1,204 research outputs found
Nanoindentation system for material properties identification / Teo Adrian Wei Hong, Yeap Gik Hong and Loo Wei Jie
No full textThis paper proposed to design a nanoindentation system with the intention to identify material properties without spalling. The system is designed to perform simulation based on the load-depth curve data collected from NanoTestTM. The hardness results are compared with Brinell hardness test and NanoTestTM for the same materials; i.e. brass, mild steel, aluminium and copper. Oliver-Pharr and Joslin-Oliver methods are selected to measure the material properties. Both selected methods require indentation load, impression area and depth to fulfil the material properties calculation while these signals are collected through a displacement sensor and an actuator. The results collected indicate that the spall of material rate, which can be reduced by decreasing the indentation load while maintaining the indentation depth at a longer dwell time. The theoretical simulation result of Joslin-Oliver method which neglects substrate effect acquired an average error rate of 7.823% whereas Oliver-Pharr method acquired an average error rate of 6.355%, both with comparison against NanoTestTM machine. The experiments have been performed using same materials; i.e. brass, aluminium, copper and mild steel
Interpretasi aksi teo-ecology dan transendentalisme terhadap pelestarian lingkungan
No full textThis research presents a reading of the aspects of religious transidentalism in presenting the narrative of environmental preservation. Certainly in that context, the author tries to illustrate with teo-ecology construction based on quranic insights. Therefore, man as a subject, occupies a wide space in realizing the idea of godliness and humanistics in managing the nature and environment that God has given. Result of this study provides a major argument against the meaning of the Quran as the basis of environmental Teo-Ecology which contributes the deepest contribution, so that environmental preservation is always encouraged. In addition, in environmental preservation is necessary also the construction of ecological ethics humanizes the environment itself, so that a balance arises there. Lastly, it is no less important to elicit an attitude of transcendentalism in man that as god's representative on Earth must have mentally managed the environment well
Genetics and epigenetics in gestational diabetes contributing to type 2 diabetes
No full textGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy complication and a risk factor for the subsequent development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in mothers and of several metabolic diseases in offspring. However, the molecular underpinnings of these risks are not well understood. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and epigenetic studies may provide complementary insights into the causal relationships between GDM exposure and maternal/offspring metabolic outcomes. In this review we discuss the potential pathophysiological roles of specific genetic variants and commonly reported differentially methylated loci in GDM development, and their link to the progression to T2D in both the mother and the offspring in later life, pointing to the potential for tailored interventional strategies based on these genetic and epigenetic mechanisms
Deriving optimal competition in infrastructure procurement
No full textTypically only a limited number of consortiums are able to competitively bid for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects. Consequently, this may lead to oligopoly pricing constraints and ineffective competition, thus engendering ex ante market failure. In addressing this issue, this paper aims to determine the optimal number of bidders required to ensure a healthy level of competition is available to procure major infrastructure projects. The theories of Structure-Conduct-Performance (SCP) paradigm; Game Theory and Auction Theory and Transaction Cost Economics are reviewed and discussed and used to produce an optimal level of competition for major infrastructure procurement, that prevents market failure ex ante (lack of competition) and market failure ex post (due to asymmetric lock-in)
Efeitos do programa TEO em idosos com depressão, de um INABIF em Villa El Salvador
