Prediction and interpretation of hydraulic permeability for nonwoven fabrics considering hypothetical 2-D layer

The permeability defined by Darcy’s law indicates the degree of ability that a fluid can flow through nonwoven media under a differential pressure in laminar flow. The permeability generally indicates the specific permeability or absolute permeability. On the other hand, if the fluid is water, the permeability indicates the hydraulic conductivity or permeability coefficient. The permeability is one of the important properties for nonwoven media and a prediction of the permeability acts as a bridge between the manufacturing technology and performance requirements. Because capillary channel theory aims to make the flow of fluid easier and more understandable, many models are based on capillary channel theory. On the other hand, the theory has a limitation in that it is unsuitable for high porosity media. In this study, a very thin downstream layer, which was suggested by Lifshutz [9], was introduced to derive a prediction model of hydraulic permeability. Needle-punched and spunbonded nonwoven fabrics with various basis weights were used in the cross-plain water permeability test. From this ‘thin layer’ model, reasonable agreement between the predicted and experimental results was obtained.     

Composites of polyolefin elastomer reinforced with short carbon fiber and its copolymerization conditions

To study the effects of short carbon fiber (SCF) on the properties of the polyolefin elastomers (POEs), we prepared the poly(ethylene-co-1-hexene) (PEH)/SCF composites at different percentages of SCF. We also prepared polyethylene (PE)/SCF composites to compare with PEH/SCF composites. PEH was synthesized by the copolymerization of ethylene and 1-hexene using metallocene catalyst/cocatalyst system. Optimum stirring speed, Al/Zr feeding molar ratio, polymerization time, and polymerization temperature were 700 rpm, 600, 30 min, and 60 °C, respectively. We investigated the morphology of the composites using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and found that the wettability of SCF in PEH/SCF composites was fairly better than that of SCF in PE/SCF composites. It was observed from mechanical tests that the ultimate tensile strength and tensile modulus of PEH/SCF composites were remarkably enhanced as the SCF content increased, whereas those of PE/SCF composites were a little increased. PEH/SCF composites exhibited lower crystallinity than PE/SCF ones. Thermal stability of the composites was enhanced by the addition of SCF.     

Effect of surface cover on the reduction of runoff and agricultural NPS pollution from upland fields

In this study, two types of simulations were performed. First, indoor rainfall simulation revealed that runoff ratio (0–63.3 %) decreased dramatically with surface cover, compared with no surface cover condition (55–85.3 %), and sediment load and concentration also decreased. With additions of PAM, sawdust, and rice hull to rice straw mat, the runoff ratio decreased to 52.8, 36.6, and 53.2 %, compared with only rice straw mat condition (runoff ratio of 63.3 %). When gypsum was added, no runoff was observed in case of rainfall intensity of 30 mm/h. Under 60 mm/h rainfall condition, 50 % or more runoff reduction was observed. These could be explained in that surface cover reduces detachment of soil particles and keeps infiltration rate by reducing surface sealing with detached soil particle which could happen under non-surface cover condition. Second, when rice straw mat was applied to soybean field, no runoff was observed until rainfall intensity of 5.8 mm/h or greater, while runoff was observed with rainfall intensity of 1.5 mm/h at no surface covered soybean field. In addition, 89.7–99.4 % of pollutant reductions were observed with rice straw mat at the soybean field. When rice straw mat with additions of wood shaves was applied to Chinese cabbage and radish fields, 4.3–75.8 % of runoff reductions and 28–80.8 % of pollutant reductions were observed. In case of Chinese cabbage, 122.1 % yield increase was observed and 153.4 % yield increase in case of radish.     

