Medium Density Research Articles

Поверхностная обработка диспергированной водой ковра древесной массы волокнистой плиты (на примере компании «Arian Sina MDF Company»)

This research focuses on the effect of mat water spraying on the production yield and the quality of medium density fiberboard (MDF) on an industrial scale at Arian Sina MDF Company. A total of 180 raw medium density fiberboard panels, each with dimensions of 3.66×1.83×0.016 m, manufactured by the company in 2018, have been used as the experimental samples. These samples have been produced under various conditions, including 3 different groups: 1 – without mat water spraying; 2 and 3 – with mat water spraying using 40 and 50 g/m² of water, correspondingly. Other parameters have included a constant adhesive content (10 % of dry fiber content), a fixed mat moisture content (7 %), and the use of poplar species (70 %) and Eucalyptus camaldulensis (30 %). Additionally, a hardener (at 0.8 % of the dry weight of glue) has been applied. The results have demonstrated that water spraying onto both sides of the mat increases the strength properties and improves the production yield. This enhancement is attributed to the reduced time required for transferring heat from the press plates to the core layer of the mat. Furthermore, X-ray vertical profile density analysis has indicated that water spraying onto the mat surface also increases the surface and core layer density of the panels.

Influences of Stocking Density on Antioxidant Status, Nutrients Composition, and Lipid Metabolism in the Muscles of Cyprinus carpio under Rice-Fish Co-Culture.

Cyprinus carpio is a significant freshwater species with substantial nutritional and economic value. Rice-carp co-culture represents one of its principal cultivation methods. However, in the system, the optimal farming density for carp and the impact of high stocking density on their muscle nutritional composition have yet to be explored. Thus, the objective of the current study was to investigate the influences of stocking density on the muscle nutrient profiles and metabolism of C. carpio in rice-fish co-culture systems. Common carp were cultured at three stocking densities, low density (LD), medium density (MD), and high density (HD), over a period of 60 days. Following this, comprehensive analyses incorporating physiological, biochemical, and multi-omics sequencing were conducted on the muscle tissue of C. carpio. The results demonstrated that HD treatment led to a reduction in the antioxidant capacity of C. carpio, while resulting in elevated levels of various fatty acids in muscle tissue, including saturated fatty acids (SFAs), omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFAs). The metabolome analysis showed that HD treatment caused a marked reduction in 43 metabolites and a significant elevation in 30 metabolites, primarily linked to lipid and amino acid metabolism. Additionally, transcriptomic analysis revealed that the abnormalities in lipid metabolism induced by high-stocking-density treatment may be associated with significant alterations in the PPAR signaling pathway and adipokine signaling pathway. Overall, our findings indicate that in rice-fish co-culture systems, high stocking density disrupted the balance of antioxidant status and lipid metabolism in the muscles of C. carpio.

Winter wheat source‐sink relationships under various planting modes, complementary irrigation, and planting densities

AbstractVarious agronomic practices can affect the processes of aboveground dry matter accumulation (source) and grain filling (sink), resulting in yield differences. Improved source‐sink relationships can facilitate the production and accumulation of assimilates to increase the productivity of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A two‐season field experiment was undertaken on winter wheat during 2020–2021 and 2021–2022. In a split‐split‐plot design with three replicates (randomized blocks), we compared two planting modes (ridge‐furrow planting with plastic mulching [RFPM]; traditional flat planting [TF]), two complementary irrigation levels (I30+30: 30+30 mm; I0: no irrigation), and three planting densities (D1, D2, and D3: 240, 360, and 480 plants m−2). The results showed that RFPMI30+30 significantly increased maximum yield by 28.5% compared with TFI0. Although D3 increased the number of effective spikes per unit area and duration of grain filling compared to D2, it reduced the number of grains per spike, 1000‐grain weight, and average filling rate. Compared to TF and I0, RFPM and I30+30 improved the sink/source ratio by 5.3% and 6.5%, respectively. Grain yield peaked at D2 in the RFPM and at D3 in the TF. Medium planting density (D2) and complementary irrigation (I30+30) during the wintering and reviving periods under RFPM can achieve better source‐sink balance relationships and the maximum grain yield of winter wheat. Overall, we believe that in most cases, wheat yields are source‐limited and can be improved by ridge‐furrow planting with plastic mulching, complementary irrigation, and planting density regulation.

