Electron Microscopy Imaging Applications of Room Temperature Ionic Liquids in the Biological Field: A Review

For biological imaging using electron microscopy (EM), the use of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) has been proposed as an alternative to traditional lengthy preparation methods. With their low vapor pressures and conductivity, RTILs can be applied onto hard-to-image soft and/or wet samples without dehydration – allowing for a more representative, hydrated state of material and opening the possibility for visualization of in situ physiological processes using conventional EM systems. However, RTILs have yet to be utilized to their full potential by microscopists and microbiologists alike. To this end, this review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of biological applications of RTILs for EM to bridge the RTIL, in situ microscopy, and biological communities. We outline future research avenues for the use of RTILs for the EM observation of biological samples, notably i) RTIL selection and optimization, ii) applications for live cell processes and iii) electron beam and ionic liquid interaction studies.     

The use and acceptance of new media entertainment technology by elderly users: development of an expanded technology acceptance model

Research on elderly people's ICT acceptance and use often relies on the technology acceptance model (TAM) framework, but has been mostly limited to task-oriented uses. This article expands approaches in technology acceptance and use by developing a model to explain entertainment-related uses of new media technology by elderly people. On a theoretical level, we expand the TAM perspective by adding concepts that act as barriers and/or facilitators of technology acceptance, namely technophobia, self-efficacy and previous experience and expertise with technology. We develop an expanded TAM by testing the role of these concepts in two studies on entertainment media technology. In Study 1, we investigate behavioural intention to use 3D cinema among N?=?125 German elderly media users (Age 50+). In Study 2, we focus the actual use of a computer game simulation by N?=?115 German and US elderly media users (Age 50+). Findings in both studies point towards the central role of perceived usefulness, here modelled as enjoyment, as the reason for elderly people's use and acceptance of entertainment media technology. Perceived ease of use is seen as a precondition for enjoyment, particularly for interactive media.     

Investigating the Blusa: The Cultural and Sartorial Biography of an Algerian Dress

This essay describes the evolution of the garment known as a blusa, worn by urban women in north-western Algeria. The blusa, a full-length dress with short sleeves, was conceived and developed in the cities of Tlemcen and Oran. It incorporates locally meaningful traditions as well as fashion styles in conjunction with different cultures. Its transformation illustrates how Algerian women resisted cultural assimilation through dress while creatively appropriating western European textiles, techniques and aesthetics in their clothing, during the French colonial period (1830–1962) and its aftermath. The exploration of the contemporary blusa variations reveals how the relationship between clothing and identity is still highly complex in Algerian cities. To date, the invention, the rituals, the design, and the production of the blusa dress has been little studied. This paper reconstitutes an historical puzzle based on recent object-based research and anthropological investigations. It seeks to interpret the blusa as an interface between tradition and modernity.     

Application of antimicrobial ice for extending shelf life of fish

In this study, we investigated whether wild-thyme (Thymus serpyllum) hydrosol had a preserving effect against spoilage of freshwater fish. Sensorial characteristics, chemical freshness indicator contents, and microbial counts (total aerobes, psychrotrophics, Enterobacteriaceae, fecal coliform bacteria, Aeromonas spp., and Pseudomonas spp.) of whole ungutted and gutted Transcaucasian barb (Capoeta capoeta capoeta Guldenstaedt, 1772) stored on ice produced from wild-thyme hydrosol and tap water at 4 degrees C for 20 days were compared. The results did not reveal any significant (P > 0.05) differences in the microbial counts, sensorial characteristics, pH, and total volatile basic nitrogen values between gutted and ungutted groups. Sensory evaluation and microbiological and chemical analyses indicated that the storage of the fish on ice produced from wild-thyme hydrosol had a significant increase in shelf life by at least 15 to 20 days.     

Radiosynthesis and biodistribution of [^18F]-tetracosactide using a semi-automated [^18F]SFB production module

