Search

Climate change is expected to have a considerable impact on precipitation leading to more intense and frequent extreme events. Considering the different driving mechanisms of precipitation extreme is essential to understand the changes in response to climate change. In this study, we decompose the intensity of extreme wet month precipitation (EWMP) during the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) into atmospheric dynamic, thermodynamic and non‐linear components by using moisture budget estimation. The data from 19 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase‐6 (CMIP6) models are used for historical, intermediate (SSP2‐4.5), and high‐emission (SSP5‐8.5) scenarios and the changes are estimated for near (2021–2040), mid (2041–2060), and far‐future (2081–2100) relative to the historical (1995–2014) period for different monsoon sub‐domains. The findings reveal a significant increase in the intensity of EWMP in the ISM, projecting 2%–12% in SSP2‐4.5 and 8%–25% in SSP5‐8.5 for the far‐future. The enhanced vertical ascent of moisture (V‐Dyn) is found to be a dominant factor contributing more than 70% to EWMP in most sub‐domains. However, regardless of enhancement in intensity of precipitation, the models simulate a reduction in impact of the V‐Dyn by 10%–35% from the near to far‐future period, particularly in high emission scenarios. Vertical thermodynamic and non‐linear moisture advection components also play minor roles (<5% in historical), with their influence gradually increasing with future warming (>15% in SSP5‐8.5). The responses also vary regionally for components such as horizontal dynamic term, where it leads to precipitation offset in the northern regions, but causes enhanced precipitation in southern regions. The study highlights the spatial and temporal variability of moisture budgets of extreme wet Indian summer monsoon precipitation in a warming environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigation is vital for Philippine agriculture, particularly in regions like Bohol, where water resources are under pressure due to competing demands and seasonal droughts. Despite introducing automated irrigation technologies designed to enhance efficiency, many areas still need to rely on updated manual methods, leading to water wastage and reduced productivity. This study explores the potential of automated irrigation systems to improve water use efficiency by evaluating soil's physical and electrical properties in Bohol's greenhouses. Specifically, it investigates soil texture, bulk density, pH, moisture content, and the performance of resistive and capacitive soil moisture sensors under varying conditions. Using a randomized complete block design, the research analyzed soil samples from greenhouses in six municipalities: Antequera, Bilar, Calape, Carmen, Jagna, and Loay. Laboratory experiments assessed soil properties, and a custom Arduino-based soil moisture meter was developed for sensor calibration. The study found significant variability in soil properties across locations, with sandy clay loam soils exhibiting the highest electrical resistivity and lower water retention than silty clay and clay soils. The findings highlight that soil pH varied from slightly basic to strongly acidic, and sensor voltage output inversely correlated with soil moisture content, reflecting changes in electrical conductivity. The results underscore the importance of selecting appropriate sensors and calibration methods for accurate soil moisture measurement. Recommendations include further testing for sensor variability, preference for capacitance over resistive sensors, and rigorous calibration procedures. Enhancing these practices will improve the effectiveness of automated irrigation systems and support sustainable agricultural development in Bohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Cloud‐radiative feedback (CRF) has been investigated in terms of its modulation of extreme precipitation over tropical oceans, the specific timeframe of CRF variability and the associated processes driving extreme rainfall over Asian monsoon regions remain unclear. Based on observational analyses and model sensitivity experiments, this study reveals that longwave CRF at the quasi‐biweekly timescale is most closely linked to the intensity of persistent (≥3‐day) heavy rainfall events in southern China and northern India by efficiently maintaining the large‐scale convective perturbations. When CRF is disabled, the quasi‐biweekly convective anomalies supporting extreme precipitation are weakened. Additional assessments of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project historical simulations confirm that models with more accurate quasi‐biweekly longwave CRF exhibit smaller biases in capturing the amplitude of persistent heavy rainfall. These results have implications for improving model capability in simulating and forecasting quasi‐biweekly CRF to mitigate the risks of extreme precipitation events in monsoonal Asia. Plain Language Summary: Persistent heavy rainfall (PHR) events, bringing prolonged heavy precipitation, pose substantial threats to densely populated regions such as the Asian summer monsoon area. Understanding the physical processes that influence the intensity of these events is crucial for improving the accuracy of models in simulating and forecasting such hazards. While previous studies highlight the importance of cloud‐radiative feedback (CRF) in extreme precipitation due to its influence on organized convection, the effective timeframe of CRF and the related moisture processes leading to extreme rainfall need clarification. Using observational data, we found that quasi‐biweekly convection maintained by longwave CRF is closely linked to PHR amounts in southern China and northern India. Model sensitivity experiments, in which longwave CRF was either included or excluded, indicate that CRF may intensify extreme rainfall by enhancing quasi‐biweekly convection and the moistening effect. Additionally, biases in the amplitude of PHR in state‐of‐the‐art coupled model historical simulations are positively correlated with biases in the models' longwave CRF intensity at the quasi‐biweekly timescale. These findings confirm that quasi‐biweekly CRF is vital for modulating extreme rainfall in monsoonal Asia. Therefore, improving the accuracy of models in representing CRF, particularly at the quasi‐biweekly timescale, is key to better simulating and predicting PHR. Key Points: Cloud‐radiative feedback (CRF) at the quasi‐biweekly timescale is closely linked with extreme rainfall intensity in monsoonal AsiaDisabling CRF leads to a weakening of extreme rainfall events, which are supported by quasi‐biweekly convection and moisture convergenceCoupled Model Intercomparison Project models with more accurate simulations of longwave CRF amplitude better capture monsoonal extreme rainfall events [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of recent studies have highlighted how radiative feedback from clouds accelerates tropical cyclone (TC) development by amplifying spatial gradients in radiative heating. This study extends this work by examining how spatial gradients in free tropospheric moisture influence TC development through their impact on environmental radiative heating. We conduct a series of idealized model experiments in which only the longwave radiative heating due to water vapor is modified in the environmental region outside of the TC area. These experiments demonstrate that a vortex in a drier environmental free troposphere experiences faster development. Moreover, weaker vortices actually require a dry environmental free troposphere to develop. The accelerated genesis mainly results from a stronger spatial gradient in moisture‐induced radiative heating, which enhances energy convergence through a stronger transverse circulation. These results highlight a potentially important and overlooked role of dry air in facilitating TC genesis. Plain Language Summary: Recent studies have shown that clouds play an important role in making hurricanes stronger by affecting how heat is distributed. This study builds on that work by looking at how moisture in the environmental air away from the storm center also influences hurricane development through its impact on heat distribution. Computer simulations in which only the heating due to the absorption of infrared heat by water vapor outside the hurricane area was varied showed that hurricanes with drier environmental air develop faster. Further analysis revealed that this faster development is mainly because of a stronger difference in how heat is distributed due to moisture. Our results suggest that dry air might play a crucial and overlooked role in helping hurricanes form. Key Points: Dry environment accelerates tropical cyclone genesis through moisture‐induced gradients in radiative heatingA dry environmental free troposphere enhances the radiative heating gradient between TC area and its surroundingsThe moisture‐induced radiative feedback enhances the energy convergence and is critical to TC genesis in the early stages of development [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A pilot-scale smouldering reactor with a height of 2.0 m is constructed. • Smouldering performance under long-term continuous operation is evaluated. • Effect of discharging residue interval and Darcy velocity is investigated. • 30 s for discharging residue interval and 3.5 cm/s for Darcy velocity are suggested. Smouldering is