Glucose cross-linking of polyurethane copolymer and its impact on the elevation of mechanical properties and shape memory effect

Effect of glucose cross-linking on the shape memory and mechanical properties of polyurethane (PU) block copolymer was investigated. Glucose was selected due to its large number of free hydroxyl groups, easy availability, miscibility with other reactants, and cyclic structure. The glycerol cross-linking did not affect the molecular interaction and phase separation of hard and soft segments in polyurethane structure as judged from IR and DSC analysis. Viscosity of glucose cross-linked PU increased after cross-linking due to the cross-linked structure. Maximum stress drastically improved with the adoption of glucose as a cross-linker together with a slight increase in strain at break. Shape recovery also increased with the adoption of glucose as a cross-linker, and shape recovery was not diminished after four cyclic shape recovery tests. In contrast, shape retention significantly decreased if glucose was included for two different hard segment contents. Finally, glucose cross-linking was compared with other cross-linkers used in shape memory polymer and the advantage of glucose cross-linking was discussed.     

Hydrophilic and flexible polyurethane foams using sodium alginate as polyol: Effects of PEG molecular weight and cross-linking agent content on water absorbency

Hydrophilic and flexible polyurethane foams were prepared using sodium alginate as a polyol, and characterized by optical microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, density measurements, volume swelling, and water absorbency. Optical microscopy revealed that the resulting cells were closed with round and elongated shapes. FT-IR confirmed that the urethane linkages were formed between the isocyanate and sodium-alginate. As an indirect measurement of porosity, the apparent density indicated an initial decrease followed by an increase with increasing glycerin content. The volume-swelling ratio was initially constant, followed by a gradual decrease with glycerin content. The volume swelling ratio increased with PEG molecular weight. The water absorbency initially increased, followed by a decrease with increasing glycerin content. The correlation-ships between water absorbency, density, and volume-swelling ratio indicated that the absorbency was predominantly influenced by density when the PEG molecular weight was low and was greatly affected by the volume-swelling ratio when the PEG molecular weight was relatively high.     

Anoxification recovery using underwater LED irradiation and influence of its optical spectrum on water quality improvement

Paddy and Water Environment - This study focuses on a method for improving water quality via anoxification recovery using underwater LED treatment in an organically polluted reservoir. The main aim...     

浅谈风对农业生产的影响及对策

自然界中,空气流动便形成了风.看似简单的风,却有着百张面孔:南风、北风……,软风、和风、劲风……,全球性风、地方性风,还有台风、龙卷风,以及农业生产方面的干热风、寒露风等等.每一种形态的风都与农业生产有着千丝万缕的联系.生产实践和专家研究表明,不同大小、不同季节、不同发源地、不同压温湿结构的风,对农业生产影响不同;而不同的作物种类、同一种类不同的发育期,对风的要求和反应也不一样.风对农业生产的影响,有利也有弊.     

The impact of heating and cooling on the physico-chemical properties of wheat gluten–water suspensions

The rapid visco analysis (RVA) system was used to measure rheological behaviour in 20% (w/v) gluten-in-water suspensions upon applying temperature profiles. The temperature profiles included a linear temperature increase, a holding step, a cooling step with a linear temperature decrease to 50 °C, and a final holding step at 50 °C. Temperature and duration of the holding phase both affected RVA viscosity and protein extractability. Size-exclusion and reversed-phase HPLC showed that increasing the temperature (up to 95 °C) mainly decreased glutenin extractability. Holding at 95 °C resulted in polymerisation of both gliadin and glutenin. Above 80 °C, the RVA viscosity steadily increased with longer holding times while the gliadin and glutenin extractabilities decreased. Their reduced extractability in 60% ethanol showed that γ-gliadins were more affected after heating than α-gliadins and ω-gliadins. Enrichment of wheat gluten in either gliadin or glutenin showed that both gliadin and glutenin are necessary for the initial viscosity in the RVA profile. The formation of polymers through disulphide bonding caused a viscosity rise in the RVA profile. The amounts of free sulphydryl groups markedly decreased between 70 and 80 °C and when holding the temperature at 95 °C.     

The impact of on-farm water saving irrigation techniques on rice productivity and profitability in Zhanghe Irrigation System,Hubei, China

To optimize the use of limited water resources, surface irrigation systems in parts of China have introduced a new water saving irrigation method for rice termed alternate wetting and drying (AWD). The basic feature of this method is to irrigate so that the soil alternates between periods of standing water and damp or dry soil conditions from 30 days after crop establishment up to harvesting. However, many Chinese rice farmers still practice the continuous irrigation method with late- season drying of the soil.A comparative assessment of these two methods of on-farm water management for rice was conducted at two sites within the Zhanghe Irrigation System (ZIS) in Hubei province of China for the 1999 and 2000 rice crops. The objective was to evaluate the impact of AWD on crop management practices and the profitability of rice production. In conjunction with irrigation district officials, two sites within ZIS were selected for study, one where AWD was supposed to be widely practiced (Tuanlin, TL) and one where it had not been introduced (Lengshui, LS). It was found that farmers at both sites do not practice a pure form of either AWD or continuous flooding. However, farmers in TL did tend to let the soil dry more frequently than their counterparts in LS.Because most farmers practice neither pure AWD nor pure continuous flooding, an AWD score was developed that measures the frequency with which farmers allow their soil to dry. This AWD score was not significantly correlated with yield after controlling for site and year effects and input use. AWD scores were also not correlated with input use. We conclude that AWD saves water at the farm level without adversely affecting yields or farm profitability.     

