Search results for: Tabriz wastewater treatment plant

Authors: Marija Milašinović-Šeremešić, Valentina Semenčenko, Milica Radosavljević, Dušanka Terzić, Ljiljana Mojović, Ljubica Dokić

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Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereal crops, and as such, one of the most significant naturally renewable carbohydrate raw materials for the production of energy and multitude of different products. The main goal of the present study was to investigate a suitability of selected maize hybrids of different genetic background produced in Maize Research Institute ‘Zemun Polje’, Belgrade, Serbia, for starch, bioethanol and animal feed production. All the hybrids are commercial and their detailed characterization is important for the expansion of their different uses. The starches were isolated by using a 100-g laboratory maize wet-milling procedure. Hydrolysis experiments were done in two steps (liquefaction with Termamyl SC, and saccharification with SAN Extra L). Starch hydrolysates obtained by the two-step hydrolysis of the corn flour starch were subjected to fermentation by S. cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus under semi-anaerobic conditions. The digestibility based on enzymatic solubility was performed by the Aufréré method. All investigated ZP maize hybrids had very different physical characteristics and chemical composition which could allow various possibilities of their use. The amount of hard (vitreous) and soft (floury) endosperm in kernel is considered one of the most important parameters that can influence the starch and bioethanol yields. Hybrids with a lower test weight and density and a greater proportion of soft endosperm fraction had a higher yield, recovery and purity of starch. Among the chemical composition parameters only starch content significantly affected the starch yield. Starch yields of studied maize hybrids ranged from 58.8% in ZP 633 to 69.0% in ZP 808. The lowest bioethanol yield of 7.25% w/w was obtained for hybrid ZP 611k and the highest by hybrid ZP 434 (8.96% w/w). A very significant correlation was determined between kernel starch content and the bioethanol yield, as well as volumetric productivity (48h) (r=0.66). Obtained results showed that the NDF, ADF and ADL contents in the whole maize plant of the observed ZP maize hybrids varied from 40.0% to 60.1%, 18.6% to 32.1%, and 1.4% to 3.1%, respectively. The difference in the digestibility of the dry matter of the whole plant among hybrids (ZP 735 and ZP 560) amounted to 18.1%. Moreover, the differences in the contents of the lignocelluloses fraction affected the differences in dry matter digestibility. From the results it can be concluded that genetic background of the selected maize hybrids plays an important part in estimation of the technological value of maize hybrids for various purposes. Obtained results are of an exceptional importance for the breeding programs and selection of potentially most suitable maize hybrids for starch, bioethanol and animal feed production.

Keywords: bioethanol, biomass quality, maize, starch

Procedia PDF Downloads 223

Authors: Hala Alshamlan, Ghada Badr, Yousef Alohali

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Cancer is one of the dreadful diseases, which causes considerable death rate in humans. DNA microarray-based gene expression profiling has been emerged as an efficient technique for cancer classification, as well as for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment purposes. In recent years, a DNA microarray technique has gained more attraction in both scientific and in industrial fields. It is important to determine the informative genes that cause cancer to improve early cancer diagnosis and to give effective chemotherapy treatment. In order to gain deep insight into the cancer classification problem, it is necessary to take a closer look at the proposed gene selection methods. We believe that they should be an integral preprocessing step for cancer classification. Furthermore, finding an accurate gene selection method is a very significant issue in a cancer classification area because it reduces the dimensionality of microarray dataset and selects informative genes. In this paper, we classify and review the state-of-art gene selection methods. We proceed by evaluating the performance of each gene selection approach based on their classification accuracy and number of informative genes. In our evaluation, we will use four benchmark microarray datasets for the cancer diagnosis (leukemia, colon, lung, and prostate). In addition, we compare the performance of gene selection method to investigate the effective gene selection method that has the ability to identify a small set of marker genes, and ensure high cancer classification accuracy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to compare gene selection approaches for cancer classification using microarray gene expression profile.

Keywords: gene selection, feature selection, cancer classification, microarray, gene expression profile

Procedia PDF Downloads 462

Authors: Hui-Hsin Huang, Sheng-Tung Huang, Chi-Ming Lee, Chiao-Han Yen, Chun-Mao Lin

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At initiation stage, there are no symptoms at initiation stage; however, at late stage, patients suffer symptoms as soon as ovarian cancer metastasis. Moreover, ovarian cancer cells are resistant to some anti-ovarian cancer drugs in clinical. Thus, it is very important to find an effective treatment for resistant ovarian cancer. Anthraquinone derivatives are able to induce DNA damage and lead to cell apoptosis, so several derivatives have been used for clinical application. Therefore, to explore more effective anti-ovarian cancer drugs, this study investigates the mechanism of three new anthraquinone compounds bearing different functional groups to camptothecin-resistance ovarian cell line A2780R2000. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay after treating A2780R2000 with the three new anthraquinone compounds. The results indicated that IC50 values are 33.44μM (Compound I), 25.77μM (Compound II) and 24.59μM (Compound III). Next, through cell cycle analysis, the results demonstrated that three new anthraquinone compounds not only induced A2780R2000 cell cycle arrest at early stage but also apoptosis at late stage. Besides, through apoptosis assay, the results indicated new anthraquinone compound induced apoptosis at late stage. Furthermore, the results of western blot show that the three new anthraquinone compounds lead to A2780R2000 apoptosis through intrinsic pathway. Theses results suggested that three new anthraquinone compounds may be potential new drugs for clinical cancer treatment in the future.

