A combination of vertical polyaniline (PANI) nanowire arrays and nitrogen plasma etched carbon fiber cloths (eCFC) was fabricated to create 3D nanostructured PANI/eCFC composites. The small size of the highly ordered PANI nanowires can greatly reduce the scale of the diffusion length, allowing for the improved utilization of electrode materials. A two-electrode flexible supercapacitor based on PANI/eCFC demonstrates a high specific capacitance (1035 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1)), good rate capability (88% capacity retention at 8 A g(-1)), and long-term cycle life (10% capacity loss after 5000 cycles). The lightweight, low-cost, flexible composites are promising candidates for use in energy storage device applications.

Many species produce odor cues that enable them to be identified individually, as well as providing other socially relevant information. Study of the role of odor cues in the social behavior of great apes is noticeable by its absence. Olfaction has been viewed as having little role in guiding behavior in these species. This study examined whether Western lowland gorillas produce an individually identifiable odor. Odor samples were obtained by placing cloths in the gorilla's den. A delayed matching to sample task was used with human participants (n = 100) to see if they were able to correctly match a target odor sample to a choice of either: 2 odors (the target sample and another, Experiment 1) and 6 odors (the target sample and 5 others, Experiment 2). Participants were correctly able to identify the target odor when given either 2 or 6 matches. Subjects made fewest errors when matching the odor of the silverback, whereas matching the odors of the young gorillas produced most errors. The results indicate that gorillas do produce individually identifiable body odors and introduce the possibility that odor cues may play a role in gorilla social behavior.

R-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid (R-HPBA) is an important intermediate in the manufacture of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. In this work, a recombinant D-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was used to transform 2-oxo-4-phenylbutyric acid (OPBA) to R-HPBA, with concomitant oxidation of beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) to NAD(+). The cofactor NADH was regenerated by formate dehydrogenase (FDH) present in whole cells of Candida boidinii, which were pre-treated with toluene to make them permeable. The whole cells used in the process were more stable and easier to prepare as compared with the isolated FDH from the cells. Kinetic study showed that the reaction rate was dependent on the concentration of cofactor, NAD(+), and that both R-HPBA and OPBA inhibited the reaction. A novel method for co-immobilization of whole cells and LDH enzyme on cotton cloth was developed using polyethyleneimine (PEI), which induced the formation of PEI-enzyme-cell aggregates and their adsorption onto cotton cloth, leading to multilayer co-immobilization of cells and enzyme with high loading (0.5 g cell and 8 mg LDH per gram of cotton cloth) and activity yield (>> 95%). A fibrous bed bioreactor with co-immobilized cells and enzyme on the cotton cloth was then evaluated for R-HPBA production in fed-batch and repeated batch modes, which gave relatively stable reactor productivity of 9 g/L . h and product yield of 0.95 mol/mol OPBA when the concentrations of OPBA and R-HPBA were less than 10 g/L.

Dissolving microneedles (DMs) were applied to glucose monitoring in the dermal interstitial fluid (ISF) of rats and their potential as an alternative blood glucose monitoring device was evaluated. Sodium chondroitin sulfate was used to prepare DM array chips, which consisted of 300 DMs/cm(2). The mean length of the DMs was 475±18 µm and the mean diameter of the basement was 278±8 µm. After DMs were inserted into the skin of the hair-removed rat abdomen, a wet unwoven cloth containing 10-30 µL of water was placed on the skin and ISF was extracted. By increasing the absorbed amount of water on the unwoven cloth from 10 to 30 µL, the extracted amount of glucose increased from 1.66±0.35 µg to 2.75±0.61 µg. Increasing the adhesion time of the wet unwoven cloth to the skin from 0.1 to 5.0 min, increased the amount of ISF glucose from 1.99±0.13 µg to 5.04±0.38 µg. The relation between the amount of glucose in ISF and blood glucose concentrations was examined. With increase in the adhesion time, the coefficient of determination, r(2), increased from 0.501 to 0.750. The number of DMs also affected the relationship and values of the coefficient of determinations, r(2) were: 0.340 (25 DMs), 0.758 (50 DMs), 0.763 (100 DMs), 0.774 (200 DMs), and 0.762 (300 DMs). These results indicate the usefulness of DMs as an alternative blood glucose monitoring device.

