Review: Zeolite Alam Sebagai Material Penghantar Obat

Abstrak-Laporan mengenai pengkajian terhadap zeolit alam telah mengalami peningkatan dengan spektrum aplikasi yang relative luas termasuk dalam bidang biomedis dan farmasi. Salah satu potensi aplikasi zeolite yang menarik perhatian para peneliti ialah dalam bidang penghantar obat (drug delivery). Dalam artikel ini, disajikan review berdasarkan hasil penelitian yang telah dipublikasikan terkait material zeolit alam dari aspek struktur dan karakteristik serta aplikasinya sebagai bagian dari system penghantar obat. Berdasarkan struktur dan komposisinya, zeolit alam terdiri atas beberapa jenis seperti Analcime, Kabasite, Klinoptilotit, Erionite, Faujasite, Ferrierite, Laumontite, Mordenite dan Phillipsite. Dari beberapa jenis zeolit tersebut, Klinoptilotit dan Mordenit merupakan mineral yang paling luas ditemukan dan dilaporkan aplikasinya. Karakteristik struktur dan komposisi dengan variasi yang luas menjadikan zeolit alam meiliki sifat yang cocok untuk diaplikasikan sebagai material penghantar obat. Sifat tersebut juga termasuk biokompatibilitas dan toksisitas yang mendukung aplikasinya dalam sistem biologis. Sebagai material dengan potensi pemanfaatan dalam bidang penghantar obat, zeolite dalam beberapa laporan terbatas telah diketahui memiliki sifat dan daya adaptabilitas yang baik dalam system biologis. Beberapa aplikasi zeolit sebagai material penghantar vitamin hingga obat diantaranya seperti Vitamin A, D3 dan E, diclofenac sodium (DS), ibuprofen, diclofenac, indomektin, cephalexin, dan temozolomide

Pressure Mapping Mat for Tele-Home Care Applications

In this paper we present the development of a mat-like pressure mapping system based on a single layer textile sensor and intended to be used in home environments for monitoring the physical condition of persons with limited mobility. The sensor is fabricated by embroidering silver-coated yarns on a light cotton fabric and creating pressure-sensitive resistive elements by stamping the conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) at the crossing points of conductive stitches. A battery-operated mat prototype was developed and includes the scanning circuitry and a wireless communication module. A functional description of the system is presented together with a preliminary experimental evaluation of the mat prototype in the extraction of plantar pressure parameters

Cycle by cycle NOx model for diesel engine control

[EN] This paper presents a model for on-line NOx estimation. The method uses both, low frequency components and high frequency components of in-cylinder pressure signal: it harnesses in-cylinder pressure resonance to estimate the trapped mass, and based on this measurement, a NOx model is adapted to estimate NOx emissions cycle by cycle. In addition of the in-cylinder pressure signal, the procedure only requires from lambda and air mass flow to estimate NOx, so it can give a direct estimation of NOx or improve transient response and aging of current NOx sensors. The method was validated on a CI engine with high pressure EGR loop under steady and transient conditions showing errors below 10% and cycle by cycle time response. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Guardiola, C.; Martín, J.; Pla, B.; Bares-Moreno, P. (2017). Cycle by cycle NOx model for diesel engine control. Applied Thermal Engineering. 110:1011-1020. doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2016.08.170S1011102011

The MODEST questions: challenges and future directions in stellar cluster research

We present a review of some of the current major challenges in stellar cluster research, including young clusters, globular clusters, and galactic nuclei. Topics considered include: primordial mass segregation and runaway mergers, expulsion of gas from clusters, the production of stellar exotica seen in some clusters (eg blue stragglers and extreme horizontal--branch stars), binary populations within clusters, the black--hole population within stellar clusters, the final parsec problem, stellar dynamics around a massive black hole, and stellar collisions. The Modest Questions posed here are the outcome of discussions which took place at the Modest-6A workshop held in Lund, Sweden, in December, 2005. Modest-6A was organised as part of the activities of the Modest Collaboration (see www.manybody.org for further details)Comment: 24 pages, no figures, accepted for publication in New Astronom

Energy Management of Hybrid Electric Urban Bus by Off-Line Dynamic Programming Optimization and One-Step Look-Ahead Rollout