Keywords: anthraquinone, camptothecin, resistance, ovarian cancer

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Authors: Dries Dulsster

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This research we want to discuss the implications of the concept of ‘lalangue’ and illustrate its importance for lacanian psychoanalysis and its clinical practice. We will look at this concept through an in depth reading of Lacan’s later seminars, his lectures at the North-American universities and his study on James Joyce. We will illustrate the importance of this concept with a case study from a clinical practice. We will argue that the introduction of ‘lalangue’ has several theoretical and clinical implications that will radically change Lacans teachings. We will illustrate the distinction between language and lalangue. Language serves communication, but this is not the case with lalangue. We will claim that there is jouissance in language and will approach this by introducing the concept of ‘lalangue’. We will ask ourselves what the effect will be of this distinction and how we can use this in clinical practice. The concept of ‘lalangue’ will introduce a new way of thinking about the unconscious. It will force us to no longer view the unconscious as Symbolic, but as Imaginary or Real. Another implication will be the approach on the symptom, no longer approaching it as a formation of the unconscious. It will be renamed as ‘sinthome’, as function of the real. Last of all it will force us to rethink the lacanian interpretation and how we direct the treatment. The implications on a clinical level will be how we think about the lacanian interpretation and the direction of the treatment. We will no longer focus on language and meaning, but focus on jouissance and the ways in which the subject deals with this. We will illustrate this importance with a clinical case study. To summarize, the concept of lalangue forces us to radically rethink lacanian psychoanalysis, with major implications on a theoretical and clinical level. It introduces new concepts such as the real unconscious and the sinthome. It will also make us rethink the way we work as lacanian psychoanalysts.

Keywords: Lacan's later teaching, language, Lalangue, the unconscious

Procedia PDF Downloads 232

Authors: Shahjada Selim

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Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an important impediment to quality of life of men. ED is approximate, three times more common in diabetic than non-diabetic men, and diabetic men develop ED earlier than age-matched non-diabetic subjects. Glycemic control and other factors may contribute in developing and or deteriorating ED. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of ED and its risk factors in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) men in Bangladesh. Methods: During 2013-2014, 3980 diabetic men aged 30-69 years were interviewed at the out-patient departments of seven diabetic centers in Dhaka by using the validated Bengali version of the questionnaire of the International index of erectile function (IIEF) for evaluation of baseline erectile function (EF). The indexes indicate a very high correlation between the items and the questionnaire is consistently reliable. Data were analyzed with Chi-squared (χ²) test using SPSS software. P ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Out of 3790, ED was found in 2046 (53.98%) of T2DM men. The prevalence of ED was increased with age from 10.5% in men aged 30-39 years to 33.6% in those aged over 60 years (P < 0.001). In comparison with patients with reported diabetes lasting ≤ 5 years (26.4%), the prevalence of ED was less than in those with diabetes of 6-11 years (35.3%) and of 12-30 years (42.5%, P <0.001). ED increased significantly in those who had poor glycemic control. The prevalence of ED in patients with good, fair and poor glycemic control was 22.8%, 42.5% and 47.9% respectively (P = 0.004). Treatment modalities (medical nutrition therapy, oral agents, insulin, and insulin plus oral agents) had significant association with ED and its severity (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Prevalence of ED is very high among T2DM men in Bangladesh and can be reduced the burden by improving glycemic status. Glycemic control, duration of diabetes, treatment modalities, increasing age are associated with ED.

Keywords: erectile dysfunction, diabetes, men, Bangladesh

Procedia PDF Downloads 270

Authors: Prabhavathi Sundaram, Heidi Abrahamse

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In recent years, nanotechnology coupled with photodynamic therapy (PDT) has received considerable attention in terms of improving the effectiveness of drug delivery in cancer therapeutics. The development of functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) has become revolutionary in targeted photosensitizers delivery since it improves the therapeutic index of drugs. The objective of this study was to prepare, characterize and evaluate the potential of functionalized SWCNTs using hyaluronic acid and loading it with photosensitizer and to effectively target colon cancer cells. The single-walled carbon nanotubes were covalently functionalized with hyaluronic acid and the loaded photosensitizer by non-covalent interaction. The photodynamic effect of SWCNTs is detected under laser irradiation in vitro. The hyaluronic acid-functionalized nanocomposites had a good affinity with CD44 receptors, and it avidly binds on to the surface of CACO-2 cells. The cellular uptake of nanocomposites was studied using fluorescence microscopy using lyso tracker. The anticancer activity of nanocomposites was analyzed in CACO-2 cells using different studies such as cell morphology, cell apoptosis, and nuclear morphology. The combined effect of nanocomposites and PDT improved the therapeutic effect of cancer treatment. The study suggested that the nanocomposites and PDT have great potential in the treatment of colon cancer.

Keywords: colon cancer, hyaluronic acid, single walled carbon nanotubes, photosensitizers, photodynamic therapy

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Authors: Rajkumar Ghosh, Bhabani Prasad Mukhopadhyay

