Search results for: bilobate short cell

Authors: Eunhwa Jun

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This case report describes the misdiagnosis of a patient who presented with right arm pain as cervical disc herniation. The patient had several underlying conditions, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis, a history of lung cancer with left lower lobe lobectomy, and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. An external cervical spine MRI revealed central protruding discs at the C4-5-6-7 levels. Despite treatment with medication and epidural blocks, the patient's pain persisted. A C-RACZ procedure was planned, but the patient's pain had worsened before admission. Using ultrasound, a brachial plexus block was attempted, but the brachial plexus eluded clear visualization, hinting at underlying neurological complexities. Chest CT revealed a new, large soft tissue mass in the right supraclavicular region with adjacent right axillary lymphadenopathy, leading to the diagnosis of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. Palliative radiation therapy and chemotherapy were initiated as part of the treatment plan, and the patient's pain score decreased to 3 out of 10 on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), revealing the pain was due to metastatic lung cancer.

Keywords: supraclavicula brachial plexus metastasis, cervical disc herniation, brachial plexus block, metastatic lung cancer

Procedia PDF Downloads 52

Authors: Diogo Ribeiro, Teresa Neto, Ricardo Santos, Maria Portela, Alexandra Trincão

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This article describes a set of innovating student recruitment strategies in a 1st cycle course of Civil Engineering, in particular the Civil Engineering Degree from the School of Engineering - Polytechnic of Porto (ISEP-PP). The strategies described were two-fold, targeting, for one, the increment on the number of admissions for the degree’s first year and two, promoting the re-entry of students who, for whatever reason, interrupted their studies. For the first objective, teacher-student binomials were set, whilst for the second, personalized contacts and assistance were provided. The main initiatives were promoted by the team of degree directors and were upheld with the participation and in consonance with the School’s external relations office. These initiatives were put forward as an attempt to minimize the impact of a national and international crisis on the AEC industry when the sustainability of the course was at risk. The implementation of these strategies was assessed on basis of a statistical analysis of the data collected from official sources and by surveys promoted. The results showed that the re-entry boost of former students, attending classes scattered on the three curricular years, secured registrations on some Curricular Units (UC’s) which more than doubled their numbers. Accompanied by a still incipient but regained interest on Civil Engineering it was possible in the short span of three years to reset the number of new students from less than 10 to the currently maximum allowed of 75, and so invert the tendency of an abrupt decline on the total number of students enrolled on the degree.

Keywords: civil engineering, monitoring, performance indicators, strategies, student recruitment

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Authors: Dina Ahmed Alkhodary

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Human Resources are the individual skills, knowledge, attitude, capabilities and experience collected to produce wealth to the company. Human Resource disclosure is the process of involving, reporting, and sharing the Investments made in the Human Resources of an Organization that such as organizations short goals and objectives, employees creation value, training and development plan are presently not accounted for in the conventional accounting practices which is importance nowadays to reduce the employee`s turnover. For the purpose of the study 3 telecommunications companies in Jordan have been selected. Telecommunication industry has been chosen for this study since it is a successful sector in Jordan and Human resource disclosure practices were adopted in all the selected companies and companies was aware to the HR practices. The objective of the study is to find out the HR disclosures practices of the telecommunication Companies in Jordan and to find the relationship between the HR Disclosures practices and employees’ turnover which has been measured by leaver proficiencies, remaining member proficiencies and the new comers proficiencies. The researcher has used the questioner to collect data for the research purpose. Results reveal that There are human resource disclosure practices in telecommunication companies in Jordan but in some areas only and has found There that there is a significant relationship between the human resource disclosure practices of the telecommunication companies in Jordan and Employees turnover. It is important to the companies to disclose more information and it’s important to the researchers to study the HR disclosure in the other industries in Jordan to increase the awareness about it.

Keywords: HR, disclosure, employee, turnover

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Authors: A. Luft, S. Bremen, N. Balc

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The task of flexibility planning and design, just like factory planning, for example, is to create the long-term systemic framework that constitutes the restriction for short-term operational management. This is a strategic challenge since, due to the decision defect character of the underlying flexibility problem, multiple types of flexibility need to be considered over the course of various scenarios, production programs, and production system configurations. In this context, an evaluation model has been developed that integrates both conventional and additive resources on a basic task level and allows the quantification of flexibility enhancement in terms of mix and volume flexibility, complexity reduction, and machine capacity. The model helps companies to decide in early decision-making processes about the potential gains of implementing additive manufacturing technologies on a strategic level. For companies, it is essential to consider both additive and conventional manufacturing beyond pure unit costs. It is necessary to achieve an integrative view of manufacturing that incorporates both additive and conventional manufacturing resources and quantifies their potential with regard to flexibility and manufacturing complexity. This also requires a structured process for the strategic production systems design that spans the design of various scenarios and allows for multi-dimensional and comparative analysis. A respective guideline for the planning of additive resources on a strategic level is being laid out in this paper.

