Search results for: CRSP electrodes array
467 Clinical Utility of Salivary Cytokines for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Masaki Yamaguchi, Daimei Sasayama, Shinsuke Washizuka
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The goal of this study was to examine the possibility of salivary cytokines for the screening of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. We carried out a case-control study, including 19 children with ADHD and 17 healthy children (controls). A multiplex bead array immunoassay was used to conduct a multi-analysis of 27 different salivary cytokines. Six salivary cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, IL12p70, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) were significantly associated with the presence of ADHD (p < 0.05). An informative salivary cytokine panel was developed using VEGF by logistic regression analysis (odds ratio: 0.251). Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that assessment of a panel using VEGF showed “good” capability for discriminating between ADHD patients and controls (area under the curve: 0.778). ADHD has been hypothesized to be associated with reduced cerebral blood flow in the frontal cortex, due to reduced VEGF levels. Our study highlights the possibility of utilizing differential salivary cytokine levels for point-of-care testing (POCT) of biomarkers in children with ADHD.Keywords: cytokine, saliva, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, child
Procedia PDF Downloads 137466 Study of Structural Behavior and Proton Conductivity of Inorganic Gel Paste Electrolyte at Various Phosphorous to Silicon Ratio by Multiscale Modelling
Authors: P. Haldar, P. Ghosh, S. Ghoshdastidar, K. Kargupta
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In polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is consisting of two platinum coated carbon electrodes, sandwiched with one proton conducting phosphoric acid doped polymeric membrane. Due to low mechanical stability, flooding and fuel cell crossover, application of phosphoric acid in polymeric membrane is very critical. Phosphorous and silica based 3D inorganic gel gains the attention in the field of supercapacitors, fuel cells and metal hydrate batteries due to its thermally stable highly proton conductive behavior. Also as a large amount of water molecule and phosphoric acid can easily get trapped in Si-O-Si network cavities, it causes a prevention in the leaching out. In this study, we have performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and first principle calculations to understand the structural, electronics and electrochemical and morphological behavior of this inorganic gel at various P to Si ratios. We have used dipole-dipole interactions, H bonding, and van der Waals forces to study the main interactions between the molecules. A 'structure property-performance' mapping is initiated to determine optimum P to Si ratio for best proton conductivity. We have performed the MD simulations at various temperature to understand the temperature dependency on proton conductivity. The observed results will propose a model which fits well with experimental data and other literature values. We have also studied the mechanism behind proton conductivity. And finally we have proposed a structure for the gel paste with optimum P to Si ratio.Keywords: first principle calculation, molecular dynamics simulation, phosphorous and silica based 3D inorganic gel, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, proton conductivity
Procedia PDF Downloads 112465 A Structure-Switching Electrochemical Aptasensor for Rapid, Reagentless and Single-Step, Nanomolar Detection of C-Reactive Protein
Authors: William L. Whitehouse, Louisa H. Y. Lo, Andrew B. Kinghorn, Simon C. C. Shiu, Julian. A. Tanner
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C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase reactant and sensitive indicator for sepsis and other life-threatening pathologies, including systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Currently, clinical turn-around times for established CRP detection methods take between 30 minutes to hours or even days from centralized laboratories. Here, we report the development of an electrochemical biosensor using redox probe-tagged DNA aptamers functionalized onto cheap, commercially available screen-printed electrodes. Binding-induced conformational switching of the CRP-targeting aptamer induces a specific and selective signal-ON event, which enables single-step and reagentless detection of CRP in as little as 1 minute. The aptasensor dynamic range spans 5-1000nM (R=0.97) or 5-500nM (R=0.99) in 50% diluted human serum, with a LOD of 3nM, corresponding to 2-orders of magnitude sensitivity under the clinically relevant cut-off for CRP. The sensor is stable for up to one week and can be reused numerous times, as judged from repeated real-time dosing and dose-response assays. By decoupling binding events from the signal induction mechanism, structure-switching electrochemical aptamer-based sensors (SS-EABs) provide considerable advantages over their adsorption-based counterparts. Our work expands on the retinue of such sensors reported in the literature and is the first instance of an SS-EAB for reagentless CRP detection. We hope this study can inspire further investigations into the suitability of SS-EABs for diagnostics, which will aid translational R&D toward fully realized devices aimed at point-of-care applications or for use more broadly by the public.Keywords: structure-switching, C-reactive protein, electrochemical, biosensor, aptasensor.