[EN] Due to the growing air quality concern in urban areas and rising fuel prices, urban bus fleets are progressively turning to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) which show higher efficiency and lower emissions in comparison with conventional vehicles. HEVs can reduce fuel consumption and emissions by combining different energy sources (i.e., fuel and batteries). In this sense, the performance of HEVs is strongly dependent on the energy management strategy (EMS) which coordinates the energy sources available to exploit their potential. While most EMSs are calibrated for general driving conditions, this paper proposes to adapt the EMS to the specific driving conditions on a particular bus route. The proposed algorithm relies on the fact that partial information on the driving cycle can be assumed since, in the case of a urban bus, the considered route is periodically covered. According to this hypothesis, the strategy presented in this paper is based on estimating the driving cycle from a previous trip of the bus in the considered route. This initial driving cycle is used to compute the theoretical optimal solution by dynamic programming. The obtained control policy (particularly the cost-to-go matrix) is stored and used in the subsequent driving cycles by applying one-step look-ahead roll out, then, adapting the EMS to the actual driving conditions but exploiting the similarities with previous cycles in the same route. To justify the proposed strategy, the paper discusses the common patterns in different driving cycles of the same bus route, pointing out several metrics that show how a single cycle captures most of the key parameters for EMS optimization. Then, the proposed algorithm (off-line dynamic programming optimization and one-step look-ahead rollout) is described. Results obtained by simulation show that the proposed method is able to keep the battery charge within the required range and achieve near-optimal performance, with only a 1.9% increase in fuel consumption with regards to the theoretical optimum. As a reference for comparison, the equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS), which is the most widespread algorithm for HEV energy management, produces an increase in fuel consumption with respect to the optimal solution of 11%.This research was funded by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, through the Proyectos I+D+i 2020 Program, grant number PID2020-119691RB-I00.Tormos, B.; Pla Moreno, B.; Bares-Moreno, P.; Pinto, D. (2022). Energy Management of Hybrid Electric Urban Bus by Off-Line Dynamic Programming Optimization and One-Step Look-Ahead Rollout. Applied Sciences. 12(9):1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/app1209447411912

Memory decline evolves independently of disease activity in MS

The natural history of cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) and its relationship with disease activity is not well known. In this study, we evaluate a prospective cohort of 44 MS patients who were followed every 3 months for 2 years. Cognitive evaluation was done at baseline and by the end of the study using the Brief Repeatable Battery-Neuropsychology. Clinical evaluation included assessment of new relapses and changes in disability (Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS)) confirmed at 6 months. RESULTS: We found that verbal memory performance deteriorates after 2 years in patients with MS. These changes were observed in stable and active patients both in terms of relapses and disability progression, even at the beginning of the disease, and in patients with or without cognitive impairment at study entry. Attention and executive functions measured with the symbol digit modality test (SDMT) declined after 2 years in patients with confirmed disability progression. Furthermore, SDMT performance correlated with the EDSS change. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that verbal memory steadily declines in patients with MS from the beginning of the disease and independently of other parameters of disease activity

Effectiveness and Limitations of Unsupervised Home-Based Balance Rehabilitation with Nintendo Wii in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Balance training represents a critical part of the rehabilitation process of individuals living with multiple sclerosis (MS) since impaired postural control is a distinctive symptom of the disease. In recent years, the use of the Nintendo Wii system has become widespread among rehabilitation specialists for this purpose, but few studies have verified the effectiveness of such an approach using quantitative measures of balance. In this study, we analyzed the postural sway features of a cohort of twenty-seven individuals with MS before and after 5 weeks of unsupervised home-based balance training with the Wii system. Center of pressure (COP) time-series were recorded using a pressure platform and processed to calculate sway area, COP path length, displacements, and velocities in mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) directions. Although the results show a significant reduction in sway area, COP displacements, and velocity, such improvements are essentially restricted to the ML direction, as the Wii platform appears to properly stimulate the postural control system in the frontal plane but not in the sagittal one. Available Wii games, although somewhat beneficial, appear not fully suitable for rehabilitation in MS owing to scarce flexibility and adaptability to MS needs and thus specific software should be developed

Air Quality and Comfort Characterisation within an Electric Vehicle Cabin in Heating and Cooling Operations†

This work is aimed at the experimental characterisation of air quality and thermal profile within an electric vehicle cabin, measuring at the same time the HVAC system energy consumption. Pollutant concentrations in the vehicle cabin are measured by means of a low-cost system of sensors. The effects of the HVAC system configuration, such as fresh-air and recirculation mode, on cabin air quality, are discussed. It is shown that the PM concentrations observed in recirculation mode are lower than those in fresh-air mode, while VOC concentrations are generally higher in recirculation than in fresh-air mode. The energy consumption is compared in different configurations of the HVAC system. The novelty of this work is the combined measurement of important comfort parameters such as air temperature distribution and air quality within the vehicle, together with the real time energy consumption of the HVAC system. A wider concept of comfort is enabled, based on the use of low-cost sensors in the automotive field