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The increasing demand for environmentally friendly energy solutions highlights the need to optimize solar energy systems. This study compares two types of solar energy systems: ground-mounted solar panels for drought-prone locations and rooftop solar PV installations measuring 300 sq. ft. (approx. 28 sq. m.). The electricity output of 4730 kWh/year saves ₹ 14191/year. As a clean and sustainable energy source, solar power is pivotal in reducing greenhouse gas CO2 emissions reduction by 85 tonnes in 25 years and combating climate change. This effort, "PM Suryadaya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana," seeks to empower Indian homes by giving free access to solar energy. The initiative is part of the Indian government's larger attempt to encourage clean and renewable energy sources while reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuels. This report reviews various installations and government reports to analyse the performance and impact of both ground-mounted and rooftop solar systems. Besides, effectiveness of government subsidy programs for residential on-grid solar systems, including the ₹78,000 incentive for systems above 3 kW. The study also looks into the subsidy schemes available for domestic agricultural grid use. Systems up to 3 kW receive ₹43,764, while systems over 10 kW receive a fixed subsidy of ₹94,822. Households can save a substantial amount of energy and minimize their reliance on grid electricity by installing the proper solar plant capacity. In terms of monthly consumption at home, the acceptable Rooftop Solar Plant capacity for households is 0-150 units (1-2 kW), 150-300 units (2-3 kW), and >300 units (above 3 kW). Ground-mounted panels, particularly in arid regions, offer benefits such as scalability and optimal orientation but face challenges like land use conflicts and environmental impact, particularly in drought-prone regions. By evaluating the distinct advantages and challenges of each system, this study aims to provide insights into their optimal applications, guiding stakeholders in making informed decisions to enhance solar energy efficiency and sustainability within regulatory constraints. This research also explores the implications of regulations, such as Italy's ban on ground-mounted solar panels on productive agricultural land, on solar energy strategies.

Keywords: sustainability, solar energy, subsidy, rooftop solar energy, renewable energy

Procedia PDF Downloads 56

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

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

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

Procedia PDF Downloads 193

Authors: Mohammed Alrefaie, Yaser Miaji

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Greenhouses provide a convenient means to grow plants in the best environment. They achieve this by trapping heat from the sunlight and using artificial means to enhance the environment of the greenhouse. This includes controlling factors such as air flow, light intensity and amount of water among others that can have a big impact on plant growth. The aim of the greenhouse is to give maximum yield from plants possible. This report details the development and testing of greenhouse environment control system that can regulate light intensity, airflow and power supply inside the greenhouse. The details of the module development to control these three factors along with results of testing are presented.

Keywords: greenhouse, control system, light intensity, comprehensive environment

Procedia PDF Downloads 488

Authors: N. J. Shanono, J. G. Ndiritu

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The poor performance of water resource systems (WRS) has been reportedly linked to not only climate variability and the water demand dynamics but also human behaviour-driven unlawful activities. Some of these unlawful activities that have been adversely affecting water sector include unauthorized water abstractions, water wastage behaviour, refusal of water re‐use measures, excessive operational losses, discharging untreated or improperly treated wastewater, over‐application of chemicals by agricultural users and fraudulent WRS operation. Despite advances in WRS planning, operation, and analysis incorporating such undesirable human activities to quantitatively assess their impact on WRS performance remain elusive. This study was then inspired by the need to develop a methodological framework for WRS performance assessment that integrates the impact of human behaviour with WRS performance assessment analysis. We, therefore, proposed a conceptual framework for assessing the impact of human behaviour on WRS performance using the concept of socio-hydrology. The framework identifies and couples four major sources of WRS-related values (water values, water systems, water managers, and water users) using three missing links between human and water in the management of WRS (interactions, outcomes, and feedbacks). The framework is to serve as a database for choosing relevant social and hydrological variables and to understand the intrinsic relations between the selected variables to study a specific human-water problem in the context of WRS management.

Keywords: conceptual framework, human behaviour; socio-hydrology; water resource systems

Procedia PDF Downloads 141

Authors: Michael T. Lobmann, Camilla Wellstein, Stefan Zerbe

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Vegetation plays an important role for the stabilization of slopes against erosion processes, such as shallow erosion and landslides. Plant roots reinforce the soil, increase soil cohesion and often cross possible shear planes. Hence, plant roots reduce the risk of slope failure. Generally, shrub and tree roots penetrate deeper into the soil vertically, while roots of forbs and grasses are concentrated horizontally in the topsoil and organic layer. Therefore, shrubs and trees have a higher potential for stabilization of slopes with deep soil layers than forbs and grasses. Consequently, research mainly focused on the vertical root effects of shrubs and trees. Nevertheless, a better understanding of the stabilizing effects of grasses and forbs is needed for better evaluation of the stability of natural and artificial slopes with herbaceous vegetation. Despite the importance of vertical root effects, field observations indicate that horizontal root effects also play an important role for slope stabilization. Not only forbs and grasses, but also some shrubs and trees form tight horizontal networks of fine and coarse roots and rhizomes in the topsoil. These root networks increase soil cohesion and horizontal tensile strength. Available methods for physical measurements, such as shear-box tests, pullout tests and singular root tensile strength measurement can only provide a detailed picture of vertical effects of roots on slope stabilization. However, the assessment of horizontal root effects is largely limited to computer modeling. Here, a method for measurement of in-situ cumulative horizontal root tensile strength is presented. A traction machine was developed that allows fixation of rectangular grass sods (max. 30x60cm) on the short ends with a 30x30cm measurement zone in the middle. On two alpine grass slopes in South Tyrol (northern Italy), 30x60cm grass sods were cut out (max. depth 20cm). Grass sods were pulled apart measuring the horizontal tensile strength over 30cm width over the time. The horizontal tensile strength of the sods was measured and compared for different soil depths, hydrological conditions, and root physiological properties. The results improve our understanding of horizontal root effects on slope stabilization and can be used for improved evaluation of grass slope stability.