Keywords: additive manufacturing, production system design, flexibility enhancement, strategic guideline

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Authors: Ghada E. Esheba, Ghufran Kheshaifaty, Kholoud Al-Harbi, Wafa'a Al-Harbi, Ala'a Al-Orabi, Moayad Turkistani

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Krukenberg tumor is a rare metastatic ovarian carcinoma that usually occurs in female between 30 - 40 year old and rarely seen after menopause. Stomach is the most common primary site. Histopathological features of krukenberg tumors appear as diffuse stromal proliferation, mucus-production, and numerous signet-cells and these tumors spread mostly by lymphatic route. Treatment and prognostic factors are not well established. This study describes a 34 year old female with a unilateral ovarian mass discovered accidentally during cesarean section delivery and it was misdiagnosed as luteoma of pregnancy, but histopathological examination showed a diffuse infiltration of the ovary and omentum by signet ring cells. These findings were not correlated with luteoma of pregnancy or any other types of primary ovarian tumors like surface epithelial tumor, sex cord stromal tumor or germ cell tumor. However, after the analysis of immunohistochemical results (negative CK7, positive CK20 and CDX-2), the finding was the diagnostic of metastatic krukenberg tumor. Two weeks later, the patient was evaluated and a large gastric tumor was found in her stomach and she underwent gastrectomy.

Keywords: CK7, CK20, CDX-2, Krukenburg tumor, metastatic ovarian tumor

Procedia PDF Downloads 319

Authors: Mohammed Alenezy

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The function of cardiac motion can be used as an indicator of the heart abnormality by evaluating longitudinal, circumferential, and Radial Strain of the left ventricle. In this paper, the Radial Strain and SR is studied using tagged MRI (tMRI) data during the cardiac cycle on the mid-ventricle level of the left ventricle. Materials and methods: The short-axis view of the left ventricle of five healthy human (three males and two females) and four healthy male rats were imaged using tagged magnetic resonance imaging (tMRI) technique covering the whole cardiac cycle on the mid-ventricle level. Images were processed using Image J software to calculate the left ventricle wall Radial Strain and radial SR. The left ventricle Radial Strain and radial SR were calculated at the mid-ventricular level during the cardiac cycle. The peak Radial Strain for the human and rat heart was 40.7±1.44, and 46.8±0.68 respectively, and it occurs at 40% of the cardiac cycle for both human and rat heart. The peak diastolic and systolic radial SR for human heart was -1.78 s-1 ± 0.02 s-1 and 1.10±0.08 s-1 respectively, while for rat heart it was -5.16± 0.23s-1 and 4.25±0.02 s-1 respectively. Conclusion: This results show the ability of the tMRI data to characterize the cardiac motion during the cardiac cycle including diastolic and systolic phases which can be used as an indicator of the cardiac dysfunction by estimating the left ventricle Radial Strain and radial SR at different locations of the cardiac tissue. This study approves the validity of the tagged MRI data to describe accurately the cardiac radial motion.

Keywords: left ventricle, radial strain, tagged MRI, cardiac cycle

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Authors: H. Alabed, K. Abuzayan. L. Fgie, K. Zarug

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Ramadan requires individuals to abstain from food and fluid intake between sunrise and sunset; physiological considerations predict that poorer mood, physical performance and mental performance will result. In addition, any difficulties will be worsened because preparations for fasting and recovery from it often mean that nocturnal sleep is decreased in length, and this independently affects mood and performance. A difficulty of interpretation in many studies is that the observed changes could be due to fasting but also to the decreased length of sleep and altered food and fluid intakes before and after the daytime fasting. These factors were separated in this study, which took place over three separate days and compared the effects of different durations of fasting (4, 8 or 16h) upon a wide variety of measures (including subjective and objective assessments of performance, body composition, dehydration and responses to a short bout of exercise) - but with an unchanged amount of nocturnal sleep, controlled supper the previous evening, controlled intakes at breakfast and daytime naps not being allowed. Many of the negative effects of fasting observed in previous studies were present in this experiment also. These findings indicate that fasting was responsible for many of the changes previously observed, though some effect of sleep loss, particularly if occurring on successive days (as would occur in Ramadan) cannot be excluded.

