Traditional Dip Research Articles

A developmental validation of the Quick TargSeq 1.0 integrated system for automated DNA genotyping in forensic science for reference samples.

Analysis of short tandem repeats (STRs) is a global standard method for human identification. Insertion/Deletion polymorphisms (DIPs) can be used for biogeographical ancestry inference. Current DNA typing involves a trained forensic worker operating several specialized instruments in a controlled laboratory environment, which takes 6-8h. We developed the Quick TargSeq 1.0 integrated system (hereinafter abbreviated to Quick TargSeq) for automated generation of STR and DIP profiles from buccal swab samples and blood stains. The system fully integrates the processes of DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, and electrophoresis separation using microfluidic biochip technology. Internal validation studies were performed using RTyper 21 or DIP 38 chip cartridges with single-source reference samples according to the Scientific Working Group for DNA Analysis Methods guidelines. These results indicated that the Quick TargSeq system can process reference samples and generate STR or DIP profiles in approximately 2h, and the profiles were concordant with those determined using traditional STR or DIP analysis methods. Thus, reproducible and concordant DNA profiles were obtained from reference samples. Throughout the study, no lane-to-lane or run-to-run contamination was observed. The Quick TargSeq system produced full profiles from buccal swabs with at least eight swipes, dried blood spot cards with two 2-mm disks, or 10ng of purified DNA. Potential PCR inhibitors (i.e., coffee, smoking tobacco, and chewing tobacco) did not appear to affect the amplification reactions of the instrument. The overall success rate and concordance rate of 153 samples were 94.12% and 93.44%, respectively, which is comparable to other commercially available rapid DNA instruments. A blind test initiated by a DNA expert group showed that the system can correctly produce DNA profiles with 97.29% genotype concordance with standard bench-processing methods, and the profiles can be uploaded into the national DNA database. These results demonstrated that the Quick TargSeq system can rapidly generate reliable DNA profiles in an automated manner and has the potential for use in the field and forensic laboratories.

Short wet-steaming low-carbon cleaner pad dyeing of cotton/polyamide/lyocell fabric with reactive dyes

Cotton/polyamide/lyocell three-component fabrics are usually dyed by the traditional dip dyeing technology with two kinds of dyes, which has the disadvantages of long process, high energy consumption and high cost. In this research, the short process cleaner pad dyeing technology for cotton/polyamide/lyocell fabric was developed. The optimal dyeing conditions were that the pH value of initial dye solution was 3–4, the reactive red 195 dye concentration was 10 g/L in the preliminary dye bath, the concentration of NaOH and Na2CO3 were 10 g/L in the alkaline fixing solution, and the steaming time of acid solution and alkali solution was 4 mins. The dyeing effects and fixation rate indicated that short wet-steaming technology was the optimum method. The developed short wet-steaming low-carbon cleaner pad dyeing technology of cotton/polyamide/lyocell fabric not only ensured the color yield, reproducibility, dyeing uniformity and permeability, but also saved dyes and chemicals, shortened dyeing time by 17.4 %, reduced power and heat consumption by 27.1 % and 15.1 %, and decreased carbon emission by 24.6 % compared with traditional dyeing. The K/S values of the dyed samples by short wet-steaming pad dyeing technique indicated that bifunctional reactive dyes with monochlorotriazine and vinyl sulfone sulfate groups (M-type) were superior to the other three kinds of reactive dyes. In the era of low-carbon economy, short wet-steaming low-carbon cleaner pad dyeing of cotton/polyamide/lyocell fabric with reactive dyes is an advanced short process dyeing technology worth of promotion for dyeing a variety of industrial crops and products.

