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Graphical Abstract: A trimode self-cleaning composite membrane of bio-degradable substrate PCL and functional particles GO/PANI were successfully fabricated, which can purify natural seawater or mixed wastewater stably in solar-driven evaporation mode, handle organic dyes by reduction–oxidation chemical transformation in photothermal adsorption–degradation mode, and be applied in cross-flow filtration mode driven by electric as a supplement for rainy, cloudy days, or at night.

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Advanced textiles designed for personal thermal management contribute to thermoregulation in an individual and energy-saving manner. Textiles incorporated with phase changing materials (PCMs) are capable of bridging the supply and demand for energy by absorbing and releasing latent heat. The integration of solar heating and the Joule heating function supplies multidriving resources, facilitates energy charging and storage, and expands the service time and application scenarios. Herein, we report a fibrous membrane-based textile that was developed by designing the hierarchical core–sheath fiber structure for trimode thermal management. Especially, coaxial electrospinning allows an effective encapsulation of PCMs, with high heat enthalpy density (106.9 J/g), enabling the membrane to buffer drastic temperature changes in the clothing microclimate. The favorable photothermal conversion performance renders the membrane with the high saturated temperature of 70.5 °C (1 sun), benefiting from the synergistic effect of multiple light harvesters. Moreover, a conductive coating endows the composite membrane with an admirable electrothermal conversion performance, reaching a saturated temperature of 73.8 °C (4.2 V). The flexible fibrous membranes with the integrated performance of reversible phase change, multi-source-driven heating, and energy storage present great advantages for all-day, energy-saving, and wearable individual thermal management applications.

Hydrogels that combine the integrated attributes of being adhesive, self-healable, deformable, and conductive show great promise for next-generation soft robotic/energy/electronic applications. Herein, we reported a dual-network polyacrylamide (PAAM)/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)/graphene (GR)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) (MAGP) conductive hydrogel composed of dual-cross-linked PAAM and PAA as well as PEDOT:PSS and GR as a conducting component that combines these features. A wearable strain sensor is fabricated by sandwiching the MAGP hydrogels between two dielectric carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) layers, which can be utilized to monitor delicate and vigorous human motion. In addition, the hydrogel-based sensor can act as a deformable triboelectric nanogenerator (D-TENG) for harvesting mechanical energy. The D-TENG demonstrates a peak output voltage and current of 141 V and 0.8 μA, respectively. The D-TENG could easily light 52 yellow-light-emitting diodes (LEDs) simultaneously and demonstrated the capability to power small electronics, such as a hygrometer thermometer. This work provides a potential approach for the development of deformable energy sources and self-powered strain sensors.

A conductive composite fiber of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was synthesized via a wet-spinning method. Especially, conductivity loss owing to the addition of PVA was compensated by using a solvent treatment method with ethylene glycol (EG). Compared with pristine PEDOT: PSS fibers, PEDOT: PSS/PVA/EG conductive composite fibers exhibited enhanced flexibility. The optimal tensile strength and elongation at break, 210 ± 5 MPa and 26 ± 1.5% respectively, were obtained for the conductive fibers with the addition of 20 wt% PVA and 10 wt% EG. Meanwhile, the resultant composite fiber revealed a good recovery behavior of the strain and electroconductivity within the strain of 20%. PEDOT: PSS composite fibers reveal a good durability of electroconductivity in water even under a strain. A series of strain sensing fabrics were designed based on the composite fibers. Results of various proof-of-concept experiments indicated that this PEDOT: PSS/PVA/EG composite conductive fiber is a promising candidate for flexible intelligent textiles, which can be used for fast response and sensitive wearable sensors for monitoring body motions and real-time health.

