Search results for: spontaneous and controlled speech

Authors: Simin Shahvazi, Sepideh Soltani, Seyed Mehdi Ahmadi, Russell J. De Souza, Amin Salehi-Abargouei

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Background and Objectives: Vitamin D has received attention for its potential to disrupt cancer processes such as attenuating cell proliferation and exacerbating differentiation and apoptosis. However, whether there exists a role for vitamin D in the treatment of prostate cancer specifically remains controversial. We systematically review the literature to assess whether supplementation with vitamin D influences PSA response and overall survival in patients with prostate cancer. Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and Google scholar from inception through up to 10 September 2017 for both before-and-after and randomized trials that evaluated the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the prostate specific antigen (PSA) response rate in participants with prostate cancer. The DerSimonian and Laird, inverse-weighted random-effects model was used to pool effect estimates from the studies. Heterogeneity and potential publication bias were evaluated. Subgroup analyses were also performed. Results: Twenty-two studies (16 before-after and 6 randomized controlled trials) were found and included in meta-analysis. The analysis on controlled clinical trials revealed that PSA change from baseline [weighted mean difference (WMD) = -1.66 ng/ml, 95%CI: -0.69, 0.36, P= 0.543)], PSA response (RR=1.18, 95%CI: 0.97, 1.45, P=0.104) and mortality rate (risk ratio (RR) = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.81-1.36; P=0.713) was not significantly different between vitamin D supplementation and placebo groups. Single arm trials revealed that vitamin D supplementation had had a modest effect on PSA response rate: 19% of those enrolled had at least a 50% reduction in PSA by the end of treatment (95% CI: 7% to 31%; p=0.002). Conclusion: We found that vitamin D modestly increases the PSA response rate in single arm studies. No effect on serum PSA levels, PSA response and mortality was seen in randomized controlled clinical trials. It does not seem patients with prostate cancer benefit from vitamin D supplementation.

Keywords: mortality, prostatic neoplasms, PSA response, vitamin D

Procedia PDF Downloads 195

Authors: Zeynep R. Ege, Aydin Akan, Faik N. Oktar, Betul Karademir, Oguzhan Gunduz

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Early detection of cancer could save human life and quality in insidious cases by advanced biomedical imaging techniques. Designing targeted detection system is necessary in order to protect of healthy cells. Electrospun nanofibers are efficient and targetable nanocarriers which have important properties such as nanometric diameter, mechanical properties, elasticity, porosity and surface area to volume ratio. In the present study, indocyanine green (ICG) organic dye was stabilized and encapsulated in polymer matrix which polyethylene oxide (PEO) and chitosan (CHI) multilayer nanofibers via co-axial electrospinning method at one step. The co-axial electrospun nanofibers were characterized as morphological (SEM), molecular (FT-IR), and entrapment efficiency of Indocyanine Green (ICG) (confocal imaging). Controlled release profile of PEO/CHI/ICG nanofiber was also evaluated up to 40 hours.

Keywords: chitosan, coaxial electrospinning, controlled releasing, drug delivery, indocyanine green, polyethylene oxide

Procedia PDF Downloads 169

Authors: Sang-Myung Jung, Gwang Heum Yoon, Hoo Chul Lee, Hwa Sung Shin

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Ceramide, a component of stratum corneum at epidermis, helps to construct a rigid and dense skin barrier to prevent pathogens that cause atopic dermatitis. However, ceramide was too hydrophobic to be directly absorbed into stratum corneum and has risks of side effects by excessive treatment. To overcome the obstacles, ceramide was embedded into PLGA nanoparticles coated with chitosan. PLGA and chitosan have been known as biocompatible materials. PLGA was squeezed when faced with water and pumped ceramide out of PLGA nanoparticle. In addition, the chitosan coating layer helped initial adherence of nanoparticles to skin and regulate ceramide release until removed. This coating was degraded at weakly acid state like skin surface, finally ceramide release could be controlled. Finally, the nanoparticle was demonstrated to be non-cytotoxic and regenerate stratum corneum of atopic dermatitis model. Overall the nanoparticle is suggested as a novel and effective nanodrug to apply atopic dermatitis.

Keywords: nanoparticle, controlled release, atopic dermatitis, chitosan coating, ceramide

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Authors: I. Sani, A. Abdulhamid, F. Bello, Isah M. Fakai

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This research has focused on the application of green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a new technique for direct monitoring of fermentation processes involving cultured bacteria. To use GFP as a sensor for pH and oxygen, percentage ratio of red fluorescence to green (% R/G) was evaluated. Assessing the magnitude of the % R/G ratio in relation to low or high pH and oxygen concentration, the bacterial strains were cultivated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. SCC1 strains of E. coli were grown in a 5 L laboratory fermenter, and during the fermentation, the pH and temperature were controlled at 7.0 and 370C respectively. Dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) was controlled between 15-100% by changing the agitation speed between 20-500 rpm respectively. Effect of reducing the DOT level from 100% to 15% was observed after 4.5 h fermentation. There was a growth arrest as indicated by the decrease in the OD650 at this time (4.5-5 h). The relative fluorescence (green) intensity was decreased from about 460 to 420 RFU. However, %R/G ratio was significantly increased from about 0.1% to about 0.25% when the DOT level was decreased to 15%. But when the DOT was changed to 100%, a little increase in the RF and decrease in the %R/G ratio were observed. Therefore, GFP can effectively detect and indicate any change in pH and oxygen level during fermentation processes.

