An integrated Young interferometer based on UV-imprinted polymer waveguides for label-free biosensing applications

We demonstrate a polymer rib waveguide Young interferometer sensor fabricated by UV-imprinting. An inverted rib waveguide structure was utilized in order to simplify the fabrication process. In this configuration grooves are formed on the under cladding layer by UV-imprinting and core material is spin coated on top to fill the grooves. Glucose water solution was used to characterize the sensor response against ambient refractive index changes. The sensing responses correspond linearly with the refractive index change of glucose solutions with a detection limit of about 10-5. To verify the capability of the polymer sensor for biosensing, an immunoassay was performed with c-reactive protein (CRP) and human CRP specific antibody adsorbed on the waveguide surface as a receptor. The CRP solution in PBS (phosphate buffered saline) buffer with a concentration of 2 µg/ml (16 nM) resulted in an obvious response which was over a couple hundred times of the noise level. Based on these values, a detection limit of about 2.4 pg/mm2 was found for the surface sensing of molecular adsorption. With the proposed waveguide configuration, the fabrication of polymer sensors can be ultimately transferred to roll-to-roll mass production to produce low-cost disposable sensors

Effect of various nanoadditives on the performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine fuelled with jojoba biodiesel – diesel blends: A review

The review reports the results of various researches work on the engine performance and emission characteristics of diesel engine using different nanoadditives in jojoba biodiesel - diesel blends. Blending of diesel with biodiesel in a diesel engine has gained importance, due to its economical and environmental benefits. Jojoba biodiesel gained an importance as an alternative fuel over conventional diesel fuel even with their unfavorable effects of power reduction. The wide spread usage of nanoadditives to improve the combustion quality may be a good solution of this problem. Blending of nanoparticles as an additives in biodiesel – diesel blends improves the thermophysical properties, such as thermal conductivity, mass diffusivity and high surface area-to-volume ratio. Based on the results available in the literature, it has been found that nanoadditives with jojoba biodiesel - diesel blends improve the performance of diesel engine and reduced the emission of toxic gases depending upon the dosage of the nanoadditives

2017 HRS/EHRA/ECAS/APHRS/SOLAECE expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation: executive summary.

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Approaches in biotechnological applications of natural polymers

Natural polymers, such as gums and mucilage, are biocompatible, cheap, easily available and non-toxic materials of native origin. These polymers are increasingly preferred over synthetic materials for industrial applications due to their intrinsic properties, as well as they are considered alternative sources of raw materials since they present characteristics of sustainability, biodegradability and biosafety. As definition, gums and mucilages are polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates consisting of one or more monosaccharides or their derivatives linked in bewildering variety of linkages and structures. Natural gums are considered polysaccharides naturally occurring in varieties of plant seeds and exudates, tree or shrub exudates, seaweed extracts, fungi, bacteria, and animal sources. Water-soluble gums, also known as hydrocolloids, are considered exudates and are pathological products; therefore, they do not form a part of cell wall. On the other hand, mucilages are part of cell and physiological products. It is important to highlight that gums represent the largest amounts of polymer materials derived from plants. Gums have enormously large and broad applications in both food and non-food industries, being commonly used as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabilizing agents and matrices for drug release in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the food industry, their gelling properties and the ability to mold edible films and coatings are extensively studied. The use of gums depends on the intrinsic properties that they provide, often at costs below those of synthetic polymers. For upgrading the value of gums, they are being processed into various forms, including the most recent nanomaterials, for various biotechnological applications. Thus, the main natural polymers including galactomannans, cellulose, chitin, agar, carrageenan, alginate, cashew gum, pectin and starch, in addition to the current researches about them are reviewed in this article.. }To the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfíico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for fellowships (LCBBC and MGCC) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nvíel Superior (CAPES) (PBSA). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) (JAT)

WY500_501: Twillingate

Twillingate: Vacation School (Interdenominational) - Boys Camp (Tyro, TR) - Minty Farm 195

Behavioural adaptations of argulid parasites (Crustacea: Branchiura) to major challenges in their life cycle

Fish lice (Argulus spp.) are obligate ectoparasites, which contrary to most aquatic parasites, retain the ability to swim freely throughout the whole of their life. In fish farms, they can quickly increase in numbers and without effective control cause argulosis, which results in the reduced growth and survival of their fish hosts. The morphology of Argulus spp, including their sensory organs, is suitable for both parasitism and free-swimming. By spending a considerable amount of time away from their host, these parasites risk being excessively dispersed, which could endanger mating success. Here we present a review of recent studies on the behaviour of Argulus spp, especially the aggregative behaviour that mitigates the dilution of the parasite population. Aggregation of parasites, which is especially important during the period of reproduction, occurs on different scales and involves both the aggregation of the host and the aggregation of the parasites on the host. The main behavioural adaptations of Argulus spp, including searches for hosts and mates, host manipulation and host choice, are all focused on the fish. As these ectoparasites repeatedly change hosts and inflict skin damage, they can act as vectors for fish pathogens. The development of environmentally friendly measures for the control and prevention of argulosis needs to take into account the behaviour of the parasites.peerReviewe