Passive imaging through inhomogeneous scattering media

According to the atmospheric scattering model (ASM), the object signal’s attenuation diminishes exponentially as the imaging distance increases. This imposes limitations on ASM-based methods in situations where the scattering medium one wish to look through is inhomogeneous. Here, we extend ASM by taking into account the spatial variation of the medium density, and propose a two-step method for imaging through inhomogeneous scattering media. In the first step, the proposed method eliminates the direct current component of the scattered pattern by subscribing to the estimated global distribution (background). In the second step, it eliminates the randomized components of the scattered light by using threshold truncation, followed by the histogram equalization to further enhance the contrast. Outdoor experiments were carried out to demonstrate the proposed method.

Advancing Sustainable Building Materials: Reducing Formaldehyde Emissions in Medium Density Fiber Boards with Lignin Nanoparticles

Advancing Sustainable Building Materials: Reducing Formaldehyde Emissions in Medium Density Fiber Boards with Lignin Nanoparticles

Effects of Stand Density on Tree Growth, Diversity of Understory Vegetation, and Soil Properties in a Pinus koraiensis Plantation

The regulation of stand density has been studied in specific aspects of plantations with different age categories. A clearer understanding is still required of the extent to which stand density impacts multiple plantation attributes such as tree growth, understory vegetation diversity, and soil properties in Korean pine (Pinus koraeinsis Sieb. et Zucc) plantations. This study utilized a 43-year-old middle-aged Korean pine plantation in Qingping Forest Farm in northeast China to answer the research question posed. Three stand density levels, low stand density (LSD, 716 trees/ha), medium stand density (MSD, 850 trees/ha), and high stand density (HSD, 916 trees/ha) were studied for their effects on plantation attributes enumerated above. The results revealed a significant (p < 0.05) effect of stand density on mean stand volume (m3). Medium stand density had the highest mean stand volume of 26.16 (±0.27) m3 while the lowest stand volume was recorded for the low stand density at 14.90 (±1.72) m3. Also, significant differences in total nitrogen, total potassium, available nitrogen, available potassium, and percentage soil moisture content were observed among stand density levels. Additionally, stand density was found to have significant effects on species richness, Shannon–Wiener, and Simpson’s diversity indexes for the shrub and herb layers of the plantation. This study shows that a medium stand density is the most optimal for promoting tree growth and understory biodiversity, as well as enhancing the status of certain soil nutrients. Thus, medium density achieves a balance between growth, nutrient availability, and biodiversity in middle-aged Korean pine plantations after a short period of thinning. These findings provide valuable knowledge for forest management, emphasizing the significance of continuous, long-term, and site-specific research.

The impact of urban configuration types on urban heat islands, air pollution, CO2 emissions, and mortality in Europe: a data science approach

