Search results for: polymerase chain reaction

Authors: C. L. Popa, S. L. Iconaru, A. Costescu, C. S. Ciobanu, M. Motelica Heino, R. Guegan, D. Predoi

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Surface functionalization of ceramic composites with a special focus on tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) is discoursed. Mesoporous ceramic HAp-TEOS composites were prepared by the incorporation of hydroxyapatite into tetraethyl orthosilicate by sol-gel method. The resulting samples were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy and nitrogen physisorption. The removal of Pb2+ ions from aqueous solutions was evaluated using Atomic Absorbtion Spectroscopy (AAS). Removal experiments of Pb2+ ions were carried out in aqueous solutions with controlled Pb2+ at pH ~ 3 and pH ~ 5. After removal experiment of Pb2+ at pH 3 and pH 5, porous hydroxyapatite nanoparticles is transformed into PbHAp_3 and PbHAp_5 via the adsorption of Pb2+ ions followed by the cation exchange reaction. The diffraction patterns show that THAp nanoparticles were successfully coated with teos without any structural changes. On the other, the AAS analysis showed that THAp can be useful in the removal Pb2+ from water contaminated.

Keywords: teos, hydroxyapatite, environment applications, biosystems engineering

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Authors: Evgeniya Popova, Vladimir Lesnikov, Nikolay Popov

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High yield complex coatings have been designed for thermally stressed cooled HP turbine blades from single crystal alloys ZHS32-VI-VI and ZHS36 with crystallographic orientation [001]. These coatings provide long-term protection of single crystal blades during operation. The three-layer coatings were prepared as follows: the diffusion barrier layer formation on the alloy surface, the subsequent deposition of the condensed bilayer coatings consisting of an inner layer based on Ni-Cr-Al-Y systems and an outer layer based on the alloyed β-phase. The structure, phase composition of complex coatings and reaction zone interaction with the single-crystal alloys ZHS32-VI and ZHS36-VI were investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The effect of complex protective coatings on the properties of heat-resistant nickel alloys was studied.

Keywords: single crystal nickel alloys, complex heat-resistant coatings, structure, phase composition, properties

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Authors: Taher S. Ababneh, Taghreed M. A. Jazzazi, Tareq M. A. Alshboul

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The inhibiting action against aluminum corrosion by three derivatives of 1,8-bis (benzylideneamino) naphthalene (BN) Schiff base has been investigated by means of DFT quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. The derivatives (CBN, NBN and MBN) were prepared from the condensation reaction of 1,8-diaminonaphthalene with substituted benzaldehyde (4-CN, 3-NO₂ and 3,4-(OMe)₂, respectively). Calculations were conducted to study the adsorption of each Schiff base on aluminum surface to evaluate its potential as a corrosion inhibitor. The computational structural features and electronic properties of each derivative such as relative energies and energies of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) have been reported. Thermodynamic functions and quantum chemical parameters such as the hardness of the inhibitor, the softness and the electrophilicity index were calculated to determine the derivative of the highest inhibition efficiency.

Keywords: corrosion, aluminum, DFT calculation, 1, 8-diaminonaphthalene, benzaldehyde

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Authors: Atefeh Omidkhah Kharashtomi, Rasoul Hedayat Nejad, Saeed Bakhtiyari

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Circulation paths and indoor connection network of the building play an important role both in the daily operation of the building and during evacuation in emergency situations. The degree of legibility of the paths for navigation inside the building has a deep connection with the perceptive and cognitive system of human, and the way the surrounding environment is being perceived. Human perception of the space is based on the sensory systems in a three-dimensional environment, and non-linearly, so it is necessary to avoid reducing its representations in architectural design as a two-dimensional and linear issue. Today, the advances in the field of virtual reality (VR) technology have led to various applications, and architecture and building science can benefit greatly from these capabilities. Especially in cases where the design solution requires a detailed and complete understanding of the human perception of the environment and the behavioral response, special attention to VR technologies could be a priority. Way-finding in the indoor circulation network is a proper example for such application. Success in way-finding could be achieved if human perception of the route and the behavioral reaction have been considered in advance and reflected in the architectural design. This paper discusses the VR technology applications for the way-finding improvements in indoor engineering of the building. In a systematic review, with a database consisting of numerous studies, firstly, four categories for VR applications for circulation way-finding have been identified: 1) data collection of key parameters, 2) comparison of the effect of each parameter in virtual environment versus real world (in order to improve the design), 3) comparing experiment results in the application of different VR devices/ methods with each other or with the results of building simulation, and 4) training and planning. Since the costs of technical equipment and knowledge required to use VR tools lead to the limitation of its use for all design projects, priority buildings for the use of VR during design are introduced based on case-studies analysis. The results indicate that VR technology provides opportunities for designers to solve complex buildings design challenges in an effective and efficient manner. Then environmental parameters and the architecture of the circulation routes (indicators such as route configuration, topology, signs, structural and non-structural components, etc.) and the characteristics of each (metrics such as dimensions, proportions, color, transparency, texture, etc.) are classified for the VR way-finding experiments. Then, according to human behavior and reaction in the movement-related issues, the necessity of scenario-based and experiment design for using VR technology to improve the design and receive feedback from the test participants has been described. The parameters related to the scenario design are presented in a flowchart in the form of test design, data determination and interpretation, recording results, analysis, errors, validation and reporting. Also, the experiment environment design is discussed for equipment selection according to the scenario, parameters under study as well as creating the sense of illusion in the terms of place illusion, plausibility and illusion of body ownership.

