and nanoparticle concentration was varied from 1 to 6 wt% and the best performance in terms of hydrophobicity was obtained with 4 wt % of the nanoparticles in polyurethane coating formulation. All the coating formulations prepared were applied on a glass substrate and dried at 100°C. The dry film thickness obtained was around 100 µm in each case. These films dried on glass substrate were irradiated by nitrogen and argon ion beam with energy of 26 keV at fluences of 1014 to 1016 ions/cm2. The anti-algal property of the irradiated samples was improved and hydrophobicity was reduced.

Self-assembly of colloidal particles from evaporating droplets: role of DLVO interactions and proposition of a phase diagram.

PubMed

Bhardwaj, Rajneesh; Fang, Xiaohua; Somasundaran, Ponisseril; Attinger, Daniel

2010-06-01

The shape of deposits obtained from drying drops containing colloidal particles matters for technologies such as inkjet printing, microelectronics, and bioassay manufacturing. In this work, the formation of deposits during the drying of nanoliter drops containing colloidal particles is investigated experimentally with microscopy and profilometry, and theoretically with an in-house finite-element code. The system studied involves aqueous drops containing titania nanoparticles evaporating on a glass substrate. Deposit shapes from spotted drops at different pH values are measured using a laser profilometer. Our results show that the pH of the solution influences the dried deposit pattern, which can be ring-like or more uniform. The transition between these patterns is explained by considering how DLVO interactions such as the electrostatic and van der Waals forces modify the particle deposition process. Also, a phase diagram is proposed to describe how the shape of a colloidal deposit results from the competition among three flow patterns: a radial flow driven by evaporation at the wetting line, a Marangoni recirculating flow driven by surface tension gradients, and the transport of particles toward the substrate driven by DLVO interactions. This phase diagram explains three types of deposits commonly observed experimentally, such as a peripheral ring, a small central bump, or a uniform layer. Simulations and experiments are found in very good agreement.

A Microstructural Comparison of the Initial Growth of AIN and GaN Layers on Basal Plane Sapphire and SiC Substrates by Low Pressure Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Depositon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

George, T.; Pike, W. T.; Khan, M. A.; Kuznia, J. N.; Chang-Chien, P.

1994-01-01

The initial growth by low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and subsequent thermal annealing of AIN and GaN epitaxial layers on SiC and sapphire substrates is examined using high resolution transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.

Synthesis of BiFeO3 thin films by chemical solution deposition - Structural and magnetic studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angappane, S.; Kambhala, Nagaiah

2012-06-01

BiFeO3 thin films were deposited on Si (100) substrates by chemical solution deposition. A precursor solution of bismuth acetate and iron acetylacetonate dissolved in distilled water and acetic acid was spin coated on to silicon substrates at ambient conditions, followed by drying and annealing at 650 °C. The films were characterized by XRD and FESEM to study structural properties and morphology. The magnetic properties studied by SQUID magnetometer shows the ferromagnetic nature of the chemical solution deposited BiFeO3 films which are crucial for low cost device applications.

Dewetting and deposition of thin films with insoluble surfactants from curved silicone hydrogel substrates.

PubMed

Bhamla, M Saad; Balemans, Caroline; Fuller, Gerald G

2015-07-01

We investigate the stabilizing effect of insoluble surfactant monolayers on thin aqueous films. We first describe an experimental platform that enables the formation of aqueous films laden with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) monolayers on curved silicone hydrogel (SiHy) substrates. We show that these surfactant layers extend the lifetime of the aqueous films. The films eventually "dewet" by the nucleation and growth of dry areas and the onset of this dewetting can be controlled by the surface rheology of the DPPC layer. We thus demonstrate that increasing the interfacial rheology of the DPPC layer leads to stable films that delay dewetting. We also show that dewetting can be exploited to controllably pattern the underlying curved SiHy substrates with DPPC layers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Silica coating of PbS quantum dots and their position control using a nanohole on Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukai, Kohki; Okumura, Isao; Nishizaki, Yuta; Yamashita, Shuzo; Niwa, Keisuke

2018-04-01

We succeeded in controlling the apparent size of a colloidal PbS quantum dot (QD) in the range of 20 to 140 nm by coating with silica and trapping the coated QDs in a nanohole prepared by scanning probe microscope lithography. Photoluminescence intensity was improved by controlling the process of adding the silica source material of tetraethoxysilane for the coating. Nanoholes of different sizes were formed on a single substrate by scanning probe oxidation with the combination of SF6 dry etching and KOH wet etching. QDs having an arbitrary energy structure can be arranged at an arbitrary position on the semiconductor substrate using this technique, which will aid in the fabrication of future nanosize solid devices such as quantum information circuits.

The concept of the phases ratio control during the formation of composite filamentary nanocrystals xInSe-(1-x)In2O3 on glass substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasanly, S. A.; Tomaev, V. V.; Stoyanova, T. V.

2017-11-01

The method of vacuum deposition on substrates of glass marks the C-29 series PbSe deposited film and the film In the area 3x3 mm2 and a thickness of ˜1 μm. Films are oxidized in dry air at a temperature of 550 °C. Based on studies by X-ray microanalysis and scanning electron microscopy shows the principal possibility of formation of nanowires xInSe-(1-x)In2O3 on the PbSe/In structure. The results allowed to formulate the concept of the control of phases ratio in the forming nanowires xInSe-(1-x)In2O3 on glass substrates.

Gelcasting compositions having improved drying characteristics and machinability

DOEpatents

Janney, Mark A.; Walls, Claudia A. H.

2001-01-01

A gelcasting composition has improved drying behavior, machinability and shelf life in the dried and unfired state. The composition includes an inorganic powder, solvent, monomer system soluble in the solvent, an initiator system for polymerizing the monomer system, and a plasticizer soluble in the solvent. Dispersants and other processing aides to control slurry properties can be added. The plasticizer imparts an ability to dry thick section parts, to store samples in the dried state without cracking under conditions of varying relative humidity, and to machine dry gelcast parts without cracking or chipping. A method of making gelcast parts is also disclosed.

Permafrost Thaw, Soil Moisture and Plant Community Change Alter Organic Matter Decomposition in Alaskan Tundra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natali, S.; Mauritz, M.; Pegoraro, E.; Schuur, E.

2015-12-01

Climate warming in arctic tundra has been associated with increased plant productivity and a shift in plant community composition, specifically an increase in shrub cover, which can impact soil organic matter through changes in the size and composition of the leaf litter pool. Shifts in litter quantity and quality will in turn interact with changes in the soil environment as the climate continues to warm. We examined the effects of permafrost thaw, soil moisture changes, and plant community composition on leaf litter decomposition in an upland tundra ecosystem in Interior Alaska. We present warming and drying effects on decomposition rates of graminoid-dominated and shrub-dominated leaf litter mixtures over three years (2 cm depth), and annual decomposition of a common cellulose substrate (0-10 cm and 10-20 cm) over five years at a permafrost thaw and soil drying experiment. We expected that warming and drying would increase decomposition, and that decomposition would be greater in the shrub litter than in the graminoid litter mix. Decomposition of Betula nana, the dominant shrub, was 50% greater in the shrub-dominated litter mix compared to the graminoid-dominated litter. Surprisingly, there was no significant difference in total litter mass loss between graminoid and shrub litter mixtures, despite significant differences in decomposition rates of the dominant plant species when decomposed alone and in community mixtures. Drying decreased decomposition of B. nana and of the shrub community litter overall, but after two years there was no detected warming effect on shrub-community decomposition. In contrast to leaf litter decomposition, both warming and drying increased decomposition of the common substrate. Warming caused an almost twofold increase in cellulose decomposition in surface soil (0-10cm), and drying caused a twofold increase in cellulose decomposition from deeper organic layer soils (10-20cm). These results demonstrate the importance of interactions among temperature, moisture and vegetation changes on organic matter decomposition, and the potential for increased plant productivity and vegetation changes to alter the size and composition of the soil organic matter pool.

ETV Program Report: Coatings for Wastewater Collection ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Standard Cement Materials, Inc. Standard Epoxy Coating 4553™ (SEC 4553) epoxy coating used for wastewater collection system rehabilitation was evaluated by EPA’s Environmental Technology Verification Program under laboratory conditions at the Center for Innovative Grouting Material and Technology (CIGMAT) Laboratory at the University of Houston. Testing was conducted over a period of six months to evaluate the coating’s (1) chemical resistance and (2) bonding strength for infrastructure applications. For chemical resistance, coated concrete and clay bricks with holidays (holes created in the coating) were used to evaluate the chemical resistance of the coating/substrate bond under a corrosive environment. Twenty coated concrete (dry and wet) and 20 coated clay brick (dry and wet) specimens were exposed to DI water and sulfuric acid solution (pH=1), and the specimens were visually inspected and weight changes measured. Evaluation of the coating-to-substrate bonding strength was determined using two modified ASTM test methods – one to determine bond strength of the coating with two specimens sandwiched together using the coating, and the second to determine the bond strength by applying a tensile load to the coating applied to specimens of each substrate. Forty-eight bonding tests were performed over the six month evaluation. The tests resulted in the following conclusions about Standard Cement’s SEC 4553 coating: • After the six-month chemi

An evaluation of dry film lubricants and substrate materials for use on SSME gimbal bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harp, J. A.

1976-01-01

Failure of the spherical bearing shaft of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) gimbal bearing assembly was encountered during Design Verification Specification testing of the full scale engine. Investigation revealed that the failure was caused by a deficiency in the lubrication system. Based upon the materials and gimbal operating conditions, a lubricant of MoS2 and graphite with a ceramic binder was the best lubricant candidate for this particular application; however, the decision to implement the change was not made without verification testing. Scaled down simulation testing was performed. Four different substrate materials and eight different dry film lubricants were subjected to tests under simulated SSME environmental and stress load conditions. The test specimens were evaluated for friction and operating life. Each test specimen was subjected to cyclic operation under load until failure. The force required to move the bearing surfaces relative to each other was monitored throughout the test, thus providing analytical data for derivation of the coefficient of friction. Results indicate that the MoS2/graphite lubricant with ceramic binder proved to be superior from the standpoint of endurance and also from the standpoint of friction reducing capabilities when applied to the titanium substrate material used on SSME. Endurance of this lubricant was approximately 16 times that of the lubricant which was being used when the SSME gimbal failed.

The influence of ozone on atmospheric emissions of gaseous elemental mercury and reactive gaseous mercury from substrates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Engle, M.A.; Sexauer, Gustin M.; Lindberg, S.E.; Gertler, A.W.; Ariya, P.A.

2005-01-01

Experiments were performed to investigate the effect of ozone (O 3) on mercury (Hg) emission from a variety of Hg-bearing substrates. Substrates with Hg(II) as the dominant Hg phase exhibited a 1.7 to 51-fold increase in elemental Hg (Hgo) flux and a 1.3 to 8.6-fold increase in reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) flux in the presence of O3-enriched clean (50 ppb O3; 8 substrates) and ambient air (up to ???70 ppb O3; 6 substrates), relative to clean air (oxidant and Hg free air). In contrast, Hgo fluxes from two artificially Hgo-amended substrates decreased by more than 75% during exposure to O3-enriched clean air relative to clean air. Reactive gaseous mercury emissions from Hg o-amended substrates increased immediately after exposure to O 3 but then decreased rapidly. These experimental results demonstrate that O3 is very important in controlling Hg emissions from substrates. The chemical mechanisms that produced these trends are not known but potentially involve heterogenous reactions between O3, the substrate, and Hg. Our experiments suggest they are not homogenous gas-phase reactions. Comparison of the influence of O3 versus light on increasing Hgo emissions from dry Hg(II)-bearing substrates demonstrated that they have a similar amount of influence although O3 appeared to be slightly more dominant. Experiments using water-saturated substrates showed that the presence of high-substrate moisture content minimizes reactions between atmospheric O3 and substrate-bound Hg. Using conservative calculations developed in this paper, we conclude that because O3 concentrations have roughly doubled in the last 100 years, this could have increased Hgo emissions from terrestrial substrates by 65-72%. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Additional Method for Analyzing the Reversible Inhibition of an 
Enzyme Using Acid Phosphatase as a Model.

PubMed

Baumhardt, Jordan M; Dorsey, Benjamin M; McLauchlan, Craig C; Jones, Marjorie A

2015-08-01

Using wheat germ acid phosphatase and sodium orthovanadate as a competitive inhibitor, a novel method for analyzing reversible inhibition was carried out. Our alternative approach involves plotting the initial velocity at which product is formed as a function of the ratio of substrate concentration to inhibitor concentration at a constant enzyme concentration and constant assay conditions. The concept of initial concentrations driving equilibrium leads to the chosen axes. Three apparent constants can be derived from this plot: K max , K min , and K inflect . K max and K min represent the substrate to inhibitor concentration ratio for complete inhibition and minimal inhibition, respectively. K inflect represents the substrate to inhibitor concentration ratio at which the enzyme-substrate complex is equal to the inhibitory complex. These constants can be interpolated from the graph or calculated using the first and second derivative of the plot. We conclude that a steeper slope and a shift of the line to the right (increased x-axis values) would indicate a better inhibitor. Since initial velocity is not a linear function of the substrate/inhibitor ratio, this means that inhibition changes more quickly with the change in the [S]/ [I] ratio. When preincubating the enzyme with substrate before the addition of inhibitor, preincubating the enzyme with inhibitor before the addition of substrate or with concurrent addition of both substrate and inhibitor, modest changes in the slopes and y-intercepts were obtained. This plot appears useful for known competitive and non-competitive inhibitors and may have general applicability.

Natural recovery of biological soil crusts after disturbance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weber, Bettina; Bowker, Matthew A.; Zhang, Yuanming; Belnap, Jayne

2016-01-01

Natural recovery of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) is influenced by a number of different parameters, such as climate, soil conditions, the severity of disturbance, and the timing of disturbance relative to the climatic conditions. In recent studies, it has been shown that recovery is often not linear, but a highly dynamic process directly influenced by non-linear external parameters as extraordinary climatic conditions (e.g., particularly dry or wet year). Natural recovery often follows a general succession pattern, starting out with cyanobacteria and algae, which is then followed by lichens and bryophytes at a later stage. However, this general sequence can be altered by parameters like dust deposition, fire effects, and special climatic conditions as in fog deserts and under mesic climates. Recent studies have proposed that under favorable, stable soil conditions, the initial soil-stabilizing cyanobacteria-dominated succession stages may be omitted and moss-dominated biocrusts can develop in the initial phases of biocrust development. During natural recovery of biocrusts, soil properties change, e.g., soil nutrient and organic matter contents increase. Also, silt and clay contents of encrusted soils increase with biocrust maturity, which may be caused by two mechanisms, i.e. entrapment of fine soil particles by biocrusts and the new formation of smaller particles by weathering of the existing substrate.

Water movement in glass bead porous media: 1. Experiments of capillary rise and hysteresis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, T. X.; Biggar, J. W.; Nielsen, D. R.

1994-12-01

Experimental observations of capillary rise and hysteresis of water or ethanol in glass beads are presented to improve our understanding of those physical processes in porous media. The results provide evidence that capillary rise into porous media cannot be fully explained by a model of cylinders. They further demonstrate that the "Ink bottle" model does not provide an adequate explanation of hysteresis. Glass beads serving as a model for ideal soil are enclosed in a rectangular glass chamber model. A TV camera associated with a microscope was used to record the processes of capillary rise and drainage. It is clearly shown during capillary rise that the fluid exhibits a "jump" behavior at the neck of the pores in an initially dry profile or at the bottom of the water film in an initially wet profile. Under an initially dry condition, the jump initiates at the particle with smallest diameter. The jump process continues to higher elevations until at equilibrium the surface tensile force is balanced by the hydrostatic force. The wetting front at that time is readily observed as flat and saturated. Under an initially wet condition, capillary rise occurs as a water film thickening process associated with the jump process. Trapped air behind the wetting front renders the wetting front irregular and unsaturated. The capillary rise into an initially wet porous medium can be higher than that into an initially dry profile. During the drying process, large surface areas associated with the gas-liquid interface develop, allowing the porous medium to retain more water than during the wetting process at the same pressure. That mechanism explains better the hysteresis phenomenon in porous media in contrast to other mechanisms that now prevail.

Effect of ambient humidity on the rate at which blood spots dry and the size of the spot produced.

PubMed

Denniff, Philip; Woodford, Lynsey; Spooner, Neil

2013-08-01

For shipping and storage, dried blood spot (DBS) samples must be sufficiently dry to protect the integrity of the sample. When the blood is spotted the humidity has the potential to affect the size of the spot created and the speed at which it dries. The area of DBS produced on three types of substrates were not affected by the humidity under which they were generated. DBS samples reached a steady moisture content 150 min after spotting and 90 min for humidities less than 60% relative humidity. All packaging materials examined provided some degree of protection from external extreme conditions. However, none of the packaging examined provided a total moisture barrier to extreme environmental conditions. Humidity was shown not to affect the spot area and DBS samples were ready for shipping and storage 2 h after spotting. The packing solutions examined all provided good protection from external high humidity conditions.

Transport Imaging in the One Dimensional Limit

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

Spatial luminescence from single bottom-up GaN and ZnO nanowires deposited by metal initiated metal -organic CVD on Au and SiO2 substrates is imaged. CL...this thesis were deposited by metal initiated metal -organic CVD on Au and SiO2 substrates . The process was carried out with different reagents in...are reported. Spatial luminescence from single bottom-up GaN and ZnO nanowires deposited by metal initiated metal -organic CVD on Au and SiO2

Optically initiated silicon carbide high voltage switch

DOEpatents

Caporaso, George J [Livermore, CA; Sampayan, Stephen E [Manteca, CA; Sullivan, James S [Livermore, CA; Sanders,; David, M [Livermore, CA

2011-02-22

An improved photoconductive switch having a SiC or other wide band gap substrate material, such as GaAs and field-grading liners composed of preferably SiN formed on the substrate adjacent the electrode perimeters or adjacent the substrate perimeters for grading the electric fields.

Holmium laser use in the treatment of selected dry eye syndrome complications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kecik, Dariusz; Kecik, Tadeusz; Kasprzak, Jan; Kecik, Mariusz

1996-03-01

The authors present initial results of treatment selected complications of dry eye syndrome with holmium laser. The lacrimal puncta obliteration and coagulation of the corneal ulcer surface were done.

