Search results for: non-equilibrium Green’s function

Authors: Xuan Li, Lei Xu

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By the end of 2014, China has an urban population of 749 million, reaching the urbanization rate of 54.77%. Dense and vertical urban structure has become a common choice for China and most of the densely populated Asian countries for sustainable development. This paper focuses on the most conspicuous urban change period in China, from 2000 to 2010, during which China's population shifted the fastest from rural region to cities. On one hand, the 200 million nationwide "new citizen" along with the 456 million "old citizen" explored in the new-century city for new urban lifestyle and livable built environment; On the other hand, however, large-scale rapid urban constructions are confined to the methods of traditional two-dimensional architectural thinking. Human-oriented design and system thinking have been missing in this intricate postmodern urban condition. This phenomenon, especially the gap and spark between the solid, huge urban physical system and the rich, subtle everyday urban life, will be studied in depth: How the 20th-century high-rise residential building "spontaneously" turned into an old but expensive multi-functional high-rise complex in the 21st century city center; how 21st century new/late 20th century old public buildings with the same function integrated their different architectural forms into the new / old city center? Finally the paper studies cases in Hangzhou: 1) Function Evolve–downtown high-rise residential building “International Garden” and “Zhongshan Garden” (1999). 2) Form Compare–Hangzhou Theater (1998) vs Hangzhou Grand Theatre (2004), Hangzhou City Railway Station (1999) vs Hangzhou East Railway Station (2013). The research aims at the exploring the essence of city from the building form dispel and urban program re-configuration approach, gaining a better consideration of human behavior through compact urban design effort for improving urban intertextuality, searching for a sustainable development path in the crucial time of urban population explosion in China.

Keywords: architecture form dispel, compact urban design, urban intertextuality, urban program re-configuration

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Authors: Misbah Irshad, Faiza Sarfraz

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The problem of approximating surface to surface intersection is considered to be very important in computer aided geometric design and computer aided manufacturing. Although it is a complex problem to handle, its continuous need in the industry makes it an active topic in research. A technique for approximating intersection curves of two parametric surfaces is proposed, which extracts boundary points and turning points from a sequence of intersection points and interpolate them with the help of rational cubic spline functions. The proposed approach is demonstrated with the help of examples and analyzed by calculating error.

Keywords: approximation, parametric surface, spline function, surface intersection

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Authors: Evelyn Nwamaka Ogbeide-Osaretin, Bright Orhewere

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This study examined the role of the population in the linkage between energy consumption and economic development in Nigeria. Time series data on energy consumption, population, and economic development were used for the period 1995 to 2020. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag -Error Correction Model (ARDL-ECM) was engaged. Economic development had a negative substantial impact on energy consumption in the long run. Population growth had a positive significant effect on energy consumption. Government expenditure was also found to impact the level of energy consumption, while energy consumption is not a function of oil price in Nigeria.

Keywords: dynamic analysis, energy consumption, population, economic development, Nigeria

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Authors: Joseph Fitoussi, Mohammadali Shirinbayan, Abbas Tcharkhtchi

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Due to material flow during processing, short fiber reinforced composites structures obtained by injection or compression molding generally present strong spatial microstructure variation. On the other hand, quasi-static, dynamic, and fatigue behavior of these materials are highly dependent on microstructure parameters such as fiber orientation distribution. Indeed, because of complex damage mechanisms, SFRC structures design is a key challenge for safety and reliability. In this paper, we propose a micromechanical model allowing prediction of damage behavior of real structures as a function of microstructure spatial distribution. To this aim, a statistical damage criterion including strain rate and fatigue effect at the local scale is introduced into a Mori and Tanaka model. A critical local damage state is identified, allowing fatigue life prediction. Moreover, the multi-scale model is coupled with an experimental intrinsic link between damage under monotonic loading and fatigue life in order to build an abacus giving Tsai-Wu failure criterion parameters as a function of microstructure and targeted fatigue life. On the other hand, the micromechanical damage model gives access to the evolution of the anisotropic stiffness tensor of SFRC submitted to complex thermomechanical loading, including quasi-static, dynamic, and cyclic loading with temperature and amplitude variations. Then, the latter is used to fill out microstructure dependent material cards in finite element analysis for design optimization in the case of complex loading history. The proposed methodology is illustrated in the case of a real automotive component made of sheet molding compound (PSA 3008 tailgate). The obtained results emphasize how the proposed micromechanical methodology opens a new path for the automotive industry to lighten vehicle bodies and thereby save energy and reduce gas emission.