Procedia PDF Downloads 57464 Synthesis of Rare-Earth Pyrazolate Compounds
Authors: Nazli Eslamirad, Peter C. Junk, Jun Wang, Glen B. Deacon
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Since coordination behavior of pyrazoles and pyrazolate ions are widely versatile towards a great range of metals such as d-block, f-block as well as main group elements; they attract interest as ligands for preparing compounds. A variety of rare-earth pyrazolate complexes have been synthesized by redox transmetalation/protolysis (RTP) previously, therefore, a variety of rare-earth pyrazolate complexes using two pyrazoles, 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (Me₂pzH) and 3,5-di-tert -butylpyrazolate (t-Bu₂pzH), in which the structures span the whole La-Lu array beside Sc and Y has been synthesized by RTP reaction. There have been further developments in this study: Synthesizing structure of [Tb(Me₂pz)₃(thf)]₂ which is isomorphous with those of the previously reported [Dy(Me₂pz)₃(thf)]₂ and [Lu(Me₂pz)₃(thf)]₂ analogous that has two µ-1(N):2(Nʹ)-Me2pz ligands (the most common pyrazolate ligation for non-rare-earth complexes). Previously most of the reported compounds using t-Bu2pzH were monomeric compounds however the lanthanum derivative [La(Me₂pz)₃thf₂] ,which has been reported previously without crystal structure, has now been structurally characterized, along with cerium and lutetium analogue. Also a polymeric structure with samarium has now been synthesized which the neodymium analogue has been reported previously and comparing these polymeric structures can support the idea that the geometry of Sm(tBu₂pz)₃ affect the coordination of the solvent. Also, by using 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) instead of tetrahydrofuran (THF) new [Er(tBu₂pz)₃ (dme)₂] has now been reported.Keywords: lanthanoid complexes, pyrazolate, redox transmetalation/protolysis, x-ray crystal structures
Procedia PDF Downloads 212463 Online Assessment in the Ligh of Resiliance
Authors: Renáta Nagy, Alexandra Csongor, Vilmos Warta
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The presentation aims at eliciting insight into the results of ongoing research regarding evolving trends and attitudes towards online assessment of English and other languages. The focus pinpoints online as one of the most trending forms available during the global pandemic. The study was first initiated in 2019 in which its main target was to reveal the intriguing question of students’ and assessors’ attitudes towards online assessment. The research questions the attitudes towards the latest trends, possible online task types, and their advantages and disadvantages through an in-depth experimental process currently undergoing implementation. Material and methods include surveys, needs and wants analysis, and thorough investigations regarding candidates’ and assessors’ attitudes towards online tests in the field of languages. Over 400 respondents from more than 28 countries participated in the survey, which gives us an international and intercultural insight into how students with different cultural and educational background deal with the evolving online world. The results show the pandemic’s impact, which brought the slumbering online world of assessing roaring alive, fully operational, and now bears phenomenal relevance in today’s global education. Undeniably, the results can be used as a perspective in a vast array of contents. The survey hypothesized the generation of the 21st century expect everything readily available online, however, questions whether they are ready for this challenge are lurking in the background.Keywords: assessment, english, intercultural, international, online, testing
Procedia PDF Downloads 76462 The Proton Flow Battery for Storing Renewable Energy: A Theoretical Model of Electrochemical Hydrogen Storage in an Activated Carbon Electrode
Authors: Sh. Heidari, A. J. Andrews, A. Oberoi
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Electrochemical storage of hydrogen in activated carbon electrodes as part of a reversible fuel cell offers a potentially attractive option for storing surplus electrical energy from inherently variable solar and wind energy resources. Such a system – which we have called a proton flow battery – promises to have a roundtrip energy efficiency comparable to lithium ion batteries, while having higher gravimetric and volumetric energy densities. In this paper, a theoretical model is presented of the process of H+ ion (proton) conduction through an acid electrolyte into a highly porous activated carbon electrode where it is neutralised and absorbed on the inner surfaces of pores. A Butler-Volmer type equation relates the rate of adsorption to the potential difference between the activated carbon surface and the electrolyte. This model for the hydrogen storage electrode is then incorporated into a more general computer model based on MATLAB software of the entire electrochemical cell including the oxygen electrode. Hence a theoretical voltage-current curve is generated for given input parameters for a particular activated carbon electrode. It is shown that theoretical VI curves produced by the model can be fitted accurately to experimental data from an actual electrochemical cell with the same characteristics. By obtaining the best-fit values of input parameters, such as the exchange current density and charge transfer coefficient for the hydrogen adsorption reaction, an improved understanding of the adsorption reaction is obtained. This new model will assist in designing improved proton flow batteries for storing solar and wind energy.Keywords: electrochemical hydrogen storage, proton flow battery, butler-volmer equation, activated carbon
Procedia PDF Downloads 494461 Optimization of Machining Parameters of Wire Electric Discharge Machining (WEDM) of Inconel 625 Super Alloy
Authors: Amitesh Goswami, Vishal Gulati, Annu Yadav
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In this paper, WEDM has been used to investigate the machining characteristics of Inconel-625 alloy. The machining characteristics namely material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (SR) have been investigated along with surface microstructure analysis using SEM and EDS of the machined surface. Taguchi’s L27 Orthogonal array design has been used by considering six varying input parameters viz. Pulse-on time (Ton), Pulse-off time (Toff), Spark Gap Set Voltage (SV), Peak Current (IP), Wire Feed (WF) and Wire Tension (WT) for the responses of interest. It has been found out that Pulse-on time (Ton) and Spark Gap Set Voltage (SV) are the most significant parameters affecting material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (SR) are. Microstructure analysis of workpiece was also done using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). It was observed that, variations in pulse-on time and pulse-off time causes varying discharge energy and as a result of which deep craters / micro cracks and large/ small number of debris were formed. These results were helpful in studying the effects of pulse-on time and pulse-off time on MRR and SR. Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) was also done to check the compositional analysis of the material and it was observed that Copper and Zinc which were initially not present in the Inconel 625, later migrated on the material surface from the brass wire electrode during machiningKeywords: MRR, SEM, SR, taguchi, Wire Electric Discharge Machining
Procedia PDF Downloads 348460 Design and Optimization for a Compliant Gripper with Force Regulation Mechanism