Keywords: Escherichia coli SCC1, fermentation process, green fluorescent protein, red fluorescence

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Authors: Tianyu Cao, KIRA (Ruizhi Zhao)

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The purpose of our research is to study the possibility of people with physical disabilities manipulating mechanical prostheses through brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. The brain-machine interface (BCI) of the neural prosthesis records signals from neurons and uses mathematical modeling to decode them, converting desired movements into body movements. In order to improve the patient's neural control, the prosthesis is given a natural feeling. It records data from sensitive areas from the body to the prosthetic limb and encodes signals in the form of electrical stimulation to the brain. In our research, the brain-computer interface (BCI) is a bridge connecting patients’ cognition and the real world, allowing information to interact with each other. The efficient work between the two is achieved through external devices. The flow of information is controlled by BCI’s ability to record neuronal signals and decode signals, which are converted into device control. In this way, we could encode information and then send it to the brain through electrical stimulation, which has significant medical application.

Keywords: biomedical engineering, brain-computer interface, prosthesis, neural control

Procedia PDF Downloads 181

Authors: Siti Hajar Muhamad Rosli, Xin Yi Lim, Terence Yew Chin Tan, Muhammad nor Farhan Sa’At, Syazwani Sirdar Ali, Ami Fazlin Syed Mohamed

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A growing interest on therapeutic benefits of hemp (Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa) is evident in the pharmaceutical market, attributed to its lower levels of psychoactive constituent delta-9-tetrahydronannabidiol (THC). Deemed as a legal and safer alternative to its counterpart marijuana, the use of medicinal hemp is highly debatable as current scientific evidence on the efficacy for clinical use is yet to be established This study was aimed to provide an overview of the current landscape of hemp research, through recent clinical findings specific to the pharmacological properties of the hemp plant and its derived compounds. A systematic search was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis-ScR (PRISMA) checklist on electronic databases (MEDLINE, OVID, Cochrane Library Central, and Clinicaltrials.gov) for articles published from 2009 to 2019. With predetermined inclusion criteria, all human trials with hemp intervention were included. A total of 18 human trials were identified, investigating therapeutic effects on the neuronal, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and immune system, with sample sizes ranging from one to 194 subjects. Three randomised controlled trials showed hempseed pills (in Traditional Chinese Medicine formulation MaZiRenWan) consumption significantly improved spontaneous bowel movement in functional constipation. The use of commercial cannabidiol (CBD) sourced from hemp suggested benefits in cannabis dependence, epilepsy, and anxiety disorders. However, there was insufficient evidence to suggest analgesic or anxiolytics effects of hemp being equivalent to marijuana. All clinical trials reviewed varied in terms of test item formulation and standardisation, which made it challenging to confirm overall efficacy for a specific disease or condition. Published efficacy data on hemp are still at a preliminary level, with limited high quality clinical evidence for any specific therapeutic indication. With multiple variants of this plant having different phytochemical and bioactive compounds, future empirical research should focus on uniformity in experimental designs to further strengthen the notion of using medicinal hemp.

Keywords: cannabis, complementary medicine, hemp, herbal medicine.

Procedia PDF Downloads 118

Authors: M. Yakoubi, N. Belboukhari, A. Cheriti, K. Sekoum

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Launaea nudicaulis (L.) Hook.f. is a desert, spontaneous plant and endemic to northem Sahara, which belongs to the Asteraceae family. This species exists in the region of Bechar (Local name; El-Rghamma). In our knowledge, no work has been founded, except studies showing the antimicrobial and antifungal activity of methalonic extract of this plant. The present paper describes the chemical composition of the essential oil from Launaea nudicaulis and qualification of isolation and identification of some pure products by column chromatography. The essential oil from the aerial parts of Launaea nudicaulis (Asteraceae) was obtained by hydroditillation in 0.4% yield, led to isolation of four several new products. The isolation is made by column chromatography and followed by GC-IK and GC-MS analysis.

Keywords: Launaea nudicaulis, asteraceae, essential oil, column chromatography, GC-FID, GC-MS

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Authors: Qian Zhang, Dongkai Shen, Yan Shi

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A new mechanical ventilator with automatic secretion clearance function can improve the secretion clearance safely and efficiently. However, in recent modeling studies on various mechanical ventilators, it was considered that human had one lung, and the coupling effect of double lungs was never illustrated. In this paper, to expound the coupling effect of double lungs, a mathematical model of a ventilation system of a bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) controlled ventilator with secretion clearance was set up. Moreover, an experimental study about the mechanical ventilation system of double lungs on BiPAP ventilator was conducted to verify the mathematical model. Finally, the coupling effect of double lungs of the mathematical ventilation was studied by simulation and orthogonal experimental design. This paper adds to previous studies and can be referred to optimization methods in medical researches.

Keywords: double lungs, coupling effect, secretion clearance, orthogonal experimental design

