scholarly journals A novel capsule-based smell test fabricated via coaxial dripping

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (177) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Said Ismail ◽  
Gregory R. Goodwin ◽  
J. Rafael Castrejon-Pita ◽  
Alastair J. Noyce ◽  
Helena S. Azevedo
Keyword(s):  
Shell Thickness ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Tensile Tests ◽  
Flow Rate Ratio ◽  
Preliminary Screening ◽  
Prototype Test ◽  
Smell Test ◽  
Alginate Concentration ◽  
Oppositely Charged ◽  
Capsule Size

In this paper, we demonstrate that aromatic oil capsules, produced by dripping droplets, can offer a simple, yet effective, testing tool to aid in the diagnosis of various diseases, in which the loss of smell is a key symptom. These include chronic neurological conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and acute respiratory infections such as that caused by COVID-19. The capsules were fabricated by concentrically dripping oil/alginate droplets, from a coaxial nozzle, into an oppositely charged ionic liquid. This fabrication technique enables full control over the capsule size, the shell thickness and the volume of the encapsulated oil. After formation, liquid capsules were left to dry and form a solid crust surrounding the oil. The prototype test consists of placing a standardized number of capsules between adhesive strips that users crush and pull apart to release the smell. In addition to the fabrication method, a simple mathematical model was developed to predict the volume of encapsulated oil within the capsule in terms of the flow rate ratio and the nozzle size. Tensile tests show that capsule strength is inversely proportional to its size owing to an increase in the shell thickness. By increasing the alginate concentration, the load required to rupture the capsule increases, to the point where capsules are too stiff to be broken by a fingertip grip. Results from a preliminary screening test, within a group of patients with Parkinson's disease, found that smells were detectable using a ‘forced choice’ paradigm.

scholarly journals Controlling the thickness of hollow polymeric microspheres prepared by electrohydrodynamic atomization

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (suppl_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming-Wei Chang ◽  
Eleanor Stride ◽  
Mohan Edirisinghe
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Rate Ratio ◽  
Shell Thickness ◽  
Polymer Concentration ◽  
Processing Parameters ◽  
Model Material ◽  
Hollow Microspheres ◽  
Flow Rate Ratio ◽  
Polymeric Microspheres ◽  
The Mean

In this study, the ability to control the shell thickness of hollow polymeric microspheres prepared using electrohydrodynamic processing at ambient temperature was investigated. Polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ) was used as a model material for the microsphere shell encapsulating a core of liquid perfluorohexane (PFH). The microspheres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and optical and electron microscopy, and the effects of the processing parameters (flow-rate ratio, polymer concentration and applied voltage) on the mean microsphere diameter ( D ) and shell thickness ( t ) were determined. It was found that the mean diameters of the hollow microspheres could be controlled in the range from 310 to 1000 nm while the corresponding mean shell thickness varied from 40 to 95 nm. The results indicate that the ratio D : t varied with polymer concentration, with the largest value of approximately 10 achieved with a solution containing 18 wt% of the polymer, while the smallest value (6.6) was obtained at 36 wt%. For polymer concentrations above 63 wt%, hollow microspheres could not be generated, but instead PMSQ fibres encapsulating PFH liquid were obtained.

scholarly journals Ionic Inter-Particle Complexation Effect on the Performance of Waterborne Coatings

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 3098
Author(s):  
Maialen Argaiz ◽  
Fernando Ruipérez ◽  
Miren Aguirre ◽  
Radmila Tomovska
Keyword(s):  
Density Functional ◽  
Resonance Energy ◽  
Density Functional Theory Calculations ◽  
Tensile Tests ◽  
Polymer Chains ◽  
Mechanical Resistance ◽  
Polymer Particles ◽  
Waterborne Coatings ◽  
Ionic Complexation ◽  
Oppositely Charged

