Search

Colored powders were widely applied to develop latent fingerprints (LFPs) on various substrates in forensic science; however, few researches involved the recycle of the organic dyes removed from wastewater effluents as developing agent. Therefore, colored inclusion complex powders (CICPs) of cationic β-cyclodextrin with Acid Red G as simulated dye from wastewater effluents were prepared and used in the development of LFPs on different substrates. The formation of the CICPs was confirmed by FT-IR, SEM and DSC. Excellent visualization images of latent fingerprints developed with CICPs, especially for latent fingerprints deposited on the smooth and non-porous surface, can be obtained quickly by the powder method. The Level 3 features of fingerprints such as pores were observed clearly and benefit for identification. Meanwhile, the developing performance of latent fingerprints can be maintained for 15 days, indicating that the CICPs showed good stability and was expected to be practically applied in forensic science.

Previous clinical studies have shown controversial results regarding the effect of inorganic nitrate supplementation on blood pressure (BP) in older individuals. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of inorganic nitrate on BP in older adults.Eligible studies were searched in Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. Randomized controlled trials which evaluated the effect of inorganic nitrate consumption on BP in older adults were recruited. The random-effect model was used to calculate the pooled effect sizes.22 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, inorganic nitrate consumption significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) by -3.90 mmHg (95% confidence interval: -5.23 to -2.57; P 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by -2.62 mmHg (95% confidence interval: -3.86 to -1.37; P 0.005) comparing with the control group. Subgroup analysis showed that the BP was significantly reduced when participants' age≥65, BMI30, or baseline BP in prehypertension stage. And both SBP and DBP decreased significantly after acute nitrate supplementation of a single dose (1 day) or more than 1-week. However, participants with hypertension at baseline were not associated with significant changes in both SBP and DBP. Subgroup analysis of measurement methods showed that only the resting BP group showed a significant reduction in SBP and DBP, compared with the 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) group and daily home BP measurement group.These results demonstrate that consuming inorganic nitrate can significantly reduce SBP and DBP in older adults, especially in whose age ≥ 65, BMI＞30, or baseline BP in prehypertension stage.

Over the years, a multiplicity of grafting modification techniques have been studied to combine the adsorption and wettability of natural fibres with the capacity of cyclodextrins (CDs) to form inclusion complexes. The fixation of CDs on fibres is possible using crosslinking agents or reactive derivatives of cyclodextrins. Various crosslinking chemicals are suitable to bind the hydroxyl groups of non-reactive cyclodextrins with those of natural fibres by way of spraying, padding, surface coating, and impregnation. Nano-composite dense polymer film could also be formed to anchor the cyclodextrin on the natural fibre surface by the methods of hydrogen binding or covalent binding in sol-gel. A vinyl monomer such as glycidyl methacrylate was used to form polymer coatings due to the pendant epoxy group coupled with the –OH of cyclodextrin and natural fibres. This review also focused on the derivatives of CDs with the reactive group reacting with the hydroxyl groups of natural fibres.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to fabricate a high-performance filtration electrospun nanofiber membrane with antibacterial function. The Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) gotten by reducing AgNO3 act as antimicrobial agent. Then the AgNPs/Polyacrylonitrile (AgNPs/PAN) composite nanofiber membrane was prepared by electrospinning. Design/methodology/approach The electrospun Ag/PAN composite membrane was prepared by one step, in which the Ag particles were acting as antibacterial agent and PAN nanofiber as the upholder of the composite mat. AgNPs were obtained by reducing AgNO3 in N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) solution at high temperature. Meanwhile, the PAN particles were added to DMF solution and dissolved. Then the Ag/PAN nanofiber was obtained by electrospinning. Findings The thinner nanofiber can be produced with PAN concentration of 12 per cent and AgNPs concentration of 10 per cent. Finally, the filtration resistance of the composite membrane with antibacterial property is as high as 99.1 per cent, and the filtration efficiency is only 83 Pa. Therefore, the AgNPs/PAN composite membrane is the ideal choice for air filtration with antibacterial property. Originality/value The AgNPs/PAN composite nanofiber membrane has high filtration performance for particulate matter (PM)25 and outstanding antibacterial property to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, which can be used with masks, air-conditioning filters (including car air-conditioning filters), window screening and other similar objects.

Aims Urea transporter B (UTB) is encoded by the SLC14α1 gene, and exerts its activity in the choroid plexus (CP) by regulating [Na+] in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and maintaining normal blood pressure in mice fed on high salt diet. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of high salt diet on the mean arterial pressure (MAP) in SLC14α1 depletion mice and its possible molecular mechanism. Main methods Adult male mice were divided into four groups: 1) UTB+/+(wild type) mice + normal salt diet (0.3% NaCl, NS); 2) UTB+/+ mice + high salt diet (8% NaCl, HS); 3) UTB−/− (SLC14α1 knockout) mice + NS; 4) UTB−/− mice + HS, each group consisted of 6 mice. The MAP of mice was measured by non-invasive detection method after HS diet for 4 weeks, followed by euthanization for brain and blood collection. Key findings HS significantly elevated the MAP and CSF [Na+] in UTB−/− mice in comparison with wild type mice; however, NS didn't alter the MAP and CSF [Na+] in either wild type mice or UTB−/− mice. HS also induced the expression of ENaC-α and α1-Na+-K+-ATPase in UTB−/− mice as confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blot. Significance These results suggest that the depletion of SLC14α1 gene in mice may contribute to the HS-induced abnormality of sodium transportation in the CSF, and lead to the elevation of MAP, which eventually promote the development of salt-sensitive hypertension.

