Chitosan microfiber fabrication using microfluidic chips of different sheath channel angles and its application on cell culture

AbstractIn this study, we successfully produced the chitosan microfibers using the proposed various angles of microfluidic chip, which was also been simulated. By controlling the core and sheath flow rates, we were able to generate laminar flow of different diameters from 15 μm to 40 μm. And the diameter of chitosan microfiber was measured from 20 μm to 50 μm. The microchannel of angle 30° could produce chitosan laminar flow of a smaller diameter than the angle 60° and angle 45° at the fixed flow rates. Finally, the chitosan microfiber was chosen as scaffold and the schwann cell and fibroblast cell with chitosan microfibers were used for cell culture to test effect in tissue engineering application

Attributions and Outcomes of Customer Misbehavior

The purpose of this study is to determine which attribution dimensions concerning dysfunctional other-customer misbehavior most influence customer dissatisfaction toward a service firm. Our research hypotheses were tested using a 2 (Controllability: controllable versus uncontrollable) x 2 (Stability: unstable versus stable) x 2 (Globality: specific versus global) experimental design in a hypothetical restaurant context. Our empirical results demonstrate that when customers feel that the other-customer's misbehavior can be controlled by the firm (i.e., controllability attributions) or is likely to recur (i.e., stability attributions), they render unfavorable service evaluations toward that firm. However, these harmful effects may be mitigated if the customer believes that the same type of dysfunctional customer behavior also occurs during service encounters in other firms (i.e., globality attributions). With a view to diminishing the unsatisfactory experience of other-customer failure, the service organizations need to: (1) act as "police officers" to ensure that their customers behave appropriately; (2) have policies and procedures in place to manage their guests' behavior so as to reduce the recurrence of other-customer failure; and (3) consider communications intended to enhance attributions of globality following an other-customer failure, that will help to buffer the negative impact of controllability and stability attributions on satisfaction and behavioral reactions with the firm. This is the first time that controllability, stability, and globality attributions are clearly shown to be part of the process by which customers transfer their negative response to other-customer misbehavior to the organization

ARCHERY TRAINING IMPROVE POSTURAL CONTROL IN YOUNG CHILDREN

Exercise training might be beneficial for postural control (PC) during exercise and daily activities. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of an eight-week archery training program on PC in young children during the standard, aiming, and archery shooting standing posture

Low-Loss EELS Investigations on Atomically Thin MoxW(1-x)S2 Nanoflakes for Delving into Their Optoelectronic Properties

For more than a decade, the scientific community has developed a broadening interest in atomically thin 2D materials; due to their attractive mechanical, thermal and electronic properties. Within this family of materials, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) have been on the peak of this research interest lately. These materials present a TX2 type where T is a transition metal of groups IV, V or VI, and X stands for a chalcogen (S, Se or Te). Focusing on their electronic properties, a point of great interest application-wise is band gap tuning. In bulk, materials, one of the major techniques used for this purpose consists on alloying materials with different band gaps. Up until now, the only atomically thin alloy types reported for TMDs have been of the MoxW(1-x)Se2 or the MoXW(1-X)S2. For the second one, evidence of a band gap shift with the alloying degree in monolayers has been found. This evidence is supported both theoretically (by density functional theory (DFT)) and experimentally (via photoluminescence)..

Effect of dietary lipid on growth, expression of canthanthin canthaxanthin-based coloration, digestive enzymes activities and immunity in blood parrot cichlid Amphilophus citrinellus × Paraneetroplus synspilus

A 42-day experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of four different lipid containing diets (lipid 74.0, 105.3, 135.0, 168.1 g/kg diet) on growth, digestive enzymes activities, immunology and expression of canthaxanthin-based coloration in parrot cichlid (Amphilophus citrinellus × Paraneetroplus synspilus). Each diet contained canthaxanthin 0.05 g/kg diet. Two hundred and eighty-eight fish were randomly stocked into 12 glass aquaria to form four triplicate groups. Fish were fed one of four diets daily at 20 g/kg of their total body weight. Growth, digestive enzymes activities,immunology and body colour parameters were measured at the end of experiment.Based on the polynomial regression of dietary lipid level and specific growth rate, the dietary lipid level inclusion was calculated as 117.2 g/kg for the highest specific growth rate of these animals. The polynomial regression of skin colour parameters and dietary lipid levels indicated the critical threshold lipid inclusions in diet: 113.7 g/kg for the best expression of lightness, 112.1 g/kg for redness, 127.5 g/kg for yellowness and 125.3 g/kg for chroma of fish’s skin. Considering redness, lightness and specific growth rate are most important variables, a diet containing lipid 115.0 g/kg can be recommended for blood parrot cichlid

Nonlinear elasticity of stiff biopolymers connected by flexible linkers

Networks of the biopolymer actin, cross-linked by the compliant protein filamin, form soft gels. They can, however, withstand large shear stresses due to their pronounced nonlinear elastic behavior. The nonlinear elasticity can be controlled by varying the number of cross-links per actin filament. We propose and test a model of rigid filaments decorated by multiple flexible linkers that is in quantitative agreement with experiment. This allows us to estimate loads on individual cross-links, which we find to be less than 10 pN. © 2009 The American Physical Society

Cultural differences in intimacy: The influence of gender-role ideology and individualism-collectivism

Two studies examined emotional intimacy in European Canadian and Chinese Canadian dating relationships. Cultural differences in gender-role ideology and individualism–collectivism were hypothesized to differentially contribute to selfdisclosure and responsiveness, and in turn, intimacy. Study 1 revealed that Chinese Canadians’ lower intimacy relative to European Canadians was mediated by their greater gender-role traditionalism but not by their individualism or collectivism. Study 2 further linked greater gender-role traditionalism to lower self-disclosure, and in turn, lower intimacy. Results also revealed that Chinese Canadians’ lower intimacy mediated their lower relationship satisfaction and higher rate of relationship termination in Study 1, but that Chinese Canadians were not any more likely to terminate their relationships in Study 2

Recurrent neuro-fuzzy modeling and fuzzy MDPP control for flexible servomechanisms

This paper considers the nonlinear system identification and control for flexible servomechanisms. A multi-step-ahead recurrent neuro-fuzzy model consisting of local linear ARMA (autoregressive moving average) models with bias terms is suggested for approximating the dynamic behavior of a servomechanism including the effects of flexibility and friction. The RLS ( recursive least squares) algorithm is adopted for obtaining the optimal consequent parameters of the rules. Within each fuzzy operating region, a local MDPP ( minimum degree pole placement) control law with integral action can be constructed based on the estimated local model. Then a fuzzy controller composed of these local MDPP controls can be easily constructed for the servomechanism. The techniques are illustrated using computer simulations