Keywords: virtual reality (VR), way-finding, indoor, circulation, design

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Authors: Danna Jia, Bin Li

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Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and refractory inflammatory skin disease characterized by relapsing eczematous and pruritic skin lesions. The global prevalence of AD ranges from 1~ 20%, and its incidence rates are increasing. It affects individuals from infancy to adulthood, significantly impacting their daily lives and social activities. Despite its major health burden, the precise mechanisms underlying AD remain unknown. Understanding the genetic differences associated with AD is crucial for advancing diagnosis and targeted treatment development. This study aims to identify candidate genes of AD by using bioinformatics analysis. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of four pooled transcriptomic datasets (GSE16161, GSE32924, GSE130588, and GSE120721) obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differential gene expression analysis was performed using the R statistical language. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between AD patients and normal individuals were functionally analyzed using Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment. Furthermore, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to identify candidate genes. Results: Among the patient-level gene expression datasets, we identified 114 shared DEGs, consisting of 53 upregulated genes and 61 downregulated genes. Functional analysis using GO and KEGG revealed that the DEGs were mainly associated with the negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, membrane-related functions, protein binding, and the Human papillomavirus infection pathway. Through the PPI network analysis, we identified eight core genes: CD44, STAT1, HMMR, AURKA, MKI67, and SMARCA4. Conclusion: This study elucidates key genes associated with AD, providing potential targets for diagnosis and treatment. The identified genes have the potential to contribute to the understanding and management of AD. The bioinformatics analysis conducted in this study offers new insights and directions for further research on AD. Future studies can focus on validating the functional roles of these genes and exploring their therapeutic potential in AD. While these findings will require further verification as achieved with experiments involving in vivo and in vitro models, these results provided some initial insights into dysfunctional inflammatory and immune responses associated with AD. Such information offers the potential to develop novel therapeutic targets for use in preventing and treating AD.

Keywords: atopic dermatitis, bioinformatics, biomarkers, genes

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Authors: Craig M. Allen

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Twenty two African entrepreneurs with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in a single social network centered around a non-Muslim population in a smaller African country, selected an Islamic financing structure, a form of Murabaha, based solely on market rationale. These entrepreneurs had all won procurement contracts from major purchasers of goods within their country and faced difficulty arranging traditional bank financing to support their supply-chain needs. The Murabaha-based structure satisfied their market-driven demand and provided an attractive alternative to the traditional bank-offered lending products. The Murabaha-styled trade-financing structure was not promoted with any religious implications, but solely as a market solution to the existing problems associated with bank-related financing. This indicates the strong market forces that draw SMEs to financing structures that are traditionally considered within the framework of Islamic finance.

Keywords: Africa, entrepreneurs, Islamic finance, market acceptance, Murabaha, SMEs

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Authors: Tahere Fazilat

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Caspian red deer or maral (Cervus elaphus maral) is the largest type of deer in iran. Maral in the past has lived in the north forests of Iran from the Caspian sea coast, Alborz mountains chain and oak forest of Zagros margin from the Azarbaijan up to fars province. However, the generation of them was completely destroyed in the north west and west of Iran. According to reports about 50 years and out of reach of humans. In the present studies, data were collected from 2004 to 2014 in the Mazandaran state Hyrcanian forest by means of guard of environment and justiciary office of department of environment of Mazandaran in this process the all arrested illegal hunting of red deer and the population census, estimation and the correlation of these data was assayed. We provide a first evaluation of how suitable these methods are by comparing the results with population estimates obtained using cohort analysis, and by analyzing the within-season variation in number of seen deer. The data gave us the future of red deer in northern forest of Iran and the results of policy of department of environment in Iran in red deer conservation.

Keywords: illegal hunting, red deer, census, concervation

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Authors: Ming-Yue Zhai

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Due to the multipath and pulse noise nature, power line communications(PLC) channel can be modelled as a memory one with the finite states Markov model(FSMC). As the most important parameter modelling a Markov channel,the memory order in an FSMC is not solved in PLC systems yet. In the paper, the mutual information is used as a measure of the dependence between the different symbols, treated as the received SNA or amplitude of the current channel symbol or that of previous symbols. The joint distribution probabilities of the envelopes in PLC systems are computed based on the multi-path channel model, which is commonly used in PLC. we confirm that given the information of the symbol immediately preceding the current one, any other previous symbol is independent of the current one in PLC systems, which means the PLC channels is a Markov chain with the first-order. The field test is also performed to model the received OFDM signals with the help of AR model. The results show that the first-order AR model is enough to model the fading channel in PLC systems, which means the amount of uncertainty remaining in the current symbol should be negligible, given the information corresponding to the immediately preceding one.