No full textEl objetivo principal del presente estudio fue explorar los efectos del programa TEO en adultos mayores con depresión, que pertenecen al club adulto mayor de un INABIF de Villa El Salvador. El tipo de investigación fue cuasi-experimental, con un diseño de intervención basado en un grupo control no tratado y un grupo experimental al cual se le aplica un tratamiento. La población estuvo conformada por 20 adultos mayores con un rango de edad mayor a 60 años, divididos en dos grupos, el primero; experimental, al cual se le aplicó el programa, y el otro al que no se le administró; grupo control. Al finalizar el programa, los efectos se midieron empleando el Inventario de depresión estado rasgo. Los resultados evidenciaron que el grupo experimental mostró significativamente menor depresión a diferencia del grupo control; (p ˂ 0.004) luego de haberse aplicado el programa. En conclusión, esta evidencia demuestra que la intervención produjo un efecto reductivo sobre la depresión en la población estudiada.Tesi
Capsule endoscopy: a valuable tool in the follow-up of people with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet
No full textOBJECTIVES: Traditional celiac disease guidelines recommend follow-up endoscopy and duodenal biopsies at 6–12 months after commencing a gluten-free diet (GFD). However, histology may remain abnormal even 1–2 years later. We evaluated the role of capsule endoscopy in patients with celiac disease after treatment with a GFD. METHODS: Twelve adult patients with newly diagnosed celiac disease were prospectively enrolled. All patients had baseline symptom assessment, celiac serology (tissue transglutaminase antibody, tTG), and capsule endoscopy. Twelve months after commencing a GFD, patients underwent repeat symptom assessment, celiac serology, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and capsule endoscopy. RESULTS: At baseline, capsule endoscopy detected endoscopic markers of villous atrophy in the duodenum and extending to a variable distance along the small intestine. On the basis of small bowel transit time, the mean±s.e.m. percentage of small intestine with villous atrophy was 18.2±3.7%. After 12 months on a GFD, repeat capsule endoscopy demonstrated mucosal healing from a distal to proximal direction, and the percentage of small intestine with villous atrophy was significantly reduced to 3.4±1.2% (P¼0.0014) and this correlated with improvement in the symptom score (correlation 0.69, P¼0.01). There was a significant improvement in symptom score (5.2±1.0 vs. 1.7±0.4, P¼0.0012) and reduction in immunoglobulin A–tTG levels (81.5±10.6 vs. 17.5±8.2, P¼0.0005). However, 42% of subjects demonstrated persistent villous abnormality as assessed by duodenal histology. CONCLUSIONS: After 12 months on a GFD, patients with celiac disease demonstrate an improvement in symptoms, celiac serology, and the extent of disease as measured by capsule endoscopy. Mucosal healing occurs in a distal to proximal direction. The extent of mucosal healing correlates with improvement in symptoms. Duodenal histology does not reflect the healing that has occurred more distally.Ilmars Lidums, Edward Teo, John Field and Adrian G. Cummin
Nanoindentation system for material properties identification
No full textThis paper proposed to design a nanoindentation
system with the intention to identify material properties without
spalling. The system is designed to perform simulation based on
the load-depth curve data collected from NanoTestTM. The
hardness results are compared with Brinell hardness test and
NanoTestTM for the same materialsi.e. brass, mild steel,
aluminium and copper. Oliver-Pharr and Joslin-Oliver methods
are selected to measure the material properties. Both selected
methods require indentation load, impression area and depth to
fulfil the material properties calculation while these signals are
collected through a displacement sensor and an actuator. The
results collected indicate that the spall of material rate, which can
be reduced by decreasing the indentation load while maintaining
the indentation depth at a longer dwell time. The theoretical
simulation result of Joslin-Oliver method which neglects
substrate effect acquired an average error rate of 7.823%
whereas Oliver-Pharr method acquired an average error rate of
6.355%, both with comparison against NanoTestTM machine. The
experiments have been performed using same materialsi.e.
