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Biodegradable films are sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics, particularly in food preservation, where the barrier and mechanical properties are crucial for maintaining the physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory qualities of the product. This study evaluated films made from starches of corn, potato, cassava, yam, and wheat to determine their effectiveness in preserving cherry tomatoes. Amylose content, a key factor influencing the crystallinity and properties of the films, varied among the sources, with wheat starch having the highest (28.2%) and cassava the lowest (18.3%). The wheat starch film emerged as the best formulation, exhibiting the highest tensile strength and the lowest water vapor permeability (4.1 ± 0.3 g∙mm∙m−2∙h−1∙KPa−1), contributing to superior barrier performance. When applied to cherry tomatoes, the films based on wheat and corn starch showed the least moisture loss over fifteen days, highlighting their potential in fresh food preservation. These results suggest that starch-based films, specifically those rich in amylose, have significant potential as biodegradable packaging materials for food product conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the study was to establish the influence of various tillage systems on the agrophysical properties of dark-chestnut soil under short-grain crop rotation in the irrigated conditions of southern Ukraine. The research was carried out during 2021-2022 in a stationary experiment on a four-field crop rotation: grain maize - winter rapeseed - winter wheat - soybeans. The experimental field was in the semi-arid steppe climate zone at the Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine. Three tillage systems were studied for their influence on soil bulk density, porosity, and water permeability, namely: mouldboard-differentiated ploughing tillage; differentiated chisel tillage; and differentiated ploughless tillage with soil slitting. Soil bulk density was determined using the core method. Soil porosity was calculated as the ratio of total bulk density to solid fraction bulk density. Water infiltration rates, established through the water absorption test method, were used to measure soil water permeability. The results of the study were statistically analysed using the common ANOVA procedure with Fisher's least significant difference test at P<0.05. In addition to the agrophysical parameters of the soil, the energy output of the crop rotation was assessed. It was established that mouldboard tillage did not provide significant benefits in terms of bulk density and soil porosity. However, ploughing showed the best results for soil water permeability across all crops in the rotation. The highest energy output of crop rotation (119.1 GJ/ha) was recorded for the ploughless-differentiated tillage system with soil slitting, whereas the mouldboard ploughing and chisel tillage systems produced somewhat lower energy yields of 112.0 and 108.6 GJ/ha, respectively. Therefore, ploughless-differentiated tillage with soil slitting is the most effective option for short-grain crop rotations in irrigated conditions of southern Ukraine, in terms of creating optimal soil agrophysical properties and achieving the highest crop productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the study was to establish the influence of various tillage systems on the agrophysical properties of dark-chestnut soil under short-grain crop rotation in the irrigated conditions of southern Ukraine. The research was carried out during 2021-2022 in a stationary experiment on a four-field crop rotation: grain maize – winter rapeseed – winter wheat – soybeans. The experimental field was in the semi-arid steppe climate zone at the Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine. Three tillage systems were studied for their influence on soil bulk density, porosity, and water permeability, namely: mouldboard-differentiated ploughing tillage; differentiated chisel tillage; and differentiated ploughless tillage with soil slitting. Soil bulk density was determined using the core method. Soil porosity was calculated as the ratio of total bulk density to solid fraction bulk density. Water infiltration rates, established through the water absorption test method, were used to measure soil water permeability. The results of the study were statistically analysed using the common ANOVA procedure with Fisher’s least significant difference test at P

Purpose: quantitative assessment of the filtration coefficient of coherent soils of the existing irrigation canal base. Materials and methods. The initial materials for the research were pre-design, operational and other technical documentation on the Chernozemelskaya environmental protection system, as well as field survey data of the system technical condition in the Yashkul district of Kalmykia. When performing measurements, the following equipment was used: a measuring container, metal rulers, a digital thermometer with a needle probe, a two-ring infiltrometer, a time clock. Results. The value of the filtration coefficient (at steady flow) varied within 0.24–0.27 m/day (or 0.17–0.19 mm/min). The average value for the filtration coefficient according to field measurements was 0.18 mm/min, which corresponds to 0.255 m/day. According to the N. A. Kachinsky classification, the soils of the studied area are characterized as medium loamy (with a predominance of sand fraction). The range of values of the filtration coefficient for these soils is from 0.005 to 0.4 m/day. According to the calculation results, the filtration coefficient was 0.238 m/day or 0.165 mm/min. Conclusions. Comparison of the calculated and experimental values shows that the calculated filtration coefficient coincides with the experimental one (obtained in the field) well. The discrepancy between the values was 7.1 %. Nevertheless, the estimated estimation of the filtration coefficient according to empirical dependencies is approximate, therefore, in further filtration calculations of the bulk section of the Yashkul distribution canal, data from field measurements of the soil filtration coefficient of the channel base under consideration will be taken into account.

