Rough Texture Research Articles

33577 Novel 10% multi-acid serum provides clinical acne and complexion benefits in subjects with mild to moderate acne

Acne vulgaris, a multifactorial skin disease, affects both the patient’s physical and emotional well-being. While standard over-the-counter options have been readily available, new solutions are needed that would address complexion issues, such as rough texture, uneven tone, and postacne marks. As abnormal desquamation is an important factor in both acne formation and uneven complexion, topical ingredients that enhance cell turnover rate, such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and polyhydroxy acids (PHAs), can play an important role in improving acne patients’ skin; however, AHAs can be irritating, especially at higher levels. A novel 10% multiacid serum combining exfoliating 5% glycolic acid; 2.5% mandelic acid; a lipophilic AHA ideal for acne-prone skin; 2.5% gluconolactone, a gentle PHA with humectancy and skin clarifying properties; and 0.5% salicylic acid was developed and evaluated for its unique ability to balance improvements in mild-to-moderate acne patients with tolerability for daily use. Acne improvement, skin complexion benefits, and tolerability of this novel daily-use multi-acid serum were assessed in a 12-week clinical study in 31 male and female subjects across diverse skin tones. A statistically significant reduction (P < .05) in total acne lesions was seen as early as 2 weeks, and global severity improvement by 4 weeks. Significant improvements in uneven tone, texture, post-acne marks, and skin blotchiness by investigator assessment was shown, and an acne-related Quality of Life Assessment (aQOL) demonstrated improvement in subject emotional well-being. There were no reported adverse events, and this multi-acid serum was considered well-tolerated for daily use.

Comparison of lightweight and normal-weight aggregate concrete

In this experimental study, lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) and normal-weight aggregate concrete (NWAC) were compared within the contexts of the size of calcium hydroxide (CH) crystals in interfacial transition zone (ITZ), compressive strength, and oven-dry density. Six LWAC and NWAC mixtures were prepared for this study. Thirty-six images obtained from Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were used to determine the size of CH crystals in ITZ of LWAC and NWAC. Eighteen test specimens (three for each of the six LWAC and NWAC mixtures) were prepared in 150x300 mm sizes and in the form of cylinders for the compressive strength tests and also eighteen test specimens in 100x100x100 mm sizes and in the form of cubes for the oven-dry density tests. It was determined that the size of CH crystals in ITZ of LWAC is 8.43% less than (on average), compressive strength of LWAC is 39.09% more than (on average), and oven-dry density of LWAC is 10.97% less than (on average) the NWAC’s that has the same volumetric proportions of ingredients. The findings of this study show that lightweight aggregate that has high particle density, angular shape, rough surface texture, and a structure that enables chemical reaction with CH crystals will be beneficial for the ITZ microstructure and properties of concrete. It is considered that these properties should be taken into consideration in the selection of lightweight aggregate for structural concrete production.

KARATERISTIK SIFAT FISIKA DAN MEKANIKA PAPAN LAMINASI KAYU BAYUR (Pterospermum diversifolium) SEBAGAI BAHAN SUBSTITUSI PAPAN SOLID

Bayur wood is included in strong class III with a specific gravity ranging from 0.30-0.70 (average 0.53) and has a slightly rough texture but generally has a smooth and shiny surface. This research will look at the characteristics of bayur wood laminated boards as a substitute for solid boards. To determine the quality of the laminated board produced, it is necessary to test the physical and mechanical properties of the resulting laminated board. The method used in this study used an experimental method with an experimental design using a non-factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Based on the results of the research on bayur wood laminated boards, it can be concluded that the value of the physical and mechanical properties of laminated boards has met the standards of SNI 03-2105-2006 and JAS JAS 234-2007 except for the thickness shrinkage and Modulus of Elasticity (MoE) tests. Laur weight treatment did not significantly affect all tests of physical and mechanical properties of Bajur wood laminated boards except for testing the moisture content and Modulus of Rupture (MoR). Based on the standard of wood strength class, laminated boards from Bayur wood are equivalent to wood with strength class III

Single-step fabricated disordered pyramidal nanostructures for large-scale broadband visible light absorber with high-temperature stability

While the advances in material science have led to excellent absorption and bandwidth for visible light absorbers, the sophisticated and time-consuming fabrication in micro and nano scales makes it the bottleneck of large-scale manufacturing. Without complex structural patterning, an absorber consisting of a single layer of chromium film is fabricated on a 4-inch silicon wafer by single-step physical vapor deposition. Benefiting from disordered pyramidal nanostructures, this absorber achieves beyond 90% absorption in the range of 300 to 850 nm. Compared to the chromium film without nanostructures, it improves the absorption by more than 80%, and obtains a more uniform absorption with relative absorption bandwidth (RAB) of 96.3%. Simulated results demonstrate the excellent absorption is attributed to numerous disordered pyramidal nanostructures with rough texture and random gaps. This absorber shows the great potential of broadband absorption with angle insensitivity in visible region and sustainable light capture at high temperatures, and its fabrication is facile, low-cost, and compatible with mass production and CMOS process.