Organic Thermoelectric Nanocomposites Assembled via Spraying Layer-by-Layer Method

Thermoelectric (TE) materials have been considered as a promising energy harvesting technology for sustainably providing power to electronic devices. In particular, organic-based TE materials that consist of conducting polymers and carbon nanofillers make a large variety of applications. In this work, we develop organic TE nanocomposites via successive spraying of intrinsically conductive polymers such as polyaniline (PANi) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy- thiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and carbon nanofillers, and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). It is found that the growth rate of the layer-by-layer (LbL) thin films, which comprise a PANi/SWNT-PEDOT:PSS repeating sequence, made by the spraying method is greater than that of the same ones assembled by traditional dip coating. The surface structure of multilayer thin films constructed by the spraying approach show excellent coverage of highly networked individual and bundled SWNT, which is similarly to what is observed when carbon nanotubes-based LbL assemblies are formed by classic dipping. The multilayer thin films via the spray-assisted LbL process exhibit significantly improved TE performances. A 20-bilayer PANi/SWNT-PEDOT:PSS thin film (~90 nm thick) yields an electrical conductivity of 14.3 S/cm and Seebeck coefficient of 76 μV/K. These two values translate to a power factor of 8.2 μW/m·K2, which is 9 times as large as the same films fabricated by a classic immersion process. We believe that this LbL spraying method will open up many opportunities in developing multifunctional thin films for large-scaled industrial use due to rapid processing and the ease with which it is applied.

Seismic volumetric dip estimation via a supervised deep learning model by integrating realistic synthetic data sets

Accurately estimating seismic volumetric dip is a crucial task for subsequent seismic processing and interpretation. The traditional window based dip estimation methods, such as gradient structure tensor (GST) and semblance based multiple window scanning strategy, usually struggle with complicated geological structures containing multiple reflections with different dips in the analysis window. Recently, deep learning has been utilized to estimate seismic volumetric dips. However, dip labels used for current convolutional neural network (CNN) based methods are usually created using traditional dip estimation methods, which are not the ground truth, or from specific geological structure models, which only cover a part of typical geological structures. We propose a supervised deep learning model to improve the accuracy of seismic dip estimation by integrating realistic synthetic data sets. Firstly, we propose a synthetic seismic data generation workflow for seismic volumetric dip estimation, which aims to simulate geological features from real seismic data. We then create numerous unique synthetic seismic images with realistic and diverse structural features by using the proposed workflow. To ensure that generated dip labels are exactly accurate and can be regarded as the ground truth, we create synthetic seismic images by deforming horizontal reflection images according to corresponding dip labels. We finally train an end-to-end supervised deep learning model, which focuses on the parallel processing and the extraction of various feature maps simultaneously, utilizing the created realistic synthetic data. The applications on synthetic and 3D real seismic data (Netherlands F3 block) effectually demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of our proposed model.

A method to fabricate supported catalytic packing: Polydopamine as a "Double-Sided Adhesive" to prepare the fully covered seeding layer

BackgroundIn recent years, Supported catalytic packings (SCPs) with zeolite coating on metallic substrates have received extensive attention due to their satisfactory heat/mass transfer properties. MethodsHerein, high-performance SCP with HZSM-5 coating was fabricated by secondary growth method with polydopamine (PDA)-assisted seeding, where PDA was used as a "double-sided adhesive" sandwiched between supports and seeds. The atom-economic reaction of cyclohexene and acetic acid for cyclohexyl acetate production was carried out to evaluate the catalytic performance of as-fabricated SCPs. Significant FindingsDue to the strong adhesion of PDA, the uniform and high-coverage seeding layer was achieved under the optimized seeding conditions, then continuous HZSM-5 coating that possessed high crystallinity, rough surface, and intergranular voids was formed. Compared with SCP prepared by secondary growth method with the traditional dip coating seeding method, the catalytic activity and stable operation time of PDA-assisted SCP were increased by 50% and 57%, respectively. Furthermore, PDA-assisted seeding method is easy to conduct, indicating its great potential in practical applications.

The First Record of Aedes vittatus (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Dominican Republic: Public Health Implications of a Potential Invasive Mosquito Species in the Americas.

