Search results for: free surface sloshing

Authors: Mingaile Jurkute, Vilnius University

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The memory of the Lithuanian partisan war (1944-1953) underwent extremely dramatic transformations. During this war, the image of the resistance and a partisan was one of the key elements of Lithuanian identity. Its importance is evidenced by the extremely large legacy of songs about partisans, no other topic has collected so much folklore in Lithuania. In the Soviet years, this resistance was practically forced to be forgotten. Terror and Soviet laws have forced people to stop talking about the events, even in the family circle. In addition, the Soviets created their own propaganda story, reinterpreting the Lithuanian partisan war, presenting partisans as bandits who brutally tortured and murdered locals. But even in the Soviet years, the memory could neither be completely suppressed, nor completely transformed into wishful shape. The analysis of fiction and cinema shows that the traumatic memory of real events rushed to the surface, thus transforming the very propagandistic narrative. After the restoration of the Republic of Lithuania in 1990, the Lithuanian partisan war was gradually returned to the central place of Lithuanian history. After 2014 the nationalist heroic narrative about Lithuanian partisans became the central narrative of modern Lithuanian history. Nevertheless, interviews I conducted in Lithuanian villages reveal that the memory of local communities and families preserves quite different experiences that do not fit into neither the Soviet narrative nor the heroic one. Such experiences include, for example, partisan violence against local families. This paper is about the efforts of two political ideologies (the Soviet and the Lithuanian patriotic) to use the history of the Lithuanian partisans for their own needs, and the attempts of small communities (mostly families) to resist these efforts. The research reveals that family memory, even when opposed to aggressive state memory policies, can preserve counter-narratives by exploiting unexpected objects beyond the control of the state, such as nature and wildlife. Basically, the paper analyses the limits of the instrumentalization of memory, even by extremely aggressive political regimes.

Keywords: collective memory, post-memory, violence, military conflict, family memory

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Authors: Konstantinos Tolidis

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The mountains are amongst the most fragile environments in the world. The world’s mountain areas cover 24% of the Earth’s land surface and are home to 12% of the global population. A further 14% of the global population is estimated to live in the vicinity of their surrounding areas. As urbanization continues to increase in the world, the mountains are also key centers for recreation and tourism; their attraction is often heightened by their remarkably high levels of biodiversity. Due to the fact that the features in mountain areas vary spatially (development degree, human geography, socio-economic reality, relations of dependency and interaction with other areas-regions), the spatial planning on these areas consists of a crucial process for preserving the natural, cultural and human environment and consists of one of the major processes of an integrated spatial policy. This research has been focused on the spatial decision problem of land use allocation optimization which is an ordinary planning problem on the mountain areas. It is a matter of fact that such decisions must be made not only on what to do, how much to do, but also on where to do, adding a whole extra class of decision variables to the problem when combined with the consideration of spatial optimization. The utility of optimization as a normative tool for spatial problem is widely recognized. However, it is very difficult for planners to quantify the weights of the objectives especially when these are related to mountain areas. Furthermore, the land use allocation optimization problems at mountain areas must be addressed not only by taking into account the general development objectives but also the spatial objectives (e.g. compactness, compatibility and accessibility, etc). Therefore, the main research’s objective was to approach the land use allocation problem by utilizing a hybrid meta-heuristic optimization technique tailored to the mountain areas’ spatial characteristics. The results indicates that the proposed methodological approach is very promising and useful for both generating land use alternatives for further consideration in land use allocation decision-making and supporting spatial management plans at mountain areas.

Keywords: multiobjective land use allocation, mountain areas, spatial planning, spatial decision making, meta-heuristic methods

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Authors: Aurora Gitto, Philipp Proksch

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The presence of various microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) in surface water and groundwater represents an important issue for human health worldwide. The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) has emerged as a promising and reliable tool for bacteria identification in clinical diagnostic microbiology and environmental strains thanks to an ionization technique that uses a laser energy absorbing matrix to create ions from large molecules with minimal fragmentation. The study aims first to conceptualise and set up library information and create a comprehensive database of MALDI-TOF-MS spectra from environmental water samples. The samples were analysed over a year (2021-2022) using membrane filtration methodology (0.45 μm and 0.22 μm) and then isolated on R2A agar for a period of 5 days and Yeast extract agar growing at 22 °C up to 4 days and 37 °C for 48 hours. The undetected organisms by MALDI-TOF-MS were analysed by PCR and then sequenced. The information obtained by the sequencing was further implemented in the MALDI-TOF-MS library. Among the culturable bacteria, the results show how the incubator temperature affects the growth of some genera instead of others, as demonstrated by Pseudomonas sp., which grows at 22 °C, compared to Bacillus sp., which is abundant at 37 °C. The bacteria community shows a variation in composition also between the media used, as demonstrated with R2A agar which has been defined by a higher presence of organisms not detected compared to YEA. Interesting is the variability of the Genus over one year of sampling and how the seasonality impacts the bacteria community; in fact, in some sampling locations, we observed how the composition changed, moving from winter to spring and summer. In conclusion, the bacteria community in groundwater and river bank filtration represents important information that needs to be added to the library to simplify future water quality analysis but mainly to prevent potential risks to human health.

Keywords: water quality, MALDI-TOF-MS, sequencing, library

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Authors: Muhammad Abid

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The ultimate goal of this research was to produce a cold galvanizing compound (CGC) at reduced pigment volume concentration (PVC) to protect metallic structures from corrosion. The influence of the partial replacement of Zn dust by nano-layered graphene (NGr) and Zn metal nanoparticles on the electrochemical, morphological, rheological, and mechanical properties of CGC was investigated. EIS was used to explore the electrochemical nature of coatings. The EIS results revealed that the partial replacement of Zn by NGr and Zn nanoparticles enhanced the cathodic protection at reduced PVC (4:1) by improving the electrical contact between the Zn particles and the metal substrate. The Tafel scan was conducted to support the cathodic behaviour of the coatings. The sample formulated solely with Zn at PVC 4:1 was found to be dominated in physical barrier characteristics over cathodic protection. By increasing the concentration of NGr in the formulation, the corrosion potential shifted towards a more negative side. The coating with 1.5% NGr showed the highest galvanic action at reduced PVC. FE-SEM confirmed the interconnected network of conducting particles. The coating without NGr and Zn nanoparticles at PVC 4:1 showed significant gaps between the Zn dust particles. The novelty was evidenced when micrographs showed the consistent distribution of NGr and Zn nanoparticles all over the surface, which acted as a bridge between spherical Zn particles and provided cathodic protection at a reduced PVC. The layered structure of graphene also improved the physical shielding effect of the coatings, which limited the diffusion of electrolytes and corrosion products (oxides/hydroxides) into the coatings, which was reflected by the salt spray test. The rheological properties of coatings showed good liquid/fluid properties. All the coatings showed excellent adhesion but had different strength values. A real-time scratch resistance assessment showed all the coatings had good scratch resistance.