Keywords: short fiber reinforced composite, structural design, damage, micromechanical modelling, fatigue, strain rate effect

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Authors: Fehmi Bouguezzi

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This paper studies optimal licensing regimes in a linear Hotelling model where firms are located at the end points of the city and where the transportation cost is not linear but quadratic. We study for that a more general cost function and we try to compare the findings with the results of the linear cost. We find the same optimal licensing regimes. A per unit royalty is optimal when innovation is not drastic and no licensing is better when innovation is drastic. We also find that no licensing is always better than fixed fee licensing.

Keywords: Hotelling model, technology transfer, patent licensing, quadratic transportation cost

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Authors: Athanasios A. Tountas, Geoffrey A. Ozin, Mohini M. Sain

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Renewable hydrogen (H₂) carriers such as methanol (MeOH), dimethyl ether (DME), oxymethylene dimethyl ethers (OMEs), and conceivably ammonia (NH₃) can be reformed back into H₂ and are fundamental chemical conversions for the long-term viability of the H₂ economy due to their higher densities and ease of transportability compared to H₂. MeOH is an especially important carrier as it is a simple C1 chemical that can be produced from green solar-PV-generated H₂ and direct-air-captured CO₂ with a current commercially practical solar-to-fuel efficiency of 10% from renewable solar energy. MeOH steam reforming (MSR) in stationary systems next to H₂ fuel-cell filling stations can eliminate the need for onboard mobile reformers, and the former systems can be more robust in terms of attaining strict H₂ product specifications, and MeOH is a safe, lossless, and compact medium for long-term H₂ storage. Both thermal- and photo-catalysts are viable options for achieving the stable, long-term performance of stationary MSR systems.

Keywords: fuel-cell vehicle filling stations, methanol steam reforming, hydrogen transport and storage, stationary reformer, liquid hydrogen carriers

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Authors: Hicham Abidallah

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In this work we realized a formulation of an entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae with a dose of 1,7 x 105 spores/ml, and aqueous abstracts of two different plants sage (Salvia officinalis) and American paper (Schinus molle) with they’re full dose and half dose, on a black bean aphid populations (Aphis fabae) on a bean crop planted in pots at semi-controlled conditions. Five formulations were achieved (Met, Fd, F1/2d, Sd et S1/2d) and tested on six blocks each one contained six pots. This study revealed that four (04) formulations exercised an influence over black bean aphid (Met, Fd, F1/2d, Sd), of which Metarhizium marked the most elevated and aggressive toxicity with an efficiency of 99,24%, however, sage formulation with the half dose (S1/2d ) marked a weak toxicity with an efficiency of 18%. Test of Metarhizium anisopliae on bees didn’t show toxicity, and no mortality has been marked, and no trace of green Muscardine observed.

Keywords: Metarhizium anisopliae, salvia officinalis, Schinus molle, Aphis fabae, efficiency degree

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Authors: Felix Givois, Nicolas R. Gauger, Matthias Kabel

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The efficient digital material characterization is of great interest to many fields of application. It consists of the following three steps. First, a 3D reconstruction of 2D scans must be performed. Then, the resulting gray-value image of the material sample is enhanced by image processing methods. Finally, partial differential equations (PDE) are solved on the segmented image, and by averaging the resulting solutions fields, effective properties like stiffness or conductivity can be computed. Due to the high resolution of current CT images, the latter is typically performed with matrix-free solvers. Among them, a solver that uses the explicit formula of the Green-Eshelby operator in Fourier space has been proposed by Moulinec and Suquet. Its algorithmic, most complex part is the Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT). In our talk, we will discuss the potential quantum advantage that can be obtained by replacing the FFT with the Quantum Fourier Transformation (QFT). We will especially show that the data transfer for noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices can be improved by using appropriate boundary conditions for the PDE, which also allows using semi-classical versions of the QFT. In the end, we will compare the results of the QFT-based algorithm for simple geometries with the results of the FFT-based homogenization method.

Keywords: most likelihood amplitude estimation (MLQAE), numerical homogenization, quantum Fourier transformation (QFT), NISQ devises

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Authors: Matthias Walluch, José Alberto Rodríguez, Christopher Giehl, Gunther Arnold, Daniela Ehgartner