The performance of waterborne (meth)acrylic coatings is critically affected by the film formation process, in which the individual polymer particles must join to form a continuous film. Consequently, the waterborne polymers present lower performance than their solvent-borne counter-polymers. To decrease this effect, in this work, ionic complexation between oppositely charged polymer particles was introduced and its effect on the performance of waterborne polymer films was studied. The (meth)acrylic particles were charged by the addition of a small amount of ionic monomers, such as sodium styrene sulfonate and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate. Density functional theory calculations showed that the interaction between the selected main charges of the respective functional monomers (sulfonate–amine) is favored against the interactions with their counter ions (sulfonate–Na and amine–H). To induce ionic complexation, the oppositely charged latexes were blended, either based on the same number of charges or the same number of particles. The performance of the ionic complexed coatings was determined by means of tensile tests and water uptake measurements. The ionic complexed films were compared with reference films obtained at pH at which the cationic charges were in neutral form. The mechanical resistance was raised slightly by ionic bonding between particles, producing much more flexible films, whereas the water penetration within the polymeric films was considerably hindered. By exploring the process of polymer chains interdiffusion using Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) analysis, it was found that the ionic complexation was established between the particles, which reduced significantly the interdiffusion process of polymer chains. The presented ionic complexes of sulfonate–amine functionalized particles open a promising approach for reinforcing waterborne coatings.

Scientific and Standardization Committee Communications Comparison of Test Methods for the Lupus Anticoagulant: International Survey on Lupus Anticoagulants-I (ISLA-1)

1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (03) ◽  
pp. 478-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Exner ◽  
Douglas A Triplett ◽  
David A Taberner ◽  
Margaret A Howard ◽  
E Nigel Harris
Keyword(s):  
Lupus Anticoagulant ◽  
Test Methods ◽  
Positive Sample ◽  
Direct Proportion ◽  
Clotting Time ◽  
Preliminary Screening ◽  
Activated Platelets ◽  
Tissue Thromboplastin ◽  
Kaolin Clotting Time ◽  
Induced Defects

SummarySix lyophilized plasma samples were sent to 20 “expert” laboratories for assessment of lupus anticoagulant (LA). Four samples contained pooled LA of graded potency mixed with aged normal plasma. One contained LA plus cephalin phospholipid and one contained a nonspecific venom anticoagulant. Sixteen methods were used overall with some participants using up to 8 methods. Results were scored in regard to the known potencies of LA in the samples and other known induced defects.Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) tests used by most participants for preliminary screening were relatively sensitive, but non-specific. Platelet or phospholipid neutralization procedures (PNP) appeared to be sensitive and specific but showed a non-linear response to increased LA content. Kaolin clotting time (KCT) tests showed the most sensitive response to increased LA content but the weaker LA were not scored as abnormal by most laboratories as the samples may have contained platelet fragments. Other commonly used tests such as the tissue thromboplastin inhibition (TTI) test and the dilute Russell’s viper venom test (DRVVT) were carried out somewhat inconsistently. The variability in performance of tests in different laboratories indicates that standardization of methodology is urgently required.Generally it seemed that most clotting tests were “bypassed” by the addition of phospholipid to a known LA-positive sample in apparently direct proportion to their sensitivity. Sample preparation, especially prevention of contamination with activated platelets is a vital preliminary part in the assay of LA.

Leukotriene Dependent Exacerbation of Respiratory Infections in Mice with Defective C5a Signaling

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Nitsche ◽  
Sandra Busse ◽  
Petra Bonowitz ◽  
Yves Laummonier ◽  
Albrecht Bufe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Infections

PERAN IBU DALAM PENINGKATAN SISTEM IMUN ANAK DENGAN INFEKSI SALURAN PERNAFASAN AKUT

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-86
Author(s):  
Cindy Ayustin Noya ◽  
Angkit Kinasih ◽  
Venti Agustina ◽  
R.Rr Maria Dyah Kurniasari
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Acute Respiratory Infection ◽  
Lower Respiratory Tract ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Acute Respiratory Infections ◽  
Clean Environment ◽  
History Of ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive

