Development of Photonic Crystal Fiber Based Gas/ Chemical Sensors

The development of highly-sensitive and miniaturized sensors that capable of real-time analytes detection is highly desirable. Nowadays, toxic or colorless gas detection, air pollution monitoring, harmful chemical, pressure, strain, humidity, and temperature sensors based on photonic crystal fiber (PCF) are increasing rapidly due to its compact structure, fast response and efficient light controlling capabilities. The propagating light through the PCF can be controlled by varying the structural parameters and core-cladding materials, as a result, evanescent field can be enhanced significantly which is the main component of the PCF based gas/chemical sensors. The aim of this chapter is to (1) describe the principle operation of PCF based gas/ chemical sensors, (2) discuss the important PCF properties for optical sensors, (3) extensively discuss the different types of microstructured optical fiber based gas/ chemical sensors, (4) study the effects of different core-cladding shapes, and fiber background materials on sensing performance, and (5) highlight the main challenges of PCF based gas/ chemical sensors and possible solutions

Association study of genetic variants of pro-inflammatory chemokine and cytokine genes in systemic lupus erythematosus

BACKGROUND: Several lines of evidence suggest that chemokines and cytokines play an important role in the inflammatory development and progression of systemic lupus erythematosus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relevance of functional genetic variations of RANTES, IL-8, IL-1α, and MCP-1 for systemic lupus erythematosus. METHODS: The study was conducted on 500 SLE patients and 481 ethnically matched healthy controls. Genotyping of polymorphisms in the RANTES, IL-8, IL-1α, and MCP-1 genes were performed using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system with pre-developed TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. RESULTS: No significant differences between SLE patients and healthy controls were observed when comparing genotype, allele or haplotype frequencies of the RANTES, IL-8, IL-1α, and MCP-1 polymorphisms. In addition, no evidence for association with clinical sub-features of SLE was found. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the tested functional variation of RANTES, IL-8, IL-1α, and MCP-1 genes do not confer a relevant role in the susceptibility or severity of SLE in the Spanish population

Mechanism based heparanase inhibitors reduce cancer metastasis in vivo

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) mediate essential interactions throughout the extracellular matrix (ECM), providing signals that regulate cellular growth and development. Altered HSPG composition during tumorigenesis strongly aids cancer progression. Heparanase (HPSE) is the principal enzyme responsible for extracellular heparan sulfate catabolism and is markedly up-regulated in aggressive cancers. HPSE overactivity degrades HSPGs within the ECM, facilitating metastatic dissemination and releasing mitogens that drive cellular proliferation. Reducing extracellular HPSE activity reduces cancer growth, but few effective inhibitors are known, and none are clinically approved. Inspired by the natural glycosidase inhibitor cyclophellitol, we developed nanomolar mechanism-based, irreversible HPSE inhibitors that are effective within physiological environments. Application of cyclophellitol-derived HPSE inhibitors reduces cancer aggression in cellulo and significantly ameliorates murine metastasis. Mechanism-based irreversible HPSE inhibition is an unexplored anticancer strategy. We demonstrate the feasibility of such compounds to control pathological HPSE-driven malignancies.NWO"Endoglycoprobe”714.018.002Bio-organic Synthesi

The Timing of Daily Demand for Goods and Services – Multivariate Probit Estimates and Microsimulation Results for an Aged Population with German Time Use Diary Data

