TREATABILITY OF PLANTATION TIMBER SPECIES WITH CCA (COPPER·CHROME·ARSENATE) PRESERVATIVES AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST INSECT AND FUNGAL ArrACK

This study was conducted to asscss the treatability of four plantation timber species (PiIlIlScariboca, 1/('\'('(/ brasiliensis, EII(,I1/I,/)IIIS gran.lis and EII('(/{y{)IIIS microcorvs) withCoppcr-Chromc-Arscn.uc (CC A) by using pressure impregnation full-cell process. Thetreatability of core wood and outer wood of the species were also investigated. Treatabilitywas evaluated by measuring the preservative retention (Net Dry Salt Rctcnt ion or NDSR)and dcpt h of pellet rat ion.According to the results. Pinus I'IIl'ih(/(,1I showed the highest treatability while treatabilityof //C'I'I'(/ hrasilicnsis, Em (/{YfiIIlS grandis and EII('(/II'f'IIIS microcorvs were respectivelylower. A significant negative corrckuion was observed between density of the timber andtill' treatability. Rased on depth of penetration of preservatives. Pinus (,(/I'i/)II(,(/ and 1/('\'('(/brasiliensis were classified as permeable to preservative treatment. E. grandis was resistantwhile E. microtorvs was extremely resistant to preservative treatment.Trc.unbilitv of outer wood of all the species were higher than that of core wood indicatingthe higher pcnncabiiity of outer S;IPWOOt! area compared with the inner core wood.Trc;lting schedule with initial vacuum of -O.X bar. pressure of 6.5 bar maintained for IXOminutes ami final vacuum of -(),X bar was effective treatment of l l evcu hrasilicnsis. Evenwith this pressure. it was unable to achieve depth of penetration levels as specified in theSri Lankan Standards for E. grandis and E, IIIicro 1'01'\'.1'.When wood samples were exposed to exterior ground contact in the grave yard test for fivemonths. none of the treated samples were infected, hut untreated control samples wereattacked hv fungi and termites. This indicates the effectiveness of the CCA treatment incontrolling fungal and insect attack.

Informed finite element modelling for wire and arc additively manufactured metallics—a case study on modular building connections

The use of 3D printing in modular building connections is a novel and promising technique. However, the performance of 3D printed steel modular building connections has not been investigated adequately to date. Therefore, this paper presents a three-dimensional finite element model (FEM), using the multi-purpose software Abaqus, to study the effect of different geometrical and material parameters on the ultimate behaviour of modular building connections (herein named 3DMBC) using a wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) method, as part of the UK’s 3DMBC (3D Modular Building Connections) project. The proposed model considers material and geometrical non-linearities, initial imperfections, and the contact between adjacent surfaces. The finite element results are compared with the currently available experimental results and validated to ensure developed FEM can be used to analyse the behaviour of 3DMBC with some adjustments. Case studies were investigated using the validated model to analyse the ultimate behaviour with different nominal and WAAM-produced materials under various loading arrangements. Based on the results, it is recommended to conservatively use the treated or untreated WAAM material properties obtained in θ = 90◦ print orientation in the finite element modelling of 3DMBCs considering the complex component arrangements and multi-directional loading in the modular connections. It is also noted that the thickness of beams and columns of fully 3D printed connections can be increased to achieve the same level of performance as traditional modular connections. For the 3DMBCs printed using untreated WAAM, the thickness increment was found to be 50% in this study

In-vitro antimicrobial efficacy of Sri Lankan bee honey against microorganisms causing chronic wounds