brass, aluminium, copper and mild steel
Massimo Cacciari y la onto-teo-logía
No full textEs tracta de presentar a un autor com Massimo Cacciari en el marc del que Heidegger va anomenar onto-teo-logia com aquella manera d’interpretar el pensament filosòfic (ontològic) i teològic des de els inicis de la filosofia fins a Nietzsche. Heidegger insisteix al llarg de la seva obra en allò que ha quedat per pensar: l’Ésser. Subratlla aquesta carència com quelcom que afecta al destí de l’ésser i a la pròpia finitud humana. La tradició ha deixat ‘impensada’ la diferència de l’ésser de l’existent i l’existent. Aquesta carència demana, per tant, un ‘pas enrere’ en el que situar de bell nou a la ‘metafísica’. Cacciari es situa en el mateix punt de partida que Heidegger, però el filòsof italià explora una via que va ser pràcticament oblidada per Heidegger: el neoplatonisme. Al llarg d’aquesta investigació veurem, per tant, com els màxims representants del que Heidegger va anomenar onto-teo-logia son tornats a pensar des de una òptica ‘nova’ per Massimo Cacciari. El nihilisme detectat per Heidegger com l’encadenament d’una ‘metafísica general’ i una ‘metafísica especial’ pot ser revisat des dels comentaris al Parmènides de Plató de la gran tradició neoplatònica. Cacciari comença des de Kant per, en una mena de regressió en el temps, tornar a aquell lloc que la filosofia reclama com ‘amor al Bé’ i que la Crítica kantiana hauria menyspreat com una ‘volada cap a un lloc ignot’. Es tracta de reivindicar, al parer de Cacciari, el lloc de la intuïció filosòfica sense oblidar el que el mateix Heidegger ja va detectar com a paradigma onto-teo-lògic. La teologia, des d’aquesta perspectiva neoplatònica, pot ser revisada per convertir-se en una digne dialogant de la filosofia. Els desenvolupaments teològics no poden ser entesos sense el que el neoplatonisme va plantejar en el seu insistent desenvolupament de les apories del Parmènides. L’idealisme post-kantià (Hegel, Fichte) es ‘criticat’ i rebutjat des de la filosofia positiva de Schelling.
També presentem en aquest treball la crítica d’Emmanuel Levinas a un pensament sobre Déu en els termes en els que Heidegger el va presentar, és a dir, un Déu pensat només en els termes de la onto-teo-logia. La present investigació es divideix, per tant, en dos parts fonamentals: Heidegger i el paradigma onto-teo-lògic com el desenvolupament especulatiu del nihilisme i la alternativa que E. Levinas proposa a aquest plantejament per considerar una possibilitat no ontològica sobre un pensament sobre Déu (l’Altre): una possibilitat ètica (el rostre de l’altre des del que ‘veure’ l’Altre) i una segona part on presentem la trilogia fonamental de Cacciari (Dell’Inizio, Della Cosa Ultima i Labirinto Filosofico) com a interrogació ‘especulativa’ de tall neoplatònic del paradigma detectat per Heidegger.
He afegit tres apèndixs que intenten posar de relleu altres maneres d’enfocar el tema plantejat. Un apèndix dedicat al pensament del teòleg Zizioulas, un segon apèndix dedicat a les objeccions que va suscitar l’obra (Dell’Inizio) de Cacciari a Itàlia i un altre dedicat al plantejament tomista sobre el tema des de l’òptica de E. Gilson.Se trata de presentar a un autor como Massimo Cacciari enmarcándolo en lo que Heidegger llamó la onto-teo-logía como aquella manera de interpretar el pensamiento filósófico (ontológico) y teológico desde los albores de la filosofía hasta Nietzsche. Heidegger insiste a lo largo de su obra en aquello que ha quedado ‘impensado’: el Ser. Subraya esta carencia como algo que afecta al destino del ‘ser’ y a la propia finitud humana. La tradición ha dejado ‘impensada’ la diferencia del ser del ente y el ente. Esta carencia requiere, por tanto, un ‘paso atrás’ en el que situar de nuevo a la ‘metafísica’. Cacciari se situa en el mismo punto de partida del que Heidegger partió, pero el filósofo italiano explora una vía que fue prácticamente olvidada por Heidegger: el neoplatonismo. A lo largo de esta investigación veremos, por tanto, como los máximos representantes de lo que Heidegger llamó onto-teo-logía son repensados desde una óptica ‘nueva’ por Massimo Cacciari. El nihilismo detectado por Heidegger como el encadenamiento de una ‘metafísica general’ y una ‘metafísica especial’ puede ser revisado desde los comentarios al Parménides de Platón de la gran tradición neoplatónica. Cacciari parte de Kant para, en una especie de regresión en el tiempo, volver a aquel lugar que en filosofía se reclama como ‘amor al Bien’ y que la Crítica kantiana habría despreciado como un ‘vuelo hacia un lugar ignoto’. Se trata de reivindicar, al parecer de Cacciari, el lugar de la intuición filosófica sin olvidar lo que el mismo Heidegger ya detectó como pardigma onto-teo-lógico. La teología, vista desde esta vertiente neoplatónica, puede ser revisitada para ser una ‘digna’ dialogante de la filosofía. Los desarrollos teológicos no pueden ser entendidos sin lo que el neoplatonismo planteó en su insistente desarrollo de las aporías del Parménides. El idealismo post-kantiano (Hegel, Fichte) es ‘criticado’ y ‘rechazado’ desde la filosofía positiva de Schelling.