Authors: Nhat Linh Ho, Thanh-Phong Dao, Shyh-Chour Huang, Hieu Giang Le
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This paper presents a design and optimization for a compliant gripper. The gripper is constructed based on the concept of compliant mechanism with flexure hinge. A passive force regulation mechanism is presented to control the grasping force a micro-sized object instead of using a sensor force. The force regulation mechanism is designed using the planar springs. The gripper is expected to obtain a large range of displacement to handle various sized objects. First of all, the statics and dynamics of the gripper are investigated by using the finite element analysis in ANSYS software. And then, the design parameters of the gripper are optimized via Taguchi method. An orthogonal array L9 is used to establish an experimental matrix. Subsequently, the signal to noise ratio is analyzed to find the optimal solution. Finally, the response surface methodology is employed to model the relationship between the design parameters and the output displacement of the gripper. The design of experiment method is then used to analyze the sensitivity so as to determine the effect of each parameter on the displacement. The results showed that the compliant gripper can move with a large displacement of 213.51 mm and the force regulation mechanism is expected to be used for high precision positioning systems.Keywords: flexure hinge, compliant mechanism, compliant gripper, force regulation mechanism, Taguchi method, response surface methodology, design of experiment
Procedia PDF Downloads 322459 A 3D Cell-Based Biosensor for Real-Time and Non-Invasive Monitoring of 3D Cell Viability and Drug Screening
Authors: Yuxiang Pan, Yong Qiu, Chenlei Gu, Ping Wang
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In the past decade, three-dimensional (3D) tumor cell models have attracted increasing interest in the field of drug screening due to their great advantages in simulating more accurately the heterogeneous tumor behavior in vivo. Drug sensitivity testing based on 3D tumor cell models can provide more reliable in vivo efficacy prediction. The gold standard fluorescence staining is hard to achieve the real-time and label-free monitoring of the viability of 3D tumor cell models. In this study, micro-groove impedance sensor (MGIS) was specially developed for dynamic and non-invasive monitoring of 3D cell viability. 3D tumor cells were trapped in the micro-grooves with opposite gold electrodes for the in-situ impedance measurement. The change of live cell number would cause inversely proportional change to the impedance magnitude of the entire cell/matrigel to construct and reflect the proliferation and apoptosis of 3D cells. It was confirmed that 3D cell viability detected by the MGIS platform is highly consistent with the standard live/dead staining. Furthermore, the accuracy of MGIS platform was demonstrated quantitatively using 3D lung cancer model and sophisticated drug sensitivity testing. In addition, the parameters of micro-groove impedance chip processing and measurement experiments were optimized in details. The results demonstrated that the MGIS and 3D cell-based biosensor and would be a promising platform to improve the efficiency and accuracy of cell-based anti-cancer drug screening in vitro.Keywords: micro-groove impedance sensor, 3D cell-based biosensors, 3D cell viability, micro-electromechanical systems
Procedia PDF Downloads 125458 Protective Coating Layers via Phosphazene Compounds for Stabilizing Silicon Anode Materials
Authors: Adjmal Ghaur, Christoph Peschel, Iris Dienwiebel, Lukas Haneke, Leilei Du , Laurin Profanter, Tobias Placke, Martin Winter
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In recent years, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs)are widely used in electric vehicles (EVs) and mobile energy storage devices (ESDs), which has led to higher requirements for energy density. To fulfill these requirements, tremendous attention has been paid to design advanced LIBs with various siliconactive materials as alternative negative electrodes to replace graphite (372 mAh g⁻¹)due to their high theoretical gravimetric capacity (4200mAh g⁻¹). However, silicon as potential anode material suffers from huge volume changes during charging and discharging and has poor electronicconductivity which negatively impacts the long-term performance and preventshigh silicon contents from practical application. Additionally, an unstable crystalline silicon structure tends to pulverization during the (de)lithiation process. To compensate for the volume changes, alleviate pulverization, and maintain high electronicconductivity, silicon-doped graphite composites with protecting coating layers are a promising approach. In this context, phosphazene compounds are investigated concerning their silicon protecting properties in silicon-doped graphite composites. In detail, electrochemical performance measurements in pouch full-cells(NCM523||SiOx/C), supressing gas formation properties, and post-mortem analyzes were carried out to characterize phosphazene compounds as additive materials. The introduction of the dual-additive approach in state-of-the-art electrolytes leads to synergistic effects between FEC and phosphazene compounds which accelerate the durability of silicon particles and results in enhanced electrochemical performance.Keywords: silicon, phosphazene, solid electrolyte interphase, electrolyte, gasmeasurements
Procedia PDF Downloads 159457 DNA-Based Analysis of Gut Content of Zygoribatula sp (Acari: Oribatida) and Scheloribates sp (Acari: Oribatida), under the Canopy of Prosopis Laevigata, in a Semiarid Land
Authors: Daniel Isaac Sanchez Chavez, Salvador Rodríguez Zaragoza, Patricia Velez Aguilar
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In arid and semi-arid regions, plants are essential in the functional activity and productivity, modifying the microclimatic conditions of their environment, which allows many organisms to grow under them. Within these organisms, oribatid mites play a key role in reintegrating nutrients into the soil through the consumption of soil fungi. However, oribatid mites feed on a vast array of fungal species, which is likely to have strong impacts on their population dynamics and their environment. So, in this study, the aim was to determine the gut content of the abundant oribatid mites Zygoribatula sp and Scheloribates sp, under the canopy of the bush P. laevigata in a semi-arid zone through DNA-based analysis. The results showed the presence in the gut of both mites of different fungal taxa. Fungi, such as Aspergillus sp and Mortierella sp, probably served as a food despite the production of deterrent compounds or structures from both fungal species. Saccharomyces sp might serve as well as a food source; however, it might be part of their microbial endosymbionts. On the other hand, the presence of Beauveria sp indicates a probable pathogenicity interaction, instead of fungal consumption, since this fungus is known to be entomopathogenic. Finally, the results might indicate a feeding preference to certain soil fungi according to diverse features from both taxa.Keywords: microenvironment, endosymbionts, Oribatida, fungi
Procedia PDF Downloads 133456 Optimization of Fermentation Parameters for Bioethanol Production from Waste Glycerol by Microwave Induced Mutant Escherichia coli EC-MW (ATCC 11105)
Authors: Refal Hussain, Saifuddin M. Nomanbhay