We report the fabrication of 3D flower-like MoS2 nanosheets arrays on carbon cloth as a binder-free anode for sodium ion battery. Ultrathin and conformal TiO2 layers are used to modify the surface of MoS2 by atomic layer deposition. The electrochemical performance measurements demonstrate that the ALD TiO2 layer can improve the cycling stability and rate capability of MoS2. The MoS2 nanosheets with 0.5-nm TiO2 coating electrode show the highest initial discharge capacity of 1392 mA h g-1 at 200 mA g-1, which is increased by 53% compared with that of bare MoS2. After 150 cycles, the capacity retention rate of the TiO2-coated MoS2 achieves 75.8% of its second cycle's capacity at 200 mA h g-1 in contrast to that of 59% of pure MoS2. Furthermore, the mechanism behind the experimental results is revealed by ex situ scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) characterizations, which confirms that the ultrathin TiO2 modifications can prevent the structural degradation and the formation of SEI film of MoS2 electrode.

BACKGROUND

Nanotechnology is rapidly emerging in biomedical applications, including cancer therapy. Here, a mixture of ultra dispersed nanodiamond and nanoplatinum was coated onto fabrics in the form of a cloth (DPV576-C). The role of DPV576-C in modulating T lymphocytes of aged mice was examined.

METHODS

C57BL/6 mice were treated with DPV576-C as a lining in a mouse house for 1 month. Splenic cells were analyzed for CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells and NK activity using flow cytometry.

RESULTS

DPV576-C-treated aged mice showed an: (1) increase in the percentages of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells and their activation markers, CD25 and CD69, over untreated aged mice; (2) enhancement of NK activity; and (3) absence of adverse side effects as determined histopathologically.

CONCLUSIONS

The enhancement of lymphocytes by DPV576-C may be useful for patients suffering from immune dysfunction.

The effects of shading in combination with salinity treatments were studied in citrus trees on two rootstocks with contrasting salt tolerance to determine if shading could reduce the negative effects of salinity stress. Well-nourished 2-year-old 'Valencia' orange trees grafted on Cleopatra mandarin (Cleo, relatively salt tolerant) or Carrizo citrange (Carr, relatively salt sensitive), were grown either under a 50% shade cloth or left unshaded in full sunlight. Half the trees received no salinity treatment and half were salinized with 50 mM Cl- during two 9 week salinity periods in the spring and autumn interrupted by an 11 week rainy period. The shade treatment reduced midday leaf temperature and leaf-to-air vapour pressure deficit regardless of salinity treatments. In non-salinized trees, shade increased midday CO2 assimilation rate (A(CO2)) and stomatal conductance, but had no effect on leaf transpiration (E(lf)). Shade also increased leaf chlorophyll and photosynthetic water use efficiency (A(CO2)/E(lf)) in leaves on both rootstocks and increased total plant dry weight in Cleo. The salinity treatment reduced leaf growth and leaf gas exchange parameters. Shade decreased Cl- concentrations in leaves of salinized Carr trees, but had no effect on leaf or root Cl- of trees on Cleo. There were no significant differences in leaf gas exchange parameters of shaded and unshaded salinized plants but the growth reduction from salinity stress was actually greater for shaded than for unshaded trees. Shaded trees on both rootstocks had higher leaf Na+ than unshaded trees after the first salinity period, and this shade-induced elevated leaf Na+ persisted after the second salinity period in trees on Carr. Thus, shading did not alleviate the negative effects of salinity on growth and Na+ accumulation.

