The Optimization of Dispersion and Application Techniques for Nanocarbon-Doped Mixed Matrix Gas Separation Membranes

In this work, supported cellulose acetate (CA) mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were prepared and studied concerning their gas separation behaviors. The dispersion of carbon nanotube fillers were studied as a factor of polymer and filler concentrations using the mixing methods of the rotor–stator system (RS) and the three-roll-mill system (TRM). Compared to the dispersion quality achieved by RS, samples prepared using the TRM seem to have slightly bigger, but fewer and more homogenously distributed, agglomerates. The green γ-butyrolactone (GBL) was chosen as a polyimide (PI) polymer-solvent, whereas diacetone alcohol (DAA) was used for preparing the CA solutions. The coating of the thin CA separation layer was applied using a spin coater. For coating on the PP carriers, a short parameter study was conducted regarding the plasma treatment to affect the wettability, the coating speed, and the volume of dispersion that was applied to the carrier. As predicted by the parameter study, the amount of dispersion that remained on the carriers decreased with an increasing rotational speed during the spin coating process. The dry separation layer thickness was varied between about 1.4 and 4.7 μm. Electrically conductive additives in a non-conductive matrix showed a steeply increasing electrical conductivity after passing the so-called percolation threshold. This was used to evaluate the agglomeration behavior in suspension and in the applied layer. Gas permeation tests were performed using a constant volume apparatus at feed pressures of 5, 10, and 15 bar. The highest calculated CO2/N2 selectivity (ideal), 21, was achieved for the CA membrane and corresponded to a CO2 permeability of 49.6 Barrer.

Pilot-Scale Feasibility Study for the Stabilization of Coal Tailings via Microbially-Induced Calcite Precipitation

Sustainable long-term solutions to managing tailings storage facilities (TSFs) are integral for mines to operate in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. The long-term storage of subaqueous tailings can pose significant safety, environmental, and economic risks, therefore alternative containment strategies for maintaining geochemical stability of reactive materials must be explored. In this study, the physical and geochemical stabilization of coal tailings using microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP) was evaluated at a laboratory pilot scale. Three application techniques simulated commonly used agricultural approaches and equipment that could be deployed for field-scale treatment: spraying on treatment solutions with irrigation sprinklers, mixing tailings and treatment solutions with a rototiller, and distributing treatment solutions via shallow trenches using an excavator ripper. Test cells containing 1.0 x 1.0 x 0.5m of tailings were treated with ureolytic bacteria (Sporosarcina pasteurii) and cementation solutions composed of urea and calcium chloride for 28 days. Penetrometer tests were performed following incubation to evaluate the extent of cementation. The spray-on application method showed the greatest strength improvement, with in an increase in surface strength of more than 50% for the 28-day testing period. The distribution of treatment solution using trenches was found to be less effective and resulted in greater variability in particle size distribution of treated tailings and would not be recommended for use in the field. The use of rototilling equipment provided a homogenous distribution of treatment solution, however, the disruption to the tailings material was less effective for facilitating effective cementation. Bacterial plate counts of soil samples indicated that S. pasteurii cultures remained viable in a tailings environment for 28 days at 18˚C and near-neutral pH. The treatment was also found to stabilize the pH of tailings porewater sampled over the 28-day incubation period, suggesting the potential for the treatment to provide short-term geochemical stability under unsaturated conditions.

Déterminants Socio-Économiques De L’adoption Des Technologies Agro Écologiques De Productions Agricoles Dans Le Département De Mayahi Au Niger