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Glycerol is a valuable raw material for the production of industrially useful metabolites. Among many promising applications for the use of glycerol is its bioconversion to high value-added compounds, such as bioethanol through microbial fermentation. Bioethanol is an important industrial chemical with emerging potential as a biofuel to replace vanishing fossil fuels. The yield of liquid fuel in this process was greatly influenced by various parameters viz, temperature, pH, glycerol concentration, organic concentration, and agitation speed were considered. The present study was undertaken to investigate optimum parameters for bioethanol production from raw glycerol by immobilized mutant Escherichia coli (E.coli) (ATCC11505) strain on chitosan cross linked glutaraldehyde optimized by Taguchi statistical method in shake flasks. The initial parameters were set each at four levels and the orthogonal array layout of L16 (45) conducted. The important controlling parameters for optimized the operational fermentation was temperature 38 °C, medium pH 6.5, initial glycerol concentration (250 g/l), and organic source concentration (5 g/l). Fermentation with optimized parameters was carried out in a custom fabricated shake flask. The predicted value of bioethanol production under optimized conditions was (118.13 g/l). Immobilized cells are mainly used for economic benefits of continuous production or repeated use in continuous as well as in batch mode.Keywords: bioethanol, Escherichia coli, immobilization, optimization
Procedia PDF Downloads 647455 Lightweight Hardware Firewall for Embedded System Based on Bus Transactions
Authors: Ziyuan Wu, Yulong Jia, Xiang Zhang, Wanting Zhou, Lei Li
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The Internet of Things (IoT) is a rapidly evolving field involving a large number of interconnected embedded devices. In the design of embedded System-on-Chip (SoC), the key issues are power consumption, performance, and security. However, the easy-to-implement software and untrustworthy third-party IP cores may threaten the safety of hardware assets. Considering that illegal access and malicious attacks against SoC resources pass through the bus that integrates IPs, we propose a Lightweight Hardware Firewall (LHF) to protect SoC, which monitors and disallows the offending bus transactions based on physical addresses. Furthermore, under the LHF architecture, this paper refines two types of firewalls: Destination Hardware Firewall (DHF) and Source Hardware Firewall (SHF). The former is oriented to fine-grained detection and configuration, whose core technology is based on the method of dynamic grading units. In addition, we design the SHF based on static entries to achieve lightweight. Finally, we evaluate the hardware consumption of the proposed method by both Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and IC. Compared with the exciting efforts, LHF introduces a bus latency of zero clock cycles for every read or write transaction implemented on Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGAs. Meanwhile, the DC synthesis results based on TSMC 90nm show that the area is reduced by about 25% compared with the previous method.Keywords: IoT, security, SoC, bus architecture, lightweight hardware firewall, FPGA
Procedia PDF Downloads 56454 The Potential for Cyclotron and Generator-produced Positron Emission Tomography Radiopharmaceuticals: An Overview
Authors: Ng Yen, Shafii Khamis, Rehir Bin Dahalan
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Cyclotrons in the energy range 10-30 MeV are widely used for the production of clincally relevant radiosiotopes used in positron emission tomography (PET) nuclear imaging. Positron emmision tomography is a powerful nuclear imaging tool that produces high quality 3-dimentional images of functional processes of body. The advantage of PET among all other imaging devices is that it allows the study of an impressive array of discrete biochemical and physiologic processes, within a single imaging session. The number of PET scanner increases every year globally due to high clinical demand. However, not all PET centers can afford a cyclotron, due to the expense associated with operation of an in-house cyclotron. Therefore, current research has also focused on the development of parent/daughter generators that can reliably provide PET nuclides. These generators (68Ge/68Ga generator, 62Zn/62Cu, 82Sr/82Rb, etc) can provide even short-lived radionuclides at any time on demand, without the need of an ‘in-house cyclotron’. The parent isotope is produced at a cyclotron/reactor facility, and can be shipped to remote clinical sites (regionally/overseas), where the daughter isotope is eluted, a model similar to the 99Mo/99mTc generator system. The specific aim for this presentation is to talk about the potential for both of the cyclotron and generator-produced PET radiopharmaceuticals used in clinical imaging.Keywords: positron emission tomography, radiopharmaceutical, cyclotron, generator
Procedia PDF Downloads 476453 Development of Imprinting and Replica Molding of Soft Mold Curved Surface
Authors: Yung-Jin Weng, Chia-Chi Chang, Chun-Yu Tsai
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This paper is focused on the research of imprinting and replica molding of quasi-grey scale soft mold curved surface microstructure mold. In this paper, a magnetic photocuring forming system is first developed and built independently, then the magnetic curved surface microstructure soft mode is created; moreover, the magnetic performance of the magnetic curved surface at different heights is tested and recorded, and through experimentation and simulation, the magnetic curved surface microstructure soft mold is used in the research of quasi-grey scale soft mold curved surface microstructure imprinting and replica molding. The experimental results show that, under different surface curvatures and voltage control conditions, different quasi-grey scale array microstructures take shape. In addition, this paper conducts research on the imprinting and replica molding of photoresist composite magnetic powder in order to discuss the forming performance of magnetic photoresist, and finally, the experimental result is compared with the simulation to obtain more accurate prediction and results. This research is predicted to provide microstructure component preparation technology with heterogeneity and controllability, and is a kind of valid shaping quasi-grey scale microstructure manufacturing technology method.Keywords: soft mold, magnetic, microstructure, curved surface
Procedia PDF Downloads 320452 The Droplet Generation and Flow in the T-Shape Microchannel with the Side Wall Fluctuation
Authors: Yan Pang, Xiang Wang, Zhaomiao Liu
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Droplet microfluidics, in which nanoliter to picoliter droplets acted as individual compartments, are common to a diverse array of applications such as analytical chemistry, tissue engineering, microbiology and drug discovery. The droplet generation in a simplified two dimension T-shape microchannel with the main channel width of 50 μm and the side channel width of 25 μm, is simulated to investigate effects of the forced fluctuation of the side wall on the droplet generation and flow. The periodic fluctuations are applied on a length of the side wall in the main channel of the T-junction with the deformation shape of the double-clamped beam acted by the uniform force, which varies with the flow time and fluctuation periods, forms and positions. The fluctuations under most of the conditions expand the distribution range of the droplet size but have a little effect on the average size, while the shape of the fixed side wall changes the average droplet size chiefly. Droplet sizes show a periodic pattern along the relative time when the fluctuation is forced on the side wall near the T-junction. The droplet emerging frequency is not varied by the fluctuation of the side wall under the same flow rate and geometry conditions. When the fluctuation period is similar with the droplet emerging period, the droplet size shows a nice stability as the no fluctuation case.Keywords: droplet generation, droplet size, flow flied, forced fluctuation
