Effect of pineapple protease on the characteristics of protein fibers

A pineapple protease, bromelain, was used to improve the dyeing properties of protein fibers such as wool and silk. The optimal condition for the activity of the pineapple protease was about 60 °C at pH 7. The wool and silk were treated with the protease extracted from a pineapple and the K/S values of the dyed wool and silk were measured using a spectrophotometer in order to compare the dye uptake. The protease treatment enhanced the dyeing properties of protein fibers without severe changes in mechanical properties. The surface appearances of protease-treated fibers were observed by microscopy.     

Development of a platform for realistic garment drape simulation

An integrated platform for garment drape simulation system has been developed. In this system, garment patterns from conventional two-dimensional CAD systems can be assembled into a three-dimensional garment on a parametrically resizable realistic human body model. A fast and robust particle-based physical calculation engine has been developed for garment shape generation. Then a series of geometric and graphical techniques were applied to create realistic impressions on simulated garments. This system can be used as the rapid prototyping tool for garments in the future quick-response system.     

Effects of silver content and morphology on the catalytic activity of silver-grafted titanium oxide nanostructure

As titanium oxide is a well-known photocatalyst, we investigated the effects of silver content and nanostructural morphology on the photocatalytic degradation of two dyes, methylene blue and rhodamine B. Two nano-formulations were utilized, including nanofibers and nanoparticles. Silver-grafted titanium oxide nanofibers were synthesized using the electrospinning of silver nitrate/titanium isopropoxide/poly(vinyl acetate) sol-gel. The nanoparticulate form was obtained by calcination of a ground powder prepared from the same electrospun sol-gel. The results affirmed the advantage of the silver-grafted titanium oxide nanostructures over the silver-free ones. Increasing the silver content in the nanofibers led to increases in their surface area, which is an important parameter in heterogeneous catalytic chemical reactions. Therefore, the results strongly suggest the use of silver-grafted titanium oxide in a nanofibrous form. These results further support utilizing Agloaded titanium oxide nanofibers as a photocatalyst.     

Isolation of Nanocellulose from Water Hyacinth Fiber (WHF) Produced via Digester-Sonication and Its Characterization

The successful isolation and characterization of water hyacinth fiber (Eichornia crassipes) (WHF) nanocellulose is presented in this study. The novelty was in exploring a wider range of properties of highly purified samples of WHF after each stage of production in more depth. The isolation was accomplished by pulping in a digester and sonication. Morphological changes before and after treatment were demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The lignin and hemicellulose content decreased during chemical treatment. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size analyzer (PSA) were used to determine the morphology of WHF after sonication for 1 h. TEM shows that the diameter and length of nanocellulose WHF were 15.61 and 147.4 nm, respectively. The crystallinity index and crystalline domain area significantly increased after chemical treatment. The highest crystallinity index was 84.87 % after an acid hydrolysis process. The increase in crystallinity leads to good thermal stability. Moisture absorption tests of WHF were carried out before and after treatment. The lowest moisture absorption was in the cellulose fiber after sonication (nanocellulose).     

Docosahexaenoic Acid Is Naturally Concentrated at the sn-2 Position in Triacylglycerols of the Australian Thraustochytrid Aurantiochytrium sp. Strain TC 20

The Labyrinthulomycetes or Labyrinthulea are a class of protists that produce a network of filaments that enable the cells to glide along and absorb nutrients. One of the main two Labyrinthulea groups is the thraustochytrids, which are becoming an increasingly recognised and commercially used alternate source of long-chain (LC, ≥C₂₀) omega-3 containing oils. This study demonstrates, to our knowledge for the first time, the regiospecificity of the triacylglycerol (TAG) fraction derived from Australian thraustochytrid Aurantiochytrium sp. strain TC 20 obtained using ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹³C NMR) analysis. The DHA present in the TC 20 TAG fraction was determined to be concentrated in the sn-2 position, with TAG (16:0/22:6/16:0) identified as the main species present. The sn-2 preference is similar to that found in salmon and tuna oil, and differs to seal oil containing largely sn-1,3 LC-PUFA. A higher concentration of sn-2 DHA occurred in the thraustochytrid TC 20 oil compared to that of tuna oil.     

Effect of glycerol cross-linking and PDI on the shape memory effect and mechanical properties of polyurethane

A series of shape memory polyurethane (PU) copolymers synthesized from 1,4-phenyldiisocyanate (PDI), poly(tetramethyleneglycol) (PTMG), 1,4-butanediol (BD) as a chain extender, and glycerol as a cross-linking agent were tested for the mechanical properties and the shape memory effect at the temperature 20 °C above melting temperature (T _m), and were compared with other PUs synthesized from 4,4′-methylene-bis-phenyldiisocyanate (MDI), PTMG, and BD. Mechanical properties and shape memory effect were improved substantially by adopting both PDI and glycerol. Interestingly, enthalpy of melting and T _m were not affected by the glycerol content. Vibration and shock absorption ability was investigated by measuring both loss tan δ and storage modulus with dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA).     