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Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) is a powerful method to characterize viscoelastic properties and phase transitions for a wide range of materials. It is often used to characterize polymers and their temperature-dependent behavior, including thermal transitions like the glass transition temperature Tg, via determination of storage and loss moduli in tension (Young’s modulus, E) and shear or torsion (shear modulus, G) or other testing modes. While production and application temperatures for polymers are often limited to several hundred degrees, material properties of glasses usually require characterization at temperatures exceeding 600 °C. This contribution highlights a high temperature setup for rotational and oscillatory rheometry as well as for DMA in different modes. The implemented standard convection oven enables the characterization of glass in different loading modes at temperatures up to 950 °C. Three-point bending, tension and torsional measurements on different glasses, with E and G moduli as a function of frequency and temperature, are presented. Additional tests include superimposing several frequencies in a single temperature sweep (“multiwave”). This type of test results in a considerable reduction of the experiment time and allows to evaluate structural changes of the material and their frequency dependence. Furthermore, DMA in torsion and tension was performed to determine the complex Poisson’s ratio as a function of frequency and temperature within a single test definition. Tests were performed in a frequency range from 0.1 to 10 Hz and temperatures up to the glass transition. While variations in the frequency did not reveal significant changes of the complex Poisson’s ratio of the glass, a monotonic increase of this parameter was observed when increasing the temperature. This contribution outlines the possibilities of DMA in bending, tension and torsion for an extended temperature range. It allows the precise mechanical characterization of material behavior from room temperature up to the glass transition and the softening temperature interval. Compared to other thermo-analytical methods, like Dynamic Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) where mechanical stress is neglected, the frequency-dependence links measurement results (e.g. relaxation times) to real applications

Keywords: dynamic mechanical analysis, oscillatory rheometry, Poisson's ratio, solid glass, viscoelasticity

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Authors: Samera Salimpour Abkenar

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In traditional dyeing of natural fibers with natural dyes, metal salts are commonly used to increase color stability. This method always carries the risk of environmental pollution (contamination of arable soils and fresh groundwater) due to the release of dyeing effluents containing large amounts of metal. Therefore, researchers are always looking for new methods to obtain a green dyeing system. In this research, the use of the enzymatic dyeing method to prevent environmental pollution with metals and reduce production costs has been proposed. After degumming and bleaching, raw silk fabrics were dyed with natural dyes (Madder and Sumac) by three methods (pre-mordanting with a metal salt, one-step enzymatic dyeing, and two-step enzymatic dyeing). Results show that silk dyed with natural dyes by the enzymatic method has higher color strength and colorfastness than the pretreated with a metal salt. Also, the amount of remained dyes in the dyeing wastewater is significantly reduced by the enzymatic method. It is found that the enzymatic dyeing method leads to improvement of dye absorption, color strength, soft hand, no change in color shade, low production costs (due to low dyeing temperature), and a significant reduction in environmental pollution.

Keywords: eco-friendly, natural dyes, silk, traditional dyeing

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Authors: R. A. Shahmiri, O. Standard, J. Hart, C. C. Sorrell

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Yttrium stabilized tetragonal zirconium polycrystalline (Y-TZP) has been used as a dental biomaterial. The strength and toughness of zirconia can be accounted for by its toughening mechanisms, such as crack deflection, zone shielding, contact shielding, and crack bridging. Prevention of crack propagation is of critical importance in high-fatigue situations, such as those encountered in mastication and para-function. However, the poor translucency of Y-TZP means that it may not meet the aesthetic requirements due to its white/grey appearance in polycrystalline form. To improve optical property of the Zirconia, precise evaluation of its refractive index is of significance. Zirconia`s optical properties need to be studied more in depth. Number of studies assumed, scattered light is isotropically distributed over all angles from biological media when defining optical parameters. Nevertheless, optical behaviour of real biological material depends on angular scattering of light by anisotropy material. Therefore, the average cosine of the scattering angle (which represent recovery phase function in the scattering angular distribution) usually characterized by anisotropy material. It has been identified that yttrium anti-sites present in the space charge layer have no significant role in the absorption of light in the visible range. Addition of cation dopant to polycrystalline zirconia results in segregate to grain boundaries and grain growth. Intrinsic and extrinsic properties of ZrO2 and their effect on optical properties need to be investigated. Intrinsic properties such as chemical composition, defect structure (oxygen vacancy), phase configuration (porosity, second phase) and distribution of phase need to be studied to comprehend their effect on refraction index, absorption/reflection and scattering. Extrinsic properties such as surface structure, thickness, underlying tooth structure, cement layer (type, thickness), and light source (natural, curing, artificial) of ZrO2 need to be studied to understand their effect on colour and translucency of material. This research reviewed effect of stabilization of tetragonal zirconia on optical property of zirconia for dental application.

