The antifungal activity of the leaf gland volatile oil of sweet gale (Myrica gale) (Myricaceae)

Summary The antifungal activity of volatile oil obtained from the leaves of sweet gale (Myrica gale) has been investigated. Fungi, isolated from the leaves ofM. gale, were grown in liquid medium containing the oil and its effect on biomass production was gauged. The oil inhibited growth of all species of fungi to greater or lesser extent. Sesquiterpenes were more active than monoterpenes, and among the sesquiterpenes germacrone was marginally more active than -elemenone. These results support the proposition that the volatile oil ofM. gale has a role in resistance to fungal pathogens.     

The use and safety of medications known to affect driving in Jordan: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the main driving-impairing medications used by drivers in Jordan, the reported frequency of medication side effects, the frequency of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) while using driving-impairing medicines, as well as factors associated with MVCs.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 1,049 individuals (age 18–75 years) who are actively driving vehicles and taking at least one medication known to affect driving (anxiolytics, antidepressants, hypnotics, antiepileptics, opioids, sedating antihistamines, hypoglycemic agents, antihypertensives, central nervous system [CNS] stimulants, and herbals with CNS-related effects) was conducted in Amman, Jordan, over a period of 8 months (September 2013–May 2014) using a structured validated questionnaire.

Results: Sixty-three percent of participants noticed a link between a medicine taken and feeling sleepy and 57% stated that they experience at least one adverse effect other than sleepiness from their medication. About 22% of the participants reported having a MVC while on medication. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that among the participants who reported having a crash while taking a driving-impairing medication, the odds ratios were significantly higher for the use of inhalant substance (odds ratio [OR] = 2.787, P = .014), having chronic conditions (OR = 1.869, P = .001), and use of antiepileptic medications (OR = 2.348, P = .008) and significantly lower for the use of antihypertensives (OR = 0.533, P = .008).

Conclusion: The study results show high prevalence of adverse effects of medications with potential for driving impairment, including involvement in MVCs. Our findings highlight the types of patient-related and medication-related factors associated with MVCs in Jordan, such as inhalant use, presence of chronic conditions, and use of antiepileptics.     

The useful field of view assessment predicts simulated commercial motor vehicle driving safety

Objective: The Useful Field of View (UFOV) assessment, a measure of visual speed of processing, has been shown to be a predictive measure of motor vehicle collision (MVC) involvement in an older adult population, but it remains unknown whether UFOV predicts commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driving safety during secondary task engagement. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the UFOV assessment predicts simulated MVCs in long-haul CMV drivers.

Method: Fifty licensed CMV drivers (M_age = 39.80, SD = 8.38, 98% male, 56% Caucasian) were administered the 3-subtest version of the UFOV assessment, where lower scores measured in milliseconds indicated better performance. CMV drivers completed 4 simulated drives, each spanning approximately a 22.50-mile distance. Four secondary tasks were presented to participants in a counterbalanced order during the drives: (a) no secondary task, (b) cell phone conversation, (c) text messaging interaction, and (d) e-mailing interaction with an on-board dispatch device.

Results: The selective attention subtest significantly predicted simulated MVCs regardless of secondary task. Each 20 ms slower on subtest 3 was associated with a 25% increase in the risk of an MVC in the simulated drive. The e-mail interaction secondary task significantly predicted simulated MVCs with a 4.14 times greater risk of an MVC compared to the no secondary task condition. Subtest 3, a measure of visual speed of processing, significantly predicted MVCs in the email interaction task. Each 20 ms slower on subtest 3 was associated with a 25% increase in the risk of an MVC during the email interaction task.

Conclusions: The UFOV subtest 3 may be a promising measure to identify CMV drivers who may be at risk for MVCs or in need of cognitive training aimed at improving speed of processing. Subtest 3 may also identify CMV drivers who are particularly at risk when engaged in secondary tasks while driving.     

Child passengers and driver culpability in fatal crashes by driver gender

Objective: Studies based on accident statistics generally suggest that the presence of a passenger reduces adult drivers' accident risk. However, passengers have been reported to be a source of distraction in a remarkable portion of distraction-related crashes. Although the effect of passengers on driving performance has been studied extensively, few studies have focused on how a child passenger affects the driver.