Keywords: power line communication, channel model, markovian, information theory, first-order

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Authors: Kriengsak Damampai, Skulrat Pichaiyut, Amit Das, Charoen Nacason

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The curing of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) was performed by using metal ions (Ferric chloride, FeCl₃). Two different mole% of epoxide were used there are 25 mole% (ENR-25) and 50 mole% (ENR-50) epoxizied natural rubber. The main aim of this work was investigated the influence of metal ions on the coordination reaction of epoxidized natural rubber. Also, cure characteristics and mechanical properties of the rubber compounds were investigated. It was found that the ENR-50 compounds indicated superior modulus and tensile strength than the ENR-25 compounds. This was attributed to higher the cross-linking in the rubber via coordination linkages between the oxidation groups in ENR molecule and FeCl₃of metal ions. Various quantities of FeCl3 were also investigated. It is seen that the ENR-25 and 50 mole% compounds with FeCl₃ of more than 3 mmol exhibited higher modulus and tensile strength compare to the pure ENR. Furthermore, the FTIR spectra was used to confirm the cross-linked of ENR with FeCl₃.

Keywords: Epoxidized natural rubber, Ferric chloride, cross-linking, Coordination

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Authors: Christelle Rabbat, Carole Vouebou, Sary Awad, Alan Jean-Marie

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Hydrogen has been proven to be a viable alternative to standard fuels as it is easy to produce and only generates water vapour and zero carbon emissions. However, despite the hydrogen benefits, the widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles is impeded by several challenges. The lack of refueling infrastructures remains one of the main hindering factors due to the high costs associated with their design, construction, and operation. Besides, the lack of hydrogen vehicles on the road diminishes the economic viability of investing in refueling infrastructure. Simultaneously, the absence of accessible refueling stations discourages consumers from adopting hydrogen vehicles, perpetuating a cycle of limited market uptake. To address these challenges, the implementation of adequate policies incentivizing the use of hydrogen vehicles and the reduction of the investment and operation costs of hydrogen refueling stations (HRS) are essential to put both investors and customers at ease. Even though the transition to hydrogen cars has been rather slow, public transportation companies have shown a keen interest in this highly promising fuel. Besides, their hydrogen demand is easier to predict and regulate than personal vehicles. Due to the reduced complexity of designing a suitable hydrogen supply chain for public vehicles, this sub-sector could be a great starting point to facilitate the adoption of hydrogen vehicles. Consequently, this study will focus on designing a chain of on-site green HRS for the public transportation network in Nantes Metropole leveraging the latest relevant technological advances aiming to reduce the costs while ensuring reliability, safety, and ease of access. To reduce the cost of HRS and encourage their widespread adoption, a network of 7 H35-T40 HRS has been designed, replacing the conventional J-T valves with turbo-expanders. Each station in the network has a daily capacity of 1,920 kg. Thus, the HRS network can produce up to 12.5 tH2 per day. The detailed cost analysis has revealed a CAPEX per station of 16.6 M euros leading to a network CAPEX of 116.2 M euros. The proposed station siting prioritized Nantes metropole’s 5 bus depots and included 2 city-centre locations. Thanks to the turbo-expander technology, the cooling capacity of the proposed HRS is 19% lower than that of a conventional station equipped with J-T valves, resulting in significant CAPEX savings estimated at 708,560 € per station, thus nearly 5 million euros for the whole HRS network. Besides, the turbo-expander power generation ranges from 7.7 to 112 kW. Thus, the power produced can be used within the station or sold as electricity to the main grid, which would, in turn, maximize the station’s profit. Despite the substantial initial investment required, the environmental benefits, cost savings, and energy efficiencies realized through the transition to hydrogen fuel cell buses and the deployment of HRS equipped with turbo-expanders offer considerable advantages for both TAN and Nantes Metropole. These initiatives underscore their enduring commitment to fostering green mobility and combatting climate change in the long term.

Keywords: green hydrogen, refueling stations, turbo-expander, heavy-duty vehicles

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Authors: Mourad Zmami Oussema BenSalha

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The current research aims to assess empirically the reaction of private investment to exchange rate fluctuations in Tunisia using a sample of 548 firms operating in manufacturing industries between 1997 and 2002. The micro-econometric model we estimate is based on an accelerator-profit specification investment model increased by two variables that measure the variation and the volatility of exchange rates. Estimates using the system the GMM method reveal that the effects of the exchange rate depreciation on investment are negative since it increases the cost of imported capital goods. Turning to the exchange rate volatility, as measured by the GARCH (1,1) model, our findings assign a significant role to the exchange rate uncertainty in explaining the sluggishness of private investment in Tunisia in the full sample of firms. Other estimation attempts based on various sub samples indicate that the elasticities of investment relative to the exchange rate volatility depend upon many firms’ specific characteristics such as the size and the ownership structure.