a novel, low-energy, low-cost technology for disposing of sludge with high moisture. Currently, related researches focus on the lab-scale with batch disposal, but more reports about the pilot-scale with continuous process need to be done. Based on our previous research, this study further enlarged the pilot-scale smouldering reactor height from 1.2 m to 2.0 m and provides insight into the smouldering performance under long-term continuous operation and the influence of the discharging residue interval and Darcy velocity. The temperate evolution shows that the discharging residue interval significantly affects the reaction location stability due to the difference between the smouldering upward velocity and the feed-stock descent velocity. Furthermore, the unburnout content, heavy metal in the smouldering-derived residue, the non-condensable flue gas concentrations (O 2 , CO, NO x , VOCs, dioxin), and the components of the condensable liquid are deeply investigated. The pilot-scale measurements show that 30 s and 40 s for the discharging residue interval under the studied operating condition may be reasonable for the high (3.5 cm/s and 5.0 cm/s) and low (2.5 cm/s) Darcy velocity, respectively. Comprehensively, the condition with 30 s for the discharging residue interval and 3.5 cm/s for the Darcy velocity is suggested in the future actual application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the growing demand for plant‐based meat alternatives, this study explores the impact of incorporating wheat gluten (WG) into soy protein isolate (SPI) on both the proximate and functional properties of protein blends. The research also examines the effects of high moisture extrusion processing, varying feed moisture levels (60%, 65%, and 70%), and WG‐SPI blends on extruder response, as well as the textural, rheological, and solubility characteristics of the resulting extruded meat analogues. Moreover, the prime objective was to gain insights into the impact of using HMMA made at different ratios and feed moisture levels on plant‐based burgers. As the WG incorporation level increased in SPI, the RVA viscosity, water absorption, and oil absorption capacities, and foaming stability exhibited a decrease while foaming capacity increased. As feed moisture and WG incorporation levels in SPI increased, the system parameters, rheological, and textural parameters of high moisture extruded meat analogs decreased. WG25‐SPI75 showed the highest degree of texturization or sulfide bonds, and its extruded meat analogues at 60% feed moisture level burger patties resemble a similar textural to a chicken burger patty. This study is pivotal in understanding how wheat gluten in SPIs and feeding moisture level influence the textural and rheology properties of HMMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. This study evaluated the validity, inter-assessor reliability and intra-assessor repeatability of three visual scoring systems for litter quality, one known as the Welfare Quality Assessment Protocol© and two complementary systems for friability and humidity developed by the ClassyFarm initiative.2. In 6 rooms of an experimental barn, 2450 medium-growing broiler chickens were reared on coarse sawdust litter until they reached a body weight of 2.2 kg at 43 days of age, with a stocking density of 33 kg/m2.3. Sixty-six litter samples were analysed for litter moisture at two different time points during the broiler chickens’ production cycle, and were visually scored using the three systems, two consecutive times, by 7 assessors to analyse their validity, inter-reliability and intra-repeatability according to the litter moisture level.4. The three resulting scores were correlated with the litter moisture (p < 0.001) and correlations were stronger when the litter moisture was above 35%. Similarly, inter-assessor reliability and intra-assessor repeatability were better for all three scoring systems when litter moisture was above 35% than when it was below 35%.5. The ClassyFarm Friability system was the most reliable regardless of litter moisture level. The ClassyFarm Humidity system was the least reliable and repeatable when the litter moisture was below 35%. The Welfare Quality scoring system lay between the two ClassyFarm systems considering inter-assessor reliability, but was as repeatable as the ClassyFarm Friability system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increased risk of asthma and other respiratory diseases is associated with exposures to microbial communities growing in damp and moldy indoor environments. The exact causal mechanisms remain unknown, and occupant health effects have not been consistently associated with any species-based mold measurement methods. We need new quantitative methods to identify homes with potentially harmful fungal growth that are not dependent upon species. The goal of this study was to identify genes consistently associated with fungal growth and associated function under damp conditions for use as potential indicators of mold in homes regardless of fungal species present. A de novo metatranscriptomic analysis was performed using house dust from across the US, incubated at 50%, 85%, or 100% equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) for 1 week. Results: Gene expression was a function of moisture (adonis2 p < 0.001), with fungal metabolic activity increasing with an increase in moisture condition (Kruskal–Wallis p = 0.003). Genes associated with fungal growth such as sporulation (n = 264), hyphal growth (n = 62), and secondary metabolism (n = 124) were significantly upregulated at elevated ERH conditions when compared to the low 50% ERH (FDR-adjusted p ≤ 0.001, log2FC ≥ 2), indicating that fungal function is influenced by damp conditions. A total of 67 genes were identified as consistently associated with the elevated 85% or 100% ERH conditions and included fungal developmental regulators and secondary metabolite genes such as brlA (log2FC = 7.39, upregulated at 100% compared to 85%) and stcC (log2FC = 8.78, upregulated at 85% compared to 50%). Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that moisture conditions more strongly influence gene expression of indoor fungal communities compared to species presence. Identifying genes indicative of microbial growth under damp conditions will help develop robust monitoring techniques for indoor microbial exposures and improve understanding of how dampness and mold are linked to disease. -X5AkW-U2mftBzktcaxDSr Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn order to reduce the drying time of broccoli and to investigate rehydration and color changes associated with the drying process, infrared drying method and blanching pretreatment were used in this study. Boccoli florets were dried using infrared drying at power levels of 50, 62, 74 and 88 W to investigate drying kinetics. Blanching was used as a pretreatment and it was found that the blanched samples dried faster. Effective moisture diffusion coefficients were also calculated. While Deff values between 9.26 × 10−11 and 2.15 × 10−10 m2/s were observed for the control samples, this value varied between 1.10 × 10−10 and 2.87 × 10−10 m2/s for the blanched samples. The calculated activation energy values for the blanched and control samples are 2.11 and 2.0 kW/kg, respectively. The drying process was modeled using 12 different thin-layer drying models and it was found that the Midilli & Kucuk model best represented the process. Color analysis was performed by measuring L, a and b values as well as chroma, hue angle and total color change values. It was observed that increasing infrared power affected color parameters, leading to a decrease in L values and an increase in a and b values. In addition, blanching pretreatment preserved color to some extent. The rehydration behavior of dried samples was also analyzed. It was found that the highest rehydration capacity was achieved in blanched samples dried at 74 W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates groove-based controlled shape morphing in potatoes and carrots during drying. Stamps were manufactured and used to create groove depths (2 mm and 4 mm) onto the surface of the samples, which were then dried at various temperatures (45 °C, 55 °C, and 65 °C). Bending transformation, drying profiles, shrinkage, porosity, and surface morphology were measured as indicators of shape morphing. Potatoes exhibited a positive correlation between morphing transformation with increasing temperatures, reaching maximum angles of 244° (2 mm) and 263° (4 mm). Similarly, carrots showed similar observations with maximum bending angles of 145.1° (2 mm) and 153° (4 mm). The morphing in these samples was observed within the moisture content range of 1–0.5 kg water per kg solids and was concomitant with a substantial shrinkage of 80–84% in both samples. Grooving significantly affects the morphing, creating high-stress points and increasing the moisture transfer rate during drying. This study lays foundational knowledge for the controlled shape morphing of foods using drying technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate prediction of moisture content is significantly crucial for ensuring process stability and product quality in the cylinder drying process. However, the drying process exhibits complex spatio-temporal characteristics and strong interference, which make accurate prediction challenging for the deep learning approach. To address this issue, this article proposes a new spatio-temporal