Era of bast fibers-based polymer composites for replacement of man-made fibers.

Bast fibers are defined as those obtained from the outer cell layers of the bast of various plant families. They are finding use in textile applications and are widely used as reinforcements for green composites, as bast fibers are perceived as "sustainable". There is a growing demand for bast fibers across the world due to their renewable and biodegradable nature. The bast fibers are mainly composed of cellulose, which potentially considers the growing techniques, harvesting and extraction processes of bast fibers most used to produce fibers with appropriate quality to apply in the daily lives of modern men and women in contemporary society. This review paper looks at many aspects of natural fibers, with a focus on plant bast fibers, including their impact on prehistoric and historical society. This review shows that bast fibers are competitive compared to man-made fibers in many applications, but variability in mechanical properties and low tenacity may limit their use in high-strengthh composites and extend to, particularly in aerospace, automotive, packaging, building industries, insulation, E-composites (Eco composites), geotextiles and many other applications are currently being explored. Considering, important characteristics of bast fibers include physical, mechanical, and chemical properties. This makes bast fibers one of the most important classes of plant fibers to use as reinforcing agents in thermosetting/thermoplastic polymer matrices. And the effect of bast fibers as reinforcement in the properties of ECO-composites, GREEN-composites, BIO-composites, lightweight composites. Bast fibers play an important role in sustainability, the preservation of the health of the environment, the well-being of the next generation, and even the daily lives of men and women in the contemporary world.

Effect of chemical treatment on physio-mechanical properties of lignocellulose natural fiber extracted from the bark of careya arborea tree.

For the first time, the current work has carried out a chemical treatment of a novel ligno-cellulose fiber that is extracted from the bark of an unexplored plant of Careya arborea. Careya arborea (CA), a flowering tree known for its green berries, thrives in the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan. This research was focused on extracting fibers from the bark of the Cary tree for the first time to corroborate the influence of chemical treatment on its different characteristics. These CA fibers have a high proportion of cellulose, consisting of 71.17 wt percent, together with 27.86 wt percent of hemicellulose, and a reduced density of 1140 kg/m3, making them a suitable candidate for creating lightweight applications in a variety of industries. Chemical treatment has done on the cay fiber with the concentrations of NaOH 5 (wt%), 10 (wt%), and 15 (wt%) solution mixture to improve their characteristics. Estimated the difference between Chemically processed and non-processed Cary fibers and corroborated in results. We performed a number of experiments, including FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDAX, AFM, and TGA, to fully comprehend the changing properties. Chemical testing showed that cellulose changed from its non-crystalline state to cellulose, proving that the treatment was successful in changing the fibre structure. Additionally, the thermo-gravimetric examination showed higher thermal stability 248 °C-325 °C and a rise in the crystallinity index, indicating the treated fibers' improved potential for high-temperature applications. The treated Cary fibers exhibited excellent surface properties, promising improved adhesion, mechanical performance, offering lightweight and sustainable solutions for diverse applications.

Impact of yarn compositions, loop length, and float stitches on the mechanical behavior of knitted fabrics via full factorial design and RSM.

This article presents a study on the tensile properties of knitted fabrics commonly employed in polymeric matrix textile composites. The key mechanical parameters investigated include stress (Pa), strain, Young's modulus (Pa), and work of rupture (J). The knitted fabrics were developed using the Cixing Knitting System software and subsequently manufactured using a double jersey (electronic) flat knitting machine. The primary objective of this research was to explore the impact of various factors on the mechanical behavior of these knitted fabrics. The factors studied were wale and course directions, float stitch density, loop length (cm), and the type of synthetic knitting yarns used (100% polyester and 100% polyamide) along with different combinations of knitting yarns (100% cotton and 67% polyester/33% cotton hybrid). The adopted ASTM D 5034 standard, Response Surface Methodology (RSM), and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were employed to evaluate the mechanical performance of these fabric structures. The findings of the study revealed that the statistical adjustment of the data set for stress, strain, Young's modulus, and work of rupture in knitted fabric structures significantly reduced the standard deviations for mechanical responses. This information holds particular significance as it pertains to the frequent use of these knitted fabric structures as reinforcement in textile-reinforced composite materials. Overall, this study sheds light on the mechanical behavior in structures of knitted fabrics used in polymeric matrix composites, providing valuable insights for the design and optimization of advanced textile-based materials.

Statistical approach on the inter-yarn friction behavior of the dual-phase STF/ρ-Aramid impregnated fabrics via factorial design and 3D-RSM.

