Search results for: roll off factor

Authors: Kun Liang Ang, Eng Toon Saw, Wei He, Xuecheng Dong, Seeram Ramakrishna

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Ester solvents are widely used in pharmaceutical, printing and flavor industry due to their good miscibility, low toxicity, and high volatility. Through pervaporation, these ester solvents can be recovered from industrial wastewater. While metal-doped silicalite 1 zeolite membranes are commonly used in organic solvent recovery in the pervaporation process, these ceramic membranes suffer from low membrane permeation flux, mainly due to the high thickness of the metal-doped zeolite membrane. Herein, a simple method of fabricating an ultrathin tin-silicalite 1 membrane supported on alumina tube is reported. This ultrathin membrane is able to achieve high permeation flux and separation factor for an ester in a diluted aqueous solution. Nanosized tin-Silicalite 1 seeds which are smaller than 500nm has been formed through hydrothermal synthesis. The sn-Silicalite 1 seeds were then seeded onto alumina tube through dip coating, and the tin-Silicalite 1 membrane was then formed by hydrothermal synthesis in an autoclave through secondary growth method. Multiple membrane synthesis factors such as seed size, ceramic substrate surface pore size selection, and secondary growth conditions were studied for their effects on zeolite membrane growth. The microstructure, morphology and the membrane thickness of tin-Silicalite 1 zeolite membrane were examined. The membrane separation performance and stability will also be reported.

Keywords: ceramic membrane, pervaporation, solvent recovery, Sn-MFI zeolite

Procedia PDF Downloads 160

Authors: Majid Khan

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Introduction: In this era of microsurgery, free flap holds a remarkable spot in reconstructive surgery. A free flap is well suited for composite defects as it provides sufficient and well-vascularized tissue for coverage. We report our experience with the use of the free flaps for the reconstruction of composite defects. Methods: This is a retrospective case series (chart review) of patients who underwent reconstruction of composite defects with a free flap at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi (Pakistan) from January 01, 2015, to December 31, 2019. Data were collected for patient demographics, size of the defect, size of flap, recipient vessels, postoperative complications, and outcome of the free flap. Results: Over this period, 532 free flaps are included in this study. The overall success rate is 95.5%. The mean age of the patient was 44.86 years. In 532 procedures, there were 448 defects from tumor ablation of head and neck cancer. The most frequent free flap was the anterolateral thigh flap in 232 procedures. In this study, the risk factor hypertension (p=0.004) was found significant for wound dehiscence, preop radiation/chemotherapy (p=0.003), and malnutrition (p=0.005) were found significant for fistula formation. Malnutrition (p=0.02) and use of vein grafts (p=0.025) were significant factors for flap failure. Conclusion: Free tissue transfer is a reliable option for the reconstruction of large and composite defects. Hypertension, malnutrition, and preoperative radiotherapy can cause significant morbidity.

Keywords: free flap, free flap failure, risk factors for flap failure, free flap outcome

Procedia PDF Downloads 98

Authors: Temidayo. O. Osunsanmi, Clinton Aigbavboa, Ayodeji Oke

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The construction industry is a renowned latecomer to the efficiency offered by the adoption of information technology. Whereas, the banking, manufacturing, retailing industries have keyed into the future by using digitization and information technology as a new approach for ensuring competitive gain and efficiency. The construction industry has yet to fully realize similar benefits because the adoption of ICT is still at the infancy stage with a major concentration on the use of software. Thus, this study evaluates the awareness and readiness of construction professionals towards embracing a full digitalization of the construction industry using construction 4.0. The term ‘construction 4.0’ was coined from the industry 4.0 concept which is regarded as the fourth industrial revolution that originated from Germany. A questionnaire was utilized for sourcing data distributed to practicing construction professionals through a convenience sampling method. Using SPSS v24, the hypotheses posed were tested with the Mann Whitney test. The result revealed that there are no differences between the consulting and contracting organizations on the readiness for adopting construction 4.0 concepts in the construction industry. Using factor analysis, the study discovers that adopting construction 4.0 will improve the performance of the construction industry regarding cost and time savings and also create sustainable buildings. In conclusion, the study determined that construction professionals have a low awareness towards construction 4.0 concepts. The study recommends an increase in awareness of construction 4.0 concepts through seminars, workshops and training, while construction professionals should take hold of the benefits of adopting construction 4.0 concepts. The study contributes to the roadmap for the implementation of construction industry 4.0 concepts in the South African construction industry.