The world is becoming increasingly urbanised. As cities around the world continue to grow, it is important for urban planners and policy makers to understand how different urban configuration patterns affect the environment and human health. However, previous studies have provided mixed findings. We aimed to identify European urban configuration types, on the basis of the local climate zones categories and street design variables from Open Street Map, and evaluate their association with motorised traffic flows, surface urban heat island (SUHI) intensities, tropospheric NO2, CO2 per person emissions, and age-standardised mortality. We considered 946 European cities from 31 countries for the analysis defined in the 2018 Urban Audit database, of which 919 European cities were analysed. Data were collected at a 250 m × 250 m grid cell resolution. We divided all cities into five concentric rings based on the Burgess concentric urban planning model and calculated the mean values of all variables for each ring. First, to identify distinct urban configuration types, we applied the Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection for Dimension Reduction method, followed by the k-means clustering algorithm. Next, statistical differences in exposures (including SUHI) and mortality between the resulting urban configuration types were evaluated using a Kruskal-Wallis test followed by a post-hoc Dunn's test. We identified four distinct urban configuration types characterising European cities: compact high density (n=246), open low-rise medium density (n=245), open low-rise low density (n=261), and green low density (n=167). Compact high density cities were a small size, had high population densities, and a low availability of natural areas. In contrast, green low density cities were a large size, had low population densities, and a high availability of natural areas and cycleways. The open low-rise medium and low density cities were a small to medium size with medium to low population densities and low to moderate availability of green areas. Motorised traffic flows and NO2 exposure were significantly higher in compact high density and open low-rise medium density cities when compared with green low density and open low-rise low density cities. Additionally, green low density cities had a significantly lower SUHI effect compared with all other urban configuration types. Per person CO2 emissions were significantly lower in compact high density cities compared with green low density cities. Lastly, green low density cities had significantly lower mortality rates when compared with all other urban configuration types. Our findings indicate that, although the compact city model is more sustainable, European compact cities still face challenges related to poor environmental quality and health. Our results have notable implications for urban and transport planning policies in Europe and contribute to the ongoing discussion on which city models can bring the greatest benefits for the environment, climate, and health. Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, State Research Agency, Generalitat de Catalunya, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red Epidemiología y Salud Pública, and Urban Burden of Disease Estimation for Policy Making as a Horizon Europe project.

Estimation of Picea Schrenkiana Canopy Density at Sub-Compartment Scale by Integration of Optical and Radar Satellite Images

This study proposes a novel approach to estimate canopy density in Picea Schrenkiana var. Tianschanica forest sub-compartments by integrating optical and radar satellite data. This effort is aimed at enhancing methodologies for forest resource surveys and monitoring, particularly vital for the sustainable development of semi-arid mountainous areas with fragile ecological environments. The study area is the West Tianshan Mountain Nature Reserve in Xinjiang, which is characterized by its unique dominant tree species, Picea Schrenkiana. A total of 411 characteristic factors were extracted from Gaofen-2 (GF-2) sub-meter optical satellite imagery, Gaofen-3 (GF-3) multi-polarization synthetic aperture radar satellite imagery, and digital elevation model (DEM) data. Consequently, 17 characteristic parameters were selected based on their correlation with canopy density data to construct an estimation model. Three distinct models were developed, including a multiple stepwise regression model (a linear approach), a Back Propagation (BP) neural network model (a neural network-based method), and a Cubist model (a decision tree-based technique). The results indicate that combining optical and radar image characteristics significantly enhances accuracy, with an Average Absolute Percentage Precision (AAPP) value improvement in estimation accuracy from 76.50% (with optical image) and 78.50% (with radar image) to 78.66% (with both). Of the three models, the BP neural network model achieved the highest overall accuracy (79.19%). At the sub-component scale, the BP neural network model demonstrated superior accuracy in low canopy density estimation (75.37%), whereas the Cubist model, leveraging radar image characteristics, excelled in medium density estimations (87.46%). Notably, the integrated Cubist model combining optical and radar data achieved the highest accuracy for high canopy density estimation (89.17%). This study highlights the effectiveness of integrating optical and radar data for precise canopy density assessment, contributing significantly to ecological resource monitoring methodologies and environmental assessments.

Analysis to determine the domestic water usage in Yolde - Pate Area of Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State Nigeria