?A child in a car is a potential distractor for parents, especially for mothers of small children, who often suffer from sleep deficit. The aim of this study was to examine how the presence of child passengers of different ages is associated with a higher driver culpability, which was expected due to child-related distraction and fatigue.

Methods: The analysis was based on the comprehensive data of fatal crashes studied in-depth by multidisciplinary road accident investigation teams in Finland during 1988–2012. Teams determine the primary party who had the most crucial effect on the origin of the event. We define the primary party as culpable and the others involved as nonculpable drivers. The culpability rate was defined as the percentage of culpable drivers and rates were compared for drivers with a child/teen passenger aged 0–17 years (N = 348), with an adult passenger without children (N = 324), and when driving alone (N = 579), grouped by child age and driver gender.

?Drivers with specific risk-related behavior (substantial speeding, driving when intoxicated, unbelted, or without a license) were excluded from the analyses, in order to make the drivers with and without children comparable. Only drivers 26–47 years old were included, representing parents with children 0–9 years of age.

Results: Male drivers were less often culpable with 0- to 17-year-old passengers in the car than alone or with adults. This was not the case with female drivers. The gender difference in culpability was most marked with small children age 0–4 years. Female drivers' culpability rate with a 0- to 4-year-old child passenger was higher and male drivers' culpability rate was lower compared to drivers without passengers or with only adult passengers.

Conclusion: The results indicate that female drivers are at higher risk of crashes than male drivers when driving with small children. Further research is needed to replicate this finding and to determine causal mechanisms.     

Physics of failure analysis of power section assembly for positive displacement motor

Power section assembly is the core part of positive displacement motor (PDM), and its mechanical behavior and service life determine the drilling efficiency and cycle. In this paper, fault tree of power section assembly was established, failure reasons were analyzed and improvement measures were put forward. Finite element models of conventional lining and uniform wall thickness lining of 5/6 PDM were established, and the mechanical behaviors were investigated. Working parameters such as drilling fluid pressure, rubber hardness, downhole temperature and pressure difference were discussed. The results show that wear and rust are the main failure modes of the rotor. Failure modes of rubber lining are wear, tear, rupture, peeling off, thermal failure and fatigue failure. Under the action of drilling fluid pressure, the maximum effective stress of rubber lining appears in the bottom of arc, and the minimum stress appears at the top of arc. But deformation distribution is opposite to the effective stress. Deformation of uniform wall thickness lining is more uniform. Effective stress of the lining increases with the increasing of drilling fluid pressure and rubber hardness, but it decreases with the downhole temperature increases. Deformation of the lining increases with the drilling fluid pressure increases, but it decreases with the increasing of rubber hardness and downhole temperature. Effective stress and deformation distribution of rubber lining are more uneven with the pressure difference increases. High stress area lies between the two smallest chambers.     

Antimicrobial activity of silver loaded MnO2 nanomaterials with different crystal phases against Escherichia coli

Silver-loaded MnO_2 nanomaterials(Ag/MnO_2),including Ag/α-MnO_2,Ag/β-MnO_2,Ag/γ-MnO_2and Ag/δ-MnO_2 nanorods,were prepared with hydrothermal and impregnation methods.The bactericidal activities of four types of Ag/MnO_2 nanomaterials against Escherichia coli were investigated and an inactivation mechanism involving Ag~+ and reactive oxygen species(ROS)was also proposed.The bactericidal activities of Ag/MnO_2 depended on the MnO_2 crystal phase.Among these nanomaterials,Ag/β~-MnO_2 showed the highest bactericidal activity.There was a 6-log decrease in E.coli survival number after treatment with Ag/β~-MnO_2 for120 min.The results of 5,5-dimethyl-l-pyrroline-N-oxide spin-trapping measurements by electron spin resonance indicate OH and O_2~- formation with addition of Ag/β-MnO_2,Ag/γ-MnO_2 or Ag/δ-MnO_2.The strongest peak of OH appeared for Ag/β-MnO_2,while no OH or ·O_2~-signal was found over Ag/α-MnO_2.Through analysis of electron spin resonance(ESR) and Ag+elution results,it could be deduced that the toxicity of Ag~+ eluted from Ag/MnO_2 nanomaterials and ROS played the main roles during the bactericidal process.Silver showed the highest dispersion on the surface of β-MnO_2,which promoted ROS formation and the increase of bactericidal activity.Experimental results also indicated that Ag/MnO_2 induced the production of intracellular ROS and disruption of the cell wall and cell membrane.     