Keywords: investment, exchange rate volatility, manufacturing firms, system GMM, Tunisia

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Authors: Ayodele Odularu, Peter Ajibade, Albert Bolhuis

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This study aimed at assessing the antibacterial activities of four zinc (II) complexes. Zinc (II) complexes of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur coordination modes were synthesized using direct substitution reaction. The characterization techniques involved physicochemical properties (molar conductivity) and spectroscopic techniques. The molar conductivity gave the non-electrolytic nature of zinc (II) complexes. The spectral studies of zinc (II) complexes were done using electronic spectra (UV-Vis) and Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FT-IR). Spectral data from the spectroscopic studies confirmed the coordination of the mixed ligands with zinc (II) ion. The antibacterial activities of zinc(II) complexes of were all in supportive of Overtone’s concept and Tweedy’s theory of chelation for bacterial strains of S. aureus MRSA252 and E coli MC4100 because the zones of inhibition were greater than the corresponding ligands. In summary, all zinc (II) complexes of ZEPY, ZE1PH, ZE1PY and ZE135PY all have potentials for antibacterial activities.

Keywords: antibacterial activities, spectral studies, syntheses, zinc(II) complexes

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Authors: Rafayel Azizyan, Valeri Arakelyan, Aram Gevorgyan, Varduhi Balayan, Emil Gevorgyan

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Currently, mathematical and computer modeling are widely used in different biological studies to predict or assess behavior of such complex systems as biological ones. This study deals with mathematical and computer modeling of bi-substrate enzymatic reactions, which play an important role in different biochemical pathways. The main objective of this study is to represent the results from in silico investigation of bi-substrate enzymatic reactions in the presence of uncompetitive inhibitors, as well as to describe in details the inhibition effects. Four models of uncompetitive inhibition were designed using different software packages. Particularly, uncompetitive inhibitor to the first [ES1] and the second ([ES1S2]; [FS2]) enzyme-substrate complexes have been studied. The simulation, using the same kinetic parameters for all models allowed investigating the behavior of reactions as well as determined some interesting aspects concerning influence of different cases of uncompetitive inhibition. Besides that shown, that uncompetitive inhibitors exhibit specific selectivity depending on mechanism of bi-substrate enzymatic reaction.

Keywords: mathematical modeling, bi-substrate enzymatic reactions, reversible inhibition

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Authors: Lin-Lin Liu, Song-Qi Hu, Yin Wang

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Paraffin-based fuels are regarded to be a promising fuel of hybrid rocked motor because of the high regression rate, low price, and environmental friendliness. Graphene Oxide (GO) is an attractive energetic material which is expected to be widely used in propellants, explosives, and some high energy fuels. Paraffin-based fuels with paraffin and GO as raw materials were prepared, and the oxidation process of the samples was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC) under oxygen (O₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) atmospheres. The oxidation reaction kinetics of the fuels was estimated through the non-isothermal measurements and model-free isoconversional methods based on the experimental results of TGA. The results show that paraffin-based fuels are easier oxidized under O₂ rather than N₂O with atmospheres due to the lower activation energy; GO plays a catalytic role for the oxidation of paraffin-based fuels under the both atmospheres, and the activation energy of the oxidation process decreases with the increase of GO; catalytic effect of GO on the oxidation of paraffin-based fuels are more obvious under O₂ atmospheres than under N₂O atmospheres.

Keywords: graphene oxide, paraffin-based fuels, oxidation, activation energy, TGA

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Authors: Sang-Ryong Lee, Min-Woon Jung, Deugwoo Han, Kiyong Kim

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This study laid an emphasis on the possible employment of biochar generated from pyrolysis of animal excreta to establish a green platform for producing biodiesel. To this end, the pseudo-catalytic transesterification reaction using chicken manure biochar and waste cooking oil was investigated. Compared with a commercial porous material (SiO2), chicken manure biochar generated from 350 C showed better performance, resulting in 95.6% of the FAME yield at 350C. The Ca species in chicken manure biochar imparted strong catalytic capability by providing the basicity for transesterification. The identified catalytic effect also led to the thermal cracking of unsaturated FAMEs, which decreased the overall FAME yield. For example, 40–60% of converted FAMEs were thermally degraded. To avoid undesirable thermal cracking arising from the high content of the Ca species in chicken manure biochar, the fabrication of chicken manure biochar at temperatures ≥350C was highly recommended.