Keywords: optical properties, zirconia dental biomaterial, chemical composition, phase composition

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Authors: D. R. T. N. K. Dissanayake, H. M. S. K. Herath, H. K. S. G. Gunadasa, P. Weerasinghe

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Luffa is a tropical and subtropical vegetable, belongs to family Cucurbiteceae. It is predominantly monoecious in sex expression and provides an ample scope for utilization of hybrid vigor. Hybrid varieties develop through open pollination, produce higher yields due to its hybrid vigor. Naga F1 hybrid variety consists number of desirable traits other than higher yield such as strong and vigorous plants, fruits with long deep ridges, attractive green color fruits ,better fruit weight, length and early maturity compared to the local Luffa cultivars. Unavailability of fertilizer recommendations for hybrid cucurbit vegetables leads to an excess fertilizer application causing a vital environmental issue that creates undesirable impacts on nature and the human health. Main Objective of this research is to determine effect of different nitrogen and potassium fertilizer rates on growth and yield of Naga F1 Variety. Other objectives are, to evaluate specific growth parameters and yield, to identify the optimum nitrogen and potassium fertilizer levels based on growth and yield of hybrid Luffa variety. As well as to formulate the general fertilizer recommendation for hybrid Luffa -Naga F1 variety.

Keywords: hybrid, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium

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Authors: Sharifah Nabihah Syed Jaafar, Umar Adli Amran, Rasidi Roslan, Chia Chin Hua, Sarani Zakaria

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Bio-composites derived from plant fiber and bio-derived polymer, are likely more ecofriendly and demonstrate competitive performance with petroleum based. In this research, the green phenolic resin was used as a matrix and oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber (EFB) was used as filler. The matrix was synthesized from soda lignin, phenol and hydrochloric acid as a catalyst. The phenolic resin was synthesized via liquefaction and condensation to enhance the combination of phenol during the process. Later, the phenolic resin was mixed with EFB by using mechanical stirrer and was molded with hot press at 180 oC. In this research, the composites were prepared with EFB content of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. The samples that viewed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the EFB filler remained embedded in the resin. From impact and hardness testing, samples 10% of EFB showed the optimum properties meanwhile sample 15% showed the optimum properties for flexural testing. Thermal stability of the composites was investigated using thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis and found that the weight loss and the activation energy (Ea) of the composites samples were decreased as the filler content increased.

Keywords: EFB, liquefaction, phenol formaldehyde, lignin

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Authors: Sharan K. Indrakar, Aakash B. Prasad, Arash Takshi, Sesha Srinivasan, Elias K. Stefanakos

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In this work, we present an exclusive study on the effect of the feeding ratio of polyaniline-based redox-active gel layer on electrical and optical properties of innovative electrochromic devices (ECs). An electrochromic device consisting of polyaniline (PANI) has a redox-active gel electrolyte placed between two conducting transparent fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrates. The redox-active composite gel is a mixture of different concentrations of aniline (monomer), a water-soluble polymer poly (vinyl alcohol), hydrochloric acid, and an oxidant. The EC device shows the color change from dark green to transparent for the applied potential between -0.5 V to +2.0 V. The coloration and decoloration of the ECs were tested for electrochemical behavior using techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The optical transparency of the EC devices was examined at two different biasing voltage conditions under UV-visible spectroscopic technique; the result showed 65% transmittance at 564 nm and zero transmittance when the cell was biased at 0.0 V and 2.0 V, the synthesized mol fraction gel was analyzed for surface morphology and structural properties by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transformer spectroscopy.

Keywords: electrochromic, gel electrolyte, polyaniline, conducting polymer

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Authors: Rajesh Chandra, Uttam K. Ghosh

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This study demonstrates microalgal bio-diesel generation from a cheap, abundant, non-edible fruit pulp of Cassia fistula L. The Cassia fistula L. fruit pulp aqueous extract (CFAE) was utilized as a growth medium for cultivation of microalga Chlorella minutissima (C. minutissima). This microalga accumulated a high amount of lipids when cultivated with CFAE as a source of nutrition in comparison to BG-11 medium. Different concentrations (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50%) of CFAE diluted with distilled water were used to cultivate microalga. Effects of light intensity and photoperiod were also observed on biomass and lipid yield of microalga. Light intensity of 8000 lux with a photoperiod of 18 h resulted in maximum biomass and lipid yield of 1.28 ± 0.03 and 0.3968 ± 0.05 g/L, respectively when cultivated with 40% CFAE. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profile of bio-diesel obtained shown the presence of myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), stearic acid (C18:0), linoleic acid (C18:2), linolenic acid (C18:3), arachidic acid (C20:0), and gondoic acid (C20:1), as major fatty acids. These facts reflect that the fruit pulp of Cassia fistula L. can be used for cultivation of C. minutissima.