Keywords: drinking, eating, mental performance, physical performance, social activity, blood, sleepiness

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Authors: G. V. Novikov, V. S. Sivozhelezov, S. S. Kolesnikov, K. V. Shaitan

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The study reports about the influence of binding of orthosteric ligands as well as point mutations on the conformational dynamics of β-2-adrenoreceptor. Using molecular dynamics simulation we found that there was a little fraction of active states of the receptor in its apo (ligand free) ensemble corresponded to its constitutive activity. Analysis of MD trajectories indicated that such spontaneous activation of the receptor is accompanied by the motion in intracellular part of its alpha-helices. Thus receptor’s constitutive activity directly results from its conformational dynamics. On the other hand the binding of a full agonist resulted in a significant shift of the initial equilibrium towards its active state. Finally, the binding of the inverse agonist stabilized the receptor in its inactive state. It is likely that the binding of inverse agonists might be a universal way of constitutive activity inhibition in vivo. Our results indicate that ligand binding redistribute pre-existing conformational degrees of freedom (in accordance to the Monod-Wyman-Changeux-Model) of the receptor rather than cause induced fit in it. Therefore, the ensemble of biologically relevant receptor conformations is encoded in its spatial structure, and individual conformations from that ensemble might be used by the cell in conformity with the physiological behaviour.

Keywords: seven-transmembrane receptors, constitutive activity, activation, x-ray crystallography, principal component analysis, molecular dynamics simulation

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Authors: S. O. Ekpo

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Environmental science deals with everyday challenges such as a cell for call for good and safe quality air, water, food and healthy leaving condition which include destruction of biodiversity and how to conserve these natural resources for sustainable development. Biodiversity or species richness is the sum of all the different species of animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms leaving on earth and variety of habitats in which they leave. Human beings leave on plants and animals on daily basis for food, clothing, medicine, housing, research and trade or commerce; besides this, biodiversity serves to purify the air, water and land of contaminant, and recycle useful materials for continual use of man. However, man continual incessant exploitation and exploration has affected biodiversity negatively in many ways such habitant fragmentation and destruction, introduction of invasive species, pollution, overharvesting, prediction and pest control amongst others. Measures such as recycling material, establishing natural parks, sperm bank, limiting the exploitation of renewable resources to sustainable yield and urban and industrial development as well as prohibiting hunting endangered species and release of non native live forms into an area will go a long way towards conserving biodiversity for continues profitable yield.

Keywords: biodiversity, conservation, exploitation and exploration sustainable yield, recycling of materials

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Authors: Sadia Arshad, Yifa Tang, Dumitru Baleanu

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A fractional order mathematical model is proposed that incorporate CD8+ cells, natural killer cells, cytokines and tumor cells. The tumor cells growth in the absence of an immune response is modeled by logistic law as it was the simplest form for which predictions also agreed with the experimental data. Natural Killer Cells are our first line of defense. NK cells directly kill tumor cells through several mechanisms, including the release of cytoplasmic granules containing perforin and granzyme, expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family members. The effect of the NK cells on the tumor cell population is expressed with the product term. Rational form is used to describe interaction between CD8+ cells and tumor cells. A number of cytokines are produced by NKs, including tumor necrosis factor TNF, IFN, and interleukin (IL-10). Source term for cytokines is modeled by Michaelis-Menten form to indicate the saturated effects of the immune response. Stability of the equilibrium points is discussed for biologically significant values of bifurcation parameters. We studied the treatment of fractional order system by investigating analytical conditions of tumor eradication. Numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the analytical results.

Keywords: cancer model, fractional calculus, numerical simulations, stability analysis

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Authors: Eun Young Choi, So Hui Choe, Jin Yi Hyeon, Ji Young Jin, Bo Ram Keum, Jong Min Lim, Hyung Rae Cho, Kwang Keun Cho, In Soon Choi

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This research analyzed the effect of β-glucan that is expected to alleviate the production of inflammatory mediator in macrophagocyte, which was processed by the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Escherichia, a pathogen related to allergy. The incubated layer was used for nitric oxide (NO) analysis. The DNA-binding activation of the small unit of NF-κB was measured using ELISA-based kit. In RAW264.7 cells that were vitalized by E.coli LPS, β-glucan inhibited both the combatant and rendering phases of inducible NO synthase (iNOS)-derived NO. β-glucan increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the cell that was stimulated by E.coli LPS, and HO-1 activation was inhibited by SnPP. This shows that NO production induced by LPS is related to the inhibition effect of β-glucan. The phosphorylation of JNK and p38 induced by LPS were not influenced by β-glucan, and IκB-α decomposition was not influenced either. Instead, β-glucan remarkably inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT1 that was induced by E.coli LPS. Overall, β-glucan inhibited the production of NO in macrophagocyte that was vitalized by E.coli LPS through HO-1 induction and STAT1 pathways inhibition in this research. As the host inflammation reaction control by β-glucan weakens the progress of allergy, β-glucan can be used as an effective treatment method.