Relationship Between Biometric Factor of the Host and Giant Piper's Growth (Piper decumanum L.) in the Education Forest of Papua University, Manokwari

The biometric factors of the host, soil properties, microclimate, and biologic components are influencing the growth of climber Piper species. However, ecological data is rarely available in scientific journals. This research aims to determine the relationship between host plant biometric factors and P. decumanum growth in the University of Papua Manokwari education forest. The data were acquired using the systematic line method, with the hypothetical plot and sampling tree as the center of the plot. The relationship between the host's biometric factor and the growth of P. decumanum is evaluated using partial correlation analysis. Stands with a large DBH, high density, and rough bark texture are preferred by P. decumanum. The number of individuals and the total height of P. decumanum increased with DBH, crown area, branch-free height, total height, crown height, skin texture, and affected shade area. The number of individuals was limited by total height, branch-free height, crown height, skin texture, and crown area. On the other hand, the shaded area prevented P. decumanum from growing taller. P. decumanum most probably requires a large vertical growing space to share with the same species and other climbing species, possibly requiring support to reach the maximum height of the forest canopy. The adhesive root's ability to cling is influenced by the roughness of the host bark, and a broad shade is required to control the microclimate factors.

Systematic reinstatement of the Sumatra endemic species Mangiferasumatrana Miq. (Anacardiaceae).

Mangiferasumatrana Miq. is an endemic species from Sumatra. The taxonomic status of M.sumatrana remains unclear and is currently treated as a synonym of M.laurina. The present study employed morphological and palynological characters and molecular analyses to address the delimitation between the two species. Pollen observations were carried out with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Phylogenetic relationships were investigated using the ITS and the trnl-F intergenic spacer markers. M.sumatrana differs from M.laurina by having pyramidal panicles with a low density of pale yellow flowers pale, sepals 3-3.5 × 1.7-2 mm, fruit roundish to flattened with pale yellow pulp, a rough fibre texture, and pollen with a prolate spheroidal shape. The MP phylogenetic tree showed a divergent boundary between the two species suggesting that M.sumatrana could be an independent species, not a variety of M.laurina. The present study supports the view that these two taxa can be treated as different species.

Fabrication and Characterization of Sericin-PVA Composite Films from Gonometa postica, Gonometa rufobrunnea, and Argema mimosae: Potentially Applicable in Biomaterials.

This study deals with the fabrication and characterization of sericin-poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite films from three southern African silkworm cocoons. The sericin-PVA films were achieved by chemically cross-linking poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with pure silk sericin protein using glutaraldehyde (GA) as a cross-linking agent. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results confirmed the overall cross-linking of pure silk sericin into PVA-GA networks to form cross-linked sericin-PVA films. This incident was shown by the incorporation of distinct major amide I (ν = 1640–1650 cm–1), amide II (ν = 1538–1540 cm–1), and amide III (ν = 1238–1244 cm–1) peaks. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed sericin-PVA films to have two features, one representing amorphous and crystalline regions of silk sericin and the other representing sharp high-intensity PVA peaks at around 2θ = 20.2°, demonstrating a high crystallinity in the films as a result of the hydroxyl groups in its side chain. The swelling capacity of the three sericin-PVA films was influenced by the glutaraldehyde content used during the cross-linking process and pH of the aqueous medium into which the films were immersed after a period of time. The water contact angles of the sericin-PVA films were low, at 56.6 ± 0.56 and 60.2 ± 0.86, indicating further their hydrophilic nature. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the sericin-PVA films showed a rough texture with a granular network pattern on their surface. From the preliminary results, it was observed that the cytotoxicity of three sericin strains (Gonometa rufobrunnea, Argema mimosae, and Gonometa postica) had a cell viability percentage of 103, 90, and 80% respectively, demonstrating their biocompatibility in providing a favorable natural microenvironment for cell culture. The characterization results of the three silk sericin-PVA films demonstrated their potential for application in biomedical and biomaterial fields.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of speed tables combined with other traffic calming measures and their community acceptance in Mauritius

