Abstract: Purpose: The study aimed to assess the depressant or
antidepressant effects of several Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory
Drugs (NSAIDs) in mice: the selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)
inhibitor meloxicam, and the non-selective COX-1 and COX-2
inhibitors lornoxicam, sodium metamizole, and ketorolac. The
current literature data regarding such effects of these agents are
scarce.
Materials and methods: The study was carried out on NMRI mice
weighing 20-35 g, kept in a standard laboratory environment. The
study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of
Medicine and Pharmacy „Carol Davila”, Bucharest. The study agents
were injected intraperitoneally, 10 mL/kg body weight (bw) 1 hour
before the assessment of the locomotor activity by cage testing (n=10
mice/ group) and 2 hours before the forced swimming tests (n=15).
The study agents were dissolved in normal saline (meloxicam,
sodium metamizole), ethanol 11.8% v/v in normal saline (ketorolac),
or water (lornoxicam), respectively. Negative and positive control
agents were also given (amitryptilline in the forced swimming test).
The cage floor used in the locomotor activity assessment was divided
into 20 equal 10 cm squares. The forced swimming test involved
partial immersion of the mice in cylinders (15/9cm height/diameter)
filled with water (10 cm depth at 28C), where they were left for 6
minutes. The cage endpoint used in the locomotor activity assessment
was the number of treaded squares. Four endpoints were used in the
forced swimming test (immobility latency for the entire 6 minutes,
and immobility, swimming, and climbing scores for the final 4
minutes of the swimming session), recorded by an observer that was
„blinded” to the experimental design. The statistical analysis used the
Levene test for variance homogeneity, ANOVA and post-hoc
analysis as appropriate, Tukey or Tamhane tests.
Results: No statistically significant increase or decrease in the
number of treaded squares was seen in the locomotor activity
assessment of any mice group. In the forced swimming test,
amitryptilline showed an antidepressant effect in each experiment, at
the 10 mg/kg bw dosage. Sodium metamizole was depressant at 100
mg/kg bw (increased the immobility score, p=0.049, Tamhane test),
but not in lower dosages as well (25 and 50 mg/kg bw). Ketorolac
showed an antidepressant effect at the intermediate dosage of 5
mg/kg bw, but not so in the dosages of 2.5 and 10 mg/kg bw,
respectively (increased the swimming score, p=0.012, Tamhane test).
Meloxicam and lornoxicam did not alter the forced swimming
endpoints at any dosage level.
Discussion: 1) Certain NSAIDs caused changes in the forced
swimming patterns without interfering with locomotion. 2) Sodium
metamizole showed a depressant effect, whereas ketorolac proved
antidepressant. Conclusion: NSAID-induced mood changes are not
class effects of these agents and apparently are independent of the
type of inhibited cyclooxygenase (COX-1 or COX-2).
Disclosure: This paper was co-financed from the European Social
Fund, through the Sectorial Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007-2013, project number POSDRU /159
/1.5 /S /138907 "Excellence in scientific interdisciplinary research,
doctoral and postdoctoral, in the economic, social and medical fields
-EXCELIS", coordinator The Bucharest University of Economic
Studies.
Abstract: The aim of the current study was to develop and
validate a Response to Stressful Situations Scale (RSSS) for the
Portuguese population. This scale assesses the degree of stress
experienced in scenarios that can constitute positive, negative and
more neutral stressors, and also describes the physiological,
emotional and behavioral reactions to those events according to their
intensity. These scenarios include typical stressor scenarios relevant
to patients with schizophrenia, which are currently absent from most
scales, assessing specific risks that these stressors may bring on
subjects, which may prove useful in non-clinical and clinical
populations (i.e. Patients with mood or anxiety disorders,
schizophrenia). Results from Principal Components Analysis and
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of two adult samples from general
population allowed to confirm a three-factor model with good fit
indices: χ2 (144)= 370.211, p = 0.000; GFI = 0.928; CFI = 0.927; TLI =
0.914, RMSEA = 0.055, P(rmsea ≤0.005) = .096; PCFI = .781.
Further data analysis of the scale revealed that RSSS is an adequate
assessment tool of stress response in adults to be used in further
research and clinical settings, with good psychometric characteristics,
adequate divergent and convergent validity, good temporal stability
and high internal consistency.