Keywords: building information technology, Construction 4.0, Industry 4.0, smart site

Procedia PDF Downloads 375

Authors: Rueyhung Weng, Chia-En Huang, Jung-Chi-Liao

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The transition zone (TZ) serves as a diffusion barrier to regulate the ins and outs of the proteins recruited to the primary cilia. TCTN2 is one of the TZ proteins and its mutation causes Joubert syndrome, a serious multi-organ disease. Despite its important medical relevance, the functions of TCTN2 remain elusive. Here we created a TCTN2 gene deleted retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE1) using CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing technique and used this knockout line to reveal roles of TCTN2. TCTN2 knockout RPE1 cells displayed a significantly reduced ciliogenesis or a shortened primary cilium length in the cilium-remaining population. Intraflagellar transport protein IFT88 aberrantly accumulated at the tip of TCTN2 deficient cells. Guanine nucleotide exchange factor Arl13B was mostly absent from the ciliary compartment, with a small population localizing at the ciliary tip. The deficient TZ was corroborated with the mislocalization of two other TZ proteins TMEM67 and MKS1. In addition, TCTN2 deficiency induced TZ impairment led to the suppression of Sonic hedgehog signaling in response to Smoothened (Smo) agonist. Together, depletion of TCTN2 destabilizes other TZ proteins and considerably alters the localization of key transport and signaling-associated proteins, including IFT88, Arl13B, and Smo.

Keywords: CRISPR/Cas9, primary cilia, Sonic hedgehog signaling, transition zone

Procedia PDF Downloads 325

Authors: Sukovatov K.Yu., Bezuglova N.N.

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Winter precipitation variability over the Altai Krai was investigated by retrieving temporal patterns. The spectral singular analysis was used to describe the variance distribution and to reduce the precipitation data into a few components (modes). The associated time series were related to large-scale atmospheric and oceanic circulation indices by using lag cross-correlation and wavelet-coherence analysis. GPCC monthly precipitation data for rectangular field limited by 50-550N, 77-880E and monthly climatological circulation index data for the cold season were used to perform SSA decomposition and retrieve statistics for analyzed parameters on the time period 1951-2017. Interannual variability of winter precipitation over the Altai Krai are mostly caused by three natural factors: intensity variations of momentum exchange between mid and polar latitudes over the North Atlantic (explained variance 11.4%); wind speed variations in equatorial stratosphere (quasi-biennial oscillation, explained variance 15.3%); and surface temperature variations for equatorial Pacific sea (ENSO, explained variance 2.8%). It is concluded that under the current climate conditions (Arctic amplification and increasing frequency of meridional processes in mid-latitudes) the second and the third factors are giving more significant contribution into explained variance of interannual variability for cold season atmospheric precipitation over the Altai Krai than the first factor.

Keywords: interannual variability, winter precipitation, Altai Krai, wavelet-coherence

Procedia PDF Downloads 156

Authors: Nastaran Hemmati, Farhad Nikkhahi, Amir Javadi, Sahar Eskandarion, Seyed Mahmuod Amin Marashi

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Neisseria meningitidis, Escherichia coli K, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae cause 90% of bacterial meningitis. Almost all infected people die or have irreversible neurological complications. Therefore, it is essential to have a diagnostic kit with the ability to quickly detect these fatal infections. The project involved 212 patients from whom cerebrospinal fluid samples were obtained. After total genome extraction and performing multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), the presence or absence of each infectious factor was determined by comparing with standard strains. The specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value calculated were 100%, 92.9%, 50%, and 100%, respectively. So, due to the high specificity and sensitivity of the designed primers, they can be used instead of bacterial culture that takes at least 24 to 48 hours. The remarkable benefit of this method is associated with the speed (up to 3 hours) at which the procedure could be completed. It is also worth noting that this method can reduce the personnel unintentional errors which may occur in the laboratory. On the other hand, as this method simultaneously identifies four common factors that cause bacterial meningitis, it could be used as an auxiliary method diagnostic technique in laboratories particularly in cases of emergency medicine.

Keywords: cerebrospinal fluid, meningitis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, simultaneous detection, diagnosis testing

Procedia PDF Downloads 88

Authors: Thanura Randula Abeywardena

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This study recognized the effectiveness of cold-water immersion recovery post exhaustive short-term exercise. The purpose of this study was to understand if 16- 20°C of cold-water immersion would be beneficial in a tropical environment to achieve optimal recovery in sprint swim performance in comparison to 10-15°C of water immersion. Two 100m-sprint swim performance times were measured along with blood lactate (BLa), heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) in a 25m swimming pool with full body head out horizontal water immersions of 10-15°C, 16-20°C and 29-32°C (pool temperature) for 10 minutes followed by 5 minutes of seated passive rest outside; in between the two swim performances. Twelve well-trained adult swimmers (5 male and 5 female) within the top twenty in the Sri Lankan national swimming championships in 100m Butterfly and Freestyle in the years 2020 & 2021 volunteered for this study. One-way ANOVA analysis (p<0.05) suggested performance time, Bla and HR had no significant differences between the 3 conditions after the second sprint; however, RPE was significantly different with p=0.034 between 10-15°C and 16-20°C immersion conditions. The study suggested that the recovery post the two cold-water immersion conditions were similar in terms of performance and physiological factors; however, the 16-20°C temperature had a better “feel good” factor post sprint 2. Further study is recommended as there was participant bias with the swimmers not reaching optimal levels in sprint 1. Therefore, they might have possibly fully recovered before sprint 2, invalidating the physiological effect of recovery.