Aedes vittatus Bigot is distributed throughout Africa, tropical Asia, and southern Europe and occurs in sylvatic as well as peridomestic environments where it readily feeds on humans. Although the vectorial capacity of Ae. vittatus is not well understood, this species is known to play a role in the maintenance and transmission of yellow fever, Zika, chikungunya, and dengue virus within its native range. In October 2019, after a routine inspection of mosquito-breeding containers in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, two Ae. vittatus females were captured via human landing catch method. After this finding, a CDC miniature light trap was deployed at the point of initial detection from 18:00 to 08:00 h, 2 d/wk from 3 to 31 October 2019. Potential larval habitats were also sampled via traditional dip method once per week spanning a 150 m radius from point of initial detection. In addition to the 2 adult females, 10 female and 2 male Ae. vittatus were captured. One Ae. vittatus larva also was found in a small puddle formed by an animal hoof print. Conventional PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to confirm morphological identification of collected specimens. This is the first detection of Ae. vittatus in the Dominican Republic as well as the Americas. Therefore, enhanced surveillance is needed to better understand the range and public health risks this potential invasive mosquito species may pose in the Dominican Republic, other Caribbean Islands, and/or the Americas.

A Novel “Inocap” Method for Homogeneous Catheter Hubs Bacterial Inoculation Using a Combination of Male Luer Caps and O-rings.

Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) pose significant health risks and financial consequences for healthcare systems worldwide. In order to develop novel antiseptic technologies as alternative prophylactics for CRBSIs, a consistent and reproducible bacterial inoculation method is required for testing the technologies’ antiseptic effects. This study developed and investigated a new “Inocap” model for standardized bacteria inoculation on to surfaces of catheter hubs that is exposed and highly susceptible to contamination in healthcare settings. The results showed a significantly smaller variance in the number of bacteria inoculated onto the catheter hubs by the new Inocap method than the traditional dip method (p ≈ 0.02) while producing no significant difference in the mean value (p > 0.25), indicating that this new Inocap method could work as a more precise inoculation model for future disinfection studies. Address Correspondence to author: 2301/2 New Petchburi Rd. Bangkapi, Huaikwang, Bangkok Thailand 10310 email: tanant.w@cathecare.com Keywords: Bacteria inoculation model, disinfection, catheter related bloodstream infections, intraluminal infection, catheter hubs, contamination Address Correspondence to author: 2301/2 New Petchburi Rd. Bangkapi, Huaikwang, Bangkok Thailand 10310 email: tanant.w@cathecare.com Received: June 30, 201 Revision received: July 3, 2018 Accepted after revision: July 10, 2018 BKK Med J 2018;14(2): 28-33. DOI: 10.31524/bkkmedj.2018.09.006

Penerapan Ergonomi pada Perancangan Mesin Pewarna Batik untuk Memperbaiki Postur Kerja

The process of batik tulis (hand-waxed batik) dying in Kalinyamat Wetan, Tegal Municipality is performed in stooping and squatting working postures. Workers’ both hands hold a cloth and dip the cloth into a bucket containing colorants. When this dip dyeing process proceeds continuously for an enormous number of cloths, it will eventually result in musculoskeletal complaint, particularly in the such parts of body as the back, neck, leg, upper arm, lower arm and wrist. This research aims at designing an ergonomic batik dying machine to enable a natural body posture at work. The research anthropometry data and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method. The research on batik craftswomen’s working posture during the traditional dip dyeing process found that the stooping and squatting worker’s posture scores are 4-8 with medium to high musculoskeletal levels (needs to needs to be immediately corrected). Meanwhile, the machine dip dyeing work position with standing body posture scores are 2-4 with safe to low musculoskeletal level (maybe need to be corrected in longer term). As for the specification of batik dyeing machine, it uses driving force of 0.190 HP, machine rotation of 72.5 rpm.

Preparation of sustained release capsules by electrostatic dry powder coating, using traditional dip coating as reference

Lately, a great deal of attention is being paid to capsule coating, since the coat protects active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from damage, as is in the case of tablet and pellet. However, moisture and heat sensitivity of gelatin shells make it challenging to coat capsules using the conventional aqueous coating techniques. In an effort to overcome this challenge, the present study aims to coat capsules using two different coating techniques: electrostatic dry powder coating (EDPC) and dip coating (DC). Both capsule coatings and free films were prepared by these two coating techniques, and the effects of coating formulations and processing conditions on the film quality were investigated. The corresponding drug in vitro release and mechanisms were characterized and compared. The results of dissolution tests demonstrated that the drug release behavior of both EDPC and DC coated capsules could be optimized to a sustained release of 24 h, following the Fick’s diffusion law. The results of this study suggest that EDPC method is better than DC method for coating capsules, with respect to the higher production efficiency and better stability, indicating that this dry coating technology has promised in gelatin capsule coating applications.

