The grafting of recycled polyol from waste polyurethane foam onto new polyurethane and its impact on shape recovery and water vapor permeation

Recycled polyols from waste polyurethane (PU) foams were grafted onto PU to improve the properties such as tensile strength, shape recovery, low-temperature flexibility, and water compatibility. The recycled polyol was either purified by column chromatography before grafting or was used directly for grafting. The soft segment melting temperature of PU did not notably increase with the addition of polyol, whereas the glass transition temperature increased with increased polyol content. The tensile strength sharply increased at low polyol content and decreased at high polyol content, while the strain at break did not significantly change with an increase in polyol content. The shape recovery at 10 oC notably improved compared with unmodified PU and remained high after four cyclic tests. Polyol-grafted PU demonstrated better lowtemperature flexibility and reduced the water vapor permeability of PU membranes. Overall, grafting recycled polyol onto PU significantly improved the tensile stress, shape recovery, and low-temperature flexibility of PU.     

Improvement of toughness for the hyaluronic acid and adipic acid dihydrazide hydrogel by PEG

New applications call for many new requirements. In order to improve the toughness of aldehyde hyaluronic acid (A-HA) and adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH) hydrogel, the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was added. PEG content and molecular weight have little effect on the gelation time, and the composite hydrogels can form in situ within 20 seconds at room temperature. The press test showed that the hydrogels containing PEG possessed a better compression resistance, after pressed more than five times, the composite hydrogels could restore. Rheological properties were measured to evaluate the working ability and the effect of PEG on hydrogels. By analyzing the shear viscosity (η _γ=0.01), yield stress (σ ₀) and threshold shear stress (σ _c ), the addition of PEG can make the structure of composite hydrogels get loose and improve the shear resistance. Especially, PEG800 can enhance the antishear ability obviously. The amplitude sweep tests showed a broad linear viscoelastic region, indicating a wide processing range. In the meanwhile, we also found that PEG can improve the optical transmittance of xerogel evidently.     

Optimization of curing process for polymer-matrix composites based on orthogonal experimental method

In this paper, the orthogonal experimental method was carried out to optimize the curing process of aeronautical composite X850/T800 in autoclave process. Four important curing parameters including curing pressure, heating rate, curing temperature and heat preservation time were taken into account, and sixteen samples were fabricated to study the effects of the four parameters mentioned above on the curing quality by interlaminar properties test and microstructure analysis. The interlaminar properties and the interfacial bonding quality of these samples were studied by the short-beam three points bending test and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Results revealed that the optimal curing process of X850/T800 composite laminate should be as follows: curing pressure of 0.6 MPa, heating rate of 1.5 °C/min, curing temperature of 160 °C, and heat preservation time of 120 min.     

As contamination alters rhizosphere microbial community composition with soil type dependency during the rice growing season

Rhizosphere microbes play a cardinal role in transformation and crop uptake of arsenic (As), thereby relieving or intensifying the risk of As contamination in the food webs. How rhizosphere microbiomes respond to As contamination in different paddy soils and rice growth stages is still unclear. Here, we conducted a rice pot experiment to address the effects of rice developmental stage and As contamination on the rhizosphere microbial communities in two contrast paddy soils, a yellow clayey paddy soil (YP, pH 5.1, soil organic matter 20.8 g/kg) and red paddy soil (RP, pH 6.2, soil organic matter 46.1 g/kg). The rhizosphere microbial communities were investigated using phospholipid fatty acids analysis at tillering, panicle initiation, and maturity stages. The results showed that rice growing in YP soil accumulated 2-10 times higher contents of As in root than that in RP soil. There was a significant effect of rice growing stage, independent of soil types and As treatment, on rhizosphere microbial community composition in both YP and RP soils as depicted by canonical correspondence analysis. As contamination significantly altered rhizosphere microbial community composition only in YP soil, which showed the soil type dependency of the As contamination effect. In RP soil, the higher content of soil organic matter reduced the impact of As contamination. Soil pH explained more percentage of variation in microbial community composition than soil DOC and DON did. These influences of soil physiochemical properties on heavy metal available and rhizosphere microbial community may lay the foundation for exploration of bioremediation potential.     