This research study presents findings of the analysis of determining the domestic water usage in Yolde-Pate area of Yola South LGA of Adamawa State Nigeria. During the recce survey and final survey; the sources of domestic water were identified and mapped out in the study area which include: 127 Industrial borehole, 16 hand-pumps, 6 well water and 1 public tap. Domestic water usage moves in hand with its source and accessibility this is where Nearest Neighbor Analysis NNA was used and its summary depicts the following; z-score of 0.205792265731; which means the pattern does not appear to be significantly different than random; which is fairly recommendable. Mean Distance is 51.1643 Meters, Neighbor Ratio is 1.024, and p-value: 0.836953. This was achieved due to the highly precision DGPS used in determining the spatial positions of each of the 150 XYZ points of each water source location and digitally mapping out the whole study area. Then 600 well-structured questionnaires that were randomly distributed within the study area with the respondent’s responses largely related to the analysis of determining domestic water usage were retrieved and analyzed with the End User Analysis (EUA)Technique. The results show that the total volume of water used daily per house ranges from 52,247 to 78,856 liters for each house hold with a range of 54.53liters to 67.69 liters of water consumption per individual in a day; which fall short of WHO standard of 120 liters. However the EUA based on the population density of the study area reveals: first for the high density areas, which has 3 wards Gadawalowol Yolde Patte ward, Jalingo Yolde Patte ward and Chaka Midari ward with a mean population of 1187, mean household size of 4.67 individuals, 71500 liters as the mean total of consume water daily, 60.35 as the mean per capita water consumption per day individually while standard still remains 120 liters and the mean total of daily demand is 142,440 liters; which shows deficit of what is needed. For the medium density areas with an average population of 1093 which are made up of 2 wards depicts 61100 liters as the mean total of water consumed daily by each household, 55.86 liters was consumed by an individual with a daily mean demand of 131,160 liters. While the low-density areas which mainly is occupied by the Sabonpegi Yolde Patte ward residence has a population of 876, total water consumption per household of 52,247liters, Per Capita Water Consumption (liters per day) is 59,64liters while its water daily demand is 105 120 liters; similarly, a shortage of what is demanded and WHO standard exist also in the medium and low-density areas. Recommendations were then spelt out to improve water consumption and usage with well design accessibility structure to improve well-being of the people in this study area.

Habitat selection and spatial behaviour of vulnerable juvenile lemon sharks: Implications for conservation

Nearshore environments represent important habitat for many marine vertebrates during their early-life stages. Globally, these coastal sites are impacted by human activities that have the potential to negatively impact biodiversity in ways we do not yet fully appreciate. To improve our understanding of the relevance of mangrove removal in tropical elasmobranch nursery grounds, we studied the globally Vulnerable lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) in a mangrove-fringed lagoon in Bimini, The Bahamas, following a decade of coastal development and habitat disruption. We used two years of acoustic telemetry detections and generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs) to evaluate the link between juvenile shark spatial behaviour and six features of their physical environment. AIC-adjusted model-averaged predictions of habitat selection demonstrated that distance from the central mangrove forest was the most important feature for sharks. After updating model averaging to account for overall preference for proximity to the central forest, we found that medium density seagrass was secondarily preferred over all other habitat types (bare sand, sargassum, urban and rocky outcrops, and deep water) within the core use area (probability of use ≥ 50 %). Locally, our results support including this core area in future marine protected area considerations. More broadly, in the face of rapid global population declines of many elasmobranchs and wide-spread habitat fragmentation in coastal marine nurseries, we identified widely applicable habitat features underpinning an area of high ecological significance for a threatened shark during a vulnerable life stage and outlined a habitat selection framework suitable for using marine vertebrate movement data as ecological indicators for future applied conservation.

Automated Shape Correction for Wood Composites in Continuous Pressing

The effective and comprehensive utilization of forest resources has become the theme of the global “dual-carbon strategy”. Forestry restructured wood is a kind of wood-based panel made of wood-based fiber composite material by high-temperature and high-pressure restructuring–molding, and has become an important material in the field of construction, furniture manufacturing, as well as derivative processing for its excellent physical and mechanical properties, decorative properties, and processing performance. Taking Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) as the recombinant material as the research object, an event-triggered synergetic control mechanism based on interventional three-way decision making is proposed for the viscoelastic multi-field coupling-distributed agile control of the “fixed thickness section” in the MDF continuous flat-pressing process, where some typical quality control problems of complex plate shape deviations including thickness, slope, depression, and bump tend to occur. Firstly, the idea of constructing the industrial event information of continuous hot pressing based on information granulation is proposed, and the information granulation model of the viscoelastic plate shape process mechanism is established by combining the multi-field coupling effect. Secondly, an FMEA-based cyber granular method for diagnosing and controlling the plate thickness diagnosis and control failure information expression of continuous flat pressing is proposed for the problems of plate thickness control failure and plate thickness deviation defect elimination that are prone to occur in the continuous flat-pressing process. The precise control of the plate thickness in the production process is realized based on event-triggered control to achieve the intelligent identification and processing of the various types of faults. The application test is conducted in the international mainstream production line of a certain type of continuous hot-pressing equipment for the production of 18 mm plate thickness; the synergistic effect is basically synchronized after 3 s, the control accuracy reaches 30%, and the average value of the internal bond strength is 1.40, which ensures the integrity of the slab. Practical tests show that the method in the actual production is feasible and effective, with detection and control accuracy of up to ±0.05 mm, indicating that in the production of E0- and E1-level products, the rate of superior products can reach more than 95%.