Keywords: grassland, horizontal root effect, landslide, mountain, pasture, shallow erosion

Procedia PDF Downloads 172

Authors: Megan L. Srinivas

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Individuals with underlying rheumatologic diseases such as dermatomyositis may not adequately respond to tuberculin (PPD) skin tests, creating false negative results. These illnesses are frequently treated with immunosuppressive therapy making proper identification of TB infection imperative. A 59-year-old Filipino man was diagnosed with dermatomyositis on the basis of rash, electromyography, and muscle biopsy. He was initially treated with IVIG infusions and transitioned to oral prednisone and mycophenolate. The patient’s symptoms improved on this regimen. Six months after starting mycophenolate, the patient began having fevers, night sweats, and productive cough without hemoptysis. He moved from the Philippines 5 years prior to dermatomyositis diagnosis, denied sick contacts, and was PPD negative both at immigration and immediately prior to starting mycophenolate treatment. A third PPD was negative following the onset of these new symptoms. He was treated for community-acquired pneumonia, but symptoms worsened over 10 days and he developed watery diarrhea and a growing non-tender, non-mobile mass on the left side of his neck. A chest x-ray demonstrated a cavitary lesion in right upper lobe suspicious for TB that had not been present one month earlier. Chest CT corroborated this finding also exhibiting necrotic hilar and paratracheal lymphadenopathy. Neck CT demonstrated the left-sided mass as cervical chain lymphadenopathy. Expectorated sputum and stool samples contained acid-fast bacilli (AFB), cultures showing TB bacteria. Fine-needle biopsy of the neck mass (scrofula) also exhibited AFB. An MRI brain showed nodular enhancement suspected to be a tuberculoma. Mycophenolate was discontinued and dermatomyositis treatment was switched to oral prednisone with a 3-day course of IVIG. The patient’s infection showed sensitivity to standard RIPE (rifampin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol) treatment. Within a week of starting RIPE, the patient’s diarrhea subsided, scrofula diminished, and symptoms significantly improved. By the end of treatment week 3, the patient’s sputum no longer contained AFB; he was removed from isolation, and was discharged to continue RIPE at home. He was discharged on oral prednisone, which effectively addressed his dermatomyositis. This case illustrates the unreliability of PPD tests in patients with long-term inflammatory diseases such as dermatomyositis. Other immunosuppressive therapies (adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab) have been affiliated with conversion of latent TB to disseminated TB. Mycophenolate is another immunosuppressive agent with similar mechanistic properties. Thus, it is imperative that patients with long-term inflammatory diseases and high-risk TB factors initiating immunosuppressive therapy receive a TB blood test (such as a quantiferon gold assay) prior to the initiation of therapy to ensure that latent TB is unmasked before it can evolve into a disseminated form of the disease.

Keywords: dermatomyositis, immunosuppressant medications, mycophenolate, disseminated tuberculosis

Procedia PDF Downloads 212

Authors: Johannes Keil, Eric Mischorr, Veit Würfel, Jan Condé-Wolter, Alexander Liebsch, Maik Gude

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In the aviation sector wastewater pipes are subjected to many different mechanical and medial loads. Worst-case scenarios include high-velocity impacts resulting from the introduction of foreign objects into the system. The industry is seeking to reduce the weight of these pipes, which are currently manufactured from titanium. A promising alternative is the use of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP), specifically carbon fiber (CF) reinforced polyaryletherketone (PAEK) laminates. This study employs an experimental methodology to investigate the impact resistance of CF/PAEK laminates, with a particular focus on three configurations: crimp, non-crimp, and interleaved matrix rich films in cross-ply laminates. High-velocity impacts were performed using a gas gun resulting in three-dimensional damage patterns. Afterwards the damage behavior was qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed using ultrasonic scans and computed tomography (CT). Samples with an interleaved matrix-rich film led to a reduction of the damage area by around 40% compared to the non-interleaved, non-crimp samples, while the crimp architecture resulted in a reduction of more than 60%. Therefore, these findings contribute to understanding the influence of laminate architecture on impact resistance, paving the way for more efficient materials in aviation applications.

Keywords: fracture toughness, high-velocity-impact, textile architecture, thermoplastic composites

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Authors: Bouziane Zehaira

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Essential oils derived from aromatic or medicinal plants have recently proven useful in a variety of fields, including the production of medicines, perfumes and foodstuffs. The purpose of this research is to determine the insecticidal activity of essential oils extracted from Mentha rotundifolia species against Aphis fabae. The bioassay used to determine essential oils toxicity to pest insect Aphis fabae revealed a very high effective repellent. The effects with concentrations of 100% and 30% were found to be statistically significant (F=64.800, P<0.0001) with an average of 7.66 and 7, respectively. According to the findings, the plant under consideration is promising as a source of natural pesticides and lends itself well to research in the field of pest control using biochemical alternatives.

Keywords: pest, mentha, effective, biocontrol, repellent

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Authors: Don Buddika Oshadi Malaweera, Lora Harris, Bruce Rathgeber, Chibuike C. Udenigwe, Kirsti Rouvinen-Watt

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Fatty liver disease is among the three most severe health concerns for mink and believed to occur through the same mechanism as nursing sickness. In North America, nursing sickness affects about 45% of mink farms and in Canada, approximately 50,000 mink females is affected annually. Orotic acid (OA) plays a critical role in lipid metabolism and can increase hepatic lipids by enhancing Sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c expression and decreasing Carnitine palmitoyl transferase I activity. This study was conducted to identify particular pathways and regulatory control points involved in fatty liver development, and evaluate the effectiveness of arginine and bioactive peptides for prevention and treatment of fatty liver disease in mink. A total of 45 mink were used in 9 treatments. The experimental diets consisted of 1% OA, 2% L-arginine and 5% of whey protein hydrolysates. At the end of 10 days of experimental period, the mink were anaesthetized, sampled for blood and euthanized, samples were obtained for histological, biochemical and molecular assays. The blood samples will be analyzed for clinical chemistry and triacylglycerol. The liver samples will be analyzed for total lipid content and analyzed for 6 genes of interest involved in adipogenic transformation, ER stress, and liver inflammation.