Procedia PDF Downloads 274451 Exploring the Traditional Uses of Aromatic Plants in Indonesian Culture, Medicine, and Spirituality
Authors: Aida Humaira
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Aromatic plants hold an honored place in Indonesian culture, where they are deeply intertwined with everyday customs, rituals, and ceremonies. From the fragrant herbs and spices used in cooking to the aromatic incense burned in temples and homes, aromatic plants play multifaceted roles in enhancing well-being and fostering spiritual connections. These plants are valued not only for their pleasant aromas but also for their medicinal properties and symbolic meanings. This article aims to summarize the role of aromatic plants in Indonesian traditional culture, medicine, spirituality, and how it shifted to a modern version of aromatherapy. Traditional Indonesian medicine, known as Jamu, relies heavily on aromatic plants for their therapeutic benefits. Herbalists and traditional healers use a wide array of aromatic herbs, roots, barks, and resins to treat various ailments, ranging from digestive disorders and respiratory infections to skin conditions and reproductive issues. In conclusion, aromatic plants represent a cultural treasure with multifaceted uses and significance deeply rooted in Indonesia’s tradition. From their medicinal properties to their spiritual symbolism, these plants embody the interconnection of culture, nature, and well-being. Further research and collaboration are needed to document and preserve traditional knowledge surrounding Indonesian aromatic plants and ensure their continued recognition and sustainable utilization in the face of modernization and environmental challenges.Keywords: aromatic plants, indonesia, Jamu, traditional medicine
Procedia PDF Downloads 52450 Rapid Degradation of High-Concentration Methylene Blue in the Combined System of Plasma-Enhanced Photocatalysis Using TiO₂-Carbon
Authors: Teguh Endah Saraswati, Kusumandari Kusumandari, Candra Purnawan, Annisa Dinan Ghaisani, Aufara Mahayum
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The present study aims to investigate the degradation of methylene blue (MB) using TiO₂-carbon (TiO₂-C) photocatalyst combined with dielectric discharge (DBD) plasma. The carbon materials used in the photocatalyst were activated carbon and graphite. The thin layer of TiO₂-C photocatalyst was prepared by ball milling method which was then deposited on the plastic sheet. The characteristic of TiO₂-C thin layer was analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectrophotometer. The XRD diffractogram patterns of TiO₂-G thin layer in various weight compositions of 50:1, 50:3, and 50:5 show the 2θ peaks found around 25° and 27° are the main characteristic of TiO₂ and carbon. SEM analysis shows spherical and regular morphology of the photocatalyst. Analysis using UV-Vis diffuse reflectance shows TiO₂-C has narrower band gap energy. The DBD plasma reactor was generated using two electrodes of Cu tape connected with stainless steel mesh and Fe wire separated by a glass dielectric insulator, supplied by a high voltage 5 kV with an air flow rate of 1 L/min. The optimization of the weight composition of TiO₂-C thin layer was studied based on the highest reduction of the MB concentration achieved, examined by UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The changes in pH values and color of MB indicated the success of MB degradation. Moreover, the degradation efficiency of MB was also studied in various higher concentrations of 50, 100, 200, 300 ppm treated for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 min. The degradation efficiency of MB treated in combination system of photocatalysis and DBD plasma reached more than 99% in 6 min, in which the greater concentration of methylene blue dye, the lower degradation rate of methylene blue dye would be achieved.Keywords: activated carbon, DBD plasma, graphite, methylene blue, photocatalysis
Procedia PDF Downloads 117449 Potentiometric Determination of Moxifloxacin in Some Pharmaceutical Formulation Using PVC Membrane Sensors
Authors: M. M. Hefnawy, A. M. A. Homoda, M. A. Abounassif, A. M. Alanazia, A. Al-Majed, Gamal A. E. Mostafa
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PVC membrane sensors using different approach e.g. ion-pair, ionophore, and Schiff-base has been used as testing membrane sensor. Analytical applications of membrane sensors for direct measurement of variety of different ions in complex biological and environmental sample are reported. The most important step of such PVC membrane sensor is the sensing active material. The potentiometric sensors have some outstanding advantages including simple design, operation, wide linear dynamic range, relative fast response time, and rotational selectivity. The analytical applications of these techniques to pharmaceutical compounds in dosage forms are also discussed. The construction and electrochemical response characteristics of Poly (vinyl chloride) membrane sensors for moxifloxacin HCl (MOX) are described. The sensing membranes incorporate ion association complexes of moxifloxacin cation and sodium tetraphenyl borate (NaTPB) (sensor 1), phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) (sensor 2) or phosphotungstic acid (PTA) (sensor 3) as electroactive materials. The sensors display a fast, stable and near-Nernstian response over a relative wide moxifloxacin concentration range (1 ×10-2-4.0×10-6, 1 × 10-2-5.0×10-6, 1 × 10-2-5.0×10-6 M), with detection limits of 3×10-6, 4×10-6 and 4.0×10-6 M for sensor 1, 2 and 3, respectively over a pH range of 6.0-9.0. The sensors show good discrimination of moxifloxacin from several inorganic and organic compounds. The direct determination of 400 µg/ml of moxifloxacin show an average recovery of 98.5, 99.1 and 98.6 % and a mean relative standard deviation of 1.8, 1.6 and 1.8% for sensors 1, 2, and 3 respectively. The proposed sensors have been applied for direct determination of moxifloxacin in some pharmaceutical preparations. The results obtained by determination of moxifloxacin in tablets using the proposed sensors are comparable favorably with those obtained using the US Pharmacopeia method. The sensors have been used as indicator electrodes for potentiometric titration of moxifloxacin.Keywords: potentiometry, PVC, membrane sensors, ion-pair, ionophore, schiff-base, moxifloxacin HCl, sodium tetraphenyl borate, phosphomolybdic acid, phosphotungstic acid
Procedia PDF Downloads 433448 Characterization of Electrical Transport across Ultra-Thin SrTiO₃ and BaTiO₃ Barriers in Tunnel Junctions
Authors: Henry Navarro, Martin Sirena, Nestor Haberkorn