Keywords: hydrotherapy, blood lactate, fatigue, recovery, sprint-performance, sprint-swimming

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Authors: Nattapong Techarattanased

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The purposes of this research are to make comparisons in respect of the behaviors on the use of the services of metered taxi classified by the demographic factor and to study the influence of the recognition on service quality having the effect on usage behaviors of metered taxi services of consumers in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas. The samples used in this research are 400 metered taxi service users in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas and use a questionnaire as the tool for collecting the data. Analysis statistics is mean and multiple regression analysis. Results of the research revealed that the consumers recognize the overall quality of services in each aspect include tangible aspects of the service, responses to customers, assurance on the confidence, understanding and knowing of customers which is rated at the moderate level except the aspect of the assurance on the confidence and trustworthiness which are rated at a high level. For the result of a hypothetical test, it is found that the quality in providing the services on the aspect of the assurance given to the customers has the effect on the usage behaviors of metered taxi services and the aspect of the frequency on the use of the services per month which in this connection. Such variable can forecast at one point nine percent (1.9%). In addition, quality in providing the services and the aspect of the responses to customers have the effect on the behaviors on the use of metered taxi services on the aspect of the expenses on the use of services per month which in this connection, such variable can forecast at two point one percent (2.1%).

Keywords: consumer behavior, metered taxi service, satisfaction, service quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 202

Authors: Farzana Rahman, Mohammed Hossain Ezaz, Dipak Halder, Proshanta Mondal

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Site safety is an important function regardless of project size. A key goal, which must be met for a successful project, is to finish the project with a good safety record. Construction safety is an important issue in all over the world. Today, developed countries strictly follow the safety procedure to avoid any hazard, accident or fatality. However, for a least developed country like Bangladesh, still accidents and fatalities are quite high due to lack of safety management. With the increased volume of construction work in Bangladesh, the need for proper attention in safety issues has become essential for human, economic and other consideration. Recently lots of accidents are taking place in construction sites of Bangladesh causing severe injury to death to the workers and pedestrians. There are a number of reasons/factors that these high numbers are widespread to the construction industry that are not found in most other businesses. The objective of this research work is to identify and explore the various factor that affect the construction site safety in Bangladesh. A questionnaire surveys was conducted to the reputed construction companies of Bangladesh to examine the present safety situation in construction sites. Nine factors were selected for the survey. The finding shows that 78% of organizations’ from the respondents are conscious about the safety procedure and they usually provide safety measures for the workers. Promotion of safety measures at the working site results in a better working environment, higher productivity and greater contentment among the workers.

Keywords: construction sites, fatalities, safety issues, safety situation

Procedia PDF Downloads 545

Authors: Nadia Allouache

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Energy conservation is one of the major concerns in the modern high tech era due to the limited amount of energy resources and the increasing cost of energy. Predicting an efficient use of energy in thermal systems like heat exchangers can only be achieved if the second law of thermodynamics is accounted for. The performance of heat exchangers can be substantially improved by many passive heat transfer augmentation techniques. These letters permit to improve heat transfer rate and to increase exchange surface, but on the other side, they also increase the friction factor associated with the flow. This raises the question of how to employ these passive techniques in order to minimize the useful energy. The objective of this present study is to use a porous substrate attached to the walls as a passive enhancement technique in heat exchangers and to find the compromise between the hydrodynamic and thermal performances under turbulent flow conditions, by using a second law approach. A modified k- ε model is used to simulating the turbulent flow in the porous medium and the turbulent shear flow is accounted for in the entropy generation equation. A numerical modeling, based on the finite volume method is employed for discretizing the governing equations. Effects of several parameters are investigated such as the porous substrate properties and the flow conditions. Results show that under certain conditions of the porous layer thickness, its permeability, and its effective thermal conductivity the minimum rate of entropy production is obtained.

Keywords: second law approach, annular heat exchanger, turbulent flow, porous medium, modified model, numerical analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 262

Authors: Mahdi GoharRokhi, Mohammad H. Ruhipour, Mohammad R. ZamaniZadeh, Mohsen Maleki, Yusef Shamsayi, Mahdi FarhaniNejad, Farzad FarrokhZadeh

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Possessing massive resources of natural gas and petroleum, Iran has a special place among all other oil producing countries, according to international institutions of energy. In order to use these resources, development and functioning optimization of refineries and industrial units is mandatory. Heat exchanger is one of the most important and strategic equipment which its key role in the process of production is clear to everyone. For instance, if the temperature of a processing fluid is not set as needed by heat exchangers, the specifications of desired product can change profoundly. Crude oil enters a network of heat exchangers in atmospheric distillation section before getting into the distillation tower; in this case, well-functioning of heat exchangers can significantly affect the operation of distillation tower. In this paper, different scenarios for pre-heating of oil are studied using oil and gas simulation software, and the results are discussed. As we reviewed various scenarios, adding a heat exchanger to pre-heating network is proposed as the most efficient factor in improving all governing parameters of the tower i.e. temperature, pressure, and reflux rate. This exchanger is embedded in crude oil’s path. Crude oil enters the exchanger after E-101 and exchanges heat with discharging kerosene pump around from E-136. As depicted in the results, it will efficiently assist the improvement of process operation and side expenses.

