Transfer Elements Research Articles

Condensation Heat Transfer Characteristics of Moist Air Outside Hydrophilic and Super-hydrophobic 3D Pin Fin Tube

Three dimensional pin fin tube is an effective heat transfer element. It has been widely used in industry process. However, condensation heat transfer characteristic of moist air outside it has not been experimentally studied. The wettability of tube surface has an important effect on this process. In this study, experiments were carried out, in which moist air condensing outside three dimensional pin fin tube with different wettability. Smooth tube is also tested to make comparison. Effects of steam mole fraction, moist air temperature, and wall subcooling are analysed in detail. Super-hydrophobic surface is obtained using oxidation and self-assembling monolayer method. The results show that heat transfer coefficient increases with the increase of steam mole fraction, wall subcooling and the decrease of moist air temperature. Heat transfer coefficient ranges from 55 to 2,035 W/m2K within the study of this paper, and hydrophilic three dimensional finned tube can achieve 2 times heat transfer coefficient compared with smooth tube and superhydrophobic three dimensional pin fin tube.

Optimization of Hot Workability of Cu-Cr-Zr-Ti Alloy Through Development of a Processing Map

Abstract Owing to high thermal conductivity, copper-based alloys are used to fabricate heat transfer elements of rocket engines, such as combustion chambers, nozzle liners, and metal gaskets. One such alloy is the Copper-Chromium-Zirconium-Titanium (Cu-Cr-Zr-Ti) alloy, which possesses a good combination of thermal conductivity and strength at high temperatures. Thermomechanical processing is an important step in the realization of the various aforementioned heat transfer elements from this alloy. Hence, it is imperative to understand the hot deformation behavior of the alloy as a function of the process variables such as temperature and strain rate. An attempt is made to study the hot deformation behavior of the Cu-Cr-Zr-Ti alloy by subjecting it to uniaxial hot compression tests in the temperature range of 600°C–800°C and strain rate range of 0.001–10 s−1. The flow stress measurement tests were conducted up to a true strain of 0.5 using a Gleeble 3800 simulator. The nature of the flow curves obtained at the completion of the tests indicated the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) at deformation temperatures greater than 700°C and with a strain rate below 1 s−1. The work hardening rate was plotted as a function of effective flow stress to assess the flow softening behavior due to DRX at different deformation conditions. A processing map delineating the stable and unstable regions during hot working is developed and validated by observing the microstructures in the corresponding domains. Optimum processing parameters (temperature of 750°C and strain rate of 0.1–10 s−1) for hot working of the alloy were proposed based on a contour map of efficiency of power dissipation. Two constitutive equations are also established: one using the Hyperbolic sine law as proposed by Sellars and McTegart and the other using Kocks Mecking analysis.

(Invited) Electric Dipole-Electric Dipole Non-Radiative Energy Transfer Mediated By Surface Plasmons on a Metal Surface