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We report the electrical transport through voltage-current curves (I-V) in tunnels junction GdBa₂Cu₃O₇-d/ insulator/ GdBa₂Cu₃O₇-d, and Nb/insulator/ GdBa₂Cu₃O₇-d is analyzed using a conducting atomic force microscope (CAFM) at room temperature. The measurements were obtained on tunnel junctions with different areas (900 μm², 400 μm² and 100 μm²). Trilayers with GdBa₂Cu₃O₇-d (GBCO) as the bottom electrode, SrTiO₃ (STO) or BaTiO₃ (BTO) as the insulator barrier (thicknesses between 1.6 nm and 4 nm), and GBCO or Nb as the top electrode were grown by DC sputtering on (100) SrTiO₃ substrates. For STO and BTO barriers, asymmetric IV curves at positive and negative polarization can be obtained using electrodes with different work function. The main difference is that the BTO is a ferroelectric material, while in the STO the ferroelectricity can be produced by stress or deformation at the interfaces. In addition, hysteretic IV curves are obtained for BTO barriers, which can be ascribed to a combined effect of the FE reversal switching polarization and an oxygen vacancy migration. For GBCO/ BTO/ GBCO heterostructures, the IV curves correspond to that expected for asymmetric interfaces, which indicates that the disorder affects differently the properties at the bottom and top interfaces. Our results show the role of the interface disorder on the electrical transport of conducting/ insulator/ conduction heterostructures, which is relevant for different applications, going from resistive switching memories (at room temperature) to Josephson junctions (at low temperatures). The superconducting transition of the GBCO electrode was characterized by electrical transport using the 4-prong configuration with low density of topological defects and with Tc over liquid N₂ can be obtained for thicknesses of 16 nm, our results demonstrate that GBCO films with an average root-mean-square (RMS) smaller than 1 nm and areas (up 100 um²) free of 3-D topological defects can be obtained.Keywords: thin film, sputtering, conductive atomic force microscopy, tunnel junctions
Procedia PDF Downloads 149447 Experimental Evaluation of Electrocoagulation for Hardness Removal of Bore Well Water
Authors: Pooja Kumbhare
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Water is an important resource for the survival of life. The inadequate availability of surface water makes people depend on ground water for fulfilling their needs. However, ground water is generally too hard to satisfy the requirements for domestic as well as industrial applications. Removal of hardness involves various techniques such as lime soda process, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, nano-filtration, distillation, and, evaporation, etc. These techniques have individual problems such as high annual operating cost, sediment formation on membrane, sludge disposal problem, etc. Electrocoagulation (EC) is being explored as modern and cost-effective technology to cope up with the growing demand of high water quality at the consumer end. In general, earlier studies on electrocoagulation for hardness removal are found to deploy batch processes. As batch processes are always inappropriate to deal with large volume of water to be treated, it is essential to develop continuous flow EC process. So, in the present study, an attempt is made to investigate continuous flow EC process for decreasing excessive hardness of bore-well water. The experimental study has been conducted using 12 aluminum electrodes (25cm*10cm, 1cm thick) provided in EC reactor with volume of 8 L. Bore well water sample, collected from a local bore-well (i.e. at – Vishrambag, Sangli; Maharashtra) having average initial hardness of 680 mg/l (Range: 650 – 700 mg/l), was used for the study. Continuous flow electrocoagulation experiments were carried out by varying operating parameters specifically reaction time (Range: 10 – 60 min), voltage (Range: 5 – 20 V), current (Range: 1 – 5A). Based on the experimental study, it is found that hardness removal to the desired extent could be achieved even for continuous flow EC reactor, so the use of it is found promising.Keywords: hardness, continuous flow EC process, aluminum electrode, optimal operating parameters
Procedia PDF Downloads 177446 Dual Electrochemical Immunosensor for IL-13Rα2 and E-Cadherin Determination in Cell, Serum and Tissues from Cancer Patients
Authors: Amira ben Hassine, A. Valverde, V. Serafín, C. Muñoz-San Martín, M. Garranzo-Asensio, M. Gamella, R. Barderas, M. Pedrero, N. Raouafi, S. Campuzano, P. Yáñez-Sedeño, J. M. Pingarrón
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This work describes the development of a dual electrochemical immunosensing platform for accurate determination of two target proteins, IL-13 Receptor α2 (IL-13Rα2) and E-cadherin (E-cad). The proposed methodology is based on the use of sandwich immunosensing approaches (involving horseradish peroxidase-labeled detector antibodies) implemented onto magnetic microbeads (MBs) and amperometric transduction at screen-printed dual carbon electrodes (SPdCEs). The magnetic bioconjugates were captured onto SPdCEs and the amperometric transduction was performed using the H2O2/hydroquinone (HQ) system. Under optimal experimental conditions, the developed bio platform demonstrates linear concentration ranges of 1.0–25 and 5.0-100 ng mL-1, detection limits of 0.28 and 1.04 ng mL-1 for E-cad and IL-13Rα2, respectively, and excellent selectivity against other non-target proteins. The developed immuno-platform also offers a good reproducibility among amperometric responses provided by nine different sensors constructed in the same manner (Relative Standard Deviation values of 3.1% for E-cad and 4.3% for IL-13Rα2). Moreover, obtained results confirm the practical applicability of this bio-platform for the accurate determination of the endogenous levels of both extracellular receptors in colon cancer cells (both intact and lysed) with different metastatic potential and serum and tissues from patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer at different grades. Interesting features in terms of, simplicity, speed, portability and sample amount required to provide quantitative results, make this immuno-platform more compatible than conventional methodologies with the clinical diagnosis and prognosis at the point of care.Keywords: electrochemistry, mmunosensors, biosensors, E-cadherin, IL-13 receptor α2, cancer colorectal
Procedia PDF Downloads 130445 Renewable Energy Utilization for Future Sustainability: An Approach to Roof-Mounted Photovoltaic Array Systems and Domestic Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting System Implementation in a Himachal Pradesh, India
Authors: Rajkumar Ghosh, Ananya Mukhopadhyay