Fabrication of anthocyanin-sensitized nanocrystalline titanium dioxide solar cells using supercritical carbon dioxide

This study describes an inexpensive, facile process for fabricating dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using nanocrystalline titanium dioxide as the photoelectrode. The results of this work showed that the low surface tension characteristics of supercritical carbon dioxide could save dyeing time when used as a medium to dye nanocrystalline titanium dioxide photoelectrodes with anthocyanin. Metallographic microscopy observations of the dyed photoelectrodes revealed that the supercritical dyeing process produced a deeper color in the TiO2 photoelectrode than did dip dyeing. The absorption spectrum of the product showed that the supercritical dyeing time can be shortened to 1/10 that of the traditional dip process under total absorption equivalent. In addition, the I–V characteristics of the dyed photoelectrode exhibited a critical surplus of current and voltage, which was another indication of the superiority of the supercritical dyeing process. The supercritical dye-sensitized photoelectrodes showed improved values of Isc (1.2mA) and Voc (290mV).

Comparing efficacy of a sweep net and a dip method for collection of mosquito larvae in large bodies of water in South Africa.

In this study we tested an alternative method for collecting mosquito larvae called the sweep net catch method and compared its efficiency to that of the traditional dip method. The two methods were compared in various water bodies within Kruger National Park and Lapalala Wilderness area, South Africa. The sweep net catch method performed 5 times better in the collection of Anopheles larvae and equally as well as the dip method in the collection of Culex larvae (p =8.58 x 10 -5). Based on 15 replicates the collector's experience level did not play a significant role in the relative numbers of larvae collected using either method. This simple and effective sweep net catch method will greatly improve the mosquito larval sampling capacity in the field setting.

Saddam and the Islamists: The Ba'thist Regime's Instrumentalization of Religion in Foreign Affairs

Based on extensive archival research with newly available Iraqi state and Ba'th Party documents, this article attempts to shed light on the Saddam Husayn regime's relationship with Islamists and Islamism, arguing that it instrumentalized Islam in its foreign policy to an unprecedented extent, but not out of ideological conviction. This article, therefore, clarifies an important issue in the historiography of Saddam's Iraq and suggests that religion can play a concrete role in international relations.In 1990, with war between Iraq and a Western-led coalition looming, Iraqi president Saddam Husayn wrote God is greater on the Iraqi flag and called for jihad against his enemies. After the war, and throughout the last decade of his rule, the Ba'thist regime declared a faith campaign (hamla imaniyya) in which it built mosques, required in- creased religious education in Iraq, and consistently allied with Islamists abroad. As a result, some observers of Iraq have questioned whether Saddam took a strategic shift toward Islamism.1 After September 11, 2001, and especially during the run-up to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, this debate moved beyond the confines of academia. Pol- icy makers, public intellectuals, and various government agencies argued about Sad- dam's support of Islamist terrorism. These debates attempted often to either associate or disassociate Saddam with Islamism as a means of proving whether or not Saddam supported Islamist terrorist groups such as al-Qa'ida.2This article attempts to move beyond that debate. It relies on newly released Iraqi state and Ba'th Party archives from the period of Saddam's rule (1979-2003),3 and argues that viewing Saddam's relationship with Islamists abroad through the prism of a shift toward Islamism in Iraq is a misunderstanding of how the regime formed alliances and carried out foreign policy. Thus, while Iraqi Ba'thists did indeed begin to cooperate with Islamist organizations abroad, this was largely unrelated to the regime's domestic policies or ideological convictions. Another explanation is warranted. This article will demonstrate that the regime was able to cooperate with Islamists as a result of a calcu- lated policy of instrumentalizing Islam to neutralize Islamist opposition, and convince some Islamists to support Saddam's strategic objectives. Thus Islam did not guide Iraqi policy; rather, it was a tool to achieve policy goals. Yet, the regime's use of religion was also more than a mere rhetorical shift. It was a long, detailed process of building insti- tutions and networks to carry out policy and realize Iraq's strategic aims. In doing so, Iraq worked toward shaping the regional religio-political landscape to meet its needs.Moving beyond the question of Saddam's supposed turn to Islamism is also helpful in that the question has obscured a far more interesting debate about the man- ner in which religion can be employed in international affairs. In that sense, this ar- ticle should interest not only those concerned with how an authoritarian Arab regime co-opted religion, but also scholars of international relations and diplomatic history more broadly. Scholars in the latter fields often view senior statesmen, traditional dip- lomats, and the military as the primary practitioners of foreign policy. When they do discuss religion, they classify it as an aspect of ideology or identity. Yet, as this article will demonstrate, Islamic scholars and religious institutions can sometimes be just as important as traditional diplomats or the military in the practice of foreign policy. Therefore, this article suggests that more than a mere aspect of ideology or identity, religion can play an active and concrete role in international relations.4 In doing so, it will detail the considerable extent to which Saddam's regime was able to instrumen- talize religion in its foreign affairs, as well as how and why it did so.THE QUESTION OF SADDAM'S SECULARISMAs mentioned above, there has been some debate recently over whether Saddam abandoned his previously secular ideology and embraced Islamism in the last decade of his rule. …

