Changes in a knitted fabric’s surface properties due to enzyme treatments

Enzyme treatment technologies in textile processing have become commonly-applied techniques for the modification of fabric-handle appearance, and other surface and mechanical characteristics of fabrics. Most studies have focused on understanding the impact of enzyme treatments on the fabric preparation, dyeing, and finishing processes of woven fabrics, whilst only limited research has been reported regarding any enzymatic effects on the surface and handproperties of knitted fabrics. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of two different enzymes Trichoderma reesei whole cellulase, and enriched (EGIII) endoglucanase cellulase, at three different enzyme dosages on 100 % cotton interlock knitted fabric. This was in order to evaluate certain surface properties such as pilling, friction. and geometrical roughness. Furthermore, the compression and tactile properties of knitted fabric were also analyzed. The results show that treatment conditions with enzyme Trichoderma reesei whole cellulase had the more pronounced effect on the surface properties compared to the enriched EGIII enzymes. In general, it can be concluded that both types of enzymes improved the surface properties and hand when compared with the silicone softener-treated reference sample of interlock knitted fabric, as is statistically confirmed by one-way analysis of variance.     

Serum amyloid A isoforms in serum and milk from cows with Staphylococcus aureus subclinical mastitis

Serum amyloid A proteins (SAA) are very sensitive acute phase proteins, displaying multiple isoforms in plasma and different body fluids. They are currently under investigation as biomarkers of diseases. The aim of the present study was to compare the concentration and isoform expression of SAA in serum and milk of cows with bacteriologically negative milk (control group) and naturally occurring Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) subclinical mastitis (subclinical mastitis group). Somatic cell count (SCC) and bacteriological analyses were performed to establish the control and subclinical mastitis group. SAA concentration was evaluated using a commercial ELISA kit, while expression of different isoforms (serum A-SAA and milk M-SAA3 isoforms) was visualized by denaturing isoelectrical focusing and immunoblotting. The SAA concentrations in sera and milk of cows in the subclinical mastitis group were three and 100 times higher than in those from the control group of cows, respectively. Cows in the subclinical mastitis group had more acidic SAA isoforms in serum with the most prominent one at pI 5.5. This isoform was not detected in sera from the control group. Milk samples in the subclinical mastitis group contained abundant highly alkaline M-SAA3 isoforms and most of the serum isoforms, except for that at pI 5.5. In the subclinical mastitis group SAA isoforms with equivalent pI as serum isoforms accounted for 20% of the total SAA concentration in milk. There were significant differences in the concentrations and isoform patterns of SAA in serum and milk between the control and subclinical mastitis groups of cows. Also, we demonstrated that serum SAA isoforms were not transferred to milk proportion to their plasma content.     

Biophysical controls on rhizospheric and heterotrophic components of soil respiration in a boreal black spruce stand

We conducted a root-exclusion experiment in a 125-year-old boreal black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) stand in 2004 to quantify the physical and biological controls on temporal dynamics of the rhizospheric (R(r)) and heterotrophic (R(h)) components of soil respiration (R(s)). Annual R(r), R(h) and estimated moss respiration were 285, 269 and 57 g C m(-2) year(-1), respectively, which accounted for 47, 44 and 9% of R(s) (611 g C m(-2) year(-1)), respectively. A gradual transition from R(h)-dominated (winter, spring and fall) to R(r)-dominated (summer) respiration was observed during the year. Soil thawing in spring and the subsequent increase in soil water content (theta) induced a small and sustained increase in R(h) but had no effect on R(r). During the remainder of the growing season, no effect of theta was observed on either component of R(s). Both components increased exponentially with soil temperature (T(s)) during the growing season, but R(r) showed greater temperature sensitivity than R(h) (Q(10) of 4.0 and 3.0, respectively). Temperature-normalized variations in R(r) were highly correlated with eddy covariance estimates of gross ecosystem photosynthesis, and the correlation was greatest when R(r) was lagged by 24 days. Within diurnal cycles, variations in T(s) were highly coupled to variations in R(h) but were significantly decoupled from R(r). The patterns observed at both time scales strongly suggest that the flow of photosynthates to the rhizosphere is a key driver of belowground respiration processes but that photosynthate supply may control these processes in several ways.     