太湖微囊藻光合作用活性的周年动态变化

应用Phyto-PAM浮游植物荧光仪测定了太湖微囊藻光合作用活性的周年变化,并分析了微囊藻光合作用活性参数与环境因子之间的相互关系.结果显示:冬季期间,检测不到微囊藻的光合作用活性;春季期间,微囊藻的最大光量子产量(Fv/Fm)和有效光量子产量(ΔF/Fm')呈现出快速增加趋势;夏季期间,微囊藻的光合作用活性呈现出先增加后下降趋势;秋季期间,微囊藻的光合作用活性呈现出下降趋势.梅梁湾和湖心微囊藻的最大光量子产量分别在0.34~0.55和0.28~0.50之间,平均值分别为0.42和0.39,有效光量子产量分别在0.15~0.38和0.10~0.38之间,平均值分别为0.26和0.23;非光化学荧光淬灭(NPQ)呈现出先增加后下降趋势,在8月达到最大值.光响应曲线(RLC)的3个特征参数从3月到6月呈上升趋势,之后呈现出较大波动性.相关分析结果表明,太湖微囊藻的Fv/Fm、ΔF/Fm'和NPQ之间有显著的正相关性,且均随着水温升高而增加.Fv/Fm和ΔF/Fm'与最大电子传递速率(r ETRmax)之间显著正相关,r ETRmax与TN呈显著正相关;饱和光照强度点(Ik)与TP显著正相关,与TN/TP和NO-3显著负相关.总之,太湖微囊藻的光合作用活性与水华形成及发展动态相适应,控制全球气候变暖和削减氮、磷浓度有利于抑制微囊藻光合作用活性.     

Ti-Cu-Mn复合物负载石墨烯催化剂制备及其降解二甲苯性能

采用水热法制备了4种不同摩尔比的Cu-Mn-Ti/GS复合物催化剂,利用固定式反应床评价了其对二甲苯的催化氧化性能,并对催化剂进行了BET、XRD、SEM、TEM、XPS等表征,探讨了其对二甲苯的降解动力学.结果表明,当催化剂的Cu、Mn含量增加时,其比表面积有所降低,总孔容也降低,降解活性减小.催化剂中Cu-Mn呈现Cu_(1.5)Mn_(1.5)O_4和CuMn_2O_4两种晶格,活性组分有Cu~+、CuMn O和TiO_2.石墨烯载体的稳定性较好,Ti-Cu-Mn/GS(1∶1∶1)催化剂的颗粒分布较均匀,粒径也较小,降解二甲苯的T50为97℃,表现出较好的低温催化降解性能.催化剂对二甲苯的催化氧化降解过程符合一级反应动力学方程.     

旁路水解酸化强化污泥过程减量运行性能与机理研究

旁路水解酸化技术既能实现污泥减量,又能为污水脱氮除磷补充碳源。采用水解酸化作为污泥旁路减量化技术,研究其污泥减量的运行性能和机理,同时考察了对污水处理工艺污染物去除的影响。采用污泥水解酸化旁路处理,得到污泥减量率为30%,其中水解酸化的贡献为0.7%,延长污泥龄贡献为17.1%,能量解偶联等贡献为12.2%。污泥水解酸化旁路处理对污水生物处理工艺的出水水质以及微生物活性影响不显著。水解酸化过程中会降低微生物脱氮活性,但对污水处理主反应器中微生物活性影响较小。污泥旁路水解酸化污泥减量工艺中,对污泥减量机理的解析,需要综合考虑水解酸化与污泥龄等对污泥减量效果的影响。     

SCR脱硝机组空气预热器堵塞治理建议

燃煤机组安装SCR脱硝装置后,空气预热器堵塞成为普遍现象,严重影响机组的安全性、经济性。通过对空气预热器堵塞物成分分析,提出治理空气预热器堵塞技术路线,结合实际运行中出现的问题,探寻SCR脱硝机组氨逃逸率高、SO_3浓度高、排烟温度低的原因,并且分析这些因素对空气预热器堵塞程度的影响,建议从保持催化剂活性,确保NO_x浓度,氨逃逸率均匀分布,防止氨过喷,降低入炉煤含硫量,提高锅炉排烟温度等方面,综合治理空气预热器堵塞,并提出详细的建议。