Abstract Water permeability of reinforced concrete is essential for transportation of ingress ions inside concrete structures. The coupling effect of permeability and loading presents a challenge for the experimental simulation of water-permeate reinforced concrete subjected to tension. This renders the development of the model based on dimensionless analysis, using a series of experimental tests from an innovative experimental system that allows simultaneous measurement of permeability and crack width. The experiments focused on both ordinary concrete and high strength concrete under tension. The relationship between permeability and variables such as deformation, diameter of rebars, tensile load, and crack width under tension was formulated through multiple regression analysis using the testing data. The load to deformation characteristics determines the permeability of the concrete under tension. The proposed model accounts for the influence of continuous loading on permeability, as demonstrated by the robust analysis and proposed yield effective point. The robust analysis demonstrates that the diameter of the rebar, load, and crack width exert minimal influence on the permeability of concrete at lower significance levels. However, permeability variations become pronounced from 0.5 threshold, with significant changes observed between 0.5 and 0.9 thresholds. The findings indicate a differential impact of the variables on the permeability of concrete under tension. The yield-effective points delineate the relationship between the rebar diameter, load, and crack-width on the permeability of concrete with a threshold of 0.5, 0.5, and 0.58, respectively. At a threshold of 0.78, higher permeability will occur in the concrete, attributed to the prevalence of deformation. This deformation highlights the parameters with the most significant influence on the permeability of concrete under tension. The robust analysis and yield effective point derivative are useful parameters to measure concrete permeability and evaluate the behavior of the permeability model under tension.

Copyright of Industria Textila is the property of Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Textile si Pielarie 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.)

Leaching‐induced corrosion of the reinforcing steel in water‐bearing separating cracks When water flows through separating cracks or construction joints, the cement paste leaches out, and alkalinity is reduced. As with carbonation, this decrease in pH leads to the loss of the passive layer, which is limited to the directly adjacent area. The progress of corrosion may depend on the water exchange rate. This presented study investigates the influence of the water pressure level on test specimens with crack widths between 0.20 and 0.25 mm (mean values) on the onset of depassivation and the corrosion rate. The test specimens were exposed to demineralised water at a hydrostatic pressure of 0.04 bar, 0.20 bar or 1.00 bar and monitored for corrosion. A few days after the start of exposure, high macroelement currents flow in all test specimens. Later, due to self‐healing, the flow stops at 0.04 bar, and the macroelement currents decrease significantly. In contrast, the reduced but steady flow at 0.20 and 1.00 bar leads to a continuous corrosion progression. While a (planned) longer interruption of the water supply results in repassivation of the steel, renewed pressurisation significantly increases both the flow and corrosion rates. The leaching manifests in an increase in the pH of the effluent water and a reduced calcium concentration in the crack area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water permeability of reinforced concrete is essential for transportation of ingress ions inside concrete structures. The coupling effect of permeability and loading presents a challenge for the experimental simulation of water-permeate reinforced concrete subjected to tension. This renders the development of the model based on dimensionless analysis, using a series of experimental tests from an innovative experimental system that allows simultaneous measurement of permeability and crack width. The experiments focused on both ordinary concrete and high strength concrete under tension. The relationship between permeability and variables such as deformation, diameter of rebars, tensile load, and crack width under tension was formulated through multiple regression analysis using the testing data. The load to deformation characteristics determines the permeability of the concrete under tension. The proposed model accounts for the influence of continuous loading on permeability, as demonstrated by the robust analysis and proposed yield effective point. The robust analysis demonstrates that the diameter of the rebar, load, and crack width exert minimal influence on the permeability of concrete at lower significance levels. However, permeability variations become pronounced from 0.5 threshold, with significant changes observed between 0.5 and 0.9 thresholds. The findings indicate a differential impact of the variables on the permeability of concrete under tension. The yield-effective points delineate the relationship between the rebar diameter, load, and crack-width on the permeability of concrete with a threshold of 0.5, 0.5, and 0.58, respectively. At a threshold of 0.78, higher permeability will occur in the concrete, attributed to the prevalence of deformation. This deformation highlights the parameters with the most significant influence on the permeability of concrete under tension. The robust analysis and yield effective point derivative are useful parameters to measure concrete permeability and evaluate the behavior of the permeability model under tension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an investigation into the water permeability of an all-oxide ceramic matrix composite. To determine the parameters and characterize the water permeability of the ceramic composite material, an experimental study was carried out in which a dedicated test rig was constructed and commissioned. A total of five different configurations of composite tubes were tested. They differed in fibre roving strength, winding angle, fibre bundle arrangement during winding, and matrix grain size distribution. To better understand the internal structure of the analysed ceramic matrix composite material, the experimental study used scanning electron microscopy for microstructure and porosity observation. The tested tubes will be used as liners in an oxy-combustion chamber in future studies. The experiments obtained new and interesting results regarding the water permeability of the ceramic matrix composite with different structural parameters. It was also observed that, as with some porous materials, the permeability of ceramic matrix composites decreases with time as more and more liquid is pressed through it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ameliorative