Plain Ones Research Articles

Incorporation of Disposed Face Mask to Cement Mortar Material: An Insight into the Dynamic Mechanical Properties

Incorporating masks into building materials offers a potential solution to the environmental threat of disposable masks with promising material performance. However, research on their dynamic properties is lacking to further determine the application range of the new composite. This study addresses this gap by shredding face masks into strips and incorporating them into mortars at varying volume ratios. The integrity and compactness of the mortar was measured and characterized by P-wave velocity, while dynamic compression properties were explored using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) system. Subsequently, sieve analysis was conducted on the fractured specimens. The results indicate that incorporating masks generally improves the mortar integrity and the fragmentation after impacting. The dynamic uniaxial compression strength (DUCS) decreased for all mixing designs compared to plain ones under a constant loading rate. Meanwhile, the dissipated energy density showed a similar trend to the P-wave velocity, exhibiting less pronounced enhancement at higher loading rates. According to the dynamic characteristics, a dynamic constitutive model based on the Lemaitre principle and Weibull distribution of damage is developed and validated. The test results are further understood through the perspective of the mechanism of mask inclusion.

Anti HER-2 aptamer functionalized gold nanoparticles of dasatinib for targeted chemo-radiotherapy in breast cancer cells

In the present study, gold nanoparticles functionalized with anti HER-2 aptamer were designed for effective targeted delivery of dasatinib (DSB) to breast cancer cells. Anti HER-2 aptamer attached to porous or plain gold nanoparticles were compared for dasatinib delivery. Activated drug with succinic anhydride and L-cysteine linker was used for conjugation of DSB to gold nanoparticles. The loading efficiency of the activated drug on plain and porous gold nanoparticles was 52 and 68 %, respectively, which was significantly more than the loading of free DSB in gold nanoparticles (1–2.5 %). The anti HER-2 aptamer was conjugated to porous gold nanoparticles loaded with the activated drug. Various characterization techniques such as FESEM, TEM, AFM, zeta potential and ICP-MS were used to confirm the binding of the drug to gold nanoparticles. 1HNMR and FTIR spectroscopic analyses were employed to examine the structural characteristics of the conjugated drug. These analytical techniques confirmed the successful incorporation of succinyl and thiol groups onto the drug molecule. The amount of aptamer binding to different types of gold nanoparticles was obtained from the intensity of the light emitted from the bands observed in electrophoresis gel and due to the presence of porosity in porous gold nanoparticles, the amount of aptamer conjugation on porous gold nanoparticles increased compared to plain ones. Cell cytotoxicity and cellular uptake were evaluated by MTT assay and TEM in BT-474 and MCF-7 cells. Aptamer-functionalized porous gold nanoparticles containing activated dasatinib showed higher cytotoxicity and cellular uptake than modified DSB-loaded nanoparticles and un-activated DSB. The combination of radiation therapy with the modified dasatinib attached to porous gold nanoparticles and aptamer demonstrated a notable reduction in the IC50 values for both the BT-474 and MCF-7 cell lines. Specifically, the IC50 value for the BT-474 cells decreased from 6.95 μM (for unmodified dasatinib) to 2.57 μM, while for the MCF-7 cells, it decreased from 13.97 μM to 8.57 μM. These findings indicate a significant improvement in the efficacy of the modified dasatinib compared to its unmodified counterpart when used in conjunction with radiation therapy.

PELATIHAN MENGHIAS TOTE BAG MENGGUNAKAN DAUN DI SEKITAR RUMAH UNTUK MENDORONG PRODUKTIVITAS DESA TUIREJO KECAMATAN KEDAMEAN KABUPATEN GRESIK

