Search results for: perceived stress

Authors: Minhal Abidi, Moinuddin

Abstract:

Diabetes mellitus (DM) induced metabolic abnormalities causes oxidative stress which leads to the pathogenesis of complications associated with diabetes like retinopathy, nephropathy periodontitis etc. Combination of glycation and oxidation 'glycoxidation' occurs when oxidative reactions affect the early state of glycation products. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is prone to glycoxidative attack by sugars and methylglyoxal (MGO) being a strong glycating agent may have severe impact on its structure and consequent role in diabetes. Pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL1β and TNFα produced by the action of gram negative bacteria in periodontits (PD) can in turn lead to insulin resistance. This work discusses modifications to LDL as a result of glycoxidation. The changes in the protein molecule have been characterized by various physicochemical techniques and the immunogenicity of the modified molecules was also evaluated as they presented neo-epitopes. Binding of antibodies present in diabetes patients to the native and glycated LDL has been evaluated. Role of modified epitopes in the generation of antibodies in diabetes and periodontitis has been discussed. The structural perturbations induced in LDL were analyzed by UV–Vis, fluorescence, circular dichroism and FTIR spectroscopy, molecular docking studies, thermal denaturation studies, Thioflavin T assay, isothermal titration calorimetry, comet assay. MALDI-TOF, ketoamine moieties, carbonyl content and HMF content were also quantitated in native and glycated LDL. IL1β and TNFα levels were also measured in the type 2 DM and PD patients. We report increased carbonyl content, ketoamine moieties and HMF content in glycated LDL as compared to native analogue. The results substantiate that in hyperglycemic state MGO modification of LDL causes structural perturbations making the protein antigenic which could obstruct normal physiological functions and might contribute in the development of secondary complications in diabetic patients like periodontitis.

Keywords: advanced glycation end products, diabetes mellitus, glycation, glycoxidation, low density lipoprotein, periodontitis

Procedia PDF Downloads 185

Authors: Maxime Moreau, Silvère Baron, Jean-Marc Lobaccaro, Karine Charlet, Sébastien Menecier, Frédéric Perisse

Abstract:

Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) is an ionized gas generated at atmospheric pressure with the temperature of heavy particles (molecules, ions, atoms) close to the room temperature. Recent studies have shown that both in-vitro and in-vivo plasma exposition to many cancer cell lines are efficient to induce the apoptotic way of cell death. In some other works, normal cell lines seem to be less impacted by plasma than cancer cell lines. This is called selectivity of plasma. It is highly likely that the generated RNOS (Reactive Nitrogen Oxygen Species) in the plasma jet, but also in the medium, play a key-role in this selectivity. In this study, two CAP devices will be compared to electrical power, chemical species composition and their efficiency to kill cancer cells. A particular focus on the action of hydrogen peroxide will be made. The experiments will take place as described next for both devices: electrical and spectroscopic characterization for different voltages, plasma treatment of normal and cancer cells to compare the CAP efficiency between cell lines and to show that death is induced by an oxidative stress. To enlighten the importance of hydrogen peroxide, an inhibitor of H2O2 will be added in cell culture medium before treatment and a comparison will be made between the results of cell viability in this case and those from a simple plasma exposition. Besides, H2O2 production will be measured by only treating medium with plasma. Cell lines will also be exposed to different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide in order to characterize the cytotoxic threshold for cells and to make a comparison with the quantity of H2O2 produced by CAP devices. Finally, the activity of catalase for different cell lines will be quantified. This enzyme is an important antioxidant agent against hydrogen peroxide. A correlation between cells response to plasma exposition and this activity could be a strong argument in favor of the predominant role of H2O2 to explain the selectivity of plasma cancer treatment by cold atmospheric plasma.

Keywords: cold atmospheric plasma, hydrogen peroxide, prostate cancer, selectivity

Procedia PDF Downloads 136

Authors: Meksem Amara Leila, Ferfar Meriem, Meksem Nabila, Djebar Mohammed Reda

Abstract:

The wheat is the cereal the most consumed in the world. In Algeria, the production of this cereal covers only 20 in 25 % of the needs for the country, the rest being imported. To improve the efficiency and the productivity of the durum wheat, the farmers turn to the use of pesticides: weed-killers, fungicides and insecticides. However this use often entrains losses of products more at least important contaminating the environment and all the food chain. Weed-killers are substances developed to control or destroy plants considered unwanted. That they are natural or produced by the human being (molecule of synthesis), the absorption and the metabolization of weed-killers by plants cause the death of these plants.In this work, we set as goal the evaluation of the effect of a weed-killer sulfonylurea, the CossackOD with various concentrations (0, 2, 4 and 9 µg) on variety of Triticum durum: Cirta. We evaluated the plant growth by measuring the leaves and root length, compared with the witness as well as the content of proline and analyze the level of one of the antioxydative enzymes: catalse, after 14 days of treatment. Sulfonylurea is foliar and root weed-killers inhibiting the acetolactate synthase: a vegetable enzyme essential to the development of the plant. This inhibition causes the ruling of the growth then the death. The obtained results show a diminution of the average length of leaves and roots this can be explained by the fact that the ALS inhibitors are more active in the young and increasing regions of the plant, what inhibits the cellular division and talks a limitation of the foliar and root’s growth. We also recorded a highly significant increase in the proline levels and a stimulation of the catalase activity. As a response to increasing the herbicide concentrations a particular increases in antioxidative mechanisms in wheat cultivar Cirta suggest that the high sensitivity of Cirta to this sulfonylurea herbicide is related to the enhanced production and oxidative damage of reactive oxygen species.

Keywords: sulfonylurea, Triticum durum, oxydative stress, Toxicity

Procedia PDF Downloads 413

Authors: Okunola Oluseye Ademola

Abstract:

The study investigated various socio-cultural factors influencing adherence to antiretroviral drugs among people living with HIV in a University Teaching Hospital in South-western Nigeria. The objectives are to examine the perception of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, investigate the influence of socio-cultural factors on adherence of PLWHA to treatment regimen in the study area and assess the prevalence of adherence to ART among PLWHA in the study area. It was a cross-sectional where both qualitative and quantitative research methods were adopted. The participants were HIV diagnosed patients attending clinic at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex in Ile-Ife between the ages of 18 and 60 years. Also three healthcare delivery personnel working in the clinic were interviewed. Out of the 3007 patients receiving treatment, using Fischer’s formula of sampling technique, 336 patients living with HIV/AIDS were selected for the study. These participants had been on antiretroviral drugs for more than six months prior to the study and were selected using simple random sampling technique. Two focus group discussion sessions comprising of 10 male and 10 female living with HIV and currently on ART were conducted. These groups were purposively selected based on their being on ART for more than one year. Also in-depth interviews were conducted among three purposively selected healthcare givers (an experienced nurse, a doctor and a pharmacist) who are working in this clinic. All the participants were interviewed at the clinic on the various clinic days. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, an interview guide and tape-recorder. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Content analysis was employed to analyse responses from IDI and FGD sessions. The findings from the study revealed a very positive perception to ART among PLWHA which was about 86.3% while the level of adherence to ART was 89.0% among the respondents. There was a very strong relationship between social and family supports and the degree of adherence to ART in the PLWHA. Nutrition, polygamy, difficulty in financing transportation fare to the clinic, unemployment, drug hawkers, religion, excuse duty from work and waking up very early were highlighted as socio-cultural barriers to adherence to ART. Fear of death, strong family support, religion belief, not seeking alternative treatment, absence of rituals and perceived improved health status were identified as very strong facilitators to adherence. The study concluded that to achieve a very optimal outcome in the management of HIV among PLWHA, various social and cultural contexts should be taken into consideration as this study was able to ascertain the influence of various socio-cultural factors militating and facilitating adherence to ART.