attention-based bidirectional long-short temporal memory network (STA-BiLSTM) model for accurate moisture content prediction. First, Maximum Relevance Minimum Redundancy (mRMR) is adopted to identify optimal features highly related to moisture content. Secondly, bidirectional long-short temporal memory (Bi-LSTM) network is utilized to extract temporal dependencies from the sequential data. Subsequently, spatio-temporal attention mechanisms are designed to adaptively focus on the most relevant features and timesteps, enhancing the model's generalization ability. Finally, due to the harsh industrial environment, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) is adapted to improve generalizability and robustness. Extensive experiments on a real industrial dataset of the drying process demonstrate that the proposed STA-BiLSTM approach significantly outperforms alternative approaches for predicting moisture content, validating its effectiveness and superiority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional patterns of the seasonal weather and atmospheric moisture origins can impact the seasonal activities of extreme precipitation in the eastern United States (eUS). At many locations, tracks of atmospheric moisture can have different influence on timing of extreme precipitation based on the moisture origin source. In this study, we evaluate the contribution of atmospheric rivers (ARs) and their moisture origin sources to the distribution and seasonal effectivity of annual maximum precipitation (AMP) across the eUS during 1950–2021. Our results suggest that AR is a dominant mechanism of AMP in the eUS as it contributes to 75% (31 438 out of 41 976) of total AMP events recorded between 1950 and 2021. The seasonal analysis based on the circular density approach shows that spring, summer, and fall seasons display strong signals of seasonality of AMP-AR events. The spatial patterns of AMP associated with the four major moisture sources (the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the combined source of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and the local source of moisture) reinforce the key role ARs play in transporting water vapor to the eUS from both oceanic and inland originated moisture. The results additionally highlight the importance of moisture subsources (major source subregions) in modulating the seasonality of extreme precipitation in the eUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background Aims Patients/Methods Results Conclusions Halobacteria trueperi, an extremophilic microorganism thriving in high‐salt environments, produces extracellular polysaccharides with potential anti‐inflammatory and anti‐aging properties. However, its clinical efficacy in skin improvement remains unclear. This study focuses on H. trueperi TCI66207, isolated from the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 662 m near Hualien, and its potential to enhance skin parameters, aiming to develop a novel functional formulation for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use.This sudy aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of H. trueperi TCI66207 on various skin parameters and its potential for developing new functional cosmetic formulations.A total of 40 subjects were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: the test group applied a serum containing H. trueperi TCI66207, while the placebo group used a basic serum. Subjects were instructed to apply the serum twice daily for 4 weeks. Skin parameters, including moisture, brightness, elasticity, pigmentation (spots and UV spots), texture, wrinkles, pores, and collagen density, were assessed before and after the 4‐week application period.After 4 weeks of using the H. trueperi TCI66207 serum, significant improvements were observed in all measured skin parameters compared to baseline, with notable enhancements in moisture, brightness, elasticity, texture, and collagen density, along with reductions in wrinkles, spots, and pore size.Halobacteria trueperi TCI66207 serum demonstrates a clear ability to improve skin conditions and delay signs of aging, making it a promising candidate for the development of new cosmetic formulations with potent anti‐aging and skin‐rejuvenating properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), derived from abundant natural cellulose, possess exceptional properties including low weight, bioavailability, and high mechanical performance. During shear loading, CNCs exhibit unique stick–slip behavior, making them excellent toughening materials for CNC neat films and nanocomposite. However, the failure behavior at the interface under specific conditions, particularly moisture and temperature, remains unclear. The study utilized molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to quantitatively investigate the hydrothermal effect on the degradation of CNC interface. The degradation mechanism induced by moisture and temperature was indicated through the reduction of adhesive energy and peak force with the consideration of hydrogen bonds. The simulation results showed that the role of water molecules in the interfacial failure depends their content. Water acted as a binder at low moisture levels, while at high moisture levels, it acted as a lubricant. Besides, temperature had a more pronounced impact on the interfacial shear performance. Our simulation results can be used as input in micromechanical models to bridge the gap between the macroscopic and microscopic behavior of films and nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The aim of the present study was to texturise protein from sunflower press cake (SPC) for being consumed as dry snack or, in its hydrated state, as a meat analogue. In preliminary experiments, feed moisture (15–25 g 100 g−1) and extrusion temperature (180 °C–200 °C) were varied when processing commercial sunflower protein flour with a protein content of 51.8 g per 100 g dry matter using low moisture single‐screw extrusion. The extrudates were analysed with regard to specific mechanical energy needs, texture properties in dry and hydrated state, colour, expansion ratio and water binding capacity. Extrusion parameters for achieving maximum expansion, textural force and minimal product moisture were found to be 180 °C and 15 g 100 g−1. Consequently, texturised protein was derived from deoiled SPC using these extrusion parameters. Initial deoiling of the press cake was necessary as it improved texturisation; a higher SME input reached led to increased cross‐linking of the protein matrix. The light coloured and significantly expanded extrudates with high water binding capacity and could serve as basis for further development of snack products or meat analogues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lime reaction rate in a container substrate is influenced by temperature and moisture, which are factors that vary between batches of substrate during manufacturing, storage, and crop production. The effects of temperature and moisture on the duration required to achieve a stable substrate-pH are useful information for substrate companies and growers, as well as a key component when modeling lime reaction over time. The pH of a 70 peat : 30 perlite (by volume) substrate was quantified over time under a range of different storage temperature (1.9 to 33.3°C) and substrate volumetric water content (VWC, 0.168 to 0.568 L of H2O/L of substrate). The lime source was a horticultural dolomitic carbonate limestone screened to the fraction that passed through a 100 US mesh but was retained on a 200 US mesh (0.075–0.15 mm) incorporated at 2.67 g·L−1 of substrate. Experiments provided two data sets for calibration and validation. Lime reaction rate increased with increasing substrate temperature and substrate moisture level. The duration required to reach a target substrate-pH value of 6.0 was used to indicate 90% of maximum pH effect from lime. Duration varied from 4 days with the combined high temperature (20.6 and 33.3 °C) and high VWC (0.468 and 0.568 L H2O/L of substrate) to 53 days with low temperature (1.9 °C) and low VWC (0.168 L H2O/L of substrate) for the calibration data set. At an example low VWC of 0.168 L of H2O/L of substrate, the duration required to reach substrate-pH 6.0 at 1.9, 7.8, 10, 20.6, and 33.3°C was 53, 38, 34, 23, and 17 days, respectively. Similarly, if the temperature was held constant at 33.3°C, reducing VWC from 0.568 L H2O/L to 0.128 L H2O/L would decrease lime reaction rate from 100% to 21%, requiring five times the duration to reach an equilibrium pH. Results can be used to compare the relative effects of moisture and temperature on lime reaction rate for substrate manufacturers and growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the moisture transfer and drying behavior of the double-layered fabrics knitted using polyester yarns with a combination of cotton and viscose yarns. As well as the fiber type on both faces, the effect of the number of filaments of the polyester yarns was also researched. For this purpose, double-layered interlock fabrics were knitted, and the resultant samples were characterized by moisture management, drying, water vapor permeability, and heat conduction tests. It was indicated that the fabrics knitted by polyester yarns on the inner side and cotton fabrics on the outer side resulted in a very good overall moisture-management capacity. The same applied to the drying speed; even faster drying was achieved than the 100% polyester double-layered