Keywords: β-glucan, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), nitric oxide (NO), RAW264.7 cells, STAT1

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Authors: El Miloudi Djelloul

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Based on analysis on applications by perception control technology in computer network security status and security protection measures, from the angles of network physical environment and network software system environmental security, this paper provides network security system perception control solution using Internet of Things (IOT), telecom and other perception technologies. Security Perception Control System is in the computer network environment, utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) of IOT and telecom integration technology to carry out integration design for systems. In the network physical security environment, RFID temperature, humidity, gas and perception technologies are used to do surveillance on environmental data, dynamic perception technology is used for network system security environment, user-defined security parameters, security log are used for quick data analysis, extends control on I/O interface, by development of API and AT command, Computer Network Security Perception Control based on Internet and GSM/GPRS is achieved, which enables users to carry out interactive perception and control for network security environment by WEB, E-MAIL as well as PDA, mobile phone short message and Internet. In the system testing, through middle ware server, security information data perception in real time with deviation of 3-5% was achieved; it proves the feasibility of Computer Network Security Perception Control System.

Keywords: computer network, perception control system security strategy, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

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Authors: Mehmet Akoz, Mustafa Kul

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Ewes and goats are seasonally polyestrus animals. Their reproductive activities are associated with the reduction or extending of daylight. Melatonin releasing from pineal gland regulates the sexual activities depending on daylight. In recent years, number of ewes decreased in our country. This situation dispatched to developing of some methods to increase productivity. Small ruminants can be synchronized with the natural and medical methods. known methods from natural light set with ram and goat participation. The most important natural methods of male influence, daylight is regulated and feed. On the other hand, progestagens, PGF2α, melatonin, and gonadotropins are commonly used for the purpose of estrus synchranization. But it is not effective PGF2α anestrous season The short-term and long-term progesterone treatment was effective to synchronize estrus in small ruminats during both breeding and anestrus seasons. Alternative choices of progesterone/progestagen have been controlled internal drug release (CIDR) devices, supplying natural progesterone, norgestomet implants, and orally active melengestrol acetate Melatonin anestrous season and should be applied during the transition period, but the season can be synchronized. Estrus synchronisation shortens anestrus season, decreases labor for mating/insemination and estrus pursuit, and induces multiple pregnancies.

Keywords: ewes, goat, synchronization, progestagen, PGF2α

Procedia PDF Downloads 344

Authors: Uğur Çakir, Erol Şahin, Kemal Çomakli, Ayşegül Çokgez Kuş

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Solar energy is thought as main source of all energy sources on the world and it can be used in many applications like agricultural areas, heating cooling or direct electricity production directly or indirectly. Greenhousing is the first one of the agricultural activities that solar energy can be used directly in. Greenhouses offer us suitable conditions which can be controlled easily for the growth of the plant and they are made by using a covering material that allows the sun light entering into the system. Covering material can be glass, fiber glass, plastic or another transparent element. This study investigates the solar energy usability rates and solar energy benefiting rates of a semi-spherical (modified arch) type greenhouse system according to different orientations and positions which exists under climatic conditions of Bayburt. In the concept of this study it is tried to determine the best direction and best sizes of a semi-spherical greenhouse to get best solar benefit from the sun. To achieve this aim a modeling study is made by using MATLAB. However this modeling study is running for some determined shapes and greenhouses it can be used for different shaped greenhouses or buildings. The basic parameters are determined as greenhouse azimuth angle, the rate of size of long edge to short and seasonal solar energy gaining of greenhouse.

Keywords: greenhousing, solar energy, direct radiation, renewable energy

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Authors: Yu-Hsiu Li, Chun-Hsun Chen

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Analysis of automatic sprinkler system protects the scooter in underground parking space, the current of general buildings is mainly equipped with foam fire-extinguishing equipment in Taiwan, the automatic sprinkling system has economic and environmental benefits, even high stability, China and the United States allow the parking space to set the automatic sprinkler system under certain conditions. The literature about scooter full-scale fire indicates that the average fire growth coefficient is 0.19 KW/sec2, it represents the scooter fire is classified as ultra-fast time square fire growth model, automatic sprinkler system can suppress the flame height and prevent extending burning. According to the computer simulation (FDS) literature, no matter computer simulation or full-scale experiments, the active order and trend about sprinkler heads are the same. This study uses the computer simulation program (FDS), the simulation scenario designed includes using a different system (enclosed wet type and open type), and different configurations. The simulation result demonstrates that the open type requires less time to extinguish the fire than the enclosed wet type if the horizontal distance between the sprinkler and the scooter ignition source is short, the sprinkler can act quickly, the heat release rate of fire can be suppressed in advance.