Shear thickening fluids (STFs) refer to non-Newtonian fluids of the dilatant variety, wherein their viscosity experiences a significant surge with an escalation in the shear rate. In this investigative work, the friction behavior between yarns (pull-out) and absorption of static and kinetic energy during the phenomenon of friction between yarns in STFs are performed by monophase (MP-STF) adding nano SiO2 and dual-phase (MP-STF) adding carbon nanotubes. The ρ-Aramid fabrics were reinforced via the "foulard process", and carried out on MP-STF, and DP-STF/ρ-Aramid-impregnated fabrics to evaluate and compare with the enhancement in interfacial friction properties between yarns. The results showed that DP-STF has more significant than MP-STF and MP-STF in ultimate load, kinetic shear stress, static shear stress, and friction energy level effects. The DP-STF exhibits various friction enhancement mechanisms at the yarn interface, leading to higher absorption of static and kinetic energy related to interfacial friction, as indicated by the results obtained. Furthermore, the DP-STF/ρ-Aramid impregnated fabrics exhibited ultimate load (22.23 ± 0.522 N), kinetic shear stress (35.73 ± 0.850 MPa*100), static shear stress (36.28 ± 0.900 MPa*100), and friction energy level (610.33 ± 0.250). Increased ultimate load (581.7% and 180.7%), kinetic shear stress (621.4% and 174.6%), static shear stress (550.5% and 159.1%), and friction energy level (680.2 and 186.7%) compared to WT-STF and MP-STF, respectively. The current discoveries hold immense potential for various applications in the fields of engineering and smart material technologies. These applications span a multiplicity of industries, including sports products, medical advancements, space technology, as well as protective and shielding products.

Effects of UV sensitivity and accelerated photo-aging on stab resistance of ρ-aramid fabrics impregnated with shear thickening fluids (STFs).

The use of Kevlar in the field of ballistic and stabbing protection has been studied by researchers in polymeric composites for this purpose. This study presents complementary knowledge on energy absorption and dissipation in ρ-aramid fabric impregnated with shear thickening fluids (STFs), especially aiming to obtain better protection against impacts that are deeply associated with STFs, as well as color change, accelerated aging (QUV), and penetration depth (drop tower test). In addition, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was performed. The research shows that there was a good distribution of STF particles on the ρ-Aramid fabric surface, promoting increased friction between the interfilament and the yarns, further increasing performance and, consequently, improving the energy absorption and dissipation mechanism and, also, the penetration effectiveness in relation to non-impregnated ρ-Aramid fabric. Regarding the protection efficiency against UV exposure (250-400 nm region), there was a significantly decreased compared to those non-impregnated Kevlar® woven with STFs. The FTIR analysis showed that the conditions of aging, after exposure to UV, did not produce new functional groups, that is, there was no chemical modification. Finally, Kevlar fabric impregnated with STFs improved penetration depth performance with the blades independent of the blade type with up to 81% increase in resistance. This result was improved due to interactions between the nanoparticles present in STFs, yarns, and even high-performance woven impregnated with shear-thickening fluids.

Detecção do vírus da imunodeficiência felina em gatos domésticos (Felis catus) pela técnica de reação em cadeia da polimerase / Detection of feline immunodeficiency virus in domestic cats (Felis catus) by polymerase chain reaction technique

O objetivo deste trabalho foi detectar a presença de DNA do Vírus da Imunodeficiência Felina (FIV) em gatos domesticos (Feliz catus) assintomáticos. Foi realizada a tecnica de reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) em 50 animais. Para tal, foram coletadas amostras de sangue, por venopunção da jugular, de forma asséptica para armazenamento de 1-2 mL de sangue total. Os animais que participaram do estudo fizeram parte do projeto de castração "Vida digna" da Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia. E a escolha dos animais foi realizada de maneira aleatória, sem distinção por sexo ou idade, resultando em 29 foram fêmeas e 21 machos. Para o diagnóstico, foi realizada a extração do DNA, em seguida as amostras foram testadas em duas reações de PCR utilizando- se dois conjuntos de primers do Gene gag de FIV. Achou-se uma prevalência de 2% (1/50), confirmando assim a presença do vírus na cidade de Belém. Assim, evidenciando a importância de testar os felinos mesmo sendo assintomáticos. Desta forma, faz-se necessário a realização de trabalhos futuros que amplie o número amostral dos animais testados para assim elucidar o perfil epidemiológico da doença na região de Belém do Pará, considerando a relevância clínica desta infecção e a correta conduta médica veterinária para evitar novas infecções.