Keywords: protective coatings, anti-corrosion, galvanization, graphene, nanomaterials, polymers

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Authors: Ranjita Ghoshmoulick, Aswathi Madhavan, Subhavna Juneja, Prasenjit Sen, Jaydeep Bhattacharya

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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a very complex and multifactorial metabolic disease where the blood sugar level goes up. One of the major consequence of this elevated blood sugar is the formation of AGE (Advance Glycation Endproducts), from a series of chemical or biochemical reactions. AGE are detrimental because it leads to severe pathogenic complications. They are a group of structurally diverse chemical compounds formed from nonenzymatic reactions between the free amino groups (-NH2) of proteins and carbonyl groups (>C=O) of reducing sugars. The reaction is known as Maillard Reaction. It starts with the formation of reversible schiff’s base linkage which after sometime rearranges itself to form Amadori Product along with dicarbonyl compounds. Amadori products are very unstable hence rearrangement goes on until stable products are formed. During the course of the reaction a lot of chemically unknown intermediates and reactive byproducts are formed that can be termed as Early Glycation Products. And when the reaction completes, structurally stable chemical compounds are formed which is termed as Advanced Glycation Endproducts. Though all glycation products have not been characterized well, some fluorescence compounds e.g pentosidine, Malondialdehyde (MDA) or carboxymethyllysine (CML) etc as AGE and α-dicarbonyls or oxoaldehydes such as 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) etc as the intermediates have been identified. In this work Gold NanoParticle (GNP) was used as an optical indicator of glycation products. To achieve faster glycation kinetics and high AGE accumulation, fructose was used instead of glucose. Hemoglobin A0 (HbA0) was fructosylated by in-vitro method. AGE formation was measured fluorimetrically by recording emission at 450nm upon excitation at 350nm. Thereafter this fructosylated HbA0 was fractionated by column chromatography. Fractionation separated the proteinaceous substance from the AGEs. Presence of protein part in the fractions was confirmed by measuring the intrinsic protein fluorescence and Bradford reaction. GNPs were synthesized using the templates of chromatographically separated fractions of fructosylated HbA0. Each fractions gave rise to GNPs of varying color, indicating the presence of distinct set of glycation products differing structurally and chemically. Clear solution appeared due to settling down of particles in some vials. The reactive groups of the intermediates kept the GNP formation mechanism on and did not lead to a stable particle formation till Day 10. Whereas SPR of GNP showed monotonous colour for the fractions collected in case of non fructosylated HbA0. Our findings accentuate the use of GNPs as a simple colorimetric sensing platform for the identification of intermediates of glycation reaction which could be implicated in the prognosis of the associated health risk due to T2DM and others.

Keywords: advance glycation endproducts, glycation, gold nano particle, sensor

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Authors: Sung-Jun Yoo, Kazuhide Ito

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In this study, a comprehensive computer simulated person (CSP) that integrates computational human model (virtual manikin) and respiratory tract model (virtual airway), was applied for estimation of indoor environmental quality. Moreover, an inclusive prediction method was established by integrating computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis with advanced CSP which is combined with physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model, unsteady thermoregulation model for analysis targeting micro-climate around human body and respiratory area with high accuracy. This comprehensive method can estimate not only the contaminant inhalation but also constant interaction in the contaminant transfer between indoor spaces, i.e., a target area for indoor air quality (IAQ) assessment, and respiratory zone for health risk assessment. This study focused on the usage of the CSP as an air/thermal quality sensor in indoors, which means the application of comprehensive model for assessment of IAQ and thermal environmental quality. Demonstrative analysis was performed in order to examine the applicability of the comprehensive model to the heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) control scheme. CSP was located at the center of the simple model room which has dimension of 3m×3m×3m. Formaldehyde which is generated from floor material was assumed as a target contaminant, and flow field, sensible/latent heat and contaminant transfer analysis in indoor space were conducted by using CFD simulation coupled with CSP. In this analysis, thermal comfort was evaluated by thermoregulatory analysis, and respiratory exposure risks represented by adsorption flux/concentration at airway wall surface were estimated by PBPK-CFD hybrid analysis. These Analysis results concerning IAQ and thermal comfort will be fed back to the HVAC control and could be used to find a suitable ventilation rate and energy requirement for air conditioning system.

Keywords: CFD simulation, computer simulated person, HVAC control, indoor environmental quality

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Authors: Neeraj Neeraj, Soumen Basu, Banibrata Maity

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Glutathione (GSH) is one of the most important biomolecules having small molecular weight, which helps in various cellular functions like regulation of gene, xenobiotic metabolism, preservation of intracellular redox activities, signal transduction, etc. Therefore, the detection of GSH requires huge attention by using extremely selective and sensitive techniques. Herein, a rapid fluorometric nanosensor is designed by combining carbon dots (Cdots) and MnO₂ nanoparticles of different sizes for the detection of GSH. The bottom-up approach, i.e., microwave method, was used for the preparation of the water soluble and greatly fluorescent Cdots by using ascorbic acid as a precursor. MnO₂ nanospheres of different sizes (large, medium, and small) were prepared by varying the ratio of concentration of methionine and KMnO₄ at room temperature, which was confirmed by HRTEM analysis. The successive addition of MnO₂ nanospheres in Cdots results fluorescence quenching. From the fluorescence intensity data, Stern-Volmer quenching constant values (KS-V) were evaluated. From the fluorescence intensity and lifetime analysis, it was found that the degree of fluorescence quenching of Cdots followed the order: large > medium > small. Moreover, fluorescence recovery studies were also performed in the presence of GSH. Fluorescence restoration studies also show the order of turn on follows the same order, i.e., large > medium > small, which was also confirmed by quantum yield and lifetime studies. The limits of detection (LOD) of GSH in presence of Cdots@different sized MnO₂ nanospheres were also evaluated. It was observed thatLOD values were in μM region and lowest in case of large MnO₂ nanospheres. The separation distance (d) between Cdots and the surface of different MnO₂ nanospheres was determined. The d values increase with increase in the size of the MnO₂ nanospheres. In summary, the synthesized Cdots@MnO₂ nanocomposites acted as a rapid, simple, economical as well as environmental-friendly nanosensor for the detection of GSH.