Cette étude conduite dans le département de Mayahi, au Niger oriental, a pour objectif, d’identifier les facteurs influençant l’adoption des pratiques culturales de production du mil et du niébé et aussi celle de l’utilisation du bloc multi-nutritionnel. Ainsi, cent-vingt (120) chefs d’exploitation choisis aléatoirement ont été enquêtés sur l’utilisation des technologies de production diffusées au cours des trois dernières années. La régression logistique a permis de déterminer les corrélations entre les contextes et l’adoption des technologies. Ainsi, l’implication des producteurs dans les démonstrations a influencé positivement sur l’adoption des techniques d’application du compost (P<0,001), l’utilisation des variétés améliorées de mil et de niébé (P<0,05), des extraits aqueux des graines de Neem (P<0,001) et de la technologie de stockage hermétique des récoltes (P<0,001). Cependant, la proximité des villages du marché hebdomadaire a eu une corrélation négative avec l’utilisation du compost (P<0,05) ; alors que la proximité du village aux zones urbaines a influencé positivement l’achat des blocs multi nutritionnels densifiés et la pratique du défrichement amélioré (P<0,001). Par ailleurs, l’accès au crédit a influencé positivement sur l’achat des blocs multi nutritionnels densifiés (P<0,05) ; le contact avec les services de vulgarisation agricole public a été corrélé par l’utilisation de la technologie de lutte contre la chenille mineuse de l’épi du mil (P<0,05). Ces résultats peuvent contribuer à orienter les acteurs de développement rural à mieux planifier les activités de diffusion et de promotion des nouvelles pratiques agronomiques. The objective of this study is to identify the determinants of production technology’s adoption of millet and cowpea as well as the densified multi-nutritional block in the department of Mayahi. One hundred and twenty (120) randomly selected farm managers were surveyed on the use of production technologies released over the past three years. Logistic regression was used to determine that were between contexts and technology adoption. Results showed that producers’ participation in the demonstration, the adoption of compost application techniques, the use of improved varieties of millet and cowpea, aqueous extracts and neem seeds, and hermetic crop storage technology positively influenced. Similarly, results reveal that the proximity of villages to the weekly market had a negative correlation with the use of compost and the location of the village next to urban areas positively influenced the purchase of densified multi-nutritional blocks. R ults also indicate that the practice of improved land clearing and access to credit positively influenced the purchase of densifieal blocks; while contact with public agricultural extension services was correlated with the use of millet ear leaf miner control technology. These findings could help to guide rural development agents to better plan activities for the dissemination and promotion of new agronomic practices

Review on Transdermal drug delivery system

Transdermal drug delivery system offers best way of drug delivery through skin than compared to oral route of administration by overcoming side-effects.Drug delivery is done through adhesion of transdermal patches to skin surface.Novel application techniques have been employed for better therapeutic response for various drug in treatment of several disease using dermal route of administration.This is best non-invasive method of drug delivery by reducing frequency of administration to achieve complete action of action of drug with maximum benefits to patients .These patches are formulated using various permeation enhancers that are compatible to skins surface .The dermal route of delivery is best suited for therapy to patient for certain diseases.

Endofitne glive v biotičnem varstvu rastlin pred škodljivimi organizmi in njihov posreden vpliv na rastline

The use of entomopathogenic fungi represents one of the most important non-chemical alternatives for pest control in crop production. In addition to their pathogenicity to arthropods, they have many other important effects that favor their use in biological control. They live in plants as endophytes and have an inhibitory effect on plant pathogens. They inhabit the rhizosphere of many plants in natural and agricultural ecosystems and have a stimulatory effect on their growth and development. These recently acquired ecological functions are not yet fully understood, but point to the broader potential of using entomopathogenic endophytic fungi in crop production, not only as biopesticides but also as mycofungicides and growth stimulants (biostimulants). To achieve the full potential of entomopathogenic endophytic fungi in daily agricultural practice, practical application should be considered in the development of commercial products and the application techniques of entomopathogenic endophytic fungi that allow successful colonization of plants should be considered.

Application of Biofertilizer on Rica Plants in Pangkalan Gelebak Village, Banyuasin Regency

The farmers in Pangkalan Gelebak Village have the problem of their low agricultural productivity. The high price of chemical fertilizers causes the ability of the population to purchase fertilizers to be deficient. As a result, agricultural production is still far from optimal. In addition, rice straw left alone in rice fields can become a nesting place for pests such as rats, leafhoppers, and others. Therefore, it is necessary to transfer information on appropriate science and technology, which is environmentally friendly, to overcome the problems of farmers in Pangkalan Gelebak. One way to overcome this is to provide counseling about the importance of processing rice straw into biofertilizers to increase production, train, guide, and practice techniques for making biofertilizers made from rice straw to increase agricultural production, especially rice, and practicing application techniques for biofertilizer made from rice straw. Rice straw is the raw material for rice plants for farmers in Pangkalan Gelebak Village. The method used is to make demonstration plots of rice plants organically, counseling about the importance of processing rice straw into biofertilizers to increase production, carried out from February to June 2018. The results of using 400 kg/ha + 50 % chemical fertilizers can increase rice production from 3,5 tons/ha to 5,6 tons/ha (60,00% increase) when compared to using chemical fertilizers.

