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Authors: Jaejin Han, Jinsub Choi

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Vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) is a type of redox flow battery which uses vanadium ionic solution as electrolyte. Inside the VRFB, 2.5mm thickness of graphite is generally used as bipolar plate for anti-corrosion of current collector. In this research, thick graphite bipolar plate was substituted by 0.126mm thickness of dimensionally stable anode which was coated with IrO2 on an anodic nanotubular TiO2 substrate. It can provide dimensional advantage over the conventional graphite when the VRFB is used as multi-stack. Ir was coated by using spray coating method in order to enhance electric conductivity. In this study, various electrochemical characterizations were carried out. Cyclic voltammetry data showed activation of Ir in the positive electrode of VRFB. In addition, polarization measurements showed Ir-coated DSA had low overpotential in the positive electrode of VRFB. In cell test results, the DSA-used VRFB showed better efficiency than graphite-used VRFB in voltage and overall efficiency.

Keywords: bipolar plate, DSA (dimensionally stable anode), iridium oxide coating, TiO2 nanotubes, VRFB (vanadium redox flow battery)

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Authors: Nur Rafeeda Daut

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The significance of this paper is to provide an insight on the role of social movement in building stronger ethnic relations in Malaysia. In particular, it focuses on how the BERSIH movement have been able to bring together the different ethnic groups in Malaysia to resist the present political administration that is seen to manipulate the electoral process and oppress the basic freedom of expression of Malaysians. Attention is given on how and why this group emerged and its mobilisation strategies. Malaysia which is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society gained its independence from the British in 1957. Like many other new nations, it faces the challenges of nation building and governance. From economic issues to racial and religious tension, Malaysia is experiencing high level of corruption and income disparity among the different ethnic groups. The political parties in Malaysia are also divided along ethnic lines. BERSIH which is translated as ‘clean’ is a movement which seeks to reform the current electoral system in Malaysia to ensure equality, justice, free and fair elections. It was originally formed in 2007 as a joint committee that comprised leaders from political parties, civil society groups and NGOs. In April 2010, the coalition developed as an entirely civil society movement unaffiliated to any political party. BERSIH claimed that the electoral roll in Malaysia has been marred by fraud and other irregularities. In 2015, the BERSIH movement organised its biggest rally in Malaysia which also includes 38 other rallies held internationally. Supporters of BERSIH that participated in the demonstration were comprised of all the different ethnic groups in Malaysia. In this paper, two social movement theories are used: resource mobilization theory and political opportunity structure to explain the emergence and mobilization of the BERSIH movement in Malaysia. Based on these two theories, corruption which is believed to have contributed to the income disparity among Malaysians has generated the development of this movement. The rise of re-islamisation values propagated by certain groups in Malaysia and the shift in political leadership has also created political opportunities for this movement to emerge. In line with the political opportunity structure theory, the BERSIH movement will continue to create more opportunities for the empowerment of civil society and the unity of ethnic relations in Malaysia. Comparison is made on the degree of ethnic unity in the country before and after BERSIH was formed. This would include analysing the level of re-islamisation values and also the level of corruption in relation to economic income under the premiership of the former Prime Minister Mahathir and the present Prime Minister Najib Razak. The country has never seen such uprisings like BERSIH where ethnic groups which over the years have been divided by ethnic based political parties and economic disparity joined together with a common goal for equality and fair elections. As such, the BERSIH movement is a unique case where it illustrates the change of political landscape, ethnic relations and civil society in Malaysia.

Keywords: ethnic relations, Malaysia, political opportunity structure, resource mobilization theory and social movement

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Authors: Paras Adlakha

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Today the major threat to our existing and future satellites is space debris; the collision of bodies like defunct satellites with any other objects in space, including the new age ASAT (anti-satellite) weaponry system, are the main causes of the increasing amount of space debris every year. After analyzing the current situation of space debris, low earth orbit is found to be having a large density of debris as compared to any other orbit range; that's why it is selected as the target orbit for space debris removal mission. In this paper, the complete data of 24000 debris is studied based on size, altitude, inclination, mass, number of existing satellites threaten by each debris from which the rocket bodies are the type of wreckage found to be most suited for removal. The optimal method of active debris removal using a robotic arm for capturing the body to attach a de-orbit kit is used to move the debris from its orbit without making the actual contact of servicer with the debris to reduce the further the threat of collision with defunct material. The major factors which are brought into consideration while designing the concept of debris removal are tumbling, removal of debris under a low-cost mission and decreasing the factor of collisions during the mission.

Keywords: de-orbit, debris, servicer, satellite, space junk

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Authors: Eric Mwenda, Shadrack Ngene

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Human-wildlife conflicts (HWCs) are the main threat to conservation in Africa. This is because wildlife needs overlap with those of humans. In Kenya, about 70% of wildlife occurs outside protected areas. As a result, wildlife and human range overlap, causing HWCs. The HWCs in Kenya occur in the drylands adjacent to protected areas. The top five counties with the highest incidences of HWC are Taita Taveta, Narok, Lamu, Kajiado, and Laikipia. The common wildlife species responsible for HWCs are elephants, buffaloes, hyenas, hippos, leopards, baboons, monkeys, snakes, and crocodiles. To ensure individuals affected by the conflicts are compensated, Kenya has developed a model of HWC compensation claims data collection and payment. We collected data on HWC from all eight Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Conservation Areas from 2009 to 2019. Additional data was collected from stakeholders' consultative workshops held in the Conservation Areas and a literature review regarding payment of injuries and ongoing insurance schemes being practiced in areas. This was followed by the description of the claims administration process and calculation of the pricing of the compensation claims. We further developed a digital platform for data capture and processing of all reported conflict cases and payments. Our product recognized four categories of HWC (i.e., human death and injury, property damage, crop destruction, and livestock predation). Personal bodily injury and human death were provided based on the Continental Scale of Benefits. We proposed a maximum of Kenya Shillings (KES) 3,000,000 for death. Medical, pharmaceutical, and hospital expenses were capped at a maximum of KES 150,000, as well as funeral costs at KES 50,000. Pain and suffering were proposed to be paid for 12 months at the rate of KES 13,500 per month. Crop damage was to be based on farm input costs at a maximum of KES 150,000 per claim. Livestock predation leading to death was based on Tropical Livestock Unit (TLU), which is equivalent to KES 30,000, whick includes Cattle (1 TLU = KES 30,000), Camel (1.4 TLU = KES 42,000), Goat (0.15 TLU = 4,500), Sheep (0.15 TLU = 4,500), and Donkey (0.5 TLU = KES 15,000). Property destruction (buildings, outside structures and harvested crops) was capped at KES 150,000 per any one claim. We conclude that it is possible to use an administrator to collect data on HWC compensation claims and make payments using technology. The success of the new approach will depend on a piloting program. We recommended that a pilot scheme be initiated for eight months in Taita Taveta, Kajiado, Baringo, Laikipia, Narok, and Meru Counties. This will test the claims administration process as well as harmonize data collection methods. The results of this pilot will be crucial in adjusting the scheme before country-wide roll out.

