Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO-MMT Nanocomposite for Antibacterial Activity Studies

ZnO oxide Nanoparticle and ZnO oxide with Montmorillonite nanocomposite were prepared by an environmentally friendly, efficient, and  inexpensive method that was synthesized using the chemical method. ZnO nanoparticles as an effective antibacterial material were immobilized on the surface of montmorillonite (MMT). The objectives of this paper are to summarize our research activities in (a) developing processes to dispersenanomaterials (undoped and doped zinc oxide powders) in the polymers matrix, (b) using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) techniques to characterize polymer matrix structures, (c) studying structure-property relationship of these types of new materials, and (d) evaluating the antibacterial performance of these materials for different applications. The results showed that the ZnO nanocomposite was uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix and the particles remained their average size (20 - 150 nm) before incorporation into the polymer matrix. Keywords: Zinc Oxide nanoparticle, Montmorillonite, FTIR, Antibacterial activit

Smart Cities: Towards a New Citizenship Regime? A Discourse Analysis of the British Smart City Standard

Growing practice interest in smart cities has led to calls for a less technology-oriented and more citizen-centric approach. In response, this articles investigates the citizenship mode promulgated by the smart city standard of the British Standards Institution. The analysis uses the concept of citizenship regime and a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods to discern key discursive frames defining the smart city and the particular citizenship dimensions brought into play. The results confirm an explicit citizenship rationale guiding the smart city (standard), although this displays some substantive shortcomings and contradictions. The article concludes with recommendations for both further theory and practice development

Scalar Field Quantum Inequalities in Static Spacetimes

We discuss quantum inequalities for minimally coupled scalar fields in static spacetimes. These are inequalities which place limits on the magnitude and duration of negative energy densities. We derive a general expression for the quantum inequality for a static observer in terms of a Euclidean two-point function. In a short sampling time limit, the quantum inequality can be written as the flat space form plus subdominant correction terms dependent upon the geometric properties of the spacetime. This supports the use of flat space quantum inequalities to constrain negative energy effects in curved spacetime. Using the exact Euclidean two-point function method, we develop the quantum inequalities for perfectly reflecting planar mirrors in flat spacetime. We then look at the quantum inequalities in static de~Sitter spacetime, Rindler spacetime and two- and four-dimensional black holes. In the case of a four-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole, explicit forms of the inequality are found for static observers near the horizon and at large distances. It is show that there is a quantum averaged weak energy condition (QAWEC), which states that the energy density averaged over the entire worldline of a static observer is bounded below by the vacuum energy of the spacetime. In particular, for an observer at a fixed radial distance away from a black hole, the QAWEC says that the averaged energy density can never be less than the Boulware vacuum energy density.Comment: 27 pages, 2 Encapsulated Postscript figures, uses epsf.tex, typeset in RevTe

Track 5.j Introduction: Innovation Through Design for Meaning

This track brings together researchers and practitioners to share and discuss the approach, subsequent outcomes, contributions and possible futures of the design for meaning landscape. For many fast moving consumer goods, home goods, office goods, vehicles, transport systems and elements of the built environment there are a growing number of instances in which a business opportunity can only be achieved by exploiting a new technology or a new cultural code (Holt and Cameron, 2010). Such cases of disruptive innovation or radical innovation are premised on the possibility of defining a new meaning for the potential consumers. The idea that design is a manner for making sense of things is frequently discussed in professional circles, as is the idea that design involves doing philosophy with the hands (Wendt 2015). For many practicing designers the activity of design cannot be separated from the intended meanings of the artefact which is being designed

Professional helping as negotiation in motion: social work as work on the move

The delivery of welfare and professional helping, such as in medicine, nursing and social work is largely treated as though it is achieved through static and immobile practices. Research has been dominated by a focus on the sedentary as studies have stayed rooted in places like hospitals and offices, failing to follow practitioners when they go out to see their service users in their communities and homes. This paper explores the mobile character of professional helping through a focus on social work by examining what its practices look like through the lens of movement based social science. The paper draws on empirical data from my mobile and sensory ethnography of child protection work, where I went along with social workers and interviewed them in the car and observed them on home visits to families. It is argued that attention to movement gets to the heart of what these practices are, as shown in the multiple meanings of car journeys, and how keeping children safe relies on worker’s capacities to move their bodies when in the home by walking, playing with and staying close to the child. Professional help goes on through what Jenson calls “negotiation in motion”. Fundamentally, social work is work on the move

Policy Recommendations for Meeting the Grand Challenge to Ensure Healthy Development for All Youth

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs

Optimal topological simplification of discrete functions on surfaces

We solve the problem of minimizing the number of critical points among all functions on a surface within a prescribed distance {\delta} from a given input function. The result is achieved by establishing a connection between discrete Morse theory and persistent homology. Our method completely removes homological noise with persistence less than 2{\delta}, constructively proving the tightness of a lower bound on the number of critical points given by the stability theorem of persistent homology in dimension two for any input function. We also show that an optimal solution can be computed in linear time after persistence pairs have been computed.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figure