Anaerobic digestion performance of sweet potato vine and animal manure under wet, semi-dry, and dry conditions.

PubMed

Zhang, Enlan; Li, Jiajia; Zhang, Keqiang; Wang, Feng; Yang, Houhua; Zhi, Suli; Liu, Guangqing

2018-03-22

Sweet potato vine (SPV) is an abundant agricultural waste, which is easy to obtain at low cost and has the potential to produce clean energy via anaerobic digestion (AD). The main objectives of this study were to reveal methane production and process stability of SPV and the mixtures with animal manure under various total solid conditions, to verify synergetic effect in co-digestion of SPV and manure in AD systems, and to determine the kinetics characteristics during the full AD process. The results showed that SPV was desirable feedstock for AD with 200.22 mL/g VS added of methane yield in wet anaerobic digestion and 12.20 L methane /L working volume in dry anaerobic digestion (D-AD). Synergistic effects were found in semi-dry anaerobic digestion and D-AD with each two mixing feedstock. In contrast with SPV mono-digestion, co-digestion with manure increased methane yield within the range of 14.34-49.11% in different AD digesters. The values of final volatile fatty acids to total alkalinity (TA) were below 0.4 and the values of final pH were within the range of 7.4-8.2 in all the reactors, which supported a positive relationship between carbohydrate hydrolysis and methanogenesis during AD process. The mathematical modified first order model was applied to estimate substrate biodegradability and methane production potential well with conversion constant ranged from 0.0003 to 0.0953 1/day, which indicated that co-digestion increased hydrolysis efficiency and metabolic activity. This work provides useful information to improve the utilization and stability of digestion using SPV and livestock or poultry manure as substrates.

Production of secondary metabolites by some terverticillate penicillia on carbohydrate-rich and meat substrates.

PubMed

Núñez, Félix; Westphal, Carmen D; Bermúdez, Elena; Asensio, Miguel A

2007-12-01

Most terverticillate penicillia isolated from dry-cured meat products are toxigenic, but their ability to produce hazardous metabolites on meat-based substrates is not well known. The production of extrolites by selected terverticillate penicillia isolated from dry-cured ham has been studied on carbohydrate-rich media (malt extract agar, Czapek yeast autolysate agar, rice extract agar, and rice), meat extract triolein salt agar, and ham slices. Chloroform extracts from the selected strains grown on malt extract agar were toxic for the brine shrimp (Artemia salina) larvae and VERO cells at a concentration of 2 mg/ml, but 0.02 mg/ml produced no toxic effect. Analysis by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with photodiode array detection (DAD) or with mass spectrometry (MS) and an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source revealed different biologically active metabolites: cyclopiazonic acid and rugulovasine A from Penicillium commune; verrucosidin, anacine, puberuline, verrucofortine, and viridicatols from Penicillium polonicum; arisugacin and viridicatols from Penicillium echinulatum; and compactin and viridicatols from Penicillium solitum. Most of these metabolites, including the amino acid-derived compounds, were produced in the media containing high levels of carbohydrates. High concentrations of nitrogen compounds in the medium does not imply a greater production of the metabolites studied, not even those derived from the amino acids. However, molds growing on dry-cured ham are able to synthesize limited amounts of some secondary metabolites, a fact not previously reported. The combination of HPLC coupled with DAD and MS-APCI was useful for identification of closely related terverticillate Penicillium species from dry-cured ham. These techniques could be used to characterize the risk associated with the potential production of secondary metabolites in cured meats.

Production of cellulases from Aspergillus niger NS-2 in solid state fermentation on agricultural and kitchen waste residues.

PubMed

Bansal, Namita; Tewari, Rupinder; Soni, Raman; Soni, Sanjeev Kumar

2012-07-01

Various agricultural and kitchen waste residues were assessed for their ability to support the production of a complete cellulase system by Aspergillus niger NS-2 in solid state fermentation. Untreated as well as acid and base-pretreated substrates including corn cobs, carrot peelings, composite, grass, leaves, orange peelings, pineapple peelings, potato peelings, rice husk, sugarcane bagasse, saw dust, wheat bran, wheat straw, simply moistened with water, were found to be well suited for the organism's growth, producing good amounts of cellulases after 96 h without the supplementation of additional nutritional sources. Yields of cellulases were higher in alkali treated substrates as compared to acid treated and untreated substrates except in wheat bran. Of all the substrates tested, wheat bran appeared to be the best suited substrate producing appreciable yields of CMCase, FPase and β-glucosidase at the levels of 310, 17 and 33 U/g dry substrate respectively. An evaluation of various environmental parameters demonstrated that appreciable levels of cellulases could be produced over a wide range of temperatures (20-50 °C) and pH levels (3.0-8.0) with a 1:1.5 to 1:1.75 substrate to moisture ratio. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indium-bump-free antimonide superlattice membrane detectors on silicon substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zamiri, M., E-mail: mzamiri@chtm.unm.edu, E-mail: skrishna@chtm.unm.edu; Klein, B.; Schuler-Sandy, T.

2016-02-29

We present an approach to realize antimonide superlattices on silicon substrates without using conventional Indium-bump hybridization. In this approach, PIN superlattices are grown on top of a 60 nm Al{sub 0.6}Ga{sub 0.4}Sb sacrificial layer on a GaSb host substrate. Following the growth, the individual pixels are transferred using our epitaxial-lift off technique, which consists of a wet-etch to undercut the pixels followed by a dry-stamp process to transfer the pixels to a silicon substrate prepared with a gold layer. Structural and optical characterization of the transferred pixels was done using an optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence. The interface betweenmore » the transferred pixels and the new substrate was abrupt, and no significant degradation in the optical quality was observed. An Indium-bump-free membrane detector was then fabricated using this approach. Spectral response measurements provided a 100% cut-off wavelength of 4.3 μm at 77 K. The performance of the membrane detector was compared to a control detector on the as-grown substrate. The membrane detector was limited by surface leakage current. The proposed approach could pave the way for wafer-level integration of photonic detectors on silicon substrates, which could dramatically reduce the cost of these detectors.« less

Dry eye after laser in-situ keratomileusis.

PubMed

Raoof, Duna; Pineda, Roberto

2014-01-01

Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is one of the most commonly performed refractive procedures with excellent visual outcomes. Dry eye syndrome is one of the most frequently seen complications after LASIK, with most patients developing at least some mild dry eye symptoms postoperatively. To achieve improved visual outcomes and greater patient satisfaction, it is essential to identify patients prone to dry eyes preoperatively, and initiate treatment early in the course. Enhanced understanding of the pathophysiology of post-LASIK dry eye will help advance our approach to its management.

Simultaneous rough rice drying and rice bran stabilization using infrared radiation heating

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to develop a new rice drying method by using IR heating followed by tempering. Freshly harvested medium grain rice (M206) samples with different initial moisture contents (IMCs) were used in this study. The samples were dried for one- and two-passes by using a catalyt...

EVALUATION OF FGD DRY INJECTION SORBENTS AND ADDITIVES - VOLUME 2 - PILOT PLANT EVALUATION OF HIGH REACTIVITY SORBENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The report describes a mini-pilot test program to investigate potential new sorbents and processes for dry SO2 removal. Initial tests showed that the 85 cu m/h pilot plant could be used successfully to evaluate both spray dryer and dry injection processes using traditional calciu...

House log drying rates in southeast Alaska for covered and uncovered softwood logs

Treesearch

David Nicholls; Allen Brackley

2009-01-01

Log moisture content has an important impact on many aspects of log home construction, including log processing, transportation costs, and dimensional stability in use. Air-drying times for house logs from freshly harvested trees can depend on numerous factors including initial moisture content, log diameter, bark condition, and environmental conditions during drying....

Cohesive detachment of an elastic pillar from a dissimilar substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleck, N. A.; Khaderi, S. N.; McMeeking, R. M.; Arzt, E.

The adhesion of micron-scale surfaces due to intermolecular interactions is a subject of intense interest spanning electronics, biomechanics and the application of soft materials to engineering devices. The degree of adhesion is sensitive to the diameter of micro-pillars in addition to the degree of elastic mismatch between pillar and substrate. Adhesion-strength-controlled detachment of an elastic circular cylinder from a dissimilar substrate is predicted using a Dugdale-type of analysis, with a cohesive zone of uniform tensile strength emanating from the interface corner. Detachment initiates when the opening of the cohesive zone attains a critical value, giving way to crack formation. When the cohesive zone size at crack initiation is small compared to the pillar diameter, the initiation of detachment can be expressed in terms of a critical value Hc of the corner stress intensity. The estimated pull-off force is somewhat sensitive to the choice of stick/slip boundary condition used on the cohesive zone, especially when the substrate material is much stiffer than the pillar material. The analysis can be used to predict the sensitivity of detachment force to the size of pillar and to the degree of elastic mismatch between pillar and substrate.

Optimization of solar cells for air mass zero operation and a study of solar cells at high temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hovel, H. J.; Vernon, S. M.

1982-01-01

The power to weight ratio of GaAs cells can be reduced by fabricating devices using thin GaAs films on low density substrate materials (silicon, glass, plastics). A graphoepitaxy technique was developed which uses fine geometric patterns in the substrate to affect growth. Initial substrates were processed by etching 25 microns deep grooves into 100 oriented wafers; fine-grained polycrystalline GaAs layers 25-50 microns thick were then deposited on these and recrystallization was performed, heating the substrates to above the GaAs melting point in ASH3 atmosphere, resulting in large grain regrowth oriented along the groove dimensions. Experiments with smaller groove depths and spacings were initially encouraging; single large GaAs grains would totally cover one and often two groove fields of 14 groove each spanning several hundred microns. Dielectric coatings on the grooved substrates were also used to modify the growth.

Facile preparation of optically transparent and hydrophobic cellulose nanofibril composite films

Treesearch

Yan Qing; Zhiyong Cai; Yiqiang Wu; Chunhua Yao; Qinglin Wu; Xianjun Li

2015-01-01

Cellulose nanofibril (CNF) and epoxy nanocomposites with high visible light transmittance and low watersensitivity were manufactured by laminating thin layers of epoxy resin onto CNF films prepared through,pressurized filtration in combination with oven drying. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) studiessuggest that the resin component bonded to the CNF substrate well....

40 CFR 63.5460 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... use include: toggling, hanging, pasting, and vacuum drying. Finish add-on means the amount of solid material deposited on the leather substrate due to finishing operations. Typically, the solid deposition is a dye or other chemical used to enhance the color and performance of the leather. Finish add-on is...

40 CFR 63.5460 - What definitions apply to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... use include: toggling, hanging, pasting, and vacuum drying. Finish add-on means the amount of solid material deposited on the leather substrate due to finishing operations. Typically, the solid deposition is a dye or other chemical used to enhance the color and performance of the leather. Finish add-on is...

First report of Ceratocystis wilt on `Ohi`a

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

'Ohi'a (Metrosideros polymorpha Gaudich.) is Hawai'i’s most widespread native tree, occurring from sea level to 2500 m elevation in both dry and wet forests and on substrates ranging from 50 to 4 million years in age (1). It is the most ecologically important native Hawai'ian tree, defining native f...

How surface functional groups influence fracturation in nanofluids droplets dry-outs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brutin, David; Carle, Florian

2012-11-01

We report an experimental investigation of the drying of a deposited droplets of nanofluids with different surface functional groups. For identical nano-particles diameter, material and concentration, identical drying conditions, the substrate and the functional groups at the nano-particles surface are changed. Both flow motion, adhesion, gelation and fracturation occur during the evaporation of this complex matter leading to different final typical patterns. The differences in between the patterns are explained based on the surface chemical potential. Crack shapes and wavelengths are globally proportional to the electrical charges carried at the nano- particles surface which is a new parameter to implement in existing predicting models. Presently only the colloid concentration and softness and the deposit thickness are used (Allain and Limat, 1995). The authors gratefully acknowledge the help and the fruitful discussions raised with J.B. Lang.

Accretion Dynamics on Wet Granular Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saingier, Guillaume; Sauret, Alban; Jop, Pierre

2017-05-01

Wet granular aggregates are common precursors of construction materials, food, and health care products. The physical mechanisms involved in the mixing of dry grains with a wet substrate are not well understood and difficult to control. Here, we study experimentally the accretion of dry grains on a wet granular substrate by measuring the growth dynamics of the wet aggregate. We show that this aggregate is fully saturated and its cohesion is ensured by the capillary depression at the air-liquid interface. The growth dynamics is controlled by the liquid fraction at the surface of the aggregate and exhibits two regimes. In the viscous regime, the growth dynamics is limited by the capillary-driven flow of liquid through the granular packing to the surface of the aggregate. In the capture regime, the capture probability depends on the availability of the liquid at the saturated interface, which is controlled by the hydrostatic depression in the material. We propose a model that rationalizes our observations and captures both dynamics based on the evolution of the capture probability with the hydrostatic depression.

Extracellular Alkaline Lipase from a Novel Fungus
Curvularia sp. DHE 5: Optimisation of Physicochemical Parameters, Partial Purification and Characterisation

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Summary Thirty isolated fungal strains were screened for lipase production using Phenol Red plates, containing tributyrin as lipidic substrate, and a novel fungus identified genetically as Curvularia sp. DHE 5 was found as the most prominent strain. Various agro-industrial substrates were evaluated as inert supports for lipase production in solid-state fermentation. The highest yield of lipase ((83.4±2.2) U/g on dry mass basis) was reported with wheat bran medium after seven days of fermentation at pH=7.0, temperature of 30 °C, 70% moisture content, inoculum size of 1.27·107 spore/mL and 2% olive oil as an inducer. Supplementation of the medium with 0.05% KCl as an ion source further increased lipase production to (88.9±1.2) U/g on dry mass basis. The enzyme was partially purified through ammonium sulphate fractionation (40%) followed by dialysis, and its optimum pH and temperature were reported at 8.0 and 50 °C, respectively, with remarkable pH and thermal stability. PMID:28867950

Numerical Simulation of Thin Film Breakup on Nonwettable Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzzi, N.; Croce, G.

2017-01-01

When a continuous film flows on a nonwettable substrate surface, it may break up, with the consequent formation of a dry-patch. The actual shape of the resulting water layer is of great interest in several engineering applications, from in-flight icing simulation to finned dehumidifier behavior modeling. Here, a 2D numerical solver for the prediction of film flow behavior is presented. The effect of the contact line is introduced via the disjoining pressure terms, and both gravity and shear are included in the formulation. The code is validated with literature experimental data for the case of a stationary dry-patch on an inclined plane. Detailed numerical results are compared with literature simplified model prediction. Numerical simulation are then performed in order to predict the threshold value of the film thickness allowing for film breakup and to analyze the dependence of the dynamic contact angle on film velocity and position along the contact line. Those informations will be useful in order to efficiently predict more complex configuration involving multiple breakups on arbitrarily curved substrate surfaces (as those involved in in-flight icing phenomena on aircraft).

Ciliated protozoa of two antarctic lakes: analysis by quantitative protargol staining and examination of artificial substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kepner, R. L. Jr; Wharton, R. A. Jr; Coats, D. W.; Wharton RA, J. r. (Principal Investigator)

1999-01-01

Planktonic and artificial substrate-associated ciliates have been identified in two perennially ice-covered antarctic lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Abundances estimated by quantitative protargol staining ranged from < 5 to 31690 cells l-1, levels that are comparable to those previously obtained using other methods. Nineteen ciliate taxa were identified from these lakes, with the most frequently encountered genera being Plagiocampa, Askenasia, Monodinium, Sphaerophrya and Vorticella. The taxonomic findings compare favorably with those of previous investigators; however four previously unreported genera were observed in both Lakes Fryxell and Hoare. The variability in the depth distributions of ciliates in Lake Fryxell is explained in terms of lake physicochemical properties and ciliate prey distributions, while factors related to temporal succession in the Lake Hoare assemblage remain unexplained. Local marine or temperate zone freshwater habitats are a more likely source than the surrounding dry valleys soils for present ciliate colonists in these lakes. Although the taxonomic uncertainties require further examination, our results suggest that ciliate populations in these antarctic lakes undergo significant fluctuations and are more diverse than was previously recognized.

Spontaneous Droplet Motion on a Periodically Compliant Substrate.

PubMed

Liu, Tianshu; Nadermann, Nichole; He, Zhenping; Strogatz, Steven H; Hui, Chung-Yuen; Jagota, Anand

2017-05-23

Droplet motion arises in many natural phenomena, ranging from the familiar gravity-driven slip and arrest of raindrops on windows to the directed transport of droplets for water harvesting by plants and animals under dry conditions. Deliberate transportation and manipulation of droplets are also important in many technological applications, including droplet-based microfluidic chemical reactors and for thermal management. Droplet motion usually requires gradients of surface energy or temperature or external vibration to overcome contact angle hysteresis. Here, we report a new phenomenon in which a drying droplet placed on a periodically compliant surface undergoes spontaneous, erratic motion in the absence of surface energy gradients and external stimuli such as vibration. By modeling the droplet as a mass-spring system on a substrate with periodically varying compliance, we show that the stability of equilibrium depends on the size of the droplet. Specifically, if the center of mass of the drop lies at a stable equilibrium point of the system, it will stay there until evaporation reduces its size and this fixed point becomes unstable; with any small perturbation, the droplet then moves to one of its neighboring fixed points.

Buckling Structured Stretchable Pseudocapacitor Yarn.

PubMed

Lee, Duck Weon; Lee, Jung Han; Min, Nam Ki; Jin, Joon-Hyung

2017-09-20

Cable-type stretchable electrochemical pseudocapacitors based on multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) sheets and two different metal oxide nanopowders (NP), i.e., MnO 2 and RuO 2 are developed using a newly-devised dry painting method to mechanically fix the NP to the elastic rubber-based MWCNT electrode substrate, resulting in a porous buckling structured pseudocapacitor yarn. Highly stretchable stylene-ethylene/butylene-stylene (SEBS) is used as the supporting elastomeric core for wrapping with the MWCNT sheets and the electroactive NP. The dry painting can successfully deposit NP on the soft SEBS surface, which is normally an unfavorable substrate for coating alien materials. The resulting yarn-type pseudocapacitor, composed of eight-layered MWCNT sheets, three-layered RuO 2 , and two-layered MnO 2 , showing a diameter of approximately 400 μm with a porous buckling structure, records a specific capacitance of 25 F g -1 . After being stretched by 200% in strain with no sacrifice of the porous buckling structure, the cable-type stretchable electrochemical pseudocapacitor yarn retains its electrical capacity, and is potentially applicable to energy storage devices for wearable electronics.