Utilisation of Sentinel-2A Imagery for Estimation of Mangrove Carbon Stock in Mamminasata Area, South Sulawesi

Population growth and land conversion have led to the degradation of mangrove forests on the southern coast of South Sulawesi, especially the Mamminasata area. Reduced mangroves increase carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. However, data on the potential carbon absorption of mangroves is still lacking. To overcome this, remote sensing is used to estimate carbon reserves. This reseach utilises Sentinel-2A imagery to estimate mangrove carbon stocks in Mamminasata. The image processing process includes radiometric correction, atmospheric correction, image classification, and extraction of NDVI values. The NDVI value is used to classify the density of mangroves into sparse, medium, and dense, covering 1,244.75 hectares. Field data collection was carried out through a survey of forest stand measurements. The results of NDVI transformation show a value range of 0.2 to 0.8 for mangrove objects in the Mamminasata area. The NDVI data on the analysed images were then made into three density classes. The rare density class has a carbon value of 3.56 – 21.16 Ton C/ha, the medium density class is between 21.17 – 31.49 Ton C/ha, and the dense density class is between 31.50 – 39.18 Ton C/ha. Regression analysis shows a strong correlation between NDVI and carbon stock (R² = 0.7134). This study confirms the effectiveness of remote sensing in environmental monitoring and mangrove conservation. These findings support conservation efforts and sustainable management policies by highlighting areas with high carbon sequestration potential.

Effects of Different Stocking Densities on the Growth, Antioxidant Status, and Intestinal Bacterial Communities of Carp in the Rice–Fish Co-Culture System

Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is a freshwater fish commonly farmed in rice fields, yet there were few studies on the intestinal functions and microbial community structure of common carp in the rice–carp co-culture system. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of different stocking densities on the growth, antioxidant status, and intestinal bacterial composition of common carp in this system. This study was divided into three different stocking densities, including low density (LD, 10 fish, 52.9 g/m2), medium density (MD, 20 fish, 105.8 g/m2), and high density (HD, 30 fish, 158.7 g/m2), with a culturing period of 60 days. The results indicated that HD treatment inhibited the growth of common carp, as evidenced by the reduced final weight, WG, and SGR. In serum, the TG content in the HD group and the Cor content in the MD group were significantly increased. Meanwhile, HD treatment induced oxidative stress, manifesting specifically as increased SOD and CAT activities in the intestine or serum while reducing Gpx, GSH, and T-AOC in the serum. The 16S rDNA analysis indicated that the Simpson and Shannon indices of intestinal microbiota in the HD group were significantly higher than those in the LD group. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Firmicutes were dominant microbial communities in two groups. In addition, there was a significant difference between the two groups in the abundances of Actinobacterota and Bifidobacterium. Based on growth performances, biochemical indicators, and microbial diversity in rice–carp co-culture, low density (52.9 g/m2) may be more suitable in the rice–carp co-culture systems. In summary, this study contributes to a better understanding of common carp response to different stocking densities in the rice–carp co-culture system.

First Constraints on Compact Binary Environments from LIGO-Virgo Data.

The LIGO-Virgo analyses of signals from compact binary mergers observed so far have assumed isolated binary systems in a vacuum, neglecting the potential presence of astrophysical environments. We present here the first investigation of environmental effects on each of the events of GWTC-1 and two low-mass events from GWTC-2. We find no evidence for the presence of environmental effects. Most of the events decisively exclude the scenario of dynamical fragmentation of massive stars as their formation channel. GW170817 results in the most stringent upper bound on the medium density (≲21 g/cm^{3}). We find that environmental effects can substantially bias the recovered parameters in the vacuum model, even when these effects are not detectable. We forecast that the Einstein Telescope and B-DECIGO will be able to probe the environmental effects of accretion disks and superradiant boson clouds on compact binaries.