In vitro starch digestibility and pasting properties of germinated brown rice after hydrothermal treatments

Germinated brown rice (GBR) recently has received renewed attention due to its enhanced nutritional value. Pasting properties and in vitro starch digestibility of GBR were examined before and after hydrothermal treatments. Steeping in water (30 °C, 24 h) raised the moisture content and germination percentage of brown rice. Pasting viscosity was substantially decreased but gelatinization temperatures and enthalpy were decreased only marginally by germination (30 °C, 48 h). However, annealing (50 °C, 24 h) and heat-moisture treatment (100 °C, 1 h at 30% moisture) after germination resulted in increased pasting viscosity and gelatinization temperatures. The hydrothermal treatments, however, induced browning reactions to darken the flour of GBR. The digestibility of starch in brown rice was increased by germination. The contents of rapidly digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) in the cooked brown rice were 47.3%, 40.8%, and 11.9%, respectively, but changed to 57.7%, 39.1%, and 3.2%, respectively upon germination. The hydrothermal treatments, however, decreased the digestibility of starch in GBR. The heat-moisture treatment decreased the RDS content in GBR near to that of native brown rice. The digestibility and physical properties of brown rice can be controlled by germination and hydrothermal treatments.     

Physical properties of wheat flour composites dry-coated with microparticulated soybean hulls and rice flour and their use for low-fat doughnut preparation

Air-classified wheat flour was dry-coated with microparticulated rice flour (30%, db) and/or microparticulated soybean hulls (up to 10%, db) using a hybridization system, and the physical properties of the dry-coated wheat flour were examined. The composite wheat flours exhibited the higher water-holding capacity but lower swelling power and oil-holding capacity than their counterpart mixtures. In pasting viscosity, the composites of wheat and rice flours had substantially lower values for peak viscosity and breakdown than did pure wheat flour. The incorporation of soybean hulls to the composites of wheat and rice flours further reduced the peak viscosity. The composites with rice flour and soybean hulls showed slightly higher melting (gelatinization) temperatures but lower melting enthalpy compared to the counterpart mixtures. By using the composite flours for the deep-fat fried doughnut preparation, the oil uptake could be substantially reduced by approximately 30%, in comparison to pure wheat flour or the mixture samples. The composite wheat flours with microparticulated rice flour and soybean hulls produced dough matrices with improved compactness and cell structure, which were attributed to the reduced fat uptake during frying.     

Fragmentation of Waxy Rice Starch Granules by Enzymatic Hydrolysis

Small starch particles were prepared by hydrolyzing waxy rice starch using α‐amylase and then ultrasonicating in ethanol. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that a mild hydrolysis for 3 hr increased the melting enthalpy of the starch, which might indicate that the hydrolysis was selective in the amorphous regions. Later, at 6–24 hr, the hydrolysis rate was reduced, with gradual decreases in DSC melting enthalpy, indicating that the crystalline regions were eroded simultaneously. X‐ray diffraction patterns revealed the same trend as the DSC results. Average diameter of starch granules or particles was decreased dramatically in both volume‐ and number‐based measurements (5.94→1.64 μm, and 0.45→0.18 μm, respectively) during the early stage of rapid hydrolysis (up to 3 hr). Native waxy rice starch exhibited a particle size distribution with a major peak at 5.6 μm. After hydrolysis for 3 hr, the volume distribution of starch granules changed to two major size peaks at 0.5 and 3.6 μm. The starch fragment of 0.5 μm was assumed to consist of crystalline blocklets. With excessive hydrolysis (24 hr) or ultrasonication, however, starch particle diameter was increased, indicating that the particles might be swollen or aggregated into clusters.     

Osmoregulatory ability and stress responses during freshwater adaptation of black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegeli) treated with exogenous prolactin

The effects of ovine prolactin (oPRL) on osmoregulatory ability (electrolyte balance, plasma osmolality and activity of gill chloride cells and gill Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase) and stress responses (plasma cortisol, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase: AST and alanine aminotransferase: ALT) were investigated in black porgy transferred to freshwater (FW). Fish in seawater (SW) were injected twice at a 24 h interval with oPRL (at 1, 3, or 5 μg g^–1 body weight) or vehicle (0.9% NaCl) and then transferred to FW. They were sampled 3 days after the transfer. With oPRL at 5 μg g^–1, levels of plasma Na⁺ and Cl^? and osmolality were significantly higher than in saline‐treated fish, whereas gill CCs number and Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase activity were lower. Also, the 5 μg g^–1oPRL treatment led to significantly lower plasma cortisol levels than did saline treatment. However, there were no significant differences in plasma AST and ALT between groups. These results support the positive osmoregulatory role of PRL in black porgy during FW adaptation.     