Keywords: Trasesterification, Animal excreta, FAME, Biochar, Chicken manure

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Authors: Yaroslav Pavlov

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In the modern world, ensuring quality has become increasingly important in various fields of human activity. One universal approach to quality management, proven effective in the food industry, is the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) concept. Based on principles of preventing potential hazards to consumers at all stages of production, from raw materials to the final product, HACCP offers a systematic approach to identifying, assessing risks, and managing critical control points (CCPs). Initially used primarily for food production, it was later effectively adapted to the food service sector. Implementing HACCP provides organizations with a reliable foundation for improving food safety, covering all links in the food chain from producer to consumer, making it an integral part of modern quality management systems. The main principles of HACCP—hazard identification, CCP determination, effective monitoring procedures, corrective actions, regular checks, and documentation—are universal and can be adapted to other areas. The adaptation of the HACCP concept is relevant for continuing professional education (CPE) with certain reservations. Specifically, it is reasonable to abandon the term ‘hazards’ as deviations in CCPs do not pose dangers, unlike in food production. However, the approach through CCP analysis and the use of HACCP's main principles for educational services are promising. This is primarily because it allows for identifying key CCPs based on the value creation model of a specific educational organization and consequently focusing efforts on specific CCPs to manage the quality of educational services. This methodology can be called the Analysis of Critical Points in Educational Services (ACPES). ACPES offers a similar approach to managing the quality of educational services, focusing on preventing and eliminating potential risks that could negatively impact the educational process, learners' achievement of set educational goals, and ultimately lead to students rejecting the organization's educational services. ACPES adapts proven HACCP principles to educational services, enhancing quality management effectiveness and student satisfaction. ACPES includes identifying potential problems at all stages of the educational process, from initial interest to graduation and career development. In ACPES, the term "hazards" is replaced with "problematic areas," reflecting the specific nature of the educational environment. Special attention is paid to determining CCPs—stages where corrective measures can most effectively prevent or minimize the risk of failing educational goals. The ACPES principles align with HACCP's principles, adjusted for the specificities of CPE. The method of the learner's journey map (variation of Customer Journey Map, CJM) can be used to overcome the complexity of formalizing the production chain in educational services. CJM provides a comprehensive understanding of the learner's experience at each stage, facilitating targeted and effective quality management. Thus, integrating the learner's journey map into ACPES represents a significant extension of the methodology's capabilities, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the educational process and forming an effective quality management system focused on meeting learners' needs and expectations.

Keywords: quality management, continuing professional education, customer journey map, HACCP

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Authors: R. Benakcha, M. Omari

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Powders of La1-xMgxAlO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 5) oxides, with large surface areas were synthesized by sol-gel process, utilizing citric acid. Heating of a mixed solution of CA, EtOH, and nitrates of lanthanum, aluminium and magnesium at 70°C gave transparent gel without any precipitation. The formation of pure perovskite La1-xMgxAlO3, occurred when the precursor was heat-treated at 800°C for 6 h. No X-ray diffraction evidence for the presence of crystalline impurities was obtained. The La1-xMgxAlO3 powders prepared by the sol-gel method have a considerably large surface area in the range of 12.9–20 m^2.g^-1 when compared with 0.3 m^2.g^-1 for the conventional solid-state reaction of LaAlO3. The structural characteristics were examined by means of conventional techniques namely X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and differential thermal (TG-DTA) and specific surface SBET. Pore diameters and crystallite sizes are in the 8.8-11.28 nm and 25.4-30.5 nm ranges, respectively. The sol-gel method is a simple technique that has several advantages. In addition to that of not requiring high temperatures, it has the potential to synthesize many kinds of mixed oxides and obtain other materials homogeneous and large purities. It also allows formatting a variety of materials: very fine powders, fibers and films.

Keywords: aluminate, lanthan, perovskite, sol-gel

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Authors: Elias Ogutu Azariah Tembe, Hussain Abdullah Habib Al-Salamin

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There is decagram of strategic decisions of operations and production/service management (POSM) within operational research (OR) which must collate, namely: design, inventory, quality, location, process and capacity, layout, scheduling, maintain ace, and supply chain. This paper presents an architectural configuration conceptual framework of a decagram of sets decisions in a form of mathematical complete graph and abelian graph. Mathematically, a complete graph is undirected (UDG), and directed (DG) a relationship where every pair of vertices are connected, collated, confluent, and holomorphic. There has not been any study conducted which, however, prioritizes the holomorphic sets which of POMS within OR field of study. The study utilizes OR structured technique known as The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis for organizing, sorting and prioritizing (ranking) the sets within the decagram of POMS according to their attribution (propensity), and provides an analysis how the prioritization has real-world application within the 21st century.