Keywords: ART, HIV, PLWHA, socio-cultural

Procedia PDF Downloads 266

Authors: Mohammad Ehsani, Iman Zarei, Soudabeh Moazemigoudarzi

Abstract:

The aim of this study is to determine Pro-Environmental Behavioral Intention of Mountain Hikers to the Theory of Planned Behavior. According to many researchers nature-based recreation activities play a significant role in the tourism industry and have provided myriad opportunities for the protection of natural areas. It is essential to investigate individuals' behavior during such activities to avoid further damage to precious and dwindling natural resources. This study develops a robust model that provides a comprehensive understanding of the formation of pro-environmental behavioral intentions among climbers of Mount Damavand National Park in Iran. To this end, we combined the theory of planned behavior (TPB), value-belief-norm theory (VBN), and a hierarchical model of leisure constraints to predict individuals’ pro-environmental hiking behavior during outdoor recreation. It was used structural equation modeling to test the theoretical framework. A sample of 787 climbers was analyzed. Among the theory of planned behavior variables, perceived behavioral control showed the strongest association with behavioral intention (β = .57). This relationship indicates that if people feel they can have fewer negative impacts on national resources while hiking, it will result in more environmentally acceptable behavior. Subjective norms had a moderate positive impact on behavioral intention, indicating the importance of other people on the individual's behavior. Attitude had a small positive effect on intention. Ecological worldview positively influenced attitude and personal belief. Personal belief (awareness of consequences and ascribed responsibility) showed a positive association with TPB variables. Although the data showed a high average score in awareness of consequences (mean = 4.219 out of 5), evidence from Damavand Mount shows that there are many environmental issues that need addressing (e.g., vast amounts of garbage). National park managers need to make sure that their solutions result in awareness about proenvironmental behavior (PEB). Findings showed that negative relationship between constraints and all TPB predictors. Providing proper restrooms and parking spaces in campgrounds, strategies controlling limiting capacity and solutions for removing waste from high altitudes are helpful to decrease the negative impact of structural constraints. In order to address intrapersonal constraints, managers should provide opportunities to interest individuals in environmental activities, such as environmental celebrations or making documentaries about environmental issues. Moreover, promoting a culture of environmental protection in the Damavand Mount area would reduce interpersonal constraints. Overall, the proposed model improved the explanatory power of the TPB by predicting 64.7% of intention compared to the original TPB that accounted for 63.8% of the variance in intention.

Keywords: theory of planned behavior, pro-environmental behavior, national park, constraints

Procedia PDF Downloads 88

Authors: K. Sakthivel

Abstract:

With the continuous increase in population worldwide, stress increased among agricultural peoples, so it is necessary to increase the yield of agro-products. But it is not possible to meet fully with the traditionally adopted ways of using pesticides and herbicides. Today, agriculture and horticulture has realized the need of tomorrow and opting for various technologies to get higher overall yield, quality agro-products. Most of today’s synthetic polymers are produced from petrochemical bi-products and are not biodegradable. Persistent polymers generate significant sources of environmental pollution, harming wildlife when they are disposed in nature. The disposal of non degradable plastic bags adversely affects human and wild life. Moreover incineration of plastic waste presents environmental issues as well, since it yields toxic emissions. Material incineration is also limited due to the difficulties to find accurate and economically viable outlets. In addition plastic recycling shows a negative eco balance due to the necessity in nearly all cases to wash the plastic waste as well as the energy consumption during the recycling process phases. As plastics represent a large part of the waste collection at the local regional and national levels institutions are aware of the significant savings that compostable or biodegradable materials would generate. Polylactic acid (PLA), which is one of the most important biocompatible polyesters that are derived from annually renewable biomass such as corn and wheat, has attracted much attention for automotive parts and also can be applied in agro textiles. The manufacturing method of PLA is the ring-opening polymerization of the dimeric cyclic ester of lactic acid, lactide. For the stereo complex PLA, we developed by the four unit processes, fermentation, separation, lactide conversion, and polymerization. Then the polymer is converted into mulching film and applied in agriculture field. PLA agro textiles have better tensile strength, tearing strength and with stand from UV rays than polyester agro textile and polypropylene-based products.

Keywords: biodegradation, environment, mulching film, PLA, technical textiles

Procedia PDF Downloads 378

Authors: Pierre van Tonder, Dinesh Muthoo, Kim twiname

Abstract:

Many existing and newly built structures are constructed on the design basis of the engineer and the workmanship of the construction company. However, when considering larger structures where more people are exposed to the building, its structural integrity is of great importance considering the safety of its occupants (Raghu, 2013). But how can the structural integrity of a building be monitored efficiently and effectively. This is where the fourth industrial revolution step in, and with minimal human interaction, data can be collected, analysed, and stored, which could also give an indication of any inconsistencies found in the data collected, this is where the Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) monitoring system is introduced. This paper illustrates how data can be collected and converted to develop stress – strain behaviour and to produce bending moment diagrams for the utilisation and prediction of the structure’s integrity. Embedded fibre optic sensors were used in this study– fibre Bragg grating sensors in particular. The procedure entailed making use of the shift in wavelength demodulation technique and an inscription process of the phase mask technique. The fibre optic sensors considered in this report were photosensitive and embedded in the slab and beams for data collection and analysis. Two sets of fibre cables have been inserted, one purposely to collect temperature recordings and the other to collect strain and temperature. The data was collected over a time period and analysed used to produce bending moment diagrams to make predictions of the structure’s integrity. The data indicated the fibre Bragg grating sensing system proved to be useful and can be used for structural health monitoring in any environment. From the experimental data for the slab and beams, the moments were found to be64.33 kN.m, 64.35 kN.m and 45.20 kN.m (from the experimental bending moment diagram), and as per the idealistic (Ultimate Limit State), the data of 133 kN.m and 226.2 kN.m were obtained. The difference in values gave room for an early warning system, in other words, a reserve capacity of approximately 50% to failure.

Keywords: fibre bragg grating, structural health monitoring, fibre optic sensors, beams

Procedia PDF Downloads 125

Authors: Yasmina Bendaali, Cristian Vaquero, Carlos Escott, Carmen González, Antonio Morata

Abstract:

Consumer tendencies to healthy eating habits and request for organic beverages led to the production of new drinks from fruit juices as a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Grape juice is a rich source of sugars, organic acids, and phenolic compounds, which define its beneficial effect on health and the attractive sensory profile for consumers' choices (color, taste, flavor). Thus, grape juice was used as a source of sugars, avoiding the addition of sweeteners by diluting it with mineral water to obtain the sugar concentration recommended for isotonic drinks (6% to 8%) to provide energy during physical activities. In addition, phenolic compounds of grape juice are associated with many human health benefits, mainly antioxidant activity, which helps to prevent different diseases associated with oxidative stress, including cancers and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, physical exercise has been shown to increase the production of free radicals and other reactive oxygen species. Thus, athletes need to improve their antioxidant defense systems to prevent oxidative damage. Different studies have demonstrated the positive effect of grape juice consumption during physical activities, which improves antioxidant activity and performance, protects against oxidative damage, and reduces inflammation. Thus, the use of grape juice to develop isotonic drinks can provide isotonic drinks with antioxidant and biological activities in addition to their principal role of rehydration and replacement of minerals and carbohydrates during physical exercises. Moreover, attractive sensory characteristics, mainly color, which is provided by anthocyanin content, have a great contribution to making the drinks more natural and help to dispense the use of synthetic dyes in addition to the health benefits which will be a novel product in the field of healthy beverages responding on the demand of consumers for new, innovative, and healthy products.