Effects of Dry Process Technology on Quality of Different Forms “Laba” Garlic Products

This paper investigated the effects of 2 g/L acetic acid fumigation technology on the value of L*, a*, b* and the contents of blue pigment, yellow pigment and allicin of “Laba” garlic in different product forms. “Laba” garlic was prepared by three different treatments: (1) traditional dip (control sample); (2) “Laba” garlic cloves were fumigated by 2 g/L acetic acid; (3) “Laba” garlic bulbs were fumigated by 2 g/L acetic acid. During process, all the treated samples were maintained at appropriate conditions (dark, 20 °C). After 10 days of process, the value of L*, a*, b* and the contents of blue pigment, yellow pigment and allicin of “Laba” garlic in different product forms were measured. Interestingly, the results presented that the value of L*, b* and the contents of blue pigment, yellow pigment and allicin of “Laba” garlic prepared by dry process were higher than them within traditional dip samples. The technology of dry process might be a novel process method to produce “Laba” garlic in the future.

Effect of Partial Melting Parameters on the Microstructures and Critical Current Density of Bi-2212 Thick Films

Abstract Bi2.1Sr1.96Ca x Cu2.0Ox (Bi-2212) thick films with Ag substrates were prepared through dip coating process. By X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characterizations, the influences of heat treatment parameters on the phase transition process and the aligned growth of Bi-2212 grains have been systematically studied. The maximum heat treatment temperature, T max, and cooling rate, R c has been optimized. Meanwhile, the influences of the coating density on the microstructures and the transport properties have also been discussed by applying an additional cold pressing. The J c value of over 7300 A/cm2 (77 K, self field) has been obtained from the direct powder pressing process, which is over 60% higher than that from the traditional dip coating thick film.

Effects of Dry Process Technology on Quality of “Laba” Garlic during Process

This paper investigated the effects of acetic acid and CO2 fumigation technology on the variations of crude protein, allicin and blue pigment and yellow pigment of “Laba” garlic during process. “Laba” garlic was prepared by three different treatments: (1) traditional dip (control sample); (2) 2 g/L acetic acid fumigation; (3) 5% CO2 & 2 g/L acetic acid fumigation. During process, all the treated samples were maintained at appropriate conditions (dark, 20 °C). After treated and every 3 days of the process time, the contents changing of allicin, blue pigment and yellow pigment of “Laba” garlic were measured. Interestingly, the results presented that the contents of the functional composition allicin, crude protein, blue pigment and yellow pigment of “Laba” garlic prepared by dry process were higher than them of traditional dip samples. The technology of dry process might be a novel process method to produce “Laba” garlic in the future.

