55 research outputs found

    TiO 2

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    An improved photocatalytic activity of semiconductor materials using incorporation of the noble metals such as Ag, Au, and Pt is a promising technology. In this study, Ag nanoparticle-TiO2 nanotube structures (Ag-TNTs) have been investigated as a photocatalyst in different irradiation conditions using different characterization techniques. The results indicate that Ag nanoparticles dispersed uniformly on the TNTs’ surface without any change in TNTs’ morphology. In addition, Ag-TNTs exhibited lower photoactivity than the TNTs under UV irradiation. In contrast, Ag-TNTs increased the photoactivity in comparison with TNTs and the photocatalytic performance under sunlight irradiation. These phenomena could be contributed to the appearance of Ag nanoparticles on the nanotube surface

    Spatiotemporal analysis of historical records (2001-2012) on dengue fever in Vietnam and development of a statistical model for forecasting risk

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    Background: Dengue fever is the most widespread infectious disease of humans transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. It is the leading cause of hospitalization and death in children in the Southeast Asia and western Pacific regions. We analyzed surveillance records from health centers in Vietnam collected between 2001–2012 to determine seasonal trends, develop risk maps and an incidence forecasting model. Methods: The data were analyzed using a hierarchical spatial Bayesian model that approximates its posterior parameter distributions using the integrated Laplace approximation algorithm (INLA). Meteorological, altitude and land cover (LC) data were used as predictors. The data were grouped by province (n = 63) and month (n = 144) and divided into training (2001–2009) and validation (2010–2012) sets. Thirteen meteorological variables, 7 land cover data and altitude were considered as predictors. Only significant predictors were kept in the final multivariable model. Eleven dummy variables representing month were also fitted to account for seasonal effects. Spatial and temporal effects were accounted for using Besag-York-Mollie (BYM) and autoregressive (1) models. Their levels of significance were analyzed using deviance information criterion (DIC). The model was validated based on the Theil’s coefficient which compared predicted and observed incidence estimated using the validation data. Dengue incidence predictions for 2010–2012 were also used to generate risk maps. Results: The mean monthly dengue incidence during the period was 6.94 cases (SD 14.49) per 100,000 people. Analyses on the temporal trends of the disease showed regular seasonal epidemics that were interrupted every 3 years (specifically in July 2004, July 2007 and September 2010) by major fluctuations in incidence. Monthly mean minimum temperature, rainfall, area under urban settlement/build-up areas and altitude were significant in the final model. Minimum temperature and rainfall had non-linear effects and lagging them by two months provided a better fitting model compared to using unlagged variables. Forecasts for the validation period closely mirrored the observed data and accurately captured the troughs and peaks of dengue incidence trajectories. A favorable Theil’s coefficient of inequality of 0.22 was generated. Conclusions: The study identified temperature, rainfall, altitude and area under urban settlement as being significant predictors of dengue incidence. The statistical model fitted the data well based on Theil’s coefficient of inequality, and risk maps generated from its predictions identified most of the high-risk provinces throughout the country

    Sterols isolated from the soft coral sinularia dissecta

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    Using various chromatographic methods, five sterols, gorgost-4-ene-3-one (1), ergost-4-ene-3-one (2), 24-methyleneergost-4-ene-3-one (3), ergost-4-ene-3,6-dione (4), and 24-methylenecholest-4-ene-3,6-dione (5), were isolated from the methanol extract of the soft coral Sinularia dissecta. Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D-NMR experiments and comparison of their NMR data with reported values. These compounds were isolated from S. dissecta for the first time

    GLUCOSIDES AND UREA DERIVATIVES FROM THE SEEDS OF SCAPHIUM MACROPODUM (MIQ.) BEUMÉE

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    Five known compounds {carbonylbis[imino(6-methyl-3,1-phenylenel)]}bis[carbamic acid] dimethyl ester (1), (1'R,3'S,5'R,8'S,2E,4E-dihydrophaseic acid) 3'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), 3-methylbutan-1-ol beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), astragalin (4) and daucosterol (5) were isolated from the methanol extract of the seeds of Scaphium macropodum (Miq.) Beumée. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by the spectroscopic methods including NMR and MS, and also by comparison with the literature data. Compounds 1-3 were isolated from this plant for the first time

    Quantifying antimicrobial access and usage for paediatric diarrhoeal disease in an urban community setting in Asia.