Keywords: biomass, bio-diesel, Cassia fistula L., C. minutissima, GC-MS, lipid

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Authors: Sandra Cecilia Bautista-Rodríguez, Vladimir Melgarejo

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Climate change, loss of ecosystems, increasing poverty, increasing marginalization of rural communities and declining food security are global issues that require urgent attention. In this regard, a great deal of research has focused on how agroecosystems respond to these challenges as they provide ecosystem services (ES) that lead to higher levels of resilience, adaptation, productivity and self-sufficiency. Hence, the valuing of ecosystem services plays an important role in the decision-making process for the design and management of agroecosystems. This paper aims to define the link between ecosystem service valuation methods and ES value dimensions in agroecosystems from ecological economics and agroecology. The method used to identify valuation methodologies was a literature review in the fields of Agroecology and Ecological Economics, based on a strategy of information search and classification. The conceptual framework of the work is based on the multidimensionality of value, considering the social, ecological, political, technological and economic dimensions. Likewise, the valuation process requires consideration of the ecosystem function associated with ES, such as regulation, habitat, production and information functions. In this way, valuation methods for ES in agroecosystems can integrate more than one value dimension and at least one ecosystem function. The results allow correlating the ecosystem functions with the ecosystem services valued, and the specific tools or models used, the dimensions and valuation methods. The main methodologies identified are multi-criteria valuation (1), deliberative - consultative valuation (2), valuation based on system dynamics modeling (3), valuation through energy or biophysical balances (4), valuation through fuzzy logic modeling (5), valuation based on agent-based modeling (6). Amongst the main conclusions, it is highlighted that the system dynamics modeling approach has a high potential for development in valuation processes, due to its ability to integrate other methods, especially multi-criteria valuation and energy and biophysical balances, to describe through causal cycles the interrelationships between ecosystem services, the dimensions of value in agroecosystems, thus showing the relationships between the value of ecosystem services and the welfare of communities. As for methodological challenges, it is relevant to achieve the integration of tools and models provided by different methods, to incorporate the characteristics of a complex system such as the agroecosystem, which allows reducing the limitations in the processes of valuation of ES.

Keywords: ecological economics, agroecosystems, ecosystem services, valuation of ecosystem services

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Authors: Rebecca Thombre, Aishwarya Borate

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Chemical synthesis of nanoparticles produces toxic by-products, as a result of which eco-friendly methods of synthesis are gaining importance. The synthesis of nanoparticles using plant derived extracts is economical, safe and eco-friendly. Biostabilized gold nanoparticles were synthesized using extracts of Garcinia indica. The gold nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometry and demonstrated a peak at 527 nm. The presence of plant derived peptides and phytoconstituents was confirmed using the FTIR spectra. TEM analysis revealed formation of gold nanopyramids and nanorods. The SAED analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of nanoparticles. The gold nanoparticles demonstrated antibacterial and antifungal activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger and Pichia pastoris. The cytotoxic activity of gold nanoparticles was studied using HEK, Hela and L929 cancerous cell lines and the apoptosis of cancerous cells were observed using propidium iodide staining. Thus, a simple and eco-friendly method for synthesis of biostabilized gold nanoparticles using fruit extracts of Garcinia indica was developed and the nanoparticles had potent antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer properties.

Keywords: cytotoxic, gold nanoparticles, green synthesis, Garcinia indica, anticancer

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Authors: Michelle Jennett, Jana Dengler, Maytal Perlman

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Background: Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event that results in upper limb paralysis, loss of independence, and disability. People living with cervical SCI have identified improvement of upper limb function as a top priority. Nerve and tendon transfer surgery has successfully restored upper limb function in cervical SCI but is not universally used or available to all eligible individuals. This exploratory mixed-methods study used an implementation science approach to better understand these factors that influence access to upper limb reconstruction in the Canadian context and design an intervention to increase access to care. Methods: Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information’s Discharge Abstracts Database (CIHI-DAD) and the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) were used to determine the annual rate of nerve transfer and tendon transfer surgeries performed in cervical SCI in Canada over the last 15 years. Semi-structured interviews informed by the consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR) were used to explore Ontario healthcare provider knowledge and practices around upper limb reconstruction. An inductive, iterative constant comparative process involving descriptive and interpretive analyses was used to identify themes that emerged from the data. Results: Healthcare providers (n = 10 upper extremity surgeons, n = 10 SCI physiatrists, n = 12 physical and occupational therapists working with individuals with SCI) were interviewed about their knowledge and perceptions of upper limb reconstruction and their current practices and discussions around upper limb reconstruction. Data analysis is currently underway and will be presented. Regional variation in rates of upper limb reconstruction and trends over time are also currently being analyzed. Conclusions: Utilization of nerve and tendon transfer surgery to improve upper limb reconstruction in Canada remains low. There are a complex array of interrelated individual-, provider- and system-level barriers that prevent individuals with cervical SCI from accessing upper limb reconstruction. In order to offer equitable access to care, a multi-modal approach addressing current barriers is required.