Keywords: automatic sprinkler system, underground parking Spac, FDS, scooter fire extinguishing

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Authors: Dimassi Wissem

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In this work, we investigate the effect of combination between the porous silicon (PS) layer passivized with Lithium Bromide (LiBr) and grooving of grain boundaries (GB) in multi crystalline silicon. The grain boundaries were grooved in order to reduce the area of these highly recombining regions. Using optimized conditions, grooved GB's enable deep phosphorus diffusion and deep metallic contacts. We have evaluated the effects of LiBr on the surface properties of porous silicon on the performance of silicon solar cells. The results show a significant improvement of the internal quantum efficiency, which is strongly related to the photo-generated current. We have also shown a reduction of the surface recombination velocity and an improvement of the diffusion length after the LiBr process. As a result, the I–V characteristics under the dark and AM1.5 illumination were improved. It was also observed a reduction of the GB recombination velocity, which was deduced from light-beam-induced-current (LBIC) measurements. Such grooving in multi crystalline silicon enables passivization of GB-related defects. These results are discussed and compared to solar cells based on untreated multi crystalline silicon wafers.

Keywords: Multicrystalline silicon, LiBr, porous silicon, passivation

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Authors: Wu Wei-Ting, Liu Po-Yen, Chang Chin-Tzu, Cheng Wei-Chun

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Three types of low-temperature phase transformations in an Fe-12.5 Mn-6.53 Al-1.28 C (wt %) alloy have been studied. The steel underwent solution heat treatment at 1100℃ and isothermal holding at low temperatures. γ’ phase appears in the austenite matrix in the air-cooled steel. Coherent ultra-fine particles of γ’ phase precipitated uniformly in the austenite matrix after the air-cooling process. These ultra-fine particles were very small and only could be detected by TEM through dark-field images. After short periods of isothermal holding at low temperatures these particles of γ’ phase grew and could be easily detected by TEM. A pro-eutectoid reaction happened after isothermal holding at temperatures below 875 ℃. Proeutectoid κ-carbide and ferrite appear in the austenite matrix as grain boundary precipitates and cellular precipitates. The cellular precipitates are composed of lamellar κ-carbide and austenite. The lamellar κ-carbide grains are always accompanied by layers of austenite twins. The presence of twin layers adhering to the κ-carbide plates might be attributed to the lower activation energy for the precipitation of κ-carbide plates in the austenite. The final form of phase transformation is the eutectoid reaction for the decomposition of supersaturated austenite into stable κ-carbide and ferrite phases at temperatures below 700℃. The ferrite and κ-carbide are in the form of pearlite lamellae.

Keywords: austenite, austenite twin layers, κ-carbide, twins

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Authors: Abdulsalam M. Alhawsawi

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Estimation of a radiation detector's efficiency plays a significant role in calculating the activity of radioactive samples. Detector efficiency is measured using sources that emit a variety of energies from low to high-energy photons along the energy spectrum. Some photon energies are hard to find in lab settings either because check sources are hard to obtain or the sources have short half-lives. This work aims to develop a method to determine the efficiency of a High Purity Germanium Detector (HPGe) based on the 662 keV gamma ray photon emitted from Cs-137. Cesium-137 is readily available in most labs with radiation detection and health physics applications and has a long half-life of ~30 years. Several photon efficiencies were calculated using the MCNP5 simulation code. The simulated efficiency of the 662 keV photon was used as a base to calculate other photon efficiencies in a point source and a Marinelli Beaker form. In the Marinelli Beaker filled with water case, the efficiency of the 59 keV low energy photons from Am-241 was estimated with a 9% error compared to the MCNP5 simulated efficiency. The 1.17 and 1.33 MeV high energy photons emitted by Co-60 had errors of 4% and 5%, respectively. The estimated errors are considered acceptable in calculating the activity of unknown samples as they fall within the 95% confidence level.

Keywords: MCNP5, MonteCarlo simulations, efficiency calculation, absolute efficiency, activity estimation, Cs-137

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Authors: Adedayo Ajayi, Patrick Luk, Liyun Lao

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This paper studies the supportive needs for the electrical infrastructure of the green airport. In particular, the core objective revolves around the choice of electric grid configuration required to meet the expected electrified loads, i.e., the taxiing and charging loads of hybrid /pure electric aircraft in the airport. Further, reliability and resilience are critical aspects of a newly proposed grid; the concept of mobile energy storage as energy as a service (EAAS) for grid support in the proposed green airport is investigated using an autonomous electric taxiing robot (A-ETR) at a case study (Cranfield Airport). The performance of the model is verified and validated through DigSILENT power factory simulation software to compare the networks in terms of power quality, short circuit fault levels, system voltage profile, and power losses. Contingency and reliability index analysis are further carried out to show the potential of EAAS on the grid. The results demonstrate that the low voltage a.c network ( LVAC) architecture gives better performance with adequate compensation than the low voltage d.c (LVDC) microgrid architecture for future green airport electrification integration. And A-ETR can deliver energy as a service (EaaS) to improve the airport's electrical power system resilience and energy supply.