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    OBJECTIVES: Antimicrobial-resistant infections are a major global health issue. Ease of antimicrobial access in developing countries is proposed to be a key driver of the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) epidemic despite a lack of community antimicrobial usage data. METHODS: Using a mixed-methods approach (geospatial mapping, simulated clients, healthcare utilization, longitudinal cohort) we assessed antimicrobial access in the community and quantified antimicrobial usage for childhood diarrhoea in an urban Vietnamese setting. RESULTS: The study area had a pharmacy density of 15.7 pharmacies/km2 (a pharmacy for every 1316 people). Using a simulated client method at pharmacies within the area, we found that 8% (3/37) and 22% (8/37) of outlets sold antimicrobials for paediatric watery and mucoid diarrhoea, respectively. However, despite ease of pharmacy access, the majority of caregivers would choose to take their child to a healthcare facility, with 81% (319/396) and 88% (347/396) of responders selecting a specialized hospital as one of their top three preferences when seeking treatment for watery and mucoid diarrhoea, respectively. We calculated that at least 19% (2688/14427) of diarrhoea episodes in those aged 1 to <5 years would receive an antimicrobial annually; however, antimicrobial usage was almost 10 times greater in hospitals than in the community. CONCLUSIONS: Our data question the impact of community antimicrobial usage on AMR and highlight the need for better education and guidelines for all professionals with the authority to prescribe antimicrobials

    Prospects for Food Fermentation in South-East Asia, Topics From the Tropical Fermentation and Biotechnology Network at the End of the AsiFood Erasmus+Project

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    Fermentation has been used for centuries to produce food in South-East Asia and some foods of this region are famous in the whole world. However, in the twenty first century, issues like food safety and quality must be addressed in a world changing from local business to globalization. In Western countries, the answer to these questions has been made through hygienisation, generalization of the use of starters, specialization of agriculture and use of long-distance transportation. This may have resulted in a loss in the taste and typicity of the products, in an extensive use of antibiotics and other chemicals and eventually, in a loss in the confidence of consumers to the products. The challenges awaiting fermentation in South-East Asia are thus to improve safety and quality in a sustainable system producing tasty and typical fermented products and valorising by-products. At the end of the “AsiFood Erasmus+ project” (www.asifood.org), the goal of this paper is to present and discuss these challenges as addressed by the Tropical Fermentation Network, a group of researchers from universities, research centers and companies in Asia and Europe. This paper presents current actions and prospects on hygienic, environmental, sensorial and nutritional qualities of traditional fermented food including screening of functional bacteria and starters, food safety strategies, research for new antimicrobial compounds, development of more sustainable fermentations and valorisation of by-products. A specificity of this network is also the multidisciplinary approach dealing with microbiology, food, chemical, sensorial, and genetic analyses, biotechnology, food supply chain, consumers and ethnology

    The RBF-FD and RBF-FDTD Methods for Solving Time-Domain Electrical Transient Problems in Power Systems

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    In this paper, the development and application of the radial basis function-finite difference (RBF-FD) method and the RBF-finite difference time domain (RBF-FDTD) method for solving electrical transient problems in power systems that are defined by the time-dependent ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and the time-dependent partial differential equations (PDEs), respectively, are presented. RBFs such as Gaussian (GA), Multiquadric (MQ), Inverse Quadric (IQ), and Inverse Multiquadric (IMQ) are used in these numerical methods to formulate the central finite difference approximations of the first- and second-order derivatives of a function. The algorithm of selecting “optimal” shape parameters for our basis functions is also applied, specifically to increase the accuracy of the suggested methods with regard to high accuracy needs. Finally, the accuracy, effectiveness, and applicability of our new approaches are evaluated through simulations of the switching transient voltages on a typical electrical circuit and a 220 kV single-phase transmission line, lightning-induced voltages on a 110 kV single-phase overhead distribution line, and transient voltages along two horizontal grounding electrodes excited by lightning impulse sources. The obtained numerical results demonstrate that our proposed RBF-based numerical approaches compare favorably to the traditional numerical methods

    Community-based control of Aedes aegypti by using Mesocyclops in Southern Vietnam

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    Article is also free to read on publisher website Abstract We previously reported a new community-based mosquito control strategy that resulted in elimination of Aedes aegypti (Linn.) in 40 of 46 communes in northern and central Vietnam, and with annual recurrent total costs (direct and indirect) of only 0.28−0.28-0.89 international dollars per person. This control strategy was extended to four provinces in southern Vietnam in Long An and Hau Giang (2004-2007) and to Long An, Ben Tre, and Vinh Long (2005-2010). In a total of 14 communes with 124,743 residents, the mean ± SD of adult female Ae. aegypti was reduced from 0.93 ± 0.62 to 0.06 ± 0.09, and the reduction of immature Ae. aegypti averaged 98.8%. By the final survey, no adults could be collected in 6 of 14 communes, and one commune, Binh Thanh, also had no immature forms. Although the community-based programs also involved community education and clean-up campaigns, the prevalence of Mesocyclops in large water storage containers > 50 liters increased from 12.77 ± 8.39 to 75.69 ± 9.17% over periods of 15-45 months. At the conclusion of the study, no confirmed dengue cases were detected in four of the five communes for which diagnostic serologic analysis was performed. The rate of progress was faster in communes that were added in stages to the program but the reason for this finding was unclear. At the completion of the formal project, sustainability funds were set up to provide each commune with the financial means to ensure that community-based dengue control activities continued
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