Keywords: cervical spinal cord injury, nerve and tendon transfer surgery, spinal cord injury, upper extremity reconstruction

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Authors: Tamer M. El-Messery

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By-products from sunflower oil extraction, such as sunflower cakes, are rich sources of proteins with desirable functional properties for the food industry. However, challenges such as sensory drawbacks and the presence of phenolic compounds have hindered their widespread use. In this study, sunflower protein concentrates were obtained from sunflower cakes using different ant-greening solvents (ascorbic acid (ASC) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC)), and their functional properties were evaluated. The color of extracted proteins ranged from dark green to yellow, where the using of ASC and NAC agents enhanced the color. The protein concentrates exhibited high solubility (>70%) and antioxidant activity, with hydrophobicity influencing emulsifying activity. Emulsions prepared with these proteins showed stability and microencapsulation efficiency. Incorporation of protein concentrates into low-fat whipping cream formulations increased overrun and affected color characteristics. Rheological studies demonstrated pseudoplastic behavior in whipped cream, influenced by shear rates and protein content. Overall, sunflower protein isolates showed promising functional properties, indicating their potential as valuable ingredients in food formulations.

Keywords: functional properties, sunflower protein concentrates, antioxidant capacity, ant-greening agents, low-fat whipping cream

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Authors: Mahidin, Yanna Syamsuddin, Samsul Rizal

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In order to fulfill world energy demand, several efforts have been done to look for new and renewable energy candidates to substitute oil and gas. Biomass is one of new and renewable energy sources, which is abundant in Indonesia. Palm kernel shell is a kind of biomass discharge from palm oil industries as a waste. On the other hand, Jatropha curcas that is easy to grow in Indonesia is also a typical energy source either for bio-diesel or biomass. In this study, biomass was used as co-fuel in briquetting of low-rank coal to suppress the release of emission (such as CO, NO_x and SO_x) during coal combustion. Desulfurizer, CaO-base, was also added to ensure the SO_x capture is effectively occurred. Ratio of coal to palm kernel shell (w/w) in the bio-briquette were 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20 and 90:10, while ratio of calcium to sulfur (Ca/S) in mole/mole were 1:1; 1.25:1; 1.5:1; 1.75:1 and 2:1. The bio-briquette then subjected to physical characterization and combustion test. The results show that the maximum weight loss in the durability measurement was ±6%. In addition, the highest stove efficiency for each desulfurizer was observed at the coal/PKS ratio of 90:10 and Ca/S ratio of 1:1 (except for the scallop shell desulfurizer that appeared at two Ca/S ratios; 1.25:1 and 1.5:1, respectively), i.e. 13.8% for the lime; 15.86% for the oyster shell; 14.54% for the scallop shell and 15.84% for the green mussel shell desulfurizers.

Keywords: biomass, low-rank coal, bio-briquette, new and renewable energy, palm kernel shell

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Authors: Dalila Hammiche, Lisa Klaai, Amar Boukerrou

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Following this trend, natural fiber reinforcements have been gaining importance in the composites sector. The effectiveness of natural fiber–reinforced PLA composite as an alternative material to substitute the non-renewable petroleum-based materials has been examined by researchers. In this study, we investigated the physicochemical, particle size and distribution, and thermal behavior of prickly pear seed flour (PPSF). Then, composites were manufactured with 20% in PPSF. Thermal, morphological, and mechanical properties have been studied, and water absorption tests as well. The characterization of this fiber has shown that cellulose is the majority constituent (30%), followed by hemicellulose (27%). To improve the fiber-matrix adhesion, the PPS was chemically treated with alkali treatment. The addition of PPSF decreases the thermal properties, and the study of the mechanical properties showed that the increase in the fiber content from 0 to 20% increased Young’s modulus. According to the results, the mechanical and thermal behaviors of composites are improved after fiber treatment. However, there is an increase in water absorption of composites compared to the PLA matrix. The moisture sensitivity of natural fiber composites limits their use in structural applications. Degradation of the fiber-matrix interface is likely to occur when the material is subjected to variable moisture conditions.

Keywords: biopolymer, composites, alcali treatment, mechanical properties

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Authors: Yuhei Kunihiro, Sorin V. Sabau, Kazuhiro Shibuya

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We study the molecular evolution of insulin from the metric geometry point of view. In mathematics, and particularly in geometry, distances and metrics between objects are of fundamental importance. Using a weaker notion than the classical distance, namely the weighted quasi-metrics, one can study the geometry of biological sequences (DNA, mRNA, or proteins) space. We analyze from the geometrical point of view a family of 60 insulin homologous sequences ranging on a large variety of living organisms from human to the nematode C. elegans. We show that the distances between sequences provide important information about the evolution and function of insulin.