Keywords: human-wildlife conflicts, compensation, human death and injury, crop destruction, predation, property destruction

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Authors: Farzaneh Ziaee, Mohammad Ziaee

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N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) is a well-known mucolytic agent, and recently its efficacy has been examined for the prevention and remediation of several diseases such as lung infections caused by Coronavirus. Also, it is administrated as the main antidote in paracetamol overdose and is effective for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This medicine is used as an antioxidant to prevent diabetic kidney disease (nephropathy). In this study, a method for the acylation of amino acids is employed to manufacture this drug in a height yield. Regarding this patented path, NAC can be made in a single batch step at ambient pressure and temperature. Moreover, this study offers a technique to make peptide bonds which is of interest for pharmaceutical and medicinal industries. The separation process was undertaken using appropriate solvents to achieve an excellent purification level. The synthesized drug was characterized via proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), elemental analysis, and melting point.

Keywords: N-acetylcysteine, synthesis, mucolytic medication, lung anti-inflammatory, COVID-19, antioxidant, pharmaceutical supplement, characterization

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Authors: Azza A. Ali, Toqa M. Elnahhas, Abeer I. Abd El-Fattah, Mona M. Kamal, Karema Abu-Elfotuh

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Background: Environmental pollution with the different aluminium (Al) containing compounds especially those in industrial waste water exposes people to higher than normal levels of Al that represents an environmental risk factor. Cosmetics, Al ware, and containers are also sources of Al besides some foods and food additives. In addition to its known neurotoxicity, Al affects other body structures like skeletal system, blood cells, liver and kidney. Accumulation of Al in kidney and liver induces nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a pseudo-vitamin substance primarily present in the mitochondria. It is a powerful antioxidant and acts as radical scavenger. Wheat grass is a natural product that contains carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and cardiovascular protection activities. Cocoa is an excellent source of iron, potent antioxidants and can protect against many diseases. Vinpocetine is an antioxidant and anti inflammatory while zinc is an essential trace element involved in cell division and its deficiency is observed in many types of liver disease. Objective: To evaluate and compare the potency of different drugs (CoQ10, wheatgrass, cocoa, vinpocetine and zinc) against nephro- and hepato-toxicity induced by Al in rats. Methods: Rats were divided to seven groups and received daily for three weeks either saline for control group or AlCl3 (70 mg/kg, IP) for Al-toxicity model groups. Five groups of Al-toxicity model (treated groups) were orally received together with Al each of the following; CoQ10 (200mg/kg), wheat grass (100mg/kg), cocoa powder (24mg/kg), vinpocetine (20mg/kg) or zinc (32mg/kg). Biochemical changes in the serum level of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate deshydrogenase (LDH) as well as total bilirubin, lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, proteins, creatinine and urea were measured. Liver and kidney specimens from all groups were also collected for the assessment of hepatic and nephrotic level of inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6β, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), Caspase-3, oxidative parameters (MDA, SOD, TAC, NO) and DNA fragmentation. Histopathological changes in liver and kidney were also evaluated. Results: Three weeks of AlCl3 (70 mg/kg, IP) exposure induced nephro- and hepato-toxicity in rats. Treatment by the all used drugs showed protection against hazards of AlCl3. The protective effects were indicated by the significant decrease in ALT, AST, ALP, LDH as well as total bilirubin, lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, creatinine and urea levels which were increased by Al. Liver and kidney of the treated groups showed decrease in MDA, NO, TNF-α, IL-6β, NF-κB, caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation which were increased by Al, together with significant increase in total proteins, SOD and TAC which were decreased by Al. The protection against both nephro- and hepato-toxicity was more pronounced especially with CoQ10 and wheat grass than the other used drugs. Histopathological examinations confirmed the biochemical results of toxicity and of protection. Conclusion: Protection from nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and the consequent degenerations induced by Al can be achieved by using different drugs as CoQ10, wheatgrass, cocoa, vinpocetine and zinc, but CoQ10 as well as wheat grass possesses the most superior protection.

Keywords: aluminum, nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, coenzyme Q10, wheatgrass, cocoa, vinpocetine, zinc

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Authors: Nagasamy Venkatesh Dhandapani

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The objective of the present study was to develop sustained release oral matrix tablets of anti epileptic drug levetiracetam. The sustained release matrix tablets of levetiracetam were prepared using hydrophilic matrix hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as a release retarding polymer by wet granulation method. Prior to compression, FTIR studies were performed to understand the compatibility between the drug and excipients. The study revealed that there was no chemical interaction between drug and excipients used in the study. The tablets were characterized by physical and chemical parameters and results were found in acceptable limits. In vitro release study was carried out for the tablets using 0.1 N HCl for 2 hours and in phosphate buffer pH 7.4 for remaining time up to 12 hours. The effect of polymer concentration was studied. Different dissolution models were applied to drug release data in order to evaluate release mechanisms and kinetics. The drug release data fit well to zero order kinetics. Drug release mechanism was found as a complex mixture of diffusion, swelling and erosion.