Keywords: fatty liver, L-arginine, mink, orotic acid, whey protein hydrolysates

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Authors: Chengcao Sun, Cuili Yang, Shujun Li, Ruilin Xue, Yongyong Xi, Liang Wang, Dejia Li

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Backgrounds: A few lines of evidence show that Sulforaphane (SFN) has anti-fibrosis effect in liver tissue via Nrf2-mediated inhibition of TGF-β/Smad signaling. However, its effects on muscular dystrophic fibrosis remain unknown. This work was undertaken to evaluate the effects of SFN on fibrosis in dystrophic muscle. Methods: 3-month-old male mdx mice were treated with SFN by gavage (2 mg/kg body weight per day) for 3 months. Gastrocnemius, tibial anterior and triceps brachii muscles were collected for related analysis. Fibrosis in skeletal muscles was analyzed by Sirius red staining. Histology and morphology of skeletal muscles were investigated by H&E staining. Moreover, the expressions of Nrf2, NQO1, HO-1, and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway were detected by western blot, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence assays. Results: Our results demonstrated that SFN treatment significantly decreased and improved morphological features in mdx muscles. Moreover, SFN increased the expression of muscle phase II enzymes NQO1 and HO-1 and significantly decreased the expression of TGF-β1，p-smad2, p-smad3, α-SMA, fibronectin, collagen I, PAI-1, and TIMP-1 in Nrf2 dependent manner. Additionally, SFN significantly decreased the expression of CD45 and TNF-α. Conclusions: Collectively, these results show that SFN can ameliorate muscle fibrosis in mdx mice by Nrf2-induced inhibition of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, which indicate Nrf2 may be useful for the treatment of muscular dystrophy.

Keywords: sulforaphane, Nrf2, TGF-β/smad signaling, duchenne muscular dystrophy, fibrosis

Procedia PDF Downloads 445

Authors: Liang Zhang, Gang Xu, Yue Wang, Chen Li, Shao Chong Zhou

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Presently, more and more nuclear power plants are facing the issue of life extension. When a nuclear power plant applies for an extension of life, its condition needs to meet the current design standards, which is not fine for all old reactors, typically for seismic design. Seismic-grade equipment in nuclear power plants are now generally placed separately from the non-seismic-grade equipment, but it was not strictly required before. Therefore, it is very important to study whether non-seismic-grade equipment will affect the seismic-grade equipment when dropped down in an earthquake situation, which is related to the safety of nuclear power plants and future life extension applications. This research was based on the cooling water system with the seismic and non-seismic grade equipment installed together, as an example to study whether the non-seismic-grade equipment such as DN50 fire pipes and ventilation pipes arranged above will damage the DN300 pipes and valves arranged below when earthquakes occur. In the study, the simulation was carried out by ANSYS / LY-DYNA, and Johnson-Cook was used as the material model and failure model. For the experiments, the relative positions of objects in the room were restored by 1: 1. In the experiment, the pipes and valves were filled with water with a pressure of 0.785 MPa. The pressure-holding performance of the pipe was used as a criterion for damage. In addition to the pressure-holding performance, the opening torque was considered as well for the valves. The research results show that when the 10-meter-long DN50 pipe was dropped from the position of 8 meters height and the 8-meter-long air pipe dropped from a position of 3.6 meters height, they do not affect the integrity of DN300 pipe below. There is no failure phenomenon in the simulation as well. After the experiment, the pressure drop in two hours for the pipe is less than 0.1%. The main body of the valve does not fail either. The opening torque change after the experiment is less than 0.5%, but the handwheel of the valve may break, which affects the opening actions. In summary, impacts of the upper pipes and ventilation pipes dropdown on the integrity of the DN300 pipes and valves below in a cooling water system of a typical second-generation nuclear power plant under an earthquake was studied. As a result, the functionality of the DN300 pipeline and the valves themselves are not significantly affected, but the handwheel of the valve or similar articles can probably be broken and need to take care.

Keywords: cooling water system, earthquake, integrity, pipe and valve

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Authors: Tawqeer Ali Syed, Prakash Chandra

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This study aims to evaluate the antileishmanial activity of Nigella sativa black seed extract. This well-known plant extract was taken from the botanical garden of Kashmir. Materials and Methods: The methanolic extracts of these plants were screened for their antileishmanial activity against Leishmania major using 3‑(4.5‑dimethylthiazol‑2yl)‑2.5‑diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay or MTT assay. Results: The methanolic extract of Nigella sativa showed potential antileishmanial activity at an inhibition% value of 80.29% ± 0.65%. IC 50 was calculated after 48 hours to be 964.3 µg/ml. Conclusion: Considering these results, these medicinal plants from Kashmir could serve as potential drug sources for antileishmanial compounds.

Keywords: MTT assay, antileishmanial, cell viability, Nigella sativa

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Authors: Mehdi Ketabchi, Shallah Alijanlo

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The flue gas from fossil fuels combustion contains harmful pollutants dangerous for human health and environment. One of the air pollution control methods to restrict the emission of these pollutants is based on using the nanoparticle in adsorption process. In the present research, gamma nano-alumina particle is added to polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer through simple loading method, and the adsorption capacity of the wet spun fiber is investigated. The results of exposure the fiber to the acid gases including SO₂, CO, NO₂, NO, and CO₂ show the noticeable increase of gas adsorption capacity on fiber contains nanoparticle. The research has been conducted in Acrylic II Plant of Polyacryl Iran Corporation.