Objectives Previous clinical studies have shown controversial results regarding the effect of Lactobacillus supplementation on blood pressure (BP). The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to examine the effect of Lactobacillus consumption on BP. Methods Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched from five electronic databases until May 2020. In total, 18 studies were included in our meta-analysis. Quality of the selected studies was assessed, and a random-effects model was used to calculate the overall effect sizes of weighted mean differences (WMD). This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO with the number: CRD42019139294. Results Lactobacillus consumption significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) by −2.74 mmHg (95% confidence interval, −4.96 to −0.51) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by −1.50 mmHg (95% confidence interval, −2.44 to −0.56) when comparing with the control group. Subgroup analysis showed that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, Asian individuals, or borderline hypertension participants were more sensitive to daily consumption of Lactobacillus. And the effect of Lactobacillus on BP-reduction was more significant in capsule form, with the dose was above 5 × 109 colony-forming unit (CFU)/day or lasted for more than 8 weeks. Conclusions Our present study suggests that Lactobacillus consumption in capsule form when the daily dose is above 5 × 109 CFU for more than 8 weeks can decrease SBP or DBP in T2DM patients, borderline hypertension participants or Asian individuals.

The mining industry needs to treat large volumes of wastewater highly concentrated in chemical compounds that can adversely affect receiving environments. One promising method of treatment is the use of reverse osmosis to remove most of the dissolved salts. However, the resulting brine reject is a highly saline wastewater that needs further treatment to remove the toxic components, such as selenate, which is a chemical compound of great concern in coal-mining regions. Biological reduction and removal of dissolved selenium from a brine solution was achieved. Microorganisms were enriched from environmental samples collected from two mines, respectively, at different geographic locations through adaptive evolution in the laboratory. Batch treatment of typical brine was tested with two different enrichments with the addition of either of two chemical forms of iron, ferrous chloride or zero valent iron. Successful selenium removal in the presence of high nitrate and sulphate concentrations was achieved with a combination of enriched microorganisms from one particular site and the addition of zero-valent iron. The composition and metabolic potential of the enriched microorganisms revealed Clostridium, Sphaerochaeta, Synergistes and Desulfosporosinus species with the metabolic potential for selenate reduction through the YgfK enzymatic process associated with selenium detoxification.

Gas-phase auto-ignition delay times (IDTs) of methane/“air” (21% O2/79% Ar) mixtures were measured behind reflected shock waves, using a kinetic shock tube. Experiments were performed at fixed pressure of 1.8 MPa and equivalence ratios of 0.5 and 1.0, over the temperature range of 800–1000 K. Overall, the effect of equivalence ratio on IDT is negligible at entire temperatures measured in this study. The difference from traditional ignition regime at high temperatures, the undiluted methane/air mixtures present a four-stage ignition process at lower temperatures, namely deflagration delay, deflagration, deflagration-detonation transition, and detonation. Four popular kinetic mechanisms, UBC Mech 2.1, GRI Mech 3.0, Aramco Mech 2.0, and USC Mech 2.0, were used to simulate the new measurements. Only UBC Mech 2.1 showed satisfactory predictions in the reactivity of the undiluted methane mixtures; it was, thus, adopted to perform sensitivity analysis for identifying dominant reactions in the ignition process. The difference in channels contributing ȮH radicals causes a reduced global activation energy with decreasing temperatures.Keywords: Methane; multistage ignition; shock tube; sensitivity analysis

One of the key points in numerical simulation of coal-rock cutting by conical picks is to select a proper coal-rock constitutive model. In order to find a reasonable coal-rock constitutive model, a uniaxial compression test was conducted to obtain the constitutive model. The several stages for linear elastic deformation and creep, plastic yielding, hardening, and finally brittle cracking of the constitutive units were studied, and the coal-rock constitutive model was established. As a result, the coal-rock cutting by one conical pick or two conical picks was simulated and the results were compared with coal-rock cutting experiment on a Coal-rock Cutting Machine. According to the simulation and experimental results, it is believed that the numerical simulation can reveal coal-rock crushing process. And the total error rate of coal-rock cutting by one conical pick between the simulation and experiment is 8.5%. The maximum deviation of coal-rock cutting by two conical picks between the simulation and experiment is 9.8%. All simulation values are within a reasonable range. The comparison indicates that the coal-rock constitutive model should better be defined considering the coal-rock crushing process by conical picks.

The interfacial rheology and aggregation behaviour of three amphiphilic CBABC-type pentablock copolymers possessing different block ratios and chain lengths were investigated at the air–water interface, in which C, B and A represent poly(trifluoroethyl methacrylate)/PTFEMA, poly(methyl methacrylate)/PMMA and poly(ethylene glycol)/PEG, respectively. The influence of the block ratio and chain length on the interfacial rheology of the Langmuir films was studied via continuous compression, successive addition and step compression methods. The surface pressure–mean molecular area isotherms and limiting mean molecular areas of the three copolymers were studied via continuous compression. The surface pressure and modulus obtained from the continuous compression and successive addition methods were compared. Furthermore, the relaxation of the monolayer was discussed using the step compression method. A relaxation process was proposed that related to the adsorption–desorption exchange of molecules and polymer segments on the surface (fast relaxation process) and the reconformation of the adsorbed macromolecules inside the adsorption layer (slow relaxation process) at different mean molecular areas of compression. In addition, the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films prepared at various surface pressures from the three copolymers were scanned using atomic force microscopy (AFM) images, and a variety of morphologies such as macroporous, rugged, reticular and discontinuous continent structures were observed. Finally, the packing model of the structure evolution for the pentablock copolymer aggregates at the air–water interface was proposed.