Though consumption research provides a broad spectrum of theoretical and empirical founded results, studies based on a daily focus are missing. Knowledge about the individual timing of daily demand for goods and services, opens – beyond a genuine contribution to consumption research – interesting societal and macro economic as well as individual personal and firm perspectives: it is important for an efficient timely coordination of supply and demand in the timing perspective as well as for a targeted economic, social and societal policy for a better support of the every day coordination of life. Last not least, the individual daily public and private living situations will be visible, which are of particular importance for the social togetherness in family and society. Our study contributes to the timing of daily consumption for goods and services with an empirical founded microanalysis on the basis of more than 37.000 individual time use diaries of the nationwide Time Budget Survey of the German Federal Statistical Office 2001/02. We describe the individual timing of daily demand for goods and services for important socio-demographic groups like for women and men, the economic situation with income poverty and daily working hour arrangements. The multivariate microeconometric explanation of the daily demand for goods and services is based on a latent utility maximizing approach over a day. We estimate an eight equation Multivariate/Simultaneous Probit Model, which allows the decision for multiple consumption activities in more than one time period a day. The estimates quantify effects on the timing of daily demand by individual socio-economic variables, which encompasses, personal, household, regional characteristics as well as daily working hour arrangements within a flexible labour market. The question about individual effects of an aged society on the timing of daily demand for goods and services is analyzed with our microsimulation model ServSim and a population forecast for 2020 by the German Federal Statistical Office. Main result: There are significant differences in explaining the timing of daily demand for goods compared to services on the one hand and in particular for different daily time periods. The conclusion: without the timing aspects an important and significant dimension for understanding individual consumption behaviour and their impacts on other individual living conditions would be missing

Timing, Fragmentation of Work and Income Inequality - An Earnings Treatment Effects Approach

Traditional welfare analyses based on money income needs to be broadened by its time dimension. In the course of time the traditional full-time work is diminishing and new labour arrangements are discussed (keyword: flexible labour markets). Our study is contributing to economic well-being by adding insights into particular work effort characteristics - the daily timing of work and its fragmentation - and its resulting income distribution. With our focus on ‘who is working when within a day with which earnings consequences’ we go beyond traditional labour market analyses with its working time division into aggregated full and part time work, working hours spread across a week and weekend, life time working etc. Whereas the first part of our study is describing the distribution of timing and fragmentation of daily work time and its resulting income based on more than 35.000 diaries of the recent German Time Budget Survey 2001/2002, the second part of our study quantifies determinants of arrangement specific earnings functions detecting significant explanatory pattern of what is behind. The economic theory behind is a human capital approach in a market and non-market context, extended by non-market time use, the partner’s working condition, social networking as well as household and regional characteristics. The econometrics use a treatment effects type interdependent estimation of endogenous participation (selection) in a daily working hour pattern (self-selection)and pattern specific earnings function explanation. The overall result: Individual earnings in Germany are dependent on and significant different with regard to the daily working hour arrangement capturing timing and fragmentation of work time. Market and non-market factors are important and significant in explaining earnings

Livro de atas do seminário reabilitação energética de edifícios

O aumento exponencial dos custos da energia e o elevado valor da fatura energética que os cidadãos têm que pagar, faz com que todas as questões relacionadas com a energia e a eficiência energética ganhem uma importância cada vez maior para toda a sociedade. O elevado peso relativo do consumo de energia dos edifícios existentes no consumo energético global no sector dos edifícios, adquire assim um papel cada vez mais relevante. Em Portugal existem 2 560 911 de edifícios construídos antes de 1990 (ano da publicação do 1º regulamento relativo ao comportamento térmico dos edifícios), representando 76.6% do total de edifícios existentes. Devido à falta de exigências e preocupações térmicas, estes apresentam-se como altamente consumidores de energia quando se pretende que eles proporcionem condições de conforto mínimas. Existem previsões de que os edifícios construídos em Portugal até 1990 contribuirão em 2050 com mais de 80% dos consumos neste setor, se neles não forem feitas quaisquer intervenções de reabilitação energética. No âmbito do Projecto de Investigação “Reabilitação Energética em Edifícios”, financiado pela FCT no âmbito do programa COMPETE, e liderado pela Universidade do Minho sob a coordenação da Prof.ª Doutora Manuela Almeida, foram estudadas diversas soluções tecnológicas que permitem uma reabilitação energética eficaz de edifícios e cuja divulgação vai permitir que não só os especialistas mas também o público em geral tenham acesso a informação potencialmente relevante para a vida e a economia de toda a sociedade. Assim, esta publicação apresenta os principais resultados obtidos no âmbito do projeto em epígrafe, contribuindo para disseminação de soluções que contribuam para a melhoria da eficiência energética assim como com a sustentabilidade de edifícios

El grande iio de David Cristo... : istoria evangelica, moral, politica y predicable, adornada con raros exenplos y prodigiosos casos... : tomo sexto

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