Keywords: acrylic fiber, adsorbent, wet spun, polyacryl company, nano gamma alumina

Procedia PDF Downloads 179

Authors: Sourour Chaabane, Davide Clematis, Marco Panizza

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This study investigates the oxidation of Erythrosine B (EB) food dye by a homogeneous electro-Fenton process using iron (II) sulfate heptahydrate as a catalyst, carbon felt as cathode, and Ti/RuO2. The treated synthetic wastewater contains 100 mg L⁻¹ of EB and has a pH = 3. The effects of three independent variables have been considered for process optimization, such as applied current intensity (0.1 – 0.5 A), iron concentration (1 – 10 mM), and stirring rate (100 – 1000 rpm). Their interactions were investigated considering response surface methodology (RSM) based on Doehlert design as optimization method. EB removal efficiency and energy consumption were considered model responses after 30 minutes of electrolysis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the quadratic model was adequately fitted to the experimental data with R² (0.9819), adj-R² (0.9276) and low Fisher probability (< 0.0181) for EB removal model, and R² (0.9968), adj-R² (0.9872) and low Fisher probability (< 0.0014) relative to the energy consumption model reflected a robust statistical significance. The energy consumption model significantly depends on current density, as expected. The foregoing results obtained by RSM led to the following optimal conditions for EB degradation: current intensity of 0.2 A, iron concentration of 9.397 mM, and stirring rate of 500 rpm, which gave a maximum decolorization rate of 98.15 % with a minimum energy consumption of 0.74 kWh m⁻³ at 30 min of electrolysis.

Keywords: electrofenton, erythrosineb, dye, response serface methdology, carbon felt

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Authors: Monika Rani, Claudio Marchesi, Stefania Federici, Laura E. Depero

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Degradation of the aquatic environment by plastic litter, especially microplastics (MPs), i.e., any water-insoluble solid plastic particle with the longest dimension in the range 1µm and 1000 µm (=1 mm) size, is an unfortunate indication of the advancement of the Anthropocene age on Earth. Microplastics formed due to natural weathering processes are termed as secondary microplastics, while when these are synthesized in industries, they are called primary microplastics. Their presence from the highest peaks to the deepest points in oceans explored and their resistance to biological and chemical decay has adversely affected the environment, especially marine life. Even though the presence of MPs in the marine environment is well-reported, a legitimate and authentic analytical technique to sample, analyze, and quantify the MPs is still under progress and testing stages. Among the characterization techniques, vibrational spectroscopic techniques are largely adopted in the field of polymers. And the ongoing miniaturization of these methods is on the way to revolutionize the plastic recycling industry. In this scenario, the capability and the feasibility of a miniaturized near-infrared (MicroNIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics tools for qualitative and quantitative analysis of urban plastic waste collected from a recycling plant and microplastic mixture fragmented in the lab were investigated. Based on the Resin Identification Code, 250 plastic samples were used for macroplastic analysis and to set up a library of polymers. Subsequently, MicroNIR spectra were analysed through the application of multivariate modelling. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was used as an unsupervised tool to find trends within the data. After the exploratory PCA analysis, a supervised classification tool was applied in order to distinguish the different plastic classes, and a database containing the NIR spectra of polymers was made. For the microplastic analysis, the three most abundant polymers in the plastic litter, PE, PP, PS, were mechanically fragmented in the laboratory to micron size. The distinctive arrangement of blends of these three microplastics was prepared in line with a designed ternary composition plot. After the PCA exploratory analysis, a quantitative model Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) allowed to predict the percentage of microplastics in the mixtures. With a complete dataset of 63 compositions, PLS was calibrated with 42 data-points. The model was used to predict the composition of 21 unknown mixtures of the test set. The advantage of the consolidated NIR Chemometric approach lies in the quick evaluation of whether the sample is macro or micro, contaminated, coloured or not, and with no sample pre-treatment. The technique can be utilized with bigger example volumes and even considers an on-site evaluation and in this manner satisfies the need for a high-throughput strategy.

Keywords: chemometrics, microNIR, microplastics, urban plastic waste

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Authors: Telmen Dashdondov, Selenge Erdenechimeg

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Padus asiatica contains large quantities of polyphenolic compounds, and it is one of the most consumed fruits throughout the country. These compounds have the biological activity of the fruit and have long been used in traditional Mongolian medicine for diarrhea, coughs, pneumonia, and gastritis. In this study, we studied the solvents that can be used to make extracts from dried raw fruits; in order to determine the amount of tannin in Padus asiatica, we selected three solvents: distilled water, 20% ethanol, and 40% ethanol, and determined the amount of tannin. As a result, the amount of extract (distilled water) was 11.8%, the amount of extract (20% ethanol) was 15.7%, and the amount of extract (40% ethanol) was 8.2%. Therefore, it was found that tannins are extracted better in 20% ethanol solution.

Keywords: Padus asiatica, tannin, diarrhea, Mongolian medicinal plant

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Authors: Gwendolyn Royal-Smith

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Cocaine ranks as one of the world’s most addictive and commonly abused stimulant drugs. Recent evidence indicates that the abuse of cocaine has risen so quickly among females that this group now accounts for about 40 percent of all users in the United States. Neuropsychological studies have demonstrated that specific neural activation patterns carry higher risks for neurocognitive and executive function in cocaine addicted females thereby increasing their vulnerability for poorer treatment outcomes and more frequent post-treatment relapse when compared to males. This study examined secondary data with a convenience sample of 164 cocaine addicted male and females to assess neurocognitive and executive function. The principal objective of this study was to assess whether individual performance on the Stroop Word Color Task is predictive of treatment success by gender. A second objective of the study evaluated whether individual performance employing neurocognitive measures including the Stroop Word-Color task, the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RALVT), the Iowa Gambling Task, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WISCT), the total score from the Barratte Impulsiveness Scale (Version 11) (BIS-11) and the total score from the Frontal Systems Behavioral Scale (FrSBE) test demonstrated differences in neurocognitive and executive function performance by gender. Logistic regression models were employed utilizing a covariate adjusted model application. Initial analyses of the Stroop Word color tasks indicated significant differences in the performance of males and females, with females experiencing more challenges in derived interference reaction time and associate recall ability. In early testing including the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RALVT), the number of advantageous vs disadvantageous cards from the Iowa Gambling Task, the number of perseverance errors from the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WISCT), the total score from the Barratte Impulsiveness Scale (Version 11) (BIS-11) and the total score from the Frontal Systems Behavioral Scale, results were mixed with women scoring lower in multiple indicators in both neurocognitive and executive function.