Traffic Calming Measures (TCMs) are believed to be most effective in mitigating road safety issues when combined together as part of a traffic calming scheme. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of speed tables in combination with other TCMs in reducing vehicle speed while simultaneously assessing their acceptance by the community in Mauritius. Four speed table design combinations implemented at identified high risk road segments were analysed in this research. These are: (1) Speed table in combination with rumble strips and changed surfacing; (2) Speed table in combination with pinch points and changed surfacing; (3) Speed table and changed surfacing; and (4) Two speed tables in combination with round-top humps and changed surfacing. On-site surveys were carried out using the moving car method and android speedometer application for spot speed measurements and face-to-face questionnaire interviews to gauge community acceptance. All four design combinations were found to result into a speed reduction of between 30 and 50% at the centre of the traffic calmed zone. However, it was observed that rumble strips did not have the desired effect of reducing vehicular speed and were not favoured by people in the community due to noise and vibration associated with them. Additionally, the community acceptance survey indicated that the public generally viewed speed table combinations as having positive impact on road user safety, with people finding that a pavement with rough surface texture and a change in colour would provide the highest impact for speed reduction. The study has shown that policy makers should consider speed tables in combination with pinch points for implementation where pedestrian crossings are required while speed tables with humps should be considered outside residential areas to minimise disturbance.

Sintesis Bioplastik Ramah Lingkungan Berbasis Pati Biji Durian dengan Filler Selulosa Sabut Kelapa

Conventional plastic has become a concern because it is a problem for the environment. Bioplastics made from starch and natural polymers such as cellulose from coconut fiber can be a solution to these plastic problems. This study aims to synthesize and characterize bioplastics made from durian seed starch with sorbitol as a plasticizer and coconut coir cellulose as a filler. This research consisted of several stages of the procedure including the extraction of durian seed starch, isolation of coco coir cellulose, synthesis of bioplastics, and characterization of bioplastics. Bioplastics are made by the melt intercalation method. The resulting bioplastics were characterized by FTIR and mechanical tests (elastic modulus and tensile strength). In this study, the starch produced was characterized by a yellowish-white color and a rough texture with a yield of 10.95%. Before being used as a bioplastic filler, the coconut coir powder was bleached using H2O2 in a base condition to reduce the presence of lignin and hemicellulose. Based on the FTIR spectrum, the bleaching process was indicated by a decrease in the intensity of the absorption peak at wavenumbers of 1246 cm-1 and 1642 cm-1 which were characteristic absorptions for lignin and hemicellulose. The results of the mechanical test showed that the bioplastic composition with the highest tensile strength and modulus of elasticity was owned by bioplastic with 4% cellulose, namely 7.28 MPa and 0.73 MPa.

Essential Oil Constituents and Pharmacognostic Evaluation of Java Citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus) stem from Bandung, West Java, Indonesia

BACKGROUND: Cymbopogon winterianus essential oil contains citral-derived chemicals with a variety of pharmacological effects, although there has been minimal research on pharmacognostic, phytochemical, and biological aspects.&#x0D; AIM: This research aims to evaluate the pharmacognostic and chemical components of C. winterianus stem essential oil.&#x0D; METHODS: The pharmacognostic studies were carried out in terms of macroscopic, microscopic, water content, water extractive values, ethanol extractive values, and essential oil yield. The oil was extracted by ethanol steam distillation method, the oil composition was analyzed by GC-MS.&#x0D; RESULTS: Cymbopogon winterianus stems are 15-35 cm long and 0.5-2 cm broad, with a rough, stiff, and thin texture, with prominent fibers on the top and bottom surfaces. It has a bitter and slightly spicy taste with a distinctive lemony aroma and was greenish yellow in hue with a blend of purplish-red colors. The upper and lower epidermis was examined under a microscope, which revealed sclerenchyma fibers, trichomes, parenchyma, calcium oxalate (rosette), cortex, stem pith, oil cells, stomata (Gramineae type), trachea (ladder and spiral thickening), and collenchyma. The water content was 7.16±0.72%, the water-soluble extractive value was 12.152±0.003%, the ethanol-soluble extractive value was 12.290 ±0.76%, and the essential oil content was 6.46±0.50%. Essential oil constituents were 6-octen-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, formate; trifluoroacetyl-lavandulol; n-hexadecanoic acid; 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-; oxacyclotetradecane-2,11-dione, 13-methyl-; palmitic acid vinyl ester; glycidyl palmitate; 9,17-Octadecadienal, (Z)-; glycidyl palmitoleate; 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)benzene; and cyclotrisiloxane, hexamethyl-.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: The essential oil constituents and preliminary pharmacognostic evaluation of Cymbopogon winterianus stem can provide useful data for further phytochemical analysis, quality control, and standardization of Cymbopogon winterianus. Citronellyl formate detected as citral derivatives as the main compound in the ethanol steam distillation method.