Keywords: holomorphic, decagram, decagon, confluent, complete graph, AHP analysis, SCM, HRM, OR, OM, abelian graph

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Authors: Mohamed A. Adam Abakar, Abdullah M. Asiri, Sher Bahadar Khan

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In this paper, nickel oxide-zinc oxide (NiO-ZnO) catalyst was embedded in an alginate polymer (Na alg/NiO-ZnO), a nanocomposite that was used as a nano-catalyst for catalytic conversion of deleterious contaminants such as organic dyes (Acridine Orange “ArO”, Methylene Blue “MB”, Methyl Orange “MO”) and 4-Nitrophenol “4-NP” as well. FESEM, EDS, FTIR and XRD techniques were used to identify the shape and structure of the nano-catalyst (Na alg/NiO-ZnO). UV spectrophotometry is used to collect the results and it showed greater and faster reduction rate for MB (illustrated in figures 2, 3, 4 and 5). Data recorded and processed, drawing and analysis of graphs achieved by using Origin 2018. Reduction percentage of MB was assessed to be 95.25 % in just 13 minutes. Furthermore, the catalytic property of Na alg/NiO-ZnO in the reduction of organic dyes was investigated using various catalyst amounts, dye types, reaction times and reducing agent dosages at room temperature (rt). NaBH4-assisted reduction of organic dyes was studied using alg/NiO-ZnO as a potential catalyst.

Keywords: Alginate, metal oxides, nanocomposites-based, catalysts, reduction, photocatalytic degradation, water treatment

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Authors: M. D. Stelescu, E. Manaila, G. Craciun, D. Ighigeanu

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The goal of the paper is to present the results regarding the influence of the irradiation dose and amount of multifunctional monomer trimethylol-propane trimethacrylate (TMPT) on ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer rubber (EPDM) mixtures irradiated in electron beam. Blends, molded on an electrically heated laboratory roller mill and compressed in an electrically heated hydraulic press, were irradiated using the ALID 7 of 5.5 MeV linear accelerator in the dose range of 22.6 kGy to 56.5 kGy in atmospheric conditions and at room temperature of 25 °C. The share of cross-linking and degradation reactions was evaluated by means of sol-gel analysis, cross-linking density measurements, FTIR studies and Charlesby-Pinner parameter (p₀/q₀) calculations. The blends containing different concentrations of TMPT (3 phr and 9 phr) and irradiated with doses in the mentioned range have present the increasing of gel content and cross-linking density. Modified and new bands in FTIR spectra have appeared, because of both cross-linking and chain scission reactions.

Keywords: electron beam irradiation, EPDM rubber, crosslinking density, gel fraction

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Authors: Nasrin Takzaree, Abbas Hadjiakhoondi, Gholamreza Hassanzadeh, Mohammadreza Rouini

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Background: Wound healing and repair is a normal reaction to injury which results in restoration of tissue integrity. Rate of wound healing is affected by various factors, such as nutrition, vitamins, hormones. Method: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Aloe vera mucilage on wound healing. Mucilage was extracted from leaves, then homogenize, filtered and concentrated. Some creams were prepared with different concentrations of mucilage 95%. In this study 63 male albino rats, weighing 250–300 gr were used. Incision wounds (10 mm) were made on the shaved and cleaned back of rat necks. Wounds of case groups (group I & group II) were treated with aloe vera mucilage which were administered one time daily another group two times daily. Results: In order to evaluate wound healing, various parameters such as wound diameter, percentage of healing, duration of healing. Were considered. Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed that aloe vera mucilage is a potent healing and can be used in wound healing process.

Keywords: Aloe vera, wound healing, open skin wound, healing process

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Authors: Dilupa Nakandala, Henry Lau

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Ever increasing demand for cost efficiency and customer satisfaction through reliable delivery have been a mandate for logistics practitioners to continually improve inventory management processes. With the cost optimization objectives, this study considers an extended scenario where sourcing from the same echelon of the supply chain, known as lateral transshipment which is instantaneous but more expensive than purchasing from regular suppliers, is considered by warehouses not only to re-actively fulfill the urgent outstanding retailer demand that could not be fulfilled by stock on hand but also for preventively reduce back-order cost. Such extra lateral trans-shipments as preventive responses are intended to meet the expected demand during the supplier lead time in a periodic review ordering policy setting. We develop decision rules to assist logistics practitioners to make cost optimized selection between back-ordering and combined reactive and proactive lateral transshipment options. A method for determining the optimal quantity of extra lateral transshipment is developed considering the trade-off between purchasing, holding and backorder cost components.

Keywords: lateral transshipment, warehouse inventory management, cost optimization, preventive transshipment

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Authors: Nahed O. Bawakid, Walied M. Alarif

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With regard to the uniqueness of the red algae of the genus Laurencia as the source of C₁₅-acetogenins, along with the diversity of biological applications; the acetogenin content of the Red Sea L. obtusa was investigated. Fractionation and purification of the CH₂Cl₂/MeOH extract were done by applying several chromatographic techniques, including column and preparative thin-layer chromatography; followed by a series of ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance measurements to give rise of some interesting notes. A new rare chloroallene-based C₁₅ acetogenin, laurentusenin (1) along with a new furan ring containing C₁₅ acetogenin, laurenfuresenin (2), were isolated from the red alga L. obtusa. Comparing 1D and 2D NMR, MS, UV and IR spectral data for the new isolated compounds with the reported bromoallene containing acetogenins spectral data was played the crucial role for characterization of their hemical structures. The apoptosis induced by these two compounds was demonstrated by DNA fragmentation assay and microscopic observation. These observations suggest that (1) and (2) may be involved in regulation of programmed death in the initiation and propagation of inflammatory responses. The isolated metabolite (1) showed unusual substituted allene side chain, while (2) inserted furan ring as a new acetogenin nucleus.