Keywords: grape juice, isotonic, antioxidants, anthocyanins, natural, sport

Procedia PDF Downloads 64

Authors: A. Asaga, N. I. Basuki

Abstract:

The research area is located in Cisarua, Bogor Regency, West Java, with 12,8 km2 wide. This area belongs to mining region of PT Aneka Tambang Tbk. The purpose of this research is to study geological condition, alteration type and pattern, and type of mineralization. Geomorphology of the research area is at young to mature stage, which can be divided into Ciparigi’s Parasite Volcanic Cone Unit, Ciparigi Caldera Valley Unit, Ciparigi Caldera Rim Hill Unit, and Pongkor Volcanic Hill. Stratigraphy of the research area consist of five units, they are Laharic Breccia (Pliocene), Pyroclastic Breccia, Lapilli Tuff, Flow Tuff, Fall Tuff, and Andesite Lava (Pleistocene). Based on mineral composition, it is interpreted that there is magma composition changing from rhyolite to andesitic. Geological structures in the research area are caused by NE-SW and N-S stress direction; they are Ciparay Right Strike-Slip Fault (Pliocene), Cisarua Right Strike-Slip Fault, G. Singa Left Strike-Slip Fault, and Cinyuncung Right Strike-Slip Fault (Pleistocene). Weak to strong hydrothermal alteration can be found in the research area.They are Chlorite ± Smectite ± Halloysite Zone, Smectite - Illite - Quartz Zone, Smectite - Kaolinite - Illite - Chlorite Zone, and Smectite - Chlorite - Calcite - Quartz Zone. The distribution and assemblage of alteration minerals is controlled by lithology and geological structures in Pleistocene. Mineralization produce ore minerals, those are pyrite, marcasite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, and chalcocite. There are calcite and quartz veins that show colloform, comb, and crystalline textures. Hydrothermal alteration assemblages, ore minerals, and cavity filling textures suggest that mineralization type in research area is epithermal low sulphidation.

Keywords: Pongkor, hydrothermal alteration, epithermal, geochemistry

Procedia PDF Downloads 391

Authors: N. B. Ikenweiwe, A. A. Alimi, N. A. Bamidele, O. A. Ewumi, K. Fasina, S. O. Otubusin

Abstract:

A study on the physical, chemical and biological parameters of the lower course of Ogun River, Isheri-Olofin was carried out between January and December 2014 in order to determine the effects of the anthropogenic activities of the Kara abattoir and domestic waste depositions on the quality of the water. Water samples were taken twice each month at three selected stations A, B and C (based on characteristic features or activity levels) along the water course. Samples were analysed using standard methods for chemical and biological parameters the same day in the laboratory while physical parameters were determined in-situ with water parameters kit. Generally, results of Transparency, Dissolved Oxygen, Nitrates, TDS and Alkalinity fall below the permissible limits of WHO and FEPA standards for drinking and fish production. Results of phosphates, lead and cadmium were also low but still within the permissible limit. Only Temperature and pH were within limit. Low plankton community, (phytoplankton, zooplankton), which ranges from 3, 5 to 40, 23 were as a result of low levels of DO, transparency and phosphate. The presence of coliform bacteria of public health importance like Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Aeromonas sp., Shigella sp, Enterobacter aerogenes as well as gram negative bacteria Proteus morganii are mainly indicators of faecal pollution. Fish and other resources obtained from this water stand the risk of being contaminated with these organisms and man is at the receiving end. The results of the physical, chemical and some biological parameters of Isheri, Ogun River, according to this study showed that the live forms of aquatic and fisheries resources there are dwelling under stress as a result of deposition of bones, horns, faecal components, slurry of suspended solids, fat and blood into the water. Government should therefore establish good monitoring system against illegal waste depositions and create education programmes that will enlighten the community on the social, ecological and economic values of the river.

Keywords: damage, ecosystem, human activities, Isheri ogun river

Procedia PDF Downloads 528

Authors: R. Sekula

Abstract:

Epoxy composites are broadly used as an electrical insulation for the high voltage applications since only such materials can fulfill particular mechanical, thermal, and dielectric requirements. However, properties of the final product are strongly dependent on proper manufacturing process with minimized material failures, as too large shrinkage, voids and cracks. Therefore, application of proper materials (epoxy, hardener, and filler) and process parameters (mold temperature, filling time, filling velocity, initial temperature of internal parts, gelation time), as well as design and geometric parameters are essential features for final quality of the produced components. In this paper, an approach for three-dimensional modeling of all molding stages, namely filling, curing and post-curing is presented. The reactive molding simulation tool is based on a commercial CFD package, and include dedicated models describing viscosity and reaction kinetics that have been successfully implemented to simulate the reactive nature of the system with exothermic effect. Also a dedicated simulation procedure for stress and shrinkage calculations, as well as simulation results are presented in the paper. Second part of the paper is dedicated to recent developments on formulations of functional composites for electrical insulation applications, focusing on thermally conductive materials. Concepts based on filler modifications for epoxy electrical composites have been presented, including the results of the obtained properties. Finally, having in mind tough environmental regulations, in addition to current process and design aspects, an approach for product re-design has been presented focusing on replacement of epoxy material with the thermoplastic one. Such “design-for-recycling” method is one of new directions associated with development of new material and processing concepts of electrical products and brings a lot of additional research challenges. For that, one of the successful products has been presented to illustrate the presented methodology.

Keywords: curing, epoxy insulation, numerical simulations, recycling

Procedia PDF Downloads 265

Authors: Meltem Anafarta Şendağ, Funda Kutlu

Abstract:

Attachment theory has some major postulates that direct attention of psychologists from many different domains. First, the theory suggests that attachment is a lifetime process. This means that every human being from cradle to grave needs someone stronger to depend on in times of stress. Second, the attachment is a dynamic process and as one goes through developmental stages it is being transferred from one figure to another (friends, romantic partners). Third, the quality of attachment relationships later in time directly affected by the earliest attachment relationship established between the mother and the infant. Depending on these postulates, attachment literature focuses mostly on mother – child attachment during childhood and romantic relationship during adulthood. However, although romantic partners are important attachment figures in adults’ life, parents are not dropped out from the attachment hierarchy but they keep being important attachment figures. Despite the fact that parents could still be an important figure in adults’ life, adult – parent attachment is overlooked in the literature. Accordingly, this study focuses on adult daughters’ current attachment to their old mothers in relation with early parental bonding and current attachment to husbands. Participants of the study were 383 adult women (Average age = 40, ranging between 23 and 70) whose mothers were still alive and who were married at the time of the study. Participants were completed Adult Attachment Scale, Parental Bonding Instrument, and Experiences in Close Relationship – II together with demographic questionnaire. Results revealed that daughters’ attachment to their mothers weakens as they get older, have more children, and have longer marriages. Stronger attachment to mothers was found positively correlated with current satisfaction with the relationship, perception of maternal care before the age of 12 and negatively correlated with perception of controlling behavior before the age 12. Considering the relationship between current parental attachment and romantic attachment, it was found that as the current attachment to mother strengthens attachment avoidance towards husband decreases. Results revealed that although attachment between the adult daughters and old mothers weakens, the relationship is still critical in daughters’ lives. The strength of current attachment with the mother is related both with the early relationship with the mother and current attachment with the husband. The current study is thought to contribute to attachment theory emphasizing the attachment as a lifetime construct.

