An investigation of the RWPE prostate derived family of cell lines using FTIR spectroscopy

Interest in developing robust, quicker and easier diagnostic tests for cancer has lead to an increased use of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to meet that need. In this study we present the use of different experimental modes of infrared spectroscopy to investigate the RWPE human prostate epithelial cell line family which are derived from the same source but differ in their mode of transformation and their mode of invasive phenotype. Importantly, analysis of the infrared spectra obtained using different experimental modes of infrared spectroscopy produces similar results. The RWPE family of cell lines can be separated into groups based upon the method of cell transformation rather than the resulting invasiveness/aggressiveness of the cell line. The study also demonstrates the possibility of using a genetic algorithm as a possible standardised pre-processing step and raises the important question of the usefulness of cell lines to create a biochemical model of prostate cancer progression

Discrimination of prostate cancer cells and non-malignant cells using secondary ion mass spectrometry

This communication utilises Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) combined with multivariate analysis to obtain spectra from the surfaces of three closely related cell lines allowing their discrimination based upon mass spectral ions

Global energy transition: From the main determinants to economic challenges

Dynamic global energy transition has been accelerating for the last decade. Interestingly, the energy transition is multidimensional and concerns both the dimensions of technique/ technology and the economic, social, institu-tional, and legal spheres

Local simulation of singlet statistics for restricted set of measurement

The essence of Bell's theorem is that, in general, quantum statistics cannot be reproduced by local hidden variable (LHV) model. This impossibility is strongly manifested while analyzing the singlet state statistics for Bell-CHSH violations. In this work, we provide various subsets of two outcome POVMs for which a local hidden variable model can be constructed for singlet state.Comment: 2 column, 5 pages, 4 figures, new references, abstract modified, accepted in JP

FTIR-based spectroscopic analysis in the identification of clinically aggressive prostate cancer

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a vibrational spectroscopic technique that uses infrared radiation to vibrate molecular bonds within the sample that absorbs it. As different samples contain different molecular bonds or different configurations of molecular bonds, FTIR allows us to obtain chemical information on molecules within the sample. Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy in conjunction with a principal component-discriminant function analysis (PC-DFA) algorithm was applied to the grading of prostate cancer (CaP) tissue specimens. The PC-DFA algorithm is used alongside the established diagnostic measures of Gleason grading and the tumour/node/metastasis system. Principal component-discriminant function analysis improved the sensitivity and specificity of a three-band Gleason score criterion diagnosis previously reported by attaining an overall sensitivity of 92.3% and specificity of 99.4%. For the first time, we present the use of a two-band criterion showing an association of FTIR-based spectral characteristics with clinically aggressive behaviour in CaP manifest as local and/or distal spread. This paper shows the potential for the use of spectroscopic analysis for the evaluation of the biopotential of CaP in an accurate and reproducible manner

The Causal Impact of Solid Fuel Use on Mortality – A Cross- Country Panel Analysis

Biomass consumption causes indoor air pollution which impairs health and environment. In this paper, we examine the causal relationship between biomass fuel consumption and measures of life expectancy and infant and child mortality. Using 13 years of cross-country panel data which covers 105 countries over the period 2000-2012, we applied fixed effect model and instrumental variable regression. We find that solid fuel combustion causes increase in infant and child mortality and decreases in male and female life expectancy. A back-of-the envelope calculation suggests that, if the solid fuel consumption gap between low-income and lower-middle income countries were reduced by 50 percent, infant and child mortality in the low-income countries decrease by 16.5 and 29.8 per thousand respectively, and life expectancy would increase by 1.0 and 1.5 years for males and females respectively. Our findings suggest that governments, particularly of developing countries, should focus efforts to reduce solid fuel use