Effectiveness of Combined Use of Mineral Oil and Insecticide Spray in Reducing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Potato Virus Y</Emphasis> (PVY) Spread under Field Conditions in New Brunswick,Canada

In the 2014 and 2015 crop seasons, the efficacies of different types, rates and combinations of mineral oil and insecticide foliar sprays for reducing Potato virus Y (PVY) spread were tested in controlled field trials in New Brunswick (NB), Canada. Experimental plots were planted with certified PVY-free Goldrush, supplemented with known virus-infected seed to raise PVY inoculum to 2.3% and 3% at the beginning of the 2014 and 2015 seasons, respectively. Treatments consisted of mineral oil-only sprays at different application rates, insecticide-only sprays of differing numbers, and several combined mineral oil and insecticide spray regimes, all compared to a no-spray control treatment. PVY spread to 18% (2014) and 22% (2015) of initially virus-free plants in no-spray control plots, with significant reductions observed in PVY spread in several treatments. Greatest PVY reductions, as low as 4% (2014) and 12% (2015), were in combined mineral oil and insecticide spray treatments, followed by oil-only sprays; while insecticide-only sprays did not significantly reduce PVY spread. As well as measuring PVY spread to marked test plants and randomly collected post-harvest tuber sample from the plots, exhibited similar treatment pattern for PVY incidence. Multiple logistic regression modeling confirmed the relative efficacy of combined oil and insecticide sprays for reducing PVY spread, while accounting for variable inoculum and aphid factors. Modeling also highlighted the importance of planting low-PVY seed initially, and of early application of foliar sprays. Local best management practice recommendations for reduction of in-field PVY spread were discussed.     

Amplification of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis> RG57 loci Facilitates <Emphasis Type="Italic">in planta</Emphasis> T-RFLP Identification of Late Blight Genotypes

Late blight, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, is a devastating disease in potato and tomato and causes yield and quality losses worldwide. The disease first emerged in central America and has since spread in North America including the United States and Canada. Several new genotypes of P. infestans have recently emerged, including US-22, US-23 and US-24. Due to significant economic and environmental impacts, there has been an increasing interest in the rapid identification of P. infestans genotypes. In addition to providing details regarding the various phenotypic characteristics such as fungicide resistance, host preference, and pathogenicity associated with various P. infestans genotypes, information related to pathogen movement and potential recombination may also be determined from the genetic analyses. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with the RG57 loci is one of the most reliable procedures used to genotype P. infestans. However, the RFLP procedure requires propagation and isolation of the pathogen and relatively large amounts of DNA. Isolation of the late blight pathogen is sometimes impossible due to the poor condition of the infected tissues or the presence of fungicide residues. In this study, we describe a procedure to identify P. infestans at the molecular level in planta using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of the RG57 loci. This T-RFLP assay is sufficiently sensitive to detect and differentiate P. infestans genotypes directly in planta without propagation and isolation of the pathogen, to facilitate the timely implementation of best management practices.     

Association of Potato Psyllid (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bactericera cockerelli</Emphasis>; Hemiptera: Triozidae) with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lycium</Emphasis> spp. (Solanaceae) in Potato Growing Regions of Washington,Idaho, and Oregon

Potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (?ulc), causes economic damage to potato crops throughout the major potato growing regions of western North America. When cultivated crops are not available, potato psyllid often occurs on non-crop hosts. In the southern U.S. and northern Mexico, native species of Lycium (Solanaceae) are important non-crop hosts for the psyllid. We determined whether Old World species of Lycium now widespread in the Pacific Northwest are reservoirs of potato psyllid in this growing region. We examined Lycium spp. across a wide geographic region in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho at irregular intervals during three growing seasons. Potato psyllids were present at all locations. To determine whether Lycium is also a host during intervals of the year in which the potato crop is not available, we monitored a subset of these sites over the entire year. Six sites were monitored at 1- to 3-week intervals from June 2014 to June 2016. Psyllids were present on Lycium throughout the year at all sites, including during winter, indicating that Lycium is also a host when the potato crop is seasonally not available. Psyllid populations included a mixture of Northwestern and Western haplotypes. We observed well-defined spring and fall peaks in adult numbers, with peaks separated by long intervals in which psyllid numbers were very low. Seasonal patterns in psyllid numbers on these non-native Lycium hosts were very similar to what has been observed on native Lycium in the desert southwest region of the U.S. Our findings demonstrate that potato psyllid associates with Lycium across a broad geographic region within the Pacific Northwest. These results will assist in predicting sources of potato psyllid colonizing potatoes in this important growing region.     