Abstract: Advanced treatments such as forward osmosis (FO)
can be used to separate or reject nutrients from secondary treated
effluents. Forward osmosis uses the chemical potential across the
membrane, which is the osmotic pressure gradient, to induce water to
flow through the membrane from a feed solution (FS) into a draw
solution (DS). The performance of FO is affected by the membrane
characteristics, composition of the FS and DS, and operating
conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the optimum
velocity and temperature for nutrient rejection and water flux
performance in FO treatments. MgCl2 was used as the DS in the FO
process. The results showed that higher cross flow velocities yielded
higher water fluxes. High rejection of nutrients was achieved by using
a moderate cross flow velocity at 0.25 m/s. Nutrient rejection was
insensitive to temperature variation, whereas water flux was
significantly impacted by it. A temperature of 25°C was found to be
good for nutrient rejection.
Abstract: The Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
(OFDM) with high data rate, high spectral efficiency and its ability to
mitigate the effects of multipath makes them most suitable in wireless
application. Impulsive noise distorts the OFDM transmission and
therefore methods must be investigated to suppress this noise. In this
paper, a State Space Recursive Least Square (SSRLS) algorithm
based adaptive impulsive noise suppressor for OFDM
communication system is proposed. And a comparison with another
adaptive algorithm is conducted. The state space model-dependent
recursive parameters of proposed scheme enables to achieve steady
state mean squared error (MSE), low bit error rate (BER), and faster
convergence than that of some of existing algorithm.
Abstract: Brass terminal, one of the several crude oil and
petroleum products storage/handling facilities in the Niger Delta was
built in the 1980s. Activities at this site, over the years, released
crude oil into this 3 m-deep, 1500 m-long canal lying adjacent to the
terminal with oil floating on it and its sediment heavily polluted. To
ensure effective clean-up, three major activities were planned: site
characterization, bioremediation pilot plant construction and testing
and full-scale bioremediation of contaminated sediment / bank soil by
land farming. The canal was delineated into 12 lots and each
characterized, with reference to the floating oily phase, contaminated
sediment and canal bank soil. As a result of site characterization, a
pilot plant for on-site bioremediation was designed and a treatment
basin constructed for carrying out pilot bioremediation test.
Following a designed sampling protocol, samples from this pilot
plant were collected for analysis at two laboratories as a quality
assurance / quality control check. Results showed that Brass Canal
upstream is contaminated with dark, thick and viscous oily film with
characteristic hydrocarbon smell while downstream, thin oily film
interspersed with water was observed. Sediments were observed to be
dark with mixture of brownish sandy soil with TPH ranging from
17,800 mg/kg in Lot 1 to 88,500 mg/kg in Lot 12 samples. Brass
Canal bank soil was observed to be sandy from ground surface to 3m,
below ground surface (bgs) it was silty-sandy and brownish while
subsurface soil (4-10m bgs) was sandy-clayey and whitish/grayish
with typical hydrocarbon smell. Preliminary results obtained so far
have been very promising but were proprietary. This project is
considered, to the best of technical literature knowledge, the first
large-scale on-site bioremediation project in the Niger Delta region,
Nigeria.
Abstract: The concentrations of heavy metals in sediments of
Qua Iboe River Estuary (QIRE) were monitored at four different
sampling locations in wet and dry seasons. A preliminary survey to
determine the four sampling stations along the river continuum
showed that the area spanned between
Abstract: In this paper, we propose a system for preventing gas
risks through the use of wireless communication modules and
intelligent gas safety appliances. Our system configuration consists of
an automatic extinguishing system, detectors, a wall-pad, and a
microcomputer controlled micom gas meter to monitor gas flow and
pressure as well as the occurrence of earthquakes. The automatic fire
extinguishing system checks for both combustible gaseous leaks and
monitors the environmental temperature, while the detector array
measures smoke and CO gas concentrations. Depending on detected
conditions, the micom gas meter cuts off an inner valve and generates
a warning, the automatic fire-extinguishing system cuts off an external
valve and sprays extinguishing materials, or the sensors generate
signals and take further action when smoke or CO are detected.
Information on intelligent measures taken by the gas safety appliances
and sensors are transmitted to the wall-pad, which in turn relays this as
real time data to a server that can be monitored via an external network
(BcN) connection to a web or mobile application for the management
of gas safety. To validate this smart-home gas management system, we
field-tested its suitability for use in Korean apartments under several
scenarios.
