Optimizing of near infrared region reflectance of mix-waste tile aggregate as coating material for cool pavement with surface temperature measurement

The heat generated from dark color asphalt, which is low in surface reflectance mainly contributes to the environmental problem called as urban heat island. Low reflectance at high energy wavelength of sunlight, such as visible light and infrared region will cause the pavement to have high surface temperature, due to high energy absorption from solar radiation. This paper presents the optimization result of cool pavement coating material based on selected tiles aggregate to achieve high near infrared region (NIR) reflectance. Three types of waste tiles were used in this study which are Full Body Porcelain (FBP), Monoporosa (MP) and Porcelain Glaze (PG). All the tiles were prepared in the form of aggregates. A linear model was formed as a function of mix tiles fraction and the analysis of ANOVA suggest that the linear term used for this model is significant. Diagnostics of the model was evaluated using box-cox plot, normal plot of residuals and optimized to predict the mix of the different type of tiles to produce the highest surface NIR reflectance value. The first solution suggests that 100% of MP tile can provide NIR reflectance of 0.53, whereas the second solution suggest that the combination of 50% FBP and 50% of MP tile aggregates could give NIR reflectance value of about 0.51. Experimental work on measuring surface temperature found that optimized samples, M1 and M2 with high NIR reflectance could significantly reduce surface temperature of asphalt pavement at range of 4.1 °C–9.6 °C. In conclusion, the results of optimization is reliable and this method able to provide significant information on optimizing mix of tiles material as to achieve high NIR reflectance value for coating materials of cool-pavement

Type-1 Collagen differentially alters β-catenin accumulation in primary Dupuytren's Disease cord and adjacent palmar fascia cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dupuytren's Disease (DD) is a debilitating contractile fibrosis of the palmar fascia characterised by excess collagen deposition, contractile myofibroblast development, increased Transforming Growth Factor-β levels and β-catenin accumulation. The aim of this study was to determine if a collagen-enriched environment, similar to <it>in vivo </it>conditions, altered β-catenin accumulation by primary DD cells in the presence or absence of Transforming Growth Factor-β.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Primary DD and patient matched, phenotypically normal palmar fascia (PF) cells were cultured in the presence or absence of type-1 collagen and Transforming Growth Factor-β1. β-catenin and α-smooth muscle actin levels were assessed by western immunoblotting and immunofluorescence microscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>DD cells display a rapid depletion of cellular β-catenin not evident in patient-matched PF cells. This effect was not evident in either cell type when cultured in the absence of type-1 collagen. Exogenous addition of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 to DD cells in collagen culture negates the loss of β-catenin accumulation. Transforming Growth Factor-β1-induced α-smooth muscle actin, a marker of myofibroblast differentiation, is attenuated by the inclusion of type-1 collagen in cultures of DD and PF cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings implicate type-1 collagen as a previously unrecognized regulator of β-catenin accumulation and a modifier of TGF-β1 signaling specifically in primary DD cells. These data have implications for current treatment modalities as well as the design of <it>in vitro </it>models for research into the molecular mechanisms of DD.</p

Computational Comparative Study of Tuberculosis Proteomes Using a Model Learned from Signal Peptide Structures

Secretome analysis is important in pathogen studies. A fundamental and convenient way to identify secreted proteins is to first predict signal peptides, which are essential for protein secretion. However, signal peptides are highly complex functional sequences that are easily confused with transmembrane domains. Such confusion would obviously affect the discovery of secreted proteins. Transmembrane proteins are important drug targets, but very few transmembrane protein structures have been determined experimentally; hence, prediction of the structures is essential. In the field of structure prediction, researchers do not make assumptions about organisms, so there is a need for a general signal peptide predictor

Nonvirally Modified Autologous Primary Hepatocytes Correct Diabetes and Prevent Target Organ Injury in a Large Preclinical Model

