Biofilms exist in the natural world and applied to many industries. However, due to the variety of characteristics caused by their complex components, biofilms can also lead to membrane fouling and recurrent infections which pose threats to human health. So, to make the best use of their advantages and avoid their disadvantages, knowing the best time and methods for improving or preventing biofilm formation is important. In situ observation without fluorescence labeling in microscale and according to a time scale is useful to research biofilm and confine its formation. In this study, we developed a microfluidic system for real-time observation of bacteria culture and biofilms development at microscale. We cultured E. coli ATCC 25922 on a chip at continuous flow of the velocity, which could promote bacterial formation. Biofilms formation under the condition of adding amoxicillin at different times is also discussed. In addition, the mixed strains from sludge were also cultured on chip, and possible factors in biofilm formation are discussed. Our results show that a microfluidic device could culture microorganisms in continuous flow and accelerate them to adhere to the surface, thereby promoting biofilm formation. Overall, this platform is a useful tool in research on initial biofilm formation, which can contribute to preventing biofouling and infections.
Effect of reflux ratio on nitrogen removal in a novel upflow microaerobic sludge reactor treating piggery wastewater with high ammonium and low COD/TN ratio: efficiency and quantitative molecular mechanism, Bioresource Technology (2017), doi: http://dx.doi.org/ 10. 1016/j.biortech.2017.07.052 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
In this paper, we present a target searching experiment to investigate how long is long enough to maintain the speedaccuracy trade-off in eye pointing tasks that use dwell time as the activation mechanism. The experimental task, which took account of three factors including cognitive complexity, dwell time and visual feedback mode, mixes visual search and target acquisition together. In other words, the subjects need to search for and recognize the target before the final selection in each trial. The results clarify the suitable ranges of dwell time for users to avoid wrong selections as possible as they can under different cognitive load conditions. We also discussed the implications for user interface designs.
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