The tree species Xylocarpus granatum is commonly described as occurring in the upper intertidal zone of mangrove forests, but mature trees are occasionally found at lower elevations. In the Utwe River basin, on the Pacific island of Kosrae, we investigated the relative importance of several biotic and abiotic factors that may control the intertidal distribution of X. granatum. Factors we evaluated included differential seed predation across the lower, mid, and upper intertidal zones and seedling responses to salinity, tidal flooding, and shade. Seed predation was 22.4% over the first 34 days and varied little among zones or in gaps versus under the forest canopy. By day 161, there were still no differences in seed mortality, but a significant difference was found in seedling establishment, with much greater establishment in the upper intertidal plots. X. granatum seedlings in a greenhouse experiment exhibited greater growth in freshwater than seedlings in 23 ppt salinity, which is typical of salinity levels found in the mid intertidal zone in our field study sites in Micronesia, where mature X. granatum trees are generally absent. Seedlings grown in 23 ppt salinity, however, exhibited few visible signs of stress associated with patterns in growth. Seedlings grown in a simulated tidal flooding treatment (with 23 ppt salinity) also showed few signs of stress. Growth declined dramatically under 80% shade cloths, but there were few interactions of shading with either 23 ppt salinity or simulated tidal flooding. Differential seed predation is not likely to be the primary factor responsible for the intertidal distribution of X. granatum on Kosrae. However, seedling tolerance of flooding or salinity may be more important, especially relative to a potential contribution to secondary stress mortality. Other factors may ultimately prove to be more critical, such as physiological effects of salinity on seed germination, effects of tides on seed dispersal and rooting, or differential herbivory on seedlings.

To better understand methamphetamine exposure and risk for occupants of former residential clandestine methamphetamine laboratories, we measured the dynamic accumulation of methamphetamine in skin oil, cotton and polyester (PE) clothing, upholstery, and toy fabric (substrates) exposed to 15-30 ppb (91-183 μg/m(3)) neutral methamphetamine in air for up to 60 days. The average equilibrium partition coefficients at 30% RH, in units of μg of methamphetamine per gram of substrate per ppb, are 3.0 ± 0.2 for a PE baby blanket, 5.6 ± 3.5 for a PE fabric toy, 3.7 ± 0.2 for a PE shirt, 18.3 ± 8.0 for a PE/cotton upholstery fabric, and 1200 ± 570 in skin oil. The partition coefficients at 60% RH are 4.5 ± 0.4, 5.2 ± 2.1, 4.5 ± 0.6, 36.1 ± 3.6, and 1600 ± 1100 μg/(g ppb), respectively. There was no difference in the partition coefficient for a clean and skin-oil-soiled cotton shirt [15.3 ± 2.1 μg/(g ppb) @ 42 days]. Partition coefficients for skin oil may be sensitive to composition. 'Mouthing' of cloth is predicted to be the dominant exposure pathway [60 μg/(kg body weight*ppb)] for a toddler in former meth lab, and indoor air concentrations would have to be very low (0.001 ppb) to meet the recommended reference dose for children.

CONCLUSIONS

Gas-phase methamphetamine transfers to and accumulates on clothing, toys and other fabrics significantly increases risk of ingestion of methamphetamine. Current remediation methods should consider measurement of postremediation gas-phase air concentrations of methamphetamine in addition to surface wipe samples.

Using a direct isolation method Listeria spp. were detected in 101 (47.4%) of 213 houses investigated. L. monocytogenes was present in 45 houses (21.1%). Listeria spp. occurred at all sampling sites. Dish-cloths (37%) and surface samples round the drain in the bathroom (27.2%) were most frequently contaminated. Highest numbers (c. 10(4) c.f.u./object) were found in dish-cloths and washing-up brushes. Lower levels (up to 10(3) c.f.u./object) were obtained from kitchen sinks, refrigerator vegetable compartment samples and tooth brushes. In total, 132 isolations of Listeria spp. were made from 871 samples. L. innocua (53%) and L. monocytogenes (41%) were the predominant species in the positive samples. Other Listeria spp. were found in only 6% of the positive samples.