Reducing plastic waste is a shared responsibility not only for the government through making regulations such as PERDA (Regional Regulation), but also society as a whole. One thing that can be done is to use a shopping bag that can be used many times, for example a tote bag or tote bag. There are lots of different types of tote bags, ranging from the plain ones to the different looks. In addition to being able to use plain tote bags, they can also be decorated to make them look nicer and can also be resold. Because of this, training and practice of decorating tote bags was carried out. The activity was carried out by providing counseling as well as practice and assistance to members of youth organizations and youth women's mosques in Turirejo Village, Kedamean District, Gresik Regency by utilizing existing plant leaves for materials for making ecoprint tote bags. The purpose of this activity is to increase the creativity and productivity of youth members and mosque youth who are expected to become ecoprint tote bag craftsmen, as well as economic empowerment which is expected to increase income and encourage increased welfare.
 The methods and stages of the activities carried out are conducting material presentations then followed by live demonstrations and practice of making ecoprint tote bags. The result of this training is that members of youth organizations and mosque youth have become more trained in making ecoprint tote bags. It is hoped that the skills acquired can encourage creativity, productivity and the economy. From a small existing group, it can become bigger by creating a business unit with a variety of other products on the basis of an ecoprint that can prosper the surrounding community, especially Turirejo Village.

Mathematical model of loading a semi-trailer bearing system with an autonomous diesel power plant on turn

Road trains consisting of a tow truck and a semi-trailer are widely used nowadays in Russia for cargo transportation, including in different territories. However, in mountainous operating conditions compared to plain ones, the reliability of the load-bearing system of semitrailers of road trains is significantly reduced, as a result of which there is a mismatch between the flow of semitrailer failures and scheduled repairs, which significantly increases the costs of their operation. Different approaches can be used to reduce these costs. Many domestic and foreign scientists have dealt with the issues of reliability of auto transport systems. Their works contain a lot of valuable information of applied significance, but the reliability of the load bearing system of semi-trailers with an autonomous diesel power plant of road trains and its improvement have not received sufficient attention.

Articulatory and acoustic variation in Polish palatalised retroflexes compared with plain ones

The present paper investigates articulatory and acoustic variation in Polish palatalised retroflex sibilants compared with their plain counterparts. It tests the hypothesis advanced by Hamann (2003: 44) that palatalised retroflexes are non-existent and that retroflexes in Polish change to palato-alveolars [ʃ ʒ t͡ʃ d͡ʒ] when being palatalised. Based on articulatory data from 20 speakers we provide evidence that at least part of the data (53.5%) are palatalised retroflexes [ʂʲ ʐʲ ʈ͡ʂʲ ɖ͡ʐʲ]. The plain counterparts are shown to be retroflex, as proposed by Hamann (2003).Our averaged results indicate that both palatalised and plain retroflexes show a convex tongue shape. However, individual data reveals a wide range of realisations, from a bunched dorsum to flat and even hollowed tongue shapes. Taking this variability into account, we propose a new tongue shape classification based on Heron’s Formula – i.e. concave, slightly concave, flat, convex and slightly convex. The different tongue shapes are also visualised in the form of videos created using GAMMs.Regarding acoustic results, our analysis reveals that the strongest correlate of palatalised retroflex sibilants is longer duration of frication in palatalised sibilants followed by higher Centre of Gravity (COG) and m1 spectral slope.

Experimental Analysis of a Novel GFRP Stiffened Pipe

This study presents a new GFRP pipe structure fabricated by a combination of continuous and spacing arrangement of filament winding, where the latter was used to form the stiffened part and the former to form the structural part. Results of comparative analysis through a series of flatwise compression tests indicate that, with the same material consumptions, up to 38.7% increase in ring stiffness was achieved by the stiffened outer pipes with diameter of 400 mm, compared with the plain ones. The failure mode of this proposed pipe is ductile fracture during the loading process, and its bearing capacity did not decrease rapidly after fiber failure. The stiffened inner pipes with diameter of 500 mm exhibited an average of 16.7% increase in ring stiffness compared with the plain ones, while both types of specimens showed the same failure mode with delamination occurring between the stiffened layer and outer structural layer. From the experimental investigation, it is concluded that suitable geometric shape can significantly improve the ring stiffness of the specimens, which provides a guidance for structural design of pipelines and their geometric optimization.