Objectives: To evaluate the in-vitro efficacy of Sri Lankan bee honey as an antimicrobial agent againstpathogens causing chronic wounds.Methods: Standard strains of 4 bacterial and 4 fungal species and fourteen bacterial isolates fromchronic wounds were tested against twelve honey types belonging to seven Agro Ecological Regions(AERs). Antibacterial activity was determined by agar well diffusion, phenol equivalent methods andMinimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) by agar dilution.Results: 6/12, 5/12, 11/12 and 11/12 honeys gave inhibitory zones ranging 12.5-19.5 mm forStaphylococcus aureus (ATCC-25923), Escherichia coli (ATCC-25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa(ATCC-27853) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC-700603) respectively. All ATCC strains had MICof 10-20%. Out of six selected honeys, four gave therapeutic level activity for all tested clinical isolatesexcept for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Phenol equivalence values ranged 12-18% and 14-28% (w/v) fortested gram negative and positive bacterial species respectively. Honey originated from low countryregions reported phenol equivalence of 11-20% and superior activity against multidrug resistantbacteria. Commercially available honey reported lowest antibacterial activity with 5-10% phenolequivalence against 11/14 isolates. No inhibitory zones were observed for fungal species and MIC was>40% for all types of honey.Conclusions: Sri Lankan bee honey exhibits significant antibacterial activity against both gram positiveand negative bacteria including multidrug resistant organisms in-vitro. Antibacterial potency varies indifferent types of honey from different AERs. Low country honey was superior to others whileantibacterial activity of commercially available honey was negligible. None of the honeys hadantifungal activity against Candida species

Monte-Carlo simulations of the recombination dynamics in porous silicon

A simple lattice model describing the recombination dynamics in visible light emitting porous Silicon is presented. In the model, each occupied lattice site represents a Si crystal of nanometer size. The disordered structure of porous Silicon is modeled by modified random percolation networks in two and three dimensions. Both correlated (excitons) and uncorrelated electron-hole pairs have been studied. Radiative and non-radiative processes as well as hopping between nearest neighbor occupied sites are taken into account. By means of extensive Monte-Carlo simulations, we show that the recombination dynamics in porous Silicon is due to a dispersive diffusion of excitons in a disordered arrangement of interconnected Si quantum dots. The simulated luminescence decay for the excitons shows a stretched exponential lineshape while for uncorrelated electron-hole pairs a power law decay is suggested. Our results successfully account for the recombination dynamics recently observed in the experiments. The present model is a prototype for a larger class of models describing diffusion of particles in a complex disordered system.Comment: 33 pages, RevTeX, 19 figures available on request to [email protected]

Electrochemical integration of graphene with light absorbing copper-based thin films

We present an electrochemical route for the integration of graphene with light sensitive copper-based alloys used in optoelectronic applications. Graphene grown using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) transferred to glass is found to be a robust substrate on which photoconductive Cu_{x}S films of 1-2 um thickness can be deposited. The effect of growth parameters on the morphology and photoconductivity of Cu_{x}S films is presented. Current-voltage characterization and photoconductivity decay experiments are performed with graphene as one contact and silver epoxy as the other

Dynamics of live oil droplets and natural gas bubbles in deep water

Explaining the dynamics of gas-saturated live petroleum in deep water remains a challenge. Recently, Pesch et al. (Environ. Eng. Sci. 2018, 35, 289−299) reported laboratory experiments on methane-saturated oil droplets under emulated deep-water conditions, providing an opportunity to elucidate the underlying dynamical processes. We explain these observations with the Texas A&M Oil spill/Outfall Calculator (TAMOC), which models the pressure-, temperature-, and composition-dependent interactions between: oil-gas phase transfer; aqueous dissolution; and densities and volumes of liquid oil droplets, gas bubbles, and two-phase droplet-bubble pairs. TAMOC reveals that aqueous dissolution removed >95% of the methane from ~3.5-mm live oil droplets within 14.5 min, prior to gas bubble formation, during the experiments of Pesch et al. Additional simulations indicate that aqueous dissolution, fluid density changes, and gas-oil phase transitions (ebullition, condensation) may all contribute to the fates of live oil and gas in deep water, depending on the release conditions. Illustrative model scenarios suggest that 5-mm diameter gas bubbles released at <470 m water depth can transport methane, ethane, and propane to the water surface. Ethane and propane can reach the water surface from much deeper releases of 5-mm diameter live oil droplets, during which ebullition occurs at water depths of <70 m