Keywords: atmospheric distillation unit, heat exchanger, preheat, simulation

Procedia PDF Downloads 637

Authors: Krishang Surapaneni

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The goal of this project is to determine how to predict important aspects of options, including the ask price. We want to compare different machine learning models to learn the best model and the best hyperparameters for that model for this purpose and data set. Option pricing is a relatively new field, and it can be very complicated and intimidating, especially to inexperienced people, so we want to create a machine learning model that can predict important aspects of an option stock, which can aid in future research. We tested multiple different models and experimented with hyperparameter tuning, trying to find some of the best parameters for a machine-learning model. We tested three different models: a Random Forest Regressor, a linear regressor, and an MLP (multi-layer perceptron) regressor. The most important feature in this experiment is the ask price; this is what we were trying to predict. In the field of stock pricing prediction, there is a large potential for error, so we are unable to determine the accuracy of the models based on if they predict the pricing perfectly. Due to this factor, we determined the accuracy of the model by finding the average percentage difference between the predicted and actual values. We tested the accuracy of the machine learning models by comparing the actual results in the testing data and the predictions made by the models. The linear regression model performed worst, with an average percentage error of 17.46%. The MLP regressor had an average percentage error of 11.45%, and the random forest regressor had an average percentage error of 7.42%

Keywords: finance, linear regression model, machine learning model, neural network, stock price

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Authors: Mamata Mohanty, J. T. Shahu

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The in-situ deep mixing is an effective ground improvement technique which involves columnar inclusion into soft ground to increase its bearing capacity and reduce settlement. The first part of the study presents the results of unconfined compression on cement-admixed clay prepared at different cement content and subjected to varying curing periods. It is found that cement content is a prime factor controlling the strength of the cement-admixed clay. Besides cement content, curing period is important parameter that adds to the strength of cement-admixed clay. Increase in cement content leads to significant increase in Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) values especially at cement contents greater than 8%. The second part of the study investigated the bearing capacity of the clay ground improved by a group of end-bearing column using model tests under plain-strain condition. This study mainly focus to examine the effect of cement contents on the ultimate bearing capacity and failure stress of the improved clay ground. The study shows that the bearing capacity of the improved ground increases significantly with increase in cement contents of the soil-cement columns. A considerable increase in the stiffness of the model ground and failure stress was observed with increase in cement contents.

Keywords: bearing capacity, cement content, curing time, unconfined compressive strength, undrained shear strength

Procedia PDF Downloads 158

Authors: Uhde Serenay Sunay, Alev Yalçınkaya

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Emotional abuse is one of the most challenging forms of violence to define, and many individuals often unknowingly experience emotional abuse. Existing literature has found that individuals who have experienced psychological abuse tend to suffer from depression, low self-esteem, a decreased sense of autonomy, fear, and an increased risk of suicide. Current research indicates that physical abuse in romantic relationships is often accompanied by emotional abuse, supporting the idea that identifying emotional abuse is an essential factor in romantic relationships. On the other hand, studies on emotional abuse between partners in romantic relationships are limited. This study investigated attitudes towards emotional abuse among Turkish university students. Gender differences were investigated.Additionally, the study examined whether the degree of emotional abuse was related to attitudes towards emotional abuse. A total of 243 university students participated in the research, with 156 female and 87 male participants. Participants' attitudes toward emotional abuse were measured using the Turkish adaptation of Follingstad Psychological Aggression Scale and hypothetical scenarios created by the researchers. The results revealed that attitudes of women and men vary significantly in attack looks/sexuality, fidelity, gender roles, and jealousy subscales of Follingstad Psychological Aggression Scale. Furthermore, attitudes towards moderate-level and severe-level emotional abuse exhibit statistically significant variability by gender, while attitudes towards mild-level emotional abuse do not.

Keywords: emotional abuse, gender differences, Turkish culture, university students

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Authors: Armaghan Moravej Aleali, Seyed Mahmoud Latifi, Homeira Rashidi

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Objective: High blood pressure in a risk factor for some disease like stroke, coronary heart disease, and renal failure. High blood pressure in children is an increasing health problem. The aim of this present was to determine prevalence of hypertension and pre-hypertension age between 10 to 17 years old. Material & Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was conducted using multiphase sampling method in Ahvaz (Southwest of Iran). A questionnaire include: height, weight, and body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures filled for each participant. Blood pressure was measured twice for each person. For the diagnosis of hypertension, the fourth report of the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents of the National Health Institute of United States was used. Results: The subject participants of the study were 1707children and adolescents including 922 boys (54%) and 785 girls 46%). The prevalence of high blood pressure was 1.7% (boys 2.5% girls 0.8%). The prevalence of pre-hypertension was 9 % (7.6% in boys, 10.6% in girls). The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased with increasing body mass index. Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of high blood pressure was found to be lower than other studies in our country. The prevalence of the high blood pressure in boys was significantly higher than girls. This study, like other studies, showed a high correlation between being overweight and an increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Keywords: hypertension, pre-hypertension, childhood, adolescence

Procedia PDF Downloads 439

Authors: Malik Muhammad Arslan, Muneeb Ullah, Dai Shihan, Faizan Khan, Xiaodong Yang