Keywords: cocaine addiction, gender, neuropsychology, neurocognitive, executive function

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Authors: Gehan El-Sayed Sharaf El-Deen

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In this study, super paramagnetic iron-oxide nano- materials (SPMIN) were investigated for removal of toxic heavy metals from aqueous solution. The magnetic nanoparticles of 12 nm were synthesized using a co-precipitation method and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Batch experiments carried out to investigate the influence of different parameters such as contact time, initial concentration of metal ions, the dosage of SPMIN, desorption,pH value of solutions. The adsorption process was found to be highly pH dependent, which made the nanoparticles selectively adsorb these three metals from wastewater. Maximum sorption for all the studies cations obtained at the first half hour and reached equilibrium at one hour. The adsorption data of heavy metals studied were well fitted with the Langmuir isotherm and the equilibrium data show the percent removal of Ni2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+ were 96.5%, 80% and 75%, respectively. Desorption studies in acidic medium indicate that Zn2+, Ni2+ and Cd2+ were removed by 89%, 2% and 18% from the first cycle. Regeneration studies indicated that SPMIN nanoparticles undergoing successive adsorption–desorption processes for Zn2+ ions retained original metal removal capacity. The results revealed that the most prominent advantage of the prepared SPMIN adsorbent consisted in their separation convenience compared to the other adsorbents and SPMIN has high efficiency for removal the investigated metals from aqueous solution.

Keywords: heavy metals, magnetic nanoparticles, removal efficiency, Batch technique

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Authors: Pedro Ferraz-Gameiro

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Introduction: The Pellegrini-Stieda lesion is the result of post-traumatic calcification and/or ossification on the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the knee. When this calcification is accompanied by gonalgia and limitation of knee flexion, it is called Pellegrini-Stieda syndrome. The pathogenesis is probably the calcification of a post-traumatic hematoma at least three weeks after the initial trauma or secondary to repetitive microtrauma. On anteroposterior radiographs, a Pellegrini-Stieda lesion is a linear vertical ossification or calcification of the proximal portion of the MCL and usually near the medial femoral condyle. Patients with Pellegrini-Stieda syndrome present knee pain associated with loss of range of motion. The treatment is usually conservative with analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs, either systemic or intra-articular. Physical medicine and rehabilitation techniques associated with shock wave therapy can be a way of reduction of pain/inflammation. Patients who maintain instability with significant limitation of knee mobility may require surgical excision. Methods: Research was done using PubMed central using the terms Pellegrini-Stieda syndrome. Discussion/conclusion: Medical treatment is the rule, with initial rest, anti-inflammatory, and physiotherapy. If left untreated, this ossification can potentially form a significant bone mass, which can compromise the range of motion of the knee. Physical medicine and rehabilitation techniques associated with shock wave therapy are a way of reduction of pain/inflammation.

Keywords: knee, Pellegrini-Stieda syndrome, rehabilitation, shock waves therapy

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Authors: A. Erragh, K. Amanzoui, M. Elharit, H. Salem, M. Ababneh, K. Elfakhr, S. Kalouch, A. Chlilek

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Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is the most common form of acute polyradiculoneuritis (PRNA). It is a medical emergency in pediatrics that requires rapid diagnosis and immediate assessment of the severity criteria for the implementation of appropriate treatment. Retrospective, descriptive study in 24 patients under the age of 18 who presented with GBS between September 2017 and July 2021 and were hospitalized in the multipurpose pediatric intensive care unit of the Abderrahim EL Harouchi children's hospital in Casablanca. The average age was 7.91 years, with extremes ranging from 18 months and 14 years and a male predominance of 75%. After a prodromal event, most often infectious (80%) and a free interval of 12 days on average, 2 types of motor disorders begin either hypo or arereflectic flaccid paralysis of the lower limbs (45.8%) or flaccid quadriplegia hypo or arereflectic (54.2%). During GBS, the most formidable complication is respiratory distress, which can occur at any time. In our study, respiratory impairment was observed in 70.8% of cases. In addition, other signs of severity, such as swallowing disorders (75%) and dysautonomic disorders (8.33%), were also observed, which justified care in the intensive care unit for all of our patients. The use of invasive ventilation was necessary in 76.5% of cases, and specific treatments based on immunoglobulins were administered in all our patients. Despite everything, the death rate remains high (25%) and is mainly due to complications related to hospitalization. Guillain Barré syndrome is, therefore, a pediatric emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and immediate assessment of severity criteria for the implementation of appropriate treatment.