Outline of fungi and fungus-like taxa

This article provides an outline of the classification of the kingdom Fungi (including fossil fungi. i.e. dispersed spores, mycelia, sporophores, mycorrhizas). We treat 19 phyla of fungi. These are Aphelidiomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Basidiomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Entorrhizomycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota. The placement of all fungal genera is provided at the class-, order- and family-level. The described number of species per genus is also given. Notes are provided of taxa for which recent changes or disagreements have been presented. Fungus-like taxa that were traditionally treated as fungi are also incorporated in this outline (i.e. Eumycetozoa, Dictyosteliomycetes, Ceratiomyxomycetes and Myxomycetes). Four new taxa are introduced: Amblyosporida ord. nov. Neopereziida ord. nov. and Ovavesiculida ord. nov. in Rozellomycota, and Protosporangiaceae fam. nov. in Dictyosteliomycetes. Two different classifications (in outline section and in discussion) are provided for Glomeromycota and Leotiomycetes based on recent studies. The phylogenetic reconstruction of a four-gene dataset (18S and 28S rRNA, RPB1, RPB2) of 433 taxa is presented, including all currently described orders of fungi.Fil: Wijayawardene, N. N.. Qujing Normal University; ChinaFil: Hyde, K. D.. Mae Fah Luang University; TailandiaFil: Al-Ani, L. K. T.. University of Baghdad; IraqFil: Tedersoo, L.. University of Tartu; EstoniaFil: Haelewaters, D.. University of South Bohemia; República Checa. Purdue University; Estados Unidos. Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí; PanamáFil: Becerra, Alejandra Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Schnittler, M.. Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald; AlemaniaFil: Shchepin, O. N.. The Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Novozhilov, Y. K.. The Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Silva-Filho, A.G. S.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte; BrasilFil: Gentekaki, E.. Mae Fah Luang University; TailandiaFil: Liu, P.. Jilin Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Cavender, J. C.. Ohio University; Estados UnidosFil: Kang, Y.. Guizhou Medical University; ChinaFil: Mohammad, S.. Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology; IránFil: Zhang, L. F.. Qujing Normal University; ChinaFil: Xu, R. F.. Qujing Normal University; ChinaFil: Li, Y. M.. Qujing Normal University; ChinaFil: Dayarathne, M. C.. Guizhou University; ChinaFil: Ekanayaka, A. H.. Mae Fah Luang University; TailandiaFil: Wen, T. C.. Guizhou University; ChinaFil: Deng, C. Y.. Guizhou Academy of Science; ChinaFil: Pereira, O. L.. Universidade Federal de Viçosa; BrasilFil: Navathe, S.. Agharkar Research Institute; IndiaFil: Hawksworth, D. L.. The Natural History Museum; Reino UnidoFil: Fan, X. L.. Beijing Forestry University; ChinaFil: Dissanayake, L. S.. Guizhou University; ChinaFil: Kuhnert, E.. Leibniz University Hannover; AlemaniaFil: Grossart, H. P.. Leibnitz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries; AlemaniaFil: Thines, M.. Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre; Alemani

Progress in operational modeling in support of oil spill response

Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident of a massive blow-out in the Gulf of Mexico, scientists from government, industry, and academia collaborated to advance oil spill modeling and share best practices in model algorithms, parameterizations, and application protocols. This synergy was greatly enhanced by research funded under the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI), a 10-year enterprise that allowed unprecedented collection of observations and data products, novel experiments, and international collaborations that focused on the Gulf of Mexico, but resulted in the generation of scientific findings and tools of broader value. Operational oil spill modeling greatly benefited from research during the GoMRI decade. This paper provides a comprehensive synthesis of the related scientific advances, remaining challenges, and future outlook. Two main modeling components are discussed: Ocean circulation and oil spill models, to provide details on all attributes that contribute to the success and limitations of the integrated oil spill forecasts. These forecasts are discussed in tandem with uncertainty factors and methods to mitigate them. The paper focuses on operational aspects of oil spill modeling and forecasting, including examples of international operational center practices, observational needs, communication protocols, and promising new methodologies

Neuroaesthetics: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Aesthetic Experience

This research was supported by Grant AAEE124/09 from the Govern de les Illes Balears, Spain