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Internet Service Providers are driving endless demands for higher bandwidth and data throughput as new services and applications require higher bandwidth. Users want immediate and accurate data delivery. This article focuses on converting old conventional networks into passive optical networks based on time division and wavelength division multiplexing. The main focus of this research is to use a hybrid of time-division multiplexing and wavelength-division multiplexing to improve network efficiency and performance. In this paper, we design an 80 Gbps Passive Optical Network (PON), which meets the need of the Next Generation PON Stage 2 (NGPON2) proposed in this paper. The hybrid of the Time and Wavelength division multiplexing (TWDM) is said to be the best solution for the implementation of NGPON2, according to Full-Service Access Network (FSAN). To co-exist with or replace the current PON technologies, many wavelengths of the TWDM can be implemented simultaneously. By utilizing 8 pairs of wavelengths that are multiplexed and then transmitted over optical fiber for 40 Kms and on the receiving side, they are distributed among 256 users, which shows that the solution is reliable for implementation with an acceptable data rate. From the results, it can be concluded that the overall performance, Quality Factor, and bandwidth of the network are increased, and the Bit Error rate is minimized by the integration of this approach.

Keywords: bit error rate, fiber to the home, passive optical network, time and wavelength division multiplexing

Procedia PDF Downloads 50

Authors: M. Wisnu Pamungkas, Patrianef Darwis

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Introduction: Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a vascular disease that has a significant amputation and mortality risk with diabetes mellitus, the most significant risk factor in CLI, is very common among Indonesian. Endovascular intervention (EVI) is preferred in treating CLI because it is noninvasive and effective. Balloon angioplasty and stent angioplasty are the most common method of EVI in Indonesia. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of balloon angioplasty and stent angioplasty on wound healing in CLI. Method: A cross-sectional study enrolled 90 subjects of CLI who underwent endovascular intervention using balloon angioplasty and stent angioplasty from January 2013 to July 2017 in dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta. The wound healing period between balloon angioplasty dan stent angioplasty was analyzed using unpaired T-test with p<0,05 considered as statistically significant. Data of intervention method wound healing period, and subjects characteristic data (age, amputation, BMI, smoking habit, DM, occlusion site, and blood profile) were obtained. Result: The wound healing period in balloon angioplasty and stent angioplasty distributed normally. Mean value of wound healing period in balloon angioplasty and stent angioplasty are 84,8+/-2,423 and 59,93 +/- 2,423 days with a mean difference of 25 days. The difference in wound healing period in both groups is statically significant (p<0,05). The amputation event in balloon angioplasty and stent angioplasty is 22 and 16 event with no difference statistically. Conclusion: Stent angioplasty is a better method than balloon angioplasty for wound healing in patients with CLI.

Keywords: critical limb ischemia, endovascular intervention, wound healing, angioplasty

Procedia PDF Downloads 107

Authors: Simon B. N. Thompson

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Cortisol is important to our immune system, regulates our stress response, and is a factor in maintaining brain temperature. Saliva cortisol is a practical and useful non-invasive measurement that signifies the presence of the important hormone. Electrical activity in the jaw muscles typically rises when the muscles are moved during yawning and the electrical level is found to be correlated with the cortisol level. In two studies using identical paradigms, a total of 108 healthy subjects were exposed to yawning-provoking stimuli so that their cortisol levels and electrical nerve impulses from their jaw muscles was recorded. Electrical activity is highly correlated with cortisol levels in healthy people. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Yawning Susceptibility Scale, General Health Questionnaire, demographic, health details were collected and exclusion criteria applied for voluntary recruitment: chronic fatigue, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart condition, high blood pressure, hormone replacement therapy, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. Significant differences were found between the saliva cortisol samples for the yawners as compared with the non-yawners between rest and post-stimuli. Significant evidence supports the Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis that suggests rises in cortisol levels are associated with yawning. Ethics approval granted and professional code of conduct, confidentiality, and safety issues are approved therein.

Keywords: cortisol, diagnosis, neurological disease, thompson cortisol hypothesis, yawning

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Authors: M. J. Pourvaghar, M. E. Bahram

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Obesity and overweight is one of the most common metabolic disorders in industrialized countries and in developing countries. One consequence of pathological obesity is cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Chemerin is an adipocyne that plays a role in the regulation of the adipocyte function and the metabolism of glucose in the liver and musculoskeletal system. Most likely, chemerin is involved in obesity-related disorders such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Aerobic exercises reduce the level of chemerin and cause macrophage penetration into fat cells and inflammatory factors. Several efforts have been made to clarify the cellular and molecular mechanisms of hypertrophy and muscular atrophy. Myostatin, a new member of the TGF-β family, is a transforming growth factor β that its expression negatively regulates the growth of the skeletal muscle; and the increase of this hormone has been observed in conditions of muscular atrophy. While in response to muscle overload, its levels decrease after the atrophy period, TGF-β is the most important cytokine in the development of skeletal muscle. Myostatin plays an important role in muscle control, and animal and human studies show a negative role of myostatin in the growth of skeletal muscle. Separation of myostatin from Golgi begins on the ninth day of the onset period and continues until birth at all times of muscle growth. Higher levels of myostatin are found in obese people. Resistance training for 10 weeks could reduce levels of plasma myostatin.