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Authors: Cui Li, Xu Yuping

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Based on the question of, "Are short video creators who are digital workers controlled by platform rules?" this study discusses the specific ways of platform rules control and the impact on short video creators. Based on the theory of digital labor, this paper adopts the method of in-depth interview and participant observation and chooses 24 producers of short video content of Tiktok to conduct in-depth interview. At the same time, through entering the short video creation field, the author carries on the four-month field investigation, obtains the creation process related data, and analyzes how the short video creator, as the digital labor, is controlled by the platform rule, as well as the creator in this process of compromise and resistance, a more comprehensive presentation of the short video creators of the labor process. It is found that the short video creators are controlled by the platform rules, mainly in the control of traffic rules, and the creators create content, compromise and resist under the guidance of traffic. First, while the platform seems to offer a flexible and autonomous way for creators to monetize, the threshold for participating in the event is actually very high for creators, and the rules for monetizing the event are vague. Under the influence of the flow rule, the creator is faced unstable incomes and high costs. Therefore, creators have to follow the rules of traffic to guide their own creation, began to flow-oriented content production, mainly reflected in the need to keep up-to-date, the pursuit of traffic to ride on the hot spots, in order to flow regardless, set up people "Born for the show", by the label solidified content creation. Secondly, the irregular working hours lead to the extension and overwork of the working hours, which leads to the internal friction of the short video creators at the spiritual level, and finally leads to the Rat Race of video creation. Thirdly, the video creator has completed the internalization and compromise of the platform rules in practice, which promotes the creator to continue to create independently, and forms the intrinsic motive force of the creator. Finally, the rule-controlled short video creators resist and fight in flexible ways, make use of the mechanism and rules of the platform to carry on the second creation, carry on the routine production, purchase the false flow, transfer the creation position to maintain own creation autonomy.

Keywords: short videos, tiktok, production, digital labors

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Authors: Carmen Aguilera-Carnerero

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Islamophobia, the unfounded hostility towards Muslims and Islam, has been deeply studied in the last decades from different perspectives ranging from anthropology, sociology, media studies, and linguistics. In the past few years, we have witnessed how the birth of social media has transformed formerly passive audiences into an active group that not only receives and digests information but also creates and comments publicly on any event of their interest. In this way, average citizens now have been entitled with the power of becoming potential opinion leaders. This rise of social media in the last years gave way to a different way of Islamophobia, the so called ‘cyberIslamophobia’. Considerably less attention, however, has been given to the study of islamophobic images that accompany the texts in social media. This paper attempts to analyse a corpus of 300 images of islamophobic nature taken from social media (from Twitter and Facebook) from the years 2014-2017 to see: a) how hate speech is visually constructed, b) how cyberislamophobia is articulated through images and whether there are differences/similarities between the textual and the visual elements, c) the impact of those images in the audience and their reaction to it and d) whether visual cyberislamophobia has undergone any process of permeating popular culture (for example, through memes) and its real impact. To carry out this task, we have used Critical Discourse Analysis as the most suitable theoretical framework that analyses and criticizes the dominant discourses that affect inequality, injustice, and oppression. The analysis of images was studied according to the theoretical framework provided by the visual framing theory and the visual design grammar to conclude that memes are subtle but very powerful tools to spread Islamophobia and foster hate speech under the guise of humour within popular culture.

Keywords: cyberIslamophobia, visual grammar, social media, popular culture

Procedia PDF Downloads 167

Authors: Kimberly Ho, Maeve Donnelly

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In this paper, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and Board Certified Behavior Analysts® (BCBA) with a combined professional experience of almost 50 years will discuss their experiences working with individuals on the autism spectrum. Some autistic children require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to meet their communication needs. These learners present with unique strengths and challenges, often requiring intervention from a team of professionals to generalize skills across environments. Collaboration between SLPs and BCBAs will be discussed in terms of strengths and challenges. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) will be defined and explained in the context of the treatment of learners on the autism spectrum with complex communication needs (CCN). The requirement for collaboration will be discussed by the governing boards for both BCBAs and SLPs. The strengths of each discipline will be compared along with difficulties faced when professionals experience disciplinary centrism. The challenges in teaching autistic learners with CCN will be reviewed. Case studies will be shared in which BCBAs and SLPs engage in interprofessional practice to support autistic children who use AAC to participate in a social skills group. Learner outcomes will be shared and assessed through both an SLP and BCBA perspective. Finally, ideas will be provided to promote the interprofessional practice, including establishing a shared framework, avoiding professional jargon and moving towards common terminology, and focusing on the data to ensure the efficacy of treatment.

Keywords: autism, cross disciplinary collaboration, augmentative and alternative communication, generalization

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Authors: Swathi Gopakumar, Sruthi Krishna, Shivasubramani Krishnamoorthy

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Contactless, painless and radiation-free thermal imaging technology is one of the preferred screening modalities for detection of breast cancer. However, poor signal to noise ratio and the inexorable need to preserve edges defining cancer cells and normal cells, make the segmentation process difficult and hence unsuitable for computer-aided diagnosis of breast cancer. This paper presents key findings from a research conducted on the appraisal of two promising techniques, for the detection of breast cancer: (I) marker-controlled, Level-set segmentation of anisotropic diffusion filtered preprocessed image versus (II) Segmentation using marker-controlled level-set on a Gaussian-filtered image. Gaussian-filtering processes the image uniformly, whereas anisotropic filtering processes only in specific areas of a thermographic image. The pre-processed (Gaussian-filtered and anisotropic-filtered) images of breast samples were then applied for segmentation. The segmentation of breast starts with initial level-set function. In this study, marker refers to the position of the image to which initial level-set function is applied. The markers are generally placed on the left and right side of the breast, which may vary with the breast size. The proposed method was carried out on images from an online database with samples collected from women of varying breast characteristics. It was observed that the breast was able to be segmented out from the background by adjustment of the markers. From the results, it was observed that as a pre-processing technique, anisotropic filtering with level-set segmentation, preserved the edges more effectively than Gaussian filtering. Segmented image, by application of anisotropic filtering was found to be more suitable for feature extraction, enabling automated computer-aided diagnosis of breast cancer.