Creating biomimetic polymeric surfaces by photochemical attachment and patterning of dextran

PubMed Central

Ferrer, M. Carme Coll; Yang, Shu; Eckmann, David M.; Composto, Russell J.

2010-01-01

In this work, we report the preparation of photoactive dextran and demonstrate its utility by photochemically attaching it onto various polymeric substrates. The attachment of homogeneous and patterned dextran films was performed on polyurethane and polystyrene, with detailed analysis of surface morphology, swelling behavior, and the protein resistance of these substrates. The described photoactive dextran and attachment procedure is applicable to a wide variety of substrates while accommodating surfaces with complex surface and geometries. Dextran with azide content between 22 to 0.3 wt% was produced by esterification with p-azidobenzoic acid. Dextran (1.2 wt% azide) was photografted onto plasma oxidized polyurethane and polystyrene and displayed thicknesses of 5 ± 3 nm and 7 ± 3 nm, respectively. The patterned dextran on oxidized polyurethane was patchy with a nominal height difference between dextranized and non-dextranized regions. The azidated dextran on oxidized polystyrene exhibited a distinct step in height. In the presence of PBS buffer, the dextranized regions became smoother and more uniform without affecting the height difference at the oxidized polyurethane boundary. However, the dextranized regions on oxidized polyurethane were observed to swell by a factor of 3 relative to the dried thickness. These dissimilarities were attributed to hydrogen bonding between the dextran and oxidized polyurethane and were confirmed by the photoimmobiliization in the presence of LiCl. The resulting surface was the smoothest of all the azidated dextran samples (RRMS = 1 ± 0.3 nm) and swelled up to 2 times its dried thickness in PBS buffer. The antifouling properties of dextran functionalized surfaces were verified by the selective adsorption of FITC-labeled human albumin only on the non-dextranized regions of the patterned polyurethane and polystyrene substrates. PMID:20712352

New cost-effective bioconversion process of palm kernel cake into bioinsecticides based on Beauveria bassiana and Isaria javanica.

PubMed

do Nascimento Silva, Jaqueline; Mascarin, Gabriel Moura; Dos Santos Gomes, Isabel Cristina; Tinôco, Ricardo Salles; Quintela, Eliane Dias; Dos Reis Castilho, Leda; Freire, Denise Maria Guimarães

2018-03-01

The present study aimed to add value to palm oil by-products as substrates to efficiently produce conidia of Beauveria bassiana and Isaria javanica (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) for biological control of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), through a solid-state fermentation process using palm kernel cake and palm fiber as nutrient source and solid matrix, respectively. The optimum culture conditions yielded high concentrations of viable conidia after air-drying, when the fungi were grown on palm kernel cake (B. bassiana 7.65 × 10 9 and I. javanica 2.91 × 10 9  conidia g -1 dry substrate) after 6 days under optimal growth conditions set to 60% substrate moisture and 32 °C. Both fungal strains exhibited high efficacy against third-instar whitefly nymphs, inducing mortality up to 62.9 and 56.6% by B. bassiana and I. javanica, respectively, assessed after 9 days post-application in a screenhouse. Furthermore, we noted that insect mortality was strongly correlated with high atmospheric moisture, while B. bassiana appeared to require shorter accumulative hours under high moisture to kill whitefly nymphs compared to I. javanica. Our results underpin a feasible and cost-effective mass production method for aerial conidia, using palm kernel as the main substrate in order to produce efficacious fungal bioinsecticides against an invasive whitefly species in Brazil. Finally, our fermentation process may offer a sustainable and cost-effective means to produce eco-friendly mycoinsecticides, using an abundant agro-industrial by-product from Brazil that will ultimately assist in the integrated management of agricultural insect pests.

Habitat template approach for green roofs using a native rocky sea coast plant community in Japan.

PubMed

Nagase, Ayako; Tashiro-Ishii, Yurika

2018-01-15

The present study examined whether it is possible to simulate a local herbaceous coastal plant community on a roof, by studying the natural habitats of rocky sea coast plants and their propagation and performance on a green roof. After studying the natural habitat of coastal areas in Izu peninsula, a germination and cutting transplant study was carried out using herbaceous plants from the Jogasaki sea coast. Many plant species did not germinate at all and the use of cuttings was a better method than direct seeding. The green roof was installed in the spring of 2012 in Chiba city. Thirteen plant species from the Jogasaki sea coast, which were successfully propagated, were planted in three kinds of substrate (15 cm depth): pumice, roof tile and commercial green roof substrate. The water drainage was restricted and a reservoir with 5 cm depth of water underlaid the substrate to simulate a similar growing environment to the sea coast. Volcanic rocks were placed as mulch to create a landscape similar to that on the Jogasaki sea coast. Plant coverage on the green roof was measured every month from June 2012 to October 2014. All plants were harvested and their dry shoot weight was measured in December 2014. The type of substrate did not cause significant differences in plant survival and dry shoot weight. Sea coast plant species were divided into four categories: vigorous growth; seasonal change; disappearing after a few years; limited growth. Understanding the ecology of natural habitats was important to simulating a local landscape using native plant communities on the green roof. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experiment, modeling and optimization of liquid phase adsorption of Cu(II) using dried and carbonized biomass of Lyngbya majuscula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kushwaha, Deepika; Dutta, Susmita

2017-05-01

The present work aims at evaluation of the potential of cyanobacterial biomass to remove Cu(II) from simulated wastewater. Both dried and carbonized forms of Lyngbya majuscula, a cyanobacterial strain, have been used for such purpose. The influences of different experimental parameters viz., initial Cu(II) concentration, solution pH and adsorbent dose have been examined on sorption of Cu(II). Kinetic and equilibrium studies on Cu(II) removal from simulated wastewater have been done using both dried and carbonized biomass individually. Pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm have been found to fit most satisfactorily to the kinetic and equilibrium data, respectively. Maximum 87.99 and 99.15 % of Cu(II) removal have been achieved with initial Cu(II) concentration of 10 and 25 mg/L for dried and carbonized algae, respectively, at an adsorbent dose of 10 g/L for 20 min of contact time and optimum pH 6. To optimize the removal process, Response Surface Methodology has been employed using both the dried and carbonized biomass. Removal with initial Cu(II) concentration of 20 mg/L, with 0.25 g adsorbent dose in 50 mL solution at pH 6 has been found to be optimum with both the adsorbents. This is the first ever attempt to make a comparative study on Cu(II) removal using both dried algal biomass and its activated carbon. Furthermore, regeneration of matrix was attempted and more than 70% and 80% of the adsorbent has been regenerated successfully in the case of dried and carbonized biomass respectively upto the 3rd cycle of regeneration study.

Numerical modeling of the destruction of steel plates with a gradient substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlov, M. Yu.; Glazyrin, V. P.; Orlov, Yu. N.

2017-10-01

The paper presents the results of numerical simulation of the shock loading process of steel barriers with a gradient substrate. In an elastic plastic axisymmetric statement, a shock is simulated along the normal in the range of initial velocities up to 300 m / s. A range of initial velocities was revealed, in which the presence of a substrate "saved" the obstacle from spallation. New tasks were announced to deepen scientific knowledge about the behavior of unidirectional gradient barriers at impact. The results of calculations are obtained in the form of graphs, calculated configurations of the "impact - barrier" and tables.

Experimental determination of forces applied by liquid water drops at high drop velocities impacting a glass plate with and without a shallow water layer using wavelet deconvolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Y.; Hopkins, C.

2018-05-01

Time-dependent forces applied by 2 and 4.5 mm diameter drops of water (with velocities up to terminal velocity) impacting upon a glass plate with or without a water layer (up to 10 mm depth) have been measured using two different approaches, force transduction and wavelet deconvolution. Both approaches are in close agreement for drops falling on dry glass. However, only the wavelet approach is able to measure natural features of the splash on shallow water layers that impart forces to the plate after the initial impact. At relatively high velocities (including terminal velocity) the measured peak force from the initial impact is significantly higher than that predicted by idealised drop shape models and models from Roisman et al. and Marengo et al. Hence empirical formulae are developed for the initial time-dependent impact force from drops falling at (a) different velocities up to and including terminal velocity onto a dry glass surface, (b) terminal velocity onto dry glass or glass with a water layer and (c) different velocities below terminal velocity onto dry glass or glass with a water layer. For drops on dry glass, the empirical formulae are applicable to a glass plate or a composite layered plate with a glass surface, although they apply to other plate thicknesses and are applicable to any plate material with a similar surface roughness and wettability. The measurements also indicate that after the initial impact there can be high level forces when bubbles are entrained in the water layer.

Comparative rates of freeze-drying for lactose and sucrose solutions as measured by photographic recording, product temperature, and heat flux transducer.

PubMed

Chen, Rongjun; Slater, Nigel K H; Gatlin, Larry A; Kramer, Tony; Shalaev, Evgenyi Y

2008-01-01

Sublimation from lactose and sucrose solutions has been monitored by temperature measurement, visual observation, heat flux sensing and manometric measurements. Estimates of energy transfer rates to the subliming mass made from visual observations and heat flux measurements are in broad agreement, demonstrating for the first time that heat flux sensors can be used to monitor the progress of lyophilization in individual vials with low sample volumes. Furthermore, it is shown that under identical lyophilization conditions the initial rate of drying for lactose solutions is low with little water sublimation for up to 150 minutes, which contrasts markedly with the much faster initial rate of drying for sucrose solutions. Measurement of the initial heat flux between shelf and vial indicated a lower flux to a 10% lactose solution than to a 10% sucrose solution.

Micro-chip initiator realized by integrating Al/CuO multilayer nanothermite on polymeric membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taton, G.; Lagrange, D.; Conedera, V.; Renaud, L.; Rossi, C.

2013-10-01

We have developed a new nanothermite based polymeric electro-thermal initiator for non-contact ignition of a propellant. A reactive Al/CuO multilayer nanothermite resides on a 100 µm thick SU-8/PET (polyethyleneterephtalate) membrane to insulate the reactive layer from the silicon bulk substrate. When current is supplied to the initiator, the chemical reaction Al+CuO occurs and sparkles are spread to a distance of several millimeters. A micro-manufacturing process for fabricating the initiator is presented and the electrical behaviors of the ignition elements are also investigated. The characteristics of the initiator made on a 100 µm thick SU-8/PET membrane were compared to two bulk electro-thermal initiators: one on a silicon and one on a Pyrex substrate. The PET devices give 100% of Al/CuO ignition success for an electrical current >250 mA. Glass based reactive initiators give 100% of Al/CuO ignition success for an electrical current >500 mA. Reactive initiators directly on silicon cannot initiate even with a 4 A current. At low currents (<1 A), the initiation time is two orders of magnitude longer for Pyrex initiator compared to those obtained for PET initiator technology. We also observed that, the Al/CuO thermite film on PET membrane reacts within 1 ms (sparkles duration) whereas it reacts within 4 ms on Pyrex. The thermite reaction is 40 times greater in intensity using the PET substrate in comparison to Pyrex.

Method of fabricating bifacial tandem solar cells

DOEpatents

Wojtczuk, Steven J; Chiu, Philip T; Zhang, Xuebing; Gagnon, Edward; Timmons, Michael

2014-10-07

A method of fabricating on a semiconductor substrate bifacial tandem solar cells with semiconductor subcells having a lower bandgap than the substrate bandgap on one side of the substrate and with subcells having a higher bandgap than the substrate on the other including, first, growing a lower bandgap subcell on one substrate side that uses only the same periodic table group V material in the dislocation-reducing grading layers and bottom subcells as is present in the substrate and after the initial growth is complete and then flipping the substrate and growing the higher bandgap subcells on the opposite substrate side which can be of different group V material.

Bifacial tandem solar cells

DOEpatents

Wojtczuk, Steven J.; Chiu, Philip T.; Zhang, Xuebing; Gagnon, Edward; Timmons, Michael

2016-06-14

A method of fabricating on a semiconductor substrate bifacial tandem solar cells with semiconductor subcells having a lower bandgap than the substrate bandgap on one side of the substrate and with subcells having a higher bandgap than the substrate on the other including, first, growing a lower bandgap subcell on one substrate side that uses only the same periodic table group V material in the dislocation-reducing grading layers and bottom subcells as is present in the substrate and after the initial growth is complete and then flipping the substrate and growing the higher bandgap subcells on the opposite substrate side which can be of different group V material.

Wafer bonded virtual substrate and method for forming the same

DOEpatents

Atwater, Jr., Harry A.; Zahler, James M [Pasadena, CA; Morral, Anna Fontcuberta i [Paris, FR

2007-07-03

A method of forming a virtual substrate comprised of an optoelectronic device substrate and handle substrate comprises the steps of initiating bonding of the device substrate to the handle substrate, improving or increasing the mechanical strength of the device and handle substrates, and thinning the device substrate to leave a single-crystal film on the virtual substrate such as by exfoliation of a device film from the device substrate. The handle substrate is typically Si or other inexpensive common substrate material, while the optoelectronic device substrate is formed of more expensive and specialized electro-optic material. Using the methodology of the invention a wide variety of thin film electro-optic materials of high quality can be bonded to inexpensive substrates which serve as the mechanical support for an optoelectronic device layer fabricated in the thin film electro-optic material.

Wafer bonded virtual substrate and method for forming the same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atwater, Jr., Harry A. (Inventor); Zahler, James M. (Inventor); Morral, Anna Fontcuberta i (Inventor)

2007-01-01

A method of forming a virtual substrate comprised of an optoelectronic device substrate and handle substrate comprises the steps of initiating bonding of the device substrate to the handle substrate, improving or increasing the mechanical strength of the device and handle substrates, and thinning the device substrate to leave a single-crystal film on the virtual substrate such as by exfoliation of a device film from the device substrate. The handle substrate is typically Si or other inexpensive common substrate material, while the optoelectronic device substrate is formed of more expensive and specialized electro-optic material. Using the methodology of the invention a wide variety of thin film electro-optic materials of high quality can be bonded to inexpensive substrates which serve as the mechanical support for an optoelectronic device layer fabricated in the thin film electro-optic material.

Sol-gel derived (La 0.8M 0.2)CrO 3 (M dbnd Ca, Sr) coating layer on stainless-steel substrate for use as a separator in intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A Lee, E.; Lee, S.; Hwang, H. J.; Moon, J.-W.

A ceramic coating technique is applied to reduce the voltage drop caused by oxidation of the metallic separator (SUS444) in intermediate-temperature (IT) solid oxide fuel cell (SOFCs) systems. Precursor solutions for (La, Ca)CrO 3 (LCC) and (La, Sr)CrO 3 (LSC) coatings are prepared by adding nitric acid and ethylene glycol into an aqueous solution of lanthanum, strontium (or calcium) and chromium nitrates. Dried LCC and LSC gel films are heat-treated at 400-800 °C after dip-coating on the SUS444 substrate. XRD and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis is used to examine the crystallization behaviour and chemical structure of the precursor solution. The oxidation behaviour of the coated SUS444 substrate is compared with an uncoated SUS444 substrate. The oxidation of the SUS444 is inhibited by the LCC and LSC thin film layers.

Tunable Nanoantennas for Surface Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy by Colloidal Lithography and Post-Fabrication Etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kai; Duy Dao, Thang; Nagao, Tadaaki

2017-03-01

We fabricated large-area metallic (Al and Au) nanoantenna arrays on Si substrates using cost-effective colloidal lithography with different micrometer-sized polystyrene spheres. Variation of the sphere size leads to tunable plasmon resonances in the middle infrared (MIR) range. The enhanced near-fields allow us to detect the surface phonon polaritons in the natural SiO2 thin layers. We demonstrated further tuning capability of the resonances by employing dry etching of the Si substrates with the nanoantennas acting as the etching masks. The effective refractive index of the nanoantenna surroundings is efficiently decreased giving rise to blueshifts of the resonances. In addition, partial removal of the Si substrates elevates the nanoantennas from the high-refractive-index substrates making more enhanced near-fields accessible for molecular sensing applications as demonstrated here with surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy for a thin polymer film. We also directly compared the plasmonic enhancement from the Al and Au nanoantenna arrays.

POLYELECTROLYTE MULTILAYER STAMPING IN AQUEOUS PHASE AND NON-CONTACT MODE

PubMed Central

Mehrotra, Sumit; Lee, Ilsoon; Liu, Chun; Chan, Christina

2011-01-01

Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) transfer printing has been previously achieved by stamping under dry conditions. Here, we show for the first time, that PEM can be transferred from a stamp to the base substrate under aqueous conditions whereby the two surfaces are in a non-contact mode. Degradable multilayers of (PAA/PEG)10.5 followed by non-degradable multilayers of (PDAC/SPS)80.5 were fabricated under acidic pH conditions on either PDMS or glass (stamp), and subsequently transferred over top of another multilayer prepared on a different substrate (base substrate), with a spacing of ~ 200 μm between the stamping surface and the base substrate. This multilayer transfer was performed under physiological pH conditions. This process is referred to herein as non-contact, aqueous-phase multilayer (NAM) transfer. NAM transfer can be useful for applications such as fabricating three-dimensional (3-D) cellular scaffolds. We attempted to create a 3-D cellular scaffold using NAM transfer, and characterized the scaffolds with conventional and fluorescence microscopy. PMID:21860540

Plasma-induced graft-polymerization of polyethylene glycol acrylate on polypropylene substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanini, S.; Orlandi, M.; Colombo, C.; Grimoldi, E.; Riccardi, C.