We present the surface plasmon-mediated energy transfer between two optically active ions in vacuum near a metallic surface using methods of molecular quantum electrodynamics. We have studied the electric dipole-electric dipole energy transfer process only, this being the most dominant mechanism in interionic interaction between two ions in a medium when their wavefunctions do not significantly overlap. The matrix elements for energy transfer, hence energy transfer rates, are calculated using two classes of Feynman diagrams. The intermediate states for one class of diagrams do not satisfy the energy conservation principle, hence they are purely virtual states. Of particular interest are the dependencies of the energy transfer process on (1) the positions of the ions with respect to one another projected on the interface and (2) the distance of each ion from the metal surface. The overall energy transfer process has been found to have both the short range and long-range components, the former being driven by virtual plasmons and the latter by the real plasmons in a non-lossy medium. The dependence of the energy transfer process on the relative separation of the ions projected on the interface is a function of the relative separation, ρ, and the surface plasmon wavevector, p. The transfer rate is proportional to a function F(pρ). In order to observe the behavior of this function, we chose a case of the photon of energy corresponding to a wavelength of 500 nm. For a silver interface, the dielectric constant corresponding to this wavelength is -9. For any given wavevector, p, the plot of F(pρ) in Fig. 1 shows that the maximum energy transfer rate occurs when ρ=0; that is, when ion A and ion B have the same x and y coordinates, only differing in their z coordinates. Thus, the maximum transfer rate occurs when one ion is “on top” of the other as observed from nearest point on the plane of the interface. As ρ increases, the energy transfer rate initially decreases rapidly. At longer distances, the transfer rate continues to decrease, but much more slowly. Oscillations in F(pρ) are present at large and small values of ρ. The “fast” and “slow” rates of decrease in F(pρ) indicate the presence of both short-range and long-range transfer mechanisms. To estimate the distance of the short-range mechanism, let us assume a surface plasmon of wavelength 500 nm, so p~2π/500 nm-1. Using the Fig. 1, we estimate that the “fast” component of the transfer rate extends to p~ 2.5, corresponding to ρ~ 200 nm, which is less than one wavelength. When pρ = 50, however, we find that ρ~ 4000 nm, which is several wavelengths long. Our interpretation is that the short-range mechanism results from energy transfer mediated by primarily by virtual surface plasmons, and the long-range mechanism corresponds formally to energy transfer mediated by primarily by real surface plasmons. Moving from small ρ to large ρ, the mediating surface plasmons change from virtual to real in a continuous fashion. We note here that we have considered a loss-less medium. In a lossy medium, the long-range interactions will be inhibited. Figure 1. A plot of F(pρ) (black line) normalized to unity at ρ=0. For comparison, also shown is the plot of [J0 (pρ)]2. (red line). Figure 1

Fabrication and thermal performance of mesh-type ultra-thin vapor chambers

Ultra-thin vapor chamber (UTVC) is an efficient heat transfer element that meets the heat dissipation requirement of miniaturized electronics. In this study, cost-effective mesh-type UTVCs (total thickness: 1.26–1.77 mm) were fabricated and investigated. One single layer of coarse copper mesh was used as mechanical support and to provide vapor path, and two layers of fine copper mesh were sintered together as wick. The copper meshes and the bottom copper sheet were treated by plasma to obtain hydrophilicity, and the upper and bottom copper sheets were bonded by a new welding process. The effects of coarse mesh count and wire diameter, fine mesh count, tilt angle and cooling water temperature on the UTVC heat transfer performance were studied experimentally. Results showed that SP3 (1.53 mm) could dissipate 50 W in the horizontal orientation with a thermal resistance of 0.197 °C/W, about 4.4 times lower than that of 1.5 mm copper sheet. With the good thermal performance and low fabricating cost of the UTVCs, we hope that our work could promote the application of UTVC in the field of high performance miniaturized electronics.

Effect of the Inclination Angle on the Steady-State Heat Transfer Performance of a Thermosyphon

A two-phase closed thermosyphon is an efficient heat transfer element. The heat transfer process of this type of thermosyphon includes conduction and convective heat transfer accompanied by phase changes. Variations in the inclination angle of a thermosyphon affect the steady-state heat transfer performance of the device. Therefore, the inclination angle is an important factor affecting the performance of a thermosyphon. In this paper, an equation for the actual heating area variations with respect to the inclination angle is deduced, and a model for the areal thermal resistance of a thermosyphon is proposed by analyzing the main influence mechanisms of the inclination angle on the heat transfer process. The experimental results show that the areal thermal resistance, which accounts for the effect of the actual heating area, does not change with respect to the inclination angle and exhibits a linear relationship with the heat transfer rate. The thermal resistance equation is fit according to the experimental data when the inclination angle of the thermosyphon is vertically oriented (90°), and the predicted values of the thermosyphon’s thermal resistance are obtained when the thermosyphon is inclined. The deviations between the experimental data and predicted values are less than ±0.05. Therefore, the theoretical equation can accurately predict the thermosyphon’s thermal resistance at different inclination angles.