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This scientific paper presents a thorough investigation into the integration of roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) array systems and home rooftop rainwater collection systems in a remote community in Himachal Pradesh, India, with the goal of optimum utilization of natural resources for attaining sustainable living conditions by 2030. The study looks into the technical feasibility, environmental benefits, and socioeconomic impacts of this integrated method, emphasizing its ability to handle energy and water concerns in remote rural regions. This comprehensive method not only provides a sustainable source of electricity but also ensures a steady supply of clean water, promoting resilience and improving the quality of life for the village's residents. This research highlights the potential of such integrated systems in supporting sustainable conditions in rural areas through a combination of technical feasibility studies, economic analysis, and community interaction. There would be 20690 villages and 1.48 million homes (23.79% annual growth rate) in Himachal Pradesh if all residential buildings in the state had roof-mounted photovoltaic arrays to capture solar energy for power generation. The energy produced is utilized to power homes, lessening dependency on traditional fossil fuels. The same residential buildings housed domestic rooftop rainwater collection systems. Rainwater runoff from rooftops is collected and stored in tanks for use in a number of residential purposes, such as drinking, cooking, and irrigation. The gathered rainfall enhances the region's limited groundwater resources, easing the strain on local wells and aquifers. Although Himachal Pradesh of India is a Power state, the PV arrays have reduced the reliance of village on grid power and diesel generators by providing a steady source of electricity. Rooftop rainwater gathering has not only increased residential water supply but it has also lessened the burden on local groundwater resources. This helps to replenish groundwater and offers a more sustainable water supply for the town. The neighbourhood has saved money by utilizing renewable energy and rainwater gathering. Furthermore, lower fossil fuel consumption reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which helps to mitigate the effects of climate change. The integrated strategy of installing grid connected rooftop photovoltaic arrays and home rooftop rainwater collecting systems in Himachal Pradesh rural community demonstrates a feasible model for sustainable development. According to “Swaran Jayanti Energy Policy of Himachal Pradesh”, Himachal Pradesh is planned 10 GW from rooftop mode from Solar Power. Government of India provides 40% subsidy on solar panel of 1-3 kw and subsidy of Rs 6,000 per kw per year to encourage domestic consumers of Himachal Pradesh. This effort solves energy and water concerns, improves economic well-being, and helps to conserve the environment. Such integrated systems can serve as a model for sustainable development in rural areas not only in Himachal Pradesh, but also in other parts of the world where resource scarcity is a major concern. Long-term performance and scalability of such integrated systems should be the focus of future study. Efforts should also be made to duplicate this approach in other rural areas and examine its socioeconomic and environmental implications over time.Keywords: renewable energy, photovoltaic arrays, rainwater harvesting, sustainability, rural development, Himachal Pradesh, India
Procedia PDF Downloads 90444 Action Potential of Lateral Geniculate Neurons at Low Threshold Currents: Simulation Study
Authors: Faris Tarlochan, Siva Mahesh Tangutooru
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Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) is the relay center in the visual pathway as it receives most of the input information from retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and sends to visual cortex. Low threshold calcium currents (IT) at the membrane are the unique indicator to characterize this firing functionality of the LGN neurons gained by the RGC input. According to the LGN functional requirements such as functional mapping of RGC to LGN, the morphologies of the LGN neurons were developed. During the neurological disorders like glaucoma, the mapping between RGC and LGN is disconnected and hence stimulating LGN electrically using deep brain electrodes can restore the functionalities of LGN. A computational model was developed for simulating the LGN neurons with three predominant morphologies, each representing different functional mapping of RGC to LGN. The firings of action potentials at LGN neuron due to IT were characterized by varying the stimulation parameters, morphological parameters and orientation. A wide range of stimulation parameters (stimulus amplitude, duration and frequency) represents the various strengths of the electrical stimulation with different morphological parameters (soma size, dendrites size and structure). The orientation (0-1800) of LGN neuron with respect to the stimulating electrode represents the angle at which the extracellular deep brain stimulation towards LGN neuron is performed. A reduced dendrite structure was used in the model using Bush–Sejnowski algorithm to decrease the computational time while conserving its input resistance and total surface area. The major finding is that an input potential of 0.4 V is required to produce the action potential in the LGN neuron which is placed at 100 µm distance from the electrode. From this study, it can be concluded that the neuroprostheses under design would need to consider the capability of inducing at least 0.4V to produce action potentials in LGN.Keywords: Lateral Geniculate Nucleus, visual cortex, finite element, glaucoma, neuroprostheses
Procedia PDF Downloads 267443 Biological Activities of Flaxseed Peptides (Linusorbs)
Authors: Youn Young Shim, Ji Hye Kim, Jae Youl Cho, Martin J. T. Reaney
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Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is gaining popularity in the food industry as a superfood due to its health-promoting properties. The flax plant synthesizes an array of biologically active cyclic peptides or linusorbs (LOs, a.k.a. cyclolinopeptides) from three or more ribosome-derived precursors. [1–9-NαC]-linusorb B3 and [1–9-NαC]-linusorb B2, suppress immunity, induce apoptosis in human epithelial cancer cell line (Calu-3) cells, and inhibit T-cell proliferation, but the mechanism of LOs action is unknown. Using gene expression analysis in nematode cultures and human cancer cell lines, we have observed that LOs exert their activity, in part, through induction of apoptosis. Specific LOs’ properties include: 1) distribution throughout the body after flaxseed consumption; 2) induce heat shock protein (HSP) 70A production as an indicator of stress and address the issue in Caenorhabditis elegans (exposure of nematode cultures to [1–9-NαC]-linusorb B3 induced a 30% increase in production of the HSP 70A protein); 3) induce apoptosis in Calu-3 cells; and 4) modulate regulatory genes in microarray analysis. These diverse activities indicate that LOs might induce apoptosis in cancer cells or act as versatile platforms to deliver a variety of biologically active molecules for cancer therapy.Keywords: flaxseed, linusorb, cyclic peptide, orbitides, heat shock protein, apoptosis, anti-cancer
Procedia PDF Downloads 129442 Optimization of Surface Roughness in Additive Manufacturing Processes via Taguchi Methodology
Authors: Anjian Chen, Joseph C. Chen
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This paper studies a case where the targeted surface roughness of fused deposition modeling (FDM) additive manufacturing process is improved. The process is designing to reduce or eliminate the defects and improve the process capability index Cp and Cpk for an FDM additive manufacturing process. The baseline Cp is 0.274 and Cpk is 0.654. This research utilizes the Taguchi methodology, to eliminate defects and improve the process. The Taguchi method is used to optimize the additive manufacturing process and printing parameters that affect the targeted surface roughness of FDM additive manufacturing. The Taguchi L9 orthogonal array is used to organize the parameters' (four controllable parameters and one non-controllable parameter) effectiveness on the FDM additive manufacturing process. The four controllable parameters are nozzle temperature [°C], layer thickness [mm], nozzle speed [mm/s], and extruder speed [%]. The non-controllable parameter is the environmental temperature [°C]. After the optimization of the parameters, a confirmation print was printed to prove that the results can reduce the amount of defects and improve the process capability index Cp from 0.274 to 1.605 and the Cpk from 0.654 to 1.233 for the FDM additive manufacturing process. The final results confirmed that the Taguchi methodology is sufficient to improve the surface roughness of FDM additive manufacturing process.Keywords: additive manufacturing, fused deposition modeling, surface roughness, six-sigma, Taguchi method, 3D printing