Characterization of biosorption potential of Brevibacillus biomass isolated from contaminated water resources for removal of Pb (II) ions.

Various activities of different industries are found to be the main reason for water pollution with heavy metals. Use of microorganisms that are tolerant even of a high concentration of metal ions could be a valuable tool for remediation of contaminated water resources. In the present study, microorganisms that showed high resistance to lead ions were isolated and evaluated for biosorption efficiency for removal of lead ions from waste water. Biochemical identification and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the isolated strain was Brevibacillus. The conditions of pH, biomass concentration, temperature, time, agitation and Initial concentration of metal for biosorption of Pb (II) were optimized. Based on induction coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis, the biosorption efficiency of Brevibacillus at optimized conditions of initial metal concentration of 150 μg/mL, 1 g/L of biomass dose, pH 6.0, 40 °C, for 12 h at 80 rpm was 78.58% and the biosorption capacity (qe) is 128.58 mg/g of the biosorbent. Of the three isotherm models investigated, the Freundlich isotherm model was identified as a good fit with high correlation coefficient, while kinetic data followed the pseudo first order model as best fit. Surface characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed morphological changes with a bulged rod-shape cell having metal depositions and rough texture. The presence of lead within the cell was detected by transmission emission microscopy (TEM). The key functional groups that participate in biosorption were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and were found to be carboxyl, hydroxyl, amino and phosphate groups. From the real-time study, it proves that the biomass of Brevibacillus can be used as a promising biosorbent for removal of metals including lead from waste water.

Effects of particle shape on dynamic mechanical behaviours of coral sand under one-dimensional compression

Coral sand is characterized by high porosity, high compressibility and high crushability mainly due to its irregular particle shape and internal pore structure. Single coral particles in a size fraction tend to have a variety of shapes from bulky to flaky, which emerges as one of the most pivotal factors affecting the macro-scale performances of coral sand. A series of confined one-dimensional dynamic compression tests were conducted on coral sand with four classified shapes (e.g., blocky, dendritic and rodlike, flaky particles, and coral debris) via a modified 37-mm-diameter split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus. The effects of particle shape on the dynamic mechanical behaviours of coral sand at high strain rates were assessed in terms of the stress-strain response, compressibility, particle breakage and the change in particle shape measures. It is revealed that coral sand exhibits high small-strain stiffness, a low crushing strength, a notable strain hardening and a high compressibility behaviour as subjected to dynamic compression at high strain rates. In the low-stress level, it is the high interparticle friction and interlocking induced by the irregular shape form and rough surface texture that lead to a gentle descending tendency in the void ratio. While in the high-stress level, it is the particle crushing along with its rearrangement that results in the high compressibility of the coral sand assemblage. In general, the particle crushing strength tends to decrease as the particle shape shifts from bulky to elongated and to flaky. The large-strain stiffness decreases and the compressibility increases with an increase in the overall particle irregularity. Coral particles are prone to be more spherical and smoother as the average degrees of sphericity, convexity and aspect ratio approach to unity, due mainly to the intense asperity damage and primary fracture under dynamic tests. Furthermore, the percentage in the degrees of sphericity, convexity, aspect ratio and flatness increases with respect to the initial degrees of themselves. It can be further postulated that the extent of breakage could be quantified by the statistical change in the particle measures such as sphericity and convexity aside from particle dimensions for granular materials with irregular shapes.