We studied the microbial profiles of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum during different developmental stages in the duck using high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. We also investigated the differences in the microbiota in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum at different developmental times. A correlation analysis was performed between the most abundant bacterial genera and the development of the small intestine. An analysis of alpha diversity indicated different species richness and bacterial diversity in the different small intestinal segments and at different development times. A beta diversity analysis indicated differences in the bacterial community compositions across time. In a weighted UniFrac principal coordinates analysis, the samples clustered into two categories, 2 to 4 wk and 6 to 10 wk, in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Our results show that the small intestine is predominantly populated by the phyla Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria throughout the developmental stages of the duck. The duodenum, jejunum, and ileum shared most of the bacterial phyla and genera present, although they showed significant differences in their relative abundances in the intestinal segments and developmental stages. They shared different bacterial taxa during development times and among different segments when the intergroup differences were analyzed. The genera Bacillus, Corynebacterium 1, Lactococcus, Sphingomonas, and Haliangiumcorrelated moderately positively with the increase in bodyweight and the lengths and weights of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, and these genera may be considered important markers when assessing the heath of the intestinal microbiota in ducks. This study provides a foundation upon which to extend our knowledge of the diversity and composition of the duck microbiota and a basis for further studies of the management of the small intestinal microbiota and improvements in the health and production of ducks.

As a facile method for producing nanofiber materials, electrospinning is widely used in various fields. However, it is generally adopted for fabricating nonwoven nanofiber membranes, which limited its applications. In this study, we propose a new facile mechanism for continuous production of high-strength electrospinning nanofiber-covered yarns, which can be directly used for fabric weaving toward commercialization. After doping of vanadium dioxide(VO2), a solid–solid phase change material (PCM) with a phase change temperature close to room temperature, a smart nanofiber-covered yarn with hyperthermal management capability is obtained. Benefiting from the delicate core-sheath structure and rigorous adjustment of spinning solution composition as well as spinning parameters (including spinning voltage, solution flow rate, and spinning distance), it achieved optimal nanofiber diameter at 510 nm, and patterns sewn on polyester fabric can be lowered by up to 19 °C compared to polyester fabric. The nanofiber-covered yarn can be used for textiles such as garments and curtains, which helps reduce the tremendous energy consumed for thermal regulation.

Feed efficiency (FE) is a crucial economic indicator of meat duck production. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of residual feed intake (RFI), defined as the difference between the actual and expected feed intake based on animal's production and maintenance requirements, on the growth performance (GP), slaughter and internal organ characteristics of fast-growing meat ducks. In total, 1,300 healthy 14-day-old male fast-growing meat ducks were housed in individual cages until slaughter at the age of 35 d. The characteristics of the carcass and internal organs of 30 ducks with the highest RFI (HRFI) and the lowest RFI (LRFI) were respectively determined. RFI, the feed conversion ratio (FCR), and average day feed intake (ADFI) were significantly lower in the LRFI group than the HRFI group (P< 0.001), while there were no significant differences in marketing BW or BW gain (BWG) (P > 0.05). The thigh muscle and lean meat yields were higher, and the abdominal fat content was lower (P< 0.001) in the LRFI group, while there were no significant differences in other carcass traits between the groups (P> 0.05). The liver and gizzard yields were significantly higher (P< 0.001) in the LRFI group, while there were no significant differences (P> 0.05) in intestinal length between the groups. RFI was highly positively correlate with FCR and ADFI (P< 0.01), but negatively correlated the yields of thigh muscle, lean meat, liver, and gizzard, and positively correlated with abdominal fat content. These results indicate that selection for low RFI could improve the FE of fast-growing meat ducks without affecting the marketing BW and BWG, while increasing yields of thigh muscle and lean meat and reducing abdominal fat content. These findings offer useful insights into the biological processes that influence FE of fast-growing meat ducks.

Herein, we developed the multifunctional; antibacterial, ultraviolet rays (UV) protected and self-cleaning surgical gown by blending of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with poly vinyl alcohol (PVA). For this objective, ZnO NPs were blended in three different concentrations: 5wt%, 7wt% and 9wt% in 10wt% of PVA solution. The morphology of resultant nanofibers was observed under scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope and these studies showed the bead-free nanofibers and good dispersion of nanoparticles on nanofibers. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscope was used for chemical interactions, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) was used for analyzing the crystalline structure, agar diffusion plate method was used for antibacterial activity and it showed the effective response of bacteria killing. UV transmission analysis was done by Ultraviolet transmission analyzer, photo-catalytic activity was done by the solar simulator, stress–strain behavior was studied by tensile strength, and water contact angles measurements were done by contact angle meter. On the behalf of characterization results, PVA/ZnO nanofibers were exhibited the desired objectives for the surgical gown. This multifunctional surgical gown is beneficial for medical surgeon against the bacteria, stains and UV blocking to save his/her life.