Procedia PDF Downloads 378441 Beyond the Dust: Workers' Perspectives on Enhancing Silica Exposure Control in Tunnel Construction
Authors: Frederick Anlimah, Vinod Gopaldasani, Catherine MacPhail, Brian Davies
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The construction industry, particularly tunnel construction, exposes workers to respirable crystalline silica (RCS), which can cause incurable illnesses such as silicosis and lung cancer. Despite various control measures, exposures remain inadequately controlled. This research aimed to examine what workers on a tunnelling project in Australia think should be done to reduce exposure to dust to protect them from RCS exposure. A qualitative research approach consisting of interviews and focus group discussions was employed for this research. The preliminary analysis of the data reveals a diverse array of solutions proposed to address the different sociotechnical factors that present challenges for effectively reducing dust exposure. Solutions are proposed to address challenges such as cost, time pressure, low-risk perception, inadequate awareness, inadequate enforcement and compliance with personal protective equipment. The findings highlight the need to make dust control a level playing field for all contractors during the bidding process, with more collaboration and enforcement after the signing of contracts. The research highlights that although improvements have been made in the past years regarding dust controls, many opportunities exist to reduce worker exposure to RCS.Keywords: tunnel, respirable crystalline silica, RCS, dust exposure, personal protective equipment, worker perspectives
Procedia PDF Downloads 70440 Intra-miR-ExploreR, a Novel Bioinformatics Platform for Integrated Discovery of MiRNA:mRNA Gene Regulatory Networks
Authors: Surajit Bhattacharya, Daniel Veltri, Atit A. Patel, Daniel N. Cox
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miRNAs have emerged as key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, however identification of biologically-relevant target genes for this epigenetic regulatory mechanism remains a significant challenge. To address this knowledge gap, we have developed a novel tool in R, Intra-miR-ExploreR, that facilitates integrated discovery of miRNA targets by incorporating target databases and novel target prediction algorithms, using statistical methods including Pearson and Distance Correlation on microarray data, to arrive at high confidence intragenic miRNA target predictions. We have explored the efficacy of this tool using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism for bioinformatics analyses and functional validation. A number of putative targets were obtained which were also validated using qRT-PCR analysis. Additional features of the tool include downloadable text files containing GO analysis from DAVID and Pubmed links of literature related to gene sets. Moreover, we are constructing interaction maps of intragenic miRNAs, using both micro array and RNA-seq data, focusing on neural tissues to uncover regulatory codes via which these molecules regulate gene expression to direct cellular development.Keywords: miRNA, miRNA:mRNA target prediction, statistical methods, miRNA:mRNA interaction network
Procedia PDF Downloads 499439 Single Layer Carbon Nanotubes Array as an Efficient Membrane for Desalination: A Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Elisa Y. M. Ang, Teng Yong Ng, Jingjie Yeo, Rongming Lin, Zishun Liu, K. R. Geethalakshmi
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By stacking carbon nanotubes (CNT) one on top of another, single layer CNT arrays can perform water-salt separation with ultra-high permeability and selectivity. Such outer-wall CNT slit membrane is named as the transverse flow CNT membrane. By adjusting the slit size between neighboring CNTs, the membrane can be configured to sieve out different solutes, right down to the separation of monovalent salt ions from water. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation results show that the permeability of transverse flow CNT membrane is more than two times that of conventional axial-flow CNT membranes, and orders of magnitude higher than current reverse osmosis membrane. In addition, by carrying out MD simulations with different CNT size, it was observed that the variance in desalination performance with CNT size is small. This insensitivity of the transverse flow CNT membrane’s performance to CNT size is a distinct advantage over axial flow CNT membrane designs. Not only does the membrane operate well under constant pressure desalination operation, but MD simulations further indicate that oscillatory operation can further enhance the membrane’s desalination performance, making it suitable for operation such as electrodialysis reversal. While there are still challenges that need to be overcome, particularly on the physical fabrication of such membrane, it is hope that this versatile membrane design can bring the idea of using low dimensional structures for desalination closer to reality.Keywords: carbon nanotubes, membrane desalination, transverse flow carbon nanotube membrane, molecular dynamics
Procedia PDF Downloads 191438 Performance Evaluation of Dynamic Signal Control System for Mixed Traffic Conditions
Authors: Aneesh Babu, S. P. Anusha
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A dynamic signal control system combines traditional traffic lights with an array of sensors to intelligently control vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The present study focus on evaluating the performance of dynamic signal control systems for mixed traffic conditions. Data collected from four different approaches to a typical four-legged signalized intersection at Trivandrum city in the Kerala state of India is used for the study. Performance of three other dynamic signal control methods, namely (i) Non-sequential method (ii) Webster design for consecutive signal cycle using flow as input, and (iii) dynamic signal control using RFID delay as input, were evaluated. The evaluation of the dynamic signal control systems was carried out using a calibrated VISSIM microsimulation model. Python programming was used to integrate the dynamic signal control algorithm through the COM interface in VISSIM. The intersection delay obtained from different dynamic signal control methods was compared with the delay obtained from fixed signal control. Based on the study results, it was observed that the intersection delay was reduced significantly by using dynamic signal control methods. The dynamic signal control method using delay from RFID sensors resulted in a higher percentage reduction in delay and hence is a suitable choice for implementation under mixed traffic conditions. The developed dynamic signal control strategies can be implemented in ITS applications under mixed traffic conditions.Keywords: dynamic signal control, intersection delay, mixed traffic conditions, RFID sensors
Procedia PDF Downloads 93