Keywords: carbon dots, fluorescence, glutathione, MnO₂ nanospheres, turn off-on

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Authors: Yasin Polat, Yılmaz Dağdemir, Mehmet Arı

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Samarium (III) oxide and Ytterbium (III) oxide doped Bismuth trioxide solid solutions, the nano ceramic (Bi2O3)1-x-y(Sm2O3)x(Yb2O3)y ternary system were obtained with x=5, 20 mol %, and y=5, 20 mol % dopant concentrations have been synthesized in air atmosphere with solid state reaction. Temperature dependent electrical conductivity of the samples have been investigated by 4-point probe technique by heating and cooling process. Doped-Bi2O3 materials of solid electrolyte systems are good oxygen anions O2-conductors which have collected much attention as potential solid ceramic electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) because of their relatively high oxygen ionic conductivity at lower temperatures.(Bi2O3)-based electrolytes have also wide other technological applications in devices with high economical interest such as oxygen sensors, ceramic membranes for oxygen separation, oxygen pumps, catalyzing of some heterogeneous reactions, partial oxidation of the hydrocarbons, and additive material in paints. In recent years, many experimental researches have mostly focused on improving of the Bi-based electrolytes which have high oxide ionic conductivity at low temperatures and better performance as alternatives to traditional stabilized zirconia has taken place. Generally, these systems are much better solid electrolytes than well-known stabilized zirconia, because some of the bismuth trioxide phases exhibit higher ion conductivity than other oxide ionic conductors. Crystal structure of the Nano ceramic (Bi2O3)1-x-y(Sm2O3)x(Yb2O3)y has been determined by X-Ray powder diffractions (XRD) measurements before and after electrical conductivity measurements of the samples. Surface and grain structure properties of the samples were determined by SEM analysis. The samples which synthesized in this study can be used in industrial applications such as electrolytes of the solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC).

Keywords: 4-point probe technique, bismuth trioxide, solid state reaction, solid oxide fuel cell

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Authors: Babak Rezaei, Arash Zargar Shoushtari

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Kangan anticline is located in the Coastal Fars area, southwest of Nar and west of west Assaluyeh anticlines and north of Kangan harbor in Boushehr province. The Kangan anticline is nearly asymmetric and with 55Km long and 6Km wide base on structural map of Kangan Formation. The youngest and the oldest Formations on surface are Bakhtiyari (Pliocene) and Sarvak (Cenomanian) respectively. The highest dip angles of 30 and 40 degree were observed in north and south flanks of Kangan anticline respectively and two reverse faults cut these flanks parallel to structure strike. Existence of sweet gas in Kangan Fm. and Upper Dalan in this structure is confirmed with probable Silurian shales origin. Main facies belts in these formations include super tidal and intertidal flat, lagoon, oolitic-bioclastic shoals and open marine sub environments that expand in a homoclinal and shallow water carbonate ramp under the arid climates. Digenetic processes studies, indicates the influence of all digenetic environments (marine, meteoric, burial) in the reservoir succession. These processes sometimes has led to reservoir quality improvement (such as dolomitization and dissolution) but in many instances reservoir units has been destroyed (such as compaction, anhydrite and calcite cementation). In this study, petrophysical evaluation is made in Kangan and upper Dalan formations by using well log data of five selected wells. Probabilistic method is used for petrophysical evaluation by applying appropriate soft wares. According to this evaluation the lithology of Kangan and upper Dalan Formations mainly consist of limestone and dolomite with thin beds of Shale and evaporates. In these formations 11 Zones with different reservoir characteristic have been identified. Based on wire line data analyses, in some part of these formations, high porosity can be observed. The range of porosity (PHIE) and water saturation (Sw) are estimated around 10-20% and 20-30%, respectively.

Keywords: microfacies, electrofacies, petrophysics, diagenese, gas fields

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Authors: I. Wlasny, Z. Klusek, A. Wysmolek

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Hexagonal boron nitride is a representative of a widely popular class of two-dimensional Van Der Waals materials. It finds its uses, among others, in construction of complexly layered heterostructures. Hexagonal boron nitride attracts great interest because of its properties characteristic for wide-gap semiconductors as well as an ultra-flat surface.Van Der Waals heterostructures composed of two-dimensional layered materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides or graphene give hope for miniaturization of various electronic and optoelectronic elements. In our presentation, we will show the results of our investigations of the not previously reported modification of the hexagonal boron nitride layers with focused laser beam. The electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) images reveal that the irradiation leads to changes of the local electric fields for a wide range of laser wavelengths (from 442 to 785 nm). These changes are also accompanied by alterations of crystallographic structure of the material, as reflected by Raman spectra. They exhibit high stability and remain visible after at least five months. This behavior can be explained in terms of photoionization of the defect centers in h-BN which influence non-uniform electrostatic field screening by the photo-excited charge carriers. Analyzed changes influence local defect structure, and thus the interatomic distances within the lattice. These effects can be amplified by the piezoelectric character of hexagonal boron nitride, similar to that found in nitrides (e.g., GaN, AlN). Our results shed new light on the optical properties of the hexagonal boron nitride, in particular, those associated with electron-phonon coupling. Our study also opens new possibilities for h-BN applications in layered heterostructures where electrostatic fields can be used in tailoring of the local properties of the structures for use in micro- and nanoelectronics or field-controlled memory storage. This work is supported by National Science Centre project granted on the basis of the decision number DEC-2015/16/S/ST3/00451.

Keywords: atomic force microscopy, hexagonal boron nitride, optical properties, raman spectroscopy

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Authors: Tom Turner

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The recent financial crisis in 2008 and the growing inequality in developed industrial societies would appear to present significant challenges to capitalism and the free market. Yet there have been few substantial mainstream political or economic challenges to the dominant capitalist and market paradigm to-date. There is no dearth of critical and theoretical (academic) analyses regarding the prevailing systems failures. Yet despite the growing inequality in the developed industrial societies and the financial crisis in 2008 few commentators have advocated the comprehensive socialization or state ownership of the means of production to our knowledge – a core principle of radical Marxism in the 19th and early part of the 20th century. Undoubtedly the experience in the Soviet Union and satellite countries in the 20th century has cast a dark shadow over the notion of centrally controlled economies and state ownership of the means of production. In this paper, we explore the history of a doctrine advocating the socialization or state ownership of the means of production that was central to Marxism and socialism generally. Indeed this doctrine provoked an intense and often acrimonious debate especially for left-wing parties throughout the 20th century. The debate within the political economy tradition has historically tended to divide into a radical and a revisionist approach to changing or reforming capitalism. The radical perspective views the conflict of interest between capital and labor as a persistent and insoluble feature of a capitalist society and advocates the public or state ownership of the means of production. Alternatively, the revisionist perspective focuses on issues of distribution rather than production and emphasizes the possibility of compromise between capital and labor in capitalist societies. Over the 20th century, the radical perspective has faded and even the social democratic revisionist tradition has declined in recent years. We conclude with the major challenges that confront both the radical and revisionist perspectives in the development of viable policy agendas in mature developed democratic societies. Additionally, we consider whether state ownership of the means of production still has relevance in the 21st century and to what extent state ownership is off the agenda as a political issue in the political mainstream in developed industrial societies. A central argument in the paper is that state ownership of the means of production is unlikely to feature as either a practical or theoretical solution to the problems of capitalism post the financial crisis among mainstream political parties of the left. Although the focus here is solely on the shifting views of the radical and revisionist socialist perspectives in the western European tradition the analysis has relevance for the wider socialist movement.

