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Phytosanitary heat treatments of Ceratocystis lukuohia and Ceratocystis huliohia-colonized Metrosideros polymorpha wood were evaluated using kilns. Wood poles subjected to a 22- to 34-day dehumidification kiln schedule with a heat treatment to 60[degrees]C to the poles' core. In vacuum kiln trials, logs were heated to 56[degrees]C at 70 percent log radius depth and the temperature maintained for 30 minutes. Neither Ceratocystis species was isolated from heat-treated wood using carrot baiting, whereas both fungi were isolated from control logs held at ambient temperature. Results of this study offer kilnheating as a way to eradicate Ceratocystis fungi from M. polymorpha wood., Ohi'a (Metrosideros polymorpha) is Hawaii's most ecologically significant and culturally valuable native hardwood tree species (Mueller-Dombois et al. 2013). The wood is a highly valued local timber product used for [...]

The focus of this study was to observe the properties of bamboo plastic composites modified with a self-made modifier, 18 acyl-dopamine (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, and 1.25 weight percent [wt%] based on the dry weight of bamboo powder). The effects of the modifier were demonstrated by measures of mechanical properties, water absorption, thermal stability, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that 18 acyl-dopamine could be used as an effective modifier of bamboo powder/high-density polyethylene composites. When the modifier was increased, the toughness of the composite deteriorated, and the strength and rigidity improved. This indicated that when the dosage became higher, the compatibilization became stronger, and the toughening effect became worse. Based on the experimental data, a small dosage modifier acted as a toughening agent; as the dosage increased to 1.0 wt%, the compatibility began to appear. The modifier reacted with the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the bamboo powder, which caused the bamboo powder to absorb less water, so the thickness expansion rate was lowest at 1.25 wt%. The pyrolysis peak of bamboo powder and plastic showed a tendency to be close to each other, indicating that the interface was improving. Based on the equation of Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, as the dosage of the modifier increased from 0.50 to 1.25 wt%, the apparent activation energy also increased. The SEM analysis showed the binding between bamboo powder and the plastic matrix was strongest when the modifier dosage was 1.25 wt%., Bamboo plastic composites have many advantages. Compared with traditional glass fiber and mineral filler reinforced material, bamboo is an environmentally friendly natural filler for composites with lower density and cost, [...]

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The dazzling adsorbent products make people overlook the harm of heavy metals adsorbed on them. Hazardous waste adsorbents cause secondary pollution. In this study, waste lignocellulose was dissolved by alkaline urea solvent and high-intensity ultrasound, then cross-linked by epichlorohydrin to make hydrogel, which was utilized to adsorb toxic heavy-metal wastewater. In situ deposition and high-temperature carbonization turn the gel that has absorbed heavy metals into carbon aerogel-loaded metal oxide energy storage materials that may be employed as anodes in lithium-ion batteries with excellent electrochemical performance. The best reversible capacity was 435.86 mAh g–1after 100 cycles at 0.2C, indicating that the hazardous solid waste generated by the removal of heavy metals using biomass-based adsorbent has potential lithium battery applications. Thus, we provide a fresh perspective on the efficient recycling of heavy metals as well as an environmentally friendly, high-value conservation strategy for lowering the danger of heavy-metal hazardous wastes.

ABSTRACT The abundant fast-growing Chinese fir was confined to nonstructural use for its poor mechanical and fire performance, and classified as low-quality building materials. Herein, Chinese fir was impregnated with [...]

The purpose of this study was to determine the expression of a kinetic model and the determination of kinetic parameters for cork. Thermal analysis kinetics of cork and impurities (sclereids and lenticels) were studied by thermogravimetric (TG) curves. The Malek method was used to obtain kinetic parameters in this experiment. Reconstruction models of y([varies]) and z([varies]) were compared with standard curves to determine appropriate kinetic models. The results showed that the RO(n) model was suitable to describe the dynamic process of cork, sclereids, and lenticels. The expressions of kinetic models were.f ([varies]) = (1 -[varies]).sup.4,89] for cork, f([varies]) = (1-[varies]).sup.5,82] for sclereids, and f([varies]) = (1--[varies]).sup.5,00] for lenticels. The natural log values In A were 19.56, 28.90, and 28.88 In [s.sup.-1] for cork, sclereids, and lenticels, respectively. Fitting errors of parameters for cork, sclereids, and lenticels were less than 5 percent. The fitted conversion rate and curves of mass fraction were in good agreement with experimental data. Obtaining the kinetic model and parameters provides a basis for prediction of thermal properties of cork., Cork is a natural material obtained from the phellem layer of cork oak. There are mainly two categories of cork oak. Quercus suber is located in the Mediterranean region, and [...]

Abstract The goal of this project was to investigate the efficacy of vacuum--steam technology to sanitize low-quality ash logs and ash firewood. It is difficult to heat treat logs and [...]