2009-08-01

A detailed study of argon plasma-induced graft-polymerization of polyethylene glycol acrylate (PEGA) on polypropylene (PP) substrates (membranes and films) is presented. The process consists of four steps: (a) plasma pre-activation of the PP substrates; (b) immersion in a PEGA solution; (c) argon plasma-induced graft-polymerization; (d) washing and drying of the samples. Influence of the solution and plasma parameters on the process efficiency evaluated in terms of amount of grafted polymer, coverage uniformity and substrates wettability, are investigated. The plasma-induced graft-polymerization of PEGA is then followed by sample weighting, water droplet adsorption time and contact angle measurements, attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses. The stability of the obtained thin films was evaluated in water and in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) at 37 °C. Results clearly indicates that plasma-induced graft-polymerization of PEGA is a practical methodology for anti-fouling surface modification of materials.

High glucose recovery from direct enzymatic hydrolysis of bisulfite-pretreatment on non-detoxified furfural residues.

PubMed

Xing, Yang; Bu, Lingxi; Sun, Dafeng; Liu, Zhiping; Liu, Shijie; Jiang, Jianxin

2015-10-01

This study reports four schemes to pretreat wet furfural residues (FRs) with sodium bisulfite for production of fermentable sugar. The results showed that non-detoxified FRs (pH 2-3) had great potential to lower the cost of bioconversion. The optimal process was that unwashed FRs were first pretreated with bisulfite, and the whole slurry was then directly used for enzymatic hydrolysis. A maximum glucose yield of 99.4% was achieved from substrates pretreated with 0.1 g NaHSO3/g dry substrate (DS), at a relatively low temperature of 100 °C for 3 h. Compared with raw material, enzymatic hydrolysis at a high-solid of 16.5% (w/w) specifically showed more excellent performance with bisulfite treated FRs. Direct bisulfite pretreatment improved the accessibility of substrates and the total glucose recovery. Lignosulfonate in the non-detoxified slurry decreased the non-productive adsorption of cellulase on the substrate, thus improving enzymatic hydrolysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of inoculum's origin on the methane yield of different substrates in biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests.

PubMed

Koch, Konrad; Lippert, Thomas; Drewes, Jörg E

2017-11-01

The impact of the inoculum's origin on the methane yield in Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests was investigated. The three most commonly applied inocula were chosen, originating from (i) a digester of a wastewater treatment plant, (ii) an agricultural biogas plant treating manure and energy crops, and (iii) a biowaste treatment plant. The performance of each inoculum was tested with four different substrates, namely sewage sludge, dried whole crop maize, food waste, and microcrystalline cellulose as a typical reference material. The results revealed that the choice of inoculum had no significant impact on the specific methane yield of the tested substrates except for cellulose. Still, the specific methane production rate was significantly influenced by the choice of the inoculum especially for sewage sludge, but also for food waste and cellulose, whereas it became clear that an inoculum adapted to a substrate is beneficial for a speedy digestion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Bridge Too Far: Suppressing Frost Using an Out-of-Plane Dry Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spohn, Corey; Ahmadi, Farzad; Nath, Saurabh; Boreyko, Jonathan

2017-11-01

It has recently been shown that ice can suppress the formation of any nearby condensation or frost on a substrate. However, these in-plane dry zones require the hygroscopic ice features to be placed on the same surface they are helping to keep dry, which makes it impossible to achieve complete anti-frosting. Here, we create an out-of-plane dry zone by holding two aluminum surfaces parallel to each other, where a uniform sheet of frost was grown on one surface to keep the other surface completely dry. The critical separation required to keep the test surface dry was found to be a function of the ambient supersaturation. We also show that inter-droplet ice bridging, now known to be a primary mechanism for in-plane frost growth, can be similarly extended to an out-of-plane configuration. We freeze a droplet on a hydrophobic surface and suspend a water droplet above it, such that an ice bridge grows toward the water droplet. More generally, these findings show that the recently discovered phenomena of dry zones and ice bridging can be extended to out-of-plane scenarios, which could lead to a better understanding of the behavior of mixed-phase systems. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (CBET-1604272) and by the 3M Company (Non-Tenured Faculty Award).

Composted Poultry Litter as an Amendment for Substrates with High Wood Content

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Whole Tree (WT) and Clean Chip Residual (CCR) are potential new nursery substrates that are by-products of the forestry industry containing high wood content. Initial immobilization of nitrogen is one limitation of these new substrates, however the addition of composted poultry litter (CPL) to subs...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rager, Matthew S.; Aytug, Tolga; Veith, Gabriel M.

The developing field of printed electronics nanoparticle based inks such as CuO show great promise as a low-cost alternative to other metal-based counterparts (e.g., silver). In particular, CuO inks significantly eliminate the issue of particle oxidation, before and during the sintering process, that is prevalent in Cu-based formulations. We report here the scalable and low-thermal budget photonic fabrication of Cu interconnects employing a roll-to-roll compatible pulse-thermal-processing (PTP) technique that enables phase reduction and subsequent sintering of inkjet-printed CuO patterns onto flexible polymer templates. Detailed investigations of curing and sintering conditions were performed to understand the impact of PTP system conditionsmore » on the electrical performance of the Cu patterns. Specifically, the impact of energy and power of photonic pulses on print conductivity was systematically studied by varying the following key processing parameters: pulse intensity, duration and sequence. Through optimization of such parameters, highly conductive prints in < 1 s with resistivity values as low as 100 n m has been achieved. We also observed that the introduction of an initial ink-drying step in ambient atmosphere, after the printing and before sintering, leads to significant improvements in mechanical integrity and electrical performance of the printed Cu patterns. Moreover, the viability of CuO reactive inks, coupled with the PTP technology and pre ink-drying protocols, has also been demonstrated for the additive integration of a low-cost Cu temperature sensor onto a flexible polymer substrate.« less

Conformation Effects on the Photoluminescence Behavior of Anchored MEH-PPV Pancakes and Brushes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shih, Kuo Sheng; Chen, Po-Tsun; Yang, Arnold C.-M.

2012-02-01

Single molecular layer of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyl)oxy)-1,4- phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) grafted on primed silicon wafer were synthesized, forming brushes (chain spacing 0.54 nm via graft-from) or pancakes (˜ 7nm to 34 nm via graft-to). For the tight-packed brushes, the PL emission peak, residing in the range from 434 nm to 550 nm depending on the chain length, was generally unchanged when transferring between the dry and solvent immersion states. However, for the pancakes, the emission peak blue-shifted dramatically (up to 100 nm) when dried in the air relative to that in the solvent. These shifts were fully reversible in the dry-wet cycles. The large blue shifts of the anchored pancakes were attributed to the mechanical stretching of entangled MEH-PPV segments in contact with substrate upon solvent loss. In contrast, the blue shifts disappeared and small red shifts emerged instead for extremely slowly drying (24 hrs drying time), revealing the stress-relaxation pathways in the equilibrium conditions. The drying-induced blue shift was also observed in the un-anchored drop-casting samples but the reversibility vanished. Finally, a large enhancement of PL intensity was accompanied with the blue shifts, manifesting the effect of the molecular constraints.

Microbial ecology of extreme environments: Antarctic yeasts and growth in substrate-limited habitats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vishniac, H. S.

1985-01-01

The high, dry valleys of the Ross Desert of Antarctic, characterized by extremely low temperatures, aridity and a depauperate biota, are used as an analog of the postulated extreme climates of other planetary bodies of the Solar System to test the hypothesis that if life could be supported by Ross, it might be possible where similar conditions prevail. The previously considered sterility of the Ross Desert soil ecosystem has yielded up an indigenous yeast, Cryptoccus vishniacci, which is able to resist the extremes of cold, wet and dry freezing, and long arid periods, while making minimal nutritional demands on the soil.

Land-use legacies from dry farming in the Park Valley area of Box Elder County

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Last fall in this newsletter, we reported on the initiation of a study on the land-use legacies of dry farming in the Park Valley area. Land-use legacies are the long lasting impacts of historic land uses; such as, cultivation for dry farming. The Park Valley area and Box Elder County experienced ...

Characterization of metal-supported axial injection plasma sprayed solid oxide fuel cells with aqueous suspension plasma sprayed electrolyte layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waldbillig, D.; Kesler, O.

A method for manufacturing metal-supported SOFCs with atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) is presented, making use of aqueous suspension feedstock for the electrolyte layer and dry powder feedstock for the anode and cathode layers. The cathode layer was deposited first directly onto a metal support, in order to minimize contact resistance, and to allow the introduction of added porosity. The electrolyte layers produced by suspension plasma spraying (SPS) were characterized in terms of thickness, permeability, and microstructure, and the impact of substrate morphology on electrolyte properties was investigated. Fuel cells produced by APS were electrochemically tested at temperatures ranging from 650 to 750 °C. The substrate morphology had little effect on open circuit voltage, but substrates with finer porosity resulted in lower kinetic losses in the fuel cell polarization.

Fabrication of high-density In3Sb1Te2 phase change nanoarray on glass-fabric reinforced flexible substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Jong Moon; Shin, Dong Ok; Yin, You; Seo, Hyeon Kook; Kim, Daewoon; In Kim, Yong; Jin, Jung Ho; Kim, Yong Tae; Bae, Byeong-Soo; Ouk Kim, Sang; Lee, Jeong Yong

2012-06-01

Mushroom-shaped phase change memory (PCM) consisting of a Cr/In3Sb1Te2 (IST)/TiN (bottom electrode) nanoarray was fabricated via block copolymer lithography and single-step dry etching with a gas mixture of Ar/Cl2. The process was performed on a high performance transparent glass-fabric reinforced composite film (GFR Hybrimer) suitable for use as a novel substrate for flexible devices. The use of GFR Hybrimer with low thermal expansion and flat surfaces enabled successful nanoscale patterning of functional phase change materials on flexible substrates. Block copolymer lithography employing asymmetrical block copolymer blends with hexagonal cylindrical self-assembled morphologies resulted in the creation of hexagonal nanoscale PCM cell arrays with an areal density of approximately 176 Gb/in2.

Micromold methods for fabricating perforated substrates and for preparing solid polymer electrolyte composite membranes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mittelsteadt, Cortney; Argun, Avni; Laicer, Castro

In polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells and electrolyzes, attaining and maintaining high membrane conductivity and durability is crucial for performance and efficiency. The use of low equivalent weight (EW) perfluorinated ionomers is one of the few options available to improve membrane conductivity. However, excessive dimensional changes of low EW ionomers upon application of wet/dry or freeze/thaw cycles yield catastrophic losses in membrane integrity. Incorporation of ionomers within porous, dimensionally-stable perforated polymer electrolyte membrane substrates provides improved PEM performance and longevity. The present invention provides novel methods using micromolds to fabricate the perforated polymer electrolyte membrane substrates. These novel methodsmore » using micromolds create uniform and well-defined pore structures. In addition, these novel methods using micromolds described herein may be used in batch or continuous processing.« less

Moisture changes in oak and hickory fuel chips on roofed and unroofed Louisiana air-drying grounds as affected by pile depth and turning of chips

Treesearch

Peter Koch

1983-01-01

Freshly cut whole-tree hickory chips had lower moisture content (MC) initially and dried more rapidly than those of southern red oak. Such chips spread during April 1981 in roofed trays did not dry to 20 percent MC, ovendry-weight basis, faster than those spread in October 1980. In roofed trays, unturned chips spread 4 inches deep generally dried more rapidly than if...

Relationships between substrate, surface characteristics, and vegetation in an initial ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biber, P.; Seifert, S.; Zaplata, M. K.; Schaaf, W.; Pretzsch, H.; Fischer, A.

2013-12-01

We investigated surface and vegetation dynamics in the artificial initial ecosystem "Chicken Creek" (Lusatia, Germany) in the years 2006-2011 across a wide spectrum of empirical data. We scrutinized three overarching hypotheses concerning (1) the relations between initial geomorphological and substrate characteristics with surface structure and terrain properties, (2) the effects of the latter on the occurrence of grouped plant species, and (3) vegetation density effects on terrain surface change. Our data comprise and conflate annual vegetation monitoring results, biennial terrestrial laser scans (starting in 2008), annual groundwater levels, and initially measured soil characteristics. The empirical evidence mostly confirms the hypotheses, revealing statistically significant relations for several goal variables: (1) the surface structure properties, local rill density, local relief energy and terrain surface height change; (2) the cover of different plant groups (annual, herbaceous, grass-like, woody, Fabaceae), and local vegetation height; and (3) terrain surface height change showed significant time-dependent relations with a variable that proxies local plant biomass. Additionally, period specific effects (like a calendar-year optimum effect for the occurrence of Fabaceae) were proven. Further and beyond the hypotheses, our findings on the spatiotemporal dynamics during the system's early development grasp processes which generally mark the transition from a geo-hydro-system towards a bio-geo-hydro system (weakening geomorphology effects on substrate surface dynamics, while vegetation effects intensify with time), where pure geomorphology or substrate feedbacks are changing into vegetation-substrate feedback processes.

Spray-dried chestnut extract containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus cells as novel ingredient for a probiotic chestnut mousse.

PubMed

Romano, A; Blaiotta, G; Di Cerbo, A; Coppola, R; Masi, P; Aponte, M

2014-06-01

Consumers' demand for innovative probiotic products has recently increased. In previous studies, chestnuts were evaluated as substrate for the growth of lactobacilli and chestnut extract was found to enhance acid tolerance of probiotic strains. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the suitability of chestnut extract as carrier for spray drying of two probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains and to develop a probiotic food chestnut based. The optimal settings for the spray-drying processes were defined and the loads of undamaged cells in the dried powders were quantified. Spray-dried cultures were incorporated into an anhydrous basis for chestnut mousse developed ad hoc. In this form, viable cells remained stable over 10(8) CFU g(-1) during a 3 months long storage at 15°C. Sensorial analysis did not highlighted significant differences (P < 0·05) in preference between probiotic-supplemented and control mousses. Results suggest that chestnut mousse, a food product naturally rich in antioxidant compounds, may represent an excellent carrier for probiotics delivering. To authors' knowledge, this is the first information on the survival of lactobacilli in an anhydrous basis for dessert. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Improving controllable adhesion on both rough and smooth surfaces with a hybrid electrostatic/gecko-like adhesive

PubMed Central

Ruffatto, Donald; Parness, Aaron; Spenko, Matthew

2014-01-01

This paper describes a novel, controllable adhesive that combines the benefits of electrostatic adhesives with gecko-like directional dry adhesives. When working in combination, the two technologies create a positive feedback cycle whose adhesion, depending on the surface type, is often greater than the sum of its parts. The directional dry adhesive brings the electrostatic adhesive closer to the surface, increasing its effect. Similarly, the electrostatic adhesion helps engage more of the directional dry adhesive fibrillar structures, particularly on rough surfaces. This paper presents the new hybrid adhesive's manufacturing process and compares its performance to three other adhesive technologies manufactured using a similar process: reinforced PDMS, electrostatic and directional dry adhesion. Tests were performed on a set of ceramic tiles with varying roughness to quantify its effect on shear adhesive force. The relative effectiveness of the hybrid adhesive increases as the surface roughness is increased. Experimental data are also presented for different substrate materials to demonstrate the enhanced performance achieved with the hybrid adhesive. Results show that the hybrid adhesive provides up to 5.1× greater adhesion than the electrostatic adhesive or directional dry adhesive technologies alone. PMID:24451392

Continuous and scalable fabrication of bioinspired dry adhesives via a roll-to-roll process with modulated ultraviolet-curable resin.

PubMed

Yi, Hoon; Hwang, Insol; Lee, Jeong Hyeon; Lee, Dael; Lim, Haneol; Tahk, Dongha; Sung, Minho; Bae, Won-Gyu; Choi, Se-Jin; Kwak, Moon Kyu; Jeong, Hoon Eui

2014-08-27

A simple yet scalable strategy for fabricating dry adhesives with mushroom-shaped micropillars is achieved by a combination of the roll-to-roll process and modulated UV-curable elastic poly(urethane acrylate) (e-PUA) resin. The e-PUA combines the major benefits of commercial PUA and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). It not only can be cured within a few seconds like commercial PUA but also possesses good mechanical properties comparable to those of PDMS. A roll-type fabrication system equipped with a rollable mold and a UV exposure unit is also developed for the continuous process. By integrating the roll-to-roll process with the e-PUA, dry adhesives with spatulate tips in the form of a thin flexible film can be generated in a highly continuous and scalable manner. The fabricated dry adhesives with mushroom-shaped microstructures exhibit a strong pull-off strength of up to ∼38.7 N cm(-2) on the glass surface as well as high durability without any noticeable degradation. Furthermore, an automated substrate transportation system equipped with the dry adhesives can transport a 300 mm Si wafer over 10,000 repeating cycles with high accuracy.

Analysis of early bacterial communities on volcanic deposits on the island of Miyake (Miyake-jima), Japan: a 6-year study at a fixed site.

PubMed

Fujimura, Reiko; Sato, Yoshinori; Nishizawa, Tomoyasu; Nanba, Kenji; Oshima, Kenshiro; Hattori, Masahira; Kamijo, Takashi; Ohta, Hiroyuki

2012-01-01

Microbial colonization on new terrestrial substrates represents the initiation of new soil ecosystem formation. In this study, we analyzed early bacterial communities growing on volcanic ash deposits derived from the 2000 Mount Oyama eruption on the island of Miyake (Miyake-jima), Japan. A site was established in an unvegetated area near the summit and investigated over a 6-year period from 2003 to 2009. Collected samples were acidic (pH 3.0-3.6), did not utilize any organic substrates in ECO microplate assays (Biolog), and harbored around 106 cells (g dry weight)(-1) of autotrophic Fe(II) oxidizers by most-probable-number (MPN) counts. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans, and the Leptospirillum groups I, II and III were found to be abundant in the deposits by clone library analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. The numerical dominance of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was also supported by analysis of the gene coding for the large subunit of the form I ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO). Comparing the 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from samples differing in age, shifts in Fe(II)-oxidizing populations seemed to occur with deposit aging. The detection of known 16S rRNA gene sequences from Fe(III)-reducing acidophiles promoted us to propose the acidity-driven iron cycle for the early microbial ecosystem on the deposit.

