WAVE INTERACTION OF THE H-TYPE FLOATING BREAKWATER

Suppression of wave energy has been a challenge to many coastal engineers and researchers. Numerous efforts have been taken in the development of both hard and soft strategies in protecting coastal infrastructures from the intrusion of destructive waves. Breakwater is one of the most widely used structures in offering some degree of protection to the shoreline. Despite excellent wave dampening ability, the fixed breakwaters may pose several drawbacks mostly to the environment, i.e. interruption to sediment transport, interference to fish migration, water pollution and the downcoast erosions. This study aims at developing the H-type floating breakwater in providing an alternative to the bottom-seated breakwaters. A large scale (1:5) test model constructed using plywood and fiberglass coating was extensively tested in a 25-m wave flume equipped with measuring wave probes in its vicinity. Regular and random wave conditions were generated by the wave generator in the flume. Some of the important test parameters were breakwater immersion depth, wave period and wave height. In total, 108 tests were conducted in this study. The hydraulic performance of the H-type floating breakwater was quantified by the coefficients of transmission, reflection and energy loss. In general, the test model is an effective wave attenuator (with wave attenuation up to 95%), strong wave reflector (reflection of 42 - 87% of incident waves) and good energy dissipater (as high as 85%). In comparison with other types of floating breakwater, the H-type floating breakwater outperforms the others in terms of wave attenuation. This indicates that the configuration of the H-shape floating breakwater is effective in enhancing its overall hydraulic performance

Radiative Models of Sagittarius A* and M87 from Relativistic MHD Simulations

Ongoing millimeter VLBI observations with the Event Horizon Telescope allow unprecedented study of the innermost portion of black hole accretion flows. Interpreting the observations requires relativistic, time-dependent physical modeling. We discuss the comparison of radiative transfer calculations from general relativistic MHD simulations of Sagittarius A* and M87 with current and future mm-VLBI observations. This comparison allows estimates of the viewing geometry and physical conditions of the Sgr A* accretion flow. The viewing geometry for M87 is already constrained from observations of its large-scale jet, but, unlike Sgr A*, there is no consensus for its millimeter emission geometry or electron population. Despite this uncertainty, as long as the emission region is compact, robust predictions for the size of its jet launching region can be made. For both sources, the black hole shadow may be detected with future observations including ALMA and/or the LMT, which would constitute the first direct evidence for a black hole event horizon.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, submitted to the proceedings of AHAR 2011: The Central Kiloparse

Correlation of total phenolic and flavonoid contents on the antioxidant activity of Psychotria gitingensis and Psychotria pilosella

The genus Psychotria (Rubiaceae) possesses various biological properties, ranging from phytochemical and pharmacological properties of their chemical constituents to traditional medical applications. Most Psychotria species remain unstudied despite high diversity and endemism in the Philippines. Hence, this study investigates the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of Psychotria gitingensis and Psychotria pilosella methanolic crude extracts, evaluates their antioxidant properties, and assesses their antibacterial properties. Results revealed that P. gitingensis fruit extract exhibited the highest phenolic content (254.45 ± 6.63 mg GAE/g extract) and flavonoid content (9.85 ± 0.49 mg QE/g). In addition, it also displayed the highest antioxidant activity (0.993 ± 0.041 mg/mg) in the ABTS assay. P. pilosella leaf extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH (70.53% ± 1.50), and P. gitingensis leaf extract showed the highest iron-reducing antioxidant power (86.06% ± 0.73) in FRAP. Paper disk diffusion tests, however, did not exhibit activity against selected nosocomial pathogens. The results of this study contribute to expanding the field of knowledge on alternative treatments and paving the way for the development of new medicinal products

Lung cancer lymph node micrometastasis detection using real-time polymerase chain reaction: Correlation with vascular endothelial growth factor expression

ObjectivesLymph node staging provides critical information in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Lymphangiogenesis may be an important contributor to the pathophysiology of lymphatic metastases. We hypothesized that the presence of lymph node micrometastases positively correlates with vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) A, C, and D as well as VEGF-receptor-3 (lymphangiogenic factors) expression in lymph nodes.MethodsForty patients with NSCLC underwent preoperative positron emission tomography-computed tomography and mediastinoscopy. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays for messenger RNA expression of epithelial markers (ie, cytokeratin 7; carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5; and palate, lung, and nasal epithelium carcinoma-associated protein) were performed in selected fluorodeoxyglucose-avid lymph nodes. VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, and VEGF receptor-3 expression levels were measured in primary tumors and lymph nodes. Wilcoxon rank sum test was run for the association between the RT-PCR epithelial marker levels and VEGF expression levels in the lymph nodes.ResultsRT-PCR for cytokeratin 7; carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5; or palate, lung, and nasal epithelium carcinoma-associated protein indicated lymph node micrometastatic disease in 19 of 35 patients (54%). There was a high correlation between detection of micrometastases and VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, or VEGF receptor-3 expression levels in lymph nodes. Median follow-up was 12.6 months.ConclusionsRT-PCR analysis of fluorodeoxyglucose-avid lymph nodes results in up-staging a patient's cancer. Micrometastases correlate with the expression of VEGF in lymph nodes in patients with NSCLC. This may reflect the role of lymphangiogenesis in promoting metastases