BACKGROUND: Current gene- and cell-based therapies have significant limitations which impede widespread clinical application. Taking diabetes mellitus as a paradigm, we have sought to overcome these limitations by ex vivo electrotransfer of a nonviral insulin expression vector into primary hepatocytes followed by immediate autologous reimplantation in a preclinical model of diabetes. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a single 3-hour procedure, hepatocytes were isolated from a surgically resected liver wedge, electroporated with an insulin expression plasmid ex vivo and reimplanted intraparenchymally under ultrasonic guidance into the liver in each of 10 streptozotocin-induced diabetic Yorkshire pigs. The vector was comprised of a bifunctional, glucose-responsive promoter linked to human insulin cDNA. Ambient glucose concentrations appropriately altered human insulin mRNA expression and C-peptide secretion within minutes in vitro and in vivo. Treated swine showed correction of hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia and other metabolic abnormalities for > or = 47 weeks. Metabolic correction correlated significantly with the number of hepatocytes implanted. Importantly, we observed no hypoglycemia even under fasting conditions. Direct intrahepatic implantation of hepatocytes did not alter biochemical indices of liver function or induce abnormal hepatic lobular architecture. About 70% of implanted hepatocytes functionally engrafted, appeared histologically normal, retained vector DNA and expressed human insulin for > or = 47 weeks. Based on structural tissue analyses and transcriptome data, we showed that early correction of diabetes attenuated and even prevented pathological changes in the eye, kidney, liver and aorta. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that autologous hepatocytes can be efficiently, simply and safely modified by electroporation of a nonviral vector to express, process and secrete insulin durably. This strategy, which achieved significant and sustained therapeutic efficacy in a large preclinical model without adverse effects, warrants consideration for clinical development especially as it could have broader future applications for the treatment of other acquired and inherited diseases for which systemic reconstitution of a specific protein deficiency is critical

Investigating the use of sensor-based IoET to facilitate learning for children in rural Thailand

A novel sensor-based Internet of Educational Things (IoET) platform named OBSY was iteratively designed, developed and evaluated to support education in rural regions in Thailand. To assess the effectiveness of this platform, a study was carried out at four primary schools located near the Thai northern border with 244 students and 8 teachers. Participants were asked to carry out three science-based learning activities and were measured for improvements in learning outcome and learning engagement. Overall, the results showed that students in the IoET group who had used OBSY to learn showed significantly higher learning outcome and had better learning engagement than those in the control condition. In addition, for those in the IoET group, there was no significant effect regarding gender, home location (Urban or Rural), age, prior experience with technology and ethnicity on learning outcome. For learning engagement, only age was found to influence interest/enjoyment. The study demonstrated the potential of IoET technologies in underprivileged area, through a co-design approach with teachers and students, taking into account the local contexts

Development of auditing in Malaysia: Legal, political and historical influences

This work investigates the role and contribution of external auditing as practised in the Malaysian society during the forty year period from independence in 1957 to just before the onset of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997.It applies the political economic theory introduced by Tinker (1980) and refined by Cooper & Sherer (1984), which focuses on the social relations aspects of professional activity rather than economic forces alone.In a case study format where qualitative data was gathered mainly from primary and secondary source materials, the study found that the function of auditing in the Malaysian society in most cases is devoid of any essence of mission; instead it is created, shaped and transformed by the pressures which give rise to its development over time.The largely insignificant role that it serves is intertwined within the contexts in which it operates

Prospective, multicentre study of screening, investigation and management of hyponatraemia after subarachnoid haemorrhage in the UK and Ireland

Background: Hyponatraemia often occurs after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). However, its clinical significance and optimal management are uncertain. We audited the screening, investigation and management of hyponatraemia after SAH. Methods: We prospectively identified consecutive patients with spontaneous SAH admitted to neurosurgical units in the United Kingdom or Ireland. We reviewed medical records daily from admission to discharge, 21 days or death and extracted all measurements of serum sodium to identify hyponatraemia (&lt;135 mmol/L). Main outcomes were death/dependency at discharge or 21 days and admission duration &gt;10 days. Associations of hyponatraemia with outcome were assessed using logistic regression with adjustment for predictors of outcome after SAH and admission duration. We assessed hyponatraemia-free survival using multivariable Cox regression. Results: 175/407 (43%) patients admitted to 24 neurosurgical units developed hyponatraemia. 5976 serum sodium measurements were made. Serum osmolality, urine osmolality and urine sodium were measured in 30/166 (18%) hyponatraemic patients with complete data. The most frequently target daily fluid intake was &gt;3 L and this did not differ during hyponatraemic or non-hyponatraemic episodes. 26% (n/N=42/164) patients with hyponatraemia received sodium supplementation. 133 (35%) patients were dead or dependent within the study period and 240 (68%) patients had hospital admission for over 10 days. In the multivariable analyses, hyponatraemia was associated with less dependency (adjusted OR (aOR)=0.35 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.69)) but longer admissions (aOR=3.2 (1.8 to 5.7)). World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grade I–III, modified Fisher 2–4 and posterior circulation aneurysms were associated with greater hazards of hyponatraemia. Conclusions: In this comprehensive multicentre prospective-adjusted analysis of patients with SAH, hyponatraemia was investigated inconsistently and, for most patients, was not associated with changes in management or clinical outcome. This work establishes a basis for the development of evidence-based SAH-specific guidance for targeted screening, investigation and management of high-risk patients to minimise the impact of hyponatraemia on admission duration and to improve consistency of patient care