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The conversion of CO2into solar fuels by photocatalysis is a promising way to deal with the energy crisis and the greenhouse effect. The introduction of oxygen vacancy into semiconductor has been proved to be an effective strategy for enhancing CO2photoreduction performance. Herein, TiO2-xnanostructures have been prepared by a simple solvothermal method and engineered by the reaction time. With the prolonging of reaction time, the oxygen vacancy signal gradually increases while the band gap becomes narrow for the as-synthesized TiO2-xnanostructures. The results show that the TiO2-x-6 h, TiO2-x-24 h, and TiO2-x-48 h samples have the main product of CH4(more) and CO (less) for CO2photoreduction. Among the three oxygen vacancy photocatalysts, the TiO2-x-24 h sample shows the highest CH4generation rate of 41.8 μmol g−1h−1. On the basis of photo/electrochemical measurements, the TiO2-x-24 h sample exhibits efficient electron–hole separation and charge transfer capabilities, thus allows much more electrons to participate in the reaction and finally promotes the photocatalytic CO2reduction reaction. It further confirms that the optimization of oxygen vacancy concentration could facilitate the photoinduced charge separation and accordingly improve photocatalytic CO2conversion.

Abstract The vacuum-steam treatment of pallets and pallet parts for compliance with the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 regulation was evaluated. Vacuum-steam treatment consists of four steps: (1) [...]

The potential for using vacuum technology to kill larvae of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), and emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilusplanipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), in [...]

Abstract Old house borer larvae, Hylotrupes bajulus, were placed into pieces of red oak (Quercus spp.) at 70 percent moisture content (MC), yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) at 7 percent MC, and [...]

•C3N4serves as catalyst, template and nitrogen sources in the present strategy.•The derived carbon owns high nitrogen content of 21.7 at.%.•The derived carbon achieves ultrahigh energy density of 36.8 Wh/kg at 2.0 kW/kg.•The energy density of the derived carbon remains as high as 25.7 Wh/kg at 38 kW/kg.

Acidification occurs during the temporal storage and long-distance transportation of food waste (FW). It can influence FW physicochemical properties and even subsequent treatment and disposal. In this study, microbial electrolysis cells were constructed to evaluate hydrogen (H2) production and biodegradation behaviors of rice slurry (R) and fermented rice liquid (FR). Carbohydrate, as the main component in R, was more prone to be acidified into acetate and subsequently start H2generation. While the dominant component in FR was butyrate, it became a rate-limiting step during anaerobic fermentation, leading to its lower H2productivity. Results showed that the H2yield of R was 1.48 times higher than that of FR. The microbial community and molecular dynamics simulation revealed that R was readily utilized by g_Aeromonas. This was a more efficient pathway for producing H2. The additional supply of NH4+-N exerted a more remarkable effect on improving H2yield through enriching g_Geobacterand g_Enterococcus.The increasing of g_Flavobacteriumaccelerated the degradation of starch to generate more H2.

Pollutant treatment, hazardous solid waste conversion, and biomass resource utilization are significant topics in environmental pollution control, and simultaneously achieving them is challenging. Herein, we developed a “from waste absorbent to effective photocatalyst” upcycle strategy for nontoxic conversion of Cd(II) adsorbed on thiolation@wood-aerogel (TWA) into CdS/g-C3N4heterojunctions through the in situ chemical deposition high-temperature carbonization combined conversion method to overcome the above problems simultaneously. We used Schiff base reaction to graft l-cysteine into dialdehyde@wood-aerogel to prepare TWA with a high Cd(II) adsorption capacity (600 mg/L, 294.66 mg/g). Subsequently, the spent Cd(II)-loaded-TWA was used as a substrate for in situ construction of Cd(II) into CdS/g-C3N4heterojunction for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) under simulated sunlight [simulated solar light (SSL)], achieving efficient tetracycline (TC) degradation (20 mg/L, 95.32%). The Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models indicate single-layer chemical adsorption of Cd(II) on the TWA adsorption process. In the PMS/SSL system, CdS/g-C3N4@TWA efficiently and rapidly degraded TC via an adsorption-photocatalytic synergistic degradation mechanism. The used CdS/g-C3N4@TWA has a good biocompatibility. This study proposed design and preparation of a new type of wood aerogel absorbent and provided a novel upcycling strategy for innovative use of the spent waste adsorbent.

FRED M. LAMB [*] ABSTRACT This study explores continuous vacuum drying at room temperature. Small specimens of red oak were dried at 20°C and at a pressure of about 18 [...]