This study examined the efficacy of the following treatments to reduce selected fungal spore and mycotoxin levels on materials commonly found in home contents: (1) gamma irradiation at a 10-13 kiloGray exposure, (2) a detergent/bleach wash, and (3) a steam cleaning technique. A minimum of six replicates were performed per treatment. Paper, cloth, wood, and carpet were inoculated with either fungal spores (Stachybotrys chartarum, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum, or Chaetomium globosum) at 240,000 spores/2.54 cm2 of material or with the mycotoxins roridin A, T-2, and verrucarin A at 10 microg per 2.54 cm2 of material. Treatments were evaluated with an agar plating technique for fungal spores and a yeast toxicity culture assay for mycotoxins. Results showed that gamma irradiation inactivated fungal spores, but the treatment was not successful in inactivating mycotoxins. The washing technique completely inactivated or removed spores on all materials except for C. globosum, which was reduced on all items except paper (p < 0.05). Washing inactivated all mycotoxins on paper and cloth but not on carpet or untreated wood (p < 0.001). The steam cleaning treatment did not completely eliminate any fungal spores; however, it reduced P. chrysogenum numbers on all materials, C. globosum was reduced on wood and carpet, and S. chartarum was reduced on wood (p < 0.05). Steam cleaning was unsuccessful in inactivating any of the tested mycotoxins. These results show that the bleach/detergent washing technique was more effective overall in reducing spore and mycotoxin levels than gamma irradiation or steam cleaning. However, the other examined techniques were successful in varying degrees.

Stethoscope diaphragms are frequently colonized by bacteria. This cross-sectional study described the frequency and factors associated with reporting ever cleaning stethoscopes among 408 medical students and doctors at a medical college and 2 teaching hospitals in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. A minority of the respondents (37.7%) reported having ever cleaned their stethoscope. Following normal clinical use, wiping with a dry cloth was the most frequently reported method of cleaning (53.2%). After contamination of the diaphragm with blood or secretions, cleaning with an alcoholic swab was the most common method (64.3%). In univariate and multivariate analyses, history of receiving information on stethoscope cleaning, utilization of personal stethoscope at last use and affiliation with internal medicine department were factors strongly associated with ever cleaning of stethoscope. Future research for improving stethoscope cleaning practices should explore educational interventions aimed at health care professionals.

The efficacy of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) in detoxifying two potential bioterrorism agents, the trichothecene mycotoxins verrucarin A and roridin A, was evaluated. In the first experiment, verrucarin A (1, 5, or 10 microg) and roridin A (5 or 10 microg) were each inoculated onto square-inch sections of glass, paper, and cloth and exposed to 1000 ppm of ClO2 for either 24 or 72 h at room temperature. In the second experiment, verrucarin A and roridin A (1 or 2 ppm in water) were treated with 200, 500, or 1000 ppm ClO2 for up to 116 h at room temperature in light and dark conditions (N = 9 per treatment for test and control). A yeast assay using Kluyveromyces marxianuswas used to quantify the toxicity of verrucarin A and roridin A. Additionally, high-performance liquid chromatography was performed on selected samples. Results for the first experiment showed that ClO2 treatment had no detectable effect on either toxin. For the second experiment, both toxins were completely inactivated at all tested concentrations in as little as 2 h after treatment with 1000 ppm ClO2. For verrucarin A, an effect was seen at the 500 ppm level, but this effect was not as strong as that observed at the 1000 ppm level. Roridin A toxicity was decreased after treatment with 200 and 500 ppm ClO2, but this was not significant until the 24-h exposure time was reached. These data show that ClO2 (in solution) can be effective for detoxification of roridin A or verrucarin A at selected concentrations and exposure times.

BACKGROUND

Nosocomial infections may be caused by pathogens that are transmitted from the hands or clothes of hospital personnel. Handwashing has been evaluated as effective against the spread of pathogens, but transmission through clothes has been little investigated. Evaluation of bacterial adherence to clothes is difficult because of the nonuniform amount of water absorbance by cloth. Therefore, we measured binding of bacteria to cloth fibers made of cotton, nylon, polyester, acrylic, or sheep's wool and tried to characterize bacterial binding to cloth.

METHODS

We chose to study the opportunistic pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cloth fibers were incubated with bacterial suspensions in silicone-coated tubes. We evaluated the reduction of numbers of bacteria in solutions incubated with the fibers and calculated binding ratios of bacteria to the fibers.