Keywords: reliability, voltage profile, flightpath 2050, green airport

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Authors: Saroj Poudel, Joshua Mancini, Douglas Pike, Jennifer Timm, Alexei Tyryshkin, Vikas Nanda, Paul Falkowski

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On the early Earth, protein-metal complexes likely harvested energy from a reduced environment. These complexes would have been precursors to the metabolic enzymes of ancient organisms. Hydrogenase is an essential enzyme in most anaerobic organisms for the reduction and oxidation of hydrogen in the environment and is likely one of the earliest evolved enzymes. To attempt to reinvent a precursor to modern hydrogenase, we computationally designed a short thirteen amino acid peptide that binds the often-required catalytic transition metal Nickel in hydrogenase. This simple complex can achieve hundreds of hydrogen evolution cycles using light energy in a broad range of temperature and pH. Biophysical and structural investigations strongly indicate the peptide forms a di-nickel active site analogous to Acetyl-CoA synthase, an ancient protein central to carbon reduction in the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway and capable of hydrogen evolution. This work demonstrates that prior to the complex evolution of multidomain enzymes, early peptide-metal complexes could have catalyzed energy transfer from the environment on the early Earth and enabled the evolution of modern metabolism

Keywords: hydrogenase, prebiotic enzyme, metalloenzyme, computational design

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Authors: Mahmoud Fouad, Mervat Badr, Marwa Ibrahim

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Micro-grid system is presently considered a reliable solution for the expected deficiency in the power required from future power systems. Renewable power sources such as wind, solar and hydro offer high potential of benign power for future micro-grid systems. Micro-Grid (MG) is basically a low voltage (LV) or medium voltage (MV) distribution network which consists of a number of called distributed generators (DG’s); micro-sources such as photovoltaic array, fuel cell, wind turbine etc. energy storage systems and loads; operating as a single controllable system, that could be operated in both grid-connected and islanded mode. The capacity of the DG’s is sufficient to support all; or most, of the load connected to the micro-grid. This paper presents a micro-grid system based on wind and solar power sources and addresses issues related to operation, control, and stability of the system. Using Matlab/Simulink, the system is modeled and simulated to identify the relevant technical issues involved in the operation of a micro-grid system based on renewable power generation units.

Keywords: micro-grid system, photovoltaic, wind turbine, energy storage, distributed generation, modeling

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Authors: Vishnu Satya

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Rural communities form the backbone of our society. These communities are self-contained, for the most part, in how they can sustain themselves. Except for the essentials, they are primarily dependent on the state for their development and prosperity. The state claims to provide these through policies and agencies which are designed to guide their livelihood and future. It is assumed that the state-run policies are effective and are reaching the intended audience. Though in reality, there is an ever-widening gap between the two. The interviews conducted with farmers suggests that the support provided by the state to this marginalized community falls far short of their expectations, leaving them helpless. This paper discusses the methods used in bringing the status quo of the marginalized farmers to the forefront by comparing-and-contrasting the existing rhetoric and reality of the rural diaspora. It is seen from the hands-on oral accounts of farmers that they are left hanging between the state and their farms. Unrepresented, this community's progress and future stand severely affected. The paper presents how the visual medium acts as a catalyst for social advocacy by bridging the gap between administrative services and the marginalized rural communities. The finding was that there exists a disconnect between policymakers and the farming community, which has hindered the progress of the farmers. These two communities live exclusively from each other. In conclusion, it is seen that when the gaps between administrators and farmers are plugged through grass-root efforts utilizing visual medium, the farmer's economic situation got better, and the community prospered.

Keywords: farmers, social advocacy, marginalized, story telling

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Authors: Olayinka Oduwole, Steve Sheard

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The magnetic separation of biological cells using super-magnetic beads has been used widely for various bioassays. These bioassays can further be integrated with other laboratory components to form a biosensor which can be used for cell sorting, mixing, purification, transport, manipulation etc. These bio-sensing applications have also been facilitated by the wide availability of magnetic beads which range in size and magnetic properties produced by different manufacturers. In order to improve the efficiency and separation capabilities of these biosensors, it is important to determine the magnetic force induced velocities and interaction of beads within the magnetic field; this will help biosensor users choose the desired magnetic bead for their specific application. This study presents for the first time the interaction between a pair of different sized super-paramagnetic beads suspended in a static fluid moving within a uniform magnetic field using a modified finite-time-finite-difference scheme. A captured video was used to record the trajectory pattern and a good agreement was obtained between the simulated trajectories and the video data. The model is, therefore, a good approximation for predicting the velocities as well as the interaction between various magnetic particles which differ in size and magnetic properties for bio-sensing applications requiring a low concentration of magnetic beads.