Presentamos además la crítica de Emmanuel Levinas a un pensamiento sobre Dios en los términos en los que Heidegger lo presentó, es decir, un Dios sólo pensado en los términos de la onto-teo-logía. La presente investigación se divide, por tanto, en dos partes fundamentales: Heidegger y el paradigma onto-teo-lógico como el desarrollo especulativo del nihilismo y la alternativa que E. Levinas propone a tal planteamiento por considerar una posibilidad no ontológica sobre un pensamiento sobre Dios (el Otro): una posibilidad ética (el rostro del otro desde el que ‘ver’ al Otro) y una segunda parte donde presentamos la trilogía fundamental de Cacciari (Dell’Inizio, Della Cosa Ultima y Labirinto Filosofico) como un cuestionamiento ‘especulativo’ de corte neoplatónico del paradigma detectado por Heidegger.
He añadido tres apéndices que intentan poner de relieve otros modos de enfocar el tema planteado. Un apéndice dedicado al pensamiento del teólogo Zizioulas, un segundo apéndice dedicado a las objeciones que suscitó la obra (Dell’Inizio) de Cacciari en Italia y otro dedicado al planteamiento tomista sobre el tema desde la óptica de E. Gilson.It is my intention to present author Massimo Cacciari in relation to what Heidegger called onto-theo-logy, as one way of interpreting the philosophical (ontological) and theological thinking, from the dawn of philosophy to Nietzsche. Heidegger insists throughout his work on what has been “unthinkable”, that is to say, the Being. The philosopher emphasises this lack as something that affects the fate of the “being” and our human finitude. The tradition has left behind a gap, in terms of the difference between the being entity and the entity itself. This deficiency requires, therefore, a 'step back' in order to place 'metaphysics' again. Cacciari is positioned at the same starting point from which Heidegger departed, but the Italian philosopher explores a way that was almost forgotten by Heidegger: Neoplatonism. Throughout this investigation we will see, therefore, how the main referents of what Heidegger called onto-theo-logy are studied from a 'new' perspective by Massimo Cacciari. The nihilism detected by Heidegger as the continuum of 'general metaphysics' and 'special metaphysics' can be revised from the comments on Plato's Parmenides in the great neoplatonic tradition. Cacciari departs from Kant, in a sort of regression in time, back to the common place that in philosophy is defined as 'love of the Good' and Kant's Critique would have despised as a «flight to nowhere». We intend to claim, pointing at Cacciari's particular perception, the place for philosophical intuition, while taking into account what Heidegger himself conceived as the onto-theo-logical paradigm. Theology, viewed from this neoplatonic perspective, may be revisited to become a dialogical counterpart of philosophy. These theological developments cannot be understood without the insistent advances raised by Neoplatonism in the paradoxes of Parmenides. The post-Kantian Idealism (Hegel, Fichte) is 'criticized' and 'rejected' from the positive philosophy of Schelling.