Abstract: The separation of Hg (II) from produced water by
hollow fiber contactors (HFC) was investigation. This system
included of two hollow fiber modules in the series connecting. The
first module used for the extraction reaction and the second module
for stripping reaction. Aliquat336 extractant was fed from the organic
reservoirs into the shell side of the first hollow fiber module and
continuous to the shell side of the second module. The organic liquid
was continuously feed recirculate and back to the reservoirs. The feed
solution was pumped into the lumen (tube side) of the first hollow
fiber module. Simultaneously, the stripping solution was pumped in
the same way in tube side of the second module. The feed and
stripping solution was fed which had a countercurrent flow. Samples
were kept in the outlet of feed and stripping solution at 1 hour and
characterized concentration of Hg (II) by Inductively Couple Plasma
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Feed solution was
produced water from natural gulf of Thailand. The extractant was
Aliquat336 dissolved in kerosene diluent. Stripping solution used was
nitric acid (HNO3) and thiourea (NH2CSNH2). The effect of carrier
concentration and type of stripping solution were investigated.
Results showed that the best condition were 10 % (v/v) Aliquat336
and 1.0 M NH2CSNH2. At the optimum condition, the extraction and
stripping of Hg (II) were 98% and 44.2%, respectively.
Abstract: This paper examines the utilization of public-private
partnerships for the building and operation of wastewater treatment
plants. Our research focuses on risk allocation in this kind of projects.
Our analysis builds on more than hundred wastewater treatment
plants built and operated through PPP projects in Aragon (Spain).
The paper illustrates the consequences of an inadequate management
of construction risk and an unsuitable transfer of demand risk in
wastewater treatment plants. It also shows that the involvement of
many public bodies at local, regional and national level further
increases the complexity of this kind of projects and make time
delays more likely.
Abstract: The polymer foil used for manufacturing of
laminated glass members behaves in a viscoelastic manner with
temperature dependance. This contribution aims at incorporating
the time/temperature-dependent behavior of interlayer to our earlier
elastic finite element model for laminated glass beams. The model
is based on a refined beam theory: each layer behaves according
to the finite-strain shear deformable formulation by Reissner and
the adjacent layers are connected via the Lagrange multipliers
ensuring the inter-layer compatibility of a laminated unit. The
time/temperature-dependent behavior of the interlayer is accounted
for by the generalized Maxwell model and by the time-temperature
superposition principle due to the Williams, Landel, and Ferry.
The resulting system is solved by the Newton method with
consistent linearization and the viscoelastic response is determined
incrementally by the exponential algorithm. By comparing the model
predictions against available experimental data, we demonstrate that
the proposed formulation is reliable and accurately reproduces the
behavior of the laminated glass units.
Abstract: This paper presents a rank correlation curve. The
traditional correlation coefficient is valid for both continuous
variables and for integer variables using rank statistics. Since
the correlation coefficient has already been established in rank
statistics by Spearman, such a calculation can be extended to
the correlation curve.
This paper presents two survey questions. The survey
collected non-continuous variables. We will show weak to
moderate correlation. Obviously, one question has a negative
effect on the other. A review of the qualitative literature
can answer which question and why. The rank correlation
curve shows which collection of responses has a positive
slope and which collection of responses has a negative slope.
Such information is unavailable from the flat, ”first-glance”
correlation statistics.
Abstract: Waste load allocation (WLA) policies may use multiobjective
optimization methods to find the most appropriate and
sustainable solutions. These usually intend to simultaneously
minimize two criteria, total abatement costs (TC) and environmental
violations (EV). If other criteria, such as inequity, need for
minimization as well, it requires introducing more binary
optimizations through different scenarios. In order to reduce the
calculation steps, this study presents value index as an innovative
decision making approach. Since the value index contains both the
environmental violation and treatment costs, it can be maximized
simultaneously with the equity index. It implies that the definition of
different scenarios for environmental violations is no longer required.
Furthermore, the solution is not necessarily the point with minimized
total costs or environmental violations. This idea is testified for Haraz
River, in north of Iran. Here, the dissolved oxygen (DO) level of river
is simulated by Streeter-Phelps equation in MATLAB software. The
WLA is determined for fish farms using multi-objective particle
swarm optimization (MOPSO) in two scenarios. At first, the trade-off
curves of TC-EV and TC-Inequity are plotted separately as the
conventional approach. In the second, the Value-Equity curve is
derived. The comparative results show that the solutions are in a
similar range of inequity with lower total costs. This is due to the
freedom of environmental violation attained in value index. As a
result, the conventional approach can well be replaced by the value
index particularly for problems optimizing these objectives. This
reduces the process to achieve the best solutions and may find better
classification for scenario definition. It is also concluded that decision
makers are better to focus on value index and weighting its contents
to find the most sustainable alternatives based on their requirements.