properties of forest stands are essential for developing effective measures for environmental protection and sustainable use of forest resources. The purpose of the study was to assess the current condition and performance of erosion control properties of old oak stands of natural origin. The method of assessing the condition of old oak plantations using an integral indicator that takes into account biometric, ameliorative and health characteristics of stands, as well as agrochemical indicators of the soil has been tested. Field work was carried out on four experimental plots, where 794 age-old trees were enumerated. Comprehensive studies included determination of biometric indicators, analysis of root systems, detection of the content of available forms of nitrogen, mobile phosphorus, mobile potassium in soil. Soil hardness was measured with a durometer and soil water permeability using steel cylinders. High values of integral indicators were obtained in the experimental areas, which range from 11.9 to 19.7%. They guarantee the effective performance of erosion control properties by native old-growth forests. It has been researched that the proposed integral indicator of forest stand condition not only allows for assessing their current state but also demonstrates the effective control of erosion and ecological functions of the stand. It was established that essential requirement is to convert the absolute values of various indicators into relative values, with mandatory consideration of their positive or negative impacts on the forest stands themselves. It was found that an integral condition indicator can be used for erosion control plantations of any age range. The results can be used to develop biodiversity conservation programs and establish effective strategies for managing forest resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal gangue is a solid waste, which can cause serious pollution of the atmosphere and water sources due to its long-term accumulation. In this article, the influence of CO2-cured coal gangue on the slump flow, the mechanical strengths, the thermal conductivity coefficient, the chloride ion permeability, the water resistance coefficient and the leached Pb of the coal-gangue-block masonry are determined. Moreover, the temperature distributions at different measuring points of a coal-gangue-block cabin model are obtained. The results exhibit that CO2-cured gangue demonstrates positive effects on the slump flow, the mechanical strengths and the thermal conductivity coefficient, with the slump flow rates increasing by 0%~23.6%, the mechanical strength rates increasing by 0%~222.7% and the thermal conductivity coefficient rates increasing by 0%~73.2%. Straw fibers increase mechanical strengths and decrease thermal conductivity at rates of 0%~222.7% and 0%~32.6%. Foam decreases the mechanical strengths and the thermal conductivity coefficient by 0%~71.2% and 0%~87.1%. The chloride ion migration coefficients are decreased by 0%~42.1% and 0%~43.7% with the added CO2-cured coal gangue and the straw fibers. The added foam leads to an increase in the chloride ion migration coefficient of 0%~73.2%. The foam and the straw fibers show delaying temperature changes in a coal-gangue-block cabin model, while when CO2-cured coal gangue is added, the effect is the opposite. The CO2-cured coal gangue and the straw fibers lead to decreases in the leached Pb and Zn, while when the foam's mass ratio increases, the result is the contrary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compacted Clay Liners (CCL) are designed to prevent environmental contamination in landfills. These layers are designed with low permeability soils, which are difficult to obtain. To this end, bentonite can be added. The objective of this work is to evaluate the reliability of factor analysis on the hydraulic performance of sand-bentonite mixtures. Two types of designs were used, with the variables controlled: compaction energy (CE), water content (U) and percentage of bentonite (B). Experimental layers were made to obtain water permeability (kw). The results showed that CE and B are, respectively, the factors that most influence permeability. The application of adequate energy promotes better accommodation of bentonite soil particles in the voids in the sand, which, when moistened, undergo an expansion process, reducing the voids in the layer. All of these parameters can be optimized by using a curvature design to obtain kW. Therefore, knowledge of CCL kw is essential to ensure the safety of the local environmental environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymers with a low dielectric constant (Dk) are promising materials for high-speed communication networks, which demand exceptional thermal stability, ultralow Dk and dissipation factor, and minimum moisture absorption. In this paper, we prepared a series of novel low-Dk polyimide films containing an MCM-41-type amino-functionalized mesoporous silica (AMS) via in situ polymerization and subsequent thermal imidization and investigated their morphologies, thermal properties, frequency-dependent dielectric behaviors, and water permeabilities. Incorporating 6 wt.% AMS reduced the Dk at 1 MHz from 2.91 of the pristine fluorinated polyimide (FPI) to 2.67 of the AMS-grafted FPI (FPI-g-AMS), attributed to the free volume and low polarizability of fluorine moieties in the backbone and the incorporation of air voids within the mesoporous AMS particles. The FPI-g-AMS films presented a stable dissipation factor across a wide frequency range. Introducing a silane coupling agent increased the hydrophobicity of AMS surfaces, which inhibited the approaching of the water molecules, avoiding the hydrolysis of Si–O–Si bonds of the AMS pore walls. The increased tortuosity caused by the AMS particles also reduced water permeability. All the FPI-g-AMS films displayed excellent thermooxidative/thermomechanical stability, including a high 5% weight loss temperature (>531 °C), char residue at 800 °C (>51%), and glass transition temperature (>300 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents several series of multi-stage permeability tests in laboratory with both steady-state and pulse decay methods on core samples of the low permeable Callovo-Oxfordian claystone from Meuse/Haute-Marne (France). The focus is to explain why water permeability values obtained in laboratory with the steady-state method are lower than those obtained with the pulse decay method and those obtained in situ in the Underground Research Laboratory designed for a feasibility of a deep geological repository of radioactive waste. The focus is also to assess the influence of the percolating water chemistry and the duration of resaturation and steady flow stages on the permeability values, and the impact of these permeability measurements on the mechanical properties (elastic coefficients, peak strength). The water permeability values measured