Keywords: levetiracetam, sustained-release, hydrophilic matrix tablet, HPMC grade K 100 MCR, wet granulation, zero order release kinetics

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Authors: Humayun R. H. Kabir

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An analytical solution before used for static and free-vibration response has been extended for thermal buckling response on cylindrical panel with anti-symmetric laminations. The partial differential equations that govern kinematic behavior of shells produce five coupled differential equations. The basic displacement and rotational unknowns are similar to first order shear deformation theory---three displacement in spatial space, and two rotations about in-plane axes. No drilling degree of freedom is considered. Boundary conditions are considered as complete hinge in all edges so that the panel respond on thermal inductions. Two sets of double Fourier series are considered in the analytical solution process. The sets are selected that satisfy mixed type of natural boundary conditions. Numerical results are presented for the first 10 eigenvalues, and first 10 mode shapes for Ux, Uy, and Uz components. The numerical results are compared with a finite element based solution.

Keywords: higher order shear deformation, composite, thermal buckling, angle-ply laminations

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Authors: Miron Wolnicki

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In the past 75 years the world was either influenced by, competing with or learning from U.S. corporations. This is no longer true. As the economic power shifts from the West to the East, U.S. corporations are lagging behind Asian competitors. Moreover, U.S. statecraft fails to address this decline. In a world dominated by interventionist and neo-mercantilist states, having an ineffective non-activist government becomes a costly neoclassic delusion which weakens the world’s largest economy. American conservative economists continue talking about the superiority of the free market system in generating new technologies. The reality is different. The U.S. is sliding further into an overregulated, over-taxed, anti-business state. This paper argues that in order to maintain its economic strength and technological leadership, the U.S. must reform federal institutions to increase support for artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies. The author outlines a number of institutional reforms, under one umbrella, which he calls the American Entrepreneurial State (AES). The AES will improve productivity and bring about coherent business strategies for the next 10-15 years. The design and inspiration for the AES come from the experience of successful statecraft examples in Asia and also other parts the global economy.

Keywords: post-neoliberal system, entrepreneurial state, government and economy, American entrepreneurial state

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Authors: Rachel F. Ajayi, Unathi Sidwaba, Usisipho Feleni, Samantha F. Douman, Ezo Nxusani, Lindsay Wilson, Candice Rassie, Oluwakemi Tovide, Priscilla G.L. Baker, Sibulelo L. Vilakazi, Robert Tshikhudo, Emmanuel I. Iwuoha

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Pyrazinamide (PZA) is among the first-line pro-drugs in the tuberculosis (TB) combination chemotherapy used to treat Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Numerous reports have suggested that hepatotoxicity due to pyrazinamide in patients is due to inappropriate dosing. It is therefore necessary to develop sensitive and reliable techniques for determining the PZA metabolic profile of diagnosed patients promptly and at point-of-care. This study reports the determination of PZA based on nanobiosensor systems developed from disuccinimidyl octanedioate modified Cytochrome P450-2E1 (CYP2E1) electrodeposited on gold substrates derivatised with (poly(8-anilino-1-napthalene sulphonic acid) PANSA/PVP-AgNPs nanocomposites. The rapid and sensitive amperometric PZA detection gave a dynamic linear range of 2 µM to 16 µM revealing a limit of detection of 0.044 µM and a sensitivity of 1.38 µA/µM. The Michaelis-Menten parameters; KM, KMapp and IMAX were also calculated and found to be 6.0 µM, 1.41 µM and 1.51 µA respectively indicating a nanobiosensor suitable for use in serum.

Keywords: tuberculosis, cytochrome P450-2E1, disuccinimidyl octanedioate, pyrazinamide

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Authors: Hugo M. Gonzales, Ke Ni Chai, Deanne Mary King

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International students are underrepresented in Australian health literature, and this population is especially vulnerable to the well-documented negative impacts associated with racial microaggressions in their adjustment to settling in the new society, as well as to the many challenges they already face as international students. This study investigated the prevalence of racial microaggressions among international students and their impact on stress and psychological well-being. This research was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been documented to contribute to anti-Asian racism. Participants included 54 international students, of which 72% were Asian. The Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale (REMS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Perceived General Wellbeing Indicator (PGWBI) were used to measure the participants’ responses. All participants reported experiencing racial microaggression in the last six months, and significant correlations and regression models were found between REMS, certain elements of the PSS scale, and time in Australia. Despite the small sample size, this research corroborated outcomes from recent studies and provided insight into the prevalence and impact of racial microaggressions among such populations, highlighting the need for further exploration.

Keywords: racial microaggressions, international students, racism, REMS, microaggressions in Australia, stress, psychological wellbeing

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Authors: D. Baranova, E. Neborak

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Polyphenols, particularly flavonoids like quercetin, fisetin, and kaempferol, have gained significant attention in nutrition due to their antioxidant, senolytic, and anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds are commonly found in various plant-based foods and are represented by diverse subclasses, each with unique health benefits. Understanding their absorption, metabolism, and bioactivity within the human body is crucial for unlocking their full potential. Quercetin, for instance, exists in multiple forms, impacting its solubility and absorption in the intestine. Its intake, often derived from sources like apples, is affected by cooking methods, with medium heat retaining its potency. Fisetin, also present in fruits and vegetables, demonstrates neuroprotective qualities and stability under varied conditions compared to quercetin. Similarly, kaempferol, found in fruits and vegetables, displays antioxidative effects but is influenced by cooking techniques, with specific methods preserving its polyphenolic content better. Overall, these polyphenols offer promising health benefits, yet their optimal dosage and specific dietary recommendations warrant further research to harness their full nutritional potential.