Polyvinylidene fluoride nanofiber coated polypropylene nonwoven fabric as a membrane for lithium-ion batteries

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF) membranes in spite of having many critical properties necessary for lithium-ion batteries, do not have satisfying thermal and mechanical resistance. The goal of this study was to combine the good mechanical and thermal properties of PP nonwoven fabric with the excellent electrochemical properties of PVdF nanofibers to exploit a high-performance membrane for lithium-ion batteries. This work reports the preparation of PVdF nanofiber membranes using electrospinning on a polypropylene (PP) spunbonded nonwoven fabric and an aluminum foil followed by a hot-pressing treatment. The morphology and size of the membranes were studied by the scanning electron microscopy. The tensile strength of the membrane with the PP support was superior to the PVdF membrane. Thermal stability of the prepared membranes was determined using the TGA method and the dimensional stability was investigated by measuring the shrinkage ratio at 105 °C. The results have shown that the PVdF/PP membrane was thermally more stable than the PVdF and the commercial Celgard 2325 membranes. The batteries using PVdF/PP membrane exhibited higher electrochemical oxidation limit, better cycling performance and less discharge capacity fading during 100 cycles compared to PVdF and Celgard membranes. The results of this study showed that PVdF/PP membrane is a promising advanced membrane in lithium-ion batteries.     

Polymorphisms of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">FT</Emphasis> gene as a tool to identify underground rhizome types of bamboos

The Flowering Locus T (FT)-like genes of angiosperms are highly conserved. The FT-encoded proteins include a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding domain that is involved in the control of the shoot apical meristem identity and flowering time. In the present study, FT genes were investigated in 20 bamboo species that are grouped into sympodial, mixed and scattered bamboos based on their morphology. All examined orthologous FT genes consisted of four exons and three introns. Their encoded protein sequences contained the critical amino acid residues Tyr85, Glu109, Leu128, Tyr134, Trp138, Arg139, Gln140 and Asn152, of which each possesses a biological function. The DNA sequences were rich in single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites. The SNP frequency was 1 SNP/16.8 bp, and the nucleotide diversity (π) equaled 0.265. Some SNPs altered restriction enzyme sites or resulted in changes in amino acid contents. The correlation analysis showed that several SNPs were informative in relation to the underground rhizome types of bamboos. Therefore, FT polymorphisms could be used as a tool to identify the underground rhizome types of bamboos. The phylogenetic tree constructed based on the FT gene sequences showed that the obtained clustering was consistent with the underground rhizome types. The SNP markers developed in the present study will provide information on the genetic diversity of bamboos and they can aid taxonomic study as well.     

Two reported cytotypes of the emergent orchid model species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Erycina pusilla</Emphasis> are two different species

Each species is characterized by a specific set of chromosomes, which is described as the chromosome portrait or karyotype. In general, such a karyotype is the same for all individuals in the population. An exception to that rule has recently been found in the orchid Erycina pusilla, which has been reported to have two cytotypes with chromosome numbers of 2n = 10 and 2n = 12. Here, we examined the karyotypes of the two cytotypes and found differences in arm ratios and heterochromatin patterns as well as in the presence of satellite chromosomes and in the number and location of rDNA and telomeric repeat sites. These differences are extensive and would have required multiple chromosome rearrangements to generate the differences between the two karyotypes. We also found that F1 hybrids between the parents with the two different chromosome numbers resulted in sterile offspring, in accordance with our previous findings. The combination of hybrid sterility and extensively rearranged chromosomes supports the hypothesis that these two reported cytotypes are, in fact, two different species.