Keywords: biosensor, magnetic field, magnetic separation, super-paramagnetic bead

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Authors: Lin Dong-Yih, Yang S. M., Huang B. W., Lian J. A.

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Super duplex stainless steel has excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. It becomes important structural material as its application has been extended to the fields such as renewable energy and the chemical industry because of its excellent properties. As examples are offshore wind power, solar cell machinery, and pipes in the chemical industry. The mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of super duplex stainless steel can be eliminated by welding due to the precipitation of the hard and brittle σ phase, which is rich of chromium, and molybdenum elements. This paper studies the influence of carbon element on the phase transformation of -ferrite and σ phase in 2507 super duplex stainless steel. The 2507 will be under argon gas protection welded with 316 and 316L extra low carbon stainless steel separately. The microstructural phases of stainless steels before and after welding, in fusion, heat affected zones, and base material will be studied via X-ray, OM, SEM, EPMA i.e. their quantity, size, distribution, and morphology. The influences of diffusion by carbon element will be compared according to the microstructures, hardness, and corrosion tests.

Keywords: complex stainless steel, welding, phase formation, carbon element, sigma phase, delta ferrite

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Authors: K. Marciniak, M. Owoc

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Managers as decision-makers present in different sectors should be supported in efficient and more and more sophisticated way. There are huge number of software tools developed for such users starting from simple registering data from business area – typical for operational level of management – up to intelligent techniques with delivering knowledge - for tactical and strategic levels of management. There is a big challenge for software developers to create intelligent management dashboards allowing to support different decisions. In more advanced solutions there is even an option for selection of intelligent techniques useful for managers in particular decision-making phase in order to deliver valid knowledge-base. Such a tool (called Intelligent Dashboard for SME Managers–InKOM) is prepared in the Business Intelligent framework of Teta products. The aim of the paper is to present solutions assumed for InKOM concerning on management of stored knowledge bases offering for business managers. The paper is managed as follows. After short introduction concerning research context the discussed supporting managers via information systems the InKOM platform is presented. In the crucial part of paper a process of knowledge transformation and validation is demonstrated. We will focus on potential and real ways of knowledge-bases acquiring, storing and validation. It allows for formulation conclusions interesting from knowledge engineering point of view.

Keywords: business intelligence, decision support systems, knowledge management, knowledge transformation, knowledge validation, managerial systems

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Authors: Darya O. Prima, Elena V. Vorontsova, Yuri G. Slizhov, Andrey V. Zibarev

Abstract:

A broad family of carbocycle-fluorinated aza-heterocycles including 1,3-benzodiazoles (benzimidazoles), 1,2,3-benzotriazoles, 2,1,3-benzothia/selenadiazoles and 1,4-benzodiazines (quinoxalines) was synthesized in the unified way and assessed for cytotoxicity towards the Hep2 (laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma, a kind of oral cancer) cells. The diazoles, triazoles and selenadiazoles revealed low medium inhibitory concentrations IC50 = 2.2-26.4 µМ and induced the cells’ apoptosis at low concentrations C = 1-25 µМ. For selenadiazoles, cell death dynamics was observed already in the first hours after the treatment. Replacement of one atom F by group Me2N in some cases enlarged apoptotic activity of the compounds towards the Hep2 cells. In contrast, the archetypal (i.e. non-fluorinated) 1,3-benzodiazole, 1,2,3-benzotriazole and 2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole were low toxic (IC50 > 100 µM) and induced apoptosis only at high concentrations. The chlorinated congeners of the heterocycles under discussion were highly toxic towards the Hep2 cells but revealed insignificant ability to induce their apoptosis. Overall, the findings above suggest that fluorinated 1,3-benzodiazole, 1,2,3-benzotriazole and 2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole derivatives can be considered as potential anticancer drugs. For the laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma (for which, according to available statistics, the five-year survival rate remained ~50% during the past 30 years), it is especially important since surgical treatment is seriously complicated here thus encouraging medicament one.

Keywords: Apoptosis, aza-heterocycles, cytotoxicity, fluorinated, Hep2 cells, synthesis

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Authors: Jung-Yoon Lee, Jongmun Kim, Hyo-Jun Chang, Jung-Min Kim

Abstract:

People’s tendency towards living in apartment houses is increasing in a densely populated country. However, some residents living in apartment houses are bothered by noise coming from the houses above. In order to reduce noise pollution, the communities are increasingly imposing a bylaw, including the limitation of floor impact sound, minimum thickness of floors, and floor soundproofing solutions. This research effort focused on the specific long-time deflection of resilient materials in the floor sound insulation systems of apartment houses. The experimental program consisted of testing nine floor sound insulation specimens subjected to sustained load for 45 days. Two main parameters were considered in the experimental investigation: three types of resilient materials and magnitudes of loads. The test results indicated that the structural behavior of the floor sound insulation systems under long-time load was quite different from that the systems under short-time load. The loading period increased the deflection of floor sound insulation systems and the increasing rate of the long-time deflection of the systems with ethylene vinyl acetate was smaller than that of the systems with low density ethylene polystyrene.