Infeksi saluran pernafasan akut atau yang sering disebut ISPA merupakan infeksi pada saluran pernafasan baik saluran pernafasan atas atau bawah.ISPA juga kebanyakan terjadi pada anak balita karena daya tahan tubuh mereka tidak kuat dalam menghadapi penyakit ISPA. ISPA mengakibatkan kematiansekitar15%-20% per tahun pada usia balita di Negara berkembang. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui dan menganalisa peran ibu dalam meningkatkan sistem imun anak dengan ISPA.Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kualitatif deskriptif dengan sampel purposive sampling.Populasi dan sampel penelitian ini adalah ibu yang mempunyai anak dengan riwayat dan saat ini menderita penyakit ISPA di Batu Gajah Kota Ambon.Partisipan dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 5 orang. Hasil dari penelitian mendapati 4 kategori yaitu pemberian nutrisi pada anak untuk memenuhi kebutuhan agar sistem imunnya terjaga, kebersihan lingkungan, peran ibu dalam melakukan pencegahan pada anaknya yang mengalami ISPA, dan  peran ibu dalam menjaga dan mempertahankan kesehatan anaknya.   Kata kunci: peran ibu, sistem imun, ispa THE ROLE OF MOTHERS IN INCREASING IMMUNE SYSTEM OF CHILDREN WITH ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTION    ABSTRACT Acute respiratory infections or often called ARI is an infection of the upper or lower respiratory tract. ARI occurs mostly in children under the age of five because their endurance is not strong in dealing with ARI. ARI results in deaths of around 15%-20% per year at the age of under-five in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze the role of mothers in improving the immune system of children against ARI. The research method used in this study was qualitative descriptive with a purposive sampling sample. Respondents and samples of this study were five mothers who had children with a history of ARI and currently suffering from the disease in Batu Gajah, Ambon City. The results of the study found 4 categories, namely providing nutrition to children to meet their needs so that their immune systems are maintained, clean environment, mother's role in preventing children with ARI, and mother's role to preserve and maintain the health of their children. The findings indicated that in terms of coping or improving the immune system of a child to avoid ARI, it is necessary to have role the of mothers in providing nutrition so that the immune system is boosted, besides that the mother can prevent and protect her child from various diseases, especially ARI. Keywords: role of mothers, immune system, acute respiratory infections

Calculation And Experimental Substantiation Of Optimal Design Of The Welded Joint Of Plates On Соver Plates

2020 ◽  
pp. 17-24
Keyword(s):  
Welded Joint ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Engineering Calculation ◽  
Tensile Tests ◽  
Physical Nonlinearity ◽  
Steel Plates ◽  
Optimal Parameters ◽  
Actual Problem ◽  
Numerical Research ◽  
Cover Plates

The article is devoted to the actual problem of assigning optimal parameters for connecting steel plates on cover plates with angular welds that are widely used in construction practice. The article presents the results of a comprehensive study of operation of a welded assembly of the plates connection on cover plates. An algorithm is proposed for determining the optimal parameters of a welded joint with fillet welds on the cover plates, which makes it possible to obtain a strength balanced connection. The results of full-scale tensile tests of models were presented. These results confirmed the correctness of the assumed design assumptions, and made it possible to obtain a form of destruction, not characteristic and not described in the normative literature, expressed by cutting the main elements along the length of the overlap in the joint. The possibility of such a form of destruction was confirmed by the results of numerical research in a nonlinear formulation. The optimal parameters of the nodal welded joint determined by engineering calculation are confirmed by experimental studies, as well as by the results of numerical experiments on models of calculation schemes, taking into account the physical nonlinearity of the material operation. The obtained dependence for determining the bearing capacity of the joint by the cut-off mechanism and the expression for limiting the overlap length of the cover plates will make it possible to predict the nature of the fracture and design equally strong joints.

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