Albumin microbubbles conjugated with zinc and aluminum phthalocyanine dyes for enhanced photodynamic activity

Gas-liquid interfaces are reaching a particular interest in biomedicine. Microbubbles, ultrasound contrast agents of clinical routine, gained increasing attention as theranostic platforms due to the preserved acoustic response, drug conjugation capabilities, and applicability in biological barrier opening. A combination of microbubbles and photodynamic therapy agents can enhance the photodynamic effect, yet the evaluation of agent conjugation on microbubble stabilization and photodynamic effect is needed. Hence, two commercially available phthalocyanine photosensitizers — Holosens® (ZnPc) and Photosens® (AlPc) — were coupled with bovine serum albumin before microbubble synthesis. We demonstrated an albumin: phthalocyanine ratio of 1:1 and covalent attachment for ZnPc, a ratio of 1:3 with electrostatic binding for AlPc. Submicron-sized microbubbles (air- and SF6- filled) had a diameter of 0.8 µm. Albumin-phthalocyanine conjugates increased the microbubble concentration and shelf-life stability compared to plain ones. We hypothesized that phthalocyanine fluorescence lifetime values decreased after conjugation with microbubbles due to narrow distance between conjugates in the shell. Agents based on AlPc demonstrated higher photodynamic activity than agents based on ZnPc, and microbubbles preserved acoustic stability in human blood plasma. The biodistribution of AlPc-conjugated microbubbles was evaluated. We conclude that our microbubble platforms demonstrate greater photodynamic activity and prolonged stability for further applications in photodynamic therapy.

Nannochloropsis Oceanica derived nitrogen-rich macroporous carbon for bi-atomic matching-catalytic flexible dopamine sensor

Nannochloropsis Oceanica (N. Oceanica), a microalga was used to derive a nitrogen-rich macroporous carbon (NMC) by a controlled carbonization process. The as-prepared NMC was employed to successfully fabricate a silk fabric-based flexible dopamine (DA) sensor for a broad detection range (0.02–2500 μM) and an extremely low limit of detection (0.006 μM). This ranks the best among all reported plain biochar-based ones. The sensing enhancement mechanism is attributed to the rich nitrogen atoms for a bi-atomic matching-catalysis scheme between catalytic centers and reaction sites of DA. The macroporous carbon can engages fast mass-transport but more importantly renders more robust than a meso/micropore structure for superior flexibility. This work offers a fresh thought to fabricate a highly stable and flexible sensor by using macroporous carbons but with rich nitrogen as catalysis centers for unique catalysis scheme.

English

Reaching the second UN Sustainable Development Goal requires improving the nutritional value of food products and dietary diversity. Simultaneously, recent research highlights the importance of processing highly nutritious but underutilized African leafy vegetables (ALV) for lowering post-harvest losses and bridging off-season gaps. Combining both goals, it seems promising to utilize neglected ALV for enhancing conventional food items that are already well accepted in consumer diets but low in nutritional value. Therefore, this study analyzes consumer demand for maize (Zea mays L.) and millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) porridges combined with cowpea leaf powder (Vigna unguiculata L.Walp) (CLP) in Kayunga, Uganda. The study relies on combining sensory analysis with a binding Becker-DeGroot-Marschak auction to analyze consumer demand. Results show that consumer acceptance of CLP-enhanced porridges is predominantly shaped by sensory perception (p < 0.05). Although adding CLP lowers consumers’ sensory appreciation, the study still identifies a reasonably large group of consumers, nearly 50% of the participants, who valued CLP-enhanced porridges as much as plain ones. This justifies the conclusion that adding CLP is not without risks but is accepted among many consumers and can thus help to promote the consumption of locally available plants. For future product development, we recommend that priority is given to sensory attributes, and special focus is placed on consumers who barely incorporate fresh vegetables into their diets.   Key words: African leafy vegetables, Uganda, willingness to pay, sensory analysis, porridge.

MicroRNA-539-5p-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles Grafted with iRGD as a Targeting Treatment for Choroidal Neovascularization.