RESULTS

Polyester or acrylic fibers bound S aureus and P aeruginosa at high ratios (>80%), but cotton fibers bound them at low ratios (<10%). Nylon fibers bound S aureus at low ratios, but P aeruginosa at intermediate ratios.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested that polyester, acrylic, or wool clothes could be good carriers of S aureus and P aeruginosa and thus should be covered with cotton clothes to minimize the spread of the pathogens.

The utilization of bioelectrochemical systems for methane production has attracted increasing attention, but producing methane in these systems requires additional voltage to overcome large cathode overpotentials. To eliminate the need for electrical grid energy, we constructed a microbial reverse-electrodialysis methanogenesis cell (MRMC) by placing a reverse electrodialysis (RED) stack between an anode with exoelectrogenic microorganisms and a methanogenic biocathode. In the MRMC, renewable salinity gradient energy was converted to electrical energy, thus providing the added potential needed for methane evolution from the cathode. The feasibility of the MRMC was examined using three different cathode materials (stainless steel mesh coated with platinum, SS/Pt; carbon cloth coated with carbon black, CC/CB; or a plain graphite fiber brush, GFB) and a thermolytic solution (ammonium bicarbonate) in the RED stack. A maximum methane yield of 0.60 ± 0.01 mol-CH4/mol-acetate was obtained using the SS/Pt biocathode, with a Coulombic recovery of 75 ± 2% and energy efficiency of 7.0 ± 0.3%. The CC/CB biocathode MRMC had a lower methane yield of 0.55 ± 0.02 mol-CH4/mol-acetate, which was twice that of the GFB biocathode MRMC. COD removals (89-91%) and Coulombic efficiencies (74-81%) were similar for all cathode materials. Linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests demonstrated that cathodic microorganisms enhanced electron transfer from the cathode compared to abiotic controls. These results show that the MRMC has significant potential for production of nearly pure methane using low-grade waste heat and a source of waste organic matter at the anode.

MoSe2 nanosheets with ultrathin thickness and rich defects were grown on the surface of carbon fiber cloth by a facile solvent-thermal method. The active area and conductivity of the MoSe2 catalyst were increased simultaneously because of the NH4F etching effect and its incorporation with carbon fiber cloth. As a result, the MoSe2-based catalysts exhibited excellent HER activity including small onset potential, large exchange current density and small Tafel slope, which is superior to most of MoSe2-based catalysts reported previously.

A sulfur cathode with high capacity per area (>7 mA h cm(-2)) and high sulfur loading (6.7 mg cm(-2)) was fabricated by synthesizing a carbon fiber cloth-sulfur composite via a simple method. It is worth noting that an ingenious method is adopted which can improve the performance of Li-S batteries by forming in situ polysulfide ions.

High energy efficiency and long cycleability are two important performance measures for Li-air batteries. Using a rationally designed oxygen electrode based on a vertically aligned nitrogen-doped coral-like carbon nanofiber (VA-NCCF) array supported by stainless steel cloth, we have developed a nonaqueous Li-O2 battery with an energy efficiency as high as 90% and a narrow voltage gap of 0.3 V between discharge/charge plateaus. Excellent reversibility and cycleability were also demonstrated for the newly developed oxygen electrode. The observed outstanding performance can be attributed to its unique vertically aligned, coral-like N-doped carbon microstructure with a high catalytic activity and an optimized oxygen/electron transportation capability, coupled with the microporous stainless steel substrate. These results demonstrate that highly efficient and reversible Li-O2 batteries are feasible by using a rationally designed carbon-based oxygen electrode.

High-performance flexible textile electrodes and fiber electrodes are produced simultaneously by a newly proposed effective strategy. Activated carbon fiber cloth (ACFC)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and ACFC/MnO2/CNTs composites are designed as high-performance flexible textile electrodes. Theses textiles can also be easily dismantled into individual fiber bundles used as high-performance flexible fiber electrodes.

A comparison of five methods of cleaning Formica surfaces contaminated with bacteria dried in milk has been carried out. A standardized procedure was developed, and impression plates were found to be at least as sensitive as a swab-rinse method for detecting bacteria on the surfaces. The most satisfactory results were obtained with one type of disposable alcohol-impregnated wipe and with a detergent/hypochlorite solution applied with paper. A reusable cloth impregnated with disinfectant initially performed well against all test organisms, but was less reliable against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis, after the cloth had been used and rinsed several times. The importance of introducing methods to reduce the high risk of cross-contamination presently associated with the use of wiping cloths in catering premises is stressed.