with the pulse decay method are homogeneous and around 10−20 m2. Those obtained with the steady flow method are significantly lower (up to one order of magnitude) when using the synthetic water of ANDRA. This difference can be explained by an additional hydration of the clay minerals during steady-state flow which induces a swelling and then a decrease of the interparticle porosity. These physicochemical mechanisms slow down the water flow during the steady flow tests. When using a chemically balanced water and reducing the test duration, the difference is only about half an order of magnitude. Sample resaturation and steady-state flow induce a significant damage of the material which is mainly due to the opening of the bedding planes of swelling clay minerals. Highlights: Laboratory permeability tests with steady state and pulse decay methods were performed on core samples of Callovo-Oxfordian claystone from Meuse/Haute-Marne (France) Permeability values measured with the steady flow method are significantly lower than those obtained from the pulse decay method when using the synthetic water of ANDRA This difference could be explained by an additional hydration of the clay minerals during steady state flow, which induces swelling and slows down the water flow A more accurate assessment of the permeability with the steady state method was obtained using a chemically balanced water and experiment with shorter run time Initial resaturation and steady state flow induce a significant damage of the material which is mainly due to the opening of the bedding planes of swelling clay minerals [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental friendly biocomposites are urgently needed to mitigate the pollution caused by huge consumption of petroleum-based polymers. Renewable carrageenan and polylactic acid (PLA) natural polymers have the potential to replace petroleum-origin polymers. Nevertheless, the carrageenan and PLA themselves inherit poor tensile strength, hydrophobicity and stability. The aim of this study is to underpin the mechanism of synthesis of carrageenan-PLA biocomposite using van't Hoff plot, 1HNMR and density functional theorem simulation. Strong hydrogen bonding was found at 1.88 Å between O atom (carrageenan) and H atom (PLA) and was validated in 1HNMR shifting at 5.3 ppm corresponding to –OH group from PLA. The interaction established in the biocomposite mixed at 50 °C leads to a stronger tensile strength of 75.37 MPa, higher hydrophobicity and thermal stability with highest activation energy of 45.39 kJ/mol. The biocomposite produced from renewable carrageenan-PLA material would be a future replacement for nondegradable plastic as a food packaging material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Materiały Budowlane is the property of Wydawnictwo SIGMA-NOT 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.)

Copyright of Railway Construction Technology is the property of Railway Construction Technology Editorial Office 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.)

To improve the clinical safety and effectiveness of vascular prostheses, influence laws of the wall structure of textile based vascular prostheses on the properties were studied in this article. Polyester multifilament was utilized to weave four types of vascular prostheses samples with varying specifications based on the number of weft yarns and warp density. The total tightness of the fabric ranged from 79.6%, 82.0%, 89.2% to 96.1%. The impact of different wall structures on the water permeability and biomechanical properties of the vascular prostheses were examined. The results demonstrate an exponential correlation between total tightness and both water permeability and biomechanical properties of the tubular wall. When the warp density is 900 pieces/10 cm, and the weft yarn is double-ply (222 dtex/96 f) with total tightness of 96.1%, he performance of vascular prostheses is optimal. At this time, the porosity is 50.95% and the water permeability is only 12.1 mL/(cm²⋅min). Furthermore, the circumferential tensile strength can reach 213.5 x 10-5 kN/mm, and the probe burst trength can reach 595.23 X 10-3 kN, which are both superior to the compared domestic commercial woven polyester vascular prostheses and have a certain significance for reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical dormancy of seeds is a form of dormancy due to the presence of an impermeable seed coat layer, and it represents a feature for plants to adapt to environmental changes over an extended period of phylogenetic evolution. However, in agricultural practice, physical dormancy is problematic. because it prevents timely and uniform seed germination. Therefore, physical dormancy is an important agronomical trait to target in breeding and domestication, especially for many leguminous crops. Compared to the well-characterized physiological dormancy, research progress on physical dormancy at the molecular level has been limited until recent years, due to the lack of suitable research materials. This review focuses on the structure of seed coat, factors affecting physical dormancy, genes controlling physical dormancy, and plants suitable for studying physical dormancy at the molecular level. Our goal is to provide a plethora of information for further molecular research on physical dormancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pervious planting concrete (PPC) is in line with the concept of ecological environmental protection. However, due to its own porous structure, it is difficult to obtain excellent mechanical properties and water permeability at the same time, which hinders its promotion and application. In this paper, natural gravel (NG), ordinary Portland cement (OPC), polyvinyl alcohol latex powder (PVAP) and polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PS) were used to prepare the PPC, and its mechanical properties and water permeability were studied. Three kinds of plants were planted in the PPC and their planting properties were studied. At the same time, the effect of Bacillus on the planting properties was studied. The results show that when the water–binder ratio (W/B) was 0.28 and the PVAP content was 0.8%, both the mechanical properties and water permeability of the PPC were optimal. The compressive strength and permeability coefficient were 14.2 MPa and 14.48 mm/s, respectively. The mechanical properties and water permeability of PPC prepared with 10~20 mm NG were better than those prepared with 5~10 mm NG. Among the three plants, the germination rate and growth of Elymus dahuricus Turcz (EDT) were the best. The incorporation of Bacillus can optimize its planting properties and promote the effective combination between plants and the PPC substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Inorganic Chemicals Industry is the property of Editorial Office of Inorganic Chemicals Industry 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.)