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a major cause of visual impairment that results from excessive growth of blood vessels in the eye’s choroid. The limited clinical efficacy of the current therapy for this condition requires the emergence of new treatment modalities such as microRNA (miRNAs). A recent study identified microRNA-539-5p (miR-539) as an angiogenic suppressor in a CNV animal model; however, its therapeutic delivery is limited. Therefore, this study aims to formulate miR-539 in targeted nanoparticles (NPs) prepared from polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA). The NPs were decorated with internalizing arginylglycylaspartic (RGD) peptide (iRGD), which specifically targets the alpha-v-beta-3 (αvβ3) integrin receptor that is overexpressed in blood vessels of ocular tissue in CNV patients. The 1H NMR spectra results revealed successful conjugation of iRGD peptide into PLGA NPs. The miR-539-PLGA.NPs and miR-539-iRGD-PLGA.NPs were prepared and showed a particle size of 300 ± 3 and 306.40 ± 4 nm, respectively. A reduction in human retinal microvascular endothelial cell (HRMEC) viability was shown 48 and 72 h post transfection with miR-539 incorporated in PLGA NPs and iRGD-PLGA.NPs. iRGD-functionalized PLGA NPs caused further significant reduction in cell viability when compared with plain ones, revealing an enhancement in the NP uptake with iRGD-grafted NPs. The current study showed that miR-539-PLGA.NPs and miR-539-iRGD-PLGA.NPs are promising approaches that reduced the viability of HRMECs, suggesting their therapeutic potential in the treatment of CNV.

Jlamprang Batik Patterns as Pekalongan Local Wisdom of Using Batik Technique

As Batik City, the branding launched by the local government to celebrate the city’s 105 years anniversary on April 1st, 2011, Pekalongan has particular and unique batik called ‘batik pesisiran’ that has different colour and motive from Yogyakarta or Surakarta batik. Jlamprang is one of five original batik motives which was initially created to substitute Indian patola woven fabric pattern as it has geometric patterns consisting of dot, circle, and square with padma flower in the middle of the circle resembling the Indian patola pattern. The research shows how Jlamprang batik motive is found, how it is developed into batik motive, and how it is utilized by the local people. The data were obtained by using literature review on Jlamprang batik motive, observing its use, and interviewing the local people who understand well about it and its use. The result shows that although the local people understand Jlamprang history and use it for their benefit, such as producing and wearing batik with the motive and using it for handicraft or decoration; Jlamprang batik motive starts to be forgotten as it is less preferred by common buyers who preferred more popular or stylish motive than the ordinary and plain geometric ones.

Fracture Toughness of Three-Dimensional Stereolithography Printed Polymer Reinforced with Continuous Carbon Fibers.

Additive manufacturing of fiber-reinforced polymers is one of the latest technical developments in composites manufacturing. However, there is a severe shortage of research into continuous fiber-reinforced polymers manufactured through stereolithography. For the first time, this article investigates the fracture properties of continuous carbon fiber-reinforced polymer produced by three-dimensional stereolithography printing. Compact tension (CT) specimens, both plain and fiber reinforced, were produced and tested systematically. The results showed a significant improvement in fracture toughness for fiber-reinforced specimens when compared with plain ones. The positioning of fiber bundles had a substantial effect on fracture properties, and a higher fracture toughness was reported for specimens with the fiber bundle placed closer to the crack tip. By increasing the number of fiber bundles, a significant increase in fracture toughness was reported when compared with the sample with a single fiber bundle, indicating a strong contribution of fiber volume. Also, the contribution appeared to be most effective when the fiber bundles were placed symmetrically in the thickness direction. The study is of importance and value for the development of the stereolithography technique in manufacturing continuous fiber-reinforced composites with enhanced mechanical properties.

The Comparative Study of Gelatin/CNT-contained Mg-Ca-P Bone Cement with the Plain and CNT-reinforced Ones

The Comparative Study of Gelatin/CNT-contained Mg-Ca-P Bone Cement with the Plain and CNT-reinforced Ones

Effect of wetting agent on the dye filtration performance of ultrafiltration membrane