Keywords: sate ownership, ownership means of production, radicals, revisionists

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Authors: Pelin Yılmaz Çetiner, Metin Mert İlgün, Nazlı Çetindağ, Emine Birci, Gizemnur Yıldız Uysal, Özcan Hatipoğlu, Ehsan Tuzcuoğlu, Gökhan Sır

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Water scarcity is an inevitable problem affecting more and more people day by day. It is a worldwide crisis and a consequence of rapid population growth, urbanization and overexploitation. Thus, the solutions providing the reclamation of the wastewater are the desired approach. Wastewater contains various substances such as organic, soaps and detergents, solvents, biological substances, and inorganic substances. The physical properties of the wastewater differs regarding to its origin such as commerical, domestic or hospital usage. Thus, the treatment strategy of this type of wastewater is should be comprehensively investigated and properly treated. The advanced oxidation process comes up as a hopeful method associated with the formation of reactive hydroxyl radicals that are highly reactive to oxidize of organic pollutants. This process has a priority on other methods such as coagulation, flocuation, sedimentation and filtration since it was not cause any undesirable by-products. In the present study, it was aimed to investigate the applicability of advanced oxidation process for the treatment of household appliances wastewater. For this purpose, the laboratory studies providing the effectively addressing of the formed radicals to organic pollutants were carried out. Then the effect of process parameters were comprehensively studied by using response surface methodology, Box-Benhken experimental desing. The final chemical oxygen demand (COD) was the main output to evaluate the optimum point providing the expected COD removal. The linear alkyl benzene sulfonate (LAS), total dissolved solids (TDS) and color were measured for the optimum point providing the expected COD removal. Finally, present study pointed out that advanced oxidation process might be efficiently preffered to treat of the household appliances wastewater and the optimum process parameters provided that expected removal of COD.

Keywords: advanced oxidation process, household appliances wastewater, modelling, water reuse

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Authors: Julia Zimmerman, Gaurav Savant

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This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers’ River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) application to modeling the hydraulics of estuaries. HEC-RAS has been broadly used for a variety of riverine applications. However, it has not been widely applied to the study of circulation in estuaries. This report details the model development and validation of a combined 1D/2D unsteady flow hydraulic model using HEC-RAS for estuaries and they are associated with tidally influenced rivers. Two estuaries, Galveston Bay and Delaware Bay, were used as case studies. Galveston Bay, a bar-built, vertically mixed estuary, was modeled for the 2005 calendar year. Delaware Bay, a drowned river valley estuary, was modeled from October 22, 2019, to November 5, 2019. Water surface elevation was used to validate both models by comparing simulation results to NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) gauge data. Simulations were run using the Diffusion Wave Equations (DW), the Shallow Water Equations, Eulerian-Lagrangian Method (SWE-ELM), and the Shallow Water Equations Eulerian Method (SWE-EM) and compared for both accuracy and computational resources required. In general, the Diffusion Wave Equations results were found to be comparable to the two Shallow Water equations sets while requiring less computational power. The 1D/2D combined approach was valid for study areas within the 2D flow area, with the 1D flow serving mainly as an inflow boundary condition. Within the Delaware Bay estuary, the HEC-RAS DW model ran in 22 minutes and had an average R² value of 0.94 within the 2-D mesh. The Galveston Bay HEC-RAS DW ran in 6 hours and 47 minutes and had an average R² value of 0.83 within the 2-D mesh. The longer run time and lower R² for Galveston Bay can be attributed to the increased length of the time frame modeled and the greater complexity of the estuarine system. The models did not accurately capture tidal effects within the 1D flow area.

Keywords: Delaware bay, estuarine hydraulics, Galveston bay, HEC-RAS, one-dimensional modeling, two-dimensional modeling

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Authors: Chen Yuan, Nick Green, Stuart Blackburn

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The investment casting process offers a great freedom of design combined with the economic advantage of near net shape manufacturing. It is widely used for the production of high value precision cast parts in particularly in the aerospace sector. Various combinations of materials have been used to produce the ceramic moulds, but most investment foundries use a silica based binder system in conjunction with fused silica, zircon, and alumino-silicate refractories as both filler and coarse stucco materials. However, in the context of advancing alloy technologies, silica based systems are struggling to keep pace, especially when net-shape casting titanium alloys. Study has shown that the casting of titanium based alloys presents considerable problems, including the extensive interactions between the metal and refractory, and the majority of metal-mould interaction is due to reduction of silica, present as binder and filler phases, by titanium in the molten state. Cleaner, more refractory systems are being devised to accommodate these changes. Although yttria has excellent chemical inertness to titanium alloy, it is not very practical in a production environment combining high material cost, short slurry life, and poor sintering properties. There needs to be a cost effective solution to these issues. With limited options for using pure oxides, in this work, a silica-free magnesia spinel MgAl₂O₄ was used as a primary coat filler and alumina as a binder material to produce facecoat in the investment casting mould. A comparison system was also studied with a fraction of the rare earth oxide Y₂O₃ adding into the filler to increase the inertness. The stability of the MgAl₂O₄/Al₂O₃ and MgAl₂O₄/Y₂O₃/Al₂O₃ slurries was assessed by tests, including pH, viscosity, zeta-potential and plate weight measurement, and mould properties such as friability were also measured. The interaction between the face coat and titanium alloy was studied by both a flash re-melting technique and a centrifugal investment casting method. The interaction products between metal and mould were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The depth of the oxygen hardened layer was evaluated by micro hardness measurement. Results reveal that introducing a fraction of Y₂O₃ into magnesia spinel can significantly increase the slurry life and reduce the thickness of hardened layer during centrifugal casting.

Keywords: titanium alloy, mould, MgAl₂O₄, Y₂O₃, interaction, investment casting

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Authors: Alexis Naranjo

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In the current global stage, a new sense and mix feelings against the globalization has started to take shape thanks to events such as Brexit and the 2016 US election. The perceptions towards the globalization have started to focus in a resistance movement called the 'anti-globalization movement'. This paper examines the current global stage vs. leadership decisions in a time when market integrations are not longer seeing as an opportunity for an economic growth buster. The biggest economy in the world the United States of America has started to face a new beginning of something called 'anti-globalization', in the current global stage starting with the United Kingdom to the United States a new strategy to help local economies has started to emerge. A new nationalist movement has started to focus on their local economies which now represents a direct threat to the globalization, trade agreements, wages and free markets. Business leaders of multinationals now in our days face a new dilemma, how to address the feeling that globalization and outsourcing destroy and take away jobs from local economies. The initial perception of the literature and data rebels that companies in Western countries like the US sees many risks associate with outsourcing, however, saving cost associated with outsourcing is greater than the firm’s local reputation. Starting with India as a good example of a supplier of IT developers, analysts and call centers we can start saying that India is an industrialized nation which has not yet secured its spot and title. India has emerged as a powerhouse in the outsource industry, which makes India hold the number one spot in the world to outsource IT services. Thanks to the globalization of economies and markets around the globe that new ideas to increase productivity at a lower cost has been existing for years and has started to offer new ideas and options to businesses in different industries. The economic growth of the information technology (IT) industry in India is an example of the power of the globalization which in the case of India has been tremendous and significant especially in the economic arena. This research paper concentrates in understand the behavior of business leaders: First, how multinational’s leaders will face the new challenges and what actions help them to lead in turbulent times. Second, if outsourcing or withdraw from a market is an option what are the consequences and how you communicate and negotiate from the business leader perspective. Finally, is the perception of leaders focusing on financial results or they have a different goal? To answer these questions, this study focuses on the most recent data available to outline and present the findings of the reason why outsourcing is and option and second, how and why those decisions are made. This research also explores the perception of the phenomenon of outsourcing in many ways and explores how the globalization has contributed to its own questioning.