Flexural behavior of a composite steel and precast concrete open web dissymmetric framing system

The use of composite construction has been incorporated into the design of steel components for decades, creating efficient and stiffer structures through the combined benefits of structural steel and reinforced concrete. Traditional floor systems develop composite action between vertically aligned elements using shear studs or other mechanical transfer elements. In this paper, the behavior of a composite structural system that combines steel beams, precast hollow core slabs, steel reinforcement, and cementitious grout in a unique geometry to create a shallow, monolithic, and composite floor assembly for use in residential and commercial construction is evaluated. Composite action is developed through a linear strain distribution between horizontally aligned concrete slab and steel beam elements. Experimental results from large-scale assembly testing of the composite system, known as the Girder-Slab System, are presented. The sensitivity of the system to material properties and structural geometry is investigated including effective width, section properties, and flexural strength. Comparisons of flexural section properties and strength are made between experimental performance and predictions using mechanics- and code-based principles.

A novel potential application of SiC ceramic foam material to distillation: Structured corrugation foam packing

Applications using polymer-derived ceramic foam material as distillation packing or trays have demonstrated higher performance than classical mass transfer units, except for the operation range (Lévêque et al., 2009; Gao et al., 2015). To overcome the disadvantages of classical units, many novel mass transfer units based on the polymer-derived ceramic foam material have been developed, such as Foam Monolithic Tray, Foam Ring Random Packing (FRRP), structured corrugation foam packing (SCFP) and so on. In this paper, the hydrodynamic performances and mass transfer efficiency of SCFP-SiC are examined in lab-scale equipment, with special emphasis on the effect of the foam cell size and sheet thickness. In general, based on the comparison with the traditional column packings, the experimental results indicate that the hydrodynamics and mass transfer performances of SCFP-SiC meet the requirements for the mass transfer elements with high theoretical stages and low pressure drop in the distillation column. Furthermore, a pilot-scale experiment of mass transfer efficiency for two air separation system (O2/N2, O2/Ar) was performed to help understand the amplification effect of SCFP-SiC. The experimental results demonstrate that the SCFP-SiC has higher operation flexibility and significantly enhance the efficiency of vapor-liquid mass transfer at the large-scale for clear system.

Longitudinally Misalignment-Insensitive Dual-Band Wireless Power and Data Transfer Systems for a Position Detection of Fast-Moving Vehicles

For position detection of moving vehicles using a wireless passive sensor placed in the traveling direction, a wireless power and data transfer (WPDT) system for supplying power to the sensor is required. Particularly, in the case of a high-speed vehicle with a compact sensor environment that is convenient for installation on railways or roadways, it is difficult to operate the sensor properly due to charging time and range limitations caused by the compact sensor size. In this paper, to improve a working zone of the compact sensor, this work presents a longitudinally misalignment-insensitive dual-band WPDT system with an extended working zone. The proposed system utilizes dual transmitting and receiving coils operating at different frequencies for achieving high isolation between the power and data links, which consists of a distributed antenna array with a gap between antenna elements for wireless power transfer at 27.1 MHz and an extended rectangular loop for data communications at 4.23 MHz. It achieves an extended working zone of approximately 112% at 0.25 m distance in comparison with a conventional system with dual square coils and achieves uniform received signals within a misalignment (up to 0.53 m).

Coherently Driven and Superdirective Antennas

Antennas are crucial elements for wireless technologies, communications and power transfer across the entire spectrum of electromagnetic waves, including radio, microwaves, THz and optics. In this paper, we review our recent achievements in two promising areas: coherently enhanced wireless power transfer (WPT) and superdirective dielectric antennas. We show that the concept of coherently enhanced WPT allows improvement of the antenna receiving efficiency by coherent excitation of the outcoupling waveguide with a backward propagating guided mode with a specific amplitude and phase. Antennas with the superdirectivity effect can increase the WPT system’s performance in another way, through tailoring of radiation diagram via engineering antenna multipoles excitation and interference of their radiation. We demonstrate a way to achieve the superdirectivity effect via higher-order multipoles excitation in a subwavelength high-index spherical dielectric resonator supporting electric and magnetic Mie multipoles. Thus, both types of antenna discussed here possess a coherent nature and can be used in modern intelligent antenna systems.