In this study, the wet phase inversion method was used for fabrication of the flat sheet ultrafiltration (UF) membranes. Three different polymer types and two different wetting agents were used for the fabrication. The effect of polymer types and wetting agents were investigated on the structural and dye performance of casted membranes. Two different synthetic dyes, 100 ppm Setazol Red and 100 ppm Setazol Blue, were used for the performance test. Viscosity, contact angle, and molecular weight cut off (MWCO) of casted membranes were measured and an electro kinetic analyzer, dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to determine the structural properties. While the highest water and dye permeability were obtained with PES-PEG membrane, PSf-plain membrane gave the highest removal efficiency for Setazol Red and Setazol Blue dyes, which was found to be 78.33% and 82.52%, respectively, in the conditions of neutral pH and ambient temperature. Addition of PVP and PEG wetting agents improved the structural properties and permeability of membranes, but the dye removal was decreased as against plain ones. As the retention of PEG and PVP-based PSf and PES membrane was calculated at an average of 50%, they could be used for dye retention separately or could be a candidate as a pretreatment membrane prior to nanofiltration or reverse osmosis to make their lifetime longer.

Fabrication of a TiO2/Fe2O3 Core/Shell Nanostructure by Pulse Laser Deposition toward Stable and Visible Light Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

Here, we report the fabrication of TiO2/Fe2O3 core/shell heterojunction nanorod arrays by a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) process and their further use as photoelectrodes toward high-performance visible light photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The morphology, phase, and carrier conduction mechanism of plain TiO2 and TiO2/Fe2O3 core/shell nanostructure were systematically investigated. PEC measurements show that the TiO2/Fe2O3 core/shell nanostructure enhances photocurrent density by nearly 2 times than the plain ones, increases visible light absorption from 400 to 550 nm, raises the on/off separation rate, and delivers high stability with only a 3% decrease of current density for tests of even more than 14 days. This work provides a method to design an efficient nanostructure by combination of a facile hydrothermal process and high-quality PLD process to fabricate a clean surface and excellent crystallinity for charge separation, transfer, and collection toward enhanced PEC properties.

In vitro analysis of the trajectories of adhesive microbubbles approaching endothelial cells

Adhesion is a key process when ultrasound contrast agents, i.e. microbubbles, approach pathological tissues. A way to accomplish tumour targeting is to tether surface engineered microbubbles to endothelial cells of the up-regulated vascularization of cancer tissues. This can be achieved by coupling the microbubbles surface with the Arginine-Glycine-Aspartate, RGD, sequence. Such molecule interacts with the integrin receptors placed on the endothelial cells. Stability and trajectories of RGD modified lipid shelled MBs have been analysed in vitro using microchannels coated with human umbilical vein endothelial cells, HUVEC. In the microchannels realistic conditions, close to the physiological ones, were reproduced replicating shear rate, roughness comparable to the endothelium and channel size mimicking the postcapillary venules. In these conditions, the analysis of the trajectories close to the walls highlights a substantial difference between the modified MBs and the plain ones. Moreover, MBs adhesion has dynamic features recalling the motion of neutrophils engaged near the substrate such as rolling, translations and transient detachments. These findings are useful for the optimization of in vivo imaging and targeting functions.

Impact of inclined and perforated baffles on the laminar thermo-flow behavior in rectangular channels

In this paper, incompressible thermo-flow is simulated for a channel and with and without baffles. A baffle is connected to the channel from different angles. The effect of perforated inclined baffles on the flow pattern and heat transfer in a channel investigated. The computations are based on the finite element method, Galerkin scheme, and Newton–Raphson iterative method have been implemented. The flow regime was assumed to be laminar. Results show that the use of perforated baffles leads to an increase in the Nusselt number and minimized friction factor in comparison to the plain ones. The numerical results are compared with the available solutions in the literature. The defined efficiency of the baffle is obtained for various baffle types, baffle’s angle, Reynolds number, and baffle’s ratios. The optimum angle of the baffle inclinations was obtained. It was found that perforated baffles demonstrate show superior performance when compared with plain counterparts. Also, there is local heat transfer enhancement at the downstream of the stepped baffle caused by the impinging effect of flow, which is even more significant when baffle height becomes higher or the Reynolds number elevates. Obtained results show that a 135° perforated baffle is a better choice as it enhances the heat transfer with a minimal friction factor.