Keywords: polyphenols, flavonoids, absorption, quercetin, kaempferol, fisetin, senolytics, absorption, cooking method

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Authors: Houria Djebar, Amina Saib, Malika Berredjem, Khaoula Bechlem, Mohammed-Reda Djebar

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Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have a high potential to damage almost all types of cellular components of the body, which explains their involvement in the induction and/or amplification of several pathologies. Supplementation of the body by exogenous antioxidants is very useful against these harmful species. In this context, we attempted to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of three newly synthesized amidophosphonates (AP1, AP2, and AP3). The results relating to the in vitro tests for DPPH radical scavenging activity shows that these amidophosphonates have a modest antiradical power (ARP) less effectively pronounced compared with an analogue marketed in Algeria: (Dursban) Clorpiryphos ethyl. However, in vivo effects were evaluated on some antioxidant systems (LP intensity, CAT activity and GSH content), or in combination with 2, 2-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyle (DPPH) radical in paramecium tetraurelia used as a complementary system to rapidly elucidate the cytotoxicity. On the basis of the results obtained it can be concluded that amidophosphonates studied exhibited a mild protective effect. The mechanism for how they influenced the antioxidant activities was discussed.

Keywords: Paramecium tetraurelia, amidophosphonates, antioxidant activity, DPPH free radical, in vitro experiments, biochemical parameters

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Authors: M. Samsami, A. Hekmatdoost, N. Ebrahimi Daryani, P. Rezanejad Asl

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Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease in which immune and inflammatory factors are thought to be effective in this disease. Resveratrol is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound. This study determined the effects of resveratrol compound on inflammatory factors in patients with ulcerative colitis. This study was a double-blind randomized clinical trial conducted on 50 patients with UC. Subjects received one capsule daily for 6 wk of either resveratrol (500 mg) or a placebo. Inflammatory factors, anthropometric measures, and IBDQ-9 (Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire-9) scores were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study. STATA12 software was used for data analysis. No significant differences were found in the background variables between the two groups at baseline. The results indicated that resveratrol supplementation for 6 week significantly decreased plasma levels of TNF-a and hs-CRP and the activity of NF-κB over the placebo group (p<0.001). Significant differences remained after adjustment for vitamin C (p<0.0001). The IBDQ-9 scores increased significantly in the resveratrol group over the placebo group (p<0.001). The findings of this study showed that resveratrol supplementation can be useful in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Keywords: IBD, inflammation, resveratrol, ulcerative colitis

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Authors: Judy M. Obliosca, Olivia Vest, Sandra Poulos, Kelsi Smith, Tammy Ferguson, Abigail Powers Lott, Alicia K. Smith, Yang Xu, Christopher K. Tison

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem that people may develop after experiencing traumatic events such as combat, natural disasters, and major emotional challenges. Tragically, the number of military personnel with PTSD correlates directly with the number of veterans who attempt suicide, with the highest rate in the Army. Research has shown epigenetic risks in those who are prone to several psychiatric dysfunctions, particularly PTSD. Once initiated in response to trauma, epigenetic alterations in particular, the DNA methylation in the form of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) alters chromatin structure and represses gene expression. Current methods to detect DNA methylation, such as bisulfite-based genomic sequencing techniques, are laborious and have massive analysis workflow while still having high error rates. A faster and simpler detection method of high sensitivity and precision would be useful in a clinical setting to confirm potential PTSD etiologies, prevent other psychiatric disorders, and improve military health. A nano-enhanced Surface Plasmon Resonance imaging (SPRi)-based assay that simultaneously detects site-specific 5mC base (termed as PTSD base) in methylated genes related to PTSD is being developed. The arrays on a sensing chip were first constructed for parallel detection of PTSD bases using synthetic and genomic DNA (gDNA) samples. For the gDNA sample extracted from the whole blood of a PTSD patient, the sample was first digested using specific restriction enzymes, and fragments were denatured to obtain single-stranded methylated target genes (ssDNA). The resulting mixture of ssDNA was then injected into the assay platform, where targets were captured by specific DNA aptamer probes previously immobilized on the surface of a sensing chip. The PTSD bases in targets were detected by anti-5-methylcytosine antibody (anti-5mC), and the resulting signals were then enhanced by the universal nanoenhancer. Preliminary results showed successful detection of a PTSD base in a gDNA sample. Brighter spot images and higher delta values (control-subtracted reflectivity signal) relative to those of the control were observed. We also implemented the in-house surface activation system for detection and developed SPRi disposable chips. Multiplexed PTSD base detection of target methylated genes in blood DNA from PTSD patients of severity conditions (asymptomatic and severe) was conducted. This diagnostic capability being developed is a platform technology, and upon successful implementation for PTSD, it could be reconfigured for the study of a wide variety of neurological disorders such as traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and Huntington's disease and can be extended to the analyses of other sample matrices such as urine and saliva.

Keywords: epigenetic assay, DNA methylation, PTSD, whole blood, multiplexing

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Authors: Melanie Schinnerl, Dorothea Greiling