Keywords: anti-globalization, globalization, leadership, outsourcing

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Authors: Khalid Alshallash

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Small fragments of the roots of some Rumex species including R. obtusifolius and R. crispus have been found to regenerate readily, contributing to the severity of infestations by these very common, widespread and difficult to control perennial weeds of agricultural crops and grasslands. Their root fragments are usually created during routine agricultural practices. We found that fresh root fragments of both species containing 65-70 % of moisture, progressively lose their moisture content when desiccated under controlled growth room conditions matching summer weather of southeast England, with the greatest reduction occurring in the first 48 hours. Probability of shoot emergence and the time taken for emergence in glasshouse conditions were also reduced significantly by desiccation, with R. obtusifolius least affected up to 48-hour. However, the effects converged after 120 hours. In contrast, R. obtusifolius was significantly slower to emerge after up to 48 hours desiccation, again effects converging after longer periods, R. crispus entirely failed to emerge at 120 hours. The dry weight of emerged shoots was not significantly different between the species, until desiccated for 96 hours when R. obtusifolius was significantly reduced. At 120 hours, R. obtusifolius did not emerge. In outdoor trials, desiccation for 24 or 48 hours had less effect on emergence when planted at the soil surface or up to 10 cm of depth, compared to deeper plantings. In both species, emergence was significantly lower when desiccated fragments were planted at 15 or 20 cm. Time taken for emergence was not significantly different between the species until planted at 15 or 20 cm when R. obtusifolius was slower than R. crispus and reduced further by increasing desiccation. Similar variation in effects of increasing soil depth interacting with increasing desiccation was found in reductions in dry weight, the number of tillers and leaf area, with R obtusifolius generally but not exclusively better able to withstand more extreme trial conditions. Our findings suggest that infestations of these highly troublesome weeds may be partly controlled by appropriate agricultural practices, notably exposing cut fragments to drying environmental conditions followed by deep burial.

Keywords: regeneration, root fragment, rumex crispus, rumex obtusifolius

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Authors: Adel Francis

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Most of scheduling methods and software apply the critical path logic. This logic schedule activities, apply constraints between these activities and try to optimize and level the allocated resources. The extensive use of this logic produces a complex an erroneous network hard to present, follow and update. Planning and management building projects should tackle the coordination of works and the management of limited spaces, traffic, and supplies. Activities cannot be performed without the resources available and resources cannot be used beyond the capacity of workplaces. Otherwise, workspace congestion will negatively affect the flow of works. The objective of the space planning is to link the spatial and temporal aspects, promote efficient use of the site, define optimal site occupancy rates, and ensures suitable rotation of the workforce in the different spaces. The Chronographic scheduling modelling belongs to this category and models construction operations as well as their processes, logical constraints, association and organizational models, which help to better illustrate the schedule information using multiple flexible approaches. The model defined three categories of areas (punctual, surface and linear) and four different layers (space creation, systems, closing off space, finishing, and reduction of space). The Chronographical modelling is a more complete communication method, having the ability to alternate from one visual approach to another by manipulation of graphics via a set of parameters and their associated values. Each individual approach can help to schedule a certain project type or specialty. Visual communication can also be improved through layering, sheeting, juxtaposition, alterations, and permutations, allowing for groupings, hierarchies, and classification of project information. In this way, graphic representation becomes a living, transformable image, showing valuable information in a clear and comprehensible manner, simplifying the site management while simultaneously utilizing the visual space as efficiently as possible.

Keywords: building projects, chronographic modelling, CPM, critical path, precedence diagram, scheduling

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Authors: L. Nahimana

Abstract:

The eastern edge of the East African Rift in Burundi shows many mass movement phenomena corresponding to landslides, mudflow, debris flow, spectacular erosion (mega-gully), flash floods and alluvial deposits. These phenomena usually occur during the rainy season. Their extent and consecutive damages vary widely. To manage these phenomena, it is necessary to adopt a methodological approach of their mapping with a structured database. The elements for this database are: three-dimensional extent of the phenomenon, natural causes and conditions (geological lithology, slope, weathering depth and products, rainfall patterns, natural environment) and the anthropogenic factors corresponding to the various human activities. The extent of the area provides information about the possibilities and opportunities for mitigation technique. The lithological nature allows understanding the influence of the nature of the rock and its structure on the intensity of the weathering of rocks, as well as the geotechnical properties of the weathering products. The slope influences the land stability. The intensity of annual, monthly and daily rainfall helps to understand the conditions of water saturation of the terrains. Certain natural circumstances such as the presence of streams and rivers promote foot slope erosion and thus the occurrence and activity of mass movements. The construction of some infrastructures such as new roads and agglomerations deeply modify the flow of surface and underground water followed by mass movements. Using geospatial data selected on the East African Rift in Burundi, it is presented case of mass movements illustrating the nature, importance, various factors and the extent of the damages. An analysis of these elements for each hazard can guide the options for mitigation of the phenomenon and its consequences.

Keywords: mass movement, landslide, mudflow, debris flow, spectacular erosion, mega-gully, flash flood, alluvial deposit, East African rift, Burundi

Procedia PDF Downloads 281

Authors: I-Yun Cheng, Min-Yu Chiang, Shwu-Jen Chang, San-Yuan Chen

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Osteoarthritis (OA) is among the most challenging joint diseases, and as far as we know, there is currently no exact and effective cure for it because it has low self-repair ability due to lack of blood vessels and low cell density in articular cartilage. So far, there have been several methods developed to treat cartilage disorder. The most common method is to treat the high molecular weight of hyaluronic acid (HA) injection, but it will degrade after a period of time, so the patients need to inject HA repeatedly. In recent years, self-healing hydrogel has drawn considerable attention because it can recover its initial mechanical properties after damaged and further increase the lifetime of the hydrogel. Here, we aim to develop a self-healable composite hydrogel combined with magnetic microspheres to trigger glutathione(GSH) release for promoting cartilage repair. We use HA-cyclodextrin (CD) as host polymer and poly(acrylic acid)-ferrocene (pAA-Fc) as guest polymer to form the self-healable HA-pAA hydrogel by host and guest interaction where various graft amount of pAA-Fc (pAA:Fc= 1:2, 1:1.5, 1:1, 2:1, 4:1) was conducted to develop different mechanical strength hydrogel. The rheology analysis showed that the 4:1 of pAA-Fc has higher mechanical strength than other formulations. On the other hand, iron oxide nanoparticle, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) were used to synthesize porous magnetic microspheres via double emulsification water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) to increase GSH loading which acted as a reductant to control the hydrogel crosslink density and promote hydrogel self-healing. The results show that the porous magnetic microspheres can be loaded with 70% of GSH and sustained release about 50% of GSH after 24 hours. More importantly, the HA-pAA composite hydrogel can self-heal rapidly within 24 hours when suffering external force destruction by releasing GSH from the magnetic microspheres. Therefore, the developed the HA-pAA composite hydrogel combined with GSH-loaded magnetic microspheres can be in-vivo guided to damaged OA surface for inducing the cartilage repair by controlling the crosslinking of self-healing hydrogel via GSH release.