Abstract: In this contribution two approaches for calculating
optimal trajectories for highly automated vehicles are presented and
compared. The first one is based on a non-linear vehicle model, used
for evaluation. The second one is based on a simplified model and
can be implemented on a current ECU. In usual driving situations
both approaches show very similar results.
Abstract: Channel sections are widely used in practice as beams.
However, design rules for eccentrically loaded (not through shear
center) beams with channel cross- sections are not available in
Eurocode 3. This paper compares the ultimate loads based on the
adjusted design rules for lateral torsional buckling of eccentrically
loaded channel beams in bending to the ultimate loads obtained with
Finite Element (FE) simulations on the basis of a parameter study.
Based on the proposed design rule, this study has led to a new design
rule which conforms to Eurocode 3.
Abstract: In this paper, a model is proposed to determine the life
distribution parameters of the useful life region for the PV system
utilizing a combination of non-parametric and linear regression
analysis for the failure data of these systems. Results showed that this
method is dependable for analyzing failure time data for such reliable
systems when the data is scarce.
Abstract: Quantitative radiobiological models can be used to
assess the optimum clinical outcome from sophisticated therapeutic
modalities by calculating tumor control probability (TCP) and normal
tissue complication probability (NTCP). In this study two 3D-CRT
and an IMRT treatment plans were developed with an initial
prescription dose of 60 Gy in 2 Gy/fraction to prostate. Sensitivity of
TCP and Complication free tumor control probability (P+) to the
different values of α/β ratio was investigated for various prescription
doses planned to be delivered in either a fixed number of fractions (I)
or in a fixed dose per fraction (II) in each of the three different
treatment plans. High dose/fraction and high α/β value result in
comparatively smaller P+ and IMRT plans resulted in the highest P+,
mainly due to the decrease in NTCP. If α/β is lower than expected,
better tumor control can be achieved by increasing dose/fraction but
decreasing the number of fractions.
Abstract: Medicinal plants are now gaining attractiveness in
treatment of bacterial infections and food preservation. The objective
of this study was to assess antibacterial activity of some medicinal
plants on pathogenic bacteria. Screening of antibacterial activity of
aqueous and methanol extracts of some plants: Jojoba, Ginger, Sage,
Thyme and Clove against Bacillus cereus, Salmonella typhimurium,
Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli
were investigated. Antibacterial activity was performed by agar
diffusion and disc diffusion method. Jatropha, Jojoba, Clove and
Ginger extracts showed notable bacterial activity in the first
screening step then selected to be tested against Bacillus cereus
(Gram+), Staphylococcus aureus (Gram+) and Salmonella
typhimurium (Gram−) and their effect was compared using
antibiotics as control. Screening results showed potential antibacterial
activity of the tested plant extracts against the screened bacterial
strains. It was found that methanol extracts exhibited higher
antibacterial activity than aqueous extracts. Methanol extract of
Jatropha showed the highest inhibition zone against Staphylococcus
aureus (Gram+) with 24.00 mm diameter, compared to the other
plant extracts followed by clove. Meanwhile, the inhibition zones of
methanol extracts of Jojoba and Ginger were the same (12mm).The
Gram-positive bacteria were found to be more sensitive to aqueous
and methanol extracts than Gram-negative bacteria.
Abstract: In this research article of modeling Underwater
Wireless Sensor Network Simulators, we provide a comprehensive
overview of the various currently available simulators used in UWSN
modeling. In this work, we compare their working environment,
software platform, simulation language, key features, limitations and
corresponding applications. Based on extensive experimentation and
performance analysis, we provide their efficiency for specific
applications. We have also provided guidelines for developing
protocols in different layers of the protocol stack, and finally these
parameters are also compared and tabulated. This analysis is
significant for researchers and designers to find the right simulator
for their research activities.
Abstract: This paper analyses the heat transfer performance and
fluid flow using different nanofluids in a square enclosure. The
energy equation and Navier-Stokes equation are solved numerically
using finite volume scheme. The effect of volume fraction
concentration on the enhancement of heat transfer has been studied
icorporating the Brownian motion; the influence of effective thermal
conductivity on the enhancement was also investigated for a range of
volume fraction concentration. The velocity profile for different
Rayleigh number. Water-Cu, water AL2O3 and water-TiO2 were
tested.
Abstract: The article represents the results of isolation and
component chromatographic analysis of essential oils of Polygonym
L. plants growing in Kazakhstan in commercial reserves at the
territory of Kazakhstan. The results of research of antiviral activity of
isolated substances to flu virus have been represented in this article.
The main pharmacophore groups in the structure of alkaloids have
been identified.