Analysis of Early Bacterial Communities on Volcanic Deposits on the Island of Miyake (Miyake-jima), Japan: a 6-year Study at a Fixed Site

PubMed Central

Fujimura, Reiko; Sato, Yoshinori; Nishizawa, Tomoyasu; Nanba, Kenji; Oshima, Kenshiro; Hattori, Masahira; Kamijo, Takashi; Ohta, Hiroyuki

2012-01-01

Microbial colonization on new terrestrial substrates represents the initiation of new soil ecosystem formation. In this study, we analyzed early bacterial communities growing on volcanic ash deposits derived from the 2000 Mount Oyama eruption on the island of Miyake (Miyake-jima), Japan. A site was established in an unvegetated area near the summit and investigated over a 6-year period from 2003 to 2009. Collected samples were acidic (pH 3.0–3.6), did not utilize any organic substrates in ECO microplate assays (Biolog), and harbored around 106 cells (g dry weight)−1 of autotrophic Fe(II) oxidizers by most-probable-number (MPN) counts. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans, and the Leptospirillum groups I, II and III were found to be abundant in the deposits by clone library analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. The numerical dominance of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was also supported by analysis of the gene coding for the large subunit of the form I ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO). Comparing the 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from samples differing in age, shifts in Fe(II)-oxidizing populations seemed to occur with deposit aging. The detection of known 16S rRNA gene sequences from Fe(III)-reducing acidophiles promoted us to propose the acidity-driven iron cycle for the early microbial ecosystem on the deposit. PMID:22075623

The Potential of Cellulosic Ethanol Production from Grasses in Thailand

PubMed Central

Wongwatanapaiboon, Jinaporn; Kangvansaichol, Kunn; Burapatana, Vorakan; Inochanon, Ratanavalee; Winayanuwattikun, Pakorn; Yongvanich, Tikamporn; Chulalaksananukul, Warawut

2012-01-01

The grasses in Thailand were analyzed for the potentiality as the alternative energy crops for cellulosic ethanol production by biological process. The average percentage composition of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in the samples of 18 types of grasses from various provinces was determined as 31.85–38.51, 31.13–42.61, and 3.10–5.64, respectively. The samples were initially pretreated with alkaline peroxide followed by enzymatic hydrolysis to investigate the enzymatic saccharification. The total reducing sugars in most grasses ranging from 500–600 mg/g grasses (70–80% yield) were obtained. Subsequently, 11 types of grasses were selected as feedstocks for the ethanol production by simultaneous saccharification and cofermentation (SSCF). The enzymes, cellulase and xylanase, were utilized for hydrolysis and the yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia stipitis, were applied for cofermentation at 35°C for 7 days. From the results, the highest yield of ethanol, 1.14 g/L or 0.14 g/g substrate equivalent to 32.72% of the theoretical values was obtained from Sri Lanka ecotype vetiver grass. When the yields of dry matter were included in the calculations, Sri Lanka ecotype vetiver grass gave the yield of ethanol at 1,091.84 L/ha/year, whereas the leaves of dwarf napier grass showed the maximum yield of 2,720.55 L/ha/year (0.98 g/L or 0.12 g/g substrate equivalent to 30.60% of the theoretical values). PMID:23097596

Surface assessment and modification of concrete using abrasive blasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millman, Lauren R.

Composite systems are applied to concrete substrates to strengthen and extend the service life. Successful restoration or rehabilitation requires surface preparation prior to the application of the overlay. Surface coatings, waterproofing systems, and other external surface applications also require surface preparation prior to application. Abrasive blast media is often used to clean and uniformly roughen the substrate. The appropriate surface roughness is necessary to facilitate a strong bond between the existing substrate and overlay. Thus, surface modification using abrasive blast media (sand and dry ice), their respective environmental effects, surface roughness characterization prior to and after blasting, and the adhesion between the substrate and overlay are the focus of this dissertation. This dissertation is comprised of an introduction, a literature review, and four chapters, the first of which addresses the environmental effects due to abrasive blasting using sand, water, and dry ice. The assessment considered four response variables: carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, fuel and energy consumption, and project duration. The results indicated that for sand blasting and water jetting, the primary factor contributing to environmental detriment was CO22 emissions from vehicular traffic near the construction site. The second chapter is an analysis of the International Concrete Repair Institute's (ICRI) concrete surface profiles (CSPs) using 3-D optical profilometry. The primary objective was to evaluate the suitability of approximating the 3-D surface (areal) parameters with those extracted from 2-D (linear) profiles. Four profile directions were considered: two diagonals, and lines parallel and transverse to the longitudinal direction of the mold. For any CSP mold, the estimation of the 3-D surface roughness using a 2-D linear profile resulted in underestimation and overestimation errors exceeding 50%, demonstrating the inadequacy of 2-D linear profiles to approximate the 3-D concrete surface profiles. The errors were reduced when a weighted average of the four linear profiles approximated the corresponding 3-D parameter. The following chapter considers the parametric and sensitivity of concrete surface topography measurements. The weighted average of the four 2-D profiles consistently resulted in underestimation of the corresponding 3-D parameters: the dispersion of surface elevations (Sq) and the roughness (Sa). Results indicated the 3-D parameter, Sq, had the least sensitivity to data point reduction. The final chapter investigated surface modification using dry ice and sand blasting. The overall objective was to evaluate the change in the 3-D surface roughness (Sa) following blasting as functions of mix design and as induced by freeze-thaw cycling, and to compare the results obtained using dry ice with those obtained using sand as the blasting media. In general, sand blasting produced larger changes in Sa compared to dry ice blasting for the concrete mix designs considered. The primary mechanism responsible for altering the surface topography of the concrete was the scaling of the superficial cement paste layer on the exposed surface, which was due to freeze-thaw cycling. The largest relative change in roughness following blasting occurred in the control samples, which had not undergone freeze-thaw cycling.

Paintable band-edge liquid crystal lasers.

PubMed

Gardiner, Damian J; Morris, Stephen M; Hands, Philip J W; Mowatt, Carrie; Rutledge, Rupert; Wilkinson, Timothy D; Coles, Harry J

2011-01-31

In this paper we demonstrate photonic band-edge laser emission from emulsion-based polymer dispersed liquid crystals. The lasing medium consists of dye-doped chiral nematic droplets dispersed within a polymer matrix that spontaneously align as the film dries. Such lasers can be easily formed on single substrates with no alignment layers. The system combines the self-organizing periodic structure of chiral nematic liquid crystals with the simplicity of the emulsion procedure so as to produce a material that retains the emission characteristics of band-edge lasers yet can be readily coated. Sequential and stacked layers demonstrate the possibility of achieving simultaneous multi-wavelength laser output from glass, metallic, and flexible substrates.

Influence of Substrate Temperature on the Transformation Front Velocities That Determine Thermal Stability of Vapor-Deposited Glasses

DOE PAGES

Dalal, Shakeel S.; Ediger, M. D.

2015-02-09

Stable organic glasses prepared by physical vapor deposition transform into the supercooled liquid via propagating fronts of molecular mobility, a mechanism different from that exhibited by glasses prepared by cooling the liquid. In this paper, we show that spectroscopic ellipsometry can directly observe this front-based mechanism in real time and explore how the velocity of the front depends upon the substrate temperature during deposition. For the model glass former indomethacin, we detect surface-initiated mobility fronts in glasses formed at substrate temperatures between 0.68T g and 0.94T g. At each of two annealing temperatures, the substrate temperature during deposition can changemore » the transformation front velocity by a factor of 6, and these changes are imperfectly correlated with the density of the glass. We also observe substrate-initiated fronts at some substrate temperatures. By connecting with theoretical work, we are able to infer the relative mobilities of stable glasses prepared at different substrate temperatures. Finally, an understanding of the transformation behavior of vapor-deposited glasses may be relevant for extending the lifetime of organic semiconducting devices.« less

Substrate decomposition in galvanic displacement reaction: Contrast between gold and silver nanoparticle formation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghosh, Tapas; Satpati, Biswarup, E-mail: biswarup.satpati@saha.ac.in; Kabiraj, D.

We have investigated substrate decomposition during formation of silver and gold nanoparticles in galvanic displacement reaction on germanium surfaces. Silver and gold nanoparticles were synthesized by electroless deposition on sputter coated germanium thin film (∼ 200 nm) grown initially on silicon substrate. The nanoparticles formation and the substrate corrosion were studied using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and the energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy.

Hsp70 displaces small heat shock proteins from aggregates to initiate protein refolding.

PubMed

Żwirowski, Szymon; Kłosowska, Agnieszka; Obuchowski, Igor; Nillegoda, Nadinath B; Piróg, Artur; Ziętkiewicz, Szymon; Bukau, Bernd; Mogk, Axel; Liberek, Krzysztof

2017-03-15

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are an evolutionary conserved class of ATP-independent chaperones that protect cells against proteotoxic stress. sHsps form assemblies with aggregation-prone misfolded proteins, which facilitates subsequent substrate solubilization and refolding by ATP-dependent Hsp70 and Hsp100 chaperones. Substrate solubilization requires disruption of sHsp association with trapped misfolded proteins. Here, we unravel a specific interplay between Hsp70 and sHsps at the initial step of the solubilization process. We show that Hsp70 displaces surface-bound sHsps from sHsp-substrate assemblies. This Hsp70 activity is unique among chaperones and highly sensitive to alterations in Hsp70 concentrations. The Hsp70 activity is reflected in the organization of sHsp-substrate assemblies, including an outer dynamic sHsp shell that is removed by Hsp70 and a stable core comprised mainly of aggregated substrates. Binding of Hsp70 to the sHsp/substrate core protects the core from aggregation and directs sequestered substrates towards refolding pathway. The sHsp/Hsp70 interplay has major impact on protein homeostasis as it sensitizes substrate release towards cellular Hsp70 availability ensuring efficient refolding of damaged proteins under favourable folding conditions. © 2017 The Authors.

Cancer prevention with freeze-dried berries and berry components.

PubMed

Stoner, Gary D; Wang, Li-Shu; Zikri, Nancy; Chen, Tong; Hecht, Stephen S; Huang, Chuanshu; Sardo, Christine; Lechner, John F

2007-10-01

Our laboratory is developing a food-based approach to the prevention of esophageal and colon cancer utilizing freeze-dried berries and berry extracts. Dietary freeze-dried berries were shown to inhibit chemically induced cancer of the rodent esophagus by 30-60% and of the colon by up to 80%. The berries are effective at both the initiation and promotion/progression stages of tumor development. Berries inhibit tumor initiation events by influencing carcinogen metabolism, resulting in reduced levels of carcinogen-induced DNA damage. They inhibit promotion/progression events by reducing the growth rate of pre-malignant cells, promoting apoptosis, reducing parameters of tissue inflammation and inhibiting angiogenesis. On a molecular level, berries modulate the expression of genes involved with proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation and angiogenesis. We have recently initiated clinical trials; results from a toxicity study indicated that freeze-dried black raspberries are well tolerated in humans when administered orally for 7 days at a dose of 45 g per day. Several Phase IIa clinical trials are underway in patients at high risk for esophagus and colon cancer; i.e., Barrett's esophagus, esophageal dysplasia and colonic polyps, to determine if berries will modulate various histological and molecular biomarkers of development of these diseases.

Cancer Prevention with Freeze-dried Berries and Berry Components

PubMed Central

Stoner, Gary D.; Wang, Li-Shu; Zikri, Nancy; Chen, Tong; S. Hecht, Stephen; Huang, Chuanshu; Sardo, Christine; Lechner, John F.

2007-01-01

Our laboratory is developing a food-based approach to the prevention of esophageal and colon cancer utilizing freeze-dried berries and berry extracts. Dietary freeze-dried berries were shown to inhibit chemically-induced cancer of the rodent esophagus by 30-60% and of the colon by up- to 80%. The berries are effective at both the initiation and promotion/progression stages of tumor development. Berries inhibit tumor initiation events by influencing carcinogen metabolism, resulting in reduced levels of carcinogen-induced DNA damage. They inhibit promotion/progression events by reducing the growth rate of premalignant cells, promoting apoptosis, reducing parameters of tissue inflammation and inhibiting angiogenesis. On a molecular level, berries modulate the expression of genes involved with proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation and angiogenesis. We have recently initiated clinical trials; results from a toxicity study indicated that freeze-dried black raspberries are well tolerated in humans when administered orally for 7 days at a dose of 45 grams per day. Several Phase IIa clinical trials are underway in patients at high risk for esophagus and colon cancer; i.e., Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal dysplasia and colonic polyps, to determine if berries will modulate various histological and molecular biomarkers of development of these diseases. PMID:17574861

Predicting the behavior of novel sugar carriers for dry powder inhaler formulations via the use of a cohesive-adhesive force balance approach.

PubMed

Hooton, Jennifer C; Jones, Matthew D; Price, Robert

2006-06-01

The aim of this work was to utilize the recently developed cohesive-adhesive balance (CAB) technique for analyzing quantitative AFM measurements to compare the relative forces of interaction of micronized salbutamol sulfate particles and a selection of specifically grown sugar substrates (beta cyclodextrin, lactose, raffinose, trehalose and xylitol). The interfacial behavior was subsequently related to the in-vitro delivery performance of these sugars as carrier particles in dry powder inhalation (DPI) formulations. The CAB analysis indicated that the rank order of adhesion between salbutamol sulfate and the sugars was beta cyclodextrin < lactose < trehalose < raffinose < xylitol. The beta cyclodextrin was the only substrate with which salbutamol sulfate demonstrated a greater cohesive behavior. All other sugars exhibited an adhesive dominance. In-vitro deposition performance of the salbutamol sulfate based carrier DPI formulations showed that the rank order of the fine particle fraction (FPF) was beta cyclodextrin > lactose > raffinose > trehalose > xylitol. A linear correlation (R(2) = 0.9572) was observed between the FPF and cohesive-adhesive ratios of the AFM force measurements. The observed link between CAB analysis of the interactive forces and in-vitro performance of carrier based formulations suggested a fundamental understanding of the relative balance of the various forces of interaction within a dry powder formulation may provide a critical insight into the behavior of these formulations. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association

Effects of high-temperature hydrogenation treatment on sliding friction and wear behavior of carbide-derived carbon films.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Erdemir, A.; Kovalchenko, A.; McNallan, M. J.

2004-01-01

In this study, we investigated the effects of a high-temperature hydrogenation treatment on the sliding friction and wear behavior of nanostructured carbide-derived carbon (CDC) films in dry nitrogen and humid air environments. These films are produced on the surfaces of silicon carbide substrates by reacting the carbide phase with chlorine or chlorine-hydrogen gas mixtures at 1000 to 1100 C in a sealed tube furnace. The typical friction coefficients of CDC films in open air are in the range of 0.2 to 0.25, but in dry nitrogen, the friction coefficients are 0.15. In an effort to achieve lower friction on CDCmore » films, we developed and used a special hydrogenation process that was proven to be very effective in lowering friction of CDC films produced on SiC substrates. Specifically, the films that were post-hydrogen-treated exhibited friction coefficients as low as 0.03 in dry nitrogen, while the friction coefficients in humid air were 0.2. The wear of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} counterface balls was hard to measure after the tests, while shallow wear tracks had formed on CDC films on SiC disks. Detailed mechanical and structural characterizations of the CDC films and sliding contact surfaces were done using a series of analytical techniques and these findings were correlated with the friction and wear behaviors of as-produced and hydrogen-treated CDC films.« less

Lava-substrate heat transfer: Laboratory experiments and thermodynamic modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumpf, M.; Fagents, S. A.; Hamilton, C. W.; Wright, R.; Crawford, I.

2012-12-01

We have performed laboratory experiments and numerical modeling to investigate the heat transfer from a lava flow into various substrate materials, focusing on the effects of the differing thermophysical properties of substrate materials. Initial motivation for this project developed from the desire to understand the loss of solar wind volatiles embedded in lunar regolith deposits that were subsequently covered by a lava flow. The Moon lacks a significant atmosphere and magnetosphere, leaving the surface regolith exposed to bombardment by solar flare and solar wind particles, and by the cosmogenic products of galactic cosmic rays. Preservation of particle-rich regolith deposits may have occurred by the emplacement of an active lava flow on top of the regolith layer, provided the embedded particles survive heating by the lava. During future expeditions to the lunar surface, ancient regolith deposits could be sampled through surface drilling to extract the extra-lunar particles, revealing a history of the solar activity and galactic events not available on the Earth. This project also has important implications for terrestrial lava flows, particularly in the prediction of lava flow hazards. Lava erupted on Earth may be emplaced on various substrates, including solid lava rock, volcanic tephra, sands, soils, etc. The composition, grain size, consolidation, moisture content, etc. of these materials will vary greatly and have different effects on the cooling of the flow. Accounting for specific properties of the substrate could be an important improvement in lava flow models We have performed laboratory experiments in collaboration with the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in which ~5-6 kg of basalt, collected at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, is melted to ~1200 °C. The lava is poured into a device constructed of calcium silicate sheeting that has been filled with a solid or particulate substrate material and embedded with thermocouples. Internal temperatures are monitored by the thermocouple array, while external temperatures are monitored by a Forward Looking Infrared Radiometer (FLIR) video camera. The experimental data thus describe the cooling rates of the system, and reveal the release of latent heat of crystallization within the cooling lava. These experiments have been conducted in conjunction with numerical simulations of the heat transfer from a lava flow into various substrates, to quantify the depth reached by the heat pulse as it penetrates the substrate. Models include material-specific, temperature-dependent thermophysical properties, including thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and latent heat of crystallization. We find that particulate materials, such as lunar regolith, sand, and soils will be heated to depths shallower than solid materials. In addition, the particulate materials will act as insulators, shielding the lava flow from basal cooling and maintaining high temperatures in the flow core. These results suggest that lava flows emplaced on a dry particulate terrain will remain above solidus for a longer duration, allowing the lava to flow further than when emplaced on a solid substrate.

Quantitative imaging of heterogeneous dynamics in drying and aging paints

PubMed Central

van der Kooij, Hanne M.; Fokkink, Remco; van der Gucht, Jasper; Sprakel, Joris

2016-01-01

Drying and aging paint dispersions display a wealth of complex phenomena that make their study fascinating yet challenging. To meet the growing demand for sustainable, high-quality paints, it is essential to unravel the microscopic mechanisms underlying these phenomena. Visualising the governing dynamics is, however, intrinsically difficult because the dynamics are typically heterogeneous and span a wide range of time scales. Moreover, the high turbidity of paints precludes conventional imaging techniques from reaching deep inside the paint. To address these challenges, we apply a scattering technique, Laser Speckle Imaging, as a versatile and quantitative tool to elucidate the internal dynamics, with microscopic resolution and spanning seven decades of time. We present a toolbox of data analysis and image processing methods that allows a tailored investigation of virtually any turbid dispersion, regardless of the geometry and substrate. Using these tools we watch a variety of paints dry and age with unprecedented detail. PMID:27682840

Identification of newly isolated Talaromyces pinophilus and statistical optimization of β-glucosidase production under solid-state fermentation.