Keywords: anisotropic diffusion, breast, Gaussian, level-set, thermograms

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Authors: Dana Madalina Pohrib, Elena Irina Ciobanu

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In compaction works, the most often used codes and standards are those for road embankments and refer to a maximum filling height of 3.00m. When filling a height greater than 3.00m, such codes are no longer valid and thus their application may lead to technical difficulties in the process of compaction and to the achievement of a sufficient degree of compaction. For this reason, in the case of controlled fillings with heights greater than 3.00m it is necessary to formulate and apply a number of special techniques, which can be determined by performing a full scale test. This paper presents the results of the studies and full scale tests conducted for the stabilization of a ravine with vertical banks and a depth of about 12.00m. The fillings will support a heavy traffic road connecting the two parts of a village in Vaslui County, Romania. After analyzing two comparative intervention solutions, the variant of a controlled filling bordered by a monolith concrete retaining wall was chosen. The results obtained by the authors highlighted the need to insert a geogrid reinforcement at every 2.00m for creating a 12.00m thick compacted fill.

Keywords: compaction, dynamic probing, stability, soil stratification

Procedia PDF Downloads 314

Authors: Dechrit Maneetham

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The aim of this paper was to design a void and head controlled electric power wheelchair (EPW). A novel activate the control system for quadriplegics with voice, head and neck mobility. Head movement has been used as a control interface for people with motor impairments in a range of applications. Acquiring measurements from the module is simplified through a synchronous a motor. Axis measures the two directions namely x and y. At the same time, patients can control the motorized wheelchair using voice signals (forward, backward, turn left, turn right, and stop) given by it self. The model of a dc motor is considered as a speed control by selection of a PID parameters using genetic algorithm. An experimental set-up constructed, which consists of micro controller as controller, a DC motor driven EPW and feedback elements. This paper is tuning methods of parameter for a pulse width modulation (PWM) control system. A speed controller has been designed successfully for closed loop of the dc motor so that the motor runs very closed to the reference speed and angle. Intelligent wheelchair can be used to ensure the person’s voice and head are attending the direction of travel asserted by a conventional, direction and speed control.

Keywords: wheelchair, quadriplegia, rehabilitation , medical devices, speed control

Procedia PDF Downloads 540

Authors: Maria Lita Sudo

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The debate is an effective tool in cultivating critical thinking skills in English classes. It involves writing evidence-based arguments about a resolution in a form of constructive speech and oral discussion using constructive speech, which will then be attacked and defended. In the process of writing, EFL learners may experience anxiety, an emotional problem that affects writing achievement and cognitive processing. Thus, this study explored the sources and effect of English writing anxiety in the context of debate writing with a view to providing EFL teachers pedagogical suggestions in alleviating English writing anxiety in debate writing. The participants of this study are 95 Japanese senior high school EFL learners and 3 Japanese senior high school English teachers. In selecting the participants, opportunity sampling was employed and consent from Japanese English teachers was sought. Data were collected thru (1) observation (2) open-ended questionnaire and (3) semi-structured interview. This study revealed that not all teachers of English in the context of this study recognize the existence of English writing anxiety among their students and that the very nature of the debate, in general, may also be a source of English writing anxiety in the context of debate writing. The interview revealed that English writing anxiety affects students’ ability to retrieve L2 vocabulary. Further, this study revealed different sources of writing anxiety in debate writing, which can be categorized into four main categories: (1) L2 linguistic ability-related factors (2) instructional –related factors, (3) interpersonal-related factors, and (4) debate- related factors. Based on the findings, recommendations for EFL teachers and EFL learners in managing writing anxiety in debate writing are provided.

Keywords: debate, EFL learners, English writing anxiety, sources

Procedia PDF Downloads 137

Authors: Manjitsingh Rajput

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Visual communication plays an important role in artificial intelligence (AI) because it enables machines to understand and interpret visual information, similar to how humans do. This abstract explores the importance of visual communication in AI and emphasizes the importance of various applications such as computer vision, object emphasis recognition, image classification and autonomous systems. In going deeper, with deep learning techniques and neural networks that modify visual understanding, In addition to AI programming, the abstract discusses challenges facing visual interfaces for AI, such as data scarcity, domain optimization, and interpretability. Visual communication and other approaches, such as natural language processing and speech recognition, have also been explored. Overall, this abstract highlights the critical role that visual communication plays in advancing AI capabilities and enabling machines to perceive and understand the world around them. The abstract also explores the integration of visual communication with other modalities like natural language processing and speech recognition, emphasizing the critical role of visual communication in AI capabilities. This methodology explores the importance of visual communication in AI development and implementation, highlighting its potential to enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of AI systems. It provides a comprehensive approach to integrating visual elements into AI systems, making them more user-friendly and efficient. In conclusion, Visual communication is crucial in AI systems for object recognition, facial analysis, and augmented reality, but challenges like data quality, interpretability, and ethics must be addressed. Visual communication enhances user experience, decision-making, accessibility, and collaboration. Developers can integrate visual elements for efficient and accessible AI systems.

Keywords: visual communication AI, computer vision, visual aid in communication, essence of visual communication.