Synthesis and Characterization of Chitosan with Silica (CS) Nanocomposite with Enhanced Antibacterial Activity

A mixture of nanocomposite material has been obtained by in situ formations of an inorganic network in the presence of a preformed organic polymer. Chitosan biopolymer is the most common and then silica is used in composite materials, which were used for the sol-gel reaction. The average particles size of nanocomposite powder is 63.33nm as measured by XRD. Chitosan-silica nanocomposite (CS) has a rough surface texture which appears as agglomerates of varied sizes and shapes of microfibrils and separate binding crystalline structure measured by SEM. The agar well diffusion assay is used to confirm the inhibition zone of bacteria. The nanocomposite showed antibacterial activity when tested against the pathogens gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria. Further, the synthesized nanocomposite was characterized by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Particle size analysis (PSA), UV–vis absorption spectroscopy (UV) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

Organoleptic and Morphological Analysis of Citrus Peel Powder

Processing of citrus fruits results in production of a large amount of by product and a major part of this by product is its peels. These peels have the potential of acting as a good nutraceutical resource owing to its high dietary fibre content and phenolic content. However, these peels are under-utilised despite their claimed health benefits. This study evaluates the morphological structure, functional properties and sensory attributes of sweet lime peel and orange peel powder with a aim of providing an economical ingredient for the development of functional foods. Peels of sweet lime and orange were transformed into powder through solar drying followed by grinding. In the present study, we have compared the morphology and organoleptic constituents of orange peel powder (OPP) and sweet lime peel powder (SLPP). The morphology of the two samples was studied by SEM and element composition was studied and analysed by EDX. Organoleptic and sensory attributes were analyzed by a 9 pointer hedonic scale rating. Peel powders were also compared for two functional properties i.e. their Solubility Index and Swelling Power. Orange peel powder (OPP) had a better sensory rating than Sweet lime peel powder (SLPP). The morphology of both powders was same but SLPP had a slightly rough texture than OPP.

Mechanical Properties of Stone Mastic Asphalt Incorporating Nano Titanium Modified Asphalt Binder

Due to its rough surface texture, Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) can create great qualities, such as good skid resistance and better visibility during rainy days, as well as optimal light reflection. The service life of SMA, on the other hand, reduces owing to a rapid increase in traffic loads, heavy traffic, and environmental conditions. TiO2's stable qualities and optimal content can help to improve the performance of modified asphalt at a reasonable cost and with low filler content. This study explores the effect of nano titanium on the performance of stone mastic asphalt. Virgin bitumen is modified with 2% and 4% of nano titanium by bitumen weight. The physical properties of the bitumen are accessed by carrying tests such as penetration tests, softening points, and ductility. The results show that the modified bitumen samples of 2% Nano-TiO2 powder content for bituminous tests have enhanced hardness, consistency, and ductility. While for the performance tests for the SMA samples are abrasion, Marshall stability, resilient modulus, and dynamic creep. Overall, 2% Nano-TiO2 powder content has been determined for the optimum content and best performance, where it provides high stability, strength and enhances stiffness effectiveness, which can improve SMA performance. However, the findings show lack of awareness and research is a factor that does not receive special consideration from the industry or the government. Therefore, the sharing of ideas and technology for each continuous research is needed to improve construction quality.

Characterization of crack resistance mechanism of fiber modified emulsified asphalt cold recycling mixture based on acoustic emission parameters

In the present study, to solve the problem of poor early strength and crack resistance of emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture, the enhancement and fracture mechanism of fiber on emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture were studied from multi-scale. The effect of fiber on the macroscopic mechanical properties of emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture was studied by early and molding strength, dry-wet splitting ratio test and fracture energy index of semi-circular bending specimen. Optimum fiber types and dosages for emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixes have been selected. The relationship between crack evolution and acoustic emission parameters activity of fiber emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture is studied, which reflects the microscopic failure mechanism of the material. The microstructure and morphology of fibers in the mixture were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that both fibers can improve the strength and crack resistance of emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture. Basalt fiber has better adsorption and anchoring effect on asphalt due to its high modulus and rough surface texture. The optimum dosage is 0.3 % of the mixture quality. Fracture characteristics of fiber emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture are reflected by acoustic emission parameters. At the optimum fiber content, the acoustic emission parameters showed that the time from micro-cracks to macro-cracks in the fiber-emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture was 122.22% longer than that in the control group. Basalt fiber plays the role of reinforcing crack resistance and anchorage in emulsified asphalt mixture, delaying the expansion of micro cracks.