samples. The increase in the filament number led to a decrease in both moisture management and drying rate. Moreover, it was determined that the use of viscose yarn was not suitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish are good sources of protein however when they contain toxic metals, they can pose health risk to human beings. Percentage moisture and ash contents were determined using oven dry weight and furnace methods respectively. Also, the concentrations (mg/Kg) of Cd, Cr and Cu in the tissue of catfish, tilapia and croaker fish were determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Estimated daily intake of Cd, Cr and Cu, hazard quotient, hazard index, and cancer risk were evaluated. The result showed 4.25±0.35 % (catfish), 5.25±0.45 % (tilapia fish) and 4.50±0.00 % (croaker fish) for moisture, 1.75±0.35 % (cat fish), 2.25±0.23 (tilapia fish) and 2.25±0.23 % (croaker fish) for ash content. The concentrations of Cd, Cr and Cu in the species of fish determined were above the threshold WHO/FAO (0.02 mg/kg) limit. The THQ for Cu was greater than 1 while Dc and Cr were less than 1. This indicates that the level of Cu in the species of fish determined will lead to a non-carcinogenic effect on consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Melipona fasciculata is a stingless bee and her honey has properties and flavor appreciated by different consumers. Its production provides a source of income for poor communities in Maranhão, Brazil. However, the absence of Brazilian legislation for this type of honey, as it exists for Apis mellifera, prevents the expansion of the commercialization of M. fasciculata honey. This study was carried out to identify microbiological and physicochemical patterns of honey in seven important locations in the Baixada Maranhense, in the north of Brazil. The honeys showed good hygienic-sanitary quality, in line with Brazilian legislation for A. mellifera honey and the proposal for regulation of stingless bee (SLB) honey. However, 16% of samples belonging to five locations showed contamination by mesophilic bacteria. The physicochemical parameters were variable, mainly moisture indexes (%), with means between 19.35 to 21.22. The HMF content of São Bento (70.70 mg.kg−1) was above current Brazilian legislation. Total acidity showed higher averages in half of São Bento, Viana and Palmeirândia when compared to legislation and the SLB (Max: 50 mEq.kg−1). As for the principal component analysis, HMF and TA showed a positive correlation. With regards to reducing sugar content, only the mean in Peri-Mirim city reached values registered with the Apis legislation and the proposed SLB. In general, the honeys in this study showed rates compatible with those of other SLB, however, in disagreement with parameters required by the Brazilian regulation of Apis, motivating the establishment of specific legislation for honey in Maranhão. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the degradation behavior of 3D printed polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) dental materials, with a specific focus on the influential factors of temperature and moisture, by employing molecular dynamics simulations. Owing to their aesthetic properties, 3D-printed PMMA dental materials play a pivotal role in dental applications. However, understanding their degradation mechanisms, particularly in the context of temperature and moisture variations, is crucial for their long-term durability. A Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS) was utilized for the molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation setup included temperature variations from 300 to 600 K and relative humidity (RH) levels ranging from 20 to 100%. Various mechanical properties and structural changes were analyzed to determine the degradation behavior. Energetic profiling during equilibration and the subsequent temperature variations were studied. The spatial distribution of the mean squared displacement, non-bond energy, Young's modulus, bending stress, and volume expansion coefficient of the particles were quantitatively analyzed, revealing temperature- and moisture-dependent trends. The study concluded that temperature and moisture significantly affected the degradation behavior of 3D-printed PMMA dental materials. Higher temperatures and increased humidity levels contribute to reduced mechanical strength and altered structural properties, emphasizing the importance of controlling environmental conditions during fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel asymmetric phthalocyanine derivatives, ZnPc-1 and ZnPc-2, are synthesized to enhance charge transfer properties and mitigate deep-level traps on the perovskite surface using electron-rich nitrogen atoms. PSCs with ZnPc-1 and ZnPc-2 as hole-transporting materials (HTMs) achieved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 12.11% and 8.98%, respectively. Incorporating a small amount of PMMA into the HTM solution significantly improved performance, resulting in PCEs of 16.2% and 12.5% for ZnPc-1 and ZnPc-2, respectively. The addition of PMMA enhances conductivity and prevents moisture intrusion, boosting both the efficiency and stability of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Substandard housing in Hispanic minority communities has been associated with detrimental effects on children with asthma that is affected by diverse indoor triggers. Identifying those triggers and offering adequate medical treatment and ways to prevent exposure to triggers will help reduce the number of asthma attacks among children who reside in Hispanic minority communities. Objective: Our study aimed to identify the influence of substandard housing quality and its effect on asthma symptoms. Our objectives included assessing the impact of building, flooring types, heating sources, window shading, parental smoking behaviors, moisture and mold in the home, ventilation, and owning a pet on asthma symptom occurrence. Materials and methods: Our study was based on a cross-sectional analytical study involving 353 individuals, their parents, and their homes. Logistic regression modeling was conducted to explain the dependence of each asthma symptom on the investigated independent variables, with child age and sex being investigated as covariables. A post hoc test was employed to ensure goodness of fit, and a pseudo-R square was calculated for each regression model. The Hosmer-Lemenshow test was performed post hoc to ensure goodness of fit, and models were preserved if p > 0.05. Results: The overall prevalence of asthma-related symptoms in our study sample was 19.37%, and sleeping quality was affected due to asthma in 23% of participating children. We also found that children living with asthma near agricultural fields were more prone to asthma-related symptoms, as well as those children living in homes with excessive moisture and those who kept stuffed toys or pets inside their rooms. Conclusions: Our study highlights how a variety of environmental factors, such as living near an agricultural area and having curtains, increases shortness of breath. Having leaks and excessive moisture in houses increases shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and rates of colds. Another important exposure is having a pet inside the house which increases chest tightness. A comprehensive understanding of these factors and how they impacted targeted participants, especially those who are Hispanic minorities and living in substandard housing, is essential for informing the design of effective interventions and improving respiratory health in the home environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally believed that the Maritime Continent (MC) is rarely affected by tropical cyclones (TCs) due to its equatorial location. However, this study reveals that TCs in the tropical western North Pacific can significantly suppress rainfall over the MC and its surrounding seas, based on the composite analysis. This suppression effect of TCs exists across all phases of the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO). TCs greatly alleviate rainfall enhancement during the convective phases of the MJO and aggravate rainfall suppression during the suppressive phases. Particularly, TCs reduce the likelihood of extremely high rainfall in convective MJO phases from 9% to 5% and increase the likelihood of extremely low rainfall in suppressive MJO phases from 10% to 16%. The rainfall suppression is attributed to the lower-tropospheric southwesterly anomalies to the south of TCs, which result in moisture divergence over the MC. Additionally, the upper-tropospheric equatorward outflows of TCs also promote subsidence and suppress rainfall. This study introduces a new factor influencing the rainfall over the MC from a synoptic climatology perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable haptics serve as an enhanced media to connect humans and VR/robots. The inevitable sweating issue in all wearables creates a bottleneck for wearable haptics, as the sweat/moisture accumulated in the skin/device interface can substantially affect feedback accuracy, comfortability, and create hygienic problems. Nowadays, wearable haptics typically gain performance at the cost of sacrificing the breathability, comfort, and biocompatibility. Here, we developed a fully integrated breathable haptic textile (FIBHT) to solve these trade-off issues, where the FIBHT exhibits high-level integration of 128 pixels over the palm, great