Beneficial Effect of Virgin Coconut Oil on Alloxan-Induced Diabetes and Microbiota Composition in Rats

The gut microbiota is composed of a diverse population of obligate and facultative anaerobic microorganisms which are shown to influence host metabolism and immune homeostasis. This study investigated the effects of virgin coconut oil on the weekly fasting glycaemia, daily food and water intake and weekly body mass gain over 16 weeks, as well as the changes in composition of gut microbiota in both non-diabetic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Although the intake of virgin coconut oil did not decrease the diabetes-induced hyperglycemia, it affected the secondary parameters, such as food and water intake and average body mass gain. Furthermore, its potential to positively affect the fecal microbiome was proved, since it significantly increased the abundance of probiotic bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Allobaculum and Bifidobacterium species.     

Floating Photocatalyst Based on Poly(ε-caprolactone) Foam and TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Nanoparticles for Removal of Textile Dyes

This study discusses a novel approach for fabrication of floating photocatalyst which can be efficiently exploited for photodegradation of dyes in aqueous solutions. A fabrication of the floating photocatalyst consisted of two steps: transformation of the poly(ε-caprolactone) beads (PCL_b) into poly(ε-caprolactone) foam (PCL_f) with porous structure in supercritical carbon-dioxide and subsequent loading of PCL_f with TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs). Morphological characterization of the PCL_f before and after TiO₂ NPs loading was carried out by FESEM. The presence of titanium on the surface and inside the PCL_f was detected by EDX. Photocatalytical activity of the floating photocatalyst was investigated in aqueous solution of textile dyes C.I. Acid Orange 7 (AO7) and C.I. Basic Yellow 28 (BY28) which were exposed to lamp that simulates the sun light. In addition to sustainable floatability for a long period of time, developed floating photocatalyst exhibited high rate of photodegradation since the complete discoloration of AO7 and BY28 solutions and photocatalysts alone occurred after 300 and 180 min of illumination, respectively. Its photocatalytic activity was preserved after three repeated photodegradation cycles with unchanged chemical structure that was confirmed by FTIR analysis.     

Uranium in the Groundwater of Permo-Triassic Aquifers of the Visok Region, Stara Planina, Eastern Serbia

An elevated concentration of uranium in the water of some springs in the Permo-Triassic sedimentary rocks of the Visok region, south-eastern slopes of the Stara Planina, eastern Serbia, is interpreted based on geological, hydrogeological and hydrochemical data. Uranium concentration in groundwater was first examined whilst exploring for uranium minerals as an energy resource. The purpose of a later hydrogeological investigation was assessment of a safe drinking water supply to a planned ski-centre hotel. The maximum contaminant level for uranium, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), is 15 μg/L. This work reviews and interprets the naturally elevated uranium in springs from the Permo-Triassic sediments of Visok, focusing on geological, hydrogeological, hydrogeochemical and other factors of uranium contamination. Uranium distribution in groundwater from Permo-Triassic aquifers was studied by taking groundwater, spring sediment and rock samples. The varied mobility of uranium depends largely on lithology, which also controls the chemistry of groundwater. The investigation results have shown that sulfate–calcium groundwater is a suitable facilitator of uranium mobility with a high migration coefficient of 0.77. Uranium concentrations in this water were up to 41 μg/L, with a Sa/Sr mass ratio of around 20, and a mineral content of about 0.5 g/L. The hydrochemistry was characteristically transitional Eh and pH neutral. Elevated uranium in groundwater has been reported globally and may be compared.     