Keywords: articular cartilage, magnetic microsphere, osteoarthritis, self-healing hydrogel

Procedia PDF Downloads 106

Authors: B. T. Naveen Kumar, Anuj Tyagi, Niraj Kumar Singh, Visanu Boonyawiwat, A. H. Shanthanagouda, Orawan Boodde, K. M. Shankar, Prakash Patil, Shubhkaramjeet Kaur

Abstract:

Early mortality syndrome (EMS)/Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) has emerged as a major obstacle for the shrimp farming around the world. It is caused by a strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The possible preventive and control measure is, early and rapid detection of the pathogen in the broodstock, post-larvae and monitoring the shrimp during the culture period. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based early detection methods are good, but they are costly, time taking and requires a sophisticated laboratory. The present study was conducted to develop a simple, sensitive and rapid diagnostic farmer level kit for the reliable detection of AHPND in shrimp. A panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were raised against the recombinant Pir B protein (rPirB). First, an immunodot was developed by using MAbs G3B8 and Mab G3H2 which showed specific reactivity to purified r-PirB protein with no cross-reactivity to other shrimp bacterial pathogens (AHPND free Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Indian strains), V. anguillarum, WSSV, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Aphanomyces invadans). Immunodot developed using Mab G3B8 is more sensitive than that with the Mab G3H2. However, immunodot takes almost 2.5 hours to complete with several hands-on steps. Therefore, the flow-through assay (FTA) was developed by using a plastic cassette containing the nitrocellulose membrane with absorbing pads below. The sample was dotted in the test zone on the nitrocellulose membrane followed by continuos addition of five solutions in the order of i) blocking buffer (BSA) ii) primary antibody (MAb) iii) washing Solution iv) secondary antibody and v) chromogen substrate (TMB) clear purple dots against a white background were considered as positive reactions. The FTA developed using MAbG3B8 is more sensitive than that with MAb G3H2. In FTA the two MAbs showed specific reactivity to purified r-PirB protein and not to other shrimp bacterial pathogens. The FTA is simple to farmer/field level, sensitive and rapid requiring only 8-10 min for completion. Tests can be developed to kits, which will be ideal for use in biosecurity, for the first line of screening (at the port or pond site) and during monitoring and surveillance programmes overall for the good management practices to reduce the risk of the disease.

Keywords: acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease, AHPND, flow-through assay, FTA, farmer level, immunodot, pond site, shrimp

Procedia PDF Downloads 155

Authors: Meriem Abid, Erika Oliveria-Jardim, Andres Fullana, Joaquin Silvestre-Albero

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The rapid industrial development associated with the increase of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has seriously impacted the environment. Among VOCs, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is known as a highly toxic, malodorous, flammable, and corrosive gas, which is emitted from diverse chemical processes, including industrial waste-gas streams, natural gas processing, and biogas purification. The high toxicity, corrosively, and very characteristic odor threshold of H2S call for urgent development of efficient desulfurization processes from the viewpoint of environmental protection and resource regeneration. In order to reduce H₂S emissions, effective technologies for have been performed. The general method of H₂S removal included amine aqueous solution, adsorption process, biological methods, and fixed-bed solid catalytic oxidation processes. Ecologically and economically, low-temperature direct oxidation of H₂S to elemental sulfur using catalytic oxidation is the preferred approach for removing H₂S-containing gas streams. A large number of catalysts made from carbon, metal oxides, clay, and others, have been studied extensively for this application. In this sense, activated carbon (AC) is an attractive catalyst for H₂S removal because it features a high specific surface area, diverse functional groups, low cost, durability, and high efficiency. It is interesting to stand out that AC is modified using metal oxides to promote the efficiency of H₂S removal and to enhance the catalytic performance. Based on these premises, the main goal of the present study is the evaluation of the H₂S adsorption performance in carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles obtained from an olive mill, thermally treated at 600, 800 and 1000 ºC temperatures under anaerobic conditions. These results anticipate that carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles exhibit a promising performance for the H₂S removal up to 360 mg/g.

Keywords: H₂S removal, catalytic oxidation, carbon encapsulated iron, olive mill wastewater

Procedia PDF Downloads 63

Authors: Christian Fercher, Jiaul Islam, Simon R. Corrie

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Fluorescence-based immunodiagnostics are an emerging field in biosensor development and exhibit several advantages over traditional detection methods. While various affinity biosensors have been developed to generate a fluorescence signal upon sensing varying concentrations of analytes, reagentless, reversible, and continuous monitoring of complex biological samples remains challenging. Here, we aimed to genetically engineer biosensors based on single-chain antibody fragments (scFv) that are site-specifically labeled with environmentally sensitive fluorescent unnatural amino acids (UAA). A rational design approach resulted in quantifiable analyte-dependent changes in peak fluorescence emission wavelength and enabled antigen detection in vitro. Incorporation of a polarity indicator within the topological neighborhood of the antigen-binding interface generated a titratable wavelength blueshift with nanomolar detection limits. In order to ensure continuous analyte monitoring, scFv candidates with fast binding and dissociation kinetics were selected from a genetic library employing a high-throughput phage display and affinity screening approach. Initial rankings were further refined towards rapid dissociation kinetics using bio-layer interferometry (BLI) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The most promising candidates were expressed, purified to homogeneity, and tested for their potential to detect biomarkers in a continuous microfluidic-based assay. Variations of dissociation kinetics within an order of magnitude were achieved without compromising the specificity of the antibody fragments. This approach is generally applicable to numerous antibody/antigen combinations and currently awaits integration in a wide range of assay platforms for one-step protein quantification.

Keywords: antibody engineering, biosensor, phage display, unnatural amino acids

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Authors: Abduladim Maitieg, Mark Johnson

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Developing a coastal oil spill management plan for the Misratah coast is the motivating factor for building a database for coastal and marine systems and energy resources. Wind direction and speed, currents, bathymetry, coastal topography and offshore dynamics influence oil spill deposition in coastal water. Therefore, oceanographic and climatological data can be used to understand oil slick movement and potential oil deposits on shoreline area and the behaviour of oil spill trajectories on the sea surface. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the coastal and marine physical factors under strong wave conditions and various bathymetric and coastal topography gradients in the western coastal area of Libya on the movement of oil slicks. The movement of oil slicks was computed using a GNOME simulation model based on current and wind speed/direction. The results in this paper show that (1) Oil slick might reach the Misratah shoreline area in two days in the summer and winter. Seasons. (2 ) The North coast of Misratah is the potential oil deposit area on the Misratah coast. (3) Tarball pollution was observed along the North coast of Misratah. (4) Two scenarios for the summer and the winter season were run, along the western coast of Libya . (5) The eastern coast is at a lower potential risk due to the influence of wind and current energy in the Gulf of Sidra. (6) The Misratah coastline is more vulnerable to oil spill movement in the summer than in winter seasons. (7) Oil slick takes from 2 to 5 days to reach the saltmarsh in the eastern Misratah coast. (8) Oil slick moves 300 km in 30 days from the spill resource location near the Libyan western border to the Misratah coast.(9) Bathymetric features have a profound effect on oil spill movement. (9)Oil dispersion simulations using GNOME are carried out taking into account high-resolution wind and current data.