Keywords: adult daughter, attachment, old mothers, parental bonding

Procedia PDF Downloads 312

Authors: Priyanka Patil, Logan Manikam

Abstract:

Background: The first 1000 days of life are a critical window and can result in adverse health consequences due to inadequate nutrition. South-Asian (SA) communities face significant health disparities, particularly in maternal and child health. Community-based interventions, often employing Participatory-Learning and Action (PLA) approaches, have effectively addressed health inequalities in lower-income nations. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of implementing a PLA intervention to improve infant feeding and care practices in SA communities living in London. Methods: Comprehensive analyses were conducted to assess the feasibility/fidelity of this pilot randomized controlled trial. Summary statistics were computed to compare key metrics, including participant consent rates, attendance, retention, intervention support, and perceived effectiveness, against predefined progression rules guiding toward a definitive trial. Secondary outcomes were analyzed, drawing insights from multiple sources, such as The Children’s-Eating-Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ), Parental-Feeding-Style Questionnaires (PFSQ), Food-diary, and the Equality-Impact-Assessment (EIA) tool. A video analysis of children's mealtime behavior trends was conducted. Feedback interviews were collected from study participants. Results: Process-outcome measures met predefined progression rules for a definitive trial, which deemed the intervention as feasible and acceptable. The secondary outcomes analysis revealed no significant changes in children's BMI z-scores. This could be attributed to the abbreviated follow-up period of 6 months, reduced from 12 months, due to COVID-19-related delays. CEBQ analysis showed increased food responsiveness, along with decreased emotional over/undereating. A similar trend was observed in PFSQ. The EIA tool found no potential discrimination areas, and video analysis revealed a decrease in force-feeding practices. Participant feedback revealed improved awareness and knowledge sharing. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a co-adapted PLA intervention is feasible and well-received in optimizing infant-care practices among South-Asian community members in a high-income country. These findings highlight the potential of community-based interventions to enhance health outcomes, promoting health equity.

Keywords: child health, childhood obesity, community-based, infant nutrition

Procedia PDF Downloads 49

Authors: Mehdi Behbahani, Sebastian Rible, Charles Moulinec, Yvan Fournier, Mike Nicolai, Paolo Crosetto

Abstract:

Computational Fluid Dynamics blood-flow simulations are increasingly used to develop and validate blood-contacting medical devices. This study shows that numerical simulations can provide additional and accurate estimates of relevant hemodynamic indicators (e.g., recirculation zones or wall shear stresses), which may be difficult and expensive to obtain from in-vivo or in-vitro experiments. The most recent FDA (Food and Drug Administration) benchmark consisted of a simplified centrifugal blood pump model that contains fluid flow features as they are commonly found in these devices with a clear focus on highly turbulent phenomena. The FDA centrifugal blood pump study is composed of six test cases with different volumetric flow rates ranging from 2.5 to 7.0 liters per minute, pump speeds, and Reynolds numbers ranging from 210,000 to 293,000. Within the frame of this study different turbulence models were tested including RANS models, e.g. k-omega, k-epsilon and a Reynolds Stress Model (RSM) and, LES. The partitioners Hilbert, METIS, ParMETIS and SCOTCH were used to create an unstructured mesh of 76 million elements and compared in their efficiency. Computations were performed on the JUQUEEN BG/Q architecture applying the highly parallel flow solver Code SATURNE and typically using 32768 or more processors in parallel. Visualisations were performed by means of PARAVIEW. Different turbulence models including all six flow situations could be successfully analysed and validated against analytical considerations and from comparison to other data-bases. It showed that an RSM represents an appropriate choice with respect to modeling high-Reynolds number flow cases. Especially, the Rij-SSG (Speziale, Sarkar, Gatzki) variant turned out to be a good approach. Visualisation of complex flow features could be obtained and the flow situation inside the pump could be characterized.

Keywords: blood flow, centrifugal blood pump, high performance computing, scalability, turbulence

Procedia PDF Downloads 374

Authors: Gwo-Hwa Wan, Tai-Ho Hung, Fen-Fang Chung, Wan-Ying Lee, Hui-Ching Yang

Abstract:

Air pollutant exposure results in elevated concentrations of oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in general populations. Increased concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers in pregnant women would be associated with preterm labor and low birth weight. To our best knowledge, the associations between air pollutants exposure and inflammation in pregnant women and fetuses are unknown, as well as their effects on fetal growth. This study aimed to evaluate the influences of outdoor air pollutants in northern Taiwan areas on the inflammatory biomarker (high sensitivity C-reactive protein, hs-CRP) concentration in the blood of healthy pregnant women and how the biomarker impacts fetal growth. In this study, 38 healthy pregnant women who are in their first trimester and live in northern Taiwan area were recruited from the Taipei Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Personal characteristics and prenatal examination data (e.g., blood pressure) were obtained from recruited subjects. The concentrations of inflammatory mediators, hs-CRP, in the blood of healthy pregnant women were analyzed. Additionally, hourly data of air pollutants (PM10, SO2, NO2, O3, CO) concentrations were obtained from air quality monitoring stations in Taipei area, established by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration. The definition of lag 0 and lag 01 are the exposure to air pollutants on the day of blood withdrawal, and the average exposure to air pollutants one day before and on the day of blood withdrawal, respectively. The statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software version 22.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). This analytical result indicates that the healthy pregnant women aged between 28 and 42 years old. The body mass index before pregnancy averaged 21.51 (sd = 2.51) kg/m2. Around 90% of the pregnant women had never smoking habit, and 28.95% of them had allergic diseases. Approximately around 84% and 5.26% of the pregnant women worked at indoor and outdoor environments, respectively. The mean hematocrit level of the pregnant women was 37.10%, and the hemoglobin levels were ranged between 10.1 and 14.7 g/dL with 12.47 g/dL of mean value. The blood hs-CRP concentrations of healthy pregnant women in the first trimester ranged between 0.32 and 32.5 mg/L with 2.83 (sd = 5.69) mg/L of mean value. The blood hs-CRP concentrations were positively associated with ozone concentrations at lag 0-14 (r = 0.481, p = 0.017) in healthy pregnant women. Significant lag effects were identified in ozone at lag 0-14 with a positive excess concentration of blood hs-CRP.

