A Practical Method for Detecting Fluff Quality of Fabric Surface Using Optimal Sensing

The raising process has been widely used in manufacturing fabric productions. After raising the surface of the fabric, productions are covered with a fluff layer. The quality of the fabric surface is often valuated by the fluffing type. In order to objectively assess the fluff quality of the fabric surface, an optimal sensing method is proposed in this paper. The fluff contour image was firstly collected by the light-cut imaging device. Then, the fluff region was segmented by the adaptive image segmentation method, the contour coordinates of the fabric were extracted using the freeman chain code and constructed in the form of the binary image. Lastly, a back-propagation neural network (BPNN) was used to learn the relationship between the contour coordinates and the fluff quality. On this basis, a practical fabric fluff detection platform was developed based on the optimal sensing technique. Experimental tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed method in detecting the fluff quality with four different colours and different fluffing processes. Furthermore, the actual fabric inspection was carried out. The detection correct rate can reach 94.17 %, which can meet the practical production requirement.

Effects of benthic diatoms, fluff layer, and sediment conditions on critical shear stress in a non-tidal coastal environment

Sixteen sediment samples were collected from a square grid (4×4) with a horizontal distance of about 150 m between positions in Århus Bay in the south-west Kattegat (14 to 15 m water depth). Critical shear stress (τc) was measured in all samples and related to sediment parameters: grain-sizes, organic matter, water content, porosity, and chlorophyll-a (chl-a) content, in upper layers. Samples were divided into a low (A) τc group and a high (B) τc group in relation to an erosion rate. A significant (P<0·001) difference in median τc was found between groups A (0·0284 N m−2) and B (0·0380 N m−2). Average chl-a concentrations in groups A (1·4 μg g−1) and B (1·8 μg g−1) were not significantly different (P=0·47) but there was a significant and positive correlation (r2: 0·7, P<0·001) between τc and diatom film abundance. Sediment organic matter and water content were significantly higher in group B compared with A, which contradicts that watery and organic rich sediments generally exhibit low τc. This was explained by the presence of a diatom film cover on the fluff layer that inhibits the action of erosive forces. A fluff layer is characterized by a high water and organic content. The fluff layer was present in the majority of the samples but the highest average chl-a content and a significant (P=0·020) higher abundance of diatom film was observed in group B (high τc). Benthic diatoms were dominated by Haslea crucigeroides, Pleurosigma strigosum, and Bacillaris paxillifer. Spatial variability of sediment parameters was high and variability of a stability/erodibility parameter even exceeded those recorded for highly heterogeneous tidal flats. The occurrence of benthic diatoms at 14–15 m of water depth in the eutrophic Århus Bay was supposedly related to a measured increase in Secci depth in the bay and thereby increased light penetration depth.

The role of various milk fractions and the importance of somatic cells in the formation of germinant(s) for Bacillus cereus when milk is pasteurized

SummaryConfirmation was obtained for the occurrence of an interaction between high and low molecular weight fractions of milk during its pasteurization, resulting in the formation of germinant(s) for Bacillus cereus. Various milk fractions were added to supernatants or dialysates of raw skim-milk, pasteurized and assayed for germinant. Micellar casein obtained by high speed centrifugation of raw milk stimulated germinant formation, but whole casein obtained by acid precipitation was less stimulatory and individual casein fractions showed no stimulation. A membrane rich ‘fluff’ layer obtained by high speed centrifugation of raw milk was highly stimulatory and suggested the possibility that the somatic cell count of milk may be related to germinant production.Using milk from endotoxin infused and infected quarters of individual cows, a correlation between cell count and germinant formation was clearly demonstrated. Adjustment of the cell counts of individual milk samples was generally accompanied by corresponding changes in germinant formation, though removal of cells by filtration did not have this effect, possibly since germinant precursor had leached from the cells and remained in the milk. Pasteurization was necessary, not simply to express germinant from cells but to effect an interaction of germinant precursors. It is not clear whether the cell associated germinant precursor is derived from the cells themselves or from a related component. Addition of blood serum proteins was without stimulatory effect.Since low cell count milks sometimes supported appreciable germination after pasteurization, but showed still higher levels when the cell count was raised, germinant may be formed via 2 pasteurization dependent processes, one between milk constituents alone and the other involving both milk constituents and somatic cells.