Keywords: oil spill movement, coastal and marine physical factors, coast area, Libyan

Procedia PDF Downloads 202

Authors: Joel Podgorski, Manouchehr Amini, Annette Johnson, Michael Berg

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One-third of the world’s population relies on groundwater for its drinking water. Natural geogenic arsenic and fluoride contaminate ~10% of wells. Prolonged exposure to high levels of arsenic can result in various internal cancers, while high levels of fluoride are responsible for the development of dental and crippling skeletal fluorosis. In poor urban and rural settings, the provision of drinking water free of geogenic contamination can be a major challenge. In order to efficiently apply limited resources in the testing of wells, water resource managers need to know where geogenically contaminated groundwater is likely to occur. The Groundwater Assessment Platform (GAP) fulfills this need by providing state-of-the-art global arsenic and fluoride contamination hazard maps as well as enabling users to create their own groundwater quality models. The global risk models were produced by logistic regression of arsenic and fluoride measurements using predictor variables of various soil, geological and climate parameters. The maps display the probability of encountering concentrations of arsenic or fluoride exceeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) stipulated concentration limits of 10 µg/L or 1.5 mg/L, respectively. In addition to a reconsideration of the relevant geochemical settings, these second-generation maps represent a great improvement over the previous risk maps due to a significant increase in data quantity and resolution. For example, there is a 10-fold increase in the number of measured data points, and the resolution of predictor variables is generally 60 times greater. These same predictor variable datasets are available on the GAP platform for visualization as well as for use with a modeling tool. The latter requires that users upload their own concentration measurements and select the predictor variables that they wish to incorporate in their models. In addition, users can upload additional predictor variable datasets either as features or coverages. Such models can represent an improvement over the global models already supplied, since (a) users may be able to use their own, more detailed datasets of measured concentrations and (b) the various processes leading to arsenic and fluoride groundwater contamination can be isolated more effectively on a smaller scale, thereby resulting in a more accurate model. All maps, including user-created risk models, can be downloaded as PDFs. There is also the option to share data in a secure environment as well as the possibility to collaborate in a secure environment through the creation of communities. In summary, GAP provides users with the means to reliably and efficiently produce models specific to their region of interest by making available the latest datasets of predictor variables along with the necessary modeling infrastructure.

Keywords: arsenic, fluoride, groundwater contamination, logistic regression

Procedia PDF Downloads 319

Authors: Asmamaw Yehun, Tsegaye Gogie, Martin Vermeer, Addisu Hunegnaw

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The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based radio positioning system, which is capable of providing continuous position, velocity, and time information to users anywhere on or near the surface of the Earth. The main objective of this work was to estimate the integrated precipitable water vapour (IPWV) using ground GPS and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Radio Occultation (RO) to study spatial-temporal variability. For LEO-GPS RO, we used Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) datasets. We estimated the daily and monthly mean of IPWV using six selected ground-based GPS stations over a period of range from 2012 to 2016 (i.e. five-years period). The main perspective for selecting the range period from 2012 to 2016 is that, continuous data were available during these periods at all Ethiopian GPS stations. We studied temporal, seasonal, diurnal, and vertical variations of precipitable water vapour using GPS observables extracted from the precise geodetic GAMIT-GLOBK software package. Finally, we determined the cross-correlation of our GPS-derived IPWV values with those of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA-40 Interim reanalysis and of the second generation National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) model ensemble Forecast System Reforecast (GEFS/R) for validation and static comparison. There are higher values of the IPWV range from 30 to 37.5 millimetres (mm) in Gambela and Southern Regions of Ethiopia. Some parts of Tigray, Amhara, and Oromia regions had low IPWV ranges from 8.62 to 15.27 mm. The correlation coefficient between GPS-derived IPWV with ECMWF and GEFS/R exceeds 90%. We conclude that there are highly temporal, seasonal, diurnal, and vertical variations of precipitable water vapour in the study area.

Keywords: GNSS, radio occultation, atmosphere, precipitable water vapour

Procedia PDF Downloads 59

Authors: Tong Ming Liu

Abstract:

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent the most used stem cells for clinical application, which have been used in over 1000 clinical trials to treat over 30 diseases due to multilineage differentiation potential, secretome and immunosuppression. Gene therapies of MSCs hold great promise in the treatment of many diseases due to enhanced MSC-based clinical outcomes. To identify genes for gene therapy of MSCs, by comparing gene expression profile before and after MSC differentiation following by functional screening, we have identified ZNF145 that regulated MSC differentiation. Forced expression of ZNF145 resulted in enhanced in vitro chondrogenesis of MSCs as an upstream factor of SOX9 and improved osteochondral repair upon implant into osteochondral defects in rodents. By comparing gene expression profile during differentiation of iPSCs toward MSCs, we also identified gene HOX regulating MSC stemness, which was much downregulated in late-passaged MSCs. Knockdown of this gene greatly compromised MSC stemness including abolished proliferation, decreased CFU-F, promoted senescence and reduced expression of cell surface antigens linked to the MSC phenotype. In addition, multi-linage differentiation was also greatly impaired. Notably, HOX overexpression resulted in improved multi-lineage differentiation. In the mechanism, HOX expression significantly deceased in late passage of MSCs compared with early passage of MSCs, correlating with MSC important genes. ChIP-seq data shown that HOX binds to genes related to MSC self-renewal and differentiation. Most importantly, most HOX binding sites are lost in late passage of MSCs. HOX exerts its effects by directing binding Twist1, one important gene of MSCs. The identification of the genes regulating MSC differentiation and stemness will provide and promising strategies for gene therapy of MSCs in regenerative medicine.