PubMed

El-Naggar, Noura El-Ahmady; Haroun, S A; Oweis, Eman A; Sherief, A A

2015-01-01

Fungi able to degrade agriculture wastes were isolated from different soil samples, rice straw, and compost; these isolates were screened for their ability to produce β-glucosidase. The most active fungal isolate was identified as Talaromyces pinophilus strain EMOO 13-3. The Plackett-Burman design is used for identifying the significant variables that influence β-glucosidase production under solid-state fermentation. Fifteen variables were examined for their significances on the production of β-glucosidase in 20 experimental runs. Among the variables screened, moisture content, Tween 80, and (NH4)2SO4 had significant effects on β-glucosidase production with confidence levels above 90% (p < 0.1). The optimal levels of these variables were further optimized using Box-Behnken statical design. As a result, the maximal β-glucosidase activity is 3648.519 U g(-1), which is achieved at the following fermentation conditions: substrate amount 0.5 (g/250 mL flask), NaNO3 0.5 (%), KH2PO4 0.3 (%), KCl 0.02 (%), MgSO4 · 7H2O 0.01 (%), CaCl2 0.01 (%), yeast extract 0.07 (%), FeSO4 · 7H2O 0.0002 (%), Tween 80 0.02 (%), (NH4)2SO4 0.3 (%), pH 6.5, temperature 25°C, moisture content 1 (mL/g dry substrate), inoculum size 0.5 (mL/g dry substrate), and incubation period 5 days.

Dry-Surface Simulation Method for the Determination of the Work of Adhesion of Solid-Liquid Interfaces.

PubMed

Leroy, Frédéric; Müller-Plathe, Florian

2015-08-04

We introduce a methodology, referred to as the dry-surface method, to calculate the work of adhesion of heterogeneous solid-liquid interfaces by molecular simulation. This method employs a straightforward thermodynamic integration approach to calculate the work of adhesion as the reversible work to turn off the attractive part of the actual solid-liquid interaction potential. It is formulated in such a way that it may be used either to evaluate the ability of force fields to reproduce reference values of the work of adhesion or to optimize force-field parameters with reference values of the work of adhesion as target quantities. The methodology is tested in the case of water on a generic model of nonpolar substrates with the structure of gold. It is validated through a quantitative comparison to phantom-wall calculations and against a previous characterization of the thermodynamics of the gold-water interface. It is found that the work of adhesion of water on nonpolar substrates is a nonlinear function of the microscopic solid-liquid interaction energy parameter. We also comment on the ability of mean-field approaches to predict the work of adhesion of water on nonpolar substrates. In addition, we discuss in detail the information on the solid-liquid interfacial thermodynamics delivered by the phantom-wall approach. We show that phantom-wall calculations yield the solid-liquid interfacial tension relative to the solid surface tension rather than the absolute solid-liquid interfacial tension as previously believed.

40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart Dddd of... - Initial Compliance Demonstrations for Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... furnish with an inlet moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate... criteria of a “dry rotary dryer” AND you have a record of the inlet moisture content and inlet dryer... an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight, dry basis) You meet the...

40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart Dddd of... - Initial Compliance Demonstrations for Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... furnish with an inlet moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate... criteria of a “dry rotary dryer” AND you have a record of the inlet moisture content and inlet dryer... an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight, dry basis) You meet the...

40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart Dddd of... - Initial Compliance Demonstrations for Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... furnish with an inlet moisture content less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry basis) AND operate... criteria of a “dry rotary dryer” AND you have a record of the inlet moisture content and inlet dryer... an inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight, dry basis) You meet the...

Effect of selected fungi on the reduction of gossypol levels and nutritional value during solid substrate fermentation of cottonseed meal*

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wen-ju; Xu, Zi-rong; Sun, Jian-yi; Yang, Xia

2006-01-01

The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of six individual strains of fungi on the reduction of gossypol levels and nutritional value during solid substrate fermentation of cottonseed meal (CSM). Six groups of disinfected CSM substrate were incubated for 48 h after inoculation with either of the fungi C. capsuligena ZD-1, C. tropicalis ZD-3, S. cerevisae ZD-5, A. terricola ZD-6, A. oryzae ZD-7, or A. niger ZD-8. One not inoculated group (substrate) was used as a control. Levels of initial and final free gossypol (FG), crude protein (CP), amino acids (AA) and in vitro digestibility were assayed. The experiment was done in triplicate. The experimental results indicated that microbial fermentation could greatly decrease (P<0.05) FG levels in CSM. The detoxification efficiency differed between the species of microorganisms applied. From the perspective of reducing CSM potential toxicity, C. tropicalis ZD-3 was most successful followed by S. cerevisae ZD-5 and A. niger ZD-8. They could reduce FG levels of CSM to 29.8, 63.07 and 81.50 mg/kg based on DM (dry matter), respectively, and their detoxification rates were 94.57%, 88.51% and 85.16%, respectively. If crude protein, amino acids content and their in vitro digestibility were also taken into account, A. niger ZD-8 may be the best choice. The CP content of CSM substrate fermented by C. tropicalis ZD-3 and A. niger ZD-8 were improved by 10.76% and 22.24%; the TAA (total amino acids) contents were increased by 7.06% and 11.46%, and the EAA (essential amino acids) were raised by 7.77% and 12.64%, respectively. Especially, the levels of methionine, lysine and threonine were improved greatly (P<0.05). The in vitro CP digestibility of CSM fermented by C. tropicalis ZD-3 and A. niger ZD-8 was improved by 13.42% and 18.22%, the TAA were increased by 17.75% and 22.88%, and the EAA by 16.61% and 21.01%, respectively. In addition, the in vitro digestibility of methionine, lysine and threonine was also improved greatly (P<0.05). PMID:16909468

Prolonged Culture of Aligned Skeletal Myotubes on Micromolded Gelatin Hydrogels

PubMed Central

Bettadapur, Archana; Suh, Gio C.; Geisse, Nicholas A.; Wang, Evelyn R.; Hua, Clara; Huber, Holly A.; Viscio, Alyssa A.; Kim, Joon Young; Strickland, Julie B.; McCain, Megan L.

2016-01-01

In vitro models of skeletal muscle are critically needed to elucidate disease mechanisms, identify therapeutic targets, and test drugs pre-clinically. However, culturing skeletal muscle has been challenging due to myotube delamination from synthetic culture substrates approximately one week after initiating differentiation from myoblasts. In this study, we successfully maintained aligned skeletal myotubes differentiated from C2C12 mouse skeletal myoblasts for three weeks by utilizing micromolded (μmolded) gelatin hydrogels as culture substrates, which we thoroughly characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Compared to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microcontact printed (μprinted) with fibronectin (FN), cell adhesion on gelatin hydrogel constructs was significantly higher one week and three weeks after initiating differentiation. Delamination from FN-μprinted PDMS precluded robust detection of myotubes. Compared to a softer blend of PDMS μprinted with FN, myogenic index, myotube width, and myotube length on μmolded gelatin hydrogels was similar one week after initiating differentiation. However, three weeks after initiating differentiation, these parameters were significantly higher on μmolded gelatin hydrogels compared to FN-μprinted soft PDMS constructs. Similar results were observed on isotropic versions of each substrate, suggesting that these findings are independent of substrate patterning. Our platform enables novel studies into skeletal muscle development and disease and chronic drug testing in vitro. PMID:27350122

Optimization of the Yield of Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (Higher Basidiomycetes), Cultivated on a Sunflower Seed Hull Substrate Produced in Argentina: Effect of Olive Oil and Copper.

PubMed

Bidegain, Maximiliano A; Cubitto, Maria Amelia; Curvetto, Nestor Raul

2015-01-01

Sunflower seed hulls were used as the main component of a solid substrate for the cultivation of the lingzhi or reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum. This study evaluated the effects of supplementing the substrate with olive oil and copper (II) on the mushroom production (MP) parameters and fruiting body total triterpenoid content. The addition of 1.5% olive oil increased total MP by 21.7% (dry basis) in 3 flushes. Copper (60 ppm) increased the daily productivity of the first flush (MP per day) by both reducing the time needed to harvest the crop and increasing the MP. However, the MP at the second and third flushes was reduced. When both supplements were combined, the MP at the first flush was 43% higher than with control treatment. No significant change in mushroom total triterpenoid content was observed by the addition of supplements to the substrate. An increase of 145-155% in the mushroom copper content was obtained by the addition of 60 ppm copper to the substrate. It is thus recommended to use substrate formulations containing both olive oil and copper (II) and harvest just the first flush.

Simulation of fluid flow and energy transport processes associated with high-level radioactive waste disposal in unsaturated alluvium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pollock, David W.

1986-01-01

Many parts of the Great Basin have thick zones of unsaturated alluvium which might be suitable for disposing of high-level radioactive wastes. A mathematical model accounting for the coupled transport of energy, water (vapor and liquid), and dry air was used to analyze one-dimensional, vertical transport above and below an areally extensive repository. Numerical simulations were conducted for a hypothetical repository containing spent nuclear fuel and located 100 m below land surface. Initial steady state downward water fluxes of zero (hydrostatic) and 0.0003 m yr−1were considered in an attempt to bracket the likely range in natural water flux. Predicted temperatures within the repository peaked after approximately 50 years and declined slowly thereafter in response to the decreasing intensity of the radioactive heat source. The alluvium near the repository experienced a cycle of drying and rewetting in both cases. The extent of the dry zone was strongly controlled by the mobility of liquid water near the repository under natural conditions. In the case of initial hydrostatic conditions, the dry zone extended approximately 10 m above and 15 m below the repository. For the case of a natural flux of 0.0003 m yr−1 the relative permeability of water near the repository was initially more than 30 times the value under hydrostatic conditions, consequently the dry zone extended only about 2 m above and 5 m below the repository. In both cases a significant perturbation in liquid saturation levels persisted for several hundred years. This analysis illustrates the extreme sensitivity of model predictions to initial conditions and parameters, such as relative permeability and moisture characteristic curves, that are often poorly known.

Biofuel feedstock and blended coproducts compared with deoiled corn distillers grains in feedlot diets: Effects on cattle growth performance, apparent total tract nutrient digestibility, and carcass characteristics.

PubMed

Opheim, T L; Campanili, P R B; Lemos, B J M; Ovinge, L A; Baggerman, J O; McCuistion, K C; Galyean, M L; Sarturi, J O; Trojan, S J

2016-01-01

Crossbred steers (British × Continental; = 192; initial BW 391 ± 28 kg) were used to evaluate the effects of feeding ethanol coproducts on feedlot cattle growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, and carcass characteristics. Steers were blocked by initial BW and assigned randomly to 1 of 6 dietary treatments within block. Treatments (replicated in 8 pens with 4 steers/pen) included 1) control, steam-flaked corn-based diet (CTL), 2) corn dried distillers grains with solubles (DGS; DRY-C), 3) deoiled corn dried DGS (DRY-CLF), 4) blended 50/50 corn/sorghum dried DGS (DRY-C/S), 5) sorghum dried DGS (DRY-S), and 6) sorghum wet DGS (WET-S). Inclusion of DGS was 25% (DM basis). The DGS diets were isonitrogenous, CTL was formulated for 13.5% CP, and all diets were balanced for ether extract. Final shrunk BW, ADG, and DMI did not differ among CTL and DGS treatments ( ≥ 0.19). Overall G:F did not differ from CTL for DRY-C, DRY-CLF, or WET-S ( ≥ 0.12); however, G:F was 9.6% less for DRY-S compared with CTL ( < 0.01) and tended ( = 0.09) to be less for DRY-C/S than CTL. For grain source, ADG and G:F were less for DRY-S vs. DRY-C ( < 0.05), but blending DRY-C/S tended ( = 0.07) to increase ADG and increased ( = 0.05) carcass-adjusted G:F vs. DRY-S. For WET-S, final BW and ADG were greater ( < 0.05), and G:F tended ( = 0.06) to be greater than for DRY-S. There was no difference in ADG, DMI, or G:F of steers fed DRY-C vs. DRY-CLF ( ≥ 0.35). Apparent DM and OM digestibility did not differ for CTL, DRY-C, DRY-CLF, and WET-S ( ≥ 0.30) but were lower for DRY-C/S and DRY-S ( < 0.05). Nutrient digestibility was lower for DRY-S vs. DRY-C ( < 0.01), but apparent digestibility of OM, DM, NDF, ADF, CP, ether extract, and starch were increased ( < 0.01) for DRY-C/S vs. DRY-S. Although starch digestibility did not differ between DRY-S and WET-S ( 0.18), digestibility of other measured nutrients was greater for WET-S vs. DRY-S ( < 0.01). Ether extract digestibility was greater for DRY-CLF vs. DRY-C ( < 0.05). Carcass weight, dressing percent, and marbling score did not differ between CTL and DGS diets ( ≥ 0.23). For DRY-S, HCW was lower than for DRY-C ( = 0.02); however, compared with DRY-S, HCW tended to be greater for DRY-C/S ( = 0.10) and WET-S ( = 0.07). At a moderately high (25% DM) inclusion, blending C/S or feeding WET-S resulted in cattle growth performance and carcass characteristics similar to those of CTL and corn-based coproducts.

40 CFR 60.732 - Standards for particulate matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... particulate matter in excess of 0.092 gram per dry standard cubic meter (g/dscm) [0.040 grain per dry standard... § 60.8 is completed, but not later than 180 days after the initial startup, whichever date comes first...

Base Release and Modification in Solid-Phase DNA Exposed to Low-Energy Electrons.

PubMed

Choofong, Surakarn; Cloutier, Pierre; Sanche, Léon; Wagner, J Richard

2016-11-01

Ionization generates a large number of secondary low-energy electrons (LEEs) with a most probable energy of approximately 10 eV, which can break DNA bonds by dissociative electron attachment (DEA) and lead to DNA damage. In this study, we investigated radiation damage to dry DNA induced by X rays (1.5 keV) alone on a glass substrate or X rays combined with extra LEEs (average energy of 5.8 eV) emitted from a tantalum (Ta) substrate under an atmosphere of N 2 and standard ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. The targets included calf-thymus DNA and double-stranded synthetic oligonucleotides. We developed analytical methods to measure the release of non-modified DNA bases from DNA and the formation of several base modifications by LC-MS/MS with isotopic dilution for precise quantification. The results show that the yield of non-modified bases as well as base modifications increase by 20-30% when DNA is deposited on a Ta substrate compared to that on a glass substrate. The order of base release (Gua > Ade > Thy ∼ Cyt) agrees well with several theoretical studies indicating that Gua is the most susceptible site toward sugar-phosphate cleavage. The formation of DNA damage by LEEs is explained by DEA leading to the release of non-modified bases involving the initial cleavage of N1-C1', C3'-O3' or C5'-O5' bonds. The yield of base modifications was lower than the release of non-modified bases. The main LEE-induced base modifications include 5,6-dihydrothymine (5,6-dHT), 5,6-dihydrouracil (5-dHU), 5-hydroxymethyluracil (5-HmU) and 5-formyluracil (5-ForU). The formation of base modifications by LEEs can be explained by DEA and cleavage of the C-H bond of the methyl group of Thy (giving 5-HmU and 5-ForU) and by secondary reactions of H atoms and hydride anions that are generated by primary LEE reactions followed by subsequent reaction with Cyt and Thy (giving 5,6-dHU and 5,6-dHT).

The role of burrowing sponges in bioerosion.

PubMed

Rützler, Klaus

1975-09-01

Among the large number of limestone-eroding organisms, sponges, mainly of the family Clinonidae are of special interest because of their efficient means of substratum penetration by cellular etching and because they release characteristically shaped calcium carbonate chips which can be detected in the mud-size fraction of many sediments. Identifiable trace fossils and sediments are of great ecological and paleoecological significance.As new data on the excavating mechanism have become available, the questions of burrowing rates and sediment production have gained importance. Extrapolation from shortterm experiments (under 6 months) on substrate invasion are inconclusive because of high initial penetration rates resulting from mechanical stimulation and lack of competition. New experiments show that the rate curve flattens after 6 months and that optimum longterm erosion of CaCO 3 does not exceed 700 mg m -2 year -1 (Cliona lampa and C. aprica). Substrate limitations and competition will further reduce this rate.By monitoring the production of CaCO 3 chips by Cliona lampa, it was possible to link activity patterns to certain environmental factors. Mechanical stimuli, high light intensity, strong currents and, possibly, low temperature seem to accelerate the burrowing process. Sponge-generated chips can make up over 40% of coral mud when deposited in the current shadow of the reef framework.Using transect counts and sponge area-biomass conversion factors, the mean abundance of burrowing sponges on the Bermuda platform could be calculated. On suitable hard bottom substrates it averages 16 g dry weight per m 2 . From this value the burrowing potential of sponges can be estimated as 256 g CaCO 3 per m 2 substrate per year. Since 97-98% of the eroded limestone remains in particulate form, the contribution of fine sediments can amount to 250 g m -2 year -1 .Attention is called to the fact that erosion rates by burrowers can not directly be compared with those of borers or scrapers. The former are intermittent and their activities are affected by environmental and biological interactions, while activities of the latter are rather constant and guided by the need for food.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Polymeric Drug Delivery Systems in Breast Cancer Solid Tumors

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-01

isothiocyanatobenzyl-1,4,7,10 tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10 tetraacetic acid (p-SCN-Bz-DOTA) in dry dimethylsulfoxide ( DMSO ). The p-SCN-Bz-DOTA was...acetone / DMSO using AIBN as the initiator. The ratio of monomers: initiator: solvent in the feed were kept constant at 12.5: 0.6: 86.9 (weight...aminopropylmethacrylamide) (APMA) with p-isothiocyanatobenzyl-1,4,7,10 tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10 tetraacetic acid (p-SCN-Bz-DOTA) in dry dimethylsulfoxide ( DMSO

Physicochemical structural changes of cellulosic substrates during enzymatic saccharification

DOE PAGES

Meng, Xianzhi; Yoo, Chang Geun; Li, Mi; ...