Exploring cosmic ray energy loss mechanisms: Insights from Bethe-Bloch, modified bethe-bloch, and inverse compton scattering equations

This study delves into the intricate dynamics of cosmic ray energy loss mechanisms, employing three distinct mathematical approaches: the Bethe-Bloch equation, the modified Bethe-Bloch equation, and the inverse compton scattering equation. The Bethe-Bloch equation elucidates the ionization and bremsstrahlung processes governing cosmic ray interactions with plasma mediums, providing foundational insights into energy loss phenomena. Expanding upon this, the modified Bethe-Bloch equation integrates additional factors such as medium density and magnetic fields, refining our understanding of cosmic ray propagation in diverse astrophysical environments. Moreover, the inverse Compton scattering equation uncovers the energy loss mechanisms associated with cosmic ray interactions with photons in the interstellar medium, contributing essential insights into high-energy astrophysical phenomena. Through mathematical derivations, numerical computations, and graphical analyses, our investigation reveals the intricate dependencies of final cosmic ray energy on various parameters, including initial energy, target photon density, and magnetic field strength. Furthermore, our findings have broader implications for astrophysical processes such as gamma-ray emission and cosmic-ray acceleration mechanisms. By elucidating the complex interplay between cosmic rays and their surrounding environments, this study advances our understanding of high-energy astrophysical phenomena and provides a framework for future research in this field.

Dimensional Stability Properties of Medium-Density Fiberboards Produced Using Silicone-Based Chemicals

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two different silicon-based water-repellent chemicals (Dow Corning 87 and Xiameter PMX-200 1000cs) added to melamine urea formaldehyde glue (1.07 mol, 5 % melamine additive) in different proportions (0.5 %, 1.0 %, 1.5 % and 3.0 %) on the dimensional properties (swelling-shrinkage and length extension and shrinkage) of the medium density fiberboard. In the context of the study, the dimensional stability properties of the boards were measured based on the TS EN 318:2005 standard. It was observed that, when the relative humidity of the air conditioning room increased from 65 % to 85 %, the swelling decreased and the extension increased, respectively, in the thickness and length directions of the boards produced with silicon-based chemicals (compared to the control board produced without using silicone-based chemicals). On the other hand, it was determined that the shrinkage in the thickness and length direction of the boards decreased when the relative humidity of the air-conditioning room was reduced from 65 % to 30 %. Moreover, the dimensional stability properties of medium density boards produced with silicon-based chemicals increased (resistance to moisture).

Impact of natural urban terrain on the pedestrian wind environment in neighborhoods: A CFD study with both wind and buoyancy-driven scenarios

The impact of topography on airflow has been studied at different scales, however the influence of urban natural terrain on local wind conditions is unclear. In this study, the impact of natural urban terrain on mean wind speed at the pedestrian level is investigated. A numerical study is conducted using a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model for a high-density residential neighbourhood in Singapore with the natural terrain and a flat surface. The following two wind variations are examined (1) low wind speed and high temperature conditions for which the atmospheric boundary layer exhibits unstable thermal stratification; (2) annually averaged wind conditions with neutral thermal stratification. The results show that the overall impact of natural urban terrain on pedestrian wind speed is pronounced when the wind environment exhibits unstable thermal stratification i.e. buoyancy driven flows, compared with wind driven flows. For both cases, the results indicate a localized effect based on building density and proximity to steep terrain with spatial averages as high as approximately 0.8 m/s. In areas characterized by low density, fewer surrounding buildings, or open spaces, it is advisable to model the topography when it is shallow or steeply sloping. For medium density built areas, natural urban terrain modelling is also recommended. However, it is observed that in a high-density region, pedestrian wind flow is more strongly affected by the surrounding buildings than the terrain. These results are potentially important to balance computational cost and accuracy in urban wind simulations in urban areas with various densities and microclimate scenarios.