Permeable concrete is a type of porous concrete with the special function of water permeability, but the permeability of permeable concrete will decrease gradually due to the clogging behavior arising from the surrounding environment. To reliably characterize the clogging behavior of permeable concrete, particle swarm optimization (PSO) and random forest (RF) hybrid artificial intelligence techniques were developed in this study to predict the permeability coefficient of permeable concrete and optimize the aggregate mix ratio of permeable concrete. Firstly, a reliable database was collected and established to characterize the input and output variables for the machine learning. Then, PSO and 10-fold cross-validation were used to optimize the hyperparameters of the RF model using the training and testing datasets. Finally, the accuracy of the developed model was verified by comparing the predicted value with the actual value of the permeability coefficients (R = 0.978 and RMSE = 1.3638 for the training dataset; R = 0.9734 and RMSE = 2.3246 for the testing dataset). The proposed model can provide reliable predictions of the clogging behavior that permeable concrete may face and the trend of its development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, methods for evaluating the performance of woven filter media used for filtration processes are mainly reduced to air permeability and filtration resistance. However, filtration processes are not limited to dry filtration only. Moreover, critical performance-related factors such as the pore size distribution and liquid permeability are studied but often omitted and ignored in the characterization process. The present study aims to investigate and analyze three characteristics, namely air and liquid permeability and pore size distribution, and to examine correlations between the studied characteristics. The results of the present study show that correlations between the studied characteristics do exist. Polynomial and exponential functions could describe the correlation between the mean flow pore diameter and permeability. At the same time, the dependency between air and water permeability is characterized by a logarithmic function. Consequently, the characterization and selection of filter cloths should be done by analyzing several different parameters simultaneously. These correlations could become the basis of a system of media indexing in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Makrut lime essential oil (MLO) was investigated for ripening deceleration and suppression of fungal spoilage of Cavendish bananas stored at 30.0–37.6°C and 40%–60% relative humidity. The sorbitol‐plasticized composite of carboxymethyl cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol (CMC/PVA; 3:2) was used to distribute MLO droplets (0.5%–3.0%) as it exhibited the best overall tensile properties (15.36 ± 0.90 MPa, 14.9% ± 1.19, and 486.93 ± 81.67 MPa for strength, strain, and Young's modulus, respectively). After 7 days of storage of film‐wrapped Stage‐A1 bananas, growths of the molds on cutting wounds were dramatically suppressed. The 1.0% MLO/CMC/PVA film effectively controlled the spoilages of wounds and stalks. Ripening also occurred at slower pace (by about 2 days; 70.49% weight loss vs. that of the control) when Stage‐B3 bananas were encased in the 1.0% MLO plastic sleeve. However, the MLO coatings negatively affected the appearances and colors and promoted the senescence of the coated bananas at higher MLO concentrations. Compared to the CMC/PVA film, strengths and maximum strains of the 0.5% and 1.0% MLO films were significantly higher. The strength, strain, and modulus of the 1.0% MLO film were 19.50 ± 2.52 MPa, 24.75% ± 3.84, and 562.31 ± 49.71 MPa, respectively. Water vapor transmission rate of the 1.0‐MLO film was also the smallest one (2232 ± 50.91 g/m2·day). Highlights: The 1.0% MLO/CMC/PVA film exhibited improved tensile properties.The water vapor transmission rate of the film was the lowest.The film effectively controlled the spoilages of wounds and stalks.Bananas encased in sleeves made from the film ripened at slower pace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compacted Clay Liners (CCL) are designed to prevent environmental contamination in landfills. These layers are designed with low permeability soils, which are difficult to obtain. To this end, bentonite can be added. The objective of this work is to evaluate the reliability of factor analysis on the hydraulic performance of sand-bentonite mixtures. Two types of designs were used, with the variables controlled: compaction energy (CE), water content (U) and percentage of bentonite (B). Experimental layers were made to obtain water permeability (kw). The results showed that CE and B are, respectively, the factors that most influence permeability. The application of adequate energy promotes better accommodation of bentonite soil particles in the voids in the sand, which, when moistened, undergo an expansion process, reducing the voids in the layer. All of these parameters can be optimized by using a curvature design to obtain kW. Therefore, knowledge of CCL kw is essential to ensure the safety of the local environmental environment.

This research investigates the self-healing capability of conventional and high-performance concrete containing either a superabsorbent polymer (SAP), a crystalline admixture (CA), or water-encapsulated in sepiolite by quantifying the recovery of water tightness through the water permeability test and chloride permeability via cracks and matrix penetration on healed specimens. Specimens were pre-cracked to a crack width range of 50–450 µm at 28 days. Specimens were healed under water in four time combinations: healing starting at the concrete age of 28 days or 56 days and a healing duration of 28 or 56 days. Additionally, a healing condition of presaturation during 1 day of water immersion and storage in a humidity chamber for 27 days was studied. The results show that delayed healing reduced the self-healing efficiency, and extending the duration to 56 days enhanced healing, especially for narrow cracks (≈100 µm), and reduced chloride permeability. Specimens with SAP showed superior early-stage healing, but low delayed healing. Sepiolite enhanced healing for delayed cracks with variable effectiveness. CA improved healing for both early and delayed healing, exhibiting low chloride penetration in healed specimens.