2016-12-30

Enzymatic hydrolysis represents one of the major steps and barriers in the commercialization process of converting cellulosic substrates into biofuels and other value added products. It is usually achieved by a synergistic action of enzyme mixture typically consisting of multiple enzymes such as glucanase, cellobiohydrolase and β-glucosidase with different mode of actions. Due to the innate biomass recalcitrance, enzymatic hydrolysis normally starts with an initial fast rate of hydrolysis followed by a rapid decrease of rate toward the end of hydrolysis. With majority of literature studies focusing on the effect of key substrate characteristics on the initial rate or finalmore » yield of enzymatic hydrolysis, information about physicochemical structural changes of cellulosic substrates during enzymatic hydrolysis is still quite limited. Consequently, what slows down the reaction rate toward the end of hydrolysis is not well understood. Lastly, this review highlights recent advances in understanding the structural changes of cellulosic substrates during the hydrolysis process, to better understand the fundamental mechanisms of enzymatic hydrolysis.« less

Physicochemical structural changes of cellulosic substrates during enzymatic saccharification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meng, Xianzhi; Yoo, Chang Geun; Li, Mi

Enzymatic hydrolysis represents one of the major steps and barriers in the commercialization process of converting cellulosic substrates into biofuels and other value added products. It is usually achieved by a synergistic action of enzyme mixture typically consisting of multiple enzymes such as glucanase, cellobiohydrolase and β-glucosidase with different mode of actions. Due to the innate biomass recalcitrance, enzymatic hydrolysis normally starts with an initial fast rate of hydrolysis followed by a rapid decrease of rate toward the end of hydrolysis. With majority of literature studies focusing on the effect of key substrate characteristics on the initial rate or finalmore » yield of enzymatic hydrolysis, information about physicochemical structural changes of cellulosic substrates during enzymatic hydrolysis is still quite limited. Consequently, what slows down the reaction rate toward the end of hydrolysis is not well understood. Lastly, this review highlights recent advances in understanding the structural changes of cellulosic substrates during the hydrolysis process, to better understand the fundamental mechanisms of enzymatic hydrolysis.« less

Substrate stiffness governs the initiation of B cell activation by the concerted signaling of PKCβ and focal adhesion kinase

PubMed Central

Shaheen, Samina; Wan, Zhengpeng; Li, Zongyu; Chau, Alicia; Li, Xinxin; Zhang, Shaosen; Liu, Yang; Yi, Junyang; Zeng, Yingyue; Wang, Jing; Chen, Xiangjun; Xu, Liling; Chen, Wei; Wang, Fei; Lu, Yun; Zheng, Wenjie; Shi, Yan; Sun, Xiaolin; Li, Zhanguo; Xiong, Chunyang; Liu, Wanli

2017-01-01

The mechanosensing ability of lymphocytes regulates their activation in response to antigen stimulation, but the underlying mechanism remains unexplored. Here, we report that B cell mechanosensing-governed activation requires BCR signaling molecules. PMA-induced activation of PKCβ can bypass the Btk and PLC-γ2 signaling molecules that are usually required for B cells to discriminate substrate stiffness. Instead, PKCβ-dependent activation of FAK is required, leading to FAK-mediated potentiation of B cell spreading and adhesion responses. FAK inactivation or deficiency impaired B cell discrimination of substrate stiffness. Conversely, adhesion molecules greatly enhanced this capability of B cells. Lastly, B cells derived from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients exhibited an altered BCR response to substrate stiffness in comparison with healthy controls. These results provide a molecular explanation of how initiation of B cell activation discriminates substrate stiffness through a PKCβ-mediated FAK activation dependent manner. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23060.001 PMID:28755662

Animal and robot experiments to discover principles behind the evolution of a minimal locomotor apparatus for robust legged locomotion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McInroe, Benjamin; Astley, Henry; Kawano, Sandy; Blob, Richard; Goldman, Daniel I.

2015-03-01

In the evolutionary transition from an aquatic to a terrestrial environment, early walkers adapted to the challenges of locomotion on complex, flowable substrates (e.g. sand and mud). Our previous biological and robotic studies have demonstrated that locomotion on such substrates is sensitive to both limb morphology and kinematics. Although reconstructions of early vertebrate skeletal morphologies exist, the kinematic strategies required for successful locomotion by these organisms have not yet been explored. To gain insight into how early walkers contended with complex substrates, we developed a robotic model with appendage morphology inspired by a model analog organism, the mudskipper. We tested mudskippers and the robot on different substrates, including rigid ground and dry granular media, varying incline angle. The mudskippers moved effectively on all level substrates using a fin-driven gait. But as incline angle increased, the animals used their tails in concert with their fins to generate propulsion. Adding an actuated tail to the robot improved robustness, making possible locomotion on otherwise inaccessible inclines. With these discoveries, we are elucidating a minimal template that may have allowed the early walkers to adapt to locomotion on land. This work was supported by NSF PoLS.

Dewatering and granulation of sewage sludge by biophysical drying and thermo-degradation performance of prepared sludge particles during succedent fast pyrolysis.

PubMed

Han, Rong; Liu, Jinwen; Zhang, Yuancheng; Fan, Xiaoqian; Lu, Wenjing; Wang, Hongtao

2012-03-01

A novel two-step technology, fast biophysical drying (BPD) coupling with fast pyrolysis (FP), was investigated for moisture removal and energy recovery from sewage sludge. For BPD, combined operations of extreme thermophilic amendment (with accelerated increasing and controllable maintenance of substrate temperature) and enhanced convective evaporation were conducted, both beneficial for moisture removal (moisture content reaching 23.1% for 7d) and organic preservation. Biophysical-dried sludge (BPDS) was characterized by homogeneous fine-particle morphology and well-developed porous microstructure. The synthesized BPDS particle preserved most organic components (92% volatile matters and 79% HHV of traditional thermal-dried sludge [TTDS]) attributable to the inhibitory effect of BPD adjustment, presenting considerable capacity for subsequent residue-derived energy. For FP, the distribution of products from BPDS pyrolysis indicated that syngas and char yields were higher than those of TTDS. The syngas from BPDS is a type of hydrogen-rich gas composed of 42.6 vol.% H(2) at 900°C. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unprecedented covalently attached ATRP initiator onto OH-functionalized mica surfaces.

PubMed

Lego, Béatrice; Skene, W G; Giasson, Suzanne

2008-01-15

Mica substrates were activated by a plasma method leading to OH-functionalized surfaces to which an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) radical initiator was covalently bound using standard siloxane protocols. The unprecedented covalently immobilized initiator underwent radical polymerization with tert-butyl acrylate, yielding for the first time end-grafted polymer brushes that are covalently linked to mica. The initiator grafting on the mica substrate was confirmed by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), while the change in the water contact angle of the OH-activated mica surface was used to follow the change in surface coverage of the initiator on the surface. The polymer brush and initiator film thicknesses relative to the virgin mica were confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). This was done by comparing the atomic step-height difference between a protected area of freshly cleaved mica and a zone exposed to plasma activation, initiator immobilization, and then ATRP.

An algorithm for temperature correcting substrate moisture measurements: aligning substrate moisture responses with environmental drivers in polytunnel-grown strawberry plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodchild, Martin; Janes, Stuart; Jenkins, Malcolm; Nicholl, Chris; Kühn, Karl

2015-04-01

The aim of this work is to assess the use of temperature corrected substrate moisture data to improve the relationship between environmental drivers and the measurement of substrate moisture content in high porosity soil-free growing environments such as coir. Substrate moisture sensor data collected from strawberry plants grown in coir bags installed in a table-top system under a polytunnel illustrates the impact of temperature on capacitance-based moisture measurements. Substrate moisture measurements made in our coir arrangement possess the negative temperature coefficient of the permittivity of water where diurnal changes in moisture content oppose those of substrate temperature. The diurnal substrate temperature variation was seen to range from 7° C to 25° C resulting in a clearly observable temperature effect in substrate moisture content measurements during the 23 day test period. In the laboratory we measured the ML3 soil moisture sensor (ThetaProbe) response to temperature in Air, dry glass beads and water saturated glass beads and used a three-phase alpha (α) mixing model, also known as the Complex Refractive Index Model (CRIM), to derive the permittivity temperature coefficients for glass and water. We derived the α value and estimated the temperature coefficient for water - for sensors operating at 100MHz. Both results are good agreement with published data. By applying the CRIM equation with the temperature coefficients of glass and water the moisture temperature coefficient of saturated glass beads has been reduced by more than an order of magnitude to a moisture temperature coefficient of

A general correction to initial rates determined for nonprocessive exo-depolymerases acting on both substrate and product

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We recently reported on the kinetics of the polygalacturonase TtGH28 acting on trimer and dimer substrates. When the starting substrate for hydrolysis is the trimer, the product dimer is also subject to hydrolysis, resulting in discrepancies when either the concentration of dimer or monomer product ...

ANAEROBIC BIOTRANSFORMATION OF 2,4-DINITROTOLUENE WITH ETHANOL AS PRIMARY SUBSTRATE: MUTUAL EFFECT OF THE SUBSTRATES ON THEIR BIOTRANSFORMATION

EPA Science Inventory

The effect of the initial concentration of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) on its biotransformation and on the microbial utilization of ethanol was investigated. The culture used in this study was acclimated in a continuous flow laboratory fermentor with 2,4-DNT and ethanol as substrat...

Nanoparticle assembly on patterned "plus/minus" surfaces from electrospray of colloidal dispersion.

PubMed

Lenggoro, I Wuled; Lee, Hye Moon; Okuyama, Kikuo

2006-11-01

Selective deposition of metal (Au) and oxide (SiO2) nanoparticles with a size range of 10-30 nm on patterned silicon-silicon oxide substrate was performed using the electrospray method. Electrical charging characteristics of particles produced by the electrospray and patterned area created by contact charging of the electrical conductor with non- or semi-conductors were investigated. Colloidal droplets were electrosprayed and subsequently dried as individual nanoparticles which then were deposited on substrates, and observed using field emission-scanning electron microscopy. The number of elementary charge units on particles generated by the electrospray was 0.4-148, and patterned area created by contact charging contained sufficient negative charges to attract multiple charged particles. Locations where nanoparticles were (reversibly) deposited depended on voltage polarity applied to the spraying colloidal droplet and the substrate, and the existence of additional ions such as those from a stabilizer.

Laser-assisted simultaneous transfer and patterning of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays on polymer substrates for flexible devices.

PubMed

In, Jung Bin; Lee, Daeho; Fornasiero, Francesco; Noy, Aleksandr; Grigoropoulos, Costas P

2012-09-25

We demonstrate a laser-assisted dry transfer technique for assembling patterns of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays on a flexible polymeric substrate. A laser beam is applied to the interface of a nanotube array and a polycarbonate sheet in contact with one another. The absorbed laser heat promotes nanotube adhesion to the polymer in the irradiated regions and enables selective pattern transfer. A combination of the thermal transfer mechanism with rapid direct writing capability of focused laser beam irradiation allows us to achieve simultaneous material transfer and direct micropatterning in a single processing step. Furthermore, we demonstrate that malleability of the nanotube arrays transferred onto a flexible substrate enables post-transfer tailoring of electric conductance by collapsing the aligned nanotubes in different directions. This work suggests that the laser-assisted transfer technique provides an efficient route to using vertically aligned nanotubes as conductive elements in flexible device applications.

Super-hydrophobic Silver-Doped TiO2 @ Polycarbonate Coatings Created on Various Material Substrates with Visible-Light Photocatalysis for Self-Cleaning Contaminant Degradation.

PubMed

Li, Zhengjian; Sun, Zongzhao; Duan, Zhiqiang; Li, Rui; Yang, Yanli; Wang, Jingyi; Lv, Xiaoxia; Qi, Wei; Wang, Hua

2017-02-20

In the present work, a facile and efficient fabrication method has been developed for creating super-hydrophobic coatings of silver-doped TiO 2 @polycarbonate (TiO 2 (Ag)@PC) on the substrates of different materials with photocatalytic self-cleaning performances simply by the "dipping and drying" process. The substrates were first patterned with glue and then deposited with the dopamine-capped TiO 2 (Ag)@PC (DA-TiO 2 (Ag)@PC) nanocomposites, followed by the further etching with dimethylbenzene. The so prepared super-hydrophobic E-DA-TiO 2 (Ag)@PC coatings could present the lotus leaf-like porous architectures, high adhesion stability, and especially the visible-light photocatalysis for organic contaminant degradation, thus promising the wide outdoor and indoor applications like water proofing, metal erosion protection, and surface self-cleaning.

Effect of substrate interaction on the degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene by Rhodococcus sp.

PubMed

Lee, Eun-Hee; Cho, Kyung-Suk

2009-08-15

It was examined the substrate interactions of benzene (B), tolulene (T), ethylbenzene (E), xylene (X), and methyl tert-butyl ether (M) in binary, ternary, quaternary, and quinary mixtures by Rhodococcus sp. EH831 that could aerobically degrade all of five single components. The specific degradation rates (SDRs) of B, T, E, X, and M were 234, 913, 131, 184 and 139 micromol g-dry cell weight (DCW)(-1)h(-1), respectively. In binary, ternary, quaternary, and quinary mixtures of them, ethylbenzene was the strongest inhibitor for the other substrates, and methyl tert-butyl ether was the weakest inhibitor. Interestingly, no degradation of benzene and methyl tert-butyl ether was found in the coexistence of ethylbenzene. The degradation of benzene followed only after toluene became exhausted when both was present. Ethylbenzene was least inhibited by methyl tert-butyl ether and most inhibited by toluene.

Dislocation-free strained silicon-on-silicon by in-place bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, G. M.; Mooney, P. M.; Paruchuri, V. K.; Hovel, H. J.

2005-06-01

In-place bonding is a technique where silicon-on-insulator (SOI) slabs are bonded by hydrophobic attraction to the underlying silicon substrate when the buried oxide is undercut in dilute HF. The bonding between the exposed surfaces of the SOI slab and the substrate propagates simultaneously with the buried oxide etching. As a result, the slabs maintain their registration and are referred to as "bonded in-place". We report the fabrication of dislocation-free strained silicon slabs from pseudomorphic trilayer Si/SiGe/SOI by in-place bonding. Removal of the buried oxide allows the compressively strained SiGe film to relax elastically and induce tensile strain in the top and bottom silicon films. The slabs remain bonded to the substrate by van der Waals forces when the wafer is dried. Subsequent annealing forms a covalent bond such that when the upper Si and the SiGe layer are removed, the bonded silicon slab remains strained.

The Study of Interpenetration Length between dPS Films and PS-grafted Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hoyeon; Jo, Seongjun; Hirata, Toyoaki; Yamada, Norifumi L.; Tanaka, Keiji; Ryu, Du Yeol

In polymer thin film system, the type of interfacial interaction is a critical parameter to determining the thermal and physical properties of polymer films. Interestingly, the interfacial energy of grafted substrates with polymer chains is remarkably altered by simply controlling grafting density, which has been referred to as autophobicity. In this study, we investigated the interpenetrating interfaces between deuterated polystyrene (dPS) and grafted substrates with the same chemical identity. PS-grafted substrates were prepared using a grafting-to approach with hydroxyl end-functionalized polystyrene (PSOH) in a dry brush regime, where the brush thickness and grafting density were determined based on the chain length (or molecular weight, Mn) of PSOHs. The interpenetration lengths (ξ) at interfaces between dPS and PS-grafted layers were characterized using neutron reflectivity (NR) measurements (performed at the SOFIA beam-line at J-PARC, Japan). Academic adviser.

Catalytic growth of carbon nanofibers on Cr nanoparticles on a carbon substrate: adsorbents for organic dyes in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Oliveira, Luiz Carlos Alves; da Silva, Adilson Cândido; Machado, Alan Rodrigues Teixeira; Diniz, Renata; Pereira, Márcio César

2013-05-01

We have produced carbon nanofibers (CNFs) using leather waste that had been tanned with a chromium bath, and when dried contained Cr2O3. Suitable reduction processing produced a carbon substrate with supported nanoparticles of chromium metal. Powder X-ray diffraction showed that the Cr2O3 is reduced on the carbon surface to produce CrC and metal Cr, which is the effective catalyst for the CNFs growth. The CNF arrays were confirmed by TEM images. Raman data revealed that the synthesized CNFs have a poor-quality graphite structure which favors their use in adsorption processes. These CNFs presented higher affinity to adsorb anionic dyes, whereas the cationic dyes are better adsorbed on the carbon substrate. The low-cost and availability of the carbon precursor makes their potential use to produce CNFs of interest.

Water-Based Peeling of Thin Hydrophobic Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khodaparast, Sepideh; Boulogne, François; Poulard, Christophe; Stone, Howard A.

2017-10-01

Inks of permanent markers and waterproof cosmetics create elastic thin films upon application on a surface. Such adhesive materials are deliberately designed to exhibit water-repellent behavior. Therefore, patterns made up of these inks become resistant to moisture and cannot be cleaned by water after drying. However, we show that sufficiently slow dipping of such elastic films, which are adhered to a substrate, into a bath of pure water allows for complete removal of the hydrophobic coatings. Upon dipping, the air-water interface in the bath forms a contact line on the substrate, which exerts a capillary-induced peeling force at the edge of the hydrophobic thin film. We highlight that this capillary peeling process is more effective at lower velocities of the air-liquid interface and lower viscosities. Capillary peeling not only removes such thin films from the substrate but also transfers them flawlessly onto the air-water interface.

Effect of initial moisture content on performance of hardwood pallets.

Treesearch

Daniel E. Dunmire

1966-01-01

Four years of service testing 90 red oak pallets showed that those made with predrilled air-dry deckboards and green stringers gave better service and cost less to maintain than pallets made entirely from either green or air-dry lumber.

29 CFR 1910.157 - Portable fire extinguishers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... extinguisher to rupture the cartridge or to initiate an uncontrollable pressure generating chemical reaction to... stored pressure dry chemical extinguishers that require a 12-year hydrostatic test are emptied and subjected to applicable maintenance procedures every 6 years. Dry chemical extinguishers having non...