Multi-Modality Imaging of Atheromatous Plaques in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Integrating Molecular and Imaging Markers

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common and debilitating condition characterized by the narrowing of the limb arteries, primarily due to atherosclerosis. Non-invasive multi-modality imaging approaches using computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear imaging have emerged as valuable tools for assessing PAD atheromatous plaques and vessel walls. This review provides an overview of these different imaging techniques, their advantages, limitations, and recent advancements. In addition, this review highlights the importance of molecular markers, including those related to inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress, in PAD pathophysiology. The potential of integrating molecular and imaging markers for an improved understanding of PAD is also discussed. Despite the promise of this integrative approach, there remain several challenges, including technical limitations in imaging modalities and the need for novel molecular marker discovery and validation. Addressing these challenges and embracing future directions in the field will be essential for maximizing the potential of molecular and imaging markers for improving PAD patient outcomes

Aging and Urban Mobility in Bandar Sunway: A Holistic Approach

Human longevity is constantly changing the demographic outlook of the world’s population and older people are projected to double in the next 30 years from 11% to 22% of the world’s population. Malaysia is no exception and, like most western and developing nations, the number of Malaysians aged 60 years and above has been gradually rising from the 1970s onwards and is currently estimated to represent 10% of its population. This has created an urgent need to develop age-friendly cities, so that older individuals living in urban areas can have an improved life. It is important that the aging population continues to lead healthy and productive lives as far as possible. In this project, which is a work in progress, we surveyed a suburban community, aged 50 years and above, residing in Bandar Sunway and its vicinity in the state of Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. The aim was to assess their health and perceptions on mobility through targeted questionnaires, in-depth interviews and focus groups and identify the factors associated with healthy aging in a holistic manner. The overall goal is to promote a healthy mind in a healthy body despite the advancing years. In the preliminary phase we surveyed 73 participants aged between 52 – 85 years and compared responses and clinical parameters for individuals below (N = 36) and ≥ 65 years (N = 37) in age. Based on their Body Mass Index (BMI), the participants were generally healthy with a normal BMI (45%) or slightly overweight (41%) with a higher BMI and blood lipid levels. There were no significant differences in the cognitive assessments between the two age groups (p = 0.945). A majority (70%) of the participants were satisfied with their lives in Bandar Sunway, but some reported several health related issues and chronic diseases. However, this was not a factor that hindered their quality of life. Older adults in Bandar Sunway still preferred driving their own vehicles instead of taking public transports. This was due to several shortfalls in the transportation systems: pricing, schedules of transport, safety, and cleanliness. Preliminary results have identified several aspects of public transportation in urban areas that can be improved to better serve the aging community. In doing so, we anticipate the findings and recommendations will be applicable to a much wider community in Malaysia and other parts of the world. The project is aligned with the theme of improving health and well-being and will provide a model for understanding and dealing with aging in the local community

Polymeric drift control adjuvants for agricultural spraying

The movement of a pesticide or herbicide to an off-target site during agricultural spraying can cause injury to wildlife, plants and contamination of surface water. This phenomenon is known as spray drift and can be controlled by spraying during favorable environmental conditions, and by using low drift nozzles and drift control adjuvants (DCAs). Polymeric DCAs are the most common type of DCA and function by increasing the droplet size produced during spraying. There are, however, two main drawbacks of polymeric DCAs; they are prone to mechanical degradation during spraying which reduces their performance and they can produce oversized drops which reduces the efficacy of the spray. In this trend article, existing DCA technology is reviewed including the mechanism through which they function. This then provides a platform for the discussion of novel polymeric architectures which have currently not been applied in DCA formulations

Automated Detection of Antenna Malfunctions in Large-N Interferometers: A case study With the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array

We present a framework for identifying and flagging malfunctioning antennas in large radio interferometers. We outline two distinct categories of metrics designed to detect outliers along known failure modes of large arrays: cross-correlation metrics, based on all antenna pairs, and auto-correlation metrics, based solely on individual antennas. We define and motivate the statistical framework for all metrics used, and present tailored visualizations that aid us in clearly identifying new and existing systematics. We implement these techniques using data from 105 antennas in the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) as a case study. Finally, we provide a detailed algorithm for implementing these metrics as flagging tools on real data sets

Glycoproteomics in neurodegenerative diseases

Protein glycosylation regulates protein function and cellular distribution. Additionally, aberrant protein glycosylations have been recognized to play major roles in human disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. Glycoproteomics, a branch of proteomics that catalogs and quantifies glycoproteins, provides a powerful means to systematically profile the glycopeptides or glycoproteins of a complex mixture that are highly enriched in body fluids, and therefore, carry great potential to be diagnostic and/or prognostic markers. Application of this mass spectrometry-based technology to the study of neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease) is relatively new, and is expected to provide insight into the biochemical pathogenesis of neurodegeneration, as well as biomarker discovery. In this review, we have summarized the current understanding of glycoproteins in biology and neurodegenerative disease, and have discussed existing proteomic technologies that are utilized to characterize glycoproteins. Some of the ongoing studies, where glycoproteins isolated from cerebrospinal fluid and human brain are being characterized in Parkinson's disease at different stages versus controls, are presented, along with future applications of targeted validation of brain specific glycoproteins in body fluids. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 29:79–125, 2010Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64521/1/20221_ftp.pd