stretchability of 400%, and superior permeability of over 657 g/m²/day (moisture) and 40 mm/s (air). It is a stand-alone haptic system totally composed of stretchable, breathable, and bioadhesive materials, which empowers it with precise, sweating/movement-insensitive and dynamic feedback, and makes FIBHT powerful for virtual touching in broad scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moisture-capturing materials can enable potentially game-changing energy-water technologies such as atmospheric water production, heat storage, and passive cooling. Hydrogel composites recently emerged as outstanding moisture-capturing materials due to their low cost, high affinity for humidity, and design versatility. Despite extensive efforts to experimentally explore the large design space of hydrogels for high-performance moisture capture, there is a critical knowledge gap on our understanding behind the moisture-capture properties of these materials. This missing understanding hinders the fast development of novel hydrogels, material performance enhancements, and device-level optimization. In this work, we combine synthesis and characterization of hydrogel-salt composites to develop and validate a theoretical description that bridges this knowledge gap. Starting from a thermodynamic description of hydrogel-salt composites, we develop models that accurately capture experimentally measured moisture uptakes and sorption enthalpies. We also develop mass transport models that precisely reproduce the dynamic absorption and desorption of moisture into hydrogel-salt composites. Altogether, these results demonstrate the main variables that dominate moisture-capturing properties, showing a negligible role of the polymer in the material performance under all considered cases. Our insights guide the synthesis of next-generation humidity-capturing hydrogels and enable their system-level optimization in ways previously unattainable for critical water-energy applications. The development of hydrogel composites with enhanced moisture-capturing properties is hindered by our limited understanding behind their moisture-capture properties. Here, the authors develop and validate a theoretical description that bridges this knowledge gap for a wide range of synthesized and characterized hydrogel-salt composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study determines the frequency–temperature dependence of the conductivity of a moist solid insulation component of power transformers, impregnated with the innovative bio-oil NYTRO® BIO 300X, manufactured from plant-based raw materials. The research was conducted for six moisture levels ranging from 0.6% to 5% by weight, within a frequency range from 10−4 Hz to 5 · 103 Hz and measurement temperatures from 20 °C to 70 °C, with a 10 °C step. The conduction model for both DC and AC, based on the quantum mechanical phenomenon of electron tunneling between water nanodroplets, was used to analyze the obtained results. It was determined that the frequency dependence of the conductivity of pressboard-bio-oil-moisture composites is influenced by two factors as follows: the activation energy of conductivity and the activation energy of relaxation time. For each moisture content, 16 values of the activation energy of the relaxation time and 16 values of the activation energy of conductivity were determined. It was found that the values of activation energy of conductivity and relaxation time are equal and independent of moisture content, frequency, and temperature. Based on 192 residual activation energy values, the mean generalized activation energy value for the relaxation time and conductivity was calculated with high precision, resulting in ΔE ≈ (1.02627 ± 0.01606) eV. The uncertainty of its determination was only ±1.6%. This indicates that electron tunneling from the first nanodroplet to the second, causing AC conductivity, and their return from the second nanodroplet to the first, determining the relaxation time, occur between the same energy states belonging to the water nanodroplets located in the pressboard impregnated with bio-oil. For each moisture content, the curves obtained for different measurement temperatures were recalculated to a reference temperature of 20 °C using the generalized activation energy. It was found that the shifted curves obtained for different temperatures perfectly overlap. Increased moisture content shifts the recalculated curves toward higher conductivity values. It was established that for all moisture contents in the lowest frequency range, conductivity is constant (DC conductivity). A further increase in frequency causes a rapid rise in conductivity. The increasing period can be divided into two stages. The first stage occurs up to about 100 Hz–101 Hz, depending on the moisture content. In the second stage, the rate of conductivity increase is higher, and its value depends on moisture content. The lower the moisture content, the faster the conductivity increases. Recalculation using the generalized activation energy eliminated the effect of temperature on the curves. It was found that the shapes of the recalculated curves and their position relative to the coordinates depend only on the moisture content in the composite. The equality of the activation energy of the relaxation time and conductivity established in the study, as well as their independence from frequency and moisture content in the pressboard impregnated with NYTRO® BIO 300X bio-oil, allows for recalculating the curves of electrical parameters determined at any operating temperatures of the transformer to a reference temperature, for example, 20 °C. Comparing the curve obtained for the transformer, recalculated to the reference temperature, with reference curves determined by us in the laboratory for different moisture contents, will allow for the precise determination of the moisture content of the solid insulation component impregnated with NYTRO® BIO 300X bio-oil. This will contribute to the early detection of approaching critical moisture content, threatening catastrophic transformer failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Litter decomposition is expected to be positively associated with precipitation despite evidence that decomposers of varying sizes have different moisture dependencies. We hypothesized that higher tolerance of macro-decomposers to aridity may counterbalance the effect of smaller decomposers, leading to similar decomposition rates across climatic gradients. We tested this hypothesis by placing plant litter baskets of different mesh sizes in seven sites along a sharp precipitation gradient, and by characterizing the macro-decomposer assemblages using pitfall trapping. We found that decomposers responded differently to precipitation levels based on their size. Microbial decomposition increased with precipitation in the winter while macro-decomposition peaked in arid sites during the summer. This led to similar overall decomposition rates across the gradient except in hyper-arid sites. Macro-decomposer richness, abundance, and biomass peaked in arid environments. Our findings highlight the importance of macro-decomposition in arid-lands, possibly resolving the dryland decomposition conundrum, and emphasizing the need to contemplate decomposer size when investigating zoogeochemical processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of long and flexible polyether chains in epoxy resins is an effective method to improve their toughness. However, using the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of polyether chains to tune their moisture resistance has been overlooked currently. In this work, two types of polyether‐based diglycidyl ethers with hydrophilic poly(oxyethylene) (DGEPOE) and relatively hydrophobic poly(oxybutylene) segments (DGEPOB) are synthesized and then binary‐cured with commercial diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), respectively, yielding the corresponding DGEPOE:DGEBA‐m:ns and DGEPOB:DGEBA‐m:ns based on various ratios. For comparison, pure DGEPOEr, DGEPOBr, and DGEBAr resins are also prepared. Results show that the equilibrium water uptake of DGEPOB:DGEBA‐m:ns is at least less than one‐fifth of that of DGEPOE:DGEBA‐m:ns; meanwhile, the diffusion coefficients of water molecules in DGEPOB:DGEBA‐m:ns are also 1–2 orders of magnitude lower than those in DGEPOE:DGEBA‐m:ns, demonstrating that the incorporation of hydrophobic POB chains can significantly reduce the hygroscopicity of resins. Moreover, DGEPOB:DGEBA‐m:ns not only exhibit superior flexibility and ductility relative to pure DGEBAr, but display exceptional strength and toughness in comparison with pure DGEPOBr. These findings suggest that tuning the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of building units of epoxy monomers offers a promising strategy for developing high‐performance epoxy materials, especially suitable for humid environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solution‐processed perovskite films generally possess small grain sizes and high density of grain boundaries, which intensify non‐radiative recombination of carriers and limit the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of solar cells. In this study, we report the room‐temperature ripening enabled by the synergy of hygroscopic salts and moisture in air for efficient hole‐conductor‐free printable mesoscopic perovskite solar cells (p‐MPSCs). Treating perovskite films with proper hygroscopic salts in damp air induces obvious