29 CFR 1910.157 - Portable fire extinguishers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... extinguisher to rupture the cartridge or to initiate an uncontrollable pressure generating chemical reaction to... stored pressure dry chemical extinguishers that require a 12-year hydrostatic test are emptied and subjected to applicable maintenance procedures every 6 years. Dry chemical extinguishers having non...

29 CFR 1910.157 - Portable fire extinguishers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... extinguisher to rupture the cartridge or to initiate an uncontrollable pressure generating chemical reaction to... stored pressure dry chemical extinguishers that require a 12-year hydrostatic test are emptied and subjected to applicable maintenance procedures every 6 years. Dry chemical extinguishers having non...

29 CFR 1910.157 - Portable fire extinguishers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... extinguisher to rupture the cartridge or to initiate an uncontrollable pressure generating chemical reaction to... stored pressure dry chemical extinguishers that require a 12-year hydrostatic test are emptied and subjected to applicable maintenance procedures every 6 years. Dry chemical extinguishers having non...

Ground Node

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-30

Node deployment. Original plans were to deploy directly to Fort Jefferson on Dry Tortugas (near Key West, FL). Current plans are to initially deploy...to the USCG Station on Ismoralda Key for training operations; then deploy at a to-be- determined date to Fort Jefferson on Dry Tortugas . During FY09...Dry Tortugas . NRL expects to deliver the Ground Node to Ismoralda Key in October 2009. FY09 continued the third year of providing Ground

Effect of operational factors on bioregeneration of binary phenol and 4-chlorophenol-loaded granular activated carbon using PVA-immobilized biomass cryogels.

PubMed

Leong, Kwok-Yii; Adnan, Rohana; Lim, Poh-Eng; Ng, Si-Ling; Seng, Chye-Eng

2017-09-01

The effects of dry biomass density in cryogel beads, shaking speed and initial concentration ratio of phenol to 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) on the bioregeneration efficiencies of binary phenol and 4-CP-loaded granular activated carbon (GAC) for phenol and 4-CP, respectively, were investigated under the simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation approach. The results revealed higher bioregeneration efficiencies of binary-loaded GAC for phenol and 4-CP at higher dry biomass density but moderate shaking speed. The optimum dry biomass density in cryogel beads and shaking speed for use in bioregeneration were found to be 0.01 g/mL and 250 rpm, respectively. With respect to the initial phenol to 4-CP concentration ratio, the bioregeneration efficiencies were lower under increasing phenol and 4-CP initial concentrations, respectively, with the effect being more conspicuous under increasing 4-CP concentration. Higher bioregeneration efficiencies were achieved with the use of immobilized rather than suspended biomasses.

Method and composition in which metal hydride particles are embedded in a silica network

DOEpatents

Heung, Leung K.

1999-01-01

A silica embedded metal hydride composition and a method for making such a composition. The composition is made via the following process: A quantity of fumed silica is blended with water to make a paste. After adding metal hydride particles, the paste is dried to form a solid. According to one embodiment of the invention, the solid is ground into granules for use of the product in hydrogen storage. Alternatively, the paste can be molded into plates or cylinders and then dried for use of the product as a hydrogen filter. Where mechanical strength is required, the paste can be impregnated in a porous substrate or wire network.

Ordered Array of Gold Nanoparticles Promoted by Functional Peptides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsukawa, Nozomu; Yamashita, Ichiro

2011-05-01

It was successfully demonstrated that 5-nm-diameter gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with 15% size distribution, the surface of which was modified by the synthesized peptides composed of the carbonaceous material affinity peptide (NHBP-1), linker of 11 amino acids and C-terminal cysteine, self-assembled into a two-dimensional (2D) ordered array on a silicon substrate in a spin drying process. NHBP-1 generated an attractive force large enough for the GNP to make 2D collections of GNPs in the course of the spin drying process, and the long linker of 11 amino acids cancelled out the ill effect of size distribution of GNP on the 2D ordered array formation.

Mechanism of papain-catalyzed synthesis of oligo-tyrosine peptides.

PubMed

Mitsuhashi, Jun; Nakayama, Tsutomu; Narai-Kanayama, Asako

2015-01-01

Di-, tri-, and tetra-tyrosine peptides with angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activity were synthesized by papain-catalyzed polymerization of L-tyrosine ethyl ester in aqueous media at 30 °C. Varying the reaction pH from 6.0 to 7.5 and the initial concentration of the ester substrate from 25 to 100 mM, the highest yield of oligo-tyrosine peptides (79% on a substrate basis) was produced at pH 6.5 and 75 mM, respectively. In the reaction initiated with 100 mM of the substrate, approx. 50% yield of insoluble, highly polymerized peptides accumulated. At less than 15 mM, the reaction proceeded poorly; however, from 30 mM to 120 mM a dose-dependent increase in the consumption rate of the substrate was observed with a sigmoidal curve. Meanwhile, each of the tri- and tetra-tyrosine peptides, even at approx. 5mM, was consumed effectively by papain but was not elongated to insoluble polymers. For deacylation of the acyl-papain intermediate through which a new peptide bond is made, L-tyrosine ethyl ester, even at 5mM, showed higher nucleophilic activity than di- and tri-tyrosine. These results indicate that the mechanism through which papain polymerizes L-tyrosine ethyl ester is as follows: the first interaction between papain and the ester substrate is a rate-limiting step; oligo-tyrosine peptides produced early in the reaction period are preferentially used as acyl donors, while the initial ester substrate strongly contributes as a nucleophile to the elongation of the peptide product; and the balance between hydrolytic fragmentation and further elongation of oligo-tyrosine peptides is dependent on the surrounding concentration of the ester substrate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of tooth substrate and porcelain thickness on porcelain veneer failure loads in vitro.

PubMed

Ge, Chunling; Green, Chad C; Sederstrom, Dalene A; McLaren, Edward A; Chalfant, James A; White, Shane N

2017-12-19

Bonded porcelain veneers are widely used esthetic restorations. High success and survival rates have been reported, but failures do occur. Fractures are the commonest failure mode. Minimally invasive or thin veneers have gained popularity. Increased enamel and porcelain thickness improve the strength of veneers bonded to enamel, but less is known about dentin or mixed substrates. The purpose of this in vitro study was to measure the influences of tooth substrate type (all-enamel, all-dentin, or half-dentin-half-enamel) and veneer thickness on the loads needed to cause initial and catastrophic porcelain veneer failure. Model discoid porcelain veneer specimens of varying thicknesses were bonded to the flattened facial surfaces of incisors with different enamel and dentin tooth substrates, artificially aged, and loaded to failure with a small sphere. Initial and catastrophic fracture events were identified and analyzed statistically and fractographically. Fracture events included initial Hertzian cracks, intermediate radial cracks, and catastrophic gross failure. All specimens retained some porcelain after catastrophic failure. Cement failure occurred at the cement-porcelain interface not at the cement-tooth interface. Porcelain veneers bonded to enamel were substantially stronger and more damage-tolerant than those bonded to dentin or mixed substrates. Increased porcelain thickness substantially raised the loads to catastrophic failure on enamel substrates but only moderately raised the loads to catastrophic failure on dentin or mixed substrates. The veneers bonded to half-dentin-half-enamel behaved remarkably like those bonded wholly to dentin. Porcelain veneers bonded to enamel were substantially stronger and more damage-tolerant than those bonded to dentin or half-enamel-half dentin. Copyright © 2017 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct spray drying and microencapsulation of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri from slurry fermentation with whey.

PubMed

Jantzen, M; Göpel, A; Beermann, C

2013-10-01

Formulations of dietary probiotics have to be robust against process conditions and have to maintain a sufficient survival rate during gastric transit. To increase efficiency of the encapsulation process and the viability of applied bacteria, this study aimed at developing spray drying and encapsulation of Lactobacillus reuteri with whey directly from slurry fermentation. Lactobacillus reuteri was cultivated in watery 20% (w/v) whey solution with or without 0·5% (w/v) yeast extract supplementation in a submerged slurry fermentation. Growth enhancement with supplement was observed. Whey slurry containing c. 10(9)  CFU g(-1) bacteria was directly spray-dried. Cell counts in achieved products decreased by 2 log cycles after drying and 1 log cycle during 4 weeks of storage. Encapsulated bacteria were distinctively released in intestinal milieu. Survival rate of encapsulated bacteria was 32% higher compared with nonencapsulated ones exposed to artificial digestive juice. Probiotic L. reuteri proliferate in slurry fermentation with yeast-supplemented whey and enable a direct spray drying in whey. The resulting microcapsules remain stable during storage and reveal adequate survival in simulated gastric juices and a distinct release in intestinal juices. Exploiting whey as a bacterial substrate and encapsulation matrix within a coupled fermentation and spray-drying process offers an efficient option for industrial production of vital probiotics. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Effects of drying temperature on tomato-based thin film as self-powered UV photodetector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thu, Myo Myo; Mastuda, Atsunori; Cheong, Kuan Yew

2018-07-01

In this work, tomato thin-film is used as an active natural organic layer for UV photodetector. The effects of drying temperature (60-140 °C) on structural, chemical, electrical and UV sensing properties of tomato thin-film have been investigated. The photodetector consists of a glass substrate/tomato thin-film active layer/interdigitated aluminium electrode structure. As the drying temperature increases, surface and density of tomato thin-film is smoother and denser with thinner physical thickness. Chemical functional groups as a function of drying temperature is evaluated and correlated with the electrical property of thin film. A comparison between dark and UV (B and C) illumination with respect to the electrical property has been revealed and the observation has been linked to the active chemical compounds that controlling antioxidant activity in the tomato. By drying the tomato thin-film at 120°C, a self-powered (V = 0 V) photodetector that is able to selectively detecting UV-C can be obtained with external quantum efficiency (η) of 2.53 × 10-7%. While drying it at 140 °C, the detector is better in detecting UV-B when operating at either 5 or -5 V with η of 7.7384 × 10-6% and 8.87 × 10-6%, respectively. The typical response time for raising and falling for all samples are less than 0.3 s.

Structural variability and species diversity of a dwarf Caribbean dry forest

Treesearch

E. Medina; E. Cuevas; S. Molina; A.E. Lugo; O. Ramos

2010-01-01

Low stature woody vegetation of the south-west coast of Puerto Rico grows on a rocky calcareous substrate where plants can only root in holes, cracks, and crevices accumulating water and sediments that allow seed germination and seedling development. Being in a coastal location these communities are influenced by steady onshore winds, high solar radiation, and salt...

How Should Dry Lightning be Defined to Best to Correlate to Wildfire Initiation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vant-Hull, B.; Koshak, W. J.

2017-12-01

Dry lightning can be defined by a maximum precipitation threshold, a dry period preceding a flash, and the spatial resolution used to relate a lightning flash to precipitation. Using data from most of CONUS from 2003-2015, the annual total of wildfires was compared to the annual number of dry flashes, with dry flash parameters adjusted to maximize the correlation between annual totals throughout the time period. A maximum correlation of 0.93 was found for a dry period of 36 hours, with no precipitation rates above 0.2 mm/hr during this time, on a 0.1 degree grid. Such a high correlation to wildfires on a climatic scale indicates a need to understand how changing weather patterns can influence the occurrence of properly defined dry lightning. Under this understanding dry lightning counts could qualify as a NCA indicator.

Microbial trace fossils in Antarctica and the search for evidence of early life on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedmann, E. Imre; Friedmann, Roseli O.

1989-01-01

It is possible to hypothesize that, if microbial life evolved on early Mars, fossil remnants of these organisms may be preserved on the surface. However, the cooling and drying of Mars probably resembled a cold desert and such an environment is not suitable for the process of fossilization. The frigid Ross Desert of Antarctica is probably the closest terrestrial analog to conditions that may have prevailed on the surface of the cooling and drying Mars. In this desert, cryptoendolithic microbial communities live in the airspaces of porous rocks, the last habitable niche in a hostile outside environment. The organisms produce characteristic chemical and physical changes in the rock substrate. Environmental changes (deterioration of conditions) may result in the death of the community. Although no cellular structures are fossilized, the conspicuous changes in the rock substrate are preserved as trace fossils. Likewise, microbial trace fossils (without cellular structures) may also be preserved on Mars: Discontinuities in structure or chemistry of the rock that are independent of physical or chemical gradients may be of biological origin. Ross Desert trace fossils can be used as a model for planning search strategies and for instrument design to find evidence of past Martian life.

Effects of thermally induced denaturation on technological-functional properties of whey protein isolate-based films.

PubMed

Schmid, M; Krimmel, B; Grupa, U; Noller, K

2014-09-01

This study examined how and to what extent the degree of denaturation affected the technological-functional properties of whey protein isolate (WPI)-based coatings. It was observed that denaturation affected the material properties of WPI-coated films significantly. Surface energy decreased by approximately 20% compared with native coatings. Because the surface energy of a coating should be lower than that of the substrate, this might result in enhanced wettability characteristics between WPI-based solution and substrate surface. Water vapor barrier properties increased by about 35% and oxygen barrier properties increased by approximately 33%. However, significant differences were mainly observed between coatings made of fully native WPI and ones with a degree of denaturation of 25%. Higher degrees of denaturation did not lead to further improvement of material properties. This observation offers cost-saving potential: a major share of denatured whey proteins may be replaced by fully native ones that are not exposed to energy-intensive heat treatment. Furthermore, native WPI solutions can be produced with higher dry matter content without gelatinizing. Hence, less moisture has to be removed through drying, resulting in reduced energy consumption. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dry anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and cattle manure: Impact of total solids, substrate ratio and thermal pre treatment on methane yield and quality of biomanure.

PubMed

Arelli, Vijayalakshmi; Begum, Sameena; Anupoju, Gangagni Rao; Kuruti, Kranti; S, Shailaja

2018-04-01

The objective of the present study is to assess the impact of TS concentration, substrate mixing ratio (co digestion) and thermal pretreatment on biogas production, methane yield, VS reduction (%) and quality of biomanure through dry anaerobic digestion (DAD) of food waste (FW) and cattle manure (CM). Results divulged that the optimum methane yield and biomanure of 0.18 and 0.21 m 3 CH 4 /(kg VS reduced) and 3.15 and 2.8 kg/kg waste was obtained from FW at TS of 25% and 30% at an HRT of 41 and 31 days respectively whereas it was 0.32 and 0.43 m 3 CH 4 /(kg VS reduced) and 2.2 and 1.15 kg/kg waste from pretreated FW at an HRT of 16 and 20 days correspondingly. Improvement of methane from 62 to 81% was obtained due to thermal pretreatment. The highest nutrient recovery in terms of N, P, K was found to be 5.14, 2.6 and 3.2 respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production of Conidia by the Fungus Metarhizium anisopliae Using Solid-State Fermentation.

PubMed

Loera-Corral, Octavio; Porcayo-Loza, Javier; Montesinos-Matias, Roberto; Favela-Torres, Ernesto

2016-01-01

This chapter describes the production of conidia by Metarhizium anisopliae using solid-state fermentation. Before production of conidia, procedures for strains conservation, reactivation, and propagation are essential in order to provide genetic stability of the strains. The strain is conserved in freeze-dried vials and then reactivated through insect inoculation. Rice is used as a substrate for the conidia production in two different bioreactors: plastic bags and tubular bioreactor. The CO2 production in the tubular bioreactors is measured with a respirometer; this system allows calculating indirect growth parameters as lag time (tlag) (25-35 h), maximum rate of CO2 production (rCO2 max) (0.5-0.7 mg/gdm h), specific rate of CO2 production (μ) (0.10-0.15 1/h), and final CO2 production (CO2) (100-120 mg/gdm). Conidial yield per gram of dry substrate (gdm) should be above 1 × 10(9) conidia/gdm after 10 days of incubation. Germination and viability of conidia obtained after 10 days of incubation should be above 80 % and 75 %, respectively. Bioassays using of Tenebrio molitor as a host insect should yield a final mortality above 80 %.

The assessment of the energetic compound 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) degradability in soil.

PubMed

Strigul, Nikolay; Braida, Washington; Christodoulatos, Christos; Balas, Wendy; Nicolich, Steven

2006-01-01

CL-20 is a relatively new energetic compound with applications in explosive and propellant formulations. Currently, information about the fate of CL-20 in ecological systems is scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate the biodegradability of CL-20 in soil environments. Four soils were used where initial CL-20 concentrations (above water solubility) ranged from 125 to 1500 mg of CL-20 per kg dry soil (corresponding to the concentrations derived from unexploded ordnance, low order detonation, or manufacturing spills). CL-20 appears to be biodegradable in soil under anaerobic conditions, and additions of organic substrates can substantially accelerate this process. However, CL-20 is not degraded in soil under aerobic conditions kept in the dark at temperatures up to 30 degrees C without organic amendments. Additions of starch or cellulose promote the biodegradation of CL-20 under aerobic conditions. Soil microbial community mediated biodegradation and plant uptake appears to enhance CL-20 biodegradation, the latter suggesting a possible route for CL-20 to entry in the food chain.

Remediation of textile dye waste water using a white-rot fungus Bjerkandera adusta through solid-state fermentation (SSF).

PubMed

Robinson, Tim; Nigam, Poonam Singh

2008-12-01

A strict screening strategy for microorganism selection was followed employing a number of white-rot fungi for the bioremediation of textile effluent, which was generated from one Ireland-based American textile industry. Finally, one fungus Bjerkandera adusta has been investigated in depth for its ability to simultaneously degrade and enrich the nutritional quality of highly coloured textile effluent-adsorbed barley husks through solid-state fermentation (SSF). Certain important parameters such as media requirements, moisture content, protein/biomass production and enzyme activities were examined in detail. A previously optimised method of dye desorption was employed to measure the extent of dye remediation through effluent decolorisation achieved as a result of fungal activity in SSF. B. adusta was capable of decolourising a considerable concentration of the synthetic dye effluent (up to 53%) with a moisture content of 80-85%. Protein enrichment of the fermented mass was achieved to the extent of 229 g/kg dry weight initial substrate used. Lignin peroxidase and laccase were found to be the two main enzymes produced during SSF of the dye-adsorbed lignocellulosic waste residue.