Experimental support for multidrug resistance transfer potential in the preterm infant gut microbiota

There is currently a lack of experimental evidence for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) mechanisms in the human gut microbiota. The aim of this study was therefore to experimentally determine the HGT potential in the microbiota of a healthy preterm infant twin pair and to evaluate the global occurrence of the mobilized elements. Stool samples were collected. Both shotgun metagenome sequencing and bacterial culturing were done for the same samples. A range of experimental conditions were used to test DNA transfer for the cultured isolates. Searches for global distribution of transferable elements were done for the ~120,000 metagenomic samples in the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) database. DNA transfer experiments demonstrated frequent transmission of an ESBL encoding IncI1 plasmid, a high copy number ColEI plasmid, and bacteriophage P1. Both IncI1 and ColE1 were abundant in the stool samples. In vitro competition experiments showed that transconjugants containing IncI1 plasmids outcompeted the recipient strain in the absence of antibiotic selection. The SRA searches indicated a global distribution of the mobilizable elements, with chicken identified as a possible reservoir for the IncI1 ESBL encoding plasmid. Our results experimentally support a major horizontal transmission and persistence potential of the preterm infant gut microbiota mobilome involving genes encoding ESBL.

What influences the effective practice and role optimisation of specialist/advanced paramedics working in emergency departments? A qualitative study.

Aims:Little is known about the experiences of paramedics who have left the ambulance service to work in emergency departments (ED). This study sought to explore the lived experiences of paramedics working in specialist/advanced ED roles, focusing on role transition, influences on effective clinical practice and perceptions of role optimisation. A secondary aim of the study was to make recommendations on the future development of specialist/advanced ED roles for paramedics.Methods:This was a qualitative study utilising descriptive phenomenology to collect and describe the lived experiences of participants via semi-structured interviews. Purposive and convenience sampling identified three emergency care practitioners (ECP), three student ECPs and two advanced clinical practitioners working across five EDs to participate in the study; all were Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered paramedics. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.Results:This research produced a number of key findings: Transition to the ED involves significant adjustment to a new clinical environment, and new responsibilities and decision making, which can lead to a perception of regression to a novice practitioner.Pre-hospital assessment and history taking skills, and experience of autonomous working are pertinent enablers to effective practice within the ED.Support and mentorship from ED colleagues is available to enhance practice development.A limited access to medicines emerged as a significant barrier to daily practice, which could affect the patient experience. This also contributed to perceptions of sub-optimal working for many participants.Misconceptions over paramedic competencies could lead to role confusion and make inter-professional working difficult.Opportunities exist for future role expansion into areas such as resuscitation, majors and paediatrics within the ED environment.Conclusion:While role transition to the ED represents a turbulent period for paramedics, elements of pre-hospital paramedic practice transfer directly into new roles and contribute to effective practice. The paramedics in this study found that they were accepted and supported to work in the ED setting and spoke positively of expanding their roles into other areas of the ED in the future. A significant barrier to current clinical practice emerges from a lack of access to medicines, which impacts directly on the patient experience. The change in legislation to allow independent prescribing for advanced paramedics will address some of these issues, but interim improvements are required to extend existing arrangements to include paramedics; ultimately this will improve the quality and safety of care they are able to provide and the patient experience.