Designing freestanding electrodes for supercapacitors has attracted tremendous attention since avoiding the use of inactive additives is cost-effective and process-efficient for the industrialization and commercialization of supercapacitors. To accommodate the vigorous electrochemical process and facilitate charge transfer, robust and conductive backbones are required to fabricate freestanding electrodes. Herein, a carbon black (CB)-functionalized electrospun carbon nanofiber (CNF) backbone is fabricated for growing redox-active dense polyaniline (PANI) nanoarrays to construct hierarchical carbon black/carbon nanofiber/PANI nanocomposites (CCNFP) as freestanding supercapacitor electrodes. The CB particles act as nanofillers to functionalize the CNF backbone, not only providing additional conductive networks and pores inside each nanofiber but also increasing the surface roughness to facilitate PANI deposition; whereas PANI nanoarrays offer pseudocapacitive properties and improve the wettability of the electrodes. The synthesized CCNF7P24 electrode exhibits a high specific capacitance of 1062.7 F g−1and excellent retention of 72.2 % at current densities of 1 and 20 A g−1, respectively. A symmetric supercapacitor constructed from two freestanding CCNF7P24 electrodes delivered a maximum energy density of 54.3 Wh kg−1, benefiting from the excellent electrochemical performance of the electrodes. This work provides a reliable approach to fabricating nanofiber-based hierarchical composites for freestanding electrodes.

In this study, a novel membrane for the separator in a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery was proposed via a mechanically pressed process with a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofiber subject and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microfiber support. Important physical properties, such as surface morphology, wettability, and heat stability were considered for the PET-reinforced PVDF nanofiber (PRPN) hybrid separator. Images of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the PRPN hybrid separator had a homogeneous pore size and high porosity. It can wet out in battery electrolytes completely and quickly, satisfying wettability requirements. Moreover, the electrolyte uptake was higher than that of dry-laid and wet-laid nonwovens. For heat stability, no shrink occurred even when the heating temperature reached 135 °C, demonstrating thermal and dimensional stability. Moreover, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that the PRPN hybrid separator possessed a shutdown temperature of 131 °C, which is the same as conventional separators. Also, the meltdown temperature reached 252 °C, which is higher than the shutdown temperature, and thus can protect against internal cell shorts. The proposed PRPN hybrid separator is a strong candidate material for utilization in Li-ion batteries.

We investigated the distinctive characteristics of jean fabrics (denim fabrics obtained from jeans) and compared the physical properties and the hand. We used 13 kinds of jean fabric from commercial jeans and 26 other fabric types. The physical properties were measured using the Kawabata evaluation system, and the fabric hand was evaluated by 20 subjects using a semantic differential method. To characterise the hand of jean fabrics compared with other fabrics, we used principal component analysis and obtained three principal components. We found that jean fabrics were characterised by the second principal component, which was affected by feelings of thickness and weight. We further characterised the jean fabrics according to ‘softness & smoothness’ and ‘non-fullness’, depending on country of origin and type of manufacturer. The three principal components were analysed using multiple linear regression to characterise the components according to the physical properties. We explained the hand of fabrics including jean fabrics using its association with physical properties.