The main task of wood manufacturers is to ensure the supply of safe wood products. In this respect, the use of plants as raw material for the wood coatings production is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, especially since innovative materials minimize the health and environmental risks of the final product over its entire lifespan. This paper presents a study of the water permeability of a water-borne bio-based coating applied to spruce (Picea abies), a study of the adhesion strength of the same coating applied to spruce (Picea abies), beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and beech plywood, as well as a study of the adhesion strength on spruce after the water permeability test. The tests were performed according to EN 927-5:2006 and EN ISO 4624:2016. The roughness parameters were measured before and after the water permeability test. The coating was found to be hydrophobic but also water permeable. The highest value of adhesion strength was observed for beech surface, the lowest for spruce. The changes in the surface profiles after the water permeability test are insignificant. According to the water absorption criteria, this coating system could only be applied on exterior wood intended for end-use categores such as overlapping cladding, fencing, garden sheds, open cladding, and ventilated rain screen.

In the present study, the effect of high-volume fly ash blending in the concentration of 15%, 25%, 35%, 45%, and 55% with different effective water-to-cement (W/C) ratios has been investigated for rheology, compressive strength (CS), and durability of self-compacting mortar (SC-mortar). The rheology of SC-mortar was evaluated in terms of slump flow diameter, v-funnel flow time, and developed yield stress and plastic viscosity. The CS of SC-mortar was evaluated at 7 and 28 days of curing, whereas the water permeability and rapid chloride penetration tests were performed to evaluate the durability of SC-mortar at 28, 90, and 180 days. The consumption of ordinary portland cement was reduced using the k-factor or cementing efficiency factor in mix design, where the value of the k-factor decreases with increasing fly ash content. The experimental study revealed that the addition of a high volume of fly ash has a significant impact on rheology and durability, whereas CS of SC-mortar was affected marginally. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination revealed that the fly ash blending has improved the packing and reduced the pore density to compensate for the loss of CS on account of lower cement content. An increase in W/C has increased the porosity, causing a negative impact on CS and durability. The durability of SC-mortar has increased with increasing fly ash content, and there was an exceptional increment in water ingression time (T25) with an increase in fly ash content from 25% to 35%, but with higher content of fly ash (above 35%) and low value of W/C, SC-mortar become very sticky, thus reduced the workability significantly. Compared with the control mix, there is a significant reduction in the cost of SC-mortar with fly ash blending of 15%, thereafter, the cost reduction is marginal with a further increase in fly ash dosage which is due to the rise in admixture dosage. Based on the rheology (within EFNARC limits), CS, and durability of SC-mortar, the optimized dosage of fly ash has been recommended in the range of 25%–40% with different W/C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the permeability to water and urea of plasma membranes of endothelial cells of the normal cornea and cornea with a pronounced form of keratoconus was carried out. Human corneal endothelial cells were obtained from surgical material. Determination of osmotic water permeability (Pf) of normal and keratoconus endothelial cells did not reveal significant differences in the value of this parameter in both groups, where cells had a similar osmotic water permeability (control Pf = 0.53 ± 0.045 cm/s; keratoconus Pf = 0.63 ± 0.041 cm/s) (n = 25; p ≥ 0.05). The urea permeability coefficients (Pu) in both groups also had no statistically significant differences (control Pu = 0.049 ± 0.003 cm/s; keratoconus Pu = 0.056 ± 0.003 cm/s) (n = 25; p ≥ 0.05). Analysis of cell volume dynamics based on exponential approximation showed that corneal endothelial cells with keratoconus reduced their volume in a hypertonic medium to a greater extent compared to cells of a healthy cornea. An increase in cell volume as a result of isotonic urea inflow in a hypertonic medium also occurred to significantly higher values compared to normal cells. The conclusion was made about significant changes in the mechanism of regulation of the volume of corneal endothelial cells in keratoconus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water cycling across the membrane transporters is considered a hallmark of cellular metabolism and it could be of high diagnostic relevance in the characterization of tumors and other diseases. The method relies on the response of intracellular proton exchanging molecules to the presence of extracellular Gd‐based contrast agents (GBCAs). Paramagnetic GBCAs