Keywords: air pollutant, hs-CRP, pregnant woman, ozone, first trimester

Procedia PDF Downloads 247

Authors: Sofia Mariani, Irene Leo

Abstract:

The objective of the present study is to define the mediating role of attitudes that objectify and devalue women (hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, and sexual objectification of women) in the indirect correlation between exposure to televised sports and acceptance of rape myths. A second goal is to contribute to research on the topic by defining the role of mediators in exposure to different types of sports, following the traditional gender classification of sports. Data collection was carried out by means of an online questionnaire, measuring television sport exposure, sport type, hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, and sexual objectification of women. Data analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS software. The model used was created using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression path analysis. The predictor variable in the model was television sports exposure, the outcome was rape myths acceptance, and the mediators were (1) hostile sexism, (2) benevolent sexism, and (3) sexual objectification of women. Correlation analyses were carried out dividing by sport type and controlling for the participants’ gender. As seen in existing literature, television sports exposure was found to be indirectly and positively related to rape myth acceptance through the mediating role of: (1) hostile sexism, (2) benevolent sexism, and (3) sexual objectification of women. The type of sport watched influenced the role of the mediators: hostile sexism was found to be the common mediator to all sports type, exposure to traditionally considered feminine or neutral sports showed the additional mediation effect of sexual objectification of women. In line with existing literature, controlling for gender showed that the only significant mediators were hostile sexism for male participants and benevolent sexism for female participants. Given the prevalence of men among the viewers of traditionally considered masculine sports, the correlation between television sports exposure and rape myth acceptance through the mediation of hostile sexism is likely due to the gender of the participants. However, this does not apply to the viewers of traditionally considered feminine and neutral sports, as this group is balanced in terms of gender and shows a unique mediation: the correlation between television sports exposure and rape myth acceptance is mediated by both hostile sexism and sexual objectification. Given that hostile sexism is defined as hostility towards women who oppose or fail to conform to traditional gender roles, these findings confirm that sport is perceived as a non-traditional activity for women. Additionally, these results imply that the portrayal of women in traditionally considered feminine and neutral sports - which are defined as such because of their aesthetic characteristics - may have a strong component of sexual objectification of women. The present research contributes to defining the association between sports exposure and rape myth acceptance through the mediation effects of sexist attitudes and sexual objectification of women. The results of this study have practical implications, such as supporting the feminine sports teams who ask for more practical and less revealing uniforms, more similar to their male colleagues and therefore less objectifying.

Keywords: television exposure, sport, rape myths, objectification, sexism

Procedia PDF Downloads 91

Authors: R. Meier, M. Pander

Abstract:

In accordance with the industry 4.0 concept, manufacturing process steps as well as the materials themselves are going to be more and more digitalized within the next years. The “digital twin” representing the simulated and measured dataset of the (semi-finished) product can be used to control and optimize the individual processing steps and help to reduce costs and expenditure of time in product development, manufacturing, and recycling. In the present work, two material characterization methods based on Lamb waves were evaluated and compared. For demonstration purpose, both methods were shown at a standard industrial product - copper ribbons, often used in photovoltaic modules as well as in high-current microelectronic devices. By numerical approximation of the Rayleigh-Lamb dispersion model on measured phase velocities second order elastic constants (Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio) were determined. Furthermore, the effective third order elastic constants were evaluated by applying elastic, “non-destructive”, mechanical stress on the samples. In this way, small microstructural variations due to mechanical preconditioning could be detected for the first time. Both methods were compared with respect to precision and inline application capabilities. Microstructure of the samples was systematically varied by mechanical loading and annealing. Changes in the elastic ultrasound transport properties were correlated with results from microstructural analysis and mechanical testing. In summary, monitoring the elastic material properties of plate-like structures using Lamb waves is valuable for inline and non-destructive material characterization and manufacturing process control. Second order elastic constants analysis is robust over wide environmental and sample conditions, whereas the effective third order elastic constants highly increase the sensitivity with respect to small microstructural changes. Both Lamb wave based characterization methods are fitting perfectly into the industry 4.0 concept.

Keywords: lamb waves, industry 4.0, process control, elasticity, acoustoelasticity, microstructure

Procedia PDF Downloads 216

Authors: Ireen Manase Kabembo, Patrick Chanda

Abstract:

Background: Substance use disorders are among the chronic conditions that affect all age groups. Worldwide, there is an increase in young people affected by SUDs, which implies that more family members are transitioning into the caregiver role. Family caregivers play a buffering role in the formal healthcare system due to their involvement in caring for persons with acute and chronic conditions in the home setting. Family carers of youth with problematic alcohol and marijuana use experience myriad challenges in managing daily care for this medically vulnerable group. In addition, the poor health-seeking behaviours of youth with SUDs characterized by eluding treatment and runaway tendencies coupled with the effects of the pandemic made caregiving a daunting task for most family caregivers. Issues such as limited and unavailable psychotropic medications, social stigma and discrimination, financial hurdles, systemic barriers in adolescent and young adult mental healthcare services, and the lack of a perceived vulnerability to Covid-19 by youth with SUDs are experiences of family caretakers. Methods: A qualitative study with 30 family caregivers of youth aged 16-24 explored their lived experiences and subjective meanings using two in-depth semi-structured interviews, a caregiving timeline, and participant observation. Findings: Results indicate that most family caregivers had challenges managing care for treatment elusive youth, let alone having them adhere to Covid-19 regulations. However, youth who utilized healthcare services and adhered to treatment regimens had positive outcomes and sustained recovery. The effects of the pandemic, such as job losses and the closure of businesses, further exacerbated the financial challenges experienced by family caregivers, making it difficult to purchase needed medications and daily necessities for the youth. The unabated stigma and discrimination of families of substance-dependent youth in Zambian communities further isolated family caregivers, leaving them with limited support. Conclusion: Since young people with SUDs have a compromised mental capacity due to the cognitive impairments that come with continued substance abuse, they often have difficulties making sound judgements, including the need to utilize SUD recovery services. Also, their tendency to not adhere to the Covid-19 pandemic requirements places them at a higher risk for adverse health outcomes in the (post) pandemic era. This calls for urgent implementation of robust youth mental health services that address prevention and recovery for these emerging adults grappling with substance use disorders. Support for their family caregivers, often overlooked, cannot be overemphasized.

Keywords: chronic care management, Covid-19 pandemic, family caregivers, youth with substance use disorders

Procedia PDF Downloads 96

Authors: Hantian Wu, Bo Huang, Yuan Zeng

Abstract:

Divisions between wealthy and poor, private and public landscapes are propagated by the increasing economic inequality of cities. While these are the spatial reflections of larger social issues and problems, urban design can at least employ spatial techniques that promote more inclusive rather than exclusive, overlapping rather than segregated, interlinked rather than disconnected landscapes. Indeed, the type of edge or border between urban landscapes plays a critical role in the way the environment is perceived. China experiences rapid urbanization, which poses unpredictable environmental challenges. The urban green cover and water body are under changes, which highly relevant to resident wealth and happiness. However, very limited knowledge and data on their rapid changes are available. In this regard, enhancing the monitoring of urban landscape with high-frequency method, evaluating and estimating the impacts of the urban landscape changes, and understating the driving forces of urban landscape changes can be a significant contribution for urban planning and studying. High-resolution remote sensing data has been widely applied to urban management in China. The map of urban land use map for the entire China of 2018 with 10 meters resolution has been published. However, this research focuses on the large-scale and high-resolution remote sensing land use but does not precisely focus on the seasonal change of urban covers. High-resolution remote sensing data has a long-operation cycle (e.g., Landsat 8 required 16 days for the same location), which is unable to satisfy the requirement of monitoring urban-landscape changes. On the other hand, aerial-remote or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sensing are limited by the aviation-regulation and cost was hardly widely applied in the mega-cities. Moreover, those data are limited by the climate and weather conditions (e.g., cloud, fog), and those problems make capturing spatial and temporal dynamics is always a challenge for the remote sensing community. Particularly, during the rainy season, no data are available even for Sentinel Satellite data with 5 days interval. Many natural events and/or human activities drive the changes of urban covers. In this case, enhancing the monitoring of urban landscape with high-frequency method, evaluating and estimating the impacts of the urban landscape changes, and understanding the mechanism of urban landscape changes can be a significant contribution for urban planning and studying. This project aims to use the high spatiotemporal fusion of remote sensing data to create short-cycle, high-resolution remote sensing data sets for exploring the high-frequently urban cover changes. This research will enhance the long-term monitoring applicability of high spatiotemporal fusion of remote sensing data for the urban landscape for optimizing the urban management of landscape border to promoting the inclusive of the urban landscape to all communities.