Keywords: mesenchymal stem cell, novel transcription factor, stemness, gene therapy, cartilage repair, signaling pathway

Procedia PDF Downloads 30

Authors: Akbar Esmaeili, Mahnoosh Aliahmadi

Abstract:

This study synthesized a modified imaging of gallium@deferoxamine/folic acid/chitosan/polyaniline/polyvinyl alcohol (Ga@DFA/FA/CS/PANI/PVA). It contains Morus nigra extract by selenium nanoparticles prepared from Lactobacillus acidophilus. Using the impregnation method, Se nanoparticles were then deposited on (Ga@DFA/FA/ CS/PANI/PVA). The modified contrast agents were mixed with M. nigra extract, and investigated their antibacterial activities by applying to L929 cell lines. The influence of variable factors, including 1. surfactant, 2. solvent, 3. aqueous phase, 4. pH, 5. buffer, 6. minimum Inhibitory concentration (MIC), 7. minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), 8. cytotoxicity on cancer cells., 9. antibiotic, 10. antibiogram, 11. release and loading, 12. the emotional effect, 13. the concentration of nanoparticles, 14. olive oil, and 15. they have investigated thermotical methods. The structure and morphology of the synthesized contrast agents were characterized by zeta potential sizer analysis (ZPS), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectra, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental section was conducted and monitored by response surface methods (RSM), MTT, MIC, MBC, and cancer cytotoxic conversion assay. Antibiogram testing of NCs on Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria was successful and obtained MIC = 2 factors with less harmful effect. All experimental sections confirmed that our synthesized particles have potent antioxidant properties. Antibiogram testing revealed that NPS could kill P. aeruginosa and P. aeruginosa. A variety of synthetic conditions were done by diffusion emulsion method by varying parameters, the optimum state of DFA release Ga@DFA/FA/CS/PANI/PVA NPs (6 ml) with pH = 5.5, time = 3 h, NCs and DFA (3 mg), and achieved buffer (20 ml). DFA in Ga@DFA/FA/ CS/PANI/PVA was released and showed an absorption peak at 378 nm by applying a 300-rpm magnetic rate. In this report, Ga decreased the harmful effect on the human body.

Keywords: nanocapsules, technolgy, biology, nano

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Authors: Yusuf Ersoy Yildirim, Ismail Tas, Ceren Gorgusen, Tugba Yeter, Aysegul Boyacioglu, K. Mehmet Tugrul, Murat Tugrul, Ayten Namli, H. Sabri Ozturk, M. Onur Akca

Abstract:

In recent years, a lot of research has been done for the sustainable use of scarce resources in the world. Especially, effective and sustainable use of water resources has been researched for many years. Sub-surface drip irrigation (SDI) is one of the most effective irrigation methods in which efficient and sustainable use of irrigation water can be achieved. When the literature is taken into consideration, it is often emphasized that, besides its numerous advantages, it also allows the application of irrigation water to the plant root zone along with air. It is stated in different studies that the air applied to the plant root zone with irrigation water has a positive effect on the root zone. Plants need sufficient oxygen for root respiration as well as for the metabolic functions of the roots. Decreased root respiration due to low oxygen content reduces transpiration, disrupts the flow of ions, and increases the ingress of salt reaching toxic levels, seriously affecting plant growth. Lack of oxygen (Hypoxia) can affect the survival of plants. The lack of oxygen in the soil is related to the exchange of gases in the soil with the gases in the atmosphere. Soil aeration is an important physical parameter of a soil. It is highly dynamic and is closely related to the amount of water in the soil and its bulk weight. Subsurface drip irrigation; It has higher water use efficiency compared to irrigation methods such as furrow irrigation and sprinkler irrigation. However, in heavy clay soils, subsurface drip irrigation creates continuous wetting fronts that predispose the rhizosphere region to hypoxia or anoxia. With subsurface drip irrigation, the oxygen is limited for root microbial respiration and root development, with the continuous spreading of water to a certain region of the root zone. In this study, the change in sugar beet yield caused by air application in the SDI system will be explained.

Keywords: sugar beet, subsurface drip irrigation, air application, irrigation efficiency

Procedia PDF Downloads 59

Authors: Milad Pirali, Sohrab Keyhani, Mohhamad Ali Sanjari, Ali Ashraf Jamshidi

Abstract:

Purpose: The effect of hamstring antagonist activity on the knee extensors torque of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is not clear and persistent muscle weakness is common after ACLR. Hamstring activation when acting as antagonist is considered very important for knee strengths. Therefore the purpose of this study was to examine hamstring antagonist coactivation during maximal effort of the isokinetic knee extension in ACLR athletes with hamstring autograft. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 20 professional athletes who underwent primary ACLR (hamstring tendon autograft)with 6-24 months postoperative and 20 healthy subjects as control group. Each subjects performed maximal effort isokinetic knee extension and flexion in 60/˚ s and 180/˚ s velocities for the involved and uninvolved limb. Synchronously, surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded of vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF). The antagonist integrated EMG (IEMG) values were normalized to the IEMG of the same muscle during maximal isokinetic eccentric effort at the same velocities and ROM. Results: A one-way analysis of variance designs shows significantly greater IEMG coactivation of hamstring and decreased activation of Vm in ACLR when compared to uninvolved and control group leg in 60/˚ s and 180/˚ s velocities. Likewise peak torque to body weight was decreased in ACLR compared to uninvolved and control group during knee extension in both velocities (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Decreased extensors moment caused by decreased quadriceps inhibition and increased hamstring coactivation. In addition, these result indicated to decrease of motor unit recruitment in the VM (as a kinesiologicmonitore of the knee). It is appearing that strengthening of the quadriceps to be an important for rehabilitation program after ACLR for preparation in athletes endeavors. Therefore, we suggest that having more emphasis and focus on quadriceps strength and less emphasis on hamstring following ACLR.

Keywords: ACLR-coactivation, dynamometry, electromyography, isokinetic

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Authors: Cristian Soitu, Alexander Feuerborn, Cyril Deroy, Alfonso Castrejon-Pita, Peter R. Cook, Edmond J. Walsh

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Microfluidics now stands as an academically mature technology after a quarter of a century research activities have delivered a vast array of proof of concepts for many biological workflows. However, translation to industry remains poor, with only a handful of notable exceptions – e.g. digital PCR, DNA sequencing – mainly because of biocompatibility issues, limited range of readouts supported or complex operation required. This technology exploits the domination of interfacial forces over gravitational ones at the microscale, replacing solid walls with fluid ones as building blocks for cell micro-environments. By employing only materials used by biologists for decades, the system is shown to be biocompatible, and easy to manufacture and operate. The method consists in displacing a continuous fluid layer into a pattern of isolated chambers overlaid with an immiscible liquid to prevent evaporation. The resulting fluid arrangements can be arrays of micro-chambers with rectangular footprint, which use the maximum surface area available, or structures with irregular patterns. Pliant, self-healing fluid walls confine volumes as small as 1 nl. Such fluidic structures can be reconfigured during the assays, giving the platform an unprecedented level of flexibility. Common workflows in cell biology are demonstrated – e.g. cell growth and retrieval, cloning, cryopreservation, fixation and immunolabeling, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, and proof-of-concept drug tests. This fluid-shaping technology is shown to have potential for high-throughput cell- and organism-based assays. The ability to make and reconfigure on-demand microfluidic circuits on standard Petri dishes should find many applications in biology, and yield more relevant phenotypic and genotypic responses when compared to standard microfluidic assays.

Keywords: fluid walls, micro-chambers, reconfigurable, freestyle

Procedia PDF Downloads 169