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Objective: Pneumococcal disease is a global problem, including in China. The objective of this study was to provide safety data for single-dose 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in Chinese subjects, needed to begin a phase III safety and immunogenicity study in Chinese infants.Methods: Healthy Chinese adults (18−55 years), children (3−5 years), and infants (42–98 days) received a single dose of PCV13 in this open-label safety study. Local reactions and systemic events were collected for 7 days via an electronic diary; adverse events were recorded for 1 month after vaccination.Results: All 72 (24 per group) screened subjects (58.3% males; mean ± standard deviation [SD] age: 43.3 ± 9.1 years [adults], 4.5 ± 0.7 years [children], and 79.6 ± 15.2 days [infants]) were enrolled, received vaccine, and completed the study. The most frequently reported local reactions per group were pain at the injection site (n =23 adults [95.8%]), tenderness (n =18 children [75%]), and swelling (n =6 infants [25%]), none of which were severe. The mean duration of each local reaction was ⩽2.0 days in infants and ⩽2.4 days in children but in adults was 3.3 days for pain at the injection site and 9 days each for redness and swelling. Systemic events in adults were muscle pain (n =5), fatigue (n =3), and headache and joint pain (n =1 each). One child and seven infants had disturbed sleep (increased or decreased). One adult and one child had mild fever (37.7–38.5°C, as per China Food and Drug Administration guidelines). No subject used antipyretic medication. One adverse event (bronchopneumonia in an infant) was reported, which was serious, severe, and unrelated to vaccination. There were no deaths.Conclusions: A single dose of PCV13 was safe and well tolerated in healthy Chinese adults, children, and infants. This study provided the safety data to enable a phase III safety and immunogenicity registration trial in Chinese infants to proceed.

The digital pixel driving scheme makes the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) microdisplays more immune to the pixel luminance variations and simplifies the circuit architecture and design flow compared to the analog pixel driving scheme. Additionally, it is easily applied in full digital systems. However, the data bottleneck becomes a notable problem as the number of pixels and gray levels grow dramatically. This paper will discuss the digital driving ability to achieve kilogray-levels for megapixel displays. The optimal scan strategy is proposed for creating ultra high gray levels and increasing light efficiency and contrast ratio. Two correction schemes are discussed to improve the gray level linearity. A 1280×1024×3 OLED-on-silicon microdisplay, with 4096 gray levels, is designed based on the optimal scan strategy. The circuit driver is integrated in the silicon backplane chip in the 0.35 μm 3.3 V–6 V dual voltage one polysilicon layer, four metal layers (1P4M) complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process with custom top metal. The design aspects of the optimal scan controller are also discussed. The test results show the gray level linearity of the correction schemes for the optimal scan strategy is acceptable by the human eye.

The objective of this research was to analyze the cyclic vacuum drying curve within one cycle. Red oak specimens of two different groups, square in cross-section, were used. Group one was comprised of four different thicknesses (2.54, 3.81, 5.08, and 6.35 cm) with a length of 25.4 cm and group two was comprised of three different lengths (12.7, 25.4, and 38.1 cm) with the thickness of 2.54 cm. The specimens were heated to 60°C in the heating oven and then dried in the vacuum oven at 18 mm Hg. The vacuum oven was at room temperature (20°C). The vacuum pump was kept running for 140 min. It was found that the cyclic vacuum drying curve consisted of two distinct parts. The fast drying period lasted about 10 to 15 min. The slow drying period occurred when the pressure inside wood approached the ambient pressure. Most of the moisture was removed during the fast drying period.

Nosocomial pneumonia (NP), including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), is increasingly associated with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. This study describes the in vitroactivity of ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftazidime, and relevant comparator agents against bacterial pathogens isolated from patients with NP, including VAP, enrolled in a ceftazidime-avibactam phase 3 trial. Gram-positive pathogens were included if coisolated with a Gram-negative pathogen. In vitrosusceptibility was determined at a central laboratory using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution methods.

This paper presents low-cost and recyclable activated carbon (XLAC) derived from Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge hull for high-efficiency adsorption of Cd(II) and Hg(II) ions in industrial wastewater. XLAC was prepared through H3PO4 activation and was characterized using N2 adsorption-desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In single-metal-system adsorption experiments, the maximum adsorption capacities for Cd(II) and Hg(II) obtained under different experimental conditions were 388.7 and 235.6 mg·g−1, respectively. All adsorption equilibrium data fit perfectly with the Langmuir isotherm model. In a binary metal system, competitive studies demonstrated that the presence of Cd(II) significantly decreased the adsorption of Hg(II), but the adsorption of Cd(II) showed a little change in the presence of Hg(II). In addition, XLAC can be regenerated with a 0.01 mol·L−1 HNO3 solution and reused at least four times. The FTIR spectra revealed that a chemical interaction occurs between functional groups containing lone electron pairs in XLAC and metal ions. Overall, these results suggest that XLAC may be suitable as an adsorbent for heavy metal removal from wastewater streams.