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Authors: Claudio Loconsole, Daniele Leonardis, Antonio Brunetti, Gianpaolo Francesco Trotta, Nicholas Caporusso, Vitoantonio Bevilacqua

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Unfortunately, many people still do not have access to communication, with specific regard to reading and writing. Among them, people who are blind or visually impaired, have several difficulties in getting access to the world, compared to the sighted. Indeed, despite technology advancement and cost reduction, nowadays assistive devices are still expensive such as Braille-based input/output systems which enable reading and writing texts (e.g., personal notes, documents). As a consequence, assistive technology affordability is fundamental in supporting the visually impaired in communication, learning, and social inclusion. This, in turn, has serious consequences in terms of equal access to opportunities, freedom of expression, and actual and independent participation to a society designed for the sighted. Moreover, the visually impaired experience difficulties in recognizing objects and interacting with devices in any activities of daily living. It is not a case that Braille indications are commonly reported only on medicine boxes and elevator keypads. Several software applications for the automatic translation of written text into speech (e.g., Text-To-Speech - TTS) enable reading pieces of documents. However, apart from simple tasks, in many circumstances TTS software is not suitable for understanding very complicated pieces of text requiring to dwell more on specific portions (e.g., mathematical formulas or Greek text). In addition, the experience of reading\writing text is completely different both in terms of engagement, and from an educational perspective. Statistics on the employment rate of blind people show that learning to read and write provides the visually impaired with up to 80% more opportunities of finding a job. Especially in higher educational levels, where the ability to digest very complex text is key, accessibility and availability of Braille plays a fundamental role in reducing drop-out rate of the visually impaired, thus affecting the effectiveness of the constitutional right to get access to education. In this context, the Braille Lab project aims at overcoming these social needs by including affordability in designing and developing assistive tools for visually impaired people. In detail, our awarded project focuses on a technology innovation of the operation principle of existing assistive tools for the visually impaired leaving the Human-Machine Interface unchanged. This can result in a significant reduction of the production costs and consequently of tool selling prices, thus representing an important opportunity for social entrepreneurship. The first two assistive tools designed within the Braille Lab project following the proposed approach aims to provide the possibility to personally print documents and handouts and to read texts written in Braille using refreshable Braille display, respectively. The former, named ‘Braille Cartridge’, represents an alternative solution for printing in Braille and consists in the realization of an electronic-controlled dispenser printing (cartridge) which can be integrated within traditional ink-jet printers, in order to leverage the efficiency and cost of the device mechanical structure which are already being used. The latter, named ‘Braille Cursor’, is an innovative Braille display featuring a substantial technology innovation by means of a unique cursor virtualizing Braille cells, thus limiting the number of active pins needed for Braille characters.

Keywords: Human rights, social challenges and technology innovations, visually impaired, affordability, assistive tools

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Authors: Yoshinori Kitsutaka, Fumiya Ikedo

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In this study, the mechanical model of various anchors embedded in gypsum board subjected cyclic shear loading were investigated. Shear tests for anchors embedded in 200 mm square size gypsum board were conducted to measure the load - load displacement curves. The strength of the gypsum board was changed for three conditions and 12 kinds of anchors were selected which were ordinary used for gypsum board anchoring. The loading conditions were a monotonous loading and a cyclic loading controlled by a servo-controlled hydraulic loading system to achieve accurate measurement. The fracture energy for each of the anchors was estimated by the analysis of consumed energy calculated by the load - load displacement curve. The effect of the strength of gypsum board and the types of anchors on the shear properties of gypsum board anchors was cleared. A numerical model to predict the load-unload curve of shear deformation of gypsum board anchors caused by such as the earthquake load was proposed and the validity on the model was proved.

Keywords: gypsum board, anchor, shear test, cyclic loading, load-unload curve

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Authors: S. M. Arciniegas, D. Vargas, L. Gutierrez

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The aim of this study was to develop oral drug presentation of doxycycline hyclate that maintains longer therapeutic levels than conventional forms. A polymethacrylate and acrylic acid based matrix were used in different proportions to obtain controlled-release formulations; DOX1 (1:0.25:0.0035), DOX2 (1:2:0.0225) and DOX-C (without excipients). All were tested in vivo in healthy dogs and their serum concentrations vs. time profile was investigated after its oral administration in this species. DOX1 and DOX2 show therapeutic concentrations for 60 hours, while DOX-C only for 24 hours. The pharmacokinetics values tested were K½el, Cmax, Tmax, AUC, AUC∞, AUCt, AUMC, RT, Kel, Vdss, Clb and Frel. DOX1 does not differ significantly from DOX-C, but shows significant differences in all variables with DOX2 (p<0.05). In conclusion, DOX1 presents best pharmacokinetics for time-dependent drug and longer release time of 60 hours, thereby reducing the frequency of administration, the patient's stress, the occurrence of adverse effects and the cost of treatment.

Keywords: tetracyclines, long-acting, sustained-release, carbopol, eudragit, canine

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Authors: Arpita Saha, Apoorv Jain, Satish Chandra, Indrajit Ghosh

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Level of service at a signal controlled intersection is directly measured from the delay. Similarly, saturation flow rate is a fundamental parameter to measure the intersection capacity. The present study calculates vehicle arrival rate, departure rate, and queue length for every five seconds interval in each cycle. Based on the queue lengths, the total delay of the cycle has been calculated using Simpson’s 1/3rd rule. Saturation flow has been estimated in terms of veh/hr of green/lane for every five seconds interval of the green period until at least three vehicles are left to cross the stop line. Vehicle composition shows an immense effect on total delay and saturation flow rate. The increase in two-wheeler proportion increases the saturation flow rate and reduces the total delay per vehicle significantly. Additionally, an increase in the heavy vehicle proportion reduces the saturation flow rate and increases the total delay for each vehicle.