Keywords: chemerin, myostatin, obesity, physical activity

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Authors: Mohamed Amine Adaour, Mohamed Sadek Bachene, Mosaab Fortassi, Wafaa Siouda

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Foot infections are responsible for a significant number of hospitalizations and amputations in diabetic patients. The objective of our study is to analyze and evaluate the management of diabetic foot in a surgical setting. A retrospective study was conducted based on a selected case of suspected diabetic foot infections of osteitis treated at the Mohamed Boudiaf hospital in Medea.The case was reiterated as a therapeutic charge, consisting of treating first the infection of the soft tissues, then the osteitis: biopsy after at least 15 days of cessation of antibiotic therapy. Successful treatment of osteitis was defined at the end of a follow-up period of complete wound healing, lack of bone resection/amputation surgery at the initial bone site during follow-up , Instead, biopsies are prescribed in the treatment of soft tissue infection. The mean duration of treatment for soft tissue infection was 2-3 weeks, the duration of the antibiotic-free window of therapy prior to bone biopsy was 2-4 weeks. This patient received medical management without surgical resection. The success rate for treating osteitis at one year was 73%, and healing at one year was 88%.It is often limited to a sausage of the foot at the cost of repeated amputations. The best management remains prevention, which necessarily involves setting up a specialized and adapted centre.

Keywords: osteitis, antibiotic, biopsy, diabetic foot

Procedia PDF Downloads 81

Authors: I. Caldas, T. Duarte

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Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) was included for the first time in DSM-5, replacing the old diagnosis of DSM-4 'Early Childhood Eating Disorder'. An ARFID is characterized by a restrictive/avoidant eating pattern that can lead to severe nutritional deficiency, weight loss, nutritional supplementation dependence, and poor psychosocial functioning. This eating pattern is associated with decreased interest in food, worries about food characteristics or the act of ingestion, and lack of concern with weight or body image. This paper aims to understand the impact of this new diagnosis in other Eating Disorders (ED) prevalence, as well as to compare their therapeutic approaches. Methodology: Literature reviewed by PubMed with the following keywords: 'ARFID', 'Prevalence', and 'Eating Disorders'. We selected articles related to this theme, written since 2016. Results: In a population of children hospitalized with ED, 5% to 14% was diagnosed with ARFID, and, as outpatient treatment, the prevalence was 22%. People diagnosed with ARFID have more prevalence of other comorbidities, especially autism spectrum, are younger, and are more often male. Regarding the treatment of ARFID, it most often required nasogastric feeding, and with less suffering associated with this procedure, compared to AN. Despite these differences, 12% of patients diagnosed with ARFID transited to AN during treatment, suggesting that the first pathology may be a risk factor for the development of AN. Conclusions: The differences identified between ARFID and the other EDs are important when analyzed as differential diagnostic hypotheses and therapeutic approaches. Further study is necessary regarding its prevalence, risk factors, and treatment.

Keywords: avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, ARFID, differential diagnoses, eating disorders, prevalence

Procedia PDF Downloads 98

Authors: Umar Bello

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Literature has become an invaluable subject which has added a great value and contribution to the teaching of English language and the discovery of many other developed ideas. Literature produces an exhilarating impulse that imprints a lasting picture on the mind of a learner. Many researchers have devised various means and approaches to language Teaching methods which remain unconvinging and which yield little result, but it has remained unconvincing because it has only produced little results. Devicing a method that eliminates monotony and boredome to learners is a good factor that enhances students’ motivation to learning. In this sense, literature and language become unavoidable components that aid intellectual development. This study examines the indispensability of literature as a means of English Language teaching to secondary school classes. The researcher has developed many instructive activities which are believed will help students to improve their study in grammar and vocabulary. The researcher has used quasi-experimental approach using experimental group and control group to find out how literature enhances the students grammar as well as their vocabulary. The findings revealed a positive performance in the experimental group doing better than the control group using simple percentage. The results make it clear that literature allows learners to pay more attention and develop more interest to their studies. In giving a perspicacious linguistic development, literature therefore remains an essential tool for language teaching classrooms, thereby enhancing their grammatical and vocabulary usage.

Keywords: teaching vocabulary, integration, poetry, classroom

Procedia PDF Downloads 83

Authors: Fariha Akhter Chowdhury, Mohammad Nurul Islam, Anamika Saha, Sabrina Mahboob, Abu Syed Md. Mosaddek, Md. Omar Faruque, Most. Fahmida Begum, Rajib Bhattacharjee

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Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infectious diseases in Bangladesh where Escherichia coli is the prevalent organism and responsible for most of the infections. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is known to act as a major virulence factor of E. coli. The present study aimed to purify, extract and visualize LPS of E. coli clinical isolates from urine samples of patients with UTI. The E. coli strain was isolated from the urine samples of 10 patients with UTI and then the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolates was determined. The purification of LPS was carried out using the hot aqueous-phenol method and separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which was directly stained using the modified silver staining method and Coomassie blue. The silver-stained gel demonstrated both smooth and rough type LPS by showing trail-like band patterns with the presence and lacking O-antigen region, respectively. Coomassie blue staining showed no band assuring the absence of any contaminating protein. Our successful extraction of purified LPS from E. coli isolates of UTI patients’ urine samples can be an important step to understand the UTI disease conditions.