Keywords: urban land cover changes, remote sensing, high spatiotemporal fusion, urban management

Procedia PDF Downloads 113

Authors: Ahmed Mohammed Omer Alghamdi

Abstract:

Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, a rapid, unexpected transition from face-to-face to virtual classroom (VC) teaching has involved several challenges and obstacles. However, there are also opportunities and thoughts that need to be examined and discussed. In addition, the entire world is witnessing that the teaching system and, more particularly, higher education institutes have been interrupted. To maintain the learning and teaching practices as usual, countries were forced to transition from traditional to virtual classes using various technology-based devices. In this regard, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is no exception. Focusing on how the current situation has forced many higher education institutes to change to virtual classes may possibly provide a clear insight into adopted practices and implications. The main purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate how both Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers and students perceived the implementation of virtual classes as a key factor for useful language teaching and learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic period at a Saudi university. The impetus for the research was, therefore, the need to find ways of identifying the deficiencies in this application and to suggest possible solutions that might rectify those deficiencies. This study seeks to answer the following overarching research question: “How do Saudi EFL instructors and students perceive the use of virtual classes during the COVID-19 pandemic period in their language teaching and learning context?” The following sub-questions are also used to guide the design of the study to answer the main research question: (1) To what extent are virtual classes important intra-pandemic from Saudi EFL instructors’ and students’ perspectives? (2) How effective are virtual classes for fostering English language students’ achievement? (3) What are the challenges and obstacles that instructors and students may face during the implementation of virtual teaching? A mixed method approach was employed in this study; the questionnaire data collection represented the quantitative method approach for this study, whereas the transcripts of recorded interviews represented the qualitative method approach. The participants included EFL teachers (N = 4) and male and female EFL students (N = 36). Based on the findings of this study, various aspects from teachers' and students’ perspectives were examined to determine the use of the virtual classroom applications in terms of fulfilling the students’ English language learning needs. The major findings of the study revealed that the virtual classroom applications during the current pandemic situation encountered three major challenges, among which the existence of the following essential aspects, namely lack of technology and an internet connection, having a large number of students in a virtual classroom and lack of students’ and teachers’ interactions during the virtual classroom applications. Finally, the findings indicated that although Saudi EFL students and teachers view the virtual classrooms in a positive light during the pandemic period, they reported that for long and post-pandemic period, they preferred the traditional face-to-face teaching procedure.

Keywords: virtual classes, English as a foreign language, COVID-19, Internet, pandemic

Procedia PDF Downloads 78

Authors: Erika Mattio

Abstract:

The aim of this project is to study the Chinese presence in Ethiopia, in the area between the Saba River and the Coptic areas of the Tigray, with detailed documentation of the Danakil region, from which the salt pickers caravans departed; the study was created to understand the relationships and consequences of the Chinese advance in these areas, inhabited by tribes linked to ancient, still practiced religious rituals, and home to unique landscapes and archaeological sites. Official estimates of the number of Chinese in Africa vary widely; on the continent, there are increasingly diverse groups of Chinese migrants in terms of language, dialect, class, education, and employment. Based on this and on a very general state of the art, it was decided to increase the studies on this phenomenon, focusing the attention on one of the most interesting countries for its diversity, cultural wealth, and for strong Chinese presence: Ethiopia. The study will be integrated with interdisciplinary investigation methods, such as landscape archeology, historiographic research, participatory anthropology, geopolitics, and cultural anthropology and ethnology. There are two main objectives of the research. The first is to predict what will happen to these populations and how the territory will be modified, trying to monitor the growth of infrastructure in the country and the effects it will have on the population. Risk analyzes will be carried out to understand what the foreign presence may entail, such as the absence of sustenance for local populations, the ghettoization of foreigners, unemployment of natives and the exodus of the population to the capital; the relationships between families and the local population will be analyzed, trying to understand the dynamics of socialization and interaction. Thanks to the use of GIS, the areas affected by the Chinese presence will be geo-referenced and mapped, delimiting the areas most affected and creating a risk analysis, both in desert areas and in archaeologically and historically relevant areas. The second point is to document the life and rituals of Ethiopian populations in order not to lose the aspects of uniqueness that risk being lost. Local interviews will collect impressions and criticisms from the local population to understand if the Chinese presence is perceived as a threat or as a solution. Furthermore, Afar leaders in the Logya area will be interviewed, in truly exclusive research, to understand their links with the foreign presence. From the north, along the Saba river, we will move to the northwest, in the Tigray region, to know the impressions in the Coptic area, currently less threatened by the Chinese presence but still affected by urbanization proposals. There will also be documented the Coptic rituals of Gennà and Timkat, unique expressions of a millennial tradition. This will allow the understanding of whether the Maoist presence could influence the religious rites and forms of belief present in the country, or the country will maintain its cultural independence.

Keywords: Ethiopia, GIS, risk perceptions, salt caravans

Procedia PDF Downloads 173

Authors: Aoxue Yang, Weili Tian, Yonghe Wu, Haikun Liu

Abstract:

Brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) are resistant to therapy and give rise to recurrent tumors. These rare and elusive cells are likely to disseminate during cancer progression, and some may enter dormancy, remaining viable but not increasing. The identification of dormant BTSCs is thus necessary to design effective therapies for glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Little progress has been made in therapeutic treatment of glioblastoma in the last decade despite rapid progress in molecular understanding of brain tumors1. Here we show that the stress hormone glucocorticoid is essential for the maintenance of brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs), which are resistant to conventional therapy. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) regulates metabolic plasticity and chemoresistance of the dormant BTSC via controlling expression of GPD1 (glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1), which is an essential regulator of lipid metabolism in BTSCs. Genomic, lipidomic and cellular analysis confirm that GR/GPD1 regulation is essential for BTSCs metabolic plasticity and survival. We further demonstrate that the GR agonist dexamethasone (DEXA), which is commonly used to control edema in glioblastoma, abolishes the effect of chemotherapy drug temozolomide (TMZ) by upregulating GPD1 and thus promoting tumor cell dormancy in vivo, this provides a mechanistic explanation and thus settle the long-standing debate of usage of steroid in brain tumor patient edema control. Pharmacological inhibition of GR/GPD1 pathway disrupts metabolic plasticity of BTSCs and prolong animal survival, which is superior to standard chemotherapy. Patient case study shows that GR antagonist mifepristone blocks tumor progression and leads to symptomatic improvement. This study identifies an important mechanism regulating cancer stem cell dormancy and provides a new opportunity for glioblastoma treatment.

Keywords: cancer stem cell, dormancy, glioblastoma, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1, glucocorticoid receptor, dexamethasone, RNA-sequencing, phosphoglycerides.