Keywords: delay, saturation flow, signalised intersection, vehicle composition

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Authors: Natalia Caldeira De Carvalho, Tassia Batista Pessato, Luis Gustavo R. Fernandes, Ricardo L. Zollner, Flavia Maria Netto

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Protein hydrolysates are ingredients of enteral diets and hypoallergenic formulas. Enzymatic hydrolysis is the most commonly used method for reducing the antigenicity of milk protein. The antigenicity and physicochemical characteristics of the protein hydrolysates depend on the reaction parameters. Among them, pH has been pointed out as of the major importance. Hydrolysis reaction in laboratory scale is commonly carried out under controlled pH (pH-stat). However, from the industrial point of view, controlling pH during hydrolysis reaction may be infeasible. This study evaluated the impact of pH control on the physicochemical properties and antigenicity of the hydrolysates of whey proteins with Alcalase. Whey protein isolate (WPI) solutions containing 3 and 7 % protein (w/v) were hydrolyzed with Alcalase 50 and 100 U g-1 protein at 60°C for 180 min. The reactions were carried out under controlled and uncontrolled pH conditions. Hydrolyses performed under controlled pH (pH-stat) were initially adjusted and maintained at pH 8.5. Hydrolyses carried out without pH control were initially adjusted to pH 8.5. Degree of hydrolysis (DH) was determined by OPA method, peptides profile was evaluated by HPLC-RP, and molecular mass distribution by SDS-PAGE/Tricine. The residual α-lactalbumin (α-La) and β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) concentrations were determined using commercial ELISA kits. The specific IgE and IgG binding capacity of hydrolysates was evaluated by ELISA technique, using polyclonal antibodies obtained by immunization of female BALB/c mice with α-La, β-Lg and BSA. In hydrolysis under uncontrolled pH, the pH dropped from 8.5 to 7.0 during the first 15 min, remaining constant throughout the process. No significant difference was observed between the DH of the hydrolysates obtained under controlled and uncontrolled pH conditions. Although all hydrolysates showed hydrophilic character and low molecular mass peptides, hydrolysates obtained with and without pH control exhibited different chromatographic profiles. Hydrolysis under uncontrolled pH released, predominantly, peptides between 3.5 and 6.5 kDa, while hydrolysis under controlled pH released peptides smaller than 3.5 kDa. Hydrolysis with Alcalase under all conditions studied decreased by 99.9% the α-La and β-Lg concentrations in the hydrolysates detected by commercial kits. In general, β-Lg concentrations detected in the hydrolysates obtained under uncontrolled pH were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those detected in hydrolysates produced with pH control. The anti-α-La and anti-β-Lg IgE and IgG responses to all hydrolysates decreased significantly compared to WPI. Levels of specific IgE and IgG to the hydrolysates were below 25 and 12 ng ml-1, respectively. Despite the differences in peptide composition and α-La and β-Lg concentrations, no significant difference was found between IgE and IgG binding capacity of hydrolysates obtained with or without pH control. These results highlight the impact of pH on the hydrolysates characteristics and their concentrations of antigenic protein. Divergence between the antigen detection by commercial ELISA kits and specific IgE and IgG binding response was found in this study. This result shows that lower protein detection does not imply in lower protein antigenicity. Thus, the use of commercial kits for allergen contamination analysis should be cautious.

Keywords: allergy, enzymatic hydrolysis, milk protein, pH conditions, physicochemical characteristics

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Authors: Susmita Roy, Madhavan Nallani

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In recent years' polymersomes, self-assembled polymeric vesicles emerge from block copolymers, have been widely investigated due to their enhance stability and unique advantageous properties compared to their phospholipid counterpart, liposomes, dendrimers, and micelles. It provides a distinctive platform for advanced therapeutics and the creation of complex (bio) catalytically active systems for research in Nanomedicine and synthetic biology. Inspired by nature, where compartmentalization of biological components is all ubiquitous, we are interested in developing a platform technology of self-assembled multifunctional compartments with applications in areas from targeted drug/gene delivery, biosensing, pharmaceutical to cosmetics. Polymersome surfaces can be a proper choice of derivatization with a controlled amount of functional groups. To achieve site-specific targeting of polymersomes, biological recognition motives can be attached to the polymersomes surface by standard bioconjugation techniques, (like esterification, amidation, thiol-maleimide coupling, click-chemistry routes or other coupling methods). Herein, we are developing easy going, one-step bioconjugation strategies for site-specific surface functionalized biodegradable polymeric and/or polymer-lipid hybrid vesicles for targeted drug delivery. Biodegradable polymer, polycaprolactone-b-polyethylene glycol (PCL-PEG), polylactic acid-b-polyethylene glycol (PLA-PEG) and phospholipid, 1-palmitoyl-2- oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) has been widely used for numerous vesicle formulations. Some of these drug-loaded formulations are being tested on mice for controlled release. These surface functionalized polymersomes are also appropriate for membrane protein reconstitution/insertion, antibodies conjugation and various bioconjugation with diverse targeted molecules for controlled drug delivery.

Keywords: drug delivery, membrane protein, polymersome, surface modification

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Authors: Brian Kozak, Ryan Ferguson, Evan Hockeridge

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Aerospace engineering and aeronautical engineering students studying propulsion often learn about propellers and their importance in aviation propulsion. In order to reinforce concepts introduced in the classroom, laboratory projects are used. However, to test a full scale propeller, an engine mounted on a test stand must be used. This engine needs to be enclosed in a test cell for appropriated safety requirements, is expensive to operate, and requires a significant amount of time to change propellers. In order to decrease costs and time requirements, the authors designed and built an electric motor powered desktop Arduino controlled test stand. This test stand is used to enhance student understanding of propeller size and pitch on thrust. The test stand can accommodate propellers up to 25 centimeters in diameter. The code computer allowed for the motor speed to be increased or decreased by 1% per second. Outputs that are measured are thrust, motor rpm, amperes, voltage, and motor temperature. These data are exported as a .CVS file and can be imported into a graphing program for data analysis.