secondary recrystallization, which coarsens the grains size from hundreds of nanometers to several micrometers. It's proposed that the hygroscopic salt at grain boundaries could absorb moisture and form a complex which could not only serve as mass transfer channel but also assist in the dissolution of perovskite grains. This activates mass transfer between small grains and large grains since they possess different solubilities, and thus ripens the perovskite film. Consequently, p‐MPSCs treated with the hygroscopic salt of NH4SCN show an improved power conversion efficiency of 20.13 % from 17.94 %, and maintain >98 % of the initial efficiency under maximum power point tracking at 55±5 °C for 350 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this study, the characteristics of tropical cyclones (TCs) over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) that affect snowfall on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and spatiotemporal distribution of snowfall related to BoB TCs are statistically analysed by using multi‐sources data from 1981 to 2020, with partitioning TC‐influenced snowfall by tracking cloud clusters. The results show that 141 TCs formed during the 40‐year period of 1981–2020, of which about 35% (50 TCs) impacted snowfall at 83% of meteorological stations on the TP during their northward or westward movement, and the average distance between the TC centre and the snowfall stations is 1277 km. The proportion of snowfall‐related TC frequency shows a significantly decreasing trend with a predominant cycle of 10a. The TC‐influenced snowfall frequency (SF), precipitation amount (PA) on a snowfall day and snow depth (SD) during 1981–2020 all show a non‐significant weak decreasing trend, while TC‐influenced snowfall is significantly increased in the eastern and southern edges of Xizang, western Sichuan and the southern margin of Qinghai. PA and SD in December account for more than 75% and 55% of the monthly total, respectively. The spatial pattern of PA could be objectively categorised into west‐type (24%) and southeast‐type (76%). The moisture transported by the BoB TC and a southerly jet stream formed between the trough and the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), the convergence of cold air and warm–moist airstream over the TP and the change in position of the south Asian high in the upper troposphere are significant factors causing the different spatial distribution. The results can provide reference for TC‐related snowfall, SD prediction and disaster assessment on the TP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Developing simple and accurate hydrologic models for wet-weather sanitary sewer flow has long been enigmatic for the engineering community. Hydrologic models suitable for surface water hydrology often perform poorly when simulating sanitary sewer hydrology when they do not account for antecedent moisture conditions and seasonality. The result is underpredicting peak flow and volume in wet conditions and overpredicting the same in dry conditions. The Antecedent Moisture Model is an empirically-calibrated method which models a rainfall capture fraction that varies by antecedent moisture and season, and transforms the captured rainfall into a flow hydrograph. The Antecedent Moisture Model has been particularly successful in modeling sanitary sewer infiltration, for which other methods perform poorly. This paper suggests a reparameterization of the original model which provides virtually identical results while improving interpretability and ease of use. The reparametrized model is designed to be time step independent and more physically relatable, intuitive, and scaleable than the original parameterization while remaining functionally equivalent to the original parameterization. The paper also presents two computational examples which demonstrate the application of the Antecedent Moisture Model formulas and math. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate some physical properties and proline content of 95 different honey samples to reveal their characteristic features and evaluate their quality according to the Turkish Food Codex. The moisture content, which is highly important parameter in determining the shelf life of honeys, determined between 14.60% and 21.20% and these values were determined to be within the limits (<20%) except for four honey samples. The brix values of honey samples were examined between 77.23% and 83.60%, and they were found to be within the acceptable range. The other physical parameter, namely the electrical conductivity values of samples determined between 0.11 and 1.20 mS/cm. Proline, which is an important value in determining the type and maturity of honey and is the amino acid found in the highest amount in honey, should be above 300 mg/kg in honey, according to the communique. The proline amount of the honey samples examined varied between 281.61 and 2259.43 mg/kg. It was determined that the proline amount of two honey samples were below the limit. It was concluded that most of the tested samples were in compliance with the food codex in terms of quality standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samples of the Ni-based superalloy, RR1000, were exposed to 98% Na2SO4/2% NaCl salts at 700 °C with a flux of 1.5 µg cm−2 h−1 in flowing air + 300 ppm SO2 for a total of 250 h. Three pre-exposure conditions were studied: a bare reference alloy; fast heating to the test temperature followed by a 100 h hold; heating at a rate of 5 °C min−1 to the test temperature following by a 100 h hold. The surface oxide formed under the latter two conditions were Cr2O3 or NiCr2O4, respectively. The results show corrosion pit formation on the surface of the base, reference sample, and no pits present on the sample with the preformed Cr2O3. Some protection was found for the sample heated at 5 °C min−1 with a delay in the progression to accelerated corrosion attack. Additional testing under moisture containing air was also conducted. This showed no obvious difference in surface oxide morphology under the two tested heating rates for the short-term exposures examined but a difference was noted to be dependent on the moisture content of the air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research aimed to increase the accuracy of predicting the maximum force required to compress a solid cardboard box. Changes in the technology of solid cardboard production and the design of packaging help to increase the durability of packaging; however, typical estimation methods do not take these changes into account. By determining the number of important parameters of the box and using a specific approach, it was possible to develop a semiempirical model of the maximum force that compresses the box and simplifies its description. By using this model, the amount of solid board required for a specific package can be reduced without reducing the life of the box. The maximum force prediction method is also suitable for creating other box models at different moisture levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the production of wood fuel pellets, starch is frequently used as an additive to enhance bonding and durability. This study investigated the effectiveness of four different kinds of starches as additives, each at a concentration of 5% (dry basis), when combined with sawdust from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). The starches tested included plain wheat flour, hydrothermally treated wheat starch, wheat starch with amylose-like properties, and nearly pure amylopectin obtained from waxy rice flour. All pellets were produced at a die temperature of 100 °C using a Single Pellet Press, with varying moisture contents of 5%, 8%, 11%, and 14% (wet basis). The pellets were evaluated for compression work, back pressure, physical density, hardness, and moisture content. Additionally, chemical bonding was assessed using FT-IR spectroscopy. Compression energy was found to be influenced by moisture content, irrespective of starch utilization, and it decreased with increasing moisture levels, especially between 5 to 8% (wb). The inclusion of starch led to notably higher pellet hardness, with amylose yielding the hardest pellets, 34±3 kg when the moisture content was 11%. Based on this study, it is recommended to use hydrothermally treated wheat flour, as it consistently produced high-quality pellets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The East African "short rains" from October–December (OND) are crucial for the region's cultural and agricultural landscape. Traditional climate studies have often treated these rains as a single mode, representing the average rainfall across the region. This approach, however, fails to capture the complex geographical variations in seasonal rainfall. In our study, we analyse 4200 reforecasts from a seasonal prediction system spanning 1981–2022, identifying distinct clusters that represent different geographical patterns of the short rains. We explore the influence of tropical sea‐surface temperature patterns, upper‐level tropospheric flow, and low‐level moisture fluxes on these clusters. A key revelation of our research is the limited predictability of certain geographical rainfall structures based on large‐scale climatic drivers. This finding highlights a gap in current forecasting methodologies, emphasising the necessity for further research to understand and predict these intricate patterns. Our study illuminates the complexities of