Bridging the Gap in Learning Differences Among Biology Students Using 4 Mode Application Techniques

This study is on bridging the gap in learning differences among biology students using 4MAT Application Techniques. We carried out the study in Abakaliki, Nigeria. We adopted a quasi-experimental design for the study. We used 138 SS-II students from two schools. Two hypotheses were tested. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and Hierarchical Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results showed that there was a significant main effect of instructional method on students' achievement in biology F (7, 121) = 12.654, p =.000, partial η2 =.39; there was no significant main effect of gender on students' achievement in biology F (1, 121) = 1.240, p =.268, partial η2 =.004. We highlighted the educational implications of the findings and the recommendations. We also made some limitations of the study and suggestions for further studies.

Design and Implementation of Hospital Automatic Nursing Management Information System Based on Computer Information Technology

Clinical nursing work fails to integrate various nursing tasks such as basic care, observation of patients’ conditions, medication, treatment, communication, and health guidance to provide continuous and full nursing care for patients. Based on this, this paper uses the Internet of Things (IoT) technology to optimize the infusion process and achieve closed-loop management of medications and improve the efficiency and safety of infusion and medication administration by using a rational and effective outpatient and emergency infusion and medication management system. The system was built by applying wireless network, barcode technology, RFID, infrared tube sensing, and other technologies and was combined with actual nursing work to summarize application techniques and precautions. The application of this system will become a new highlight of medical informatization, improve patient experience, monitor infusion safety, enhance nursing care, reduce emergency medical disputes, improve patient satisfaction, and will create good social and economic benefits for the hospital.

Effect of Conventional Adhesive Application or Co-Curing Technique on Dentin Bond Strength

The aim of this in vitro study was to assess the effect of two different adhesive application methods on shear dentin bond strength (ISO 29022) using three various adhesive systems. A mid-coronal section of 77 intact third human molars with fully developed apices was made to create flat bonding substrates. The materials used in the study were Excite F (Ivoclar Vivadent), Prime&Bond Universal (Dentsply Sirona) and G-Premio Bond (GC). The application of each adhesion system was performed in two different ways. In the first group, the bonding agent was light cured immediately after the application (conventional method), while in the second group the adhesive and composite were cured concurrently (“co-curing” method). A total of 180 specimens were prepared (3 adhesives × 2 method of application × 30 specimens per experimental group), stored at 37 °C in distilled water and fractured in shear mode after 1 week. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and Weibull statistics. The highest bond strength was obtained for Prime&Bond conventional (21.7 MPa), whilst the lowest bond strength was observed when co-curing was used (particularly, Excite F 12.2 MPa). The results showed a significant difference between conventional and co-curing methods in all materials. According to reliability analysis, the co-curing method diminished bond reliability. Different application techniques exhibit different bond strengths to dentin.

Flower Mimics Roll Out Multicolored Carpets to Lure and Kill the House Fly

Flowers and their spatial clustering are important parameters that mediate the foraging behavior and visitation rate of pollinating insects. Visual stimuli are crucial for triggering behavioral changes in the house fly, Musca domestica, which regularly visits plants for feeding and reproduction. The success of bait technology, which is the principal means of combatting flies, is adversely affected by reduced attractiveness and ineffective application techniques. Despite evidence that house flies have color vision capacity, respond to flowers, and exhibit color and pattern preference, the potential of artificial flowers as attractive factors has not been explored. The present study was performed to investigate whether artificial floral designs can lure and kill house flies. Starved wild house flies were presented with equal opportunities to acquire sugar meals, to which boric acid had been added as a toxin, from one flower arrangement (blue-dominated design, BDD; yellow-dominated design, YDD; or pink-dominated design, PDD), and a non-toxic white design (WDD). We also allowed house flies to forage within an enclosure containing two non-toxic floral designs (WDDs). The differences in mortality between the two environments with and without toxicant were examined. The survival rate of Musca domestica was extremely high when WDDs containing non-toxic sugar sources were the only feeding sites available. When given an option to forage in an environment containing a BDD and a WDD, house flies showed a high mortality rate (76%) compared to their counterparts maintained in the WDD environment (2%). When kept in an enclosure containing one YDD and a WDD, flies showed a mortality rate of 88%; however, no mortality occurred among flies confined to a compound with a WDD pair. When provided an even chance of foraging in an enclosure containing a mixed pair of floral arrangements (PDD and WDD) and another with two WDDs, flies showed a higher mortality rate (78%) in the first environment. However, the maximum survival rate (100%) was seen in the WDD environment. Exposure to YDD tended to result in a greater mortality rate than with the two other floral designs. Mortality gradually increased with time among flies exposed to tested artificial floral designs. The results presented here clearly indicated that artificial flower arrangements with a toxic sugar reward were strikingly attractive for house flies when their preferred color (white) was present. These observations offer novel possibilities for future development of flower mimic-based house fly control.