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In the context of the 2020 strategy, poverty and its fight returned to the center of national political efforts. This served as motivation for an Austrian research grant-funded project to focus on the under-researched local government level with the aim to identify municipal best-practice cases and to derive policy implications for Austria. Designing effective poverty reduction strategies is a complex challenge which calls for an integrated multi-actor in approach. Cities are increasingly confronted to combat poverty, even in rich EU-member states. By doing so cities face substantial demographic, cultural, economic and social challenges as well as changing welfare state regimes. Furthermore, there is a low willingness of (right-wing) governments to support the poor. Against this background, the research questions are: 1. How do local governments define poverty? 2. Who are the main risk groups and what are the most pressing problems when fighting urban poverty? 3. What is regarded as successful anti-poverty initiatives? 4. What is the underlying welfare state concept? To address the research questions a multi-method approach was chosen, consisting of a systematic literature analysis, a comprehensive document analysis, and expert interviews. For interpreting the data the project follows the qualitative-interpretive paradigm. Municipal approaches for reducing poverty are compared based on deductive, as well as inductive identified criteria. In addition to an intensive literature analysis, interviews (40) were conducted in Austria since the project started in March 2018. From the other countries, 14 responses have been collected, providing a first insight. Regarding the definition of poverty the EU SILC-definition as well as counting the persons who receive need-based minimum social benefits, the Austrian form of social welfare, are the predominant approaches in Austria. In addition to homeless people, single-parent families, un-skilled persons, long-term unemployed persons, migrants (first and second generation), refugees and families with at least 3 children were frequently mentioned. The most pressing challenges for Austrian cities are: expected reductions of social budgets, a great insecurity of the central government's social policy reform plans, the growing number of homeless people and a lack of affordable housing. Together with affordable housing, old-age poverty will gain more importance in the future. The Austrian best practice examples, suggested by interviewees, focused primarily on homeless, children and young people (till 25). Central government’s policy changes have already negative effects on programs for refugees and elderly unemployed. Social Housing in Vienna was frequently mentioned as an international best practice case, other growing cities can learn from. The results from Austria indicate a change towards the social investment state, which primarily focuses on children and labour market integration. The first insights from the other countries indicate that affordable housing and labor market integration are cross-cutting issues. Inherited poverty and old-age poverty seems to be more pressing outside Austria.

Keywords: anti-poverty policies, European cities, empirical study, social investment

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Authors: Mehran Fadaeinasab, Hamed Karimian, Najihah Mohd Hashim, Hapipah Mohd Ali

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In this study, three indole alkaloids namely; rauvolfine B, macusine B, and isoreserpiline have been isolated from the dichloromethane crude extract of Rauvolfia reflexa bark (Apocynaceae). The structural elucidation of the isolated compounds has been performed using spectral methods such as UV, IR, MS, 1D, and 2D NMR. Rauvolfine B showed anti proliferation activity on HCT-116 cancer cell line, its cytotoxicity induction was observed using MTT assay in eight different cell lines. Annexin-V is serving as a marker for apoptotic cells and the Annexin-V-FITC assay was carried out to observe the detection of cell-surface Phosphatidylserine (PS). Apoptosis was confirmed by using caspase-8 and -9 assays. Cell cycle arrest was also investigated using flowcytometric analysis. rauvolfine B had exhibited significantly higher cytotoxicity against HCT-116 cell line. The treatment significantly arrested HCT-116 cells in the S phase. Together, the results presented in this study demonstrated that rauvolfine B inhibited the proliferation of HCT-116 cells and programmed cell death followed by cell cycle arrest.

Keywords: apocynacea, indole alkaloid, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest

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Authors: Sudeshna Chandra, Christian Gäbler, Christian Schliebe, Heinrich Lang

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Highly branched dendrimers provide structural homogeneity, controlled composition, comparable size to biomolecules, internal porosity and multiple functional groups for conjugating reactions. Electro-active dendrimers containing multiple redox units have generated great interest in their use as electrode modifiers for development of biosensors. The electron transfer between the redox-active dendrimers and the biomolecules play a key role in developing a biosensor. Ferrocenes have multiple and electrochemically equivalent redox units that can act as electron “pool” in a system. The ferrocenyl-terminated polyamidoamine dendrimer is capable of transferring multiple numbers of electrons under the same applied potential. Therefore, they can be used for dual purposes: one in building a film over the electrode for immunosensors and the other for immobilizing biomolecules for sensing. Electrochemical immunosensor, thus developed, exhibit fast and sensitive analysis, inexpensive and involve no prior sample pre-treatment. Electrochemical amperometric immunosensors are even more promising because they can achieve a very low detection limit with high sensitivity. Detection of the cancer biomarkers at an early stage can provide crucial information for foundational research of life science, clinical diagnosis and prevention of disease. Elevated concentration of biomarkers in body fluid is an early indication of some type of cancerous disease and among all the biomarkers, IgG is the most common and extensively used clinical cancer biomarkers. We present an IgG (=immunoglobulin) electrochemical immunosensor using a newly synthesized redox-active ferrocenyl dendrimer of generation 2 (G2Fc) as glassy carbon electrode material for immobilizing the antibody. The electrochemical performance of the modified electrodes was assessed in both aqueous and non-aqueous media using varying scan rates to elucidate the reaction mechanism. The potential shift was found to be higher in an aqueous electrolyte due to presence of more H-bond which reduced the electrostatic attraction within the amido groups of the dendrimers. The cyclic voltammetric studies of the G2Fc-modified GCE in 0.1 M PBS solution of pH 7.2 showed a pair of well-defined redox peaks. The peak current decreased significantly with the immobilization of the anti-goat IgG. After the immunosensor is blocked with BSA, a further decrease in the peak current was observed due to the attachment of the protein BSA to the immunosensor. A significant decrease in the current signal of the BSA/anti-IgG/G2Fc/GCE was observed upon immobilizing IgG which may be due to the formation of immune-conjugates that blocks the tunneling of mass and electron transfer. The current signal was found to be directly related to the amount of IgG captured on the electrode surface. With increase in the concentration of IgG, there is a formation of an increasing amount of immune-conjugates that decreased the peak current. The incubation time and concentration of the antibody was optimized for better analytical performance of the immunosensor. The developed amperometric immunosensor is sensitive to IgG concentration as low as 2 ng/mL. Tailoring of redox-active dendrimers provides enhanced electroactivity to the system and enlarges the sensor surface for binding the antibodies. It may be assumed that both electron transfer and diffusion contribute to the signal transformation between the dendrimers and the antibody.