We present here, furthermore, Emmanuel Levinas's criticism of the thinking about God in the way Heidegger had submitted it, that is to say, a God thought only in onto-theo-logical terms. This research will, therefore, consist of two major parts: Heidegger and the onto-theo-logical paradigm, as the speculative proposal of nihilism and the alternative proposed by E. Levinas, where he suggests a non-ontological approach to the idea of God (the Other one), i.e., an ethical approach (the face of someone else from which we can see the Other one); and a second part, where we will introduce the basic trilogy of Cacciari (Dell'Inizio, Della Cosa Ultima and Labirinto Filosofico), as a speculative neoplatonic questioning of the paradigm posited by Heidegger.
Finally, we have added three appendices with the attempt to emphasize other possible approaches to the issue proposed. An appendix is devoted to the thought of theologian Zizioulas; a second appendix deals with the objections raised to Cacciari's work, Dell'Inizio, in Italy; and the final appendix is devoted to the Thomist approach to our issue from E. Gilson's perspective
Overcoming the biological barriers to intravenous delivery of stem cells and drugs for the treatment of vascular-related diseases
No full textDefective vasculature is one of the hallmarks of many diseases ranging from restricted blood flow in ischemia to abnormal blood vessel growth in cancer. Intravenous administration is particularly beneficial to patients with vascular-related diseases which are not easily accessible by the conventional methods. Therapeutics delivered via this route, however, must overcome the barriers along the way from the entry into the bloodstream to the target destination. To maximize the therapeutic efficacy, this dissertation investigates the use of polymeric nanoparticles to improve the transport of intravenously administered therapeutics and their accumulation in the diseased sites.
The first part of this dissertation focuses on the delivery of mesenchymal stem cells to ischemic tissue. Chapter 2 presents the use of nanoparticles capable of enhancing the ability of stem cells to migrate across defective vascular walls. The surface of stem cells was tethered with particles that sustainably released stromal cell-derived factor-1α. Intravenously injected stem cells consequently exhibited a higher migration ability to ischemic muscle. The strategy of surface tethering was then applied towards protecting stem cells in the oxidative diseased sites, as presented in Chapter 3. The nanoparticles are devised to rapidly discharge antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate in response to elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide. The stem cells survived in sub-lethal concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and maintained their angiogenic potential in vivo.
The second part of this dissertation looks at the delivery of doxorubicin to cancer cells. Chapter 4 presents the design strategies of nanoparticles for an enhanced release of entrapped doxorubicin within cancer cells. By incorporating moieties sensitive to the intracellular signals of cancer cells, drug release from the particles was significantly accelerated, giving rise to superior in vivo antitumor efficacy. Ultimately, the results of this dissertation will greatly contribute to improving the therapeutic outcome of numerous vascular-related diseases.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2020-08-01The student, Jyeyng Teo, accepted the attached license on 2018-07-02 at 15:47.The student, Jyeyng Teo, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2018-07-02 at 16:05.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2018-07-06 at 08:58.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #12703 on 2018-09-27 at 11:34:02Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-27T16:47:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2
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A new first-order decision-making model for the procurement of public sector infrastructure: Procedures and Testing
No full textGiven global demand for new infrastructure, governments face substantial challenges in funding new infrastructure and delivering Value for Money (VfM). As part of the background to this challenge, a critique is given of current practice in the selection of the approach to procure major public sector infrastructure in Australia and which is akin to the Multi-Attribute Utility Approach (MAUA). To contribute towards addressing the key weaknesses of MAUA, a new first-order procurement decision-making model is presented. The model addresses the make-or-buy decision (risk allocation); the bundling decision (property rights incentives), as well as the exchange relationship decision (relational to arms-length exchange) in its novel approach to articulating a procurement strategy designed to yield superior VfM across the whole life of the asset. The aim of this paper is report on the development of this decisionmaking model in terms of the procedural tasks to be followed and the method being used to test the model. The planned approach to testing the model uses a sample of 87 Australian major infrastructure projects in the sum of AUD32 billion and deploys a key proxy for VfM comprising expressions of interest, as an indicator of competition
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