Keywords: guillain barre syndrome, emergency, children, medical

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Authors: Hanan M. Hassan, Laila Abouzeid, Lamya H. Al-Wahaibi, George S. G. Shehatou, Ali A. El-Emam

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Cancer is a major public health problem and the second leading cause of death worldwide. In 2020, cancer diagnosis and treatment have been negatively affected by the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. During the quarantine, because of the limited access to healthcare and avoiding exposure to COVID-19 as a contagious disease; patients of cancer suffered deferments in follow-up and treatment regimens leading to substantial worsening of disease, death, and increased healthcare costs. Thus, this study is designed to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which adamantne derivatives attenuate hepatocllular carcinoma experimentally and theoretically. There is a close association between increased resistance to anticancer drugs and defective apoptosis that considered a causative factor for oncogenesis. Cancer cells use different molecular pathways to inhibit apoptosis, BAX and Bcl-2 proteins have essential roles in the progression or inhibition of intrinsic apoptotic pathways triggered by mitochondrial dysfunction. Therefore, their balance ratio can promote the cellular apoptotic fate. In this study, the in vitro cytotoxic effects of seven synthetic adamantyl isothiorea derivatives were evaluated against five human tumor cell lines by MTT assay. Compounds 5 and 6 showed the best results, mostly against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hence, in vivo studies were performed in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats in which experimental hepatocellular carcinoma was induced with thioacetamide (TAA) (200 mg/kg, i.p., twice weekly) for 16 weeks. The most promising compounds, 5 and 6, were administered to treat liver cancer rats at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day for an additional two weeks, and the effects were compared with doxorubicin (DR), the anticancer drug. Hepatocellular carcinoma was evidenced by a dramatic increase in liver indices, oxidative stress markers, and immunohistochemical studies that were accompanied by a plethora of inflammatory mediators and alterations in the apoptotic cascade. Our results showed that treatment with adamantane derivatives 5 and 6 significantly suppressed fibrosis, inflammation, and other histopathological insults resulting in the diminished formation of hepatocyte tumorigenesis. Moreover, administration of the tested compounds resulted in amelioration of EGFR protein expression, upregulation of BAX, and lessening down of Bcl-2 levels that prove their role as apoptosis inducers. Also, the docking simulations performed for adamantane showed good fit and binding to the EGFR protein through hydrogen bond formation with conservative amino acids, which gives a shred of strong evidence for its hepatoprotective effect. In most analyses, the effects of compound 6 were more comparable to DR than compound 5. Our findings suggest that adamantane derivatives 5 and 6 are shown to have cytotoxic activity against HCC in vitro and in vivo, by more than one mechanism, possibly by inhibiting the TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB pathway and targeting EGFR signaling.

Keywords: adamantane, EGFR, HCC, apoptosis

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Authors: Andrej Golowin, Viktor Denk, Axel Riepe

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Solid fan blades and discs in aero engines are subjected to high combined low and high cycle fatigue loads especially around the contact areas between blade and disc. Therefore, special coatings (e.g. dry film lubricant) and surface treatments (e.g. shot peening or laser shock peening) are applied to increase the strength with respect to combined cyclic fatigue and fretting fatigue, but also to improve damage tolerance capability. The traditional deterministic damage tolerance assessment based on fracture mechanics analysis, which treats service damage as an initial crack, often gives overly conservative results especially in the presence of vibratory stresses. A probabilistic damage tolerance methodology using crack initiation data has been developed for fan discs exposed to relatively high vibratory stresses in cross- and tail-wind conditions at certain resonance speeds for limited time periods. This Monte-Carlo based method uses a damage databank from similar designs, measured vibration levels at typical aircraft operations and wind conditions and experimental crack initiation data derived from testing of artificially damaged specimens with representative surface treatment under combined fatigue conditions. The proposed methodology leads to a more realistic prediction of the minimum damage tolerance life for the most critical locations applicable to modern fan disc designs.

Keywords: combined fatigue, damage tolerance, engine, surface treatment

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Authors: Ahmed. S. Alasmari, M. S. Soliman, Magdy M. El-Rayes

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This study focuses on the effect of the addition of magnesium (Mg) and silver (Ag) on the mechanical properties of aluminum based alloys. The alloying elements will be added at different levels using the factorial design of experiments of 2²; the two factors are Mg and Ag at two levels of concentration. The superior mechanical properties of the produced Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloys after aging will be resulted from a unique type of precipitation named as Ω-phase. The formed precipitate enhanced the tensile strength and thermal stability. This paper further investigated the microstructure and mechanical properties of as cast Al–Cu–Mg–Ag alloys after being complete homogenized treatment at 520 °C for 8 hours followed by isothermally age hardening process at 190 °C for different periods of time. The homogenization at 520 °C for 8 hours was selected based on homogenization study at various temperatures and times. The alloys’ microstructures were studied by using optical microscopy (OM). In addition to that, the fracture surface investigation was performed using a scanning electronic microscope (SEM). Studying the microstructure of aged Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloys reveal that the grains are equiaxed with an average grain size of about 50 µm. A detailed fractography study for fractured surface of the aged alloys exhibited a mixed fracture whereby the random fracture suggested crack propagation along the grain boundaries while the dimples indicated that the fracture was ductile. The present result has shown that alloy 5 has the highest hardness values and the best mechanical behaviors.

Keywords: precipitation hardening, aluminum alloys, aging, design of experiments, analysis of variance, heat treatments

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Authors: Miyeon Yoo, Sewon Kim, Changyeop Lee

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It is important to measure the internal temperature or temperature distribution precisely in combustion system to increase energy efficiency and reduce the pollutants. Especially in case of large combustion systems such as power plant boiler and reheating furnace of steel making process, it is very difficult to measure those physical properties in detail. Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy measurement and analysis can be attractive method to overcome the difficulty. In this paper, TDLAS methods are used to measure the oxygen concentration and temperature distribution in various experimental conditions.

Keywords: tunable diode laser absorption Spectroscopy, temperature distribution, gas concentration

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