Keywords: ferrocenyl dendrimers, electrochemical immunosensors, immunoglobulin, amperometry

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Authors: Silvia Di Giacomo, Marcello Locatelli, Simone Carradori, Francesco Cacciagrano, Chiara Toniolo, Gabriela Mazzanti, Luisa Mannina, Stefania Cesa, Antonella Di Sotto

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Hyperglycemia represents the main pathogenic factor in the development of diabetes complications and has been found associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, which in turn increase cell dysfunction. Therefore, counteract oxidative species appears to be a suitable strategy for preventing the hyperglycemia-induce cell damage and support the pharmacotherapy of diabetes and metabolic diseases. Antidiabetic potential of many food sources has been linked to the presence of polyphenolic metabolites, particularly flavonoids such as quercetin and its glycosylated form rutin. In line with this evidence, in the present study, we assayed the potential anti-hyperglycemic activity of an ethyl acetate extract from the peel of Punica granatum L. var. Dente di Cavallo (PGE), a fruit well known to traditional medicine for the beneficial properties of its edible juice. The effect of the extract on the glucidic metabolism has been evaluated by assessing its ability to inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase, two digestive enzymes responsible for the hydrolysis of dietary carbohydrates: their inhibition can delay the carbohydrate digestion and reduce glucose absorption, thus representing an important strategy for the management of hyperglycemia. Also, the PGE ability to block the release of advanced glycated end-products (AGEs), whose accumulation is known to be responsible for diabetic vascular complications, was studied. The iron-reducing and chelating activities, which are the primary mechanisms by which AGE inhibitors stop their metal-catalyzed formation, were evaluated as possible antioxidant mechanisms. At last, the phenolic content of PGE was characterized by chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods. Our results displayed the ability of PGE to inhibit α-amylase enzyme with a similar potency to the positive control: the IC₅₀ values were 52.2 (CL 27.7 - 101.2) µg/ml and 35.6 (CL 22.8 - 55.5) µg/ml for acarbose and PGE, respectively. PGE also inhibited the α-glucosidase enzyme with about a 25 higher potency than the positive controls of acarbose and quercetin. Furthermore, the extract exhibited ferrous and ferric ion chelating ability, with a maximum effect of 82.1% and 80.6% at a concentration of 250 µg/ml respectively, and reducing properties, reaching the maximum effect of 80.5% at a concentration of 10 µg/ml. At last, PGE was found able to inhibit the AGE production (maximum inhibition of 82.2% at the concentration of 1000 µg/ml), although with lower potency with respect to the positive control rutin. The phytochemical analysis of PGE displayed the presence of high levels of total polyphenols, tannins, and flavonoids, among which ellagic acid, gallic acid and catechin were identified. Altogether these data highlight the ability of PGE to control the carbohydrate metabolism at different levels, both by inhibiting the metabolic enzymes and by affecting the AGE formation likely by chelating mechanisms. It is also noteworthy that peel from pomegranate, although being a waste of juice production, can be reviewed as a nutraceutical source. In conclusion, present results suggest the possible role of PGE as a remedy for preventing hyperglycemia complications and encourage further in vivo studies.

Keywords: anti-hyperglycemic activity, antioxidant properties, nutraceuticals, polyphenols, pomegranate

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Authors: N. S. Okoro

Abstract:

An experiment was conducted to determine the growth performance, blood parameters and reproductive characteristics of 8-week old male weaner rabbits fed 2% boiled pigeon pea seed meal. The study lasted for 16 weeks. Results showed that hematological parameters of the two groups of rabbit bucks were not significantly affected (p > 0.05) by the treatment, meaning that the PPSM was adequate for maintaining the blood parameters at the normal levels. The 20% boiled PPSM significantly affected (P < 0.05) serum Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) (67.72±2.5 I.U/I) more than the ALT (57.50±2.02 I.U/I) of the control, which is an indication of liver problem. The globulin level (3.00 ± 0.23g/dl) of the 20% boiled PPSM group was significantly higher than that of the control (2.60±0.06 g/dl), indicating that the test diet did not alter protein metabolism in the rabbits. Boiled pigeon pea seed meal supported organ weight and testicular development in rabbit bucks, suggesting that boiling reduced the level of the anti-nutritional factors in pigeon pea seed meal. Thus, 20% boiled pigeon pea can be included in diets of rabbits without adverse effect on blood parameters and internal organs characteristics.

Keywords: hematology, internal organs, Pigeon pea, rabbits, serum biochemistry

Procedia PDF Downloads 378

Authors: Supakan Rattanakon, Jakkrapan Boonpimon, Akkaragiat Bhuangsaeng, Aphiwat Ratriphruek

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Rice bran oil (RBO) has been found to lower the level of serum cholesterol, has antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic property, and attenuate allergic inflammation. These properties of RBO are due to antioxidant compositions, especially, phenolic compounds. The higher amount of these active compounds in RBO, the greater value of RBO is. Thermal process of rice bran before solvent RBO extraction has been found to have a higher phenolic contents. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to using different heating methods on rice bran before the solvent extraction. Then, % yield of RBO, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant property of two white Thai rice; KDML105 and RD6 were determined. The Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric assay was used to determine TPC and scavenging of free radicals (DPPH) was used to determine antioxidant property expressed as EC50. The result showed that thermal process did not increase % yield of RBO but increase the TPC with 1.41 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAEmg-1). The highest TPC was found in KDML105 by using sonicator. The highest antioxidant activity was found in RD6 using autoclave. The EC50 of RBO was 0.04 mg/mL. Further study should be performed on different pretreatments to increase the TPC and antioxidant property.