Life in the fast lane: Revisiting the fast growth—High survival paradigm during the early life stages of fishes

Early life survival is critical to successful replenishment of fish populations, and hypotheses developed under the Growth-Survival Paradigm (GSP) have guided investigations of controlling processes. The GSP postulates that recruitment depends on growth and mortality rates during early life stages, as well as their duration, after which the mortality declines substantially. The GSP predicts a shift in the frequency distribution of growth histories with age towards faster growth rates relative to the initial population because slow-growing individuals are subject to high mortality (via starvation and predation). However, mortality data compiled from 387 cases published in 153 studies (1971–2022) showed that the GSP was only supported in 56% of cases. Selection against slow growth occurred in two-thirds of field studies, leaving a non-negligible fraction of cases showing either an absence of or inverse growth-selective survival, suggesting the growth-survival relationship is more complex than currently considered within the GSP framework. Stochastic simulations allowed us to assess the influence of key intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the characteristics of surviving larvae and identify knowledge gaps on the drivers of variability in growth-selective survival. We suggest caution when interpreting patterns of growth selection because changes in variance and autocorrelation of individual growth rates among cohorts can invalidate fundamental GSP assumptions. We argue that breakthroughs in recruitment research require a comprehensive, population-specific characterization of the role of predation and intrinsic factors in driving variability in the distribution and autocorrelation of larval growth rates, and of the life stage corresponding to the endpoint of pre-recruited life.     

In vitro antioxidant activity of ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Asteraceae) herb

The antioxidant activity in 70% aqueous acetone extracts of the herb of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Asteraceae was evaluated with regards to total polyphenol and flavonoid contents. Antioxidant activity has been assessed by two commonly used in vitro tests, based on determination of ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP assay) and DPPH free radical scavenging ability (DPPH assay), against butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ascorbic acid and quercetin, which were used as positive control substances. The results of both antioxidant tests showed that the plant material expressed a considerable activity (DPPH IC₅₀ = 27.6 μg/ml; FRAP value = 2.37 mmol Fe²⁺/g), attributed to both flavonoid aglyca and resembling glycosides, as verified by dot-blot TLC analysis.     

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on Stream Chemistry of Japanese Forested Watersheds

Steam chemistry was investigated from May 1991 through April 1992 for 13 Japanese forested watersheds and from May 1990 through August 1994 for two of these watersheds. Nine watersheds were treated over different periods (1983–1991) with different amounts of N (nitrogen) fertilizer as urea and ammonium salts. Total N additions ranged from 20 to 375 kg ha^-1. There were no distinct seasonal differences in stream NO₃ ^- concentrations in either the treated or untreated watersheds, but concentrations tended to be somewhat higher during periods of high discharge. The annual average NO₃ ^- concentrations in streams had a significant, positive (p < 0.001, r = 0.84) relationship to the total amount of N applied from 1985–1991. The application of 330 kg N ha^-1 raised annual average stream NO₃ ^- concentration to about 300 μeq L^-1 compared to less than 160 μeq L^-1 in untreated watersheds. The concentrations of K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg2+ in stream water also increased in those watersheds with high rates of N fertilizer as a result of nitrification that increased the generation of the mobile nitrate anion. The lack of seasonality in stream NO₃ ^- concentrations and the large rates of N loss with N addition both suggest that these watersheds were ‘nitrogen saturated’     

Measurement of Resting and Stress-elevated Serum Cortisol in Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in Experimental Net-pens

A commercially available heterogeneous, solid-phase tube enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was modified and validated for the measurement of serum cortisol in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss . The assay is accurate and precise. Resting and stress-elevated serum cortisol concentrations were measured in rainbow trout with a sensitivity of 1.5 ng/ml. Fish held in net-pens at a density of 0.4 kg/m³/cm had a resting cortisol level of 16.5 ± 3.8 ng/ml (mean ± SE). At 3 h postdisturbance, serum cortisol levels were not affected by the removal of fish from adjacent net-pens with dip nets or by the use of 200 mg/L tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) as an anesthetic for obtaining samples. However, an acute stress (60 s removal from water) elevated serum cortisol levels to 73.7 ± 9.4 ng/ml.