Keywords: metric geometry, evolution, insulin, C. elegans

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Authors: Jean Yves Trepanier, Sami Ammar, Sagnik Banik

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Lattice Boltzmann Method has been advantageous in simulating complex boundary conditions and solving for fluid flow parameters by streaming and collision processes. This paper includes the study of three different test cases in a confined domain using the method of the Lattice Boltzmann model. 1. An SRT (Single Relaxation Time) approach in the Lattice Boltzmann model is used to simulate Lid Driven Cavity flow for different Reynolds Number (100, 400 and 1000) with a domain aspect ratio of 1, i.e., square cavity. A moment-based boundary condition is used for more accurate results. 2. A Thermal Lattice BGK (Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook) Model is developed for the Rayleigh Benard convection for both test cases - Horizontal and Vertical Temperature difference, considered separately for a Boussinesq incompressible fluid. The Rayleigh number is varied for both the test cases (10^3 ≤ Ra ≤ 10^6) keeping the Prandtl number at 0.71. A stability criteria with a precise forcing scheme is used for a greater level of accuracy. 3. The phase change problem governed by the heat-conduction equation is studied using the enthalpy based Lattice Boltzmann Model with a single iteration for each time step, thus reducing the computational time. A double distribution function approach with D2Q9 (density) model and D2Q5 (temperature) model are used for two different test cases-the conduction dominated melting and the convection dominated melting. The solidification process is also simulated using the enthalpy based method with a single distribution function using the D2Q5 model to provide a better understanding of the heat transport phenomenon. The domain for the test cases has an aspect ratio of 2 with some exceptions for a square cavity. An approximate velocity scale is chosen to ensure that the simulations are within the incompressible regime. Different parameters like velocities, temperature, Nusselt number, etc. are calculated for a comparative study with the existing works of literature. The simulated results demonstrate excellent agreement with the existing benchmark solution within an error limit of ± 0.05 implicates the viability of this method for complex fluid flow problems.

Keywords: BGK, Nusselt, Prandtl, Rayleigh, SRT

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Authors: Lillian Gungat, Meor Othman Hamzah, Mohd Rosli Mohd Hasan, Jan Valentin

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Utilization of a high percentage of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) requires higher production temperatures and consumes more energy. High production temperature expedites the aging of bitumen in RAP, which could affect the mixture performance. Warm mix asphalt (WMA) additive enables reduced production temperatures as a result of viscosity reduction. This paper evaluates the integration of a high percentage of RAP with a WMA additive known as RH-WMA. The optimum dosage of RH-WMA was determined from basic properties tests. A total of 0%, 30% and 50% RAP contents from two roads sources were modified with RH-WMA. The modified RAP bitumen were examined for viscosity, stiffness, rutting resistance and greenhouse gas emissions. The addition of RH-WMA improved the flow of bitumen by reducing the viscosity, and thus, decreased the construction temperature. The stiffness of the RAP modified bitumen reduced with the incorporation of RH-WMA. The positive improvement in rutting resistance was observed on bitumen with the addition of RAP and RH-WMA in comparison with control. It was estimated that the addition of RH-WMA could potentially reduce fuel usage and GHG emissions by 22 %. Hence, the synergy of RAP and WMA technology can be an alternative in green road construction.

Keywords: reclaimed asphalt pavement, WMA additive, viscosity, stiffness, emissions

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Authors: M. Kamel El-Sayed

Abstract:

The process of determining the degree of membership for an element to an uncertain concept has been found in many ways, using equivalence and symmetry relations in information systems. In the case of similarity, these methods did not take into account the degree of symmetry between elements. In this paper, we use a new definition for finding the membership based on the degree of symmetry. We provide an example to clarify the suggested methods and compare it with previous methods. This method opens the door to more accurate decisions in information systems.

Keywords: information system, uncertain concept, membership function, similarity relation, degree of similarity

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Authors: Essam Al Daoud

Abstract:

This study solves a phylogeny problem by using modified wild dog pack optimization. The least squares error is considered as a cost function that needs to be minimized. Therefore, in each iteration, new distance matrices based on the constructed trees are calculated and used to select the alpha dog. To test the suggested algorithm, ten homologous genes are selected and collected from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) databanks (i.e., 16S, 18S, 28S, Cox 1, ITS1, ITS2, ETS, ATPB, Hsp90, and STN). The data are divided into three categories: 50 taxa, 100 taxa and 500 taxa. The empirical results show that the proposed algorithm is more reliable and accurate than other implemented methods.

Keywords: least square, neighbor joining, phylogenetic tree, wild dog pack

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Authors: Myung-Gon Yoon, Jung-Ho Moon, Tae Kwon Ha

Abstract:

This paper deals with a stabilization problem for multi-agent systems, when all agents in a multi-agent system receive the same broadcasting control signal and the controller can measure not each agent output but the sum of all agent outputs. It is analytically shown that when the sum of all agent outputs is bounded with a certain broadcasting controller for a given reference, each agent output is separately bounded:stabilization of the sum of agent outputs always results in the stability of every agent output. A numerical example is presented to illustrate our theoretic findings in this paper.