Keywords: Arduino, Laboratory Project, Test stand, Propeller

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Authors: Zahra F. Al-Khateeb, Shenel Shekerzade, Hasna Boumenar, Siân M. Henson, Jordi L. Tremoleda, A. T. Michael-Titus

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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of disability and death in young adults and also increases the risk ofneurodegeneration. The mechanisms linking moderate to severe TBI to neurodegeneration are not known. It has been proposed that cellular senescence inductionpost-injury could amplify neuroinflammation and induce long-term changes. The impact of these processes after injury to an immature brain has not been characterised yet. We carried out a controlled cortical impact injury (CCI) in juvenile 1 month-old male CD1 mice. Animals were anesthetised and received a unilateral CCI injury. The sham group received anaesthesia and had a craniotomy. A naïve group had no intervention. The brain tissue was analysed at 5 days and 35 days post-injury using immunohistochemistry and markers for microglia, astrocytes, and senescence. Compared tonaïve animals, injured mice showed an increased microglial and astrocytic reaction early post-injury, as reflected in Iba1 and GFAP markers, respectively; the GFAP increase persisted in the later phase. The senescence analysis showed a significant increase inγH2AX-53BP1 nuclear foci, 8-oxoguanine, p19ARF, p16INK4a, and p53 expression in naïve vs. sham groups and naïve vs. CCI groups, at 5 dpi. At 35 days, the difference was no longer statistically significant in all markers. The injury induced a decrease p21 expression vs. the naïve group, at 35 dpi. These results indicate the induction of a complex senescence response after immature brain injury. Some changes occur early and may reflect the activation/proliferation of non-neuronal cells post-injury that had been hindered, whereas changes such as p21 downregulation may reflect a delayed response and pro-repair processes.

Keywords: cellular senescence, traumatic brain injury, brain injury, controlled cortical impact

Procedia PDF Downloads 139

Authors: Mohammad Hosseini

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Ultrafast transistor laser investigated here has the graded index separate confinement heterostructure (GRIN-SCH) in its base region. Resonance-free optical frequency response with -3dB bandwidth of more than 26 GHz has been achieved for a single quantum well transistor laser by using graded index layers of AlξGa1-ξAs (ξ: 0.1→0) on the left side of the quantum well and AlξGa1-ξAs (ξ: 0.05→0) in the right side of quantum well. All required parameters, including quantum well and base transit time, optical confinement factor and spontaneous recombination lifetime, have been calculated using a self-consistent charge control model.

Keywords: transistor laser, ultrafast, GRIN-SCH, -3db optical bandwidth, AlξGa1-ξAs

Procedia PDF Downloads 154

Authors: Ana Hol

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We live in a constantly changing environment where technology has become an integral component of our day to day life. We rely heavily on mobile devices, we search for data via web, we utilise smart home sensors to create the most suited ambiences and we utilise applications to shop, research, communicate and share data. Heavy reliance on technology therefore is creating new connections between STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields which in turn rises a question of what the STEM education of the future should be like? This study was based on the reviews of the six Australian Information Systems students who undertook an international study tour to India where they were given an opportunity to network, communicate and meet local students, staff and business representatives and from them learn about the local business implementations, local customs and regulations. Research identifies that if we are to continue to implement and utilise electronic devices on the global scale, such as for example implement smart cars that can smoothly cross borders, we will need the workforce that will have the knowledge about the cars themselves, their parts, roads and transport networks, road rules, road sensors, road monitoring technologies, graphical user interfaces, movement detection systems as well as day to day operations, legal rules and regulations of each region and country, insurance policies, policing and processes so that the wide array of sensors can be controlled across country’s borders. In conclusion, it can be noted that allowing students to learn about the local conditions, roads, operations, business processes, customs and values in different countries is giving students a cutting edge advantage as such knowledge cannot be transferred via electronic sources alone. However once understanding of each problem or project is established, multidisciplinary innovative STEM projects can be smoothly conducted.

Keywords: STEM, curiosity, innovation, advancements

Procedia PDF Downloads 199

Authors: Tobias Stephan Kaeding, Rebecca Schwarz, Momme Kück, Lothar Stein

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Introduction: The goal of this randomized and controlled study is to examine whether whole-body vibration (WBV) training is able to reduce self-reported physical disability in office employees with chronic low-back pain. Materials and methods: 41 subjects (68.3% female/mean age 45.5 ± 9.1 years/mean BMI 26.6 ± 5.2) were randomly allocated to an intervention group (INT (n= 21)) or a control group (CON (n=20). The INT participated in WBV training 2.5 times per week for 3 months. The primary outcome was the change in the Roland and Morris disability questionnaire (RMQ) score over the study period. In addition, secondary outcomes included changes in the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Results: The compliance with the intervention in the INT reached a mean of 81.1% ± 31.2% with no long-lasting unwanted side effects. We found significant positive effects of 3 months of WBV training in the INT compared to the CON regarding the RMQ (p=0.027) and the ODI (p=0.002). Conclusions: WBV training seems to be an effective, safe and suitable intervention for the reduction of the self-reported physical disability in seated working employees with chronic low-back pain.