Portable sensitive and selective biosensing assay of dopamine in live cells using dual phosphorus and nitrogen doped carbon urchin-like structure

• Portable nanosensor using a carbon-based material is designed for healthcare sector. • The interdigitated electrode array (IDA) is designed by P-,N-doped carbon material. • A portable nanosensor detected dopamine (DA) secreted from human neuronal cell line. • The sensor showed a selective detection of DA molecules with a LOD of 0.1 nM. • Portable DA-sensor assay offered good reproducibility and compatible in-vitro assay. Portable sensors for detecting biomolecules have been widely applied in designing a new generation of clinical and biomedical devices. A portable sensor-based device was designed to integrate the interdigitated electrode array (IDA) decorated by dual phosphorus and nitrogen doped carbon urchin-like (P-, N-doped CU) structure. The morphological structure, surface nature of porosity and surface area, and electrochemical sensing property to signaling dopamine (DA) molecules of P-, N-doped CU were investigated under various annealing temperatures and activation. The P-, N-doped CU-800 K showed the best active surface materials with urchin-like round shape morphology covered by nano-dendritic ends. The outer surface with a rough texture of connected nano-dendrites formed multiple grooves, U-undulates, and a high mass-to-volume ratio that facilitated molecular diffusion and increased the loading of DA molecules on the active electrode surface. The P-, N-doped graphitic carbon chain produced a functionalized surface with N and P groups creating several plane edge defects and enriching the surface by massive negative charges. These intrinsic features formed an active interfacial surface with fast electron diffusion, low surface charge resistance, high loading, and strong binding to DA molecules. The P-, N-doped CU-800 K/IDA showed high sensitivity (4461.4 µA/µM × cm 2 ), low detection limit of 0.1 nM, wide linear range of 0.01 – 0.5 µM, good selectivity, high stability, low cytotoxicity, and biocompatibility. Therefore, the designed portable sensor of P, N-doped CU-800 K/IDA can be used for on-site detection of DA secreted from the human neuronal cell line model (SHSY-5Y) with a high sensitivity.

Effects of Ball Milling Combined With Cellulase Treatment on Physicochemical Properties and in vitro Hypoglycemic Ability of Sea Buckthorn Seed Meal Insoluble Dietary Fiber.

To improve the rough texture and hypoglycemic ability of sea buckthorn insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), a novel combined modification method was developed in this study. The IDF was treated with ball milling and cellulase treatment to obtain co-modified insoluble dietary fiber (CIDF). The physicochemical and functional properties of IDF, milled insoluble dietary fiber (MIDF), and CIDF were studied. After treatments, MIDF had smaller particle sizes and a looser structure, and CIDF exhibited a wrinkled surface and sparse porous structure according to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction. Compared to IDF, MIDF and CIDF showed improved water-holding, oil-binding, and swelling capacities, improved by 16.13, 14.29, and 15.38%, and 38.5, 22.2, and 25.0%, for MIDF and CIDF, respectively. The cation exchange ability of modified samples showed improvement as well. Treatments also changed the fluidity of MIDF and CIDF. Due to the smaller particles and increased stacking, the bulk density (BD) and angle of repose of MIDF improved by 33.3% and 4.1° compared to IDF, whereas CIDF had a looser structure and thus decreased by 7.1% and 13.3° with increased fluidity. Moreover, the modification also enhanced the effects of CIDF on glucose adsorption, glucose diffusion inhibition, starch digestion inhibition, starch pasting interference, and α-amylase activity inhibition. In summary, IDF modified by ball milling combined with cellulose treatment could be developed as a functional ingredient for regulating glucose content.

An objective fabric pilling evaluation based on wavelet transform and Gabor filter

A new objective fabric pilling detection method is proposed for monochrome fabric without pattern. Firstly, through wavelet multi-resolution decomposition and reconstruction, remove the high-frequency noise such as fluff which is significantly different from the size of pills and low-frequency noise such as uneven illumination. After wavelet multi-resolution decomposition of fabric image, through analyzing the energy change law between each wavelet decomposition layer, and then the fabric is judged whether it is rough or fine texture. Then, according to the different color characteristics of fine texture and rough texture fabrics, the even symmetry two-dimensional Gabor filter with smoothing effect and the odd symmetry two-dimensional Gabor filter with edge extraction ability in different directions are selected for texture removal. Finally, fabric pilling parameters are extracted to realize fabric pilling grade evaluation. The main contribution of this method is: on the premise of removing the noise such as uneven illumination and fluff, on the basis of considering the different color change laws of fine texture and rough texture, using the directionality of fabric texture and the randomness of pills direction to effectively remove the texture noise, so as to improve the accuracy of fabric pilling grade evaluation.