Keywords: cyclic enyne, anti-inflammatory, fatty acids, marine algae, halogenations

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Authors: Charmaine Lamiel, Van Hoa Nguyen, Jae-Jin Shim

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Supercapacitors are energy storage devices capable of storing more energy than conventional capacitors and have higher power density than batteries. The advantages of this method include the non-use of reducing agents and acidic medium, and no further use of a post-heat treatment unlike the conventional processes, in which calcination is generally employed after obtaining the initial product. Furthermore, it also offers a shorter reaction time at low temperatures and low power requirements, which allows low fabrication and energy cost. In this study, microwave irradiation was used for the facile and rapid synthesis of mesoporous RGO@(Co,Mn)3O4 nanosheets as an electrode material. The as-prepared electrode exhibited a high capacitance of 953 F•g^−1 at 1 A•g^−1 in a 6 M KOH electrolyte solution. Moreover, the electrode exhibited a high energy density of 76.2 Wh•kg^−1 at a power density of 720 W•kg^−1, and a high power density of 7200 W•kg^−1 at an energy density of 38 Wh•kg^−1. The successful methodology was considered to be efficient and cost-effective, thereby providing an active electrode material with very promising electrochemical performance.

Keywords: cobalt-manganese oxide, electrochemical, graphene, microwave synthesis, supercapacitor

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Authors: Mohammad Shariq, Davinder Kaur

Abstract:

A series of multiferroic (BiFeO3)1−x(PbTiO3)x [x= 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5] solid solution ceramics were synthesised by conventional solid-state reaction method. Well crystalline phase has been optimized at sintering temperature of 950°C for 2 hours. X rays diffraction studies of these ceramics revealed the existence of a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region in this system, which exhibits co-existence of rhombohedral and tetragonal phase with a large tetragonality (c/a ratio) in the tetragonal phase region. The average grain size of samples was found to be between 1-1.5 µm. The M-H curve revealed the BiFeO3 (BFO) as antiferromanetic material whereas, induced weak ferromagnetism was observed for (BiFeO3)1−x(PbTiO3)x composites with x=0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 at temperature of 5 K. The results evidenced the destruction of a space-modulated spin structure in bulk materials, via substituent effects, releasing a latent magnetization locked within the cycloid. Relative to unmodified BiFeO3, modified BiFeO3-PbTiO3 -based ceramics revealed enhancement in the electric-field-induced polarization.

Keywords: BiFeO3)1−x(PbTiO3)x ceramic, multiferroic, SQUID, magnetic properties

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Authors: Zahra Khoshnood, Reza Khoshnood

Abstract:

Pesticides and drugs used in agriculture and veterinary medicine may end up in aquatic environments and bio-accumulate in the food chain, thus causing serious problems for fauna and human health. For determination of the toxic effects of atrazine herbicide on Caspian kutum, Rutilus frisii kutum larvae, the 96-h LC50 of atrazine was measured for newly hatched larvae as 18.53 ppm. Toxicity of atrazine herbicide on Caspian kutum larvae was investigated using concentrations: 9.25 ppm, 4.62 ppm and 2.31 ppm for 7 days. Comparison of the length, weight and condition factor showed that no significant differences between atrazine exposed and control groups. The concentration of Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Cl- in whole body of larvae in control and atrazine exposure groups were measured and the results showed that concentrations of all these ions is higher in atrazine exposure group than control group. It is obvious from this study that atrazine negatively affects osmoregulation process and changes ion compositions of the body even at sub-lethal concentration and acute exposure but have no effects on growth parameters of the body.

Keywords: atrazine, caspian kutum, acute toxicity, body ions, lc50

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Authors: Hamidreza Bagheri, Alireza Shariati

Abstract:

There are many difficulties in the purification of raw components and products. However, researchers are seeking better ways for purification. One of the recent methods is extraction using supercritical fluids. In this study, the phase equilibria of benzoic acid-supercritical carbon dioxide system were investigated. Regarding the phase equilibria of this system, the modeling of solid-supercritical fluid behavior was performed using the Perturbed-Chain Statistical Association Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT) and Peng-Robinson equations of state (PR EoS). For this purpose, five PC-SAFT EoS parameters for pure benzoic acid were obtained using its experimental vapor pressure. Benzoic acid has association sites and the behavior of the benzoic acid-supercritical fluid system was well-predicted using both equations of state, while the binary interaction parameter values for PR EoS were negative. Genetic algorithm, which is one of the most accurate global optimization algorithms, was also used to optimize the pure benzoic acid parameters and the binary interaction parameters. The AAD% value for the PC-SAFT EoS, were 0.22 for the carbon dioxide-benzoic acid system.