Keywords: antioxidant, rice bran oil, total phenol content, white rice

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Authors: Merle Bischoff, Thomas Gries, Gunnar Seide

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Pesticides, which harm crop enemies, but can also interfere with the human body, are nowadays mostly used for crop spraying. Silica particles (SiO2) in the nanometer and micrometer scale offer a physical way to combat insects without harming humans and other mammals. Thereby, they allow foregoing pesticides, which can harm the environment. As silica particles are supplied as a powder or in a suspension to farmers, the silica use in large scale agriculture is not sufficient due to erosion through wind and rain. When silica is implemented in a textile’s surface (nanocompound), particles are locally bound and do resist erosion, but can function against bugs. By choosing polypropylene as a matrix polymer, the production of an inexpensive agritextile with an 'anti-bug' effect is made possible. In the Symposium the results of the manufacturing and filament spinning of silica nanocomposites from a polypropylene basis is compared to the fabrication from nanocomposites based on Polybutylene succinate, a biodegradable composite. The investigation focuses on the difference between degradable nanocomposite and stable nanocomposite. Focus will be laid on the filament characteristics as well as the degradation of the nanocompound to underline their potential use and application as an agricultural textile.

Keywords: agriculture, environment, insects, protection, silica, textile, nanocomposite

Procedia PDF Downloads 235

Authors: Peter Fedichev

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We studied fundamental aspects of aging to develop a mathematical model of gene regulatory network. We show that aging manifests itself as an inherent instability of gene network leading to exponential accumulation of regulatory errors with age. To validate our approach we studied age-dependent omic data such as transcriptomes, metabolomes etc. of different model organisms and humans. We build a computational platform based on our model to identify the targets and biomarkers of aging to design new drugs against aging and age-related diseases. As biomarkers of aging, we choose the rate of aging and the biological age since they completely determine the state of the organism. Since rate of aging rapidly changes in response to an external stress, this kind of biomarker can be useful as a tool for quantitative efficacy assessment of drugs, their combinations, dose optimization, chronic toxicity estimate, personalized therapies selection, clinical endpoints achievement (within clinical research), and death risk assessments. According to our model, we propose a method for targets identification for further interventions against aging and age-related diseases. Being a biotech company, we offer a complete pipeline to develop an anti-aging drug-candidate.

Keywords: aging, longevity, biomarkers, senescence

Procedia PDF Downloads 263

Authors: I. Nur Hilwani, R. Nasibah, S. Nurdiana, M. J. Norashirene

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Impaired fertility may be the result of indirect consumption of anti-fertility agents through food. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been widely used as food additive, flavour enhancer and included in vaccines. This study focuses in determining the gonadotoxic and cytotoxic effect of MSG on selected sperm parameters such as sperm viability, sperm membrane integrity and testes cytoarchitecture of male mice via histological examination to determine its effect on spermatogenesis. Twenty-four Mus musculus were randomly divided into 4 groups and given intraperitoneal injections (IP) daily for 14 days of different MSG concentrations at 250, 500 and 1000mg/kg MSG to body weight to induce obesity. Saline was given to control group. Mice were sacrificed and analysis revealed abnormalities in values for sperm parameters and damages to testes cytoarchitecture of male mice. The results recorded decreased viability (p<0.05) and integrity of sperm membrane (p>0.05) with degenerative structures in seminiferous tubule of testes. The results indicated various implications of MSG on male mice reproductive system which has consequences in fertility potential.

Keywords: sperm parameter, testes histology, sperm viability, sperm membrane integrity

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Authors: Mohsina Akhter

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Cancer has become a wide spread disease around the globe and takes many lives every year. Different treatments are being practiced but all have potential side effects with somewhat less specificity towards target sites. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to secrete a protein azurin with special anti-cancer function. It has unique cell penetrating peptide comprising of 18 amino acids that have ability to enter cancer cells specifically. Reported function of Azurin is to stabilize p53 inside the tumor cells and induces apoptosis through Bax mediated cytochrome c release from mitochondria. At laboratory scale, we have made recombinant azurin through cloning rpTZ57R/T-azu vector into E.coli strain DH-5α and subcloning rpET28-azu vector into E.coli BL21-CodonPlus (DE3). High expression was ensured with IPTG induction at different concentrations then optimized high expression level at 1mM concentration of IPTG for 5 hours. Purification has been done by using Ni+2 affinity chromatography. We have concluded that azurin can be a remarkable improvement in cancer therapeutics if it produces on a large scale. Azurin does not enter into the normal cells so it will prove a safe and secure treatment for patients and prevent them from hazardous anomalies.

Keywords: azurin, pseudomonas aeruginosa, cancer, therapeutics

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Authors: Sana Abbasa, Shahzad Bhattiab, Nadir Khan

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Sargassum siliquastrum is brown seaweed with traditional claims for some medicinal properties. This research was done to investigate the methanol extract of S. siliquastrum for antiproliferative activity against human cervical cancer cell line, HeLa and its mode of cell death. From methylene blue assay, S. siliquastrum exhibited antiproliferative activity on HeLa cells with IC50 of 3.87 µg/ml without affecting non-malignant cells. Phase contrast microscopy indicated the confluency reduction in HeLa cells and changes on the cell shape. Nuclear staining with Hoechst 33258 displayed the formation of apoptotic bodies and fragmented nuclei. S. siliquastrum also induced early apoptosis event in HeLa cells as confirmed by FITC-Annexin V/propidium iodide staining by flow cytometry analysis. Cell cycle analysis indicated growth arrest of HeLa cells at G1/S phase. Protein study by flow cytometry indicated the increment of p53, slight increase of Bax and unchanged level of Bcl-2. In conclusion, S. siliquastrum demonstrated an antiproliferative activity in HeLa cell by inducing G1/S cell cycle arrest via p53-mediated pathway.