In order to prepare a specific melanocortin type 2 receptor (MC2R) ligand, b1-24-corticotrophin was pre-pared in one-step reaction with [18F] SFB and b-1-24-corticotrophin pharmaceutical solution (1 mg/mL, pH=6.5). [18F]SFB was prepared in a semi-automated module in two steps with an overall radiochemical yield of 47% to EOB (not-decay corrected) in 90 min. The 18F-labeled intermediates and 18F-labeled peptide was checked by RTLC and HPLC. The results show that the radiochemical purity is >95% and the yield to EOB (not-decay corrected) is 29% for final 18F-labeled peptide at optimized conditions. Preliminary in vivo studies in normal mice were performed to deter-mine biodistribution of the 18F-labeled peptide for 150 min. The results show that the major tracer uptake is consistent with the natural distribution of MC2R receptors in mammals. Testes/blood and testes/muscle ratios for 18F-labeled peptide at 150 min were 184 and 1.56, respectively, and adipocyte/blood and adipocyte/muscle ratios at 120 min were 221 and 142, respectively. The data support the specific receptor binding of the radiolabeled peptide as reported for MC2R receptor accumulation in adipocytes and testes and demonstrates the retention of biological activity of the pep-tide. This tracer can be used in detection of MC2R distribution in malignancies and sex organ diseases.     

Monitoring of energy exergy efficiencies and exergoeconomic parameters of geothermal district heating systems (GDHSs)

In this work, the monitoring energy and exergy efficiency results of the last heating seasons of operation of the geothermal district heating systems (GDHSs) and their technical availability analysis and monitoring exergoeconomic parameters are presented. The case studies cover the actual system data taken from the systems in Afyon and Salihli GDHSs, Turkey. General energy, exergy, technical availability, and exergoeconomic analysis of the GDHSs are introduced. Furthermore, the average technical availability, real availability, capacity factor and energy and exergy efficiencies value of GDHSs have been analyzed.     

Stability analysis of a multi-model predictive control algorithm with application to control of chemical reactors

We study a stabilizing multi-model predictive control strategy for controlling nonlinear process at different operating conditions. The control algorithm is a receding horizon scheme with a quasi-infinite horizon objective function that has finite and infinite horizon cost components. The finite horizon cost consists of free input variables that direct the system towards a terminal region which contains the desired operating point. The infinite horizon cost has an upper bound and steers the system to the desired operating point. The system is represented by a sequence of piecewise linear models. Based on the condition of the system states, the sequence of piecewise linear models is updated and the controller’s objective function switches form quasi-infinite to infinite horizon objective function. This results in a hybrid control structure. A recent approach in the analysis of hybrid systems that uses multiple Lyapunov functions is employed in the stability analysis of the closed-loop system. The stabilizing hybrid control strategy is illustrated on two examples and their closed-loop stability properties are studied.     

Feedback control for multi-resource usage of virtualised database server

Virtualisation and cloud computing have recently received significant attention. Resource allocation and control of multiple resource usages among virtual machines in virtualised data centres remains an open problem. Therefore, in this paper, our focus is to control CPU (central processing unit) usage and memory consumption of a virtual database machine in a data centre under a time-varying heavy workload. In addition to existing work, we attempt to control multiple outputs, such as the CPU usage and memory consumption of a virtualised database server (DBVM), via changing multiple server parameters, such as the CPU allocation and memory allocation, in real time. We indicated that a virtualised database server might be modelled as a linear time-unvarying system. We obtained and compared both MIMO (multi input–multi output) and multiple SISO (single input–single output) models of that system. We designed multiple SISO feedback controllers to achieve desired CPU usages and memory consumptions under workload.     

Preparation of comb‐type grafted hydrogels composed of polyacrylamide and chitosan and their use for DNA adsorption

Comb‐type grafted hydrogels composed of polyacrylamide (PAAm) and chitosan (CT) were prepared and used for DNA adsorption. Instead of direct grafting of the acrylamide monomer onto the CT chain, semitelechelic PAAm with carboxylic acid end groups (PAAm–COOH) was synthesized by free‐radical polymerization with mercaptoacetic acid as the chain‐transfer agent, and it was grafted onto CT with amino groups. The synthesis of telechelic PAAm–COOH and the formation of comb‐type grafted hydrogels were confirmed by attenuated total reflectance/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy measurements. The prepared comb‐type grafted hydrogels were used as sorbents in DNA adsorption experiments conducted at +4°C in a tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane/ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution of pH 7.4. DNA adsorption capacities as high as 2.0 × 10³ μg of DNA/g of dry gel could be achieved by the comb‐type hydrogels with higher PAAm contents. This value was approximately 6 times higher than that of CT alone. In addition, the comb‐type hydrogels showed a high adsorption/desorption rate depending on the PAAm content in the hydrogel. As a result, these comb‐type hydrogels carrying higher amounts of DNA may be considered good candidates for achieving higher removal rates for anti‐DNA antibodies and for effective gene therapy systems. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009