Impact of fiber structure on the heat and mass transfer characteristics of medium density fiberboard from fractal-based microstructure reconstruction

Microwave heating can rapidly desorb residual volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde in medium density fiberboard (MDF) because of its penetration and selective heating characteristics. To further understanding the desorption of formaldehyde from MDF by microwave heating, it’s essential to reveal the relationship between specific fiber structure and the heat and mass transfer characteristics of MDF. The study used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to acquire the microstructural characteristics of MDF before and after low-temperature (350 ℃) pyrolysis treatment, including porosity and pore size distribution. A reconstruction model of MDF incorporating fractal theory and microstructural information was developed to explore the impacts of fiber structure on the heat and mass transfer parameters. The results indicate that low-temperature pyrolysis has a minimal impact on the pore structure of MDF, the porosity increased to ∼ 45 % from ∼ 40 % after slightly pyrolysis while the average pore diameter is maintained at 7 μm, thus the changes in structure can be disregarded when studying microwave-induced desorption of VOCs in MDF. Further analysis combined with fractal reconstructed structure shows that the inherent fiber organization in MDF introduces anisotropy to the mass transfer parameters, resulting in approximately ∼ 10 % higher mass transfer capability perpendicular to the thickness direction compared to that along the thickness direction. However, the heat transfer parameters of MDF are not significantly affected by the fibre structure, which indicates its isotropy. This study provides a theoretical basis for future research on microwave-induced desorption of VOCs in MDF by offering insights into heat and mass transfer theory.

Polymer-Assisted Polymorph Transition in Melt-Processed Molecular Semiconductor Crystals.

A previously unreported polymorph of 5,11-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)anthradithiophene (TIPS ADT), Form II, crystallizes from melt-processed TIPS ADT films blended with 16 ± 1 wt % medium density polyethylene (PE). TIPS ADT/PE blends that initially are crystallized from the melt produce twisted TIPS ADT crystals of a metastable polymorph (Form IV, space group P1̅) with a brickwork packing motif distinct from the slipstack packing by solution-processed TIPS ADT crystals (Form I, space group P21/c) at room temperature. When these films were cooled to room temperature and subsequently annealed at 100 °C, near a PE melting temperature of 110 °C, Form II crystals nucleated and grew while consuming Form IV. The growth rate and orientations of Form II crystals were predetermined by the twisting pitch and growth direction of the original banded spherulites in the melt-processed films of the blends. Notably, the Form IV → II transition was not observed during thermal annealing of neat TIPS ADT films without PE. The presence of the mobile PE phase during thermal annealing of TIPS ADT/PE blend films increases the diffusion rate of TIPS ADT molecules, and the rate of nucleation of Form II. Form IV crystals are more conductive but less emissive compared to Form II crystals.

Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Quantitative Trait Loci and Candidate Genes Associated with High Interferon-gamma Production in Holstein Cattle Naturally Infected with Mycobacterium Bovis.

Mycobacterium bovis (Mb) is the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTb). Genetic selection aiming to identify less susceptible animals has been proposed as a complementary measure in ongoing programs toward controlling Mb infection. However, individual animal phenotypes for bTb based on interferon-gamma (IFNɣ) and its use in bovine selective breeding programs have not been explored. In the current study, IFNɣ production was measured using a specific IFNɣ ELISA kit in bovine purified protein derivative (bPPD)-stimulated blood samples collected from Holstein cattle. DNA isolated from the peripheral blood samples collected from the animals included in the study was genotyped with the EuroG Medium Density bead Chip, and the genotypes were imputed to whole-genome sequences. A genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) revealed that the IFNɣ in response to bPPD was associated with a specific genetic profile (heritability = 0.23) and allowed the identification of 163 SNPs, 72 quantitative trait loci (QTLs), 197 candidate genes, and 8 microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with this phenotype. No negative correlations between this phenotype and other phenotypes and traits included in the Spanish breeding program were observed. Taken together, our results define a heritable and distinct immunogenetic profile associated with strong production of IFNɣ in response to Mb.