Keywords: Escherichia coli, electrophoresis, polyacrylamide gel, silver staining, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)

Procedia PDF Downloads 359

Authors: Aruha Khan, Brynn E. Kankel, Paraskevi Papadopoulou

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In recent years, extensive research upon ‘stress’ has provided insight into its two distinct guises, namely the short–term (fight–or–flight) response versus the long–term (chronic) response. Specifically, the long–term or chronic response is associated with the suppression or dysregulation of immune function. It is also widely noted that the occurrence of cancer is greatly correlated to the suppression of the immune system. It is thus necessary to explore the impact of long–term or chronic stress upon the prevalence and risk of cancer. To what extent can the dysregulation of immune function caused by long–term exposure to stress be controlled or minimized? This study focuses explicitly upon immunosuppression due to its ability to increase disease susceptibility, including cancer itself. Based upon an analysis of the literature relating to the fundamental structure of the immune system alongside the prospective linkage of chronic stress and the development of cancer, immunosuppression may not necessarily correlate directly to the acquisition of cancer—although it remains a contributing factor. A cross-sectional analysis of the survey data from the University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) and Harvard Medical School (HMS) will provide additional supporting evidence (or otherwise) for the hypothesis of the study about whether immunosuppression (caused by the chronic stress response) notably impacts the prevalence of cancer. Finally, a multidimensional framework related to education on chronic stress and its effects is proposed.

Keywords: immune system, immunosuppression, long–term (chronic) stress, risk of cancer

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Authors: Elisabeth Sundari, Anny Retnowati

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This research aims to examine the meaning of 'the best interests of the child' in Indonesia's rampant phenomenon of child marriage. The methodology used empirical and normative legal research by examining the parent's reason and the judges' considerations in granting child marriage dispensation applications. It takes data samples from judges' decisions purposively in two courts that differ in geographical and religious backgrounds to see data variation. Namely, the District Court and Religious Court of Yogyakarta City, as well as Gunung Kidul Regency, in the last three years (2020-2022). It analyses the data qualitatively to explore how judges interpreted 'the best interests of the child' in their decision. The results show that judges granted 100% of all child marriage dispensation applications filed by parents. The three reasons parents gave for applying for dispensation were that they were ashamed of having a pregnant child without being married, followed religious teachings, and obtained legal status for the baby. The judges supported those reasons by granting the dispensation application. The external factor of the child itself influenced the meaning of 'The best interests of the child' in marrying off children in Indonesia, such as cultural taboos, religious teachings, and obtaining legal status for the baby, rather than internal factors of the child, such as the will to marry, the mental and psychological readiness of the child to become a mother, as well as a wife. This research contributes to the finding that external factors, such as local culture and religion, can influence the meaning of 'the best interests of the child.'

Keywords: interests, child, Indonesia, marriage

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Authors: Peng-Shao Chen, Yen-Jong Chen

Abstract:

In recent years, global warming, the dramatic change in energy prices and the exhaustion of natural resources illustrated that energy-related topic cannot be ignored. Despite the relationship between the cities and CO₂ emissions has been extensively studied in recent years, little attention has been paid to differences in the geographical location of the city. However, the geographical climate has a great impact on lifestyle from city to city, such as the type of buildings, the major industry of the city, etc. Therefore, the paper instigates empirically the effects of kinds of urban factors and CO₂ emissions with consideration of the different geographic, climatic zones which cities are located. Using the regression model and a dataset of urban agglomeration in East Asia cities with over one million population, including 2005, 2010, and 2015 three years, the findings suggest that the impact of urban factors on CO₂ emissions vary with the latitude of the cities. Surprisingly, all kinds of urban factors, including the urban population, the share of GDP in service industry, per capita income, and others, have different level of impact on the cities locate in the tropical climate zone and temperate climate zone. The results of the study analyze the impact of different urban factors on CO₂ emissions in urban area with different geographical climate zones. These findings will be helpful for the formulation of relevant policies for urban planners and policy makers in different regions.

Keywords: carbon emissions, urban agglomeration, urban factor, urban geography

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Authors: Woosuk Lee

Abstract:

We controlled the electron injection rate in inverted quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) by inserting PEIE layer between ZnO electron transport layer(ETL) and quantum dots(QDs) layer and successfully demonstrated high efficiency of QLEDs. The inverted QLED has the layer structure of ITO(cathode)/ ZnO NPs/PEIE/QDs/PEIE/P-TPD/MoO3/Al(anode). The PEIE between poly-TPD hole transport layer (HTL) and quantum dot emitting layer protects QD EML during HTL coating process and improves the surface morphology. In addition, the hole injection barrier is reduced by upshifting the valence band maximum (VBM) of QDs. An additional layer of PEIE was introduced between ZnO and QD to balance charge within QD emissive layer in device, which serves as an effective electron blocking layer without changing device operating condition such as turn-on voltage and emissive spectra. As a result, the optimized QLED with 5nm PEIE shows a ~36% improved current efficiency and external quantum efficiency (EQE) compared to the QLED without PEIE.(maximum current efficiency, and EQE are achieved 70cd/A and 17.3%, respectively). In particular, the maximum brightness of the optimized QLED dramatically improved by a factor of 2.3 relative to the QLED without PEIE. The main reasons for these QLED performance improvement are due to the suppressing the leakage current across the device and well confined exciton by inserting PEIE layers.