Keywords: sargassum siliquastrum, cervical cancer, P53, antiproleferation

Procedia PDF Downloads 615

Authors: Mohamed S. Selim, Nesreen A. Fatthallah, Shimaa A. Higazy, Zhifeng Hao, Xiang Chen

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After the prohibition of tin-based fouling-prevention coatings in 2003, the researchers were directed toward eco-friendly coatings. Because of their nonstick, environmental, and economic benefits, foul-release nanocoatings have received a lot of attention. They use physical anti-adhesion terminology to deter any fouling attachment.Natural bioinspired surfaces have micro/nano-roughness and low surface free energy features, which may inspire the design of dynamic antifouling coatings. Graphene-based nanocomposite surfaces were designed to combat marine-fouling adhesion with ecological as well as eco-friendly effects rather than biocidal solutions. Polymer–graphenenanofiller hybrids are a novel class of composite materials in fouling-prevention applications. The controlled preparation of nanoscale orientation, arrangement, and direction along the composite building blocks would result in superior fouling prohibition. This work representsfoul-release nanocomposite top coats for marine coating applications with superhydrophobicity, surface inertness against fouling adherence, cost-effectiveness, and increased lifetime.

Keywords: foul-release nanocoatings, graphene-based nanocomposite, polymer, nanofillers

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Authors: Drashti G. Daraji, Rosa E. Moo-Puc, Hitesh D. Patel

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Substituted 2-Thioimidazole analogues have been synthesized and confirmed by advanced spectroscopic techniques. Among them, ten compounds have been selected and evaluated for their in vitro anti-cancer activity at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for testing against a panel of 60 different human tumor cell lines derived from nine neoplastic cancer types. Furthermore, synthesized compounds were tested for their in vitro antiprotozoal activity, and none of them exhibited significant potency against antiprotozoans. It was observed that the tested all compounds seem effective on the UACC-62 melanoma cancer cell line as compared to other cancer cell lines and also exhibited the least potent in the Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer cell line in one-dose screening. In silico studies of these derivatives were carried out by molecular docking techniques and Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) using Schrödinger software to find potent B-Raf kinase inhibitor (PDB ID: 3OG7). All the compounds have been performed for docking study; Compound D4 has a good docking score for melanoma cancer as compared with other.

Keywords: anticancer activity, cancer cell line, 2-thio imidazole, one-dose assay, molecular docking

Procedia PDF Downloads 127

Authors: Shankaran Sitarama

Abstract:

New Product Development (NPD) is invariably a team effort and involves effective teamwork. NPD team has members from different disciplines coming together and working through the different phases all the way from conceptual design phase till the production and product roll out. Creativity and Innovation are some of the key factors of successful NPD. Team members going through the different phases of NPD interact and work closely yet challenge each other during the design phases to brainstorm on ideas and later converge to work together. These two traits require the teams to have a divergent and a convergent thinking simultaneously. There needs to be a good balance. The team dynamics invariably result in conflicts among team members. While some amount of conflict (ideational conflict) is desirable in NPD teams to be creative as a group, relational conflicts (or discords among members) could be detrimental to teamwork. Team communication truly reflect these tensions and team dynamics. In this research, team communication (emails) between the members of the NPD teams is considered for analysis. The email communication is processed through a semantic analysis algorithm (LSA) to analyze the content of communication and a semantic similarity analysis to arrive at a social network graph that depicts the communication amongst team members based on the content of communication. The amount of communication (content and not frequency of communication) defines the interaction strength between the members. Social network adjacency matrix is thus obtained for the team. Standard social network analysis techniques based on the Adjacency Matrix (AM) and Dichotomized Adjacency Matrix (DAM) based on network density yield network graphs and network metrics like centrality. The social network graphs are then rendered for visual representation using a Metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MMDS) algorithm for node placements and arcs connecting the nodes (representing team members) are drawn. The distance of the nodes in the placement represents the tie-strength between the members. Stronger tie-strengths render nodes closer. Overall visual representation of the social network graph provides a clear picture of the team’s interactions. This research reveals four distinct patterns of team interaction that are clearly identifiable in the visual representation of the social network graph and have a clearly defined computational scheme. The four computational patterns of team interaction defined are Central Member Pattern (CMP), Subgroup and Aloof member Pattern (SAP), Isolate Member Pattern (IMP), and Pendant Member Pattern (PMP). Each of these patterns has a team dynamics implication in terms of the conflict level in the team. For instance, Isolate member pattern, clearly points to a near break-down in communication with the member and hence a possible high conflict level, whereas the subgroup or aloof member pattern points to a non-uniform information flow in the team and some moderate level of conflict. These pattern classifications of teams are then compared and correlated to the real level of conflict in the teams as indicated by the team members through an elaborate self-evaluation, team reflection, feedback form and results show a good correlation.

Keywords: team dynamics, team communication, team interactions, social network analysis, sna, new product development, latent semantic analysis, LSA, NPD teams

Procedia PDF Downloads 54

Authors: Devarakonda Ramadevi, Dasari Rambabu, K. Suresh Babu, Battu Ganga Rao, Lakshmi Sirisha Kotikalapudi

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The phytochemical and biological evaluation of the whole plant of Derris scandens is belonging to the family fabaceae. The dried plant of D.scandens was procured from the tirumala. The completely dried powder of the whole plant was taken and ground to a coarse powder which was then subjected to Soxhlet extraction with hexane and chloroform successively for 36 hrs. Chloroform extract was filtered and concentrated by using rotary evaporator an about 100g extract was obtained. The chloroform extract was subjected to column chromatographed over silicagel. From the column chromatography seven compounds were isolated named as osajin, scandinone, scandenone, 4,5,7-tri hydroxy biprenyl isoflavone, derris isoflavone-A, scandenin and isoscandinone. D.scandens resulting in the isolation of seven compounds in the plant was confirmed by spectral data (1H NMR, 13C NMR, ESI-MS and FTIR). The isolated compounds were screened for antioxidant activity, antidiabetic activity, α-glucosidase (inhibitory activity) and anti-bacterial activity. The isolated seven compounds were tested for α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity. All the seven compounds showed good α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and moderate antioxidant activity.

Keywords: Derris scandens, phytochemical, antioxident, antidiabetic, antibacterial activity

Procedia PDF Downloads 303