enhances the relaxation rate of water molecules in the extracellular compartment and, through membrane exchange, the relaxation enhancement is transferred to intracellular molecules. The effect is detected at the MRI‐CEST (Magnetic Resonance Imaging ‐ Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer) signal of intracellular proton exchanging molecules. The magnitude of the change in the CEST response reports on water cycling across the membrane. The method has been tested on Red Blood Cells and on orthotopic murine models of breast cancer with different degree of malignancy (4T1, TS/A and 168FARN). The distribution of voxels reporting on membrane permeability fits well with the cells' aggressiveness and acts as an early reporter to monitor therapeutic treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various efforts have been made to minimize the corrosion damage of deicer. However, due to the nature of the deicer that needs to lower the freezing point, the concrete damage due to the repeated freeze-thaw cycle caused by the penetration of the deicer solution into the pores of the concrete could not be fundamentally suppressed. Therefore, a basic study was conducted to minimize the deterioration of concrete by suppressing the water permeability of the concrete surface with penetrating sealer incorporated deicer. Dynamic light scattering and zeta-potential analyses were performed to evaluate the mean diameter and degree of dispersion of the suspension in the aqueous solution of the prepared liquid deicer. Experiments confirmed the water permeability to be 44%–58% that of the untreated control group, and the mass of certain concrete specimens after freeze–thaw cycling tests tended to increase. In addition to the reduction in water permeability, in this study, an increase in the mass of the specimen in repeated freeze thaw cycle was confirmed, which is Liquid deicers with penetrating sealers have the potential to improve the durability and reduce the deterioration of concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral edema is a life-threatening condition that can cause permanent brain damage or death if left untreated. Existing therapies aim at mitigating the associated elevated intracranial pressure, yet they primarily alleviate pressure rather than prevent edema formation. Prophylactic anti-edema therapy necessitates novel drugs targeting edema formation. Aquaporin 4 (AQP4), an abundantly expressed water pore in mammalian glia and ependymal cells, has been proposed to be involved in cerebral edema formation. A series of novel compounds have been tested for their potential inhibitory effects on AQP4. However, selectivity, toxicity, functional inhibition, sustained therapeutic concentration, and delivery into the central nervous system are major challenges. Employing extensive density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, we identified a previously unreported thermodynamically stable tautomer of the recently identified AQP4-specific inhibitor TGN-020 (2-(nicotinamide)-1,3,4-thiadiazol). This novel form, featuring a distinct hydrogen-bonding pattern, served as a template for a COSMOsim-3D-based virtual screen of proprietary compounds from Origenis™. The screening identified ORI-TRN-002, an electronic homologue of TGN-020, demonstrating high solubility and low protein binding. Evaluating ORI-TRN-002 on AQP4-expressing Xenopus laevis oocytes using a high-resolution volume recording system revealed an IC50 of 2.9 ± 0.6 µM, establishing it as a novel AQP4 inhibitor. ORI-TRN-002 exhibits superior solubility and overcomes free fraction limitations compared to other reported AQP4 inhibitors, suggesting its potential as a promising anti-edema therapy for treating cerebral edema in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Journal of Ground Improvement is the property of Journal of Ground Improvement Editorial Office 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.)

Cellulose derivatives from natural resources continuously develop to find the best hydrophobic polymer-based membrane technology performance. This study was conducted to improve the hydrophilicity, performance, and anti-fouling of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane with cellulose acetate (CA) filler synthesized from screw pine (Pandanus tectorius) leaf cellulose. CA was synthesized by the Fischer esterification mechanism and the PVDF membrane was fabricated using the phase inversion method with 0.3% CA concentration. FTIR analysis of CA shows an absorption at 1700 cm−1 suggesting that the hydroxyl group of cellulose had been successfully substituted with an ester group (C=O), and CA has a high degree of substitution (DS) value of 3.50. Adding CA improved the hydrophilicity and anti-fouling properties of up to 86.45% of PVDF membranes. Furthermore, CA increased the value of water permeability 2–3 times than pristine PVDF membrane. The presence of CA enhanced the porosity of the PVDF membrane, which promoted the membrane's effectiveness for MB filtering. As a result, CA from screw pine leaf cellulose has promising features as a filler for PVDF membranes and potential dye filtration.