Keywords: quantum dot light-emitting diodes, interfacial layer, charge-injection balance, suppressing QD charging

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Authors: Noureddine Ramdani

Abstract:

In recent years, extensive attention has been given to the study of conductive nanocomposites due to their unique properties, which are dependent on their size and shape. The potential applications of these materials include electromagnetic interference shielding, energy storage, photovoltaics, and others. These outstanding properties have led to increased interest and research in this field. In this work, a conductive poly benzoxazine nanocomposite, PBZ/Gr-Cu, was synthesized through a compression molding technique to achieve a high-performance material suitable for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. The microstructure of the nanocomposites was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The thermal stability, electrical conductivity, and EMI shielding properties of the nanocomposites were evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis, a four-point probe, and a VNA analyzer, respectively. The TGA results revealed that the thermal stability and electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites were significantly enhanced by the incorporation of Gr/Cu nanoparticles. The nanocomposites exhibited a low percolation threshold of about 3.5 wt.% and an increase in carrier concentration and mobility of the carriers with increasing hybrid nanofiller content, causing the composites to behave as n-type semiconductors. These nanocomposites also displayed a high dielectric constant and a high dissipation factor in the frequency range of 8-12 GHz, resulting in higher EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 25-44 dB. These characteristics make them promising candidates for lightweight EMI shielding materials in aerospace and radar evasion applications.

Keywords: polybenzoxazine matrix, conductive nanocomposites, electrical conductivity, EMI shielding

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Authors: Shirin Jalili, Sadegh Hasannia, Hadi Shirzad, Afshin Khara

Abstract:

Morphine is one of the most medicinally important analgesics and narcotics. Structurally, it is classified as an alkaloid because of the presence of nitrogen. Its structure is similar to that of codeine, thebaine, and heroin. An immunoassay to accurately discriminate between these analogous alkaloids would be highly beneficial. A key factor for such an assay is specificity with high sensitivity, which is totally dependent on the antibody employed. However, most antibodies against haptens are polyclonal serum antibodies that exhibit significant cross-reactivities with closely related compounds. The camel-derived single-chain antibody fragments (VHH) are the smallest molecules with antigen-binding capacity, possessing unique properties compared to other conventional antibodies. In this study, a library containing the VHH genes of a camel immunized with with morphine conjugated BSA following phage display technology was generated. By screening the camel-derived variable region of the heavy chain cDNA phage display library with the ability to bind the desired hapten, we obtained some nanobodies that recognize this hapten. Phage display expression of the Nbs from this library and pannings against this hapten resulted in a clear enrichment of four distinct Nb-displaying phages with specificity for morphine that could be a potential target site for the development of new strategies for the development of a biosensor for detecting illicit drug.

Keywords: phage display, nanobody, Morphine-3, glucuronide, ELISA, biosensor

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Authors: Sunarti Sinaga, Hsueh-Jung Lu, Jia-Rong Lin

Abstract:

Blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) is a crucial target species for Taiwan coastal fisheries and has maintained its status as the highest-produced species. Timely measurement of spawning status is crucial for determining the correct management strategy for this species. The objective of this study was to determine size at maturity, fecundity, batch fecundity, and spawning frequency on the basis of samples collected from Nan-Fang-Ao fishing port in Yilan during the spawning season from 2017 to 2019. Histological sections indicated that the blue mackerel are multiple spawners. A higher percentage of female fish spawned at the peak of the gonadosomatic index. The 50% sizes at maturity were 32.02, 32.13, and 29.64 cm. Mean total fecundity (batch fecundity) was 165 (103), 229 (96), and 210 (68) oocytes per ovary-free weight (g) for 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively; fecundity was determined through observation of postovulatory follicles (POFs). The spawning frequencies (spawning fraction) in 2017, 2018, and 2019 were 3–10 days (0.13), 4–14 days (0.08), and 4–12 days (0.08), respectively. The spawning frequencies determined through the 3 estimated methods, namely the sums of (a) hydrated and Day 0 POFs; (b) Day 1+ POFs, and (c) all data combined, were 1 spawning event per 8, 10, and 9 days, respectively. The reproduction of the blue mackerel was greater in 2017 than it was in 2018 or 2019, as indicated by the higher batch fecundity and shorter spawning seasons. Environmental factors should also be considered as a major factor influencing successful reproduction and the spawning season.

Keywords: scomber australasicus, spawning frequency, batch fecundity, fecundity

Procedia PDF Downloads 82