The objective of this work was to detect the presence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) proviral DNA in asymptomatic domestic cats (Feliz catus). The polymerase chain reaction technique was performed from 50 animals. For this, blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture, aseptically for storage of 1-2 mL of whole blood. The animals that participated in the study were part of the castration project "Vida digna" at the Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia. And the choice of animals was performed randomly, without distinction by sex or age, resulting in 29 females and 21 males. For diagnosis, DNA extraction was performed, then the samples were tested in two PCR reactions using two sets of FIV gag gene primers. A prevalence of 2% (1/50) was observed, thus confirming the presence of the virus in the city of Belém. Thus, highlighting the importance of testing the felines even if they are asymptomatic. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out future work that expands the sample number of animals tested in order to elucidate the epidemiological profile of the disease in the region of Belém do Pará, considering the clinical relevance of this infection and the correct veterinary medical conduct to avoid new infections.

Aspectos epidemiológicos da infecção por Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys e Mycoplasma spp. em gatos domésticos / Epidemiological aspects of infection by Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys and Mycoplasma spp. in domestic cats

Hemoparasitoses vêm se tornando cada vez mais importantes na clínica médica de pequenos animais. Dentre os agentes causadores encontramos Ehrlichiacanis, Anaplasmaplatys., e Mycoplasma spp., torna-se de grande importância conhecer a epidemiologia nos gatos domésticos. Objetivou-se com esta pesquisa fazer um levantamento retrospectivo de fichas de gatos advindos de consultas no Hospital Veterinário Mário Dias Teixeira (HOVET) que realizaram exame de Reação de Cadeia da polimerase (PCR) no laboratório de biologia molecular, na Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, no ano de 2018 e 2019. No total foram 72 amostras de gatos domésticos processadas, sendo 33 machos e 39 fêmeas, 70 animais SRD e 2 Siameses, todos com trombocitopenia, além de outros sinais clínicos que os levaram a precisar de atendimento veterinário, foram categorizados os meses de entrada e processamento das amostras, bairros dos animais e grupos etários. De todos os animais testados, 34,7% obtiveram diagnóstico positivo para uma das enfermidades, sendo o gênero Mycoplasma spp. o que mais prevaleceu em amostras positivas, com maior frequência em fêmeas adultas, bem como foi descrita ocorrência de E. canis apenas nesse sexo, já A. platysfoi descrito com maior frequência em machos, além de achados de infecções concomitantes observado entre os agentes Anaplasmae Mycoplasma. Concluímos que os gatos atendidos no HOVET possuíam parasitismo por diferentes agentes infecciosos.

Hemoparasitosis have become increasingly important in the small animals' internal medicine. Among the causal agents, there are Ehrlichiacanis, Anaplasmaplatys. and Mycoplasma spp., which give the understanding of the epidemiology in domestic cats a great significance. This research aimed to make a retrospective survey of records from cats that came from appointments at the Veterinary Hospital Mário Dias Teixeira (HOVET) and underwent the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test at the molecular biology laboratory, at the Amazônia Federal Rural University (UFRA), in the years of 2018 and 2019. In total, 72 samples of domestic cats were processed, from which 33 were males and 39 females, 70 of them were mongrel cats and 2 siamese, all of them showed thrombocytopenia amongst other clinical signs that led them to need a veterinary appointment, the months of admission, processing of the samples, districts the animals came from and age group were categorized. 34,7% of all the animals tested showed positive results for one of the diseases, with the genus Mycoplasma spp. being the most prevalent in positive samples, showing a higher rate in adult females, as the occurrence of E. canis was reported only in females, while A. platys was reported with a higher rate in males, as well as concomitant infections following the observation of the agents Anaplasma and Mycoplasma. In conclusion, the cats admitted at HOVET showed parasitism by different infectious agents.

Echocardiographic Assessment of Healthy Midazolam/Butorphanol or Midazolam/Morphine-Sedated Dogs.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of midazolam combined with morphine or butorphanol on echocardiographic variables of healthy dogs. Twenty-four dogs of various breeds aged 34.33 ± 23.41 months and weighing 8.1 ± 4.7 kg were enrolled in the study. Subjects were randomly allocated in one of two experimental groups of sedation with intramuscular midazolam (0.3 mg/kg) combined with butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg) (GB, n = 12) or morphine (0.3 mg/kg) (GM, n = 12). Transthoracic echocardiographic examinations comprised B-Mode, M-Mode, spectral Doppler and pulsed tissue Doppler assessment. Data were recorded before sedation (TB) and 20 minutes following intramuscular administration of either sedation protocol (TS). Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA followed by Tukey's posthoc test. Shortening fraction, ejection fraction, left ventricular diameter and volume did not differ among groups and time points. The A and E' waves were decreased in GM at TS compared to TB. Isovolumic relaxation time, Ae/Ao ratio, aortic and pulmonary flows and S' wave did not differ among time points and groups. These sedation protocols did not cause clinically relevant changes in echocardiographic variables, therefore can be used for sedation of uncooperative dogs during echocardiographic evaluation.