regional rainfall variability in East Africa, underlining the importance of continued investigation to improve climate resilience strategies in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel reanalysis dataset of dead fuel moisture content (DFMC) across California from 2000 to 2020 at a 2 km resolution. Utilizing a data assimilation system that integrates a simplified time-lag fuel moisture model with 10-h fuel moisture observations from remote automated weather stations (RAWS) allowed predictions of 10-h fuel moisture content by our method with a mean absolute error of 0.03 g/g compared to the widely used Nelson model, with a mean absolute error prediction of 0.05 g/g. For context, the values of DFMC in California are commonly between 0.05 g/g and 0.30 g/g. The presented product provides gridded hourly moisture estimates for 1-h, 10-h, 100-h, and 1000-h fuels, essential for analyzing historical fire activity and understanding climatological trends. The methodology presented here demonstrates significant advancements in the accuracy and robustness of fuel moisture estimates, which are critical for fire forecasting and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is one of the most commonly used seed initiators, in order to regulate the seed water uptake during seed priming. This study aims to investigate the effect of seed water uptake on the priming behavior under different PEG concentrations and priming times using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) technology. The aqueous phase state of maize seeds was dynamically monitored to be initiated by the different PEG concentrations. A prediction model of maize seed germination was constructed to clarify the relationship between seed water uptake and priming effect using machine learning. LF-NMR data was collected from the maize seeds at each node of priming time. A systematic analysis was carried out to determine the effects of PEG priming on seed germination and seedling growth. The optimal conditions of priming treatment were determined to evaluate the physical and chemical indicators, such as the vigor index of maize seeds. The pattern of water uptake was obtained in the maize seeds during priming. A regression model was also constructed to predict the priming effect of maize seeds. The main findings were summarized as follows: Firstly, there were some effects of PEG priming on the germination and seedling growth of maize seeds. Two-way ANOVA analysis showed that there were highly significant effects of PEG priming time and priming concentration on the germination indexes of maize seeds. Among them, the effect of priming time on the germination indexes of maize was much larger than that of priming concentration. With the increase of priming time (0-48 h), the viability of maize seeds showed a tendency to increase and then decrease, where the most suitable priming time was 16 h. Secondly, the water uptake of maize seed was elucidated during priming. The internal water of maize seeds was divided into two kinds of water components: bound water (0.1 ms < T21 < 20 ms) and free water (20 ms < T22 < 400 ms), according to the length of LF-NMR T2 relaxation time. With the increase of priming time (0-48 h), the content of bound water increased and then gradually stabilized, while the content of free water continued to rise. The total water content increased and then gradually slowed down. The content of bound water had just entered the stagnation stage, while the increasing trend of A21 signal amplitude decreased basically without increase, indicating an appropriate indicator to judge the priming time of maize seeds. Finally, the medium Gaussian support vector machine (SVM) model and exponential gaussian process regression (GPR) model were constructed to assess the priming effect of maize seeds, respectively, according to the data before and after the screening of LF-NMR feature parameters. Among them, the exponential GPR model was achieved in the validation set R² of 0.920 for maize seed germination after feature screening, which was better than 0.900 before that. The water absorption kinetics of the seed was elucidated to verify the priming efficacy. The experiment proved that the moisture variations during seed priming detected by LF-NMR can be expected for the rapid screening of the optimal priming conditions. The finding can also provide a new idea for the parameters setting and rapid evaluation during corn seed priming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millennium‐long hydroclimate reconstructions in the Qaidam Basin (QB) and Hexi Corridor (HXC) suggest markedly differing moisture change trends between the two regions in the 20th century; however, it remains unclear whether these current moisture states are exceptional in a long‐term context, and how megadrought and pluvial events have evolved in these regions. Here, we used previously published historical hydroclimate reconstructions combined with model‐based future moisture simulations to assess past, current and future hydroclimate anomalies in a long‐term context (i.e., 455–2100 CE), and investigate the evolution of megadrought and pluvial events. Compared with the QB, moisture variability in the HXC was higher and more prone to the occurrence of severe and long‐lasting megadrought and pluvial events. Megadroughts in the QB mainly occurred in the Little Ice Age (1200–1800 CE) accompanied by lower temperatures, whereas in the HXC, megadroughts mostly occurred during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (800–1200 CE) accompanied by higher temperatures. The Significant Zero crossing of derivatives (SiZer) and Time of Emergence (TOE) analyses were used to reveal the initiation of recent humidity changes and the duration above the natural variability threshold. We found that the QB has experienced a significant wetting trend since the middle of the 20th century, with this trend exceeding the range of natural hydroclimate variability in 1975 CE. The HXC became drier from the early 20th century, but has become wetter since the late 20th century; this trend may exceed the natural hydroclimate variability range by 2032 CE. We also found that the duration and severity of megadrought and pluvial events are positively correlated in each region. Given the higher past hydrological variability in the HXC compared with the QB, our study implies that future extreme hydrological events are more likely to occur in the former of these two regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, persistence and degradation of tembotrione, a triketone herbicide, was studied in loamy soil collected from maize field. Effects of organic amendments, moistures and temperatures on tembotrione dissipation were evaluated. Soil samples were processed according to the modified QuEChERS involving dichloromethane solvent and MgSO4 without PSA. Analysis using LC-MS/MS showed >95% recoveries of tembotrione its two metabolites TCMBA and M5 from fortified soils. Tembotrione residues dissipated with time and 85.55 to 98.53% dissipation was found on 90th day under different treatments. Tembotrione dissipation increased with temperature and moisture content of the soil. Among organic amendments, highest dissipation was observed in vermicompost amended soil. Minimum and maximum half-lives of tembotrione were recorded under 35 °C (15.7 days) and air-dry (33 days) conditions, respectively. Residues of tembotrione declined with time while that of TCMBA increased steadily up to 10-45th day in different treatments and declined thereafter. Residues of M5 were not detected in our experiments. Tembotrione persistence was negatively correlated with the organic carbon (%), moisture regimes, and temperature. A good correlation between soil microbial biomass carbon and degradation was found. A two-way ANOVA indicated significant differences between the treatments at 95% confidence level (p < 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Warm-sector rainstorms are highly localized events, with weather systems and triggering mechanisms are not obvious, leading to limited forecasting capabilities in numerical models. Based on the ensemble Kalman filter (PSU-EnKF) assimilation system and the regional mesoscale model WRF, this study conducted a simulation experiment assimilating all-sky infrared (IR) radiance for a warm-sector rainstorm in East China and investigated the positive impact of assimilating the Himawari-8 moisture channel all-sky IR radiance on the forecast of the rainstorm. Results indicate that hourly cycling assimilation of all-sky IR radiance can significantly improve the forecast accuracy of this warm-sector rainstorm. There is a notable increase in the Threat Score (TS), with the simulated location and intensity of the 3-hour precipitation aligning more closely with observations. These improvements result from the assimilation of cloud-affected radiance, which introduces more mesoscale convective information into the model's initial fields. The adjustments include enhancements to the moisture field, such as increased humidity and moisture transport, and modifications to the wind field, including the intrusion of mid-level cold air and the strengthening of low-level convergent shear. These factors are critical in improving the forecast of this warm-sector rainstorm event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The storms over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) often combine with the weather systems such as the South Branch Trough (SBT) and