The Buckling Behavior of Vacuum-Infused Open-Hole Unidirectional Basalt-Fiber Composites Experimental and Numerical Investigations

Basalt-fiber-reinforced epoxy (BFRE) composite laminates fabricated using the vacuum infusion process were subjected to axial compression to assess their buckling behavior. The buckling responses of open-hole specimens were compared with those of plain ones. ABAQUS finite-element predictions of BFRE composite buckling agreed well with experimental results. A validated numerical model was used to perform a parametric investigation into the effects of open-hole specimen geometry and boundary conditions of specimens on their buckling behavior. A linear analysis was carried out to estimate the effect of geometric imperfections of specimens on their buckling. Also, glass-fiber-reinforced epoxy specimens were analyzed for their buckling response and compared with that of BFRE ones. The results of this study can be used for buckling-based designs of open-hole composite structures.

Development of Traceable Rituximab-Modified PEO-Polyester Micelles by Postinsertion of PEG-phospholipids for Targeting of B-cell Lymphoma.

The objective of this work was to develop rituximab (RTX)-modified polymeric micelles for targeting of B-cell lymphoma cells, through postinsertion of RTX-poly(ethylene glycol)-1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (RTX-PEG-DSPE) into methoxy poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEO-PCL) or methoxy poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(ε-benzylcarboxylate-ε-caprolactone) (PEO-PBCL) micelles. Mixed micelles were made traceable by introducing Cy5.5 to RTX and conjugating Cy3 to propargyl moiety, end-capped PCL or PBCL. Successful adaptation of the postinsertion method for the formation of immunomicelles was evidenced by measurement of RTX levels on the micellar surface, purified from free RTX by size exclusion chromatography, using microBSA assay. A change in the micellar diameter, from 50–70 nm for PEO-PCL and PEO-PBCL micelles and 20 nm for PEG-DSPE micelles, to 80–95 nm for the mixed micellar population as well as the critical micellar concentration of mixed micelles provided further proof for the success of the postinsertion method applied here. Mixed micelles containing PCL or PBCL with a degree of polymerization of 22 (PCL22 and PBCL22) were thermodynamically and kinetically more stable than those with PCL15. Accordingly, RTX micelles containing PCL22 or PBCL22 showed a higher percentage of Cy3+/Cy5.5+ cell population in CD20+ KG-15 cells, than those with PCL15. The percentage of Cy3+/Cy5.5+ cell population drastically reduced in the presence of competing RTX for micelles containing PCL22 or PBCL22 cores, indicating the superiority of these structures for active targeting of CD20+ cells. No significant difference in the cytotoxicity of paclitaxel in RTX-micelles versus plain ones was observed, reflecting the noninternalizing function of CD20. The results show that traceable mixed micelles prepared through postinsertion of RTX-PEG-DSPE to PEO-PCL22 or PEO-PBCL22 micelles can be used for targeting and/or imaging of CD20+ B cell lymphoma cells. The postinsertion method can be adopted to prepare other PEO-poly(ester)-based immunomicelles for active targeting of other diseased cells.

Investigation on chloride threshold for reinforced concrete by a test method combining ANDT and ACMT

Abstract Chloride threshold (Cth) of reinforced concrete structures in tidal zone of marine environment has been experimentally investigated. A new test method combining artificial-natural diffusion test (ANDT) and accelerated chloride migration test (ACMT) was proposed to simulate the marine environment and accelerate the chloride diffusion. Different definitions and expressions of Cth were discussed and Cth was defined as the chloride content required for activating the depassivation of steel bar and maintaining the aggressive pitting corrosion in present work. The effects of concrete cover thickness and steel type were then investigated. The results show that Cth decreases as concrete cover thickness increases and then remains steady. Moreover, ribbed bars can survive in a higher chloride concentration than plain ones. In view of the design parameters of reinforced concrete structures in tidal zone, Cth for hooping bar (plain bar) and longitudinal tensile bar (ribbed bar) is suggested to be 0.2% and 0.3% (total chloride content by weight of concrete), respectively. Also, a concept of critical pH was mentioned and a value of 11.0 may indicate a high risk of steel bar corrosion. Compared to the results in other field studies, this test method can be expected to be convincing and time-saving.