Coloration of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers using alkyl-substituted monoazo yellow and red dyes

UHMWPE fibers were dyed with yellow and red dyes having different length of alkyl substituents on monoazo chromophores. The dyeability was investigated at various conditions and fastness of the dyeings was examined. As the length of alkyl substituents increased, the dyeability toward UHMWPE fibers tends to be improved gradually up to propyl or butyl groups and then decreased for the longer alkyl substituents. Color strength of the fabrics was increased with the increase of dyeing temperature from 100 to 130 °C. From the dyeing rate, equilibrium dyeing at 130 °C was achieved at 2～3 h. The color fastnesses to washing, rubbing, and light of the dyeings were good showing higher than 4 ratings except for light fastness of the red dye.     

Effect of Chelated Vanadium Spray on Concentration of Vanadium and Organic Compounds in Tea Shoots

The study aimed to develop vanadium tea products and evaluated the potential of chelated vanadium （V） absorption by tea shoots and effect of vanadium accumulation on tea quality during the first crop season.Chelated V application with three times foliar sprays at 5 days intervals starting from 15 days before plucking showed a significant increase in V content of new young shoots,which was much effective at higher concentration.However,one or two times sprays had no increase in V content regardless of spray concentration compared to non-treated.Despite V accumulation in the treated at 3 to 9 times higher that of than the non-treated plants,there were no significant changes in contents of total amino acids,theanine,caffeine,total polyphenols,crude fiber,and cathechins between the treated and the non-treated.     

Anti-Inflammatory Components of the Starfish Astropecten polyacanthus

Inflammation is important in biomedical research, because it plays a key role in inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, allergies, asthma, and even cancer. In the present study, we describe the inhibitory effect of crude extracts and steroids isolated from the starfish Astropecten polyacanthus on pro-inflammatory cytokine (Interleukin-12 (IL-12) p40, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). Among those tested, compounds 5 and 7 showed potent inhibitory effects on the production of all three pro-inflammatory cytokines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.82 ± 0.11 to 7.00 ± 0.16 μM. Potent inhibitory activities were also observed for compound 1 on the production of IL-12 p40 and IL-6 with values of 3.96 ± 0.12 and 4.07 ± 0.13 μM, respectively, and for compounds 3 and 4 on the production of IL-12 p40 with values of 6.55 ± 0.18 and 5.06 ± 0.16 μM, respectively. Moreover, compounds 2 (IC₅₀ = 34.86 ± 0.31 μM) and 6 (IC₅₀ = 79.05 ± 2.05 μM) exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on the production of IL-12 p40, whereas compounds 3 (IC₅₀ = 22.80 ± 0.21 μM) and 4 (IC₅₀ = 16.73 ± 0.25 μM) moderately inhibited the production of TNF-α and IL-6, respectively.     

A remote irrigation monitoring and control system (RIMCS) for continuous move systems. Part B: field testing and results

Precision irrigation systems can have inherent errors that affect the accuracy of variable water application rates controllers, as well as affect the controllers’ performance when evaluated on different continuous move irrigation systems configurations. The objective of this study was to assess the performance of a remote irrigation monitoring and control system (RIMCS) installed on two separate linear move (LM) irrigation systems. The RIMCS varies water application rates by pulsing nozzles controlled by solenoids connected via relays to a single board computer (SBC) with wireless Ethernet connection to a remote server. The system also monitors irrigation system flow, pressure, position and wireless field sensor networks. The system was installed on a LM irrigation system in Prosser, Washington, USA and on a LM in the Nesson Valley of North Dakota, USA. For the LM at Prosser, four pre-defined irrigation patterns were imposed and variable rates were applied as a percentage of the nozzle base application rate. Each nozzle was pulsed across the span length and along the LM travel direction. For the LM at the Nesson Valley, a quadratic pattern was imposed pulsing banks of nozzles along the LM travel direction. Standard catch can tests were performed and the system performance was evaluated by comparing measured catch can water depths with pre-determined target values. The RIMCS accuracy was found to be in the range of the LM uniform water depth application uniformity coefficients of 88–96%. The RIMCS was successfully transferred to another LM in North Dakota as indicated by the relatively low variable rate application errors of –8.8 ± 8.1% and −0.14 ± 6.7% for the two spans.