The effect of formic acid on the rate of water loss from cut grass and lucerne

The drying rates of grasses and lucerne, following treatment with 1% formic acid, were compared with those of untreated crops. Material was fully exposed to a flow of air in a ventilated laboratory oven set at 23 °C. Treatment with formic acid initially enhanced the rate of drying of grass, but this was followed by retardation. This reduction in the rate of drying was caused by the rapid desiccation of laminae, which reduced their effectiveness in providing a pathway for water loss from the stem. The rate of water loss directly from the stem surface was not increased by formic acid treatment, probably because the enveloping leaf sheaths acted as a protective layer. In contrast, formic acid increased drying rate in lucerne. whose stems have no such protective layer. The results suggest that chemical desiccants. which have a contact action are unlikely to have any application in making hay from grass.     

漳平水仙茶饼品质特征及制作技术

水仙茶饼系乌龙茶紧压茶，源自漳平市双洋镇中村村，创制于民国初期(约1934年)，属历史名茶。水仙茶饼的制作综合了闽北与闽南乌龙茶的初制技术，主要特点是晒青较重，做青前期阶段使用水筛摇青，做青后期阶段使用摇青机摇青，前后各两次，炒青后采用木模压制造型、白纸定型是特有的工序，再经精细的烘焙，便形成了其独特的优异品质。     

The residual level of isoprothiolane in paddy field surface water and its acute toxicity level on freshwater prawn,Macrobrachium lanchesteri

Paddy and Water Environment - The application of isoprothiolane in rice cultivation may give a risk to the aquatic ecosystem. The present study was undertaken to determine the level of...     

巴西橡胶树胶乳黄色体中多酚氧化酶的活性及其橡胶粒子凝集作用的研究

橡胶粒子凝集在乳管伤口堵塞中起重要作用,研究胶乳中橡胶粒子凝集相关蛋白对于阐明乳管伤口堵塞机制具有重要的意义。对巴西橡胶树初生乳管和次生乳管胶乳黄色体中的多酚氧化酶活性进行了检测,并分析了多酚氧化酶对橡胶粒子凝集的影响。结果表明,初生乳管和次生乳管胶乳的B-乳清蛋白种类有明显差异,但B-乳清都有较高的多酚氧化酶（PPO）活性和具有明显的凝集橡胶粒子的作用。标准PPO也具有凝集橡胶粒子的效应。DTT对标准PPO的活性具有明显的抑制效果,并抑制其对橡胶粒子的凝聚作用。本研究首次证明巴西橡胶树的初生乳管和次生乳管的胶乳黄色体中都含有PPO蛋白,PPO是有效凝聚橡胶粒子的蛋白质成分之一,为深入研究乳管伤口堵塞机制奠定了基础。     

The distributions of tuber sizes in droughted and irrigated crops of potato. I. Observations on the effect of water stress on graded yields from differing cultivars

Summary The distributions of the yield and of the numbers of tubers were examined in graded samples of tubers from field experiments designed to compare droughted and irrigated crops of cultivars of potato thought to differ in their tolerance of drought. Drought caused a downward shift of about 7–10 mm in the centres of both distributions. The consequences were that smaller fractions of lower total yields reached the sizes usually specified for table (40–80 mm) and crisping (<45 mm) potatoes. Differences in the distributions of numbers of tubers in droughted and irrigated crops were statistically significant in four of the six cultivars examined. The main reason for lower ware yields in the droughted crops was that fewer tubers reached the minimum size (40 mm). The effect of delayed harvest was to shift the distributions upwards.     

The final established physicochemical properties of steamed bread made from frozen dough: Study of the combined effects of gluten polymerization,water content and starch crystallinity on bread firmness

The gluten polymerization behavior, water content, starch crystallinity and firmness of Chinese steamed bread made from frozen dough were investigated and their correlations were also established in this study. The decreased degree of gluten polymerization in steamed bread was observed by the enhanced SDS-extractable proteins (SDSEPs) upon frozen storage. Less incorporation of glutenin in the glutenin–gliadin crosslinking of steamed bread mainly contributed to the decreased degree of gluten polymerization. The decreased moisture of steamed bread had a significant negative correlation with the sublimated water in frozen dough (r = −0.8850, P < 0.01). Frozen storage also induced an increase in starch crystallinity and bread firmness. A multiple linear regression model with SDS-extractable proteins, water content and melting enthalpy of starch crystals of steamed bread accounted for 86% of the variance in the natural logarithm of firmness and further revealed that starch crystallinity mainly contributed to bread firmness.