Effects of Water Network Synthesis on the Air Pollutant Emissions and Energy Consumption of a Whole Economy

Environmental and energy performances of a water network system (WNS) utilizing water reuse are compared to those of a conventional water system (CWS) supplying only freshwater from the perspective of an entire economy and life cycle. Environmental input–output analysis (EIOA) is used to evaluate their air pollutant emissions and energy consumptions. The global warming potential and the emissions of carbon monoxide and of volatile organic compounds from the WNS are less than those from the CWS because of the decrease in the consumption of industrial water, while the emissions of sulfur dioxide and of nitrogen oxides and energy consumption from the WNS are greater because of the increase in electricity consumption for pumping. For perfectly environmentally-friendly water reuse, electricity consumption should be constrained or optimized in water network synthesis, and primary energy mix for electricity generation should be shifted towards renewable energy.     

Arginase-1 and P-glycoprotein are downregulated in canine hepatocellular carcinoma

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary hepatic malignancy in humans and dogs. Several differentially expressed molecules have been studied and reported in human hepatocellular carcinoma and non-neoplastic liver lesions. However, studies on the features of canine hepatocellular carcinoma are limited, especially related to the differential characteristics of neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions.ObjectivesThe study''s objective was 1) to examine and evaluate the expression of arginase-1, P-glycoprotein, and cytokeratin 19 in canine liver tissues and 2) to investigate the differential features of hepatocellular carcinomas, liver tissue with non-neoplastic lesions, and paracancerous liver tissues in dogs.MethodsThe expression levels of three markers underwent immunohistochemical analysis in 40 non-neoplastic liver tissues, 32 hepatocellular carcinoma tissues, and 11 paracancerous liver tissues. Scoring of each marker was performed semi-quantitatively.ResultsArginase-1 and P-glycoprotein were significantly downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma, compared with hepatic tissues with non-neoplastic diseases (p < 0.001). Expression levels of arginase-1 and P-glycoprotein were also significantly lower in hepatocellular carcinoma than in paracancerous liver tissues (arginase-1, p = 0.0195; P-glycoprotein, p = 0.047). Few cytokeratin 19-positive hepatocytes were detected and only in one hepatocellular carcinoma and one cirrhotic liver sample.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that downregulation of arginase-1 and P-glycoprotein is a feature of canine hepatocellular carcinoma; thus, those markers are potential candidates for use in differentiating hepatocellular carcinomas from non-neoplastic liver lesions in dogs.     

Optimum density of chrysanthemum flower model traps to reduce infestations of Frankliniella intonsa (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on greenhouse strawberry

In a previous study, we showed that a chrysanthemum flower model trap, developed by modifying an artificial yellow chrysanthemum flower, was more attractive to the flower thrips Frankliniella intonsa Trybom (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) than a commercial yellow sticky trap. In this study, the optimum deployment density of the chrysanthemum flower model trap for reducing thrips infestation was investigated in commercial strawberry greenhouses. The traps were installed within the plant canopy at different densities (0, 5, 10, 20 traps per 50 m² plot) in three greenhouses using a randomized complete block design. The highest density of traps reduced seasonal populations of F. intonsa on strawberry flowers by 82% compared to the untreated control. The traps caught approximately 4.6 times more female than male F. intonsa, though the numbers of females and males in the flowers were similar and were both equally reduced with increasing trap density. A weak correlation (r = 0.54) was found between the number of female F. intonsa trapped and numbers in strawberry flowers, but there was no correlation (r = −0.03) for males. The results indicate flower model trap can be an additional tool for monitoring and/or management tactics against this anthophilous thrips.