Keywords: back pain, exercise, occupational health management, vibration training

Procedia PDF Downloads 297

Authors: Amira Abdelrasoul

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This study aimed to ascertain the controlled permeability of biomimetic cellulose triacetate (CTA) membranes by investigating the electrical oscillatory behavior across impregnated membranes (IM). The biomimetic CTA membranes were infused with a fatty acid to induce electrical oscillatory behavior and, hence, to ensure controlled permeability. In situ synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography (SR-μCT) at the BioMedical Imaging and Therapy (BMIT) Beamline at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) was used to evaluate the main morphology of IMs compared to neat CTA membranes to ensure fatty acid impregnation inside the pores of the membrane matrices. A monochromatic beam at 20 keV was used for the visualization of the morphology of the membrane. The X-ray radiographs were recorded by means of a beam monitor AA-40 (500 μm LuAG scintillator, Hamamatsu, Japan) coupled with a high-resolution camera, providing a pixel size of 5.5 μm and a field of view (FOV) of 4.4 mm × 2.2 mm. Changes were evident in the phase transition temperatures of the impregnated CTA membrane at the melting temperature of the fatty acid. The pulsations of measured voltages were related to changes in the salt concentration of KCl in the vicinity of the electrode. Amplitudes and frequencies of voltage pulsations were dependent on the temperature and concentration of the KCl solution, which controlled the permeability of the biomimetic membranes. The presented smart biomimetic membrane successfully combined porous polymer support and impregnating liquid not only imitate the main barrier properties of the biological membranes but could be easily modified to achieve some new properties, such as facilitated and active transport, regulation by chemical, physical and pharmaceutical factors. These results open new frontiers for the facilitation and regulation of active transport and permeability through biomimetic smart membranes for a variety of biomedical and drug delivery applications.

Keywords: biomimetic, membrane, synchrotron, permeability, morphology

Procedia PDF Downloads 100

Authors: Corinna Zeli, Silvia Calati, Marco Simeoni, Chiara Comastri

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Developmental stuttering affects about 10% of preschool children; although the high percentage of natural recovery, a quarter of them will become an adult who stutters. An effective early intervention should help those children with high persistence risk for the future. The Psicodizione method for early stuttering is an Italian behavior indirect treatment for preschool children who stutter in which method parents act as good guides for communication, modeling their own fluency. In this study, we give a preliminary measure to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of Psicodizione method on stuttering preschool children with a high persistence risk. Among all Italian children treated with the Psicodizione method between 2018 and 2019, we selected 8 kids with at least 3 high risk persistence factors from the Illinois Prediction Criteria proposed by Yairi and Seery. The factors chosen for the selection were: one parent who stutters (1pt mother; 1.5pt father), male gender, ≥ 4 years old at onset; ≥ 12 months from onset of symptoms before treatment. For this study, the families were contacted after an average period of time of 14,7 months (range 3 - 26 months). Parental reports were gathered with a standard online questionnaire in order to obtain data reflecting fluency from a wide range of the children’s life situations. The minimum worthwhile outcome was set at "mild evidence" in a 5 point Likert scale (1 mild evidence- 5 high severity evidence). A second group of 6 children, among those treated with the Piscodizione method, was selected as high potential for spontaneous remission (low persistence risk). The children in this group had to fulfill all the following criteria: female gender, symptoms for less than 12 months (before treatment), age of onset <4 years old, none of the parents with persistent stuttering. At the time of this follow-up, the children were aged 6–9 years, with a mean of 15 months post-treatment. Among the children in the high persistence risk group, 2 (25%) hadn’t had stutter anymore, and 3 (37,5%) had mild stutter based on parental reports. In the low persistency risk group, the children were aged 4–6 years, with a mean of 14 months post-treatment, and 5 (84%) hadn’t had stutter anymore (for the past 16 months on average).62,5% of children at high risk of persistence after Psicodizione treatment showed mild evidence of stutter at most. 75% of parents confirmed a better fluency than before the treatment. The low persistence risk group seemed to be representative of spontaneous recovery. This study’s design could help to better evaluate the success of the proposed interventions for stuttering preschool children and provides a preliminary measure of the effectiveness of the Psicodizione method on high persistence risk children.

Keywords: early treatment, fluency, preschool children, stuttering

Procedia PDF Downloads 215

Authors: J. O. Akinyele, R. W. Salim, K. O. Oikelome, O. T. Olateju

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Rice Husk (RH) is the major byproduct in the processing of paddy rice. The management of this waste has become a big challenge to some of the rice producers, some of these wastes are left in open dumps while some are burn in the open space, and these two actions have been contributing to environmental pollution. This study evaluates an alternative waste management of this agricultural product for use as a civil engineering material. The RH was burn in a controlled environment to form Rice Husk Ash (RHA). The RHA was mix with lateritic clay at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% proportion by weight. Chemical test was conducted on the open burn and controlled burn RHA with the lateritic clay. Physical test such as particle size distribution, Atterberg limits test, and density test were carried out on the mix material. The chemical composition obtained for the RHA showed that the total percentage compositions of Fe2O3, SiO2 and Al2O3 were found to be above 70% (class “F” pozzolan) which qualifies it as a very good pozzolan. The coefficient of uniformity (Cu) was 8 and coefficient of curvature (Cc) was 2 for the soil sample. The Plasticity Index (PI) for the 0, 2, 4, 6, 8. 10% was 21.0, 18.8, 16.7, 14.4, 12.4 and 10.7 respectively. The work concluded that RHA can be effectively used in hydraulic barriers and as a stabilizing agent in soil stabilization.

Keywords: rice husk ash, pozzolans, paddy rice, lateritic clay

Procedia PDF Downloads 324