AbstractSalmonellaspp. pose a threat to both human and animal health, with more than 2600 serovars having been reported to date. Salmonellaserovars are usually identified by slide agglutination tests, which are labor intensive and time consuming. In an attempt to develop a more rapid screening method for the major poultry Salmonellaserovars, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, which directly detected the sefAgene, a fimbrial operon gene existing in several specific serovars of Salmonella entericaincluding the major poultry serovars, namely Salmonella entericaserovar Enteritidis (SalmonellaEnteritidis) and Salmonella entericaserovar Gallinarum (SalmonellaGallinarum). With the 177 bacterial strains we tested, positive reactions were only observed with 85 strains of serovar SalmonellaEnteritidis and SalmonellaGallinarum. The detection limit of the LAMP assay was 4 CFU/reaction with genomic DNAs of SalmonellaEnteritidis (ATCC 13076) from pure culture and 400 CFU/ reaction with DNA extracted from spiked chicken feces. The LAMP assay was more sensitive than conventional culture, especially without enrichment, in detecting SalmonellaEnteritidis (CMCC 50041) in the spiked fecal samples. The results show the sefALAMP method is a rapid, sensitive, specific, and practical method for directly detection of SalmonellaEnteritidis and SalmonellaGallinarum in chickens. The sefALAMP assay can potentially serve as new on-site diagnostics in the poultry industry.

ABSTRACTHighly drug-resistant Salmonella entericaserovar Indiana became the most common serovar in broilers with diarrhea in China over the course of this study (15% in 2010 to 70% in 2014). While most S. Indiana isolates (87%, 384/440) were resistant to 13 to 16 of the 16 antibiotics tested, 89% of non-S. Indiana isolates (528/595) were resistant to 0 to 6 antibiotics. Class 1 integrons and IncHI2-type plasmids were detected in all S. Indiana isolates, but only in 39% and 1% of non-S. Indiana isolates.

Activator protein-2 (AP-2) is a transcription factor with transactivating and transrepressing potential in different promoter contexts. AP-2 contains seven cysteines, and its in vitro DNA binding activity is redox-sensitive. Superoxide dismutase-2 (SOD2), which encodes the antioxidant enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), is a putative tumor suppressor gene whose loss of expression is associated with the malignant phenotype. SOD2 promoter mutations that generate new AP-2 sites are associated with loss of MnSOD expression in cancer cells. In the current study, we have identified an inverse expression pattern between AP-2 and MnSOD in normal versus transformed human cells. MRC5 cells are a normal human lung fibroblast cell strain that is mortal and senesces after a certain number of passages in vitro. MRC5-VA is a simian virus transformed variant of MRC5. We determined the levels of expression of MnSOD and AP-2 in these two cell types at the levels of mRNA, protein, and activity. Our results indicated that MnSOD expression was significantly decreased in MRC5-VA cells compared with MRC5 cells at each level of investigation, whereas AP-2 showed an opposing pattern of expression and DNA binding activity. These results suggest that AP-2 may participate in the mechanism(s) underlying decreased expression of SOD2 in transformed cells.

ABSTRACTBased on bacterial genomic data, we developed a one-step multiplex PCR assay to identify Salmonellaand simultaneously differentiate the two invasive avian-adapted S. entericaserovar Gallinarum biotypes Gallinarum and Pullorum, and the most frequent, specific, and asymptomatic colonizers of chickens, serovars Enteritidis, Heidelberg, and Kentucky.

Solar interfacial evaporation is an emerging technology in solar energy harvesting developed to remedy the global energy crisis and the lack of freshwater resources. However, developing fully enhanced thermal management to optimize solar-heat utilization efficiency and form remains a great challenge. We created a synergistic photothermal layer from a poly(N-phenylglycine) (PNPG)/MoS2nanohybrid via electrostatic-induced self-assembly for a broad-spectrum and efficient solar absorption. The PNPG/MoS2system provided effective synergistic photothermal conversion and good water transmission, enabling rapid solar steam escape. Notably, synergistic coupling of solar evaporation–thermoelectric (TE) power generation was also achieved, providing more efficient exploitation of solar heat. The system demonstrated a solar evaporation rate of up to 1.70 kg m–2h–1and achieved a maximum thermoelectric output power with 0.23 W m–2under one sun. The high-performance PNPG/MoS2synergistic photothermal system developed in this study offers potential opportunities for coupling solar water purification with thermoelectric power generation to meet the needs of resource-scarce areas.