Dry reforming of methane to hydrogen-rich syngas over robust fibrous KCC-1 stabilized nickel catalyst with high activity and coke resistance

A remarkably stable and active nickel (Ni) catalyst, supported on fibrous KCC-1 silica particles, was prepared by in situ one-pot hydrothermal method to produce a hydrogen-rich syngas. The catalysts’ properties were characterized by BET, XRD, FESEM-mapping, FTIR-pyrrole, FTIR-KBr, and XPS, while coke deposition was evaluated using Raman spectra, TEM and TGA/DTA. The high dispersion of Ni crystallites, enhanced basicity, strong Ni-KCC-1 interaction, and encapsulation of Ni particles contributed to the enhanced catalyst stability and activity. The one-pot catalyst produced high CH4 and CO2 conversions at 92% and 88% respectively, with high H2/CO ratio, and an extended stability over 72 h at 750 °C. There was limited coke deposition, predominantly of the amorphous type, owing to its synthesis method and support morphology

Experimental evaluation of thermal performance of cool pavement material using waste tiles in tropical climate

Thermal performance are important parameter that represent the characteristic of cool pavement. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings on experimental result of thermal performance of the coating materials, which were developed from three types of waste tile aggregate, namely Full Body Porcelain (FBP), Monoporosa (MP) and Porcelain Glaze (PG). The samples were prepared based on the optimal design mix as proposed during optimization process based on surface temperature behavior of the samples. Experimental work was conducted in 24-h basis for continuously 14 days at actual tropical weather climate. The results showed that sample M1 with 100% of FBP provided the best result in terms of thermal performance, also the material was able to obtain highest surface temperature reduction up to 6.4 °C during peak period and solar reflectance of 0.49 at near infrared region. Statistical analysis shown that sample M4, 100% of PG tile aggregate, depicted a less desirable result due to its surface temperature reduction was not significant as compared with other investigated samples, which is only 4.32° during peak period. Overall result conclude that both material FBP and MP have a good potential to be used as cool pavement coating material based on its thermal and spectral performance. Thus, this study provides a useful information on the selection of tiles material that could be used as cool-pavement coatings, and contribute for a more potential measurement in mitigating urban heat island effects

Role of oxygen vacancies in dendritic fibrous M/KCC-1 (M = Ru, Pd, Rh) catallysts for methane partial oxidation to H2-rich syngas production

The fibrous M/KCC-1 (M = Ru, Pd, Rh) catalysts prepared by microwave-assisted hydrothermal approach were investigated for methane partial oxidation (MPO) reaction at stoichiometric CH4/O2 feed ratio and temperature of 500–800 °C. A drop in BET surface area with metal oxide addition suggesting the successful embedment of metal oxides on KCC-1. Low-angle XRD, FTIR and TEM analyses confirmed the formation of bicontinuous concentric lamellar morphologic structure, typical fingerprint of fibrous KCC-1. The H2-TPR and ESR studies revealed that oxygen vacancy (OV) of KCC-1 not only beneficial for the metal-support interactions of catalysts but also strongly and dissociately bind with O2, CO2 and H2O promoting the syngas formation rate. The post-reaction Raman spectroscopy measurement corroborated the M/KCC-1 catalysts hindered the graphitic carbon formation during reaction. The Rh/KCC-1 appeared to be the optimum catalyst as it exhibited the TOF of both CH4 consumption and H2 formation about 2-fold higher to other catalysts meanwhile achieving H2/CO ratio about 2.16 that applicable for industrial applications. Based on the experimental MPO evaluation, post-reaction Raman spectroscopy and the in-situ ESR studies, the synergistic effects of metals and OV from fibrous KCC-1, where metal dissociates C–H bonds in CH4 molecules whilst OV generates activated O2− species from oxidants at the OV sites, are determined as the key factors for the enhancement in MPO activity