The regolith on the Earth's Moon has been attracting attention from the perspective of understanding the planetary surface processes and procuring in-situ resources. However, very few studies have investigated the hydraulic properties of the lunar regolith, which should pose one of the most significant physical properties for understanding the lunar surface processes and evaluating regolith utilizations. In this paper, we study the water permeability of the surficial regolith layer on sunlit lunar highlands using the lunar highlands regolith simulant LHS-1. We measure the water permeability of LHS-1 at packing fractions of 0.49–0.60 by simulating lunar gravitational environments and evaluating the influences of freeze-thaw, which is expected to occur on the sunlit lunar highland surfaces. Our results indicate that the water permeability of lunar highland regolith is one to two orders of magnitudes lower than that of fine silica sands and monodisperse spherical glass beads at the given packing fraction. The low water permeability of lunar highland regolith attributes to the regolith particles having irregular and angular shapes with sharp edges and micron-sized chunks due to the least weathering, unlike soil particles on the Earth. The horizontal water permeability of lunar highland regolith simulant before freeze-thaw is 1.6 × 10−13 m2 at a packing fraction of 0.6. From the porosity-depth profile available from previous studies, we also obtained the water permeability-depth curve, representing the vertical water permeabilities of 6 × 10−13–2 × 10−12 m2 and 7 × 10−14–3 × 10−13 m2 at the lunar surface and the depth of 5 m within the surficial lunar regolith layer, respectively. We also found that the water permeability of lunar highland regolith increased after one freeze-thaw cycle, achieving 6.4 times higher than the permeability before the freeze, and the increase was more significant with lower packing fractions. We suggest that the pore water in the solid phase due to the freeze encourages the rearrangement of the regolith particles changing the total contact area between the particles. This study will help us better understand the abundance and distribution of molecular water on the lunar surface, lunar surface processes, and regolith utilizations. • Water permeability (WP) of lunar highland soils is estimated using simulant LHS-1. • WP before the freeze-thaw is 1.6 × 10−13 m2 with a packing fraction (PF) of 60%. • WP-depth curve was estimated; e.g., WP can be 7 × 10−14–3 × 10−13 m2 at 5 m depth. • The change in WP before and after one freeze-thaw cycle was greater with lower PFs. • The tortuosity with a PF of 49% decreased by about 60% with the freeze-thaw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seawater desalination is one of the most promising solutions to fresh water shortage all over the world. The rapid development of nanotechnology led to the boom of nanoporous membranes for water purification. Recent theoretical and experimental studies reported ultra-high water permeability and salt rejection in nanoporous monolayer graphene. However, the difficulty of precisely creating nanometer-scale pores and controlling their distribution greatly limits its industrial application. Through molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, the monolayer quasi-tetragonal phase fullerene (qTPC60) was found to have tremendous potential as ultra-permeable membranes for desalination due to their unform pore distribution. The monolayer fullerene membranes exhibit high water permeability compared to conventional polymer filtration membranes. The work offers insights into the molecular mechanism of sieving, and the MD simulations show that Na+ and Cl- ions have large energy barriers. This 2D monolayer carbon material with unique structure exhibits great potential in seawater desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the aging process of a surface-functional titanium dioxide nanosheet (f-TNS) composited room-temperature-vulcanized silicone rubber (RTV) composite coating was simulated in a NO2 generation device, and then the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of the aged composite coating was tested in a 3.5% NaCl solution. The water permeation process was analyzed by the changes in the impedance modulus, porosity, and breakpoint frequency of the composite coating. The experimental results show that the water permeability of aged RTV decreases first and then increases with the increase in the composite proportion of f-TNS. When the composite proportion of TNS was 0.3 wt.%, the composite sample had the minimum water permeability and the best resistance to NO2 corrosion. The effect of TNS on the NO2 aging resistance of RTV composites and its mechanism were studied by SEM, FT-IR, and XPS. The impedance modulus and porosity of the aged 0.3% f-TNS/RTV, respectively, were 1.82 × 107 Ω cm2 and 0.91 × 10−4%, which increased by 2.23 times and decreased by 0.37 times, respectively, compared with the values of aged pure RTV sample. In addition, the breakpoint frequency of the aged 0.3% f-TNS/RTV also significantly reduced to 11.3 Hz, whereas it was 35 Hz in aged pure RTV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was performed in Askanian State Agricultural Research Station of the Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, located in the Southern Steppe zone of the country. The experiments were carried out in a stationary field in the period 2015-2020 within a four-field crop rotation (winter barley with post-harvest sowing of green manure crop-soybean- winter wheat with post-harvest sowing of green manure crop-grain maize) and resulted in scientific substantiation of the influence of different systems of basic tillage and organic-mineral fertilization systems on the agrophysical parameters of dark-chestnut soil and formation of winter barley yields. It was determined that the no-till variations, which outperformed the bulk density in the control (under the conduct of mechanical tillage) by 4.0%, are responsible for the soil's maximum bulk density (1.30 g/cm³). The bulk density of the dark-chestnut soil was decreased by 1.6% when post-harvest green manure was used, and by 2.3% when continuous no-till farming was used. The bulk density of the arable layer of dark-chestnut soil in the range of 1.22-1.26 g/cm³ produces the maximum productivity of winter barley. Crop yields are impacted by a reduction in bulk density brought on by excessive soil loosening as well as soil compaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper designed cement-stabilized permeable road subgrade materials. Construction demolition waste with recycled aggregate replaced natural aggregate in cement-stabilized materials to utilize recycled resources for construction solid waste. This paper tests the compressive strength, water permeability, bending strength, and compressive resilience modulus of cement-stabilized permeable recycled aggregate materials under different cementitious additive ratios. The results show that at a recycled aggregate proportion of 30% in cement-stabilized permeable recycled aggregate material, the 7-d unconfined compressive strength exceeds 3.5 MPa, and the permeability coefficient surpasses 3.5 mm/s, which can meet the roadbed requirements in China. The incorporation of recycled aggregates significantly reduces the mechanical properties and water permeability of cement-stabilized permeable recycled aggregate materials, while cementitious additives improve the mechanical properties. Specifically, red brick, old concrete, and ceramics in recycled aggregates weaken the mechanical properties of the skeleton structure of cement-stabilized permeable recycled aggregate materials, and the compressive strength, bending strength, and compressive resilience modulus decrease with the recycled aggregate content. Cementitious additives can fill the micro-pores of the interface transition zone of cement-stabilized permeable recycled aggregate materials to improve the cementation strength between aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]