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to determine the diversity and abundance of Staphylococcus bacteria on different components of a public transportation system in a mid-sized US city (Portland, Oregon) and to examine the level of drug resistance in these bacteria.

METHODS

We collected 70 samples from 2 cm × 4 cm sections from seven different areas on buses and trains in Portland, USA, taking 10 samples from each area. We isolated a subset of 14 suspected Staphylococcus spp. colonies based on phenotype, and constructed a phylogeny from16S rRNA sequences to assist in identification. We used the Kirbye-Bauer disk diffusion method to determine resistance levels to six common antibiotics.

RESULTS

We found a range of pathogenic Staphylococcus species. The mean bacterial colony counts were 97.1 on bus and train floors, 80.1 in cloth seats, 9.5 on handrails, 8.6 on seats and armrests at bus stops, 3.8 on the underside of seats, 2.2 on windows, and 1.8 on vinyl seats per 8 cm(2) sample area. These differences were significant (p < 0.001). Of the 14 isolates sequenced, 11 were staphylococci, and of these, five were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin, while only two displayed intermediate resistance to bacitracin. All 11 isolates were sensitive to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, vancomycin, and tetracycline.

CONCLUSIONS

We found six different strains of Staphylococcus, and while there were varying levels of drug resistance, we did not find extensive levels of multidrug-resistant bacteria, and no S. aureus was found. We found floors and cloth seats to be areas on buses and trains that showed particularly high levels of bacteria.

Effective cleaning of elements in the health care environment has a crucial role in reducing the risk of health care-acquired infection. We assessed ultramicrofiber cloth and steam technology in 2 clinical settings. This new technology performed extremely well. Our pilot study supports using ultramicrofiber cloth and steam technology as an alternative to cleaning with chemicals.

From an economic perspective, textile and paper bleaching are amongst the most important oxidation processes. The removal of unwanted chromophores, be it stains on cloths or residual lignin in wood pulp, consumes more than 60 % of the world production of hydrogen peroxide. However, existing technologies have their limitations. At ambient temperature, hydrogen peroxide gives little stain bleaching and is used inefficiently. Hence the high product dosages and washing temperatures required limit its application to predominantly European markets, to the exclusion of the majority of the world's population. In paper manufacture, the use of chlorine-based oxidants results in the formation of chlorinated waste products, which show poor biodegradability. On the other hand, hydrogen peroxide requires higher temperatures, longer reaction times and is more expensive. Transition-metal catalysts offer an alternative. This review discusses the main classes of known bleach catalysts and their possible modes of action.

It was recently reported that use of a perforated, stretchable cloth tape instead of silk tape reduced the incidenc of postoperative blisters around the hip from 41% to 10%. The present prospective randomized study was conducted to determine whether use of spica bandage (vs the cloth tape) could further reduce or eliminate the incidence of these blisters. Patients were randomized to 2 treatmen groups: perforated, stretchable cloth tape (Hypafix; Smit & Nephew, Memphis, Tenn) and elastic spica bandage tha was started at the lower thigh and was extended aroun the hip and abdomen. After surgery, cloth tape or spic bandage was applied over the postoperative dressing, with care taken not to produce skin tension. At the first dressing change, presence or absence of blisters was recorded, along with their number, size, location, and type. All subsequent dressing changes were done much as they wer at surgery, using the assigned type of dressing. Presence or absence of blisters was recorded at each subsequent dressing change. Two hundred ninety-four patients (300 hips) were enrolled. Twenty-two (7.33%) of the 300 hips developed a blister. Risk for developing a blister was 10% with the cloth tape versus 4.67% with the elastic spica bandage (P < .09). Surgery type (arthroplasty vs open reduction and internal fixation [ORIF], P < .03) and surgery duration (P < .05) had more of an effect on postoperative blister formation than dressing type.