Pressure drop along a channel with modified short pin-fins

Paper presented to the 10th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Florida, 14-16 July 2014.Short pin-fin arrays are used to enhance the heat transfer in cooling channels of gas turbine airfoils, combustor liners, electronic chips, bearing housings etc. Numerous experimental and numerical past studies ascertain the optimal spacing and length to height ratios within arrays of round short pin-fins for optimal heat transfer. However, the heat transfer enhancement in pin-finned channels is achieved at the expense of a significant pressure drop across the channel. Augmentation of pin-fins to improve the flow and heat transfer characteristics through the channel, may however lead to further improvements. This paper presents measured pressure drop characteristics in a channel with a staggered array of round short pin-fins where each pin has two through slots. The two slots located at the two ends of each pin have an identical slot-depth to pin-diameter ratio and slot-width to pin-diameter ratio which is 0.48. The slots are oriented parallel to the mean flow direction in the pin-fin array. The pin-height to diameter ratio used is 1.28 and pitch to diameter ratio in both streamwise and pitchwise direction of the pin-fin array is 2. The array consists of 13 staggered rows of pin-fins. Pressure drop in the channel is also measured with conventional solid round pin-fins. The same array spacing, pin-diameter and pin-height was used as with the slotted pin-fin array for comparison. The Reynolds number based on the mass averaged velocity and pin hydraulic diameter ranges between 3,300 and 32,800 covering different cooling applications. The objectives of the measurements are to investigate the effect of the pin-slots on the pressure drop over the array of pin-fins and recirculation region downstream of the slotted pin in the channel. The recirculation regions are responsible for low heat transfer coefficients on the end wall in the immediate vicinity downstream of the pin-fins. In general, the normalized pressure drop over the slotted pin-fin array decreases as Reynolds number decreases. The pressure drop over the slotted pin-fin array was also lower than the predicted pressure drop over an array of solid pin fins without slots. The normalized pressure distribution around the slotted pin circumference at mid-height shows a stagnation region over the frontal section of the slotted pin. The normalized pressure distribution changes little between 90° and 180° over the Reynolds number range that was used; this indicates a region of local flow separation. A short pin-fin array with slotted pins as described in this paper reduces the pressure drop over an array when compared to an unslotted array with the same geometrical arrangement. Slotting of pin fins may enhance the performance of an array of short pin-fins by reducing the pressure drop across the array.cf201

ASESMEN BALOK BETON BERTULANG DENGAN PENDEKATAN HASIL PENGUJIAN NDT DI LABORATORIUM

Salah satu metode untuk pengujian beton adalah pengujian dengan cara yang tidak merusak spesimen (Non-Destructif Test) yang selanjutnya dikenal dengan metode NDT. Pengujian beton dengan metode DNT terus mengalami perkembangan dan dikembangkan oleh para peneliti dewasa ini. Penelitian ini mengenai asesmen struktur balok beton bertulang dengan menggunakan pendekatan hasil pengujian NDT di laboratorium. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk membangun model  hubungan antara cepat rambat gelombang (v) terhadap kekuatan sisa (KS), korelasi antara cepat rambat gelombang (v) dengan kuat tekan (f’c) beton, hubungan antara modulus elastis statis (Ec) dengan modulus elastis dinamis (Ed), dan membangun model korelasi antara cepat rambat gelombang dan nilai pantul terhadap kuat tekan beton. Hubungan/korelasi yang terbangun tersebut kemudian diaplikasikan untuk melakukan asesmen terhadap elemen struktur balok beton bertulang. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa nilai v berbanding lurus dengan KS, dan berdasarkan KS dan v terbangun lima kategori kualitas beton yaitu (1) Sangat Baik; (2) Baik; (3) Cukup; (4) Jelek; dan (5) Sangat Jelek. Semakin besar nilai v maka kekuatan tekan beton semakin besar (v berbanding lurus dengan f’c). Nilai Ed berbanding lurus dengan f’cprediktif. Semakin besar Ed semakin besar pula nilai Ec. Semakin besar nilai R semakin besar pula nilai f’cprediktif (R berbanding lurus dengan f’c). Dari hasil pengujian balok beton bertulang dan analisis dengan model persamaan yang terbangun diperoleh bahwa balok beton bertulang pada 40% beban maksimal rata-rata mempunyai KS 60-80%. MU-prediktif balok beton bertulang < MU aktual dengan rasio rata-rata 0,983 jika menggunakan Pundit, rasio rata-rata 0,808 jika menggunakan Hammer, dan rasio rata-rata 0,875 jika menggunakan Kombinasi Pundit dan Hammer. Arinya model yang terbangun dapat digunakan. Hasil pengujian defleksi menunjukkan δteoritis < δaktual < δijin. Artinya balok beton bertulang aman. δteori rata-rata underestimate terhadap δaktual dengan tingkat akurasi ± 20%. Dengan demikian model yang terbangun bisa digunakan (acceptable) untuk asesmen balok beton dilapanganKata kunci : Pengujian NDT, cepat rambat gelombang (v), nilai pantul (R), dan kekuatan sisa (KS)