Keabsahan Perjanjian Pengikatan Jual Beli Yang Digantungkan Pada Kewajiban Pembayaran Utang

Perjanjian pengikatan jual beli merupakan sebuah terobosan hukum yang lahir karena kebutuhan masyarakat. Digunakan oleh para pihak sebagai perjanjian pendahuluan karena belum dapat dipenuhinya syarat-syarat untuk melaksanakan jual beli dihadapan pejabat pembuat akta tanah. Namun pada praktiknya perjanjian pengikatan jual beli dibuat bukan karena adanya transaksi jual beli tetapi sebagai jaminan utang yang mana debitur berposisi sebagai penjual dan kreditur sebagai pembeli. Maka yang menjadi permasalahan adalah bagaimana keabsahan perjanjian pengikatan jual beli serta kuasa jual yang ditangguhkan sebagai jaminan utang ? kemudian apa dasar pertimbangan hukum bagi hakim dalam memutus perkara perjanjian pengikatan jual beli yang digantungkan sebagai jaminan utang ?. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian yuridis normatif dengan menggunkan pendekatan perundang-undangan, konsep dan kasus. Dari hasil penelitian maka diperoleh simpulan adalah bahwa akta yang dibuat para pihak dihadapan notaris tersebut adalah tidak sah karena melanggar syarat sahnya suatu perjanjian, yaitu dalam angka empat mengenai syarat tentang kausa yang diperbolehkan. Karena yang sesungguhnya terjadi adalah para pihak melakukan transaksi utang piutang dan bukan jual beli, oleh sebab itu karena telah menyimpangi syarat objektif maka perjanjian yang dibuat oleh para pihak menjadi batal demi hukum. Serta kuasa jual merupakan satu kesatuan dengan akta perjanjian pengikatan jual beli dimana penjual memberikan kuasa kepada pembeli untuk melakukan kewajiban daripada pemberi kuasa. Oleh karena itu tentunya menjadi batal demi hukum dan kedua akta tersebut tidak memiliki kekuatan hukum/ tidak sah. Berbeda dengan beberapa pertimbangan hakim yang dapat ditarik kesimpulan bahwa sepanjang akta perjanjian pengikatan jual beli dan kuasa jual telah dibuat dan dilaksanakan secara sah sebagai akta otentik yang mempunyai kekuatan pembuktian sempurna, maka akta tersebut tidak dapat dibatalkan.

Copper and Nickel Coating of Carbon Fiber for Thermally and Electrically Conductive Fiber Reinforced Composites.

In this paper, the thermal and electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of fiber reinforced composites produced from nickel- and copper-coated carbon fibers compared to uncoated fibers are presented. The carbon fibers were processed by our prepreg line and cured to laminates. In the fiber direction, the thermal conductivity doubled from ~3 W/mK for the uncoated fiber, to ~6 W/mK for the nickel, and increased six times to ~20 W/mK for the copper-coated fiber for a fiber volume content of ~50 vol %. Transverse to the fiber, the thermal conductivity increased from 0.6 W/mK (uncoated fiber) to 0.9 W/mK (nickel) and 2.9 W/mK (copper) at the same fiber content. In addition, the electrical conductivity could be enhanced to up to ~1500 S/m with the use of the nickel-coated fiber. We showed that the flexural strength and modulus were in the range of the uncoated fibers, which offers the possibility to use them for lightning strike protection, for heatsinks in electronics or other structural heat transfer elements.

„Thomas Mann – langweilig und ohne dramaturgische Spannung“. Deutschsprachige Literatur in Nikodem Cieszyńskis Zeitschrift Roczniki Katolickie

The periodical Roczniki Katolickie, published in the 1920s and 1930s, was part of an anti-modernist project created in European Catholic circles. The information about German literature, which can be found in the magazine, on the one hand, served as a means of reinforcing feelings of belonging to a borderless confessional community and, on the other hand, constituted an element of German-Polish cultural transfer. Analyzing its content helps determine the extent of influence of the forms and aesthetic and literary categories disseminated within the Catholic milieu as well as the transformations of the image of the stereotypical German that was dominant in Poland at that time.