Self-assembly of octadecyltrichlorosilane monolayers on silicon-based substrates by chemical vapor deposition

Increasingly, organosilane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are used to modify the surfaces of silicon-based sensors and atomic force microscope (AFM) probes. Organosilane SAMs are preferred due to their fast and easy preparation, stability, and applicability to a wide range of substrates. The traditional dip coating method from solution often yields ill-defined particulate aggregates on the two-dimensional SAM. The presence of such three-dimensional aggregates seriously reduces the performance of miniaturized biosensor devices and AFM probes. It is difficult to control the amount of water in solution-based deposition. This paper describes a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method to deposit octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) monolayers on silicon wafers and AFM probes under vacuum condition. OTS coated surfaces with static water contact angle ranging from 20° to 107° can be obtained by controlling the deposition conditions. The silicon substrates and AFM probes after CVD are characterized by AFM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and contact angle goniometry. The OTS monolayer is in a uniform low-density state below 65%. Above 65%, densely packed crystalline-like domains start to form. It takes 24 h to reach the adsorption saturation. The time span in the CVD deposition is much longer than the solution case and thus allowing precise variation of the substrate hydrophobicity for biosensor applications.

Robust estimates of 3D reflector dip and azimuth

Much of seismic stratigraphy is based on the morphology of seismic textures. The identification of reflector terminations and subtle changes in dip and azimuth allows us to infer coherent progradational and transgressive packages as well as more chaotic slumps, fans, and braided-stream complexes; infill of karsted terrains; gas seeps; and, of course, faults and angular unconformities. A major difficulty in estimating reflector dip and azimuth arises at discrete lateral and vertical discontinuities across which reflector dip and azimuth change. The smearing across these boundaries produced by traditional dip and azimuth estimations is avoided by using temporally and spatially shifted multiple windows that contain each analysis point. This more robust estimation of dip and azimuth leads to increased resolution of well-established algorithms such as coherence, coherent amplitude gradients, and structurally oriented filtering. More promising still is the analysis of high-resolution dip and azimuth through volumetric estimates of reflector curvature and angular unconformities. This new technique is demonstrated using two land data volumes, one from the Louisiana salt province and the other from the fractured Fort Worth basin.

Deposition of perfluoropolyether lubricant films on Si-incorporated diamondlike carbon surfaces

In this article, the bonding characteristics of perfluoropolyether (PFPE) molecules, having a hydroxyl end group, regarding Si-incorporated amorphous carbon surfaces were investigated. The Si contents in the carbon films were varied from 0to10.3at.%. The PFPE lubricant layers were deposited on the carbon surfaces using the traditional dip coating and vacuum vapor deposition. It was found that the Si incorporation enhances the bonding of the PFPE molecules on the carbon surfaces. Moreover, the bonding of the PFPE molecules increases with the increasing Si content in the carbon film. This is attributed to the structural and chemical modifications of the hydrogen-terminated carbon surfaces due to the Si incorporation into the carbon network, which increases the adsorption sites for the PFPE molecules. The bonding of the PFPE molecules is enhanced using a vapor deposition technique compared to the traditional dip coating. The Si-incorporated carbon films represent a reasonably high hardness and a good bonding characteristic for the PFPE molecules, which could be good candidates as a protective coating for magnetic storage disks.

Inhibition of Shrimp Melanosis by 4-Hexylresorcinol

4-Hexylresorcinol is an effective processing aid for the inhibition of shrimp melanosis (blackspot) in both laboratory and field trails. The compound is a potent inhibitor of shrimp polyphenol oxidase. A one minute dip in 50 ppm 4-hexylrezorcinol in sea water is sufficient to inhibit melanosis for up to 14 day of ice storage. The inhibitor has not negative effects on shrimp orgainoleptic quality and residual level on treated product are typically iU1 ppm (Iyengar, R., Bohmont, C.W., and McEvily, A.J. 1991. J. Food Comp. Anal. In press). 4-Hexylresorcinol can be used in traditional dip procedures by simple substitution for sulfating agents and requires no changes in downstream processing of the shrimp product.