Procedia PDF Downloads 77

Authors: A. Hira Masood, B. Umer Hameed, C. Ezza Nasir

Abstract:

Contemporary studies support the strong co-relation between psychology and design. This study elaborates how different psychological personality test can help a fashion designer to judge the needs of their clients with respect to have products which will satisfy the client's request concerning costumised clothing. This study will also help the designer to improve the lacking in the personality and will enable him to put his effort in required areas for grooming the customer, control and direct organization regarding quality maintenance. The use of psychology test to support the choice of certain design strategies that how the right clothing can make client a better intellectual with enhanced self-esteem and confidence. Different projective personality test are being used to suggest to evaluate personality traits. The Rorschach Inkblot Test is projective mental comprising of 10 ink-blots synonymous with the clinical brain research. Lüsher Color Diagnostics measures a person’s psycho physical state, his or her ability to withstand stress to perform and communicate. HTP is a projective responsibility test measuring self-perception, attitudes. The TAT test intend to evaluate a person’s patterns of thoughts, attitudes, observation, capacity and emotional response to this ambiguous test materials. No doubt designers are already crucially redesigning the individuals by their attires, but to expose the behavioral mechanism of the customer, designers should be able to recognize the hidden complexity behind his client by using the above mentioned methods. The study positively finds the design and psychology need to become substantially contacted in order to create a new regime of norms to groom a personality under the concentration and services of a fashion designer in terms of clothing, This interactive activity altimately upgrade design team to help customers to find the suited way to satisfy their needs and wishes, offer client relible relationship and quality management services, and to become more disereable.

Keywords: projective personality tests, customized clothing, Rorschach Inkblot test, TAT, HTP, Lüsher color diagnostics, quality management services

Procedia PDF Downloads 547

Authors: Belinda Vega, Claudio Alvarez, Héctor Flores, Marcia Oliva, Katherine Alveal, Teresa Toro, María José Tapia, Fanny Guzmán

Abstract:

With the increase in global temperatures and the decrease of oxygen (O2) concentration in the oceans, fish cultures are exposed to frequent fluctuations in dissolved O2 (DO) concentration that can cause chronic stress in the animals, altering the normal functioning of their immune system and making them vulnerable to infections, consequently increasing morbidity and mortality in the farms with economic losses. The mucosal organs (skin -and mucus-, gills, gut, and nasal mucosa) are the first line of defense of the fish against pathogens. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of hypoxia on the antimicrobial activity of epidermal mucus from corvina drum (Cilus Gilberti), a native marine species with the potential for the diversification of aquaculture in Chile. To achieve this, the epidermal mucus of juveniles (~220g) kept under normoxia (7 mg/L DO) and hypoxia (2 mg/L DO) environmental conditions was collected after 6 weeks, as well as after 6 days of intraperitoneal inoculation with lipopolysaccharide from Vibrio anguillarum to induce an immune response in the fish. Total protein extracts of the mucus were used for bactericidal activity and lysozyme and peroxidase activity assays. Although the mucus from both experimental groups showed inhibitory effects on the bacterial growth of Vibrio anguillarum and Vibrio ordalli, this effect was more long-lasting in the normoxia group. We also observed a notable reduction in the presence of lysozyme in the mucus from fish exposed to hypoxia, with no differences in peroxidase content. Future proteomic studies of corvina mucus associated with the environmental conditions studied in this work will allow the isolation and identification of peptides with antimicrobial activity, those responsible for the results obtained. This will help establish strategies aimed at minimizing the impacts of hypoxia on the defense responses of corvina drum against potential pathogens. Funding: FONDECYT 3200440 and FONDECYT 1210056

Keywords: Cilus gilberti, mucus, antimicrobial activity, HYPOXIA

Procedia PDF Downloads 63

Authors: Goksen Arik, Mihriban Korukluoglu

Abstract:

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and some yeast species are common microorganisms found in dairy products and most of them are responsible for the fermentation of foods. Such cultures are isolated and used as a starter culture in the food industry because of providing standardisation of the final product during the food processing. Choice of starter culture is the most important step for the production of fermented food. Isolated LAB and yeast cultures which have the ability to create a biofilm layer can be preferred as a starter in the food industry. The biofilm formation could be beneficial to extend the period of usage time of microorganisms as a starter. On the other hand, it is an undesirable property in pathogens, since biofilm structure allows a microorganism become more resistant to stress conditions such as antibiotic presence. It is thought that the resistance mechanism could be turned into an advantage by promoting the effective microorganisms which are used in the food industry as starter culture and also which have potential to stimulate the gastrointestinal system. Development of the biofilm layer is observed in some LAB and yeast strains. The resistance could make LAB and yeast strains dominant microflora in the human gastrointestinal system; thus, competition against pathogen microorganisms can be provided more easily. Based on this circumstance, in the study, 10 LAB and 10 yeast strains were isolated from various dairy products, such as cheese, yoghurt, kefir, and cream. Samples were obtained from farmer markets and bazaars in Bursa, Turkey. As a part of this research, all isolated strains were identified and their ability of biofilm formation was detected with two different methods and compared with each other. The first goal of this research was to determine whether isolates have the potential for biofilm production, and the second was to compare the validity of two different methods, which are known as “Tube method” and “96-well plate-based method”. This study may offer an insight into developing a point of view about biofilm formation and its beneficial properties in LAB and yeast cultures used as a starter in the food industry.

Keywords: biofilm, dairy products, lactic acid bacteria, yeast

Procedia PDF Downloads 248

Authors: Akhil Raj Pushparajan, Ranjit Ramachandran, Jijimole Gopi Reji, Ajay Kumar Ramakrishnan

Abstract:

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is one of the leading causes of death by an infectious disease. In spite of the availability of effective drugs and a vaccine, TB is a major health concern and was declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO). The success of intracellular pathogens like Mtb depends on its ability to overcome the challenging environment in the host. Gene regulation controlled by transcriptional regulators (TRs) plays a crucial role for the bacteria to adapt to the host environment. In vitro studies on gene regulatory mechanisms during dormancy and reactivation have provided insights into the adaptations employed by Mtb to survive in the host. Here we present our efforts to functionally characterize Rv1019, a putative TR of Mtb H37Rv which was found to be present at significantly varying levels during dormancy and reactivation in vitro. The expression of this protein in the dormancy-reactivation model was validated by qRT-PCR and western blot. By DNA- protein interaction studies and reporter assays we found that under normal laboratory conditions of growth this protein behaves as an auto-repressor and tetracycline was found to abrogate this repression by interfering with its ability to bind DNA. Further, by cDNA analysis, we found that this TR is co-transcribed with its downstream genes Rv1020 (mfd) and Rv1021 (mazG) which are involved in DNA damage response in Mtb. Constitutive expression of this regulator in the surrogate host M. smegmatis showed downregulation of the orthologues of downstream genes suggested that Rv1019 could negatively regulate these genes. Our finds also show that M. smegmatis expressing Rv1019 is sensitive to DNA damage suggests the role of this protein in regulating DNA damage response induced by oxidative stress. Because of its role in regulating DNA damage response which may help in the persistence of Mtb, Rv1019 could be used as a prospective target for therapeutic intervention to fight TB.