High-Level Macrolide Resistance Due to the Mega Element [mef(E)/mel] in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Transferable genetic elements conferring macrolide resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae can encode the efflux pump and ribosomal protection protein, mef(E)/mel, in an operon of the macrolide efflux genetic assembly (Mega) element- or induce ribosomal methylation through a methyltransferase encoded by erm(B). During the past 30 years, strains that contain Mega or erm(B) or both elements on Tn2010 and other Tn916-like composite mobile genetic elements have emerged and expanded globally. In this study, we identify and define pneumococcal isolates with unusually high-level macrolide resistance (MICs > 16 μg/ml) due to the presence of the Mega element [mef(E)/mel] alone. High-level resistance due to mef(E)/mel was associated with at least two specific genomic insertions of the Mega element, designated Mega-2.IVa and Mega-2.IVc. Genome analyses revealed that these strains do not possess erm(B) or known ribosomal mutations. Deletion of mef(E)/mel in these isolates eliminated macrolide resistance. We also found that Mef(E) and Mel of Tn2010-containing pneumococci were functional but the high-level of macrolide resistance was due to Erm(B). Using in vitro competition experiments in the presence of macrolides, high-level macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae conferred by either Mega-2.IVa or erm(B), had a growth fitness advantage over the lower-level, mef(E)/mel-mediated macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae phenotypes. These data indicate the ability of S. pneumoniae to generate high-level macrolide resistance by macrolide efflux/ribosomal protection [Mef(E)/Mel] and that high-level resistance regardless of mechanism provides a fitness advantage in the presence of macrolides.

Mutual Effect Between Swept-and-Leaned Vanes and Acoustic Liners on Fan Interaction-Noise Reduction

The swept-and-leaned vanes and acoustic liners can both be used to reduce the turbofan noise. In this work, an analytical model was proposed under an idealized condition, in which an annular stator cascade and a locally reacting liner exist in an infinite duct at the same time, to study the mutual effect between these two techniques. Based on the transfer element method, the system matrix of multi-elements can be established based on the continuity of disturbance pressure and velocity at the interfaces. The acoustic elements for a stator and a liner were established, respectively, by employing the three-dimensional lifting-surface method and the equivalent surface source method, which are both the so-called methods of singularity. The interface matching pattern between adjacent elements was improved in this paper with more physics included, which can also be combined with the numerical methods easier. Because the technologies for fan-noise reduction, which are the swept-and-leaned vanes and acoustic liners in this paper, are both closely related to the modal acoustic field in the duct, the coupling effect can be strong in some conditions. The results showed that the noise reduction gained by these two techniques cannot be superposed simply. They should not be considered isolatedly. Further discussions on the transmission and reflection between different kinds of acoustic elements should be made to achieve the system optimization in the nacelle.

Genome analysis of Paenibacillus polymyxa A18 gives insights into the features associated with its adaptation to the termite gut environment

Paenibacillus polymyxa A18 was isolated from termite gut and was identified as a potential cellulase and hemicellulase producer in our previous study. Considering that members belonging to genus Paenibacillus are mostly free-living in soil, we investigated here the essential genetic features that helped P. polymyxa A18 to survive in gut environment. Genome sequencing and analysis identified 4608 coding sequences along with several elements of horizontal gene transfer, insertion sequences, transposases and integrated phages, which add to its genetic diversity. Many genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes, including the enzymes responsible for woody biomass hydrolysis in termite gut, were identified in P. polymyxa A18 genome. Further, a series of proteins conferring resistance to 11 antibiotics and responsible for production of 4 antibiotics were also found to be encoded, indicating selective advantage for growth and colonization in the gut environment. To further identify genomic regions unique to this strain, a BLAST-based comparative analysis with the sequenced genomes of 47 members belonging to genus Paenibacillus was carried out. Unique regions coding for nucleic acid modifying enzymes like CRISPR/Cas and Type I Restriction-Modification enzymes were identified in P. polymyxa A18 genome suggesting the presence of defense mechanism to combat viral infections in the gut. In addition, genes responsible for the formation of biofilms, such as Type IV pili and adhesins, which might be assisting P. polymyxa A18 in colonizing the gut were also identified in its genome. In situ colonization experiment further confirmed the ability of P. polymyxa A18 to colonize the gut of termite.