First report of banana freckle disease caused by Phyllosticta cavendishii in Mauritius

Banana (Musa sp.) is among the most important fruit crops grown in Mauritius with significant socioeconomic and cultural considerations. The annual production of banana approximates to around 8000 tonnes (Statistics Mauritius, 2018). Dwarf Cavendish is the main variety grown commercially in Mauritius. During the hot and humid month of February 2014, symptoms consisting of dark black spots were observed on unripe banana of Dwarf Cavendish from the region of Nouvelle Découverte (super humid zone). A disease incidence of more than 50% with a moderate to severe level of severity across the field was reported by the extension services of the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute. On the fruits, the initial symptom was tiny reddish-brown spots, bordered by dark green water-soaked margins (Figure 1). As the spots enlarged and coalesced, the surface became rough and turned black. These spots had a rough texture like sand-paper, similar to the description described by Wong et al. (2012). Comparable symptoms were observed on the leaves (Figure 2). Results from a rapid island-wide survey showed that only the Cavendish-type banana varieties displayed symptoms of infection. Out of 98 banana fields surveyed (50.9 ha), 65% were affected. Morphological identification of the suspected fungal pathogen was done using a compound light microscope. A sterile needle was used to tease pycnidia on leaves in a drop of sterile water to release conidia, before being mounted in clear lactic acid for microscopic examination. Conidia (Figure 3) formed singly at the apex of the conidiogenous cell were hyaline, aseptate, oblong to ellipsoidal, coarsely guttulate and measured 7.1-15.6 × 4.4-8.3 μm. The apical mucilaginous appendage arising from the conidium was straight to curved and was 5.1-12.9 μm long. Spermagonia were 70–125 μm in diameter and 50–85 μm high. Dumbbell-shaped spermatia (Figure 4) were hyaline, aseptate, biguttulate and measured 7.5-9.5 × 1.3-1.8 μm. These morphological characters are consistent with the species description of Phyllosticta cavendishii (Wong et al., 2012). Lesions from 11 samples of leaf and fruit with fruiting bodies were ground in liquid nitrogen followed by genomic DNA extraction. Extraction of DNA was done on c. 50 mg fresh plant tissue using the Biosprint 15 DNA Plant Kit (Qiagen, Germany). Tissues were first homogenized using a Tissuelyser (Qiagen, Germany) in a 2 ml microcentrifuge tube containing a 3 mm metal bead for two 30 second bursts at 30Hz. Two microliters of the eluted DNA was used as template in an ITS PCR amplification using AmpliTaq Gold 360 Mastermix (Applied Biosystems, USA) and 0.5 μM each of primers GMF1 and GMR2 (Wong et al., 2012). Thermal cycling conditions were 95°C for 10 min followed by 40 cycles of 95°C for 30 sec, 55°C for 30 sec and 72°C for 1 min. Final extension of PCR products was done at 72°C for 10 min. Amplicons (550bp) were directly sequenced using the same primer pair. Resulting sequences were analysed using BlastN as well as by manual comparison to known sequences of Phyllosticta isolates which cause freckle disease of banana. The causal agent from all 11 samples tested was found to be Phyllosticta cavendishii. The ITS sequences were deposited in GenBank (Accession Nos. MW520341-MW520351) and at the Queensland Plant Pathology Herbarium (BRIP 72048 to 72058). Pathogenicity was tested using twenty mature green healthy fruits of banana variety Dwarf Cavendish. Fruits were surface sterilised using 0.2% sodium hypochlorite for 2 mins, rinsed with sterilised distilled water and allowed to dry before inoculation. Ten fruits were artificially inoculated on the outer surface, clearly marked, with a conidial suspension of 106 conidia/ml, prepared from pycnidia extracted from field infected tissue. Control fruits were treated with sterile distilled water. All the fruits were covered with plastic bags for 48 hours and incubated at room temperature, 80% relative humidity and with a 12-hour photoperiod. After 7 days, typical minute black spots identical to those observed in the field, appeared on inoculated fruits, whereas controls remained healthy. The morphological characteristics of the fungus were consistent with those previously observed, hence fulfilling Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Phyllosticta cavendishii causing banana freckle disease in Mauritius. The authors acknowledge the Centre for Plant Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation for the molecular identification of Phyllosticta cavendishii and also Dr Yu Pei Tan from the Brisbane Plant Pathology Herbarium for accessioning isolates and submission into GenBank.