Keywords: auto-repressor, DNA repair, mycobacterium smegmatis, mycobacterium tuberculosis, tuberculosis

Procedia PDF Downloads 124

Authors: Barbara Vojvodikova, Katerina Jupova, Iva Ticha

Abstract:

Cities in their historical evolution have always adapted their internal structure to the needs of society (for example protective city walls during classicism era lost their defense function, became unnecessary, were demolished and gave space for new features such as roads, museums or parks). Today it is necessary to modify the internal structure of the city in order to minimize the impact of climate changes on the environment of the population. This article discusses the results of the Urban Climate model owned by VITO, which was carried out as part of a project from the European Union's Horizon grant agreement No 730004 Pan-European Urban Climate Services Climate-Fit city. The use of the model was aimed at changes in land use and land cover in cities related to urban heat islands (UHI). The task of the application was to evaluate possible land use change scenarios in connection with city requirements and ideas. Two pilot areas in the Czech Republic were selected. One is Ostrava and the other Hodonín. The paper provides a demonstration of the application of the model for various possible future development scenarios. It contains an assessment of the suitability or inappropriateness of scenarios of future development depending on the temperature increase. Cities that are preparing to reconstruct the public space are interested in eliminating proposals that would lead to an increase in temperature stress as early as in the assignment phase. If they have evaluation on the unsuitability of some type of design, they can limit it into the proposal phases. Therefore, especially in the application of models on Local level - in 1 m spatial resolution, it was necessary to show which type of proposals would create a significant temperature island in its implementation. Such a type of proposal is considered unsuitable. The model shows that the building itself can create a shady place and thus contribute to the reduction of the UHI. If it sensitively approaches the protection of existing greenery, this new construction may not pose a significant problem. More massive interventions leading to the reduction of existing greenery create a new heat island space.

Keywords: climate model, heat islands, Hodonin, land use changes, Ostrava

Procedia PDF Downloads 125

Authors: Richard Okyere Boadu, Godwin Adzakpah, Nathan Kumasenu Mensah, Kwame Adu Okyere Boadu, Jonathan Kissi, Christiana Dziyaba, Rosemary Bermaa Abrefa

Abstract:

Information and communication technology (ICT) has significantly advanced global healthcare, with electronic health (e-Health) applications improving health records and delivery. These innovations, including electronic health records, strengthen healthcare systems. The study investigates healthcare professionals' perceptions of health information applications and their associated factors in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana's health facilities. Methods: We used a descriptive cross-sectional study design to collect data from 632 healthcare professionals (HCPs), in the three purposively selected health facilities in the Cape Coast municipality of Ghana in July 2022. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to check the normality of dependent variables. Descriptive statistics were used to report means with corresponding standard deviations for continuous variables. Proportions were also reported for categorical variables. Bivariate regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors influencing the Benefits of Information Technology (BoIT); Barriers to Information Technology Use (BITU); and Motives of Information Technology Use (MoITU) in healthcare delivery. Stata SE version 15 was used for the analysis. A p-value of less than 0.05 served as the basis for considering a statistically significant accepting hypothesis. Results: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) generally perceived moderate benefits (Mean score (M)=5.67) from information technology (IT) in healthcare. However, they slightly agreed that barriers like insufficient computers (M=5.11), frequent system downtime (M=5.09), low system performance (M=5.04), and inadequate staff training (M=4.88) hindered IT utilization. Respondents slightly agreed that training (M=5.56), technical support (M=5.46), and changes in work procedures (M=5.10) motivated their IT use. Bivariate regression analysis revealed significant influences of education, working experience, healthcare profession, and IT training on attitudes towards IT utilization in healthcare delivery (BoIT, BITU, and MoITU). Additionally, the age of healthcare providers, education, and working experience significantly influenced BITU. Ultimately, age, education, working experience, healthcare profession, and IT training significantly influenced MoITU in healthcare delivery. Conclusions: Healthcare professionals acknowledge moderate benefits of IT in healthcare but encounter barriers like inadequate resources and training. Motives for IT use include staff training and support. Bivariate regression analysis shows education, working experience, profession, and IT training significantly influence attitudes toward IT adoption. Targeted interventions and policies can enhance IT utilization in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.

Keywords: health information application, utilization of information application, information technology use, healthcare

Procedia PDF Downloads 48

Authors: Mane Darbinyan, Lusine Hayrapetyan, Elen Matevosyan

Abstract:

Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) has been created to help students get ready for the workforce, and over the past 25 years, it has grown significantly, offering a variety of technologies to support academic, institutional, and administrative services. However, this is still challenging, especially considering the labor market's rapid change. While choosing a career, people face various obstacles because they do not take into consideration their own preferences, which might lead to many other problems like shifting jobs, work stress, occupational infirmity, reduced productivity, and manual error. Besides preferences, people should properly evaluate their technical and non-technical skills, as well as their personalities. Professional counseling has become a difficult undertaking for counselors due to the wide range of career choices brought on by changing technological trends. It is necessary to close this gap by utilizing technology that makes sophisticated predictions about a person's career goals based on their personality. Hence, there is a need to create an automated model that would help in decision-making based on user inputs. Improving career guidance can be achieved by embedding machine learning into the career consulting ecosystem. There are various systems of career guidance that work based on the same logic, such as the classification of applicants, matching applications with appropriate departments or jobs, making predictions, and providing suitable recommendations. Methodologies like KNN, Neural Networks, K-means clustering, D-Tree, and many other advanced algorithms are applied in the fields of data and compute some data, which is helpful to predict the right careers. Besides helping users with their career choice, these systems provide numerous opportunities which are very useful while making this hard decision. They help the candidate to recognize where he/she specifically lacks sufficient skills so that the candidate can improve those skills. They are also capable to offer an e-learning platform, taking into account the user's lack of knowledge. Furthermore, users can be provided with details on a particular job, such as the abilities required to excel in that industry.

Keywords: career guidance system, machine learning, career prediction, predictive decision, data mining, technical and non-technical skills

Procedia PDF Downloads 70

Authors: Mayandi Ramanathan

Abstract:

Gas turbine blades see the most aggressive thermal stress conditions within the engine, due to Turbine Entry Temperatures in the range of 1500 to 1600°C, but in synchronization with other functional components, they must readily deliver efficient performance, whilst incurring minimal overhaul and repair costs during its service life up to 5 million flying miles. The blades rotate at very high rotation rates and remove significant amount of thermal power from the gas stream. At high temperatures the major component failure mechanism is creep. During its service over time under high temperatures and loads, the blade will deform, lengthen and rupture. High strength and stiffness in the longitudinal direction up to elevated service temperatures are certainly the most needed properties of turbine blades. The proposed advanced Ti alloy material needs a process that provides strategic orientation of metallic ordering, uniformity in composition and high metallic strength. 25% Ta/(Al+Ta) ratio ensures TaAl3 phase formation, where as 51% Al/(Al+Ti) ratio ensures formation of α-Ti3Al and γ-TiAl mixed phases fand the three phase combination ensures minimal Al excess (~1.4% Al excess), unlike Ti-47Al-2Cr-2Nb which has significant excess Al (~5% Al excess) that could affect the service life of turbine blades. This presentation will involve the summary of additive manufacturing and heat treatment process conditions to fabricate turbine blade with Ti-43Al matrix alloyed with optimized amount of refractory Ta metal. Summary of thermo-mechanical test results such as high temperature tensile strength, creep strain rate, thermal expansion coefficient and fracture toughness will be presented. Improvement in service temperature of the turbine blades and corrosion resistance dependence on coercivity of the alloy material will be reported. Phase compositions will be quantified, and a summary of its correlation with creep strain rate will be presented.

Keywords: gas turbine, aerospace, specific strength, creep, high temperature materials, alloys, phase optimization

Procedia PDF Downloads 167