Synthesis of elements for waver gears of tunneling assemblies

Wave gears have high load capacity and small weight and dimensions parameters, therefore they are increasingly used in mining aggregates. The method of synthesis of elements of the wave transfer, which is based on the method of vector contours, is given in the work. The method takes into account the design features of the finger supports and the achievement of continuity of contact of the fingers with the generator, the rigid wheel and the holes of the guide disk. The proposed technique allows creating wave transmissions with a range of transmission ratios of 6 – 80. The adequacy of the synthesis technique is proved by the operability of waveguide samples, whose flexible wheels are made in the form of a finger chain. A new wave transmission is used in the developed microtunneling equipment.

Higher Temperatures Do Not Always Achieve Better Antibiotic Resistance Gene Removal in Anaerobic Digestion of Swine Manure.

This study employed high-throughput quantitative PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing to evaluate the effect of temperature and residual antibiotics on the dynamics of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microbial communities during anaerobic digestion of swine manure. The abundances of total ARGs and 16S rRNA genes significantly decreased in all of four treatments (25°C, 37°C, and 37°C with 50 mg of wet weight antibiotics of body weight, and 55°C). The abundances of most ARG types were significantly correlated with those of the 16S rRNA gene and transposase gene (P < 0.01). However, the abundances of total ARGs at 55°C were much higher than those of other treatments. Meanwhile, the microbial communities at 55°C, where the Streptococcus pathogen remained at a relatively high abundance and cellulose degraders and hydrogen producers, such as Ethanoligenens and Coprococcus bacteria, increased, were markedly different from those of other treatments. Redundancy analysis indicates that temperature, pH, and the genus Streptococcus had the highest explanation for ARG variation among experimental factors, chemical properties, and representative genera, respectively. Network analysis further showed that the genus Streptococcus contributed greatly to the higher ARG abundance at 55°C. The moderate antibiotic residue only caused a slight and transitory inhibition for microbially diverse populations and promotion for ARG abundance, probably due to the degradation of antibiotics and microbial adaptability. Our results clarify the cooperativity of gene transfer-related items on ARG variation and intensively prove that higher temperature cannot always achieve better ARG removal in anaerobic digestion unless pathogens and gene transfer elements are more efficiently inhibited.IMPORTANCE Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are frequently detected with high abundance in manure-applied soils. Anaerobic digestion is one of widely used processes for animal waste treatment. Thus, it is critical to understand the potential of anaerobic digestion to attenuate ARGs. Although some previous studies recommended thermophilic digestion for ARG removal, they did not get sufficient evidence to support this view. The antibiotics applied to animals are mostly excreted through feces and urine because of incomplete metabolism. It is indispensable to know whether residual antibiotics in manure will hinder ARG attenuation in anaerobic digesters. The significance of our research is in comprehensively understanding the evolution and mechanism of ARGs in anaerobic digestion of swine manure affected by temperature and residual antibiotics, which will allow the development of an ARG elimination strategy before their release into the environment.

Laser transfer technique using wavefront correction and beam homogenizers in Thomson scattering diagnostics

This paper suggests the use of two optical elements for laser transfer in Thomson scattering diagnostics, which are widely used for other laser applications. YAG lasers amplified by flash lamps (repetition frequency of 50–100 Hz having a few Joules output) can sometimes have adverse effects such as peaked beam profiles and wavefront distortion. We used a beam homogenizer, which is a refractive optical element, to change the beam profile from peaked to non-peaked at a designated position. Using a super-Gaussian output profile when amplifying lasers facilitated longer—by a factor of 1.5 (=300 mm/200 mm) compared with top-hat beam profile—sustained distances, i.e. the distance along the laser path having a non-peaked profile. In terms of beam quality, wavefront distortion broke the beam profile in the far field. We used a deformable mirror to correct and flatten the wavefront of the beam. A YAG laser having a wavefront distortion of 0.46λ peak-to-valley was used to test the application of the deformable mirror, the results of which improved wavefront distortion to a wavelength of 0.1λ peak-to-valley.