Keywords: supercritical fluids, solubility, solid, PC-SAFT EoS, genetic algorithm

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Authors: Maedeh Shojaeizadeh, Amirreza Yeganegi

Abstract:

Nowadays many people lose their lives due to cardiovascular diseases. Inappropriate food habits and lack of exercise expedite deposit process of fatty substances on inner surface of blood arteries. This abnormal lump disturbs uniform blood flow and reduces oxygen delivery to active organs. This work presents a numerical simulation of Non-Newtonian blood flow in a stenosis vessel. The vessel is considered as two dimensional channel and plaque area is modelled as a homogenous porous medium. To simulate blood flow reaction around stenosis region, we use C++ code and solve coupled Cauchy, Darcy, governing continuity and energy equations. The analyses results show that viscosity power (n) plays an important role in flow separation and the size of the eddy at the downstream edge of the plaque. It is also observed that with increasing (n) value, temperature discontinuity and likelihood of vessel rupture declined.

Keywords: blood flow, computational fluid dynamic, porosity, power law fluid

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Authors: Shubham Jaiswal

Abstract:

During modeling of transport phenomena in porous media, many nonlinear partial differential equations (NPDEs) encountered which greatly described the convection, diffusion and reaction process. To solve such types of nonlinear problems, a reliable and efficient technique is needed. In this article, the numerical solution of NPDEs encountered in porous media is derived. Here Jacobi collocation method is used to solve the considered problems which convert the NPDEs in systems of nonlinear algebraic equations that can be solved using Newton-Raphson method. The numerical results of some illustrative examples are reported to show the efficiency and high accuracy of the proposed approach. The comparison of the numerical results with the existing analytical results already reported in the literature and the error analysis for each example exhibited through graphs and tables confirms the exponential convergence rate of the proposed method.

Keywords: nonlinear porous media equation, shifted Jacobi polynomials, operational matrix, spectral collocation method

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Authors: A. Maso, C. Bellissimo, G. Facchinetti, N. Milani, D. Panzin, D. Pogliana, L. Garlaschelli, L. Rivaroli, S. Rivaroli, M. Zurek, J. Konin

Abstract:

15 year-old female karate athlete experienced two unilateral patella dislocations: one contact and one non-contact. This challenged her from competing as planned at the regional and national competitions as a result of her inability to perform at a high level. Despite these injuries and other complicated factors, she was able to modify her training timeline and successfully perform, winning third at the National Cup. Initial pain numeric rating scale 8/10 during karate training isometric figures, taking the stairs, long walking, a positive rasp test, palpation pain on the lateral patella joint 9/10, pain performing open kinetic chain 0°-45° and close kinetic chain 30°-90°, tensor fascia lata, vastus lateralis, psoas muscles retraction/stiffness. Foot hyper pronation, internally rotated femur, and knee flexion 15° were the postural findings. Exercise prescription for three days/week for three weeks to include exercise-based rehabilitation and soft tissue mobilization with massage and foam rolling. After three weeks, the pain was improved during activity daily living 5/10, and soft tissue stiffness decreased. An additional four weeks of exercise-based rehabilitation was continued. At this time, axial x-rays and TA-GT TAC were taken, and an orthopaedic medical check was recommended to continue conservative treatment. At week seven, she performed 2/4 karate position technique without pain and 2/4 with pain. An isokinetic test was performed at week 12, demonstrating a 10% strength deficit and 6% resistance deficit both to the left hamstrings. Moreover, an 8% strength and resistance surplus to the left quadriceps was found. No pain was present during activity, daily living and sports activity, allowing a return to play training to begin. A plan for the return to play framework collaborated with her trainer, her father, a physiotherapist, a sports scientist, an osteopath, and a nutritionist. Within 4 and 5 months, both non-athlete and athlete movement quality analysis tests were performed. The plan agreed to establish a return to play goal of 7 months and the highest level return to competition goal of 9 months from the start of rehabilitation. This included three days/week of training and repeated testing of movement quality before return to competition with detectable improvements from 77% to 93%. Beginning goals of the rehabilitation plan included the importance of a team approach. The patient’s father and trainer were important to collaborate with to assure a safe and timely return to competition. The possibility of achieving the goals was strongly related to orthopaedic decision-making and progress during the first weeks of rehabilitation. Without complications or setbacks, the patient can successfully return to her highest level of competition. The patient returned to participation after five months of rehabilitation and training, and then she returned to competition at the national level in nine months. The successful return was the result of a team approach and a compliant patient with clear goals.

Keywords: karate, knee, performance, rehabilitation

Procedia PDF Downloads 95