the West Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH) to transport plenty of moisture inducing extreme precipitation on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Determining the fine moisture structures of storms helps understand mechanism of this kind of extreme precipitation. An extreme precipitation occurred on the TP influenced by storm Rashmi (2008). A Lagrangian approach is scrutinized the forward and backward moisture transport trajectories of Rashmi and the TP, respectively. The moisture source of this extreme precipitation is relatively clear, which comes from the collaborative influence of Rashmi with the southwest jet generated by the SBT and the WPSH. Utilizing a three‐dimensional K‐means clustering method devised in this study, the Rashmi's forward trajectories are classified into three categories, the particles ascending with the northward movement of Rashmi (45%), consistently below 1 km (37.5%), and rapidly ascending into the southwest jet stream (17.5%). Notably, 97.5%, 1.2%, and 91% of these categories impact the TP, respectively. The moisture transport structure of storm is verified by backward tracking of moisture over the TP. In addition, the three‐dimensional moisture trajectories classification method is recommended when trajectories suffer rapid altitude changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. The aim of the study was to enquire to which extend 1H spin-lattice nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry data collected over a broad range of resonance frequencies (from 10 kHz to 10 MHz) have the potential to be used for assessing quality and authenticity of different categories of cheese. The following cheeses were selected mozzarella, processed cheese, pizza cheese, pizza cheese with modified fat phase), low-fat cheese, and long ripened cheese. The cheeses from 3 different production plants and various cheese production batches were used in the study. The samples from each group were subjected to instrumental composition analysis (FoodScan analyzer type 78810, FOSS, Hillerod, Denmark), water activity assessment (Aqualab 4TEV analyzer, type S40001855) and nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation dispersion study (SMARtracer FFC relaxometer, Stelar S.r.l , Italy). The state and dynamics of water present in products as free and bound water largely determines the properties of food products, including cheeses. Nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry studies of cheese enable to reveal relaxation features characteristic of specific categories of cheese. Consequently, the studies can be treated as a step toward exploiting NMR relaxometry for accessing quality and authenticity of cheese. It was shown that at low resonance frequencies, the lower the moisture, the larger the relaxation rate. The durability and quality of cheeses depend on the presence and condition of water, so it is necessary to find a relationship between the presence, condition and mobility of water in cheeses, to increase and improve the quality and extend the shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aside from aesthetic appearance, recycling, ease of disassembly, decent resistance against corrosion, and no intense moisture condensing and thermal bridge, compared with steel fasteners, wooden fasteners also have the compatibility of stiffness with the assembled timber members, which reduces the risk of splitting of the assembled timber members. Due to higher mechanical properties, densified wood (DW) has become an alternative to natural wood as wooden fasteners. At present, investigations have mostly focused on timber-to-timber joints with single DW dowel, while multidowel timber joints are common in practice. In this study, the timber-to-timber joints with laterally loaded single and multiple DW dowels were tested under the loading parallel to the grain in order to explore the effects of the number of DW dowels, moisture content, and joint geometry, i.e., spacings and edge and end distances for DW dowels on mechanical behaviors of timber joints. The tests on the timber-to-timber joints with steel dowels were also performed to compare with those with DW dowels. The load-carrying capacities provided by individual DW dowels showed no reductions with the increases in the number of DW dowels and moisture content and the decrease in joint geometry. The experimental results suggest that the load-carrying capacity of multiple DW dowel joints can be estimated by using the load-carrying capacity of single DW dowel joints multiplied by the number of DW dowels in the range of joint geometries and numbers of DW dowels adopted in this study. The smaller spacings and edge and end distances for DW dowels adopted in this study than the minimum joint geometry requirements in Eurocode 5 are feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transport process electroosmosis (EO) has been suggested to be used for dewatering damp brick masonry for decades. Still, it is debated whether EO can be obtained in bricks. By use of an advanced EO laboratory cell, this paper reports that an EO flow can be generated in two types of Danish bricks. The electroosmotic permeability coefficient was shown to be dependent on both intrinsic properties of bricks, such as pore size distribution, and extrinsic properties, such as zeta potential. Results showed that the brick with a higher pore volume but with a lower surface charge has a lower EO permeability coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selection of a proper binder–aggregate combination is an important step to ensure optimum resistance to moisture-induced damage in asphalt mixes. In recent years, such selection has become more crucial as asphalt industries are using various additives and modifiers in asphalt mixes that can substantially change bonding strength of a binder–aggregate system. Also, environmental factors such as oxidative aging can affect the chemical compositions of the binder and influence moisture-induced damage resistance of a mix. In order to understand the mechanisms of moisture-induced damage, it is important to determine the chemical and thermodynamic properties of constituent materials of a mix and identify their contributions to the bond strength. The present study was undertaken to explore the effects of aggregate types, additives, and aging on the moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixes using chemical and thermodynamic approaches. For this purpose, a PG 64-22 and a PG 76-28 binder were blended with a warm mix asphalt (WMA) additive, an antistripping agent (ASA), a reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) binder and polyphosphoric acid (PPA). The surface free energy (SFE) components of these binder blends under unaged, short-term aged, and long-term aged conditions were determined using the dynamic Wilhelmy plate (DWP) method for measuring dynamic contact angle. Chemical analyses of the binder blends were carried out using x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Properties of five commonly available local aggregates were determined using XRF and universal sorption device (USD) testing. The SFE components of the binders and aggregates were used to quantify bonding characteristics of binder–aggregate systems under dry and wet conditions. Aggregate properties significantly influenced the moisture-induced damage potential of a mix. In addition, an increase in carbonyl and sulfoxide functional groups resulted in increased moisture susceptibility with aging. Therefore, the presence of amine functional groups in both WMA and ASA is expected to provide resistance to moisture-induced damage and conversely the presence of PPA may reduce resistance to moisture-induced damage of a binder–aggregate system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Moist-electric generators (MEGs), which are capable of spontaneously generating energy from ubiquitous moisture, are considered as a potential power supply candidate for wearable electronics. However, the application of the MEGs in the wearable field is still challenging due to the low electric output and the lack of wearable attributes such as breathability and flame retardancy. Herein, we demonstrated a wearable MEG with high power-output, breathability and flame retardancy, which was fabricated by designing an asymmetrical nanofiber assembly using hydrophilic polyvinyl alcohol/phytic acid (PVA/PA) and hydrophobic polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) nanofiber membranes. Owing to the synergistic effects of strong water absorption, enhanced ion release and numerous micro-nano transport channels, a single MEG of 1 cm2 could constantly generate high direct-current (DC) power, i.e., a voltage of 1.0 V, a current of 15.5 μA, and a power density of 3.0 μW cm−2, outperforming other reported nanofiber-based MEGs. More importantly, the asymmetric nanofiber structure ensured the moisture circulation inside MEG and thus produced a sustained voltage output for 7 days without any deterioration. The MEG also showed good flexibility, air/moisture permeability and flame retardancy, which give it necessary wearable attributes. Furthermore, large-scale integration of MEG units could be readily realized to fabricate a power source device for driving different portable electronics, while the moisture sensitivity made the MEG well used for sensing applications (e.g., respiration monitoring, fire warning). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]