Keywords: broadcasting control, multi-agent system, transfer function, stabilization

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Authors: Isalira Peroba Ramos, Cherley Borba Vieira de Andrade, Grazielle Suhett, Camila Salata, Paulo Cesar Canary, Guilherme Visconde Brasil, Antonio Carlos Campos de Carvalho, Regina Coeli dos Santos Goldenberg

Abstract:

Background: The therapeutic options for patients with cancer now include increasingly complex combinations of medications, radiation therapy (RT), and surgical intervention. Many of these treatments have important potential adverse cardiac effects and are likely to have significant effects on patient outcomes. Cell therapy appears to be promising for the treatment of chronic and degenerative diseases, including cardiomyopathy induced by RT, as the current therapeutic options are insufficient. Aims: To evaluate the potential of bone marrow mesenchymal cells (BMMCs) in radioinduced cardiac damage Methods: Female Wistar rats, 3 months old (Ethics Committee 054/14), were divided into 2 groups, non-treated irradiated group (IR n=15) and irradiated and BMMC treated (IRT n=10). Echocardiography was performed to evaluate heart function. After euthanasia, 3 months post treatment; the left ventricle was removed and prepared for RT-qPCR (VEGF and Pro Collagen I) and histological (picrosirius) analysis. Results: In both groups, 45 days after irradiation, ejection fraction (EF) was in the normal range for these animals (> 70%). However, the BMMC treated group had EF (83.1%±2.6) while the non-treated IR group showed a significant reduction (76.1%±2.6) in relation to the treated group. In addition, we observed an increase in VEGF gene expression and a decrease in Pro Collagen I in IRT when compared to IR group. We also observed by histology that the collagen deposition was reduced in IRT (10.26%±0.83) when compared to IR group (25.29%±0.96). Conclusions: Treatment with BMMCs was able to prevent ejection fraction reduction and collagen deposition in irradiated animals. The increase of VEGF and the decrease of pro collagen I gene expression might explain, at least in part, the cell therapy benefits. All authors disclose no financial or personal relationships with individuals or organizations that could be perceived to bias their work. Sources of funding: FAPERJ, CAPES, CNPq, MCT.

Keywords: mesenchymal cells, radioation, cardiotoxicity, bone marrow

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Authors: X. Cervantes-López, C. Arriaga-Canon, L. Contreras Espinosa

Abstract:

The goal of this study is to validate the overexpression of the lncRNA GATA3-AS1 associated with resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy of female patients with locally advanced mammary adenocarcinoma of luminal B subtype This study involved a cohort of one hundred thirty-seven samples for which total RNA was isolated from formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue. Samples were cut using a Microtome Hyrax M25 Zeiss and RNA was isolated using the RNeasy FFPE kit and a deparaffinization solution, the next step consisted in the analysis of RNA concentration and quality, then 18 µg of RNA was treated with DNase I, and cDNA was synthesized from 50 ng total RNA, finally real-time PCR was performed with SYBR Green/ROX qPCR Master Mix in order to determined relative gene expression using RPS28 as a housekeeping gene to normalize in a fold calculation ΔCt. As a result, we validated by real-time PCR that the overexpression of the lncRNA GATA3-AS1 is associated with resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancer patients of luminal B subtype.

Keywords: breast cancer, biomarkers, genomics, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, lncRNAS

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Authors: Layla Mujahed

Abstract:

COVID-19 is an exam for all the city’s systems. It shows many gaps in the systems such as healthcare, economic, social, and environment. This pandemic is paving for a new era, an era of technology and it has changed people’s lives, such as physical, and emotional changes, and converting communication into digitalized. The effect of COVID-19 has covered all urban city parts. COVID-19 will not be the last pandemic our cities will face. For that, more researches focus on enhancing the quality of the urban environment. This pandemic encourages a rethinking of the environment’s role, especially in cities. Cities are trying to provide the best suitable strategies and regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and an example of that is Amman city. Amman has a high increment in the number of COVID-19 infected people, while it has controlled the situation for months. For that, this paper studies the relation between COVID-19 and urban environmental studies cases about cities around the world, and learns from their models to face COVID-19. In Amman, people’s behavior has changed towards public transportation and public green spaces. N­ew governmental regulations focus on increasing people’s mental awareness, supporting local businesses, and enhancing neighborhood planning that can help Amman to face any future pandemics.

Keywords: COVID-19, urban environment, urban planning, urban resilience

Procedia PDF Downloads 118