Keywords: resilient materials, floor sound insulation systems, long-time deflection, sustained load, noise pollution

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Authors: Rafat M. Mohareb

Abstract:

Several D-ring alkylated estrone analogues display exceptionally high affinity for estrogen receptors. In particular, compounds in which an E-ring is formed are known to be involved in the inhibition of steroidogenic enzymes. Such compounds also have an effect on steroid dehydrogenase activity and the ability to inhibit the detrimental action of the steroid sulfatase enzyme. Generally, E-ring extended steroids have been accessed by modification of the C17-ketone in the D-ring by either arylimine or oximino formation, addition of a carbon nucleophile or hydrazone formation. Other approaches have included ketone reduction, silyl enol ether formation or ring-closing metathesis (giving five- or six-membered E-rings). Chemical modification of the steroid D-ring provides a way to alter the functional groups, sizes and stereochemistry of the D-ring, and numerous structure-activity relationships have been established by such synthetic alterations. Steroids bearing heterocycles fused to the D-ring of the steroid nucleus have been of pharmaceutical interest. In the present paper, we report on the efficient synthesis of estrone possessing pyran, pyrimidine and thiazole ring systems. This study focused on the synthesis and biochemical evaluation of newly synthesized heterocyclic compounds which were then subjected through inhibitory evaluations towards human cancer and normal cell lines.

Keywords: estrone, heterocyclization, cytotoxicity, biomedicine

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Authors: Mohammad Hamed Asosheh

Abstract:

The development of nanobiomaterials has opened new avenues in the field of biomedical engineering, offering unparalleled possibilities for advanced therapeutic applications. This study explores the synthesis and characterization of a distinct class of nanobiomaterials designed to enhance drug delivery systems and support tissue engineering. By integrating biodegradable polymers with bioactive nanoparticles, we have engineered a multifunctional platform that ensures controlled drug release, targeted delivery, and improved biocompatibility. Our findings demonstrate that these nanobiomaterials not only exhibit excellent mechanical properties but also promote cell proliferation and differentiation, making them ideal candidates for regenerative medicine. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo assessments reveal that the engineered materials significantly reduce cytotoxicity while enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of encapsulated drugs. This research presents a promising approach to addressing current challenges in drug delivery and tissue regeneration, with the potential to revolutionize the treatment of chronic diseases and injury repair. Future work will focus on optimizing the material composition for specific clinical applications and conducting large-scale studies to evaluate long-term safety and effectiveness.

Keywords: nanobiomaterials, drug delivery systems, therapeutic efficacy, bioactive nanoparticles

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Authors: Roop Kiran, Muhammad Shoaib Zafar, Nazish Idrees Chaudhary

Abstract:

Depression is known to be the second most frequently occurring comorbid mental illness among patients suffering from chronic physical conditions. Around the world, depression is associated with chronic liver diseases as one of the dominant symptoms. This evidence brings attention to the research about various predictors for short life expectancy and poor quality of life in patients suffering from comorbid depression and CLD. Following are the objectives of this study i) measure the occurrence rate of comorbid depression among patients with CLD and ii) find the frequency of risk factors between patients with and without depression comorbid with CLD. This is a quantitative study with a cross-sectional design. The research data was collected through a measure called Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) with a demographic Performa from 100 patients who visited the Department of Psychiatry for consultation at Mayo Hospital Lahore with a diagnosed CLD from the last four years. There were (42%) patients with CLD who had comorbid depression. Among depressed and non-depressed patients, significant differences were found (p<0.05) for unemployment in 25 (59.5%) males and 20 (34.5%) female patients, for co-morbidity in 25 (59.5%) males and 18 (31.0%) female patients, for illiteracy in 18 (42.9%) males and 13 (22.4%) female patients, for the history of CLD for more than the last 2years in 41 (97.6%) males and 47 (81.0%) female patients, for severity of CLD in 26 (61.9%) males and 20 (34.5%) female patients. This concludes that depression frequently occurs among patients with CLD. This study recommends considerable attention to plan preventative measures in the future and develop such intervention protocols that consider the management of risk factors that significantly influence comorbid depression with CLD.

Keywords: psychiatry, comorbid, health, quality of life

Procedia PDF Downloads 207